The Carnelian Legacy

by Cheryl Koevoet

  “The worst part is that Astrid has no idea what has become of me. After I disappeared, she must have concluded that I had no desire to marry her. There is, in fact, nothing I would rather do more.”

  Although he avoided her gaze, Marisa could still see the moisture in his eyes as he fought to keep his composure.

  “Time to stop for a rest,” Darian said.

  Arrie climbed off Concrete, quickly tied him off, and hurried off into the trees, still visibly shaken.

  Marisa watched him disappear. “Is he going to be okay?”

  “He’ll be fine,” Darian answered softly.

  CHAPTER 5

  DARIAN

  MARISA RUBBED HER BEHIND, exhausted from being on Siena so long. She was accustomed to riding her almost every day but never for this long. Her thighs ached and so did the bruised hip she’d fallen on the day before. The wound on her temple was beginning to heal, but her head still ached. She followed Darian to a large tree and sat down at its base.

  “How far is it to wherever we’re going?” she asked.

  “At least another full day’s journey.” Darian pointed to the snow-capped mountains some thirty miles away. “You see those high mountains in the distance?”

  “You mean those jagged peaks?”

  “Yes. Abbadon is located inside that mountain range. We must find a place to camp tonight because there aren’t any more villages between here and the castle.”

  She stared at him in horror. “We’re camping out?”

  “Of course.”

  Marisa had loved sleeping in their family’s camper at the coast. There was something so cozy about roasting s’mores around a driftwood campfire on the beach. But somehow camping in Carnelia didn’t seem quite so carefree and she was pretty sure it didn’t involve a Winnebago.

  “We must be cautious, though, and ensure that we aren’t too”—he searched for the right word—”vulnerable.”

  Marisa didn’t like the sound of that. She didn’t know how to shoot a gun and had no weapon to defend herself. Something told her that these two young men could hold their own, but the idea of camping outdoors with hidden dangers lurking behind every tree was a bit unnerving.

  She quickly changed the subject. “So what exactly is your connection to Arrie? He seems like a nice guy, but he’s had quite a bit of drama, hasn’t he?”

  “Indeed,” Darian replied. “He’s been in my service for as long as I can remember. Actually, we’re distant cousins by marriage. Our whole family was extremely sad when he disappeared to your world. We thought we’d never see him again.”

  “It sounds like he didn’t really want to come back here.”

  “He was quite happy with Astrid.”

  “Does anyone else know about his trip to Earth?”

  He shook his head. “Only a few family members know. He rarely ever talks about it, even with me. I think it’s still too painful for him.”

  “So why did he tell me? I’m almost a complete stranger.”

  “I don’t know.” Darian lowered himself down next to her and leaned against the tree. “Perhaps since you’ve traveled through the vortex to another world you can understand how he feels. Maybe he thinks he can trust you.”

  “What about you? Can you trust me?”

  He avoided her eyes. “There are still many questions that need answers. No doubt Arrie has told you about me, and why I may seem a little, uh”—he tapped his head in search for the right word—”paranoid?”

  She smiled. “Yeah, I think he may have mentioned it.”

  “I am a little bit, ah, how do you call it in your language? Ah yes—perfectionist. I just cannot afford to trust people I don’t know.”

  “But why?”

  He twirled a twig between his fingers. “Many people only get close to me because of what I can do for them. They are insincere and only using me to get what they want. For all I know, you could be one of them.”

  “Me?”

  “Certainly. You could be one of Savino’s spies, hired to keep an eye on me.”

  “Who’s Savino?”

  He sighed. “Someone who desperately wants to see me fail.”

  “Okay, so you’re a control freak. I know lots of those. I have to admit that sometimes I’m a bit of a control freak.”

  “Control freak?”

  Marisa gave him a sidelong glance. With his stunning looks, wealth, and power, he was probably used to getting whatever he wanted. Goodness knows this young ambassador had probably never been in short supply of female admirers.

  “We all have our faults you know, Darian. But you can’t hide behind your own prejudices as an excuse not to trust people. In my world, people are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Maybe you should just learn to trust a little more.”

  He shook his head adamantly. “My situation is different.”

  “It can’t be that different. So okay—let’s say you inherit some castle and a hefty chunk of land. You do all your duties, you fulfill all your obligations, and in the meantime, you learn how to lighten up and live a little bit. Once you’ve done all that and everybody’s happy, you can call your own shots, right?”

  “Unfortunately, no—I cannot.”

  “Well then, can’t you just—”

  “Milady, believe me, I want to trust you, but things just aren’t that simple. You have no idea who you’re talking to!”

  Darian stood up and stalked off into the woods. She watched him disappear before she finally jumped up and hurried after him.

  “In the end, it doesn’t matter if you trust me or not,” she said. “But I will tell you this—you need to learn to trust people a bit more, or you’re never gonna be happy. My father always said that if you never take the risk, you’ll never take the triumph.”

  He spun around and stabbed angrily at her with his finger. “You don’t understand anything about my life or the people who are trying to control it! If you knew the truth, you’d know why I must be suspicious of every single person I meet.”

  He turned on his heel and marched away.

  “No, I don’t understand! Why don’t you explain it to me?” she yelled, trying to catch up. “Learn to trust someone besides yourself for a change!”

  “Trust someone? Hah!” He stomped through the woods, ducking to miss the low branches as he shook his head and muttered to himself. She hurried to keep up with his long strides.

  Suddenly Darian stopped, sucked in a deep breath, and wheeled around to face her. “Do you truly want to know just how tightly I am bound? Then I shall tell you. I’m not even allowed to choose the woman I am going to marry!”

  “Why not?”

  “I had a, ah—did have, an arranged marriage.”

  “What do you mean had? Did she break it off?” She snorted. “Now there’s a shocker for ya!”

  “No,” he shook his head sadly, “she died.”

  Marisa froze.

  “Oh, Darian! I’m so sorry,” she said, touching his arm. “Really, I’m so sorry for joking about that just now. I had no idea it was something awful like that.”

  “Don’t trouble yourself. It happened a long time ago,” he said, dismissing it with a wave. He resumed his brisk pace through the woods as if he was trying to put some distance between himself and his painful memories.

  “But who was she?” she pressed, wishing he would slow down.

  He stopped in his tracks and slowly turned toward her.

  “Her name was Princess Maraya Fiore. She was the daughter of Queen Elyse Fiore and King Macario. We were betrothed by our parents and would have ruled together after she ascended the throne.”

  “You were engaged to a princess?” Marisa gawked.

  He nodded sadly.

  “Wow, that’s so—tragic. How did she die?”

  “Her ship hit a terrible storm in the Sea of Pyrgos, and it sank. There wasn’t a single survivor. Her mother, father, brothers—all lost. Several members of the royal family went down with the Carnelian as well, including Arri
e’s father.”

  “That must have been awful!”

  “After we received the news that the ship never made it to Terracina and pieces of the wreckage had been recovered, our family was devastated. That one event pushed our country into a state of turmoil that has plagued it ever since.”

  “So what happens now? Can’t you just marry someone else?”

  Darian shrugged, plucking a leaf. “It’s not that simple. According to Carnelian law, I must marry a Fiore princess in order to ascend the throne. But there are no suitable matches. It would be impossible for me to choose my own bride unless the law is changed.”

  “Is there anyone who can change it?”

  “The man who is currently the power behind the throne is determined to steal the crown. He would never change the law so that I could marry whomever I want and ascend the throne.” He rubbed the stubble on his chin.

  Marisa shook her head. “I still can’t get over the part about the arranged marriage. I could never marry some guy my parents had picked out for me.”

  “Why not?”

  She looked at him, astonished. “I don’t know—what if he was the ugliest guy on the planet? How can you just marry someone you don’t even know?”

  “You might be surprised. Most arranged marriages work out better than when the couple is allowed to choose for themselves. Family members are extremely practical when it comes to selecting mates for their children.”

  She shook her head. “Nope, sorry. I could never marry some guy I didn’t know. Don’t people here ever marry for love?”

  “Some are fortunate enough.” He shrugged. “My options as far as a spouse go have always been extremely limited, however. You might say it comes with the job. Perhaps it’s my destiny never to marry.”

  “So what happens if you just decide to marry a common girl?”

  “That is quite out of the question,” he said, quickly dismissing the idea. “If I do not ascend the throne, then Savino will. If he were to succeed, it would mean utter disaster for our people. I must do everything in my power to stop him from taking the crown.”

  “You would sacrifice your own happiness just to keep this guy off the throne?”

  Darian’s eyes locked on hers. “I have been raised to put duty first. It is who I am. In the end, the privileges of being a member of the royal family always balance out with responsibilities.”

  She did a double take. “Wait—what? You’re a member of the royal family?”

  “Of course, my duties take top priority, and I am determined to succeed, which is precisely why we are on this diplomatic mission. Once we have been to Abbadon, I am confident things will work out.”

  “I hope they do.”

  He shifted uncomfortably. “We should be getting back now so we can move out.”

  As they walked back up the hill toward the horses, Marisa thought about his comment of being a member of the royal family. It certainly would explain his arrogant attitude toward her.

  When they reached the grove of trees, Arrie was patiently waiting on top of his horse for them to return. Darian mounted his horse and looked thoughtfully at her before his face reverted back to its stony expression.

  She replayed their conversation in her head. Something about him intrigued her, and her strong fascination with the young ambassador surprised even her. Although she had only known him for a day or two, she had already seen a lifetime’s worth of sadness in those eyes.

  All the boys she knew back home in Jacksonville were just that—boys. But this young man just a few years older than she seemed to already carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.

  The company of five large warriors crouched behind the jagged rocks several hundred feet above the valley floor. Two of them carried longbows and quivers full of arrows while the other three harbored shields and long swords. Each man was poised to attack the second their leader gave the command.

  The copper-haired leader motioned silently to his men with a closed fist, warning them to remain alert. Hidden from view, the warriors watched as the two men and one woman on horseback made their way along the road toward the Mychen Forest.

  One of the younger archers quietly drew his bow and aimed it at the tall, dark man in the lead. From his perched position up on the rocks, the soldier could easily take the man down with just one shot. When the copper-haired warrior saw where he was aiming, he slammed his bow to the ground in anger. He grabbed the arrow and snapped in two, quietly but firmly rebuking the young man.

  The band of warriors watched as the three travelers stopped just short of the edge of the forest. They waited in silence for their commander’s hand signal which came a moment later. They quickly retreated down the far side of the hill just as fast as they could run.

  The order to attack had been given.

  CHAPTER 6

  MONSTERS

  DARIAN TUGGED GENTLY ON the reins, bringing his horse to a stop at the edge of the forest. Without a word, he sniffed the air and watched for any movement among the trees but saw nothing. He maneuvered his horse around to address Marisa in a voice only slightly louder than a whisper.

  “Marisa, for your own protection, please listen carefully to what I am about to tell you. We will proceed in single file with me in the lead, then you, with Arrie bringing up the rear. You must remain in a defensive position with your horse between mine and Arrie’s.

  “Do not speak. You must not make a sound of any kind, but continue as quickly and as quietly through the forest as possible.”

  He paused for a moment and scanned the clearing for any sign of movement. When he saw none, he turned back to her.

  “If we are fortunate enough not to encounter the rijgen, it should take us about twenty minutes to reach the safety of the clearing on the other side. If we are attacked, run your horse as fast as you can until you are clear of the woods. Whatever you do, do not stop, and do not try to hide in the forest.” He removed a small dagger from his saddlebag and handed it to her. “Please take this and pray that you will not need it.”

  Marisa glanced down at the weapon encased in a black leather pouch. She removed it carefully from its sheath. There was an intricate coat of arms engraved in the upper part of the blade.

  She looked at Arrie. He was stroking his mustache anxiously but still tried to reassure her with a smile.

  “Darian, isn’t there any other way without going through the forest?” she asked. “I mean, if it’s so dangerous, shouldn’t we just try to go around?”

  “Unfortunately, this is the quickest way through. There is one other way, but it’s up and over a treacherous pass with its own set of dangers. We just don’t have the time.”

  “But is it worth the—”

  “We must cross this forest if we are to reach Abbadon by tomorrow,” Darian said impatiently. “Stay close and you’ll be fine.”

  He drew his sword from its sheath, bowed his head in a short prayer, and moved forward with determination. He turned, motioning the others to follow.

  They entered the forest, and the trio of horses settled into a steady trot. Marisa scanned the forest but only saw tall trees and dense brush consisting of unusually large ferns. The vibrant green moss covered the trees and fallen logs like a thick carpet. She would have marveled at the beauty of the woods had it not been so unnerving.

  The deeper they went, the darker the woods became. Marisa felt a chill as the temperature suddenly dropped several degrees. She wrapped her cape tightly around her body and listened to the horses’ hooves hitting the muddy road with a clippity-clop sound. They were making too much noise.

  A bird cawed somewhere in the trees, startling them.

  She turned to glance at Arrie. He was sweeping the forest with his eyes, back and forth, up and down between the trees. He stopped his scan just long enough to give her a small smile and put his forefinger to his lips, motioning for her not to make a sound.

  A familiar fear gripped her. They weren’t alone.

  She couldn’t se
e Darian’s expression, but in the defensive way he held his sword, he seemed prepared to slice through anything that made a move toward them. His tall frame and broad shoulders were tense as he leaned forward on Obsidian.

  Darian’s head jerked to the left and then he spun around. He gestured to Marisa and Arrie to increase their speed, and the horses’ accelerated into a bold canter. As their hooves pounded the ground, Marisa winced. Her eyes scanned the brush for anything unusual. At first she didn’t see anything, but then she happened to be looking in just the right place.

  Something was disturbing the ferns.

  Off to her right a few hundred yards, a dark shadow darted through the forest, moving parallel to them. Her eyes tried to follow it, but it quickly disappeared.

  Darian motioned to go even faster. Obsidian broke into a full gallop with Marisa and Arrie following close behind. The horses thundered down the road at a furious pace to escape their predator.

  In the corner of her left eye, Marisa saw something accelerating between the trees. The ferns bent and swayed in its wake. Was it the same thing she’d seen before, or was this a different one?

  Her heart was pumping as she struggled to cushion her body from Siena’s muscles exploding underneath. She clutched the reins tight and arched her back as the adrenaline coursed through her veins.

  So this is how it feels to be hunted.

  She spun around to check on Arrie. A wave of terror gripped her as she spotted the frightening monster chasing them. It was a hideous, three-way cross between a wolf, a bear and an ape. The giant mass of dark fur bared its long fangs as its beady, yellow eyes darted around in search of the easiest prey.

  Marisa opened her mouth to scream, but no sound would come.

  Seeing the look of shock on her face, Arrie followed her gaze and glanced behind him. When he turned around again, his face was as white as a sheet. The beast snarled, lunging at Arrie with his razor-sharp claws and only narrowly missing him.

  From out of nowhere, a second animal raced toward them and tried to slice Arrie’s head with its claws. Arrie ducked just in time and shouted something to Darian who spun around without breaking his lightning-fast pace. He saw the two creatures racing behind the horses as their vice-like jaws took turns snapping at Arrie’s head. Arrie unsheathed his half-sized sword and swiped at them as they growled and hissed at their prey.