Dragons Among Them (Kingdoms of Fire and Ice) (28 page)

“Do not tell me no!” Jarin roared.

Zayne flinched from the king’s roar. Several guards sprang forward to restrain him, and the prince soon found himself bound in chain with his forearm strapped to the block before him. Shouts rang out from Edana’s army, but Jarin paid them no mind. His stormy gray gaze burned into Zayne’s.

“How dare you stand before me and resurrect the most painful memories of my existence, to tell me my firstborn daughter survived that horrible night, as a childish means to break your engagement. Juliana died that night, died merely hours after I lost my beautiful wife! Now, I shall ask but one time more, Prince Zayne Godfrey,” King Jarin demanded and raised his sword higher above Zayne’s wrist. “Summon. Them.
Back.
”

Zayne’s mind began to race. Could he transform without his mother being harmed? Would both kingdoms label him a coward for fleeing from Jarin’s punishment? “Your Majesty, I—”

“But you’re wrong,” called a faint, high-pitched voice from somewhere behind him.

Jarin’s gaze flashed to the sound, the sword frozen in a backswing. Zayne twisted to spy a small, hooded figure step out from among the ranks of his army and into the center of the clearing.

“The child didn’t die that night.” The stranger slowly raised both hands to draw back the hood. A wave of golden hair spilled around her shoulders. “Or, so I’ve been told.”

“Addie,” Zayne breathed.

She stood like an avenging angel between the two armies, her beautiful fair skin aglow in the brilliant sunlight. Forath’s army raised their bows when she continued forward, but her steps didn’t waver. Addie slowed to a stop before the king, dipped into her best curtsey, then straightened to offer him a sheepish grin.

“Hello, Father.”

Jarin stared at her in disbelief. “Juliana.” The sword fell from his grip and planted into the soft ground to the right of Zayne’s bound body. “My daughter, my beautiful daughter.”

“My sister?” Tristan whispered, wide-eyed.

“No!” Rosalind cried. “It’s a trick, Father! Witchcraft of the darkest kind. How else can this be explained?”

“The girl is who she claims to be,” said Berinon, now standing beside the queen. “I was present when the witch brought Juliana to your wizard and demanded she be banished. The curse was indeed spoken…as well as a cure.”

“How?” the king asked. “How was the curse lifted?”

“An act of true love, Father.” Addie flashed a smile at the queen, then shifted her triumphant gaze to Zayne. “An act of true love.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Addie slumped into a plush, green velvet chair in one of the castle’s drawing rooms and sighed as Zayne’s hands lit gently upon her shoulders. His warm touch was a welcome and much-needed comfort to her after all she’d learned. She was a princess—a princess!—and still coming to terms with the fact that this castle was where she’d lived the first few hours of her life. And while it housed the remaining members of her true family, never had a home felt so alien to her.

This room, like the others she’d seen, was decorated with furniture made from light-colored woods and rich, dark velvets. Canvases depicting thick forests and majestic waterfalls were scattered among the walls, along with silver-framed mirrors and hanging oil lamps. At the center of the room stood a massive fireplace, a grand blaze raging in its grate. The design of the room reminded Addie of Zayne’s family cottage, and yet its décor was vastly different. Where his lodgings had been draped in colors of warmth, these decorations were cast in much cooler tones.

Across the room stood her father, her brother, Berinon, and Zayne’s mother, Queen Helena. All were engaged in a hushed conversation concerning the past week’s events, and how best to proceed as—for what sounded like the first time in generations—a united front. But one member of Addie’s new family was missing from both the room and the conversation: Rosalind. Judging by the look of contempt she had thrown Addie before dashing off into the woods when their father accepted Addie was who she claimed to be, it would likely be a while before Forath’s younger princess chose to return.

Guilt riddled Addie for the hundredth time that day. She never asked to be taken in by a new family, or intended to steal Rosalind’s fiancé. Somehow, she’d unwittingly managed to do both—not exactly the best way to greet her newfound sister. As the thoughts raced through her mind yet again, a large yawn escaped her. Zayne gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze.

“You should retire for the night, my lady,” he said, his voice soft.

“I don’t know where I’m supposed to retire to,” she whispered back.

It was true. After the standoff in the clearing, chaos had gradually become a day-long, castle-wide celebration in honor of her return. Food had been prepared in quantities greater than she’d ever seen, and drinks had been freely passed around. And while she’d been filled to overflowing with gratitude for everyone’s warm welcomes and generosity, it had all been rather overwhelming. Had Zayne not remained at her side throughout the day, she might well have tried to sneak off to a bathroom and lock herself inside. Only a short time ago had the royal families finally withdrawn from the crowds to this room, and now fatigue threatened to pull her under a thick veil of sleep.

“There remains one matter to be discussed,” announced Berinon as he came to stand beside the room’s grand fireplace. “One that, for the safety of our kingdoms and those beyond, must not leave this room.”

“Which is?” asked King Jarin.

“The matter of explaining to your subjects where Adelaide has been all these years.”

“Forgive me, High Wizard,” said Tristan, his eyes bright with interest. “But where exactly
has
my dear sister been?”

“In a land half a world away from here, a world much bigger than we have all been led to believe. Our two worlds began as one in the same but were separated from one another a long, long time ago. A protective barrier was placed around the lands that make up Edana and Forath to protect those of you whose veins carry the blood of dragons. You see, a great war had broken out in a place known to Adelaide as England. King Henry II fought to keep control of the land from his three rebellious sons and demanded that every dragon be forced to serve in his royal army. But the battles raged on and on, and the numbers of surviving dragons dwindled.

“A wise and powerful wizard, one unafraid to use the darkest of magic to protect your sacred race, went to King Henry and demanded he release the dragons from battle or face the consequences. But the king could taste victory and refused to heed the wizard’s warning. So that night, the wizard conjured a spell the power and likes of which never a soul had before witnessed. It placed a shield around what came to be known as the kingdoms of Edana and Forath, making their lands and inhabitants invisible to the rest of the world, and the rest of the world invisible to them. Within the shield were all known surviving dragon descendants as well as a significant portion of the local witch and wizard populations. Time in both worlds continued on.”

“But what about the peoples trapped in this new, smaller world?” asked Zayne. “Did they not seek to return to the lands from which they had come?”

“No,” said Berinon. “The wizard cast a spell upon them all, wiping clean their memories of the old county. History books were rewritten, new traditions started. The church and its core beliefs remained, though our people view the Bible as more of a storybook than historical reference.”

Addie rubbed her temples. “And you mean to tell me no one back on our side seemed to notice a huge chunk of England’s countryside suddenly went missing?”

“No. The wizard’s spell was infallible.”

She snorted softly. “Well, apparently not, since your mentor knew how to send me there, and you somehow knew how to bring me back.”

Berinon’s gaze narrowed. “Those of us tasked with studying the dark arts have been taught these secret histories and been sworn to guard them with our lives. Some, like my predecessor, chose unwisely to share their knowledge with another, who then used the information against him…and against your family.”

“The witch,” her father growled.

“Aye. But her memory has since been wiped clean, as has anyone else in the two kingdoms beside myself and Forath’s high wizard who had knowledge of the other world—I made certain of that myself. After all these years of tracking Adelaide’s whereabouts, I have witnessed her environment enough to know that continued travel between our worlds could be disastrous for myriad reasons. The ultimate goal is to preserve the dragon race, and the advancement in weapons in the others world is frightening to say the least. Such devices, Your Majesty, could easily lead to the extinction of our peoples.”

Her father’s gaze flashed to the doorway and back, then he said in a lowered voice, “Do you think it wise, wizard, to be sharing such information with us? Here? While we might swear to never speak of these matters again, I can make no promises that the castle has not grown ears. My daughter Rosalind taught me as much this day.”

“I share this information more for Adelaide’s benefit than for the rest of you. For you see, in a matter of moments your memories of today will be replaced with another, less dangerous version. One where your daughter was returned by a coven of witches who had discovered Adelaide along their travels in Edana’s deep woods. She had been raised by a witch recently struck down by a rogue dragon warrior and knew not of her royal birthright. But the witches recognized her by her eyes and so brought her here to you.”

Queen Helena gasped, and Addie’s family sputtered in outrage. Zayne tightened his grip upon her shoulders.

“And what of our memories from this past week?” he asked.

Berinon snapped his fingers. The others suddenly froze in place, their outburst sufficiently silenced. Edana’s high wizard approached Addie and Zayne, a kind smile breaking through the mask of superiority he’d worn a moment ago.

“While it would be wisest for me to wipe both your memories clean as well, I believe it best for Adelaide if I did not. The road ahead will be difficult for her as she works to acclimate to our world…and accept that she is no longer a part of hers. You must be her strength and guide these next few years, Prince Zayne, and because of that I choose to leave you your memories. Do not abuse this gift, and speak to no one of the other world—sharing such knowledge might well bring you harm. The two worlds must remain apart and unaware of the other. You, Addie, are the first in all our history to have lived in both.”

“So, I can never go back?” Deep down, she knew the answer already. Hearing it, though, would help to bring her closure.

“Once you bind with your mate, no. Until then, returning would not be impossible, just…inadvisable.”

Addie nodded, then craned her neck to meet Zayne’s apprehensive gaze. “I made the mistake of leaving your side once already. I sure don’t plan on doing it again any time soon.”

A slow, broad smile stretched across Zayne’s handsome face, and he bent to press a gentle kiss upon her temple. “Nor do I, my love. Nor do I.”

Epilogue

Zayne let his eyes drift shut, savoring both the warmth of the sun and the cool feeling of Adelaide’s naked body against his own. The clover patch where they lay in Edana’s high hillside might not have been the real heaven, but he could never imagine a more perfect place.

“Do you think we’ll ever tire of this?” She snuggled closer into his side.

“Never.”

“Even years from now, when we’re old and…married?”

Married.

The word used to terrify him. Conjure up images of shackles and chains. Endless responsibilities and a nagging royal spouse. Now, Zayne could hardly wait for this next journey of his life to begin.

“Even then.” He felt her lips curl into a smile against his side. “That is, if your father allows me to live that long.”

Her head popped into view as Addie rose onto her elbow, a mischievous grin on her face. “Are you kidding? He loves you now that he knows it was your family who broke the curse and helped bring me back.”

“And how do I reward his newly given grace? By stealing away and deflowering his eldest daughter.”

“Technically you sort of ‘deflowered’ me weeks ago. And anyway, what he doesn’t know can’t hurt him.”

“You forget—your father is a king, my love. Very little does he not know or eventually discover.”

“Yeah, that’s going to take some getting used to. Regardless, it seems to me our time together only helps ensure that the peace treaty between both kingdoms will soon come to pass.” She trailed a hand lightly down his chest. “Surely, he can’t get mad about that.”

The fire in his veins threatened to ignite once again from her touch. “When did you become so devious?”

“Apparently, it runs in my blood.” Her beautiful face grew serious. “How long do you think it’ll be before they find her?”

Zayne cupped Addie’s cheek. Though she’d never once complained, he knew the past few weeks had been difficult for his betrothed as she struggled to acclimate to both a new world and her royal heritage. A task made all the more difficult by her half sister’s disappearance…and the fact that she had yet to return.

“Rosalind shall not hurt you, Addie. I would never allow it, nor would your father.”