Finding Valor (54 page)

Vince rolled his eyes after the guard waved them through the gate. “It’s okay. I’m used to it.”

“You might be used to it, but it is
not
okay.”

They continued up a winding gravel road for another mile. Josh’s heart tried to beat its way out of his chest when they broke out of the woods and the castle came into view. “Holy crap.”

Vince got out of the limo and pointed to the left side of the fortress. “That entire wing was destroyed the night my mother assumed the throne.”

Josh kept one arm around Channie’s waist as he stretched. “This place is freaking huge.”

“Yes. It is.” A well dressed, middle aged woman seemed to appear out of nowhere. “And someday it could all be yours.”

Hate flooded Vince's energy shield. “Hello, Mother.”

She completely ignored Vengeance. Didn’t so much as glance in his direction. She stretched her hand out, palm down as if she expected Josh to kiss it. “I’m so glad you decided to accept my invitation.”

Josh took her hand and gave it a friendly squeeze then let go.

Dominance turned her attention to Channie. “And this must be your lovely wife, Enchantment Kerns…or is it Belks?”

Josh’s heart jumped into his throat. Dominance was making sure they all knew that she knew exactly who Channie was and that she hadn’t forgotten that Channie’s family owed her a blood debt. He fought the urge to shove Channie behind his back.
 

“Actually, it’s Veyjivik.” Channie smiled, politely, reminding Dominance that she was Prince Valor’s wife. Not that it would protect her, but still…Josh was proud of her for standing up to the bitch.

“Of course.” Dominance returned Channie’s smile, but it looked like it pained her to do so. “Please, come in. The staff has prepared a light repast for our weary travelers. I hope the limo was comfortable.”

“Cut the bullshit, Mother.”

“Vince.” Josh glared at him. They’d all agreed to go along with Dominance’s ‘let’s play nice together’ ruse as long as possible before they’d even left Freedom Ridge. They didn’t want to start a fight until their army had a chance to arrive. With a group that large, it would take several days to shuttle everyone in. “Don’t be rude.”

“Yes, Vengeance.” Dominance finally deigned to look at her son. To her credit, she kept her expression passive, as if she didn’t even notice how her curse had scarred him. “I raised you better than that.”

Josh cast a mild, pre-emptive be-calm spell on Vince. Not enough to impair him, but still, he expected him to smack the back of his head or at least give him a dirty look.
 

All he did was nod at Josh and murmur, “Thank you.”

The ‘light repast’ was nothing short of a five-course meal. Dominance made a big production out of tasting every dish before it was served to the rest of the group, obviously trying to prove that nothing was poisoned. Josh’s stomach was still tied in knots, so he pushed his food around with his fork and hoped he didn’t offend Dominance.

She noticed. “Does the food not agree with your palette, Valor? Is there something else you’d prefer?”

“No. It’s fine. I’m just…tired.”

“Of course.” Dominance clapped her hands, twice. Three young women, about Channie’s age, scurried into the dining room and collected everyone’s plates—whether they were finished eating or not.
 

Hunter grabbed the entire Cornish hen off his plate and hid it under the table as soon as he figured out what was going on. Josh couldn’t keep from smiling. It was such a “Hunter” thing.

He was afraid that Dominance would try to separate everyone, but she gave them the entire northeast wing of the castle and told them to choose any of the rooms they liked. She was being incredibly nice for someone responsible for so much death and destruction. It was almost a relief when her two escorts remained at the entrance of their wing. She didn’t trust them either.

Channie tugged Josh’s hand and led him into the first bedroom on the right. A gentle blaze nibbled at three logs the size of Josh’s thighs in a massive stone fireplace. A floor to ceiling window behind a sunken tub provided a view of the forest below and the heavens above. But it was the king-sized, four-poster bed that dominated the room. Channie tossed four of the six pillows onto the couch near the fireplace and turned down the comforter. “See, I told you last night wasn’t the last time we’d make love.”

Josh refused to let his negativity ruin what very well could be their last night together. They were trapped. But there was nothing he could do about it except stay alert and wait for something to happen. It was the waiting that was eating him from the inside out. He tapped into his magic and begged it to give him the courage he needed to enjoy every second of whatever time they had left…and to be sure that Channie enjoyed it even more.

~***~

The next morning, Dominance’s guards delivered “clothing more suitable for a prince and his companions.” But they’d neglected to bring anything for Vince.

Josh thanked the guards but told them they’d wear the clothes they brought. They might be threadbare and plain, but they were clean. He and Channie made good use of the sunken tub late last night, but he used a cleansing spell on everyone’s clothes.

After breakfast, which Josh managed to eat just fine, Dominance requested an audience with him.

“Of course.” He stood up then helped Channie out of her chair.
 

Dominance flared her nostrils, but said nothing when Josh wrapped an arm around Channie’s waist, making it clear she went wherever he did. She led them into a room in the center of the castle. It could have been the ballroom out of a Disney fairy tale. White marble floors, crystal chandeliers, a five-tiered fountain and a throne. Seriously? The woman had a throne? Gold-plated legs and arms, red velvet seat and back. Josh sucked his lips into his mouth to keep from snickering at the cliché. But all urge to laugh evaporated when she lowered herself onto her elevated perch and glared at Josh. “What do you hope to gain?”

“What?”
 

“You heard me. Is it my kingdom you want?”

“No…I…you’re the one that invited me here.”
 

Channie grabbed Josh’s hand before he could shove his fingers in his hair. Not a very princely habit, but after all the hospitality, Dominance’s sudden hostility took him by surprise.

Channie squeezed Josh’s hand. “We were under the impression that you wanted to end the war.”

A brief flash of fury lit up Dominance’s energy field. It was the first emotion he’d been able to detect from her. She had it under control immediately, but not quick enough to hide its existence.
 

Josh tugged Channie’s hand behind his back, pulling her into his side. Just the mere warmth of her body strengthened him. Power surged under his skin. He stood a little straighter. “Too many mages have died. All I want is for the war to end and for all mages to live their lives free from fear.”

“Without fear there is chaos. You cannot rule without it.”

“I disagree.”

“So you do want my kingdom.”

“I never wanted any of this.” Josh thrust the fingers of his free hand into his hair. “I was perfectly happy living my non-magical, mundane life before I ever knew I was a mage.”

Channie stiffened.

Josh grimaced. He could have worded that better. “All I want is to spend the rest of my life with Channie by my side. I want to raise a family and know that no one is going to hunt us, or anyone else, down for every infraction, real or imagined.”

“You want a lot.”

“What do
you
want?” Josh honestly had no idea what was so alluring about absolute power. “Surely you realize that people don’t like you. What do you get out of frightening people?”

“Control. Order. Stability.”

“When was the last time you really felt in control?”

“Enough!” Dominance jumped to her feet. Rage exploded past the boundaries of her energy field.

Josh’s shield popped into place, protecting Channie and himself. Dominance’s negative energy bounced off but dissipated before it reached her. It wasn’t really a curse—more of a childish outburst like what the trips were struggling with—but there was no doubt in Josh’s mind that it wouldn’t have been much fun if it had hit them.

Dominance sighed then sat back down. “I apologize. My nerves are a bit frazzled lately.”

“As are mine.” Josh used his “princely” persona. “I’d like to negotiate a peace treaty without further bloodshed.”

“So would I.” Dominance narrowed her eyes to slits. “But I’m afraid that isn’t possible.”

Josh’s blood ran cold. He shoved Channie behind his back and raised his shield.

Dominance laughed. “Foolish child. I’m not about to turn you into a martyr. I’d never subdue your stubborn hillbilly rebels if I killed you while you were my guest.”

“And how long will your hospitality last?”

“I believe the invitation was until solstice.”

“And then what?”

“Then, we shall see who is the stronger mage.”

“A duel?”

“Conducted according to the ancient rites. Let’s set the time to coincide with the total eclipse, shall we?”

“To the death?”

“Winner takes all.” Dominance unfurled a scroll. “Sign this.”

There was a lot of legalese but what it boiled down to was one sentence. Josh read it out loud. “
As acting liege, my signature in blood also binds all those that have ever sworn fealty to me.”

He leaned down to whisper in Channie’s ear. “What about free will?”

“In matters of royal law, they surrendered their will to yours when they knelt and swore fealty.”

Josh closed his eyes. He could still see the entire camp, every man, woman and child, kneeling in the dirt of the common area. He could still
feel
their love and support as they swore to “follow and obey” every royal decree. “So, if I sign this…and lose…everyone that’s loyal to me will be forced to obey Dominance?”

Channie nodded. “Or die.”

~***~

The next few days passed in a blur. Dominance no longer invited them to join her for meals, but her staff still fed them and fed them very well. They delivered the food to the northeast wing, and collected the dirty dishes a couple of hours after every meal. The guards remained posted just outside the entrance. No one tested their resolve, but Josh was certain they wouldn’t let them pass. They were prisoners, not guests.
 

On the third evening, Josh found a note under his napkin. “All set—Z.”

He had no idea how Zen managed to slip a message in right under Dominance’s nose, but he was glad he had. He showed it to the others before destroying it with magic. They all heaved a collective sigh of relief, knowing that the freedom fighters were in place.

The night before the duel, Channie refused Josh’s attempt to seduce her. She claimed she was afraid it would weaken him. And nothing he said to the contrary changed her mind. She moved his hand off her boob for the third time then tucked into his side and laid her head on his shoulder.
 

“Dominance is strong, but you’re stronger. Entire squadrons have failed to defeat your shield. As long as you get it up fast enough, she can’t harm you.”

“I thought you didn’t want me to get it up?”

Channie smacked his chest. “I’m serious.”

Josh pinned her hand over his heart. “I really think this is going to be okay. I mean…I’m not looking forward to killing her, but I can do it. I
will
do it.”

“And you won’t feel guilty for it afterwards. Right?”

“I promise.”

Josh waited until Channie fell asleep then snuck out of bed and retrieved the Book of the Dead, hoping it might have another message for him…some assurance that he would indeed prevail. But it remained dormant.

The apex of the total eclipse would happen at 3:17 AM local time. Which also happened to be the exact time of Josh’s birth nineteen years ago. He couldn’t help but believe it was an omen of some sort, but what kind of omen? Good or bad? There was a sort of symmetry to dying on the anniversary of your birth, and he’d think it was sort of cool if it were his ninetieth birthday instead of his nineteenth.
 

Vince knocked on Josh and Channie’s door a little before midnight and handed Josh a bundle of clothes.
 

“I’m not accepting anything from Dominance.”

“My old nannie’s daughter snuck these inside the castle for you. My mother had nothing to do with it.”

“Oh. Well, in that case, let’s see what we’ve got.” Josh unfolded the bundle and spread it out on the bed. Black leather pants, black boots, a sapphire blue silk shirt and a black leather vest. “I’ll look like a pirate.”

“You’ll look like a prince.”

Josh held up the pants. They looked long enough, which surprised him, but they were definitely going to be tight. There was no way his boxers would work. He’d have to go commando.

“Just try them on.” Vince motioned for Channie to join him in the hall and pulled the door shut behind them.

The pants were definitely tight and left very little to the imagination. But they were surprisingly comfortable. In fact, Josh detected a trace of magic in each article of clothing. He’d thought the silk shirt was silly, especially in the middle of winter, but silk came from living animals and he could always cast a warmth spell on himself, or ask Vince to do it for him so he wouldn’t weaken himself.
 

Still, he was more than a little embarrassed when he opened the door and stepped outside.

Channie’s eyes widened. “Oh, my.”

Hunter grinned at him. “If you wore that on stage at Her Lady’s Pleasure, you could make a ton of money.”

“Oh, hell no.” Josh turned around to go take off the stripper outfit.
 

Channie reached out and grabbed his arm, just below the elbow. “Don’t. I feel magic in those clothes.”

“I do, too. But I don’t want to show up for a duel to the death looking like a stripper.”

Hunter crossed his arms over his chest and huffed. “I never said you looked like no stripper.”

Josh rolled his eyes. “Or an exotic dancer.”