Page 15 of King of Knights

“You know you don’t have to do this. I can manage on my own,” I say tiredly.

“And leave you to spend hours exhausting yourself and that baby? I don’t see why you won’t tell Zandra and Annaniah. We’d make it through all of this so much faster,” she groans.

“I don’t think that’s wise for now. They are young and talk too much.”

“Gods forbid the father of that child finds out,” she says and rolls her eyes, her words dripping with sarcasm.

“I will tell him when the time is right,” I bite out in frustration.

“Have you thought for once that he may know the answer or someone who could provide one?”

“No, I have not because erasing his true mate may not be something he desires.”

“Which is why we shouldn’t be doing this.”

I look at my sister with wide eyes. Her skin is glowing, and her eyes are changing color—almost as if flashing between her natural warm brown and a fiery bright orange. My mouth falls open. This has never happened before.

However, I’ve been sensing a change in her power in the last few days. At first, I thought it was a result of the spell I’ve been casting, but something else is going on here.

“Yanique,” I gasp.

She closes her eyes and takes a calming breath. I watch as the glow slowly dies down. The scrolls before me are forgotten.

“Forgive me,” she whispers. “I didn’t mean to lose my temper. This is just so dangerous and doesn’t feel right. I beg of you, reconsider and speak with Kendrick.”

I swallow hard and shake my head. “And if I lose him… Maybe not once I tell him, but how about a year after the baby is born or ten years or fifteen? His true mate could appear and then what will me and my child do? You do understand there’s no rejecting his true mate. It will be her over me.”

“Yes, I understand. I know better than you can imagine. This is wrong. Nothing good can come of it. You are playing in things that aren’t meant for us to touch.”

Her eyes are glowing again. I place my hands over my belly as I get this overwhelming, strange feeling. Yanique closes her eyes again and places a hand to her head.

“I’m sorry, I’m not feeling well.”

“Let us continue this another time. I think I’ve reached my limit for the day as well.”

“I will walk home with you.”

“Thank you.”

I stand and move to the wall next to the bookshelves in this area. I wave my hand before the hidden place I’ve created for the scrolls. The wall vanishes and reveals an opening. I place the scrolls inside with the others and quickly hide them away once again.

I furrow my brows as I gather my notes and my satchel. I’ve been so consumed with my quest I haven’t been checking in with my sisters as much as I should.

I make a mental note to sit with them all and see if I sense changes in the others. From now on, I plan to keep a closer eye on Yanique as well. Moving our powers along too fast or in an unnatural manner could cause us to go mad and lose control.

I’m not saying she’s unstable, but that wasn’t normal. In fact, it looked more like the powers of…

No.

I also need rest. Maybe I’m seeing things in my exhaustion. It could be the spell. Yes, I’m seeing things. I need some rest.

* * *

Kendrick

“What ails you,my love? You look exhausted,” I murmur against Venus’s temple.

I’ve been watching her since I arrived. She’s not her usual self. Her smiles haven’t met her eyes the same and she’s been distracted.

---