ETHERNAL VOWS <part-4>
Author:
Sarah stared at her three friends tied to long poles, awaiting their fiery fate. Her heart
lurched. “So? What’s the plan?”
“We could try creating a riot,” Frank said.
Jules cocked a brow. “That may work. We could force a fight in the crowd. It might be
enough of a distraction to pass through without further incident.”
“It’s worth a shot.” Sarah tilted her head, considering his suggestion. For once, Frank’s idea
wasn’t such a bad one, particularly since pretending to be Princess Gloria didn’t work. “Look
over there by that wood pile. See Steven’s black camera bag in the straw?”
Frank nodded.
Sarah continued, “Maybe you should show them some of our technology. We could pretend
it wields great and dangerous magic.”
“Why me?”
She rolled her eyes. “Obviously because Jules has no idea how to use the stuff, and everyone
knows my face.”
Frank groaned. “Do you remember what used to happen to anyone who dared to brew tea
from some herbs?”
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She shook her head, grinning.
“Think pyre and lots of fire…and surely not for roast beef.”
“You got any other brilliant ideas then?”
He sighed and pushed his hood further down his face. “All right. I get it. We could film me
commanding them to let the others go, threatening to send down hail and brimstone if they don’t
cooperate. Then we could play it back to them.”
The crowd cheered, excited again at the prospect of murder and suffering. How can they be
so excited about killing people? “I’ll sneak over and grab the bag,” Sarah said.
Without waiting for Frank’s answer, she took a few steps forward, bumping into a broad
guy. She glanced at the executioner, who now held up a torch as a priest gave last rights. She’d
never seen Beth so freaked out. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she pleaded for them
to change their minds.
“Hurry!” Frank hissed.
“No!” Jules said, grabbing the edge of Sarah’s cloak. “Come to think of it, Frank’s plan is a
better idea. We should go with a distraction. We don’t need them trying Frank and me as
witches. I’d rather not leave it to you to save us all.”
She turned to Frank. “So which is better? Distraction or magic?”
Before he could answer, Beth let out a wailing shriek. The executioner lit the straw beneath
them.
Sarah gasped as her stomach lurched. Without another thought, her Immortal reflexes took
over, and she blew at the tiny flames, extinguishing them with one single breath.
“Powers like that can only come from an immortal being.” The executioner’s gaze shot
straight to the crowd, focusing on Sarah. “You can’t stop this, Highness.” He nodded at a
monster-sized muscular man. “Seize her!”
Pain shot through her as he grabbed her arms from behind and dragged her on her heels
through the crowd. “No!” she shouted. Without her, her friends didn’t stand a chance. They were
all as good as dead.
Suddenly, a man charged into the crowd, yelling, “She’s dead! Mella’s drowned. I need a
healer! Only a healer can save her.” The crowd turned toward him as he laid down a woman on
the ground, her face blue and swollen, her brown hair dripping wet. Cries and shrieks echoed
through the crowd. For a moment, the attention was drawn away from the execution to the crying
man cradling the woman’s head.
“But…but she’s dead already!” shouted a man.
Sarah jerked out of the man’s grasp. When he grabbed her arm again, she flung him into the
crowd as if he weighed nothing more than a fly. Somehow, emotion was connected to her
powers, but she wasn’t sure how to use it just yet. She inched closer when she noticed the
woman’s finger twitching, indicating that there might be some life still lingering in her. Without
giving it another thought, she rushed over and knelt down, placing her ear over the woman’s
mouth to hear or feel for air. Nothing. Putting two fingers on her neck, she felt for a pulse. None.
“Frank!”
He nodded and positioned himself at the woman’s chest. “Two-person CPR? What’s the
ratio?”
Sarah looked up at Beth, still tied to the pole. “It’s been years. I don’t remember. How
many?”
“Thirty to two,” she answered.
Sarah titled the woman’s head back and pinched her nostrils closed. Bending forward, she
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blew two breaths into her blue-lipped mouth.
Frank started chest compressions. “One and two and three and…”
“Gentle CPR won’t save her life!” yelled Beth. “Pump hard and fast. Push on her chest hard
enough to compress the heart. Depress the chest wall about the width of an 800-page book. We
need uninterrupted chest compressions of about 100 a minute.”
The man grabbed Frank’s shoulders, his face a mask of fury. “Get off of my wife, you freak
of nature!”
“We’re only trying to help,” Sarah whispered.
“Listen, mister,” Beth yelled, “give them a chance. It might look strange, but they’ll bring
her back to life.”
“Why would anyone kiss the dead, unless they’re dead themselves?” the husband hissed.
“Untie me,” Beth said. “I’m a nurse…a healer. I can save your wife.”
“It’s a trick!” a woman yelled. “The dead are beyond healing.”
Sarah gazed into the man’s eyes. “Do it! She isn’t dead yet, but we’re losing her. You’re
wasting precious seconds that we need to save your wife’s life.”
He looked down at his wife and then up at the executioner, nodding. “Release the healer!”
Sarah’s attention focused back on the CPR. There was no way she was going to let the poor
woman die.
An instant later, Beth appeared beside her and took Frank’s position, starting chest
compressions. Sarah shot her a bitter smile, then focused on her breathing again.
The crowd fell silent, countless eyes peering at them. Sarah could feel beads of sweat
gathering above her brows as she tried to ignore their probing gazes.
After several minutes passed, Beth finally said, “Got a pulse.”
The frail woman coughed, and water gushed out of her mouth. Her color went from blue to
pink.
Her husband scooped her up in his arms, stroking her hair. “Oh, Mella!” He looked up at
Sarah, then Frank and Beth. “Thank you! I cannot allow my wife’s saviors to be harmed, let
alone killed. You saved my precious Mella. As magistrate of this village, I offer you pardon.”
Glancing at the executioner, he ordered, “Untie the others. These people are free to go.”
Tears welled up in Sarah’s eyes as she met the magistrate’s eyes. “Thank you.” Sarah
reached for her bag of gold and untied it. The villagers needed food, and she was going to do
whatever she could to help. People surrounded her and started to shove and bump her as she tried
to hand out coins. Getting trampled wasn’t in her plan, so she threw the gold up in the air and
watched it fall like rain over the villagers’ heads. The crowd screamed with delight and
scrambled for the coins, like children searching for candy from a broken piñata.
Beth pulled Sarah to her chest, tears shimmering in her eyes as she whispered, “That was so
generous. I’m so happy to see you, girl.”
Sarah hugged her back tight. “Think I was going to let you guys fry?” From the corner of
her eye, she noticed Frank helping to untie the others.
As soon as his hands were free, Steven hurried over and grabbed his camera bag, checking it
over as if it was his child.
“Yes, your camera’s lovely. You won’t even find a scratch. We’re all great, too, just in case
you were wondering,” Beth said.
“Let’s cruise out of here before these medieval nutcases change their minds,” Steven said to
Beth once he realized his camera was, in fact, fine.
Adam scooped Sarah up and swung her around. “I owe you dinner, big time. You know
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what I’ve been thinking?”
“What?” Sarah loved his sparkling blue-green eyes and his laugh too. She looked up to him
like a big brother.
“We’re not in California anymore.”
“Gee, really? I didn’t even notice.” Sarah rolled her eyes, smiling.
Adam’s eyes grew wide. “I saw…all of us saw the creatures for the very first time. It was
mind-blowing! Did you see them?”
“I did! It was spectacular. I even managed to snap a few pics.”
“I knew they were real! I searched all over the world for them. Native Americans have been
talking about mythical giant apes for centuries, and in legends handed down through the ages
from Europe and Asia. And I saw them firsthand!” Adam could barely contain his excitement.
Sarah smiled. “It’s an amazing discovery!”
“I must be on my way now,” Jules announced. “Walk two hours north toward your
destination. There, you will find a cave that should be safe for you to camp in for the night. It’s
used all the time to escape immortal beings or hide things from them.”
“What?” she asked.
“As long as you are near or in the cave, Victor won’t be able to find you.”
“So it breaks the signal and keeps me off his radar. And he can’t find me?”
He nodded yes and then waved. “Goodbye, dear friends.”
Sarah nodded, a tight sensation choking her. “Thanks, Jules. I hope we’ll meet again. Send
Mia our love.”
“I will. Just do not forget your promise to obtain the Gold Minerals of Life.”
“I won’t.” Sarah watched him smile and walk away.
Around them, the crowd had started to disperse, hurrying home after a long afternoon, some
of them rushing off to buy much-needed food and supplies with the coins she’d shared. The sky
had turned a dirty shade of gray, promising a cold night and possible rain. Even the air smelled
damp, carrying the heavy promise of precipitation. If they were going to reach the cave before
nightfall, they had to be on their way. Much to Sarah’s relief, the knights had long since
disappeared, leaving no trace of their presence, as though they had never been looking for her.
“Ready to leave, guys?” she called out to the others.
Frank nodded and wrapped his arm around Sarah’s waist. Adam scowled as they walked
down the well-worn path past several dilapidated cottages with candles burning on the
windowsills and smoke rising from the chimneys.
They had barely reached a large meadow away from the village when darkness rushed in too
quickly, a silver moon appearing in the sky. Sarah looked up at the black sky, worried and
wondering if they’d be able to find the cave in the darkness. “You know what really bugs me?”
she whispered to Frank.
“Besides me?”
“Well, yeah. How does it manage to get dark so quickly?”
He shrugged as though he didn’t care, but she could discern the deep set lines around his
mouth.
“Dude, nice ring.” Steven pointed at her finger. “Didn’t know you were so loaded, buying
antique jewelry and all. Otherwise I’d have charged more for my services.”
Sarah smiled and held up her hand. Any other would’ve pissed her off with such a remark,
but Steven was quite the joker. He was bound to be forgiven for his trespasses.
Beth touched the ring, her eyes lighting up. “Now that’s a rock! How did you get it?”
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Before Sarah could answer, she saw Adam shove Frank in the chest. He hissed, “She’s way
too good for you, and you know it.”
They were fighting like two gorillas squaring off over a banana. Her team hated Frank more
than anything, mostly because he’d spent his life trying to prove researchers wrong, and he’d
been debunking their hard work for years.
Why couldn’t Adam behave? After all, he was the oldest out of the bunch, maybe in his late
thirties. He smoothed out his brown hair to one side before putting his fedora hat back on. He
was a true explorer if there ever was one, traveling from one part of the world to the other. He
was definitely an asset to the team when he kept his temper in check.
“What’s your problem?” Frank yelled. “I just saved your sorry butt.”
“You’re my problem, punk.” Adam shoved him again. “I’d rather be here with anyone but
you. I don’t see why Sarah told you the location of our expedition.”
“I didn’t tell him,” Sarah hissed. “He found us on his own. You know he’s a journalist…and
apparently a stalker.”
Frank ran a hand through his hair. “I know you guys are pissed about some of my articles,
but get your crap together. We’re in a different dimension here. Obviously, getting out of here is
much more important than rehashing who did what to whom back in the twenty-first century.”
“You debunked us by name in that trash book you wrote.” Adam clenched his fists. “I
should sue you for slander.”
Frank shrugged. “Suit yourself, but I’m pretty sure you won’t find an attorney here. You
have to get home first, and that might be difficult since I’ve no intention to save your ass a
second time.”
Adam lunged, the vein on his forehead ready to burst any minute.
Steven grabbed his arm and held him back. “Listen, man, we got bigger problems. He’s so
not worth it.”
“He made us look like the laughingstocks of California,” Adam said. Even though he was
still fuming, he took Steven’s advice and backed off. “I can’t believe Sarah would ever date a
guy like that, let alone let him put his arm around her. Are you two shacking up or something
now, Sarah? Sleeping with the enemy?”
As much as she would’ve liked to have convinced him otherwise, Steven was right. They
had other worries to take care of first. Frank was often obnoxious, as were the claims he made in
his book, but alienating him wasn’t an option. They needed all the manpower they could get, and
he’d risked his hide more than once to save her. “It’s none of your business who I spend my time
with. We’re all stuck here, so quit acting like preschoolers. Let’s figure out how to find my sister
and then get the heck out of here!”
He looked at her, shaking his head slowly. “I don’t think you’re running this expedition
anymore, boss.”
“That last word said it all.” She smirked. “As long as I’m paying you, you’ll do as I say, and
as of right now, you’re still on my payroll.”
“Fine then. You’re the boss.”
“Wait…Liz? Your sister’s here?” Beth asked.
“I’ll explain later.” With a last warning look at Adam, Sarah turned and focused on the path
ahead.
To both sides, large trees stretched as far as she could see, their thick canopy of leaves
filtering the last natural light of the day. Branches and twigs snapped under their booted feet, the
only noise exchanged between them until Beth resumed the conversation after a few minutes of
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walking. “So, you’re back with Frank? I thought you two split up.”
What is this? Why can’t people butt out of my private life? She opened her mouth to answer
when Frank slipped his arm around her, beating her to it. “Listen, all you enquiring minds, we’re
trying to work things out here. Digging up dirt isn’t going to help our blossoming relationship, so
just shut the hell up, will ya?”
“You’re unbelievable! Such an idiot,” Beth said, unfazed. She went to slap Frank’s face, but
he caught her hand.
“Listen, Beth, don’t start on me too. I hope we can all be friends.”
She rolled her eyes. “Not a chance.”
Steven turned on his camera and started filming the trees and narrow path. “Come on, man,
that’s enough. Everybody stop. I apologize for their behavior, Sarah. Being stuck here with
Frank Hedford is the pits, but we’re also stressed. You’ve no idea what we’ve been through.
Fortunately, I caught it all on film.”
Sarah grabbed the camera and looked directly into the lens, anger edging her voice. “On the
contrary, I just might have a feeling. It hasn’t exactly been champagne and caviar, limos and
five-star hotels for us either. We’ve gone through quite a bit ourselves.”
Adam adjusted his fedora against the gust of wind blowing in their direction. “Well, we
almost died countless times. Like Steven said, you’ve absolutely no idea.”
Sarah waved her finger in the air, showing off her ruby ring. “Well, you poor, poor babies. I
mean, I was only mistaken for a princess and thrown in a dungeon crawling with bugs and rats. I
was then forced to marry the king of Tastia, who just so happens to be an Immortal eager to
impregnate me with a whole freaking medieval baseball team. He slapped this ring on my finger,
and I can’t get it off, and now fireballs shoot out of my hands.” She took a breath and gathered
her thoughts. “Oh, and did I mention I pissed him off by running away, and Frank and I had to
fake being monks to escape him and his knights? If that’s not bad enough, the king of Dornia is
pissed at me, too, and this is his turf. He wants me dead too. There’s also a group of Immortals
who want to kill me because I became one without their permission, which is how I managed to
get shot in the heart, and I’m not talking about eighties music here.”
Steven laughed. “Wait…fireballs? Shot in the heart? And you’re…married to a king? Wow,
Sarah, you should start writing fiction. You’re pulling my leg. If someone shot you, you’d be
dead as a stone, sweetheart.”
“She ain’t kidding,” Frank muttered. “And remember, I’m the skeptic here. I saw it all for
myself.”
Sarah nodded. “Yes, I was shot directly in the heart and the back as well. I had to walk
disguised as a monk through a village of knights whose only goal in life was to behead me. So
Adam, do fill me in on your little horror story, won’t you? I’d love to hear it.”
Beth put an arm around her. “You were mistaken for a princess? And you married a king?
Seriously? How come that stuff doesn’t happen to me?”
Sarah smacked her hand. “Stop it.”
Beth laughed. “But blondes are supposed to have more fun.”
Steven gave her a fist bump. “Yeah, baby! Us blonds have to stick together.”
She smiled, and then continued. “Is this king a good kisser? Was it nice and slow or fast and
furious? And more importantly, if he was any kind of kisser at all, what in God’s name are you
doing traipsing around poor villages and sleeping in caves when you could be sleeping in one of
those fancy canopy beds ordering room service from the royal kitchen?”
“That’s enough!” Frank hissed.
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“Oh!” Beth squealed. “Even better? Is he hot?”
“How about we don’t go there right now?” Frank asked.
Beth smiled. “Jealous? Bet you never thought you’d have any competition here, of all
places. If I were you, Frank, I’d be worried—for more reasons than one. Just look at the muscles
on some of these guys. A knight in shining armor is every girl’s dream…and don’t even get me
started on the dark hair and broodiness.”
“Ain’t that the truth?” Sarah said as Victor’s face flashed across her mind. “Actually, it was
Frank’s brilliant idea for me to marry the king, when he came to rescue me like a knight in
shining armor.”
Steven cocked an eyebrow. “Say what?”
“Long story,” Frank said.
Adam ran his hand across Sarah’s forehead. “How hard did you hit your head, boss?”
“You better get your employee on a short leash, Sarah, or I’m going to slug him into next
week,” said Frank, “or maybe last week. God knows around here.”
Beth cleared her throat. When everyone fell silent and she had their attention, she said,
“While our little Sarah here was busy joining the royal family and impersonating a monk, we’ve
discovered a few things. The cave’s still here, but there’s no portal back home. We tried to snoop
around for a bit longer, but a ton of Bigfoots—or is it Bigfeet?—chased us out of the forest.”
“And I got it all on tape.” Steven’s voice went up an octave. “Six o’clock news, here we
come! No—better yet—Discovery Channel!”
“There’s a way back,” Frank said. “You just need a key. Bet you didn’t know that part.”
“Frank!” Sarah elbowed him in the ribs. “Don’t be rude. Just because you stumbled across
that little tidbit of information doesn’t mean you knew it all along. You got lucky.”
“Hmm. I don’t recall getting lucky…yet.”
“Shut up. I meant you got lucky with Jules…er, uh…” Sarah smacked her forehead and
scowled at him. “You know what I mean.”
“A key?” Steven asked, interrupting their chiding. “How exactly do we get one of those? I
haven’t seen a Ye Olde Portal Locksmith shop around here yet,” Steven asked.
“I’m wearing it.” Sarah held up her hand.
Steven pointed the camera down at her ring. “Awesome. Then what are we waiting for?”
Sarah rolled her eyes. “I told you I have to find my sister first. She’s here. She’s been here
all along.”
“I thought you were delusional,” Adam said. “You’re for real?” When she nodded he
continued, “Let’s hurry up then. This is a dangerous place. We can’t stay here one minute longer
than we have to.”
“I’m carrying the key, so you know what that means, right?”
A couple of them nodded, but Adam just shook his head. “No. What?”
“It means everyone plays by my rules,” Sarah said. “Got it? I’m the one who married a
complete stranger so we could all go home.”
Steven nodded. In the darkness, his pale skin and huge blue eyes gave him the appearance of
a teenager. No one would’ve guessed he was at least her age. “Got it, boss. You went through
some tough times, just like we all did.”
“Yeah. We were chased by a dragon south of here,” Beth said. “Can you believe that? A
real-live dragon! Of course I guess it could have also been a dinosaur that hasn’t gone extinct
yet.”
Steven smiled. “Yeah…and I got it all on tape!” He put his camera away in a giant bag and
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swung it over his shoulder.
“I wonder if that tops the shape-shifters that turned from wolves into people,” Sarah said.
“Whoa!” Steven’s voice raised another octave. “We need an entire expedition with at least
fifty researchers.”
“We better go. I’ve already made enough enemies in this place,” said Sarah as she scanned
her surroundings.
“Tell me more about the men trying to kill you,” Beth requested.
“Define kill. If you mean kill immediately, on sight, that would be King William’s men. If
you’re talking kill after a speedy and slanted trial, that’d be the Immortals, some group called the
Cardashian Court. If you’re talking about execution for being a runaway bride, that would be
King Victor.”
“Wow. Throw in the mafia, a couple of Terminators, and a motorcycle gang, and you’ve got
the makings of a real epic film here. You think you have enough killing machines after you?”
Steven asked.
“Let’s just hope the shape-shifters don’t get mad. We lied to them too,” Frank said. “The last
thing we need are a bunch of pissed-off werewolves after us. I guess you might say pissing
people off is our specialty.”
“Well, that’s no news to me when it comes to you,” Adam said, “but it’s not Sarah’s normal
M.O.”
Frank sighed. “Humph. In any case, there are several angry mobs hot on our trail. You might
think twice before traveling with us.”
“But you have the key,” Adam said.
“I guess you’re stuck with us then,” said Frank. “I hate to interrupt this meaningful, pleasant
conversation,” he continued, taking a deep breath and pointing behind him “but people with
torches and pitchforks are never a good sign, right?”
Sarah followed his line of vision to the crowd gathering in the distance. Village people—and
not the kind who liked to sing about the YMCA—were closing in from all sides, marching
closer. Her gaze fell on the two men riding on white horses, leading the congregation. The ruby
ring on the finger of one of them shimmered in the light as he lifted his arm to signal. “And
neither are Immortals,” she muttered. “I can see their rings.”
Beth squinted. “How can you possibly see that far?”
Sarah shrugged. “I guess being Immortal comes with a good vision plan. How are you guys
at fencing?”
“I’m no ninja,” Adam retorted.
Sarah backed up a few steps and glanced over her shoulder; they were at the edge of a steep
cliff with a roaring river below. “From the looks of it, maybe we should be more worried about
our diving skills. Everyone can swim, right?”
People hurried in their direction, the torches in their hands flickering in the breeze.
What the heck? Why the sudden 360? Listening closer, she could make out some of the
shouts.
“Kill the witch!”
“Evil be damned!”
“Death to the intruders!”
“Save our world!”
“Make them beg! Make them bleed! Kill them for their evil deeds!” shouted one particularly
creative mercenary who should have been equipped with a set of pompoms.
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She groaned, irritated. What makes them think we’re witches? Did the Immortals tell them
that? She took a glance over the cliff and shuddered. “Ready to do some nighttime cliff-diving,
team? I know I’m not, but it might be our only chance.”
“Well,” Frank said, “we’d better get to it while the adrenaline’s pumping. Let’s do this.”
She looked at the others. “You guys up for it?”
Shaking her head, Beth grabbed Sarah’s arm, her eyes filled with unspoken terror. “Sarah,
I…I can’t! I can’t do it.”
“Now’s not the time to wuss out on me, Beth.” Sarah gave her a shove forward. “This is
your life we’re talking about.”
“They’re getting closer!” Adam said.
“JUMP!” Sarah yelled.
“I can’t!” Beth screamed.
“Beth, you have to!”
“No, I mean I really…I can’t because…because—”
“Why not? C’mon! You can do it!”
“I can’t because I’m pregnant!” she said, shaking her head. It wasn’t exactly how she
wanted to break the news to everybody.
“Oh my gosh! Jump then, for the sake of your child. If you don’t, they will kill you. They’ll
kill all of us, because we’re not leaving you behind.”
Beth’s eyes wavered as she glanced over her shoulder. “Looks like I don’t have a choice.”
Taking a last breath and wiping the tears from her eyes, she leapt.
“GERONIMO!” Steven yelled as he jumped into the air, realizing the mob would have no
idea who he was paying homage to with his yell.
Sarah shot a glance over her shoulder at her Immortal pursuers. If she wanted to survive in
that mad world, she had to know what to look out for in the future. They weren’t wearing the
colors or bearing the crests of King William or King Victor. Their pale skin shimmered in the
bright light of the moon. She could discern their eye color, hazel and green, even from such a
distance, as well as the ruby-red glint of their Immortal jewelry.
“You’re going to the Cardashian Court!” the blond one yelled.
“Like hell I am,” Sarah mumbled. Daggers flew inches from her face. Before she could
move aside, one pierced her right shoulder blade. Another one flew into her chest, inches from
where the arrow had pierced her flesh before. She spun around and jumped just as another one
plunged deep into her back.
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The fire crackled as hot embers floated into the night air as they camped in the cave Jules
had clued them in on. Frank, Adam, and Steven had already fallen asleep.
Sarah smiled at Beth. “Looks like it’s just us gals.”
“Great,” she said. “Maybe you can fill me in on how you managed to tie the knot with that
gorgeous king…or even better, what’s up with you and Frank?”
Sarah hesitated. “I guess I can say it’s complicated on both counts.”
Beth grinned and sat down next to her. “I like complicated…and I’ve got all night. We don’t
need our beauty sleep as much as those three do,” she said, glancing back at the snoring men.
Sarah laughed. “You have a point.” She glanced down at the ring. “I married the guy
because I had no other choice,” she began, then went on to explain the entire story. It sounded
insane, even to her, and she was the one who’d lived through it.
Beth squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry. We’ll find your sister. I’m so glad you found out
she’s here in this place because the ‘not knowing part’ was killing you inside.”
Sarah nodded as tears welled up in her eyes.
“I know she’s a beautiful person. I can’t wait to meet her.”
“That means so much to me, Beth.”
“Let’s talk about the king. So he’s hot and a great kisser?” Beth asked.
Sarah’s heart fluttered. “Yes, the best kisser I’ve ever had.”
“Hmm. In that case, why would you feel so guilty about being drawn to him? I’d die to have
a powerful king chasing after me.”
“For one, I’m pretty sure the only part of me he wants is my head on a silver platter. In my
vision, it seemed like that wasn’t the case, but I don’t trust him. He could be trying to trick me so
he can drag me back to his castle for a public execution—to make an example of me since I
made a fool of him.”
Beth shook her head. “After the kiss you shared? Girlfriend, I don’t think so. I think that’s
what you’re telling yourself, but you’re just running from what you feel. You’ve been hurt by
men your entire life, so you put this shield up to protect yourself from any more pain. But
somehow, I think Victor has gotten past it. Something tells me you’ve fallen for him…hard.”
But I haven’t…have I? Sarah set her jaw, her eyes shifting to the flickering fire bathing half
of the cave in a soft glow. “Whatever. Nobody can fall in love that quick, especially with a
complete stranger who starts off by kidnapping you and throwing you in a dungeon.”
“You started off on the wrong foot. But he was in the middle of a war and thought you were
the enemy king’s daughter. He knows the truth now and things are different.” She grinned
widely. “You got it bad for him. Your eyes are a dead giveaway. You light up every time you say
his name.”
“You should have heard the pride in his voice when he introduced me as his wife to
everyone as he paraded me through the crowd of people. I had on this fancy wedding gown and
this gorgeous crown, and he looked so handsome. I felt like Cinderella, like I was in the middle
of some fairytale, some dream.”
“See?”
“But that’s just it. None of it was real.”
“How so? You were there. He was there. It was as real as this cave is—as real as that ring on
your finger, Sarah.”
“What I mean is that everything was based on a lie. He’d never marry a peasant like me.
He’s next in line to rule the Cardashian Court. And it won’t be long now, because their Immortal
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king is dying. Anyway, once he takes the title, it’ll make him the most powerful person in this
world. What would somebody like that want with somebody like me?”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. He knows the truth—that you’re not really the princess—yet
he still wants you.”
“The thing is, I can’t stop thinking about him.” Sarah smirked. “Especially that kiss.”
“How does Frank fit into this equation?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. Frank and I were kind of getting back together, but—”
“But your tall, dark, handsome King Kiss-a-lot is coming between the two of you?”
“Nobody has ever made me feel the way Victor did, and I hardly know him. I know it
sounds absolutely crazy. I don’t even understand it myself. We have this spark, this connection,
this passion, and this chemistry that blows me away. It’s amazing…yet it scares me. Frank was
the last straw, and it was because of him that I’d sworn off men. I just can’t win in the game of
love. I guess it’s fine for everyone else, but romance is not for me, fairytale or not.”
“It’s not just your eyes.”
“What?” Sarah asked.
“When you talk about your new husband, it’s not just your eyes that light up, but your entire
face and even your voice.”
Sarah giggled and gazed down at the ring, touching it, remembering how he’d slid it on and
declared his undying devotion. “Really? Even if he was telling the truth and doesn’t want to kill
me, I can’t spend my life here in this world. It’s not where I belong.”
“Follow your heart, Sarah. That’s the only way to know where you really belong.”
“You do realize they only say stuff like that in movies.”
Beth smirked. “Meh. It can happen in real life too.”
“I hope he’s not mad at me for knocking him out, but I can feel that he’s all right now.”
Sarah lowered her gaze to her ring again. The soft light bounced from the red gemstone,
shimmering unnaturally bright. “I just need to find a way to get this ring off, find my sister, and
go home. But enough about me. How’re you feeling?”
Beth rubbed her stomach. “I’m four months along. They tell me I’m having a bouncing baby
boy. I guess he did a lot of bouncing when we jumped off that cliff today. I’m pretty sure that
would have been against doctor’s orders.”
“I didn’t realize you were even dating anyone. Who’s the lucky guy?”
“Um, I am not really dating—nothing serious anyway. I met this hot guy in a bar, and we
downed a couple of pitchers together, drowning our loneliness away I guess. One thing led to
another, and…well, bingo, I’m knocked up.”
“Does he know?”
Beth shook her head. “Nope, and I prefer to keep it that way. I don’t need his help or his
money. Besides, he’s too hung up on some other chick now. Plus, he’d never understand my
research.”
“Kind of like Frank?”
“Definitely…and unfortunately.” Beth laughed, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her
face.
Sarah hesitated, considering her words. She didn’t want to make promises she couldn’t keep,
but she wanted to help Beth feel better. The baby’s wellbeing depended on it. “Well, you know
I’m always here for you, and I never got a chance to officially congratulate you.” Sarah reached
over and hugged her.
“Thank you,” Beth said between sniffles.
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“What’s wrong?”
“I can’t…Sarah, I just can’t have this baby here.” Beth hugged her more tightly. “What if we
don’t get back home in time?”
“You’re only four months along, Beth. That gives you five months! We’ll be back home
way before that baby’s born, and I’m going to spoil him rotten.”
“I’m not usually such a wimp or a crybaby. I’m sure it’s just the hormones,” Beth said. “I’m
sorry.”
“You’ve got nothing to apologize for.”
Tears streamed down Beth’s face. “If we do get stuck here, what about my epidural?”
“Honey, women have been having babies naturally for generations. You will deliver your
son one way or another, and you’ll both be fine.”
Beth smirked. “Yeah, I get that, but I’m not like other women. I’m not a fan of pain. They
have to knock me out just to pull a tooth, and that’s a lot different than yanking an eight-pound
baby out of me!”
“We’re going to get you back home, and you’re going to be a fantastic mom.”
Beth hugged her Sarah tightly, burying her face in her hair. “You’re such a wonderful
friend. I really don’t deserve you.”
Sarah smiled and rubbed a hand over Beth’s back, soothing her. She wasn’t sure about the
wonderful friend part. If they didn’t get back home, Beth’s child might just be born in the Middle
Ages, and Beth would be in danger of losing her life in childbirth like so many mothers of that
era did. Sarah had already suffered the loss of her sister; losing a friend was not an option.
Jumping off a sixty-foot cliff did seem ridiculous, but Sarah knew they had no other choice.
Tumbling, cold water gushed into her mouth and soaked her clothes, pulling her under the
surface. She pinched her nose, fighting the sensation to draw in her breath, her lungs on fire.
With deliberate, long pushes of her legs and arms, she broke the surface and spewed out water,
her whole body screaming for oxygen. She took giant gulps of air as she gazed up. In the
distance, the dark shapes of the Immortals rose against the almost black sky; they were still
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mounted on their fancy white horses, looking down on her from their place atop the high cliffs.
She smiled and waved her hand. “So long, suckers!” Sarah’s vision sharpened quickly. From this
distance, she thought she could even see deep lines forming around the blond guy’s mouth, his
eyes two glimmering flames of anger.
Suddenly, his voice rolled across her mind. “My name is Ethano. You’ve been summoned
by the Cardashian Court to be tried for the crime of claiming Immortal status without permission.
This is forbidden by King Taggert, and now you must be judged. Know that I too, can easily
jump over this cliff. I recommend that you stop fleeing, because you will be caught and tried
eventually, one way or another.”
“I’m sorry I broke your laws!” shouted Sarah. “Truly, it was an accident. I didn’t know
anything about the Immortals or this world of yours!” Gasping for breath, she swam toward
shore until her feet touched the ground beneath her. Sarah waded through the waist-high current
that pulled at her hips and legs with a violent undertow. Pebbles and sand shifted under her feet.
She climbed out, shivering as a cold breeze ran over her body. Piercing pain radiated across her
chest and back. She bit her lip and held back a moan. Finding her friends was more important
than focusing on a little discomfort—or a lot of pain. She took another deep breath and forged
ahead. “Frank!” she called through the moonlight, stopping midstride to scan the area. Shadows
stretched and shifted in the trees. Squinting, she peered closer until she could make out figures in
the distance, hopefully her friends, leaning against black boulders, catching their breath. She
raced over, calling out their names.
Frank grabbed her arms. “Are you okay, babe?”
“We have to…to keep going,” Sarah said, breathing heavily. “They’re…they’re coming
over the cliff. They’re…right behind us!”
“Sit down for a minute, Sarah,” Beth ordered. “You’re hurt, and you need to catch your
breath.”
“No. There’s no time.”
“But I don’t see anybody,” Beth said, looking back.
Sarah glanced up. The two Immortals had disappeared into the darkness. Maybe Ethano
didn’t want to get wet after all, but she was sure he’d come a different way.
“Sit down! You’re drenched and shaking,” Beth ordered, guiding her to a nearby tree.
Sarah shook her head. “No! We don’t have time for this nonsense. They could reach us any
minute.”
“Oh my Gosh! Are you…bleeding?” Beth held her hands up to her face, smelling the dark
stains covering her pale skin. Her blue eyes shone big and bright in the dim moonlight. “Sarah,
you could be hurt bad. It’s too dark to tell for sure, but you’re in no condition to go anywhere.”
“I’m sure your condition is more delicate than mine,” Sarah whispered in her ear.
“I’m fine. Now drop it,” Beth hissed. “I’d rather not talk about it right now.”
Sarah regarded her intently. She was sure Beth was hiding something, because most
pregnant women she knew were happy to tell the world about it.
“Dude, is that blood?” Steven said, inching closer.
Sarah looked down and noticed she’d been hit three times.
Adam shook his head. “We’ve got to find a doctor. You’re bleeding like a stuck pig.”
“A pig, huh?”
“Sorry.”
“It’s just a scratch anyway. Don’t worry.” Sarah gripped the dagger tightly and moaned as
she pulled it out.
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“Stop that!” Beth grabbed her hand and pulled Sarah to the ground, elevating her feet with a
rock. “If you elevate your legs above your chest, it will slow your blood loss.”
“We don’t have time for you to play nurse,” Sarah said.
“Well, I’m all up for playing doctor if you want,” Frank joked.
Sarah rolled her eyes at him and offered Beth a grateful look. In spite of the seriousness of
the situation, she decided to let Beth have her way. Helping everyone else was what her friend
did. She just couldn’t help herself.
Beth rolled her eyes. “I know you’re not used to taking orders, especially now that you’re a
queen and all.” She smiled. “But this time, Your Highness, you need to listen to one of your
humble servants who knows a thing or two more than you do about anatomy.”
“She’s right,” Adam said. “And quit trying to pull out those daggers. We don’t even have a
medic here.”
“No use to call 911. Sarah will be over it before they get here,” Frank said, placing his hands
over Sarah’s wound to apply pressure.
She glared up at Frank. “I’d really like to know why I’m the one getting shot at with arrows
and having daggers thrown at me. Last time I checked, putting this stupid ring on and marrying
that king was your dumb idea. What did Jules call it? A fool’s plan?”
He lifted his hands and peeked at the wound. “I’m sorry, Sarah. Really, I had no idea we’d
get in so deep.”
“That’s the problem,” Beth hissed, pushing his hands away. “The Frank I know never
thinks, just acts on his impulses. Maybe he’ll learn one day that consequences are part of life.”
“Look, can we just stop all this bickering and chitchat and do something?” Adam said in a
frustrated tone. “Beth, Sarah’s gonna bleed out or get an infection if we don’t figure something
out, and I’m pretty sure there’s not a Walgreen’s around here for bandages and peroxide.”
Beth touched her forehead, then took her pulse. “It’s rapid. Her skin’s cold, pale, and
clammy. She’s going into shock! We have to control the bleeding and keep her warm. Better yet,
we need to get her through the portal and to the closest ER!”
“She’ll never live that long!” Adam pushed Frank out of the way and frantically applied
more pressure, making Sarah cringe in pain. “Look out, Frank. Let me take over here. Maybe I
can do something other than make jokes and wait for some magic cure.”
Sarah shook her head. “No, listen, Frank’s right. I—”
Steven cut her off. “Look, no one’s gonna die. I’ll run to the next village, and I won’t come
back without a doc.”
Sarah knew if she didn’t do something to stop all the debating, they’d still be sitting there in
a week, if the Immortals didn’t show up and get rid of them first. As much as she valued their
concern, she was still the team leader, and she had to get a grip on the situation because being
stuck there any longer than necessary wasn’t an option. Rolling her eyes, Sarah held up a hand.
“No, Steven, you’re not going off by yourself. I’m fine. Look.” She wrapped her hands around
the second dagger and pulled once again, groaning. The blade moved out inch by inch, leaving a
hollow emptiness behind. She held it up with a triumphant smile, even though the others could
probably not see her in the darkness. “Now we’ve got two weapons.”
“See? She’s delirious already. She’s not going to make it if we don’t do something drastic,”
Adam said. “Steven, c’mon. I’ll go with you, and we’ll drag the local witch doctor back here.”
Frank smiled. “You guys got a death-wish or something? She’s fine. This is nothing.”
“What does Sarah see in you?” Adam rolled his eyes. “Her life’s hanging in the balance, and
you couldn’t care less.”
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“No…you don’t understand,” whispered Sarah, trying to breathe through the pain.
Frank let up on the pressure. “What happened here is nothing compared to what she took
earlier. Like I told you, she was shot in the heart before, and she lived.”
“So she was just lucky,” Adam said. “Karma probably owed her that after having to put up
with you!”
“No. She’s Immortal, you idiot.” Frank shook his head, as if he could barely believe the
words coming out of his own mouth. “Haven’t you been listening to anything we’ve been
saying?”
Adam stood and shook out his wet fedora. “I don’t make it a habit to listen to your
nonsense.”
Frank threw his arms up. “Whoa! Now who’s the skeptic?” He nudged Steven. “Did you get
that on camera?”
“Think I will.” Steven unzipped his bag and started to film. “Dude, thank goodness my
camera bag’s waterproof.”
With the knives out, her skin started to burn, and the healing process began. She gnashed her
teeth against the first pang of pain hitting her somewhere in the chest. Adam held her hand as
more pain radiated through her body. She peeked up, forcing her mouth into a weak smile so she
wouldn’t scream. “What Frank…what he says…it’s true.”
“Hold steady,” Frank whispered.
She nodded as she felt his hand tighten around the third dagger in her back.
He pulled, and a moment later, he held the dagger out to her. “Here’s number three.”
Sarah pulled down her robe, exposing her bare shoulder. Cringing, she looked away; the
bright red tissue, blood, and tendon made her nauseous. “Now watch.”
Adam cringed. “No way! I’m not looking at that.”
“You need to,” Sarah said. “All of you need to see it with your own eyes. Otherwise, you
won’t believe it.”
In the bright moonlight, the wound began to shrink. Sarah bit her lip against the piercing
pain that made her body tremble. With every inch that closed, a strong tremor ran up and down
her spine, and the pain grew in intensity. Just when she thought she couldn’t take the pain any
longer, the gash finally disappeared before their eyes.
Adam gasped and ran his hand across her skin. “How…how is that possible? How did you
do it?”
“It’s the ring.”
He met her gaze. “Well, I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you believe us now.”
He nodded, awestruck.
Beth traced her skin with her fingers. “I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
“And I got it all on camera!” Steven said. “Yeah, baby!”
“If you’re feeling better, Sarah, we really should get a move-on,” Frank said.
“Definitely.” She stood, but she doubled over when a piercing pain hit her abdomen. “My
stomach! It feels like somebody just stabbed me.”
“What? How?” Frank touched her back and eased her back down to the ground.
A picture flashed in her head: wavy black hair swaying in a cold breeze as mist built in front
of a pale face. It was Victor, fighting the same two Immortals she’d just seen in the meadow.
Blood trickled from a wound in his abdomen, but he still raised his sword and fought like some
kind of brave warrior. Then, as quickly as it had come upon her, the vision faded. “He’s here!
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Right where we jumped.”
Beth rubbed her back. “Who?”
“Victor,” Sarah whispered. “I saw him in some freaky vision.” She raised her hand to rub
her eyes, but more spots clouded her vision, drawing her into a sense of floating.
“Your, uh, husband?” Steven asked. “Are you sure it’s not just separation anxiety?”
Beth slugged him. “Her fake husband, you moron.”
“Victor took down the two Immortals who were chasing us,” said Sarah. “That was why
they didn’t jump over the cliff to follow us like they threatened.”
“Can you walk?” Frank asked. When she nodded, he wrapped his arm around her waist to
support her and pulled her closer, until she leaned into him.
Electricity flooded Sarah’s body, and she went limp. Her friends shouted and shook her, but
their voices trailed off. The picture in her head returned to the meadow. The two Immortals lay
in the grass unconscious, under the silver light of the moon. She stood only feet away from
Victor. Over his white long-sleeved shirt, he wore a gold metal ringed tunic, and his legs were
clothed in short purple knickers and tights. As he towered over her, she stared straight ahead at
the center of his broad chest and powerful arms. She was scared to death to meet his gaze.
She scanned her surroundings. A roaring river echoed in her ears, and she stood on the same
cliff she’d just jumped from minutes earlier. Her friends were gone, and she was in the meadow
with Victor.
“I know you’re here. I can feel you. Haven’t you figured out that the ring bonds us? We
have a connection like none other, my Queen.”
Her breath trembled. It was all beyond weird. There was some pretty freaky psychic vibe
going, but at least he couldn’t see her. Now, how do I get out of this little hallucination? She
wondered.
He turned slowly in a circle, his eyes scanning the area as though he was looking for her.
“I’m sorry I burned your finger, but it was the only way to show the Shadow People who you
really were. It saved your life. I did it to protect you, to protect us.”
“Wait…back there with the shape-shifters? That was you?” she said out loud.
Victor tilted her chin, looking directly into her eyes. It was like as if she was simultaneously
there with him and still down by the river with her friends. How is this even possible? Wait a
minute…I’m…I’m not human anymore, right? This is because I’m…because I’m Immortal. The
idea haunted her.
“I can see you now. What a beautiful vision you are, like an angel,” Victor said.
She rubbed her temples, hoping to escape the vision. “Get out of my head!”
“Do you know how close you came to death, love? The Immortals missed you by mere
minutes.”
“Why would you care? You threatened to kill me yourself.”
His lips captured hers in a slow, gentle kiss, sending shivers throughout her body. “You are
my wife, and I will fight for you in that regard, even if you aren’t Princess Gloria.”
He knows? Crap! Her heart thundered as she bit her lip, scanning his eyes; his face was a
cold mask, betraying no emotion. She shook her head slightly, a fool for feeling so guilty. “I’m
sorry I misled you. Surely we can have this scam of a marriage annulled or something. Please tell
me the secret to removing the ring.”
“There is no way. We are bonded for eternity.”
She stepped back to escape the happy glint in his eyes. “I tried to tell you I wasn’t Princess
Gloria, but you didn’t listen. You said if I didn’t go through with it, you’d kill me.”
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“That wasn’t your only motivation, and you know it,” he said softly.
Sarah gulped. How did he know of my ulterior motive, to obtain the ring so I—so we—can
go home?
He stroked her cheek. “You didn’t think I’d figure it out, but it turns out that Mia valued her
life more than keeping your secrets, Your Highness.”
Her body trembled, and her heart raced. “But I didn’t know what it meant to put the ring on.
I truly didn’t. I just want to go home. Getting you in trouble with the court wasn’t my intention.
I’m sorry. I just…I just don’t belong here.”
He took a deep breath, regarding her intently as he slowly shook his head. “I’m not in
trouble. You, on the other hand, are buried beneath it.”
“Yeah, so I’ve learned.”
“I see you’ve been busy testing your new immortality,” he said, smirking. “You were
wounded in the heart, the back, the chest, and the shoulder. I felt it, every tear of your flesh, and I
know you just felt the blow to my stomach.”
“Yeah. That hurt.” Realization hit her full force: The ring really did somehow connect them,
and they could feel what one another felt. “I know I’ve ruined all of your plans,” Sarah said.
“I’m afraid I will be of little help in contaminating that bloodline for you.”
“It wasn’t about that, although that would’ve made King William’s blood boil.”
“What? So, let me get this straight. All this time you really didn’t want to contaminate the
royal bloodline?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“The idea to marry Princess Gloria was a brilliant military strategy. If I had connected
myself to her the way I’m connected to you, I would have King William at my beck and call. If
he laid one hand on me, his beloved daughter would’ve felt any pain he inflicted upon me. He
could never bear that, for he loves her way too much to make her suffer, even for a moment. As
such, he would be forced to obey every command I barked out and submit to my rule as long as
he lived. I could have marched right into enemy territory, and not one of his men would have
touched a hair on my head. I could have been so bold to walk up to King William himself, in his
castle, and spit in his face, and he still wouldn’t kill me.”
“Maybe, but now he still can, since I’m not his precious daughter,” Sarah said a bit
flippantly, growing weary of talking to her bully of a spouse. “Too bad you screwed up and
married the wrong person.”
“I don’t care about those plans anymore,” he whispered, cupping her face.
She touched his hand. “I get it. Your plans flopped, so now I’m your consolation prize. Why
don’t you cut your losses and release me?”
Moonlight shone against his disheveled hair. “I loved how your eyes lit up when I kissed
you after our vows. There’s a spark there that even you cannot deny. We both felt it, and you
know it. Why fight it?”
“Let me go, Victor,” she whispered. “It’s better this way, especially since I don’t belong
here.”
“You’re like no other woman in this kingdom. I’ve never met such a free spirit. You’re just
as strong-willed as I am. Finally, I have met my match, an equal—a true partner. How can I let
you go? I’ve been waiting for someone like you for hundreds of years. It was fate that I found
you instead of Gloria, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.” He pulled her closer. “I can help
you with the Immortals, but you have to come with me. I am personal friends with King Taggert,
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who resides over the Cardashian Court and all Immortals.”
“I heard you’re next in line to rule this world once your dying king takes his last breath.”
He nodded. “Yes. I am well connected, and I can and will use that influence to my
advantage to see that nothing happens to you. Please let me help you.”
“And never go home to my world?”
“Your home is here with me now, ruling by my side.”
She reached for his hands to make one last plea. “Go back to your castle. Forget about me. I
have to run one quick errand, and then I’m going back home.”
“Heading into deeper enemy territory to find your sister, are you? Do you want to get us
both killed?”
She gazed up into his blue eyes. “Don’t follow me, and you won’t have to worry about it.”
“Let me come with you. I assure you that I can help.”
“No way!” she demanded, certain he’d say anything to get her back in his grasp.
“I can’t let you go deeper into Dornia without me. I hate to do this, but it’s the only way. I’m
sorry. I need you to surrender to me now.” He closed his eyes and repeated his command in a
stern voice.
She could feel him at the edge of her mind, trying to break in. Closing her eyes, she tried to
break out of the vision and go back to her friends, but her mind would not let go of him; it was as
if he was held there, captive, right before her eyes. She could smell his woody scent, and her skin
still felt his light caress on her bare arms.
He kissed her forehead. “Don’t fight it. I’m hundreds of years old, while you are merely an
infant, only a day old as far as Immortals go. I’m doing all of this to save your life.”
She could feel him stroking her hair, his hot breath on her cheek.
“I can’t let you die,” he said.
“These feelings we’re having…it’s just because of the ring,” Sarah reasoned, trying to
convince herself as much as she was trying to convince him.
He picked up her hand, touching her finger. “This ring is capable of more than you know,
but one thing it cannot do is force someone to fall in love where those feelings do not exist. I can
sense what you feel. It’s stronger than your will, yet you frivolously try to run from it, from me?”
Sarah fought to wake up, but it was no use.
“Wait for me along the river’s edge,” he commanded. “Come alone.”
A burst of heat spread through her body, and everything seemed clear. Why am I even
running? Of course I must surrender to him. I’m his…his wife. He’s only trying to save my life. If
he says it’s dangerous to go into Dornia, he must be telling me the truth. This is his world, and I
need him if I’m to survive in it.
“I’ll be there soon,” he whispered in her ear.
“I’ll wait for you at the river’s edge, my King.”
Like through a tunnel, she could hear the voices of her friends breaking through.
Beth yanked on her finger. “Get that ring off!”
“That’s not the way it works,” Frank explained. “We’ve tried everything, and it won’t
budge.”
She felt somebody rocking her back and forth, shaking her. “Snap her out of it!” said Adam.
Panic flickered in Frank’s voice. “I’m trying!”
“How did he hypnotize her like that?” asked Steven.
Ice-cold water rushed over her skin. She blinked as if waking up from some kind of long
nap. Pushing the hair out of her face, the rushing river echoed in her ears. I’m back in the river?
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Her gaze darted up to her friends’ faces, staring at her. “I felt like a swim?”
Steven touched her shoulder. “Yo, man, what happened? You were in some kind of freaky
trance. We thought dunking you in the cold water would snap you out of it.”
“Sorry ‘bout the bath.” Beth helped Sarah to her feet. “You walked to the river to meet
Victor.”
Sarah cupped a hand over her mouth. “How do you know that?”
“You told us,” Adam said, rubbing his arm. “You were on some kind of mission. I tried to
stop you, but you threw me against that tree like ragdoll. We didn’t know what else to do.”
“It’s okay…and, um, I’m so sorry about your arm. I guess I don’t know my own strength,
especially when I’m in Zombie Land.” Sarah stood and glanced up at Frank. “He can feel
everything I can, and I can feel everything he does. He was stabbed in the stomach while fighting
the two Immortals we saw. That was why I fell down in pain—his pain.”
“How’re you feeling now?” he asked.
“I’m fine. He healed quickly.”
“So if we keep ourselves safe and he gets hurt, then Sarah pays?” Adam asked . “He’s bound
to get some bumps and bruises along the way, considering he’s in enemy territory.”
Sarah shook her head. “Add that to our long list of problems.” She put a hand to her head. “I
can sense him. He’s close.” Looking up, she gasped. Victor was mounted on a white horse riding
along the cliff’s edge, wind blowing through his dark hair, blue eyes blazing as he met her gaze.
“I can see a figure, a man,” Beth said. “He’s hard to make out. Can any of you guys see
him?”
Sarah could see him perfectly, down to his dimple. Anger flooded through her as she held up
her hand with the ruby ring. How dare he use his powers to control me? Who does he think he
is? Her voice echoed into the cliffs. “I don’t want to be Immortal! I want my life back. Do you
hear me? I’m going to figure out a way to get this ring off, and when I do, I don’t ever want to
see you again!” He stared into her eyes, and her knees weakened. Am I…am I going to faint?
Clearly, he was using his psychic ability, showering her with mumbo-jumbo again. She could
feel herself losing control as his voice filled her mind: “Come to me now.”
Beth tugged at her arm. “Do something…quick! She’s going into that trance again.”
“Why do you engage him?” asked Adam, shaking Sarah. “You know he has those freaky
mind skills. Come on!”
Sarah’s legs wouldn’t budge, though, no matter how hard she tried. It was as if she had no
choice but to wait for Victor. Closing her eyes, she could feel him. He was so close she thought
she could touch him. She reached out her hand and collapsed.
“Great. She’s back in Zombie Land,” Steven said through the blanket of fog that enveloped
her mind.
Somebody scooped her up. “I’ve got her!” Frank said. “C’mon. It’s about time we break the
connection between her and Houdummy.”
Sarah opened her eyes and found herself being carried. She looked up into green eyes.
“Frank,” she whispered.
He motioned the others to stop as he laid her down on the ground. “She’s coming to.”
Sarah’s mind started to clear at the sound of Frank’s voice. He helped her stand on her feet
and touched her shoulders at arm’s length. “You okay?”
She nodded.
The others stopped, and Beth rubbed her back. “You sure you’re all right, Sarah?”
Sarah hated being the damsel in distress. “Listen, I’m fine, but thanks for asking. Let’s keep
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moving.”
“Look!” Adam yelled. “The king just got off his horse, and he’s standing by the cliff. I bet
he’s going to jump down. He’ll be here in seconds, man!”
Sarah rushed back through the vegetation.
“Sarah!” Beth shouted. “Do not engage the king. Get back here!”
There was no way he was going to drag her back to his castle. She felt a sudden jolt of
electricity rushing through her body as her hands glowed and crackled with balls of energy.
Focusing on Victor, she whipped her hand back and flung a fireball straight up at him. He fell
backward just as darkness enveloped her and spots danced in her vision. Oh no! I’m going to
pass out.
Sarah fluttered her eyes opened and felt the cold ground.
“Dude!” Steven shouted. “Whoa! You’re like some kind of superhero. I want powers like
that! The way you flung that fireball was like something straight out of X-Men! You just—”
“Steven, that’s enough.” Beth touched her forehead. “I guess you can feel what he does. You
knocked yourself out right along with him, Sarah.”
Sarah slowly sat up and groaned as a rush of dizziness flooded over her. “Oh gosh.”
“I was wondering when you were going to wake up,” Steven said. “We’ve found the cave
and everything.”
Adam touched her shoulder. “You’ve been out for nearly two hours.”
Sarah moaned. “I know. Me and my bright ideas. At least I stopped him from following us
for a little while.” She rubbed her temples. “I’m so sorry about passing out. I’m sure whoever
carried me has a sore back.”
Frank raised a hand. “That’d be me. I could sure use a massage, Your Highness.”
Beth rolled her eyes. “You’re such an idiot.”
Frank shot her a glare when Steven changed the subject. “Why doesn’t the royal dude just
go look for someone else to marry?”
“Because,” Sarah began. “The Immortals only get one chance to bond with someone, and he
wasted his opportunity on me, thinking I was Princess Gloria. Immortal idiot.”
“Well, yeah, if you completely ruined his game, I guess he would be pretty royally ticked
off,” Steven said. “Pardon the pun.”
Beth sighed. “Geesh, Steven.”
Sarah stood. “He says he’s not ticked off at me and that he doesn’t care about whatever little
agenda he previously had going. He’s just glad fate stepped in and that we met.”
“Don’t trust him!” Adam said. “That could be a ploy to get you into his grasp. He could
throw you in a dungeon for the rest of your life or worse…kill you.”
“I know.”
Adam started picking up small twigs. “Let’s get a fire going and we’ll start fresh in the
morning. So where to, boss?”
“When we wake up, we’ll head north to Ripteenia. We need to find Charles, the man my
sister ran off with. Maybe she lives there with him, or maybe we could find his family. Anyway,
let’s get some rest. I’m beat…and hungry.”
“Hey, any chance Dominos delivers around here?” Frank asked.
“Right. In thirty decades or less,” Beth said, rolling her eyes yet again. “Besides, between
yours and Steven’s stupid jokes, I think we’ve already got plenty of extra cheese.”
* * *
The iron gate, faded and rusted in patches from years of rain and snow, creaked as Sarah
opened it and walked through. The moon hung high above the horizon, casting a silver hue over
the trees on either side of the road. At that time of day, the village seemed deserted, devoid of
life, reminding Sarah of a ghost town minus the eerie wind and hundreds of eyes peering from
behind closed curtains. Her feet thudded across the bare ground as she led the way to the first
tiny house with whitewashed walls and flowerpots on the windowsills. Stopping, she spun in a
slow circle. How are we going to find anything out if the entire town is asleep? “Are you sure
this is Ripteenia?”
Frank nodded. “Yep, the one and only. Maybe we should split up—you know, start asking
some questions.”
“Sure.” Sarah shot him an amused look. “I’m sure they’ll be happy to accommodate us,
particularly if we show up knocking so early in the morning, in a world where robbing and
burning down villages is as common as baking bread.”
“Do you have a better idea?”
She shrugged. “Let’s look around and see what we can find out on our own before we wake
up the entire town. Some people can be real nasty if they don’t get their beauty sleep.”
“Sounds reasonable.” Beth pulled Frank’s hand. “C’mon.”
Frank’s gaze lingered on Sarah and she motioned with a laugh. “Go on. You guys go that
way, and me and the guys will go the other.”
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“I can protect her just as well as you can,” Adam said to Frank’s arched eyebrow.
Men—always trying to out-macho each other, Sarah thought with a sigh. “Actually, guys, I
think I’m well capable of protecting myself. Technically, you can’t even take a bullet for me.”
Frank glanced over his shoulder and winked. “Hmm. I wonder if I could get the jump on
inventing bulletproof vests—or bullets, for that matter. Any idea where Ye Olde Patent Office is
around here?”
Beth sighed and took charge, leading Frank away. “C’mon, Frank.”
Adam smiled. “I told her to do it. Come to think of it, I actually begged.”
“What for?”
Adam shrugged. “Just needed a break from your lover boy, I guess.”
She could only hope Beth wasn’t embarrassing her. Frank was not necessarily her idea of
Prince Charming, but he wasn’t such a bad choice. He was surely better than an Immortal
sociopath who was trying to marry her one minute and telepathically kidnap her in the next. She
slapped Adam’s arm, returning her focus back to the conversation at hand. “You’re so bad. And
for the record, he’s not my lover boy. I have no idea why everyone in this place seems to think
that.”
“Hmm. I wonder what gave them that impression.”
She rolled her eyes. “Let’s go.”
Frank and Beth had disappeared to her right, where the wide street seemed deserted now.
The houses to the left looked barely bigger than cottages that wouldn’t withstand a strong
autumn wind. She sighed and took that direction, the others following right behind.
Steven resumed the conversation first. “Where are we going?”
Sarah pointed to what looked like a large open space, peering through the houses. “The
middle of the town. It’s too early in the morning to do much other than wait.”
“I thought people got up with the sun to milk cows,” Steven said.
“This world’s amazing—dangerous, but amazing nonetheless.” Adam quickened his pace,
passing her.
She grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Wait up! It isn’t safe to just venture off on your
own.”
He seemed to barely hear her. “We gotta take proof back with us. Somebody can always say
the film is fake, but if we have something concrete, some tangible proof, I could be the first
scientist to prove other dimensions exist. We could prove this is where Bigfoot comes from.”
Steven patted his bag. “But I’ve got the footage, man! I even got the Immortal dude on
tape.”
“That’s admirable, man, but you know someone will say it’s like all that fake footage on
YouTube.” Adam motioned around him. “Boy, I never thought a Bigfoot expedition would turn
into all of this, that’s for sure. We just need proof—tangible proof.”
“Interesting conversation, guys, but in order to be actually able to tell the world about it,
you’ll have to get out of here first,” Sarah said. From the corner of her eye, she noticed
something flickering in one of the windows. Who would be awake at this ungodly hour?
Regardless of who it was, she was glad someone was up, because she was tired and hungry, and
the cold night wind had sent shivers through her. In all the excitement, the others didn’t seem to
care about such trivial things as keeping warm and eating, but she knew they’d thank her for it
later. She took a tentative step toward the house.
Suddenly, the door opened, and a woman clad in an off-white dress peered out. A wimple
like that of a nun hid her features, and a fur shawl was draped across her shoulders, going
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halfway down her legs. “Elizabeth?” The woman’s voice came low and hoarse, as if she was still
half-asleep. “Is that you, dear?”
Sarah stopped, frozen to the spot.
The woman inched closer and gripped Sarah’s arm. “It can’t be! Elizabeth?”
With her heart pounding hard, Sarah shook her head. “No. Elizabeth is my sister.”
“Your sister?”
“Yes. Do you know her?”
The woman’s eyes glinted as she turned Sarah to inspect her from all sides. “She came from
so far away. How’s it even possible that you’re here?”
“I found a way into this world just like she did—sort of by accident.” She took a step back,
hiding her hand from view so the woman wouldn’t notice the incriminating ring. Everyone
seemed to fear her or hate her for it, and there was no need to push her luck. “I heard that
Elizabeth met a man named Charles, a man from this town.”
“Charles?” The woman looked away into the early dawn.
“Yes, that’s what we heard,” said Adam.
“Charles wasn’t born here. He spent a year helping us rebuild after the flood. He met
Elizabeth a few towns over.” She looked around and lowered her voice to a whisper, as if she
was about to share some juicy gossip. “But they had to keep their relationship a secret, you
know.”
Steven inched closer, his camera and aspirations of fame forgotten. “Why? Was he a rich
noble or something?”
“An Immortal, and as I’m sure you know, it’s forbidden for an Immortal to court a mere
human.”
Sarah gasped. “What? Did you say he’s an Immortal?”
“Yes. Elizabeth grew quite fond of King William’s son.”
Sarah’s jaw dropped. Liz fell for the son of evil King William, the guy who’s trying to have
me killed? And furthermore, how can Charles be such a saint, helping these peasants after a
disaster nearly destroyed their city, if his father is such a monster? Her sister was so close, she
could feel it. Her eyes widened, her heart pounding even harder. “My sister’s in the castle then?”
The woman looked away, tears welling up in her eyes. “Dear, your sister married him and
slipped on the Ring of Immortality. The other Immortals found out and…” She looked down for
a moment before she could finish. “Oh, I hate to have to tell you this, but—”
“What?” Sarah demanded.
“They executed her…and Charles too. The funeral was last year.”
Wait…Liz is gone? Murdered? For the same mistake I made? Horror washed over her as she
fell to her knees. All her pent-up emotions came flowing out like a tidal wave.
The woman dropped to her knees and patted her back. “I’m so, so sorry. It was a shock for
all of us. I can take you to her gravestone in the cemetery if you would like. Perhaps it will give
you some comfort and allow you to put it behind you, as we have all had to do. Oh, how awful it
was.”
Sarah spoke between sobs. “Please. I need to see it for myself.”
“We put the headstone up to remember her. She was actually buried with Charles at the
castle.” The woman looped her arm around Sarah’s, and they walked in silence to the other side
of town with Adam and Steven in tow, shock written all over their faces. After they passed rows
and rows of crude headstones, she pointed at a marble one.
“I need a few minutes alone, if you don’t mind,” said Sarah, her voice quivering.
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“I understand, dear,” said the woman, and she turned and left.
Adam touched Sarah’s shoulder. “We’ll be waiting outside the gate. Take your time.”
Sarah knelt, and her trembling fingers slowly traced the letters: E-L-I-Z-A-B-E-T-H L-A-RK-E-R.
“Oh, Liz. I’ve spent the last ten years looking for answers, looking for you…and I guess
now I have them.” Tears rolled down her face as she spoke softly, “I know life here is tough, but
you adjusted because you were always strong, just like Mom. You even…you even met someone
to fall in love with. I am so glad to know you were happy in this place, if only for a little while.
Charles must be a wonderful man who truly loved you.” She wiped her eyes and then continued.
“It looks like I’ve gotten into the same terrible situation, only I don’t know the one who slipped
the ring on my finger. He’s my husband, yet he’s a stranger. I’ve known him less than a few
days.
Oh, Liz, the Immortals are hot on my trail now, and if they didn’t spare you, surely I stand
no chance against them. Déjà vu, I guess. Isn’t it funny how fate works?” She wiped a tear
rolling down her cheek as she peered around at rows after rows of dry earth and bare crosses.
Every few spaces, a gravestone jutted out of the ground, providing a change in the dismal display
of poverty. “You weren’t just my sister, Liz.” She stopped and pulled her nose, her voice failing
her. “You were my best friend. I’ll never forget the beautiful memories we shared. They might
have taken your life, but you’re alive in my heart, and that’s one thing they can never take away,
no matter what they do to me.”
Numb and exhausted, she closed her eyes and tried to think of better times, of their happy
childhoods, hide-and-seek, skipping rope, and Christmas mornings. “Do I have any regrets? Yes!
For one thing—maybe the biggest regret of all—I’m sorry I left you in those woods years ago. I
deserted you, and I have never forgiven myself, but I hope you were able to forgive me. Know
that I’ll always love you, Liz, and I never stopped looking for you. I hope you are…resting in
peace, dear sister.” Emotion choked her as she straightened her back and, with one last glance
back, walked back through the iron gate. She had been looking for answers about what had
happened to her older sister, but now she wished she’d never found out. It had been easier
holding on to hope than it was to know the truth. She would never have stopped searching, but
now she had lost all purpose in life. How can I go back to my life? How can I ever be happy
again knowing my sister was killed…because I left her behind?
The others had been waiting patiently in front of a big boulder. “I’m here for you,” Beth
said, embracing her as she reached them.
Frank wrapped his arms around her in a hug. “I’m so sorry.”
She buried her head in his chest and let her tears flow freely into the fabric of his shirt. “She
died a year ago—killed by the Immortals when she married King William’s son Charles. Liz and
Charles were killed. Those same Immortals are after me!”
“I know. Adam told us.” He held her tightly. “Everything is going to be okay, Sarah.”
Okay? How can he even say that? Nothing is okay. My sister is dead, and I will never be
okay again! The pain cut out a huge part of her heart.
They all gave her words of hope and encouragement, but nothing they said could take away
the pain in her heart, the only part of her that was still human. She wiped her eyes and took a
deep breath. Even though she knew she would not find the person she had really come for, she
couldn’t leave without meeting Gloria. “Maybe we could track Princess Gloria down and talk to
her.”
Adam shook his head. “Go into King William’s castle? There are probably wanted posters
of your face plastered on every brick! Every single person in there is probably after your
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head…literally.”
“No way,” Beth said. “We have to think about your life.”
Frank gripped her hand tightly. “Remember, babe, those are the people who shoot first and
don’t bother asking questions now or later. I know you want your questions answered, but
getting yourself—and possibly all of us—killed isn’t the way to go.”
“I know! Of all of you, I know! They shot me in the freaking heart. If I could get to Gloria,
though, I think she could help us,” Sarah pleaded.
“She might be able to,” Beth said. “She’s Charles’s sister.”
Steven leaned against a rock and met Sarah’s gaze. “Yeah, man, that sounds great and all,
but you won’t get one breath out to explain yourself before they string you up to be roasted like a
marshmallow.”
“Why do you even need to find Gloria?” Adam asked. “I’m not trying to be insensitive here,
but it seems pointless when you have the answers you need. Let’s just get the heck out of here.”
Sarah rolled her eyes. Adam wasn’t sporting an irremovable ring and running around with
everyone out to kill him, or he might have been singing a different tune. “I’ll tell you why. Sure,
I wouldn’t mind finding out more about my sister’s life, but that’s not the reason. I have a feeling
those Immortals from the court will follow me right back home to my doorstep, and so will King
Victor. For all I know, King William might even have a way to crash the party. I need to find out
how to get this ring off and what I can do to get the Immortals off my back. Until I know that, I
will never have control of my life again.”
“They’re at war with King Victor,” Frank said. “They hate him. They might help us based
on that fact alone.”
“Gloria lost her brother,” Beth said. “She won’t want to lose you, too, especially over the
exact same thing.”
“I agree,” Sarah said. “I’m sure Princess Gloria loved Liz, and I think she will understand
why I pretended to be her. It’s her father who is crazy, not her.”
“Then we’ll avoid him like the plague,” said Frank. “Sarah’s right. She’ll never get her life
back until we figure out how to get this ring off.”
Adam kicked at stones in the dirt, his brows furrowed. “This sucks.”
“This is something I have to do,” Sarah said. “If you don’t want to go with me, that’s okay,
but I hope you understand.”
“Nobody’s backing out on you now, Sarah. We’re a team, remember? Now c’mon. Let’s
head toward the castle,” Frank said.
Sarah nodded. Heading into dangerous enemy territory was risky, but it was something she
had to do to get answers to the lingering questions in her head—and even more importantly, how
to get that ancient wedding ring off her finger. “Let’s go.”
