The Lightest Dark (The Dark series Book 1) (6 page)

He raised a brow and gave him a look like he was speaking to a petulant child. "Do we now? Tell me when last you heard a lie fall from my lips. We may manipulate and bend the truth to suit our needs, but we never lie. If it's validation you seek ask her how she felt when she entered the forest."

Dark looked down at me as I turned back to him. A look of anguish on his face. "What did you feel when you'd finally stopped running?"

I furrowed my brow, confusion taking the place of shock. "Dark, I don't understand what's going on. I'm not answering anyone anything until I'm on my own two feet and someone explains what the heck is going on." I must have some kind of death wish, but I was too out of it to care at the moment.

"Don't run again." Dark placed me on my feet, his reluctance written all over his face.

The second he did the man stepped forward and place a finger on the rope dissolving it instantly. A look of distaste on his face as he turned to Dark. "She is royalty, not an animal to be trussed up and tossed about."

I wasn't normally one for fainting, but that comment almost made me wish I was. At least then I wouldn't have to deal with this right this second. Granted, I would have to deal with it when I’d woken up, but I could probably put it off until I'd had a bath, or at least a fresh change of clothes.

I’ve never done it myself, but I’d seen plenty of girls pull that stunt in P.T. at the compound. Something about a female in distress triggers something in the male D.N.A. that makes them have to help. Not always, but usually.

I was almost tempted to do it, but my moral compass was saying no. As it stood now, I had the same t-shirt and shorts with two days’ worth of grime on me. Oh yeah, and I was apparently some kind of Fae royalty… okay then. Being kidnapped wasn't enough. I had to add in the fact that I'm not even human.

That was a whole can of worms I wasn’t sure I wanted to open. They might turn into snakes and bite me and then where would I be? Then again it could turn in my favor, but I sincerely doubted it.

Bad things usually came in threes and I was due for one more. On the plus side I’d eaten and I was well rested. I guess as far as things went it could have been worse.

I guess should be grateful for at least that much. Thinking on it now, I could be standing here starving and naked while these two fought to the death over something going on between them that I hadn’t a clue about. My mother always had told me to be grateful for the little things.

I guess this was one of those times. Even if it’s not, I’m choosing to be all the same because I seriously did not want to be anywhere near a fight between these two.

They both stood staring each other down to the point that I could literally feel the testosterone in the air. Like I said, I'm guessing there’s a history between the two that I’ve not had the privilege of being informed of.

Regardless, I wasn’t about to deal with it now. Not with how confused I was. I wanted answers and I wanted them now. It didn’t matter who gave them to me… Well maybe for them, but it wasn't an issue for me. As far as I was concerned they could keep me out of whatever
this
was.

"Either one of you can start explaining at any time. Do your stare down some other day, some other place. Preferably with me nowhere near either of you while it happens. I like my limbs where they are, thank you very much."

"Apologies, Princess." The man in front of us bowed at the waist, his hand fisted over his heart. "My name is Cillian Kerrigan. Fae Warrior of the Court of Darkness. I am at your service." My eyes widened. Suddenly that whole name mocking thing made sense.

Delano must be Dark’s given name, or something along those lines. I’m going to assume he didn’t like it. That, or he’d been told his given name was Dark and Delano was the name they were trying to push on him. The fact that Dark grew up in the compound like I had raised all sorts of questions.

It also appears there’s some family rivalry going on. Family that I had no idea even existed up until a few seconds ago…That might explain the hostility some, if not all of it.

Family does have a tendency to get under your skin. Especially when you’re close. They tend to learn every single button they need to push in order to rile you up and use them when you do the same.

"So you two are related?"

"Unfortunately.
Dark
here is my half-brother on our father’s side. Though if you ask him, there is no relation and his family ties don't exist. We have respected his wishes to a point. This latest endeavor however may be an exception to the rule. We don’t take kindly to kidnapping. He could possibly be accused of treason if you are who you appear to be.”

I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes. "I am who I've always been as far as I'm concerned. So tell me, exactly who do you think I am and why? Because I have no intention of being controlled and manipulated into something that I'm not. Ever."

I've hid part of who I am from almost everyone I knew just to avoid that ridiculousness. Now it seems I might end up in the same trap. The fact that it’s for different reasons doesn’t matter in the slightest. I'd hate to see what would happen if they both knew exactly
what
I was hiding.

Cillian gave me a strange look and I had to wonder at what exactly he was reading from me. "I believe you to be a member of the Grey Court. Your hair and eye coloring would suggest you to be a member of the higher courts, though I know not which level. Perhaps your given name might give me some clue."

"No. You will not know her name. I'm sorry, but no." Dark stepped up blocking me from Cillian's view. "Names have power, Candy. Don't give him any."

I stepped around Dark and shrugged my shoulders. “I guess it’s good that my mother gave me seven names then.”

Cillian turned to me, confusion written all over his face, “Your mother gave you seven names?”

I snickered, “Oh that’s nothing. She gave my little bro ten. Dark isn’t the first person to tell me that names have power.”

His eye took on a gleam of interest. “Who was the first?”

“My mother. She used to tell my brother and me things like that all the time. She’d tell me to never give all of my names to anyone. She even had cute little saying for things like that. First and last to be polite, but anymore causes agony and strife. A little on the quirky side, but cute all the same.”

Cillian seemed to perk up at this. He stepped closer and what seemed like excitement was written in his every step. “Did she teach any other quirky rhymes, or lessons?”

I raised an eyebrow at how close he’d gotten, but nodded. It took everything in me not to shove him back a few paces. “Yes. Quite a few actually.”

“Would you be willing to humor me and tell me a few of them?”

“Okay, but could you maybe take a few steps back? You’re in my bubble.”

“I’m sorry?”

It was Dark’s turn to chuckle, as he motioned to the space- or lack of- between myself and Cillian. “She means you’re in her personal space and making her uncomfortable.” I looked at over at Dark mouthing thank you. It didn’t matter that his entire body was shaking from holding in laughter. I was appreciative all the same.

Cillian looked down at me and seemed to realize how close he’d gotten. He took a few steps back looking penitent. “My apologies, Princess. I seem to have forgotten myself in my excitement.”

I shrugged, raising an eyebrow at his choice of wording again. “I guess that’s okay, but I’m not so sure I like you calling me Princess. I think I prefer Dark calling me Candy and that’s saying something. I’ve hated that nickname since the day he gave it to me.”

This got a smile. “Apologies again. It is actually because of your eyes that I address you as such.”

I narrowed said body part at him. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing offensive. Those of our kind that have metallic eyes can only be found in the royal courts. You are too young to be a queen and though I know not your actual status in the court, the majority do not have eyes quite like yours. They seem to be reserved for those of an even higher stature, therefore etiquette dictates that I refer to you as a Princess.”

My stance relaxed, if only slightly, my thoughts turning back to his original question. “I guess that’s okay for now. So, did you have anything in mind specifically with the lesson thing, or did you want me to pick one at random? Keep in mind I have a lot to choose from so it might be better if you pick a topic of some kind.” It occurred to me that I was warming up to him at an alarming rate, but I shook it off, focusing on him rather than the mixed signals my instincts kept sending.

He appeared to think about it for a moment. “Perhaps one that seemed the strangest to you? I think that would be the most helpful in what I am trying to figure out. There are certain phrases that are passed down and I’d like to see if maybe they are similar to the ones I’ve heard.”

I shrugged at his reasoning. After a minute I looked out into the trees lost in thought, a finger tapping at my chin. “I think the strangest thing she ever told me was about a man. She said if I ever came across a man with eyes the color of a midnight sky and hair to match to turn and run the other way or my soul would soon be snatched.”

“She is most definitely of the Fae.” He seemed more excited at this revelation than the last. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how I felt about my mother having kept something like that from me. That was a seriously big secret. “Where is your mother?”

A feeling of melancholy overcame me as it tends to do with that question. I turned to Dark knowing he’d understand why. “I’ll let you tell him. I need to sit for a minute anyway. I’ll be in my tree.” A strange look came over his face at my words, but I was too sad at that moment to care what it was about.

I missed my mother something fierce. Even with all her strange behaviors she did the best she could with Ryan and me. She always made sure we had food and a nice place to sleep even at the expense of her own comfort.

After taking a few moments to think about it, I realized I knew exactly how I felt about her keeping something like this a secret from me. The fact that she did makes me think she had good reason regardless of how I feel. Even if I found out that it wasn’t with good reason, I’m sure it was to her at the time. I’m not sure that makes it okay, but I still understand it.

It was moments like today that I wished she was still around to give me advice as to what I needed to do next. Thinking on it as I lay in the makeshift bed staring at the strange formations on the bark in what I had been referring to as
my
hollow tree, she probably would have said something about that being an answer all its own. That I needed to trust my instincts regardless of what anyone else thought, or said… or how erratic they were.

My instincts were telling me I was exactly where I needed to be. It didn’t matter how I got here, or why. The fact that I was here at all felt like a twist in fate.

That said, there was still one question that I needed answered.

If I was who Cillian claimed I might be, then why had my mother left this place? As comfortable and familiar as I felt with this forest, I felt I might be better off finding out just what had happened to make her run and hide with her two children.

I suppose that it might have had something to do with whoever my father was. From the sound of it he didn’t exactly sound like he was going to be winning husband of the year if the brief mentions of him from my mother were anything to go off of.

Still, I wasn’t about to start making assumptions with this one. I had to look at all sides of this metaphorical 3D puzzle. I knew I didn’t have enough pieces to start figuring things out. For all I knew Dark himself could have had something to do with this. I doubted it, but I wouldn’t put anything past him at this point.

Be that as it may, I sincerely doubted he had the power to do that. I needed to get the story from someone other than Dark. I needed a different perspective from someone who was there, or should I say
here
with her. I had a feeling I would be chewed up spit out and stepped on before I finally had all the answers I wanted, but it was a risk I was willing to take.

So my end question was still this. What, or should I say
who,
would have had the ability to drive her off?

My thoughts now in perspective, I decided I would pose that very question to Cillian and Dark.

The scene in front of me was not what I expected upon leaving the tree. Both Dark and Cillian were currently sitting on the ground, a makeshift table of a tree stump between them as they played a round of cards. If I were to guess, from the matches and straights I would say they were playing Rummy.

I stared at them for a few moments in disbelief. “Did I walk out into another dimension?”

They both turned to me, a look of relief crossing there features. "No we're okay for now, Candy. We've got a truce going on for the moment." I didn’t realize I had them both worried enough to be civilized toward each other. Good to know I was common ground should the need ever arise.

Cillian stood, “I apologize for my crass statements before. I was not aware of your mother’s passing and I offer my deepest sympathies. We Fae do not lose one of our own often, but when we do, the loss is always felt very strongly. Perhaps because it is such a rare occurrence.”

“You don’t have to apologize. There was no way you could have known. I do have a question for you though, if you’d be willing to humor me.”

“By all means, ask away. I will answer any questions that you may have to the best of my ability.” Both he and Dark stood and faced me, mirror looks of curiosity on their faces.

I couldn’t help but smile at the fact that I had been so blind-sided by them being related. I should have seen from the beginning. Especially looking at them side by side. I guess they both took after their father in looks.

“I have to know. If I really am one of you, what, or who would have had my mother leaving with a small child in tow and another on the way, or possibly just born? I’ve been thinking about it and it doesn’t really make any sense unless she had good reason, or someone was forcing her out.”

He nodded as if he had expected this. “Dark and I have been discussing that very same question. I honestly don’t have an answer for you I’m afraid. There has been no one here by the name Maria Masters as far as I know. That and around the time this may have occurred we were in a bit of an uproar. Some very important people, both male and female had gone missing."

I couldn’t help but give a small shake of my head. “That’s because she went by an assumed name. In fact, even
my
last name is an alias. I told you she had a thing about names. I’m surprised neither of you had thought of that possibility that she might have been one of the ones to go missing. I'm sure I would have jumped to that conclusion, but then again I have a problem with making too many assumptions sometimes.”

Dark furrowed his brow. “If that wasn’t really your mother’s name, then what was? Maybe she
was
one that went missing.”

I thought about it and shrugged, figuring there was no harm in it now that she had passed. After all it was only two of her five names. Hopefully names have no power over the dead. “Her real first and last names were Alastriona Doneele.”

The twin looks of shock on their faces had me both dreading what was about to be said and wanting to burst out laughing. Dark may be denying his family ties, but he couldn’t deny his family resemblance, even with the vines and wings. Especially with the shirt covering most of them.

They turned to each other then looked back at me. Cillian was the first to speak, “Are you certain that was your mother’s name?”

“With the exception of three others, yes. That was her name.” Suddenly both Dark and Cillian dropped to one knee in front of me, a fist over their hearts, the other leaning across the knee as they slightly bent their heads.

“We swear fealty to you Gray Goddess." The second the words had left both of their mouths I felt a strange buzzing sensation starting at my wrist and going up the entirety of my left arm and spreading to my back. It became more powerful on the way up before settling to a slight humming then fizzling out completely.

“Okay. I don’t really know what’s going on so if you two could stop bowing, I’d appreciate it.” I knew my voice sounded slightly panicked, but they ignored it as they stood.

A look of respect and awe was on Cillian’s face, while Dark seemed to be in disbelief. I guess he expected this about as much as I did. Then again we had both though I was human until a just a little bit ago. I guess some disbelief was to be expected for the both of us.

Still. I had to wonder at how Cillian knew what I was when even I didn't know. Did he have some way to sense things like that? I shook my head clearing my thoughts as Cillian started to speak to me. “Apologies Highness. We mean no disrespect. We just wanted to pledge our loyalty.”

“I understand that much from what you said. What I’d like to know is why? And what the heck just happened to me?” My hand absentmindedly went to rub at my arm where there was still a slight tingle, or it could have been in my mind. At this point I wasn't sure seeing as how I was a revelation away from a meltdown. “What do you mean?”

Before I could answer there was a loud crash from behind them.  They both whipped around taking on a strange stance. They turned to each other and it seemed like some silent conversation was taking place. Before I could say anything, Cillian was taking off into the trees while Dark had moved behind me ready to grab me at a moments’ notice I assume.

There was a lot more crashing accompanied by yelling after a few moments and I had to wonder what was going on. This didn’t seem normal. The voices that had been in my head only moments before had gone strangely silent and it was worrying me. Never thought I’d be worried about not hearing voices, but then this hadn’t exactly turned out to be a normal day.

“Dark could you please tell me what’s going on?”

“Not sure. It sounds like… well. I don’t want to freak you out, but it sound like trolls. I don’t think that’s the case though. It wouldn’t make any sense. There haven’t been trolls in this particular forest in over five thousand years.”

I gave him a look of disbelief. If it sounds like a duck it’s usually a duck. The fact that it sound like a troll makes me incline to think that’s more than likely what it is. “Why did they pick now of all times?”

He didn’t answer me, instead posing a question of his own. “What did you feel when you finally stopped running?”

The fact that he was asking that now struck me as suspicious, but I figured any kind of distraction was good at this point. Trolls didn’t sound like something I wanted to see. "When I stopped running it felt like I'd been here before. Like I’d come home.” That made me think of the suddenly absent voices and I felt inclined to make mention of it. “The fact that it felt familiar was the least strange thing about it though."

He moved to my side so that he could see me, giving me a curious look. "What do you mean?"

I shrugged, not seeing the harm in answering. The worst he could do was lock me up, but I'm pretty sure Cillian wouldn't let him. Especially with how he'd reacted to who my mother was. "I kept hearing voices in my head telling me all these different facts about the forest. It's how I found some food and this stream."

"If I hadn't believed you before about your mother, that right there would have done it. Only members of the Doneele Sept have that ability. Something to do with how the land here responds to you."

I looked around me. "Where is here anyway? I thought the fae all lived in Ireland."

He smiled, "That's funny. No, they live wherever they feel the veil between the two worlds is thinnest. There are quite a few who live in Ireland because the gateway to the underworld is there, but they have made their way to little spots all over the world. "

I nodded, chewing my lip in thought. "You're not going to tell me where we are, are you?"

"Not a chance."

"I figured as much, but I had to try." I narrowed my eyes, an idea popping in my head. "What if I guess?"

He raised a brow. "Do you really think that's possible? Not one state looks the same as it did three days ago, let alone five thousand years ago, back when the book maps you like to study were accurate."

I smiled, "So bet me. I get three tries. If I guess it right, you tell me."

He smirked, "And if you guess wrong?" That wiped the smile right off my face. I'd done it again without meaning to. I was getting comfortable with Dark again, letting my guard down.

I gave him a wary look. "What would you want?"

He put his hand to his chin looking up to the left like he was thinking about it, but I knew better. That was the same pose he used to pretend he wasn't sure he had a good hand, only to take everyone to the cleaners at the weekly poker game. Everyone would usually fold when he made that face.

He seemed like he was about to answer, when he suddenly stood a bit straighter. His face became a blank mask as his eyes fell behind me. "How about I think on it. Right now we have more important things to attend to."

Confused, I turned around to see what brought about such a drastic change. Moving toward us at a clipped pace were ten men. Each were similarly dressed in leather boots, cloth pants, and bare chests. They all had different length hair, but it was similar in color to Cillian, who was leading them.

They came to a stop about three feet from me, dropping to one knee. The same position Cillian and Dark had taken earlier. "We swear fealty to you Gray Goddess." The second the words left their lips I had a similar feeling as before in my arm, only more intense.

Instead of freaking out over the fact that ten men I didn't know just pledged their loyalty to me, I lifted up what little sleeve I had to see what was going on.

On my arm, slowly winding its way around were the same black vines with metallic undertones as Dark's with two exceptions. One was that it was nowhere near as big and the other was that I had eleven small silver roses randomly sprouting out of the vines. I stared at it in disbelief.

Rather than run screaming, I took a deep breath and covered them again. Regardless of the fact that I had what I was always told were the markings of demons, these men were probably here to help protect me from what ever had been in the forest. I could ask Cillian, or Dark what they really meant later when I felt it wasn’t going to cause me to run away screaming.

If I hadn’t been wary of the council before, these markings sealed it for me. No one likes being lied to and to lie about something so simple made me wonder just how much of what I had been taught was lies. Rather than give in to the feeling of hysteria I felt building, I shook it off.

Cillian moved toward me while the rest of the men began to move deeper into the forest. I forced a half smile wondering what exactly was going on.

As the last of the men left, Cillian turned to Dark. "They will await their commands at the edge of the forest. We need a plan. Not only have the trolls return, but the sprites have taken up in the trees and the gnomes are underground. A few of my men say they’ve also spotted giants moving in from the horizon. It seems as if they are searching for something and I think she just may be that something."

They suddenly switched to another language and I had no idea what was being said, but it didn’t sound good. Not even a little bit. I decided now was as good a time as any to interrupt and find out what the markings meant. At this point I had no idea when I’d get another opportunity and I now know that any knowledge I may have had was a lie. It was time to start relearning, or at least figuring out what I needed to know to survive. Giants didn’t exactly give me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. Avoidance while gaining knowledge seemed like a good plan of action.

That and I hated when I wasn’t in the loop.

“Before all of you start a war of epic proportions, can someone please tell me what this means before I start freakin’ out about it?” I pulled up my shirt sleeve so they could see the roses and vines.

By the twin intakes of a quick breath, I'm guessing this isn't normal. "If I had doubts as to who you are, that marking would have erased it. The vines are a normal part of swearing fealty, but the roses..." He trailed off so I turned to Dark.

"They're a symbol of your ranking in the court. You... there is only three who are of a higher standing that I know of."

I looked down at them not feeling so upset now that I knew it wasn't anything bad. "Oh good. For minute there I thought they might be a representation of all your souls, or something along those lines." I looked up at them and felt my eyebrows furrow at the frowns they both wore. "What?"

They shared a look. "The thing is, they kind of do. Candy, if any of us should betray you after swearing fealty we forfeit our souls."

I thought about it, but pushed it to the back of my mind as something suddenly stood out like blood on a white shirt. "How come there are only eleven?" Cillian studied my arm for a moment. If possible his frown grew more pronounced as he turned to Dark.

"What exactly is your relationship with her?"

If possible I think Dark just blushed. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him blush before. "It's not really any of your business."

Cillian looked back at me, "I thought I had been blocking her, but it's you shielding her, isn't it?" He moved toward Dark so fast he wasn't even a blur and pulled down the collar of his shirt. There in the vines that covered his chest right above his heart was a blood red rose with black around the edges.

"I'd known that you had been keeping secrets of your time among the humans, but I was not aware just how much you hid. We all thought you'd been pining away for a human girl, not a potential mate. We're you aware of who she is when you bedded her like a common whore?"