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“Maybe not, but I can guarantee that he’ll enjoy it.” He smiled. “You wouldn’t want him to feel left out now, would you?”

  “You’re just not brave enough to do it yourself.” She grinned and brushed the hair away from his cheek.

  He laughed, not seeming at all offended. “If I did it to him, he’d do it to me when I least expected it. We’d end up wrestling around on the floor. With you, you do it to him and you both have fun after a while. He would make you crazy with desire before fucking you until you’re limp and sated.”

  “Is that supposed to make me want to try it on Colm?” She levered up a little to look down at him.

  “Try what on Colm?” Colm’s voice came from near the door.

  Cami looked over and saw him leaning against the wall, looking relaxed and as if he’d been there for a while. His eyes ran over her from head to toe in hungry appraisal. She half expected him to start stripping in a moment and join them on the bed.

  “Playing with magic.” Cami didn’t want to go into the specifics of how they were discussing playing with magic and him.

  “And you don’t want to play with me?” He raised an eyebrow, but a slight frown tilted his lips.

  “I do want to play with you. My way. His suggestions would land me in trouble.” She tilted her head toward Linc. “I think he wants to watch and tease when it happens.”

  “He does have a tendency toward mischief. We both know he’d enjoy watching. Now, what did you do to him that he wants you to try on me?” Colm grinned.

  Cami blushed. He’d seen right through her tactics. “You’ll find out if I decide to try it on you. Since he wants to see your reaction, I’m sure he’s not going to tell you.”

  “Maybe not, but I’m sure when we do play, I can make you tell me.” He smiled and held out his hand. “It’s almost time to eat. Did you want to wash before we go down?”

  “That would be good. Maybe you can interrogate Linc while I’m gone. He might tell you what you want to know if you’re persistent.” She took his hand and slid off the bed into his arms.

  He hugged her tight. His calloused hands smoothed over her back. Large palms settled over her buttocks. His fingers tightened, pulling her as close as they could get when he was wearing clothes. Her hands slid around his back and she tilted her head back. She wanted a kiss. His head lowered, but his lips brushed her forehead before he set her away from him. His hand patted her buttocks a little more firmly than necessary.

  “Better hurry and go. Seeing you all rosy and sated makes me want to see if I can make you look even more cuddly and satisfied.” Colm’s gaze swept down her body and lingered on her breasts before lowering to her hips and thighs. “I know just where I’m going to start.”

  “Later. I’m a little hungry.” She laughed as she slipped into her shirt. He might want her, but she was safe for now.

  “Later, I’m going to make you tell me what Linc wants you to do.” Colm ruffled her hair.

  She looked forward to him trying.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Cami looked up from the book she’d been studying. Shooting a glare at Vin, the chatar, she rolled her shoulders. She’d been reading some of the books lately about Santir magic and the magic from the crystals. There weren’t any books about how to do specific things. She wished it was that simple. A few instructions about visualize this or focus on that would be helpful. Magic was taught, usually to the young, by those who knew it.

  According to Vin, it was done that way for a few reasons. The teacher needed to judge the student’s readiness for each new lesson, both in regards to power and maturity. Those tomes might not have helped her learn any new ways to use her power, but she’d learned other things.

  The magic from the crystal probably started the dreams, visions and magic to boil inside of her, but the power already existed. The sudden rush of magic simply acted as a catalyst. The knowledge reassured her in a way. She wondered if she’d have known about her magic if her mother had found a Thent similar to this one. Would the power have appeared if she was simply around magic?

  The door opened and a woman rushed into the room. Cami recognized her as Lana, one of the older women from the kitchen. Over the last few days, Cami found acceptance from some of the women. Tension and resentment still radiated from a few of the younger females though.

  Cami straightened the moment she noticed the almost panicked look on the woman’s face. Something was wrong. The woman’s eyes locked on her. Relief as well as fear rippled across the woman’s face.

  “You have to come. He has Bea. He’ll kill her if you don’t come.” Lana’s voice was tight with stress.

  “Have you informed the guards?” Cami stood. Her heart raced and for a moment she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

  Colm and Linc searched in the forest now. Earlier today, a man on the wall caught sight of two forms at the edge of the trees. When the spot was searched, the men found a definite trail. Colm and Linc left to help track the false Ardin. When she heard about the sighting, Cami felt a little hope that it would soon be over. How could one of them be in the walls while Linc and Colm hunted them?

  “He said if any warriors showed up he’d kill Bea.” Lana shook her head.

  If they didn’t get her away from that man, Bea was dead anyway, as well as anyone else close to him. Killing came easily to them. She didn’t know if it was Laed or Kynar. Both men cared about no one other than themselves.

  Female, male, child. To them, it didn’t matter. The only thing they cared about was getting what they wanted. They knew how to control through fear. Lana’s reaction was what they would expect. She looked over at the chatar. He rose to his feet.

  “We’re going to need some help.” Cami met the man’s eyes and hoped he didn’t try to stop her. She couldn’t hide in a room while another woman’s life rested in the balance. She’d rather put herself in danger than have someone die because of her.

  Vin nodded. “I’ll get help. Stay out of his reach. Preferably across the room from him. Don’t give him an even more valuable hostage.”

  “I wasn’t planning on trying to take him down myself, regardless of which one it is. I just plan to buy a little time for men to get there to do it.” Her gut tightened with anxiety. She didn’t know what to do or how to keep everyone safe. This was her fault. She’d brought danger here. All because she needed to stop Laed and Kynar.

  “Cami, don’t think about the why’s right now. Focus on your instincts. They know what to do. Trust them the same way you trusted the feelings when you were walking.” Vin came over and put his hand on her shoulder. “Trust them and yourself. You have more control than you think you do. Men will be there when they’re needed.”

  Cami took a deep breath and nodded. Trust herself and, from the mention of control, her magic. Not an easy thing when she was still so unsure of it. She followed the woman out the door trying to remain calm. Her heart slammed inside her chest with each step as she walked down the hallway following Lana.

  Part of her wanted to turn and run. She didn’t want to be near either of them again. Firmly shoving down the fear, she took a deep breath. Stay out of his reach and delay him. How am I going to do that?

  Lana pushed open the door to the kitchen. Cami frowned and tried to catch Lana’s eyes to ask a few more questions. The woman stepped inside before she could manage it. Cami followed slowly. Her throat felt tight and the throb of her pulse threatened to drown out all other sound.

  Her feet locked to the floor as she saw Laed standing at the end of the long work table. One of his hands rested on Bea’s shoulder. The other held a knife to her neck. Bea seemed outwardly calm, but Cami could see the tremors shaking her hands.

  Cami wanted to run over there and free the woman, but she knew better than to get that close. Get her out of his arms. That one thought screamed through her head over and over. She didn’t know how she was supposed to do that. Bea would die if she didn’t manage to do it somehow.

  “I actually thought
you’d hide and let them suffer my anger. I want what you stole from us. Or you’ll watch this woman’s blood pool on the floor at my feet.” Laed’s grip on Bea tightened, pulling her back against him.

  “I don’t have anything of yours.” Cami would have loved to make some comment about the magic in that crystal not being his, but aggravating him wouldn’t help. Since that crystal was in pieces worlds away from here, she wasn’t lying.

  “You took it. I know you took it. What did you do with our crystal?” Laed shook Bea, his voice lowering into a growl.

  “How did you get in the Thent? Why would you risk it for some rock I don’t even have?” Cami couldn’t tell him that it was destroyed. He’d kill Bea without a thought and start slicing. She had to delay and distract him. Trust. The chatar had told her to trust her instincts. They shouted at her to get Bea away from him. How do I get her out of his arms? She had no idea what to do to accomplish it.

  The rush of nervousness, fear and confusion boosted the level of her magic. She had to calm down. She needed to get control before her eyes started to glow. Trust. The word came to her again. Trust the magic.

  “Did you think I couldn’t outwit those fools?” Laed’s lips twisted into a sneer. “Kynar’s leading them in circles. By the time they learn anything’s wrong, I’ll be gone. Where’s the crystal?”

  “Why would you think that I knew anything about a crystal? I left because you can’t be trusted. It wasn’t safe there.” Cami avoided the question as much as possible. She needed time to think of something to do. What was taking the chatar so long to get help? Trust the magic. Trust your instincts.

  Laed would slit Bea’s throat if he discovered what happened to the crystal. Cami had to get Bea away from him before he discovered or guessed the truth. The magic. It hit her suddenly. She had to use magic.

  Colm and Linc had shown her how to create that energy bolt. Cami tossed the idea after only a moment’s consideration. She couldn’t hold back on the power with him. He was too vicious. On top of that, she might hit Bea. How was she supposed to get Bea out of his grip? She couldn’t make her simply disappear. Cami felt her eyes widen as she suddenly realized what she had to do.

  “You took it. I know you did. We caught one of the others. He would have told us if he’d taken it. Where did you leave it? If you don’t tell me now, she’s dead.” Laed’s grip tightened noticeably on Bea’s shoulder

  No more time to think. The power rose inside her, hot and strong. Her eyes locked with Bea’s. Cami felt her body relax and her worries fall away. She heard the soft woosh of her pulse as the magic rushed to her command.

  Her vision narrowed to Bea and the man behind her. She let her eyes slowly close for a moment as she gathered the power. Her eyes snapped open. She pushed everything into surrounding Bea with her magic. Cami saw Bea’s eyes widen and then she was gone. A blink later and she stood right in front of Cami.

  A scream sounded and then there was a distinct thud of metal. Cami grabbed Bea and pushed her behind her. She gasped in breaths, trying to pump up her suddenly flagging energy. She expected to see Laed rushing at her. Her eyes widened as she saw Laed stagger to the side. Trisha swung a wooden mallet, hitting him in the jaw. He stumbled back and fell to the floor. The women swarmed him, kicking him and hitting with anything they could find.

  Men rushed into the room from behind her and the door at the back of the room so suddenly that she wondered if they’d been waiting outside. She shook her head. Male Santir wouldn’t risk a woman being harmed. She didn’t have the energy to give it much thought. She leaned heavily on a nearby counter and struggled to keep from collapsing to the floor in a puddle.

  “Are you hurt?” Tyson walked over to her after Laed was secured and carted out of the kitchen.

  “He didn’t touch me. Just really tired.” She took a deep breath. Blinking hurt and she’d like nothing more than to close her eyes and sleep. Even when she’d been on the run, she’d never felt this exhausted.

  About that time, she heard the whispered explanations of what had happened. She knew Tyson heard them too, but he didn’t seem as surprised as some of the other men.

  “I’m going to hear about this from Colm and Linc, aren’t I?” She wearily raised her head and looked up at him again.

  “Probably, but not because you did it. They’ll yell at you because doing it left you vulnerable. You couldn’t have even run in the state you’re in now.” Tyson grinned. “That will be after you sleep, so you’ll get a little reprieve. There isn’t anything that’s going to keep you awake for long now.”

  That was a little comforting, but also a little worrying. They were going to be frustrated by the wait for her to wake. It wasn’t going to improve their mood.

  “Don’t forget that they’ll probably be furious that you even came to this room instead of going to the safety of your haven. They’ll get over it. Come on. The chatar said to get you to your room before you fall down.” Lana walked over and gently took Cami’s arm. “No doubt the Ardin would be angry over that too.”

  Cami smiled and yawned widely. Too right. No argument would satisfy them. They’d point out she wouldn’t be exhausted if she’d stayed in a safe place. As for falling, that would give them fuel for their argument. She tried to focus her eyes as they walked down the corridor to the stairs.

  “Bea and the others in the kitchen told me to tell you that after today, if any of the other women bother you, they’d take care of it for you.” Lana urged her up the steps.

  Cami lost track of what Lana said after that. The sound of her voice seemed to fade in and out. She only wanted to find somewhere to sit down and rest. Cami finally reached the room she now shared with Linc and Colm. Lana urged her inside and then closed the door. Cami made it over to the bed before the exhaustion finally took her. She curled up on the soft mattress and let her eyes finally close.

  Colm combed his fingers through her soft, black hair. She lay limply in his arms, but her warmth and the steady beat of her heart reassured him. His heart pounded in his chest. He could still taste the cold metallic tang of fear that had rushed through him as they’d hurried back to the Thent.

  One of the men with them had a tierna bond with a man still at the Thent. So they’d been running back even as Cami was in the kitchen with that man. Even as they neared the Thent, they heard that Laed had been captured and all of the women were safe. Colm had wanted all of the details, but he’d wanted to get to Cami even more. He hadn’t found out more than the women had managed to take the intruder down before they reached the Thent. Only when he found out that Cami was upstairs sleeping did he realize that there was more to the story.

  He’d gone to her first. The moment he’d seen her sprawled across the purple blanket, he’d known. That was no normal sleep. A more accurate description would be passed out in complete exhaustion. If they rushed into the room yelling, she wouldn’t wake. Seeing her that vulnerable shook him. He had to know what happened, but he couldn’t leave her without holding her for a moment.

  Her eyelids didn’t flicker as they each pulled her into their arms. Linc held her first, hugging her tight. Colm had taken her and pulled her close. The stillness in her body chilled him. He hadn’t wanted to leave her, even to discover precisely what had happened. Even knowing that the whole Thent had been searched, he had to force himself to walk out of the room.

  Night had fallen long ago, yet she still slept deeply. He couldn’t believe what she’d done. Not because he doubted her power or ability or even that she’d attempted it. Courage and daring ran through Cami’s blood. She’d done it alone. That amazed him.

  She’d succeeded her first try without being told precisely what to do. The feat required a huge amount of energy, although it did get less consuming and easier with experience. That kind of enchantment was hard for someone to do alone. Especially the first time. For a practiced, bonded pair, the magic posed no problem, but even a very powerful lone warrior felt the cost when performing it.

  It
drained the energy and caused tiredness, decreased coordination and diminished attention to detail even when two were performing the spell. He’d fought that temptation to use the spell to get to her. Knowing he might need the energy to confront one of the false Ardin held him back. He trusted his men, but it seemed to take an eternity to get back to the Thent.

  Colm dropped a kiss on her forehead and let her rest between Linc and him. He was surprised she’d managed to stay on her feet for as long as she did. Now, she didn’t stir even when he tugged her close in a hug. He wanted to hear her voice or see her move. Something to reassure the beast clawing inside him.

  The delay in talking to her frustrated him, but was probably a good thing. The first burn of anger had faded and logic allowed him to control his emotions. He understood why she’d done it. Not that he wasn’t still angry. She had risked her life. That was unacceptable. He didn’t care if it took days, she would understand that.

  He curled his arm around her and rested his hand on her stomach. Relaxing on his side, he closed his eyes. Sleep refused to come for him. Making sure she understood how badly she’d scared them would have to wait until she finally woke up. She wouldn’t remember a word they said if they tried now, even if they could manage to wake her enough to get her to open her eyes.

  Colm wanted to wipe away the thoughts of her in the same room as one of the false Ardin when he was holding a knife, but couldn’t. The scene played over and over in Colm’s mind. While he was out chasing shadows, she’d walked blithely into danger. He wouldn’t have been close enough to help her. She’d be lucky if they let her out of their sight to bathe in the next few days.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Cami came slowly awake. She felt warm, almost too warm. Solid, muscled bodies pressed against hers. She’d gotten used to that in the last few days. Today, the arms around her felt a little tighter. She nuzzled her cheek against the chest beneath her head. Relishing the skin to skin contact, it took her a moment to realize that she was naked. She stiffened. The last thing she remembered was falling onto the bed, not taking off her clothes. Opening her eyes, she found herself staring into brilliant green eyes. She blinked at the intense emotion burning there.