Chosen Thief (17 page)

Placing my hand on top of his head, petting him gently, I turned my attention back to the Rulers, who stood utterly still with faces that could have been etched in stone as they stared between me and the tiger, and
I quickly stated, “I’m not going to dinner. My point is valid. So are we all in agreement on this?” God, please tell me it was okay, especially with Tristan roaming their hallways. I would really have to be careful getting back to my room and actually watch where I was going this time.

Queen Ruckler blinked at me. “You do know that isn’t a Shifter, right?” Another blink. “You called him by name.”

I nodded once, not really caring about this conversation except for the answer to my plea that I wanted to hear come out of their mouths. “Yes, I know he’s not a Shifter, and his name’s Tristan.” Tristan chose that moment to start rubbing around my legs, knocking me from side to side a bit as he tried to get my attention. “And I won’t be able to hold him off for long.” I waved my hand after wiping
my nose. “You see, from what I’ve heard, his conceited, strict bastard of an owner never lets him have treats. Keeps him on a strict diet.” I shrugged a shoulder even as their eyes widened. “When I first met Tristan, he stole the candy bar I was eating right out of my hand, so now,” another shrug, “he associates me with candy.” I blinked. “But he does do a few tricks for the treats. I make him
behave before I give them to him.”

That candy would be handy right now since I was getting shoved toward the other end of the room, his weight heavy against me. I raised a quick hand and ordered gruffly, even if I still sounded a bit pathetic, “Tristan, sit!” White fur stopped rubbing against me, and he sat prettily, and proudly, in front of me, staring up at me expectantly. “Ah, sweetie. I don’t
have a treat with me, but will a kiss do?” He instantly opened his mouth, tongue curling out, and I chuckled, utterly amused by his loving nature. “Not like that.” I patted his chin. “Close it up, mister.” His jaw snapped shut and I bent over to kiss his nose softly, earning a panting purr from him, his breaths fanning my face with every exhalation. “I’ll get you a treat later, my handsome devil.”

“No. You won’t,” came a deep baritone from behind me, a ticked off demand.

I froze as I was, bent over with my face directly in front of Tristan’s, and my heart rate, which was already thumping too fast, took off in a wild gallop. My eyes flew to King Collins as my panting breaths now fanned Tristan’s face, fear and shock consuming me. Because that voice, the voice I had only ever heard once,
couldn’t be forgotten. It was half rumbling purr, half menacing growl as it had been years ago when I had been digging through his belongings after sneaking into his room in search of a spelled item that would take me home. But I had been interrupted by him, and only chance had saved my ass because my actions sure as hell hadn’t.

The brown eyes of my King stared back into my wide gaze, but I
scrunched my eyes closed, trying to gain a modicum of control before I had to confront what was behind me. Luckily I was still frozen in shock so I wasn’t trembling, and I didn’t instantly start blathering, years of experience having taught me that much control.

So focused control was what I tried for as the man behind me stated in his shiver-inducing, menacing purr, “His conceited, strict bastard
of an owner — me — doesn’t allow him treats because it upsets his stomach.” I bit my lip, remembering I had, indeed, said that. “And although your tricks may be
cute
, he is my Tristan, and my favorite
cute
trick is when he kills anyone, if I just give the order.”

Realizing I was wheezing a bit, I stood straight, opening my eyes to stare over King Collins’s head as I thumped on my chest a few
times. I blinked slowly and let the white solace of nothing, the only thing that was going to save my dumbass, enter my system. It was a place I didn’t enjoy but knew well. The wintery shower of coolness I had perfected years ago as protection, and it had never failed me if I focused hard enough. Quickly, my heart rate decreased, evening out, and my pulse no longer thrummed like rapid fire, making
my limbs tingle. I rolled my shoulders, working the kinks out. When I blinked once more, I knew all that stared out of my eyes was a cool reflection of the life I had been born into. The life of maneuvering that I had mastered. And no one, or nothing, was going to crack me…or make me act like a fucking
girl
ever again.

My eyes dipped to King Collins where he watched me mutely along with the other
Rulers, his gaze intense, and I stated evenly, “I’m very sorry for the interruption. I obviously didn’t realize your guests had already arrived.”

Quietly, he nodded his head slowly, still watching me with barely concealed interest.

“And obviously my reason for missing dinner is moot. I’ll be attending.”

Nostrils flaring a bit, I took a shallow inhale, then I turned. I hid my surprise at what
I found by wiping my nose once and blinking twice. Because I had walked into not a meeting with only one man, but a meeting with — I counted quickly — seven spirits in total, who were all standing at the back of the room. It appeared four of them were guards, dressed completely in buttery soft white leather, two swords at their back with the white handles sticking up over their shoulders, and guns
on each thigh. The ones with longer hair had it pulled back, and their sizes varied from large and lethal to intimidatingly large and deadly.

The other three, who stood in front, all appeared in their early thirties in Com years, meaning they were between a hundred and a hundred and fifty years old. The guards, while deadly, were just eye dressing, and these were the ones with the real power.
I hadn’t ever met the two on the left and right, but I could guess who they were from the talk I had heard once upon a time. To the left stood a man a bit over six feet tall with ice white hair, which was cut short but styled in individual spikes. His skin was peaches and cream, like mine, and his eyes contrasted it, they were so dark and intense. He wore what most spirits wore in their place of
sanctuary: white leather pants and a simple white linen shirt that was open, baring his muscled chest. Honestly, I was surprised he had even put on a shirt, especially since he was shoeless, as was normal, but he must have found it a bit nippy, or added it just for the sake of others.

I bowed my head to him once. He was Reese, second in command.

His white eyebrows raised a smidge, but he nodded
back at me, mutely.

I glanced at the woman on the right, a beautiful woman of average height for a Mystical, around five foot ten inches. Her white hair reminded me of Queen Cooper’s in its luxurious light waves, but it went all the way to her waist instead of the middle of her back like Queen Cooper’s did. I could see plenty of her sun-kissed, creamy skin since she was showing a bit of flesh,
her satin linen top crisscrossing over her breasts and paired with a matching floor-length, flowing skirt that exposed her thigh the barest bit through the slits on the sides. For some this would be an eye-catcher, but I knew the slits were only there so she could move faster. I noticed the green-eyed beauty was also shoeless, her ensemble extremely reminiscent of a spirit at sanctuary.

I dipped
my head to her. She was Roselle, first in command.

Her lush pink lips pinched, but she also dipped her head to me quietly.

Gradually, I let my gaze move between them, and pretty much ended up staring across the room at an enormous, golden-brown muscled chest. He wore an unbuttoned, floor-length white coat with a thick white fur trimming its edges that covered his enormous arms. Only his tan
fingers peeked out from the cuffs, a few platinum rings decorating their lengths, including the diamond ring on his index finger I remembered, shaped like an arrowhead and menacing in its own right for what it could be used for. Eyes skimming past what appeared to be iron-hard abs, hills and valleys of perfection, I saw he wore flat-fronted white linen pants that pulled on his muscled thighs and rested
gracefully on the tops of his bare feet. Jaw clenching, I reminded myself I was the damn Prodigy to the Elementals, and I made myself lift my gaze to stare the man in the face.

Proudly, I didn’t faint dead…even though I could have because he hadn’t changed. He was still as awe-inspiring to behold as he had been years ago. His hair was white-on-purer-white, the trademark of the One. He wore it
in large twists, similar to thick dreadlocks, but they glistened with their obvious softness under the lighting, making his golden skin appear to sparkle. His eyes, which I had dreamed about, were either done in heavy kohl, the black coming to a point on either side of his eyes, or they had been tattooed. Either way, it made him appear like an Egyptian ruler of old. His nose was perfectly straight,
even if his nostrils were flared as he stared at me. His high cheek bones showed in sharp relief as his thick red lips pinched and his angular jaw clenched, the muscles ticking at the sides as we evaluated each other.

I inhaled slowly as I peered into his eyes.

Molten mercury.

Hypnotizing, beautiful, mercury stared back at me.

And…I smiled inside as I dipped my head to him…not acting like
a girl. Although, a little dance later might be in order, since I had, apparently, really mastered the art of deception. Now I had to make sure I didn’t let him know how much his appearance unnerved me as he began stepping forward. His coat dragged behind him and revealed more of his God-worthy body: the tiny piercings in his brown nipples, the diamonds on either side, shimmering in the light.

“Have we met before?” he rumbled bluntly. “You’ve obviously been to the Temple since you’ve bewitched my Tristan, but,” his head cocked slightly as he moved closer, “you seem familiar somehow.”

Breathing steadily, I twisted his words, stating, “If we have met, I’m sure I would remember you.” I patted Tristan’s head as his owner stopped directly in front of me, silver eyes penetrating my features
as my head tilted all the way back to stare up at him. “I apologize for what I said earlier. It was inconsiderate and rude. And I also didn’t know candy upset Tristan’s stomach. I’ll try not to do it in the future.”

His nostrils flared as his jaw clenched, and he patted his leg once and Tristan instantly moved behind him, standing proudly. “You won’t
try
not to do it. You just won’t.” A brusque
order that had my own jaw clenching, but I didn’t argue because Tristan wasn’t mine…and what the owner didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. After all, it was only a little chocolate. A thin, sharp, white brow lifted slightly at my silence as he continued studying my face, but he switched topics. “You must be Caroline Jules, the Prodigy and next Elemental Queen.” He held out his right hand. “I’m Leric
Damon, the One,” again his head tilted as he rolled smoothly, “but I’m fairly sure you already knew that.”

My eyes dipped to his extended hand, and trying to make it appear as casual and inoffensive as possible, I placed my hands behind my back, gripping the tissue there. I peered back up into his mesmerizing eyes, stating steadily, and truthfully since Queen Ruckler was behind me, “Yes, I’m
the Elemental Prodigy.” Simple and sweet.

Leric’s lips curled on one side, and it was a cruel gesture that went right along with his harsh features. He closed his hand, unshaken, and brought it back to his side. “So you at least know our ways.” I nodded once, then he started to move to the left, beginning to circle me. I immediately countered, not about to give this man my back. For every ounce
of masculine beauty he contained, he had equal parts of punishing cruelty within in him, from everything I had heard. He flashed white teeth at me as he chuckled quietly, the sound rolling around me and threatening to derail me. He watched as I cautiously and covertly countered him, standing on the balls of my feet as we slowly circled each other. “And you…are not an ignorant little sprite…even
if in need of a bath.”

I gritted my teeth — which did need a good brushing — at his words and tone. “No, I’m not. And it’s Caro, not sprite.” I gave a slight shrug, still moving in this little circling dance we were doing, and almost stumbled when I felt his power, the barest brush of the stars but still obtrusive in its touch, as he tested me. “And yes, I could use a bath. I’ve been a bit…under
the weather.”

His eyebrows furrowed the barest bit, and I felt his power press harder, rubbing over me like sandpaper, but he didn’t question the fact he couldn’t feel my power. Instead he asked nonchalantly, “You chose to not stay at the Temple?”

I rolled my shoulders and stopped when he did, not completely planting my feet but staying ready on them. “Yes, I chose to leave.” Even if I hadn’t
exactly been allowed.

“Curious,” he murmured distractedly, his brows slowly unfurrowing as he regarded me steadily. His power completely retracted, his eyes unflinching. “Not many choose that fate.”

I gave another light shrug. “I did.” My own eyebrows cocked. “My choice.”

He rubbed his chin as he cocked his head. His eyes dipped as they began to re-evaluate me from head to toe, the action meant
to crack my composure. “You are not quite what I expected.” His arrowhead diamond ring glistened as he continued rubbing his chin. “To be blunt, Sprite, you are awfully small even for a spirit’s…variety.”

I snorted. Couldn’t help it. “This coming from you?” I waved my hand up and down his over six-and-half-foot, muscled frame, which was awfully large even for a spirit’s variety.

Slowly, his
lips began to curl as he watched me, and he flashed his teeth at me, which felt more like he was baring them than smiling. “Touché.” He flicked a finger at me and began to move, and we started our circling dance again. “I won’t comment on your small stature again.” His lips twitched as he peered at me. “After all, smallness is such a misfortune — for a male or a female — as I’m sure you, and those
you’ve been with, can attest to.”

My eyes narrowed, and not one damn witty comment came to me as he subtly made fun of me, blatantly trying to get a reaction. Which I wouldn’t give him. “I think we’re done here.” I cocked my head. “Unless you just want to continue getting your workout in,” my finger spun, “circling each other as we are?”