“I will stay only because as you, Mama, say the village needs me.”
She smiled, kissed her daughter’s forehead one last time, reached for her weapons and with Ava and Grifon by her side, and Ryn walking ahead of them, they ventured into their uncertain future.
She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach and had managed to navigate around Rhiannon picking up on it. She didn’t know if she would survive the coming battle—but if she didn’t, she would make sure that Rhiannon had a life without her—she would have a future worth living.
Chapter Nineteen
Lucan stared at his father. “Why do you allow Ulwyn to keep you trapped like this? You need to snap out of whatever sort of guilt keeps you chained here to this plane of existence and join the fight. There is another spirit here who has come to take you home, you deserve to travel to the Heavenly Otherworld. As much as I hate to admit it, since you were a foul bastard to my mother and me, you have done good deeds in your life, deeds that will counter any of your sins. When I look at true evil this day, your sins pale in comparison. Have your happiness in the Afterlife, Father. I forgive you.” His heart swelled as genuine emotion threatened to cripple Lucan.
For the first time in his life, he truly saw his father for what he was, a man who had made many mistakes but despite all of that he was still his father.
The crushing guilt shadowing his father’s wrinkled and grey visage crumbled. Light swept across his haggardly spirit and enveloped him in its healing power. When the light dimmed, he was looking at the vibrant, hearty and hale man he’d recalled as being his father.
Brandyn Whittier’s striking resemblance to Lucan struck him hard. He swallowed against the large lump that had formed in his throat. As they sometimes said, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. He was his father’s mirror image.
As his father’s guilt had been washed away, so too, had the supernatural chains that Ulwyn had shackled Brandyn with.
Instead of chains, he wore the same armour that Algernon wore and he sported wicked looking weapons that would see him through the battle.
“Son,” Brandyn said, reaching to grasp Lucan’s hand in a firm handshake. “I’ve waited for so long to hear you say those blessed words. I only ever wanted your forgiveness once I realized that I had lost my chance to be your father. Algernon filled that void, and how I wished I had chosen differently. We both picked different paths and yet—yet, we arrived at the same destination. You have what was always supposed to be your birthright. As my eldest child, you will get all that I have left to give in the mortal world. And with that inheritance comes a great power—a power the likes of which you probably never imagined existed.
Our ancestor, the first Baron, was an extremely powerful Knight Mage. Like you, he possessed the same raw magical talent, and took years harnessing its power. He imbued this castle with that power and enchanted it so that his blood heirs would always have a safe haven here. You are his last surviving direct blood heir. You now control that power that is hidden within these walls.
You can use it to rid us of the demons that have spawned from the Hellish Dimension of Herne. It will not close the portal, but it will kill all those who have invaded its walls. This castle wasn’t revered and feared for centuries for nothing. It’s always been a sanctuary, let it be so once more. Claim the castle as yours, say you are Lord Wythley the last of the Whittier line and that you order all of the demon soldiers from Herne to die, for this is a safe haven for the subjects of Shardizar and its allies. After that we just have to figure out how to close the damn portal.”
“I don’t know if I can command such power.”
Mother Spratt had fought her way over to Lucan and kept the enemy from reaching him while he stood talking to his father. She was a warrior to be reckoned with—indeed, she would have made a glorious Templar Mage!
“You can. You must. If you wish to save your lady love.” He motioned to where Neri stood back in the thick of the battle.
Their eyes met for one glorious moment before she was surrounded by a raging cluster of hell demons.
Ryn, Grifon and Ava stood with her, fighting against the impossible odds for as they continued to kill the legions of demon soldiers more were spawned from the hellish portal. His father was right—he had to end it now. He had no other choice.
“Castle Wythley heed my wishes. I am Lord Wythley, last of the Whittier bloodline. I order all of the demon soldiers from Herne to die, those that are already here and those that continue to emerge from the portal. May they turn to ashes as soon as their feet touch the ground, for this castle is a sanctuary for the loyal subjects of Shardizar and those who are their allies. Any who harbour ill will in their hearts for me and my family must be cleansed from this castle.”
He closed his eyes as blue arcane magic swept throughout the castle. The hellish battle cries of the Herne Soldiers turned to exasperated screams as they were met with the castle’s wrath.
It was purging itself of the interlopers. He saw the look of horror on Ulwyn’s face as blue flames started to creep up his body. Would his daughters meet the same fate? He didn’t want to think about it—all he wanted to focus on, to cling to, was his love for Neri.
The Whittier ruby ring that Ulwyn had worn hit the castle floor as Ulwyn was consumed by the flames. Magic surrounded the ring and lifted it off the floor and it flew toward Lucan. He extended his hand and felt the warmth of the gold as it slid over his finger.
“Oh, such a glorious sight, Lucan!” Mother Spratt said, smiling widely at him. “You have embraced your destiny! How happy I am for you!”
The invaders were done for—that part of the battle was over.
Lucan had finally claimed his birthright. He had come home and for the rest of his days, he would never stray far from the land that he loved with all of his heart.
Jubilant cheers echoed throughout the castle. They had won! People who barely knew each other started to embrace. Avonry warriors hugged Knight Mages from Shardizar.
Mother Spratt and he embraced. He looked at her briefly as an odd twang entered his heart before he let her go.
Neri, Ryn, Algernon, Grifon and Ava made their way to Lucan, Mother Spratt and his father.
“I always had faith in you, my boy,” Algernon said, in his boisterous way. Lucan smiled at him.
They were all basking in the glory of their victory when Neri’s attention moved to the portal that was still opened to the dimension of Herne. Though all of the demon soldiers were being immolated upon stepping onto the castle floor, the horned thing that was coming head first toward them wouldn’t meet the same fate. He doubted that his ancestor’s magic could affect a Demonic God.
“We have to stop him!” Neri’s voice was high pitched. Before anyone could stop her, she’d changed into a large cat form that looked like a purple panther and she was lunging toward the portal.
“No,” Lucan screamed.
He tried to move but some invisible force was keeping him locked in his position. He could only helplessly witness the death of the woman he loved.
Neri’s magic hit the dimensional portal head on and her body went rigid as her magic and her energy was drained from her body. With a thunderous crashing of bells ringing throughout the castle, the portal was closed. Braidius would not be coming to destroy Shardizar.
He watched as she changed back into her human form. She was lifted into the air. Light cascaded around her as her spirit was separated from her mortal body. She was radiant and his heart was breaking in two.
Ryn looked just as shocked as he felt. An anguished roar keenly resembling that of a dragon carried to them from the village.
Neri was gone.
Lucan’s reason for living was gone. Gasps of grief echoed around him. There had been so many who had loved Neri. Her death would leave a gaping hole in all of their lives.
Mother Spratt hobbled toward him. Her right leg was bloody, and her eyes were as haunted as he knew his were.
“He was
too close,” Ryn’s voice was rife with emotion. “She knew it, she somehow sensed it. Normally, it would have taken one life to close the portal but with Braidius being so close it took the many lives that Neri had left to seal the deal.”
“You son of a bitch!” Lucan lunged at him. “She sacrificed herself because of you. You made her doubt who she was and what she was!”
Neri’s spirit materialized in front of him, and kept him from knocking Ryn senseless.
“He did no such thing, Lucan. He merely made me see how much I had to lose if Braidius was allowed passage into this Realm. I couldn’t allow more than one person to die. It was the only sensible solution, don’t you see that, Lucan? I’ve had a good long life. I wish I could have stayed around longer to be with Rhiannon but she is forging her own path now and I would be indebted to you if you watched over her in my absence. As for my body, bury me next to my son, I shall give my wishes to Rhiannon as well.”
He looked away from her.
“He will do whatever you ask, Neri,” Ava’s voice was calm and soothing.
Mother Spratt put her hand on his arm in what she viewed as a comforting gesture. He wanted to shake her off but even in his heartbroken state he couldn’t be that heartless.
“Don’t mourn me for long, Lucan. Your heart will heal. All hearts heal even if they are scarred. You will find another woman to love who deserves it far more than I did. My heart was finally healed when I faced my lingering feelings for Ryn. The love I had for him endured beyond tragedy and betrayal. I don’t know if it’s right or wrong but I would have never been able to love you the way you should be loved, Lucan. Don’t hate me for that, and I pray you will all remember me fondly.”
The other Celestial Beings of Light that had come with Princess Alby started to band together, as if they knew their time in the Mortal Realm was coming to an end.
“Farewell, lad. I was happy to see you again,” Algernon said, as he left his side. “We shall see each other again once you’ve lived a good long life. Be happy, and find yourself the right woman to love!” He winked at him, and moved over to stand with the other fallen members of the Order of St. Alby.
“Goodbye, son. Thank you for giving me what I so desperately sought. Don’t ever carry around your regrets like I did. Don’t let them cripple you. You will find joy when you least expect it.” His father gave him a quick hug and clapped him heartily on the back. Dry mouthed, he watched as his father moved to stand by Algernon.
“My mission here is done,” Ryn said. “I am sorry for seeing you hurt, Lucan. You’re a decent sort of fellow, and I know you will do right by the people of this county, and if you watch over my daughter, you will always have my respect.” He bowed his head to him, and waited as Neri made her peace with Lucan.
“I have to go, Lucan. We have to go and see Rhiannon one last time and then, then, Ryn and I will crossover together. I pray you’ll forgive me in time,” she said, as she embraced him, and gave him a bitterly sweet goodbye kiss.
He felt hollow inside. Neri had made him feel again and now, he’d never have the future he envisioned with her as his wife.
He looked away as Ryn and Neri disappeared.
Seeking to forget his feelings of loneliness, he shifted into his wolf skin and howled mournfully. He leapt toward the great castle doors and charged through them running toward Glynneath.
Twilight crept across the landscape, the pinks, oranges and the purples of twilight streaked across the sky. The remnants of the fierce battle clung to the air and the scent of burned flesh singed his nostrils and made his eyes fill with tears. He knew that Mother Spratt had followed him and was using her super speed to keep up with him in his wolf form.
He arrived just as Rhiannon was saying her tearful farewells to her parents. Shifting out of his wolf form, he walked through the Tavern door which Nell had propped open with the old heavy spittoon from his great-grandfather’s time.
Nell stood by with her children clasped to her side, her face a mirror of the agony he felt. No one could quite understand Neri’s sacrifice and yet, they had to force themselves to come to terms with it.
“Ryn’s time is almost up. I have to go my darling daughter,” Neri said. “Live well and know that I will always be watching over you. Don’t forget me.”
“Never,” Rhiannon sobbed, wiping her tears away with her hand. He stepped close to them. The Tavern was darkened, as if it too keenly felt the loss of Neri.
“Don’t forget me,” Neri said, as she started to shimmer out of sight.
“I won’t,” Lucan murmured, burning entering his chest as she turned to fall into Ryn’s arms.
The lovers were reunited in death and finally had the happiness that had been denied them in life.
“Are they gone?” Aedan asked, stepping into the Tavern.
“Yes,” Lucan said, his throat still dry.
He looked away as Rhiannon sought comfort in Aedan’s arms. He held her as if she were his own daughter. Rhiannon didn’t need him—she had her Uncle, and he had absolutely no one.
Nell walked up to him quietly and handed him a goblet of wine. He sipped at the cool liquid and sighed heavily.
“You look the way I feel, Sir Lucan. I haven’t got a clue as to where I will go now that the farm is gone.”
He looked at her son and daughter sitting on the barstools. They looked as if they’d survived the trauma of losing their family farm really well, and were taking to the Tavern like fish took to water.
“I like this place,” Brett said. “I like the fact that we’re staying where Sir Lucan grew up.”
He smiled at the boy and finally sensed the latent magical talent that resided within him. “You can stay here for as long as you wish, Nell. If you think being Mistress of a Tavern suits your fancy.”
Hope lit her eyes. “Are you in jest, sir?” she asked, holding her breath.
“No, I am deadly serious. The castle will require my attention now, and this place reminds me too much of Neri. It haunts me. The castle has no painful memories for me, so I think I’ll remain there for most of my coming days.”
“I will pay you rent,” she said.
He waved his hand dismissively. “I neither need nor want the money, Nell. My former mentor made me a very rich man. You can keep the profit that this Tavern pulls in. Make it the sort of place it was when my mother was still alive.”
Mother Spratt sat to his left. She was smiling despite the look of pain in her eyes.
“You need to have your wounds attended to,” he remarked, calling for a healing mage. The healing mages that Grifon and Ava had brought with them had yet to leave. In fact, the sooner everyone left the better. He wanted to return to a quiet solitary life now that Neri had left him.
She was dead.
He would never see her again in this life. What’s more, she’d died to save them all. She would become a legend here in Shardizar and in Avonry. If he knew Grifon the way he thought he knew him, he was probably already putting her up for Sainthood.
“Lucan,” Mother Spratt said softly, as the healing mage attending to her wounds got up and left. “You will move on in time. Neri wanted you to be happy, so try to fulfill her wish. You might think that what she did was selfish, considering the fact that she picked Ryn over you, but in time, you’ll see that she made the right decision. I feel quite certain that there is another woman who was made to be your mate.”
He drank the rest of the wine and set the goblet down on the table in front of Mother Spratt.
Those who had fought up at the castle had finally made their way down to the Tavern. Revelry filled the building to the brim, as drink was added to their celebrations.
He watched as Ava and Grifon shared loving looks and stolen caresses.
“Someday you will have that kind of a relationship, Lucan. Don’t fret, it will come in time.”
“When you joined the Holy Order of Celestial Mages did you take a vow of chastity?” His question caught her off guard, for her cheeks fla
med red.
She bit her lip in a ferocious manner. “No. I never took that vow, only those wanting to enter the Chaste Order of the Celestial Mages take that vow,” she whispered, looking away from him. “I have sprite blood within me, they are known for their highly sexual natures. I couldn’t bear folding that part of me away and sticking it in a drawer somewhere. That’s just not who I am. I wanted to serve the Gods and Goddesses faithfully, but I never thought that I needed to swear off a life of intimacy to do that.”
“They say I’m part of the Forgotten. What do you think of that, Mother Spratt?”
“Call me Verity. I haven’t heard someone call me by my first name in far too long. I want to hear you say it. In fact, now that I have no Temple and a battered flock, I don’t exactly know what I shall do with my life, I don’t even know if I will continue on with my Holy Order. I suppose I’ll return to the Crown City with Prince Grifon and Princess Ava. As for you being part of the Forgotten, I say that’s pretty hard to pull off given what you did here today. You will always be remembered. As will Neri. None of our warriors should ever fall into obscurity. Their sacrifices and services should always be honoured.”
He snorted, and offered his goblet as Nell came around with a jug full of wine to refill drinks. The Tavern was full of joy as those who had fought the demon hordes celebrated their success. There would be time to mourn their dead later.
“Verity, how would you like to return to Wythley Castle and assess the damage with me?”
She smiled at him. “I could use the distraction. It’s good to know that at least someone still needs me after the events of today.”
He stood up and strode out of the Tavern with Verity flanking his side. He would get Neri out of his mind and his heart—somehow, someway.
Chapter Twenty
The festivities were in full swing at Alby Palace. The old King had even joined in and had taken a few wobbly turns around the dance floor with the female Knight Mages that had battled the Demonic Hordes from Herne.
The Forgotten Page 20
