“It is.” Came her quiet answer, Sean nodded.
“It will be here in the morning.” He added and disappeared closing the door after him.
Lysette and Andru spent the rest of the day discussing their plans and talking about the twins. Andru was going to adopt them legally and raise them as his own. Elsbeths family wanted nothing to do with the sons of a psychotic serial killer. It was after midnight when Lysette returned to her room.
When she turned on the light she found Katar sitting in the chair beside her bed. For the first time he had actually become concerned about Lysette’s relationship with Andru. Could the two of them have shared more during their captivity than friendship? Could they have turned to each other in a desperate need for comfort? Pushing the jealously that was growing inside him to the back of his mind he rose and smiled softly.
“I just got back from Bantor.” He began, “I felt I should be the one to return William and Elsebeth to their home.” He moved slowly toward her not wanting to frighten her again. “I see you’re doing well?”
“I’m very tired; I’d like to get some sleep.” Lysette managed a reply and turned stiffly toward the bed walking past him.
“Lysette,” He called her name so softly she felt the old grip of fear return to her stomach; it had been so long, she’d nearly forgotten. She stood with her back to him, frozen, unable to move. Katar said, “I love you.”
“Then why did you marry someone else?” She asked softly as she turned to face him.
“I didn’t marry Enda, I put her in prison.” Katar said, softly confused.
“Prison? Why?” Lysette asked as hope flared within her.
“She betrayed Treborel. She betrayed me.”
“She only did what you asked of her.”
“I never asked her to betray you to Connor.” Katar stepped forward, thinking she had been blaming him for her captivity.
“No, she’s having your child.” Lysette stammered.
“My child?” Katar smiled, “Lysette there is no possible way that Enda is ever going to give birth to a child of mine.”
“You killed the baby!” Lysette gasped horrified.
“Of course not.” Katar shook his head in frustration, “Lysette, listen to me carefully. Enda has not been nor will she ever be pregnant with my child.”
“You didn’t marry her?”
“No,” He answered softly.
They stared at each other in complete confusion, Katar though he would lose his mind before she ever understood. Then suddenly she began to laugh, uncontrollably. Sweeping her off her feet he took her to the bed thinking she was having a nervous breakdown. He laid her on the bed and went to the decanter on the small dresser near the balcony. He poured her a glass of brandy and forced her to drink it. She sipped from the glass between giggles. Then taking a large swallow himself he sat on the bed beside her watching with deep concern.
As Lysette’s laughter subsided, he spoke softly to her, asking, “What has happened to you? Did Connor torture you?” He was afraid to ask the real question in his mind. Had he managed to find his way into her mind as he had William? Was this his final revenge against him?
“It’s not Connor,” Lysette smiled at him relaxing into the pillow, adding, “It’s you, no I take that back, it’s me. I’m such a complete and utter fool.”
“I don’t understand.” He wanted to smile at her but he was too worried.
“I have to stop believing what everyone tells me. I seem to recall you warned me about that, not so long ago.”
“Lysette,” Katar reached out for her slowly, hesitantly, “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, I was told that Enda was pregnant and that you married her while Andru and I were prisoners. I had no way to contact you, no way to find out the truth. I had no reason to doubt what I was told. As time went by it was just too difficult to fight it anymore, so I just gave in and believed what they all had said.”
“I have never betrayed you Lysette, not once since the day we met.” Katar pulled her into his arms. “I haven’t been able to think of anyone or anything but you. If I hadn’t found you when I did, I think I might have lost my mind.”
Kissing him deeply Lysette let herself feel the warmth of his love, the touch of his hands against her skin. When they finally parted Katar pulled a small box from his uniform pocket. The same box he had been carrying for months. Opening the box he removed the pear shaped gem and placed it on her finger saying, “If we leave now, we can be in Borel by dawn and marry in the Queens garden as the sun rises.”
The news of the wedding spread throughout the waking city. Nearly two thousand sleepy eyed Treborelans appeared before the palace as the sun rose brightly above the clouds. The gardens were full of sparkling evergreens as the brisk air turned the dew into sparkling ornaments. Local florists flooded the gardens with every “My Beloved’ in the city.
Lysette entered the gardens wearing a shimmering pale silver gown. Beside her walked Katar in the Royal Blue Uniform of Treborel’s Air Command. Standing before the Clergy they said their vows as their close friends stood by watching. Cap stood beside Katar sharing in his joy as the clergy pronounced them bound for life.
Watching from afar Andru felt a great loss as he watched the woman he loved kissing her new husband. Glancing down at the two sleeping infants in his arms he turned and left.
As the Queen’s guards announced the marriage of their Prince the crowd began to cheer. The celebration began that would last several days. Andru disappeared through the gates on a tall gray stallion determined to carry on as his grandfather had intended. He would cherish the two sons he held, reveling in their happiness regardless of the emptiness he felt inside.
Katar and Lysette disappeared into the Royal Suite the Queen had prepared for them; determined to celebrate their wedding day in the ecstasy of each other’s arms.
The End
Other Books by Alaina Stanford
Treborel Series:
Book Two – Vengeance’s Fire
Kendra had not seen Cap in more than 6 months. He was a Helijet Pilot in her Majesties Air Forces stationed in the capital city of Borel. Kendra was an Empathic Healer living deep in the mountainous wilderness.
As Kendra prepares to travel to the Northern Mountains to the Empathic Wilderness Survival Center with a group of students Cap suddenly appears prepared to make the 2-week trek through the mountains with them. Could his motive reach beyond merely recovering the abandoned helijet discovered near the Survival Center?
As they travel into the mountains, they realize the forest creatures appear to be leaving the mountains and heading toward the lower lands. Kendra's blood runs cold as the realizes that 'Frenzy' ma time when the giant creatures that roam the mountains turn crazed with hunger and devour every warm blooded beast in their path.
As Cap and Kendra's romance begins to blossom once more, they soon come to realize the mountains hold a horrifying secret, which could lead to the end of the Empathic way of life as well as their own. A threat that that legends have foretold.
Hypnotic Journey Series:
Book One – Forbidden Quest
Wouldn't it be cool to suddenly have the battle skills of a seasoned warrior? Wouldn't that be even better if the battle felt real but there was no physical risk to you? Wouldn't it be perfect if the hypnotist in charge of your session was not insanely evil and using you as a weapon in a plot for revenge? Four friends, two in love, two in hate enter into a Group Hypnosis study attempting to introduce fantasy adventures to small groups. They are promised a video game type of adventure rescuing an Elf Queen from her crystal prison as elf warriors, a sorceress and a fairy. As soon as they fall under the good doctor’s spell they begin to realize the adventure is more real than they could have ever imagined. They find themselves in a hostile world they can't seem to escape from.
Certain she’s discovered the next hot trend in adventure vacations Nicole Waters a prominent St Louis Assistant District Attorney is forced t
o take her boyfriend Tom’s best friend Jack Tyler, a local travel agent on a business vacation. Her haste to be a prime investor takes Nicole, Jack and two others; Sarah Sims, a shy nurse practitioner and Todd Hopper, a professional hockey player into a test program for group hypnosis.
Dr. Strong introduces the soon to be adventurers to an equipment-filled gym inside an archaic old hotel. Undaunted by their meager surroundings the friends listen anxiously as Dr Strong explains, “The wall of netting might become a series of vines or perhaps the side of a rock cliff. The weight machine will serve as stimulus if you are required to lift or push a heavy object. The stair climber will act as a tree, fortress wall or perhaps a rock incline you must scale.” He then offers the adventurers a mild sedative to aid in their simultaneous entry into hypnosis. But instead of experiencing an action packed fantasy quest to rescue the Elf Queen from her crystal prison inside the Cave of Sorrows; they find themselves trapped in a deadly world of elves and monsters that is more real than they could ever imagine. Where a cry for help is left unheard...
Book Two – When Magic Fails
After the tragedy of losing one of their own shortly after arriving in this new world the remaining adventurers begin to create a new life in a new world filled with elves and trolls. Suddenly the last surviving Elf Wizard vanishes in a violent storm leaving an entire battalion of Elf Warriors dead. Having recently completed her apprenticeship Sorceress Sarah Sims and her companions: Jack, a skilled swordsman and his wife Nicole one of the last remaining Woodland Elves now face a mysterious magical foe of great power.
Risking everything to save Sarah from the elf council’s decision to execute her for treason, the elf Prince Cabal secretly sneaks the adventurers off in search of the menacing storm cloud responsible for the wizard disappearance. Sarah quickly discovers carelessness from their past has poisoned the land and caused the Trolls to emerge from their lair. The Trolls bring news unexpected news that shakes the small group to its core as they head into a battle that turns friend against friend.
Book Three – As Darkness Falls
Renegade Trolls have breached the Nether World Barrier releasing monsters from the bowels of the earth. As a troll war is about to begin Hopper finds he has a newborn son whose mother has been murdered by the renegades. He rushes the infant to the surface and places it in the hands of the woodland elves until order is restored among the trolls.
As the elves search for forest for any sign of nether beasts the Sorcerer’s Ahmity and Sarah Sims begin preparations to open a school of magic to recreate the Wizard’s Circle after nearly all of the wizards in the land had been destroyed.
Jack, the barbarian has taken his pregnant wife Nicole, a woodland elf, deep into the mountains for a long awaited honeymoon before the baby is born. Little by little they become aware of a dark presence on their mountain. Death is stalking them, slowly and with purpose. Their strongest ally is a wild nether beast that has come to call them friend. But can a nether beast be relied upon when evil calls its name?
Book Four of the Hypnotic Journey Series -- coming soon: A Sequence of Darkness
The adventurers travel into the bowels of the earth in search of Hopper’s infant son and Gravid’s daughter who were stolen by the renegade Trolls. Unspeakable horrors and certain death wait as they vow not to return until the children are found. Will they survive long enough to find the children? Will Sarah and Hopper finally come to terms with their separation? Will Hopper’s jealousy of Sarah’s growing affection for Cabal endanger all of their lives?
Alaina Stanford
Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
The End
Other Books by Alaina Stanford
Tempest Rise (Treborel) Page 30
