Vowed to Hades (Romancing the Seas #4)

19. Georgette

GEORGETTE

W hen Prince Edward and Captain Stone ventured into the woods to hunt, Georgette and Serena stayed on the beach.

Georgette’s mind was a whirlwind of emotions, like a chaotic storm that she couldn’t grasp. The memory of her close call with death was still fresh, lingering in the corners of her mind like shadows. But now, as she looked at Serena, alive and breathing beside her, a sense of relief washed over her that was so profound it nearly brought her to tears.

The beach was quiet now, the waves lapping gently at the shore, as if the world itself was holding its breath, giving them a moment to gather their strength. The sun hung low in the sky, weak light scattered across the ocean and tiny pinpricks of sunshine landed on the volcanic island.

Georgette turned to Serena; her heart heavy with the words she needed to say. They were twins, bound by blood and destiny, but their relationship had always been… complicated.

There was love, of course, but it had been buried under layers of resentment, rivalry, and misunderstandings. Yet now, after coming so close to losing her, Georgette realized that all of that was insignificant compared to what she truly felt.

She shuffled closer to her sister.

“I thought it was all over for us,” Serena said blankly. “I was trapped, couldn’t see anything, couldn’t catch my breath…I was sure that was the end.”

Georgette nodded.

I know, me too.

She turned to her sister and placed a hand over hers.

“I was terrified,” she began, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to find the right words.

Serena turned to her, surprise flickering in her eyes.

“I was terrified that I had lost you, Serena. That I would never get the chance to tell you how much you mean to me. You’re the only true family that I have left.”

Serena’s expression softened, the usual guardedness in her eyes giving way to something more vulnerable.

Georgette swallowed, the lump in her throat making it hard to continue, but she pressed on. “I know things have never been perfect between us. We’ve had our differences, and I’m sure we’ll have more. But I’ve come to realize that none of that matters. Not really.”

The words hung in the air between them, heavy with the weight of unspoken emotions.

Georgette hesitated, then reached out, taking Serena’s hand in hers.

The gesture was simple, but it carried all the love and fear she had been holding back.

“We’re twins, Serena. We’re connected in a way that no one else can understand. And I don’t want to lose that. I don’t want to lose you .”

Serena’s eyes grew misty. The strong, fierce exterior she always maintained seemed to crack. She didn’t speak, but the way she looked at Georgette with her hand tightened around hers, spoke volumes.

For a moment, they simply sat there, holding hands as the waves whispered against the shore. The silence between them was comfortable, filled with the understanding that words were no longer necessary.

When their husbands returned with firewood and a mountain goat, everyone stayed in a subdued silence as the men set to work.

Well… Serena finally said. Her voice was soft but steady in Georgette’s mind. You shall have to suffer my absence for a little while. I need to… reconnect with my husband.

Georgette smirked, unable to resist the teasing smile that tugged at her lips. She glanced at Edward who seemed oblivious of their telepathic conversation.

Of course, you do , she replied, a hint of mischief in her tone. Don’t keep him waiting.

Serena gave her hand one last squeeze before standing, the vulnerability in her eyes replaced by the familiar determination that Georgette had always admired. She watched as Serena walked toward Prince Edward. She then leaned in and murmured into his ear.

The prince’s face lit up, and they exchanged a look so full of love that it made Georgette’s heart swell.

“Where are they going?” Captain Stone asked as the two lovers walked hand in hand up the hill and disappeared into the line of trees.

A laugh bubbled out of Georgette at her husband’s irritation.

He had just lit the campfire and pulled out his knife to skin the goat. He grumbled to himself but stopped when he noticed Georgette was staring at him. “What are you looking at me like that for?”

“Like what?”

There was a heady moment of tension as Captain Stone just held her gaze. Until Georgette feigned innocence.

“Nothing.”

For a moment, Georgette allowed herself to simply breathe, to take in the peacefulness as the evening arrived .

But just as she began to relax, a shadow moved at the edge of her vision.

Before she could react, strong arms wrapped around her, lifting her off the ground with a suddenness that made her gasp.

“Captain Stone!” she cried out in fake defiance. She rolled into his chest and inhaled the familiar scent of salt and leather, the steady, reassuring strength of his embrace.

Captain Stone held her tightly, his arms like a fortress around her, as if he was afraid she might slip away if he let go.

His breath was warm against her forehead, as he buried his face in her hair.

For a moment, they stood there, locked in each other’s embrace, the world around them fading into the background.

Georgette’s hands found their way to his shoulders, clutching him as if she was afraid this was just another dream, another illusion that would be ripped away. But he was real.

“Mannington,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I truly thought I’d never see you again.”

His grip tightened, and he pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, his gaze intense, filled with a depth of feeling that left her breathless. “You will always see me again,” he vowed, his voice low and fierce. “Nothing in this world or the next could keep me from you. I will always find a way back to you. ”

The sincerity in his words, the raw emotion in his eyes, made Georgette’s heart ache for him. She reached up, cupping his face in her hands, her thumb brushing over the rough stubble on his jaw.

“I love you, Stone,” she said, her voice steady despite the tears that threatened to spill.

He closed his eyes for a moment, as if absorbing her words, then opened them, his gaze locking onto hers. “When I saw you under the rubble, so limp and lifeless, my soul shattered. Your essence is the very source of my being. Without you, I am nothing but blood and dust,” he replied, his voice rough with emotion.

Georgette’s mouth tipped up into a lop-sided smile. “A simple, ‘I love you too,’ would suffice.”

But her smile fell when Captain Stone put her down and cupped her face. He gave her a look so intense it burned her to the core. “I love you is too simple. Too plain for the torment and exhilaration coursing through my veins. Unfortunately, I do not possess the skill to eloquently describe how I feel about you. If I were a poet, it would be the most exquisite piece of writing ever to be written. If I were a painter, the masterpiece would cast Michael Angelo’s work into a shadow. But I am just a humble pirate, with two empty hands and a heart that beats for you.”

Georgette took Captain Stone’s hands from her face and placed them over her heart. “When I was in trapped, I truly thought it was the end for me. And the only thing I thought about was you.” She caressed his hand over her heart. “I want you to know, that this chase, working for Isis…wanting to have a child. None of it truly matters anymore. If you are all I have, it is enough. You are enough.”

She inhaled his warm familiar scent as Captain Stone gave her an intense look, his eyes misty.

“Kiss me,” she whispered. “Kiss me and never stop.”

They stood there for a long moment, the world around them silent and still, as if time itself had paused to give them this moment.

Finally, Captain Stone leaned down, pressing his lips against hers.

The kiss was tender and hesitant, as though testing the waters. Then, they kissed with abandon.

They peeled off the clothes from each other’s bodies like two ravenous wolves. There was an insatiable need to be reunited in a way that stretched beyond the physical world.

Georgette shut her eyes and savored every brazen touch of Captain Stone’s calloused hands on her skin.

He picked her up, and she instinctively wrapped her legs around him.

Heat burned between her thighs and when her husband entered her core, they both pressed their foreheads together and shuddered with relief.

They tangled in body and spirit, exploring and caressing each other. Licking away old wounds and kissing until they were healed.

After they were spent, laying in each other’s arms on the beach, a peace settled over Georgette. She rested her head against Captain Stone’s firm chest, delighting in the steady sound of his heartbeat. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, she was happy.

Later, the two couples enjoyed their meal of meat and wine leftover from the abandoned camp.

The bliss from the reunion was short-lived when worries began to filter back in.

“What if we just end this ridiculous quest?” Georgette suggested. “Let’s just sail to some quiet island and move on with our lives.”

To her surprise, Serena’s eyes darkened as she flashed her a hard look. But then she looked away so fast, Georgette wondered if it was a trick of the light.

“As much as I love the idea of turning our back on Isis, she has vowed to burn the world if we do not do as she asks,” Captain Stone said between bites.

Prince Edward affirmed with a hum. “She has given us a final warning. Her patience is wearing thin.”

Serena rubbed her temples and leaned over. “But Ava and Hercules are goodness knows where, and they have the bones we collected in Atlantis. That is, if Loki didn’t finish them off.”

Captain Stone coughed on his drink. “Sorry… what did you say? Who is Loki?”

Georgette and Serena exchanged looks. They had been so caught up in recent events that they’d forgotten that their husbands knew so little .

“Loki… he’s a Norse god who posed as a friend. He helped us in Atlantis, but…” Georgette stopped, struggling to form the words.

So much had happened during their short time apart. She’d not had a moment to process everything.

Serena must have sensed Georgette’s struggle because she told the full story.

Prince Edward and Captain Stone listened in silence, wearing matching expressions of concern.

“And that’s how we ended up buried in the cave…” Serena finished with a puff of air. She shut her eyes and slumped back into Prince Edward’s chest; it seemed that reliving the past few days had drained the last of her energy.

He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her arms.

“I’m so sorry about your father, I can’t believe Poseidon is dead…” Prince Edward said, staring into the campfire with a faraway look.

Captain Stone, on the other hand, rose to his feet and began to pace. “You mentioned a broach on Loki’s cloak. Did it look like this, by any chance?”

He tossed something, it whistled in the air, and Serena caught it.

Georgette leaned over to get a look.

The flames of the campfire reflected across the glossy surface, illuminating the scorpion symbol.

“Where did you find this?” Georgette asked, aghast. “This is exactly like the symbol on the spear that killed Poseidon… and the sails on the ship that brought us here.”

Captain Stone pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Father was right. This war is bigger than any of us.”

Prince Edward murmured his agreement. “On the way to England, we came across a shipwreck. It was just a boat of fishermen, but what we found was a massacre.”

“And that is where you found this?” Serena asked, holding up the scorpion broach.

Prince Edward affirmed with a nod.

The revelation made the hairs stand up on the back of Georgette’s neck. “What is Loki plotting? Obviously, he doesn’t want Isis to bring Osiris back, but to what end? Why would he kill Poseidon?”

Captain Stone rubbed his chin and looked thoughtfully out at the horizon. “The gods are picking sides and playing a dangerous game.” He turned back to give Georgette a grim look. “And I fear we are just their pawns.”

Georgette scowled and patted sand off her trousers as she stood. “Well then, we’ll just have to show them they cannot control us.”

Captain Stone smiled. “And heaven help those who dare to try.”

“We still haven’t addressed the slight problem that we are stranded on an island, and we have no idea where in the continent we are,” Prince Edward said, lifting a finger.

“We can swim…” Serena said, shrugging .

But Georgette shook her head. “The scorpion army is out there, and we don’t know who is on our side. If anyone.”

“We have no ship, no portals…how else are we going to get off this damned island?” Captain Stone growled.

“Yes, that might have been a problem… if we didn’t find you.”

Everyone turned in surprise at the sound of a familiar voice.