Shadow of the Coalition Read online

  “My apologies. Would you like to head to the restaurant now?”

  She nodded, feeling guilty for her knee-jerk reaction. It was difficult to stay angry with Alec when his use of energy seemed to be instinctual. In all fairness, it was rather sweet of him to try to make her feel better. She just didn’t like the idea that her emotions were being manipulated.

  In an effort to smooth things over, Kayla took Alec’s arm again. “Sure. Are we going back to the big dining hall from my last visit?”

  Seara shook her head. “No. We’ll be taking you into one of the commercial districts. Unfortunately, you didn’t have an opportunity to visit this area last time you were here. Your last visit…” Seara paused and then frowned in remembrance. Kayla’s imprisonment in the towers was still fresh in everyone’s mind. “Let’s just say it wasn’t what anyone wanted for your first experience here. I hope you’ll give the towers another chance. There’s a restaurant called Bliss that Alec thought you’d enjoy. It’s much more casual than those silly political affairs in the Great Hall.”

  Alec rested his hand over hers and gave it a small squeeze before directing them back toward the elevators. Brant kept a slight distance behind the group. When they stepped inside the lift, he pressed a button on a communication device attached to his wrist. Unfamiliar with the type of device and intrigued by any new technology, Kayla leaned over to get a better look. Brant lowered his wrist immediately and took a step backward, careful to maintain his distance. She frowned and narrowed her eyes, wondering about his strange behavior. Now that she thought about it, he seemed to avoid getting close to both her and Alec. It was tempting to reach out and wiggle her fingers in his direction just to see if he’d jump, but the elevator arrived at their destination before she could test her theory.

  Nothing in Kayla’s experience could have prepared her their exit into the large commercial area. Countless shops and restaurants lined a busy thoroughfare with possibly more than a hundred people in this one area alone who were either looking inside shop windows or heading toward unknown destinations.

  Several people stopped at the sight of them and openly stared. The unfamiliar people, lights, and noise were almost overwhelming, and Alec pulled Kayla closer in order to wrap his arm around her waist when her fingers unconsciously tightened on his arm. Kayla was too busy trying to see everything at once to object to the possessive gesture. Carl moved up to stand on the other side of her and spoke softly in her ear.

  “These are some higher end stores. This area is open to the general public, but it caters more to members of the Inner Circle. A lot of people come here to window shop rather than buy.”

  “Window shop?” she questioned, unfamiliar with the phrase.

  “They come to look at the items for sale,” Carl tried to explain. “They rarely purchase anything. They just daydream about owning them one day.”

  Kayla strained her neck to peer into one of the windows and saw a wide assortment of merchandise. She’d grown up living on the move. All her worldly possessions could easily fit into one or two bags. If she couldn’t fit it on the back of her speeder, there wasn’t much use for it. “I don’t understand. Why do they daydream over this stuff?”

  He grinned. “Pretend there are a bunch of OmniLab prototypes in the windows instead. Imagine these stores filled with the latest sensors, frequency detectors, and stability monitors.”

  Kayla’s eyes widened in understanding as she nodded. “Hell yeah. I totally get it now. Except I wouldn’t just sit back and window shop. I’d find a way to take them with me. I doubt their security is all that great. Look at that. All that stuff is just lying around begging for someone to lift it.”

  Alec had been listening to the conversation, and he chuckled at her words. “You’re an interesting woman, Kayla. It’s rare to find a woman who prefers technology over the usual baubles and trinkets. I assure you, though, you’ll never want for anything ever again. Just say the word and it’s yours.”

  Kayla wrinkled her nose, still trying to scope out their security system. Promises didn’t mean much—not in her world. “I’ve never had much use for trinkets. If it doesn’t help you survive, why bother with it?” But even as she said it, she fingered Alec’s necklace thoughtfully. He noticed the gesture and his eyes lit up in pleasure. She flushed and looked away, focusing on the other shops they passed.

  They arrived at the restaurant, and Kayla couldn’t help but gasp. Large fish tanks lined the walls and glowed with an eerie light. Shadows and colors danced upon the ceiling, simulating an ocean reef. Soft music played in the background and gave the entire restaurant an otherworldly feel. Kayla’s eyes darted around the room as she tried to take in everything at once.

  A trim, elegant-looking man approached and bowed low when he recognized them. “Good evening, it’s an honor to have you with us. Please allow me to show you to our priority table.”

  Alec inclined his head, and they followed the man to a circular table on a raised dais. More fish tanks surrounded the table in a semi-circle, giving the illusion of privacy. Each of the tanks had hundreds of fish, brightly-colored corals, and strange tall grasses that seemed to dance beneath the water.

  The man pulled out a chair for Kayla, placing her between Alec and Carl. Seara took the seat on the other side of Alec.

  Their host handed each of them a thin tablet which appeared to be some sort of menu, but Kayla was too busy absorbing the surrounding details to look at it. Alec touched the screen and quickly scanned through it.

  Carl looked around, seemingly impressed. “I’ve heard of this place but can’t say I’ve ever been here.”

  “I think you’ll enjoy it,” Seara said, placing her napkin on her lap. “The food is marvelous.”

  Kayla noticed Brant standing nearby talking quietly to another man wearing the same OmniLab jacket with the Ouroboros symbol. His voice was too low to make out his words, but he pointed toward the door. The other man nodded and headed to the entrance. As though he felt Kayla watching him, he turned and met her gaze. He bowed ever so slightly in her direction before moving further from their table. Eyes narrowing, Kayla tracked the security officer’s movements, not relaxing until he disappeared from sight. That guy was going to be a nagging headache until she figured him out.

  Alec glanced up at their host. “Bring us a bottle of your best white wine to start while we look over the menu.”

  “Of course,” the man replied and quickly hurried away to fulfill Alec’s request.

  Kayla shifted in her seat to get a better look at the fish tank next to them. She felt Alec’s gaze on her but ignored him, fascinated by the colorful fish darting back and forth. She lightly tapped on the glass with her finger. The fish swarmed toward her, and she couldn’t resist laughing in delight as they chased her finger.

  “Why are they doing that?”

  “They probably think you’re going to feed them.” Carl chuckled.

  Her mouth formed a small ‘o’ shape. The thought both thrilled and intrigued her. “Really? Can I?”

  Alec laughed and draped his arm across the back of her chair. “If that’s what you want, we’ll have it arranged. You seemed to enjoy watching the fish last time you were in my office. I thought you’d enjoy this restaurant. I’m glad to see I was correct.”

  She beamed a brilliant smile at him, touched by the fact he remembered her interest and brought her here because of it. Alec’s breath caught, and he stared at her for a long moment. The intensity and longing in his eyes made her smile falter. Shit.

  Kayla quickly looked away and snatched up the tablet menu to distract herself. It was impossible trying to focus on the selection while she could still feel Alec’s gaze on her. He cleared his throat and put his hand over hers. “Would you like me to order for you?”

  “Yeah, that might be a good idea,” she agreed without looking at him. Pushing the tablet away, she dropped her hands in her lap and studied the ambience again. She couldn’t handle his touch right now. “I still can’
t believe you guys eat like this. I’ve always just popped a packaged meal into a food preparation machine and been done with it.”

  When their host returned, he poured a small amount of wine into Alec’s glass. After Alec had taken a sip and nodded at the man to indicate his satisfaction, the server poured the wine for the rest of the party. He then took their order and collected their tablets before disappearing again.

  Kayla sipped her wine, surprised at the smoothness and flavor. “Wow, this is really good.”

  Alec smiled at her and swirled the wine in his glass. “Kayla, I was wondering if you’d be interested in beginning some training tomorrow morning. I have a bit of time that I’ve blocked off in my schedule, and I think it would be a good idea to begin as soon as possible.”

  Kayla fingered her necklace absently and nodded. She might as well learn what she could as long as she was here. At the very least, she could arrange to access OmniLab’s records to get more information and then study energy manipulation on her own time. As soon as those water samples were finished, she was hightailing it back to the surface. She didn’t quite trust her reactions around Alec, and the distance would probably help.

  Carl glanced over at her, his expression filled with concern. “What’s involved in this training? Is it dangerous?”

  Alec gave him a cold look. “We don’t discuss these sorts of things with outsiders.”

  “It’s a fair question,” Seara intervened and rested her hand on Alec’s arm. “Carl knows more than most other people. He’s already proven his loyalty, and his devotion to Kayla is obvious. I’m sure she’s curious about the training too. We haven’t had a chance to explain much to her.”

  Kayla nodded. She understood why the Inner Circle was secretive about their abilities, but there was no reason to keep it from Carl. “Is it just more energy being tossed around?”

  Alec looked at her for a long moment and then glanced at Carl. With a sigh, he said, “No. Since most abilities don’t fully manifest until after puberty, we spend the majority of our childhood learning background and general information. I’m hoping to give you some of this foundation tomorrow. As far as actual energy manipulation goes, we need to discover the full range of your talents.”

  Kayla wrinkled her nose and took another sip of wine. Well, shit. This sounds like it’s going to be boring.

  “I’ll make sure you aren’t bored,” Alec promised.

  “Oh, fucking hell. I keep forgetting you can hear me.”

  Alec grinned at her. She scowled and finished her glass of wine. She needed some space and to clear her head. Kayla pushed away from the table. “Is there a lavatory around here?”

  “Of course.” Seara gestured toward a hallway. “It’s right around the corner. Would you like me to show you?”

  She shook her head. “No, that’s okay. I’ll find it.”

  Kayla stood and headed in the direction Seara indicated. The directions were spot-on and she located the restroom with ease. After finishing up and cleaning her hands in the sanitation machine, she stepped out of the room. On the opposite side of the hallway was a windowed door. Curious, Kayla stood on her toes to peek inside.

  The doorway marked the entrance to a bustling, noisy kitchen. Workers rushed back and forth within the kitchen while others hovered over large steaming pots. Her breath fanned against the window as she leaned closer, fascinated by the activity. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. She spun around to find Brant watching her.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me. You followed me?”

  He inclined his head. “Yes, ma’am. I’ve been asked to stay with you while you explore the towers.”

  She crossed her arms and glared at him. Too bad she didn’t have the electrolaser gun or she might consider zapping him. Who needed an armed escort to pee? Unfortunately, Seara had confiscated the weapon, claiming Kayla couldn’t carry it and wear that particular dress at the same time. Kayla had only relented after Seara promised to have a thigh holster delivered to their quarters that would fit under most dresses. At the time, it seemed like a fair deal. Now she was having second thoughts.

  “I hardly think I’m going to get lost looking for a place to piss.”

  If her colorful language shocked him, he didn’t show it. Damn, I’ll have to try harder.

  “Perhaps,” Brant replied noncommittally and gestured toward the main seating area of the restaurant. “Shall we return to your table?”

  Kayla hesitated and glanced at the kitchen door, not quite ready to go back and face Alec.

  “Nope,” she said with a grin, pushing open the door to the kitchen. If Brant was assigned to explore the towers with her, she’d take the opportunity to explore.

  Large pots and pans covered the stoves, bubbling and simmering their mysterious brews. Rich smells wafted in the air, and she inhaled deeply, savoring the unfamiliar scents. Several people worked intently chopping food and stirring the pots. They all seemed to synchronize their movements as though they were engaged in an elaborate dance. A large-bellied man with a speckled white apron was the first to spot her. His mouth dropped open in astonishment, and he waved a large spoon to get her attention.

  “Mistress Rath’Varein!” He bowed low. “Are you lost?”

  She glanced at Brant, who was obviously displeased by her detour. Turning back to the man greeting her, she smiled. “Call me Kayla. And no, I peeked through the window and couldn’t resist getting a better look. This is amazing. You cook all the food in here?”

  He nodded, puffing out his chest at the compliment. “Yes. My name is Nicolas Martin. I’m the head chef for Bliss.”

  “Would I be in your way if I watched for a minute? I’ve never seen anyone prepare food like this before.”

  “You honor me,” the chef said on an exhale and eagerly gestured for her to follow him. “You are always welcome in my kitchen. We are preparing your order right now. I would be delighted to show you.”

  Brant leaned close and said in a low voice, “Kayla, it would be best if you returned to the table.”

  No chance in hell.

  She’d probably never get an opportunity like this again. Kayla shook her head and shooed Brant away before following the chef over to one of the pots. He tossed in some herbs and seasonings, chattering about the techniques used to bring out the flavors. She didn’t understand most of it, but her stomach rumbled in appreciation.

  He stirred the cream-colored sauce, and then gestured to it. “Would you like to sample it?”

  Kayla perked up. “Really? I can?”

  Nicolas pulled out a spoon and scooped up some sauce. He leaned forward, gesturing for her to open her mouth. Flavors exploded on her tongue as she closed her eyes to savor the sensation. When she finally opened them again, the cook was beaming at her with pride.

  “Hot damn! This is freaking amazing! How did you learn to do this?”

  “I trained for years in the culinary arts. Based on my specialties, I was awarded a position in this restaurant.”

  “I’ve never tasted anything like that,” Kayla admitted.

  Pleased with her enthusiasm, he offered, “We’re making some of our garlic bread for your table. Would you like to see how it’s done?”

  Kayla nodded and followed him further into the kitchen. As she passed, the workers looked up from where they were kneading dough and chopping ingredients to gape at her. Brant’s scowl deepened, but he continued to follow her, his hand resting on his weapon as though daring anyone to approach.

  They stopped next to another man who was in the process of pulling several large loaves of bread out of the oven. With practiced ease, he cut them open with a knife and used a brush to coat the inside of the loaf with a yellow substance. Cheese and herbs were sprinkled on it before it was sliced into smaller pieces.

  Kayla gestured to the bread. “Could I try doing that?”

  “Of course.” He moved another loaf over to the counter in front of her. Kayla listened as he instructed her on the best way
to position the loaf before slicing it and then explained how to spread the yellow mixture, cheese, and herbs on it. After she finished cutting the bread in small slices like the other cook, she put down the knife and grinned.

  “Considering a profession in the culinary arts, my dear?”

  Kayla whirled around and saw both Alec and Brant standing side by side. Alec was regarding her with mild amusement while Brant looked unhappy. Still excited over learning how to make garlic bread, she ignored Brant and flashed Alec a huge smile. “Nicolas just taught me how to make garlic bread.”

  Alec chuckled at her enthusiasm, then put his arm around her and drew her against his side. “You’re truly a delight, Kayla. Chef Nicolas is one of the best chefs within the towers.”

  Nicolas flushed at the compliment. “Welcome to our kitchen, Master Tal’Vayr. I hope offering your fiancée a tour of our kitchen was acceptable.”

  Kayla froze at his words and her smile faded. Fiancée? She looked up at Alec. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

  Chapter Six

  Kayla had to hand it to him, Alec barely flinched. If it weren’t for their shared emotional bond, she would never have believed he was anything other than the calm leader he projected. Even his eyes didn’t betray his countenance. In her head, his silent voice promised, ”I’ll explain outside. Please, play along.”

  Her eyes narrowed at his words. She almost considered refusing until she felt his panic and concern. Her mouth parted in surprise at the uncharacteristic emotions. Alec was always so confident and focused. She’d seen him face off against the entire High Council without losing his cool demeanor. Whatever had him worried couldn’t be good. She reached out across their bond to see if she could discern the cause, but he sensed her awareness and quickly suppressed his thoughts.

  Damn, I need to learn how to do that.

  “Yes, my love, we have much to discuss. Why don’t we head back to the table? Our guests are waiting on us.”