Mysterious Warriors: Alone (15 page)

~ Chapter 35 ~

              Neal walked with Janie and Blake in the sunshine of the royal gardens. They were surprisingly silent as he enjoyed the rays.

             
“Look.” Janie gestured to their left.

             
Neal glanced and noticed Patience sitting on a blanket with Elena. The baby princess stared at the sky, and Patience was pointing clouds to the baby. “See the bunny? That one kind of looks like an arrow.”

              “You should join them.” Blake encouraged.

              “But what if she doesn’t want me to?”

              “Of course she does.” Janie rolled her eyes.

              Neal shook his head and stepped toward the maid.

              “See the baby elefant?” Patience whispered as she gestured to a large group of clouds. “I’ve never seen one in real life, but I’ve seen pictures in books. They are native to the land of Magina.”

              “Hello Patience.” Neal stepped forward.

              Patience looked at Neal. “So it’s you who must bring the sun out.”

              “Where are Rachel and Gary?” Neal frowned.

             
“I’m still upset I never got to meet Elena.” Janie sat beside Patience in the grass of the royal gardens. Her bloody skirt swished around her as Janie’s hand went through Elena’s shoulder. “She would have been such a great niece.”

              “They are with her parents, Stefan, and Tara.” Patience replied. “I decided to bring the baby princess out here while the weather is so nice. We’re watching the clouds.”

              “Elena seems to like you.” Neal noted as the baby played with Patience’s long hair.

              Patience untangled her locks from Elena’s fingers. “She’s such a cute girl.”

              “That she is.” Neal sat beside Patience as she took hold of Elena’s hands.

              Elena walked with Patience’s help, and Neal took hold of the baby’s hips, bringing her to his lap.

             
“Elena sure likes you.” Janie morphed into Blake,
and Neal wondered how she’d done it. What would it have been like to see Blake change into Janie and back again?

              “Do you have any kids?” Patience asked.

              Neal coughed and looked at her. “What?”

             
“I wish we had a kid.” Janie pouted. “If we’d married when we should have, we would probably have a child by now.”

              “You’re good with her.” Patience shrugged as she watched him. “I wondered if you were a father.”

              “No.” Neal shook his head as he placed the squirming baby in his lap. “Elena’s actually the first baby I’ve been around. I’m an only child.”

              “She likes you.”

              “She’s good at reading people.” Neal let Elena crawl over his legs and onto the grass between him and Patience. “Do you have siblings? Where’s your family?”

              “My parents and brother live in Lower City.” Patience answered. “My brother’s a bartender at one of the taverns. He’s had several run-ins with thieves and scum. The Mysterious Warriors have protected him.”

              “You lived in Lower City?”

              “Until I became one of the queen’s maids.”

              “Why don’t you live with your family?”

             
“There’s something in her past which she doesn’t like.” Blake noted. “Just like you always knew there was something in my past which I always kept from you. I wonder if anyone truly knows about my past. Perhaps there’s more I didn’t tell Rachel.”

              Patience touched the grass, and her fingers curled around the blades. She tore them and met his gaze. “I lived with them until I was twenty. I was in Lower City, leaving where I worked as a seamstress. I was on my way home when I was attacked by four men. They roughed me up, stealing every piece of silver and bronze I had on me, including a bracelet that had been in our family for generations. I think they were going to try something more violent when Lunette stopped them.” Patience paused as Elena placed a hand on her leg.

              Neal put his hand over Elena’s.

              Patience looked up with her dark blue, hazel eyes. “Lunette saved my life. When I got home, my parents were horrified at what happened to me. My father insisted I find a new occupation, and my mother found out about the queen’s position for a new maid. I didn’t want to be Queen Margaret’s maid, I’d heard terrible stories, but it was somewhere I knew I would be safe. I owe my life to Lunette.”

              “She truly is a hero.”

             
“She was my friend.” Strike took over.

              Patience turned Elena, and the princess crawled back to Neal.

              “I’m sorry about what happened to you.” Neal stated as the baby placed her small hands on his legs. He pulled her up. Elena laughed as Neal gently tossed her toward the sky and caught her.

              “It made me who I am today.” Patience answered. “I’m stronger because of it.” She paused, and when she spoke again, her voice was soft. “Tell me about the woman you loved. How’d you meet her?”

              Neal blinked. “Rachel actually introduced us.”

              “How’d they meet?”

              Rachel knew Janie was Blake. Neal paused.
How did Rachel know you were Blake? Why did you tell her?
He shrugged. “I’m not really sure.”
You were always so formal around Rachel, and then one day it was like you were the best of friends. What happened to make you two so close?

              “She must have had an interesting background.” Patience touched Elena’s dark hair as the baby crawled back to her lap. “It must have been incredible to have magic.” Elena grabbed Patience’s arm and sucked on some of Patience’s bracelets.

              “Her parents were from the Magic Lands, but Janie was born in Zorba’s Reach. She travelled to Ada’s Circle when she was still young.”

              “She must have been very strong.” Patience paused. “I understand why you aren’t over her yet. Do you think you’ll ever be able to move on?”

             
“Just tell her the truth. Don’t give her hope.”

              Neal took a while to answer. “I don’t know.”

~ Chapter 36 ~

              Neal held Elena as she cooed at him. He’d assured Patience he could take the princess to her mother in the royal nursery.

             
“What are you going to say to her?” Janie wondered as she moved next to him.

             
I just want to know the truth about how you told her about being Blake. I don’t understand it.
Neal found Rachel in the sunlit room, and she smiled. “Hey Neal.”

              “I was spending time with Patience and Elena.” He explained as he set the baby princess on the rug in the nursery beside some toy blocks.

              Elena pushed the blocks over and giggled. She grabbed one and started sucking on it.

              “Patience seems to like you.” Rachel noted.

              “She does.” Neal agreed and sat beside his friend. “She and I were talking, and I need to ask you something Rachel.”

              She nodded and looked at him. “What is it?”

              “How’d you meet Janie?” Neal looked straight in her deep blue eyes. Her pupils dilated slightly. “You only told me you met in the village, since she was a maid. Now I know she was never a maid. You knew she was Blake. How? I know you two were close friends, but the more I think about it, the more I realize I don’t know how you became friends. What made her tell you the truth about her identity?”

              “There’s something you don’t know about me.” Rachel took a deep breath and touched the glass dagger charm of her necklace as she stood. She went to the door and closed it before returning to her chair. “Janie figured out the truth about me, and that’s why she revealed the truth to me. You see, I’m Lunette.”

             
“There’s her secret. Now you know the truth about the princess no one would have believed was Lunette. Can you imagine what her mother would say if she knew?” Janie shook her head.

              Neal blinked several times, trying to figure out if she was telling him the truth or not. It made sense. Janie was Strike. If Strike had figured out Lunette was Rachel, then Blake would tell Rachel she was Janie.

             
“Don’t you think I was shocked?” Blake asked. “I had no idea the naïve little princess was truly the People’s Warrior protecting Whitehaven.”

              “If you’re Lunette, then Gary’s Bonfire.” Neal stood and ran his hands through his hair. All of his friends had secrets. Everyone had lives hidden from everyone else.

             
“I must have known Gary was Bonfire.” Blake stated. “He was never as secretive as me, but we both knew he liked to spend time as someone else. He used to be a monk and feed those who couldn’t feed themselves. He must have become Bonfire to help more people.”

              “What makes you say that?” Rachel’s tone was too high.

              “Everyone knows Bonfire and Lunette have some kind of relationship.” Neal looked at her. “Gary’s been Bonfire since we were teens.”

              “You’ll have to talk to him about that.” Rachel insisted. “Janie found out my secret after I nearly died. She helped save my life, and the next day Blake told me the truth. We became friends, and I taught Janie the ways of a courtier. She knew the manners and dances as a man, but she didn’t know anything about being a woman.”

             
“Where do you think I got all my female clothes? I only had a few bags when I moved into the palace. You thought it strange.” Janie added.

              “All of her clothes were yours.” Neal whispered. “I can’t believe this. You’re Lunette, Janie was Blake, Gary’s Bonfire. Why am I the only one of us who has nothing to hide?” He grabbed the door handle and twisted.

              “Please don’t be mad at us.” Rachel touched his shoulder.

              “I’m not.” He stepped outside and slammed the door.

              Rachel stared at the door. She bit her lip. Maybe she should warn Gary. She trusted Neal to keep their secret, but she worried he was angry with them. Janie had kept a huge secret from him, and now he knew she and Gary had as well. The knob turned, and Rachel was glad Neal was coming back. The door opened, and Rachel sighed. “Oh. Hi.”

              “Sorry to disappoint.” Tara chuckled.

              “No offense, but I was hoping you were Neal.” Rachel frowned. “I just told him I’m Lunette, and he figured out Gary’s Bonfire. He wasn’t happy.”

              “Ah.” Tara paused at the open door. “Can I talk to you about something?”

              “Sure.” Rachel’s interest peaked. She’d never seen her sister look so nervous. “What’s wrong?”

              Tara closed the door and joined her. “I think I love Sacrifice.”

              “Ah.”

              “He’s so kind, strong, and brave.” Tara paused and lifted a chain. The necklace held a jade arrowhead. “He gave me this.”

              “It’s beautiful.” Rachel touched the pendant. “So are you going to end your courtship with Stefan?”

              “I think I’m falling in love with Stefan too.” Tara answered to Rachel’s surprise. “I can’t fully let him go.” She stood and paced.

              “What makes you know you love Sacrifice?”

              “He took a knife for me.” Tara whispered and looked at her sister. Rachel saw something different in her sister’s eyes. “He almost died. Sarasa flew him to a healer, and I couldn’t stop those feelings from breaking me. I almost lost him, and I don’t know what I would do if I did. He’s everything to me, and I love him. I know I love him.”

              Elena pulled herself onto Rachel’s chair and said. “Mama.”

              Rachel picked her daughter up, glad for a distraction to process what her sister told her.

              “When did you know you loved Bonfire?”

              “It was subtle.” Rachel shrugged. “He trusted me to protect myself. After I was knifed and nearly died, he explained that he had feelings for me. He promised to stop taking my fights, and I started seeing him differently. We trained together, and he complimented my fighting style and skills. Only Vance had complimented me before. It was strange and wonderful. The first time he kissed me I knew I could never love another man. I knew I could never love Gary if I continued my relationship with Bonfire, and I was terrified. I didn’t know what to do.”

              “That’s when he wanted to run away with you?”

              Rachel nodded. “I wanted to meet him, and I didn’t want to meet him. Janie convinced me that if I didn’t go, I’d always wonder and regret not going. As it turned out, going was the best thing for my relationship. You can’t be with someone without telling them the truth about who you are. If you truly love Sacrifice, you must tell him who you are. Once you both know the truth about your identities, you can move forward.”

              “What will mother do if I court someone who lives in Lower City?” Tara sighed. “She will throw a fit if I end my courtship with Stefan for someone common.”

              “You’ve never cared what Mother thinks before.”

              “But I’ll have to explain why I love him to Mother, and she’ll find out I’m Cabaya.” Tara closed her eyes. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

              “If you love him, you will.”

              Tara opened her eyes, and Rachel wasn’t sure what she read in her sister’s deep green eyes.

              “I thought I would find you three in here.” Terena entered without knocking. She closed the door behind her as she made her way into the room. “Where are Patience and Monika?”

              “We dismissed them.” Tara explained.

              Terena nodded and sat on the floor beside Rachel’s chair. Elena dove into Terena’s arms. Rachel shook her head. “She needs to develop some fear, or I’m going to die of anxiety.” Rachel wondered how hard it was for Tara to process everything she’d just told her. Rachel knew she needed time too.

              Terena laughed. “You were the same.” She smiled. “You and Tara have always been brave, still are too.”

              “Still are?” Tara frowned as she adjusted her sitting position on the large rug that covered the floor. “What do you mean?”

              Terena looked between the princesses. “Do you both think I’m that ignorant? I’m not your mother.”

              “We know you’re not our mother.” Rachel assured her. “But what are you telling us Terena?” It was like Addison all over again.

              “You both know each other’s secret identities, don’t you?” Terena’s eyebrow rose. “Please tell me you do by now.”

              “Are you saying what I think you are?” Tara’s mouth dropped.

              Terena shifted the wiggling baby. “You are Cabaya, and I’ve known Rachel was Lunette for a long time by now.” She looked at Rachel with soft, dark brown eyes. “Your mother has no idea her daughter is protecting the city, but I have always been proud of the two of you.”

              “How did you know?” Rachel whispered.

              “I pay attention.” Terena smirked. “Which is how I know your husband is Bonfire.”

              Rachel shook her head and covered her face. Would everyone figure out Gary’s secret because of hers?

              “Mother would get ill if she ever found out the truth about us.” Tara grinned. “Sometimes I want to tell her, just to see her reaction.”

              “Tara!” Rachel gasped, and she tried not to picture her mother’s reaction. Queen Margaret would probably faint, catch something deadly, or perhaps expire upon hearing the words.
Your daughter Rachel is Lunette. Oh, and your daughter Tara is Cabaya.
“My mother-in-law knows about Gary and me. She is proud of us for protecting the people. She asked me to stop being Lunette once I found out I was pregnant. I would have stopped anyway, but it was kind of her to be concerned.”

              “A queen who is proud of the Mysterious Warriors?” Terena’s brown eyebrows rose. “I didn’t think that possible.”

              “I can’t wait for you to meet her. She and Cedrick will be here soon for Elena’s first birthday.” Rachel rubbed her daughter’s belly. Elena giggled.

              “Whitehaven is incredibly different from here.” Tara stated. “When I become queen, I plan to rule like Queen Addison rather than our mother. I’ll always love Mother, but only because I’m her daughter. I want to be a better queen, and I will be a Mysterious Warrior and queen if I must.”

              “Until you get pregnant.” Rachel winked.

              Tara frowned. “I haven’t even found myself a husband yet.”

              “Have you not?” Rachel was surprised. She was sure her sister was in love. She just wasn’t sure which man Tara had true feelings for.