by Bone, K. L.
“Mara!” he cut in. “Stop it! It was six-hundred years ago. It was—”
“She was wearing a blue gown of silk. She was dancing in his arms where she belonged. He spun her around once, twice, thrice.”
“Mara.” This time his voice was gentle. “That was a long time ago. She died a long time ago.”
“I know.” Her voice decreased in volume. “I know she died…except when I look in his eyes, watch him breathe, listen to the beat of his heart. Then she lives. I can see her dancing in his eyes.”
“You have to stop punishing yourself for what happened. It was—”
“If you say it was not my fault,” Mara interrupted, “then I swear to the Gods I will slit your throat where you stand.”
Silence followed her threat. Garreth’s eyes shifted around the room as he considered his words. “Have you ever considered that perhaps your forgiveness lies in his arms?”
She shook her head slowly, the anger vanishing from her now hushed tone. “In his arms,” she echoed his words. “In his arms, listening to the sound of his heart, is the only place I have ever known peace. And the one place…the only place that I can never be—is with him.” She searched Garreth’s pale eyes. “I am not worthy of his forgiveness, Garreth. I will never be worthy.”
Chapter X
Edward awoke in considerably less pain than when he had first arrived back in his chambers. The expert healers had gone to work on his injuries. Between their careful ministrations and powerful salves, he was beginning to feel more like himself. He opened his eyes to find Garreth sitting in a large chair that had been pulled beside the bed. “Hello, Captain.”
“Garreth,” Edward said to his longtime friend. “You need a haircut.”
Garreth gave a soft chuckle. “Mara said the same thing.”
“So, she is why you are here.”
“I am here because someone tried to kill you, Captain.”
Edward met Garreth’s light green eyes. “Is she okay?”
Garreth shook his head and sighed. “Why the hell do you two fight each other? You should go into that room, throw her down on the bed and let go of the past once and for all.”
“Garreth! Be serious.”
“I am being serious! Do you think this is what she wanted? She would kick both your asses if she could see this.”
Edward shook his head. “You don’t understand.”
“Of course I understand,” Garreth replied, frustration filtering through his voice. “She was my sister, Edward. And she would not have wanted the two of you, who she loved most, to suffer in this way.”
“I should have been there. I should have stopped it.”
“There is only one person to blame for the fact that both you and Mara were not there that night. It wasn’t you and it wasn’t Mara. If you still must insist on blame, after all of these years, then at least place it where it rightfully belongs.”
“If I had done my job, instead of letting everything else get in the way.”
“You mean instead of following your heart? Please, for the love of all the Gods, Edward, my friend. Please, let this go. Forgive yourself and forgive her, too. She is self-destructing and from where I am seated, you don’t seem far behind her.”
“Mara does not self-destruct. Haven’t you heard? She is the cold-hearted, fearless, merciless Black Rose.”
“Edward!” he said sharply.
Silence followed as the Captain stared down at the blankets in sudden shame. “I’m sorry, Garreth. It’s just, seeing her again, it’s just not…”
“I know,” Garreth replied sadly. “I know what the two of you do to each other. I know all too well.” He ran his fingers through his shaggy blond hair. “But you need to understand, she feels the same way.”
Edward shook his head. “She should have left me there. She should have…”
“She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she had.”
Edward raised his gaze. “I know.”
Chapter XI
Mara left the court without saying goodbye to the Captain whose life she had saved. Instead, she had turned to Jake, instructing simply, “If you need me, do not hesitate to call.” She had offered the Sub-Captain a slight bow and then turned and walked quickly from the room, exiting the long, grey hallways of stone. Two hours later, she was seated on a private jet on her way back to the house of the Black Rose.
The Black Rose Guard lived in an ancient castle nestled in the Lethia Mountains. It was an isolated, dreary place known for spectacular thunderstorms and a fog that put even the Scottish moors to shame. The drive to this desolate and remote castle was a slow one in which vehicles needed to carefully tread the grey, steep roads on the mountains. Once long ago, this hidden land had been the heart of all the immortal realm, and the ancient keep a glorious, hidden castle. But as the years passed, the courts had moved on to warmer, less remote locations until all that remained were the members of the revered Black Rose.
Mara had been picked up by a driver at the Lethia airport and began the four hour journey into the heart of the Black Rose. She attempted to sleep throughout the ride, but found herself unable to quiet her mind long enough for sleep to come. She shifted again, fighting her rising memories.
“Liza.” She closed her eyes against her will and saw the young girl sitting beside her. With pale cheeks, ruby lips, luxurious black hair, high cheek bones and violet eyes. Liza had been a beauty among beauties with a heart of profound innocence. It was no surprise that Edward had lost his heart to her. Liza had stolen all of their hearts in one way or another, even Mara’s.
“We have arrived, my Lady,” the driver said, pulling her mind back to the present.
“Thank you,” Mara replied, and then waited while he came around and opened the door. She stepped out into the damp air. The sky was a cloudless grey over the ancient stone towers which constituted the keep of the Black Rose. She walked across a narrow, wooden bridge that stretched over a stream of grey water and walked toward the tall stone doors. They opened far before she reached them, and she stepped slowly over the bridge.
Two men stood on either side of the door, both in black from head to toe, a silver rose embroidered into their black shirts. They had matching, shoulder-length brown hair and golden eyes. “Captain Mara,” they both said and bowed their heads slightly as they opened the door for their Captain.
“Hello, Brian. Aiden.”
“Sub-Captain Brendan is awaiting you, Captain.”
“Yes, thank you.”
She walked past the guardsmen and into the old castle. The vaulted ceiling rose nearly twenty feet high and was made of grey stone. Large rugs had been placed upon the stone, in deep, crimson reds that were beginning to fade. Narrow spiral staircases stood on either side of the walls leading to the levels above. Mara took the stairs on the left and began the slow, careful walk towards the upper levels of the ancient castle. When she reached the top level, she walked towards her chambers. However, before reaching the stone doors, Mara turned left and walked down the opposite hallway toward the chambers of Brendan, her second in command.
She knocked on the tall stone door and entered without waiting for an invitation. Brendan sat at his desk, leaning over several sets of papers. His dark brown hair was cut short against his skull, his skin pale from the lack of sunlight associated with the area. He looked up, turning his ice blue gaze upon Mara. He stood from the chair and offered a low bow to his Captain, bending at the waist and remaining perfectly still for several seconds.
“Rise,” Mara instructed him.
“I am glad to see your safe return, Captain.”
“Thank you,” Mara replied. “The guards downstairs said you wished to see me.”
“Yes, my Lady. I just wanted to report that all has been quiet while you were away.”
“Has Sean returned from his protection detail?”
“He returned two days ago, after seeing the Prime Minster safely through his South Ciar tour.”
Mara n
odded. “Is that all?”
Brendan stared at her for several moments in silence, unspoken questions burning in his eyes. “Captain Edward is alive and back in the Ciar Court,” she said in a dry tone, answering his unspoken question.
“Thank the Gods for that, my Lady.”
“It was a necessity,” Mara replied. “If Edward had died, that would leave Jake in charge of the Ciar court guard.”
Brendan cringed slightly. “No one wants that.”
“No,” Mara said in a voice that withheld even the slightest ounce of humor. “No one wants that.”
Other questions burned brightly through Brendan’s eyes, but Mara was his Captain, so instead he offered a low bow and said, “Is there anything else, Captain?”
“No. That will be all for now.” She gave Brendan a curt nod and turned and walked back towards her own chambers.
Mara’s chambers were made of the same granite that formed the rest of the castle. The floor was covered by a thin black rug. A large bed stood by the left wall and a large writing desk sat in the right corner of the room near one of two small windows. A large fireplace was situated along the wall closet to the door, but no fire was currently lit.
Mara walked across the room and pulled back the black curtains covering a window and pushed open the glass panels. A cool breeze flowed into the room, allowing the fresh wind to saturate the stuffy air surrounding her. Mara slowly peeled off her clothes and walked towards the large, private bathroom attached to the room. With black marble tiles, a large shower and a Jacuzzi tub that was far too large for its single inhabitant, the bathroom was one of the only rooms within the ancient castle to have been fully refurbished within the last century.
Mara turned on the water and waited several minutes for the temperature to rise before stepping into the steaming hot water. She closed her eyes, allowing the feel of the water beating against her skin to soothe her taut form. She lost track of time standing in the hot water, drowning out the world. By the time she stepped out, her normally pale skin had been beaten red by the heat of the water.
She wrapped herself in a large black towel and bound her long black hair in another. She dried her body thoroughly and then walked back towards the bedroom. The cool breeze filtering in from the window was soothing against her flushed skin. She laid down on the large bed with the towel wrapped tightly around her. As her head touched the familiar black pillows, a sense of calm began to descend upon her. Here, among these desolate chambers, Mara was able to drown out the dreams, the memories chased back by the cold mountain winds and the familiar grey stones that she had called home for the majority of her life.
Mara threw off the towel and slipped under the black covers that cascaded over her bed. Moments later, she slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Chapter XII
Sandra entered the ancient garden. Black roses ran wild, climbing the ancient stone walls, thorns piercing the crumbling grey rocks. A pond was in the garden’s center, the water covered in a layer of thick, green moss making the water appear almost sickly in the fading light. Sandra approached the water’s edge and closed her eyes, allowing her mind to change the bleak scene.
As though stepping into a dream, the moss vanished from the water, transforming it to a clear pool that reflected the stars above. Her thin, black gown transformed to royal blue, the skirt becoming fuller as she gazed into the sparkling crystal water. The reflected image was of a woman Sandra had never seen. The same pale skin, long black hair and rouged lips, but the eyes…the eyes were violet. Violet with a glint of silver at their core. Sandra stared mesmerized into the reflective pool. She had never seen such eyes.
A man approached her slowly, his image gradually appearing in the reflective surface of the water. His pale skin seemed translucent in the encroaching darkness. She studied his reflection. Shoulder-length black hair blended into his long black coat. A crimson shirt of silk was tucked neatly into long black pants. He stepped behind her, his arms slipping securely around her thin frame. The woman in Sandra’s reflection smiled with a sparkle in her eye that matched the brilliance of any star.
Sandra turned around to face the man who held her and realized with a start that his shirt was not crimson—it was white. White silk soaked with thick, wet blood. Sandra lifted her hands, her fingers suddenly dripping with immortal blood. She screamed, jerking her body away from him. The man reached forward and grabbed her, saving her from toppling into the mossy water behind her.
“Sandra!” Regald’s voice broke the trance. His black eyes faded to green and she found herself held tightly by his strong arms. “My Lady, what did you see?”
“The other Captain.”
“You mean Edward?” She nodded. “Edward once stood as a guard within these walls. These are the old castle grounds of the Lorcan Court.”
“The Lorcan Court?”
“Yes, the court that existed before they split into the Ciar and the Arum. But no one has lived here in at least five hundred years.”
“The royal chambers,” Sandra said in an uncertain tone. “I need to see them.”
Regald nodded. “Those chambers are underground.” He reached back to the large black bag lying on the ground behind him. After a few moments of fiddling with locks and opening zippers, Regald produced two flashlights. “Not nearly as fancy as the firelight that once lined these walls, but much more practical for our immediate purposes.”
Regald led Sandra to the edge of the garden, but paused when Sandra stopped at the entrance. The violet-eyed woman once again stood at the water’s edge. Edward stood beside her, his shirt crisp, white and clean. “I love you, Edward.” Her words danced upon the wind.
“My Lady,” Edward replied to the violet-eyed woman, her royal blue gown billowing around her in a soft breeze Sandra could neither hear nor feel. “I am not worthy of your love.”
“Edward…” Her voice was the definition of tenderness. “How can you think such a thing?”
“My Princess.” Edward turned slightly to better see her eyes.
She reached out her pale hand, brushing her fingertips against the side of his face. “I’ve loved you all my life. Are you saying that you do not love me?”
“You know I do.” Edward’s voice was soft and deep. A sad smile graced his handsome features. “But, my Princess,” Edward drew back, facing away from her, “this can never be. It is forbidden.”
The woman with violet eyes reached her hand forward, silencing his words with a caress from her pale hand. She studied him for several long moments, her hand sliding down the side of his face as her finger traced their way lightly over his lips. “I love you,” she spoke softly. “I cannot imagine life without you.”
His eyes searched the irresistible depth of hers and slowly, ever so slowly, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. The kiss was deep and passionate, his arms grasping hers in a firm grip as she opened to him as a flower to the morning sun. The kiss lingered for a long time, his hand rising to the back of her neck, drawing her more tightly against him. Then he finally pulled back as though in a daze.
“My Lady,” he said. “I am so sorry.”
“For what?”
“I love you. But, this…” He shook his head. “This can never be.”
A gust of wind blew through the scattered roses, taking with it Sandra’s vision. The cold wind caressed her skin, blowing the tears from her deep blue eyes.
Chapter XIII
“Yes, Nolan,” Garreth said to the younger man.
“Forgive me for disturbing you.”
“Not at all. What can I do for you?”
“I was hoping you could explain a few things.”
“About Mara?”
Nolan nodded hesitantly, as though unsure if he was crossing a line. “I know that something happened between her and Captain Edward, but I am not sure if I understand.”
“You don’t.” Garreth motioned to the wooden chair beside him. Nolan took several steps forward and took the offered se
at.
“Tell me, Nolan, have you ever had a great love? One that burned you through and through? Stole your heart in a way that you knew you could live a thousand years and it would never be the same? A love you would give your life for and know that the one single moment of happiness received in return would be worth all the years of living without?”
Nolan shook his head. “I can’t say that I have.”
“Nor have I.”
Seconds of silence passed between them before Nolan said, “But I would like to know why both you and Mara have asked me the same question.”
“I’ve never had a love like that, Nolan,” Garreth said to the younger man. “But I have seen it.”
“With Edward? Mara loved him?”
“Oh yes. Mara loved Edward.”
“Then why?”
A glassy look came over Garreth’s expression. “Mara loved Edward and Edward loved Mara. But not as much as they both loved another. I have seen things, Nolan. Things that dazzle, things to dread, but never in my life have I ever seen anything that haunts me as much as the power of one, true love. It was magnificent, terrifying and something that I have spent my life both dreaming of finding and dreading the day that I do.”
“Wait, I don’t understand,” Nolan interrupted. “They loved another? Who?”
Garreth did not move his gaze from the wall. “Her name was…” His words trailed off. “She was…” He could not bring himself to say it. Then Garreth visibly shook himself. “It was a long time ago. It doesn’t matter anymore. Mara is gone now. It is for the better, I think. Yes, for the better of all.”
“I don’t understand. Why did Mara act so strangely? Why did she leave without telling anyone?”
Garreth’s eyes finally moved to meet Nolan’s. “I’m afraid I cannot tell you that. I shouldn’t have mentioned it. It is forbidden, you see, to speak of it.”
“To speak of what?”