Forsaken (Fated Saga Fantasy Series Book 8) (24 page)

Their bedroom had a back wall that was nearly one gigantic window, with a view of the ocean.

“I can’t believe we get to wake up to this, every day. How did I get so lucky?” Life was perfect. The chaos would slow. She’d get caught up with things eventually. This, here, with Eddy, her future, was all that mattered. “How did I get so lucky?” she muttered again. A flutter of nerves hit her stomach and her cheeks blushed.

“I miss that.” He kissed her. She soaked in every bit of it.

“Eddy…”

“Yeah…”

“I have my own ideas for that room across the hall.”

“Yeah.”

“It pretty much starts with us spending a few days locked in the bedroom.”

“I like that plan. Incredibly similar to my plan.”

And with that, they did not resurface in the outside world for days.

#

The outside world, however, did not want to be put on hold. Messages piled up outside the front door. Messengers arrived a few times a day, knocked, knocked and knocked again before finally giving up. 

The Viancourt wanted a complete recount of Juliska’s time with the Grosvenor and the Balaton agreed this could potentially prove useful in fighting them. More than once though, Arnon came to Juliska’s rescue and reminded everyone that she’d been through a traumatizing experience and she deserved a little time. When she was ready, he felt confident she’d oblige their request.

Tanzea Chase sided with him, agreeing to his thinking, but pointed out the impossibility of her escape. Something that had never been done before. This led them to debate the possibility she’d been purposely freed. And followed.

Perhaps the Grosvenor were unknowingly using her in some way, to get to them, or possibly even planning an attack. As soon as these words were uttered, the room pretty near declared war… 

Tanzea held her tongue the remainder of the meeting and the Banon put a stop to the panic, squelching these concerns before an island wide crisis started. However, he realized it would not last long. And he feared they were correct that an attack might be imminent.

He’d give Juliska as much time as he could, but right now, he wasn’t sure others wouldn’t take matters into their own hands.

He ordered those in attendance to keep these concerns to themselves and share them with no one. He didn’t need the island in anymore chaos than it was already in. And in trying to give Juliska the time she needed, this might give Amelia fuel to add to her fire, by claiming he wasn’t doing enough to protect the people.

He caught Arnon and asked him to stay behind so they could speak in private. Arnon was the head officer of the Balaton now. He’d gotten a promotion after returning from the quest.

Arnon waited patiently as everyone left the meeting.

“What are you thinking?” he asked the Banon.

“First, set up a patrol to watch outside Juliska’s house. I’m sure she’s perfectly safe, but I’d feel better if we kept an eye on things. Rumors are bound to spread and they’ll be seeking her out for answers.”

“I agree. I was thinking the same thing.”

“Good. Second, let’s up security a little. Check our protections around the island. Reinforce the barrier. Check for any weak spots. While I do not believe an attack is coming, I don’t want to take any chances.”

“On this we agree as well. I’ll see it done. Anything else?”

“No. That’s all for now.”

Arnon nodded and left to implement the Banon’s requests at once.  

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Is that another knock at the door?” mumbled Juliska, barely awake.

“Just ignore it.”

The knocking didn’t stop.

“Go away, I don’t want to talk to you.”

Eddy peeled himself out of bed and put on his slippers. He heard a half-hearted laugh and turned around.

“You might want to put on something else, other than slippers.”

He shrugged. “They want to wake me this early, they’ll just have to deal with the view.” Just as he was heading out the bedroom door, the knocking stopped. “Figures.”

He crawled back into bed.

Juliska suddenly jumped out of the bed and dashed out of the room.

He sat up and hollered, “You okay?”

She came back a minute later. “Sorry. False alarm. All’s good.” She crawled back under the covers.

“Nausea again?” His mouth twisted in worry. “You said it started while you were away.”

“Yeah. I think its stress.”

“Maybe you should see a doctor, just to be sure.”

“Maybe.” She had concerns about doing so… something she had not thought of. In an exam would a doctor be able to tell she was a vampyre, because she’d fed. That fear kept her from agreeing to see a doctor.

“Breakfast?” asked Eddy.

“In a bit. Not hungry yet.” She sighed and rolled to her side to look at him. “I’m going to have to face reality soon, aren’t I?”

“I’ll hold them off as long as can. Just find me a pitch fork.”

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. “I think I’ll just get it over with.”

“You’re sure? If you need more time…”

“No. Feeling the need to just get it done. Move on. We do have a wedding to plan after all.”

He smiled widely at that.

“I’ll draw you a bath then.” He got up to do so.

“Eddy, wait.”

He pulled on a shirt and pants and rejoined her back on the bed.

“What is it?”

She sat up and got comfortable. “I want to tell you about everything that happened to me. But… I’m a little afraid to.” He started to speak; she motioned for him to wait. “I don’t want there to be any secrets between us, Eddy. But everything I’ve learned in the last six months… it might change how you see me.”

“Juliska, nothing you tell me could ever make that happen.”

“I hope that’s true.”

He eyed her curiously. “Now you need to tell me, the suspense is already killing me.” He tried to keep it sounding light, but he was very curious, though he did not want to push.

She took a breath. It was shaky and uneven. He grasped her hand and held it firmly.

“Only if you want to, and I promise, I’ll still think of you exactly how I do now.”

She blew out a breath and nodded. Then started.

With day one of her captivity.

Eddy did not interrupt once. He let her tell him everything. And she held nothing back. The good. The bad. The downright shocking and weird. He freaked just a little when she introduced him to Pajak, who’d been in hiding around the house the last few days. But more so over how she spoke of her captor, Fazendiin. Almost like a father figure… someone she respected. But he said nothing and let her speak.

But the more she explained, the more he picked up on things he dared not speak aloud to his bride to be. It was not obvious to her, at all… but there was something sinister behind some of Fazendiin’s actions.

Eddy had no clue as to what, or proof… but it was clear to him that he wanted something from Juliska and had not gotten it yet. But she was blind to see it.

And yet he understood why and could not blame her. This man had given his bride her life back. Her history.

He didn’t care at all what she was. Being a vampyre was minor to him compared to what he feared Fazendiin was up to. But he said nothing of these fears to her. Only accepted all she said, learned, was, did… unconditionally.

At one point, he thought she was done, but she wasn’t. She looked downward apprehensively. He picked up her chin and saw the fear in her eyes. He kissed her and encouraged to continue.

She did.

She explained getting sick, nearly killing Basil, and becoming immortal.

There was an obvious shock he could not hide at this revelation, but he held his tongue. And the hundreds of questions already surfacing.

She continued explaining all she knew about this, unsure of what it meant for their future together.

While Eddy had concerns, he wondered of this is what the Grosvenor had wanted, to do this thing to her? But why? What purpose did it serve?

Juliska stopped talking.

Finished. Spent. Restless. Afraid she was about to lose everything that mattered.

Eddy needed a moment to think. And process.

Regardless of the reason behind becoming immortal, Juliska thought it was the safe choice. And he could not entirely disagree, based on what she was capable of. But it was a lot to take in. He sat and pondered for quite some time. So much that he didn’t look up until he heard a sniffle.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I just got a little lost trying to process it all. It’s so much to take in all at once.”

She nodded apprehensively.

“It doesn’t change anything,” he told her, leaning in for a kiss. “You did what you thought was right to keep everyone around you safe. How can I get angry over that?”

“You really don’t hate me now?”

Tears had formed in her eyes. He swiped them away.

“Never. It does add a few kinks, and kind of hurts my brain to comprehend it all. But if you can live it, survive and accept it, then so can I.” He reached out and grasped her hands. “It’s me and you till death. Whatever that means…” he added with a contorted face.

She bit her lip and let out anxious breath. What did it mean? For now, nothing, but in ten years? Or twenty? Regardless, she’d told him everything. And if accepted her even after all she’d told him, they could survive through anything.

The weight lifted off her chest made her body feel about a hundred pounds lighter. It was such a relief to have no secrets between them. To trust Eddy like she’d never trusted anyone in her life before.

They spoke a little more, Eddy agreeing that she needed to keep most of what she’d learned to herself. He might understand, but others would not be so easy going about it. He also thought they needed to come up with a believable story for how she escaped the Grosvenor.

Juliska was ready to face the Viancourt and the Banon, but feared the confrontation coming her way. What if they saw through her lies and discovered the truth. They’d never accept she’d just escaped. So they pondered up some acceptable ideas.

Hours later, they sat on the sofa downstairs, finished.

Eddy just smiled at her. She’d been through so much. She’d come back changed, and yet so much the same. A more enhanced version of herself. Increasing all the things he loved about her. Including more confidence and a desire for life she had not had before.

It was hard to hate Fazendiin for nurturing this side of her. For letting her become the person hiding just under the surface, who wanted out so badly.

By the time they finished talking, coming up with an escape scenario, bathing and eating, it was already midafternoon.

Juliska still wanted to meet with the Banon and the Court.

“Do you want me to go with you?” Eddy offered. “Do you think we should reach out to the Banon first, in case he’s busy?”

“No. I need to just go and get it done. And he’ll make time for me. They all will.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you’re right about that.”

He kissed her goodbye and watched apprehensively as she left the house to give her account of her captivity. Eddy hoped the others did not pick up on the subtle indications from her retelling, as he had. It was possible they’d misconstrue the meanings and cause an unnecessary panic, or potentially blame Juliska herself. Although, she
was
telling them a watered down version of the story; he hoped it was enough and feared it was a mistake to let her go alone. 

And maybe there was cause for panic… he wished there was some way to know.

And was it right to keep all this from the proper authorities?

He chastised himself.

This was Juliska… his bride. He’d rather live in hell than do anything that might endanger her. But waiting for her to come home was proving impossible, so he left and walked down to the shore for an afternoon stroll to pass the time and clear his mind.

His bride would outlive him.

This led to so many questions… the biggest, if they had children, would they outlive him as well? It was hard to wrap his brain around the idea. He made it to the beach and pulled his coat around him tightly. It was a cold day. The ocean waves spitting bites of sea spray at him. It always helped clear his mind though. He hoped it would do the same today.

#

Juliska left the Banon’s office feeling deflated.

It was brutal.

Just as she’d expected.

But at least this time they’d been patient and given her time to answer them, and had not been so incessantly barraging. In the end, she gave them little they didn’t already know. And explained that when she first got home, she was so excited and exhausted and shocked, that she did not have the strength to fully explain her
escape.

She told them the story she and Eddy made up together.

That Fazendiin had told her she was free to go. He’d wanted something she could not give him, and he refused to keep her any longer saying it was a bother. She acted surprised as she explained, that he hadn’t just killed her, but instead he had freed her and given her a way home.

They questioned her on this story, but she stuck to it and played dumb.

Other than insisting that she felt certain there was no imminent attack coming at them. She was given no impression of this whatsoever during her captivity she claimed.

They all wanted to believe it. But what other purpose could it serve? To let Juliska go free… it wasn’t their style to free prisoners.

Tanzea stepped in at that moment, with the suggestion that perhaps he had let her go because he still needed her alive and didn’t want to deal with her, for now. She made a bad joke about the laziness of the Grosvenor…

The Banon had laughed and said, “They do like to let others do their dirty work for them.” It was one of those facts that Juliska had learned at a young age. But one she did not think true, at least of Fazendiin.

The entire thing sickened her a little. Made her feel like she was betraying the man who’d given her a past, a history, and more freedom than she’d ever gotten here.

But it was done.

And now everyone was under the impression that the Grosvenor might want to take her again in the future. She’d found out that the Banon had stationed Balaton around her house, for protection. It didn’t upset her, he was just doing his job and it was a nice gesture really.

But he wanted to leave them a bit longer, just in case.

She’d agreed, begrudgingly so. But just for a couple weeks until all this had calmed down.

The meeting had gone on for hours and when she left, it was dark. And cold. The bite of winter in the wind. There was a carriage waiting for her. Before she’d made it outside, PanSofia caught her at the door.

“When will you return to finish your apprenticeship?”

Juliska shrugged. “Soon…” she answered hesitantly. “Just a few more days.”

For some reason the woman appeared impatient for this to happen.

“I’m sorry,” Juliska said. “I’m just not ready.”

“I get the sense you might never be ready,” her mentor surprised her by saying.

“That’s not true. I just need a little time.”

Juliska didn’t understand why her mentor was being so prickly. She was not known as an overly kind woman, but they’d always gotten along well enough. Perhaps it’s just that PanSofia had to put off her own retirement waiting for her to return. Regardless, it would all need to wait just a little longer.

Her mentor backed down.

“Very well. Just remember if you expect to be First Seer, the job comes above all else. Even husbands…” She spun around and returned to the Banon’s office.

Juliska shook her head and left the building, only to stop abruptly.

“Vian Chase. I’m sorry. I almost ran right into you.”

“I would too if I’d just left that nightmare.” She winked at Juliska.

“It was a little… overwhelming. But I expected nothing less.”

“Of course you didn’t. You’re a smart girl.”

“Oh, well, thank you. Um, have a good night.” Juliska started to walk away.

“I can help you with that nausea,” stated Tanzea out of the blue.

“What?” she spun around.

“You’re clutching your stomach. Nerves shot?” the older woman guessed.