Royal Hearts Read online

  She giggled, her embarrassment fading. “Yeah, well, never underestimate how poorly I can play ever again.”

  “You are the master of losing,” he teased, bowing to her.

  Still laughing, she followed him to the stand where they returned their golf clubs.

  “Have you ever been to Wright Brother’s Park?” he asked once they got into his car.

  “Yes. It’s a great park.”

  “Would you like to go now? It’s beautiful at sunset.”

  “Let’s go,” she said, looking forward to it. Who didn’t enjoy a nice sunset?

  As he drove down the street, he asked, “Do you like classic rock?”

  “To be honest, I haven’t listened to it. I mainly stick with the current hits.”

  “I do, too, from time to time. Here’s a good station for those.”

  He turned the radio on, and they listened to music on their way to the park. Although she was having a good time, she couldn’t help but wonder what Hathor was doing tonight. What if he was on a date with someone else? Something she couldn’t explain had trouble accepting this idea, which was silly. They hardly knew each other. It wasn’t like they were going steady or anything. So why should the thought bother her as much as it did?

  “I think the best thing about music is that it’s timeless,” William said. “You can enjoy it no matter when it came out.”

  Forcing her attention to him, she nodded. “You’re right. A good beat is still a good beat.”

  He smiled. “Exactly.”

  After a moment, she asked, “What are your favorite groups?”

  While he told her, she realized that she only recognized one of the names he mentioned. It wouldn’t hurt to expand her horizons and listen to some of the ones she’d never heard of before this evening.

  “After we check out the park, I’d like to listen to some classic rock,” she said. “You know, give it a try.”

  “I have my favorite songs downloaded here.” He tapped the radio. “I’ll pick one, and you can get an idea of what you’re getting yourself into by dating me.”

  She grinned at his joke.

  By the time they arrived at the park, streaks of blues, pinks and oranges lit up the sky. She noticed the swans and ducks left soft ripples in the lake as they swam. Five wooden benches surrounded the lake, and a playground was nearby. A few people were out that night. Some were walking along the paved trail that circled the lake. Others were watching their kids play. One person was reading a book.

  She smiled. It looked like a perfect place to relax and enjoy the warm weather. No wonder she loved spring so much.

  “I brought some bread, in case we stopped by,” he said. “The ducks love to eat this stuff.”

  After they got out of the car, she followed him to one of the benches and sat down. As soon as he opened the package of bread, the ducks ran up to them.

  “I see you’ve done this before,” she said, taking the slice of bread he offered her.

  “This is one of my favorite places.”

  They tore off small pieces of bread and fed the ducks. She’d never done this before, but she had to admit it was fun. In fact, her entire date with him had been fun. Just what was it about him that bothered Carson and Lisa?

  By the time the date came to an end, she was at a loss. Surely, there was something she was missing, something that she should be picking up on. But she had no idea what it was or even how to go about finding it out.

  He pulled into her parents’ driveway and turned to her. “What do you think of classic rock?”

  “It’s not bad,” she said.

  “I’m glad you like it.” They sat quietly for a moment before he continued, “I hope you don’t think I’m being too forward, but I was wondering if you have any plans for tomorrow? I’d like to see you again.”

  She hesitated. Should she tell him she had another date? No. That didn’t seem like the best thing to do. “I already made plans,” she finally replied.

  “How about Sunday?”

  “Yeah, I’m free Sunday.” She saw no reason not to go out with him again, not until a red flag waved itself in front of her anyway.

  “Great,” he said. “It’s a date.”

  After saying good-bye, she went into the house and saw her mom reading a book in the living room.

  “How did tonight go?” her mom asked, putting her book down.

  Ann sighed as she sat on the couch. “It went a lot better than I thought it would. He was a gentleman the whole time.”

  Her mom’s eyebrows rose in amusement. “Is that a bad thing?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. I was expecting to see what Lisa and Carson see in him. They seem to think something is wrong with him.”

  “What does your heart tell you?”

  Ann stared at her mom, wondering why the question made her uneasy. If she followed this line of reasoning, she would have to give in to the very real possibility that nothing was right, except for Hathor. But how could she justify that?

  Chapter Fourteen

  Six years in the past

  Hathor’s College

  Dayton, Ohio

  Planet: Earth

  Hathor sat in his dorm room, reading through the Book of Spells…again. He had studied it as a student when he was growing up, but it was just now occurring to him how little he really knew about it. He had to find Omin’s clone before the clone found Ann, if he hadn’t already found her. For all Hathor knew, the clone could be waiting in the wings, perfecting his plan before striking.

  He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the small desk and ran his fingers through his hair. The spells all ran together through his mind. He had tried several of them, but so far, he’d had no success in locating Omin’s clone. The clone had to be close by. He was sure the clone had transformed his image into that of a person so he would blend in with the humans on this world.

  He wished he knew how William managed to go back in time with his memories intact. William must have had some connection with the clone. Although Hathor was sure that William had no idea he was being used by the clone, William wasn’t completely innocent. William didn’t have to agree to bring Ann back to this time.

  Hathor didn’t understand William at all. From what Ann had told him of her past, William had had his chance the first time when he was dating her. He could have made some arrangement to be with her, whether it was moving to Florida or asking her to move back to Ohio so he could be near her. Instead, he was too busy looking for other girls to date.

  So why did William change his mind this time? Because she was meant to be a queen? Was it all about becoming a king? If he thought the king of Raz maintained a position of power, he was sorely mistaken. The king of Raz had two purposes: to serve the queen and to give her a daughter. Granted, the position was one of great honor, but it wasn’t one of glory or prestige. The king had to be willing to die for her.

  It didn’t seem that William would be able to think of someone beyond himself. If he didn’t even care that he could break up a happy marriage and make it so that Katherine never existed, then he wouldn’t be a good king.

  Hathor still got angry every time he recalled his conversation with William. He wished he could have wiped that satisfied smirk off of William’s face.

  What had Ann even seen in him? Hathor was tempted to call her up and tell her everything about William, but he knew that she would just think he was trying to control her. It would be a surefire way to drive her into William’s arms.

  He would see her tomorrow, and all he could do was be himself. He couldn’t be Queen Basilia’s son, the young man who’d been trained to protect the future queen of Raz. He had to be plain old Hathor. There would be nothing special about him. He’d be just like any other human male. He could only hope it was enough.

  Taking a deep breath, he focused on the Book of Spells. He needed to find a spell to locate Omin’s clone. Whether or not Ann chose him was of little consequence to Raz’s future. As long as A
nn was able to become queen, Raz would survive. His primary responsibility was to protect her, even if it altered the future. He hoped it wouldn’t, but he had to be willing to make the sacrifice.

  Hathor studied the Table of Contents for what seemed like the millionth time. What kind of spell would be best for finding a clone? There were no spells that were meant to directly spot the enemy, so it had to be something subtle. His gaze went to the section under Unseen Dangers. Omin’s clone could fit under that category.

  He read through the spells. He had tried most of them, but there was one in particular that might meet his requirements, although it didn’t appear to on the surface.

  For detection of the things which elude us, we use the Finder’s Spell. The object which the spell focuses on must be seen as a danger to the person who recites it. However, the object will not be obvious. The person must still search for it, but this spell will make it easier to detect.

  Hathor rubbed his forehead. No wonder his studies sometimes ended with a headache. This spell didn’t sound very promising, but he had to try it. Ann’s life was at stake, and he had nothing to lose by trying it.

  After he recited it, he waited. Nothing seemed different. He reminded himself that Omin’s clone would not be obvious, that he would have to search for it. And just how was he supposed to do that? Giving up for the night, he slammed the book shut. He could only hope when the time came, he would know it when he saw it.

  ***

  Present day

  Demeter’s Garden

  Planet: Olympia

  Second Commander Jaz and Guard Lino followed Zeus and Athena to Demeter’s Garden, which was full of flowers and plants that seemed to glow in the sunlight. The sweet fragrance wafted through the air as they walked down a stone path made of various gems.

  Again, Jaz found herself amazed at the luxury with which these gods and goddesses lived. They only got themselves the very best of everything. It was so unlike Pale. Compared to this place, Pale lacked any kind of warmth. But Palers lacked the Olympians’ petty qualities. The gods and goddesses were consumed with their own wants and desires and acted impulsively. It was amazing that Raz had such ties with them.

  Demeter was tending to one of her many gardens. Her long silver hair blew gently in the breeze and her light blue dress reached her ankles. Despite her apparent older age, she maintained a certain youthful quality about her. She brought a pink tulip up to her nose and smiled as she smelled it, delighting in her accomplishment as the goddess who controlled the growth of the delicate flowers.

  “Demeter, you look as lovely as ever,” Zeus called out as they approached.

  “Zeus?” She looked up in surprise. “You usually don’t come around here until it’s time to take Persephone to the Underworld to be with…with…him.”

  Jaz noted the disgust in Demeter’s voice.

  Zeus let out a heavy sigh. “Unfortunately, you have revealed my intention.”

  “What? This cannot be! Persephone is to be with me for another month.”

  “Please, listen to what he has to say before you answer,” Athena said. “Wisdom demands that you hear everything before making a judgment.”

  Demeter tensed. “I will not like this, but Athena is right. Why do you make such a painful request, Zeus?”

  “I wouldn’t ask if Queen Ann wasn’t in danger. I’ve considered all of my options and see no other recourse.”

  “The Queen of Raz is in trouble? That’s terrible, but I don’t see what that has to do with my daughter.”

  “We believe a Paler took Queen Ann to another time,” Zeus said. “Whether that time is in the past or future, we have yet to determine. That’s where Hades’ Sands of Time come in.”

  Her shoulders slumped. “Oh, I see.” After a moment, she narrowed her eyes at Jaz and Lino. “If Palers are behind this, then what are they doing here?”

  “Omin made a clone before his death,” Zeus replied. “The clone is the threat. The rest of the Palers are as concerned with Queen Ann’s rescue as we are.”

  Jaz glanced at Lino. Weren’t any of the gods or goddesses concerned about Hathor?

  Demeter let out a heavy sigh. “I am forced to do that which is unpleasant. If it were anybody but Queen Ann, I would say no. For the queen, I will make the sacrifice.”

  “You are a jewel among all goddesses,” Zeus said then bowed.

  Athena crossed her arms and huffed.

  “And of course,” Zeus added, turning to her, “you are my favorite daughter.”

  Athena uncrossed her arms and smiled.

  Again, Jaz found herself marveling at their pettiness. Lives were at stake and they were getting upset over compliments?

  “Very well,” Demeter finally said. “I warn you though. It will cost you dearly. Winter will be especially long and harsh this year. You will feel none of my sunlight or warmth for seven months. I will send blizzards and icy rains upon all that you see. There will be days where you will be unable to leave your palace because of the extreme cold I will send your way.”

  “Yes, I had figured the cost would be great,” Zeus said.

  “Persephone!” Demeter called out. “I need to speak with you.”

  Jaz didn’t see Persephone for several long moments. But then, a spattering of birds began to sing, and Jaz turned her attention to the south where a goddess wearing a yellow dress was heading in their direction. Her wavy, long brown hair fell in gentle waves over her shoulders, and daisies and daffodils were threaded in her locks. Behind her, an assortment of small animals followed.

  Demeter waited until Persephone reached them before speaking. “A very unfortunate thing has happened. Queen Ann is stuck in another time, and we fear her life is in danger. We must make a grim sacrifice on her behalf.”

  Persephone glanced at the others in concern. “I’ll do anything I can to help the queen.”

  “Yes, I know you will,” Demeter said. “You are so generous and compassionate. Far too good for that god.”

  “He’s my husband, Mother.”

  Demeter shuddered. “I don’t care to hear this. What I am doing is cruel for an innocent goddess whose home is among the joys of spring and summer.”

  “Yes, Mother.”

  Jaz sensed that Persephone said yes to appease the elder goddess, which Jaz concluded was a wise move. Given how the Olympians were, there would be no reasoning with any of them. The best anyone could do was smile and agree.

  Demeter took her daughter’s hand and squeezed it. “You must go to Hades and have him study the Sands of Time to find out where Queen Ann is.”

  Zeus nodded. “You are the only one he’ll listen to. He will want to help Queen Ann, but he will not even hear our case until he knows you will be with him for the next seven months.”

  “I understand,” Persephone replied. “I am sure he will bring the Sands of Time up to the Ivory Palace as soon as I tell him.”

  Athena glanced at Jaz. “Persephone, we have another request of you.”

  Demeter let out a mournful cry. “Doesn’t this poor girl have enough to worry about? We’ve already conceded to her going to the great pit of despair for seven months.”

  Jaz noted that some of the flowers around them were already starting to wilt.

  Ignoring the outburst, Athena told Persephone, “There is a Paler who accidentally fell into the Underworld, and this Paler hasn’t returned. It’s become clear Hades intends to keep him there. I know this is a lot to ask, but Second Commander Jaz and Guard Lino would like to accompany you to the Underworld so that they may bring this Paler back up here. With your influence on Hades, I’m sure you will get him to agree to it.”

  “Of course.” Persephone smiled at Jaz and Lino. “I will be happy to speak to him on your behalf.”

  “You’re the only one who can melt Hades’ cold heart,” Zeus said. “I cannot imagine he’d ever deny you anything.”

  Demeter cleared her throat.

  “It’s for Queen Ann,” Zeus softly reminded her.
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  She grimaced but nodded.

  “I will go to Hades at once,” Persephone said. She hugged her mother. “Be not dismayed, Mother. I shall be back before you know it.”

  “It will be an eternity to me,” Demeter replied, tears filling her eyes as she tightened her hold on her daughter.

  Jaz refrained from screaming her irritation. This melodrama was starting to get on her nerves. It was amazing the Olympians got anything accomplished at all with the way they acted. One would think this whole thing was the end of the world.

  But the important thing was she and Lino were going to go the Underworld, and despite what any of the gods and goddesses said, Falon would be returning with them. Jaz would not leave him behind. Then, they could return to Pale and do their part to save Queen Ann and Hathor.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Six years in the past

  Dayton, Ohio

  Planet: Earth

  The next day, Ann pulled into the visitor’s parking lot at the college, surprised Hathor was waiting for her there instead of in the Student Union. When he saw her, he smiled and headed for the car.

  She waved, her heart pounding in her throat. Relax. It was just a date. It wasn’t like she was going to marry him or something. She was in high school. Dating was just supposed to be fun. Just a night out to watch a movie and get something to eat. But even as she told herself this, she couldn’t help but think there was more to it than she expected. For some reason, it did seem like she was going to end up with him, and for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why.

  “Hi,” Hathor said as he opened the door and got into the car. “I know we agreed to meet at the Student Union, but I couldn’t wait to see you.”

  Her face warmed with pleasure. Well, if she was going to end up with anyone, she suspected he might be the ideal guy. But she still wanted her friend’s opinion. “Would you mind it if we stopped by my friend Lisa’s house before we go to the movies? I have to pick up a book I lent her.”