Dark Tarot (Dark Carpathians)

“That’s horrible,” Riley said. “I can’t imagine how she must have felt.”

Danutdaxton nodded, his thumb sliding over Riley’s knuckles. Sandu couldn’t decide whether that gesture was to soothe Riley or himself.

“It was a terrible time for her and very wearing. By the time we got to the territory the di Berdardo family guarded, Arabejila was very worn and looking forward to the company of the di Berdardo women. Both women had a soothing quality and were easy to be around. They had welcomed her, and I think Arabejila needed to feel as if Carpathian women didn’t condemn her for the sins of her lifemate.”

Dax studied their faces and then their joined hands. “This is a difficult path you walk, and very dangerous. I am not a seer, but yet I can see clearly that it is very necessary that you go forward with absolute clarity, without hesitation between you or the brethren. You have chosen your brothers wisely, Sandu. I will confess, when I first heard your call and knew you traveled with four ancients without lifemates, I thought you had lost your mind.”

“I do rely heavily on my intuition,” Sandu admitted. “I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Benedek, Nicu, Petru, and Siv had to come with us. I was not altogether certain whether they were to come for our journey to be successful or whether they would discover something along the way that would lead them to their lifemates.”

“Perhaps it is both,” Adalasia said.

“What is it you hope to find?” Dax asked.

“My past,” Sandu said simply. “My sister if possible, or at least what happened to her. I do know she is alive now, where before, I didn’t even know that. I have no memories of my family or where I come from. They seem to be deliberately wiped away. I want to know why that is.” He threaded his fingers through Adalasia’s. “More than anything else, the threat to my lifemate has to be stopped. To do that, we have to know why they keep coming after her.”

A slight breeze stirred the warm night air on the patio. The leaves of the surrounding trees fanned them for a few moments, taking the worst of the heat. Sandu realized Adalasia wasn’t regulating her body temperature the way she should. She was following the conversation carefully, but she was also caught up in the beauty of the night, looking at it through eyes full of wonder.

Sandu pushed back the need to reprimand her. She needed to take better care of herself. She needed to pay attention to every detail of their existence until the smallest element was automatic. That would save her life one day. He couldn’t bring himself to interrupt her enjoyment of the night—not when they’d been through hell. He merged deeper into her mind, needing to share the experience with her. At once, there was a sparkling quality to the sky through the canopy of the trees.

Like thousands of diamonds, she whispered. You’ve given me so much, Sandu.

He shook his head at her statement. He hadn’t given her much other than torture and pain. She’d given him laughter and paradise and seeing the world with new eyes. The simplest thing, like looking up at the canopy and seeing the stars, changed the way he viewed things.

That’s all you, ewal emninumam. I have no idea what I ever did before you were in my life. Exist. But not live. I do know that much.

Danutdaxton laughed softly. “Sandu, I fear you are completely enthralled with your lifemate. You cannot take your eyes from her.”

“I saw her tortured, Dax. I could not get to her, and the demons flayed the skin from her bones. They burned her to ashes over and over. I do not know if I could ever live through that again.” Sandu stated the truth. “I think it best if she stays very close to me for a long time to come, perhaps the next thousand years will suffice. If not, she will be used to my continual presence by that time.”

Dax’s laughter continued. “What do you think of that, Adalasia?”

Before Adalasia could answer, Riley made a little sound of derision. “Dax is the worst. He’s sounding all modern-day, like we aren’t attached at the hip, but I think we’re working on that first thousand years of togetherness. Sticking together like glue or something of that nature.”

Dax raised an eyebrow. “I am nowhere near as bad as this besotted fool.” He made a gesture toward Sandu. “I allow you to go to that shop you like all by yourself.”

Adalasia and Riley exchanged a look, and both women burst into derisive laughter. Sandu knew Dax had screwed up by using the word allow. That needed to be struck from his vocabulary. And one shop? Was the man crazy?