Page 50 of Oaths & Vengeance
I gave him a cunning smile. “What if I told you I know for a fact that Aella can open any portal on this planet?”
“That can’t be true.” He stiffened. “She wouldn’t have restricted herself to our border villages if she could go deeper.”
“I tested her and assure you she hasn’t come to Darynia only because she doesn’t know the rune sequence. She can open any portal where she does have it. As for her not going deeper, she walks a fine line with her uncle. She does enough to stay in his good graces but lies about how much she can do. He has no idea she can transport him much farther.”
My father rubbed his jaw. “Why is she asleep?”
“Lord Morgunn placed a curse on her long ago, so if she ever tries to flee from him—willingly or not—she is rendered unconscious until she is returned to him.” I shifted Aella in my arms. “As soon as I told her she would not be allowed to leave Veronna, she passed out. Hasn’t stirred since.”
“That explains why you didn’t take her from Morgunn after marrying,” he surmised, studying her delicate features. “She doesn’t do anyone much good like this.”
I nodded. “Yes.”
There were other reasons my father didn’t know, but I’d let him think what he liked.
“Take her to one of the chambers near yours, then meet me in my office,” Lord Gannon said, spinning on his heels and heading back into the castle.
I did as ordered, choosing the room next to mine. It probably didn’t matter where I put her since she’d never know the difference, but she was vulnerable. I wanted her close during her stay to ensure her safety. The door between our chambers, usually convenient for my mistresses, would give me that peace of mind. My plan would require at least two or three days to enact. She’d stay on this bed until it was time to return her.
I gently laid her on the mattress, ensuring her head rested comfortably on the pillow. Next, I pulled her blonde braid over her shoulder and folded her hands over her stomach. She appeared utterly peaceful, sleeping there, even in her plain battle garb. It was such a dichotomy with how she looked at me while awake—full of suspicion and annoyance. I couldn’t wait for those expressions to return because this version of Aella made her seem far too innocent for my liking. Unable to help myself, I leaned down and kissed her forehead softly.
“Try not to dream of me, will you?” I whispered and forced myself to walk away.
After locking the door with a key, I moved swiftly to my father’s office. I found him inside with a glass in his hand. “Perhaps you should explain from the beginning why you decided to marry our enemy’s niece. As you know, with your mother, such alliances often do not work out. This arrangement won’t even bring us peace since it’s too late for that bargain.”
I detailed the night Aella appeared at the tavern in Siggaya, leaving little out. Then, the days that followed leading up to our marriage. “She is powerful and brave, though I don’t trust her, of course. It is why I had her ring spelled for concealment from her family, and so I could always track her location within a quarter mile.”
“I would have talked you out of this if you’d brought the plan to me first,” Lord Gannon said, a stern look on his face.
“Yes,” I agreed. It was why it was better to ask forgiveness after the fact.
He rubbed his face. “But then, I wouldn’t have seen the two of you together.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” I asked.
“She’s your true mate, though I can’t imagine a worse possible pair.”
I stiffened. “That can’t be true.”
“Very few know this, but I can sense true mates if I spend a few minutes close to a couple. My first wife was mine.” He shook his head, lost in memory for a moment. “I couldn’t love her, of course, but something still breaks through our curse, making us very protective of the one fated for us. I could see it clearly by how you held her when I came close to you.”
That explained so many things, such as why I could not truly harm her even before our vows, and possibly the same reason she hesitated with me on the battlefield and in the tavern. True mates could not seriously injure one another, and normally, it would only take a kiss to recognize the connection. My family’s paternal line curse ensured we could not do so, nor could our intended. At least, that was what my father and grandfather had always told me.
“How is it possible you have that gift, and it works with us?” I asked, confused.
He shrugged. “I have no idea, except it is mostly useless. It did help me recognize my first wife when choosing a bride, and despite everything that followed, she was perfect for me. I’m only sorry my lack of love and understanding ultimately made her miserable.”
“I’ve made it clear to Aella that our marriage will be one of business and convenience,” I said, glad I’d told her as much from the start.
My father gave me a rueful smile. “Your souls will still call to each other. For you, strong feelings won’t be part of it, but you’ll still want to protect her and be with her physically. I couldn’t get enough of my first wife. As for Aella, she will feel the pull toward you as well. You’re her other half, so she won’t be able to resist that for long, though living apart will help delay the inevitable. Ultimately, I’m sorry to say, you’ll make her miserable as all the men of our line have done to our wives.”
That was something I was well aware of since my grandfather had explained it to me in detail when I came of age. Lack of love wasn’t our only curse, but also failed relationships.
“Perhaps fate had mercy on me by granting the one woman who might be able to help us end this problem,” I said, pacing the floor. “We know the Naforya Fountain is not on this planet, and we continue to find clues to where it might have gone, but none of that will mean anything without someone powerful enough to open a cross-galaxy portal.”
My father nodded. “You could be right about her, which is why I’ll allow this misdeed to go unpunished. I can hardly argue your intentions when they will benefit our family, as well as the planet. Just last week, we discovered another area in the south is beginning to die faster than I’ve seen before. Spring crops that had begun to grow withered within days.”
I swore under my breath. Normally, it took weeks or months for that to happen. Finding the fountain would solve so many problems. For the last ten years, we’d seen the damaging effects on Paxia rapidly get worse. It was impossible to guess how much time we had remaining before it would be too late.
