Chapter Twenty-Six
Wray’s mind was in turmoil, his heart pounding, as he raced across the gardens of House Reeve, his guard barely able to keep up. How could this have happened? Why had he let her go without him? She was his universe and he had failed to protect her… again. If she were gone….
No! He refused to let himself think that. The Goddess couldn’t be so cruel… not when he had just found her. Instead, he let his rage fill him, let it strengthen his arm and heighten his senses.
Today he was not the Emperor.
Today he was a Tornian Warrior, protecting his female and nothing would stand between him destroying whoever was trying to harm her.
Coming up on the guards he had sent to protect Kim he paused only long enough to retrieve one of their swords then followed the trail left by those who had taken his Kim. At the edge of the wooded area, he lifted his sword, hearing someone running towards him. When Caitir suddenly stumbled out he lowered his sword, barely catching her as she fell to the ground. Her gown was tattered and torn, her breathing erratic. Scratches marred her dark skin and her eyes were wide with fear.
“Emperor!” Caitir gasped.
“Where is the Empress!” Wray demanded, barely remembering to keep his grip gentle.
“ We separated so they couldn’t catch both of us.” Caitir told him. “She ran towards the river.”
“Who are they ?” Wray demanded.
“Fala and Gyula.” She told him. “They drugged us and were planning on taking us to a ship on the other side of the river. Another warrior…” Caitir had to pause to catch her breath.
“What! Another warrior what!” Wray gave her a small shake.
“Another warrior came. He… he sent me to find you… to tell you what happened while he went after the Empress.”
“Tora…”
“Yes, majesty.”
"Take her to my chambers. Protect her as if she were your own." Wray's eyes were hard as he stared at the Warrior dressed in Reeve's colors. "If any harm comes to this female it will be your life and the life of all you know. Do you understand me?!!"
" Yes, majesty!" The male immediately said, his eyes going to Caitir.
"Come," the male held out his hand to help her up. "My vow, no harm will come to you."
A faint scream had every male tensing, trying to locate where it had come from. Wray had no such problem, he let his instincts guide him, knowing they would never fail him, not when it came to Kim. Ducking into the woods, he went to find his Empress.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Kim ducked under yet another low branch, hoping it would slow Gyula down, instead she heard him crash through it just as he had every other one she’d put in his way. He was gaining on her and all too quickly, she was running out of time and space. When the trees suddenly gave way to the banks of the river, she knew it was over.
Spinning to confront Gyula, she held up the knife General Rayner had given her on Pontus and pointed it at Gyula.
"Do you really think that little thing will stop me?" Gyula demanded, pulling out his much larger, longer sword.
"I stopped you before ," she gestured to his still bleeding nose. "I'll stop you again." She said with as much bravado as she could muster.
"You were lucky!" Gyula denied angrily.
"Right. Lucky like Tora?" Kim goaded him, hoping to buy herself enough time for someone to help her. “Maybe I’m just better than you Gyula. More skilled.”
The river would be her last resort . Quickly she glanced at it over her shoulder. She hadn't lied to Wray. She was an excellent swimmer, but this river's current looked swift and she has never swam in a long gown before... or with her hands tied... she wasn’t looking forward to it, but she refused to let Gyula abuse her. This time she knew she had no chance of surviving.
"We shall see who the lucky one is now won't we." Gyula sneered as he raised his sword, taking a step towards her.
Kim knew she didn’t have the strength to block Gyula's blow. She knew there was only one place left for her to go, but as she prepared to jump into the river, she caught the flash of movement in the trees.
S uddenly Wray was there. Blocking Gyula’s sword.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Gyula's eyes widened in shock when his blade was deflected. Spinning around, he found himself confronting…. The Emperor!
Stumbling back Gyula quickly reassessed his position. The hard, cold inferno that raged in the Emperor’s eyes told him he would receive no mercy from him. Looking behind him, Gyula saw more of the Emperor’s warriors filling the area and knew he would find no help there. Deciding that if today was the day he was to meet the Goddess he would be taking the Emperor with him.
Setting his shoulders , Gyula attacked.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Wray watched as first surprise, then acceptance, then finally deadly resolve settled over Gyula's face and welcomed it. He wanted this battle. He wanted to inflict as much pain as possible on the male that dared to harm his Kim. He'd only allowed himself the smallest of glances in her direction before focusing his full attention on Gyula, but he'd had enough for him to see her scratches, her bruises and her fear. Gyula would suffer for each and every one.
“Protect the Empress!” He ordered and s tepping in front of Kim, attacked.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Every warrior entering the area obeyed the Emperor’s order and stepped in front of the Empress, putting themselves between her and the battle about to rage. None had ever seen their Emperor like this before and they couldn’t take their eyes off him.
Y es, they had known the Emperor was a fierce warrior. You couldn't be from House Vasteri and not be. It was ingrained in them.
Yes, they knew he trained every day to maintain his skills, but it had been decades since he'd actually seen battle and that had made some think his skills would be lacking in a ‘real’ battle.
Th ey were wrong.
Gyula while one of the Empire’s strongest warriors, lacked the sharp mind necessary to become a great warrior. Fala had that. It was why they made such a dangerous pair. What one did not have the other did.
T he Emperor had the strength and the intelligence in combination with his skill and rage and there would never be a more lethal weapon than Wray Vasteri.
All too soon Gyula was tumbling under the Emperor’s onslaught and suddenly realized he would be meeting the Goddess alone.
"The Goddess will never accept you Gyula!” Wray bit out coldly, "She only honors those that are worthy and you are not! No, today you will be meeting Daco, for like him, you have a black soul and no concept of honor." Wray's blade cut deep, moving across Gyula's lower abs, spilling his internal organs.
With a cry Gyula fell to his knees, writhing in pain. "Mercy!" He pleaded with the Emperor he’d wanted to kill. "End me."
"Suffer Gyula!" Wray replied as he put a foot on Gyula’s shoulder, shoving so he fell to the ground. "It will give you something to talk about when you met Emperor Lucan!" Turning his back on Gyula, Wray's eyes searched for Kim and found her... gone.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
"This can't be!" Fala cried out, as yet another of Tora's blows landed, severing his sword arm.
"It can be." Tora responded striking again. "Today you go to Daco, the only God, depraved enough to accept you."
"No!" Fala denied. "I go to the Goddess."
"Never!" Tora promised. "You will rot with Lucan and all the other males that have brought this plague upon us!" With that final statement, Tora severed Fala's head and watched as it bounced across the ground, seeming to want to get as far away from Fala as Tora did.
The sound of footsteps coming up behind him had Tora lifting his dripping sword, prepared to defend himself again. He expected to find Gyula, instead he found Veron and several other warriors entering the area.
"Wh y are you here?" he demanded. “You should be searching for the Empress.”
"We were following the Emperor. Did he not pass here?"
"No." The s ound of swords clashing had them all sprinting towards the river.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Kim watched in horror as Wray fought with Gyula. This was what she had wanted in the cave, but now… seeing the brutal way Wray attacked Gyula, she wished it wasn’t happening. Not when it puts Wray at risk. The very thought of him being harmed terrified her.
Warriors stepped in front of her blocking her view of the carnage taking place in front of her. Kim wasn't sure if she was grateful or not. She could hear the swords clashing, hear the grunts and growls coming from Wray and Gyula and her imagination was filling in the blanks. The sound of footsteps rushing up from behind had Kim turning, ready to defend Wray's back, if necessary.
Finding Tora and Veron rushing towards her, she relaxed and taking a deep breath took a step back. Suddenly the ground gave way and before she could even scream, she was underwater.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Tora rushed into the area, not knowing what he would find. Seeing Kim was unharmed, the worry that he would be too late disappeared, but just as it did, so did Kim.
"No!" he bellowed as she fell into the swiftly moving water. Dropping his sword, Tora immediately dived in after her.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Kim frantically kicked towards the surface, wanting out of the inky darkness that was surrounding her. Breaking the surface, she tried to fling her hair out of her face. Kicking so she twirled around in the water, she tried not to panic when she realized how far from the bank she was.
The current was stronger and faster than she’d thought. She knew if she struggled against it, she would never survive. Instead, she needed to work with it, letting it take her downstream as she worked her way to the bank.
Rolling onto her side , Kim kicked with the current, angling towards the riverbank. She extended her still bound hands out in front of her and pulled, trying to do a one handed sidestroke, while keeping her head above water. It wasn’t how she’d be taught, but it would have to do.
It was also harder than she expected. Her waterlogged gown kept wrapping around her legs, trying to pull her under. All too soon, her body started to chill and tire. The effects of the drug she’d been given, her desperate run through the woods, not to mention her fear that Wray might be injured had taken its toll on her strength. A strength she had only just begun to regain since the Ganglian attack.
Suddenly it felt as if som eone or something struck her from behind. It latched onto her gown and pulled her under.
Spinning and twirling underwater Kim tried to get her bearings , tried to figure out what was happening and tried not to panic. But it was so dark… So cold... She could feel herself being pulled deeper and deeper into the river’s murky depths. Her hands were suddenly free and her numb fingers desperately clawed for the surface, but to no avail, then as suddenly as she had been snagged, she was free, but what good did that do her? She didn’t know which way was up.
She couldn’t see. Her lungs were burning. She was colder than she’d even been, even on that damn Ganglian ship. She could feel her life slipping away and there was nothing she could do about it.
‘Wray!’ she silently screamed.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Wray shoved aside warriors his eyes searching for Kim. Where could she have gone! Why couldn't he find her?
"Majesty!" Veron ’s call had Wray spinning to find his Captain running along the riverbank. "She fell!"
Wray's heart stopped at Veron's words.
No!
Not the river! He couldn't lose anyone else to its deadly grip.
Rushing to the edge his eyes frantically scanned the surface, searching for his love. Finally, a flash of red glinting in the muddy water caught his eye and he saw her, struggling to keep her head above water.
Not far behind it, he saw another head, this one as dark as his own skin.
Tora!
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Tora ’s eyes never left Kim as he swam towards her with strong powerful strokes. He let the force of the current aid him. He was nearly to her when she suddenly disappeared beneath the dark water as if something had tugged her down. Refusing to lose her Tora dove after her.
He went deeper and deeper into the river ’s murky depths frantically searching for her. He wouldn’t fail again. Wouldn’t let another member of his family perish in a river. His lungs began to burn, but he refused to abandon his search, finally, when he thought he had failed, he felt the brush of hair against his hand and he desperately fisted it. Following it down, he found part of Kim's covering. Grabbing it, he kicked for the surface just as his vision began to dim.
B reaking the surface, Tora’s lungs sucked in the life giving air before turning the unresponsive Kim onto her back. Wrapping an arm securely around her, he kicked towards the bank.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Wray could do nothing but watch in horror as both Kim and Tora disappeared under the river’s surface. The pain that filled him nearly drove him to his knees.
Tora! His first male!
Kim !!! His love!!!
He felt hi s heart stutter and knew it was about to stop because he couldn’t survive without her now.
W hen they broke the surface, his relief knew no bounds, but it was short lived when he realized Kim wasn’t moving.
Jumping over the edge Wray slid down the bank, ignoring the startled cries of his warriors and waded out into the river. He reached them just as Tora began to falter and took Kim from him. Veron was instantly there supporting Tora, making sure that he too reached the bank.
Wray carefully laid Kim down and while he’d accepted his warriors’ assistance in climbing up the bank, he’d refused to let anyone take her from him. She was his!
Pressing his hands down against her chest, he forced the water from her lungs and prayed to the Goddess.
‘Please glorious one! Please ! Don’t take this female from me. I need her. I will do anything… anything you ask of me.’ He pleaded.
‘Anything Emperor?’ While the question filling his head shocked him, he didn’t let it stop him from pumping on Kim’s chest.
‘Anything!’ He responded.
‘You vow to love and protect her whether she gives you fit offspring or not?’
‘Yes!’ Wray shouted in response.
‘So be it, but know this Emperor… if you fail me, my wrath will know no bounds.’
‘If I fail Kim, nothing you do will matter.’
His response, gave the Goddess pause. ‘Good answer Emperor.’
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Kim was adrift. Cocooned in a darkness that held no pain, no cold, not fear. There was… nothing.
Nothing was good.
‘Is it?’ A voice questioned.
‘Yes.’ Her response was instant and knew she had displeased the ‘voice’.
“What about your Warrior?’ She asked.
‘Warrior?’ Kim frowned struggling to understand the question. ‘What warrior?’
“Have you forgotten him so easily? Perhaps you aren’t the right female for my new beginning.’
‘New beginning…’ Something fired in Kim’s mind. The darkness that was trying to hold her started to fade and in its place were memories… feelings. Good ones… Bad ones... Ugly ones…
‘Yes.’ Somehow, Kim knew it was the Goddess speaking to her. ‘You have to remember it all. Accept it all. Before you can return… to him.”
‘Him?’ Suddenly Kim was thrust into the light and everything returned at once.
‘Wray!’ Her mind screamed.
‘Yes. But I’m not sure he is for you.’
‘He is mine!’ Kim dared to growl at the Goddess appearing before her.
‘You think you are worthy enough for one of my finest? For him?’
‘No.’ Kim’s response was instant and heartfelt, her eyes dimming, but she refused to back down. ‘I’m not and I never will be, but no other female will ever love him as much as I do. No other will ever understand him as I do. No Tornian female will ever put him first, like I will.’
‘ They have their reasons.’
‘ Not with Wray they don’t!” Kim argued back.
‘In this you are correct.’ The Goddess paused and it could have lasted a moment or a millennium as her eyes bored into Kim’s. ‘Are you ready to be my beginning? To accept what must be. No matter what that is?’
‘I can accept anything as long as I have Wray.’
Slowly the Goddess leaned forward, touching a hand to Kim’s chest. Kim instantly felt life flow through her.
The life she hadn’t realized she’d been lacking.
‘Then live and live well child.’