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“The clans will begin gathering in three days’ time,” Julian rasped, every word measured and even. “Some of the Ancients are already forming hunting parties, hoping to track The Destroyer’s scent. If they can bring it back to me I should be able to tell what Realm he and his army are hiding in.”
My curiosity got the best of me. “How would you know which Realm he traveled to?” There were once eight Realms in our universe, but the number lessened by one after the Drakán Realm was destroyed. And then it lessened again after the gods obliterated Atlantis for destroying the Drakán Realm. I knew very little about the six remaining Realms other than what they were and what creatures resided there. It was another bit of lost history that disappeared when our archives were stolen.
“I’ll know because I’ve travelled through the portals that take us from one world to the next. The scent of each Realm is unmistakable. Just as the Earth Realm smells of fresh meat, the Realm of the Gods smells of freshly fallen snow. The Realm of the Fae smells of trees. Oceana smells of sea salt, and the Shadow Realm smells of brimstone. Only the Realm of the Dead has no smell.”
“I’d like to know about the other Realms,” I said. “Esmerelda told me the Drakán Realm hasn’t been the only one to suffer at the gods’ hands.”
“Maybe if you decide to accept me back into your good graces I’ll tell you about them someday. And despite what you thought when you came to my lands, I’m not the only creature in this world who has the ability to travel. It’ll take all of our magic to defeat The Destroyer and save this world.” He put his hands in his pockets and quirked his lips. “We’re running out of places we can be banished to.”
“Did you just make a joke?” I asked, incredulously.
“Apparently not a good one.” He took a step forward and I took one back before I could stop myself. He kept coming toward me until we stood facing each other, barely any space between us.
“You might have a right to your anger, Rena. You know as well as I do that the want between us was there long before I thought of what our combined union would do for our power. But my desire will not go away. And neither will yours. The power that we’ve created with the mating fire is the best thing for our people. There’s no need to make us suffer needlessly.”
He leaned closer so his lips just barely touched my ear. I shivered and my dragon called to him. She’d been lonely.
“You’ve missed me, Rena. You may think you hate me, but your body knows the truth.”
I pushed him back and retreated several steps. I didn’t care if it made me look like a coward or not. Just the touch of him burned across my skin.
“Stop toying with me and just tell me what you want from me. I know you’ve spent the last three days deciding how you can use me to your advantage. Give me instructions and stop torturing my beast with your lust. It’s cruel to keep doing so.”
“You’re the one punishing us both,” he said. “But you’re right. We don’t have time for this now. I need you to go with Xana to Switzerland and begin greeting the clans as they arrive. You’ll have a few days to settle in. It is your home as it is mine, and Xana will keep you safe.”
“Will I be in danger?”
“You’re going to have to act as queen. Just as I will act as king. The strongest of the clans will not be receptive at first. Our very lives will be tested. And you must not show them weakness. We are lifemates, and your anger at me will divide the clans even more than they already are, so have a care.”
“So you’re saying I have to fake it?”
“It’ll be a new concept for you. I hope you’re a good actress.”
“Wow, two jokes in one day. I’m mated to a clown.”
“If you ask nicely I’ll let you juggle my balls.”
He kissed me hard and left me standing there with my mouth open wide in shock.
ChapterTwenty-Four
Switzerland was filled with pure misery and endless snow.
Once Xana and I left Belgium, an overwhelming emptiness settled in the pit of my stomach. It got worse with every mile that separated me and Julian—to the point that I spent a great deal of the flight either hanging over the toilet or wishing I was dead. Sometimes both. Gods, I hated flying. Julian owed me big time.
All in all, this little trip was a good test for me, because I knew in my heart that distance between the two of us was the only answer. I would eventually have to leave him and go back home. I had no other choice. The gods had made a terrible mistake in making us lifemates. There weren’t two more mismatched creatures in the entire universe.
In addition to the nausea, I found I suffered from an amazing amount of guilt. Noah had left several messages on my phone since I’d mated with Julian. I hadn’t had the courage to call him back. What was I supposed to say? Any attraction I’d felt to Noah was gone.
There were so many questions I had that were unanswered. I hadn’t forgotten that I’d felt the same searing pain across my body with Noah that I’d experienced with Julian. Which made me wonder if I’d mated with Noah first if my desire for Julian would be obsolete. Would I have been Noah’s lifemate? Did I choose the wrong man?
I figured it was best just to let whatever attraction had been between the two of us die a slow death. Despite what Noah thought about our destinies being entwined, I didn’t really have room for any more alpha males on my relationship plate.
I arrived in Switzerland much like I’d arrived in Belgium. My clothes were a wreck, my hair hung down in my face, my skin was pale and clammy, and a Bellator was dogging my every step. I just thanked the gods that no one was there yet to witness my arrival.
By my third day there, surrounded by nothing more than snow and guards, I thought for sure I would either lose my mind or go on a destructive rampage through the nearest town just for a little excitement. The trepidation I’d felt at greeting the clans had turned to worry and uncertainty. No one had arrived, and I honestly wasn’t sure if they were going to. Not even my own clan had shown, even after I’d called home and given the order as their new Archos to attend the Drakán Summit.
But one by one, as the sun settled over the mountains on the third night and a hard snow began to fall, the Drakán began arriving at the castle on top of Mount Drummondsey.
