Warrior (Princesses of Myth #2)

“Good. Face each other, but keep a short distance between you,” she said. “Let’s begin with you, Hope. Open your telepathic link to Silas and ensure you’re connected.”


Crossing my legs in front of me, I set my hands in my lap and looked deep into Silas’s eyes. “I’m sorry for the bad news about me being able to take control of your mind.” Well, bad for him, but not for me. Silas had the ear of Carlisio Loveria and Davio was his cousin. What I could learn... Oh, I desired that, but drat, there was still the bond. I couldn’t harm him.

“Somehow I’ll deal with it. I can’t have a Wincrest knowing the sensitive knowledge I hold and using it against Peacio.”

“I take it you’re linked?” Elizara asked me. “Once the link is created, look at the individual threads which make it up. Tell me what you see.”

“There’s a red thread intertwined with a violet one, and both tighten around a filament of gold.”

“Ah, good. The gold is the thread you’re after. It’s the part of the telepathic link which signifies you’re speaking with your mate. All other connections will have a silvery central thread. Focus on the golden one and weave your mind-merge through it, beginning right at the point where the connection forms. Don’t allow your skill to veer off toward the other threads. No touching the red or violet.”

“Okay, the starting point.” I pushed my mind toward the tiny beaded opening. “Hold on. There’s a crusting over the threads.”

“Yes, but you can still isolate the central one. Just take care.”

“The crusting looks like glue.” But there, a pinprick of gold. I arrowed my mind toward it, pierced the merge through the fissure and isolated only the rich-toned golden mated thread.

Keeping it on the straight and narrow, I followed the prized filament, grinning as I burst through on Silas’s end and burrowed deeply into his mind.

Oh yeah, my sweet little spot.

I was there.

Rolling my head back, I moaned, “I did it.”

A tinkle of laughter came from Elizara. “Wonderful. It feels amazing, doesn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Silas ran a hand over his brow. “I can feel Hope’s mind-merge, but when I try to speak to her telepathically, nothing happens.”

I straightened, my gaze jolting to his. “I didn’t feel you try.”

Elizara chuckled, and then gave my arm a squeeze. “He is anxious. Our mated males always are when there is uncertainly involved.” She looked to Silas. “You cannot use the threaded link for both the merge and the telepathic connection at the same time. It is one or the other.” To me, she said, “I need to see you can withdraw the merge as well. My only instructions are to take as much care in reversing as you did in traveling along it.”

Pulling back along the threaded link of gold, I gave it all my focus.

“Elizara,” Silas said. “Does she still need only five minutes to reconnect?”

“Yes. The same requirement applies as if she were in your company. Five minutes every third day, but once she’s recharged as such, she can pull out.”

I continued reversing along the telepathic link and removed myself with a soft plop into my own mind as I got to the end. I flashed her a smile. “Done.”

“Perfect.” She grinned in return. “I find there are times when I’m separated from my mate, like I am at present, and instead of suffering the painful headache which begins on the second day, I merge through the link and become restored. One with this skill could effectively survive indefinitely this way. I have something else to show you.” She clambered to her feet and pried open the lid on the wooden crate. Returning, she passed me a leather-bound album. “This is a treasured family heirloom. On our eighteenth, we sit for an artist. There is a sketch of Katerin on the first page. I like to keep her image close by. Do you want to–”

“Yes.” I grabbed it as Silas skimmed across on his butt and looked over my shoulder. I opened the front flap. A thin film of paper protected the first drawing, hiding it from my view.

“She and Nathwer sat for a portrait after their mated bond took.” Elizara spread her white robes over her crossed legs and pulled a green pillow into her lap. “Their birthdays were just days apart, and they married quickly.”

That was not unusual. Mated pairs generally wed within six months, a year at the most. Being soul-bound, their commitment would’ve been etched in stone.

Turning the thin film of paper over, I stared at the first image. The woman had pale blond hair, and brown eyes as Elizara did. Katerin’s face angled toward Nathwer’s, her adoration obvious in her wishful expression. Nathwer had dark brown hair and blue eyes, a slim build with wide shoulders. “Was Nathwer a Sol?”

“We are all Sols in this compound. Any who join us, becomes a Sol.”

I smiled, tilting my head toward Silas. “Silas Sol.”

His look said not on your life. “My father will not tolerate me changing my last name.”

I chuckled and leaned in to kiss him. “You can call me Hope Sol.”

Elizara let out a soft sigh. “Ahh, it is wonderful to see two young ones in love.”