Eternal Conflict - Book 7 (The Ruby Ring Saga)

by Chrissy Peebles

  “So you’ll join us?” I asked.

  “Have we not done so already?” She grinned. “We are here, are we not?”

  “Then you shall have your forest back,” Victor said, “along with reward beyond your greatest imagining.”

  She smiled.

  “The prince has signed Ethano’s treaty,” Titano said. “We want no part of it, but we need a much bigger army if we have any chance at fighting them. It is good that we can join forces. My shape-shifters are at your service, Highnesses.”

  “More are adding to our numbers daily,” Victor said, sighing in relief.

  “I fear it still will not be enough,” Lana said.

  I looked up at Victor and studied his serious face. We’d escaped death for the time being, but the future still looked so bleak. “What are going to do now?” I asked.

  “We keep recruiting.”

  “There are not enough loyal supporters left in the world, I fear,” Titano said. “Ethano has brainwashed far too many to joining his sordid cause.”

  Victor turned to face him. “If you are so hopeless, why are you helping us? If this battle is unwinnable, why even fight?”

  “We can look through all the ancient manuscripts for something that might help us,” he said. “We need magic, for we will never have enough manpower to overrun his masses.”

  “Did you not see our powers back there?”

  “That will help, but it is not enough on its own, Majesty.”

  I blew out a long breath as we all stood there and debated it. I wasn’t sure magic would do us any good. I agreed with Victor, that we had to win the old-fashioned way, by gaining numbers and fighting. The difficult part was convincing anyone to join us. I understood why so many hated us and had trouble trusting us. For one thing, Victor had been awful to them in the past. Ethano was quick to remind them of all the horrible things his brother had done in his darker days, and that left a sour taste in their mouths. I wasn’t sure which way to go or what to do, and there was no way to know how things would turn out.

  The one thing I did know was that while we were bickering about it, Jackson and his small army were fighting. We needed to get back to them. The troops needed their king to lead them and keep their morale up. If Victor stayed away too long, we were at risk of losing the few followers we had. “Shouldn’t we be on our way, Victor?” I asked. “Jackson is probably—”

  Before I could even finish, a vision struck me, and I closed my eyes. I was in a dark dungeon, and I saw a flash of a familiar face: King Taggert. The next image was a copse of black pine trees, then an energy bubble. Then, just like that, I returned to the present and opened my eyes again.

  “Well? What did you see?” Victor asked.

  I smiled. “King Taggert. I think he’s alive!”

  Victor’s jaw dropped, and it took him a minute to process my words. He and the king had been very close friends. Victor had been loyal to him to the end. I watched as excitement and happiness flooded through him, and their friendship suddenly played before my eyes, in my mind. I watched as they fought alongside each other, saved each other’s lives, laughed, jousted, and drank ale together. What a beautiful friendship they had shared, and it made my heart happy that they might be able to share it again.

  “Where is he being held?” Victor asked.

  “I-I don’t know. I saw black pine trees and some kind of blue energy bubble.”

  “A portal prison!” Victor said. “Black Pine Valley, about two days away from here.”

  “Are you sure? That makes little sense,” Lana said. “Surely Ethano wouldn’t let him live.”

  Titano touched his chin. “My wife is right. It very well could be a trap, a clever ploy schemed up by Ethano.”

  “We don’t know that for sure,” Victor countered. “If it is true, we must free him.”

  “I know it’s true,” I said in stunned amazement of what I’d seen. “Our king is alive. I can’t say he’s alive and well, but I know he’s alive.”

  Victor hugged me as more excitement flooded through him. “We must rescue him,” he said. “Every king and queen from every kingdom will gladly follow him. Ethano will lose everything. But how do we break through the portal without a good witch?” Victor asked.

  “We can break the spell,” Titano assured him. “We’ll combine our shape-shifting power and get you and Sarah in, but we’ll have to remain outside.”

  Even though Victor seemed dead set on going to rescue the king, I sensed that he wasn’t so sure. He, too, thought the vision might have been false. The shape-shifters had unspeakable power, and we’d been burned before; my husband trusted no one, including them. For all we knew, it was a trap set by Ethano, something to lure us there so he could torture us and find out Alexander’s location. I hated to think that Lana and Titano might be traitors, but I couldn’t be naïve about it.

  “They could be telling us what we want to hear,” Victor said in my mind.

  “But what if they’re not? If King Taggert is there, we can turn this battle around.”

  “If we do it, I go inside alone. I’ll leave you and Sophia in a safe place.”

  “No! I won’t leave you. We’ve been through so much together already, and I feel safer by your side.”

  “I love you too much to risk your life and that of Sophia’s. You both almost died, and me along with you.”

  “Victor, I know this seems risky, but I trust Lana.”

  “You trust her? How and why? She betrayed us once before, tried to take our whole group to the Cardashian Court for trial. We were almost executed then.”

  “Yes, but she helped us escape just now.”

  “Possibly part of the plan. She worked for King Halldor. If she thinks we killed him, vengeance may be lurking in her heart. The prince could’ve set this up.”

  “No, he wants us dead. That much is evident. He would have had us killed there, on the executioner’s block. I know the shape-shifters are not involved in any conspiracy. Victor, we have to trust them. Besides, they stand to benefit if we win. You’ve already offered them their forest and great reward. Their land is sacred to them. I guarantee you Ethano is making them no such promises, and even if he is, he will never keep them.”

  Victor sighed. “All things considered, I suppose we have little choice but to trust them,” he finally told me. “And if nothing else, I always trust you, my love.”

  I smiled, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and declared, “We leave at dawn!”

  * * *

  We arrived at Black Pine Valley, eager to rescue the long-lost king.

  “This is the place,” Victor said.

  I glanced around at the cliffs before us. True to its name and to what I had seen in my vision, black pines dotted the area, somehow growing directly out of the limestone. The place was creepy, like some sort of Tim Burton drawing, and even the sky was dark and dreary there. “So…where would they be keeping him?” I asked.

  “It could be anywhere,” Victor said.

  Lana closed her eyes and held out her arms. “Shh. Give me a moment of silence, and I will try to sense his energy.”

  “There’s nothing over here,” Titano said.

  “Can I feel the energy too?” I asked.

  Victor shook his head. “No, it’s very faint. Only a witch or a shape-shifter can sense it.”

  Giving the shape-shifters some distance so they could get to work, Victor and I stepped off to the side and stood guard. When I caught him staring at me, I smiled. “What?”

  “You’re the most beautiful thing in my life.”

  I grinned. “Wow. It’s a great feeling to be wanted.”

  “I’m going to give you the life you deserve,” he said. “You’ve stuck by me, never deserted me, even in my darkest moments, when I was least deserving of your love. We will have a huge family, fill our castle with little ones, and I will spend the rest of eternity trying to make all of you happy.”

  “You’ve already made me the happiest woman alive, Victor,”
I said.

  “When will we meet our lovely daughter?” he asked. “Did you say you are four months along?”

  “Yes. She should arrive before next winter.”

  He kissed my hand. “I cannot wait.”

  “Me neither,” I said. I smiled at him, but as he stared into my eyes, I felt something was troubling him. “What is it? Tell me.”

  “Excuse me? What do you mean, luv?”

  “Victor, don’t be coy with me. I know when something is wrong with you.”

  “It is just… You didn’t ask for this kind of life,” he said.

  “I chose you, Victor, so in a way, I did ask for it. Immortality was just part of the package.”

  “Along with Ethano and all my other problems.”

  “Your problems are mine. We’re a team, you and me. I will never leave your side.”

  “When I first met you, you were so independent, so full of spirit, so—”

  I laughed. “I was a complete bitch,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry about that. I pretend to have a tough exterior sometimes, but I’m really just a big softie. In fact, I believe you softened me up, made me a better person.”

  “Your personality, your independence, drew me to you. My advisor suggested many submissive brides, but I wanted nothing to do with them. I need an equal, a woman who can speak her mind and put me in my place when need be. I need someone I can deeply connect with. I found all of that in you, Sarah, albeit quite unexpectedly. It did not hurt that we have such a physical and emotional connection. You are everything I have ever wanted. You face everything so bravely, as if you believe you are invincible. You’re smart, strong, secure, straightforward, confident, compassionate, and beautiful. You are the perfect queen, the perfect woman to rule by my side. I love you more than anything, and I have since the very second I laid eyes on you.”

  I grinned at him and blushed, a bit embarrassed. “Even when I ran away from you, left our wedding, you still loved me. You never gave up on me. That still blows my mind.”

  “You didn’t give up on me either, even when everyone thought I was dead.”

  “The pain of losing you was almost unbearable. I didn’t want to believe it. I feared the wound in my heart would never completely heal, but you came back to me.”

  “Only because of you. Against all odds, you found a way to rescue Charles and me.”

  “I had to, Victor. Not only did you show me that love really exists, but you also broke down all the walls I’d built up around my heart.”

  “You broke my walls down as well, my love, and I would venture to say I’d built a stronger fortress.”

  I smiled and shook my head. “Look at us, Victor, two broken souls destined to find each other. Maybe fate isn’t such a callous bitch after all.”

  He hugged me, and I hugged him back. “If it brought us together, I’m all for it.”

  “We found it, the portal!” Lana yelled over, breaking us out of our romantic moment.

  I turned and looked at her. “What is it?” I asked when I noticed the grim look on her face.

  “It is filled with ravenous beasts, all kinds of creatures. You cannot go in alone, especially since your powers will prove meaningless inside.”

  “Huh? Our powers won’t work in there?” I repeated, stunned.

  Victor held up a sword one of the shape-shifters had given him. “This is all the power I need.”

  “I admire your bravery, King, but brute force will not be enough. We cannot enter with you, for the energy will easily kill our kind. If you can retrieve King Taggert, we can open the door to let you out again, but we must seal it while you are inside.”

  Victor’s gaze narrowed as he pondered our options. At that point, it was difficult to trust anyone. I wanted to believe that Lana was telling the truth. If Ethano had gotten to her, she could very well have been on his side, leading us into a trap. Anyone could be blackmailed, and in the past, he’d convinced her to take us to him, so we were hauled off to court. I’d gotten away and even managed to get her on my side, but I wasn’t sure how deep her loyalties really ran.

  Because of my hesitation, she knew something was wrong. “You don’t trust me,” she said.

  “I’m just…contemplating everything.”

  “I sense your wariness. Sarah, you gave me life when I was almost dead. I’m here to repay that debt, to help you get your kingdom back so we can all live in peace. We couldn’t ask for a better king and queen than you and Victor.”

  “I will go,” Victor said. “Sarah can wait here.”

  “I may be pregnant, but I’m not helpless,” I said. “Like I told you, you’re not going in there without me.”

  “Sarah, you mustn’t be so bullheaded about this, my love. It would be foolish to risk our baby’s life.”

  “Bullheaded? I can’t let you go in there alone.”

  We fought about it until I finally conceded and agreed to let him go alone; I only did so for Sophia’s sake. Lana led us to the portal, where blue light radiated from a swirling hole. I peeked inside and saw frightening, squawking creatures with huge wings, like something right out of a Bosch painting. Even though I had promised to stay outside, I couldn’t possibly let Victor go in that hellhole alone. His safety meant everything to me, and if anything happened to him, I would die anyway, and Sophia along with me. He said goodbye and walked through, but I quickly followed him just before the portal shut behind us.

  Chapter 26

  The wind was blowing hard inside, but it was hot and humid. Two bright suns shone down, turning the swirling dust into sparkles around us. I stared at the jagged, volcanic rock formations and the eerie, hostile, barren landscape. Creatures with glowing red eyes flew over us. We were in the demonic wastelands, and I suddenly doubted whether or not that little field trip was really a good idea.

  Victor grimaced when he saw me and quickly pulled me under a huge overhang. “You weren’t supposed to follow me, Sarah! It is too dangerous in here, for you and the baby.”

  “I had to. You need someone to cover you.”

  “What about Sophia?”

  “We’re fine. Let’s just do what we have to do and get out.”

  He nodded.

  “Where are we?” I asked. “It sure is windy here, even worse than Chicago.”

  “Chicago?”

  “Never mind.”

  “Well, this is a portal prison. Let’s wait for the creatures to leave,” he said, pointing up into the sky. “They may consider us tasty morsels.”

  “You’re right. They don’t seem to stay in one place for too long,” I observed.

  “I can’t believe King Taggert has been here all this time,” Victor said.

  “What if he isn’t? What if your suspicions were right and the vision was just planted?”

  “That is not Ethano’s style. He would have already captured us to torture by now. He is not patient in his dirty dealings.”

  “Well, he didn’t kill you when he captured you and told you I was dead.”

  “He is more desperate now and has no time for games. Keeping his kingdom is his number-one priority.”

  “But he said he wants to torture you, torture us, and I know he wants to find out where Alexander is.”

  Victor shook his head. “His patience is worn to a thread, and he no longer has time for that. He wouldn’t keep me alive in some portal prison. He had no problem letting Halldor’s people kill us.”

  “True. Is that why you felt safe to come inside?”

  “That, and because I trust your visions.”

  “But you said yourself that the shape-shifters could have put them in my head. I don’t mean to be the devil’s advocate, but—”

  “You saved her life,” he said. “She is indebted to you.”

  “She wants her home back.”

  “I already promised it to them, as you said. I would think she would take my word over Ethano’s. She seemed genuine enough for me, or I would not be here.”

  “I want to believe that
, but she seemed to switch sides very quickly.”

  “Not so quickly. You said she even defended you in front of Halldor, when you first approached him.”

  “Yes, she did do that,” I said, considering his words carefully.

  “The shape-shifters do not like living here. They want to go home. As soon as they saw you, they jumped on the opportunity to get rid of Ethano, once and for all. It is even more pressing for them now that they do not have Halldor to stand up for them against him.”

  “It’s so hard to trust anyone,” I said.

  “I will try to reach out to Taggert. If he is here, perhaps he will sense our presence.”

  “But Lana said our powers will not work in here.”

  “I know, but I must try.” He then closed his eyes.

  I let him be for a few minutes while I walked over and peered around a tall rock. The creatures had flown away, and that brought me some relief, but I certainly didn’t like being out in the open in that hellish place.

  Victor opened his eyes and called me over. “I cannot reach him.”

  I swallowed hard. “So Lana was right? We’re powerless here?”

  He nodded grimly. “I cannot lock on to him to put him in the dream state.”

  A shiver ran down my spine. “Does that mean he’s not here? Maybe it really is a trap, a ploy to get us here.”

  “You mustn’t jump to the most horrible conclusions.”

  My stomach clenched. “I don’t think my vision was real,” I whispered. “We’re going to die in this smoldering pit! We escaped only to be killed anyway.”

  Victor touched his chin and pondered. “I do not believe so, my love.”

  “Look around. This place looks like the underworld. It’s worse than any nightmare I’ve ever had. Maybe we’re dead already. Maybe breathing the air is fatal, and that’s why we’re powerless. Maybe that’s why you can’t reach King Taggert, because he’s already dead too.”

  “We aren’t dead,” he said. “This is only a portal, nothing more.”

  “You’re right. There’s no way I’d end up in Hell. I mean, I’ve not been that bad…have I?”

  “Nobody is more deserving of Heaven and paradise than you.”