Then We Fly
Page 32
Besides Oran and I, only my father and brother seemed unaffected. While my brother held the charm as his protection, I suspected that the spell she had already put me under was somehow pressing back against this new one. My father, well he was something else, entirely wasn’t he?
Turning in a circle I caught sight of Shea at the back of the room, his arm wrapped protectively around Zoya as he shifted nervously from foot to foot. My eyes fell on Blake. Standing a few steps from the dais looking smug.
Still singing, Naida stepped out from behind a screen at the back of the dais and stepped up to Byron’s side. Her singing cut off, but the room still stood motionless. Oran dropped my arm abruptly and rushed forward as Naida leaned in and whispered into Byron’s ear.
She straightened and with a breath from her lips, the room resumed its bustle of activity and a wall of bodies formed between Oran and his father. Naida took a spot at Blake’s side and King Byron nodded and smiled at the pair before rising onto his feet.
Fynn, stood fixed to one side of the room, his face still a passive mask.
“Welcome to my home.” Byron spread his arms wide. “I’m not one to beat about the bush and would like to get to the main purpose of this evenings gathering rather than keep you all in suspense, then we can enjoy food and dancing without the anxiety of waiting for what news I might share. Blake.” He extended his hand and Blake climbed the few steps to stand beside his father.
Blake had a smug smile on his face and Oran’s struggles to get passed the throng redoubled. I spared Oran only a glance.
Read the room. My father’s voice was clear in my mind, but I hadn’t so much as blinked. Interesting. I reached out in my mind trying to focus on Blake’s thoughts.
“While it is common for a King of Glieyen to name his eldest as the heir in the event of his passing, it is not uncommon for another to be named instead.” Oran stood a little taller his anxiety seeming to calm in part at the last part of Byron’s words.
“In order to avoid any confusion or unnecessary violence,” here he clearly made eye contact with Oran, “I have chosen tonight to officially name Blake as my heir.”
All the air was sucked out of the room, or at least that’s how it felt to me. Oran shrunk, disbelief plain on his face.
With the king’s words, I felt Naida’s bonds on my throat and body loosened. Her enchantment had run its course and served its purpose. It was at that moment that I was able to finally get something from Blake’s mind. Not a train of spoken thought, but an image. Up his sleeve a poisonous snake waited, and Blake spoke to it in his mind. The snake was to strike out at the king and kill him where he stood. Blake had no intention of waiting long to take the throne.
I whipped my eyes away from Blake to look at Oran. “Oran!” I whispered urgently. Thrilled to have my voice returned to me. He looked back at me; his eyes wide before they narrowed. “No time for explanations.” Was all I said before I tried something entirely new. I took the imagery of Blake’s thoughts and pushed them into Oran’s mind. Oran blinked, wide eyed before he surged forward pushing past the onlookers at last and gaining the podium.
Blake was unaware of his brother rushing toward him as he turned to face his father. The memory of his plans and the reality in front of me overlapped as Blake began to speak. Oran jumped the remaining distance to come standing between Blake and King Byron. A collective gasp filled the room.
Oran extended one hand out to the open terrace and a clap of thunder shook the ground. When had storm clouds gathered? A bolt of lightning struck Blake in the chest and skittered across the floor to where the black snake slithered, poised inches away from the king’s leg. Both Blake and Oran fell to the ground.
Dropping the illusion of Sophia’s face, I hurried forward. My feet carried me forward without thinking. Oran lay motionless on the ground. The king stood behind both his sons, looking down but unfazed, unblinking.
Naida jumped forward, falling on top of Blake’s still form. A wisp of smoke rose from the black burn and charred skin at the center of his shirt.
Naida clawed at him, tears streaming down her face. I continued to Oran, looking for any sign of life. Before I reached him Fynn rushed forward to Naida’s side, taking up her hands while she wailed. I leaned down close to Oran, my hands on his shoulders. He felt warm.
“Oran?” I whispered. Willing him to open his eyes and see me. Hopefully, the crowd was sufficiently distracted by the scene that Fynn and Naida were making to notice that I was different now as I hunched over Oran. His eyes fluttered open and back closed and a flicker of hope sprung up in my heart.
My father approached. His steps calm and smooth, kneeling next to Naida he whispered something in her ear, and she collapsed onto Blake. Fynn swept her up into his arms and gave me a tight smile before leaving the room carrying Naida’s limp body.
“Daddy?” I asked a hint of panic rising in my voice. He held his hand out to me.
Standing tall beside me my father stretched his arms out to his sides. A hum of power rippling like water over his skin in iridescent blue waves. The waves grew, extending out in all directions until they wrapped, undulating, around every person who stood frozen in the hall.
I took in the faces in the crowd as they began to take on a look of confusion instead of their previous stupor. The waves brightened and pulsed violently before they evaporated like a popped bubble. The kings face had lost its glossy eyed blank stare and took on instead a look of horror as his breathing became quick and shallow.
King Byron surveyed his surroundings, a look of anxiety I had never seen before covering his features as he caught sight of Oran, still lying on the ground. He looked to Proteus and bowed his head.
“Lord Proteus. My son?” He asked as he gestured to where Oran lay. My father dipped down, touching his hand to Oran’s. At his touch life returned to Oran’s features and he stood again. Taking in his surroundings with a look of awe. Until at last his gaze landed on me. A smile passed his lips, followed quickly by a furrowed brow and a look of confusion.
“Cora?” He asked. “What…?”
“Naida’s enchantment took on everyone in the room. Everyone at least, who wasn’t either protected or already under a more powerful enchantment.” At that he gestured to Oran. You were among the latter. That lightning bolt, however, was sufficiently intense and sudden to sap your strength for a moment. You will want to take it easy today.”
“And the siren’s enchantment?” King Byron spoke quietly, his usual confidence dimmed.
“I have removed all enchantments from the room.” My father said with a nod to Oran.
“That would have been useful ten minutes ago when she started this nonsense.” Byron managed to grumble as a look of sadness pulled at his eyes while he looked at the still prone form of Blake on the floor.
“Yes,” my father smiled, “and I am certain that a sudden unprovoked burst of magic from my part would have been heralded as a great kindness by your kingdom.” His smile held, but his words dripped with sarcasm and King Byron resumed his penitent stance. “Dylan,” my father extended a hand and my brother hurried over to his side. “The charm, please.”
Dylan handed it over before my father placed it in the king’s hands.
“What is this?”
“This will prevent you being enchanted again from that quarter. I do hope, however that you take a more cautious approach in the future, now that you have become aware of the limits of your abilities to deflect the influence of others. Such a mistake was foolish in the first place. It would be unforgivable a second time.”
King Byron looked truly remorseful at my father’s words and nodded solemnly.
My father nodded to the king and then looked at me. “I’ll speak with you later this evening. I have some business to attend to.”
“Alright.” I looked back to Oran while my father left the room. He looked up at me with the same confused smile. Iolanthe placed a hand on Byron’s shoulder and nodded to the waiting throng.
The applause started low and unsteady, but gradually built to a level appropriate for the announcement.
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Chapter Sixteen
Zoya
The room may have been full of commotion, but all I could see was Shea, limp in my arms. My fears had been confirmed the moment that Oran stuck Blake with that lightning bolt. Blake and Shea had fallen to the ground in unison. There was only one explanation, Shea had been under Blake’s enchantment and when Blake fell the tether that bound him had snapped. Tears coursed down my face.
Twice now I had lost Shea, though as I thought about it, I had to wonder if Shea had ever really come back to me. I couldn’t know for certain the nature of Blake’s hold over Shea. Would I get the chance to know? I pressed myself against him, listening for his heart in his chest. The noise in the room made it hard to be sure. Was he breathing or was it my own heaving sobs making his chest move?
I pulled back, looking into his face, looking for any sign that he was still there. Around me mer milled about, oblivious, their attention at the front of the hall.
“Zoya, dear.” Proteus extended a hand.
“Can you help him?” I asked, not at all surprised that he would know my name, he knew everything.
“I can help you move him somewhere more private.” He offered a tight smile and picked up Shea with ease. From this close I was surprised to see how exceptionally large the man was, and with ease he lifted Shea and carried him off to our rooms in silence.
Cora
I had left the hall in a daze. It had not gone at all how I had anticipated, and I was feeling like a boat without oars, tossed at sea without direction.
“Cora!” Fynn was upon me before I had even looked up from my feet. His arms wrapped around me in a tight embrace. He released me quickly, holding me at arm’s length, looking me up and down, appraising. “You were amazing. I didn’t realize that you could do that.”
“Me neither.” I said with a rueful smile, feeling a little crazy.
“I—” he dropped his hands from my arms, looking unsure of himself. “I’ll understand if you’re still upset with me.” I scoffed and took his hand.
“Fynn, I’m not going to pretend to understand what all is going on with you, but you’ve never pretended to tell me everything.” I ducked my head, trying to catch his downcast gaze. When he was looking at me again, I continued. “Can you tell me now?”
“Yea,” he nodded, hopeful, “I think I can now.” He wrapped his fingers more tightly through mine and led me away down the hall. “But we should still find a quiet place to have this conversation.”
Fynn led me out through a large archway and into the dark garden. In the distance the waves lapped against the beach. I looked up at the brilliant stars above and felt a shiver, remembering my time trapped in Naida’s night sky. In a smooth motion, Fynn removed his jacket and wrapped it over my shoulders, taking my hand back up in his. When we stood with our feet in the sand and the castle a fair distance behind us, Fynn spoke again.
“I’ve worked for your father since the beginning, before he ever left you. When he had to go, I was to keep an eye out for you among other things. And I didn’t do a particularly good job of keeping my distance. Watching you, I couldn’t help but to love you.” He took a breath and my own heart constricted at the words. “I was still working for Byron all the while. Your father knows, or rather, encouraged me to take up a position working for Byron, to better have his hand in the workings of Glieyen. Your father is basically the god of my people. He has the allegiance of all selkies, though there are only a few who have ever seen his face.” Fynn nudged the sand with his shoe and I kept my peace. How many times had I wanted him to explain things to me? I wasn’t going to chance slowing him down now.
“I wrote that song for you before you ever knew me. I could have killed Oran when he used it like that. It was never meant to manipulate anyone. It was just me.”
“You looked so pissed that night.” The thought escaped my lips.
“I was livid, and horrified. What if it had worked on you? You are something new, there was no way for me to know how it might affect you. I haven’t been incredibly good at keeping you safe. Even that stupid song put you in danger. For someone who can see the future, it doesn’t make much sense why your father would put me in charge of keeping you safe.” He huffed out a sigh and fell silent.
“I’m sure he had his reasons.” I let my fingers trace their way up his strong arm, emboldened by his words.”
“I’ll do anything he asks. If he asks me to keep secrets again in the future, I will. I was so sure you were going to hate me for the secrets I’ve already kept. Things may be out in the open now, but eventually, you’ll find a reason to hate me.”
“How about you let me decide how I feel about you.” Feeling brave, I reached up on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his. My heart pounded in my own ears, afraid of how he might respond, or not. He had said that he loved me, but this was uncharted territory. My body warmed as he leaned into me, kissing me back. That simple change of pressure was enough to take away my timidity and I reached up, tangling my fingers into his hair.
He pulled back before I was quite ready, a smile on his lips.
“That, was not how I imagined this conversation going.” He wore that crooked smile that I loved as his eyes lingered on my lips.
“Oh?”
“I had imagined a lot more yelling and possibly violence.”
“Violence?” I raised an eyebrow.
“I’ve seen you and Dylan get into it over simple things. And even I was pretty mad at me, I didn’t expect to be so easily forgiven.”
“Oh, I never said you were forgiven. I imagine you will have to spend a lot of time making it up to me.”
His smile quirked up further and he leaned in close, brushing his lips against my ear as he spoke softly. “Deal.”
Dylan
I felt pity for the arm rests under Fayre’s death grip as the plane began to descend. She had been calm enough for the take off in the early morning dark and flight above the clouds, the landing however, seemed another matter entirely. I placed my hand on top of hers, and she looked at me, her eyes just this side of wild. She tried to smile, but it was more of a grimace.
“It’s going to be alright.” I offered, and she nodded wordlessly. She had been stronger than I imagined possible for her up to this point.
If I was being honest, I had originally seen her as flighty. That was before though. I had seen her differently for some time now, and the steps she had taken to bring her to this point only strengthened the notion that she was anything but flighty. She had held herself with confidence as she showed her new human legs to her aghast parents and announced her plans to return with me. Her father stared daggers at me, but she had moved quickly to bring his attention back to herself, not allowing any of the blame to be placed on me, even though I would have been glad to take the heat for her.
The time for me to return home was overdue. I had put off returning to my life long enough. Sure, I wasn’t the same person who had gone on a vacation over a year ago, and now I had Fayre in tow, but it was time for me to move forward. And with what I had learned, there was little reason for me to hang around mourning any longer.
My dad was still alive, had never died, only disappeared. And while there might be people who were on the lookout for him, they were unlike
ly to seek me out back home, so far removed from everything mer.
Going home to something familiar and my desire for a normal life was all I wanted. And bringing home a mermaid was plenty of adventure for me. Fayre’s hand relaxed only slightly as we taxied to our gate and I squeezed her hand again.
“Everything is going to be just fine.”
Oran
Ell left me alone after giving me the final details I needed before I could leave to go back home. I hadn’t considered my father’s castle home in an exceptionally long time. And after everything that had happened just a few days ago, I was eager to be as far from this place as possible.
My chest felt hollow and I could hardly decide the most outstanding reason. That day was supposed to be a defining moment for me, and I guess that in a way it was, but not at all how I had intended. I could hardly believe that my brother was gone. I hadn’t wanted him dead. I had been unable to kill him when he had tried to kill Cora. But in that moment, when Cora had shown me what he was about to do, I had to act, there had been no time to debate my actions.
I would never regret saving my father, but it was repercussions that I was unsure I wanted to live with. I had killed Blake, and as much as I had hated him at times, he was still my brother. And then there was Cora.
“Cora.” It was as if my thinking of her had brought her to me. She peeked her face into the room, a timid smile on her face. She really was lovely.
“Come in.” I held out my hand for her to enter the office.
“We’re about to head out.” Her eyes spoke of how unsure she still was around me, but I couldn’t blame her. I had been an idiot. When she came closer, I took her hand.