by Donna Grant
With a shudder, she resumed looking at the sword. She didn’t take her eyes from it. It was just as beautiful as when she had first seen it in V’s cave.
She hadn’t hesitated to grab it then because it had been right there. Like it was waiting for her. Same as it was now. Waiting to be returned to its owner. She could be the one to do that.
The edges of her vision grew fuzzy. She heard roars and felt wind rush past her, but she didn’t take her eyes from the weapon. She had no idea how much time passed. It could have been a millisecond or a million years.
But, suddenly, she was standing before the weapon, hovering over the churning gathering of the rivers. She wasn’t afraid. Not even when she felt the sting of the icy water and the heat of the magma.
Because, somehow, the sword had brought her. She didn’t know how she knew, only that she did. The weapon had been waiting on her, waiting for her to take it back to its owner.
She reached out and grasped the blade by the hilt, wrapping her fingers around it. As soon as she did, she was back on solid ground.
The hot breath of something large behind her fanned around her. She turned and saw Roman glaring at her with his ivory eyes. He inhaled, ready to engulf her in dragon fire.
Sabina couldn’t control herself or the sword when it lifted. The blade swung toward Roman, and the next thing she knew, it plunged into his chest.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Everything hurt. His body screamed in agony, and every breath felt as if his lungs were being ripped out. Roman fell onto his back and blinked against the agony. He spotted the silver and copper scales as they stood on either side of him, the concern in his friends’ eyes worrying.
Why did everything ache?
Then he saw it. The sword protruding from his chest. His head dropped back, and he looked up at the domed ceiling. Where was he? He’d been after something, the need to kill critical. Unrelenting. What was it? What had he been af—
A mortal.
It was as if a dense fog filled his mind, preventing him from seeing the entire picture. Because he knew it was important. The fact that both Ulrik and V were in dragon form and staring at him with uncertainty didn’t help matters.
He shifted his shoulder and immediately knew that the pull he felt was the wounds from Ulrik’s claws healing. Ulrik had jumped on his back, tearing at his scales because Roman had been about to kill a human.
But that didn’t make sense. He’d vowed to protect them. He’d never hurt one. Not even when he wanted to.
“Easy,” V said.
It was getting harder and harder for Roman to keep his eyes open. Bloody hell, it hurt. He managed to turn his head and look at V, who was now in human form. And, somehow, so was Roman. He didn’t remember shifting. Shouldn’t he have recalled that?
Damn. What was going on?”
“Oh, God,” he heard a woman say, her voice pitched high with fear and regret.
He knew that voice.
“Remember her,” V told him.
Roman saw V’s blue gaze trained on him before Roman’s eyes shut. It was just too difficult to keep them open. Too much effort was needed to breathe.
“What did I do? Oh, God. Roman!” the woman screamed.
He felt something touch his leg, but it was hastily yanked away. Roman heard Ulrik talking to her, trying to calm her down. No matter how much Roman tried, he couldn’t place the voice, but he should. He knew her.
“Roman, you need to remember her,” V urged as he squatted down beside him.
If only the pain would stop, he might be able to concentrate.
“He can’t die,” the woman said hysterically. “He can’t. He promised me that only another Dragon King could kill him.”
For some inexplicable reason, Roman wanted to go to her, comfort her. He wasn’t sure why, only that he needed to. If he could move, he’d do just that.
“Take … it … out,” he told V.
There was a hesitation, and then V said, “We’ve already tried.”
What? That didn’t make sense.
“Roman, I can no’ tell you what happened. You need to remember,” V said. “Trust me. I ken you’re hurting, but forget that. Let your magic sort through the fog.”
So V knew about that? That was odd. Wasn’t it? Roman was sure he hadn’t mentioned it. And if he hadn’t said anything, then that could only mean that V had been through the same thing.
Out of nowhere, a memory barreled through his mind about V’s memories being blocked from magic by … Why couldn’t Roman remember what kind of magic? It was imperative, that much he knew for sure.
Every breath was excruciating. Even after his battle with Freyr, Roman didn’t recall the pain being so debilitating. Then again, V’s sword was inside him.
V’s sword! They found it. After all this time. It should be a time for celebration. If only he could remember what had happened before.
“V,” he croaked. “Your sword.”
“You helped me find it, just as you said you would,” V said.
A woman cried softly, pacing near his feet. The same woman who had been frantic earlier. Without seeing her, he could sense her trepidation, her worry.
For him?
“Roman? Can you hear me?” Ulrik asked from his other side.
He swallowed and tried to open his eyes, but he couldn’t. “Aye,” he murmured.
There was a growl from V, who then asked, “Why the fuck did he shift? He should’ve remained in his true form.”
Roman had that same question, but he assumed V wasn’t talking to him. Damn. The fog was getting thicker in his mind.
“You know why,” Ulrik replied.
Roman clenched his fists and tried to roll over. He couldn’t hold back the groan when the blade tore through more muscle and organs. “Tell. Me.”
“You need to remember,” V urged again.
“Let me touch him.”
The woman again. He wanted to smile at her demanding tone. Good for her. If she didn’t stand up for herself, then Ulrik and V would run all over her.
“I think you should let her,” said another woman with a hint of an Irish accent.
He knew that voice, too. Her name was right on the tip of his tongue. He hadn’t liked her at first, but now she was part of the family. Because … she was Ulrik’s mate. He remembered!
“Eilish,” he whispered.
Ulrik leaned close, a smile in his voice as he said, “That’s right.”
“Surely, you know me, too, stud.”
The sassy tone, complete with a thick Irish accent was one he knew very well. She was his friend. Roman struggled to picture her face, but just as it was all coming together, it fell apart.
There were footsteps close to his head, and then a soft touch on his brow. “Don’t worry about it, handsome. You’ll recall everything soon enough.”
Why weren’t they bringing him to Dreagan? “Home,” he said.
V blew out a frustrated breath. “We can no’ take you. The spells prevent it.”
“That’s it. I’m done being nice,” the first woman said.
Roman heard scuffling, and then another body knelt beside him. Soft hands gently took one of his into hers and held it against her chest. She hooked her thumb with his, their palms flattened together.
“I’m sorry, Roman. So very sorry,” she said.
He wanted to look at her. He managed to turn his head, but no matter what he did, he couldn’t open his eyes. Her words held such anguish that he longed to comfort her. Her touch, though, did wonders to ease him. “It’s … okay … lass.”
She sobbed, her tears falling onto his hand. He hated that she was crying, but somehow, the longer they touched, the more bearable the pain was.
Who was this woman whose mere voice affected him so? And her touch? He never wanted her to let him go. She was helping him. If only he could remember who she was.
“Take it … out,” he bade her.
She sniffed and leaned close. Her hair fell a
gainst his cheek. “I don’t want to hurt you more.”
He sighed when her wet cheek pressed against his. His mouth craved her lips. He’d kissed her. He knew her taste, knew how intoxicating she was.
A face began to form in his mind. Eyes a deep, mysterious brown with just a hint of impishness and a wealth of courage stared at him. Then it faded into the fog.
“Have … to,” Roman said.
“He’s right,” V said. “It has to come out for him to heal. We can no’ do it.”
Roman felt the woman’s heart drum erratically against the back of his hand. She was terrified of hurting him, and it was obvious by the way she held his hand that she cared about him.
“I think I’ve fallen for you, Roman.”
The words drifted through his mind like a caress. He latched on to the memory, grabbing on to it with all he had until he was able to dredge up the memory of a beautiful woman with deep olive skin, haunting eyes, and curls so deep a brown they were nearly black.
Then her name floated through his mind, wiping away the fog with one swipe.
“Sabina,” he whispered.
“Yes,” she said as more tears fell on his hand. “I’m here.”
He’d made love to her in the hot springs. Even now, he could recall the softness of her skin beneath his palms. Hear her ragged breaths as he brought her ever closer to climax.
She was his mate, the one he loved.
And he really hoped that Ulrik and V had put on some clothes. The idea that they were naked around Sabina didn’t sit well with him. At all.
Ulrik touched Roman’s foot. “Figure out the rest, old friend.”
He wanted to, he really did. It was the pain. He wished to get away from it. There was a place in his mind that offered him a way to escape. He drifted there without thinking. Just as he was about to surrender himself, Sabina squeezed his hand.
“Don’t leave me,” she said. “You promised you wouldn’t leave.”
No longer could he gather the energy for words. There was an explosion—imagined or real, he knew not. Something was there, with him, something he wasn’t sure of. Then a smell assaulted him and reminded him of home. How he and his sister would fly deep into the mountains and play near the magma or slide down the glaciers.
Home.
“Don’t leave me,” Sabina whispered again.
Then she released his hand. He tried to reach for her, to find her again. She didn’t want him to leave, but she had done just that with him. Roman tried to form her name, to get the word past his lips, but already, he was fading.
And he feared there would be no return.
The fog was gone, but whatever had him now was stronger, more insidious. And it wanted him.
Roman felt someone stand over him, their feet on either side of his hips. As soon as they touched the sword, sharp pain cut through him. He wanted to know what was going on, but that place in his mind, that dark, sinister place, kept pulling him.
“Roman, stay with me,” Sabina said.
Her voice was over him. Was she the one holding the sword? No sooner had that thought gone through his mind than an image appeared in his head. He stood over Sabina in dragon form as she held V’s sword.
But he hadn’t recognized her. All he saw was a mortal. And in his mind, all mortals had to die.
Roman bellowed in pain and jerked upward as the sword was yanked free. The moment it was removed, whatever treacherous magic had ahold of him vanished.
He fell back, the pain gone and numbness taking over as his body threaded itself back together.
“He’s healing,” Ulrik said.
Roman opened his eyes and took a deep breath. His gaze locked on the defiant, exquisite gypsy standing over him, and his heart swelled. Sabina held V’s sword as the blade dripped his blood onto the ground, her gaze locked on him.
“I didn’t mean it,” she said as another tear fell.
Roman smiled and held out his hand. She grabbed it but hesitated as she handed V his weapon. Then she was in Roman’s arms. He held her tightly, savoring the feel of her warm body on top of his.
“I may never let you go,” he said into her hair.
She pressed her lips to his neck. “I don’t want you to.”
“I wasna expecting you, or the feelings between us, but I wouldna change anything.”
Sabina stiffened in his arms. “I stabbed you.”
He sat up, and she spread her legs, wrapping them around him. “You may have wielded V’s sword, but you are no’ a Dragon King.”
“You couldna kill him,” V said as he dipped the sword into the water to clean it.
Ulrik crossed his arms over his bare chest. “What do you remember?”
Roman smoothed hair back from Sabina’s face. “Everything. How I saved my mate from dying, and by doing so, gave the Others access to me through their magic.” He held Sabina’s gaze. “I’m sorry for trying to kill you. I had no control.”
“She knows,” Ulrik said. “We told her.”
Roman looked from Ulrik to V, glad they at least had pants on. That’s when he realized that he was still very naked.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said.
Sabina sighed and nodded. “Yes, please.”
She jumped up. Roman looked down at the wound that was already healed. He got to his feet and realized that Rhi and Eilish weren’t there. Roman raised a brow at Ulrik in a silent question.
Ulrik shot him a dark look. “You were naked. I didna want my woman seeing that.”
V shoved at Ulrik’s shoulder and flattened his lips in annoyance before turning to Roman. “The girls are looking at some markings they found on the stone walls.”
Roman decided to use his magic for more than just a pair of jeans. With a thought, his clothes were once more in place. Then he and Sabina joined hands.
As Ulrik and V went to find Eilish and Rhi, Roman hung back.
“What is it?” Sabina asked.
“I can no’ help but feel that the Others are no’ finished with us.”
She rested her head against his shoulder. “I don’t they think are. We unknowingly put their third drawing into effect.”
“We need to find the Fae since the Druids who were part of this are dead.”
Sabina frowned as she faced him. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you, but I traveled to the past again. I spoke with Ana, the one who sent the men to steal V’s sword.”
“And?”
Sabina glanced away. “I can only assume what she told me is true.”
“Tell me,” he urged, wondering what it could possibly be.
“She said the Others instigated all of it. Including the arrival of the humans here. The minute you and the other Dragon Kings agreed to protect them, you sealed your Fate.”
Roman shook his head. “No.”
“You said yourself, you don’t know where the mortals came from.”
That was true, but still …
“Also,” Sabina began.
There was more? Roman wasn’t sure he could handle anything else.
“Ana said Druids didn’t begin here. That the place humans come from always had Druids. That they rule there.”
Roman blew out a breath. “That changes everything.”
“I know it means more questions, but I just thought—”
Roman put a finger to her lips and pulled her close. “You thought right, lass.”
Her dark eyes held his. “I was terrified when I fell, but nothing comes close to what I experienced when I thought you were dying.”
“I know the feeling well. It’s the same one I suffered when you were suffocating, and again when you fell. I didna care what happened to me, but I was going to save you.”
He bent and gave her a long, slow kiss. When he lifted his head to look at her, he asked, “So you may love me, huh?”
“No,” she said with a shake of her head. “I do love you. I love you with all my heart.”
“And I love you, my gypsy.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
“Where’s my brother?”
Sabina couldn’t believe she’d forgotten about Camlo. What kind of sister was she?
“He’s fine,” V said, stepping back between the stones to look at her. “Eilish took him home. He’s no’ alone, though. Keltan is watching over him.”
Sabina looked at Roman. “Keltan?”
“Another Dragon King,” he replied.
“Oh.” That made her feel better.
They walked to Ulrik, Eilish, and V, everyone eager to leave the mountain. Sabina would be happy to never see the place again. It was terrifyingly beautiful, but the Others had ruined it. They dirtied it, destroyed it with their magic.
“This place,” Eilish said as she and Ulrik came around the left-hand wall. She shook her head and frowned. “It’s like I know it here,” she stated, touching her chest. “That this has something to do with Druids, but I can’t read it.”
Sabina frowned. “Read it?”
“There are symbols,” Ulrik said.
She and Roman walked around the wall to see for themselves. Sure enough, there was writing of some kind. It wasn’t faded as she’d expected it to be, but clean and perfect. As if it had just been carved.
“These are no’ natural,” Roman said as he eyed the stone.
Sabina hadn’t thought much about it when she first saw them. To her, they were nothing more than entrances to the sword. Now, she realized they were much more than that.
“How tall are they?” she asked.
Roman shrugged. “About sixty feet high.”
“The writing goes all the way up,” Eilish added.
Sabina craned her head back to look up. “I wonder what it says.”
“Tell them what you told me,” Roman urged her.
She lowered her head to find not just Eilish and Ulrik looking at her but also V. Sabina guessed that Rhi was looking at the other wall.
Sabina still wasn’t certain how she felt about the information, but she relayed what Ana had told her about the mortals and Druids.
“I don’t even know what to say,” Eilish said.
Ulrik’s nostrils flared, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His gold eyes sparked with anger. “These … Others,” he said with disgust, “are responsible for everything.”
