Falling in Love with the King of Beasts

KALLE

Kalle had run to the library and found six books that she thought might have something Elia was looking for. While she was walking, she'd also texted her grandmother, who was going to gather a few more things together for the dreaming—but she said she'd already found a few more options that might have something for Elia about becoming Anima—though she made no promises.

Kalle thanked her and hurried back to the suite.

She had the strangest tightness in her chest being away from Gahrye. It wasn't like other relationships she'd been in where she was infatuated and just wanted to be close to the guy. This was… this felt like when she was apart from him a piece of her was missing. As if there were a hole in her chest that only his presence and his touch could fill.

She was married. She still couldn't quite believe it. But she'd known when Gahrye made the vow, when she made her promises to him, that this was much more than a declaration.

She was mated. And she couldn't believe it—something she'd always wished would happen to her, but had never seriously considered. But Gahrye kept saying they would be forced apart, and now, this morning, when she was only two floors away from him, the thought put panic in her heart.

She had to find a way to stay with him. Or keep him here. Or something!

When she pushed the door open into the suite, a wave of relief rushed over her as soon as she could see his face.

He and Elia had been talking, both looking very serious. But when she stepped inside, his eyes rose to her and his face lit up.

She didn't deserve that. She'd done nothing to earn him looking at her like that. But fuck she loved it when he did.

She hurried across the room, practically dumped the books on the couch next to Elia, and was talking to her while she rushed over to stand next to Gahrye's chair. Except, as she got there, he took her wrist and pulled her down into his lap. Which was embarrassing, but Elia just smiled sadly.

Clearly her mate had done similar things to her.

"That top one is an actual account of the types of magic in the Anima records, so it's probably your best bet," Kalle said, her skin shivering as Gahrye's hand trailed up and down her back. "But the others all have sections on magic and telepathy—I know I've read accounts of Anima mind-connecting before, but I honestly couldn't remember where. I'm hoping there will be an account in one of those."

"Thank you, Kalle," Elia said, picking up the top book and flipping it open. "I'll go through these today."

There was a pause where none of them spoke, then Kalle looked at Gahrye, then back at Elia. "You know… my uncle knows a lot of things I don't. And… he's really eager to talk to you both about the traverse and the leadership." When both of them tensed, she rushed on. "He gives these interviews to every Anima that comes through, they aren't personal to you. And I'm wondering… I'm wondering if you told him what he needs to know if he might help you. Or at least, give you some clues? I'm guessing if we laid this all out for him, he'll know things me and Grandma don't. He's fascinated with you guys. He's done nothing but study you since he was a child."

Gahrye sighed behind her, but Elia's face went dark. "I don't want to talk about the voices," she muttered. "I don't even want to think about them."

"I know, I know," she said, twining her fingers with Gahrye's, who had wrapped his hand around her waist. "I just… I really think he might be able to help. And you don't have to tell him anything you don't want to. I mean, don't lie—he's surprisingly good at analyzing people. And lying to him just makes him more determined to get to the bottom of whatever it is. But he knows so much about the Anima and the world—and even the traverse and going between the worlds. He hardly ever has to open a book anymore. He remembers stuff like a computer. He would be really useful to talk to about all this. And now that he knows you can shift…"

"What's a computer?" Gahrye asked curiously.

"It's a machine that keeps information and shares it with when you ask… imagine that every word in every book about the Anima had been copied into it. You could search through it just by telling it words you wanted to find, or the name of a book you needed. It would do all the searching for you."

"Then why haven't we used this computer before? Instead of all this hunting page by page?"

Kalle and Elia shared a small smile. "It would need a person to type every word that was ever written in the histories, into the computer and…" she started a lengthy explanation, but when she turned to catch his eyes, she could see it was going straight over his head. Kalle shook her head. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. The Anima histories will never be put into a computer, because it's too risky that they can then be stolen or seen by someone else."

Gahrye frowned. "How? If we keep the computer here—"

"Computers can talk to each other. Silently. Through the air. Like my phone," Kalle explained gently, stroking his arm. "If the wrong person connected with the computer, they would be able to read or copy everything on it just by pushing a few buttons."

Gharye shook his head. "It is you humans who have the magic we should be worried about," he said darkly.

Elia and Kalle both stifled laughter. "It isn't magic, I promise," Kalle said.

Gahrye looked skeptical, but Elia piped up then and Kalle turned away from him.

"You say Shaw might know of things you or your grandmother don't?" she said softly.

Kalle nodded. Gahrye's hand tightened on her waist. "I know you don't trust him, I get it. But I think it's just because he's different. I've never seen him act against an Anima before. Ever. He loves you guys."

Gahrye sighed. "It's true that he speaks the truth when he says he wants to help," he admitted reluctantly. "But there is something in the air around him… I cannot trust him."

"Can you work with him, though?" Kalle asked. "Can you tell him enough of your story to feed his appetite, then ask him your questions? Just in case there's something he knows?"

Gahrye and Elia looked at each other. She sighed heavily, but nodded. "Yes, I can. Can you, Gahrye?"

His hands tightened further on Kalle, and she gripped his arm, pulling him in.

"I… I guess," Gahrye said. "But if it comes down to it, I will tell him directly that I am not sharing something if I feel… if my instincts say something isn't right."

Kalle nodded. "That's good. That's the right thing."

She had the feeling he didn't realize how openly he gazed on her then, how much his eyes told her—and Elia, if Elia was paying attention.

Which she clearly was, because she cleared her throat and got to her feet, gathering up the books from the couch. "I'll just take these to my room and get started. You guys… do what you want to do. I'll be here. Make sure you lock the suite door if you leave. If my beast comes out I want no chances that I end up roaming the halls."

They both murmured their agreement to her, but by the time she'd walked through her bedroom door and pushed it closed behind her, she and Gahrye were already in each others arms.

How was she ever going to let him go?