Ember of Hope
Chapter 53

As the portal got nearer, Alex could feel its energy in his blood. Excitement, adrenaline, dread, anxiety… he was feeling it all at once and much more. Trapped in his own cycle of endless feelings; he didn’t notice that Tamara’s pace had slowed to a point that she was now several paces behind. Katherine was just behind him and had asked him to stop so they both stopped and stood waiting for Tamara to catch up in her own time. Her reluctance was understandable. Even if she wanted, with all her heart, to be home once again; the fear of not being allowed back was crippling her.

When they reached the portal they paused - each for their own reasons. Long moments passed yet none of them moved. But in the end Alex knew that he had to be the one taking the lead. If the guards sensed a witch entering the portal; they might shoot first and forgo asking any questions altogether. Taking a deep breath, he tried his best to pull himself together and took that last step into the awaiting shimmer of the portal.

Behind him Katherine and Tamara entered one after the other and then the portal spat them out to the other side. As he emerged on the other side of the portal, a sense of peace so profound descended upon his heart that he failed to understand how he’d been living without it for the past half century. The guards, upon their first look at their long presumed dead king, were stunned out of movement. They stood their mouths agape and their hands still on their weapons.

Then a young guard who, by the looks of it, wasn’t even born fifty years ago broke out of the line and bowed his head. Either he didn’t consider a man back from the dead any weird or he had much better control of his emotions than his much seasoned comrades.

“You’re alive?” he blurted, “m… my king” he hastened to add protocol. That made Alex crack a small smile and their small exchange helped the other guards out of their stupefied state.

“I am indeed. It’s a long story which I’d be happy to share but later. I have traveled long and hard and I need to meet king Dragomir” he stated politely, “so if you’d be kind enough to be our escort, young man…” he addressed the young dragon and saw his eyes widen.

“Of… of course my king but…” he hesitated, his eyes on the two witches standing silently in the back. It was a small relief that no one knew what Katherine really looked like.

“Don’t worry about them, they’re under my charge. I’ll take care of them” Alex assured.

“Should I call for a carriage my king?” another inquired.

“No, no that won’t be necessary at all. It’ll take much time and I can’t wait another minute to finally go home” he smiled, “and please call me Alex, as I’m sure you’re well aware of the fact that Christian Dragomir is your king now” he tried reassuring the guards who clearly had no idea how to act in this bizarre situation. They had to escort their back from the dead king to their current one… their conundrum was understandable. To ease their circumstances Alex shifted to his dragon form, turned his head to both witches and asked them to climb on top because he had a feeling no one would feel comfortable giving witches a ride. Taking a hint the young dragon guard shifted as well and both of them took off for the fortress.

Alex’s eyes misted over as they finally landed on the magnificence of his home. The fortress stood tall and proud atop the mountain like a guardian angel spreading his wings over his charges. How long he’d dreamed about the black stone of his home. And now he was seeing it again and he couldn’t believe his eyes… he couldn’t believe his luck… and he couldn’t wait to enter the fortress for the first time in a very long time.

He landed so hard in front of the entrance doors that the impact reverberated through his whole body; jarring his bones, but he didn’t care. As soon as Katherine and Tamara were off his back he shifted. He didn’t even acknowledge the presence of sentries outside the doors and bounded inside. He heard the young guard informing the sentries of the situation before hastening after him with the witches in tow. If he knew anything about his friend; he’d replace him in the drawing room facing the waterfall. Chris hated the throne room and thought it to be pretentious. Tamara caught up to him and pulled at his arm, “Alex wait” she stopped him from going any further, “let me go in first” a smile lit her face at the prospect of seeing her husband in her home, “he gave me a very big surprise a while back. Let me return the favor to him” a mischievous glint entered her eyes and he smiled. Nodding at her he told her to go on ahead.

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Christian Dragomir D’evreux stood at the window facing the waterfall looking at the water falling to the depths unknown. The sound was soothing to his restless soul. He didn’t know what it meant but he was feeling as if his mate was near… which was downright impossible but his gut feeling was persistent. He didn’t dare trace her because he was afraid to be disappointed and he was liking this feeling too much.

A rustle sounded behind him and pulled him out of his head. But before he could turn around, soft arms wrapped around his middle from behind and he was bathed in his mate’s alluring scent. His heart stopped beating for a long moment before galloping wildly inside his ribcage.

“Tamara?” his breath stuttered. She pulled away only to place her hands on his shoulders and turned him to face her.

“I’m here Chris. I’m home” she had tears streaming down her face but she was smiling… her smile was so radiant it illuminated the whole room around him.

“H…how? How did you get in?” his eyes roamed all over her face frantically. Because if she was just an illusion; he wanted to drink it in before it faded. “Are you real?” he whispered.

“I’m very real love” she murmured over his lips and kissed him. The touch of her warm lips poured life into his veins. She pulled back all too soon, “I have a surprise for you”. Her eyes danced with joy as she called out to someone outside, “Come on in”.

And the person who entered the room was the last person Christian could’ve imagined. It couldn’t be. Maybe fate was pulling a cruel joke over him… first his wife and now…? He stumbled back and hit the coffee table behind.

“Hello brother” the apparition spoke, because that was the only thing that was even remotely logical. Tamara had somehow summoned the spirit of his long dead best friend.

“I’m not a ghost you idiot” the ghost chuckled as it walked over to him and Christian couldn’t tear his eyes away from it. “I’m as real as they get Chris” and the ghost pulled him in a solid hug… a hug strong enough to break bones.

“Alex?” finally he questioned.

“Who else looks this fine in this age brother? Certainly not you”. Alex pulled back and slapped his shoulder. Then let out a low chuckle when he looked at him. “You know Chris, that jaw on the floor look isn’t very kingly”.

“Fuck the look. How the devil are you alive? I torched your sorry ass myself”. If Alex really was alive, he didn’t really care about the HOW of it. He just needed to make sure that it wasn’t just a fucked up figment of his imagination.

“No thanks for that” Alex raised a brow at that, “long story brother but I never died”.

“WHAT?”

“Come sit and let me fill you in”.

All three of them sat down and as Alex and Tamara filled him in on the real happenings of fifty years ago, his blood started to simmer. By the end of the very short version of the whole fucked up story, he was ready to draw blood… Katherine’s blood… his best friend’s mate’s blood.

“Where is she?” his voice came out guttural and if it wasn’t his wife soothing him with her presence; he would’ve torn the bloody witch to pieces.

“Calm down love” Tamara murmured while rubbing his back in soothing strokes of her soft hands. Alex got up to call Katherine in and Christian’s grip on the armrest became deathly. Tamara pulled his face towards her and placed a soft kiss on his lips. That calmed the raging storm inside him a bit.

“Alex wants to call forth the full council to decide Katherine’s fate. Don’t lose your composure. She is his mate and he’ll need his best friend before long”.

And it killed him inside to think about what his brother had gone through already and what he was yet to endure… all at his mate’s hands… the one person who was supposed to make your life easier not a nightmare.

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