He listened for Tate’s approach and ran his fingers over her instep. “Just do it.” In a louder voice, he addressed Tate, “It looks like she has a small cut. It’d probably be best if I just carry her to the portal.” Jack stood and turned to the man. “Why don’t you bring up the rear?”
Tate, still a good distance in front of them, shrugged. “Sure, if you think that’s best. We don’t have much further to go anyways.”
Several large men stepped out from the trees behind Tate, Elmer among them. Not shocked by the attack, Jack grabbed Kitty’s hand and rushed for cover.
“I want them both dead,” Tate yelled.
“They murdered my best friend.” Elmer’s voice rose over the thunder of footsteps behind them.
Gunfire exploded into the tree to Jack’s right, and he darted to left.
“Watch where you’re shooting,” echoed through the trees.
Jack increased his speed and contemplated transforming into another form so he could protect Kitty. But they didn’t have time to pause. His feet pounding against the dead foliage on the forest floor, he wove his way through the thickening trees.
I have to save Kitty, pounded through his head, and he didn’t bother to look back until a drag on his arm slowed his pace.
“Jack,” Kitty wheezed. Her face flushed red, she gasped for breath.
“Just a little bit further, and then we’ll be able to rest.”
She tugged her arm free and doubled over. “I can’t.”
Unwilling to stop and give her time to recover, he lifted her up over his shoulder and continued through the forest.
She grabbed his waist and held herself in place while he secured her legs against his chest. “I’ll put you down as soon as I can.”
A low groan rumbled through her chest and into his back, but he didn’t pause. The area grew darker, and he worked his way deeper into the forest before circling back around to the portal. If they could only step through the gate and into Ardenia, then they’d be safe.
Jack stopped. No sound. Not even a snap of a twig reached his ears. Where were the men chasing them? Were they staked out by the portal?
Kitty shifted on his shoulder, and he ran a hand over her ass to reassure her. “Easy, we don’t have far to go now.”
****
Tired of riding over Jack’s shoulder, Kitty studied the open area. She hadn’t seen or heard anything of the men following them in some time. Yet, Jack still refused to set her down. “How far are we from the portal? And how does it work?”
Jack pulled her down into his arms and hugged her close. “It doesn’t matter.”
He touched a large boulder, and a sudden motion sucked her through a dark tunnel.
“Jack...” Her arms tightened around his neck, and a brief moment later, her feet met something solid and she stood in the circle of his arms.
“Welcome to Ardenia.” He placed a quick peck on her lips and motioned her through the entrance.
She blinked. Only minutes ago, they’d been running for their lives, and now Jack smiled as if they’d just entered paradise. Confused by his quick change in attitude, she turned. A large crystal archway gleamed in the sunlight. Tall shrubs lined both side of the entryway, along with two guards.
The tall blond stepped forward first and held out his spear. Naked, he demanded in a rough tone, “What is your business here in Ardenia?”
“We’re here to see the queen.” Jack directed Kitty forward with a hand at her back. “This is the queen’s daughter.”
“And you’re Jacko Avery?” The man nodded to his equally uncovered partner and lowered his weapon. Both widened their stance and blocked the entrance.
Kitty stared first at their weapons and then at their very enticing attributes. Rippling muscles, flat stomachs, and thick thighs highlighted the jutting cocks between their legs. She swallowed a gasp and edged closer to Jack.
He slid his arm around her waist and held her tight to his side. “Yes, weren’t you expecting me?”
“Melvin, the queen’s wizard, mentioned you’d be arriving in the next few days. The queen has requested that you follow us.” The blond guard turned while the other, bulkier guard stepped to the side and motioned for them to precede him.
Not happy about facing a set of guards, Kitty didn’t move. “Jack, are you sure my mother really wants me back? I don’t see any reason for these guards to escort me to her chambers?”
“It’s standard protocol, my lady.” The stout guard offered an explanation. “We want to make sure you make it safely to the queen’s chambers.”
Kitty backed up a step. Were there people here after them, too?
Jack drew her into his arms, and his gaze offered understanding. “Don’t worry. I’ll be right beside you. If Melvin doesn’t confirm you’re the queen’s daughter, then we’ll leave. End of story.”
Kitty envisioned the band of men who’d been chasing them breaking through the portal and dragging them back to the other world. No way could they go back. The men would kill Jack and return her to the governor.
“Come on, Kitty.” Jack slid his arm around her shoulder. “Let’s go visit the queen.”
Do I really have a choice?
Kitty walked forward. Lush green landscape and cobblestone streets lay ahead. Small shops dotted the path, and young children played on the steps leading to a large stone castle in the distance. Is that where we’re going?
Jack’s presence beside her reminded her of the reason for her coming here. Did he still only think about her as a piece of property, or did he really care as Kesia claimed?
I guess it’s time I find out.
****
The lead guard stopped once they entered the castle. “Jacko, the queen would prefer to see her daughter initially by herself.” He opened a door and indicated the room beyond. “If you’ll please wait in here, we’ll let you know when you can rejoin Noelani.”
“What? Why do they keep calling you Jacko?” Kitty clutched his arm.
Jack read the fear in her eyes and smiled to calm her anxieties. The queen didn’t care for him, so he’d half expected this ploy once they passed through the archway. “It’s just a name people in Ardenia call me. There’s no need to worry. These men won’t let me leave.”
“You mean they’re holding you prisoner?” Kitty shook her head and turned to the lead guard. “What if I don’t agree to go with you? Will you lock me in the dungeon as well?”
“Kitty.” Jack glanced through the door and noticed the tray of food on a table in front of a long chaise lounge. “This isn’t a dungeon. I’ll be fine.”
“I don’t like this.” Her fingers dug into his arm.
“It’s all right. You’re simply still upset by what happened earlier.” He broke her grip and leaned closer to kiss her cheek. “We’re safe here. After the queen verifies your identity, I’ll join you and everything will be like I promised.”
“How can you be so sure?” Her hand caressed his chest, and her fingers toyed with the pendant the witch had given him.
He peered at the charm. The magical properties of the piece must have changed to follow him from form to form. His gaze met her dark brown eyes, and he fought the desire to race for the door.
Would her return to Ardenia really work out the way he’d hoped? “Because I know how much the queen loves you and wants you back.”
A sad smile lifted the corners of her mouth, and she raked her nails through the hair on his chest. “I hope you’re right.”
He looked at the guard, and the raw ache of abandonment washed over him. Familiar with pain, he tightened his resolve to see the adventure through to the end. “Go ahead and take Kitty to see her mother, I’ll wait here.” He stepped back and watched her drift down the hallway.
The larger guard, who’d dogged their footsteps from the entrance into Ardenia, nudged Jack into the room. “If you need anything, I’ll be right out here.”
Jack ignored the man, and his gaze followed the gentle sway of Kitty’s leave-covered bo
dy until she turned a corner and disappeared. Then he stepped into the elegant parlor. “So how soon until you move me to the dungeon?”
The stout man shrugged and closed the door.
Walking to the chaise lounge, Jack surveyed the windowless room. Elegant rugs covered the floor, and elaborate pictures adorned the walls. The small enclosure shrank, and the plush surroundings imprisoned him in a polished cell. He sank onto the sofa’s cushion and dropped his head in his hands.
Had he traded one jail in the human world for another in Ardenia?
The queen had warned him not to return. Yet he’d felt sure she would reward him for returning her daughter. But maybe he’d just provided her with the chance to seek revenge.
And what would Kitty do?
She knew of his desire to return to Ardenia. He had even returned her so he could remain here for the rest of his life. But did she understand how much he loved her?
And after learning about his connection to her family, would she still want to have anything to do with him?
Chapter Eleven
“Your majesty, your daughter Noelani.” The guard held the door open for Kitty to enter the queen’s chambers.
She walked across rich, ornate rugs. Expensive tapestry decorated the walls. Wealth and privilege screamed from every corner of the room.
An old man near the fireplace stirred a large kettle. His hair stood out from his head like tiny gray spikes. The deep wrinkles in his face spoke of a lifetime of living, but his smile displayed the joy he’d gained from the experience. “Oh, but it’s so nice to see you again, Noelani.”
Kitty stopped in the middle of the room and glanced at the curtain covering a doorway that led to another room. A low coo sounded from a miniature stick house nestled in the corner.
“Noelani.” An elegant woman dressed in a sheer white robe spoke from a high-backed chair. “This is Melvin. He’s here to help you remember your past.” The queen motioned her forward and indicated a seat near the old man.
“Yes, my dear. I’m sure there are many things you’d like to learn.” Melvin stirred the mixture in the pot, and a fragrant vapor rose into the air.
“Not really. Jack told me about being kidnapped by giants, and I met one of my sisters before we stepped through the portal to Ardenia.” Kitty addressed the queen. “Kesia said that she’d let you know as soon as her baby is born.”
Kitty peeked in the kettle before taking her seat. The fragrant scent of flowers tickled her senses, and the wizard added a few more herbs. “I don’t remember my other sister’s name.”
“But you have a picture in your mind of the family you left behind, don’t you? Why don’t you tell me about them?” Melvin’s soothing tone flowed through Kitty’s thoughts like a fine glass of wine. She relaxed, and a picture of three little girls playing in a grassy meadow formed. One stood tall with blonde hair and commanded the other two little, brown-haired girls.
“Danella liked to be in charge.” Kitty could almost hear her sister’s bossy voice. I’m the oldest, and you have to do what I say.
“Blonde and beautiful, she looks a lot like my father.” A man and woman sitting under a tree on a blanket drew Kitty’s focus from the children. The love shining in their eyes caused her chest to hurt. She placed her hand over her heart and leaned back in her chair. The scene changed.
Her mother sat with a tiny girl in her arms. Kesia’s tears rolled down her face in an endless journey to nowhere. Her words rang through Kitty’s head. “But I don’t want Daddy to be dead.”
Grief gripped Kitty, and the picture in her head turned into a dark haze. Through the icy blackness, a young black panther crept into the night. His howl echoed through her head, and she added her voice to his scream.
“Easy,” Melvin’s voice broke through her pain and reminded her of her royal surroundings. “Do you remember anything else?”
“Yes. My name is Noelani, and I’m the middle child.” She blinked and glanced across the room. “You’re my mother.”
Melvin clapped his hands. “Very good, and what else?”
She studied the old man and recalled his endless teasing. “You haven’t changed. You love knowing all the answers, and you use the information to torture the rest of us.” She stood and placed a kiss on his cheek. “I really missed having you in my life.”
He grinned. “Well, you’re home now, so that won’t be a problem in the future.”
Amazed by her reaction to the old man, Noelani straightened. The room that only a moment ago seemed foreign now appeared familiar. She strolled to the stick birdhouse and gently touched the intricate design. Her father had created the house as an escape for him and her mother to rest from the burdens of ruling Ardenia.
A coo echoed from inside, and she leaned down to see the dove resting on the golden perch. She answered the dove’s call. Tears fell onto her cheeks. The loss of her father hurt almost as much today as it had all those years ago.
“You remember him, don’t you?” Her mother stood beside her.
Noelani turned and stared at her mother. “Yes, I can’t believe I forgot so much.”
Eyes moist from her own tears, her mother offered a weepy smile.
“My sisters, my father, my country, and most of all, you. How can you ever forgive me?” Noelani’s legs wobbled, and she sank to her knees. “I shouldn’t have returned. I’m not worthy of being a princess.”
“Oh, my child.” Her mother laid her hands on Noelani’s head and drew her close. “We all have regrets.”
Still burdened by all the events that had happened over the last two days, Noelani wrapped her arms around her mother’s waist and released a flood of tears. Could her mother face the heartaches of the past and accept Jack?
Regret and sadness weighed heavy on Noelani. Now she understood why Jack needed her to return to Ardenia. Her mother had banished him from their country a long time ago. Uncertain how to proceed, Noelani withdrew from her mother’s embrace. “Do you know who’s with me?”
Her mother nodded and helped Noelani to her feet. “Jacko has been searching for you for almost two years now. He’s hoping that returning you will redeem him in my eyes.”
“But what did he do to make you hate him?” Kitty gripped her mother’s hands and searched through her memory for the answers to her questions. “I recall seeing him at my father’s remembrance and feeling how much you detested him. But I don’t know why?”
Her mother tugged on Noelani’s hand and drew her across the room before she settled back in her chair. “Do you really want to discuss this now? You just returned. I’d like to learn about where you’ve been and what you’ve been doing. Jacko Avery is a problem, we can deal with later.”
Noelani sank onto the small stool at her mother’s feet. “I wish I could let it go, but you don’t understand what Jack means to me. He’s more than simply the man who returned me to Ardenia. He’s...” She lowered her head and stared at the ring on her mother’s finger. “The other half of my soul.”
Her mother gasped. “Oh, no.”
The pain in her mother’s gaze lanced through Noelani’s heart. The chasm of time between them widened, and she lowered her head to her mother’s lap. Could she bridge the gap of the past and heal the hurt between Jack and her mother?
Or was Jack responsible for her father’s death?
Jack hadn’t been accepted as a valued member of their society for a long time. Even before her father’s death, whenever Jack visited their country, her mother had refused to acknowledge him. Yet, he was Councilman Rodman’s nephew.
Noelani lifted her head and stared at her mother. “What did he do to make you hate him?”
Her mother shook her head and squeezed Noelani’s hand.
“You really should quit blaming him for his parent’s crimes.” Melvin’s comment reminded her of his presence in the room.
“What did they do?” Noelani turned to Melvin.
“They fell in love.” Melvin grinned and spoke to her mother. “W
e’ve talked about Jack many times Irene. You’ve blamed the boy for too long. You’ve got to forgive him or...” He nodded at Noelani. “Risk losing one of your own.”
“It pains me to even think about it. Vanessa died from the heartache they caused her.” Her mother drew her hands through her brown hair and stared at the birdhouse.
“You mean your sister Vanessa? Wasn’t she the queen before you?” Noelani searched her mind for stories of the woman, but other pictures of her family invaded her thoughts. She shoved them away. She had to know the truth about Jack’s parents.
Her mother drew in a deep breath then whispered, “Yes, she married Petros Avery.”
“Jack’s father?”
“The same. Jack looks so much like his father.” Her mother clenched her hands together. “My parents had an unfortunate accident, and my mother was unable to carry on with her duties so Vanessa became queen not long after she married Petros. Busy with her duties, she...”
“Didn’t tend to her husband’s needs,” Melvin finished the sentence. “And he found someone else who would.”
“Are you telling her story or am I?” her mother barked at the old man then shook her head. “I’m sorry, Melvin. You’re right. Petros couldn’t help but fall in love with your apprentice. Maris was beautiful.”
“Then what happened?” Noelani pushed her mother to continue. None of what she’d said could be blamed on Jack.
“They ran away to the human world and left Vanessa with no way to rectify the problem. She mourned the loss of her husband and fell into a deeply depressed state. My mother’s condition worsened, and she died. My father transformed into an owl and lived the rest of his life in the outback of Ardenia. Vanessa, unable to handle the pressure, lost her grip with reality. She ended up taking...” Her mother traced her finger across her throat.
Noelani gasped at the thought of someone taking their own life.
“And left your mother in charge of a country that was coming apart at the seams,” Melvin again finished for her mother. “But Irene has risen to every occasion. And now, Ardenia is a paradise in which to live.”
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