Weylin shifted his stance, his eyes narrowed, but Rena shook her head.
“We speak when the Princess is near.” Her words bit the air.
“The Warrior’s Creed is never discussed aloud,” Weylin stated back.
Unease rippled through the guard.
Tark made his way to the front, but everyone else remained frozen in their spot. Weylin’s aggression ran in waves as he and Rena silently argued.
Micah started toward them, but one look at Gavin, and he backed away.
Agitated, Rena shook her head. “No,” she mumbled. “That’s not true.”
“Yes, it is.” Weylin’s vehemence darkened his tone. “Look at what you’re doing right now. We are training the source of our future King, and you ...” Infuriated, Weylin threw his hands up. “Do you realize the consequences of your actions? Your fear is a millstone around the Princess’s neck. One that will hinder her with doubt and leave her vulnerable to the enemy. Look around, daughter of Rill. These are the warriors you’ve trained with your entire life. See what your actions have cost.”
Rena's eyes widened, and she blinked several times. She stood, her expression vulnerable, confused.
Exasperated, Weylin shook his head. “Seek your heart’s intent. You know I’m right.”
It took me a moment to realize he was speaking in the Ancient Language.
Weylin balled his hands into fists. “And on this, your father would agree. Your place is no longer by her side.”
Rena stepped so closely to him that she had to tip her head back to make eye contact. “I am her Guardian.”
“You doubt her abilities. I do not.”
“You’ll hurt her.”
Weylin growled. “Is it your intent to allow your doubt to weaken the guard as well?”
Rena looked around at the warriors before finding Weylin’s eyes once more. “If any harm comes to her, mentally or physically, you’ll answer to me.”
She squared her shoulders, and without a backward glance she stormed off the field. Tark ran, catching up with her.
The guard shuffled around, not sure what to do.
“Stand ready!” Gavin bellowed from the hill. The shakers rose to a high-pitched drone; the guard prepared. I was grateful for the few seconds reprieve. Had someone tried to attack as Rena left they would have felled me like a deer.
Weylin seemed shaken from the encounter, but he quickly got it together.
“What did you say to her?” I shouted.
Weylin ignored the question.
“Enough of this. I’m done.” I started toward the castle.
“Is that what you plan to do when we reach Earth?” Weylin shouted.
The question caught me off guard, and I stopped.
“Are you so willing to give up your training?” He took a step closer. “Do you think this is an easy task for your mate? Watching seasoned warriors attack, knowing that one well-placed blow can end your life? Are you willing to discredit his sacrifice for the sake of comforting a friend?”
I glanced back. Gavin was notably pale, his hands balled into fists. At the moment I didn’t know who I wanted to comfort more, my husband or my best friend.
“Nora, Nora, Nora.” Weylin shook his head, cajoling. “Rena will survive. You, however, I’m not so sure. Where are your priorities? Why are you so willing to risk the future King’s source in this way?”
“Quit being a jerk,” I mumbled, as compassion for Gavin ached.
“Manners, Nora of Frey.” His outstretched palm pushed against the barrier. “I must say I’m impressed. I didn’t think you’d last this long. The only other time you were alone, you lost your purpose, and Rena had to save you. Before that, Malachi made sure that no one challenged you, and the Prince has sheltered you as he did Mia. He’s good at that ... protecting the weak.”
“Don’t you dare put me in the same category as her,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Ah, there’s that sweet temperament we know and love.”
I ignored him, keeping my eyes above his head, watching the distant landscape swim in and out of the smoke-filled skies. The guard circled, watching, waiting. The night had been endless, and now my thighs burned with the effort to stand. The amulet warmed around my wrist, and I looked down, watching the last of the energy filter away.
“You know.” Weylin tilted his head as if something had occurred to him. “I wonder. Will it be the same on Earth—you protecting the Prince’s source this way?”
My heart sank at the change in tack. Doubt seeped in. I worried about that every night. I had no clue how the energy we created worked on Earth. What if we couldn’t call to the land? What if Mia had taught the Dokkalfar to resist the power that coursed through me?
Recognition blazed in Weylin’s eyes. “Come now, Princess.” He warmed to the topic. “We should explore the possibilities. We both know what will happen if you fail. After all, we’ve seen it before, haven’t we?”
Tension crept up the back of my neck. Memories of my energy barrier giving way, of the Dokkalfar swarming Gavin, of them taking him from me, surged through. The icy ache in my chest intensified as whispers of loneliness, guilt and anguish stirred.
The guard tested the barrier behind me, lunging and punching to see if they could get in. Weylin’s eyes hardened to stone.
“I know you well remember, Princess. It’s unfortunate that the last time you were on Earth, you were practically helpless. We’ve no idea if your power even works in that realm. What if you can do no more than stand by and watch Mia hurt your mate again?”
Shallow ice-blue eyes and charcoal gray skin swam through my exhausted mind. Gavin’s once betrothed was the only Alfar in this millennium that had chosen darkness over light. She betrayed her own people and was now the leader of the Dokkalfar.
“That’s too far.” My voice broke.
Weylin’s tone became soft, almost cruel.
“I know what Mia did.” He pressed on the barrier. “I’ve seen the Prince’s chest.”
My chin quivered as tears rushed forward. After Gavin was taken, Mia carved her initial over his heart before leaving him for dead. Time and love had healed the rope scar; only a pink outline remained. But it had changed him. The thought of his now constant struggle with darker emotions flooded through. Weylin was right; it was my fault. I wasn’t the source Gavin deserved. I wasn’t strong enough to protect him when he needed me most.
I choked down a sob as the energy surrounding me dissolved like an apparition; the shield vanished. Weylin grabbed me, pulling me to him, protecting me from several glancing blows. As soon as he touched me, the noise stopped, and the guard darted back to the trees.
I struggled, trying to break free of his hold. I knew it was pointless. Aside from the fact the Alfar were incredibly strong, my muscles were already past exhausted.
“That’s not fair,” I whimpered, aggressively sweeping the tears from my face.
His turquoise eyes hardened; his grip bit into my arms. “You’re right, Nora. It isn’t fair. But the Dokkalfar aren’t exactly known for playing by the rules, now are they?”
Defeated, I stopped struggling and rested my forehead on his chest. “How do you know my weaknesses?”
He sighed and patted my head. “Because I’ve fought next to you in battle. I’ve seen your determination, but within that, I’ve witnessed your vulnerabilities too.”
“It’s one of the reasons I’ve decided to alter your training.” Gavin came from behind. Weylin waited to release me until Gavin’s hands were on my shoulders.
I stiffened at his touch as anger flooded through. How could he do this to me?
He turned me so that I faced him. I couldn’t meet his eyes.
“Why didn’t you stop? You said I only had to make it through the night,” I muttered.
“We had to see how far you could go before you broke.”
I wasn’t sure what was worse. The fact that every part of me ached with exhaustion, Weylin’s cruel reminder that I was
still a liability, or that Rena had actually walked away. She’d never left the field during training. Ever.
My back stayed ramrod straight.
“Please, don’t resent me,” Gavin whispered. He pulled me to him as devotion, relief, protection, determination, and, most of all, concern rushed through.
I relaxed as his emotions flooded in, filling the hollow ache in my chest.
“I don’t resent you,” I said. “But I resent having to go through this. I hate not being able to feel you.”
“My absence was necessary.”
“Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
His hands shook as he placed them on either side of my face. His soft lips brushed across mine, and he took a deep breath. “Watching and listening to Weylin taunt you was the worse than torture. I hated every minute of it.”
Gavin’s fingers slid down my arms, finding the chest plate strap below my elbow. He loosened the armor and dipped his hands beneath. Warm palms found the place between my shoulder blades. I closed my eyes. Gavin made soothing patterns up and down my spine while he and Weylin held a silent conversation.
“Princess.” Weylin’s expression warmed. “I hope you understand that I take no joy in your defeat. My only intent is to help you strengthen.”
I gritted my teeth. “I know.”
Gavin sighed, and Weylin started to walk away.
I peeked out from Gavin’s chest. “What did you say to Rena?”
Weylin hesitated. “I reminded her of her truth.”
“I don’t understand what that means.”
Weylin stared at the war-torn field. “One of the first lessons an Alfar warrior learns is to search for true understanding—it’s only then we can live with our actions. Our lives are dedicated to protecting that which we hold most dear. We sacrifice all that we are, and we kill in the name of peace. This truth is the core of who we are, what we believe. It’s the foundation on which we base every decision, every intent, for without it the atrocities we endure would kill us easily. Rarely does that truth change, but when it does, we must look to our hearts and find our hidden reality.” His eyes found mine. “Today, Corina, mate of Tark, daughter of the great Rill, Keeper of the Field, and best friend to the Last Light of the Ancients, understood the truth in which she based her past decisions no longer exists. She now holds a new understanding and with that a new intent. This makes her accountable.”
Confusion must have been written all over my face because Weylin’s expression warmed. “Forgive me, Princess. I forget your human nature limits your understanding. Time will reveal this lesson better than words.” Weylin looked like he wanted to say more, but instead, he bowed and walked away.
“It’s extremely difficult to admire and resent someone at the same time,” I muttered, taking off my helmet. Gavin hoisted the metal plate from my chest.
“You need not resent him, love. He’s doing what’s required.” Gavin tossed the armor to the ground.
“Is Rena really okay?” I asked.
He kissed my forehead. “She will be—after she gets used to the changes.” He threw the arm braces on top of the breastplate.
“Changes? What changes?” I rubbed both my temples, hoping the pressure would ease the pain. A headache that had started after the last pyres were lit had intensified, and now my skull pounded with every heartbeat.
Gavin never answered. Instead, his palms illumined to a silvery hue. He touched the top of my head, his thumb massaging the curve of my brows. I groaned as the pounding calmed to a quiet pulse. He worked his way down, my thoughts guiding him to every pain and twinge. Sitting on his heels, he removed the leg shields and lightly squeezed my calves.
“Have a seat,” he muttered, helping me to the ground. He slipped off my shoes. I closed my eyes and sighed as his thumbs pressed into the arch of my foot.
“Gavin?”
“Hmmmm?”
“What really happened today?”
He took his time putting my shoes back on. “It’s not my story to tell,” he finally said. “It’s Rena’s. She and Tark are taking a day or two to strengthen. She wants me to tell you that she’s all right.”
What? Rena had never taken a day off.
Gavin picked me up, and for once I didn’t protest. He walked across the field and through the gates. I yawned, trying to keep my eyes open as we made our way through the castle.
“I need a shower,” I mumbled.
Gavin carried me to the bathroom. He willed the water on as he peeled off our clothes. Guiding me under the warm spray, he washed my hair and then worked his way down, healing any residual bruises left from the night.
I locked my knees as my eyes grew heavy, and before I knew it, Gavin was slipping the covers over me.
“Rest, my light,” he whispered.
I cracked my eyes open. “Don’t leave.”
He grimly smiled. “After having to endure the past twelve hours, I’m tempted to never leave this suite again.”
The mattress dipped under his weight, and he scooted closer, his chest warming my back. His knees rested against the back of mine, and I tucked my toes between his shins.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured.
“For what?” I yawned.
“Putting you through that.”
I nestled down, taking in his clean scent. “I’m never planning on fighting without you, but if it helps you to know that I can hold my own, then it was worth it.”
Gavin kept his emotions calm, peaceful. Exhaustion took hold, and I fell asleep.
Chapter 3
Changing of the Guard
Desolation blanketed the cavern. Ester stood, her shoulders rounded like teardrops, her wild white hair blocking the expression on her face. Her hands, scarred and bloody, reached for me; I backed away.
“Princess,” she whispered. “It is time.”
The last of her statement melded into an ominous buzz. Ester motioned me forward.
“Come,” her voice grew stronger. “You must take your place. It is time.”
The buzz rolled into a solid drone of white noise.
My arms protectively folded across my midriff. Hot tears scalded my cheeks. I backed away, but fingers, gray as death, gripped my shoulder, nudging me forward. Startled, I glanced back. Hundreds of almond eyes twinkled in the darkness.
These were not the eyes of the Dokkalfar that had fought in the Badlands. These were ancient, half-dead creatures, resolved to die. Numerous hands pushed me forward, and I stumbled. The wild child of my mind conjured visions of Kailmeyra, demanding that I draw the last of my strength. My mind struggled as thoughts flooded through. Thoughts of what could have been ... what was left undone ... what was still unborn.
“Princess,” Ester’s fingers curled around my wrist. “You must fulfill your destiny. It is time ...”
Matted hair clung to my cheeks as sweat rolled off my body. Confusion and loss raged; I struggled to breathe. Kicking the tangle of sheets off my legs, I reached across the bed.
“Gavin?”
Nothing. He wasn’t here. He wasn’t here, and I couldn’t feel him. Fear rushed through me, and I shot up.
“Gavin!” My scream bounced off the walls.
Masculine emotions flooded within—a weird mix of aggression, love, and protection so intense it was on the brink of painful.
They eased as that thought ran through my mind.
The nightmare faded to nothing, and I flopped back on soft pillows, taking a few minutes to breathe. The past few weeks I’d wake up alone and panicked over something I’d dreamt. But as soon as my eyes opened, the nightmare faded away. Usually, Gavin’s emotions calmed me as the dream faded, but this morning I didn’t even have that.
Frustrated, I got out of bed and headed for the door.
A spacious living room, full of cozy furniture, sprawled beneath the upper balustrade. Small flames sputtered within the hearth’s dying embers. Judging by the pile of hot cinders, it looked as if it had been lit hours ago. Gavin sat by the h
earth, his chestnut hair shone in the flickering light. He calmly flipped the pages of a book, looking entirely at ease.
“Good morning, Light,” he said without looking up.
“It won’t work, you know,” I softly stated, making my way down the winding staircase. “You can sit there and act like nothing’s wrong, but I feel your emotions, and they give you away.”
“Did you rest well?” he asked, completely ignoring my last remark.
I frowned. “You know I didn’t.” I stopped at the bottom of the stairs.
Vague memories flickered through. Darkness ... Ester ... “It is—”
“The guard is expecting us for breakfast.” Gavin’s voice pulled me from the dream, and the images disappeared like smoke in the wind.
I made my way across the room. “I’m not hungry.”
A dull ache bloomed behind my eyes, and I pressed my thumbs on my temples. Lately, I seemed to be living in my own Twilight Zone. Sleep often brought wild nightmares I couldn’t remember. As the dream faded, sweet relief flooded soon to be followed by a headache. It was like my subconscious was at war with the rest of my brain. It didn’t help that yesterday’s simulation stretched my emotions to the extreme.
Gavin kept his head down, his eyes focused on the book.
“Gavin, please. I’m tired of waking up this way. I don’t remember my dreams, but you do. If you would tell me—”
He set the book down with a decided thump. “We’ve been through this. If you’re meant to recall them, you will.” Taking a deep breath, he reached for me, his palms finding the rise of my hips. “I love the look of you in the morning.” He pulled me forward, placing his forehead on my abdomen. Desire seeped through his touch like warm honey.
I ran my fingers through his hair. “I want to talk about the dream.”
“Talking won’t help.” He pulled me onto his lap. “But I know something that might get your mind off things.”
“I thought you said the guard was expecting us.” I squirmed, my legs dangling over the side of the chair. He pulled me closer.
“They can wait.” He placed his palm on my forehead. Prickles ran where his fingers touched, healing the dull ache that had settled there.
The Heart of the Ancients Page 3
