Dragons Against Them (Kingdoms of Fire and Ice Book 2) (18 page)

R
osalind wove alone
through the halls of Giselle’s manor home, eager to rest before their midday meal. And why wouldn’t she be, as she’d been robbed of sleep the night prior? Even so, she refused to complain—what had begun as heartbreak had transformed into elation.

She had found her one true mate and been spared living the rest of her days with a less perfect match.

Though Jaxon was eager to bind and take her as his future queen, she was uncertain as to how his mother might view their hasty decision. After all, Rosalind was the daughter of Giselle’s most despised enemy. But if an arranged marriage had been proposed to keep peace between rival kingdoms Edana and Forath, why couldn’t the same hold true for Forath and the witches of Weston? Surely the bonding of offspring could hold past hatred at bay, could it not?

“Princess.”

Rosalind, now only a dozen paces or so from her guest chambers, froze at the queen’s voice. Slowly she turned and offered Giselle a low curtsey. “Yes, my queen?”

The queen looked vibrant today in a flowing green gown made of fabric so light that it fluttered with each of her movements. And though her skin had taken on a healthy glow, her eyes remained sharp as ever. Rosalind did her best to feign innocence though she stood before Giselle in a dirtied gown, hair yet damp from her earlier interlude in the river with Jaxon.

“Last night—were you able to keep my son distracted during my prolonged absence?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“And?”

“And…he questioned me not of your whereabouts, my queen.”

“No, no.” Giselle strode forward, a gleam in her hawklike eyes. “Did you join with him?”

Rosalind blushed at the queen’s directness.

“Excellent.” A smile softened her harsh stare. “I shall ask you both to accompany me for our evening meal, after which we finalize our plans for the attack on Forath.”

Giselle gave Rosalind’s cheek a motherly pat, then turned to go.

“Your Majesty?”

“Yes, child?”

The queen turned back, one brow arched above eyes that had grown dark with caution. Rosalind swallowed hard, then drew in a calming breath. Now was not the time to dissolve into a skittish child. Rather, she should request the queen call off their attack. To spare her father and brother, as she no longer possessed her hatred for them. But then, might it be wrong to profess her plans without Jaxon standing at her side?

“Might I have a clean gown delivered to my chambers before then?” she asked, skirting her original intended response. “Something…scarlet, perhaps?”

“But of course. I shall have Ella find a gown suitable for my future daughter-in-law.”

With one last twitch of her raised brow, the queen turned and strode away, a woman confident in her own home. And one far more cunning than Rosalind had given her credit for before they had met. How Giselle knew of her son’s plans already, Rosalind could not fathom. Only that such knowledge sent a wave of unease through her body.

Unease that the queen might possess far more knowledge about Rosalind’s future than she’d alluded to…and that the queen herself had a hand in the shaping of it.

Q
ueen Helena slipped
past the guard nearest Edana’s stables and into the long, musty building. On silent feet, she hurried through its center and out the rear doors. Keeping to the deepening shadows of twilight, she crept round the building’s northern side and into the nearby woods, where Berinon had instructed she meet him. ’Twas yet another act of disobedience to her husband.

A thrill ran through her as she moved farther from the confines of her stone-walled home, one she felt guilty to experience. Her place was as queen, wife to Robert. Though she understood in this moment why Zayne slipped away from home time and time again.

Life beneath Robert’s thumb could be quite smothering at times.

She paused at the first giant oak and scanned the vegetation around her, wondering if she would be able to discern Berinon’s emerald robe in all this green. He had responded almost immediately to her request to meet and without question as to why, so she hoped he did not misinterpret its intent. “To discuss a matter concerning my son,” was as specific as she had been lest someone intercept the scroll.

The snap of a twig nearby sent her pulse racing. Helena spun to find herself caught in a pair of emerald sleeves. But the relief that came upon recognizing it was indeed Berinon who held her was just as quickly extinguished as she took in the heavy-lidded look of lust in his eyes.

“Lena,” he breathed, bending to press his lips to her ear. Down along her cheek.

She froze, surprised by his boldness and scared at how the whisper turned her inside out. It was neither a demand nor a snarl, but rather a beckoning. A pledge to honor and satisfy, not take what was rightfully his.

His lips claimed hers then, fully and without hesitation or bashfulness. And while her body leaned into his, her hands clinging to his garment to bring him closer still, her mind was screaming that she must stop. He was not hers, nor she his.

She flattened her hands against his chest and shoved with what willpower she still maintained. “Enough.”

Hurt flashed across his face, but he released her as commanded.

“What is the meaning of this?” she asked.

“Did I startle you, my lady?”

“Startle me?” She fanned herself and took another step back. “The kiss on my hand in the gardens was one thing, Ber, but this.”

“You complained not last night.”

Last night?
Helena looked him over from head to toe. Had he struck his head on something? Overindulged in drink or smoke this day? She leaned in to give him a subtle sniff. Nothing unusual greeted her senses.

“I know not of what you speak, good sir, but am thankful you have come. Zayne is missing.”

A crooked smile tugged at the wizard’s lips. “Is this how we shall begin, then, my lady? All right, when did you see him last?”

“He left for Forath to visit Princess Adelaide three days prior. The day after that, he sent a bizarre, vague message to me asking that I inquire as to my sisters’ intentions with King Jarin.”

“Your sisters?” Berinon’s smile faded.

“Aye. With Princess Rosalind still missing, I can only assume Jarin believes they have taken her. So I sent a subtle inquiry to Ella.”

“And?”

Helena scanned the woods, then withdrew Ella’s scroll from the folds of her gown. “She sent me this.”

Berinon read the scroll once, twice. His hands balled into fists, the parchment crushed in his grasp. With a growl, he stepped forward and grabbed her by the shoulders.

“Tell me, woman. Did you not seek my company this prior night?”

She leaned as far away from him as possible, frightened by the fury in his eyes. “I-I know not of what you speak. I have not left the grounds since returning from Forath after the celebration of Adelaide’s return.”

“You did not come to me, pledging your…”

Helena shook her head, cringing from the venom in his voice.

Berinon’s eyes took on an eerie emerald glow the likes of which she’d never seen before. With a snarl, he arched back and roared to the heavens.

“
Giselle!
”

Z
ayne awoke
to a gentle prodding at his left shoulder. He grumbled and frowned at being bothered, then heard the sound of a weak coo at his chest. Soft skin brushed against him, and the scent of flowers and honey tickled his senses.

Adelaide
.

He opened his eyes to see her smiling up at him, eyes as bleary as his must also be.

“You have awakened.”

“Hard not to,” she said, “with these jokers poking and prodding us.”

“Forgive me, sire, but it is time,” said Brom.

Zayne propped himself on one elbow, careful not to bump his betrothed along the way. She curled tighter to him and let her eyes drift shut once more. “The sentries? Have their patterns changed?”

“Aye.”

It was Quinn who answered, a look of wary resolve on his face. Understandable, as the next few hours would bring the kingdom either peace or war. Which it would be, they had not a clue. For once, Zayne found himself wishing Berinon were here to say the sooth. Forath’s high wizard seemed to lack that ability. Or was stubbornly silent on the matter.

“Then we must fly.” Zayne pushed himself into a seated position and stretched, savoring the hum of energy pulsing through his body. He felt good as new. Better, actually, as Adelaide’s blood had awakened within him an inner strength he knew not before.

Beside him, she tried to rise as well. But, still weak from the enchantment, her arm collapsed beneath her, and she dropped to the floor with an annoyed huff. Cursing, she tried to push herself up again. This time when her arm gave way, he caught her.

“Thanks, but I don’t need your help,” she muttered.

“On the contrary, my lady. I believe you do.” Zayne pulled her into his lap and nuzzled the hollow beneath her ear. “You are rather adorable when weak and helpless.”

“And you’re quite the charmer. Not.”

He took her hand and placed it upon his heart. “Let me care for you, my love, as you have cared for me. Feel the beat of my heart, strong once again because of you.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “I…couldn’t stand to watch you hurt any longer.”

“And your selfless act shall save us all. Come, let us be on our way. Your strength will return in time.”

As he rose, Zayne threw Haelan a questioning look. The wizard tipped his chin in assurance, but it brought Zayne little comfort. Though if Haelan had tricked them and Addie remained in this weakened state, there would be nowhere in this world or the next that he would be safe from Zayne’s wrath.

“Are you strong enough to lead us in flight?” asked Tristan.

“Aye, though I have a better plan. One that will lessen the effects of the wards as we cross into Weston.”

“Oh?” asked Quinn. “And what is it?”

Zayne collected Addie in his arms and stood to meet each of their gazes one by one. “I shall not only lead, but provide transport for you all.”

“I require no such thing,” muttered Haelan, who disappeared with a scowl and a snap.

Addie looked up at him. “Wait, what?”

“How better to shield you from the wards than to carry you all upon my back? Besides,” he added with a wink, “someone shall need to hold you. Unless, that is, you would rather I carry you in my talons?”

She groaned as the others grumbled, but no one offered an alternative plan. He pressed a gentle kiss to his sweet Adelaide’s smooth forehead, then carefully handed her off to Brom and made for the door.

Oh, but he felt good. Better than good. More like, ready to conquer this realm.

Which might be exactly what they were about to do…

* * *

F
lying had never been
Addie’s favorite thing. Flying weak and nauseated barely even made the list of tolerable ones. And being crushed the whole trip in the mitts of a worried Brom—who apparently didn’t enjoy being a passenger nearly as much as a dragon—hadn’t helped any either. They’d barely gotten her to the ground before she retched up what felt like a month’s worth of meals.

She lay there for a moment, a safe distance from the mess with her face pressed to the cool, damp ground, and wished like crazy she was back in the States. A little Pepto-Bismol and she’d have been good as new. Instead, Haelan appeared in her line of sight with some nasty herb that smelled like stinky feet. Which, desperate to feel better, she ate.

Had Haelan not been there with root in hand, she might not have noticed his reappearance, the silent, sneaky bastard. Why he’d even come was beyond her. The whole enchantment on her and Zayne had been a huge no-no from what Tristan admitted. So why remain with the guilty parties, especially if her father and his whole bloody army were on their way?

“Are you feeling better now, my lady?”

Addie slowly sat up, decided the world wasn’t going to tip over on her again, and held a hand over her mouth to shield poor Zayne from her puke breath. “A little, thanks. Now if only I had a Tic Tac or something to freshen my breath.”

A hand was thrust before her once more. Haelan, with another herb. This one, strangely enough, smelled of mint. She took it from him with a scowl.

“You’re awfully helpful when you want to be.”

“Simply doing my duty, Your Highness.” He leaned closer, his dark blue eyes glimmering with a humor only he seemed to understand. “Besides, we need you well for the next part of our journey.”

“Great. Can’t wait. Now if only I could”—Addie managed to stand on her own. She took a step forward and was pleasantly surprised to still be upright—“walk.”

She took another step away from Zayne. Stretched her back, flexed her fingers. A burst of energy similar to that of a runner’s high was building within her, and she felt the uncanny urge to go for a good long run. Whatever weariness she’d felt before seemed to have left her body along with this morning’s breakfast.

Addie cast a wary look at what was left of the mint sprig in her hand, then one at Haelan. He just shrugged and started forward, gliding along the earthen path on silent feet.
Healed me or not, I still think you’re one odd duck.

Zayne’s hand brushed along her hip, pulling her into his side. “You feel it now too.”

“Like a million bucks,” she said with a wink. “Now if only I could fly.”

“I am trained to heal,” called Haelan from ahead of them. “Not perform miracles.”

Addie rolled her eyes. The others started forward, following the wizard, but she held Zayne back. “Listen, there’s something I’ve got to tell you.”

“And you wish to discuss the matter now?” He looked to the others slowly being swallowed by the darkness as they moved onward. “Adelaide, time is—”

“Short. Yeah, yeah, I get it. But this will only take a minute. And I think it’s really important, so will you please hear me out?”

He cupped her cheek. “Speak what is on your mind, my love, but do so quickly.”

My love.
She felt her cheeks warm, but logged this memory to revel in another time.

“Okay. So remember me asking you about
The Legend of Fire and Ice
? ‘Two kingdoms kept behind the veil, possess a magic for all to hale. One made of fire, the color of gold; one made of ice, its powers untold. Both kingdoms great, both kingdoms strong, the powers of each too much to bond. If ever…’ And then it just stopped, and I was bummed because this didn’t feel like a fairy tale to me.”

Zayne’s gaze flashed toward the others and back. “Not a fairy what?”

“A made-up—never mind, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that when I was trying to get you to rest and I went wandering around the church, I found a bible up by the altar. And as I was turning pages, I found this.
If ever
…”

Addie withdrew the crumpled partial page she’d kept hidden beneath her unbloodied sleeve and handed it to Zayne.

“
T
he most powerful
of dragons make…” He pondered that for a moment, then frowned at the tattered bottom edge of the parchment. “More seems to be missing?”

“Yes, which is driving me crazy. But it dawned on me as I was waking up this morning—I think this legend is about us.”

Footsteps sounded ahead of them.

“’Tis not the time for fawning over each other,” Tristan hissed. “Now hurry, or all our efforts might be for naught.”

Zayne waved a hand in acknowledgment but held Addie’s gaze. “You believe yourself to be this child of ice?”

“Who else do you know of that’s been outside this realm?”

He frowned. “No one, my lady.”

“Exactly.” She took the paper from him and started forward, keeping her gaze forward by voice low. “Trouble is, I’ve only come back to this world twice. So either I’m not the person in this poem…”

“…or you have yet to finish your journey.”

“Right. Don’t you find it a bit odd that Haelan’s sticking around?”

Zayne scowled into the dark, his topaz eyes taking on a dull glow. “Aye. I had suspicions about Berinon’s interest from the start as well.”

“You and me both. Though where has he been all week, anyway?”

“Our high wizard’s absence has been a mystery.”

“So…you don’t think my theory is too far-fetched, then?”

Zayne took her right hand and pressed a kiss to its palm before securing it inside his own and leading her forward. “I am uncertain as to what to believe. But until this is over and we are able to investigate the legend further, we must remain close. I shall not stand by and watch you be ported worlds away from me a second time.”