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  She couldn’t do anything about the chatar. She needed to stay focused on the main issue. The magic. If Colm and Linc helped, that would be great and no one would have anything to worry about today, but if not… She hesitated. This could be a disaster. If she went into the forest, as long as she was far enough away from the city, no one would be hurt.

  “Is something wrong? If you need to talk with the Ardin, I’d suggest you do it now. They were talking about getting a few more supplies and that could take a while if they have to haggle.” Avan took her arm.

  She didn’t have time to think, much less force the words past the panic boiling inside of her. Avan led her to a good-sized wooden building near the town’s east edge. Her heartbeat sounded loud in her ears. Her chest ached and she felt as if she couldn’t pull in enough air.

  Indecision made the choice for her. She didn’t resist as he pulled her up the stairs onto a porch that ran along the front of the hotel. Dread filled her. Something bad was going to happen. Her heart raced and her mind seemed to lock. She couldn’t think of a way to make him understand that he had to let her go.

  He’d chase after her if she just took off. She doubted he’d consider her power a problem. None of them had seemed too concerned since she’d told them about the magic inside of her and that it was building. If she didn’t find some way to suppress it, they were going to get a firsthand demonstration of why it was a problem.

  “I can’t go in there, Avan. I need to calm down, maybe go for a long walk or run.” Her voice quivered with stress. She winced at the sign. She tried to get him to understand. “The magic—”

  “They’ll teach you everything you need to know about your magic, you just need to be patient. They can’t teach while we’re traveling. And as long as Laed and Kynar are still out there, going for a run or walk with just one person isn’t a good idea.” Avan opened the thick wooden door and switched his hand to the small of her back before she could even think about making a run for it.

  She found herself being urged into the inn. The main door opened into a dining and drinking area with a long, scarred dark-brown bar and several tables. She didn’t take a step more once the forward pressure had stopped. His attitude and insistence as well as the fact that there were at least ten other people in the short distance between her and the first table were making her feel trapped. She wanted out and she wanted to be away from everyone.

  “Linc, Colm, Cami needs to talk with you.” Avan stepped forward.

  Her mind automatically locked onto the fact that there was a clear path behind her. She didn’t get a chance to think about it too much before she noticed that both men were coming toward her. Unable to stop herself, she let her eyes wander as they approached.

  Colm’s golden eyes fixed on her and his face set in aggressive lines. She’d never seen them soften and sometimes wondered if he looked as if a predator lurked ready to pounce even when he slept. His skin was a dark-brown and the trika, the spots along his jawline and ribs, only a little darker. Those markings identified him as Santir, a shapeshifter, and they were also sensitive to touch. Grabbing and pinching there could be very painful, but a caress… She shivered at the thought of the pleasure it could bring or that could be given. His long black hair hung in a straight fall to just below his shoulders. A cream-colored shirt stretched across his muscled chest drawing her eyes and many appreciative female stares, but not as many as his black leather pants.

  Linc followed a little behind as they wove their way between the tables. His long golden hair was clubbed back with a leather thong, but she knew it reached more than halfway down his back. Glittering green eyes seemed to take in everything. Light golden skin stretched over his cheekbones. She let her gaze drift over the dark trika along his square jaw as she continued her perusal. He was a little shorter than Colm, but every bit as broad and muscled. His dark-blue shirt wasn’t as tight as Colm’s, but those leather pants emphasized every flex of his thighs.

  Ogling them didn’t help lessen the magic, but she loved the view. It was as close as she could let herself get to them. Everything she knew about them and what they wanted only told her she’d be setting herself up for a lot of pain if she wasn’t careful.

  “No, I don’t need to talk to them right now. I need some time alone.” She slanted a narrow-eyed look toward Avan. He was lucky she didn’t have something heavy in her hands.

  “What’s wrong?” Linc stepped in front of her.

  “Nothing’s wrong. I just want to go to my room if it’s ready.” The words came out from between clenched teeth. It gave obvious proof of the lie, but she couldn’t do this now and hold onto her control.

  Colm laughed softly. “I think we do need to talk about something. I’m also sure that time alone isn’t going to make it go away.”

  She took a deep breath to try to control the immediate surge of frustration. Her nerves stretched taut with the strain. She didn’t need her feelings ramping up the magic any more than they already were. “No, we don’t. I need some peace and quiet away from everyone else.”

  “It’s not ready. None of them are. That gives us time to discover just what it is you don’t need to talk about.” Linc gently clasped her arm.

  “Let me go. I’m tired of being led, herded and told where to go and what to do. I don’t want to talk right now.” She jerked at her arm, but she might as well have been trying to move a rock wall. His hand didn’t budge. Her heart began racing. Panic began to push away everything else, but the fear that she’d lose control right here.

  “No, take a few breaths and calm down. We’re going to talk about whatever is bothering you, and don’t lie to us again. There is something bothering you.” Linc’s voice was smooth and utterly calm.

  “Why won’t anyone listen to me?” Her voice rose and her throat felt tight. The magic was rising. She could feel it swelling, but didn’t know how to make them understand without blurting it out, which could be disastrous in such a public place. She tried, but she couldn’t push it back. “Please.”

  “No, now we’re going to go sit down. You’re going to tell us what’s behind all of this argument.” Linc began leading her over to the tables.

  “No!” She reached for his hands, intending to use her claws to get him to release her. She’d be even more surrounded, more trapped there.

  Cami felt a snap of magic go through her as soon as she touched him. He flew back away from her. She stared, horrified, for only a moment before she spun and ran out of the room. She’d thrown him across the room with her magic and she hadn’t even intended to do it.

  Gods, she was a menace to anyone around her. She ran through the streets toward the forest. The streets seemed to close in around her, making her feel caged and hunted. Her vision narrowed. A low roar sounded in her ears and her heart raced.

  She hit the grassy field at the edge of town and kept going. Her pace didn’t slow until the sparse trees and bushes thickened and the light was partially blocked by the thick canopy of leaves of the surrounding trees. The sharp tang of the sap and leaves of the trees hit her first, calming her a little.

  She looked around and saw the dark bark of a stand of manoga trees. The sweet scent of minsi drifted to her, but she couldn’t see any of the vines anywhere or a hint of their yellow and orange bell-shaped flowers. She drew in a deep breath and walked a little deeper into the forest. Stopping when she got to a stand of conical vetin trees, she dropped down to sit against one of the thick trunks.

  The grass and leaf-covered ground was soft and cushioned her. The tree at her back felt solid. She put her hands over her face and simply breathed, letting the chitter of small animals and the feel of the slightly moist breeze ground her.

  That had been a disaster. Doubts began to crowd her mind. She’d thought she could be around people safely as long as she had someone near to teach her control of the magic. It hadn’t been a priority for them. She hadn’t pressed them on it. Maybe she should have, but she wasn’t certain that it would have made a
difference to what happened. She would have felt pressured. She doubted she would have learned enough to stop that slip.

  She drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Resting her chin on her knee, she closed her eyes and tried to think about what she should do next. She wanted to stop Laed and Kynar, but that wouldn’t happen if she was a danger to everyone who was with her. That was all too likely if she couldn’t somehow get control of the magic. Alternatively, she couldn’t simply let Laed and Kynar continue to hurt others and she was certain that they would.

  Either way someone could get hurt. At least Linc, Colm and their men had been warned. Laed and Kynar’s potential victims wouldn’t have that advantage. On top of that, the men could take care of themselves. Laed and Kynar would go after the weakest targets they could find. The only question was would she be welcome to stay with them any longer?

  Chapter Two

  Colm followed the muddled scent through the streets. No way to mistake that strange smell. He hadn’t been able to grab her before she dashed out of the inn. He’d been stunned when Linc had flown backward. Then before they could go find her, one of the patrons at the inn’s bar, filled with courage and too much alcohol, had decided that since a woman could throw one of them, they were obviously weak. The resulting bar fight had lost them their rooms for the night.

  He growled. Frustrated and irritated, he searched for any sign of her. In spite of her panic, he didn’t think she’d go too far. She wasn’t trying to leave. The woman was smart. She’d slip out at night if she wanted to go. No, fear of what she’d done and what happened had ruled her thoughts. It had been a long time since he’d lost control, but he remembered how it felt.

  She’d told them that the magic scared her and that it was growing. He hadn’t realized that it was that bad. Part of that was their fault for not taking the matter more seriously. Still, he wasn’t taking all the blame. She should have pressed them for more attention instead of keeping them at a distance as she’d done since she’d found them.

  She was healing emotionally. She’d been fragile when she’d met them outside a gatehouse not too long ago. Every time they’d approach, she’d step back. The fear in her eyes was obvious. It wasn’t simply because they were Ardin, as the two men who’d hurt her had been. Slowly, she’d stopped retreating from them, but more than fear held her back. There was a caution in her eyes he was sure had nothing to do with physical fear.

  He looked over at his bond brother. Linc had noticed that she’d grown accustomed to the other men with them and didn’t seem to be so cautious around them. When he’d pointed it out, Colm hadn’t put much credence to it. If he’d gone through what she had, he wasn’t sure he’d be here, much less chance putting himself under the control of anyone ever again. Her reaction to them hadn’t changed much. With them, there was always a distance and deliberate avoidance of spending any time with them.

  On top of that, there was the way Vin, their chatar, looked at her. Speculation simmered in the wise man’s eyes. Colm knew that Vin had known she’d be waiting for them. The seer knew more of her than they did, but he hadn’t told them much about her. Vin had pushed to keep her with them, even when it would keep her in possible danger.

  Colm didn’t buy that the only way they were going to catch the false Ardin, Laed and Kynar, was if she was with them. There had to be more to it, but his mind shied away from the most likely possibilities. He didn’t want to think about that. It couldn’t be. He wouldn’t make himself vulnerable in that way.

  As they left the city, he looked at the trees. He should have realized she’d head straight for the forest. She’d wanted to be alone and have time to calm down before all this happened. The forest offered a haven away from the people and buildings.

  Colm spotted her. She sat on the ground, scrunched up with her chin on her knees and her eyes closed. She must be lost in thought, because she hadn’t heard them approach. Her black hair hung over her arms. The ends fluttered around her calves in the light breeze. It partially covered the minor scar on her cheek, although he knew the mark wasn’t so insignificant to her.

  Her position hid her curvy form. A cream-colored shirt covered lushly full breasts that made him want to reach out and cup them. Not that she’d given any indication that she’d stand still for that. He took a deep breath and focused. Time to see what conclusions she’d come to while she was thinking, but she had better realize they weren’t letting her disappear. The woman deserved safety and security and she’d get it even if she didn’t realize she needed it.

  “Whenever you feel like talking, we’re waiting.” Linc’s voice silenced the animals in the forest.

  Cami gasped and her eyes popped open. Her head snapped up and smacked into the tree behind her. The thud made him wince even as her hands rose to cradle her head. Her eyes clenched shut. She moaned a little before opening her eyes and blinking furiously. He’d guess she was having a little trouble focusing.

  She drew back against the tree and her eyes widened. He frowned. Was she afraid of them? It took him only a moment to realize that given her history, she probably expected some kind of retaliation. Not to mention they probably looked larger than normal given her position on the ground.

  Her eyes moved to Linc. After studying him a moment, she relaxed a little.

  “Are you all right? That sounded as though it hurt.” Colm took a step closer.

  She reached up and rubbed a hand over the back of her head. A grimace crossed her face, but when she pulled her hand back, he didn’t see any blood.

  “It hurts. I’m not going to try to stand just yet, but it should be fine. What did you want to start with?” She took a deep breath. Her hands loosely looped around her legs.

  He didn’t want her afraid of them. How were they going to get past the distrust she now had for anyone in a leader position?

  “Let’s start with how this all started. Maybe it will help us understand how this happened.” Linc stood with his feet braced apart.

  Colm waited. She licked her lips and her hands clenched.

  “I was frustrated. First my power was already a little high, but it’s been staying that way. So until it began feeding on my emotions, I wasn’t too worried. Then I became angry when Avan paid for the cloth on your orders.” She narrowed her eyes at him specifically as if she thought he was behind it.

  She was right. Linc had mentioned her not having much with her, but he hadn’t been going to press it until they reached the Thent. Colm saw no reason to delay. He’d arranged for Avan to take her to get some cloth. He hadn’t guessed how that would end.

  “You’ll need more clothes when we reach the Thent. Go on with your explanation.” Colm smiled and hooked his thumb on his belt.

  “I was going to take it up with you, but by the time we got to the inn, the magic was too high. I knew it and there was the chance that I couldn’t control it. I told him that I needed some time and that I wanted to wait. He ignored everything I said, just as you did.” She shook her head, but then groaned. Her hand cupped the back of her head.

  “We weren’t ignoring what you were saying. We were going to talk to you about it.” Linc’s voice softened.

  “No one has been listening to me. And then the room was so crowded and you wanted to take me to a place where I’d be surrounded.” She sighed heavily and brushed her hair away from her face.

  She had a point there. They knew she didn’t like crowds. Part of it was being trapped and surrounded. That was understandable after what the two false Ardin had done to her. Colm suspected the other part was simply that she’d been alone and on the run for so long that too many people made her nervous.

  “One word about how much you were worried about your magic would have gotten results.” Linc raised an eyebrow. “And I might not have suddenly hit the wall.”

  “That’s just the type of thing that I’d say out in public with strangers around.” She rose slowly to her feet.

  Colm laughed shortly. Some people
feared those with magic. He could understand her not saying it in public. “I’ll grant that you couldn’t have said anything outright and we hadn’t prepared for such a situation. You bear a little of the responsibility in this too. You could have told us before how high the magic had become and that you were afraid you might lose control.”

  “I’m just feeling my way around in this situation. I told you about it growing and not knowing how to control it the first time we talked of it. You didn’t seem too concerned about teaching me any techniques. I didn’t know what you planned.” She shrugged.

  “We didn’t realize exactly how risky the situation had become. If we had, we wouldn’t have waited to begin teaching you to drain off power. You come to us if you feel as though you’re going to lose control. We can help.” Linc stepped forward. “You’re not alone in this anymore. You’re going to have to start trusting us.”

  Colm knew they were asking a lot from her. Still, it had to start somewhere. She grimaced and looked at them as if judging how serious they were.

  “You’re going to have to try, at least in regards to the magic.” Colm took another step closer to her, but since he didn’t want her to feel crowded, he also edged to the side a little.

  “I’ll try, but I can’t give you any promises. I’m not sure what to expect from you even now.” She licked her lips.

  “You expect some kind of retaliation for what happened, don’t you?” Linc’s head tipped to the side and he frowned. “That’s not our way. We don’t wait and come at someone when they’ve had a chance to relax. If we have a problem with something you’ve done, we’ll tell you.”

  “I’m really sorry about… Even though I didn’t do it intentionally, you did go flying back into a wall.” She shrugged, but kept her eyes on him. It was easy to see that she didn’t believe what they’d said.

  “Accidents happen, especially when someone’s just learning to control their magic.” Linc smiled. “I’ve taken harder falls in practice, so don’t worry about it. We should get moving. It’s going to take us some time to get to a spot to camp and it’s already getting dark.”