Sitting at breakfast the next morning was…awkward.
The view was picturesque, which I stared at avidly, enjoying the lush tranquility of the ocean and the white square homes on the hills, this side of the coastline very reminiscent of Greece. But nothing helped the pure tension in the air, the silent knowledge Leric wanted someone else, even though we were bound with the mystical ties every Mystical cherished, and I had given it to him. And honestly, I didn’t really have anything to say to him, not feeling much this morning other than a bit of quiet relief and a sense of lingering possessiveness I knew I would always feel, the emotion not going hostile because I didn’t let my thoughts wonder to Lissa, but I, really, I had nothing to say because I didn’t know him…the real Leric.
On the plus side, I had no hangover—thank God—but the table was utterly silent, which I didn’t interrupt with any aimless blather, just continued to eat my succulent breakfast, as he, my Lajaks, and Roselle and Reese did. I was sure they knew, all with a heavy silence weighing on our table, the forced nature of our existence here at the Temple never more palatable than before.
Leric scooted on his seat. Ate part of a biscuit. Shuffled a bit more. Took a drink. Cleared his throat. Tilted his head to me, and asked courteously, “What would you like to do today?”
I blinked. “I’m sure your day’s full.” On what, I wasn’t going to linger on. Meals and meetings and events, we had to make an appearance together, but the rest of our time was ours to do as we wished. “We have lunch, that meeting at two o’clock on the Guardian’s work in Cullo and Jeria, and dinner we need to attend, but outside of that, I don’t need to know your schedule any more than you need to know mine.” Tomorrow, we were heading to another city.
“Caro,” his lips thinned, “I…don’t know what to say to make this right.” He shook his head slightly, brows pinched. “This wasn’t exactly how I pictured being with…you.”
My lips curved a bit, and it was as cool as I felt inside. “You love another, Leric. I’ve given you the opportunity to be with her. Let the reins go, for lack of a better description.” I shrugged a shoulder. “I imagine this isn’t what anyone would expect for two people who were bound magically, but it is. I’m not hurt by it.” Hell, I was in an exclusive, sexual relationship myself—albeit a screwed up one, but still…it was there. “And you’re happy with her.” I rolled a finger. “We just need to move on, and as I stated, start fresh without preconceived notions of how any of us thought we would end up in the future.”
Silver intelligent eyes watched me for long moments, and I saw when it occurred to him…the truth…outside of his own selfish thoughts, and instantly, his entire body went still, his eyes flaring brightly, and he hissed, “You’re with someone else.” The glass he was holding shattered in his hand, glass tinkling to the table, attracting other’s attention except for the man’s who was actually bleeding from it. “That’s why you’re so fine with this.”
I held the thick, expensive napkin out, staring at him sharply, stating in my mind, “Take a walk and calm down.”
But the fury I knew well had taken hold of him, and he ignored me, asking aloud, his voice harsh, “Which one is it?”
Gritting my teeth, I grabbed his hand that had already healed, and started wiping the blood off, ordering through our connection, “Leric, you need to control,”
“Fuck control,” he barked harshly, starting to glow a bit. “I want to know which person my goddamn Chosen is cradling between her thighs.”
My gaze slammed to his. “Stop this.”
“No,” he growled, his glowing eyes narrowing. He gripped my hand in his. “And I don’t even need to ask.”
Instantly, I sucked in a harsh breath, trying to jerk my hand back…
…but the images flooded my mind in a flurry, his power flooding my being in an uncontrollable burst of dizzying speed, every detail whizzing by in sharp relief.
The first time I had slept with Cain in our drunken state.
The second time, of our own free, sober will.
Every subsequent time in the past.
The manic, carnal joining in the present.
Our tender kiss after the Barren.
And our last, more violent joining in my room at the Temple.
…and then, it stopped, maybe ten seconds passing, but honestly, it could have been ten seconds or ten minutes, no real clue as I groaned, slumping against my chair, blinking slowly, shaking my head against the nausea, hearing Leric’s tiger growling fiercely, his entire being lit up, crown of the galaxies on his head as he stared down at me, utterly livid with possession.
“Leric…don’t,” I managed to croak, holding my head, squinting past the blurriness, everyone at the table silent, and I knew my Lajaks didn’t understand how quickly his power passed, but all were deathly still, and I felt Cain’s hand where he sat directly on my left instantly land on my leg under the table, gripping me tightly.
Leric’s nostrils flared, and he bared his teeth, hissing, “Do you want to know the difference between how women handle their issues and men do, my Chosen?”
I swallowed hard, shaking my head again against the debilitating power. “Leric…no…”
“Women talk through their issues while men,” he bent, glaring straight into my gaze, “beat the shit out of each other until one of them is dead.” A tiger’s furious snarl. “And it won’t be me.”
Sucking in oxygen, I forced peace down our bond, and he instantly jerked, his glow dimming, and he growled, “Stop that.” His narrowed gaze started to move the barest bit to my left…to Cain…but I jerked a wavering hand out, grabbing his chin, keeping his attention on me. Even when I pushed more peace, he growled, “You are fucking mine.”
Blinking blurrily, I whispered through our connection, “I am no more yours than you are mine.”
Chest heaving, he growled aloud, “Sex doesn’t make you his, either.” He jerked his face from my hand, and shot up from his chair, the back banging noisily on the ground, his tiger sounding furiously, but after staring at me for a long moment, he turned and quickly moved through the tables of those staring around us, Roselle and Reese both following at a distance, giving him space.
I stared after him for long moments, waiting until I saw him enter the hotel completely, then let my eyes close against the dizziness, holding my forehead, not bothering to move, not wanting to move yet.
Slowly, conversation picked up at the other tables, probably gossiping, but it was something other than the dreadful silence.
King Collins’s voice was quiet when he asked, “What the hell did I miss during that?”
Cain cleared his throat next to me, rubbing his thumb over my leg gently, stating gravelly, but lazily, “I believe he knows she’s sleeping with someone.”
I barely withheld my chuckle.