Eternal Bloom - Book 5 (The Ruby Ring Saga) (18 page)

“Thank you,” I said, my eyes brimming with tears. “We can’t thank you enough.”

He smiled. “Your next clue isn’t far,” he said, then pointed south.

“Next clue? Can you just tell us where the garden is?” I begged, but when I blinked and opened my eyes again, the old man disappeared.

W
e walked over huge logs and fallen trees. When I ducked under a tangle of ferns, the sound of water echoed in the air. I rushed toward the sound of trickling water. When I burst through a patch of vegetation, I was amazed at what I saw: a large stone fountain with water gurgling from four stone tiers decorated with flowers. “This is our clue?” I asked. “It looks like a typical courtyard fountain.”

Victor touched his chin. “Perhaps it’s symbolic of water.”

“Hmm. So we have snow and water,” I said. “What could it possibly mean?”

He pressed his lips together and looked away, as if in thought. “Perhaps it has something to do with the various forms of water. When water freezes, it becomes snow, yes?”

I pondered what he was saying, but the pieces still didn’t come together. “Evaporation would be the next process then.”

“We passed their purity tests and have the key to the garden,” Victor said. “We know we’re looking for a flower.”

“All we have to do is find the garden. Once we open the gate, I’m sure the flower will be on top of a hill, maybe even glowing.”

Victor’s attention drifted to the left. “I am certain those paths weren’t there before.”

I immediately started walking toward the mysterious new trails as an explosion of floral aroma drifted all around me. There were five different paths to choose from, each carpeted in a different variety of flower. “Which one should we take?” I asked.

“We should follow the path of the flower from Jackson’s book.”

“The third one, with the cherry blossoms?” The pastel path seemed to stretch into the horizon.

The wrinkled lines between his brows relaxed. “Would you like to go for a stroll, milady?”

I gripped his hand, smiling as we walked, hand in hand, down the fragrant, beautiful path. I had to chuckle at the fact that I couldn’t see my feet as I walked; my bulging stomach obstructed my view. I felt like I was gaining weight for three. I tried to ignore that and focus on all the beauty around me. The gorgeous, plush carpet of fallen petals in shades of pink and white completely mesmerized me, like a pink, soft blanket in the middle of a big, frightening jungle. As I was admiring all the beauty around me, I felt cramps. I breathed softly through them. I didn’t want to worry Victor, so I decided against mentioning them. “When Jackson told me about this island, I was quite skeptical,” I said.

“I must admit that I was as well.”

The path seemed endless, but I walked briskly, hoping to reach the end soon. “Jackson went through everything to find a cure for me. What do you think his motives really are?”

“Those fiendish blue-ringed Immortals followed you to that market and sent Jackson in.”

“Yes, but Jackson created a diversion by compelling the gunman to rob the store. He wanted to help me get away because he knew what they’d do to me.” I thought about that for a moment. “But what if he only saved me because he knows I bear the mark of Lantera? Maybe he sensed it somehow. He has so many abilities.” I tilted my head. “Do you think he originally came into the store to capture me for the Immortals, then saw the mark and changed his mind? He did look shocked when he first saw it. Or maybe he was really trying to help me, and the mark is just an added bonus for him.”

“Or perhaps he’s a very good actor,” Victor said.

I flashed him a grin. “Like you, at the theater?”

He returned my smile. “No one could be such an excellent performer, my dear...but yes.”

“He knew my energy was at a dangerous level, that I was short circuiting.”

“He needed you alive and knew your body would never hold out.”

“So his people studied every ancient book, looking for a cure.” I shook my head. “That’s what scares me. What could be so important that they scoured those books for months to save a stranger, someone they don’t even know?”

A deep line creased his forehead. “I fear they do have an agenda of their own, that they want to use you for some personal gain.”

“But I’m just a map. At least they won’t be sacrificing me.”

A worrisome expression crossed his face. “Sarah, we have no idea how treacherous this journey may be.”

“We do know Jackson’s true identity though,” I said. “He works with the blue-ringed Immortals, but he moonlights for the rebellion, and that makes him a spy. What if Jackson kills us after we do this little favor for him? He’s clearly wishy-washy, and maybe he cannot be trusted after all.”

Victor’s lips pressed into hard lines. “I assure you he cannot be.”

“What if we join the rebellion?” I asked.

“Sarah, I think they would be our best allies. At first, I thought it best not to join either side, that we should stay hidden in the shadows. But we tried that, and they took you. I felt such pain when they took you from me.”

“If we have to pick a side, the rebellion will protect us, as long as we fight alongside them. I think it is best, Victor.” My voice grew louder as the awful memories of the laboratory returned. “Especially after what those idiots were going to do to me on that mountain.”

His voice cracked. “They would have killed our son, and I would never have forgiven them.”

“The blue-ringed Immortals are surely pissed about what you did to their mountain facility. I want to join the rebellion, but what if a war breaks out? Do you really want to be caught in the middle of it? I mean, what if they follow us back to our world and wreak havoc.”

“Wreak havoc?” Victor asked. “Ethano has already done that, my dear.”

I grabbed Victor’s arm when a sudden horrifying thought occurred to me. “What if Ethano joins them?”

He let out a long breath. “It would be a very dangerous, lethal combination.”

I sighed. “Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to attack their lab after all. They are so powerful. Even with the rebellion, we’re no match against them.”

“They were going to experiment on you!” he said, his voice wavering. “They did horrifying things to Della for months, and they almost killed my son.”

“So they needed to pay?”

He didn’t answer, knowing there was nothing he could really say.

I continued, “If you are so bent on revenge, Victor, why didn’t you kill Ethano?” I asked. “He needs to pay, too, right?”

“Sarah, we attacked that facility to rescue those poor humans being held in those awful pods. I suspected that Lynn, the girl from our theater, was among the captives. I went there to rescue them, not to kill anyone. The rebellion took it a step further, and your sister only encouraged them.”

“You had nothing to do with the explosion?” I asked.

“No, Sarah. I swear.”

I let out a sigh of relief. “I’m glad to hear that.” I sucked in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “I’ve been thinking, Victor. We should do Jackson the favor we promised, then leave. We can move to another country, a place where nobody will find us, not even the blue-ringed Immortals.”

He flashed me a serious look. “I do not run from my problems, My Queen.”

I sighed and stomped my foot. “Victor, you are so stubborn and—”

He cut me off and captured my mouth in a gentle kiss. I leaned into him, and he embraced me. “You love my stubbornness.”

Those pretty blue eyes of his caught mine, and we both burst out in laughter.

“I never said that,” I said.

“You do not have to say it,” he said. “I can tell by the way you kiss me, milady.”

My eyes crinkled in a puzzled look. “You can?”

As we rounded the bend, I saw a wrought-iron fence wrapped in snow-white ivy. “Get the key,” I said as my face lit up. “We’re here.” I could hardly contain my excitement. We hurried to the gate, and I anxiously peered through the steel bars. I sighed at the lush landscape. “It’s a blossom field, stretching as far as the eye can see,” I said as Victor put the key in the lock. With a double
click
, it opened.

“Stay on constant alert,” Victor said. “We have no idea what to expect.”

“But we’re here! You should be ecstatic!” I tried to put on a brave smile and pretend like his words of caution didn’t bother me one tiny bit.

He smiled at me, and I gripped his hand tightly as we slowly walked into the beautiful wonderland.

W
e walked into the green meadow lined with hundreds of cherry trees in full bloom. A fragrant almond scent drifted in the air. Glancing upward, I stared up at towering trees soaring at least twenty-five feet in the air. Soft sunlight shone through the magnificent display. I was mesmerized by the pinkish-white glow of the delicate petals. I smiled as a gust of wind brought down a flurry of flowers. Petals fell like pink snow and sprinkled the ground like a pink carpet.

The majestic, serene beauty and fruity aroma took my breath away. As far as I could see, there were heavily clustered cherry blossoms and single petals in all varieties of pinkish hues, from delicate baby pink to bright fuchsia and even mauve and crimson. The birds sang happily and the sun shone on my face. I had never felt so calm, tranquil, and at peace as I did in that postcard-perfect setting.

“Stunning,” Victor said, staring up at the pinkish-white canopy above us.

“It’s beautiful,” I agreed, walking under the sweeping branches. I spun around and searched. “How will we ever find the right tree? There are cherry blossoms spreading for miles, blanketing the hills, and they all look like the drawing in that book.”

Victor’s gaze locked on mine. “We need to find snow or water, perhaps a river or stream. I am not certain, but our time is running out to solve this mystery.” He reached out and caught a few falling blossoms. “These petals are falling from the trees like snow. It could have something to do with the snow clue.”

“Symbolism? Maybe, but that doesn’t help us much. It’s snowing everywhere.” I bit my lip, pondering. “The clues were given to help us find the tree.”

His brows knitted together as he looked around. “I don’t see how snow has anything to do with cherry blossoms.”

I was completely stumped. “What about the fountain? Let’s look for a fountain under a cherry tree, with falling petals like snow.”

“Where would a fountain be?” he asked.

I tapped my chin in thought. “Hmm. Snow and fountain? What do the two of them have in common?” Then it hit me. “Snow fountain!”

Victor raised an eyebrow. “Snow Fountain? What does that mean?”

I smiled as the pieces started to fit. “It’s a type of flower, a pure white cherry blossom. It makes perfect sense. It stands for purity, just like this island and the tests they gave to us.” I glanced down at my white deerskin dress. “Even this dress is white. It’s all about symbolism.”

“There was a tree full of white blossoms back that way a bit,” Victor said.

My heart pounded as a rush of excitement ran through me. “The eternal bloom must be one of those snow fountain blossoms. All we have to do is find it. Come on!” I grinned up at Victor, tears brimming in my eyes. “Baby, we’re so close to getting out of this nightmare once and for all.”

He grinned. “Then why are you crying, love?”

My heart jumped at the sudden joy flooding every fiber of my body. “Because...we can raise our baby boy together! I’m going to live, Victor! I’m really going to live, to hold him in my arms.”

He embraced me as emotion consumed both of us, and then we hurried back to the tree Victor had seen earlier.

“According to the clues, I think we’re looking for a weeping snow fountain cherry tree,” I said. I began to peer at every tree around us, desperately looking for the miracle flower that would ultimately save my life. Suddenly, a light pain ripped across my stomach. “Victor...oh my gosh!” I took a deep breath and waited until he turned to face me.

“What is it?” he asked. “Sarah? Are you in pain?”

“I didn’t want to scare you, but the cramps have been coming for hours now. I think Alexander is ready to come...today.”

A shocked expression crossed his face. “But I thought we had a tiny bit more time.”

I bit my lip hard. “The baby has other plans.”

“Do you hurt badly, my love?”

“My abdomen just tightens up. It’s uncomfortable, but it doesn’t hurt too much.”

“It’s going to be okay,” he said.

I gazed into his eyes. “I know. I have to believe that.” Suddenly, I gripped my stomach. There were more cramps, but they were nothing I couldn’t handle.

Victor’s mouth lowered on mine. Our lips connected in a slow, gentle touch.

I stared into his eyes and felt the strength radiating from him. “Thank you. I-I couldn’t do this by myself,” I said.

He stroked my face. “You don’t have to. I’m here with you. But we don’t have a minute to waste. If labor has started, we must find that flower.”

We walked through all the cherry trees until I spotted a flash of pure white. The cascading, white, spring blossoms took my breath away. I squinted and saw that it was the only tree with nothing but white flowers. “There it is!” I said, hardly able to contain my excitement.

Victor grabbed my hand, and in a flash, we rushed to the tree.

I reached up and picked a white blossom. Its petals were as white as snow, as soft as velvet. I squeezed it in my hand as instructed and felt a cool sensation flooding through me. I was surrounded by a white glow, and I began to shiver. Intense, supernatural energy overcame me. Goosebumps covered my skin, my hands felt cold and numb, and my lips tingled, as if I was standing in the middle of the North Pole. I didn’t feel the flower in my hand, and when I opened my palm, I only saw white dust. At the very same second, my body returned to normal temperature.

“Are you...healed?” Victor anxiously asked.

“I don’t feel the energy surge anymore,” I said. “I feel like my old self.”

Victor hugged me and stared deeply into my eyes. “We did it, Sarah.”

“I’m all better!” I laughed. “I can see my baby for longer than five minutes.”