Chapter 16
Mihail, Irina, and Madame Luiza walked with the Court members to the fountain. From where Amani stood, they seemed as though they were plotting the best way to repair it. When she heard voices chanting, she thought, Good, they’re fixing things already.
Calla Lily watched as Nathan and Amani stood side by side, their hands clasped, and stepped back. “I’m going to give you two a minute.”
As she turned to leave, Nathan called out. “Calla Lily?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you for sending me a letter about my father’s satchel. You were right. The answers you seek don’t always come the way you hope.”
Calla Lilly’s smile reached her eyes. “No, they don’t.”
Nathan turned to face Amani. “This trip has certainly not been what I expected.”
“I’m sorry for that. I wish I had answers about Samuel.”
“But that’s the thing—you did give me answers. You’re more than I could have ever hoped for,” he said as he brought her hand to his lips. “I’ll never regret getting on the train to come to Havenwood Falls, because every step has brought me straight to you.”
Amani rose up on the balls of her feet and kissed Nathan.
“I have what you need,” Roman’s voice bellowed.
Amani blushed and squeezed Nathan’s hand. “I was just saying goodbye.”
She took the items Roman was handing her. “You’ll need to light the sage for the embers, but everything else is there,” he said as he moved to leave.
“Thank you, Roman.”
“Once you do this and call on your goddesses, what protection do we need? I do not want any of the town affected.”
“If you mean them no harm, no harm will come to you. It is Khalida and me they will want.”
Roman gave her a clipped nod. “Then let’s get on with it. The spell we cast to ward the rest of the town will be wearing off soon. No one but us needs to know what happened here.”
“Very well,” Amani replied.
“What can I do?” Nathan offered.
“I’d be grateful if you stayed close,” Amani answered.
Nathan helped her put the items together while Roman went to talk to the rest of the Court. No one knew what was about to happen, but no matter what, it would end with Amani being gone and Nathan’s heart left empty—again. Love and loss seems to be your plight in life, Nathan thought.
Amani closed her eyes and in a flash an altar appeared before her—her mother’s altar, exactly as it had been so many centuries before. She lit the sage and waited until the smoke began to rise before laying the feather over the top. She cast a glance Nathan’s way, and he tried to direct his heart and mind toward happier thoughts, since he knew she could hear and feel them. The last thing she needed right now was a distraction.
When Amani lifted the gold necklace and moved to lay it across the embers, Nathan blurted, “Can’t we just keep her in there and run away? Hide for thirty or so years and then do this after we’ve spent a lifetime together?”
Amani shook her head and smiled. “I wish, but then I would be no better than my sister, and I don’t want to be always looking over my shoulder for the watchers to come and take me away. It’s no way to live. You deserve more than a life trapped within a wish, Nathan.”
Nathan bowed his head. “It was worth a shot.”
Amani took hold of his hand as she lay the necklace over the offering. “Hathor, I humbly request your presence, you and Ma’at. I surrender not only myself but Khalida too.”
Thunder rolled, and lightning railed in the sky as the wind around them began to churn. The scent of frankincense was pungent in the air, and then sparks of fire appeared on the road in front of the nearby buildings. Four towering figures materialized before them, obscured until the fire dissipated. As they stepped forward, Amani immediately knelt, Nathan following suit, unsure of what else to do. Two larger-than-life guards with ebony skin and faces like jackals stood on either side of two elegantly dressed women, bathed in gold and jewels. Before their eyes, the two women transformed as they walked forward. They were no longer giant in size and stature, but gained more human qualities. However, their godly presence was still awe-inspiring.
“Amani?” Hathor inquired.
“Why do you summon us, and why are you here?” Ma’at asked before she surveyed the area.
“Khalida and I were freed for a time, but then she and Khaldun trapped me in a camera, where I remained a prisoner for the past eighteen years,” Amani answered quickly.
“And where are they now?” Hathor thundered.
Amani bowed her head and held out the ewer. “Khalida is in here, and Khaldun is dead.”
“I see,” Ma’at acknowledged. “Your doing?”
“Yes.”
Hathor walked over to Amani and took the bronze vessel from her outstretched hands. “And who is this?” the goddess asked, turning her attention to Nathan.
“This is the man who freed me from the camera and Khalida’s betrayal,” Amani said as she offered her hands to Hathor and Ma’at. “See for yourself.”
They took her hands, and Amani sent images of the past eighteen years into their minds.
“Nathan and the people here are all innocent. I humbly ask your forgiveness and beg to have this wrong righted,” Amani said as the last image faded.
“And what is it that you wish for us to do?” Ma’at asked.
Amani steeled her gaze. “Erase any trace of this from their minds. Make it so they will be spared the pain of what has come to pass by no fault of their own.”
“No, Amani,” Nathan pleaded.
“I can feel the sorrow in your heart, Nathan.” Amani lifted her eyes to meet his. “And I do not want you to pine for me once I am gone. You must live your life and be happy.”
“I’m happy now.”
“You’ve spent eighteen years searching for answers to your father’s disappearance. I was tied to those answers.” She gently touched his face. “You deserve more.”
“I deserve you.”
“Amani,” Hathor interrupted, “who is the male to you?”
Amani turned to face Hathor. “Someone I care about very much. He saved me and in turn saved himself, along with the people behind me. The woman there,” she pointed to Calla Lily, “she too helped me see the truth. I’m indebted to them both.”
Ma’at turned toward Calla Lily and the Court. “And you? What do you say about what happened this night?”
Mihail stepped forward. “Amani did as she said. Her sister came to kill us all, and the watcher was with her. If not for Amani, we’d all be having a very different conversation.”
“But is she not the reason Khalida and Khaldun came in the first place?” Ma’at questioned.
“From what I understand, that was not by her doing,” Mihail replied.
“And this camera, how did it come to be here in your town?” Hathor asked.
Calla Lily stepped next to Mihail. “The simple answer—magical intervention. One day it simply appeared in my shop, and I contacted the person I believed to be its owner. Nathan responded to my inquiry, and the rest is history,” she affirmed.
Hathor looked back to where Amani and Nathan were standing. “I am pleased. You did as I knew you would. The good in your heart won out over the wrath. Khalida never could see the truth of her existence and how she could change it.”
“I’m not sure I am ready to declare judgment,” Ma’at said flatly. “Instead I propose an offer.” She paused. “Will you accept Amani as a temporary resident here in your home until we can confer with Thoth on the path we should take?”
Roman started to speak, but Saundra Beaumont answered instead. “We will gladly accept Amani and Nathan into Havenwood Falls. It is clear her intentions are only to help and not harm. It was not that long ago that our ancestors were faced with an unimaginable choice, and they too needed guidance to proceed.”
Amani gasped, and Nathan stood silent.
> Ma’at gave a gracious nod to the woman with the silvery white hair before she walked back over to Hathor. “We will send word when we are due to return. In the meantime,” she said as she waved a hand over the square, “let your town be cleansed.”
A golden-hued smoke wafted over the open space, clearing it of all trace of the battle that had raged. As the air cleared, four flames emerged, and the jackal guards, along with Hathor and Ma’at, stepped into the vermilion glow, disappearing into thin air.
Nathan pulled Amani into his arms, and Calla Lily ran to them. “Well, it seems we’ll need to find you a place to stay, since you’ll be here in Havenwood Falls for a bit.”
“You’re more than welcome to stay in one of the rooms at the inn, if you’d like,” Irina added.
Amani turned to Saundra, Mihail, Roman, and the rest of the Court, and bowed. “Thank you. I will honor this gift, and if I can in any way help you, I am at your service.”
“Where is the ewer and Khalida?” Roman interjected.
“Safe where she belongs,” she met his eyes, “with the goddesses.”
“I certainly hope so,” he said with disdain as he turned to walk away.
“We’re happy to have you both. Come to see me tomorrow, so we can officially register you for your stay here in Havenwood Falls,” Saundra smiled.
“Stop by the store too, and I’ll help you shop for some more clothes,” Calla Lily added.
With that, they all turned to go, leaving only Amani and Nathan in the square.
“Now what?” Nathan grinned.
Amani looked into his eyes. “One step at a time.”
“One step at a time, then,” he said as he leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips.
Released from a Curse, part two and the conclusion of Amani and Nathan’s journey, available where books are sold.
About the Author
Brynn Myers is an adult paranormal romance author. After considering writing a hobby for years, she finally turned her passion and talent into a career. She came into the paranormal genre later than most, but has always loved fairy tales and all things magical. Using that love, she creates charmed worlds by writing stories involving passionate, strong-willed characters with something to discover.
You can find out more about Brynn and her all titles by visiting www.brynnmyers.com and subscribing to her newsletter at www.brynnmyers.com/subscribe.
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank Ang’dora Publishing for asking me to be a part of the Havenwood Falls crew. I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to write in the Legends series. I’d also like to give a special thanks to Kristie Cook for allowing me to reference her characters, and to Randi Cooley Wilson for letting me roll with Calla Lily Mircea and Roman Bishop. It was my honor, and I hope I did them all justice.
Much love to my own publisher Amber Leaf Publishing. Thank you always for your love and support in all my work. I will never be able to thank you enough.
To my readers and anyone new to www.brynnmyers.com —THANK YOU!! Every time you pick up one of my stories and give my characters a chance to warm your hearts or royally tick you off, I AM BLESSED! Thank you for making this fantastic ride worth it with all your love and kudos! Much love to you all!
Blood and Damnation
Belinda Boring
Also by Belinda Boring
Havenwood Falls
Nowhere to Hide
The Collector: Awakening
Addicted to You
Mystic Wolves Series
The Mystic Wolves
Forget Me Not
Testing Fate
Forever Changed
Savage Possession
Darkness Unleashed
Last Wolf Standing
Blood Oath
A Very Mystic Christmas
Damaged Souls Series
Bittersweet Melody
Bittersweet Symphony
Brianna Lane Series
Broken Promises
Stand-Alones
Loving Liberty
Enchanted Hearts
To my sweet little Odie,
If my love alone could’ve kept you here, you would’ve lived forever.
To Lin-Manuel Miranda,
Thank you for being such an inspiration!
Chapter 1
1868
Blood.
It was everywhere.
There wasn’t a place I could lay my hand that didn’t come back covered. As I lifted my fingers to my brow, the fading sun caused the redness of the liquid to take on an even more sinister hue.
As if being bathed in blood could get more sinister, I chuckled silently.
There really wasn’t anything funny about the situation, but for the life of me, I couldn’t stop the wave of hysteria that threatened to overcome my sensibilities. It started somewhere in the base of my chest and rose with such force that to ignore it, to stifle it, would cause more pain than it was worth.
So I let it out.
Ripples of laughter echoed in my ears—sounding completely foreign and unhinged.
I shuddered to think what would happen should someone stumble by and find us like this. I imagined I would look like a madman sitting in the middle of a dirty, rat-infested alley, quietly cradling the lifeless body of a woman in his arms.
They may have witnessed the precise moment her heart stopped—the last of her lifeblood trickling slowly from her wounds.
I knew I looked disheveled, my clothes caked with blood that was already beginning to dry, my exposed skin smeared with the sticky gore. I also knew that people would not stop to ask questions. Instead, they would run screaming for the authorities.
Sounds slowly filtered back into my awareness, and the abrupt slap of reality returned me to my senses. My bloodstained hands roughly smoothed over fine black hair as if to comfort her in death.
My victim, I thought without hesitation.
I had somehow done this. Bile bubbled up into my mouth while I observed my gruesome surroundings, the bitter scent of copper made me gag, and numbness spread through me, shock wrapping its icy fingers around my heart.
I turned the woman’s face so her lifeless eyes stared back at me, as if in death she continued to accuse me. Her name had been Primrose, or was it simply Rosa? Letting out a hasty breath, I cursed my stupidity for not remembering her name.
Whoever she was, she had been beautiful, her skin still holding a slight warmth from being held so close.
She’d caught my eye earlier in the evening as I strolled through the crowds attending the annual town fair. With her long raven-colored tresses and green twinkling eyes, I’d spent the better half of the evening exchanging glances and sensual flirtations.
London gossiped about my “rakish” ways. I had a useful talent of layering my seductive charms on so thick that it always guaranteed me getting what I wanted—whoever I wanted. My goal was that before the night was over, she’d be beneath me, writhing as I drew out every ounce of pleasure within her.
She’d responded so freely to my suggestions that it wasn’t long before she’d led me to this very alley, secluded from prying eyes. I’d immediately pressed her up against the wall as my mouth devoured hers.
Her eagerness had stoked a fire in me. Gone was the frigidity I often met from my own fellow countrywomen, and my urgency was met with her own brand of fire.
With each caress, each flick of her tongue, she sent me careening out of control. When she’d softly moaned over my touching her covered breast, I’d instinctively deepened our passionate kiss.
She’d tasted of mead and sunshine.
Even now, the thought of that fevered kiss made my mouth water.
She’d felt so good and responded so well to my attentions that I’d lost track of time. One moment she was racing toward release and the next she was lying in my arms.
Dead.
I frowned, my mind desperately trying to piece the events together, but all I could sense was an oppressive fog—one that was u
nwilling to succumb to my frantic probing.
Something had happened, but still it remained elusive.
Shock wouldn’t hold it from me forever.
Moments passed, and more sounds filled the night air.
“They’ll discover us soon,” I murmured, still unable to do anything but stare down at the woman who had previously set my entire body aflame.
My skin pebbled from the chill now settling over me. The sweat clinging to my once pristine shirt caused a slight tremble to begin.
Where was my coat?
My hands slowly released her, and that’s when I discovered I’d taken it off to cover Rosa.
Primrose?
The body.
Muscles groaned from suddenly being forced to move, and I gingerly pushed the weight from my lap, careful to not disturb the woman further. This caused another chuckle to erupt.
The time for gentleness and consideration had passed with her last breath, but still I couldn’t bring myself to think of her as dead. It felt wiser for my dwindling sanity to consider her asleep, and as if to prove that point, I leaned over one more time and tentatively laid my lips to her cool forehead for one last kiss.
My lips came back wet, no doubt glistening from her blood.
That was all the truth and reality I needed.
As my resolve snapped, I toppled to the side and began violently heaving.
“Dear God,” I groaned, too weak to wipe at my mouth.
The feeble contents of my stomach mingled with the drying pool of blood as if taunting me, forming a macabre mixture.
The smells of the alley—the smell of her—assaulted my senses again, driving me to purge my stomach until all that was left was a repeated gag.
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