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  The blank green eyes of the high priestess flashed and he knew she’d picked up on some of his thoughts but Rast didn’t give a damn. The only thing that mattered now was getting through this so he could save Nadiah. He was glad the ceremony seemed to be moving to its conclusion, although he was still wondering when his wings were supposed to sprout.

  At last the priestess spoke a kind of benediction—“Unto thee, oh Goddess, Mother of All Life, we entrust these sacred vows along with the light of our eyes, the love of our hearts and the understanding of our minds. Unto thee be all glory given forever and unto the end of time.”

  Rast repeated dutifully and all the priestesses, who had been humming throughout the entire ceremony, murmured, “So be it.”

  “So be it,” Rast echoed, nodding. When no one said anything else he looked at the high priestess. “Uh…is that all?”

  “We are finished.” She nodded gravely. “You have taken the vows and will be the next Counselor of First World.”

  “All right, well…” Rast craned his neck, trying to look over his shoulder. “So then where are the wings? Why can’t I fly?”

  The high priestess frowned. “You cannot fly because your wings still have not manifested—a clear sign that the female you have chosen is not fit to be your mate or the Lyzel to your Challa.” She cleared her throat. “Seeing that is the case, I myself will undertake the roll.”

  “What?” Rast shook his head. “Oh no, I don’t think so. I don’t care what you say or how holy you are, I’m not sleeping with you, lady.”

  “Please. I do not seek to breed with you.” She made a face, as though such an idea were completely distasteful. “But the Counselor must have a Lyzel—a female counterpart. Someone to represent the Goddess, someone to consult and see into the Eye of Foreknowledge with him. Traditionally, the office of Lyzel is filled by the Coucilor’s mate but in this case, I think we will have to separate the rolls.”

  “Separate the rolls? What are you talking about?” Rast demanded.

  “I am simply saying that though it is a heavy burden to bear, I am willing to take on the responsibilities of Lyzel. You can, of course, choose a mate for carnal relations from among our priestesses.” She indicated the row of priestesses standing beside her. “Worry not for all of them are virgins and any would be a fitting match for the Counselor .”

  Rast was beginning to get really angry at this point but somehow he managed to keep his fury in check. “Nadiah is the only woman I want,” he growled. “And she’s the only woman I’ll accept as my mate and Lyzel.”

  “Impossible.” The high priestess frowned. “The Lyzel is always a priestess. This Tranq Prime girl has had no training in the ways of the Goddess and she is of the wrong bloodline to bear your heirs. She must be put aside in favor of a more suitable candidate.”

  “Why, you…If you think—” Rast began but Sylvan took a step forward and put a hand on his chest.

  “With all due respect, your holiness,” he said in a low, angry voice. “Nadiah cannot be put aside. She and Rast already share a blood bond—a very strong one. Breaking it would kill my kinswoman which is not acceptable.”

  The high priestess frowned. “A blood bond, hmm?” She beckoned to Nadiah. “Come forward, my child.”

  Rast wanted to stop her but Nadiah had already stumbled forward, almost as though she couldn’t disobey the summons. “Please,” she whispered. “Rast and I love each other. We’ll stay here but please don’t try to part us.”

  The priestess ignored her. “I will look into you now,” she proclaimed. “I will examine this bond and see what may be done about it.” Taking Nadiah’s face between her hands, she stared with her blank, emerald eyes into Nadiah’s deep blue ones.

  Rast saw Nadiah shudder and worried that whatever the priestess was doing was hurting her. But after only a minute, she released Nadiah who stumbled and would have fallen if Lissa hadn’t run forward to catch her and put an arm around her waist.

  “A fresh bond and one which isn’t sealed yet,” the high priestess announced. “I can break it easily and graft it to another male, ensuring that this little female will live—so long as you are able to fly her to the Healing Garden, Challa.” She eyed his still wingless back disapprovingly.

  “I don’t want the bond grafted to anyone else,” Rast growled. “Nadiah is mine. Besides, who would you even find to graft it to in this place? As far as I can see Sylvan and I are the only males for miles around.”

  “She can graft it to me, of course.” As if by some evil magic, the thick branches behind the priestess rustled and a familiar figure appeared from behind the sacred trees.

  “Y’dex!” Nadiah’s already pale face went suddenly snow white with fear.

  “Hello, my lovely.” Y’dex’s thin lips pealed back into a nasty grin, his pale blue eyes bulging greedily. “Didn’t I tell you it wasn’t over between us?”

  “Nadiah, get over here!” Rast lunged forward but Y’dex was closer. But before Rast could reach her, he was right behind Nadiah with one long arm snaked around her waist and fishbelly-white fingers wrapped around her throat.

  “I think not,” he murmured, smiling unpleasantly. “From the moment I heard that my little Nadiah was going to First World, I knew I had to come and claim her. Your own parents told me—wasn’t that kind of them, my lovely?” he asked Nadiah who didn’t answer.

  “How did you even get here?” Sophia demanded. “I thought only the Kindred Mother Ships had the ability to fold space.”

  “I’m sure you’d love to know that.” Y’dex smirked. “Let’s just say the Kindred aren’t the only ones with interstellar jumping abilities now.” He squeezed Nadiah’s neck until she gasped and then released her slowly, grinning at Rast.

  “Take your hands off her,” Rast growled, his vision going red.

  “Why should I?” Y’dex sneered. “I’ll touch her as much as I want. After all, Nadiah is mine.”

  Hearing his own words echoed back at him and seeing another man’s hands—Y’dex’s hands—on his female’s body, made Rast feel like he was losing his mind. A fury so strong it was almost insurmountable rose within him, threatening to drown him in a tidal wave of angry red.

  “Hold,” he heard Sylvan murmur and felt the big warrior’s restraining hand on his chest. “Going into rage won’t help you now,” Sylvan whispered fiercely. “You have to keep control of yourself, Rast. Keep control of yourself and the situation or everything is going straight to the seven hells.”

  He’s right. Sylvan’s right. Everything’s going to go to hell if I can’t keep it together. With a huge effort, Rast swallowed the anger that wanted to engulf him. Taking a deep breath, he looked at the high priestess. “I can see what you’re trying to do,” he said grimly. “But it isn’t going to work.”

  The high priestess frowned. “Whatever are you talking of, Challa?”

  “I’m talking about this. All this.” Rast made a motion with his arms as though to encompass the whole planet. “There hasn’t been a ruler here for a thousand years so you, being high priestess, are ruler by default. A pretty sweet gig if you get off on being the queen of the desert. And I think you do, your Holiness.”

  The high priestess’s face had begun to grow red. “I never…”

  “But then I showed up on your radar and suddenly you realized you’re going to have to share. Not only with me, but with my chosen wife too. Now instead of being first in line, you’re going to be bumped down to third. Bet you don’t like that a bit, do you?” Rast growled.

  “I have never even thought—” she began. But he wasn’t done yet.

  “So you decide to get the woman I love out of the way—either by illness or by letting this slimy, sadistic bastard take her back to Tranq Prime. That way you figure you’ll have the second spot all sewed up.” He laughed angrily. “Hell, maybe even the first spot if I’m too grief stricken to rule. Why, I’m sure you’d be more than happy to sit on that damn electric chair of a throne and look into the for