Alec looked up to see Kayla emerge from her bedroom. He didn’t miss her mussed hair or disheveled appearance. He felt a rush of anger at the thought of a simple trader touching what was his, but he kept his face an expressionless mask.

Kayla’s gaze locked on him. Her shoulders straightened, and her fists clenched as she marched toward him like a soldier prepared for battle. He could feel the fury rippling off her in waves. Before he had a chance to wonder at the cause, she swung her fist at him. His eyes widened, but he caught her hand before she could make contact.

“Damned mind reader.” She jerked her hand away from him and hissed, “I don’t belong to you. Just because we may have shared energy and there’s some sort of bond between us doesn’t mean I belong to you. How dare you say that.”

Alec looked into her furious green eyes and reached for her hand, wanting to soothe her. She pulled away, denying both him and their connection. “Forget it. Don’t you dare put your hands on me.”

Carl entered the room, and although he hid it well, there was a smugness in his demeanor. Alec glared at him, wanting to punish him for his insolence, but his hands were tied unless he wanted to further alienate Kayla. “I’m assuming you’re responsible for this?”

Carl didn’t reply.

“Carl’s not responsible for anything,” Kayla retorted and poked her finger against his chest. “I want to know who the hell gave you the right to say I belong to you. I’ll be damned if I ‘belong’ to anyone.”

Alec looked down at her, gauging her emotions and deciding how best to proceed. He wasn’t used to dealing with enraged females. Most women in the Inner Circle would simply treat him with cool disdain if he ruffled their feathers.

Sensing arguing with her would only inflame her further, he lowered his head and held up his hands in a contrite gesture. “You’re right. It was a poor choice of words.”

Kayla’s eyes narrowed, but she wasn’t pacified. “I’m going back to the surface with Carl tomorrow. Whatever happens with this whole connection thing happens, but I’m going to live my life the way I want to live it.” She crossed her arms over her chest, as though daring him to countermand her declaration.

Alec schooled his features, ignoring the sharp pain in his gut at the thought of her leaving. He’d thought they’d come to an understanding, and she’d even seemed receptive to exploring their bond. He reached below the surface to read her emotions and what he found surprised him. Behind her false bravado and anger, she was terrified.

He pulled back, not wanting to upset or push her further away. She needed time, and that was one thing he could give her. “If that’s truly what you want, I won’t try to stop you, Kayla.”

“Good, because I’d kick your ass if you tried.” She spun on her heels and headed back toward her room. The door slammed behind her, and Seara stood in concern.

Veridian gave an apologetic shake of his head. “Give her a few minutes. She’ll calm down soon enough.”

Alec gave Carl a harsh look. It took all of his restraint not to lash out at Kayla’s lover. “I’d like to speak with you privately.”

“I bet,” Carl replied and followed him to the safe room. When the door closed behind them, Alec turned to Carl. He decided not to mince words. “So you decided to play on Kayla’s emotions to get her to do what you want?”

Carl folded his arms over his chest and returned his gaze evenly. “I happened to mention your comment from yesterday. That’s all.”

Alec was quiet for a moment. “Kayla and I are bonded. That bond cannot be broken or altered. Because of that connection, I know she loves you. I also know if I were to raise a hand against you in any way right now, she would resist me and our bond even more.”

At Carl’s silence, Alec continued, “Since this is what she believes she wants, go ahead and take her with you tomorrow when you leave. But I want you to keep in mind that the day will come when she returns to me. There isn’t anything you can do to stop that. When that happens, I promise you I won’t forget your indiscretion, Trader Carl Grayson.”

Carl’s eyes hardened, and Alec knew this wasn’t a man who would easily relinquish his hold on her. He felt a modicum of respect for his determination, but Carl’s next words left him feeling cold.

“Then I’ll face whatever comes. I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow or the next day, but as long as Kayla’s with me, I’ll gladly meet it head-on.”

Without waiting for Alec to reply, Carl turned and left the room.

Thank you so much for reading Beneath the Fallen City! I love being able to share my stories with you. :)

As a newcomer to Scribble Hub, I wasn't sure if this sort of book would appeal to the readers here. If you enjoyed the story and would like to read more of my books, please let me know! If I get enough interest, I'll see about posting more for people to read.

Kayla Rath'Varein's story continues with even more twists and turns in Shadow of the Coalition (The Omni Towers, #2). For more information on my books and writing, you can visit my website at: www.jamieawaters.com