Page 53 of Dark Gambit Reliance

The fable read like a children's story, and the moral was not to underestimate those who appear weaker, but where was the secret message?

"How did Emmett know that she was talking about herself and that she was trapped?"

"Emmett's Kra-ell name is Veskar, which is the name of a rodent resembling a rat in the Kra-ell home world. He hates that name, and no one outside his tribe knew him as Veskar. Jade must have recognized him from his pictures on the Safe Haven website, or she might have seen it in one of the advertisements for the paranormal retreat. She entered the competition to send him a message, hoping that he could help her. The numbers of the lions and cubs represent coordinates." Marcel showed her how they had arrived at the combinations that produced the longitude and latitude.

"Jade is a genius." Sofia looked at that paragraph again. "How did Emmett figure that out? It would have never occurred to me."

Marcel smiled shyly. "Emmett only figured out that the email was from Jade. I deciphered the meaning of the numbers. She gave us the approximate coordinates of the compound."

"But you couldn't find it anyway. Not until you got me to tell you where it was."

"We would have found it sooner or later. You just saved us some time."

That didn't help her feel any less guilty or anxious.

"Can I speak with Kian? I have to convince him to abort the mission. As much as I feel sorry for Jade and the other females, their freedom is not worth the lives of everyone in the compound."

She didn't wish them harm, but they weren't the nicest people, and her family and the other humans came first.

Marcel hesitated. "I'll text Shai and ask him to tell Kian that you wish to speak with him."

"Thank you. Do you think he'll call me?"

"He will." Marcel typed up the message. "Kian has a short temper and no patience, but he's a good guy, and if approached correctly, he tries to accommodate the needs and wishes of his people."

"I'm not his people."

"Of course you are. You're my mate, and you're part of the clan now."

Sofia knew what that term meant for immortals, and it was a big deal.

"What if I don't transition?"

Marcel cupped her cheek. "Human or long-lived, you are still my mate." He dipped his head and took her lips in a loving kiss. "I hope you live to be at least a thousand years old, but I'll take whatever time with you the Fates grant us."

It was so sweet, but it wasn't true. "Truelove mates are only possible between immortals or immortals and Dormants. Even if I transition, it would be as a Kra-ell Dormant, and so I can't be your fated one and only."

"What was true yesterday might be proven wrong tomorrow. None of it is an exact science." He put his hand over his chest. "I know in here that you are my one and only. I feel it in every fiber of my being. For the first time in three hundred years, I'm not afraid to love. On the contrary, being with you feels like home to me. Safe."

Sofia swallowed. "Loving you feels the same to me." Tears stung the back of her eyes. "But in my case, it comes with a dose of guilt. I abandoned my family for you."

38

MARCEL

Marcel clasped her hand. "You didn't abandon your family. None of what you have done was voluntary. You were put in this situation by Igor, and you didn't choose to be with me."

She smiled. "I chose to love you, and I'm free." She winced. "Sort of. I'm exchanging one restrictive existence for another, but at least this one comes with the man I love, so it's a sweeter deal. But if I lose my family…." She shook her head. "I can't let it happen. How can I have my happily-ever-after with them gone? If I hadn't told you where the entrance to the tunnel was, you might not have found it."

"Not true. First of all, Toven could have compelled it out of you. And secondly, we could have found out where it was from the two hybrids we caught. Besides, you are thinking about it all wrong. We are trying to liberate your family and everyone else who has no choice but to serve Igor. If we can't do that without causing major casualties, we won't engage."

"You said that you are not in charge. I want to hear it from Kian."

"Fair enough." Marcel looked at the phone, willing it to ring.

When it did, he was surprised it had worked. He hadn't really believed in the wishing and visualizing and the universe responding.

"Hi, Kian. Thank you for calling. I'm activating the speaker so Sofia can join the conversation."