An unrelenting voice rang through his head, drawing him back, demanding his attention. Duty. He stiffened his resolve and pulled himself from the black pit his soul had once been. He had to return to Ardenia.
Each grueling step reminded him of his part in Danella’s death. She hadn’t even seen the men on the ground. He’d sent her into harm’s way.
Guilt’s heavy chains shackled his limbs, and he stumbled into a shallow creek bed. Cool water flowed over his bare feet. He dropped to his knees and washed off the dried blood splattered across his body.
Danella’s image played through his head, and he buried his head in his hands. How could he live after losing her again?
****
An image of Omar flashed through Danni’s mind and jolted her awake.
He looked so unhappy.
The dark walls around her drew closer. She hopped forward and stood on the small ledge where she’d fallen. A bottomless pit lay below her claws. If she’d landed lower in the cavern, she would’ve never been able to fly out.
She judged the distance to the opposing wall and realized the light from above glowed brighter than earlier. How much time had passed?
She needed to fly out of here while she still had the strength.
She lifted her right wing and assessed the damage. It didn’t hurt as much as her head. The fall probably caused more injuries than the glancing blow of the arrow.
A cooling breeze ruffled her feathers.
No time like the present.
Danni spread her wings and glided along the center of cavern. A slight updraft helped her climb. A piercing light lanced through her head. She searched the rough walls but couldn’t find a place to land.
Flying blindly, she pumped her wings harder and soared directly into the sunlight. Pain pounded through her skull. She altered her path and landed on an outcrop of rocks above the canyon. Her claws scrapped the hard surface before she slid to a stop.
Shaded from the sun by the boulder above, she drew in a deep breath. A fowl stench greeted her nostrils. She gasped and heaved, the contents of her stomach rebelling against the smell. A bloody mess swam before her vision.
What the hell happened?
On the cliff below, vultures milled around the carcasses, ripping the flesh from human bones. The men who’d shot at me?
A bow lying near a bundle of arrows stashed neatly inside a quiver confirmed the identity of the men.
But who did this? And why?
Omar’s strong robust form invaded her thoughts. He said he’d killed men. But was he really capable of causing such destruction?
She shivered and the advantages of being human invaded her thoughts. Pops and cracks resonated through her system. Muscles expanded, and tendons stretched to their normal length. Gravel bit into her skin, and her headache eased to a tolerable level.
Danni rolled and sat on the side of the boulder. The destructive scene below hit her anew. What possessed Omar to mutilate these men? Could his passion for her be responsible?
Elements she’d missed in her earlier assessment registered. A truth chant sprang from her lips. Who were these men and what was their mission?
The view before her changed. The three men rose into a misty vision where they sat around a campfire talking.
“Tate, I don’t understand why we didn’t kill Omar and the woman when they left the cabin in the woods.” The largest of the three men stabbed at the fire. “You say your boss wanted them dead, right?”
“Yes, but Danella is a witch.” Tate held up a round globe. “When the sphere is glowing, it means she has invoked some type of protection spell. We can’t harm her.”
“But we could’ve killed Omar,” the other man added.
“Yes, but he’s not the target. Danella is the oldest daughter and next in line to rule Ardenia. If she returns home with her special abilities, she’ll discover Rodman’s plan.”
“But I don’t get it. Melvin hasn’t figured out the councilman’s scheme, and he’s the queen’s wizard.” The big man added another log to the fire. “What makes her different?”
Tate’s mouth widened into a sarcastic grin, and then he grimaced. “She’s a crafty bitch who doesn’t trust anyone, and she has a special ability to see into her family’s future, a skill that would warn her of Rodman’s plans.”
The comment tickled Danni, and a smile passed abruptly over her lips to disappear just as quickly. The years of spying on her family’s progress gained her a certain knowledge into the forces around them.
“Then when can we kill her?” The larger man rose and paced around the fire. “Because I miss my family.”
“Right, you’re like every other refuge stuck in this horrible world. What you really want is to return to Ardenia.” Tate stood. “If you kill Danella, Rodman will make sure you’re allowed back in.”
“But rumor has it we can go back now,” the other man stated.
“And spend the rest of your days in the dungeon.” Tate shrugged. “If that’s what you want, be my guest.”
A flash of light dissolved the vision and again the greedy vultures occupied the scene. Danni blinked and narrowed in on the magical glow resonating under a scrape of clothing.
She jumped off the rock and wove her way to the item. Nudging it with her foot, a familiar light sparkled to life. My memory ball.
Locked to her by magic, the small globe held her memories and revealed her moods by the different colors reflected in its center. She stared at the green flare and squatted to retrieve the mystical sphere.
Her fingers grazed the smooth surface, and she cupped the ball in the palm of her hand. Remembered pleasures from her childhood raced through her mind and love filled her soul. Her father’s smiling face, her mother’s devotion, and her sisters’ trust. All of them cared about her.
They will forgive my sins.
How could she have forgotten their love so easily?
Regret at all the time she’d wasted broke her heart and tears blurred her vision. She stumbled backward, then slowly turned and walked away from the dismembered bodies.
The desire to return home overwhelmed her, and she toyed with the greeting she’d receive. Her family, she had no doubts, would welcome her back. Kesia had already expressed joy at seeing her again and begged Danella—yes, Danella—to go home.
But what about Omar? Would he forgive her for doubting his love?
The sphere in her hand changed colors and a different set of questions sped through her thoughts. Why steal her memory ball? It might sense her moods and verify her identity. But who had access to it? What purpose did it serve?
Answers filtered through her head, and she smiled.
Finally, she had the proof to nail Rodman.
I have to get home. And without alerting Rodman.
Chapter Ten
The crystal gate leading into Ardenia sparkled with a welcoming glow. Yet Omar felt no joy at returning to his homeland. He’d failed at his mission to bring Danella back. In fact, if it weren’t for him, she’d probably still be alive.
“Omar, it’s great to see you.” The armed guard protecting the gate stepped forward. “Kesia and Havyn arrived yesterday, and I’m sure they’ll want to see you.”
Not after what I have to tell them.
Omar squared his shoulders and walked through the gate with a simple nod at his comrade. The grim task ahead weighed heavily on his shoulders. His gaze ahead, he marched forward and ignored the people on the street. The queen needed to know of her daughter’s death.
Mounting the palace steps, he entered the elegant home of the royal family. The cold granite floor sent ominous chills along his spine. How could he admit his failure to protect Danella? Hell, he wasn’t even sure how he continued to take his next breath without her.
Strong ornate pillars rising to the glass dome greeted his gaze, and he studied the rich tapestries gracing the stone walls. One picture boasted Danella’s youthful face with her devoted family standing proudly around her.
/> Pain filled his chest and his foot faltered. He hated that they’d never see her again.
After walking across the foyer, he ascended the wide staircase leading to the second floor. He scanned the rooms above and found the door to Danella’s room. He’d never been allowed in, but he’d passed it on guard duty numerous times.
“Omar, what are you doing here? Where’s Danella?” Havyn’s voice stopped him, and he turned to address the man standing at the top of the stairs.
“I...” Words failed him, and he peered unblinking at Havyn. After shaking his head, he continued down the hall to the queen’s chamber. “I need to see the queen.”
“All right, I’ll head back with you. Kesia and Noelani are with her at the moment, but I’m sure they’ll want to hear your news.” Havyn walked along the corridor.
Omar glanced ahead to Oxford, the queen’s guard. He opened her chamber door and voices filtered out.
“Mother, I believe we should remove that cursed pendant from Jack’s neck. Make Melvin—” Noelani’s words halted.
Three sets of eyes landed on him.
Omar straightened and drew on his strict military training to march across the queen’s suite. He knelt at her feet and lowered his head.
“My queen, I hate to say I have failed you.” He tightened his hands around his thighs and leaned deeper over his knees. “I exposed your daughter to harm, and an enemy’s arrow shot her from the sky. She fell into a deep cavern, and I couldn’t recover her body.” A gasp of horror rang through the room. He lifted his head and met the queen’s moist gaze. “I offer my life as retribution for failing to perform your required task.”
Death offered payment for his failure, but he also welcomed the relief from the pain of living without Danella.
The queen nodded and glanced over his right shoulder. “Take him to his room and see that he’s given something to eat.” Her gaze met Omar’s again. “We’ll decide on your punishment later. Right now, just try to get some rest.”
****
The next day, Danella trudged along the unmarked path leading to the back-lands of Ardenia. The invisible dome kept uninvited guests out. Natives teleported from one side to the other so no one would learn of their homeland. Only animals weighing less than fifty pounds could travel through the magic walls unobserved.
The practice was established to safeguard the country. Ardenia’s citizens observed the law and used the portal stone or they risked imprisonment for disobeying the rule.
Energy shimmered like a clear wall beside Danella. Pulling a large reflective cloth over her shoulders, she squatted onto her hands and knees. The magical tarp would conceal her identity and hold the memory ball as well.
She tugged the material over her head and edged forward. A low buzz sizzled through the air when she hit the transparent curtain. She passed through and a warm breeze filtered under the tarp.
Once past the barrier, she crawled a few more yards and then uncovered her head. Pulling the memory ball from a pocket of the tarp, she placed it on the ground before folding the large cloth into a small square. She scanned the area and dumped the tarp in the hollow of a dead tree.
With the palace still a good distance away, she transformed into a dove. The wind caught her sore wing, and she tightened her grip on the memory ball but didn’t alter her course. The lush green countryside played on her heartstrings.
Red, yellow, and orange flowers danced in the light breeze and beckoned her to rest on the white, sandy shore of a lake. Memories washed through her mind of a picnic with her family, stolen moments away from the palace guards. Tempted, she resisted but promised herself a trip back after she completed her mission.
The thick stone walls of the palace appeared, and she circled the perimeter, looking for a point of entry. The window to her mother’s chamber was open, an old habit. Any onlookers could easily mistake Danella for her mother’s pet dove.
Dipping her wings, she flew through the window and dropped the round sphere in her claws on her mother’s bed. Voices rang from inside her mother’s sitting room, and she glided to a stop near the door.
A small group of people stood by the fireplace—Kesia, Havyn, Jack, and Noelani. Danella’s heart fluttered in her chest at all the special events in their lives she’d missed.
“I’m not sure if Melvin removing the necklace from Jack’s neck will help or not. Danella seemed to think Councilman Rodman wanted Jack dead no matter what.” Kesia nudged closer to Hayvn and worried her hands into knots.
Jack slid his arm around his wife’s waist. “That’s not really a new revelation. My uncle has never held me in high regard. When I first returned with Noelani, he accused me of killing your father.”
“You’re kidding.” Kesia turned. “How did you know he was lying?”
Danella glanced at the woman sitting on the throne. Time stopped. The conversation of the others fell short of her hearing. Dressed in her usual shimmering robes, her mother’s long blonde hair lay in a sweeping style around her crown. She sparkled from head to toe. Yet worry lines marred her face.
Her youth gone, life had etched its mark on her beauty.
“But surely, with Jack no longer wearing the wretched necklace, there’ll be no reason to want him dead.” Noelani’s agitated tone drew Danella back to the conversation, and her gaze landed on her sister.
Beautiful, Noelani held herself in the same regal way she had as a child. Her once mouse-brown hair now glowed with vitality. She stared at her husband, the heat in her eyes reflecting her love.
Jack drew her deeper into his embrace, and his dark looks accessed her sister’s fair tone. “There’s no need to worry. Now that we know what Rodman is up to, we’re better prepared.”
“Yes, yes,” a cracking old voice interrupted. “Now, you should all leave. I need to work, if you want me to discover the magic of this piece.”
“But...” Her mother turned but didn’t finish her sentence.
Bodies shifted, and the old man came into view. His gray hair standing on end, he waved one hand through the air in his attempt to hurry the rest of the group from her mother’s chamber. In his other hand glistened her father’s pendant.
“Melvin is right.” Her mother rose. “Let’s give him some time to determine the type of magic that’s locked inside the necklace.”
Melvin must already understand the significance of the necklace. Why demand everyone leave?
Her mother directed the group. “We’ll proceed with our plan. Oxford, if you’ll please, stand guard outside my chamber door and let me know when Jack returns and Councilman Rodman arrives.”
With everyone shuffling toward the exit, Danella hopped back out of sight, then turned and flew to the memory ball in the center of her mother’s bed. She wrapped her claws around it and skimmed across the surface to drop the ball over the side. She executed a sharp turn and landed on the floor. The globe hit the wall and rolled back under her mother’s bed.
The click of the chamber door alerted Danella, and she ducked under a table.
Seconds later, Melvin strolled into the room. “I believe this is the item we’ve been searching for, Irene.”
“Are you sure?” Her mother followed Melvin into the room and paused by the bed. “Does the necklace really hold Harris’ essence?”
“Not all of it. Some remains in his dove body.” Melvin handed her the pendant and opened the birdcage. “That’s why I didn’t want to remove it from Jack’s neck. I was afraid of damaging a part of Harris in the process.”
A low coo whispered through the room.
Melvin drew her mother’s pet from its cage.
“Do you really think it’ll work?” Her mother’s high-pitch tone revealed her anxiety.
“Yes. Now lay the pendant around the dove’s neck,” Melvin instructed.
With her mother blocking her view, Danella couldn’t see the exchange.
Oh, my...Her father’s voice whispered through her head. I haven’t felt this good in years. The rapid who
osh of fluttering wings echoed through the room.
“Wait...” Her mother stepped back, and the dove flew to the windowsill.
Irene, my love, come fly with me, her father beckoned.
“Yes.” Her mother threw her arms around Melvin. “You did it, Mel. It’s Harris. He’s back.” She drew away from the old man and strolled to the window. “That wicked curse has finally been lifted, and he wants me to go flying with him.”
“Go ahead.” Melvin waved his wrinkled hand to usher her along. “I’ll keep an eye on everything here until you return. You have fun and enjoy your reunion with your husband.”
Doubt rushed through Danella. She’d recognized the essence attached to the necklace, had even recognized the special spell that protected the wearer from magic. But she never imagined...never even considered...it could hold a part of her father’s spirit.
How could she have been so stupid?
The scent of her mother’s transformation hit her senses and another dove landed on the windowsill.
“Don’t worry about anything here. I have everything under control.” Melvin turned as the two birds flew out the window. His dark gray gaze fell on her hiding spot. “Okay, Danella, time to tell me how you got yourself in so much trouble. Because everyone here believes you’re dead.”
Chapter Eleven
Danella sat on her mother’s throne, drinking tea and caressing her memory ball. “Maris told me she removed the necklace to save my father’s life.”
Melvin stood in front of the fire, stirring his kettle and staring into its depths. “True, but I bet she didn’t realize that by removing the item that wouldn’t let him transform, she was also removing the part of him that held his spirit intact.”
Saddened by the part she’d played in keeping her father from transforming back into his human body, Danella lowered her head. “I should have returned the necklace to Mother as soon as Maris told me it belonged to my father. But I...” Guilt expanded in her chest. Again, she’d caused her family undue pain because of her actions.
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