Dark Lord of Kismera: Knights of Kismera (28 page)

Drace went into the stall against her protests. “He’s never been a kicker either,” he said, and started to talk softly to the big stallion in a soothing voice.

“Drace, do you think you should be doing that? You can’t get out of his way if he goes after you,” Cerise chimed in, looking over the stall door. Her fears were soon put to rest when Pride gave a welcoming nicker, ears going forward and he came to Drace and put his head against Drace’s chest.

“I’ll be flipped,” the head groom exclaimed then left and went back to her office.

Drace buried a hand under the heavy mane and scratched along Pride’s neck. Pride gave a big horsy sigh and rested a back foot, standing hip-shot.

“Cerise, can you come in here and check his legs? He’ll stand still for me,” Drace promised.

A horseman herself, Cerise came in and ran her hands down the horse’s legs. “That one hock is still a little swollen, but there’s no heat in it. I think he’ll be fine.”

“He remembers, Cerise,” Drace said quietly. “He thought I was dead, I think, and his behavior maybe is his way of grieving. He remembers the battle and everything.”

The head groom returned with a packet and handed the thick envelope to Cerise. “Pride’s owners came by yesterday and gave me these to give to you,” she said.

“What is it?” Drace asked, continuing to pet Pride.

“I believe it’s his papers. There’s a letter in there but I didn’t read anything.”

“Open it, Cerise,” Drace said, fishing a carrot out of his pocket. Pride took it eagerly, eyes closed in contentment.

Cerise opened the packet. “It’s his papers, alright. They’ve signed him over to you. Do you want me to read the letter to you?”

Drace placed his forehead against Pride’s, “Yeah, go ahead.”

“Dear Mr. MacKinnon,” Cerise read, “We deeply regret your accident and wish you a speedy recovery. We know the depth of your feelings for Pride and upon reflection of his behavior since your accident, realize that the horse’s feeling is mutual. We have never seen a horse so defensive of its handler and that revealed to us how close a bond has developed for the two of you. You had expressed a desire to purchase the horse upon his retirement. We feel you should have ownership of this animal at this time. Please enjoy him and use him as you see fit. We know you will give him a great home and much love. With affection and respect, the Meyers.”

Cerise looked up from the letter, her face registering her surprise.

“I’ll be damned,” Drace said as he fed Pride the last carrot. He was overwhelmed at the Meyers generosity. He got his crutches arranged then and left the stall. To the groom, he said, “He should be okay now. He just didn’t know what had happened to me and was upset.”

“You’re the boss,” she said with a smile. “I’ll call you if there are any problems. And Drace?”

“Yeah?” he replied as he began the trek back down the aisle.

“Good to see ya back on your feet.”

“Come on,” Cerise said. “Let’s get you home. You look tuckered out.”

“Yeah, I am but I need to make one more stop if you don’t mind. I’d like to go by a florist.”

“Sure,” Cerise agreed, “Who’s the lucky recipient?”

“Penny. I want to apologize for being an ass the other day.”

“Okay, not a problem,” she replied as they slowly made their way from the barn and to Drace’s truck.

Once back at Drace’s apartment, Cerise called Penny when the other woman came home from work. Penny let herself in at Drace’s call. Autumn was with her and the little girl ran over to him.

“Can I hug you, Drace?”

He opened his arms. “Oh yeah, baby. Just don’t squeeze me too hard.” He closed her in his embrace.

Cerise looked at Penny, “He needs one of those.”

“The hug or the kid?” Penny asked, laughing.

“Probably both, but I meant the child.”

“He is very good with her. He’s taken her to the barn a few times, so now she’s horse crazy. How is he doing?” Penny asked.

“Better. There are a few things he’s working through but he’ll be okay, I think.”

Drace looked over Autumn’s little head to Penny, “I got you something. It’s on the table. I was a…a butt the other day. I wanted to apologize.”

Penny looked at the pink roses and gave him a lopsided smile. “Thank you, Drace. You didn’t have to do that. I know you weren’t feeling well.”

“I wanted to and you’re welcome. And…,” he fished behind a sofa pillow and pulled out a small stuffed horse. “…this is for Autumn for taking such good care of Thomas. I’d like for her to keep the cat if that’s alright with you, Penny. It would be unfair to take him away from her.”

Penny nodded agreement and Autumn squealed in delight, jumping against him. Drace sucked in his breath and went pale.

“Autumn, be still!” her mother scolded.

“I’m okay,” Drace protested, with one arm wrapped protectively against his side.

“Drace, I made this at school for you,” Autumn told him and took a handmade card from her mother. “See? There’s you and Pride, and there’s the lady you’re going to rescue. You’ll be he hero and save the day.”

Drace stared at the crayon picture of a black horse and the knight with a crayon lady. “Yeah, I’ll save the day.” His face had gone white and his lips tightened. “I’ll treasure this always, sweetie.”

He pulled Autumn to him for a quick kiss on her forehead then clambered to his feet. “I think I may have overdone it today. If you ladies will excuse me, I think I’ll go lay down for awhile.” He went into his room without another word.

Cerise pretended nothing was wrong and chatted with Penny for a little while until Penny claimed she needed to go make dinner. Cerise closed the door, leaned against it, closing her eyes. She wished she knew what to do for Drace.

While she was deciding, there was a crash from his room and she ran in, in time to see him throw the next missile from his nightstand against the wall. He reached blindly for something else to throw, when she stopped him. “Stop it before you hurt yourself!”

He wasn’t crying, but there was terrible grief on his face. “What do I do now, Cerise? What do I do now? How do I pretend nothing happened. That Ki’s lost to me?” Drace yelled. “God damn it! What do I do now?” He was panting with fury, “I couldn’t save the day! There was no happy ending!” He placed his head in his hands and whispered so low she barely could hear him, “Ki, what do I do now?”

DRACE’S PHYSICAL THERAPY was progressing and his ribs were healing. He could finally sleep on his stomach—when he could sleep.

Cerise had stayed with him until he could drive himself. She was packing in the spare room to go back to Virginia. She came and went as she pleased. It had been weird luck that she had popped in for a visit the night of his accident.

She sat next to Drace on her bed and handed him a folder. “This was why I stopped in to see you. I was going to give it to you on you twenty-eighth birthday.”

“What is this?” he took the folder from her, realizing he had forgotten his own birthday.

“It is your investment dossier. It is yours now. I can continue to manage it if you wish or you may. That was the terms of your father’s will that, if your mother passed before you turned twenty-eight, I was to manage your investments until your twenty-eighth birthday as executor of their estate.”

Cerise herself had just turned thirty. She was a late in life baby and after her and Drace’s father Aaron, parents had died, she had lived with Drace and his family.

Cerise was also a genius when it came to money and had managed her share of her parent’s estate into a small fortune. “The current figures are on the back page. I think you’ll be pleased.”

Drace opened the folder and flipped to the back page. His eyebrows went high and his mouth dropped open. A gasp escaped him. “Holy Mother,” he breathed.

“Well?” Cerise questioned. “What do you think?”

Drace ran a hand through his dark hair, still not used to its shorter length. “Well, what? What does one say when one finds out he has several—that is a second comma, isn’t it?” At Cerise’s nod Drace felt almost faint. “Jesus, that’s million.” Drace closed the folder and laid it on the nightstand by the bed. “I always knew you were brilliant, but good Lord, this is amazing.

Cerise looked at him with a sad smile. “You would give it all up if you could go back, wouldn’t you?”

He didn’t hesitate, “In a heartbeat. It’s so beautiful there. You would love it.”

“What was Lady Ki like? I mean, you’ve told me about her, but as a person, what was she
really
like?”

Drace placed his hands on his knees and looked down at them. “Cold sometimes if she didn’t know you. Maybe that’s not the right word. Aloof, maybe, and arrogant. She has to be. She has so much on her shoulders. She will be queen some day I expect now that I’m gone. That was what she was born to be. But as a friend, or lover, so warm, so fierce. Oh god, could she be fierce.”

“And her people could really turn into lions?” Cerise mused. “That would be so cool. I wouldn’t mind that ability.”

Drace looked at her, a spark of humor coming into his eyes. “You couldn’t be more than a sweet little kitty cat.”

“I have claws. You had best remember that,” she joked back. “Are you sure you will be alright when I go?”

“Yeah. I’ve just been taking one day at a time. It’s the only thing I know to do. The casino wants me back and I should be released to return to work next week, according to the doc. I’ve got a couple of months left on my contract. They’re planning some sort of campaign around the end since I’m going to retire. You know, the Black Knight rides off into the sunset and all that.”

Cerise closed her last suitcase and checked the room one last time. “I’ll be back to help you pack then, if you’re still planning to move back home.”

“I think so. There are too many memories here. I don’t know how I’ll handle having to play warrior when I actually was one for awhile.” That was one subject he had made clear was taboo. He had told her he had fought and killed but wouldn’t discuss it further. He picked up her largest suitcase. “Come on; let’s get you to the airport before you miss your plane. And Cerise…,”

“Yes, hon?”

“I don’t know if I said it or not, but thank you, for everything. For being here and for not thinking I was full of shit.”

“Well, of course,” her eyes prickled with unshed tears. “I love you, you know.”

Drace hugged her with his free hand, “I love you, too. Alright, Auntie, you ready?”

Drace dropped her off at the airport, and then drove slowly home. When he arrived, he let himself in and went to sit in his recliner. He stared at the blank TV for a moment before closing his eyes. “One step at a time,” he thought.

Drace was given the go ahead to return to work and fell back into the routine he had before his going to Kismera. He got up every morning and schooled horses at the casino, and then he went to the gym for an hour or two. Three days a week he went to physical therapy. Afterwards, he had a few hours free time until the evening show. The medieval show went on as before although Drace really had to concentrate on pulling his blows at first.

The company had gotten a gray Andalusian stallion while Drace had been out and now he rode the horse in the dressage demonstration. Pride was only doing the joust and had settled down to his normal personality.

Drace’s busy schedule helped keep his mind occupied and he was sleeping better, although he still had the occasional nightmare. Sometimes, though, he would dream of Ki, in sweet remembrance. In some ways those were worse as he would wake and feel her loss more acutely.

He talked to Cerise every other day on the phone, reassuring her he was getting by and looking forward to her next visit.

He had come home late one evening after a very trying day, tired and grumpy. The Andalusian had acted up and he had barely made it through the performance, leaving him hoping that the audience hadn’t noticed.

Drace made himself a peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich and watched a little television then went to bed. He was caught in the midst of a nightmare when an outside noise worked its way into his dream. He came awake slowly and it took a moment to realize it was his cell phone ringing on his nightstand. It stopped before he could function and he looked at his clock.
Two a.m. Who the hell is calling me at this time of night?

It rang again and he answered it sleepily, “Yeah?”

“Hey, MacKinnon, I hate to call you this late, but we got a problem down here.” It was the night watchman at the casino stables.

Drace swung his legs over the side of the bed, sitting up, “What’s wrong? Pride?”

“No, Pride’s okay. Some chick was in the barn. I found her at his stall. Probably one of your groupie wanna-be’s. I’ve got her in the security room. She’s a bit strange. I think she’s a little high or drunk. I didn’t call the cops yet since she asked for you.”

“I’ll be right there. We probably just need to call her a cab and get her home to sleep it off.” Drace was already reaching for a pair of well-worn jeans.

“Okay man, thanks,” the watchman said and disconnected the line.

“Shit!” Drace swore, and pulled a black t-shirt out of a drawer. He dressed and put on a pair of sneakers, not bothering with socks. He stuffed his wallet in a back pocket, grabbed his keys, and rushed out.

He made good time to the casino employee parking and jogged across to the barn entrance, his knee protesting all the way. He found the watchman and together they checked Pride then went to the security room.

“She’s been real quiet except she spent a good five minutes flipping the lights on and off. Be careful.” He stepped back after unlocking the door, muttering something about ‘damn foreigners’.

Drace paused for a moment, not sure he really wanted to deal with a high or drunk fan, especially this time of night. After a quick knock Drace opened the door and cautiously stepped inside.

The woman sat in a chair calmly facing him. Drace felt as if someone had sucker punched him in the gut and his heart sped up until it thudded hard in his chest. “Ki?”

She addressed him in her tongue, “My Lord, I see you survived your trip over well.” A slight frown crossed her features, “Whatever did you do to your hair?”

He grasped the back of the chair opposite her until his knuckles went white, in shock. “Is it really you or is this a cruel dream?” he asked in Werren as well.

She rose and walked over to him, placed a hand on his chest and felt his racing heart. In English she answered him, “If it is, I hope we never wake.” Tears formed in her eyes and one escaped to slip slowly down a cheek.

“Oh my god,” he whispered and grabbed her up in a rough hug.

The watchman stood mouth agape. “You know her?”

Drace had his face against her hair, “Yes, I know her. Everything is alright.”

“I’ll leave you two alone then. Sorry to have gotten you up at this hour.”

There was no reply as Drace continued to hold her.

“Drace?’ her voice was muffled against his chest. “Drace—I cannot breathe.”

He loosened his hold on her. “I’m afraid to let go—that you’ll vanish.”

“No, I will not vanish.” She looked up at him and then pulled his head down for a very real kiss.

Drace pulled back a few moments later. Breathless, he said, “Let’s get out of here.”

He took her by the hand and led her out of the office. She stopped him at the entrance into the arena. “I left something in there. Wait for me, please,” she instructed, walking into the darkness before he could stop her. He took a step to follow, a flash of panic running through him. He heaved a sigh of relief when she walked back to him carrying a long satchel.

She wore light brown breeches, a white long sleeve shirt that laced at the upper slopes of her breast, and her soft, brown boots. She looked like she had lost weight, and was very tired, but as she approached in her confident, woman’s walk, he thought she was a beautiful miracle.

He looked at her for a moment before taking her hand again and heading for the exit. “I have so many questions for you, but right now I can’t even think where to begin.”

“I found your electricity very fascinating,” Ki said to him excitedly.

He stopped at the door. “Oh yeah?”

She smiled up at him, “Yeah.”

“My Lady, your vocabulary is slipping,” he said and then opened the door. “If that was fascinating, check this out.” The lights, sounds, and smells assaulted her heightened senses. She wrinkled her nose at the stink.

Drace saw her eyes were huge and she made a noise. “Was that a growl? My Lady, I do believe your fur is fluffing.

“God Ki, it is good to see you. Come on, I’ll give you your first ride in a vehicle.”

Her hand in his tightened. He thought she would twist her neck the way she was trying to look at everything.

They reached his truck and with the clicker, he unlocked the doors. He opened the passenger door for her but she took a step back, bumping into him. Drace pulled her back against his broad chest, his hands on her upper arms. “It’s okay, hon. it won’t hurt you.” He could feel her pulse tripping under his fingers.

With an uneasy glance up at him, she handed him the satchel. One hand under her elbow, he helped her into the truck. He laid the bag on the back seat then came around the front of the truck after closing both passenger doors.

Opening the driver’s door he could see she looked almost ready to bolt and he hadn’t even started the truck yet. He had to calm her. He scooted in and closed his door. “Come over here closer to me, okay”

She obeyed, sliding across the seat. He tipped her chin up and looked deep into her tawny eyes. “You’re safe with me here. I wouldn’t put you in harms way. I know this is all new but trust me, alright?”

Ki blinked. “I do. Your world is just so overwhelming…and loud.”

He bent his head and kissed her and felt her relax against him after awhile. Her eyes had become somewhat dazed. He cleared his throat and his voice was husky when he explained that the truck would make noise and move like a carriage, only faster. Drace reached across her to buckle her seat belt then did his own. “It’s the law, Ki. I could get into trouble if either one of us is without one.” He started the truck and the big engine roared to life. “You okay?” Her eyes were enormous in her pale face but she nodded. “Well then, let’s get you home.”

He put the truck in reverse and slowly backed out of the parking space. He eased out to the street and placed Ki’s left hand on his thigh with a pat of encouragement then reached for the gearshift again.