Barefoot in a gray, lifeless forest, Rosemary glanced over her shoulder and bent her finger to the man in black that followed. “Come with me.”
While she whimpered and struggled beneath her bedsheets, the Darke Queen’s pretty pink lips pulled down into a pouty frown, and her voice mumbled low enough not to disturb the faithful Sir Eason keeping guard outside the door. “No. Where did you go? Come back.”
When the horses passed the Sentry’s post, Rosemary’s eyes snapped open, and she gasped. “Daniel.”
Pressing her elbows into the mattress, she sat up and threw her legs over the side of the bed as she fumbled for her slippers. Once she pushed her feet into them, she rushed past Eason and ran as fast as her shaking legs would carry her down the hall.
When Daniel stepped down from his saddle, his wobbly body shivered, and he pressed his hands into his knees as he bent over from his waist to gain his footing. He panted for air that couldn’t fill his lungs fast enough until he sucked back a breath and soft cries fell from him. “What did I do? She didn’t even know she was in danger.”
Agamori slid his hand on Daniel’s shoulder and rubbed it hard. “You did what you thought was best. What any man, any husband would do for his wife.”
Daniel pushed his hand loose, then grabbed the Lord Commander’s chainmail in his hands. “He could’ve… Agi, he could’ve…”
Agamori’s forehead pressed into Daniel’s and rolled from side to side. “No, he couldn’t. Look around you, Daniel; we’re your family. That will never happen here.” His fingertips slid over Daniel’s fists. “There’s no safer place in all the universe for them than right here in these hands.”
“Daniel!” The frantic shouts trailed behind her as Rosemary ran down the path. “Daniel!” The Riders parted down the middle, and she passed through them, then flung herself into Daniel’s arms.
His hand wrapped around her head and his other arm tugged her close to him. “What are you doing out here? It’s freezing.”
His cloak draped over her shoulders, then Agamori nodded to the men to leave. When Daniel’s hand slid to her cheek, Rosemary noticed the blood as she pulled it free and grabbed for the other hand. “Oh, Daniel! What happened to you?”
He backed her out of the stables and shook his head. “Nothing, it’s not my blood. I won, we won.” He balled his filthy hands and rubbed his lips against her cheek. “Why are you out of bed? You need your rest.”
“I had the worst nightmare. I thought I lost you.” Her arms encircled his back, and her face pressed tight against his shoulder. “I couldn’t find you. I was so afraid.”
His hands moved up and down her back as the blackness rose from his feet. “That nightmare is over, my love. He’s nothing but ashes now.”
***
The soft scuffs of Daniel’s feet crossing the foyer were still too loud for the black-haired baby resting on his shoulder. When his little whimpers tickled the King’s skin, he kissed Damien’s fuzzy head and patted his bottom. “Shh!”
He gave the well-wishers that passed by a quick smile as they nodded their heads to the new Prince. The sun peeked through the stained glass, and Daniel stopped to let his son bathe in it.
His eyes grew teary when Damien yawned, and he sniffed it back as he blinked away. “There they are.” A memory yet to be made came to him as he swayed in the stale room, and when it was over, he glanced back to his son. “Someday, Damien, we will rule this land together. All of us, as we were always meant to.”
He swung his arms in small, halted jerks as he bounced his baby softly in front of him. “You will walk these halls with your own son as we are right now. I’ve seen it, Damien. We will find him. We will find them all, no matter how long it takes.”
The end…for now.