"What?"
Lasa leaned in, her voice quiet. "Forgive our impertinence, but... are you and His Majesty, um...."
Riley's eyes widened and he swallowed hard. "No, um, we're not, uh.... I'm just passing through."
"Oh," Lasa sighed, she and Flora looking disappointed.
"Why did you think we were?" Did he sound nervous? He hoped he didn't. He shouldn't. It was an innocent question. No big deal.
"Well." Flora busied herself serving Lasa dinner. "His concern, for one. He barely left the cottage while you slept. He seemed very worried."
Flora nodded. "Mostly it was the way he looked at you."
Riley paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. "What do you mean?"
"While you slept he checked on you often. In the evenings he stayed by your bedside. I don't think he slept very much." Flora gave her mate a kiss on the cheek in thanks.
Khalon had stayed by his side watching over him? The thought made Riley want to smile, but he did his best not to give away how stupidly happy that made him. It shouldn't, but it did. Maybe there was a reason for Khalon's initial animosity toward Riley. Whatever that reason, things seemed to be changing, and Riley found himself feeling hopeful. For what he wasn't entirely sure, but he couldn't ignore the fact he felt drawn to Khalon.
Flora turned her attention back to him. "Do you already have a mate?"
Riley wondered how much Khalon had told them. From the sounds of it, not much. It was probably safer that way. Though he must have said something, considering the whole village sat under a magical ward to keep demons away.
"No, I don't." Riley took a sip of the drink in front of him. It was a sweet fruity wine that tasted amazing. Lasa looked confused.
"Does he not appeal to you?"
Riley almost choked on his wine. "Excuse me. Um, that's not, I mean, of course he's appealing. And not because he's a king. He's obviously a great guy too, and yeah, he's gorgeous, like, wow. Those eyes? I mean, who wouldn't find him appealing? He's just a bit, a lot, out of my league." Then there was the whole human in another realm thing, and--
"You shouldn't sell yourself so short, Riley."
Flora's and Lasa's eyes were wide as saucers, and Riley found he was frozen to the spot. Oh my God, he heard me!
Khalon took a seat beside him and chuckled. "Your face seems to be attempting to out-red the tomatoes in your salad."
With a groan Riley dropped his head into his hands. "I don't suppose you know any magic that could make the earth swallow me up?"
"I'm afraid not," Khalon replied, sounding amused.
Riley sat up and glared at him. "You know, you could have been a gentleman and pretended you hadn't heard any of that."
"I could have," Khalon agreed before leaning close to grin wickedly at him. "But what would be the fun in that?"
Flora and Lasa broke off into giggles, and Riley stabbed his salad before waving a tomato at them. "You two are not helping."
There was more giggling and chuckling before Khalon put him out of his misery and changed the subject, thanking Flora and Lasa for the meal as well as their hospitality. He told Riley he'd show him around the village after they ate, and as promised, after Riley's belly was full, Riley followed Khalon outside. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but it wasn't this.
It was as if he'd stepped out into an old European village. All the structures were made of light stone, their facades covered in ivy and batches of colorful flowers. There were flowers everywhere, actually. In pots along the walls, in gardens, patches of grass. Strings of the same glowing tiny white buds decorated the buildings, hung between lampposts, and wrapped around trees. Apparently they grew rampant in the forests. The town was alight with the warm glow from the many wall sconces and a cheerful melody floated up from a live band somewhere. The entire village seemed to be out, all chatting and smiling.
"What's going on?"
"They have never had the king of the Soldati stay in their village," Khalon replied warmly. "I didn't have the heart to quell their elation or put a stop to their festivities, seeing as how we'll be here for a few days at least."
"What about the you-know-what?"
Khalon pointed to the sky. "Any demon that touches the barrier of light will meet its end." He smiled down at Riley. "All is well. Enjoy yourself."
"Would that work on us?" Riley asked, curious. It made sense to him that if Khalon and the others could protect the village, they could ward themselves.
"What do you mean?" Khalon followed the path of Riley's finger as he pointed up to the sky. Khalon let out a heavy sigh. "If only it were so. The ward remains solid, as the village is unmoving. Attempting to place a ward over a living creature requires exceptional concentration, and the ward would last mere seconds. The moment you moved, it would fall away."
Well, so much for that. Wasn't the whole point of having magic the ability to do anything? He had no idea there were so many rules and restrictions.
"There he is! Your Majesty!"
Riley was stunned by the dozens of villagers who flocked to Khalon, all vying for his attention. They were all smiles and awe, thanking him for being there, offering him anything he needed. They all wanted to talk to him, touch him, though they didn't dare do the latter. They crowded him, got close to him, but not one of them touched him or grabbed him. As he started to move forward, they moved with him, but gave him enough room so he wouldn't walk into anyone. It was like watching a movie star walk down the street, except people weren't trying to maul him or rip his clothes off. Khalon was handsome, and from his smile and responses, it was clear he was used to this. He was polite and appeared genuinely interested in what they had to say.
It was funny how the whole "king" thing didn't register until now. Watching Khalon interact with the villagers was something else. He exuded nothing but confidence, giving off an air of royalty in the way he carried himself. His posture was nothing less than perfect, his broad shoulders squared back, and his attention focused intently on his people, as if whatever they were saying was the most important information he'd ever heard. He towered over the village of foxlings, even over the tallest foxling males. He was imposing with his great height and muscular build, yet his smile had everyone captivated, including Riley.
Watching Khalon, an urge to be near him rose up in Riley, and he didn't quite know what to do with it. Like the villagers, Riley wanted to reach out and touch Khalon. He remembered Khalon holding on to his hands, and Riley was startled by his yearning to have his hand in Khalon's once again. His heart squeezed and Riley kept his distance. It was abundantly clear the priestess had made a huge mistake. There was no way Riley could be Khalon's intended mate.
With Khalon busy and the villagers distracted, Riley sneaked away. He wandered down the cobblestone street and found a stone archway covered in ivy. On the other side was an expansive circular garden enclosed by tall dense trees and shrubbery. There were hundreds of flowers in all colors in bloom along the edges and a circular stone fountain in the center. Inside the outer edges of the garden were three evenly spaced stone benches. It was almost like a little hideaway. Riley took off his shoes and socks, placing them next to him before he lay down on the crisp, cut grass.
"Wow," he murmured to no one in particular. He laced his fingers behind his head and stared up at the night sky. It was gorgeous. Hard to believe what was out there in the dark, waiting for him. He tried not to think about that. Instead he looked up at the stars. He'd never seen so many. In the distance he could faintly hear the music and lively chatter from the village square, but mostly he heard crickets and the sounds of the forest. He was oddly at peace.
Soon he'd be home, back to working at the Tiger Tails Cafe, fighting his way through traffic, noise, and going home to... what? He had his mom, whom he loved, of course, but she was always away with her girlfriends on some cruise or another. Sometimes he didn't hear from her for weeks. He didn't blame her or her mantra of getting her kicks while she could still get them.
&n
bsp; His college friends were getting married, some of them busy with kids and making new friends who had kids. Their schedules hardly ever matched up. Occasionally he went out with his work colleagues to a bar or club where he'd sometimes hook up with a guy. He'd had a few boyfriends, none who stuck around very long, either because they lost interest, or he did.
A breeze swept through the trees and Riley let out a heavy sigh. What did it say that he didn't miss his life back home? Home. He liked his cramped little apartment well enough. That along with his job were temporary, or so he'd been telling himself since he graduated college. The truth was he had no idea what he was doing with his life. He closed his eyes. What he needed was a fresh new start.
A new start where? Here? Don't be stupid.
Even if he wanted to stay, what the hell would he do? He wouldn't be a prince for long. Even if he chose to stay, if Khalon let him stay in his kingdom, what then? He had no money, nowhere to stay, no magic. He supposed he could try to get a job in one of the villages. Maybe Flora and Lasa would let him stay with them for a while.
Are you listening to yourself? Stay? Are you insane? You don't belong here. His human practicalities had no place in a kingdom where everyone turned into a tiger, fox, or who knew what else.
No. He couldn't stay. It was a fanciful thought, a nice dream, but a fantasy nonetheless. He'd just enjoy the peaceful surroundings while he could. At least that's what he was doing until he got kicked. Riley gave a start, bolting upright in time to see Khalon flailing non-too king-like before hitting the grass. It took a significant amount of self-control on Riley's part not to laugh his face off. The perplexed look on Khalon's face alone was priceless, and Riley couldn't take it anymore. He burst into laughter. Khalon stared at him as if he'd lost his mind.
"What the blasted hell are you doing on the ground?"
Riley held his hands up and snickered. "Hey, I was just lying here, minding my own business, watching the stars when you came out of nowhere and kicked me."
Khalon opened his mouth to reply then closed it before he spoke up. "Did I hurt you?"
"I'm fine. What were you doing lurking around in the bushes, anyway?"
"I wasn't lurking," Khalon replied with a huff. He sat up and brushed his sleeves off. "I was escaping."
Riley cocked his head. "Escaping?" It struck him then. He held back a smile. Looked like the king of the Soldati was a little camera shy. "Oh, the villagers."
"Yes. They are kindhearted, generous, and enthusiastic, which is lovely." Khalon winced and Riley sensed a "but" coming on. He decided to give Khalon a break and help him out.
"It gets kind of overwhelming, huh? I mean, you probably get it everywhere you go, and although you appreciate their love and attention, it can get a bit much."
"Exactly!" Khalon beamed brightly. He drew his knees up and wrapped his arms around them. He studied Riley curiously. "What are you doing here?"
Riley shrugged. "I needed a little quiet and found this place." He couldn't help his smile as he gazed up at the wide starry sky. "It's beautiful." When he looked back at Khalon, he had his face turned up to the sky, his lips pulled in a contented smile.
"Yes, it is."
Khalon turned his attention back to Riley and their gazes met. Wow, he was handsome. Whoever ended up being Khalon's mate would be one lucky guy. Shit, Riley was staring. He cleared his throat and looked down at his feet. Why was he so damned awkward? No wonder Khalon couldn't wait to get rid of him. Like he didn't have enough to worry about without having Riley passing out, possibly getting mauled by demons, dying from some prophet's power, or staring at him like some horny teenager with his first crush. Not that he had a crush on Khalon. He was just easy on the eyes. Keep telling yourself that.
"I'd like to apologize for my behavior upon your arrival. I allowed my emotions to get the better of me. I hope you'll forgive me for being such a miserable bastard."
Riley shrugged. "I get it. You waited centuries for your mate, and when you finally get him, he's... well, me."
"There is nothing wrong with you, Riley."
Riley was pleasantly surprised by Khalon's sincerity. "You're right. I guess what I mean is I'm not what you expected, what you were meant to get. You're a king. I serve lattes. You're powerful, wield magic, and turn into a tiger. I'm a human, and a pretty average one at that."
Khalon leaned back on his arms, his expression thoughtful. "I don't know about average. An average human wouldn't have adapted so quickly to all this." He motioned around him and Riley supposed he had a point.
With a smile Riley lay down, his stomach doing a flip when Khalon lay beside him. They exchanged glances before turning their attention to the stars. As they lay there in companionable silence, it struck him then adapting wasn't so much a problem as having to leave it all behind.
Chapter Eight
"HOW BAD is it?"
Khalon walked through the village square with Rayner and Adira, who'd returned just before dawn from their stalking. They'd snuck out through the barrier in their tiger forms to walk the grounds around the village and determine how many demons still lurked.
"As expected, some gave chase to Captain Airaldi and our warriors while others have grown weary of waiting. I did not feel the presence of the dark demon," Rayner informed him.
"Nor did I," Adira added. "It disappeared into the trees sometime before dawn, and I have not felt its presence since."
Khalon considered this. "Do you suppose he followed Airaldi?"
"I doubt it," Adira grumbled. "The filthy beast knows Riley is still here."
"How long before Airaldi reaches the temple?" Khalon asked Rayner, his attention momentarily captured by Riley as he ran around the village square chasing the foxling children. After several minutes of petting his golden hair, they'd pleaded with him to play. Khalon found himself smiling at the memory of Riley's wonder when the children all shifted into their fox forms.
The foxlings bounced around Riley, making him laugh. They hopped, darted here and there, and made gekkering sounds as they played. Riley seemed to be having a grand time, his childlike glee an endearing sight.
"Khalon?"
Khalon blinked at Rayner. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" Rayner gave him a knowing look and Khalon scowled at him. "Oh, shut up."
"I didn't say anything," Rayner replied with a laugh.
Khalon narrowed his eyes and poked Rayner in the chest. "No, but you were thinking it." The only disadvantage to having a second who was as shrewd as Rayner was the scoundrel missed nothing when it came to Khalon.
"As I was saying," Rayner continued, ignoring his glare as usual. "It will be days yet before Airaldi and our warriors reach the temple. Once the path has been cleared, he will post half our warriors along the way while the others return to divert the remaining demons around the village. We'll leave under the cover of darkness, stick to the path forged by Airaldi, and get Riley to the temple. The priestess will remove the mark and you'll be presented with a new prince."
Khalon gave him a nod. "Good." Now if only he would stop feeling the opposite.
As if sensing his reluctance, Adira spoke, her voice gentle, which was most unlike her. "He does not belong in our world, Khalon. He is not strong enough to be a Soldati prince. Not physically. I admit Riley possesses great strength for a human and a good heart. He is kind and patient. In truth he possesses many admirable traits expected in a Soldati prince, but there is no point in you entertaining the idea of him staying in our world, much less as your prince. Especially if he is truly Saugur. If by some miracle Riley survives the visions he will surely have, he remains mortal. A man. Even if he survives the countless dangers of our world, if he lives out a full life, Riley will die while you continue to live for centuries with a broken heart and no mate."
"Always the voice of reason, Adira," Khalon replied softly, unable to help the ache in his heart.
"Forgive me." She lowered her head, and he took hold of her hands, bringing them to his lips for a kiss. Her conc
ern and love for him was evident in her bright gray eyes.
"That is not a slight against you, my dear friend. I am grateful for your sage advice. It may be difficult to hear at times, but necessary nonetheless. What manner of king would I be if I did not heed the wisdom of my treasured council?"
Her smile was sad, but she accepted his words. He could never be cross with her. Adira might not always be the easiest to warm up to, but she was an exceptional warrior, and a greater friend. He let out a sigh and released her hands.
"We have to get him home," Khalon stated, his voice rough. Adira was right. He could not afford to lose his heart to a man who would leave him too soon.
Rayner put a hand to his arm. "Khalon--"
"No." Khalon shook his head. He summoned a smile for Rayner. "You know as well as I do that it cannot be. The heavens are against us."
Rayner nodded sadly, accepting Khalon's words.
"What are you doing?"
Riley's boyish laugh drew his attention once more and Khalon couldn't stop his quiet laugh as Riley sat on the floor, tears in his eyes from laughter. One of the foxlings had jumped into a large, empty flower pot, his bottom sticking out and tail twitching. Khalon walked over and carefully took hold of the foxling, then pulled him out. The foxling barked and Khalon put him down on his paws.
"Careful, foxling, or you will get yourself stuck."
"I think he wants to play hide and seek."
At the mention of the game, the foxlings broke off into a chorus of cries and gekkering. Several ran circles around Riley before speeding around Khalon's legs.
"Oh no. I'm far too big to hide in pots and shrubbery."
"Aw, come on." Riley got to his feet before tapping one of the foxlings. "You're it! Everyone hide! No hiding indoors allowed." They all scattered and Riley called out behind him as he ran. "Come on, Your Majesty. You wouldn't want to disappoint all the adorable little foxes!"
Beside Khalon, Rayner coughed into his fist, his eyes dancing with amusement.
"Oh, shut up." Khalon took off down the cobblestone path, ignoring the sound of Rayner's hearty laughter behind him. He wasn't familiar with the village, so he looked through gardens and areas with dense greenery. Just then he remembered the garden where he'd stumbled over Riley the previous night. There was a fountain, plenty of trees and shrubs, and when he ran in, he spotted the curtain of vines and leaves he saw last night. As he suspected, the curtain concealed a deep alcove. There was most likely a statue or large vase there at one point.