Chapter 16

The sun was about to set, and Tristan wanted nothing more than to hold Pagan in his arms. He had good news to tell her. After many hours of debate, Draken’s proposal was passed and now his twins were to inherit the ruling chair after him and co-rule Aradia. It was a hard battle, but in the end, all agreed it was best to protect Aradia. He ran his fingers through his hair. There were changes happening in his world he never thought would take place, and he doubted the people here were going to embrace those changes any time soon. Especially when it was made public about the existence of Olympian gods and their role they were going to play in their lives. All that was to come, but now he had to see Pagan.

He took the stairs two at a time, as he bolted upward to the sleeping hall of the manor. She must be in bed by now waiting for him, or at least he hoped so. She did have a defiant side and was probably pacing the floor ready to pounce on him as soon as he entered their room for coming home so late. He smiled at the thought. They’d had their share of disagreements over the past three months, and she stood up to him on many occasions, but it was the way she was, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. She was a strong-willed woman and a good match for him. The only match for him. He realized that shortly after her arrival in Aradia.

Tristan reached their door only to find it open and the room empty. Where was she? Surely, she was here, after all, he told her to stay on the grounds and it was late. There was no reason for her to still be out. He walked over to the privy to see if she was in the bath. It, too, was empty. Something wasn’t right, he thought.

“Mother!” he called out. “Where is Pagan?”

Patrice came running into the room with tears in her eyes. He went to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. She grabbed his forearms and clutched the fabric of his tunic sleeves, and a sense of foreboding crept into his body.

“Mother, what’s wrong? Where is Pagan?”

She spoke through her tears, “Oh, Tristan, I can’t find her or Betha anywhere. They should have been back hours ago. I’ve searched the grounds and the nearby woods, and they are gone. No one has seen either of them since they left with Jerrell.”

Concern creased Tristan’s brow. Someone should have seen them by now. He had sent Jerrell along to ease his own overprotectiveness. Ever since he saw the woman with the steel gray eyes in the stables, he had a gut feeling that he needed to keep Pagan close to his side. He didn’t really think anyone would actually hurt Pagan, or at least he hoped not, not here in Aradia. The hired hands were warming up to her, and with Delia gone; the other ladies in the village were showing signs of accepting her. Every man he encountered today after all was settled in the council chamber extended a dinner invitation at the request of their wives and he did accept a few of them, although he hadn’t had a chance to tell Pagan yet. She was supposed to be safe. She had to be. He only left her for half a day, and she was gone? It didn’t make sense. Something must have happened for her to be away for so long. He needed to find her and fast.

“Mother, have you checked the stables?” He asked.

“Yes, I have. Jerrell is missing, too.”

Fear gripped him at the thought that she and Betha were injured. Something was wrong and with her being pregnant, he wasn’t able to sense her whereabouts.

“Damn!” He shouted.

He left his mother without saying another word. Tristan ran out of the house and went to the stables. He checked every stall. All of the horses were still there. Nothing seemed to have been disturbed. He looked around to the storage area and Jerrell’s room. No sign of the man at all. It was as if they were never there. He ran his fingers through his hair, as he contemplated the possibility that she was gone. She wouldn’t leave him, not now, and especially with Betha. No, she wasn’t there because someone took her. It was the only explanation.

Tristan slammed his fist against the wall of his horse’s stall. Why now? Who would do such a thing? Then, a thought entered his mind. The vision he’d had of Pagan dangling from the ceiling while a dark-haired man whipped her was vivid as he recalled the memory.

The warlord, it had to be. The son of a bitch must have crossed the veil and managed to find Pagan and Betha. How could he have been so careless and not done more to keep her safe? The vision was a warning, and it seemed the event was happening now. Zeus had told him to keep her safe and he thought he had, but despite his words to her, she must have wandered off with Betha and in the process managed to get herself captured by the one man who wanted her dead.

Suddenly, a shout came from the direction of the manor. Tristan bolted out the door, as Jerrell’s father carried his dead son’s body through the front courtyard headed in his direction. He rushed to the man’s side.

“My lord! My son has been brutally murdered!”

Tristan looked at Jerrell’s bruised and beaten body. He had several jagged stab wounds in his neck. There must have been more than one attacker. Pagan and Betha didn’t stand a chance, especially with her being pregnant and not able to sense danger, and Betha had no self-defense training, it wasn’t customary to teach women to defend themselves. Now he questioned that practice.

“What happened? Where did you find him and where is my wife and sister?”

“I went to the waterfall to look for them when lady Patrice came questioning me about their whereabouts. My boy had told me before they left that lady Pagan wanted to go to the waterfall, so I went there to see if they were still there,” he sobbed. “I found Jerrell wounded in the bushes and the picnic area looked like a struggle had taken place.” He spoke with a grieving voice, “He told me before he died that six naked men with brown skin assaulted him and took the ladies by force. He asked me to ask you for forgiveness for not being able to protect your lady.”

Tristan placed a hand on the man’s shoulder. “I’m sorry this happened to Jerrell. And there is nothing to forgive. Your son was a victim just as much as my wife and sister were. He gave his life for them, and I’ll never forget that. Take your son and prepare him for his burial. I promise you the men who did this will die for taking his life.”

He watched, as the man carried his dead son down the path to the village. Tristan rubbed his brow and let out an anguished sigh. There was no need for anyone to have been killed like that. Whoever did that was ruthless and attacked with a violent rage. And now Pagan and Betha were at the mercy of that madman. It was the warlord. There was no doubt now. Somehow, he had found the veil and crossed to get Pagan.

Tristan headed in the direction of Draken’s home as fast as he could. He had to hurry. He wanted to cross the veil to get his family back and he needed Draken to show him where it was. They were so close to carrying out the given task. Why now? Why would the warlord cross the veil at the time Pagan had conceived? It was if he knew she wouldn’t be detected and hard to find.

It was too much of a coincidence. There were other powers at play here, powers that were working against the Aradians, or maybe against the gods. Zeus had mentioned the Titans, was it possible they were already taking control of Earth and if so, what did they have to do with the warlord? It didn’t make sense, but then again, all of this was making no sense. If he was right, then there was a deity working against Zeus and was trying to get Pagan out of the way. She was to be the oracle’s protectress and without her, the young girl was going to be vulnerable to attack. The oracle had told him that herself.

He picked up his pace, as the truth formed in his mind. With each footfall that pounded on the ground, he knew he had figured out the truth. Pagan was in real trouble and could be murdered if he didn’t get to her in time.

He ran up the outer steps and burst through the door of Draken’s home.

“Draken!”

“In here, Tristan.”

He took wide strides into the dining room to find Draken seated at the table with Cassandra. She held her spoon next to her lips and gave him a questioning glance.

“That bastard crossed the veil and has taken Pagan and Betha!”

“Are you sure?” Draken asked.

“Positive. There were six of them and they brutally murdered Jerrell. He is going to kill her, Draken. I want to go now before it is too late. I want my wife and my twins back.”

Draken stood up and threw his plate across the room. His nostrils flared with anger, and Cassandra dropped her spoon and placed her head in her hands. Tristan walked to stand next to his cousin and waited for the man to reply.

“Gather the men. We leave as soon as we can get the horses ready. We will get our family back, Tristan.”

Tristan turned on his heels and sprinted toward the manor to alert Brailey. He hoped they were going to get to the women before they reached the veil, but something in his gut told him they had already crossed back to Earth. The thought of Pagan at the mercy of that madman burned his temper to the point he could feel the anger and hatred boil in his blood. When he found that bastard, he was going to rip him apart limb by limb before he killed him. Then he would worry about finding out which deity had betrayed Zeus. Whoever it was needed to be brought to justice, because if not, then Pagan would be in constant danger and at the mercy of a deity that wanted her dead. There was no time to tell Zeus about all of this. Hopefully Apollo was keeping a watchful eye on her and maybe interfere on her behalf. By the heavens, he hoped so. Pagan’s life was in danger.

Tristan reached the manor and caught Brailey by surprise in his bedchamber. He rose out of his bath when Tristan pushed open the door and stomped into the room.

“Tristan, what the hell is wrong with you?” Brailey asked as Stella dropped the soap in the water.

Tristan picked up the towel and threw it at him.

“Leave us, Stella,” Tristan said.

He waited till she left the room before he spoke again, “The warlord crossed the veil with a group of men and has taken Pagan and Betha. Get dressed. We leave for the veil as soon as we can get the men together. I’ve already sent word to Charles.”

Tristan turned without giving Brailey a chance to say anything. He walked back to his room and hurriedly undressed. He hastily opened his dresser drawer and grabbed another tunic and breeches more suitable for riding. He pulled his breeches on first and laced them up. He went to his chest by the wall and flung open the lid. He took out a dagger and sheathed it in his belt before he buckled it around his waist. He turned and a sparkle caught his eye by the fireplace. He watched as the sparkles turned into a golden light and he felt a feminine presence enter the room. He had felt it before and he knew who it was, Artemis.

“There is a traitor among Your kind, and because of it, Pagan is gone,” he said.

“This was not supposed to happen, Tristan. You must believe me; none of us want harm to come to her or your twins. She is still alive and so is your sister, but you must hurry.”

She pointed to his dagger hanging from his hips. “That will do you no good. It will not make it across the veil, nor will your clothes.”

“Then what do you suggest?” He asked.

“He has an army of two hundred, your abilities are your best defense but be aware his guns can kill you. You must prepare as best as you can. Esmeralda will get you clothes once you reach her village.”

She walked toward him, and he watched as She placed Her hand on his shoulder. He felt a surge of power fill him and Her hand began to glow with a purple light that claimed his own aura. The intense sensation melded into his life force, and he began to feel the pulsation of the power the goddess had given him course through his entire body. He took in a deep breath, as he let this new energy empower him.

“A gift. Now, go to her and bring her back. I can aid you no more than this. Father has forbidden any immortal to interfere. Aradians must save Aradians that is his decree. He has faith in you, Tristan, and if you are to join the guardians of life, you must do this.”

“The guardians, this is the second time I’ve heard I’m to be one of them. Who are they?” He asked.

Artemis slowly removed Her hand and strolled over to the window. She bent down, and for the first time, Tristan noticed Pagan’s bow. She had left it behind.

“An elite group of warriors that are immortals. They will defend the oracle and fight with us against the Titans.” She picked up Pagan’s bow. “You will be given an immortal body for your immortal soul when you join the guardians. You and Pagan will be fighting for the same cause.” Artemis caressed the string of the bow, and a slight tinkling sound filled the room.

“Are you telling me Pagan will be an immortal, too?”

“Yes, she needs to be in order to stay by the oracle’s side.” Artemis replied.

“Go now and save her. Prove to Father you are worthy, and Tristan, this was not our doing to test you, remember that. And as far as the traitor, I believe you are right.”

Artemis placed Pagan’s bow on the bed and waved Her hand in the air. A golden mist formed around Her and She faded into it. He was alone in his room.

Tristan pulled his tunic over his head and grabbed his riding boots. He started to leave, and then he glanced back to his bed. He was going to bring his wife home and she was going to be lying next to him in that very bed, even if it meant he had to take another’s life to make it happen. She was his life, the love he cherished, and he was willing to die for her.

“Brailey! Let’s go!” He shouted as he marched out the door and down the stairs.

***

Draken had readied the horses for the long ride to the location of the veil. He had made this trek before and knew of a short cut through the woods rather than take the winding road to the farmlands of Aradia. He checked the legs and shoes of his horse as well as Tristan’s and Brailey’s. All were fit to ride. He double checked his saddle and he heard Tristan and Brailey enter the stables. Tristan went to his stallion and mounted him immediately. There was something different about him and Draken stared at him for a moment. He had a very deep purple aura around him. It was power, a strong essence of power that he had never seen in Tristan’s aura before. It concerned him.

“Tristan, you seem different,” Draken said as he looked for a reason for his cousin’s demeanor. Tristan gave not a clue in his expression.

“I’m fine, Draken, I just want to go and get Pagan and Betha back.”

Charles entered the stables. “Tristan, I am officially asking for a contract on Betha.” He mounted his horse as he spoke the words.

“Now?” Tristan asked.

“Yes, now, and if you agree verbally, then I’ll have every right to kill any man who laid a hand on her. I agreed to go on this mission three months ago and now I am going to get back your wife and the woman I love. Is she mine?”

“You got it, Charles. Betha as of this moment belongs to you.”

“Good. Now let’s go get our women back.” Charles kicked his mount and trotted out of the stables with Tristan, Brailey, and Draken close behind him.

Within minutes, the rest of the men joined them at the designated meeting place, and all of the selected ten men rode into the woods with Draken in the lead heading to the last place Pagan and Betha had been seen. They rode fast to the waterfall to check for clues of what might have happened. It was the only place to start. As they reached the area, Tristan dismounted and went to the blanket that was crumpled up on the ground. He moved it around to see if there was anything left behind. There was none. The food from the basket was untouched and scattered across the grass. He squatted next to the basket and picked it up and slammed it to the ground.

Brailey walked over to the nearest tree and noticed the blood splattered on the bark and the grass around it. He bent down to examine it.

“Tristan, here!” He called out.

Tristan and Draken walked over and knelt down to examine the dark red fluid that stained the area. Several strands of long black hair were found in a smudge of blood against the tree, and they knew Betha had been hurt.

“Betha,” Tristan said.

“Let’s go. Now!” Draken ordered.

The ten men mounted again and began a ride toward the veil at a rapid pace. It was still several hours away, and Tristan hoped he would be able to get to his wife before she was seriously injured, if she wasn’t already. The idea of Pagan being hurt sent a wave of anger to course though his body. The power Artemis placed in him intensified that rage and he felt the desire to destroy any living thing that got in his way. He was going to get her back no matter what the cost. He pushed his horse forward, making his way to the veil.

***

Pagan struggled against her restraints that kept her hands tied. The burlap sack over her head blocked her view, but not her sense of smell. The humidity and scent of wet trees and grasses told her she was back in Mexico, a place she had hoped she would never have to see again. But to her disbelief, she was there again. Gomez kept her unconscious by hitting her every time she opened her eyes. She must have been out of it when they crossed the veil. She tried to get her bearings. She was in a wagon of some sort. They were in motion, but she heard no motors or engines, the only sounds were of the jungle. She suddenly remembered her friend had been with her by the waterfall. Betha. Where was Betha?

She called her name, “Betha? Can you hear me?”

“Pagan?” Betha whispered.

The wagon stopped and she felt it shift as if someone climbed in. The sack over her head was ripped off violently and she saw the soldier do the same to Betha.

“We are here, ladies,” said a man with a heavily accented voice.

The man jumped out of the wagon, and she was alone with Betha.

“Listen to me, Betha. Tell them nothing, no matter what they do to me, tell them nothing.”

“But, Pagan, the babes…”

“No, Betha. Don’t tell them. They mustn’t know of them. Listen to me. I need you to keep quiet. They will use it against us to get what they want then they will kill us. Do you understand?” Pagan said in a firm voice. “Say nothing.”

“Pagan, that man, Gomez, he is the one from my vision. He is my other half.”

“Please, Betha. Don’t let him know. He will torture you if he thinks you are the one. It is best to let him think I am who he thinks I am.”

“Pagan, he’ll hurt you.”

“And you will heal my inner wounds and keep the babes alive. You hear me, any visible injuries must remain seen, just heal the babes.”

Gomez jumped into the wagon and grabbed Pagan by the arm. He squeezed his hand around her arm and held her firmly in his grip. She didn’t resist him.

“Cortez, get proper clothing for them. I don’t want my whole army to see them naked, at least not yet,” ordered Gomez.

He pulled her down out of the wagon then dragged her toward a rather large tent in the middle of the camp. She struggled to stay on her feet in order to keep up with him, but he walked steadfast till they reached the tent. He flung open the makeshift door and shoved her to the ground. Another man carried Betha in over his shoulder and dropped her to the ground once inside. Betha scrambled to Pagan’s side and Gomez grabbed her by her hair and jerked Betha away from Pagan. She struggled against the hold he had on her. Cortez brought in two men’s shirts and placed them on a far table. Gomez picked one up and held it out to Pagan.

“Put this on, bitch.”

Another man pulled a gun and placed it next to Betha’s head. Betha stood still.

“Try to escape and your pretty friend here dies,” he said.

Pagan knew he meant what he said, and she dared not do anything that might cause him to lash out at Betha. He had killed many people in her village when he was looking for her, and there was no reason for her to think he wouldn’t do the same to Betha.

A third man cut the ropes tied around her hands and she took the shirt and put it on without saying a word. Gomez watched her, as she buttoned the oversized shirt. When she was finished, he tied her hands again and threw the long end of the rope around the ceiling support of the tent. He pulled it tight, and she was lifted off the ground with her feet dangling. She struggled against her restraints, and it did nothing to ease the pain that shot up her arms.

He turned to Betha and grinned. He walked over to her and caressed her cheek.

“Such loveliness, you are. It would be a shame to scar that pretty face of yours.”

He snapped his fingers and the man with the knife cut her ropes. Gomez handed her the shirt and she put it on. She turned her back to him while she buttoned the shirt, and he laughed at her attempt at modesty. He reached out and took her long raven hair in his hand and lifted it up to his nose to inhale the scent of the oil she used to perfume her hair.

“Lilacs, how lovely,” he said as he took in another whiff of her hair.

Betha tried to step out of his reach, but he pulled her hair, and she stumbled backwards and fell into his arms. He laughed, as she tried to get out of his grasp, and he swung her around and clasped her hands in his and began to tie her wrists together. She, too, was strung up to the ceiling.

“Cortez, tend to the cut on her head. I don’t want this one to die, I have other plans for her.” He took his hand and ran it up her shirt and squeezed her breast tightly. “Yes, my loveliness, you will do nicely. It has been a long time since I had a woman, especially one as beautiful as you.”

“Get your hands off me! I’ll never have sex with you!” Betha yelled.

Gomez laughed, “Your willingness has nothing to do with it. I will take you by force if necessary. I want you and I always get what I want.” He raised the back of her shirt and slapped her bottom hard. He laughed as if he was enjoying himself.

“Leave her alone, Gomez! It’s me you want, not her!” Pagan shouted to him.

He turned to look at Pagan. “You I find disgusting. It’s your power I want and once I get it, I’ll rid myself of your presence.”

Cortez pulled up a chair and stood on it to reach Betha’s head. He cleansed her wound and used an antiseptic before placing a bandage over it. She winced, as he applied pressure to try to stop her bleeding.

“Now, I am going to give you two a gift to think about before I leave.” He picked up his whip and ran it over Pagan’s body, as if he were caressing her with a feather. He walked behind her and slapped it against her back three times. She held back the scream from the pain.

“Think about how that feels. The sooner you tell me how to get your power, the sooner I’ll have mercy on you and end your life.” He turned to Betha. “As for you,” he laughed as he hit her across her stomach with the whip. “I promised not to scar your face, but your body is another matter.”

***

Draken reined in his horse at the farmer’s house. The farmer came out to greet them and he took hold of Draken’s horse’s bit. Tristan rode up beside him, bringing his horse to a halt.

“My lord, the men took Lady Pagan and her friend across the clearing. They must have stolen ropes and knives from my barn when they first arrived because several were missing, and when they returned, they had the ladies. I told my son to follow them to see where they went. He stayed far enough behind them to stay out of sight. They went over there.” He pointed northeast. “And I’m afraid the ladies were unconscious. The Lady Betha was bleeding. My son saw the blood dripping down her face.”

Charles dismounted and flexed his fingers, as the anger welled inside.

“Remain calm, Charles. Your betrothed will need you to think clearly when we get to the women, and we will rescue them. John, I need you to keep our horses here and make ready supplies for when we return, bandages, healing ointments and blankets. Also, a wagon in case we need it. I don’t know how long we will be gone but keep vigil. Be as close to the clearing as you can.” Draken dismounted. “Men, rest for a while. We leave in four hours. John, are you able to spare the supplies?”

“Oh, yes, my lord. Come, all of you, I have a large pot of creamed oats ready if you are hungry. I don’t know why, but I had a feeling you would be here today, so I made ready the food for your arrival,” the farmer said as he turned to walk back into his home.

The men tended to their horses and brought them to the barn. Tristan walked to the edge of the clearing. He looked around at the serenity of the place. It was peaceful, nothing seemed out of place, and everything appeared to be as it should be. But the reality was it wasn’t. A lot had happened in this one spot. Pagan was near death when her priest had brought her to him, and a few weeks later, he stood in the middle of the tall grass and fought along side deities to keep his Pagan safe. Now, she had crossed those tall blades of grass again, and this time he was going to her instead of her coming to him.

“Hold on, princess. I’m coming to get you, just hold on.”

Tristan lowered his head and stared at the ground for a moment. He slowly turned and walked back to the farmer’s house. When he opened the door, he saw the men, who were going to risk their lives to save his wife and sister, sitting at and around the small table, eating the meal the farmer was willing to share. Charles approached him and handed him a bowl of the hot oats and patted him on his back. He walked over to the corner and leaned against the wall.

He started to eat, and he noticed Draken was staring at him. He lowered his gaze and ate in silence. He didn’t want to talk to his cousin, or anyone for that matter. All he wanted to do was cross the veil to Earth and put an end to the warlord and his tyranny over the people in the villages that were close to where Pagan grew up. No man had a right to terrorize others like that. And the new power flowing through him fueled his anger to the point that he wanted to tear the warlord into ragged pieces and leave it on display for all to see that they no longer had to fear for their lives.

That thought snapped his senses back to reality. That was something Draken would do if he had the power of a god in his body, not him. The desire to take charge was becoming second nature to him and he had to keep that urge under control. Draken was the ruler, not he, and he needed to remember that.

Four hours had past, and Tristan waited impatiently while Draken gave last minute instructions to the group of men. When it was apparent he was finished, Draken looked again at Tristan and he had that same stare in his eyes. He knew what had caught his cousin’s attention, it was the power that Artemis had given to him, but he wasn’t about to get into that conversation with the man. He knew Draken had no idea the Olympian gods were involved in their lives, and he also knew Zeus didn’t want to make the gods’ presence known to the Aradians yet. That day was close at hand though, and his building a temple dedicated to Apollo for the oracle was going to be the first step in Their reveal to his people.

Draken led the men to the clearing, and they all walked in silence across the tall grass. They were rested from the long ride, and each wanted nothing more than to get the women back. As they reached the copse of dark trees that hid the veil, Tristan looked back at his homeland. He took in a deep breath and entered the dark woods that led to the one place he was not supposed to know where it was. Each step he took led him deeper into an area that was filled with eerie sounds and tangled trees that seemed to be as black as night. The air was thick, and a light gray mist formed around his ankles, and he noticed for the first time a bird that seemed to appear wherever he looked. It was a rather large bird and the creature spread its wings to reveal the iridescence of its feathers. It was watching him, and he wondered why.

A voice entered his head, and he recognized it immediately as Apollo’s.

The power Artemis gave you will allow you the strength equal to an immortal. Use it wisely and only against the warlord and his men. Remember, Tristan, Zeus gave Pagan to you to protect, no matter who gets hurt, you must bring her back, she is your only concern.

The words caused him concern. Apollo was expecting someone to get injured and he might have to make a choice between Pagan and the other person. He hoped to the heavens it wasn’t Betha. He needed to make sure she was taken care of, and Charles was the man to do it. He placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder and Charles stopped to look at him.

“Charles, make Betha your priority, get her to safety and I’ll take care of Pagan.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Charles replied.

Once in the entrance of the dark cave, they began to undress and piled their belongings along the wall. Tristan looked at the spirals of blue light that lit up the cave, and he noticed Pagan’s clothes clumped in a pile, as if they had just fallen off her. He walked over to them and picked up her dress to run his hand over the soft silk fabric. He took care to fold the gown and placed it with his own clothes against the wall. He put her shoes next to his boots. He turned and a golden sparkle caught his eye. It was her wedding ring.

Draken went to the center and stood in front of the blue twirling light, and he bent over to pick up the ring. Without saying a word, he held out his hand to Tristan and he took his wife’s ring from his cousin and placed it inside one of her shoes next to his own wedding band.

Charles gathered Betha’s gown and shoes and placed them next to his tunic and breeches. He looked Tristan in the eyes and said, “You gave your sister to me, Tristan. She is mine and I will make sure she comes home; you have my word as your friend and as a man.”

“Remember, take nothing with you. It will not make it across the veil. We will get what we need once we reach the other side,” Draken said.

All ten men stood in the center of the cave before the blue spirals that was the veil between their world and Earth. Draken went in first and Tristan followed him.