The Fourth Realm (Realms Gate)

by Juliet Anderson

  He noticed the furs had slipped off Arianna so went to cover her back up. As he touched her hand, he noticed it was ice-cold. Her whole body was freezing. Damn it. Having survived being stuck out in the wilderness, the last thing he needed was for her to die from a fever. He piled more furs on her before waking Kat.

  “I think Arianna is sick. She’s ice cold to the touch.”

  Kat threw off her covers and ran over to her sister. Ulrik had been right. Kat slipped in next to her sister and tried to use her own body warmth to thaw her out. Luckily, it was not long before Damon appeared.

  “Kat?” he asked curiously. “How the hell did you all get here? Last I heard you were in Mallenvaar.”

  “We were. In a nutshell, we were abducted, escaped, spend the last two days trying to get to safety and crossed through the missing gateway. I’ll tell you more later but Arianna seems really sick.”

  Damon rushed over and touched her forehead. “Bloody hell, she’s like an iceberg.”

  “I can’t seem to warm her up. She was fine not long ago.”

  “I’ll take her straight to Vasmaar Castle and get her checked over properly.” He lifted her with ease off the sofa. “You should both come with me, we have a lot to discuss.”

  “Like an unprotected gateway,” Ulrik pointed out.

  “Yes. My first concern is Arianna, then you can show me where this gateway is so I can provide suitable protection for both Realms.”

  “I also need to get a message to my father that we are all safe. I imagine by now he is trying to work out how to break the news to Wilhelm and Erin that he has lost both their daughters.”

  “Ouch,” Damon chuckled. “That is not a conversation I would like to have.”

  “Hence the urgency for the message.”

  “I will have a rider leave as soon as we get to the Castle.”

  “Thank you.”

  “It is I who have to thank you for bringing Arianna safely home. Keeping these two out of trouble is a tough job.”

  “Yeah. One is bad enough, two a nightmare,” Ulrik grinned and handed Arianna’s inert form up to Damon on his horse.

  “Kat, I’ll ride on ahead, I don’t want to delay getting Arianna treated. You and Ulrik can follow at a more leisurely pace.”

  “No problem. Go do your dark magic thing,” Kat responded.

  “No even in my own realm do I get the respect I deserve,” Damon grunted kicking his horse forward. Within a short distance he was at full gallop.

  Ulrik boosted Kat up into the saddle of her horse. “Alone once again,” he said huskily.

  “Before you get any ideas, we both smell terribly.”

  “Such a romantic.”

  “A realist.”

  “How long will it take to get to Damon’s home?”

  “Less than half an hour. You should see the Castle fairly soon.”

  “Where is the border with Lokranor?”

  “That way,” Kat pointed to the South.

  “Does Vasmaar have a gateway to the First Realm.”

  “Just the one that we’re aware of, it connects with McBride land in the First Realm. That was how Damon’s mother met his father. She crossed over by accident. Oddly enough, there are four gateways to the Third Realm.”

  “How come so many?”

  “I have no idea. Perhaps because the Third Realm was a Vokteren stronghold.”

  “Who are the Vokteren?”

  “Valkarin’s loyal protectors. Long since disbanded since Mum destroyed him once and for all. That and Great Uncle Jasper killing their leader. Which in itself is a bit odd as Jasper and Damon’s step-father are descended from the founding family.”

  “Your family ties really are a mess.”

  “Tell me about it. Mum had no memory of growing up here so she refused to embrace any of the old hatreds and feuds. She wiped the slate clean and forged new alliances, ones which ultimately helped her defeat Valkarin.”

  “Smart lady. Fearsome too.”

  “Yeah. Even Dad hides when she loses her temper.”

  “I’m not surprised. With blue energy she can do some serious damage.”

  “As far as I’m aware, it’s only ever been Magnus, her bodyguard, who she’s zapped with blue energy.”

  “Poor fellow.”

  “You may well meet him. He’s now Damon’s advisor.”

  Kat was delighted when Vasmaar Castle came into sight. In a short space of time she would be up to her neck in warm bubbling water. They rode into the courtyard and up to the front steps.

  “It looks so serene,” Ulrik commented.

  “That’s because Arianna is out cold and not screeching at Damon.” Kat dismounted and headed in the main entrance.

  Morganna came to meet them. “Hey. Damon said to expect you. It’s all go this morning.”

  “It’s been all go the last few days.” Kat leant in and kissed her cheek. “This is Ulrik from Mallenvaar in the Fourth Realm.”

  “Mum said you were dating a hot prince,” Morganna eyed him up appreciatively. “Welcome to Vasmaar, Ulrik.”

  “Thank you,” he bowed formally.

  “This is Morganna, Damon’s half-sister. They live next door to us in Muirhead.”

  “At Tobin Hall?”

  “Yeah, that’s home.”

  “First and foremost we need to wash. Can you ask the housekeeper to sort us out with rooms?”

  “Separate rooms?”

  “Of course,” Kat blushed. “In the meantime, I need to check up on Arianna. Any idea where Damon has taken her?”

  “The room adjoining his.”

  “I’ll drop by. Could you look after Ulrik? He could probably do with a vat of wine.”

  “Take all the time you need,” Morganna called after her as she ran up the stairs. “I’ve no problem entertaining cute looking princes.”

  Kat rushed into the room next to Damon’s. It was touching watching him sitting on the side of the bed tending to Arianna. “How is she?”

  “Still cold. The healer has been and cannot understand why her body temperature remains so low.”

  “Have you got a message to Lokranor that she is sick?”

  “Yes. Magnus got hold of your mother via telepathy. She’s on her way.”

  “Not that it’s top of your list but we do need to get a message to Mallenvaar.”

  “Already sorted,” he smiled. “Erin has already dispatched Erik to take the message to Sigfried.”

  Kat patted his shoulder. “You’re not as dumb as Arianna says.”

  Damon chuckled. “She could try the patience of the most stoic of men. And are your hands always that warm?”

  Kat immediately touched her face. “Yeah. Well, since I got my sun stone. It caused my body temperature to rise a few degrees.” It was a lightbulb moment for Kat. “Where’s Arianna’s clothes?”

  “Over there in a heap on the floor. Why?”

  Grabbing the cloak, Kat riffled through the pockets. Nothing. Next she moved on to the trousers.

  “Anything in particular you’re looking for?” Damon was curious.

  “Arianna was going to mark the walls of the tunnel at Arranfest Falls so she rooted around in the dark for a stone. As it was, there were torches on the walls so we lit one of those instead.”

  “And?”

  “And we found the gateway open.” Kat’s hand closed around something smooth and cold. “Et voila.” She pulled out a stone that resembled an opal. “One moon stone.”

  “She found the moon stone?” Damon asked incredulously.

  “And probably doesn’t know it yet,” Kat grinned. “Now I think I know how to wake her up.” She touched her palm to Arianna’s and let a small burst of fire out. It sparked against Arianna’s hand.

  “Ouch,” Arianna grunted and opened her eyes slowly. She glanced around the room, obviously very disorientated. “How did I get here?”

  “You’ve been out of it for a bit,” Kat hugged her sister.

  “But not that long. You’re
still in two day old clothes.”

  “Something which is just about to be rectified now you’re awake. But before I go wash, one question. Back at Arranfest Falls, when you picked up that stone, did you feel a jolt of energy.”

  “Come to mention it, yes. It kind of stung.” Arianna looked at her hand. “Did I get some infection?”

  Kat laughed and dropped the stone on the bed. “I did say it would appear when you needed it.”

  “On my God,” Arianna stared at it in awe. “Is that…?”

  “A moon stone? Yup.”

  Arianna examined her palm. “How does this work?”

  Kat jumped out the way. “Training starts later today when Mum gets here.”

  “Mum’s on her way?”

  “Sorry,” Damon risked touching her hand. “We thought you were really sick.”

  “Now you’re miraculously cured, I’m going to wash.” Kat looked at Damon. “I know you don’t want to tear yourself away from her ladyship’s side, but there is the small matter of a gateway to protect.”

  “I’ll catch up with Ulrik shortly.” Damon waited until Kat had left before turning his attention back to Arianna. “How are you feeling?”

  “Cold,” she pulled a face.

  Damon took hold of her hand. “You had me worried. I’ve never before been unable to warm a woman up.”

  Arianna laughed. “Sorry to ruin your perfect record.”

  “Do you feel any different?”

  “About you not being able to warm me?”

  “No, idiot. About having inherited the power of the moon stone.”

  “Oh. No, not really. But up until a couple of minutes ago, I didn’t know I had it.”

  “Only you could be completely oblivious to it,” Damon shook his head.

  “Kat had no idea initially about her sun stone.”

  “Not the brightest of families.”

  Arianna raised her hand. “How do these thing work?”

  Damon waved his hand and Arianna found her wrists bound together by a fine strand of blue energy. “You’ll have to be quicker than that to catch me.”

  “Untie me,” Arianna ordered.

  “I kind of like the idea of you tied up,” he grinned.

  “Need I warn you that my mother will shortly be invading your castle. So quit messing around.”

  “But it’s not often I have you at my mercy.”

  “Nor do you.”

  “Really?” He leant forward and brushed his mouth over hers. “I think I do.”

  Arianna decided to call his bluff. “As usual, Damon, you’re all talk and no action.”

  “Is that what you think?” His tone was a little shocked.

  “Yes. It’s well known around the Realm. Now let me up before you embarrass yourself.”

  “I think not, my dear. You have laid down a challenge.”

  “Did I? Sorry, I didn’t fall at your feet in gratitude at your attempt to kiss me.”

  “Attempt?” he raised an eyebrow.

  “Yes. You should take lessons from this rather delicious warrior I met in Mallenvaar. Now Drago knows how to kiss a woman.”

  “I do not need lessons, I am more than capable of reducing women to a quivering wreck with just one kiss,” he retorted hotly.

  “I’m sure you could after a heavy night on the garlic,” Arianna snickered. She raised her hands, indicating for him to release the blue energy around them. He hesitated for a few moments before complying with her wishes. “Like my sister, I really do need a bath.” She slipped off the bed and headed out the door towards the room where Kat was. “I imagine you and Ulrik will want to talk gateways so we’ll see you later.”

  Damon stalked down to the living room and poured himself a very large goblet of wine. Perhaps he should be glad she had found someone in Mallenvaar. Whilst he found her decidedly attractive and he was destined to rule Lokranor, living the rest of his life with Arianna was enough to drive a saint over the edge.

  Now she had the power of a moon stone, she would need his protection less. Something else that irked him. She and her sister would become quite the unbeatable force when they got their powers under control.

  “How is Arianna?” Ulrik appeared looking refreshed.

  “Back to tormenting me,” Damon grunted.

  “She is over her sickness?”

  “There was no sickness. Her body was getting accustomed to the moon stone it seems she now controls.”

  “She found the moon stone?” Ulrik asked incredulously.

  “Yeah. Kat worked it out. Something had changed to open the gateway and as she did not realise at first what she had picked up, she figured Arianna had done the same.”

  “Talking of gateways, we need to protect the route.”

  “Route?”

  “Yes. The gateway is through what appears to be an old secret trade tunnel.”

  “I suggest we head over there so I can set up a regular guard. Hopefully by now a message has reached your father.”

  “I would hope so. I feel guilty if he were worrying about our welfare when we are quite safe.”

  “What happened?” Damon asked bluntly.

  “A young sorcerer had been paid to abduct Arianna and Kat.”

  “For what purpose?”

  “It seems my cousin had his eyes set on a greater prize than the throne of Mallenvaar.” Ulrik took Damon’s confused expression as a lack of comprehension. “He was attempting to win Arianna over by rescuing her. And if that didn’t work, he could have forced the relationship.”

  Damon let out a soft growl. “Over my dead body. She is destined for my bed and no-one else’s.” He paced up and down for a moment. “What is her relationship with Drago?”

  “As far as I am aware there is no relationship. She has not been left alone with anyone in Mallenvaar, Kat has always been with her.”

  Damon cursed his stupidity, she had deliberately wound him up on that subject. They were just heading out when Erin raced up the steps.

  “False alarm,” Damon pulled an apologetic face. “Her ladyship is up with renewed vigour, keen to chew my ear off.”

  “Hence the reason you and Ulrik are racing out of here?” Erin smiled.

  “No, we’re going to secure the gateway. We’ll be back in a while.”

  CHAPTER 19

  Arianna’s head was spinning, so much had happened in the last few days that her mind was having trouble processing it all.

  Back in Lokranor, she could hear her father, Damon and Ulrik discussing the new gateway quite loudly. It affected all their territories. Peace and stability were top of everyone’s list.

  “How about we make a break for it whilst they’re arguing and go do something naughty?” Kat whispered in her ear.

  “Sounds good.” Arianna’s eyes twinkled. “What did you have in mind?”

  “Let’s go visit the local tavern, it’s supposed to be raucous.”

  Arianna laughed. “Why the hell not. Nothing is more entertaining than watching inebriated men trying to make sense.”

  Dressed in trousers, long boots and cloaks, the two sisters could have passed for young men, as long as they kept the hood of their cloaks up. It was outside the tavern they spotted trouble. Arianna pulled Kat back into the shadows.

  “Wait.” She nodded towards the men. “They look like they’re up to no good.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “They are oblivious to the fact they’re standing outside the tavern. And men never whisper unless they’re plotting.”

  “True. Who do you think they are?”

  “I think one of them is on the Council. Perhaps they are unhappy with the development of the gateways. I guess some people are scared that our way of life is going to change.”

  “We are linking two Viking realms, how is their life going to change?”

  Arianna shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe they are not aware that the Fourth realm is not quite as developed as we are.”

  After a few minutes the group
moved on. “Do we follow?” Kat asked.