Heart of the Cat

Prologue

Prologue

Forest Kingdom on Sarafin:

Centuries Before

Mia could see the raging fires through the open windows of the palace as she ran barefoot along the dark corridors. The brilliant flames gave the night a malevolent glow. Terrified screams rang through the air and added to the chaos and confusion.

Mia’s heart thundered in her chest when she heard urgent shouts behind her. She quickly turned left and ran down another long corridor to seek a place to hide. All around her, she could hear the pleading voices of the servants begging for their lives before their cries were brutally silenced.

She stumbled as she fled down one corridor after another in a desperate search for the one place that might save her life—and the life of her unborn child. Clad only in a thin nightgown and cloak, she shivered from shock and the cold stone beneath her bare feet. Tears blinded her, and she barely stifled the grief threatening to overwhelm her.

She brushed away the tears that burned her eyes with a shaking hand. Her parents, the King and Queen of the Forest Kingdom, and the palace guards were dead, murdered by traitors. Her mate had also been murdered.

Mia’s cat had awoken her with a hiss of warning, and frightened by her cat’s urgency, she had fled down the corridor to her mate’s study. Raul often retired there in the evenings when he couldn’t sleep.

Mia almost hadn’t had enough time to hide behind a large column. She’d heard them coming, their footsteps accompanied by the sound of screams, then seconds later, Mia had witnessed at least a dozen armed men stop in front of Raul’s study. Most of Raul’s attackers had concealed their faces, but her cat could sense that some of them were not from Sarafin.

She had turned away, her back pressed to the column and her fist pressed against her mouth. There was no way her mate could survive such an onslaught, but Mia had been unable to abandon the desperate hope that somehow they would not kill him. She peered around the column, watching one of the men standing in the doorway, his sword dripping with Raul’s blood. His cloak didn’t have a hood to conceal his features, and she had recognized his face all too well—Airabus. They had grown up together. Once, she had considered him a friend.

Beyond him, she could see a body in the shadows of the room. Her mate lay dead—murdered by the warrior he’d thought was his best friend and ally.

She had remained in her hiding place, trembling with the strength of her grief. As the group moved down the hallway, led by a man dressed in an elegant, black, hooded cloak edged in gold, Airabus had commented to another man that he hoped the attacks on the other Sarafin kingdoms were going as well as this one. Mia had listened intently as he talked about the simultaneous attacks against the Valdier and Curizan home worlds. He said the three ruling families would soon be completely destroyed and replaced.

She had recoiled when she heard Airabus mention Prince Raffvin, a Royal Valdier Dragon Lord. She was stunned that any Sarafin would work with a Valdier Prince to murder the Sarafin royal family. How could they turn on their own people? When they were out of sight, she turned and fled.

It had been an hour since then, and she felt like the nightmare would never end. She heard footsteps approaching from the west wing and fruitlessly wiped at her tears as she once again squeezed as much of her body into an alcove as she could. Shifting into her cat would make her slightly more dangerous, but she was vastly outnumbered, and there were fewer possible hiding places for a tiger than there were for a woman. She held her breath as a group of warriors ran past.

There was only one person she could trust now. Mia had not spoken or seen the Goddess Aikaterina since Mia was a little girl, but she hoped that the Goddess would hear and answer her plea now.

It was not common knowledge that the very existence of the Sarafin species depended on the gift that the Goddess had given them: the power to shift into large predatory cats—and it was certainly not widely known that the power came from the blood of the royal family as much as it came from the blood of the Goddess Aikaterina. By destroying the royal family, the traitors were destroying themselves. There was only one way to prevent that—the Heart of the Cat.

I sense danger, her cat hissed. They wait for you.

We must get to the chamber, Mia instructed, knowing that there was no other choice. There is another passageway. We will use it.

The traitors may know about it, her cat warned.

Mia shook her head. There is no way anyone else could know of the chamber. Aikaterina warned me that I must not tell anyone, including my mate. Only I know the way to the chamber, she reminded her cat, her throat tightening with grief at the thought of her dead mate.

Shift, her cat commanded.

Mia carefully scanned the area before she shifted. Once deep inside her cat, she soothed the small cub nestled inside her. The cub sensed the danger they were in, but it was more than that—the tiny life inside of her felt the loss of her father. Grief almost paralyzed Mia as the image of her dead mate flashed through her mind. A shudder ran through the large black tiger.

Go, she ordered, pushing aside her grief.

The black tiger silently slipped back into the wide corridor. She hugged the wall away from the windows, trying to keep in the shadows as much as possible. At the end of the corridor, she lifted her head and sniffed the air. Her cat curled her lip, revealing sharp teeth. She remained silent. As much as she wanted to attack the Curizan and Valdier warriors she scented, she knew that it would be a futile endeavor that would only lead to her capture or death.

Traitors! her cat silently snarled. They work with Curizan and Valdier—Traitors to Sarafin.

We must protect our cub. If we are captured, they will kill her, Mia reminded her cat.

Her cat turned her head and looked up. There was a small staircase that led to a room above the chamber they sought. If they could slip into it, they could follow a hidden passage down to the chamber and then continue to their destination below the palace.

Mia’s cat pulled back into the shadows and retreated several feet to a narrow spiral staircase that opened onto the balcony. Her belly hung low, at times rubbing against the worn stone steps as she climbed. Warmth filled her when she heard purring. Her daughter thought it was funny that Mia’s belly was so big that it dragged against the steps.

That is because you are going to be big and strong like your father, Mia teased, trying to distract the cub from the seriousness of the situation.

Gone.

That word caused a feeling of sorrow to sweep through Mia. The cub was far enough along to understand more than Mia had realized. She winced when she felt a sharp pain cut across her abdomen. Her tiger paused and waited. Fortunately, the pain was brief.

At the top of the stairs, Mia paused and peered from her vantage point above the corridor below. The two guards had been joined by two more that were positioned to cut off anyone trying to escape. The new warriors were also Sarafin. She watched with rage as they shifted and rolled their shoulders.

“Have they found her yet?” the Valdier guard asked.

“No, but she is heavy with a cub, and the High Lord has sealed the palace. She cannot go anywhere. The night is almost over. Once the sun rises, she won't be able to hide in the shadows,” Airabus stated.

“Has there been word on the other kingdoms?” the Curizan asked.

In the dim light, Mia could see Airabus grin. His sharp-toothed smile was marred by the fact that one of his canines was broken in half. Her claws dug into the wood, slicing through the long rug and leaving deep gouges. She wanted to slice his throat.

“The King of the Desert Kingdom and his mate are dead, but the young prince is missing. The others will fall soon. Lord Raffvin is working to ensure that,” Airabus replied.

“It is a shame that Princess Mia never knew the truth about her mate’s past. I wonder if she would still mourn him if she did,” the Valdier sneered.

Mia lowered herself to the floor as a wave of confusion hit her. She waited to see if the warrior would continue, but Airabus hissed at the man to shut up. She pulled back into the shadows of the railing when Airabus looked up, as if sensing her watching.

With painful slowness, she crawled back until she was pressed against the wall. Rising partially to her feet, she moved to the end of a small decorative area. With a press of her nose, a panel opened near the bottom, and she slipped through the opening and disappeared into the hidden passage, the panel automatically sealing behind her.

Shifting, she held her stomach with one hand and the wall with the other. She carefully followed the winding maze of hidden staircases and narrow corridors until she reached the entrance to the room she was seeking. The sharp pains had returned, and she knew she was in labor.

Mia stumbled forward until she reached the end of the staircase. Ahead of her was the chamber Aikaterina had shown her when she was a child. She walked to the far wall and pulled on the lever that opened the secret door. The panel silently slid open, and Mia stepped inside. Her breathing sounded loud in the large room. She panted as she tried to control the pain from her contractions.

She gazed around the chamber. The room had a soft glow, radiating upward from a central pedestal. The light reflected off the white ceiling and walls. A pool of clear liquid surrounded the pedestal, and on top of the pedestal was an ornate basin. A series of rocks created a bridge that led to the treasure concealed in the shallow, curved basin.

Mia slowly walked around the edge of the pool, then paused and shifted again. Her tiger emitted a soft, rumbling groan as another contraction swept through her. Her stomach tightened, and she panted.

We are almost there. I cannot reach the center. Only you can, she reminded her cat.

Her cat grunted in response. Her shimmering silver eyes focused on the first step. With a graceful leap, she landed on the rock. The stepping stone moved, and she whipped her tail to steady herself.

She waited until the rock stopped moving before she jumped to the next one. With another leap, she landed on the next rock. Once again, the stone shifted. This time the movement caused a slight wave and some of the liquid splashed up onto her front paw. She quickly lifted her foot and shook it when she received a painful burn. The liquid looked like water, but it was a corrosive acid pool designed to keep the Heart of the Cat safe.

Hurt, her cat whimpered, nursing her paw against her chest.

I know. You must be careful, Mia replied.

I try. Cub coming, her cat panted.

Mia didn’t respond. She focused on calming the cub. The infant was squirming in distress. She couldn’t come yet. It was too dangerous. She needed to get to the center area and safety.

Placing her injured paw on the stone, she focused on her next leap. Time was running out. She heard footsteps approaching, and her fear threatened to choke her. Somehow, the High Lord had discovered the secret passage.

You must hurry. We have to get to the Heart before it is too late, Mia desperately ordered.

They smaller. I miss…, her cat protested.

We will die anyway. They have found us—and the Heart, Mia whispered in resignation.

Her cat turned and hissed when nearly a dozen men entered the sacred chamber from the secret passage. She snarled and flashed her teeth as the last man entered, the High Lord who led them all. His tall form was covered in a cloak, and his face was hidden by the hood. Airabus and two other traitorous palace guards stood by his side.

“Bring her to me and retrieve the Heart,” the High Lord ordered.

Mia could feel the determination of her cat as she turned her head and crouched. She realized that her cat was planning on jumping from the stone they were on to the center platform. Such a jump would be extremely difficult from this distance for even the most agile cat. To do it while heavily pregnant and in labor was suicide. Even though she knew they were likely to die anyway, the thought of dying by falling into the acid pool sent terror through her.

No! Mia gasped in horror as her cat leaped.

A strangled cry escaped her when they landed safely and rolled. Her stomach tightened, and she felt warm liquid against her back legs as her water broke. Shifting back into her human form, she placed one hand on her stomach and gripped the edge of the basin with the other. She pulled herself up and leaned back against it. The traitors hadn’t yet reached the first stone of the pool. Turning her gaze to the cloaked figure, she wearily lifted her chin in defiance.

“You will never have the Heart of the Cat,” she informed him.

The High Lord reached up with both hands, pulled back his hood, and removed the cover over his mouth that had been distorting his voice. Mia’s chin trembled, and her knees threatened to give out, a soft cry of distress escaping her when she saw his face. Raul. How could he be the one who was responsible for the destruction of the Kingdom of the Forest and the death of so many of their people? Her grip on the lip of the basin tightened as she shook her head.

“How could it be you? You… You were… I saw you fall,” her throat tightened as overwhelming grief and pain ricocheted through her.

“The Heart of the Cat belongs to us, Mia. Only you can retrieve it. Bring it to me, my love. With this power, we will control the three worlds,” he cooed.

“That is not what was agreed upon, Sarafin. The gem is part of the collection,” the Curizan warrior standing several feet away growled.

“Kill them,” Raul ordered with a wave of his hand, not taking his eyes off of Mia.

“Raffvin warned that you might betray us, Sarafin,” the Valdier warrior snarled.

Mia watched as the Valdier warrior shifted. A charcoal and white dragon appeared, blowing flames as the Curizan sent out shafts of shimmering white energy toward the group of Sarafin warriors. They were vastly outnumbered, but their abilities gave them an advantage that Mia had been unaware they possessed.

Several Sarafin warriors retreated from the dragon’s flames while two more fought to keep from being impaled by the mysterious spears of white energy. One of the men stepped too close to the edge of the pool. He teetered there before one of the energy spears struck him, knocking him backwards. His screams of pain did not last long as his body dissolved in the shallow pool filled with clear acid.

Mia clumsily crouched and moved around to the far side of the pedestal. Her fingers trembled as she dipped her hand into the clear liquid. Tears blinded her as she lifted the crystal-clear gem out of the basin. She ignored the roar of the dragon and the snarls of the huge cats as they fought back. She looked up at the man who had once held her own heart in his hands.

“Give me the Heart, Mia,” Raul quietly ordered, his words barely piercing the pain wracking her body.

“You betrayed me. You betrayed your daughter. You have betrayed your people,” she responded, her heart feeling as if it were being ripped from her body.

“We will rule together, my love,” Raul murmured, jumping onto the first stone.

Mia looked into his eyes and saw the lie. As much as it hurt to accept, she would not deny what was right in front of her. She and Raul were not on the same side. Her body trembled as she cupped the Heart of the Cat in her hands. She slowly rose to her feet and lifted the stone above her head.

“Aikaterina, I beg of you, save my people,” she whispered.

“No!” Raul growled, jumping to another stone.

A white bolt of energy struck her, and Mia bowed in sudden shock, pressing her hand to her chest. Behind Raul, the Curizan returned her shocked gaze with one of triumph. His glee at striking her was short-lived when two Sarafin warriors struck him from behind and sent him into the shallow pool.

The man screamed as the acid wrapped around him and he grabbed at the stone that Raul was standing on. The rock shifted, and Raul slipped. His right arm sank into the liquid up to his elbow as he tried to keep from being catapulted into the pool of acid. Mia swayed as her mate screamed in pain and struggled to keep from falling. He yanked what remained of his arm out of the pool of acid and gripped the stump with his left hand. Swaying, he jumped and clumsily landed on the next step as the Curizan disappeared beneath the clear liquid.

“Mia,” he hoarsely choked. Despite the agony he must have been feeling, his glittering eyes were focused not on her face, but on the stone she held above her head. “Together, my love. We will rule the galaxy.”

“Never, Raul,” Mia whispered. The crystal-clear gem of the Heart of the Cat turned red with her blood as she gripped it with both hands again. “I give this burden to our daughter. I will not live long enough to shoulder it, and there is no other who can. May she live and one day bring peace to our people—a peace that her father sought to destroy.”

Mia could feel her life fading away, even as the pain in her abdomen intensified. Tears streamed down her face as her knees buckled, and she sank down to kneel on the platform.

Her eyes remained locked on her mate as he jumped a step closer. The ghastly remains of his partially dissolved arm hung limply by his side, the stump already sealed by the burning acid. She felt like she was seeing him for the first time. He was no longer the handsome warrior who she had admired from afar as she was growing up and then joined with less than a year ago. Instead, she saw him for what he was—a cold, heartless traitor who would sacrifice his own people for power.

“Please… do not let him… harm our… child,” she whispered, fighting to live long enough to give her daughter a chance.

Warmth from the Heart of the Cat’s magic surrounded her and her soon-to-be-born child as the Goddess answered her plea for help. Waves of gold surrounded the pedestal, protecting them in its warm cocoon. Relief washed through Mia. The Heart of the Cat would be protected. The certainty of that knowledge soothed the tears from her cheeks as she closed her eyes. Her mate could not reach her now.

Please, protect my people… and my cub, Mia silently pleaded as another contraction tightened her body.

They will be safe, a soothing voice said inside her mind.

Mia wasn’t sure if the Goddess was really there or if it was the power of the Heart of the Cat. She didn’t care which one it might be as long as it protected her people and her child from the man who would have destroyed them all. Her lips parted with a cry as another intense wave of pain surged through her.

She pressed her back to the pillar and panted as pain twisted her lower abdomen. Another strangled cry escaped her, and she reached down between her legs, barely catching the tiny infant that slipped from her body.

Mia opened her eyes and looked at Raul’s enraged face. A tired smile parted her lips when she heard her daughter’s first cry. She struggled to lift the newborn infant into her arms. Once she did, she cradled the baby against her breast. She immediately felt the love from the spark she had carried in her womb wash over her, giving her renewed strength.

“Trescina, my beautiful, beautiful, little cub,” she murmured, caressing the infant’s cheek with her fingers.

“Mia…,” Raul hoarsely called.

Mia lifted her cold eyes and stared at her mate. “You will never have the Heart of the Cat… or know the love of our daughter,” she weakly vowed.

Mia felt the power of the gem she still held in her hand engulf her and Trescina. The golden glow turned to a blood red. Mia fought against the darkness that rose up to swallow them. A strange and wonderful magic enveloped her and Trescina, and she knew the Goddess had answered her plea.

Her life here was over. Her last wish was that her daughter would never experience the heartache of knowing the truth about her father’s betrayal, but she feared that was one wish that would be impossible for her to keep—unless Aikaterina sent them far, far away where they would never be found.