The Arrival (Birthright Trilogy #1) (43 page)

Loi flipped over as soon as the door closed.

'Sian, Kass.' she hissed.

'Awake.'

'Same here.'

'Should we follow her?'

'No.'

Loi frowned, 'What if she’s going to see him?'

Kassie yawned and sat up, turning the glow lamp beside her bed up a notch.

'It might not be a bad thing. Now that we know what the issue is.'

Loi wasn’t convinced.

'If that were just the issue he should be over it. The other guys are fine with it. Sabyn understands it wasn’t intentional.'

'Maybe it’s something to do with losing both his parents so young,' suggested Sian.

'Whatever, Ms Psychiatrist.'

'Don’t be snarky, Loi.' Sian gave her a hard look, 'If you didn’t see your parents in a loving relationship you might have different ideas about them too. And he’s the Crown Prince. He’s used to girls trying to get close to him for that.'

Kassie objected.

'Yes but Cat never knew that. Maybe he’s scared of the intenseness of the situation. It freaked me out a little.'

Loi felt relieved.

'Really? Oh good, I thought it was just me.'

'Me too,' Sian said. 'It's weird thinking this could literally be your one and only. Especially when we’re all used to being so independent. It’s panic attack inducing, for me anyway.'

'But would you take the spell back?' Kassie asked, staring at her bedspread, avoiding eye contact. The room was silent as they contemplated that.

If we hadn’t cast the spell we’d be on Earth. I’d be able to see my family.
Loi winced at the pain that brought up.

But if we hadn’t cast the spell I wouldn’t have met Sabyn. Or discovered my Gift.

'I don’t know,' she whispered, feeling haunted.

The others stared back with similar expressions.

'And now we’re stuck here.' Kassie finished the unspoken thought.

Audi and I skirted down the corridors and ducked into doorways when we heard footsteps. So far no one had noticed us. Relief washed through me when we reached the Griffons quarters. I opened the door and ushered Audi in. The room was warm and I could hear the pups snoring softly in their pen. I couldn’t see any of the adult griffons.

Weird. They left the pups alone?
I heard a shuffling noise and froze. It sounded as though a servant must be in the adjoining room. That must be who was keeping an eye on the pups.

Now what?
Loushka and the others were likely to be out hunting, so they'd be back. I snuck over to the pups’ pen and climbed in. The pups made murmurs of recognition when I snuggled down with them and they sleepily clambered about me and Audi and made themselves comfortable. Audi was delighted and set to grooming them. I smiled, feeling the weight on my heart lift a little. Hopefully, the griffons wouldn't take too long, but at least Audi was happy.

Alek watched from the backroom as Cat settled down with the pups in the pen.

What is she doing here? Is she looking for me?
She couldn’t be, if she was, she wouldn’t be in the pup pen. And how would she have known anyway. No one knew where he was at the moment.

Maybe it’s to talk to Loushka.

That thought made him uncomfortable. He hadn’t talked with Loushka about it yet, though he knew she’d know about it from the others. He sat back on the bench seat he used as a bed and watched her. So far he’d managed to avoid the guys, but a talk was inevitable.

Light from the entrance gleamed off her head, her hair appearing a dark ruby. For the umpteenth time in the last few days he wished Elena hadn’t told him about the spell.

Watching Cat hurt. But he still couldn’t take his eyes off her.

I must have dozed off, as I jerked awake when Loushka’s voice popped into my mind.

‘Cat! What are you doing here? Are you okay?’
the griffon sounded astonished to see me.

Not surprising I guess, but I wished everyone would stop asking me if I was okay. In my current state it brought on tears, and I took a couple of ragged breaths before I could answer her. The other griffons regarded me curiously.

‘Come on outside and we can talk,’
Loushka’s voice sounded kind, causing more tears. Fighting the lump in my throat, I nodded to her and climbed out the pen.

Alek watched as Loushka and Cat walked out of the room. He had to fight the urge to go to her as he watched the tears slide down her face. A lump seemed wedged in his throat and he leaned over his knees, staring at the ground. It didn’t feel right being apart.

Maybe I am wrong.

He stood and gathered his things.

Might as well go back to my quarters.
A talk with the guys might help and he couldn’t stand being this close to her without wanting to speak to her. And he wasn’t ready for that, yet.

I’d explained the situation to Loushka and sobbed my heart out, again. I was astonished I still had tears left. After the tears came the anger. She was surprised and very sympathetic, and lay down so I could cuddle against her while she made a soothing noise, like a purr. I felt more at peace now.

‘But, Cat, didn’t you and the others cast a love spell to get here?’

‘Yes, how did you know?’

‘Elena told the men. They wanted to know what Alek’s attitude was about.’

Oh dear. I was still as thoughts ran through my mind. So this was what it was about.

‘Cat?’

‘But it wasn’t a spell that forced anyone. And we didn’t know it’d actually work.’
My chest got tight as anger flooded through.
‘He could have asked me about it, given me a chance to explain.’

Loushka made the soothing noise again,
‘Calm down, Cat. He hasn’t even spoken to me about it yet.’

We talked for a while longer, until my eyelids started to droop and Loushka ushered me to the little room out the back. The servant I’d heard wasn’t there. They must have left when the griffons came back. I stretched the skinny blanket on the bench bed over me and was out to it moments later.

Sian was dressing when Cat came in.

She’s looking exhausted, she thought, concerned. Pretending to not notice she smiled brightly at Cat.

'Been out for a run?'

'What? Oh. Yeah.' Cat nodded her eyes bleary and headed to the washroom.

It didn’t look like they’d sorted it out yet. Sian sighed. If it didn’t improve soon she might have to stage an intervention with the girls. Cat just looked worse and worse.

It was the sixth day of training and we were competent enough now to do the exercises with our eyes open. And it only took us a few moments to call our energy forth, so there wasn’t as much meditating. I’d also discovered that when I kept the energy running through the loop, as we’d been taught, it made me feel more alert. It almost made me feel normal.

Elena had noticed Cat’s tendency of late to practice the energy loop longer than necessary. It appeared to make her feel better so she didn’t stop her. Cat looked more and more exhausted as the days went by. She felt a twinge of annoyance at Alek.

He hesitated in the Solar doorway. Sabyn, Rumal and Daron were seated at the table deep in discussion.

Then Rumal noticed him.

'Alek. Haven’t seen you around lately.' The man’s tone was deceptively mild.

Resisting the urge to sigh Alek squared his shoulders and walked in.

'I’ve been busy.'

Sabyn gave him a flat look.

'Doing what?'

'Thinking.'

Daron nodded agreeably, 'And?'

He shrugged, 'I thought I might discuss the matter with you all.'

'We’re honored, Alek. Being your advisers and all.' Sabyn’s sarcasm was cutting. Still for their apparent annoyance, they sat down and waited for him to continue.

Rumal listened to Alek ramble on and on while inwardly shaking his head.

Man, he’s got it bad.
He caught Daron’s eye and exchanged a glance.

'What you’re saying, Alek, is that you’re concerned Cat has misplaced her affection. That you’re not the one.'

'I never took you for a coward, Alek.'

Those at the table turned. Yakov stared at Alek from the doorway, with an expression of surprise. Rumal invited him to sit.

'I’m not!'

Sabyn arched an eyebrow, 'Then tell me
cousin
what is your problem?'

The heated discussion continued for a good portion of the day, and loud voices were heard down the corridor, so loud, that those passing by paused in surprise. It wasn’t until late noon that a resolution of sorts was reached.

Yakov walked with Alek to the Great Hall.

'If it’s meant to be, Alek, it will be. You know I understand this fear of loss better than anyone. But that shouldn’t stop you from trying.'

It was late when we arrived back from training and we were exhausted. Hiranes had our dinner ready prepared in our suite when we entered the room, and I was pleased to realize I had an appetite, even more pleased when I saw Yakov waited for us. He’d spent an hour or so with me in the evenings when the girls disappeared to catch up with their guys. We hurried to wash and then sat down to eat, conversing with both Yakov and Elena, who’d decided to stay for dinner.

'I understand you’re all progressing rapidly,' Yakov said.

Kassie flushed with pleasure at Yakov’s words. It was so nice to hear someone say that.

'We wouldn’t know, Yakov, we can’t compare ourselves to anyone,' Loi said.

'Well I can,' Elena was brisk. 'And Yakov’s correct. You are all progressing extremely well.'

The girls grinned at each other. It made it feel a bit more worthwhile.

Elena and the girls excused themselves after dinner and Yakov and I shifted to sit on mine and Kassie’s beds. I gazed out over the courtyard. Yakov had told me a number of stories in the last few evenings, funny anecdotes about castle life.

I wonder what he’ll share tonight?

'Cat, how are you?' He gave me a penetrative look.

Urk.
So far he’d been the only one not to bug me. I shuffled uncomfortably on the bed.

'Fine.'

'Have you been for a run lately?'

I shrugged.

'No. I’ve been really tired.'

'Well then I won’t keep you.'

I looked up in surprise.

'What?'

'Cat, it would please me greatly to see you happy and smiling again. Go to bed early and then have a run with Audi in the morning. She needs it as much as you.'