Thorns of Fate: Serendipity Saga Book One

Chapter Twenty-Six

It was hard to watch Carson's array of emotions displayed on his face. He was obviously struggling. He flitted from fury to horror, then from despair to depression. It broke my heart. He stood awkwardly in the corner of the room, as far from Valeria as he could reasonably be. Damien had placed himself in the other corner, standing now. Anton stood beside her, staring hard at her.

"So, you're saying you've imprinted on my buddy here?" he was asking, gesturing to Carson. His face was hard and I wondered how effected he would be by the raging emotions in the room.

Valeria didn't react to his words but her eyes were locked on Carson. They were such an eerie color, almost passibly blue but even from this distance, I could tell that they were no natural shade. They actually seemed somewhat familiar...

"Just do your test," she growled, sitting back in her seat.

"It's not exactly a test," Anton muttered but slid his fingers onto her exposed skin. His eyes immediately went wide and he jerked his hands away. "Who are you?" he asked and the way he reacted actually scared me.

"Tell them," she commanded, not responding to his question.

Anton looked up to Carson, then Damien, then his eyes settled on me through the glass. He acted as though he could see clear through it and his eyes were sorrowful. "She has imprinted on him," he replied, somber. Then he approached Carson and wrapped his arm around his wrist. Carson tried to pull away but Anton wouldn't let him. "Carson however, only has one imprint. The one for his mate," he hissed the word mate as though it were a weapon against Valeria. Then his eyes lifted to me again.

He had done that for me, not for anyone else's benefit. My heart swelled and I could've hugged him. That couldn't have been easy for him. I had to consider how this entire situation would have made Anton feel. He had been raised to be my husband, to lead our people. Once I had imprinted with Carson, Henrick had disowned Anton, beat him, and left him with nothing. For some reason, he still chose to assist us. He really didn't owe us anything. And then there was our imprint that seemed to be being rubbed in his face.

I had once seen Anton as a selfish, arrogant brat. Now, I saw him in a new light, self sacrificing, and driven. He had taken up for me on numerous occasions now. I actually appreciated his friendship.

Though I wasn't sure he could see me through the mirrored glass, I gave him an appreciative nod. A small grin slipped across his face and he turned back to the room. "So, exactly what bearing does an imprint have? She's somehow imprinted you? So what?" Anton asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Excellent question, Anton," my father said. Anton beamed at his approval. "Even if you're imprinted to Carson, what difference does it make? Why were trying to apprehend my daughter?"

Valeria's eyes narrowed. Was she unhappy that her ruse hadn't worked?

"I want to see her," she growled.

Damien and Carson exchanged a look before Damien approached him, grabbed his arm and pulled him from the room. Anton remained, sitting down across from her as though nothing had happened.

The door behind me opened and Liam sprang away. I hadn't realized how closely he had moved toward me until then.

Damien and Carson filed through the door, arguing quietly.

"No," Carson was saying. "No way."

Damien gazed at him, thoughtful. "We've gotten no valuable information from her so far. I don't know that we have much choice." He looked crestfallen, and his gaze shifted to me.

Carson had his knuckles clenched into white fists. "This is bullshit," he hissed. "We'd be risking her. And for what? We have no proof that she'll admit anything!" His voice was rising, more hysterical with each passing word.