An Oath Of The Kings (Book 4) (28 page)

You sick bastard.

Two hands slapped her back and shoved her up against a tree. Rough bark scraped her cheek as her arm was twisted painfully behind her.

“Don’t do this,” she begged.

He let go of her arm and moved his hands up to her neck, his fingers tightening around her throat. She gasped as she struggled for breath, the blood thudding in her ears.
He’s going to kill me here. Now.

“You’re killing her.”

“Isn’t that the point, you idiot? Now, shut up!”

Her vision blurred. Her head felt like it was growing in size and about to explode. When her legs buckled beneath her, he finally let go.

The Duke lifted her back up and spun her around so she was facing him. He seized both of her wrists in one hand and pinned them above her head. With the other hand, he reached for the laces at the bodice of her dress. Laughter sounded behind him as he ripped the ties and material apart, baring her breasts.

She wriggled one of her arms free and struck him, connecting with his nose for the second time.

“Demon’s breath!” he cried out and backed away. “Tie her up!”

Amused, the guards came for her, but she ducked beneath their grasps and took off at a run.
I know my way around a forest,
she thought, but didn’t know how she knew.
If only I can lose them somehow.

The fist that came out of nowhere slammed into her temple and dropped her like a stone. The Duke jumped on her, straddled her and began to strike her in the face with closed-fist punches, one after the other. Blood filled her mouth and nose and she moaned in pain as she tried to fight him off. A flash of metal appeared in her vision and she saw the dagger in his hand.

“No,” she whimpered. “Please stop.”

As though in slow motion, she watched him lift the dagger and slam it down into her chest. She screamed and arched up off the ground. He stabbed her again, burying the blade to the hilt, and then a third time. He then tore her dress, her shift and undergarments the rest of the way off. The night air accosted her naked body, sending shivers racing up her arms and legs.     

“Bring her back and tie her up.”

Kiernan’s breath rattled in her chest, her collapsed lungs refusing to fill with air. She felt like she was floating over the scene watching from afar as the guards lifted her and carried her back to the clearing and dropped her on the ground. They tied each of her hands to the posts on either side of her head. Then, they pulled her legs apart and secured her ankles.

No, please, no.

The pain started to fade as she lay there exposed to their lecherous eyes. Her body grew heavy and she started to sink downward into herself. Reality became disjointed, splintering into tiny fragments of cognizance.

Rough hands groping her breasts.

Laughter.

A shadow moving close, hovering, and then lowering down on top of her.

More laughter.

Frantic breathing. Insistent. Hips thrusting against her. The slap of flesh on flesh.  

Dear Highworld, no.

As if in answer to her prayer, the labored, excited pants dissolved abruptly into a startled scream. A wet, salty spray hit her face. The shadow lifted away.

Ferocious growls. More screams.

Heat. Unbearable heat.

Then, silence.   

The eerie silence seeped into Kiernan’s bones more deeply than the wet, cold ground beneath her. Too terrified to open her eyes, she lay there, shivering, her body seizing in convulsions. Nearby, something burned. She worried that if she didn’t move soon, she would be consumed by that same fire, but her ruined body refused to obey.
I’m dying.
The knowledge did not terrify her. She felt lighter. More at peace. The worries of the world no longer of concern.

She felt a gentle tugging at the ropes on her wrists and then her ankles.
Are the spirits setting me free?
She idly wondered if her father would be waiting to greet her when she passed into their realm.

I’m here, Princess.

Kiernan’s eyes snapped opened. White filled her vision and love filled her heart. No, not her father. Her beloved Bajan had come.

I made it. I’m in the Highworld.

The tears came then, trickling in rivers down her face at sight of the enormous Draca Cat that she cherished so dearly. “Oh, Bajan.” He leaned down to lick the moisture from her cheeks and she ran her hands through his silky fur, pulling him close. “I’ve missed you so much,” she cried.

Bajan made a susurrus noise deep in his throat and she smiled, letting her eyes roam his face, taking him in. He looked so unbelievably beautiful. His pristine white coat, his glistening dragon scales and those large, intelligent eyes. Eyes the color of hers.

She froze. No. The eyes were not the color of hers. They were amber.

She pulled back.
Who are you?

I am Regus.

Regus?

We do not have time to spare, daughter of Kenley, you must bond me.

Bond you?

Yes, your injuries are very severe. The Healing Breath alone will not save you. You must bond me to live.

She shook her head.
No! I can’t. Bajan is my bondmate!

Bajan is dead and you will be, too, if you do not bond me.

I can’t,
she moaned.

Bond me!
he roared.

She covered her ears and shook her head in anguished denial.
No!

You will, for it is not only your life that you will be saving. A child grows within your womb.

Kiernan howled in shock, but the moment Regus said the words, she knew them to be true. All of her symptoms. Her stomach illness. Her lack of magic. It could all be attributed to pregnancy.

Bond me.

Her mind whirled in turmoil.
A baby.
And, somewhere on this island, the husband who had made it so.
I have no other choice. Bajan, please forgive me.

She reached for Regus once again.
Yes. I will bond you. Come close.
The massive head leaned in. Kiernan locked on to the Draca’s amber gaze and drifted out a mindshifted thought. Once again, the magic simply vanished in the air.
It’s not working!
she told him, panicked now to save the life of her child.

Here, allow me give you a whisper of Healing Breath. It should help you to use your magic.

Regus hovered his muzzle over her lips. She inhaled deeply and the ancient vapor wafted into her mouth, sending curative waves through her body.

The Draca Cat suddenly stiffened when the sinuous stream bumped up against a dark, shadowy presence in her mind.

What is it?
she asked.

A curse.

Sorcery is responsible for my missing memories?

Yes.
Try to get around it to reach your magic.

She took a deep breath and hammered away at the barrier in her mind with the strength of her will. The Healing Breath joined with her to help augment her power. She screamed with effort, throwing every ounce of resolve she possessed at the vile obstruction.

The shadow shuddered, weakening beneath the relentless attack.
Now!
She reached in and pulled a sliver of her magic through the barrier.

There! It’s done!

In frantic haste, she grabbed Regus’s head once again and locked gazes with him to establish a magical pathway. She blasted a thought through the channel into his mind harder than she intended and it sent him flinging backwards through the air.

Tears of joy sprang to her eyes as the familiar Dracan presence began to build in her mind, growing stronger with each breath.

She hesitated.
What is that?

A deep power throbbed with life beneath the scales of Regus’s chest and it scared her. Something potent lived there, and it pulsed hot and bright like an uncontrollable sentient fire.

She was about to question him again, but stopped short when she identified an intense emotion rolling off him in waves.

Reluctance.

Kiernan delved deeper into his thoughts and her joy turned to heartbreak. Regus had not wanted to bond her, but felt compelled to save her life due to the Kenley oath. The power that she sensed, the one that resided deep inside him, caused him to shun all others. This fierce loner wished only to be left alone.

Kiernan sat up. The Draca Cat was just getting to his feet. Pale, green eyes looked back at her.

Lie back down, Princess. You are not yet healed.

She did as he asked and allowed him to administer the Healing Breath more fully this time. Where it felt like a trickle before, this time it felt like a flood. The magic flowed through her body, healing wounds, repairing organs, energizing her. It took up the assault on the damaged barrier in her mind and won, shattering the assassin’s curse and its hold on her.

She bolted upright and gasped for breath as the missing years crashed down on her like a torrent. Her royal life, her beautiful children, and…Beck.
Oh, Beck.
What must he think?

Other, more upsetting memories pushed through to the forefront, like the recent death of her father, but she willed them away for another time.

Regus stepped away from her and sat back on his haunches.

I’m sorry,
she said softly.

Sorry for what, daughter of Kenley?

That you were forced to bond me.

He hesitated, clearly not used to someone knowing his thoughts.
It was my duty to save you.

She nodded.
While I feel very fortunate to have you as my bondmate, I will understand if you prefer to go your own way.

I cannot do that now.

He was right. The bond would make it difficult for them to be apart.

I hope that I do not disappoint you,
he told her.

Of course, you won’t. Your friendship is all I ask.

But, you do not understand. Bajan is a hero of legend in Callyn-Rhe. I cannot live up to that. I can never be him.

Nor would I expect you to
. For the first time, she looked at the three bodies burned to a crisp on the ground. It was a far more charitable death than the Duke of Lewstin deserved.
What is the power you harbor inside, Regus? The one that causes you pain?

He hesitated.
It is the fire of the dragon.

You can breathe fire?

Yes.

You have a unique power, Regus. Embrace your heritage! You must never be ashamed of who you are.
I think you are beautiful.

He nodded his head.
Thank you. I will think on what you said.

Good, because we’re going to need that fire of yours.
She got to her feet, grabbed her dress off the ground and stepped into it. Next, she picked up one of the Falcons’ fallen swords.

Are we going to your royal city?

No, we have another battle to finish first.

Regus growled in excitement and it sent chills racing up Kiernan’s spine. He bent his front forelegs to the ground.
Come, Princess, get on my back. We will get there faster.

Your back? But, Bajan never—

I am not Bajan, daughter of Kenley.

Yes…I know that, I’m sorry.

There is nothing that would honor me more than to ride to battle with you.

Then, I accept.
Kiernan grabbed hold of the hair at the scruff of his neck and swung up onto his back. She leaned down to whisper,
I know you’re not Bajan. You’re Regus! Bondmate of Kiernan Everard Atlan!

A feral roar tore from Regus’s throat and she felt her own erupt forth loud enough to match his.

****

Cael caught the Falcon’s sword on his rake and pushed it aside. He didn’t know much about fighting, but keeping the pointy end of his opponent’s weapon from sticking him in the gut seemed to be the most urgent priority.

The guard growled and came at him again, and he managed to duck beneath the swing just in time, although he might have lost a chunk of hair in the process. Unfortunately, he also lost his footing and went down hard into the mud.

The Falcon spun around and raised his blade for another strike. Cael dug frantically in the mud for his rake.

A loud, tinny
clunk
drowned out the guard’s snarls and his eyes rolled up in his head. Cael scrambled back as the man crashed to the ground next to him.

He looked up.

Marian stood over him holding the skillet she had just bounced off the Falcon’s head. She gave him a savage smile and ran off.

Cael jumped back to his feet in thrilled disbelief.
We’re finally doing it!
What he had prayed for his entire life had finally come to pass.
A fight for freedom.
The people of Lewstin were at last standing up to the Duke. Standing up for their right to a life worth living. He felt giddy with hopefulness.

First, though, he had to survive the day, and the townsfolk of Lewstin were sorely outnumbered.

The next soldier came at him with a loud scream. Cael howled back and stood his ground, causing the Falcon to hesitate. It gave Cael the time he needed to find his rake in the mud and just like that he was back in the fray, losing bits of wood with every swing of the man’s sword.

He held only a foot of the rake in his hands when a hair-tingling roar erupted over the noise of combat. It came from somewhere out in the woods beyond the fence. An animal. A very big animal by the sound of it.

As a terrified silence descended over the town, the wooden gates swung open and slammed against the sides of the palisade.

Cael’s eyes widened in shock.

A wild creature, the likes of which he had never seen before in his life, stalked into the town carrying a bloodied Kiernan Everard on its back. Lean muscles clenched with feral strength as it moved. Sharp talons pierced the ground with every stride.

Cael instinctively took a step back, but Kiernan looked quite at ease atop the beast with her sword thrust high into the air.

The stories are true. She really is a warrior princess.

One of the Falcons was stupid enough to charge toward them with his weapon drawn. The cat creature leapt forward and let out a frightening stream of fire from its open maw. The soldier didn’t even have time to scream before being reduced to a smoking corpse.

Dear Highworld, what is this animal?

“Townspeople of Lewstin!” the Princess yelled. “Your aggressor is dead! You have nothing further to fear from the Duke of this town! Let these walls hold you no more!”

People cried out at the possibility. Several of the men ran to the palisade and began to pull it down piece by piece. Cael, caught up in their excitement, ran to help them.

When the gates and several large sections of the wall came down, Kiernan slid from the cat and dropped into the mud. “Soldiers of Lewstin! As Princess of Iserlohn, I order you to stand down! Work with us to return the town of Lewstin to green grasses and picnics and joy! We shall walk in mud no more!”

“To the mines!” someone roared.

“The trench!”

As one, the townsfolk raced up the hill. Young and old, men, women and children—every last one of them.

Kiernan Everard laughed and ran among them. At the summit, everyone who was able picked up a shovel and started to dig, including the Princess. At the first surge of water into the trench, the people went wild with celebration.

Cael knew it would probably be frowned upon to touch the Princess in Nysa, but this was Lewstin and he couldn’t help himself. He ran to Kiernan, picked her up into the air and swung her around. “Do you realize what you’ve done for us?”

Her green eyes sparkled with tears. “We all did it, Cael. Together.”

“Can you forgive me?”

“There’s nothing to forgive. Please know that I didn’t deceive you intentionally. It sounds unbelievable, I know, but I’ve been suffering from memory loss since the day I met you.”