The Goddess and The Guardians Boxset: The Complete Romantic Fantasy Quartet

by Karen Tomlinson

  “Hugo? Please, can’t we stop?” she eventually dared to ask.

  “No. We are to meet General Edo in less than a week, in a cave that is flying distance from the Rift Valley wall.”

  “Sentinel’s Cave?” questioned Jack, his voice contemplative.

  “Yes. If we don’t push on, he will leave without us.”

  “Can’t we get to Valentia without him?” Diamond wearily asked.

  “Unlikely. Ragor’s forces will be thick around that section of forest. We will stand a better chance if we band together with Jack’s soldiers. Besides, there are too many humans now to fly everyone to the wall, and anyone who tried would get shot down by arrows.”

  “Oh,” said Diamond, a shudder rippling through her at the thought of having to fight her way through the monsters they had been evading for weeks.

  Jack stepped passed her. He and Hugo talked in low voices as they walked. Diamond found she was too tired to care what they were talking about.

  Chapter 16

  Hugo eventually capitulated. “You two rest here. I will take first watch.” He met Diamond’s eyes before prowling away.

  Once again his bulk morphed into the shadows, and Diamond lost sight of him within seconds. Sighing, she turned to Jack.

  “Shall we?” he shrugged, his eyebrows wiggling comically.

  Diamond had to smile, then looked with distaste at the rough ground he indicated.

  “Come on, I’ll keep you warm until my watch. It seems to annoy my good friend, which is as good an excuse as any other to get close to you,” he grinned, mischief glinting in his eyes.

  Diamond punched his shoulder playfully.

  “What? It’s true,” he defended himself. “Besides, I enjoy winding him up. His heart has been dead for far too long.” He shrugged. “It’s good to see some sort of emotion in him.”

  Diamond wondered what he meant as she lay down next to the prince who had become her friend. They lay on their sides, spooned close enough for body heat but not touching. For a while Diamond gazed at the stars twinkling though the skeletal trees. She liked Jack; his humour and friendship had kept her going, but she didn’t want his warmth, she wanted Hugo’s. She wanted to feel the touch of his magic brushing her skin when he was nearby. Watching the shadows for his return did not help that need, and it felt like hours of tossing and turning before she slept.

  Surprisingly Hugo did not disturb either of them until dawn. Diamond awoke the instant his warm fingers shook her shoulder, then cringed at the stony look on his face. Jack was clasping her hand to his chest. Guilty and embarrassed, she flushed and glared back defiantly. Holding Jack’s hand was not a crime. But under the accusing glower Hugo aimed her way, she lost her nerve and dropped her eyes.

  Jack sat up, unaware of the tension and with his curly hair in disarray. It was an effort not to shrink from him when he treated her to a languid smile and brushed a lock of hair back from her face.

  Hugo growled, and her head shot around to look at him, her eyes flashing. He had no right to disapprove of anything she did or who she did it with. It was none of his business.

  Jack looked up at his friend and frowned a little. “Just give us a minute, Hugo. Diamond needs to sort out my wound,” he ordered in a careful and even voice, but she knew he had sensed the undercurrent between her and Hugo when he rested his hand on her arm and gave it a squeeze.

  Hugo prowled to a large fallen tree, his movements laced with restrained power. After lowering his bulk down, he took out one of his daggers and began tossing it in a precise, lethal rhythm. His sapphire eyes watched unwaveringly as Diamond dipped her fingers in the remains of the salve. The weight of his regard made her fingers tremble. Jack shrugged off the surcoat Hugo had given him and leaned over his knees, his scars expanding along with his muscles. The long gash was almost healed now, but the new tissue was swollen and raised and would tighten up if left alone.

  “You don’t have to watch,” Diamond snapped at Hugo.

  Jack raised his eyes and stared steadily, challengingly, at the guard. Diamond’s anger flared. Jack was deliberately goading his friend.

  “I know, but I’m comfortable now,” Hugo drawled, clearly not intending to move. His eyes glittered at her obvious discomfort. Jack smiled tightly over his shoulder at her but remained silent. With cold fingers she gripped the makeshift jar filled with nasty smelling salve as if she wanted to crush it, resisting the violent urge to throw it at one of them.

  “Well, I’m not rubbing this into you again whilst we have an audience,” she uttered at Jack, furious with them both.

  Jack clearly wanted Hugo to see her do this and, although massaging his wounds had not bothered her before, it felt far too intimate now. What was it Jack had said, that it was ‘good to see some sort of emotion’ in Hugo. Hugo watched her intently, making her even more self-conscious. Her annoyance grew along with the redness on her neck and face. What sort of game are they playing?

  With rough hands, Diamond massaged the salve into Jack’s skin, not bothering to apologise when he winced. It served him right. She refused to look at either of them throughout the whole process.

  “There. I’m not doing that again,” she said heatedly and threw the salve in Jack’s lap. Wiping her hands down her bodice, she caught a flash of amused satisfaction in Hugo’s eyes as she stalked haughtily past him.

  The days were dry; although dark clouds gathered on the distant horizons, the rain never reached them. Hugo’s water skin hung empty from his waist. The damn thing taunted Diamond. She scowled, watching it swing with the movement of his hips. Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, her thirst raging. The only moisture they had found was when night fell and a thick blanket of mist crept in. They had resorted to resting near any bushes that still had remnants of leaves, licking the moisture off to sooth their throats before the daylight and warmth stole it away.

  The forest eventually transformed into a bleak and barren land devoid of any life. The silence grated on Diamond’s nerves. Old gnarled trees twisted their way towards the sky, their naked boughs covered only in yellow and green lichen, their fallen leaves rotting under foot. It was disturbing to be engulfed by so much decay day in, day out.

  The sun dropped slowly behind the trees, disappearing in an orange and red shimmer of fire.

  Diamond shivered. Her ragged, torn leggings hung from her bony legs, no protection at all against the plummeting temperatures of the night. A constant ache pounded against her skull and her limbs dragged, heavy with exhaustion. She kept her own counsel, not wanting to seem weak, especially to Hugo. Hugo seemed unaffected by the lack of food and water, except that the skin around his eyes seemed to have sunk. His beard had grown longer, obscuring his face. He had lost weight too. Diamond stubbornly refused to admit her exhaustion to either of the two men. Jack had become more withdrawn the closer to Valentia they got. Diamond felt sorry for her friend. His gaze often rested on the skyline as if dreading what lay beyond. Clearly he did not relish returning to his responsibilities.

  An old quarry loomed up out of the gloom. Clumps of soft green moss glowed in the silvery moon light, covering the uneven ground like a velvet carpet laid over great chunks of granite. Hewn hundreds, possibly thousands, of years ago from the nearby rock face, they lay scattered, half buried by earth and time. Like a small ethereal haven, the quarry’s damp atmosphere gave life to leafy bushes and vines that grew in long twisted ropes, clinging tenaciously onto the sheer rock face.

  “I’m going up there to keep watch,” Jack stated.

  Hugo grunted his acknowledgment then stalked around inspecting the plants. Diamond watched him for a while, wondering what he was up to. All of a sudden he merged with the shadows, then disappeared entirely. With the gloom and her head aching so fiercely Diamond gave up searching for him. It was either magic, or she was just so tired her eyes were playing tricks. Either way, his disappearing into the shadows like that was—disturbing.

  Exhausted, she wandered over to a flat rock
and lay down, letting her aching limbs rest. Dry sticks cracked underfoot as Hugo returned clutching a handful of what looked like sponge. A large knife dangled from his other fist. He sheathed it with practised ease and precision. Nervous as ever when he was near, Diamond chose to look at his boots, not his face.

  “Here,” he said sitting down next to her.

  Forcing herself upright she blinked and changed her vision. The silver strands of his energy only wavered around him now, looking depleted. She swallowed her sharp intake of breath. It frightened her to know he was getting weaker.

  “Chew this. It has moisture in it. It will help sooth your throat, just don’t swallow the sponge,” he rumbled quietly.

  Diamond took the piece of yellowish, spongy-looking plant, eyeing it suspiciously before deciding to trust him to put it in her mouth and chew. The juice was sweet and gloriously cool as it ran down her throat. She swallowed and groaned with pleasure, sensing his energy stir as he smiled a little.

  “Thank you so much,” she whispered gratefully. Warmth caressed her skin for a moment before withdrawing. It was the same feeling of belonging and security that bloomed through her chest every time he was near. Suddenly shy, she twisted a loose strand of hair around her fingers.

  Hugo turned and cocked his head to one side, a small frown creasing his brow as he watched that outward sign of her agitation.

  “Are you okay?” she blurted, not really knowing what else to say. They had not really spoken since he had found them, only the occasional word.

  His eyes widened in surprise. Belatedly she realised he probably didn’t get asked about his well-being much—if ever. The corners of his mouth tilted into a smile. “Yes—thank you, Diamond.” Her name rumbled across his tongue, soft and gentle.

  Her throat dried out, and she squirmed a little under his gaze. Every single word she knew disappeared from her head. After a moment he reached out, slowly and carefully, and caught her overworked fingers.

  “You will have to cut that bit of hair off if you keep twisting it into knots,” he chastised gently, pushing her hand into her lap. “And that would be a real shame.” His hand lingered against hers.

  Her magic stirred at his touch. A spark of heat deep inside her flared to life. She tried shuffling her position a bit to distract herself, but his energy pulsed against her exposed skin, magnifying her feelings, inciting her magic further. Diamond pulled away. If she never released her magic again it would be fine by her.

  “You, on the other hand, look completely exhausted. Why don’t you lie down? Try and sleep,” Hugo suggested, turning and gently pushing her down.

  Diamond sank onto the hard cold rock, her eyes not leaving his. Exhaustion washed over her in waves. As she drifted off to sleep Diamond was dimly aware Hugo stayed by her side. A guardian, silently watching the stars.

  Chapter 17

  A frown etched Hugo’s brow. His shoulders slumped as he rested his head on his knees. Time alone with Diamond was ridiculously precious to him.

  Jack had been goading him daily since Hugo had found them. Every time the prince had touched Diamond or slept near her, Hugo had wanted nothing more than to rip her away. His friend knew him well enough to see how Diamond was impacting his emotions, and the little prick had taken to fawning over her every chance he could just to get a rise out of Hugo. He huffed a chuckle. Damn if it was working! The trouble was he had a feeling Jack was enjoying winding him up far too much.

  Hugo didn’t mind that his friend could see how he felt. Hugo had learnt to trust Jack. Agonising guilt squeezed his heart; another ruler, another place…. He pushed those memories violently away.

  Hugo rubbed his face and glanced down at Diamond. He was utterly unprepared for the way she made him feel. Whether it was because of their magic or something far deeper, he didn’t know, but Diamond had effectively knocked down the wall of ice encasing his heart. For years he had watched other warriors fall in love, had seen them meet a life-mate and make a blood bond, an ultimate commitment that bound two souls until death severed it. Now his own world had shifted in a way he had never expected. It terrified him.

  Tipping back his head to stare over at Tu Lanah, grinding his teeth until they hurt. It did not matter what he felt or what his heart and soul craved. He had to hide his feelings. Recently matured males were possessive and confrontational, particularly around anyone they wanted; male or female, human or fae, it did not matter in the least. And he was no different. Despite all his training, Zane and Jack had seen the change in him. But both he and Diamond were in for a whole heap of heartache and misery if he couldn’t build that emotional wall back up before the Queen noticed.

  Hugo had only let himself care for a girl once, and he had been a young teenager then. Naive and lacking experience, his first, tentative love had grown into a full blown crush.

  Fear slithered down his spine. There were so many reasons he needed to distance himself from Diamond….

  Pale and gaunt, even in sleep she looked unwell. Mist swirled around his feet as he pushed himself off the rock and stepped stealthily around her outstretched legs to squat in front of her. Goose bumps covered her bare, mottled skin. He let his eyes examine her body in a way he had been unable to do whilst she was awake. Her hip bones stuck out through the remnants of her dress, making her waist look painfully thin. One arm rested across her chest, and her other hand was pushed under her hollow cheek. She was too thin and fragile to last another four days in this forest without food and water.

  Unfastening the straps of his armoured shoulder plates and arm guards, he let them fall to the ground, then he shrugged off his tunic and laid it over her. The garment was big enough to drown her, but relinquishing it gave him a sense of satisfaction he hadn’t felt in years. Its meagre warmth was the only protection he could provide from the damp and cold. His leather surcoat now adorned Jack’s shoulders.

  He pulled some tendrils of silver hair off her face and ran his big calloused fingers lightly across her cheek, careful not to wake her.

  Hugo pushed himself up with a sigh. He doubted she would understand him leaving, but he had to get help or she would not make it to Sentinel’s Cave. Hugo knew General Edo would wait for a few days, but not indefinitely. With a heavy heart, he brushed his lips against her forehead and whispered a soft, “Goodbye.” The salty tang of her sweat mixed with her sweet summery scent, which filled his senses as he licked his lips. With a soft growl, he stopped himself from kissing her again.

  He tapped into their Nexus bond and stretched out his magic, pushing through her mortal flesh, finding that tightly bound flame in her soul. He longed to free it, to let it soar and merge it with his own, to find out how powerful could they become together. But it was not a burning flame that he found, only a weak, dying ember. No. It could not give up on its host. He teased that flame, taunting it with his serpents and shadow, challenging it to break free, to be stronger.

  Her back arched, a small whimper escaping her cracked lips as she shifted her frame toward him. He pulled back guiltily. Such intimacy, even for the right reasons, was wrong without permission. Forcing himself to leave her, he went to find Jack.

  Hugo did not armour his wings when he extended them, instead he saved his energy for what he knew would be a long and exhausting flight. The exquisite hues of blue and silver seemed to absorb the silvery moonlight as he beat his wings against the cold night air. Seconds later he landed twenty feet from the prince, nodding a curt greeting.

  His relationship with Jack was sometimes strained. Jack was irritated by his coldness and reserve since Hugo had returned to serve his Queen. It was deliberate on Hugo’s part. It had to be this way for them. Hugo’s track record with friends—and his Queen—had proved dangerous and destructive. The ghosts of his past reminded him to keep his distance.

  Hugo squared his shoulders and fixed his eyes on the dishevelled prince. Hugo pressed his mouth into a tight line. He didn’t want to leave Diamond with Jack. They were already close, and relying on ea
ch other would only force them closer. Hugo scowled. Jack’s relationship with Diamond was not and never could be his business—Hugo belonged to the Queen. Even so, his gut tightened painfully as he thought of Diamond being seduced by the handsome prince.

  “I have to go.” Hugo winced at the deep growl in his voice and crossed his arms over his chest in a defensive gesture. His leather armour creaked as he moved. “If I don’t get help from Sentinel’s Cave, Diamond will die from starvation. Her body is giving up.”

  Jack cast his eyes over the horizon and down at the dead trees, still alert, still watching carefully. Hugo ground his jaw as Jack made him wait for a reply.

  “It’s alright, Hugo. I’m not blind,” Jack said quietly. “I can see she’s getting too weak to make it. Could you carry her to the cave?” he asked with a frown. “Leave me here.”

  Hugo shook his head. The thought had crossed his mind more than once, although he would not admit that to Jack.

  “No. I am too weak. I wouldn’t make it. It will take me at least a day to get there on my own. If you can keep her alive for another three days, I will bring back help. Don’t deviate from this course, prince. If you keep pushing on, I will find you again.” Hugo twisted to unstrap a long silver blade from his back and offered it to the prince. He would not leave them defenceless.

  Jack nodded his thanks as he fastened it around his body, pulling the leather straps tight.

  “Take this as well,” said Hugo, passing him another dagger. “Something is draining this forest of life; probably a large force of Dust Devils. I can’t be sure. Do you think you can avoid it until I can get back to you?” Hugo surveyed the horizon, narrowing his eyes at the glowing moon. “And watch the skies for that dragon. I don’t know how it exists or what sort of guardian it is, but I doubt the goddess is controlling it. It’s searching for you—and for her, now.”