“The old man.”
“You’re dodging my question.”
“No, I’m not. It was an old man who appeared to you. Twice now.”
“But who is he?”
“I don’t know. That’s what I need to find out.”
“I don’t believe you.” She shook her head. “After all we’ve done together, how can you sit there and lie to me? Do you really think I’m so stupid that I can’t figure out you’re not telling me the truth?”
He swallowed and averted her gaze. She waited for a long moment for him to answer her, determined that she’d stand in front of him all night if that’s how long it took to get the truth out of him. He was remarkably stubborn, but she could be too if she wanted to be and since this concerned her, she had good reason to stand her ground.
“Gavin, tell me everything,” she finally said, her voice leaving no room for argument.
His shoulders slumped and he rolled his eyes. “Fine. It’s King Petros. King Petros is coming here to send you back to your world. Happy?”
She frowned. “King Petros? You don’t think he also wants to be a hero, do you?”
“I never wanted to be the hero. I just wanted to live.”
“You gave everyone you were supposed to have killed a second chance at a good life. That is the kind of thing a hero does.”
“I didn’t see it that way. I only wanted to undo the damage you made me do.”
“Alright. Fine. Whatever. It doesn’t matter now since it’s all in the past. What matters is that you wanted to get a hold of me so you could change my book. Do you think King Petros wants to do the same thing?”
“He wants to send you back so you’ll keep the book as it was originally written. That means I’d end up killing off everyone all over again and you’d kill me in the final chapter.”
“Oh.” She thought over what the old man had told her when she said she didn’t want to go back to her world. He said he was sorry to hear it. “Why does he care so much if I write the second book? He’d be the villain. That means he’d have to die at the end in order for the book to be complete.”
“If he can send you back, then he can access your world.”
“Well, yes. I suppose that’s true.”
“If he can access your world, then he can abduct you to force you to change the story.”
“You know, I’ve never heard of any other author who’s been harassed by her characters as much as I am.”
He slid off the table and pulled her into his arms. “I didn’t set out to harass you. I just wanted to stay alive.”
“Well, maybe he does, too. Maybe I should talk to him. It’s not like I have to write another book.” And given how much trouble everyone was going to so they could change what she wanted to write, it wasn’t even worth it. “I can tell him I won’t write anything else. Then he’ll feel safe and go back to whatever kingdom I placed him in.”
“He rules Reinhold.”
“What does it matter? The fact is, this whole thing isn’t worth it. I mean, I can’t write a simple story without my characters going all crazy on me. From now on, the only thing I’m going to write is a grocery list. Hopefully, the broccoli won’t raise a protest when I pass it up for a tomato.”
He chuckled and kissed her. “Well, if I was broccoli, I’d wish I was a tomato so you’d take me home.”
She rolled her eyes but grinned. “You have no need to worry because we’d go to the store and come back together.”
“That’s nice to know.” He massaged her shoulders. “Look, I don’t want you to worry. I’ll handle King Petros.”
“I’m the author. I should be the one to handle him.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not? I just told you I won’t write book two and kill him off. I’ll tell him the same thing. End of problem.”
“No, I don’t think so. This isn’t the same as it was with me.”
“Oh? Afraid I’ll leave you for him?” She meant to tease him, figuring he’d give her one of his cocky grins and say that there was no contest between him and King Petros because he was much better.
But to her surprise, he turned unexpectedly serious and made eye contact with her. “King Petros isn’t harmless. He killed three of your men to try to send you back to your world. I didn’t kill anyone to do what I wanted. You might not have thought him through when you introduced him in the original version of this story, but he’s taken on a life of his own and I don’t think he’s the type of character who minds being the villain.”
She considered his words. “If that’s true, then why didn’t he come right out and harm me? Why offer me a way back to my world where I could restore the original story?”
“There’s an original file of the story still available?”
“It’s on my hard drive. He put it in a file you wouldn’t find.”
He let go of her shoulders so he could scoot off the table.
As he headed for a cabinet in the corner of the room, she added, “You have no reason to worry. I’m not going to use the original version.” She traced the smooth edge of the table as he retrieved a rolled up map and set it down. “In fact, I told him I’m not interested in going back.” The last part she said softly, knowing as she came out and admitted it, she was revealing much more of her heart than she’d done with any other man.
His eyes met hers. “You’d do that? Give up your world to be with me?”
Her face growing warm, she lowered her gaze to where her fingers ran along the table’s cool surface. “I didn’t take the globe he wanted to give me that would have taken me back there.”
“I love you.”
Her heartbeat picked up and she chanced a look at him.
“I don’t want to live without you,” he continued, his voice gentle.
With a smile, she relaxed. “I don’t want to live without you either.”
“Because you love me?” he pressed, his eyes twinkling.
“If I say yes, will your ego get even bigger?”
“Most likely.”
Well, at least he could admit it. “Alright. I’ll take my chances and say yes, though I will add you wouldn’t be anything without me,” she teased.
He winked. “I won’t forget.”
Turning his attention back to the map, he rolled it out. “King Petros came from Reinhold.” He waved her over so she walked over to him and peered down at the map. “Before he came here, he went to Crystaline then came here, to Havenshire. What we know is that he planned an attack in Crystaline before he tracked you down and sent a holographic image to talk to you.” He drummed his fingers on the table and glanced at her. “I doubt he’s really an old man.”
“No. I barely know anything about him, but I know he was young.”
“Any idea of what he looks like?”
She shrugged. “A vague idea. Didn’t my knights see him?”
“No. He wore the mask that was the face of a golden vulture.”
“A golden vulture?”
“Yeah, apparently it’s his trademark.” He scanned the map. “You said he wanted to get you back to your world?”
She nodded and tapped the area in the heart of the Havenshire forest. “The globe he showed me said the portal back to my world is here, at least in this kingdom.”
“He’s right. It is. And it’s not easy to get to. I have enchantments set through the entire kingdom.”
“Like what?”
“Quicksand, mirrors that make you think you’re heading one way when all you’re doing is going in circles, trees that try to lure you off your path. Stuff like that.”
“Well, how fun. Sounds like I would have enjoyed the trip.”
His lips curled up at her sarcastic tone. “You needn’t worry. The enchantments won’t affect you. You’re the queen of this land. You’re safe from harm. In fact, the things living there will help you.”
“That would have been nice to know sooner.”
“There was no po
int in telling you before you fell in love with me.”
“You’re sneaky,” she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek, “but I’ll forgive you since you’re cute.”
“Being cute has its perks.”
“Definitely.” She kissed his cheek and giggled when he squeezed her bottom.
“Is there anything else that happened between you and that hologram?”
“No. He offered to show me a way back to my world, I declined, and he didn’t like my answer.” She glanced at the map. “What are you looking at this for?”
“I’m trying to figure out which direction King Petros is coming from. Since he left Crystaline, it stands to reason he came from the south.” He pointed to her kingdom. “He could access Havenshire from any of these two points of entry into the forest.”
“I will say one thing, that forest is a great hiding place for a lot of men.”
“Now you know why the guards are lined up along the wall.”
“At least you have the large clearing between this castle and the forest. It buys you some time before they can attack.”
“Not much but every second counts.” He traced two paths along the forest. “Though I didn’t think he’d find a way to send a hologram through the castle walls.”
“Shouldn’t your forest be a hindrance to his army?”
“A determined warrior finds a way, even if it costs him some men along the way.”
“You’re not like that. You wouldn’t sacrifice your men to get something you wanted.”
He rolled up the map and put it away. “I’m not King Petros.”
True. She couldn’t argue his logic, though she was beginning to think she would have done better with her story if she’d swapped him with King Petros. At least then, she would have gotten the villain right.
He returned to her and slipped his arm around her shoulders. Leading her out of the room, he whispered, “Now, I believe we got sidetracked before you were going to tell me how much you wanted to make mad passionate love to me.”
Though she rolled her eyes, she felt a smile tug at her lips. “You mean, ‘how much I want to make mad passionate love to you’.”
“That’s what I said.”
It took a moment to get his joke and when she did, she nudged him in the side. “I give up. Let’s go to the bedchamber so we can get ready for dinner.”
He chuckled and kissed her cheek. “As my lady wishes, it shall be.”
Chapter Sixteen
Four days passed without incidence, and despite the number of guards placed through the castle and along the walls, Gavin insisted on being with Sandy everywhere she went. Granted, he meant well. She knew he was doing it to protect her, but there were times when she missed being alone.
On the fifth day as Sandy was trying to read a book about the Havenshire forest, her gaze kept going to Gavin who watched her from the other side of the room. When she asked to come to the large sunroom so she could relax on the sofa and read, she expected him to let down his guard since no one else was there, but he remained focused on her. She even turned her back to him in hopes that he’d turn his attention to something else, but when she glanced over her shoulder, he was staring at her.
With a groan, she straightened on the sofa and slammed her book shut. “Can’t you do something else?”
“My duty is to protect you at all costs, and we know there’s a threat nearby.”
“Yes, I know that, but the threat isn’t right here in this room.”
“We don’t know that.”
“Yes, we do. You had the guards search the room before we came in here.” She sighed and placed the book beside her. “Look, I understand why you’re doing this, but it’s driving me crazy. I can’t live like this.”
“Would you rather have a guard watch over you?”
Noting the hurt tone in his voice, she shook her head. “No. I just want you to do something else while you’re in this room with me. Can’t you read a book or look out the window or rest your eyes?”
“If I do that, something might happen to you.”
“Nothing is going to happen. We’re in a closed space. There is only one way in or out. There is nothing in here with us that we need to be concerned about.”
“But King Petros could have sent something in here that looks like it belongs here but doesn’t. My guards might be thorough but they’re only human. They could miss something. Not all threats are big or obvious.”
“What if I promise to scream at the top of my lungs if something bad happens to me? You will be able to save me in a matter of seconds.”
“But it could take a couple of seconds for you to be abducted.”
She groaned. “If you refuse to leave me alone for longer than a couple minutes so I can use the bathroom in private, will you at least stop staring at me?”
“Are you saying you’re tired of me already?”
“I’m saying I need some space, some time alone to just…be.”
“Just be?”
How could she explain this so he understood it? With a sigh, she ran her fingers through her golden hair and let it fall softly against her shoulders. “I love you. You know I do. You’re sweet and look out for what’s best for me. You accept everything about me, too. But sometimes it helps if I can enjoy some time without you so that when we’re together, I appreciate you even more.”
“I see your point, but I don’t know how I can make sure you’re safe.” He paused. “What if I have a guard watch you?”
She grimaced. “I don’t like that idea either. I need to be by myself. Can’t you make sure a room is secure then let me be in it? I won’t leave without ringing for you to come and get me.”
After a long moment, he nodded. “Alright. I can do that. I think of all the rooms I trust, I suggest the bedchamber. Would you mind going there?”
“No, I wouldn’t.” Grateful, she rose to her feet. “Thank you.”
“What a sad state of affairs it is when a wife is eager to get away from her husband.”
“Don’t be like that.” She walked over to him and kissed him. “We’ll appreciate each other much more after we’ve had a break from each other.”
Though he didn’t seem convinced, he led her to the door and checked the hallway before he motioned that it was safe for her to leave the room. Slipping her arm around his, she strolled down the hall, glancing around but not seeing anything out of the ordinary. She tucked the book under her other arm and kissed his cheek.
He grunted. “Oh sure. Now that I agree to get away from you, you act all loving.”
Knowing she couldn’t soothe his ego, at least for the moment, she turned her attention to the staircase as they headed up the steps. She would make it up to him later. She’d tell him how much she wanted him to make love to her. He liked it when she admitted it, and it was true so she wouldn’t have to lie.
When they reached the bedchamber, he searched the entire place. She tried not to let her impatience show, especially since he went back over a couple of areas twice. But she held her tongue and kissed him good-bye.
“I’ll be back in an hour to see how you’re doing,” he said.
“Okay.” She gave him another kiss. “I love you.”
Though he rolled his eyes, he said, “I love you, too. Make sure you lock the door.”
After he left, she shut the door and locked it. She glanced around the room and sighed with relief. It felt wonderful to be alone! She hurried to the bed and settled into a nice, comfortable spot. Opening her book, she found the place she’d left off. She didn’t get past one sentence when a black mist swirled around her. She coughed and tried to throw the book aside, but vines grew out of the book and clasped her hands. She tried to scream but the mist put her into a deep sleep.
***
Gavin paced the wall between two of his guards. He probably should be practicing with his sword, but he couldn’t concentrate. Something was bothering him, and it wasn’t even the fact that Sandy wanted to be
alone. Something wasn’t right. He could feel it.
He turned to one of the guards. “Will you go to my bedchamber and ask Sandy if she’s okay?” Hopefully, she wouldn’t mind if the guard went to check on her.
The guard nodded and left his post at the wall.
Relieved, he turned his attention to the forest beyond the clearing in front of his castle. His sword was sheathed on the belt around his waist, but his fingers itched to pull it out. Something was definitely wrong. He tapped his foot impatiently and scanned the other walls, noting that the other guards were careful to keep their posts. Good. They needed all the advantage they could get.
He caught sight of a sliver of light coming from the forest just as one of his guards yelled an alarm. King Petros had made his move. Gavin turned to the guards in hearing distance and cried to attack. While his men assembled to battle King Petros’ men, Gavin hurried down the stairs leading to his bedchamber. He was no fool. King Petros had been waiting for the moment he left Sandy alone. He knew he should have stayed with her! Now King Petros had a good head start on him.
Mentally cursing himself for being so stupid, he hurried down the halls until he came to the bedchamber door. The guard he sent to check on Sandy lay in an unconscious heap on the floor. After he made sure the guard was going to be alright, he tested the doorknob. He expected it to be locked, but it wasn’t. He slowly opened the door, deciding it was best to be cautious rather than burst into the room.
A careful glance around the room assured him King Petros wasn’t there. However, Sandy also wasn’t there, though he saw the book she’d been reading. It was lying face down on the bed. He picked it up and flipped through it, surprised that all the pages were blank. He distinctly remembered there being words in it before.
Checking the cover, his jaw clenched. The book was enchanted. Somehow King Petros had slipped it into the castle. But how? On the cover, words appeared. You lose, King Blackheart. No one but him would understand the message from King Petros. He was sending Sandy back to her world, and since she was the author, there was no way she could make it back to this world on her own. She needed one of the characters to pull her in.
His Abducted Bride Page 14
