Arim glared at Cadmus, not amused at the slow grin that curled his nephew’s mouth.
“I’m sorry, Uncle. Have I said something to irritate you?” he asked innocently.
’Innocent‘ my ass.
With a burning need to destroy something foremost on his mind, Arim took a deep breath and forced his destructive tendencies away, focusing on Cadmus. At his stare, his nephew’s cocky grin wavered, and finally seeing the crack in Cadmus’ defences, Arim plunged deep.
He was soon drowning in dark, seething energy. Black waves of cold fire sucked at his power, threatening to break his hold on Cadmus’ mind. It was an incredibly potent protective spell, one too advanced for a young Earth Lord to have developed by himself or with his fledgeling sorcerer brother.
As Arim struggled to make sense of the images stuttering in Cadmus’ thoughts, he continued to be plagued by bright blue eyes and a sultry smile. Flashes of heat, of seductive arousal, and strong untainted power lanced through him until he felt as if the very earth shook beneath him.
Stunned, Arim relinquished his hold on Cadmus and sat dazedly in a nearby chair.
“Ah, Arim?”
What the hell had Cadmus delved into here? Light and Shadow, but he’d sent the remaining Storm Lords to this plane to keep them safe, not to serve them into the hands of their enemy.
“Who is she, Cadmus?”
He saw a subtle tension envelop his nephew, but to his credit, the crafty Earth Lord smiled, his mouth wide with mirth.
“She? Don’t you mean, who are they?” Cadmus chuckled and leaned close. Ticking off his fingers, he named several women. “First, there’s Sherry, pretty, but not too bright. Then there’s Maggie, intelligent, but standoffish out of bed. Jean likes a lot of men, so she’s out unless I need to unwind. Beth can’t get enough of me, so I’m keeping my eye on her. And then there’s—”
“Enough.” Arim glared, wishing he had Aerolus here, that the two might break Cadmus’ resistance with affectionate concern—something he wasn’t at all comfortable projecting—rather than sorcery. As much as he’d like to, he couldn’t use magic to break his nephew.
To shatter Cadmus’ mental walls, he’d be forced to exert real force, potentially harming and even killing him. Unfortunately, the brown-eyed member of the Royal Four had a well of incredible mental power, not to mention stubbornness in spades. That strength made Arim pause and had him easing back. By the Light, Cadmus seemed a lot more like him than any of his brothers, including Aerolus.
Cadmus, the resident charmer and rogue, possessed hidden depths that might just be his undoing. Behind his laughter lurked an ache, a sweltering vulnerability that was surprisingly lessened by the temporary aid of Djinn power.
“You know, Uncle,” Cadmus said with a smirk. “I’d just love to stay and chat with you about that stubborn brother of mine, but I can’t. I simply have to find my affai, or I’ll just die.” He put his hand over his heart dramatically, and Arim couldn’t help smacking him in the back of the head.
“Ouch! What the hell was that for?”
“Your mother should have done that more when you were younger.” Arim couldn’t help the jolt of amusement that warmed him at thoughts of his sister. “The Light knows your father doted on you too much.”
Cadmus smiled, his expression a mixture of fond remembrance and grief. “Yeah, he did, didn’t he? Loved to laugh at all my jokes. Said I’d be king of the castle one day.” At his words, his eyes widened, and he turned positively white. “Oh, shit! Please tell me he didn’t mean overking of the castle.”
Arim studied him, still unable to foretell which of his nephews would one day assume lordship over all of Tanselm. Though the terror on Cadmus’ face seemed real, Arim couldn’t be sure. He shook his head. “You’re good, Cadmus, really very good. But all this inane chatter won’t detract me from the Djinn energy seething inside you. Or from looking for your overeager sorcerer of a brother.”
Cadmus clamped his mouth shut and shrugged, the apology not reaching his eyes. “Sorry, Uncle. I really wish I could help.” He looked to the front door, then back to his room. “I’ve got six hours before I’m due at Outpour, shuffling drinks while I pretend to be Darius,” he added tightly. He smiled, though his eyes remained dark. “Have I thanked you yet for sending us here? Well, thanks, Unc, from the bottom of my heart.”
He opened his mouth to say more, eyed Arim’s glittering gaze, and shook his head.
“Fuck it. I’m not letting you turn me into a rock because I’ve got a temper. I’ll see you later. I need my sleep before I hit the fucking bride circuit again. And yes, ‘fuck’ is my official word of the day.” He stomped off to his room, pausing before he went in to glare back at Arim.
“And just so you know, I’ve been working to strengthen my mind and my clairvoyance. Don’t come to Outpour unless you want to see her again. And you know exactly who I’m talking about, so don’t bother asking me anything more. You know I don’t know.”
Arim stared in shock as Cadmus closed his bedroom door behind him. He was dimly aware Cadmus had diverted him from Aerolus, as no doubt the sly prince had intended. Not much threw Arim, but mention of her had.
Much as he needed to find his Wind Mage, he couldn’t help lingering on his last glimpse of Lexa, and on what part she could possibly play in Tanselm’s future, or his, if he indeed had one any longer.
Alandra woke from her sleep feeling more refreshed than she had in months. As she stretched, she pushed against a solid chest, one warm and pulsing with energy that tempted her on every level.
“Damn,” she muttered, completely embarrassed she’d fallen asleep on him. Pray Shadows she hadn’t drooled. She discreetly glanced up at Aerolus and sighed with relief that he still slumbered. At least she could gather her bearings, and her dignity, before facing him again.
Slowly easing herself up, she sucked in a breath as he grasped her hips and draped her legs so that she straddled him. He murmured something low, then relaxed back into sleep, his hands cupping her thighs. Blowing out a soft breath of frustration, she debated whether to jump off him or stay still so as not to wake him. She needed to appear in control of the situation, to wrest from him his illusion of power over her.
Glancing down at her bared thighs straddling his warrior-hard body, she felt a renewed surge of lust for the silver-eyed mage. For a woman who prized herself on knowing her limits, she couldn’t for the life of her turn off her desire whenever he neared. Her body never cooled around him. It moved from simmer to boil in a flash.
Grimacing down at her vulnerability, she realised how very hard it was going to be to remain aloof from the man she should have considered beneath her. Staring down at him, she couldn’t help the smart-ass in her that added, literally.
Aerolus sighed and rolled into her hips, making her bite her lip to keep from groaning at the sensations he aroused. How could a man in sleep be so incredibly enthralling? Vibrant shades of gold and silver entwined in his aura, a clear sign of latent power that drew her like nothing else could.
Her eyes narrowed in study. Nothing about Aerolus Storm was weak. After a year spent observing him, the only possibility of vulnerability he seemed to possess was the deep love he had for his family. Though the Aellei considered any show of open emotion a risk, Alandra couldn’t help admiring Aerolus for his feelings. On a deeper level she couldn’t ignore, she felt a tug of envy, wishing she had as much care for her blood kin as he did his.