Eternal Fire (17 page)

Helena gripped my arm and closed her eyes, shaking her head. “I can see the scene evolving before me. That will end in disaster for everyone involved, including your unborn child.”

I looked at Liz, confused. “Surely the soldiers would be better than just the two of us going on our own. We could send the army, and I could stay back at the castle so my baby is safe. It’s really the only way.”

“
I didn’t say you should go in,” Helena said. “I said according to my visions, the castle will be better breeched by one or two rather than an army.”

“
Listen to her,” Liz advised. “She obviously knows her stuff. If she says an army won’t work, it won’t.”

I bit my lip. “Then what do you propose?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Let’s think about it.”

The old woman’s face grew even more serious. “You cannot escape Ethano. He wants you and your child. He has taken over many countries and castles already, and he is a force to be reckoned with. You cannot take him lightly.”

“
He hasn’t taken over
every
country. Tastia is still safe,” I said.

She shook her head. “I am afraid you cannot return home. It must have been fate for you to come to me tonight, for Ethano is in your castle at this very moment.”

My heart sank, and the thought of him swarming my home made me nauseous.

Helena touched my arm. “By coming here, you avoided capture.”

“
How did Ethano become so strong so fast?” I breathed out.

“
If you want to save yourself and your child, you must leave this world.”

“
But this is my home now,” I said.

“
Why? You are not from here.”

Victor’s handsome face flashed in my head. “Because the love of my life resides here.”

“
I second that,” Liz said. “I cannot possibly leave Charles.”

Helena smiled. “It doesn’t matter what world, country, or city you live in, my dears, as long as the love of your life is there by your side. Take your menfolk with you and go.”

Liz nudged me. “She has a point. I could live in the North Pole or in the middle of a desert, but it wouldn’t matter as long as Charles was there holding my hand and whispering sweet nothings in my ear.”

“
Why hasn’t he killed Victor?” I asked.

“
I sense there is a strong reason he is keeping him alive. There’s a woman protecting him, but I don’t have all the answers you seek.”

I wondered who the woman was. “Della? Is Della protecting him?”

She shook her head. “It is not Della. Ethano harbors ill feelings for that one. If she were in his castle, he would have killed her already. No, your lover’s protector is another who loves him very, very much,” she said. She squinted, then closed her eyes, as if she were struggling to see something inside her head. “This same woman is loved by Ethano also.”

“
Who?” I asked.

“
I’m sorry,” Helena said. “The vision and feelings have faded, I’m afraid.”

“
We can’t leave,” I said. “My people need me. There’s so much more I need to accomplish before I return to my world. I haven’t conquered the hunger problem, for one thing. What will the villages do without me?”

The old woman met my gaze. “If you stay, Ethano will win. He will reduce you from queen to concubine, and thousands of people will die when your son comes into his powers under Ethano’s influence. If you stay, you will doom our world. To truly save us, you must go.”

I couldn’t speak and was at a loss for words when I heard Liz calling for me. She had backtracked a few rooms, and I hurried to see what she wanted.

“
Look! The picture of your son destroying the city is gone!” she said.

My mouth gaped, for the picture had been replaced with a modern-day one. My son was sitting in a highchair, and Victor was holding the main decorated birthday cake with a blue candle shaped like the number one. Balloons and streamers decorated the kitchen. I walked to the cavern wall and touched the cold stone. A brilliant flash of light blinded me, and then I opened my eyes. I was watching a scene unfold, like in a movie. Victor and I were singing the famous “Happy Birthday” song. I handed my son the smash cake, the smaller version of the birthday cake meant for him to eat. He grabbed fistfuls of cake and stuffed them in his mouth. Victor leaned over to wipe his face with a cloth, laughing; I’d never seen him so happy. My eyes welled up with tears at the precious sight. Then the scene froze before my eyes, but I was able to walk around.

I kissed Victor on the lips. “I’m going to bring you home, my love.” A tear slid down my cheek as I stared at Victor’s image. I missed him terribly and was dying without him. All that love surged up inside me, and I knew I’d love Victor forever.

I stared at my own smiling face; I hadn’t seen myself that happy in ages, every since I’d been thrust into the grasp of grief’s icy clutches.

I cupped the cheek of my darling baby, who was clearly enjoying his first birthday. “You are going to have a wonderful life with us, little one. I already love you with everything I’ve got.” My baby would be beautiful and perfect in every way. I wanted to hold him in my arms, rock him, and tell him how much I loved him. I wanted to see my child, to kiss him, hug him, touch his palm, and watch his tiny fingers curl around mine. I’d never loved somebody so much, and I hadn’t even met him yet.

A flash of light exploded all around me, and I opened my eyes as Liz’s voice pierced my ears. “What happened?” she asked. “You zoned out.”

“
I’m back in the cave,” I whispered.

“
You never left.”

“
I saw this very scene in my head, but it wasn’t a picture. It was like it was really happening, in real time. My baby was smiling and eating cake.” I shook her shoulder. “Victor’s going to make a wonderful father!”

Helena touched my back. “Welcome your gift of sight, my child.”

I sucked in a deep breath. Seeing my baby had been unbelievable and amazing, even better than those fancy ultrasounds in 3D.

“
That’s your gift,” Liz said. “You’ve seen it for yourself. How fantastic!”

“
I can sense it has not taken hold yet,” Helena said. “It’s there, buried in your consciousness.”

“
Why did the image change?” I asked. “Why did it go from destruction of the city to this?”

“
Because you’ve already changed the future with your thoughts of leaving this world,” Helena said. She handed me a tear-shaped crystal necklace, then gave Liz an identical one.

I touched the pendant as it shimmered from the portrait shining in the cave. “What’s this?”

“
It will transport you back to your home world.”

“
How does it work?” Liz asked.

“
It will only work for those who were born in your world.”

“
So Liz and I can use it,” I said.

Liz cocked a brow. “Can I take Charles with me?”

“
Whoever touches you will go with you. Just press your thumb on it. When it turns blue, touch it again, and you will go.” She gripped my hands. “Put the necklace on. You need to leave. Go to the castle while Ethano is not there and get Victor. You must leave this world. Ethano will never find you.”

“
C’mon,” I said, gripping Liz’s hand and thanking the old woman on the way out.

Chapter 10

We went as fast as we could, but even our Immortal light speed had its limits. After an hour, our power was drained, so we hiked for most of the night. We knew we’d do no one any good if we were too tired to think or fight. We gathered logs, and I easily lit them with a fireball the size of a dime. We then made camp and slept.

* * *

Morning came, and we continued our journey, until we reached the designated spot.

“
We’re here,” I said, practically ready to kiss the ground.

Liz glanced around. “Why don’t we climb one of these trees for a better look?”

“
Good idea. We need to know what we’re up against.” Gripping the tree branch, I pulled my weight and climbed. The morning sun streamed down on the large, stone, complex structure—a strong fortress. It looked like the average medieval castle, complete with soaring towers, a deep moat, a barbican, a gatehouse, and a wooden drawbridge. Gazing down, I stared at the security that Ethano had put in place.

“
Immortals are guarding every entrance,” Liz said. “How are we gonna get in?”

“
Hmm. Let’s look for a weakness, maybe study the guard patterns.”

“
That’ll take forever,” she said.

“
We have to do this right, Liz. We can’t afford any mistakes.”

“
I know,” she said, peering through the leaves. “I guess I’m just in a hurry to get it over with.”

The woman Helena told me about kept popping into my head. “Who do you think the woman is, the one who’s helping Victor?” I asked.

“
She said it was somebody Ethano cares about.”

“
How can that man care about anyone?” I hissed.

“
Tell me about it.”

“
Do you think it’s an old girlfriend, somebody who’s with Ethano now?”

“
Can you imagine being Ethano’s girlfriend? Ick,” Liz said. “Then again, from what I’ve heard from Della, Victor was quite a pill himself.”

“
I know. That was why she dumped him, but he’s changed now.”

“
Yes, thanks to you, but at one time, he was a very dangerous, heartless brute, just like Ethano, though maybe not quite as insane.”

I shook my head. “Uh-uh. My Victor would never want to steal somebody’s son and destroy the world!”

“
But he battled William like a madman for hundreds of years, launching battles against countless countries. He fought in the front lines, killing all those—”

Liz had been poisoned by Della’s stories, and I was tired of hearing about it. “The past is the past. I forgive him,” I said, cutting her off.

“
I know,” she whispered. “I do too.” She inhaled sharply. “Look at that!”

“
What?”

She pointed way over to the left. “They’re bringing in slave girls and women to work in the castle.”

A group of shackled females was being herded down a cobblestone path that led to the castle. A bearded man controlled the captives with his fearsome whip. I was sure they’d be worked like dogs and used for the most foul things, and my heart went out to them. They’d been ripped away from their homes and loved ones and would be forced to perform grueling labor for the rest of their lives.

As I looked at them, I realized that sneaking in with them was a brilliant plan. I nudged Liz. “You up for washing dishes and scrubbing floors for a while?”

“
Sure, but those dishes will get as clean as cold water can get them.”

I chuckled, then stared through the opening in the leaves. “We’ll go in with them, posing as slave girls. We have to act fast, while Ethano is still back at my castle. The last thing we need is to bump into the prince of darkness himself.”

She sighed. “Tell me about it.”

“
But what about our rings?” I asked, clambering back down the tree.

Liz hopped down, wiped the bark from her hands, and smiled.

“
What?” I asked.

She ripped the top of her dress, exposing her cleavage. “You really think they’re gonna be gawking at our fingers?” She pushed up her breasts and smirked. “If you were born with it, you may as well flaunt it—especially when it might save your neck.”

I laughed. “I’m sure Mom would disagree, but it’ll be a great distraction. I like it. I just hope it works.”