Page 25 of Secrets of Avalon

Kellan tips his head to the side, studying me carefully, but never once drops his magick. His tattoos continue to shimmer and writhe on his skin.

"I'd like to talk to him, Kellan." She touches his arm again.

A knot forms in my throat, an unspoken longing for it to be my arm she's reaching for. An almost primal urge to touch her, to have her skin against mine, consumes me.

He takes a step back, moving her with him, strategically keeping her just out of my reach, like he can sense my urge.

"So." She wrings her hands in front of her. "You said when I saw you before, at the river, you were trying to reach me. Where were we?"

"I’m not sure. I wanted to help you. I'm sorry I couldn't. How did you get through the door into Avalon? No one saw it open on our side. It’s dangerous for you to be here."

She looks at Kellan again instead of answering.

He shrugs, letting her make her own choice.

"The Queen of the Sirens brought me through a fountain. And I’m safe with Kellan."

My heart stutters in my chest. Of course the Siren Queen is involved, which means the rebellion is involved too. The High Counsel will be furious. Another reason for her to be in danger, although Kellan’s presence does alleviate some of their sway. The Drakonii mostly just tolerate the High Council, unlike the rest of us that agreed to bow the knee.

They have two representatives on the council too, but it’s just because they wouldn’t have allowed a council to form without a fair input into its creation.

But why would Nimue bring a human to Avalon? Does she somehow know Melinda is carrying the missing piece of my soul? And if the High Counsel does find out a human is here from Earth, they could choose to execute her just to make a point. "Does anyone else know she brought you here?"

Melinda looks to Kellan again.

Look at me. Just look at me.

"My people know. She came to Drakoné first, and she's under my protection now. No one will speak of where she came from." Kellan speaks quietly, moving to block my view of Melinda yet again.

"What is your problem?" I snarl at him before I can control the feral rage howling inside my chest. Mine.

The flicker of a smile graces his face before he growls at me and bares his fangs. "You look at her like a starving beast. Touch her again and I'll enjoy burning you with my flame."

"Kellan, stop." Melinda pokes her head around his massive body, not at all fazed by his aggressive show.

"Domina, he will take liberties."

"Do not hurt him." She yanks on his arm. She's tiny standing next to him, but he moves under her slight touch as if he has no choice. Perhaps he doesn't. I don't know exactly how the bond works. "Please."

"As you wish, Domina. But if he hurts you, he will experience my wrath."

"Fair enough." She nods, taking a step closer to me. "Can we start over, Prince Stormblood?"

"Start over?" I don’t quite understand what she means by the phrase, but I’m more than willing to do as she asks.

She extends her hand and I take it immediately. My fingers brush against her delicate palm and I suck in a breath. A surge of magick sends a shiver up my spine. It's there, just beneath the surface of her skin, a current of raw, untamed power that dances and whirls. Not…human. She said she came from Earth, but humans don’t have magick. Feeling magick through touch isn’t normal either. So what is she?

Even through the questions whirling in my head, my gaze is helplessly drawn to the soft gold glow radiating from beneath her breastbone, the missing shard of my soul. It's tantalizingly close, a beacon that calls to the deepest part of me.

"Hi, I'm Melinda Mayweather."

"Yes, Lady Melinda," I say her name, relishing each syllable. “I am Prince Hawke Stormblood. Welcome to Avalon.”

The door bursts open behind us.

I whirl to see my brother.

"I finally found you. There was a huge incident in the market. A Drakonii used…" Destrien’s voice trails off when his gaze drifts over my shoulder. "Well, damn, brother."

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