Suspending Reality

by Chrissy Peebles

  “Sarah,” the first voice said.

  She turned her head, taking in the blurred shapes. Her gaze sharpened, allowing her to recognize Frank.

  He inched closer until his nose was inches away from her face. “We’ll get you out of this…alive.”

  “Don’t make promises you may not be able to keep,” Jules said matter-of-factly.

  Frank pulled back, hesitating. “I got the arrows out.”

  “Yes, but she’s still losing much blood,” Jules said.

  She would’ve liked to point out that she could hear every word they said, but somehow it didn’t register with her that they were talking about her. They couldn’t be. Surely I’m not the one hurt and covered in blood. Did he say an arrow went through my…my heart?

  “Send for a healer and get me some antiseptic of some sort…you know, something with a high alcohol content,” Frank said.

  “You want a drink when your woman is dying?”

  “Well I could use a stiff one right about now, but I need it to sterilize the wound.” Frank’s voice echoed through the large room, cutting through the silence like a knife as he jumped to his feet, peering around him. If he was looking for some good old whiskey, he wasn’t likely going to find it there. “It always works in the movies when those cowboys pour moonshine on a bullet wound,” he continued.

  “Movies?” Jules asked. “And I know we have wolf people, but what are cow boys?”

  Frank dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “It’s not important,” Frank said. “Please just go. Sarah’s life’s at stake.”

  “They’re counting on us to look for help. Guards will be stationed all over the healer’s cottage.”

  “I’ll go myself then,” Frank demanded.

  “Have you gone mad? Perhaps you took an arrow to the head.”

  “Just tell me where to go. Please, Jules. I can’t just stand here and watch her die without doing anything. What if it were Mia?”

  Sarah moaned. “Bon Jovi would be proud,” she said.

  “Huh?” Frank said, kneeling down and grabbing her hand.

  “Yeah. Brings a whole new meaning to ‘Shot Through the Heart,” she said, attempting a crooked smile

  “Sarah, can you hear me?” Frank asked.

  “Did the serving wench pack me a doggy bag?” she whispered. “I wasn’t finished with the duck.”

  Smiling, he stroked her face. “Hey, Sleeping Beauty. Welcome back to the land of the living.”

  “Frank…” She squinted, her gaze searching his hazel eyes. “Where…where are we? This can’t be heaven. There’s no way they’d let you past the pearly gates.”

  He laughed, happy to hear her voice, in spite of her banter. “We’re in a chapel. Jules has a friend who’s a priest.”

  Sarah was lying on something hard, a wooden pew. She groaned and tried to move her aching bones. “Surely you could’ve found a rug or something to squeeze under me. My back’s killing me.” Pushing up on her elbows, she sat up and noticed that the room was illuminated with hundreds of candles in the front of the church, placed meticulously around a wooden altar decorated with a gold and white cloth. Her hand flew to where Frank had applied pressure rags. “I should be…dead.” She scrambled to her feet, and the bloody rags fell to the floor. She pulled down the blood-soaked cloak and stared at the gaping wound as it shrank smaller and smaller, finally disappearing right before her eyes. “What the heck?” she gasped between breaths. “What’s going on? The wound’s gone—no redness, no pain, and not even a scar.”

  Frank ran a hand over the smooth skin where the wound once was. “How’s this possible?”

  Jules looked at Frank, his eyes widening in shock. “It’s true. She’s an Immortal!” He gasped. “She is one of them.”

  “What?” Frank asked, his mouth agape with shock. “Because she put on this bubblegum machine ring of his?”

  “I don’t get it. Why?” Sarah said, confusion filling her voice. “It’s just a ring.”

  Jules lifted her hand, peering down at the jewelry. “This is not just any ring, miss. It’s a powerful, ancient one, thousands of years old, and it obviously carries the power of transforming one into an Immortal being.”

  A shudder of fear ran through her. “Get it off right now! Find some grease or butter, whatever it takes!” She pulled at the band with all her might, wincing in pain. “That knight—he said they could stop evil by killing me. What the heck did that mean? Do they think I’m the devil or something?”

  “I don’t know, but I am sure they are mistaken. I’ve only known you a short while, but I know you are not evil.” Jules touched her shoulder. “Stop, Sarah. No amount of lubricant will allow you to remove that ring.”

  “I didn’t ask for this.” Sarah fell into Frank’s arms, and he held her tight. “Why didn’t Victor warn me I’d become a walking freak show? Although, I guess I should feel grateful. Without this ring, I’d be dead right now.”

  “He doesn’t know you are human,” Frank said.

  She had no idea Victor was Immortal either, like something straight out of some crazy Highlander movie. He wasn’t going around shouting “There can be only one!” or anything, but maybe I should’ve picked up on some small sign. Her senses had been heightened, but she had assumed that only meant the ring had some strange magical properties. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined herself becoming Immortal. “I-I don’t understand any of this.”

  Frank ran a hand through her hair. “We’re going to figure this out together, I promise. We’ll undo the ring’s curse somehow, Sarah. There has to be a way. But first, we have to figure out why there’s so much heat on us.” He looked at Jules. “Why are King William’s men trying to kill Sarah?”

  His brows furrowed. “I don’t know. Perhaps they are angry because we brought Victor’s wife over here, into their territory.”

  “No, that can’t be it. Notice they didn’t shoot us,” Frank said. “Sarah had a bull’s-eye on her back, and they were aiming to kill.”

  Jules shook his head. “They hate Victor, and I have no doubt they’d hate his wife too.”

  “It must be the reason why Victor warned me not to come to Dornia…into enemy territory. How good is your witness protection program out here?” she joked halfheartedly.

  Jules cocked an eyebrow.

  Sarah waved her hand. “Never mind. Listen, King William is just mad because I pretended to be his daughter, Princess Gloria. Think identity theft. Maybe I brought disgrace to her name somehow, and that’s why they think I’m evil.”

  Snap! Outside, someone or something stepped on a twig.

  Frank rose to his feet and motioned for them to be silent. When nothing moved, he inched closer, whispering, “We need a game plan. Let’s find Liz…and quick.”

  “But how?” Sarah asked. “Everyone’s after us. I’m on the most wanted lists of two kings.”

  “There might be a third party after us as well,” Jules said with a sigh. “Sarah was turned into an Immortal without permission from the Cardashian Court. They’ll send trackers the second they find out, if they haven’t already.”

  She slapped her forehead. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

  “The Cardashian Court has their own justice and trials,” Jules said.

  “Is Victor in trouble with the court for making me Immortal?” Sarah asked. “Maybe that’s why he’s after me.”

  “For payback?” Jules shook his head. “How could he get in trouble? He didn’t knowingly marry a mortal behind their back. He thought he was marrying an Immortal princess. He is guilty of nothing in this. In spite of their propensity for swift justice, even the Cardashians should see that. They are very wise.”

  “Then he’s only out for revenge, because we tricked him and likely made a fool of him.” Sarah took a trembling breath, her shoulders slumping. “Can this get any worse? It’s like being chased by the FBI, the police, and the Italian mafia all in one night.”

  “Had much experience with any of
that?” Frank asked, grinning.

  Sarah slapped the back of his head.

  He shrugged. “What? At least you don’t need a bulletproof jacket. I’ve heard they are harder to come by than the actual weapons.”

  She slugged him again. “Focus, Frank.”

  “The Immortals from the Cardashian Court will likely give you a speedy trial and then kill you,” Jules said. “We know King William’s men will definitely kill you. As for King Victor, I don’t know his intentions, but he could be the lesser of the evils. You could have a chance with him—especially if you give yourself up and quit running.”

  Sarah rolled her eyes. “Wow. I’m overcome with so many wonderful options, aren’t I? Let’s see…courtroom and likely death, definite death, and making babies with a king I barely know. I’ve no idea which one to choose.”

  “Try to look at it from another perspective, Sarah. You didn’t die before. If they try to kill you, you might just weasel out of it with the help of that ring,” Frank said.

  Sarah groaned. “Awesome. I’ve always wanted to know what it feels like to be a zombie.”

  “Then my advice would be to take your chances with Victor,” Jules said softly.

  She glared at him. Take a chance with Victor? She remembered those dangerous eyes he flashed her, warning her not to escape. She also remembered the way he’d gripped her wrist and told her she’d pay dearly if she ever tried. A chill ran up her spine. “No way! I don’t know why or how, but I can feel his anger and bitterness from my betrayal. He is after revenge, and he has a reputation to maintain.”

  Jules put a hand softly on her shoulder. “He may spare you. You are his wife…and an Immortal.”

  “Yeah, thanks for the reminder,” Sarah said.

  “King Victor has the power to sway the Cardashian Court to forgive you, especially when he takes over after King Taggert’s imminent death. That will put him in the perfect position to save your life. Your husband is one of the most powerful men in their group, feared by all. He may be your best bet to surviving all of this.”

  She turned away with a shudder. “If he doesn’t kill me the second he sees me.”

  “Can she even be killed?” Frank asked.

  She nudged him in the ribs, annoyed. “You make me sound like I’m some kind of virus.”

  “I’m just saying…” Frank said, effectively dodging another shove. “You might want to put less force into those. I’m not keen on bruises. I have a reputation to uphold too, you know, and getting beaten up by a girl won’t help.”

  “I barely touched you.”

  He cocked a brow. “Your hours at the gym are starting to pay off then.”

  “I only want to look out for Sarah’s best interests,” Jules said. He turned to Frank. “You’ll certainly lose her, but at least she’ll live.”

  “Live? Under the rule of a tyrant in some kind of medieval world?” Frank asked. “What kind of life would that be? No. Sarah deserves better, and I promised to get her out of here.”

  “Like I said, she’ll live, and so will you.”

  “After I stole his bride on his wedding night?”

  “He might not even know that you were involved in Sarah’s rescue,” Jules said. “Victor’s her only chance. To get her out of this mess you’ve created, he’s a risk worth taking.”

  Frank shook his head vehemently. “No way. I’m not going to stand by and let her throw herself at the mercy of some psychopathic royal pain in the—”

  “Frank!” Sarah said, getting tired of being talked about like she wasn’t even there.

  “And that’s final.”

  She shot him a thankful look. Even though it wasn’t really his business, she appreciated how adamant he was about keeping her safe, as if he truly cared for her wellbeing. “I don’t think the king wants me back. I might’ve called him Vic one too many times,” she said. “He really hates that. I’m not sure he’d be very forgiving or eager to experience marital bliss with someone he’s already threatened to kill.”

  Jules snorted. “Vic? You called him that, yet you’re still breathing? You must have a brilliant guardian angel.”

  Sarah smirked. “More likely it’s because my boobs were half falling out of that wedding gown. What’s with those corsets anyway?”

  Jules’s cheeks flushed, and he cleared his throat, signaling that a change in subject was imminent. “You could use your, um, queenly influence to strike a deal to see Frank sent safely back home—to his own world.”

  “No deals. Frank and I can get home on our own.”

  “You think the Immortals from the council will give up so easily? You think they won’t follow you back through the portal and hunt you down?” asked Jules. “You’ve no idea how vicious and ruthless they can be, and they do not take deceit and betrayal lightly…that or theft of their magic artifacts.”

  Frank’s eyebrows rose into arches of disbelief. “Sure. Maybe if they had some kind of tracking device, but I’m pretty sure that cheap trinket isn’t equipped with GPS.”

  Sarah noticed the serious look on Jules’s face and the intensity of his words. “You don’t know that, Frank. Maybe I’ve been tagged, like a wild animal,” Sarah said.

  “Doesn’t matter,” Frank said. “I have all kinds of tricks up my sleeve to outrun them.”

  “Without their blessing, you’ll never be safe again.” Jules stood and adjusted his cloak, pulling up his hood as if he was getting ready to leave. “You can’t do this by yourselves any longer.”

  “Yes we can,” Frank said. “You’ve grown up being taught to fear them, but we haven’t. We’ll fight to the very end.”

  “With that kind of thinking, you’re going to get yourselves killed. Sarah doesn’t even know how to use her powers. She’s like a newborn fighting against experienced Immortals, hundreds of years old. How long do you think you two can last out there stumbling around in the dark with no knowledge whatsoever of the landscape or what you’re up against?”

  Sarah’s stomach fluttered. She knew absolutely nothing, but she was sure she and Frank could figure it out on their own. They were both investigators after all, though she never would have liked to compare herself to him before they’d arrived here. “I know we’re in over our heads here, but I think we can manage.”

  Jules’s gaze narrowed. “You’re drowning, milady. You need help from another Immortal, someone who can guide you through the process. Go back to your husband and fall into his arms. Throw yourself at his mercy and beg for forgiveness. He’s the only one who can help you now.”

  “She’s not going back to King Victor, Jules, and I’ll hear no more of it!” Frank yelled.

  “If I go back to him, all of this we’ve suffered in an effort to escape will have been for nothing,” Sarah reasoned.

  “So what?” Jules asked. “At least you’ll continue to breathe. Did you ever think he might annul the marriage and let you go once he finds out he married the wrong person?”

  She knew Victor would never let go of her so easily. “That won’t happen. He feels connected to me because—”

  Frank met her gaze straight on. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  “Did you bed down with him?” Jules asked, wide-eyed. “I mean no disrespect, miss, but if you did, you completed the bonding process, and it is unbreakable.”

  “Sleep with him?” Her cheeks suddenly burned. She’d definitely thought about it. “No! Of course not! Who do you take me for?”

  Frank grabbed Jules’s arm. “Sarah’s not like that. She only kissed him on the lips during the ceremony, and that was only to play the part of a happy wife.”

  “She’s seeing visions, and he is behind the sending of them,” Jules said. “That would never happen unless a bond was formed, and that would likely require more than a tiny kiss on the lips.” He glanced over at Sarah. “Did you give yourself to your husband before you ran?”

  “No, I most certainly did not…and quit referring to Victor as my husband!” Sarah retorted.<
br />
  Frank shoved Jules against the wall, his eyes throwing daggers as he hissed, “Listen, buddy, I’m really beginning to dislike you. What kind of girl do you take Sarah for anyway? She’d never touch him like that. Do you understand?”

  “Perhaps not by her own will, but she could’ve been forced,” Jules whispered, pushing him back. “Victor is a very powerful, persuasive man, and we should have never left her in that dungeon to face him. It was a fool’s plan!”

  Sarah nodded eagerly. “Frank is right, Jules. Nothing like that happened! I swear. We just said the vows, I kissed him, and I escaped the first chance I had. The entire thing was a farce.” She didn’t think it was a good time to elaborate on just how much, how deeply she’d kissed him or how much she’d enjoyed it.

  “I will be back soon,” Jules said, heading toward the exit.

  “Just admit it, Jules,” Frank said, following after him. “You don’t approve of what we did—or should I say—what I did. This entire thing was my idea, and you’re just angry that the fool, as you called me, dragged Sarah and Mia into this wedding gig.”

  Jules glared at him. “You are correct, sir. As I said, it was a fool’s plan, and it put my Mia and your Sarah in more danger than was necessary.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “This whole thing could have been avoided! My friends and I risked our lives when we took you to the dungeon to rescue Sarah, but did you come back with her?” He pushed Frank away and pointed at Sarah. “No! You left her to her fate. Unbelievable.”

  Sarah realized in that moment that Jules had, in fact, been the lookout, the one who had done the whistling. “Guys, stop it!” She turned to look intensely at Jules. “It’s not his fault,” Sarah said. “Frank gave me an out, and I didn’t take it.”

  “That is only because of him!” Jules pointed an accusatory finger at Frank and shot him a most distasteful glare. “He filled your head with talk about the ring, the key to your home world. Had you left with us at that very moment, you’d be free from all of these problems already, and my Mia would be by my side instead of suffering or in danger!”