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The other Raeth huffed a laugh.
“Fine; keep your secrets. But if you need a shoulder to cry on—“ Remmus’ hand cuffed around Kaien’s shoulder, ”—I ain’t it.”
“And here I was expecting some sentimentality,” Kaien muttered, smirking.
Together, they strolled out of the training arena and into the warmth of the August air. Summer green grasses were gradually turning yellow with the drought, and the dryness of the air made the fine layer of perspiration on Kaien’s exposed skin evaporate.
Blaede clan territory, affectionately referred to as Solaris, stretched for tens of miles in either direction, nestled amid the gently rolling hills of the western Missouri region. As regent and senior healer to the clan, Kaien had lived among his clansmen for nearly twelve hundred years.
Every hill, every tree, every rock that dotted the landscape was etched in his memory. Years yawned by as Kaien watched and waited, conscientiously observing every interaction between the humans, the other immortal breeds, and that of his brethren. Though they largely kept to themselves, modern times had made complete isolation nearly impossible. As acting sovereign, he’d overseen the limited communication that was required of them.
When Nina had pulled away from the clan a century ago, he’d shouldered the brunt of her territorial responsibility. Kaien had assumed the role of her regent without delay—and without her having to ask. The psychic network she maintained between every clan member hadn’t suffered, however. Given Nina’s exceptional gifts, distance hadn’t dampened the intrinsic connections that bonded them together.
As sovereign, his twin bore primary responsibility for the safety and protection of the people who looked upon her to lead. Raeth clans were notoriously vicious when it came to territoriality, and those Raeths without a clan often sought to strike at the heart of the establishment.
A laugh drew Kaien’s attention back to the present. Ahead of them, Aidan and his Elemental mate, Lucy, were seated on the ground in the town square. Lucy’s hands were embedded in the ground, a coil of tree roots and grasses delicately vining around her forearms. Shards of greenery erupted from the earth as they approached, a tangle of flowers blooming at the earth Elemental’s inspired touch.
Pausing when they would have passed the mated couple, he studied her work in silence. Unconsciously, Kaien felt his gifts stir beneath his skin, a yearning to join her as she worked. When Lucy glanced up at him and her lips twisted into a welcoming grin, he readily accepted the unspoken invitation.
His palm pressed into the earth, feeling the pulse of the vibrant life beneath it. Around his hand, heat-yellowed grasses sprung into new life, seamlessly interspersing with the Elemental’s sea of green beside him.
Without missing a beat, tulips erupted from between his fingers, blossoming in a brilliant cacophony of scarlet red and vivid gold. Lucy’s gaze flicked to the blooms, studying his work before returning her attention to her own.
Half a minute later, Kaien felt the earth respond to her call. Through the connection he’d established with the soil beneath his palm, he sensed Lucy’s handiwork sprouting blooms that flowered readily from the earth to twine through her fingers.
Lucy gave a satisfied hum before turning her head eagerly to regard Kaien. “What else can you do?”
Beside her, Aidan chuckled, a grin splitting his lips. “Yes, brother, do tell.”
“In the Raeth world,” Kaien explained, “we call this gift Bloom. We primarily have the ability to grow, to rejuvenate, to heal. While it’s not uncommon, few seldom take the time to develop it, seeing it as little more than trivial. I, on the other hand, appreciate the quietness of it, the connection to the earth.”
What remained unsaid was Kaien’s gift of healing the body—to rejuvenate and inspire the body to mend itself. To heal from cuts or bruises. Broken bones or torn ligaments. Or, in the rarest of cases, to grow a child in a previously infertile womb.
He’d used that ability sparingly.
“You should compare notes with Gideon,” Lucy gushed. “He’s the one who’s mentoring me in Paracel.”
“I’ve heard he’s quite proficient at his skill.” Kaien raised an eyebrow before he delicately skimming his fingertips over the tulips he’d grown. “But I’m certain my talents are far beneath an earth Elemental’s abilities. We can’t control the landscape or the tectonic plates the way I’ve heard Gideon does.”
“Regardless,” Lucy’s red lips tightened into a smile, “the next time you’re in Paracel, I’ll make the introduction.”
“Always so eager, mate of mine.”
Aidan’s greenish-grey eyes were riveted to his woman, unabashed pride lingering on his features.
Two years ago, Aidan had been the quintessential lone wolf. With no pack of his own, the werewolf alpha had run the span of the United States on the verge of going rogue. Now, after an unlikely courtship, he’d found his mate, and the male had settled down in Paracel. He’d begun a new life with the woman who’d irrevocably claimed him.
When Aidan and Kaien had grown up together twelve hundred years ago, his adopted brother had been human. Mere decades into his existence, Aidan had become the first werewolf—and the alpha of his nation—and gained immortality in the process.
Permanently seared into his soul, the night had been one Kaien would never forget.
Lucy’s stomach growled, catching Kaien’s notice, but it was her mate that instantly drew her up in his arms. “No more greenery for today, my love. We’ve played in the dirt long enough.”
“Peace out, kids.” Flashing two fingers in the universal peace sign, Remmus trudged off in the direction of his home without a backwards glance.
Aidan jerked his chin toward his home. “Have you eaten, Kaien? My mate makes a mean baked macaroni.”
“I suppose I could be persuaded.”
