Falling in Love with the King of Beasts

GAHRYE

Gahrye's heart almost stopped. Then stuttered back to life and raced away. He shook his head. "No, Elia. Absolutely not."

"Gahrye—"

"Do you remember how angry he was when he learned I'd helped you train in secret? And that was with people around you and… no."

"Gahrye, I'm not going to cross. I'm saying you should."

"No! If he found out he would drag me through the city by my testicles."

"He won't find out. You're so good at this, Gahrye. No one will know."

"You'll know! I'll know! That means eventually Reth will know."

"No, he won't. I won't tell him."

Gahrye gave her a look.

Elia's mouth dropped open. "What? I never told him about the training! He caught us!"

"Yeah, and almost killed me for helping you. Can you imagine what he'd do now? Right after war? Elia, you're not thinking this through!"

"No, Gahrye, you aren't!" she said, fiercely enough that he started to watch for signs she was fighting the shift.

"Elia, stay calm."

"I am calm, I'm just… pissed off. Listen, we both know this has to happen. The people can't know that the disformed are Protectors, but you have to train them to become Protectors. That means they need to use the Portal. It's unavoidable.

"Until we can figure out exactly who, you need to get over there and see your mate, and find out anything new she's found. She has the hidden histories, Gahrye. Who knows what a gold mine she has? She might have more of the prophecy!

"Clearly the Anima knew about this a few hundred years ago. They didn't hide this from themselves for no reason. We need to understand how to do this. I can't help you if we don't know exactly what we're aiming for. And we can't know that without more information—and your mate has that information."

"But…" He asked himself why he was arguing. He wanted nothing more than to go to Kalle, to see her and touch her, make love to her, make sure she hadn't been hurt or…. Or worse. And to find out if she was pregnant.

But he hadn't forgotten the rage Reth had about Gahrye working behind his back before. Or the warning he'd given him when he was going with Elia.

If he did this and Reth found out, it wasn't Elia that Reth would punish.

How could he protect his mate and train the Protectors if he was dead?

Then he flashed again on Reth's face when he'd been angry…. Gahrye shook his head. "I can't do it, Elia. He'll kill me. Literally."

"No, he won't. Because he won't find out," Elia said firmly. "First of all, I want you to know, there's no other circumstances where I would encourage you to do this without his knowledge. None. But we know this has to be done, Gahrye. The Creator Himself told you that. If anyone outranks Reth, it's him.

"But even more than that… I know if the roles were reversed, if Reth was on this side and he knew what I know… I know he'd do the same thing. If he had this choice, he would tell you to go. Because he'd know—like I do—that what you're doing is more important than his feelings. Even more important than the risk with the bears."

Garhye shook his head. "If the bears find out—"

"They won't. You will go alone. You won't stop anywhere. You won't mess with anything. You'll walk to the Portal and you'll go through. And when you come back, you'll make sure the coast is clear before you come back."

"But," he frowned. "There's no coast near the Portal, only a riverbank—"

Elia growled and dropped her face in her hands. "It's a saying in my world," she groaned. "It just means that you'll be careful and you'll make sure you don't risk anyone or anything else when you return. That there aren't others watching you or anything."

Gahrye considered it. He wanted so badly to see his mate. Elia was right… he could be very careful, and go alone. And Kalle might have exactly what they needed to get to the next stage—finding who was supposed to be a Protector in the first place. And even if she didn't, he could make sure she was safe and…"

He dropped his head in his hands too. "I want to go," he said a moment later, quietly.

"Of course you do. And I mean it, Gahrye. I think you have to. I think… I think you need to spend a week disappearing for a day or two at a time. I'll tell people I've got you working with the disformed and doing stuff for me… As my Advisor. Get them used to not seeing you, then you're back. But instead of going to the Portal, you go to the Outsiders, or leave the City… I don't know. Whatever. The point is, if everyone is used to you being gone, then being back, then being gone… They won't even think about it."

"And the Bears? All of Anima, if the bears find out and attack?"

"They won't find out. They're sleeping!" she hissed. "You'll do what you need to do, and come back. Tell Kalle to expect you again in a week or so. And once we're getting close to Spring, you'll have to stop for a while. But then maybe Reth can negotiate something with the bears."

He stared at her, wanting her to convince him, but simultaneously worried that she was utterly wrong.

She sat forward, reaching for his hand. "I wouldn't tell you to go if it was just about you and Kalle," she said softly. "I'd want you to go, but that's not reason enough to hide this from Reth. But I know if Reth knew what we know, that ALL of us are at risk without the disformed—I mean Protectors—and the Portal, he would tell you to go. He'd find a way. Right now… right now he's just blinded by fear and… and I am to. Something needs to go right, Gahrye. And I think this is it. I think you need to go—not today. Not tomorrow. But…  maybe next week?"

Next week? He might see Kalle next week? Gahrye's heart beat faster.