Heinrekh had dropped to his knees in shock. His life’s ambition had just gone up in smoke. At the hands of the woman he loved. But he could not blame her, she was not to know she carried Valkarin’s heir. His son.
Tears were streaming down Sasha’s face, she was completely lost. “I’m sorry, Heinrekh, I need to get back to Muirhead. I can’t stay.”
“You’re carrying my child,” he murmured.
“I need to test for certain.” She dropped a quick kiss on his cold lips. “You know how to reach me.”
Sasha turned to find all the Vokteren down on one knee. “What are they doing?” she spoke to Lars who was similarly on a knee.”
“You carry our Lord’s heir. We show the respect that is required.”
“OK,” Erin took hold of Sasha’s arm and propelled her towards the exit. “Let’s go before they decide they want a sacrifice as well to mark this happy occasion.” She grabbed Lars on the way past. “You too. Your father will want to see you.”
Erin realised that they needed to get Sasha airborne and back to Muirhead as quickly as possible before anyone released that they were absconding with said heir. It appeared the rest of the Vokteren were a little mystified as well; never did anyone consider an unborn child would wake their leader. She sent Lars up front to clear the route. The passageway was long and winding, lit by flaming torches. Erin’s hand was resting on her Talmar, she was a very bad feeling about this.
“Lars, how long does it take Valkarin to regenerate?” she asked.
“Two days, we are led to believe.”
Enough time to get out this scary place. She glanced over her shoulder at Magnus. “Can you toss me my mobile from the backpack.” She needed to call Birdie the minute they exited the gateway.
“How far, Lars?”
“It’s just up ahead.”
The first few rays of dawn hit them as they emerged from a grassy exit. A few hundred meters below they could see the water, a small seaplane was just landing. The Vokteren must have got a message to Jasper as to where they were.
Sasha was having troubling walking, her legs has all but given way. Erin’s heart went out to her friend. It was bad enough finding out you were unexpectedly pregnant, but in front of a whole group of people, then realise that your unborn child was tied to the most evil creature that had ever walked. That would probably mess with most people’s mind.
“I need someone to carry Sasha, she’s in shock.”
“Allow me,” Lars stepped forward. It was his duty.
Erin knew Sasha was in a bad way because she didn’t even complain about Lars holding her. She just wore this bemused glassy expression.
The group tore down the hill to the jetty. Erin felt a small lump in her throat seeing Lodraill throw her arms around Birdie so tightly. Jasper and Lars’ reunion was also worth the effort they had put in. Jasper’s eyes were positively watery as he clasped his son.
“Is Sasha injured?” Birdie asked.
“Just in shock, I’ll explain at home.” Erin looked at Lars. “Can you put her in the back of the plane. I’ll sit next to her.”
Lars reluctantly relinquished his hold on Sasha. Erin could see the curious look in Jasper’s eyes. “Lars will explain, but for now we need to get going fast.” She flung her arms around a surprised Jasper and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for everything. Your tuition saved all our lives countless times over.” She pressed a few pages of paper in his hands. “Look after these. The next time you visit, you can see the rest.”
“Everyone in, quick as you can,” she moved Lodraill, Magnus and Wilhelm along.
“Are we expecting Heinrekh to coming careering down here after his girlfriend?” Birdie quizzed.
“It’s Valkarin I’m more concerned about, now put the plane into gear and let’s scram.”
“Valkarin?” both Birdie and Jasper exclaimed.
“We’ll explain later,” Lars and Erin said in unison.
Two minutes later they were airborne. Erin flopped against her catatonic friend. The rescue mission had been a success, but what the hell had they released on the way?
Jasper and Lars watched the seaplane disappear out of sight, each with a heavy heart.
“I will miss the McLomards. I have grown quite attached to the chaos they bring,” Jasper sighed wearily. He looked down the papers Erin had given him. “This can’t be…?” he exclaimed.
“Part of the Book of Gateways? Yes. She admitted to having it. And before you say it, Lodraill has already chastised her for ripping them out the book.”
“But it was smart of her. Had she been captured, she would not have been handing over the entire book. I was convinced she had found it.” Jasper puffed his cheeks out in admiration. “Now what was it you were to explain to me later?”
“Valkarin has awoken.”
“Excuse me?” Jasper thought he had misheard.
“Our Lord is regenerating as we speak.”
“But who?”
“Sasha.”
“That is not possible.”
“She cut her hand before she touched his tomb. The only explanation we have is that she is pregnant with his heir.”
“No wonder the poor girl was in shock. And now it is clear why Isafor is on his way.”
“How is uncle?”
“Surprisingly intuitive. He was the one who engineered this whole mission. He met Erin at Frejboren and assigned me to tutor her so she could carry out the rescue. He said she was the key to awakening Valkarin and in a way, he was right.”
“I guess without her and her ingenuity, we would not have ended up at the Isleberg gateway with Sasha.”
“Precisely.”
They watched the incoming seaplane land and taxi up to the dock.
“Lars,” Isafor boomed, “it is a pleasure to see you back unharmed.”
“It is good to be back with my father,” Lars responded dutifully. He was always a bit wary of Isafor.
“Uncle,” Jasper nodded.
“Now, I must meet Erin and our guests.”
“They have already left,” Jasper responded.
“You let them leave?”
“Yes. Our agreement was to let them pass unheeded.”
“That was before this girl awoke our Lord.”
“I have learnt one thing about the McLomards, and that is not to go back on an agreement. Erin is fiercely protective of Sasha, and we need to let the young woman herself come to terms with the fact she is carrying a child. She and her baby will be perfectly safe, Heinrekh will see to that. You are forgetting he is the natural father.”
“We will need to assign guards to her. There are many who will want to make sure that child is not born,” Isafor huffed. This was not the scenario he was expecting.
“I will take that honour,” Lars jumped at the chance. “I am already known to Sasha and Erin so will pose no threat.”
“I too would like to return to Muirhead,” Jasper announced. “The house holds far more secrets than I originally suspected. It could be the key to ensuring our existence.”
“You do not wish to be around for the regeneration of our Lord?”
“I would rather stand protector of his heir,” Lars responded. He now knew why he could not harm Sasha that day in the dungeons; he was sworn to protect Valkarin and his heir. But that did not explain his irrational feelings for her.
And I would rather return to the household where I felt I belonged for the first time in many, many years, with a woman who makes me feel alive, Jasper thought to himself. In fact he could not imagine a life without at least one McLomard in sight.
CHAPTER 33
“You were magnificent today,” Wilhelm murmured as he held Erin tight to him.
“And you were born to lead,” she reached up and kissed him.
“One day, perhaps,” he said between kisses.
“Very soon.” Erin pulled away from him slightly. “Watching you in Vasmaar made me realise that you will only ever truly be happy in the Second Realm.
It is where you belong. And where you were born to rule.”
“I can be happy with you here, Erin.” He pulled her back to him.
“Not truly. Much as I want you to stay, you need to return home.”
“You no longer want me here?” he sounded hurt.
“Of course I want you here, you dumb assed Viking. However you need to settle what is between you and your father. The South Tower will always be yours to use, but out of choice not necessity. I want you to think about returning to Lokranor tomorrow with your mother and Lodraill. And what better way is there in installing peace in the Kingdom by returning its High Priestess.”
“What if my father does not want me back?”
“Then I will be delighted to have you here. Of course, if he takes you prisoner, I will just have to bust you out. And he would be even more of a fool than before, considering the allegiances we have made recently. You also have to remember we have a common enemy about to reign havoc on the known world too.”
“So we only have tonight left.” He kissed her fiercely.
Eventually her spinning head caught up. “Slow down one moment, my sex-starved Viking. I kind of know what goes through your head, and that sure as hell isn’t happening tonight. Not with my mother under the same roof as us.”
Wilhelm gave a soft chuckle. “Have you been sneaking about in my mind?”
“Maybe,” she grinned and brushed her mouth across his lightly. “And you are one very bad man.”
“Just eager,” he nipped her ear lobe.
“Am I disturbing?” Lodraill’s voice made them jump apart.
“Hey, mum,” Erin felt herself redden. “We were just talking about you.”
“Really?”
“Yes. To maintain peace in Lokranor, we think it best if you return tomorrow with Gudrun and Wilhelm. The people will need all the support they can get once they know Valkarin is returning.”
“I agree with you, daughter. Now might I have a word alone with you?”
Wilhelm nodded and let them be.
“I am still finding it hard to believe that you are the child I last saw fourteen years ago.” Lodraill circled her daughter, as though examining her from all angles.
“I hope you’re not too disappointed.”
“I meant I am stunned by your abilities and your maturity for one so young.”
“When an evil sorcerer is trying to kill or abduct you, you learn pretty quickly,” Erin shrugged.
“May I ask what your relationship with Wilhelm is?”
Why did everyone always ask that question? “We’re close,” Erin blushed. “But not that close yet.”
“I know a young woman on the edge of that tricky decision when I see one,” Lodraill smiled knowingly. “Just don’t rush things.”
“Have you been to see dad?” Erin changed subjects quickly.
“Yes. He did say that he is supposed to be enjoying a quiet afterlife but instead constantly gets an ear bashing from his hormonal daughter.”
“Just because he’s dead does not mean he can shirk his paternal duties. Now you’re here, I might give him a rest for a while,” Erin laughed.
“We have many years to catch up on, Erin. Will you come to Lokranor with me?” Those crystal blue eyes of her mother rested on her.
“I am not sure what welcome I would get in Lokranor at the moment,” Erin tried to look as contrite as she could.
“Ah, yes. Heinrekh was only too happy to relay the details of how you humiliated Olav.”
“Hence the reason for my reluctance. Besides, I do not want to look back. The last ten years of my life have not been particularly happy. It was only coming here to Muirhead that changed everything for me.”
“Very well, we shall only look forward.” Lodraill took hold of her hands. “But I want to know about your skills. From watching you handle a sword, it is obvious James taught you to fight.”
“Yes. I am finding out that I had rather an unorthodox childhood education which included sword fighting, learning Norse and interpreting strange symbols.”
“That’s what happens when you leave a man in charge,” Lodraill sighed wearily.
“I also need stay here to keep an eye on Sasha. She is still in shock. We’ve done a test and she is definitely pregnant.”
“But how can she be carrying the heir? It would need Valkarin blood on both sides for that.”
“And Sasha has it. I found reference to an ancestor of hers having an illegitimate child with one of Heinrekh’s predecessors, this child being later adopted by the McBride family. It appears I am not the only one with black blood in their veins. I was lucky and fell for a prince instead of sorcerer.”
“You are aware that the Vokteren will want her now.”
“She will be closely guarded I imagine. Jasper has already texted me to say they have been assigned to the household. But for now she stays in Muirhead.”
“I find it strange that you hold the Voktere family is such high regard,” Lodraill clearly did not share her view.
“I have not inherited the old hatreds, I make my own judgement of people. I do not trust Isafor Voktere, but Jasper I would happily entrust with my life. I believe I will come to see Lars in the same light as well.”
“What of Heinrekh?”
“That is Sasha’s decision to make, as to whether she wants so continue her relationship with him as usual. He will no doubt want to see her tomorrow.”
“Heinrekh will come here to the house?” Lodraill sounded horrified.
Erin burst out laughing. “Times have changed, mum. He has been here once before, to ask for my help when Sasha was abducted by Olav. And yes, we can meet and be civil. That is what is so weird about our relationship. I have no desire to harm him, but I will fight for what I is mine.”
“You really are the ideal diplomat for all three realms.” Lodraill kissed her forehead. “It will be strange to sleep under this roof again.”
“Did you want your old room back for tonight?”
“No my dear. The master bedroom belongs solely to you, as you are the owner of the house. Besides, it would be too painful to sleep in that bed without James.”
“I’m lucky, I get some slobbering mutt to share it with instead. Talking of which, where is that tub of drool?”
“Last seen stalking Wilhelm, I think.”
“Oh crap, I better go and rescue him.”
“We’ve just come through armed troops, a sorcerer and a Vokteren army unscathed. Surely Wilhelm can handle a dog?” Lodraill raised an eyebrow.
“You’ve a lot to learn about St Bernards. They’re slobbering, belligerent and stubborn; Wilhelm does not stand a chance.”
Heinrekh had never been rendered speechless in his life before, but he had not uttered a word since Sasha left the cave with Erin. The thought that he was going to be a father, that Sasha would forever be tied to him, should have filled him with joy. But he was numb. Dumbfounded that his son should be the heir, the one to take away the power he so desperately sought.
He threw a few bolts of Loxhadrin at the tumbled stone at the entrance to the cave and left. There were too many Vokteren swarming around for his liking.
General Selvig and his troops were camped outside. They saw their leader leap up in the saddle and duly followed him back to the castle.
“Do you have any orders?” General Selvig asked as they reached the castle.
Heinrekh just held up his hand to silence him and stalked inside. His eyes settled on Sasha’s navy blue cloak. He grabbed it and hugged it to him, inhaling her scent. She had asked for some time, he would give her a day, possibly two. Then he wanted her by his side. Permanently. It was where she truly belonged now.
His only hope now lay with Angus. If he had found the items he was tasked with, there as a chance, he could still defeat Valkarin. Valkarin would not be at full power for a while and with his and Erin’s combined effort, they might be able to put him back in his tomb. He wasn’t just doing this for himself now, he had his
unborn son to think about.
CHAPTER 34
Isafor Voktere stood by marble tomb. It had been almost forty-eight hours. He would be the first Voktere to set eyes on Valkarin in almost two millennia.
Many Vokteren had come for this monumental event. The sound of marble scrapping against marble made him turn. The lid of the tomb was sliding back, a black gloved hand gripped the edge. Isafor immediately dropped to one knee at the head of the other Vokteren. Ahead of him he saw a pair of black boots hit the ground with a thud. They stopped before him.
Realms Gate: A Realm Divided Page 24