Deviation: Altera Realm Trilogy Book 2 (35 page)

Adam, unlike the other two, was always around. He even had moved into Syney’s room, which had made her happy for about an hour. That was until he
decided that every spare moment they had should be used to practice magic. Syney agreed that experimenting with her magic was important but not every second of every day. She was newly engaged and just wanted to spend some quality alone time with her fiancé. Not that she could open up to Adam about what was really bothering her. Talking to her fiancé about her shared dreams with her ex-boyfriend wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have. Unfortunately that didn’t leave anyone else.

Looking at the door to the library, Syney sighed. Both Reed and Poppy were standing guard. They had increased the Protectors to two at a time since the Shifter had “escaped.” Syney knew she had nothing to fear since she had helped let him out a few weeks ago, but she played along with the whole scare. Two guards had been punished, being dismissed from their guardship and banished from the palace, for having been on duty when the Shifter had escaped. Syney felt horrible when she found out, even going to Leaf and begging him to let her take some of the heat. But Leaf had calmed her down. He told her that the guards were older men who had taken the assignment, knowing what would happen. She still felt bad but couldn’t do much about it now. Just another thing she didn’t have anyone to talk to about.

Syney finally stood; obviously Cass was standing her up, again. She wondered what kind of excuse she would get this time just as the young princess walked quickly into the room. She wasn’t dressed in the usual large dresses she seemed to prefer but a cotton skirt and blouse, which was more similar to something Syney would wear.

“Sorry, sorry. I know, I was supposed to be here a half hour ago. But at least I’m here, right?” Cass said hurriedly as she walked past Syney and up the stairs to the restricted section. She put her hand on the doorknob and whispered something before opening the door. She took a seat quickly at the table in the middle of the room, her legs jumping up and down under the table.

Syney gave her an odd look as she walked into the small window-lined room. There were several bookshelves, much like in the rest of the library, but the books here seemed much older, the pages more faded and the bindings harder leather. One shelf to the side seemed set apart from the rest. Syney was drawn to it for some reason, even reaching out her hand to run her fingers along the bindings. But the second she got within inches of the books, something zapped up her arm. As she rubbed it, everything from her elbow down tingled painfully. “What the hell was that?”

Biting her fingernails, Cass looked at her. “That shelf is spelled. It’s the restricted, restricted section.”

Syney slowly nodded and worked her way around the room until she found the Vampire book Helen had let her read the year before. Next to it were four
other books, one for each race, including Magic Users. She pulled all the books off the shelf, in more than one trip, considering they each weighed around twenty pounds. She flipped open the Daemon book and skimmed the first few pages before she stopped and looked at Cass. She was still biting her fingernails and staring at the table. Her nails were practically gone, all red and even bleeding in some spots. Syney knew it was none of her business to ask, but she just couldn’t help it. The girl was silently screaming that something was wrong. Syney closed the book and smiled at her. “What’s wrong?”

Cass looked at her. “What? Nothing. Why? Who said something?”

“No one. Cass, you’re biting your nails off; you’ve flaked out on me for weeks; and you’re dressing differently.”

Cass tucked her hair behind her ear. “I’m not allowed to dress the way I want?”

“Of course you are. It’s just…you love those damn dresses as much as I hate them.”

She shrugged and grabbed one of the books. “People change.”

Syney shook her head and opened the Daemon book again. She read a few pages on memory giving and pulling. The whole thing fascinated her. She wondered whether she had the guts to actually steal some memories from Mellisandrianna, but honestly she didn’t think she could. The process, as described in the book, was extremely painful for the person whose memories were being taken. The book described it as being similar to having a major organ removed. The thing she feared the most was Mellisandrianna coming at her with magic during the process. Plus they had to be touching, and that was a little bit too close for Syney.

She flipped to the chapter on projecting thoughts when Cass slammed the book in front of her shut and sat back in her chair. Syney looked at her. “Sure you don’t want to talk?”

Cass looked at her, tears clouding her blue eyes. “Why would you want to help? Why would you even want to talk to me? After what I did?”

Syney looked down and shook her head. “It wasn’t all you. Gabe read your thoughts and compelled you to tell your mother.”

“Really?”

Syney nodded.

“I’m still sorry.” She wiped some tears from her eyes.

Syney frowned, recognizing a kindred spirit. They both were being plagued with thoughts they couldn’t share with others. “I’ve…I think we both need someone to talk to. Maybe we can compare whatever horror stories we have.”

Cass seemed unsure at first then nodded.

“OK, well, I’ve…been sharing dreams with Hunter. Pretty, um, detailed and intense dreams.”

“Sex dreams.”

Syney stared at her wide-eyed. Definitely not the same Cass. “Well, yeah. And the sick part is that while I’m sharing dreams with Hunter, I’m sleeping next to Adam.”

Cass cringed. “That is pretty bad. Are you sure you’re not just having dreams
about
Hunter? I’ve never heard of sharing dreams.”

“I…um…” She paused to take a breath. “Back when you guys came to get me in the Human Realm, I healed him.” She held up her hands. “And now we have this connection, but I didn’t realize it was a connection until recently.”

“That’s really cool.”

“Yeah, not so much when you’re engaged to another guy.”

Cass nodded slowly. “I can see how that’s a problem.”

Syney shrugged. “We both know we’re actually there, in our subconscious, in the dream, but I still can’t help it. Everything just comes rushing back when I’m there.” She sighed.

“I think I’m pregnant.”

Syney slowly looked at Cass who stared back at her, tears flying down her face. “What?”

Cass’s lip trembled. “I’m so scared.”

Syney jumped up and embraced the girl, rubbing her back. “Shh, it’s OK.”

“No, it’s not. It’s his.”

Pulling back, Syney looked into her face. “Whose, honey?”

“Wes.”

“Wes?” Syney shook her head before she placed the name. Then her mouth dropped open. “The Shifter, Wes.”

Cass nodded.

“You two…I honestly thought he just wanted to talk to you. Wow.”

“My dresses don’t fit anymore. I feel nauseous all the time,” Cass said, placing a protective hand on her belly.

“Don’t fit? But it’s been only a few weeks. I’m no expert, but isn’t that a little quick to be showing?” Syney asked, pulling the other chair up to sit next to Cass.

“I thought so too, but…”She sighed and opened the book she’d been reading. It was the Shifter book. She flipped through the pages and put her finger on a page.

Syney leaned forward and read it to herself.
Shifters have the shortest gestational period of any of the great races. A typical pregnancy last five months, the most development
occurring in the first three months when the human side of the Shifter is developed
. “Oh, OK.” She looked at Cass. “Um, there has to be a way to find out for sure.”

Cass shook her head. “I can’t go to the doctors. If anyone finds out about this, I’ll be in so much trouble. The last royal princess who got pregnant before joining disappeared.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“No, I’m not. She was stripped of her title and exiled. Her family disowned her. No one even knows what happened to her,” Cass said quickly. “I’m not made for living outside of the palace. Trust me…I know.”

“Everything will be OK, I promise.” Syney sat back. She had to find out if Cass really was having a baby. The only thing she could think of was to ask Gabe. But then she worried that Cass would get shoved into everything with the Ancient One—not that she wasn’t now. She was pregnant with a Shifter baby after all. She thought about the whole life-force thing and wondered whether it was possible to do that now. She easily had felt Gabe’s life force by touching him. She grabbed Cass’s hand and closed her eyes. After a while she felt the rushing of Cass’s life force running through her body. She concentrated a little more and felt something else. A small force pushing forward. She opened her eyes and gave Cass a sad smile. “Congratulations.”

“What did you do? I felt that.”

“I felt your life force. And a smaller one as well.”

“Raine told me about life forces. You can feel them?”

“I think we all can. I’ve just been practicing,” Syney said, dropping Cass’s hand.

She stared at her for a while before speaking. “You’ve been practicing other magic as well.”

Syney sighed and nodded. “But you can’t say anything.”

Cass laughed. “You know something that could get me killed. You can trust me.”

“Can you trust
me
?”

Cass nodded.

“And anyone I want you to?”

She sat back and picked at her fingernails. “The Vampire?”

Syney nodded. “I think he can help.”

“I want it.”

“What?”

“The baby. I want it.”

Syney slowly smiled. “You love Wes.”

“I really do,” Cass said, her tears returning.

Syney took her hand again and prayed that Gabe actually could help her. There was no way Cass could stay in the palace and have the baby, especially if she wanted to keep it. She would have to leave. Becca’s house was the first place that came to mind. Becca did say that the house was for anyone who needed sanctuary. “Come on. Let’s talk to Gabe. I have an idea.”

Gabe stared at the young princess sitting in front of him. He couldn’t wrap his mind around how stupid she was. Shifters were the most fertile race, impregnating almost every time they had sex. Again he was angered by the lack of education in the Village. And now there was one more person he had to take care of. He didn’t like the idea of so many people being involved in the plan. It was just supposed to be Syney, Adam, and him. Add to that list Noelle and now Cass, and Gabe’s anger was rising. Too many people meant more danger for all of them. But he had to keep Syney happy, and if helping Cass made her happy, that’s what he had to do.

He rubbed his hand over is mouth and sighed. “If I remember correctly, pregnancy outside of joining isn’t looked upon too highly.”

Cass shook her head, and Syney squeezed her closer to her.

“Can you help?” Syney asked, her eyes pleading.

He rolled his eyes at her. Of course he could help. Gabe had been alive long enough to always know where to go. He opened his mouth to say as much when Adam walked into the room without knocking, again. Gabe had spoken to him twice already about privacy, but Adam was more distracted than ever lately.

Adam stopped the second he saw Cass. “Oh, sorry. I’m intruding…on something?” He gave Gabe a questioning look.

“Yes,” Gabe said at the same time Syney said, “No.”

He looked back and forth between the two before he walked over to Cass and sat in front of her. “Are you all right?”

She shook her head.

“Cass is…in trouble,” Syney said.

Adam nodded. “Right,” he paused. “Trouble with what?”

“She’s pregnant,” Gabe said, leaning back against the bed.

Adam moved to sit on the other side of Cass and put his arm around her. “It’s going to be OK.”

Cass nodded and leaned into him.

Gabe shook his head. Adam had always had that effect on women. They either wanted to sleep with him or be with him for comfort and sometimes both. Most Vampires had a natural magnetism, and Adam’s was tripled. “I know a woman, in Bolchin. We can be back in a few days.”

“What?” Syney asked while Cass shook her head. “No, she wants to keep it.”

“They’ll both be dead the second it’s born,” Gabe said.

“That’s a bit harsh,” Adam said, rubbing Cass’s back.

“The father’s a Shifter,” Gabe said simply.

Adam grimaced and shot a look at Syney. He eased Cass off his shoulder and looked at her. “I know this all seems crazy and quick right now, but you should think about what Gabe is saying.”

“No!” Cass yelled, moving back toward Syney.

“It’s OK. No one will make you do anything you don’t want to do,” Syney said. She looked at Gabe. “I was thinking about Becca.”

“She doesn’t do that type of thing,” Gabe said.

“I meant we should have Cass stay with her.”

“For how long?”

“I don’t know. As long as she wants.”

Gabe rolled his eyes and looked at Cass. “You want this baby, you said.” He waited until she nodded. “Are you willing to give up everything you have here?”

The girl looked at him, her face and eyes wet with tears. This wasn’t a decision she should take lightly. She looked at Syney, who gave her a sad smile. She finally sighed, looked back at Gabe, and nodded.