She held his foot, not moving.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Warming you. Healing you.”
And she was, he realized. Beneath her hand, the numbness faded without the usual pinpricks of sensation. Within half a minute, his foot felt normal again, the slide of the leather boot pure comfort against his skin.
She repeated the procedure with his other foot, handing him his shoe, then stood and brushed the snow off her skirt.
“Come.” Looking like a fairy princess and acting like a warrior queen, she started back the way they’d come and the two men followed without argument.
Harrison glanced at Findris and the Esri met his gaze, speculation and perhaps a hint of respect in his dark green eyes.
“Thanks for the boots,” Harrison said gruffly.
Wry amusement softened the Esri’s features. “You’re welcome, though it’s the princess you have to thank and we both know it.”
Harrison glanced at the Esri’s feet, so white they seemed to disappear in the snow. “You’re loyal to her.”
“I am.”
“If you’re lying, if you turn against her, I’ll kill you.”
The Esri lifted a single snow-white brow, then gave a nod of acceptance. “That goes both ways, human.”
Harrison returned that cool nod. “Agreed.”
The Esri studied him. “She has a remarkable ability to see the heart of people, regardless of their race. She cares as much for the humans and the Marceils as she does for her own.”
“She’s a remarkable woman,” Harrison said.
“As beautiful of spirit as she is of face. She always has been. Very different from the queen who gave birth to her.”
“I can hear you, you know.” Ilaria’s softly smiling voice floated back to them on the snowy breeze.
“We’re just setting things straight between us,” Harrison told her. And while he could be wrong, his instincts told him Findris was a man of morals and honor. All he could do was hope that honor drove him to protect Ilaria and help them defeat Rith.
His gut told him to trust them both. He hoped to hell his gut was right.
Chapter 13
Harrison unlocked the door to Charlie’s apartment and stood back as the two pale Esri proceeded him in. Esri. What had his world come to that he, of all people, had to convince the others to trust the Esri?
He shook off the thought as he sat and pulled off Findris’s boots, tossing them to the frost-white man. “Thanks again.”
Findris nodded.
Harrison grabbed his cell phone, called Charlie, then tucked the phone between his ear and shoulder as he dug a pair of Timberland boots out of Charlie’s closet, found thick wool socks, and pulled them on.
“Yo,” Charlie said.
“Any sign of Rith?” Harrison asked his brother.
“None. We’re taking shifts patrolling so we don’t all turn into snow monsters. Where are you?”
“In your apartment. With two Esri.”
Silence. “Two?”
“Ilaria and Findris.”
Charlie’s voice turned to granite. “You need help?” “No. Not the kind you mean. But there’s been a change of plans.” He outlined Ilaria’s revelations—the need to destroy the stones of Orisis and the inability to seal the gates for fear of triggering Armageddon in truth. “When I give the word, I want you to meet us at the Dupont Circle fountain with the draggon stone and the other three green stones. It’s the only way, Charlie.”
His explanation was met with silence.
“You still there, little brother?”
“I’m here and I heard you, I’m just having a hard time deciding whether you’ve been enchanted, or you’re an Esri mimicking my brother’s voice.”
“I’d answer you with a smart-aleck comment except that I’d be wondering the same thing if I were in your shoes. Ilaria finally confided in me. Up until now, she’s been afraid to admit the truth of her mission, that she needs to take the stones back to Esria in order to destroy them.”
“Can’t say I blame her. Why would we trust any Esri to that extent? Except Kade. Sorry, Kade,” Charlie said, his voice away from the phone for a moment. When he returned, his tone was brittle. “You’re thinking with your cock, brother, not your brain. Since when do you trust an Esri that much, Harrison?”
Since I fell in love with one.
“I trust her, Charlie. Right or wrong, I trust her.”
Silence again. “You’ve fallen for her.” There was disbelief in his words. And wonder. “Head-over-heels fallen. I knew it. I saw it when you were at Fort McNair, when she came into her power. You couldn’t take your eyes off one another.”
Harrison let out a huff of air. “I’m not denying it.”
“Still, how do you know she hasn’t done this to you?”
“How do you know Tarrys hasn’t woven some spell over you?” Harrison countered.
“Of course Tarrys wove a spell over me, but nothing intentional or malicious. Love’s just like that. I think.” That stark silence again. “Jesus, Harrison. You’re in love with Princess Ilaria.”
Harrison’s gaze jerked to Ilaria. She had her back to him, watching out the window, but he suspected she heard. She always seemed to hear both sides of his telephone conversations.
“I trust her, Charlie. I believe her only agenda is to stop Rith, and the only way for her to do that is to destroy the green stones, or as many of them as we can get our hands on. Enough to thwart the evil king.”
“And what about the other Esri?”
“Findris is the only one loyal to her. He’s going to help her.”
“Huh.”
“Tell Kade what I just told you, Charlie. Ask him what he thinks. Because our only choice is whether or not to trust her. And if we choose wrong, we’re in trouble, either way.”
Silence. “Hell. Hold on.”
He listened as Charlie did as he asked, running everything he’d just said by Kade. Then he waited, his breathing shallow, for Kade’s response. If the dark Esri said it was all a lie, he didn’t know what he was going to do.
“He’s speaking of legends from long past. More than fifteen thousand years.”
Kade’s voice carried through the phone from a distance. “Storms and quakes like Esria had never seen resulted in the multiplying of the gates. But I’d never heard the reason for it.”
“So you think she could be telling the truth, Kade?” Charlie asked.
Kade’s response was slow in coming, but his voice was deep and thoughtful when he replied. “Yes. What she says could well be true from the few things I know about those stones. There has never been any darkness in Princess Ilaria, Charlie. If she says this is the only way to stop King Rith, I believe her.”
The tension in Harrison’s neck eased. He sensed Charlie was back on the phone, but he wasn’t talking.
“So?” Harrison prompted.
“It’s a hell of a risk,” Charlie muttered.
“It’s a risk either way. If she’s right and we ignore her…”
“We’re hosed.” He swore under his breath. “Okay, I guess we’re trusting the princess. So what’s the plan?”
The last of the knots in Harrison’s shoulders loosened and fell away. “According to Findris, Rith’s having trouble finding the other stones. The power of the three he has is masking the scent of the others. They’re due to meet at midnight. If Rith still doesn’t have a lock on the others, he’s handing over the first three to the head of his guard—Findris—while he searches for the others.”
“Which he’ll find quickly once they’re not masking the scent.”
“Correct. But there’s something more. Findris is a stone scenter, which means he can draw power from those stones, if nothing close to the power Rith can call. Findris may be able to open the gates without waiting for the full moon.”
“Tonight?” Charlie asked.
“No. It’s too risky for them to try to go through the gate here with Rith s
o close.” Harrison’s gaze slid over Ilaria’s slender back as she continued to stare out the window. Findris sat on one of the chairs, appearing at once comfortable and alert. “Once Findris gets the three stones from King Rith, I want to get him, Ilaria and the seven stones on a plane, out of King Rith’s reach. We’ll get them to one of the other gates—maybe Stonehenge. Assuming Rith can even follow them, he’ll be too late to stop them.”
“Not a bad plan, except for one thing. Have you looked at a weather report? This snow is turning into a blizzard. The latest prediction is close to two feet. Everything’s grounded for at least the next twenty-four hours.”
Harrison groaned. “Then we’re going to have to open the gate at Dupont Circle, send Ilaria and Findris through with the stones and then make damn sure King Rith doesn’t follow before it closes again.”
Thick silence permeated the line. Harrison could almost hear the wheels turning in his brother’s head as Charlie digested everything. Finally, Charlie made a sound in his throat, half grunt, half growl. “I’ll put things in motion on this end. Call when it’s time to roll.”
“Thanks, little brother.”
“Watch your back, Harrison.”
As Harrison hung up, Ilaria turned to face him. “Thank you.”
He nodded, feeling the need to take her into his arms. Instead, he turned to Findris. “How much of that did you hear?”
The Esri male frowned. “Enough.”
“What’s the matter?” Harrison demanded.
Findris’s mouth tightened. “I’ve never held the stones of Orisis before. I’ve never tried to call their power.”
“Rith sent a stone scenter after the stones when Kade arrived a couple of months ago,” Harrison told them. “He was able to use them to force open the gates.”
“That doesn’t mean I can.”
“You must, Findris.” Ilaria’s words were a command.
The Esri’s mouth kicked up on one side. “Then I will, Princess.” But the worry didn’t leave his eyes and wouldn’t, Harrison suspected. Not until that gate was open. And Rith wasn’t likely to give him much time to do it.
They were going to be in for one hell of a battle. Again.
Findris sketched Ilaria a bow. “I must take my leave. The meeting with Rith takes place soon. I’ll contact you as soon as I have the stones.”
“You have a cell phone?” Harrison asked. The thought seemed ridiculous, yet with the ability the Esri had of learning all a human knew with a single touch—and procuring whatever they wanted with a bit of enchantment—it made perfect sense that he would.
“I do.” Findris looked at Ilaria, some silent question passing between them.
Ilaria met Harrison’s gaze. “I acquired some ability to communicate telepathically when I came into my power. It’s how I told Findris that I needed to meet with him.” She turned back to Findris. “But I’m not sure how far it will work.”
Harrison shook his head, feeling a little like he’d fallen through the rabbit hole into Wonderland. Every time he turned around, the ground beneath his feet shifted. It was a good thing he was learning to shift with it.
“Let me give you my cell number,” he told the Esri. “Just in case you can’t talk to Ilaria…your way.”
Harrison rattled off his number. Findris typed it into his phone, then sketched Ilaria another bow and left.
Harrison turned to find Ilaria watching him with eyes deep enough to drown in.
“It’ll work,” he found himself saying. His arms itched to enfold her again, but things had changed between them. Even if she’d been justified, he knew now that from the moment he met her, she’d been lying to him, plotting against him. Against them all. Planning to steal the stones and run. He understood why she’d done it, but that didn’t alter the fact that she hadn’t trusted him with the truth—not until he caught her.
That feeling of connection between them had taken a fist-sized hit. Which was probably just as well since she was about to leave.
He took a deep breath and got down to business. “Once you and Findris go through the gate, we’ll set up a perimeter to keep King Rith and his gang from following you. You’ll be safe from him.”
She blinked slowly, a silent repudiation that she’d ever be safe.
The thought of that bastard coming after her later, even if they managed to thwart him tonight, infuriated him.
“We’ll catch him, Ilaria. Somehow, we’ll stop him. He won’t be a threat to you ever again.” He was making promises he couldn’t possibly know if he’d be able to keep, but dammit, he wanted her safe even if he never saw her again. “Will you try to reclaim your throne?”
Her expression turned pensive. “Yes. I’ll try. But Rith won’t give it up easily.”
Even if the Sitheen managed to capture him, there would be those either loyal to him or too afraid of him to embrace Ilaria as their queen.
“Then we’ll kill him.”
Her beautiful mouth turned up, but her smile was sad. “I’ll miss you, Harrison. What will you do? Build great walls around the gates, I imagine.”
“We haven’t gotten that far, but yes, I’m sure that’s next. Unless you become queen and order your people not to come through them anymore. Is that possible?”
“I’ll do what I can. If I get the chance.”
The worst of it was, he might never know what had become of her.
He shoved his hands in his pockets to keep from reaching for her. “If you ever need me, Ilaria, come to the D.C. gate, the one in your Banished Lands, and tell whoever’s there to call me. I’ll try to be there every full moon, but I may not always be.”
Her smile turned cocky, rolling his heart in his chest. “The queen of Esria can handle things on her own, human.”
He returned her smile. “No offense intended, Your Highness.”
“None taken.”
Their gazes locked, that familiar warmth moving through him. “I hate that I won’t know where you are. Or if you’re okay.”
“I’ll be fine.” But worry clouded her eyes and he knew she was as worried about her chances of success as he was. The regal persona dropped away. “We have so little time left, Harrison.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “I’m going to miss you.”
Both her stance and expression told him she wanted to close the distance between them, but feared he wouldn’t welcome her if she did.
Part of him, the part that hadn’t forgiven her for lying to him, didn’t want to. But his arms ached to hold her one last time. His heartbeat deepened with a need beyond the flesh. Damn his pride.
He opened his arms to her and she came to him without hesitation. She melted against him, wrapping her arms around his neck as their mouths came together in a kiss that was at once tender and desperate. Her scent wove a spell over his senses as he cupped her head, her silken hair caressing his palm. With his other arm, he pulled her tight, pressing her close against his heart.
If only he could keep her here, just like this. If only he didn’t have to let her go.
Her mouth opened beneath his and his tongue mated with hers, tasting, devouring. She was sweetness and light. Strength and passion. She’d whisked into his life like a warm, clean wind, clearing out the staleness and anger, and thawing the frost that had clung to his heart.
Their clothes came off in a flurry of desperate hands and lush kisses, and he swept her into his arms and onto the sofa. As he followed her down, she watched him, her mouth tipped up in that impish smile that promised him his every desire. She reached for him, opening her arms and thighs, and he sank into the cradle of her lithe body.
With a long, slow thrust, he entered her, her inner muscles clutching him in a velvet glove, welcoming him home.
Home. One last time.
Never had he known such a clash of grief and joy. The knowledge that this was their last time lent a tender, desperate edge as desire turned into a storm of need and wanting.
They rode the passion, joining and melding, every thrust d
riving him deeper into her body, driving her deeper into his heart. Once again, he felt himself falling through that door into her soul, tumbling into a place of brightness and warmth. And love.
As the storm broke over them simultaneously, Harrison felt as if he’d been flung to the stars and back, a rush of such intense feeling, of such pleasure and beauty, he could barely credit the perfection of it.
All the while, he held her gaze, and she his. His gaze. His heart.
Finally, on a sated, shuddering sigh, he rolled onto his back, cradling her against his chest. As he stroked her precious head he wondered, for the hundredth time, how he was going to let her go.
Yet he had no choice. She couldn’t stay here. Not unless they failed to stop King Rith. Then maybe, if she had nowhere else to hide…
He couldn’t think that way. He couldn’t wish for them to fail, not even a little bit. His mind and heart had to be totally in the game. More than anything, he wanted what was best for Ilaria. And what was best for her was to be queen.
Even if it meant she’d be lost to him forever.
With a start, he remembered… Stephie.
“What’s the matter?” she asked softly.
“My daughter. I wanted you to try to heal her.”
Ilaria started to rise. “How quickly can she get here?”
He pulled her back down. “Not fast enough. She’s in Pennsylvania somewhere. Hours away. Besides, I’d never bring her here, not with King Rith on the loose. She’s Sitheen. One of them might sense her. Target her.”
Ilaria curled against him, her lips brushing his shoulder. “I’ll come back, Harrison. When this is over, I’ll come back with the draggon stone and heal her.” She lifted her head, meeting his gaze. “I will do everything in my power to return to heal her. I vow it.”
He cupped her face in his hands, feeling the force of her will, of her emotions, and felt his heart ease. And swell. God help him, his life was going to be empty when she was gone.
As if reading his mind, or sharing his thoughts, Ilaria kissed his shoulder again, then slid her hand down to stroke him hard once more.
“Join with me again,” she said softly. “I don’t ever want to forget.”
Warrior Rising (Harlequin Nocturne) Page 16
