My pulse quickened, but I kept my even stance, staring Eric down.
“You will send them back. Your mother, your father, and Logan. They will bring Troy here.” His threatening voice doubled my panic, but I kept my resolve. From the corner of my eye, I watched as my mother was pushed back into the hall.
Meeting my father’s blue gaze, I locked my eyes with his. Remember our purpose; our plan. Go back to the past life, but not back in time… gather weapons, return and attack.
Can I do this? I dug through the polluted ocean in my mind, my head throbbing. Elements, music, electricity, frequency…
Heartache. Confusion; pain.
“I can’t,” I admitted, glaring at Eric, tasting more blood. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
He took a step closer, and I fought the urge to attack. There are so many ways I could hurt him. But would the guards kill my family? My dad, my mom?
“Perhaps you need even more incentive?” His hands encircled my waist, and could feel Will lose his ever-present control.
“Do not touch her Eric-…,”
The creature’s eyes drank up the blood beneath my nose and at the corner of my mouth. “Ah… you are no longer immortal… in any realm,” he grinned, turning back to Meredith. “This is a surprise. The fire queen is mortal.”
“Useful.” Meredith agreed.
“Eva?” My dad fired, and I looked at him quickly, confirming Eric’s words. His face was a wash of fear- and fury.
“And she carries a child,” Eric chuckled, his yellow eyes tunneling into my soul. He must have seen the distressed shock pass over my expression; his hands hovered over my hips. “A child easily destroyed, growing in a mortal body.”
A baby? Fighting away a wave of panic, I covered my stomach protectively. Enough talk. I prepared to lunge at him, but Will’s voice rendered me immobile.
“Send them back, Eva, love. I trust that you can. Focus. Eric, do not threaten her. She must focus to complete the task you’ve put upon her.” His voice was even again, deep and convincing. I turned to him, arguing with my gaze.
“Will-…,”
“To the first life, Eva. You can do this. Just like your grandfather, you too possess great magic. He turned back time. He saved your mother’s life.”
Reading into his words, I finally began to piece together what he was suggesting.
Turning to my father, I met his eyes again.
Encouraging. Urging.
Turn back time…
Save Violet.
I knew that I needed time to create a spell of that measure. A past life gave me only minutes; time travel gave me days, maybe weeks.
The time my parents and Logan would spend time-traveling, in ancient Icepond, would give me the time that I needed. There was no way my parents could bring Troy back here- or would bring Troy back here.
Altering the past would end all of our existences.
I trusted in my father to know that.
Focusing, I turned back to Eric. “I’ll send them back in time. But if you hurt Will or Christopher, I won’t bring them back. Clear?”
Meredith’s slow, crooked smile lit her eyes to a brilliant gray. “Understood. Proceed.”
Eric took a step back, away from me, waiting.
“Let them come to me.”
Eric, still staring me down, waved his hand, and my mother, father, and Logan were pushed forward. I lifted my eyes to each one of them, individually, grasping for courage.
“I love you, Eva,” my dad hushed, and my mom pulled from the guard’s grasp. Meredith nodded and let my mother approach me. I hugged her, digging my fingers into her back, meeting Logan’s blood-shot gaze.
“I love you. I love you all. Logan, I’m sorry, and I’ll do everything I can to make this right,” I begged, feeling my mother’s grip tighten on me.
“It’s not your fault, Eva,” he managed. I silently thanked him for that.
“Do it, babe. Do what you can,” my dad prodded, and my mom finally took a step back, kissing my forehead.
“You were the reason I was born, Eva,” she managed, through tears. “I love you, and your brother, with all of my soul.”
“Please be safe,” I pleaded, knowing that I was about to send them into an unknown world of historic betrayal, murder, and revenge.
I knew the facts; I understood the difference between a past life and the past, of time travel and an alter consequence, and the uncertainty of the outcome of the spell I was about to cast. Time travel… past life…
Our child…
Burying the thought of carrying Will’s baby, I tried again to focus.
I also acknowledged that, rather than being brave and refusing to send them back, I was doing what was easiest… what would keep my family alive…
Come what may.
Closing my eyes, I raised my open hand in the air.
Grandfather, wherever you are… help me.
My frequency began; the electric guitar of Guns n Roses Sweet Child O’ Mine blared through the castle.
The doors to the past were opened with water.
My neck snapped upwards, toward the ceiling, as the stone crumbled and parted. A sudden torrential wave crashed over my parents and Logan. As I brushed at the water from my eyes, I blinked rapidly, pulling my hand from the air.
And they were gone.
Coming Soon…
Every ending has a beginning.
REIGN
Roam Series, Book Six
The Epic Final Book of the
Roam Series
Their love will save the world
ROAM SERIES
ROAM
FALL
RISE
RUSH
RULE
REIGN
Rule (Roam Series, Book Five) Page 22