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.”