AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But I feel something else, Rosamunde, that our joined powers have increased.
As the second wave of elf-lord power struck, she opened her eyes and met his. Her heart began hammering out a level of excitement she could hardly contain. “Stone, I think together you and I might be able to defeat Margetta.”
His lips curved. “I think this was what she was after. She wanted to bond with me because of this level of power.”
As the elf-lord power flowed through each of them, Rosamunde knew it was true. She could feel the difference in her bones, that what had been so difficult for her to achieve for the past thousand years, now seemed simple. “This was what I couldn’t help you understand, how deeply I understood that I couldn’t have battled Margetta on my own. But now, I know we have a chance to defeat her.”
He kissed her again and once more she melted against his body, drinking in the pleasure of being loved by him.
But as she drew back, the elf-lord power began to create very specific images in her head of the Tannisford Plains. “Are you seeing this?”
“I am. The final battle.”
“Yes.”
Stone grinned. “Then I think we should get some clothes on.”
She laughed and hugged him hard. She started to teleport him to her cottage, but he was before her and she landed with a surprising jolt at the foot of her bed.
“Stone, you took us here! This was you, not me.”
“I know. Yup, we’re definitely sharing abilities.”
“I’m going to grab a shower.”
He gestured west, toward Tannisford. “And I’m going to take a quick hop to my lake and pick up some clothes. I’ll be back here before you know it.” He kissed her once on the lips, then with a smile, vanished.
She went into the bathroom, turned on the shower, then took a few minutes to rinse the sea water off. Afterward, she didn’t bother to use her hair dryer; there wasn’t enough time. Instead, she towel-dried as best she could then arranged her damp hair in a single braid down her back.
When she was ready, she found Stone standing very still near the foot of the bed but clothed in fresh battle gear. She sensed he was communicating with the ruling mastyrs. He waved for her to come close and when she did, he slid his arm around her waist then pulled her into the telepathic conversation.
Rosamunde is with us. Ian, say again about Margetta’s army.
She’s been moving her wraith-pairs in large groups to the east foothills at the top of the plain.
Rosamunde knew the location well. Massive rocks formed a shelf that stretched for three miles in both directions. Margetta couldn’t have chosen better. Her army could scramble back through the hundreds of pathways that led through the rocks and into the nearby cave-riddled hills.
Ian continued. We have the Combined Forces still arriving in waves from every Realm. Davido and Vojalie have gone from realm-to-realm and have moved all the Vampire Guards and Shifter and Troll Brigades to the plains. I doubt Margetta expected that.
Rosamunde agreed. She gripped Stone’s waist tight. He met her gaze and nodded.
This was it.
The final battle.
Whatever happened here tonight would determine the next thousand years for the Nine Realms.
Rosamunde and I will be at the promontory near the Sea of Vermed.
Ian’s voice strengthened. All the mastyrs are assembled there, Commander. We’re awaiting your orders.
At these words, Rosamunde felt Stone’s shoulders lift slightly and his spine straighten a bit more. She was proud of him, of what he’d achieved in bringing all the ruling mastyrs together. It was always believed that a unified Nine Realms would be impossible given the fiery nature of the mastyr vampire.
But the blood roses had come, tempering each man, while adding power on power. Rosamunde thought it a beautiful juxtaposition, even a paradox that while the men gained power through their women, they also developed an ability for a kind of collaboration that had never happened before.
We’ll head your direction shortly.
Yes, Mastyr. The latter was a group response, a flow of masculine telepathic voices that filled Rosamunde’s heart with pride and hope.
