Page 55 of Lies That Bleed
I sighed. “If you know it’s important, why would you send Onyx away? Kohen is going to look like a fool.”
Not that I cared. Okay, I sort of did.
She nuzzled her head into my stomach,‘If they know the power that Onyx has given Kohen, they will likely kill him where he stands.’
Chills ran the length of my entire back.‘What power?’I asked into her mind.
She was silent.
My eyebrows arched.‘The fire and healing? Or something else? What power did he give him?’
‘That’s not my information to share, Aisling. I’m sorry.’She sounded genuinely sad, and I respected her for keeping a close friend’s secret, but damn I wanted to know. Clearly Kohen had manifested another power besides the healing from burns and conjuring flames into his hand, which he’d shown me in the barn.
I nodded.
‘I am leaving too,’she said and my gut sank.‘But only because it is in your best interest. If they learn youcould escape death and whatever other powers may manifest through our bond, it may bring negative attention. There are some things humans are not ready to know, and the full extent of a Talanagi’s powers is one of them.’
I didn’t like it one bit. I was going to look like a total asshat up there with no powers to display, but her warning scared me. Especially since Kohen seemed to have manifested some big dark power.
I stroked her neck feathers.‘So you’re leaving?’
She nodded,‘I’ll be back tonight, after Sahiri is gone.’
My eyes widened.‘You know about Sahiri?’
Sahiri was one of the admiral’s creatures, a giant silverback gorilla who had the power to force another creature or human to display their power.
Liana dipped her head up and down.‘Sahiri was well known in The Wilds, a formidable creature with a rare talent. Do not allow her to cast her power over either you or Kohen.’
I frowned.‘I know you and Onyx are like family, but Kohen is my family’s sworn enemy. I can’t be doing favors for him.’
She sighed.‘Understood. Do not allow Sahiri to reveal your power. Kohen is on his own I guess.’She shrugged her winged shoulders nonchalantly, but I felt bad. What the hell was I supposed to do if some three-hundred-pound gorilla came up to me and tried to use her power on me? Knock her out?
I actually burst out laughing at the thought, and Liana cocked her head to the side in interest.
This was a good time to shift the conversation to what happened yesterday when the three soldiers said I wouldn’t be their future empress if theytook me out.
I told Liana what had happened, and when I was done telling her the story, a fine tendril of smoke came off of her skin. Her eyes flashed orange; she looked ready to burst into flames.
‘Aisling, if that ever happens again, you run up to them and slit their throats. Do you understand me?’
Whoa. That was hardcore.‘Umm, you can’t exactly kill a superior officer in boot camp for making a veiled verbal threat.’
She huffed, smoke leaving her nostrils.‘Then send them outside where I can take care of them.’
Okay… she was not going to see reason. Most creatures were very protective, and Liana was no different.
‘I guess. I’ll see you tomorrow, then?’I asked her.
She nodded and then took off like a rocket, shooting up from the forest floor and into the tree line.
A twig snapped behind me. I yanked my dagger from my waistband and spun, ready to throw. The blade nearly left my fingertips until I recognized Kohen.
“I almost took your eye! Don’t sneak up on me,” I snapped.
He held up his hands, peering up to where Liana had just flown off. “I’m just looking for Onyx. Everyone is lining up with their creatures for the revealing.”
Crap.
