Chapter 14

14

Control is neither a truth nor an illusion but created in the minds of others.

~ Planting Moon Priestess Zarestha

Sodden and cold, Kaylina hurried toward ranger headquarters. Thanks to the powerful current of the river, she hadn't managed to pull herself out of the water until she'd washed out into the harbor.

If Stillguard Castle had been on the way, she might have stopped to dry off and change clothes, though she might not have. Explaining her soggy state and cut shirt to her sister wouldn't have been appealing.

Besides, Levitke and the rangers who'd charged into the park didn't know what had happened to her. When word got back to Vlerion, he would be worried. And furious. She didn't want to risk the beast erupting.

When the stone wall around ranger headquarters came into view, she pulled her shirt closed, folding her arms over her chest to keep her skin from showing. Maybe she should start spending the nights in the barracks, if only so she would have a room and a change of clothing. And so creepy assassins who could gods-sense her magic wouldn't be able to reach her.

Had it been coincidence that had brought Kaylina within his reach? Or had his power somehow let him sense her coming? She believed he'd been watching ranger headquarters but not that chance had taken her into his grip.

"Hello, Corporal Opank," she greeted the gate guard, having learned more of the rangers' names by now.

Lanterns that burned in the courtyard provided enough illumination to show numerous taybarri lined up and ready to go somewhere. Rangers were mounting them, weapons clinking and clanking as the men swung up.

"Trainee Korbian," the corporal blurted, "a squadron is looking for you."

"A lot of people are looking for me lately."

"Kaylina?" Vlerion called from the courtyard, concern lacing his usually calm voice.

"Yes." She waved, picking him out of the group of riders as Opank pushed the gate open for her.

Vlerion sprang from Crenoch's back and ran to Kaylina, enveloping her in a hug before she'd made it two steps into the courtyard. She returned the embrace, glad she'd reached him before he'd ridden out and all over the city looking for her.

"Jankarr said a man attacked you in the park. Between the dark and the trees, he couldn't see much, and then you both disappeared, and he didn't know if you'd been hurt or where you'd gone." Vlerion released her from the hug but gripped her arms, standing back so he could look at her. "He thought there might have been more of them and one might have gotten you. He?—"

His gaze snagged on the bare skin visible through the shirt the assassin had cut open, and his eyes bulged. Fury surged into them. Fury and more, that dangerous wild glint that promised the beast wasn't far away.

"I'm fine," she blurted, gripping his shoulders and trying to get him to look into her eyes. "It was the sage assassin, one of them. He threatened me and wanted information about you, but he didn't hurt me. He was thinking about using me to bait a trap for you but not anything else."

Was that a lie? The assassin's words repeated in her mind: You are most appealing.

"He cut open your shirt," Vlerion growled. "He wanted to do more than use you for bait." His angry gaze lifted to hers, his eyes still savage. "I will kill him. Where did he go? Do you know?"

"He said he was camping in the park, but I'm sure he'll move his tent. He didn't offer a forwarding address." Kaylina rested her palm on his chest, trying to make her tone light and to soothe him, to keep the beast from rising, especially with all his ranger comrades scant feet behind him. Sensing the danger, the taybarri shifted their weight uneasily, some moving back. "He was quite presumptuous and rude," she added.

Vlerion bared his teeth and looked toward the gate, his muscles taut, deadly power radiating from him. Speaking so the others wouldn't hear, he hoarsely whispered, "As the beast, I could smell his scent and track him."

He inhaled deeply, muscles bulging against the sleeves of his shirt. Damn it, did he want to change?

"Stop, Vlerion," Kaylina ordered, keeping her voice soft, knowing he wouldn't want his men to hear her giving him an order. But she willed her power into the words, needing him to hear them, to obey them. "It's too dangerous to change here, and you know it. The beast might kill other people on his way to track down the assassin. A lot of other people. Calm yourself. Stay with me. I need you here with me."

His fiery gaze swung from the gate to her, so intense, so close to the edge, that she almost withdrew her hand and stepped back. But she rooted her feet to the ground and met that scary gaze.

"I need you here with me as Vlerion, the man," she said.

Cool power flowed from her hand and into his chest. Soothing him, keeping the beast at bay.

"I'll help you find him." Kaylina hoped he wouldn't resent her for again presuming to use the plant's power on him. She also hoped he wouldn't come to resent her for anything else, such as that he'd been able to control the beast without help before she'd come into his life. All his recent changes, and his almost-changes, had been because of her. That, she knew without a doubt, was why his mother wanted her out of his life.

"I will find him," Vlerion said, his body still tense, but his voice less hoarse—less of an animalistic growl. "I don't know yet who sent him, but he shouldn't be after you. Nobody should be."

"I agree, and I'd love it if you found him." She patted his chest.

As she lowered her hand, a familiar voice spoke from the doorway to the office building.

"That's twice now," Spymaster Sabor said, looking to Captain Targon, who stood at his side, as if they'd stepped out of a meeting. "I think she can control him."

Dread swept into Kaylina, and she pulled the fabric of her shirt close to cover her exposed skin.

Targon glanced at the rangers; they'd also been watching the exchange. With Vlerion's back to them, they shouldn't have seen or heard much, but Sabor and Targon were to the side. Kaylina didn't think she'd been speaking loudly enough for them to hear, even if they'd been there the whole time, but her touch and Vlerion's body language might have said enough.

Vlerion gave Sabor a dark look as he turned toward the men, standing so that he blocked the view of Kaylina's cut shirt from them. "Numerous sage assassins are in the city. I am their target. Go out, and ask around to see if anyone knows where they're staying. Remain in pairs or threes. They're dangerous."

"We'll find them and handle them, Lord Vlerion," an eager young ranger said, nudging his taybarri to lead the way out.

"Simply find them, and tell me where they are." Vlerion lifted his chin. "It is my problem, and I will handle them."

The ranger hesitated and glanced at his comrades before saying, "Yes, my lord."

A determined set to the young man's jaw made Kaylina certain that he—maybe all of them—wanted to personally end the threat to Vlerion. Sergeant Zhani was among them, and she nodded, the same determination on her face.

Fear joined the dread curdling in Kaylina's stomach.

"Maybe she should skip this assignment," she whispered.

Sergeant Zhani was as capable as the men—Kaylina had no doubt about that—but the assassin's creepy assessment of her as appealing as he'd touched her skin with his knife… She didn't want him to catch Zhani and do the same—or worse—to her.

Vlerion regarded Kaylina, his gaze assessing, and something told her he was following her line of thinking as perfectly as a telepathic elder taybarri. Maybe she shouldn't have said anything, but she also couldn't remain quiet and let Zhani ride into danger.

"Sergeant Zhani." Vlerion lifted a hand. "You will remain at headquarters. Kaylina requires more training after she changes into dry clothes."

As Zhani looked over, frowning as if it were a punishment to be removed from the assassin-hunting duty, Kaylina couldn't help but prop an indignant fist on her hip. Training was the last thing she wanted to do more of tonight. She also didn't want Zhani to resent her.

The movement exposed her bare stomach and the curve of her breasts again, and Zhani noticed, perhaps for the first time. Her gaze was sympathetic instead of resentful.

"Yes, I see," she said, stopping her taybarri.

A couple of the other rangers riding past glanced at Kaylina's skin, and she crossed her arms again.

"Get our trainee some clothes, Vlerion," Targon said, walking up behind them. For once, he managed to avoid ogling Kaylina. Was that even a hint of concern in his eyes when he looked at her?

Unfortunately, Sabor had walked up with him, and there was nothing but calculation in his eyes as he gazed speculatively at her.

"Yes, Captain." Vlerion wrapped an arm around Kaylina's shoulders, as if he could shield her from the attention of the men—and the spymaster—and guided her toward the barracks.

As they walked away, Kaylina could feel Sabor's gaze upon her, and she couldn't help but shiver from more than her wet clothing.