"Things end but memories last forever."

The original plan was to wait until I finished Diana's half before I published this chapter as this was going to be the last part for the Blake episode. But I thought I'll just go ahead and publish because life is short and it HAS been a little over a year since I last flexed my writing muscles.

Chapter 7

"Remember," Blake reminded Caillen, as he led her through a little path that led to a secret door behind Kew Palace, the smallest of the King's palaces and his retreat whenever he wanted a reprieve from the intensely public life in Central London. "Just let…"

"Let you do the talking, state things simply and directly should His Majesty ask questions," Caillen finished for him, grateful that the darkness and her hood concealed her face as she rolled her eyes at her bestfriend. "I understood you the first time, Blake."

Blake stopped midstride. His dark eyebrows snapped together in a warning look at his childhood friend. "Cay…"

"Blake," Caillen said gently but firmly. Her eyes were full of empathy as she put a hand on his arm. "It will be fine. She will be fine."

"I don't know what you're talking about," denied Blake and he purposefully started walking again.

"Of course," Caillen couldn't help but smile. Without another word, she stayed a few steps behind, kept her head down and wrapped her cloak more securely around her. It was likely that most of the palace's servants were already winding down for the night but she still did not want to risk getting seen. The smallest whisper of the Duchess of Kent being seen at the King's palace, with Blake "the Rake" McCain, sans her husband would go through the ton like wildfire. Tongues will not stop wagging until her reputation, along with Lawrence's, is ruined beyond redemption. Caillen would not mind and could easily stand any stain to her character but she will not allow any harm to come to her beloved husband. Lawrence was a powerful man, but that also meant he had powerful enemies – enemies who will not hesitate to use her against him.

"Here we are," Blake murmured, going around a row of emerald-green arborvitae. To the unknowing eye, there was nothing but brick wall in that part of the house. However, the king himself had shown him the secret passage which led directly to the monarch's chambers. He looked around carefully one last time to make sure they were alone then ran his hand through one of the shallow recesses of a mortar joint, pressed up and pushed inward. They heard a soft click and a small gap opened up, enough for a man to slither through.

Blake gave Caillen a meaningful look and she wordlessly nodded with understanding. He unsheathed his sword cane lest something was lurking in the secret passage. His sword cane had been altered by Alastair to include a flintlock pistol but he would rather use the blade first rather than a bullet.

Blake slipped through the gap and two heartbeats later, Caillen was right beside him. He gave the redhead an exasperated look as he had wanted her to wait a few seconds more to ensure that it was safe inside the tunnel. Caillen irreverently rolled her eyes at him, correctly interpreting the reason for his annoyance. She held her right palm up and a small ball of fire appeared, dimly illuminating their surroundings.

"Have you told Lawrence yet?" Blake asked her quietly as he started to lead her through the tunnel. His bestfriend's well-kept secret should have prepared him for the king's supposed aliens and Greek gods come to life, but it didn't. It had been relatively easy enough for him to accept that Caillen had special abilities. She was his bestfriend since they were in leading strings, after all. In fact, he had often wondered if there was more like her out there. He and Caillen once talked about looking for others like her but life had other plans for him – and for Caillen as well – that they never were able to focus on that particular quest.

But learning that the mythology that he knew – that he thought he knew – was real was still quite the eye-opener for him. Who knows what else is out there? He thought, not for the first time. Maybe aliens truly walk amongst us? If so, what are we to do if they have bad intentions against us? He silently berated himself for not being more prepared. He should have made it a priority to seek other 'special' people. To learn about them. To find out how they got their powers. To determine their intentions. Or at the very least, he should have contingency plans in place to neutralize any threat they would pose in case they end up going rogue. The current situation that he was in only highlighted the need for it even more. I will never be caught unprepared ever again, Blake vowed.

Caillen shook her head. "No," she answered, softly. Blake could hear the sigh in her voice. "I just can't seem to find the right time to do so," she added lamely. Earlier, when she was telling Diana the tale of how Blake lost his family in a fire, she had not been totally truthful. She did not tell the Princess that Caillen herself was with Blake's family when the fire happened. It was during that fateful night where Caillen learned that she was invulnerable to fire.

Caillen remembered that night clearly, as if it was just yesterday. She was having dinner with the McCains in their homey cottage when all of a sudden, there was a loud 'pop' and smoke started to fill the small home rapidly. Caillen could still hear the terrified screams of the twins as she, 'Uncle' Ted and 'Aunt' Moira frantically tried in vain to pry the doors and windows open. In retrospect, Caillen – and Blake – suspected that whoever started the fire, had made sure that all the exits were blocked.

It had only taken a few minutes for the cottage to burn down to the ground, but to Caillen, it felt like a lifetime. Witnessing the demise of Blake's entire family had left her scarred to this day. It would seem that the only consolation was that the McCains had already lost consciousness and likely perished from inhaling the smoke before the fires burnt through their flesh. Caillen prayed that it was a quick death. As soon as the fire ate through the walls, she stumbled out of the blazing building and made her way home.

When she told her father, he quickly commanded her to secrecy, undoubtedly knowing that there was more to it than just a simple fire. The next couple of days went by like a whirlwind and she had found herself on her way to England as her father wanted her as far away from the feuding clans as possible. Only after she settled down did she start to wonder why she had escaped unscathed. This prompted her to start experimenting, to test her limits. She tried it out on a candle and realized that she can touch the flame without getting burnt. Over time, she learned how to control the movement of a flame, making it dance through thought. And as the years went by, she even learned to create fire from air.

Nobody else knew about her uncanny ability. Not her family, not her husband. Nobody except Blake. And telling Blake the whole story had been the most terrifying thing that she had ever decided to do. She loved him dearly as a friend and had been so afraid of telling him lest she lost his friendship. But Caillen could not, in good conscience, keep it from him, not when she knew that the fire was not the 'unfortunate accident' that people claimed it to be.

She was actually somewhat surprised that Blake took it fairly well. The only sign of surprise that he ever showed was the slight widening of his eyes when she told him the tale and her newfound ability. Both of them had tried their utmost to prove their suspicions that Caillen's uncle was the one who perpetrated the crime, but they couldn't find solid evidence against him. Caillen wished every single night that she could go back in time and somehow change the outcome. Maybe if I had more presence of mind, I would've realized I had this power in me and I could've saved them, she thought sadly.

"It wasn't your fault, Cay," Blake's voice shook her out of her reverie. If anything, it was mine, he added silently. Until now, he can't help but think that had he been there, he would have been able to save his family.

"Neither was it yours, mo charaid ionmhuinn*," she told him with a sad smile, practically reading his mind the way he did hers.

Blake made a non-committal sound. "We're almost there," he changed the topic. "Best put that out."

Caillen nodded and with a simple thought, the ball of fire floating over her palm winked out. After a several feet, they came upon a door. Blake knocked on it twice, paused, knocked rapidly three times, paused again then knocked three more times but with a slower cadence.

A small shutter at the center of the door slid open to reveal an eye that quickly scrutinized Blake. He held back a frown when he saw that it wasn't the distinctive, bulbous Hanoverian blue eye of the monarch. It paused upon seeing Caillen's hooded figure then quickly directed a questioning gaze at Blake. Blake simply lifted his chin a fraction of an inch and gave the person behind the door his most arrogant and imperial stare. He heard a small grunt as the shutter clicked shut then heard the door being unlocked.

Blake heard a small gasp escape from Caillen and he tried to control his features when he recognized who opened the door that led to the antechamber. Jules Luther, Earl of Lexington, inclined his head in greeting and gestured with an arm towards the door to the king's room. "He is expecting you."

"After you… my lord," Blake said with a small bow, pointedly refusing to walk in front of the nobleman. His instincts were on high alert and alarm bells were starting to ring inside his head.

Lord Lexington's lips twisted in disdain as he led the way. The king's chambers was dark with only the light from a candle. Blake saw His Majesty standing by one of the windows, looking out into the gardens below.

"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Sire," Blake said briskly, aiming to get to the heart of the conversation with as little preamble as possible.

"And who do we have here, Blake?" The king turned around and Lord Lexington went to stand by his side.

"Sire," Blake reached for Caillen's elbow and brought her forward. "May I present Her Grace, Caillen, Duchess of Kent."

Caillen swept back her hood and dipped gracefully into a curtsy. "Your Majesty."

"Ah," King George raised an eyebrow. "And how is the Duke?"

"He is well, Sire," Caillen answered promptly. Blake could see the tightness in her eyes as she determinedly ignored the earl's lascivious gaze.

"And what, pray tell, brings you here, Your Grace?" the king asked, staring intently at Caillen.

"To verify the information that I have, Sire," Blake cut in smoothly. "You bade me to investigate a certain… issue… of a private nature," he glanced meaningfully at Lord Lexington.

The king waved a hand through the air. "You may speak freely in Jules' presence. He is privy to my suspicions."

How very unlikely, Blake thought.

"Very well," he said aloud instead and took a deep breath. His mind was racing, trying to figure out what his instincts were telling him. "I did as you commanded and looked into the possibility of extraterrestrials meddling in the Crown's affairs."

"What I found out, sire," Blake continued, looking intently at the king. "Were not aliens. But rather the Goddess of Discord, Eris. It would seem that she has been impersonating your dear friend, Lady Louisa Stuart and may be actively involved in the recent unrest in the colonies."

Blake's announcement was met with deafening silence. It seemed to stretch on forever when it was finally broken by a dry chuckle from Lexington.

"Well, now," the earl said with an exaggerated laugh. "Lady Louisa is Eris, the Goddess of Discord. Your Majesty…" he trailed off when the king raised a hand.

"And the proof, Blake?" the king blinked and shook his head slightly as if trying to clear his head. The movement was not lost on Blake. There's something off here, Blake thought. The alarm bells in his head rang even louder.

"I witnessed it with my own eyes, Sire," Blake said simply. "Eris and her brother, Deimos were impersonating Lady Louisa and Lord Crowley at the Kent's masquerade several nights past…"

Blake went on to tell the king what happened that night. He had sorely wanted to keep Diana's identity a secret as much as possible but he knew he had to tell the truth – or at least a modified version of it – for the king to even consider believing him. He, of course, left out what actually transpired between him and Diana prior to the appearance of the errant god and goddess but rather made it sound like he had tracked them down and that Diana just happened to be there. He watched the king closely, trying to determine if he actually believed the tale. Blake also noticed that the earl of Lexington's face became stonier and stonier as the story unfolded. A muscle on the earl's jaw visibly twitched when Blake mentioned that Diana 'disposed of' Deimos.

The king tilted his head and looked at Caillen. "And you, your grace? Why are you here? Have you encountered said deities as well?"

Caillen shook her head. "No, Your Majesty. I have not. However, I can corroborate that Lady Louisa may have been scheming against the Crown." She narrated how Lawrence's informants found out about the letter bearing the personal seal of the king and what was written in the missive.

"It is common knowledge, sire, that your seal is not something that you readily lend to anyone, not even a very close friend," Caillen finished. "Thus, one can deduce either the seal was a counterfeit or if it was real, then it was used without your knowledge. Either way, it can only mean that something is being done behind your back."

"What exactly is this item of 'great import?'" King George frowned at the duchess. "And how can you be so sure in your assumption that I have no knowledge of said missive?"

"Because Captain Welling specializes in, shall we say, less savory dealings," Blake answered immediately. "It will not be in the best interest of the Crown to be associated with him unless you are in dire circumstances. Which I hope you are not, sire?" He struggled to maintain his poker face as he set his mind to trying to figure out what was odd.

"Don't be ridiculous," King George scoffed. "Of course, I am not."

The earl put a hand on the king's shoulder. The gesture seemed overly familiar to Blake. He leaned in as if trying to whisper into the king's ear. "George, claiming that Lady Louisa is scheming against you is simply preposterous," he threw Blake and Caillen a look of contempt. "We know not their reasons but it is clear that they are trying to turn you against your childhood friend."

Blake could see the hesitation in the king's eyes. What was that? Blake blinked. He had been intently watching the king's face to try and determine how he would react but he thought the moonlight glinted off the large stone on the ring on Lexington's middle finger.

The earl squeezed the king's shoulder. The ring twinkled again. "It would seem that they take you for a fool, George."

"Yes…" the monarch repeated, dazedly. "They are… playing me for a fool. How dare you…"

Everything suddenly clicked in Blake's mind. In one smooth move, he raised his cane and cocked the hammer of the built-in pistol, pointing it at the earl. "Unhand him!"

With a sinister chuckle, Lord Lexington positioned the king directly in front of him, making the King of England a human shield.

Caillen looked from Blake and the earl in confusion. "What's going on, Blake?"

"It would seem that the King himself is under some type of mind control," Blake explained tersely.

"Eris," realization dawned in Caillen's eyes as she looked at the loathed earl. Her hands twitched by her side.

"No," Blake shook his head. "I suspect Eris would want to ensure that whatever it is they are trying to transport to the Americas does not get compromised. In the meantime, she would need someone to control the king…"

Caillen frowned. "But I thought Deimos has been dealt with?"

"He has," Blake nodded curtly. "But remember your mythology, Cay. Deimos has a twin brother…"

Phobos, the God of Fear, gave them a jeering grin. "Well, well, aren't we quite the sleuth?"

"Unhand him," Blake repeated, stepping ever so slightly to his right, in an effort to get a clear shot at the god.

"Tsk, tsk," Phobos taunted, angling himself even more behind the king. "There now, you wouldn't want harm to come to your beloved monarch now, do you?"

Phobos slid his hand from the king's shoulder to the nape of his neck. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, my sweet little duchess." Caillen froze where she stood. She had been inching to the god's other side, trying to get a clear shot of the god as well.

"It's amusing how this mortal's soul has such primal feelings for you, your grace." With his free hand, he gestured at the body that he inhabited. His ring shone brightly now. "Lust and anger at the same time. You humans are very amusing indeed."

That has to be a soulstone, Blake deduced. He had read of the very rare gem found in the River Styx which gods can use to trap souls. He dreaded to think which unfortunate souls were inside the gem apart from the earl of Lexington.

"Ahh," Phobos said, his eyes half closed as if in rapture. "I can taste your sweet, sweet fear."

"I am not afraid of you," Blake replied defiantly. "Release the king now!"

"I almost wish we had more time for me to explore your fears a little bit more," Phobos' eyes suddenly snapped open and he threw Blake a piercing gaze that seemed to see right into his soul. "Tell me, McCain. What are you most afraid of?"

The god's impaling look hit Blake like a physical blow so much so that he staggered back a couple of steps. A knot of fear started to form in the pit of his stomach and he could feel it grow bigger and bigger as the god pinned him down with his gaze. Cold chills began to run up his spine as vivid images ran through his mind…

Blake! Help us! His father and mother screamed, reaching out to him as their skin melted away in the blazing inferno. Please! Help us! Blake! It hurts so bad! Save us! The twins wailed in unison while they clung to each other in fear…

"Mom! Dad! Olivia! Sarah!" Blake reached blindly in front of him, grasping at thin air, while covering his mouth and nose with his other hand. The stench of burning flesh was overpowering. No! His inner voice yelled at him. This is not real! Focus, Blake, focus! This. Is. Not. Real!

He lay there in the blood-soaked dirt, staring up at a sky so blue… It reminded him of her eyes… I do not fear death, he thought... With Herculean effort, he turned his head to look at the xiphos clutched in his nerveless hand… My love is eternal… But she is gone… I die alone…This is my reality… No retreat, no surrender…the sky seemed to dim and he looked up just in time to see a thousand arrows rain upon him…

"No!" Blake grabbed his head, trying to shake the images away to no avail. He could feel the arrows penetrating into him, his lifeblood seeping away from him, his last painful breath.

Ghostly shadows stalked him through the haunted forest… he ran and ran, lungs bursting, heart hammering… there was no place safe… Diana!… must get to Diana…

"No, no, no!" Blake yelled, clutching his hair tightly with his fists. "Not her, too! No!"

The silvery mist on the forest floor began to coalesce into the form of a giant bat… Diana!... Behind you!… I am the night… the creature's sharp wingtip lanced into Diana's chest…I am… Vengeance…

Diana was in his arms… her breath came in painful, labored gasps… You're alright, she said… that is all that matters…

"No!" Blake groaned. He was oblivious to the sounds of fighting and flashes of red light around him. "What matters is you stay alive… I need you to stay alive… I need you…"

Kiss me, Bryce…

"Please, stay with me," Blake sobbed, falling down to his knees in despair. He cradled her in his arms, rocking her like a baby. "Don't go… Don't leave me..."

"I'm here, Blake," a warm hand touched his shoulder. "I'm here," a soothing voice brought him back to the present.

Blake blinked his eyes open, trying to focus, trying to recognize the person kneeling in front of him. His blood was thudding in his ears, sweat was dripping down his face and he felt sore all over.

"I'm here, mo charaid**," Caillen caressed his cheek gently, her eyes so full of concern. "I'm here. I will not leave you."

He took a long, quivering breath as he looked around him, trying to orient himself. It was just an illusion, he tried to convince himself. Phobos was just playing with your head, tapping into your fears. There was a charred hole on one side of the wall and the furniture was singed. His gaze fell on the king who lay on the floor seemingly unconscious.

"Is he..."

"He's alive," Caillen said. "But Phobos got away, Blake." His friend hung her head. "I couldn't stop him. I'm so sorry."

"Diana," Blake said urgently. Caillen could see the sheer dread in her friend's wide, panicked eyes. "He's going after Diana."

mo charaid ionmhuinn* - my dearest friend in Gaelic (accdg to Google translate)