He shook his head and rubbed her hand affectionately.
“Don’t you miss Forestaria?” she asked.
He nodded.
“Do you wish you were there right now?”
He shook his head.
“No? You mean, you’d rather be here?”
He nodded and purred.
“Because Hathor and I are here?” she guessed.
He nodded again.
“Would you like to return to your planet?”
He offered a shrug.
She chuckled and hugged him. “We’re not so different, are we? We’re both from different worlds heading for Raz. I don’t know what I want. Part of me wants to hightail it back to Earth and be safe again. But when I was there, I had no purpose, no sense of direction. At least now I have something I’m supposed to work toward.” She sighed. “It’s scary, though. I can’t help but wonder if I’m really cut out for this.”
A loud bang coming from inside the mountain made her straighten up. The lion leapt in front of her and bared his fangs.
Hathor ran out of the entrance carrying a sword in one hand and a stone the size of a walnut in another. “I found the sword next to a skeleton,” he gasped, out of breath. “Here. Take the stone and go to the boat. I’ll be there soon.”
She took the stone but didn’t move.
“Go on,” he urged.
“No.”
“No? I’m going to save you.”
“And who’s going to save you?”
“I have to save myself,” he replied, gesturing for her to go to the boat. “If I fail, then I won’t be the king.”
From above, a Sphinx flew down and landed right in front of them. “Give me that stone,” she hissed.
“It doesn’t belong to you!” Hathor yelled.
“It doesn’t belong to you either.”
She lowered her head and tried to bite him, but he managed to dodge her sharp teeth. The Sphinx growled and made another move to bite him, but he wielded his sword and struck the Sphinx’s cheek, causing her red blood to drip to the ground.
“You insolent little beast!” she shrieked. “I’ll kill you for this!” She raised her hand, lion claws lengthening, and brought her hand down.
“Watch out!” Ann warned Hathor.
He managed to avoid her claws by dropping to the ground. Leo leapt at her and dug his teeth into her side, but he was so small compared to her that he was more of an annoyance than anything else.
The Sphinx blew Hathor away from her, and he landed on his back. She then turned her attention to Ann and advanced toward her. Ann took a step back. Good heavens but the beast was huge!
“Take me but leave the queen for Raz!” Hathor called out, standing back up and holding the sword in front of him.
The Sphinx stiffened. “Raz? Is she the new queen?”
“She hasn’t been crowned yet, but she will be as soon as we get to Raz,” he replied, walking over to her, his sword down. “I’m Queen Basilia’s son, and I was sent to bring Ann to her new home.”
The Sphinx turned back to Ann and looked her in the eye, as if figuring something out. “Yes,” she slowly began, “I can see that is your destiny. You will do much good for Olympia.” She bowed before Ann. “Forgive me, Your Majesty. I will never try to harm you or your traveling companions again.” Ann wasn’t sure what to say, but the Sphinx spared her by adding, “Please stay at my palace for the day so I can make amends for my behavior.”
Ann glanced at Hathor who nodded. She took a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll stay on two conditions.”
“Anything,” the Sphinx replied.
“One, you let me return the stone of immortality to the gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus. Two, Hathor and Leo stay, too.”
“I will do all you say, but if you listen to my concerns, perhaps you’ll understand why I took the stone,” the Sphinx requested.
“I’ll listen.”
“Thank you.”
The Sphinx rose to her full height and called for her servants who hurried out of the mountain. Ann’s jaw dropped when she realized the servants were nymphs. Though they were more decently dressed than Aphrodite, she still didn’t care for the way they rushed around, flaunting themselves in front of Hathor who seemed too pleased to be surrounded by beautiful women. To be fair, the nymphs were rushing around her as well, asking her whether she preferred a shower or a bath and what kind of clothes she wanted to wear. Even Leo had a couple come over to him and pet his mane.
“You will each go to your bedchambers where my servants will take care of you,” the Sphinx said, looking delighted at the turn of events.
The nymphs led the three travelers into the mountain, and Ann couldn’t help but wonder what this new turn of events meant for her.
Chapter Eleven
Sphinx’s Palace
Planet: Olympia
Ann had to admit the Sphinx’s palace contained some beautiful rooms. Her bedchamber was decorated with white lacy curtains, soft peach carpeting, and wood furnishings with a deep brown finish. The whole room was larger than her apartment on Earth. It was hard to believe such luxury was inside a palace made of stone.
“Can I style your hair?” a nymph asked after Ann’s bath in a golden tub that could fit ten people.
“Yes, thank you.” Ann sat down on the chair, which was in front of a large vanity trimmed in gold.
The nymph picked up a brush and worked it through Ann’s dark hair. “Do you like your dress?”
Ann examined her white dress that was trimmed in delicate pink lace and flowers. “Yes. And it fits perfectly.”
“Oh, that was easy. All nymphs are expert dressmakers, and we know how the queens on Raz dress. We created the dress while you bathed.”
“Well, it sure feels good to be clean again. I’m not used to going more than a day without a shower.”
“I’m glad you’re pleased.”
After a moment, Ann cleared her throat. “So, um, what’s your name?”
“Joy. The other two nymphs helping you are Pleasure and Sweets.”
Ann’s eyebrows raised in interest. She wondered how Hathor was doing with the nymphs who were pampering him. Trying to sound nonchalant, she asked, “What are the nymphs doing for Hathor?”
“Is that the name of the young man you came with?”
“Yes.”
“Sensation, Happiness, and Kisser drew his bath and made a male Razian outfit while he bathed.”
“Did they dress him like you, Pleasure, and Sweets dressed me?”
“Probably. That is how we treat all of our guests.” She continued to brush her hair, careful to slowly work her way through the tangles. “Is Hathor your love?”
Ann chuckled. “Not really. We have to get married because he’s bringing me to Raz. It’s an arrangement.”
“Do you want to marry him?”
“What I want or don’t want is irrelevant. I have no choice.”
“If you had a choice, would you?”
“I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it.”
“He doesn’t seem like the bad sort,” Joy teased.
Ann glanced at Joy’s reflection as she pulled her hair away from her face and used barrettes to secure her hair in place. “No, he’s not, but it’s not a romantic relationship. It’s more of a business arrangement.”
“Perhaps it might become more in time.”
Ann chose not to respond. Instead, she spent the next couple minutes watching Joy weave pink flowers in her hair.
When Joy finished, she gestured to the mirror. “What do you think?”
Ann stood up and took a good look at her reflection, seeing herself in a different light. For the first time since Hathor came for her, she actually looked like a queen. She hadn’t dressed up since she went to visit William over Spring Break almost a year ago. That memory alone made her frown. She went out of her way to look as beautiful as she could and William hadn’t even noticed. He’d been too hooked on Laura at the time. But the Wil
liam she’d been with before she moved to Florida would have noticed. He would have told her how beautiful she was and kissed her.
“What are you thinking?” Joy asked.
Turning away from the mirror, Ann said, “I’m just thinking about William.”
“Is he the one you love?”
“It was years ago.”
“I know how things are for Razian queens,” Joy said. “Perhaps you may marry him once you have a daughter. Other queens have done it.”
“No, I can’t do that.”
“You’re bound to your word. I get it. It’s an Earth thing. Raz’s ways are different. But I also know there’s a clause in Razian tradition. If Hathor fails at any time to protect you on the way to Raz, you won’t have to marry him. If that happens, would you marry this other one…William?”
Ann chuckled at the absurdity of it. From what she’d seen so far, Hathor was an expert fighter. Failure didn’t seem like something he was capable of, but in the event it was, she told Joy, “I’d have to go back into the past in order for William to agree to it.”
“Why? Isn’t the present good enough?”
“Too much time has passed. He only sees me as a friend.”
“How sad. But maybe it’s for the best. One thing I’ve learned as an immortal is that the passage of time changes people. Sometimes for the better. Sometimes for the worse. If you did go back in time and bring him back to the present so you could marry him, you will have changed but he wouldn’t.”
Someone knocked on the door and another nymph went to answer it. Since it was someone announcing that dinner was ready, Ann thanked Joy for her help and followed the nymphs to a grand dining room.
Ann stood at the entrance, not surprised to see that the dining room was massive in size since the Sphinx sat at the head of the table. It was hard to tell how many candles lit the place, but Ann would guess it was at least a hundred.
“Thank you for attending,” the Sphinx told Ann.
Everyone, even Hathor and Leo, rose to their feet to welcome her.
Despite how awkward it felt to have so much attention drawn to her, Ann stepped into the room. “I’m glad to be here,” she managed to say, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.
Hathor pulled out her chair, and she sat down. She tried not to stare at Hathor, but he looked so different. His blond hair was neatly combed, and he wore a blue outfit made of silk. He had a regal look about him, one that was probably the result of being in the royal line. Why hadn’t she noticed how attractive he was before?
As he returned to the seat next to her, he caught her eye and smiled. “You make a lovely queen,” he whispered.
Heat rose to her cheeks. Why was he looking at her like that? She cleared her throat, unable to make eye contact with him anymore. “Well, you make a handsome king.”
She glanced at the table, noting the abundance of food. Every spare inch of the table was covered with a dish of some sort, and they were all foods familiar to the people on Earth.
Joy came over to her and bowed. “What may I serve you?”
“Oh, well…” Ann studied the selection. “The fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn look good.”
After Joy served her, she waited until the others were ready to eat before she tried the food on her plate. Once she had a chance to taste everything in front of her, she looked up at the Sphinx.
“It’s delicious,” Ann said.
The Sphinx glowed with pleasure and thanked her.
They continued their main course and made small talk. Then dessert was served and Ann had never tasted a sweeter piece of chocolate cake in her life. She glanced at Hathor to see what he thought of their meal, and he winked at her, letting her know he enjoyed it as much as she did. When they were done eating, the nymphs poured wine in their glasses and left.
“Since you will be queen,” the Sphinx began, “I wondered if you are aware that Olympia has a special alliance with Raz.”
Ann’s gaze went to Hathor, fully expecting him to fill her in on the details since he was an expert on all things Razian, but he shrugged.
“I haven’t heard of it,” he replied.
“Queen Basilia will likely tell you about it, Ann, unless you wish for me to,” the Sphinx offered.
Unable to suppress her intrigue, Ann nodded. “I’d like to know now.”
“In that case, I’ll tell you, but it is not mandatory that your traveling companion be here for this discussion. The kings are not often aware of the alliance. However, if the queen—or future queen—wills it, then he can stay here.”
Ann saw no reason that Hathor should leave the room. He’d be the king, and who knew if knowing about this alliance might help him do his job better? “I would like Hathor to know about it.”
“Very well,” the Sphinx replied. “Anything you desire, I will grant. Every creature on this planet once resided on Earth. We originally had our home on Atlantis, but when it sank into the ocean, we went to Greece. The Greeks were so impressed by our technology, they made us gods, things of myths and legends. When Rome conquered Greece, the Romans then made us their gods. The reason we do not die is because we possess the stone of immortality. These stones were abundant in the underworld of Atlantis, but since our city sank, they dissolved.
“But I digress. When the Roman Empire was on the decline, a group of Romans found the source of our technology and immortality. They threatened to destroy us with it if we didn’t share these things with them. They held us hostage for ten years while we held our ground. Then King Edmund from Raz stopped on Earth while he was searching for a unicorn to add to his collection of animals. Though he found no unicorns, he did find us on Mount Olympus and rescued us with his Book of Spells. The Romans laughed when King Edmund threatened to send them to a vacant planet.” With a snicker, she added, “I doubt they kept laughing when they saw just how right he was.”
The Sphinx took a sip of her wine then continued her tale. “When Edmund saw our misery since we were no longer popular on Earth, he used the Book of Spells to transport us to Olympia. We’ve been here ever since. We made a vow to King Edmund that we would do everything in our power to ensure Raz’s survival and safety for all of Raz’s generations. This special alliance was a secret between the Olympians and the king, until Kathz cursed Raz. Now the knowledge is for the queen only, unless she permits the king to know.”
Hathor shook his head. “I had no idea that every time my mother came here, she made me stay on Raz because I wasn’t supposed to know about the alliance.”
“Your mother is a fine woman,” the Sphinx replied. “Fortunately, both Raz and Olympia have enjoyed peace during her reign.”
“Yes, it is fortunate,” he agreed.
Ann glanced at Hathor. “We have to get the Book of Spells back.”
“You lost the book?” the Sphinx asked.
“It blew out of my hands as I was trying to get Ann to Raz,” Hathor explained.
“What if the Palers get a hold of it?” Ann asked. The possibility hadn’t occurred to her before, but recalling it was the Palers who were trying to stop her from getting to Raz, it was likely they were behind it.
“What do the Palers want with you?” the Sphinx asked.
“We’re not sure,” Hathor replied.
“We must return to Forestaria and get the book, but we have no way of getting there,” Ann said.
“Hephaestus has built some spaceships in the last century, and I’m sure the gods and goddesses will be more than happy to help you,” the Sphinx said.
“Then we must go to them tomorrow,” Ann decided. Now that she knew about the alliance, she could insist the gods and goddesses help her.
“That reminds me,” the Sphinx spoke up. “I wanted to tell you why I took the stone of immortality.”
“I’ll be happy to listen.”
The Sphinx glanced at Hathor. “Do you permit him to be here?”
“Sure.” Ann saw no reason that he shouldn’t know, but it was inte
resting just how much the Olympians insisted on keeping things solely at the discretion of the queen of Raz.
“Very well. For as long as I can remember, the gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus have treated me like I’m not important. My role has always been important. I can confuse many with my riddles. But do they care? No. If I try to get something better for me and the nymphs I protect, they laugh at me. What I want is to live in an ivory palace like theirs instead of the stone one they resigned me to. Stone is so cold and unattractive. The gods and goddesses denied my wish. I told them if they wouldn’t give me and the nymphs a better palace, I would take the stone of immortality. They only laughed at me. So I had to take it in order to prove I wasn’t bluffing.”
“Can’t you and the nymphs build an ivory palace?” Ann asked.
“Not like Hephaestus can. He might be lame, but he’s an excellent craftsman.”
“When I go to Mount Olympus, I’ll talk to them on your behalf.”
“Thank you! Surely, they will listen to you.”
If the alliance was that important, Ann figured there was a good chance of it.
The Sphinx summoned the nymphs. Some cleaned the tables while a couple led Ann, Hathor, and Leo to their respective rooms for the night.
***
Ann managed to drift off into a light sleep but woke up an hour later. She tried to go back to sleep, but sleep wouldn’t come. For some reason, she felt sad. She stared at the ceiling for a few minutes before the answer came to her. Earth. She missed her home planet.
Giving up on sleep, she got out of bed and slipped into a robe. How the nymphs made her clothes in such a timely fashion she didn’t know, but it certainly showed her just how important the queen of Raz was, at least on this planet.
She left the room and walked down the deserted hall until she came to a balcony. She stepped onto it and examined her surroundings. It reminded her so much of Earth. Around her were a group of beautiful trees that sent out a sweet aroma into the air. Up above were millions of stars. A warm breeze brushed against her hair. It was all very soothing.
A Royal Engagement (Enchanted Galaxy Series Book 1) Page 10
