Segreti spit into his hand before palming their shafts and stroking them both with a fervor Ezra felt to his very soul. What was it about Segreti that drove him to such madness? His thoughts were muddled, filled only with the overwhelming need to feel Segreti’s touch. He could do nothing but allow Segreti to take what he desired in exchange for the roaring ardor he’d unleashed inside Ezra, an ardor he’d never known he possessed.

  “Not Goddess,” Segreti murmured in Ezra’s ear. “But if you allow it, I will show you the sinful pleasures you inspire in me.”

  “Yes!” Ezra threw his arms around Segreti’s neck and kissed him as if doing so would give him the answers to every question he’d ever had. Ezra thrust his hips shamelessly, the rough friction tearing at any resolve he might have had left. A storm of pleasure rolled through him, and he tore his mouth away from Segreti, roaring as his release erupted from him, the cottage flaring with the white light of Ezra’s soul and drowning out Segreti’s own thunderous roar.

  The light faded, and soon the only sound was that of their panting breaths. Ezra leaned his head against Segreti’s chest and closed his eyes. He nuzzled close, his body limp as if drained of all his power, and in a sense he was.

  “Are you all right?” Segreti asked quietly, one big hand at the back of Ezra’s head.

  Ezra hummed. “Merely blissfully tired.”

  “Here.”

  Before Ezra could figure out what Segreti was doing, he had Ezra in his arms. Normally Ezra would have argued he was perfectly capable of walking, but in this instance, he didn’t mind. Being cradled in Segreti’s strong arms was too wonderful to pass up. Segreti placed him carefully on the love seat, and Ezra set his clothes to rights while Segreti fixed his own clothing, their belts still on the floor somewhere by the table. Ezra’s eyes threatened to close, but he forced them open at the sound of water running. A heartbeat later it stopped and Segreti sat beside him. For the first time since he could remember, Ezra didn’t question his thoughts, simply gave in to his urge. He curled up against Segreti, smiling when Segreti wrapped an arm around him and held him close.

  A sigh of contentment escaped Ezra as he allowed his body to sink into the cushions and the strong body against him. He’d never sought physical comfort from anyone, therefore had no notion of whether he’d enjoy it. Although he couldn’t speak of what that comfort might look like with someone else, with Segreti, Ezra was blissfully satisfied. He was also pleasantly surprised by Segreti’s tenderness as he stroked Ezra’s arm or his hair, nuzzled the top of his head.

  How easy it would be for Ezra to lose himself in Segreti and the pleasures the handsome Orso brought him, but pleasure alone was not enough. It would do him well to keep his heart carefully guarded. He’d been through enough similar situations in the past to know how quickly affection turned to polite distance when his power and connection to the Eye came into play. For now, he’d enjoy this moment. He’d been so comfortable, sleep threatened to overtake him, when the pounding on his door startled him awake.

  Goddess above! Now what? “Yes?” he asked, not meaning to sound so disgruntled.

  The door opened, and Rayner rushed in, the concern in his eyes waking Ezra as if he’d been pushed into a lake of icy water.

  “Come quick.”

  “What’s happened?” Ezra asked, hurrying over to his dear friend. For it to have upset Rayner in such a fashion meant it was dreadfully important.

  “Riley is having a vision.”

  A chill went through Ezra. If the Saugur had a vision, it meant only one thing.

  Death.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “What happened?” Ezra asked as he and Segreti ran into the king and prince’s bedchamber. Khalon sat on the floor with the prince cradled in his arms, concern and heartache written all over his face. Segreti could only imagine the pain in Khalon’s heart. As Saugur, his mate didn’t simply “see” what would come to pass should events not be altered—he lived through the horror of it. Segreti should have waited outside, but propriety be damned. Whatever the prince saw would affect them all.

  Riley’s eyes glowed a bluish white, his pupils and irises gone. He appeared awake, but his body moved as if in the midst of a terrible fit.

  “No!” Riley gasped before he made a choked sound and held his stomach. He shook his head, his voice hoarse as he cried out, tears streaking down his cheeks. “Khalon!” He arched his back violently, his mouth opening to release the light of his Soldati soul. Segreti quickly covered his eye, or he risked blindness. It was similar to the light Ezra had let out while in his arms, but more intense. From what he’d heard, this was merely a sliver of the power the prince possessed.

  The light faded, and Segreti moved his hand away in time to see Riley’s eyes return to their usual hue. He buried his face against Khalon’s neck, his sobs wracking his body as Khalon held him close and murmured words of comfort. Ezra crouched beside his prince and placed a hand to his head. All at once, the prince stilled and fell heavily against his mate.

  Khalon stood with Riley in his arms. He laid his mate’s slumbering form on the bed.

  “Will he be all right?” Segreti asked. The king sat on the edge of the bed next to his prince and held his hand.

  “He will be. Ezra has him sleep after a vision. It eases some of the emotional turmoil. Riley is still very much a human at heart. The Saugur visions upset him greatly. When he wakes, he’ll be better equipped to share his vision with us.”

  Segreti’s only knowledge of the Saugur came from legend, their kind so rare few had met one in their lifetime. The Saugur’s visions, along with the Eye, protected the Soldati. It was part of why they’d flourished for so long. Any peril to their king or their realm would be revealed, allowing them time to vanquish the threat. A Soldati Saugur was revered and cherished, though judging by the way Khalon gazed lovingly at his mate, it was clear Riley was adored no matter his title or gifts.

  For centuries, Segreti had wondered if he’d be blessed with a mate to treasure. He’d all but given up hope until…

  “He won’t sleep for long.” Ezra laid a hand on Segreti’s arm, as if seeking his touch. “Our prince is quite headstrong.”

  “Like his mate,” Segreti whispered with a wink. “A perfect pairing, if you ask me.”

  “I heard that,” Khalon muttered, his gaze still on his prince, though a smile tugged at his lips.

  Segreti chuckled. He took a seat in the wingback chair offered by Rayner, his heart happy when Ezra stood at his side. The door opened, and a pretty young foxling with bright red hair hurried in. He placed a quick kiss to Rayner’s cheek before rushing over to the prince’s bedside.

  “I came as soon as I could.” He placed a smokey-colored hand to the prince’s brow, his amber eyes filled with affection and sadness. Segreti remembered the foxling quite well. A war had almost been fought over him. Rayner had made himself an enemy of Pavoni quite some time ago, and after a visit to the Soldati kingdom, which had included a dastardly plot against Rayner, Pavoni discovered Rayner’s weakness: his love for a foxling servant. The whole ordeal almost destroyed the Soldati kingdom, and in the end, Khalon, Rayner, the rest of the Soldati council, and their army marched into the Orso realm. Segreti had faced Khalon, seen the devastation his dishonorable and abhorrent king had brought to a noble race, and did something he’d never done in the whole of his immortal life.

  That day, Segreti stood down.

  Rayner brought home his mate, and Toka became the first foxling Soldati. From what Segreti heard, Toka and the prince were inseparable. They also got up to all sorts of mischief when their mates were off in the human realm battling demons.

  “How is he?” Toka asked softly as he brushed Riley’s hair away from his face. Toka’s loyalty to his prince was admirable and well warranted. Next to Rayner, no one had fought as fiercely to protect the foxling.

  “He’ll be all right,” Khalon replied with a sigh. “These visions exhaust him, but you know as well as I do that he’ll be fighting to not stay asleep and be up in a matter of—”

  A quiet groan made Khalon chuckle.

  “What happened?” Riley’s voice was laced with sleep, but he struggled to sit regardless. Toka helped him up and propped several pillows behind him. “Thanks, Toka.” Riley smiled warmly at his friend. “What are you doing here? I thought you were refilling our stash of—”

  Toka cleared his throat and motioned to the room. Seeming to realize they weren’t alone, Riley coughed into his hand.

  “Oh, wow. I’m so parched,” he said through a forced hoarse whisper.

  Khalon eyed them both as Rayner brought Riley some water. “What have you two been up to?”

  Toka blinked innocently at his king while Riley held a finger up and took his time drinking. Segreti managed to stifle a laugh. The prince took so long sipping his water that Khalon released a heavy sigh.

  “Very well. Just… whatever you’re doing, be safe.”

  Riley beamed at him. “Always.”

  “Now. Do you remember what happened?”

  Riley gazed around the room. “I’m guessing I had a vision. Give me a second.” He closed his eyes, seeming to focus. “I can see it.”

  “What?” Khalon asked gently.

  “Your death.”

  Khalon sucked in a sharp breath, and Segreti slowly stood. It was true, then. Someone was plotting to kill the Soldati king.

  “I was in the garden, but I couldn’t tell which one. It was so dark. Like this dark fog had moved in and sucked all the light out of everything. I was talking to someone, but I couldn’t see their face for some reason. I must have known them because I wasn’t scared or upset. Then I heard you calling out someone’s name, but I don’t think it was my name.”

  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.

  “As I said, our stubborn king and equally stubborn prince fell in love, yet determined for the good of all that we would continue as planned. On our journey, Riley had another vision, panicked, ran off the designated path, and a battle against the demons ensued—one where Riley sacrificed his life for Khalon, accepted his Soldati prince title, condemned his soul to limbo, and died.”

  Riley narrowed his eyes at Rayner. “You’re not good at this.”

  “Oh?”

  Riley threw his hands out, startling everyone in the room. “There I was, running for my life. Demons coming at me from every angle!” He made clawing motions with his hands. “Whoosh, hiss, tigers leaping! What was I, a poor human prince with great hair, to do? I fought fiercely.”

  “So fiercely,” Ezra agreed, his eyes alight with amusement.

  “When suddenly a demon sprang up out of nowhere and made straight for Khalon. I pushed my love out of the way, and…” He gasped and clutched at his stomach.

  “Was it not traumatic enough the first time?” Khalon asked, looking pained, but Segreti would hazard a guess it had more to do with Riley’s imaginative performance than the hurtful memory.