Diamond stifled a sob of relief. They had made it! Or at least she had…. Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth as she spoke. “Hugo? And the…the others? Where are they?” she croaked, dreading the answer.
Rose gave her a conspiratorial smile and perched on the bed next to Diamond, holding her patient’s shaking hand. “They’re all alive,” Rose said reassuringly. “In fact, I think they have all been in here at some point,” she giggled. “Even the water leopard; Trajan, is it? Anyway he healed well and the skinny boy, Tom. I’ve been looking after him as well. He came in here to keep the prince company for a while until I made him go back to bed.”
“Why?” interrupted Diamond quickly. “Did he get hurt?” Tom had never been any good with blood or pain.
“Yes. A cut on his arm, but don’t worry—he’s fine now. And then your guard, Commander Casimir, Hugo as you call him,” she searched Diamond’s face and frowned. “Well, he has refused to leave until just now. And the prince…. Whew!” She fanned herself and faked a swoon, giggling as Diamond blushed bright red. Rose’s light-hearted manner did the job of distracting her patient from the worry in her heart.
“Would you like a drink?” Rose asked, picking up a glass of water from the bedside table.
Struggling to sit up Diamond took the cold glass. Ice chinked and, with a shaking hand that Rose had to steady, she took a big gulp of water, swallowing and moaning with pleasure as the ice-cold liquid washed across her tongue and down her dry throat. Rose, still prattling on about Jack, got up and walked into the next room.
“Now you just relax there for a minute and get your bearings; I’ll check the bath for you. Isla Norr wants you up and about today—and no one goes against the Queen’s healer….” her voice faded to muffled sounds as she walked into the bathing room.
Diamond let her head flop back against the soft pillow and studied her room. It was huge. Far larger than any bedroom she had ever seen. A big bay window, lined with a seat, let in large amounts of light. Little diamonds of glass cast hundreds of tiny rainbows across the floor and walls, and big purple velvet drapes were twisted back then secured with gold cord. The room was spotlessly clean and stunningly beautiful. Ornate rugs covered the wooden floor, and large tapestries of the forest and the sea covered the granite walls. There was a small writing bureau against the wall opposite, and a large armchair covered in blue silk sat by her bed. It faced her as if someone had been sitting in it. In the other corner stood an elegant dressing table with an oval mirror.
Diamond wondered what she would wear if she got up today. She had absolutely nothing to call her own now. She peered under the covers and grimaced. A white nightgown covered her. It was truly awful. She wrinkled her nose just as Rose stepped back in and said her bath was ready. Rejecting worries about what she didn’t have, Diamond pushed back the warm covers and allowed the other girl to help her sit up. She clutched the edge of the bed for a moment as a wave of dizziness hit her.
“It’s okay. It will pass. It’s probably the after effects of the healing potions and spells. And you have been very ill,” Rose informed her gravely, her brown eyes full of concern. “I thought you had died at one point. I ran to fetch Isla Norr but by the time I returned, Commander Casimir told me you had rallied and were breathing properly again.”
Tears shone in Rose’s eyes. Diamond’s stomach flipped as she held the healer’s hand, unable to express her gratitude to this kind stranger. Her own throat bobbed as she thought of Hugo and her dreams. It had been death she was running from and him she was running to. Suddenly she wanted nothing more than to see him.
“Thank you for taking care of me, Rose,” she said with a shaky smile, hoping to make Rose feel better whilst pushing away her own wants. Thoughts of Hugo were beyond foolish. He was back with his Queen; now that Diamond was alive she was no longer his problem. He would not have time for her.
A delightfully cool breeze tickled her bare feet and ankles. For a moment Diamond allowed herself to gaze out of the window at the blue sky. Fluffy white clouds zipped happily by. The sight of something so naturally beautiful lifted her heart. Even with Rose’s help, getting to the bathing room was a slow and painful process.
“I—err—I can manage now,” Diamond stuttered breathlessly as she stood looking down into the enormous sunken marble bath. Tendrils of steam danced lazily up to the ceiling, inviting her in.
“Okay. There are oils in the bath that will help you heal and dull your pain,” Rose informed her cheerfully.
Diamond turned and looked pointedly at the door. Being unconscious and bathed by others was one thing. Even though she felt weak as a baby she did not want anyone else in the room whilst she had a bath.
Rose got the message and pointed out the robe that hung in one corner. “I’ll be back in an hour to help you dress,” she said, closing the door with a click.
Diamond let her nightgown slide off her shoulders and stepped out of the puddle of cotton at her feet, wondering what exactly Rose had for her to wear.
A fresh lemony scent filled the air, mixed with the aromatic scent of herbs. It tickled her nose as she inhaled, then she shivered with anticipation. She couldn’t remember the last time she had bathed in warm water. It had been weeks, weeks of trekking through an endless cold dead forest. It had been before her dad had died and her world had been turned upside down. Ignoring her burning eyes, Diamond thrust away her grief, not wanting to deal with it yet.
At one end of the bathing room there was a long, ornately decorated mirror. Walking up to it she studied her reflection, pulling a critical face at what she saw. Diamond had never been vain. Ridicule and insults did not allow for that behaviour, but the girl staring back at her from the mirror was a stranger. Her hair was matted in dirty, dull clumps. Her face was thin and angular. Her cheeks were sunken and her breasts smaller than they had been for years. The outline of her ribs was far too obvious and her hip bones jutted out painfully against bruised thin skin. Diamond swallowed her distaste. Huge, sunken violet eyes stared back at her, dominating her face.
“Oh!” she gasped, noticing a jagged wound covered with an almost translucent brown scab on her left breast. It felt rough under her fingertips. Not painful as such, just very sensitive. Diamond frowned and peered down. With two fingers she gently moved the soft swell of her breast. It looked like a row of puncture marks. Even with all her other wounds, this was a peculiar injury to have sustained in such a place. Mystified, her frown deepened. The goddess knew the rest of her was covered in old wounds and yellowing bruises too. Something about that thought didn’t fit, but having no better explanation Diamond turned away from the mirror and dipped a toe in the scented water. It was beyond wonderful, an utter luxury. Wobbling down the three steps, Diamond bent her knees and sank down, groaning with pleasure as the warm, silky water embraced her battered body.
She lay weightless in the bath for what seemed like an age, letting the sting of her wounds ebb away whilst enjoying the peace and absolute luxury of the bathing room. No one disturbed her. She moved and her necklace bumped against her chest. Sensing her relaxed mood the crystal pulsed gently, warm against her skin. Instinctively, her fingers touched the jewel. No one had taken it. A relieved smile curled her lips. Through the water the facets of the jewel radiated a kaleidoscope of pretty rainbows around the room.
After relaxing for a long while, Diamond drummed up some energy and laboriously scrubbed the ingrained dirt from her skin with a yellow soap that smelled of flowers and honey, then started on her hair. It took three washes to get the grease and blood out. When she had dealt with that she patiently picked the dirt from under her broken nails. Exhausted but not wanting to endure the humiliation of being helped out of the bath by Rose, she forced herself up.
The filthy water was cold and the steam had disappeared by the time she emerged from the bathing room clad in the cotton robe. Winding the towel around her head Diamond padded over to the dressing table to study the silver hairbrush on it. Smiling she ran he
r fingers over the beautiful engraving. She could use this, she realised with a smile. Girls like her just didn’t own beautiful things like this.
Shaking the towel off her head, she let her hair fall in messy tangles to her waist just as there was a brief knock and her bedroom door opened. With a jolt of surprise she stiffened and twirled to face the huge warrior striding in. Hugo stopped abruptly, his hand on the door knob as he saw her standing in a thin bathrobe with her wet hair cascading in a silver curtain down to her waist.
Chapter 28
Diamond was struck dumb. Her voice dried up and her heart tumbled around in her chest as though it were suddenly loose. Hugo looked so different; younger and ruggedly handsome, despite the scar that stood out on his face without his thick beard. Achingly familiar eyes regarded her cautiously. Except—her stomach dropped—there were healing burns on his skin.
Did I do that? Diamond didn’t know what to say.
His eyes slowly dropped, his gaze travelling over her body, taking in everything about her. A flush burned her cheeks as he inhaled. Tension simmered in the silence, his regard making her extremely aware that she was naked underneath the robe. Hunger flickered in his eyes as they lingered on the outline of her breasts but was gone so quickly Diamond wondered if she had imagined it. A shy smile curled her lips when it occurred to her he looked almost as uncomfortable as she felt.
“Hello, Hugo.” The tremble in her voice made her cringe and her voice dried up.
Swallowing, Hugo squared his shoulders. Newly washed and still wet, the blue streaks shimmered in his raven hair. It had been braided back from his face, accentuating the harsh lines of his jaw and neck. The black tunic he wore was embroidered with intricate whorls of blood-red silk that swirled across his massive shoulders and down the contoured muscles of his arms.
Both his tunic and leggings were covered by a sleeveless, thigh-length leather jerkin that was imprinted with a fierce sea serpent. It was fastened tightly with thick leather straps and buckles that strained over his broad chest, cut to reveal the weapons belt circling his trim waist. Daggers hung from it, vicious and gleaming. Diamond grazed her attention across his face, then up over his shoulder to the Silverbore swords that were in place on his back. Menacing, they glinting in the sunlight that streamed through the open window.
Breath rushed from her chest as if his overpowering presence sucked it right from her. He looked dangerous, scary and utterly stunning.
“Diamond. I—err—didn’t realise you were not dressed. Please forgive me,” he rumbled in his rich, deep voice.
Her knees trembled at the memory of that voice challenging her, ordering her to live. They stared warily at each other, seconds passing, marked only by the small carriage clock ticking on the dressing table. Diamond’s memories of the last time they had been together were hazy, but she knew Hugo had saved her life. She couldn’t remember how exactly, but there was utter certainty in her heart that he had. Her breath hitched. The last thing she remembered was losing control, and the terrible, consuming heat and pain that tried to rip her chest apart.
Rose had said Hugo had not left her side for days, that he had neglected himself in order to stay with her. That voice—she swallowed a sob—she remembered her dreams so clearly. The demon lord, the dragon and that bone chilling cold. Tears glistened in her eyes. Hugo had called her back from the darkness and shadows, he had ripped her from the clutches of death more than once.
Diamond impulsively walked forward, her bare feet silent on the rug, until she was staring up into his sapphire and silver eyes. Balancing on her tiptoes she reached up, placing one hand on his shoulder and the other behind his head. Her cool hands pulled him down. Surprise flickered in his eyes but he did not resist her gentle demand. The kiss she brushed on his scarred face was gentle, and she carefully avoided his burns.
As her lips contacted his skin, she felt him flinch back. Realisation dawned. Her own looks had incurred enough ridicule over the years. His scar loomed close to her lips. It had never bothered her, but…. She had noticed even Tom had blanched and looked quickly away when Hugo’s face twisted as he spoke. Perhaps this tough, cold guard was not as immune to the judgment of others as he would have everyone believe.
Pulling back very slightly, she allowed her eyes to meet his, then slowly and deliberately she leaned back in, her fingers curling into the blood-red embroidery of his tunic. She kissed him just above his mouth where his skin had knitted back together in uneven lumps. The scar was surprisingly soft under the caress of her lips, and she lingered to inhale the clean spicy smell of him.
“Thank you, Hugo,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I remember you in my dreams. Y-you made me live. I-I won’t forget it. And Rose—she told me you wouldn’t leave me, that you guarded me while I slept. I don’t know how to thank you,” she finished, a tear running down her cheek.
Hugo didn’t seem able to say anything. He squeezed his eyes together as if in pain, then nodded his head. When she pulled away she was shocked to see his cheeks flushed pink. Another revelation. Still, she supposed, a Queen’s guard was unlikely to receive any spontaneous affection or thanks—ever. A quick swipe with the back of her hand dried her cheeks.
She gently took hold of one of his freshly bandaged wrists and lightly touched a burn on his face. “Did I do that?” she asked feeling sick with guilt. “I’m so sorry…. I-I don’t remember….”
Nodding, Hugo jerked away from her touch. “It was not your fault,” he stated roughly, then hesitated a moment before taking a deep breath as if forcing himself to speak. “But understand, you will not be able to use your magic from now on. The shield—and my Queen’s enchantments—will stop you. You lost control in the forest and flattened more than a half mile of it. It is against my Queen’s laws to use magic in these lands, and such a capacity for destruction puts everyone in this palace at risk, and that is not acceptable.”
“I understand,” Diamond replied hanging her head. “I’m so sorry, Hugo,” she added. “I never meant to hurt you. I truly don’t remember anything of the forest other than such painful heat and-and losing control of my body.”
She gulped down a mouthful of air, with a small sob. The calloused finger he placed under her chin scraped her soft skin as he tilted her face up again. His eyes commanded her attention—not that she wanted to look away.
“Diamond, I don’t blame you for my injuries. Really I don’t. You have an astounding and powerful gift. It’s just that it’s wild, untamed….” For a moment his voice was soft and gentle. Then he seemed to remember who and what he was. His step back felt like a huge rift to Diamond, especially when he hardened his features again. Swallowing and taking a steadying breath, he forced his next words out.
“I am no longer your friend, Diamond. I am a Queen’s elite guard and I follow only my Queen’s orders. You broke the Queen’s laws by using magic and, as of this morning, my orders are to stop you if you try and access your magic or become a danger to anyone in this palace. Do you understand what that means?” he asked harshly, his eyes like glittering coals.
Diamond paled. “Yes, I understand,” she whispered, her eyes going to his blades. Hugo had made himself crystal clear. His orders were to kill her if she touched her magic again. Dropping her eyes was the only way to hide the sting of his betrayal. Trembling, the soles of her feet brushed on the rug as she shuffled backwards—away from him. Feeling small and vulnerable, her fingers twisted against her robe, pulling it tightly around her body until, dissatisfied, she folded her arms protectively over her chest.
Her breathing hitched and sped up. She had been so stupid believing there had been any connection between them; Hugo belonged only to the Queen. He may have planned this all along. He may have saved her, only to trap her in the court of an immortal who killed people possessing magic.
The walls of the room pressed in on her—there had to be a way out of here…. Her mind raced. She would find a way, somehow she would get away. Panting, small panicked breaths,
she fixed her eyes on a pulled thread in the soft rug under her feet. Lightheaded now, her lips began to tingle madly. Failure to control her fright always rendered her useless, and now there was no one to help her.
Breathe. In…out…in… out, she told herself, remembering her father’s calm voice as he taught her how to control her panic attacks.
Hugo clenched his jaw and squeezed his fists tight until his knuckles turned white. The Queen’s guard was fighting a private war with his oath of duty and the overwhelming need to explain himself to the girl cowering from him. Never before had she seemed frightened of him.
Diamond felt him suddenly reach out with his magic. Warmth caressed her skin, his boots silent on the rug as he took a step closer. Lifting her chin defiantly, she beat back her tears and took a slow deep breath, trying to regain her equilibrium.
“Diamond, I would never….”
Before Hugo could finish his hesitant words, the solid oak door to her room was thrown wide, smashing into the wall. A shower of dust exploded into the air. Two heavily armed Queen’s guards marched in, their hard faces intent and predatory. In unison they focused on Diamond.
Chapter 29
Squealing, she spun on her heel and darted for the bathing room. At least she could lock herself in there. Light glinted off a blade as the first guard pulled a dagger and lunged, grabbing for her.
The second guard immediately spun between her and Hugo, his sword angled and defensive as he faced the larger warrior. Still shaky and weak as a baby, Diamond didn’t stand a chance of escape. Rough fingers clenched a handful of material on the back of her robe and yanked her to a halt. The cotton ripped until she was cruelly exposed from her neck right down to her buttocks. An instant later an iron hard arm wrapped around her throat.
Terrified, she fought and twisted and screamed but the guard kicked the back of her legs so hard numbness shot down to her feet. Collapsing in a heap on her knees, all it took was a swift slam of his boot in her back and she fell face first into the rug. The impact knocked her senseless. Before she could comprehend the speed of her capture, that same boot kicked her hard in the ribs. She bleated in agony as at least one rib fractured. In a heartbeat her captor was crushing the back of her neck with his foot, pushing her face into the floor. She couldn’t breathe couldn’t breathe couldn’t breathe….
The Goddess and The Guardians Boxset: The Complete Romantic Fantasy Quartet Page 18
