“Mind adepts aren’t just regular telepaths,” he told Seyn testily. “They’re the sole exception from the Bonding Law for a reason. They might be forbidden by law from taking a position of power on the Council, but they still wield enormous power. They’ve been trained in mind arts from birth. Most mind adepts are probably not stronger than you telepathically, but they’re far better at mind arts than you can ever dream to be. Raw power isn’t everything. These people know everything there is to know about the mind—and about the bond. It won’t be easy to fool them, especially if we get a strong one.”
Before Seyn could say anything, the door opened and the tall figure of the High Adept walked in.
Ksar suppressed the urge to swear.
Instead, he put on a faint smile as the High Adept bowed to them regally.
“Health and tranquility, Your Highnesses.”
In his peripheral vision, Ksar could see Seyn stiffen ever so slightly; perhaps he had finally realized the seriousness of the situation.
“Health and tranquility,” Ksar said, giving the High Adept a clipped nod. “It’s an honor, Your Grace. I didn’t expect that you would waste your time on such a trivial matter.”
The High Adept looked at him steadily, his deep blue eyes betraying no emotion at all. He couldn’t be older than thirty-five, very young for such a high position. His straight white hair, a shade paler than Seyn’s, fell to his shoulders, almost indistinguishable from the long traditional white robe he was wearing. Although his stoic face was nowhere near as mouth-wateringly exquisite as Seyn’s, it was classically handsome. He would have been an attractive man if he weren’t so unnaturally expressionless.
“The dissolution of the sacred bond between scions of two royal houses is hardly a trivial matter, Your Highness,” the High Adept said, coming to a halt and glancing between them. “Kneel beside me. Let us not waste our time.”
Ksar felt his pulse quicken. While he wasn’t nervous, per se, he disliked not being in control of the situation. Taking his chances and hoping for the best wasn’t the way he did things. He didn’t know for sure how strong a telepath the High Adept was, but it was reasonable to assume that he wouldn’t have earned his position at such a young age if he weren’t either exceptionally skilled at mind arts or telepathically gifted. Neither option was particularly reassuring.
When neither he nor Seyn moved, the High Adept looked between them blankly. “Is there a problem?”
“Yes,” Seyn said.
Ksar went very still, and then, for the first time that day, he looked Seyn straight in the eye.
Chapter 19
“Pardon?” the High Adept said.
Seyn dragged his eyes from Ksar’s inscrutable face and looked back at the High Adept. “I would like to have a word with my bondmate in private,” Seyn said. “It won’t take long.”
A tiny wrinkle appeared between the High Adept’s brows, but he nodded and left the room with an unimpressed air about him. Seyn scowled at his back, realizing the monk likely thought that Seyn had asked for the delay so that he could beg Ksar not to break their bond.
“What is it?” Ksar said, his gaze sharp as his silver-gray eyes scanned the walls.
Seyn inhaled deeply, and for the first time, tried to initiate telepathic communication with Ksar. Without the bond, it should have been impossible, but he was a high-level telepath, so he gave it a try. If Ksar could get into his mind and communicate, there was no reason he couldn’t do the same.
Reaching Ksar’s mind wasn’t a problem; the ugly impenetrable barrier blocking the way was. Seyn touched it tentatively, his stomach in knots. He suddenly felt fourteen all over again, bracing himself for rejection.
But the barrier gave in, letting him inside, not deep, but deep enough for communication.
“Do you think it’s safe to talk aloud?” he asked, feeling uneasy all of a sudden. Ksar’s mind felt disconcertingly familiar. Too familiar.
It took him a moment to realize why. He’d been doing his best not to think about the illicit telepathic merge he’d begged for the last time they’d had sex. But it was hard to pretend it had never happened now that even the shallow touch of their minds made him shiver with eagerness for more.
Fuck, this had been a terrible idea.
“I can’t sense anyone else nearby, but communicating telepathically is probably safer,” Ksar replied, walking to him. “What do you want?” he said aloud, stopping in front of Seyn. He was so close Seyn could smell the earthy, masculine scent of his aftershave. Ksar’s cravat was a little loose.
Seyn moistened his lips with his tongue, his heart beating so fast and hard he felt a little dizzy. “Are you sure we should do this?” he said aloud in case anyone was eavesdropping. “Are you sure you can handle the High Adept? Are you stronger than him?”