"Base-forms? What are those?"
"Arcadians are human so their base-forms are human. The Katagaria have a base-form of whatever animal part they are related to. An Ursulan would be a bear, a Gerakian would be a hawk."
"A Drakos would be a dragon."
He nodded. "A child has no powers at all, but with the onset of puberty, all the powers come in. We try to contain those who are going through it and teach them how to harness their powers. Most of the time we succeed as Arcadians, but with the Katagaria this isn't true. They encourage their children to destroy both humans and Arcadians.
"Because we have vowed to stop them and their Slayers, they hate us and have sworn to kill us and our families. In short, we are at war with one another."
Channon sat quietly as she absorbed that last bit. So that was the eternal struggle he'd mentioned yesterday. "Is that why you are here?"
This time the anguish in his eyes was so severe that she winced from it. "No. I'm here because I made a promise."
"About what?"
He didn't answer, but she felt the rigidness return to his body. He was a man in pain, and she wondered why.
But then she figured it out. "The Katagaria destroyed your family, didn't they?"
"They took everything from me." The agony in his voice was so raw, so savage.
Never in her life had she heard anything like it.
Channon wanted to soothe him in a way she'd never wanted to soothe anyone else. She wished she could erase the past and return his family to him.
Seeking to distract him, she went back to the prior topic. "If you're at war with each other, do you have armies?"
He shook his head. "Not really. We have Sentinels, who are stronger and faster than the rest of our species. They are the designated protectors of both man and were-kind."
Reaching up, she touched his mask that covered the tattoo on his face. "Do all Arcadians have your markings?"
Sebastian looked away. "No. Only Sentinels have them."
She smiled at the knowledge. "You're a Sentinel."
"I was a Sentinel."
The stress on the past tense told her much. "What happened?"
"It was a long time ago, and I'd rather not talk about it."
She could respect that, especially since he'd already answered so much. But her curiosity about it was almost more than she could bear. Still, she wouldn't pry. "Okay, but can I ask one more thing?"
"Sure."
"When you say long ago, I have a feeling that takes on a whole new meaning. Was it a decade or two, or—"
"Two hundred fifty-four years ago."
Her jaw dropped. "Have you been alone all this time?"
He nodded.
Her chest drew tight at that. Two hundred years alone. She couldn't imagine it. "And you have no one?"
Sebastian fell silent as old memories surged. He did his best not to remember his role of Sentinel. His family.
He'd been raised to hold honor next to his heart, and with one fatal mistake, he had lost everything he'd ever cared for. Everything he'd once been.
"I was ... banished," he said, the word sticking in his throat. He'd never once in all this time uttered the word aloud. "No Arcadian is allowed to associate with me."
"Why would they banish you?"
He didn't answer.
Instead, he pointed in front of them. "Look up, Channon. I think there's something over there you'll find far more interesting than me."
Seriously doubting that, Channon turned her head, then gaped. On the hill far above was a large wooden hall surrounded by a group of buildings. Even from this distance, she could make out people and animals moving about.
She blinked, unable to believe her eyes. "Oh my God," she breathed. "It's a real Saxon village!"
"Complete with bad hygiene and no plumbing."
Her heart hammered as they approached the hill at a slow and steady speed. "Can't you make this thing move any faster?" she asked, eager to get a closer view.
"I can, but they will view it as a sign of aggression and might decide to shoot a few arrows into us."
"Oh. Then I can wait. I don't want to be a pincushion."
Sebastian remained silent and watched her as she strained to see more of the town. He smiled at her exuberance as she twisted in the saddle, her hips brushing painfully against his swollen groin.
After the night they had shared, it amazed him just how much he longed to possess her again, how much his body craved hers.
He still couldn't believe he'd told her as much as he had about his past and people, yet as his mate, she had a right to know all about him.
If she would be his mate.
He still hadn't really made up his mind about that.
The kindest thing would be to return her and let her go. But he didn't want to. He missed having someone to care for and someone who cared for him.
How many times had he lain awake at night aching for a family again? Wishing for the comfort of a soothing touch? Missing the sound of laughter and the warmth of friendship?
For centuries, his solitude had been his hell.
And this woman sitting in his lap would be his only salvation.
If he dared ...
Channon bit her lip as they entered the bailey and she saw real, live Saxon people at work in the village. There were men laying stone, rebuilding a portion of the gate. Women with laundry and foodstuffs walking around, talking amongst themselves. And children! Lots of Saxon children were running around, laughing and playing games with each other.
Better still, there were merchants and music, acrobats, and jongleurs. "Is there a festival going on?"
He nodded. "The harvest is in and there's a celebration all week long to mark it."
She struggled to understand what the crowd around them said.
It was incredible! They were speaking Old English!
"Oh, Sebastian," she cried, throwing her arms around him and holding him close. "Thank you for this! Thank you!"
Sebastian clenched his teeth at the sensation of her breasts flattened against him. Of her breath tickling his neck.
His groin tightened even more, and it took all his human powers to leash the beast within. He felt the ripping inside as he set the two halves of him against each other.
It was a dangerous thing he did, but for both their sakes, it was a necessary action. Especially since both halves of him wanted the same thing—they wanted the Claiming where Channon would entrust herself to him, the ceremony that would bind them together for eternity. It wasn't something to be taken lightly. She would have to give up everything to be with him. Everything. And he wasn't sure if he could ask that of her.
It would be unfair to her, and he definitely wasn't worth such a sacrifice.
He saw the happiness in Channon's eyes and smiled at her.
But his smile faded as he looked around the town and saw all the innocent lives that would end if something went wrong.
Bracis had shown a rare streak of intelligence when he had set up this exchange. Sebastian was forbidden by his Sentinel oath to transform into his dragon form or to use his powers in any way that could betray his heritage to the humans. To the innocent, he must always appear human.
Bracis had sworn that the Katagaria would come in as humans to make the exchange and then leave peacefully. Unfortunately, Sebastian had no choice except to trust them.
Of course, Bracis knew the extent of Sebastian's powers, and the Katagari male would be an absolute idiot to cross him. And though the beast could be stupid, Bracis wasn't that stupid.
As soon as they reached the stable, Sebastian helped Channon down, then dismounted behind her. He pulled his hauberk lower so that no one could see just how much he craved the woman before him.
Channon watched as Sebastian removed his huge broadsword from his horse and fastened it to the baldric at his waist. She had to admit the man looked delectable like that, so manly and virile.