Discovery: Altera Realm Trilogy (59 page)

Syney

"Reading anything good?"

Syney glanced up from Faye's journal to look at Gabe as he slid into the seat across from her. She had been trying to stay in her room as much as possible, but there was only so much of the same four walls that she could take, so she had snuck out to the library to do some reading. She had become fascinated with Faye's life. Even so, she couldn't connect the image of the dashing Vampire king with the man who sat in front of her. She couldn't figure out Gabe at all. He had been caring and gentle with Faye. Yes, he was also sneaky, but Faye always had been in on what he was doing. He had no partner in crime now.

She smiled at him. "Very interesting, this book. All about young love."

He made a face. "I'm not a fan of love stories. Never realistic."

"This one definitely is," she said, opening to the title page and laying it out for him to see. She watched his face carefully, wanting any sign that he really was the man Faye had loved so desperately. But she got nothing but a blank face as he looked down and then back up at her. "Have you read this?" she said.

"Did Becca give this to you?" he asked, his voice a little too even. So he had been affected by seeing it. The thought made Syney smile.

"Yes. She thought it might help me somehow."

"I doubt it." He pushed the book to her with the flick of his wrist.

"Hm. I think you should read it," she said, pushing it back to him. "You know, I like her. I wish I could have met her."

He looked down at the journal. "She would have liked you."

"I didn't finish it, but I did have one question. When I saw her, I'm pretty sure she was wearing the Blocadrian Head of House amulet, but she was the second daughter."

Gabe nodded and looked back up at Syney. "Faith, her sister, died a few months after we Joined. Both of her parents died as well. It was a bombing by a radical separatist movement."

Syney's mouth opened in shock. She wasn't expecting that. "That must have been hard."

He stared at her. "It was the beginning of the end."

Syney stood up. She needed to get going. She had to meet with Hunter to make sure everything was set for their escape and then head to one last meeting with Helen to ensure everything was set for the coronation. "I have to go. Will you be at the coronation?"

"Wouldn't miss it." His familiar smile finally made its way to his lips.

She smiled back at him. "Goodbye." She stared at him a little too long before heading toward the exit.

"Syney!"

She turned to look at him.

"Will
you
be at the coronation?" he asked, leaning against the table.

She laughed. "Of course." She quickly turned and headed away.

She had made him suspicious. She shouldn't have looked at him for so long, but she couldn't help it. Even after everything that had happened, he was still the man who had saved her life on more than one occasion. And she was actually going to miss his snarkiness. The not telling anyone had to be the toughest part of this whole plan. She found herself staring longingly at Helen or Noelle, wanting so badly to tell them, to be able to say goodbye. She had settled on leaving them each letters that explained how badly she was going to miss them but how imperative it was that they didn't try to find them. Syney and Hunter were going to be better off leaving the palace. That really was the only way they would be able to be together.

She smiled at Hunter as they walked toward each other down the hallway. They met exactly at her room, which Syney led the way into.

"Where's Reed?" Hunter asked, embracing Syney from behind.

Syney laughed and turned around, clasping her hands behind his neck. "I told him I was meeting you in the library and gave him the afternoon off."

Hunter rolled his eyes. "It's still dangerous. You can't do that."

"Well, after tomorrow it won't matter. All we'll have to worry about is taxes and money and jobs. And how much we love each other," she said, getting up on her tiptoes to steal a kiss. "Is everything set?"

He nodded. "I have two horses at the side gate. That way we can get to the Human Realm faster. I packed a few days' worth of clothes and food for both of us."

"I still have a bunch of money from when we came here." She walked over to her dresser and pulled out a wallet. She handed it to him. "Are we forgetting anything?"

"Nope." He pulled her back into his arms. "There is one thing, though." She narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't like the sound of that."

"I was thinking about maybe breaking into the chapel."

Something inside Syney stirred. That was very dangerous. If he got caught, he would be in real trouble with the Lycin Council. But she knew what he would be going there for, and she wanted desperately for him to do it. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

He shrugged. "Probably not. I just don't know if I really am OK with never being able to see our children. And they would be amazing."

Syney felt tears coming to her eyes. "At least let me help. I'll distract someone. I'm good at that."

"No, I've got it. It does mean I won't see you until tomorrow morning, though."

Syney stuck out her bottom lip in a pout. "No fair."

He kissed her. "It'll be fine. I'll be here first thing in the morning. And then we're gone."

Syney smiled and pulled away from him. She went to her dresser again and pulled out the smooth brown stone with the shimmering gold spots, the gold-stone. She walked back over to him and held the stone in both hands. "I promise that we will be together forever." She handed the stone to Hunter.

"That was a waste of a promise stone," he said, taking it. "It's just going to disintegrate tomorrow."

"Then we'll watch it turn to ash together."

Hunter pulled her to the door and gave her one last kiss before heading out of the room.

Syney sighed and leaned against the door for a moment. This was what she wanted, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right. They had crossed all of their Ts and dotted all of their Is, but something was irking her. She shook off the feeling and left the room to join Helen in the large meeting room.

Cass

Cass let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding and stood up. She walked slowly into Syney's now empty room, her eyes wide. She must have misheard. But no, there was no mistaking it. Syney and Hunter were in love and planning on leaving the Village the next day. It wasn't any of her business knowing this, but there really was no way to unhear it. She wrung her hands together. This was a dilemma for her. She wasn't sure how she felt about Syney and Hunter being intimately involved. It didn't entirely sit right with her, but who was she to tell either of them how to behave? She was definitely
not
OK with their leaving the Village. Syney needed to be crowned tomorrow. It was the first step toward her taking the real queen seat, and Cass needed her to do that. She needed her mother unseated. She sighed. There were really only two courses of action. She could forget what she had heard and go about her everyday life. Maybe she even could meet them at the side gate and try to talk them into staying. But they wouldn't listen to her; she knew that. There was only one other thing to do—tell her mother and let her deal with it. The punishment for Joining other races was death, but Syney and Hunter weren't Joined, so really her mother couldn't dole out that punishment. She wasn't sure what her mother actually would do. No, the safest thing to do would be to meet them at the gate and beg them to stay.

She was thinking of the best way to persuade them as she left the room and headed down the hall. She barely looked over at the Vampire as he passed her.
She had tried to avoid him ever since their run-in at the library. He scared her and wasn't very nice. She was almost at the end of the hall when she changed her mind. Syney and Hunter were never going to listen to her. She had to tell her mother. It was the only sane thing to do. She gave a resolute nod and headed to Mellisandrianna's throne room. She needed to put an end to this before the whole Village suffered.

Mellisandrianna

Mellisandrianna looked at each of the people in the room in turn. Her daughters were seated to her left. Helen appeared the most concerned. Mellisandrianna wondered how much she actually knew about what had gone on. She had become too secretive lately. Adanna seemed almost happy at the scene in front of her. Mellisandrianna smiled at that. At least she had raised one of them well—maybe two, actually, she thought as her gaze drifted to Cass. Her youngest daughter looked worried, but she was the one who had come to her. There was still hope for her yet. Commander Leaf also looked worried as he stood, his hands clasped behind his back. Grass looked the opposite, very delighted, as he should. Finally she looked at Hunter, who actually seemed the calmest out of all of them.
That won't last long
, she thought with a smile.

"Do you deny any of these accusations?"

Hunter looked up at her, his eyes sad, the only emotion coming from him. "No, Your Majesty."

At least he was going to make this easy. "Very well then. I do believe the punishment for this is death, correct?" She looked at Grass.

"Yes. Public execution," her Protector said with a sadistic smile.

"Shouldn't the council vote on this?" Cass asked, her voice sounding unsure.

"I could call an emergency council meeting, but there is no denying there would be a unanimous decision."

"But it is protocol," Leaf said weakly.

Good, he should feel defeated
, the queen thought.

"Execution can't be the only option," Helen said.

Mellisandrianna looked at her oldest daughter, who jumped out of her seat. "The laws are clear."

"Yes, for Joining," Helen said. "But they aren't Joined."

"And that makes it OK?"

"No, I ... I didn't say that. It's just... He shouldn't be put to death," Helen stammered. "There has to be another option."

"And what about Syney? Shouldn't she be here? Doesn't she get death as well?" Adanna asked, crossing her arms.

Mellisandrianna agreed with her middle daughter, but there was no way she could get away with that, especially with the coronation the next day. But this wolf she could get rid of. She narrowed her eyes at Hunter. "She will be dealt with."

Hunter looked at her. "I took advantage of her. She had no choice at first. I forced her."

"That's not true," Cass said quietly.

Mellisandrianna stood from her throne and descended to stand right in front of the wolf. "That's noble. Do you know what nobility gets you in the end? No?" She stepped within inches of him, still looking up into his eyes. "Your father did," she whispered, before giving a small laugh and backing up. "Public execution. After the coronation of course."

Leaf stepped forward. "Your Majesty, I ask for leniency. The mission to the borders leaves right after the coronation. I still need a commander. Send Hunter."

She stared at him and gave a hearty laugh. "That is beyond leniency. That's a promotion!"

"But it makes sense," Helen said, moving to the queen's side. "He'll be away from Syney for an indefinite period of time. That's what this is really about, right? Keeping them apart? Trust me, Mother. This would be punishment enough for both of them."