The Unveiling (D'Shar Men 2)

"Yes, it is," she agreed.

"As much as I'd like to believe everything between us is fixed, I'm not that naïve." His voice was overly loud in the silence of the hall.

"No, but I'm done resisting. It's time to let nature take its course."

"Just like that?"

"I like the man you've become. To continue to judge you by the choices you made in youth would be unfair and pointless. When I came into this it wasn't with the intention to act like a shrew or bust your balls. It was to protect myself until I knew who you were and maybe to test you, push you to your limits. Your choice controlled so much of my life I was looking to get some of that power back. I'm not saying it was right, but I won't apologize because I think we both enjoyed the game."

"Does that mean it's coming to an end? I found I like a little domination."

She grinned.

"I enjoyed breaking you in."

"There's more?"

"If you want there to be."

"I do." He cleared his throat as they entered the kitchen. "About that drink…"

She laughed. Twenty minutes later they'd both eaten a sandwich and downed a couple of glasses of water. Once their bellies were full and their energy was replenished, it was time to get back to the topic that had brought him over in the first place.

"Your vision?"

"Right." She closed her eyes, and scenes began to play in his head like a movie. It was an odd sensation, having someone else in his mind. It was like being watched from a distance and feeling their gaze, except with Rivka there was no creepy undertone. He felt complete, like he'd been walking around his whole life with a hole he hadn't realized needed to be filled. When she pulled out he blinked, taking a moment to root himself in reality.

"This is bad. Tavel's unstable and corrupt. Anything he has a hand in creating is going to be destructive. Let's just hope whatever it is can’t reason … or follow orders." The thought made his blood run cold. It'd be all out war. One they weren't ready to fight.

"We need to move forward fast."

"How?"

"By getting more intel, poking into his connections and figuring out what was going on in his lab. When the lid blows of this thing I want to have a plan of action ready to launch. Can you find out anything else?"

"I can try, but you know it's not something I have control over."

"No, but the woman seems to be very connected with you, and there has to be a reason why we're dreaming about these specific people."

"Yes, I agree. I want to show you something." She closed her eyes and slipped into his mind. He remained silent as a scene with the past Star Maiden, Estria, played in his head. All of this was predestined! Knowing they'd been working their way to this relationship from the moment they were conceived took some of the weight of guilt off his head. It was meant to be hard. It was their price to pay, for what he wasn't sure. He emerged intrigued.

"Who do you think we were?"

"I don't know. For years I tried my best not to think of that day. I knew if I did I'd go mad. There are a million different tales of woe, some grounded in truth and others a figment spun of only the barest whisper of events that actually happened. Our people are known for their romanticism."

"It seems important." His words were muffled as he talked more to himself than her. "I think we should look in the royal library." The library was one of many national treasures they had brought with them when they relocated.

"Now?”

“Might as well. I have the rest of the day off.”

Chapter Twenty-One

She wasn’t sure what they were looking for, but nothing had sparked for her or Bastien as they poured over old tomes. The number of star-crossed lovers was higher than one would think. Plenty of skirmishes had been caused due to the love of a woman or a man. The writing on the yellowed scroll in front of her blurred. Her eyes felt sand paper lined. She squeezed them shut, desperate for moisture and a break.

“I think we should call it a day.” She glanced down at her watch, late afternoon. Bastien closed his book and sighed.

“You’re right. We’ve been at this for hours, and I don’t feel any closer to an answer.”