Last Guard by Nalini Singh

Chapter 35

Canto, you and Payal are invited to after-dinner tea. I shall see you at seven this evening.

—Message from Ena Mercant to Canto Mercant

CANTO SAT INthe sleek car the color of darkest smoke that had been designed according to his preferences, complete with hand and voice controls, doors that went straight up in a smooth glide, and a driver’s-seat area with an automatic ramp and a convertible seat that meant he didn’t have to store his chair while driving unless he felt like it.

Payal had just stepped out of the passenger door, beautiful and contained, and already, he could see passersby taking surreptitious photographs that they’d no doubt feed out into the PsyNet—and into the human/changeling media. The makeup of the Ruling Coalition was of interest to a lot of people, and Payal’s ascension especially so; to the vast majority of the world, she’d come out of nowhere.

As he’d predicted, no one paid any attention to her driver—not that they could see him. He’d opaqued all the glass after he parked. He could see out, but they couldn’t see in.

As he sat there, he thought about contacting Arwen, then immediately vetoed the idea. Payal needed to decide to see an empath on her own, without pressure. It was obvious she wasn’t yet ready, but she was tough, his 3K. She’d get there.

Then, as if he’d imagined his cousin up out of thin air, he saw Arwen on the sidewalk, accompanied by his bear. Arwen was in a pristine gray-on-gray suit he’d paired with a charcoal tie, his shoes polished and every strand of hair in place. His lover, in contrast, had tumbled hair of dark brown and was wearing a rough navy shirt with the tails hanging out and torn jeans.

Pavel’s sneakers had seen better days.

But the way he looked at Arwen out of those bright green-blue eyes behind clear spectacles … Yes, the bears knew how to treat their people.

Arwen had never appeared so happy, so at peace.

Canto liked Pavel for how he treated Arwen.

Ena loved him for it.

Silver had been known to kiss him.

Now Arwen’s eyes swiveled toward Canto without warning. Even though his cousin had been out of Canto’s shields for a long time, they still had a strong connection. Of all the people toward whom Canto felt protective, Payal and Arwen were at the top of the list.

His cousin smiled and made an immediate beeline toward him.

Lowering his window, Canto scowled. “I’m trying to be incognito. Go away.”

Instead, Arwen laughed and went around to get in the passenger seat, closing the door behind him, then lowering his own window. Pavel put his head in that window and said, “This car smells like a woman.” He sniffed ostentatiously. “Definitely a woman. A certain specific cardinal-eyed woman.”

Arwen’s eyes widened at the same instant. “Canto, you’re linked to her.” He pretended to punch Canto. “You couldn’t have told me?” The light comment nonetheless held a smidgen of hurt.

And because this was his baby brother for all intents and purposes, Canto said, “It’s new. No one else knows. Not even Grandmother.” Though Ena’s all-seeing antenna was working just fine, if the invite that had appeared on his phone an hour earlier was any indication.

Arwen’s gaze softened at once. “It’s different, too.” He frowned, gaze turning inward. “I can’t see a bond like I could with Silver and Valentin when they mated.”

We’re anchors. That changes everything.

His own words reverberated inside his head. “It might be in the Substrate,” he murmured, because he hadn’t looked there—and it made sense that for two anchors, the bond would show on their home ground.

“So?” Pavel waggled his eyebrows. “Where is she?”

Arwen kissed Pavel on the cheek. “What he said.”

“In the boutique.” Canto nodded toward the store.

Arwen grinned. “I’m going to go spy on her fashion choices.” He got out of the car on that cheerful declaration.

Pavel and Canto both watched Arwen walk into the boutique, a sharply dressed and handsome man who drew eyes from all kinds of people. Canto felt no need to warn Payal. Arwen was a kitten in comparison to her shark.

“How is he?” he said quietly, because he and Pavel had an unspoken understanding about Arwen—the bear knew that Canto had watched over Arwen for a long time, couldn’t just stop.

“Good. Better than good.” His smile was delighted as he slipped into Arwen’s abandoned seat. “He’s still tight with his empath buds Jaya and Ruslan—I’ve met them, like how they are with him. I also nudged him to go on playdates with some local empaths who have no idea he’s a Mercant. He clicked with a few—his circle’s growing.”

“Good. We worry about him becoming isolated.” Arwen had been so fiercely protected by the Mercant family that even Ena had begun to wonder if they’d clipped his wings.

“No, Arwen just likes to take his time with people.” Pavel lifted his shirt away from his body, as if he were fixing the lapels of a suit. “Because he picks the best people.”

Arwen exited the boutique soon afterward, to come over and get into the back seat.

“I want to meet her,” he said, open protectiveness in his voice. “Just to be sure she’s not taking advantage of you.”

Pavel doubled over laughing. When Arwen poked him in the side, the bear said, “It’s like a butterfly trying to protect a Rottweiler. Adorable.”

That got him another poke.

Grabbing Arwen’s hand, Pavel threatened to bite it.

Canto groaned as Arwen went all blushing and happy. “Out,” he muttered.

Of course they didn’t listen to him. Instead, Pavel clambered into the back with Arwen. Sighing, Canto reached out to Payal with his mind. My cousin Arwen and his disreputable bear beloved—who you’ve already met—are in the car, waiting to see you. I’ll get rid of them if you want.

The response came after a few seconds. I would be happy to talk to them. I’ll be there in about ten more minutes.

Arwen told Canto about his new friends as the three of them waited, while Pavel checked his phone for work purposes. He was StoneWater’s tech specialist, and he and Canto had taught each other a few things.

Then there she was, walking out of the shop with a bag in hand, sunglasses covering her eyes. The cameras clicked again as she walked to get into the car. He pulled away as soon as she was safely inside, making the introductions as they drove.

PAYALhad barely recovered from the shock of Ena Mercant’s invitation. Now this.

She hadn’t expected to speak to any of Canto’s family anytime soon, but she wasn’t going to run from such contacts. These people were important to him—so even if they didn’t like her, even if Ena’s invitation turned out to be a slap of rejection, she would persevere. She’d spent a lifetime surviving people who didn’t like or respect her. But now she had Canto. For him, she’d bear anything.

Angling her head to look at the man in the back seat who had a very different build from Canto—and silver eyes watchful and quiet—she said, “I’m glad to meet you, Arwen.”

She used the mirror to meet the gaze of the bear who sat directly behind her. “It’s nice to see you again, Pavel.”

The bear smiled at her, but Arwen had an assessing look on his face when she glanced at him once more. He only said a few words as Canto drove them out of the city. She’d already stopped at three boutiques and had everything she needed—especially for her tea with Ena in a few short hours.

Once they were at the house and had carried her purchases inside, Canto left to deal with a minor work matter, while Pavel excused himself to return a call.

It left Payal and Arwen alone on the deck.

They stood side by side in awkward silence until Arwen blurted out, “Sorry.”

Payal looked at him to see a blush painting the razor-sharp lines of his cheekbones. “For what?”

“For acting like a jealous kid.” His hands tightened on the deck railing. “Canto was mine for a long time. He protected me inside his shields when I was born—I don’t know how it happened, but we were in the hospital at the same time, and it just did.”

This was the empath Canto had mentioned, Payal realized. Not just a trusted empath. A beloved Mercant. “I don’t intend to take him from you.” Canto’s family was part of his foundations, part of his heartbeat.

“I know. I was being stupid.” He gave her a hesitant smile that was so open it sliced right through her shields. “Can we start again?” He held out a hand. “I’m Arwen, and I adore Canto. He’s the best big brother I could’ve ever had.”

Physical contact wasn’t an easy thing for her, but this was important enough that she slipped her hand into Arwen’s. “Payal. Canto is … extraordinary.” She didn’t know why, but she added a private truth. “We met as children before you were born.”

Arwen’s eyes flared. “You’re her. The girl he’s been searching for all this time.”

A tight hotness inside her chest. “I thought he’d forget me, but he never did.”

“Canto never forgets the people he loves.”

That last word made her entire soul quake. She clung to the railing to keep her stability. “Arwen, if I talk to you as an empath, will you keep my confidence?” Now that she’d met him, now that they’d come to terms, she felt his gentleness, his kindness.

“Yes,” Arwen said. “But I have a conflict of interest because of my relationship with Canto. Can I recommend a friend?” When Payal nodded, he said, “Her name is Jaya and she’s a senior empath. She usually works with patients in comas or who are otherwise trapped in their bodies and minds, but she’s also just … wise. As if she was born that way. I talk to her, too, about everything.”

Payal had just taken Jaya’s details when Canto returned, and the heart of her, it arrowed in toward him. As if he were her star, and she the circling planet. She wanted to pull back, step away, protect herself, but it was too late. Her walls were cracked and damaged so badly that there was no hope.