by Erin R Flynn
“I second that,” I interjected before looking at Dean White. “Have you eaten?”
“I have, but that coffee smells divine, so I will take some if you’ve sampled what you needed to.”
Marshall nodded and showed her what they were done with or was left over. We didn’t just all slobber over the same cups or straws, pouring it into our own glasses to be smarter.
Even if there was some residual mixing. We could figure it out just fine.
We finished and headed for one of the sittings rooms in the other wing that I’d converted into a workroom. Zack and Ray had been in there many times, but I could see Dean White brimming with curiosity and surprise.
I shrugged. “This is not the only project or plot I’ve got going on.”
“Need help?”
“Always.” I snorted as I unlocked the magic. Yeah, that was accurate. “Let’s start with this though and not kill you.”
“I’d prefer that not be the outcome either,” she teased, a tint of worry in her tone.
“You okay, Anya?”
“I’m fine,” she lied through her teeth.
Uh-huh. I let it go… For the moment.
We went inside and I showed her the actual traps, giving her time to study them.
“These are astounding, Tamsin,” she whispered for the seventh time as she kept looking. “The layering and depth to them are—I would never believe someone your age could invent this if I didn’t know your honor. Not even a savant like Julian with all his training.” She seemed to think better of that. “Well, maybe him since his family threw him in every extra training since he could speak.”
Fair enough.
“Thank you, but I’m hemorrhaging magic to make them,” I grumbled. “The layers are fine, but infusing it all together and into the physical base is what… It’s like a broken hydrant.”
“Well, let’s fix it—shall we?”
And she did. We spent a few hours going over the process and with some small visual tweaks I had almost solved on my own, she made it so I used a fraction of the power to make one. She was also an excellent teacher, truly astounding, and everything was so much easier.
Yeah, I was going to her with everything from now on instead of trying to figure it out on my own.
“If you would update my tattoo, please?” she said when we were wrapping up.
Right, the memory tattoo so no one could get the information from her. I apologized for causing her pain and did it, Zack carrying the box of everything she’d need to get started. I also texted her the contact of Katrina Calloway’s to get more, and quietly.
“Let me know when you’re ready with your next project.”
I nodded. “I will, thank you.” I smiled when she gave me a hesitant look. “I promise. That was—I needed the help. This takes a lot off my plate, but I have one focus this break.”
Faerie. She didn’t make me say it, smiling and wishing me luck before she left.
And left her scarf.
Well, more like I’d borrowed it for a reason. Once I felt the portal’s magic die down, I stepped out onto the terrace and opened a temp portal to where a pack of fae dogs was. They weren’t sworn to me and normally dealt with dark fairies, but like I’d thought, more and more were coming out of the cold now that they had a safe place and could protect more hobgoblins.
We were up to forty-three packs that had made themselves known to us. And they made it clear to me there were more.
This pack was only three, super small for a pack and young. They hadn’t even decided on an Alpha yet—which I hadn’t known was how they worked and learning that had been fascinating.
I gave each of them love, smiling gently when they were still hesitant with me. “I need your assistance. There is a child of a fairy that must be protected at all costs if we are to save our world and get back home.” I nodded when they got excited, all of them born here and had never even been to Faerie. “She is helping me save our world and we need her. Will you be honorable and protect her?”
They were in. They were all in and thrilled I’d called upon them.
“Stay hidden, but do not hesitate if she is threatened or in trouble. She’s powerful, so let her fight if she needs to. Introduce yourselves to her and she will make sure you have safety as well.” I held out the scarf for them to scent, the last taking it in his mouth, knowing what came next.
I smirked as I opened a temp portal to where Dean White was and told them to go to their new charge. They didn’t hesitate, happy to be on a mission assigned by the future queen of all Faerie.
Well, fuck. I hadn’t meant it like that, and I certainly wasn’t going to wrap my mind around all of that right then.
Another day.
9
It took a week of intense focus and practice but right after our Christmas celebration, I was ready to try and wake up Cluym. I’d filled the reservoir the past two days in one shot and though it left me wiped, I could more than handle it now that I knew the level.
There was serious tension among the group about me trying though. They hadn’t wanted to call Geiger to the house and put extra pressure on me that I would bring back his mate… But I would not fail that man after all he’d done for me. So yeah, Geiger was going to arrive soon and talk with Darby. We had food coming in droves for the dark fairy and everything was set.
Neldor had opened an area of Faerie days ago that had a much larger portal most didn’t know about, and that was how we got vehicles in so we could get people around as we needed. The scooters and bikes weren’t cutting it, and I wanted safer transportation for when I was wiped.
“Let’s do this,” I whispered when everyone was still dicking around and drawing out the foreplay. They were worried. I got that.
I was too. But enough.
Like seriously, enough already. We were doing this, and I wasn’t going to fail or get hurt or die.
I felt the tension shoot up from Craftsman, Zack, Ray, Izzy, Dean White, Instructor Larson, Lucca… And even Neldor. I ignored it and knelt down in the circle of boxes of crystals and my smaller reservoirs like before. We had debated using the bigger one, but given how my magic liked to go off the rails in Faerie, this was more than enough, and we knew this level would unlock one fairy.
The proof of that was standing with us.
I took in several slow breaths and let them out as I focused my center and then prayed to the gods. Please? Please give me the strength to do this and not hurt myself again. My friend needs his mate and we need the win. I need the win and hope. I need some good and hope instead of Neldor.
Sad, but true.
Ramping up my magic wasn’t how I did it this time, more it was so excited, I simply opened the door and tried to hold it back from all coming out. The waves of it swirled out of me as it got free, layering more and more as it shot towards Cluym as I wanted.
And then it was done and much faster than when I’d let out magic into Faerie to push back the darkness. It was easy, so easy. I actually blinked down at my setup and couldn’t hide my shock. I was wiped and it had taken a lot, but it was… I finally believed Neldor that I was made to do this. My blood was part of the spell my mother had cast to help or whatever.
I snapped out of it when I felt magic surge in front of me.
Lucca didn’t hesitate though, using the charm I’d given him to lock Neldor in a barrier of my magic so the dark prince couldn’t break it. We all knew he was going to use this moment when I was wiped to take control of what was going on.
No fucking way. I was not letting him take control of anything, especially not when I was involved.
“Cluym, Cluym, it’s okay,” I comforted as I jumped to my feet. I moved closer to the handsome dark fairy whose eyes were wild with panic. “Call your magic. It’s okay. You’re okay.” His gaze locked with mine and the fear got thicker. I didn’t know what else to do, so I blurted out what came to me first. “Adrian is waiting, Cluym.”
“Adrian?” he coughed, his magic rampin
g down. “He’s here?”
“No, at my house. I’ll take you to him, okay? He’s been waiting.” I blinked back tears. “He’s been waiting a long time for you, Cluym.”
He rubbed his throat and nodded, giving me a confused look. “Who are you?”
“Tamsin Vale.” I swallowed loudly when he did a double take. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re grown,” he rasped, closing his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Adrian.”
“He needs you. He’s missed you so much. Let’s go see him.” I held out my hand to him, glad when he opened his eyes and took it.
“Yes, thank you, Princess.”
I ignored that, relief filling me that I’d managed to make this happen.
“Tamsin!” Izzy squeaked. “Tams, you overdid it again!”
I glanced over my shoulder at her and my eyes went wide as I felt more magic flare. “Oh, fuck.”
“Yes, it seems we were wrong on the level of magic it takes to unfreeze a fairy,” Dean White grumbled. “That was the level it took to unfreeze Prince Neldor.”
“We should have realized it took more to unfreeze such a powerful fairy,” Instructor Larson bitched.
“Why? That’s not logical,” I defended. I shrugged when he shot me a dry look. “Okay, it is, but it could have gone either way. We get a pass on this shit.” I dropped Cluym’s hand and moved closer to the four other fairies who were also unfrozen. “Call your magic, but know it’s not lost. You’re safe and I’ll explain everything.”
“Who are you?” the one with the most magic snarled, not backing down when the others started to.
“Tamsin Vale. I unfroze you, so chill out, and let’s get you food because you’re going to need it and fast.”
Izzy snorted. “Yeah, we gotta get a ton more. We only got gobs for Cluym.”
“Princess Tamsin?” the light fairy whispered, instantly shutting down his power. “Is it truly you?”
“I’m Tamsin Vale,” I repeated, holding up a hand to cut him off. “You guys are going to need fuel and fast. I know it’s a lot, but you’ve been frozen a while. I’m sorry, but we weren’t planning for all of you, so let us help you. Everyone here can be trusted.”
“Except you have Prince Neldor in a barrier,” one of the other fairies worried.
“He deserves it,” I drawled, rolling my eyes and going back for Cluym. “It’s going to be cramped in the vehicles since we have more, but we’ll take you to Adrian.”
“Yes, please,” he whispered, more than ready to see his mate.
Good.
His willingness to move things along and come with us seemed to push the others—who I thought were all light fairies from their lighter tones of hair color and eyes—and we got in the vehicles. The fairy with the most power demanded to be in the same vehicle as me, which I found odd, but let it go. Poor Izzy had to sit on Zack’s lap in the other SUV.
And I almost died of laughter as Dean White did the same on Ray’s so we all fit.
“Not one word,” she said from the front seat.
“I wouldn’t have thought of it,” I muttered from where I sat on Lucca’s lap.
“I don’t mean to question you, but you’re going to leave Prince Neldor in a barrier there, Princess?” Cluym worried.
“Only until the energy of the charm wears out, and then he can join us,” I promised. “It’s just a time out.” I smirked when Lucca snorted. He’d voted for the fae dogs to eat the dark prince when I’d filled him in on what was going on.
It had been tempting for sure.
Larson pushed the speed and Craftsman had no problem keeping up. Luckily, it wasn’t all the far and the moment we stopped, I couldn’t get to the portal fast enough. I hurried to take Cluym’s hand again, scared out of my mind and excited all in one big ball of spiraling energy even as I needed fuel.
I fired up the portal and about dragged him through, pulling him along as I showed him the way. When we entered the kitchen, I saw Darby sitting at the table with Geiger and Claudia, my heart swelling even as I had no idea what to say. “Geiger.”
He turned to me with a smile, but then his eyes went wide and he stumbled to his feet, rubbing his chest as he took in a shaky breath. “Am I hallucinating?”
“No, my love,” Cluym choked out. “I came back to you. I’m so sorry, Adrian.”
“None of it matters as long as you’re safe,” Geiger whispered.
I let go of Cluym’s hand and he about flew across the kitchen to the dragon. They wrapped their arms around each other and kissed with so much love that everyone in the room could feel it.
Leaning against the wall, I covered my face and started crying. I’d wanted this moment since I’d learned Geiger’s mate had been trapped. I’d sworn I would bring the three of them their mates, and I finally could get at least one of them. I could finally deliver someone the one they loved and heal some of all this pain.
Lucca hugged me and kissed my hair. “You did it, kitten. You did it.” He murmured comfort as I nodded, the tears still coming. “You’re depleted and need to eat.”
“And you need to get your hands off our princess,” that guy warned, his tone ice cold and dangerous.
“You unfroze more than one,” Darby worried.
“It was an accident,” I sighed as I pulled away from Lucca and squared off with the guy. “Look, you guys need a lot of catching up and I don’t know you. So everyone just chill.”
“Men are not allowed to touch the royals and certainly not the heirs when you are betrothed and—”
“I am not betrothed to that asshole!” I bellowed, shocking everyone, the fairy doing a double take. “I’m not. I don’t care how things were done or what promises were made on my behalf. And I don’t fucking answer to you, so stuff your shit and chill the fuck out.”
“You’re crashing,” Dean White worried. “That seemed easy, but it was a lot of power. Where is the food? She needs it and we need to get more. Now.”
“On it,” Izzy said the same time as Lucca.
Darby was already setting out tons of everything all on the counter, ignoring how the fairies were leery of him. He, Claudia, and Craftsman offered to get more from a few fast food places that had portals right next to them—as we knew from lots of experience when I needed food immediately—and headed out.
“Cluym, you really do need to eat,” I said gently when all he seemed to want to focus on was Geiger. “Neldor wouldn’t admit it, but even he had a hard time when he was unfrozen.”
“Yes, please, eat,” Geiger pushed. The dragon came over to me and kissed my hair. “Thank you. Thank you so much for this.”
“I keep my promises.” I cleared my throat. “Neldor found him. He worked to clear areas and found him so I’d be motivated to work harder again instead of feeling defeated after I…” I shook my head. Right, strange fairies in the room. “He’s not going to be happy when he gets here. I didn’t mean to unfreeze this many. We need a plan. Fast.”
“Are we it, Princess?” one of the fairies who hadn’t spoken yet asked quietly.
I nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry. So far, you’re all I’ve been able to unfreeze. The world is… There’s been a lot of change in the twenty years you’ve been locked in Faerie. As much as I’d want to bring all of your loved ones in this world here—we’re in trouble. I’m in serious danger.”
“Then Faerie clearly made the right decision unlocking four of the Light Guardians to help,” that first fairy told me. He dipped his head to me. “I am Iolas, Princess. I apologize for my behavior earlier. The—this has all been—”
“I know,” I forgave. “Neldor told me how disjointing it was. You’re going to have days of not knowing where you start and stop and everything turned on its head. People cannot know fairies are back yet. They would kill us and…” I glanced at Geiger. I had no idea how to handle this. “I’m out of my depth here, mate. Things went to shit with Neldor. You want to take this one?”
He simply sighed. “I’ve never met Iolas, but I’ve h
eard of him. He’s a captain of the Light Guardians and one of Queen Meira’s trusted advisors. You only have to order them, Tamsin.”
“Yes, because that absolutely sounds like me,” I drawled, rubbing my forehead. “Geiger, you believe Neldor and I’m not sure—it’s hard to even listen to some of what he says, it’s so crazy to me.”
He gave me a sad smile and gestured to Iolas. “You now have confirmation, Tamsin. He called you Princess. They recognized your name, yes?”
“Of course we all know the name Tamsin Vale,” Iolas muttered, glancing between us. “Our whole world does. Your birth was celebrated and—”
Dean White did me a solid and cut in, explaining to the fairies how the plan had gone off the rails and I hadn’t known about my lineage until I’d unfrozen Neldor from the magic. More food arrived and she spent the time giving a very abbreviated version of events to the new arrivals while we kept eating.
She was about halfway when I felt the portal to Faerie activate. I jumped to my feet and grabbed the box of crystals out of the drawer I’d kept ready, quickly absorbing them to recharge, preparing for the storm that was coming.
Because Neldor would not take kindly to what I’d done.
And I wouldn’t back down from this and had always planned to do it when I woke fairies.
“Do you want to have another talk?” I asked him in an icy tone as he came racing into the kitchen.
He stopped dead in his tracks, swallowing loudly as he glanced at the fairies behind me. Then his gaze locked with mine. “I’m shocked you used such underhanded methods to tip the scales and be unfair, Princess Tamsin. I expected more of you when we have been working so diligently together.”
I didn’t even get a chance to answer, several people in the kitchen sharing looks and bursting out laughing.
“That’s the first time you’ve addressed her so formally or respectfully,” Zack snitched before letting out more laughs. “You’re changing your full tune now that other fairies are awake when all these weeks you’ve been telling her you own her and she answers to you.”