The Ravenswynd Series - Boxed Set

by Sharon Ricklin Jones

  I stepped out into the hallway, but wasn’t quite sure where to go. I could just go to my suite, hoping Emrys was back… but he could still be down in the lounge. And if he wasn’t in the lounge, I had no idea what to say if Ambrose was alone. He’d hurt so many and I felt a great deal of anger toward him; yet a part of me was intrigued by all the positive things I’d heard too. Deciding it was high time to make up my mind about him, I headed straight for the lounge.

  Turning the corner into the doorway, I nearly ran right into him. Ambrose appeared surprised, but maintained an air of composure.

  “Well, hello my dear. You just missed Emrys. He went up to see if you’d returned from visiting your sister.” He took a step or two backwards and frowned. “Is everything alright?”

  “Of course, why wouldn’t it be?” It bugged me that he could sense my emotions.

  “The look on your face tells me you disapprove of me. I can’t say that I blame you, but I never meant to hurt anyone. Especially not my son. It may appear that I’ve abandoned him and our entire society, but in this timeless existence, it is but a drop in the proverbial bucket.”

  “I don’t need your excuses…Ambrose. All I know is that my husband missed you terribly. And sending your wife away like you did, well, I just don’t agree with the old rules at all. I’m glad Emrys has managed to change them.”

  He put a finger to his chin, apparently deep in thought. “Hmm. I can already see why my son was drawn to you. You certainly have a mind of your own, and you are not afraid to speak it. I’m impressed. Truly interesting indeed. Come; sit a while, won’t you?” He stepped further into the room and pointed to a chair. “I’d like to get to know my daughter in law better.”

  I followed him in and sat down, clasped my hands in my lap and said, “I shouldn’t stay long.” My curiosity had started to outweigh my anger.

  “I just have a few questions for you, Elizabeth. I will not keep you.” Ambrose sat across from me and folded his arms across his chest. It was then that I noticed his medallion. It was similar to Emrys’ but the raven’s eye was black.

  “I am told you were the one who persuaded Emrys to change our archaic rules. Is this correct?” A slight frown crossed his face, but I couldn’t tell if he was angry or just inquisitive.

  “Actually, yes I did,” I said, holding my head up high. “I nagged him for months. I just don’t think it’s fair when people get thrown out of their own homes.” His frown deepened at the mention of his wife’s banishment.

  I took a deep breath and added, “And not only that, but my friend Kelsey was basically held prisoner by her so-called mate, Rohan, even though he gallivanted all over the world with other women. And then somehow she is labeled as damaged goods! Are you serious? It was completely ludicrous!”

  Ambrose nodded while listening intently. “Ah, yes, our good old friend, Rohan.”

  “What does that mean? You can’t say you approved of his actions?” I said, fuming again.

  “No, no, my dear. You’ve got me all wrong. As a matter of fact, I would personally like to thank you for encouraging my son. If not for the rule change, I’m afraid I would still be in hiding.”

  “Hiding? Why would you have to hide? I don’t get it.”

  “It is quite a long story, Elizabeth, and perhaps we could discuss it another day.” He looked down at the floor, and for the first time I had the distinct feeling he was hiding something from me. From all of us.

  “Fine, but let me ask you a question.” I glared into his dark eyes as he looked up again.

  “Why the flaming hell did I see you driving the limo for Mr. Feldspar?”

  He chuckled. “Oh, that. I suppose I wanted to get a feeling for the old homestead; to see a glimpse of my son, or perhaps even you. I’d been hearing things you see. Even in hiding, news came to me. I was never far enough away to be kept in the dark about the things that transpired here at Ravenswynd.”

  “So you were just curious? Why didn’t you ever visit? That’s a bit cloak and dagger, don’t you think?”

  “Yes,” he chuckled. “You sure do get to the point, don’t you?”

  “Well, come on, you’re the one who won’t say what’s really going on here. I’m not blind. I can see when someone is evasive.” In an attempt to mock him, I crossed my arms and raised a speculative eyebrow.

  Nodding again, he said, “I like your honesty, Elizabeth. And you are correct. I do have a secret that I am not at liberty to divulge quite yet. All in good time, my dear. All in good time.”

  His vagueness was driving me nuts. “So you can’t say why you were in hiding, fine. But tell me something, Ambrose. Didn’t you miss your son? Didn’t you miss your wife? How could you send her away like that?”

  He took a big breath and said, “Yes, to the first two questions, and to answer the third one, I did not have a choice. It was the way of the Ravens. But as I said before, I am glad you pushed for change. As I am sure you’ve heard; changing the rules changes everything.”

  “Now you’re quoting Sibelle. Apparently you’ve got connections everywhere.” I leaned back into the chair and added, “I suppose now that you’re back, you think it’s your right to be Regent again?”

  His eyes widened at my question.

  Does he think I was born yesterday?

  Perhaps he had many connections, but I’d be willing to bet he hadn’t heard Sibelle’s latest prophecy - the one that insinuates that Emrys will be challenged for his title. How could he? We just returned from her.

  Now visibly excited, Ambrose said, “What a provocative thought! What brings you to such a conclusion, my dear?”

  “Stop all the theatrics, Ambrose. And quit calling me dear. I am not impressed by you at all. Perhaps you forget that I’ve been witness to your last years here at Ravenswynd. You recall those days, don’t you? According to what I saw during my quickening, you don’t deserve to ever be Regent again.”

  His quirky sneer made me even angrier. He had the same look in his eye that Emrys always got whenever he attempted to be mad at me. I saw right through it.

  “I remember those days like it was yesterday, Elizabeth. Trust me; those were the worst years of my life. And you’re probably right. I don’t deserve to be Regent. But now that I am home…”

  Something caught his eye and he looked up, stopping right in the midst of his sentence. “Hello again, my son! It appears I have something you’ve been looking for!”

  I turned at the sound of footsteps and saw Emrys. He gave me a huge smile and said, “Here you are, my love!” He extended his hand to me and I rose up from the chair. Turning again to Ambrose he added with a chuckle, “Yes, Father, and I demand you give her back to me at once!”

  I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying what was on my mind. But no matter how hard I tried; Emrys still caught me thinking about how contemptible Ambrose was. I thought it was horrible that he’d never contacted his son, and terribly selfish if he actually believed he could have his old title back. The whole thing was pathetic and it was harder than ever to keep my mouth shut. Emrys squeezed my hand and gave me the loving look he always gave when attempting to calm me down, and as usual, it melted me.

  “We’ve been getting acquainted, haven’t we, Elizabeth?” Ambrose stood up giving me a quick nod and a warm smile.

  “Exactly.” I clamped my mouth shut, hoping to keep the peace. Facing Emrys, I said, “But I was just about to leave.”

  “I imagine we shall see you in the morning?” The expression on Emrys’ face made me think he didn’t know his father’s intentions at all: Had he come just for a visit, or was he here for good?

  “Of course you will. Priscilla has prepared one of the larger guest rooms for me, for now.”

  For now? Does he think he will get his old quarters back too?

  “Excellent. Then we will see you at breakfast.” Emrys steered me toward the door before I had a chance to voice the things I really wanted to say, and he called over his shoulder, “Goodnight, Father.” />
  “Goodnight, son. And thank you. Goodnight to you too, sweet Elizabeth.”

  I said goodnight, but wasn’t sure if Ambrose even heard me. Emrys had whisked me away so quickly, it was dizzying.

  “What is your problem?” I asked, halfway down the hallway. “And why did he thank you?”

  “I wanted to get you out of there before you said some things you would end up regretting.” He gave me a quick glance and finally slowed down when he noticed my attempt to pull away.

  “He thanked me for forgiving him.” Emrys stopped and faced me. “I hope you can do the same, but by the looks of it, you have not come to terms with it yet. There is no point in staying angry, Elizabeth.” He put his hand on my cheek and in a gentle tone, said, “There are enough negative things in the world to be angry about, my love. I am just happy to have him home.”

  I gave a big sigh, and nodded. “I know. But it’s hard to let it go after knowing how much he’s hurt you.” After seeing Emrys’ happiness my heart began to soften, and I said, “I suppose if you can be this easy on him, I should be too.” We started walking again, and I mumbled, “He just better not try to take your title away, Emrys. That would send me over the top.”

  Emrys laughed. “I am not worried. Whatever happens is perfectly fine with me.”

  “How can you be so carefree?” I asked. “You’ve worked so hard to maintain this title, and everyone respects you for it.”

  “If everyone respects me the way you say, then they will do the right thing. I cannot spend my time worrying about what anyone else thinks. The only opinion that matters to me is yours.”

  We made our way up the stairs and halfway down the hall in silence. Still deep in thought about my conversation with Ambrose, I heard someone talking. As we got closer, I recognized Veronica’s voice, and whispered, “Why is that woman always lurking in the library whenever she’s on the damn phone?”

  We were just a few steps from our door before Emrys answered my question. “Oh, that reminds me. I made some inquiries about her as I said I would. So far, my contact has not come up with anything.”

  “Yet,” I said, still not sure of her motives. “There’s just something not right about her. I hope we figure it out sooner rather than later.”

  Emrys unlocked the door, turned his head toward me, and gave a slight frown. “Perhaps we should dig deeper then. I trust your intuition, my wife.” He held the door for me and then locked it behind us after taking one more glance down the hallway.

  As we settled onto the sofa, I realized how deep in thought he was, but before I had a chance to ask, he took my hand in his and said, “I know you have questions, Elizabeth. But I must warn you. I do not have many answers yet. My father was quite evasive and explained only that he was very sorry to have been gone so long from Ravenswynd.” After a long pause and a deep sigh, he added, “At this point in time, I do not even know where he was all these years.”

  “Apparently he’s been in hiding,” I said, raising an eyebrow.

  “What?” Emrys asked, cranking his head at me in surprise. “What makes you say that?”

  “He’s the one who said it, not me. Apparently, Ambrose has a few secrets he’s not yet willing to share with us. He mentioned that he received information about things going on here while he was in hiding.”

  “He used those words?” Emrys asked, looking puzzled.

  “Yes, he did. What do you think he meant by that?”

  “I have absolutely no idea. He could have gone anywhere he wanted to go, except of course, the United States. He asked about our lives, which was a natural thing to do, but what surprised me was when he asked about Amrita. I do not recall him ever saying her name before he left, and tonight, he was full of questions. It was rather odd, indeed.”

  “Well,” I began carefully, “do you think he’s up to something? Can we trust him, Emrys?”

  After another sigh and a long pause, Emrys turned to me and nodded. “He was the most honest Raven I have ever known. I always thought that was what drove him half-insane. He could not live with himself knowing he had taken a life, even though he had every right to, under the circumstances. And he followed the rules, right down to sending his own mate away. I believe he can still be trusted, Elizabeth.” He raised a hand just as I opened my mouth. “I know what you are thinking. I would be the most astonished if he even mentioned taking the Regent’s title from me. If it comes up at all, I can guarantee you – it will be by another.”

  “But what about Sibelle’s prophecy?”

  Emrys shook his head. The dim light landed on his hair and it gave out a bluish shimmer. I reached over and grabbed a handful. The gentle electricity tickled my fingers, reminding me of his dazzling touch. I gasped, excited by the thought as the feeling of anticipation heightened.

  “What were her exact words, my wife?” He smiled, but his eyes told me he now entertained more intriguing thoughts as well.

  “If one implies you step aside – please listen closely to your bride,” I quoted, chuckling, rising off the sofa, and taking his hand. “So perhaps you should begin now. My advice is that we continue this conversation tomorrow; but right now we must attend to some rather pressing issues that have just popped up. Don’t you agree?”

  He stood up and took me into his arms. Electricity engulfed us as we melded together, and he lathered me with his sweet cherry kisses and tiny nibbles on my neck. In another swift moment he’d lifted me up and swept me into the bedroom. He moved so fast that I gasped and threw my head back laughing aloud.

  “I listen, and I comply, my bride.” He gently tossed me onto the bed and peeled off his clothes seconds before joining me. Slower than I wanted, he helped me disrobe. He began exploring and caressing; each touch sent sweet electrical energy all through me, leaving me completely breathless and tingly. He lingered a while as he nuzzled my breasts, lightly stroked inside my thighs, teasing me. And with expert timing he finally found his way home. By the time we’d joined together, my nerve endings were aflame. Pulling him deep, my body erupted in delight with each movement. He succeeded once again to unleash the animal in me - leaving both of us spent and wilted by the time we finished.

  Out of breath and flushed, Emrys kissed my forehead, rolled off me and puffed, “My dear… you have… once again… consumed me. I have nothing left… but to say goodnight… and I love you.” And then he yawned, curled himself around me, put an arm across my middle, and fell fast asleep.

  Still glowing inside and trying to catch my breath, I smiled and attempted to roll over and get comfortable. His arm was heavy but it felt secure, so I tucked myself into his warmth and joined him in sweet rest.

  I love you too, Emrys.

  CHAPTER 12

  SET FIRE TO THE RAIN

  The crashing thunder shook the whole dining room and seconds later all the lights flickered off. Priscilla had planned ahead though, and several candles were already lit throughout the area. If we had not just come down for the morning meal, one would have suspected it was night; the storm was so deep and thick it was nearly as dark as midnight. And by the looks of Royal - who had just come in from the garages, the rain was more like a monsoon. His soaking wet baseball cap dripped onto his empty plate until Kelsey reminded him to remove it.

  Most of us were already seated when Ambrose turned the corner into the room. He paused for a moment and glanced around. I shouldn’t have been surprised to see a few of our elder members stand as he entered – but stared in amazement at Latimer and Constance, wondering if their next move was to bow to their ex-Regent. I had to stifle my outrage, though it was not lost on Emrys. He put a gentle hand on my arm when I cleared my throat – ready to voice my opinion. I caught the look on Amrita’s face just as she rolled her eyes and joined me in glaring at Emrys.

  At least someone around here is on my side!

  “Sir, please take my seat, won’t you?” Latimer said, stepping away from his normal position at the other end of the table.

  Ambrose glanced
at Emrys, and for a moment I wondered if he would ask his son to relinquish his spot at the head of the table. But Ambrose said nothing. His raised eyebrow showed me he only wanted Emrys’ approval before he’d take the offered seat. When I realized Emrys had no intention of moving, I sat back and relaxed. He gave his father a quick nod. With Ambrose seated, everyone on the side of Constance had to move down to make room for Latimer. It was a good thing there were always empty chairs at breakfast, or someone would have ended up standing for their meal. And under the circumstances, I wondered if Amrita had wished she was one of those away from the table right now.

  I watched her as she situated herself after moving over. She looked quite upset, and several times she whispered into Larkin’s ear. It was apparent that she kept her eyes straight ahead or to her right, never glancing once toward Ambrose. All in all, the whole table had grown quite tense since he’d entered the room, except of course for Emrys. He looked surprisingly calm and every time I glanced his way, he was smiling. I certainly couldn’t hold it against him. His father was back, and after decades of missing him, I’d expect nothing less than a permanent smile on his face.

  Emrys leaned closer to me, gesturing for me to move toward him. He kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear, “I cannot imagine feeling any happier than I do this very moment, my wife. I consider myself quite fortunate, indeed.”

  I nodded, “You’re right, Emrys. And I am truly happy for you too.”

  The kitchen door swung open and Priscilla flew through carrying two gigantic platters of strawberry scones. Following close behind her was Veronica with a huge bowl of fruit salad and some extra Ambrosia in a clear glass pitcher. I caught the distasteful look on her face as she set the pitcher down, but then she promptly recovered and smiled at Emrys.

  Give me a break!

  I didn’t appreciate seeing Priscilla give Ambrose a supportive nod when she noticed where he was sitting either, but when she had the gall to serve him first, I sensed a nuclear meltdown coming. Every other meal, without fail, she’d start with my husband. I felt his hand on my arm again.