“When you were grown. Some people lose loved ones for reasons they want to have explained and no one can. Perhaps they were told one too many times it was the will of the Lost God.”
The door of his apartment appeared, and we scurried forward. He put a hand on my back to guide me in.
“Elex, no one believes the Lost God can do anything about an accidental death, do they?”
“They do.” He shut the door firmly.
“Then they don’t understand what the word lost means, do they?” The words came out far more harshly than I wanted.
“Why are we locked here in S’Kir?” he asked. “Why are we divided from the vampires? Why is the gate forbidden? Haven’t you ever wondered about any of this? I know some stories and legends kept us occupied as children, but the more I’ve spoken to Drez, the more I realize we have been lied to.”
I opened my mouth to yell at him, but he put a finger to my lips. “No, Kimber. I think we have been lied to—but I do not believe it was wrong of them to keep the truth from us. I am with the temple. I am with you. I just want you to know what we are facing now.
“Mistress Danai died, and you were nearly kidnapped because there are people out there who know there are lies and want the liars exposed.”
My breath hissed out as I shook my head. “Shouldn’t they be?”
“What would the consequences be if we revealed the liars and exposed the lies? That’s what they, the rebels, aren’t thinking about.”
“Lying is bad.”
“Lies are necessary. The temple must sometimes do things that aren’t always clean and good. That is the way of politics, the way government runs. Our Lost God is lost, but what happened?”
“He went on a noble quest—”
Elex’s noises of disgust filled the room as he turned away from me. “Children’s stories! Kimber, those are children’s stories. We all know they are meant to placate the little ones to keep them from having terrible nightmares.”
“I teach children, Elex. I teach those stories.”
“And you never doubted them?”
My protest died on my lips. Of course, I had doubted them. I had doubted them since I was little. They were twisted and filled with plot holes and bad reasoning.
But I didn’t feel that they were lies. “They were stories for children. Do adults still believe in the infallibility of childhood fairy tales?”
“If they stick their head in the sand.”
I was astonished.
I dropped to his couch, exhausted. “How long have you been plotting with Drez?”
Sitting down next to me, Elex took my hand. “Kimber. I’m not plotting. He’s not plotting. There’s nothing bad about what he and his family does. They want to protect the temple and the people.
“I only found about Drez’s association with them after you were taken from the dance. He talked to Jallina and me. Apparently, Arik already knew and filled in his mate.”
“Milgran…”
His hand clutched mine. “No. Never. Don’t ever speak to Milgran about anything. Don’t ever speak to anyone but us about this… Not any of the temple masters, no one.”
“So I am truly this na?ve?”
Dropping a sweet kiss on my forehead. “You are goodness personified, Kimber. We all wanted you to keep that goodness. But the magic… Well, I guess it has other ideas. Drez broke his own ‘don’t tell Kimber’ rule, so I’m free to bring you in on this now.”
“You really wanted to protect me this much?”
His big, warm hand touched my cheek and turned my head to catch my gaze. “Yes, I do. I don’t think you know how much I have always wanted to protect you.”
My insides liquefied instantly. He was so overwhelmingly sincere, and his eyes lit with desire in the next moment. He dropped his head, and his lips brushed against mine—
Bang! Bang!
The urgent knock on the door broke the spell.
“Shit.” Elex spat the word. He stood and adjusted himself—he was already turned on.
I couldn’t stop the small chuckle.
He gave me a playfully angry look as he headed for the door to answer it. He had a wicked lust in his eyes, and I knew I wouldn’t be returning to my apartments tonight.
The reason why changed as soon as Elex opened the door. A messenger stood there in full temple livery.
“The masters and mistresses of the temple demand an immediate audience with the Lady Raven.” His words were clipped and efficient. “Lord Everettson may join her.”
With a stiff bow, he was out of the doorway and holding the carriage open for us.
They’d sent a carriage?
Elex stretched his hand out and motioned me forward.
I could see my own disappointment in his eyes. I’d just wanted to spend time with him and forget the mess of my life in his arms and bed for only one night.
“I know, Kimber,” he whispered, helping me up, “I promise I’ll make it up to you.”
The edge of my lips quirked up.
I liked his promises.
*
The masters had moved into the dormitory. They were all disappointed with the apartments, and I had found the fortitude to scold them all at their privilege.
Really, though, the apartments they did move into were beyond what the commoner would have.
Certainly larger than anything I’d ever had.
They’d all been spoiled by their lavish palace. It was impossible to avoid being spoiled when a life could literally be immortal.
Still, they’d all started to adapt.
Except for Master Dorian. Of course.
I couldn’t see anything wrong with the dormitories. They were gorgeous and lavish really, with arched windows and huge, ornate doors that were welcoming if slightly intimidating.
The carriage stopped in front of the main doors.
Elex climbed out after the driver opened the door and held his hand out to me to help me out. He motioned me to walk ahead of him since they had summoned me.
It made sense.
We walked through the main doors to the stairs and headed up. There were five floors. I was beyond tired after the past few days. I didn’t know how much longer I could stay on my feet.
Two men waited on either side of the door. They were mirror identical to each other, and it was confusing to my poor, tired mind.
They had one blue and one brown eye, with shaggy brown-blond hair, broad shoulders, tanned skin, and the faint smell of ocean around them.
Strangely, though, I felt a pull toward them. One I couldn’t place or name.
In perfect sync, the two of them opened the doors to the sitting area to admit Elex and me.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I heard my own thoughts: Gods, they are gorgeous specimens.
I shook it off and headed into the sitting area, and the two doormen followed us in, shutting the door. The scent of ocean followed them in.
Master Dorian and Tymon sat in two of the chairs, Lunella sat on Tymon’s right, and the twins moved to sit on Master Dorian’s right.
Most of the twelve masters had gathered in the room. Only two seats were empty.
“Good evening, Mistress Raven,” Tymon said, with a nod.
Elex bowed while I curtsied. “Good evening, masters.”
Lunella gestured to the identical men. “I would like you to meet Masters Rilen and Roran. They are from the Temple of the Spine at the Northern Sea. They came to say good-bye to Danai.”
My heart hurt for a moment, but I was too tired to cry again.
Master Dorian stared at me.
I had never been able to read him, and now it was worse. Not only was his face stony, but there was no sense of him. The magic cut off around him, making him a blank.
Tymon moved to where Elex and I were waiting.
“Miss Raven, by the nearly unanimous vote of this council, we are, as of tonight, raising you to the seat of a master.”
My legs gave out and wouldn’t hold me. Elex caught me before I hit the floor.
“Master?” Elex asked, steadying me.
“We have a vacant seat,” Tymon said. “We need all the seats filled, especially now. Kimber is our most logical candidate.”
“I’m weak,” I mumbled.
I wasn’t sure if I was talking about my legs or my magic.
“We need you.”
I forced my feet to hold me again. “I’ve never been a master magic wielder, and you all know it. I’m a teacher. Look what happened to me in the garden the other day. I’m not suited to that chair. Not any more than a horse or chicken might be.”
Master Dorian chuckled.