Deception (28 page)

“Comforting!”  I really couldn’t comprehend this right now.  Didn’t want too.

“Don’t expect me to just watch you get taken.  I won’t lose you.  I refuse. I’ve dealt with him till now, eighteen years and counting, so, let me continue.  Don’t try what you did again.  He will win.  And I will lose you.  Now let’s head back and rest.  We need to talk to Pike and we haven’t much time.”  His body shook, his breath with it.  He curled his fingers around my hand possessiveness  pulling.  He felt threatened by the idea of losing me and yet, he had no idea of the power he actually held.  Or what I gave back.  And I was still a little angry that he’d hid that little detail from me, but maybe Ian was right.  I could be hotheaded sometimes!

I was also famished.  And emotionally drained.  When I finally sat and ate I didn’t realize how hungry I was, but chalked it up to be too much energy expelled in too short a time.  We talked about strategy while we ate ignoring the festive display from before.  Some were singing near us, but we didn't notice or care. There wasn’t a moment to lose.

Pike?
  He shifted his head to me and looked down.  My energy was spent, but the food was helping.

Are you able to just “tingle” my head and then pull back to like...give a signal?

He nodded looking at his meat stew and bread.

Will you let me try it on you before we have to see him again?

He nodded.

I concentrated.  Nothing.

He put his fork down, looked at Ian, and asked, “Do you mind if I teach her something she has asked me to do?” 

Yee gods!
  He was asking.  And therefore Ian was able to figure out that we were talking in our heads! And I asked.

Ian looked at me, sat his fork down, and nodded rather disappointedly. 

I gulped back the apprehension that he might tell me I’m crossing a line or something, but I needed this.

“Concentrate.  Still your mind like you do with your mojo.”  Pike smiled at using my lingo.  “Gather an image of me or whoever you’re trying to mind jab.  Zap!  And pull back.”

I followed the steps while they watched and each time Pike shook his head until it worked. 

Just for kicks.  I restarted my
mojo
and aimed for my love.  Ian shook his head the same way Pike did.  I jumped in triumph.  I was able to do magic on Ian.

Ian wasn’t mad or afraid.  He was in full blown little kid excitement mode.  He jumped up and rounded the table, threw his arms around me, and began spinning me around.  I laughed out loud.  It was happy moment at just the right time.

You are a great teacher, Pike.

Only with you it seems.

I don’t think so.  You’re an impatient, cocky, overbearing, have to be in charge man who sometimes lets his guard down to show that he’s really patient, humble, and great at ruling the people.  Just because your mother died doesn’t make you unworthy.  You could be a great man. 

I didn’t look up at Ian or even Pike again as I stepped out to refresh myself only to ponder the Kin problem and what I could do now.  They both had seen my face when I turned away from Kin.  I didn’t want to face either of them just yet for seeing my weakness and realizing that the single most horrible villain in my life wasn’t gone, but double the evil made over and closer than I thought.  He really was the Joker in my Batman kind of fairy tale world.

“What was the mind reading thing all about with Kin?” Ian hated not knowing.  So, of course, he was asking.  Pike speaking for me just perturbed him more so this was killing Ian to have to ask knowing he was the only one in the dark.  Which also means Pike kept his mind clear and hidden during the meet with Kin.

“Kinsler poked into her brain and drew up a memory to make her weak and at his mercy, that’s all.”

I grimaced.  Was Pike actually just trying to be nice?

“What was the memory?” 

I didn’t think Ian would let it rest.  I gave Pike a reassuring smile to say “thank you” in some small way.  Ian caught it and raised his eyebrows toward me.  I assumed this was my cue and examined his face with concern.  “Do you remember freshmen year when Kin was always trying to corner me into going out with him?”

He nodded, but didn’t react with words. His terror stricken face said it all.  I sensed his pain.  “And he asked me on a date that day when I was studying on the picnic grounds at school?”

Ian bowed his head forward and down.

“And Christian found me and told him he was taking me home.” I turned to Pike, picturing Christian.  “Why did you say you were taking me home that day?”  I looked at him quizzically for an answer. 

Pike was searching Ian’s face for permission to speak like I wasn’t here to witness it.

Ian, still looking at Pike, said, “Because I was in the library helping Caylie web search for her report she had due the next day.  I should have been with you.  If Pike…hadn’t found you and saved you, we don’t know what Kinsler would have done.”

I was astonished by the idea that Kin really had tried to lure me away and maybe “hurt” me.  All the talk about it bothered me, but nothing like hearing that it actually happened.  I also quickly assessed that Ian was having a tough time admitting this, and Pike actually didn’t look like he was enjoying it for a change and so decided to not cause further heartache.

“That’s the past.  He didn’t get me that day and I’m grateful that the both of you have been there all this time.  If I’d only known I needed saving, maybe I could’ve helped back then.  We can’t change anything but the future.” 

They both exchanged unhappy looks.

“Stop that!  And I want you to promise to stop looking in my mind so much or I’ll unleash my mind control mojo thingy that keeps happening.  I
will
get it under control, you know.”  My fear of the unknown was rising with the possibilities.  The president will want to hire me next to control negotiations with mind control messages.  Heaven, help me!

“Retract your claws, love!”

All three of us laughed unexpectedly.  We needed it too.  Neither of the two hard headed men in front of me answer my request I noticed.  “On another note, what do you think Kin was going to do by stepping closer to me?  He had something up his sleeve, I just know it.”  I really wanted an answer about this one that would help me to avoid later.

“We really don’t know.” Pike answered.  “We can’t read his mind or predict his next move.  Not since you were born.   It’s blocked somehow.  Don’t get me wrong, it would be nice to know, but to want to get inside his head again since he changed would be almost traitorous and disgusting.”

“You’re right!  I wouldn’t want that.  I don’t understand why you two can’t, though.  That doesn’t make sense.  Are you saying you could before?”  I looked down trying to find the answer.

“Say that again,” Pike grinned like a schoolboy.

I was puzzled.             

“The part where you said “You’re right!” I like hearing you say that.  Insert the name, of course, just for the full effect.”  He laughed and said in his mocking female voice smiling like the dog he was, “Pike, you’re right!  Now you try it.” 

Ian smiled the same grin, but instantly regretted it when I shot him the “not you too look” and frowned.   He didn’t bother to answer my other question, but I was used to it with both of them.

I felt better about Pike in that instant.  Maybe he was lightening up a little.

Pike called for a scribe to make the treaty.  I signed it, Pike walked off to take it somewhere, and Ian and I talked about what to do if he tried the mind trick again or stepped a little too close.  Ostentatious, but Kin didn’t seem one to call it quits so easily. 

“Human or Fey, he’s still a bully, Grace.” 

“I thought you couldn’t read my thoughts.” 

“I can’t, but your face talks loads.  Kinsler would do anything to…his goal seemed to be to make you hate yourself so you would eventually blow one day.  It didn’t work, however.  You’re here now. And I didn’t lose you.  He hates that more than ever.”

“Remember when he cut my hair to shreds in sixth grade.  He never got in trouble.” I twisted my hair around my finger at the memory.

Pike silently watched us toggle back and forth when he returned.  Almost forgotten, he cleared his throat for us to hear.  “That’s because he mind-controlled, as you called it, the teacher before you realized it.  He left you to the wolves every time just to see you squirm.”

He looked genuine.  Sounded to generous.  “Why are you being so nice right now?” I glared at him analyzing with my angry side rimming around the edge but keeping it on the down low. I should’ve kept my mouth shut.

“Another time, Queen Grace.  You have a lot to do…I’m just a pawn.  Neither king, nor queen.” 
And that leaves me out as you would prefer anyway, Beautiful
!  And he was gone. 

I looked at Ian for answers whose only answer was, “Remember what I said about our world, we have our problems too.” 

I left it alone.  What other problem could Pike have that didn’t center around his need for causing havoc among others or just me?  Or maybe he really was nice on the inside and hid it with his cruelty.  Passing time thinking of Pike was exhausting.  I don’t recommend it.

The guards were stationed right behind me at the clearing. Ideally, they would grab me and hold on if needed--Pike’s description, not mine.  I had a backup plan of my own ready if needed, but right now my thoughts had to be guarded from everyone.  I’d planned it out earlier when Pike was preoccupied.  If he was keeping tabs watching my mind at the time, I was just imagining the image of the clearing for him to see.

Kin arrived in the same way as before, but this time I knew what was coming. The burn moved through my hands faster than before and the scent was stronger.  It left a feeling inside me that didn’t match how I really felt. 
Desire
.  Why did that thought enter my mind with Kin?
Eww!
 

He was counting on that somehow because his eyes were tracing my hands and arms like he knew.  He did. And shook his hands the same as I. He was putting it there. 
Double Eww!

With no time to think about it, I wanted to scream all the unfairness of Kin being the one in this all to know one of my secrets. 

Everyone in the circle was armed with something.  I held the treaty. 

Kin walked to me giving me even stronger sensations of his closeness.  The three court prince dudes were going to shorten my lifespan just by sensory overload proximity.

Kin extended his hand to take the treaty.  Without hesitation, I handed it to him.  He read it, nodded to his right hand man to take it, and turned to me. 

“What assurance do I have that you will keep your word?”

“Touché!”  I heard Pike’s knuckles crack.  Uh, oh for Kin!

“We will bind it,” he said disingenuously.

Ian’s voice sounded behind me, “NO!  She will not.” 

“She will, or no treaty!”

It was easy to see that Ian was fighting a battle in his mind even if I was trying to keep my mind blank.

“Keep her for now.  Her time will come for me.  When summer get’s here, she’ll have but one purpose and then we’ll see what happens after.  The rest, she’ll end up being no different than the last queen after a time.  Her own stinking agenda.  I’m here for one purpose today. Now, bind it.”

“NO!” Ian said. 

“YES!” growled Kin.  He narrowed his wicked ice blue eyes at me.  He was a foot and a half taller than me even in the heeled boots I had on.

In a flash Kin had tangled his arm around mine.  Ian and Pike were on him just as fast, but he held on tight.  He was so strong.  He locked his arm around me and pressed his wrist to mine.  I felt electricity run through my whole body and back to the end at my fingertips.  He wouldn’t let go.  I didn’t even protest, but kept struggling.  My guards were pulling him away, but he was stronger than them. He yelled out, “I bind thee!”  The electric current running through me tingled one last time and was gone.  He was crushing my arm, nearly shattering it.  And then…he let go.  One of the guards caught me in mid fall.  Ian was grabbing my arm now harder than he ever grabbed before.  I was so confused.  He turned it swiftly over and looked at my wrist.  There, on my wrist, was a red blotchy burn mark screaming with pain. Ian cried out in horror.  “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” 

Was he talking to me?

I watched Ian turn to a stumbling Kin and reach his fist back and bust his eye with a pop. Boy was he mad!  I was still weak from whatever just happened and felt more like I was in a dream, but I wouldn’t miss a thing.  I refused to close my eyes.   My wrist burned like a hot coal was held to it. Is this what it’s like at a bar full of drunk men when one of them sees his woman attacked?  Hello!

Kin stumbled some more and…

All in the millisecond it took to happen, Pike was on the ground pulling his legs under Kin’s, Ian jumped on top to straddle him, Pike had his legs tangled up anchored to the ground, and Ian was choking him uncontrollably.  The three battered and rammed and knocked each other senseless.  In spite of the fact that all three had ample amount of weapons on them, they remained in hand-to-hand combat.  Their faces were harsh, their built for fighting bodies clashing and banging together.

My plan was a failure.

“What are you doing?” I yelled.  This isn’t what I envisioned to happen.   Reckless and lost, my spontaneous, problem solving side left all thought. She is hidden under her turtle shell and waiting for the storm to pass.

“STOP!”  All three froze, looked at me standing there arms spread within their tangled limbed mess, and continued on when they saw I wasn’t screaming for actual help.  They probably only looked back to make sure I wasn’t in any danger, but how could I if all three of
them
were fighting?   The one they were fighting was the villain.  My voice had alarmed them, but the testosterone was in full swing and my safety was insubstantial at some point in the fight.  Or was it?  They were fighting for the atrocity of Kin attacking me.

And then...they stopped.

Ian was in front of me.  Naked!  From the waist up. 
Hello honey, I’m home!

Pike was standing now brushing off his pants.  The lack of clothes he had also was obvious by the bare chest display standing right in front of me. 
Oh my!  Wow!

His head snapped up and caught me.  I looked down quite fast not wanting to see his look of satisfaction.  I heard a constrained audible rebuff most likely done just to make sure I heard him.

I also made the mistake of noticing Kin and his loss of clothes. 
Hello evil man abs!

  Ian moved close to Kin’s face and I could tell he said something to him.  Then he jumped up, grabbed my arm, and yanked me out of the clearing all the way down the path heading towards Pike’s map tables where the maps still lay out from before.  His shirt was torn to shreds baring his chest and a small silver leaf pendant that landed centered between his shoulder blades and watched me like it was calling to me.  He was breathing heavy stomping through the path.  He was being harsh.  What was with them?  What did Kin do to me?  Remember that top ten worst day’s list?  Add this to it.

I looked back to see if anyone was following.  “Stop dragging me!”   Why were we leaving?  Why was Pike staying?  What about Kin?  What about the treaty? 

I forced him to do as I said by digging into the ground!  He pulled me a little more and then gave up the dragging succumbing to my hold.  I glanced once again at the leaf amulet falling against his chest inches from my face.  “Does that guard your thoughts?” I asked nodding my head in the direction of the amulet.  I refrained from staring too long.  He needed a shirt. 

He nodded a quick yes.

“WHAT in this world was that all about, and what is on my arm?  What is a binding?  And…”

“Stop Grace!  Give me a second to calm down.”  He paced in front of me heavily burning rubber with his feet.   I watched him a while and then turned my attention to my wound.  My wrist burned.  I stared at it while he circled in front of me retracing the events while my fingers traced the edges of the burn.  Kin called it a binding to seal the treaty.  He grabbed my arm and tangled up around me and lit me up like a light bulb momentarily, and then the burn appeared.  Then Ian turned into a pit bull.   

He kept pacing.  “He bound himself to you.  By binding the treaty to you he assures you can’t go back on your word or the consequences can be severe.  That’s how a binding works.”

“Well, that’s sounds extreme, but I can see where it comes with the territory.”  That was scary.  I wanted him to calm down before I freaked out all on my own.

He was still pacing and now yelling.  “You don’t understand, Grace.  All manner of things can happen to let bindings be forfeited.  You don’t take bindings lightly.  He didn’t have that right.  HE didn’t have the RIGHT!”

I remembered the etchings Tren drew on me for the ceremony night.  They must have represented bindings.  I remembered seeing Queen Lazyra’s leaves on her arm. 

“It all makes sense.  But I don’t understand what made you so angry. You went nuts.  You and Pike attacked him.”

“Because Grace, your first binding has to be your marriage binding.  And I failed at that too.”   His hands went through the hair, twisting, pulling..

I didn’t know what to say. “And Kin knew this?”

“Of course, he did.  That’s why he did it.  Your first binding is to your betrothed.”

  “Well, we’ll just have to figure out a way around that then, right?”  Remember that plan that was on the back burner?  The dress is packed, but this girl is on fire.

He looked incredulously at me.

“Isn’t there something you should ask a girl anyway if there is a marriage in the picture?  I mean, as you pointed out, the events are all out of order, but I don’t intend to just live in sin with my man.”

He looked dumbstruck.  To him, this was a bad time to bring this up.  He was right of course, but he’s the one that showed up one day with pointy ears and magic powers.

“I mean, we’ve known each other for well, all my life, and I know I love you, and I know I’m spending the rest of my life with you, and well, the two of us weren’t meant for “normal” in the first place, right?”  I paused again trying to avoid touching the pain in my throbbing wrist.  He didn’t seem to be able to speak.  I hadn’t anticipated me dropping this bomb and announcing this moment of truth, but it was the right moment for it to happen.  I was sure.  “So, something can be done.  No one can tell me who to be with.  I choose.  There has to be something we can do.  Al probably knows a good tattoo remover.”  I attempted to make him laugh.  It worked somewhat.  His crooked smile crept out from his lower lip.  “See, you agree.”

“I thought you couldn’t read my mind?” he said.

“I can’t, but your face speaks loads to me?” I responded with his own line.

He smiled.

“So, is there anything you want to ask me?  Prepare me for later perhaps?”  I felt even bolder than the old me would have ever been.  So forceful!  “I’m saving you here.  You needed saving right?”

He thought too long before pulling me up from the bench I didn’t know I made it to and twirled me around.  In one swinging swoop he sat me down, pivoted, and landed on his knee.  “Grace, queen of the Seelie court, love of my life, will you please, allow me to give you my love and honor for the rest of your life and allow me to ask you to marry me when the time is right, but not here?”

My head stopped.  Just for a second maybe.  But enough to start a new list.  The top ten most deliciously splendid days of my life.  And the ones to come.  He was obviously still disturbed by the mark on my arm, but giving me this to alter the moment.

“YES!  YES!  YES!   I will say yes when you do.”

He let go of the embrace long enough to pull my eyes up to his and whispered, “I guess we both need saving more than like to admit.”

“I guess.”  I looked at his lips and backed up bumping the amulet around his neck.  I couldn’t help myself.  I grabbed hold of him and held on.  Leaning  into him our lips touched petal soft in little pecks.  Then my breath was lost by the seal of his warm minty taste.  He pried my mouth open and  I shivered when his tongue slid over my top teeth.  At that point I was gone.  Ian’s kisses were a series of sensations that escalated with each little step he took to break down my barriers.  And he seemed to already know the steps by heart.

A shadow stirred behind us, unnoticed, but I felt it. Or rather, his scent was easily decipherable.