“How come I get the feeling there’s more to the promise than you told me?” I say to East, desperately trying to ignore the hunger flooding my body, begging me to feed off him.
This is almost as bad as having darkness inside me.
Okay, no, I take that back.
East flicks a glance in my direction, worry written all over his face. His lips part, “I—” His gaze snaps to our right where Foster is standing near a thick oak tree that’s shedding purple and silver leaves to the ground.
His eyes are sizzling with lightning and his muscles are rippling with tension that electrifies the air.
Clearly, he’s upset about something, so I’m surprised when he calmly says, “I came out here to see what was taking you guys so long.” He momentarily stares at East before his gaze drags to me. “Are you ready to get this link fixed?”
I nod, knowing I should be ready, that I’ve wanted it to be fixed since it was altered, but the move feels like a lie.
“Okay.” Foster steps toward with his hand extended.
I place my hand in his and when our palms align, he goes rigid. His finger sketches along the icy patch and then he shakes his head, throwing a harsh look at East. East doesn’t respond, taking off through the trees in a hurry.
“You should go easy on him,” Porter tells Foster as he moves up beside me. “He was only trying to make it easier on her.”
“I’m sure he was,” Foster mumbles sarcastically.
He pulls me with him as he starts toward the tree house. With a sigh, Porter trails after us with his hands stuffed inside the pockets of his jeans.
No one speaks as we make the short walk back, but I can tell it’s upset Foster, which makes me question if East left out some of the details about a blood promise. I want to be upset with him about that, but ever since we made the promise there’s been a lack of guilt crushing at my chest, so it’s difficult to get worked up about it.
“So I’m about to meet a faerie?” I say in an attempt to shatter the maddening silence between us.
Foster nods, glancing at me. “It’s the only way Hunter is going to be able to fix the link.”
I wet my dry lips with my tongue. “Is she going to be like that faerie that was locked in your parent’s bedroom?"
Foster gives my hand a squeeze. “Camille is nice and Hunter assures us she’s completely trustworthy.” But a bit of skepticism rings in his tone and nervousness creeps up inside me as we arrive at the bottom of the tree where the tree house is.
What’s strange is that I can’t spot the actual tree house structure. Where is it? Inside the tree?
I expect us to have to climb up the tree, but Foster walks up to the trunk and opens up a thick, wooden door hidden behind vines.
“Why didn’t East take this way when we left the tree?” I wonder as we step inside the hollowed out trunk.
Foster shrugs, but his fingers stiffen in mine. When I give him a questioning look, though, he puts on a smile.
“I’m fine,” he assures me as he guides me deeper into the tree trunk, the air growing heavy and damp. “I’m just ready to get this link fixed.”
I nod in agreement, but again, I question if I’m telling the truth. But my feelings make no sense to me. Ever since the link was altered I’ve wanted it to be fixed. Now I feel so hesitant, as if something deep inside me is sending out a warning. But warning for what?
I try to make sense of my emotions as we inch further into the tree trunk, but end up feeling even more confused. The deeper we get into the tree the darker it gets, roots sprouting from the dirt in the walls and moisture builds in the air.
I’m just about to ask Foster where we’re going when we enter a wide space lit up by glowing lanterns hanging from branches on the walls. Dry leaves and rose petals cover the ground and a flowery chandelier hangs from the leafy ceiling.
“Wow, it’s really pretty in here,” I remark as I peer around. “The space seems so much bigger than what it appears to be on the outside.”
“All the trees in this world are laced with magic,” Foster explains. “It’s part of the reason why so many fey live in them.”
“Why haven’t I seen any fey around?” I ask. “I mean, I saw a falopixie, but that’s it.”
“My brothers rented a room at a hotel that’s pretty far out from the main city in the fey,” Foster explains as we reach a large, wide, winding staircase. Vines weave around the banister that curls upward with the stairs, leading to an arched doorway. “And it’s good that they did. It’ll keep us pretty hidden while we’re here.”
“She should at least visit the city once while we’re here,” Porter remarks, standing so close behind me that his breath dusts across the back of my neck. “It’d be a waste for her not to see it.”
“It’s too dangerous,” Foster tells him as he starts up the stairway. “And honestly, I don’t plan on us staying here for that long.”
“Your fear is making you miss out on a lot of things, little brother,” Porter replies, his fingers curling around my waist. “You really need to stop being afraid so much and start embracing things. And let Sky embrace things too.”
I should shove his hand off—I know I should—but that soul tethering connection begs me not to.
Foster throws a dirty look at Porter. “I don’t force Sky to do anything.”
“Is that so?” Porter questions, his voice carrying speculation. “Maybe you should ask Sky then if she wants to visit the city while she’s here.”
Foster glares at him but his expression softens when his eyes slide to me. “Do you want to visit the city? It could be dangerous, but if we were really careful, maybe we could.”
While I’m afraid, the idea of visiting a city of fey does sound interesting. Plus… “We did make a promise to travel and see places,” I remind him. “And with the god of darkness not being able to touch me right now, I’d be safe.”
“It’s not just him that you have to worry about,” he mumbles but then shakes his head. “You know what? If you want to visit the city then I’ll take you.”
I smile. “Awesome.”
He smiles then turns around and continues up the stairway.
The stairs creak under our weight as we make our way upward, filling up the silence that has settled amongst us. The longer I walk in silence with Porter’s hand on my waist, the more I feel a pulsating need rising inside me, the same hunger I felt with East. It grows so strong that I almost lean forward and press my lips to Foster’s neck. I may very well have but when Porter threads his fingers through mine and the hunger stills.
While it’s strange to be holding both their hands with all the tension flowing between everyone, I don’t let go, craving the connection with both of them.
God, I’m so messed up in the head. Hopefully when the link is fixed, my mind will go back to normal. Well, as normal as it was before links, tetherings, and blood promises started messing with it.
When we reach the top of the stairway, we enter the bedroom I was in earlier. Holden, Hunter, Max, and East are there, along with a tall, willow looking creature with startling blue eyes, flowing lavender hair, and she’s wearing a silver silk dress. Beautiful is the word that pops into my mind when I see her. In fact, her beautifulness is so otherworldly that my mind has a hard time grasping the sight.
But I get distracted as worry instantly cascades over me. Worry that doesn’t belong to me.
I glance around at the Porterson brothers, taking them all in together, all of them an abundance of nerves except for maybe Hunter, who’s standing the closest to me, right beside Camille. Tall and lean, he’s dressed in a long-sleeved, grey shirt with the sleeves rolled up, black pants, thick boots, and his intense golden eyes are assessing me as closely as mine are him.
“You look different,” he remarks, intrigue sparkling in his eyes. “More alive. It’s an… appealing look for you.”
“Don’t start,” Holden warns before I can say anything.
Not that I had anything
to say. But my thoughts do wander to the dream I had about Hunter being a vampire. Porter told me vampires are creatures to be feared, though, so I know there’s no way Hunter could be one.
Hunter rolls his eyes and Holden sighs, shifting his position in the chair he’s sitting in.
I’m surprised I have such an easy time telling them apart, since their identical twins and I haven’t been around them that much. While their features are almost exactly the same, Holden has a scar above his brow and more worry reflects from his eyes, but I think that’s because he reveals his emotions more than Hunter does. They also dress differently, Holden having a more casual style, right now sporting a long-sleeved blue shirt, jeans, and Converse sneakers
“We should probably get this done,” Max says, interrupting the silence that’s taken over the room.
My attention drifts to him and East. They’re standing side by side back by the farthest wall. They’re both wearing all black with chains dangling from their jeans and leather bands cover their wrists. They look so alike except for Max is a bit older and has dark hair and East has blond. They’re both wearing tense expressions, though.
Foster must sense the concern filling the room too because he asks, “What’s going on?”
No one speaks right away and hardly anyone will meet my gaze. Well, except for Hunter, who’s staring at me with his head slanted to the side, his gaze intense.
“It’s nothing.” Hunter decides to be the spokesperson for everyone. “We’re just a little bit…” He wavers his head from side to side. “Apprehensive about fixing the link. Not that we don’t want to do it, but from what Camille has told me, it’s going to be complicated and take a lot of not just my power, but everyone’s.”
Foster stares him down hard. “I’m sure that’s the only reason—because using a lot of power always makes you guys apprehensive.”
No one says anything to that and I start to realize that while I may be feeling worried about the link being fixed, it’s probably for the better since they’re all starting to get really edgy.
“Now, now, boys,” Camille interrupts with a slight smile on her glittery lips. “Lets not get into a fight over this poor girl.” Her gaze strays to me, her head tilted to the side. “Although, poor girl is an inaccurate name for you…” She steps toward me, her eyes swirling with light. “I’m sensing so many strange powers flowing off of you.” She lifts her hand in the air and circles it in front of my face. “It’s… intense.” As she moves closer to me, Foster inches toward me. She pauses, appearing amused. “While I understand your protectiveness toward her, elemental enchanter, if you want me to fix the link, you’re going to have to let me get close enough to read her.”
Foster glares daggers at Hunter. “You told her what I am?”
“I’m an energy reader,” Camille says. “No one has to tell me anything—I could read it all over you the moment you walked into the room.”
Crap, does that mean she can read what I am too?
Foster must be having the same thoughts because he protectively moves inches to me.
“Fost, chill,” Hunter says. “Camille and I made a blood promise that binds her to secrecy, and if she tells anyone anything that she knows about us, she’ll die.”
At the mention of a blood promise, my gaze wanders in East’s direction. He’s looking at me but hastily glances away.
Internally sighing, I turn back to Camille, whose gaze is dissecting me with curiosity and a drop of puzzlement.
“Do you mind if I take your hand?” she asks me. “I’m having a bit of a hard time reading you.”
I give a nervous glance at Foster. “Um…”
He presses his lips together and trades a look with Hunter, who gives a nod.
“If you don’t trust her, at least trust me,” Hunter says to Foster.
Blowing out a breath, Foster turns to me. “Go ahead.”
Nerves bubble inside me as I stick out my hand and Camille takes ahold of it.
Oh my God, I’m touching a faerie. And I can feel a trickle of magic humming off of her and slipping into me…
So weird…
But as quickly as the sensation arises, she jerks back. Frowning, she twists to face Hunter.
“I need to talk to you for a moment.” She peers around at all of us, then gathers the bottom of her dress in her hand and hurries past us and toward the door, calling over her shoulder, “Alone.”
Hunter’s brows knit, but then he shrugs and follows after her.
No one says anything right away after they leave the room, but the Porterson brothers do trade a few perplexed looks with each other.
“I wonder what that was about,” Foster mumbles with a frown.
Shrugging, Porter strolls past us and back to a bar in the corner. “Who the hell knows, but personally I’m getting bored of this drama.” He collects a glass and a bottle filled with sparkling silver liquid from off a shelf then pours himself a drink
I wonder what he’s drinking. If everyone wasn’t freaking out, including me, I’d probably ask. But I’m too distracted by the memory of the worry in Camille’s eyes as she looked at me.
What did she see in me? Is there something wrong with me?
Max rolls his eyes at Porter. “Yeah, because you never cause drama.”
Porter’s lips quirk as he twists the cap back on the bottle. “What’re you trying to say?”
“That you’re a drama queen,” Max quips with a half smile.
East snorts a laugh. Even Holden, who rarely smiles, cracks a grin.
But Foster doesn’t even so much as crack a smile. “I don’t like that she knows what I am and it more than likely means that she’s aware of what Sky is.”
“If Hunter says we can trust her then we should. Or at least trust him.” Porter takes a long sip of the drink, briefly glancing at me from over the rim and causing that hunger to rise inside me for a fleeting instance. “Plus, the link’s not going to let Hunter do anything to put Sky in harm’s way.” Licking his lips, he sets the empty glass down on the counter.
“True.” The tension starts to unwind from Foster’s muscles, but returns as Hunter enters the room.
All of the brothers glance at him expectantly, but he simply stands in the doorway, staring at me with an unreadable look on his face. Through the link, I can sense he’s troubled by something.
“What is it?” I dare ask him.
His gaze dances between Foster and I before ultimately landing on me.
“Camille read something… Interesting on you.” He scratches at his neck, his gaze skimming across his brothers who appear as confused as I feel. Then he returns his attention to me, releasing an uneven breath, but doesn’t say anything else.
“What did she read on her?” Foster finally asks impatiently. “And where the hell did Camille go? I thought she was going to help you fix the link?”
“I sent her away,” Hunter says, reclining against the door with his arms crossed and his gaze fixed on me.
I try not to squirm, but holy hell, he’s making it difficult.
Why is he looking at me like that? Like I’ve confused the hell out of him?
“Why the hell would you do that?” Foster shakes his head at Hunter with annoyance.
Hunter’s gaze flits from him to me again. That’s when I sense it, a heavy amount of dread, an impending warning.
Something bad is about to happen.
“It was pretty pointless for Camille to be here right now,” Hunter says with a shrug.
Why?
Max steps to the middle of the room, looking at Hunter with concern. “What about the link? From what you guys talked about earlier, you made it sound like Camille was going to have to help us fix the link.”
Hunter casts another glance in my direction then sinks his teeth into his bottom lip. “I guess there’s no way to say this without someone freaking out, although I don’t think everyone is going to.” His gaze briefly sneaks in the direction of Porter and East then he stares down
at the floor with a crinkle between his brows. “When Camille first tried to read Sky, all she could see was what she thought was darkness. But when she touched her, she realized there was a block on Sky that’s protecting her from her powers. While she could read some bits and pieces about Sky, she couldn’t read everything. But she did see enough that she could tell the altered link is what is protecting Sky from the god of darkness being able to touch her.”
Silence consumes the room but my head is crammed with so much noise—so much worry. And not just my worry.
“So what’re you saying?” Foster’s flat tone suggests he knows exactly what Hunter is saying and he just doesn’t want to accept it.
Hunter glances up, his expression blank—controlled. “I’m saying that somehow when the link was altered, it transformed into this massive protection spell that’s interwoven between all of us and Sky. That apparently all of our powers and emotions being so connected offers a level of protection for Sky that no other spell can offer.” He releases an exhale, slipping his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. “So yeah, basically as long as the altered link exists, it’ll be really complicated for Sky to be harmed, not just by the god of darkness, but by a lot of creatures.” He glances at me and bites down on his lip harder. “So if we want to make sure Sky is extremely protected, we need to leave the link as it is for now.”
The room grows quiet, but the noise inside my head gets louder, buzzing and gnawing at my brain. It’s a combination of my own panic rushing through me along with theirs. It’s so overwhelming that I start to feel sick and I wrap my arm around my stomach.
“It doesn’t have to be forever,” Hunter says, glancing at his brothers, his gaze lingering on Foster. “As soon as we find all the power sources, we can start rebuilding Elemental and getting rid of darkness, and hopefully everything can go back to normal.”
Foster laughs hollowly. “You say that like normal will just be there waiting for all of us after this, but who the hell knows what’s going to happen while we try to track down all the other power sources.” He shakes his head, his jaw clenching. “Things could change—they already have.” He reels around and storms toward the stairway.
Iridescent Chaos: (Enchanted Chaos, Book 3) Page 12