Knock. Knock. Knock.
Eileen groaned. The last of her sleep lifted like a cloud toward the horizon. Her desperate mind stayed on top, trying in vain to bring it back down over her. "Five more minutes."
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"I said five more minutes!"
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Eileen grabbed her pillow. "Five more minutes!" She launched it at the door. Thud.
Bullseye! That'll teach you-the pillow dropped to the ground-Pavel? Her eyes widened at his startled look. Oh no, I just assaulted a prince with a pillow? How many years is that? Will he cut off my head? I don't have the energy to run for my life right now.
"Prince Pavel, I'm so sorry!" Her grip tightened. "I thought you were Ursus." No sooner than she said the name, the wall to her left slid open.
Ursus stepped out. "Sorry, I should have warned you about that." Eileen's eyes roamed over him. He was dressed in a dark navy colored tactical gear decorated with silver pins and emblems. Two guns rested on his hip holster. "She's not a big morning person."
"Ursus?" She croaked.
His eyes snapped to her. His lips twitched with a hidden smile, no doubt feeling her conflicting emotions. Heat flushed her face when the amused smile broke free. "You like what you see?"
Oh yes. She liked it alot.
"Ahem." Pavel glanced between the two of them. "Please save-" He motioned to the two of them "-whatever that is for later." If Eileen wasn't hot before, her face was burning up now. "I came to warn you that the council is here." The council?
"The council is made up of the three races, one male and one female. When an issue arrives, they gather to vote on it. If the vote ends in a tie then the royal gets the last say. Since I'm not king yet then it would be my mom's vote."
"And they're going to vote on whether I can join or not?"
"Yes, they are." He nodded. "It's required for the council to get the final say when it comes to who joins in the challenges."
Pavel glanced toward Ursus.
At the look they shared, Eileen frowned. "What's going on?"
Pavel hesitated. "We think we have a good idea of what the council will try to pull." Ok? "And it's really important that you don't look like a threat. If they decided that you're too much of a threat then..." He shook his head. "It won't be pretty." His eyes burned into hers. "Think you can do that?"
"I don't really have a choice." She couldn't shake the feeling that the ugly thing he was talking about was death. And I am not about to die.
"Alright, we need to get you dressed." He turned to the wall Ursus stepped out of. "Activate the transformation room." With a low groan, the wall slid open. "Step in."
Eileen stared into the empty room. "What's going to happen?"
"Nothing bad." His mischievous smile didn't ease her tension. "Just step through and see."
Reluctantly, Eileen stood up and headed inside. Her eyes widened as warm green light scanned over her body. Disinfecting...disinfecting.
"Disinfecting?"
A gasp left her lips. Jeans and shirts vanished, shifting into a beautiful leather tactical piece of dual chrome blue and greens. The glowing walls dimmed, showing the woman staring back at her. Is that me?
She touched the wall. It was her.
Releasing.
The doors slid open, revealing her room again. "Pavel!" He sat on her bed. "What happened to my clothes?"
"They've been transformed." He tilted his head. "Do you not have transformers on earth?"
"Um, no." Not that kind anyways. She glanced down at her suit. "We don't." Stretching, the light fabric clung to her with surprising support and breathability. Amazing. "Wait, when I spilled coffee on you, you didn't change shirts."
"I didn't have to." He shrugged his shoulders. "It was a cloak. The coffee never burnt me. It just created the illusion that it did."
Eileen blinked. That is so cool. "Can I have that cloak please?"
"Why?"
"Because it would be amazing to have with code browns."
An eyebrow rose. "Code brown?"
"Oh, you don't want to know." Eileen shuddered. Her gaze flickered around the room. "Where's Ursus?"
"He went ahead."
The door slid open, announcing a new presence.
"The council is ready for you two." Donovan's gaze lingered on her before they flickered to Pavel. "Are you sure you want her to be there?"
Pavel's gray eyes met hers. "She'll be fine, Donovan." Her stomach churned at the intensity of them. "She has to be."
****
A long metal table sat in the middle of the bronze and gold decorated room. In the center was the queen while three women were on her left and four men were on her right. The first one's gray eyes flashed with malice. "I see we have a hybrid lover," he spat.
"Calm yourself, Jarek." The green-eyed woman spoke. Her eyes looked over Eileen with a hint of interest. "Let's not cause the woman to turn tails and run just yet."
"Maybe you should calm yourself, Ramona!" Jarek spat back. "You're the only one who's happy to see a human here, much less a hybrid lover."
"A hybrid lover who is connected to Ursus," Pavel spoke up.
"Pavel's right," the green-eyed man spoke up next. "If something happened to them then it could be another disaster for us." A disaster? Eileen frowned. Weren't they exaggerating just a little? "I say we lock them both up in the dungeon."
"And what will that achieve, Veremund?" Ramon chuckled. "You and Salvia are too cautious for your own good." At her name, the blue-eyed woman turned to Ramona. "And have you forgotten the disaster that was laid to waste at their hands!" She spat the words. "The blood that stained the ground a bright red in revenge?"
"Enough!" Pavel spoke up. His gray eyes flashed to them all before they turned to two more people. "Mariano, Iona, you two haven't made your opinions known." The blue-eyed man regarded her with interest. "I think a human joining the group would also be interesting."
"Of course you would think that." Veremund muttered. "You think riding giant turtles is amazing as well."
"Easy, Veremund," the gray woman spoke up. "Don't throw daggers when you can't dodge them."
"No one is throwing daggers, Iona." Jarek's eyes narrowed on her. "Not everyone has a soft spot for some hybrid blood."
"Arguing is not going to get us anywhere." Ramona sighed. Leaning forward, her green eyes glowed softly. "I for one am curious to see if a hybrid bond is as strong as the books say they are."
"And if the human becomes a risk to the prince's safety?" Salvia questioned. Pavel shook his head. "He won't be a risk." His eyes flickered to her. "Bring him in." What? Her gaze snapped toward the opening door.
Two guards shoved Ursus to his knees. No. She stepped forward. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her arm. What- Her heart dropped as she was forced to her knees. A sharp feeling pressed against her back. What? Her heart leaped into the throat. What's going on?
"Hybrid 393." Jarek spoke up. "You're guilty of using a molecular transport orb to travel to a forbidden planet." His eyes narrowed. Do you have a purpose for this action?"
"I was escaping an attempt on my life." Ursus raised his head. "The attacker had the orbs."
The queen's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure?" Her eyes flickered to Eileen. "If we deem you're lying then we will kill your connection right here and now."
What?
Ursus's jaw clenched. His eyes flashed as a small growl followed his words. "I'm telling the truth."
"And where was this attack?" Jarek leaned forward. His smile sent a twisted feeling through Eileen's gut. He wants me dead. "I have no reports from our guards about it."
"Near the cliff's edge. I had just sent in my scouting report." At his shifting, the guards dug deeper. "I couldn't escape to the castle, so I had to use the orbs."
"So you turned your back on a potential threat?" Salvia scoffed. "The prince's hybrid protector running away from a little threat."
"It wasn't a little threat!" Ursus spat. "It was another hybrid, just like me!" Silence followed his words. Instantly, the queen stood. "Are you sure?" She frowned. "Hybrids shouldn't have been out past the curfew."
"The attacks." Ramona glanced at the queen. "It could have been them."
"That would explain your sudden disappearance." The queen bit her lip. "This may be bigger than we realize."
"And you think bringing a weak human would help?" Jarek turned to them. "You can't be serious!"
"If this human is connected, we can use it to our advantage." Ramona's fingers entwined. "You read about the bond's capabilities. If he fails us then we'll just kill her."
"And start another war?" Hands slammed against the table. Veremund's eyes glared at her. "Are you insane?"
"We'll have a little collar on the human." She shrugged her shoulders. "If she gets too fussy, a little zap should correct her." Eileen's heart dropped. A shock collar?
"We are not doing that!" Pavel spoke up. "Ramona, you are crossing the line!" His eyes narrowed on her. "She is a human. She is no threat to us and you know Ursus would never do anything to put her in harm's way, including failing me."
"Pavel is right." The queen nodded. "Ursus, despite his...heritage, has proven time and time again he cares for my son." Her eyes narrowed. "So, I don't believe he will be quick to run away again." She twisted her wrist. "And we'll add a night in the dungeon to make sure your loyalties lie with a certain kingdom." Her eyes flickered to Eileen with a hidden challenge. "And not to a certain human."
Eileen bit her lip. I can't challenge her. Her hands clenched. Not when they asked me to follow along. Lowering her head, Eileen turned away.
"Besides, I've been monitoring Ursus's vitals through the tracker," Pavel spoke up again. "Already, we're seeing shifts and changes that were never seen before. Plus, if word got out that a hybrid was able to use a portal to escape to earth, a process that only is recognized through royal genetics, it won't be long before two and two are put together."
"The prince is right." Iona frowned. "A hybrid related to the king would cause mass panic and fears of revolutions." Her eyes narrowed. "We need to keep up the illusion that he's under our every command."
"We will take a vote. All in favor of the human not going."
Three hands raised. "All in favor of the opposite." Three more hands. A tie. "Then I guess I will be the deciding factor."
Oh no. Her eyes flickered to Eileen and then Ursus. As her jaw clenched, she finally glanced toward Pavel. They softened. "I hope that you will be successful with the challenges, even with this human tagging along."
****
A heavy, thick chill seeped into Eileen's lungs. Her steps were the only sound in the dark, damp dungeon. Where is he? Her eyes flickered around the dimly lit space. "Ursus?" Her voice echoed. "Ursus?"
Shifting grabbed her attention. "Ursus." She raced toward the cage.
A lump glanced up at her. "Eileen."
"Ursus." Her hand slammed against the keypad. The light flickered green. Temp access requested. As the bars lifted, she dashed into the cell. Her hands cupped his face. Bruises darkened along his face while a busted lip dripped blood. "Ursus," she whispered. "How...why..." She swallowed. Her vision blurred.
Standing up, the chains rattled. "Believe it or not, this is the best outcome when it comes to the council." He leaned his forehead against hers. "I will be fine."
"That doesn't make me feel any less better." She muttered. Leaning into his chest, his beating heart steady her. "I feel awful."
"What about you?" His eyes searched hers. "Are you alright? The guards didn't hurt you too bad did they?"
"No, no, they didn't." She shivered.
His eyes darkened. "I'm sorry. If we had told you before there was a chance the council could recognize you were faking it. They're very twisted in needing to have the upper hand."
"It's ok." She whispered. She could tell just how much the idea hurted him. "And I'm so, so sorry."
Ursus's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you have to be sorry about?"
"For suggesting we break the bond." Her fingers brushed against his face before she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. "I know we've been talking about moving and settling down. I just...I was never good with change and everything was changing so fast..."
"Hey." His voice softened. "You know you can always talk to me right?" His eyes softened. "You know I just want you to be happy."
"I know," she whispered. "I'm so sorry if I hurt you."
"Love." Chains rattled as he cupped her face. "You didn't hurt me."
She pressed another kiss to his lip, careful to avoid the blood. With a small sniff, she whipped her eyes. "I hate this," she whispered. Using her sleeve, she dabbed at his lip. "I hate what they did to you."
"I've been through worse." The chains shifted again, earning a glare from her. With each second, the urge to grab them grew. She just wanted to yank them off him and free him from this nightmare. "Don't worry." He gently lifted her face up. "Pavel will have me out of here by morning."
Footsteps drew near. Ursus's eyes narrowed on the sound. "But you should get going. I'm not supposed to have any visitors."
Eileen shook her head. "I don't want to leave," she muttered reluctantly. She leaned her head against his chest, feeling the pounding heart beneath her fingertips. A heart she had come to love.
"You need to get rest, love." His voice softened. "If you're constantly worrying, then I won't be able to sleep either."
Eileen's hands clenched. As much as she wanted to fight it, she knew he was right. "I will be back down at the first sign of light."
Ursus's smile softened. "I will be here."