She sat up slightly, pulling her furs closer around her neck. “I see you’re noticing the wrinkles. It’s a waste, isn’t it? That we live such a long life then succumb to old-age just like a human. I feel like I’ve barely gotten started and now it looks as though I’ve only got a couple of years left. Ah, well, I intend that you and I will make the most of it.” She rose to her feet and drew the poker from the fire. The tip had a figure eight on it, the symbol of infinity, and it was red hot.
She moved slowly, her lips pursed. Her violet eyes were now a muddy color, almost brown-gray, and not pretty at all. Her lips turned down as she got closer. Getting within inches of him, she glared. “Did I tell you Gustave is dead? I killed him a week ago in anticipation of bonding with you. Now, of course, having awakened with my aging issue, I wish I’d kept him alive. He was the one who created the Invictus bond in the first place. He was a great scientist. He might have been able to discover a serum or something to correct my growing disfigurement. Ah, well. I will simply have to make the most of what I have left.”
She looked him up and down. “And I definitely intend to make the most of your body. You’re built, Stone. A masterpiece among the male species.”
If there’d been any way he could have killed himself in this moment, Stone vowed he would have done it. “I’ll never bond with you, Margetta. It’s that simple.”
She smiled then lifted the poker to eye-level so that he could see the heated end. She then jammed it into his cheek and held it there. He felt the burn over his entire face and deep into his bones. But he gritted his teeth, refusing to utter a sound.
She tossed the poker on the floor and he heard her minions scramble for it. They no doubt knew to keep the poker ready at all times. Margetta wouldn’t hold back on punishing any of her servants, if she felt the need.
Margetta remained close to him and stroked the uninjured side of his face. “You’re mine, Stone. No one will find you here, ever. And I have a thousand ways to make you take back your words. But let me give you another taste, only this one will be sweet.”
With his face throbbing, he steeled himself.
He felt the earth rumble and her troll minions screamed in fear. But he knew what it was. She drew the elf-lord power into herself then it flowed into Stone’s mind. Everything he’d felt earlier in the castle garden he experienced again. It was as though for a man with elf-lord capacity, the power hit every pleasure center his brain possessed, and then some.
Even the agony of the branding disappeared with so much feel-good coursing through his body that he moaned.
“You like that, don’t you?” Margetta leaned in and sniffed his skin then licked a line up his cheek. “Be with me, Stone. Take what belongs to you. We can make the Nine Realms anything you want it to be. Just join with me, accept your birthright, and let’s fly to the heavens together.”
Despite the seductive nature of the power, he forced his mind to focus on Rosamunde and what it had been like to be with her, to fight beside her when she was Aralynn and later as Rosamunde. He loved her spirit and her willingness to battle for what she believed. He knew now that learning to transform had given her freedom. Davido had been at the heart of it, helping her through the process. Davido, the wisest of the trolls and an elf-lord who had killed off all the cruel ruling elf-lords.
He understood now why it had been necessary for him to do so. The elf-lord power corrupted all who gave themselves fully to it.
The pain in his cheek slowly began to return, as well as the agony of hanging in shackles, and the freezing cold against his skin.
He shook his head. “Margetta, I will never join you. I can’t. I love another.”
Her aging features twisted in derision. “My niece? She’s as weak as her mother, Evelyn. And you’re a fool to give two thoughts to her, never mind your heart. But don’t you understand, if you don’t join me, I’ll have to kill you.”
At that, he lifted his chin and met her gaze full on. “Then have at it.”
~ ~ ~
Rosamunde sat on the edge of the marble slab, just as Stone had three nights ago. He would have died if she hadn’t brought him here. She would have died as well, if Kaden hadn’t used his healing arts to restore her burned skin.
She held a change of clothing in her hands that Joseph had brought to her. Not surprising, they were Aralynn’s clothes, pilfered from her cottage. But all she could do was laugh as she slid off the slab, removed her ruined clothes and put on battle gear once more.
Joseph had even provided her with one of her first daggers, the one she’d ‘lost’ the first week she’d moved into the cottage.
When she headed back to the front rooms, she found Davido seated in the chair by the window with Joseph perched on his shoulder. They were doing a crossword puzzle together. “You can’t use proper names, not in this puzzle. It says so at the top.”
“Where?”
Davido pointed and Joseph leaned forward. “No Proper Names. Oh, so that’s what that means.” He blew a raspberry and for good measure added a gurgle from his throat as well.
It was strange thinking that Davido had been in his Kaden form just a few minutes ago and that he’d healed her. He looked up from the paper. “Your color is much better.”
“I feel perfect. Thank you.” She glanced around. “I thought Vojalie would be here.”
Davido frowned. “She is, but she’s deep in meditation for Stone’s sake as well as for the fate of the Nine Realms.”
He pinched his lips together and tears touched his eyes.
Rosamunde could see he feared for his son.
He rose to his feet and folded up the paper, which caused Joseph to spit and sputter. “I wasn’t done.”
He handed Joseph the paper who then levitated near the window where he remained. From the outside, the sill was at ground level, giving the home a basement feel. He opened the paper and continued studying.
Davido crossed the room to her and took her hands in his. “What are you going to do, my dear?”
Tears burned her eyes. “I don’t know. I want to go after Stone, to find him, to bring him home, but how? Margetta probably took him to her base camp. And even if she didn’t, I have no way of locating him. I was hoping you and Vojalie would be able to help me.”
Davido squeezed her hands. “I’m afraid what happens next is on you. I have no way of looking into the future and Vojalie is doing her best. But she says she’s blocked. We’ve suspected that Margetta has been interfering for some time. Rosamunde, you need to dig deep right now.”
She shook her head, fear encasing her heart. “I don’t know what to do, where to begin.”
“Remember that Stone has your blood in him and that the blood rose power has unusual capacities for each couple. Maybe you should dwell on that.”
With his three forehead ridges in tight rolls, Rosamunde realized how desperate Davido really was. And why wouldn’t he be? He had no way of helping the man who was his son.
“So there’s nothing you can do as one who channels the elf-lord power?”
Davido shook his head. “I’m not a fully realized elf-lord, which is one given completely to the power. And I’ve taken vows never to become one, not even for the sake of one of my children. Without that vow, I would have been executed a long time ago.”
Rosamunde knew then that any hope she had of finding Stone truly was on her. “I’ll leave you now. But I promise you that I’ll do everything I can to bring Stone home. Okay?”
Two fat tears rolled down his cheeks. He levitated suddenly so that he could wrap his arms around her. He hugged her for a long moment. “I know you will.”
She didn’t wait for further conversation or good-byes, but teleported straight to the cottage. She sat down on the end of the bed, moving her dagger sheath slightly so it didn’t pinch her leg.
She focused all her attention on Stone and on what they’d shared together. It was hard to calm her pounding heart, to reach a place of serenity that would allow her to pro
perly meditate and to consider the problem.
After several minutes, however, she reached a place of peace and to her surprise her fae instincts drew her suddenly to her mating vibration. Chills raced up and down her spine because she knew, she knew, that somehow the same stream of energy, so personal and sexual in nature, was the key. But how was she to engage with Stone if she couldn’t locate him?
She rose to her feet and with her eyes closed, she extended her arms as though in supplication to the Goddess. She gave herself to the love she felt for Stone and let it fill her heart and mind. In doing so, her telepathic vibration began to hum, softly at first then growing stronger.
Without thinking, she turned toward the northwest, a direction facing a portion of Tannisford Realm, the part high in the Dauphaire Mountain Range. So high in fact that no matter the time of year, the peaks were always capped with snow.
She could feel him now though what she sensed was that he was close to death.
Her heart ached as she let the stream of her telepathy flow in his direction. On and on she sent what felt like a fragile string of hope toward the mountains and the snow.
She also knew the exact moment she reached him because a flow of energy returned in her direction that felt like Stone.
But it was so weak, too weak.
She didn’t know what else to do except to try to talk to him. Stone, I’m here and I’m doing everything in my power to locate you. My telepathy has found you, but Margetta’s blocks are too strong and I can’t pinpoint your location. Stone, please hear me.
She stayed fixed in position, holding her mating energy open and repeating her plea.
But nothing returned to her.
No matter what, she’d keep trying. However, she broke her meditation long enough to contact Mastyrs Ian and Zane. She wanted them on call, as well as Davido, if she was finally able to determine Stone’s exact location.
The men responded as she expected. Each would await her telepathic call to arms.
But was she too late?
~ ~ ~
Stone had branding burns over a large part of his upper body and the temperature seemed to be dropping. He’d thrown up several times and now shook all over. He felt death creeping up on him.
Margetta was looking more and more shriveled as she sank into her furs and waited as her minions continued to press the heated branding iron against his skin. Her eyes were closed. He realized she’d fallen asleep.
The three troll slaves who kept the fire burning and the iron hot, were miserable creatures, beaten into submission by their mistress. Each had mouthed their apologies to Stone when they’d seared his skin. He didn’t blame them. He knew exactly what would happen to them if they disobeyed. He wished like hell that he could do something to save them.
He was weak now and at times confused. He kept hallucinating Rosamunde’s voice in his head, Stone, can you hear me? Please respond. If we work together, I’ll be able to find you. Then I’ll bring an army to get you away from Margetta.
Death couldn’t be far away, not if he was hearing things that couldn’t possibly exist.
One of the minions had just finished sinking the brand into his flesh. The smell alone was hard to bear. But at least he’d have a few minutes before it would be hot enough to do its job again.
Stone! Please hear me! Stone, are you there? I want to bring you home. Please, talk to me. Tell me you’re okay.
Though he hung forward in the shackles and his joints ached, though his feet were frozen and his blood sluggish, he realized it was an odd hallucination to invent a series of repeated urgings. Either that, or he was closer to death than he thought?
Besides, Rosamunde had a lot of power. Maybe she’d found a way to reach him?
Is that you, Rosamunde?
He really didn’t expect a response. Yet Rosamunde’s voice came through with startling clarity. I’m here! Stone, I’ve been meditating and hoping we could reach each other.
You’re not dead? But you were burned so badly when Margetta took me away.
Kaden healed me.
Kaden. Davido. His birth father, his mentor. Thank the Goddess.
The unexpected connection to Rosamunde filled him with hope and his energy began to rise. Yet at the same time, his heart hurt and he was filled with remorse. He’d been so harsh with Rosamunde, judging her badly because she’d refused to act on Margetta’s visions. But here he was, shackled to a wall in an ice cave because he’d been so sure he could make a difference when she couldn’t.
He’d been arrogant beyond words and so willing to believe the worst of her.
Yet, if he was truly honest with himself, he knew now that Davido was right, that he’d been using his bad-opinion of her to keep her at a distance. Beneath everything was his fear he’d lose someone again that he loved. His parents’ deaths had strangled his heart, closing him off from meaningful relationships.
He’d thrown himself into his Guardsman missions because the harder he worked, the less energy he had to either feel his grief or to try to have a real relationship with a woman.
Well, what he had with Rosamunde was very real and they shared their love of the Nine Realms and an equal passion to keep their world free of tyrants. And he no longer wanted to hide from potential grief.
He wanted Rosamunde.
Can you forgive me? He asked.
For what?
He would have laughed if his cheeks weren’t frostbitten and his lips frozen together. For everything. I’ve been an arrogant ass.
Stone, you are so forgiven. How could you have known what Margetta was truly capable of?
Is the Communication Center intact?
It’s fine. You were what Margetta was after.
Then I was duped.
Yes, you were.
Rosamunde?
Yes? Her feminine, telepathic voice was like a balm on his soul.
I think I feared being close to anyone after my parents died. I kept telling myself that I had to make Tannisford safe first. That’s why I was so willing to think the worst of you. It kept me from getting too close.
I know.
You do? He was surprised.
I’m not so different. On some level, it was easier to stay in the castle, to do my job, to not think about engaging in a relationship when at any moment Margetta could inflict another of her visions on me. I’ve born so much guilt, I didn’t think I was worthy.
Margetta made you feel that way.
So many people died.
I know. We’ve born the same guilt. But I’m here now, Rosamunde.
Do you know where you are? Because even though we’ve made contact, I still can’t determine your location.
He looked out the cave opening into the dark night sky. I could be anywhere. I’m in an ice cave, but the location is beyond me. However, I have an idea. I don’t know if it can work, but I want to try.
Anything!
Stone loved her response. He realized she’d been this way from the beginning, always game whether in her Aralynn form or just Rosamunde. How about we try to bond?
You mean now? At this distance?
Well, we’re not a couple of slugs, we have some power between us, and I have your blood in my veins.
Stone. I love you so much. I’d try anything right now and I mean it. The minute I can locate you, I’m bringing you home.
Margetta was still dozing by the brazier, her minions shivering and huddling together. Stone closed his weary eyes and focused on his mating vibration. It came to life easily despite his intense suffering. He reached for Rosamunde and at first it was as though he was trying to penetrate a dense fog and his frequency didn’t know which way to go. I’ve accessed my mating vibration, but it seems lost, maybe blocked. Have you engaged yours?
I have, but like you, it can’t reach very far.
He drew a deep breath. What if you accessed the elf-lord power? I know it will hurt—
Yes! And the pain won’t matter, but I’m giving it a shot. Just be rea
dy. Okay?
He watched Margetta stir, but she heaved a sigh and fell back into her slumbers. He felt certain that the moment she woke up, she would know what was going on and would disrupt the process. Go for it. I’m with you. All the way.
He waited and everything fell so silent he wasn’t sure if Rosamunde was still there. But after a full minute, his own mating vibration began to hum with greater strength.
His gaze was glued to Margetta. She shifted her shoulders, but her eyes stayed closed. Even more lines had appeared on her cheeks.
Suddenly, his back arched as Rosamunde’s mating vibration, full of the elf-lord power, headed straight for him. He could also feel her pain, so he immediately channeled the power. He could tell her relief was instantaneous.
When his mating vibration reached hers it felt like two waves crashing into each other for a brief moment then a full-on embrace. Nothing held back. The elf-lord power covered their vibrations. He went straight to the issue. I bond myself to you, Rosamunde.
And I, to you.
With complete acquiescence, it was as though the two frequencies melted into each other and became one.
He opened his eyes and saw everything as though it had been made new.
Dear Sweet Goddess! Stone, I’ve got a fix on you! And I’m not alone. I’ve got both Zane and Ian with me as well as Kaden. Your father has his hand on my head and he’s sending healing through me. Can you feel it?
The stream hit him suddenly and his back arched again as warmth flooded him, protecting him from the frigid air. He felt his branding burns and frostbite start to heal. Yes, it’s working.
But it was then that Margetta woke up with a start and leaped from her chair. “What have you done?”
He didn’t answer the Ancient Fae. Instead, he pathed with Rosamunde. The beast is awake, but I’m almost healed. Still in shackles, though.
We’re teleporting together, though I’ve created a protective mist. Be ready.
I am.
The ice cave filled suddenly with a violet glow and Margetta shrieked as she transformed into her wraith state. Rosamunde covered his body with hers. The cave was small so that the massive physical presence of Kaden, Ian and Zane took up a huge portion.