Page 44 of Tamed

“I’ll do it,” she said firmly.

“I’m thrilled.” Domar pushed to her feet and stepped closer to Jessie. “I asked to speak with you first because you’re clearly a leader. Can I count on you to help me convince the others?”

“You leave the others to me. I know just what to say. Convincing them won’t be a problem.”

Smiling broadly, Domar dipped her head. “You won’t regret it. Welcome to the service of Emperor Verbet.”

CHAPTER 6

Back straight, legs crossed in front of her, Kendra sat on the padded floor in a small training room and attempted to ‘center’ her mind. The room was unadorned, with little furniture and no distractions. Provost Nadis sat near the door, silent and still. The environment was perfect for developing focus, yet each time Kendra tried to meditate, her mind filled with unimportant thoughts and images. Well, unimportant wasn’t the right word. More like counterproductive.

Hearing both of her mates say the L word released something deep inside Kendra. She felt restless and needy, and no amount of mental discipline could banish the hunger. Her friends often described the intimacy of a soul bond. They had continual support and companionship, and sex was enriched in ways that Kendra could barely imagine. Kendra had glimpsed the intimacy they enjoyed and she desperately wanted more.

“You should stop fighting your instincts and let them claim you.”

Provost Nadis’ authoritative voice drew Kendra out of her half-formed trance. Nadis was monitoring Kendra’s pathetic attempt at meditation so the comment didn’t surprise her. She’d given the provost permission to scan her thoughts and Nadis doubtlessly sensed her restlessness.

Blinking her eyes open, Kendra looked at her favorite mentor. Well, her favorite female mentor. Arcon was her favorite mentor. “I’m not ready. I still have concerns.”

“You don’t need to give me details, but what is the nature of your concern?”

Nadis was part of a triad, had been for many years. She might be the perfect person to help Kendra work through her frustrations. “Arcon and Zevon both have very strong personalities. I’m not sure I can keep up. I don’t want to lose my identity. I would never be content as someone’s mate if that was all I was allowed to be.”

After studying Kendra for a moment Nadis shook her head. “You really don’t understand your own power, do you? Seers are extremely rare and extremely powerful. You could never be lost in the melding. It will only make you stronger.”

“I’ve had one vision and a couple of impressions that didn’t amount to anything,” Kendra grumbled. “That’s not much of a seer.”

“Do you believe in a higher power, a force that guides the events in your life?”

“Are you talking about fate or God?”

Nadis shrugged. “Something in between. We call it anulix or the drawing. It is the force that pulls soulmates toward each other lifetime after lifetime.”

Kendra smiled. It was a romantic notion, but she didn’t believe in reincarnation, much less fated mates.

“I’m sure that physical appearance drew you to Arcon,” Nadis stated. “He is unusually handsome. What drew you to Zevon?”

Kendra thought about it for a moment but couldn’t come up with a concise answer. “I’m not sure. His strength and confidence. I don’t know. He just fascinated me.”

“And he felt the same about you?”

Easily guessing where Nadis was going with this, Kendra asked, “You think our attraction was anulix?”

Nadis crossed her legs and pressed back into her seat. “I do and I’ll explain why. Zevon’s mother was a powerful seer. Not only did she have prophetic visions, but she could send her spirit into the body of others and perceive what they were experiencing. To my knowledge, she was the only conduit in recent history with the gift.”

It was a fascinating concept, and an interesting coincidence, but Kendra wasn’t sure what it proved. “Zevon never mentioned the gift. Is he able to do it?”

Nadis shook her head. “The gift manifests in conduits and he has yet to claim his mate.”

Kendra had to admit that she found the idea intriguing. Had some mystical force drawn her toward another seer so this rare and powerful gift could be passed on?

“What are Arcon’s gifts?” Nadis asked casually, but a cunning gleam shone in her eyes. She clearly knew the answer, so why ask?

“He’s telepathic and mildly clairvoyant.” Kendra thought back over their conversations and realized that she knew his background and family history, but he’d never listed his abilities. “He’s a wonderful teacher, but I’ve never seen his power in action.”

“Arcon can sense danger. He can read people and objects, even situations. The last part is much more impressive than the first. He has prophetic visions and psychic dreams. In other words, his abilities are similar to yours.”

It had been three weeks since they released her power. Why hadn’t Arcon told her any of this? “He is helping me focus my mind and access my clairvoyance, but he never told me that he was a seer.”

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