“Be careful, Isaac.” Elizabeth stated, as the Western prince accepted the light hug she offered.
“I am always careful.” He smirked as she looked at him in disbelief.
“I am being more than serious. Should anything happen to any of you, I will personally hunt you down myself.”
Isaac placed his hand over his heart and all teasing vanished from his face as he spoke for only her ears. “I would never leave you, Elizabeth.”
He turned leaving her in shock at his sincerity, and her husband quickly crossed towards her kissing her one more time before he vaulted into his saddle. Watching the three men leave left a slow gloom lingering in her heart. She watched as Clifton’s blonde hair immersed within the guards and she tried to follow him with her gaze as long as possible in fear that she might never see him again. When she lost him in the crowd, she sought out King Eamon. He still sat perched upon his horse, regal and ready and the thought made her softly smile. Her gaze found Isaac upon his horse as well, ordering troops towards his section. Odd how they had become such friends over the last couple of years. His words did not sit well within her and she wondered why he dared say such things to her knowing she and Clifton were perfectly happy.
“He loves you, you know.” Melody eased up beside her and followed Elizabeth’s line of sight. Elizabeth jerked her gaze away from Isaac and continued perusing the rush of activity before her. “I do not think we should speak of such matters.” Elizabeth whispered back.
Melody lightly rubbed her back. “It is not your fault, Elizabeth.” She smiled sweetly as she continued. “My brother would never act upon it knowing you are married to Clifton. He respects the two of you too much. He told Clifton that for certain when you were unconscious all those days.”
“He what?” Elizabeth’s surprised blue eyes turned to Melody. “Why would he say such a thing to Clifton?”
“Because it was no secret how my brother felt about you and he wished to set the record straight. Isaac has not been the most honorable man in the past, but he has tried to become such, and he started then.”
“It is not fair for him to love me.” Elizabeth stated.
Melody shrugged. “It does not matter. He does. You’re his best friend.” She squeezed Elizabeth’s hand. “And you are important to him. Clifton is important to him as well. He would never compromise your love for Clifton.”
“Well he should move on and find a woman who has the ability to love him back. His affections will always be unrequited.”
“I keep telling him that as well, but he is stubborn. I do not think he wishes for anyone else. Though he cannot have you, he still wishes to remain alone at the moment. In time, I think he will move on.”
Elizabeth watched as Isaac glanced towards the castle steps once more, pausing as he caught her watching him. He then clicked his reins and rode away leaving Elizabeth unsettled and burdened with the current revelation.
CHAPTER 13
Isaac waited as he watched Clifton ride towards him and pull his horse to a stop alongside him. “Everyone is in position here. We ride to the Eastern border next. My father has led the Western and Southern forces to their locations. By the time we reach the Eastern borders he will have reached the South. I say you and I enter through the East since Lancer’s attention should be focused upon the North.”
“I agree.” Isaac exhaled loudly. “Are we ready for this?”
Clifton sat silent for a moment as he surveyed his guards traveling across the fields towards the East. “We have to be. It is now or never. Listen, Isaac, if you are not comfortable crossing into the Lands, we could always use your presence on this side for leadership.”
Isaac shook his head. “No, I am more than ready to visit these lands. I just pray we are successful, because I certainly do not wish to stay in there.”
“May I ask something of you?” Clifton shifted in his saddle as if the upcoming topic were uncomfortable for him.
“Of course.”
Clifton quieted while he readjusted his grip on his reins. “Should something happen to me in the Lands—”
Isaac held up his hand. “Cliff, stop. No.”
“Let me finish.” Clifton growled.
“Nothing is going to happen to you.” Isaac assured him.
“We do not know that. Now listen to me.” Clifton’s voice held a desperation Isaac had never heard before.
“Okay, I am all ears.” Isaac replied begrudgingly.
“Should anything happen to me in the Lands, I ask that you please,” he trailed off to gather himself. “Please see to Elizabeth for me? And the baby? I know it is much to ask—”
Isaac’s head spun, and he felt the weight of Clifton’s question and knew it was hard for his friend to ask such a thing. “You have my word.”
“Thank you.” Clifton forced a smile as he cleared his throat.
“But for the record—”
Groaning, Clifton turned to him in amusement. “Enough Isaac. You know how hard it was for me to ask that? Let’s move on now. I cannot keep thinking along those lines. I need to ready myself for what’s ahead.”
“Hey, I was just going to say that for the record, nothing is going to happen to you.” He smirked as Clifton slapped him on the back.
“Right. Well, let us hope not. Now we focus upon our mission. We are to handle Lancer and Edward.”
“Are you prepared to face off against your wife’s brother?” Isaac asked. “Because it may come to that.”
“I know, and I am.”
“Very well.”
“We ride.” Clifton nudged his horse forward to merge into the group of guards heading towards the East, Isaac not far behind him.
∞
“Troops are at the ready, my Lord.” Edward walked into the Reflection Chamber and Lancer turned.
“Good.”
“I will be heading out now.” Edward stated.
“Actually, no, Edward, I wish for you to remain here.”
“Here?”
“Yes.”
“May I ask why?”
“Because I have already placed you in command along the lines. I am there as well.” Lancer stated.
“What do you mean?”
Lancer grinned and stretched out his arms. “It feels so wonderful having my full strength back.”
“My Lord?” Edward asked impatiently.
“Oh, calm down, Edward.” Lancer waved him off as he sat in the lone chair in the center of the room. “I simply made several guards look like us in order to throw off the chase. They will never think to come here, they will be too blindsided by the multiple Lancers and Edwards roaming about.”
“Like you did with the servant girl that day?”
“Yes.” Lancer replied. “Clever, hm?”
Edward rubbed a hand over his face. “Indeed. So, you wish for me to stay here instead of commanding our troops?”
“Yes. On the off chance they discover our plan, I need you here. I have a plan. A brilliant plan.”
“You wish to share with me?”
“No. Not yet. I will need you to act surprised at the moment and I do not wish for you to fake your shock.”
“You have me worried, my Lord.”
Laughing, Lancer stood and walked about the room. “Relax Edward. Today we will find another victory. Thanks to Cecilia’s information we are ready.”
“Should we find it necessary my Lord, should we cross into the Realm?”
Lancer’s brow furrowed. “Why on Earth would we cross into the Realm, Edward? I have no desire to go there. And just because we may have the ability to do so, does not mean we should. You must be wise with your powers, Edward. You cannot go brandishing them about carelessly.”
A guard knocked and rushed into the room, interrupting their conversation. Lancer looked at him in annoyance. “The Realm has been sighted my Lord.”
“And what are you doing in here?” Lancer asked in irritation.
The guard’s eyes widened like saucers. “Bec
ause they do not come from the North, my Lord.”
Lancer stood straighter and Edward took a step forward in urgency as well. “Where are they coming from?” Lancer asked.
“Everywhere.” The guard’s word a whisper of fear.
“I must go.” Edward began to walk forward but Lancer placed a restraining hand on his arm. “Leave us.” He ordered the guard.
“My Lord, I must go. We must divide the guard and cover all sides.”
“Leave them be.”
“But we do not have the forces to cover such a breach. If all the Realm’s armies enter the Lands, we will fall.”
“We do not know if they will enter the Lands. All we know is that the Lands are surrounded.” Lancer clarified.
“Are you not worried?” Edward asked, his brain clouding with fear. Fear of death. Fear of the unknown. Fear of failure.
“No. We both know that boundary does not fall until I do. And we have the darkness on our side. The darkness will not let me fall. It needs me.” Lancer’s voice darkened. The Realm can kill every soldier out there, but none of it will matter. The only person that matters- is me.”
Edward shook his head and paced about the room. “We cannot hide in this room while our army is slaughtered. That is cowardice.”
Lancer’s eyes flashed as he quickly appeared next to Edward. “Never call me a coward, Edward.” He gripped Edward’s elbow in a tight grip and Edward jerked his arm free. “We cannot stay here like sitting ducks.”
“Remember Edward, I have a plan.”
∞
“We move.” Clifton nodded to Samuel on the other side of the veil and the Southern King shouted to his remaining Uniters as Clifton’s horse breached the boundary. Isaac inhaled deeply and followed, the buzzing through his body settling after a few moments. His lungs expanded, and the location of his previous wound hummed as if the last remaining soreness was being pulled from it like poison. He felt incredible. The weary bones from riding all day suddenly felt refreshed and the throbbing in his head had subsided. The Unfading Lands healed unceremoniously, and he found it remarkable. Terrifying, but remarkable. He caught Clifton’s amused gaze. “I am done gawking, Cliff. Let us move.”
Chuckling, Clifton and Isaac turned the lead over to Samuel and they ventured further into the Lands.
“The castle is at the center?” Isaac asked.
“Yes.”
Clifton held up his fist for Isaac to pause as they waited for several Unfading Lands guards to pass by. “What the—” Isaac’s voice trailed off as they watched four Edwards ride by and two Lancers.
“And now the game has started.” Clifton whispered.
“How is that possible?”
“Clearly Edward is more powerful than we thought, and clearly he is in alliance with Lancer.” Clifton pointed for them to move forward again.
“So how do we know if we kill the real one? This was a bad idea.” Isaac gripped his reins in frustration.
“No. It is just a diversion. They are meant to confuse us. We continue towards the castle.” Clifton slid from his saddle and tied his horse to a tree limb, Isaac doing the same. Comfortable in giving Clifton the lead, Isaac followed him stealthily through the trees.
“Once we reach the castle, Samuel said there is an entrance to the East that leads straight to the hall where the prison chamber resides. I say we rescue Ryle first, and then move towards the center of the castle.”
Isaac nodded in agreement as Clifton shoved a tree limb from his path and released it as he passed, the limb slapping Isaac in the face. He grunted as Clifton turned to him. Isaac forced a thumb up as his nose throbbed. However, the power of the Lands quickly caused the pain to subside.
As they neared the castle, the area was quiet. Deserted. No one mingled in the streets, all was still. Creepily still. Clifton ducked behind merchant’s cart as one guard patrolled the front of the castle. “Does this seem odd to you?” Isaac asked. “Something is not right.”
“I agree. Makes me wonder what is happening inside those walls.” Clifton waited until the guard turned before running towards him with silent steps and hitting the man with the hilt of his sword. “We must tie him up. He will not be out long.”
Isaac grabbed a rope from a nearby cart and they tied the man to one of the stone pillars before moving towards the Eastern side of the castle.
When they reached the door, Isaac stood on one side while Clifton flanked the other. Isaac reached for the handle and pulled it open quickly, both princes ducking away from the opening as if expecting someone to rush out and attack. But no one came. Isaac peered over the side of the wall and looked inside. “It’s clear.”
Clifton then stepped inside the castle, his boots barely audible on the smooth floor.
“It looks like glass.” Isaac whispered. “What stone is this?”
“I do not know. I’ve never seen it before.”
They worked their way to a door on their right and Clifton lifted the heavy iron clasp. The door creaked, and both men froze. No one investigated the noise and they slipped inside. The steep steps leading down towards the prison cells, Clifton groaned when they reached the bottom. Empty.
“He’s not here.”
“You thinking what I’m thinking?” Isaac asked.
“Unfortunately, yes. He’s gone.”
Isaac shook his head. “No, that was definitely not what I was thinking.”
“It wasn’t?” Clifton looked confused.
“Reflection chamber.” Isaac stated. “If Ryle is still alive, he’s being held in there with Lancer and Edward.”
“You think that is where they will be?”
“I feel positive that is where we will find them all.”
“I do not know where that room is.” Clifton explained. “Samuel did not know either.”
“Then we check them all. I am not leaving until Lancer is dead. I will not be trapped in these God forsaken Lands.” Isaac hurried back up the steps and neither man cared of the noise they made now. They opened doors, searched rooms, and found nothing.
A gasp sounded down the hall and both men spotted Cecilia. She nervously darted her gaze for a hiding place, but instead she sprinted towards a door further up the hall and to the right. A door they had yet to open. Isaac and Clifton sprinted down the hall towards the room she entered.
∞
Samuel felt the rush as he merged with the Eastern troops. Their presence in the Lands would be felt. He knew the Realm had completely surrounded Lancer’s army, and though he spotted Edward and Lancer moving throughout their troops, he felt victorious already. He prayed victory would come. Edward’s horse rotated, bringing him face to face with Samuel. Samuel charged towards him, the prince’s gaze never wavered as the two of them clashed blades. Samuel sliced the straps of Edward’s saddle and sent the prince to the ground. Quickly maneuvering his horse back towards Edward, he galloped forward and cut his sword through the air, the prince falling to the ground clutching his arm. Samuel dismounted and rushed towards the prince, but the man held up his hand in retreat as his face contorted and faded into the fear-stricken eyes of a man Samuel had never met. This was not Edward. He looked up as another Edward rode passed and shook his head. Blinking his eyes, he looked at the bleeding man before him. “Where is he?”
The man shuddered as King Eamon swiped his blade from behind and beheaded the man before Samuel.
“You must not hesitate, Samuel.”
“My Lord,” Samuel gripped King Eamon’s shoulders, rocking the older man back on his heels. “He was Edward.”
“No. He was not. Look at him, Samuel. He was not Edward. Calm down, son.”
“No, I mean,” Samuel reached for his horse’s reins as he tried to explain what was happening to the Eastern King.
“He held the face of Edward until I injured him. Another Edward has ridden passed us already.”
Believing the young prince was not ready for the sights he was seeing, King Eamon ushered him towards him. “Wait in th
e clearing, Samuel. We are pushing their forces back towards the castle. You will be safe in the clearing.”
“No!” Samuel shrugged away from the fatherly touch. “You have to listen to me! I am fine. I-” He paused as King Eamon looked up to see two Edward’s and one Lancer riding by and battling against some of the Northern troops.
“Oh my…” Eamon trailed off and then looked to Samuel.
“Apologies later, my Lord. For now, I believe we have bigger issues.” Samuel spun and blocked the blow of an Unfading guard as King Eamon vaulted into his saddle to charge the remaining forces that refused to retreat back towards the castle. How were they to defeat the darkness if they did not know which target possessed it?
∞
The Unfading Lands The Complete Set Page 73