Through the Looking Glass (6 page)

Chapter 6

             
Isobel awoke the next morning alone in the bed. Her wrist was still shackled to the bed post making her mood turn sour instantly. She was exhausted from not sleeping too much because of the man who held her close to him. Whatever possessed him to do such a thing was beyond her. She just hoped that he would return soon because she really needed to pee.

             
The room was still just as warm as it had been the night before. Someone, probably Jakar, had put more logs on the fire and had it burning hot and bright. Sitting there in another man’s bed, Isobel came to the realization she was definitely not dreaming. If she had been dreaming she wouldn’t be able to feel the heat from the fireplace or hear the rumble her stomach made.

             
The sound of the door opening had her flopping back down and pretending she was still asleep. The voice she heard coming from in front her let her know she wasn’t able to fool him.

             
“I know you are awake,” Jakar’s deep voice said to her back.

             
She rolled over to face her captor and give him a piece of her mind but she stopped the sarcastic words from escaping when she saw he was holding a tray of food.

             
“Since you did not eat last night, I thought you might be hungry this morning.” He set the tray on her lap after she sat up.

             
She eyed the food suspiciously and dared not touch any of it for fear he had poisoned it. The smell was very tantalizing and very hard to resist but she would rather keep on living.

             
“Don’t trust me?” He raised an eyebrow at her refusal to eat. “I promise, the food is fine. It hasn’t been poisoned if that’s what you are thinking.” He picked up a slice of the toast bread and took a bit to show her it was edible. “See, no poison!”

             
Reluctantly, she began to nibble at the food and before she knew it she had eaten everything on the tray. She hadn’t paid any attention to Jakar as she scarfed down the food and suddenly realized he was still watching her as she finished her last bite of the toasted bread.

             
“I’m glad to see you have a healthy appetite. You’re going to need it today.” His pleasant look was gone and had been replace with a scowl.

             
The door opened again with a loud bang as Nana walked in carrying a stack of clothes. The woman dropped the pile on the edge of the bed and did a double take when she saw her arm cuffed to the bed. Horror crossed the old woman’s face as she turned and directed her anger at Jakar.

             
“How could you, Jakar?” Nana pointed to the metal around her wrist.

             
“Nana, it none of your business.” He walked away from the woman who obviously had some kind of special connection to him.

             
“It is my business and you know it! She is the one. When are you going to accept that? If your mother was here she would be ashamed of your actions towards your future wife!”

             
Isobel nearly choked on her own spit when she heard what Nana said. “What? I am not about to marry him!”

             
“Jakar, you have to marry her! It is the only way to protect her!” Nana was beginning to panic by the look on her face.

             
Jakar moved quickly to her side and put his hands on her shoulders as he tried to calm her down. “Nana, please! I do not believe in those old tales. I will defeat Tuloch without the help of a woman. Now please calm down.”

             
Nana straightened her back which didn’t help any compared to Jakar’s size. “I thought you might say that, so I brought along someone you must believe since you obviously do not believe what I say.” Nana spun to the door and called out for someone to come in. “Nyla!”

             
Isobel looked to the door at the same time Nana and Jakar had. The door creaked open but not far enough for a person to fit through. Whoever Nana saw through the crack made her smile and made Jakar lose his coloring. She didn’t understand what had changed to make this giant of a man pale so quickly when he had been so confident seconds ago.

             
Something flew into the room. It zipped through the air and circled above the bed before it was landed on the foot of the bed. Isobel felt her own color drain from her face as she looked at the fairy standing in front of her staring back at her. Her little eyes squinted at her then a huge smile broke out on her tiny face. Her silver wings fluttered quickly right before she took off again only to land on Nana’s shoulder and whisper something into her ear.

             
Isobel was speechless. Not only was she in a strange place but it contained real life fairies! It was Tinkerbell come to life! She had an odd feeling she was literally in another world, a world far from her own.

             
“I tried to tell him, Nyla, but he won’t listen. He still has that hard head!” Nan folded her arms across her plus-size bosom.

             
The fairy, Nyla, launched herself off Nana’s shoulder and flew until she was hovering in front of Jakar who still hadn’t regain his color.

             
“Lord Jakar,” Nyla’s voice sounded like a little girl’s. “You do not believe in the myth of the woman from far away?” Her little hands were on her hips. She was noticeably angry with him.

             
Jakar shook his head as he looked at Nyla. “I am beginning to think I need to, but it impossible.”

             
“My Lord, the tale is true. My people would never lie about something so important. We people will also benefit from the one who has come from so far away. We all have been waiting a long time for her to come and she has finally arrived.” Nyla flew over to where Isobel sat in the bed. Her fingers ran over the cold metal still attach to Isobel. “My Lord, did you really believe she was the enemy?”

             
For such a large man, who was used to getting his own way, Jakar looked like a little lost boy standing before a tiny fairy who was chastising him. “I found her on the battle field where I had seen Tuloch disappear.” He eyes turned to Isobel then. His shocked look changed again. “There is no way possible she is answer to Aslog’s problems.” His eyes darkened as his anger rose.

             
“Whether you believe it or not, she is the one.” Nyla flew away from him to land back on the bed. “I would suggest that you marry her as soon as possible to hide her identity. If Tuloch somehow finds out she has arrived, he will stop at nothing to get to her and kill her. It is widely known from the tale that this is the time our Lady would come.”

             
Nyla’s words made Isobel pale. Why the heck was she the target of some guy she didn’t even know? This was getting worse by the minute.

             
“Can’t you just return me to my home?” Her voice was shaky with fear.

             
“I am sorry. That is not possible. You were sent to our world for a reason and you have a role to perform. There is nothing I can do,” Nyla spoke softly to her.

             
“But…but I don’t understand. Why am I this chosen person? I just want to go home. I didn’t ask to come here.”

             
“It was told long ago that a woman would be sent to us from far away who would be in need of protection not only from this world but also her own world.” Nyla’s sad smile tugged at her heart.

             
How could this fairy possibly know that she had been on the run in her own world? To know that her life was in danger there from a madman. She was a hunted woman in both worlds, so how would she even be able to survive?

             
“I know the secret that you hold, Isobel, but it is up to you if you choose to reveal it.” Nyla walked on the bed and touched her hand. It was such a simple expression of understanding as four tiny fingers caressed her skin.

             
“Would you all please leave us?” Jakar asked of Nana and Nyla. “I would like to speak with Isobel in private.”

             
“Yes, My Lord.” Nyla zipped up into the air and headed to the door. “Nana, do you have any of that magnificent bread pudding you make?”

             
Nana laughed as she trailed behind the fairy. “Oh yes. Come down to the kitchen and I will get you some.” The door closed behind the pair and blocked out the rest of their conversation, leaving Jakar and Isobel alone once again.

             
Isobel was silent on the bed. She wasn’t sure what to do or what to say. She looked to Jakar and saw that he was staring at her as if it was the first time he saw her. He came over to the bed and leaned towards her to release her from the cuffs. He was so close to her face she could smell his scent. The soap from his bath last night lingered on his skin and was mixed with his natural smell. She closed her eyes as the smell filled her senses, making her want to wrap her arms around him and never let go.

             
With her wrist free, she jumped off the bed and raced for the bathroom. If she would have had to sit there for another minute she was positive her bladder would have burst! Coming back out, she saw Jakar pacing the room like a caged lion. Something was going through his mind and she wanted to find out what it was.

             
“What are you planning on doing with me?” She stood far enough away from him to make sure he couldn’t touch her. She didn’t like the feelings he was stirring up whenever he was near her. He stopped his pacing and faced her.

             
“I don’t know.” He shook his head. “I don’t know what to believe.” He walked to the open window and stared out at the gloomy weather that was gracing the day.

             
“Can’t you just bring me back to where you found me? I should be able to get back home somehow.” Her hands were clasped together in front of her as she waited to hear her fate.

             
“According to Nana and Nyla, returning you is not an option and for some crazy ass reason, they expect me to marry you!”

             
She could hear the disbelief and sarcasm dripping from his voice as he spoke to her.
Man, he really knew how to make someone feel like crap!
It wasn’t her fault she ended up here and if she had her way, she would gladly leave! Either way it went, if she stayed or went home, she would still be in danger from some crazy, deranged man.

             
“I’m not asking you to marry me!”

             
His gorgeous eyes were full of anger when he looked at her. “No, you’re not but that damned fairy is. Tell me one good reason why I should listen to them.” He stood rooted to the spot with his thick arms folded over his equally thick chest while the muscles in his legs were tight as he stood with them shoulder length apart.

             
Normally, she would have considered herself a strong person and able to deal with almost anything, but this man made her so angry that she saw red. “How should I know? This is your world not mine! I live in a world were fairies aren’t real! Do you know how it feels to know that I am being hunted and probably will be killed in either world I end up in?” Spots floated before her eyes as she spoke out in anger. As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted saying them. There was no way she wanted Jakar to pity her.