Kate's Legacy (Soul Merge Saga Book 2)

by M. P. A. Hanson

  “Lynette, meet Casey.” Romana told the girl. “She’s in training as well. She’s soon to pass her third initiation.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Lynette stammered out.

  “Was I that unconfident when I first came here?” Casey asked. “Seriously girl, you have loads of personality in your head, let it out! You like art and painting, Romy’s not going to kill you if you ask her for a canvas and some paints, in fact, she’ll probably enjoy the break from reality.”

  Lynette shied back, then seemed to shake herself and looked up at Romana.

  “Speak your mind.” Romana told her with a laugh, “We’re a blunt people, and we don’t do silence.”

  “We’re all sisters here.” Casey advised her. “Hey Romy, can I have a talk with Lynette for a bit, give her some advice?”

  “For a little while.” Romana replied, knowing that Casey was one of the core members of the Isle. She wouldn’t let the girl beat herself up, and she would probably explain every question that she read from Lynette’s mind as soon as she heard it. “I’m going to go and find Marten.”

  Casey wolf-whistled. “When are you going to bag that one? The whole Island’s got bets on you both.”

  “I’ll bag him, when he learns that he has to stop the possessiveness streak he has going.” Romana replied, “I’ll be about an hour and a half, can you get Joanna to see to her clothes? Anything and everything she wants is to be purchased and you’ll know if she’s holding stuff back.”

  With that she teleported to Marten’s study, only to find him at his desk and he was…weeping?

  “Marten?” She asked, moving towards him, and sliding onto his lap, her hands immediately stroking his chest in small circles to provide the comfort she sensed he needed. “What’s happened?” He raised his gaze to meet hers and she saw the echoes of pain and loss there, along with burdens that suddenly seemed too great to bear. “Marten, you can tell me anything, I’m here for you.”

  His voice was broken when he replied. “The king is dead.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  ALLIANCE BEFORE THE STORM

  “I’m so sorry.” Romana replied, dragging him down for a kiss, trying to get him to open up to her. “That’s not all though is it?”

  “Romana, my father was killed by Kobos. Now he’s dead, and I’m to be given his crown at dawn.”

  “I’m sorry.” She told him again, hugging him close and she felt it when he finally gave in and hugged her back. “If there’s anything I can do.”

  “Stay.” It was a broken whisper. “Just stay for a while.” He pleaded.

  “Whatever you need.” Romana reassured him, the vulnerability he was showing her hitting her straight in the heart, a heart that he now owned.

  Holy hell! How had this happened? She gaped, and her movements ceased momentarily.

  She paused to examine the emotions behind this; she couldn’t really be thinking that he owned her heart, which would mean that she loved him. She didn’t love him, did she? The last thought was desperate. If she loved him then all her freedom was gone.

  But she did love him.

  Oh hell, this was so the worst moment to find it out, she thought as she gently kissed the side of his jaw.

  “Marten,” She whispered against him, needing to give him something, anything that would help him.

  “Just let me hold you.” He replied. “What Kobos did to you, I’ll never forgive myself for letting it happen, and then what he did to my father, I almost wish Silver had killed him. And Arianne and my step-mothers’ faces, he carved into their flesh but left them alive.”

  “I could heal them.” Romana told him. “I can heal them providing you do the ritual again.”

  “There’s no time.” A gravelly voice rumbled from behind her, and she saw Ash’s face at the window. “Mother, an army descends upon the city, and there are over half a dozen demon dragons within Kobos’ forces.”

  Marten was up in an instant. “How large is the army?”

  “Over a hundred-thousand strong.” Ash replied. “We nearly died scouting them, Icarus was badly wounded.”

  “How bad?” Romana asked, knowing that the stupid dragon must have kept his mind closed to her in order to stop her from worrying.

  “He’s got gash down one leg, but my breath healed the worst of the damage. Kobos sends you a message, if you don’t join him, he and the others will kill you.”

  “The others?” Marten asked. “What others?”

  “There are four other half Ancients with him.” Romana told him, “I could defeat them separately, but for now you need to evacuate the outer city and the farmers before they get here.”

  “We’ll discuss this later; meet us in the war room, one hour.” Marten told the dragons.

  “How are they going to get in?” Romana asked him. Her familiars were the size of houses, not easy to fit into the average room.

  “The ballroom was converted a while before you were taken.” Marten told her, wiping the tears from his eyes and she saw him don a mask of calm. He rose from his seat, dislodging her from her position on his lap before moving away emitting a coldness that she didn’t like, and couldn’t stand.

  “Marten I—” Romana began, her eyes glued to her feet as she tried to find the words. “I love you, and I don’t want to see you hurting. Tell me what I can do to help you.” She chanced a glance at him.

  He stopped in his tracks, looked over his shoulder at her like he couldn’t believe what she was saying. “Say that again.”

  “I love you.” She told him. “I’m sorry I took so long to figure it out, but I love you. I don’t know if I’m too late, after everything I did, and the things I didn’t do, and I don’t know if you can love me back but—”

  She didn’t even see it coming, he moved so fast. One moment he was several feet away and the next she was being kissed out of her mind as he lifted her from the ground. When he finally put her down, the coldness that had surrounded him was gone.

  “Of course I love you, you silly woman.” He said. “I’ve loved you from day one.”

  “This doesn’t mean you get to order me around.” Romana warned him.

  “Why not? You’re mine.” There it was stated for all the world to hear. She was his.

  “Because I am still a wytch queen.” Romana told him. “And I cannot be seen to be taking orders from a measly mortal.”

  He smiled at her, his father’s death momentarily forgotten. “I think we mere mortals have our uses.” He replied, lifting her up once more and planting a kiss to her lips.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  BUILT FOR WAR

  “I have to go.” Romana told him when he let her up for air.

  “I understand.” He told her. “You need to prepare your people for war.”

  “My sisters.” She corrected automatically. “I need to prepare my sisters for war.”

  “Sorry.” He muttered.

  “I’m late for picking up my newest mentee.” She replied. “But she’ll have to wait to be trained fully right now we need to stay focused on this war. I’ll send one of the Coven over to assist you with war plans, she’ll be able to communicate with me on a mental link.” Romana waved as she teleported away, not giving him a chance to talk her into staying, because for him, she would.

  “Casey? Lynette?” Romana called into the empty space of the clothes shop.

  “We’re here.” Casey replied, as the two girls dashed into the room, both smiling. “Lynette’s been fitted out with everything she could ever need. Joanna’s looking for you.”

  “Where is she?”

  “She went up to the mountain.”

  “Lynette, do you have everything you need sweetie?” Romana asked. “Did Joanna make you some armour?”

  “Yes.” The little girl’s eyes looked up at her, seeking assurance.

  “We’re going to be okay little one, it’s just a precaution.” Romana told her gently.

  “Oh, I introduced her to Hannah as well,” Casey
added, nonchalantly, passing Romana several parcels wrapped in brown paper which she presumed were Lynette’s new clothes.

  Romana suppressed a groan, the empathic thief had been nothing but trouble since she’d arrived on the isle, insisting that her thieving skills couldn’t be left to rust had become the cause of nearly all the crime on the isle.

  “She didn’t…” Romana trailed off, not wanting to have to deal with the consequences of having her mentee following in Hannah’s footsteps.

  “Nah.” Casey replied. “She just calmed Lynette down a bit.” Relieved, Romana stood, handing two parcels to Lynette.

  “We have to go.” Romana replied. “All of you are in danger until you find your familiars. Everyone without a familiar will be taken to another shielded location until this mess is over. I don’t want a repeat of what happened to the last isle.”

  Casey nodded solemnly and Romana left the shop on foot, walking with Lynette to the temple.

  “You have a temple here?” Lynette asked, shocked.

  “I thought you’d feel more comfortable if you knew that you were free to come here any time. I know your family was very devoted, and I just thought you should know that you don’t have to stop being that because of the change in your lifestyle that has come about.” This was uncomfortable, Romana felt. She didn’t want to get close to Lynette like she had Bronwyn only to suffer another loss.

  Then, to her surprise, Lynette took her hand and led her inside.

  “This one is Ancient Kate.” She pointed towards a marble statue of Kate in one of the alcoves. “And this one is Ancient Llewellyn.” And so it continued until Lynette had introduced her to each and every one of the twenty-one ancients. Romana had never realised how little she knew about them until that moment, having been raised in the desert, she had known the basics of the religion of this planet, but never been interested to know more.

  “Lynette, we must go.” Romana held her hand out gently. “Now, I have to warn you, when we reach my apartments, you’ll probably see my two familiars, they’re dragons, and they won’t harm you.”

  Lynette gave a small frightened glance around the temple, but nodded all the same. “If they don’t hurt me then I won’t hurt them.” She replied with a determined expression.

  Romana smiled. “Come along then.” She held out her hand, and Lynette nearly dropped the parcels she was carrying to grab onto it.

  The moment was nearly perfect, if you didn’t count the impending war and the nagging tug on the back of her mind that told her Silver was just desperate to be freed.

  With a thought they were back in Romana’s reception, and as predicted, Ash and Icarus had taken up residence at the large doorway that had been created solely for their use. They stood as a roar went through her home, shaking the chandeliers and causing several items to fall from their shelves.

  “Nice to know that someone appreciates our hospitality.” She muttered, ushering a shaking Lynette from behind her. “He can’t hurt you sweet he’s just a bit grumpy.” She reassured the girl.

  “The black general demands your presence once more, mother.” Ash informed her, gleaming pearlescent scales flashing in the fast fading light. “And the golden dragons thank you graciously for your hospitality, but with your blessing they would continue to the rebel camp tomorrow.”

  “I understand.” Romana replied, “I will deal with the good general later, for now Lynette needs to be taken care of, and then I would like it if you would fly both her and Katelyn to the bunker to see out the remainder of the battle.” Silver could wait, tired as she was, there was still so much to be done before her troops were ready to fight an army as large as the one Kobos had amassed.

  “The general is most insistent.” Ash supplied, even as another roar spread through the house.

  Romana groaned in the back of her throat as she guided Lynette through the reception and into the smaller room that served as a kitchen, where both Katelyn and Averna were busy making a card tower.

  “Girls.” Romana said, “Meet Lynette, my newest mentee.”

  She paused anxiously to check Katelyn’s face for any sign of emotional hurt, after all, Bronwyn had only just died and now, to a seven year old, it may seem as if she was trying to replace the telekinetic wytchling.

  But again Katelyn surprised her, running up to hug first Romana and then Lynette, before leading the younger girl over to the tower and putting her to work.

  “I need all of you to change in to your armour and pack enough of your clothes for a fortnight.” Romana interrupted. “I’m sending you all to the bunker so you’ll be safe for a while.”

  “What’s happening?” Averna asked, standing instantly.

  “Romy’s just being paranoid.” Katelyn dismissed with a giggle, not turning away from the cards. “She always protects us too much.”

  “Sure I am, sweetie.” Romana replied.

  Averna pegged her with a hard stare.

  “We’ll talk later.” Romana told her, deliberately whispering the words and using the air currents to carry them to Averna’s ears only. “Now hurry up and pack, all of you.”

  They scurried off, and Romana slumped into a chair. Silver tugged harder at the back of her mind and a headache began.

  You’re exhausted. Icarus chided. Even you need to sleep.

  I can’t even remember the last time I did that. She admitted. But there’s a war on the horizon, dozens of girls and wytches with non-martial gifts to be evacuated to the crab islands and to top it all of I have Silver and Marten both nagging for my attention.

  We’ll deal with Marten. Ash informed her, We can act as a sort of middle man while you rush around and do everything else. As for Silver, try doing this.

  He shoved a chunk of information her way, and she caught it with mental fingers before opening it to find information detailing a type of new shield that would block Silver back for longer.

  Thanks guys. I’ll sleep after I talk with the general.

  I don’t know why we can’t just kill him. Ash mumbled, annoyed that the black dragon was keeping her from the sleep that she needed.

  She shook her head at how protective her dragons were being, she’d been the toughest slave of the bunch, and now they wanted to take care of her.

  You’re not the same person you were years ago. Icarus said in reply to her thoughts, coming up beside her as she walked over to the dragon sized wing of her home. You’re stronger, but at the same time you’re weaker.

  “I don’t understand.” Romana replied.

  You’ve developed emotions that you never had in the Slave Shop, emotions that you’ve had to deal with and change to accommodate. You’re no longer the tough slave, now you’re more open and approachable, you’ve taken on all the qualities a leader needs.

  “Appeal to my vanity anymore and my ego won’t fit through even these doors.” She replied sarcastically. “Besides, I severed all my ties with the Slave Shop when I killed the Slave Master.”

  You cemented them when you killed him. Ash disagreed, walking up on her other side and nuzzling her slightly with his large head. The only thing you ended was your torture.

  Romana silently disagreed, but didn’t bother to argue the point, Ash and Icarus would just pluck the thoughts from her head and use them to win, not that she couldn’t do the same.

  They reached the huge door that was being constantly battered and she broached the subject she knew would set off fireworks.

  “I want to talk to him alone.” She began, to immediately be met with growls from both of her familiars. “Look, he can’t hurt me.”

  That’s what you think. Ash replied. We don’t trust him.

  “You have to let me do this alone. If you want you can wait outside the door and keep a lock on my mind; you’ll know the minute I’m in danger.” Romana reasoned.

  Her dragons looked at her for a moment, clearly reading her determination to do this alone, then there was a moment of silence as they communicated mentally.

  We’ll
be right outside the entire time. If he so much as insults you once, we come in and teach him respect. Icarus told her grudgingly.

  She nodded and opened the huge door, only to greet blackness. She took a deep breath and expanded the glow of her skin so that the room shone.

  “Turn it out.” The black dragon commanded from the spot where he sat by the large door that enabled him to fly in and out of his room, or it would have, if there wasn’t an exceedingly strong magical shield over it.

  “Why should I?” Romana asked, meeting his fathomless black eyes.

  “I prefer the darkness.” He replied. “I was built to be a night predator, my sight is more effective in the dark.”

  Romana nodded and dulled the glow to something that was less bright than normal, wondering as she did so why he would share such a compromising piece of information with her. They were enemies, yet he had given her a weakness to use against him.

  “I have been informed by your sons,” he sneered the word, “that you are not to be insulted in any way unless I want to be on swift wings to the burning caverns of the fey islands.”

  “They are protective of me.” Romana admitted. “Why were you asking for me?”

  “I need your clarification on a few points.” He motioned her over to the window with a shake of his great head.

  “Go ahead.” She replied, sitting down on the ledge and swinging her legs over the edge.

  “The two dragons who reside here are the crown princes of the Dragonlands by blood.”

  He paused, as if expecting an answer.

  “That wasn’t a question.” Romana noted.

  “Are they the crown princes?” He grated through clenched teeth.

  “Yes, they are.” She replied.

  “And Queen Darla attempted to kill them?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then she has committed a crime against dragonkind.” Tyrone informed her.

  “Tell us something we don’t know.” Romana replied, Silver’s heavy sarcasm leaking through the new shields. She had to get out of that room before the mad woman got through them, desperately she shoved power into her mental blocks. “And tell me quickly, there’s a war about to start.”