Authors: Rosalie Redd
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
She shall complement his strengths and rule by his side
Neither will bow to the other, yet both will sacrifice for each other
Bonding bands will dictate the level of commitment
As the king and queen rejoice, so do their kind
Melissa’s heart pounded in her chest. She touched his face. “Really?”
“So it seems. Now, will you answer my question?”
She looked into the eyes of the male she loved. Her chest expanded. “Yes, I will bond with you.”
Noeh stood and wrapped Melissa in a warm embrace. His mouth covered hers in a bruising kiss, his hunger devouring her. She delighted in his possessiveness. He broke their kiss, and trailed his lips over her cheek and down her neck.
Cheers erupted from the warriors in the room. Shouts of “hail, hail the new queen” emanated from the group.
“I am so blessed, my little kitten.” He placed his palm over her abdomen, and her heart expanded at his tenderness. “Our child will grow up in a loving family.”
“No. This isn’t right. I’m supposed to be queen!” Anguish reverberated in the timbre of Mauree’s voice. She struggled against Saar’s grasp. “Stop! You ugly animal. Get your hands off me.”
At the commotion, Melissa glanced around Noeh’s shoulder. Mauree pulled against the cord that Saar held in his grip. She leaned back, her legs straining against his power.
Saar didn’t budge. “Stop fighting me or I’ll carry you to the dungeon.”
Mauree stalled. Her eyes widened. “The thought of your touch disgusts me.”
“Then you won’t give me any trouble, will you?”
“I’m not going down there.”
“Fine.” He yanked on the cord and pulled her close. With one swift move, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. As he carried her out of the room, her rants echoed down the corridor.
Ginnia clapped her hands. “Oooh, I want to hear the whole thing from the beginning, the entire prophecy.”
Noeh’s head whipped around. “A prophecy? How do you know about this?”
Ginnia’s pale gray eyes twinkled, and she handed Noeh an old tome. “Silly Noeh. Read the part before and after this page.”
Noeh focused on the book and turned the brittle parchment with great attention, as if careful not to damage the aged paper. His eyes moved back and forth as he read, and his throat bobbed when he swallowed. Pulling his attention from the text, he glanced at Melissa.
A jolt of fear hit her in the chest. “What does the scripture say?”
At a time of great strife and uncertainty
A stranger will come unto the Stiyaha realm
Misery, anguish, and fear will reign
The greatest of kings will fall to his knees
Life will be forever transformed, forever altered
The land of the Stiyaha will be no more
The king shall bond to his Lemurian queen
She shall complement his strengths and rule by his side
Neither will bow to the other, yet both will sacrifice for each other
Bonding bands will dictate the level of commitment
As the king and queen rejoice, so do their kind
New royal blood will emerge
The land of the Lemurians shall rise again
Silence filled the room as everyone took in the words. Blank stares and open mouths appeared on many faces. The sound of feet shuffling and clothes rustling brought Melissa out of her stupor.
“This babe is so important to our future.” She rubbed her abdomen through her pants, the fabric stretched tight against her skin. Her chest swelled, and her commitment do anything to protect him solidified. An image flashed through her mind—a birth, heated words, pain…and too much blood. A cold spot formed in her gut. She shook her head to clear her thoughts.
It’s nothing, everything is fine.
Noeh glanced at his warriors. “Does anyone have any questions?”
When no one replied, he nodded. “Good. Prepare for the bonding ceremony.”
Chapter Fifty
Noeh kicked open the door with his foot. Melissa giggled in his arms. Her warm breath against his neck sent a quiver of excitement down his back. The public bonding ceremony had gone well. She was his queen. Now, he needed to bond to her physically.
He stepped across the threshold to his private bedchamber, now theirs, and placed her feet on the ground. She traced her hands down his arms as he straightened, and he caught her faint scent.
She moved away, and the absence of her touch made his heart fall. Glancing over her shoulder, the slow smile that graced her face sent his emotions back up the roller coaster she made him ride.