The Lion, the Witch, and the Secret Garden

by Larissa Emerald

  “I don’t think you should stay with Kamdyn any longer. It may not be safe,” he said.

  “What are you saying? Are you ordering me not to be with my friend? Her eyes flashed. “I will not desert her.”

  “Then you must be extremely cautious.” He paused. “Or you may stay here.”

  “Thank you for your offer, but I can take care of myself.”

  * * *

  Rylan came up behind her as she stood at the sink. He smoothed a palm over her shoulder. “I know it’s been a very short time since we met, but I’ve come to care about you.

  Zoe felt her stomach clench, not from the meal she’d just eaten…it was a bit lower.

  She shook her head in disbelief. She knew magic. She believed in serendipity. And although she had not been searching for a relationship, she understood the caring Rylan spoke of, because she felt it, also. It was as if something had occurred that had brought them together on a soul level. As if she’d known him for far longer. As if she understood better what makes him tick.

  The restlessness she’d experienced upon arriving in town had dimmed. Could he possibly feel a connection, as well? No, why would he? He was only looking for a magical stone. She had her doubts about his sincerity.

  Her chest tightened. Caring for someone and falling in love with them didn’t amount to the same thing. She hesitated, startled by the thought. She realized she was judging her own growing feelings for the lion shifter.

  “I’d like to take a walk to the falls again before I leave.” She set the final plate in the dishwasher.

  When she turned, he remained close. His abs and thighs brushed against her. He encircled her in his strong arms. He held her to him for a long minute, touching his lips to her brow. Then, as if making a decision, he trailed his firm mouth lightly along her cheekbone until he found her lips and kissed her.

  He tasted fabulous—of the bourbon drink he’d had after dinner and just as heady—she thought. As he pulled away, she missed his warmth. She stood there a bit dumbfounded.

  “The walk.” He prompted. “The moon will still be almost full. It’s a nice evening out.”

  “Yes.” She felt her face flush.

  This time, he held her hand as they strolled over the terrain filled with brush, rocks, and slick, wet ground.

  Upon arriving, she traveled to the fissure they had found earlier. She crawled on her hands and knees over the small opening.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “Just examining it again, trying to form a plan for tomorrow. We have to find a way to get down there.”

  “Well, it won’t be that way.”

  “Are you always so cynical?” His negativity was beginning to wear on her.

  “Yes.”

  “I’ll sleep on the problem. The answer will come to me,” she said with conviction.

  “Whatever. I may need to rent some power tools to get through.”

  “And draw the attention of everyone in the campground? You will not.” Zoe lifted one knee to rise. He reached down his hand to assist her.

  He stepped back. “I’m going down there tomorrow. One way or another.”

  “Got it.” She suppressed a smile. “And I’m going to help you.”

  “No. I’ve changed my mind. There may be negative consequences to removing the stone. I don’t want you involved.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me. Stay home.”

  Gods, he could be demanding. He didn’t yell. His mere presence was enough. She shifted her stance.

  He was in human form, yet even in the light of the moonbow, she could almost see the lion in him—his shoulders pulled back, the firm set of his jaw and lift of his chin, the steady gaze in his eyes.

  His order surprised her. She knew lions were extremely protective. It warmed her heart to know she was among those he would safeguard. But she was her own person, and she didn’t take orders from anyone.

  Chapter Nine

  It was early morning. The mist shrouded the tiny house half way up the stone wall, but a glow could be seen from the windows. “Lights are on in the cottage,” Roar whispered to Kamdyn. “Your little friend is finally home.”

  Kamdyn tugged on the rope binding her hands. An unintelligible sound escaped her lips, and the silence spell he cast on her. Stupid child. She couldn’t possibly fight him. Her magic was too weak.

  “You might as well sit. When she leaves, we’ll follow.”

  Kamdyn attempted to run toward the cottage. Roar swirled his hand, directing the rope to entwine around her legs. She stumbled face first into the dirt.

  Really, he wasn’t sure why he bothered with her—other than it pleased him to see the two friends fret for one another. Yes, that was it.

  And although Kamdyn refused to spill anything about Zoe, he knew the reason Kamdyn had been following him. She’d revealed that much. She’d overheard that demon offering him a deal.

  He knew his false daughter well enough to know she desired to stop him.

  That had always been her goal.

  Yes. Silly girl. As if anyone could.

  Deciding he wasn’t about to spend the rest of the night sitting on the cold ground, he dragged Kamdyn to the parked vehicle and deposited her in the trunk, maintaining the spell of silence. With a swirl of his finger, he included the rest of her body for good measure. “Sleep tight,” he whispered, chuckling to himself.

  He took the backseat of the car. Ah, much more comfortable. It occurred to him that there was a good possibility Zoe would use the vehicle in the morning to travel to wherever the stone might be.

  He sighed, relaxing his head against the back of the seat. Actually, it had worked in his favor to have Kamdyn and Zoe get nosy. He’d been making little headway on his own.

  But praying on others had always been his forte.

  * * *

  Zoe rolled from bed before daylight. She stretched, but without the usual comfort her elongating muscles gave her. She had tossed and turned all night. The distinct feeling of being watched plagued her. She couldn’t shake the portent of evil lurking nearby.

  Once, she’d come extremely close to throwing in the towel and heading over to Rylan’s place—as if she needed an excuse to slip into his strong, protecting arms. But she’d buried her head beneath the covers, vowing to endure.

  She showered, dressed, and grabbed a cup of coffee, all in thirty minutes. She was getting good at being fast.

  Outside, moisture hung in the air and a slight fog shrouded everything. She climbed behind the steering wheel. A shiver ran through her. She glanced to the tree lines to see if anything lurked there.

  Seeing nothing, she quickly put the car in gear and drove to the campground. She parked her car next to Rylan’s Hummer. A quick knock and check of the RV told her that Rylan was either asleep or already gone. He already took off.

  He’d not intended to wait for her. Ugh. As she grew nearer to the special spot, the sound of metal striking rock faded into the mist.

  She tromped up the trail and found him standing over the small hole, swinging an enormous hammer onto the head of a large chisel. It seemed he expected to strike along a crack in the rock in hopes it would give way, making the space big enough for him to crawl through.

  “Rylan, wait.”

  He turned his head sharply. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

  “Too bad.”

  * * *

  Roar waited, peaking out the rear window. They were at a campground. Zoe appeared to be looking for someone. When no one answered, she headed into the brush.

  As soon as she was out of sight, he exited the far side of the car, making sure it was between him and the woman in case she returned. He moved to the rear and opened the trunk. “Sleep well, my dear?” he asked. This time, he waved his hand to allow her to move.

  He lifted her from the trunk and set her feet on the ground. She stumbled but rose again, twisting her shoulders from side to side in an angry motion.

  “When
you’re paired up with Zoe, you’ll be free. You’ll both be free…to go to hell.” He followed in the direction Zoe had gone. The little brat had no choice but to move her feet or be dragged.

  He’d only gone a short way when he noticed the sound of metal striking against rock. He quickened his steps.

  Chapter Ten

  Rylan whacked the chisel again, taking out all the frustration he felt for Zoe into the swing of the hammer. Of course, she hadn’t listened to him.

  “It will take you forever, to get down there that way.”

  “There is no other way,” he bit out.

  “I think there is.” She shuffled forward, placed her palm in the middle of his chest, and pushed him aside. Against his will, he moved.

  How did she do that? Then it occurred to him…. “Don’t use your magic on me, witch.”

  “Then you won’t be getting into the cavern below, Lion.”

  They stood there, eyes locked, neither one of them budging. At last, he gave her more room, dropping the sledgehammer on a nearby rock.

  His gaze came up as she shrunk down to a three-inch sprite and jumped between the rocks, disappearing from his sight. He gasped. Frack-fiddle magic.

  “Now you,” she called up.

  “I can’t do that.”

  “Yes, you can.” She spoke enchanted words over him that caused him the shrink. He stood on the edge of the rock, looking down at her. The hole seemed quite large now.

  “Jump,” she yelled.

  He did, landing in the middle of an underground stream. No sooner had he hit the water than he returned to his normal size.

  “How’d that compare to shifting into a lion?”

  He scowled at her. “Transforming into my animal is a normal part of life for me. That…was weird.”

  She shrugged. “I thought it was fun.”

  “Of course you would. You’re crazy.”

  “Come on,” she urged. “Let’s see if we can find Clach Sgàthan.”

  Zoe’s feet splashed in the stream as she led the way. Rylan’s gaze slid up her body to her round breasts where her wet, pink T-shirt clung to her figure. She was enough to make a man forget what he was doing.

  She grabbed hold of his hand, pulling him to her side as they followed the stream. “Oh my,” she said as they stopped. “That’s amazing.”

  A huge porthole sat off to the left. It was surrounded by a circular stone frame and was the most stunning thing he’d ever seen. Separating the worlds, water flowed over the opening, pouring into the stream they traipsed through. “You can see through to a garden,” he said in awe.

  A bird flew through the portal and flapped past them. “Did you see that?”

  “Yep. This place is a life force of its own. Just look at the moss-covered rocks and the vine of flowers framing the porthole.”

  “My guess…the mirror stone is through there.” She pointed to the porthole.

  “Shall we?” He held out his palm, then paused, changing his mind. “No. I should go first.” What if there was some dangerous element they couldn’t see? What if this magical place sported some sort of guard? He took a deep breath, using all of his lion senses. He couldn’t detect anything he couldn’t identify.

  Without saying a word, she leapt through the water of the porthole. He chased her as concern grabbed his gut. On the other side, she laughed and splashed the water like a kid. “You’re going to give me heart failure.”

  “Can lions have heart failure?”

  He shrugged. “That’s beside the point.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her to him. “Stay with me, please.”

  “Well, since you used the P word.”

  He kissed her to seal the deal, then kept guiding her as they climbed out of the water. Again, they halted, taking in their surroundings. They were in a stunning garden. Small waterfalls abounded. Flowers and greenery filled every nook and cranny. “I don’t know how waterfalls can be inside a waterfall,” he said.

  “It’s like an alternate universe but connected. Space doesn’t follow the physics of earth. Let’s move with the water,” she advised.

  They climbed until they came to a large, shallow pool that glowed. “Look. The light radiates brighter at the far end near where upper falls spill into the pool.”

  “Yeah. I noticed. Wonder why?”

  She peered sideways at him. “Clach Sgàthan?”

  They tromped back into the clear, crystal blue water. It was cold.

  “There’s definitely something there.” His pulse quickened. He reached down and felt in the water where the light shone. His fingers ran over a smooth stone, fanned over the surface, latched around the edges, and with a grunt, tugged it free from the bottom. He lifted it into the air. “Behold. Clach Sgàthan, the mirror stone.”

  “And you may hand it over to me,” Roar’s voice prodded from behind them.

  In unison, Rylan and Zoe spun around, both shocked. “They must have followed you,” Rylan said.

  “That’s what I felt this morning but couldn’t place the vibes,” she whispered.

  Roar thrust his daughter forward.

  “Kamdyn,” Zoe inhaled sharply. “Are you all right?”

  The warlock circled his hand and Kamdyn coughed. “Yes. He’s kept me captive, but I’m okay.”

  A growl bubbled up from Rylan’s throat.

  “Now. Now. Don’t get testy. Just give the mirror stone to me, and I’ll be on my way. No harm done.” Roar spoke as if he had the upper hand. “Of course, if you refuse,” he clucked his tongue. “Kamdyn is my insurance policy. She’ll die.” He let loose a bolt of lightning that struck a tree at the top of the upper falls. “That would be so sad.”

  “You would kill your own daughter?” Zoe bit out.

  “That’s the thing that’s got my goat all these years… She’s not my daughter. And here I’d blamed her for not being the son I’d always wanted. Turns out I can’t sire anything. Including her,” he said bitterly. “She’s nothing to me.”

  Zoe’s gaze shot to Kamdyn. “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.”

  Kamdyn stood taller, a look of relief washing over her face. She half smiled. “Don’t be. I’m glad. It means I don’t have his hideous genes. Thank the Goddess.”

  “Enough chit chat. The stone, please.”

  Rylan glanced from one person to the next, settling on Zoe. He was in quandary. He considered shifting into his lion, clamping the stone between his mighty jaws, and bounding from the falls, never to return. However, he genuinely cared for Zoe.

  He watched Zoe’s concern for Kamdyn. The anguish for her friend showed on her tension riddled face.

  No, he realized, his feelings went much deeper. Somehow she’d become important to him. A part of his life, now. He loved her.

  There was no way he could save only his sister. He needed to come up with a strategy to free them all.

  “The stone will never be yours,” Rylan said. “I must deliver it to the demon Mammon in exchange for my sister’s freedom.”

  “Mammon?” Roar queried.

  “Yes. It doesn’t matter to me what happens to the witches here. I am honor bound to save my sister.” He hoped his bluff would work. For once, he wanted the belief Zoe possessed.

  He glanced at her and couldn’t miss the hurt in her eyes. Did she think he’d give her up to Roar? The thought was like a knife to his heart.

  Unexpectedly, the stone started to flash white and grew warm in Rylan’s hand. All eyes turned to the Clach Sgàthan and missed the entrance of another—except the lion. He snapped his head to the left and narrowed his eyes.

  “Lion, return the stone to the water,” Alice Bishop ordered. Her prim stature and kind eyes didn’t fool anyone regarding her immense power.

  “Welcome to the party,” Rylan said. “But I’m afraid I can’t do as you ask.”

  “How did you find it?” Alice asked.

  “A witch gave me a map.”

  Alice let out a hoarse chuckle. “Obviously, she didn’t inform you
that the mirror stone must remain in Nocturne Falls.”

  He snapped his head around to stare at her. “What?”

  “I brought Clach Sgàthan with me three hundred years ago. It holds certain magical properties for Nocturne Falls. It cannot be removed. The town would suffer drastic consequences,” Alice announced.

  “And none of that matters to me,” Roar said sarcastically, punctuated by a haughty laugh.

  Rylan’s dilemma grew. Love wouldn’t allow him to leave Zoe, honor wouldn’t allow him to take the stone that was the essence of an entire town, and loyalty wouldn’t allow him to abandon his sister to Mammon. He ground his teeth. There had to be a way to save them all.

  “What I want to know is why Mammon is making deals for the stone to me and you both.”

  This time, Roar had everyone’s attention. “What are you talking about?” Rylan demanded.

  “Mammon promised me certain benefits if I got the mirror stone for him.”

  “What? Make you whole?” Rylan teased.

  Roar shot him a scathing look. Rylan had guessed correctly. Perhaps Mammon had promised to fix the warlocks sterility Was that possible?

  “Demon or no, the stone will not leave Nocturne Falls,” Alice’s tone held more bite to it.

  They could go round and round and Rylan still would not have a solution to his predicament. He wanted to change into his lion just so he could exercise his lungs. Instead, he threw back his head and called the very person who had landed him here. “Mammon. Come here now. And bring my sister so I know she is well.” He paused, using his shifter senses, listening. Then he added for good measure, “Or you will never get your hands on Clach Sgàthan.”

  Zoe scooted closer to him, saying, “Do you think that’s wise to command him?”

  Rylan lifted his massive shoulders. It was time to trust in something. “Only one way to find out.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Mammon materialized on the opposite side of the pond from Alice and to Rylan’s right. He took a human form, far too handsome with blonde hair and a chiseled chin—sort of a Tom Cruise look in Interview With A Vampire. Thankfully, much easier on the eyes than the real thing.