Twin Flames by Elizabeth Winters

had there not been a petite woman sitting in its center.
    The power in the woman’s gaze startled Raven. She froze where she stood, failing to acknowledge the guards abrupt departure.
    “So, you are his woman.” The golden-gazed goddess slowly moved from the bed to walk towards Raven. “I am to make you presentable.” She walked past Raven to a closet that appeared from the wall. “This will do.”
    A quick motion and a golden robe similar to a toga lay on the bed along with a pair of silky white pants. “You can wear this inside your rooms. Once it is decreed you can travel in public we will find you something else.”
    Raven could do nothing more than stare. “You are?” she asked as her fingers trailed the silky clothing.
    “I am Isabella.” The barely veiled hatred in her eyes sent a shiver through Raven. “These clothes may disguise you, but you will never belong here.” She slid gracefully through the room until Raven could feel the other woman’s breath on her own cheek. “You will never have our prince. Do not think to try. He belongs to us, not some stranger with unclean blood.”
    Before Raven took a breath to respond, the woman vanished.
    Well, that had gone well.
    She fell back against the bed. If that was any indication of how she would be received by Devlin’s people, the sooner she could slip back through the portal, the better.
     
    ***
     
    It had been a thousand years, and yet Devlin could still not abide being brought before the Council. These were the men that had doomed his people to endless war. He despised them and everything they stood for.
    He took a deep breath to gird himself for the upcoming confrontation. He would live by their rules for now, with the knowledge that their overthrow was fast approaching. The time when the monarchy would once again rule his people was closing in upon them. He had seen it in a vision. The very vision they had banished him for. It no doubt terrified them he had found his way home, for now the prophecy would be fulfilled. They could do nothing to stop it.
    The circular room lay before them and he walked inside, his brother at his left hand.
    “We will accept your return if you do your duty and take a mate from our people. You shall not mate with the Minoan you brought with you.”
    The crackly voice of the head Councilor stirred many a bad memory. He knew what they planned. To force him to mate with one of the many consorts they had installed in the castle over the years. The prophecy could not be fulfilled unless he bonded with his soul’s twin, and they would do everything in their power to prevent that from happening.
    He stepped inside the circle of flame and faced them.
    “I will do my duty. I have brought my mate from the other world.”
    “Unacceptable.” The Flame of the Council slammed his fist on the marble table before him. “You will not bond with a woman whose blood is tainted. It is forbidden.”
    And you will banish me again if I do so , Devlin finished silently.
    Pushing back his rising temper, he responded. “What would you have me do? She is the other half of my soul. That is how I was able to find my way back.”
    The angry white-haired giant raised his fist yet again. “Do you wish us to send you back? You betrayed us once. We would be fools to trust you again. You have one moon passage to pick a woman from the consorts.”
    Chalice tensed beside him, but Devlin knew he would not fight the Council. “What will you do? Banish me again? You would force my woman to remain in this place and watch as I betray both her and myself? You ask too much.”
    “You mistake me, Prince. You may have returned, but you still must prove where your loyalty lies. The woman you brought back is of the enemy’s blood. You may keep her as your whore, but you will not bond with her. I warn you. You will not be banished again. The Council will bring down a death sentence if you fail us again.”
    Devlin forced himself to calm. If he lost his temper,