My room at the Temple was directly next to Leric’s, if I remembered correctly from when I had stolen into it years ago. My Lajaks’ rooms ran up and down the hallways to the left if you stepped outside the door, making me wonder whose rooms were to the right of Leric’s. Possibly his Lajaks? I would have to ask, since Roselle had stated these were their rooms for as long as they were in my service, reserved for them. She had also brought me a book on “Dead Zones” and platters of sandwiches, arriving with them just before my Lajaks had entered my room for our nightly meeting—King Collins having stayed in the room with me, guarding me, while they were gone, none of us tired since it wasn’t even noon yet where we came from.
I sat on the white bamboo dresser while they sprawled about my room, eyeing every inch of it while munching absently on sandwiches. “So…fire away.”
I ate a bite of my own sandwich.
“Spirit Elementals can have children with Commoners?” Elder Bridges asked very carefully, very slowly, watching me for my reaction as he sat on the edge of a sofa.
I knew that would be the first question. “Technically, yes.”
“Why do you say technically?” Elder Farrar asked, sitting on the floor, his back to my bed, head tipped up to view me.
I sighed heavily. “Because technically, we can. But,” I pointed at my Core, then my forehead, “we’re spirit Elementals. We keep the balance between not only Mysticals, but also Commoners. The fifth Element. Inside, we are pure. None of us want to have children with Commoners because of the consequences. And I mean, we do not,” I thumped my chest, “want to have children with them. It’s in us. A part of us.” I shook my head. “But, if a spirit goes insane, which can happen when fighting the battle against the dark, the evil, then that part of us, that drive not to have a child with a Commoner, could diminish because,” I shrugged a shoulder, “because we would be insane, forgetting who we are, uncaring of the consequences.”
Elder Merrick sat on my bed, propping his back against the white tiki headboard, prompting, “The consequences are?”
Simple. And the most terrifying part of us. I eyed everyone warily. “Really…we don’t want to have children with Commoners.”
“I know you’re not lying.” Elder Merrick rolled a finger, voice gravelly, appearing damn comfortable on my bed. “Answer the question.”
“Annihilation.” My words were soft. “All Mysticals would instantly, and magically, die with the birth of one male and one female, produced directly from a spirit and a Commoner. As I said, we are the balance. Although we have Commoner tendencies, some of their weaknesses that make us compatible, we are Mystical. We were gifted with the longer lifespan, given the magic that allows us to keep Mysticals and Commoners safe, but breed with a Commoner, and we…” I picked at my sandwich, “we create an entire new species, a new race, with altered DNA from the Commoner, but with a spirits—a Mysticals—genes dominating the Commoners, making the new species Mystical, so therefore, the balance is ruined, and the only way to offset it, is to take another away.”
King Collins’ voice was choked. “Elder Merrick?”
One guttural word. “Truth.”
The silence was deafening.
I cleared my throat. “Now ask me why you shouldn’t bring an atomic bomb here and annihilate every spirit.”
King Samson’s tone was deadly from where he sat on a windowsill. “Why?”
“As I’ve said, we are the balance. We are the light, the pure. We are needed to fight the dark, the evil, of the world, by Shadow or by Barren, which is the area Leric and I went into the other day, a space between the living to the dead, a holding area for the evil beings of the world that long to be released to their bodies to live again, which we end before they can. If you kill us, then what do you think happens to the world? Not only the Commoners will be killed, but so will the Mysticals, or even, the species created by Com/Mys conception, eventually the dark infecting all until you kill each other off, complete apocalypse. We are a necessary evil. We are the balance, the light and pure.” I flicked my eyes to Elder Merrick’s stony, blank expression.
Guttural. “Truth.”
Elder Samson continued his line of questioning, his thoughts obvious. “How often are spirits actually outside the Temple to fight the Shadows?” And, apparently, he must have read the file before coming here.
My brows lifted. “Killing every spirit off, except for Leric and I is not an option. Spirits are outside the Temple way more than you realize. Guardians are there all the time, fighting the Shadows.” I shrugged a shoulder. “You just don’t remember.” I blinked, holding a finger up. “Also, any spirit who chooses to be a Guardian is sterilized magically—no children, just in case they lose it during battle.”
“Truth,” Elder Merrick murmured. “The woman you interacted with at the meeting. She mentioned her worries that the One wouldn’t be able to find you if you became pregnant from a Commoner, as if, he should be able to…”
I nodded once, pleased he had caught that. “Yes. I will also eventually have this power, but the One can feel when a child has been conceived between a Com and Mys, when conception occurs inside the womb.” My lips thinned, this part I didn’t care for. “He, and I—when I’m powerful enough—are sent to take care of the issue before birth.”
My nostrils flared when everyone became mute, understanding what I was saying. “It’s not a part of the job I relish, but I will do it. We are not Gods. Those on the planet, are meant to be. Any new species of higher living, should not be derived from evil, and that would be the case to kill so many innocents.”
King Zeller flopped heavily on the other side of my bed, his gaze carefully neutral. “Would he be able to know if you were pregnant from a Com with the protection surrounding you?”
I went for the brutal truth. “Honestly, I don’t believe so. My body would be the shell, anything inside protected.” I eyed each of them. “But I would terminate a pregnancy such as that in a heartbeat. I’m not insane.” I pointed to my chest. “I am still a spirit Elemental, the pure driving me. I am strong. Honestly, stronger than I ever knew, handling the Barren as I did, because as I explained in the meeting, when Leric and I end them, their evil, twisted memories flash through our minds. It’s only a job for the strongest willed and minded, a job until we die. I won’t go insane.”
Brann’s lips were thinned, not hiding his emotions as well. “It still may be wise for you to have your tubes tied magically, in case you were ever spelled by someone more powerful to continue on a pregnancy from rape.”
Elder Samson snorted. “What would be wise is for every spirit Elemental to never leave the fucking Temple, unless they were Guardians.”
King Collins flashed him a look. “She is my Prodigy.”
Dry words from Elder Samson. “And, that, is your misfortune.”
I waved my hands before this escalated, King Collins appearing extremely irritated. “Hold it. I’ll answer these questions.” I glanced to Brann. “I have thought about tying my tubes magically as any spirit considers with the threat. That is an option, although, I will state, I do want children eventually.” I glanced to Elder Samson. “As for spirits leaving the Temple,” my head teetered, “it’s all about the balance. Where dark and light correlate, everyone, except for a spirit, has the option of being evil or good. It is their choice. But where we are concerned, we are the pure; we fight the evil offspring others choose. It is not a choice, it is a part of us, it compels us, so therefore, balance must be made. Where choice is taken away in one area, it is gifted in another.”
“Your choice of the Temple,” Elder Farrar stated, listening closely.
I nodded once. “Everything is based on choice here, even our Laws derive from a choice.”
Sin was sitting with his head cocked on his hand on the vanity chair, leaning causally on the stand. “And you chose…me.”
My lips curved softly, and I nodded. “Yes, I chose love.”
“Over all the risks…” King Zeller stated slowly. “You chose Sin.”
An immediate snort from Elder Samson. “Now, that sounds insane.”
Sin immediate shot him a cold, calculated stare. “Then you, Elder Samson, have never experienced unconditional love.” Emerald green eyes flicked over the Elder’s face. “Have you?”
I stared at the Elder’s neutral face as he eyed Sin mutely. “A life without Sin isn’t a life I wish to lead.”
Golden eyes flicked to me, gaze instantly incredulously. “Do you realize how contradictory that sounds with your blathering of being pure?”
I waved an absent hand. “It’s just his name.” My head teetered. “Besides, every pure needs,” head tilted to Sin, “a not-so-pure.”
Humored words from Sin. “Thank you, love.”
“It worked, huh?” I rolled pointed fingers around each other. “With the whole balancing?”
“Definitely.”
I nodded once. “I thought so.”
“While your love for each other is endearing,” Elder Bridges murmured, then instantly rubbed his nose, his forehead crinkling, “actually, it’s irritating the shit out of me,” more rubbing, “I’d like to move on for now, and ask how often children are conceived by Mys and Com.”
Ah…I had hoped they wouldn’t ask that one. “Not often.”
“Explain,” Elder Merrick instantly demanded, and I could feel his navy eyes gauging me heavily.
Dammit.
I sighed. “There have only ever been a few in recorded history. Within the last thousand years there have only been two.” The few before that, I hadn’t paid too much attention to.
He rolled a finger. “Continue.” Damn wolf on the fucking hunt.
My lips thinned. “When it happens, it starts an event. Like a countdown to the Mysticals annihilation, a forewarning, except in worldly form.” Nostrils flaring, I spoke slowly. “The first time in the last thousand years was hundreds of years ago when the Mystical factions were brought together. I honestly don’t know the threat that made them united, the literature on it sketchy, as if dealings were held back, but that was the first time.” My gaze was hooded as my eyes flicked to King Collins and King Zeller. “The second time was before MCWWII began.”
King Collins instantly started cursing, pacing the room furiously, running his hands through his hair while King Zeller’s face blanked completely…just staring at me, the others in the room going deathly quiet.
I attempted to make them see reason. “All Mystical issues are not a spirits fault. There have been many uprisings within the last thousand years…there was even MCWWI…all of which, a spirits only actions were to offset the dark, fight the damn battle of the growing evil which was spurned by these events, so that the Mystical factions and Commoners didn’t kill each other.”
Elder Farrar’s head cocked slowly, his golden gaze running over me, drawling casually, “You’re like the small explosive package in a mailbox, except—surprise—when opened, the blast destroys an entire race.”
I glowered at him for a moment. “The conceptions may have started those events, but after they were terminated—quickly, how the situations were handled were completely on others shoulders, their fate in their own hands.”
King Collins growled, “Yes. Mine.”
I stayed silent, because that was the truth.
Sin hummed softly in the palatable tension-filled room. “And yet…without spirits…we would all kill one another, so therefore, without the small explosive package in the mailbox, two races would be gone, not just one, all without the beauty of the boom, only darkness seen before…nothing.”
I barely kept my sigh at bay, flicking a finger to him. “Exactly.” I eyed him gratefully, unconditional love for him, and his for me, swelling my heart before I glanced about to the powerful men of the room. Running a hand through my hair, I stated quietly, “Now that you know our biggest deep dark secret, I will understand if any of you want to rescind your initial offer to be my Lajak. I can take you back now, and pick another, if you wish.”
Elder Samson appeared furious, but he held up a hand, muttering halfway calmly, “Just be quiet, and give us a moment to think this through.”
“I can do that.” And I did, again eating at my sandwich, some Royals rising to pace, others sitting silently, staring at their laps or off into nothing, their expressions varying as they took in this world altering news, but a minute later my head popped up from my last bite, cheeks full of delicious ham and cheese and sweet bread when a knock came at my door.
Sin waved me away, standing and holding a gun behind his back he had pulled from somewhere on his person, the Elders and Kings of the room freezing, staring at the door, I was sure their minds still chaotically churning with information, and Sin asked loudly, gun aimed, “Who is it?”
“Roselle. I’ve brought more refreshments,” she stated loudly, then pausing. “Alcohol. I’m sure you could use it.”
“Fuck, let her in,” Elder Bridges muttered, sounding damn grateful.
Sin did so, and she peeked to me after rolling in a small trolley, eyeing the group, asking, “How’s it going?”
“Oh, you know.” I waved a hand at my Lajaks who each took a drink from the small cart of varying choices. “They’re deciding now if they should stay and protect me to learn more and make sure spirits don’t all need to be dead, or, to stay and protect me just to learn more, or, to exit the Temple as fast as they can to plot and plan a way to destroy us, or, lastly, to exit the Temple as fast they can, and pray they forget they ever learned our big bad.”
Roselle’s lips twitched, even when a few irritated grunts came from the group, not appreciating my commentary, and she cracked her knuckles as she strolled toward the door. “We could help them with that last one.” She grinned silently to me before closing the door behind her.
I blinked, then glanced to them, most glaring, but I did state, “Actually, that is an option, if you would like it, chose for it.” I shrugged a shoulder. “I’m caring that way.” A wink, whispering, “And I won’t tell anyone.”
Elder Bridges actually chuckled, eyeing me over the glass of wine he drank. “You’re just as I remember you.”
I pointed to myself. “Extra special?”
He only chuckled.
Oddly, Elder Merrick sneezed from my bed after sitting with his drink. Heavily. He shook his head, like he was brushing it off, the motion very wolf like. Rubbed the back of his neck, eyebrows together, his wolf growling quietly. Sneezed again, all of us staring by now…and his head tilted up to the right…sniffed once, and his wolf growled quietly. Navy blue eyes flicked to me, and he jerked his head to the right, rumbling, “Your mate’s here.”
I stared at a spot of thin air as Leric’s voice sounded, his tone irked, “That is so damn bothersome.” Instantly, he materialized, glaring at Elder Merrick. “I even went to the trouble to have alcohol sent to sneak in here.”
Elder Merrick’s lips twitched, and he lifted his beer in silent cheers. “Thank you, and it was a decent attempt.”
I blinked at Leric, trying to draw his attention. “You’re already done?” He didn’t appear to be in a great mood.
His narrowed eyes met mine, and he growled quietly, tiger sounding. “He hadn’t been using his powers recently.” He slashed a hand through the air. “He was a damn bleeder. I couldn’t burn the areas fast enough.”
Oh…he was upset because the torture hadn’t gone on as long as he wished. “It does suck when they bite it too fast.” I pushed my own peace down through our tether, and watched as he sucked in a harsh breath, eyes widening marginally, even as his thrumming frame physically relaxed, shoulders lowering. “Have you eaten yet?”
He exhaled heavily, silver eyes watching me, and he murmured on a soft voice, “That…is pleasant. Thank you.” I dipped my head, and continued an easy dose of peace to him as he stretched his arms over his head, shirt pulling at his large, muscular frame. “Actually, I did eat, but I’ll take one of those drinks.” He grabbed one, and came to stand next to me, resting his hips on the dresser, asking the Elders and Kings who had begun ignoring us, back to their own thoughts. “Which will it be, gentlemen?”
Sin shrugged a shoulder, drinking his own beer from the vanity chair. “Staying.”
Leric murmured, “That was a given.” Eyes back to the Elders and Kings. “Your answers?”
Elder Farrar stated casually, “I’m staying. If spirits haven’t ended us so far, you’re doing something right.” His brows bounced. “Peace at the Temple seems like a priority to all.”
About time someone said that.
“I’m staying,” King Zeller murmured slowly, sipping whiskey from a crystal, again siting on my bed.
“Same here,” Elder Merrick took a swig from his beer, expression calm. “My thoughts are the same as Elder Farrar’s.”
Leric flicked his hand in a wiping motion. “Can you two please get off her bed?”
King Zeller’s eyebrows quirked. “It’s damn comfortable.” A black boot patted my mattress. “And there’s nowhere else to sit.”
Elder Merrick only grunted, relaxing further, even fluffing a pillow behind the small of his back.
Silver eyes found mine, and he stated on a quiet growl, “My bedroom,”
“Is right next door. I remember.”
“—and the walls are thin.” His lips curved in a slow, cunning smile before glancing back out to the group, and I saw King Zeller’s shoulders shaking from the corner of my eye while I glared at Leric, but he ignored my expression, asking, “And the rest of you?”
Eventually, the rest stated they were staying, Elder Samson predictably last, but he was still staying, which I wanted him to. Wanted him to learn more, to learn to trust, and to learn what Elder Farrar had said was correct. Leric nodded, then stated, “I’ll tell you the elite Guardian is now dead who attempted to attack my Chosen. He wasn’t being coerced by anyone. His actions were all his own. He believed as the rioters do, that my Chosen will offset the balance, which she has explained what that is. He was a fanatical, and I’m sure he won’t be the last, so please, stay watchful.” His head dipped to Elder Farrar and Elder Merrick, and he stated calmly, “Thank you for catching him before he could harm her.”
Both nodded easily, the man nod, no words needed.
“And with that, I’ll leave you, unless you have any direct questions for me?”
My brows slammed together, the peace I had been sending him abruptly shutting down. “Where are you going?” He couldn’t be tired.
White brows lifted slowly. “I’m going to discuss with Roselle what actions we could take to make our people more inclined to you.” He tilted his head to the others. “I thought you would have your hands full, so I was going to handle this alone.”
“Right.” I tucked a hair behind my ear, brows still together, not liking this bond…jealousy…that had flared within me…a tiny thought that he might be going to see Lissa. “That sounds like a valid plan, since I’ve got more to speak on here.”
He hummed quietly, eyeing me through shaded lids, then peered back out to the group. “Any questions you need me to answer?”
When they shook their heads, Sin lifted his drink. “Actually, I have a question about the woman Caro was speaking with at the meeting.” A motion for him to proceed, and Sin asked, “I’d like to know her name and if she’s single?”
I blinked slowly, not really surprised.
Leric’s head cocked. “Are you working an angle?”
Sin’s lips curved, murmuring, “There are always many angles to work.”
I kept my mien blank, knowing Sin was, indeed, working an angle with that expression.
“Her name’s Hanna, and yes, she’s single.” Leric actually smiled a bit. “Good luck.”
Sin’s lips only lifted.
Leric tilted his head back to me, and I felt the brush of his warm lips at my temple before he pushed off the dresser, stating to everyone, “Do try to get some rest tonight. You don’t have to learn everything in one evening. We’ll be meeting in my study at eight am to head for breakfast, then going into a meeting directly afterward.”
My lips pinched again, that damn possessive jealousy flaring, and I whispered through our connection, “Remember…the walls are thin.”
He stumbled a step, glancing back over his shoulder, and lips trembling the barest bit, he exited my room, closing the door quietly behind him.
“Elder Farrar, spell my room for privacy.” Instantly, the walls shimmered golden, and brushing an agitated hand through my hair, I peered back to everyone, my tone a smidge snippy, asking, “What else would you like to learn tonight?”
Elder Bridges itched his nose, brows raising a smidge, but he asked steadily, “Where the hell are we exactly?”
And this was how the next two hours went as I found a map in the small collection of books pre-placed in my room on a large bookshelf that was only filled incrementally, my own books to go there eventually. I explained patiently, answering any and every question they felt the need to know immediately, and when I fell into bed that night, I was actually exhausted even with the time difference, and my mind eased to peaceful slumber as the scent of forests before a rainfall surrounded me from the pillow I was using, the one Elder Merrick had continued to use and rustled about earlier, with Sin curled up behind me after sneaking in, our guns beneath our pillows.