Fire Pearl (Beyond Ontariese 5) (5 page)

Instead of immediately answering Quentin’s
question, she circled Faujer. “Had Aria exhibited any Mystic
abilities before she ‘blinked out of sight’?”

Faujer dared a glance in her direction then
returned his gaze to the Stirate’s chest. “She mentioned disturbing
dreams, but I had no idea she could teleport.”

Noll moved through Faujer’s mind, fascinated
by the intriguing combination of ruthless ambition and cunning.
Savage, brutal, this man was descended from millennia of fierce
warriors. Narrowing her scan, she searched memories and feelings
directly associated with Aria.

“You were following orders when you first
took Aria to your bed.” Noll moved closer to Faujer as she spoke,
itching to run her hands all over his magnificent body, to test his
control and stamina. “Then she submitted so sweetly, and you found
so much pleasure between her thighs that you ceased to think of her
as an assignment.”

“That’s not true!” His gaze burned into hers
for a moment before he subdued his temper. “I won’t deny finding
pleasure with Aria, but I never let myself forget she was a
mission.”

Framing his face with her palms, Noll gazed
deep into his eyes. “Did you allow your prisoner to escape?”

“No.” Though his tone was firm, it was the
spike of resentment that convinced her his claim was true.

“Do you know where she is now?”

“I do not.”

She released him and turned to face the
Stirate. “I believe him.”

Quentin crossed his legs, his gaze narrowed
with speculation. Despite his youth, he appeared at ease in the
opulent throne room. But why shouldn’t he be comfortable? Every
male of his bloodline was groomed from birth for the possibility of
wielding authority. When his brother had been murdered three weeks
before with only a daughter to succeed him, Quentin had become one
of the youngest Stirates in Rodyte history.

Emboldened by her pronouncement, Faujer
looked into the Stirate’s eyes. “I know you are disappointed in me,
but I will do anything to regain your favor.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” One corner of
Quentin’s mouth curved in a cruel smile. “The question is how do we
track someone who has hurled themselves through space?”

“How long has she been gone?” Noll asked.

“Ten months,” Quentin told her.

“What!” Noll rubbed her arms, trying to keep
her astonishment from showing. “Why did you wait so long to contact
me?”

“My brother dealt with many situations
differently than I would have. His resentment of all things magical
was unusually strong, even for a Rodyte.”

“In other words, Pern never would have
trusted a Mystic, regardless of the cost?” Her gaze narrowed at the
insinuation before she gained control again.

“Let’s just say Pern’s priorities regarding
Mystics were different from mine. I find loose ends unacceptable
while he tended to focus on the situation at hand.” Pausing for a
moment, he studied her expression. She’d have to be careful. His
youthful appearance hid shrewd intelligence. She had no doubt many
underestimated him. Her lips curved at the thought. They had that
in common. Not even Vee had comprehended her true potential.

“Aria has no idea who she is,” he said. “The
need to find her escalated when Vee died. Do you believe his
journal was destroyed as Evan and Dro Tar told the council?”

She shook her head, her gaze unconsciously
gravitating toward Faujer’s tall form. “Not a chance. I don’t know
who they’re protecting, but they don’t want anyone investigating
the situation.”

“Anything that upsets them is likely to our
advantage.”

“I agree. The real Seeker Circle narrowed Dro
Tar’s search to one of three hotels in Las Vegas. I’m convinced
Evan wasn’t the only thing she discovered during her mission.”

“Are you able to pass for human?”

“I am.”

“Good.” He stood and stepped down from the
dais, cupping Faujer’s chin in one hand. “You will accompany
Mistress Noll. Until I have proof that Aria is dead, you will be
Noll’s slave, obedient to her every command. Is that
understood?”

“Yes, Sire.” Faujer responded without
hesitation, but the flash of rebellion in his gaze sent tingles
down Noll’s spine.

Drakkin watched color bloom across Aria’s
cheeks as she gazed through the image crystal. She started to speak
then turned her face away, lowering her hand to her side.

“I know this is hard to believe—”

“It’s impossible to believe.” She raked her
hair with her fingers, pushing the shimmering strands off her
forehead. “If my father was a powerful Mystic, how were the Rodytes
able
to take me away from him?” She tossed the disk back to
him and crossed her arms over her chest.

It was a very good question. Vee was
exceptionally powerful for an Ontarian and E’Lanna had been a
Mystic as well. “I don’t know.” He slipped the disk into his pocket
as he pondered the question. “It has only been in recent years that
Rodyte technology has enabled them to emulate our abilities.”

“And protect themselves from your
abilities.”

Drakkin hid a smile. She’d obviously been
indoctrinated by her Rodyte captors. Her attitudes would change
naturally as she explored her own abilities, so he didn’t argue the
point. “How did you end up in
Star-Crossed
? Weren’t you
worried about the Rodytes finding you?”

“As you said before, I didn’t realize I was a
prisoner.” She paused, her gaze shuttered and cold. “I have only
your word that any of this is true. Why should I believe you?”

Keeping his touch light, Drakkin eased into
her mind. He wouldn’t ordinarily intrude, but she was in far more
danger than she realized. An impressive shield surrounded her
thoughts and emotions. Who had taught her to shield her mind? If he
pushed any harder, she’d detect his presence. With a frustrated
sigh, he withdrew. He needed to gain her trust and gain it
quickly.

“Have you ever been to Bilarri?” he
asked.

“I told you, I spent my entire life aboard
various ships.”

“And none of those ships ever entered
Bilarrian space?”

“I don’t know.” Her tone was sharp and
impatient, but he wasn’t sure if frustration or fear accounted for
the change in her voice. “When you never get off the ship,
destinations become irrelevant.”

He held out his hand and tried to capture her
gaze. She looked everywhere but at him. “How many moons orbit
Rodymia?”

Her eyes rolled slightly as she looked at
him. “One.”

“Bilarri has three. If you can see more than
one moon, you’ll know we’re not on Rodymia.”

After a moment’s hesitation, she took his
hand. He held the entrance flaps aside as she passed through the
opening. The gauzy
k’fal
floated around her slender body,
teasing him with hints of the curves concealed beneath.
Stay on
task. She needs a mentor, not a lover.

A brisk wind swept across the campsite.
Drakkin positioned his body behind her, protecting her from the
swirling sand. She looked out across the endless, rolling dunes. He
rested his hands on her shoulders, resisting the urge to bury his
face in her hair. Two of Bilarri’s moons hovered in the
distance.

“This doesn’t prove we’re on Bilarri.” As she
turned, the wind wrapped her hair around his torso, surrounding him
with her unique scent. “At least I’m certain we’re not on Rodymia.”
She allowed herself a half smile then ducked back inside the
nenalte
.

Drakkin tried not to watch her rounded behind
as she stooped to enter the tent, but the position was just too
tempting. She was too tempting. Her voice was slightly throaty yet
smooth. He longed to feel her hair slip through his fingers or
swirl against his chest as she straddled his hips. Were her nipples
crimson as Indric predicted? It didn’t matter! There was far more
at stake than physical pleasure. Reinforcing his determination, he
joined her in the tent.

“Is it always so inhospitable here?” She
brushed sand particles off her skirt and finger combed her hair.
“Why would anyone choose to live here?”

“If you know the desert’s secrets, it can be
quite beautiful.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“Las Vegas was built in the middle of a
desert. You seemed to like it there.”

“Las Vegas had air conditioning and
electricity.”

She was still locked into the Rodyte mindset.
He walked to the nearest wall and splayed his fingers against the
fabric. “Tell me when you’re comfortable.” Summoning water from
beneath the sand, he saturated the tent’s fibers. Then he commanded
the weave to loosen, allowing air to pass through the damp threads
while keeping the sand at bay.

“It feels cooler already.” She moved up next
to him, her hand hovering over the colorful wall. “What are you
doing?”

“A simple manipulation.” He clasped his hands
behind his back and gazed into her eyes. “If you have half the
aptitude your father had, you’ll have little need for
technology.”

Shaking her head, she lowered her arm and
glanced away from his face. “You said the Rodytes were using me to
control him. If he’s dead, why would I still be in danger? They
have no reason to want me now.”

“I wish that were true. You’re a member of
the Royal House of Aune and the Rodytes held you captive. That
cannot go unpunished.”

Her lips thinned for a moment then she
chuckled and she shook her head. “Did you throw that bit in because
I asked if I could be a princess?”

Astonishment unfurled within him as her
reaction registered. She didn’t believe him. He thought they’d
gained more ground than this. “What do I gain by concocting this
story?”

“You tell me. What do you gain by holding me
prisoner?”

“You are not a prisoner.”

“Then take me back to Earth.” She met his
gaze, shoulders squared, chin raised.

“It’s too dangerous.”

“Of course it is.” She said nothing for a
moment, her expression hostile. “If Vee had no idea where I was,
then how did you find me?”

“Your father kept a journal detailing
everything that happened at the Conservatory. As his mentor, I
validated each entry and then entered them into the Wisdom of the
Ages.”

Her gaze widened and she took a step back.
Was she impressed or frightened? “You have connections with the
Symposium?”

It was clearly admiration in her tone not
fear. Her reaction both surprised and pleased him. The Symposium
was an interplanetary council. Still, most associated it with
Bilarri. He had expected her attitude to reflect the same Rodyte
taint that had colored the rest of her thinking. “Is there
something you need researched?” If he admitted he was a founding
member and the current director of the Symposium, it would sound as
if he were trying to impress her. Which wasn’t necessarily a bad
idea.

“When you’re stuck on a ship for years on
end, you do a lot of reading. It seemed no matter the topic, my
searches led to the Wisdom of the Ages.”

She tried to wave away the subject, but
Drakkin wasn’t quite ready to let it go. “You weren’t impressed
with physical evidence supporting my story. Why does my occupation
put you at ease?”

“I’m far from at ease,” she stressed, “but
this balances the fact that you’re a sorcerer.”

She said “sorcerer” as if it were something
utterly undesirable. How very Rodyte of her. “I’ll accept whatever
concession you’re willing to grant, but I still don’t
understand.”

“Members of the Symposium are known for their
integrity and neutrality. They are steadfast in their pursuit of
truth and do not tolerate any manipulation of the facts. You
mentioned this almost in passing. You weren’t using it to change my
mind.”

Thrilled that he’d stumbled on to something
that added to his credibility, he simply smiled and allowed her own
conclusion to take root within her mind.

“Did Vee mention me in one of the journal
entries?”

“He captured your image in the crystal disk
and sent it to me on the day he was murdered. I teleported to
Ontariese when I felt his passing, so the package was waiting for
me when I returned.”

“That’s kind of creepy.”

Her candor made him smile. “I returned to
Ontariese and learned that Vee’s apprentice Evan had stolen the
journal and teleported off-world. When I spoke with Evan, he
explained that a spontaneous vision had taken control of his
teleportation. Guess where he ended up?”

“On Earth?” She tucked a strand of hair
behind her ear, her hand trembling just a bit.

“Not just Earth. He materialized in the hotel
where
Star-Crossed
is performed.” Drakkin chuckled. “We’re
probably lucky he didn’t end up onstage.”

“This happened after Vee died? How could…?
Did Vee tell Evan about me?” For the first time since the
conversation began, she sounded as if she was sorting through facts
rather than indulging her captor.

“Vee used coded journal entries to reveal
that he was being coerced by the Rodytes. Up until the moment his
spirit left his body, he was fighting to keep you safe. I think the
journal triggered Evan’s vision and the vision itself was a seeker
pulse preprogrammed to locate you.”

She licked her lips and fiddled with her
hair. Her fascination with the strands increased with her
nervousness. “The day I teleported to Earth, I heard a voice inside
my head. Actually it was a conversation. A voice I didn’t recognize
told Faujer that his mission was over and ordered him to bring me
to wherever the other man was.”

“Who was Faujer?”

“That’s complicated.” She stepped just out of
reach.

Tension banded Drakkin’s chest. It was
unrealistic to hope she was still untouched, but he didn’t want to
think of her in the arms of another man.
Ever.
He tried to
shake away the possessiveness. She didn’t belong to him. But that
fact didn’t seem to matter.