Oak And Mist (The Ambeth Chronicles Book 1) (22 page)

Deryck was completely taken, his desire for Alma coursing through him, feeling her arms around his neck, her body against his. As she kissed him, soft and warm in his arms, he knew he wanted nothing more than to be with her. All thoughts of the Regalia and his father were pushed to one side. Surrendering to the moment, he kissed her hard, his lips moving to take in her jawline and neck, then moving downwards and making her gasp. Realising with his last shred of rational thought that they were in a public place, that they needed to slow down, Deryck pulled back from Alma reluctantly. Still holding her close, his hands moving gently across her back, he whispered, ‘We should get back.’

Alma nodded but didn’t move, her head resting on Deryck’s shoulder. She was tall but he was taller still and her head fit perfectly under his chin, her cheek resting on midnight blue velvet as his breath slowly calmed. His hands played with her long red hair as they stood there together.

‘Besides,’ she whispered, her voice sounding shaky, ‘you said you would introduce me to your sister.’

‘That I did,’ replied Deryck. He really didn’t want to go back to the ballroom – instead, he wished he could take Alma back to his own chambers to continue what they had started. He wrenched his mind away from that line of reasoning – there was still a plan to follow and it was vital he kept that in his head. Whatever his heart was feeling had to come second. With a sigh he let go of Alma, feeling cold as he did so, both of them shivering a little in the night air. Wrapping one arm around her shoulders he kept her close as they walked back towards the light and noise of the celebration.

***

Stepping into the ballroom with Deryck was like entering a kaleidoscope, with people swirling in colour and beauty through the warm perfumed air, and candles and lanterns casting a golden glow across the revellers. Alma thrilled at the feeling of Deryck’s arm around her waist. She smiled into his green eyes and he smiled back, expertly weaving his way through the crowd. They crossed the dance floor, attracting more than a few curious glances and one of concern from Thorion who stood with Artos and Adara. He broke the conversation to stare at them both as they passed, oblivious to anyone but each other.

But it was poor Caleb who had the worst shock. Still searching for Alma, drinks in hand, saw her enter the room, her cheeks flushed and eyes bright, more beautiful than he had ever seen her before… entwined with Deryck. It was like a knife to the heart. Stumbling a little, he put the drinks down, pushing through the crowd to get away so he didn’t have to see them anymore. Thorion took leave from the other Elders to go after him, hoping to stop him from doing anything foolish. He knew, they all knew, how Caleb felt about Alma and how this turn of events would hurt him.

But Alma had eyes only for Deryck. Laughing as they twirled and stepped around the other dancers, Deryck guided Alma to the other side of the room where his mysterious sister waited, talking animatedly to another girl. Alma could see her now – the slender back with waving dark hair seemed strangely familiar. Deryck reached out, touching her on the shoulder and she turned, her beautiful green dress swirling around her. Alma’s mouth dropped open in shock as a pair of green eyes that she recognised met her own. It was Ellery.  

***

‘Thorion should have done more to protect her.’ Lord Artos, his face hard, watched as Deryck and Alma crossed the dance floor together.

At his side Adara, radiant in lilac silk and velvet, nodded. ‘It is important to him that she has choice.’

‘And look what she has chosen!’ said Artos forcefully, the disappointment plain in his voice. ‘She is all but lost to the Dark now – that whelp of Denoris will get his hooks into her and then it will all have been for naught. Galen, Gwion and now Alma, all lost to the Dark!’

Adara, frowning, shook her head. ‘I do not think Alma will turn to the Dark, Artos,’ she said in her gentle voice, her hand on his arm. ‘She saw how it was at the Gate – I think it affected her more than she admits. I believe she will stay with us, though I confess the situation with Deryck does have me worried. Perhaps Thorion…’ She trailed off and Artos looked at her affectionately, the emotion softening his face and showing a trace of the handsome young man he had once been.

‘You will say no word against him, will you.’

Adara blushed a little, trying to dissemble. But Artos knew he had her. ‘I wish you only happiness, my dear. I know, more than anyone, what you have been through,’ he said, patting her hand. ‘But you must admit that Thorion should have bound her to us! Only then could we be sure of her allegiance.’

‘Perhaps,’ was all Adara would say, her loyalty to Thorion stopping her from voicing her concerns. But her face as she watched Alma in Deryck’s arms was worried, the joy of the celebration gone from her.

***

Alma’s stomach lurched with fear and she took an involuntary step back, Deryck’s arm the only thing stopping her from going any further. What the hell was Ellery doing here?

‘Alma! It’s so nice to see you!’ cried Ellery as she embraced her, kissing her on one cheek. Alma was so shocked she couldn’t even speak. She turned to Deryck, her blue eyes sparking with outrage.

‘Alma, what’s wrong?’ He looked at her in surprise.

Ellery touched her arm. ‘Alma, let me talk to you. I’m-I’m sorry.’

Deryck looked from Alma to Ellery. ‘What’s this, sister? Do you already know each other?’

Ellery gave him a look that Alma couldn’t see. ‘Yes, brother, we know each other. From the Human Realm. And, well, I was not so nice to Alma there.’

‘Not so nice!’ Alma had found her voice and it was angry. Furious, as a matter of fact. ‘Are you kidding me? You were a complete-’ Then she stopped, conscious of Deryck next to her. He looked at her, then his sister, face full of confusion.

‘How about I get both of you a drink?’

‘Fine!’ said Ellery, starting to sound annoyed.

‘Thanks,’ nodded Alma, frowning. Deryck walked away and Alma watched him go, unable to help herself. She didn’t know what to think about anything anymore. Turning back to Ellery she was surprised to see a smile on her lovely face, as though she was amused by something. This made her even more annoyed.

‘What the hell is this, Ellery?’ she hissed, leaning in close, not wanting to make a scene. ‘Why are you here? And why did you push me through the Gate?’

Ellery’s green eyes narrowed. ‘I did not push you!’

‘You did, and you knew what would happen. Do you know how scared I was?’ Alma was actually trembling, she was so angry. Ellery glared at her. Then she took a breath, her face relaxing as she touched Alma’s arm.

‘Alma, I’m sorry for the way I treated you,’ said Ellery. ‘Okay? I was just having a bad day, that’s all. And there’s no way I knew you would come through to Ambeth.’ She was starting to look worried, but Alma didn’t care.

‘Oh, a bad day! Am I supposed to believe that?’

‘Yes! A bad day. You know who my father is, right?’

‘Yeah, and?’ Alma was not impressed. Folding her arms, she raised her eyebrows.

‘Well, he tolerates me at best, I guess. I had just been to visit him, and it hadn’t gone well.’ She looked down. ‘So, I wasn’t feeling too great and-’

‘So you decided to beat me up.’ Alma’s tone was full of derision and Ellery’s face twisted, as though in pain.

‘Yes! I mean, no – you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I really am sorry.’ She looked pleadingly at Alma, who shook her head.

‘But what about the Gate? This just doesn’t make any sense, Ellery.’

Deryck arrived just then, drinks in hand for them all, giving one to Alma first, then his sister. Pausing for a moment to thank Deryck, Ellery tried to explain.

‘Oh, Alma, you have to understand – of course I knew there was a Gate there, but never in my wildest dreams did I think you would go through it!’

‘But… it kind of felt as though you pushed me through,’ said Alma. ‘I mean, I didn’t imagine that, did I?’

Ellery seemed at a loss for words. Alma could almost hear her thinking frantically. Deryck looked amused and, as she glanced at him, smiled and raised his eyebrows at her. Oh, he was just too annoyingly gorgeous, thought Alma, momentarily distracted. Turning her attention back to Ellery, she saw that she seemed more collected now. Hmmm.

‘Well, did I?’ she continued, determined now to get a response. Ellery sighed. She really was beautiful, thought Alma, but then it made sense now that she knew who her father was.

‘All right,’ she said. ‘We were trying to move you into the woods.’ Alma gasped, but Ellery continued. ‘It was only a game.’ She sounded desperate now. ‘We just wanted to scare you a little, we wouldn’t really have hurt you and, like I said, there was no way I thought you could go through to Ambeth. Please, please forgive me, I’m so sorry.’

Alma looked from Ellery’s pleading face to Deryck, who had added his own begging expression to the mix. Then she started to laugh. This was all too much, really it was. All of a sudden she was tired of it, tired of arguing with Ellery. She just wanted to get back to being alone with Deryck. Ellery and Deryck looked taken aback but Alma just couldn’t help it. Her hysteria finally subsiding, she decided to end the conversation, sensing she had the upper hand.

‘Fine, I believe you. Let’s not talk about it anymore.’

‘So you forgive me?’ said Ellery, smiling now. Stepping forward, she gave Alma a hug that surprised her, squeezing her hard for a moment. ‘Friends?’ she asked, pouting a little.

‘Friends,’ conceded Alma, not wanting to deal with it anymore. Deryck put his hand on Ellery’s arm.

‘Now, my dear sister, if you will let Alma go, I would very much like to dance with her. Alone,’ he added, looking at Alma in a way that made her blush.

Ellery leaned in and kissed her on the cheek again. ‘Look after him,’ she whispered, then was gone, drifting across the dance floor, elegant in her pale green silk.

Deryck came close, putting his hands on Alma’s waist as he gazed into her eyes. ‘Shall we go outside? There is a walk, by the river, where we can watch the stars.’

Alma found she could hardly breathe. ‘Yes,’ she managed. Taking her hand, Deryck led her once more through the swell of dancers to the long windows. Stepping through, he turned to help Alma negotiate the low sill. She tripped on the hem of her gown, laughing at her own clumsiness, and Deryck took the opportunity to pull her close and kiss her again. The music changed and Deryck stepped back to offer his arm.

‘Will you dance with me, Alma?’

Laughing, Alma moved into his embrace and Deryck began to twirl her across the lawn; he was an excellent dancer and made it easy for Alma to keep up with him. The stars above seemed to be wheeling in the sky and she had never been so happy, never felt like this before. All her concern about Ellery, her fears about the Prophecy, were swept away with the force of her feelings for Deryck and, as they danced on the velvety grass, Alma felt she had never seen anywhere, been anywhere, this beautiful. As the music ended they stopped, engrossed in each other, and kissed where they stood in the light spilling out of the long windows onto the green grass below. Alma could not imagine a more perfect moment. She did not see the green-clad figure standing at one of the windows, watching her with an anguished expression. A taller figure in blue stood next to him.

‘Do not despair, Caleb, she is not yet lost.’ 

Caleb turned sorrowful eyes to Thorion, replying in a voice broken with pain. ‘But she is now – she is lost to me.’

At this the High King could only nod, laying a sympathetic hand on Caleb’s shoulder as they watched the entwined couple, each thinking their own troubled thoughts.

***

Standing in a corner of the crowded ballroom, Lord Denoris slid a warm hand along the curve of Gwenene’s back. She smiled. ‘It seems your son has done his job.’ Her blue eyes, the same colour as her gown, gleamed in the lantern light as she turned to look at Denoris.

‘He has,’ said the Dark Lord, one corner of his mouth lifting. His emerald gaze followed Deryck and Alma as they crossed the dance floor towards the long windows. ‘I expected nothing less.’

Gwenene slid her hands over his chest, twining her arms around his neck. ‘So shall we celebrate?’

At this Denoris smiled, his arms coming around Gwenene to pull her close against him. ‘We shall,’ he said, bending his head to hers. ‘And I’ll let him have his fun for a while. For it won’t be long until she is mine.’

***

Here ends Volume One of The Ambeth Chronicles

Volume Two,
No Quarter
, coming soon.

www.journeytoambeth.com

No Quarter

Volume Two of The Ambeth Chronicles

Things couldn’t be better for Alma. She’s returned the lost Sword to Ambeth and is finally with Deryck, Prince of the Dark. But what’s really going on? Deryck is struggling with his father, who wants to control Alma, while Alma is struggling with her best friend Caleb, who doesn’t trust Deryck one inch. Plus it’s getting harder and harder to keep up with her life in the human world. Falling in love shouldn’t be this difficult. But things are about to get much worse…