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bonding with
me other than a pain in the neck?”
    He sighed. “This is about more than
just power, Rayla. Despite the congenial façade the courtiers wear
in public, we are on the brink of war. Some within my realm are
hoping for just that. We need leadership.”
    I leaned on my arm, hoping he would
explain, but when he didn’t, I asked, “Why are the houses at odds?
I don’t understand. You said yourself that you all have everything
you could want here.”
    He raised his dark brows in clear
mockery. “We live on the bottom of the ocean, for
starters.”
    I laughed, and instead of
giving me another scowl, he smiled. Wide even. My laugh turned into
a bit of a giggle. “It doesn’t seem that bad.” After all, I had mistaken
the water above for sky.
    “ It isn’t really, especially
compared to some of the realms, but the idea we have to live here is the problem. You
asked me why the water doesn’t come crashing in around us; well,
certain Uldranians have been assigned to the task of keeping the
water at bay at all times. I guess you could say it is their
job.”
    I sucked in a harsh breath, my mind
tripping over this new tidbit.
    “ Not to worry, my dear. Your
fear of drowning is comical. If you only knew the power you
possess. If you could glimpse a fraction of what I see in you, you
would laugh yourself.”
    I wasn’t laughing now. That was for
sure. This was no freaking joke. How would he feel if he was in a
new place with all new people and just found out he could die in
the next second if a few people fell asleep on the job?
    He let out a boisterous laugh that
filled the room, the sound hitching my breath. “It doesn’t work
that way. You do have the imagination.” He stood up. “Come with me.
I wish to show you something.”
    I followed him into a courtyard below
the main estate. Off in the distance a large pond glittered in the
diffuse light. My whole body tensed when he took me to the water’s
edge. Was he going to test his theory? I could swim, but I wasn’t
that great. I tried to wait patiently for him to do
something.
    He just stood there, gazing out over
the water, his eyes showing a pain I had never seen in him. Was I
wrong about Taylor? Did he feel deeply yet didn’t show
it?
    He reached a hand toward me, and I
placed my fingers between his, wondering what this was all about.
With sudden stealth, he pulled me next to him, his neck craning
around behind us as if to make sure we were alone. Not a moment
later, he breathed into my ear. “From here, we drift.”
    Before I could get the question out of
my mouth, pure matter closed in around me. My mind whirred. Where
was he taking me? I could stop this at any time. I knew I could,
but for whatever reason, I wanted to see what he was up
to.
    We emerged at the edge of the woods.
Familiar sights and sounds startled me, bringing a sense of dread I
hadn’t expected.
    “ Take me back,” I hissed
immediately. Why did he bring me to St. Mary’s College? Didn’t he
know Ainessa and the Order would be looking for me?
    He squeezed my fingers. “If you truly
wish to understand me, this is the best way I know of to show
you.”
    Okay?
    “ Don’t worry; I would never
let anything happen to you. We are concealed.”
    “ How?” I thought Zach was
the only lord capable of manipulating space.
    “ I will explain the
mechanics later. For now, please, trust me. You are too important
to my people, nay, to the very existence of my entire race for me
to be careless. You should know that about me by now,
Rayla.”
    Yeah ‘cause we’d spent so much time
together. I glanced at him, trying not to let my snarky thoughts
show even though I knew he could still read my mind. His eyes
pleaded for me to give him some leeway. Should I? I had gotten into
too much trouble already by trusting so willingly, but I was asking
him to trust me. How could I give anything less to him? I let my
chin fall in a short nod and found myself pulled into
motion.
    I remembered this part of