Fire and Ice (42 page)

“Do you see that chain?” Venus's emerald eyes twirled toward me, hair the color of chili peppers draped across her shoulder. She waved her hand at the ground. A fine gold chain appeared and snaked around her ankle.

“
This…
is a binding charm,” she said slowly, so I wouldn't miss a word. “Do you see where it leads?”

My gaze followed the cord to the beautiful boy, motionless next to me. My stomach tightened. Confused, I met his eyes.

“Is that… is it true?” I was barely able to force enough air to speak.

Venus looped her arms around Adrius's neck and squinted at me. “When you killed my mother—”

“I didn't mean to kill her,” I interjected. “I was only…”

“Really, I don't need the sordid details.” With a shrug she shook her head, giving me a sad smile. “But when you
killed
her, the binding curse on Adrius became mine. Now it binds him to me. Although…” She leaned her head against his chest. “You've
always
been mine. Heart, soul, and…
body
.” Her fingers trailed down his cheek.

Adrius flinched. His mouth tightened into a harsh line, and his breath became so shallow he was barely breathing at all.

With a casual, flirty sway, she moved to the pitcher I hadn't noticed on the table and poured herself a glass. She handed it to me. “Lemonade?” she offered, tilting her head.

I made a face and declined.

Toasting no one in particular, she drank the entire contents in one swallow and set the glass down.

“Had it not been for that silly transgression between the three of us so long ago, we wouldn't even be having this uncomfortable little chat. Zanthiel always did know how to spoil a good thing.” She gave me a pitiful half smile, the kind that implies
sorry about your luck
but translates to
not that I give a crap.

Reality rained down on me. This was the girl they'd fought over. Seeing her here, so comfortable with him, choked me with jealous fury. And Adrius just standing there… Why wasn't he pushing her away? Denying it? Doing s
omething
? I wanted to scream, but that would take even more air, and I still couldn't breathe.

“You need to go, Venus.” When he finally spoke, the words came out in a low growl.

“If that's what you want, my love…” She grinned and flipped her hair as she pivoted. “See, Lorelei…” Her voice was annoyingly smug, like the purr of a cat. “The bitter truth isn't so easy to swallow.”

“Yeah, well… I'm developing a taste for it,” I mumbled, twisting the ends of my hair around my finger while my anger punched a hole in my chest.

She pecked Adrius on the cheek. He turned away, but not before she marked her territory in bright red lipstick. Then she left, in the way people often came and went here — vanishing in an ominous torpedo of swirling ebony smoke.

The pressure building in me reached boiling point and I whipped around to face Adrius.

“So,
you and Octãhvia's
daughter
…” I nodded, eyebrows arched. “Nice.”

“Lorelei…”

Every muscle in my body stiffened, my hands balled at my sides at the sound of his voice.

“No really, you make a perfect couple. I thought, foolishly, somehow we might find a way… But it doesn't matter. It's great. You and
what's-her-name
can fly off into the sunset.”

“Her name's Venus.”

“I
so
don't care.”

“Lorelei, please — calm down. You are taking things way out of context here.”

“Am I, Adrius? Well, then you better enlighten me. How exactly am I doing that?” A toxic blend of insecurity and envy bubbled over. “I saw the chain binding you. She pretty much said you'd be together forever, and I didn't hear you deny it.” My volume escalated. “Am I missing something?” It was all I could do not to burst into tears. Instead, I threw my hands in the air and with one last accusing glare, I stomped away.

“Lorelei, wait.” He caught my wrist, and when I tried to claw his fingers from my arm, he snagged the other one and pinned them to his chest.

“Are you asking me if I knew? Yes, I knew the effect Octãhvia's death wou
ld have on the curse. She altered the curse when I was trapped in Noctria.” Ratcheting up his sleeve, he revealed a crescent moon shaped scar on his forearm. “A slice of flesh is part of the spell,” he explained, unrolling his sleeve.

Inwardly I winced. I hated that she'd hurt him, and if it weren't for being seriously annoyed with him right now, my concern might have shown.

“But I couldn't tell you then because I didn't want anything getting in the way of what needed to be done. And I didn't tell you after because it didn't matter. It doesn't change anything.”

My laughter came out with bitter sarcasm. “It changes
everything
. Clearly, she's still in love with you. You had feelings for her too once… as far as I can tell she's been the only other one… aside from me.” I choked back rising tears. “How can you stand there and say nothing's changed?”

“My feelings for you will never change,” he said quietly, leaning toward me.

I exhaled an exasperated sigh, my outstretched palms halting him from getting any closer. “
Seriously
? That's it?
That's
the best you can do? After everything you said about being truthful?”

“Just let me explain…”

“I-I can't do this right now,” I said, shaking my head trying to forget what was happening. “I have to go home.”

“Don't do this.”

“My mother's still sick and she needs me. I did what everyone wanted. The Nevermore is free from big bad witches. You can all live happily ever after. I'm so done.”

“I'm coming with you,” he said firmly.

I frowned up at him, as if he was speaking Elvish. “No…you can't.”

“Watch me. You need me to return home, and I promised to find Vervain for your mother's elixir. I'm coming with you.” There was a determination I'd never heard in his voice before. “Unless, your feelings for me have changed…”

“Of course not, but—”

“Then it's settled.”

The friction between us escalated as we locked in a silent battle of the wills. Finally, I rolled my eyes, too conflicted to argue any further. Running from Venus and his father couldn't possibly solve our problems, but this wasn't the time to discuss it. As stubborn as he complains I am, he is far worse — and I did need his help to get home. I glowered at him, then wheeled around blindly and slammed face first into one of the Elven guards of the Citadel. He looked down at me with a pompous smirk and winked.
Still as obnoxious as ever.

“My lord…” He bowed to Adrius. “King Etienne has called an assembly.”

With a sidelong glance, I walked away, but the guard called out after me.

“My lady? The king has requested the presence of both yourself and Lord Adrius… immediately.” His tone was all professionalism and respect, but behind it a smug gleam in his eyes hinted at something else.

Tight-jawed and trembling, I searched Adrius's expression, but found nothing to soothe my unraveling nerves. The color had drained from his face, his mouth set in a grim line, and the normally unflappable demeanor he wore was visibly shaken. His hand clutched the hilt of his sword; ready to draw. I'd seen that stance enough to know what it meant. It was then I realized the guard was using the term
requested
quite loosely. For whatever reason, this summoning was not only non-negotiable… it was bad news of epic proportions.

We entered a part of the Citadel I'd never seen before. I shivered in spite of the warmth radiating from the oversized stone fireplace taking up one section of an ivy-mantled wall. Soft sunlight fell through a series of skylights, casting long shadows across the wooden floorboards. Dust moats lingered in the glow, hanging in suspended animation — much like I was.

There was a simmering tension and it wasn't only the fact the King of Mythlandria was glaring at us as if we had just looted the castle's treasury. At the far end of the room, next to a throne woven with branches, flowers, and leaves, stood several Elven council members, the Unseelie Faerie Queen of Air and Darkness — and Venus.

I took an uneasy breath as we approached, stopping a few feet from the base of the raised throne. Adrius gave a deep bow, and I quickly did the same.

“Rise,” a deep tenor voice resonated. King Etienne's large hands clutched a book at least ten inches thick. It looked like it had been written a thousand years ago, judging by the tattered and stained fabric cover and faded gold markings.

“Father, you asked to see us.” Adrius spoke, carefully controlling the bite in his chilled tone.

My emotions still swirled. I hadn't mastered the art of pretending things were fine when they weren't. Fortunately, no one had even acknowledged my presence yet. Except Venus who offered me a wide grin… amping up my anxiety.

“Adrius. It has come to my attention you have been spending a great deal of time with the Faerie halfling.”

“Her name is Lorelei.” He bristled. “I should think you would remember that, considering she saved Mythlandria from an icy fate.”

“I am well aware of all the girl has accomplished.”

His gaze of indifference switched to me and I fought the impulse to hide behind Adrius. Instead, I chewed my lower lip and held my ground.

“It has also come to my awareness that this
fearless
girl of the Seelie bloodline is not who we believed her to be.”

That caught my attention. Had they been wrong about me all along? I stole a glance at Adrius whose jaw was clenched shut, mimicking the fists clamped at his sides.

The king looked at me once more before opening the massive volume with Julien's help.

“Do you know what this is?” he inquired, peering down at me through cold, ancient eyes.

I shook my head.

“It is the Book of Truth. It states your heritage is not that of Seelie Faerie and human. But of a Faerie King from the Shadow Court and a
witch
. Your bloodline is thick with black magic and dark arts… Thereby deeming you a dangerous enemy in the eyes of our court, an offense punishable by death.”

There was a collective gasp, and then dead silence. Tiny hairs at the back of my neck prickled. My mouth gaped open, hoping I'd misunderstood him. In order for what he said to be true, it would have to mean— Was he implying my
mother
was… not
human
?

“What is this?” Adrius demanded.

“The truth… brought to light at long last,” he rumbled, pointing a weathered staff in my direction. “She is the illicit product of a shadow faerie and his crimson witch… A union which flouts the laws of procreation.”

“It is insanity, that's what it is. She saved us.” Adrius raised his voice. It was so strange to see him so close to losing his temper. He was always calm, reserved… in control. This out of character reaction only stressed me more.

“Yes. She did.” His father leaned back, narrowing his creased gaze. “And let us examine how a mere Faerie could possibly have completed this task, a task not even armies of hundreds could accomplish.”

I'd stopped listening, still wrestling with his allegation. A father I barely knew turning out to be a Faerie king. I could manage to swallow that one. But how could my own
mother
be something other than what I knew her to be? If she was actually a witch, then it meant Gran was as well. It seemed too impossible… yet witches, elves, and faeries had seemed equally impossible not so long ago.

My mind raced and for a moment I lost sight of the fact that this was the bad news I'd known was coming. Only Venus was focused on my reaction, watching my every expression. I'd pretty much come to terms with being part Faerie. But the idea I could be anything like her or her mother sickened me to my core.

“Lorelei is the Una Electa.” Adrius refused to back down. “She accomplished what she did using magic, as your prophecy predicted she would.” The vein in his forehead pulsed to some unheard frenetic rhythm.

“Have you dismissed the fact that the girl absorbed the prahna of the darkest witch of our days in doing so?” his father countered. His voice remained dispassionate and detached, even while his fingers tapped non-stop on his staff. “She cannot be trusted. Her power is unmatched, even among the high order of wizards.”

The hall had slowly filled with beings and habitants of Mythlandria. Dozens of eyes watched me, some with smug satisfaction, others with apprehension, and others still with worried looks of compassion.

I moved closer to Adrius, pressing against his side. My hand grazed his, and when his fingers curled around mine I exhaled the shaky breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. The heat radiating from his touch was the only warmth in a room now gorged with judgment and disgust.

Etienne didn't miss the subtle gesture and neither did Venus, whose garnet lips pinched into a scowl. The king sat back, folding armor-clad arms across his broad chest. “She is of the lineage of witches who killed your mother,” he scorned, directing his disapproval at Adrius who remained motionless at my side. “You would overlook that? Casually toss aside the memory of the woman who bore you into life? For this?” his hand gestured in my direction, though he still didn't bother to look at me.

“Nothing in that volume speaks of who Lorelei is. She's good. Her heart is pure. There isn't a drop evil in her blood,” Adrius said.

“Perhaps not now, but you know the ways of darkness. It will grow, fester… become an all-consuming fixation. No one can possess the blood of both witch and shadow and retain any goodness within them. Her heart will blacken, all traces of humanness will fade, and she will slaughter us all in our sleep while we rest in blissful ignorance of what she has become… what she truly is — a monster.”

His grip tightened on my hand, squeezing so hard my fingers were going numb. It was still more comforting than not having his touch at all. Eyes like hazel fire narrowed to mere slits.

“You are talking about the girl I love. You will not dare to speak of her like that again.”

“
Love
,” Etienne scoffed. “You are young and foolish. What do you know of love?”

“Far more than you ever will.”

“Your mother gave her life to protect yours for love. What kind of repayment do you offer by taking up with a relation of those one who murdered her?”

Adrius flinched. His hand relaxed, letting the blood circulate in my fingers again.

My stomach churned so violently I thought I might be sick. This was not only my lineage and my character they were debating, it was my
life
. But Adrius had suffered enough because of me. I couldn't let his father continue to torture him.

With a deep breath, I unfolded my fingers from his and slipped my hand away from its warm protection. Stepping forward, I heard Adrius whisper, “
N
o
” a second too late.

The king aimed his infuriated glare at me. Two Elven warriors stepped forward, moving toward me. One of them grabbed my wrist in a vicious grip and clamped a wide silver bangle around it. There was a sharp sting as the clasp clicked shut.

Panic squeezed my chest with icy fingers. Beads of sweat trickled down my back. My clothes were too tight, cutting off my circulation.
I can't get enough air.
Inhaling a staggered breath, I tugged furtively at the laces of my corset. Excruciating pain traveled up from my wrist, and I hugged my arms to my chest.

A low guttural growl sounded behind me, and only when Adrius's fist smashed into one guard's stomach, and his sword flamed in the direction of the other, did I let out an agonizing cry. He remained protectively at my side, muscles coiled ready to strike again. But the king gestured with his hand and the remaining guards backed off.

“Let her go. End this madness now. Or I will,” Adrius hissed.

“I don't know what you want from me.” I exhaled in a voice too thin and raspy. “You're ready to condemn me based on something written in a book? How can you possibly know any of it is true?”

“Because… I presented it to him.” Venus rose and strolled forward, her frosty gaze freezing the blood in my veins. “It's my family's Grimoire. And a witch's Grimoire can only be written with truth. The ink of lies fades from sight and curses the writer. No witch would risk it.” She shrugged a pale shoulder.

I started to tell her loudly what I thought about a witch's version of the truth, at the same time Adrius cursed and told her to burn in Hell, but Etienne raised his hand.

“Silence,” the king boomed. “I will listen to no more of this.”

A frightened hush descended.

“Our laws are clear and leave no room for interpretation. Any witch found to be of mixed bloodline with a Shadow Faerie must be destroyed. The punishment — death.”

Venus pasted on a satanic grin. Tilak poked his head out from behind a column, but scurried back when she caught sight of him. Even the dwarves were afraid of her.

I caught Julien's eye.

“Julien, you have to help me… tell them it's not true.”

“I can't do that, Princess,” he said, barely above a whisper. “I was there. I watched you drain her powers. No mere Faerie could pull off something like that. It's unheard of.” He shook his head. “It must be true.”

Hawthrin cleared his throat, but remained stoically silent, blowing rings of lavender smoke into the air, his narrow, creased eyes fixed on the king.

Wild-eyed, I pleaded in silence with Adrius. The gold cord had reappeared around his ankle, the slithering links chaining him to Venus. He stood slumped over, his hands clenched at his temples, head bowed. Shades of crimson stained his skin, and purple veins bulged, ready to burst free. Whatever powerful forces were invading him, resisting them looked like it was killing him.

Two Elven guards closed in on me, each capturing an arm. I struggled to break free, but it was pointless. Another pinned Adrius's arms behind him, his burly arm locking him in a choke hold.

I uttered a silent gasp watching his ashen skin draw taut and thin as he battled the power of his father's will, against the curse binding him to obey. More than anything I wanted to run to him, to scream at his father to stop torturing him. But what good
would that do? I had no idea if he even knew about the binding spell. If he didn't, there was no way he'd believe me. And if he did… then that made him as evil as Octãhvia and her offspring.

King Etienne rose, descending the steps of his throne to tower over his son. He placed his hand under his son's chin jerking his head upwards. “Adrius. You
will
see this done,” he said in a tone which clearly left no room for defiance.

Adrius groaned and to my horror, against his will, he nodded.