Series: Charmaine Pauls
Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70056 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70056 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
His eyes narrow in the corners, crinkling with something like predatory satisfaction, almost as if he’s happy with my response.
Wait. What am I doing? Instead of sniffing the air for a whiff of that intoxicating scent, I should be arguing my case.
I blink, trying to clear my head. “You’ve got this all wrong. Whoever you think I am, I’m not your mate.”
He tilts his head, challenging me with the disconcerting silence of a man who’s unshakable in his convictions.
“I’m not even an Alit,” I exclaim, grasping for a logical explanation that I hope will appeal to his reason. “You’re mistaking me for someone else. I’m Elsie, Elisa Barnikoff from Cleveland.” I blow out a sigh of relief as recognition flickers across his face. “See? It’s just a misunderstanding.”
“Elsie,” he says, trying out the sound on his tongue. “Is that what they called you there?”
“Look, I appreciate that you saved me and gave me back all my teeth. I’d love to stay and chat, but my parents must be worried sick about me. I need to get going, so if you could just lend me something to wear and show me to the nearest circle of lights, I’ll be on my way.”
At that, his expression darkens so much that my stomach twists with more nerves. I glance at the exit he’s left open behind him. Maybe if I’m fast, I can scoot around him.
My hope plummets as two men dressed in the same fashion as the one in front of me enter. With black hair and gray eyes, they bear a strong resemblance to my captor. They must be related, if not close family.
“Aruan,” the tallest of the two says, eyeing me curiously. “We came to fetch you. Father has called a meeting.”
Aruan speaks without taking his gaze off me. “And you had to convey that invitation in person? Is your curiosity satisfied?”
“Can you blame us?” the other one asks in a lighter tone.
“Elsie,” Aruan drawls, saying my name as if it’s a rare delight. “Meet my brothers, Kian and Vitai.” He gestures accordingly to each of them.
“Oh.” These are the dudes who healed me and gave me the ability to understand and speak their language. The manners my parents drilled into me dictate that I thank them for their effort even though, technically, I’m still their prisoner. “Thanks for helping me.”
“You’re welcome,” they say in unison.
The sincerity in their voices compels me to try my luck with them.
“Aruan,” I say, pronouncing the foreign name carefully, “seems to be confused. He thinks I’m his mate.”
I laugh to stress my point, but when no one joins in, my laughter quickly dries up.
Holding the sheet up with one hand, I wave toward the two newcomers. “You’re both Alit, right?”
They look at each other before nodding.
“You have special powers, like Aruan,” I continue as an argument takes shape in my head. “Do all Alit have powers?”
“To a lesser or greater extent,” Kian says.
“See?” I give them a friendly, peace-offering smile. “I don’t have a power.” Voila. Point proven. “I’m not an Alit.”
I glance between the trio, anxious for them to connect the dots.
Kian and Vitai shoot Aruan baffled looks.
Their brother stares back, stone faced.
“It’s rare for a royal Alit not to have a power, even a feeble one,” Kian says. “And it’s unheard of for a powerful Alit to be fated to a mate with a weak power, let alone to a mate with no power. Yet I don’t sense anything inside her.”
Aruan turns on him with flashing eyes. “That doesn’t mean anything. Are you suggesting I don’t recognize my own mate?”
“Not at all,” Kian says quickly. “I’m merely saying that it’s strange.”
“Maybe her power was destroyed when she was sent to Earth,” Vitai offers.
My gaze bounces between them like a ping-pong ball while they discuss me as if I’m not in the room.
“That could be,” Kian muses. “Which would be unfortunate. She may be too weak to rule at your side, Aruan.”
The silver of Aruan’s eyes darkens to a deep graphite. A tremor shakes the room, the floor wobbling beneath my feet.
I slam a palm on the wall to keep my balance.
What the hell is going on? Is this an earthquake?
“Accuse my mate of being weak again, and you’ll face me in the clearing,” Aruan says in an icy tone.
Okay, enough is enough.
“Hey, dudes.” I utter another uncomfortable laugh. “While I categorically state that I’m not an Alit, that doesn’t mean you can insult me.” I hurry to tell Aruan, “Although I’m not ungrateful for your intervention when the Phaelix kidnapped me.”
Aruan fixes his piercing gaze on me, possession sparking in the depths of those mercurial eyes.
Kian’s manner is placating. “Father is waiting, and you know how he gets when we waste his time.”
This seems to bring Aruan to his senses. Bowing his head stiffly in my direction, he says, “I will see to it that clothes and food are sent.”