Never Let You Go (The Prophecy of Tyalbrook, book 2)

PROLOGUE

GRIFFIN

Fifteen years.

That was how long she had waited to have this conversation. Fifteen years of worry, pain, and hope for this day to come.

I walked past Lake Ceresius on the way to our meeting place. The water’s glass facade shimmered in the pale, blue moonlight as a meager breeze stirred tiny ripples along its surface. There was a biting chill in the air; evidence fall had faded into winter.

As I walked, my last conversation with Skye rolled through my mind. I recalled the fear that flashed in her eyes when an arrow from our pursuers pierced my tunic and sliced into my shoulder. The fear on her face was more painful than the wound itself.

Hello, Griffin. A feathery soft voice interrupted my memories.

She sat amidst a garden blooming with gold and orange foliage, on the same wooden bench we always met. Her flowing chestnut locks reached her waist, the part down the middle made her appear significantly younger than her true age.

She looked ill; a sure sign the stress has taken its toll on her. Over the past few months her cheeks had become gaunt, sunken in, and her previously radiant, porcelain skin was paler. Despite her frail appearance, she was still a beautiful woman; her skin smooth and blemish free, and her brown eyes wide and bright, even with the dark circles under them.

Your Highness, I proclaimed, bowing low before I moved to her side.

There have been fewer visits lately, she informed me, ignoring the pretense of a formal greeting. What have you heard? Her eyes were hungry for information.

She is here, milady.

Her fist covered her mouth as an inhuman cry emitted from her lips and her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. In Tyalbrook? She has returned?

I nodded in affirmation.

You have seen her, then? Spoken to her?

Yes, Your Highness. I was able to meet with her in the meadow. McClintock invited her to the castle. She inhaled sharply but I continued, She agreed to go.

Will she be safe?

I sat beside her and covered her hand with my own in a gesture of comfort. I warned her to trust no one. You should know I mentioned the necklace to her.

Her agitated hands clutched at her skirt as she stood.

How is she, Griffin? Will she be able to handle this?

Visions of Skye entered my mind: her flare of anger at our last meeting as she questioned how I knew about the King’s request to meet her. The first time I saw her, when she complimented me…

Lovely? No, you are the one who is lovely, she grumbled, before asking, Where are we, and how did I get here?

Our meetings have been brief, but yes. Yes, I believe she is strong enough. However, I am sure her memory was wiped clean. According to her, she only recently discovered who she is and who her Guardian is.

Another gasp. Xander? Is he with her, then? Her face equal parts of joy and pain as she continued twisting her hands.

I have yet to meet him, but yes, he is with her.

McClintock will not allow him to protect her. You must help him keep her safe. Keep them both safe, she trailed off.

Kerra. I stood and pulled her hands apart, squeezing them tightly, as though I could infuse some of my strength into her body. I can assure you I will watch over her. Vonnedenia will work on Xander.

Vonnedenia? So the Fae have agreed to help?

The Faeries of the Glade have agreed. Vonnedenia warned me though, many in Elendriel are ready to go to war. They are losing their magic quickly now.

Losing magic? Is McClintock using Tabor to attack them?

We do not know. I dropped her hands and stepped away. Skye is almost eighteen. The Kingdom has been decaying slowly for the past few months. I feel it coming to a pivotal point, Kerra. It is time.

They will be ready for this, Griffin. McClintock, Tabor—they will have men ready to fight.

And demons.

When will you tell her of me? she asked nervously as she returned to her seat on the bench.

I do not know, I admitted. We still have no idea where you are, even after fifteen long years of searching. I think telling her you are alive right now would hurt rather than help her.

She deserves to know her mother did not abandon her, Griffin. That if it had not been for his betrayal, we would still be together.

Yes, and she will. That is why I asked her to find the necklace. If we could use—

Griffin, Kerra interrupted, it will take a special ability to use the necklace. You know it was created mainly for my protection, and I can’t bear the thought of anyone risking their lives to find me.

Do you think I could tell Skye you are alive and then convince her to leave you be?

Take down McClintock and perhaps I will be set free. That should be the plan.

McClintock will pay with his life for the pain he has caused, Your Highness, I pledged, switching back to her royal title. I’ve known her since she was a child, years before she was anyone other than a beautiful village girl who enchanted me with her charm and laughter.

She jerked her head to the side as if she heard something. Frustration appeared on her face. Someone is here. I must go. Keep them safe, Griffin. Do not let him have her! she cried, as she faded away.

I nodded, my hand over my heart—the sign we’ve shared for years as a way of committing to a promise. I would not let the Princess get hurt. Once Kerra was gone, I stood in the meadow and debated my next move.

Vonnedenia.

Hopefully she could get to Xander and convince him to come to me before McClintock got ahold of him. The King would most certainly kill him if he had the chance, and I needed him. Kerra needed him. All I could do now was wait. Wait for Xander and wait for Skye to find the necklace and find her way to me.

1

YOUR HIGHNESS

SKYE

The worn gravel walkway crunched beneath my booted feet as a large, thatched roof cottage came into view. The full moon illuminated puffs of smoke as they billowed from the chimney, and a small window by the cottage door glowed dimly, testifying to a late night fire. I carefully tiptoed to the front door, glancing around furtively and making sure I wasn’t followed.

My guilty conscience was full of thoughts of Xander. He was so exhausted that he’d fallen asleep within mere moments of collapsing into bed. I laid there and listened to the sound of his breaths as I watched his chest rise and fall in time with my own. Studying him, I committed every inch of his sleep softened, chiseled face to memory. Sneaking away from him was the hardest thing I’d ever done.

Second thoughts hammered away at my courage, but then I remembered another beautiful face—the one in my vision from when I blacked out after being attacked. I recalled the soft voice that sang in my ear. Be careful, my Princess . . . you will lose all you love before you can win what you want.

It came back to me slowly, my brief meeting with a delicate-looking woman. The crystal blue of her eyes and her nearly translucent skin. Although she was but a blur of white in my dream, her warning has continued to haunt me. Her childlike voice tickled my ear. He is the key. It was that memory, along with Griffin’s last visit, that compelled me to run away.

Now, as I stood outside the cottage, my head and heart were both torn with fear. The usual warmth I felt deep in my soul when Xander was near had already begun to dull. Thoughts of turning back teased me, and my hand dropped from the doorknob as I allowed the panic to seep in.

The fear was like a stubborn weed growing within my heart, its long roots wrapped around veins and arteries until the anxiety began to choke the bravery out of me. Doubt laughed at me like a devil on my shoulder, hissing at me, telling me no matter what I did I would never be able to save everyone I loved.

No! I hissed back adamantly. Eager to prove myself, I knew I needed to do as Griffin said and make my way to Montibello, find the necklace, get answers, and hopefully keep Xander and the others safe.

Resolute in my desire to continue on, I glanced around once more. Positive I was alone, I slid soundlessly inside. The door opened into a large room filled with long tables. To my left was an empty bar, and ahead of me to the right were doors I presumed led to guest rooms. I glanced up and spied a small loft above me, as well as a dark staircase cloaked in shadows in the far corner of the room. The cracks and pops of a meager fire and the distinct rhythm of men snoring were the only sounds breaking the stillness.

As I stood there trying to figure out how to find who I was looking for, a slight movement in my peripheral vision startled me. My grip tightened on the dagger Xander gave me when we left home as a tall shadow moved toward me.

Well, well . . . look who I see, the newcomer sneered. His face moved from the shadows and I recognized him from the meadow. He was the larger soldier, the one who clashed with Cillian. I shivered and pulled my cape tighter as his eyes raked down my body.

Refusing to be intimidated, I reminded myself to be brave and stepped forward. I’m looking for your leader. The soldier I spoke with—?

You here alone, Princess? he interrupted with a leer on his rugged face.

Your leader? I repeated impatiently.

The soldier—Smith, I recalled him being called—motioned for me to follow him. I hung back, keeping some distance between us as we crossed back into the dark corner from where he’d appeared. As my eyes began to adjust to the room, I saw a chair blocking the door along the wall. Smith had evidently been sitting there guarding both the door and the occupant of the room. He moved the chair and knocked twice. Before entering, he motioned for me to stay put.

My ears picked up their low murmurs as I stood outside the door waiting. I continued to glance around, verifying that I was alone. I took deep breaths and simply tried to keep my pounding heart from breaking out of my chest. My legs itched to bolt from the inn, but I refused to let my brain go there. I’d made my decision and I knew there was no turning back now.

Without a word, Smith opened the door, stepped out, and then pulled it shut again. He stood there with his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl permanently fixed on his face as he stared at me. In defiance, I decided to return his nasty glare while I waited. Two could play that game and I could give as well as I got. After only a few moments, the door opened and I found myself face to face with the green-eyed soldier again.

Milady? To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure? His voice dripped with the same sticky sweetness I recalled from our conversation in the meadow. And at this hour of the night?

I would like to speak with you in private, if I may.

Private, huh? We are in a relatively private place now, or would you prefer to step into my room? He swept the door open, holding his arm out with a flourish and inviting me inside.

The exaggeration of the movement would have made me smile if I hadn’t been so nervous. He didn’t seem as uptight as Smith, and I noted his demeanor was relaxed, maybe even playful.

Thank you, I drawled as I surveyed the room. It was large, furnished with an unmade bed, armoire, chair, and washstand. There was a candelabrum on the nightstand with several candles flickering softly.

He exchanged a few words with Smith and then the door clicked shut. The fear and panic I’d felt moments ago bubbled up again once I realized I was trapped in his room, but when I spun on my heel to face him, I found him watching me with a soft look on his handsome face. The look was oddly comforting, as was his hastily thrown-on shirt and bedraggled hair. My fear of him slipped away as his eyes focused on me and a small grin played on his face.

Trying to work up the courage to tell him my plan, I spit out, I’m sorry for barging in on you like this.

Milady, do not concern yourself with apologies. What can I do for you?

"I… I have come to ask a favor. I need to leave for Montibello. Now."

He opened his mouth to speak, and then abruptly shut it and looked away. Placing his hands on his hips, he looked back at me. Now? Where is your guard, Princess?

I swallowed hard and tried to remain as vague as possible. "I am here, soldier. You said the King wanted to see me, and I am asking for your protection and help in getting to him."

An unknown emotion flickered across his handsome face. I can awaken my soldiers at once, and we can gather supplies to leave within the hour, he stated, and started to pull the door open again.

No, I countered, half expecting his soldiers to barge in at hearing my raised voice. I reached my hand out and grabbed his arm as his green eyes shot to mine with a look of astonishment. I must ask for you alone to accompany me. We must make haste.

My hand fell from his arm as he dropped his from the door knob. His voice was tense, yet it maintained its original sweetness as he asked, Will we be followed, Princess?

I imagine we will be, at some point.

Your vagueness intrigues me, Your Highness. I will take you to Montibello myself, however, I need to bring one soldier to help watch our backs. Is that acceptable to you?

Smith?

"Yes, he is my… or I mean to say, the King’s strongest soldier. McClintock would not be happy to know you were traveling without any protection."

If my Guardians catch up with us, I want your assurance that you won’t raise a hand against them. Either of you.

His green eyes shone at me; the color was so electric they practically glowed in the dim candlelight. He seemed to be contemplating my condition, so I added, "I do not wish for any blood to be shed on my behalf, soldier. I’m here and I’m willing to meet with the King, but I’m not willing to start a war. Can you promise me Smith, and you yourself, would stand down?"

If we leave now we won’t have anything to worry about, Princess.

I will not leave with you without a promise, soldier.

Nickoli.

Nickoli?

Yes, my name is Nickoli.

Beautiful name, I thought, and he grinned. Shoot, did I say that out loud?

"You are beautiful." He smiled, reminding me of his compliment in the meadow.

And you are bold, Nickoli. I believe I told you already you forget yourself, I admonished with a raised brow. He tipped his head in acquiescence and I continued. You promise then? There will be no trouble between my men and yours?

Yes, milady, he said with a smirk. "I promise no harm will come to your men, unless we are forced to retaliate. I promise to keep you safe, as well. You can trust me."

That last part is up for debate, Nickoli. However, I am placing my life in your hands, so I will just have to hope for the best.

Nickoli and I left the inn within thirty minutes of making our deal, and orders were issued to a reluctant Smith to stay behind and fill in as second in command. The plan was to have the remainder of his soldiers stay on as decoys. If Xander or the other Guardians came searching for me, they would find a large group of men still there and not suspect anything. Smith would then follow behind us at a distance so he could protect our backs. Nickoli reminded him not to engage my men under any circumstances three times before we left the inn.

We sneaked around the rear of the inn to the horse paddock where I surprised him with another unusual request.

I can’t ride, I explained, somewhat embarrassed at being so inadequate. I will need to ride with you, please.

I couldn’t tell in the dark if he thought my request was strange. Of course - come on.

He saddled a large horse quickly and led it over to a post I could use as a boost to mount up. Between the post and the strong arms lifting me, I was able to pull myself up and into the saddle. He swiftly swung himself up behind me with his muscular thighs pressed against mine, and we were off. A single horse sprinting into the middle of the night was the only activity to be seen. As the village became just a speck in the moonlight, I prayed for Xander to understand all of this once he woke up and realized I wasn’t there.

Riding on a horse was brand new for me, and for the first several hours I sat ramrod straight and tried to keep my body from touching Nickoli’s. Eventually, though, I gave in to my stiff neck and aching spine and allowed myself to relax. My eye sockets were exhausted from the constant searching they did, and I just waited for the moment when I’d see Xander crash through the bushes and start a fight.

Once the sun rose, my nerves evened out. I surveyed the area around us, finding the landscape to be much as it was around Sheridan. We rode through open fields and rolling foothills. The trees and shrubbery were all very similar to those back home, which made me think of the early settlers in America and what they’d probably seen as they moved out west. Gone were the large cities, sprawling suburban neighborhoods, and massive highways to get you where you needed to go.

By the looks of it, we were taking a well-worn trail from Sheridan toward Montibello, but we didn’t come upon any other riders. In my conversations with Emeline, she’d mentioned how most people refrained from traveling between villages. According to her, many in the Kingdom feared the King and his men, which kept them close to their homes. In addition, they were afraid of running across other more magical travelers.

By mid-afternoon we moved into a relatively dense forest and I was thankful to have some shade after so many hours in the beaming sun. The temperature was mild today with the sun warming things up considerably, but not uncomfortably. We traveled on winding trails throughout the forest into the first night before finally stopping near a stream to water the horse and rest. While taking our break, clouds moved in and darkened the path. Nickoli said he could ride these routes in his sleep, but he feared for low limbs or fallen trees in the dark, especially with me on his horse, so he wanted to camp until daylight hours. After taking care of personal needs, I limped over to a tree, lowered myself to the ground, leaned against it, and promptly fell asleep.

Nickoli shook me awake after what felt like only minutes, but in actuality was hours, and I saw the sun was now up on our second day. He handed me an apple from his saddlebag without a word as he munched on his own. I limped around in a circle and tried to loosen the sore muscles and kinks out.

I am sure you are sore from so much riding. If you need a longer rest, we can remain here for a while.

I’m fine, thank you.

It will not hurt us to stop.

"I’m fine," I repeated with a regal tip of my head. Absurdly, every action I took seemed like something I’d seen in the The Princess Diaries. Nickoli simply pursed his lips and fed his apple core to the horse.

We rode through the forest in silence for the remainder of the day. When shadows began to stretch across the ground, I started nodding off with my head bobbing to and fro. The rhythm of the horse’s steady stride, accompanied by the staccato of his hooves, was lulling me to an early sleep.

Nickoli, seeing my dilemma, offered some of his precious few words since leaving Sheridan. You might as well lean your head on my chest, Your Highness. I can provide a pillow for you.

I took a moment to deliberate as I thought about the repercussions of becoming too friendly with my enemy. Knowing what was ahead of us, I decided to throw caution to the wind in favor of some much needed rest. I would need to be on top of my game once we arrived at Montibello.

At some point he’d shifted me into the crook of his shoulder with his strong arm winding around my waist. The first time I roused from my sleep, the intimacy of his touch set off warning bells. However, my exhaustion won in the battle of propriety, and I fell back into a deep sleep, allowing him to keep ahold on my waist.

Skye! Skye? Where are you? Xander yelled, searching for me frantically. The fear in his eyes tore through my soul as I watched him scream my name. A flash of bright light appeared and my vision changed. This time I saw Xander on a horse with several men surrounding him, racing after something and yelling. Was he coming for me?

Flash again to a vision of a village up in flames. Emeline ran out of a house screaming with blood streaming down her face before collapsing with finality to the ground. Smoke and fire obscured my vision as a raspy voice spoke.

"See what you’ve done? They will all die because of you. We ALL will."

A startled cry escaped my lips as I jerked awake, almost knocking Nickoli from the horse. It was only a dream, the voice in my head whispered. Swallowing back the tears clogging my throat, I remembered where I was and straightened to get my bearings before taking a glance around. Nickoli’s arm snaked around my waist, holding me steady as the cobwebs cleared from the nightmare.

Are you alright? he asked softly as he tightened his hold.

Yes - it was…nothing. I’m fine, I assured him as I rubbed the sleepy haze from my eyes. Where are we?

Before we’d left, he told me it would take two to three days to get to the village of Ballinger. I tried to calculate the time we’d been riding and realized we must be getting close.

The sun set a while ago. We are a few hours outside of Ballinger. There are several inns there, and we can grab a meal and a soft bed for some rest.

Apprehension filled me as I debated the wisdom of stopping at such a public place when we hadn’t made it very far from Sheridan. Surely Xander couldn’t be more than a half day’s ride behind us.

As if he could read my mind, Nickoli spoke, We will stop for a few hours, milady. You need something to eat and I could use a quick nap.

He’d been riding for over twenty-four hours with little rest, and I suddenly felt guilty. I couldn’t deny him a quick pit stop, so I nodded in agreement. Searching for the moon in the sky like Xander had shown me, I tried to determine what time it was. I estimated it was probably early morning of what would be our third day of this journey.

At some point while I’d been sleeping, we’d come out of the forest and were now riding in an open field. The dark shadows of the forest were to our left and the bright light of the moon now shone down on miles and miles of nothing.

We should arrive around breakfast time, Nickoli stated from behind.

My head nodded again, as if on automatic pilot. Maintaining my quiet was starting to take its toll on me. I wanted to ask him questions about McClintock, about Tyalbrook, and certainly about the past.

Do you have the need to stop before then?

I wanted to say no, but my traitorous bladder had other ideas. A quick stop would be helpful, I answered with a reluctant nod of my head.

He chuckled in my ear and yanked on the reins, pulling his large horse to a stop. He swung himself off the horse and offered me assistance getting down.

Thank you.

I will offer you as much privacy as I can, he told me before leading his horse away.

Shaking off my skirts, I spun on my heel and surveyed the area. We were in an open field with a few barren bushes and dirt paths, and there were small patches of wheat-like grass growing tall around my knees. I used the grass as a shield to attend to my needs, all the while craning my neck to keep an eye on him.

He’d led his horse, Khan, to another patch of grass. From where I sat, I could see him running his hands down Khan’s hind legs. It reminded me of someone giving a massage, and I noted the way Nickoli looked to be murmuring something to the beautiful animal.

He had, thus far, been nothing but a gentleman since we fled from Sheridan. The Guardians had led me to believe the King and his men were all terrible and evil, and I was relieved to see Nickoli didn’t seem to fit into that mold. He didn’t appear to be anywhere near as brutish and rude as his companion Smith was, and it was easy to see why he was the leader of his small band of soldiers. He spoke and behaved with a more refined attitude than most of the Guardians I’d met.

As if he knew he was being watched, he looked up and smiled, calling over, Are you ready to ride again, Princess?

Before I could reply, a flash of lightning tore through the sky, hitting the ground a few feet from my position. The jolt knocked me to the ground and was enough of a punch to steal the air from my lungs for a moment.

Suddenly the space where I’d been standing began to swirl in a whirlpool of shimmering black and blue. The atmosphere was full of electricity as stray bolts crackled around me, causing the hair on my body to rise. Feeling pinned to the ground, my eyes widened as the black and blue shimmer transformed into a portal opening right before me.

Princess! Nickoli called out, but my gaze was transfixed on the glowing red eyes that had seemingly stepped out of nowhere.

Semvon.

I scrambled to my feet as cloaked demons floated out of the portal in a flourish of thick, black and gray, curling smoke. Gone were the shimmering human facades I’d seen back home in the park. Their limbless forms floated out and surrounded the area.

Nickoli skidded to my side and looked me over quickly before grabbing my hand and pulling me behind his rigid back.

Stand down! Why are you here? he asked, his voice furious.

Two of the