The Prophecy Of Hope

by Kelly Hall

  As he made his way back through the tunnel, he was careful to leave the cat behind, knowing it wasn’t trapped in the castle walls and had plenty of mice to eat. Besides, Ignis might know the cat was there and wonder why Canter found him and brought him back.

  He couldn’t stop thinking of what the journal said. He had always been attracted to Atticus’s name, and maybe it was because he was one of Canter’s ancestors. And Jarreth coming from The Great Hunter himself? “Better keep that one under wraps, or his ego will be so heavy he won’t be able to carry it.” He chuckled to himself and wondered if those times when he felt alone, if Atticus had been there to listen, and if his desire to be a warrior came from him too. He suddenly wanted to know all he could about him.

  Everyone who had gone to the academy knew that Atticus had been the one to forge Stella, and he’d given it to Rebekah as a token of his love before his death. But with him dying, he must have only been an uncle to Canter’s original people, or perhaps a cousin. Canter had to know. He made up his mind to ask Rebekah all about it when he had the time and could talk to her alone.

  He’d used up all of his time finding his way there, but there would be other nights that he could sneak out and hopefully have more time to find the books that he needed.

  He made his way back through the tunnels to the north tower dungeon, where he was happy to find everyone still in their beds, or at least making a good impression of it.

  He had just crept back into his room, where the bathroom light was still on just as he left it, spilling into the room to serve as his nightlight. Katie stirred in the bed. “Canter?”

  He winced. He hadn’t wanted to wake her up. “Shh. Go back to sleep.”

  Katie turned over and pushed the covers away. “Where were you?”

  He held his breath for a second and hoped that his being out wasn’t going to start a fight or cause any problems. “Out on business. I’m sorry I woke you.” He hated not being able to tell her things, but it was for the best.

  “I figured it was either that, or you had gone to the kitchen. I woke up a half hour ago and was waiting you out. I was about to come looking for you if you took any longer.” She stretched her arms and yawned.

  Canter loved her sleepy face and the way her hair stuck up in all directions in the morning. She was already working on the look, her hair flattened on one side and sticking up on the other in six different directions. “Don’t worry, and don’t come looking for me next time.” He didn’t want her to alert the others.

  She met his eyes. “I’d feel better if you’d have told me.”

  He smiled. “No, you’d have wanted to come.” He watched her face as a smile slowly spread there.

  “I’ll make a deal with you. I won’t ask what you’re doing and where you’ve been if you promise that you’ll tell me next time that you’re going.”

  “Okay.” Canter could agree to that. He was willing to compromise with her on anything and was going to try and have the type of relationship that was built on integrity.

  She gave him a longing look. “Can you at least tell me if you’re leaving the castle?”

  He gave her a look of reassurance. “I’m not. Now stop asking me questions.”

  She let out a long breath. “I worry, but I also trust you, Canter. If you say I can’t know, then I’ll understand, but do what you can to ease my mind.” Her eyes pleaded with him. “Promise me?”

  “I promise. No more sneaking out. I’ll wake you up and tell you when I leave.”

  “No,” she said with laughter in her voice. “Don’t wake me up unless you have to. I want you to just tell me when you’re going so if I do wake up I won’t worry.” She sat up and curled her finger. “I want a kiss.”

  Canter leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

  When she pulled away, she made a face. “You stink like mold and mildew.”

  It was from the tunnels. He hoped if she figured it out, she wouldn’t try and follow him.

  “Sorry,” he said. “I’m going to take a quick shower, and then I’ll be back to bed.”

  “I could help you with that, you know?” Her brows wagged, and she gave him a sly smile.

  “I’d like that. I’ll get the water started. Join me when you’re ready.” He stripped off his shirt and then undid his pants as he walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Rebekah’s place was better than a luxury hotel, and each guest room had its own private bathroom. The only problem Canter could see was the narrow showers, but he knew he and Katie would make it work.

  As the room filled with steam, he kicked off his boots and lost the rest of his clothes. Then he stepped into the shower and rinsed himself before lathering up with soap. He had a good coating of suds when Katie opened up the door and stepped in with him.

  “We’re a tight fit,” she said. They were so close that her tight nipples grazed against his chest and his cock settled against her stomach. She was a bit too short for it to land between her legs, so she got on her tiptoes and he held her up against him. The water washed over them, and their mouths met in a passionate kiss.

  He reached down and cupped her ass, pressing her against him, and while he wanted to take his time, she hopped up, bringing her legs around his waist, and he held her against the wall as their bodies came together.

  Canter hoped that what they had would never end, and as he worked his hips, lost in the ecstasy of how he felt going in and out of her, he knew that she was the one for him.

  While he had thought Jarreth was nuts for proposing to Delilah, he understood it even better now. There were some things in life that you never wanted to let go of, and Katie was that for him. She was his Delilah.

  Chapter 8

  Rebekah had learned many important lessons in her long lifetime, and her very favorite was to stop and appreciate the little things. Even though things were not perfect in her life and she was sure that the Church had set her up to fail, she was still going to make the most of her morning coffee and the crisp chill in the air that Nevada had lacked.

  “You’re looking good this morning,” said Ignis as he walked into the front room and found Rebekah standing at the window sipping coffee and watching the sun break through the fog over the ocean. “I’m not sure the last time I saw you so chipper. Does this mean you’re not mad at me anymore?”

  Rebekah kept her eyes forward on the view, not wanting to see him. “I’m just thinking about how much I’ve missed it here and why I bought this place. But no, I haven’t forgotten in all of this beauty to be disappointed in you, dearest friend.” She tried to keep her tone from being bitter, but it didn’t work.

  She and Ignis rarely had problems, but she was hurt more than angry and wished he’d just tell her what she wanted to know. She hated having Canter go snooping but trusted that he’d find what she was looking for and keep it confidential.

  “Ouch.” Ignis walked up behind her and noticed her back stiffen. “I could leave if you like and go and stay with Talia for a little bit longer, or until this entire mess with the Church blows over. Not that I want to,” Ignis was quick to add. “I’d like to stay and help, and I don’t want you to think that I’m abandoning you. I just don’t do well with you and me having problems. It’s not like an everyday occurrence.”

  “Only because I trust that you’re not keeping me in the dark.” She turned and met his eyes, her own full of disappointment. So much for enjoying my coffee in peace.

  “I’ve explained this, Rebekah. There are things that I cannot just tell you. Things from before your time in my past that don’t concern you.”

  “But they do, obviously. How you handled Kayne in your past, the bargains you’ve made? They directly affect me when you’re my closest friend. He didn’t bring them up for nothing, and if you know something, some way that I can defeat him, some way to make this all work out, why wouldn’t you help me?”

  “It’s not that easy. I’m done talking about it. You should finish your coffee before it gets cold.�
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  “Well, you’ve already ruined it.” She stormed past him and put the cup down on the table next to the couch before returning to the kitchen for a fresh cup.

  Ignis was left standing alone, feeling as if someone had just pulled a rug out from under his feet. His entire world was off its axis, and things would only snowball if he decided to tell Rebekah the truths she was seeking.

  He plopped down in a chair by the couch as Canter and Katie came down the stairs. They were both glowing and in love. How annoying.

  Katie’s smile beamed. “Good morning, Ignis.”

  Ignis forced a smile for the lovely couple but noticed Canter seemed preoccupied.

  Canter took a deep breath and inhaled the aroma of bacon and cinnamon. “Something smells good.”

  “Lulu’s outdoing herself, I’m sure,” said Ignis as the happy couple took a seat on the couch next to him, Canter directly to his right. The young man still hadn’t looked him in the eye or offered much of a greeting, which he found odd since the two had spent some time talking. Out of all the hunters, Canter was the one he’d grown closest to. But maybe it was just his imagination.

  “Yeah,” said Katie. “She’s going to spoil me. I can’t wait to see what she’s cooking up for us this morning.”

  Canter leaned back and rested his foot on his knee as he laid his head on Katie’s shoulder. “Wake me when it’s ready.”

  Ignis couldn’t help but notice the hunter’s boot, which was right in front of him. The laces were dingy, and what appeared to be fuzz was noticeable at a glance. Ignis leaned closer, positioning himself to lean on the arm rest. “How are you liking being away from the academy?” Ignis asked Canter.

  Canter raked his hand through his hair and barely glanced at Ignis, not quite able to hold his gaze too long on the mage who he felt like he’d betrayed. “I don’t miss it at all. Everyone I cared about is here with me, so it makes it easier.”

  Ignis nodded and leaned in closer, hoping he wasn’t seeing what he thought he was. But before he could say anything, Katie beat him to the punch.

  “Is that cat hair?” She leaned down and brushed off Canter’s laces. “I didn’t know Rebekah had a cat.”

  Canter’s eyes widened, and while he tried to play it off, he glanced at Ignis, a brief moment of guilt that he hoped went unnoticed. “I think that’s from the pelts at the hunters’ camp.” He put his foot down on the floor and shifted in his seat.

  Ignis knew better. Canter wasn’t the type of undisciplined hunter who let his boots go dirty for too many days. He would have cleaned them by now, especially with all of the downtime they’d had since arriving in Ireland.

  Something was going on with the young man, and Ignis had a pretty good idea what.

  “I best go check on Mace and see if she’s still cleaning up her mess or if she’s made any progress with Delilah’s weapon.” Ignis excused himself, and before Canter and Katie could respond, Rebekah walked into the room nibbling a piece of bacon.

  Ignis didn’t turn around to acknowledge her, and she glanced over at Katie and Canter, surprised that no one else had joined them. “Has Frankie or Father Timms come down?”

  “No, it’s just us,” said Katie.

  Rebekah took another bite, this time shoving the rest of the meat into her mouth. “Breakfast is ready.”

  Canter got to his feet and pulled Katie to hers. “Go and wake Delilah and Jarreth, would you? I need a minute to talk to Rebekah.”

  “Sure.” She gave him a kiss and hurried to go upstairs.

  Rebekah waved her hand and led Canter into the library. “I figured if this is about the mission I’ve put you on, you might want a little privacy.”

  He wasn’t sure he should mention Atticus or not, knowing that he had snooped into one of the journals he wasn’t supposed to read. So he got right to the point. “I found my way into the south tower last night, but I’m afraid that I had trouble finding the journals I needed. There are a lot of them.”

  “That’s good news, though. You’ll go again soon?”

  “Tonight, if I can manage to sneak away from Katie. She knows I’m doing something for you, but she doesn’t know what. Jarreth and Delilah know something is up too. I won’t tell them what, I promise, but I know they’re watching me like a hawk. Katie woke up and realized I was gone last night. She said she almost got up and went looking for me.”

  Rebekah realized she should have known the others might want to know what he was up to, and she hadn’t even considered that Jarreth or Katie might try to follow him. “I don’t need them knowing that there is a problem with me and Ignis.”

  “No offense, Rebekah, but it’s pretty obvious. I mean, the tension between the two of you when you returned, you looked like you wanted to rip his head off.”

  “I’m not that angry. I’m mostly hurt. Ignis made a deal with Kayne years ago, and I need to know what it’s about. It could affect my next mission, and he’s being too stubborn to tell me.”

  “Must be something bad if he’s willing to upset you over it.” Canter sighed. “But now, I have to ask you, Rebekah. How do you know this?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” She shook her head. She wasn’t about to tell him where she’d been. His job was not to question her.

  “It doesn’t? Not even if Kayne told you this himself?” Canter tried not to offend.

  She took a deep breath and shifted on her feet. “Careful.”

  “It’s just, you came up missing and returned all pissed off about something that it seems like only Kayne could tell you. And if he did, Rebekah, I need you to stop and wonder if he was just manipulating you.”

  Rebekah wondered if he and Ignis could both be right. Was Kayne just trying to manipulate her, to tell her things that would cause problems between the only person in the world she trusted? But she knew him differently than they did. He held Stella, she reminded herself.

  As the next room filled with voices, Rebekah walked to the door and stopped to glance back at him. “Keep looking.”

  Canter nodded and put his fist over his heart. “Yes, Huntress.”

  Rebekah walked out and joined the others who were slowly making their way to the dining room. Lulu, who used the service entrance, walked in and laid another platter of cinnamon rolls and bacon on the table. There were also fruit trays and large pitchers of juice, and Rebekah’s mouth watered just thinking about how good it was all going to be. She certainly hadn’t made a mistake in hiring the older woman to cook for them. “You’ve really outdone yourself again, Lulu. Everything looks great.”

  Jarreth and Delilah, who both still looked sleepy, sat across from Canter’s empty seat and Katie, who looked toward the door hoping he’d show. Liam dragged himself in, yawning, and sat on the far end as if he didn’t want anyone to talk to him. Frankie and Father Timms came in next, both hand in hand, and Rebekah couldn’t help but wonder whose bed the two were sleeping in.

  She was glad to see the others happy, and as she fixed her plate, Jarreth spoke up.

  “So, what is the plan for Kayne?” he asked. Then he stuffed a bite of roll in his mouth.

  “There isn’t one. Not yet.”

  “Wait, what? You’re kidding, right?”

  “No, I’m not,” said Rebekah. “I’m working on something, but it’s going to take time.”

  Father Timms frowned. “How much time, Rebekah? The sooner we get things rolling, the better. Kayne might see us not acting as a sign of weakness, and you know yourself that the commanders are all waiting to know what move to make and when to make it. Meanwhile, they are sitting on alert, wondering why the clock is ticking.”

  “I’m working on it,” she said with a much harder tone. She didn’t know how to tell them what she was thinking. Talia had planted an idea in her head, and so far, she hadn’t been able to shake it. If she could somehow get Kayne to go willingly, to help her fool the Church into thinking she had in fact captured him, then he could just escape after her pardon. It was a longshot, and there was
no way she could mention it to the others without sounding ridiculous. “You’ll be the first to know when I figure it out.”

  Jarreth dropped his fork to his plate. “I can’t believe you brought us all the way here without a fucking plan. I knew you needed time on your strategy, but you’ve really got nothing?”

  The look of disappointment and anger on his face was enough to rub Rebekah the wrong way. “Sometimes, war is not only about the fight. I need a clever plan if we’re going to take Kayne down in a way that doesn’t end up with you all slaughtered for nothing. I know you think you’re a real badass, but I can assure you, you’re no match for Kayne. I’m the only one strong enough to go toe to toe with him, and he took me away like a thief in the fucking night.” She had let the words come, even though she knew she needed to hold them back.

  “That’s where you were,” said Canter, who stood in the doorway. He was glad she’d finally decided to tell the truth. They needed to know what they were up against.

  “Yes. I didn’t want to alarm anyone.”

  “How could he take you?” asked Delilah with a look of suspicion. “Are you sure you didn’t go willingly?”

  Rebekah’s eyes narrowed as she looked at the girl. “Do you really want to sit at my table and accuse me? I showed mercy when you slapped me before, Delilah, because I sympathized with the pain you were going through, but don’t mistake my kindness for weakness.” She turned to look at Jarreth. “And you. If you have a plan that doesn’t get everyone you and I care about slaughtered, then let’s have it. Otherwise, you and your huntress can pack up and go back to your father’s camp.”

  “It’s not that I have a problem, Rebekah. It’s just that I want to do something. He can’t get away with coming in here and taking you anytime he pleases. How did he even get in?”