Free The Power of Fate (The Triad Series Book 5) by Kate Pearce Page B

digested that, her head down, her gaze on the scuffed carpet. “Okay. What are we supposed to do next?”
    “You’re not going to shout at me?” Orin asked slowly.
    “Why would I?”
    “Because I’m interrupting…this.” He gestured at the bed.
    Her cheeks darkened as if he’d embarrassed her. “ This was not supposed to happen. You know how I feel about getting close to anyone.”
    He tried to make a joke of it even as his heart stuttered. “So apart from the fact that he looks like a God and has more telepathic power in his little finger than I have in my entire person, what do you see in him?”
    “I think he’s our Third.”
    “But you’ve always hated the idea of having a Third.”
    “True .”
    “You’re kidding. He’s…” Orin blew out a breath. “He’s way too powerful and there’s something weird going on around him—it’s like he’s not from this time. And the way the Senate is intent on protecting him? He’s not normal, Mya.”
    “I know. I can’t explain it. But I also know he’s ours.”
    “Maybe he’s just yours, Mya.”
    She blinked at him. “You don’t feel anything?”
    “How could I not? He’s like some kind of addictive drug. Everyone is going to be affected by him.”
    “That’s what I thought at first, but—”
    Orin moved to crouch in front of her. “Mya, I lied about not knowing much. Roberts told me what happened to you on the Etruscan moon. He said you’d been forced into a mating state.” He took a breath. “This might all be because of that, right ? You are aware of that?” He reached out to take her hand. “I’m not judging you or anything. I get it. But you have to admit this is so out of character for you—maybe there is some residual—”
    She snatched her hand away. “No.” She stood, rocking him back on his heels. “He’s more to me—to us than that. I’m sorry, Orin, I know I’m not making much sense. Part of me wishes that I’m just imagining things. I don’t understand it myself yet, but at some level I just know he’s meant to be part of our future.”
    “Then try to understand where I’m coming from, okay?” He contemplated her for a long moment. “Everything I know about you tells me otherwise. We’ve been together for ten years, and I’ve never seen you so emotional or so fixated on something.”
    And at some level that hurt, but he refused to get into that now. He had to keep calm—had to get through to her.
    “I’m fine, Orin.” She took a quick breath. “I’m going to get Rekk to the Temple and I’m going to prove I’m right.”
    He rose slowly to his feet and faced her. “And if you’re wrong?”
    “Then you can call me a liar and ask for our union to be dissolved.”
    “ What?” He realized he was shouting. “What the frak has gotten into you?”
    She didn’t back down. “That’s how certain I am, Orin. I don’t want to lose you—I love you, but I have to see this thing with Rekk through to the end. I’m probably wrong, but one thing almost losing my life on that Etruscan moon taught me was that at some point I’m going to at least have to try to be brave.” She turned away. “Now I’m going to check on Rekk, and, if you’re staying, we can get something to eat.”
    “I’m staying.” He returned to his seat by the desk and sat down with a thump. “I promised that Roberts guy I’d see you safely to the Oracle.”
    She gave him a cool nod and knocked on the bathroom door, which immediately opened for her. If Rekk was their mate, and that was about as likely as Orin being voted into the Senate, the God-like one could have picked up their entire conversation telepathically. If he had been polite and respected their shields, he might have been listening at the door the whole time. Rekk didn’t emerge. Orin didn’t even want to think about what might be going down in there. His dick had other ideas, and he smoothed an impatient hand over the inconvenient bulge in his pants.
    Nothing was what