Chapter Twenty-Two

-Reaver-

The moment Keira crossed the threshold of The Shadow Court's throne room, a rush of anxiety exploded within me. She barely gave me so much as a glance as she hurried toward Murphy. I reached instinctively for her, grasping her tightly around her wrist, unsure of what she planned to do, but a gnawing feeling in my gut feared the worst. She couldn't do this. The very idea of it was preposterous. Her life was worth so much more than Murphy's. She slid from my grip, and when her eyes met with mine, my fears were confirmed. She looked almost apologetic. Caught in her gaze, I could do nothing but stare, but she tore her entrancing crystalline eyes away from me.

She knocked Murphy out of the way with a hasty display of her powers of Will, claiming The Dark Seal as her prize, and that ominous cloud of ink-like darkness swallowed her whole. A wave of anxious nausea swept though me, and my throat tightened as I bolted toward her. How could she be so very foolish? Didn't she think of what might come as a result of her actions? Didn't she think of how this might affect me?

Reaching within the billowing swell of shadow, panic coursed in my veins, and a razor-sharp pain jolted through my arm. I recoiled, and upon looking at my hand, sheer horror overtook me. It was withered and thin...wrought with age. Of course I would not be allowed to interfere with the despicable process. I cradled the damaged appendage, and I felt my very soul rip asunder at the prospect of what was undoubtedly happening to her within that cloud.

"KEIRA!" My voice cracked and echoed against the old, empty stone walls.

"It is done," said a deep voice from the shadows. The voice sounded hollow and muffled, but the words had such a cutting finality to them. What precisely was done?

I could feel the vitality—her life—funneling into me, but my knees still buckled beneath me—the shock momentarily sapping my strength. I was able to flex and move my reinvigorated hand, but I couldn't bring myself to tear my eyes away from the darkness that shrouded Keira. My lungs felt as if they would never be able to draw enough air, and my body trembled with an unbridled apprehension.

When the shadow retreated, her body fell slack and dropped forward onto the floor, her head thankfully falling upon one of her outstretched arms. The seal clattered onto the stone with a cacophonous clanking that startled me. It made me realize how truly silent everything had become. What little air I had left my lungs, and I lunged forward,willing my stubborn muscles to move. Ineeded to touch her, to assure that she was alive. Hesitation rushed over me, and I quickly turned her onto her back, pulling her limp, unresponsive body into my arms.

Age didn't mar her beautiful face as I had feared, but the utter stillness of it set me ill at ease. Her skin was so very pale and even colder, and that tore a hole in my heart. I shook her gingerly. Her limbs were loose and unresponsive to my attempt to bring her back to consciousness. I fumbled to press my fingers against her neck, searching for a viable pulse. Life throbbed timidly within her, and for a few, brief moments, I was relieved.

It didn't last.

My relief gave to anger, and my eyes stung with a fury most wretched. My sharp gaze darted from Keira, still and silent, to Murphy who looked to be taken over by complete shock as he mutely surveyed the situation, but they rested on The Shadow Court. How could they have allowed this? Would she survive this? Why did they not stop the process until the appropriate sacrifice had The Dark Seal in his hands once more? What would this mean for her deal with them? For mine?

"Will she live?" I asked the foremost question on my mind in a hoarse growl, my jaw clenched tightly.

"So it seems," The central judge sneered as it tilted its head. It clasped its hands together behind its back. I could sense the being's frustration. It apparently, hadn't known what the outcome of this predicament might have been. "Quite unpredictable, your wife. Unpredictable, indeed. She might have spared herself all of this trouble if she would have only named you instead of that girl when her own bargain was struck..."

My gaze drifted back down to my wife, and I had to bring my hand to her pulse once more, to reassure myself of her survival. She merely slept, it seemed, her dark lashes falling peacefully against her pale cheeks. I wanted to wake her, to demand answers to the dozens of questions that resonated through my cluttered, chaotic mind. What was it within her that wanted to spare me, or was this all to spare Murphy? It seemed that damnable compassion of hers was leaking through the well-crafted veil of darkness in which she had so carefully shrouded herself this past year. It had protected her from creating more heartache for herself thus far. Why couldn't she continue on her path? Why couldn't she, at least, be selfish with her own life, aware of how important she is...

My mind snapped back to the issue at hand. I needed to ask questions of The Shadow Court before the opportunity slipped through my fingers and they disappeared without giving answers as they had, in my experience, done so many times before. "So you did intend for her to name me when you brokered her contract," I affirmed.

"Her heartbreak screamed across all of Albion," it replied. "We could feel the hole that you ripped into her already damaged heart. We were confident that she would want to be rid of the source of that pain."

"Why?" I demanded to know.

"Because her contract with us fulfills our needs so much more appropriately than yours," The shadow taunted. "Because she is the sole heir to the legacy of William Black, and she holds the reins to the most affluent nation in all of the world."

"If you think you can manipulate her, it will not be the simple task you make it to be," I snarled, my arms tightening around her, as if my embrace would protect her from their threat of imposing their control upon her. "It will not happen."

"But you have manipulated her so well, haven't you, Reaver?" The judge said, sinister laughter filling its voice. "She has foolishly made a place for you in her heart. She came to us because you broke her, and she still foolishly returned to you. You—a man who has done the most unspeakable of things just to secure his footing in the world."

"You need not waste your breath dictating my sins to me," I spat, my blood rushing hot through my veins. "She is not as weak as you make her out to be. She has gained nothing through a deal you fashioned to suit your own needs, and-"

The shadow interrupted me, and I felt my anger grow ever more immense. "We held up our end of the bargain. Her brother was granted life. If she ended it, that is of no consequence to us. She is now indebted to us. She owes us as many lives as we see sufficient. Until then, she is stuck on this plane, as she is, unable to move on as she once had so ardently wished. Now, we have been more than generous in answering your pointless questions. Nothing will change our contract with her, nor with you, it seems."

Before I could speak, the shadows vanished into The Void. I cursed aloud, my frustration bubbling over. Why did I allow her to come? I had no idea what effect this ritual would have on her. Would she be whole? Would she be the same woman? What had they taken from her and bestowed on me in the form of youth and vigor? I felt a timid hand on my shoulder.

"I-I c-couldn't stop her," Murphy jabbered from behind me, his voice quivering with anxiety. "I'm s-s-s-"

I let his words trail off in a stuttering blur, and I reached to grab The Dark Seal. Its once immense weight now felt like nothing, and I stowed it in my coat, against Keira's gently rising breast. Had she known that her sacrifice would be one of only her energy, or did she truly think she would wither and die as Murphy had been set to do? I had to admit that I was thankful that she merely slept. If anything more had been lost in her display of compassion, I was not sure what I would have felt. I slipped my arms beneath her, lifting her as I rose to my feet. The fatigue and anxiety I'd been feeling was gone but replaced with a new source of frustration.

This affected me far deeper than I would have ever imagined it would, and that in itself caused major irritation. I remembered how my heart had pounded and my eyes had stung. It reminded me of another day that The Shadow Court had taken away something that was mine—only this time, it hadn't been ripped away forcibly. It was willingly given. Was that sacrifice for Murphy, or worst of all, for me?

"W-will she be alright?" Murphy asked meekly, grabbing a torch from its place on the wall and moving toward the entrance to the room. He seemed eager to leave the dreadful crypt-like temple, and I could not blame him.

"I am sure," I said, my anger still clear in my voice, and I followed after him. "For now, we need to get out of this damned swamp and back to civilization. I've had enough of this place."

"Y-yes," Murphy agreed, taking the stairs quickly. He glanced over his shoulders a few times, his eyes falling on Keira. He looked relieved, and yet, he looked troubled.

I, too, was troubled, for I was still unsure of what to make of The Shadow Court's words. They had tiptoed around the issue, as was their way, but they seemed truly stunned by her show of self-sacrifice. They hadn't known what would happen when she took that seal from Murphy, just as I hadn't known.

The look of serenity on Keira's beautiful face vexed me even further. Why should she rest when I felt so very ill at ease. Emotions that hadn't stirred in such a long time had reared their ugly little heads, and I wasn't fond of their effect on me. I sneered, and I silently followed Murphy out into the dark, sticky muck..

We exited the marshes unscathed. The creatures of the area had retreated to well-hidden places of refuge, somehow knowing not to challenge me. Upon crossing the threshold of civilization, we discovered that our carriage driver had abandoned us, leaving nothing of our carriage or possessions behind.

"Vile, treasonous bastard," I seethed, as a cold breeze moved through the trees, shaking the leaves from their branches. He had not only stolen The Queen of Albion's carriage, but he had also put her life in danger. He would hang for this, one way or another. Frustration took hold of me once more, and I stormed forward. "We've no time to track him down now, but the only place he could have possibly gone to escape the countryside is Bloodstone, and that place is mine. My people will know he's crossed me. He will not escape justice—The Queen's or mine."

"What will we do?" Murphy questioned, adjusting Keira's rucksack on his shoulder, and he hurried to walk at my side. "There is no way we will be able to make it by foot with Keira in that condition." His eyes fell upon her, full of concern. "She looks so f-f-frail."

"We can only hope that she will wake soon," I sighed. "Until then, we press on. We will come across an inn soon enough."

"Are you sure that you will be able to walk that far carrying her? If need be, I can-" He attempted to volunteer, but his eyes recognized the look of obvious disapproval on my face. "Perhaps we should stop until she wakes."

"I am quite sure I can manage," I retorted, not eager to stop. If we stopped, I would have too much time to contemplate further on the events of the evening. I did not have nearly enough alcohol in my system to even fathom brooding over what had transpired in that dank, wretched place. "We have no idea how weak she will be when she comes around."

"If you are sure," Murphy said, averting his eyes and leading the way once more, holding the torch high. He looked thoughtful for a few moments, and he then returned his eyes to me. "The road curves around these woods...if y-you want I could make my way through them...toward the nearest village. I am sure I could find horses and supplies. It would make our journey a b-bit easier."

"Yes," I agreed quickly. Even with my newly-restored strength and stamina, carrying Keira on foot would make our journey longer and more dangerous. On horseback, she would be safer, and we would be able to cover more distance in a shorter amount of time. "Go on."

"I will return and come along the road until I find you," Murphy assured me. "I won't be but a few hours. Perhaps you could even stay here and rest until I return."

"I will keep walking. There is no use in sitting in the dirt," I said quickly, my lip curling with annoyance at the suggestion.

He knew better than to argue for my safety or to argue with me, period. His blue eyes shifted to Keira, and he looked as if he wanted to say something. He decided against it. It was a wise choice. He made his way into the woods, holding his torch tight and moving with a quickness and nimbleness that he'd seemed to grow into in the long, eventful months in which he'd served me..

I glared at the path ahead. It was long and boring with not much to distract my turbulent mind. I, instead, tried to keep my head clear with contemplation on a collection of different subjects. I thought of potential sites for new factories, the stack of contracts that had undoubtedly piled up in my absence, and even the amount of gold that my glorious business had made in the meantime, but my thoughts kept turning back toward Keira. I wrinkled my brow, and I let my eyes wander down to her again.

Her cheeks were gaining color, but I was sure it was due to the cold nip of the wind. I had nothing more to offer her to keep her warm except perhaps my own body heat, but that would require stopping. Stopping was absolutely out of the question. I tilted her body inward, shielding her from the wind, and I continued forward. I could only hope that Murphy was running through those woods.

-Keira-

I was awake before I opened my eyes. Everything was swaying, as if I were floating on the gentlest of currents, and I felt comforted by it. My every muscle cried out with exhaustion, but with such a warm, kind tide cradling me, I could ignore it, along with the cold, wretched wind that chilled me skin to bone. I felt a soft sigh work its way through me, and the movement stopped.

"Keira," crooned Reaver's voice softly. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes," I managed to croak, my own voice surprising me. I wrenched my heavy eyelids open, and I saw that the sky was tinged orange as the sun rose. I strained to turn my head to find my husband.

Reaver's eyes met immediately with mine, but all the weariness that had been there in the past few days was gone. For a moment, relief flooded him, but it was replaced with something else entirely. "What you did was foolish, Keira—foolish and dangerous." His face turned a deeper shade of red and he was suddenly walking again. The movement of his nimble stride had been the comforting waves I'd felt as I slept. I didn't have any idea anyone could move so very fluidly and gracefully.

"Murphy..." I said. "Is he alright? What happened to him?"

"He has gone off to secure horses and supplies," He said shortly. "Our carriage was stolen, it seems."

I was infinitely relieved that he had survived the ordeal in Wraithmarsh. I had feared that perhaps, even if I'd attempted to save him, The Shadow Court still might take him. I felt a little woozy as Reaver suddenly set me against the trunk of a tree, and I was just barely able to sit up without assistance. The world tilted back and forth, but I was sure it was just a side effect of the staggering exhaustion. I tried to focus on Reaver's face, using it as an anchor to keep me from getting too dizzy.

His eyes moved up and down my body, as if he were inspecting me for any sign of injury. "What were you thinking?" He asked, his hands finally settling on my forearms, bracing me against the tree. "Have you any idea what might have happened to you if-"

"My contract with The Shadow Court is more valuable to them if I am alive and young," I said. "There is no way they would have allowed me to die, Reaver."

His face was wrought with displeasure, and he opened his mouth to speak once more. "For a few terrifying moments, I believed that you were dead. What if-"

I interrupted him again, "I am safe and alive."

For a few moments, we stared at one another, his eyes still on fire with outrage. My heart's rhythm increased in the anticipation of a long, drawn out fight. It was simply how things were done between Reaver and myself.

Instead, Reaver tugged me against him suddenly, his mouth claiming mine deeply. His fingers moved hastily up my arm, across my shoulder and up my neck until he cradled my face in his hands, stroking the flushed skin of my cheeks with the supple leather of his gloves. I had never felt him kiss me with such an avid need. He parted from my lips, his forehead resting against mine. "You cannot threaten to leave me again. I cannot lose you."

One of his hands left my face to pull my body even closer, as if I could never be close enough. My heart was pounding now, and my skin was warm with the rush of blood that came as a result.

"Why can't you lose me?" I dared to whisper, drawing back to find that he looked conflicted. His mouth was set with anger, yet his dark eyes were wide and vulnerable.

"Because you drive me crazy," He said, those eyes suddenly filled with fire. "You tease me and prod me and test my limits, just as you are now. You disobey my wishes, and you seem to go out of your way to irritate me. You make me feel..." He paused, searching for the words, but his gaze brightened with realization. "You make me feel unsure of myself. Not only myself, but my actions and the consequences that might occur. I have never felt that...not in all my years." He looked away, as if ashamed or disgusted with himself. Knowing Reaver, he was a little of both.

But I wasn't sure of what to say in reply.

"I need you, Keira," He quickly spoke before I could. "I have never needed anything as much as I need you. I need you to love me. I need you to stay with me." His fingers clutched my face a little tighter. "And I need to know that you feel the same." His eyes were full of that heat once more, and it inspired a similar warmth to bloom in me, though the warmth was in my heart.

"You...love me?"

"I suppose I do," He said as if he, too, was surprised.

"But..." My heart beat in my throat, and I pulled in a deep, shaky breath. "I thought you were incapable of love."

His eyes rolled, and he shook his head. "I am a liar. I didn't think that would surprise you."

My lip trembled, and I felt an enormous stress lift from my soul. My heart swelled with relief, and I placed my hands across the broad expanse of his chest, the warmth of his skin radiating through the thin material of his shirt.

He loves me.

Tears budded in the corners of my eyes, but he wiped them away before they could so much as touch my cheek.

"I believe I would cry as well if I had the grave misfortune of being bound to someone such as myself," He said, a small smirk tugging at his lips.

Before I could say anything, he pressed a searing, yet brief kiss against my mouth, clearing away the humor that hung in the air after his remark. His fingers trailed down my cheek, my neck, my shoulder, and then down to my hand where they laced with mine, squeezing me tenderly.

"I love you." His voice was little more than a whisper as he tipped my head backward. His lips touched to the curve of my jaw. He paused, his mouth hovering over my skin, and his eyes turning expectantly toward mine. He knew how I felt. He'd always known, but he wanted to hear me say it out loud. He needed those words.

"I love you." My words came out as a whisper, my voice too tight from the overflow of emotion churning within me. A soft sigh of warm joy escaped me as he moved his mouth to my neck, murmuring the sentiment again between tender, heated kisses.

I managed to lift my arm to loop around his neck, and my fingers tangled in his thick dark hair. Had I possessed more strength, I might have tugged him closer, but he, instead pressed me against him. His mouth returned to mine, and a soft sound of pleasure resonated through him. He pulled away suddenly, his fingers tracing the line of my jaw. I inched closer to him, silently asking for more.

"As much as I want this to continue..." he breathed against me. "You are exhausted. Considering the journey we must make, it would be unwise of me to claim all of your energy right now."

He was right. I was still so very tired, and we did not know when Murphy would return with horses. I exhaled a breath, and I hesitantly nodded. "Later,"I promised.

A soft, warm smile crossed his mouth, and he raised it to lay a kiss against my forehead. "I will remain wracked with anticipation." He chuckled softly, and he stroked my hair, his fingers touching me so tenderly—as if I were the most precious thing in the word.

It was then that the sound of hooves against the ground alerted us to someone's approach. Reaver drew reluctantly away from me, and rose to stand. His face was graced with a full grin of amusement for the first time in what felt like an eternity. I hadn't realized how much I missed seeing his smile.

"Is sh-she awake?" asked Murphy, apprehension lacing his voice.

"Hello, Murphy," My voice cracked a little with exhaustion, but I was barely able to push myself to a shaky standing position. The ground felt like it betrayed me, but I knew it was just my weakness. I wrapped my arms around the tree for support.

Reaver was instantly at my side to sweep me into his arms. I was relieved and embarrassed at the same time. Never had I felt more like a helpless damsel, even when I was a powerless princess. I, at least, tried to look composed in his arms. I held my head up straight, and I craned it to find Murphy.

I saw that he rode a large strong-looking, chestnut horse, while a smaller gray horse followed behind. Both were saddled and ready for travel. Murphy jumped from his place on the large horse, and he suddenly looked timid as he observed me.

"Keira...what you did..." He said. "I will never be able to thank you for..."

Reaver snorted with obvious disdain, but I offered him a soft smile.

"There's no need to thank me, Murphy," I said quietly, my voice warbling and unable to carry very far. I was losing my energy quickly, and I knew that I would need to rest even more than I already had. "It was the right thing to do."

"She's exhausted," Reaver interjected. "Let's hurry on. We should be able to make it to Bloodstone this afternoon if we remain at a quick pace on horseback."

Murphy urged us toward the large horse that he'd been riding. It was a magnificent creature that had been well-cared for. It was probably the finest horse the village had to offer, and it seemed like it would make the journey with no trouble at all. I would have to write a personal note of thanks to the villagers that had provided it.

Reaver reluctantly passed me to Murphy before mounting the great beast. Murphy looked as if he wanted to say something more, but he pressed his lips into a tight line, knowing better than to test the limits of Reaver's temperament. Reaver leaned down, scooping me up easily and setting me to rest on the edge of the saddle.

I swung my leg around, feeling slightly winded, and I felt Reaver pull me against his chest, He held the reins with one hand and locked his other arm around my waist, cementing me in my place. We were off quickly, and I sunk back into the lean comfort of his chest. I brought my arms to wrap around myself, trying to keep the warmth in, and I felt something large and bulky in the breast pocket.

Without much thinking, I stuck my hand into the coat, sliding it into the pocket, and I felt the familiar shape of The Dark Seal. There was something else within the pocket, and I remembered that Reaver had stowed something there right after we'd been accosted by the banshee. I closed my hand around it, and I recognized the shape and feel of the object. It was a round metal pendant, and a thin chain, both caked with dried dirt. I didn't dare pull it out in front of Reaver, and I forced my curious hand to release the trinket and return to my side.

I closed my eyes, hoping that sleep would take me away once more, and it did.

A/N: Sorry about the delay in publishing, I've had quite the month, and I've gotten this done as quickly as possible. I'd like to thank those of you that have reviewed me so far. It's always so nice to see that people are enjoying my work. If you haven't left a review, don't be afraid to let me know what you think. I always appreciate reviews.