The Key (#1 of Anna Kippling Series) Paranormal romance by A.D. Duling

by A. D. Duling

  “Fine then, be a big baby about it!” she yelled after him.

  She walked over to the horse and rubbed his head, “You still like me, right?” The horse nudged her hip gently with his muzzle in response. She gave his head another rub and left him to finish eating his meal. She pushed the barn door shut and latched it before she started for the house. As she was walking towards the front, she heard a noise off to her right and looked over to see what it was.

  She caught a glimpse of a dark figure on a horse charging for her, swinging a rope above his head. She instinctively raised her hands up to protect herself and screamed! The rope came down over her head and around her neck. She grabbed at it, just as the figure kicked his horse and the animal sped up jerking her onto her back! Cinching the rope tight around her neck, with her fingers caught in between!

  Her fingers throbbed from the tightness, but thankfully they also kept a big enough gap for her to breath! The ground tore at her clothes, scratching the exposed skin. The rocks beat hard against her flesh and the bones beneath it. Tears streamed down her face from the pain and her head throbbed from the pressure, she knew if she didn’t get free quickly, this would kill her!

  She remembered her dagger and worked on wiggling free a hand. The rope cut into her fingers and burned every inch of the way! Finally she freed them and reached down to her belt and pulled it out.She reached up above her head to cut the rope, but couldn’t see it!She would have to flip to cut it! Anna jerked her body as hard as she could to one side and flipped herself over onto her front.

  Unfortunately the flip caused the rope to tighten even more around her neck and it cut off her oxygen. Trying not to panic, she reached up and desperately started cutting at the rope as quickly as she could! The ground was just as vicious to her front, but she kept on cutting! Her lungs started to scream for the air it was being deprived of and just as she was about to black out, the rope snapped and she slumped to a stop. She inhaled the precious air into her lungs as she shakily loosened the rope and pulled it off.

  Behind her, she could hear the figure coming back and she unsteadily got to her feet and tried to run away! She stumbled just after a few short steps and tried to get up again, but her body failed her and she fell to her stomach. A few feet away she heard a thump and found her predator lying on the ground lifeless with an arrow in his chest; his horse ran by her. She then heard clattering of other hooves hitting the ground and knew it was Hayden. She tried to turn over, but couldn’t and lay where she fell.

  “Anna!” she now heard his voice and then saw his boots in front of her. A pair of gentle hands turned her over and a blanket was laid across her tattered body.

  “It’s going to be ok Anna….”Hayden’s voice soothed her. She was then carefully picked up, but she whimpered from the pain.

  “I know it hurts dear, but we will fix that real quick!” Harmon comforted her and passed her off to Hayden, who had quickly climbed up onto his horse. It hurt during the exchange and she whimpered again. His arms cradled her and she slumped into his lap. He gripped the reins and gave Thunder a light nudge. The horse cantered off taking them towards the house. People had already gathered in the street from the commotion and watched them pass by.

  “It’s the girl, Anna Kippling! She’s been hurt….” Somebody yelled out.

  Chapter 11

  Corrine was already waiting for them on the porch. Hayden steered the horse over to her and she helped him climb down. He carried Anna up to her room and laid her down on the bed. Corrine came in a moment later carrying bottles and bandages. She sat them down on the nightstand and gently pulled the blanket off of Anna.

  Her clothing was tattered; Corrine grabbed a pair of scissors from the nightstand and carefully started cutting the clothing away. Hayden looked away as she did.

  “Help me turn her on her side,” she asked her son.

  He embarrassedly looked back down and helped her. Anna cried out as they turned her. “I’m so sorry dear, I know this hurts,” she soothed.

  She worked quickly and as gently as she could to get the clothing off of her without hurting her .They laid her gently back down and Corrine grabbed a small blanket off a chair and lay it across Anna’s breasts; she had left her underwear on her.

  “She’s covered now; help me clean her wounds,” she ordered her son. He opened his eyes and she handed him a bottle and cloth.

  He opened the lid and smelled it. “What is this?” he asked her.

  “Medicinal oil that I mixed up.” she answered. She opened her own bottle and poured some onto her cloth. “Anna we are going to clean your wounds, the doctor should be here any minute with medicine for your pain. Ok… this is going to sting a bit!” She warned and laid the cloth against the first abrasion; Anna babbled incoherently in response.

  Both began to clean her wounds as delicately as they could, thankful most did not bother her too much. However, some stung her badly! Her reaction of an “Ouch” meant not too bad and a hiss through the teeth meant really bad! On those they worked more quickly.

  Corrine was just covering the girl with a blanket when the doctor arrived. She stepped aside so he could examine her and Hayden waited outside.

  “Her wounds appear to be only superficial and there are no broken bones,” he told her and re-covered her.

  He looked at her neck, “She’s going to be bruised awhile, but again no serious injury.” He dug into his bag and pulled out two vials. “Mix this in her drink; they should help with the pain and prevent any infection.” he handed them to Corrine.

  He checked her pupils. “My dear can you tell me your name?” he asked.

  “Anna,” she croaked.

  “Good! Now can you wiggle your fingers for me on both hands?” he asked her.

  Her fingers hurt, especially on her left hand, but she managed to still wiggle them.

  “The swelling should go down by tomorrow, they will be stiff… so move them often and that should help with that!” He instructed her as he closed his bag. He stood up and looked back to Corrine, “You did a great job cleaning those wounds Corrine! Just keep applying that ointment to her wounds about every two hours and that should help them heal up quickly!” He assured her. She thanked him and he walked over to the door and opened it; Hayden was standing on the other side.

  “She’s taken quite a beating, but she’ll pull through!” He told him and patted him on the back.

  Hayden thanked him and stepped aside so he could pass. He walked back into the room and shut the door behind him. Corrine had just finished dressing her in a nightgown. H pulled the chair sitting against the wall closer the bed and sat down. Anna’s head was turned towards him; she opened her eyes and looked at him. He stroked her head and she watched him for a while. With each gentle stroke her eyes grew heavier; until she finally closed her eyes in defeat. He stayed there while she slept.

  Chapter 12

  The sun’s rays passed through the window pane and shined in her face; waking her up. She went to sit up, but stopped when she felt the pain; her whole body hurt and felt like one big bruise! She found Hayden sleeping in a chair next to her. He looked completely uncomfortable in the position he was in; head tilted back to the right and legs sprawled out to the left.

  He was also snoring and a bit of drool had slipped down his cheek. She couldn’t help to laugh and then quickly covered her mouth to muffle it, but his eyes shot open and she was caught!

  He sat up and wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve. “How long have you been watching me?” he asked her and rubbed the back of his neck.

  “Long enough to know that you snore and drool!” she teased.

  He laughed. “Can you blame me? I normally don’t sleep sitting up.”

  She smiled back. “How’s your neck?”

  He reached up and rubbed it again. “Stiff!” he replied and then reached down and scooped her hand up in his. “At least they are not swollen anymore, do they hurt much?” he asked her.

  She shook her head. “
No, they’re just stiff,” she wiggled them a little.

  He stood up and stretched, “I’m hungry. How about you?” he asked her.

  She nodded in response.

  “You relax here and I will go prepare us a wonderful breakfast feast!” he announced.

  She laughed. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, “I’ll be right back!” and he left her.

  She stared at the closed door for a while after he left. Many different emotions had suddenly swarmed her and tears welded up in her eyes. She blinked; sending them streaming down her cheeks. She and pulled a pillow out from behind her and started to cry. She pressed it against her mouth to muffle her sobs. She was sad, angry and afraid all at the same time!

  Her safe little bubble that she had lived in for so long at home was not around her in this place! What she had just gone through was unimaginable! She wanted so badly to scream for her mother and run home! Yet the man she could hear climbing up the staircase weighed heavily against that.

  She could hear two voices now; one that was a woman’s.She quickly wiped her eyes just as the door opened and in walked Hayden carrying a tray; followed by a very beautiful young woman. Her clothing was elegant and you could sense an aristocratic aura about her.

  “Anna, I would like to introduce to you Empress Anya.” Hayden announced.

  The Empress smiled, “Hello Anna, I have been anxious to meet you, but I wish under better circumstances! How are you feeling?”

  Anna smiled back. “A little tender your highness, but I’ll survive!”

  The Empress laughed. “I know you are lying for my sake, but thank you!”

  Hayden sat the tray down on the nightstand next to the bed, “I will leave you two to talk.” He gave a slight bow to the Empress, a wink to Anna and he left the room.

  The Empress walked over and sat down in the chair next to her, “It is well known that you are here to save me Anna, I cannot lie to you on how much this frightens me… yet it reassures me at the same time.” She expressed.

  “Reassured is the last thing I would expect you to be feeling right now; especially after how sourly I handled this recent incident!”

  The Empress shook her head. “You handled that very bravely and with quick wit, my dear. I don’t see how that went sour?”

  Anna sat up a little more and grimaced; the Empress quickly stood up and helped her get comfortable. She thanked her and the Empress sat back down. “Your highness, what worries me most is just how capable I am in saving your life.”

  “Anna you are stronger than you think you are.”

  “I’ve been hearing that a lot and I sure hope so.”

  The Empress leaned forward in her seat, “Anna, I was told about your book and about it being able to answer any question you ask it. Is this really true?”

  Anna nodded.

  “May I see it?” the Empress asked.

  Anna nodded again and looked to the nightstand, it was not there. “You know… I actually don’t know where it is right now, we will have to ask Hayden when he comes back.”

  “Perhaps it is in the drawer!” She suggested and opened the drawer. She roughly pushed the items around as she looked.

  Anna watched in astonishment! The Empress noticed her expression and quickly composed herself. She gently shut the drawer and returned to her chair.

  “Excuse my behavior, but please understand my excitement over this! Anything that could help change the outcome of my future is very important!” She explained herself.

  Anna nodded. “I understand. I’m sure Hayden knows exactly where it is. If you could go and ask him, I am sure we will find it right away.” she suggested.

  “Yes, of course!” She stood up and walked over to the door.

  “Oh, wait your highness…You may need this.” Anna reached up and undid the clasp to her necklace and pulled the pendent out from inside her nightgown.

  The Empress reached over and snatched it out of her hand; revealing a tattoo of a crow on the inside of her forearm.

  “Where did you get this?” She asked, almost in a growl.

  Anna blinked, surprised again by the woman’s actions and her unusual tattoo. “It was my Grandmothers.” She answered her.

  She looked at the bottom, “Where is the key that opens this?”

  Anna was taken back on how familiar the Empress was with the pendant. “I think Hayden might have it.” She answered again.

  “Of course, I will go to him!” The Empress shot out and quickly left the room clutching the pendant.

  Anna felt uneasy about what had just happened. She always saw royalty as being refined; this “Empress” was far from that. And the tattoo she saw… someone as elegant as an Empress would not have such a mark! That’s because this woman is not the Empress! You idiot! The words shot in her mind and she quickly threw the covers off. She turned her body and slid her legs over the side.

  Every bit of that movement hurt! But she continued her climb out of bed and rushed over to the door. She was already panting by the time she reached the stairs. She could hear voices below and leaning against the rail, she hurried down!

  The imposter had her back to her when she reached the bottom. She was still talking to Hayden and Harmon. Anna stumbled over and tackled her to the floor! Both men jumped back, surprised by her attack. The woman fought underneath her, but Anna kept her arms wrapped a tight as she could around the woman.

  “This is not the Empress!” She screamed up at them. Hayden quickly grabbed the woman’s arm and pulled her up; Harmon helped Anna.

  “How dare you!” The woman shrieked, but Hayden still held on.

  Corrine rushed into the room, “Anna what are you doing?!”

  “Pull the sleeve back on her right arm.” She told Hayden.

  He did as she asked, revealing the crow tattoo. Corrine shook her head; “The Empress is my friend and she does not have a tattoo!” she confirmed.

  The woman laughed sinisterly; “Such a smart girl! Such a brave one too!” she spat. “Here to save the Empress!” she hissed.

  Anna walked over and yanked the pendant out of the woman’s hand, she then looked at Hayden. “Where is my book?” she asked him.

  “I’ll tie her up son; you take her back upstairs before she collapses.” Harmon walked over and grabbed the woman’s arm.

  He was right she was about to; she could feel her legs start to give beneath her. Hayden picked her up and carried her back up to her room. He laid her down on the bed and walked around to the dresser.

  “I placed it in here when we were stripping you, I’m surprised it even stayed in your pocket!” he expressed. She leaned back and pulled the covers back over her. He closed the drawer and carried it over to her. He placed it on her lap and then reached inside his pocket. “I meant to put I back inside, but forgot!” He pulled out the tiny key to the pendant.

  She sat the pendant down on the night stand, “I had given this to the woman, thinking you had. That was how I saw the tattoo.”

  Corrine came into the room with a glass of water and carried it over to the night stand. She sat it down and grabbed one of the vials the doctor had given her earlier. She poured a measured amount into the water and stirred it with the spoon. She handed the glass to her to drink.

  Anna took it and drank it quickly. When she finished she handed the glass back to her. “Thank you Corrine, I needed that!”

  Corrine laughed. “I would think so, after a match like that!” she teased her.

  Anna opened her book. “Where is the Empress?” she asked it.

  She was captured last night, during your attack. It answered her.

  “Where was she taken too?”

  She is locked up in the Chancellor’s castle.

  “So my attack was just a distraction.”

  “I don’t think that was entirely a distraction.” Hayden commented. “Remember, the Chancellor also wants you dead.” He pointed out.

  “Hayden, we need to leave as soon as possible!” She shut her book
and went to climb out of bed again, but he put his hand on her shoulders and pushed her back down.

  “We will Anna, but right now you are in no condition for a rescue.” He gently stressed and recovered her.

  The medicine had started to kick in and she slumped back into her pillow too exhausted to argue.

  Corrine grabbed her tray of food off the nightstand and sat it in her lap. “You need to eat to as well before you go anywhere.”She scolded her. Anna smiled and gave her a salute. “Good girl!” she teased back.

  “If she can travel in the morning, we will have to go mother.” he insisted.

  She nodded and put the lid back on the medicine bottle. “I know son.” She replied and walked over to the door. She opened it and looked back at him. “I will tell your father and we will start getting things packed.”

  “Thank you mother, I will be down in a few minutes to help.”

  She smiled and nodded. “Take your time…”

  Chapter 13

  Anna opened her eyes; the room was dark. She bolted upright, “Hayden!” she called out.

  “Anna.” His hand touched hers and she jerked. “It’s ok, it’s me.” He assured her and lit the lamp.

  She rubbed her throat, he noticed and reached over and poured her a glass of water. He handed it to her and she gulped it down. The cool liquid soothed her dry throat.

  “How long have I been asleep?” she asked him, handing him back the glass.

  “You’ve been asleep for almost three hours.” He answered her.

  She reached down and rubbed her grumbling stomach, “Man! I’m already hungry again!”

  He laughed, “You only ate soup Anna, that doesn’t hold up long!” he reached over to the nightstand and removed a cloth napkin from on top of a plate. A sandwich sat underneath. She sat up and he handed her the plate. She picked up one of the halves and took a bite. “What happened with the imposter?” she asked him between chews.

  “She is sitting in a very wet and cold jail cell.” He answered bitterly.