By the look of it, Agravar’s armies were retreating from the plain and on their way home. In front of the breach, royal guards were piling up planks and rocks to build a temporary bulwark.
Out of the blue, a disturbing image of Morgan mortally wounded crossed her mind. Stomach twisting with dread, she increased her speed until she neared the broken wall of Palance.
Certain they would let her pass when they saw her famous mask, Cara slowed down to a brisk pace. Besides, she needed to breathe a little. Avoiding the plain where her Amazons and men from the resistance assisted the wounded, she strode along the side. She’d help later. Right now she wanted to see Morgan.
When the royal guards caught sight of her they suddenly stopped their rebuilding activities. Moving as one, they formed a tight defensive line in front of the breach to prevent her from entering the city. Why would they do that? Had the enemy invaded the town without her noticing?
Unable to comprehend the guards’ peculiar attitude, she drew out Morgan’s daggers and walked towards them. On impulse, she glanced up to the top of the wall. On the walkway archers also observed her advance. This was getting weirder by the second. A few feet from the guards, she stepped over a low pile of wood and her heart lurched.
“Hail, O Amazon Queen!”
Taken up by hundreds of voices coming from inside the city as well as the plain, the thunderous acclamation must have resounded leagues away and rooted her to the spot.
Tears sprang to her eyes as the guards saluted her arrival with fists on their chests. While they parted to honour her entrance into Palance, gooseflesh broke out all over her body. Emotion knotting her throat, she managed to walk through their praising ranks.
Inside the city people and fighters alike hailed her to the top of their voices. Every step she took brought on louder cheers and greetings until she wondered if her heart would take it. Although they began massing around her, not one of them dared touch the queen of the Amazons—maybe because of the mask.
Unsure of what to do next, Cara sheathed her daggers and focused on her breathing. But when two powerful arms embraced her from behind all she could think of was the man’s voice whispering in her ear.
“Hail, O my queen.”
Chapter Forty-Seven
Morgan’s praise had her pulse in tatters. Morgan’s arms heated her blood and the tight place between her legs. As he spun her round all she wanted to do was bask in the power of his love. But with her mask on they couldn’t even kiss. All things considered, wasn’t this the perfect time to show her true face?
“So, your memories are back. Good timing.”
“I got a little help from Caius and believe me, it hurt.”
“Ah, that wizard always has an ace up his sleeve.”
“Or a spell. Which reminds me, how did you get here so fast?”
A flitting expression of annoyance creased his brow. Obviously he hadn’t forgiven Caius for spiriting her away from him and some serious talk would soon take place. Knowing them both, she dreaded their next encounter.
“The spell wore off before dawn and Haedron had the good sense to come back for me. He was waiting outside when I woke up. I figured Caius would have brought you here to fulfil his grand prophecy and it seems I was right.”
“You were also right about me being the Amazon queen. I should have listened to you, I’m sorry I didn’t.”
“How about listening to me from now on?”
As more people gathered around them, their exclamations of joy took on a different turn. When Cara realised what they were about she was grateful for the mask concealing the rush of heat spreading on her cheeks.
Being in Morgan’s arms felt so natural that she didn’t give it a second thought until whistles and applause broke into her bubble of happiness. In addition of getting rid of their enemies, the Amazon queen and the leader of the resistance appeared to be a couple. Such news would no doubt be cause for celebration in the days to come. Unfazed by their wild shouts, Morgan pressed her against him.
“Let’s go somewhere more private, shall we?”
He talked like the excitement of the battle still had his blood on fire. His emerald gaze sparkled with lust and seemed to burn through the eyeholes of her mask. Pussy moist and belly hard from want, she nodded.
“I have a room in the palace.”
“Do you now?”
Although his tone conveyed mild surprise, he didn’t look overjoyed at the idea of her spending time so close to Prince Melchior. The last argument with Caius had to be still fresh on his mind and Morgan wasn’t about to let her out of his sight. Which was fine with her because she had every intention of staying in his sight. And in his arms. And bathed in the delirious sensation of his cock.
Inner muscles throbbing with anticipation, Cara raised her hands behind her head. When he understood she was unfastening the leather straps Morgan grinned. The mask came off and his hungry lips caught hers. Hundreds of enthusiastic exclamations celebrated their kiss yet she heard them from a distance as his tongue aroused all her senses. Bodies united in mutual passion, they kissed in front of the whole of Palance.
When they finally separated, a small breach appeared between lines of people. Seizing the opportunity, Morgan took her hand to lead her away from the excited throng. Renewed shouts saluted their departure and Cara took pleasure in smiling to them. They were as much her people as those in Moonstill.
“Long live the Amazon queen!”
Little by little they made their way through the crowd. People parted to let them pass, but the cheering soon changed.
“Long live the prince!”
As soon as Cara heard the prophetic word she knew her troubles were far from over. Fate and prophecy still had plans for her because there he suddenly was, walking towards them with an unusual frown on his face.
Although a tingle of excitement coursed through her at imagining the prince of Palance and the leader of the resistance fighting for her, Cara wouldn’t allow a brawl. They were both important figures working towards peace and prosperity in the Four Kingdoms and they had to act like responsible leaders. Besides, Melchior couldn’t be humiliated in front of his loyal subjects and the royal guard.
The prince stared at their joined hands for an instant but quickly glanced up. Caius must have informed him that she was the Amazon queen because he didn’t show any surprise. Instead he scowled at her as they came to stand before him.
“What you did was very brave and very foolish. You cannot endanger your life thus when so much is at stake.”
“She did what she had to do.”
Morgan’s harsh tone didn’t bode well. To add to her uneasiness, she still had no memories of him before the meadow and no idea if these two men had met before. Probably, given their alliance against Agravar. Anyway, if she didn’t defuse the crisis now they’d start behaving like tavern guzzlers.
“I appreciate your concern, Melchior, but I never really was in any danger. Now if you will excuse me there’s something important I have to do.”
“More important than our wedding?”
Morgan dropped her hand. Although she didn’t look at him, she felt a heart-breaking rigidity in his stance. He didn’t say a word either, but she could tell they were a fraction away from a memorable ass-kicking. While she cursed her lack of caution, Caius elbowed his way out of the crowd.
“I have a task for Cara, my prince. Forgive me, but it cannot be delayed and I will return her to you within a short time.”
“In this case, my lady, I shall await your arrival.”
Gracious as ever, Melchior appeared to buy the wizard’s explanation. With a slight bow, he completely ignored Morgan and smiled at her. Satisfied for the time being, he then turned from them to call on his guard.
The street was still too noisy for the crowd to have overheard talks of marriage and Cara thanked the Mighty Gods. People began to disperse as their prince advanced towards the breached wall. Some followed him while others stayed around them. Taki
ng charge, Caius cocked his head towards the city.
“Come with me. Both of you.”
A cross expression still shadowing his face, Morgan seized her hand to help her out of the crowd. The wizard led them to an empty street before coming to a halt. Out of earshot, he pointed a finger at Morgan.
“You’re going to assist me with the wounded. There are still plenty to heal and seeing their leader’s face will give them strength.”
Brow furrowed with irritation—or worry—Caius meant business. Despite his ordering tone, the wizard must know that Morgan wouldn’t refuse to help his men. Without taking a breath he moved the same finger towards her.
“You’re going back to the castle. Stay in your bedroom and I’ll send someone to fetch you when we’re done here. Agreed?”
“I could help you too.”
“You’ve done enough for a single day and your Amazons are already assisting me just fine. We don’t need you, so go!”
His voice had been much less sharp when he’d needed her to fulfil his damn prophecy. Maybe just for the fun of seeing Caius cross she’d have liked to oppose him, but her sore muscles asked for a respite. She had fought hard for a long time and the consequences now weighed on her body.
“Okay, I’ll go, but there’s something I have to tell you both.”
She let go of Morgan’s hand, unsure of how to start. Fiddling with the mask Cara bit her lower lip and hoped they wouldn’t be too disappointed. She shifted her gaze from one man to the other as they waited for her to speak.
“Devlyn was there. I could have killed him, but I let him go. He got a good scare, though, and I think he’ll lie low from now on.”
“Did he hurt you?”
Once more Morgan’s only concern was for her safety. Hearing his spontaneous question warmed her heart and brought a little smile to her face.
“I didn’t give him the chance.”
He stroked her cheek with gentle fingers. Like balm on a scratch, the simple gesture appeased her instantly.
“Don’t trouble yourself. If he moves again we’ll get him.”
“Hopefully we won’t have to.”
The wizard’s cryptic remark somewhat chilled her, but before she could ask anything he motioned her away.
“Off you go, Cara. We’ll see you in a while.”
Grabbing Morgan’s arm, Caius pulled him back towards the breached wall. With a last look, her warrior followed him, and Cara walked in the opposite direction. It didn’t take her long to get her bearings.
Mask in hand, she waved and smiled every time someone greeted her. By the time she reached the palace her face felt a little sore too but the feeling of gratification she received from them was priceless. Without tarrying, she crossed the grand entrance hall and headed straight to her bedroom.
The same maids who had taken care of her the previous night showed up minutes after she rang for them. Quick and efficient, they prepared the bathtub while Cara got out of her clothes. She dismissed them as soon as her body sank into the hot water. Eyes closed, she rested the back of her head on the rim.
Finally she had the chance to explore her freshly returned recollections. She was and always had been Cara, the Amazon queen. Born and raised in Moonstill, she lived in a little house by the shore of the Frozen Lake when her duties didn’t call her elsewhere. Her family resided in a nearby village and, thank the Mighty Gods, she hadn’t left any grieving relatives in New York.
Allied with Palance, the king and queen of Moonstill often invited her up to their castle, but she had never been a socialising person. And when she did put in an appearance, the famous dark red mask always concealed her face.
She had known of the prophecy long before Heather had shown her the parchment. Although she still didn’t remember Caius, he hadn’t exactly sent her to another world. She had. About twelve moons ago while searching for material to decipher the prophecy, she had found the quartz in a witch’s lair.
The secluded, curious place had at one time belonged to the sorceress Melisande and had been left untouched for over a hundred years, with the exception of Caius, who must have stumbled upon the lair in the first place—and in all likelihood had sent her there.
Upon touching the quartz Cara had felt its magic—so potent a sensation that a lasting wave of dizziness had driven her to the ground.
Long-dead visions had filled her mind as she’d lain almost unconscious. Not recollections or images but an ethereal knowledge of the rip in the fabric of time and existence—and a clear perception of the way to repair the damage. Probably with the wizard’s help, she—Cara—had held the quartz in her hand and crossed over to another universe.
When she had loosened her cramped fingers her sole link to the Four Kingdoms had disappeared. The place she had landed in was called New York. At first she had slept in subways and parks, long enough for her to understand the workings of that strange world.
Without any means to know how long she’d stay in that weird universe she had found a job, rented an apartment in Brooklyn and waited for something to happen—anything that would lead her to mend the cut thread.
But nothing had happened. Entire moons came and went without a sign. As a last resort, she had started roaming the city after her shifts at the diner. Her desperate search had only brought despair because she worried every day about the fate of the Four Kingdoms—and over her absence. As long as she was stuck in this world, her Amazons fought without their queen.
Magic didn’t make mistakes. Refusing to believe that the prophecy would have sent her to the wrong place, she had then realised that the essence of time couldn’t be bent. The call would come at some point if she stayed alert and strong. When the pull had at last gripped her belly, she had known the time had come to undertake the most frightening task of all—and maybe to go home.
Cara opened her eyes. Wondering if her stay in New York would have seemed endless had she been aware that she’d wake up on the lap of the leader of the resistance and fall in love with him, she stepped out of the tub.
She must have dozed off for a while because the water had cooled down and the sun blazed high in the sky. With her body strengthened by the long soak and her spirits soaring, she used a white cloth to dry off before getting dressed. Whatever came next, she’d be ready for it.
She was cleaning Morgan’s blades when a knock on the door startled her. A butler bowed and she followed him through corridors to a small, unremarkable door. He let her inside before closing the door behind her.
Morgan stood on one side of a desk, arms crossed. He had taken the time to freshen up somewhere because he wore a shirt she had never seen. On the other side of the wide table, Caius sat in a brown chair, looking tired. Engrossed in their discussion, they didn’t hear Cara enter. She froze in order to listen to the argument. The wizard banged his hand on the desk.
“Surely you must remember. One doesn’t forget such an important matter. Think, would you? When did you start harbouring real feelings?”
“I don’t know.”
So, they were back to Morgan’s formerly dead heart. He had gone through life feeling nothing and for that reason he had inherited a horrible nickname. Given that most of his time had been spent fighting, how could he have noticed a difference in his heart? Actually, it didn’t matter…because she had.
“In the cave.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
Cara approached the desk while they stared at her, the silence in the room seeming to weigh on the three of them. She addressed the wizard.
“It happened the night before we came to your house.”
“How do you know? Can you be more specific?”
“Up to then I had no problem figuring why people called him Dead. Whenever he fought I could feel he didn’t care if he lived or died. I can’t explain it with facts, it’s just a perception I got from his attitude.”
Pausing to let her words sink in, Cara looked at her warrior. “Besides, you were cold, unreachable and sarcastic to the po
int of meanness. I’m sorry to have to say this to you, but it’s true. Then we found shelter in that cave and the next morning you were different.”
Whereas Morgan seemed to consider her statement, Caius wanted more details. “Why? What happened in the cave?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing.”
Like a reflex they both lied at the same time. In the past the wizard had been so adamant about Morgan not touching her that Cara had thought best to leave him in the dark. Unless a more intimate recounting proved necessary there was no point in angering him. Apparently Morgan shared her opinion. But their shouts of denial must have rung false because Caius raised an eyebrow.
“Nothing—really? I don’t mean to undermine your perceptions, Cara, yet your story sounds farfetched to me.”
“I know. I guess you’ll just have to trust me.”
Unfolding his arms, Morgan sighed. “What does it matter anyway? The important thing is that we might have won the war, thanks to Cara.”
As if the idea appeared doubtful, Caius pursed his mouth. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that. Devlyn may well have felt the kiss of death today, but he’ll forget. And in a month or a year’s time his armies will be besieging Palance again. Or Moonstill. I still firmly believe the prophecy is our salvation.”
Although expressed with calm and patience, the wizard’s declaration ignited something in Morgan, who raked his loose hair with his fingers.
“I don’t want to listen to one more reference to your damn scriptures. I don’t care a whit about a so-called prophetic child and Cara isn’t marrying anyone but me. Mark my words, wizard, because it’s the last time you’ll hear them.”
It felt like her heart exploded. He wanted to marry her and all of a sudden the floor beneath her feet seemed to sway. Eyes moist, she grabbed the corner of the desk to temper the rush of happiness turning her blood to lava. Mindless of her gut-wrenching emotion, the men kept on bickering.