Battle for Cymmera. Dani-Lyn Alexander
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quite right in my gut, and I have a feeling it has something to do with what’s been going on with Mia and Elijah lately.”
“Your Majesty?” Elijah called. “Might I have a word with you before you go, please?”
“Sure, Elijah.”
Ryleigh laid a hand on Max’s back. “While you talk to Elijah, I’ll go find Mia. We’ll meet you in the throne room when you’re done.”
“Okay.” Jackson started to turn away but thought better of it at the last minute. “You haven’t said much. You are okay with this, right?” He should probably have thought to ask sooner. He sometimes forgot Ryleigh wasn’t accustomed to the harsher realities of his realm. The thought of finally having even the smallest lead on Chayce’s whereabouts had consumed him.
“As okay as I can be, I guess.” She shrugged. “It’s not like there’s any other choice.”
Relieved, he nodded and turned to Elijah. “I’m sorry, Elijah. What did you need?” He tried to focus on what the seer was saying, but his mind kept wandering. He still had to make time to talk to Mia, don his battle gear, make sure the dragons were summoned. Dakota could handle that.
“Sir.” Elijah’s long, blond hair hung in lifeless strands down his back, dark circles ringed his eyes, and his cheeks had become sunken, his already pale skin sallow. It seemed he’d lost weight lately, his dark robes hanging from his gaunt figure. The gruffness of his usually soft tone accentuated his transformation. “I want to make sure you understand the importance of not opening the scroll until you reach the summit of the greatest mountain.”
“Got it.” Jackson patted the leather satchel at his waist where he’d tucked the scroll. “Is that all?”
Elijah studied him for a long moment, then embraced him.
Caught off guard, Jackson hesitated before he hugged him back. “Is something wrong, Elijah?”
“No, sir. Everything is exactly as it is meant to be.” He stepped back and cupped Jackson’s hand in his delicate fingers. “You have done your parents proud, Jackson.”
Elijah almost never referred to him as anything other than Your Highness or sir since Jackson had taken his father’s place as king.
“You have done me proud.” He lowered himself to one knee, pressed Jackson’s hand to his forehead, and bowed. When he stood, tears trailed down his cheeks. “Go in peace, my son.” His stare lingered a moment longer, and then he turned and walked away.
Great. Either half the kingdom was going mad or they were keeping secrets. One way or the other, Jackson was going to get to the bottom of it. If not before he dealt with Chayce, immediately upon his return. Right now, he had to see Mia and get out of there.
In the throne room, Ryleigh sat on her throne. Alone.
“Where’s Mia?”
“Your guess is as good as mine. I couldn’t find her anywhere, and no one’s seen her.”
“What about Max?” The huge animal had barely left her side since Jackson had returned from the dungeon in Argonas.
“I sent him to keep looking for Mia.”
“All right.” He didn’t have time to search the kingdom. He’d have to deal with this when he got back as well. With any luck at all, everything would resolve itself while he was gone. Once the threat hanging over Cymmera was removed, it would be easy enough to straighten everything out. Then they could live in peace while they rebuilt Cymmera. The death of Jackson’s mother, Queen Dara, had left Cymmera a cold, barren, dead land. The last battle had scarred the land even further.
Ryleigh rose and met him halfway across the room. She slid into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his back and resting her cheek against his chest, the warmth of her body against his the most natural feeling in the world.
She fit perfectly against him, as if she were made to be there. And, in a way, she was. The tattoo that had appeared on her arm during his Death Dealer ceremony gave her a rightful seat on the throne. The fact he’d been able to claim her, had been unable to deny the need to claim her, proved they were destined for one another.
Ryleigh stepped back and looked up at him. “Make sure you come back.”
“Of course, I’ll come back.” He cupped her face, running a thumb over the slight bruising marring the cheekbone beneath her right eye, the result of a misplaced elbow during this morning’s hand to hand combat training.
Leaning into his touch, she smiled. “Promise?”
They both knew it was a promise he couldn’t make, so he simply smoothed her long, blond hair and pulled her close again. He inhaled deeply, drawing in the scent of the shampoo she always used. The scent of strawberries would forever remind him of Ryleigh. “I’ll come back, Ryleigh. And when I do, we’ll return Cymmera to the grandeur she deserves.”
Soft sobs shook her shoulders, and her tears soaked through his black T-shirt.
He kissed the top of her head, then stepped away while he still could.
When she stood on her toes, he leaned down for the kiss, pressed his lips to hers, and pulled her back into his arms.
She pulled away first. “I love you, Jackson.” She didn’t say the words often, and they caught him by surprise.
“I love you too.” He released her and turned away. It would only get harder to leave the longer he stayed.
Chapter 2
Ryleigh poked her head through the throne room door. Still no sign of Mia, and Max hadn’t returned. She’d already searched everywhere she could think of for Elijah, intent on harassing him until he gave her answers, but the sorcerer could be elusive when he chose.
No matter. She’d find out what was going on soon enough. Now that the Death Dealers had gone in search of Chayce, maybe the veil of secrecy Elijah and Mia had concocted would no longer be necessary. Assuming whatever was going on with Elijah and Mia had to do with the situation with Chayce, that is.
Her footfalls echoed back at her as she crossed the empty room. The huge chamber’s medieval feel, with its high domed ceilings, patterned stone floor, and the two thrones standing sentinel at its far end, had always frightened her a little. Maybe too stark a reminder of the enormous responsibility she now shouldered.
As she slid past her throne, her sword caught on the arm, and she took a step back and untangled it. She’d never get used to wearing the stupid thing everywhere she went. If not for Jackson’s insistence, it’d probably be stuffed under her bed beside the baseball bat she kept hidden there.
She pulled open a drawer on the side table behind her throne and rifled through the papers she’d stuffed in there in search of her leather appointment book. If she couldn’t find answers, may as well get some work done. It was either that or dwell on Jackson’s mission and the terror it brought. She pressed a hand against her heaving stomach. No. She couldn’t think about that. She had more immediate problems she might actually be able to do something about.
Several meetings had to be scheduled, and without writing them down, she’d never keep track of where she was supposed to be. Especially with her mind so jumbled with images of Jackson going up against Chayce.
She snatched the book, shoved the drawers shut, and turned to leave.
Ryleigh’s vision blurred. The air shimmered in the center of the throne room, and her ears popped.
She ripped her sword from its sheath even as the portal opened.
A seven-foot-tall beast built of solid muscle tore through the portal. A triple headed flail swung from one massive hand.
She braced for an attack.
The savage lurched to the side of the portal and ogled her. A line of thick drool slid down his chin.
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