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  “Master...Amon, put your arms around me so we can leave.”

  He moved to crouch between Amon’s legs as he tried to lift his arms but failed. “I can’t do this if you aren’t touching me.” Gingerly, he took his hands and placed one hand and then the other around his waist.

  “I need you to stand up. Can you do that?”

  Slowly shaking his head, Amon’s gaze traveled to his right leg. Gethen reached out and gently ran his palm over the pant leg, causing Amon to wince and softly cry out in pain.

  “Okay. Just hold on to me and don’t let go.”

  Amon kept his hands around his servant’s waist and rested his head on his chest. He felt Gethen’s hand lightly stroke the back of his head, and the rhythmic sound of his heartbeat in his ear lulled him.

  “Stay with me, Amon. I’m going to get you out of here.”

  His eyes closed, he heard his servant whisper, “Please, let this work.”

  The sound of a guard’s footsteps coming down the hallway made Amon stiffen, and he lifted his head off Gethen’s chest, knowing that if they caught his servant, they’d kill him.

  “Gethen, go! I can’t let them find you here.”

  He began to release his hands from around his waist, but Gethen grabbed them and held them fast to him. “Don’t let go! The only way I leave here is with you!”

  Fully conscious and working on adrenaline, Amon wrapped his arms tightly around Gethen. If they killed him, he still had three more lifetimes he’d willingly give up, but Gethen wasn’t Aeveren and his death would be final. He had to make sure he escaped.

  The noise drew closer, and slowly Gethen began to change to mist as he reminded Amon to hold on to him, no matter what. As they left Nil, Amon breathed a sigh of relief and felt himself begin to slip away.

  *

  Moments later, Gethen reappeared safely on the mountaintop, but he looked down in horror at the body of the man in his arms. Amon, unconscious, slid out of his grasp to the ground below him. Gethen fell to the ground next to him, devastated what he’d feared had happened. Because he was Aeveren, the journey between worlds had been too much for Amon.

  “Markku! Give me your coat!”

  “What happened?” he asked frantically. “I swear I did everything right, Gethen.”

  Gethen draped the coat over Amon’s shirtless body. “Coming from Nil to this world was too much for him. We need to get him to the house. And when we get there, I need you to do another spell to make sure no one can find him there.”

  Markku nodded and helped Gethen to his feet.

  “Can you carry him? I’m too weak,” Gethen said as he looked down sadly at Amon.

  Bending down, Markku lifted Amon and quickly began to make his way to the house. As he walked, Amon opened his eyes and mumbled Gethen’s name before fading out again.

  “Don’t worry, big guy. The old man got back A-OK.”

  As Markku approached Amon’s house, Gethen stopped him and took his master’s body into his arms. Turning to Markku, he nodded in the direction of the town. “After you do whatever you need to do so he’ll be hid, I need you to find a healer.”

  “I don’t know where any are, though.”

  Gethen glared over the still body in his arms, forcing Markku to step back.

  “Okay. I get it. Find one!”

  Gethen left Markku outside performing his spell and took Amon to his bedroom on the second floor. Carefully, he removed Markku’s coat and laid Amon on the bed. He remained unconscious, and in the light of the room, Gethen once again studied the effects of Nil evident on his body. The former beauty of his master was absent, replaced with muscle, scars, and fresh injuries.

  Weakened by the rescue himself and now nauseous from the evidence of the violence he saw Amon had suffered, he stumbled back into a chair beside the bed and rested comfortably for the first time in almost a year, hoping that his weakness was merely overexertion and not something more.

  Hours later, he awoke to find Amon still unconscious and no sign of Markku. His immediate reaction was to threaten the missing man, but Gethen stopped himself. Markku had successfully protected Amon on the trip back from Nil; he wasn’t still unconscious because of any failure of Markku’s. Gethen knew the journey from one world to the other might hurt him, but there was no true safeguard against that. Amon was Aeveren, unlike him, and they didn’t move between worlds easily.

  Markku would return with the healer soon. Literally, his future happiness depended on it. Still exhausted, Gethen settled back into the chair and with heavy eyes watched his master sleep. He’d done it. He’d saved Amon as he’d done for him so many years ago.

  But would Amon ever be the same after what had happened to him in Nil?

  Chapter Two

  Thea Forester sat on the edge of the bed glaring as her boyfriend of six months ignored her in favor of the latest sport he’d decided was more interesting than the beautiful woman next to him. Reclined against a stack of pillows pushed up against the wooden headboard of her bed, he stared in rapt attention at the football game on television.

  It hadn’t always been like this. When she’d begun dating Cole, it had been exciting. Thea knew once again in another lifetime that she hadn’t been given a destined one, but Cole swept her off her feet, enchanting her with his passion and experiences, even though he’d only lived a mere two lifetimes. And although their lovemaking had never gotten above the average level, Cole’s concern for her happiness had impressed her.

  Those days were long gone now, and Thea wondered if this was all her forty-fifth lifetime had to offer. Although she’d told herself she couldn’t stand one more day of the relationship, she’d made a deal with herself to try one more time to reawaken the romance that had existed between them just six months earlier.

  As Cole sat transfixed by the spectacle in front of him, Thea trailed kisses across his stomach and down to the top of his pants. Hearing a sigh, she looked up to see Cole smiling.

  Good. Progress.

  She undid his pants and unzipped them slowly to find him already hard.

  Very good.

  Cole liked to talk during sex, so she was pleased to hear him begin to speak as she began to suck gently on him, even if she wasn’t pleased by what he said. It always reminded her of how young an Aeveren he truly was, despite being three years older than she in this lifetime.

  “You like my big cock in your mouth, baby? Yeah, suck harder.”

  Don’t listen, Thea. Nobody’s perfect. It’s just an idiosyncrasy. Nothing you can’t deal with.

  She did as he ordered and felt his hand begin to push the back of her head. Grasping the base of his cock, she continued to bob up and down on him.

  Sure he was close to coming, she glanced up at his face and suddenly stopped her motion. Instead of watching her or having his head thrown back in ecstasy and his eyes closed, he was watching the football game! Furious, Thea sat up and faced him. No amount of convincing herself could change the fact that whatever they’d had together obviously wasn’t working anymore.

  “Cole, I think it’s time we talked.”

  Grabbing the remote, she clicked off the television and watched as a surprised look came over his face.

  “What the ...? Now what’s wrong, baby? I loved what you were doing. Why’d you stop?”

  “This isn’t working. I’m sorry.”

  Cole’s expression changed to reflect the hurt and anger he felt. “So now you’re going to break up with me because I wasn’t totally focused on you giving me a blowjob?”

  Disgusted, she stood up off the bed and walked to the bedroom door. “I’m sorry. I just want something different than this.”

  Cole zipped up his pants and rolled off the bed to stand and face her. When he spoke, Thea knew how much she’d hurt him.

  “You want something that doesn’t exist anymore, baby. That’s the problem with you ancient Aeveren. You want something that hasn’t existed since the Middle Ages. That chivalrous knig
ht-in-shining-armor shit doesn’t happen anymore. And you’d better get used to that since you’re not getting a destined one.”

  “Get out! Now!” she ordered as she ushered him toward the front door.

  “Relax, baby. I’m just saying what you know is the truth.”

  As Thea opened the door, Cole stopped in front of her, grinning. “I’ll wait for you to call me this time. But don’t keep me waiting too long.”

  “Goodbye, Cole,” she said as she fought back the tears.

  Alone, Thea let herself have a good cry at the pain of what he’d said. Yes, she was old-fashioned, but was that a bad thing? She was in her forty-fifth lifetime and had seen hundreds of years—over a thousand, she thought with a sigh—of men who respected and protected their females. For many of her lifetimes, she had that too. Was it any surprise that this is what she was used to?

  But it wasn’t just that the men she seemed to meet now weren’t old fashioned like her. It was what Cole had said about a destined one that really hurt.

  And you’d better get used to that since you’re not getting a destined one.

  Thea regretted ever telling him she was a healer. She usually didn’t tell men about her gift because then they often found out that healers rarely were given destined ones. It made her feel less special than other Aeveren females, even though she knew that was foolishness. Her gift helped people.

  That was little comfort as she watched nearly everyone she knew in every lifetime find true love with a destined one. She knew it may be a hopeless wish, but she couldn’t help wishing once again on the star she spied out her window for a destined one to love her and for her to love.

  And if it isn’t too much to ask, please can he be old-fashioned like me?

  Thea heard a knock at her door and sighed in disgust. Cole was nothing if not predictable. After every fight they’d ever had, he’d returned to convince her how much he loved her, and it seemed he was true to form this night too.

  This time was different, though. Thea knew she’d have to deal with him, but she wouldn’t let him convince her to stay with him again.

  I’d rather be alone.

  Feeling empowered by her decision, she flung open the door to tell him exactly why she didn’t want to be with him anymore, and God help him the first time he called her baby. But instead of seeing Cole standing on her front porch, she looked out to see a greasy man with no coat staring back at her.

  “Althea Forester?”

  “Yes. Who are you?”

  “I need you to come with me.”

  Before she could slam the door and call 911, he grabbed her and took her into the house, holding her arms tightly. Seconds later, she’d been taken from her home—kidnapped by a strange man.

  *

  “Are you okay, my friend?” Amon hoarsely whispered to Gethen who sat watching him.

  The sound of his voice made the servant’s face light up. Leaning forward in his chair, he smiled warmly.

  “Yes, I’m fine. I was never the concern. I can travel between worlds with ease, remember?” Reaching out to touch Amon’s arm, Gethen continued. “How are you feeling?”

  Amon considered the question and struggled to put how he felt into words. The gratitude he felt toward the soul sitting next to him threatened to overwhelm him. He knew Gethen spoke the truth about his ability to travel between worlds, but the risk he’d taken in rescuing him from Nil was so profound that even as he lay there he found it difficult to believe he’d risked so much for him. Physically, his wounds made him ache all over, but emotionally, he felt so full from the love his servant had shown him he struggled to keep his emotions in check.

  He looked into the deep green eyes that watched him carefully. “We’re even, Gethen. Your debt is paid to me. If anything, I owe you.”

  Gethen shook his head and closed his eyes as tears began to well up in them. “Nothing I could ever do would be repayment enough for saving my life and giving me the one I’ve had with you.”

  Amon shook his head and smiled.

  “No, master,” he said sadly. “For all you’ve done for me, I could do nothing less than rescue you from that...” Gethen’s voice caught and he cleared his throat. “I’m so sorry it took me so long,” he said quietly, looking down at his hands resting on the bed.

  “Don’t do this to yourself, Gethen. You’ve given me the greatest gift of my forty-seven lifetimes.”

  Amon closed his eyes and prepared to say what he knew he should’ve said lifetimes ago. Opening his eyes, he met Gethen’s gaze and smiled. “I should’ve done this so long ago, but I was selfish. You’re free, my friend.”

  Amon watched a look of sadness cross his friend’s face. Gethen had been away from his people as his servant for so many years. Almost as if he read the uncertainty in his mind, Amon smiled and said, “But I hope you’ll stay now as my friend instead of my servant.”

  When he was rewarded with Gethen’s smile, he knew he’d understood his friend’s concern and was pleased he’d allayed his fears. Hoping to change the conversation to something far less maudlin, Amon asked, “Did I see Markku earlier?”

  “Yes. He was necessary to cast a protection spell for your safety on the trip back,” Gethen answered, his voice a mixture of appreciation and irritation. “I sent him to find a healer.”

  Amon closed his eyes as the pain in his right leg came raging back. Grunting through it, he said, “It’s the least he could do since he was one of the reasons I was sent there.”

  Gethen’s look of confusion told Amon that Markku had been less than candid with him. As the pain in his leg settled in to a dull ache, he continued, “You thought it was just Varek? No, but I’m not done with him either.”

  Callia flashed through his mind and the realization that he was alone, except for Gethen, bit at his heart. Loneliness seeped back into him, and he shut his eyes in sadness.

  Callia was a source of regret and loss for him, even a year after seeing her for the last time just before he’d been taken from her to Nil. The betrayal in her eyes still stayed in his memory, and it made him wince. He’d truly loved her—maybe still loved her—but as he lay there now, he knew for certain she’d only cared for him because she hadn’t known about her destined one and no matter of manipulating time would ever have changed that.

  And what of his own destined one, Sevine? He thought of her refusal to even remain with him and wondered what her existence had become after turning him away as her destined one. So much he’d done wrong in his lifetimes.

  And Victoria. Her death after what he’d done had tormented him during his time in Nil, when he’d had nothing else to think of other than the actions of forty-seven lifetimes and the torture that awaited him for three more. Her death, more than anything else, was the true indictment of him as a selfish, cruel man.

  Pushing these memories from his mind, Amon reopened his eyes to look at Gethen. He remembered the moment they’d met and felt vindicated by at least this one action. Perhaps he wasn’t a complete monster.

  His freedom from Nil presented him with many opportunities, however, and he had no intention of sitting around regretting his past. A new world awaited him, and he planned to grab it with both hands.

  “What do you plan to do with Markku, Amon?”

  “Markku’s the least of my concerns. In fact, I plan on keeping him around for a while.”

  Gethen’s face clearly showed his displeasure at the prospect of spending more time with the magickian, and Amon smiled at the thought.

  “I’ll make sure he’s kept busy away from you, my friend. I know how you feel about him.”

  “If you could just keep him silent, I’d praise the gods.”

  Nodding in agreement, Amon explained, “I know, but we’re going to need his talents if we want to enjoy any of the things life has in store for us. The Council isn’t going to let me stay free if they can help it. I’m too big a prize for them not to try their damnedest to return me to that hellhole. And he’s going to prove very
useful in my plans for Varek.”

  As Amon spoke, the pain from his leg spiked and he grimaced. Gethen’s expression became clouded with worry, but as the pain subsided, Amon waved away his worry.

  “Gethen, I know what you’re thinking, but don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I just need a few days to heal. Did you have Markku make sure we couldn’t be found?”

  “Yes. But your leg is going to need more than a few days, Amon.”

  “That’s what the healer’s for. Don’t worry. Everything will be back to the way it was in no time.”

  They sat quietly for a while, but as Amon rested, he saw the look of concern that had settled onto his friend’s face. “Gethen, what’s on your mind?”

  “Amon, I’ve served you these seven lifetimes, attending to your estates, your money, everything you’ve commanded of me. I’ve watched as...I wonder if now isn’t the time to change the past?”

  “Change the past?” Amon asked as he raised both eyebrows in disbelief.

  “Yes, in a way. I’ve served you faithfully as your servant, a willing slave in return for your saving me all those years ago. But now that you’ve freed me, I hope I may speak freely.”

  Amon sat up in his bed intrigued by his friend’s words and bothered by the use of “slave” to describe him.

  “Gethen, you were always more than a servant. If you have something to say, then speak what’s on your mind. You’re my friend and have been for longer than you believe.”

  Swallowing hard, Gethen hesitated and then began slowly. “You’ve been alone for lifetimes, Amon. Perhaps it’s time to consider why.”

  “I haven’t been alone, as you yourself can attest to. Think back to where you found me this lifetime. I wouldn’t call how you found me that day alone.”

  Before Gethen had a chance to explain, Amon continued. “And the lifetime before that? I don’t think alone would be the proper description for that either.”

  “You’re intentionally misunderstanding me,” Gethen answered in exasperation. “Having French farm girls service you and manipulating time to abduct another man’s destined one don’t count as proof you aren’t alone.”