Suspending Reality (45 page)

A soldier gripped her by her arm. “What happened, girl?”

“She’s bleeding! A man—no, more like a ghost—just appeared before my eyes and—”

He darted off before she even had a chance to finish her makeshift explanation.

Everything played out in slow motion. Soldiers headed toward the dressing room. People gasped, heads turned, jaws dropped, and screams echoed. Every instinct told Sarah to run immediately. She had just spun around on her heels to leave when she noticed Victor racing in her direction, terror etched on his face. Glued to the spot where she stood, her heart pounded with each step he took. Part of her felt bad for deceiving him in such a way after the tender kiss they’d shared, but the greater part of her wanted to live and to have her old life back. She wasn’t in her world, her life, and she refused to be controlled by some tyrant, regardless of how hot and how good of a kisser he was. Sarah swallowed past the lump in her throat as he swept her a quick glance, his troubled blue eyes piercing holes in her heart.
Why do I even care? There’s no way to soften the blow from a battle axe. He’s just gonna have to man up. He hasn’t even known me for more than a day, even if I was his bride.
She threw herself into the character of horrified servant, and covered her face with her hands and sobbed as he passed by.

Thrusting the door open, Victor let out a loud shriek. “Get the healer in here now!”

The emotion in his voice made her shiver as she walked away, clutching her chest. Through the crowd of people, directly into the dressing room, she could specifically hear his voice. She wondered when she’d gained the power of superhuman hearing.

“Secure the perimeter!” Victor said. “Nobody comes in or out.”

“I feel a pulse throbbing,” a man said. “She’s alive.”

“Thank goodness, but something’s not right. Why don’t I feel her pain?” Victor asked. “I should’ve felt this happening the moment it began. We are bonded, one to another, by the ring!”

“Maybe the ring has not taken effect yet,” someone suggested.

Feel my pain? Is he talking about the emotional pain of forcing me into marriage with a stranger?
Sarah forced her mind into action and swiftly walked through the crowd of people. Dashing off like Cinderella after the ball at the stroke of midnight, she hoped she wouldn’t lose a glass slipper, or rather, a leather shoe. She focused on forcing her way through, her eyes fixed on her feet so she wouldn’t trip. Something brushed her back, but she didn’t halt. Somebody yanked her arm, jerking her back, and she gasped, startled.

Chapter 7

Sarah’s labored breathing echoed in her ears. It was even louder than the excited chatter of the crowded room. She took another step forward, pushing against a bulky peasant, when she felt another tug on her arm. Gasping, she turned, shudders running through her body. A large man towered over her, his bulging eyes fixed somewhere below her head.
Great. Busted.

The man grinned. “Whom do we have here?”

Holding her breath, she clenched her fists, ready to fight.

The woman standing next to her pressed an empty goblet into her arm yelling, “More wine, girl!” Sarah stared, unbelieving. “Chop, chop.”

The man narrowed his gaze, staring from the woman to Sarah.

Rolling her eyes, the woman glared at her, enunciating each syllable. “I said, more wine. Well? What are you looking at?”

She knew she’d be spending ten to twenty in a dark dungeon swarming with bugs once she shoved that glass down her throat. Someone bumped into her, making Sarah stumble. She needed to breathe before panic consumed her. “Coming right away, madam. I’ll fetch a bottle,” she said, smiling.

She forged through the crowd to the other side of the room when she saw two huge doors, the outside entrance. Glancing over her shoulder, she scanned the room. The man from before wasn’t following. There were no knights, only clueless guests sipping on wine and laughing. Nobody on that side of the room had any clue what was going on, and she was glad for their drunken stupor. She placed her trembling hands on the iron handle and slowly pushed, squeezing through the entryway. Outside, stars twinkled in a blanket of darkness, and a chilly breeze ran over her body. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself as her breath came out in bursts of steam against the frosty night air.

Strong arms gripped her shoulders, throwing her up against the outside door. “You’re not getting away that easy,” a male voice said.

Busted again, she turned slowly, fear gripping her. The guy staring at her wasn’t the same one, but the frown on his face looked just as mean. Her heart pounded in her chest. She could have tried to run, but there were guards posted every twenty feet. She took a deep breath and continued with her role as a humble servant. “My shift’s over.”

“This entrance isn’t for slaves and riffraff,” he hissed. “Next time use the one in the back.”

She let out a tiny sigh of relief, keeping her head low. “It won’t happen again, sir.”

“Over here!” She turned her head toward the man hidden under a cloak, sitting on a brown horse. He grinned at the guards, winking. “I’m here to escort this pretty maiden home.”

The soldier shoved Sarah toward the man. He wore a grotesque grin on his face. “At least somebody will have fun with this trash tonight.” They all guffawed and laughed as Sarah stumbled forward.

She hesitated for a moment though. She knew if she stayed back, the guards might raise alarm. If she followed the horseman, he might turn into a whacko who’d rape her and dump her body into the next available ditch.

“Come on.” The guy offered his hand and whispered, “I’m Jules, Mia’s friend.”

Jules
! The sound of his name calmed Sarah’s racing heart.
Mia’s boyfriend.
Grabbing his hand, she let him pull her up.

“I know you must be tired after your long day of work,” Jules said.

“Yes, and I have to be back tomorrow, bright and early.” She put her foot into the dangling stirrup and heaved herself up into the saddle.

A soldier whistled, and the rest of them cackled.

Oh gosh!
It was then that Sarah realized her leather dress had ridden up, exposing her entire thigh. She tried to pull it down, but it was difficult to do while mounted atop a horse.

Jules pulled hard on his horse’s reins, galloping past the army of guards and into the moonlit forest.

Sarah clung to his waist, praying she wouldn’t fall. Relief washed over her when she realized nobody seemed to suspect a thing. She shivered as the cool wind blew through her hair. Crickets chirped, and an owl hooted in the distance. Eerie shadows from branches jumped around in the silvery light. “Are you taking me to Frank?”

“Yes. Did everything go according to plan? Is Mia okay?” Jules asked.

“She was fine when I left, but won’t they question her once they realize she’s not me?”

“My Mia can handle herself. That is one of the things I love about her. But if anything should happen to my love, I shall know who to blame—you and your male companion.”

“She’s very brave,” Sarah said earnestly. “I’ll always be indebted to the two of you. Thank you.”

He said nothing and only urged the horse on through the woods.

Minutes felt like hours, but they finally reached a wagon, which was situated under a towering tree and loaded with bales of hay. As soon as Jules swung Sarah down from the horse, she raced into Frank’s arms. “Oh, Frank!”

He embraced her, and she felt the warmth of his body against hers. “Did I ever tell you how smoking hot you look in leather?”

She smiled, pulling her hair net off, allowing her long curls to bounce freely against her shoulders. “So you’re into Tastian servant girls, huh?”

“You look absolutely stunning in anything,” he said. He leaned closer and nuzzled her neck. “You smell nice too.”

“They curled my hair, painted on as much make-up as an Egyptian princess, drenched me in perfume, and threw me in a Cinderella dress.”

“Let me guess… It struck midnight and you lost the gown and glass slippers?”

She laughed. “Something like that.”

“I can’t believe I just rescued you from a real-live castle.”

“You should’ve seen the inside, man.”

“That nice, huh?” He gazed at her intently, his hand cupping her face. “Did he hurt you? Did that royal jackass put his hands on you in any way?”

“He only stole a smooch.”

“On the cheek?”

“Lips.” She winked. “And I can’t say I didn’t like it,” she admitted as that magical kiss flashed through her mind, washing her with guilt. She wasn’t sorry about it though. In fact, she wished Victor had made it a longer one, like all night. She cleared her throat, eager to change the subject before Frank started asking questions. She held up her hand with a grin. “Anyway, I got the ring.”

“Our ticket out of here!” His face lit up as he bowed. “My Queen, you rock.”

She grinned. “Yeah, baby—just like this giant rock on my finger.”

He examined the ring, its large ruby and tiny diamonds glinting in the moonlight. “It’s too big, way too tacky. That bragging jerk.”

“Right. It’s so ugly. I mean, clearly, the man has no taste whatsoever.” She rolled her eyes. “Are you kidding me? No woman in her right mind would say no to something like this.”

Frank was jealous and he had every right to be. The darn thing was gorgeous, almost as gorgeous as the man who had placed it on Sarah’s finger. “You’re having a ball with this, aren’t you?” he asked.

She touched his brown hooded cloak. “I see you are too. Love the new digs.”

He smiled, his hazel eyes twinkling. “An investigative reporter knows how to go deep undercover.”

Jules approached and handed her a cloak. “This shall keep you warm, miss. Now, if you will, please take measures to hide and hide well.”

“I made us a little fort inside all these towering haystacks.” Frank reached for some folded blankets on the ground beside the wagon. He hopped on the wagon and spread a few out over the scratchy hay. “A bed fit for a queen.”

She crawled inside and lay down next to him, pulling the top cover over her. She didn’t know which one itched most, the hay, the blanket, or the cloak Jules had given her.

Jules rearranged the haystacks, covering the entrance to their makeshift fort.

“Nice little cubby hole you got here, Frank,” she said. “What’s the matter? You couldn’t spring for a decent hotel? I was kind of expecting a limo on my wedding night, not a hayride.”

Frank snuggled up to her. “I tried to call for a rental car, but they haven’t invented spark plugs yet—or engines or tires, for that matter. They do have horsepower though.”

Sarah rolled her eyes.

“What?” Frank said. “You’re not gonna laugh at my jokes?”

“Gosh, Frank, if you ever lose your job as a reporter, maybe the king could use a court jester,” she said.

“Well, that’s the last straw!” he said, blowing a piece of hay in her direction, to which Sarah just rolled her eyes again.

The horse snorted, and a moment later, the wagon lurched forward. To call the ride bumpy would have been an understatement. It rocked and thumped and bounced over every bump and crack in the road.

“I never thought I’d be riding off into the sunset with another man’s wife—let alone a queen—on the dude’s wedding night.”

“I hope that’s not a deal-breaker.”

Frank laughed. “That depends. Do I get to enjoy the honeymoon?”

She laughed too, and then continued. “No honeymoon, but I can tell you this. Life throws curve balls you can’t even begin to imagine.”

He chuckled. “Tell me about it.”

“So how did you get these people to do all of this anyway? And what did you promise Mia? Gold minerals? Start from the beginning. What happened to you back in the forest?”

“I was running for my life from a herd of beasts I said never existed. And I’m sure you’re still laughing about that one.”

She grinned. “Just a tiny bit.”

“The next thing I know, you disappear. I hear voices and start running toward them, but there’s this guy in some ridiculous outfit calling you Princess Gloria. He and his armored goons had you cornered, so I had to hang back so they wouldn’t take me prisoner too. Then, when they cleared out, I followed them and found you at the castle. Is this weird or what?”

She snorted. “Thank goodness for horses or you would have never been able to keep up. If you’d have only had a car, you might have crashed it.”

“Hey, those horses were pretty darn fast. While I was looking for a telephone to call 911, I ran into a group of rebels, some local boys who thought for sure I was a spy for King Victor. They tied me up and threatened me, but I used my charm.”

She pressed her hands into her lap, suppressing the laughter bubbling up inside her. It was just like Frank to put the spotlight on himself, even though she’d been the one to survive incarceration and marriage to a barbarian. He got paid to be a sensationalist, after all. “Really?” She bobbed her head, brows raised. “And how did that work out for you?”