Destined for Two (3 page)

* * * * *

Devlin tensed as anger and apprehension gripped him so suddenly, his hands shook with the intensity. Rhia. She was in trouble. He moved to the window that overlooked the 14

bar, trying to find his sister in the mass of people mingling below. He spotted her quickly, pinned against a table by the two twins that had entered the bar earlier.

With a growl, he ran from his office and down the hall. He’d taught Rhianna at an early age how to take care of herself, but as the feeling of apprehension turned to outright fear, he quickened his pace.

Sharp pain splintered his head and he almost stumbled before reaching out to steady himself against the wall. He could hear her screaming in his mind and his heart raced in real terror. Something was definitely wrong. He’d lost Skylar. He couldn’t lose Rhia.

Straightening, he sprinted the rest of the way to the stairs and again searched the room.

His heart began to pound furiously in his chest as he realized she was gone, along with the twins.

“Master Devlin!” He glanced down to see Li running up the stairs, tears streaming down her cheeks. “They took her.”

He grasped her upper arms, giving her a slight shake. “Who, Li? The two Argonians?”

“Yes,” she sobbed. “And master…they had necklaces just like hers. They showed them to her, right before they took her.”

15

Rhia landed on her back in the middle of a soft feather mattress with a string of curses that her brother would be shocked to hear.

“You son of a bitch!” she screamed. “You take me back right now, damn you!” Sitting up, she pointed a finger at one man and then the other, so angry and scared she could hardly see straight, much less pay attention to her surroundings. “My brother won’t let you get away with this. He’s friends with the Marcones of Tilarus. They’ll come after you and you’ll regret taking me.”

“Stop making threats like a child,” Keenas snapped back.

“Fuck you!”

Jorel’s eyebrow rose a fraction, but Keenas definitely didn’t find it amusing. He leaned down, bringing his nose close to hers, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “As Queen of Argonia, you will refrain from using such language. Is that understood?”

“I will talk any way I damn well please, jerk off,” she snarled as she scooted across the mattress on her knees. “I refuse to bow to your rules and wishes. I demand you take me…” Did he say queen? Rhia paused in her tirade.

“Sunk in yet?” Jorel asked in amusement and she snapped her head around to glare at him.

“I’m not a queen, so the two of you just might as well forget this farce. I want to go home.”

“Home is where we’re going,” Keenas said.

“My home,” she snapped. “Veenori.”

“Veenori is not your home, Rhianna,” Jorel said. “Did your governess not explain any of this to you? What happened to her?”

16

Images from her dream came back to her. She dropped onto her behind. All she could remember was the fear, the desperation to get away, and the woman telling her to protect her necklace at all cost. Glancing down, she grasped the piece of jewelry and held it tightly within her grasp.

“You have the wrong person. I’m not Argonian,” she argued, her head reeling in confusion.

“No, you’re not. You’re Phelisine.”

Pulling a small handheld device from his belt, Keenas opened an image on the screen and held it out to Rhia. She took it with shaking hands and stared at the couple holding a tiny baby. The woman caught her attention, and she couldn’t take her eyes off the person who looked so much like her.

“You’re the spitting image of your mother,” Keenas said softly. “She was a strong woman, well loved by her people, and she died protecting you.” Rhia’s lips began to tremble and her eyes filled with tears as she stared at the image of a mother she never knew.

“Protecting me?”

“Yes,” Jorel began. “After your parents left Argonia, they returned to Phelisine to find the castle under attack by the people who did not want peace between your planet and ours.

The staff that survived told us your mother died creating a diversion so the nanny could escape with you. Since you had been promised to us as a bride, the nanny should have brought you back to Argonia, but she must have believed the rumors that we were behind it, so she hid you instead. What happened to her, Rhianna?”

“There were some men after us. She died trying to get us to safety. I was four, so I don’t remember much more than that,” Rhia whispered, brushing her fingers over the image. That must have been the woman in her dreams. The second woman who’d died protecting her.

“The resistance searched for you for years. They believed they were close once, but lost you,” Jorel said. “That could have been them.”

“How did you end up with Armande?” Keenas asked.

“Devlin and I met on an orphan freighter destined for Rhinari. But it crashed, and Devlin took me as his sister as soon as we found out where we were. He knew what Veenori was like and knew I’d be sold into slavery if he didn’t do something to protect me. So he lied and promised he would be responsible for me.” She raised her eyes and stared into Jorel’s understanding ones. “How do I know this is real? How do I know you’re not just lying to me?”

“Why would we, Rhianna? We were married when you were six months old and we were four. We’ve spent years searching for you. It was the necklace and the likeness to your mother that caught Shorlack’s attention, and he brought us to you.”

17

Keenas turned her to face him with a finger under her chin, and despite her anger, warmth spread to her stomach at his touch. “It is our marriage to you that will stop the war that rages between our worlds. Phelisine believes we were behind your parents’ death and your disappearance. We must bring you back alive and accepting of your throne and position. Only you can end this, Rhianna.”

She gulped and glanced down at the image in her hands. The image of parents she never knew. She’d gone from knowing nothing, to stories she didn’t know if she believed.

Her gaze strayed to the necklace around Keenas’s neck and she reached out to touch it.

Keenas took it off and handed it to her. Jorel followed suit, placing his in her hand as well. They appeared to be made from the same material, but they were different shapes.

“The three of them fit together,” Jorel explained. “They form the symbol of our Argonian House.”

She frowned at him, then removed hers as well so she could place them together. Sure enough, they fit together perfectly, forming a triangle with an intricately designed sword in the center. Her fingers trembled as she brushed her thumb across the image.

“They were a gift from our mother,” Jorel said in a soft voice and she lifted her head to look at him. There was a sadness in his gaze that tore at her heart, despite her circumstances.” She died last year, along with our father,” he added. “That’s one of the things that made finding you so important.”

“What if you hadn’t found me? Or I turn out to not be her?”

“There’re tests that can be done, but I have no doubt you’re our Rhianna,” Keenas answered. “Call it a sixth sense.”

“How about we call it ridiculous,” she snarled, still not ready to give in to the whole thing. “Please,” she sighed, and glanced down at the picture in her hand. “Leave me alone for a while.”

Keenas and Jorel nodded. They both stood and left the room quietly, giving her the time alone she needed. Rhia took a moment to look around, shocked at the wealth displayed within the room. She might not know a lot about Argonian history, but she certainly knew expensive art when she saw it. With shaking fingers, she ran her hand along the smooth surface of the black onyx sculpture standing next to the bed. It was cold and hard, a stark contrast to the warmth of the velvet cover across the bed and silk pillows. Against the wall were paintings and two swords crossed over a family crest made of gold.

She curled her nose in disgust and moved to the large window that looked out into space. Closing her eyes, she leaned her forehead against the cold glass.

Devlin, I need you, she whispered in her mind, desperate for his advice and comforting arms. He would know if they were lying or not. He would know how to help her. For now, she was alone and would have to take care of herself.

18

Her eyes popped open on a sudden thought. If she was their wife, did that mean they would expect sex from her?

* * * * *

Devlin paced outside the council building on Tilarus. Count Stefan Marcone, regent for the small planet, and his brother Taron, were in negotiations with Friget traders, so he’d chosen to wait outside in the garden area rather than being cooped up inside the office complex. He knew how important these negotiations were and, despite how badly he wanted to, he wouldn’t burst in.

His gaze wandered ahead of him, past the Feligree River and toward the mountains in the distance. The capitol city sat nestled within a valley. Mountains surrounded it on all four sides, keeping it shielded from the strong winter storms that plagued Tilarus three months out of the year.

It was a beautiful planet. Green and abundant with wildlife, it was heaven compared to Veenori, and the place he one day planned to retire. He already had property here, sold to him by Stefan’s father, Damon.

The property bordered Taron’s land, and the two shared a small lake. Taron’s home overlooked that water and the mountains to the south. He and his wife Alyssa had lived there for almost a year.

Unfortunately, since Skylar’s death, Devlin hadn’t been able to gather the same enthusiasm he’d once had about the land and building a home across from his best friend’s. It was meant to be his and Skylar’s. It didn’t seem right to be here without her.

But right now he needed to find Rhia. Why would the Argonians want her? And why did they have necklaces like hers? What did it all mean?

The longer he paced, the angrier he became. She was too far away for him to receive any mental connection from her, so he had no idea if she was okay or not, and the uncertainty had his gut clenching in knots. She was his life. She was all he had after losing Skylar.

“Devlin?”

Devlin turned at the sound of the soft voice and smiled slightly at Taron’s wife, Alyssa.

She stood not six feet from him, her arms full of fresh cut flowers. Her gray eyes widened, along with her beautiful smile of welcome, as she dropped the flowers and rushed forward to throw herself into his outstretched arms.

“Hello, beautiful,” he whispered as he buried his face in her neck.

She smelled of lavender and spice, and he inhaled deeply as he returned her embrace.

“It’s so good to see you,” she squealed, then pulled away to gaze at his face. “Where’s Rhia? You didn’t come here without her, did you?”

19

He dropped his gaze to the ground and let out a tired sigh. Rhia and Alyssa had become so close he hated telling her the news. “No, sweetheart. Rhia isn’t with me.” He raised his gaze and almost cringed at the way her light gray eyes narrowed.

“What’s wrong? Is she hurt?”

Licking his lips, he pushed a black curl behind her ear as the wind blew it across her nose.

“I don’t know.” He sighed. “She was kidnapped by two Argonians.”

“What?” she cried, then grabbed his hand, pulling him with her to the back entrance of the compound.

“Have you told Taron?” she asked.

“No, Stefan’s assistant refused to allow me in until they were finished. He’s new and didn’t know me. Besides, I didn’t want to interrupt. You know how long they’ve been working on these negotiations.”

Shaking her head in disapproval Devlin would have found comical any other time, she kept pulling him behind her. Once inside the building, she climbed the stairs to the second level and threw open the double doors to Stefan’s suite of offices. The warm afternoon sunlight shone across the tile floor through a wall of glass that overlooked the mountains.

The assistant glanced up at them with wide eyes, his trembling fingers moving to grip the edge of the glass desk.

Alyssa stopped at the assistant’s desk and pointed a finger toward Devlin.

“Do you see this man?” she snapped toward the assistant, and he turned to look warily at Devlin, his green eyes narrowing in slight fear.

“Yes, my lady,” he murmured.

“He is never to be denied entrance. No matter what. Do you understand? He’s a very close friend of the Marcones. You treat him as though he were family.”

“Yes, my lady. “ The assistant bowed his head, a slight blush covering his pale cheeks.

“I’m sorry, sir. I did not know who you were.”

Devlin nodded, but said nothing more. Hell, Alyssa had pretty much said it all. If he wasn’t so worried about his sister, the whole thing would have struck him as amusing.

Alyssa turned toward Devlin, hands on hips, and glared. “Well, don’t just stand there.

Go tell them,” she demanded with a wave of her hand, and Devlin had to bite back a grin.

Alyssa had always been a handful.

“Yes, my lady,” he replied with a slight bow, and then swept past her to throw open the doors to the conference room.

The six men inside stopped talking and turned to stare at him. Stefan stood to his full six feet five inches, his long white hair pulled back from his face to fall down his back in a long braid. Taron stood as well, his brown eyes narrowing in concern.

20

“What?” Taron asked.

“I need your help. Rhia’s been kidnapped,” Devlin replied.

“Kidnapped?” Taron snapped. “By whom?”

“They were Argonian. That’s all I know,” Devlin replied.

“Son of a bitch.” Stefan sighed, and then glanced toward the other men in the room.

With a slight bow, he quickly slid a file across the table toward the man at the other end.

“I’m sorry. We’ll have to continue this later. Family emergency.” Stefan nodded and left the room, signaling that Devlin and Taron should follow. As they passed by the assistant’s desk, Stefan ordered, “Call my father. Tell him Rhia is in trouble.”

“Yes, my lord,” he murmured.

“And tell him to hurry,” Taron added.

Devlin and Alyssa stepped into the office behind Stefan and Taron. It was a huge room with floor to ceiling windows that made up the exterior wall and opened to a landing pad just outside. The floors were black tile, and the black metal furniture, with its glass tops and sides, blended in.

Stefan sat in the leather chair behind his desk, while Taron leaned against the edge of the glass top, his arms folded over his wide chest. Devlin couldn’t sit. He was too worried.

“What happened?” Stefan demanded.

“I don’t know. All I do know is two Argonian males -- identical twins -- took Rhia.

One of the slaves at the bar said they had necklaces like hers.”

“Necklaces like hers?” Taron frowned.

Devlin shrugged. “I don’t know if it means anything or not.” A high-pitched whine sounded just outside the windows as Damon’s small ship landed on the pad. Damon jumped out of his ship and brushed his long platinum hair from his face in agitation as he strode toward the office. For a man over seventy, he carried himself with an air of arrogance and strength that Devlin had always admired.

The glass slid open and Damon stepped through, immediately coming to Devlin to embrace him in his welcoming arms. “It’s good to see you, Dev, although I wish the circumstances were different.” Pulling away, he pursed his lips to study Devlin. “I was already on my way here when I received word. What happened?”

“Two Argonians took Rhia.”

“When?”

“Yesterday afternoon.”

“They were twins and one of the slaves said they wore necklaces like hers,” Stefan added from his chair, his fingers scratching at his chin in thought.

21

“Argonian twins? And they had necklaces like hers?” Damon murmured, his gray eyes narrowing in thought. “Son of a bitch. Why didn’t I think of this sooner?”

“Does that mean something to you?” Taron asked in surprise.

Alyssa moved to stand next to Taron and he wrapped his arm around her waist to pull her close to his side.

Damon frowned at his middle son. “You were there for some time, Taron. You don’t know?”

“Know what?” Devlin demanded with a growl of aggravation.

“Twenty-four years ago, Argonia drew up a treaty with Phelisine. The twin kings were to marry the Phelisine princess, but she disappeared at six months old.”

“What does this have to do with…” Devlin stopped and his eyes widened. “No,” he said with a shake of his head. “Rhia is not that princess.” Damon raised an eyebrow. “The two kings and their six-month-old bride were given matching necklaces. If they kidnapped her, they must think she is the princess they’ve been searching so hard for lately. The treaty is about to fall apart and they need her.” Devlin could only stare at Damon in shock. His Rhia the lost Phelisine princess? That was crazy. Wasn’t it?

“It doesn’t matter,” Devlin said with a firm shake of his head. “They cannot come into my place and take her like that. I need to know she’s all right, Damon. I need to get to Argonia.”

“I’ll go with you,” Taron said. “I’ve been there and negotiated with them during the rebellion. They know me.”

“I’ll go as well,” Damon added.

Devlin nodded, grateful for the men he considered his family.

“It’s settled then,” Stefan said with a nod. “We’ll leave this afternoon as soon as the Vultair is prepped.”