Heart's Lair (17 page)

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"Please, Karic, I don't know if I can go through with this."

Karic turned from the carved wooden mural depicting the exploits of an ancient hero in the anteroom outside Council chambers to Liane standing nearby. Her eyes were wide with apprehension, and she could barely control the trembling that shook her. He gazed at her, never tiring of feasting his eyes upon her flawless, delicate beauty, nor of reminding himself of the goodness and determined courage that lay beneath.

He smiled at the doubt he heard in her voice and walked over. Though he yearned to take her into his arms and soothe away her fears, he held back. Instead, Karic contented himself with a wry grin.

"You bested the finest trackers Necator could send after us, rode over a waterfall and survived, and saved my life countless times," he gently teased her, "and now you say you're afraid of a group of old men? I can't believe that, Liane."

"But what will I say to your Council regarding this life mating? What do they want to hear?"

"Only what's in your heart," he replied, a soft glow lighting his compelling eyes.

Her hand tightly clasped his arm. Fear etched taut lines into her finely carved face. "But that's just it, Karic. I'm so confused. I don't know what's in my heart."

He tenderly stroked her cheek and was inordinately pleased when she didn't draw back. "Remember what we've been through," he whispered. "Remember the good times we've shared, and try, as best you can, to forget that nocte. Perhaps then you'll find the answers you need."

Footsteps squelched Liane's reply. Their gazes turned to that of an old Cat Man, one of the Elders.

"It is time for the femina," he solemnly intoned.

Liane swung her gaze back to Karic. His lips curved into a beautiful smile, encouraging her, as he gently pried her fingers loose from his arm. He turned her toward the Elder.

"Go, Liane," his deep voice prodded. "Listen to your heart. The truth will follow."

Karic watched her leave, the brave comfort of his words turning back to mock him. He had told her to follow her heart, not even truly knowing what was in it. Though he didn't believe, as she stubbornly claimed, that she hated him, he doubted she felt any real affection for himat least not enough to convince the Council.

And indeed, what would the Council ask? As heir to the throne he was permitted to sit in with them and offer his opinions on issues of state, but his youth and own inexperience in matters of the heart precluded life mating decisions. Though he knew his feelings when it came to Liane, Karic faced his own questioning with no small amount of trepidation. What would she find to say? Would her words condemn them both?

He angrily brushed aside the doubts. There was nothing more he could do, save tell the truth when his time came and hope Liane's words corroborated them. Tell the truth and hope the Council would have the insight and wisdom to see the love he had for her.

Liane followed the Elder down a tunnel into a large chamber lit by perpetual flames. A long table, flanked on its far side by men, stood alone in the room. Her glance scanned the assemblage, coming to rest on Karic's father. She shot him a look of wild entreaty. He smiled back, his eyes warm with encouragement.

How like Karic he is, Liane thought, and felt strangely comforted. She inhaled a steadying breath and swung her gaze back to encompass the whole group.

"I have come, my lords, as you have bidden," she said, her voice ringing, clear and proud, in the hollow stone chamber. "What is it you wish to know?"

Admiration flared in Morigan's eyes. "Why do you want to life mate with my son?" he asked without further preamble.

Liane faltered at the directness of the question. What could she say that would please a father, a father who cared deeply for his son's happiness yet must also consider her fitness to be his mate? He, above all, had the right to hear the truth.

Liane swallowed hard. "What femina in this lair would not want Karic as mate? He is brave, strong and good. Itit would be an honor to be his."

Morigan's eyes narrowed, and his gaze seemed to pierce to the depths of her soul. "An honor for most, perhaps, but what about you? Do you love my son?"

A guilty flush crept into her cheeks. He knew, but then how could he not know, living in the same lair with them? But how could she tell him, admit to all the Elders, that she didn't love Karic? How could she tell them about that nocte, when his crazed violence had broken her heart and turned her against him forever?

"No, my lord," Liane quietly forced the words out, "I respect but do not love him."

"Do you think you ever can?"

Liane shifted uneasily. Why, oh why, did he persist in this? What did he want from her? The answer suddenly struck her. He wanted what any parent would want for their childhappiness, a mate who loved them. But she could never be that mate, and she doubted she'd ever bring Karic much happiness.

She shook her head. ''I don't think so, my lord. Too much has come between us for that."

The Lord of the Cat People sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I am sad to hear that, femina."

He gestured to the others. "I have my answers. Do any of you wish to ask any?"

A gray-maned Elder with cold blue eyes shook his head. "I think I speak for the rest in saying she has more than answered our questions. Karic deserves better."

He made a motion to dismiss her. "You may leave"

Anger surged through Liane at the abruptness of her dismissal. "One moment, my lords. Will you make your decision based solely on my responses? What of Karic's desires in this?
He
wants me as life mate. Don't his needs matter?"

An irate growl emanated from the group, but Morigan quickly silenced them. He cocked his head.

"You just said you could never love my son. Why should his desires matter to you?"

"He feels a debt to me, and his need to protect me runs deep. I think it would tear him apart if he couldn't do that. I don't want to see that happen."

The hint of a smile touched the Lord of the Cat People's lips. "So, you would sacrifice yourself for him, would you?"

She shook her head. "Nothing quite that noble, my lord. I have lost all that matters and have nowhere else to go. I have no wish to mate with anyone, but if it must be so, I'd want it to be with Karic."

"So you'd willingly breed with him? Give him children?"

Liane's heart began a dull, heavy thumping. Tell the truth Karic had said. She returned his probing stare with a defiant one of her own.

"If he gave me no other choice, yes, I would."

Morigan's mouth tightened. A clever answer, femina, he thought. A clever answer, indeed, for you and I both know Karic would never force himself upon you. But even so, there's a strong attraction between you two, an attraction you most stubbornly deny but an attraction to be reckoned with, nonetheless. But will it be enough to overcome the hurt and misunderstanding? I wonder.

He stood up. "Be assured Karic's wishes will be considered in this matter. You have my oath on that." He motioned to an alternate tunnel. "You may go, femina."

This time Liane didn't protest the dismissal. There was nothing more to say. She left the chamber with a heavy heart, convinced she'd ruined any chance for a life mating.

I should be happy that soon I won't have to endure Karic's presence any longer, Liane fiercely told herself as she headed down the tunnel that led to the outside. I should be relieved, but I'm not. What have I traded but one existence with a man I know for another with some stranger? And life here would seem strangely empty without Karic.

She reached the sunlight and ran straight for the lair she now considered home. She ran until she reached Karic's bedchamber and crawled up onto his bed. There, she'd wait, until he came for her.

Karic eyed the assemblage of Elders. Their expressions, to a man, were inscrutable. He looked at his father, and Morigan stared back.

"I am here, my lords," Karic began, resigning himself to the fact he'd gain little information regarding the outcome of Liane's interview if the Elders didn't wish to share it. "What would you know from me?"

"Why have you come here to request another, when you should be asking for Kalina instead?" Gerlic, Kalina's uncle, began. "It was long ago decided this was the cycle you would life mate with her."

Karic riveted his attention on the older man. "Decided by others, not me. I've never asked the Council for anything. Have I not the right to ask it now?"

"You have that right," Morigan said. He sternly glanced at Gerlic. "Karic's betrothal to Kalina is not the issue unless he cares to address it. There is time for that later."

Morigan turned to the others. "Proceed with your questions."

"The femina spoke of a debt you owe her," another Elder inquired. "What is that debt, and how far would you go to repay it?"

"She saved my life four times, twice with her healing powers, once when she turned against the Atroxes to rescue me and then on the nocte of the triple moons, when she came to me and I took her to save myself. When I was weakened by the Bellatorian tortures she could have forced her mind seek and torn the secret of our hiding place from me, knowing full well she would have killed me in the process. But she didn't. Even then, before she hardly knew me, she knew that would be wrong. But in making that decision Liane turned on her own kind. She cannot go back; they would kill her."

A grim smile twisted Karic's lips. "And now, knowing this, need you ask how far I would go to repay my debtour debtto her? I would give her my life."

"And does that life include a life mating?"

Karic nodded.

"And what of the Council's decision not to further dilute your blood?" Gerlic snarled. "Does that not matter to you?"

"In one sense I deeply regret it," Karic calmly replied, "but in another, I accept it as a hard reality of our existence. And, accepting that, why should I be punished as no other Cat Man has, by being denied the femina I love?"

"You are the heir."

"Does that preclude the consideration of my own needs? My happiness? I wish only for the right to choose my mate, not turn our world upside down."

"But she has all but admitted she doesn't want you, doesn't love you," Kalina's uncle persisted. "A lifetime of unrequited passion can be an eternity."

Karic turned toward his father who sadly nodded his agreement.

Anguish momentarily slashed through Karic and was gone. What had he expected her to say? At least now he knew what her replies had been.

"Feminas don't always love us at the start," he said, turning back to Gerlic and the others. "It was that way for many Cat Men, my father included. Why should it be any different for me?"

A murmur of agreement rose from the other men. Karic pressed his advantage. "Liane is beautiful and strong. She will bear fine heirs. She is good and brave; all that she has done for me bears witness to that. She will be a wonderful mother. And she cared enough for the welfare of our people to willingly sacrifice all she held dear. Will her commitment, her dedication to us be any less, now that she lives among us? I think not."

He paused, as if to give further emphasis to his words. "What more could you want in a life mate for the heir to the throne? What more is wanting?"

"An assurance she will breed with you." Morigan's voice, steel-edged and commanding, reverberated throughout the Council chamber.

Karic stared at his father, disbelief widening his eyes.

"Liane's qualities are beyond dispute," the Lord of the Cat People continued in a quieter voice, "but in the end she is not a fitting mate unless she gives you heirs. Even you, my son, must fulfill your duty of procreation. It is the law, a law without which we cannot survive."

Something shattered inside Karic, squeezing the breath from his body and twisting his heart. His father had betrayed him, had used the information he'd given in confidence to turn it against himnow, when he'd needed his help most of all. And what could he say? To give his word now would negate the promise he'd made to Liane. Yet to not give it would only free her to be claimed by another.

Karic slowly shook his head. "I cannot give that oath until I've spoken with her."

"And how will that change anything?" Morigan gently prodded. "If she says no, you'll still be forced to make the decision for her. Liane must breed, whether it be with you or another. It is the law." Wrath darkened Karic's eyes. "And you make it sound so simple. You, who have not given her your word! You, who won't have to see the pain or the look of betrayal on her face!"

Morigan leaned back in his chair. "I've seen it on yours, just now when I revealed your confidence to me. But I did it anyway, because I had to. Why should your dilemma be any less? You're my heir." His tone hardened. "You'll have to pay the price for that sooner or later."

Karic stared into his father's eyes and saw his resolve. Morigan had made his decision, however difficult it might have been. Now, he must make his.

The memory of Kalina's words drifted, unbidden, into his mind
permit her the chance to get to know my brothers, make up her own mind. If you really care for her, isn't her happiness of primary importance?