ETHERNAL VOWS <part-3>

f there’s a padded cell in that dungeon back there. Maybe they should call in the royal

shrink.

The image of the wolf flickered like a television transmission that was about to be

interrupted, and a light formed where the animal’s chest was, spreading across its shaggy fur

until it morphed into the nearby leaves and passed on to the other animals. Sarah blinked against

the glaring brightness and raised a shaky hand to cover her eyes, but her curious nature wouldn’t

allow her to avert her gaze completely. The image flickered more, shifting and elongating, until

it burst into thousands of particles. In that instant, every wolf turned into a person.

Sarah’s heart trembled at the sight of a tall, copper-skinned man dressed from head to toe in

jet black. He looked like an Indian from an old Western movie with his black and white

feathered headdress, heavily outlined eyes, his strong jaw, and the stripes and spots painted on

his face. Sarah took a deep breath and glanced at Frank. “What the heck?”

Ignoring Frank, the black-eyed man flipped his long hair over his shoulders and spoke to

Sarah in a cool voice. “You know the rules. I can only promise you a quick death.” With

lightning speed, he knocked the gun from Frank’s hands.

“No!” Frank yelled. “Don’t you understand? We’re not from here. We don’t know the

rules.”

Never taking his eyes off Sarah, the man snarled, “They were communicated to you at the

edge of the forest, yet you insisted on breaking them and crossing our border.”

“If you heard all of that, then you know my situation,” Sarah said.

The man ran a long, needle-sharp fingernail across her face and down her throat, making her

54

gasp. A tad more pressure, and he could slice right through her skin. “I only know you’re being

pursued. I don’t care by whom…or why.”

A woman dressed in the same black leather outfit with more feathers than a Las Vegas

showgirl marched forward, holding a gold dagger to Jules’s throat.

Sarah put her arm around Jules. He sucked in air like he’d just run a marathon. “Yes,” she

said. “He is with us, and he did try to warn us.”

The alpha male touched Jules’s forehead, then Frank’s, and finally hers. “You’re all marked

for death.”

Jules dropped to his knees, and Frank clenched his fists.

Maybe Jules had a good point about not setting foot in the forest, but what else were we

supposed to do? Let the knights drag us back to face the jilted king’s wrath? He was a powerful

ruler and wouldn’t forgive her for such an act of treason. Besides that, his reputation was at

stake; if he didn’t punish her, he’d appear weak, and no king could afford that.

The shape-shifter whipped out a dagger and held it to Jules’s neck. “You’ll be the first to go,

since you were the one who gave in like a weakling, knowing the rules, and drove them into the

forest.”

Jules gasped.

Sarah gripped his arm and pulled. “Let him go! I made him come in here. If you must punish

someone, kill me. He’s done nothing wrong.”

“That can be easily arranged.” Lunging forward, he gripped her throat and squeezed, his

nails digging into her soft flesh.

Sarah struggled to take a trembling breath.

The shape-shifter held a cold blade against her throat. “This will teach you humans not to

trespass on my territory.”

Sarah gasped as much as she could, her heart drumming in her chest. A burning sensation—

hot, deep, and piercing—spread across the fingers of her left hand and quickly intensified. She

touched the ring, grunting as she collapsed. “My hand! It’s on fire. Get this thing off me.”

“Sarah, are you okay?” Frank’s voice seemed to come from far away.

She strained her eyes to catch a glimpse of him, but she couldn’t think further than the

piercing pain. “Get it off me, Frank!” She met Jules’s gaze as she desperately tugged at the ring,

trying to slide it off her finger. It looked like she was going to need a whole tub of butter or a pan

of grease to get the jewelry off. It was stuck, as if it had been cemented to her finger

permanently. “Why is it hurting me?” she asked. “And why won’t it come off?”

“I-I don’t know,” Jules said, his eyes wide.

Sarah bit her lip, refusing to cry out as the shape-shifter twisted her wrist. Her trembling

calmed some when she saw his arrogant grin falter. As his black gaze fell on the ruby ring on her

finger, she heard him mutter with astonishment, “You wear the mark of the Immortals!

You…you are an Immortal?” It was like a magnet, drawing him in.

The pain left Sarah’s hand as quickly as it came. Stunned, she shoved her hand toward him.

“If you can get it off, it’s all yours—as long as you let us go on our merry way.”

“But that’s our key!” Frank said.

Jumping to her feet, she shot him a glare. “What good is a key if we’re dead?”

The shape-shifter thrust her hand upward, jerking her off balance and causing her to fall

against his sturdy chest. Black feathers from his outfit swept across her cheek. He yelled to his

people, “She wears the mark of the Immortals!”

Gasps and murmurs erupted as shock registered on every face.

55

Sarah held her breath, wondering what that yell might imply. They might decide to try and

kill her any moment.

His gaze locked on her for a moment, impenetrable and blank, just as guarded as his attitude.

Then he bowed, and the hundreds of others scattered about the woods followed suit.

Sarah’s mouth dropped. This must be what it’s like to be royalty…but I’m not. She wasn’t keen

on all the attention either. “Let’s not make a big fuss. Please rise.”

The shape-shifter scrambled to his feet. “Oh, Highness, I beg your forgiveness and

understanding. If I’d have killed you, I would’ve brought the entire wrath of the Immortal world

down on my head. Which tribe do you belong to?”

Sarah glanced at Frank, and he gave her the look to play along. “King Victor Fesque

is…he’s my husband.” Husband. Even still, the words sounded awkward coming out of her

mouth.

The woman gasped. “Fesque? He’s next in line to take over the Cardashian Court once King

Taggert dies…and that won’t be long now.”

The wolf man’s eyes widened as full-blown acknowledgement registered on his face. “You

are married to one of the most powerful men in our world, and I must respect your position as

such. My name is Titano, and this is my wife Lana.”

Sarah smiled. “It is such an honor to meet both of you.”

The woman eyed Sarah up and down, focusing on the ring on Sarah’s finger as though she

doubted its meaning. Eventually, she nodded, though it was clear she was still unconvinced. “If

she is what she says she is, we can’t afford any trouble with Victor. The Cardashian Court will

stop at nothing to avenge her if she is truly his bride. Besides, the rules don’t apply to her, as

they are only meant for regular humans. Titano, we have no choice other than to spare her life.”

The man nodded, his gaze focused on Sarah. “I don’t need to start a war with the Immortals

with your blood on my hands. My Queen, I am happy to offer you the safe passage you have

requested.”

“And my friends?”

He didn’t even blink. “I am afraid they are still marked for death.”

A cold chill ran down her spine. No! She couldn’t lose Frank and Jules. She decided that if

they were going to force her to play the part of the queen, she was going to use it to her

advantage. It was time for another Oscar-worthy performance. “That is unacceptable, Titano. I

will not have my loyal servants slaughtered and devoured before my very eyes.”

“Are you forcing my hand, my Queen?” asked Titano.

“I am.” She met his gaze, narrowing her eyes in anger, hoping he wouldn’t see through her.

“If you harm one hair on their heads, I shall send my husband back here, and he will come with

vengeance and his wife’s rage to motivate him. I assure you, shape-shifter, that it will not be

pretty if he has to go to those measures because of your disobedience to my direct commands.”

Lana grabbed her husband’s arm, her black eyes wide. “King Victor isn’t an Immortal we

can afford to anger, Titano. Just let them go! They are not worth the casualties of the war he will

wage if these servants have a special bond with him as well.”

“Yeah,” said Frank, sounding far too twenty-first century. “King Victor and I go way back.”

The man looked at Frank, then at Jules, and finally at Sarah. “My wife has spoken wisely.

You may go—all of you.” He picked up the tranquilizer gun and handed it back to Frank. “Take

your weapon with you. We have no need of it, for we are well capable of defending ourselves

and our land.”

“Thank you. Your wisdom and obedience are to be commended.” Sarah took a few slow

56

steps back, then quickly jumped on the back of the wagon and crawled into the cubbyhole with

Frank right behind her. She peeked out and watched as Jules climbed onto the high wagon seat

and whistled to the horses. He pulled the reins, and once again, they were trotting, bouncing, and

jerking their way through the bumpy forest terrain. This time, though, they were escorted by

hundreds of wolves, perhaps thousands, running and darting through the trees.

Streams of sunlight glistened through the branches and leaves as Jules crossed the border of

the woods into a huge meadow. The wolves no longer followed; instead, they sat like trained

dogs at the edge of the tree line.

Sarah’s stomach churned, and bile threatened to erupt at any moment. She’d known all

along that Victor wasn’t just a regular kind of husband, and that had been acceptable because she

didn’t want him, didn’t want the kind of life he offered. But as the lucky trio left the cursed

forest behind, something else dawned on her. Even though he wasn’t technically part of her life

because their marriage was a scam, he still held power over her life. The shape-shifters had let

them go only because they feared Victor’s wrath. It defied all logic, and she had to admit that

maybe the whole Immortal part wasn’t a figment of everyone else’s imagination. Maybe I do

share a bond with him that everyone here truly fears—and maybe that’s exactly what I need to

find my sister and get us out of this crazy place. Then again, maybe I am crazy and am just

dreaming the whole thing up. Bring the royal meds, please!

* * *

A cool breeze blew through the haystacks as Jules steered the horses through the open field

to the next town. “Frank!” Sarah called.

He didn’t reply.

She poked him in the ribs. “What’s wrong with you?”

He turned, a frown crossing his forehead.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

He shook his head. “I just watched a wolf change into a man right before my eyes. I guess

I’m a little freaked out. Who wouldn’t be, given the situation? I’m trying to hold it together for

you, but just don’t expect my undying enthusiasm at our prospects anytime soon.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off.

“No, don’t even try to explain this whole mess, because you know you can’t. Let’s just

figure out a way to find your sister and get the hell out of here.”

“Forget the pack of wolves. I have a feeling we’ll soon have bigger problems than a bunch

of weird people howling at the moon. For starters, we’re a million miles away from the portal—

not to mention I’m a runaway queen, and there’s a dangerous man after us.” Her chest heaved

with each breath. “If Victor’s men catch us, we’re dead. Frank, we can’t afford to waste time

whining or feeling sorry for ourselves. We have to stay focused here. If we don’t make it, it’ll

only be because you’re sending off those fear-vibes. Even a mouse could pick those up from a

mile away, and the mice are probably telepathic here too.”

“The king’s guys are not going to catch us,” Frank retorted. “All we have to do is stay one

step ahead of him.”

“He’s an Immortal, Frank,” she said. “We, on the other hand, are not.”

He reached for her hands, forcing her to face him. “You don’t believe that bull, do you?

Nobody lives forever, Sarah.”

“I thought it was all a joke too…” She pointed at the forest. “…until I saw them. They said I

have the mark of the Immortals. This ring belongs to them, not us, and we stole it. It’s grand

theft jewelry, Frank, and I doubt they live by the fair trial rule. In fact, I’m sure they’re quite

57

okay with cruel and unusual punishment.”

“Big dungeon time, huh?” Frank winked, amused.

Sarah shook her head. A few wolf people had him running for the hills, but the psychic bond

she was beginning to feel with the king was beyond his rational comprehension. “Try execution,

medieval style. We didn’t just steal it from anybody, like a local merchant or something. We had

to involve the local mob boss, the freaking godfather.”

Frank glanced down at her finger. “We’ll give it back as soon as we use it to open the portal.

Heck, we can even leave a note. What’s so special about it anyway? It looks pretty, uh…gaudy

and normal, like something out of a thrift store or Halloween costume shop.”

Sarah twisted a strand of hair around her finger, biting her lip as she considered her words.

Frank was freaked out already, but he had a right to know. “There’s nothing normal about it, in

spite of its looks. When Victor slipped it on my finger, I felt a weird electricity racing through

me.”

“Maybe just cold feet?”

“What?” She peered at him, confused.

“You know…cold feet because you were getting married.”

She rolled her eyes. “Frank, can you be serious for just one minute? I honestly don’t want to

wear anything that belongs to somebody who’s not human. Maybe you can keep it safe for us.

Just let me get it off.”

He nodded. “I’ll put it in my pocket.”

She tugged, eager to slide it down her finger, but like before, it wouldn’t budge. “Shoot! I

still can’t get it off!”

“Are you sure? Let me try,” Frank said. When she held out her hand, he pulled hard. “Nope.

A little butter might do the trick. It’s been around since biblical times.”

“Get it off me, Frank!” She stuck her finger in her mouth, biting the band and pulling. “It’s

not working. This darned thing almost burned my hand off back there!”

“I thought you were just pretending, stalling for time.”

“Nope,” she whispered. “That was real.”

He gripped the band and started tugging again, harder this time. “Geesh. Didn’t the king

bother having it sized first? How the heck did he even manage to fit it over your knuckle to put it

on you?”

“Aren’t you hilarious?” She slapped his arm.

“I’m serious, Sarah. You could die from a blood clot.”

Wait…could that really happen? She regarded him, taking in the creased skin around his

eyes, as dark as pools.

“Calm down. I’m only joking,” Frank continued. “Leave it on for now, and we’ll worry

about it when we reach the next town. Hopefully it won’t start burning your finger again.”

“It’s just so…so weird, Frank.” Her heart pounded in her chest as she turned to face him,

realization dawning on her. “Do you think he’ll find out the truth?”

“You mean that you’re not who he thinks you are? You tried to tell him, but he wouldn’t

listen. He didn’t give you much choice, did he?”

“I guess not.” Sarah crawled out of their hole and climbed on top of one of the haystacks.

She pondered as the wind whipped through her hair and the sun beat down on her face. The

horses neighed, making her jump as the wagon ploughed through a meadow of purple and yellow

wildflowers. The sweet scent drifted all around her.

“Even if he does find out, he won’t know where we are.” Frank shook his head. “I’m not

58

scared of him.”

“Those shape-shifters were! They sure didn’t want to piss him off, and I’m sure they must

have good reasons. Even if we escape from here, maybe Victor can follow us through the portal.

He has the key to open it up.” She threw her hands in the air. “This crap might follow us right

back home and bite us in the butt!”

“He only married you because he wants to make Princess Gloria’s dad pay. When he finds

out you’re not the king’s daughter, he’ll realize his plan’s been foiled. His revenge game plan of

tainting the pure bloodline won’t work, because you’re not Princess Gloria. He will have no

reason to waste his time and risk his men’s health coming after us through the portal.”

She glanced down and wiggled her finger. “I have his mark glued on my finger for all of

eternity.”

Frank rolled his eyes. “You’re getting a little extreme, babe.”

The soft glow of morning light cast a brilliant shimmer on the blossoming trees. A strong

scent of manure wafted past as the wagon raced through the meadow. One good bump, and she’d

go flying over the pane, but she didn’t care. All Sarah wanted at that moment was answers. She

sat up, her back straight, as she hung on to the haystacks for dear life. “Hey, Jules, what do you

know about this ring?”

He steered the reins and glanced over his shoulder. “Not much—just that the Immortals are

only allowed to marry once in their lifetime, and when they do, they’re given the ancient ruby

ring.”

“Why would Victor waste his only shot at marriage on a stranger he doesn’t love, one he

thinks is the daughter of his archenemy?” Frank asked, pulling himself on top of a haystack next

to her.

“I told you earlier,” Sarah said. “It’s about revenge. He wanted me to have a whole herd of

his babies—to mess up the pure bloodline in their family. Bloodline’s a big deal with these royal

types.”

Frank nodded. “I know, but it seems like there’s more to it than that. If this Victor’s an

Immortal, how can he have kids?”

“They can,” Jules said through the pounding hooves.

“That’s hard to wrap my mind around,” Frank said.

“Does this ruby hold any sort of power?” Sarah asked. She twisted her finger to catch the

sunlight at just the right angles, watching the gemstone reflect the bright rays.

“I don’t know,” Jules said, “but the wearers have some kind of psychic connection.”

She knew how ridiculous it was to believe in psychic powers captured in a ring, but she had also

never seen a ring that just wouldn’t come off, no matter how hard she tugged or tortured her

finger. She’d also never heard of shape-shifting wolves before. She was beginning to think

anything and everything was possible in this strange new—or old—world. Leaning forward,

interested, Sarah cocked a brow. “What does that connection do?”

Jules shook his head.

Boy, he’s not much help, is he? They can manufacture magic rings around here but can’t

invent Google so I can look all this up? Hmm. “You said all the Immortals receive a ring like

this,” Sarah continued. “Can a human even wear one?”

Jules hesitated. “I’m not sure how it works. The Immortals are very private. They live in a

secretive world, following their own set of rules. I do know that every country in our world is

under the rule of King Taggert, who resides over the Cardashian Court. I also know that King

Victor is rumored to be next in line to rule when King Taggert dies. The king is dying, so it

59

won’t be long before Victor takes the mightiest throne.”

Sarah blew out a breath. “Yeah, that was what those shape-shifters said.”

“Well, it’s no surprise King Taggert chose King Victor.”

“Why not? Isn’t there anyone else?”

“Victor is one of the oldest and strongest men in our world. He’s very powerful, rules with

an iron fist, and is feared by all.”

“Yet you risk your life and face his wrath for us?” Frank asked.

“I’ll do anything for Mia,” Jules said, his gaze focused on the road ahead. “I love her.”

“Wait…did you just say Victor’s one of the oldest? How old is the guy?”

“I’ve no idea,” Jules said. “Maybe centuries.”

Just my luck again, Sarah thought. Not only am I married to a psycho, stuck with his weird

magic ring, but he’s an old man with one foot inside the grave, and he just won’t ever die. Victor

had captured and kidnapped Sarah in broad daylight, but still, she had to ask, “Are the Immortals

like vampires or something? I need to know if Victor plans on biting me. Am I gonna start

sparkling in the sun, sport some new fangs, and making blood my new choice of drink?”

Jules laughed, looking a bit confused. “Fangs? No, no, nothing like that—at least not that

I’ve heard.”

Sarah pressed a hand against her chest. “Thank goodness!”

“In most regards, the Immortals are just like us,” continued Jules. “They eat, sleep, laugh,

and cry. The only difference is that thousands of years ago, they somehow tapped into the power

of immortality. According to legend, they took over every country in our world and have ruled

with an iron fist ever since.”

“Do the Immortals have any, uh…superpowers?” Frank asked.

“Yeah, and they can do weird things with their minds, like make somebody see visions or—

”

“I had one of those! I saw the king’s knights and horses before they got near us,” Sarah said,

her voice rising an octave. “I very vividly saw them coming, and I even heard Victor’s voice. I

think this is…for real.”

Frank shook his head. “I know you’ve mentioned it a million times, but I find the notion of

an Immortal king chasing us a little hard to swallow.”

“Think about it, Frank. We’re not in our world anymore. Things are different here. We have

to open up our minds to the unexplainable, which I know is a big leap for you.” Glancing down,

she whispered, “I’m just wondering how a human like me managed to put on their magic ruby

ring in the first place without bursting into flames or something.”

“You know what that proves, right?” Frank said, always the skeptic.

“No. What?”

“That any ordinary person can put one on, which means those people are about as Immortal

as me.”

“Can you two please go back into hiding?” Jules asked. “We’re still in Tastia. I will take you

as far as Dornia, but then you will be on your own.”

Sarah shrugged. “Sure. I need to forget about all this strange stuff anyway and focus on

finding my sister.”

60

Chapter 9

From the other side of the narrow wooden door, worn with time, Sarah had no idea what

would await her inside the local pub. She stepped into the large hall, dirt crunching beneath her

booted feet, and stopped to take in the vaulted ceilings and crowded space. Countless tables

faced the tarnished wooden bar. Roars of laughter and conversation echoed through the air.

Flames flickered from candles in iron chandelier-like wall sconces on the stone walls. Sarah had

always thought of candlelight dinners as romantic occasions, but watching a large man with

greasy hair bite into a giant drumstick changed her opinion in a hurry. The delicious aroma of

freshly baked bread and roast beef wafted into her nostrils, making her stomach growl in spite of

the crude and unsanitary atmosphere.

Jules went to place the order for their feast, and Sarah and Frank walked past long banquet

tables filled with customers she could swear were wearing outfits straight out of Hollywood.

They weren’t dressed fancy like the people in Victor’s ballroom. The women wore long, simple

dresses, while the men were garbed in itchy-looking wool breeches with a tunic or doublet and

cloaks with a simple belt.

A tall woman seated them at a dark wooden table, on long benches draped in animal furs. It

looked as though the woman wore two braids, one on each side, and then wrapped them around

her head like a headband and tucked them into place, like some kind of milk maid. Sarah smiled

at the lady sitting next to her on the bench, taking in the deep wrinkles running across her

forehead and face.

The woman returned the smile, revealing crooked yellow teeth. “Don’t order the peacock,

milady. It’s tough as leather and tasty as one’s sandals.”

Wait…these people eat peacocks? I thought they were only for showing off their pretty

feathers in the zoo! I’d rather eat sandals! Sarah smirked. “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

The old woman inched closer and patted Sarah’s hand as she mumbled, “I hope you’re not

into dark meat either, love. The pigeon’s too salty here.”

“I’ll take that into consideration as well,” Sarah said, cringing at the thought of eating such a

dirty, messy bird that leaves feathers and feces everywhere it goes.

Frank glanced over at the woman. “How’s the dragon-tail soup?”

“Stop it.” Sarah nudged Frank playfully as she peered around. “Look how crowded this

place is. This tavern must be the happening place.”

“Yeah, it’s definitely the medieval hotspot. The only thing missing is the

flamethrower…and maybe the jester.” Frank slid in next to Jules and smiled. “I hope these furs

don’t have fleas.”

“Thanks, Frank,” Sarah said. “Now I’m going to start itching.”

“Don’t worry, honey,” the old lady said. “The furs have been treated with wormwood. Fleas

and moths are not keen on it.”

“Wormwood?” Sarah stood and waved her hand, trying to get the woman’s attention.

“Waitress…um, I mean, wench, we don’t need luxury seating. We’d prefer a nice hard bench.”

“Relax,” Frank said. “It’s some kind of plant or herb.”

Sarah sat down. “I knew that.” She chuckled.

Minutes later, a lady in a red velvet dress with a black lace-up waistcoat brought drinks in

wooden mugs, along with a generous platter of raw vegetables, fruit, a loaf of bread, and some

kind of braised meat on a bed of prunes and cedar nuts.

Jules ripped off a golden-brown leg and bit into it like a starving homeless man. “I hope you

61

will enjoy the duck. Eat, drink, and be merry.”

Sarah laughed and looked around for a plate, napkins, or silverware. “Um, are there utensils

we can use, or are we supposed to go at it caveman style?”

“Utensils, miss? Why do you think God gave us hands?” Jules asked between mouthfuls of

food.

Frank reached for a piece of meat. “The fork’s still centuries away from sitting in a

silverware drawer, Sarah. Just dig in like he said. We’re sitting on animal skins, for God’s sake. I

don’t think manners are all that important here.”

“If you don’t mind, then I don’t. Just don’t wipe your greasy hands on my cloak.” She bit

into a drumstick and smirked as the food stuck between her teeth. Eventually, she managed to

swallow and put the meat aside.

“Don’t like it?” Frank asked.

“Well, for starters, it’s cold.”

“Maybe they could pop it in the microwave for a few seconds.” Frank tore off a piece of

bread and dunked it into the meat grease.

“I guess beggars can’t be choosers.” Sarah laughed as she popped a plum into her mouth.

“Better get used to it. You’re not gonna survive on celery and plums, Your Highness.”

“What is this microwave you speak of?” Jules asked.

Sarah met Frank’s gaze. “You do the talking.”

“Well, it’s a kind of box, you see, and…well, I suppose you’d probably think it’s magic or

something, but you put food in it, and it zaps it hot.” Frank bit into his pear, signaling the end of

the conversation, but Jules didn’t seem keen on letting him off the hook.

“So this box carries a magic fire?”

“Maybe it’s best we don’t talk about our world,” Sarah said. “It might blow our cover or at

least get us locked up in the medieval cuckoo’s nest.”

“Right. When we’re done eating, maybe we’ll start asking around about Liz,” Frank said.

“I’m sure someone knows her or has heard of her.” His investigation skills were kicking in. No

matter where—or when—the man went, he was destined to always be 100 percent reporter.

Sarah took a sip of her ale. “Just keep a low profile, okay?”

He grinned. “Yeah, right, like you fit right in here. Okay, I’ll see what I can dig up.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“We should be safe here in Dornia,” Jules said. “Finish your lunch, and then I’ll take you to

somebody who might be able to help. After that, you’re on your own.”

“So this is where we part ways?” Frank asked.

Jules nodded. “As I said before, I must head back to my own land. I must find out where my

Mia is and be sure she is well.”

“We can’t thank you enough, Jules,” Sarah said.

After eating her meal, she excused herself and squeezed between two long tables, heading

for the bar. Folding her hands on the wooden counter, she waved to get the bartender’s attention.

He was a broad man with a black beard. He turned to face her and arched his eyebrow at her

inquisitively (or perhaps flirtatiously) as he wiped down the filthy counter with an even filthier

rag. “May I help you?”

Sure. Allow me to fill you in on the wonders of antibacterial soap. If you learned a thing or

two about germs, perhaps it would eliminate all those plagues running rampant in the history

books, she humored herself. “Perhaps you can be of help. I’m looking for a woman named

Elizabeth Larker. She goes by ‘Liz’. She’s my sister, one year older, and she looks just like me.”

62

The man poured a mug of ale, avoiding her gaze. “Never heard of her, miss, but I know

there is an Immortal who looks just like you.”

Sarah shook her head. “No, that’s not her. Liz is human.”

“How can she be a human and your sister if you, yourself, are an Immortal?” He looked

down at her ring, then back at her face.

She sighed. “It’s a long story, sir, but let me assure you I am not one of them.”

He smirked, then put the rag on the counter and placed his large, hairy hands in front of her,

leaning forward as he emphasized each word. “Your finger bears the ruby ring, and you are the

spitting image of Princess Gloria. You must be one of them.”

She regarded him intently, trying to make sense of what he was implying. She was

obviously not Princess Gloria, and the only person she’d ever known who looked even remotely

like her was her sister. Wait…could Liz be…? No way. And if she is, why would she change her

name to Gloria? She leaned against the counter, her interest piqued. From the movies, she knew

bartenders are the go-to people for everything, so she was sure it couldn’t hurt to ask. “Perhaps

you could tell me more about this princess, this Gloria? Was she adopted into the family as a

teenager?” Sarah considered the idea that maybe her so-called father, this king, abducted Liz or

gave her sanctuary in his kingdom after hearing she came through the portal. Crazier things had

happened.

“Adopted?” He scoffed as he used the same dirty rag to wipe down the glasses and mugs—

the ones his customers drank from. “No. I worked as a cook in the castle when Princess Gloria

was a baby, even courted her nanny for many months. I do know that Gloria moved away to

another country when she was twelve, but she recently moved back to spend more time with her

family here in Dornia. She’s so grown up now. I saw her last month at a ball at the castle.”

Well, there goes that idea, Sarah thought. There’s no way that could be Liz. “Could you tell

me—”

A maid inched closer and whispered to the grizzly barkeep, “You’re not supposed to talk

about them.”

The guy nodded, a frown perched between his brows.

Sarah straightened her back, and a determined look came over her face. She was unwilling

to drop the topic just yet. “You said—”

The man shook his head. “You may ask all the questions you want, miss, but there’ll be no

more answers coming from me, I’m afraid. I have a bar to run here.” His tone was sharp, almost

arrogant.

Sarah wondered what had caused the sudden sealing of his lips. “But I just—” Sarah started.

He slammed his fist on the counter. “Just leave! I don’t want any trouble with your race. The

last time the Immortals were in here, they tried to kill me with a sword. Your drinks and food are

on the house, but I have the right to ask anyone to leave my establishment, and I am asking you

to go now.”

Frank approached, touching her shoulder as he whispered in her ear, “Not only does that

ring get us out of trouble, but it also gives us all kinds of perks and freebies.”

“Yeah, but Victor should’ve given me a handbook. Clearly this guy doesn’t want to help,”

Sarah said.

Frank nodded, frowning. “Yeah. Nobody else is talking either.”

The sound of hooves thundered in the distance. Outside, horses neighed in response. Sarah

walked across the room and peeked out the door. The sun glinted off the armor of twenty or so

armed knights as they dismounted. She raced back to Frank, her heart racing. “Great! There are

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soldiers out there—hordes of them.”

“Where?” Frank asked, rising from his stool.

She nodded to the door. “Out there. Look for yourself if you don’t believe me.”

He weaved through the tables, heading for the door. “Don’t worry, I still have the

tranquilizer gun.”

Keeping her gaze focused on the entrance, Sarah hurried after him.

“But how? How did they find us?” Frank muttered.

She shrugged, even though he couldn’t see her. “Jules.”

He shook his head. “Those aren’t King Victor’s men. That’s King William’s entourage.”

“How do you know?”

Jules stood behind her, leaning over her shoulder as he pointed out the doorway. “Look at

the crest on their armor. See the golden royal eagle?”

She nodded. “Princess Gloria’s father, the ruler of Dornia?”

“Speak of the devil, huh?” Jules turned her to face him, a glint playing in his eyes. “King

William Jarod. What are the odds of them turning up at the same moment we did?”

She took a step back, her dress brushing the cool wall as she turned to Frank. “Maybe

they’re just coming in for a bite to eat. Just play it cool.”

“But if you look anything like Glor—”

She held up a hand, stopping him mid-sentence as she scanned the room for any other exit.

There were no windows and no other doors—not even a trapdoor in the ground. Crap! Don’t

they have fire inspections around here! Talk about a fire hazard. “We should sue them.”

“What?” Frank asked, brows furrowed.

“Never mind.” Sarah pulled the hood of her cloak up and returned to her bench with Frank

in tow. She took her previous seat next to the old woman, her eyes darting toward the door as she

whispered, “The place is surrounded. How the heck are we supposed to bail?”

Frank gripped her hand tightly, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Let’s just wait and see how

this plays out. In our world, police stop for donuts, right? Maybe here they stop for drumsticks.”

She nodded in agreement and hid her face as best she could.

A group of knights in chainmail coats stormed in, and the tavern fell silent. The patrons,

mostly humble peasants, lowered their eyes to the ground, as if they were trying to be invisible.

Sarah’s stomach fluttered uneasily.

“Attention, patrons,” one soldier said. “We’re looking for Queen Gloria Fesque.”

Sarah gasped. Just my luck that they aren’t here for a bucket of extra crispy. Shivers ran up

and down her spine as she debated whether to make a run for it or play dumb. As much as she

fancied the idea of dashing for the nearest exit, she realized her sprint probably wouldn’t get her

further than the nearest table.

“We’ve tracked her here,” the knight continued, whipping out his sword. “Point her out, and

we shall leave in peace.”

Sarah’s gaze wandered from the tall, hairy guy to the gleaming blade in his hand, frightening

in the dim light. People dropped to the ground, scurrying under tables and whimpering. “Oh my

gosh,” whispered Sarah. “Are you telling me I’ve somehow managed to piss off two kings?

How’s this possible?”

“You better run, dear,” the elderly woman whispered.

Sarah shot her a sideway glance. “I really am a nice person.” Sarah paused, gathering her

thoughts. “Really, I am. Everyone loves me. I don’t make enemies. This is way too much for

me.”

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“I’d say you’re doing a pretty good job considering you have two of the most powerful

Immortals on your tail,” said Jules, “and on mine too,” he added.

The knight wrapped his hand in the serving wench’s hair and yanked, hissing, “Where is

she, wench? Tell me, and perhaps you will live to serve these miscreants another day.”

Another knight knocked over a thick pillar candle on one of the tables. “We shall have no

regrets burning this hole to ash if that becomes necessary!” he shouted.

Sarah peered up from under her hood at the two women pouring liquid from a brown mug

over the smoldering flame that was threatening to ignite a nearby table.

“Tell me if the woman I’m looking for has been here or is in your fine establishment,” the

first knight continued.

The wench frowned and looked at Sarah, as if debating whether she should keep quiet or rat

her out.

Sarah frowned and bobbed her head ever so slightly, her eyes imploring the woman to keep

quiet. Her life depended on the kind stranger.

The knight pulled out his jewel-studded dagger and held it to the woman’s throat.

The hostage’s eyes bulged like a deer in the headlights. Pointing straight at Sarah, the

woman said, “She wears the mark of the Immortals.”

The knight threw the woman against a table, sending cups and mugs crashing to the ground.

He met Sarah’s gaze. “In the name of the king, you are under arrest for the crime of heresy. You

are scheduled for execution. Surrender to me now, and I will make this as painless as possible.”

Wait…did she just tattle on me? What happened to girl power? Aren’t girls supposed to

stick together? Sarah shook her head. Boy, she really is a wench. There goes her tip, that’s for

sure. Her heart racing, Sarah knelt and crawled under the wooden tables, bumping into

everyone’s grubby legs along the way. Jules and Frank trailed close behind. Her hand stuck in

something red and gooey, and she quickly wiped it on her cloak, bumping her head. Mice

squeaked and squealed, none too happy to be interrupted from their feast of chicken bones,

orange peels, and apple cores that littered the ground. She made it to the end of the table and

peeked out to meet the eyes of a dreaded knight.

He smiled, showing off the gap where his two missing front teeth used to be. “There she is!”

he yelled.

Frank pointed the tranquilizer gun and pulled the trigger. “Go Sarah!”

The knight jumped back startled and pulled the dart out of his chest. Sarah raced for the

counter and jumped, easily soaring over it. She’d no idea how she could possibly jump that high,

but she was aware that adrenaline could do some crazy things. Landing on her feet, she turned

and reached out her hands, dragging Jules over, then Frank. There has to be a way out. There just

has to be, she thought.

“I lost the gun!” Frank said. “He kicked it out of my hand.”

The bartender stood in the corner, cowering. “I told you I didn’t want any trouble,” he

hissed.

Sarah grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. “Please help us. This nutcase is going to kill

me.”

“Surely you’re an honorable man, sir. You can’t let them hurt an innocent woman over a

case of mistaken identity,” Frank said.

The bartender pointed. “Get to the basement. In the back, under crates of vegetables, is a

door that leads to a tunnel,” he whispered.

Everything happened in slow motion. Sarah ran toward the doorway that led to the

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basement, but she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her back. She spun around to see the knight

holding a crossbow. He squinted, as if taking careful aim not to miss his target. Before she could

blink, more arrows shot through the air. In the next second, another one pierced her heart. Pain

radiated through her chest. Frank and Jules yelled. Patrons screamed. Her breath became labored

as she dropped to the ground, her face slamming against the cold, dirt floor.

“Evil must be stopped!” yelled the knight. “Your sacrifice will save our land.”

Sarah groaned inwardly. She didn’t have one evil bone in her body. Scamming the king was

wrong, and stealing somebody’s identity was too. She only did it out of desperation to get home,

to get out of a world she didn’t belong in. Her vision blurred, and her body went limp. She

couldn’t even move a muscle, let alone scream. Blinking, she tried to clear her vision.

“That ain’t happening!” Frank scooped her up in his arms.

A door squeaked open, and footsteps thudded down a steep set of stairs. Sarah could feel her

head bouncing back and forth, as if she was some kind of inanimate bobble-head doll on a

dashboard.

“Keep going! I’ll hold them back,” yelled Jules, barricading the door behind him with giant

jugs of ale that he dragged across the floor.

Sarah drew in a shaky breath as pain rippled across her chest. She let out a small gurgling

sound.

“Oh, Sarah,” Frank pleaded, his voice wavering. “Don’t you die on me, girl.”

She reached up to stroke his cheek. “I’m sorry, Frank…so sorry.”

“Hang on!” said Frank, squeezing her hand.

“I’m…I’m dying,” Sarah whispered.

He shook his head vehemently, his eyes wide, teeming with an emotion she couldn’t place.

“No! Don’t you say that. Don’t you dare die on me, Sarah.”

Spots danced in her vision. Is this the way it’s going to end? Am I really going to die here, in

the basement of some medieval tavern? She didn’t want to die without knowing what had

happened to Liz. “When you find my sister, tell her I love her.”

Frank’s voice wavered. “You’re going to tell her that yourself.”

A loud rattle made her jump.

“Those knights pounding on that door might not agree with…with you,” Sarah said with a

pained gasp, squeezing Frank’s hand tightly.

“They’re coming!” yelled Jules. “Hurry!”

She choked on a ragged breath. Her vision blurred even more, and she blinked again, to no

avail. Voices became faint and then trailed off. And then, there was only darkness.

Sarah’s eyes fluttered open. Through a foggy haze, she took in the bright light and the

brownish stains on her fingers when realization set in: She’d been shot with an arrow—twice.

Someone was pushing down hard on her chest, making it very difficult to breathe. Pain flooded

her chest, pushing her to the edge of her consciousness. She opened her mouth to speak, but no

sound came out.

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A voice hissed to her right, the words too low to distinguish. She turned her head sharply,

flinching against the sudden jolt of pain rippling through her. “What do you want me to do?!”

shouted Jules. “I’m not a healer! She was shot directly in the heart. I’ve never seen anybody

survive such an injury, not even for this long.”

“You must know someone who can help,” the first voice said again.

Sarah could hear their voices coming from all directions. She wanted to answer, but the

words remained frozen in her throat. The sweet smell of incense filled her nostrils. Beams of

light shone down on her. Divine light? Staring upward, she let out a groan. Stained

glass…vaulted ceilings. Painted angels? Am I in heaven or on my way there? Being dead would

at least end the pain rippling through her, but she still had so much to do. My life can’t end

now—not like this.

A picture of a chubby cherub caught her eye. Maybe this is just a renaissance art gallery.

She peered closer at the ceiling, which rested on six Tuscan columns of great height. Nice

architecture. Soaring round iron candelabras hung from the ceiling, capturing her attention, as

she stared at flickering flames, trying to make sense of everything. Light shone through multiple

stained glass windows in a hue of vivid, glowing rainbow colors, the sun making the mosaic

patterns sparkle and shine. She surmised that she had to be in some kind of church.

“Sarah,” the first voice said.

She turned her head, taking in the blurred shapes. Her gaze sharpened, allowing her to

recognize Frank.

He inched closer until his nose was inches away from her face. “We’ll get you out of

this…alive.”

“Don’t make promises you may not be able to keep,” Jules said matter-of-factly.

Frank pulled back, hesitating. “I got the arrows out.”

“Yes, but she’s still losing much blood,” Jules said.

She would’ve liked to point out that she could hear every word they said, but somehow it

didn’t register with her that they were talking about her. They couldn’t be. Surely I’m not the one

hurt and covered in blood. Did he say an arrow went through my…my heart?

“Send for a healer and get me some antiseptic of some sort…you know, something with a

high alcohol content,” Frank said.

“You want a drink when your woman is dying?”

“Well I could use a stiff one right about now, but I need it to sterilize the wound.” Frank’s

voice echoed through the large room, cutting through the silence like a knife as he jumped to his

feet, peering around him. If he was looking for some good old whiskey, he wasn’t likely going to

find it there. “It always works in the movies when those cowboys pour moonshine on a bullet

wound,” he continued.

“Movies?” Jules asked. “And I know we have wolf people, but what are cow boys?”

Frank dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “It’s not important,” Frank said. “Please just

go. Sarah’s life’s at stake.”

“They’re counting on us to look for help. Guards will be stationed all over the healer’s

cottage.”

“I’ll go myself then,” Frank demanded.

“Have you gone mad? Perhaps you took an arrow to the head.”

“Just tell me where to go. Please, Jules. I can’t just stand here and watch her die without

doing anything. What if it were Mia?”

Sarah moaned. “Bon Jovi would be proud,” she said.

67

“Huh?” Frank said, kneeling down and grabbing her hand.

“Yeah. Brings a whole new meaning to ‘Shot Through the Heart,” she said, attempting a

crooked smile

“Sarah, can you hear me?” Frank asked.

“Did the serving wench pack me a doggy bag?” she whispered. “I wasn’t finished with the

duck.”

Smiling, he stroked her face. “Hey, Sleeping Beauty. Welcome back to the land of the

living.”

“Frank…” She squinted, her gaze searching his hazel eyes. “Where…where are we? This

can’t be heaven. There’s no way they’d let you past the pearly gates.”

He laughed, happy to hear her voice, in spite of her banter. “We’re in a chapel. Jules has a

friend who’s a priest.”

Sarah was lying on something hard, a wooden pew. She groaned and tried to move her

aching bones. “Surely you could’ve found a rug or something to squeeze under me. My back’s

killing me.” Pushing up on her elbows, she sat up and noticed that the room was illuminated with

hundreds of candles in the front of the church, placed meticulously around a wooden altar

decorated with a gold and white cloth. Her hand flew to where Frank had applied pressure rags.

“I should be…dead.” She scrambled to her feet, and the bloody rags fell to the floor. She pulled

down the blood-soaked cloak and stared at the gaping wound as it shrank smaller and smaller,

finally disappearing right before her eyes. “What the heck?” she gasped between breaths.

“What’s going on? The wound’s gone—no redness, no pain, and not even a scar.”

Frank ran a hand over the smooth skin where the wound once was. “How’s this possible?”

Jules looked at Frank, his eyes widening in shock. “It’s true. She’s an Immortal!” He

gasped. “She is one of them.”

“What?” Frank asked, his mouth agape with shock. “Because she put on this bubblegum

machine ring of his?”

“I don’t get it. Why?” Sarah said, confusion filling her voice. “It’s just a ring.”

Jules lifted her hand, peering down at the jewelry. “This is not just any ring, miss. It’s a

powerful, ancient one, thousands of years old, and it obviously carries the power of transforming

one into an Immortal being.”

A shudder of fear ran through her. “Get it off right now! Find some grease or butter,

whatever it takes!” She pulled at the band with all her might, wincing in pain. “That knight—he

said they could stop evil by killing me. What the heck did that mean? Do they think I’m the devil

or something?”

“I don’t know, but I am sure they are mistaken. I’ve only known you a short while, but I

know you are not evil.” Jules touched her shoulder. “Stop, Sarah. No amount of lubricant will

allow you to remove that ring.”

“I didn’t ask for this.” Sarah fell into Frank’s arms, and he held her tight. “Why didn’t

Victor warn me I’d become a walking freak show? Although, I guess I should feel grateful.

Without this ring, I’d be dead right now.”

“He doesn’t know you are human,” Frank said.

She had no idea Victor was Immortal either, like something straight out of some crazy

Highlander movie. He wasn’t going around shouting “There can be only one!” or anything, but

maybe I should’ve picked up on some small sign. Her senses had been heightened, but she had

assumed that only meant the ring had some strange magical properties. Never in her wildest

dreams would she have imagined herself becoming Immortal. “I-I don’t understand any of this.”

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Frank ran a hand through her hair. “We’re going to figure this out together, I promise. We’ll

undo the ring’s curse somehow, Sarah. There has to be a way. But first, we have to figure out

why there’s so much heat on us.” He looked at Jules. “Why are King William’s men trying to kill

Sarah?”

His brows furrowed. “I don’t know. Perhaps they are angry because we brought Victor’s

wife over here, into their territory.”

“No, that can’t be it. Notice they didn’t shoot us,” Frank said. “Sarah had a bull’s-eye on her

back, and they were aiming to kill.”

Jules shook his head. “They hate Victor, and I have no doubt they’d hate his wife too.”

“It must be the reason why Victor warned me not to come to Dornia…into enemy territory.

How good is your witness protection program out here?” she joked halfheartedly.

Jules cocked an eyebrow.

Sarah waved her hand. “Never mind. Listen, King William is just mad because I pretended

to be his daughter, Princess Gloria. Think identity theft. Maybe I brought disgrace to her name

somehow, and that’s why they think I’m evil.”

Snap! Outside, someone or something stepped on a twig.

Frank rose to his feet and motioned for them to be silent. When nothing moved, he inched

closer, whispering, “We need a game plan. Let’s find Liz…and quick.”

“But how?” Sarah asked. “Everyone’s after us. I’m on the most wanted lists of two kings.”

“There might be a third party after us as well,” Jules said with a sigh. “Sarah was turned into

an Immortal without permission from the Cardashian Court. They’ll send trackers the second

they find out, if they haven’t already.”

She slapped her forehead. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

“The Cardashian Court has their own justice and trials,” Jules said.

“Is Victor in trouble with the court for making me Immortal?” Sarah asked. “Maybe that’s

why he’s after me.”

“For payback?” Jules shook his head. “How could he get in trouble? He didn’t knowingly

marry a mortal behind their back. He thought he was marrying an Immortal princess. He is guilty

of nothing in this. In spite of their propensity for swift justice, even the Cardashians should see

that. They are very wise.”

“Then he’s only out for revenge, because we tricked him and likely made a fool of him.”

Sarah took a trembling breath, her shoulders slumping. “Can this get any worse? It’s like being

chased by the FBI, the police, and the Italian mafia all in one night.”

“Had much experience with any of that?” Frank asked, grinning.

Sarah slapped the back of his head.

He shrugged. “What? At least you don’t need a bulletproof jacket. I’ve heard they are harder

to come by than the actual weapons.”

She slugged him again. “Focus, Frank.”

“The Immortals from the Cardashian Court will likely give you a speedy trial and then kill

you,” Jules said. “We know King William’s men will definitely kill you. As for King Victor, I

don’t know his intentions, but he could be the lesser of the evils. You could have a chance with

him—especially if you give yourself up and quit running.”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Wow. I’m overcome with so many wonderful options, aren’t I? Let’s

see…courtroom and likely death, definite death, and making babies with a king I barely know.

I’ve no idea which one to choose.”

“Try to look at it from another perspective, Sarah. You didn’t die before. If they try to kill

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you, you might just weasel out of it with the help of that ring,” Frank said.

Sarah groaned. “Awesome. I’ve always wanted to know what it feels like to be a zombie.”

“Then my advice would be to take your chances with Victor,” Jules said softly.

She glared at him. Take a chance with Victor? She remembered those dangerous eyes he

flashed her, warning her not to escape. She also remembered the way he’d gripped her wrist and

told her she’d pay dearly if she ever tried. A chill ran up her spine. “No way! I don’t know why

or how, but I can feel his anger and bitterness from my betrayal. He is after revenge, and he has a

reputation to maintain.”

Jules put a hand softly on her shoulder. “He may spare you. You are his wife…and an

Immortal.”

“Yeah, thanks for the reminder,” Sarah said.

“King Victor has the power to sway the Cardashian Court to forgive you, especially when he

takes over after King Taggert’s imminent death. That will put him in the perfect position to save

your life. Your husband is one of the most powerful men in their group, feared by all. He may be

your best bet to surviving all of this.”

She turned away with a shudder. “If he doesn’t kill me the second he sees me.”

“Can she even be killed?” Frank asked.

She nudged him in the ribs, annoyed. “You make me sound like I’m some kind of virus.”

“I’m just saying…” Frank said, effectively dodging another shove. “You might want to put

less force into those. I’m not keen on bruises. I have a reputation to uphold too, you know, and

getting beaten up by a girl won’t help.”

“I barely touched you.”

He cocked a brow. “Your hours at the gym are starting to pay off then.”

“I only want to look out for Sarah’s best interests,” Jules said. He turned to Frank. “You’ll

certainly lose her, but at least she’ll live.”

“Live? Under the rule of a tyrant in some kind of medieval world?” Frank asked. “What

kind of life would that be? No. Sarah deserves better, and I promised to get her out of here.”

“Like I said, she’ll live, and so will you.”

“After I stole his bride on his wedding night?”

“He might not even know that you were involved in Sarah’s rescue,” Jules said. “Victor’s

her only chance. To get her out of this mess you’ve created, he’s a risk worth taking.”

Frank shook his head vehemently. “No way. I’m not going to stand by and let her throw

herself at the mercy of some psychopathic royal pain in the—”

“Frank!” Sarah said, getting tired of being talked about like she wasn’t even there.

“And that’s final.”

She shot him a thankful look. Even though it wasn’t really his business, she appreciated how

adamant he was about keeping her safe, as if he truly cared for her wellbeing. “I don’t think the

king wants me back. I might’ve called him Vic one too many times,” she said. “He really hates

that. I’m not sure he’d be very forgiving or eager to experience marital bliss with someone he’s

already threatened to kill.”

Jules snorted. “Vic? You called him that, yet you’re still breathing? You must have a

brilliant guardian angel.”

Sarah smirked. “More likely it’s because my boobs were half falling out of that wedding

gown. What’s with those corsets anyway?”

Jules’s cheeks flushed, and he cleared his throat, signaling that a change in subject was

imminent. “You could use your, um, queenly influence to strike a deal to see Frank sent safely

70

back home—to his own world.”

“No deals. Frank and I can get home on our own.”

“You think the Immortals from the council will give up so easily? You think they won’t

follow you back through the portal and hunt you down?” asked Jules. “You’ve no idea how

vicious and ruthless they can be, and they do not take deceit and betrayal lightly…that or theft of

their magic artifacts.”

Frank’s eyebrows rose into arches of disbelief. “Sure. Maybe if they had some kind of

tracking device, but I’m pretty sure that cheap trinket isn’t equipped with GPS.”

Sarah noticed the serious look on Jules’s face and the intensity of his words. “You don’t

know that, Frank. Maybe I’ve been tagged, like a wild animal,” Sarah said.

“Doesn’t matter,” Frank said. “I have all kinds of tricks up my sleeve to outrun them.”

“Without their blessing, you’ll never be safe again.” Jules stood and adjusted his cloak,

pulling up his hood as if he was getting ready to leave. “You can’t do this by yourselves any

longer.”

“Yes we can,” Frank said. “You’ve grown up being taught to fear them, but we haven’t.

We’ll fight to the very end.”

“With that kind of thinking, you’re going to get yourselves killed. Sarah doesn’t even know

how to use her powers. She’s like a newborn fighting against experienced Immortals, hundreds

of years old. How long do you think you two can last out there stumbling around in the dark with

no knowledge whatsoever of the landscape or what you’re up against?”

Sarah’s stomach fluttered. She knew absolutely nothing, but she was sure she and Frank

could figure it out on their own. They were both investigators after all, though she never would

have liked to compare herself to him before they’d arrived here. “I know we’re in over our heads

here, but I think we can manage.”

Jules’s gaze narrowed. “You’re drowning, milady. You need help from another Immortal,

someone who can guide you through the process. Go back to your husband and fall into his arms.

Throw yourself at his mercy and beg for forgiveness. He’s the only one who can help you now.”

“She’s not going back to King Victor, Jules, and I’ll hear no more of it!” Frank yelled.

“If I go back to him, all of this we’ve suffered in an effort to escape will have been for

nothing,” Sarah reasoned.

“So what?” Jules asked. “At least you’ll continue to breathe. Did you ever think he might

annul the marriage and let you go once he finds out he married the wrong person?”

She knew Victor would never let go of her so easily. “That won’t happen. He feels

connected to me because—”

Frank met her gaze straight on. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

“Did you bed down with him?” Jules asked, wide-eyed. “I mean no disrespect, miss, but if

you did, you completed the bonding process, and it is unbreakable.”

“Sleep with him?” Her cheeks suddenly burned. She’d definitely thought about it. “No! Of

course not! Who do you take me for?”

Frank grabbed Jules’s arm. “Sarah’s not like that. She only kissed him on the lips during the

ceremony, and that was only to play the part of a happy wife.”

“She’s seeing visions, and he is behind the sending of them,” Jules said. “That would never

happen unless a bond was formed, and that would likely require more than a tiny kiss on the

lips.” He glanced over at Sarah. “Did you give yourself to your husband before you ran?”

“No, I most certainly did not…and quit referring to Victor as my husband!” Sarah retorted.

Frank shoved Jules against the wall, his eyes throwing daggers as he hissed, “Listen, buddy,

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I’m really beginning to dislike you. What kind of girl do you take Sarah for anyway? She’d

never touch him like that. Do you understand?”

“Perhaps not by her own will, but she could’ve been forced,” Jules whispered, pushing him

back. “Victor is a very powerful, persuasive man, and we should have never left her in that

dungeon to face him. It was a fool’s plan!”

Sarah nodded eagerly. “Frank is right, Jules. Nothing like that happened! I swear. We just

said the vows, I kissed him, and I escaped the first chance I had. The entire thing was a farce.”

She didn’t think it was a good time to elaborate on just how much, how deeply she’d kissed him

or how much she’d enjoyed it.

“I will be back soon,” Jules said, heading toward the exit.

“Just admit it, Jules,” Frank said, following after him. “You don’t approve of what we did—

or should I say—what I did. This entire thing was my idea, and you’re just angry that the fool, as

you called me, dragged Sarah and Mia into this wedding gig.”

Jules glared at him. “You are correct, sir. As I said, it was a fool’s plan, and it put my Mia

and your Sarah in more danger than was necessary.” He took a deep breath before continuing.

“This whole thing could have been avoided! My friends and I risked our lives when we took you

to the dungeon to rescue Sarah, but did you come back with her?” He pushed Frank away and

pointed at Sarah. “No! You left her to her fate. Unbelievable.”

Sarah realized in that moment that Jules had, in fact, been the lookout, the one who had done

the whistling. “Guys, stop it!” She turned to look intensely at Jules. “It’s not his fault,” Sarah

said. “Frank gave me an out, and I didn’t take it.”

“That is only because of him!” Jules pointed an accusatory finger at Frank and shot him a

most distasteful glare. “He filled your head with talk about the ring, the key to your home world.

Had you left with us at that very moment, you’d be free from all of these problems already, and

my Mia would be by my side instead of suffering or in danger!”

“And I’d be stuck in this world forever!” she retorted.

“We don’t need you anymore, Jules,” Frank said.

“I hope you know your so-called ‘brilliant plan’ has ruined Sarah’s life,” Jules said. “I think

you’re the one who needs some sense.”

Frank took a menacing step forward, his cheeks ablaze with anger. “Get out! We don’t need

you.”

Sarah grabbed his arm. “Everyone calm down. Let’s take a breather.”

“I’m going to look for my friend,” Jules said, opening the door.

Wait…is he crazy? But the knights saw his face in the pub. They know he’s in on it with us.

Sarah grabbed his arm, his gaze imploring. “It’s not safe out there.”

“It’s not safe in here either.” Jules shot Frank a glare over his shoulder before he walked out,

slamming the door behind him. Ironically, as loud and ominous as the slam sounded, the ornate

door was carved with a bevy of angelic symbols and cherubs.

“You idiot! How could you chase away the only friend we have in this dreadful place?” She

turned to face Frank, challenging him to a fight that was long overdue. She wasn’t keen on his

Victor-marrying plan in the first place, and he had talked her into it, just like Jules said.

He hugged her tight, pressing her against his broad chest. “I’m sorry, Sarah,” Frank

whispered into her ear, “but the thought of sending you back to that whack-job infuriates me.

We’ll find another way. I promise.”

She snuggled into him, inhaling the manly scent of his skin, comfort washing over her, if

only for a second. She let out a sigh, eager to forget her own incredulity and just trust him for a

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change. “I know, babe. Just try and keep your cool. Your outbursts aren’t helping my nerves.”

“So what exactly did you do to strengthen this so-called bond with your so-called husband?”

Frank asked. “I’m sorry, but I gotta know.”

She looked up at Frank, ready to confess it all. “I kissed him.”

His gaze narrowed. “Yeah. You mentioned that.”

“No, I mean…I-I really kissed him…like, uh…a lot.” She felt the telltale heat rising in her

cheeks. Her breath caught in her throat, but not from shame. Somehow, Victor’s kiss lingered in

her mind, all too vivid, and it wasn’t an unpleasant memory.

Frank narrowed his gaze. “What happened to the alleged smooch?”

Is he jealous? She regarded him intently, taking in the frown perched above his brows and

the tight lines around his mouth. “It was more than that—more like some serious making out, but

it didn’t go very far. I swear! Besides, it was only because he seduced me with those bright blue

eyes of his, and I think—”

He pushed her away. “I just wanted the truth. You think I want to hear the details? How

could you let him lock lips with you anyway?” He shuddered for dramatic effect.

She shrugged, anger rising up inside her. How dare he corner me like that and try to make

me feel guilty? “It just happened, Frank. It’s not like the priest announced us man and wife and I

jumped him. It was more like the other way around. I guess when I didn’t resist, when I kissed

him back, I somehow triggered the darn ring. It was really just some kind of accident.”

“So he just attacked you?”

“He just seized the moment.”

“And you obliged him because you liked it?” He groaned. “I don’t believe this. I know

we’re not dating, but still. You’re attracted to him big time, aren’t you?”

“What woman wouldn’t be?”

“Right, with ‘those blue eyes of his’,” he mocked. “Gosh, Sarah, I can’t believe you’d kiss

that jerk. Do you want to be with him, to be his queen or something?”

“Frank, he’s not my type. You know as well as I do that the last guy I’d want to be with

would be a guy who wants to control me.” She gripped Frank’s hands. “Besides, I’m here with

you, aren’t I?”

“Right,” Frank said, not sounding too sure.

Jules returned but refused to talk to anyone, and Sarah thought it best to give him some time

to cool down.

When footsteps echoed outside the door, she held her breath and motioned Frank to keep

silent. Jules’s hand moved to the dagger tied around his waist. She had no idea what he’d do with

it against an entire army, but it was the thought that counted. At least it indicated that he wasn’t

going to jump at the first opportunity and turn his back on them, leaving them to their fate.

The thuds stopped in front of the door, and an eerie silence ensued. Sarah barely dared to

peel her gaze off the entrance to shoot Frank a questioning gaze. His brows were drawn together,

his tense shoulders, and the muscles peering from under his short sleeves told her he was ready

to battle for his life—and for hers. So was she. She decided that groveling was fair play; if need

be, she’d punch and scream her way out, tugging at hair and kicking them where it’d hurt the

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most, hoping their armor didn’t protect them everywhere.

The door handle moved slowly, and the sound of old hinges cut through the silence of the

chapel. Sarah clenched her hands and nodded at Frank as the door flew open. The second it did,

she pounced like a cat, ready to claw her way out, stopping only inches away from the face of an

old man with thinning white hair and a scraggly white beard.

“Hello, Father,” said Jules calmly.

The priest hugged Jules in a tight embrace. “It’s so good to see you, son. Thomas told me

you are here and of the dire situation you are facing.”

“I would have come myself, but I got tied up here.” Jules smiled. “These are my friends,

Frank and Sarah.”

“Greetings,” he said, smiling. “Welcome, my Queen. My name is Father Haster, and I am

the priest of this sacred house.” He wore a hooded monk’s robe with a rope-like belt.

She peered behind the man to see whether it was a bluff, to see if anyone was hiding outside

to ambush them. The cobblestone path seemed deserted, the woods to the left and right devoid of

life.

“Did you expect someone else?” The priest looked away as he broke the silence, drawing

her attention to him.

“It’s our pleasure to meet you, Father, and we’re actually glad to see you and not someone

else,” Frank said, grabbing the old man’s hand in a tight grip until his knuckles turned white.

“You’re killing him,” Sarah whispered.

He threw her a questioning look, so she pointed at his hand. Frank let go, a smile playing on

his lips. “It’s not my fault I’m built like an ox.”

She smirked. “You got the ox part right—in smell and brains at least,” she joked. “Father,”

she said, bowing, “it’s an honor to meet you.”

The priest touched her forehead with a finger as dry as sandpaper and gestured her to

straighten. “You can’t leave until tomorrow, child. There are orders about to execute you on

sight. I’ve never seen King William react this way to anything or anyone. Sending his troops to

kill a defenseless woman is uncalled for. Jules has filled me in on your problems, and I am more

than happy to offer you sanctuary.”

Of course, he doesn’t know I made out with Victor, she presumed. She smirked. “Jules is a

very helpful soul…and so very understanding.”

Jules nodded, not getting the hint.

“Yes, he has always been known to help those in need,” the priest said, “and I’d like to think

he gets that from his priest.”

Sarah eagerly shook his hand. “Well, truly, Father, it is a pleasure, and thank you for your

kindness.” Then she said dryly, looking embarrassed, “I guess I shouldn’t have played the part of

Princess Gloria. It might’ve earned me an Oscar in our time, but here, it seems my only reward

would be a death sentence. Can I ask, Father, what would be the means of execution for someone

of my crimes?”

The priest looked away as he whispered, “Beheading.”

I’ve been thinking I was losing my head all this time, but literally? Sarah let out a breath she

didn’t realize she’d been holding. “I better calm down and keep my head on straight then.”

Frank wrapped an arm around her waist, forcing her to face him. “Your life isn’t a joking

matter, Sarah.”

“Let me deal with it the way I want,” she hissed. “Remember what I said about controlling

men, Frank.”

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“As you wish.” He shrugged and let go of her as he turned to the priest, but she could see

her reaction didn’t sit well with him.

That’s just too bad, Sarah thought. I’ve had enough of people telling me what to do and how

to react. It was time to be herself and play it all down because pretending no evil would ever

befall her was a better coping strategy than expecting the worst and letting herself fall into an

abyss of worry and depression.

“Even if Sarah’s refuses to acknowledge it,” Frank said, shooting her a sideways glance, “I

say we need to protect ourselves. Do you have any weapons we can use? Wouldn’t have an Uzi

lying around, would ya, Father?”

“I know not what an Uzi is,” Jules said, “but weapons in a church?” Jules snorted. “What do

you expect? Crucifixes and holy water?”

“Well, given that we’re dealing with Immortals, maybe,” Frank said.

Sarah peered at him, not amused at his jokes after he’d just scolded her for making her own.

“An Uzi, Frank? Really. Don’t be stupid. Try to think more along the lines of swords, Jules—or

maybe even a dagger.”

“Did you see their armor? What do you plan to do with a dagger, sweetheart?” Frank asked.

“Peel them an apple and poison them with it?” His arrogant, superior attitude was slowly

beginning to irritate her.

“Do you have a better idea? And I swear, you better not start talking about some Rambo

arsenal again, or I’m going to find the closest dragon and personally feed you to it.”

The priest held up his hands to stop their banter, which was becoming a bit more heated than

friendly. “Enough! There’ll be no violence in this house of God.”

“Sounds good to me,” Sarah said. “But does the army outside agree too?”

Frank nodded, agreeing with her for a change. “Yeah. Why don’t you remind the leaders of

Tastia and Dornia about peace and goodwill, because right now, we’re toast. If you don’t toss in

a sword or two, we’ve no way to defend ourselves.”

The priest shook his head and turned on his heels, walking out of the room without another

glance back.

Jules chased after him. “Father, do you need any help?”

Sarah elbowed Frank in the ribs hard. “Now you did it! You made the priest mad.”

“What did I do?” Frank hissed.

“You know all too well. Quit pissing everyone off, will ya? We already have a long list of

people fuming at us. We don’t need the clergy on our heels as well. Think witch hunts and all

that.”

“What?” He snorted and rubbed a hand over his face, annoyed. “Every soldier out there’s

trying to kill you, and you think I’m just being paranoid.”

“Nope. Just irrational and negative.”

“I sent Jules out to get the rest of my bags and take them to my quarters in the back.” The

priest’s voice made her turn around. “And this is for you.”

Her gaze fell on the silver heart necklace he held out to her. For a moment, Sarah could only

stare. Her eyes clouded with tears as she lifted a finger and traced it over the face of the locket.

Her hands trembled while she pried it open it and saw a photo of Liz inside it—a photo of the

two of them standing side by side, together, happy and healthy as ever. Why would anyone in this

world have Liz’s belongings? Liz would never give this away. Unless… Sarah shook her head

defiantly. No! It can’t be! Liz has to be alive and well. She just has to be okay after all we’ve

gone through to find her!

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Frank snorted. “What are we supposed to do with that? Choke them to death or ask for their

hand in marriage?”

“Shut up, Frank!” Sarah screamed, casting him a death glare. “I bought this for my sister the

Christmas before she disappeared,” Sarah whispered, her gaze fixing on the priest. “How did

you…where did you get this?” she asked, almost scared to hear the answer.

The priest inched closer and cupped her hands. “My child, Jules has brought you here for a

reason. He told me that you are looking for your sister.”

Frank peeked over Sarah’s shoulder at the picture. “Yes. She went missing ten years ago,

and no one knows what happened to her.”

“I met a girl by the name of Elizabeth Larker when she was fifteen,” the priest said.

Sarah stared at him, for a moment unable to comprehend why he was avoiding her gaze. Her

heart pounded hard against her ribcage, threatening to jump out of her throat any minute. “Oh

no! Tell me she’s not…” Her voice came thin and low, so low she wasn’t sure anyone had even

heard her. Someone who wasn’t out to kill her had seen Liz, and she was finally making

progress, but something didn’t feel right. She met Frank’s gaze, her mouth gaping. “This proves

without a shadow of a doubt that she definitely walked through the portal.”

“Don’t do that, Sarah,” Frank said slowly.

“What? Why?” She met his dark, brooding eyes and found there what she’d been trying to

control all along: her hope that somehow, Liz was still alive and well.

“I don’t want you to be disappointed, that’s all. I couldn’t bear to see you hurt.”

He was right, but she couldn’t help herself—not until someone proved her wrong.

The priest smiled, the thin skin around his eyes morphing into hundreds of tiny lines.

“Elizabeth does look very much like you indeed, my dear.”

“I knew she was alive!” Sarah squeezed his hand, fighting the need to grab him into a hug,

which she was rather certain would not be appropriate. “I never believed for a moment she was

dead. Where is she? When can we go to her? How do I find her, and—”

“She was only here for one year, I’m afraid. During that time, I tried to help her through the

pain of being stuck in this world, but she didn’t adjust well. It must’ve been a great shock for her.

From what she told me, I gathered your world is very different from ours.”

Tears welled in Sarah’s eyes as realization kicked in.

“Babe, I tried to tell you,” Frank muttered.

“You said she was here for a year?” Sarah said, ignoring him. “How long ago was that? And

where did she go when she left?”

The priest scratched his forehead, thinking. “It’s been a while. I have been out in the mission

field for two years and just recently returned. I’m afraid I don’t know where she went.”

“Do you know whether or not she’s still alive?”

“I don’t know, but why shouldn’t she be?”

Sarah shrugged, hysteria bubbling up inside her. The journey had proven to be nothing but

an emotional rollercoaster. If she continued this way she was bound to develop a borderline

personality disorder, what with all the crying and laughing and hoping, only to have her hopes

dashed an instant later. “I shouldn’t have left her. How can I ever forgive myself? I shouldn’t

have been so scared of the creature and dumped my own sister like a sack of potatoes.”

“You were only a kid yourself,” Frank said, “a teenager. “A grown man would have been

scared seeing one of those Bigfoots up close and personal. Heck, even I about crapped my pants,

and you know how brave I am.”

“She was fifteen, Frank—lost, scared, and wandering around in a forest with countless

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Bigfoots chasing her.” Sarah turned back to the priest. “When was the last time you heard from

her?”

“Let me think.” The man’s eyes glazed, deeply buried in his memories.

Sarah appreciated his help, but her patience was growing thin. She wished she could shake

them all out of him, make him answer faster, because her pangs of hope were killing her inside,

but she couldn’t risk alienating him; he was her only link to Liz. So she clasped her hands behind

her, digging her nails deeply into her skin until a burning sensation traveled up her arm.

The priest answered eventually. “She left when she fell in love with a man. Last I heard she

was still with him, and they are doing splendidly.”

Sarah smiled. Somewhere in the midst of all that tragedy, Liz had found true love—

something Sarah couldn’t manage to hang on to if her life depended on it. “So she’s happy.”

The priest nodded. “Very much so.”

A thought struck her. “When we arrived in the cave, it was nighttime, but when we walked

through the portal, the sun was out. They’re opposites!”

“So she would’ve arrived at night,” Frank finished.

Sarah swallowed, unclasping the necklace and putting it around her neck. “She had to be so

lonely and frightened. I hope that man is good to her, whoever he is.”

Frank lifted her hair and clasped the locket around her neck. “We’re going to find her and

take her home. Do you remember the man’s name, Father?”

The priest scratched his head. “His name was Charles, and I believe he was from Ripteenia,

north of here. Liz never told me much else about him. She was a bit secretive, that one.”

Sarah jumped as the front door slammed open and Jules walked in, his eyes wide. “Two

villages away, when the sun sets, they plan to hang three people by the names of Beth, Steven,

and Adam,” he announced between labored breaths, as though he had just run a marathon. “I

heard they were dressed in odd clothing, similar to those Frank was wearing when I met him. My

friend said they came through the forest of the Guardians, just like you two. Do you know

them?”

Sarah gasped. “Of course! That would be my BFF, my lead researcher, and my cameraman.”

“BFF?” Jules and the priest asked in unison.

“Never mind,” Frank said to them with a groan. “Sarah, they followed you in? You’ve got to

be kidding!”

Sarah stared at Jules, wide-eyed. Three members of her team had made it through the portal,

but now they faced execution. She felt awful about that. Once again, it was all her fault that

people she cared about were in trouble. She’d been in charge of the expedition, and she’d picked

the spot where they hunted for Bigfoot. Waves of guilt surged through her, first over Liz and

now over her friends, her team. If anything happened to them, she could never live with herself.

She grabbed Frank’s hand, avoiding his apologetic gaze. “We can’t just let them die in this place,

Frank. We have to do something—anything! Let’s go!”

“What do you suggest we—” Frank started.

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Jules grabbed her shoulder, interrupting Frank. “Where do you think you and Frank are

going? We’re in the middle of a big village crawling with knights. You take one step out there,

and it will be an execution of five instead of three.”

“He’s right,” Frank whispered. “Besides, it might be a trap. They probably know we all

came from the same world and that we’re friends. They might be trying to bait you out of hiding,

Sarah.”

Sarah was trying to think logically, but having more people on her conscience wasn’t an

option. She had done enough harm already. Shaking her head vehemently, she turned to face

Frank, her eyes ablaze. “I don’t care! They are only here because they were loyal, trying to find

me, and I’m not going to desert them now. I’m going, with or without you.”

“Sarah, you’re being irrational,” Jules said. “I won’t let you go.”

“And you care why?” Sarah asked. “Last time I checked, you couldn’t wait to get rid of us.”

“You scammed King Victor and dragged Mia into all your craziness. I might not like it, but I

promised Mia I’d keep you safe. I’m not going to just stand by and watch you walk into death’s

arms. Throughout this journey, I’ve regarded your safety as my top priority because I will not

break a promise to my love.”

“Walking out there is a suicide mission,” Frank said. “Unless this Immortal nonsense can

also make you invisible, we’re gonna need a disguise and a smoking hot plan…and a couple of

Uzis really would have helped.”

The priest smiled. “I may be able to help with the disguises,” he said proudly, walking over

to a peeling wooden chest. He pulled out two black cotton robes, frayed where the hem had

dragged over the ground. “Just wait a bit longer. In one hour, hundreds of priests will gather for

prayer and to attend a short midday service. When they leave to return to their villages, you’ll

blend right in with them.”

Frank nodded, brows raised. “I love it when a plan comes together,” he said with a smirk.

“I think this will work,” Sarah said, slipping into a robe, tying the hood, and then adjusting

the white belt cord. The coarse material hid her supple curves, giving the impression of someone

much leaner and less feminine.

She turned her attention to Jules. “Are you onboard with this or not?”

He seemed confused. “I don’t understand. It is not necessary to use a boat, as we’ll be

traveling on foot.”

She rolled her eyes, more at herself at forgetting the poor guy wasn’t accustomed with

twenty-first century slang. “Sorry. I meant to ask if you are in agreement to help us with this.

Can you guide us? We cannot find the village on our own.”

“I said we’ll be traveling on foot, didn’t I? And I know a shorter way.”

The mention of a shortcut made Sarah smile, in spite of the sarcastic tone in Jules’s voice.

“Even better,” she said, tossing him a robe.

The priest handed Sarah a staff, a pair of glasses, and an oversized silver cross on a long

leather string. “You need the best disguise possible, considering you’re their main target.” He

squeezed a small bag of gold into her hand. “Take it. Your sister would want me to help you, and

you may need this on your journey.”

For a moment, she struggled with the idea of taking the old man’s money. His torn clothes

and the tattered condition of his church told her he needed it as much as she did; however, she

knew they might not make it without his monetary support. Even though her throat constricted at

the idea, she held out her hand and grabbed the sachet, then hugged him tight. “You’ve been a

huge help, Father. Thank you,” she whispered, vowing to come back and repay her debt.

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* * *

Sarah leaned against the giant stone pillar outside the back of the church. The beams of

sunlight felt good on her face. She wondered how her sister had dealt with the drama of finding

herself in a dangerous new world with no one to protect her when she came through the portal at

fifteen. The sudden helplessness had to be world shattering. Not only had Liz lost all of her

friends and family, but this odd world was very different from what they were used to, and one

tiny mistake could’ve cost her her life. Sarah jumped as bells chimed in the distance, jolting her

out of her thoughts. She straightened her back at the realization that the church service must be

over, and the time had come for her to leave the sanctuary of the kind priest’s church.

Frank put up his hood and turned to face her. “It’s time.” His voice came low and grave, too

grave for an easygoing man like him. It wasn’t like him to let his worries take hold of his spirits.

“Yep, I’m ready.” She infused as much cheeriness into her tone as she could muster. At least

one of them had to keep up the good mood before they drowned in their own pool of despair.

Smiling, Frank straightened up her glasses. “There, you look perfect.”

“Thanks for everything, Father.” She turned to hug the old man. “And thanks for taking care

of my sister when she had nobody else to look after her. That means the world to me.”

“My doors are open to anyone in need of refuge, as our heavenly Father would have it.” The

priest nodded graciously, and Sarah thought she might have seen a tear in his eye. “Be careful,”

the priest said. “I’ve just received word that Ethano Milers is tracking you as we speak.”

“Who is he?” Sarah asked.

“He’s a very powerful Immortal from the Cardashian Court. I don’t understand why they

would send somebody so high up to personally bring you in for trial. Usually, they just send in

an experienced and skilled tracker. My prayers will go with you, child.”

Sarah shook her head. Obviously there must be a reason. She officially had her third enemy.

“They must really want me.” She gave the priest one last hug, and this time, there was a tear in

her own eye.

Jules led the way through the lush green grass to the front of the huge stone church. They

blended in with all the other priests in monk’s robes, exiting through the two giant oak doors.

Sarah’s mouth dropped. Reality came crashing down at the sight of hundreds of knights on

horses, all there with one mission: to behead her. Shudders rocked her body. She couldn’t give in

to her fear, though—not when her life and the lives of so many others depended on her. She

forced herself forward, gazing only at the ground, trying to gain her composure. She hoped that

if she didn’t look, her heart would stop beating so fast, but the closer she inched, the more her

hands started to sweat. Her nerves felt like they were fraying like the bottom of her borrowed

robe with every step she took.

The knights swarmed the place, waiting for the moment she’d come out of hiding, as if they

were cats and she the mouse.

Taking a deep breath, she started limping as she clung to the staff, hoping it might throw

them off her trail. Her heart pounded as she swerved between two knights on black horses. A

horse neighed, and Sarah nearly jumped out of her skin. She wasn’t sure if her nerves could take

another moment of it. She took a deep breath and focused on seeing her sister’s face again.

“Sorry about that, Father,” a knight to her right said.

She nodded and tried to understand his logic. He was sorry his horse had scared a priest, but

he seemingly had no qualms about killing an unarmed woman for no apparent reason other than

identity theft. What kind of place is this? Is that their idea of justice? She hobbled along, and in

no time, they came to the edge of the city where knights guarded the perimeter.

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“Halt!” a knight ordered.

She peered up past the black horse to the red tunic covering the guy’s chainmail.

“Let us pass so we can get more bread from the next village,” Jules said. “No one told us

about the extra guests.”

“You intend to feed our troops?”

“Indeed,” Frank said. “We just need a few supplies—some wine, bread, and potato chips.”

Potato chips? Sarah nudged him. It was no time for making jokes.

“Splendid, Father.” The knight lifted his visor, his brown eyes shining at the thought of

filling his stomach with a free meal and then plundering the village.

“What is your answer then?” Jules prompted impatiently.

Sarah kept her head down and bit her lip, waiting for the soldier’s answer, her heart

pounding hard.

The knight motioned his colleagues to clear a path. “Let them pass to go for provisions!”

The others obediently took a few steps back.

Sarah let out a tiny sigh of relief and walked into the forest, taking swift but measured

footsteps so she wouldn’t look conspicuous. Either the disguise or the kind priest’s prayers had

worked—or maybe a little of both.

An animal snort, along with the sound of thundering hooves echoed behind them. She spun

around to see a group of knights approaching, and her hands began to tremble. She frowned.

The knight’s hand moved to the hilt of his sword as he inched closer. “Wait, you.” His hard

gaze focused on Sarah. “Hello, Father.”

She swallowed hard, words frozen in her throat. Sweat gathered across her brows, and her

pulse started to race again. Their plan was falling apart, she knew it, yet she wasn’t about to go

down without a fight, dressed like a clergyman or not.

“I’m sorry,” Frank chimed in. “He’s a mute. I can translate for him if you’d like. I know the

language of hand signs.”

The knight didn’t tear his gaze off Sarah. “Ask him why he’s wearing pearl earrings in his

ears. Is he blind as well as dumb?”

She took in a sharp breath, marveling at her own stupidity. Crap! How could I have

forgotten to remove those?

“Oh. I am sorry, sir, for the confusion, but it is our way of penance, a punishment to purify a

troubled soul and thoughts,” Frank said, unfazed.

“Really?” He let out a chuckle. “Ask him this. What is it like to be married to the most evil

man in the entire world?”

“We don’t marry,” Jules said.

“Perhaps you don’t, but I can assure you she does.” The knight dismounted. In two long

strides, he reached her and yanked down her hood and glasses. “We’ve finally got you!” he

hissed, the stench of his breath floating into Sarah’s nostrils.

“Get away from me!” she spat, her anger flaring.

His hand clasped around hers, and his eyes lingered on the ring. “She wears the mark of the

Immortals! Seize them!” Pointing at the others, he drew his sword out of his sheath, his cold

stare meeting hers once again. “My Queen, for your crimes, you are hereby sentenced to death.”

“No!” She shook her head, willing her magical powers to make an appearance, but nothing

happened. Whatever the Immortal thing was, it didn’t work on command. In her time, Frank or

someone like him would have debunked those so-called powers ages ago. Her heart thundered in

her chest.

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Jules and Frank shouted from behind.

The sun caught in the soldier’s blade as he raised it over his head, ready to strike. “I promise

that I shall make this as quick and painless as possible, Highness. Your friends won’t feel a thing

either,” he said with a laugh that told her he was lying about that part.

“No!” she screamed, her heart pounding in her ears.

He turned to the other knights. “Get her in position.”

Sarah glared, and a few soldiers backed away.

“Do not fear her!” a knight said. “She’s merely an infant, a baby Immortal who ran away

from her teacher. She doesn’t know a thing about her powers or how to wield them.”

How could this be the end? Maybe I can appeal to him emotionally, make one last-ditch

effort. She looked deeply into his eyes as a knight jerked her to her knees. “Please stop this! Put

that thing down. You don’t want to kill me.” A burst of heat spread through her forehead.

He stared at her, wide-eyed. For a moment, all color drained from his face, as though he had

just seen a ghost. Then his cheeks turned red and his eyes beady.

She stared at him, frowning, wondering what was happening to him.

The soldier’s hand waved, his sword dangling over her head menacingly.

She shook her head.

He imitated the action, then put the sword away ever so slowly. His voice came low, barely

louder than a whisper. “I don’t want to kill you, miss, but you’re still under arrest.” He had a

grim line perched on his forehead, his hands clenched as though he was leading an inner battle.

“You did it!” Jules whispered.

She stared at him as realization kicked in. Maybe this Immortal ability business isn’t a hoax

after all. She couldn’t believe it was so easy, but ultimately, it worked! She’d somehow managed

to tap into his softer side, appealed to the part of him that did not want to harm or kill a helpless

woman. But being arrested wasn’t going to help her situation. She knew somebody else, some

heartless individual, would just do the dirty deed and behead her in a second.

A knight gripped her arms behind her back. Pain surged through her body, blinding her for a

second. In spite of the burning sensation, she struggled against his strong hold hissing, “Let go of

me!” Another burst of intense heat flooded her mind, weakening her against the pictures that

threatened to form before her eyes.

His grip loosened.

Sarah swung around, baffled. What is going on? He’s listening to my commands. Where did

this ability come from? She didn’t know what kind of power it was, but she planned to use it to

her full advantage. “You’ll command your men to let me and my friends go. This is a big

misunderstanding. Let us go so we can bring back food for the feast.”

His head bowed, and he looked at the other soldiers. “My mistake, milady. You and these

men are free to go.”

Another knight stepped forward, shaking his head vehemently. “Sir, you can’t do that! She’s

put a hex on you. Our orders clearly state that—”

Sarah gazed into his green eyes, drops of sweat rolling down her forehead. Anger built up

inside of her. How dare he question his superior? She closed her eyes against the building surge

of electricity pouring through her. Her body jerked in convulsions, and she couldn’t move. Am I-

-paralyzed? It was as if she had absolutely no control of her body. She gasped and lifted her

hands. No…I CAN move! As she opened her eyes, a wind whipped through her hair and rose to a

fierce howl. Lightning flashed; thunder cracked. Ice-cold drops of rain fell from the sky, cooling

off her hot skin.

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“Seize her!” yelled the man in charge.

“Ain’t happening!” she yelled back. She gasped as she gazed down at her hands; they were

glimmering, glowing with energy. Without warning, red balls of light centered in the palms of

her hands, some kind of sparking electricity. What the heck? Where did the wizard-like powers

even come from? They didn’t even fizzle with the rain. It was freaky but she decided she might

as well put them to good use, especially with soldiers bolting in her direction, swords drawn. She

threw crackling balls of fire from her outstretched hands. Dirt and leaves exploded all around

them, as if she was tossing grenades on the battlefield.

“We can’t take on an Immortal with unstable power,” a knight said.

“We’ll get reinforcements. Let’s go!” The leader pulled on his reins and steered his horse

back toward the perimeter, his group trailing behind in a hurry.

Sarah blinked the dripping rain out of her eyes. She whipped a few more balls of energy

toward the departing knights just as a precaution. The fireballs only slammed haphazardly into

tree trunks, but she had to scare them at all costs while she still possessed the weird power; she

didn’t want them to come back anytime soon. The horses whinnied in terror, and more shouts

echoed as clouds of dirt, bark, and mud exploded high into the air. There! That should do it.

Gazing down, she watched her hands instantly turn back to their normal color. She sucked in a

deep breath and tried to control the trembling in her hands. She gazed out ahead at the billowing

smoke that hung over the trail of smoldering fires—fires she’d created with her very own hands.

She watched the rain extinguish the flames.

Jules and Frank rushed over as she stared at the splintered tree trunks.

How the heck did I do that? But it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was that they

were alive and breathing. She wiped her forehead with the long sleeve of her wet cloak. Relief

flooded through her as she grabbed Frank’s hand, and they slowly walked deeper into the woods,

her legs threatening to give way beneath her, her forehead still on fire.

The rain ceased, and the sunshine peeked out from behind a pile of fluffy clouds.

“You did it, babe!” Frank said. “What kind of superpowers are you sporting anyway?”

She heaved a sigh. “I’ve got no idea. That was just…weird.”

He let go of her hand. “You’re burning up, Sarah. Are you running a fever?”

Beads of sweat rolled down her back. Her clothes were soaked in an instant. “I feel like I’m

being sautéed in a frying pan, like stir fry. I haven’t a clue how to work these powers. I’m

navigating through them blindly. Wish you guys had the Web somewhere,” she said to Jules. “I

could Google them.”

“Web? I am not sure what a spider would be able to do for you,” Jules said, causing Sarah

and Frank to roll their eyes at one another. Then he averted his eyes to the ground and said in a

whisper, “But Victor could teach you.”

Frank rolled his eyes again. “Just drop it, will ya?”

Victor! His sapphire-blue eyes flashed in her head. She could hear his voice roll across her

mind, repeating those precious wedding vows to her in the sweetest and most sincere way: vows

he intended to keep, at least for that first day. She remembered how her hand had trembled as

he’d placed the ring on her finger, the touch of his lips, the way he’d held her, the passion they’d

experienced in such a short time. Her heartbeat spiked. He probably didn’t know what to make of

me—a woman who talks back, talks of things he’s never heard of, and runs away. But she

couldn’t forget that he had a dangerous side, and he might just kill her the moment he captured

her. She needed to focus on saving her friends, finding her sister, and getting the heck out of

Dodge. She didn’t have time for Superpowers for Dummies 101, instructed by Victor the

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Conqueror. “I’m going to take a rain check. Now let’s go find my team. We have an execution to

stop.”

“Follow me then,” Jules said. “The village we are headed to isn’t a pretty sight. Just to warn

you, the people living there will beg you for money, food, and anything they can get their hands

on. They are starving, for their cattle have died in the drought, and the ground is too dry for their

crops to grow.”

Sarah let out a slow breath. “That’s awful. My heart goes out to them,” she said, and it truly

did. She’d been supporting charities since the second she’d received her very first paycheck,

clear back when she was sixteen. In spite of the fact that some of her pursuers thought her evil,

Sarah had a heart of gold and wanted to help the less fortunate.

Hours later, they arrived. Within minutes, a little boy ran up to her with dirty cheeks and greasy

hair. “A visitor!” he shouted. “Can you spare me anything to eat?”

Sarah knelt down, her heart melting at the sight of his big brown eyes. “What’s your name?”

“Edward.”

She handed him a gold coin and whispered, “Use this to put something in your tummy,

Edward.” She watched him as he scurried away, smiling, then turned back to Jules. Edward

didn’t strike her as a boy from a poor country with a swollen head and belly, eating from trash

piles, yet she couldn’t help but offer some token of support. “Jules, what does the face of hunger

look like?”

“You just hugged it,” whispered Jules.

Tears welled up in Sarah’s eyes. She vowed to somehow help this village, even it meant

giving away all her gold.

A red and orange sunset glowed in the sky. Sarah took a deep breath, hoping they had made

it in time. Her friends were to be executed at sunset, and she still blamed herself for their

predicament. Why did I have to pick the Sabrino Cave area to hold those stupid expeditions? Liz

had disappeared from that same place, yet she risked the lives of her team by dragging them

there. Waves of guilt washed through her as she watched peasants with sunken cheeks walk

around the village square in simple robes and cloaks. Jules wasn’t kidding: The villagers were

absolutely starving. She noticed that small stone buildings lined the streets, and she wondered if

her friends were meant to be executed in a jail cell or put on display.

She noticed a red-haired woman squinting in the dust, rocking a crying baby. Her frightened

blue eyes glistened with desperation. A little barefoot girl with the same long, red hair clung to

her mother’s side. Her bony arms and legs stuck out from baggy clothes. A shabby dress covered

in patches of dirt hung from her shoulders.

“Jules, is there any milk for the babies?” Sarah asked.

He shook his head, wearing a grave expression. “Without cattle to give it, no.”

The woman pulled on her sleeve. “Please help me and my little ones. Do you have anything

to eat? Anything? I cannot bear to watch my children die.”

Sarah’s heart sank. She had never witnessed world hunger in person, and suddenly all those

infomercials and commercials had a whole new meaning for her. “I don’t have any food, but I

have money.” With shaking fingers, she reached inside her bag and pulled out a few gold coins.

“Oh, thank you for your kindness, miss! You have given my children a few more days to

live!” Tears streaked the woman’s face as she bowed at Sarah’s feet, kissing the tattered hem of

her robe.

“Please,” Sarah said, helping her up, meeting the surprised expression in the woman’s gaze.

“Go with God…and feed your children and yourself.”

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The woman nodded and darted off down the cobbled street, pulling her daughter along.

“I see a crowd gathered over there.” Frank pointed. “We better check it out.”

Weaving through the crowd, Sarah peered closer. Adam, Steven, and Beth were all bound to

long wooden stakes in the ground. A group of townspeople surrounded them, shouting

obscenities and waving torches. Sarah’s mouth dropped; it was medieval torture at its finest,

being burned at the stake. “This is outrageous! I cannot let them roast my friends.”

“Better hurry up then,” Jules said. “Do you have a plan to save them?”

Frank craned his neck. “It’s hard to see with all these people. We’re just going to have to

wing it. Maybe you can use those powers of yours, Sarah.”

Sarah took a closer look. A pile of wood was arranged by their feet, along with small

bundles of sticks and straw. One spark, and her friends would be doomed. She shook her head.

“I’m not sure, Frank. I don’t know how to control it yet. What if I accidentally ignite them? I

already feel awful enough about this. I could never live with that.”

Jules touched Sarah’s arm. “Tell them you’re Princess Gloria.”

She nodded, even though she knew she was about to sign her death sentence. Making her

way through the sea of people, Sarah hoped it would work, or else she’d be burning right along

with her team. She wondered if fire would kill her, but even if it didn’t she was sure it’d hurt like

crazy.

As Sarah pushed past a stick-thin woman to the front, Beth spotted her and screamed out her

name.

Sarah gazed up into her pale face and terrified green eyes. Her long blonde hair was a dirty

mess. “Shh! Beth, I’m going to get you out of here.”

“Hurry!” Adam said, struggling against his bindings.

“The roast’s about to start any minute,” Steven hissed. “Since we’re the main course, this is

one dinner I’d rather miss.”

“I’m doing all I can.” Sarah’s gaze fell on a man with long black hair and a matching beard.

Somehow, he stood out from the cheering crowd as he stood by her friends. Maybe it was the

glint in his eyes or the serious expression, as though he didn’t quite enjoy the display like all the

others. She straightened her back and marched over to him, regarding the guards as she

whispered, “Please, sir, I beg you to stop this execution.”

The man glared at her. “Get back with the others, miss, or we’ll have another fire to light.”

“But—”

He turned his back on her as he addressed the crowd. “These thieves were caught stealing a

loaf of bread that’d just been dropped off by a friend from the next village. Now they must pay

for their crimes. What do we do with thieves?”

“Hang ‘em!” the crowd cheered.

“Nobody steals from us. NOBODY!” a man yelled.

“We don’t have enough to feed our own children, yet they steal bread for themselves!” a

woman screeched. “Kill them now! That will teach them and other would-be thieves a thing or

two about greed!”

Sarah groaned inwardly. Her ability to read people was awfully off track, as she had thought

the man might have something remotely gracious within him. Like the rest, his smile likely only

meant he was already imagining the gruesome details of the execution about to take place before

his eyes.

“My baby hasn’t eaten in two days!” someone yelled.

Sarah had to stop the madness, even if it meant sacrificing her own life. Slowly, she rose

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from her cowering position. Her gaze met Frank’s somewhere in the distance, but she ignored his

questioning frown. Her voice came low, then increased in volume as she gathered more courage.

“I’m Princess Gloria, and I demand you stop this nonsense now.” To prove her point, she lifted

her hand to flash her ring.

The bearded guy bowed, deeply muttering, “Your Highness.”

The crowd fell silent and followed suit.

Now that she had their respect, she demanded, “Release these prisoners.”

“With all due respect, milady, our orders come straight from your father, who despises

thievery more than anything,” the bearded guy said.

She watched in horror as he retrieved what looked like an axe from behind his cloak. Not

only did she suck at reading people, but she gathered that her sixth sense and ability to pick up

any dangerous undercurrents must suck too.

The man continued, “Please step aside.”

Taking a deep breath, she thought back to what Jules had said. She was an Immortal now,

and immortality did come with a few perks. She had no idea how it all worked, but she had to

give it a try. “I demand that you stop this execution right now!” A pang of heat burst through her

head, making her wobble on her feet for a second. Maybe the ability of influencing someone’s

mind is connected to emotion. It had surely worked when the knight had planned on executing

her.

The executioner laughed, his eyes glinting with malice. “Trying your parlor tricks on me? I

know how to block you out. You Immortals are really something, and you? You’re not even that

strong. Stick to the weak-minded, young one.”

She smirked. Great. Even strong-willed humans can block me out. Irritated, she blew out a

breath and walked back over to Frank and Jules. “It’s not working! We need a Plan B…pronto.

You two got any more bright ideas?”