Soulbound (The Return of the Elves Book 1) Read online

  “That door leads to a bathing and dressing chamber,” Lynia said, gesturing to the left. “Someone will come in to clean if they sense your desire. We do not precisely have servants in the way humans think of them, but we can speak more about that after you have rested.”

  “Thank you.”

  Lynia stepped near the water device, piquing Arlyn’s curiosity. Her fascination grew as her grandmother pointed at the lines carved into the delicate glass. “This is the water clock. I assume you do not know how to read our numbers, so if you would like to count the hours, just start from the bottom.”

  Arlyn nodded her understanding. “I have hated not knowing the time.”

  Lady Lynia moved back, wringing her hands. “Please forgive my rude greeting earlier. He has hurt for so long, and when I sensed a surge, I worried.”

  “I understand.” Arlyn gave a gentle smile. “Thank you for showing me to my room. I guess I need to go collect the rest of my things.”

  “The rest?”

  “I had a small camp off the trail.”

  The elder frowned. “I am amazed the sonal did not find you.”

  “The what?”

  “They scout the grounds for danger.” Lady Lynia gestured to the window. “The sonal are all around, there in the trees. Though I suppose they might have mistaken you for a guide from another House. We guard the portal to Earth, so we do get travelers.”

  Arlyn wanted to ask for more information, but a sudden shyness caught at her tongue. With a nod, her grandmother started back toward the door, her braid swinging behind her. As the elder’s hand gripped the handle, she glanced over her shoulder. “Welcome to the family, Arlyn. I am pleased you found us. You give me hope.”

  Lady Lynia slipped out before Arlyn could come up with a reply. For a long moment, she stared at the door, uncertain if she wanted to stay or run away. Why had she agreed to remain here? Arlyn walked to the window and ran a finger along the smooth sill as she gazed out at the garden. Such beauty. Such an idyllic world. But nothing was ever perfect.

  Arlyn’s thoughts scattered like the drops of water clinging to the glass in front of her. Suspended, stuck. Not sure which way to go. Her experiences on Earth had been no different, because she had never quite fit there either. Now she had the chance to discover if this world would be better for her. If darkness lurked beneath the seeming perfection, she would soon find out. Because every culture had some darkness.

  How long had it been since she’d left Lyr’s study? Arlyn stepped over to the clock and examined the markings. Maybe ten minutes. Lyr had received an important message through the mirror behind his desk not long after she had agreed to stay. From his grim expression and profuse apologies, she gathered the conversation would be lengthy. Plenty of time to collect her things from her camp. Her lips turned up into a smile as she strode from the room and down the stairs that curled around the tree. The mirror had been a surprise. Elves might not have cell phones, but they’d found spells that let them communicate just as easily. Elven Skype.

  The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

  The broken branches were small, but Kai had scouted these woods with Lyr since boyhood and knew they signaled strangers in the area. Travelers weren’t allowed in this section, and larger animals ranged far from the portal. Slipping between the trees, Kai followed the subtle trail left by their intruder. Scuffed grass here. A shoe print there. He frowned. The print was smooth like the flexible soles the sonal favored, but a scout would have passed without a trace.

  Kai almost tripped into the camp as he slammed through a thin barrier and snagged a foot on a large lump of cloth. He righted himself, hand reaching for his dagger, and checked around the small clearing. A moment before, it had been empty. Now, a small, banked campfire appeared in the middle, surrounded by a bedroll and the bag he’d almost fallen over.

  No sign of their owner.

  Pain pierced his head as he used a precious bit of magic to examine the spell surrounding the clearing. Thin, subtle, and an awkward imitation of Lyr’s own energy. Similar to an apprentice who hadn’t mastered their art. The edges of the spell were ragged, and the whole thing wavered like a leaf in the wind. Cell phone. Inexperienced mage. The signs weren’t good.

  Then a ray of sunlight escaped the thinning clouds above and glinted silver near the bedroll. Frowning, Kai knelt, brushing away the blanket that had been tossed aside. And the breath left his body. A steel sword. Great Goddess Bera protect them. Kai’s allergy to iron, and thus steel, was fairly mild, but Lyr was not so fortunate. If the intruder wielded either, his friend would be at a serious disadvantage.

  Kai spun, darting around the pack and through the field of energy. He pulled his shields tight, though the draw on his energy had him swaying on his feet for a few strides, and rushed back the way he’d come. In moments, he’d made it to the main trail. He slowed to a fast walk and forced his expression to neutral. If their uninvited guest didn’t know they’d been discovered, Kai would rather not give them a hint.

  Could a human have made it through the Veil to Moranaia? It was a long, treacherous crossing for those without the talent of the guide. Humans were much more likely to stumble into Sidhe hills than a world as far removed as this one. But the cell phone was a human invention, something only found on Earth, and couldn’t be here otherwise. Unless a Moranaian exile had found their way through the magic that kept them from returning through the portal? They’d certainly have cause to hate Lyr. Their gatekeeper.

  At the sight of the woman approaching along the path, Kai slowed. Nothing about her screamed threat, and yet something about her bothered him. His eyes narrowed on the clothes she wore, the cut different from any in this area of Moranaia. Really any area he knew of, but he hadn’t traveled to every holding on the vast continent. Perhaps she was a visitor from a distant branch.

  Then again, the camp had also been different.

  The red of her hair blurred into the brown of her tunic as he pulled energy into his hands. Kai shook his head against the dizziness and tried to focus. By the time his vision cleared, the woman’s brow had pinched into a concerned frown. Had he wavered on his feet? She’d certainly picked up her pace. When she drew to a halt in front of him, her hand lifted as though to touch him. Then her green eyes met his gray, and she froze.

  With a shuddering breath, Kai opened his energy to scan the woman for any sign of a threat. As his energy found hers, his mind went blank. “Gods,” he gasped.

  “Are you okay?”

  All the power he’d gathered seemed to drain out at once, leaving him hollow. Kai pulled his essence back and scrambled for something resembling reality. It couldn’t be this. Finding one whose soul could join with one’s own was rare, and after five hundred years, Kai had long ago given up hope of meeting his soulbonded. But he knew—knew—it was her. This stranger.

  “Seriously, do you need a doctor?” She shifted on her feet and glanced behind her before returning her attention to him. “You’ve gone pretty pale.”

  Why did she seem so familiar? The cast of her eyes and her high cheekbones reminded him of someone, but he couldn’t have met her before and not recognized her as his bonded. “Where are you from?”

  Her brows rose. “Are you just going to ignore my questions?”

  “I’m sorry.” He ran a shaky hand across his face. “I’m in a rush, and you startled me. I’ll be fine.”

  He hoped. The woman’s lips twisted as she studied him, but she let him get away with the evasion. “I’ll let you be on your way, then.” She stared at his still form. “If you’ll let me by?”

  The mental image of Lyr impaled on a steel blade, as Lyr’s father had been, warred with Kai’s fear of losing the woman. His bonded. “You didn’t tell me where you’re from.”

  She shrugged. “Far away. Really far. I’m visiting relatives.”

  The dull throb of energy depletion twisted in his head to mingle with the rising panic. What if she left before he could find her aga
in? Kai lifted a hand to his burning chest and wrapped it around the pendant that had slipped free as he ran. The pendant. How different were her customs? Even the distant branches should understand bonding. If she took it, he could find her again. Always.

  “There is danger near, my lady, and you are unarmed.” Kai pulled the chain over his head and held it high, the round medallion glimmering in the sun. “I would prefer to see you protected.”

  Uneasiness filling her eyes, she stepped back. “I’ll be okay.”

  “I can’t take that risk. This will shield you.” And it would, for if he sensed her in danger, he would kill any who caused it. Didn’t she understand that? “I have to find Lord Lyr at once, but I hate to leave you.”

  Her mouth pinched into a thin line, and she shook her head. “That looks important. I couldn’t accept it.”

  Kai tried to send a mental call to Lyr but was still too far away. He swayed, pain sparking behind his eyes. He had to go while he still could. Surely, she would recognize the bonding magic once he activated it. “i’Tayah ay nac-mor kehy ler ehy anan taen.”

  The flash of light from the pendant reflected for a moment in her widened eyes. “What?”

  “Please, take it.” Pain crashed through his skull as the forming bond pulled at his energy. “It’s yours now.”

  She reached out a hand, her fingers almost brushing his. “Are you sure?”

  “Very sure.” More light flared as she accepted the necklace. Kai almost dropped to his knees from the surge of power. He tried to smile around rising nausea. “Be careful. At the first hint of danger, call for me.”

  His bonded frowned up at him as the chain settled around her neck. “Thank you. I think.”

  Before she could say another word, he was gone.

  Arlyn stood for a moment, her gaze following the strange, black-haired elf as he rushed away. What the hell had just happened? On weakened legs, she sank onto a bench, the same one Lyr had used earlier. She tried to lift the medallion, still warm from the stranger’s body, but it slipped from her trembling fingers the first couple of attempts. Finally, she raised the shiny metal to eye level and examined the symbols tracing each side. The writing was incomprehensible.

  She let the pendant drop between her breasts as she huffed. Like she needed something else unusual to happen today. Ah, but his eyes! Arlyn shivered, a bolt of desire catching her off guard. Really, the man had looked ill, his face gaunt and skin unnaturally pale. So what if he’d been built and gorgeous? She should have insisted on taking him to a doctor instead of ogling him. Anything besides standing there like an idiot.

  Though she was far from an expert, Arlyn doubted the magic the stranger had used was for protection. A sort of connection sang through her, almost as though she could sense where he was located even after he had moved out of sight. Her stomach lurched as she leapt to her feet. She would ask Lyr. If the man had done something to her, maybe her father would know how to fix it.

  Arlyn tucked the chain between her tunic and her undershirt, then headed for camp. No matter how hard she tried to shuffle the encounter to the back of her mind, it lingered. Those words had sounded familiar, but she was certain she’d never heard them before. Had it been Moranaian? Something niggled at her on the edge of conscious thought, something important, but she couldn’t bring it forth. With a growl, she kicked a rock out of her way and swore.

  As she crammed her belongings into the pack, his eyes still haunted her. Pulled at her. So gray, just like the mists swirling endlessly in the Veil.

  As soon as Kai was within range, he sent a mental call to Lyr. Kai’s pace increased as he waited for his friend to respond, every terrible scenario possible flitting through his mind. What could be taking so long? If someone held Lyr captive, Kai feared the result. Lyr had never been the same since leaving Aimee behind on Earth and might take unnecessary risks. He wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice himself to save others.

  “Kai?” Lyr finally answered. A wave of emotion slipped through as their energy connected enough for mental communication, the intensity causing Kai to stumble and slow. “I forgot you were returning.”

  “I just talked to you this morning.” Kai’s brows rose even though Lyr couldn’t see. “How in Emora’s name could you have forgotten?”

  “Meet me in my study, and we’ll talk.”

  “But I found—”

  “In my study.”

  Without warning, Lyr cut off their communication. Kai broke into a jog despite the calm tone of Lyr’s voice. His friend had not leaked emotion through a link that way in over twenty years. Not since the murder of Lyr’s father, an event that had forced him to leave his soulbonded on Earth to search Moranaia for the person responsible. The entire ordeal had left Lyr more reserved and habit-bound than he’d once been.

  Kai slipped around to the front of the house, not wanting to run into anyone he knew in the gardens. Politeness would require a longer discussion than he wanted to risk. Ignoring the main entrance, he took the side path to Lyr’s study. His friend Kera stood guard at the outer door. Her face lit with pleasure, and maybe relief, at his appearance.

  “Welcome back, Lord Kaienan.”

  “You haven’t called me that since our training days.” He shook his head, frowning. “Is all well?”

  “You know I cannot betray what passes at my post without the Myern’s command.” She shrugged. “Unless there’s an emergency. Which there isn’t.”

  “But?”

  A grin split Kera’s face. “You’ll be interested in speaking with Lord Lyr. Trust me.”

  “Thanks,” Kai answered, his tone wry.

  Kera winked at him as he stepped past her to open the door. No doubt she’d corner him later for more details about whatever she’d seen. His eyes adjusted quickly to the gloom of the little hall, and Kai strode into the study, blinking against the brightness that greeted him once more. Half-turned behind his desk, Lyr sat staring out the nearby glass. Kai studied his profile for some clue of what had happened but found nothing.

  Restless, Kai shifted on his feet before deciding to damn protocol. “What is going on?”

  As he turned to face Kai, Lyr smirked. “Is that any way to greet me after returning from a diplomatic mission?”

  “Today it is.” Kai strode forward to stand in front of Lyr’s desk. “First, you fail to meet me at the portal. Then, I find a camp hidden in the woods. And you’re leaking emotion like a cloth waterskin.”

  All amusement dropped from Lyr’s face. “I have good reason. Do you remember the day I left Aimee?”

  Kai jerked back in surprise. “Yes, but—”

  “It’s important,” Lyr interrupted. “Did you notice anything different about her?”

  “No, but I was hardly in the best state of mind.” Kai gritted his teeth against the echo of remembered pain. Telien had been like a father to him. “I was more concerned with finding your father’s murderer.”

  “As was I.” Lyr closed his eyes. “Much to my own misfortune.”

  Kai frowned. “How so?”

  “I’m fairly sure I know who the camp belongs to.” With a sigh, Lyr glanced up. “I had a visitor today. My daughter. Aimee was pregnant with our child, and I never even suspected.”

  For a full five drips of the clock, Kai stared at him. Lyr had a child? “How?”

  Lyr’s brow rose. “Didn’t your father have that discussion with you centuries ago?”

  “You know what I meant.” Kai huffed. “You didn’t check?”

  “Obviously not.” Lyr rose, scowling. “I wouldn’t abandon a child. I was too busy trying to think of a way to get Aimee through the portal at the speed we’d need.”

  Kai swayed on his feet and leaned forward to grip the desk. “Clechtan. What a mess. Where is she now?”

  Lyr’s eyes narrowed, finally taking in Kai’s appearance. “Are you unwell?”

  “Nothing sleep won’t fix.” Kai forced himself to straighten. “The girl?”

  Lyr stared at him for a
moment but let the topic of Kai’s weakness drop. “She went to collect her things.”

  Kai recalled the camp he’d found. The clumsy shield with energy resembling Lyr’s. And the sword. “Your daughter carries steel?”

  Lyr grimaced. “Perhaps. She came from Earth. What other metal would she be likely to find?”

  “I’ve been to Earth more recently, but even when you last traveled there, humans didn’t often use swords. Why would she have one?” Kai paced from the window and back, brow furrowed. He dug the phone out of the pouch at his waist and set it on the desk with a click. “Yet she carries their technology. Something isn’t right here. Are you certain she’s telling the truth?”

  Lyr picked up the device to examine it more closely. “What is this?”

  “A phone. Humans use it to communicate much as we do with the mirrors. Except I can’t play games on my mirror.”

  “Games?”

  “Never mind.” Kai’s mouth tightened. “Did the girl bring proof?”

  Lyr sank back into his chair and rubbed a hand across his brow. “She let me test her. It’s true.”

  “What about Aimee?”

  Kai regretted the question as soon as it slipped free. Lyr paled, lines of grief etching his face. “Gone.”

  “I’m sorry.” Another wash of leaked emotion made Kai turn his head away. “I should have guessed.”

  “I always knew—” Lyr’s voice choked off.

  “That doesn’t make it easy.”

  Kai went back to the window, giving Lyr a moment to collect himself. Late afternoon sun glimmered across the flowers planted next to the study where it bordered the garden. In the distance, a couple wandered one of the paths that meandered through the trees. Such a bright day after the storm, a contrast to the pain humming through the air of Lyr’s sanctum. Only when it eased did Kai turn.