CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

MELISSA

Mel paced the length of the corridor outside Jenna’s rooms. The late afternoon sun had warmed the tiles beneath her feet. Her soft shoes barely made any noise on the smooth, white marble floors. Trees swayed outside the large windows, and Mel heard the cheerful chattering of alien animals, as well as the melodious notes of a musical instrument.

Not even the music could soothe her nerves. Pacing helped, so she kept moving, bouncing from one wall to the other. At the middle of her trip, she paused to stare at the closed door, behind which her sister and Kovos discussed Jahle.

Jenna had promised to beg Kovos for clemency, asking Kovos to spare Jahle’s life on the grounds that he and Mel were Avowed. Not enough was known about human and Ennoi bonds. If they functioned the same as Ennoi-Ennoi bonds, then it was possible that Mel would die, too.

It seemed unlikely to Mel. She didn’t feel a second heart beating. She didn’t feel like she could change into a dragon.

Though if this takes any longer, I might bore a hole in the door by staring at it.

What she did feel was a deep sense of hopelessness.

She paused in front of the door. Yaldir stood in a relaxed position beside the door. Jenna had explained Yaldir was Kovos’s honor guard, the way Jahle was Dogan’s honor guard. Mel understood that to mean he was some sort of trusted adviser meant to keep a leader on the straight and narrow.

By that definition, I’m Jenna’s honor guard.

With a heavy sigh, she dropped her shoulders. “They’ve been in there for hours,” she grumbled.

“Barely half a bell,” Yaldir said, his eyes fixed ahead. With his hands clasped behind his back, he looked like he was waiting for a bus.

But I guess the love of his life isn’t about to die in the morning.

She stepped closer to the door and tipped her head. She heard nothing. Tucking her curls behind her ear, she leaned to place her ear on the door.

“Ahem.”

She straightened to find Yaldir shaking his head at her.

“I would not recommend that.”

“Why not?” She placed a hand on her hip. “I have a right to know what’s happening in there.”

The corner of Yaldir’s mouth rose. “Are you certain?”

“Yes,” she snapped. “This concerns me.”

“Very well. They are probably attempting to conceive an heir.”

Mel’s face grew hot. She stepped away from the door. “Oh. Is that a… possibility?”

“It is unknown,” Yaldir seemed to be receiving great joy from her reaction. “I am certain we will find out soon based on the frequency-”

Mel clapped her hands over her ears. “Please stop.”

Yaldir's half-cough might have been a laugh, but she didn’t wait to find out. She stomped to a nearby bench and collapsed into a heap. She glared at the birds chirping in the trees outside, which she tugged at the ornate beading on her gown.

It isn't fair. Why do the birds get to be happy?

And not me?

Jenna’s words repeated in her head: This is not you, Mel.

She took a deep breath. Nope, she was not that girl. She was not the pining kind.

She was the kick-ass kind.

Yaldir watched her approach with amused eyes. “Yes, Lady Melissa? Is there anything I can assist you with?”

“Take me to see Jahle.”

The amusement faded. “I am afraid I cannot do as you ask.”

Mel’s eyes flashed. “I did not ask. I told.”

“And I cannot do as you tell either.”

“If you can’t help me, then who can? Who has the keys to Jahle’s cell?”

For a second, she thought Yaldir might lock her up as securely as Jahle, but then his eyes softened. “I believe you will integrate into Ennoi society with far greater ease than your sister.” He scanned the corridor, and finding it empty, he stepped away from the door. “Follow me, Lady Melissa.”

After walking halfway across the palace, and winding their way down a curved staircase, Yaldir stopped in front of an unmarked metal door. “I am honor-bound to attempt to dissuade you one last time.”

“Go ahead.”

“He is a traitor.”

“He is my Avowed. Open the door.”

A flash of an emotion Mel couldn’t name flickered in Yaldir’s eye, before he complied. “You do not have much time. Your presence will be missed.”

“Thank you, Yaldir.”

“Do not thank me. I doubt I am doing anyone a favor.”

The room was dark, and when Yaldir closed and locked the door behind her, it grew even darker still. She stood for a moment, pushing back the panic that flared inside her mind.

You can do this.

“Jahle?”

“Go away.” A rustle of movement caught her ear. She turned toward the noise and squinted. A dim light shone in the corner, hidden by the outline of Jahle sitting on his bed, his back to her.

She fumbled her way to him. She placed her hand on his shoulder, but he did not move. She moved around him, and saw the source of the glow. In Jahle’s hand sat an illuminated image of an Ennoi woman, created out of light. Mel marveled at the detail. Every scale on the woman’s skin was sharp as reality.

“Jahle?” The pale glow showed Jahle was riveted to her face. He paid no attention to Mel’s words. “Who is that?”

“None of your business.” The flatness in his voice made her stomach clench.

She licked her lips, and tried to keep her tone light. She placed her hand on his shoulder. “I’m gone for half a day and you find yourself a new girlfriend?”

It was the wrong thing to say. His shoulders tensed, and he jerked away from her before hunching over the hologram protectively. “No. If you want to discuss relationships, you should go see Resh.”

Mel scowled at his back. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

“What do you think it means?”

Her cheeks pinkened. Sure, Resh had been nice to her in a flirty kind of way, but she wasn’t with Resh. She was here, in the dark, with Jahle. “If you’re trying to imply something, just come out and say it.”

“If you do not understand my meaning, then you are stupid.”

“Ugh! You are just so…” She stomped her foot and grunted in frustration. “I came here to try to talk to you, to try to see how you were doing and… and… Ugh! You’re infuriating!”

Mel spun around on her heel, and marched to the door. She had her fist raised to pound on the door, when she froze.

She wasn’t with Resh.

She was here, in the dark, with Jahle.

Where she wanted to be.

Slowly, she lowered her fist.

Jahle pushed her buttons. Oh, how he pushed them. Like unsupervised-kid-in-an-elevator kind of pushed.

Under Jahle’s prickly exterior lay a good man with a good heart. A heart she loved. A heart that beat for her.

Her hand dropped to her side. Mel closed her eyes, letting the darkness surround her, and focused on her breathing. When it was calm and level, she turned back to Jahle.

The bed shifted a little when she sat. She placed her hand on his shoulder. “There is nothing between me and Resh. Nothing. I can tell you that with a clear conscience. If you don’t want to talk about that girl in the picture, that’s fine.”

Jahle’s fingers closed around the device in his hands.

“But if you do,” Mel continued. “If you do want to talk about her, I’ll listen. I’m here.”

“You…”

“Yes?”

“You should leave.”

“No,” she said, her voice level. “I will not leave.”

“I do not want you here.”

“Too bad, buddy. There’s nowhere else I would rather be than right here.”

Jahle’s fingers moved over the device, and the hologram moved. The scene looped. Each time, the hope in the woman’s eyes was wiped away by betrayal. Regret. Pain.

Who is she?

Mel watched as the Ennoi woman’s lips moved, mouthing words she could not hear. The woman turned her head, distracted, and Mel blinked.

“Is that… your sister?” She peered closer. “You have the same chin. And the same eyes. The shape, I mean.”

“Why are you still here?” The coldness in Jahle’s voice made her back stiffen.

Breathe, Mel, breathe.

“I know what you’re doing, Jahle,” she said. “It won’t work.”

He laughed. A hard, brittle sound. “If you know what I am doing, please inform me. Because I have no idea.”

“You’re pushing me away. Because you think… I dunno. That my life would be better without you. Easier.”

“My life would be easier without you.”

“Keep talking, buddy. I’m not going anywhere.” She scooted back on the bed until her back hit the wall. “I’m here for the long haul. After all, I am your Avowed.”

His head turned at her words. “You know about Avowals?”

“Yeah, Jenna explained it. Can’t say I get it all, but I got the general gist. Boy meets girl, boy’s second heart starts beating. Boy becomes dragon-beast. And all because he loves me. Or, well, maybe he has the potential to love me? I dunno, Jenna babbles sometimes and I tune her out. Do you?”

“Do what? Tune out your sister?”

Mel leaned forward. “Do you love me?”

Jahle said nothing.

She moved forward, until she could press her chest to his side. Lying her head on his arm, she asked again. “Do you love me?”

Jahle said nothing, but the light from the hologram wavered as his hands shook.

Mel kissed the skin of his shoulder, feeling the prickle of his scales under her lips. “Do you love me?”

Jahle said nothing, but he drew in a drawn out, shuddering breath. She saw the tendons in his neck flex.

Mel slipped off the bed and stood in front of him. She placed her hands on either side of his face and lifted his head until their eyes met. She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. “Do you love me?”

Jahle stared at her, helpless. “Yes,” he whispered. “From the moment I first saw you, I have loved you.”

“Good.” She bent down to kiss him again, and he raised his hand, stopping her.

“Also, you are not stupid. I am sorry I called you that.”

Mel giggled. “I can be a little stupid sometimes.”

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. “You can be stubborn and difficult. Impulsive and impossible, even, at times. But,” he kissed her, “you are never stupid.”

He drew her down onto the bed, and kissed her deeply, letting his lips linger on hers. Her head began to spin. When he lifted the hem of her dress and let his fingers skim over her thighs, she flared with a deep need that took her by surprise. When he slipped inside her, covering her mouth with his to silence her cries of passion, she knew this was where she was meant to be.

With him.

When they were done, and she lay cradled in his arms, she tapped a finger on his chest. “Jahle?”

“Yes?”

“I love you too. As much as I want to, I can’t save you from this, Jahle. You’ll have to walk through this dark tunnel yourself, but if you’ll let me, I’ll walk beside you. Let me walk beside you.”

His arms tightened around her. “It will be too much to bear.”

“I’m not a coward. Tomorrow, no matter what happens, I’ll be right there with you.”