CHAPTER 39
G aetan stared at the sunstone in Mauree’s grasp. Roan’s Rock rose ominously at her back, the giant stone overshadowing the small group at its base. She studied the gem, and an evil smile tugged at her lip.
Gaetan drew Nicole against him. There was no way Mauree would get close to his mate. A low growl rumbled in his chest.
“You’re through, Mauree. Surrender while you still have time.” Noeh’s jaw tightened.
Gaetan’s chest expanded even at their dire situation. By some miracle, Noeh and Melissa were alive.
Mauree’s shrill laugh echoed above the battle’s din. “I look forward to seeing you die, once again.”
Screeee.
Noeh pointed the tip of his sword at Mauree. “You can’t harm us inside Melissa’s shield, but you, I can kill.”
Mauree’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, Noeh, that’s what you think.”
A tendril of worry slid along Gaetan’s nerves. He held out his hand. “Mauree, don’t do this. Don’t—”
Before he could finish, Mauree held up the blue sunstone. The gem glowed in her palm. With a quick flick, she extended her arm toward Melissa.
Melissa’s shield expanded, growing in size.
“Noeh…it hurts.” Melissa hissed and winced.
“Mauree, stop!” Noeh commanded.
The shimmer enclosed Mauree, continuing until it had expanded over Roan’s Rock.
Melissa shook from the force.
Tanen slid his dagger from his sheath and launched it at Mauree.
She raised her hand then flicked her fingers.
The blade swerved and embedded into the shield, held in mid-air from the force.
Strained grunts burst from Noeh. The muscles in his arms quivered, but his sword remained upright in his arms.
Gaetan tried to move his hand, his leg, any part of his body, but he, too, was immobile.
“Now, let’s get down to business.” Mauree’s voice deepened and took on a sinister tone. She strode to Noeh and trailed a finger down the side of his face. A smile tugged at her lips. “You should’ve selected me as your mate.”
“Never!” Noeh spat the words, a low growl rumbling in his chest.
Mauree tsked. “Come now, it wouldn’t have been that bad. You always did enjoy my, well, that’s neither here nor there now, is it?”
Her attention snapped between the three females. “Melissa, Sheri, Nikki, my little dears, come, join me at Roan’s Rock.” With a flick of her finger, the three proceeded toward the rock.
“Stop, Mauree. This won’t feel like winning to you, I promise.” Gaetan kept his tone gentle, encouraging, but what he needed was to touch her so he could give her some of his calming energy.
“Oh, but I can. You will all perish, and I will win this war for Zedron and claim my right as ruler over the humans.” She cackled as she strode toward Roan’s Rock, the blue sunstone in her palm.
Melissa placed her hand against the boulder and the shield wavered, strengthening. Sheri’s fingers graced the surface, and a tendril of electricity crackled in the air. Nicole brought her palm toward the rough stone.
Gaetan inhaled. “Fight it, Nicole. Concentrate on my love for you. Believe.”
His mate paused, and her fingers trembled.
Gaetan’s chest swelled. His markings, the ones for benevolence and empathy, burned on the back of his hand, darkening. “That’s it. Focus on me. Feel how much I love you.”
“Gaetan…” Nicole cried out, but maintained her place, mere inches from Roan’s Rock.
“Touch the boulder, now!” Mauree shook her hand. The blue sunstone sparked, and the ground beneath Roan’s Rock shook.
Nicole inched closer to Gaetan, but she was still several steps away.
“It’s working! Sheri, focus on me, try to come back.” Tanen’s excitement rippled through the space.
“I…can’t.” Sheri’s heavy breaths eased from her mouth.
Noeh cleared his throat. “Melissa—”
She shook her head, a pained expression on her face.
Gaetan exhaled. “It’s my benevolence and empathy marks. Only I can—”
Mauree darted to him, her high heels sinking into the soft dirt. Her slap whipped his head to the side.
His cheek stung, but Mauree had touched him. He needed her to do so again. “I forgive you, Mauree.”
She choked out a laugh. “I don’t need your forgiveness, Gaetan.”
“You crave forgiveness more than anything. Remember, I know all about guilt and blame. Forgive yourself, Mauree. It will free your soul.” He met her gaze, willing her to come to him.
Her brow furrowed, the internal battle underway.
He glanced at his open palm. “Give me the sunstone.”
“No. No.” She backed away from him, her lip quivering.
The glint of Noeh’s sword caught his attention. Mauree headed straight for the extended blade.
Gaetan winced as her fate unfolded.
Mauree stumbled over a rock in the path. She slipped, careening toward Noeh’s sword. The blade’s tip slid between her ribs. Flesh ripped.
She stilled. Her mouth opened and closed. The blade’s tip protruded from her chest. She coughed, and blood oozed from her lips. “I almost…won. May you all…burn in the ether, the space…between space.”
The blue sunstone slipped from her fingers. The spell broke. Everyone moved at once.
Gaetan stepped forward and caught the precious gem in his palm.
Noeh withdrew the sword and cradled Mauree in his arm.
A sad smile pulled at her mouth, softening her features. “Noeh…all I ever wanted…was to be…your queen.”
A moment later, Mauree’s body turned to sand, the fine grains slipping through Noeh’s fingers.
The blue sunstone burned hot in Gaetan’s palm. A bright blue light emanated from the gem. He clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white with strain. “The catalyst is the blue sunstone. Whoever possesses the magical gem shall command the other elements, Roan’s Rock, and the power within.” The words from the ancient text rushed through Gaetan’s mind. Muscles in his arms and legs tensed. “Nicole, Sheri, Melissa, hurry! Touch Roan’s Rock.”
Sheri placed her palms on the stone’s rough surface. Melissa did the same, but the shield around them was gone.
Screeeee.
The clashing of swords rang in the air.
“Hurry, Gaetan. I’m not sure how long we can hold them off.” Noeh brought his sword down, slicing through a Gossum’s extended tongue. The creature screamed and its wet appendage flopped into the tall grass.
Beyond Noeh’s shoulder, several Gossum sprinted across the meadow. Their long claws and serrated teeth a promise of certain death.
Gaetan gripped Nicole’s hand. She peered at him, determination, love, and acceptance reflected in her beautiful green eyes. He tugged her forward and together, they darted the last few feet to Roan’s Rock.
Nicole placed her palms on Roan’s Rock between Melissa’s and Sheri’s. An eerie tone emanated rose from the giant rock.
The astringent scent of Gossum intensified, burning Gaetan’s nose. They were out of time.
Pulling on his inner strength and his love for Nikki, he slammed the blue sunstone against Roan’s Rock.
A rumble started under the earth, shaking the ground. He wrapped his arms around the three females, using himself as a barrier should any of the Gossum get past Noeh and Tanen.
The water at the base of Roan’s Rock bubbled. Electrical sparks flickered over the rough surface.
The air shimmered, a protective barrier forming around them.
A flash of blue lit up the sky, and an audible pulse wave burst from the stone, ricocheting across the meadow.
Gaetan’s ears rang, blocking out all sound. His labored breaths rushed in and out of his lungs. He glanced behind him to Noeh.
The king held his sword over his head, his fingers gripped around the hilt. His eyes widened for a moment then he blinked.
Gaetan’s gaze tracked beyond Noeh into the meadow. Warriors glanced around, shocked expressions on their faces.
There wasn’t a single Gossum in sight. Their enemy was gone, destroyed in an instant.
The war was over.
Hard and fast, a wave of relief travelled along Gaetan’s nerves. His legs shook from the force.
Still pinned against Roan’s Rock, Melissa and Sheri stirred. Nicole turned around, and he tugged her into his embrace, holding her tight.
Another pulse erupted from Roan’s Rock, followed by a second then a third. The energy waves rippled over the meadow. A slow reverberation shook the Earth.
Gaetan drew Nicole away from the boulder. Noeh and Tanen approached, each embracing their mates.
Shouts from the warriors in the meadow and Noeh’s deep voice penetrated through the cotton in Gaetan’s ears.
“Look!” Noeh pointed upward, toward the tip of Roan’s Rock.
His gaze rose along with the others. From the boulder’s top, a blue shaft of light trailed into the atmosphere, disappearing into a small pinpoint of light.
“It’s beautiful!” Nicole pressed into Gaetan’s chest, and the sweet aroma of melons wafted into his senses. He breathed in, enjoying her unique scent, the one branded into his soul.
Cheers, whoops, and hollers erupted from those in the meadow, as well as from those standing near him.
“We did it, didn’t we?” Nicole brushed a finger down his cheek.
A sense of well-being and happiness swelled his chest. He gripped Nicole’s hand and planted soft kisses along the back of her knuckles. The little rhinestones in her bracelet picked up the light, shining like small stars. “Yes, I think we did.”
She smiled. “Just like Ginnia said we would.”
His chest constricted for a moment, the old guilt pinging against his heart.
“What is it?” Nicole gnawed on her lip.
“Ginnia—”
She placed her finger alongside his mouth. “Shh…Gaetan. She told me to tell you she doesn’t blame you, that she enjoys being the seer.”
He stared into Nicole’s eyes, assessing her, searching for the truth in her words. His calming influence wound into her and rebounded back to him tenfold. She told the truth. Ginnia didn’t blame him.
The heavy weight he’d borne for most of his life lifted from his shoulders. He’d never felt so relieved, so free. “Thank you.”
“Oh, Gaetan—”
He tugged her close. She melded to him, her breasts pressing against his chest, lighting up his nerves. Blood pumped through his veins, his desire for his sweet Nicole filling him. He cradled her head in his palm and kissed her, telling her without words what she meant to him. She returned his kiss, opening up to him, giving him all that he’d ever wanted, ever needed. He loved her more as each moment passed and would never have enough of her.
Noeh cleared his throat.
Nicole drew away, a soft sigh easing from her lips.
He met Noeh’s gaze.
“You’ve done well, old friend. We couldn’t have won this war without you.” Noeh yanked him into a big hug, patting him on the back with one arm.
Rawness coated the back of Gaetan’s throat. He closed his eyes, accepting the affection from the one male he loved like a son.
Noeh pulled away. His gaze slid to Gaetan’s neck then flicked to Gaetan’s eyes. “Seems you’ve claimed a mate. This confirms what I suspected. The mating bond is what allows us to connect with our beasts. Congratulations, by the way.”
Gaetan’s mind spun. “Wh…what?”
“Your bands. Looks like you have a good relationship.” Noeh winked at Nicole.
Gaetan touched his throat. “Bands. Plural?”
Noeh blinked. “You have two.”
How did that happen? He’d only had one before. A tingle raced up Gaetan’s arms. Maybe he’d earned the second one after the physical claiming. He peered at Nicole and the mirror image of his marking on her left hand. Yes, the bond connecting them tightened.
Melissa placed her hand on Gaetan’s arm. “Congratulations. Anlon will be glad to see you as well.”
Gaetan raised his eyebrows. “Anlon?”
“When he went through the portal, he ended up on Lemuria. Through a special, um, circumstance, Alora was able to send all three of us back to Earth.”
Although Gaetan had searched and searched, never to find the prince, the little babe had been safe all along. The last hollow in Gaetan’s chest disappeared, filling with relief. A realization hit him, sending a ripple over his shoulders. His quest wasn’t for naught. Along the way he’d found Nicole, himself, and a love everlasting. Happiness swirled inside, and he drew her close, holding her tight, never wanting to ever let her go.
Noeh wrapped his arm around Melissa’s waist. His brow furrowed, tension lines forming around his eyes. “Speaking of Alora, now that we’ve won the war for her, shouldn’t we return to the character board?”
A painful ache started in Gaetan’s chest and radiated down his arms. He’d just found Nicole, his mate, the love of his life. There was no way he wanted to leave her now. He tightened his grip around his cane, and he pounded the tip into the dirt. “No, no, no…this can’t happen.”
Yet, deep inside, he couldn’t ignore the truth. The war was over, and it was only a matter of time before they all returned to Lemuria.