by Rosalie Redd
A strange sensation pulled at her back, and the hair on her arms stood on end. They weren’t alone.
Strong hands grabbed her from behind and hauled her to her feet. An arm encircled her throat, cutting off the air. Adrenaline spiked into her veins. She struggled against this new threat.
“He was mine. He still would be, if not for you.” Mauree’s staccato voice was loud in the night air.
Melissa grabbed Mauree’s arm and tried to pull away, but her grip was too strong.
“I’ve been watching you from the trees, waiting for my opportunity.” Mauree laughed.
Melissa twisted in Mauree’s grasp, trying to find some purchase, anything to help her break free.
“You ruined my life, you fool. For that, you must pay with your own.” Mauree’s hot breath cascaded over Melissa’s shoulders.
Melissa couldn’t breathe. Stars appeared in front of her eyes. She tried to power her shield, but couldn’t concentrate as whiteness descended. Payback was a bitch, and Mauree was her name.
*****
Rin rushed into the Portal Navigation Center and skidded to a stop. Ginnia wasn’t here. Craya! Where are you? He couldn’t waste time waiting for her, he needed to start now.
The sunstones glittered in his hands, and he spread them along the grooves in the porte stanen. I pray these are smooth enough. His gnarled fingers struggled to pick up a stone. He cursed under his breath.
“Why did you have ’ta recalibrate all the openings, huh?” He stared at the ceiling, as if the Keep would give him an answer.
“I don’t know if I can fix this in time.”
He leaned over the porte stanen, and his shoulders slumped forward. The air warmed. Sweat dotted his arms and the back of his neck.
The delicate scent of pineapple filled the room. Rin stiffened, hope soaring through him like water through a sieve.
“Ginnia?”
“Hi, Rin. I got the stones.” She carried a burlap bag over one shoulder, the ends gripped tight in her hands. In the crook of one arm rested an old, ragged book. She shook under the weight and dropped the bag, the book tumbling from its perch.
She snatched up the ancient tome, cradling the text close to her chest. “Why did you want so many stones?”
“I’m so glad to see ya, honey-pie.” He grabbed her shoulders and gave them a soft squeeze. “We need to recalibrate the stones. Didn’t ’cha feel the Keep move?”
“Of course, silly Rin. The Keep was sure mad, wasn’t she?” Ginnia giggled and placed her hand over her mouth. “So, are we going to play a game?”
“Hmm—yes, let’s play a game. It’s called ‘how fast can ya put the stones back in place.’ ”
Ginnia squinted, and she pointed her finger at Rin. “I’ve never heard of that game before. Are you making this up?”
“Na, it’s a new game. You’ll be the first ’ta play. Want ’ta give it a try?”
“I’ll be the first one! Sure!” She placed the book on his workbench with great care, caressing the cover with her fingertips.
“Why’d ya bring the book, honey-pie? I didn’t ask for one.”
“Oh, that’s for later. I’m ready. When do I start?” Her eyes gleamed with childlike excitement.
He grabbed the burlap bag and placed it on the rim of the porte stanen. “How ’bout now?”
“Time me.” She shook her head and dived in. Her quick hands moved over the surface. The sunstones went into place one by one. Tiny water droplets splashed onto her arms and hands, but she didn’t seem to care.
The flutter in Rin’s stomach kept him on his toes. “C’mon, honey-pie, you can do it.”
One by one, the stones started to take shape within the concentric circles. Hope swelled within him as she worked. He massaged his sore fingers, the pain keeping him grounded.
The pile of stones dwindled. His heartbeat sped up. The central stone was twice as large as all the others and it, too, had been damaged during the Keep’s tirade. There wasn’t a crystal large enough in the remaining heap. The portal wouldn’t open without the central stone.
A moan escaped his throat, and he shook his head in disbelief.
Ginnia placed the last of her stones into the circle. “Aw, there’s one missing.” Her bottom lip stuck out, and she frowned. “Don’t you have any more?”
“No, honey-pie, I’m all out.” He placed his hand on the wall and bent his head in defeat.
Chapter Forty-Eight
After the encounter with Ram, Noeh changed into his human form. He sent out a mental vibration, calling to his weapon. Screeeee. The sentient sword levitated through the air, twisting back and forth between the trees, following the energy connection to its partner. Warrior and weapon reunited, he headed to the clearing to search for Melissa.
Noeh’s heart pounded. Where was she? Was she safe? Ice-cold fingers of dread cascaded down his back. He crashed through some small rhododendron bushes at the edge of the clearing. Inhaling a deep breath, he searched for her scent. His mind blanked. He couldn’t find her unique fragrance.
The battle raged around him. Time slowed. The smallest details came into focus. Saar sliced through a Gossum. Its thick head fell to the ground, black blood covering the blades of grass. Aramie, in her panther form, battled Jakar. A cut above Jakar’s eye gaped, dark against the pale reflection of his bald head. Stiyaha, Panthera, and Gossum fought around him, all with various degrees of injuries.
His chest heaved at the sight. Was Melissa alive? Numerous possibilities flashed through his mind in an instant. He narrowed his eyes and looked through the melee, between the figures locked in battle. At the edge of the clearing, Mauree had her arm wrapped around Melissa’s throat.
“Noooooooo!” His voice turned into a howl and his heartbeat pounded through his veins.
He bounded into the meadow, running faster than he imagined possible. Racing past warriors and Gossum alike, his one thought—Save Melissa.
Melissa went limp in Mauree’s arms. A satisfied smile crossed Mauree’s mouth. She let Melissa fall to the ground. Grabbing a nearby rock, she raised the small boulder above her head.
Noeh gained ground, but he wouldn’t make it there in time to stop the rock’s trajectory. Visions of his father dabbing his mother’s mouth as she coughed up blood ran through his mind. He’d become like his father, destined to watch his female die, unable to save her. His chest constricted, and his vision narrowed to a pinpoint. Anguish fueled his desire for retribution. He pulled his sword from its sheath. The familiar sound of metal on metal was his only salve.
Mauree aimed the rock at Melissa’s hips, where his young son grew. She brought the stone down with a loud cry. The boulder stopped mere inches from Melissa’s body. Mauree jerked and blinked several times. She pushed against the rock, but the stone just bobbed in place, as if held there by an invisible force. Mauree released her hold and scrambled back. The stone levitated, rocking from side to side, and fell into the moist earth.
Noeh couldn’t breathe. He slowed to a stop a few feet away. Could that be…my son? Shock at the realization that his child had saved his mother almost brought him to his knees.
Melissa stirred. She moaned and pushed herself to her elbows.
A sense of relief flooded through his system. The muscles in Noeh’s arms shook, and he almost dropped his sword. She was alive.
Mauree took another step back, and the movement caught Noeh’s attention. His focus on Melissa, he’d forgotten she was there.
“Don’t move.” His low words were a firm command.
Her muscles tensed. She glanced over her shoulder and bolted for the forest.
He pursued her.
A burst of energy engulfed him. Warmth, like heat from the sunstones caressed his skin. A shimmery current extended beyond and enveloped Mauree. Stopped in her tracks, she pushed against the barrier but couldn’t get away.
Noeh grabbed Mauree by the arm and yanked her toward him. “I should kill you, here and now, for what you’ve done.” His m
arking for justice pulsed above his eye.
“Noeh, please, not another death. Let her pay for her crime.”
Melissa’s soft voice broke through his anger. He couldn’t deny his kitten anything. He released his grip on Mauree. Wrapped in Melissa’s shield she couldn’t escape. He turned to face the one who had changed him, the one who made him whole.
Melissa’s fiery red hair stoked his desire. Like the first time he’d seen her, she captured his attention, and he couldn’t look away. Trailing his fingers through the silken strands, his gaze traveled over her face. She moistened her lips. Drawing her into his arms, he gave her a bruising kiss. I want her. I need her. I love her. He pulled back and held her head in his hands. With their foreheads pressed against each other, he stared into her eyes.
“We have much to discuss.” He kissed her again, savoring her delicate flavor.
“I hate you.” Mauree’s voice was full of menace.
Noeh swiveled his head in her direction. The pain and torment in her eyes sent a stab through his chest. He didn’t recognize the feeling at first—pity. His marking for compassion pulsed under his eye. Breathless, he touched the thin line. The mark was thicker, fuller than before. Melissa had done this to him. He’d changed, grown because of her.
Still holding Melissa’s head, he gave her a gentle kiss. She tilted her chin toward Mauree. “We need to get back. I don’t know how much longer I can hold my shield.”
In the melee of events, he’d forgotten about the shield. Energy pulsed around them, the glow a warm, welcome beacon. He released Melissa, and the emptiness left him cold.
He glared at Mauree. “You will stand trial for treason and attempted murder.” A shudder ran over his shoulders. He’d almost made her his queen.
“Why did you have to bring her to the Keep?” Mauree’s pinched eyes glared at Noeh.
“I’m thankful that I did, for many reasons.”
“I win in the end, Noeh. She can’t be your queen, she’s not Stiyaha.” Mauree laughed. The shrill sound echoed off the trees and up into the night sky. The last remnants of the moon glinted down on them. The new moon rose tomorrow.
Melissa took a step back. The material of her slacks stretched against her distended middle. The thought that something was wrong tugged at the back of his mind. She peered at the ferns a few feet away. He couldn’t get a good read on her. His throat constricted, and he touched her on the elbow.
She looked up at him, her eyes glossy with unshed tears. He didn’t want to tell her out here on the battlefield, but he couldn’t bear to let her suffer, so he settled for something in the middle. “As I said, we have much to discuss.”
He turned to the traitor and nodded toward the middle of the clearing. “Start walking.”
The battle was over. Piles of black sludge spread across the field, each in different stages of decomposition. Warriors patrolled the perimeter, looking for stray Gossum. The gods were right to bring their kinds together. Maybe they could survive.
Saar ran up to Noeh and stopped short. “You don’t know how glad I am to see you both.” He glanced from Noeh to Melissa and his eyes widened. “You’re—”
“Pregnant, yes, she is.” Noeh clasped Melissa’s hand.
Saar blinked and a huge grin spread across his face. “That’s…fabulous.”
“Well put, my friend.” Noeh’s chest expanded.
Saar shook his head and focused on Noeh. His brows creased. “You controlled your beast, how is that possible?”
“I reconnected the strands. It wasn’t easy, but it’s doable.” Noeh scanned the clearing. “Did any Gossum get away?”
“Yes, Jakar, with three others. We pursued them until they crossed the river. What about Ram?”
“He’s dead. I crushed his heart. Did we lose anyone?”
“No, but Demir is in bad shape. He took a dart. We don’t know what was in the vial.”
“Where is he?”
“We moved him to the edge of the meadow, out of the way of the fighting.” Saar pointed in the general direction. “We kept the dart, in case it’s helpful to Gaetan.”
Noeh’s heart leapt. Aramie crouched over Demir. He was unconscious and pale.
Noeh handed Mauree over to Saar. “Take her. She will be tried and judged for her crimes.”
Saar walked behind Mauree. He unhooked the cord that dangled from his belt and wrapped the magical rope around her wrists.
Melissa gazed into Noeh’s eyes, her own flitting back and forth as she assessed him. “Let’s go see Demir.”
Noeh nodded, and they ran to Demir’s side. He lay sprawled out next to a large boulder. The soft grass that surrounded him was like a deathbed. The empty dart rested close by. A lump formed in Noeh’s throat. He took that dart for me.
Aramie knelt over Demir, her hand resting on his shoulder.
“What can I do?” Noeh asked.
“Open a gateway. We need to get him back to the Keep.”
“No problem.”
He closed his eyes. The Portal Navigation Center rose in his mind. He imagined the crystals and the porte stanen. Pulling on the threads, he reached out to summon the doorway. Rin.
Nothing happened.
His gut tightened, and he tried again. Rin!
Still nothing.
He opened his eyes and stared in disbelief. The gateway wasn’t working.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Rin stared at the porte stanen—one stone short. As the Portal Navigator, his job was to ensure the gateway remained operational. He’d failed at his most important task. He rubbed his eyes and the weight of his failure settled onto his shoulders. “Ah, Keep, why’d ya have to be so protective? Couldn’t ya have left one opening?”
Ginnia traced her finger over the concentric rings until she reached the empty spot reserved for the central keystone. Her moist eyes just about broke his heart.
Thunk.
A single sunstone fell from the ceiling. The large rock glistened, the light refracting off the multifaceted cuts. He pointed his shaking finger at the gem.
“P-Put the sunstone in place.”
Ginnia picked up the beautiful crystal and placed the rock in the center of the rings. The stone glowed bright orange, and each circle lit up, powered by the central keystone. The gateway was operational. He gripped Ginnia by her arms, and they jumped for joy.
“Did I win the game?”
“Honey-pie, you absolutely won.” Hearty laughter erupted from his lungs. Thank you, Keep.
A ping rang in his head. Noeh called for the gateway.
He stood over the porte stanen and concentrated on his task. Moving his arms around and around, a tendril of mist rose into the air. The water heated from the sunstones, and the fog thickened in the room.
The gateway opened. Through the opening, Noeh’s eyes glistened in the darkness.
*****
As a hole in the mist cleared, an image of the porte stanen solidified. A rush of relief raced through Noeh’s veins. The sight of the Keep never looked so good.
Noeh waved his hand. “Go, go.”
Aramie and a couple of Panthera carried Demir’s lifeless form through the opening. Noeh couldn’t help but glance at Demir’s pale features. Hang on, Demir.
Saar escorted Mauree through the portal, followed by the rest of the warriors. Noeh gripped Melissa’s hand and they crossed together.
Ram was dead. They were safe—for now.
Tension drained from Noeh’s muscles. He squeezed Melissa’s hand, and a warm smile crossed her face.
Rin closed the gateway, and the mist dissipated, leaving Noeh’s skin damp. Warriors, some with limited wounds, and others who needed Gaetan’s services, headed into the corridor. A few uninjured warriors remained behind.
Aramie paced while a couple of Panthera warriors placed Demir on the gurney. One of his arms hung over the edge and his veins showed through his pale skin.
“Be careful.” A single tear escaped Aramie’s eye. She wiped the wetness away
and caught Noeh’s attention.
His marking for compassion pulsed beneath his eye. “Gaetan will do everything possible to help him. Please let me know if there is anything you need from me.”
Aramie nodded. As the warriors wheeled Demir out of the room, she stayed by his side, her hand covering his with a firm grip.
Noeh shook his head. Demir’s sacrifice weighed heavy on his shoulders.
Melissa rubbed his arm. “I don’t think the gods will let him die.”
Her compassion shone in her eyes, and his heart yearned to believe as much as she did. His gaze dropped to her mouth, and an urge to kiss her right there in front of the remaining warriors overwhelmed him. He couldn’t wait any longer to ask her to become his queen.
*****
Noeh brushed his thumb down the side of Melissa’s face. “Little kitten, what you do to me.”
His touch lit every nerve along the way, and she shivered.
She sensed others watching them, and turned around. The warriors stood quiet, stunned into silence with open mouths and wide-eyed stares. She tensed.
Noeh’s touch on her chin brought Melissa’s focus back to his eyes. She opened her mouth to ask him a question, but he placed his finger over her mouth.
“Shhh—it’s my turn to ask the questions.” He kissed the back of her hand, and her skin tingled from his tender lips. As he lowered himself to one knee, his boots creaked in the quiet.
“I promised the gods I would select my queen by the new moon.” A smile broke on his face, and his eyes twinkled. “Melissa, I can only imagine you by my side. Would you honor me and allow me to bond to you as your mate?”
Was this really happening? She struggled to breathe. “Did you just ask me to be your queen?”
“I did, and I’m waiting for your answer.”
“H-how is this possible? I’m not Stiyaha.”
“My queen doesn’t have to be Stiyaha, just Lemurian. I found the scripture and memorized the text.”
He recited the words, his voice low and soft.
The king shall bond to his Lemurian queen