by E. D. Brady
“I suppose,” he mumbled.
They stared at one another for a long moment, contemplating the strangeness of their union. Abruptly, and when it was least expected, Kellus’s face broke into an enormous grin.”
“What?” she asked suspiciously.
“You’re here,” he said, happiness suddenly radiating from him. “You’re really home.”
“Home,” she echoed almost silently.
Her heart swelled in her chest.
She was home.
She was complete.
Chapter 22
Daylight faded to dark then came again.
They spent hour after hour wrapped up in each other: talking, laughing, crying, loving passionately, or just staring silently at each other in wonder.
“I can’t tell you how disgusted I am that you spent years in that other place thinking that no one loved you,” Kellus said, anger flashing in his eyes. She had just finished a two and a half hour marathon story of the life of Emily Smith.
“Please, Kellus, you can’t get upset over every little thing I tell you. You make me wish I had kept all this to myself, rather than cause you any more pain. Remember, I didn’t know any better. As far as I’m concerned, it was much harder for you.”
“I’ll try to be good,” he promised. “So, tell me more about Cappy. What was she like?”
She noticed, with anguish, that he spoke of Cappy in the past tense and felt a pulling at her heart, but that was something that she couldn’t face at this time. One day, maybe after all the extreme emotions had calmed down, she’d pull that out and revisit it, maybe then she’d have room for a little more pain.
“She’s wonderful,” Annie replied. “She’s generous, kind-hearted, and really funny. She has a mouth like a truck driver, though.”
“A what?” Kellus asked.
“She curses a lot,” Annie responded.
“I would have loved to have gotten the opportunity to meet her,” he said. “I would love to thank her for taking care of my beautiful girl.” He twisted a ringlet of her hair around his finger.
Annie could feel the heat coming from his leg that was twisted round both of hers under the covers, and his naked chest pressed up against her skin. Their heads lay on the same pillow. “Can I ask you a question?” Kellus inquired, looking up at her from under his eyelashes.
“Anything,” she responded.
“I know I don’t have the right to ask you this, but…” he took a moment to gather his thoughts, “you told me that you didn’t remember me, so I was wondering if you ever had…” he fingered a lock of hair on her cheek, pushing it behind her ear, “did you ever love someone else?” He looked down, biting his lip in nervous anticipation.
She ran her finger from the middle of his chest to his neck. “No,” she said quietly, shaking her head. She put her finger under his chin and pulled his face up to meet hers. “A lot of people thought I was odd because I never had a boyfriend in school, that I’d never had a lover of any sort, but I think somewhere down inside, somewhere I wasn’t quite aware of, my heart only wanted you.”
His beautiful smile warmed her all over. “So I’m still the only man that has ever enjoyed your body?” he pushed.
“My heart and my body have only ever been yours,” she affirmed. “And…” she added, and then bit down on her lip suggestively. “…I would appreciate it if you’d enjoy it right now.”
“You’re a greedy little girl, aren’t you?” Kellus said, his eyes growing heavy. “We’ve done it at least eleven times in a matter of hours. Are you not growing tired of it yet?”
She shook her head. “But I counted thirteen, and since that’s a very unlucky number in the world I was in, I think we need to do it again, immediately…for luck.”
“For luck?” he asked, looking at her adoringly.
“Yes, for luck,” she answered firmly.
“Only for luck?” he pushed, arching his eyebrows.
“Yes…well…and the fact that you’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever laid eyes on and I can’t seem to get my fill of you.”
He laughed out loud. “You are the most amazing woman…” he trailed off. His happy mood fogged over. Pain shot through his eyes briefly. He breathed hard through pursed lips. “I’ve missed you so much,” he whispered, under threat of being engulfed with sadness again.
“Kellus…” Annie said with a hint of warning in her voice.
He shook his head as if to dispel the pain, and then smiled. “Yes, I believe we need more luck,” he murmured, his look turning seductive. “And I intend to give you all the luck you can handle.”
Almost twenty-four hours had passed when Annie and Kellus entered the kitchen. He jogged in on his tiptoes, pulling her by the hand. He was barefoot, his shirt unbuttoned, and they both looked disheveled.
Sara stood over the sink peeling potatoes. She turned her head to the side as they skittered through the door. “Both of you must be starving,” she said, her expression critical.
“I hadn’t noticed, to be honest,” Kellus replied, laughing. He leaned his forehead to Annie’s, not meeting his mother’s glare.
Sara abandoned the potatoes and turned her back to the sink, folding her arms over her chest. She narrowed her eyes. “Kellus, I don’t want to have to separate the two of you, but—”
“What?” Kellus asked, cutting her off.
“I don’t want to have to insist that Annie spend tonight with Cora—”
“Why the hell would you do that?” he bellowed. “My wife sleeps with me and only me.”
“I know that, son,” Sara replied, “and I remember what it feels like to be young and in love, but you must let the girl eat more often. She’s so thin as it is. Do you want Annie to get sick?”
Kellus shook his head. “Of course not.”
Sara ignored his response and looked at Annie. “Did he at least let you sleep enough, dear?”
“On and off,” Annie answered, trying to suppress the laugh that threatened to burst from her.
“On and off is not good enough, Kellus,” Sara scolded, turning to her son.
“I—we…” Kellus stammered for a reply, his eyes wide.
“She is going to get sick,” Sara insisted. “Keeping her confined to a room for twenty-four hours with no food, and precious little sleep, is inexcusable.”
“But…” he said, shaking his head, “she was taken from me. I haven’t seen her in six months.” He pouted his lip sadly.
Sara’s face softened. She walked over to Kellus and put her hand on the back of his head affectionately. “I know,” she said sympathetically. “But please take better care of each other.”
“Believe me, mother, we were taking care of each other,” he said with a devilish grin.
Sara slapped the back of his head, hard. “You rascal! I can’t believe you almost had me feeling sorry for you.”
Her disgusted look caused Kellus to laugh. “When’s dinner?” he asked.
“Less than two hours,” Sara answered flatly.
“Why so early?” he questioned.
“Markum wants to show you something while there’s still some daylight,” she replied.
He stuck his hand into a large basket that sat on the table, pulled out a bread roll, and handed it to Annie. He pulled out another and tore off a piece with his back teeth while leading Annie back out the door.
“Where are the two of you off to now?” Sara called after them.
“We’re going to our bedroom for two hours,” he replied, “to take care of each other.”
Somehow, Annie and Kellus managed to be late for dinner. Everyone sat around the table, already eating, when they arrived in the dining room.
They walked to the far side of the table and sat down.
“Good morning,” Cora blurted out sarcastically, eyeing them both with amusement. “Sleep well…or at all?”
Tol, Markum, Max, and Zifini looked down at their plates and chuckled uncomfortably. Annie and Kellus threw Cora a s
harp look.
“It won’t be so amusing when Annie can’t stand upright from weakness,” Sara snapped, continuing her argument from earlier. “The rest of you can keep giggling, but I’ll tell you this: when she needs medical attention, I won’t be the one to take her. I won’t be the one carrying her into the Citadom and having to explain what my son did to her.”
The entire table erupted in laughter.
Annie felt her face flush red.
“I’m sorry, mother,” Kellus said, wiping his eyes, “but I’m a very weak man. And it’s not my fault that my wife is so insanely desirable.”
“Humph!” Sara uttered and glared at him.
“So what’s your plan, son?” Tol asked Kellus some moments later.
“Well, we plan to finish eating dinner. Then Annie and I are going back to our bedroom for more—”
“Kellus Kir!” Sara hollered. “Say one more word and I will go over there and throttle you.”
“For more board games…so that we can play a game with our family,” he finished, glaring at Sara with feigned innocence. “What did you think I was going to say?” He turned to face his brother and winked with a sly grin, causing Markum’s shoulders to heave in silent laughter.
“Ah, the old Kellus has finally returned,” Zifini announced.
“Markum…” Sara warned.
“What did I do?” Markum asked, trying to smother a smile.
“Why must you always encourage that rascal by laughing at him?” Sara accused.
“What?” Markum mumbled, looking at Kellus with fake skepticism.
They both shrugged.
“That’s enough, both of you,” Tol said. “Stop trying to drive your mother mad.” He turned his gaze to Kellus. “I meant, what is your plan regarding the situation with Lionel?”
Kellus’s light mood clouded over. “I plan to never let my wife out of my sight again,” he answered firmly.
“Be serious, Kellus. What do you think we should do about this?” Tol pushed.
“Believe me, father, I was being serious. But besides that, I’m going to kill Lionel.” Judging by the look on his face, he had never been more serious in his life.
“No,” Annie blurted out. “Kellus, please stay away from that man.”
Kellus sighed. “Annie, I will not allow him to get away with the crime he has committed against you.” Rage flashed in his eyes.
“All over a stupid prophecy,” Markum interjected, “over a foolish attempt to prevent a child from being born.”
Kellus looked around the table. “It wasn’t Lionel’s intention to prevent a child from being born,” he said.
“What do you mean?” Tol asked.
“Lionel didn’t want to prevent a child from being born, but rather, to manipulate the terms of a birth,” Kellus answered matter-of-factly.
“What are you talking about?” Annie asked.
“How do you know this?” Sara added.
Kellus sighed and took Annie’s hand under the table. “When father told me the details of Annie’s disappearance yesterday on the way home, another small mystery was solved for me. I suppose I’d better tell you,” he said. He took a deep breath and continued. “Lionel has a friend named Dinora,” he explained. “I think she may be his mistress. I’m not really sure of the terms of their relationship—”
“Annie said there was a woman with Lionel the day she was taken,” Cora interjected.
“No doubt the same woman,” Kellus replied, nodding.
Annie wondered why he had failed to tell her this sooner.
“Three weeks after I returned to the Citadom,” Kellus began. “This woman, Dinora, knocked on my door one evening. I didn’t know her then and couldn’t understand why she was in the complex. She told me that she came to offer her condolences. She had heard that my wife had died and wanted to offer comfort. I realized quickly that comfort was not all she wanted to offer.”
Annie’s muscles tightened.
“I explained to her that my wife wasn’t dead and ordered her from my room,” Kellus added.
“You think this Dinora wanted to be intimate with you?” Zifini asked.
“I know she did,” he answered confidently.
“So that she could conceive your child, the great one,” Cora concluded.
“That’s what I now believe, yes,” Kellus answered, “and Lionel wanted to help her accomplish it. How else would she have gotten into the Citadom and known exactly which room was mine?”
“And they needed Annie out of the way to make a move,” Max said, disgusted.
“Calm down, love,” Kellus whispered, feeling Annie tense further. She wanted nothing more than to rip this woman to shreds for the pain she’d caused her, as well as those she loved.
“Some months after that, she came to my room again,” Kellus continued. “She asked me how I had been, was I feeling better? Then she placed both hands on my face and told me she found me irresistible, and that she would gladly volunteer to help ease my pain. Her appalling attempt at seduction was disturbing.” Kellus looked down at the table shamefully.
“What did you do, son?” Tol asked.
“I was a coward,” Kellus replied. “I didn’t know what she and Lionel had done to Annie, to my family. Had I have known, I would have pulled my dagger and ended her. Instead, I ran away. I spent the night on Danus’s floor.”
“Don’t blame yourself for that,” Annie said, squeezing his hand. “You had no way of knowing. And besides, I wouldn’t have wanted you to murder her.”
“But I will,” Kellus vowed sternly, “should I ever see her again.”
“So, what do we do now?” Markum asked.
“You will stay out of this,” Kellus answered. “I don’t need to watch your back, as well as my own.”
“No, Kellus, you’re my brother. We’ll take care of this together,” Markum argued. “Whatever your plan, I’ll be with you.”
“I’ll be with you too,” Max piped up.
“No,” Kellus said firmly. “This is between Lionel and me. I will not involve my family in this. And I most certainly will not have blood on either of my brother’s hands.”
“You are not going to kill Lionel, Kellus,” Tol broke in. “You’re not going to cause more grief.”
“Are you mad—?”
Tol cut him off. “I know the pain you have endured, but no matter how old you grow, you will always be my son, and I’ll not allow you to throw your life away for revenge.”
“Then, what would you have me do?” Kellus asked, his voice growing louder. “I owe my wife justice. I will not allow that bastard to get away with this.”
“I think you should return to the Citadom on Monday morning as an apprentice,” Tol said. “I think you should play the part—”
“NO!” Kellus yelled.
“It’s the only way, son!” Tol yelled back. “Think it through. If you engage Lionel, what will be your justification? You must return on Monday—”
“NO!” Kellus yelled louder. “I will not be parted from her again.”
“Listen!” Tol hollered. “Please,” he added in a softer tone. “Do you trust Nordorum?”
“Yes, with my life,” Kellus answered.
“Go back in uniform. Play the part, and when you have the opportunity, approach Nordorum alone. Plead your case to him. Let the law work,” Tol said.
“No, father,” Kellus argued, shaking his head. “I won’t kill Lionel if you ask me not to, but I won’t go back to the Citadom. We’ll leave tomorrow. Annie and I will go away somewhere.”
“And what about the rest of us, Kellus?” Tol asked. “If you leave, Lionel will grow suspicious again. Remember last time? He sent an imposter to threaten us with arrest if we didn’t turn you over. He’ll kill next time, Kellus. Every person at this table is at risk now. What about your mother and your brothers and sisters? We cannot all run from this.”
“He’s right,” Annie piped in. “We can’t endanger all their lives.”
; Kellus pursed his lips and shook his head.
“So, this is the plan, then?” Max asked.
“Yes, Kellus will go back on Monday morning. When he sees the chance to talk to Nordorum alone, he’ll tell him everything,” Tol said in a manner that told them all the argument was no longer opened for debate.
“And what if we can’t trust Nordorum?” Markum asked. “What if Nordorum is part of this? What will happen to Kellus then?”
“He’s not,” Kellus answered quietly. “I’m sure of it.”
“Then let us place our trust in Nordorum,” Tol added.
“He’s right, Kellus,” Annie said. “You can’t kill Lionel without the truth dying with him. How could you justify it? And we can’t run without endangering our family.”
“I know,” Kellus mumbled, wincing. “But how can I leave you again?”
“It will only be for a short time, son,” Tol assured him. “We’ll take care of Annie in the meantime.”
Kellus nodded, his shoulders sagged, he was reluctant, yet resigned.
When they were finished eating, Kellus picked Annie up in his arms and carried her outside to the family garden, following their brothers and sisters.
He put her down on the grass and turned to Markum. “What did you want to do?” he asked, his light-hearted mood having returned. “We have only about one hour of sunlight left.”
“Have you seen your wife swordfight?” Markum asked, winking at Annie.
“What … my wife swordfights?” Kellus questioned, eyeing Annie suspiciously.
“I forgot to tell you that,” she replied, smiling back at him.
“Yes, you did,” he answered.
“Not nearly as good as Cora, though,” Markum added.
“Cora swordfights?’ Kellus asked.
“And Zifini,” Markum replied.
“What else have I missed?” he mumbled. He draped his arm over Zifini’s shoulder. “I don’t know what horrifies me more, the thought of my little sister, or my beautiful wife playing with swords.”
“Watch yourself, Kellus,” Zifini snapped. “We do not play.”
“Never mind your sister or your wife. Challenge Cora,” Markum said. “I promise you’ll be impressed.”
