The Plan Commences

by Kristen Ashley

  She looked forward and tipped her head back to better see the streaks of lights that could be seen through the tops of the trees, swirling in the sky.

  They were making the clearing when the lights that came from the magic of the sprites could be seen in the trees, globes glowing golden as the very air around them turned hues of pink, green, violet and blue, these last the hues that swirled in the night sky.

  “By the gods, True, by the gods,” Farah chanted before musical laughter erupted from her. “It is impossible!” she cried. “Such beauty.”

  True couldn’t stop himself smiling as they made the top of the rise, the trees glowing, the skies glowing, the air glowing.

  He had seen it several times before.

  But gazing at it now with Farah in his arms, somehow it felt as if it was the first time he experienced the enormity of the beauty.

  He also saw, with gratitude, that although the rise under the Lights could get crowded with onlookers, tonight there were only a few.

  But the sprites were zinging here and there, holding court, showing off, their glistening wings that were bigger than their bodies sometimes the only thing to be seen.

  He’d barely reined in Majesty when he lost hold of Farah as she slid off.

  True dismounted only to see her head tipped all the way back and she was whirling, arms out, like a dance, but not.

  “By the gods, True!” she exclaimed to the skies. “Such beauty.”

  He crossed his arms on his chest, his eyes never leaving her, and wholeheartedly agreed.

  “This land!” she cried. “This land is magic from rich soil to regal trees to the very heavens.”

  True noted some of the sprites had stopped zinging in order to watch Farah, and some of the others that were there for the Lights did the same.

  She was not behaving in a queenly manner, not even the manner of a princess.

  And he didn’t give a good gods damn.

  Suddenly, she stopped twirling and looked to him, “I never wish to leave here. Must we leave here?”

  “I’m afraid in just over a week we’re to be married, my love, and that’s happening in a temple in Notting Thicket,” he reminded her. “I think the guests who are traveling from all over Wodell would be cross if we didn’t show up.”

  “You can get married here, Your Grace!” someone shouted. “We’ll be happy to stand as witness!”

  True looked in that direction to see a man, a woman, and two children of about twelve and ten, all of them smiling at him and Farah, and he shouted back, “I’m very much looking forward to seeing my bride in whatever gown she’ll be wearing.”

  “’Twill be the most beautiful bride in history, I’ll wager,” the wife called.

  Farah clapped her hands together, leaned forward for some reason to tuck them between her knees, before she called back, “Thank you! That is so kind!”

  “You are a great beauty, Lady Farah!” the woman yelled.

  Farah righted and threw her arms out to her sides.

  “And you are most lovely and demonstrating why my prince and I can never leave this glorious place,” Farah yelled back.

  Watching this byplay, True felt something happen in his stomach he did not recognize.

  “There’s a cottage for sale at the end of Tuck Lane,” another man across the rise shared loudly.

  “Do not tell me that,” Farah returned, swinging his way. “We must be away to the Thicket tomorrow and if I know of a cottage that could be ours, I’ll chain my prince there, and since he’ll be noted missing, I’ll end up in a cell in the capital for princenapping, not in a temple wearing a heavy gown getting married.”

  That feeling surged up True’s gullet.

  “I’m not sure you can princenap your own prince,” another woman called.

  “I’m not sure I want to find out, no matter how good the beef sandwiches are at The Antlers,” Farah replied.

  And then it happened.

  True burst out laughing.

  It was not simply an expression of humor.

  It was something more.

  Something deeper.

  Something preposterous.

  Absurd.

  Outlandish.

  Something remarkable.

  She was just being…

  Funny.

  That was it.

  She had no care in that moment.

  So he had no care in that moment.

  He had no thought.

  He just found his Farah funny.

  And was happy she was happy.

  As if sensing a difference in the timbre of his laugh, Farah whirled to look up at him with eyes that made it seem his amusement was even more marvelous than the beauty that illuminated all around.

  “Princenapping?” he asked on a snicker, and he was uncertain he’d ever snickered in his life.

  She smiled tentatively and noted, “I’m relatively certain that’s illegal.”

  His waning laughter waxed.

  She moved to him and took both of his hands.

  He watched her, chuckling.

  When his hilarity had begun to fade, she said softly, “You are the most handsome man I have ever known, but there is no compare when you’re laughing like that.”

  He pulled one hand from hers, ran the backs of his fingers down her cheek, and smiling at her, said, “I’m delighted I please you.”

  “You do. From the beginning.”

  Any amusement died.

  “Farah,” he whispered.

  “Please, I know you don’t wish to, but here, in this place, please, in all your kindnesses to me, I must beg one more. Please, True, kiss me. Not a press of the lips. Really kiss me.”

  At her words, his amusement wasn’t even remembered.

  “You don’t think I wish to kiss you?” he asked.

  She looked away.

  “Look at me,” he demanded.

  She turned her eyes again to him.

  “I wish to kiss you,” he told her.

  She shook her head. “You don’t have to—”

  He cupped her cheek and bent his face to hers.

  “Farah, I’ve been fighting the desire to take you in my arms for so long, it’s like it’s become a new limb. An unwanted one. And unwieldy one. But one I have to bear.”

  She blinked up at him.

  “But…Elena,” she whispered.

  “What about Elena?” he inquired.

  “What about Elena?” she breathed, her eyes enormous, glowing more golden than the globes around them.

  “That’s what I asked.”

  “You’re in love with her.”

  “I was. And then I met you.”

  She swayed into his body to such an extent, he had no choice but to do what he’d have done anyway.

  He caught her in his arms.

  She felt good there.

  As always.

  “Really?” she asked, not hiding her shock.

  He was not shocked.

  He was annoyed.

  “I’ve hardly been hiding it.”

  “I thought you were…to be nice, well…faking it. For me.”

  Yes.

  Annoyed.

  “I would not fake finding you irresistibly attractive, incredibly good company, endearing, kind, intelligent—”

  “All right,” she interrupted him. “So why—?” she stopped herself speaking, slid a hand up his chest to his neck and whispered, “Oh, True.”

  She did not need him to tell her why he had held himself back.

  “You needed time,” he muttered.

  “Thank you, bello. But please trust my assessment of my own self when I assure you, I don’t need any more time.”

  “We have an audience.”

  She was coming up on her toes, pressing closer, her other hand gliding up his chest toward his neck.

  “Who cares,” she murmured.

  “Farah.”

  “Kiss me.”

  Her hand had made his neck, and both were sliding into his ha
ir, her fingers putting pressure on.

  “Farah,” he warned.

  “Kiss me, True,” she demanded.

  Bloody hell.

  He couldn’t deny her.

  And he couldn’t deny himself.

  Not with her being like this.

  Not just with her being her.

  Not any longer.

  He kissed her.

  The moment his lips touched hers, his entire body came alert and his gut started to warm.

  When her lips parted under his, and his tongue instinctively snaked out, joining their mouths, his skin tightened all over his frame and his gut and chest started to burn.

  He pulled her closer, angling his head, his tongue dancing with hers, not like it was the first time they danced, like they’d known the other for eternity.

  Her smell.

  Sublime.

  Her taste.

  Outstanding.

  The feel of her soft body pressed to his.

  Superlative.

  It was the best kiss he’d ever had.

  She was the taste of destiny.

  Destiny mixed with love.

  To end, it was bloody, fucking fantastic.

  He broke their lips, murmuring, “Darling.”

  “I think maybe,” she breathed, “if you do not wish to…” She didn’t finish that. She concluded, “You should sleep in another room tonight.”

  It was good to know the kiss affected her the same.

  And fucking frustrating as all hell.

  “I think this wise.”

  “And I think it’s important you know I do not mind if you wish to stay with me.”

  “We will join on our wedding night, Farah. That might not be the way of the Firenz, but it is the respect a Dellish man gives his future wife.”

  “You being Dellish is usually quite charming. Now it is not,” she groused.

  He grinned.

  She narrowed her eyes at him and warned, “We will be kissing much on our way to Notting Thicket.”

  “That will make it difficult to make haste,” he teased.

  “Do not kiss me like that,” she whispered, suddenly very serious. “Do not make me feel like this. Do not make me this happy, True Axelsson, and then take it away from me.”

  This happy?

  He became serious too.

  Deathly.

  And he locked his arms about her and dropped his head so close, all he could see was her eyes.

  “Never,” he vowed.

  Her hand still in his hair put pressure there.

  So True made her happy again and he kissed his Farah, thoroughly.

  So thoroughly, a cheer of encouragement filled the air as the Lights danced in the sky and the sprites zinged through the golden globes.

  Prince True didn’t hear it.

  Because True Axelsson was finally kissing, really kissing, the woman he loved.

  70

  The Call

  Lady Farah

  Room above The Antlers Pub and Inn, Five Miles from the Lights

  WODELL

  “Silence,” I called into the air, feeling silly. “Silence, are you there?”

  There was no reply, which I did not find surprising, but I found it frustrating.

  I didn’t have a good deal of time, True wished to be away and soon.

  But I had to do this, and it had to be fast.

  “Silence,” I whispered urgently. “Can you hear me? Are you there?”

  “Farah?”

  Thank the gods.

  “Silence,” I answered. “Can you…?”

  I trailed off when I saw a vision of her shimmering before me, slowly coming into focus.

  What wonder.

  “Faith!” she exclaimed. “Look at you. You’re right there.”

  I smiled.

  “What is this?” a deep voice that seemed as if it came through a tunnel could be heard and then a hazy arm could be seen and Silence, who had grown distinct, suddenly disappeared.

  “Mars!” she snapped, and I could focus on her shimmering some five feet to the left from where she’d been.

  She was standing, appearing to push against a hold and glaring up at something.

  “What is this sorcery?” he demanded, and although I heard Mars’s voice, and there was a large area close to Silence that was wavy, his frame was obscure.

  “Farah is calling,” Silence told him.

  “I see nothing but sinister particles,” he retorted.

  “They’re not sinister, they’re Farah. I see her perfectly well,” Silence returned.

  “Well, I do not, thus you will leave this place.”

  “Mars!” she cried, now appearing to struggle. “It’s Elena’s magic. So we can talk to each other when we’re far away. It is fine. I am safe. Go. Go on.” She seemed to be pushing at something. “Go, Mars. It’s girl time.”

  “I do not like this for I do not trust this so I shall not go. If you are so certain this is fine, then speak to my little sister. But if I do not have a good feeling about it, we will leave this place.”

  Mars.

  Always protective.

  “Silence,” I called. “It’s all right. Mars should probably hear this too.”

  “Hear what?” he demanded.

  “You can hear me?” I asked.

  “I can hear you, but I cannot see you,” Mars answered. “And what I wish to hear is what you feel I should.”

  “She’s right there,” Silence informed him, pointing at me.

  “I can see you looking at glittering air, wife, but I cannot see Farah.”

  “How odd,” Silence murmured.

  They were being adorable, something I never thought I’d think about Mars, and it made me very happy to witness…for the both of them.

  But as happy as it made me, I did not have time for this.

  “Please hold,” I said. “I’m going to try Elena.”

  “For fuck’s sake,” Mars muttered.

  I watched Silence roll her eyes at me.

  I ignored that (but did it smiling) and called, “Elena. Elena, we must speak. Are you there?”

  When nothing happened, Silence queried, “Should I try too?”

  “Perhaps that would help,” I told her.

  We both called, and called, and when Mars was heard saying, “Bloody hell,” Elena started to form.

  “Farah, Silence?” she asked.

  “What the fuck?”

  Cassius.

  “It’s all right, Cass,” Elena told him.

  “Elena, you have Silence and I and, well, Mars. I have something you all need to know. Please hold while we try to raise Ha-Lah,” I said to her.

  “Bloody hell, why can I hear Farah coming from nowhere in your eyrie?” Cassius demanded.

  “Just calm down, warrior, we have a link,” Elena said to the indistinct figure hovering over her shoulder. “I’ll call to Ha-Lah. I know what I’m doing,” Elena said to me.

  “Excellent,” I replied.

  She did that while Mars said, “Cassius.”

  “Gods, Mars?” Cassius replied.

  “I am here, with my wife, staring at glittering air and talking to a nothing, feeling like a bloody fool,” Mars told him.

  “As am I,” Cassius replied.

  “Would you two be quiet, I can’t concentrate,” Elena snapped.

  Silence started giggling.

  “By Medusa!” Ha-Lah could be heard.

  “What the hell?” Aramus could also be heard.

  “Please, do not be alarmed,” Elena stated quickly. “It is my craft. Farah is calling. She has something to tell all of us. And, as you should see, Ha-Lah, Silence, is also here.”

  “Wife, why am I hearing Elena’s voice drifting about our cabin?” Aramus asked as Ha-Lah came fully into focus.

  “She just told you,” Ha-Lah answered, appearing to be sitting on a bed, but looking to the side at something. “It’s her craft.”

  “Aramus, I’m here too,” Cassius told him. “Howeve
r that ‘here’ might be.”

  “I as well,” Mars declared.

  “Bloody hell,” Aramus muttered.

  “Would you men be quiet?” Elena demanded. “Farah has something to say.” She looked between the women with an exasperated, “This is why I did not include the men in my spell. It’s bad enough they are linked to us so we can hear them. I fear it would be worse if we could actually see them.”

  Silence giggled again, and I smiled.

  “Is True well?” Aramus asked. “For I do not hear him.”

  “He is of good health, but he is not well, and I think he wishes to deal with this amongst his men, though Mars will be receiving a bird very shortly,” I reported.

  “Talk,” Cassius ordered.

  “Carrington is raising an army,” I told them.

  “Damn,” Cassius murmured.

  “And the king has proclaimed a new tax for True and my wedding,” I shared.

  “Fuck,” Mars muttered.

  I suspected the message intended by this tax was not lost on anybody, so I did not get into that.

  “And True and I are leaving imminently to make haste to Notting Thicket in an attempt to repair the damage. But I think we’re going to need all of your help,” I told them.

  “What you need to be done will be done, little sister,” Mars declared.

  “It will be asking much of you, and as I have asked so much already—” I began.

  “You’ve asked nothing,” Mars stated. “What is it you need?”

  “The bird will share, and I will further request that you make a donation in Silence’s name to some public service she enjoys in the Arbor.”

  “What a lovely idea,” Silence murmured.

  “It is,” I agreed. “But it also needs to be done in a way it is known Silence is True’s beloved cousin and the alliance between Wodell and Firenze will mean good things for the Dellish people.”

  “This will be done today,” Mars replied.

  Oh, but I loved my king.

  “And you’ll be asked to go to Notting Thicket—” I began.

  “We leave on the morrow,” Silence shared. “Queen Mercy has already requested we come.”

  Mercy, as I suspected, was no fool.

  But I was glad, as well as astonished, she was thinking on the same lines as me.

  “Excellent,” I said. “But you’ll need to be seen amongst the people.”