by W.J. May
Chapter 14
Jumping off a sixty-foot cliff did seem ridiculous, but Sarah knew they had no other choice. Tumbling, cold water gushed into her mouth and soaked her clothes, pulling her under the surface. She pinched her nose, fighting the sensation to draw in her breath, her lungs on fire. With deliberate, long pushes of her legs and arms, she broke the surface and spewed out water, her whole body screaming for oxygen. She took giant gulps of air as she gazed up. In the distance, the dark shapes of the Immortals rose against the almost black sky; they were still mounted on their fancy white horses, looking down on her from their place atop the high cliffs.
She smiled and waved her hand. “So long, suckers!” Sarah’s vision sharpened quickly. From this distance, she thought she could even see deep lines forming around the blond guy’s mouth, his eyes two glimmering flames of anger.
Suddenly, his voice rolled across her mind. “My name is Ethano. You’ve been summoned by the Cardashian Court to be tried for the crime of claiming Immortal status without permission. This is forbidden by King Taggert, and now you must be judged. Know that I too, can easily jump over this cliff. I recommend that you stop fleeing, because you will be caught and tried eventually, one way or another.”
“I’m sorry I broke your laws!” shouted Sarah. “Truly, it was an accident. I didn’t know anything about the Immortals or this world of yours!” Gasping for breath, she swam toward shore until her feet touched the ground beneath her. Sarah waded through the waist-high current that pulled at her hips and legs with a violent undertow. Pebbles and sand shifted under her feet. She climbed out, shivering as a cold breeze ran over her body. Piercing pain radiated across her chest and back. She bit her lip and held back a moan. Finding her friends was more important than focusing on a little discomfort—or a lot of pain. She took another deep breath and forged ahead. “Frank!” she called through the moonlight, stopping midstride to scan the area. Shadows stretched and shifted in the trees. Squinting, she peered closer until she could make out figures in the distance, hopefully her friends, leaning against black boulders, catching their breath. She raced over, calling out their names.
Frank grabbed her arms. “Are you okay, babe?”
“We have to…to keep going,” Sarah said, breathing heavily. “They’re…they’re coming over the cliff. They’re…right behind us!”
“Sit down for a minute, Sarah,” Beth ordered. “You’re hurt, and you need to catch your breath.”
“No. There’s no time.”
“But I don’t see anybody,” Beth said, looking back.
Sarah glanced up. The two Immortals had disappeared into the darkness. Maybe Ethano didn’t want to get wet after all, but she was sure he’d come a different way.
“Sit down! You’re drenched and shaking,” Beth ordered, guiding her to a nearby tree.
Sarah shook her head. “No! We don’t have time for this nonsense. They could reach us any minute.”
“Oh my Gosh! Are you…bleeding?” Beth held her hands up to her face, smelling the dark stains covering her pale skin. Her blue eyes shone big and bright in the dim moonlight. “Sarah, you could be hurt bad. It’s too dark to tell for sure, but you’re in no condition to go anywhere.”
“I’m sure your condition is more delicate than mine,” Sarah whispered in her ear.
“I’m fine. Now drop it,” Beth hissed. “I’d rather not talk about it right now.”
Sarah regarded her intently. She was sure Beth was hiding something, because most pregnant women she knew were happy to tell the world about it.
“Dude, is that blood?” Steven said, inching closer.
Sarah looked down and noticed she’d been hit three times.
Adam shook his head. “We’ve got to find a doctor. You’re bleeding like a stuck pig.”
“A pig, huh?”
“Sorry.”
“It’s just a scratch anyway. Don’t worry.” Sarah gripped the dagger tightly and moaned as she pulled it out.
“Stop that!” Beth grabbed her hand and pulled Sarah to the ground, elevating her feet with a rock. “If you elevate your legs above your chest, it will slow your blood loss.”
“We don’t have time for you to play nurse,” Sarah said.
“Well, I’m all up for playing doctor if you want,” Frank joked.
Sarah rolled her eyes at him and offered Beth a grateful look. In spite of the seriousness of the situation, she decided to let Beth have her way. Helping everyone else was what her friend did. She just couldn’t help herself.
Beth rolled her eyes. “I know you’re not used to taking orders, especially now that you’re a queen and all.” She smiled. “But this time, Your Highness, you need to listen to one of your humble servants who knows a thing or two more than you do about anatomy.”
“She’s right,” Adam said. “And quit trying to pull out those daggers. We don’t even have a medic here.”
“No use to call 911. Sarah will be over it before they get here,” Frank said, placing his hands over Sarah’s wound to apply pressure.
She glared up at Frank. “I’d really like to know why I’m the one getting shot at with arrows and having daggers thrown at me. Last time I checked, putting this stupid ring on and marrying that king was your dumb idea. What did Jules call it? A fool’s plan?”
He lifted his hands and peeked at the wound. “I’m sorry, Sarah. Really, I had no idea we’d get in so deep.”
“That’s the problem,” Beth hissed, pushing his hands away. “The Frank I know never thinks, just acts on his impulses. Maybe he’ll learn one day that consequences are part of life.”
“Look, can we just stop all this bickering and chitchat and do something?” Adam said in a frustrated tone. “Beth, Sarah’s gonna bleed out or get an infection if we don’t figure something out, and I’m pretty sure there’s not a Walgreen’s around here for bandages and peroxide.”
Beth touched her forehead, then took her pulse. “It’s rapid. Her skin’s cold, pale, and clammy. She’s going into shock! We have to control the bleeding and keep her warm. Better yet, we need to get her through the portal and to the closest ER!”
“She’ll never live that long!” Adam pushed Frank out of the way and frantically applied more pressure, making Sarah cringe in pain. “Look out, Frank. Let me take over here. Maybe I can do something other than make jokes and wait for some magic cure.”
Sarah shook her head. “No, listen, Frank’s right. I—”
Steven cut her off. “Look, no one’s gonna die. I’ll run to the next village, and I won’t come back without a doc.”
Sarah knew if she didn’t do something to stop all the debating, they’d still be sitting there in a week, if the Immortals didn’t show up and get rid of them first. As much as she valued their concern, she was still the team leader, and she had to get a grip on the situation because being stuck there any longer than necessary wasn’t an option. Rolling her eyes, Sarah held up a hand. “No, Steven, you’re not going off by yourself. I’m fine. Look.” She wrapped her hands around the second dagger and pulled once again, groaning. The blade moved out inch by inch, leaving a hollow emptiness behind. She held it up with a triumphant smile, even though the others could probably not see her in the darkness. “Now we’ve got two weapons.”
“See? She’s delirious already. She’s not going to make it if we don’t do something drastic,” Adam said. “Steven, c’mon. I’ll go with you, and we’ll drag the local witch doctor back here.”
Frank smiled. “You guys got a death-wish or something? She’s fine. This is nothing.”
“What does Sarah see in you?” Adam rolled his eyes. “Her life’s hanging in the balance, and you couldn’t care less.”
“No…you don’t understand,” whispered Sarah, trying to breathe through the pain.
Frank let up on the pressure. “What happened here is nothing compared to what she took earlier. Like I told you, she was shot in the heart before, and she lived.”
“So she was just lucky
,” Adam said. “Karma probably owed her that after having to put up with you!”
“No. She’s Immortal, you idiot.” Frank shook his head, as if he could barely believe the words coming out of his own mouth. “Haven’t you been listening to anything we’ve been saying?”
Adam stood and shook out his wet fedora. “I don’t make it a habit to listen to your nonsense.”
Frank threw his arms up. “Whoa! Now who’s the skeptic?” He nudged Steven. “Did you get that on camera?”
“Think I will.” Steven unzipped his bag and started to film. “Dude, thank goodness my camera bag’s waterproof.”
With the knives out, her skin started to burn, and the healing process began. She gnashed her teeth against the first pang of pain hitting her somewhere in the chest. Adam held her hand as more pain radiated through her body. She peeked up, forcing her mouth into a weak smile so she wouldn’t scream. “What Frank…what he says…it’s true.”
“Hold steady,” Frank whispered.
She nodded as she felt his hand tighten around the third dagger in her back.
He pulled, and a moment later, he held the dagger out to her. “Here’s number three.”
Sarah pulled down her robe, exposing her bare shoulder. Cringing, she looked away; the bright red tissue, blood, and tendon made her nauseous. “Now watch.”
Adam cringed. “No way! I’m not looking at that.”
“You need to,” Sarah said. “All of you need to see it with your own eyes. Otherwise, you won’t believe it.”
In the bright moonlight, the wound began to shrink. Sarah bit her lip against the piercing pain that made her body tremble. With every inch that closed, a strong tremor ran up and down her spine, and the pain grew in intensity. Just when she thought she couldn’t take the pain any longer, the gash finally disappeared before their eyes.
Adam gasped and ran his hand across her skin. “How…how is that possible? How did you do it?”
“It’s the ring.”
He met her gaze. “Well, I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you believe us now.”
He nodded, awestruck.
Beth traced her skin with her fingers. “I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
“And I got it all on camera!” Steven said. “Yeah, baby!”
“If you’re feeling better, Sarah, we really should get a move-on,” Frank said.
“Definitely.” She stood, but she doubled over when a piercing pain hit her abdomen. “My stomach! It feels like somebody just stabbed me.”
“What? How?” Frank touched her back and eased her back down to the ground.
A picture flashed in her head: wavy black hair swaying in a cold breeze as mist built in front of a pale face. It was Victor, fighting the same two Immortals she’d just seen in the meadow. Blood trickled from a wound in his abdomen, but he still raised his sword and fought like some kind of brave warrior. Then, as quickly as it had come upon her, the vision faded. “He’s here! Right where we jumped.”
Beth rubbed her back. “Who?”
“Victor,” Sarah whispered. “I saw him in some freaky vision.” She raised her hand to rub her eyes, but more spots clouded her vision, drawing her into a sense of floating.
“Your, uh, husband?” Steven asked. “Are you sure it’s not just separation anxiety?”
Beth slugged him. “Her fake husband, you moron.”
“Victor took down the two Immortals who were chasing us,” said Sarah. “That was why they didn’t jump over the cliff to follow us like they threatened.”
“Can you walk?” Frank asked. When she nodded, he wrapped his arm around her waist to support her and pulled her closer, until she leaned into him.
Electricity flooded Sarah’s body, and she went limp. Her friends shouted and shook her, but their voices trailed off. The picture in her head returned to the meadow. The two Immortals lay in the grass unconscious, under the silver light of the moon. She stood only feet away from Victor. Over his white long-sleeved shirt, he wore a gold metal ringed tunic, and his legs were clothed in short purple knickers and tights. As he towered over her, she stared straight ahead at the center of his broad chest and powerful arms. She was scared to death to meet his gaze.
She scanned her surroundings. A roaring river echoed in her ears, and she stood on the same cliff she’d just jumped from minutes earlier. Her friends were gone, and she was in the meadow with Victor.
“I know you’re here. I can feel you. Haven’t you figured out that the ring bonds us? We have a connection like none other, my Queen.”
Her breath trembled. It was all beyond weird. There was some pretty freaky psychic vibe going, but at least he couldn’t see her. Now, how do I get out of this little hallucination? She wondered.
He turned slowly in a circle, his eyes scanning the area as though he was looking for her. “I’m sorry I burned your finger, but it was the only way to show the Shadow People who you really were. It saved your life. I did it to protect you, to protect us.”
“Wait…back there with the shape-shifters? That was you?” she said out loud.
Victor tilted her chin, looking directly into her eyes. It was like as if she was simultaneously there with him and still down by the river with her friends. How is this even possible? Wait a minute…I’m…I’m not human anymore, right? This is because I’m…because I’m Immortal. The idea haunted her.
“I can see you now. What a beautiful vision you are, like an angel,” Victor said.
She rubbed her temples, hoping to escape the vision. “Get out of my head!”
“Do you know how close you came to death, love? The Immortals missed you by mere minutes.”
“Why would you care? You threatened to kill me yourself.”
His lips captured hers in a slow, gentle kiss, sending shivers throughout her body. “You are my wife, and I will fight for you in that regard, even if you aren’t Princess Gloria.”
He knows? Crap! Her heart thundered as she bit her lip, scanning his eyes; his face was a cold mask, betraying no emotion. She shook her head slightly, a fool for feeling so guilty. “I’m sorry I misled you. Surely we can have this scam of a marriage annulled or something. Please tell me the secret to removing the ring.”
“There is no way. We are bonded for eternity.”
She stepped back to escape the happy glint in his eyes. “I tried to tell you I wasn’t Princess Gloria, but you didn’t listen. You said if I didn’t go through with it, you’d kill me.”
“That wasn’t your only motivation, and you know it,” he said softly.
Sarah gulped. How did he know of my ulterior motive, to obtain the ring so I—so we—can go home?
He stroked her cheek. “You didn’t think I’d figure it out, but it turns out that Mia valued her life more than keeping your secrets, Your Highness.”
Her body trembled, and her heart raced. “But I didn’t know what it meant to put the ring on. I truly didn’t. I just want to go home. Getting you in trouble with the court wasn’t my intention. I’m sorry. I just…I just don’t belong here.”
He took a deep breath, regarding her intently as he slowly shook his head. “I’m not in trouble. You, on the other hand, are buried beneath it.”
“Yeah, so I’ve learned.”
“I see you’ve been busy testing your new immortality,” he said, smirking. “You were wounded in the heart, the back, the chest, and the shoulder. I felt it, every tear of your flesh, and I know you just felt the blow to my stomach.”
“Yeah. That hurt.” Realization hit her full force: The ring really did somehow connect them, and they could feel what one another felt. “I know I’ve ruined all of your plans,” Sarah said. “I’m afraid I will be of little help in contaminating that bloodline for you.”
“It wasn’t about that, although that would’ve made King William’s blood boil.”
“What? So, let me get this straight. All this time you really didn’t want to contaminate the royal bloodline?”
“Then why?”
“The idea to marry Princess Gloria was a brilliant military strategy. If I had connected myself to her the way I’m connected to you, I would have King William at my beck and call. If he laid one hand on me, his beloved daughter would’ve felt any pain he inflicted upon me. He could never bear that, for he loves her way too much to make her suffer, even for a moment. As such, he would be forced to obey every command I barked out and submit to my rule as long as he lived. I could have marched right into enemy territory, and not one of his men would have touched a hair on my head. I could have been so bold to walk up to King William himself, in his castle, and spit in his face, and he still wouldn’t kill me.”
“Maybe, but now he still can, since I’m not his precious daughter,” Sarah said a bit flippantly, growing weary of talking to her bully of a spouse. “Too bad you screwed up and married the wrong person.”
“I don’t care about those plans anymore,” he whispered, cupping her face.
She touched his hand. “I get it. Your plans flopped, so now I’m your consolation prize. Why don’t you cut your losses and release me?”
Moonlight shone against his disheveled hair. “I loved how your eyes lit up when I kissed you after our vows. There’s a spark there that even you cannot deny. We both felt it, and you know it. Why fight it?”
“Let me go, Victor,” she whispered. “It’s better this way, especially since I don’t belong here.”
“You’re like no other woman in this kingdom. I’ve never met such a free spirit. You’re just as strong-willed as I am. Finally, I have met my match, an equal—a true partner. How can I let you go? I’ve been waiting for someone like you for hundreds of years. It was fate that I found you instead of Gloria, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.” He pulled her closer. “I can help you with the Immortals, but you have to come with me. I am personal friends with King Taggert, who resides over the Cardashian Court and all Immortals.”
“I heard you’re next in line to rule this world once your dying king takes his last breath.”
He nodded. “Yes. I am well connected, and I can and will use that influence to my advantage to see that nothing happens to you. Please let me help you.”
“And never go home to my world?”
“Your home is here with me now, ruling by my side.”
She reached for his hands to make one last plea. “Go back to your castle. Forget about me. I have to run one quick errand, and then I’m going back home.”
“Heading into deeper enemy territory to find your sister, are you? Do you want to get us both killed?”
She gazed up into his blue eyes. “Don’t follow me, and you won’t have to worry about it.”
“Let me come with you. I assure you that I can help.”
“No way!” she demanded, certain he’d say anything to get her back in his grasp.
“I can’t let you go deeper into Dornia without me. I hate to do this, but it’s the only way. I’m sorry. I need you to surrender to me now.” He closed his eyes and repeated his command in a stern voice.
She could feel him at the edge of her mind, trying to break in. Closing her eyes, she tried to break out of the vision and go back to her friends, but her mind would not let go of him; it was as if he was held there, captive, right before her eyes. She could smell his woody scent, and her skin still felt his light caress on her bare arms.
He kissed her forehead. “Don’t fight it. I’m hundreds of years old, while you are merely an infant, only a day old as far as Immortals go. I’m doing all of this to save your life.”
She could feel him stroking her hair, his hot breath on her cheek.
“I can’t let you die,” he said.
“These feelings we’re having…it’s just because of the ring,” Sarah reasoned, trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince him.
He picked up her hand, touching her finger. “This ring is capable of more than you know, but one thing it cannot do is force someone to fall in love where those feelings do not exist. I can sense what you feel. It’s stronger than your will, yet you frivolously try to run from it, from me?”
Sarah fought to wake up, but it was no use.
“Wait for me along the river’s edge,” he commanded. “Come alone.”
A burst of heat spread through her body, and everything seemed clear. Why am I even running? Of course I must surrender to him. I’m his…his wife. He’s only trying to save my life. If he says it’s dangerous to go into Dornia, he must be telling me the truth. This is his world, and I need him if I’m to survive in it.
“I’ll be there soon,” he whispered in her ear.
“I’ll wait for you at the river’s edge, my King.”
Like through a tunnel, she could hear the voices of her friends breaking through.
Beth yanked on her finger. “Get that ring off!”
“That’s not the way it works,” Frank explained. “We’ve tried everything, and it won’t budge.”
She felt somebody rocking her back and forth, shaking her. “Snap her out of it!” said Adam.
Panic flickered in Frank’s voice. “I’m trying!”
“How did he hypnotize her like that?” asked Steven.
Ice-cold water rushed over her skin. She blinked as if waking up from some kind of long nap. Pushing the hair out of her face, the rushing river echoed in her ears. I’m back in the river? Her gaze darted up to her friends’ faces, staring at her. “I felt like a swim?”
Steven touched her shoulder. “Yo, man, what happened? You were in some kind of freaky trance. We thought dunking you in the cold water would snap you out of it.”
“Sorry ‘bout the bath.” Beth helped Sarah to her feet. “You walked to the river to meet Victor.”
Sarah cupped a hand over her mouth. “How do you know that?”
“You told us,” Adam said, rubbing his arm. “You were on some kind of mission. I tried to stop you, but you threw me against that tree like ragdoll. We didn’t know what else to do.”
“It’s okay…and, um, I’m so sorry about your arm. I guess I don’t know my own strength, especially when I’m in Zombie Land.” Sarah stood and glanced up at Frank. “He can feel everything I can, and I can feel everything he does. He was stabbed in the stomach while fighting the two Immortals we saw. That was why I fell down in pain—his pain.”
“How’re you feeling now?” he asked.
“I’m fine. He healed quickly.”
“So if we keep ourselves safe and he gets hurt, then Sarah pays?” Adam asked . “He’s bound to get some bumps and bruises along the way, considering he’s in enemy territory.”
Sarah shook her head. “Add that to our long list of problems.” She put a hand to her head. “I can sense him. He’s close.” Looking up, she gasped. Victor was mounted on a white horse riding along the cliff’s edge, wind blowing through his dark hair, blue eyes blazing as he met her gaze.
“I can see a figure, a man,” Beth said. “He’s hard to make out. Can any of you guys see him?”
Sarah could see him perfectly, down to his dimple. Anger flooded through her as she held up her hand with the ruby ring. How dare he use his powers to control me? Who does he think he is? Her voice echoed into the cliffs. “I don’t want to be Immortal! I want my life back. Do you hear me? I’m going to figure out a way to get this ring off, and when I do, I don’t ever want to see you again!” He stared into her eyes, and her knees weakened. Am I…am I going to faint? Clearly, he was using his psychic ability, showering her with mumbo-jumbo again. She could feel herself losing control as his voice filled her mind: “Come to me now.”
Beth tugged at her arm. “Do something…quick! She’s going into that trance again.”
“Why do you engage him?” asked Adam, shaking Sarah. “You know he has those freaky mind skills. Come on!”
Sarah’s legs wouldn’t budge, though, no matter how hard she tried. It was as if she had no choice but to wait for V
ictor. Closing her eyes, she could feel him. He was so close she thought she could touch him. She reached out her hand and collapsed.
“Great. She’s back in Zombie Land,” Steven said through the blanket of fog that enveloped her mind.
Somebody scooped her up. “I’ve got her!” Frank said. “C’mon. It’s about time we break the connection between her and Houdummy.”
Sarah opened her eyes and found herself being carried. She looked up into green eyes. “Frank,” she whispered.
He motioned the others to stop as he laid her down on the ground. “She’s coming to.”
Sarah’s mind started to clear at the sound of Frank’s voice. He helped her stand on her feet and touched her shoulders at arm’s length. “You okay?”
She nodded.
The others stopped, and Beth rubbed her back. “You sure you’re all right, Sarah?”
Sarah hated being the damsel in distress. “Listen, I’m fine, but thanks for asking. Let’s keep moving.”
“Look!” Adam yelled. “The king just got off his horse, and he’s standing by the cliff. I bet he’s going to jump down. He’ll be here in seconds, man!”
Sarah rushed back through the vegetation.
“Sarah!” Beth shouted. “Do not engage the king. Get back here!”
There was no way he was going to drag her back to his castle. She felt a sudden jolt of electricity rushing through her body as her hands glowed and crackled with balls of energy. Focusing on Victor, she whipped her hand back and flung a fireball straight up at him. He fell backward just as darkness enveloped her and spots danced in her vision. Oh no! I’m going to pass out.
Sarah fluttered her eyes opened and felt the cold ground.
“Dude!” Steven shouted. “Whoa! You’re like some kind of superhero. I want powers like that! The way you flung that fireball was like something straight out of X-Men! You just—”
“Steven, that’s enough.” Beth touched her forehead. “I guess you can feel what he does. You knocked yourself out right along with him, Sarah.”
Sarah slowly sat up and groaned as a rush of dizziness flooded over her. “Oh gosh.”
“I was wondering when you were going to wake up,” Steven said. “We’ve found the cave and everything.”
Adam touched her shoulder. “You’ve been out for nearly two hours.”
Sarah moaned. “I know. Me and my bright ideas. At least I stopped him from following us for a little while.” She rubbed her temples. “I’m so sorry about passing out. I’m sure whoever carried me has a sore back.”
Frank raised a hand. “That’d be me. I could sure use a massage, Your Highness.”
Beth rolled her eyes. “You’re such an idiot.”
Frank shot her a glare when Steven changed the subject. “Why doesn’t the royal dude just go look for someone else to marry?”
“Because,” Sarah began. “The Immortals only get one chance to bond with someone, and he wasted his opportunity on me, thinking I was Princess Gloria. Immortal idiot.”
“Well, yeah, if you completely ruined his game, I guess he would be pretty royally ticked off,” Steven said. “Pardon the pun.”
Beth sighed. “Geesh, Steven.”
Sarah stood. “He says he’s not ticked off at me and that he doesn’t care about whatever little agenda he previously had going. He’s just glad fate stepped in and that we met.”
“Don’t trust him!” Adam said. “That could be a ploy to get you into his grasp. He could throw you in a dungeon for the rest of your life or worse…kill you.”
“I know.”
Adam started picking up small twigs. “Let’s get a fire going and we’ll start fresh in the morning. So where to, boss?”
“When we wake up, we’ll head north to Ripteenia. We need to find Charles, the man my sister ran off with. Maybe she lives there with him, or maybe we could find his family. Anyway, let’s get some rest. I’m beat…and hungry.”
“Hey, any chance Dominos delivers around here?” Frank asked.
“Right. In thirty decades or less,” Beth said, rolling her eyes yet again. “Besides, between yours and Steven’s stupid jokes, I think we’ve already got plenty of extra cheese.”