Mysterious Warriors: Alone (7 page)

~ Chapter 16 ~

              Cabaya moved through the streets with the other Mysterious Warriors. She sensed something strange in the air as they moved. She felt heavy and light at the same time, and Cabaya closed her eyes. Her stomach ached.

              Suddenly, a fierce rage overpowered her, and Cabaya screamed something as she spun to face Sacrifice. How dare he not like her? She punched his face. She was a hero, and he was supposed to respect her!

              Kitnan yelled something as Galdut dropped to his knees. He covered his face with his hands, and it looked as if he might be crying.

              Kitnan pulled Cabaya away from Sacrifice as he seemed to stare at her. Cabaya couldn’t see his face, but she imagined evil eyes and horns hidden under his dark mask.

              “Wherefore doeth thou deserveth to leadeth us?” Kitnan screamed, lifted her pegleg, and her blade shot from the implement. “Lunette was the one who began the crusade, and ye are the one who masterless us. I shouldst be in chargeth.” She lunged at Cabaya.

              Sarasa brought her hands forward and shot water against them. “Stop this, please.” She continued to shoot water free from her hands, and Kitnan gasped. She fell back, and the blade from her pegleg sparked against the stones of Lower City.

              Cabaya turned toward Sacrifice and pulled an arrow free. Instead of setting it to her bow, she wanted to hurt him with it. She lunged and stabbed the arrow toward his heart.

              Sacrifice grabbed her wrist and shoved her back against the closest dwelling.

              Someone gasped, and Cabaya frowned as Sarasa’s water seemed to be drowning Kitnan.

              “Why did I even join you?” Koketa demanded, shaking her head and stepping back. “I don’t know any of you. How can I trust any of you to protect me? I was almost raped, and none of you saved me. Lunette was the one person who protected me. You’re all frauds, pretenders, people who want to be someone who disappeared. Lunette is the one person I can trust.”

              “What’s going on?” Sacrifice demanded, holding Cabaya still.

              A small voice in her mind agreed with him, but she struggled against his hold. He was strong, and for the first time she wondered what he looked like under that mask which concealed him so well. She kneed him, and Sacrifice fell. Cabaya danced out of the way as he turned.

              Sarasa rose in the air and turned her water attack on Koketa. “You want to abandon us? Do you have any idea what we’ve been through? Have you lost the love of your life? I have to be in the palace, and I cannot be with the man I love, so close to me, and yet so far away.”

              Koketa slammed back as the water rushed against her.

              Cabaya blinked and shook her head. What was happening? She couldn’t think straight. The only emotion she could process was rage. Overwhelming rage surged through her veins, and she stabbed Sacrifice with the arrow.

              He cried out, and she shoved him through a window. He fell back, and Cabaya ignored Sarasa trying to drown Koketa, Kitnan gasping on the street, and Galdut sobbing as if his heart was shattered. The only thing Cabaya cared about was the man she’d broken a window with. She leapt into the closed store and cocked her head. “I don’t know why you dislike me, and I’m tired of it. I’m an incredible person, and you should be happy to know me. You don’t understand who I am or what kind of person I am.”

              “You’re right.”

              Blood drenched his dark outfit, and she grabbed his neck. Rage and power surged through her arm and up to her heart as she held him.

              “Tell me something Sacrifice, what did I ever do to you? What possible reason do you have for hating me?”

              “I—” He punched her stomach, and she fell back, releasing him.

              Hitting a table, she smashed through the wood, and Sacrifice tore a leg free from a chair. “You really wonder why I hate you?” He snarled. “You betrayed me, and you have no idea. You’re clueless, and you’re ignorant. You don’t want to know the truth because then I won’t be some evil guy you want to hate.”

              She shook her head.

              He smacked her with the chair leg, and she grabbed the wood. Cabaya clubbed him, and Sacrifice fell back. She tackled him, and he groaned as they fell to the ground. Cabaya punched his face several times. Her thoughts wouldn’t form, and she couldn’t control her anger. In the back of her mind, she realized she shouldn’t hate Sacrifice so much. Why was she beating him? She hesitated. Why shouldn’t she beat him?

              He grabbed her wrists and rolled, pinning her beneath him. He stared and held her down. She struggled, but he was too strong.

              “Let me go.”

              “No.” He whispered. “I don’t want to fight you. I’ve never wanted to fight you.” His voice lowered. “I don’t want to hate you. You’ve been the one Mysterious Warrior who I have always admired. You’re strong, and you’re not afraid to find the truth. You will do whatever it takes to find that truth, and I admire you for that.” He held her down with his elbows, and he gently stroked her dark hair. “You are beautiful, and I’ve wanted to kiss you since that night.”

              She struggled. There was only one man whose lips she despised more than Sacrifice. Cabaya paused as he kissed her. Her eyes shot wide, and she stopped struggling. Her rage dissipated, and she felt something stir deep within. Her head cleared, and she gasped as he pulled away from their kiss.

              Cabaya managed to free one of her arms, and she touched his chest. “I’m okay now. I’ll stop trying to kill you.”

              He let her up. “What happened?”

              “I think Black Hood was near.” She looked outside as Galdut slowly got to his feet.

              Koketa and Kitnan looked at Sarasa, and her eyes were washed out. A pit formed in her stomach as Cabaya exited the store with Sacrifice.

              Kitnan shook her head. “We needeth to protecteth ourselves against h'r. That was most definitely Black Hood.”

              Cabaya glanced at Sacrifice, and she blushed as she thought about his lips. Had that kiss only been the effects of Black Hood? Or had there been something else behind his passion?

~ Chapter 17 ~

              Queen Margaret wondered what Tara and Stefan would name their first child. Perhaps “Margaret” would be their daughter. Rachel and Gary had named their daughter after Gary’s grandmother, but the queen hoped her first born would have the sense to name her daughter after her mother. Princess Maggie.

              The queen paused as she noticed Tara with her guard. She frowned. Why was Tara still spending time with the man there to protect her instead of the man courting her?

              Queen Margaret walked into the training room as Tara lowered her bow. “What are you doing in here Tara?”

              The princess looked back, her netted hair swaying with the movement. “Hello Mother.”

              Queen Margaret raised a brow and looked between the guard and her daughter. “Why are you dressed like that?”

              Tara looked down at her pants and ridiculous shirt. The queen was appalled with her daughter’s outfit. What could possess a woman to want to dress like a man?

              “I’m training.” Tara answered as if that explained the madness.

              “You used to train in a skirt.” Queen Margaret pointed out. “I allowed you to train, but you were always in a skirt.”

              “And now I’m in pants.” Tara shrugged. “My range of motion is much better in pants than in skirts. If I want to be a great warrior and the kind of queen who can protect her people, then I need to do this.”

              “Why in Erde would you want to be that kind of queen?” Queen Margaret couldn’t fathom why her daughter was sputtering such nonsense. It was inane to think someone as beautiful as Tara would strive to be something so masculine.

              “Your daughter is skilled.” Her guard stated.

              “What is your name, Guard?” Queen Margaret hoped her voice was as harsh as she felt. She wanted to clobber the man who was encouraging her daughter.

              “Sir Alexander Markin, Your Majesty.” He bowed.

              “Alexander.” She narrowed her gaze to slits as she glared. “Do you think my daughter is beautiful?”

              Alexander glanced from Tara and back to her mother. The queen was pleased to see that he did acknowledge Tara’s beauty.

              “She is a jewel.” Alexander answered with something in his voice. It was the kind of tone King Warren had when he spoke of her beauty, and Queen Margaret’s anger replenished. This royal guard loved her daughter; she could tell by his gaze, the way his hands lingered near Tara’s, the tone in which he spoke to and about her. It was unacceptable. He couldn’t love her.

              “What happens to a jewel when it is stabbed with a sword? Pierced with an arrow?” Queen Margaret raised a brow.

              “It depends on the jewel, Your Majesty.” Alexander’s answer was trite.

              “It shatters.” Queen Margaret supplied the answer she wanted. “My daughter will not be such a jewel.”

              “Forgive me, Your Majesty, but your daughter is a diamond.” Alexander contradicted.

              Queen Margaret gasped and stepped closer to the guard. She fell, making her slip seem as real as she could. With a high-pitched scream, she landed on her back, hitting her head on the soft ground. She hoped her hair wasn’t too out of place.

              “Mother.” Tara rushed to her. “Are you alright?”

              “Get me to bed my darling.” Queen Margaret gripped her daughter’s arm and moaned. “I am unwell. I need my bed.”

              “Let me help.” Alexander picked the queen up, and she moaned with surprise at the strong arms.

              Tara led Alexander up the stairs to the queen’s chambers as Queen Margaret continued her moaning and whining. She murmured as Alexander set her in bed, and Queen Margaret grabbed Tara’s hand. “Get my ladies for me.”

              Tara nodded and left with Alexander. The queen narrowed her gaze as the door shut between them. She would not let this stand. Stefan was a baron, and he would make a much more suitable match for her daughter than some guard. Alexander may be a well-trained knight, but the baron was the kind of connection a queen should have for her husband.

              Queen Margaret sighed as Alice and Roanna rushed into her room.

              “What do you need my queen?” Roanna asked.

              “Rone, massage my feet.” Queen Margaret ordered Roanna. “And Alice, find Baron Stefan and send him here. I must have a word with him.”

              Alice nodded and left.

              Roanna sat on the side of the bed and gently removed the queen’s slippers and stockings. “What happened my queen?”

              “I fell.” Queen Margaret told her. “I’ll probably get the mumps and die.”

              “You will be well again my queen.” Roanna rubbed the queen’s throbbing feet.

              Queen Margaret groaned in relief as the aches were released from her heels. She looked up as Terena and Lyssa entered her room with curtsies.

              “What can I get you my queen?” Lyssa asked.

              “Litta, I need grapes and some kind of drink.” Queen Margaret insisted. “Get me some wine to ease this headache.”

              “Yes Your Majesty.” Lyssa curtsied and left.

              Terena grabbed a silk fan with lace and waved it for the queen. “Is this good, Your Majesty?”

              “Keep it up.” Queen Margaret ordered as she lay on her bed.

              The queen glanced at her ladies, and she remembered the first time she’d seen Roanna. The woman had come to court seeking refuge, and the maids thought Roanna looked like the queen. Roanna had been hired to pretend to be the queen in the face of danger. She was quiet and didn’t speak much, something the queen liked about her.

              “Here’s some wine and grapes, Your Majesty.” Lyssa returned.

              Queen Margaret opened her eyes and sat up a little to drink some wine. The smell woke her senses, and she took a deeper drink. She sighed and plucked a grape from a stem.

              Lyssa set the emerald-rimmed goblet and gold plate on the bedside table for the queen and curtsied as she moved to stand beside Terena as the woman continued to fan the queen.

              “I found him.” Alice returned with Stefan and curtsied.

              “I heard you wished to speak with me.” Stefan knelt beside the queen’s bed. “Your lady told me you were ill.”

              “I fell and hit my head.” Queen Margaret told him. “Tell me Baron, are you still courting my daughter?”

              “Yes, Your Majesty.”

              “Then why does she spend time with that protector of hers?” Queen Margaret blinked irritation. “Are you not capable of wooing my daughter? I already told you she enjoys reading.”

              “Yes, Your Majesty.” Stefan’s dark brown eyes looked nervous. “Princess Tara is often in the library.”

              “So why aren’t you keeping her from her protector?” Queen Margaret frowned.

              “She enjoys training.” Stefan answered. “Alex is happy to help her. Your daughter wants to be able to help her people.”

              “I help my people, and no one sees me in the training yards!” Queen Margaret moaned as she laid back. “Tell me Stefan, do you want to be the next king?”

              “I would be honored.”

              “Then you have to make my daughter fall in love with you before she realizes her guard is in love with her. If Tara enjoys spending time with Alexander, then she’s likely to fall in love with him. You have to make yourself available to her. She enjoys reading and riding. Figure out how you can get into her training schedule if you want to be king. I cannot force my daughter to marry you.”

              “Why do you want me to be king?” The baron truly looked curious.

              “You are handsome and come from good standing.” Queen Margaret took his warm hands in hers and looked him in the eye. “You will make a good king. You just need my daughter’s heart.”

              “I will do my best.”

              “My darling!” King Warren broke into the room with a gasp. “I was at court when I heard about your fall. Are you alright?”

              “Sit with me.” Queen Margaret reached toward her husband as she eyed Stefan. “Remember.”

              The baron nodded and bowed to the king. “I should go find your daughter and make sure she’s alright.”

              “Thank you Baron.” King Warren put a hand to the man’s shoulder. “I’m glad Tara’s courting a man as thoughtful as you.”

              Queen Margaret watched him leave. A slow smile spread across her face; Princess Maggie would be her favorite grandchild.