Adalasia was surprised to see that Luiz would have a bed in the treehouse, but he had been human for much of his time. Jaguar men lived mostly as humans. There were chairs, also made of vines, as well as a table, indicating that Luiz stayed there occasionally in human form. It was really a beautiful structure and very practical in that, without walls, a breeze could easily blow through the rooms to clear out the heat and humidity.
Adalasia smiled at Luiz. “This is very unique and lovely, Luiz. Thank you for having us.” She took the bench seat he indicated. It was surprisingly comfortable.
Sandu stepped close to Luiz and clasped his forearms, greeting him in the way of warriors. “En jutta félet és ek?met,” Sandu murmured.
Luiz gripped his forearms with strength. “Arwa-arvo pile sívadet.”
What did you say to each other?
I told him, “I greet a friend and brother,” Sandu said. And he replied, “May honor light your heart.”
I like that, Adalasia said. Thank you for calling him brother.
Sandu sat beside her on the bench made of vines, and Luiz took the chair across from them.
“I didn’t get a chance to thank you for aiding me, Luiz. You healed my body and gave me blood and then guided Adalasia into the shadow realm. Without you, we wouldn’t have made our way back. I owe you a great debt.”
Luiz waved his hand, the gesture dismissive. “I am your brother. Adalasia is a woman, a treasure we cannot afford to lose. Every Carpathian male should be protecting her and you, as her lifemate. If we wish to save our species, we need every woman.”
Adalasia rolled her eyes. Luiz meant what he said, but on the other hand, she had shared his mind enough times that she knew he hadn’t aided her entirely because he thought she should provide countless babies for the Carpathian males.
“That is true,” Sandu agreed. “Adalasia is a seer in the sense that she reads tarot cards. Were you aware of that?”
Luiz’s eyes went to that shade of jade that held amber. His cat was looking at her as well as the Carpathian. She felt the impact of both.
“I do know what tarot cards are, but don’t know why they would be important.”
“She might be able to tell you where in this big world your lifemate exists. When you were born a De La Cruz, at that time, your lifemate was also born into the world. Or at least, your soul was given into the keeping of another. She may not have been born at that precise moment, but she holds the other half of your soul. It isn’t easy to find her. It is possible to miss her, even knowing she is born into the same century.”
Adalasia twisted her fingers together. Sandu’s revelation to Luiz was unexpected. She hadn’t offered the man a reading because he was so powerful, and she didn’t know if the cards would cooperate, not when he held so much darkness in him. She had felt guilty about it, but then Luiz just disappeared before she had made up her mind or she could ask Sandu’s advice.
“That is not why you called me back.”
“No, I had to ask you what you may know of my family,” Sandu conceded. “But Adalasia’s tarot cards are extraordinary. They have great history behind them and have endured for centuries. The blood of my family has kept them intact. We would like to repay you in some small way for your kindness to us.”
“While bringing you back to the house, I had time to examine my memories. I had to delve deep to find what you are seeking, Sandu. You do come from an old and very respected line. There were trackers, families that were essentially nomads, those covering wide territories, pursuing vampires who would escape or deliberately leave the countries Vlad had assigned hunters to. Your father, Domizio, was one such nomad, Sandu, an exceptional tracker. He preferred the wildest country, far from civilization and people. He was a trailblazer. He fought on his own against the undead and taught you the skills necessary to do the same from a very early age. It was said he taught his daughter, Liona, as well.”
Luiz fell silent again, as if going inside his head to acquire more information. Adalasia felt true excitement for the first time. She glanced at Sandu. I think this is it, honey. I think he really knows something.
I’m almost afraid to hope. Did you notice he hasn’t said he would allow you to give him a reading? He is afraid to hope, even though he knows he must have a lifemate holding the other half of his soul.
Adalasia had noticed. How could she not? The guardians had taken their time to make up their minds to know. She knew Luiz was doing the same thing. He was giving Sandu what information he could before deciding if he would ask Adalasia to read the cards. In any case, not everyone believed in the reading of tarot cards. They thought the cards were a parlor trick or, worse, some kind of device from the devil. Luiz had been in the human world before he was Carpathian. He might have his own opinions of tarot cards.