“I CAN SYNTHEZISE AN ANTIDOTE TO NEUTRALISE THE POISION.”
“Okay.” Jay nodded. “How will we get that into the patient?”
“DISSOLVED IN WATER. IF SHE CONSUMES A SUFFICIENT QUANTITY BEFORE SHE INGESTS SOLIDS SHE WILL NO LONGER SUFFER SYMPTOMS.”
“That sounds remarkably easy. What do I need to get for you to create the antidote?”
His A.I. ran a list of ingredients past him.
“Can I get those here?”
“AFFIRMATIVE. ALL AVAILABLE WITHIN 5 METERS OF YOUR CURRENT LOCATION.”
“In the temple?”
“YES.” A map flashed in his head.
Jay considered his options. He’d probably have to enlist Rain’s help and maybe even the healer who looked after him. She’d probably have access to all the remedies in the temple stillroom, which was where his A.I. was directing him.
The sooner he got the antidote made, the quicker Rain’s mother would recover. He wasn’t sure if she would ever regain her full health, but he could certainly stop her dying right in front of her daughter. If they managed to “liberate” Neveks from the claustrophobic power of the current Queen Goddess, he might insist she was treated in the capital city.
He walked across the hallway to where Rain was sitting with her mother. Through the half-open door he could hear them talking to each other, the sounds affectionate and full of laughter. He’d never had that in his life. Once his mother had died, no one else in his family had wanted anything to do with him. Things had only gotten worse when the government had become afraid of their own creations and tried to exterminate him and his companions.
Some of that had been his fault. He’d grown used to being powerful and had pushed the boundaries to their limits—he’d almost taken out an entire tank crew with the cold-blooded ferocity of an assassin. He understood the lure of power all too well now and was no longer prepared to sit back and allow the Queen to ruin more lives in her quest to rule the planet.
Rain and her mother deserved to be together. He’d do anything in his power to make that happen.
“Jay?”
As if sensing the promise in his thoughts, Rain turned toward the door where he stood. He beckoned for her to come to him rather than disturbing her mother. Today she wore a simple green tunic belted at the waist and her hair was tied at the nape of her neck. Her skin seemed to redden as she approached him, and all the hairs on his arms came to attention.
She smelled of flowers and incense, and he wanted to pick her up, take her to his bed, and devour every inch of her…
She gave him the eye. “Concentrate.”
“I can do two things at once you know,” he protested.
“Not if you are doing them properly. Now what can I help you with?”
He had to remind himself that beneath this new softer exterior version of Rain, there was still a warrior with a very decisive mind and an ability to cut through his crap.
“I need a reason to visit the stillroom to gather some ingredients.”
“Then I will take you there.”
Jay frowned. “Won’t that make people suspicious?”
“Only if you act like an idiot.”
She disappeared out of the door and came back with the priestess who was currently looking after both Jay and her mother.
“Marz will keep an eye on my mother while we take the tour of the temple I promised you.”
Jay bowed to the priestess. “Thank you.”
“You are welcome.” Marz smiled at him. “I am pleased to see that your own recovery is proceeding as planned.”
“I feel much better thanks to your generous care.”
They went out into the hallway where a soft breeze wafted through the ancient stone pillars, reminding him of the church he had attended as a child with his mother. Whatever his own personal feelings about the Gods, he couldn’t deny that some spaces were definitely infused with power.
“This way.” Rain took a right turn and he followed her.
“You seem very familiar with this place,” Jay commented.
“I grew up here in a house in the temple grounds.”
“Not in the actual temple?”
She gave him a sideways glance. “My mother worked here.”
“It’s very beautiful.”
“Yeah, and didn’t prepare me for the outside world at all. It’s bad enough for the average Neveks person who goes outside the boundaries, but for me it was…eye opening.”
“Yet you survived and thrived.”
“We are both survivors in our own ways, Jay.”
He stopped walking to look down at her, his heart beating way too fast.
“Don’t compare my stupid, reckless life with yours.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Why not? I’ve been in your head. I know you.”
“That I’ve killed and maimed and—”
She pressed her fingers to his lips. “So have I. It’s okay. I understand.”
He stared at her for a long moment, and she gazed into his eyes with a wry warmth that made him want to drop to his knees and howl like a banshee.
“What is a banshee?” Rain asked.
“A spirit who wails and warns of forthcoming death.”
“Very fitting then.” Her smile disappeared. “We are both survivors, Jay. The real question is whether we can survive what’s coming next.”
“The Queen?” He grimaced. “Yeah. That’s a tricky one.”
She grabbed hold of his wrist. “But I will resist her. She doesn’t deserve to rule this place.”
“Then I will be at your side.” She began to speak, but he kept going. “That is not negotiable. We fight the Queen together, and we die together.”
“That’s hardly encouraging.”
“It’s not meant to be.” He paused. “But if we can get Asar on our side and bond him to us…”
“Even that might not be enough. My mother said that the Queen can sometimes break the bonds between mated triads.”
“Wow,” Jay breathed. “Then we really are screwed.”
Rain’s smile held a hint of desperation. “Let’s just see if we can help my mother and forget about the rest.”
Jay started walking again. “Agreed. You distract the priestess while I gather the necessary ingredients. Asar will have to wait.”
Hidden behind one of the pillars, Asar stayed where he was until Jay and Rain reached the end of the corridor and entered the stillroom. He had no idea why they wanted to go there, but that was the least of his concerns right now.
He let out a long shuddering breath. He hadn’t heard all of their conversation and hadn’t consciously sought to spy on them. But he’d heard enough to understand that Jay posed a threat to his mother, and that Rain was in agreement with him. He pressed his palm over his heart, which felt as if it was actually hurting. They thought they could persuade him to become their ally. They would use his unwilling attraction to them to force his hand.
Asar groaned softly and stared at the wall opposite. The trouble was, he did feel a connection with Rain and Jay. It consumed him. What if they were his given mates and he had to kill them to protect his mother?
He closed his eyes and sent a telepathic command to his mother. “You must speak to me. What do you know of this human who has invaded the sacred sanctuary of Neveks?”
“He is dangerous. He is using his unnatural powers to convince Rain that she is bonded to him and that she has a true grievance against me.” Asar tried to relax as his mother responded.
“Then why don’t I just send him on his way to the Temple at Quoxor?” Asar demanded.
“Because I wish to meet him.”
“But what if he persuades Rain to attempt to kill you?”
His mother laughed. “You have such little faith in me, my son. I am more than a match for Rain Datta.”
“But I don’t want you to hurt her.” Asar held his breath as the silence lengthened.
“If you can contain your lust for a few more hours, I will be with you. If she is foolish enough to challenge me, I will attempt to spare her life. What you do with her after that, is up to you.”
Asar stiffened at the cold indifference in his mother’s voice. Had she always been like that? Had he chosen to ignore this side of her power because it hadn’t impacted him so personally before? If that was the truth, he was ashamed of himself.
“Listen to me, my son. The human is dangerous. He is a machine designed by his government to kill without remorse, and is in league with the Etruscans. He will do anything to achieve his purpose including manufacturing false feelings in Rain to make her feel wanted and loved. If you wish to help her, perhaps you will make her aware of this.”
Asar’s hands fisted. “Then I will send the human on his way to Quoxor and speak to Rain.”
“NO! I forbid it. I wish to see this abomination in person.”
Asar winced as a bolt of pain lashed through his mind. His mother never liked being disobeyed or challenged. Despite the threat, he tried again.
“But your decision makes no sense. Why not remove the threat?”
“Because I wish to see him suffer! How dare this male think he can assassinate me by using one of my own people? I WILL NOT STAND FOR IT!”
She slammed the link shut with a brutality that sent Asar to his knees, blood dripping from his eyes and nose as her rage screamed through his head.
It took him a few moments to gather himself and stumble back to his quarters. The last thing he needed was for Jay and Rain to find him passed out in the hallway. He slammed the door shut and locked it, gulping down the fresh air.
His mother was…acting like a paranoid monster. His childhood sweetheart was plotting with another man to kill the Queen Goddess, while he was being treated like a pawn by all of them. Anger simmered in his gut as he contemplated his choices. Whatever he chose, someone was not going to be happy, but this was not the time to shirk his responsibilities. These were not trivial matters. His choices would affect the state of Neveks for generations to come.
He would talk to Rain. She was his priority. He would not allow his mother to ruin her life once again.
Jay handed Rain the powder. “Just add this to your mother’s water and make sure she drinks a cup of water before every meal.”
“That sounds simple enough.” Rain dealt with the full jug and then touched Jay’s shoulder. “Thank you.”
He shrugged. “Thank my A.I.”
“YOU ARE WELCOME.”
The thought reverberated through both their heads, making Rain jump. She kept her hand on Jay’s shoulder, enjoying the warmth and flexibility of his skin as she breathed him in.
“Rain…” Jay’s voice stirred in her head.
She snatched her hand away and stepped back. They were still in her mother’s bedroom.
“You should go.”
Jay nodded and went to the door.
Rain fixed a smile on her face and walked toward her mother. “Everything okay?”
“Not really.” Alaya met her gaze. “What’s going on?”
Rain hadn’t discussed what she intended to tell her mother with Jay, and he hadn’t asked her to keep it a secret. Rain sat on the side of the bed, leaned in, and spoke rapidly under her breath. “Jay thinks you are being poisoned. He’s developed an antidote, which I’m going to add to your water. That means you can continue to eat normally and not stir up any suspicions, okay?”
Alaya stared at her for a long moment and then slowly nodded. “I understand. I will be careful.”
The fact that her mother didn’t even question her made Rain even more convinced that Jay was correct. Her rage at the Queen Goddess multiplied tenfold. When she saw that bitch…
Alaya took her hand. “When you are in her Temple, cover your wrath, my love. She will sense it.”
“I don’t care. I want her to come after me,” Rain snarled.
“She will. I have no doubt of that now. Do you?”
Rain left her mother and walked briskly down the corridor toward the gardens. She had no real idea where she wanted to go, but she needed to work off her rage somehow.
“May I walk with you?”
Asar was coming down the steps toward her. Ah, perfect.
“I am not in the mood for company right now.” Rain barely managed to be civil.
He hesitated on the bottom step, towering over her, his skin glowing like a waning sunset. He carried his sword and helmet in his hand as if he was just off to train with the palace guards.
“I would not normally press my case, but it is essential that I speak to you,” Asar said quietly.
“Let me guess.” Rain put her hands on her hips. “You’ve talked to your god-awful mother, and she’s told you she’s going to kill me so you’ve come to tell me your promises mean nothing. Guess what? I never believed you anyway.”
“You are wrong.”
“About what?” Rain snarled. “The fact that you’ll cave and let her do whatever the hell she wants to me, or that she owns you?”
His mouth set in a firm line. “This is not helpful.”
“It’s helping me,” Rain was shouting now, and she didn’t care who the hell could hear her. “I’m sick of the whole lot of you! Especially you!”
“But I only wish to help.”
“Right, and how do you propose doing that? Killing me nicely before your mother rips me limb from limb from the inside out?”
“Here’s a suggestion.” He came toward her. “I propose you stop listening to that human!”
“He makes a lot more sense than you do.”
“Rain, he isn’t what you think,” Asar said urgently, taking her hand. “He doesn’t have your best interests at heart.”
“Says who?”
“My mother. She believes he is an assassin sent by the Etruscans to kill her.” Rain attempted to pull out of his grasp. “No, listen to me! I know you hate her, but she is as outraged as I am about a human attempting to exploit a Neveks female.”
“Bullcrap,” Rain snapped.
“No! She sent me information on your human. He was designed as a weapon, as an assassin. He has no emotions, Rain. He would kill his own mother and almost did just because he can!”
He pushed the information into her brain telepathically. “At least read what she sent me. I ask only that.”
“Get out of my head!” Rain shoved Asar hard in the chest and his eyes flashed red. “I know Jay—”
“No, you’ve fucked him, and he’s used your loneliness against you.” Asar held up his hands.
Rain shook her head, her whole body trembling. “You have no idea what you are talking about. I know him.”
“You know nothing!” Asar was as angry as she was now. “He will use you to kill the Queen, and then walk away without a qualm to find his next victim. He has no soul!”
“And you are delusional.” Rain met his gaze. “I actually feel sorry for you. Go back to your damned mother and tell her it didn’t work. Tell her that Jay doesn’t need to make me want to kill her. I want to do that all by myself.”
“I don’t want you to die.” Asar spoke so quietly that Rain almost didn’t hear him.
“So?”
“I heard you talking to Jay. He said he would use me against my mother if he could.” Asar paused. “Don’t you think he’ll use you as well, Rain? Ask him why he is really here in Neveks and see how honest he is then.”
With a sharp nod, he turned on his heel and left her alone.
Rain continued walking, replaying the conversation in her head and answering every point he made in a better and more scathing way until she stopped to sit down on a bench beside a fountain.
Jay had told her that he was an emotionless killer. She’d seen that side of him. He was obviously enhanced physically because he’d survived his first night mating with her. Nothing Asar had told her was a surprise up until that point.
But was there anything else? She considered the information Asar had placed in her mind. Should she look at it? Would that be a betrayal of Jay? Was it possible that a man who was suggesting that they bind the Queen’s son to them more closely might also be willing to take on a Neveks female, and bet that his enhancements would help him survive the night?
He was probably the only man alive—who wasn’t a full-blooded Neveks—who could make that calculation. Rain stared at the water pouring in the fountain as she dredged up her memories of the beginning of their strange relationship. He’d told her he knew nothing about Neveks or her culture…
She slowly raised her head. What if he’d lied about that? He had abilities far beyond her own and she sometimes sensed he was still keeping things from her… What if he’d lied about everything since they’d first met?