Free Her Imaginary Lover by Doris O'Connor

went through the crowd when another set of guards brought in Kaylom himself. His gaze instantly sought hers across the
crowded room, and some of her apprehension fled. It was so good to be
able to actually see him. Stood at well over six and a half feet, and dressed
in traditional Athuron clothing, he looked mean and
utterly edible. Every cell in her body drew tight at his commanding presence,
and she had taken several steps toward him before Lycille's hand on her arm stopped her.
    Macie
let her gaze roam over his muscle bound physique, as the body she had traced
with her fingers and lips towered over everyone, and his crystal blue eyes
seemed to look straight into her soul. He smiled at her, and she allowed
herself to be tugged down to a seat.
    The
actual proceedings would take place in Athuron , and
so Lycille translated for her in hushed whispers.
    "On
the charges of unlawfully mating with a human and bringing her into our realm
how do you plead, Kaylom of the House of Arich ?"
    "Not
guilty, elders."
    A
roar went through the house, and thus it began. Seemingly endless witnesses
were called and regulations stated. Lycille and Arich themselves took to the stand, and finally it was
Macie's turn to face the panel of stern faced elders.
    "You,
a human, profess to be mated to Kaylom of the house
of Arich ?"
    Macie
nodded, cleared her throat and finally managed a, "Yes."
    "How
do you come to be in this realm?"
    "I
held onto one of the guards when they came to take Kaylom away."
    "You
do realize this is not supposed to be physically possible."
    Macie
shrugged.
    "Nonetheless
I'm here. I leave the explanation of how up to your scientists."
    She
sought Kaylom's gaze, and he smiled at her. The tense
set of his shoulders gave him away, however. He hadn't wanted her to testify,
she knew. He wanted her as far away from this courthouse as possible, according
to his father, but Arich had agreed that she needed
to be there to show their connection. Wild horses wouldn't have managed to keep
her away, not least because this was the last time she might ever see him
again.
    If
the elders’ judgment went against them…
    No,
she wouldn't allow herself to think like that. Not with Kaylom standing mere feet away from her.
    "You
claim to be able to sense Athurons in your world. How
is that possible?"
    Macie
crunched her teeth and gripped the railing in front of her in a white knuckled
grip.
    "I'm
blind in my realm." Again a murmur went through the room at that statement
"I was born this way. There has never been a physiological reason for it,
but it meant that I had to rely on my other senses. So when Kaylom shifted into my realm I sensed him immediately. I was a child, and I did not
know what or who he was, or that others could not see him, nor sense his
presence. That knowledge came later, when my parents called him my imaginary
friend."
    The
stern faced head of the elders shuffled his paper and pursed his lips.
    "So,
you are saying that Kaylom did not divulge this
information to you."
    Macie
shook her head and looked toward Kaylom again.
    "No,
in all the time we were children, he never did, and he left when I asked him
to."
    "So,
how do you come to stand before us today, in full knowledge of what and who he
is?"
    The
very air in the room seemed to wait for her answer, and Kaylom's fury wrapped itself around her. He shook his head at her when she opened her
mouth to answer that latest question, and his growl shook the room.
    "Enough!
I take full responsibility for my actions. Interrogating my mate will not get
you anywhere. I claimed her, knowing full well what the consequences would
be.   I—"
    " Kaylom saved my life that day." Macie interrupted him,
and even though his furious growl tore through her and urged her to comply with
his wishes she carried on speaking. "I was attacked by two humans. Kaylom fought them and was injured in the process. He
stayed to make sure I was okay, and it was I who urged him to claim me. If you
want to blame