Ever After (26 page)

He shoved his hands deep into his slacks pockets and rocked a little on his heels. “Enough to know she's been trying to gather the relics of Arthur Pendragon to try to save herself. But Mab will see to it that never happens.” When my brows twitched together in a frown, he explained, “Why do you think the queen wanted them? It isn't like
Mab
needs them. She's already immortal and all-powerful. She just didn't want your uppity little whore to have them.”

Enraged, I charged the bars with a furious cry, fully intent on ripping out that cocksucker's throat for disrespecting Arabella, enchanted bars or not. But the coward stumbled back, his eyes wide with fear. When he realized he was out of my reach, he chuckled—albeit nervously.

“Well, it'll all be resolved soon enough, eh?” Reginald said. “Your pretty little bitch will be dead in another day or two—if she lasts that long. When we captured her a few minutes ago, she looked like she was at death's door.”

Terror gripped my heart, squeezing so hard I couldn't breathe.

“Aww . . .” Reginald taunted, feigning a pitying pout. “Were you expecting her to pop by and rescue you? Maybe break you out of prison like Mab did the Huntsman?” When I just glared at him, he chuckled and turned to go, motioning for the guards to follow. But before going up the stone steps, he paused and turned to add, “Oh, and don't count on your other pal either. We captured Merlin skulking about in the garden. Nice touch with the dragon, by the way. Damned fine illusion.”

When the bastard left, I dropped down on the stone bench and put my head in my shackled hands, trying to figure out how the hell I was going to escape and free Arabella and Merlin.

“I would wish you
buona sera,
but I have not the idea if it is really evening at all.”

My head snapped up at the now-familiar voice. “Fabrizio? Is that you?”

“Regrettably, yes, it is I, Fabrizio,” he said on a mournful sigh. “I was taken from my Bella's room and locked away in this—
Come si dice . . . ?—
in this
shit-hole
dungeon. It is beyond insulting.”

I glanced around, searching the other empty cells until I saw the faint glint of light upon the hand mirror that held Fabrizio captive. “What happened? Are you all right? Have you seen Arabella? Or Merlin? Did—”

“Please to ask the questions one at a time,” Fabrizio interrupted, clearly irritated. “I have been kidnapped, after all. I am dealing with the trauma.”

I rolled my eyes and tried not to sound too exasperated when I said, “My apologies. Have you seen Arabella? Did they bring her here at some point?”

“No,” he answered. “I have not seen my
dolcezza.
Or the wizard, I might as well to tell you before you ask. Again.”

I got to my feet and began to pace the confines of my cell, frowning so intensely that my head began to ache. I cursed roundly under my breath, frustration and concern making my thoughts race. Of course they wouldn't bring Arabella and Merlin here. They would want to keep us separated so we couldn't plot. There were few other places in the mansion that would dampen Merlin's magic, but a spell could be placed upon him that would prevent him from escaping. As for Arabella . . .

I could only hope that they didn't realize she had inherited some of her mother's fairy magic and would treat her as just another Tale. But even if they made that mistake, she might not be strong enough at this point to make use of her abilities....

I needed intel. I needed someone who could assess the situation for me, let me know where they were being held. “Are you hurt, Fabrizio?” I asked. “Could you travel to other mirrors in the estate and tell me where Arabella and Merlin are?”

I heard him sigh. “Alas, no. I have tried. But that
bastardo
Mann had his patroness bind me to his bidding.”

This brought me up short. “For how long?”

“Since before I came to my Bella
,
” he admitted. “They wanted me to find the relics for the queen in exchange for freeing me from the mirror, but Bella found me. And how could I not help a damsel in distress?” I could feel his rationalization even from the cell where I was imprisoned. “I cooperate with the queen and her lover and am finally released from my curse. And if I tell my
dolcezza
the locations as well, she can get there before they do and steal the relics first.”

That certainly solved the mystery of how the Huntsman kept showing up at the same place. The arrogant jackass had been playing both sides.

“You double-crossing son of a bitch,” I snarled. “Arabella considers you a
friend
.”

“Would I have continued to help her reach the relics first if I was not a friend?” Fabrizio countered.

“You could've told her what was going on!” I shot back. “You put her life in danger on more than one occasion by keeping her in the dark.”

“I put
my
life in jeopardy
every
time,” Fabrizio said. “It does not matter now. The
bastardo
will not release me—from my bond in this cell
or
from this cursed mirror.”

“You idiot,” I seethed, “he
never
had the power to release you from the mirror. Only the one who cursed you can lift the curse—that's how it works. Either that, or you fulfill your end of the bargain that breaks the spell.”

I heard Fabrizio mumble a string of what I assumed were some extremely potent Italian obscenities. I couldn't be sure as my Italian was extremely limited, but I
thought
I caught something in there about Fabrizio encouraging Reginald to go fuck his own sister, mother, grandmother, and possibly a lame goat—and to choke on his own testicles.

When he'd finished his rather colorful and passionate rant, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “We must find my Bella and help her locate the final relic before the
bastardo
gets to it.”

My brows shot up. “Do you know where Excalibur is?”

“
Naturalmente,
” Fabrizio replied, his arrogance quickly returning. “I am finding all the relics, yes? How could I not know where the most important piece resides?”

I waited for him to tell me, but when he remained silent, I prompted, “And . . . ?”

“Release me from the cell and take me with you when you escape, and I will tell you,” Fabrizio insisted. “Not a moment sooner.”

I gripped the cell bars so hard in my frustration, I half-expected them to bend and allow me the freedom I desired, but they remained regrettably unaffected. “Fine,” I hissed through my teeth. “I will release you—provided I can figure out a way to get the hell out of here.”

“Leave that to me, love.”

I gasped when Arabella suddenly appeared before me on the other side of the bars, her cocky, dimpled grin the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen. In spite of the shackles, I managed to grasp the edge of her cloak and pull her to me for a hard kiss.

“Getting into trouble again, I see,” she said with a chuckle when I released her.

“How did you escape from Reginald?” I asked when she produced an old-fashioned skeleton key on an enormous ring.

“I didn't,” she replied, quickly unlocking the door and pulling me out of the cell and unlocking the shackles. “I was never captured.”

I shook my head, confused. “But, Reginald said he had you and Merlin.”

Arabella's gaze briefly flicked up to mine and I could feel the guilt she was experiencing. “It wasn't me—it was Lily. The guards unleashed hellhounds and they caught my scent in spite of the invisibility cloak. Lily used a glamour on herself to mimic me and draw them away.”

I ran my hand through my hair, my own guilt now mixing with what I was picking up from Arabella. I had promised my king that I'd take care of his family and now one of his daughters was experiencing who knew what kind of hell because she'd been trying to protect the woman I love.

“We have to find them,” I muttered, grasping Arabella's hand and pulling her with me as I strode toward the stairs.

“Ahem.”

Arabella dug her heels in and pulled me to a stop. “Fabrizio?”

“
Sì, dolcezza,
you have found me,” Fabrizio called, his jubilant tone making my stomach roll in disgust. “I am rescued!”

Arabella rushed to the cell where the mirror lay and cast a surprised look at me over her shoulder. She immediately unlocked the cell and rushed in, snatching up the mirror to give it a quick hug before hurrying back to me.

I sighed, then pressed my lips together to keep from telling her about Fabrizio's double cross just yet.

“Can you find them, Fabrizio?” Arabella asked, breathless from just that little bit of exertion.

The man's gaze flicked toward me briefly, but then he smiled at Arabella and swept a gallant bow. “Anything for you,
dolcezza.
”

That lying son of a bitch . . .

As soon as he'd vanished from the mirror, Arabella turned to face me, her cheeks blazing with fever, her eyes glassy. “I was worried about you.”

I pulled her into the safety of my arms, my throat tight with emotion at seeing the rapid acceleration of her
fading.
We were running out of time. If I didn't get Excalibur soon ...

“And, apparently, with good cause,” she added. “What happened?”

I tucked her in closer, holding her as much for my comfort as hers. “I'll tell you as soon as we're safely away from here.”

“I have them,” Fabrizio suddenly piped up from the confines of his mirror. “They are in the king's chambers.”

I gave a resolute nod and then turned my gaze on Arabella. “Go to the car and wait for me there.” When her expression warned of an impending argument, I interrupted, “I need you to have the car ready to go when I bring them. Can you get there unnoticed, do you think?”

She gave me a curt nod and pulled her hood up over her head. Then she and Fabrizio vanished from my sight.

I bolted up the dungeon stairs and then slowly opened the door at the top, peering down the hall to make sure the coast was clear before motioning to Arabella. I felt her brush a kiss on my cheek before she slipped out beside me and headed toward the safety beyond the estate's walls.

W
ishing I had an invisibility cloak of my own, I crept along the corridors, pausing periodically to listen for any pursuing footsteps. Luckily for me, it appeared that the queen in her inimitable arrogance had doubted my ability to escape and had left the house lightly guarded. The king's chambers were another matter, however. Two of the best-trained guards I'd had the privilege to command stood watch at the chamber door.

It pained me to think I might have to hurt them. Or kill them.

I took a deep breath and stepped out into the open, my arms raised slightly at my sides to show I meant them no harm. “Good evening, gentlemen.”

The men immediately drew their swords and dropped to the ready. “How the hell did you escape?” one of the guards, Langdon, demanded.

“I will have the prisoners from you,” I told them, my tone even. I could feel their fear rising with each step I took. Even if they were, in fact, under Mab's spell, forced to do her will against their own judgment, they knew that they were no match for me and dreaded the force of my wrath should they disobey
my
orders.

“We cannot release them,” the second guard informed me through clenched teeth, as if it pained him to say the words. “Gideon, please—go now while you can.”

I shook my head. “You know I can't, Seamus. I won't abandon my friends any more than I would abandon you. Release them to me, fight against the evil that binds you, and I will return to free you all from Mab's treachery.”

“Gideon,
please
,” Seamus pleaded, the veins in his neck bulging with the effort it took to resist whatever orders he'd been given. “Don't come any closer!” But before he could even get out the last word, Seamus charged, his sword raised over his head.

My heart filled with sorrow as I shifted to meet him, attacking first, grabbing his sword arm when I appeared before him and snapping it, wrenching his sword from his grasp when he screamed in pain. He dropped to the floor, groaning, his eyes wide with terror at the sight of his bones protruding from his skin.

Langdon was already charging me as I took Seamus's sword. Without time to do more than defend myself, I swept the sword around me, slicing open his stomach before he'd even realized I was armed.

I caught him under the arms as he fell, sinking down to the ground with him. “I'm so sorry, my friend,” I whispered, damning Mab to hell for forcing their hands—and mine.

Langdon blinked up at me, his eyes wide with shock, clearing now from the spell. “Gideon,” he gasped, coughing in an attempt to clear the blood pooling in his lungs.

Blood sprayed on my face and shirt, but I didn't flinch. Instead, I laid my hand over his wound, trying to stanch the flow of his blood. “I'm here.”

“Mab,” he managed to croak out.

“I know,” I told him, quickly shedding my jacket and stripping off my shirt. I wrapped it around Langdon's abdomen, using it as a makeshift bandage. “Just save your strength, Langdon, let your body heal.”

I glanced up and down the corridor, fully expecting more guards to arrive at any moment to investigate the reason for Seamus's screams. Hopefully, when they arrived they'd be cognizant enough in spite of Mab's spell to actually assist their brothers-in-arms and not leave them to die. But I couldn't wait around to find out. I had to move fast to rescue Merlin and Lily before there was more bloodshed.

I grabbed the sword and rammed the door with my shoulder. The wood splintered and the door burst inward, slamming into the wall. The king lay on his bed, his daughter Ivy at his side, clutching his hand while tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Thank God!” she cried, leaping to her feet.

“Ivy? What the hell are
you
doing here?” I sent a frantic glance around the room, then rushed forward, grasping Ivy's hand. “We have to get you out of here.”

“What the hell is going on, Gideon?” She dug in her heels and pulled against my hold. “I'm not leaving my father when he's defenseless like this.”

For the first time, I really looked at the king and saw that his chest was rising and falling in a slow rhythm. “He's not dead.”

“Of course he's not,” Ivy assured me, throwing her head back defiantly, clearly offended at the very idea. “Do you think that bitch could actually kill my
father
?”

As elated as I was to learn that my king was still alive, that meant I had one more Tale to get to safety. And in the distance, I could hear the footsteps of guards rushing to the aid of Seamus and Langdon.

Shit.

“Where are Merlin and Lily?” I demanded, grasping the king's wrist and pulling him up into a sitting position so I could heft him over my shoulder.

“That asshole Reginald dragged them away a few minutes before you got here,” she said, taking the sword I held out to her and holding it with her fingertips as if I'd asked her to take a dead rat. “I have no idea where he took them.”

“Can you shift?” I asked, grunting a little as I accepted the king's dead weight onto my shoulder, his height making him an awkward carry.

Ivy shook her head. “Mab made damned sure of that when she threw us in here,” she spat. “We can shift within the house but can't get out. So, if we're leaving, we're going out the front door.”

I adjusted the king slightly on my shoulder and took the sword back from Ivy. “Well, then, we'd better get going.”

Ivy was close on my heels as we rushed from the room and hurried down the hall in the opposite direction from the advancing guards.

“Halt!” I heard just before a bolt of magic zipped by my head, searing some of my hair just before it blasted one of the many topiaries that lined the corridor. The small tree exploded, sending projectiles of wood flying. I heard Ivy cry out in pain as the shrapnel sliced through her skin.

I turned back and wrapped my sword arm around her waist, pulling her forward as she limped along, trying to protect her as best I could from the onslaught of magic that assaulted us. I threw out a wall of magic behind us, relieved when I heard the blasts crashing into it.

“Oh, God,” Ivy moaned, her knees buckling under her, nearly taking me down with her.

It was then I noticed the jagged piece of wood embedded in her thigh. Her hands shook as she reached to pull it out.

“No!” I cried. “Leave it there.”

She lifted terrified eyes to me. “What? I have a fucking branch sticking out of my leg!”

My mind raced, trying to figure out how I was going to drag her out as well now that she was wounded. If only Merlin was around to levitate her out of there.

Then a thought came to me. On a hunch, I ripped open the seam to my temporal cache, the pocket of time and space that was mine alone. To my relief, it seemed unaffected by Mab's spell. She had thought to block our exit from the mansion by prohibiting our ability to shift, but my temporal cache traveled with me, was part of my time stream and no one else's.

I unceremoniously dumped the king inside, muttering an apology for my lack of gentleness, then grabbed Ivy's wrist to shove her inside as well.

“What the hell are you doing?” she shrieked, her fear and pain causing her to fight against me.

“Ivy, listen to me,” I snapped, sending a glance behind me as I heard my magic shield begin to give way under the guards' onslaught. “I can't get you out of here right now, but I can hide you. Just stay with your father and I'll come for you both as soon as I can.”

She sent a frantic look in the direction of the guards, then nodded. “Gideon,” she said, grabbing my hand before I could seal the seam, “find my sister.”

I nodded, then sealed them inside just as the shield exploded behind me with a blinding flash of silver light, the heat of the explosion making me groan as it slammed into my bare back. I lunged to my feet, sword in hand, and turned to face the guards.

This was exactly what I'd wanted to avoid, but there was no choice. Running wasn't an option. If I wanted to get out of there, get back to Arabella, find the others, rescue my king and his daughter who were now hidden where only I could reach them, fighting my way out was the only choice.

I gripped the hilt of the sword, doing a quick head-count. Ten guards, all seasoned warriors. Although the hall was nearly twenty feet across, the room to maneuver was both a blessing and curse. If I wasn't careful, they'd flank me, surround me in a matter of moments.

Then I swung my sword in a figure eight, limbering up my wrist. “This is yer last chance, lads,” I told them calmly. “And you'll only get but one.”

Their fear and regret buffeted my senses, nearly knocking me over with the strength of it, but the spell upon them kept them rooted where they were, their shoulders hunched over, preparing to attack.

I took a deep breath and blew it out on a sharp sigh. Then I sprinted forward, sending out a blast of magic to stun and blind the guards. Too late, they blocked against it, three of them knocked unconscious before I even reached them. They were the lucky ones.

I swung my sword in an arc, slicing off the sword arm of the first guard and opening the gullet of another on the upswing, catching sight of his innards spilling onto the Persian rug as I swung to meet the sword of a third. I shoved, disengaging and making him stumble over the body of one of the unconscious guards. I spun around just in time to block the fourth guard's attack, our swords connecting with a grating clang of steel upon steel. Sensing a fifth guard at my back, I brought up my elbow, slamming it into his face and shattering his nose with a sickening crunch. When he howled in pain, I pivoted and grabbed his arm, throwing him into the fourth.

By now the third was back on his feet. I drove my sword into his belly to the hilt and swung around in time for another guard's downswing to cut through his back instead of mine.

I tossed aside the body of my comrade and jerked my sword free, cursing under my breath as the unconscious guards began to rouse. I threw out another blast of magic, but the remaining guards were better prepared this time, easily dodging the full impact and covering their eyes to prevent temporary blindness from the flash.

I blew out a harsh breath and crouched with a thunderous cry, ready to plunge once more into the fray. But a quiet
whoosh
near my ear brought me up short as an arrow nailed one of the guards in the chest. A second struck before the incident had even registered.

I spun around, to see Arabella standing at the end of the hall, already firing off another arrow. It hit one of the remaining guards in the eye before I could even turn back to assess the situation.

“Come on!” she called, snatching another arrow from her quiver and letting it fly.

I didn't wait for another invitation, bolting toward her as she gave me cover. “What the hell are you doing here?” I growled, grabbing her and dragging her through a set of double doors that led to the drawing room and then on to the adjoining music room.

“I couldn't leave you,” she panted, struggling to keep up with my long strides.

Feeling her strength waning, I grabbed her around the waist and threw her over my shoulder, ignoring her protests as she bounced with each stride. “Obstinate lass,” I muttered, my heart swelling with love nonetheless. “You're gonna get yerself killed!”

“You're one to talk, love,” she shot back. “Taking on a dozen guards? What were you thinking?”

“There were only ten,” I assured her, glancing around for an escape route as I heard the heavy footsteps of more guards coming to avenge their fallen brethren. I tried the French doors that led to the gardens, but they were securely locked. I hurled a blast of magic at the locks, hoping to disengage them, but they'd been enchanted, making them impervious to my spell.

Damn. Mab had thought of everything.

“Oh, well,
ten . . .
” Arabella teased as I set her on her feet, taking a moment to steady her. “That's different then.”

“I've fought more,” I assured her, sending another glance about the room. Mab had thought of every means of blocking my magic to prevent our escape, but perhaps she'd overlooked more mundane methods....

I grabbed a gilded straight-back chair and smashed it against the doors, shattering the glass. Another blow broke apart the wooden lattices as well as the chair, but made a hole big enough for us to fit through.

I turned back to Arabella and grabbed her hand, dragging her along with me. But we'd only gone a few yards outside when she stumbled, falling to her knees with a quiet grunt. I instantly dropped down beside her, gathering her into my arms. Her skin was ablaze with fever, her cheeks bright red. But even more alarming was the wheezing as she fought to draw breath.

I dropped down beside her. “Can y'go on, lass?” I asked, searching her face.

She nodded, grasping my arm, trying valiantly to get to her feet and failing. I needed to get Arabella to Trish immediately, but that would mean leaving Merlin and Lily behind. I squeezed my eyes shut, hearing the shouts of the guards as they discovered the smashed music room doors.

“Up y'go, lass,” I said, scooping her into my arms and getting to my feet. “I'm gonna shift y'now.”

Arabella shook her head frantically. “No,” she gasped. “Merlin.”

“I'll come back for him, lass,” I vowed. “I swear it.”

“Will you now?”

Every muscle in my body tensed at the sound of Reginald's voice. I ground my back teeth together as I slowly turned to face him. To my horror, he held Lily in his arms, a dagger to her throat. Her glamour had slipped away, revealing her true identity—as well as her bruised cheek and split lip. She sagged against Reginald, looking as if she could barely stand, giving the impression she'd been completely subdued by whatever harsh treatment he'd delivered. But I knew better.