It took little time to find the road. When they got there, they could hear the clop-clop of approaching horse hooves. It was Will, Colter, and the wagon. The wagon was small and could be pulled by one horse, but there was room for Danni and their supplies.
Nathan tried to make Danni comfortable in the wagon while the others packed the supplies either in the wagon or on the other horse. Then they were ready.
Chapter 36
Danni slept through nearly the whole journey. Her head bobbed with the sway of the wagon and Nathan watched for the moments when she woke enough to eat or drink. When she did wake, she seemed unaware and fell back asleep after a few moments.
When darkness closed in each night, terrors ravaged her dreams and left her screaming and thrashing about. Each night Nathan went to her and held her until the fear and panic fled and her body calmed.
Nathan awoke on their fourth day and couldn’t hold back his smile. “This is the day! By late afternoon we will be safely within the walls of the Central Palace.”
The group’s mood was a bit livelier around the campfire.
“Edward, Garin.” Will’s genuine grin made Nathan beam. “I mean you no offense. You make wonderful meals, but… oh…I cannot wait to feast at the palace. The food is divine! My stomach rumbles imagining it! Meat, meat, and more meat, not to mention dumplings, rolls, mashed potatoes, gravy…”
“Will,” Nathan interrupted. “Please. We will all be drooling like a pack of wild dogs if you don’t stop.”
The men all laughed. The lightheartedness felt good. It had been too long since laughter lit upon Nathan’s men, and it invigorated him.
Just past midday they approached the first of the Central Cities and unloaded the pack horse. Nathan sent Will ahead on a horse to find James. He watched Will mount and gallop away.
Once the other horse was unhooked from the wagon, Nathan took Danni in his arms and climbed onto the horse. “Leave the wagon,” he told the others. “We no longer need it. Follow this road until you see the palace. Go to the main doors and there will be people there to care for you. I will meet with you again when Danni is settled.”
His gaze passed over his men. They had been through so much together that they almost felt like part of him. “Thank you for all you have done. I couldn’t have brought Danni back here without you. I will see you again soon.”
He urged the horse forward and cantered up the road.
∞∞∞
When Nate didn’t arrive when he said he would, James felt panic stir deep in his heart. Nate was never late. He knew the roads and trails better than anyone. James called for the captain who had waited in Anderon when Danni was first supposed to rendezvous with them. He had seen Nate and his companions last, but had heard nothing since their separation.
James had nearly gone to his father’s rooms to tell him, but decided not to trouble his father, who had taken ill. It wouldn’t do to have him worrying over Danni, too.
Four days later there was still no word from them. James paced the floors of the great hall. His footsteps echoed off the marble. Perhaps something terrible had happened. He couldn’t bear it if Danni was hurt. Danni. Her name stirred emotions deep inside him that he hadn’t felt in months. It had been over ten months—ten long and lonely months—since he had seen her. It seemed an eternity.
The doors to the great hall banged open and he jumped.
A guard rushed in. “Prince James. Forgive my disturbance, but a lone rider approaches the palace at great speed.”
James’s pulse quickened. “Thank you. I will personally greet our visitor.” He followed the guard out the door and down the steps to the main entrance. The great doors swung open. Palace guards lined the front stairs and into the courtyard. The rider drew near and James sucked in his breath. It was Will.
“Guards, at ease!” They relaxed their weapons and cleared a path for James, who descended the steps. Will dismounted and they embraced.
James released Will. “Where is Danni? Is she all right? What about Nate and the others? What has happened? Why are you so late?”
Will held up a hand. “Whoa, James, slow down. I will tell you what I can. The others are close behind me. Nate sent me ahead to alert you of our arrival.” He paused, as though not sure how to proceed.
“Go on.”
“We ran into trouble—a lot of trouble. We were betrayed.”
“Betrayed? By who?” James’ heart dropped to his stomach.
Will took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “By Lane.”
“What? You cannot speak the truth. Not Lane.”
“It was Lane.” Will took another breath, then spit the story out so fast James could hardly follow.
When Will finished, James stared at him. He blinked and blinked again, not sure how to react to Will’s story. “They…tortured Danni?”
Will nodded.
Then James clicked into action. He ordered his guards to fetch his horse. “I am going out to meet Nate and will personally bring Danni back to the palace.” He ordered another guard to take Will to a room and care for him.
When his horse arrived, he ordered a few other guards to be ready to take in the rest of Will’s companions. Then he jumped on his horse and took off to meet Nate.
∞∞∞
Nathan heard a horse approach, then saw James round a corner on his royal steed. He pulled on the reins to slow his horse. James did the same.
“James.”
“Nate! Is Danni all right?” James’s eyes searched Danni’s sleeping form in Nathan’s arms.
“Not really.” Nathan decided to be honest with James. “But she will be once she has been able to rest and recover at the palace.”
James dismounted and stepped beside Nathan’s horse. He reached toward her. “I will take her home.”
An ache more intense than anything he had known formed in Nathan’s heart. James would take her home. He hadn’t thought this moment through. He hadn’t thought about James and Danni’s relationship, or his feelings for her in a long time. Worry for her health had clouded that. Now it hit him like a fist in his gut. He lowered Danni to James—James who had loved her first and who now took her into his arms and out of Nathan’s life.
Her eyes fluttered open when James took her. She seemed confused and disoriented.
“It is all right, Danni,” James soothed. “I have you now.”
Her eyes widened and Nathan knew she was frightened. She couldn’t yet understand that it was James. The ache in his heart intensified when James lifted her with him onto his horse.
Nathan dropped from his horse and placed a steadying hand on James’s horse.
James frowned down on him. “I will put her in the room beside mine and bring my physicians in to care for her. My guards will take your horse to the stable when you get to the palace. Will hardly told me anything. I would like you to fill in the details once Danni is settled.”
Nathan nodded, unable to get any words past the lump in his throat. He should be grateful to see James for it meant that Danni’s suffering was finally over, yet he felt his own agony had just begun.
“See you soon.” James turned his horse and urged it forward at a gentle speed.
Nathan watched the auburn mess of Danni’s hair bob against James’s shoulder. Every step took her farther from him and ripped his very soul from his chest.
He could do nothing but watch her go. She was his duty. James was her love.
End of book one.
About The Author
Allison lives in the mountains of Central Utah with her husband, five children, small farm, and crazy home addition project. She loves her family, her church, writing, and music, but is not particularly fond of construction. She is the author of the Precious Stones Treasury, a set which currently includes The Jeweled Pendant and The Power of the Ruby Ring part 1, with several more works in progress. She is a co-author of the NSWG’s compilation A Medley of Fairy Tales, part 1, and the forthcoming part 2. She loves writing clean f
iction and experiencing the many adventures of her characters. She would be delighted to hear from her readers and can be contacted at [email protected]. She can also be found on Wattpad.
The Power of The Ruby Ring Page 17