Realms Gate

by Juliet Anderson

  “You are vexed?”

  “What gave you that idea?” Erin responded sarcastically. “May I see her?”

  “Lodraill?”

  No, the tooth fairy. “Yes,” she snapped.

  “After our business is concluded.”

  Erin advanced on him. “You have just broken the news to me that my mother lives. Do you think that there is the remotest chance I will be able to concentrate on anything else?” she barked hotly. “Now take me to my mother. Please.”

  Heinrekh’s eyes bore into hers for a few moments before he eventually conceded. “Very well. Follow me.”

  Erin had a good glimpse at his home, it was elegant and richly decorated. She loved it. Dark he might be, but he had excellent interior design skills. She had to walk fast to keep up with him as he strode across the inner courtyard to the north tower. She stared up in disbelief. “Please let me that my mother is not really being kept captive in a tower?”

  He looked at her a little quizzically. “Yes. Do you have something against towers?”

  “In my realm, we have many bedtime stories for young children about ladies being rescued from towers by dashing warriors. I never thought I would actually be about to meet one.”

  “Just don’t have any thoughts of rescue.” He unlocked the door and headed up to the first floor. “Lodraill, my love. I have an unexpected guest for you to meet.”

  “I’m not interested in your games, Heinrekh. Go away.” A gentle voice carried across the huge room.

  Erin could see a blonde woman reclining on a chaise, her back to them.

  Heinrekh ushered Erin further into the room. “And I brought your daughter all this way to see you.”

  Erin saw Lodraill leap off the chaise and turn in one fluid movement. Her mother was even more stunning than the pictures at Muirhead portrayed. Her skin was quite flawless, her blonde hair beautifully plaited and her clothes were immaculate. Erin felt positively scruffy.

  “Erin,” she breathed, her huge blue eyes resting on her daughter.

  Erin’s heart was pounding in her chest. At that moment, so many elements of her short life sprang into place. Of course she vaguely recognised the picture of Lodraill at the family home, she’d looked on that face for four years. They were naturally similar in looks, they were mother and daughter. Her hand went straight to the pendant around her neck, they both wore the same. It also explained Susannah’s coldness, she was after all her stepmother. And why she rarely went to Muirhead, it was the home Lodraill had shared with her father. Now she knew why everyone kept referring to her as a priestess from two Realms; she was.

  Erin did not know how to react. Sure this was her mother, but she’d not seen her for almost fourteen years, she had precious little memory of her. “Is it true? Are you really my mother?”

  “Yes, my darling daughter. Although you have grown a wee bit since I last saw you.” Erin could not miss the tears welling up in Lodraill’s eyes as she spoke.

  “Why would my father say you were dead?”

  “Because he genuinely believed me to be.” She glanced over at Heinrekh. “Could you give us some privacy? We have some pretty intimate things to talk about.”

  Heinrekh smiled enigmatically. “Of course.”

  “And lower the shield?”

  “Not a chance. Erin, I will see you back in the main house.” With that the two women were alone.

  “Is it because of your powers that Heinrekh has you behind a shield?” Erin asked.

  “Yes, although they are not as strong as they used to be.”

  “But if you are still alive, how come I am inheriting all my powers now?”

  Lodraill looked at her in amazement. “You have your powers already?”

  “Yes. I can control energy in any form.”

  “Who is your tutor?”

  “Magnus Selvig.”

  “Selvig?” Lodraill sounded horrified. “His father works for Heinrekh.”

  “I know. But a son is not defined by his father, at least not in my Realm.”

  Lodraill glanced down at Erin’s sword. “The last time I saw that Talmar it was in James’ hand.” She looked away, slightly overcome. “I heard he’d been...” She couldn’t say the words.

  “Yes. I miss him greatly. Almost every day. Coming back to Muirhead brought me closer to him again. I can almost feel him in the house.” Erin dismissed the wave of sadness that threatened to wash over her. “Heinrekh has held you captive for fourteen years?”

  “I’m afraid so. It wasn’t so bad at first. I knew James would look after you well, love you for the both of us. But when I heard he’d been killed, that was when my true anguish started. I had no idea where you were, who was bringing you up. Nothing. Not even Heinrekh had an inkling.”

  “I was stuck with my stepmother, the coldest, most un-maternal woman on this earth. What’s worse, up until a few minutes ago, I thought she was my natural mother.”

  “I am sorry. I’m sure it was done to protect your identity. As you’ve no doubt gathered, you’re front page news around here.”

  “Tell me about it,” Erin sighed heavily. “So how did you meet my father? I thought inter-Realm relationships were not permitted?”

  Lodraill looked like she was remembering happier times when she spoke. “I met James on his first official visit to Lokranor, not long after he took over the role of High Priest for Lokmuir. He looked so handsome in his moleskin trousers, long leather boots and tunic, his shaggy black hair falling across his face.” She sighed heavily as she seemed to recall every inch of his face. “We were seated together at a dinner King Olav had arranged and, well let’s just say we got on very well. It was the start of a very passionate relationship. When I found out I was pregnant with you, James proposed. That in itself caused all manner of problems. It was customary for High Priestesses to select their husband from a list of suitors who enter into a competition to be crowned the most worthy. I cast aside centuries of tradition when I married James.

  “We all lived a very happy family life, splitting our time between Lokranor and Muirhead. Then Heinrekh read in an ancient tome that a Priestess’ child born of two Realms would have an unrivalled power. It scared him so he ordered his mercenaries to attack our house in Lokranor and bring the child to him. I insisted James take you to safety in Muirhead, it was the last time I saw him.”

  Erin saw the tears roll down Lodraill’s pale cheek. She too had a large knot in her stomach.

  Lodraill regained her composure. “Heinrekh seems to be treating you like a guest not a captive. What is happening?”

  “I am a guest of sorts. I agreed to meet voluntarily with him as he is holding a friend of mine captive. I need to get her back to Muirhead.”

  “And you think he will let you walk out of here now he has you?”

  “Heinrekh is trying to ensure my loyalty for when I turn eighteen. He wants to unite my powers with his, and to do that, he needs me to come to him of my own free will.”

  “And you are planning to side with him?” Lodraill sounded affronted.

  “I’ve made no decision.”

  “This man is evil, Erin. Surely you must see that. He was responsible for your father’s death.”

  “The evidence against him is not good, I’ll grant you that. But on the flip side, everyone in Muirhead and Lokranor has lied to me. Heinrekh at least has been honest. Which is why I’m standing here.”

  “You cannot trust him. He manipulates people.”

  “I’m well aware of that, the guy can be quite charming. But I’m so used to being invisible, flattery washes right over me.”

  “Just be careful, my beautiful daughter, for I cannot protect you from behind this shield.” Lodraill held her hand up and touched the energy force. It flashed blue. Erin did the same, it felt like she was touching her mother for the first time in fourteen years.

  “I will, mor.” Mother

  Lodraill smiled. “Your memories are still there.”

  Erin felt torn in two. S
he’d come to Vasmaar to get Sasha and now had her mother to free as well. “Getting Sasha away from here is not beyond my abilities. But I have no idea how to remove such a shield.”

  “I am in no dire need of rescuing. Knowing you are safe is enough for me.”

  “But I can’t leave you here.”

  “You can and you will. Heinrekh will take even better care of me, knowing my daughter may return for me.”

  “I will come back for you. I just need to stop a war first.”

  “Spoken like a true High Priestess.”

  Erin headed down the stairs and back across the courtyard. As she did, she tried to bury her feelings. They were not all aimed at Heinrekh though. Right now she could vaporise Birdie, Magnus and half of Lokranor. No-one had come clean about her parentage and they had had plenty of opportunity.

  But she needed to focus on getting Sasha out from Heinrekh’s grasp. She was her top priority, an innocent caught up in all this.

  Heinrekh was looking particularly smug when Erin re-joined him.

  “Was it a happy reunion?”

  “I barely remember my mother,” she responded coldly. She wasn’t going to show him any emotion. “Now, you promised me Sasha.”

  “You’ll see Sasha at dinner.” He indicated for her to follow. “I will show you to your rooms where you can freshen up and perhaps change into something suitable for a young woman.”

  Erin concealed her smile. It seemed Heinrekh was a little old-fashioned and not too keen on women wearing trousers. He probably hated the sword at her side even more.

  He stopped by a door and flung it open. “I hope you are satisfied with your rooms.”

  “I’m sure they’ll suffice,” she grunted, slipping past him.

  On her own, she was in danger of having a complete meltdown. She was alone, in her enemy’s house with her mother and good friend held captive. Her mother. Her real mother. Her brain could barely take it in. She was on a dangerous enough mission without having to deal with news that Lodraill was her natural mother. And still alive. She pushed everything to the back of her mind. She was good at suppressing her feelings, she’d learnt that from Susannah. Right now Sasha needed her, and she had a pretty good idea how they were going to make it out of there. She’d worry over her mother later.

  CHAPTER 24

  Heinrekh stared at the image in his mirror. It did not show him but the border of Vasmaar with Skarsgaard. All his troops were in place, along with many of his mercenaries and their creatures. Across the plain he could see Olav setting up camp. The army he had brought was pretty sizeable too, but he did not have sorcery to help him. The only person Olav had of true talent was a guest in his castle at the moment and he did not plan on giving her back for a while. The image in the mirror faded.

  He turned to leave, it was time for dinner. Then he would consider his options for the morning. He had to put in an appearance on the front line, his troops would expect it. He knew they were also eager for a fight, they were of Viking descent after all. He would let them blow off a bit of steam.

  For the first time in many years, he turned back to the mirror and checked his appearance. Looking his best was a priority when he had such a lovely guest as Sasha to impress.

  Heading towards the living room, he caught Erin’s voice.

  “The guy is bad news, Sasha, use your brain for once.”

  “You’re wrong. He’s really sweet.”

  “Sweet?” Erin sounded disgusted. “There are many adjectives I could use to describe that man, but sweet certainly is not one of them.”

  Heinrekh smiled to himself. No-one had ever called him that before.

  “Yeah. I know there’s a dark side to him, but don’t we all have one?”

  “Not all of us are murdering, kidnapping sorcerers.”

  “Friend or not, Erin, I won’t listen to you trash Heinrekh.”

  “Whatever.” Erin dismissed Sasha’s objections. “I need to get you out of here and to safety. I’m pretty sure Heinrekh will go to the border tomorrow morning, so I propose we make our escape in the afternoon, when he least expects it.”

  “Firstly, I’m not going. And secondly, why on earth would we leave so close to nightfall? I, for one, have no interest in riding around in the dark in the middle of nowhere.” Sasha seemed to stand her ground.

  Heinrekh felt curiously warm listening to Sasha defend him. And now she wanted to stay of her own volition. She was a rare catch indeed.

  “It is the very last thing he would expect.”

  “I’m not surprised. There are far more dangers out in the woods than here at the castle.”

  “Sasha, please,” Erin pleaded, “Did you leave all sense in Muirhead? Heinrekh is a sorcerer and we are in the midst of his war. I have to get you back home.”

  “The answer is no, Erin.” Sasha refused to be coerced. “I’m staying put. And so should you.”

  Erin let out a frustrated howl. “There is just no talking you around, is there?”

  “No.” Heinrekh could hear the amusement in Sasha’s tone. “Now stop being so sour and have a drink. Heinrekh is, amongst many things, a very generous host.”

  He took that as his cue to enter. It was a good conversation to overhear though, he had learnt of Erin’s crazy plan and Sasha’s refusal to have any part of it. He was pretty sure Erin would not leave Sasha, but would double the guard in the afternoon just in case.

  His eyes rested on Sasha when he entered the room. He always had difficulty tearing his gaze away. She looked divine in a pewter coloured dress. Erin too had changed but she could not hold a candle to Sasha, in his eyes at least.

  “Ladies,” he smiled and raised a goblet of wine.

  Sasha was pleased Erin had retired to bed straight after dinner, not surprising really considering she had been riding most the day. She knew exactly what she had to do, but it was never easy under Erin’s watchful gaze. She had also felt bad lying to her friend, when Erin asked her how she got tied up in all of this. She had simply said she was out walking in the woods, then woke up here. She could not tell her about Angus’ involvement in all of this, she had to protect her family name. Besides, she would not judge him until she knew the reason for his betrayal.

  Erin had assured her that Heinrekh had overheard their conversation earlier, which was as planned. Now she needed to continue playing the part of adoring fan. Although for this segment she wasn’t acting that much, she really did like the man for some bizarre, warped reason.

  The living room might be large, but his presence seemed to fill it, making her feeling decidedly nervous. “Will you have time tomorrow afternoon to show me more of Vasmaar?” Sasha asked softly.

  She was aware of his icy eyes appraising her before answering. “Yes, my dear, if that is what you wish.”

  “Yes. I find the land fascinating.”

  “Just the land?” he teased.

  “No. You are not without your charms,” she retaliated, glancing at him coyly.

  “And how are they working?” Sasha noticed he moved a little closer to where she was standing near the fire place.

  “Well. But I think you have been on your own long enough. Shut away in this castle is not good for anyone.”

  Heinrekh raised an eyebrow. “And are you planning to rescue me?”

  “Perhaps.”

  “Are you may be hoping that your sweet nature can steer me away from the dark arts?”

  Sasha gave a light laugh. “I don’t believe you are really as dark as you like to be portrayed.”

  He tilted his head and gave a thoroughly evil smile. “Are you sure about that?”

  “Pretty sure. I think you hide behind this invisible mask. You have the reputation of an evil sorcerer, so everyone is in fear of you and does not question your motives. You’re portrayed as black through and through. But I don’t think that’s who you really are. You like the dark lord persona because it stops anyone getting close to you. And it has been so long since someone showed you any affection, you
have forgotten that your heart is a capable of more than just pumping blood around your arteries.”

  “And you’re going to thaw out my frozen heart?”

  “You’re not beyond salvation. But then again I’ve always been a lousy judge of character, especially with men.” Sasha looked away into the fire. “Now I should go to bed before I say something that really embarrasses me.”