The Arrival (Birthright Trilogy #1) (44 page)

Yakov climbed off Kassie’s bed and bent, giving Audi a quick pat. Then he gave me a hug and a kind smile.

'Trust me, Cat, you’ll feel better if you do something you enjoy. Think about it as you go to sleep.'

Yakov wasn’t wrong. I woke just before dawn and stretched hard in bed then relaxed.

Huh. I actually feel like a run.
The thought made me smile, and I felt a buzz of delight. My first genuine smile in days. I got out of bed and slipped quietly around the bedroom, getting ready. The other three snored on, oblivious. Nnelg had slept over again and watched curiously. I was amused as he quickly turned his back on me when I changed; it wasn’t every day I made a dragon blush. Audi and I slipped out of the room.

Alek paced the corridor, agitation rippling through him. Yakov said he’d strongly recommended Cat go for a run. He knew she’d do it in the morning but when? He’d paced this section of floor for a good half hour.

What if she doesn’t come? Then what?
He gritted his teeth at the annoying butterflies he felt.

I want to see her.

Hearing a noise Alek froze and listened. It sounded like footsteps. They sounded light.

Yes. I hear a dog. What do I do?

His mind went to pieces on him as she rounded the corner.

I skidded to a halt. Alek stood in the middle of the corridor, gaping at me.

Uh-oh. Now what?

He took several steps toward me and I instinctively stepped back.

Cat moved away from him, a guarded expression on her face. He fought to find words as he gazed at her, marveling.

So beautiful, what was I thinking? Any price is worth it. Even if it doesn’t last.

She was dressed in the running costume Melanite had given her and looked incredible. Then the rose tinted glasses faded and he registered the weight loss and dark shadows under her eyes. It felt like someone had dealt a blow to his chest when he realized he’d been the cause.

Why is he staring at me? What the hell is that expression?

It almost looked caring.

No don’t be ridiculous.

My mind was in turmoil as I stared back.

Just go away.
You have no idea how much my heart aches when I see you. Idiot. Leave me alone.

Drawing a breath I gave him a cool look.

'Alek. What can I do for you?'

She sounded so calm. Until he noticed her hands. Clenched fists at her sides. Knuckles stark and white.

'Are you going for a run? Do you mind if I join you?'

It was my turn to gape.

He wants to join me?

Shocked, I stammered my reply, 'Uh… If you want to.'

Ugh way to sound like a moron Cat.

He gestured for me to continue and after a moments hesitation, forcing my stupid legs to work, I did. The awkward silence as we made our way to an outer door seemed deafening. Made all the more so by servants who spotting us, staring in open mouthed astonishment.

Oh my God, is nothing private around here?

Alek took the lead once we were outside.

'I’ll show you a favorite track of mine.' He beamed at me, then turned and started to jog.

My head did serious spins as I followed him.

What the hell is going on?

Cat hadn’t responded but Alek heard her footsteps behind him.

I’ll take a slow pace and maybe she’ll jog beside me.

I focused on my feet for the first part of the jog concerned that with the chaos currently un-reined in my mind I’d trip and fall. It looked like he’d led us to the track around the forest, in the gap between the inner and outer walls. The trees were rather thick. I hadn’t registered how large the gap between the two walls was. Makes sense I guess, you wouldn’t want an enemy to be able to jump from wall to wall. Birds chattered and sang in the trees, darting past us as we ran by. Alek hadn’t spoken to me again, for which I was grateful.

Maybe he’s trying to be friends
, the silly voice in my mind suggested.

My rational voice refused to consider that,
he must just want to make sure we can be civil to each other. To stop the gossiping.

That left a nasty dead feeling in my chest and I fought back tears.

Wish I could talk to him, I thought, but knowing that wasn’t possible, lifted my head and watched him instead. My heart ached as I traced the lines of his figure with my eyes and in my mind re-ran the image of him smiling at me.

I wish he’d do that again. And mean it.

Alek resisted the urge to look back at her. He could feel she was close, and the prickly sensation on his back suggested she watched him.

I don’t know what to say now. I’m just so grateful she’s close to me. I have to talk to her at some point. Yakov did say to take it slow and I can see how much it has affected her.
Guilt weighed heavily on him.

She’s lost weight and I know she normally has a healthy appetite. I didn’t realize I meant that much to her
.

Delight filled him at that realization.

I mean something to her!

Is it ridiculous that I wish this run could last forever?
The tense air between us had lightened and I knew that would change when we reached the end. I felt my heart sink as I saw the track getting lighter. Before I knew it we were back in the courtyard, staring at each other.

Cat appeared rather pale, considering they’d just completed an hour long run, and Alek had to fight the urge to touch her. Her green eyes stared up at him, anxiety and nervousness apparent in her gaze. He wanted to reassure her.

'Cat.'

He said my name, he said my name!
I have no idea why that thrilled me but it did. His eyes didn’t seem to be guarded at all. My stomach felt like it had turned into a giant bouncy ball and pinged up to my ribs and down to my feet.

In an unexpected move, he leaned forward and kissed me.

His brain had frozen when trying to think of what to say. So he acted on instinct and bent to kiss her. The familiar snap of energy greeted him and he felt a rush of delight.

Then a hard slam to his sternum.

After the instant of sheer joy came the fury.

HOW DARE HE!
A hard punch to the chest sent Alek staggering back, bent over, gasping for breath. The fury ran through my veins like nothing I’d felt before, and like that time on the griffons my vision was tinged red.

'HOW DARE YOU!'

A furious scream sent the girls scurrying to their windows.

'Oh my God,' gasped Loi as she spotted them.

Kassie and Sian let out shocked sounds too, as Cat continued her tirade while Alek appeared to be doubled in pain.

'Shit. You don’t think she stabbed him do you?' Kass looked at Sian and Loi with an expression of horror.

Sian stared disbelievingly at the scene before them then looked at Kassie.

'With what? It's not as though Cat carries knives.'

'Not normally,' Loi said dubiously.

Alek fought to get his breath back as Cat screamed at him.

Bloody hell her voice is intense.
It rang through his head, reverberating about his skull. The pain in his chest passed and he straightened up.

'Oh thank goodness,' Kassie breathed in relief at seeing Alek stand up with no apparent injuries. Then he began roaring at Cat.

The three girls began to glow, as their energy expanded with their increasing anger.

'What the hell?' hissed Loi to Kass, her brown eyes glowing an unnatural green. 'Where does he come off yelling at Cat? It’s HIS fault.'

Honestly, I couldn’t even register what I yelled. I was so angry. All the bottled words and thoughts from the last agonizing week rushed out of me. I didn’t know what he roared back. All I could hear was a strange rushing sound. The two of us stood about a foot apart, our faces red as we screamed at each other.

A flicker of movement caught his attention and Alek suddenly realized they had an audience, of increasing size.

This is ridiculous, he thought and extended a hand to Cat.

'Cat, I’m sor—'

Before he had a chance to finish his sentence, he was jerked off his feet and slammed hard on his back into the ground.

'Oooooh,' the three girls chorused as they watched from their suite windows.

Alek looked to be struggling for breath, like a fish out of water. Very reminiscent of the throw Kassie had done to that moron at the party.

How appropriate, thought Sian.

Cat marched toward the door with such a black look on her face that the observing crowd parted in a hurry. Several people raced forward to help Alek to his feet. Sian felt smug as she watched.

One public humiliation begets another, she thought with satisfaction.

I stormed back to our suite. The expressions on the girls faces told me they’d witnessed it all, which was good. I wasn’t in the mood to explain. After a long hot shower I’d finally calmed down.

I wasn't sure if I should be grateful or not, that I couldn't remember what I said to Alek. Well, not all of it. There was an awful lot of swearing. I sighed and leaned against the side of the shower, watching the water swirl around my feet and then vanish.

But then I can’t remember what he said either. Probably a good thing. I wonder if I’ve blown it?
A prickle of tears threatened.

No, I thought determinedly, I refuse to cry about this anymore.

Cat was in the washroom for a while and by the time she came out the rest of them were dressed and waiting, not that they minded. Sian was relieved that the confrontation between them was over.