Mysterious Warriors: Alone (22 page)

~ Chapter 50 ~

              Gary pushed someone out of the way as he turned to Alex. “Get—” He frowned. Where had Alex gone? “Rachel, we need to get Elena out of here.”

              “I got her.” Rachel held her baby as Elena wailed.

              “Come on.” Gary pushed his wife behind him as they moved toward the back, spiral staircase.

              “Mama. Mama.” Elena wailed. “Scared Mama.”

              “I know Darling.” Rachel held Elena close and kissed the top of her dark head. “I’m going to protect you.”

              “Auntie?”

              “Tara will be fine.” Gary promised his family.

              Rachel’s deep blue eyes were worried, and Gary ushered them up the stairs. “Go. Take her somewhere safe.”

              She didn’t argue as Gary guarded the staircase. He needed his family safe. He looked toward the dais. Tara was alright. A punch nearly twisted his head, and Gary blocked the next blow.

              Galdut, he had to be Galdut, grabbed the back of the man’s shirt and threw him back. “Go!” Galdut paused. “Be with the woman you love and your child. Come back when it’s safe but not before.”

              Gary didn’t argue as he made his way to his family.

              Terena slammed into Tara, and the new queen gasped as she looked up to see the knife meant for her stick into the wall. Terena helped Tara to her feet as Tara slipped against the satin of her long cape. Terena helped steady the new queen. “We have to get you out of here.”

              “Where is Black Hood?” Tara gasped. She scanned the room, looking for the woman. “Is Felix here?” Her heart quickened. Where were Rachel, Elena, and Gary?

              Stefan rushed to them. “My Little Hummingbird!”

              “We have to get her out of here.” Terena cried to the baron.

              Stefan looked at Terena. “But this is where we want her.” He stabbed Terena’s gut, and Terena cried out as his blade protruded from her back.

              Koketa rushed back into the ballroom. She ducked a blade and spun, kicking out at the nearest invader. She couldn’t believe Black Hood, Felix, and their crew had chosen Tara’s coronation to attack. They certainly weren’t afraid.

              Koketa was surprised to see Roanna fighting, scratching and punching the thugs closest to her. Koketa rushed to help the other maid, and she came to a sudden stop as Roanna shoved her hands in front of her, palms out and fingers curved.

              A strong wind seemed to come from Roanna’s hands, and the two thugs closest to her spun away, forcefully
pushed
by the magic from her hands.

              “Roanna?” Koketa whispered. “You have magic?”

              Roanna turned and faced Koketa. She moved her hands in a half-circle in front of her, and two bright, crystal wings flared from her back, between her shoulder-blades. She spun again and flapped her wings, summoning more wind to drive another attacker back. Roanna brought her hands back, and her crystal wings disappeared. She faced the Mysterious Warrior with a shy grin. “You’re not the only girl around here with a secret.”

              Sarasa brought her sword around, using the tip to smack a wave of water against one of the attackers. She had fought many battles, and she wondered if they would ever stop.

              Someone grabbed her shoulder, and Sarasa turned. She froze as his silver eyes bore into hers with confusion, doubt, and hurt. There was no anger in his eyes, and she was grateful for that.

              “Stop.” She pushed herself away.

              Vance grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. “Mo?”

              “You have to let me go.” She begged, and her voice broke.

              Vance did as she said, and she stumbled back.

              “I love you.” He whispered as he stood there. “You’re alive. I’ve been trying to find you for months, since I heard Sarasa could control water.”

              “Other fairies can control water.”

              “Who work with a red-haired man and a woman with a pegleg?”

              She groaned. “Kevin knew it.”

              “Why haven’t you told me you’re alive? We were to be married.”

              “I know. I love you too.” Her lips trembled, and that was it.

              Vance grabbed her close and kissed her. She melted into him. He wasn’t dead. Their reunion was supposed to be the cause of his demise, but he was there. His lips reminded her of their past. Memories flashed of ships, battles, high seas, pirates, and everything she missed that Braedon had taken from them all. She dropped her blade and brought her hands to his cheeks, cupping his face as their sweet kiss brought everything she’d pushed down and repressed bubbling back up. She was twenty-three again, and they were young loves. The world was right.

              Vance gasped as he released her and stepped back.

              “Vance?” She whispered.

              “Mo?” He looked up at her as blood drained from his eyes and ears. He coughed.

              “No!” She screamed and rushed to him as he fell. She tried to catch him, but he slammed through her water shield. His head knocked into the hard ground as his silver eyes caught hers.

              “At least I got to see you.” He reached a bloody hand toward her face. “You are everything I wanted my love.”

              “No, Vance!” Her voice caught as she knelt beside him. She held his head, trying to comfort him as his eyes remained open, watching her as the curse took the man she loved from her. Sarasa wailed and embraced him, striking her fist against his chest as she tried to bring him back. She lost connection to the battle. All she could do was hold Vance as his lifeless eyes stared at her; his love frozen in his silver eyes.

~ Chapter 51 ~

              Tara screamed something, but she wasn’t sure what she was saying. She tripped and fell back as Stefan pulled his blade from Terena’s stomach. The woman, more a mother to her than her own, fell to the ground, her face lifeless and staring.

              “Too much death.” Tara whispered as she tried to kick out at Stefan, but her long skirts captured her legs. Struggling to move, she slipped against the satin as Stefan kicked her.

              “Do you know how horrible it’s been to pretend to have feelings for you?” Stefan spat at her. “You, the perfect princess, who everyone loves. You are infuriating. I wanted to strangle you from the moment we met. I hate hummingbirds.”

              “Why?” Tara pleaded. “Why betray me?”

              “Because I love her.” Stefan grabbed Tara’s arm and brutally yanked her to her feet. She cried out in pain. “Black Hood and I will rule this kingdom once you and your family are dead. We will attack Ada’s Circle, and the age of the Fabisker will come to pass.”

              “You’re a Fabisker?”

              “No, but she loves me anyway.” Stefan touched the side of Tara’s face with the end of his hilt. “You don’t understand what Black Hood is like, and you only see her as the rest of the world does. She is different than any woman I’ve met, and I love her.”

              “Then you deserve her.” Tara glared as she struggled against her clothes and his grip. “She made me like you more than I ever truly could.”

              “Black Hood cannot put feelings inside people that don’t exist.” He sneered. “Some part of you had feelings for me.” Stefan threw her onto the coronation table, and Tara grabbed the jeweled sceptre. She rolled over the table and got solid footing as she threw her cape off. At least she was semi-free. She would have preferred fighting in her Cabaya or training outfit. Tara brought the sceptre around to club Stefan, but he jumped out of the way. He kicked the table at her, and Tara tumbled to the ground as the wooden table pinned her legs.

              Stefan grabbed the coronation sword and threw the sheath free. He smiled. “How fitting to kill the Colville Queen with the sword of her family.”

              Tara struggled to grab the sceptre and bring it around to block the blade, but something flashed just out of her line of sight. She grabbed the sceptre and saw Sacrifice push Stefan back with his blade.

              Tara gaped as Sacrifice blocked Stefan’s blow and stabbed the man. Stefan fell, Sacrifice’s sword in his throat, and Sacrifice rushed to Tara, throwing the table from its position to free her legs. He knelt beside her and touched the torn fabric of her dress, his finger lightly brushing the bruises on her legs. “Are you alright, Your Majesty?”

              “I am now.” She breathed. “Thank you.”

              Sacrifice helped her to her feet, and Tara limped to Terena. Sacrifice stood behind her as Tara held the woman who had raised her. Tears flowed from Tara’s eyes.

              “I need to get you to safety.” Sacrifice put his hand on Tara’s shoulder. “Your captain brought reinforcements to this coronation. They’re fighting off Felix, Black Hood, and their forces. The battle’s ending, but I need to keep you alive and get you somewhere safe. We have to move Your Highness.”

              Tara looked up from Terena’s body. “Stefan killed her.”

              “I know she meant a lot to you.” Sacrifice knelt beside her. “Terena wouldn’t want you to die while you mourn.”

              Tara shook her head as she allowed Sacrifice to pull her to her feet.

              King Warren wondered why Alice was doing her best to protect him. This was what he had hoped for. He wouldn’t have to take his own life.

              “Hello my king.” A man with knotted blond hair stepped forward. “Or should I say former king.” He sneered. “I’d love to kill all of your line.” He swung his spikey mace around.

              King Warren didn’t blink, and Alice threw herself in front of him. She shoved him back as she grabbed a knife and threw it at the blond man with knotted hair. “You must be this Felix I’ve heard about.”

              “Felix Belrose.” He mocked a bow. “And who are you? The king’s mistress?”

              “The king loved his wife with all he had.” Alice insisted.

              “Then he’ll welcome death.” Felix shoved her.

              Time slowed as the man’s mace swung toward his chest. King Warren stared at his daughter as Sacrifice pulled Tara to her feet. He glanced around, looking for Rachel. Something ignited in his chest as his gaze fell to Alice’s bright green eyes.

              The sound of metal scraping against metal was in his ears before the king realized what his hand was doing. He unsheathed his blade and blocked the mace as Felix’s face transformed to shock.

              His wife was gone, but the king suddenly realized he had a lot to live for. He had two beautiful daughters, strong and loyal, sure of their life together and apart. He had a granddaughter, sweet and smart. And he had those bright green eyes which had always watched him. Those bright green eyes which had always been hidden behind the deep blue eyes of the woman he had always loved but who had never truly loved him in return.

              King Warren shoved chairs aside as he smashed his hilt into Felix’s face. Felix grabbed a chair and clubbed King Warren with it, knocking the sword from the king’s hand. Splinters exploded, and King Warren barely noticed several dig into his arm.

              King Warren grabbed Felix’s neck and smashed him against a column. He punched the man in the gut, and King Warren nearly laughed. He hadn’t felt so alive in a long time. Felix, bloody and battered, stood and unsheathed a knife. He lunged at the king, but Warren jumped aside, slamming his arm into the man’s gut. Felix gasped as King Warren grabbed the knife and gutted the man.

              A gasp made King Warren turn and rush to the woman still on the ground. Alice’s bright green eyes stared at him.

              “Are you alright?” He knelt as guards swarmed into the room following their captain. “Alice, please tell me.”

              “That was amazing.” She whispered. “Oh Warren, I didn’t think you had that in you.”

              He laughed. “I always have.”

              “I love you.” The words seemed to slip from her mouth. “I’ve always loved you, and I will always love you.” She ran her bloody hands through his locks. “Margaret never loved you, but I always have Warren. You are everything to me, the only reason I stayed as her maid all these years. I just wanted you to look at me the way you look at h—.”

              He couldn’t help himself, and his mouth was suddenly on hers. She kissed him back, and her kiss was so different than his with Margaret had always been. Alice’s lips were full of hunger, desire, and King Warren hated himself for pulling away. “I have to make sure Rachel’s alright. I saw Sacrifice take Tara to safety.”

              Alice nodded. “Let’s find them.”

              His bloody hand slipped into hers, and he couldn’t believe everything he had missed all of these years.