Page 8 of Cursed Gift

“I’ll return. I don’t make promises I can’t keep. This one, I know in my heart will be true. I’ll be gone only but a day.” He made space between us, pulling away so I could see his eyes when he spoke. “I just need to make sure my clan is safe-guarded from the threat.”

I opened my mouth, but he held up a finger.

“Whatever it is I don’t know, you’ll tell me. I know it. First thing’s first though. The car is already waiting for me.”

Dejected, I sat up, forcing him back. “I wish I could go with you.”

His palm cupped my cheek. “One day. Right now, we both have duty that calls us our separate ways, but not for long.” He kissed my cheek, his mouth lingering near my ear. “Be back soon, my princess.” He touched the bracelet I wore on my wrist all the time now. “I’ll be with you.”

I couldn’t let him leave without one solid kiss, promising one another there was more to come when he returned.

After a minute, he left. He didn’t look back as he made his way toward the door and I didn’t wonder why. If he looked back, he might never leave.

He was right. Each of us had duties to attend to. No matter what.

OceanofPDF.com

Chapter Four

In my admittedly short life I’d never seen anything like it.

The outrage, the worry, the fear. It was the fear that spoke to me the most. The dilation of the pupils, the hands that reached for their loved ones sitting near them. Even those who sat next to strangers reached out instinctively for something to grab onto. Worse yet, some of those hands grabbed only air and it made my heart ache.

I watched all this from the makeshift Council room at The Fort again. With all the guards that were normally stationed there and added to that the extra security that had been brought in because of my mate choosing, this was the most logical place to be. With the news about Clan Chang, this felt safe. As safe as safe could feel like right now.

I imagined Clan Chang also felt safe, only to be slaughtered one by one. Su… Though I didn’t know him, I wondered what he thought about in his last moments. Was it the same fear whose tendrils reached for me now? Or was it something else? Defiance. Anger. Sorrow. A life cut too short.Manylives cut too short.

Out of all the stories I’d been told growing up, one would think I’d be used to chaos. But being told of it and living through it were two different things. I marveled at my parents as they fielded the questions lobbied at them like grenades. Each one more terrifying than the next.

What should we do?

Should we stay?

Are we safer together, or apart?

I was of the mind we were safer together…always. But perhaps Su and his family would disagree. Massacred together until only a bloody heap remained. But, we had a leg up on them. We knew something was going on. They weren’t prepared. To them, all had been normal. At least we were running on an advanced warning.

After Papa Christian brought the meeting to an end, I retreated out the back hallway. I wandered aimlessly until I spilled out on the lawn of the side campus. The sun shone like dazzling stars overhead, filtered through the mesh that made it much safer for me to be outside than if the sun’s rays were to directly hit me. Such sad, awful news on such a beautiful day.

The door creaked open after I’d only been out there a minute or so. Hands came to rest on my shoulders and I relaxed. I should’ve known Alexei would be the first to find me. As my best friend, he’d always been there. No matter what. Even when I didn’t like what he was saying, I knew he was doing it for my own benefit.

“Your parents are discussing when and who to send to Clan Chang’s headquarters. Li is vowing to go with them. He wants to give his clan proper burials.”

“I have to go,” I told him, my teeth gritted together. If I couldn’t do anything to prevent it, I could do something in the aftermath.

“Wehave to go,” Alexei said.

I nodded and reached my hand back. To my relief, his hand molded into mine. He walked to stand in front of me. His blue eyes that arresting color. His hand came up to cup my cheek, and I snuggled into it. After a moment, I said, “It’s happening.”

When he didn’t say anything, I let my gaze meet his. Eyes like the deepest depths of the ocean drew me in. “It’sourturn,” he said. “Our parents have done enough to keep our people safe. Lord knows you and I have heard the stories time and time again. It’s our time now.”

I nodded, stepping forward to reach up to him. I paused mere inches from his lips, committing the curve to memory before placing a soft kiss there and drawing back to the earth as if I never left it.

The door creaked open again, and I looked over Alexei’s shoulders to find Rafe, Theo, Felix, and Calen exit. Alexei stepped back but still held my hand. The others didn’t blink at our casual touch and I anchored my hand there more firmly, needing the familiar touch like I needed to be told this was all just a dream and the happy times of choosing my mates could commence again at any moment.

Felix spoke up first. “I imagine you’ll be wanting to go to China.”

“Me too,” Calen said. “My father’s returning to our clan lands to ensure their safety. They’ll be looking for me to bring back information about who or what has done this.”

---