Chapter 29
Twenty-Nine
An hour ticked by before King Victor left the crypt.
Hugo and Everand had found a spot in the soft grass to sit and talk while the Wulian guards protected their king.
Victor emerged with red-rimmed eyes and a pale face, but something about him looked steadier now.
The pendant Everand had given Victor was clenched in his fist, and the silver necklace hung down.
A warm spring breeze stirred and ruffled his white hair, making the king seem almost ethereal.
Hugo and Everand pushed to their feet and took a few steps closer. Everand kept an arm slung across Hugo’s shoulders. The embrace was light but so very possessive.
“Did you find the opening in the pendant?” Everand called.
“I did,” Victor admitted, lifting the fist holding the necklace to his heart.
“Huh?”
Everand smirked. “The canary diamond hides a locket. I sneaked a peek as a child and found two portraits. For a long time, I thought I had a long-lost brother no one talked about.”
No, the old queen had carried the portraits of her two grandsons.
“I will need time…to consider everything I’ve seen,” Victor announced.
“Understandable,” Everand agreed.
It was on the tip of Hugo’s tongue to ask if that meant he and Everand were free now, but he caught that overeager appendage between his teeth to hold the words in.
“But I would like to return one day…”
“Visit anytime you want. I just request that you don’t remove anything. The code to the lock is the year you were born,” Everand replied.
Victor nodded once and put the necklace over his head. He tucked the pendant inside his shirt, protecting it while keeping it against his skin.
“Does this mean that I met your requirements? We’re both free to return to Frostbourne?” Everand prodded.
Hugo poked the prince in the side. He might have had the same question, but Everand could have framed it a little nicer.
“Oh, yes. You’re free to go. I’ll send a messenger to King Hubert.
We’ll start a conversation soon.” Victor’s gaze shifted to Hugo, and one corner of his mouth tipped higher.
“I’ll also include that part of the credit for the upcoming peace talks goes to Mr. Baker.
He’s the one who helped me realize that it’s time to let old wounds heal.
Maybe that will convince the king and queen that their soon-to-be son-in-law isn’t so common after all. ”
Hugo opened his mouth to thank King Victor for his efforts, but the words never left his throat. Captain Ryze and the other two guards jumped forward, placing their bodies in front of their king, their swords drawn.
“What the—” Hugo gasped, backpedaling.
“Come here! Hurry!” Victor shouted.
The words were barely out of his mouth when the low rumbling growl rolled out of the nearby woods.
Hugo swung around to see an entire pack of wolves slowly creeping from the shadows of the nearby tree line.
The beasts were enormous, far bigger than average wolves.
They were almost the size of ponies. Their black-and-brown fur stood up, and menacing fangs dripped saliva.
Hugo’s legs trembled, and goose bumps rushed down his arms. He and Everand were too close to the wolves and too far from Captain Ryze and the other guards.
If they ran, it would take nothing for the wolves to catch them before they could reach the guards.
Yet, the guards could still use their magic to get King Victor to safety.
They’d been so close. King Victor had released them and promised to work toward peace with Branem. His brothers and all his other countrymen and women were safe. No more war. He’d even started conjuring up images of returning to his courtship of Everand. A hard-won happily ever after.
But now there were wolves.
Wolves that could kill them all. Victor could escape with his guards, but if Everand died here today, war would follow. Their happily ever after destroyed by fangs and claws.
Everand’s fingers bit into Hugo’s wrist as he tried to pull him back. “It’s okay, Hugo. Just move closer to Victor and his men. I’ll take care of this—”
“No!” Hugo shouted. He’d snapped. He’d officially had enough of this bullshit. It was time to take control of his fate and not leave it up to a bunch of royals and wolves.
Hugo jerked his wrist free of Everand’s grip and stomped in the direction of the wolves, moving in front of Everand and Victor.
“I am tired of the nonsense,” Hugo roared.
As he spoke, he extended his arms out to his sides, holding his empty hands palms up.
A ring of glass formed around all of them, almost as if he was placing them in a protective dome, separate from the wolves.
“If it’s not bloody spinning wheels, it’s Wulian spies and kidnappings and ruining the very best party of my life.
Not to mention sitting three days in a dungeon without a proper bath and being used as a pawn in a potential war that could see my family killed.
And do you know why? It’s because I wanted someone who wanted me.
Who saw me and loved me. I didn’t go asking for a prince.
But I got one, and no one is taking him from me. ”
As he spoke the last word, Hugo flicked his fingers, and the glass dome that had been growing over them shattered into jagged shards that now hovered in the air.
He held thousands of sharp glass knives in the air, pointing directly at the wolves.
The glass glittered and brightly reflected the late-day sun.
Hugo’s gaze remained cold and merciless. He wasn’t a hunter or a killer, but he was a protector. Nothing was going to take Everand away from him.
“Someone once said I create beautiful things because I have a beautiful soul. Well, I can create ugly, violent things too for protecting those I love.”
The growls from the wolves quieted, and several even retreated, their ears tucked low to their heads.
An enormous wolf stepped out of the woods.
He was completely black except for a thin stripe of white across his chest. Its large ears were pinned against its head, and it bared enormous fangs.
The vicious growl that rattled from its chest chilled Hugo to the bone, but he refused to waver.
“Hugo?” Everand’s voice was a warm embrace, wrapping around him from behind. A hand came to rest in the center of his back, rubbing gently. “It’s okay.”
“I’ve got this. Let Victor’s guards get you out of here,” Hugo snapped, unwilling to take his eyes off the wolves. He was afraid that if he blinked or even flinched, they’d attack. There was only one chance to get this right.
“No, Hugo, really. It’s okay. My father sent them,” Everand stated.
“Are you kidding?” Victor barked.
“What?” Hugo added to the demands, still unwilling to look away.
“I’m sure it was just a precaution. You know we have spies watching Onisa, the same way you have spies watching Frostbourne,” Everand continued.
“Ev? The wolves? Are you sure?” Hugo pressed when it seemed like the prince and king might fall into their usual bickering.
“Yes, I’m sure.” Everand moved to stand beside Hugo, his hand sliding up his spine to rest on his tense shoulder. He even gave the muscles a squeeze. “General, it’s okay. King Victor has released me. We’re free to return home. You can recall your men. Notify my father I’m heading home.”
Hugo still didn’t move, but he squinted his eyes at the deeper shadows of the woods. There was no sign of a general or any humans whatsoever. As far as he could see, there were only wolves. Lots of angry wolves.
Tension vibrated in the air for several long seconds before, one by one, the wolves retreated, disappearing into the woods.
“Hugo? Treasure? It’s okay. We’re safe. Can you release the glass?” Everand’s hand continued to knead and massage Hugo’s shoulder, trying to ease away the tension that vibrated in his frame. “I’m safe, my treasure. No one is going to hurt me.”
The repeated words finally seeped into Hugo’s frazzled mind, and he released the breath he was holding. With one last push of magic, Hugo waved his hands. The shards hanging in the air disintegrated into sand and were caught on the wind.
As Hugo lowered his arms, Everand pulled him into a hard embrace, seizing his mouth in a brutal, demanding kiss.
“Never again say that your magic is useless. Never,” Everand growled between rough kisses.
Hugo clung to him, his body trembling from all the magic he’d consumed.
He was ready to pass out from a mix of profound relief and exhaustion.
Had he really done that? Had he threatened an entire pack of wolves to keep Prince Everand and King Victor safe? Insane. He’d lost his mind.
Everand pulled away to grin at Hugo, a look of pride seeming to fill his dark-blue eyes.
“I’ve changed my mind, Cousin,” King Victor called out.
Everand and Hugo turned at the same time to see Victor make a small motion with his hand. Captain Ryze and the other two guards returned their swords to their sheaths. Ryze even graced Hugo with a smirk and a nod before he and the guards disappeared.
“Changed your mind about what?” Everand asked.
Victor lifted his hand to his mouth and released a long, piercing whistle that caused Hugo to wince. He lowered his hand and grinned. “You can keep Hugo Baker. I think he’s a bit too spicy for me.”
“I’m too spicy?” Hugo gasped. He stomped two steps toward the king. “You’re too spicy! Your whole family is too spicy!”
The words were barely out of Hugo’s outraged mouth when something huge and black flew up the side of the cliff. Hugo and Everand shouted in surprise and stumbled, knocking into each other. The giant creature circled above them once and landed right next to King Victor.
A Pegasus.
A great black horse with enormous black wings.
It was massive, with thick muscles dancing under a flawless midnight coat.
Wings big enough to blot out the sky stretched and jostled.
The creature tossed its head and pawed at the ground twice but quieted the second Victor jumped onto its back and tightened his fist in its mane.
Victor shot them one last smile. “I’ll be expecting an invitation to the wedding.”
Everand snorted. “Only if you send a damn good gift!”
With a nudge of his heels into the horse’s flanks, the Pegasus extended its wings and ran straight for the cliff. It caught the wind and soared up into the clouds, heading toward the royal palace in Onisa.
“That’s not fair,” Hugo mumbled, still staring at the black dot growing smaller in the sky.
“What?”
“That has to be a royal thing. You make these incredible entrances and exits, leaving us poor commoners in the dust. How can I compete with that? A Pegasus, Ev! The king summoned a Pegasus to carry him home.” He threw out one hand, motioning at where the king had been in the sky.
“You don’t need to make a grand, flashy entrance. Sometimes, you just need to be a nice guy who’s willing to get splashed with mud to save a stranger from injury.”
Hugo jerked around, his mouth hanging open, but all words escaped him. Everand was talking about the first time they’d met. The real first time. Not the nonsense with the arranged luncheon, but that horrible day on the city street when he’d rescued Everand from the runaway carriage.
“You remember?” Hugo choked out.
“I’ve never forgotten. You had no idea who I was.
I could see it on your face. You were some thoughtful fellow who saved me from being run over, and you got splashed with mud for your trouble.
” Everand reached up and lightly ran his fingertips down Hugo’s cheek, the tender caress sending a wave of heat through Hugo even as his eyes filled with tears.
“I wanted to say something. Help you. But you looked so embarrassed. I was afraid that once you learned my identity, it would make the situation worse instead of better.”
“But you said nothing at the luncheon.”
Everand’s smile became crooked. “Neither did you. I thought maybe you’d forgotten the whole thing. That I was the only one who’d felt something that day as our eyes met.”
“No, never.” He leaned in the last couple of inches that separated them and kissed his love slowly, savoring the feel of his lips, the haunting taste of him, and the seductive, possessive sweep of his tongue.
From the first time their eyes had met, he’d belonged to Everand, and Everand had belonged to Hugo.
Nothing was going to come between them. Not kings or wars. Not even snarling wolves.
“You know, King Victor could have at least given us a ride to the nearest town,” Hugo murmured against Everand’s lips.
The prince tilted his head back and laughed.
“It would have been nice.” Threading their fingers together, Everand stepped away and tugged Hugo with him.
“Come on. It’s a short walk to town from here.
We’ll be able to send a quick message to my father and arrange for a carriage to take us to Frostbourne. ”
“Home at last.”
There was just one more thing Hugo needed to take care of before he could claim his happily ever after with a prince.