Page 35 of Zar

Minutes passed as she and Flare stood in the room waiting for Zar to return. He would come through the door and he would be okay. It wouldn’t end like this. It couldn’t. Suddenly, Flare reached out and touched her face. When he swiped a finger over her left cheek, Callie realized she was still crying. She wasn’t a crier. Her father had punished that out of her as a child. Discipline the mind, Callie, he’d say. It’s the mark of any great man.

“You care for him,” Flare murmured, a gentle smile on his handsome face.

Callie wrapped her arms around her middle and tried to regain control of her runaway emotions. She couldn’t put into words what she felt for Zar. Nor would she discuss it with Flare. Instead she walked over to the bed and sat down. She picked up his pillow and held it tight, inhaling the Zar’s masculine scent. It eased her enough to get control of herself. When she looked up, she found Flare staring at her. “Don’t give me that look, Flare.”

“What look?”

“Like I’m about to break. I’m not. So, stop with the look.”

Flare straightened, then walked across the room to the doorway. He tensed. “Zar has returned.”

Callie shot off the bed and sprinted across the room. Flare caught her just as she was about to dart through the door. “Wait until I know it’s safe,” he ordered, his arm a tight band around her middle. Precious seconds ticked by, then Flare released her. “He’s alone.”

Callie took off the instant she was free. She met Zar as he came striding through the open balcony doors. His gaze lifted. For a heartbeat Callie froze, uncertain what to do, but Zar opened his arms and she ran into them. His wings wrapped around her and he leaned down to nuzzle her neck. “It’s okay, little dove. He’s gone.”

Callie shook her head and this time she didn’t try to stop the flood of tears. “I saw him cut you and I—”

“It would take more than that to bring me down, Callie,” he murmured as he nudged her face upward to meet his smiling face. “I’m not earth-born, remember? Zenarians are very hard to kill. I’m of royal blood, which makes it nearly impossible.”

She frowned and slapped at his chest. “How was I to know that?”

His smile widened. “You are always striking me; do you know that?”

Callie looked behind him. “Where’s Dyre?”

“He went to meet up with my brothers. They are searching the area to be sure Naxon doesn’t return.”

Now that the terror was passed, Callie’s anger rose to biblical proportions. “Why in holy hell was your brother trying to kill you, Zar? That’s some seriously messed up sibling rivalry.”

He flinched as if she’d slapped him. “Brother?”

Callie hesitated. Did she have that wrong? “Naxon is your brother, right? I mean, you look so much alike.”

Zar stepped back, or rather stumbled back. “No,” he uttered, as if that one word explained everything.

Callie looked over at Flare and he looked just as shocked. “What did I say?”

Flare and Zar stared at each other and finally Zar spoke. “It can’t be.”

Callie started to speak, but something wet against her stomach caught her attention. She looked down to see her shirt soaked with blood. Too late she remembered Zar’s injury. He hissed and clutched his side. “Oh, God, Zar,” Callie cried, as she covered her mouth with her hand. There was so much blood and the room began to spin. Hold it together, damn it.

Zar shook his head and wrapped an arm around her middle. “I will heal.”

Flare rushed to his side and helped Zar to the couch. “I’ll be back with Arwen, my king.”

When Flare started to move away, Zar grabbed him by the forearm. “You kept her safe while I couldn’t. For that I will be forever in your debt.”

Flare frowned. “I only wish I could’ve eliminated the threat entirely.”

Zar released him, then he sighed and rested his head against the back of the couch. “Naxon is my problem. I alone with deal with him.”

Flare looked as if he wanted to argue that point, but in the end, he nodded and left. Callie was alone with a bleeding and injured alien king. Didn’t see that one coming, did ya?

Callie leaned down and placed a gentle kiss to Zar’s lips, then whispered, “I’ll be right back with a towel.”

His lips curved upward and his gaze looked her over. “I like you tending to me, little dove.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well, don’t get a big head about it.”

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