It was already dark when we reached Delvi. The streets were quiet aside from muffled conversations that spilled from balconies and porches and the occasional shrieks of joy from children puddle jumping. I’d never puddle jumped. It was one of those things kids in a palace never did. And for some inexplicable reason I wanted to do it now. I wanted to splash along with the kids even if it meant getting muddy and wet.
But I couldn’t for many reasons. So I kept moving. Stafford remained close to my side. I enjoyed the comfort he brought while I tried to stop worrying about suddenly creating fire in the palm of my hands and giant spiders appearing in the grasslands with little warning. Life had gotten completely out of my control.
Pretty fireflies come to me. Light up the sky tonight.
Pretty fireflies come on out. The children need your light.
A group of young children sang the old song from their stoop as we passed. My thoughts went to the children we’d left at the palace. They would be safe with Nana, but I needed to get them home.
There was so much to worry about, but right now I had more personal concerns to contend with. “Aren’t you afraid I’m going to burn you?” I finally asked the question that I’d been mulling for hours.
“No.” Stafford shook his head. “I doubt it would work that way even if you tried to create fire in your hand.”
“No?”
“We are connected, right?” He held up our entwined hands.
“Yes.” Connected on a level I still couldn’t quite comprehend. I’d never felt so truly and deeply before.
“So maybe holding my hand while creating fire would just share it with me, and I’d be able to wield it too.”
“Oh.” I hadn’t thought of that possibility. I’d only thought of the worst. I was a pessimist no matter how hard I tried to let optimism in. There are certain things about ourselves we can’t change no matter how hard we try. “That would be nice, now wouldn’t it?”
“Of course I might be wrong. I have nothing to base this theory off of other than it being hard to imagine you should be able to hurt me with the gift I’m helping you develop.”
“True.” I loved his optimism. Maybe this was the case of opposites attracting, although he wasn’t an optimist in the truest sense; he always seemed to keep a sense of realism. “You may have a point there.”
“May?” He brushed his lips against my ear, sending chills through me.
“Yes, may.” I struggled to focus on the conversation while my thoughts moved to a far different place. “I am still considering other theories.”
“Well, be sure to share.”
“I will when I’m ready.”
We reached the grounds of the university and walked right on. Evidently this area of the court had not increased their security. When I made it back to the palace and had a chance to speak with my father I would need to get that changed, although it sure was helpful now. A thought hit me. Once I mated with Stafford, as it was a when, not an if, I’d be the one making those decisions. For once that excited me rather than caused me worry.
Fritz led the way across campus to the faculty housing. For someone who hadn’t seen Questa recently, he definitely knew where to find her home. She lived in one of the old mansions that lined the furthest west section of the campus.
Fritz closed his eyes and breathed in and out a few times before knocking on the door.
Questa opened the door. She was dressed in a black tunic with deep purple pants that were the same shade as her eyes. Her long dark hair was tied into a braid that reached her waist. Her eyes went immediately to Fritz. They seemed to drink him in with an intensity I could nearly feel. Then she turned to me. “Oh. My heir. I am sorry. What an honor to have you here.”
“Thank you for agreeing to meet with us on such short notice.” A subject or not, Questa did not have to agree to meet with me without an official order, and she certainly didn’t have to keep it confidential.
“Of course.” She opened the door wider. “Come in. Come in.”
“Thank you.” We followed her down a narrow hallway. The walls were bare aside from small empty shelves and a few sconces that were dimly lit.
Near the end of the hall she opened a door, and she waved us into what turned out to be a sitting room.
“Please have a seat.” She gestured for us to sit down. I chose to sit on a small sofa. Stafford sat down next to me, as Preston and Fritz chose seats on either side of us.
Questa sat on a chair directly across from Fritz. She turned to me. “Fritz told me you need information and my research might help you.”
“Yes.” That was a very simplified version of what we needed, but the gist was correct. “How much has Fritz told you?”
“Not much. He didn’t share much in his correspondence.”
“One can never be too safe. What if it were intercepted?” Fritz rubbed the back of his neck.
“Right. And I appreciate that.” I knew Fritz was nervous. I regretted my flippant words from earlier. He still had feelings for this woman. “I’ll cut right to the chase. The king has no idea we are here. At least I hope he doesn’t.”
“I understand.” Questa crossed one leg over the other.
“I don’t know where he is right now. I’m not sure if anyone at the palace does.”
“You are telling me this to warn me.” Questa rested an elbow on her knee.
“Yes. I don’t intend to bring trouble to you.”
“What can I do to help?” She dropped her elbow and leaned back in her seat. “There is no reason to worry about me. I can take care of myself.”
“Very well.” I wasn’t sure how anyone could truly protect themselves from my father’s wrath, but I wasn’t going to press. I didn't want to wound her ego or make it less likely that we’d get help. “What can you tell us about the worlds beyond?”
“Which worlds?” She rubbed her temple.
“Multiple.” I looked over at Preston. “First there is one Preston was in. Was it called Energo?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“Energo, yes.” Questa’s face lit up. “That’s one of the oldest worlds.”
“And do you know if the chasms can cause time ripples?” Bran interjected.
“Time ripples?” Questa rested her chin on her fist.
“Yes… or are we using the wrong word?” My memory was good but not perfect.
“No. It is the right one. At least I’ve heard the term before. Can’t say I know too much about them as my research is more on other worlds, not on time manipulation.”
“Okay. Understood.” I didn’t know tons about the academic world, but I knew about specialization.
“But I may know someone who can help. Did you come across one of these ripples?” Her area of research or not, she was excited about it.
“We believe so.” At least I didn’t have any other explanation to how the village had appeared for the wolves, and how the woods had returned to their untouched form. “And it may be important to help two children find their way home.”
“Oh?” Questa’s brow furrowed. “Do tell.”
“Two children showed up, which is a story in itself, but they say they are from Atlanta, which is in Georgia.” I hoped I was remembering the names right. “Do you know of that world?”
“No.” Questa shook her head. “I don’t. Maybe the world is known by a different name?”
I kept moving with the questions. “Have you heard about people showing up in other worlds without experiencing a significant event? Without feeling a chasm or anything?”
“Yes. I have.” Questa uncrossed her legs. “There are stories of people showing up in different places and even different times.”
“What kind of stories?” I needed information. Details. There was no time to lose.
“Hmm, I don’t know where to begin. There are countless tales, and they seem to come from all cultures in nearly every discovered world. There are stories of people moving through mirrors and secret gates. There are also tales of people falling through time when visiting certain historical sites. As I said these are stories passed down, I cannot speak for their veracity.”
“Who is this person who may know about the time ripples?”
“It’s a professor here. We can contact him tomorrow, but it is late, and you all look exhausted. Do you need to eat, or would you like to retire for the night?”
“Are you offering to let us stay the night?” I didn’t want to be presumptuous, but it sure sounded that way, and it wasn’t as if we had other lodging set up.
“Yes, of course.”
“Thank you.” I could have kissed the woman. “Thank you so much.” I needed time to think and time to digest all the news.
“I have plenty of extra space. Let me show you to some rooms, and then I can fix some dinner for any of you who need it.”
I had so many other questions, but I knew they would have to wait for morning. It looked like I was on a crash course to gaining more patience.
I lay there staring at the ceiling while I waited and hoped Stafford would come. And if he came, what was he going to expect? Or even want? What did I want? Or need? I was pretty darn sure I needed him.
Just a few short days ago my top concern was getting out of house arrest. I’d been angry at my parents and frustrated that they were infringing on my freedom. Now I was halfway across the court trying to figure out why both a winter wolf and two kids had been transported into my court. I had no clue where my father was, and I had somehow managed to meet my destined mate in the middle of all of this. I needed to step up. Whether I was actually queen or not, this was my court, and I needed to take care of my people. I was so in over my head I had no clue what to do, yet here I was lying in the dark worrying about whether Stafford was going to visit me. I was hopeless.
There was a light knock on the door, and then it opened. Stafford walked in. He closed the door behind him.
“You can lock it.” Maybe I was being forward but I wasn’t worried. No matter what we ended up doing, I didn’t want to be disturbed.
He locked the door and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Some day, huh?”
“You could say that.”
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m supposed to say fine.”
“You aren’t supposed to say anything. You are supposed to be honest.”
“Am I?” I rolled onto my side facing him.
“Yes. Mates need to be honest with each other.” He pulled a leg up and turned.
“Mates.” The word was such a weighted one.
“Yes, mates.” He put a hand down right beside me.
“I am feeling selfish right now.” I wanted Stafford to understand how I felt. I was struggling with emotions, and I wanted permission to feel the way I felt. “Or maybe the right word is self-centered.”
“Why?”
“Because my thoughts should be on those kids. And the chasms. And the time ripple. Yet instead they are on something else entirely.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I moved closer. My body heated.
“Care to share what they are on?”
“As if you don’t know.” One look at his lidded eyes told me he was thinking the same thoughts I had.
“Doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear it.” He brushed his lips against my ear.
“I can’t stop thinking about you.”
“And I can’t stop thinking about you.” He moved his lips to my neck. They slid down, stopping at my shoulder.
I moaned, closing my eyes to enjoy the sensation. It was both pure pleasure and torture. Because I wanted more. I pulled away long enough to pull his shirt over his head. I’d seen him shirtless before with his shifting, but this was the first time I could run my hands over his muscular chest.
He pulled off my tunic and tossed it aside where I’d left his shirt. My camisole followed. His lips went to one breast, his hand to the other. “Gorgeous.” He said the word almost as worship. “Unbelievably gorgeous.” He ran his tongue over my nipple before he bit down. I was so distracted by his touch that I almost missed him untying my pants. His hands slipped down between my legs, sending me to a new level of pleasure.
I undid his pants and took him in my hand. He moaned, and his lips moved to mine. We kicked off our pants, as he pushed me down on the bed and lay beside me.
He kissed me again. Harder. His hands continued to explore me, as I explored him. I was soaring, lost in the pleasure until I couldn’t contain myself anymore. I yelled out, no longer caring if anyone else could hear.
“This is actually the responsible thing to do.” I struggled to see clearly through the euphoria.
“Yes, very responsible. You need your power to be fully realized.” He kissed my neck.
“I do.”
“Who am I to stand in the way of the heir coming into her full power?” He ran his hand over my stomach and up toward my breasts.
“Then don’t.” I pulled his head up to mine and kissed him.
“Are you really ready for this step?” He moved above me.
“Are you?”
“Yes. Absolutely.” His eyes looked deep into mine.
“Yes. I’m ready too.” I was. So completely ready.
He kissed me with a fevered intensity before he thrust into me.
He felt so good. So right as he moved inside of me, deeper. Harder. I held on to him at first until he moved my arms above my head, pinning them with one hand. His lips moved up and down my neck and I waited, knowing full well what was coming.
“Coral, you are mine.” He bit down on my neck. Pain surged through me momentarily until pleasure took over. He ran his tongue over the spot he’d bitten and any remaining pain disappeared. A wave of pure pleasure like nothing I had ever imagined hit me, and I knew life as I had known it would never be the same again.