He looked up from the stone with difficulty, mesmerized by its overwhelming beauty.
"I shall order an attack," he warned, "if you do not undo the spell you have cast upon this emerald."
"Your fighter dragons are all dead," Erik said. "You have no more power."
Devanesque looked at him and laughed. "You have no idea of the power I wield." He put his hands out toward the stone but was careful not to touch it. "This stone's time has come and I am the one to wield its power. You cannot corrupt it. I will not have it."
"Sorcerer, you are not the only one who knows how to harness the power," said the old witch Sorenta. Devanesque turned to her. "I will tell you the stone's secrets," she whispered, "and together we will decipher its ancient words -- if you promise upon your life to share the power."
"And how do I know you won't want it all for yourself?" he demanded.
"Are you afraid of an old woman?" she asked slyly. "You who claim all power?"
"Tell me and be done with it."
"First I will have your promise."
"I will share power with you," he said grudgingly. "Now reverse the spell."
Sorenta left the arched doorway, then pushing her long, gnarled fingers into a small leather pouch she sprinkled black dust over the stone. She spoke in a low voice and he watched her suspiciously. "Waters of the divine, let this one merge with the emerald in all its power."
"Wait," Mandrak said. "What words do you speak? I am not familiar --"
"A spell undone," Sorenta said. "Surely you know the most simple words of a spell undone? It is found in every sorcerer apprentice's book."
"Aye, that I know, but it did not sound quite right." He narrowed his eyes. "If you seek to trick me, I will send you to a place that boils your skin and you will never escape."
"Young sorcerers," Sorenta said contemptuously. "Do you wish my help or do you not?"
"I would first place a protection around myself," he muttered, looking up into the skies, muttering an incantation. Quickly, he looked at Sorenta, "Continue, witch."
A puff of acrid smoke enveloped them, turning the air white and heavy. "It is done," she said.
Mandrak lunged toward the emerald, shoving the old woman out of his way and to the ground. She looked up at him. "Remember your promise."
"Everything will be mine." With one hand on the emerald, he pointed at her and from his hand a sliver of light went to her heart and she fell back.
Iliana jumped forward with a cry but Erik pulled her back.
Sorenta smiled, though weakly. "Oh, foolish man. Never content with what you could have had. You have undone yourself."
Devanesque laughed. "There is no promise to be kept if you are dead. And so shall you die."
He pointed at her again but the old woman vanished before his eyes. "I'll follow you," he yelled. "There is nowhere in this world or the next you will hide." Placing his palms on the glowing green surface, he admired the fire sparking and winking inside, the absolute clarity of the jewel. It even seemed to lift from the sand, moving toward him. With his hands flat on the stone, he then gripped the edges and pulled it up out of the ground. Already he could feel the depth of its power moving up his arms, encasing him in a powerful sphere of energy.
"The gem is mine," he roared.
He frowned. His hands were fast to the stone, then his hands and arms were jerked into the stone. He tried to resist, but the stone sucked him inside, and with a scream he was pulled fully into its emerald luminescence, the green liquid swallowing him up and then closing in behind him.
¤¤
A bright green flash exploded with brilliant light as the stone dropped to the ground, rocked, then settled and embedded itself once more into the earth.
Erik and Iliana looked down at the brilliant stone where Devanesque now swam under the emerald's surface. The air around them pulsed with a pale green light.
"He is now forever a part of its power," Erik said. "And he was correct -- his face is restored."
"He was quite handsome," Iliana added, tilting her head in wonder as he whirled within the stone.
They turned from the emerald.
"Sorenta?" he asked.
Iliana smiled. "She will show herself again." She leaned close to him, stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. His arm came around her and he held her close to him, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. He closed his eyes. "Little William," he said, "little William is mine."
Iliana nodded hesitantly, but tears of joy filled her eyes. "I confess I still do not understand."
Erik pointed as people walked into the courtyard from the keep. Rowenna carried William as she looked around, her face mirroring the surprise of the others as they could all see the verdant green of the fields beyond the keep's gate.
Iliana took William into her arms, holding him close, then she looked up at Erik and he lifted William into his arms, swinging him gently in the air to the child's delight.
She had always trusted Sorenta, but still she wondered how William could have been fathered by Erik, three years back in time. Then she recalled the deep sleep under which the abbess had placed her so that she might heal.
The sound of horse's hooves were heard on the approach to the castle. Iliana looked toward the gate as riders appeared. Everyone in the courtyard stared in awe as a small entourage passed the gatehouse and entered the courtyard.
At the front of the small group rode a regal blonde woman on the mare Iliana had borrowed from the monastery. Beside her rode the monastery stable boy, but now he was finely dressed. As he drew closer, she noted his eyes were sharp and filled with intelligence, as if he'd awoken from a deep sleep. The man rode tall in the saddle of the white stallion Erik had borrowed to ride into the deep red hills.
Iliana blinked, remembrance sliding in easily, filling gaps where her memory had failed her.
"Erik." She gripped his arm. "It is her ladyship, Graziela, the true lady of Dutton Keep, and her brother Desryn, back from the dead."
She stared hard at the small party.
The riders stopped beside Erik and Iliana.
Iliana curtsied. "My Lady Graziela."
Graziela of Dutton Keep waited as one of her men dismounted and brought her a block to dismount. Graciously, she accepted Erik's hand in stepping down.
Desryn also dismounted and brother and sister stood before them.
Desryn bowed his head to her. "Lady Graziela and I are grateful for the sacrifices you have made in bringing the emerald back to our people."
Lady Graziela smiled at her. "You have brought my beloved brother out of his walking death, and myself from the pall which descended upon me these last four years."
After Lady Graziela moved past them, Erik looked at Desryn.
"What do you know of Camdork?" Erik asked. "He has my man Jock."
"He has thus far evaded my men. When found, he will be taken to Court under orders of the queen. His plan was to bring Henry to the throne. For such treason, he will get his just due and along the way he shall pay dearly for his past offenses. Early tomorrow I ride out to join my men in the manhunt. Will you come?"
"I plan to ride back to my ship. If Jock is not there, I will come back and join in the hunt."
"As you wish."
Erik and Iliana crossed the courtyard toward the keep where the servants eagerly awaited the arrival of their ladyship Graziela.
"Rowenna," Iliana called, "we must prepare rooms and a celebration for her ladyship and my lord Desryn. At last they have returned."
¤¤
The feasting began that evening. The cook and the serving girls had created a feast worthy of a visit from the queen. The atmosphere about the keep was festive and light, and even the air felt lighter to breathe. Iliana marveled at the change with the defeat of Mandrak -- Devanesque, she reminded herself.
She had been gratified to see her ladyship Graziela extended the celebrations to the villagers and their families. The celebrations of food, games and sport spilled out into
the courtyard. She had turned her chamber over to her ladyship, as was right, and now she pulled the soft lambskin cover over William as he slumbered in his little bed. They had moved temporarily into Erik's rooms, which in turn would be turned over to the rightful heir, Desryn, on the morrow.
Some of Camdork's men at arms had elected to stay at the keep and pledged to Desryn as their lord, while a handful left for other mercenary jobs in lands beyond the keep. Thinking of the men, women and children who had suffered Camdork's brutality, she felt no sorrow for the fate he had brought upon himself, when he was found.
Iliana turned as she felt Erik's hands on her shoulders.
"Iliana --" he hesitated. "Is that even your name? How shall I call you? Have you remembered anything?"
"Iliana will do. It has always felt right." She sat on the bed furs, and Erik came to lie beside her. Dear Erik. He had a cheerful fire burning in the hearth, and even though the air held a faint chill, he had shed his linen tunic and now reclined beside her naked from the waist up. His muscled chest with the dark blond arrow of hair disappearing into his braies chausses was a delight to her, but quite the distraction.
"Dear Erik." She smiled tenderly. "How shall I be able to talk sensibly when you lie thus next to me?"
He ran a gentle hand over her hair and then caressed the back of her neck. "Then lie down and turn away my love."
Iliana did so, and he pulled her back to the warmth of his chest.
"I have remembered my first meeting with the Abbess," Iliana said softly. "As she said, I willingly took up this mission. However, I have no recollection of my life before." She shrugged, then turned to face him, planting kisses along his chest and collarbone. Large, warm hands lifted her shift and moved up her leg, her hip.
"And do you recall how you arrived in this time?" he asked.
Iliana closed her eyes as fire seemed to trail across her stomach, his fingers now splayed across her hip.
"I recall a terrible pain in my head, and the light hurt my eyes it was as bright as the sun. There was no recall of anything other than that moment. Once I became accustomed to the light, my body was free of pain. I looked at myself, the garments I wore, and they looked foreign to me, and yet dearly familiar. The abbess told me the story of Dutton Keep, the spell it was under. The land lay fallow, the birds had flown away to the mountains. The people of the village seemed under a lethargic spell. Infants perished, and many of the live births did not live past the age of three. I never doubted what she told me was the truth."
Iliana placed her palm upon his chest, closed her eyes to enjoy the sense of his warm skin.
"The abbess told me I could change all of it, but not without risk to myself, if I could find and secure the fabled green emerald."
"And she charged you with finding that gem?"
Iliana nodded, leaning forward to kiss his chest, letting her lips follow the springy blond hair down to his flat stomach.
"The abbess said you went to the red soil hills?"
"One morning I came upon two village girls who had been killed in the woods -- there was so much blood! It was as if something had furiously ripped them apart. I was so frightened -- I ran away to the red soil hills. My last recall is the fighter dragons tearing at my skin." She shuddered, and his arms enfolded her. "After seeing poor Ulrich, I hope never to regain that memory," she said. Her eyes met his. "Erik, there are memories I may never regain. Our time together, my life before -- what if you are able to return to your time and William and I --"
"No," he said fiercely. "There will be a way back for all three of us."
"What if your ship is gone?" She hardly dared to say the words, for what if they were true?
"Aye," he said grimly.
"Your men may have sailed."
"True. But --" he shrugged, "we shall find out in time." He laughed. "Think on this, Iliana, we have all the time in the world, do we not?" He cupped her face and leaned down to kiss her. "And you and William will come with me. I dare not let us be separated. There must be a way back."
Iliana frowned. "I came through the sky, I am certain of it. You came by the sea. How shall we return?"
"Iliana, no matter what time we travel to, whether it is here or to my own time, we will be together, otherwise it matters not." He touched her cheek with the back of his hand. "I ride out first light tomorrow."
"To find your ship?"
"Aye, to find the Merry Maiden."
"William and I ride with you."
He looked at her then he grinned. "Aye. You ride with me." A wicked grin split his lips, lighting his eyes. "But now, there is tonight."
Erik pushed the shift up above her waist, and Iliana sat up, pulled it over her head and dropped it to the bed furs. She untied and pulled Erik's braies and chausses down his long legs, and then they were heated flesh to flesh.
William stirred with a small whimper, and Iliana went still, listening. Erik placed a kiss upon her lips, then he rolled over toward the edge of the bed, staring down at his son in the small bed. Iliana stared at his backside, gently running her hand down his hard muscled thigh.
Satisfied the child only made noise in his sleep, Erik rolled back to Iliana and chuckled. "He grunts and fights in his sleep," he said. "He is a true Remington."
Iliana laughed softly, placing a row of kisses along his chest. She took his large, callused hand and brought it to her face, then kissed his fingers one by one. At the last finger on his right hand, she paused, staring in shock at the skin between the little finger and the next.
"Erik."
He looked at her. "Aye, I am sorry if it disgusts you, Iliana, it is merely an anomaly from birth. When I was a boy, I took a fishing knife and cut the thin skin so my fingers were separated."
Iliana had a strange light in her eyes. "By all the saints, Erik -- by all the saints," she repeated, pulling away from him. She grabbed her shift, dropped it over her head and jumped off the bed. Moving to stand beside William's bed as he slept, she held her hand out to Erik.
Erik pulled on his braies and came to her.
Iliana knelt beside William and gently turned back the lambskin cover. She lifted his small hand and beckoned Erik closer.
Erik stared at the webbed skin between William's last two fingers.
Gently, Iliana covered their son and came to her feet.
Erik enfolded her and then wiped her tears.
Once more on the bed, he said, "You doubted Sorenta's words?"
"Yes. It was three years -- three years when you knew me to be aboard your ship. And yet I bore William nine months ago. How is it you believed Sorenta when I could not?"
He laughed. "Since I arrived in this time there were so many things strange to me, I stopped questioning many weeks ago." Tenderly, he kissed her lips. "I did not doubt he was mine once Sorenta declared it. But it mattered not. He was yours, so I loved him," he said simply.
Iliana's strength was certainly no match for his, but Erik let her straddle him and push him back to the bed furs. He rejoiced in the kisses she placed upon him, participating fully as her mouth opened to his.
Their garments were gone once more, this time hers with a rending of the fabric. Iliana continued to straddle his hips, opening herself to him and letting his heated warmth come into her body, putting her head back, frantic to feel all of him, to share with him the joy he gave her. Iliana felt such a lightness of being, as the true energy of love flowed through her in a rush of light. Together they were flung to an instant ecstasy, where time had no place, their hearts rushing to meet each other, breaths labored, a moment where time had no place, neither rushing forward nor lagging behind. Souls met and merged, as flesh merged. Bodies shaking in the aftermath, softly whispered words, fingers tenderly stroking.
"Erik, my love. My love." She lay atop him, resting her cheek upon his chest, enjoying the stroke of his hands up and down her back.
"No matter where you go, Erik Remington, William and I will go with you. We will work side by side, endure hardsh
ip --"
His chest rumbled beneath her and she lifted her head. "You dare to laugh?"
"Yes, Iliana, I dare to laugh. I plan to return to my time, with you and William by my side, and I must confess I am a rich man. There will be little hardship. The only hardship will be when you have to deal with my bullheaded ways."
Iliana threw her head back, her hair cascading over her shoulders as she joined in his laughter. "Then I shall help you spend your riches."
"You are most welcome to try," he said, and he rolled, taking her with him, and together they lay face to face, and that is how they fell asleep, arms entwined, and with the memory of each other's face the last they saw before their eyes closed.
Chapter Fourteen
There was sadness and rejoicing as they prepared to leave early the next morning. The sun rose in the sky, filtering through the filmy clouds, bathing the courtyard in a pure golden light.
Iliana felt a certain sadness to be leaving the keep, and yet there was a new excitement building within, and as she looked over at Erik, she did not hide her smile. A new life, a strong loving man. A man who had searched endlessly for her through time. Her gaze fell to William. A child to love.
Edward stood off to the side, and Iliana noted his frowning face. She directed Erik's attention to the young lad.
"Edward," Erik said, and he walked over to the boy. Soon, Iliana noted the frown was gone and in its place Edward appeared awed.
Lady Graziela stood in the keep's archway, ready to see them off.
Rowenna hurried over to Iliana and Erik, three tapestries rolled under her arm.
"You must take your life tapestries," she said. "And little William's also. Although Erik, in truth yours is a bit tattered and worn from the fighter dragons."
Erik and Iliana exchanged a glance.
Iliana shook her head. "I will no longer seek the life tapestry to see where I have been and where I will go. There is no need."
"Aye," said Erik, "I'd rather ride the day out by the seat of my trousers."
Treasure So Rare (Women of Strength Time Travel Trilogy) Page 21
