Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 165649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 663(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 165649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 663(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
Elisabeta found herself relaxing completely, his shared laughter at himself turning what had been stressful into something altogether different. She had never known a sense of fun. Merged as she was with him, even though she wasn’t moving very far into his memories, she knew he didn’t really remember having fun, either. Together, they were discovering that even the things neither of them really had knowledge of could be amusing if shared.
She let her body rest against his. Immediately a feeling of tranquility and peace flowed into her. She had never known anyone could have his strength, either physical or spiritual.
“Lorraine has catalogues with clothes. Perhaps . . .”
She tried not to feel the annoyance at the other woman’s name. He relied far too much on the unknown Lorraine. “I do not know what a catalogue is.”
“A magazine. A book with pictures in it.”
There was that same amusement in his mind, but this time, she was certain, the humor he felt was directed toward her irritation at the absent oh-so-perfect Lorraine.
“Lorraine is anything but perfect, piŋe sarnanak, and I thank the stars that she is Andor’s problem and not mine. She is minan sisar. To save Andor we bound our souls together. She was not Carpathian at the time and yet, knowing she could die, she still allowed us to bind her to us in order for her to go into the netherworld to find Andor. It took Sandu, Gary, Lorraine and me to be strong enough to bring him out, so yes, I respect her. She is a warrior. She is Andor’s lifemate, his problem, and he is ekäm.”
By claiming Andor as his brother and Lorraine as his sister, he was telling her that the couple were his family and, therefore, family to her.
She turned over every word he had said. She could find no lie. No inflection that would tell her he felt any differently than his words implied. “Why do you say you thank the stars she is Andor’s problem when you clearly respect and admire her?”
“She would not suit a man like me at all, nor would I suit her.”
That told her nothing at all. He was still, giving her the choice to search his memories, but she couldn’t go that far. She was taking one small step at a time. He wanted her to look at this space and make it a home for them. She didn’t know what was in a home. He wanted her to meet Lorraine and she would do so as graciously as possible, even though she felt at such a disadvantage. She shied away from thinking about meeting with her birth brother, but knew she had that to do as well. Even if Ferro took her far away, Traian could appeal to the prince and Ferro would be forced to bring her back. He couldn’t shield her forever.
“I can, you know. I care little for what others think of me. I have not sworn allegiance to the reigning prince. He cannot order me to do anything, as I am not under his command. Most of the brethren have not sworn allegiance to him, either.”
Elisabeta didn’t know if the relief sweeping through her was a good thing or a bad thing. She only knew she didn’t want to start a war. Still, the idea of so many demands on her when she was barely able to open her eyes without placing imaginary bars in front of her sight was daunting. It was impossible for others to understand.
“I am proud of you, sívamet. You have already come such a long way. You do not realize how much you have accepted me into your life. It humbles me that you do so.” He rubbed his chin on the top of her head.
“Why have you not sworn allegiance to the reigning prince?”
“I have not sworn allegiance to a prince I have never had the chance to get to know. His father betrayed his people by keeping his eldest son alive when he knew he should destroy him. He set many things in motion that should not have been just to please his lifemate. His duty was to his people, to all of us. His hunters were doing all we could to live with honor, and yet he chose a path knowing the Carpathian people would come to the very brink of extinction if he didn’t kill his son. He left a mess to his son Mikhail.”
“How could he possibly know that?”
“Vlad had precognition. He knew. He might not have wanted to know. He might have tried to tell himself that what he saw in the future didn’t have to be, but he knew. He was a ruthless leader until it came to his own children. The rules he applied to everyone else he didn’t apply there. I will not make the mistake of following a leader blindly.”