Grateful for the goblet of dark Anderan wine that Talon handed to him, JarDan watched while his grandchildren as well as Dak's were efficiently dispatched to the care of the nursery staff. Scarcely was the last tot out of sight up the tower stairs when the door burst open. In stunned horror, the waiting women watched as Dak's body was carried into the great hall.
“What happened? Lay him here on the rug by the fire. Someone send for the doctor ….”
“Melodie.” JarDan pulled her into his embrace to still her frantic movements, “Dak’s dead.”
“How? Why? I don't understand, JarDan.” Melodie cried into her husband's chest.
“Aunt Mel, please don't cry. Father wasn't ill or injured--he did this himself.”
Melodie stared at Dak's son, Cordell in shock. “Suicide?”
“No,” he quickly assured her, “at least not in the sense you mean. Come, sit down and I’ll try to explain.”
Melodie clutched her husband's arm. As painful as Dak's death was to her, JarDan must be devastated. The two were raised as brothers. She studied his features, noticing the grey pallor to his normally swarthy complexion and the tight white lines around his mouth. As king, his first responsibility was to the others. His grief would come later, when they were alone in their room.
Balancing on the edge of her chair with JarDan perched on the arm, she watched as the couples paired off. Dak and Kierin’s son, and three daughters, and their mates. Her own three sons, and two daughters, and their mates. Each holding the other half of their hearts, sharing the pain of losing a loved one. When had they all grown up? It seemed like only yesterday they were running the staff in circles with their endless pranks and games. So much laughter, so much love, and now so much sadness.
“On the night Mother died,” Cordell spoke softly, “she gave Father the amulet he wore around his neck.” He reached and removed the shattered remains from his father's hand, staring at the shimmering fragments before passing a portion to each of his sisters. “He loved my mother more than anything or anyone else in the universe. She was his reason for existing. Our first fairytales were about them--the good times and the bad. She used to laugh and tell us that he could not have loved her so deeply if he had not fought her so fiercely. What they shared was so special that all of our hopes and dreams for our adult lives grew from the love they lived.”
Cordell shared a bittersweet look with his sisters before continuing. Although they shared the dark good looks of their father, they all had eyes the same pale aqua as their mother--and each with the power of a crystal witch.
“Because of Mother's healing crystals, her illness was undetected for a long time. By the time Father realized she was sick, it was too late. There wasn't time to reach Anderas. He raged and cursed the ancient laws that forbade his bonding with an alien. He believed that if we had been here, the Medi-Center could have prevented her death. We didn't know until a year after she died that Uncle JarDan was successful in having the old laws abolished.
“Mother made him promise to find a way to bring us to Falcon Tor. She knew how difficult it would be for him to raise four children alone. He refused--wanted nothing to do with a world that would not accept her--or us. If she couldn't go with him then he wouldn't go at all. So, she found a way to come with him.
“She had the girls bring her different crystals until she found the one she needed. I called on the power of the outlawed crystal, channeling its energy into a vessel for her life force.
“She placed the amulet around Father's neck and promised him that when he fulfilled his vow to her and was ready to join her she would come for him. All he had to do was destroy the crystal. When word finally reached us of the new laws, Father exhumed her body and buried her again atop the hill amid his happy memories.”
Melodie was aware of the soft weeping of her family. Even JarDan was moved by the tale of his friend's love. The only dry eyes in the room belonged to the children of Beldon Dak. There was deep sadness there, but also the profound knowledge that the magical love their parents shared--that brought life to each of them--would endure throughout eternity.
“We'll prepare his body and bury him beside her tomorrow.”
As Melodie's sons helped carry the body to the chapel, Cordell stopped beside the chair she shared with JarDan.
“Don't grieve for him, Uncle JarDan” he whispered. “He’s where his heart has always been.”
The End
Praise for THE MEN OF ANDERAS: JarDan, The King
JarDan by C.J. Johnson was a fabulous read. One hundred seventy-six pages that I couldn’t put away. I loved how Anderas paralleled Earth in so many ways, but then is so different. They dress like people of the middle ages, but have far more advanced capabilities, such as space travel and a stone comb that dries your hair. JarDan has to spend most of the story convincing Melodie of her worth, and of his undying, faithful love. For a woman who has never known love and compassion, this is a very difficult time for her. Just when she comes to realize that he truly does love her, she is taken from him by the evil Morandoni. Morandoni hates JarDan and his father and will stop at nothing to destroy them. C.J. Johnson spins a wonderful tale of deceit, suspense, hope and love, all in one with JarDan. I cannot wait to read more of Ms. Johnson’s upcoming works, and sincerely hope she continues with the Anderas characters. (4 1/2 lips) www.twolipsreviews.com
Entertaining and inventive, The Men of Anderas: JarDan, the King allows both erotic encounters and tender moments to showcase the main characters. Melodie is rightfully furious while JarDan is unbelievably patient and loving. There are a few surprises, but for the most part everything follows on a nicely written predicable path. JarDan, the King isn’t original; however it is a fun adventure. Plus, Dak is something of an enigma. I admit to being curious about his future!
www.JoyfullyReviewed.com
Cheryl Johnson and her work are destined to be popular. Cheryl writes with such emotional punch, she can crumple the strongest of hearts. If she can reduce our editors and proof readers to tears every time what will she do to our readers?
Julie Bauer, Publisher/Editor, JB Books, Australia
“What a story! Couldn’t and didn’t put it down.”
Alison Hart, aka Jennifer Green
Men of Anderas II: Dak the Protector Page 23