Khalon jumped to his feet and paced the room. “What then?”
“You came running and… someone big appeared. They killed you.”
Segreti frowned. “How is this possible? No one is more powerful than the king of the Soldati.” Khalon had defeated hoards on his own. The light of his Soldati soul was the greatest weapon Segreti had ever seen.
Riley gasped, his eyes flying open and horror filling his gaze. “The shadows. They moved.”
“Speak it,” Ezra said as he stepped forward, the color drained from his face, as if he knew what the prince had seen.
“Demons,” Riley said, his voice all but a whisper. Tears filled his eyes, and he met Khalon’s stunned gaze. “An ocean of demons.”
The doors burst open, and everyone jumped into readiness, their eyes locked on the glowing golden orb floating in the doorway.
“Must you be so dramatic?” Ezra scolded the ancient artifact as it entered the room. Rayner quickly closed the door behind it. As Ezra opened his mouth to speak once more, he jerked.
“Segreti, stand back!”
Segreti had no idea what the hell was going on, but he leapt into action, darting away from Ezra to stand near Khalon and now Rayner, who joined them.
“What’s happening?” Segreti asked Khalon, his voice quiet and his gaze on Ezra, who stood with his arms out and his head tilted back.
Khalon confirmed his suspicions. “The Eye is about to speak.”
Segreti swallowed hard. He’d witnessed Ezra’s visions before, but they’d mostly been quick flashes, a change of his eyes before they returned to their sparkling blue. This… this was different. His eyes glowed a bluish white, his pupils and irises gone. A faint glow surrounded him, his body thrumming with a power so fierce Segreti felt it to his bones. Gone was the sweet healer, and in his place, a great weapon. The Eye was in control, not Ezra, and that terrified Segreti. How did the Soldati not live in fear that one day they might fall out of favor with the Goddess? After all, the Eye had been a gift. It chose when to take action and unleash its power.
“The eve of reckoning approaches,” Ezra said, his voice echoing as the Eye spoke through him. “Death comes for the Soldati king at the hands of an Orso traitor.”
“Who?” Khalon asked.
“The face changes.”
“More than one, perhaps?” Rayner offered quietly.
Khalon seemed to think on it. “The Eye has yet to see who it is.” He moved his gaze to Ezra. “When will this occur?”
“The night of the full moon.” Ezra gasped, his knees buckling. Segreti didn’t hesitate. He moved quickly, throwing his arms around Ezra to steady him.
“I’m here. I have you,” Segreti promised.
Ezra blinked up at him, as if puzzled by Segreti’s response. His eyes softened, and a gentle smile came onto his face. “Thank you,” he replied quietly. When he nodded, Segreti released him.
“Is there anything else you can tell us?” Khalon asked Ezra.
Ezra held his hand out, and the orb came to rest on his palm. He closed his eyes, his brows drawn together. “It’s still so unclear. Danger lurks in the shadows. I fear Khalon is not the only one at risk. The threat looms near.” Ezra shivered.
“What is it?” Segreti asked gently as he placed a hand to the small of Ezra’s back, his heart swelling when Ezra leaned into him.
“I’m not certain. The Eye warns me, but of what I don’t know.”
A thought occurred to Segreti, and he turned his attention to Khalon. “I don’t understand. You are the Soldati king. Even without your Saugur and the Eye, your power is greater than any threat. How is this possible? And what does the full moon have to do with it?”
Riley darted a glance at Segreti, then moved his gaze to Khalon, who seemed to be considering something.
“Segreti, you have fought alongside the Soldati in battle for centuries, both with my father and then with me after I became king. Because of you, Rayner was able to save Toka and rid us of Pavoni once and for all. You’ve earned my trust, and I hope what I’m about to tell you will remain between us, or we risk the fate of the Soldati realm and those we protect.”
“Of course.” Segreti lowered himself to one knee, a fist over his heart. “You have always had my undying respect, Khalon, and from this moment on, you have my fealty.”
Ezra stared at Segreti, eyes wide. “If you pledge your fealty to Khalon, you’ll no longer be under the rule of Queen Verity. She’ll have the right to banish you from the Orso realm.”
Segreti stood to face Ezra. He cupped Ezra’s cheek, his heart ready to burst free when Ezra once more leaned into his touch. “My heart has not been with my realm for some time. I wish only to live out the rest of my immortal life in peace… and if the Goddess wishes to bless me with a gentle mate to share that life with, all the better.”
The pink that came onto Ezra’s cheeks made Segreti smile. He turned back to face Khalon. “I remain firm in my pledge to you.”
“Your pledge is accepted. I’ll discuss the details with Queen Verity, but first, you must understand the severity of the situation.” Khalon removed an ornate knife from its stand by the mantle. He carefully cut into his palm, wincing as the thin line of blood revealed itself. To Segreti’s disbelief, the wound healed slower than it should. The Soldati were renowned for their power. They not only shifted far quicker than any creature Segreti had ever known, but they healed just as quickly. He stared at Khalon.
“Why has your healing slowed?”
“My immortality leaves me, and by the time the full moon arrives, I shall be mortal.”
Segreti gaped at his friend. “What? How? Why?”
“Every full moon, I live my life as a mortal man, unable to change into my tiger form and devoid of all my powers. It was the price I paid to the great priestess to have Riley returned to me.”
“Returned to you? I don’t understand.”
Khalon nodded at Ezra, who stepped closer to Segreti, his voice quiet. “When Riley was first revealed to us as the Soldati prince, he was human. Everyone knows this. They also know of our perilous journey to see the priestess.”
Segreti nodded. “I’m familiar with the tale. You all journeyed through forests, outrunning demons on your quest to present the prince to the priestess so she would awaken his powers.”
“That’s the tale we’ve told,” Khalon agreed, taking a seat at the edge of the bed next to his mate. “But that’s not what happened. At least, not entirely.” Khalon kissed Riley’s brow. “You see, when Riley was first revealed to me, I was a fool.”
“And so grumpy,” Riley teased, making Khalon chuckle.
“Yes, so very grumpy.” His smile fell away, his expression turning to one of shame. “I believed him unworthy of his title, of me. I decided to take him to the priestess so she would remove my mark and present me with a new prince.”
“During our journey,” Rayner said, his arm around Toka, “our king and human prince fell in love. Who saw that coming?”
Toka and Rayner raised their hands, ignoring Khalon’s grunt and Riley’s soft laugh.
“Get on with it,” Khalon grumbled.