Forever Fae (19 page)

I turn around and Warren is standing right behind me. 

“Good morning, Ryder.”

“Good morning, Warren.  What have you been doing this morning?  Kalen went to check on you earlier and you weren’t in your room.” I
look down and notice some red, splotchy stains on his pants.  It looks like blood so I lift my eyes to his questioningly and he averts his gaze and tries to cover the area with his hand.
 

An evil glint is in his eye when he speaks
.

“I was out and about this morning taking a look around
.  I even saw the
p
rincess
this morning
,
leaving
with Merrick.”  I flinch at the
thought
of them together, but I know they are on their way to the training ground.

“He is her
g
uardian
,
they are always going to be around each other.  They are just friends, nothing more
,
”
I hiss.

Warren shrugs and says in a sing song voice, “That is not the way it looked to me.  They looked awfully comfortable with each other.  I would say they had a pretty good night last night.”

If I didn’t know any
better I would say he’s
trying to goad me into something.  He doesn’t want me with Calista, but I wonder what he has to gain by it.  I also can’t help but wonder if he speaks the truth.  Calista did tell me that she didn’t completely turn him down last
night
. She
just
said
she
didn’t love him in that way, but
that
s
he does love him.   Surely she is no
t going to give him a chance, especially n
ot after what we shared last night. 

“Ryder, you are being completely naïve if you think you can compete with their bond.  He feels her every emotion and he can get inside her head.  He will always know what she wants and when she wants it.
”  I turn my head away and I really wish he would just shut the fuck up.  I don’t want to hear this shit.  He continues
.

“
It’s every guy
’
s dream to be able to know what their woman wants and be able to please them.  You don’t stand a chance with her
, not
completely.  They have known each other for years and you have only known her for one day.
”  He pauses and the evil gleam is back when he says, “
I also saw them kissing
and all over each other.  He had his hands in some pretty interesting places from what I could see.  I don’t think there’s any
thing
‘
just
friendly
’
about that.”

Th
at got my attention so I twist
my he
ad to look at him.  His
expression is blank so I can’t
tell if h
e is telling
the truth or not.  My heart is pounding and my head is spinning.  The air
around me
is starting to change
,
which means I am about to lose control.   I turn away from Warren to head outside and gather my thoughts
.
If I see Calista and Merrick right now there is no telling what I will do.  Please don’t let Warren be right about what he said he saw. 

I walk to the willow tree to gather my thoughts.  The colored leaves are still on the ground where Calista and I were last night.  I take a seat on the leaves and watch the kelpies swim
ming
in the lake.  I don’t mind fighting for Calista because I love her, but if she does have feelings for Merrick I am not going to sit by and watch.  I refuse to share the woman I love. 

The anger is not going to dissipate so I might as well keep going and interrupt the training.  I walk the half mile to the field and I sit
, watching silently.
Calista’s mo
ves are amazing and graceful.  Even though I’m pissed, w
atching her stretch and
mov
e
her body in that
limber
way
is
turning me on.  I can only imagine how much Merrick enjoys this time with her.  He
better keep his
hands to himself. I notice him checking out her body while she bends down to grab the daggers.  He’s going to have two huge black eyes for that
,
on
c
e when I’m finished with him. I can’t hear what
is being
said,
but she
is
pointing a dagger at
him and motioning like she
is
going to use it.  I wish she would.   If what Warren says is true, th
en maybe I can find proof
,
so I’m
just going to sit here and watch.

Her dagger throws to the target
are
right on.  She hit
s
the middle of the target every time and even
d
oes
it with her eyes closed.  It looks like she is
now
done with the daggers.  I don’t see why she even practices using them when she is so perfect at it.  She grabs her long sword while Merrick grabs his.  They circle each other before planning their attacks.  Calista gives Merrick an evi
l grin and charges.  She battles
with an
intense ferocity in her eyes and it’s good that she takes
her training seriously.  I knew she was strong
, but I didn’t realize how much until now.  Merrick has his long sword drawn and dodges her attack.  She spins in the air
,
lands right behind him and
then
kicks
his feet ou
t
from
under him.  I silently laugh
as I
watch him fall flat
on his face.  He jumps up and scowls.  Calista just smiles back and laughs at him.  She mak
e
s
everything look so effortless. 

Merrick must have an affinity
for fire because once she turns her back on him he thro
w
s
one that hit
s her
right in the middle of her back
side.  She pauses and turns
around slowly
,
looki
ng surprised.  Her evil grin is back and she throws
numerous fire balls at him
,
one a
fter another.  If she wasn’t a
p
rincess
she would be a very valuable fighter in a war. 
They stop with the fire balls and move on to
hand
-
to
-
hand combat.

I knew
it
was what
I didn’t want to watch.  I can
tell
from a distance that Merrick
is
loving
every single minute of
it
.  Calista gets a few good hard hits in and even Merrick gets some hits in as well.  She smiles at him and motions for him to bring more.  They grapple for a few more minutes and then Merrick takes her down to the ground.  I can’t see what’s going on because of
the tall grass in the field, but a
few minutes roll by and I still can’t see them.  Oh, hell no, this is so not going to happen.  My power expands over the field and the snow begins to fall.  I make my way to where I saw them land
on
the ground.
  My steps are heavy and I’m surprised the ground isn’t shaking
because of
the force
fulness
. 

I see them on the ground with Merrick on top, one hand on her waist and the other one holding her hands in a vice grip above her head.
  How am I going to get through this without killing him?

I say in an ice cold voice, “Well, well, what do we have here?”

Chapter15

Alasdair – Dark S
orcerer (Black Forest)

“What news do you have for me?” I ask as I peer into the scrying bowl.

“I am sorry to bother you,
M
aster
, but I have some news,” the fae says.

It better be good news.  I only
have
until tomorrow before the
p
rincess
will be mine.  I have everything in order and nothing is going to stop me now.

“What do you have to say?” I ask impatiently.

The fae smiles and continues
.

“I have done as you wish.  The seed of doubt has been planted and I don’t think we have to worry anymore about the
p
rince
and our precious
p
rincess
.  He was livid after
what
I insinuated about her and her
g
uardian
.  He stormed away after I told him.”

This news
br
ings
a smile to my face.  Young love is so fragile sometimes.  Jealousy and doubt can do wonders to the heart.  She will need someone to fill the void in her heart and I can make her see that I am the one to do that.  Once I take most of her power
,
she won’t be able to fight the compulsion.  I can make her believe that I’m the one she’s been searching for.  She
will
be mine.  I have longed for the feel of a woman, especially a beautiful and powerful one.  Weak women do nothing for me except make me angry.  Once I have the
p
rincess
, there will be no way the
p
rophecy
can be fulfilled.  I can taste victory in the air.

“I do have other news, Master, and it is not exactly bad news, but it is not good news either,” the fae says sheepishly.

I give him a menacing look and gesture impatiently for him to continue. 

“I was speaking with your other informant in private about certain matters, but we were overheard by a couple of the Summer Court council members.  They put up a
fight;
we had no choice but to kill them.  I am sorry for the inconvenience, but I don’t think their absence will be fully missed until after we are gone.  We will be gone directly after the meeting.  With Ryder in displeasure with the
p
rincess
, I am sure he’ll want to leave quickly once the meeting is over.”

This is very bad news.  What the hell was he thinking? 

I roar with menace, “We need a change of plans, NOW! The
p
rincess
needs to be taken today s
o
you better find a way to figure that out.  Our plan cannot wait until tomorrow because if King Oberon finds out about the death of his council members there is no way he will let his family out of his sight.”  I walk away from the scrying bowl to try and calm my nerves. 
Seeing
the idiot
ic
fae is
not
help
ing me to
calm down.  If I didn’t need him right now
,
he would already be dead and in a pile of ash.  This dumb ass idiot could be ruining my plans as we speak.  I return to the scrying bowl and continue
.

“I can have arrangements made for someone to assist you once you pass the edge of the Summer Court territory.  If you fail in this I will rip out your
entrails
,
shove them down your fucking throat
and then I will tie you up with iron chains and happily watch while the iron dissolves your
pathetic
body inch by inch.  Are we understood?”

The fae shakes his head in agreement and prepares to leave.  He looks terrified, but confident he can fulfill his task. 

“It will be done
.  I should be able to get away with the
p
rincess
.
  I heard that she secretly trains with her
g
uardian
every morning about a mile past the house.
Maybe I can get her alone then and find a way to subdue her.
  I can
use the gift you gave me to get close to her undetected.”

“Why did you decide to betray your court and friends?  These are people you have lived with your
entire
life.  Why would you betray them?” I ask.

He takes a deep breath.  His eyes are empty and blank, probably from the persuasion I have sent his way and the power I have taken from him in the past.  There is no love in his eyes.  I only see betrayal and deceit.

“I am tired of living in the shadow of the
p
rince
.  I am a good fighter but our people do not notice that.  All they see is the royal family and how great they are, but what about the rest of us?  We work hard and we defend our court.  Siding with you will give me the power to be greater than I am.  I can show them how powerful I can be and demand the respect when we take over the Land of the Fae.”