by Elle Clouse
Was this the first of some old memory coming back? If it was, it made no sense at all. Her dreams had always been extremely abstract, and this one was no exception. All the same, it frightened her. She wanted a bath, but it was probably too late to summon for one. The servants would be roused from their own beds to accommodate her, and she didn’t like that idea but she didn’t want to go back to sleep, either, for fear of having another very strange dream.
She had left the cavern behind weeks ago, and in that time she hadn’t heard the creature howling at night. It had been tamed, Lachlan had said, and she’d assumed it was still in the caves. Where else would it have gone? It could be roaming the forest now since stranger things were out in the wilderness, but if that was the case, had Ayden lost control of it? Would they use it against Lachlan?
Seeing Ayden in the library had unnerved her, and dreaming about him made her more ill at ease. She didn’t like to live in fear of what Ian or Ayden might do to her or Lachlan. The entire situation made her sick to her stomach. Aside from the incident in the library, no one had heard or seen either of the princes since before the king had passed away. Even the servants were concerned about their peculiar behavior.
With guests arriving, she had assumed that Ayden would be among the nobility, networking and whoring at the same time. He was a man of the cloth only in title and was in no way holy or clean. But try as they might, Turlach and Connor couldn’t get any information about what the two were up to. Whatever Ian and Ayden were planning, they were keeping quiet about it, so she assumed their plan must be big.
And then there were her memories. So many new people were arriving daily to attend the coronation, and rather than getting to know them, she had taken to immersing herself in study as a distraction. Flann would probably say she was neglecting her duties by ignoring her guests, but she didn’t think she’d be able to handle them right now. Her memories were steadily returning; she could feel them flowing in, like water into a jug. But they had a tendency to sneak in during common interactions. She preferred to be studying alone rather than trying to hold a conversation when a memory flashed through her mind.
She rubbed her forehead to relieve some of her stress, then grabbed the blanket off the bed and dragged it over to one of the plush couches. She wrapped herself up and sat down, watching the low-burning fire in the hearth. The crackle of the flames and the silence of the castle itself soothed her a bit.
By the time the hall clock chimed two in the morning, Kiera had finally calmed down. Where was Lachlan? She set her head down on the arm of the couch, thinking that she ought to get up and look for him, but her eyelids were very, very heavy.
She was just about to doze off when the servants’ door opened and she heard someone come in. Without looking up she knew it was Lachlan. She smiled to herself and feigned sleep, waiting for him to walk over to her.
His footfalls neared. He made a hmm noise, and slipped his arms beneath her, hoisting her up. He carried her to the bed, set her down, and covered her with more blankets. She opened her eyes when she heard him move away, pulling off his shirt. He sat and removed his boots, then stepped behind the divider to change out of his pants.
The warmth of the blankets relaxed her. Soon Lachlan emerged in his nightclothes, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Kiera was awake. He walked to the other side of the bed and crawled under the covers. He draped his arm over her and cuddled up to her, resting her rump in his lap. With a sigh, he buried his face in her hair. He seemed to be almost purring, and Kiera liked the sound immensely. She smiled as she started to nod off again, feeling safe again now that he was back, and loving that feeling. Truth be told, she never wanted to be parted from him, but he had issues of state to attend to. At least she knew he would always come for her in the end. She did have her prince after all, and that made her happy. He just came with some interesting baggage.
“LACHLAN, SOMETHING is wrong,” Kiera whispered. She gently touched his sleeve.
Lachlan turned and looked at her, concern apparent on his face, and then looked about them. They stood in a small sitting room outside the audience hall, waiting for the start of the ceremony that would name Lachlan as the King of Cearbhall. “What do you mean?”
“Something is not right.”
She trembled and Lachlan quickly embraced her. “Whatever happens, I will protect you. And Connor and Turlach will aid us both. We have many allies here. My brothers will be powerless. They spent their time making enemies and using people. They earned themselves no loyalty.” Lachlan’s brothers had been scarce since the burial of their father. Some said they were grieving, but Kiera and Lachlan knew otherwise. Connor and Turlach had tried their best to ferret out any of the younger brothers’ allies, but they had discovered nothing. Still, the anticipation of a plot was enough to keep everyone on edge.
“I cannot help but feel that something bad is about to happen,” Kiera whispered, but Lachlan rained small kisses down on her face, easing her to the point that she forgot what she was going to say.
“I love you, Kiera. There is nothing in the world that can ruin that.” He met her eyes as he spoke, and she nodded in reply.
A small side door opened and Flann stepped into the room. “It’s time,” Flann said. She offered Lachlan one last smile, then stepped out of the sitting room where Connor was waiting for her. He smiled and offered her his arm, and together they walked into the throne room. The people were lined up in rows around a central aisle that Lachlan would walk down to get to his throne.
The guests watched as Connor led Kiera to the front of the room, the closest to the throne, a position due to her because of her new rank. She held her head high, thankful Lachlan seemed to delight in dressing her in only the best. She was glad she’d accepted his lavish gifts. Her royal red silk gown with gold brocade was the most elaborate in the crowd. Even her hair was adorned with bejeweled pins in an attempt to tame her curls.
She took her place and gave a little curtsy to Connor, who bowed to her and took his place across the aisle. Aisling stood next to him and smiled to Kiera from across the aisle.
Kiera had learned from Lachlan how to look around clandestinely, and she employed the trick now. There were Ian and Ayden, in the second row of the guests across the aisle from her. Turlach stood alert next to them, as well as another nobleman loyal to Lachlan. Brogan was one row behind her. His manner of dress matched that of all the other lords. No one was the wiser that a former bandit stood in their midst, although Kiera did notice that Aisling kept glancing his way.
The remainder of the guests seemed oblivious to the tension in the room. Kiera noticed the envious looks she was attracting from other young women in the crowd. She tried not to smile, knowing she was being watched in the same way she was watching people.
Trumpets sounded. Everyone turned to see Lachlan enter the throne room, dressed in an embroidered leather tunic with crisp white undercoat, black leather pants, and a royal red velvet robe with a white fur trim. His long, dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail at his nape, and his chin was cleanly shaven.
Kiera heard a cumulative sigh from the women in the room and couldn’t help but smirk. She made eye contact with him and gave him a reassuring smile.
He strode down the corridor created by the guests and ascended the dais to a velvet-topped footstool. The cleric performing the ritual stood near the table where the crown rested. Lachlan kneeled.
“May the gods grant you wisdom and knowledge, may they bless you and forever grant us peace,” the cleric said, projecting his voice so it could be heard to the farthest corners of the room. The crowd answered with a chorus of “Amen.”
The cleric withdrew a book from his robe and read from the scripture on the responsibility of a king to his people; the importance of being fair and just and upholding the laws of the land; and the duty to continue the line with many sons. Kiera rolled her eyes at that one but knew that was her first duty as queen. She couldn’t help but think of making love to Lachlan.
She had never been with a man, but she’d overheard Brigid and Erann talking about it as something good. More than that, she wanted Lachlan. His kisses alone were enough to make her weak in the knees.
The cleric wound on through the lengthy scripture and finally concluded with, “State the creed.”
“I believe in and honor the gods of my fathers,” Lachlan recited. “I respect the land we are blessed with and the air that we breathe. I vow my servitude to Cearbhall, like my father before me. I swear to do what is best for the perseverance of our people so that all have happiness in their hearts. As a son of Cearbhall, I vow.”
The cleric nodded and reached for the crown from the stand.
“I will not allow this!” Ayden roared and pushed his way forward. Ian didn’t follow. Connor was close on Ayden’s heels, ready to pounce, but Ayden was quicker on his feet. “Your king will be a monster!” He reached into his robes and pulled something strange from his jacket pocket. “Behold the beast!”
The device had a carved handle with a trigger and a long metal barrel. Kiera recognized it at once and her heart froze.
Lachlan started to turn around.
Kiera screamed Lachlan’s name, but she barely heard her own voice over the shouts of the crowd. Her body reacted, and before she realized she had moved, she was running for him. Ayden swung the firearm around, but not at Lachlan. At her.
People were running in every direction. Turlach and Brogan were pushing panicked guests aside, trying to get to her.
As Ayden sighted her down the barrel, Kiera stopped dead. Then she did something Melchir had specifically told her not to do: she attempted a spell without proper training. She knew the blast from the pistol would kill her, and she knew Turlach would dive to save her, forfeiting his life for her, and she would never be able to forgive him for being so selfless.
The chant slipped off her tongue without a second thought. She knew her enunciation was wrong, but she felt the ward spell take hold and begin to work.
Several things happened simultaneously.
Kiera finished the spell, and it manifested in an iridescent wall a foot and a half in front of her. The shield’s power reverberated, knocking her to the ground.
Ayden yelled and pulled the trigger.
Turlach dove to cover her.
And Lachlan roared.
Chapter 17
Kiera hit the ground, and pain exploded through her head. She opened her eyes and saw the ceiling and the chandelier hanging above her. She rolled over onto her stomach to try to get up. Turlach sat next to her, inspecting himself for injuries.
“Kiera, are you all right?” Brogan knelt by her side. He helped her to her feet and did the same for Turlach.
Before she could reply, she heard a growl. She turned and saw the creature that had supposedly been locked in the caverns. He stood over Ayden’s body, his hands and mouth bloody. The sight was oddly familiar to her but she couldn’t say why. The creature looked around wildly and spotted Ian. With a low snarl, he dropped to all fours and stalked toward him.
“We need to get you somewhere safe, Princess,” Turlach insisted, but she couldn’t leave. She had to watch the scene unfold before her. Lachlan was nowhere to be seen. All she could see was an unconscious cleric and a toppled crown.
Brogan and Turlach both tried to push her toward the door, but she ran to the podium. Lachlan’s robe lay crumpled there, discarded on the floor. Farther down the steps, she saw the remnants of his shirt and pants. They looked as though they had been shredded.
“Lachlan!” She gathered the robe in her arms, still able to feel his warmth in the fabric.
“Kiera!” She looked up. Brogan was running for her as he pointed across the room. She turned to see the creature standing over Ian’s motionless body. Blood dripped from a wound on the prince’s head onto the floor. The creature’s focus wasn’t on Ian, though, but on Kiera. He hunched down, gaze intent, and lumbered toward her.
Turlach got in the beast’s way, but he just swept him aside with a paw. Turlach flew through the air, hit a wall, and fell limp to the ground.
“Lachlan!” Kiera cried again, more out of desperation than fear. There was no one between them. The creature broke into a run, and she barely made it out of the way before he jumped onto the polished marble dais. He couldn’t get a footing on the smooth surface and crashed into the throne.
By now, all the guests had fled. Kiera ran for the door but stopped as she saw Ian stand and lurch toward the throne. Half his face was covered in blood from his head wound and he was limping, but he seemed oddly elated. Kiera followed his line of sight and realized he was going for the chandelier release on the far wall.
Turlach groaned and stirred.
“Turlach,” Kiera shouted. “Stop him!” She pointed to Ian. Turlach tried to push himself up, but the beast had hit him hard. He winced and braced himself against the wall.
Claws appeared over the lip of the stairs, then the creature heaved himself upright and launched at Kiera once more. She barely had enough time to fling herself out of the way. He slammed into the wall and slumped down, dazed. She turned back to Turlach, who had managed to get back on his feet and was limping toward Ian.
“Lachlan?” Kiera realized she still held his robe. The thought that Lachlan had been killed by the beast crept into her mind, and tears welled up. She shook her head. No, she couldn’t think that. She couldn’t. She looked around again for him. He wouldn’t have exited with the frightened guests. He would have sought her out, she was sure of it.
The monster began to stir. Kiera stumbled away, wishing she had thought to move sooner. The creature recovered from his haze and leaped for her the way he had that first time, down in the caverns.
This time it was different; back then she had felt his bulk hit her and knock her down, but now he stretched his claws out as if reaching for her. She fell, but the creature seemed to be controlling her descent.
They hit the ground together, and though the impact jarred her, she was not injured.
She gasped. The creature’s lupine face searched her with its feral gaze, and he leaned in. She screamed and closed her eyes. She felt the creature’s hot breath on her throat, but then she heard something she didn’t expect to hear.
“I thought I might have lost you.”
It was Lachlan’s voice, she was certain of it, but it was raspy and hoarse. She opened her eyes. There, before her, was Lachlan’s face, but also the beast’s. He was changing before her eyes, becoming more like himself and less like the creature.
“Lachlan?” She touched his face to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. As she felt his cheek, she realized he wasn’t a dream and he was completely naked. Kiera gasped and scrambled out of his arms as fast as she could. “It was you!”
Unbidden, the familiarity of the situation overtook her. She had seen this creature before. Not just in the caverns but in her adolescence. This was what her mother had wanted her to forget: the beast that resided within her best friend.
“Kiera, please,” Lachlan pleaded as he retrieved his robe from her unresisting fingers and threw it over himself. His transformation was complete; he was the Lachlan she remembered, and the beast was gone.
“My father...” The scene played out as if she were reliving it.
Ayden had been teasing her mercilessly that day, picking on her for her ears and mousy brown hair. Lachlan was quick to defend her, his anger obvious. But unlike other times, Ayden didn’t back down. His ridicule and harsh words continued until Lachlan was worked up almost into a frenzy.
“Kiera, please try to understand.” His words broke through her flashback.
Ayden was sneering as Lachlan doubled over in pain, his face twisted in panic.
“No, not here,” Lachlan said. “Not now!”
Kiera didn’t know what he was talking about, but as his body contorted and his screams turned to howls, she wanted to run. Ayden opened a side door in the corridor, and Lachlan ran through it. It led to a small lib
rary with no other exits.
“Wait,” she heard Lachlan shout. “Let me out! Clark is in here.”
“Daddy?” Kiera whispered.
Ayden held the door shut.
She backed against a wall as the memory played itself out. Lachlan did not advance on her, even though she could tell he wanted to.
Behind Lachlan, Turlach and Ian were wrestling for dominance. Lachlan turned at her shift of focus and watched Ian sucker-punch Turlach, sending him reeling, then turn to Lachlan, a crazed look in his eye.
“You are an abomination!” he shouted. “You don’t deserve anything that you have. I am the one who should be king.”
Lachlan growled, shucking off the robe. “You have a lot to answer for, Ian.” His words emerged in a growl. “How dare you harm my love?”
He leaned forward, his body growing dark fur, his face elongating into that of a wolf. The creature was back again, and fixed on Ian.
“We should have killed you the moment we found out you had it,” Ian spat and reached behind him.
“Watch out!”
Lachlan didn’t hear her. He advanced on Ian.
Ian pulled on the rope. His injuries had weakened him, though, and he had to tug a second time before it finally released.
“Lachlan!” His name burst from her lips. Without thinking, she ran at him. He turned around, his expression confused. She slammed into him and shoved with all her might. Caught unawares, he stumbled aside. Then everything went dark.
LACHLAN HEARD HER CRYING his name, then felt her collide into him, pushing him aside. It was only when he saw the falling chandelier that he realized what she was doing, but by then it was too late for him to stop her.
The chandelier crashed against the ground, and sparks flew everywhere.
“Kiera!” he roared. He leaped forward and, with one mighty heave, toppled the heavy chandelier aside. There she lay, unmoving. She hadn’t even cried out in pain. Desperately, he looked her over. She didn’t look that hurt, but she was unconscious.