Date: 2016-09-16 07:00:00+00:00
Description: The darkest places of the world need the most light...*** New Cover, Expanded & Revised Edition May 2017 ***Across the portal, in a separate realm lies the destiny of one girl, sheltered and hidden, but no longer safe from the evil that lurks in the shadows. Rhiannon has confronted the demon that sought her soul, but he is only the first of many. Armed with a gift of prophetic visions, she embarks on the next phase of her journey.From mythic beasts to jousting tournaments, hidden enemies and attacks on her life, Rhiannon must decide who is friend or foe. When the final battle wages does she ha

The Harbinger

Paranormal Fantasy Angel Romance

A Fight for Light Novel
Book 2

NIKKI LANDIS

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty Eight

Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Thirty

Also by Nikki Landis

The Gift Sample

About the Author

Harbinger

Defined as:

One that announces or foreshadows the approach of someone or something; forerunner; herald,

A person sent in advance of troops, a royal train, etc., to provide or secure lodgings and other accommodations,

One that presages what is to come; a precursor; as in a premonition, or

To act as harbinger to; herald the coming of.

Preface

Kellen glanced at me and pointed his ring in the direction of a huge oak tree. He twisted the green stone I had admired so many times before, never truly realizing its significance, as a murky misty swirl rose up from the center, altering the smooth appearance, and rising out of it that exploded up and into a window. I really didn’t know how else to describe it. Similar to a large oblong mirror but without any kind of frame.

The edges shimmered, like the sun’s rays reflecting on a glassy water surface. Through it you could see to the other side, which looked like more forest but I wasn’t fooled. An aura of mystery surrounded the gateway. A shiver ran through my slim frame…

I felt a slight nudging, a distant call, a deep vibrating hum, like that of whisper’s soft caress, beckoning me to come closer. A feeling of déjà vu blanketed me.

I had been here before…long ago…

“Touch it,” Kellen urged me, excitement dancing on the edge of his voice.

I walked over to the window, the portal, and put my finger up to it. As I touched it, it wobbled and rippled like liquid glass. I was completely fascinated. I saw my finger go through and come back as I pulled it out of the mirror, intrigued. Wow, I thought.

I turned to Kellen and grinned.

He slipped his hand in mine and squeezed. “Ready?”

His finger ran the length of my cheek as he placed a soft kiss against my lips. His other hand clenched mine, entwining our fingers, a protective gesture. With all that we had been through, and all the attacks on my life, nothing was more important than this moment, the culmination of his promise to protect me at all costs. No matter what. From any enemy.

A fierce determination lit up his eyes. Only he could be there for me now. Only he could show me the way. Only my Guardian…

I nodded to him.

Kellen pulled me into his arms, holding tight, his entire body a shield against the unknown, and jumped through the gateway…

My love is as a fever, longing still

For that which longer nurseth the disease,

Feeding on that which doth preserve the ill,

Th’ uncertain sickly appetite to please.

My reason, the physician to my love,

Angry that his prescriptions are not kept,

Hath left me, and I desperate now approve

Desire is death, which physic did except.

Past cure I am, now reason is past care,

And frantic-mad with evermore unrest;

My thoughts and my discourse as madmen’s are,

At random from the truth vainly expressed:

For I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright,

Who art as black as hell, as dark as night.

--Shakespeare, Sonnet 147

Chapter One

Kellen and I came through the portal, landing on the ground softly.

“Oh!” I gasped as a trembling began in my lower extremities and rose higher until my entire body shook with a sudden pulse. I dropped to my knees, exhaling, and breaking into a cold sweat. What was that? What just happened?

“Rhiannon?” Kellen’s voice brought me back from the verge of unconsciousness. I had almost blacked out.

A whisper carried on the wind, the words almost too indistinct to decipher. “Welcome beloved and revered…” Was I the only one whose skin rose with goosebumps?

Kellen pulled me to my feet. “I did not think my close proximity to you would cause you to fall to your knees. What an effect I have you,” he chuckled.

Did he not see? Did he not hear the voice? How could he have missed what just happened?

“So beautiful,” his eyes met mine, “so delicate, just like a rose.”

He kept his arms around me, looking into my eyes for a moment, his fingers clutching my body closer still. One hand raised to brush along the contour of my cheek. His eyes held an intensity that both alarmed and intrigued me.

It did not last. His long lean fingers twisted the green stone on the ornate ring and the portal collapsed into the same murky misty swirl as the ring sucked the fog back inside the precious stone.

He looked down at me with his usual grin when he noticed I was still watching him and gave me a squeeze before letting go.

“I’m afraid you’re stuck with me now,” he smirked, making light of the moment.

I saw it for what it was, an attempt to allay my fears, already forgetting my experience of a moment ago, but I let him think I was oblivious. The demon attack was still too close, too fresh. I had to bury it, before thoughts of my Gramps, his death, and the reality of my guilt consumed me.

It was all my fault.

If only Gran and Gramps were not forced to stay on the other side of the portal, if only they could have returned to where they belonged, here, then my Gramps would still be alive.

But they had to stay. Because of me.

His death was on my conscious. No one else.

“That’s ok,” I replied with a wink, “I’m safe with you.” I buried the pain and forced myself to focus.

His grin slowly got bigger as he looked me over head to toe. I gulped loudly and he laughed out loud in response. Taking my hand, he started walking, keeping me close at his side.

“I need to warn you that it is a little more…primitive here than you are used to. I hope you’ll still be comfortable, especially once we reach my home.”

“Its two days then?” I asked.

“Yes, a two day journey by foot. We will be keeping to the trees and forest as much as we can. I want to run into as few…inhabitants as possible right now.”

We traveled for an hour in silence. There were deep, deadly cliffs close by, some of them plunging in depths of hundreds of feet and high, cavernous looking mountains in the distance. The forest here was dense, lined thickly with tall trees. The trees almost seemed to have individual personalities. Amazingly, not one seemed identical to the others.

The grass was very green just like everything else. Something about the way the breeze blew made all of the trees and bushes seem alive. They seemed to move independently of their neighbors and actually breathe.

“Kellen, can I ask you something?”

“Sure, you can ask me anything. You never have to get permission,” he answered with a smile.

“What is the portal?” I asked, curious.

“In simplest terms it is a ‘puddle’ of energy through which life forms can cross from one side of the gateway to the other.”

“Is your ring the portal?” I wondered, clarifying. I hadn’t thought so but I asked anyway to be sure.

“No, it just opens the portal so we can cross, it connects to the energy and channels it. There are only a few ways to open a portal. Guardian rings are one of those ways.”

“Is it like time travel?”

He laughed. “No, we are in the same time and dimension as you are used to. The easiest way to describe it would be to say that this is a different world with different creatures that exists alongside your own.”

“Why is it open only from dawn to dusk? Why isn’t it open all of the time?” He told me several times we had to cross before nightfall. Why?

“Only the creatures of the dark can cross from dusk until dawn. You wouldn’t want to cross a portal at that time. It is frequented by demons, death hounds, and much worse. It is extremely dangerous.”

He looked at me very sternly, his expression clearly saying ‘don’t even think about it’. Why would I? Surely I would never have a reason to cross after dark alone.

“How many portals are there?” I asked to distract him.

“There are many more than I could ever count. They are everywhere, all over the world. Every portal in this world leads to a different location in your world. Only those who know where to look know where they can be found.”

I nodded and thought about that for a minute. This was very interesting. Could you potentially go anywhere you wanted then? Maybe across continents? It was fascinating to think of not having to fly on a plane to travel.

Kellen looked at me and laughed. Arousing my curiosity, I looked at him questioningly. “What? No more questions?”

“Not right now. I’ll let you know when I think of something,” I answered him seriously.

He must have thought that funny because he laughed again and shook his head.

“Rhiannon, you never stop amazing or surprising me.”

A few minutes later we came upon the edge of the forest and needed to cross over to the other side. There was a dirt road and straight across, more forest. The road looked well-traveled, with deep groove lines in the earth. I could only guess they were tire or wagon wheel marks. You could also see many different types of footprints and animal prints. I was thoroughly intrigued. Kellen was looking around cautiously as he spoke.

“We must be very quiet and careful until we reach the border of my home. This is a public road. Since it isn’t protected, it’s not safe here. We will have to be on our guard.”

I looked at him and giggled. He stared at me with one eyebrow raised.

“It’s just that with you dressed in the armor and all, it is sort of ironic for you to say that,” I explained.

He laughed too. “Nevertheless, we must be careful,” he told me, sobering up.

“Wait here quietly until I come back. I need to scout ahead. I’ll be a few minutes,” he warned me. “Take a moment to rest.” I nodded.

True to his word, he returned a few minutes later and took my hand. We walked up to the road, and then he picked me up and sprinted across into the forest. He set me down gently once we were safely through.

“I didn’t want to take the chance of…someone seeing you,” he explained, his voice soft.

His arms were holding me close. The kiss he placed on my lips was gentle and sweet. For a few seconds his eyes betrayed their desire and his mouth descended on mine with a fevered heat.

We started through the forest, Kellen using his sword to cut down large branches here and there out of the way for me. Most of the time, he held my hand. Occasionally, he would lift me over a log or stream. It was dense here, so thick with the trees, bushes, and wildlife that it took a very long time to trudge our way through. It seemed like it was taking forever to go a short distance. Trying not to complain, I didn’t say a word.

We had been walking for a long time. The muscles in my back were aching slightly along with my legs. I was also getting thirsty. Kellen’s legs were longer than mine. I had to walk faster to keep up. He looked over at me suddenly and stopped.

“I’m sorry darling. I forgot how this would be for you. You must be exhausted,” he murmured apologetically.

Glancing around, he pulled me over to a fallen log to rest. I sat down gratefully as he reached into his backpack and handed me a bottle of water. I downed half the bottle in a few seconds and then leaned my head back to look at the sky. It was a lovely deep blue with fluffy white clouds, not too many, just enough to look pretty. The sun was shining and making its descent toward the west. I breathed deeply smelling wildflowers, tree sap, and the purest air I had ever inhaled.

“The air smells so fresh here. Is it me or does it seem like the sun is setting later than home?” I asked him as I drew another deep breath.

“Yes, there is more daylight hours this time of year. The air is much fresher here. Our world is untainted by the same things as yours. It’s the first thing I always notice too. Here, life is slower, simpler. Technology is unimportant.”

“It sounds nice.”

“Yes, but sometimes it is more difficult. We live, die, survive by our swords. Our ability to hunt sustains us. There is plenty of game, fish, and fresh water. The earth provides everything we need.” He sounded proud of this place, his home.

“Tell me more. I think it sounds wonderful.”

He laughed. “Wouldn’t you miss the radio, television?”

“No, I think I could really love it here,” I told him truthfully.

He slid over next to me, taking my face in his hands. “Could you really?”

I saw the hopeful expression on his face. I knew it meant something to him to have me here. It was important to him that I like his home.

“Yes, I think it is beautiful and magical here.” I smiled my best smile at him.

He returned the smile, pleased. After a quick kiss against my lips, he hopped up.

“I need to secure us a place to sleep tonight, unless you don’t mind sleeping out under the stars.” He winked at me.

“Yes, that would be great. Just like camping.” It was warm, the evening would be pleasant.

“I didn’t have time to grab much. I have a sleeping bag for you though.”

“That’s good enough. Thanks,” I told him.

He handed me a granola bar and a bag of dried fruit combined with trail mix.

“It’s not much of a dinner. I’ll hunt tomorrow.”

I chewed thoughtfully as I watched him set up camp. He built a small fire pit out of rocks and unloaded some of the things from the backpacks. I was thinking about our conversation earlier today. I wanted to know more.

“Will you tell me about the council?” I asked.

Kellen focused on me to explain. “They are the oldest and wisest of our kind. They are three elders. They often move and talk in unison since their thoughts are so similar, although the first elder holds the highest office and addresses the public. They uphold the laws and traditions of our society, serving as judges and keepers of peace. They also oversee the Guardian army. We in turn guard those in need of protection and protect the gateway and its secrets.”

“What are their names?”

“Peredur, Torin, and Reamann. Peredur is the first elder, the oldest of the three.”

“Are they powerful? Do they use magic?”

He smiled. “Yes, they have the power of foresight and vision and use other magic to keep our lands safe. They are restricted and governed by laws. They cannot use magic to harm or intervene unless it is a special circumstance. They may be powerful but they are also very cautious and are guided by the same rules I live by.”

“Do they uphold the restrictions you told me about before?”

“Yes,” he replied hesitantly, “they handle all verdicts and judgments.”

“Hmmm, it sounds like they are very thorough.” I tried not to be concerned about the way he didn’t want to answer.

“Rhiannon, they are very fair. This is not something to worry about.”

I nodded. I would put it aside for now. Looking around, I realized it was getting dark. The sky was turning a dark blue and violet. It seemed very quiet here in the forest to me. Maybe I was just used to the noises of home.

“Are you cold? I can build a fire.” I looked over and saw him watching me.

“No, it’s warm still. I think…” I stopped talking when I saw him look around sharply.

Kellen grabbed his sword and stood quickly putting his finger to his lips.

“Shhh,” he whispered suddenly, “we are not alone.”

Chapter Two

With a stealth and grace that amazed me, he walked over to a tree about ten feet away. He cocked his head to one side, listening.

Suddenly Kellen smiled. He reached up and shook the branches of the tree forcefully. A small, round little figure hit the ground. He landed with a thump on his backside, his face scowling. Kellen was grinning from ear to ear.

“Fidget Goblinwand,” he greeted cheerfully, “how nice to see you.”

Fidget answered with a “harrumph” and rubbed his tender bottom.

Kellen laughed heartily, smacking his hand on his thigh. Fidget joined him after a moment and then looked at me cautiously.

My eyes opened wide as I realized he was a dwarf. At least I thought so. He had a long pointy red beard and his clothes were made of dark brown leather and dyed cotton. I quickly recovered myself and smiled at him warmly.

It was his turn to be surprised. He raised his eyebrows, first at me, and then at Kellen.

“She’s not an outsider, Fidget. Surely you can see that. I’m betting that you already know since you have been eavesdropping for a while.” Kellen was still grinning.

“I came to see what you were doin’, not so sure I want ta know now.” His voice was gruff and flustered.

“I don’t see how hiding in trees was giving you any answers. You know I can hear you.”

Fidget answered with a second “harrumph” and then looked at me again.

“Names Fidget,” he told me, “nice to meet you.”

I walked over and shook his hand. “Hello, Fidget. I’m Rhiannon. It is very nice to meet you too.” I put on my best smile.

His eyes widened again. He looked at me for a moment. Then he walked over and sat down on the same log I had just gotten up from. I followed him over and sat next to him. He seemed to like that. Kellen looked at me and smiled, nodding his head in approval.

“Rhiannon, you say.” He stroked his chin thoughtfully. “That sounds just like…”

He suddenly fell to his knee on the ground before me. “Milady. Forgive me. I did not realize it was you.”

“Rise Fidget.” I smiled. “There is not a need for formality here.”

“Oh but there is. I would gladly bow at your feet milady.” He blushed and glanced at Kellen who was laughing so hard he almost fell off the log he was sitting on.

“Come now Fidget. Have a laugh for old time sake.”

Fidget grinned and sat down at my feet. He flat out refused to sit with me again.

“There’s been talk. Some of the folk are nervous. I’ve come ta ask ya if there is going ta be a meetin’ soon.”

Kellen glanced at me, and then spoke quickly. “We’re here to see my father. We have news.”

He filled Fidget in on the reason for our visit. They spoke for several minutes. Most of the conversation was confusing, so I just smiled and pretended I got it. After a few minutes, Fidget got up.

“I need ta leave. There is much ta tell the others. I will meet ya at yer home in two days,” he told Kellen.

Kellen nodded. “Yes, in two days.”

They clasped arms and then Fidget walked slowly over to me.

“Farewell, milady.” He bowed and kissed my hand. “Until we meet again.”

He left, so quietly I could not hear his footsteps. Kellen looked at me and grinned.

“That was well done. He likes you. I think he is a bit smitten, actually.” His voice sounded just a tiny bit tight and then he relaxed.

I smiled and shrugged, yawning slightly.

“It’s getting late. We will start moving again at dawn. You need to get some sleep.”

Kellen spread the sleeping bag out on the ground, making sure no rocks or twigs were there to bother me, rolling up a blanket and setting it down as my pillow. Then he walked over and took my hands, leading me to the makeshift bed. He kissed me long and tenderly and gestured for me to get in the sleeping bag. When I was all zipped in and comfortable, he walked over to the log and sat down.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?” I asked him.

“Not tonight. Remember, I told you I can get by with very little sleep? It’s a soldier thing.”

I nodded. I watched him as he took out a cloth and began polishing the sword. He looked at me after a while, noticing I was still awake.

“Darling, you really need to get some rest. It will be another long day tomorrow. I promise to slow down for you though. Sorry about that,” he apologized again.

I knew I needed to sleep but I couldn’t. I just lay there. He sighed after a few minutes.

“Would you like me to sing to you?”

My mouth opened in surprise. He sang too? Let’s check off another item on the ‘things Kellen is good at’ list, I thought. He was amazing. I nodded to him.

He started humming and then his voice lifted into a wonderful ballad about a soldier in love with a beautiful maiden.

“Where you go, my darling, my heart will follow after.

There's no road you can escape me by.

Joy or woe, your sorrow and your laughter,

I will share with you until the day I die.

There's a new magic in the air,

Enchantment everywhere, I feel it all around me.

Magic in the breeze among the trees so fair,

It is you, my lover, wherever you may be.

Ever since you came, nothing is the same,

Just to speak your name, the harder that I fell.

Your love ignites my inner flame,

Ever since I fell underneath your spell.

Where you go, my bonny dear, my heart will follow after.

There’s no road you could escape me by.

Joy or woe, your sorrow and your laughter,

I will share with you until the day I die.

My heart is overflowing, filling with desire,

To make you my very own.

I would travel the longest road, climb ever higher,

I would cover you in riches, never would you be alone.

Where you go, my lovely one, my heart will follow after.

There’s no road you will escape me by.

Joy or woe, your sorrow and your laughter,

I will share with you until the day I die.

Come and run away with me,

That the world could see my devotion, how very easily,

Magic that surrounds us, even as we flee.

I only wish to hold my love for all eternity.

Where you go, my deepest love, my heart will follow after.

There’s no road that you would escape me by.

Joy or woe, your sorrow and your laughter,

I will always share with you until the day I die.”

I was completely mesmerized. His voice was gentle and strong and seemed to lift the very air around me. I sighed contentedly as my eyes fluttered and closed. I heard him start singing it again as I gently fell asleep.

Someone shaking me startled me awake. My eyes tried to open but were having difficulty. I blinked them a few times and then I saw Kellen in front of me. He was smiling.

“Time to get up. Sorry to wake you so early but we have a lot of ground to cover today.”

I slowly climbed out of the sleeping bag, not entirely awake yet. I watched as he rolled everything up and took down our little camp. After a few minutes, it looked like no one had been there at all. He brought me some fresh water to drink and wash my face with. Then he discreetly showed me the ladies’ room. I knew he would be close by if I needed him. A few minutes later we were walking hand in hand again, toward his home.

Sometime later, Kellen stopped by a bunch of trees. He let go of my hand and told me to stay still. He seemed to be waiting for something. All of a sudden a large centaur came galloping out of the woods. Behind him another came out a few seconds later.

They greeted Kellen warmly. He talked with them for a few minutes, informing them of the gathering in two days. They looked at me nervously, but after Kellen explained to them they relaxed. They quickly went back the way they had come, as if they had never been there at all.

The rest of the day passed much the same way. We walked a lot and we were stopped often. I had never seen so many different creatures or different kinds of people before. They were always cautious and curious. Kellen would explain and they would move on, all promising to meet at the designated spot. I caught glimpses of elves, wood sprites, and little folk. It seemed like the closer we got to his home, the more we saw.

The day went smoothly except for once in the late afternoon when Kellen heard an enemy patrol close to our location. We had climbed up in a large tree with overhanging branches. Luck had been on our side but I had my first glimpse of goblins. They were grotesque and ugly creatures, twisted and scarred with the evil that consumed them. Kellen told me if werewolves were with them we would have been discovered for sure. As it was, we had to stay hidden for a while and travel longer than we anticipated to find safety and shelter.

This time, when we finally stopped for the night, I was so exhausted I could hardly move. He had taken me to a lake to fish and he was preparing it for us to eat. While waiting for him, I had lay down and fallen asleep. He woke me up to eat and then he had put me to bed. I barely even realized he was doing it.

The next morning he let me awaken on my own. I opened my eyes to the bright dawn streaking across the sky, throwing brilliant shades of red, burnt orange and violet passed my eyes. It was a glorious morning for more than that reason though. We were going to Kellen’s home today.

I sat up excitedly and looked around for him. He was practicing his sword moves quietly a few feet away. He was breathtakingly handsome in the morning light. I watched him for a minute until he noticed me and ran over.

I jumped up and into his arms. He spun us around and lifted me into the air and then back down again. His eyes were bright and shining, the way they always looked when he was excited. I was learning his expressions and moods now. I knew this look. It was familiar.

“We don’t have far to go today. We are only a few hours from the border of my homeland. Let’s hurry so we can see my family by midday.”

We kept up a fairly quick pace as we made the last leg of the journey. It was only a few hours later when Kellen stopped me.

“Stay there Rhiannon, don’t move.”

Kellen and I had almost reached his home. He was so excited, it was contagious.

“Ok, I’m going to have you close your eyes now. Don’t open them until I say so.”

He took my hands and guided me forward for a few minutes. “All right,” he said at last, stopping me again. “Open your eyes.”

The first thing I saw was his beaming smile. When I looked around me, I gasped in surprise. It was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. The trees had opened into a large meadow with wildflowers growing everywhere, an almost endless sea of vivid color. There were mountains close by and a large river. An exquisite waterfall was flowing and splashing onto the rocks below just a short distance away.

The hill we were standing on dipped down and opened into a large valley below, off to the left. Everything was so green and bright, full of color, like an exquisite mosaic of lush greenery and vivid blues. I instantly loved it.

“What is this place?” I asked him. “I’ve never seen anything so wonderfully beautiful in all my life. I love it.”

“Technically this is the Monterro Valley, but known to our people as Karmelo, my home.”

He turned and took my hand leading me across the meadow. We walked in silence as I took it all in, my eyes scanning the expansive countryside. This place, this valley, was amazing, like a paradise here on earth. I noticed we were coming upon a huge stone wall that seemed to stretch forever into the mountains. I wondered why such a large wall was needed. I never had to ask.

“The wall keeps our enemies out,” he explained, “come on, I am anxious to be home.”

Chapter Three

The double doors of the gate entrance were wide open. Kellen walked through and was greeted by more guards wearing the same armor, which I could only surmise were more Guardians. Several of them clasped him on the back, giving hearty greetings. Kellen continued to hold my hand, his fingers intertwined with mine, and lead me through the front gate entrance, where a busy square bustled with activity.

I was fascinated by the city, observing every angle, and spotted a large stone fountain in the middle of the town square, three large stone maidens held fish and baskets, water spraying up and around them, playfully spurting back into the fountain. It was beautiful.

A large market dominated the rest of the area. Small shops lined the cobblestone street and merchants were hawking and selling their wares. Fresh flowers, roasted meats and pastries, locally grown produce, linens and clothing, baked goods, armor and weapons, and almost anything else that you could think of.

A blacksmith and book shop were set up on the left. A general store and lumber mill on the right. There was a dress shop and seamstress further to the left. A stable with horses was further down the hill. There were animals everywhere and children playing.

After several minutes we passed through the center and entered an open field. As I glanced around I could see houses spread out around. There were many homes. Some were small and had thatched roofs, others were larger and made of stone.

As we started to make our way out of the town I realized that this was Kellen’s city. The center of life. This was where he had grown up. Where he trained as a soldier and played as a child. It completely fascinated me.

After a few more minutes we came upon a courtyard, with a large grey stone and dark red brick house. The house was easily three stories tall. The gabled roof had intersecting pitches with lattice work and molding along the edges. Wrought iron decorated the windows on top of the shutters with fleur de Lis accents. Flowers in large terra cotta pots stood near the entrance.

All of the windows were open, letting in the warm afternoon breeze. There was a massive wooden door, edged by flat grey steel, which opened up as we approached.

It was hard not to notice Kellen’s enthusiasm. He nearly broke into a run. As it was, he was pulling me with him quite fast. We were both breathless. He slowed down a few feet from the front door. A man and a woman met us there. They had to be his parents.

“Mother, father,” he greeted them, placing a kiss on his mother’s cheek.

His father was tall like Kellen, very dark and muscled, with the same slow wide grin. His mother was fair, slender, and about my height. They greeted us with wide smiles.

“Rhia, let me introduce you to my parents, Kedehern and Mairwen. Mother, father, this is…Rhiannon.” His voice became soft when he said my name.

“It is very nice to meet you,” I told them, smiling.

“Hello dear. My, you are lovely. Welcome to our home.” She smiled warmly and gave me a quick hug.

“Welcome, Rhiannon, of house Monahan, please come in.” His father’s voice was deep and rich as he spoke, formal, but in a nice way.

Still holding my hand, Kellen led me into the house toward the main room. It was large, decorated with mahogany and cherry wood, with velvet draperies and ivory lace. There were wildflowers and oil lamps, as well as tapestries depicting knights and fair maidens. Rich colors of burgundy, deep forest green, cream, and gold were woven in the room.

Some of the fixtures were wrought iron with fleur de Lis and crowns, giving the room a regal atmosphere. The hard wood floors were oiled and polished, covered with braided rugs. It smelled of nature and spice, just like Kellen’s sweatshirt back home, all those months ago.

Just then a young tall woman, with coloring the same as Kellen, came sprinting in and threw her arms around him. She laughed joyfully and glanced over at me.

“Is this her? Is this Rhiannon?” She didn’t wait for an answer. She threw her arms around me too in a strong hug. When she backed away she was grinning, just like Kellen, the same exact smile. Their father’s smile.

“Rhiannon, this is my little sister, Kayleigh.” He gave her an annoyed look but then smiled.

“Twin sister, I was born only five minutes later.” She stuck her tongue out at him.

I looked at Kellen. “You never mentioned you were a twin,” I told him curiously.

He looked at me sheepishly. “I didn’t think about it. I was a little…distracted.”

His dad let out a loud guffaw, which made everyone else laugh. I just blushed.

Kellen led me over to a large bench and sat next to me. I leaned against him, suddenly tired.

“You could use a nap and something warm to eat. Mother?” He asked.

He brushed his hand along my cheekbone, smiling at me gently.

“Oh, yes. How silly of me. Kayleigh go ask cook to make something up please. I will see to a bath and other accommodations.” She rushed off to prepare things, taking Kayleigh with her.

“We need to talk. There is much to discuss Father. I only have a couple of weeks here.”

Kellen and his father were looking at each other, their eyes making silent communication.

“Yes, my son. We will get to that. We must see to our guest first.”

It seemed only minutes later that I was eating a hot meal and being ushered upstairs to a warm bath. Kellen was reluctant to let go of my hand.

“Kel, she’s not going anywhere. I’ll take care of her myself.” Kayleigh was grinning.

Kellen turned to me and brushed my hair back from my face. His eyes looked into mine for a moment.

“I’ll be here when you wake up. If you need me, call me. I’ll come as fast as I can.”

Kayleigh sighed. “She won’t need you silly. She’s going to be sleeping.”

She rolled her eyes at him and pulled me up the stairs before I could respond.

“I will,” I called, “bye, Kellen.” He frowned. I had the impression he did not want me to leave his side.

The hot bath was wonderful, smelling of rose petals and scented lavender oil. It was very similar to the items I used at home. My sore and aching muscles began to relax. I was just getting really sleepy when Kayleigh burst in with some clothes. She smiled her big grin, so much like her brother’s. They must be close, being twins.

“When you’re dressed I’ll take you to your room.”

“Yes, thank you,” I told her.

After she left I climbed out of the tub. I dried off quickly and put on the long white flowing nightgown she had brought. It was soft and silky. She led me to a room and ushered me into the bed. My eyes were closing before she was gone.

The sound of muffled voices awakened me. I blinked my eyes open. Above my head was a high wooden beam. Sunshine bounced off of it, throwing little dust particles into the rays. I heard the voices again.

“Kellen, she’s not up yet. I just checked five minutes ago. You have already peeked on her twice now. She was obviously very tired. Just be patient.” It was Kayleigh’s voice.

“She’s been asleep for ten hours now. I’m just making sure that she’s all right.”

“Well, how far did you push her? How much rest and nourishment did she get? Or did you fail to realize you had a woman with you?”

“Kay,” I heard him sigh, “It was the crossing. You know how it is.”

“Yes, and on foot it is brutal. She will awaken when her body is rested and not before. Now scoot.”

“Maybe I did push her too far. Rhiannon is not a soldier,” he admitted.

“Exactly.” She sounded a little impatient which made me smile. “Kel, I’m not moving. Go on. I’ll call you the second she is up.”

There was a scuffle and some laughter. I heard someone going down the stairs.

Leaning back against the pillows, I looked around the room. It was very earthy with all of the wood furnishings. There was a large desk by the window, accompanied by a huge wooden chair with velvet cushions. The bed I was lying in was enormous. The cover was a rich, deep green velvet and the sheets and pillows were cream colored pressed cotton.

A huge fireplace was across the room from the bed. There was a vase of wild flowers by the windowsill, on the desk. A large dresser with an oval mirror and armoire filled the opposite wall. It was a simple but pretty room. Almost masculine.

I sat up and stretched, feeling well rested and happy. I was here, in Kellen’s home, with him. It was perfect.

“Kellen?” I called. I waited. It was only about thirty seconds before the door opened. “Good morning,” I greeted him.

He ran over to the bed and kneeled beside me. Tilting up his face to look at me, he smiled.

“I’m so glad that you are awake. I was getting worried. You slept a long time.”

“I feel great. This bed is very comfortable.” I rested my hand on the smooth velvet. It was soft.

He lay his hand on top of mine. “I knew you would like it. I love this bed too. This is my room.”

I snapped my head back to him, my eyes wide. He grinned.

“I can’t believe you are here. If only the house was empty…” He trailed off.

His eyes became soft and he reached up to place a kiss on my cheek. I turned my face slightly and his mouth found mine for a brief moment. His kiss was gentle and sweet. I leaned back breathless when he pulled away.

I heard someone clear their throat. We both noticed Kayleigh at the door at the same time. She curtsied and then put her hands on her narrow hips, daring Kellen to ignore her. I giggled.

“Get out Kellen, she needs to get dressed and some breakfast. Go play with your friends, Tristan and Seasnan are downstairs.”

She walked over and pushed him lightly, knocking him off balance. He caught himself and jumped up. Then he reached over and gave her a hug. They smiled at each other as he walked for the door. Blowing me a kiss, he disappeared, closing the door behind him.

“I found a really pretty dress I thought you might like. Can I do your hair? I have an idea…”

Her voice trailed off as she grabbed my hand and pulled me out of bed. I ate my breakfast as she worked on me, amid a constant flow of friendly chatter. An hour later I was ready. Kayleigh took me to a full length mirror in her room across the hall, grinning from ear to ear. My eyes opened wide in surprise.

I looked like I had stepped back in time. The dress was a deep burgundy velvet that clung to my torso and waist flowing straight down, in an “A” shape to the ground. The collar was low cut but not too revealing, trimmed in cream lace and gold thread that also dominated the front panel. The sleeves were thin, sheer, cream colored and woven through with golden thread that crisscrossed across my arms.

At my waist was a long belt that tied and hung to the ground. It was made of multi colored thick thread.  She had curled and twisted my hair as it hung in soft curls down to my waist. There were tiny flowers woven through, framing my face, resembling a crown.

“Wow, thank you,” I told her.

She grinned. “Kellen is going to flip.” She snickered knowingly.

We walked downstairs and out into the large front yard. Kellen had been practicing with his sword. His shirt was off, flung carelessly to the side, and he was covered in sweat. Glistening really. There were two other guys there, Guardians as well I guessed. They stopped and looked up as we approached.

Kellen’s eyes lit up when he saw me. The grin on his face said it all. He was definitely pleased. I was equally pleased by getting a chance to see him shirtless. It was the small things in life that made me happy. He was impressive to look at. I remembered my Greek God comparison. A chill ran across my arms and sent the butterflies in my stomach to fluttering again. I could hardly tear my eyes away from his broad chest and muscular stomach.

Oh the effect he had on me…

Kellen started walking toward me, smiling.

“Hello, nice to meet you, my name is Seasnan.” A deep voice startled me.

I was surprised to see someone entirely different standing in front of me. The stranger, Seasnan, took my hand and pressed it to his lips. He was taller even than Kellen and fair haired. His eyes were a silvery blue that hinted at an aggressive personality. He was big and muscular, tan, and also shirtless. His broad chest hid my view of Kellen. He was smiling, pleased that he had beaten him over to me.

What an interesting morning, I thought.

I smiled back at him. “I’m Rhiannon. Nice to meet you too, Seasnan.”

Surprise etched into his features. “Milady.” He fell to one knee and bowed his head briefly before rising. “I am at your service.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

He glanced at me, responding with a look of concern. “Kellen, isn’t this-”

“Enough Seasnan, hold your tongue.” He shot him a disapproving glare.

Kellen reached me. He put his arm around my waist and pulled me back slightly, brushing away Seasnan’s hand as he reached for mine again. He had a dark scowl on his face. Seasnan laughed loudly.

“Come on man, it’s all right.” He joked with him. Kellen did not return his smile.

“Jealous, much?” Kayleigh giggled.

Kellen relaxed and smiled but kept his arm around me. Just then the other guy walked up. His face was curious. He was also tall, tan, and muscular. What a surprise. What I did notice were his eyes. They were very blue and soft, kind looking. He had very dark hair. The interesting thing about him was the way he was watching Kayleigh. She noticed and blushed. Ah ha, I thought, these two like each other.

Kellen introduced us and I found out his name was Tristan. His voice was soft, although very masculine. He greeted me politely and shook my hand. I liked his soft demeanor immediately. His interest in Kayleigh was undeniable.

The afternoon passed quickly and happily. Kellen finished practicing with his friends. Tristan and Kayleigh had been chaperoned by Seasnan and gone for a walk. Kellen told me they were betrothed. I asked him if that meant that they were engaged. He threw his head back and laughed and told me yes. I seemed to always be able to make him laugh. He had been so happy today, his eyes bright and shining the whole day.

Chapter Four

At dinner that night we finally discussed the reasons for our visit. We were seated around the large wooden dining table in Kellen’s home. The formal dining room was decorated much as the rest of the house with velvets and lace, tapestries and florals, golden fleur de Lis and a large mural of the Guardian army. Both Tristan and Seasnan had joined the family and I learned that they were often here.

We enjoyed a very elaborate dinner with many courses. It had started with homemade soup full of vegetables and herbs and fresh baked bread followed by five main courses that included seafood and local dishes. There had been venison and boar as well as chicken and the largest crab legs I had ever seen. Large platters of fresh vegetables and sauces also filled the table. My eyes were wide at the amount that kept coming. Plate after plate, dish after dish, served consecutively.

Everyone ate heartily and leisurely. Meals were not rushed in this house. There was much conversation along with plenty of good natured teasing. These were hearty, happy people. My people. My heritage.

They lived life to its fullest, and they enjoyed it. I was completely enamored with his family and the whole atmosphere. I found myself laughing and talking often. Kellen turned to me frequently, smiling and squeezing my hand. He was having as much fun as I was. We were both very glad I came.

I noticed Kayleigh watching us frequently, mostly her brother. She smiled her same big grin at me often. I really liked her. Instantly. She was so enthusiastic and loving. Her sense of humor was fantastic. We often looked at each other and giggled like old school friends. Kellen noticed and smiled wider. He liked that we were developing a close friendship already. The way his eyes softened and held mine, I knew how he felt without voicing it.

“I would like to make a toast,” Kedehern announced, “to our guest, Rhiannon.” Goblets were raised around the table. “To her grace and beauty, to her wisdom and leadership, may she live in good health for many years to come.”

“Here, here,” Tristan agreed.

“To Rhiannon.” Several voices repeated.

“To my love,” Kellen whispered.

We drank from our goblets simultaneously. I smiled and blushed, touched by their hospitality.

Dessert was served. Pastries in sweet and savory, clotted cream, and fresh fruit. It was delicious. Far more elegant in taste than I ever thought possible. I was in danger of over indulging.

Soon, the conversation changed to why Kellen and I had arrived in Karmelo.

“The enemy is growing bolder in the human world. There have been many instances where they are crossing during the daylight hours. Rhiannon has been attacked several different times now. The decision to send me came at just the right time. I saved her life from certain death only weeks after I arrived.” He paused at the sharp intake of breath from Mairwen.

“The demons are bolder. They take the form of her worst fears. A hag and two werewolves surprised her in the forest and I took care of them, but she could have been killed.” He paused again for a moment with difficulty and then continued. “She is on their radar now, no longer hidden by her grandmother. It is very dangerous for her, for us all.”

I put my hand on his shoulder and he looked at me, still a little choked up about the memory. He raised his hand and brushed my cheek as I smiled at him reassuringly.

“Kellen defeated the last demon. He was frightening…and took the form of my dead grandfather,” several gasps of surprise filled the room, “I would have died, for certain, if not for Kellen.”

He held me closer and placed a kiss on my forehead. “Not on my watch.”

“This is important news Kellen,” Kedehern replied, “we must notify the council and warn the allies. Fighting has also increased here, in the surrounding cities. The attacks around the countryside continue and grow in number. Fires and theft grow more rampant. The enemy is preparing. Something bigger is coming and I don’t like the signs. We must have a plan. I have no doubt that this is only the beginning. War has lingered on our doorstep for decades.”

“Why do they want Rhiannon? For what purpose?” Kayleigh asked.

“We all know of the legends, of her ancestry. I’m not sure of their intentions. The attacks don’t make sense. It’s all wrong. I’m not sure if they want to ki…hurt her or…worse.” He struggled through his words, no doubt to resist saying too much and not wanting to scare me.

“Kellen,” I said softly, “you have to say what you think. Don’t worry about scaring me.”

I looked in his eyes when I told him, hoping he would listen. He only shook his head at me.

I turned to the table. “I was alone the first time, in the forest by my house. It was a demon, in the form of a Minotaur. He was frightening. Truly, I thought I was going to die. I barely escaped. I…I nearly fell to my death.” My voice faltered a little.

I heard several abrupt gasps and saw Kellen look at me sharply. I had forgotten he didn’t know that part about the cliff. He looked furious, about what I wasn’t sure. Oops.

Kellen had enough and stood up, pushing his chair back. He helped me out of my seat and put his arm around me. He wasn’t going to say anymore right now. Everyone understood. He was protecting me, doing his duty as my Guardian. I sighed softly. He steered me toward the front door, placing my hand in his and squeezing tightly.

“Obviously she needed protection sooner than we realized. I’m taking Rhiannon for a walk. We’ll return soon.”

Outside, he took my hand and pulled me along, his grip becoming tighter with every step. We walked along for a few minutes in the dark as our eyes adjusted. I could feel the tension in his arm. It felt like it was building. I was right. A few minutes later he pulled me over to the base of a large tree. His face was angry and concerned while he paced anxiously in front of me. I leaned back against it, waiting.

After a moment, he put his hands on either side of me against the tree. He leaned close, only a few inches from my face. I thought he was going to confront me. Instead, his expression softened, and he kissed me.

“Rhiannon,” he said softly when he pulled away. “I’m so upset that I wasn’t there when you got attacked that first time. I should have been. I wasn’t following you everywhere yet. You could have been…” He didn’t finish.

“Kellen, it’s really fine. You can’t beat yourself up over the ‘what ifs’. I’m unharmed.”

“I know that but…wait a minute. Why were you looking at me like that a minute ago? Did you think I was mad at you?”

I didn’t say anything and looked away from his piercing eyes.

“Rhiannon, darling?”

He took my chin in his hand and turned my face back to him. He saw the truth in my eyes.

“Oh, I’m sorry if I gave that impression. It was only concern for you and frustration in myself.”

“It’s all right,” I whispered, “I take things too seriously sometimes.”

He kissed me softly again and then tenderly brushed my cheek with his fingers.

“I love you, and you can take that seriously.”

“I love you too. Kellen?”

“Yes?” He whispered.

“Why didn’t you tell me about your family and your sister?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Why are you asking me that? My reasons no longer exist.”

I frowned. “What is that supposed to mean?”

He sighed. “Rhia, I really don’t want to argue right now.”

I folded my arms across my chest. Why did he always do this? Why did he always block my questions? At least the personal ones. And why did he constantly answer my questions with a question? It was very irritating.

“I’m not trying to argue with you Kellen. I just want to know the truth,” I told him quietly.

He narrowed his eyes. “I see, well, perhaps it is for the same reason you didn’t tell me about flying.”

My jaw dropped open and I stared at him. What did he mean?

“Kellen, I don’t-”

He cut me off. “Rhiannon, you told me that you ran away from that Minotaur and now I find out that you actually flew away over a cliff and almost died. It’s not really telling me the truth, is it?” He had guessed the truth with amazing accuracy.

I could see the frustration in his face. I stared at him for a moment. He was right, in a way.

“I guess you are partially right but I didn’t tell you because back then I wasn’t sure if you would think I was crazy or stupid. Everything was new and I was confused. Then I sort of forgot about it as we got closer. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” I tried to sound sincere. It was the truth.

He nodded and smiled. “Thank you, apology accepted.”

I smiled back and waited. He stared at me but didn’t say a word. I raised an eyebrow as the silence continued. His expression was very calm, too innocent. He knew what I was waiting for.

“Kellen? I’m waiting.” I finally broke the silence.

He shrugged his shoulders and looked into my eyes, not the least bit intimidated. I shouldn’t have, but I got angry with him.

“Fine, I thought we trusted each other. I thought we were in a relationship. I guess I was wrong,” I fumed at him.

I pulled away from him and started stomping back toward the house. I hadn’t gone more than a few steps when he picked me up and brought me back to the tree. He let go of me but stood directly in front so I couldn’t leave again. I scowled at him.

I saw the corners of his mouth twitch in amusement. It actually made me even angrier. I looked away, refusing to acknowledge him at all. I heard him sigh softly. He very gently took my chin in his hands and turned my face back toward him.

“I have many reasons for the things I do as your Guardian. Sometimes that knowledge is better left unspoken. I felt it best not to mention my family. The less you knew the better. I was only trying to protect you. Please forgive me baby.” His voice was suppliant. I found it hard to resist.

“Kellen, you had plenty of time that you could have told me once we crossed the portal. It feels like you don’t trust me.” I could hear the hurt in my voice.

He seemed genuinely contrite. “I do trust you Rhiannon. I want you to be safe, more than anything. It’s my highest priority. Sometimes I make quick or harsh decisions based upon that. Please believe me.”

I sighed again. “Ok, but would you please promise me that you will try to communicate more?”

“Yes, of course. As long as you do the same.” His lips were trying to hide his smile.

I knew he was only teasing but he was right. We were involved in a dangerous world, where keeping tiny secrets could harm either of us, if not both. I made a vow to always be truthful with him front that moment on.

“Yes, Kellen, you are right. So go ahead and grin. I know you want to,” I told him with mild sarcasm in my voice.

He immediately smiled, looking absolutely ridiculous. His grin was broader than Batman’s nemesis the Joker. I rolled my eyes but smiled back. His eyes lost some of the humor as he lowered his head and kissed me. When he pulled back, the expression on his face was so soft and loving, my heart skipped a beat.

“Kellen,” I asked curiously, “Why do you love me?”

He looked surprised for a moment and then he answered.

“Because I waited seventy years to find you and because you opened my heart and brought me to life. I wasn’t complete until I met you.”

Tears sprang to my eyes and I kissed him gently. When I pulled back his face was thoughtful.

“Rhiannon…why do you love me?” He asked, just as curiously.

“I love you Kellen because you make me better than I am alone, because you make me whole, you saved me, you believe in me and…you’re sexy with your sword,” I told him grinning.

He laughed jovially and then pressed his lips to mine again. He hugged me tightly, pulling us away from the tree much later. Taking my hand, he led me back toward the house, our fingers entwined, slowly walking in the white and bluish light of the nearly full and glowing moon…

Chapter Five

They were everywhere. The enemy stood in front of us, their weapons ready. Demonic shadows flittered through the crowd, spurred on by some sinister presence. My eyes widened at the grotesque and twisted faces of the army as they raised their crude and oddly constructed weapons and scoffed at us. The noise was deafening. Screeching and howling, snarling and grunting, the enemy instilled their greatest weapon: fear.

I suddenly noticed with dread the same Minotaur from my first attack. The demon locked eyes with mine. How was he not defeated? He leered at me, his face twisted with revenge. He would not let me escape again.

I shook with terror as I saw him raise a spiked mace in his hand. His eyes narrowed as he focused on his target. The demon’s mouth curled back into a sneer as he crouched down, leaning forward, and ready to make his strike…

I woke up screaming. I was completely disoriented and shaking with fright.

“Kellen! Kellen!” I screamed for him.

He came running into the room, hastily donned pants sitting low on his hips, and carrying his sword. He ran to the bed picking me up in his arms and hugging me close. I was still screaming as he squeezed me tight.

“Rhiannon, what is it? What has you so frightened, my love?” His voice was strained and tense.

I buried my face into his chest and burst into tears. “I had a nightmare,” I choked out.

He relaxed and sat on the bed, holding me in his lap. His arms held my body still while one hand stroked my hair as he spoke to me in a soothing voice.

“It was just a dream, darling. Not real. You’re safe, I’m here now.”

Kayleigh and his parents were at the door asking if I was all right. He waved them away.

“She had a nightmare. I’ll stay with her. Go back to bed.”

They left quietly. Kellen moved us over until we were lying on the bed next to each other. He kept his arm around me and I curled into him, laying my head on his chest.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked me softly.

“Not right now. Will you just stay and hold me?” I asked, needing him to feel safe.

“Yes, I’ll stay. If you want me to, I’ll never leave you.”

“Is that a promise?” I asked him, sniffling.

He hesitated. “I’ll do my best to make it one.”

I lifted my head to look into his eyes, searching them to see if he meant it. It looked like he did. He lowered his lips to mine for a moment and then told me to go to sleep. I drifted off clutching his arm, afraid I had dreamed the whole thing.

The next morning I woke up with Kellen sitting in the desk chair across the room. He was watching me, his expression thoughtful. He smiled gently when I sat up.

“You were sleeping so peacefully. I didn’t want to wake you. You were whispering.”

“I was?” I asked him. “What was I saying?”

“You said my name, you loved me, and you asked me to stay,” he told me, his face wistful.

“Oh,” I responded, blushing, “well, you did.”

“Yes.” His dimple was showing in his cheek again. “I did.”

I yawned and stretched, reaching my arms up over my head. I heard Kellen catch his breath and looked at him curiously. He was staring at me with his eyes wide and nearly popping out of his head. He struggled to regain his composure and looked quickly away.

I glanced down trying to see whatever it was that he was trying not to look at. The nightgown had come open in my sleep and was gaping almost to my waist. It was very revealing. I blushed, dying of embarrassment, and tied it back up again.

“Um, it’s closed now,” I told him, mortified.

Kellen looked back at me cautiously. Then his slow wide grin spread across his face. He looked very naughty just then. He got up slowly, crouching, and moving forward like he was hunting. I knew exactly what he was hunting for, me. It was only teasing but it sent a shiver down my spine.

I got up from the bed and started backing for the door. He growled a low, playful roar to me and continued his pursuit. I turned around and had my hand on the door knob when he grabbed me and picked me up. He spun me around in a circle and dropped me on the bed, his eyes sparkling.

I lay there breathless, my chest rising and falling quickly. He jumped on the bed next to me and started tickling my foot. I cried out in laughter, kicking my legs at him. He reached to grab my flailing arms and ended up falling down on me, pinning me against the bed. My nightgown had come open again at the top and was all bunched up around my thighs underneath him. Our chests were touching, skin to skin.

He froze as the realization of it dawned on him. My legs were sprawled out around him and I slowly lifted one of them to wrap around his waist. He looked at me sharply, his eyes burning with desire. I felt him tremble.

He fought for control, the war of desire and arousal playing upon his features, and then his lips met mine in a passionate and heated kiss. One hand slid past my shoulder, down the exposed skin of torso, and then to my hip. He gripped my thigh, and pulled back. His gaze burned my skin, a flame of liquid heat that made my stomach clench. I longed to feel his touch, his fingers on my skin.

“Rhiannon, I can’t. You have no idea how much I…want you right now.”

We both started breathing heavier which only accentuated the contact of our warm skin.

Kellen was still trembling. “Rhiannon.” He lowered his head slightly. “I burn with desire, with the longing to touch you, with the need to hold your body close to mine.” He sighed shakily. “I want to do things to you that I cannot and should not be thinking.”

His arms quivered slightly with the effort to control himself. He very slowly got up, looking me over from head to toe, and clenching his shaking hands into fists. He shook his head and backed away to the door.

“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. You are almost too beautiful, I can’t keep my concentration around you, my love.” His voice was very tight and strained. One hand ran through his hair. “In a hundred years I have never wanted a woman like I want you.”

“I want you too Kellen.” I could not help my admission.

“Damn. Don’t tell me that.” He took a deep breath. “I have to go. I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

He gave me one last longing glance that could have set the whole house on fire and then he turned and left.

I sat up and adjusted my nightgown, throwing my legs over the edge of the bed. I hadn’t said much of anything through all of that because I had been fighting myself too. What was it about him that made me want to abandon all reason and propriety? Everything I felt with him was so strong; the emotion, the attraction, and the overwhelming desire that left me breathless and confused.

I was thinking about that when Kayleigh came bounding into the room. Her expression was amused.

“Congratulations Rhiannon,” she said, laughing lightly, “You have single handedly managed to break my brother’s composure. That’s not an easy thing to do.”

I looked at her with my eyebrow raised. “What do you mean?”

“He’s walking around down there with his head in the clouds. He didn’t hear me ask him something, although I asked him twice. He bumped into the table, filled a plate of food and left without eating, and finally walked out the front door mumbling about nightgowns.” She started giggling.

“Wow, that’s kind of funny. He is always so carefully composed in front of me,” I told her.

She sobered up and looked at me. “You do realize that he is totally in love with you. My parents and I saw that the minute you two walked up. What I want to know is…do you love him too?”

I looked right into her eyes. “Yes, more than I could ever explain. He’s everything to me.”

She nodded her head and her eyes filled with tears. “I’m so happy to hear you say that. He needs you more than even he knows. You are perfect for each other. I hope…” Her voice cracked, so lightly that is was almost indistinct.

She didn’t finish and I didn’t ask, both of us a little choked up and distracted. I squeezed her hand and she smiled. It was sweet how she was looking out for her brother. They were obviously very close. I knew that already but the way she asked me just then made me wonder what she was worrying about.

After she had helped me to dress, in a deep blue dress this time, and finished my hair we went downstairs. She put her arm through mine and we walked into the dining room together. Everyone in the room looked up. Kellen’s parents were there with Tristan and Seasnan but Kellen was absent. I sat down next to Kellen’s mother Mairwen and looked around the room.

“Good morning,” I told them cheerfully, “where’s Kellen?”

“Good morning, Rhiannon.” Mairwen smiled. “Kellen just stepped out for a minute. He should be back soon.” She exchanged a glance with Kedehern and he nodded to her reassuringly.

Kayleigh giggled and Mairwen shot her a glance. I’m not sure I got what was going on. I didn’t have long to think about it. Seasnan occupied my time with conversation, hardly giving me a chance to swallow between questions. Kayleigh shot me a few apologetic glances and hid her snicker behind her teacup.

After breakfast was over and Kellen was still gone I started to worry. I walked around the room restlessly, tapping my fingers on a nearby table.

“Would you like to go for a walk milady?” Seasnan asked me.

“Oh, yes, thank you,” I told him, grateful for the reprieve.

He took my hand and placed it on his arm and led me out into the yard. I glanced around for Kellen but didn’t see him anywhere. Seasnan noticed my distraction.

“How long has Kellen been your Guardian?” He asked me.

“Um, about six months now, I guess.” I wasn’t sure.

“I wish I would have been the one assigned to you. I can see why Kellen is so enamored with you.”

I decided to change the subject. “How long have you been friends?”

He smiled with understanding. I wasn’t going to encourage him. He sighed with regret.

“We have known each other since we were toddlers. We’ve been friends that long too, always in competition with each other. I think he finds me a threat when it comes to you.”

I thought about that. I didn’t want to be rude to him, but no one else was Kellen.

“I don’t have a chance do I?” He asked softly.

I looked at him apologetically. “I’m sorry-” I started to say.

He held up a hand. “No worries, shall we keep walking?”

I nodded to him and we continued a leisurely pace in the late morning sunshine. He guided me through a long line of trees and down a stone path that led to a waterfall. The sound of the water was tranquil, drawing me close like the whisper of a long lost friend.

I stopped to watch the rushing water. It splashed and hopped off the jagged rocks jutting out from the side of the mountain. The bottom of the falls swirled into a wet mist that plunged down the ravine. We had been talking about their homeland when we came to the falls. His words fell into the background. I never heard what Seasnan said next.

I walked away from him, feeling suddenly lonely without Kellen by my side. Silently, I stood against the iron rail, watching the falls and cascading water for several long minutes. I was deep in thought. Where was Kellen? Was he angry or upset? Why wasn’t he here? His absence confused me. It was unlike him to leave me for so long.

“I figured you would find your way here.” Kellen’s voice interrupted my reverie.

I spun around. “Kellen!” I threw my arms around his neck.

He wrapped his arms around me tightly and bent his lips to mine. We stayed that way a long time, perhaps because his absence had affected us both. When he raised his face to look at me he was smiling. I gazed into his eyes to make sure everything was all right, searching for any sign of frustration or distress. He looked at ease, maybe a bit reserved.

“I’m sorry I left like that. I had to sort some things out in my head. You really took me by surprise this morning,” he admitted with humor.

I blushed. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

“Rhiannon, you have nothing to apologize for. I was frustrated by my own lack of control. I pride myself on my ability to handle everything with ease. Until you walked into my life I never had any trouble with that. Truthfully, I was also a little overwhelmed by my desire for you.”

I nodded my head in agreement. “I know. I guess I lost myself in the moment…a little too easily.” I grinned at him guiltily.

He laughed lightly. “Rhiannon, sweetheart, everything is fine, better than fine.”

He picked up my hand and placed it on his chest, over his heart, tapping it lightly, to the consistent rhythm of his pulse. When he spoke, his voice was full of love and conviction. “My heart belongs to you Rhiannon, always.”

He bent and kissed me again, and then held me as we stood in front of the waterfall, a silent and beautiful witness to his declaration.

Chapter Six

We had several hours before the gathering would start. Everyone was sitting outside on blankets and lounging in the shade of the tall trees that blew life in the air around us. Kellen’s parents had discreetly given us ‘young ones’, as they called us, some time to ourselves. I was sitting with Kayleigh as we watched the guys practice their archery and sword wielding skills. It was humorous to observe.

All three of the guys were obviously in a tight competition, each trying to be the best. Kellen was the best swordsman, I thought proudly. Tristan was an amazing archer, and I learned he was the head of that division in the Guardian army. Seasnan was a skilled fighter too, just not quite as good as Kellen. I’m sure that was a source of tension.

“Rhiannon.” Kayleigh broke my train of thought. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Her voice was hesitant, very unlike her. I smiled warmly.

“You can ask me whatever you like.”

She smiled back, her dimple so like her brother’s. “I don’t quite know how to begin…um, you know that Kellen was Guardian to another young woman, right?”

“Yes,” I told her slowly, “he hasn’t said much about her. I’ve wanted to know more but didn’t know how to approach him about it.”

She nodded. “Yes, well, her name was Renee. Kellen became her guardian several years ago. It was his first real assignment on the other side. He experienced a lot during that time…” She trailed off. “He was so open back then, to new possibilities, to meeting new people, to life.”

“Yes, I can see that in him. He never mentioned her name, but he did say that her family gave him the Hummer,” I told her thoughtfully.

“Yes…well, he never says her name…to anyone. They started dating after a time and got kind of serious. He brought her here just once…it didn’t go well. Mother instantly felt that she was wrong for him. They didn’t want the same things. She was…flirty with the other guys and not very um, constant in her affection.” She winced as if in pain. “Kellen felt it deeply…he truly thought she loved him. I believe he took it very hard.” She paused and cleared her throat, clearly upset about the memory.

“I see,” I replied softly. No wonder he refused to discuss it. She broke his heart.

“He…it took a long time for him to come around. It wasn’t that he loved her that much…I think it was the rejection that got to him. Anyway, time passed and the wound healed. When word came and it was decided that Kellen should go as your Guardian, he had to be convinced. He was afraid of the same thing happening, I think. But…also it meant he would have to see her again.” Her voice was low, and I had to strain to hear her.

“Ah, that makes sense. I know he is staying at their home.” I could not keep the hurt sound out of my voice.

“Rhiannon, he…only went on the condition that she would not be at the house while he was there. She is away at college. I’m certain they have not spoken.” She took a deep breath and glanced at her brother. “I’m only telling you all of this because I can see...we all can see…how very much in love with you he is. I have never seen him so happy before. He was never like this with her. I don’t believe he loved her at all. If I asked him right now I know he would confirm it.”

She placed a hand on mine. “I want him to be happy…and I think you two are perfect for each other. I just want you to know…our family likes you very much.” Her voice was wavering a little.

Tears filled my eyes. “Thank you Kayleigh. This means so much to me. I really like all of you too.” My voice was as emotional sounding as hers.

We hugged each other and grinned, both of us wiping our tears and smiling. Kellen walked over to us, an eyebrow raised.

“What are you two up to?” He asked with humor.

“Nothing, just a little girl talk.” I winked at Kayleigh and she laughed.

He folded his arms and pretended to scowl, but quickly gave it up and ran back to the guys.

“Kayleigh?” I asked her, my voice low.

“Yes?”

“I just want you to know…how very much I love him. Honestly, he is my whole world. I’m hoping…someday…” I couldn’t say more since my voice choked up.

“Yes, I know. That’s why I told you. You needed to understand why…we are all so protective of him around here. Mother says you are the first girl to ever meet her criteria for her son. That means a lot. I can’t believe the change in him. He is a transformed man.” Her voice was full of joy and pride in her sibling.

“I can’t speak to that. All I know is my experience with him, but…he has always been loving and kind to me, from the beginning.”

She smiled at that. “You know…he is absolutely hilarious and adorable the way he falls all over you. I’m taking great joy in teasing him about it. The wonderful part is…he is enjoying it too. We are very close Rhiannon, being twins and all. I feel the happiness he shares with you. I feel his peace and joy and devotion. So thank you, for making my brother whole again.”

I was touched by her words and affirmation.

“Oh Kayleigh, if only you knew. If only I could explain to you…how much he has changed me too. I’ve never been this happy or alive. We belong together, our future interconnected and joined, like there’s a reason we found each other,” I shook my head, “I don’t know how to make you understand…he was destined to be my Guardian…and I am destined to save him too. In more ways than one. Does this make sense?” I wasn’t sure if I was describing it accurately.

“Yes, in an odd way. I feel it too. So does Kellen. He can hardly part from your side. Funny thing is, I never felt like I should get to know Renee. Something about her attitude and insincerity made it difficult for me to like her. But you…I’m hoping we will be very close friends.”

I smiled at her. Yes, we would be close. I felt it, knew it, and she did too.

“Yes, Kayleigh. I want that very much. Your friendship and acceptance means so much to Kellen and to me. Let’s make a promise to always stay in touch. I have every intention of making this my home someday…don’t say anything but Kellen has already told me he will propose as soon as he can,” I told her smiling.

“Yes…I know. I also know that he would have done it when he brought you here but he can’t as long as he is your Guardian. He told me in confidence himself. Even if I didn’t know, it wouldn’t have changed any part of this conversation. So…I’ll just say it now. Welcome to the family Rhiannon.”

“Thank you Kayleigh! I can’t imagine a more loving and wonderful family to be a part of.”

We hugged again and changed the subject, noticing the guys were staring at us again. Kellen’s expression had been curious and determined. He would want to know about our conversation later. I’m sure Kayleigh and I would both fill him when we were ready.

I looked around me now, thrilled to be in this awesome and magical place, surrounded by people who loved and accepted me so easily. The family of the man I loved. Life was near perfect, how could it ever change?

Chapter Seven

After dinner, before the gathering, Kellen took my hand and led me along a new pathway close to his home. It was one of the few I hadn’t walked on with him yet. Slowly and leisurely we strolled along, quietly observing the view. All along this path were flat stones that led up and around the garden behind his house and passed a large windmill and granary.

“This windmill gathers wind power and stores it for future use. It is also a large grain and lumber mill, separate from each other of course. Our family has had this in our possession for generations. It provides wealth for the community and helps sustain our lives here. I guess by now you have noticed we do not use very many modern conveniences?” He asked curiously.

I nodded and he continued. “We use oil lamps, brooms and mops on hardwood floors instead of vacuums, ride on horses and oxen instead of driving vehicles, and rely on fresh water from wells and local lakes. Obviously we have running water and toilets but we use as little of these things as we can. Our kitchen has large brick ovens that use coal, wood, and other means to heat food and we use our fireplaces in the winter. There is a cellar with a large ice block storage from each winter, thanks to the lake. The only part that is difficult is the lack of air conditioning but the forest almost always has a light continuing breeze,” he explained.

“I thought about all of that. You know what is interesting? I don’t even miss it or notice. Life is so much nicer and simpler without all of those things to depend on. I’m quite content and completely enamored with this place. Thank you for bringing me Kellen.”

“Rhiannon, do you really love it that much?” He asked me anxiously.

“Oh yes, I feel like I stepped into a romance novel in medieval England or the like. And the clothing…I love the dresses Kellen,” I told him, spinning around for him to see.

He laughed and hugged me close, bending a kiss to my lips.

“Is that what you were telling Kayleigh this afternoon?” He asked curiously.

Ha, he did not waste much time at all getting to that.

“I…we were discussing a few different topics actually,” I responded lightly.

His eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed. I shrugged my shoulders, walking away toward the nearby lake. It shimmered in the late evening light. I saw logs floating on the water, bobbing on the surface. They must be from the lumber mill.

Kellen was silent and stared out at the water. I could tell he was getting impatient when he started clenching his fists and tapping his fingers against his leg. I smiled and pretended not to notice.

Eventually he scowled and turned me around to face him. I could see the determination in his eyes. He wanted to know and wasn’t going to give up.

“Rhiannon…”

“Well, to be honest, the first thing we talked about was…Renee.”

I watched him closely for his reaction. His arms tightened around me and his face became a deeper scowl than moments ago.

“Why would she tell you about that?” He thundered.

Oh, touchy. What was the big deal?

“Oh you better stop right now. You know why she told me. I have a right to know what happened. You refuse to give me any details at all. She was quite informative,” I told him defensively.

I tried to break out of his arms but they surrounded me like steel cables, holding me there.

He grunted. “Rhiannon, I don’t think it is valid. Why tell you all of the details about a past relationship that was really nothing at all? I didn’t even love her. I thought I did, for a time, but that was before I met you and knew what real love felt like.”

I tried pulling away again but he held me captive.

“Stop struggling,” he demanded, “Remember when I told you she wanted different things from me? Well, she didn’t even like it here. She hated it. I only brought her once to meet my family but she flirted with Seasnan, argued with Kayleigh, and upset my mother. It was a disaster. I found out later she had only used me. So when I say there is nothing to tell Rhiannon, I mean there is nothing to tell you. End of story.” His voice was tense and bordered on yelling.

“Ah so you don’t think you will bump into her any time soon? Aren’t you staying at her house?” I asked him, annoyed with his little outburst.

“Dammit Rhia, would you let that go? She isn’t even there. She is away at college,” he told me in disgust.

“I know. Kayleigh told me earlier,” I retorted smugly.

His face scowled angrily at me. “Rhiannon…you little minx. You tried to trick me.”

“No, I simply wanted to see if you were going to admit the truth or not.”

He growled lightly in anger. I brushed off the fact that it was sexy. “I never lie to you.”

“Fine.” I smiled sweetly. “Then who took you to dinner at Applebee’s the night you crossed over?”

Kellen paled. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.

“Who took you to dinner?” I demanded, louder.

He closed his mouth in a thin line. The scowl was back. Uh huh.

“That’s exactly what I thought you would say. Nothing. You may not lie but you omit the truth often enough, especially when it suits you,” I glared at him, “you are behaving quite childishly Kellen. Now let go of me and you can go…kiss a mule,” I told him, scowling back.

Catching him by surprise, I managed to break loose and I stomped off, going back the way we had come along the path. I didn’t get far before I was scooped up in his arms. He carried me all the way to the house, despite my struggles, and didn’t stop until we were passed his family and in his room. He set me down gently and stood in front of the door, his arms across his chest.

“You will not run from me again.”

“The hell I won’t,” I glared at him.

“You will do as I say. I am your Guardian.” He enunciated the words between clenched teeth.

“Ha,” I scoffed, “you have no control over me.”

“You don’t think so?” A threat was in his voice.

I decided to make a run for the window but he caught me before I could climb out, tossing me on the bed. My eyes flashed fire at him in my anger, and I fought against his arms for several minutes until exhaustion won out and I was forced to relax.

“Let go of me!” I shrieked.

“No,” he growled, “stop this nonsense.”

My eyes met his. They suddenly changed from anger to desire in an instant as he looked at me. “Damn, you turn me on.”

His mouth met mine passionately as I pulled his body close, locking my fingers in his shirt. I kissed him with every ounce of feeling I had at that moment, letting go of the silky material of his shirt until I was running my fingernails down his back. He kissed me again, his body pressed even tighter to mine. I felt a tremor run through him. Kellen gasped and rolled over, pushing us apart.

I sat on his lap, my chest heaving with exertion. His face looked surprised for a moment before he regained his composure. He stared at me for several minutes, his eyes betraying a cascade of interesting and fleeting emotions. Finally, his humor returned.

His grip on my arms softened. “Rhiannon, baby…what am I going to do with you?” He asked, laughing lightly.

I frowned, not understanding. I guess my confusion was apparent.

“You are just so loving and passionate…and so enthusiastic. I swear…I have never met a more amazing and beautiful woman in my entire life,” he declared, his eyes darting to my lips. “Your fire, your spirit, it beckons me closer until I lose every part of myself,” he kissed me softly, “until I want to drown in you,” his voice had lowered with the strength of his ardor, “you surprise me, my love, quite pleasantly,” he whispered huskily, his lips moving along the column of my throat.

The moist heat of his tongue traveled along the base of my throat and then to my shoulder. A slip of material and then cool air against my skin, followed by the scorching heat of his mouth as it pressed against me. In desperation I clung to something to bring me back. I was teetering on the edge. If I wasn’t careful, we would both fall.

“Kellen…Kayleigh told me…how much your family likes me. She told me…welcome to the family,” I whispered back, distracted by his kisses.

Kellen looked straight into my eyes. “Are you sure those were her exact words?”

“Yes, of course. She told me I am the first girl to ever meet your mother’s criteria for you.”

“Wow, darling…my sister told me she would never say those words to any girl…after Renee…unless it was going to be my wife.”

“Oh, wow. I guess it is a good thing we decided to be lifelong friends,” I said teasing him, “and better yet you love me…because I am not going anywhere.”

“Rhiannon, this means so much to me. You have no idea. I know my family loves you. This means they are happy for me and accept you. I knew you were the right one for me, the moment I saw you. I knew you would be good for me. I love you, my wonderful darling Rhiannon.” He took my hands and kissed the top of each of them.

“I love you too Kellen, with all my heart.”

He gave me a deep passionate kiss and pulled us up, hugging me tightly for a moment, and leading us back downstairs. His family looked at us curiously, probably wondering why we had rushed up the stairs a few minutes ago. Certainly they heard us arguing and then abruptly stop.

Kellen grabbed my hand and squeezed it, his eyes caressing my face. I know Kayleigh and his parents noticed. I think Kellen was completely oblivious to everything but me. I smiled and put my hand on his arm, leaning my head against his shoulder.

“Ready for the meeting, my son?” Kedehern asked, clearing his throat.

“Ready for anything, Father,” he responded, his eyes never leaving mine.

Chapter Eight

Hand in hand, we walked with his family, and made our way to the gathering. His eyes left me only once, to nod at Kayleigh and flash her a huge grin, before his full attention was on me again. Once we were at the clearing, Kellen’s attention shifted to the meeting.

He led me to a gazebo, complete with wooden benches, several feet away, overlooking the proceedings. A long strand of white twinkling lights were hanging around the top, intermingled with ivy.

“Watch Rhiannon, now it begins.”

My eyes were open wide as I watched the gathering in front of me. From all areas of the forest they came. Representatives from every species and group were there. One by one they came forward, giving their greetings first to Kedehern, then to Kellen, and finally to the women. Many were also happy to extend those greetings to me. I noticed some of them were still a little apprehensive, especially the gnomes.

I was happy to see a familiar face in the crowd when Fidget Goblinwand approached. He came bounding up to us, clearly pleased to see me.

“Hello again, Lady Rhiannon. Kellen, happy to be here.”

He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it, tickling my skin lightly with his rough crimson beard. I smiled widely at him.

“Lord Goblinwand, so wonderful to see you again. I am glad to see a face I recognize.”

“Please, milady, call me Fidget.”

He had grinned proudly at my welcome and took his place with the others. I noticed some other faces whose names I did not know. The elves and the wood sprites I recognized from our journey to Kellen’s home. They nodded their salutations to me as well as Kellen.

The most interesting greeting came from the centaurs. They had galloped in impressively stamping their hooves and rearing their front legs up into the air. I recognized the one who had spoken to Kellen before. He came over to us and grasped arms with Kellen, exchanging a friendly hello and then he turned to me.

“Greetings milady, we have not been properly introduced. I am Padraic, leader of the centaurs. We welcome you to Karmelo.” He bowed slightly and straightened up.

“Thank you for your warm welcome Padraic. My name is Rhiannon. I am very happy to meet you.”

He nodded and smiled and took his place among the others. I was completely in awe of him. The centaurs were the most fascinating of all of the creatures there. Of course, they were all interesting in their own way. The elves caught my attention with their regal beauty and distinguished looks. I especially loved the dwarves, with their gruff voices and stiff demeanors. Fidget was so funny. I knew we were already developing a fast friendship.

“Kellen, how are all these creatures here?”

“The dark shadow is the demon essence that you’ve seen before, during the attacks, remember? Well, the creatures of darkness and evil can assume any form in the flesh,” he answered, “and so it is with those that are made from light. God in his wisdom is capable of creating any creature and all life. Do you doubt it because it is different than what you know?”

“Perhaps,” I agreed, “or maybe because I was raised to believe it was all myth.”

“Let your heart be open to every possibility here. Your people will love you for your acceptance.”

Kedehern called the meeting to order, and all conversation ceased. As the head of the guard, he was in control of the gathering. The others straightened and turned their attention to him. His voice rang with power and authority as he spoke. I also noticed that it was kind, not intending to dominate those around him.

“This meeting has been called to order at the request of the council and at the request of many of you. The threat against our world is growing. The enemy is becoming bolder. The attacks are increasing, not only in our world but in the human one as well. There have been breaches across the portal. The enemy has crossed during daylight hours. The lives of our civilization as well as the human people are at risk. If we don’t prepare ourselves against attack, I fear we may find our land under siege. We must decide what course of action to take, and soon.”

He sat down, and gesturing with his hand, he opened the floor for discussion. There was a light rumble of voices as they murmured to each other. Then Padraic spoke.

“These things are all true as we will bear witness to. The centaur army patrols the borders of our lands. We have seen the enemy gather. An army is being raised, to what purpose we do not know.”

Murmuring rose within the crowd and Padraic raised a hand to silence it. “There is also another matter to take into consideration. The chosen one has been targeted by the enemy for destruction. She is no longer hidden from them. Kellen has been assigned as her Guardian as many of you know. But she needs our allegiance and protection. You all know the legends, she must be kept alive. She must be protected at all costs. It is our duty.”

He had been speaking urgently at those gathered and turned to look at me for a brief moment. Then his attention was back at the table. My eyes had widened in surprise and I was looking at Kellen with shock.

“Was he talking about me just now?” I whispered to him.

“Yes,” he whispered back, “I have always known that you were special.”

“Be serious, please,” I told him, squeezing his hand.

“I am, Rhiannon, you are special. Chosen, my darling, for a greater purpose. I told you before, remember?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Pay attention now, there is a lot to hear,” he replied, putting his arm around me.

There was a lot of discussion going on. The representatives were deciding on their position. Fidget stood up. He looked around the table and spoke forcefully.

“The dwarf lords will swear their allegiance. We will protect the secrets we have always believed in. We are not afraid to fight if needed.”

He was staring across the table from the gnomes. They stood angrily, obviously taking affront to Fidget’s remarks.

“We gnomes are peaceful and have always been so. We do not crave the blood lust of war. There are those who are quick to jump into hasty decisions.” The leader who had spoken looked pointedly at Fidget.

Fidget pounded his fist on the table in anger. “You gnomes seem to conveniently disappear or have no opinion whenever danger presents itself. There is a word for that, its cowardice.”

The gnomes looked outraged. They opened their mouths to speak but were interrupted by Kedehern.

“We approach this table as friends and equals. All opinions are free to be shared without condemnation. Please, sit. Let us not bicker about things that are unimportant right now. We must get back to the matter at hand.”

Both the dwarves and the gnomes nodded and took their seats. Others joined in on their comments, swearing their allegiance in turn. The meeting was progressing well. The topic moved to the plan of action against the enemy.

Padraic again led the discussion. “We must increase our patrols. The gateway must be more heavily guarded from dawn until dusk. We also need to protect our cities.”

Kedehern nodded his agreement. He looked around the table. When he spoke his words were strong.

“The guard will be dispatched in shifts to watch over the gateway. We will be locking and heavily guarding the perimeter of the wall, especially during the night hours from dusk until dawn. Any who would like are welcome to come within the safety of our walls, especially here in Karmelo, Alexandria, and Cornell. We must look to the outlying cities of Tarin, Hayden, and Lysis. They are heavily populated.”

They continued to discuss their plan and I looked around me, taking in the atmosphere. I hadn’t noticed the uniqueness of the table they sat at. It was made of stone. Long and rectangular, it stretched a great distance across the grassy plain. Etched into the stone in intricate patterns all around the perimeter was the same ivy and leaf design that was inlaid on Kellen’s armor. Engraved fleur de Lis also were etched into the table, adding a noble element to the design.

The top of the table had long grooves cut into it, marking the seat for each representative species, race, and ethnic group. At each seat there was more intricate carving. I realized it was writing. It must have been the specific language for each one here. Some were glyphs while others were pictographs. I was fascinated by the distinctive look of each alphabet. The same message was at every seat: We Gather as Equals and as Brothers We Unite.

Torches were being lit around the table as twilight descended upon the forest glen. There was a long table laden down with refreshments that included a roasted boar, venison, and other meats, fruits and vegetables, and many varieties of breads and pastries. In addition, there were casks of ale and other beverages to satisfy any thirst. Many ventured from the table and back again, enjoying the libations and provisions.

I continued my observation and noticed the sky. It was getting dark. The light faded from blue to navy to black and still the gathering continued in front of me. I noticed the first bright, twinkling stars appear in the sky, one by one until they seemed to fill it entirely. Each individual star seemed so close, like you could reach out and touch one and pull it right into your lap.

The moon was magnificent. It made its appearance suddenly bursting through a wisp of cloud and climbing high into the newly darkened sky. It was very bright and cast an unearthly glow upon the table and its occupants. It reminded me of fire and ice, the warm and vibrant flames of the torches in red and orange mixing with the cool white and violet blue iridescent light of the moon.

“Kellen?” I whispered.

“Yes?”

“What do the people here think of the enemy? Are they scared? Do you think they will fight if needed?”

“Yes, remember when I told you about the generals? Our people have been dealing with the enemy for many years. They have lost fathers, sons, and brothers to war and torture. Our women have been raped and murdered. Children have been left without parents to raise them. Our people are heavily invested, seeking to end this tyrannical reign of terror that brings death and destruction to our land. They will fight, to the death if necessary, to rid the world of the enemy forever,” he explained, his voice thick with emotion.

“I understand. I feel badly for them. I hope war doesn’t come. It would mean more bloodshed.”

“Yes, it would, but I feel it may be inevitable. My father will know what to do when the time comes Rhiannon. Here, listen to the centaurs. They are great warriors.”

“Kellen?” I asked again.

He raised an eyebrow at me. “Hmmm?”

“What if the enemy isn’t planning to give up? What if their true intention is annihilation?”

Kellen looked surprised for a moment. “What have you seen Rhiannon? What makes you think that is their intention?”

“I don’t know. It’s just a feeling. Peculiar. I can’t place it. Something is not right. This goes deeper than it appears.”

“I’m going to mention it to my father. I don’t think this is the right place or moment, at least not until we have evidence. I don’t want anyone to panic. I believe he has already considered this possibility and is doing everything he can to avoid it.”

“I don’t mean to be rude, but I have a question. Why does it matter what happens in my world? I mean, it doesn’t seem to have any effect on this world or its occupants.”

“Actually, it has a great impact here. Many have crossed over and lived in your world or have family members there. Most choose to stay here but not all. If the enemy causes trouble in your world, it causes ripples that effect the people here, like a stone thrown into a lake. The enemy becomes emboldened, striking harder, causing more destruction and feeling invincible. We have seen it before.”

“If something happens, I want to know right away. Please? Will you promise to tell me?” I pleaded.

“Yes, Rhiannon. I promise. Does that make you feel better?”

“Yes, it does. Thank you.”

“There is another reason you should know. Remember when I told you long ago about the Guardians? We have always protected the portal and its secrets. We watch the human world with interest. It is our heritage, one of our most important duties.”

I had forgotten about that. “Yes, I remember now.”

He smiled, looking deeply into my eyes.

“I love you Rhiannon, darling. Don’t worry, ok?” He asked me softly.

I nodded. “Yes, my Guardian.” It did not come out with the humor I intended.

Kellen’s eyes were crinkled slightly in the corners. I knew he was amused with me again. I smiled widely in return as he squeezed my hand. Lurking in the depths was deeply rooted worry, one that neither of us could ignore. He hid it behind his grin but it was there.

The discussion continued with promises to watch over territories or cities. Each group was deciding on how many troops to give to the cause. Occasionally, a temper would flare or a sharp word would be spoken. Differences were quickly put aside with the importance and enormity of the reality of war.

I started to feel tired and leaned against Kellen. Yawning, I put my hand over my mouth and tried to hide it. I didn’t want anyone to think I was bored. Kellen noticed and he put his arm around my shoulders, squeezing gently.

“I’m sorry, these things take time,” he told me quietly, “It’s probably going to be late before we are finished.”

I nodded to him and leaned my head against his shoulder. My eyelids were starting to sag.

“Go ahead and sleep. I’ll take you home when we are finished.”

I didn’t say anything. I was already dreaming. The planning continued, lasting long into the night.

Chapter Nine

The next morning I awoke alone in my room. I got up immediately and realized I had a nightgown on instead of the navy blue dress. I looked around impatiently tapping my foot. I couldn’t go down like this. And I didn’t want to wait. I walked around the room for a few minutes, looking at the furniture and walls. This was his room. I had forgotten.

Hearing the sound of voices laughing outside, I walked over and opened the window. Kellen was outside with his family. Their laughter and teasing floated up to me. I wanted very much to be with them. Kellen noticed the open window and looked up at me.

“Good morning, Rhiannon,” he called.

His smile was brilliant in the morning light. I waved back at him.

“Good morning,” I called to everyone.

Kayleigh looked up at me too. “Kellen wants us to go on a picnic with you today. What do you think?”

“Oh, yes. That would be so much fun. Would you come help me Kayleigh?”

She didn’t answer. She just ran into the house and up the stairs in about five seconds flat. I grinned at her. I felt so close to her already. She gave me a hug and set about helping me dress for the day.

Today we both wore green dresses. Hers was a light spring green that contrasted sharply with her dark her. I thought she looked wonderful. My dress was a dark green satin with the same cream and gold lace as the dress I had worn the first day here. Our hair had baby’s breath and very tiny little wildflowers in it. Mine was twisted into a crown, pinned on top. Ringlets of dark curls cascaded down my back.

We linked arms and walked downstairs ready for our picnic. Tristan and Kellen met us at the door, each of them taking our hands and leading us to a group of horses. My eyes widened in pleasure and surprise when I saw them. I had taken horseback riding lessons growing up. I always wanted my own horse. These were beautiful.

Kellen led us over to a pair of chestnut brown stallions with long flowing manes that blew in the gentle breeze. I let go of his hand and walked up to them, running my hand along the muzzle and neck of the first one. He whinnied softly. I whispered to him quietly and told him how beautiful he was. He tossed his head up and shook his mane. I turned and looked at Kellen with a wide smile on my face and noticed his eyes were watching me tenderly.

“You look so beautiful right now. I want to remember this moment forever.”

He walked over and nuzzled my face into his hands, kissing me softly.

“Do you ride?” He asked me after a few minutes.

“Yes, I took lessons as a girl. I always wanted to have a horse but we couldn’t afford it. I had to give up the lessons eventually.”

“I told you so. She’s a nature girl, just like me,” Kayleigh told him smugly.

I had forgotten that we were not alone. I looked over at her. She was already on her horse.  Tristan was as well. Had they been waiting and watching us? I blushed and Kellen helped me up into the saddle. It was a side-sitting style. I thanked Gran silently that she had insisted I learn to ride both ways. Kellen handed me the reigns and I took them, holding them tight. He jumped up on his horse and I spurred mine on to follow his lead.

We rode on the same path I had been on before, passed the glorious waterfall that splashed next to us, and passed the meadow full of wildflowers. We continued for a while in silence and I took in the stunning countryside. It was picturesque. Like a painting in someone’s house.

I felt like I had stepped back in time, during the Renaissance or some distant emerald isle. The vibrant shades of green, blue, and brown mixed with wildflowers painted the landscape exquisitely like a Renoir masterpiece. I was wishing for my camera desperately at that moment, just to capture a second of the beauty surrounding me. It was a charming place, this Karmelo.

Eventually we came to a scenic spot with flat level ground around us. It overlooked another waterfall. Rocks and cliffs spread out around us. There were many trees nearby, rows of elms and spruce and oak, all mixed together in perfect harmony. We chose a spot that was shaded by a huge elm. The sun was raising high into the sky and it was getting warm. Midday. A steady breeze blew across the leaves and tall wavy grass.

We stopped the horses and Kellen grabbed hold of my waist, helping me down from the mare. He held me there, suspended against his chest for a moment, gazing into my eyes before finally letting go. Taking my hand, he led me over to the big elm tree. Tristan helped him tie the horses off so they could graze and spread out the picnic. Kayleigh and I watched them together, each of us lost in thought.

It was the most amazing afternoon of my life. We lounged on a big blanket and ate food packed by Mairwen and their cook. Talking and laughing together, we told stories about each other and growing up. I told Kayleigh about how Kellen and I met, and watched his eyes become soft with the memory. She told me about her betrothal and Tristan’s courtship. Kellen had a funny look on his face but never said a word. I wondered what he was thinking.

Kellen lie down after a while next to me and settled his head in my lap. I played with his hair absently, smiling at his contented expression. He looked up at me, so lovingly, so adoring, I held my breath for a moment. The look on his face said everything. In that moment I knew he truly loved me. It’s not that I doubted it, but his expression was so full of love right then that my heart swelled with the knowledge. I put my hand against his cheek.

“I love you,” I told him softly.

He sat up and pulled me into his arms, kissing me fiercely. “I love you too Rhiannon.”

His fingers brushed my cheek. I loved it when he did that. It made me tingle all over.

“I want you to know.” He cleared his throat, a little nervous. “When I am able, I plan on courting you, formally.”

I nodded.

He shook his head. “You need to understand.” His voice caught. “It means a formal engagement…of our marriage.”

I leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “I understand perfectly Kellen.”

“All right then.” He cleared his throat again.

“That is what you want, right?” I asked, gazing into his eyes.

“Oh yes,” he pulled me closer, “more than anything.”

He pressed his lips to mine softly, a promise, a pact, and understanding of our mutual agreement. We would become engaged as soon as we were able. My heart was overjoyed. I loved Kellen, with everything inside me, more than I would have ever thought possible. It was almost scary.

He sprawled out on the blanket again, tugging my arm so I could join him. We lay there looking up at the sky with our fingers entwined in each other’s hand. Silently we watched the birds flying overhead and listened to the sound of rushing water nearby. The clouds shifted slowly, like someone up in heaven was pulling them apart as if they were cotton balls, and tossing them into the electric blue above.

After several minutes I realized we were alone.

“Where did Kayleigh and Tristan go?” I asked him.

He laughed softly. “Did you only just now notice? They left when I kissed you. They get so little time to themselves. I’m sure they’ll be back when they are ready.”

I rolled over to look at him and propped myself up on his chest.

“These last few days have been wonderful. The best of my life. Thank you,” I told him wistfully.

“I’m thankful that I could bring you here. My family loves you. I wish we never had to leave.”

He drew me close to his chest and kissed me again until my head was spinning and my breathing was shallow. I lay my head down on his shoulder and sighed contentedly. I wished we could stay forever too. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, a nagging voice told me to cherish these simple moments we had together and store them up in my heart. Keep them close, because the future was uncertain.

“Um, don’t laugh, ok? But, why does everybody have really…unique…kind of weird names?”

He laughed anyway. “Rhiannon, our heritage is Celtic and Gaelic. These are very traditional names. They don’t feel that way to us here.”

I thought that through. It made sense. A cultural thing. History. I wanted to know more.

“Kellen, why do your parents still look so young? It seems that they don’t age like my grandparents. Why is that?”

“I have often observed this myself. I can only tell you that our world is very different. The magic that exists here, it affects us differently. People age much slower here. It is also in the genetics. With your grandparents, I think it is living in your world that has aged them more quickly. They spent twenty years without returning across the portal. There are many toxins on your side and the air quality is much poorer. Have you noticed?” He asked curiously.

Agony flitted across my chest briefly. A confirmation that my Gramps was dead because of me. I shut it down fast enough that Kellen did not see it but it lingered and hovered over my heart for long minutes.

“Yes, I think I told you before. The air is so fresh and clean here. Everything is so pure and unblemished. Now I understand what you mean. Thank you for explaining it to me.”

“Sure sweetheart, anything else you are curious about?” I saw his lips twitch. He must be amused at my questions again.

“What does the chosen one mean?”

“Ah, I thought you would ask soon. You have a destiny. You are basically a princess. You know that right?”

I raised an eyebrow. “So that is all the milady stuff?”

“Yes,” he laughed, “get used to it. The formality here is important. It’s strictly adhered to.”

Well, all right then. I traced lazy circles on his chest, happy and content.

“Will you tell me more about your childhood?” I asked him, wanting to hear his voice, no matter what he said.

“You know I grew up here. My best friends are Tristan and Seasnan. I went to school on your side as a boy. Mother insisted I have the best education. I joined the guard once I was old enough, about your age. It’s been my life ever since.”

His voice had been calm until he said Seasnan’s name. It had strained a little and then relaxed. I noticed. It made me curious.

“What is it?” I asked him. “Is something wrong about Seasnan?”

He didn’t answer for a minute. “I don’t like the way he looks at you. Yesterday, when he was out walking with you and I came up, I saw him watching you. I know him well.”

Kellen didn’t say anymore. He scowled slightly. I stared at him and recognized the green eyed monster. Kellen was jealous. I giggled.

“You’re jealous!” I told him laughing.

His scowl darkened. He folded his arms across his chest. I laughed harder, rolling over and clutching my sides.

“Rhiannon, this is not funny,” he told me, frowning.

“Oh yes it is,” I told him between giggles. It was very funny.

“Darling, please. Seasnan would make a move on you in a second if I was gone.”

“Oh Kellen, you are so funny...” I couldn’t finish since I was still laughing.

He took my arms and pinned them to the ground, laying half on top of me. His expression was serious.

“Yes, I’m jealous. I’m jealous of his walk with you yesterday and his obvious attraction to you. I’m jealous every time he looks at you because you are mine Rhiannon.” He gripped me tighter. “I’ll be jealous until I can slip that ring on your finger and prove that you are mine alone.”

I stared at him in surprise.

“Kellen, there’s no need to be jealous. I only love you. He asked me if he had a chance and I told him no. So, don’t worry. I am yours,” I told him breathlessly.

Kellen’s face went livid. He let go of my arms and jumped up. He started stomping over to the horses. I jumped up after him, putting my arms around his waist. His whole body was stiff with his rage. The intensity of his reaction surprised me. I had thought we were only joking around.

“Kellen!” I yelled. “Kellen, please stop. Where are you going?”

He spun and looked at me and suddenly stopped. His expression was furious. He cupped my face in his hands and looked deep into my eyes.

“Rhiannon, I love you. I will not let another man-”

I silenced him with my lips. He slowly wound his arms around me, holding tightly. I felt the tension and anger leave his body. He didn’t stop kissing me. I had to pull back to breathe.

“Kellen,” I said seriously when I could take a breath again. “I don’t ever want anyone but you.”

“I know Rhiannon, but he had no right to approach you like that.”

“I know. It didn’t matter. I don’t care what he wants. Please calm down.”

“It’s just like before…with Renee. At least you didn’t succumb to his flirtation quite so easily.” His voice was still tight. “He never learns. I’m weary of his games.”

I gently took his hand and walked over to the waterfall.

“Let’s enjoy the rest of our perfect afternoon together. He doesn’t get to take these moments away.”

He circled his arms around my waist and leaned his head down on my shoulder. The rushing and plunging water sent up high sprays of cool mist that splattered the ground and filtered droplets on our bodies. It felt wonderful in the heat. We spent the rest of the afternoon in front of the waterfall, my thoughts drifting to his reaction, and his thoughts almost certainly distracted by his jealousy. Neither of us voiced it.

When Tristan and Kayleigh came back we packed and left for home. I saw Kayleigh watching Kellen. He still seemed a little upset. She noticed but didn’t say anything. I looked over at her and mouthed ‘Seasnan’ to her. Her eyes filled with understanding and she giggled. When Kellen looked at her she just shrugged.

It was a pleasant ride home. The sun was starting to set. Already the brilliant colors were stretching and arching widely to make their way across the sky. I observed the stunning view around me in awe and wonder, never tiring of its beauty. I would miss it when I left here. Sunsets were never the same as here in Karmelo, never quite as beautiful or stunning, never as dazzling.

When we reached the house, Kellen slipped off of his horse and turned for me. He had his hands raised up to lift me down when Seasnan stepped out of the front door and started to walk over in our direction. His eyes were on me. Kellen noticed.

That must have been the last straw for him. He dropped his hands and scowled. I saw the thunderous frown on his face before he turned around and headed toward Seasnan. Seasnan seemed to see what was coming. He stood his ground and folded his arms across his chest.

“Seasnan!” Kellen yelled at him. “Do you mind telling me what the hell you are doing?”

“Kellen, come on. She’s quite the beauty. Look at her,” he tried to explain.

That infuriated Kellen more. His hands balled up into fists at his sides.

“No, you don’t. She’s mine Seasnan. Mine, do you understand? She isn’t Renee. Back away now and we can forget this.” His voice was deathly calm.

The smile dropped from Seasnan’s face. “Don’t you think that is a little possessive?”

Kellen’s anger worried me. I slid off the horse quickly and ran over to him just as he was saying that. He put his arm around me and pulled me back against his side away from Seasnan. Seasnan peeked around him at me anyway and smiled. I knew he did it on purpose. I looked away, sighing.

Kellen’s reaction was different. He growled slightly in response and let go of me. He tore his shirt off. Seasnan sighed and took his off too. I looked over at Kayleigh in horror. She just shook her head at me, rolling her eyes. What in the world were the two of them doing? Were they going to fight?

I stepped in front of Kellen and put my hands on his chest.

“Please don’t fight over me, please. This is ridiculous. Stop, Kellen,” I begged him.

He pulled me close and kissed me and then he pushed me behind him. I started tugging on his arm, frantic with concern. He ignored me.

“Kayleigh, please.”

She grabbed my hand and pulled me a few feet away as Tristan walked over to them. I thought he was going to stop them but he only stood as referee. My eyes were wide as saucers as I watched them crouch toward each other, dodging back and forth, trying to predict each other’s moves.

Suddenly Kellen brought his right fist forward and landed a punch square in Seasnan’s left jaw. It knocked him off balance but he caught himself and straightened up. Then Seasnan caught Kellen on the lip, splitting it open on one side and making it bleed.

“Kellen!” I screamed. I tried to move but Kayleigh held me there.

They continued to brawl, both getting in punches but Kellen causing the most damage to Seasnan. Kellen landed a final right hook that sent Seasnan sprawling on the ground. Dazed, he shook his head. He held up his hands in surrender. Kellen nodded to him.

Finally, Kayleigh let go of me and I ran to Kellen. I threw my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. I was crying. He brushed away my tears and looked at me smugly. He was proud. My honor was intact. He had fought for me and won his claim. His arms slid around me and we kissed. I remembered his lip and put my fingers up to it.

“You’re hurt. Let’s go inside.” I took him by the hand and walked into the house.

“Sit down while I get something to clean you up with,” I ordered.

He sat down obediently. “You sound like a wife.” His words were low but I did not miss the glimmer in his green eyes as he said it.

Kayleigh brought me a rag and some water. I got down on my knees in front of him and began cleaning his cut, careful not to hurt him. He winced slightly and smiled at me gently. I rang the rag out and used it to start wiping his face. My hand was shaking as I brought it back to his lip.

“You fought for me,” I told him, a tear slipping down my face.

“Rhiannon, of course I did. I had to protect your honor. Besides, he had it coming.” He winced again. “I love you with all my heart.”

I lifted my lips to his and kissed him softly. “Thank you, I love you too.”

He brushed the tear from my face, his fingers lingering on my cheek. His eyes stayed locked with mine for several minutes until I leaned forward into him and put my head against his chest. He rubbed my back for a few minutes, both of us silent. When we looked at each other again, our eyes were both glistening.

I don’t know why it felt so emotional. Maybe the intensity of the moment or the very idea that someone would engage in a fight to defend my honor. It was chivalrous and romantic. To them it seemed completely normal, although to me it was crazy and barbaric. Medieval. Chivalrous. Sexy in a way.

I looked up and saw his family was there watching us. His mother had tears in her eyes too.

“Let’s see to dinner, shall we?” She said sniffling.

The rest of the evening I spent in Kellen’s arms. We played cards with his family and laughed together most of the night. I learned that everyone loved Rummy and Euchre, they were good players and quite competitive. It was a tradition in this house. More than once, someone would get the best of another player or win unexpectedly and chaos followed by laughter would ensue. There were shouts and protests of cheating, although no one did, and plenty of good natured teasing.

Kellen’s eyes lingered on me constantly. Often he would brush his fingers along my arm or grip my fingers tightly in his hand. He never let go of me and I didn’t want him to. Kayleigh also glanced frequently in his direction. She seemed to be amused. He pretended to ignore her, focusing most of his attention on me.

The hour turned late and I fell asleep as he held me close. Sometime later I felt him carry me upstairs to his room. I realized he was laying me down on the bed and I grabbed his shirt.

“Stay,” I whispered, my voice groggy.

“Yes,” he replied softly, dropping next to me, “my rose.”

I lay down with my head on his chest and fell right to sleep. Nothing else but the sound of his heartbeat beneath my ear mattered.

I was Kellen’s, and he was mine.

Chapter Ten

The next morning he was still there in the bed with me. I looked over and he was actually sleeping. I didn’t usually see him like that. Lying there, I watched him for a long time. I thought about the fight yesterday and decided to confront Seasnan. I wanted him to stop taunting Kellen. Maybe if I spoke with him alone I could get somewhere.

Kayleigh came in the door a little while later, peeking on us. I’m sure she was wondering about Kellen. He was always awake by now. The stress of yesterday must have exhausted him. I put my finger to my lips and she nodded. I quietly got up and crossed the room to her.

“Kayleigh, he needs to sleep.”

I left with her and shut the door quietly.

“Rhiannon, you do understand why they were fighting yesterday, right?”

“Yes, I guess. I don’t know. I hate the idea of fighting,” I admitted and sighed.

“It was a matter of honor. Seasnan overstepped the boundaries of chivalry and respect when he pursued you so openly, knowing that Kellen was already your Guardian and you’re dating. Promised to each other really. It was a formality but it is understood that he has to leave you alone now. Kellen won the fight,” she explained.

I nodded my head in understanding. I suppose it made sense in an odd way. This culture was so different than my world. The idea of honor and chivalry no longer existed, at least not in any formal way. Modern society was sadly lacking in good morals, in the general sense. The idea of a man stepping forward, like dueling pistols as sunrise, was completely unheard of.

Kayleigh helped me again to get ready, quickly this time. I was impatient. I wanted to find Seasnan, especially after what she just told me. As soon as she was finished, I ran downstairs and out the door. I began to walk the grounds, looking for Seasnan. I didn’t have to go very far, he was practicing with his sword close to the rear of the house.

I slowed down and stopped in front of him. His eyes were wide when he spotted me, staring at me with curiosity and attraction. They roamed over my body, up and down appreciatively. I had to swallow against the disgust it made me feel. I knew he wasn’t a bad guy.

“Seasnan, I want to know what that was all about. I already told you there wasn’t a chance. Why did you pick a fight with Kellen?” I asked him angrily.

“Rhiannon, you are worth more than one effort. I would fight him again for you. Don’t you get it?”

I saw his black eye and swollen lip. Part of me felt bad, but he had brought this on himself.

“Get what? You think I’m pretty or something and that gives you a right to me?” My words were like acid.

“Milady, Rhiannon.” He said my name softly and I cringed. “I had to try.”

“Is that it? Am I some kind of prize to you? You don’t even know me, Seasnan. You know nothing about me.”

“I know all I need to. You are more than a prize. You’re special,” he said quietly.

He walked closer to me. I backed up a few paces, ready to take flight if needed.

I shook my head at him. “Kellen loves me. I love him too, Seasnan. It’s no competition. You are wasting your time. It’s not like you love me too.”

I looked at him, straight in the eyes, hoping to make him see. I couldn’t believe it when his eyes betrayed him. He did care for me. How in the heck did that happen?

“How could you possibly care for me when you only just met me?” I asked him in confusion.

“I don’t know…but I…feel this connection…a deep sense of purpose. I can’t walk away and I can’t leave. I’m supposed to near you and keep you safe. I think you feel it too.”

Mostly I felt frustration, but there was a tiny little bit of truth to what he was saying. I was in denial, no way would I admit it, not to give him the satisfaction.

“Seasnan, no. I won’t even consider it. Don’t you understand?” I asked him desperately.

“Milady, you misunderstand…I truly care for you…as much as I think you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. You think I am behaving crudely but I am not. I feel-”

“No, Seasnan. No, get back, go away. This is all wrong,” I interrupted him.

I was shaking. I would have to hurt him. It made me feel awful. I looked at him, tears suddenly in my eyes. I shook my head again. He took advantage of my surprise and pulled me close, bending his face toward mine. I reached my hand back and slapped him full in the face with everything I had. He took it without even flinching. He still didn’t let go.

I was really angry now. “Let go of me, Seasnan. You are seriously deluded if you think I would turn my back on Kellen. I love him.”

“He may not always be around Rhiannon. He may not be the man you think he is. I’ll be there when that happens. I’ll be here for you, waiting, whenever you need me,” he told me quietly.

Was he insane? I was still trying to get his hands off of me. Struggling, I pushed at his chest again, without success.

“Just give me one word, one spark of hope. I’ll wait around.” His eyes met mine. “I only want to be near you, to prove to you that I am capable.”

I couldn’t believe his tenacity. “I said there was no chance at all. I don’t know how to be clearer than that.”

He reached down, quickly and briefly, his lips meeting mine. I shoved at him, more successful this time in getting us a few inches apart. I screamed in my frustration. I slapped his cheek again as hard as I could. My eyes were blazing in their fury. I nearly lost my composure altogether.

“How dare you kiss me! I’m out of your league.” My chest was heaving. I could hardly breathe. “You are no gentleman.”

He flinched. “I did not mean to push myself on you. I could not help myself Rhiannon, you are so beautiful, so full of life. You consume my thoughts, every moment.” He held me tighter. “We are supposed to be in each other’s lives, whether you realize it now or not. I’ll remember...and so will you. Remember this moment as the one when you realize you have more than one choice for your future…and one than more person watching your back.”

“You fool. I could never love you. I could never love someone who forced me,” I spat at him.

He laughed. “You have it all wrong…and I cannot wait until you figure it out.”

What was that supposed to mean?

“The next time I kiss you Rhiannon, you will want me to. You will ask me to…and I won’t say no. I’ll never have to force you because you will ask me willingly. Someday you will feel different. I’m not going far until you do.” He smiled, confident and annoying in his surety.

I screamed in my frustration again and he let go of me. He was stepping back from me when Kellen burst upon us, sword in hand. He raised it at Seasnan and put his arm around my waist pulling me away. Seasnan raised his hands up in the air, a slight grin on his face.

“I relinquished any claim to her here yesterday. Calm down. I’m leaving.”

I buried my face in Kellen’s chest and burst into tears. I was clutching at his shirt.

“What did you do to her? What did you say?” He was furious.

“That’s between the two of us, Kellen. Let her tell you if she wants to.”

“We’ll settle this tomorrow Seasnan, at the tournament. I challenge you to a joust.” Kellen’s anger made his voice tremble.

“I accept. See you both tomorrow,” Seasnan answered and walked away whistling.

“Darling, are you all right? Did he hurt you? Say something please,” he begged me.

“Oh, Kellen, I…he tried to…I couldn’t stop him…I don’t…” I couldn’t get it out right crying.

He managed to understand some of it. “Did he touch you? Did he…kiss you?”

I could only nod at him. I started crying harder. His whole body shook with rage.

“I’ll kill him,” he said so menacingly calm it shook me out of it a little.

“No, Kellen, no. Just let him go. He means nothing to me.”

His eyes were wild looking. He grasped his sword hilt tighter, turning his knuckles white.

“If he comes anywhere near you again…” He didn’t finish.

I raised my tear streaked face to his. “Promise me you won’t fight him tomorrow over me. He’s just arrogant and foolish. He can never have what he wants.”

Kellen looked at me and some sanity returned to his eyes.

“It is a matter of honor and chivalry. He has always pushed the boundaries, getting himself into trouble. I can’t promise you that I won’t, Rhiannon. He will never touch you or take advantage of you again.” His voice was very final.

“I want to go back home, please. Let’s go.”

Kellen’s expression looked a little hurt. He nodded. Oh no, he had misunderstood.

“I meant your home,” I told him reassuringly.

He smiled but his eyes were hard and distant. “I would make it your home right now if I could.”

“I know and I would say yes just as fast. You are all I want Kellen.”

“Rhiannon, someday…I hope you will…I’ll be hoping.” He couldn’t get it out.

I understood. As long as he was my Guardian, we couldn’t entertain such ideas. We already discussed it. I knew his proposal would be the instant he was able.

“My heart will hope along with yours,” I told him.

He kissed me gently and then more urgently as he remembered Seasnan. I clung to him, remembering too. I couldn’t believe what had happened. I forced myself to forget all about him. This was our time. Kellen and I would have to leave in a week. I had to go back to Gran soon. I tightened my hold around Kellen’s neck as his lips moved along my throat. It was a long while before we made it back to his family home.

Chapter Eleven

Tournaments were a common form of entertainment held throughout the Monterro Valley where Guardian knights and nobles alike would come together to compete against one another with everyone in the land being welcomed as competitors or spectators. There would be a variety of games such as sword play, jousting, archery, horseback riding and fighting.

All walks of life from the nobles to the common peasants would gather to watch and cheer for their favorite participant. Music, storytelling, jugglers and food could also be found at the tournament. Brightly colored dresses and scarves were worn by the ladies. Men dressed in their armor or fine clothes to impress their intended maidens. Ale flowed as much as the tales of those who plied their skill to the crowds. It was similar to a modern day renaissance fair.

As was the case at the feasts, it was common for people to enjoy their different types of drink – mead, wine, and ale were plentiful. Casks and barrels lined the rear of the wooden bleachers. Tables were laden down with libations and food. There were large haunches of roasted meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, large loaves of bread and pastries in sweet and savory.

Music was an important part of the tournament, not just for entertainment, but for the Monterro Valley as a whole. Musicians and traveling minstrels would be found at feasts, tournaments and around the cities. It provided a reprieve from day to day life, offering a chance to celebrate and break from the monotony and toil of existence.

Cornell was the largest city in the valley. It always featured the annual tournament and games, drawing large numbers of the populace to attend. We were going on horseback, leaving early in the morning, while it was still dark. Kellen packed before bed, making it easy to load up and take the horses in the morning. We went to sleep early. It would be a long ride.

The cook had a large breakfast spread out in the morning. We ate a scrumptious meal, hot and delicious, to fill our stomachs for the journey. We wouldn’t be stopping on the way. Cornell was hours away from Karmelo, probably about four hours, as the crow flies. Kellen was worried for our safety. We were exposed, vulnerable to the enemy. An extra four Guardians were dispatched to accompany us.

Everyone was on horseback, even Mairwen and Kedehern. All of the horses were laden with heavy knapsacks and saddlebags. We made good time, arriving around nine a.m. to the city. The gates were open wide, all visitors welcome. Extra security was posted at the entrance and all exits. We were asked to stable our horses and take all of our belongings with us.

Kellen took my hand and led the way to a large inn, just beyond the entry gates. I could tell by the sign and storefront it was one of the nicest in the city. There were taverns and inns all over, welcoming visitors and travelers alike. Our inn mostly consisted of nobility. It was pricey compared to many of the others. We paid for three rooms and took our belongings upstairs.

Kellen pulled me into our room and shut the door. He set our bags on the large bed, then turned to me and grinned.

“How do you feel about sharing a room? I bribed Tristan, actually he readily agreed, to switch later tonight with me.” He winked. “Unless you would rather sleep with Kayleigh of course.”

I walked over to him as he enveloped me in his arms. “You, hands down.”

He kissed me, holding me close, and letting his lips linger against mine.

“I have to leave soon. Those of us who are competing must arrive early. Kayleigh will help you get ready. You can arrive with her and Mother and sit in our box. We reserve a place in our family name every year for the event. It’s quite common. Almost all of the prominent families do the same. Enjoy yourself, my love. I will see you later.” His voice was light and carefree.

Excited.

An air of expectation filled the room. This was going to be fun.

“Be safe, Kellen. I love you,” I responded, placing a kiss on his cheek.

He hugged me tight and left, letting me know he would stop and ask Kayleigh to come help me. I nodded, sitting on the bed to rest momentarily. Kayleigh came swooping in ten minutes later, completely decked out in finery with a colorful scarf around her neck. I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

“Rhiannon, I know I look decked out like royalty. It’s the point. These festivities are all pomp and pageantry. I have to get you ready and have you pick out a scarf. Just wait, you’ll be the most admired woman all day,” she told me, laughing to herself.

I had on a beautiful dress of burgundy and amber. It had fine silken threads and creamy lace, sewn exquisitely. The bodice was fitted with a plunging neckline, bejeweled, and almost daring. Kayleigh’s was the same, but in colors of silver and aqua. We both had our hair curled and woven through with ribbons and flowers that matched our dresses. Our heels were silk and jeweled, just like the gowns.

Kayleigh’s scarf was a bright aqua while mine was a deep amber. She handed me a necklace and earrings that belonged to Mairwen and matched perfectly. She had expensive jewelry on as well, showing off her flawless skin. I looked in the mirror and couldn’t believe the transformation. We looked like princesses. She went one step further and placed a simple golden crown on my head, a gift from the family, pinning it in place.

Mairwen joined us, looking just as exquisite. Her colors were gold and pink. We had silken fans that hung from our wrists. I was told it kept the flies away and cooled you in the heat. I was sure I would need it. It was getting hotter by the minute. I could only hope there was a canopy of some kind overhead or I was literally going to bake in the sun.

We walked the short distance to the festivities, stopping to buy flowers from the street merchants. It was a custom to purchase these and put them in your box, a symbol of helping the city. We arrived and sat in large cushioned seats with high backs, front row and centered for the action in the family box. I was relieved to find a combination of overlapping and brightly colored long sections of fabric that hung on poles a few feet above our heads. The sun would be blocked a good portion of the day.

The festivities would last a total of three days. The first day was sword play, wrestling, and hand to hand combat. The second day was archery and the equestrian competition. The final day was the joust. I was most nervous about the joust. I remembered Kellen’s challenge to Seasnan. If only I could convince him to back down, but I knew better. He was not a coward and would take affront to that suggestion.

Kellen was entered in every contest as was Tristan. Kayleigh informed me that all nobles usually entered a majority, if not all, of the events. Each contestant represented their house, or family crest. Tristan’s was an eagle. Kellen’s a lion. I was unsure of Seasnan’s crest and did not ask.

In the final event, the joust, the knight would select the scarf of his true love and fly her colors on the end of his lance. From what I understood, this was quite a big deal. The final victor could claim his reward, a kiss from the lady.

Kayleigh was leaning toward me and whispering often behind her fan in an attempt to inform me without being obvious. She sat to my right, while Mairwen sat on my left. I was flanked on either side. I knew instantly this was meant to protect me and shield me from prying and curious nobles.

Much to my chagrin, I was the center of attention for most of the three day event. However, I owe that almost entirely to the group of performers who announced my presence at the onset of the festivities. The group of players told stories and jokes, juggled, sang music and played instruments, and generally enthralled the crowd. This was especially needed during intermissions and between the events.

The wooden and open bleachers of the peasants were filled to bursting. The heat and vulnerability of the sun left them restless. Casks of ale and mead were donated by the nobles, as tradition, to curb raucous and unruly behavior. Serving wenches heaved large mugs up and down the aisles, amid shouts and laughter.

The leader of the troupe, dressed in contrasting bright colors that resembled a jester, jumped in front of the crowd. Our box was dead center. He bowed briefly, his arms flung wide and approached the box.

“Ladies, may I have the pleasure of knowing our distinguished guests this morning?” He was speaking to their entire box but looking at me.

Was it the crown that gave me away? Or the fact that I was new to the proceedings?

Kayleigh brought up the fan. “Tell him your name.”

“Rhiannon,” I answered.

His eyebrows rose in surprise, then he quickly fell to one knee. The rest of the troupe followed his lead. “Your grace.”

Murmuring rose in the crowd who watched his reaction. He raised his head a moment later, as if to ask for permission to rise. I nodded. As quick as a flash he plucked a rose from one of the flower girls and approached the box again. He bowed briefly and offered it to me.

“Your beauty doth set my heart afire milady.”

I stood and bent at the waist to accept it. His smile was genuine.

“Lords and ladies, gentle and wee folk.” He turned to address the crowd. “I offer a toast.”

Goblets and mugs continued to pass for several minutes until the multitude had been served. The jester raised his mug high and faced me. “To our beloved Princess Rhiannon, of the houses Monahan and Drustaney, may you live in good health and fortune until the end of your days.”

I raised my goblet and took a sip. The wine was delicious.

He turned to the crowd and continued. “To every one of you, may your cup never be empty and your bed never grow cold. And although age may greet us, let none of us ever feel old.”

I took another sip. The crowd took hearty gulps of their drinks and cheered. Many cups were raised in my direction as I glanced at those around me. Kayleigh and Mairwen sat tall and proud in their seats.

At that moment I realized the significance of my presence, not only to the crowd, but also for their family. This was a position of great honor, I blessed them with my company. I almost shook my head. I would never get used to this life.

The jester moved away, bowing again to me briefly, as the troupe left.

I leaned over to Kayleigh. “What is his name? He never said.”

“Oh, he could not. It would not have been proper. You were not introduced.”

I frowned. “I’m not sure if I will ever become accustomed to the rules and propriety of this world.”

“Oh Rhiannon, you carry yourself like a queen already, whether you realize it or not.” She fanned her cheeks a few times. “It comes naturally. I’m always glad to help.”

“Thank you. I am certain to need it.”

“Ralen,” she said in reply. “The troupe leader is Ralen. You will see him often. They are the most famous group of performers in the valley.”

I did not have time to reply. Noble lords and peasant contestants filled the field in front of us. Kellen and Tristan were among them. Sword play was the first contest. The categories included the longsword, fencing, spear throwing, and dual wielding with a shield.

Later in the day hand to hand combat without weapons, wrestling, and arm wrestling. Groups of two would pair off, the victor moving on to challenge the next, until a single victor emerged. The winner would be given one of many prizes that ranged from animals, to rare materials, to expensive jewelry.

Kellen and Tristan wore their full plate armor. The same silver with gold and green leaf designs etched into the hard steel that I witnessed the day we crossed the portal. I could easily distinguish between the Guardians and everyone else. The armor gave them away. It proclaimed their status and skill.

Kellen tossed a couple of marks to one of the flower girls and plucked a deep red rose from her basket. He approached the box and bowed briefly.

Looking directly into my eyes, he raised the rose. “A gift to the most beautiful lady in attendance.” His gaze shone with love and admiration.

“Thank you, sir knight.” My fingers brushed his as I claimed it.

Tristan brought Kayleigh a rose but I hardly noticed. Anyone with eyes could see the way Kellen and I looked at each other. A murmur rose within the noble crowd. I heard rumors of a secret engagement in the whispers behind me. Kellen grinned, pressing his lips to my hand.

“I pledge my undying devotion.”

I smiled brightly. “I will hold you to it.”

The longsword competition began. At first, there were so many groups of men fighting I could hardly keep track of where Kellen and Tristan were standing. With shock I noticed Seasnan emerge to my right, another victory.

All three men progressed, winning again and again, even against other Guardians. Finally, Tristan and Kellen were paired. It was a long battle but Kellen emerged victor. With a laugh they clasped each other on the back. Two remained, Kellen and Seasnan.

Watching them fight, it was like viewing a beautiful and complicated dance. Parry, thrust, pivot and turn, block, advance, deflect, and so on. They were close in skill. I remembered watching them practice. Kellen was a little more advanced. He would win, I was sure of it.

Amazed, I watched as they continued to fight, pushing off and against each other, neither willing to give quarter. This was more than just a competition. Their frustration fueled their determination.

My eyes were locked on the two of them, my breath quickened with each passing minute. Surely fatigue should set in, but neither man stumbled or fell. The crowd started to cheer, first small ripples of sporadic applause and shouts of encouragement, but as the fight continued, a roar rose within the crowd. I found myself on my feet, cheering Kellen on. Others joined me, until the noise was deafening to my ears.

In the shining sun and unbearable heat, I could only imagine how awful it must have been wearing an additional fifteen pounds of armor on your body. Slowly, it began to take its toll. Both men took off their helmets and threw them to the side. Sweat drenched their hair, and yet their bodies moved with a fluid grace that belied the oppressive air around them. Loud clanking filled the air as the audience watched in awe. None could deny their strength and level of skill.

Seasnan stumbled, as I knew he eventually would, and Kellen saw his chance. He pushed forward, steadily attacking, giving no reprieve. In a final thrust, Seasnan fell to the ground with a thud and stayed. He bowed his head in defeat. Kellen sheathed his sword and nodded. He was victor.

The roar of the crowd blotted out every sound. I applauded, almost jumping up and down in happiness. I was so proud. Kellen approached the box and fell on one knee before me. His chest heaved with exertion, dirt and sweat streaking his face. I had never seen him look more handsome.

I tossed the rose back to him and he caught it, pressing it to his lips and then his heart. I heard the sigh of several women behind me. What a romantic gesture.

The rest of the contests commenced, one after another. A Guardian won the spear throwing contest. Another noble won the fencing competition, barely beating Kellen for the win. All three men, Seasnan, Kellen, and Tristan made it into the final ten of every group. The last event of the day, the dual wield with shield, was set to begin.

It had been a long morning and afternoon. I could only imagine the toll it was taking on the contestants. The heat and never ending sun beat down on the crowd. The men emerged, paired off in groups of two again but in teams of four.

Unlike the longsword competition, any manner of weapon could be used as the chosen weapon. Tristan held a mace. Seasnan was carrying a war hammer. Only Kellen still held a broadsword, different from the longsword of earlier. He was a skilled and dedicated swordsman. I was not surprised at his choice.

I found this particular competition the most dangerous, the most deadly, and the most engaging to watch. With fascination I realized wielding these different weapons required a different level of skill, which combined with the added weight of a shield, provided an entirely different method of advance and attack. It was a delicate balance. Each man must block with the shield while trying to take out his opponent with his weapon of choice.

The teams of four were eventually broken down to groups of two. Again, the Guardians outshined the peasant and noble competitors. I could only assume they were used to the practice and combat and therefore gained the advantage. Down to a group of twelve, all three men remained. One by one, they were defeated until Kellen was left in a match with another noble, and a favorite of the crowd as well.

They fought bravely, each highly skilled, but no man was a match with Kellen and his sword. It quickly became obvious. The other noble bowed to Kellen in defeat. They shook hands heartily, much to the joy of the crowd. Kellen turned to the throng who roared their support and shouted his name.

Kellen approached the box again, and this time I saw the fatigue etched in his face. He was near exhaustion but proudly stood erect, bowing briefly to me, a broad grin on his weary face. I pulled the scarf from my body slowly and stood, dangling it from the box. He strode forward but instead of grabbing it, stood still and awaited me. I smiled. With great care I wound it around his neck and leaned forward, pressing a kiss against his cheek.

As I leaned back the suddenly silent crowd exploded in applause. Kellen was the clear victor today. Fame and glory would accompany him. Although I was sure he had earned a good deal of that on his own in the Guardian army, today proved his skill and prowess.

Goblets and mugs were raised in the air, toasts to his health were numerous. The people continued to shout, chanting his name. His broad grin outshined everything but the look of love shining in his eyes.

And so the first day of the competition ended.

Chapter Twelve

It was over an hour before I saw Kellen. A large banquet had been erected under several tents, stretched across dozens of tables, laden with food and spirits. Rows of picnic tables filled every tent, already full to bursting. In the center tent, the biggest of the three, was a raised dais that had been erected for the most prominent nobles and their families.

Mairwen, Kayleigh, and I entered the tent and were escorted to the dais where I was seated front and center among the group. I saved a seat for Kellen next to me. To my left Kayleigh saved one for Tristan and Seasnan. To my right sat Kedehern and Mairwen. The rest of the seats were quickly filled.

Ralen entered the tent with his troupe. His eyes scanned the tent and found me instantly. He did cartwheels all the way down the aisle until he reached me, breathless, his cheeks flushed, and his thick mop of unruly brown curls peeking beneath his jester’s hat.

I clapped enthusiastically as he bowed. Kayleigh stood and introduced us. “Your majesty may I introduce Sir Ralen. Sir Ralen, her majesty, the lady Rhiannon.”

He bowed again. “Rise, Sir Ralen. Have you come to entertain tonight?” I asked, smiling widely.

“Oh yes, your grace, with your permission. I should like to sing for you.” His eyes lingered on my face and he blushed.

He looked young but that meant nothing here. Age was but a number. I nodded. Ralen pulled up a stool and placed a lute in his arms. He sang one of my all-time favorites by Daniel O’Donnell.

“Oh my lovely rose of Clare, you’re the sweetest girl I know.

You’re the queen of all the roses, like the pretty flowers that grow.

You are the sunshine of my life so beautiful and fair

And I will always love you my lovely rose of Clare.

Oh the sun it shines out like a jewel on the lovely hills of Clare.

As I strolled along with my sweet lass one evening at the fair.

Her eyes they shone like silver streams her long and golden hair,

For I have won the heart of one my lovely rose of Clare.

Oh my lovely rose of Clare, you’re the sweetest girl I know.

You’re the queen of all the roses, like the pretty flowers that grow.

You are the sunshine of my life so beautiful and fair

And I will always love you my lovely rose of Clare.

As we walked down by the river bank watched the Shannon flowing by

And listened to the nightingale singing songs for you and I,

And to say farewell to all you true and fair,

For I have stolen the heart of one my lovely rose of Clare.”

I stood and clapped, tears in my eyes. That song always moved me. Ralen bowed and began another. This one by King Henry VIII.

“Pastime with good company

I love and shall unto I die;

Grudge who list, but none deny,

So God be pleased thus live will I.

For my pastance

Hunt, sing, and dance.

My heart is set:

All goodly sport

For my comfort,

Who shall me let?

Youth must have some dalliance,

Of good or illé some pastance;

Company methinks then best

All thoughts and fancies to dejest:

For idleness

Is chief mistress

Of vices all.

Then who can say

But mirth and play

Is best of all?

Company with honesty

Is virtue vices to flee:

Company is good and ill

But every man hath his free will.

The best ensue,

The worst eschew,

My mind shall be:

Virtue to use,

Vice to refuse,

Shall I use me.”

The entire throng stood and applauded, myself included. This was a favorite of everyone in the room. Ralen was wonderful. He picked up the lute again when Kellen, Tristan, Seasnan, and the other competitors entered the tent. Raucous applause, shouts of congratulations, well wishes, and slaps on the back filled the room. Tankards and glasses were raised. The toasts lasted so long I thought Kellen would never make his way to me.

He finally emerged, bowing slightly before me, and then raising my hand to his lips. I smiled.

“Well done.”

He grinned. “I’m starving. Shall we dine?”

He pushed in my chair and sat next to me, reaching for the roasted boar and bread with gusto. I could only imagine how hungry he was. At any normal time he had a large appetite but today he must be famished. I picked at my food having little appetite myself from the heat and excitement. I sipped wine in my goblet and watched him with humor. I think he ate for thirty minutes without a pause.

The celebration lasted long into the night. We retired early, amid applause from the crowd, and entered the inn. Kayleigh and I left the men at our doorway knowing once it was late enough they would exchange places. We talked for an hour, excited from the day’s festivities, and readied for bed.

At ten Kellen knocked on the door and slipped inside, grinning at his sister. “I wanted to come in sooner but I figured you both wanted a few minutes to relax.”

She jumped up and placed a kiss on his cheek. “Sure, see you in the morning.”

She winked at me and left, closing the door silently behind her.

Kellen was already undressed down to a loose fitting shirt that gaped at his neck, exposing a good portion of his muscled chest, and black pants. He surprised me when he pounced on the bed and pulled me close, his mouth descending on mine, practically crushing me against him.

His kisses continued for several long minutes, until finally, breathless, he pulled back. One hand raised and cupped my cheek, while the other held me close, lingering against my lower back.

“I missed you. It’s been a long day,” he whispered, the fatigue showing on his features.

“I missed you too. You need to rest,” I told him, brushing a stray lock of hair from his eyes, “I can see how tired you are.”

He was about to argue when I laughed and lay my head on his shoulder. “Sleep Kellen.”

He mumbled a reply but his light snores were vibrating his chest only seconds later.

Chapter Thirteen

The festivities started early the next day with the equestrian competition. Men on horseback rode through a maze of obstacles and wooden opponents, striking blows and trying to complete the course in the fastest time. There was a horseback race. And then the archery competition commenced. It was engaging to watch and cheer the competitors on. If I was betting, all of my money would be on Tristan. The crowd obviously knew this. They cheered him on from the onset.

One moment I was sitting there, smiling, and watching the archers, and the next I was being thrown to the ground. The sound of something whizzing in the air drew my attention, accompanied by a whoosh, then the thud of my body as it was cradled in a pair of strong arms, and then screams, so many screams, filled my ears in a deafening explosion.

Arrows. Multiple arrows. Penetrating the wooden box and piercing the seats above me.

I gasped.

Stunned, I gazed at the figure cloaked all in black that held me, immobile, against a hard muscled chest. A man had rescued me. I had no idea who he was. He was wearing a bandana that obscured most of his face but black eyes, deep and intense, like the ebony darkness of night, held mine.

I did not move. I did not yell. The only thing I could do was stare, confused by his swift intervention and the fact that he continued to hold me, even when he should have let go.

“Don’t move. It’s not safe,” his deep masculine voice answered the question in my head.

“I’m scared,” I whispered. I don’t know why I said that. He was a complete stranger.

“You are well protected milady. Have no fear,” he assured me, totally sincere.

I heard someone calling my name. It sounded like Kellen. Before I could reply the stranger pulled me up, bending his tall muscular body around mine, crouching, shielding me from more arrows as they zinged past, and led me away from the massive throng of people. Some were panicking, some were yelling, others were scattered along the field. It was chaos.

The stranger ushered me away, still protecting me, until we were hidden in the trees and entered a secluded path. He did not slow down until we entered a hidden cave. I don’t know why I let him continue to lead me away. All I knew was that if he intended to harm me, he never would have saved me in the first place.

We paused in the dark and he lit a match and then took my hand, leading me farther away inside the cave, until we rested at a small campsite. He lit a fire and set to work, roasting meat and potatoes over the open flames, which caught me totally by surprise. I watched him warily, sitting on the hard ground.

For the first time I noticed my trembling hands. My heart was racing in my chest as I looked at them like they were not my own fingers. I clenched them in my lap, hoping he would not realize it too.

“You are in shock. The trembling will subside.” He spoke without looking at me. It made me wonder how he knew but I supposed he was much more observant that he let on.

“I…thank you,” I answered, “for saving me.”

He grunted a response but I thought I caught a smile behind the bandana. I continued to observe him, curious about who he was and why he had saved me.

“Who are you?” I finally asked.

“A friend.” No other response.

“How long are you going to keep me here?”

“Until I am assured that it is safe.” I sensed a vague amount of frustration.

“How will you know if you are here with me?” I wondered aloud.

I caught a low chuckle. “Always so curious.” He seemed amused. “My men will secure the area and return once it safe enough to return you to…your friends.”

I arched an eyebrow. He said the word with sarcasm. “Is there something I should know?”

He shook his head. “No.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Stop being vague and irritating. Speak clearly,” I ordered.

He threw back his head and laughed. “I am not one of your subjects to order around princess.”

His response made me scowl. Frustrating arrogant man. What was his problem?

“I see.” I glared at him.

“So proud. So haughty.” He leaned forward, one arm resting on his knee. “But not entirely sure of yourself, are you?”

I narrowed my eyes, completely taken aback. Why did the most arrogant man in the world rescue me? And why was I here?

I turned my body away from him, both irritated and slightly hurt by his comment. Was I that obvious? My uncertainty and naivety? Perhaps. But I thought he was a little too cocky to say anything in response.

I felt his eyes on my back as I lowered my head and rest it on my knees. Tears filled my eyes. It was not the stranger that made me emotional but the idea that I had been attacked. Who made the attempt on my life? Who sent the arrows? Why?

For some reason I had thought that crossing the portal with Kellen, staying with his family, and leaving the demon attack behind me, that I was safe. Apparently not. I sniffled.

“Are you all right?” The voice was closer behind me.

“I’m fine,” I answered, a little too quickly.

I expected him to laugh, make a sarcastic comment, or something similar but he said nothing. I could feel him close behind me. After about thirty seconds he placed a hand against my back.

“Milady…” I raised my head and looked into his eyes. “I am sorry.”

I wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for. His words? His attitude? The attack?

He must have noticed my tears. I blinked, one falling slowly down my cheek. I saw his eyes widen and then narrow. “Forgive my harsh treatment. I only seek to keep you safe.”

“It’s not you,” I told him truthfully, “it’s another attempt on my life.”

He seemed surprised. “Are you not protected? Is your Guardian failing in his duty?” The way he said the word Guardian left little doubt in my mind that he thought Kellen was not capable. What did he have against the Guardian army?

“No, he saved my life, more than once.”

He held my gaze for several minutes. I wasn’t sure if he doubted my response or simply did not want to discuss it further.

“You need to eat something.”

His abrupt change of subject made me frown. I watched him stand, remove meat from the fire, and prepare a plate for me. He motioned for me to come sit next to him, and I did, but before I took it from him I wanted to know something specific.

“Why did you help me?” He refused to meet my gaze. “Why did you save me?”

I would not be ignored. In front of him I knelt, forcing him to meet my gaze. “Why?”

“Do not ask questions to answers you do not want to hear.”

What was that supposed to mean? “Don’t do that. Don’t refuse to answer.”

I observed him while I waited for him to answer. He was dark and swarthy, like a pirate. Tall, at least six foot four or five, maybe more. Long lean limbs and a muscular physique. Dark brown hair that hinted at loose waves, or just a thick amount, under the raised hood of his ebony cloak. Dark eyes that bore an intelligence and surety that intrigued me but creased with humor now and then. So much conveyed in his eyes, a depth of feeling I could never hope to understand.

His floor length cloak was really more of a trench coat. Under it he wore a white shirt that gaped at the neck. Black hair appeared above the expensive material on his chest. He wore a black leather vest, black pants, and tall knee length black leather boots. His gun belt held his pistols at his sides while thin leather straps wrapped around his strong muscular upper thighs held blades sharper than I had ever seen. A metal scabbard held a long tapered blade like a katana on his right. He was well armed and dangerous.

A mercenary perhaps.

“Why?” I persisted, not letting him refuse to answer.

He raised his hands and placed them on my shoulders. “Milady…there are forces at play that you do not yet understand.” He was watching my face intently.

“Then explain. Help me understand,” I begged.

“It is not my place. Not today,” he admitted, “but time will clear all of your questions.”

I shook my head. “I’ve no time for riddles. The demons and the enemy that hunts me will not wait long to attack again.”

He gripped my shoulders tighter. “What demon? Tell me what you speak of,” he demanded.

“I was attacked several times. A witch and werewolves…but that was after the demon Minotaur…” I trailed off, concerned at his angry expression.

“Where was this? When?”

“My home, the forest…by my house,” I whispered. Something in his visage made me afraid.

“When?” He asked again.

“It’s been happening the last few months but the last attack,” I looked away and could not meet his gaze as my voice broke, “the demon took the form of my dead grandfather…”

A sob broke from my chest. It was still so raw. So painful. Speaking of it let the agony surface again and I tried to turn away from him. He pulled me into his chest, one arm around my back, and the other hand cradling my head against him, as one would a small child. His strength made me feel safe. It was unorthodox to be sure, but something about him made me want to open up and trust him.

“I am sorry, milady…Rhiannon,” his deep sultry voice caressed my name when he said it, “loss like that is never easy. The heart never quite recovers.”

I knew when he spoke those words, so resolute, with a hint of personal agony, that he knew exactly how I felt in that moment. “Have you lost someone you love?” I dared to ask, even when I knew he would not answer such a personal and informative question.

He surprised me. “Yes.” I heard the catch in his voice. It was minimal but unmistakable.

In the silence that followed I heard his heart rate pick up. “I am sorry for your loss.”

My whispered words had a strange effect on him. He released me, standing quickly, turning his back, and hiding his face. Even with the bandana I noticed the raw emotion in his eyes that surfaced before his stiff back and stoic demeanor returned.

Still on my knees, I turned and sat down on the earth, my hand pushing the plate aside. My stomach rumbled in protest but I had no appetite. Too much emotion, confusion, and uncertainty lingered in my thoughts. With my finger I began to trace a shape in the soft dirt. At first I did not realize what I had done and then, jolting myself back to awareness, my gaze landed on the shape.

An infinity symbol.

The same my Gramps used to draw.

With a gasp and a small cry I jumped to my feet. I felt his eyes on me, this somewhat stranger who had rescued me, but I did not acknowledge him. His eyes followed my gaze until he saw the shape in the dirt. I kicked at it with my shoe and erased it, smoothing the dirt back, and walked away, needing to leave this confined space and the painful memories that filled it.

I suddenly ran, into the dark, stumbling on the uneven ground, bumping into the solid walls, all in an effort to forget. Forget the demon. Forget my dead grandfather. Forget the pain. Even forget the attack from an hour ago.

Up ahead was a dim light. I ran toward it, bursting into a large cavern, and gasped. All around me, floor to ceiling, were hundreds of blue glowing rocks. It was like the stars and constellations framed by the moon in the dead of night, only more mysterious, and beautifully eerie.

I spun around in a circle, three hundred sixty five degrees, and from every angle the blue algae glowed, clinging to the rocks, in some spots heavier and cloistered together, and in others sparse but equally stunning.

I smiled.

“Don’t touch them,” a voice whispered behind me. Right behind me. Close enough that I could feel his heated breath on the back of my bare neck. “The algae are poisonous.”

I did not answer. Words seemed wrong in this amazing silent place. I stayed where I was, watching, for long minutes that continued to stretch by, unending, one after another.

A wet plop fell to the ground next to me. Then another. I lifted my hand, palm side up, as a clear drop of liquid splashed in the center. My hand trembled.

I am unsure why, but my rescuer lifted his hand, placing it under my own, and steadied it. His other hand rested against my waist, gently, only the hint of pressure as it stayed, determined and fixated. Neither of us moved. I cannot be sure but I thought I heard him inhale, more than once, the fragrance of my hair and skin.

I slowly turned, facing him, as a hundred questions formed on my lips. His hand held mine even tighter and the other refused to break its place, remaining on my waist. Taking a deep breath I let my eyes raise from the wide and muscular body in front of me and meet his intense, focused gaze. “What is your name?”

Standing here, like this, so close and intimate, felt wrong without knowing who he was.

“I dare not say.” He refused me.

“Please,” I whispered, “I must know.”

“Why?” Amusement danced at the corners of his eyes. His mouth lifted in a smirk.

“In case I want to thank you properly,” I answered with mild sarcasm.

He tilted his head back and laughed. “Do you want to see me again milady?”

I blushed, dying a thousand deaths under his scrutiny. “I, uh…I don’t know,” I stammered.

He grinned, ridiculous. Even through the bandana I could see it. The corners of the material would lift whenever he smiled. I amused him, certainly, but there was something dangerous and wild, wholly unpredictable, and entirely masculine in his eyes that made me want to know more about him.

He opened his mouth to speak when a shout from somewhere in the cave drew his attention. He frowned, pulling me with him, his strong lean fingers holding mine as we once more entered the dark cavern. For a moment he stopped, spinning around, and lowered his lips to mine, so fast, so quick, I almost thought I imagined it. I don’t know how he moved the bandana so fast and replaced it but he did. Before I could react he led us back to the campsite, dropping my hand before anyone could see.

Five men, dressed all in black, bowed to him. One pulled him aside and whispered in his ear. I felt four pairs of eyes landing on me as I sat down by the fire and picked up the now cold plate of meat and potato. I placed it closer to the fire, hoping it would heat it again for me, and awaited my rescuer.

Watching the fire, I did not notice his presence for several minutes.

“Milady?” He asked, slipping into a formal and detached sounding voice. “The danger has passed.”

I knew he awaited my reaction. “I’m hungry,” I finally answered.

My response seemed to satisfy him. We let the food warm up and ate in silence. His men, and I knew they were his men after they bowed to him, lingered at the front of the cave. They were out of earshot, far enough away that none of our conversation would be overheard.

“Are you a noble?” I asked, peering at him over the mug of wine he passed to me.

He smiled. “Something like that.”

I arched a brow. “Royalty?”

A brief look of surprise crossed his face but he quickly hid it. “In a way.”

“Is there nothing I am allowed to know of you? Or do you prefer secrets?”

He inched his way closer, lowering his head, until his face was within a fraction of mine. “What I prefer…” He paused and looked at my lips directly before raising his eyes again, “is of no consequence to you.”

What did that mean? Frustrated I narrowed my eyes. “Isn’t that convenient? I guess it’s a good thing you aren’t a Guardian.” I let the bait sit and he snatched it up.

“Meaning?”

“Guardians are held to a high standard from what I gather,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

“Meaning what exactly?” His voice had lowered, almost to a growl.

I met his unwavering stare. “They live by an oath of chivalry. I doubt they would treat a lady like this. In fact,” I paused and caught his scowl, “I know Kellen would never do so.”

It was the first time I had thought of him. The last couple of hours he had never entered my head.

“Is that why you love him?”

I gasped, shocked. How did he know that? “Who I love is of no consequence to you.” I used his own words against him.

He leaned closer. “I would be careful of my choice of words.” Was that a threat? A promise? What did he mean?

His words made me angry. “I’ll choose whoever, whatever…whenever…I want to.”

“You need taught a lesson milady,” he whispered, his eyes darting to my lips again.

My breathing accelerated with his closeness. “A, a…lesson?” I managed to squeak out.

“Oh yes,” he leaned so close I got lost in those ebony orbs, intense and fierce as they held mine, “and your Guardian…is not the right one to teach you.”

He said it with disdain again. “I can teach myself.” I pretended I sounded more confident than I really had.

“Not this type of lesson,” he argued, “and I think you know it.”

Arrogant man. I narrowed my eyes. “I suppose you think you are the right person for the job.”

He laughed, a deep chuckle that rumbled his chest. “Princess, there are many lessons that I could teach you.”

I had no idea what he was talking about. “Um…”

He caught my discomfort and naivety. At his perusal I blushed. “I hope you will remain in the dark for a long time.”

I could only stare. His eyes softened as they scanned my face. Confused I lowered my gaze and looked toward his men. Nothing of this encounter, with this strange and attractive man, made any sense to me. I sighed.

“Milady, Rhiannon…it is time to go,” he whispered, hauling me to my feet. I locked eyes with him, his hands on my waist, and wondered, for the twentieth time today, who he was.

He raised a hand, letting it brush feather light up my arm, across my shoulder, and slowly up the column of my throat until he placed his palm against my cheek. “A chéadsearc.”

What did he just say? Was that another language? Gaelic? Celtic?

“Come, follow me.”

Chapter Fourteen

My rescuer took my hand and led me from the cave, not letting go until we heard voices. People were looking for me and calling my name. A search party.

“Rhiannon!” Kellen’s worried voice penetrated the thick and dense trees and foliage.

I turned, ready to say good bye and thank you, but I was alone. No trace of my rescuer, who I really could not say was a stranger any longer, or his men. I scanned the tree line, looking for his dark cloak. He must have known I wanted to see him.

The exact same moment Kellen emerged from the trees so did the man dressed in black. He stood his ground, nodding to me and I raised my hand and waved, while Kellen drew his sword. They stared, open hostility on both of their faces, until my rescuer vanished with a light flap of his ebony cloak in the wind.

Kellen pulled me close, his mouth descending on mine, as he trembled slightly. His hand intertwined with my fingers, leading me through the trees, and back toward the party of searchers. I was surprised when I saw so many men, most of whom were strangers, bow to me when we approached. I let go of Kellen’s hand, slightly embarrassed, as Ralen ran to me and fell to his knees.

“Milady, I’m so happy to see you safe and unharmed.”

“Rise, Sir Ralen. Thank you, I was rescued by a friend,” I acknowledged, noticing the frown on Kellen’s face.

Ralen backed away slowly and joined the other men, some who were teasing him quite openly. He blushed but his eyes lingered on my face. It was kind of cute. I think the boy had a crush on me.

Later, once Kayleigh and Kellen switched rooms, I sat on the bed prepared for a confrontation, at the very least a discussion. I knew Kellen was upset. I knew he was frustrated. What I did not expect was the ferocity of his reaction or his anger.

He entered the room with a determined stride. For five whole minutes he said nothing. Then he turned to me. “What the hell were you thinking?”

“Excuse me?” I asked, taking a deep breath to calm my nerves. Why was I anxious?

“How could you run off with a complete stranger? You had no idea who he was. He could have hurt you!”

I sighed. I knew his anger came from his worry and concern for me but I did not like or appreciate his tone. “I was not thinking at all actually. I was frozen in fear and terrified I was going to die.”

Kellen started pacing, reaching one end of the room, turning around, and walking in the other direction. “Who was he?”

I assumed he knew. The way Kellen and my rescuer eyed each other I had the distinct impression they were familiar with one another. Was I wrong? “He did not tell me his name.”

Kellen looked relieved. “I guess that is just as well.”

Why? “I’m not sure I understand your meaning Kellen.”

“Did he say he was going to see you again?” He demanded, not elaborating or even acknowledging my words.

“I know nothing of who he is, what he wanted, or if I will ever see him again. Does that answer all of your questions?” I was sarcastic and more than a little frustrated.

Kellen spun on his heel and pulled me from the bed, holding me against his chest. I felt his heart racing. What was the matter? “Why are you so upset?” I asked, trying to understand his thought process.

“I could have lost you today. Do you understand that?” He shook me just a little to emphasize his words. “When I couldn’t find you…” He didn’t finish.

“I did what I needed to in that moment to stay alive Kellen. Surely you understand that.”

He shook his head. “No. I am your Guardian. I make those decisions. I am the one who carries you away to safety. Not some…stranger.”

Oh, I got it. Was he jealous? “Are you worried about the time I spent with him?”

“You were gone almost half the day Rhiannon. You scared me to death.”

“I did not mean to worry you but at the moment I only wanted to escape those arrows, which now that I think about it, is much more important than someone else saving my life besides you,” I added pointedly.

Kellen frowned. “I should have been there. It was my job…alone…to save you.”

“I see. Well, next time I will tell my assassins to wait until you are ready!” I fumed.

“Dammit Rhiannon, that’s not what I meant.” He ran his hand through his dark hair in frustration. “I am looking into it. I will find out who targeted you and why. I promise you that.”

I climbed into bed and rolled over. “I’m tired.”

“Rhiannon…don’t go to bed mad at me, please,” he begged.

I did not respond. I felt the bed dip as he lay down and then his strong embrace as he held me close. “I love you my darling rose. Good night.”

In my frustration and anger I let the silence stretch between us for several minutes.

“I love you too,” I finally whispered back. He was so quiet I thought maybe he did not hear but then he squeezed me tighter and I felt the gentle pressure of a kiss on my shoulder.

The next morning I awakened alone. A single blood red rose lay on my pillow. I smiled, thinking it was incredibly romantic that Kellen left it for me, until I saw the note beside the pillow and opened it. The smile on my face disappeared and was replaced by a look of surprise.

“You shine more beautifully than any star, your eyes are more gorgeous than any cavern full of blue light, and I shall always remember the tender softness of your lips as they met mine. Until we meet again, a rose for the loveliest woman I have ever beheld.”

I gasped. It was not from Kellen at all. How did he, not Kellen, get into my room? And when?

Something about the handwriting was familiar. I tried to remember where I had seen it before but nothing surfaced. A strong and bold script. Distinct. Masculine but elegant.

My heart leapt into my throat as the door opened and I hurriedly stuffed the note into my bodice. Kayleigh and I hugged, ate a quick breakfast, and spent the next hour beautifying ourselves for the final day’s activities.

After the attack yesterday the competition had resumed. Tristan won the archery final. Today the main event was the joust, which would take a good portion of the day. I wrapped my long sheer crimson scarf loosely around my neck. My dress today was red satin and gold, with crisp white Queen Anne’s lace on the bodice and sheer sleeves which ended at my elbow and almost reached the ground, complimented by a golden tiara.

As I approached the box thunderous applause erupted, started by Ralen who stood front and center, awaiting my arrival. I smiled and waved at the people, and especially my admirer, and took my seat. The procession of knights, many of them in Guardian armor, wove through the crowd and stopped in front of the box, bowing to me, and then forming a long line.

In tradition, I stood with Kayleigh and every other eligible maiden, and removed the scarves from our necks. I dangled mine and caught Kellen’s wide grin as it split his face, his adorable dimple appearing in his cheek. He strode forward with purpose, fully prepared to grab it before anyone else, when it was snatched from my hand.

My eyes met the gaze of a man garbed entirely in black armor. His dark eyes bored into mine and I opened my mouth in surprise. My rescuer. He was here. Right after that rose this morning and the note. I blushed, knowing that he knew, and swore I saw a smile through the slit in the helmet. He tied my scarf quickly to his lance and spun, brushing past Kellen who glared at him.

The note was still tucked into my bodice. I felt the paper against my skin, snug next to my breast, and I blushed again in the rising sun. I sat down in my chair and gripped the wooden arms as I watched the first wave of competitors. It was a breathtaking show of speed and courage. Each knight setting off, lance in hand, ready to smash it into the steel armor of their opponent.

The goal is to charge and knock the other knight from his horse. Guardians and nobles joined with peasants to practice their skill, show off their abilities, and establish their rank in the community. The lances were made of hollow wood, with blunted ends, and consisted of soft woods that would not pierce or injure the other competitors, easily breaking.

The winner of the joust was decided based upon a simple scoring system. Striking your opponent on the chest with your lance earned the most points. The only other option for scoring points was striking the center of the opposing knight’s shield in a single blow. Each round of contestants, or knights, had three passes to defeat their opponent. Elimination rounds continued until a final showdown between the two knights who had earned the most points. Only a single victor would emerge.

The victor would claim his prize from the reigning royalty, usually a kiss from the maiden who had given her scarf, and property deeds among other spoils. A small treasure chest of jewels and gold pieces, a pair of chestnut stallions, another chest of fine cloth, and the renown of his skill and ability. These prizes were highly coveted. Every man here desired the fame, fortune, and glory that would accompany the victor.

Tristan, Kellen, and Seasnan were all entered in the joust. One by one men charged, defeating their opponent and moving on, until the couple of hundred men entered had been reduced to about forty. The four men I knew, the three Guardians, and the man in black, were among the final group. The day had grown warm. The sun was high overhead when the midday meal was announced.

We retreated to the tents, where a light breeze blew through the open spaces, allowing some of the intense heat to pass over the crowds. Ralen and his group was back to entertain. This afternoon they were juggling, wrestling, telling jokes, and making light of the long day. Every now and then applause would fill the air.

I was already on my third cup of wine. It had been chilled especially for me and I found it refreshing, unable to resist the fruity flavor of the red grapes. Our table was full of friends, family, and nobles. Kellen entered the tent with Tristan. Seasnan entered with a few different Guardians whose names I did not know. All were standing in the vicinity, waiting for the servers to enter with the first course.

A hush came over the crowd when the man dressed in black, my rescuer, whose name I still did not know, entered the tent. He was ushered in by servants and his men. The bandana was carefully placed about his face, hiding his features. Somehow, that made him more mysterious and handsome. I was not the only one who thought so. Women all over the pavilion were openly assessing and admiring him.

He cut quite the figure, tall and muscular, towering above most of the men, and a noble by his bearing and the way he held himself. He strolled into the tent, pulling off his black gloves, and searching until he landed on our table, courtesy of the raised dais in the center. Or more specifically, me. With purpose he walked in my direction, his eyes landing on my face, until he stopped and bowed briefly.

Ralen danced in front of him and bowed first to me and then to the man in black who regarded him with a quirk of his eyebrow and humor. Were they familiar with one another?

“Milady, may I introduce Lord Baylor of Summerfell. Milord, her majesty, the Lady Rhiannon.”

“Welcome Lord Baylor. A pleasure to meet you,” I answered, certain that some kind of comment was needed after an introduction so specific.

I nodded my head in his direction as he approached. He lifted my right hand and brought it to his lips, touching the surface of my skin with the softest kiss, and then dropped it as his eyes met mine.

“A pleasure that is entirely mine, I assure you,” he answered as his deep rich voice seemed to wash right over me. Or was that the wine?

I saw Kellen stiffen next to me. Was my reaction obvious? I blushed, feeling chastised by Kellen and embarrassed with Lord Baylor’s attentions.

The meal began to arrive, platters stacked high with roasted boar, pheasant, chicken, venison, and a whole pig. Pastries, in sweet and savory, roasted vegetables, and dozens of loaves of freshly baked bread began to fill the tables. Serving wenches filled goblets and tankards with mead, ale, wine, and other refreshments.

I took my place at the center of the table, feeling a hand at the small of my back as I lowered to my seat. I looked up, expecting to see Kellen, but instead met the steady stare of Baylor. He grinned beneath the bandana and took the seat to my immediate right. Kellen took the left, glaring straight across from me into Baylor’s eyes.

“Gentlemen, I should like to enjoy a nice meal. Please be civil, there is plenty of time to prove yourselves during the remainder of the tournament,” I reminded them, bestowing my best smile on them both.

Baylor winked at me while Kellen continued to scowl. He was jealous of course.

“Tell me, milady, what is your favorite dish?” Baylor asked, expertly diverting my attention from Kellen.

“I’ve become quite fond of the pastries, Lord Baylor. Their unique flavor and texture is delicious,” I informed him.

He raised a brow. “I would have expected you to say the sorbet. Have you tried it yet?” He leaned closer, lowering his voice, as if discussing pastry and desserts meant secrecy. Or intimacy.

I met his gaze. The dark orbs held me, immobile, within his close proximity. I hiccupped, at exactly the wrong moment. My hand shakily set the goblet down on the table.

“Excuse me,” I told him as I blushed again. Or maybe I hadn’t stopped blushing. My cheeks were flushed. It must be, had to be, and certainly was, the wine.

He rose as I stood and took my arm, which was good because I nearly tripped. “Milady? Are you all right?” I noticed the slight frown on his face.

“I think I drank too much wine,” I giggled. I couldn’t help it.

He led me by my elbow out of the tent, escorting me to the facilities. Once I had straightened and relieved myself, I walked unsteadily up to him. Kellen was nowhere to be found. Did he not follow me?

Lord Baylor took my elbow again, preventing a very ungraceful tumble into the grass. “I think we should go for a walk.”

“Where’s Kellen?” I asked.

“Detained,” he replied quickly and led me through the trees, away from the tent.

I stumbled and fell against him, my hand landing in the center of his chest as he caught me. A low chuckle tumbled from his lips. “As much as I enjoy your closeness, I think this is hardly appropriate milady.”

Interesting, because he did not release me. The world was spinning. Was I drunk? How many glasses of that wine did I have? Four? Five? And on an empty stomach.

“My head is spinning,” I answered, laying my head against his chest.

His arms encircled me, holding me close, and then he lifted me. Cradled in his strong arms I let my head fall to his shoulder. “You should lie down for a bit. It’s more than the wine. You are overheated from the sun.”

“Now that you mention it…I don’t feel so good,” I whispered.

He walked briskly, for several minutes, leading me into that same cave as before, and entered the cool darkness. I might have protested if I had my sensibilities in order, but I did not. The flush seemed to be getting worse and my throat was parched.

“Lord Baylor…” I said his name weakly.

“Milady, Rhiannon…you need to rest and drink plenty of water. Stay with me. Don’t fall asleep yet,” he ordered as he lay me down on a soft thick blanket.

In the darkness he lit a match and then a small fire but moved me away from the flames. I was grateful for that. His hand rest against my forehead for a moment. “Heat exhaustion. Lie still.”

A few seconds later he was tipping a canteen to my lips. Cool water ran down my throat. I drank for a long time until it was nearly empty. I caught the frown on his face as he helped me lay back against something soft. His cloak?

I must have passed out. I opened my eyes, glancing around the quiet interior of the cave. Was he gone? Did he leave me?

“Lord Baylor?” I whispered, my throat still parched and dry.

“I’m here,” I heard him respond, “There’s more water for you.”

He helped me sit up, one arm behind my back, and held the canteen as I drank more of the cool water. It was laced with something. Rum? Brandy? I wasn’t sure.

His hand went to my forehead again. “You feel less hot than before.” He held me close, his eyes meeting mine. “How do you feel?”

“Better, milord. Less flushed,” I admitted.

“Call me Bae. No more of this Lord Baylor nonsense,” he directed me as he tilted my chin up so he could get a better view of my face. “I prefer to hear you say my name.”

He looked at me intently. Waiting. Oh. He must want me to say it.

“Sure…Bae,” I indulged him, “if you will remove that ridiculous bandana so I can see who you really are. It’s only fair.”

“Indeed,” he agreed, untying and removing it.

I don’t know what I expected. An average man? Someone scarred? A flaw of some kind? Why else would he hide his looks?

Lord Baylor, Bae, was the most handsome man I had ever seen in my life. My eyes widened. I thought Kellen was good looking, but he was average compared to Bae. A strong straight nose, full lips, perfect white teeth, and a five o’clock shadow that made him dashing in the low light. Wow.

It must have shown on my face because he chuckled deeply and pulled me closer in to him. One hand cupped the back of my head. His eyes locked onto mine. “I’m going to kiss you now,” he informed me, lowering his lips to mine.

I didn’t move. Not an inch. I let him kiss me and I enjoyed every single blissful second he pressed his luscious lips to mine. Dear God, what was the matter with me? I was in love with Kellen, and yet, here I was, absolutely thrilled to be in Bae’s arms.

When he leaned back, his eyes were soft and dark, ebony pools of liquid night, and I only wanted to get lost inside them, as he seemed to be with me. My hands were pressed against his chest. I could feel the strong muscular hardness of him beneath my fingertips. My breath was quick and shallow. An immediate response.

Being near him made me weak. I was infected by the intoxicating drug of his presence. He made me feel emotions deep inside, feelings that should not be there. He was a stranger. I knew nothing about him, and yet, I could not deny that an attraction, a connection was there.

“I love Kellen.” The words fell from my lips in a desperate attempt to right my tilting and crazy world.

He smiled. “Is that so?” His head lowered until he was only an inch from my lips.

“Yes,” I answered but I did not sound very convincing.

“Rhiannon,” he said my name like a caress and I melted. His lips lowered to mine again, soft, light, sweet. His right hand remained behind my head, keeping me from pulling away but it was a gentle pressure. I could have pulled away if I wanted…and I clearly did not. His other hand rose to brush along my cheek as he continued to kiss me.

“Bae,” I whispered, breathless.

He continued to stare into my eyes, his fingers kept their caress along my cheek. He looked so invested, so determined, and so…loving. I gasped.

What?

I jumped to my feet and backed away, bumping against the wall. How? How could he feel so strongly for me? It was not possible. We did know each other at all.

“Milady…Rhiannon,” he stood in front of me, “I apologize if I made you uncomfortable. That was never my intent.”

Really? “What was your intent then?” I asked, slightly sarcastic. Part of me wanted to run into his arms and I had to resist the impulse. I moved closer to the cave entrance.

“Are you afraid of me?” He asked, somewhat humored by my obvious attempt to flee him.

I shook my head. I was not afraid of him. I was afraid of myself. What I felt. What I wanted. How he made me feel and how I saw myself reflected in his eyes.

I was terrified.

“What’s the matter?” He asked softly. His hand picked up mine.

“I…I can’t Bae,” I refused to look at him.

“Are you afraid?” He asked again.

My head snapped up and my eyes met his. Yes! I screamed. Yes, so afraid that I might lose myself if I stay. Afraid I might run into his arms and beg him to never leave me.

“From where I stand, you are nothing but strong and beautiful,” he spoke with a firm but kind determination, “and every bit the princess you were born to be.”

My eyes filled with tears. I leaned in and hugged him close, letting my cheek rest over his heart. A small sigh escaped his lips. He held me until I ran from his arms and out into the afternoon sunshine, never looking behind me.

Chapter Fifteen

I entered the festivities as the next pair of contestants were starting to gallop toward each other. I sank into the high backed chair in the box next to Kayleigh.

“Are you all right?” She glanced at me, waving her fan in an attempt to cool her glistening skin. Great. It was still hot.

“Yes, I was overheated and needed to lie down for an hour. How is the tournament progressing?”

“You did not miss a thing. It just started.”

I realized at that moment, who the two knights were that charged toward one another. Kellen and Seasnan. They rode hard, leaning forward, their lances held in front of them. Smack! They each hit the other in the chest, splintering the wood of the lances. They reached their squires on the other side of the field and picked up new lances. Again, they galloped off, nearly unseating each other in the process. No points the second pass. The third pass they hit the center of each other’s shields.

Tie.

They moved on and another set of knights approached. Lord Baylor and a Guardian were announced. They charged, ramming their lances into the chest of the other opponent. The Guardian was knocked sideways and fell from his horse, unseated. The crowd roared. High points to Lord Baylor.

Kellen won against another Guardian. Seasnan won against a noble. Tristan was defeated by Seasnan in the last ten opponents. Lord Baylor won again, against Seasnan, gaining the upper ground and hitting his shield in the center in the second pass, unseating Seasnan, who looked rather shocked.

The crowd roared again. Two more rounds saw Kellen and Lord Baylor as victors. A noble defeated a Guardian. No one else was unseated. Higher points moved the knights along. Four more matches left the final two competitors remaining. Kellen and Lord Baylor.

At opposite sides of the field they turned and faced each other. Lances in hand, steadied against their bodies, the horses charged. Crash! They hit their target dead center. Both men were awarded high points. They turned, charged, and hit, the center of both shields. High points. Neither man was unseated.

New lances were placed in their hands. Each knight nodded to their squire. Ready.

Charge!

They rammed into their opponent. Precise hits in the dead center of each chest.

Tie.

They circled, new lances braced against their hips, and charged again. Three passes would not be sufficient. These men were the best, the most highly skilled, and the most battle tested. The crowd roared, chanting the names of Sir Kellen and Lord Baylor, until the noise was so loud I could hardly think.

Boom! The lances shattered, both men hitting dead center, again. Four passes. Five. Six. Seven. Until ten passes had been completed. People were on their feet, shouting and jumping. The excitement was contagious. I stood, gripping the wooden railing in front of me, and anxiously awaited the next pass.

My red scarf blew in the wind, billowing off the end of Lord Baylor’s lance. Each pass he carefully tied it to his new lance. This time I felt his gaze. He raised the lance, nodded to me, and leaned forward, charging. Something was different this time. I could feel his determination from the box. My knuckles turned white from clenching my fingers on the wood.

Boom! The crack of the lance hit Kellen so hard it snapped in half. He was immediately unseated, landing flat on his back, and not moving. I gasped, my hands flying over my mouth.

“Kellen!” Kayleigh called, fear in her voice.

Lord Baylor raised the lance in my direction and lowered his head slightly as a bow. My knees felt weak. He had won. For me.

God that was romantic and sexy.

Kellen sat up slowly. Lord Baylor slid from his horse and walked to his side, offering his hand. For a few heart stopping seconds the crowd silenced, awaiting his reaction. Kellen grasped Baylor’s forearm and was hauled to his feet. The crowd exploded in thunderous applause.

Both men’s names were chanted until Kellen’s eventually faded and only the chant of “Bay-lor, Bay-lor” could be heard from the stands. Kellen retreated to the left, taking his horse with him. He had been defeated. Lord Baylor approached, walking with pride, a victory lap in front of the people as he made his way slowly to the center box.

He tossed a gold coin to the flower girl and plucked a bright red rose from her basket.

“Rhiannon, you must go down to him. The crowd will expect you to award the victor,” she whispered.

I nodded, tongue tied, afraid to speak. I might squeak like a little mouse.

Baylor stopped a few feet from me. He removed his helmet, tossing it on the ground, and bowed, then knelt, holding the rose in his outstretched hand. I accepted it from him and he smiled, so handsome, so victorious, that it landed right in the center of my chest and spread into my heart.

He raised his hands, the scarf draped across his palms, and awaited me. I took a few steps closer until I was right in front of him. I reached for the scarf and my hand trembled. He noticed.

“Milady,” he whispered, “have no fear of me. I will not be rough with you.”

The crowd did not hear him. The shouts and chants continued. He stood and gently wrapped the scarf around my neck, his eyes boring into mine. The crowd began a new chant.

“Kiss. Kiss. Kiss.”

It rang louder and louder until it was deafening. Lord Baylor smiled. His palms lay against my cheeks as he tilted my face up to his. “You must kiss me. That is the rules. The people will want to see you reward me.”

I gulped. “All right.”

I stood on my tiptoes and he leaned lower. Both of my hands met his chiseled chest. I could feel the racing beat of his heart beneath my fingertips. The chainmail could not hide it. My own frantic pulse was thudding in my ears.

My lips met his, softly at first, but then he deepened the kiss and moved closer. I felt my knees buckle a little beneath me. It was slight. The crowd did not notice but he did. His arm slid behind my back and held me upright as his large body seemed to wrap around mine.

One hand remained on my cheek as he pulled away, caressing me, and he spoke the same word he said in the cave. An endearment of some sort, in a language I did not understand.

“Tusa mo chéadsearc.”

I could only stare back into his eyes. I was mesmerized. Swept literally right off my feet. He was handsome. Romantic. Mysterious. And intoxicatingly dangerous.

The crowd went wild, chanting his name. His prowess and skill, both on the battlefield and off, would be the topic of discussion for many months to come. I heard the sigh of maidens and the new gossip already spreading. Bets were already being made regarding a courtship with the princess.

Reluctantly he backed away, dropping his hands, and turned to the crowd, victorious. They rose to their feet as he bowed. I clapped along with them, smiling, as he turned to me and winked.

Back in the tents, under the pavilion, the night’s festivities and entertainment began. Ralen sat with his lute, singing songs and telling tales, enthralling the group during dinner. Again, Baylor sat to my right and Kellen to my left. I no longer felt the hostility of the two men but Kellen was distant. He smiled and held my hand under the table but his eyes were guarded.

Soon the dancing began. Tables were cleared and a space in the center opened for the first dance. It was my cue. I was to invite the victor, the champion of the joust, to dance with me.

I stood, holding out my hand. “Lord Baylor, would you dance with me?”

His grin split his face. “Of course milady. You show me great honor.”

He placed my hand on his arm and we approached the floor. The music began. With one hand at my waist and the other gripping my fingers, he twirled me around the floor as applause broke out around us.

“The people are enamored with you. They love you more with every passing day,” his voice was low and sweet, floating down around me, “you bring happiness back to them.”

“I do not understand why but I am glad. I love it here. I wish I could stay forever,” I admitted.

“You will. One day, you will come back and never leave.” He smiled and looked down into my eyes. “One day you will have everything your heart desires.”

Breathlessly I responded to him. “What do you know of my heart?”

“Oh much, milady, much more than you realize. You see, I can look into your eyes and glimpse it, deep inside, and I know what your heart longs for. I know what you need,” he was so certain that I did not argue with him. “I know your desires, your wishes, and I intend to prove it to you.”

“I suppose you think you can provide everything I want,” I voiced my thoughts aloud, knowing how he would answer.

“Of course, but soon…you will know it too.”

His eyes did not waver, did not blink, but held mine steadily. I took a shaky breath. “Why do you do this? Why do you seek to pull me in?”

He knew what I meant. “Someday I will tell you everything. Someday I will come to you, and you will be ready. One day, everything will be right as it should be,” his finger brushed my cheek, “and one day your heart will lead you straight to mine.”

I opened my mouth in shock and took a step back, shaking my head. “No.”

He smiled, and just a hint of a hard edge entered his eyes. “You will know it, if you do not already.”

His arms encircled me again and he spun me around the room. In silence we finished the song and he retreated as Kellen claimed the next dance. My thoughts were chaotic, wild, confused, and uncertain.

Baylor watched from a corner of the room the entire night. Several more times we danced, his arms holding me tighter with every pass on the floor, but he never voiced much of anything else. I never saw him dance with anyone else but me. He was approached and congratulated often. But I was the only one he focused on. It made me tremble.

His marked attention was noticed by everyone. Nothing tempted him. Nothing lured him away from the pointed dark stare that followed me all night long.

At long last the night grew late.

I entered the inn, exhausted, with barely enough coherency to undress and climb into bed. I felt Kellen lay next to me but I was so tired I could not wake up. Sometime in the middle of the night, in the wee hours of early morn, I woke up with a start. A noise of some sort had grabbed my attention, even in deep sleep, and roused me.

I was alone.

Kellen was not in the room. A scraping sound outside my door made me slide out of bed slowly. Someone was rattling my door knob, trying to open it. I threw my robe around me and belted it at my waist. Another rattle. I backed away, walking quickly to the window.

The door knob rattled again and then a slam as someone hurtled against it. I stifled a scream. Turning I threw open the window, only to notice the three floor drop to the ground. I would never survive it. I spun as someone hit the door again and the wood began to splinter.

Where was Kellen?!

“Rhiannon!” Someone behind me whispered.

Lord Baylor.

“Oh God, someone is breaking in!” I told him trembling.

“Yes, I know, that is why I am here.” He rushed to me through the window and pulled me against his side. “We will have to fight our way downstairs. There’s no way I can get you safely out through that window.” How the heck did he get in here then?

“What do they want? Who is it?” I clung to him, grabbing his shirt in my hand.

“I don’t know but I will protect you, I swear it. Stay close to me.”

“Not a problem,” I told him, attempting to find some humor in this situation but he frowned.

A long broadsword was in his hand. “We stand our ground until they break down the door. Then we fight our way through, until we reach the bottom floor. You get a chance, you run. Got it?”

I shook my head. “No way. I’m not leaving your side.”

“Rhiannon,” he said my name in exasperation, “what am I going to do with you?”

“Keep me safe, alive, and unharmed,” I responded immediately. “And I know you will.”

He hugged me close. “Damn straight I will.”

I felt his kiss on the top of my head. “Give me a weapon.”

“No way,” he said automatically.

“I have to be able to defend myself. What if something happens to you? What if we get separated?” I demanded.

The door splintered again and nearly opened. The commotion on the other side became louder.

“All right. Here, take this,” he shoved a smaller sword into my hand with a curved guard and a starfish shaped pommel. “Please be careful. Stitches are painful.”

I gripped the hilt, amazed at the weight. “I’ll be careful.”

“Hold it like this,” he moved my hands so I gripped it more securely. “Now, feel the balance. Keep your feet planted shoulder width apart. Hit with all of your strength with the fuller part of the blade.”

I think he would have said more but the door burst open, and several men, mercenaries from the look of them, hired thugs, entered the room. Baylor rushed forward and swung his sword, fighting the first few men. He easily defeated them but more men pushed their way through.

Two managed to get past his defenses and came for me. I raised the sword, prepared to fight. They actually laughed at me.

Incensed, I swung the sword and circled it in an arc, dropping it onto the shoulder of the first man. He collapsed in shock, gripping his wound, blood running down the length of his arm. His companion swung the sword he was carrying, almost splitting me in two, but I managed to bring my sword around in time to block the hit.

“Bae!” I yelled. “Help!”

He punched the face of the guy in front of him and spun, eyes widening as I blocked another hit.

“I’m coming!”

One of the mercenaries caught me by surprise and shoved into me, knocking me off balance. I tumbled to the floor as the sword clattered to the ground several feet away. I scrambled for it, only to be caught by my hair. I yelped in pain, trying to grab his hands and pull him from my hair, as the side of my head met the stone wall. Lights danced in front of my eyes.

I heard a roar of outrage as Baylor’s sword ran through the man who had hurt me. He swung the blade in an arc and sliced into another man, raising his booted foot and kicking another back, where he fell out the window and to the ground below. A few minutes later the room was strewn with bodies and he was hauling me up to my feet.

“Are you all right?” He sounded anxious.

“I, I think so,” I stuttered, wincing as I pulled my hand away from my head and it was covered in blood. I stared at my hand and then Baylor, blinking. Then I started to fall.

He caught me. “Sweetheart you have to walk beside me. I can’t fight any more men if I’m carrying you.”

“Bae…” I tried to walk but collapsed against him. I heard him curse under his breath. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault,” he answered sincerely, picking me up and bolting through the door way.

More men gathered on the stairs and blocked our path. I was close to losing consciousness. My head rolled and I groaned.

“Stay with me, Rhiannon, stay with me,” he turned and nuzzled my cheek.

I heard the clashing of swords and some of his men call out to him. Moments later we exited the inn and I felt Baylor pass me to someone else as he mounted a horse. Seconds later I was passed back to him, snug in his arms, as the sound of multiple horses galloping across the ground faded into the back ground, and I leaned against Baylor, unable to stay awake any longer.

“Rhiannon!”

It was Kellen’s voice I heard as I faded out. I could only wonder, as my eyes closed, why he had not been there, and why Baylor seemed to always be at the right place at the right time, ever since the tournament started…

Chapter Sixteen

“Rhiannon, please wake up,” I felt the pressure of a hand against my cheek.

I moaned. My head was aching. “Mmmm.”

“Milady, Rhiannon…can you hear me?” Baylor’s strained voice penetrated the darkness as I came fully back into consciousness.

“Bae?” I called, reaching my hand out.

He took it, squeezing it lightly. “I’m here. How are you feeling?”

I blinked, my eyes feeling heavy. “Where am I?”

“A safe location. No one will harm you. There are armed guards at every entrance and exit, fifty of my best men posted across the property. Fifty more hidden in the forest close by. You are no longer in danger,” he promised.

“That’s not a full answer,” I told him looking at his face for the first time. “I meant location.”

He grinned. “I would tell you but then I would have to keep you here indefinitely.”

I arched an eyebrow and tried to sit up. Sudden vertigo forced me to lie back down.

“I guess I’m hurt worse than I thought,” I admitted, groaning at the pain.

The smile on his face vanished. “Yes, a mild concussion. I hope you can forgive me.”

“Why? You did not bang my head against a stone wall.”

“Yes, but I promised to keep you safe and unharmed and I failed,” his voice faltered slightly and he looked away.

“Baylor, it was not your fault. We were overrun. There was at least thirty men rushing us,” I pointed out, “and you fought them all bravely, alone.”

He would not look at me. “Bae, please.”

“I think you need some nourishment. I’ll have some broth brought up to you,” he refused to acknowledge my words.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him closer, forcing him to look into my eyes. “What is the matter?”

He seemed sad. “I hesitate to say or do too much Rhiannon. I do not want to alarm or confuse you.”

“I have no idea what that means,” I replied, frustrated.

“You will. I promise when I can explain I will,” he leaned his forehead against mine. “Will you trust me?”

I sighed. “All right.”

There was something compelling about Baylor, more than a connection, much more, like we had a destiny together. It was strange but I felt it so strong that I could not let it go.

He was watching me. “I wish the circumstances for bringing you here were different. Perhaps someday I will explain the meaning behind this place but today I only want to keep you safe so you can heal.”

“Bae,” I raised my finger to smooth across his worried brow, “I feel it, whatever this connection is between us, however we are linked, I feel it the same as you.”

He seemed shocked. “I knew you were perceptive but…I had not counted on you figuring it out so soon.”

“Ha,” I scoffed, “not quite but I am getting there. Be patient with me.”

“Always, my angel,” he raised my hand and brushed his lips across the top. “Rest now. I will return soon.”

Baylor let me rest and gave me broth, keeping me hydrated and rested for the next forty eight hours. Finally I was well enough for a bath. I soaked in the tub for an hour and then dressed in a simple white blouse, tan riding pants, and knee length black boots. A black leather corset style vest was laced around my waist. I found an extra strip and tied my hair back loosely letting it fall down my back.

A trunk of clothes had miraculously arrived in my room. I didn’t ask but I knew Baylor had made it available for my use. It was full of gowns, shoes, day dresses, riding habits, undergarments, and a couple of cloaks. One was a navy blue and the other a rich ebony. I threw the black one over my arm.

Another smaller trunk held crowns and tiaras, leather riding gloves in various colors, a few cases of jewels, and several nice comb and brush sets. Hair combs, so beautiful I could hardly believe they were included, lie at the bottom. Even a few silky shawls. Such luxury.

It made me think of the pink packages tied with white ribbons from my birthday. The shawl with the roses, the expensive perfume set, and the silver bejeweled brush and comb gifts. No, it could not be possible. Was Baylor the one who purchased those gifts for me?

No way…

I exited the bedroom and nearly ran into Baylor who was pacing the hall. His eyes widened when he saw me and he smiled, offering his arm. “Hungry?”

“Famished,” I placed my hand on him and followed his lead down a wide marble staircase.

This home was magnificent. Marble floors and staircase, fleur de Lis, tapestries, fresh flowers in antique vases, and rich colors in the décor. Opulent and luxuriant it spoke of wealth and prominence. A large crystal chandelier hung in the main foyer. We passed beneath it as we entered a large dining hall.

After the meal I turned to Baylor. “I want to practice with the sword today.”

He grinned widely. “Is that the reason for the pants today?”

“Of course,” I replied, standing and walking outside.

He hurried and grabbed my hand, pulling me along until we stood with a bunch of wooden men in a field with bodies of stuffed straw. A training area.

Baylor passed the same sword into my hand as before. “This is a fine sword. It has good balance, light weight compared to a broadsword, and it’s tapered with precise grooves in the fuller to maximize damage to your opponent. Now, stand like this,” his hands were on my waist.

I planted my feet shoulder width apart. “Like this?”

“Yes,” he answered, “Hold the hilt with a firm grip. Balance your weight equally with the sword. Strike, using the force of your body, and then deflect. Watch me.”

He put me through the basic motions. I was starting to get it but not quite. Baylor stood behind me and molded his body to mine, his front to my back, taking my hand and guiding the sword. The heat of his close proximity scorched my back, sinking through the material of our clothes, and I felt my breath start to accelerate.

We moved like a delicate and beautiful dance. Our bodies were seamless, moving in harmony, following the rhythm he set. One of his hands was splayed across my stomach, over my abdominal muscles, guiding me through the steps, as his arm swung and dipped, and continued the dance of parry, thrust, and strike.

It was the most sensual thing I had ever done in my life. Exotic. Beautiful. Erotic. And I wanted to see his face. I wanted to know if he felt what I did. If his body molded so perfectly with mine made him want to kiss me and feel my lips because I desperately wanted exactly that.

We continued the dance and movement, longer than we needed, much longer. And then I knew. Baylor didn’t want to end it either. He wanted to keep his body close to mine. His hand on my stomach. His fingers closed over mine. His frame molded so close that we became one person instead of two.

My heart was racing so fast that I could hardly control my rate of breathing. It was matching his, beat for beat. He suddenly spun me around, his arm locked behind my back. For a few brief seconds I saw the intense attraction and desire in his eyes, liquid ebony orbs of endless heat, and then his lips crushed down on mine.

I felt alive.

Exhilarated.

My arms wound around his neck. We stumbled and fell back against a tree. He never lifted his lips from mine. Picking me up slightly, so I rested against his chest, he continued to kiss me. His arms locked beneath my backside, one hand inching higher to capture the back of my head.

I have never been kissed like that.

Never.

Not Kellen. Not the other kisses Baylor gave me.

And I was amazed, awestruck, and completely overwhelmed. His kiss was raw sensuality and infinite tenderness all in one.

Wow.

Baylor pulled back. His forehead rested against mine as he caught his breath. “Princess…I hope I am the only man who gets to kiss you like this.”

“You are Bae,” I assured him, “I never knew until this moment a kiss could be this…amazing.”

He laughed lightly. “Promise me you will not let another kiss you the way I do. Promise me Rhiannon, please…”

His voice was pleading. “Bae…I…” I had no idea what to say. How did I respond?

“You love another,” he answered for me. A hardness entered his voice and he leaned back.

“I told you I did,” I whispered.

“Does he hold you like this? Kiss you like this?” He kissed me again until I felt weak in his embrace. “Does he make you feel like I do?”

I could not answer because the truth was no, he had not. But maybe he held back. Kellen was a mystery. One I was still figuring out.

“Not really,” I admitted.

“Then consider what I am saying. Consider me, Rhiannon. Leave your options open. Think of me before you make a final choice. That’s all I ask,” he pleaded again, his eyes locking with mine. “Will you do that?”

I nodded. I could not answer for a moment. “Yes, Bae.”

He looked relieved. “We could have a love that surpasses everything. Give it a chance Rhiannon.”

I wanted to believe him. I wanted that kind of love, the all-consuming passion, the need and desire that burned into flame, the merging of two souls into one. I craved it.

“I don’t know,” I buried my head in his neck. A part of me was afraid.

“You don’t have to make any decisions now or anytime soon. I’m only asking you to keep your options open. To keep me here,” he pointed to my heart, “and hold me close enough to give me a chance to prove I am right.”

“Oh Bae,” I answered, “I will try.”

“Good,” he whispered and then he held me close, hugging me for long minutes and not letting me go.

I lay my head against his chest as his fingers intertwined with mine. Careful, my conscience, screamed, you are falling for another man. But I could not help it. I felt Baylor, deep inside my soul, and something, that special crazy something, held us together like an invisible thread.

Not much later we were back to practicing. He showed me the vulnerable spots on a man and any set of armor. I knew where to hit to inflict a death blow and to immobilize an attacker. He pointed to the throat, the groin, and the armpit. I understood where to strike and how hard.

His teaching was invaluable. I was not a weakling any longer. If I needed to defend myself again, I could do it. The next time the assassins came I would be ready.

Later that night, unable to sleep, I snuck out and threw the black cloak over my shoulders. Picking up the sword I practiced in the moonlight. Alone. For the first time I felt an inner strength and sense of accomplishment. I felt empowered.

There was only one man to thank for that.

Behind me I heard the snap of several branches and twigs. Someone approached. I kept my body still, awaiting whoever it was to strike. At precisely the right moment I spun, swinging the sword in a wide arc and meeting the steel of a broadsword. The clang reverberated through the night.

“Good,” Baylor told me, “again.”

I flipped the cloak behind me, the soft fabric billowing in the night breeze. I advanced, thrusting the blade, and attacking. Spinning, he caught my strike and parried. The clash of steel met again and again. Advance and attack, parry and thrust, block, deflect, and all over again.

An hour later I was exhausted but smiling. I leaned back against a tree. Sweaty and breathless I removed the cloak and folded it over my arm.

“You did well. You are an apt pupil. I’m proud of you. You’re a natural,” Baylor praised and smiled. “Come with me.”

He took my hand and led me through a narrow path in the trees. We walked for several minutes until a lake appeared in the moonlight. My heart rate picked up. Did he intend to go skinny dipping with me? I bit my lower lip.

At my expression he laughed. “I need to cool off and I do not wish to offend you with the smell of the day’s labor clinging to me. It’s hot and we have been practicing hard all day. The water is nice and warm and will relax your muscles. Come join me if you want. There’s no obligation Rhiannon…”

He started to undress in front of me. His vest and his boots. Then his loose white dress shirt. When I caught sight of his wide muscular chest, glistening in the blue moonlight, I could hardly swallow. He was beautiful. Just enough dark hair to be attractive and those abs. Oh my.

His pants hit the floor next and I averted my gaze from the lean hips and strong muscular thighs that dominated my vision. Even clothed in a pair of boxer shorts he was attractive beyond what I could imagine. He was all man. Large, well built, and masculine in every way.

He waded into the water and I realized I missed my chance to undress at the same time as him and perhaps avoid his direct gaze. No longer an option I froze. I felt his eyes on me. With shaky fingers I undid the laces on the leather vest and set it aside. Then I kicked off the boots and shimmied out of the tight riding pants.

Standing in the shirt I debated whether or not to wear it into the water. What would he say? After a moment I pulled it over my head and folded it with my other clothes. Clad in only a bra and panties I walked to the edge of the water.

I took a deep breath and then I raised my eyes and met his hungry gaze. Baylor was looking at me like I was yummy enough to eat. There was a dangerous and determined look in his eye. He was the hunter and I was the prey. He had every intention of capturing me. The question was, what did he intend to do once he did?

My heart lurched into my throat.

Had the temperature outside increased?

I could walk away right now. Or I could swim in the water and see what happened. A small smile twitched the corners of my mouth. When he saw that he grinned wickedly. I threw caution to the wind and waded into the water, diving below the surface, and swimming for a long length before surfacing behind him.

I rose and cleared the water without a sound. In my youth I had belonged to a girl’s swimming team and in high school for two years I had competed. I was an excellent swimmer. I saw Baylor’s back in front of me. He was looking all around, his brow furrowed in concern.

“Boo!” I yelled.

He nearly drowned and sputtered on a gulp of water. I laughed. With a quickness I splashed him in the face and then plunged below the surface again. I kicked and swam across the lake and cleared the water directly across from him. This time I heard his laugh.

“Come here,” he ordered.

I shook my head.

“Then I’ll have to come to you.”

I smiled and sank below the surface again. When I breached the water this time he was across the other side from me. A slight look of frustration entered his face. I laughed again in delight.

“You know, the point was supposed to be to relax…but I am getting more of a workout. How is that?” I teased him.

He began to stalk his way toward me, closing the distance. “I’m not sure.”

“Uh, uh,” I admonished. “You’re being less than honest.”

His eyes darkened. I slipped below the surface again. I had passed right beneath him when he caught my foot. I kicked and released his grip and swam with wide strokes back to the water’s edge. He caught me before I could reach the sandy coarse soil of solid ground.

I was yanked back against his chest. He turned me around and slid his arms around the curves of my body, hugging me close. “Not this time.”

We floated in the shallow water, gently rippling waves making slow lazy circles around us. Under the moonlight his features softened. I expected him to try to kiss me like he did this afternoon but he did not. He cupped my cheek with his hand. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”

I raised an eyebrow. “How many women have you seen? Or should I say…admired?”

He threw back his head and laughed heartily. “A gentlemen never tells.”

“Or never gets caught,” I observed.

He squeezed me tighter. “You are entirely too smart for your own good, you know that?”

I raised my chin. “I’m exactly what I am supposed to be.”

“Indeed you are,” he lowered us in the water and began to swim toward the shore. We made it to the embankment and he held me against his chest as he crawled up the shoreline. Our feet still dangled in the water.

He lay me back against the wet sand and lowered his body close to mine, between my legs, anchored in the middle of my thighs. He leaned on one elbow. His other hand brushed the wet hair out of my face and rested against the hollow of my neck.

“I’m not going to make love to you tonight. But know this, I will. One day in the future, when we are together, I will hold you close in the moonlight and I will make you mine,” his voice was husky and full of promise, “but tonight, right now, this moment, I want to feel your lips pressed to mine. I want to hold you close. And I want you to feel safe and secure because I am here and nothing will harm you.”

Tears filled my eyes. I had no idea what to say. All I knew was that I was falling for this man. I was becoming attached to him, in a wildly fierce and unbreakable way, and I was afraid of how deeply my heart was already afflicted.

“Bae,” I whispered as the tears fell down my cheeks.

“Do not cry my darling,” he rubbed my cheek affectionately with his thumb, “there is only joy in our future.”

He kissed me then, deep and passionate, long sweet kisses until I was dizzy. I felt his heat, his warmth, and an undeniable depth of emotion that, to be honest, was as close to love as you could possible get. I felt cherished. Desired. Needed. Wanted.

I pulled him closer against me. “Bae,” his name fell on my lips like a caress and I heard him sigh with happiness.

“I will never forget this last week, especially the last few days. I will hold the memories in my heart until I see you again,” he kissed me softly as he paused, “and I want you to keep them for me too, under lock and key, safely tucked away Rhiannon. Don’t let anyone take away what we have,” he placed his hand over my heart, “keep me close. Please.”

His voice broke and I wanted desperately to understand why he seemed so afraid, why his voice faltered, why he kept asking me not to forget him and these recent days we had spent together. Since that first moment I met him and he saved my life, everything had changed, in the space of only a few seconds, from the instant my eyes met his as the arrows zipped past my head.

“Won’t you tell me what is wrong?” I asked, searching his eyes.

“I don’t want to lose you,” he whispered, his head lowered to my neck before he raised it again, the naked emotion raw in his eyes and tangled together with a hint of fear, “never mind that. Don’t forget me my angel, please.”

I ran my hand through his tussled brown strands. “I promise you…I could never forget you Bae.”

He smiled, so sweet and adorable that I smiled too. When his lips found mine again, and he kissed me until the stars overhead began to fade, I knew that he had already found a special place inside my heart, and nothing would be able to change that, and no one, not even Kellen.

We dressed and walked through the moonlight, lacing our hands, his fingers holding mine tightly. As the dawn approached he left me to rest, kissing my hand, and lingering in the doorway as my eyes fluttered and closed.

Chapter Seventeen

The next day he was reserved and unusually quiet at brunch. Was something wrong? I ate my eggs benedict and pushed the plate aside. I watched him as he moved the food around and barely touched it. His face was carefully blank, like he was hiding his feelings, and I frowned.

“What is the matter?”

“I must return you back today. You have to go home,” he informed me softly.

Awe. He was reluctant to say good bye. “Didn’t you tell me that this good bye was only temporary? You’re not doing a very good job of convincing me right now.”

He looked up and smiled but it did not extend to his eyes. “True, but I still don’t want to say good bye yet.”

“Well,” I stood and held out my hand, “surely we have a few hours to spare. Spend them with me, anyway you wish.”

Baylor grinned, placing his hand in mine, and pulling me from the house. We ran through the trees, carefree, young, and for the moment, unencumbered by the worries of life. I will never forget the way he looked at me, like I was the center of his world, the very anchor of his existence, and the source of all his joy. My heart leaped inside my chest.

I could get lost in his eyes. I would surely drown. It was certain suicide, in the middle of a glorious summer, and I was sunk, at the bottom of an ebony pool, struggling in the depths and unable to come up for air. And I cared not, not if I drowned, not if I survived, and not even if I could breathe. All I wanted, all I needed, was to keep my eyes chained to his, my lips next to his, for as long as it would last.

And so I did.

I would never forget Bae.

Never.

As the afternoon waned he pulled me close, cradling my head against his chest, holding me like we could forget the reality that awaited us. I had to leave. I had to return to my Guardian, to home, and to my Gran. I missed her. She was so far away and all alone…

Guardian.

I thought of Kellen. Did he miss me? Was he worried? Did he try to find me?

I remembered hearing his voice when Baylor rescued me from the inn. How did he just let me go, knowing I was injured, and about to be carried away by another man? A man who was not even a Guardian? What was going on?

“I want to ask what you are thinking about,” he finally spoke, “but I am hesitant.”

“I heard Kellen’s voice when we left the inn.” I knew he would not want to discuss it but I had to know.

“Yes,” he replied.

“Did he come after me?” I asked, a little uneasy. I needed to know if he even tried.

“No, he…did not follow us.”

“Why?” I leaned back and looked at his face. “Why Bae? That doesn’t make any sense. He’s my Guardian.”

“I’m afraid I cannot answer that for you. You will have to discuss this with him on your own. I can only speculate and since that is sure to put ideas in your head I will remain quiet,” he placed a kiss on my forehead, “I would rather not have you think something that is not true, about him…or me.”

I frowned. “What are you not telling me?”

He chuckled. “Always so astute and curious. Let it go Rhiannon. There is nothing to worry about right now.”

Nothing to worry about but plenty to consider. “Fine but I will ask him for answers.”

He laughed lightly. “I am sure you will,” he squeezed me tight, “it is time to leave.”

I looked up at him. “When will I see you again?”

He knew I was going to ask. His expression turned serious. “If I had my way it would be tomorrow but…I am unable to answer that question right now.”

I stepped back, cautious. “Was any of this real? Has any of what has passed between us meant anything to you?”

He reached for me but I took another step back. I wanted him to answer me truthfully.

“Yes, every second, every minute, all of it…always,” he told me as he pulled me close again, enveloping me within his large frame, “never doubt that. Remember, my angel, because I will remember and think of you every moment of the day until I have you in my arms again.”

I relaxed. “I will.” So many memories have been made with him in such a short time. How did I go on from here, living a normal life, and return to my home across the portal like none of this ever happened?

He tilted my chin up, staring into my eyes. “No matter what the future brings in the days or weeks ahead, never doubt the sincerity of my affection or the intensity of my feelings for you Rhiannon.”

He kissed me then, sweet and gentle, full of warmth, and a promise of even sweeter days to come...

Later on horseback, after an hour’s ride, I turned to Baylor. “Where are you taking me? This doesn’t look like the way to Cornell.”

“No, where does your Guardian reside? In Karmelo of course, with the Guardian army. It is the most logical place to return you, with your permission, of course,” he chuckled as if something were humorous and I raised an eyebrow. “I think your…Guardian will not expect me to bring you to his home.”

He really did not care for Guardians, especially Kellen. I wondered what had created such a distinct dislike. I was curious, again, if they knew each other.

“I have no idea what he will think. He must be worried about me though,” I turned away from his gaze, “I doubt he will be happy when I return to his door, and not alone.”

“He will welcome you back, of that I have no doubt.”

I expected him to elaborate on that statement but he did not. We rode up to the gates of Karmelo, accompanied by thirty of Baylor’s men, as the sun was close to setting, low on the horizon. The Guardians at the gates all bowed to me as we rode through, some kneeling in respect, and many of them watchful of Baylor’s armed soldiers. He was cheered on by local villagers as we passed through. The tournament would not leave the people’s memory for a long time.

Kellen was practicing in the front yard with his sword, hacking away at Seasnan, as both of them seemed more than a little frustrated. Once they recognized it was me galloping toward them, both men glanced up, surprised. Kellen took the reins of my mare as I slowed her to a stop.

“Rhiannon,” he glanced at me and my heart wrenched at his expression, “glad to have you back…where you belong.” The flash of pain, of truth, was quick to leave his eyes, replaced with a look of assured confidence, like he had no doubts I would return to him, freely.

I sighed. Did the games never end? The posturing? The fight over who was the bravest, strongest, and most deserving of my affection? I was quickly becoming agitated and bored with the constant competition for my attention. I was not an object, I was a person.

I let Kellen help me down from the horse. His hand wound possessively around my waist. Baylor chuckled lightly, as if he was just as amused and irritated by it all as I was, and perhaps that was true. A real man did not have to behave that way. A real man was confident and sure, no need to prove himself. No need to verbalize the obvious.

I realized at that moment that Baylor was definitely all man.

He was mature, confident, and undeniably sexy. Everything about him screamed danger and passion, and I only wanted him to swoop over and pick me up, holding me tight against his wide muscular chest, and carry me off into the sunset.

Such a fantasy.

But oh, a really good one.

As he sat straight and tall in the saddle, he winked at me, not a care in the world, convinced that nothing Kellen could say or do would be able to alter or diminish what we had shared together.

And he was right.

“Good bye my dear Rhiannon,” he spoke with his deeply sultry and alluring voice, “I shall remember our time together, and look forward to seeing you again milady, very soon.” He dipped his head briefly in a bow and turned his horse, riding for the gates of Karmelo and out of my sight.

I did not turn away until he was long out of my line of vision. For some small reason I wanted to call to him to come back, to return to me, and whisper those words of devotion and longing that remained buried deep in my chest. Somehow, he had taken root, and I did not realize until now that I had no desire to get rid of him.

I would miss Bae. There was no doubt of that. Only a couple of years older than Kellen, they were like night and day. I could not help but compare them. The noticeable differences were so striking, so obvious, that it caused me to pause and stare, for long minutes, into the fading light.

“Where have you been?”

I felt Kellen behind me, just inches away. I did not need to turn around to know that he was angry and frustrated with me, or that we would argue. He was spoiling for a disagreement, daring me to deny him any longer. I took my time on purpose. He might be my Guardian, but he was not my parent.

“Safe,” I answered, “which is more than my Guardian did for me.”

I heard his sharp intake of breath. Perhaps that was insulting but it was true. Where had he been? Wasn’t his job to protect me, at all times, no matter what?

“Rhiannon,” he said my name like I was going to forget he was not there. I would not.

“Where were you? Why were you away from the room?” I demanded.

When he did not answer I turned around, hands on my hips, determined to make him cooperate.

“I had another obligation,” he told me, through clenched teeth.

“Another obligation?” I screeched.

That was absolutely the wrong thing to say to me. Coming back here was a bad idea. I should have asked Baylor to take me home.

“Did you know about the attack?”

He shook his head. “No, do you think I would have left you alone if I knew of another attack against you?”

“Oh, so it was so farfetched to believe another attack could happen after I was almost speared to death by arrows?” I narrowed my eyes. “You left me unprotected Kellen.”

He clenched his hands in anger. “I had something important to take care of.”

“In the middle of the night? Yeah, sure, I bet it was super important. Tell me, did you leave me without protection for just an hour or was it most of the night?”

He began to pace, running his fingers through his hair. “I had to finish my obligation.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? Those mercenaries nearly killed me, they would have if not for Baylor, and I still had my head bashed against a stone wall and ended up with a concussion. So, thank you, that your…obligation…kept you away. He was more than willing and capable, both times he saved my life!”

Kellen grabbed my shoulders and shook them lightly. “Dammit Rhiannon I did not abandon you!”

“Yes you did! You left me without a Guardian, without anyone to take your place, and without properly securing my safety.” I pushed him away from me and started walking toward the stables. I could borrow a horse and catch up with Baylor in no time.

“Where do you think you are going?” He grabbed my arm and spun me around. “I will not tolerate your disobedience. You will not take off on me again. You will do as you as told. Do you understand?”

By now we had an audience. Seasnan, Kedehern and Mairwen, Kayleigh and Tristan, and several local townsfolk were watching us with astonishment. I yanked my arm free and stomped away, but then turned abruptly around.

“If you ever order me around or talk to me like that ever again I will petition the council for a new Guardian. You do not own me. You do not dictate to me. And you do not, under any circumstances, raise your voice and yell at me in public. Do you understand?”

At his look of incredulity I turned my back on him and ran to the stables. It was almost dark. No one was allowed to leave the gates once night fell. I had to hurry.

I jumped on the back of one of the stallions, astride instead of side saddle, and galloped out of the stables, racing toward the front gates as the last of the sun began to set. Several Guardians jumped out of the way as I rode past, nearly colliding with two of them, streaking past everything in a desperate attempt to flee the ache of my heart, throbbing in my chest, threatening to break my rib cage with its ferocity.

“Sorry!” I yelled, kicking the horse into a full run, my hair pulling free from the pins that held it in place, and leaning forward to streamline our hasty flight through the meadow.

“Baylor!” I yelled, hoping he was within ear shot because I was not being smart outside of the gates, vulnerable and alone, open to attack, yelling after a man who was probably too far away for me to find.

I rode for another fifteen minutes, hoping I was going in the right direction, until I found myself still alone and farther from safety. The stallion slowed to a steady clip but not the hasty race of moments ago.

My shoulders slumped in defeat. I was too late. He was gone.

Tears filled my eyes in frustration. I did not want to return to Karmelo or Kellen. I did not want to confront him after the fight we had or argue anymore. I did not want to hear his excuses or his pleas or believe his supplications.

I just wanted Baylor.

Stupid foolish girl.

When would I ever learn? When would I stop letting my emotions control me?

I heard the steady gallop of a horse behind me. Without looking around I knew who it was. I stopped the stallion and awaited Kellen. He approached me quietly until his horse was stopped next to mine. For five whole minutes we stayed where we were, silent, staring at the moon overhead and the stars as they started to appear.

Without saying a word I turned the horse back toward Karmelo. We rode back, not saying a word to each other, all the way to the house and stables. I slid off the stallion, patted his neck, and walked in the front door. I felt several pairs of eyes glance at me but I ignored everyone, climbing the stairs to the third floor, past Kellen’s room, and entering one of the guest bedrooms.

I shut the door behind me and locked it, sinking onto the velvet bedspread. The tears coursed down my cheeks and I let them, too upset to wipe them away. I wished I had somewhere else to go. I wished I could run far away, from my hurt and anger, and from my frustration, and from the devastating and prominent thought that would not retreat.

Kellen had abandoned me.

Just like my grandfather.

And that hurt more than I could bear.

The thought that he could walk away and leave me unprotected after all of his assurances and promises to me, to Gran, and to Gramps on his deathbed, left me angry and feeling betrayed. He should have been in that room. He should have been by my side. He should have been the one to guide me to safety.

And instead I had no idea where he was, why he was gone, and why he refused to say where he had been and who he was with. His secrecy, from the beginning, combined with his refusal to be forthcoming and communicate when it was important left me baffled and uncertain. What kind of relationship or future did we have if he was unable or unwilling to push past his barriers and insecurities and make an effort to put us first?

I heard a noise outside the door. It sounded like someone was sitting or leaning against it. Kellen. He was going to take up vigil until I opened the door. Fine, let him be uncomfortable all night.

I was not tired enough to sleep yet. I tiptoed to the windowsill and climbed up over the desk until I was sitting outside the room, in front of one of the open window ledges. It was nice up here. Quiet. Still. Peaceful.

A lone figure was pacing in the night down below. I caught the flash of his sword as he walked, beams of moonlight bouncing off every now and then. Seasnan must have caught my stare. He glanced up in surprise. Before I could wave or look away he was running inside the house. Three minutes later he was climbing out of the window to my right, where the other guest bedroom was located.

“Kellen has parked himself outside your doorway for the night,” he informed me, a smirk on his face.

“Yes, I know, I heard him. He was hardly silent about it.”

Seasnan chuckled. “I guess he has a lot of explaining and apologizing to do.”

I really did not want to discuss it with him. At all. I shrugged.

“I’m sorry, about before, when I took advantage of you. I realized after the last few days, and all of those attacks, how hard this must be for you. It was selfish and callous of me. Do you think you could try to forgive me?” He asked, taking me by complete surprise.

“Don’t be concerned about it Seasnan. There is so much more for me to worry about and focus on than that. Consider yourself forgiven,” I told him and managed a small smile. I really was not a person that held grudges. Too much time and effort and energy and never worth it.

“Thank you milady. I am genuinely relieved.”

As the moon rose higher we sat in companionable silence. I expected it to feel awkward with him but it did not. Just friendly. No pressure.

“Good night,” I finally spoke and turned to him, “and thank you. Tonight all I really needed was quiet and a friend to sit with.”

“Anytime Rhiannon.”

I knew he meant it.

The next morning the space next to me on the bed was ruffled when I awakened. Someone had slept next to me. I sighed. Kellen. Of course he would sneak in after I was asleep. I wasn’t sure if I was annoyed or relieved or just plain exasperated about the whole interaction with him, ever since the tournament started…and ever since I met Baylor.

I bathed and changed and made my way downstairs to the dining room for breakfast. Raised voices halted my steps.

“She is angry with me Kayleigh, what do you want me to do?” Kellen sounded frustrated.

“Talk to her. Make it right. Why are you hesitating so much? I don’t get it Kel,” Kayleigh answered.

“I don’t think she will believe me,” he responded, his voice sounding sad and tired.

“Have you tried? Because it appeared like all you did was yell at her, even if you were frustrated, but to her it must have seemed harsh.”

“I was harsh. I’m afraid Kay,” his voice broke slightly, “I’m deathly afraid of losing the one woman I love with all my heart and I have no idea how to tell her that.”

“Try the truth Kel-”

She stopped talking when I walked into the room. Both of them seemed surprised. Had they forgotten I was so close?

Kellen took a step in my direction. I met his eyes. “You aren’t going to lose me, Kellen, I...” my voice broke off painfully and the tears filled my vision, threatening to overflow.

In a split second his arms were around me. “Rhiannon.”

He held me close, his arms wrapping around me as tightly as he could. “We are like one, my darling rose, one person instead of two. When you hurt, I hurt. When you ache, I ache. When you become angry, I rage. When your heart leaves mine, however briefly, it leaves me bereft,” he tilted my chin so he could see into my eyes, his voice low and soft, “and all I want, all I can think about, is how I just want to hold you close and fade into you, until there’s no way to know where you end and where I begin,until I melt away, until nothing and no one, on earth, or in heaven or hell, can come between us ever again.”

The tears fell from my eyes. He brushed my cheek with his knuckles, his eyes holding all the love and patience of the world, and then he leaned down, nuzzling my nose with his. “Kellen,” I whispered, struck by the truth of his words as they resonated deep in my heart.

He knew exactly what to say, exactly what I needed to hear.

“Oh my darling, do you not see? Do you not understand? I would never leave you. I would never abandon you. I would do everything in my power to save you, giving my own life in exchange if necessary,” he placed the palms of his hands flat against my cheeks, “I would do anything you asked me if only to stay by your side another minute longer.”

I was such a fool. Easily influenced by my emotions, my doubts, and my insecurities.

“Kellen…I’m-”

His lips met mine in a beautifully gentle and passionate kiss. “I love you my Rhiannon, my darling rose, until my dying breath it will remain so.”

I knew every word he spoke was true. “I love you too Kellen. I always have.”

He kissed me again and twirled me around before setting me down. His face buried into my hair as he pulled me against his chest. “Always Rhiannon, always my love.”

Chapter Eighteen

We spent the rest of the day without incident. Seasnan was conspicuously absent. No one mentioned him. And not a word was said about Baylor. Kellen and I spent a quiet and happy day together, walking to the waterfall, and riding his beautiful chestnut stallions through the meadow where we watched the sunset, kissing as the first stars rose into the navy sky. I was learning the landscape. I would know it when I returned.

We picnicked again with Tristan and Kayleigh the following day before we left. This time there was no jealousy involved to mar it. It was just as beautiful here as it was that first day. I was relaxed and content. When I looked in Kellen’s eyes the joy there was hard to miss. He held my hand often, always with his body close to me. I wondered vaguely if he was doing it on purpose. I had the nagging feeling Seasnan was around without us seeing him.

And there was Baylor…

I quickly dismissed it from my mind.

This was the vacation of a lifetime. After everything I had been through this year, I had forgotten how to relax. This trip across the portal with Kellen meant everything to me. It opened my eyes and my heart to a different way of life. It gave me a glimpse of the future, a possibility of spending forever in a magical and beautiful world, loved and happy beyond any possible expectation or dream.

I would never forget the time I spent here.

Or the people I spent it with…

On our last day I decided to find the cemetery where my parents were buried. I asked Kellen to pack the horses in case I wanted to look for my family too. Mairwen had the cook prepare food for us in case we wanted to picnic alone. We set out early, stopping at the first of several cemeteries that Kellen knew of nearby. The first cemetery was newer and didn’t take long for us to discover their graves were not there. The second cemetery was also a dead end.

“Well, Rhiannon, these are both close to Karmelo but there are cemeteries close to the cities of Alexandria and Cornell. Cornell is over four hours ride from here as you know and Alexandria is almost half a day’s ride. There are other cities. Did you ever ask where your family is from?”

“Not exactly. I think Gran mentioned a city or area but I forgot the name. Is there any other towns close by? Maybe not as large?” I asked.

“Yes, but they are smaller and I figured your Gramps was from a larger city. We can try the cemetery from either of these small towns: Lisbon, Desmond, or Tarin-”

“That’s it!” I exclaimed.

“Tarin? It is only three hour’s ride from here, a small town by the rocky mountainside. It’s also a farming community,” he answered.

We rode for Tarin and quickly found the cemetery. It was surrounded by a long wooden fence painted white with a creaky front gate. The entrance was wrought iron, long ago rusted by the elements, and had faded letters that long ago hid the name. Kellen tied the horses off and accompanied me into the graveyard, holding my elbow. I think he was concerned, remembering my last encounter with my parent’s graves.

I found them easily, at the far northern end, side by side in the deep earth and rich soil. Two large stones displayed their names and the years they had lived. Rowena’s grave had Beloved Daughter and Mother on it and Brian’s gravestone had Devoted Husband and Father on his. Each grave also held an old photograph, identical to the other, of three people. It was my parents, holding me as an infant.

I knelt down on the soft grass, resting on my knees, gazing at the picture. I wanted desperately to remember that moment, to remember what they sounded or felt like. I wanted to recover that feeling when I knew I was loved and wanted and held close in their embrace.

The truth was I was too young and it was many long years ago. Tears came to my eyes, not the lonely tears from before, but tears of sadness mixed with joy. I had finally found them. Here they had been laid to rest, finally at peace. It gave me a strange comfort to know the truth, to know they were home, to know that love had brought them to a place of eternal rest, unlike the cold mausoleum in my world.

I wiped the tears from my eyes. I wish I had thought to bring flowers. It seemed wrong not to leave something behind for them, a token of my love and gratitude. I looked up at Kellen, seeing his face full of worry.

“I’m ok Kellen, really, I just wish I had flowers or something to leave on their graves. I didn’t think it through very well. I hate to leave it empty like this…” I couldn’t finish since my throat felt tight.

“I’ll go buy some for you Rhiannon. Stay here. I’ll be back in a few minutes. If you need me, scream or something and I will come running back.” He grinned as I rolled my eyes playfully. “Please be watchful of your surroundings, for me?” He asked earnestly.

I laughed, jumping up. “Why don’t I scream and jump up and down, alerting the entire town?”

“Yeah, yeah, ok, please be careful. Be right back.”

He laughed too, grinning at me and giving me a quick hug.

“Yes, of course, thank you. I appreciate it very much.”

Kellen left and I watched him walk away toward the town, leaving my view temporarily. I looked back at the graves, kneeling down again, and placing my hand on my mother’s gravestone. The cool stone felt rough and abrasive, foreign against my skin. I suddenly felt like I needed to say something, to let them know how I felt.

“I wish I could have known you. I wish we could have spent time together and been close friends. I will always miss you, always wonder what could have been, always ache in my heart for what we lost. Thank you mother and father, for loving me, for sacrificing your lives for me, and for giving everything up for me.” I paused and inhaled a shaky breath, my head lowering, chin to chest. “I love you both and I forgive you. I know you can’t hear me…but some small part of me just needs the words released into the air anyway,” I whispered softly, my throat even tighter with my emotions that it was a moment ago with Kellen.

“Amazing how speaking the words aloud can unburden your heart, isn’t it?” A deep male voice startled me.

I snapped my head up, realizing I hadn’t listened to Kellen at all. I wasn’t paying any attention to my surroundings. I glanced around me quickly. He wasn’t back yet. I returned my gaze to the tall man in front of me. He was older, but had a gentle and kind look to his features. He seemed harmless enough.

“Yes, it does. It comforts me even if they are too far gone to ever hear the words.” I smiled timidly.

“May I ask if you are a relative? I know the Drustaney and Monahan families very well,” he responded kindly.

I hesitated, looking around me again for Kellen. Where was he anyway? How long could it take to buy flowers? I cleared my throat, uncertain of how to answer. Was it a good idea to let anyone know my true identity?

“Yes, I am a relative,” I told him truthfully, without giving my name.

He nodded. “Well, the Monahans live up the hill on the far right and the Drustaneys live inside the town, about a mile down the road. It’s a big house on the end with lots of animals. You can’t miss either place. Hope you decide to visit, young lady. Have a good day.”

“Yes, please have a good day as well. Thank you for the information.”

He turned and was greeted by a young girl with bouncy brown curls, calling to him from the entrance gate.

“Grandpa? Grandpa! Grandma is looking for you,” she called cheerfully.

He took the young girl’s hand and led her down the road. I watched them walk away in the same direction that Kellen left in. The old man looked back just once, pausing to stare at me for a moment before he disappeared around the corner. A few minutes later, Kellen came whistling around the same corner toward me, holding two small bouquets of flowers.

“Sorry Rhia darling, it took longer than I intended. Flowers aren’t available as easily in these small towns. I had to hunt someone down. Here you go.”

He handed me the bouquets and I placed them on the graves, feeling better and ready to leave. I debated whether to tell Kellen about the old man. I almost decided against it but remembered my promise to be truthful. He helped me stand and I looked into his eyes, clearing my throat.

“I made a friend while you were gone,” I told him hesitantly.

He raised an eyebrow at me and looked around. “A friend?”

“Yes, a very kind old man. He asked me if I was a relative of the Drustaney or Monahan families. Don’t worry. I didn’t give him any information but I did admit that I was a relative. He gave me directions to both houses here in town and said I should visit. What do you think?” I searched his eyes, a bit apprehensive.

“You didn’t listen to me, did you?” He frowned.

“Um, I tried to but I got distracted. Sorry,” I told him sincerely.

He chuckled slightly. “No harm done I suppose. Well, the decision is yours Rhiannon. Would you like to see them or not? My only concern is for your feelings and safety. I will be wary of anyone who comes near you. We can’t be too careful, considering recent events.” I nodded in agreement. “What would you like to do?”

I thought about it for a moment. This might be my only chance. I had no idea if or when I would ever return to the Monterro Valley and Karmelo. If I returned home without trying, I would regret it. I decided to give it a try.

“I want to go look. I would like to visit the Drustaney family first. That is my Gramp’s family. They live up the road in a big house on the end with lots of animals,” I replied, smiling at the thought.

“Good, just be careful darling.”

Kellen kissed me softly and helped me to mount my horse. We traveled up the road in town, passing by small shops and houses. As we approached the end of the road, we came upon a large house. It had a chicken coop and a dog house in the side of the yard, behind it I could see horses and cows grazing in the afternoon sunshine. Children were playing in the yard, running toward the back of the house, including the young girl with bouncy curls.

I was very surprised when I saw the same old man from the cemetery sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch. He smiled when I approached, waving me forward. Kellen was cautious, glancing all around and frowning at me slightly. He gave a small shake to his head. I knew he didn’t want me to get down. I could see his sword resting within his reach as his fingers twitched.

I slid off the horse and walked up to the bottom steps, despite Kellen’s look of disapproval. I could feel his eyes on my back.

“Hello again, Mr. Drustaney, is it?” I asked, already sure of the answer.

“Yes, miss. You know, you look just like your mother, and your grandmother. Has anyone ever told you?” He asked, smiling.

I smiled back. “I may have heard that once or twice. My Gramps said it often.”

“Said? Is he gone then?” The old man sounded surprised and sad.

“Yes, he died from a stroke, very recently. I miss him very much,” I answered, saddened by the memory myself, so much so that I had to look away for a moment.

“You must be Rhiannon Elizabeth. It has been far too long. We have waited a very long time to meet you, my dear. I am your great Grandpa Fergus. Your Gramps was my son, Kyle. He married a very beautiful woman, Deirdra, your Gran. I suppose you know most of this already, don’t you?” He asked me softly.

I nodded my head. I watched as he arose from his chair and called for someone. An old woman came out, wiping her hands on an apron. She looked at him curiously and then followed his gaze to me. I saw her face go white, like she had seen a ghost. I felt Kellen’s arm come around my shoulders, always at my side when I needed him the most.

The woman walked forward until she was standing in front of me and then she suddenly hugged me tightly against her. I was taken by surprise. I wasn’t sure how to react. She pulled back and I saw tears on her cheeks. She smoothed a stray hair away from my eyes, gazing into them.

“Rhiannon Elizabeth, my long lost great granddaughter. I am so glad to see you. Welcome to our home.” Her voice wavered.

“Hi, thank you,” I replied, a bit uncomfortable.

She looked at Kellen and smiled. “This young man is obviously your Guardian but I can tell he is quite smitten with you as well. May I know your name?”

Kellen relaxed and smiled back. “My name is Kellen Sloane. Pleased to meet you.”

“Ah yes, I know your father Kedehern. He is the leader of the Guardian army in Karmelo. Please come inside and rest yourselves. I won’t take no for an answer.” She gestured us inside, talking constantly in her pleasant voice.

I was soon seated comfortably, drinking tea and enjoying war biscuits with jam. Kellen was seated next to me, grinning. Any time food was involved, he was happy. Like intensely, amazingly, happy. I rolled my eyes at him playfully.

My great Grandma Jean, as I soon learned her name, made it her business to know everything about me that she could. I tried to be polite and informative, but it was odd to give so much personal knowledge to a total stranger. I had to remind myself that this was my family. My blood. People who loved and cared about me.

A nagging thought entered my mind. If I was so loved, so missed, why did I never meet any of them? Why did they never visit? Why were my great grandparents a complete mystery to me until the moment Kellen saved my life?

About an hour later, there was a knock on the front door. I could hear several voices talking at once. Grandma Jean ushered the new visitors into the dining room. Again, I was surrounded with shocked stares.

“Rhiannon, is that you?” The woman finally asked me.

I nodded my head. “Yes, may I ask who you are?”

“Yes, of course. You have probably never seen our picture. We are Brian Monahan’s parents, your grandparents. We have waited so many years to see you,” she replied, her voice thick with unshed tears.

I got up and walked over to her, tears in my own eyes. “Would you tell me about my father, my parents? I know so little.”

The woman nodded and reached to give me a hug. I embraced her tightly and I heard her sniffle.

“You are the very image of your mother. You have your father’s eyes though. I would have known you anywhere.” She laughed, brushing the tears away.

The man finally spoke up. “I am your grandfather Sully and this is your grandmother Glenna. We are so happy to finally meet you.”

After the introductions, I spent a couple of hours visiting with my family and learning much about the circumstances surrounding my parent’s death. According to Glenna, my parents were staying with them. They were very unhappy about leaving me behind and missed me constantly. It was exactly as Gran and Gramps had described to me before. They had been attacked and caught off guard by the enemy and were killed.

Sully and Glenna had them buried and then Kedehern had dispatched a Guardian to find Gran and Gramps and give them the news. I knew all of it except that Kedehern was involved. I wondered why I was never told. Perhaps Kellen didn’t know that detail before now but he didn’t seem surprised.

I looked at him questioningly but he shook his head slightly in reply. I would have to ask him about it later. The afternoon sped by and it was approaching dusk. I noticed Kellen stand and knew he was ready to leave. He would want to return to his family before we made the journey back to the portal. I stood up, prepared to say goodbye.

“Oh please, you have to stay for dinner and the night. It’s much too late and dangerous to journey back to Karmelo tonight. Rest here and return to your home in the morning,” Grandma Jean implored us.

I glanced at Kellen and saw him already watching me. I raised an eyebrow and he nodded.

“Yes, thank you, we will stay the night. Thank you for your hospitality,” I answered.

Chapter Nineteen

We enjoyed a nice meal and I met more of my family. I had plenty of aunts and uncles and cousins. I couldn’t keep track of all of the names. I just smiled and nodded and greeted everyone. By the end of the evening my cheeks were hurting from smiling so much but I was happy.

After dessert, when the room was mostly quiet and empty again, my grandparents opened the conversation with a surprise. They wanted to know if I was being followed. I looked at Kellen and saw his frown. Since I was unsure of what kind of information to divulge, I was going to let him handle this part of the conversation.

“Rhiannon has been attacked several times in the last six months. She barely escaped with her life. I was assigned to her right as the attacks began, thanks to the foresight of the council. You know of their abilities. They can sense the future. I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. What is not common knowledge is that the enemy is trying to capture Rhiannon and she is in great danger. There was a gathering in Karmelo just days ago to plan our strategy,” Kellen spoke quickly.

“Yes, we have been watching Karmelo closely. I have friends who are keeping us informed in the outer cities. Information is slow to come here. We are all preparing for the inevitable. I’m certain war is coming,” Grandpa Sully told us.

Kellen looked concerned. “Your city are not well protected against attack. If the enemy breeches the wall, you will certainly be overrun. How do you plan your defenses? Will you come to Karmelo or Alexandria for aid?”

“Yes, Alexandria is closer than Karmelo from here, but a better choice. Our evacuation plan is to meet there. It is larger and houses more of the Guardian army than Karmelo. There is also a large smithy and plenty of rations if food becomes scarce. What has been decided Kellen?” Grandpa Fergus asked.

“The gates of the wall will be locked and heavily guarded at all times. People may pass freely through the gates during daylight hours only since we cannot guarantee anyone’s safety outside the wall at night. Anyone in need of aid should venture to either Karmelo, Alexandria, or Cornell. Spread the word.” He glanced at me. “I would not recommend Cornell since it is so far. I agree that Alexandria is a better choice. The Guardians are protecting the portal entrances in shifts during the daylight hours and keeping a close watch at night for the enemy. Beyond this, I cannot say at present,” Kellen informed them.

“Thank you Kellen. I know you have revealed everything you can. What is being done for Rhiannon? How is she being kept safe?” Grandma Jean asked, concern evident on her face.

“I am protecting her at home across the portal. For now, there is no cause for alarm. She is here in the Monterro Valley only because I needed to speak to my father urgently and I would not let her stay without me.” Kellen chose his words carefully.

“But what if something happens? Do you have a plan? Can she return to us here in Tarin? I’m certain the enemy has forgotten us all by now. She would be safe here with family,” Grandma Glenna asked, anxiously folding her hands in her lap.

Sully spoke up. “I am less certain of that. As much as I want her here, it has been far too quiet in this area for a long time. I think the enemy lies in wait. Perhaps coming here was not the best idea. You could be followed and ambushed on the way home.”

“Agreed. Now you understand my apprehension. I have scouted the area constantly and there have been no signs of activity to alarm me. I will take into consideration the idea of Rhiannon coming here if the need arises but only if her safety can be guaranteed. For now, her home with Gran is the safest place. We must leave at first light. I do not feel comfortable staying any longer than necessary. I fear for the safety of everyone involved, not just her,” Kellen replied, meeting all of their glances.

“We will be fine here. We know how to protect our own. But I appreciate the concern. If the time comes, we will seek aid in Alexandria and send word to Kedehern. He will know how to find you both. I don’t want any sign that you were here, my child. The enemy is cunning. We will not lead them to you,” Grandpa Fergus informed me.

I nodded. “Yes, I think this is for the best. I hope I get to see you all again soon. I don’t know how long I will be away. It could be a very long time before I return here.”

I suddenly felt choked up again, tears springing to my eyes. What if something happened to my family? What if the enemy was watching them? I hadn’t thought of that before now. They could be in danger if I was spotted here. I might have placed them in harm by coming.

Grandma Jean sat next to me on the couch and put her arm around me. “I have something for you. I’ve been keeping it for a long time. Would you come with me? Glenna?”

I followed both of them into an extra bedroom where they gestured for me to sit.

“This box is yours. It is from your mother and father and even a few things that belonged to your Gran. Your father made the box when they were here without you. He always hoped to bring it back as a present.” Her voice wavered a little. “Your Gran might enjoy seeing this. Be sure to show her. We have been keeping it for you since you were a baby, dear.” Glenna showed me.

It was a small wooden box, hand crafted and painted with roses and flowers and intricate scrollwork. I could tell many hours went into its construction. I opened the lid, amazed it was a music box that started playing the tune Always in My Heart. There was a little mirror on the inside and above it my name was etched into the wood in the lid. A bed of soft pink velvet lined the box. It had two rows of removable drawers to hold jewelry.

The box held a large quantity of expensive pieces. There was a cameo necklace on a thick golden chain, an ornate golden cross, a smaller golden cross on another gold chain, and a fire opal and gold ring. There were several more expensive pieces including sapphires and opals which I knew were my mother’s favorite. One piece was very special. It was a silver bangle bracelet, covered in charms, and absolutely adorable.

Glenna saw my eyes fall on it and she picked it up, slipping it onto my wrist. “Your mother bought it and added the first charm, a little heart, with your name engraved on it. Since then, you’re Grandma Jean and I have added a charm every year on your birthday. We finished it when you turned eighteen this past March.” She patted my hand. “I’m so happy I can finally give it to you.”

I looked at them both, completely overcome, as the tears filled my eyes and spilled over. I didn’t know what to say. The amount of love poured into the box and these gifts was astounding. To know I had been loved and never forgotten, it meant more than anything in that moment, more than I could possibly describe, because it meant I had never really been alone as I always thought.

I loved the jewelry box. It was special and precious to me.

A parting gift from my parents.

“Thank you very much. It’s beautiful. I don’t know what to say,” I told them, sniffling.

They both hugged me, tears in their eyes as well.

Grandma Jean wiped the tears from my cheeks. “We have always loved you and thought of you. We never gave up hope of seeing you. I have every intention of keeping contact with you. You’re stuck with us all, my dear.”

I laughed and put on the fire opal ring. “This must have been my mother’s ring. She loved opals.”

“Yes, it was. It looks lovely on your finger. Rowena was always a jewelry lover. Your father was so in love with her. He showered her with gifts. He was the happiest man in the world when he married her. The only day that mattered more to him was your birth. He would have been a wonderful father,” Glenna told me.

“It must have been hard when he left to become a Guardian and then when he had to go protect us across the portal. What do you remember?” I asked curiously.

“He felt becoming a Guardian was his calling, to serve a greater purpose. When he met your mother, I knew for certain I had lost him forever. We quarreled, much to my regret. I could never stay mad at my son for long. The minute I met your mother, I understood. He couldn’t help falling in love with her, much the same way Master Kellen has fallen for you. Do you love him too?” Glenna asked me softly.

I blushed. “Is it that obvious?” At their nods I continued. “Yes, we love each other very much. He has already told me that he will propose whenever he can. I haven’t even told my Gran yet.”

They exchanged a look.

“You’re secret is safe with us, Hun. Come, it is late and your Guardian is anxious for you. I can hear him pacing in the living room,” Grandma Jean told me with humor.

I picked up the music box and carried it out of the room. She was right, Kellen was pacing the floor and trying not to look anxious. I guess I had been gone for too long. His face relaxed when he saw me. If you looked at him at all, you could see how much he loved me. Kellen couldn’t hide it if he tried.

I crossed the room to him and he took my hand securely in his, squeezing lightly. A few minutes later, I was being tucked into bed in the guest bedroom and Kellen was saying goodnight. He winked at me and I knew I would see him once everyone in the house was asleep. I heard Grandma Jean show him to another room and he declined, telling her he was not removing himself from my doorway until morning. She chuckled loudly and brought him a blanket and pillow.

I couldn’t sleep. My mind was occupied with all that had happened today. I finally met my family. I had people who loved and cared about me. It wasn’t just my Gran anymore. My grandparents and great grandparents were invested in my life and future now too. Gran would always be the most special but I loved the idea of having more family, a connection to both of my parents.

I heard a small rustle outside my bedroom door and sat up expectantly. A few seconds later Kellen slipped in the door, grinning broadly. He walked quietly across the room and climbed in bed with me, his arms enfolding me in his embrace. We lay down and I rested my head on Kellen’s chest, hearing the familiar thrumming of his heartbeat beneath my ear. I sighed in contentment.

“Rhiannon? Are you ok? Is there anything you want to talk about?” He asked, almost hesitant.

“Yes, I am fine. It is a bit overwhelming but I am happy to have my family. They are my connection to my parents, my blood Kellen. It feels complete, like I found a missing piece. I don’t know how to explain it,” I whispered back.

“I figured that was how you would feel. Are you upset about my father?”

“No, I was surprised but not upset. It makes sense he was involved. He leads the Guardian army. I never put it together in my head but I guess I should have. Did you know?”

“Yes, I didn’t want to say anything in front of your grandparents and then I forgot about it completely. I would have told you. It wasn’t a secret,” he assured me.

“I know. I’m not upset. It’s been a very surprising day but I am happy Kellen. I have family, I have people who love and care about me. It means a lot,” I told him softly.

“I know it does Rhiannon. Come here and kiss me darling. It’s late and you need to sleep.”

I sat up and he pulled me close, kissing me for several minutes. I fell asleep in his arms, drifting off in contended dreams. When I awakened the next morning, he was gone. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and stretched, blinking against the early morning light. I could hear noises in the house and I knew people were moving around and starting their day.

I almost called for Kellen but decided against it. It wouldn’t look right for him to come into my room unchaperoned while I was in my nightgown. Funny, it didn’t seem that way at his home in Karmelo. His family knew Kellen was a gentleman and nothing would happen. They knew we loved each other. It was the only place I felt comfortable enough to do that, even Gran would not approve.

I got up and changed my dress, glad that I had packed an extra one. I curled and twisted my hair as best I could and added some of the flowers from the vase in my room. Finding perfumes on the vanity, I dabbed some on my throat and wrists. I added the charm bracelet and my mother’s opal ring, feeling some small connection to her with it in my possession.

I bundled up my belongings and put them back in the saddlebag. When I opened the door, Kellen was seated there with his back against the wall, his head cocked to one side and his eyes closed. I smiled, knowing he wasn’t really sleeping.

“Good morning Kellen,” I whispered, watching his face.

He grinned and opened his eyes. “Good morning my love.”

He stood quickly and took my hand, leading me into the dining room. I sat down while he walked outside to pack the horses and saddle them after their night in the stables.

“Are you hungry dear?” Grandma Jean asked.

“Yes, famished, thank you,” I replied.

Sully and Glenna were still there, having spent the night too. Glenna helped Grandma Jean make a large breakfast consisting of eggs, ham, and biscuits. There was fresh goat’s milk and orange juice as well as homemade preserves. When I told Glenna I loved the preserves, she made me take several jars home in the saddlebags. I thanked her, they were delicious.

All too soon, we were saying goodbye. Kellen stood back with the horses, giving me privacy.

Grandpa Fergus said goodbye first. “Come back to us soon. We will miss you. Be safe.”

He hugged me, just letting go when Grandma Jean threw her arms around me too. She was too choked up to say much but I understood. My grandparents, Sully and Glenna, who insisted I leave off the grandparent title, seemed very reluctant to let me go. I knew they were haunted by the past and were afraid for me. I pretended not to worry and gave them both big hugs, smiling brightly.

Kellen and I left minutes later, waving until they were out of sight. I made a promise to visit them the next time I crossed the portal. I had family now. I wanted to make the effort to see them every chance I got. The only way to flourish and grow this relationship was to cultivate it. That would require effort. I was more than willing to try.

It was a pleasant morning and journey back to Kellen’s home. His family didn’t seem worried that we spent the night away from the house. I was with my Guardian, and we didn’t venture far. Kellen knew his home well. I doubt he could ever get lost, even if he tried.

Kayleigh greeted us at the door. “Where did you go? I’ve been waiting forever to see you!”

I giggled and let her lead me away, Kellen laughing behind us.

“See you when she’s done monopolizing you.”

Later that night, as I lay in his arms, I thought about my family again. I wanted to thank him.

“Kellen?” I whispered, wondering if he was asleep yet.

“Yes, my love?”

“I want to thank you, for everything. It means so much to me that I found my family and that you brought me here. I will never forget this time we had together,” I told him softly.

He rolled over until he could see in my eyes. “You’re welcome, Rhiannon. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you. Nothing that I wouldn’t give. All you have to do is ask.”

I looked back into his eyes, touched by the sincerity. I nodded and kissed him, feeling his arms tighten their hold around me. I lay back down with my head on his chest, content as always, to hear the familiar beating of his heart.

I had gotten used to the sound. It anchored me to the world. Now the beat lulled me to sleep, consistently thrumming beneath my ear until every other noise drowned in comparison.

Chapter Twenty

On our last night in his house, Kellen held me tightly to his chest and looked down into my eyes.

“Rhiannon, what would you say if I asked you to stay here with me right now and never leave?”

I had been leaning against his shoulder with his arm around me. We sat with our backs to the headboard, watching the small fire crackle in the fireplace. It had turned a little cool here tonight, unusual for this time of year. I loved the idea of the fire. It was so romantic.

Kellen pulled me into his chest even tighter and I could tell something was on his mind.

“Rhiannon,” he said my name like I had not heard but we both we knew that I did.

“Kellen, I love you,” I looked at him curiously. His voice had been tight, slightly emotional for him. “I’d love to stay with you here. This place has felt like my home since the second I arrived. It feels right to be here. But my Gran…”

My voice choked up a little and I couldn’t finish. His eyes filled with understanding. He wasn’t surprised at my answer. I was a little surprised that he asked me that though. A part of me never wanted to leave Karmelo or the Monterro Valley. I thought about it for a few minutes.

What was he really asking me?

“Kellen…what is it? What do you really want to know?”

His eyes suddenly looked distant and far away. It worried me and I placed my hand against his cheek softly. After a moment, he looked at me intently again. His face was very serious.

“Rhiannon, what do you want? Out of life? For your future?” He sounded…nervous.

“I want to spend the rest of my life with someone who will love and cherish me and be my partner in life. I want to have a family someday. I want to marry and grow old with the one I love. I hope to share those things with…you,” I told him shyly.

“Do you really? Are you sure?” He sounded hopeful.

“Yes, I’ve never been more certain,” I told him, blushing.

He smiled at me happily and I realized he was asking me this on purpose. I was slightly confused as to why he was doing this right now but it was the truth.

“Rhiannon, thank you for telling me the truth. I love you, my rose.” He bent his lips to mine and kissed me lovingly, sweetly for several minutes. “It’s time for you to rest now. We’ll have a long day of travel tomorrow.”

“Ok…Kellen?” I asked, curious about his questions.

“Yes?”

“Are you worried about something?”

“I…it’s nothing to concern yourself about. I just have a feeling…things will be different when we return. My instincts tell me to be cautious. I am apprehensive. The feeling is making me edgy tonight. Don’t worry, darling, it will pass.”

Would it?

The way his voice sounded, full of uncertainty and doubt, and with an edge of concern, made a tiny drop of fear run down my spine. It bothered me. Whenever he asked me not to worry, it usually meant he thought there was something to worry about.

I said nothing more about it. I didn’t want his mind to linger in these thoughts, whatever they were, and cause any issues between us. Enough had happened in these last weeks. There was no point in rehashing past wounds or plaguing questions. Even though I had plenty to ask regarding Baylor, I let it go, for the time being. I kissed his cheek, watching his eyes lose the distant look he had.

We lay down on the bed together and I snuggled close to him, resting my head over his heart with my hand on his stomach, tracing the lines of his muscles. I loved to lay this way, feeling safe and adored. Absently, I traced my fingers along, spelling out his name. I sighed contentedly, nestling deeper and hugging him tight. I felt his arm squeeze me back lightly. His gentle breathing lulled me to sleep as I slipped into pleasant dreams.

All too soon it was morning and I felt warm lips against my neck. Strong arms were holding me tightly against a well-muscled chest. I smiled and rolled over. Green eyes, deep and full of love, gazed into mine. Kellen smiled back at me softly. No matter what his emotions were he always managed to never lose that look of devotion and desire, at constant war within his eyes.

I knew he was sad about leaving. So was I. This magical place already held more memories than the last six months combined. I sat up and pulled him with me, yanking on his arm until he climbed out of bed.

Laughing, I blew him a kiss. He grabbed it out of the air and brought it to his heart, being overly dramatic as he fell back on the bed. I giggled and sauntered my way back over to him, swaying my hips.

His eyes darkened with desire instantly as he rolled over on the bed, sitting up. I lowered myself slowly onto the bed on all fours and growled slightly. He grinned playfully and leaned toward me. I pretended to catch him, swiping at the air with my hand. His grin got bigger.

“Come here, she cat. Put your claws away…I have something better in mind.”

His voice was low and provocative as he reached me. His lips touched mine briefly before he suddenly flipped me over, holding my arms back against the bed.

“Naughty boy. You aren’t allowed to switch the game. I’m the one who is hunting.”

“I have already found my prey. Too late my love. You are forever imprisoned within my embrace.”

I laughed lightly. “Oh, I am afraid it is quite the other way around. You are forever imprisoned Kellen…and I can prove it.”

I took my foot and ran my toes along his leg and upward toward his thigh while I pressed tiny little kisses to his chest. Kellen started breathing heavier and his lips crushed mine as I felt his control slip just a little. His kiss was hard and demanding. It didn’t hurt but was deep and passionate, much more than I would have thought, but since I had returned he had been extra affectionate.

We always ended up this way. Our bodies responding before our minds could control it. My hands caressed his back and I called his name as his lips moved to my throat.

“Rhiannon, I love you.”

He pulled back from me and I saw his eyes were searching my face, like he was concerned about my feelings, about the future, and something was making him wary. More than that, he was unusually edgy. Cautious. Even in his kiss I noticed the loss of control was quick but so was his recovery.

I smiled and hugged him tightly. I would pretend I did not see it.

“I love you too Kellen.”

He suddenly squeezed me tight and held me for a long time. I lay there, perfectly content to never leave his side. I ran my fingers softly through his tousled hair. Today we were going away, back across the portal. The extraordinary memory filled days of my brief visit to Karmelo and Cornell were over.

I felt an unexpected and abrupt sadness fill my heart. The overwhelming feeling of trepidation lodged itself inside me for no apparent reason. It seemed like I would not be here again for a very long time. Coupled with Kellen’s apprehension from last night, I became slightly afraid for a moment. Hiding it from him, determined to keep things light, I decided to ignore it.

Kellen sat up and pulled me with him. “It is time to get ready love. Let’s get moving.”

We were packing to leave, gathering everything we needed for the journey home. We would go on horseback this time. The journey would be much faster and less arduous. I was both happy and sad about that. I liked the idea of not having to walk all that way but it also meant less time alone with Kellen.

I packed my backpack, remembering to add the jewelry box and the preserves from Glenna. I wrapped some clothing around the box carefully, hoping it wouldn’t get harmed. I would be very upset if it received the slightest scratch.

His family was quiet as they helped us get ready to leave. Mairwen packed food for the journey which Kellen had put in a knapsack tied to the saddle. I noticed his sword and armor on the horse, clearly within his reach. It had been safe while we were here at the house the last couple of days and with my visit to my grandparents in Tarin. I had almost forgotten the dangers that existed. I added my backpack to the horse, tying it on securely.

Kayleigh said goodbye first, hugging both of us tightly. She turned to me. “I’m going to miss you so much. I love you like a sister already.”

“I feel exactly the same way as you,” I told her, returning the embrace, “I’ll try to see you soon.”

Kedehern hugged his son tightly and took my hand in his, patting it softly.

“We’ll be careful, Father. I’ll take care of her. We’ll send word when we can. If anything new happens, you’ll know right away,” Kellen assured him.

“Yes, I know. We’ll be fine here. You take care of the both of you,” Kedehern replied.

I turned to Mairwen. She held her arms open and hugged me close. I placed a kiss on her cheek as I pulled away. Both of our eyes were bright. When Kellen hugged her, the tears in her eyes ran over. She didn’t let go for a few seconds. Then she smiled and pushed us toward the horses.

“Good bye, Mother. I love you,” Kellen told her, slightly choked up himself.

“Good bye and thank you for such a wonderful visit. I will always remember it,” I told them honestly. Their hospitality and acceptance had meant the world to me.

“Bye, safe travels. Come back to us when you can, Rhiannon. We’ll miss you both,” Mairwen told us.

Kellen helped me mount the horse. I sat astride it this time. I was in riding pants and boots for the journey. This wasn’t a time for dresses and side saddles. Kellen looked me over with a slight grin. I knew he liked the outfit. He hopped up on his horse and we were ready to go when the sound of several riders stopped us.

Tristan, Seasnan, and three other guard members came galloping up. Their horses were packed with swords, armor, and camping gear. Even the horses themselves were fitted with battle armor. This was no joy ride. They were prepared to fight. I looked at Kellen with my eyes wide. He just smiled and I realized he wasn’t surprised. He knew they were coming with us. I guess he hadn’t wanted to mention it or he had forgotten. Intentionally?

We waited as Tristan said good bye to Kayleigh. They kissed and she waved him off, tears in her eyes. It made me wonder if she knew how long he would be gone. We rode away together, Kellen and I bringing up the rear. He was behind me for protection, the last rider. I waved to his family until they were out of sight, watching as the stone wall of Karmelo faded into the distance...

Chapter Twenty One

We kept at a consistent but normal pace. Kellen brought his horse up to mine and we lagged behind the others for a bit. I knew he was keeping me from Seasnan’s line of vision and I said nothing. I enjoyed the lovely view of the scenery as we rode by. I wanted to remember every detail, knowing it would be a long time before I returned. After a while we stopped and Kellen led me over to a shady bunch of trees, helping me dismount. I was grateful since my lower back was aching a little.

I drank some water and stretched my stiff muscles. Before I had a chance to sit down, Kellen grabbed my hand in his, walking around the flat grassy plain, stretching our legs. He suddenly pulled me in his arms and twirled me around, laughing loudly, feeling happy and carefree. I smiled at him as we leaned against a nearby tree, seeking shade in the unbearable heat.

He brushed his fingers along my cheek and stared into my eyes.

“I think we have traveled long enough today. Why don’t we spend the night here?”

“Sure, if you think that is best,” I said a bit unsteadily. His eyes were making me dizzy.

“Oh, I do. I think you really need to stay off the horse for the rest of the night. You could use a break,” he insisted softly as his lips touched my collarbone and made their way up along the right side of my throat.

“I think…that sounds…good,” I answered him, gasping and distracted.

His hands were at my hips and made their way up and around my waist. He kissed the spot beneath my ear, the moist heat making me stifle a moan.

“I’m glad you think so. I’m going to set up the tent. Are you hungry?”

His lips made their way back up to my chin as he kissed my cheek and looked in my eyes. I saw that his eyes were hungry and not in the food sense. My heart rate accelerated and my breathing became heavier. He noticed my reaction and grinned wide.

I blinked several times trying to figure out a coherent response. “Um, what?”

He threw back his head and laughed hard. “Oh, Rhiannon. You surprise me yet again.”

I looked at him, confused, reacting much like that dinner in the restaurant we had months ago when he was so distracted he became offended and I laughed.

He kissed me, oblivious to my internal chaotic thoughts, and then explained.

“I was surprised by the desire and warmth in your eyes. Sometimes I get lost in your eyes but this was the first time I noticed you getting lost in mine.”

His voice was thick as he spoke. His lips were moving along my jaw line again and back to my earlobe. I shivered.

“I better see to that tent…and some dinner. You’ll need the energy.”

“Kellen, I…please…I can’t concentrate.”

He laughed again and stepped back. “I wish we could…” He didn’t finish.

He grabbed my hand and we ran over to the horses to set up camp. A little while later the tent was up and Kellen was building a fire pit. He was going to hunt for our dinner. I watched him take a bow and a quiver of arrows off the horse. He put his finger to his lips and crouched down looking toward the trees.

I thought I could make something out, a small rustling sound. He pulled an arrow slowly out and nocked it, quietly bringing the string back. He was aiming. A few seconds later I saw the arrow leave, making a slight whoosh through the air. It hit something hard and I heard a thud. A fairly large thud.

“I’ll be right back,” he told me with a grin.

Kellen returned with a large deer over his shoulders, a buck. The antlers were huge.

“I have to clean it and get some meat for us. It’s fairly dirty work, you may want to look away,” he warned me.

I nodded. I was about to look away when I saw him yank his shirt over his head. My eyes took in the wide chiseled chest and strong muscular arms. I couldn’t look away. He was beautiful. My eyes roamed over his pecs and abdominals noting the defined muscles. They rippled and moved as he set to work on the deer. His stomach was so…sexy. I couldn’t help but think so. It made me blush.

That’s how he saw me when he looked up. His eyes looked surprised and then his wide grin spread across his face, his dimple appearing in his cheek.

“What is it Rhiannon?” He asked, teasing me.

“Um, I was just thinking…how…” I shifted uncomfortably on the ground and didn’t continue. My blush deepened.

“Rhiannon, do you think I’m handsome?” He was grinning like the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland. It was taunting and teasing at the same time.

I grew a little bolder. “I was thinking how…sexy your muscles are…and how much I like them.” I shrugged my shoulders.

He laughed out loud so hard that I just stared at him.

“I knew you thought so. It’s very satisfying since I think your body is about perfect too.”

I blushed even deeper if that were possible. That seemed to amuse him a great deal. He was whistling while he finished the deer. He set to work making us a hot meal to eat. I realized I was starving by the time it was ready and ate more than usual. He noticed and smiled, raising an eyebrow in silent question.

“I think it is something about this place that makes me enjoy and want everything so much more. I seem to be hungrier too but more than that, my emotions are so much stronger,” I told him trying to explain.

He looked at me, teasing again. “And your desires? Are they stronger too?”

“In every way but one. When it comes to you, it’s pretty much the same.”

He laughed again, this time not quite so loud. “I love your openness and honesty, Rhia darling. It is so refreshing. That’s why you always surprise me,” he told me seriously.

We sat down on the ground together near a fallen tree. He leaned back and pulled me close to him, putting his arm around me. My head fell back against his shoulder and we watched the sun setting across another beautiful sky, relaxed, no tension or anxiety like last night. It was a long time before either of us felt like talking.

I finally got curious about something.

“I’m curious,” I told him, breaking the silence.

“Hmmm…” He responded.

“You told me to tell you when I was curious again. Well, I am.”

He laughed, remembering. “Yes, what is it?”

Silence.

“How much longer is it to the portal?” I asked a different question than the one I was going to ask, chickening out.

“We’ll be there tomorrow afternoon way before the portal closes. We stopped far away since I didn’t want you close to it when it gets dark.”

I thought about that. “What about the horses? How will they get back to your house?”

He sighed. “Rhiannon, do you really want to know about the horses? Why don’t you just ask me what you want to know?”

I looked at him innocently. “But I do want to know about the horses.” Ok, so that was a half-truth there.

“Tristan will take them home when he goes back to see Kayleigh, which I’m sure you already figured out.”

I didn’t say anything. I just sat there quietly thinking. Kellen shifted his weight and started to thump his fingers on the ground. I got a kick out of that.

“Am I boring you?” I asked him, my voice full of humor.

He grumbled a little in his throat. I laughed, thoroughly enjoying myself.

“You are so impatient,” I told him.

He pulled me into his lap and took my shoulders in his hands. His eyes looked deep into mine. Oh yeah, he was very impatient. I shifted my body since I was uncomfortable and sat with one leg on each side of him. That was better.

“So…I was wondering…why you didn’t say anything about making the journey alone.”

He raised an eyebrow at me. “That’s not your question, though, is it?”

“Um, why didn’t you say anything about…Seasnan being with us?” I hesitantly looked at his face.

He was scowling. I’m sure he knew I would ask eventually. What was he thinking?

“You’re not saying anything,” I pointed out.

His scowl deepened. He grabbed my hips and pulled me close against him. Our chests were touching. His was still bare and I tried not to be distracted by that. I put my arms around his neck and waited. He stayed quiet for a while. Then his hands tightened on me.

“I don’t like you thinking about him,” he spoke sullenly, “or any man for that matter.”

I ignored the implication of that statement and any reference to Baylor.

“Oh, Kellen, I’m not. I was only curious because you didn’t say anything to me. That’s all.”

He just stared at me. Didn’t he believe me?

“He forced a kiss on you. I know you were angry. You’re not…” He didn’t finish.

I was furious at him thinking I might have liked it or something. I leaned all the way forward until I was just about two inches from his eyes.

“I am only interested in and attracted to you. Let this jealousy go. I’ll prove it to you.”

I brought my lips to his and lay my fingers on his chest, running them down along his perfect abs. He returned the kiss with a fierce intensity, his hands holding onto my waist, gripping me tightly like I might get up and walk away. He moaned softly and his lips began to move along the delicate spot below my earlobe.

“Oh, Kellen,” I said thickly, “I love only you.”

His kisses trailed down the column of my throat. He gently pushed my shirt aside and pressed his lips to my bare shoulder, shoving the material lower.

“Rhiannon, Rhiannon…I love you so much.” His voice was raspy, deep, husky.

Suddenly the sound of thunderous hooves approaching made us both snap back into awareness. I realized I was sitting in a compromising position, so I started to move. Kellen held me there. For some reason he thought I should stay like that.

I frowned.

We both looked up to see Seasnan on his horse. He galloped up fast, pulling the horse to a stop only ten feet away from us, holding tightly to the reins. He noted the way Kellen was holding me and the fact that he was shirtless. His eyes showed his surprise and then narrowed. His face he kept carefully blank.

“Was there something you wanted?” Kellen asked casually as he let his lips come back to my collarbone and along my neck.

“I came to make sure you were settled for the night and that Rhiannon was safe.”

Kellen’s hands tightened around me and his whole body flexed. His face he kept carefully relaxed.

“As you can see, we are fine and quite ready for the night. We’ll see you tomorrow after we’ve rested.”

He let the bait sit. I saw Seasnan’s body go rigid. His face also stayed smooth. He nodded.

These Guardians were masters over their facial expressions but terrible at hiding their emotions. Their body language gave everything away. Such little school boy games. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, slightly irked that Kellen chose to use me like a shiny new toy that Seasnan wanted and could not have. It was ridiculous.

“Oh, Seasnan, I killed a buck. You guys could use the meat. It’s over by the tent.”

Seasnan nodded and jumped off his horse. He took the animal and tied it on. Then he jumped back up on his horse and nodded to Kellen. His eyes turned to me and I saw the naked desire there for a brief moment before he hid it and rode off. Kellen had noticed it too. His whole body was rigid and stiff, like the moment before a cobra strike.

I was very surprised when he suddenly relaxed and laughed heartily. Maybe it was getting to be too much for him. Did he finally snap? No longer able to handle the stress?

I looked at him curiously. He smiled my favorite grin.

“I might be jealous but I get to be with you. He never will. He got to see what he is missing just now. It didn’t make him very happy.”

Kellen continued to laugh for a long while, chuckling every now and then at the thought. I just shook my head at him and leaned against his chest totally content to stay there, at least until my thoughts wandered.

And I told myself it did not matter that the last person I thought of, the last eyes in my memory, belonged to a man I promised not to forget, and not the one who was with me.

Baylor.

Chapter Twenty Two

We slept in the tent as the sun was rising. Kellen lay on his back and I was lying with my head on his chest, in my favorite spot, in the crook of his arm. I had slept peacefully with him next to me all night. He was a perfect gentleman. We were all alone and it would have been very easy to take advantage of that. Neither of us spoke about it.

We had some pretty passionate moments at times but both of us knew that our relationship was not ready to go that far yet. I think he was trying to protect my innocence and I loved him even more for it. I had been raised on good old fashioned morals and he knew that. He was very patient. It meant a lot to me that he considered my thoughts and wishes above his own.

This trip together had been pivotal in our relationship. We had only said we loved each other the day before we left. So much had happened since we came here. The moment that stood out in my mind the most was his declaration of love to me at the waterfall. I had been so happy.

It made me happy now just thinking of it. I turned my face to place a kiss on his chest and looked up at him. He was staring down at me with a curious expression on his face.

“What was that for?” He asked me, intrigued.

“I was thinking of when you told me I had your heart by the waterfall.”

“Truly you do,” he replied warmly.

“I was also thinking about what a gentleman you are and how much I love that.”

He pulled me up so that my face was directly in front of him, his fingers lightly brushing the hair out of my eyes.

“Thank you, my darling. That means a lot to me. I respect your decisions.”

I ran my hand along his cheek and up through his hair, inching slowly across his chiseled jaw, past the masculine arch of his brow, sweeping up and then back down to the back of his neck. His eyes closed briefly and then they reopened. Desire creeped into them. A sigh of pleasure escaped his lips. The corners turned up, betraying the extent of his emotion.

I smiled in return, having thoughts that went along the same lines. He caught my expression and his arms tightened around me unconsciously. A small low laugh escaped from my chest. He raised his head, the hesitation lingered in his eyes for only a few seconds, then his lips met mine for a long minute. When he finally pulled back, I was breathless against him, my chest moving against his quickly.

“My thoughts aren’t very gentleman like right now,” he told me, breathing heavy.

“Kellen,” I responded, my heart racing in my chest, the fast beat matching his.

He pressed his lips to mine again, a tremor running through his muscular frame, and then sat up, pulling me with him. His voice was a little tight when he spoke.

“My self-control is not very strong right now in this tent with you. Come on. We need to get ready to leave.”

He kissed me again briefly, his eyes refusing to meet mine, and then brought us both up to our feet. He left to let me dress while he packed up the camp outside. All the while my thoughts kept returning to him again and again. I closed my eyes, feeling the heat of his kisses still upon my lips. With reluctance I pulled off my nightgown, determined to let the fires raging in my blood cool to a tolerable level.

I yanked on the riding pants and white blouse, pausing to tug the black riding boots onto my feet. These had been a gift from Kayleigh and his parents along with all of the other dresses she was keeping for me in the wardrobe in Kellen’s room back in Karmelo. I knew they would be waiting for me when I returned. When not if. I would be there again soon, I was certain of it. The thought made me smile. We would go back when we could. I was already anticipating another visit here.

I set to work folding blankets and rolling up the sleeping bags and was almost finished when Kellen walked in to check on me. I was bent over in front of him trying to get the zipper up on the last sleeping bag. It had been stubborn. I was tugging on it. I sighed and sat back just as he grabbed me around the waist. We tumbled over on the floor laughing in each other’s arms.

He suddenly stopped laughing as his hands clenched and unclenched around me. His sudden struggle broke through my own carefully constructed wall of control. It fled, in an instant, desire overriding logic.

“Rhiannon, I’m not handling this tent thing well. I just keep thinking about-”

My lips on his silenced him. We were facing each other on the ground. Our limbs entwined from tumbling down on the floor, our bodies flush, close enough to feel the pounding of our hearts, the heat of our embrace fusing like iron in flame. I ran my hands along his chest, through his shirt I could feel the strength and power of the muscles there, the raw physicality that made me weaken with just one touch. Yanking on the soft material, he pulled it over his head.

I moaned softly and his resistance shattered. In that instant I was hyper aware of every breath, every moan, every slightest touch. His lips became hard and demanding against mine. His hands seemed to be everywhere, along my waist and into my hair. He reached toward my hip and slid his hand slowly down to my thigh and yanked it up over him.

My back lowered to the tent. He arched as he pushed into me, the need of his body overriding his mind. His fingers gripped my thighs, intimately grasping my flesh, the heat penetrating the thin material of my pants. I felt the warm wet softness of his lips against my neck, exploring and teasing.

“Kellen!” I yelled passionately.

He pressed his lips back to mine forcefully while he clutched me to his chest and grabbed my other leg. Both of my knees clutched at his waist. His body drove into mine once, twice. Liquid fire plunged into my core. What was this feeling? A tightening in my stomach, a pressure in my groin? Whatever it was I never wanted it to stop…

Kellen sat us up, our limbs entwined, and broke the kiss. He stared at me with an intensity I had never seen before. He was breathing so hard with his teeth clenched that the muscle in his jaw twitched, while the muscles in his arms shook lightly with his effort to control himself. His eyes seemed half wild as he continued to stare at me. We said nothing, both of us trying to breathe, and neither of us wanting to let go.

It took him a very long time to compose himself. Long after his breathing slowed he continued to fight for control over his body. He didn’t move, even when he was able, and I stayed pressed against his chest and resting against his knees. His hands still held me as tightly as before. Never releasing.

I was fascinated by his struggle. My eyes stayed locked with his. I watched for what seemed like an eternity as his eyes slowly lost the wild, frenzied look. Finally, his hold began to loosen. He still didn’t let me go. Smugly I let my arms rest around his neck. Amusement creeped back into his eyes.

I smiled widely at him in response.

“Was it close this time?” I whispered.

He spoke with great effort, trying to keep his voice even. “You have no idea.”

I felt bad for his struggle but then I thought about his muscles again and lost my concentration.

“Rhiannon, stop looking at me like…you want me to devour you…I almost…we just about…” He couldn’t finish and ended with a small growl.

The growl was deep and…sexy. Just thinking the word made my thoughts wander again.

“Rhiannon, please.” His breathing was accelerating again along with mine. “I don’t want it to happen like this. I want it to be special. It needs to be right. You deserve that.”

“I’m having a hard time caring about that right now,” I admitted. My voice was so thick and deep and full of emotion I hardly recognized it.

“Damn,” he swore softly, “that’s the last thing I need to hear.”

Kellen jumped up fast, almost knocking me over backward. He scooped me up and marched right out of the tent. He practically ran to the horses and set me on one so fast I hardly realized what he was doing. He stepped back about ten feet from me and stood there breathing fast. His whole body looked tense and ready to snap like a rubber band.

I looked at him sheepishly. I was a tiny bit sorry for going overboard but not enough to say it. He struggled for a few minutes and regained his composure. He walked slowly back toward me, a small smile on his lips only a minute later. He looked thoughtful as he considered the situation in his head.

“Rhiannon, I think things are moving very fast for both of us. It’s not fair or right that I am having so difficult a time and making you do more than you are ready for. I’m going to cool it down a little.”

I nodded and tears welled up in my eyes. He was so good for me. He really did respect me.

“Please don’t get upset or your feelings hurt, ok? Because baby I love you and I want you more than anything in this world but I’m not going to steal it from you. I value you way too much for that. Do you understand?” His voice was so soft, so gently pleading, and full of emotion that the tears fell down over my cheeks.

“Thank you, I love you,” I told him sniffling.

He walked over and squeezed my hand. In his eyes I saw the truth that I had nearly forgotten in my interactions with Baylor. Kellen loved me, he protected me, both my honor and my physical body, and he truly wanted the best for me. It was worth thinking over. Worth considering, no matter how much my heart was swept up by the dark and handsome intensity of another man.

I would be careful.

I would be observant.

And I would trust in what I knew.

I watched as he finished packing away the tent and other supplies. When he was done we were both ready to leave and fully in control of ourselves. He winked, catching my eye, and I smiled at him with my best smile as his eyes caressed my face with their gentleness. I never tire of that look. Not the adoration, the love, or the patience that lingered in his gaze. I never would.

“Rhiannon, ready to go home and see Gran?”

“Oh, yes. Let’s go!”

I kicked my horse into a fast run and galloped off, Kellen behind me, laughing at my ploy. He was soon at my side and we raced along the grassy plains, the breeze whistling through the emerald green trees, toward the portal, toward Gran, toward home, and everything familiar.

Chapter Twenty Three

“Ready?” Kellen asked.

I nodded my head eagerly. He took my hand and we jumped back through the portal toward home. Once through, he spun me around in a circle and kissed me as he twisted the ring and the gateway disappeared behind us.

I grabbed his hand, running through the forest toward home, anxious to reach it after so long. I was beyond excited to see Gran. As I ran, I began to notice the world all around me.

Everything seemed different, the sudden striking revelation catching me off guard. It was like all of the colors here were muted, and everything there was intensely bright. It was like comparing a full rich color photograph to one in dull sepia.

The contrast was huge. Radical. Startling. It must be the magic of that other place that made it seem that way to me. It even felt different here, slightly less fluid. Everything here felt choppy and rushed. There it had seemed slow and unchanging.

It was exactly the same, and yet completely different at the same time. I was left with a strange feeling of loss. The loss saddened me, and I quickly realized that leaving that other world behind was not going to be easy for me. My trips across would be fantastic and magical. Coming back was going to be nothing short of a letdown.

It’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy my world, but being exposed to such a paradise just couldn’t be compared. The bar was set so high in that amazing place that there was no comparison at all. My heart would forever long to return now that I had crossed over, and I wondered briefly if my Gran also felt that way, if our world constantly called to her to return home.

As we approached home, I thought about Kellen’s conversation with the guard. Should any news come about on either side, we would meet at the portal to discuss it. There was always to be someone on their side in the event of an emergency.

I hoped we wouldn’t have any need for contacting them, since that was sure to mean an attack. Minimal. The truth was that a battle was coming, and I could only hope it was far in the future.

My only desire was that peace would reign and any confrontation would be avoided. There were so many people I knew and loved on both sides now. War would spell disaster.

My world was completely ill equipped to deal with any kind of invasion or confrontation by the enemy. Nobody knew the truth or believed it. Utter chaos and destruction would reign down, causing the murder and enslavement of society.

I could be overreacting, and maybe I was over dramatic, but not by much. Maybe it was the enemy’s true vision. Maybe it was annihilation, on a global scale, of both worlds.

I was very foolish in my naivety. Kellen, of course, knew the truth with certainty; war was coming, sooner rather than later. We could do nothing to stop it, nothing to prevent it, powerless in our lack of knowledge.

We were blind, completely oblivious to the plan of the enemy. I was sure it was already set in motion. My dreams were growing more intense, more frightening. All we could do was wait, wait for something, good or bad. It was only a matter of time.

I pushed all of this aside as we approached the house. I burst through the front door looking for Gran, scanning the living room until I found her. When she saw me her eyes filled with tears as I tackled her with a big hug. She held me close against her, placing a kiss on my cheek, and squeezed me tight. I hugged her for several minutes, so happy that she was all right, and reluctant to let her go. I had missed her terribly. She had always been my anchor, and now I was back home.

“Oh Gran, I missed you so much! How are you?” I asked her excitedly.

“Good dear, happy now that you are safe and home. Hello Kellen.”

“Hi Gran, we missed you. It’s been a long few weeks,” he informed her as he dropped the duffle bag and two backpacks he was carrying.

“You must be tired and hungry. Come into the kitchen and get something to eat. I missed you and your constant chatter. It was quiet here without both of you making noise.”

She winked at me and I knew she was joking with us. I followed her into the kitchen, amazed at the wide spread of food she had prepared on the breakfast bar and the large crock pot full of lasagna on the counter. Gran knew we would be home today. I was surprised again at her accuracy and foresight. Nothing escaped Gran’ notice.

We ate together, mostly talking about the neighbors, church, and other topics of interest to Gran. She didn’t ask many questions about my visit to the Monterro Valley. I wondered if she was upset. Gran was a detail oriented person, like me, she liked to be informed. My analytical mind was a direct result of her DNA. I figured there must be some things she wanted to discuss with only me. Picking up on her signal I decided to make an effort to speak to her alone as soon as I was able.

That night, when Kellen left to do a safety check, I approached Gran in her room, certain she awaited me. I brought the jewelry music box with me. Approaching her door quietly, I knocked.

“Yes? Come on in dear.”

I opened the door, walking into the room.

“Hey Gran, I wanted to talk with you. Are you busy?” I asked hesitantly.

“No Hun, come talk to me,” she patted the bed invitingly.

I sat next to her, laying the box between us. She raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

“This is mine Gran. My father made it for me after I was born. It’s really beautiful, don’t you think? Take a look inside,” I invited her, not pausing to give her a chance to refuse.

Gran slowly lifted the lid, smiling when the music started. She noticed my name etched inside the lid, her finger tracing the etched letters, and drifting to the jewelry below. I took out the charm bracelet and put it on, admiring the silver sparkle on my wrist. Then I found my mother’s opal ring and slipped it on my right index finger. She looked at it for a moment in silence before I noticed the tears hovering brightly in her eyes.

“I remember when your mother bought this ring. She was very fond of jewelry, especially opals and sapphires. Your Gramps used to enjoy giving her a hard time about it. He always ended up buying whatever she wanted. We loved to spoil her. You know, she was about your age when she got this ring, now that I think about it,” Gran told me softly.

“I didn’t know that. I love all of her jewelry. Some of these pieces belong to you too, don’t they?”

“Yes, I passed them to her. I love cameos. They are yours now. I always intended them for you eventually. It’s right that you have these and the jewelry box. Your father made it for you when he was across the portal, when you were a baby, before they died, didn’t he?”

“Yes, according to what I was told. It was supposed to be delivered in person.”

I was watching her face, concerned. Maybe this was too much for her.

“Yes, I am certain of that. I told you that your parents always intended to return home. How are Sully and Glenna?”

I looked at her in surprise. She would know, of course. She must have seen it in her dreams.

“Very good. They were so happy to see me. I got the impression…that they were a little upset that I never saw them or knew about them…” I trailed off. Should I bring this up?

“They were not happy with the decision your Gramps and I made to stay here on this side of the portal and hide you away. It took considerable effort to convince them that it was best. In the end, I stand by my choice, even if it was painful…for us all,” she admitted.

I had no idea what to say. How did I approach more about it without upsetting her further?

I let it go. Gran had enough to deal with.

“I met Grandpa Fergus and Grandma Jean too. Everyone was loving and friendly. It was kind of emotional but I’m glad I got to meet them,” I told her truthfully.

“Yes, the timing is right. I feel better knowing you have family on both sides now. If you needed somewhere to go, you would be protected. You would have family. It’s a great relief to me.” She put the jewelry down that she held. “I miss them all. Your Gramps and I were very close to both families long ago.”

“Yes, they miss you too. They were sad to hear about Gramps. I hated to be the one to tell them but it was necessary I guess. It was a pleasant visit otherwise. Glenna sent some jars of preserves and told me to give you a hug for her. I had a nice time Gran.”

I took her hand and held it, squeezing lightly.

“Glenna is a wonderful cook. Her preserves are legendary. Is she the one who gave you the bracelet? It’s the only piece that’s new.”

“Yes, my mother started it by adding the heart. It was her gift to me for my first birthday. Each year Glenna and Grandma Jean added a charm on my birthday. They finished it this year when I turned eighteen. It’s lovely, isn’t it?”

“Yes, I thought it may have something to do with your mother. She was so happy when she had you, so excited to have a little girl. I’m not surprised she started it for you.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes, looking at the bracelet.

“Gran, are you all right?” I asked, concern for her making me anxious.

The catch in her voice was unmistakable. It made my heart heavy.

“Yes, Rhia sweetie. I have been emotional the last few days. I think it has to do with missing your Gramps but also with you. I know how intense the visit was for you. I felt it through our connection. I’ll be fine. I am only concerned for you dearest,” she told me, patting my hand as if I was the one who needed the comfort and not her. She brushed my cheek affectionately.

“I am fine, truly. I did struggle for a while but I feel good. I am dealing with the emotions and the reality of it all…and…it is working out,” my voice faltered, “I’ll be all right Gran. Don’t worry.”

She pulled me into a lingering hug, and I squeezed her tight, not letting go for longer than I should have. I left the room sometime later, relieved after our discussion. Gran always knew what to say to chase the gloomy clouds away. She was my sunshine. My ray of hope. Her positive attitude and unending love could get me through the toughest of circumstances. I loved her so very much. I don’t know what I would do without her.

Kellen was waiting for me in my room, lounging on the bed, flipping through a muscle car magazine. He looked up when I entered.

“Did you have a nice talk with your Gran?”

“Yes, she is worried about me,” I confessed as I sank onto the mattress. “I tried to put her mind at ease. I showed her the box my dad made me and the jewelry. It was a little emotional for us both. What did you do tonight?” I asked, changing the subject.

He grinned. “I took a long walk, thought about you and hoped to get a chance to use my sword. Nothing happened. It’s quiet out there tonight.”

I rolled my eyes. “Maybe you’ll get a chance to thump some bad guys soon enough.”

He laughed, bringing me close and pulling me onto the bed next to him. He kissed me, feather soft and light, resting his forehead against mine. “I’d rather stay here and hold you close.”

“Done,” I smiled, “sounds good to me.”

We stayed up late, talking and laughing well into the night. I finally fell asleep next to him, our fingers intertwined.

Chapter Twenty Four

One afternoon, soon after we returned, Kellen and I were on the living room couch. I was lying down with my head on a pillow on his lap. We were talking about the tournament, enjoying a quiet moment together. Gran came in and sat down across from us on the loveseat. She cleared her throat and smiled, immediately drawing my attention.

“I never had a chance to talk about your trip with you. It’s been so busy lately. How did things go?”

“Gran, it was wonderful. I met Kellen’s parents and his twin sister Kayleigh. We rode horses around the countryside. It was so beautiful, and the waterfall…” I looked at Kellen and he smiled. “It was the most amazing place I have ever been.”

“It sounds like you had a nice time.” She looked at Kellen. “Was anything decided?”

“Yes, we are increasing our patrols and security on both sides of the portal, reinforcing the wall, making preparations in case of attack, and sending word to the outlying cities. We will be ready,” Kellen replied calmly.

Gran nodded her head. She seemed thoughtful. I got the impression there was something more that she wanted to know.

“You seem very…close since you have returned. It must have been an interesting trip,” she told us slowly.

I raised an eyebrow. What was she getting at?

“Yes,” Kellen told her, “we spent a lot of time together.”

“I would be failing in my duty as your grandmother if I didn’t show my concern for your safety in all areas, Hun. I’m not implying that anything has happened, but I was young and in love once too.”

I bolted upright on the couch. Was Gran giving me a…sex talk?

Oh.

My.

God.

My eyes opened wide at her.

“Rhiannon, I know I can trust you to do what is right. I actually feel a little silly right now but I needed to voice my concern. Kellen, you know that I trust you. I am hoping that you are being…careful in…your relationship.”

My jaw dropped at Gran’s speech. I just stared at her. Kellen shifted in his seat, slightly uncomfortable.

“Things did start to get a little…physical for the both of us so I promised Rhiannon I would cool it down before we came back. I value her innocence, more than I can say. I won’t betray your trust, Gran,” he told her sincerely, his voice reassuring, despite the way he was clenching my hand in nervousness.

Gran nodded at him, smiling and looking relieved. I stared at both of them, completely embarrassed. I could feel the heat burning in my cheeks.

Did this really just happen?

I couldn’t believe we all just sat here and discussed my sex life, or lack thereof, like we were talking about what to have for dinner or something. Neither of them said a word to me, keeping a careful distance by avoiding direct eye contact, but they both looked mutually amused for quite some time. Gran got up to make dinner not too much later and I turned to Kellen.

“That was so mortifying,” I told him blushing again.

He laughed lightly and tilted my chin up to see into my eyes. His face was thoughtful as he lowered his lips to mine. He kissed me gently, sweetly. A mild pressure that lingered, in no hurry, to separate from mine.

“I told you while we were camping that I value you too much to take anything from you Rhiannon. Your Gran needed to hear that too. She is only looking out for you, especially now.”

I knew he was right. I stared into his deep green eyes, getting lost, filling with warmth at the tenderness I saw there, and forgot all about my embarrassment.

“Maybe you should kiss me again so the memory is fresh in my mind,” I told him, my voice low and husky.

His arms came around me tighter as his lips touched mine, stronger than before, and we ended any further discussion.

Later that night I had a new nightmare…

A dense, foggy cloud was reaching for me across the open meadow. I stood immobile, awaiting it as it approached, unable to move my legs despite the urgency I felt to back away. The edge of the fog had transformed into a hand that was reaching out for me, grasping. It seemed to resemble a claw, with long sharp fingernails.

I had an overwhelming sense of evil as it stretched and clutched at the air, not quite reaching me. I knew it was close, determined, desperate, and coming closer by the second. It would eventually catch me. I finally managed to run along the meadow and through the tall grass until I reached the cliff edge trying to escape it.

The fog closed in, encircling me, rising higher, until I couldn’t see. I slipped off the ledge as I felt myself falling, plunging down, grappling at the air above me, clutching at the nothing that loomed above, a terrified scream erupting from my throat…

My body jolted me awake with a huge shudder. I was covered in sweat and still trembling. It was the first time I had dreamt of my sanctuary in the forest, the cliff edge, or danger like that in a long time. All of the memories, the attacks, the Minotaur, the witch, and the werewolves, and a new sense of evil filled my head. I was terrified.

“Kellen!” I called frantically. “Kellen!”

He ran into the room and to my side, gathering me into his arms and soothing me. Kellen knew my nightmare routine by now. I didn’t have to tell him when I had one. He recognized the way I called him when it happened. Shaking, I thought about the dream and its meaning. I was getting better at interpretation. I understood the warning and implication. I knew what it meant.

Something ugly was inching its way toward me, something evil, that threatened to destroy everything and everyone that I loved. It was frightening in its intensity and the surety that I would have to face it. Soon now. It would not be long. Terrified, I gripped Kellen’s shirt, wrinkling the material in my hands.

As I thought about it for a few minutes, resolve came over me. I would have thought that the knowledge would crush me underneath its brutal feet, but instead it gave me an inner strength I had not imagined possible. I would fight this evil, I couldn’t let it win, not now. Not after my parent’s sacrifice. Not after finally learning the truth. Not after all these attacks and surviving them despite the numerous attempts to dissuade me.

There wasn’t any other choice.

We had done that once, Kellen and I, before we crossed the portal. We fought the demon that tried to kill me. He had saved me, defeating and destroying it, before the evil thing had a chance to do any real harm. The memory of it though, the horrific way it changed form into my dead grandfather, still haunted me. I shivered.

No, this evil could not be allowed to succeed.

“Are you ok?” He asked me.

“Yes, something evil is coming Kellen. Closer now, it’s coming soon,” I told him anxiously.

He looked at me intently, believing me without question. We needed to prepare.

“I need to go to the portal and send a message back home. The army needs to assemble-”

“It’s going to be here on my side, Kellen. At least that is what they are going to try to do,” I interrupted him.

His eyes widened as the new plan formed in his head.

“We will have to amass the Guardian army. We must be right in front of the portal so we can intercept them. They can’t cross over and fight here on this side. It would mean disaster. Can you imagine the news cameras and cell phones trying to get coverage?” He spoke in a rush, not really expecting an answer. “I need to speak to Tristan. Rhiannon, I won’t leave you here. Will Gran be all right for a few hours?”

“I think she’ll be fine,” I told him truthfully.

He nodded and told me to get ready. I showered and dressed quickly so we would not waste time. Gran was fine with us leaving and we made our way into the forest toward the portal. Kellen twisted his ring and opened it. I immediately saw a handful of the guard come rushing toward it, in their full armor, swords ready. They stopped when they saw it was us.

Tristan and Seasnan jumped through, exchanging a greeting as they emerged. Kellen and I walked right up to them, holding hands, even as he pulled me slightly behind him. I nearly rolled my eyes. He was entirely too overprotective sometimes.

“Rhiannon had another premonition. The enemy is coming and they will be here soon to wage an attack. We believe they will try to breach the portal here and cross into the human world to fight,” Kellen explained quickly.

Tristan and Seasnan nodded to us in unison.

“I am glad you came Kellen. We have seen signs of this in the last few days. I already sent word to your father two days ago and asked for the guard to send men ready for battle. They should be here tomorrow. We will be ready,” Tristan announced.

“Good, my father will know what to do. They will keep enough to protect themselves and send the rest to us to ensure we have enough men. I will return tomorrow afternoon so we can plan. Let us hope we are overreacting and it is not as bad as it seems,” he told them, sounding more confident than I knew he was.

They said their goodbyes and jumped back across, closing the portal again.

I looked at Kellen. “That went well. I guess Seasnan got over everything.”

Kellen looked back at me sharply, shaking his head. “No, Rhiannon. He has not. We are soldiers first and foremost. He is performing his duty right now because that’s what we do. But…it’s not over,” he said stiffly.

I blinked at him in surprise. Well, all right then. How did I respond to that? I decided to change the subject. He wasn’t going to like what I had to say.

“Kellen,” I began quietly, “I have to be here during the fight.”

He reacted just as I thought he would. His whole body went rigid and he turned to me, grabbing me by the shoulders.

“No, Rhiannon,” he told me strongly.

“Yes, Kellen, I do.” I was patient. He would see.

“No, NO!” He growled at me.

I put my hands on either side of his face and looked deep into his eyes. “Kellen, I have to be. I am supposed to be. Do you understand?”

He tightened his hands, gripping almost too hard, and struggled against the terror I saw creep into his eyes.

“It will be all right. You’ll see. Things will work out the way they are supposed to,” I told him softly as I lifted my mouth up to his.

He kissed me urgently, forcefully, as if he could stop it from happening. He pulled away leaving us both breathless and our chests heaving.

“Let’s go home,” I told him when my breathing was more normal.

We were silent the whole way back. He held my hand tightly and every now and then he squeezed it, just a little too tight. I knew better than to continue the discussion.

That night he entered my room quietly, pacing several minutes, agitated and frowning in the moonlight. It was already very late and I was sleeping restlessly. My dreams had awakened me only moments before, the same sense of urgency and evil surrounding me, until I could no longer rest. I was about to call to him when he suddenly climbed into the bed with me and slid his arms around my waist.

“I love you Rhiannon,” he whispered to me softly as he kissed along my neck and up to my ear.

“Kellen,” I whispered back and wound my fingers across his chest and up into his hair, at the nape of his neck as I heard him sigh.

He kissed me long and slowly, in no hurry to stop. It made me wonder what he was thinking. He usually did not linger for so long, not after the conversation with Gran. He kept his promise to honor my innocence and virtue, no easy task, but he made it seem effortless.

A few minutes later he pulled away and lowered his head onto my chest, wrapping his arms tightly around me. I ran my fingers through his hair again, ruffling the dark curls, and silently enjoyed him holding me, so close, so safe, as if he could keep the entire world at bay, and protect me forever from the evil that threatened to confront me. I fell asleep that way, wondering if he was up to something, and knowing deep inside that he certainly was.

Chapter Twenty Five

The next morning I awoke alone as usual. Since our return I had become accustomed to it again. The air inside was cool and the outside hot and muggy. My sliding glass doors were foggy. I slid from my bed and walked toward them when I noticed an infinity symbol etched in the middle of the door.

My heart began to race. Only one person knew about that symbol. I don’t even think Kellen knew. I had never mentioned it. Only Lord Baylor had seen it when I drew it in the dirt across the portal.

Bae.

I flung the door open and ran onto the balcony, spinning in every direction, a huge smile plastered on my face.

“Bae!” His name tumbled from my lips in surprise.

A single red rose lay in the center of my balcony. He had been here. He had come to see me. Joy leapt into my heart and I smiled.

I raised the rose to my face and inhaled the delicate fragrance. So beautiful. So sweet of him.

“I remember,” I whispered, “I haven’t forgotten.”

I knew he could not hear me. He was not close enough. I smiled again and pressed the rose close to my heart as I entered my room and closed the door. I left it on my desk and entered my bathroom, taking a long hot shower as memories of Bae entered my head. I let myself have a few minutes and think of him. Emotion ran along the surface and tears filled my eyes.

I missed him. I wish he would have stayed long enough to say hello. Just a few minutes.

Once I was dressed I went downstairs to find Kellen, determined to leave Bae where he belonged, in the back of my mind.

“Hi Gran,” I greeted her as I kissed her on the cheek and looked for him.

I didn’t see him anywhere. “Where’s Kellen?”

“He left early and said he had some surveillance to do. I think he might be gone for a while.”

“Oh, ok. Would you like to do anything today? You haven’t been out in so long,” I told her, my voice concerned.

“I’m ok, Hun. Why don’t you call Emily or Mariah today? It would be nice to see them.”

Gran was right. I hadn’t had any quality girl time with them since graduation. We had all gotten busy. I called Emily first. She was out of town with her cousins for the day shopping. Then I called Mariah but she was busy too. Chad was taking her out for the day with his family. They were getting pretty serious. I was happy for her, knowing she really cared for him but disappointment pervaded me.

So, it ended up that I had the day to myself. I quickly became bored and decided to take a drive.

“Gran, I’m leaving for a few hours. I have my cell. I’ll see you later,” I called to her as I grabbed my keys and left.

“Ok, dear. Love you!” She called after me.

“Ditto!” I yelled back, smiling.

I jumped into the front seat and rolled the windows down. The car was blazing hot in the late summer sun. I left the driveway with my radio blaring and my mood light. It had been a long time since I was out alone. Deciding to give myself a treat, I headed to the mall. I should be safe enough there.

Macy’s was my favorite Department store. Inside, I was pleased to find a huge sale and an additional twenty five percent off of the clearance rack. Woo hoo. I loved a good bargain. Combing through the racks, I expertly picked out a few tops, a skirt, and some jeans, and a baby doll nightie. I smiled as I thought of Kellen’s reaction to it. In the changing room, I had success as everything fit me and looked good. Wow, that never happened.

No shopping trip would be complete without a stop at the shoe department and jewelry. I couldn’t believe my luck when I found boots on sale so early in the year. I bought two pairs of long boots, in black and brown. I also found sandals and some ballet flats. There was a beautiful long silver chain in the accessories aisle that had silver rings and baubles on it. I loved it.

When I finally walked up to the register, I was loaded down with goodies. The final bill was a steal, under a hundred and fifty bucks. I decided to check out the dresses and found another deal when I grabbed an empire waist knee length navy dress and a grey short sleeved cardigan. Tights were on clearance and I snagged several different colors, knowing they would look awesome with the new boots I just bought.

By the time I left the store I was laden down with bags and feeling good. Shopping was a natural high, especially on a day like this. I was so girly. Smiling, I headed over to the coffee shop and grabbed a tall caramel macchiato, my favorite. Just as I was leaving, I spotted Items to Remember. I loved that store. They were known for their personalized gifts. I wanted to get something special for Kellen, a memento of us, our relationship, and our devotion.

The store was packed, so the sales girl was occupied helping other people. I looked around forever before finding the perfect gift, a set of silver and black dog tags. I took them up to the register and had them engraved. He was going to love these.

I decided to have one tag printed with ‘Kellen + Rhiannon’ on one side and the year on the other. The second tag I had engraved with a fleur de Lis on one side (I thought it would remind him of home) and the word ‘Warrior’ on the other. I thought it would be fitting since it was the meaning of his name. I had to wait an hour for the engraving but it was worth it.

Totally happy and depleted of my saved allowance, I left the mall and headed into the parking lot. Not quite ready to go home, I decided to take a drive after all. I didn’t have any idea where I was going so I just took the scenic route through the mountains and enjoyed the afternoon. The road was mostly empty of cars as I drove, suddenly deserted. I was coming to the place where the road turned into a dead end and was going to flip a U-turn when something caught my eye.

Up ahead, there was an object on the road. I kept driving, squinting to see what it was. My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw an enormous winged creature stand up and face me.

It was a loathsome, voracious looking monster with the head and trunk of a woman and the tail, wings, and talons of a bird. It had long, flowing jet black hair that swirled around it in the breeze. I tried to remember my mythology again. I was pretty sure it was a harpy. They were not friendly creatures, and they were known for snatching people and objects.

I got that far in my head and slammed the brake on my car, causing it to spin around in circles before it stopped. At least I was facing the opposite direction. My foot hit the gas pedal hard as I screeched away, burning rubber against the pavement. I hit the locks and rolled up the windows, my heart hammering in my chest.

I didn’t bother to look if it was in pursuit since I just wanted to get the heck out of there as fast as I could. I thought I heard wings flapping occasionally but by the time I was pulling in my driveway again I knew I was alone. Holy crap.

I sat there trembling for several minutes trying to collect myself before I went into the house. What was that thing doing here? What was it after? Would I see it again? I opened my door hesitantly and looked around me and up into the sky. I didn’t see anything anywhere but that didn’t mean a thing, especially with my track record.

Grabbing my bags, I turned and ran up the steps looking all around me and smacked straight into a hard muscled chest. I looked up instantly and saw Kellen’s amused expression. I took his hand and ran into the house, slamming the door behind us and locking it. Not bothering to stop, I pulled him upstairs with me and into my room where I threw my bags on the bed, closed my door and ran over and locked my sliding glass door to the balcony. I stood there with my chest heaving, more frightened than I had been since the demon.

Kellen scooped me up in his arms and sat down on the bed with me in his lap.

“Rhiannon, what is it? You have me scared to death right now. Are you all right?” His voice did sound frightened.

“There was something on the road while I was driving. It was big and awful. I think it was a harpy. Kellen, I was so scared. I’m totally freaking out right now.”

My voice was shaking as hard as my body.

“What?! A harpy? Are you sure, Rhiannon?”

He looked into my eyes and I nodded, swallowing hard. He threw his arms around me and practically crushed me to his chest.

“What is going on Kellen? I don’t think I can take any more surprises right now.”

“Rhiannon, I think the enemy is trying to capture you not destroy you. I don’t know all of the details but strange things are happening everywhere. Promise me you won’t go anywhere alone anymore. I can’t lose you…”

He kissed me fiercely, not giving me a chance to respond, and looked into my eyes again.

“I’m sorry Kellen. I thought it would be safe with the portal guarded.”

“Yes, I did also. The enemy has obviously found a way around our defenses. We must be watchful at all times now.”

I agree. No more surprises. Not now. Not with all the danger and uncertainty.

“I can’t be alone anymore. You can’t leave me. I’m not staying here without you. I have to be there when the battle starts. Please,” I begged him.

“Ok, Rhiannon,” he agreed quietly, “I think you’re right.”

“Thank you,” I sighed in relief and kissed him.

I suddenly remembered his gift. Now was as good a time as any.

“Kellen, I have something for you,” I told him excitedly.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise and smiled. I took out the box from Items to Remember and handed it to him, nearly jumping up and down in excitement. Kellen’s face was curious as he opened the box. His face lit up with joy when he saw the dog tags. Carefully he inspected each one. I noticed his eyes grow soft when he saw the engraving. He looked at me in wonder.

“Rhiannon, darling, did you have these engraved especially for me? Wow, these dog tags are awesome. I love them. Thank you so much,” he gushed, his voice wavering slightly.

I gently took them out of his hands and slipped them over his head. They gleamed in the light against his tan skin. A perfect fit, even the length was just right. I beamed a huge smile at him.

“Wow, these look amazing on you. A perfect fit,” I told him.

“Rhiannon, no one has ever given me such a thoughtful gift before. Thank you, really, from the bottom of my heart.”

He hugged me tightly and glanced in the mirror, smiling at his reflection.

“I spent the afternoon shopping. It was a blast…at least until my drive home. Anyway, I found a lot of great deals. See?” I pulled him back over to the packages.

Making him sit, I showed him all of my deals. He gulped loudly when he saw the nightie, but didn’t say anything. His eyes roamed over me appreciatively when I tried on the new jeans for him. I decided to keep them on, knowing they fit my figure nicely. His eyes strayed to my backside often. I noticed with humor that he had a hard time not looking at me in those jeans. I made a mental note that these were a great distraction for Kellen.

Hand in hand, we walked downstairs to spend some time with Gran. We spent the evening playing cards and laughing, having more fun than we had in a long time. I walked upstairs to bed, flopping on my bed, and climbing under the covers. My eyes fell on the wastebasket on the floor next to my desk. Sitting on top, half crushed, was the rose from Baylor.

I sighed and lay on my back staring at the ceiling. Kellen found it of course, probably while I was out shopping. Why did he not ask me about it? And why did he continue to remain silent about anything regarding Baylor, especially considering his very vocal and obvious jealousy whenever Seasnan was near? How could he be so openly jealous and suspicious of one and not the other? It made no sense.

I was still thinking about it when I fell asleep…

Chapter Twenty Six

I went with him after lunch the next afternoon, watching everything around me and half paranoid, as he discussed plans with the guard. No one had seen the harpy cross the portal and were unsure of how it reached this side. Was there some kind of black magic involved? A rift?

Or was there another gateway in use? One the Guardians were not aware of?

We found out that the enemy was already marching toward the portal and would be here in about three days. It was agreed that we would meet back here in two to be sure to intercept them before they could get into the human world. Kellen didn’t tell me many details but I knew it was bad from the way his lips pressed into a thin line and his brow furrowed.

Once, when Kellen was deep in conversation with Tristan, I noticed Seasnan watching me. I glanced in his direction, and his gaze caught mine. His smile was soft and he winked at me. His lips mouthed the words “I remember” and then he looked away quickly before Kellen could notice. I sighed quietly and pretended not to understand. Minutes later Kellen and I went home and I forgot about Seasnan.

That night another new nightmare awakened me screaming…

The rider was perched atop a horse, sitting quietly, ominously, awaiting someone or something. He was incredibly tall, wearing solid black armor with a red plume sticking out of the top of his helmet. Though he was covered head to toe I could still see his large muscular frame, sitting erect, eyes searching until they landed on me.

He stared at me intently, his dark eyes visible through the narrow slits in his helmet. I had the impression that he intended to intimidate me. Suddenly he charged at me, on that huge dark warhorse, also covered in black armor, and galloping his way forward at an alarming speed.

I tried to run but he caught me and snatched me up. I was thrown over his horse as he galloped quickly away. I screamed and struggled against the strong arms that held me captive but I could not get free…

I woke up screaming and flailing my arms, trying to escape my captor. The evil feeling from the dream haunted my sleep the rest of the night. I tossed and turned endlessly, almost falling out of bed.

Kellen was watching me when I opened my eyes. His face was carefully blank but I knew by the look in his eyes that he was afraid for my safety. I was careful not to say too much. I didn’t want him to keep me home. I refused to say a word to him. No way was he going to use that as an excuse.

Kellen and I spent nearly every second with each other during those two days we waited. He never took his eyes off of me except to sleep. I knew the idea of me being kidnapped haunted him. I tried to distract him, making myself look pretty and alluring for him. I know he noticed because his eyes betrayed their desire often, but he never acted on it. True to his word, he remained the gentlemen and kept the physical contact to a minimum. I didn’t mind but I was missing him.

Kellen left for a couple of hours in the afternoon and I sank onto the couch with Gran. She made us hot tea and we relaxed, enjoying time together, just the two of us. We talked about my visit across the portal and how beautiful it was.

“Are you going to tell me about Bae?” She asked gently.

Surprise made my mouth drop open. “Gran, how much did you see?”

“Plenty, enough to know you have competition for more than your affection,” she responded, watching my face closely, “I would say for your heart.”

“He’s wonderful,” I admitted, “but I love Kellen.”

She seemed to think on that. “True, but…keeping your options open is important.”

“That’s what he said,” I took a shaky breath. “He asked me to remember him. To keep him close and not forget him.”

It was quiet for a moment. “There’s a lot of emotion and feeling in those words.”

“Yes, and there was plenty between us Gran. He made me feel…beautiful, safe, desired, wanted…”

I looked down at my mug at the swirl that rose above the steaming liquid.

“I see,” she placed her hand on my arm and squeezed, “are you confused by that?”

I shook my head. That’s the thing, I wasn’t confused at all. “Being with him felt right. Perfect, like I was supposed to be Gran. He said…someday we would be together. It frightened me but exhilarated me too.” I set the cup of tea on the coffee table. “What’s the matter with me Gran? I wanted to be with him. I wanted to stay with him and never leave. And I’m nearly engaged to Kellen. How could I do that? How could I let him kiss me and hold me and promise with sweet words everything I wanted to hear and just…” I faltered, everything spilling out in a rush.

“Because, perhaps, your heart is undecided Rhiannon. Don’t sell yourself short. You don’t have to make any decisions now,” she assured me.

“That’s what Bae told me.”

“He sounds like a smart man, and from what I can tell, he was speaking from his heart and totally honest. I do not think you have any reason not to trust or believe him.”

“I know, I felt it. I felt everything with him, so strong, so deep. Is that normal? Was it like that with Gramps?” I hated to bring him up but I wanted to know.

“Yes,” she smiled sadly, “he was my soul mate and I knew it from the moment I met him.” Her words resonated inside me. “Do you feel that with Kellen? Did you feel it across the portal?”

I was trembling. Gran took my hand in hers and rubbed little circles to calm me down. “No, not with Kellen, not like that. Not here and not there.”

“And with Bae?” She asked softly.

“I did,” I whispered, tears filling my eyes. “Oh God, I did and I do.” I groaned and placed my hands on my cheeks. They were flushed. “Oh Gran.”

“All you have to do is listen to your heart and make the right choice when you are ready. No matter who that man is, or who you love now. Until you say I do, nothing is certain.”

I took a shaky breath. “I love Kellen. I do.”

“Yes, and you wonder why you can love another but you should know something. Your mother loved two men once, before you were born, and she had to choose. She chose the right man of course. But it was a difficult choice until she made it. Once she did, there was nothing but peace and happiness for her,” Gran told me as she kissed my cheek and smoothed the hair out of my eyes. “I have no doubt it will be the same for you.”

“But what does that mean? And what do I do while I figure it out?”

“Rhiannon sweetie, you live life. Once the timing is right, you will know. Until then, be happy,” she advised, “there’s nothing complicated about it.”

I sat back, my thoughts rushing to Bae, and all I wanted was for him to appear before me and tell me everything would be all right, holding me close, feeling his strength, shielded in his warmth, and never letting him leave. Ever.

And the worst part was…

I did not feel guilty at all.

That night I had a premonition. The one I dreamed long ago and had nearly forgotten, when Kellen and I had spent the day together and watched Star Wars and ordered in Chinese food and Gran and Gramps went to the picnic out of town…

I was falling…faster and faster, propelling myself toward the ground. In my dream, I needed to hurry, spurred on by some instinctive drive. Urgency catapulted me forward, as if it was life or death. Suddenly, I smacked right into a tree, slamming my body in the process. Landing on the ground, I screamed and writhed in agony, sudden pain gripping my body in agonizing horror…

I awoke with a start, jolting my mind into consciousness. I sat upright in bed, panicked and scared, until I realized I was in my room. This wasn’t just a dream or nightmare. I could tell by the fluidity, the clarity of the circumstance, and the intense feeling of realism that it was a premonition. I was getting better at recognizing them. I knew by the way a vision made me feel.

Why would I dream about falling like that? More than the confusion was the feeling that I somehow wanted to be falling. It almost felt like I needed to be. The danger in the dream was secondary to the way I felt. I didn’t understand at all. Why in the world would I want to smack into a tree and fall to my death?

The morning we were leaving I lounged in bed late and pulled Kellen with me. We stayed silent in each other’s arms, enjoying our last few minutes together alone. I lay my head on his chest, my thoughts drifting to that first day we met at school, the lunch line, and that electric magnetism and attraction when our hands touched for the first time.

I laughed lightly and propped myself up, looking down into his eyes. He was watching me, grinning, searching my face.

“I was thinking about that first day we met in school. Do you remember?” I asked him.

“Yes, of course. I thought you were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. When you looked over at me in English class my eyes nearly popped right out of my head. I didn’t know what you looked like yet. I only knew that the girl I was protecting was named Rhiannon,” he laughed lightly.

“I thought you were gorgeous, like some Greek god. I had a hard time concentrating around you,” I confessed.

“That’s how I felt too. There were so many times I wanted to touch you and I couldn’t. I wanted to kiss you long before prom. I kept trying to tell myself that you didn’t feel that way about me and as your Guardian I shouldn’t be interested in you. It was a hopeless effort,” he admitted, laughing again.

“I wanted to ask you about something. Do you remember when we were in the lunch line that first day and our hands touched?”

“Yes,” he laughed and shook his head, “it felt like I had been electrocuted, the current ran straight up my arm. It intrigued me. I knew I was attracted to you and that only confirmed it for me.”

“Really? It felt exactly like that to me too. Interesting…” I trailed off and looked in his eyes again.

I smiled very slowly and very wide. I bent my face close to his chest, my lips just an inch from his skin, tracing his whole upper body. Slowly I made my way around to his shoulders and then to his neck and up to his ear. I could see his pulse beating in his neck erratically. I started to make my way down to his abs again and then I felt it.

The electric current flowed across his chest between us. He grabbed my arms and flipped us over so that he was suspended above me. He was breathing heavy and fast, his muscles flexing in his biceps. I slowly let my eyes travel up his chest until I met his eyes. They were liquid green pools of desire that seemed to see all the way to my soul.

He stayed there for several minutes before he jumped up and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Rhiannon, sweetheart, you…are so…irresistible. I think I’m going to lose my mind.”

I laughed out loud. “It was just an experiment. Did you feel it again? The electric current?”

He frowned at me and said sarcastically “What do you think?”

I jumped up and wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him with feeling. He kissed me back and then removed my hands. He sighed.

“Rhia, darling, you are the most seductive creature I have ever met, and even more so because you are completely innocent and unaware of it.”

I laughed again and spun around in front of him, blowing a kiss, and heading to the shower.

“I’m going to take a shower. See you later? Or not?”

I was being completely naughty and loving every second of it. He folded his hands across his chest and scowled at me. It didn’t last long. He grinned and walked away whistling but not before I saw the wink he threw in my direction.

Chapter Twenty Seven

After my shower I skipped downstairs to meet Kellen. We had a few hours before we were leaving for the gateway and decided to watch a movie and relax. I didn’t see Kellen around and walked over to the Blu-ray collection to decide on a film. I wasn’t sure if he felt like action adventure or a comedy. Rummaging through the titles, I was caught off guard when the doorbell rang.

I thought it was strange he would ring the bell. I shrugged and opened the door with a huge smile on my lips. It quickly died on my face, replaced with a frown. Kellen was not the person standing at my door. It was a young woman, someone I had never seen before, ever. She looked me over with contempt and shot me a dirty look. I raised an eyebrow. Who was she?

“Can I help you?” I asked, trying not to sound rude. I was not successful.

“Yes, I don’t know, I am looking for Kellen.” Her voice was impatient.

She tossed her shoulder length blonde hair behind her and sighed. I noticed she was wearing a lot of heavy make-up, especially on her eyes, making her seem older and cheap. Now that I was looking, she was dressed quite provocative in a short mini skirt and a tight low cut top. Something didn’t feel right. My stomach got a sinking feeling.

“May I ask who you are?” I kept my voice even.

“He knows who I am very well. Tell him Renee is here to see him.” She smiled, icy and cold.

I tried not to look very surprised. Renee was here to see Kellen? What in the world was going on? What the hell? I could feel the tension rising, bringing the blood in my veins to a fever pitch. I was not going to invite her into my house. I didn’t care if it was rude.

“I’ll check with Kellen and be back in a minute.” I closed the door quickly before she could respond.

Turning around, I found Kellen walking into the living room from the kitchen. He was eating a sandwich and grinned at me, seemingly at ease. Yeah, right. Did he know she was coming?

“Who’s at the door?” He asked brightly.

I folded my arms across my chest. “It’s…Renee.”

His mouth dropped open in surprise and he set the sandwich down. Instantly he scowled and walked over to the door. I followed behind him but hung back a little. I wanted to see what he was going to do. More importantly, I wanted to watch his interaction with her. Actions speak louder than words. If he was carrying any kind of relationship with her I would know it right away.

He opened the door quickly. “What in the hell are you doing here Renee?”

He sounded furious. At least that was a good start.

Renee walked up to him and placed her hand on his arm. He pushed it away. “I just wanted to see you and talk. It has been too long Kellen. I miss you.”

“Why are you here? We have nothing to say to each other,” he responded coldly.

She put her arms around his neck. He started to remove them when I got frustrated and slammed the door shut on them both. I stomped up the stairs and slammed my bedroom door shut too. It felt good, easing my frustration a little.

I sat down on my bed and sighed. I could hear raised voices and knew they were arguing. I walked over to my balcony and opened the sliding glass door quietly, tiptoeing out onto the balcony and listened.

“Kellen, please. Just give me a chance to make it up to you. I’m sure-”

He cut her off. “There is nothing to discuss. I don’t need to clear the air about anything. I have nothing to apologize for.”

“You’re right Kellen, I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Please let me show you I am sincere.” Her voice was pleading.

“I’m not doing this Renee. I want you to leave. I am involved with someone else. I am very happy with Rhia-”

She interrupted this time. “You don’t know her that well. We have a long history together Kellen. Don’t throw it away. Come with me, just for a little bit. Let’s talk. We need to work things out.”

“There is nothing to work out Renee. You are not in my life anymore. Please leave and do not come back here ever again. I mean it.” His voice was harsh and cold.

“Kellen! Please don’t do this!” I could hear the desperation in her voice.

“Get off of me. I love Rhiannon. I love her. Go Renee. Find someone else to deceive. I told you that I was done and I meant it.”

I could hear a scuffle and then I saw her get in her car and leave. I walked back inside my room and shut the sliding glass door, locking it. I was pissed.

What the hell was she doing here? How did she know where to find Kellen? What kind of history did they actually have together? It seemed more than the relationship that Kayleigh told me about and more than Kellen had ever revealed himself.

I sat on the edge of my bed, my arms folded across my chest, and scowled. He had a lot of explaining to do. I knew exactly where this would lead. We were going to argue, simply because he didn’t like questions or explanations, and he would refuse to fully explain. But I had a right to know. I wasn’t going anywhere with him until he talked to me and told me the truth.

About ten seconds later there was a knock on my balcony doors. “Rhiannon, please open up and let me talk to you.”

I looked over at him, still scowling. His face was pleading. I shook my head and turned around. I was still mad.

“Rhiannon, baby, open the door for me. We need to talk.”

I sighed, getting up and unlocking the door. He walked in and immediately put his arms around me. Leaning his face down, he kissed me, as if that would fix everything. I pushed back against his chest. I knew the tactic, if he distracted me he didn’t have to explain. Not this time.

“Kellen, that isn’t going to work. I want to talk about this, right now. I’m not leaving until we do.” I sat back down on the bed and stared at him.

He was frowning. “So, you aren’t going to leave with me because Renee showed up to your house?”

“That wasn’t what I said but fine.” I looked away, irritated.

“Dammit Rhiannon, I don’t care about her at all. But you will not stay in this house without me. I am your Guardian. You need to listen to me.” His voice was tense and strained.

I looked back over at him and narrowed my eyes. I wasn’t allowed to stay in this house without him, huh? Fine. I stood up and walked out onto the balcony and slammed the door closed behind me. He followed me out and grabbed my arm, forcing me to look into his eyes.

“What are you doing? I have every intention of explaining things to you. Just give me half a chance, please.”

His saving grace was the sincerity in his eyes. I nodded and he led me back into the house. We sat down on my bed.

“I swear I don’t know why she came here. I didn’t know she was coming and I didn’t invite her. I promise you, I never told her where I was. Please believe me.” He sounded upset.

“Yes, I believe you,” I sighed, “but why did she come here unless she has feelings for you and believes she has a chance? Have you seen or spoken to her? What happened? Just how close were you?” I was frustrated and admittedly, a little jealous.

“No, Rhiannon, we have not spoken or had any communication in a long time, since before I met you. She is delusional. She just wants what she can’t have. I will not be used by her again. You already know how close we were,” his voice became tight. He sounded a little too convincing, like he was hiding something.

“Kellen…were you…did you…sleep with her?” I asked, my voice low.

I realized suddenly that I didn’t know the answer. How did I not know that? How was it possible that I never thought to ask? I was young and innocent. I assumed that because I was a virgin, then Kellen was too. I looked at my hands nervously. I was afraid of his answer. Deathly afraid of it.

He was silent for a moment and then he tilted my chin so he could see my face. I know he could see the uncertainty and doubt in my eyes. There was no way that I could hide it. He watched my expression and bent his lips to mine briefly. He didn’t answer. I knew when he stayed quiet that the truth was my worst fear. He had been intimate with her.

Tears sprang to my eyes. I felt so betrayed in that moment. Lied to. Deceived. It wasn’t because he had been with someone else. Ok, well maybe a little. Mostly, I felt betrayed because he never told me. Not once. We were supposed to be in love, practically engaged, at least in the near future. Why didn’t he tell me this before?

Kellen was still watching my face. I saw him grimace and he dropped his hand. He knew I was upset. He knew I felt the sting of his silence. I didn’t want to but I started to cry. The tears overflowed, slipping down my cheeks silently.

Kellen slid his arms around me and hugged me tight, obviously thinking the conversation was over. Fat chance. I know he wanted me to feel better but I was so upset that I shook my head. A simple hug was not going to help.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I whispered. I was so hurt. Devastated more like.

“Rhia, it wasn’t exactly something to bring up in every day conversation. I never meant to keep anything from you. We-” His voice was low, matching mine.

“Kellen, you had many opportunities to tell me. More than enough time. Remember the night we talked about Renee, across the portal? You could have told me everything then. Instead you kept it to yourself on purpose. That is very deceitful.” I was getting angry, interrupting him in my anguish.

“Deceitful? Rhiannon, I didn’t think the timing was right. I didn’t want to upset you. It was a special time for us. I decided to wait until the right moment.” He sounded defensive.

What right did he have to act that way?

“You mean you wanted to wait until you needed to tell me. How is that not deceitful? Kellen, I am so hurt. I just don’t know.”

I sniffled, wiping at my tear stained face, standing up and walking toward the door.

He stood and started pacing. “What are you saying? What do you mean you don’t know?”

“I don’t know Kellen. I don’t know about being with someone who can’t communicate with me or be truthful. I don’t know about being with someone who keeps secrets from me and doesn’t consider that a big deal,” I told him angrily.

He looked at me in surprise and then his expression turned angry too.

“Rhiannon, this is ridiculous. You keep things from me too. Besides, I really was going to tell you soon. I can’t help it that she showed up here today.”

Nice try but that was not enough to convince me nor was it a valid point.

“Don’t make this about me Kellen. This is about what you did.” I took a deep breath trying to force air into my aching chest. “I need some fresh air. Please don’t follow me.”

Chapter Twenty Eight

I turned and left the room, walking slowly down the stairs. I didn’t like the path my thoughts were traveling on. Knowing about Kellen and Renee really bothered me. It seemed like everything was different now. Everything had changed. I hated the way it made me feel. I suddenly wasn’t sure if I could trust him.

Trust was probably the most important part of our relationship. I trusted Kellen with my life. He had saved me, numerous times. But, I wasn’t sure if I trusted him with my heart now. The tears started falling again. I didn’t stop them or brush them away. I was filled with so much sorrow that I could hardly breathe. My chest ached even worse than a moment ago, maybe as much as my heart.

I grabbed my sweater and walked outside, starting down the sidewalk. I had no idea where I was going. There wasn’t any logic or plan in my footsteps. No destination.

I just walked, and kept walking, until I lost track of time. Maybe I was hoping to distance myself from the pain and doubt. Maybe I wanted to leave it all behind me and pretend it never happened. I couldn’t do that in actuality, and it angered me even more.

Without realizing it, the tears started falling harder until I was almost sobbing and I could hardly see or walk. I stumbled slightly and almost fell down but I caught myself in time. I slowed down, aware that I was not in the right frame of mind to be wandering around outside alone.

I turned and started to walk back home. There was no point in delaying the inevitable. I could hardly walk. I could hardly focus.

The air outside was cool for a summer afternoon. A sudden breeze blew the air and trees all around me. A few stray leaves swirled above my head. I started walking faster, afraid it was going to rain. I felt a few drops fall on my face as I picked up the pace. I wasn’t being very careful through my tears and I tripped again, landing into a pair of strong arms.

I looked up and saw Kellen’s face full of worry and concern. He picked me up and carried me home, cradling me against his chest, even as the tears continued to fall and I cried into his shoulder. Silently he walked up the stairs and set me down in my room.

He removed my sweater and threw it to the side, his eyes locking with mine. I saw tears in his eyes as he got down on his knees in front of me. His hands closed around mine, shaking slightly, in nervousness or frustration I wasn’t sure, and he cleared his throat.

“Rhiannon, I am so sorry. I love you, more deeply than I can possibly describe. I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about this sooner. I’m sorry that it happened this way, that a discussion as important and critical as this was brought up because of something so stupid.” He shook his head. “I just want you to know I…never slept with her. It came close a few times. Once, quite close.” He blushed. “I’ve never…with anyone else. I was waiting for the right woman, the woman I would marry. For a time, I thought it was Renee.”

He laughed, bitterly, and I saw the frustration on his face.

“I was happy in my life as a soldier and a Guardian. I wasn’t in a hurry to settle down. I enjoyed my youth. I enjoyed my freedom.” His lips thinned into a straight line. “I want you to know. I follow the rules of chivalry and respect women. It is part of the code of honor that I live by, have always lived by, and always will. I am held to a higher stand of ethical conduct. You know this. I cannot break my promise or my oath.” He took a deep shaky breath. “If I have that level of control with you, how could you possibly think I would not with her? With someone who meant so little compared to you? With someone who barely touched my heart at all when you completely own it?” His voice broke. “She’s nothing. Do you understand? Nothing to me at all.”

I knew he was telling me the truth. I knew he meant it.

I was still upset and concerned about the trust issue. Could I trust him with my heart now? Why did he stay silent when he knew of my doubts? Why would he let me believe a lie? I wanted to think that I could trust him with my heart but I was afraid. What if he broke it? What if he held more secrets?

What would that do to us?

“Yes, Kellen, I believe you but…I am so upset and hurt. I feel like you have betrayed my trust. Why did you make it sound like you had done something with her? I know I can trust you with my life, but…can I trust you with my heart?” My voice broke and I couldn’t say anymore.

His face looked so sad that I almost looked away. “Rhiannon, you can trust me with anything, everything. You know I guard your life. I also guard your heart. It is precious to me.” He placed his palms on my face. “I would never betray it. I am so terribly sorry for not telling you sooner. I realize the mistake that I made. Please, let me prove it to you. Please trust me again. It would kill me if you didn’t.”

I could see how torn up he was and I knew in my heart that he was right. What else could I do but trust him? I loved him. So deeply, so much. There was nothing else for me to do.

A lingering doubt had now been placed in my mind.

Even as I forgave him, a piece of my heart refused to let it go.

“I trust you Kellen. There isn’t any other choice for me. I love you too much to let you go. But you have to understand how hurt and upset I am right now. Please don’t ever hurt me like that ever again.”

He stood up and gathered me into his arms, holding me tight. He looked right into my eyes. “Rhiannon, I promise to always be truthful and be the best Guardian I can, for your life and your heart. Kiss me, my darling, I love you, so deeply, so dearly, so completely. I told you once before, I waited almost seventy years for you,” he brushed his fingers across my face, “you are vitally important and incredibly special to me. You’re everything.”

He lowered his head and kissed me, softly at first, then harder and more passionately. I finally slid my arms around his neck and felt him relax. We fell back on the bed, Kellen’s lips never leaving mine. His hands wandered, caressing my back, and holding me close. He finally scooped me up and walked downstairs. We sat down on the couch and he held me for a long time, cradled close, refusing to move an inch.

I was quiet as I thought about what happened today. I really wasn’t that upset anymore. I finally knew the whole truth now about Renee and his past. It was frustrating that it came in stages but I realized something important. Something crucial.

Kellen was a very private person. He didn’t feel it was important or even necessary to share things from his past or information that was irrelevant to his life now. I know he didn’t mean to hurt or deceive me. By nature he kept his personal life to himself and it was a hard habit to break after so many years.

Our relationship was new. I was still learning his personality and he was learning mine. We were going to make each other frustrated and angry sometimes. The important part was being able to discuss it and move on, the truth holding us together. We had to be honest. We had to consider each other, our feelings, our needs. And we had to be willing to do that at any cost.

I squeezed Kellen’s hand and kissed him gently on his lips. He smiled at me lovingly, brushing his fingertips against my cheek. I decided right there and then if Renee ever showed up on my door step again, she was going to be in a world of crap. I doubted I could stop myself from slapping her arrogant face.

I lay my head on Kellen’s chest and took a leisurely nap. He even rested with me. Eventually we got ready to leave, knowing we couldn’t put it off any longer.

Chapter Twenty Nine

The portal was open when Kellen and I reached the glen in the forest, held open by Tristan, who was waiting patiently for our return. We jumped through quickly, letting it close behind us. The whole area was packed with tents and soldiers. Everywhere I looked I saw men readying themselves for battle. Some were practicing with swords, bows and arrows, some were sharpening and cleaning their weapons, and others were handling and polishing armor.

We approached the camp and were welcomed by many I had seen or met before. Every representative from the gathering in Karmelo had sent men to fight. I was impressed with the amount gathered here, by the strength in numbers and able fighters. There were many hundreds gathered together, all under the banner of peace, united in a fight that none could win alone.

The guard was located in a tent at the far eastern end. We entered and I heard Seasnan, Tristan, and the others discussing battle strategy. I sat down on a chair as Kellen joined the discussion.

They spoke for over an hour, meeting with each of the generals. It was a simple plan but communication was necessary to avoid any problems. It was vital every man knew his position. Kellen glanced at me frequently, making sure I was comfortable. The meeting was tedious but could not be rushed. Battel plans had to be finalized. An elven leader argued briefly with one of the dwarf lords.

In the end, everything was decided. Finally, the meeting ended and they departed for dinner and a few hours of rest. I almost sighed aloud in relief but caught myself.

Kellen took my hand and led me out of the tent. “How would you like to sup with Fidget? He has invited us to dine with him on the eve of battle. It is a very great honor.”

“Oh, yes. I would like that very much. Shall we join him?” I responded lightly.

Kellen smiled. “Yes, follow me, my love.”

We walked past dozens of tents until we approached a larger one with huge torches outside the entrance. Inside we were greeted by Fidget and several other dwarf lords. A large table had been set and filled to overflowing with food. There was plenty of ale and wine. I noticed several large pipes packed with tobacco, spread around the table.

Fidget greeted us warmly. “Greetings Master Kellen and Lady Rhiannon. Please join us.”

He bowed and took my hand, kissing it briefly. I smiled warmly and curtsied slightly in return. Kellen returned the bow.

“Thank you for the honor of joining your table and house on such an important night.”

“Thank you Fidget. I am quite honored,” I told him, smiling widely.

He ushered us over to the table where we enjoyed a scrumptious dinner. We didn’t discuss any plan or strategy. Nothing about the battle was disclosed. I learned later from Kellen that it would have been considered rude to bring it up.

The men discussed their prowess as soldiers and lovers, much to my amusement. Kellen’s lips twitched often. The more the ale flowed and the pipes were lit, the more merriment and tales were told. It was fun. I enjoyed myself.

We stayed until late, about eleven p.m. Kellen led me out of the tent and lifted me, knowing I was tired. He walked along until we came to the Guardian tents. He entered into the large one we were in earlier for the meeting. I noticed several men were there, including Tristan and Seasnan, again.

Kellen walked passed everyone and turned a corner. There was a secluded area with a blow up mattress, blankets, and fluffy pillows. He laid me gently down and got up, pulling a long sheet across in front of us for privacy. I snuggled under the blankets, waiting for him to join me.

“Rhiannon, I have to discuss a few things with Tristan. I won’t be gone long. Go ahead and rest and I will return in a little while. Sleep my darling,” he spoke to me softly.

He kissed me on the forehead and left. I closed my eyes and immediately drifted off. I don’t know what time it was when Kellen returned but I felt his strong arms around me and his warm breath against my cheek. I nestled close into him, unaware that I never really awakened.

Around dawn Kellen’s lips moving along my throat brought me out of my dreams. I could feel the warmth of his breath against my skin as he traveled down to my shoulder. His arms were holding my body against him tightly, his fingers tightening on my shirt, grasping at the material.

I pulled him even closer as he rolled over on top of me, suspending his weight above me slightly. His lips met mine, kissing me tenderly, until I felt his tongue run along my bottom lip. Slowly his hands roamed over my shoulders and down to my hips as he continued kissing me.

I moaned lightly and ran my fingers across his bare back, across the smooth skin, the rippling strength. I could feel every muscle. Kellen’s hands slid to my waist as he pulled my shirt up and off, over my head. His lips returned to my neck and then lower as his fingers brushed along my abdomen, across my navel, lingering at the top of jeans. His lips returned to mine, firmer and more demanding.

I gasped with pleasure, his touch awakening a low flame, and whispered his name.

“Kellen…Kellen, I love you.”

“Oh Rhiannon…I love you. I want you. Kiss me, my love, my beautiful rose.”

I kissed him back as urgency filled me. His grip became almost painful, his kisses hard and even more demanding. We rolled over several times, back and forth, completely lost in a desperate passion, a fiery need that seemed to grow higher and higher. His right hand slid down the curve of my waist, over my backside, and down to my thigh where he pulled my leg up and lifted it over his shoulder.

I opened my eyes wide in surprise as his lips came down on mine hungrily again in a frenzy. He pushed into me, capturing my mouth, silencing the gasp that fell from my lips.

Kellen pulled away for a moment, his eyes gazing into mine, a look of intense adoration and pure love radiating from the emerald green and smiled, before his lips lowered once more, hungrily devouring. We were lost in passion, oblivious to the world around us, until he rolled over and held me tight against his chest, kissing my face, crushing me against him as if he was afraid.

Terrified.

And I knew then that he was.

“I love you my darling Rhiannon. I wish I could say that I am sorry but I am not. I love you, so deeply, so entirely…I am lost, forever. You are mine until my last breath leaves my body. I will not surrender you…not to anyone.” His voice was thick with passion. “Do you understand?”

What did he mean? Was he referring to Baylor?

“I love you Kellen…forever too.”

Oh God.

He held me, the frantic beating of his heart thumping against my chest, clutching me in an iron grip. His face betrayed his worry and anxiety. I knew that had happened because he was still upset about what happened yesterday after Renee showed up and a part of him was frightened about today. If something happened at the battle and either of us was hurt, it would destroy the other.

But it was more than that, way more, it was the week I had seen Baylor across the portal and the time I spent with him. The days at his side and in his arms, and Kellen was right to feel anxious and worried because he was in my life now and I had no idea how that would play out.

We never discussed where Kellen really was that night I was attacked at the inn or why Baylor was yet again at the right place at the right time. There was something between us now, secrets, and they held us a little farther from each other than we wanted to be. I did not know how to approach the subject with him, how to open up and share my fears, or how to make him confide in me when I knew he was holding back.

Even the confrontation with Renee had not opened every door, not the ones that were really important, the ones that held the deepest fears and anxieties, and the secrets that could ruin everything between us. I think he truly believed there was nothing else to confide but I knew better. I remembered everything, even when he could lie to himself and forget.

I also knew something was not right about the battle, sensing an even greater cause for concern. My nightmares made me cautious but I didn’t know what to watch out for other than the black rider. In frustration I pulled him even closer, terrified of the tightness in my chest and the feeling of trepidation that took root in my heart.

And even more so, was the thought that Baylor was at the center of it all.

I clutched Kellen tighter and felt his heart thudding against his rib cage.

What good was my dark gift if I could not prevent disaster from happening? Why have premonitions at all unless they could help me unravel the mystery before it occurs? Did the enemy await like before? Would I be overcome from the demons that sought to enslave me?

We waited for sunrise, neither of us letting go, until the dawn forced us from the bed. Kellen rose reluctantly and helped me to stand, pulling me to my feet, stopping to hold me a few extra precious moments, and then kissed my forehead before leaving. I brushed my hair and put it in a ponytail and finished getting ready as Kellen left to meet with Tristan one last time.

I walked around the corner, ready to seek him out, and bumped right into Seasnan. He glanced at me quickly, taking my arm, and leading me back to where I spent the night with Kellen. Seasnan’s face was a mixture of emotions; concern, attraction, and frustration warred for prominence on his face. His eyes darted to the bed and then back to me again.

“Milady…Rhiannon, I…am worried about today. Stay close to Kellen and me, don’t leave us, all right? You need to be careful. I don’t know what Kellen has told you but…it is going to be dangerous. I…just be careful.” He stumbled over his words slightly.

I watched him curiously. Why was he pulling me aside like this? I wasn’t stupid or arrogant. I knew it would be dangerous today, deadly even. I met his eyes, the blue filled with apprehension, and saw the genuine concern he held for me. I raised my hand and placed it on his arm.

“I’ll be careful Seasnan. Don’t worry. Everything is going to be fine.”

“I don’t think so. You shouldn’t be out here today. Why don’t you let me take you back home?” His voice was rushed.

“Seasnan, stop. Kellen and I have already discussed this. He doesn’t like it either but I am safer with him here than alone without my Guardian. Don’t you think the enemy would know that? Don’t you think I could be vulnerable?” I asked him, searching his eyes.

“I’ll stay with you if you want. I’ll protect you. Please…let’s leave.” The urgency and pleading in his voice almost made me falter.

“Seasnan, you can’t. We both know Kellen would never allow it. Please, you need to think clearly. You’re needed on the battle field and during this fight. We need all of the skilled warriors we can get. It will work out today, you’ll see.” I tried to sound confident.

He hesitated, his brow furrowed in worry. I could see the struggle on his face.

“I guess you are right. If I were your Guardian I wouldn’t let you leave my side today. Not for anything. Just be careful. I will watch your back and stay as close as he will allow. Two pairs of eyes are always better than one.” He smiled, although his jaw was still clenched.

“Fine Seasnan…and thank you. Now go before Kellen returns. I don’t want him worrying any more than necessary today. He needs nothing to deter his focus.”

Seasnan’s face betrayed his apprehension and feelings briefly. Raw attraction combined with concern. He lowered his head and kissed me on the cheek, pulling me close before I could object, hugging me tight, and turning away. I stood there for a minute, feeling even more uncertainty that I had earlier.

Something definitely was going to happen today. Both Kellen and Seasnan felt it instinctively. Neither of them could hide their fear, not of defeat or engaging the enemy, but of my vulnerability and possible injury. I knew better than either of them. My dreams had already proved it.

I said nothing to both of them on purpose. If they knew the extra danger, would they be able to focus and fight, protecting me as they needed? Or would they leave themselves vulnerable, just to shelter me?

I denied any confirmation that I would not walk away from this battle unharmed today. Inside, buried under the surface, my whole body was shaking, trembling, and frightened beyond belief. I just had to hold it together. Another few hours.

I would make it.

Kellen returned minutes later, hugging me tight, smiling as if everything was fine when we both knew it wasn’t. The rest of the morning flew by quickly as soldiers prepared for battle. The camp was soon packed away, all of the tents from last night a distant memory, until nothing remained but the force of our stand. The army formed a long line as we awaited the enemy’s arrival.

The tension in the air was so think that you could almost see it. I looked around at the soldiers in front of me, impressed by their long swords and helmets that glistened in sleek silver, accents of green and gold, bathed in the late morning sunlight. The guard formed a double line stretching in both directions for what seemed like miles. Tristan was at the flank, taking lead of the archers. Seasnan was on the farther right, glancing at me now and then. I stood next to Kellen.

Imposing and lethal, the guard formed their line next to a long row of mages. They stood in flowing robes, dispatched by the council, practicing their spells; flames, electric volts, swirling wind, and bright lights dancing in their palms, the red and blue colors dominant in the clear air.

Like all of the other warriors, Kellen held a shield. It was long and wide, curved inward at the sides, in the same green and gold, a lion and fleur de Lis crest engraved on the front of it. His fingers curved around the hilt of his sword, clutching it with confidence, cutting the air here and there, working the muscles in his arm against fatigue.

Our friends and allies had joined us. The dwarves were here and the centaurs. The elven army was perhaps the largest in number sent to join us. Their golden armor glowed with an almost magical quality. I noticed with humor that the gnomes were conspicuously absent. The dwarves wore heavy armor that looked like steel, their large axes and heavy two handed weapons made of sturdy and thick polished metal.

One of the mages conjured a large gryphon. Another had raised several large falcons, like human size large. They were huge. Another raised a spirit warrior. I could not figure out what he was, a ghost? A revived soul? I was not sure but several more joined him. Surely this was not blood magic…

I watched as the group in front of me all prepared for battle in their own way. Many wore plate armor and all had weapons of some kind. Shields, bows, swords, axes, the weapons were unending. We were formidable. We would hold our own this day.

As I stood there, I thought of the events that had led me to this day, to this very moment. The attacks from the demon, the attacks across the portal, my dreams and the ever present premonitions. My abilities had proven an invaluable asset.

Although I was only beginning to understand the full extent of it all, I knew without my gift, without my harbinger, I would be left in the dark. I was able to stand against an enemy bent on my annihilation mostly due to the secret knowledge I had beforehand. Even when I was left with more questions than answers, my survival was dependent upon what was revealed to me.

Every time I needed protection I was warned. My harbinger had warned before every attack by the demon. It warned me repeatedly about the battle today. Whether an uneasy feeling or a sudden tingle, or a full dream or premonition, my gift, my ability, never failed me.

It went far beyond simple intuition. It was partially the reason I knew I could trust Baylor. Why I knew Kellen would protect me from the beginning. And why I knew, without a doubt, beyond any argument, that today was crucial.

No matter what the result of the battle today or the future consequences of today’s actions, I would continue the fight. I would stand my ground. I would fulfill my destiny. I would do whatever I needed to, because despite the enemy’s plans, I belonged to the light.

I fought for the light.

The darkness would not win.

Not this day. Not tomorrow. Not ever.

I stood behind Kellen, letting the golden glow of my power emerge, knowing it was the only thing that could protect me if he fell. I had the antique ruby vial around my neck, my gift from Gran, holding the magic fairy-like dust in case I needed it.

And in a lightweight metal scabbard buckled around my waist was the sword Baylor had given me. I had been practicing with it daily. I was ready to use it. Kellen had not been happy but I was adamant. My training was good, it was essential. This was a means of defense and protection. It stayed.

I felt fairly confident that we would be successful. This army was remarkable. Surely we could win and beat them back. That was what I thought until I saw them.

Chapter Thirty

The enemy arrived, taking us completely by surprise. By sheer number, they had us five to one. They marched in, banging their shields and weapons against their chests, snarling and growling. Many of them were covered in black war paint, some of them covered in streaks of blood. They wore armor made of heavy iron and steel, strong against attack and in hand to hand combat.

They crouched and leered at us as they approached. It was a long time before they stopped coming, wave after wave, raising cudgels, maces, and spears into the air. The last one to emerge from the rear, heading from the flank, was a sinister and dark figure.

For just a moment, a split second, he reminded me of Baylor.

But that was impossible.

Right?

The rider was magnificent, imposing and strong, riding a large black warhorse. He had to be seven feet tall. Too tall and broad to be Baylor but wow, he seemed eerily similar. This man wore shiny black armor with swirls cut into it, the same metal as Kellen’s, the individual leaf design allowing for flexibility and strength. His helmet pointed at the top, a long, dark red plume sticking up and out of it.

Terrified, I started trembling as I recognized him as the same man from my dream. I remembered the premonition of being kidnapped. Fear made my stomach tighten. Suddenly I was terrified. Was that the danger today? Was that my fate?

I heard the murmuring around me and glanced forward at Kellen.

“Domhnall,” he said, spitting, “I should have known.”

“Domhnall?” I asked.

“Yes, once a Guardian, now he thinks himself a warlord. He took the name Domhnall, meaning ‘world ruler’. We thought he was dead, guess not. I think we know who the mysterious general for the enemy is now,” he said angrily.

“Kellen…he’s the rider from my dream,” I told him shakily.

He looked at me sharply. “Don’t leave my side, Rhiannon. No matter what.”

I nodded to him and he stared at me for a moment, determined, before he turned his focus back to the advancing enemy line.

We knew the identity of the mysterious general now. We knew who the dark rider was that plagued me. We had a face for the enemy and an understanding of their plan. The enemy had sent the assassins and the demons. Now I knew Domhnall was behind it all. The only question that remained was, why?

The army of the enemy fully arrived. They formed a long line in front of us, shaking their weapons and shields. They were so grotesque it almost turned my stomach. Goblins of all kinds stood in front of us in addition to the men in plate armor. The harpy was back with two more like her. A large gargoyle was conjured by a sorcerer.

There was also the same kind of werewolves I had seen with the witch during my second attack, in addition to several large nasty trolls. Death hounds, weaving in and out, growled in the background. My first glimpse of these creatures, I shook with fear, my eyes widening in horror.

In addition, there were other men, dirty with grime, blood streaks across their faces and dripping from their weapons, necklaces of human bone around their necks and attached to weapons. They looked primitive and evil, carrying crude and oddly constructed weapons, as if they made them themselves. I gulped when I realized they were probably cannibals.

Dark mages continued to conjure, offering sacrifices upon the ground, and my stomach turned at the blood so carelessly spilled. Dark shadows hovered, darting in and out of the enemy line, growing in number, until dozens of demon shadows pulsed and lingered, ready to form into flesh, ready to kill.

A goblin approached Domhnall as the enemy snarled and crouched toward us, awaiting further orders.

“Lord Domhnall, we await your command.”

He crossed his jagged sword across his chest and bowed in salute.

Domhnall nodded and then scanned the open field. He seemed to be searching for something until his eye stopped and rested on me. The horse he was on kicked its front quarters up, pawing at the air, and came down with a loud thud, prancing and tossing his ebony mane.

Domhnall kept his gaze fixed on me, reining the horse in. I gasped and almost screamed. Kellen took one step back, raising his sword and pointing it at him. Domhnall laughed a loud, deep sound that shook the trees, rumbling the earth beneath my feet.

It all happened quickly after that. I don’t know who sent the arrow into whose side first but suddenly both sides were running toward each other. The sound of clashing bodies and weapons filled the air. I heard screams of rage and cries of pain. All around me the clang of metal, the ring of steel, and the sound of heavy thuds filled my ears. Every person there was engaged, swinging weapons, dodging deadly blows, shoving back against the enemy.

I stood behind Kellen, watching him fight. He took everything that came my way, any enemy who dared to push in our direction, and won easily. He was a skilled fighter. I knew that, remembering his win at the tournament.

Things were looking good until I noticed the sorcerer who stood across from us, pointing straight at me. He lifted his hands, a blue light circling above his palm, growing in size, until it glowed in a swirling ball, pulsating.

The dark shadow of a demon appeared in front of him, darting to and fro, until it started to take on flesh. With shock I gasped, disbelief apparent on my face. The demon had taken the form of a Minotaur, the same one from my first attack. He looked murderously angry about my escape. A clawed hand raised a spiked mace in the air and shook it, running toward us.

I suddenly had a sense of déjà vu. This was my nightmare at Kellen’s house across the portal. Exactly, down to every detail. The Minotaur bent on revenge, the dark rider, and the enemy army. He made his way toward us, fighting and killing along the way, hacking at any body that approached, friend or foe, ally or enemy.

Distracted, I didn’t see the harpy approach me. She flew above my head and circled around, trying to come lower. I opened the vial and put a pinch of the dust in my hand. I rose up a little higher off the ground, and waited for her to get close. She came at me fast. At the last second I threw the dust onto her. She screamed and writhed in the air as it burned her like acid, dropping to the ground dead, before she exploded into a cloud of black ash. Another demon.

I knew how they succumbed, how they went from shadow to flesh, how they disappeared when they were destroyed. My memory served me well. At least my interaction with that evil demon before had proved quite an education. I closed off my mind, sealing it from invasion, and turned my attention to the two remaining harpies, who immediately backed off from their pursuit.

I lowered back down behind Kellen. He saw me out of the corner of his eye and nodded.

“Rhiannon…” A deep voice called to me, a voice I had never heard before.

“Rhiannon…come to me.”

Domhnall.

Kellen roared and stepped back, raising his sword in protection as the evil laugh filled the air again. I shivered.

“Rhiannon,” he called, “come.”

I felt a pull in my chest, trying to fight against the invasion of my will, the clutch of determination, as I was beckoned to join him.

Commanded.

Several mages stood behind him, all facing me, a swirling wind billowing and growing until it became a small tornado. I took a step forward, and another, and another, against my will.

“No!” Kellen yelled, picking up a spear and hurtling it into one of the mages. They fell, the spell weakening, and I collapsed to my knees breathing heavy.

“Focus! Resist it Rhiannon!”

The fighting continued all around us. The Minotaur was being heavily attacked and having difficulty making his way to us. More enemies tried to reach me and were defeated by Kellen. I saw Seasnan fighting and glancing my way every now and then. He nodded at me too and continued to fight.

Time seemed to pass slowly around me as I saw my friends and enemies swinging their weapons, hacking and shoving their way through the forest. Bodies accumulated on the ground and I tried not to look too closely at the faces of those who had fallen. I knew we were losing friends and allies, even as the enemy was losing soldiers.

Standing my ground, I didn’t notice the death hounds approaching from behind me. They had tracked me down and were trying to ambush us from behind. Several werewolves gathered with them. I poured more dust into my hand and rose back up, several feet off the ground, so I wouldn’t be so vulnerable. As they got closer I threw some of the dust at them, smirking as it had a similar effect as on the harpy. They burned and exploded into clouds of black ash.

Dumb demons.

The animals that survived quickly ran off, the need to survive greater than the need to capture me. I was pretty impressed with this “magic” dust. It protected me better than a sword ever could. I was pretty sure that it could handle almost any creature. I don’t think Kellen noticed what happened. He was engaging several enemies at once, bashing with his shield and striking with his sword at the same time.

The feeling of being watched returned with a sudden vengeance and I looked up to see Domhnall watching me. His eyes were difficult to discern through the helmet. I heard him laugh sardonically and it made me shiver in pure terror. I screamed, unable to forget the premonition, unable to escape the overwhelming fear. He galloped toward me, his head lowered in determination.

Kellen backed up until he was a few feet in front of me, noticing the attention I was getting. I heard Seasnan yell, as he noticed too, and ran for Domhnall’s horse. He sliced the sword through the air as it met Domhnall’s blade. Soon they were fighting in hand to hand combat as Domhnall was forced from his mount, unable to continue his pursuit. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Shockingly, the Minotaur appeared abruptly in front of us at the same time. He swung the mighty mace at Kellen’s head and missed. Kellen raised the sword and skillfully sliced it through the air again and again, catching the Minotaur with small cuts here and there. They were swinging their weapons at each other with precision, both proven warriors. The demon must have latched onto the spirit of a soldier.

I became terrified as I watched both battles wage in front of me. Either of the Guardians could be killed. Both the Minotaur and Domhnall were skilled fighters, as good as Kellen and Seasnan, but not better. I tried not to scream and distract either of them. Seasnan was beating Domhnall, gaining the upper ground, so I returned my attention to Kellen.

The fight was close to evenly matched. They came at each other, back and forth, like a dance. The fight was so intense others stopped to watch. We were moving away from the rest of the battle, through the trees toward a steep cliff. Strike, deflect, and shove, then swing. I watched Kellen’s movements. He would win. He was magnificent.

I remembered the cliff from my journey across the portal. Oh God, I thought…my dream, both of my dreams. I remembered the dreams about falling. The premonition that I would jump over the cliff of my own volition. Shaking, I turned to Kellen. The fighting was covering a lot of ground and soon they were both right up to the cliff edge.

The Minotaur lunged at him, swinging the mace around within inches of his face. Kellen brought the heavy broadsword around and blocked it easily. Reaching up with his foot, he shoved the Minotaur backward, knocking it off balance. Rocks fell loose from the soil, tumbling to the ground far below. The drop was significant. Not survivable by any normal means.

Kellen saw his chance and brought the gleaming sword down on the creature’s right shoulder, slicing into it. The Minotaur cried out in pain, faltering, and tried to get up. Kellen brought the sword down again and hit the animal on the leg, rendering it useless. The huge Minotaur stumbled back toward the cliff edge where he lost his balance and fell.

Kellen turned and took a step toward me, his arm outstretched. I almost sighed in relief. Suddenly the Minotaur’s clawed hand reached up and grabbed his leg pulling him backward.

“Kellen!” I screamed. “No, oh please, NO!”

Not Kellen. No, my mind screamed it over and over again. I was running toward him but not fast enough. Too far away. I would never reach him in time. I saw his body fall over the side and the look of surprise mixed with horror.

For one brief moment my eyes scanned the tree line. A figure, tall and proud, darkly handsome, and with a long broadsword raised, emerged and ran toward me. I could not believe he had appeared out of nowhere. It did not matter. He was too late to help. Too late to do anything but watch me jump over the edge. Too late to see anything but my death.

Lord Baylor.

Bae.

Good bye. The word echoed in my head. I blew him a kiss as he shouted.

Everything went brighter around me like a deep golden haze. I felt my body expand, my chest spreading out, as if I had super strength, and I dove off the face of the cliff. Vaguely, I could hear Seasnan scream my name in the distance. All I cared about was Kellen. I could see him in front of me. He was hurtling quickly toward the ground. He would never survive the fall.

I threw my arms in front of me and lowered my head down to propel myself faster. I reached him about thirty feet from the ground. I wrapped my arms around his waist and tried to pull up. The momentum I was under was too fast to slow me down enough.

I crashed into a tree, throwing my body in front of his to take the brunt of the hit. We smacked into several branches and tumbled down to the ground. I managed to slow us down enough that the impact was rough but not hard.

Boom. The ground broke our fall. Dust filled the air. I landed just a foot apart from him. All of the breath was knocked out of my body. Empty. Void. Deflated. Like a basketball without air.

I couldn’t move. I was having trouble breathing.

Kellen reached over and threw his arms around me. He was kissing my hair and holding me close, shaking violently. Didn’t he realize that we just crashed to the ground?

“Rhiannon, thank you. My beloved, you saved me.”

Silence.

I couldn’t answer him.

Pain.

Sudden searing excruciating blinding pain.

I could feel the shocking pain spreading through my body into every crevice. I started shaking and couldn’t stop. Heat was spreading through my body at an alarming rate. It burned like acid through my limbs and torso, liquid searing flame, raging needles of white hot heat.

I moaned with the effort it took to take a breath. It felt like a thousand knives were stabbing me simultaneously in the chest. The pain was so intense I had to fight to stay awake. I cried out with the searing agony of it. It blanched my brain, ripping away all thought, until I all I wanted to do was give up.

“Rhiannon!” Kellen screamed at me.

He laid me gently against the ground.

“Help! Someone help!” He cried.

“Kellen, it hurts. Kellen, ahhhhhhhh!”

I couldn’t stop screaming. The pain was overwhelming. I closed my eyes as it spread rapidly like snake venom, burning and twisting as it coursed through my veins, overtaking the nerves until they were scorched and bleeding. Singed.

A cloud of billowing black was moving its way toward me at a disturbing speed. It threatened to cover me completely. I wasn’t going to be able to stay conscious much longer. I had to force my eyes open again.

I raised my shaking hand up to his face. He took it gently in his and kissed it, clutching it to the breast of his armor. I needed to tell him one more time. He needed to know. I choked the words out.

“Kellen…I love you.”

I barely got it out before another spasm of pain rocked through my body, excruciating in intensity, it nearly caused me to stop breathing altogether. I screamed again, this time ending in a small gurgle. I saw the horror in his eyes as he heard it too.

“Rhiannon, I love you too. Stay with me. Don’t go!”

He sounded urgent. His voice full of torture and anguish...and fear. I didn’t want to leave him. I didn’t want to be alone. I felt my eyes start to roll back in my head as my vision blurred in front of me until I couldn’t see anything anymore except his shadow. The lack of oxygen was robbing my body.

Help…

“Rhiannon!”

Suddenly the pain started to subside. A horrifying numbness was starting to creep its way through my body. Starting at my limbs, it moved quickly in to my core. I was left feeling drained and weak. I had to fight even harder so the coming blackness wouldn’t engulf me. I tried to move or speak but I couldn’t.

“Rhia, baby, can you hear me? Rhiannon!”

I closed my eyes again, unable to fight it anymore. The blackness finally reached me. It sucked everything away. Nothing. There was nothing.

The last thing I heard was his voice.

“Rhiannon! No, wake up! Come back to me! No, please God, NO! Rhiannon!”

Thank you for reading!

If you enjoyed the next chapter of Rhiannon’s story please leave a review to help others decide on the book.

Keep reading for a sample of Nikki Landis’ The Gift, the first book in a new series.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Also by Nikki Landis

Freedom Fighters Series:

Book 1

Refugee Road on Amazon

Book 2

Midnight Surrender on Amazon

Crimson Dawn (Book 3)

Coming late 2016

Into the Sunrise (Book 4)

Coming 2017

Fight for Light Novels:

Book 1

The Guardian on Amazon

Book 2

The Harbinger on Amazon

Book 3

The Meridian on Amazon

The Imposition (Book 4)

Coming November 2016

The Revenant (Book 5)

Coming December 2016

The Covenant (Book 6)

Coming 2017

The Awakening (Book 7)

Coming 2017

The Reckoning (Book 8)

Coming 2017

The Malevolent (Book 9)

Coming 2017

The NightWalkers Saga:

Book 1

Dark Promise on Amazon

Dark Vengeance (Book 2)

Coming late 2016

Dark Persuasion (Book 3)

Coming 2017

The Transitions Novels:

The Gift (Book 1)

October 2016

Keep reading for a sample of The Gift by Nikki Landis.

The Gift Sample

Love is the greatest emotion in the universe. Enduring and irrational, love speaks to the soul, enveloping and consuming in entirety. Sometimes it grabs hold of a person’s aura and sinks its teeth in, so strong, and so deep, that nothing can pry it loose. Entrenched. Persistent. Unyielding. The poor soul whose heart is ensnared never has a chance. The fight is already lost.

A heart captured.

For all eternity.

It is perhaps these hearts, these forlorn and forsaken hearts, disconnected in obscurity, that linger the longest in death. If you listen, if you pay attention, if your heart is open enough, you can feel their presence. Even if only for a few fleeting seconds. They beckon you. There is no mistaking that call. Perhaps that is why I feel them. Why I can see them. Why I endeavor to help them.

I suffer no delusions of grandeur. I am not unique by any standards. I am not special. But I do have a gift. I see the dead. Or rather, I see their souls. Caught in the in between, the veil that separates life from death, these lost souls roam the earth. Seeking. Hurting. Longing. They linger in shadow and hide in mystery. Only those who are especially attuned to their frequency can ever offer any kind of hope.

I am a medium. A clairvoyant. A crosser of sorts. My job, my gift, my ability, is to help those unfortunate souls pass into the next phase. Some call it the light. Some call it heaven. Some have no idea that anything exists beyond the physical realm we reside in each day. But it is real.

I know it is real. I know beyond this life, when we shed our mortal flesh, the soul endures. It matters not if we are good or bad, if we are religious or unholy, if we help or hurt others because the body does not get to decide its fate. No, the spirit decides our fate. The soul. So simple. So easy. And yet so many deny the truth.

I have seen the impossible. I have reached out to the other realm, the beyond, and seen its splendor. It has cast its glorious brilliance upon my face. I have witnessed the joy and felt the spreading warmth as it tingled and danced upon my skin. I have been touched, however minimal, by a profoundly eternal and everlasting peace.

That peace has descended upon me, shattering my doubts and fears until they no longer exist. I can only hope that someday I will experience it for myself in complete freedom and utter delight. My soul will pass on…and I will be free.

I do not fear death. Nothing about death is scary, except perhaps the way in which your physical body dies. But we do not cease to exist. Oh no.

We only move on. To other experiences, to another dimension, to an eternal and final place where life continues beyond our comprehension. I know this. I yearn for it. I await that fateful day when I join the souls that have passed before me. Only then will I know true rest, the fulfillment of a life’s worth.

Peace is a fleeting concept in this world. It comes and goes, washing back and forth upon the tide of life. In our broken and imperfect forms here on this earth, we never quite grasp its fullness. Peace eludes us. Perhaps in our sinful bodies life cannot breathe that richness, or mold that sincere notion, unable to penetrate into an aging and broken body.

We are fallible. Beyond repair. Beautiful but not fully developed.

Until our last breath, when all is decided, in the blink of an eye.

All life is precious. If you believe, if you allow yourself to open up to the possibility, an acceptance of the truth is easy to comprehend. Life is precious because it is fleeting. Our time is limited. We do not know the day or the hour. No prediction or crystal ball will provide the date of our death. Nothing we can do will change that, and certainly nothing that we can say.

I have found that people often think erroneously regarding death. They bargain. They resist. They sometimes lie, to themselves, and to those that they love. They seek the unattainable. But the soul is smart. The soul always succumbs to the call.

Once you pass on, once your temporal body is gone, the flesh discarded, that is when your spirit succumbs to the inevitable truth. No one can deny it. No one ever has.

No matter how strong you are in life, in death you are always the inner soul that remains leftover. A shimmering light that reflects your aura. That small still voice, that little intimate part that hovers inside, ready and willing to break free.

This is where push comes to shove. Where the ultimate choice and sacrifice is revealed. One selection that decides the future. Decides everything. Will you cross that barrier into the beyond or will you linger and begin to decay, forever forgotten and discarded? Will you follow those who have gone before or fight the inevitable truth?

Souls are both light and dark. Not necessarily good or evil. That concept is decidedly human. Totally wrong and without substantial evidence. Religion teaches us that we can choose right or wrong and that is entirely correct but true evil is very rare.

The soul, the spirit, reflects the decisions we made in our earthly body. While on this earth we can choose the fruits of the spirit or deny them. We can be kind or mean, generous or selfish. Truthful or deceiving. Loving or hateful.

No evidence is brought forth of our corruption or our acquiescence. It is entirely entombed within us. We do not see it. We are unable to reach inside and touch it. But we feel it. We know, deep inside, in the recesses of our inner being, that we consist of light and dark.

All souls consist of both light and darkness. If we did not, we would be perfect, without sin, and therefore totally self-reliant. We would not need forgiveness. We would love with all of our hearts. There would be no crime. No hatred. No self-loathing. No one would hurt anyone else and no one would ever take their own life.

There would never be a need for heaven or hell. No need to cross over. No point in choosing right from wrong. Balance would always reign. And no one would ever need the touch or whisper of love because the hole in our beings would already be filled.

That hole, the one that exists in us all, most definitely is real. We are engineered to need community, to seek companionship, and to search for the fundamental truth.

We are lacking. Always less than our potential. Never fully reaching the goal. We cannot. It is not our destiny nor is it in our nature. We are made lonely and alone in order to obtain the ultimate conclusion, the hope that all life is precious, and to share in the unending and ultimate joy that awaits us at the final end of our long and arduous journey.

This is my burden. My crutch. I live with the knowledge. I know the truth.

I accept it.

Embrace it.

I have to believe it.

Everything I am, all that I have experienced, my fundamental and basic structure, my entire life, is based upon these principles. They guide me. Lead me. Challenge and equip me. Without these truths I am nothing. I do not exist.

I am who I am.

I have the gift.

My eyes raised slowly until they touched upon the low hanging moon in the endless sky. A full moon. Beautiful. Bright. Round. It lay, hovering, just above the horizon, in perfect reflection of the liquid silver surface of the water below it. I stood transfixed, in awe of its grace and luminous power.

My toes sank into the coarse sand beneath me. Each grain a rough and uneven part of a greater whole. Like souls. I crouched until my knees bent almost outward, dropping my hand onto the ground. Whoosh. I was caught off guard but not off balance.

The surf rushed into me, sending sprays of salty liquid into the air. It landed with dozens of small droplets onto my face and chest. And then suddenly it was gone.

I almost lamented the departure, only to be rewarded with its return. Frothy white caps of flowing water chased up the sand, high and higher, until it crashed into the rocky formation behind me. Splashing. Spraying.

Whoosh.

My fingers plunged into the gunky messy sand, granules clinging to my fingers, dripping with solid clumps onto the ground below as I raised my hand to my face. I wiggled my fingers, struck by the cool waves as they continued to crash upon the shore.

I lowered my fingers and lay back against the sand as the water receded. Whoosh. The water crashed and jumped across my body, leaving my skin tingling with rough scratches and sporadic granules. Rough textures floated across my skin.

I was never swept away. No matter how many waves pounded the beach and my limp body, I never got lost in the current. It was always the same.

My body would float upon the ground, carried by the merciless waves and steadfast consistent motion. When the waves receded again my body would rest on the sand, briefly, taking temporary solace, until I swept across the surface in another gentle glide. Over and over. Never ending.

I loved it.

My sanctuary. My personal happy place. I retreated to it when I felt overwhelmed or fatigued. It was my escape. The one place where no one could reach me.

I only visited in my dreams, yet I was able to find this beach whenever I desired. It was hidden to everyone but me. Few places in this world truly held mystery for me. This was one of them.

The air around me shifted. A cold chill ran across my skin, startling me from the joy of moments ago. I was being summoned. I sighed, riding one more wave across the sand, and closed my eyes.

The next moment I was blinking the sleep from my eyelids. I yawned and glanced around my bedroom. It was late, well into the early morning hours before dawn.

Spirits, lost souls, they lingered and hovered where the veil was the thinnest. Some refer to it as the witching hour. The time between dreaming and sleeping. The hours when most people are either at rest or at work but hardly ever home awake.

I was most often visited during these hours, roused from my slumber, awakening to the chilly and frozen air as the soul became transparent. Gossamer in its texture.

Light. Thin. Delicate.

In my youth I was often frightened by these apparitions. As a small child I used to hide under the covers and beg them to leave me alone. Shivering in terror, I would close my eyes and pretend I was alone. Perhaps that is how I first discovered my private beach. Why I sought the comfort of the waves to wash me away.

I failed back then to realize these beings were not fully conscious. They did not understand how their yearning came across. How their sorrow and confusion made them frightening. I knew the difference now, but it was always slightly jarring, like a sudden impact to my chest, leaving me breathless as I struggled to regain my composure.

Tonight was no exception. The blur of hazy white in my peripheral streaked across my room and left through the open doorway. I shivered under the covers, the cold seeping in and withdrawing any warmth. I had no choice but to follow.

I slid from the comfort of my warm bed and followed her. The girl was young, her wide and frightened eyes searching past my body, looking for a peace she had yet to acquire.

“How can I help you?” I asked gently, hoping I would not scare her further.

“You can see me?” She asked, surprise etched into her pale face.

“Yes,” I answered, taking a few steps closer. “You are lost. What is your name?” I almost always asked that question first.

She shook her head and started to back away. “I, I don’t remember.”

That was a common response in trauma related deaths. My heart sank. She was a victim. “It will come back. Your memories will return.” I hoped my confidence would bolster her courage.

She was like a frightened doe in the forest. Jumpy. Uncertain. Afraid.

“What?” She seemed confused. Too confused. What had happened to her?

“I can help you,” I smiled and held out my hand to her, “if you let me.”

Many souls latched onto my offer quickly. Some did not. Few refused and never returned. I mourned those souls the most. The ones that ended up lost forever. I held onto the hope that they could still be redeemed but I was not gifted with the knowledge or experience to know that for certain.

“I’m scared,” she whispered, turning abruptly toward the window. “Someone follows me.”

I heard this often. Victims of violence often felt their attacker closing in. They were unable to categorize reality. Life was a blur, a chaotic jumble of thoughts and feelings.

Time was the only answer. She would be calmer when she accepted the truth. When she had a chance to stop running and shoved the fear aside.

“You will not come to any harm here. I promise,” I reassured her.

Her round eyes searched mine. For a fraction of a second she looked relieved but the fear was quick to return. She shook her head. “I need to leave.”

I smiled again. “You may come back whenever you wish. I will not stop you from going or coming back.”

My words seemed to penetrate her confused mind. “All right.”

She was gone before I could ask any more questions but I knew I would see her soon. Her soul was in torment. They always returned to me, within days, these souls that suffered terrible pain and anguish. It radiated off this young girl in waves of tortuous agony. She was seeking, whether she knew it or not.

One of the first things I did after an encounter was grab my notebook and write down everything I could remember. How the spirit looked and the condition of the body. How they spoke and what they revealed. I would write down the conversation. My feelings. The soul’s aura and color. Anything and everything that I considered pertinent and even details that seem unimportant such as the time I was awakened.

All of these details were kept under lock and key in a fire retardant box under my bed. Over the years I had accumulated quite the collection of work on the subject. These were my case files. My private trek into the mind of the spirit.

My log on the souls that sought help and petition, that crossed over, was extensive. They were precious to me, like heirloom jewelry or money to others, irreplaceable. I could not live without them. They were my solace, my life’s work, and a reflection of my thoughts and dreams.

Proof of the journey of the soul.

I remembered with vivid detail everything about the young girl. She was perhaps fourteen, fifteen in age. She had an accent, probably from the country, not quite southern but definitely pronounced. I imagined her education level was slightly lacking since her English was a little broken but she was a bright girl. I could tell. These were my educated guesses.

The obvious part was my conclusion regarding her death. Her simple blue dress was worn and faded, no extra adornment of lace or design, patches on the pockets attached with clumsy stitches. Her black shoes were worn and in desperate need of repair. A testament to her poverty. Long white knee socks, faded and stained lightly from overuse, had graced her skinny legs. She was thin, almost too thin. Another confirmation that she had little ability to buy new things or extra meals.

The most striking details about her were the bruises that marred her pale skin, most prominent on her wrists and ankles, and the smears of blood on her dress. I shook violently at the thought that she had been violated. I wanted to deny it. But the way she carried herself, the crimson stains on her hem, and the way her hands kept trying to cover and hide her body from my view all pointed to a sexual assault.

My last observation was the condition of her overall body. She was wet, dripping actually. But dried mud and some kind of weed or grass clung to her sopping clothes. Had she weight to make them sit on the floor, her shoes would have squeaked. When she spoke, little droplets of water would occasionally leak from her mouth.

She was oblivious to all of this, of course. I bet she had not yet glanced in a mirror. She had shivered from the wet and cold. Constantly she would pause and take deep breaths like she was having great difficulty. A drowning. I was almost positive.

Her youthful face was pretty. High cheek bones and blue eyes the color of a misty rain, the same color as her dress. I was almost positive it was made especially for her, by her mother or someone close to her, who loved her very much. That drew me to my final conclusion.

She was missing. There was no doubt in my mind. And it was recent. Within days. I knew because of the condition of her soul. Time was the only thing to wash away those details. Her spirit was as raw and fresh as I had ever seen. No aura lit up her soul. She held no color. Violently ripped from her young life, only the terror had remained.

My profile complete, I placed it in my leather briefcase, where all of my current files were located. I slipped back into bed and shut off the lamp, hoping to catch a few hours of rest before I had to start my day.

As I lay there, sorrow filling my chest, I mourned for this poor girl and her lost innocence. Someone had hurt her. Perhaps more than one someone. A tear slipped down my cheek, followed by another. I often wept over my lost souls but tonight my chest ached with her pain and my suffering was genuine.

I would help her find closure. I would dedicate my time and resources until she crossed over the barrier and found peace. It was my calling.

My duty.

My destiny.

And my joy.

My name is Gemma Harding.

And I help to transition the dead.

Thank you for reading!

The Gift on Amazon

A Special Thank You

Thank you to Angela Haddon for her creative and beautiful cover for this novel. It’s perfect!

https://www.facebook.com/angehaddon/

http://angelahaddon.com/

About the Author

Nikki Landis is the author of the Freedom Fighters Series, the Fight for Light novels, and The NightWalkers Saga. She holds two degrees, graduating summa cum laude in her class. Nikki loves to write romance, especially in the young adult, paranormal, post-apocalyptic, and fantasy genres. She lives in Ohio with her husband and amazing family. In her spare time she enjoys watching sunsets and curling up with a good book. Nikki loves to hear from readers.

Thank you for your support!

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