Part 25 (1/2)
What now indeed? ”I think I have a rather powerful enemy. Worse than Ca.s.sava ever was. Worse than Raven.” I rubbed a hand over my face.
”You could be stronger than her,” Talan said. I turned on my heel to face him.
”I doubt that. She has all five elements at her disposal. I can't use the stones; she could manipulate me. s.h.i.+t, you could manipulate me.”
He nodded. ”You have the same ability she does. Did you not hear me? She was a Terraling Spirit walker hybrid. That is a particular brand of elemental.”
”Why?”
His dark blue eyes never left mine. ”You said it yourself: she is a powerful enemy. One that as soon as her wounds are healed will be hunting you down. She might not be able to hurt you directly, but will Raven fall to her lies again now that you ousted him from the Eyrie? Do you think Ca.s.sava could be twisted again if she was given the pink diamond? Or maybe Viv will find someone new to do her dirty business. Tell them that they are the chosen one. That she believes in them.”
His words struck a chord with me I didn't like.
Fear crawled up and down my spine, biting and nipping. And then came the anger. ”And, let me guess, your training will help me survive?”
”Yes.”
Peta stepped between us, and her anger felt like my own.
”Talan.”
His eyes dipped to her. He smiled and crouched. ”Will you forgive me?”
She tipped her head. ”No. You've been an a.s.s to Lark.”
His head lowered. ”Nepeta, you don't understand-”
”No, I don't. You weren't an a.s.s when I left you.” The word was firm from her. ”I wanted to believe Lark was wrong. That you weren't causing problems-”
”It has to be done,” he said. ”She has to be humble in order for Spirit to truly bind to her. You know that.”
”Not like this. You're a fool. You always were when it came to understanding women and what made them tick.”
I had to bite my lower lip to keep from laughing. His eyes shot to mine and he gave me the barest of headshakes. Almost like he was trying not to laugh too. Maybe it was the situation, I wasn't sure, but I liked him a little better for that. For being a fool and letting Peta chastise him.
She sat at my feet, her rounded ears flipped partway back. She lifted a paw and pushed it into his chest, shoving him onto his b.u.t.t. ”You need lessons yourself. You apologize for being an a.s.s, right now.”
Like she was his mother. I bit the inside of my cheeks and focused on breathing slowly, keeping the laughter under control.
”Nepeta, please. This is ridiculous.”
Her ears went flat to her head and she bared her teeth at him. ”Apologize.”
He stood and took a step so she couldn't see his face. And he grinned at me wide enough that I could see the sincerity in it. The fool.
”Peta is right. I've been an a.s.s.” His grin never slipped. ”Will you come with me? Will you let me help you?”
”You did not apologize. You only said you'd been an a.s.s, which is true, but not an apology.” She swatted at him with a big paw and he leapt back.
”Peta, I wasn't finished.”
My chest shook with silent laughter. Peta's tail twitched. ”Apologize or I will a.s.sume you truly meant her harm and then I will forget you were ever my charge and a.s.sume you are an enemy to us both.”
She was serious. And I felt it then through our bond. She was going to attack him if he didn't apologize. The laughter evaporated from me, and along with it the last of the fear that she would choose Talan over me.
She stood, and the fur along her back rose as a low rumble rolled out of her. The mirth on his face slid off.
His jaw ticked and he held up both hands. ”Larkspur, will you accept my apology?”
”Fine.” I turned my back on him. Peta grabbed my leg and I yelped. ”What?”
”When someone apologizes, you accept it properly.”
Etiquette lessons from Peta was not something I was expecting. I sighed. ”You're forgiven. And no, I don't want to train with you. I'm going home.”
I started down the beach once more.
Of course, that wasn't the end of things with Talan.
He called after me.
”Ulani wanted you to train with me, and I promised her I would. I promised her I would watch over you and do all I could to help you learn. To keep you alive.”
Ulani . . . my mother. I closed my eyes and pressed the heels of my hands to them. d.a.m.n it, what did I do now?
CHAPTER 22.
e landed in the Rim late the next day. Talan rode behind me on Shazer's back, Peta between us. She purred so much, she drooled in her sleep.
”I was not drooling.” She glared at me, even while she licked her lips.
I glanced at Talan, who shrugged. ”Good luck convincing her.”
It was nice she was so happy. I, on the other hand, was not as impressed with the outcome of things.
Talan would say nothing more about my mother after he'd dropped her name. ”I'll tell you when you agree to train with me.”
a.s.shole.
And he'd insisted on coming with me.
”Viv could come at you at any time. You need whatever help you can get now.” He slid from Shazer's back first. ”So stop moping.”
My back stiffened. ”I was not moping. I'm angry. There is a difference. Or are you struggling with your ability to read women again?”