Tamed by Rebecca Zanetti Page B

Yet.
    “Right.” The king gestured toward the northern table. “At the talks, you’ll sit there, Janie.”
    Janie nodded and walked over to drop into the middle chair. “Here?”
    “Yes.” Caleb jerked his head for the king to follow suit, and Dage stalked over to sit next to Janie. “Your father will stand behind the two of you, and the prophets will sit at the table to your left.”
    Janie looked toward the table. “I’m assuming you’ll sit the closest?”
    “Yes. I’d like to keep Lily from attending, but if she does, Lily will sit to my left, and Guiles will flank her on the other side.” Caleb eyed the remainder of the room. A need to protect Lily physically and emotionally was keeping him on high alert. “The remaining tables are for the other species, and we’ll go over those in detail at a later date. For now, memorize where you sit.”
    Dage leaned his elbows on the heavy table. “Our entrance and exit will be directly behind you, so if anything goes wrong, you head that way immediately.”
    “What could go wrong?” Janie glanced around the room. “We’ll be so far underground that not even the witches will have power.” She spread her palms along the rough table. “Caleb? As a prophet, aren’t you supposed to be neutral and not planning with our side?”
    “I’m not a prophet. I’m a soldier aligned with the Realm.” How many times did he have to explain himself? Although Dage had made sense with the argument that Caleb already counseled soldiers, he wasn’t ready to admit he belonged as a prophet.
    Janie nodded. “All right. Rebel.”
    He rolled his eyes. “You mentioned powers. Have you had any visions regarding the peace talks?”
    “Just blurry ones that involve fire and people, but I can’t see who is there or what happens. I just know that the talks occur, and I’m there.” Janie glanced at her uncle. “I get a sense of you close by, but I don’t even see you.”
    Caleb ignored the warning tickle at the base of his neck. “This could be a trap for us.”
    Dage rubbed his chin. “I know, but we have to take the chance in order to find peace.” He sighed. “Plus, we need to participate because refusing would make us look weak and vulnerable. We can’t afford that right now, and you know it.”
    Janie twirled the knife again. “Lily said the Kurjans have insinuated they have a cure for Virus-27. Do you think it’s true?” Her gaze remained on the swirling blade as it caught the light.
    “No,” Caleb said flatly.
    “Me, either,” Janie murmured. “But Lily is speaking with Franco again, so maybe she’ll get a better insight.”
    Caleb’s head jerked up. “She’s doing what?”
    The knife dropped to the table, and Janie’s eyes widened. “I, ah, I mean—”
    Fire spread through Caleb’s veins with the power of fury as he pivoted for the door. “If you two would excuse me, I have business.”
    “Prophet business?” Dage asked dryly from behind him.
    “Bite me,” Caleb muttered as he stalked into the hallway after the woman who was driving him crazy. They’d had an understanding, damn it. He’d all but given her his soul, and she had turned right around to purposefully call the enemy?
    Oh, hell no.
     
     
    Lily finished reading the newest literature on PTSD and shut down her computer. After several attempts to reach the Kurjan leader through a secure line, she’d given up and gone to work. A knock on the door had her turning. “Come in.”
    Prophet Guiles stepped inside, worry on his angled features. “Do you have a moment?”
    “Yes.” Lily gestured toward one of two floral chairs near the fireplace in her Oregon office in the main lodge of the compound. The king had ordered it decorated specially for her visits, and the feminine hues were always soothing. She counseled many a wounded soldier or frustrated mate in the peaceful office. “I wanted to discuss a matter with you, as well.”
    Guiles tugged up perfectly creased black pants and sat,