her go is such a surprise. "So what’s Rand doing about it? How are we going to help him if she’s gone?”
"Sweetheart, calm down." Jonathan placed a hand on her shoulder.
She went still while pleasure filled her at his touch. “Let go of me, Jonathan. I haven’t given you permission to touch me.”
He chuckled and bent his head to hers. “Do I honestly look like a man who waits for permission to touch his woman?”
“No, but I’m not your woman nor will I be. Besides now is not the time to rehash this issue. We need to find a solution before she brings disaster down upon my mother and father. Her running from Rand is not a small slight that can just be attributed to premarital nerves. Not to mention the Council of the Elders may possibly imprison her for it. The daughter of an advisor doesn’t turn down marriage to the Crown Prince. It’s pure luck that Rand hasn’t called out the cavalry to bring her back."
"And if he did, quite a few of them would’ve been hurt in the process. I won’t go back until I’m ready, Pati.”
99
Both spun around to see Grace standing in the doorway. When Jonathan reached for the com unit strapped to his waist, Gracie sighed.
"I don’t want to hurt you, Jonathan, but if you try to contact Rand, I will. Even if you did manage to get a call off to him before I stop you, I won’t be here by the time he arrives. So is it worth the pain it’s going to cause both of us?" She spoke more calmly than she felt. "Don’t force my hand. You’re not going to call him."
"He's our best friend. The Gracie I knew wouldn’t be so cruel. He cares about you.”
"I know he does and I care too much about him to marry him when he wants more than I can give.”
Pati watched the interplay between Jonathan and Gracie. If it came down to a battle of powers, she wasn’t sure who’d win. While her sister’s power was not yet known, Jonathan’s was well documented.
"You know I’m going to call him. As your chosen he has the right to know you’re safe. Simply let me know where you’re going and I’ll tell him.”
“And he’ll promptly show up.”
It was obvious Jonathan was thinking of another angle when he switched tactics.
"He has a real bond with you. You know there’ll be no other for him.”
“Playing the poor Rand card are we? Okay I’ll play. Rand started this. I didn’t ask to be his chosen nor did I ask for his hand in marriage. And I damned sure didn’t ask for the constant burn of the mezclar –“
“I warned you, Sweetheart. If it’s driving you insane you’ve no one to blame
but yourself.”
“I thought we already established we weren’t going to talk about this, Zara.”
100
“No you’re just being your normal stubborn self and refusing to face the
reality of your situation –“
“Rand, I’ve found her.”
Jonathan’s voice jerked her out of the argument with Zara. He was holding his com unit and speaking into it.
“Damn it, Jonathan, I wished you hadn’t done that.”
Taking advantage of his distraction, she flew into the traditional forms of the Vindexicis training she’d taken with Rand. His curse was short lived while she flowed smoothly from one form to another with blazingly accurate speed. Within moments Jonathan was laying in a heap on the floor, unconscious with a shattered kneecap.
“Oh my God! Gracie you’ve – “
“Relax, he’ll be fine. He might have a bit of a headache when he wakes up though.”
“If anyone had ever asked me, I would’ve never guessed you’d ever hurt him. For the love of Mica, he’s your best friend! I can’t believe you took advantage of that.”
“Advantage of what?”
“The fact he’d never hurt you because Rand would never forgive him if he did. You used it to your advantage!”
“Of course I did. But have you ever known me to not do what was needed? And in this case, I need time and if the two Neanderthals I call friends won’t give it to me, I’ll take it.”
“Even if it
"Sweetheart, calm down." Jonathan placed a hand on her shoulder.
She went still while pleasure filled her at his touch. “Let go of me, Jonathan. I haven’t given you permission to touch me.”
He chuckled and bent his head to hers. “Do I honestly look like a man who waits for permission to touch his woman?”
“No, but I’m not your woman nor will I be. Besides now is not the time to rehash this issue. We need to find a solution before she brings disaster down upon my mother and father. Her running from Rand is not a small slight that can just be attributed to premarital nerves. Not to mention the Council of the Elders may possibly imprison her for it. The daughter of an advisor doesn’t turn down marriage to the Crown Prince. It’s pure luck that Rand hasn’t called out the cavalry to bring her back."
"And if he did, quite a few of them would’ve been hurt in the process. I won’t go back until I’m ready, Pati.”
99
Both spun around to see Grace standing in the doorway. When Jonathan reached for the com unit strapped to his waist, Gracie sighed.
"I don’t want to hurt you, Jonathan, but if you try to contact Rand, I will. Even if you did manage to get a call off to him before I stop you, I won’t be here by the time he arrives. So is it worth the pain it’s going to cause both of us?" She spoke more calmly than she felt. "Don’t force my hand. You’re not going to call him."
"He's our best friend. The Gracie I knew wouldn’t be so cruel. He cares about you.”
"I know he does and I care too much about him to marry him when he wants more than I can give.”
Pati watched the interplay between Jonathan and Gracie. If it came down to a battle of powers, she wasn’t sure who’d win. While her sister’s power was not yet known, Jonathan’s was well documented.
"You know I’m going to call him. As your chosen he has the right to know you’re safe. Simply let me know where you’re going and I’ll tell him.”
“And he’ll promptly show up.”
It was obvious Jonathan was thinking of another angle when he switched tactics.
"He has a real bond with you. You know there’ll be no other for him.”
“Playing the poor Rand card are we? Okay I’ll play. Rand started this. I didn’t ask to be his chosen nor did I ask for his hand in marriage. And I damned sure didn’t ask for the constant burn of the mezclar –“
“I warned you, Sweetheart. If it’s driving you insane you’ve no one to blame
but yourself.”
“I thought we already established we weren’t going to talk about this, Zara.”
100
“No you’re just being your normal stubborn self and refusing to face the
reality of your situation –“
“Rand, I’ve found her.”
Jonathan’s voice jerked her out of the argument with Zara. He was holding his com unit and speaking into it.
“Damn it, Jonathan, I wished you hadn’t done that.”
Taking advantage of his distraction, she flew into the traditional forms of the Vindexicis training she’d taken with Rand. His curse was short lived while she flowed smoothly from one form to another with blazingly accurate speed. Within moments Jonathan was laying in a heap on the floor, unconscious with a shattered kneecap.
“Oh my God! Gracie you’ve – “
“Relax, he’ll be fine. He might have a bit of a headache when he wakes up though.”
“If anyone had ever asked me, I would’ve never guessed you’d ever hurt him. For the love of Mica, he’s your best friend! I can’t believe you took advantage of that.”
“Advantage of what?”
“The fact he’d never hurt you because Rand would never forgive him if he did. You used it to your advantage!”
“Of course I did. But have you ever known me to not do what was needed? And in this case, I need time and if the two Neanderthals I call friends won’t give it to me, I’ll take it.”
“Even if it
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