Page 5 of The Darkest Knight (The Cursed Kingdom #3)
Chapter Five
T ammie stomped up the stairs, her heels echoing like tiny thunderclaps, frustration bubbling with every step. She was on a mission to find Gwen, though her anger dulled to a simmer as she approached her sister’s bedroom door. She paused, her hand on the doorknob. Gwen and Tristan were always … well, occupied. Bursting in might not be her wisest move.
Instead, she knocked lightly. “Gwen?”
“Come in,” her sister called out, her voice calm and inviting.
Tammie poked her head in. The late afternoon light spilled through the window, casting a warm glow over the room. Gwen sat serenely in a chair by the window, her fingers idly tracing the armrest, while Tristan lounged opposite her. His broad shoulders and imposing frame made the chair look comically undersized, as if it might collapse beneath him at any moment. At Tammie’s entry, Tristan stood, his movements fluid despite his size, and offered a small bow.
“Hello, Tamara. Is everything well?” His deep, velvety voice filled the room, carrying an old-world charm.
“Tristan!” Gwen scolded, shooting him a look. “Modern English, remember?”
He smirked, his hazel eyes alight with mischief, before turning back to Tammie. His smile—an easy, lopsided grin—could have melted stone. “Hi, Tammie. What’s up?”
Gwen giggled, her cheeks glowing as she glanced at him. They were annoyingly adorable together.
Tristan stretched his arms over his head. “I have work to do, so I’ll leave you two to talk.” He leaned down, pressing a tender kiss to Gwen’s lips, and whispered something that made her smile grow impossibly brighter. Before he left, he winked at Tammie, a gesture so casual and charming that it warmed her cheeks despite herself.
As the door closed behind him, Tammie turned back to her sister, finding her still basking in the glow of Tristan’s departure. “Isn’t he amazing?” Gwen sighed, sinking further into her chair. “I can’t wait for you and Niall—or whoever—to fall in love.”
The bubble of warmth in Tammie’s chest burst. Her earlier irritation roared back to life. “Oh, really?” she snapped, her glare sharp enough to cut glass. “It definitely will not be Niall. I thought you said a knight always keeps his word. It’s been an entire day, Gwen. No Niall. No Liam. No nada !”
Gwen’s smile vanished, replaced by a look of genuine concern. “Oh, goodness,” she murmured, her hand flying to her mouth. “I hope nothing bad happened to them.”
Tammie crossed her arms. “Didn’t they say they’d send word if something came up? Or some sort of message?”
“It’s not always possible,” Gwen said, her tone quieter now, worry clouding her eyes. “If they’re in Atlandia, there are places they can’t just … come in and out of. That realm is awful. Worse than the North Pole.”
“You’ve never been to the North Pole,” Tammie pointed out dryly. “Unless you snuck off and went there in the past few months.”
“You know what I mean,” Gwen shot back, her tone impatient.
“Well, frozen wasteland or not, Niall needs to hurry up and get back. I’ve got an enchantment to break, and Gerard is starting to lose patience with me.” Tammie threw her hands up in frustration. “I can’t sit here waiting forever!”
“What did Gerard say?” Gwen asked, frowning.
“Oh, nothing much,” Tammie said with mock sweetness, rolling her eyes. “Just little things like, ‘How much longer until I see you again?’ and ‘My friends don’t believe you’re real.’ You know, the usual.”
Gwen shook her head, exasperation creeping into her voice. “Oh boy. Well, I’m sure he’ll wait. From everything you’ve said, he’s completely smitten. And Sabrina says he’s a really nice guy.”
Tammie huffed as she sank into the chair Tristan had vacated, her fingers tapping impatiently on the armrest. “Maybe. But if Niall doesn’t get back soon, I’m going to lose my mind. And Gerard … well, let’s just say his patience has its limits.”
Her voice grew more resolute. “It’s been nearly two weeks since I arrived, Gwen. Another week, and I’m heading back to Georgia. Even if it’s just for a couple of days.”
Gwen frowned, her brows knitting together in concern. “Let’s try summoning Niall,” she suggested, her voice tinged with unease. “His absence is … troubling.”
Tammie leaned forward, and they clasped hands tightly as they prepared for the summoning. Closing her eyes, she focused on Niall, visualizing his face, his form, his presence. At first, the image was clear, but then the edges blurred. Fog swirled through her mind, thick and suffocating, swallowing her thoughts. A dark figure emerged, its silhouette stark against the gray haze.
She tried to break free, but the figure held her captive, like invisible chains binding her mind. Pale, claw-like hands extended toward her, unnatural and menacing.
“It is time for your destiny, your truth.”
The creature’s voice reverberated through her, deep and resonant, chilling her to the bone. Her body began to tremble as the words soaked into her consciousness.
“No!” she gasped, her voice defiant but quivering.
“Prepare yourself. It’s almost time.”
“Tammie!” Gwen’s urgent voice pierced the vision, hands on Tammie’s shoulders shaking her back into reality. Tammie’s eyes snapped open, meeting Gwen’s alarmed gaze.
“What happened?” Gwen demanded, her tone filled with worry.
Tammie struggled to steady her breathing. “I … I’m not sure. Someone was in my vision—a dark, cloaked figure. It said something about preparing for my destiny.”
“That sounds … promising?” Gwen’s attempted smile wavered, more nervous than reassuring.
Tammie shook her head, her unease growing. “It wasn’t a good destiny, Gwen. It said something about returning to my truth. It felt almost evil.”
“Your truth?” Gwen shot to her feet, pacing the room. “Should we call Mom? Maybe she knows something about this.”
“Absolutely not!” Tammie stood abruptly, her expression resolute. “If we call Mom, she’ll be on the next flight here, and she won’t leave without dragging me back with her.” She hesitated, her voice softening. “Then again … she doesn’t have to know where we’re calling from. Maybe it’s worth considering.”
Gwen nodded thoughtfully.
“First we can try to reach Niall again.” Tammie held out her hands.
“No,” Gwen said firmly, already moving toward the door. “I’ll check the spell book. Something feels … off about all this.”
“I’m exhausted,” Tammie admitted, the weight of the vision pressing on her. “Can we deal with it in the morning?”
Gwen hesitated, then nodded. “Yes, we should wait until morning when Sabrina can join us. Leave your door open.”
Tammie saluted her mockingly and retreated to her bedroom.
After a long shower, Tammie slipped into her gray fleece pajamas and climbed into bed. The warm water had washed away some of her tension, but the unsettling vision lingered. Restless, she picked up her journal, flipping through the pages. She considered her entry for the day but found herself picking up the book both Sabrina and Gwen had written notes in. Soon she was distracted by her sisters’ detailed notes on the enchantment and the bizarre world they were entangled with.
It was a story straight out of a fantasy novel—suspense, adventure, passion. She almost smiled at the thought of turning it into a book one day. No one would believe it was nonfiction, but it would be a page-turner, nonetheless.
Lifting her phone, her wallpaper, a picture of her and Gerard faces pressed together, appeared on the screen. For a fleeting moment, her thoughts turned to Niall. Would he ever find love after being freed? Would he fall in love again, or was his heart still tethered to the wife he had lost?
The thought of him with someone should have been heartwarming, thinking that he could move on. But instead, it left her uneasy. Her sisters had fallen in love with the men they’d rescued. Could it happen to her, too?
A sudden image flashed in her mind: Niall, walking beside her, their hands clasped together, their gazes meeting. What would it feel like to love him under normal circumstances?
She dropped her phone with a sharp pang of guilt. How could she entertain such thoughts while staring at Gerard’s picture? What was wrong with her?
Desperate to clear her mind, she pressed the call button. Gerard’s voicemail picked up after a few rings, his voice cheerful and familiar.
“I am unable to answer. Leave a message.”
She glanced at the time. Six in the evening. Was he on assignment? Out with friends? Tammie left a quick message and hung up, sinking back onto her pillows.
Her thoughts betrayed her once again, drifting back to Niall. What was he doing right now? Was he safe?
“Oh, God. Stop it, Tammie,” she muttered, rolling onto her back.
But the question lingered in her mind. Was Niall safe? And would he ever come back?