Eternal Bloom - Book 5 (The Ruby Ring Saga) Read online

  I banged on my prison wall in a fit of fury. “I would never sleep with you, not in a million years! It was nothing more than a distraction.”

  “But that kiss we shared felt so real, Highness,” Ethano said, smirking at Victor.

  The rage on Victor’s face was evident. I wanted to explain to him that it was only a ploy to give me time, that it meant nothing, but Ethano thrived on enraging him. I couldn’t stand him, and I wanted nothing more than for him to go back to Immortal jail so he could rot there for all eternity.

  “Both of you want the flower,” White Coyote said, “but only one will get it.”

  I swallowed hard.

  “Victor and Ethano will fight to the death,” he continued in a deep, authoritative voice. “The winner claims Sarah and will get the eternal bloom.”

  Ethano grinned. “Challenge accepted.”

  “No!” I yelled.

  “Do you not have faith that your husband will win?” Ethano said with a smirk.

  “He will, but I don’t see why you’re doing this to us. You don’t even need the flower.”

  “Indeed I do,” Ethano hissed. “I need it for you, my dear. You will benefit no matter which party wins.”

  My gaze narrowed. “If you harm a hair on Victor’s head, I’ll refuse to pick it.”

  He smirked again. “You love that baby far too much to be so stubborn,” he said, calling my bluff.

  “You only want me alive because you want my son!” I shouted. “Is that why you’re here?”

  “I am here to save your life,” he said. “Doesn’t that mean anything?”

  “I don’t need your help or your pity. I don’t want anything from you,” I said.

  “When I defeat Victor, I will give you the eternal bloom, and you will return with me to our world and rule as my queen.”

  “You’re deluding yourself, Ethano,” Victor roared.

  I shook my head vehemently. “That’s never going to happen. My husband’s gonna kick your royal, conniving ass.”

  “We shall see,” Ethano said.

  White Coyote threw Victor a sword, and he caught it swiftly with one hand. “And the fight begins,” he announced. “May the best Immortal win.”

  Ethano’s sword gleamed in the light as he held it high in the air, ready to do battle. They slowly circled each other, their gazes locked in an intense exchange as they tried to discern one another’s weaknesses.

  Swinging the huge sword, Victor charged at Ethano. Their swords met in a loud, thunderous clash. Ethano flew backward and stumbled to the ground. Victor lunged, but Ethano planted his foot in his gut and kicked, shoving him back. That gave Ethano the advantage he needed to get back on his feet. He swung at Victor wildly, just missing his face. In seconds, Ethano swung again, faster. Victor blocked the blow, and sparks flew. Again their swords collided in a series of mighty blows.

  They circled each other again, both gasping deeply. Victor stared Ethano down; if looks could have killed, the battle would have already been won. Roaring, Ethano charged and swung his sword, but Victor easily deflected the attack with his own blade. He kicked him and swung his blade down, missing him by mere inches as Ethano moved to the side in lightning speed. Victor swung again. The clash of metal against metal rang in my ears.

  I watched helplessly as the fight went on for what seemed like eternity.

  Ethano suddenly thrust his blade savagely into Victor’s shoulder.

  “Victor!” I shouted. He’ll heal, I told myself, trying to calm my racing heart.

  He drove his sword into Ethano’s chest, drawing blood, but it hardly slowed the monster down. He swung with full force, and Victor kicked him in the stomach. He doubled over and staggered back. Taking a deep breath, he came back even harder. Victor ducked as the flying blade barreled toward him, then he lunged, forcing Ethano back. When Ethano charged again, Victor countered the downward swing. With a deep roar, Ethano charged once again. Victor deflected his attack, then lunged forward, sword extended.

  I swallowed hard as blades clanged uncontrollably.

  Ethano swung with all his fury. Victor ducked his head and spun to the left as he simultaneously kicked. He then delivered a powerful blow, crashing Ethano to the ground.

  “Victor!” I yelled. “You did it.”

  Victor’s foot held Ethano’s left hand securely to the ground, and he grabbed Ethano’s sword and flung it into the nearby weeds. His other foot pinned down Ethano’s shoulder. Breathing deeply, with rage brewing in his eyes, Victor stared down at the monster who’d done nothing but torment us.

  Ethano coughed, the blade hindering his breath.

  White Coyote looked at Victor. “Show me the great warrior you are. Kill him.”

  Victor swung his sword back, ready to pierce Ethano’s heart, but then he faltered.

  Ethano spat at him. “Are you a coward? Do it!”

  Victor raised his sword higher. “Nothing would give me greater pleasure.”

  He closed his eyes. “Then what are you waiting for?”

  White Coyote stepped toward Victor. “Kill Ethano, and I will declare you the victor and take you to the flower that can heal Sarah. Then I will grant you permission to leave.”

  I could see the battle raging in Victor’s eyes. My heart seized. I wasn’t sure what he was going to do. He was just given permission to kill his enemy and be given the flower to save me, but there was a flicker of doubt on his face.

  “I-I can’t,” Victor said, the sword wavering in his powerful hands.

  White Coyote cocked a brow. “You are a great warrior, Victor. Surely you’ve killed in battle before.”

  Victor didn’t answer.

  White Coyote closed his eyes briefly. “Yes, I’ve seen it. You’ve slaughtered many.”

  Victor shook his head, his hair clumped together in sweaty strands. “That’s not who I am anymore. ’Tis not my place to pass judgment.”

  “I hate Ethano as well, but it is not our job to deliver justice,” I said. “It’s up to the Immortal Court.”

  “I’ll escort him back to Tastia myself,” Victor said. “He will be judged there accordingly.”

  “It would be the right thing to do,” I said, meeting White Coyote’s gaze.

  A crackling echoed around me as the force field dissipated, and I took a step forward, thankful to be freed from my temporary prison.

  White Coyote looked at me intensely, then handed me his spear. “I won’t give you the flower you so desire unless you kill your enemy,” he said.

  I glanced down at Ethano’s wide, frightened eyes. He wanted mercy, something he’d never shown to anyone. It was my chance for revenge, but I wasn’t ready to take a life—not even his. Conflicting emotions surged up inside me like a roaring thunderstorm. Fighting the tears, I closed my eyes. “You are asking too much of me. I won’t end another’s life, even to save my own.”

  “Then my warriors will escort you off the island.”

  I gripped the spear tightly and pondered. If I didn’t kill Ethano, I’d be as good as dead, but I couldn’t kill anyone. I had never done it before, and I didn’t want to murder anyone now. I knew if I followed through with killing Ethano, I’d never be able to explain that decision to Alexander. Yes, I wanted to be alive to spend time with him, but more so, I wanted him to think of his mother as an honorable woman. “If you want blood so bad, do it yourself,” I said, handing the spear back to him. “I will not have it on my hands, and neither will Victor. We do not wish to lower ourselves to the level of our enemy.”

  His onyx eyes sparkled as the wind blew through his black hair. “Then you will die, and your mission to come here will be in vain.”

  “If that is my fate, so be it,” I said. “Just tell me how to get off this island so I can spend my remaining days with my family.”

  Victor shot me a look. “We must reason with him, Sarah.”

  “The man is set in his ways,” I said. “He won’t budge.”

  “We must try. Just think how far we’ve
come. We can’t give up this easily.”

  I gazed up at White Coyote, tears welling up. “Please help us, Chief. We’ve told you our story. If you don’t want to help us, think of the innocent life that grows in my womb.”

  “Kill your enemy, and I will give you the flower.”

  “No.”

  White Coyote looked at Victor. “Kill him! He’s done nothing but cause you heartache. He would’ve raped your wife if given the chance. He would’ve stolen your son, and he took over the kingdom you so love.”

  Doubt crossed Victor’s face, followed by hesitation.

  I stared at the man in disbelief, wondering just what Ethano had told him.

  “You can avenge all these evils and save your wife’s life at the same time,” White Coyote continued. “Imagine spending the rest of eternity with Sarah and your precious son.”

  Victor stared down at Ethano’s motionless body.

  “Don’t do it, Victor,” I begged. “We’ll take him back to our world. They can judge him there, and you will have your kingdom back.”

  “His supporters could easily release him,” White Coyote argued.

  Victor lifted Ethano up and slung him over his shoulder. In a burst of light, Ethano disappeared. Victor spun around. “What is going on?”

  White Coyote met his gaze, then mine. “You have passed my test.”

  “Wait...a test? None of that was real?” I asked.

  “If Victor had killed him, the eternal bloom would never have been given to you,” he explained.

  I glanced up at Victor, stunned. Sparing Ethano’s life had ultimately saved mine.

  Victor wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close.

  “We only share the bloom with a few who have a genuine need,” the man continued, “and those must be of the highest moral character.”

  “How did you know about Ethano?” I asked.

  “I pulled the image from your minds.”

  I let out a breath, finding the whole thing a little unnerving. “Will you give us the key?” I asked.

  He pointed. “Inside the temple is your first clue.”

  “Thank you,” Victor said.

  And with that, the man disappeared into thin air.

  I gripped Victor’s hand. “The bloom is real! It’s here, and we still have a shot at it.”

  Victor kissed my lips and wrapped my arms around him. Gathering all our strength, we walked through the high ferns and peeked through the stone entrance into the chamber. There was no door, and the place was pitch dark inside. Victor linked his fingers through mine, and that helped to ease my fears at what might be inside.

  “It looks pretty dark,” I said. “How are we supposed to see?” The smell of smoke was heavy in the air, and I rubbed my burning eyes.

  When I glanced up at the wall, large letters were etched into the stone in fire. Wisps of smoke drifted around the word, “NIX.” The fiery letters lit the room, and I glanced around. The walls all around me sprang to life with vivid detail of charging horses, knights wielding swords, fiery arrows, and soldiers spearing their enemy.

  “It appears we’ve found our clue,” Victor said.

  “Nix?” I asked. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I shook my head. “Maybe it’s initials for something.”

  “It is Latin. It means ‘snow’,” Victor said.

  I raised my head. “Snow?”

  “Is the flower only available in the winter?” he asked.

  “Maybe it’s on a mountain.”

  He cocked a brow. “Or in a cold place, such as in a cave.”

  “Why aren’t they just up front with us? We don’t have time for games,” I said.

  “We should look for a snowy mountain,” he said.

  “On a tropical island?” I questioned.

  A stern look spread over his face. “Sarah, there is nothing normal about this island.”

  I spun around and headed back into the jungle, not sure what we really were looking for. White Coyote knew I was fighting for my life, and I wondered why he was making it so hard on us.

  Chapter 19

  After we hiked for a while, I suddenly heard the sound of a river. I smiled. “Hear that?” Before he could respond, I said, “The heavenly sound of water for my parched throat.”

  His frown turned into a tiny smile. He motioned for me to follow him, and we walked alongside the sound of a trickling brook. I smiled at the beautiful sight of water gushing over rocks. Wasting no time, Victor knelt down and cupped water with his hands, then took a long drink.

  I scooped up handfuls of water and let the refreshing liquid slip down my dry throat, then splashed my face. I brushed the hair out of my eyes. “The stream is so cold...as cold as snow!”

  Victor laughed.

  “I’m reaching, aren’t I?”

  He flashed me that gorgeous smile. “Perhaps a smidgeon, my love.”

  I flicked some water in his direction, and he flicked some right back at me. “Oh!” I said, standing. “You wanna play, do you?”

  He smiled again, then stared into my eyes. “This is what I love about you, Sarah.”

  I cocked a brow. “What?”

  “Anyone in such a precarious situation would be panicking, yet you are toying with me and laughing. You, My Queen, are the strongest person I know, even stronger than the bravest warriors in my kingdom.”

  “I can’t live my last days being a wet blanket,” I said, then glanced down at my wet shirt. “Okay...so maybe I am a little wet.”

  He chuckled.

  I continued, “Victor, if I do not make it, if I do not survive this, I want you to remember me being happy, smiling, and full of hope to the very last moment, not crying and pouting.”

  He kissed my lips. “I married the most amazing woman in the world.”

  “No...I married the wonderful, most caring man in the world, and I’m so proud of you for not killing the fake Ethano.”

  “I wanted to, Sarah. It took everything in me to keep from running that blade through him, but I knew it wasn’t the right thing to do. I’m guess I’m not the man I used to be.”

  My heart melted. “Baby, you just proved that to me.”

  Victor cupped my face. “My life changed the second I met you.”

  I stared into his glittering blue eyes. “Me too.”

  “White Coyote was impressed with your story, and he gave us permission to obtain the flower. That’s a good start.”

  “Why didn’t he just give it to us or take us to the garden?” I asked. “I mean, we passed his test, and—”

  “Maybe he’s not sure of our intentions. Perhaps he must think it over and needs more time to consider it.”

  “But I have so little of it left,” I muttered.

  * * *

  A cramp rolled across my stomach. It was nothing major, but it was enough to make me notice. The flower was my only hope, and I knew I had to push myself, but I worried that I might be going overboard. I slowed down and took several deep breaths.

  Victor slowed down, too, and didn’t even question me about it. Suddenly, he stopped mid-stride. “Sarah!”

  My heart quickened at the excitement in his voice. When I peered through the ferns, I saw the flower from the illustration in the ancient book Jackson had shown me. “That’s it! The eternal bloom.” I stared at the glimmering pink flower growing alone in the green meadow. I glanced around and looked for booby traps or some kind of guardian, but I saw no such thing.

  Victor was hesitant. “We must be careful, Sarah,” he said, holding his hand back.

  “We can go at least check it out,” I said.

  He glanced around suspiciously. “Just be on alert and stay cautious.”

  In a burst of light, the old chief suddenly appeared.

  “White Coyote!” I said, smiling at the prospect that my entire nightmare might be behind me. “May I pick the flower?”

  His eyes seemed to return the smile, but a shadow crossed his face. “You may.”

  Thoughts raced
through my head. I imagined Alexander take his first steps, getting on the school bus for the first time, and I thought of wiping his little tears away when he was sad or skinned his knee. Now I would get to be his mother, and that was the greatest thing of all. I had never even been officially introduced to the little man, yet he meant everything to me, and I was willing to die for him. Words couldn’t even begin to express the love I had for him. I thought about all those hugs, all those cuddles, and all those first milestones. I loved Alexander from the depths of my soul, right the first minute I knew he even existed. I was going to enjoy everything and every moment motherhood had to offer, no matter how small and trivial. I had come so far to save him, to save me, but I would have done anything to see him breathe life. That was why I’d fought so hard for him at the mountain. When Dr. Meyers wanted to deliver him prematurely to save my life, I knew at that very second that I’d die in Alexander’s place if I had to.

  Victor gazed down at me and smiled.

  I grinned back up at him, overcome with happiness. “I told you we’d beat this thing,” I said triumphantly. I let out a sob of joy. I sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. My hands shook in anticipation.

  As I started to reach for the bloom that would save my life, White Coyote grabbed my hand. His frown lines deepened. “Know this, Sarah. When you take this bloom, twenty-five villagers will die.”

  My knees began to tremble at the shocking revelation, and my shoulders slumped. One look into his serious eyes told me it wasn’t a joke. “No! Please don’t tear out my heart like this.”

  “This can’t be true,” Victor said, stunned.

  I exchanged a shocked look with him, then took a deep breath as I contemplated my dire situation.

  “Why didn’t Jackson tell us about these horrible consequences?” I asked.

  “He knew you wouldn’t come,” Victor said. “He only cares for your wellbeing so you can help him with his expedition.”

  Swallowing hard, I pondered. “He must’ve thought I’d do it once I was this close to the cure. He knows how much I love my son, and he exploited that,” I said.

  Victor gazed at the man. “If picking this flower will kill some of your people, why are you not protecting it? Why are you willing to let Sarah pluck it?”