“You would not believe her world, Eythan!” the princess sighed. “It is amazing!”
“I imagine it is, but you know what your ability does to people, Emeley. She had no idea!”
“She is fine, Eythan.” She smiled at me. “Look, her color is coming back already.”
I suddenly realized Princess Emeley saw a lot more than the memories of my life. She saw my intense infatuation for her brother and the thought of that made me want to shrink and hide underneath the cushion of the chair I was sitting on. I leaned over and held my head in my hands with embarrassment. Other than that, I did feel fine.
“Here,” Prince Eythan plucked a goblet off of tray from the servant that returned and knelt next to me. “Please drink this, it will help you feel better,” he said gently with a soft smile, looking directly at me.
“Thank you.” I took the cup from him as the princess watched us. When I was finished he stood up.
“Evelyn, you do not have to let my sister in your head ever again. Do you understand?”
I nodded.
“And you, Emeley, . . . I understand your fascination with her,” he said gesturing to me, “but you must be careful. She is a human wayfarer, perhaps the only one you will ever encounter willing to indulge in your curiosity. She is fragile so you need to be careful with her. No more hindsight. You saw what you needed to see.”
“Yes, Eythan,” she acquiesced.
A servant appeared in the doorway to the dining area, indicating that lunch was served. I stood up. “I’m not hungry. May I go back to the clinic?” I asked.
“But, Evelyn, I have so many questions!” the princess protested.
“Vincent,” Prince Eythan called. A man appeared in the doorway. “Please escort Miss Evelyn back to her home,” he ordered.
“Yes, Your Highness. Please follow me, Miss,” he replied kindly.
I glanced at the prince. “Thank you,” I said with a curtsy.
He nodded to me. “Take some rest,” he advised.
I glanced at Princess Emeley briefly, who looked positively pissed off at her older brother, before I followed the servant out. Once we were through the castle, I took a deep breath of fresh air, filling my lungs to capacity. I hoped the experience would help me somehow. Now that she knew about my feelings for the prince, there was no telling what could happen.
∞
The next day, I decided to step away from the clinic to gather borage plants needed for making our healing salve. With the influx of soldiers stabilized, the clinic was slow anyway. Sam wanted to remain there just in case Sir William decided to visit. I walked south into the fields with my basket, enjoying the peace and quiet. The wind rustled gently in the overgrown grass and the sun faded in and out between the swiftly drifting clouds. Keeping myself occupied was key to not dwelling on what happened yesterday. At least it was until I heard movement behind me. I turned quickly to see Princess Emeley riding towards me on her horse, dressed in her sparring clothes. Her escort of guards hung back in the distance. I stopped what I was doing and waited for her to dismount, curtsying as per the custom.
“Good afternoon, Evelyn,” she started. I returned the sentiment, a little wary, wondering why she sought me out. “I am glad I found you.”
“What can I do for you?” I asked, forgetting the court formalities.
“Evie, . . . I wanted to apologize to you . . . about yesterday. I am sorry that I pushed you into letting me see your memories.”
I remained silent, waiting for her to continue for she appeared to be upset.
“It is just that we need to defeat Queen Hadreah. I am searching for anyone and anything that will help us do that.”
“Why do I get the feeling that it is personal for you?” I inquired.
“It is. She took something from me and I want it back,” she said passionately.
“What did she take?” This was new. It was unlike her to open up to me so familiarly.
“I cannot tell you right now . . . but I know that you can help me find a way to destroy her once and for all.”
“Why do you say that?” How in the world would I be able to defeat an all-powerful witch with an army backing her up?
“Because you do not believe in magic. I saw your world and I saw memories of you. Eythan was right . . . I do not entirely understand all of what I saw but I do know this, I saw how resilient you are. You are the one element that she will not see coming.”
“You want me to fight a witch?” I exclaimed, still in shock over her suggestion.
“I hope it does not come to that. However, I believe you have the power to garner her attention and distract her so that we can.”
“Perhaps so,” I agreed. I mean it goes without saying here that I am a walking distraction.
“I would very much like for us to be friends, Evie. I have very few people I can put my trust in completely . . . but I saw what a good person you are.” I looked down as she continued. “I also sensed how you feel about Eythan.” My eyes shot back up to hers. “I will not tell him, Evie. He is a complicated man and he has suffered a lot. However, I will say that you are the first woman in years that has made him smile,” she said amiably with a hint of a grin.
“Thank you,” I replied, feeling somewhat relieved, smiling back.
“You are welcome.”
She stayed with me a little while longer asking me questions about my memories while I worked. We walked back together in cheerful conversation and, for once, I didn’t feel so alone in this strange barbaric world.
Chapter 16
“Tell me about Queen Hadreah,” I asked. “What makes her so powerful and feared?”
The prince took a deep breath. “She was not always Queen of Shadowlea. Our first encounter with her was a little over a decade ago when she killed King Mathias Pharys and married his sole heir, usurping his power from him in the process.”
“If she was so powerful, why did she bother to marry anyone connected to that realm?”
“That is a good question. She probably would not have if it were not for the fact that she fell in love with the heir the moment she laid eyes upon him. The irony is that she hates vampires and he is a half-vampire. I am sure he had his reasons for cooperating with it. The pressing threat of certain death can influence a man to do practically anything.”
“Where did she come from?”
“No one knows. There are many theories; however I suspect she is from another world like you. I believe she opened a portal herself and found her way to Eteryn. My father has been here for several centuries. He has seen a great number of creatures in his time, but witches are rare. Even the few witches he has known have not possessed the kind of power that Hadreah has.”
“Something must motivate her. What exactly does she want?”
He chuckled, apparently amused, shaking his head at me. “Other than to destroy all vampires? She wants what most monarchs want . . . power, wealth, and land. Shadowlea is a small territory, tucked back in the mountains about a day and a half journey south from here. It was never an impressive kingdom, even under its previous ruler, but it was there just the same. The kingdom to the north of us, Norbury of the Rain Provence, has impressive fields and pastures to support their economy. Westercliff, the kingdom to the west of us, is known for its salt and precious gem mines.”
“And Eteryn?”
“Our Eastern border is the great lake called Estrium. Fishing, travel, and trading are our main attributes, among other things.
“Why hasn’t Hadreah tried to invade Eteryn yet?”
“We are not sure. We keep spies at the border, but they dare not cross it due to the magical barrier she has constructed. She would know immediately if we tried to attack her. We do know that she has had her hands full overtaking the kingdom to her west, Aelfort. She recently tried to invade Norbury which is where I was when you arrived here. We were able to beat her back, but it will not be long before she tries again.”
“What kind of power does she have?�
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“She can create fire and wind. She can make the dead rise and control them like puppets on a battlefield. I have seen her cloak herself in invisibility and become immune from sight and scent so that she may surprise her enemies. She can use her magic to pull and capture victims as well as shield herself from attack. Rarely, I have seen her fly.”
“She can do all of that? Surely she must have a weakness,” I said.
“It seems that she tires if she is using a lot of her magic. That is usually when her king steps in to finish what she started and protect her.”
“You mentioned she overtook Aelfort to her west. Why did she start there?”
“Aelfort borders the other shore of Lake Estrium like us. We are a large peninsula, you see. She wants control over all of it. She also likes to hunt Nevalth eels.”
“Why eels?”
“Our spies do not know. All they have observed is that she does not eat them, or even touch them. She simply kills them and tosses them back into the water. The vast lake was once inhabited by scores of them long ago, according to my father. He could see their beautiful shimmering scales beneath the water even at night. Now, he has not seen one in years.”
“Are they poisonous?”
“No one knows, but they possess razor sharp teeth that can shred their prey in a matter of moments in the water.”
I digested that information for a moment and then moved on. “What about other witches? Can they be called upon to fight against her?”
“She has been hunting them too. She seems to like to eliminate anything that is competition or a threat. Besides, they would not be much help. Most witches can summon a protection spell, fire, or conjure up help with the daily chores and fight sickness, but that is about it. What we have seen with Hadreah is unheard of.”
“Does she have any children?” Thoughts of mini-monster witches learning that kind of evil disturbed me.
“None that we know of.”
I thought for a few moments. “If you have no way to fight her, . . . then Princess Emeley is right. You need the element of surprise. You need to fight her with distraction, something she does not understand without putting yourselves in harm’s way.”
“What do you suggest?” he asked slowly.
“I don’t know anything about magic, or believe in it for that matter; however I can think of a few things in Princess Emeley’s collection for starters . . . provided that some of that stuff still works.”
“I can see why my sister has such high hopes in you. You have the courage to believe you can make a difference. Come, let us discuss this away from the crowds,” he said in a low voice, leading me outside in the sunshine towards the gardens, away from the castle.
I wondered if there were some listening vampire ears in the castle that he wanted to get away from. Vampires cannot follow in the sunlight. I thought of Lord Crievan and how horrible he was. Evil seemed to emanate from him. I wondered why he held such a high position in society. The thought of the ancient vampire piqued my interest.
“Prince Eythan,” I said, calling him by his name for the first time. He looked at me, seemingly pleased.
“Yes?”
“Is it true that vampires sleep in coffins during the daylight hours?” I wanted to know if the folklore from my world was actually true.
He laughed lightheartedly. It was such a pleasant sound it made me smile at him. “Wherever did you hear that?” He laughed again.
I shrugged. “It’s what some commonly believe from my world. Vampires are myths where I come from.”
“Well, let me set the record straight,” he said in a semi-serious tone, although I understood he was amused by my question. “Vampires require little, if any, sleep. Just because the sun comes up does not mean that they stop what they are doing and hide in a coffin. Why do you think that my father built his castle on a mountain slope?”
I remained silent, waiting for him to continue as we continued to walk side by side.
“It provides protection. The castle itself delves deep underground into the mountain, providing shelter from the sun for all of the vampires.”
“He is a wonderful king to your people. I have heard nothing but good things from the villagers.”
He glanced at me. “My father has lived long enough to know that no one will support you if you treat them disrespectfully. Everyone, no matter how low they think their position in society may be, has some importance. Just because he is a demon does not mean that he has to act like one.”
“That is very true,” I said softly.
“Now, what are some of your ideas for fighting an evil witch?” he said, turning towards me with a grin. I assumed we were now far enough away from the castle where he felt comfortable talking freely.
I began talking about the revolvers I had seen and described to him the damage to a body that they were capable of with a direct hit. He listened intently, nodding here and there. I also described how the element of surprise might be a good tactic because it didn’t sound like the witch had ever come across a wayfarer before. Just when the conversation started to get serious, the faint sound of hoof beats approached us. He turned his head to check it out before I barely even noticed it. Must be nice to have such heightened senses, I thought. It turned out to be Sir Deverell, one of the half-vampire guards. He spoke quickly in Eolarh to Prince Eythan.
“Thank you, Lord Deverell,” the prince said in English. “I will be there soon.”
“I must return to the castle for a meeting. Return to your duties. I will see you at the banquet tomorrow evening.”
I curtsied, butterflies dancing in my stomach. What was it about him that affected me so? I would try to help him do anything if that meant I could spend more time with him. I just hoped I could be legitimately useful. If not, I’m sure the consequences would be deadly.
∞
Lord Thornton certainly played his cards right. It seemed as though he was accurate; I brought him the attention he needed to break into Lady Jocelyn’s circle. I was happy for him; although I did miss dance lessons with Madame Isabel. My evenings were suddenly free again and I was pleasantly surprised that the invitations to the banquets kept arriving from Princess Emeley. Not wanting to be alone at night, especially with Sam gone most of the time, I accepted. My heart skipped a beat every time I saw Prince Eythan.
I surveyed the expansive room. Both the princess and the king were in attendance tonight as well as Lord Crievan. Lord Thornton nodded and acknowledged me politely with Lady Jocelyn on his arm as they passed by. I turned to seek out some refreshment and almost crashed into someone. It was the large and burly Lord Von Lare from Norbury.
“Oh, excuse me,” I apologized without thinking.
“Miss Remington, I believe,” he said.
“My Lord,” I replied, lowering into a curtsy. I had only met him once, but there was something about him that gave me the creeps.
“It seems you are a lovely dancer. Would you honor me with one?”
I really did not want to dance with him, but to refuse would make me appear rude. Let’s get this over with. I gave him a gracious smile and curtsied again. Fortunately it was a line dance so we would not be alone together. I studied him as we moved. He was not as light on his feet as Lord Thornton which made me believe he did not do this very often. I noticed he kept his eyes keenly trained on me like a predator the whole time as we moved. Breathing a sigh of relief when the dance was over, I curtsied to him and then decided to try to maneuver away from him off of the dance floor. Unfortunately he shadowed me.
“I hear you are somewhat of a skilled healer, Miss Remington.”
“Yes, my lord. I am a nurse.”
“Trained in your world?”
“Yes.”
“I also hear that you run your own clinic in the East Village.”
“I have since the doctor passed away, yes.”
“Are all of the women in your age as bold as you are?”
Warning bells began to sound in my he
ad. Wherever this conversation was headed, it would not be good for me. “I’m not sure I understand what you mean,” I said with exaggerated confusion.
“What I cannot figure out is that you have the freedom to run your own clinic yet you are considered a servant here. Is that so?”
“I arrived here with nothing. I am simply grateful to be alive and employed by Princess Emeley.”
“We would not treat you as a servant in Norbury. A wayfarer like you, with your knowledge and skills, would be treated like royalty . . . you would . . .”
“Lord Von Lare,” a deep voice carried. It was King Edreyan. From across the room the ancient vampire stared down the persistent beast of a human harassing me. I didn’t know what to think. Some of the courtiers took notice, but mostly things carried on jovially around me. “A word,” he commanded. I smiled at the king, grateful for the interruption as Lord Von Lare bowed to me and walked away. I needed a drink after that.
“Back again?” Paul asked as I meandered over to him. He was serving punch again this evening.
“Sure beats sitting alone by the fire,” I replied.
“I guess so. Is it company you want or simply the opportunity to gaze upon a certain someone?” he said softly, raising an eyebrow.
“Paul!” I warned in a low voice.
“I’m sorry, Evie,” he apologized.
“That certain someone doesn’t always attend the banquets,” I said as I took the cup he offered me. I drank deeply.
“He does whenever you are here,” he said softly, looking directly at me. I detected a tinge of jealousy in his tone.
“That can’t be true,” I said in disbelief.
“It is,” he shrugged before refilling my cup and turning to wait on the courtiers who had just showed up wanting punch.
I wandered away from Paul over to the side of the room and looked out of the beautiful arched doorways across the gardens, letting Paul’s comments sink in. I began to ponder whether or not the prince truly did feel something for me. I felt like perhaps I had begun to form a brittle friendship with him, though I was actually head over heels in love with him. As to why? I could not explain it. I wondered if I would ever have the courage to make it known to him.
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