“Then I’ll say good night,” he said, ignoring the invitation in her voice, and with Nathan watching, Jake kissed Kendall softly on the lips and left. He had some thinking to do.
Kendall didn’t see Jake that night. Or the next morning. She dressed, wearing a skirt and blouse, since she didn’t know what was expected for such an occasion. Not that there was a precedent. There had never been a female keeper in the Protettori. Three cheers for the female race, she thought. She kept waiting for a tap on the door. She didn’t want to go through this without Jake’s support. This was hard for him. Hard for her. She was torn. One part wanted to run away with him and forget about the Protettori. But the other part couldn’t leave Adam. Nathan. Arthur. And she couldn’t walk away from protecting the relics. She wouldn’t. Deep down, Jake wouldn’t want her to.
The sun was almost up now. She couldn’t wait any longer. With a glance at the bed where she’d first spent the night with Jake, she left the tower and walked down to meet Nathan. He was waiting for her, dressed in khakis and a dark-blue shirt. They stared at each other wordlessly. Then he reached for her hand. “Are you ready for this?”
“No.”
“Me neither, but we’ll be all right. We did it before.” He smiled, Adam’s smile, and she felt a ray of comfort. He’d always looked out for her, and he would now. But this was going to be for a long, long time.
They walked to the chapel together, passing her parents’ lonely graves. She wondered if her father’s ghost would be there to witness her carrying on in his footsteps. Like father, like daughter. And the mother she’d never known, would she know what Kendall had become? And Jake, was he going to miss the ceremony? She glanced over her shoulder.
“He’ll come if he wants to,” Nathan said.
Kendall nodded but didn’t say anything. They reached the chapel and found Marco waiting. His eyes looked bright. He was wearing his robe, and he did indeed look like Merlin.
She had so many questions for him, but now only one thing was on her mind. Where on earth was Jake?
“Take your places before the stones,” Marco said.
Kendall and Nathan moved into place as if they were a bride and groom at a wedding. She remembered standing here before, reading the words on the stones, hearing Adam begging her to stop. But she hadn’t, and now he was involved in this too. A guardian of the Protettori, and she was the new keeper.
“Are you ready?” Marco asked. The old man looked happy to be relinquishing his title. “You remember how it goes. Repeat the words on the stone.”
“Are you starting without me?”
Kendall turned and saw Jake standing in the door of the chapel. Raphael appeared behind Jake, his face grim. “You won’t believe what he did,” the guardian said. “The damned fool took the Protettori vow.”
“Bloody hell.”
Marco’s eyes twinkled, and Kendall thought he hid a smile. “When?”
“Last night,” Jake said with a grin.
“You’re sure he took the vow?” Marco asked Raphael.
Raphael nodded. “I read his memories.”
Kendall was so overjoyed she wanted to cry. Jake had just taken the oath that she and Nathan had taken in their youth. They would all be together now. For a long time.
Nathan looked conflicted. Kendall could feel his anger, but also a sense of relief.
“Well then,” Marco said. “Jake, take your place next to Kendall so we can make this official. Raphael, you will witness.”
Jake stood on the other side of Kendall and slipped his hand in hers. “Ready.”
“You bloody bastard,” Nathan said, and took Kendall’s other hand.
“You think I was going to let you two do this without me?” Jake’s eyes narrowed. “Hell no! We’ve got two villains and another relic to find.”
Dear Reader,
Thank you for taking the time to read this book. If you enjoyed it, you can find other books in this series (The Relic Seekers) and my Highland Warrior series on my website at www.anitaclenney.com. You can sign up for my newsletter to get updates and to enter contests. My books can also be found on my Amazon author page at www.amazon.com/author/AnitaClenney. Connect with me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/anitaclenneyauthor and my street team, Anita Clenney’s Book Warriors, at www.facebook.com/groups/AnitaClenneyWarriors.
Thank you!
Anita
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
THERE ARE SO many people I need to thank for helping me bring this book to life. My family, who is always so understanding and supportive. Writer friend Dana Rodgers for her support. My beta readers Beth, Rhonda, Becca, Teri, Mel, Sandie, Lynn, Lori, Tamie, Fawn, Ann, Patty, and Jaria for their excellent feedback. My street team, Anita Clenney’s Book Warriors, and Goodreads group, Anita Clenney’s Book Clan, for their help spreading the word about my stories. My agent, Christine Witthohn, for her guidance. My developmental editor, Clarence Haynes, for his help. My editor, Helen Cattaneo, and the entire staff at Montlake Romance. And most of all, I thank my readers. Without you, my stories would not have a home. Thank you!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © 2011 Barbara Woodard
NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author Anita Clenney has penned some of the hottest paranormal romantic suspense books on the market, including the Highland Warrior series and the Relic Seekers series. Before becoming a writer, she worked as a secretary, a realtor, a teacher’s assistant, a booking agent, and—briefly—a pickle factory worker. Today, she lives in Louisiana with her husband and children.
The Lost Chalice (The Relic Seekers Book 3) Page 28