Eternal Fire (22 page)

“
I don’t know what you saw,” he said, grabbing my hand and squeezing it tightly, “but we will fight and take back what is ours.”

“
He will kill both of us, Victor. If you fight, he will win.”

He looked so damn stubborn. “My mission in life has always been to fight and protect my castle, my country, my people. I cannot run out of fear.”

I gripped his hands. “I understand, Victor, but we must leave through the portal. It’s the only way.”

He looked away, clearly hating the idea, and tried to change the subject. “How did you find me?”

“
It’s a long story.”

He blinked. “Please don’t tell me you made a deal with the devil.”

“
I did, but there’s a loophole he didn’t count on.” I pointed to the crystal hanging around my neck. “This will transport us to my world, and he will not be able to follow.”

“
Where did you get that?” he asked.

“
Helena,” I said.

“
You found her?”

“
Yes.”

He shook his head. “I cannot flee, Sarah.”

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Not even for the sake of your unborn son?” When confusion flooded his features, I smiled and placed his hands gently on my stomach. “Victor, we’re having a baby!”

He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out as tears welled up in his eyes. I could tell how touched, happy, and amazed he was, and that pleased me more than anything. There was no way to hold back the flow of emotions between us. We had created a beautiful human being out of perfect love, and I couldn’t wipe the blissful smile off my face.

He gripped my shoulders, his face beaming. “This is the most wonderful day of my life. First, I find that my love is alive, and now you tell me that you are carrying our child.”

I smiled through more tears. “It’s fantastic, but I can’t do this without you. I need you now more than ever.”

“
I will always be here for you.” His hands moved to my stomach. “I already love you and our child more than anything in any world.”

I couldn’t speak, completely choked up by emotion.

“
We’ll give our child the best life,” he said. “I will make a deal with Ethano and get us out of here. I have important information that he’s been seeking for a long time.”

“
Victor, it doesn’t matter what information you have,” I whispered. “He will not let me go.”

“
He’s been seeking this information for hundreds of years. I’m sure it’s why he hasn’t killed me yet.”

“
Whatever it is, he’s past that. I talked to Helena. According to her, his main focus now is taking away our baby. He’ll keep us alive until the child is born.” I squeezed my eyes shut at the horrible thought. “Then, after the baby is born—”

“
No! I’ll never let that happen.” His voice wavered as he embraced me in a tight hug. “He will not lay one finger on our son!” He sucked in a trembling breath. “Not our only child!”

I hugged him more tightly as a tear rolled down my cheek. The emotion pouring from him nearly killed me, but he needed to know the truth. “I’ve seen the prophecy myself. Ethano will raise our child to destroy cities and murder countless people.”

“
No!” Victor said. “We can’t let this happen, Sarah.”

“
Do you think Helena could be wrong?”

“
She has never failed me before. I fear what she says is true.”

“
In that case, we should heed her advice. We need to leave through the portal. It’s the only way to save this world from utter destruction.”

“
But leaving Ethano in charge will ruin the world,” Victor said.

“
It will not be perfect, but he won’t destroy the world without our son.”

The steel door creaked open. “Time is up, my Queen,” Ethano said.

I cringed when I noticed that the necklace wasn’t ready and hadn’t turned blue. I shot Liz a terrified look. “We need more time,” I muttered under my breath. “We have to stall him just a little bit longer.”

“
I’m on it.” Liz inched toward Ethano. “You can’t begin to understand the pain I’m feeling,” she said seductively.

“
Don’t lecture me on pain,” he roared. “Victor and Della have caused me much pain and grief.”

“
Please give us a little more time,” Liz begged, even though it probably wouldn’t work because the man was virtually heartless.

“
No, Princess.”

“
Ethano, I’ve been thinking…” Liz continued, cautiously approaching him.

He met her gaze. “What is it?”

She cupped his face. “I want you to take me for the night instead of Sarah,” she said seductively. “She is with child, and I’m not.”

Charles didn’t look happy about it, but she was simply trying to buy us some time and would never actually go through with letting Ethano paw her.

Ethano lifted his hand high in the air. A gush of wind swirled, and Liz flew back, hitting the wall, crashing down to the ground.

“
Liz!” Charles fought the chains that held him to the wall.

I raced over to her, my heart racing. “Are you okay?” I asked frantically.

“
Guess that was a no. Can you believe he turned me down in this dress?” She rubbed the back of her head. “Maybe you oughtta give it a try,” she whispered. “He seems to have a thing for you.”

A cold chill shot through me as Ethano grabbed my wrist once again. “Let’s go!”

“
Leave her alone!” Victor yelled. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

“
I don’t want to hear your lies,” he spat.

“
Just let Sarah go, and I’ll tell you everything.”

He grinned at Victor. “Not a chance, Victor. I am going to enjoy your wife all night, until the sun rises in the morning.”

Victor lunged, but the Immortal chains rattled loudly, pulling him back.

I had to think of something to stall Ethano, and I only had a few moments. I knew the necklace would be ready any second. I decided to stir up a conversation and glanced up at Ethano. “What did Victor do to you that was so awful? If I’m married to a monster, I need to know.”

He glared at Victor. “He ruined my life.”

I cocked a brow. “But you still sat on the Royal Court for hundreds of years with him.”

“
I did, waiting for the perfect moment to plot his demise. When he married a human, breaking our rules, I knew he’d pay. I made it my personal mission to find you.”

I rolled my eyes. “So you could take me to court and have me executed? Then, when that didn’t work, you poisoned Victor.”

“
He should not have survived,” Ethano hissed, “but things happen for a reason. When I tried to sacrifice you, fate stepped in for the third time to save your life from my hand. Clearly, destiny demands that you be by my side.”

I swallowed hard, realizing that Ethano was delusional.
What woman would want to be with a man who tried to kill her three times?
Besides that, the prophecy had clearly shown that I’d be dead after my baby was born.

“
Della and I never meant for things to get so out of control,” Victor shouted, “but that was hundreds of years ago. Do not take this out on Sarah! She wasn’t even born when those horrible events took place, and she knows nothing of any of it!”

“
After I bed your wife, I will tell her all about the monster you really are!” he shouted.

Ethano’s eye’s turned into those of a wild man, and I knew Victor had struck a sore spot. I wondered what he’d done to make Ethano so angry with him, so obsessed with Victor’s demise.

“
Trust me,” his voice roared. “Della will be the next to pay.”

“
Leave her alone!” Charles shouted.

“
I only kept you alive so your precious mother can watch you die. When I find her, your time shall be up.” He gripped my wrist even tighter and turned to the guard in charge. “Keep Charles alive, but I have no more use for Victor. He sickens me, and I don’t want to hear or see him ever again.”

“
Ethano,” Victor said, “listen to reason. I will spill every secret I know, and then you can kill me, but you must let Sarah go in peace.”

“
No, Victor!” I clutched my chest. He was willing to die so that I could live and deliver his baby. It was as admirable as it was heartbreaking, and again I was on an emotional rollercoaster.
When will the ride stop already?

He glanced back at the guard. “This discussion is over. Kill him…and make sure he suffers.”

“
No!” I screamed, my voice echoing in the confined space. “That wasn’t our deal.” The moment of truth had come, and we needed to make a quick departure, but the necklace wasn’t blue. Helpless to save my beautiful king, I let out a trembling breath.

Chapter 12

The guards harshly threw Victor down on his knees, and I gasped as I saw an Immortal heading over with a giant sword. “Please don’t do this,” I begged, looking up at Ethano with my heart thundering behind my ribs. “Let him go, and I’ll do whatever you want.”

“
You’ll do exactly as I say whether he’s alive or dead.”

“
But…wouldn’t you want to kill Victor and Della at the same time?” I said, trying anything to stall him. I wondered why the necklace wasn’t working and feared that it was a fake. For a moment, I even worried that Helena was working for Ethano.
I’ve been delivered straight into Ethano’s hands, and there’s no way to escape.
Had I known I was going to lose my powers and that the necklace would turn out to be nothing more than cheap costume jewelry, I would never have entered the castle, and we would have made different plans to rescue Victor. My fate was sealed; I was destined to be with Ethano. The thought sickened me.
Will I ever look at myself the same way?
Even if I was condemned into Ethano’s hands, I could still fight for Victor’s life. I knew if I could keep him alive, we could eventually come up with an escape plan.

Victor was on his knees as Immortals held him down. He struggled in their grasp, his chains clanking as he fought against their strong grip. I couldn’t bear to watch Victor murdered in front of me again. I knew my heart couldn’t take it—not again.

“
Ethano!” I screamed. “Spare his life, and I’ll do anything to keep you happy.”

“
Isn’t it obvious, Majesty?” he said. “The thing that will make me happiest is for Victor to die.”

Suddenly, a blue flash caught my eye. Glancing down, I noticed the necklace was ready. It had worked after all, and my heart thundered again—this time with anticipation. If I could just reach Victor…

“
Ethano,” I said, “let me be next to Victor as he meets his maker.” I knew it would be of little use to beg him to stop. “Please let me ease his pain as he prepares for death without a priest.”

Unbelievably, he nodded and let go of me. “There’s no time, but you may ease his suffering by holding his hand.”

I raced over and touched my husband’s hand, then used my free hand to touch the necklace. Everything slowed down around me. I could see the executioner’s sword swinging down; it was just inches from Victor’s neck when we were sucked through a swirling blue vortex. My heart pounded in my chest, and I barely inhaled as I let my gaze wander. I felt something in the pit of my stomach: a slow, uneasy pull, growing stronger by the second. I squeezed my eyes shut in an attempt to tune out the ringing in my ears, the tug on my body intensifying, almost like a rubber band being pulled taut.
Rings vibrated in various colors, dancing around the walls of the tunnel that we were traveling through at light speed.

Then, suddenly, I felt soft grass beneath me.
Am I…back in California? Did the necklace really work?
I slowly pulled myself into a sitting position. When I fluttered my eyes open, golden sunlight shone on my face. Towering trees, chirping birds, and ferns surrounded me; clearly, I was in a forest. A cold breeze blew through my hair as goosebumps pimpled my arms. It was freezing beneath the thin fabric of the fancy dress. Jumping to my feet, I called for Victor and the others.