beautiful, an exquisite assault against her unstable emotions. Blue marble walls against white polished floors. No windows prevented the cooling breeze filtering off the sparkling waters she spied past the large pillars on the veranda. Wylan’s palace sat high upon the cliffs, overlooking both his city and the endless moving waves.
So drawn was she by the vast open waters, her steps faltered upon an open corner that allowed a full view of his kingdom.
“Elamie?”
“What is it called? The water that goes forever.”
“An ocean. Do you like it, elamie?”
Her answer came without thought. “It is like you…free, without boundaries.”
Her words had an unsettling effect upon Wylan. When she swayed this time he didn’t hesitate to lift her up in his arms.
“I didn’t realize…how can you ever forgive me?”
Forgive? The thought never occurred to him. How did you forgive that which brought life and vitality into your existence? “You’re tired.”
“I am ashamed.” The admission made her turn her face into the warm sheltering shoulder, wishing she could somehow steal a small bit of his endless strength.
Wylan had little time to cherish the rippling feelings her action ignited.
“Ah, my son, back so soon from…What’s this?”
The elamie didn’t see the mirth in his mother’s dark eyes upon her, but he felt her fingers clench against his chest.
“The forest has certainly changed its ways, to deliver such fair game, my son.”
Wylan saw his mother’s brows draw together in concern over the elamie.
“Is she hurt?”
Shaking his head. “No mother, just exhausted, we’ve been riding day and night.”
“Such haste needs answers.”
“Later.”
Nodding at his stern refusal. “Come, bring her to my chambers.”
Leaving the elamie upon his mother’s bed, she was asleep before they left the room. “Do you have time to tell me about this one, now?”
“As I am early in returning, it would be best, before she wakes.”
Tarra did well to hide her unexpected pleasure over the way his eyes kept drifting back to the dark beauty. She had never seen Wylan show the slightest interest in an elamie, except for the basest of reasons. Was this one special? Her heart raced in hope while she listened to his brief, yet unusual explanation.
Glad when he finally left, Tarra shut the door to all curious eyes before going over to the sleeping elamie. Her fingers brushed back the fallen wisp of hair from the creamy brow. The fine, proud features touched by black satin were a pleasure to look upon. “Nemow? Are you such a little stranger, elamie?”
Tarra’s brow wrinkled in concern over the possibility. “From what Wylan said, you won’t like our ways, little warrior.” Shaking her head, her own silver streaked, black hair shimmered. “But neither can you escape them.”
Her dark gaze deepened in thought as she sat beside the stranger now under her son’s roof. “He didn’t say, but I know him better than anyone. No, he has not claimed you, as yet. Why? What held him back? I certainly wasn’t there as a hindrance.”
Tarra’s eyes widened in surprise. “Could it finally have come? Are you the one I have searched for?”
Rising abruptly, Tarra’s steps hastened for the purpose at hand. Calling to Wylan’s palace guards. “Stand fast at my chamber, no one is to enter. No one.”
She didn’t often exert her privileges in Wylan’s home, but for the little stranger it was necessary. Tarra would have her answers before the sun set. Her steps only faltered a moment over the one bit of information her son had given in parting.
“Sorceress?” Her eyes darted back to the door in caution. Very slowly her lips parted in confidence. “She acted to save a beloved beast, you failed to see that my son. But then most Selams are blinded by a beautiful elamie. She has accomplished much in such a short time.”
Her convictions concerning the girl increased, taking her to do what must be discovered
So drawn was she by the vast open waters, her steps faltered upon an open corner that allowed a full view of his kingdom.
“Elamie?”
“What is it called? The water that goes forever.”
“An ocean. Do you like it, elamie?”
Her answer came without thought. “It is like you…free, without boundaries.”
Her words had an unsettling effect upon Wylan. When she swayed this time he didn’t hesitate to lift her up in his arms.
“I didn’t realize…how can you ever forgive me?”
Forgive? The thought never occurred to him. How did you forgive that which brought life and vitality into your existence? “You’re tired.”
“I am ashamed.” The admission made her turn her face into the warm sheltering shoulder, wishing she could somehow steal a small bit of his endless strength.
Wylan had little time to cherish the rippling feelings her action ignited.
“Ah, my son, back so soon from…What’s this?”
The elamie didn’t see the mirth in his mother’s dark eyes upon her, but he felt her fingers clench against his chest.
“The forest has certainly changed its ways, to deliver such fair game, my son.”
Wylan saw his mother’s brows draw together in concern over the elamie.
“Is she hurt?”
Shaking his head. “No mother, just exhausted, we’ve been riding day and night.”
“Such haste needs answers.”
“Later.”
Nodding at his stern refusal. “Come, bring her to my chambers.”
Leaving the elamie upon his mother’s bed, she was asleep before they left the room. “Do you have time to tell me about this one, now?”
“As I am early in returning, it would be best, before she wakes.”
Tarra did well to hide her unexpected pleasure over the way his eyes kept drifting back to the dark beauty. She had never seen Wylan show the slightest interest in an elamie, except for the basest of reasons. Was this one special? Her heart raced in hope while she listened to his brief, yet unusual explanation.
Glad when he finally left, Tarra shut the door to all curious eyes before going over to the sleeping elamie. Her fingers brushed back the fallen wisp of hair from the creamy brow. The fine, proud features touched by black satin were a pleasure to look upon. “Nemow? Are you such a little stranger, elamie?”
Tarra’s brow wrinkled in concern over the possibility. “From what Wylan said, you won’t like our ways, little warrior.” Shaking her head, her own silver streaked, black hair shimmered. “But neither can you escape them.”
Her dark gaze deepened in thought as she sat beside the stranger now under her son’s roof. “He didn’t say, but I know him better than anyone. No, he has not claimed you, as yet. Why? What held him back? I certainly wasn’t there as a hindrance.”
Tarra’s eyes widened in surprise. “Could it finally have come? Are you the one I have searched for?”
Rising abruptly, Tarra’s steps hastened for the purpose at hand. Calling to Wylan’s palace guards. “Stand fast at my chamber, no one is to enter. No one.”
She didn’t often exert her privileges in Wylan’s home, but for the little stranger it was necessary. Tarra would have her answers before the sun set. Her steps only faltered a moment over the one bit of information her son had given in parting.
“Sorceress?” Her eyes darted back to the door in caution. Very slowly her lips parted in confidence. “She acted to save a beloved beast, you failed to see that my son. But then most Selams are blinded by a beautiful elamie. She has accomplished much in such a short time.”
Her convictions concerning the girl increased, taking her to do what must be discovered
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