Page 54
Beck yips and leaps at my legs, but with a sharp sound from me he settles.
Finally, my mother releases me, but grips my upper arms in a steely hold. “Alik, Devon is missing. We have to find her.”
“Horek told me just now at the healing center, but I wanted to come here first to let you know I am well. I know you were worried.”
“Devon has been my only saving grace. We kept each other sane.”
I palm my mother’s cheek. “I am glad you had each other. Now, tell me what all you know and leave nothing out.”
She guides me to the sofa and together we sit. Her hands remain clasped around mine.
“Devon and I took the afternoon meal together yesterday. When we finished, she left to go check on you. Except she never arrived. I didn’t discover this until last night when I was retiring to bed.” Her voice breaks. “Since you’ve been ill, Devon has stopped by at the end of each day to wish me a pleasant sleep. She makes sure I don’t need anything and she hugs Beck goodnight. Except last night, she didn’t come. I thought perhaps she decided to spend the night at the healing center, so when I woke this morning, I commed Vornak who told me she never arrived. I am so sorry, Alik. I shouldn’t have waited so long.”
Her hands are cold around mine, so I swap their positions and grip hers tightly to try and warm them up. “It’s not your fault, Mother. Don’t worry, I will find her, but I must go.”
She nods. “Of course. Please be safe and bring Devon home.”
“I will.” Without another word, I rush out of the room.
I’ve barely made it down a nearby corridor when I collide with a hard body and stumble backwards a step. The other large Bohnari does the same. My eyes meet a similar pair to my own, though his are wide in surprise.
“Alik, you’re here. You are recovered?”
“Janik.” I nod in greeting. “As much as I am going to be.”
“I heard about Devon. How can I help?”
For a moment, I nearly snap that I have no desire for his help, but I bite the words back. Perhaps there is something he can do. Horek as well.
“Come with me to the throne room. I am going to comm the commander and ask him to join us as soon as possible.”
Janik nods and together we swiftly make our way to our destination. While I send a message to Horek, Janik waits near the table where we all sat many days ago. I disconnect the comm and turn toward my mother’s so—no. If I am going to fully heal, then I need to forgive the male. He was lied to and manipulated his entire life. The fault does not lie with Janik. I turn toward my brother.
“While we wait for Horek, I need to share something with you he and I discovered upon my waking.”
I repeat to Janik all the details of the curse I learned of as well as what happened at the healing facility with my fire. The same fire Janik most likely possesses as well.
His eyes widen the more I speak until I have told him everything “You’re saying the males of our family are some kind of fire-breathing beast? And that it’s a possibility that, given the right circumstances, I can spew flames from my mouth?”
I nod. “Yes.”
Janik pauses for a moment, and it is clear he’s thinking. “What about any kits we have?”
“While I don’t know for certain, it’s highly possible they too will inherit this ability.”
He chuckles, and I startle. He thinks our family line’s curse is funny?
“Olivia is going to be excited by this development.”
I gape. “What?”
“My heart’s fire is an interesting female. She seeks challenges and has no desire to settle for boring. I am already certain that if any kit we have possesses the ability to make fire, she will create games for the kits to play where they will be able to set things ablaze. Olivia will find it great fun.”
What Janik says gives me pause. It makes me think what Devon would do if any kits we have can do this as well. While I’m not certain she would make a game of it with them, I do know without a doubt she would still love them. That really is the only thing that matters.
I am struck with a thought from my time in the pit while I was gone with the madness. When Horek and Quinn delivered a meal and the bedding the day Devon and I sealed our mating bond and discovered she is my heart’s fire. I remember breathing in the scent of her unborn kit.
Devon’s scent was so strong while I was in the med pod healing and she wasn’t even present in the room. Before the beast had been triggered I’m not certain my sense of smell has ever been as keen as it might be now.
