Authors: Bianca D'Arc
“You did it. Praise the Lady. You did it!”
He looked around, moving a little farther back from her. “Yeah, I guess so. Hot damn.”
The Guards neared, and one by one, they slid to one knee as they formed a semi-circle around Gina and Mitch. Gunnar joined them. Only the Old Guard friends they’d brought with them from the States kept their feet, watching intently, ever vigilant.
“Gunnar…” Gina stepped away from Mitch so that they stood side
-by-side. “What’s going on?”
The younger man rose and bowed toward both her and Mitch. Then he winked and turned to address the people who were kneeling all around.
“Royal Guard!” he called out in a ringing tone that carried to all present. “The winner of the challenge is Mitchell Gustavson. He is one of us. A Royal Guard born and bred.” Those kneeling cheered. Mitch stood his ground though Gina knew he was uncomfortable with all the attention focused on him. Then Gunnar held up a hand, signaling for silence. “By right of combat, he is our new king.”
Gina felt Mitch tense at her side. The others seemed skeptical as well, even though Gunnar’s tone had held no doubt whatsoever. One of the Guard stood and faced Mitch.
“Gustavsons are always
d’or
. Were you born
blanche
?”
It was an older woman who asked the question. She had battle scars and looked as if she had served many years as a Royal Guard. Her tone was curious, not accusing, so Gina took her question as a good sign. These people wanted to know more about Mitch before they made any decisions. After living under Gisli’s rule for so long, she didn’t blame them one bit.
“I’ve always been golden,” Mitch admitted, clearly uncomfortable. “Until a couple of weeks ago. I was poisoned in battle and nearly died protecting another monarch, as was my duty. Princess Gina saved me and the first time I shifted fully, I…changed.”
“Goddess touched,” the same woman breathed
and then sank back to one knee. “I will accept you as my king,” she went on in a firmer voice.
“Now wait a minute
.” Mitch held up one hand, palm outward, already backpedaling.
Gina had a feeling he meant to renounce the throne, but she didn’t want him to be hasty. Her father wasn’t here
, and if given a chance, she doubted her dad would want to come back and rule. He’d given up on being king of the Clan a long time ago, and she thought she knew him well enough to be able to say that he’d made peace with his decision. He wasn’t power hungry. He didn’t really want the throne. He just wanted peace and prosperity for the Clan and safety for his family.
Mitch had accomplished the latter by defeating Gisli in battle. The terror her uncle had imposed on her family for so many years was finally at an end. But what would happen next was unclear.
She put one hand on Mitch’s arm to halt his words. “Emotions are high,” she said in a strong voice that she knew would carry to the assembled Guards. “Let’s take stock of where we all stand before any more decisions are made. We first must deal with Gisli’s defeat and the impact on the Clan. Everything else can be decided later.” She looked at the kneeling Guards. “For one thing, I understand that none of you have been given leave to be with your families in the village for weeks.” Many of the Guards couldn’t hide their hopeful expressions as they met her gaze. “Any of you who want to go home, should. Come back when you can. We will be sorting out the mess my uncle left behind. Anyone who can assist in that task is welcome. The Clan comes first.”
Gunnar rose, smiling brightly. “Spoken like a true queen,” he complimented her as the other Royal Guards stood as well.
About half of them didn’t wait another minute before shifting shape and running for the village. Their families were waiting, she was sure. And word would spread from them as to Gisli’s fate.
“Should we go see what’s become of the stronghold since your father’s time?”
Surrounded by the core group of friends who had come with them from America and the rest of Gisli’s Guard, they entered the stronghold. Gina held her breath. She had been born here, but she wasn’t sure how the memories of her childhood would measure up to the reality.
She shouldn’t have worried. It was even more majestic than she remembered. The fissure in the ice wall created a narrow passage that went up for hundreds of feet until it met in the solid block of glacial ice far over their heads. They moved down the small corridor, heading toward the series of chambers that led eventually to the heart of the stronghold, deep inside the mountain.
Ice and sleek black volcanic rock blended to create something utterly unique in the world. As they moved deeper inside, the floors under their feet went from ice to basaltic rock that had flowed as if directed by the hand of the Goddess into perfectly flat, level sheets. The deeper they went, the more rock formed the walls of the chambers in fluted spires that joined seamlessly with the ice that soared high above their heads. Circuitous, winding shafts here and there allowed for air exchange, while the purity of the water let light to filter through the translucent ice and reflective snow to illuminate the halls deep beneath the surface.
In the great audience chamber—the largest room of the stronghold—the soaring arched walls were made of deceptively strong, delicate-looking columns of stone that had flowed into precise geometric shapes to mesh with the thick glacier in an arrangement that was nothing less than magical. Black and white, the room was a study in extremes and contrasts, yet somehow
it formed a thing of intense beauty.
“This place is amazing,” Mitch
whispered as he stopped short just below the dais where two thrones of obsidian and ice rose from the floor created of the same shiny black, volcanic glass.
The steps up to the thrones weren’t carved. They looked as if they had been created when some giant builder had poured sparkling obsidian in oval waves from above, each puddling an exact step higher than the last layer, decreasing in diameter as they rose to the final platform that was crowned by the two thrones made from spindly stalagmites of obsidian topped with even thinner spires of ice. Black and white. Like a Goddess-blessed white tiger’s fur.
“It’s just like I remember it,” Gina agreed, looking around in wonder. “I wasn’t sure. I was very small when we left. I thought maybe I’d over-romanticized the place, but this is even more than I remember.”
Mitch reached out and took her hand. She could almost feel the power of the Grim running through him. His golden eyes had glowed with the magic of the mountain and though he was still bloodstained, he wasn’t hurt. The Lady and Her sacred mountain had healed him even as it gave him strength. He was the most amazing man. If she didn’t already know him and love him, she thought she might be really intimidated.
Mitch turned around and stopped short. Gina followed, realizing quickly that they had gathered quite an entourage during their journey in from the cliff face. Their friends created a buffer of sorts between them and what looked like the entire population of the stronghold. Everybody, it seemed, had turned out to see what Mitch would do next.
“I think you’d better say something to them,” Gina whispered for Mitch’s ears alone. “Some of them looked worried.”
He tightened his hand on hers fractionally. “Some of them probably should be,” he mused low enough so that only she could hear. “But you’re right, my love.” He lifted their joined hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles before lowering their hands again. He didn’t let her go and she was glad. She needed the reassurance of his touch after everything that had just happened.
“For those of you who haven’t heard yet, my name is Mitch.” He raised his voice and it carried beautifully in the cavernous room. This near the dais, it was pretty clear that the acoustics of the room had been finely tuned by nature—or rather, by
Mother
Nature. “Much has happened here today and much will take place over the next few days as we take stock of the mess left behind by the former steward. Right now, I want everyone to cease all business operations until each section has been reviewed. We’ll start with the most mission-critical areas tomorrow morning at five a.m. local time. In the meantime, I want each section head to lock their offices and allow no entry until someone from my staff comes to check things over tomorrow. Any non-compliance will earn detention and questioning, in that order. Understood?”
“You’re really sexy when you get all businessy,” Gina whispered, bringing a small grin to Mitch’s mouth as he turned his head to look at her.
“Are you trying to make me crazy?” he answered back in the same low tone that kept the byplay between the two of them.
“Is it working?”
“They’re wondering who you are. Shall we inform them officially?” he asked, changing the subject without answering. She gave him a small nod, taking a deep breath for courage.
She hadn’t lived as a public figure since her early childhood, and back then she hadn’t even realized it. This was a whole different ball game. Her entire life to this point had been about staying hidden. Putting herself and her true identity on display for all to see went against the grain. But she knew she had to step up and stand by Mitch. He’d done it. He’d put himself out there. Now she had to do the same.
“The honor guard we brought with us from the States is made up of children of those loyal Royal Guards who went into exile with my lady’s father, King Frederick. They have my trust and you can regard them as acting for me. I don’t know you yet and you certainly don’t know me, but you should remember the rightful king and his family. This is Princess Gleda, my mate. You will treat her with respect due her as a born and bred
tigre blanche
. If you don’t, you’ll answer to me.” The little growl that came through in his voice on that last bit made her feel all tingly inside.
He was staking his claim in front of their people and her inner tigress absolutely loved it. When he’d named her as his mate, she’d wanted to purr.
Quite a few of the faces in the crowd showed surprise and dare she hope—happiness? Some of the people looked very familiar, but she’d been so young when she left here, she couldn’t be sure of her memories from when she was just a cub. Still, a little part of her hoped that some of the tigers here would remember her and her family with fondness and maybe feel a little more inclined to welcome her back.
She knew they had questions—probably more than she and Mitch could handle right now. He was still covered in blood and the sweat of the battle and she’d never seen anything sexier. Still, he needed to get cleaned up
, and even with the power of the volcano running through him, it had been a long day.
“We should find one of the guest rooms and clean up a bit,” she whispered to him and he looked over and nodded slightly in agreement.
He might be the all-powerful volcano whisperer, but she was starting to drag. The intense anxiety of the past hours had definitely taken a toll on her. All she wanted was a warm bath and then to lie in Mitch’s arms for a few hours. To reassure herself that he was all right and with her. To be held in the security of her mate’s embrace.
“Forgive me, love,” Mitch rumbled near her ear as he bent to place a small kiss on her cheek.
She smiled up at him as he retreated. “There’s nothing to forgive. Let’s leave them to mull over the changes and face this fresh in a few hours. Five a.m. is going to come quickly, and before it does I want to ravish you at least a few times.”
“You’ve just made me an offer I cannot refuse,” he quipped with a grin. He turned without explaining anything further to the crowed and
, still holding her hand, left the massive chamber and its tigers behind. “Where are these guest rooms you’re so proud of?” he demanded in a teasing tone once they were out of the main chamber and back in the series of smaller hallways and antechambers that had characterized the majority of the stronghold.
“If I remember correctly, they’re down the next corridor.”
The Old Guard had followed them, she saw, stationing one of Gisli’s Guards at the door to the audience chamber to keep curious cats from following them. The guest quarters were just where she remembered and they picked a suite at random.
Mitch tried not to become impatient when Paul insisted on searching the guest suite for any dangers before he’d allow them inside. Mitch understood the sense of it and silently approved of Paul’s caution, but it felt distinctly odd to be on the other end of such precautions. Usually, it was Mitch clearing the way for the Nyx.
Finally, they were alone. Paul and some of his brethren would be guarding outside the chamber, but inside, it was just the two of them. As it should be.
As the door closed behind them, Gina turned into his arms and just held him for a long, long moment. He could feel her trembling and he hugged her tighter.
“It’s okay. It’s all over and we both made it through,” he whispered, trying to reassure her.
“Praise the Mother of All for that,” she whispered against his chest, her head tucked tightly below his chin.
He was still grimy and bloodstained from battle, but she didn’t seem to care. Now that they were finally alone, they were both free to cling to each other and be grateful that they had both lived to fight another day. Mitch just hoped that the rest of his battle
s for the foreseeable future would be in the boardroom and not on the challenge field. Even with the volcano backing him up, it had still taken a lot out of him to fight Gisli.
“Whatever power that mage had
—” he thought aloud, “—it kept Gisli white—or off-white at least. Did you notice, after the mage was swallowed by the fog Gisli turned gold again?”
“He looked awful,” Gina agreed in a small voice. “I thought that mage was going to kill you and then you pulled that shield out of nowhere.”
“Strictly the Lady’s doing. Whatever Her divine intentions are by linking me to the Grim, She gave me incredible amounts of power and abilities I don’t even fully understand. Perhaps I never will. But when I saw the fireball coming, I somehow knew what to do.”
“Thank the Goddess,” she
whispered.
“Indeed,” Mitch agreed. So much had happened to them both in such a short time. It was all a little hard to take in. “And then the mage turned on you and my heart nearly stopped in my chest, Gina.” His hands shook as he remembered the terror of those moments when he realized the attack had turned on her and the small group of supporters standing on his side of the challenge field.
“It turned out okay. I’m pretty good at evasion.” She stretched her neck upward and moved back just far enough that she could look into his eyes. “I’m so glad that’s over and that you lived to tell the tale.”
“Me too.” He couldn’t resist. He lowered his lips to hers and gave her the sweet kiss he’d been dreaming of
for the past hour.
He hadn’t enjoyed being the center of attention since the challenge, but he knew his duty and he knew the Clan needed him to be strong and serve them in whatever capacity made the most sense. For now, it was as figurehead and leader. He’d start tomorrow, sorting out the business problems that had nearly bankrupted the Clan and thrown an entire country into economic
turmoil. That couldn’t wait.
But first, he would see to his mate. Mitch ended the kiss but kept her in his arms. He had to clean up before he took her to bed. He lifted her into his arms and strode through the sitting room, into the bedroom and straight into the attached bath. The tub was a work of art made by the Lady Herself, poured of molten basaltic lava and solidified centuries ago. The stone and ice walls of the stronghold rose upward around it.
The giant tub was the central focus of the room, but there was a smaller basin at about waist height with a polished mirror hanging over it a few feet away and a discrete toilet seat hidden in a little alcove beyond that. All the luxuries of modern living, fed by water melted from the glacier and heated in the earth by the magma running far beneath their feet. A perfect blend of magic and practicality.
Mitch put Gina on her feet and flipped open the taps on the bathtub and let it fill, carefully monitoring the temperature. He didn’t want it too hot for Gina. He needed to bathe, but he didn’t want to let her go too far. His tiger needed her presence and he got the idea she felt the same.
She stripped off her clothes as he did, joining him to stand by the rim of the giant tub. Together, they stepped into the warm water, the taps still running, filling the huge basin around them. They remained standing while he scooped warm water over her shoulders, loving the feel of her wet skin under his fingers. Then Gina took control.
She insisted on checking every inch of his body for scars under the blood. When he realized there was still a great deal of blood on him, he opened the drain and let the dirty water slide away, to be replaced with fresh. Gina used the soft sponge that had been tucked into a crevice in the rim of the tub to remove the last of the blood and grime from his body.
When the water ran clear, he replaced the stopper in the drain and let the tub fill around them again. This time, they sank into the pooling water, sitting on the wide floor of the natural basin. The hot water felt good on his muscles, and having Gina here with him made the experience perfect. The only thing better would be if he was inside her.