Falling in Love with the King of Beasts

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*****

ELIA

Elia was sitting up in the bed, glaring at Aymora and growling in frustration when Gahrye approached the open door, his expression relaxing when he saw her in human form.

Reth had been standing in the middle of the floor, frowning, while Aymora tried to give her some tips for managing her beast and wrestling back control. But Elia would have sworn that she'd already been doing all the things Aymora had suggested so far. And there was no way to test it unless she was in the beast. But she had no desire to take the risk.

They were all tense and needed a break, so Elia was pleased to see Gahrye. Pleased, and apologetic. 

"I'm sorry things got dramatic yesterday, " she said when he walked in to stand near Reth, a little away from the sleeping platform.

He shrugged. "Seems like everything is dramatic these days. Don't worry about it." But she could see the dark circles under his eyes—and he didn't meet her gaze when he said it.

Her best friend was hurting. She wanted to growl again. 

"Reth, don't have you have a meeting to get to?" she said, her voice casual, though the thought sent a little chill down her spine.

Reth grunted, still eyeing Gahrye, who wasn't meeting his sideways glances, but had his chin jutting out like he was being stubborn.

What had passed between them when she was in the beast?

Aymora looked at both of them, her expression faintly amused.

"Well, I need to talk with Gahrye. So why don't you go have your meeting. And Aymora, we can try this again later. I'm just… I don't feel like I'm getting it."

Aymora flapped hand. "Time and practice is all it will take."

Elia glared again. "The two things I don't have—or don't want to. But anyway, that's for later. Thank you for your help this morning. I'd like to take the tonic, please, since you're both leaving."

"I don't need to leave," Aymora said. "I can watch over—"

"I need to speak with Gahrye privately, and besides, if you don't go now you'll end up getting called away later. I'm always more tired later in the day. And I think that's when I'm the most vulnerable. So Gahrye can watch over me now while you two do the things you need to do. Then we can all be back together this afternoon, right?"

Reth raised an eyebrow at her—was she giving him orders? But he looked more amused than anything else.

"Very well," he said quietly, finally unfolding his arms and approaching the side of the sleeping platform to kiss her goodbye. "Are you certain you'll be okay?"

"Gahrye will stay with me, and I'll sleep. I'll be fine." But her voice was a little too high and they both knew it.

Reth squeezed her hand, then turned to leave, pausing by Gahrye. "If she has any issues, any at all, send someone to get me from the security council building."

Gahrye nodded to him and they clasped hands, though neither of them looked happy about it. Elia made a mental note to ask Gahrye what had happened.

Other than Reth telling him he couldn't return to his mate, of course.

Elia sighed.

Aymora looked a little concerned, but she didn't argue. She gathered the things on the dresser and told them both to call for her if Elia began to feel unwell, then she followed Reth out of the cave, shutting the door behind her.

She and Gahrye both waited until they couldn't hear the footsteps anymore, then as Elia thanked the Creator for the thick walls of the cave that would keep their conversation private, Gahrye finally turned to face her and they stared at each other for a long, quiet moment.

"Gahrye, I'm so sorry," she said quietly. "I never imagined—"

"It's not your fault. To be honest, I had a feeling Reth was going to be resistant. At least he has a real reason this time."

"But he doesn't! He's King! If circumstances change, he has the power to simply decide to make them different!"

Gahrye shook his head and came to sit on the edge of the platform, at her feet. "That's not true, Elia. You know that. He's negotiated something with the bears—and he's right, the bears are the kind of Anima to kill first and ask questions later. Things must have gotten bad for Reth to give them the entire region around the portal. He had no reason to think either of us would want to go back after we returned."

He sat side-on to her, the closest of his legs bent and pulled up on top of the furs. He picked at the seam of his leathers as he spoke, only glancing at her, not holding her eyes. His shoulders were slumped and his face lined with worry.

He looked exhausted.

Elia opened her mouth to try to offer some kind of comfort, but he spoke first. "If it was Kalle in your shoes, and I was in Reths… I'd do the same thing, Elia," he said, the words slow and quiet, as if he forced himself to say them.

She nodded. "I know."

He ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "So, I can't really fault him for it. I just… I wish it was different. But the truth is, I have a purpose. We both do." He turned to look at her for real then and they were both quiet.

Elia could feel the weight of it all settle between them on the furs. A secret. A huge, life-threatening secret. A purpose, yes, as Gahrye had said. A plan. But… still a secret.

"Have you told Reth?" Gahrye asked her quietly.

"No!" she hissed. "We can't, right? No one. Except Kalle. It has to all… it has to be in secret."

Gahrye nodded. "Even those we train. I still haven't figured out how to do that."

Elia snorted. There was so much that they needed to figure out. But one thing was clear to her. "I've been thinking all morning," she said finally, quietly, her heart shying back from what she knew she had to say.

Gahrye watched her. "And?"

"And I'm going to make sure Reth releases you from the blood vow so there's nothing holding you here. I  mean, nothing else."

"Okay," he said,  his eyes narrowing. "So, why do you have that look on your face that you used to get when we were organizing training and dodging your guards?"

Elia took a deep breath. "Because I think you should cross as soon as Reth isn't paying attention."

*****

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