Spell Me Twice: Magic and Mayhem Universe: Bespelled by Love, #2

By Cherie Marks

When the time comes, the heroes of the story must rise.

 

Niya Dartan is a witch with something to prove. Having lived her life in the shadow of her successful family, she must now test her talents to save her charge, Prince Hadden. Along with his sister, Princess Gemma, he disappeared with few clues. Now, while keeping a stranglehold on her libido, she must work with the sexy and hard-headed Captain of the Royal Guard to mount a rescue. As difficult as it will be, she must come out of the shadows because, according to Princess Gemma's grumpy, old-fart, cat familiar, Jeff, only Niya will know where to find the missing heirs.

 

Captain Tavorius Olander feels broken inside. Found on the front doorstep of his adopted parents' home, his origin is a mystery. As a result, he never felt worthy of his position and never formed close relationships…except with Niya. As childhood friends, they chased trouble together. Now, he needs her help to locate the missing members of the royal family. He must follow her lead and squash the forbidden feelings Niya stirs in him. As the captain, he should be able to keep his priorities straight. But for some reason, he can't when it's Niya.

 

With distracting familiars, meddling witches, mysterious sisters, and a possible return of an evil being, they must stay on their toes because when once is not enough, you better Spell Me Twice.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cherie Marks
• Release date: Oct 26, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393765257

Cherie Marks

It all started with an old-fashioned typewriter. When the family brought it home, all those stories and characters rolling around in her head could finally get out. The press and click of the keys satisfied in their own right, but when she pulled out a finished page, she knew this was for her. Since then, she's graduated to a laptop, but the stories still find a way out. She's a breast cancer survivor, a teacher, a wife, a mother, and from the very beginning—a storyteller. Always a hint humorous and honest to a fault, she loves to make people laugh and smile. Her goal in life is to achieve tact and stop procrastinating. The battle wages on.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Niya Dartan followed behind her charge, compressing the muscles around her mouth to keep from allowing the grin to slip into place. As the young prince’s royal guard, it was her duty to anticipate danger at every turn, so losing her composure to laugh at the youthful six-year-old’s belting out a bawdy song he’d likely been taught by Gaston, Maverick Waraxe’s familiar, would be unacceptable. Waraxe, the princess’s soon-to-be husband, had a familiar that took the shape of a cat, but the creature’s devious nature was clearly that of an adolescent troublemaker.

Thankfully, they were outside of the castle and not within earshot of King Zolunder. Hadden sang at the top of his lungs, proud of the sound of his voice as it climbed higher. "And the ladies they love me. Can’t get ‘nough o’me. ‘Tis a wonder I’m standing. With the ladies demanding..."

Niya waved at the shocked look on the face of Princess Gemma, Hadden’s older sister. She was crossing toward them, the hint of a smile twitching at her own lips. The siblings had been separated most of their lives, but they were quickly making up for lost time, spending their days finding ways to connect. Today, they were all taking a walk in the woods, and Niya had had an uneasy feeling about the outing from the moment Princess Gemma suggested it.

"A hardy hello greets at the door. Not too long ‘til the clothes hit the floor. I know precisely what will do the trick. She’ll squeal at the first, full sight of my..."

Niya made a loud sound that startled Hadden into silence. Hadden! No more singing. Particularly, that song.

He looked at her confused and asked, Why not? I like the tune.

Niya’s right, Hadden. That song is not for proper young men such as you. I’ll teach you better songs on our walk, and you’ll love the tunes.

Hadden’s eyes widened and his mouth broadened into a genuine smile. Then, let’s get going! I can’t wait!

He began skipping ahead, toward the towering exit from the castle grounds. Again, Niya wondered at the wisdom of leaving the protection of the fortress, but the princess had literally moved time and space to make things right once more in the kingdom. Surely, they had nothing to fear amongst their own people, who were certainly grateful for the improvements since the High Priestess lost her hold on Hadden and was killed.

You look anxious, Niya. Is there something to fear?

I am not afraid, your Highness, but I am forever wary.

You have been a great addition to the castle guards. I’m sorry for your struggle these past five years.

No worries. We’ve all had struggles. My situation was no more distressing than any other person’s in the kingdom. I’m not special or anything.

A pained look crossed Princess Gemma’s face as she shook her head. Despite the naysayers, I do believe there is something special about everyone, Niya. Your truth holds the same weight as mine or anyone else’s. You have to believe in your ability to impact the world.

Come on! Keep up, you two!

Hadden’s high-pitched voice carried back to them as he hopped from foot-to-foot and waited at the gate, a familiar figure stood with legs braced widely and arms crossed, blocking Hadden’s impatient progress.

Gemma and Niya made quick progress across the courtyard, and Niya forced herself not to look at the muscular figure of Tavorius Olander, the newly elected Captain of the Royal Guard.

Is Captain Olander escorting the party also?

My worrywart of a fiancé has to take care of some ambassadorial business in his new position as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He wasn’t happy about my taking this trip without him, so he insisted we have at least two guards.

Surely, the Captain has more important things to do than go for a walk in the woods.

Be that as it may, he is the only one both my father and Mav trust to take both heirs outside of the castle grounds. She seemed to realize the insult hidden in the message and tried to cover it by quickly suggesting, It’s not that they don’t trust you, of course. It’s just that if something were to happen to both heirs of the realm...well, I’m sure you understand.

With an uncomfortable shift of the backpack loaded with the food she would later lay out for them to eat for lunch, Niya looked down to watch the progress of one foot in front of the other.

She spoke into the air between her downward gaze and the ground as she said, I took no offense. The outing is a risk.

She didn’t like lying, especially not to the princess, but she had learned long ago that in order to do her job right, she had to set aside her personal feelings and do whatever it took to protect her charge. Her own pride was worthless if anything happened to the prince.

The weight of the backpack and the sword at her side reminded her of her duty. If that meant putting up with the stern-faced Tavorius for the day, she could do it, even as she felt his judgmental stare, hot and hard on her now. Her gaze was still lowered, yet she could sense his disapproval long before she sighted his large, perfectly polished, black boots. His stance was wide and strong. Niya allowed her gaze to travel up his supple, leather pants, covering his muscular thighs and his trim waist, crowned by the undulating abs, made more prominent by the slick, skin-hugging fabric of his dark blue shirt.

The biceps on his crossed arms were so large, Niya couldn’t have fit both hands around them and have her fingers touch. The exposed skin there was a delicious shade of brown that matched her favorite caramel candies. Her mouth watered at the sight, and she pulled in a little extra breath through her nose to calm a sudden surge of energy as it filled her mid-section.

Yet, she couldn’t slow her rapid heart as her gaze lifted past the angular cut of his jaw, past his perfect mouth with the full bottom lip and soft bow of his upper lip, past his just slightly wide, straight nose, to meet the intensity of his copper eyes, flecked with gold, and rimmed in brown. It was enough to make her forget to breathe.

She dropped her gaze back to her feet and said, Captain Olander, we have our necessary supplies, sir. We are ready to begin the journey when you are.

He cleared his throat, drawing Niya’s attention back to his face. Let it be known that I fought this trip outside the walls of the fortress. He lifted his gaze from Niya’s short stature to that of the tall woman standing beside her. But, it would seem, the princess is quite persuasive.

His cynical gaze switched back to Niya as he said, At least we will have two strong fighters on the journey.

Niya dared a slight lift at the corners of her mouth. His confidence in her lifted her spirits slightly until he added, And, you, Corporal Dartan, will be with us as well.

Her cheeks heated at the obvious meaning in his words. He didn’t think much of her abilities. Niya had almost forgotten that the princess was a trained assassin, which made her the second fighter on the journey. Niya was just there because of protocol, nothing more.

With the stinging insult still ringing in her ears, Niya watched as Tavorius turned and motioned the small party to follow him with a dismissive, forward flick of his fingers.

Princess Gemma gave a pitying smile before she started along the path behind her brother who was trailing behind Tavorius.

Asshole! Maybe she wasn’t a decorated Captain. Maybe she hadn’t moved up the ranks or been awarded medals or anything, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t do her job. She wished his words hadn’t hurt so much, but it was the exact issue she’d been fighting forever.

And it was Tavorius.

For her entire life, she had lived in the shadow of others. Her parents were both prominent members of the Royal Advisory Council. Even her brother was the top in his field of engineering. He was responsible for most of the infrastructure design that had been updated in the kingdom once the King was returned to his rightful throne. The entire kingdom still raved about it on the daily.

Even as Niya followed reluctantly behind the small group, she crossed the steel bridge that her brother Weland had designed to replace the crumbling wooden one that had crossed the expanse of the moat before. It was galling to know that she was seen more as a laughingstock than an essential member of the Royal Guard. And, if he wasn’t her superior officer, by quite a high gap in rank, she might actually tell Tavorius what she thought of him. When they were kids growing up together, she wouldn’t have held back. But now he ranked higher than she, and they weren’t children any more.

He might be the most attractive, sexy man she’d ever encountered. He might regularly visit her most secret of secret fantasies every night. She might even respect the fact that, even though he’d grown up in the poverty-stricken area of Crestfall, he’d risen to the enviable position of Captain of the Royal Guard. Yet, he shouldn’t look down on her just because she had taken the job that no one else had wanted. She had chosen to guard the young prince. It had been her choice because she owed the royal family a great debt.

For five years, she’d been imprisoned in the Mines of Pestana, charged with insubordination for daring to question the High Priestess’s decrees. The High Priestess’s Enforcement Guard, of which she had been a trainee, had sent her without a trial to chains and toil she’d never imagined existed. She’d thought she’d die there, in the dark and muck of the earth.

Princess Gemma had freed her, and she would be forever grateful. She would do anything, including taking a job most of her colleagues would find akin to babysitting. Niya took pride in guarding a member of the royal family, and she looked at it as an honor. She just wanted to be taken seriously as the warrior she was.

Niya picked up her pace until she’d caught up with Gemma and was walking just a few feet behind Tavorius, who seemed to be struggling to keep up with Hadden’s convoluted story about a troll who lived in the mountains. She had heard the story multiple times over the last month, and though it was more like a series of adventures that this imaginary troll took, the story never seemed to end or have a particularly clear point.

Once again, when Tay turned and looked for a rescue from Gemma or her, Niya found herself repressing her urge to laugh. She wanted to laugh, not at