Page 49 of Veiled Fate
“Don’t be too long,” I said, stretching languidly, giving him an eyeful before I slid the covers up.
“Tease,” he murmured, shaking his head as the person repeated the two-three-one-two pattern of knocks a second time.
“Only until you’re back here,” I murmured just loud enough for him to hear.
He rolled his eyes. Then banged a three-one-two pattern on the door.
There was a pause, then a counter-signal of knocking from outside. Two-two-three.
Kiel sighed audibly and pulled the door open. “What is it?”
“I don’t know,” the other person said. “But it can’t be good.”
Kiel looked back at me, making a motion that I assumed meant, “Get dressed.” Wishing pointlessly that we could just have had abitmore time for the two of us without yet another interruption, I got out of bed, biting back a smile as Kiel closed the door and stared at me.
He’d seen me naked plenty of times before, but the intentness with which he watched, his eyes drinking in every inch of my skin, spending inordinate amounts of focus on my breasts and between my legs, set me buzzing again.
“I hate interruptions,” I murmured into his ear as I finished dressing and joined him at the door. “Find me a place where nobody can interrupt us, will you?”
“When I can,” he promised, carnal flames dancing in his eyes. “When I can.”
“Good. Now, let’s see what new disaster we have to deal with.” I gestured for him to open the door.
“We don’t know it’s a disaster,” he countered, swinging the door open and stepping back so the contact could enter.
“It probably won’t be good,” the other shifter said, a young man, perhaps four or five years older than myself. He wore a nondescript brown shirt and black pants, his straw-brown hair long and braided, as was the style.
“We’ll be the judge of that,” Kiel said. “What is it?”
“That’s just the thing,” the rebel said, licking his lips. “I don’t know.”
“Well, who does?”
“Nobody. Whatever it is, it hasn’t happened yet, but word is spreading all over town that Lycaonus will make an announcement.”
“An announcement?” I echoed. “What about?”
“Arcadus’ death,” Kiel stated.
Both the rebel and I shook our heads.
“He’s doing it in Grand Square. In an hour. Wouldn’t he do something like that from the palace?”
“And even though word is spreading about Arcadus, none of the other Alphas will acknowledge it,” I added. “Not until they know how to respond.”
“I think you’re wrong there,” Kiel said slowly, thoughtfully.
“Which part?”
“The first,” he said grimly, nodding as his thoughts came together. “But absolutely right about the second. No response has come yet, because Lycaonus hadn’t fully decided how to respond. I think that’s changed. I think he’s ready, and we’re about to find out whatever it is he’s got in mind.”
I wanted to argue, to say it was too fast.
“Shit,” I said instead, clenching a fist. “He’s right. This is going to be his response.”
“You two should get out of town, then,” the other rebel said. “Right? I mean, you’re the ones he wants.”
“We’re not leaving,” Kiel said. “Not yet. If Lycaonus knew where we were, that we werehere, inside his city, then we would have been surrounded by Volk hours ago. No, this is something else. I only fearwhat.”
