Chapter 15

Long, blonde hair cascaded around his broad shoulders. His golden eyes. Then he winked and there was a flash of gold. Then…an eagle!

I jumped out of my feet, nearly tripping over the blanket, and hurried out the room as quickly as I could. I shoved Asher’s door open, “Asher! My father was-”

I halted.

He was laying on his bed, naked to his waist with a beautiful naked woman looming over him.
His eyes widened and he rolled out of the bed. “Lanya!”

But I was already gone, running down the hall and across the balcony.

“Lanya, wait! It’s not what you think!” he shouted after me.

I could hear him running and I knew he was fast. I pushed myself to run harder. That explained why he hadn’t continued to kiss me. He was too busy with others.

My tears burned my face and my feet pounded the planks. I felt my body tug and twist in an odd way, my arms stretched and my feet shifted. Suddenly there weren’t planks below my feet. Nothing but air. I screamed in horror and there was a whooshing sound as I plummeted toward the ground.

Asher caught my fall and gently set me on the ground. “Well, you’re a red eagle,” he announced.

I shoved him away. “I understand why you don’t want me,” I yelled. He winced and opened his mouth, but I shoved him in the chest again. “I was just no one to you! I’m a slave to you! Just another girl that you can make yours! You completely…I thought…urg!” I spun on my heel and stomped into the darkness.

Asher was suddenly in front of me, his hands firmly on my shoulders. “It’s not what you think.”

“Oh really? And what do you want me to think?” I snarled.

He sighed, “That girl you saw is Yarisha. She’s a snake, and for a good reason. Remember how I told you I had a little problem with girls because I’m the prince?”

I frowned, but nodded.

“She’s the biggest problem.”

I folded my arms over my chest. “So you want me to believe that you were just going about your own business and you just happened to get naked together?”

His lips twisted into a frown, “No. I was getting ready for bed. I took my shirt off and climbed in and she was in the bed already, in her snake form. Whatever you’re dressed in when you shift into your animal form is what you will be dressed in when you shift back…or what you don’t have on.”

I put my hands against my face and gasped. “I’m so sorry! I feel absolutely ridiculous! I’m so sorry.” I was so embarrassed.

He smiled and sighed, “I’m glad you aren’t mad at me anymore.”

I put my hands on my forehead. “I’m so sorry.”

He grabbed my chin. “What was it you wanted to tell me?”

I glanced around and saw that a few people had appeared to see what the commotion was. Asher gently took my hand and he led me to a bench off to the side of the palace. When we were seated, with his arm across the back of the bench, I started. “I remember what my father looked like. What he really looked like.”

“And?”

I looked at him, “Is the golden eagle still alive?”

Asher’s eyes slowly widened and he jumped to his feet. “You’re father is the golden eagle?” he practically shouted.

I smiled a little, “Yes. I remember one time when he shifted in front of me.”

Asher sat back down, his eyes still wide. “I can’t believe…I…you…”

“You can’t believe you what?”

He took a deep breath and glanced at me, “I can’t believe I fell in love with the Chosen One and the daughter of the Golden Eagle.”

My nose scrunched, “Chosen One?”

“That’s what the tattoo on your shoulder is. I asked my father about the symbol and he explained that it was the marking of the Chosen One. I’m taking you to your father right now.” He climbed to his feet.

“But it’s the middle of the night!” I objected as he pulled me to stand next to him.

He shook his head, “I don’t care what time it is, you have to see your father.”

He shifted into his tiger form and crouched down. Get on my back.

“You can talk to me?” I gasped.

His sea eyes stared at me. Of course. When I am in my animal shape, I can talk to you. Even if you shift into your animal shape. As long as one of us is in our animal form, we can talk to each other.

“That’s why you were able to talk to Trayden when he was in his bear form.”

His massive head nodded.

I took a deep breath, “I’m going to crush you.”

He snorted. I’ve lifted Trayden in his bear form and that’s over five hundred pounds. I’m positive I can lift you without any problems.

I climbed onto his back and carefully wrapped my arms around his neck and secured my ankles around his hips. He rose to his feet and I closed my eyes.

Don’t be afraid. You won’t fall.

I rolled my eyes, “Sure.”

He started running. I barely moved and finally dared to open my eyes. The night flew by us like a blur. I smiled. The rush of the wind across my face hit me like little needles, but the rush filled my heart with a burning feeling. The excitement built as I thought about flying. I was going to enjoy being a red eagle.

Your father…I still can’t believe it.

“Why?”

He doesn’t seem like the kin…I think I remember you.

“What?” I looked at the back of his head.

I remember you. When we were kids, we used to play together. Remember? I used to tease you. He chuckled. We would play all day. Everyone would scold us because I was the prince and you…weren’t part of the royal family.

I frowned in concentration, “I don’t remember.” I rubbed my cheek against his neck.

You were different then. I’d forgotten about you until just now.

“I’ve forgotten everything.”

He ran up the side of the mountain, traveling toward the cliff. It took us well over an hour to reach the cliff that loomed out over the village. Asher slowed to a walk before he rounded the corner to the exposed cave.

He crouched and I slipped off his back. He shivered and was quickly back in his human form. He stood up next to me and grabbed my hand. “Don’t be afraid.”

I smiled nervously, “I’m not afraid.”

He chuckled and turned his attention back to the black cave. He positioned himself in front of me, preventing whoever would come out from seeing me. I poked my head out from his side and watched a tall, thick man with long blonde hair emerge from the cave.

“Yes Asher?” he smiled.

Asher bowed a little, “Khalil. I brought someone who wanted to meet you.”

He raised a blonde eyebrow, “You could have come in the morning.”

Asher shook his head, “This couldn’t wait.” He carefully pulled me to his side.

Khalil, my father, stared at me, his eyes widened, “Lanya?”

I grinned and ran to him. He scooped me up in his arms, swinging me around in a tight hug. We both laughed and a flood of memories flew into my head.

He set me down, still laughing, “You look just like your mother.”

My smile fell a little, “Where is she?”

He sighed, “She died after she gave birth to you. They couldn’t get the bleeding to stop.”

I smiled and hugged him tightly, “I missed you so much, Father!”

“Asher, how did you find her?”

I looked back at Asher. His hands were in his pockets, a small smile played on his lips. He shrugged, “Call it fate. The men who captured me brought me to the kingdom she was in. They gave me to their wizard as a slave and she happened to be a slave as well.”

I rolled my eyes, “And it was just as simple as that.”

He winked, “Yes.”

I sighed and recanted the story with a lot more detail than Asher offered. When I was done, father stared at me with a startled expression.

I eyed him, “What?”

He laughed lightly, “I never would have thought I would see the day that my daughter was brought back to me. It’s been far too long. Lanya, can you ever forgive me?”

I grabbed his soft hands, “Why wasn’t I here with you?”

He took a deep breath, “You are the Chosen One. You have an immense amount of power and you are capable of controlling really anything you want. You can use it for good or evil. Because of this power that is locked up in you, people have been searching for you. I had to get you away from here, for your sake…and ours.”

I smiled, “Thank you.”

He looked back at Asher, “Thank you for bringing her to me.”

Asher blushed, “It’s more her fault than mine.”

My father returned his gold gaze to me. “Return with Asher. You will be a lot more comfortable with him than you will be with me. Return to me in the morning and I will begin training you.” He frowned. “Have you found out what animal you are?”

I looked back at Asher sheepishly, “A red eagle.”

“Is that bad?” he asked, concerned.

I shook my head, “No. I’m excited! I just…found out because I was mad at Asher.”

He chuckled, “Go with him. I love you, my daughter.”

I hugged him tightly and walked back to Asher. I wrapped him in a tight hug, which caught him off guard. He returned the hug.

“I’m glad you are returning with me,” he whispered in my ear.

I looked up at him and smiled.

He stepped back and shifted into his tiger form, crouching low to allow me to climb on again. I smiled at my father, who smiled at me in return.

He looked down at Asher and nodded, “Yes. Approval granted.”

I looked down at Asher, but he bolted forward suddenly, causing me to press my body against his back as he flew down the mountain.

“What was that all about?” I asked when we were far enough away from my father that he wouldn’t be able to hear.

What?

I rolled my eyes, “Don’t act all innocent. What did you ask him?”

He chuckled. You will find out.

When we reached the palace, he crouched again and let me off. Before I’d even turned around, he was back in his human form, his hand secured around mine. He led me back to my room and closed the door behind him.

“Can I explain something to you?” he asked sheepishly.

“Please do.”

He sighed, “I didn’t want to continue with…us because you are the Chosen One.”

“Oh.” I felt more than embarrassed for my actions. I couldn’t even look at him. I’d been so upset with him over something so small. “I’m sorry I got angry with you.”

He snorted, “Why? I didn’t explain. This is my fault.”

“What did you really ask my father?”

He looked at me, “I just asked your father a question.”

I smiled, “Are you going to tell me what you asked?”

He chuckled, “No.”

I frowned.

He groaned and fell onto his back on the bed, his ankles dangled off the end. I laid down next to him and pulled a pillow under my head. I curled up a little and he rolled onto his side, facing me.

“It felt kind of funny being so far away from you when we’ve been so close for so long,” he whispered.

I traced his face and his green eyes slowly closed. He tilted his chin toward me and I smiled to myself. I scratched under his chin and he quietly started to purr.

I couldn’t hold back my laugh.

He looked at me, “Don’t make fun of me.”

I tucked my hand under my cheek. “I’m not making fun of you. I think it’s cute.”

He chuckled and leaned forward to press his lips against my forehead. “Good night.”

I smiled, “Good night.”