Forever Fae (14 page)

“I don’t want him to want to be with me because of the
p
rophecy
,” I exclaim.

Her face
f
al
l
s
as the realization
dawn
s
on her
.

“I’m sorry, Calista.  I didn’t think about that.”

The thought of him only being drawn to me because of the
p
rophecy
is disheartening.  I want him to be drawn to me because of who I am and not because of some
p
rophecy
and saving the Land of the Fae.

I jump up looking
around
for the time.

“What time is it?  I have to meet Ryder at midnight.”

Xylia looks at the clock
.

“Well
,
honey, you have three minutes to get there.  I suggest you hurry.  Before you go, I have something to tell you.” 
She’s bouncing up and down on the bed and
I look at her questioningly.  “Conall an
d I kissed tonight,” she squeals.

“Xylia, that’s
great.  I am so happy for you,” I squeal back.

She waves me off and says, “I will tell you all about it later.  I just couldn’t keep it a secret any longer.  You have to go or you will be late.” 

“I can’t go out my door or Merrick will hear it.  What am I going to do?”  I search around frantically to figure out my escape plan. 
I can always go out the window, but
I’ve never had to do
it
before. 
In order to do
it
, I need to change out of my dress.
I chan
ge really fast into
a pair of jeans, a
form
-
fitting pink t
ee and my sneakers.  I head over to the window and look down.

Xylia asks curiously,
“You know, we are a few stories high off the ground.  How are you going to g
et down and back up?”

“Watch and learn.”  I open the window and lean over the edge.  I haven’t used my magic in a while, so I decide to give it a go.  I call upon the wind to embrace me
.
I
t
lifts me up out of the window and glides me down to the ground.  The fe
eling of the magic surrounding my body caresses me like a soft blanket.  It makes everything feel warm and it’s like a glow takes over my body.  I guess you could say it feels like being high on faery dust, but this high is on magic.

Xylia calls down to me, “I’m going to wait here in your room until you get back.  That way, Merrick will think we are still in here having girl time.  I also want to hear all the juicy details when you get back.  Have fun and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
She winks at me and waves her hands at me to move on.

“Keep the window open for me, will you?” I whisper loudly.

She nods her head yes, smiles and
then
gives me the thumbs up sign.   I’m going to be a few minutes late, but he said he would wait.  I make
my way to the back of the palace and head
to the path.  The lake should be up ahead about a quarter of a mile.  What all am I going to tell him?  Will he think differently of me if I tell him Merrick kissed me?  What if he is the guy in
the vision
?
If
he is, how will I know if what we feel is real?

Chapter 12

Ryder

             
After I
le
ave
the
G
reat
R
oom
, I decide to spend my time taking a walk.  It’s night outside, but the air is still hot and humid.  I hope Xylia can help me if Merrick presents a problem.  The gardens are beautiful and well
kempt
.  Calist
a
’s sister has a wonderful talent.  The vibrant colors are a
welcom
ing
sight.  We don’t have flower gardens in the
W
inter
C
ourt
, but our lands are just as beautiful.  It is definitely not as hot at home and I will be glad to get home away from this heat, but not glad to leave Calista.  How am I going to find a reason to see her again?

The sprites are everywhere tonight and their flickering lights are making it a sea of colors.  I make my way to the back of the
palace
where the path will be and I stop to take a look at the architecture of the
establishment
.  The brick fortress has vines and flowers cascading down all over the outer walls, but not covering the windows. 

Speaking of windows, I see Merrick standing at one of them.  He doesn’t see me, but I make myself invisible to make sure I’m completely hidden.  I see Calista come up behind him and put her arms around his waist.  What the hell is this?  She says something to him, but he just closes his eyes and has a pained expression on his face.  He finally speaks and I wish I knew what they were saying. 

He unfastens her arms and turns around.  She lifts her hand to his face and he holds it there.  I really don’t think I want to see this.  She told me she didn’t care for him in that way, but what I’m seeing doesn’t appear that way. 

He must have said something that made her mad because she
trie
s
to turn around and walk off, but he
grab
s
her arm and
pull
s
her toward him.  She’s crying and he bends down to kiss her palm. He moves closer
,
like he’s going to kiss her, and the anger boils inside me at the thought of
it
.  Snow begins to fall around me with the unleashing of my power.  It’s hard to control when my anger takes over.  The air around me has turned electric and frigid because of it.

He moves in for the kiss and he holds her tightly to him.  She tries to pull away, but he does not let her go.  That’s it, I can’t take anymore.  Merrick is going to get his ass kicked and it’s going to be by me
,
and
th
e
time is now.  He is supposed to be protecting her, not her needing protecting from him. I start for the vines on the side of the house so I can climb up to her room, but a sound behind makes me freeze.

“I would not do that,
Your
H
ighness
,” the angelic sounding voice
sa
ys
.  Hearing
the
voice, I turn visible again.

“Who are you?” I ask.  I look around but see no one yet.

A short, curly
brown
-
haired woman steps out of the shadows.  She looks like a brownie, but she also looks like she might have elf blood in her
,
too.

She speaks again
.

“I am Elvena, Calista’s nurse maid and the Prophetess of the Summer Court.”

I bow my head to show my respect.  The snow stops falling around me and melts quickly on the ground. 

“Forgive me, but Calista needs my help,” I say frantically, trying to head back to the vines.

Elvena laughs and that gives me pause.  I turn back to scowl at her, clearly letting my anger be noticed.

In between laughs she says, “Calista doesn’t need help, child.  She is a strong woman, and can handle herself.”  She points to Calista’s room.  “See, take a look.”

I take a few steps back, and look into Calista’s room.  Merrick is gone and now Xylia is in there.  I wish she would have gotten there sooner.  It looks like Calista is probably telling her everything that happened. 

I give Elvena a dark look and reply, “That may be the case, but I think Merrick needs a lesson on manners.  He shouldn’t have done what he did, and he’s lucky I didn’t kill him.”

Elvena
shrug
s.

“He is in love with her.  He always has been.  He could feel her slipping away from him when she met you.  Merrick has longed to be with Calista and he wanted to let her know before she gave her heart to another man.  Merrick is her
g
uardian
and he is going to be very close to her for the rest of her life.  It might take him a while to move on if she decides on another man, but he is still going to have to watch her with someone else for the rest of his life.  Can you blame him for wanting to take the chance?” 

No, I couldn’t blame him.  I couldn’t imagine seeing the person I love with someone else.  Seeing Calista with him about killed me.

“I still would not have forced her to kiss me.  He’s supposed to protect her, not cause her more pain.”  I pause
.
I wonder how
Elvena
knew I was
t
here in the first place.

“How did you know where to find me?” I ask curiously.

She just smirks and says, “I have my ways, child.  King Oberon sought me out after leaving the party.  He told me what happened between you and Calista and he wanted my advice.  You had a vision, am I right?”

I nod, “Yes, we both did.”

“Did you both have the same vision, or were they di
fferent?” Elevena asks
.  Her forehead creases like she’s trying to concentrate on something.

“I am not sure, but we have planned to meet tonight to discuss it.”

She smiles like she already knew
it
.

“I’m pretty sure it was the same vision.  Do you mind if I take your hand?”

I
think the
question
is
a little odd, but I put my hand in hers.  She closes her eyes while holding my hand and murmurs words of the Old Fae language.  Most of the fae do not use
th
e
language any
more.  She rocks back and forth on the balls of her feet and then abruptly stops and opens her eyes.  Tears fall down her face and she has the most radiant looking smile on her face.
 

What did you see?” I ask.

“I saw the answers, child.  The answers we need are within you and Calista.  I watched you both secretly tonight and I should have known then.  You and Calista are going to be the ones who help save the kingdoms.
” She looks up at Calista’s room and then back to me.

“
I must go
, there is much to think about,” she say
s and gives me one last grateful
look then turns to walk away toward the
castle
.
  I wonder what she means about saving the kingdoms.  I’m assuming
it
is about the
p
rophecy
.

I holler out, “Wait!
”

She turns around and looks at me with love and respect in her eyes. 

“How do we save the kingdoms and what are we trying to save them from?”

El
vena waves me off
.

“Go to Calista.  The answers will come to you in time.  I have no doubt that you both will figure it out.  In the meantime, go easy on her about Merrick.  She didn’t plan on him falling in love with her.  Her heart belongs to you, it always has.  No matter what happens with Merrick,
you need to trust her.
”  She begins to back away.
 
“
That is all I can say for now.  I have planned to speak to her in the morning.  I trust you will make sure she gets to her room safely?”

I bid her farewell, and bow my head.

“Yes, Prophetess, she will return safely.”

Elvena was there one minute and then
she
vanished into the shadows.
  I have only a few short minutes to make it to the lake.  I head toward the path and make my way to the big willow tree by the lake.  I get to the tree on time, but
there’s
no sign of Calista yet.  I knew I would beat her here because she was still in her room when I made it to the path.  I slide my armor off and find a nice
,
soft spot of grass under the tree.  I decide to lie under the canopy of the tree and clear my thoughts while I wait
for
Calista.  I
was so mad earlier and I need to calm down before she gets here, but I don’t see
it
happening.
  I don’t see the kelpies out and about so, hopefully, they won’t try to come out and eat me.  Calista seems very fond of them so I would hate to have to kill them to protect myself.  How am I going to deal with her and Merrick?  I wish this anger
would go away, but thinking about him with his hands on her makes me want to kill him.
He’s obviously not going to let her go without a fight.  If it’s a fight he wants, it’s a fight he’s going to get.