With My Last Breath, Book Three (12 page)

The horses kicked up dust as the knights rode hard to intercept the intruders. I had no wish to be discovered, so I pulled my hood tighter around my face, shivering as I did. I had no idea who the strangers were or what they wanted, but if they were armed and armored, they meant us harm.

The moon shone high and brightly in the sky, adding light to the flickering torches that the squires were carrying for their knights. The atmosphere was charged and tense as we raced toward the unknown threat. I knew that I could interfere at any time, that I could use any number of my goddess strengths to intercede, but I also knew in my heart that I could not. This must unfold as it naturally would and I would have to allow it.

I only hoped my mother had that much sense.

As we drew near, the horses slowed to a trot and then to a walk as the knights separated into a battle formation. Since my mother and I were concealed by hoods, no one had noticed our presence as of yet. It was simply assumed that we were squires in the surrounding confusion.

Since we were in the back, we couldn’t see what was happening. But we heard grumblings of discord and then the battle bugle was sounded. My heart raced in my chest at an inhuman rate. Lucan was at the front with my father and Arthur. And though he was a skilled warrior, I couldn’t help but feel twinges of worry for him.

The metallic clash of swords echoed throughout the still night and I clutched my mother’s sides tightly as I tried to control myself. I desperately wanted to use immortal talents to fix this situation, to keep Lucan safe…but I could not. I gritted my teeth and waited.

And then my mother jumped from our horse. As she ran in a streak toward the front, her hood fell away and her long chestnut hair streamed behind her.

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The squires in the back froze before they came to their senses and tried to grab her.

They were too slow. She slipped like a lithe shadow in between the foot soldiers until she reached the front. In desperation, I followed closely on her heels, trying to reach her before Arthur or Lucan saw her.

But I was too late.

Just as Guinevere burst from the confines of the crowd of soldiers, Lucan and Arthur spotted her at the same time as one of the deadly marauders they were fighting.

The stranger appraised her with glittering eyes before he reared back and lunged with his long lance. Guinevere wasn’t even watching- she only had eyes for my father. She didn’t see the danger she was in.

Before I could reach my mother to yank her back, a young squire leaped in front of her, protecting her from the flash of the sharp blade. It glittered in the moonlight before it sank deeply into his thin chest, plunging through his back before he crumpled onto the dirt.

My mother gasped and whirled around as I dropped to my knees beside the squire.

Blood was gurgling from his pink, boyish lips and his breathing was raspy. Around me, the fighting continued, but I didn’t pay attention. I could only concentrate on this one boy.

His life, so very fragile, was slipping away. I could feel it, the vibrant cords of it were fraying, disappearing into the night in a very tangible way. And all I could do was to stop myself from grasping at them, from trying to pull him back to me.

‚Please, tell my mum that I love her,' he begged me and then he coughed, crimson blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. ‚Please.'

His face was as pale as his blonde hair, growing paler by the moment as he lost more and more blood from his wound. As it was, his blood was pooling around my knees. I could feel the wet warmth against my legs, soaking my heavy skirts. And my resolve broke. I knew I had to help him. He was so young… too young.

‚Tell her yourself,' I instructed him, placing my hands firmly on his wound.

‚Watch me, boy. You’re fine. Keep your eyes on my face.'

I pushed against his wound with my hands, all the while feeling my bloodstone throb against my ribcage under my dress. As I poked against the gaping, bloody hole in his body, I felt the crushed bones inside jab sharply against my fingers. He cringed and so did I.

I opened my mind, allowing goddess energy to flow into the boy, into the jagged wound. I blocked out any thought other than channeling my energy into him. The strange portal opened, just as it had when I had saved Hasani in Alexandria and I held it open, waiting for this boy to heal enough to live.

I could feel stares beating down on me from all around, so I prayed that he would heal quickly. And thankfully, he did. His youth and purity helped him heal quicker Courtney Cole 77

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than an older man would and within a few minutes, I was able to pull away. His wound was still there, but it was no longer deadly.

As I sat back, I found my strength depleted and that I barely had the energy to stand. My shoulders slumped and my mother came quickly to my aid, pulling me to her side and letting me lean into her.

‚And you told me to behave,' she chided into my ear.

If I had the strength, I would have spit out a sharp retort, reminding her that we were only in this situation because of her. But I did not. From the corner of my eye, I saw the boy sit up to gain his bearings and then stand. He kept his hands pressed against his wound, but he was doing well. He would live.

His blood covered me in huge splotches and I allowed my eyes flutter closed. It no longer mattered to me who we were fighting. I didn’t have the strength to care. I didn’t even have the strength to be angry with myself for interfering. I sagged into Guinevere, attempting to stay upright.

And then suddenly Lucan was with me, scooping me into his strong arms. I nestled against his armored chest as he strode quickly with me toward safety, away from the fighting, away from the nervous and probing stares of the witnesses. Guinevere followed closely behind. I could hear her cloak as it dragged on the ground behind her.

When the noise from the battle had faded away, I opened my eyes. We were in a small clearing not too far away. It was quiet here and Lucan stared into my eyes.

‚Heleyne, what did you do?'

His face didn’t reflect the fear that I had just seen on some of the other faces, but he was cautious, anxious. They had all just seen me heal a young dying boy with my bare hands. I had no good answer for him.

What the hell had I done?

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Chapter Thirteen

‚Yes, Heleyne, what did you do?' Guinevere’s voice was severe and my mouth dropped open in surprise. She leaned over me, her eyebrows pulled together in consternation.

‚I told you to stay behind me and keep your eye out for Arthur, not to bound ahead and interfere with the fighting. Helping that young boy was commendable, Heleyne, but you could have gotten us both killed.'

I realized that she was trying to help by diverting Lucan’s anger towards herself instead of me. But it had been clear to all who had witnessed it, including Lucan, that she was the one who could have gotten killed. Her statement only seemed ridiculous.

Lucan stared at her in bemusement.

‚Your highness, with all due respect, Heleyne was behind you. Although to be honest, my question for her was concerned not with her logistical placement, but with her healing abilities.'

‚I don’t see why that matters,' Guinevere sniffed. ‚Heleyne disregarded my order.

We were only trying to find Arthur to give him this,' she explained, dangling a golden cross on a chain in front of Lucan’s face. I had no idea where she had conjured it from… but it was Arthur’s lucky crucifix. Everyone knew that he seldom went anywhere without it.

‚I needed to get this to Arthur,' she continued. ‚In his current state, he forgot it.

But you did a noble thing,' she nodded at me. ‚Helping that boy up after getting stabbed likely saved him from getting trampled.'

‚Helping that boy up?' Lucan raised his eyebrows. ‚That boy was at death’s door and then Heleyne knelt beside him and all of a sudden, he was fine. I wish to know how that was possible.'

‚I… um. I did nothing really,' I answered meekly. ‚I simply held my hands against his wound, slowing the flow of blood. I think it gave him a spare moment to gain his bearings and then he felt fine enough to stand. That is all, my love.'

I turned to Guinevere. ‚And I’m so sorry for my thoughtlessness, your highness.' I forced the words from my stubborn lips. ‚I did not mean to cause you worry or distress. I simply wished to help the little boy.'

Guinevere smoothed her face into a calm and loving expression. ‚Of course I forgive you, dear girl. I know you only meant the best for the young squire. Come now. Let us return to the castle and allow Sir Lucan to return to the battle. Think nothing more of it.' She handed the crucifix to Lucan. ‚Sir Lucan, if you could safely deliver this pendant to the king, I would be most grateful.'

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I could see the wavering in Lucan’s eyes as he purveyed the queen. He wanted to believe her, I could tell. Finally, he shook his head and took the necklace from Guinevere.

‚Of course,' he replied. ‚I’ll hand it to him myself, your highness.' She nodded.

Lucan set me gently down and stared into my eyes. ‚Can you walk?' he asked softly. I nodded.

‚I’m fine, Luc. Really. I think the sight of the blood and fighting just overwhelmed me and I felt faint. I’m fine now.'

‚Your good deed should not go unnoticed,' he observed, although he still sounded unsure. ‚I shall speak to Arthur about it.'

‚There is no need for that,' I replied quickly. ‚I only did what anyone else would do.'

Lucan smiled, his white teeth glinting in the moonlight. ‚So humble,' he replied.

‚Very well. I’ll walk you to your horses and send an escort back with you to the palace.'

We quickly made our way to Guinevere’s mount and Lucan lifted us both onto the horse, instructing four nearby soldiers to personally accompany us back to the palace.

With a quick kiss, he dropped the visor to his helmet and rushed back off into the fray.

I sighed. He had always been a warrior. He thrived in these situations.

Guinevere nudged Flower into a gallop and we made quick time back the winding road to the castle gates. Once there, my mother sent the soldiers back to assist the others and we entered the quiet, safe darkness of the palace fortress.

We slid to the ground and led Flower back to the stables, handing her reigns to a stern Reagan, before making our way back to our bedchambers. I accompanied Guinevere to hers first, helping her out of her gown and into a nightgown before I made my way back to my own chambers.

Too weary to face the long line of buttons on the back of my gown, I sighed and envisioned myself dressed in a cotton nightgown. Immediately, I was and my green velvet gown was hanging neatly in my armoire.

Crossing the room to the open windows, I leaned my forehead against the cool stone bricks as I gazed down the mountainside. I could see the torches that the soldiers carried flickering in the night even from here. Somehow, it gave me a sense of comfort, seeing them move and burn. Lucan was there with them and the fire marked where he traveled. Somehow, even though it was irrational, I felt as though if those torches were burning brightly, then Lucan was safe and well.

‚What have you done?'

I startled at the calm voice and turned.

Lachesis, the middle sister of the Fates, was sitting on my bed, silently observing me. I glanced at the moon outside. It was nowhere near midnight.

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I swallowed my annoyance at her habit of appearing in my bedchambers and crossed the room to stand in front of her, determined to act meek, as though I had no idea of the power that I actually wielded.

‚I’m sorry, Lachesis,' I murmured innocently. ‚I thought the time to meet you was midnight. Am I late?'

‚No,' she replied coolly. ‚But you have misbehaved. And I would like to know why.'

‚I don’t know what you mean,' I answered, leveling my gaze at her pale face.

In the moonlight, she appeared even paler than normal, her milky skin almost transparent. Her white-blonde hair flowed down her back, her lips plump and red. She could appear in any form that she wished, but this was her favorite. I found that I preferred it to the frightening hag that she truly was.

‚Yes, you do,' she contradicted. ‚You used your bloodstone to heal someone, a boy. Why?'

I tried to conceal my surprise. How in the world did she know that already?

‚It was an accident,' I answered quickly. ‚I have no idea what happened. One moment I was kneeling beside him, only to check on his wound, and the next moment, he was healed. I have no idea what happened.'

I prayed that I was convincing, that she would think that I had inadvertently and innocently tapped into goddess power without realizing it…and that I thought it was simply the power of the bloodstone.

She studied my face, probing my thoughts, trying to ascertain my sincerity. Finally, her gaze broke and I knew that I had passed this test. She believed me. I had successfully outsmarted one of the Fates… something that was unheard of. I breathed a small sigh of relief.

‚You should have been more careful,' she admonished me. ‚You know that your bloodstone is powerful. You could have accidentally revealed yourself to your daedal.'

I inwardly groaned. It was difficult to continue this charade, almost painful, but I did my best to look meek.

‚You’re right,' I acknowledged carefully. ‚I’ll certainly be more careful next time.'

Lachesis scowled in my direction.

‚There will not be a next time,' she snapped.

And with that, in a flash, she transformed into the stooped ancient hag that she was.

Her back was hunched grotesquely, her hair white and stringy. Her face, however, was the worst. It looked like cracked gray porcelain. A thousand tiny web-like wrinkles began at her forehead and radiated to her chin, making her look like a corpse. I gasped, more out of surprise than actual fear and she smiled, stepping toward me, with eyes so faded that they looked like clouds.

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‚Do I frighten you, Heleyne?' she asked throatily, reaching out to run one twisted finger down my cheek, trailing onto my neck. I steeled myself and remained still, enduring her frigid touch. She was as cold as a corpse, just as Alexi and Cadmus were.

Horror squeezed my heart. Was she soulless as well?

She felt my sudden apprehension and cocked her head, her wrinkled hand frozen on my shoulder. I felt a chill, but against all odds, managed to not move and kept my feet planted on the floor. She was the epitome of unnerving.

‚You’re such a proud one, little keeper,' she murmured into my ear. Her frosty breath hissed against my skin as her voice chilled my heart. Everything about her screamed
danger.
It raised the hair on my neck and she smiled.

‚There will not be a next time because you will not be here to make another mistake,' she announced coldly. Alarm caused my heart to pound wildly against my ribcage. The Fates had never done this before.

‚What do you mean?' I asked shakily. ‚I must be here. I know my Daedal better than anyone. No one can handle her like I can.'

She nodded thoughtfully. ‚Yes, in the past that has been the case,' she agreed. ‚But you have shown that you are losing your edge. Ahmose will handle her. You will come with me. The people here will simply fear that you have been taken by intruders and they will search for you for awhile, but in the end, it will be as though you never existed here at all.'

My heart thudded so loudly that I could hear it in the still night and I knew she could too. I had to think quickly, to get her to change her mind, but I couldn’t come up with a feasible retort. After a moment, I managed to think of something to stall.

‚What will you do with me?'

With nimble quickness that I would never have thought that she possessed, she bounded back to my side, throwing me against the wall with supernatural strength.

With my head shoved against the hard stone, she sniffed at my face, my neck, my arms, my legs. All the while, her white hair straggled down her back over her arms and I could feel the evil emanating from her.

How I had never felt it when I had been in mortal form? It was thick in the air around her. Even a mortal should recognize her for the threat that she was, yet I never did. I had always wanted to believe her. As she pushed her face into mine, I ached to throw her off, to use my goddess strength to defend myself, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t reveal myself in such a way and so instead, I gritted my teeth as she continued to sniff at me.

Shoving my nightgown up, she licked my inner thigh, dragging her rough, cold tongue along the skin of my knee to the juncture of my thighs. She paused there, with her face buried in my nether region, keeping me pressed to her with one cold arm.

With her other hand, she used her long thumb nail to rip the bodice of my nightgown Courtney Cole 82

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and push it away, leaving me exposed and naked as the light cotton material fell to the ground.

Goosebumps formed on every surface of my body in the night breeze, but I stood still, trying to force my face to remain expressionless as I willed my heart to calm.

Glancing up at me, Lachesis lingered over my belly before moving to my heart, pressing her ear to my ribcage and listening, holding her icy hands against my shoulder blades, before she licked the skin between my breasts.

Burying her face between them, she inhaled. I held my breath, willing my heart, which was so close to her ear, to slow down. I didn’t want to tip my hand, because she would expect me to be frightened in this mortal body, but she didn’t need to know how much she truly unnerved me, either.

‚So proud,' she murmured, leaving my breasts to pay close attention to my arm.

Lifting it, first she examined it and then she sniffed at it, following an invisible trail from my shoulder to my wrist. When she finally reached my pulse point, she froze with her nose against my skin. I felt my blood pulsing hard as my heart beat against her mouth.

‚You’re lying about something, Keeper,' she observed. ‚I can smell it. Along with your fear, I sense deceit. What are you hiding?'

Her cloudy eyes pierced mine as she stayed poised above my wrist. I fought to remain calm. This was the most unsettling situation I had ever been in. She was violating my personal dignity and there wasn’t a thing that I could do about it. Or that I
should
do about it, anyway.

‚Nothing, Lachesis,' I whispered. ‚I am lying about nothing. I am hiding nothing.'

‚You lie,' she snarled and plunged her yellowed teeth into my wrist. I gasped and cried out, but rigidly kept my feet planted and forced myself to remain calm and frozen in place as the ancient witch drank my blood.

I couldn’t take my eyes off of her face. Her eyes were closed in pleasure as my blood streaked from the corners of her mouth. I could see the pulse beating in my arm, the vital blood pumping faster into her mouth with every second that I became more frightened. With every second, I felt weaker as she took more and more of my blood into her mouth.

‚Stop,' I murmured calmly. ‚Lachesis, stop. What are you doing?'

I had never been more proud of myself for exhibiting restraint. I wanted nothing more than to throw this old woman across the room. Yet I stood limply and allowed her to suck my very life away. There wasn’t anything else I could without tipping my hand.

Seconds turned into minutes and my body had begun to feel cold from blood loss before Lachesis finally complied with my request and dropped my arm, taking one step back.

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I gripped my wrist with my other hand tightly as I stared at her.

My blood streaked down her chin and her eyes were no longer cloudy. They were shiny and black and had a slightly crazed look in them as she studied me.

‚You are lying, Harmonia. I tasted it.'
Harmonia.

Once again, my heart stilled with fear. Her eyes were shiny and glazed with pleasure, but in them was knowledge.
She knew everything.
She had drunk my blood to taste for lies. And I couldn’t control that. My own blood had given me away. She knew the truth.