Dark Promise (17 page)

“You,” the king said. A purple columbine wrapped around his leg, his face contorted and he grabbed his shaking head. A black veil lifted from his face and the redness in his eyes faded to swirling silver. He gazed at Cassandra, the hatred gone. “My God, you did it.”

“Oh, Harrison,” Caroline whispered. He opened his arms and sobbing, she raced to him, and flung her arms around him. “It’s over. It’s finally over.”

Harrison wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed the top of her head. He buried his face in her hair and rubbed her back. “It’s all right, Caroline, my love. Come, my dearest.”

He squeezed her one more time and gently pushed her back. He wiped away her tears. “We have much to do love. Much to heal.”

She sniffled. “Yes, you’re right. Of course.” Caroline took a deep breath and her gaze fell on Cassandra. Sorrow reflected in her silver eyes. Her lower lip trembling, she whispered, “I’m so sorry, my dear. I was in a nightmare I couldn’t wake from. Please forgive me.” Ragged sobs shook her and she buried her face in her hands.

His matted hair hanging in his face, Toby hobbled to his feet.

She grabbed his shaking arm to help steady him.

“I’m alright…Cassandra.” He gave her a shy smile and lowered his head.

“Toby,” Caroline whispered.

Jerking his head up, Toby stiffened and stepped closer to Cassandra. Trembling, he grabbed her hand and squeezed tight.

“Oh, honey,” Caroline said. She covered her mouth. “Please forgive me.”

“Wraith, heal my grandson,” Harrison bellowed.

Toby hid behind Cassandra. Fearfully, he peered through strands of matted hair.

It made her heart bleed. “I promise no one will hurt you.”

A warm wind fluttered around them and the Wraith materialized. Dragon Demon gasps filled the courtyard.

Excited and suspicious voices broke out. “Who is that? Is this some kind of trick? Where is the old crone?”

“I am the Wraith. The Dark Veil has left your eyes and you see me in my true form.”

Harrison frowned. “I’m the king. How could you keep this secret from me?”

“The Darkness took over me long ago, your Majesty. Any time I tried to tell you, my magic drained so I couldn't tell you. Otherwise, I would have become powerless. I needed my power to help Cassandra fulfill her destiny.”

Harrison glanced away, his cheeks flaming red. He ran a hand through his thick hair. “I didn’t mean…”

The Wraith held up her hand. “Darkness possessed you. As you were all.”

“Heal my grandson.” Harrison pleaded once more.

“I do not have the power within me.”

Harrison glared. “What? You refuse?”

She turned to Cassandra. “But you do, my dear. You touched the tree and brought forth her spirit and survived. You have awakened the White Dragon Ring and now possess its white magic.”

13

“You were given a wonderful gift-the ability to heal two worlds,” the Wraith said. “The White Dragon Ring’s magic is based on healing.”

“I can now heal demons and humans,” Cassandra said.

The Wraith smiled, but her smile faded. Sadness mirrored in her silver eyes. “Yes. But like many times through history, these gifts are not always easy to bear.”

The Wraith’s statement was definitely underrated. All the teasing of seeing ghosts and the Wraith had made Cassandra’s childhood lonely. “I never thought seeing ghosts or seeing you were gifts.”

The Wraith laughed. Her laughter lightened the air.

Cassandra smiled and forgot about her childhood misery.

“People rarely do,” the Wraith explained. “But, as a little girl, you were able to see me without going mad, and were able to look upon ghosts without experiencing fear. Without these two legacies, you never would have been able to touch and heal the Golden Tree.”

Cassandra glanced at Toby who wrapped his arms around himself and hide his hands underneath his armpits. His hair dangled in his face and she couldn’t see his eyes. He put one foot over the other. If the wind blew, he would crumble to the ground. He was a poor lost child and one she desperately wanted to help if she could. “Wraith, are their limitations to the healing?”

“The only limitations are the ones you place on yourself. If you believe in yourself, the power works. If you don’t believe in yourself, the power fades along with your healing. But—” She held up one finger.

There was always the almighty but.

“Sometimes the ring will pave what is to come. You must trust that it knows the way, even if the power doesn’t always reveal itself.”

Toby wound his long hair around his finger.

She clasped both his hands and squeezed, wanting to send reassurance through him. “Look at me Toby.”

Toby hesitated, but raised his head and watched her warily, tears glistening in his eyes.

Cassandra wanted to chase away his pain and sorrow.

“When I was a little girl, Toby, kids used to call me names, because like you, I was different, an easy target.” Hanging his head, he sucked in his breath and pulled on his hands, but Cassandra gripped tighter, refusing to release him.

“I stuttered. I couldn’t say my own name. Kids groaned when the teacher called on me in class. On the playground, no one would play with me, no one would be my friend, no one would stick up for me when I was bullied. Being bullied was a daily occurrence.”

Toby glanced at her and relaxed.

Encouraged, Cassandra continued. “I wanted so much to have a friend. A new girl came to school and befriended me. I decided I would tell her about my ability to see ghosts and to see the Wraith. We shared secrets. It was a secret I lived to regret sharing.”

She tried to keep her voice steady. “In class, my new found friend announced my secret and the kids laughed. They chased me after school and threw rocks at me. I had cuts and bruises everywhere.” She choked. “I was so scared, so betrayed, so alone. I didn't tell my mom the truth.” She cleared her throat. “I told her I fell, but I always suspected she knew I lied.”

A tear slid down Toby’s cheek.

“Toby, I can’t begin to comprehend the pain you’ve suffered.” She rubbed his palm with her thumb. “Like me, you have a light within you, one darkness could not douse. You will survive.”

Warmth radiated from her ring, sending energy through her body. A river of light left her finger, whirled around Toby’s hand.

Toby’s eyes widened. Silver light flashed over him, softening his features. As the light faded, the shadow of fear on his face slowly vanished.

Cassandra relaxed her grip on Toby’s hands.

He examined his healed hand and stared at her, his eyes pleading. “I don’t want to stay here,” he whispered. “I want to come and live with you.”

“Oh, Toby,” she said. “I don’t know if…”

He yanked his other hand free. “Fine.”

His pain sliced through Cassandra and she could feel the terror he experienced in The Chamber, the shock of not having any of his loved ones save him and the loneliness of being forgotten.

Scowling, Toby stepped away.

She clasped his cheeks between her hands. “Toby, I promise if the king and queen will release you, I’ll take you to Earth to live with me.”

“You promise?”

At his eager face, she vowed to do whatever it took to bring him back with her. “Yes, I do.”

The queen approached Toby. “Toby, please forgive me. I promise no one will hurt you again.”

Toby pulled away from Cassandra. He pushed his shoulders back and clenched his fists.

Toby's bloody print marred the queen's blue dress.

He curled his lip. “Forgive?” He snorted. “You want me to forget—”

The Queen reached for him.

He jerked away. “Don’t. Touch. Me.” He glared. “If you had even once…”

Tears streaming down her face, she lowered her hand.

Toby marched toward the keep, the guards stepping aside and averting their gaze.

Cassandra wiped away a tear. What could the king and the queen say? No one had tried to intervene to protect Toby from Gryffin. God knew what the bastard did to the poor boy.

The king held his sobbing wife in his arms and the dazed guards murmured among themselves.

Cassandra wanted to ease the woman’s overwhelming regret, but how could she? If she told her the relationship with her grandson would heal, it would be lie. When she’d healed him, he’d been brimming with hatred.

Obviously her new found gift failed to heal such a wide rift.

“What will happen?” Cassandra asked.

“Those consumed by the Darkness will heal and eventually blissful forgetfulness will blanket them, but only if they let go of the past and move on,” the Wraith said.

“And if they don't?”

“Their memories will eat away at their soul.”

The queen released a mumbled snivel and Cassandra ached for her. How could Toby forget what his grandmother did to him? She felt his pain, but it was the betrayal that broke him and fueled his hate. She hadn’t erased the betrayal. She could feel it still rotting inside him.

“Wraith, I believed in the ring. I didn’t heal Toby.”

“The ring has left its mark on him. He has another path to follow and it will be his choice if he will be healed. I’m afraid if he chooses poorly, his pain and rage will destroy his soul.”

“No,” Cassandra insisted. “I will help him heal.”

“Cassandra?” Eric stretched out his bloody hand. Cuts and bruises marred his red splattered skin. She couldn’t tell which stain was his blood or someone else’s.

She clasped his hand, feeling his strength. “Let me heal you.”

He shook his head. “Not here.”

“Then where?”

He lifted an eyebrow and a secret smile spread across his lips.

Heat splashed onto her cheeks. “Eric.”

Wraith gave her a sensual smile then tilted her head. “Take him to his bedchamber.”

Eric dragged her away. “I have need of you.”

Bowing their heads, the guards parted as he led her toward the castle.

She nearly wept at Eric’s torn flesh and dried blood. It looked like an animal with sharp claws had attacked him. He panted and his pace slowed, and he gripped the doorway into the castle. “Shit, I can’t make it to my room.”

“Eric, put your arm around my shoulder,” Cassandra ordered.

He laughed. “You can’t carry me, mate. I am too weak to draw upon my magic.”

“I possess the White Dragon Ring, you stubborn he-man. Don’t argue.”

Eric draped his arm around her and her legs shook, but her ring spun on her finger faster and faster. Waves of tingles rushed up her arm and soared through her blood stream, giving her strength. Not sure what she was doing, but trusting in her ring, she snapped her fingers. “Take us to Eric’s bedchamber.”

The ring blazed. Cassandra’s vision blurred and wind gusted, lifting her and Eric into the air. She wrapped her arms around his waist. What was she doing? She should have ordered a guard to carry him.

The wind stopped and Cassandra staggered. Dizziness swept over her. Had she hurt him? Damn it. “Eric? Where are you?”

“I’m here.”

Her mind whirling, Cassandra leaned against a wall to keep from stumbling. “I don’t think I’ll get used to time travel.”

“Yes, you will,” Eric said. “Come to me.”

Eyes hooded, Eric lay naked and stretched out on his bed. Deep red gashes and purple bruises marred his torso. His lashes were dark against his bruised cheeks and his bloodied mouth looked so painful it took all of her willpower not to fling her arms around him and cry in the crook of his neck. How could he endure so much pain?

“Come to me, Cassandra.”

She rushed to his bed and clasped his rough hand. She rubbed it against her cheek. “Tell me what to do?”