task, but Lidi had never been one to shy away from a challenge. As she stepped under the jets of warm water, her mind was forming and reviewing a series of plans.
Annoyingly, her thoughts kept encountering the same barrier. Ged. No matter how much she told herself she had to walk away from him, her emotions weren’t ready for that message. Deep down inside her, something fundamental had changed in the instant she saw him on the steps of the movie theater.
He’s my mate.
She groaned aloud, clenching a fist against the tiled wall. Why did this have to happen now? And why did it have to be him? Even if he wasn’t the king without a crown, he was the most unsuitable man she could have chosen. Everyone in Callistoya knew about the royal marriage pact. A Tavisha must marry the daughter of one of the five founding families. It was an ancient, unshakable agreement. And Lidi did not come from one of those families, so...whoa! Why was she even thinking about Ged and marriage in the same breath?
Straightening her spine, she let the scented gel do its work. There had been other occasions throughout Callistoyan history when this had happened. When an inconvenient attraction had occurred. It could be overcome. It was difficult, but not impossible. Nobles married for convenience, not love. Ged himself had been engaged to another woman. Clearly, since Lidi was his mate, he hadn’t really been in love with Alyona.
Lidi had always been strong, able to meet any confrontation head-on. Being the bear shifter who didn’t conform had always been hard. She’d grown used to the difficult task of wrestling with her unruly emotions. All it needed was focus...and in this case, some distance.
The thought instantly triggered a feeling of regret so powerful it was almost a physical pain. It was as if giant hands were pulling at her, tearing her in two. Common sense and duty were telling her to get away. These new, unfamiliar passions were prompting her to stay.
Placing her hands flat against the cubicle wall, she bowed her head as the water rinsed the last of the shampoo from her hair. She didn’t have time to work out this inner conflict. While she was here in this luxury hotel, her father was at Vasily’s mercy.
She snorted. Mercy? Vasily didn’t know the meaning of the word. After stepping from the shower, she dried herself and dressed quickly in jeans, sweatshirt and boots. Thoughts of her father’s plight gave her actions a new determination.
When she emerged from the bathroom, there was no sign of Ged in either the sitting room or bedroom. Although she had intended to tell him she was leaving, she couldn’t help feeling a sense of relief. This way was probably better. This way she didn’t have to put her own emotional strength to the test.
Feeling a lot like a thief sneaking out into the night, she opened the door. Immediately, a security guard, who wore the same black uniform as Rick, with the Beast logo on the breast pocket, sprang to attention.
“Ged asked me to take you to Khan’s room.” He gestured along the corridor. “The band are all there.”
Lidi weighed her options. Refuse to go and cause a scene? Go with him and waste more time? She didn’t like either option. “I know my way.”
“Uh...okay.” He scratched his head. “But Ged said—”
“I really don’t need an escort.” She used her best aristocratic voice, the one that had gotten her out of so many tricky situations in the past. It was an almost-perfect impression of her mother...and no one had argued with Olga Rihanoff.
The guy actually blushed. “Then I guess...”
Lidi moved in the direction he had indicated without waiting for him to finish. The only problem now was that he was watching her and she had no idea where she was going. Luckily there was a turn in the hallway, and she followed it. Once she was out of the security guard’s sight, she took a moment to lean against the wall, breathing deeply. A few feet away she could see the door marked Réservé au personnel that led to the staff staircase.
It was time to go.
“You’re leaving us?” It was Finglas who finally broke the silence.
Ged looked around the hotel room at the faces of his friends. He had known this wouldn’t be easy, but the depth of the shock and hurt on their faces stunned him. It also caused an answering tug of pain deep in his own chest. For ten years, this group of people had been his family. Now he was facing the prospect of severing his ties with them. For a long time he had believed that nothing could match the misery of leaving Callistoya. Turned out he was wrong. It also turned out he wasn’t that great at the whole “not doing emotions” thing.
Powering through the tightening in his throat, he forced himself to continue. “Guys, this is something I have to do.”
“Why?” Sarange had tears in her eyes as she placed a hand on his arm. “Explain it to us, Ged, so we know how to help you.”
Ged glanced at the clock, judging Lidi would be finishing up in the shower and joining them soon. Khan and Diablo had followed him up to Khan’s suite after they finished their grisly duty in the storage room, leaving Rick to dispose of the bodies of the intruders. Although Ged knew Lidi would be keen to get going straightaway, Sarange was right. She was one of his best friends, and he owed her, and the others, an explanation. Could he finally tell them his story? It felt like the time had come at last.
“I am the rightful king of a land called Callistoya.” There. He’d said those words out loud at long last. And the rush of pride that came with them was all the confirmation he needed. Going back and fighting for his throne was the right thing to do. Getting past the obstacles was going to be a different matter. “It’s a unique place. Imagine a medieval enclave high in the mountains in the center of a Siberian wasteland. A land that time forgot. Except it doesn’t exist on any human map. It won’t show up on a satellite image. It’s only visible and accessible to shifters.”
Torque frowned. “I’m struggling with the concept of a monarchy. We’re shifters. That means we’re immortal.”
“Like you, I’m immortal and so were my ancestors,” Ged said. “But we’re not invincible. We can be killed by silver, fire or beheading. There are even some illnesses to which we don’t have immunity, and that can be fatal. The Callistoya of my childhood was an enchanting place. In recent times, it has become a troubled land, plagued by constant battles. My father reigned for many centuries before he was murdered. I believe my stepbrother, Vasily, was his killer. I was in the palace on the night of my father’s death, but I remember nothing of what happened. I woke up two days later, here in the mortal realm. I had been badly beaten and I believe a spell had also been cast on me.”
Diablo shook his head. “I can’t believe we never knew about this side of your life.”
“I kept it well hidden. For good reasons.” The memories crowded in on him, and Ged looked at the clock again. What was keeping Lidi? “Other people were killed as well as my father, including my fiancée. She was found strangled and stabbed. In my bed.”
“But you didn’t do it,” Hollie spoke without hesitation.
Ged smiled gratefully at her. “No, I didn’t do it. But ever since then, Vasily has used her death as part of a campaign against me.” He closed his eyes briefly, picturing Alyona’s face the last time he had seen her. She had been laughing, making plans for their wedding, teasing him about keeping her dress secret until their big day...no. Even after all this time, it was too raw, too painful. He couldn’t talk about that part of it. “I should have gone back immediately, raised an army, fought Vasily, sought justice for my father and for Alyona...but the grief and pain were too great. When I did make the attempt a few weeks later, I couldn’t physically cross the border. There was some sort of magical barrier in place. Now after meeting Lidi and hearing what has been happening there, I know I have a duty to go back and put things right. I have to find a way across that barrier.” He felt the tension