Eternal Conflict - Book 7 (The Ruby Ring Saga)

by Chrissy Peebles

  We sprinted to the entrance and opened a door that led us to a wooden staircase. I ran up, taking two stairs at a time. We climbed onto the main roof and quickly lay down and peered out to assess our situation. Hundreds of knights surrounded the castle, all searching for us, the alleged king killers.

  “They’ll only multiply,” I said. “We need to slip past them.”

  “We can blend in.”

  “Great idea. C’mon.” I shimmied across to the ledge, taking slow, measured steps, as falling was not an option. I dropped down to a ledge, then scurried in through a window.

  As soon as I stepped foot on the floor, a blade was suddenly pressed to my throat. “Surrender!”

  I knew three knights would be no problem for us, and they weren’t. Victor took the two on the left, and I took the one on the right. I aimed to slash his legs, just enough to disable him. He lost his balance and fell. Victor’s first knight was unconsciousness, so I reached for his sword. At the same time, the knight I was fighting scrambled to his feet. He came at me with a combination of controlled, short thrusts and slashes. Adrenaline surged, and I fought with everything I had. Within striking distance, I blocked his sword, all while sliding my own weapon up his in a forceful thrust. He fell backward and hit the stone wall behind him. His eyes fluttered shut, and I glanced around. Just like that, all three knights were down.

  I put on the knight’s bearskin, and Victor quickly dressed in the lion one. With swords drawn, we hurried out of the room, into another corridor. We followed it to the end, then turned right and ran up a flight of steps that led to a balcony above the feast hall. We ducked down as a group of guards walked the grounds below us. When the coast was clear, I climbed onto the balcony wall. I leapt and landed in the soft, green grass.

  We attacked two knights on horseback and quickly dragged their unconscious bodies into the vegetation; it was important to me that we avoided killing anyone when we could avoid it. Dressed like berserkers, we hopped on the horses and took off. As the next group came around the bend, we easily slipped in behind them, completely inconspicuous. I held the reins tightly, ready to fight if I had to. I could feel the hooves thumping the ground, and the sounds echoed in my ears.

  Stars lit up the sky as moonlight poured down on us. We twisted around towering trees and leapt over a shallow brook. The horses followed closely as we made our way, undetected, through the surrounding army.

  It was a struggle to keep my hands from shaking. It reminded me of the time when I had dressed as a priest to sneak through an army of people who wanted to destroy me. Stay calm, I told myself. Focus on something. I concentrated on the sound of the clippety-clop, and my horse kept prodding along, its hooves thumping across the forest ground. Every single second felt like an eternity. I can’t come undone, can’t unravel.

  All the events played out in my head as we trotted along. My heart went out to the king who’d lost his life at Ethano’s hand. I swore I would make Ethano pay. He had taken dear people from me, and now he had taken a beloved king from people who adored him and depended on him. He was despicable, and we had to put him out of business.

  Still, we were in a horrible predicament. Ethano had a stronghold, and everything was out of control. If we did not do something soon, he would have reign over the entire world, with absolute power and authority, and I had no idea how we’d ever get our kingdom back.

  An immortal riding next to me kept looking at me, and I swallowed hard.

  “Victor!” I called in my mind.

  “Stay calm,” he answered.

  Pain exploded across my body as the group of immortal knights knocked me off my horse. My face slammed into the grass, and dirt went flying as strong men moved to hold me down.

  “We’ve got her!” one proudly announced.

  So many descended on us at that point that neither Victor nor I stood a chance, not with those bracelets holding back our powers. The berserkers saw us only as fugitives, not as the innocent immortals we really were. They cursed, shouted, and beat us, then ripped off the animal skins, saying we weren’t fit to wear them. And in no time, we were thrown right back into the dungeon. I’d thought things couldn’t get any worse, yet they had.

  I tried touching the bracelet, and it burned me. “We’ve got to get these off!”

  Victor tried and winced when he was greeted with a painful electric shot.

  “It’s no use!” I said. “They won’t come off.”

  Through the bars on the window, we could see into the courtyard, where they were executing our men. My heart thundered in my chest with sadness and rage. One man already lay dead, and the next was being taken to a slab, where an executioner in a black robe was waiting, his sword shimmering in the silvery moonlight. The crowd demanded his death and screamed, shouted, and roared for his demise. It was sickening to watch.

  Horror washed over Victor’s face. “They have Marcus.”

  “I know,” I said, my voice wavering.

  Victor pounded the wall, and concrete crumbled to the floor. Dizziness flooded through me, and I thought I might collapse. I felt shattered, completely helpless.

  “I should be there to save his life!” Victor roared.

  I closed my eyes as the sword swung toward Marcus’s head to brutally murder him. “No!” I shouted. When I opened my eyes again, I could only see his lifeless torso. I screamed hysterically and slid down the wall, stricken with agony and pain. When Victor fell to his knees in grief, shock, disbelief, and numbness overcame me, and anger, guilt, and panic set in. They were killing our men one by one, and there was no way to stop it.

  When a door creaked open and footsteps echoed. I jumped up.

  A knight walked in our direction and frowned. “Your death won’t take away our pain, but it must be done.”

  “Death?” I asked, feeling a chill of utter terror.

  “Beheading within the hour,” he said. “I hope you burn in Hell. Know there will be no escape or reprieve. We do not care if you are royalty.”

  “But we didn’t kill your king,” I tried to explain, to no avail.

  The knight turned and left. When the door clicked shut, I knew he’d be back.

  Victor wrapped his arms around me.

  “We were so close,” I said. “I never thought for a minute that Ethano would win.”

  Gazing into my eyes, he wiped my tears away. “We fought a good fight,” he said. “I did not expect our legacy would include dying for a crime we did not commit. I would have preferred to die on the battlefield, fighting, an honorable death.”

  “I can feel their hate,” I said, trying to blink away the bitter tears.

  Feelings of panic and terror crept over me as I thought about Ethano stealing Alexander from my parents. It was our job to keep him safe with our very last breath, but I didn’t know what to do. “Do you think Ethano will find Alexander?” I asked.

  “No, never.”

  “So he’ll be safe?” I asked, weeping.

  “Yes, my love. Our son will have the best chance at life.”

  “But our baby boy will never have the chance to know us,” I said. “That breaks my heart.”

  “He will make the right choices. He won’t become the monster Ethano wants him to be. We created a wonderful, loving, compassionate soul. With you for a mother, he can be nothing less.”

  “I would’ve loved to see him grow up,” I whispered, “but now that chance has been stolen from me.”

  Victor stroked my hair.

  “I didn’t think I ever wanted to be a mother,” I said, “but then I met you, and you changed my life. I was scared when I got pregnant, but I loved Alexander from the second I knew he was growing inside me. I wasn’t sure if I’d be a good mom, but I tried to be while I had the chance.”

  “You’re a wonderful mother.”

  “I gave him everything—all my love, support, and everything any good mother would give her child.”

  “That and more.”

  I let out a long sob. The thought of
not being around to raise my son tore me to pieces. My son needed me, and I needed him. He was my life, and I felt as if a huge hole had been ripped in my soul. “Victor,” I whispered, “there’s something I need to tell you.”

  Tears glistened in his blue eyes. “Anything, my love.”

  “I-I…” I started to tell him, but I just kept breaking down. I was an emotional mess.

  “Take a deep breath,” he said.

  I nodded and tried to calm down.

  He softly touched my face. “What is it?”

  I stared into those piercing eyes, the eyes I had planned to spend the rest of my life gazing into.

  “Sarah,” he said, “I know you’ve been keeping something from me, but I didn’t want to pry. You do not have to tell me all your secrets, but you can talk to me about anything.”

  “I need to tell you this one, and I’m so sorry I blocked it from you.”

  He stared at me, as if imploring me to tell him.

  “I know this isn’t a good time, but it may be my last chance, and I think you have the right to know.”

  “This isn’t the time for confessions,” he whispered. “Let’s just spend the last few moments holding each other.”

  “No, this can’t wait.”

  “Then go on.”

  I gripped his hands. “I-I’m pregnant…again.”

  Chapter 24

  I’d told Victor about my pregnancy for the very first time. He was speechless, as if he’d just been struck by lightning. His face twisted into one of confusion as his mind tried to make sense of my words, and more tears welled in his eyes. “You’re with child? Are you…sure?”

  I shook my head, trembling. “Yes.”

  He held me as emotion consumed him. He was so overwhelmed he could hardly breathe as he took in the news. We just stared into each other’s eyes, but then, even when confronted with death, we couldn’t help but smile about the news.

  He embraced me tightly, still trying to take it all in. “Have you seen a healer?” he asked.

  “No, but I know I’m pregnant. I’m not sure how far along I am, but I can feel kicks, so I have to be at least four months.”

  He blinked in shock. A tear slipped down his face as he pulled me close. “Son or daughter, I love our child already,” he said with heartfelt honesty. “My heart is overflowing with love.”

  At that moment, I just knew. I wiped more tears from my face and said, “Our baby is a wonderful little girl. I saw a quick flash of her in a vision last week.”

  He peered at me intently. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked softly.

  “I just… It never seemed to be the right time. She was conceived in perfect love. And now…” My voice wavered as I tried to get the words out. “Now she’ll never get the chance to live. She would’ve been beautiful, with big blue eyes and dark hair like her daddy.”

  “We have to name her,” he said.

  My heart hurt at the thought of naming my little girl only to let her die. It was truly heartbreaking, but I understood how important it was. “I’d like to name her after my favorite aunt, who died when I was twelve. Her name was Sophia.”

  “Sophia. It is perfect,” he said.

  “I’m glad you like it.”

  Victor rested his hands on my stomach. “I’m not ready to say goodbye.”

  “They’ll be here any minute,” I said.

  I came face to face with death, the faceless enemy who wanted to deliver me the most horrible fate in the entire world. I wanted to break the boney fingers of death as it wrapped its hand around my neck and tightly squeezed. And I felt it, because I couldn’t breathe nor could I fight the inescapable death sentence that had been given to me. Grief hurts. Badly. I knew our deaths would leave a huge, gaping hole in Alexander’s life. And that’s what hurt more than anything. We didn’t bring our son into the world to leave him this soon.

  The world seemed unreal. I feel intensely alive, yet, I don’t.

  I looked back at my life and counted all my blessings. I have been so blessed to love and have been loved. I’ve given everything I possibly can to anyone I’ve ever met. I’ve tried to be honest, loyal, and have a good heart. I’ve travelled; I’ve studied and seen amazing things. I have the most wonderful parents. I have a fantastic sister. I found my missing sister when everyone had given up hope on her. I got to meet the man of my dreams and have beautiful children. I got to live in a castle and live the life of a queen. I had many sweet friendships with fabulous people. I’ve done more things in my short life than others have done in an entire lifetime. I should accept death with confidence. But why did it hurt so damn much? The terror of death embraced me and I let out a very long scream.

  It hurts…it hurts so bad.

  Death can take us at any time.

  Why does life have to end this way?

  Victor and I sobbed, wailed, and clung to each other tightly. I could accept my death but not Sophia’s. The thought of never holding her or meeting her devastated me, and crushing sadness overtook me. Both of us were an emotional wreck.

  “Oh, Sarah,” he said. “I am heartbroken. Our girl is in mortal danger and there’s nothing we can do to stop it.”

  “Our little angel is destined to be born into Heaven,” I said, “not here.”

  Victor let out a soft sob.

  “It’s like watching a sad movie in my head over and over again, hoping the end will change, but knowing it won’t.

  He knelt and touched my stomach. Then, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he looked at me. “I’m witnessing the miracle of life. Our tiny baby is very active, kicking away, her heartbeat fluttering.”

  But for how long? I tried to be brave, strong, and courageous, but I was scared out of my mind. But my little girl had a right to live, to love, to one day graduate, to one day marry, and have her own children. Why must she be cheated when she did nothing wrong? She was my angel and she deserved life. How dare somebody take away the precious gift of life? Why did we ever come here in the first place? If I could go back in time, I’d never come to this awful place. If only I could’ve had a vision to warn me.

  When Victor pressed his hands softly against my stomach, I heard her heart beating like a Doppler, just as he’d done with Alexander. There was swishing, then a sound like a galloping horse. Through the whooshing, I could hear a fast heartbeat, beating twice as fast as mine. She was forever in our heart.

  “The miracle of life is the greatest treasure,” I said, crying, “and she is ours.” Hearing her tiny heartbeat was such an amazing, magical moment. There just weren’t words for how touched I was. I had a little life growing inside of me, and we shared an indescribable bond. My ruby ring began to glow, and Victor’s love for our baby washed over me. Our daughter was already loved, cherished, and wanted, and the bond took it to a level I couldn’t even explain to a mortal. I was so overcome by emotion that I couldn’t speak.

  “Hello, Sophia. I am your father,” Victor said. “Always do know that I loved you. Even though we haven’t met, you are my world. You have a wonderful brother named Alexander, and he loves you just as much as we do.”

  When he started to softly sing a lullaby to her, a song his own mother sang to him, I almost lost my composure entirely, and I burst out into more tears. We had helplessly watched our entire team get beheaded right outside the window, and we were as good as dead ourselves. We were next, a certain death for all three of us, and we only had moments left.

  “We’ll all be in Heaven soon, honey,” I told Sophia. “You’ll get to meet us and your wonderful grandmother.”

  Victor wiped the tears from his eyes. “My mother was a beautiful woman.”

  “I am sure she was,” I said.

  “I wish you could’ve met her.”

  “I’m going to meet her soon.”

  He pulled me close and held me for a long moment.

  “Do you know what your greatest gift is?” he asked.

  “I’m pretty good at making fireballs. I had a real good te
acher.”

  He smiled, then pushed a strand of hair from my eyes and looked at me lovingly. “Your love is your strongest gift.”

  “My love?”

  “Yes, and others feel it. You bless lives because you have such a beautiful heart and soul, and you touched even me by demanding that those hungry villagers be fed.”

  “I remember,” I said. “I hardly knew you, but I knew you could help them, and you did.”

  “Only because you asked. You stirred something inside me. You admonished me for throwing luxurious parties when the people were starving, and you were right. Those people could not even feed their children. I cannot imagine watching our Alexander starve.”

  “I sure felt for them and their situation.”

  Moonlight poured down on his beautiful face, and I stared lovingly into his eyes, knowing it was the last time. I wanted to remember him like that, gorgeous and glowing, forever.

  “You’re so beautiful under the moonlight,” he said, admiring me too.

  “Thank you,” I whispered. “I know we don’t have much time left, and there’s so much to say, but I just wanna spend my last moments staring into your eyes, dreaming about the life we could’ve had.”

  He pushed a stray strand of hair from my eyes. “Do you regret meeting me in that forest?”

  “Never, not for a single minute,” I said. “If I could go back and do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

  “You changed my life. At least I can die knowing I am an honorable man.”

  “You finally let me in,” I said. “That was so beautiful.”

  “Destiny wanted us to find each other, Sarah.”

  “But why do we have to die like star-crossed lovers?”

  “We cannot always change fate.”

  “I don’t wanna die,” I said. “I want to live the life I was meant to live. I want to be a wife, mother, and queen. How can fate be so cruel? How can it take everything away from me and rip my world apart like this?”

  “I cannot explain why we must endure such suffering,” he said.

  Suddenly, as if on cue, a vision struck me. I watched in agony as I saw myself being dragged off to my execution. Watching Victor die caused such gut-wrenching pain, but seeing my own death, knowing it also meant Sophia’s, was just as frightening.