chapter 35
Firelight flickered and danced in the shadows, casting a warm glow over the otherwise dark room. Although it was June, it was still chilly at night. Selene thanked the powers that be that had brought on several late season snow storms, delaying the attack and giving her time to plan and train the Vyusher. She’d put college on hold to concentrate on her people and prepare for this moment. But their time was up. She prayed that the last months of effort and planning with the Vyusher and Griffin’s family would help this end well.
Selene stood at the window of her bedroom, the heavy velvet curtains drawn back, allowing her unhindered access to the view. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked out to the field beyond the castle’s walls.
“How many?” she asked Oren. He hadn’t made a sound as he’d entered her chamber, but she knew he was there just the same.
“We’ve counted around fifty.” Oren moved to stand beside her and looked out on the scene of organized chaos.
The Svatura amassing outside the castle walls appeared to be in the process of setting up a camp of sorts. Tents were popping up everywhere, and Selene hoped they’d brought stuff for cold weather. It was frigid at night, even in summer. Small campfires dotted the landscape too, and it was obvious the Svatura weren’t trying to hide themselves. But Selene guessed that anyone who got close to their camp would die a gruesome death.
“Have they made any moves toward the castle?” she asked.
“None.”
Selene gave a terse nod. “Good. Griffin can conserve his energy and wait to put up the shield.”
“Exactly what he said.”
Selene glanced at Oren out of the corner of her eye. She sensed that he liked Griffin. Her mouth tightened.
Well I do, too. Fat lot of good it’s doing me.
“Have they asked for anyone yet? Sent someone to speak with us?”
Oren frowned. “Not yet.” His doubt was obvious.
“Hmm…” Selene mulled over her options, drumming her fingers on the windowsill in front of her. “My guess is they will make their move soon. I think it’s time to make our final preparations,” she decided. “Please alert the others.”
She turned away as Oren left the room as silently as he’d entered it. Ten minutes later, Selene strode out of her bedroom to find Oren, Ellie, Griffin, and their family all waiting for her. A small movement caught her eyes as Desmond stepped up and joined them, his sea-green eyes serious for once. She gave him a look, and he winked.
He turned to the rest of the group and nodded at Griffin. “Gabe.”
Griffin glared at him silently, and Selene rolled her eyes. She wasn’t quite sure why Dez insisted on trying to get under Griffin’s skin.
Dez smirked. “Time to go, folks.”
They moved down the corridors and towards the High Council’s hall. No one spoke. Selene reached out to take Ellie’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Then she opened the door, glanced over her shoulder, and gave her friends a final nod.
“If something happens to me, you know what to do,” she instructed them.
She turned and walked calmly to stand inside the empty chamber. Only Desmond joined her. Selene could almost feel Griffin’s gaze burning a hole in her as the door fell closed behind her. At the last second, she opened her mind to him, preparing herself to be disappointed when she heard nothing. Then, as she settled herself in the throne-like chair in the center of the room, she heard him.
“Selene…”
“What?”
A long silence greeted her. Until she almost thought she’d imagined his call in the first place.
“Please be careful,” he finally said.
Selene allowed herself a small smile. His words were so much a part of who Griffin was, cautious and deliberate. She loved that part of him. She loved every part of him and had for years. From afar. With no hope of her love being requited. They’d spent the last few months dancing around each other. Not really interacting unless it was necessary.
And suddenly it struck her…if ever there was a time to make sure the love of her life was aware of her feelings, it was now. The timing couldn’t be more horrible. Or awkward for that matter. But sometimes you just didn’t get to pick your moments … the moments just sort of happened.
“I love you,” she thought back, attempting to put every ounce of her feeling behind the words.
Silence again. The only sounds Selene could hear were the thumping of her heart.
“You love me?” The incredulity in his voice came through loud and clear.
“For a very long time, now. I remember the first time I saw you. You grabbed for Ellie and she turned back to human. And then together you turned into falcons and flew away from my brother. About a year later, I approached you in a dream. You held my hand. Do you remember?”
“I remember,” his low voice rumbled through her mind. “You visited me often in my sleep.”
“How could I stay away? Those visits were the only moments of light, of happiness, in my world. I will always be grateful to you for that. You saved my life by giving me hope.”
“And you thought now would be the best time to tell me this?”
Selene allowed him to hear her mental chuckle. “It seemed like the perfect moment. Don’t say it back though, okay? I’ll only think you’re saying it because I might be sitting here awaiting my own death.”
“Don’t even think that! If I believed that, you sure as hell wouldn’t be in there without me right now.”
Oren appeared before her in a shimmering projection, preventing her reply. “Thomas says they’ve entered the castle. It should only be a few minutes,” he said.
“Thank you, Oren.”
“You hear that? Wish me luck,” she thought at Griffin.
“Don’t forget to leave your mind open so that Ellie and I can listen,” he reminded her.
“Right.” She certainly wasn’t going to forget that part of her own plan.
Selene straightened her back and placed her hands over the arms of the throne. She didn’t bother looking around for Desmond, as he was currently invisible. He’d insisted on being in there with her as protection.
The waiting and listening for any sign of the intruders on the other side of the door was torture. It gave her time to imagine all sorts of horrible things. Just as her tension reached screaming level, the massive doors opened and three men entered the chamber. Selene sat perfectly still, only her eyes moving as she watched them come to stand before her.