Page 4 of Knight's End
Chapter Two
Connor was the first of my knights to come forward and embrace Quinn. One by one my other husbands did the same, even Blue.
I was touched to see them show their support, their solidarity. But at the same time, I was sick to my stomach for him.
Once my knights had hugged him, I made my way over. I stared into his eyes for a long moment, then rose up on my tiptoes and said, “I love you, husband.” I pressed a soft kiss against his lips. Slowly, that kiss turned into more and my hands sneaked up to wrap around Quinn’s neck. Quinn put his hands on my waist.
Behind us, someone started up a whispered chant. “Dip her. Dip her.” Soon enough, all of my idiots had joined in.
I could feel Quinn’s smile grow as we kissed and suddenly my head was falling backward. He dipped me so low my hair brushed the mud. Then he pulled me up and released me.
Quinn nodded to the group in thanks, but I could still see the devastation swimming in his eyes. He’d never told me much about his childhood or the years before Donaloo had gifted him with the beads, but I knew he adored the wizard, and that the beads had changed his life significantly. By the way he stared off in the distance, ignoring the gargoyles, I knew this living nightmare tugged at his soul. And that made my heart ache. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to feel like you were trapped in your body, unable to reach out or voice your pain.
I looked to Cerena, but she shook her head. “I know no way to counter it.”
I slid my hand through Quinn’s. “We’ll find a solution,” I told him softly.
He nodded, but his eyes wouldn’t meet mine. He didn’t seem to believe me.
Blue stepped forward, wringing his hands. “I’m sorry, Quinn. For what happened. I don’t know how it did. But the nightmare, it’s not forever. It’s temporary, just like any nightmare.”
My heart swelled. I whirled to stare at my newest knight. “How long?”
He shrugged. “It depends. The bigger the wish, the longer the nightmare.”
Declan asked, “How large would you rate this wish?”
Blue’s deep brown eyes flicked over the gargoyles that surrounded us. “It’s not the largest wish I’ve seen come true, but it’s pretty massive. I’d guess the nightmare might last several days. A week even.”
Quinn’s shoulders sunk.
We all stared out at the gargoyles for a minute, their eyes unblinking. How did Quinn get wish magic? How did these gargoyles come to be? I was utterly thankful he’d wished for gargoyles, because any other winged animals would have been chaos. These stone giants simply sat awaiting orders.
Declan cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention. "Does anyone else think … that it's possible that our powers didn't completely go away?"
His words were a punch to the gut and a bird taking flight in the same moment—shock and hope. My mind reeled and wistfulness fluttered in my stomach. Was that possible? Could some remnant of power still surround my men?
Blue responded first, with a shake of his head. “A wish won’t let you bring someone back the same—"
"I know that. But Quinn’s magic isn’t the same. He’s never had djinn power before. How did Quinn get wishing powers? I think the magic transposed our powers. I thinkthatwas the change it wrought. I suspecthehasyourpowers." Declan’s words were sunlight piercing a cloudy sky.
Yes, please, my mind whispered. Let him be right. Let it be true.
I had never wished for anything as much as I wished for this.
Quinn’s gaze turned from the distance; he focused on Declan’s pale face. Then Quinn and Blue exchanged a startled glance.
Declan tapped his lips in thought and then said, "Quinn, see how fast you can run."
My knight released my hand and stepped back, staring down at his feet and lifting them, as though testing his own weight. Quinn started off at a normal jog through the mud, the splatter coating his calves. But then, suddenly, out of nowhere, he disappeared—leaving nothing but a spray of mud behind him.
My heart leapt. Yes! Hope, happiness, relief swept through me like a flood, nearly taking my feet out from under me.
Seconds later, my spy master returned, a triumphant smile on his face as he stopped right in front of Declan. My blond knight was hit by a jet of mud that reached all the way to his nose.
Declan grinned, and immediately started choking on mud. He wiped his mouth and spat. But he didn’t mention the mud. His relief was evident as his hand went over his heart. "Thank goodness. There’s still magic."
Quinn clapped Declan on the shoulder, a grin on my silent knight’s face.
