by Viola Grace
“Isabella, I understand why the king suspects me. He thinks I told you about the grimoire and the gem. Right now I do not think he is thinking clearly. How could I have known where he keeps the key to the treasury? How could you have known? Only the king and queen know what they keep in their private bedroom.”
“Yes. But the queen doesn’t remember she told me. That demon said after the potion wore off she would forget everything. Tanoth, has anyone ever survived this trial by fire? Have you witnessed such a trial?”
“No, princess. No one has ever survived it. And it is a trial created by the gods. It is always held in private.”
“That sounds ominous,” she said in a small voice. “Aren’t you scared?”
“Yes and no. I know I speak the truth, and so do you. The only solace is you and I will perish together.”
Chapter Nine
They spent the day and a good part of the night talking until sleep overtook them. Isabella had no idea what time it was when the guards came and took them to the waiting hovercraft.
Isabella saw the arena below. It reminded her of a Roman arena. Was there going to be a big crowd cheering the trial on? No, Tanoth had said it was always held in private. She had no idea what to expect. She’d so hoped that Erica or Cylena would come talk to her, but neither did. The king probably forbade it.
Six guards marched them into the arena. They had to wait behind a barred door. Her heart thudded, resounding in her head and ears. She was terrified.
A guard opened the gate and motioned them to enter the arena. Her feet sank into warm sand. She looked for stakes with piles of wood and straw at the bottom but saw none.
The six guards who had escorted them to the arena marched them to stand before a raised platform. The king and queen, decked out in royal finery and their crowns, sat in the center. It appeared the whole team was present. But Isabella saw no spectators. The bleachers were empty, much to her relief.
Her mind felt so numb. Next to her, Tanoth whispered loud enough for her to hear, “Tell them everything you told me last night. Do not leave anything out.”
The guards stepped away and stood behind them. Isabella heard a soft hissing sound. When she glanced around, she saw large metal circles appear from the ground.
Biryn stood, a gold scepter in his hands. “How do you plead, Isabella?”
“Not guilty, Your Majesty.”
“Tanoth, how do you plead?”
“Not guilty, Your Majesty.”
Clouds appeared above them, blocking the suns. “The gods have made their presence known. You may now speak in your defense, Isabella. When Isabella is finished, Tanoth, you may speak.”
Tremors of fear shook her body. She trembled from head to toe, but somehow, she felt Tanoth’s calming presence. Suddenly, through the clouds, a ray of light enveloped them both. She dared to glance up for a split second. Polarium? In broad daylight? Its calming golden ray sent a delicious warmth through her body, and her fear disappeared. She began to talk, this time not leaving out the slightest detail. She even dared to talk about her wanton seduction of Tanoth. When she was finished, Tanoth told his tale. When he stopped, the king stood again and held his scepter up.
“Let the gods judge if you both spoke truthfully. If you did, the fire will not harm you, and we will have judged you wrongfully. You will step through each circle. After each circle, you have a chance to speak the truth. The last largest circle will be your final judgement. Isabella, you are first.”
She turned and saw the circles burst into flame, the flames reaching the center. How did one get through that without getting burned? Strangely enough, the intense fear had settled, and she felt completely calm. It was as if Polarium had infused her with strength. She walked toward the circle and heard Erica scream as she stepped through the flames. “Okay, if I’m to burn to a potato crisp, so be it.” As she lifted her foot, the flames turned a blue color, and she felt nothing but a cool breeze.
She ran to the next circle, and it was the same. More confident now, she continued on, until the last, biggest circle. The circle of truth. So far, not a hair on her body or her head had been scorched. Knowing she had spoken truthfully, she bravely stepped into the last circle. The flames instantly extinguished, and she stepped unharmed onto the sand beyond.
She turned and watched Tanoth do the same. After he stepped through the last circle, he rushed to her and took her into his arms.
He held her tight, and she felt so safe. “See, I told you not to be afraid. The gods say the trial by fire will not harm those that speak the truth.”
“You telling me last night that no one had ever survived it didn’t help, but Polarium infused me with strength. Did you see the star shine down on us?”
“Yes. For Polarium to appear in daylight is magickal.”
Erica came running toward them. She clasped Isabella in her arms. “Izzy, I’m so sorry this happened to you. I had nothing to say in any of this. Are you okay?”
Isabella suffered Erica’s inspection from head to toe. “I’m fine, except all this stuff is messing with my head.”
Ivran wasn’t too far behind Erica. He had pulled Tanoth into a hug. “Mother would have had my head if you had perished, little brother. But I knew you spoke true.”
Cylena joined them, too. She stood before Isabella. “I must apologize from the depths of my heart for doubting you. Your story was so unbelievable. Will you forgive me?”
Isabella saw the sincerity in the queen’s eyes. “Frankly, I wouldn’t have believed my story either.”
Erica squeezed her hand. “I witnessed one of these trials, and I was scared shitless for you. Thing is, the others that were possessed didn’t remember anything. The king will want to talk to you. And the team.”
Ciara sauntered up. “Rania just informed me that Isabella has been infused by Polarium. That is why we saw its rays envelop her and Tanoth. It’s miraculous. The gods and goddesses favor you both.”
“When I felt Polarium’s rays all my fear melted away.” Isabella stood closer to Tanoth.
From the platform, the king announced, “We shall return to the palace. Lunch awaits us.”
“Tanoth, I don’t want to go back to the palace. I just want to be alone. Well, not alone, with you, but not with them.”
“We must, sweet. The king commanded it.”
She sighed. “So be it, but stay close, okay?”
When they arrived at the palace and went to the royal quarters, lunch was ready for them. Isabella wasn’t hungry. After her ordeal of the last two days, she couldn’t eat a bite if she tried. She looked at the team sitting around the table. Laura and Julia gave her curious glances. Of course they would. They didn’t know anything about what had happened.
Biryn raised his glass. “To a very brave young woman. To Isabella. And to her mate, Tanoth.”
Mate? Really now.
All sipped from their wine. Then the king began talking. “Some here do not know what has happened in the last few days. First, Zohmes has the grimoire and the black diamond. We must get it back.”
A murmur among the team members. Biryn continued. “I apologize to Isabella for putting her through a grueling ordeal—the trial by fire. But I had no choice. I needed to know the absolute truth. Now that I know she has spoken truthfully, I will let her tell you what happened and how Zohmes was able to obtain the grimoire and the black diamond.”
Isabella repeated the whole tale again, except she left the seduction part out.
“We cannot leave the grimoire or the gem in Zohmes’ hands. There is too much damage he can do to our world using the spells within,” Astiana stated.
“Whoever Zohmes is, he is an evil, hateful man,” Isabella said vehemently.
“He is not a man. He is a fallen god who wants the throne, similar to what we know as Satan,” Erica told her.
Tanoth caressed her arm. “Ciara, you said Polarium had infused Isabella. What does that mean?”
Isabella looked at the dragon princess.
She and her cousin Taylith were often in meetings with the king, along with the rest of his elite team. “I’d like to know, too. My first night on Ierilia, Polarium shone so brightly. I felt very safe beneath its glow. I know the star helped me to survive all those months I was in the forest.”
“In your case, Polarium has protected you from harm.” Ciara smiled at Isabella. “We do not know what Polarium’s origins are. All we have are legends passed down through the generations. Some believe that the goddess of the moons, Asla, created the star to guide and protect travelers on their journeys, but the star is so much more. Many of us believe that Polarium infuses Ierilia with magick. I doubt we will ever know the truth of when and how it was created and what its powers are.”
“Polarium kept me safe, even when the Initiation Two crashed.” Isabella toyed with the food on her plate, then set her fork down and glanced at the king and queen. “It has been a very rough couple of days. I am still trying to process everything that has happened. Do you mind if I get some air?”
Biryn rubbed his chin, then gave her a broad grin. “I think, young lady, both you and Tanoth have been through quite an ordeal today. I am giving you both a week away from your duties.” His gaze turned to Tanoth. “You have been traveling throughout many of the realms for your work. Take the girl sightseeing. Introduce her to Ierilia. I command it.”
Chapter Ten
The next morning, Tanoth picked her up at the crack of dawn. The first place he took her was the town Bernie had been building, and the excavation site of the temple. Bernie was all too happy to meet her and show them around. Isabella was awed when she saw the grocery store. “Real tomatoes! And lettuce, and strawberries. Tanoth, can we buy some?”
Bernie grinned. “Laura has been very busy having the gardeners plant all our Earth seeds.”
Tanoth stocked up on some of the fruit Isabella pointed out and lettuce and tomatoes. She could hardly wait. She’d not had any of it on Earth. Again... it was only for the rich.
After Bernie had shown her his house, Tanoth decided they should continue their vacation. “I’d love to look inside that temple,” Isabella said. “Is that really where you found those... eh... items?”
Tanoth laughed. “Bernie was with us. And no, not inside the temple, but beyond it. But he does not know what has happened.”
“Like what items and what has happened?” Bernie questioned.
“It is a long story and I am not at liberty to say. You will need to speak to the king,” Tanoth said. “But let us continue on to the beach.”
When they arrived at the beach, Isabella drank in the sight. A blue ocean, a beautiful white beach, sand that looked like it had never been walked on.
After Tanoth pitched a tent, she took her sandals off, and they walked through the warm sand to where the waves rolled onto the beach.
Isabella had never seen anything like it. She had grown up near the sand and surf of Florida’s beaches, but they looked nothing like this. The beaches on Earth were littered with garbage and tents and makeshift shelters of the homeless. The water was contaminated, and sea life was dying off in droves. Quite often she would see all manner of fish and fowl floating dead on the surface. Cleanup crews went out daily to remove carcasses from the water. She’d seen people swimming in the ocean in old movies, but she’d never set foot on a beach, let alone even dipped her toes in ocean water.
But this beach was pristine, and the water was crystal clear. Below the surface, she could see an array of colored plant life, small fish, and crustaceans. The sand was pearly white and silky fine. It reminded her of snow.
Tanoth held her hand as they walked along the edge, ankle deep in the water. She’d knotted her skirt above her knees. The sand squished between her toes. She relished the feel of the fine sand. Now and then she bent to pick up a beautiful colored shell and tucked them into her pocket.
“This is incredible!” Isabella took a deep breath of the fresh salty air. It was exhilarating.
Tanoth stopped and pulled her into his arms, then kissed the tip of her nose. “Not quite as incredible as you.”
He held her as they gazed out over the ocean. It was late afternoon, and the suns made the water sparkle like diamonds.
She looked up at Tanoth and sighed. “Damn, I wish I had a bathing suit.”
“Why would you need a suit to bathe?”
Isabella giggled and shook her head. “They aren’t to bathe in, silly. They are worn when one goes swimming. If I had known you’d be bringing me to such a beautiful beach, I would have asked Erica about one.”
He gave her a lopsided grin and winked. “Who needs a suit to swim?”
“I am not going skinny dipping! What if someone sees us? So, what do Ierilians wear when they swim?”
“Your Earth language is mystifying. What is skinny? I know what dipping means.”
“Eh... naked. The word can also be used for someone that is undernourished.”
“Ah, I see. First of all, most of our towns and villages are not close to the sea. Many of them have rivers nearby. Some of those have very strong currents, so it is too dangerous to venture into deeper waters. When we do go into the water to bathe or play, the men wear their undergarment, and the women wear a short tunic. Also, there are oceans where one could encounter dangerous water species, like the Glahm Ocean. It is the home of dangerous serpents. People naturally stay away from those waters, unless they are in a boat.”
Isabella wrinkled her nose. “Is this ocean safe?”
“I believe so. I have not heard of dangerous sea life here.”
Oh, she longed to go swimming. But all she wore under her dress was underwear. She sighed. “Oh, look at those big fish. They resemble dolphins. They’re extinct on Earth now, but again, I have seen them in old movies.”
“They are orkallions. A friendly fish and very playful. It is said they are highly intelligent. We can be sure there are no dangerous species here because of their presence.”
“See, just like dolphins. Are there sharks here?”
“Sharks?”
“A huge fish that can bite you in half or take off your arm or leg.”
“That sounds like a sciskes. Yes, we have something like that in our oceans, but not here. I am hungry. How about we go back to our tent and roast the fish I caught?”
Earlier, he’d amazed Isabella as he’d fashioned a spear from a branch and speared a few fish for their dinner. She watched him build a fire, rubbing two sticks together to ignite the wood. He really had to teach her how to do that. Not that she ever thought to be alone and lost again, but it would be nice to know how.
Tanoth had come well prepared. He handed her a metal plate with a chunk of bread, some fruit, a tomato, a leaf of lettuce, and cheese. The aroma of roasting fish teased her nostrils. Just as the suns were beginning to dip below the horizon, turning the sky into a myriad of color, reflecting onto the now smooth sea, he handed her a fish on a stick. “Fingers?”
“Yes, love. We are camping.” He grinned and sat next to her.
Isabella thought she’d gone from hell to paradise. And maybe that’s what all this was. She’d died in the crash, got tested for months, then by a hellish god inhabiting her body, and now she was in Heaven. Whatever it was, it was all too real, and she planned to relish every second of it. And the man meant for her had already lived there. He had been waiting for her. Maybe she was still young, but no way in hell was she going to waste her time with him either.
“You are deep in thought, Isabella. You do not like the fish?”
“Yes, sorry. It was delicious. I was thinking about everything that has happened to me since the ship crashed. I think I died, and now I’m in Heaven.”
Tanoth burst into laughter. “You mean the realm of dreams? I am afraid this is all very real. This is not the afterlife.”
“Are you sure? None of it feels real to me.”
“I am very sure. You have been here such a short time and experienced much. From now, we will lead a normal, s
afe life.” He took their plates, brushed them clean using some sand, then turned to her and pulled her against him.
A warm breeze caressed her, sending the fragrance of perfumed flowers through the air. It was so quiet around them. The beach had been deserted all day, and still was. She snuggled against him. “Where do we go tomorrow?”
“If it were up to me, we would stay here the whole week. Alas, the king ordered me to show you some of Ierilia. We will fly to the next realm, and I will show you its main city, Tandala.”
“Did I ever thank you for getting my belongings from the hollow tree? Not that most of that clothing from Earth is any good here, except for underwear. Did you reward that young waitress for helping me?” she asked.
“Yes. The young woman, her name is Dranina, was happy to learn you were safe. I told her your story. She was well rewarded and hopes to see you again.”
“I’m glad. Without her sharing her tips, I would have become a worse thief.”
He lowered her to the warm sand and tenderly kissed her lips. Her heart sped up until it was a staccato rhythm pounding against her ribs, echoing in her ears. She pushed up against him, pulled at his body until he lay on top of her. “Tanoth, this feels so right,” she murmured against his lips.
And it did. Unlike the fiasco in the garden, she was no longer confused. She was in control of her body and her mind, not the monster that had possessed her, and she wanted Tanoth. Each taste of his lips... each caress built a sweet ache of need within her, yearning to be fulfilled.
The kiss deepened. His tongue explored the crevices of her mouth. His tongue teased hers until she felt like she’d explode. Her whole body was on fire. A slow, steady burn pulsed between her thighs. Spreading her legs, she pushed up against him.
“Are you sure, love?”
“Yes, as sure as I’ll ever be. I’ve fallen in love with you, too, my gorgeous alien.”
