by Ivy Clyde
“Now what?” I whispered, peering from behind a gigantic statue of a goddess-like figure.
“Give him some time to cast the illusion,” said Rowan. I glanced toward Leon. His amber eyes were already focused ahead of him, his brows contracting with concentration. He made complicated hand gestures, like he was painting something in the air with his fingertips.
I thought back to Leon’s secret chambers at the castle of Belenus Court. He hid his paintings there and stayed there to hide from prying eyes. Neither Lady Chantal nor Lady Deirdre was aware of the location of his hidden lair. I hoped he could cast an illusion just as good as the one protecting his hideout.
Pressed against both my mates, I felt no fear but nervous energy still buzzed in my gut.
“It is done,” said Leon after a while.
I stared ahead but saw nothing different. The guards were still staring ahead without being affected.
“Are you sure?” I whispered.
“They wouldn’t notice even if you danced naked before their eyes,” said Leon. “Just don’t make any noise. They would still be able to hear you.”
I glanced at Rowan. He gave a nod and stepped from behind the statue. Leon followed him while I stayed rooted to the spot, watching them with a pounding heart. To my surprise, they walked between two guards.
Nothing happened.
The guard remained unaware of their presence. They gestured for me to go to them.
Taking a deep breath, I cautiously approached the guards. None of them looked in my direction. Feeling more confident, I ran toward Leon and Rowan.
There were no more obstacles before us. The entrance into the building lay open to us.
Rowan suddenly frowned while Leon started rubbing at his arms.
“What’s wrong?” I whispered.
“I am cold,” said Leon.
“I already feel the effects of the Engorging Bell,” said Rowan in a grim tone. “This is the reason the soldiers are standing far away from here. Getting too close would weaken them.” His silver-gray eyes looked into mine. “Are you feeling well?”
“I am fine,” I said. “I only feel my magic responding to it.” I looked toward Leon. “Why don’t you stay here with Rowan? Going inside will make you feel worse.”
“No way,” said Leon. “We won’t let you go in there alone. Who knows what kind of traps Vishen has laid there? You need me.”
“He’s right,” said Rowan. “You need him by your side.”
“But-”
Rowan pressed a finger on my lips, stopping my words. “He will be okay. Just hurry back.” His gaze softened. Leaning down, he pressed his lips to mine in a soft, gentle kiss. “Be careful, Moira. You hold my heart in your hands now.”
My heart throbbed in my chest as I looked into those beautiful silver eyes.
Firm fingers wrapped around my wrist. “Let’s get this over with,” said Leon, pulling me away from Rowan. “You can stare into each other’s eyes after we get out of here.” He dragged me through the open doors of the one-storied structure.
A gasp escaped us both as we stepped through the threshold. My magic zinged with electricity, heating up the surface of my skin. Leon turned a shade paler. While I didn’t feel weak, he seemed visibly shaken. The Engorging Bell was no ordinary object.
The entrance hall was dark. Only the sun rays coming in through the doorway lit up the shadowy interiors. When my eyes adjusted to the dim surroundings, I noticed a door on the far side. Gesturing toward it, I walked forward.
Leon stayed quiet as we approached the door but he held my hand in a firm grip.
My mouth fell apart as soon as we entered the vast inner chamber. Most of the floor space was taken up by a swimming pool. The water’s surface was calm and glassy but it shimmered with a green glow, illuminating the bizarre mix of creatures and people strewn around its sides.
“What kind of a place is this?” I whispered, staring at the bodies of fae men and women around me. There were also two centaurs, a gigantic looking dog and several trolls in the mix. They were all slumped against the walls or the floor, appearing to be in a state of deep sleep.
“I would end up the same way if I was locked in here for too long,” said Leon grimly. His amber eyes reflected the green glow from the pool as he stared toward it.
Something magnetic seemed to tug me toward the edge of the pool. My feet moved forward.
“Moira, be careful!” hissed Leon.
I stopped at the edge and kneeled down, peering into the depths of the water.
“Oh my god.” My breath whooshed out of me as I stared at the dozen or so bodies of mermen slumped in the bottom of the pool. Their dark hair streamed around their faces, hiding their features. Their large tail fins fanned around their bodies and gently waved in the water current. “Who left these people here?”
Leon moved to my side and stared into the bottom of the pool. “Vishen is feeding the Engorgement Bell to strengthen its powers,” said Leon in a grim tone. “Once they die, he would bring in more fae creatures to charge it.”
“Are you saying there were others who died before them?”
“Most likely.”
Bile rose to my throat at the thought. Vishen had no qualms about sacrificing people when it came to gaining power. How many more would have to die until his lust for power was satiated? Even Lucia was going to end up as one of his victims.
“Get the bell,” said Leon. “It might be the only way to save these people.”
I stared at the barely noticeable object in the center of the pool’s floor. The thought of stepping into these waters made my stomach queasy. But it has to be done, I decided, swallowing back my disgust and fear. I lifted my foot but was pulled back into Leon’s hard chest.
“What the hell are you doing?” he shouted, gripping my arms so hard it made me wince.
“You told me to get the bell,” I bit out through clenched teeth. “Let go of me.”
“Are you daft?” He didn’t loosen his hold on me but stared down at me with anger-filled eyes. “You are a lunar fae, remember? You can manipulate water. You don’t need to climb into a pool of probably dead and rotting mermen to get that bell.”
“Really?”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Turning me around to face him, he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tightly. “You’ll be the death of me,” he whispered against my neck. His warm breath on my skin drove away some of the chill that had settled over me.
“Can you teach me how to do it?” I asked, taking comfort from his closeness.
He stepped away from me and stared down at me. “You’re asking a solar fae to teach you lunar magic.” Shaking his head, he exhaled a long breath. “All right, let’s see if this helps. Close your eyes and feel the magic in the water. Once you’re able to feel it, you can manipulate it. Concentrate on parting the water away from the bell.”
I glanced toward the pool. Moving to the edge once again, I kneeled down. Closing my eyes, I did as Leon instructed and tried to feel something other than the strong magnetic pull of the bell. Once my mind calmed down, I was able to detect the faint, cool strings of silver magic that gently waved before me. My instincts took over from that point, guiding me to manipulate the wisps of floating magic.
“You are doing it,” said Leon. “Just a bit more…yes…now open your eyes.”
I slowly blinked open my eyes. The palm-sized object sat the bottom of the pool surrounded by two walls of water, leaving enough room for me to walk in between them to retrieve it.
“I can’t believe I did this,” I whispered, staring at the neatly parted wall of water.
“Replace the real with the fake one,” said Leon.
I dropped into the shallow pool and moved toward the center. Kneeling down, I picked up the Engorging Bell and stared at it. Every marking and carving on its silver surface was the same as Lucia’s replica. Taking the fake piece, I placed it in the same spot.
“Got it,” I said, climbing onto the
floor of the room.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said in a low, grim tone.
“What about everyone here?”
“If they are alive, they can save themselves,” he said. “Vishen will come to retrieve the bell tonight. He wouldn’t keep such strict watch over the place after that. For now, let’s go.” He grabbed my hand, not sparing me a moment to think.
I was dragged away from the macabre pool. My feet stumbled from the force of Leon’s tugs but I stayed silent and went with him. Even if he didn’t say anything, I could tell he was shaken.
My lungs seemed to expand as soon as we stepped out of the dark interiors of the building. The afternoon sun seemed bright and hot on my cold, clammy skin. Relief spread through me when I spotted Rowan perched on top of the wall enclosing us.
Noticing our presence, Rowan glanced down at us. He leaped down from his post and rushed toward us.
“Leon, are you okay?” he asked, his gaze filling up with concern at the sight of his brother’s pale face.
“I’ll be fine,” muttered Leon. Sweat beaded his forehead and his voice sounded strained. “We have to go now. I can’t keep holding the illusion anymore. It will break any second.”
“Are you all right, Moira?” asked Rowan with a quick glance at me.
“I am fine. Let’s go.”
With a nod from Rowan, we hurried out of the enclosure. The guards kept staring ahead, unaware of us walking among them. My heart pounded in my chest, hoping we could escape before Leon succumbed to the effects of the Engorging Bell that had sucked away the life forces of the fae creatures in that room.
The three of us were panting by the time we reached our lodgings on the far side of the grounds. My heart thundered in my ears as my chest rose and fell with the effort to breathe. The Engorging Bell sent tingles of electricity throughout my body. I couldn’t wait to give it back to Lucia and be rid of it.
Lucia…we had the Engorging Bell with us to stop Vishen from completing the ritual but what about her? Anxiety coiled around my gut as I thought of her in Vishen’s cruel hands. I didn’t know how I was going to do it but I had to save her.
12
Moira
A mild breeze blew the loose strands of hair away from my face. It was barely three in the afternoon but the sun’s rays had already weakened. I sat alone on the porch of the house, keeping a lookout to spot if anyone was spying on us.
Neither Rowan nor Leon had the energy to sit up after we returned from our mission. The Engorging Bell made Rowan extremely lethargic while Leon completely passed out as soon as we returned to our lodgings. We were lucky Leon managed to hold on to the illusion, keeping us veiled from the soldiers who guarded the macabre pool.
The fading sunlight glinted on the carved surface of the bell. I’d been inspecting it for the past hour now, trying to make it listen to my command. The jolts of electricity I’d felt from it earlier subsided but I had to wait for Rowan and Leon to wake up to be sure it had stopped sucking life forces from its environment.
A large yawn escaped me. I was tired too but couldn’t keep my eyes closed for too long. The sight of those lifeless bodies kept rising up in my mind, refusing to offer me a moment of peace.
My gaze swept the sky and grounds before me. There was no one in sight. My magic was calm too. Deciding to risk it, I went inside the house to look for Rowan.
Rowan was snoozing lightly on a cot that seemed too small for him. Not wanting to wake him yet, I kneeled before the bed. My hand reached out to move away the stray strands of his raven-black hair that fell over his face. He stirred at my lightest touch.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, opening his eyes.
“How do you feel?”
Rowan sat up and ran his fingers through the loose locks of his hair. “Much better. Were you able to control the bell?”
“I was able to do something to it but wasn’t sure if it stopped sucking your energies.”
“I think you made it stop,” said Rowan. “I don’t feel its effects anymore.”
Relief spread through me at once. I slumped forward and rested my head on the edge of the bed. “I’m so glad. You have no idea how worried it made me to keep the bell so close to me.”
Rowan caressed my head gently. “Keep it,” he said. “It’s a very useful weapon in a fight. The bell can weaken an entire group of soldiers. Even if you’re surrounded, you can make an escape.”
“It belongs to Lucia. I want to give it back to her.” I gazed up at him. “We need to make sure she is safe.”
He looked grim. “We will but you need to go and get some rest now. You look exhausted.”
I gave a nod. “Will you look after Leon for me?”
He smiled. “Of course. Now that the Engorging Bell is calm, I am sure he will regain his strength quickly.” His fingers stroked my chin gently as he leaned in to kiss me. “I wish you could sleep in here,” he murmured against my lips.
“I want to,” I whispered and pressed my lips to him. The familiar scent of sage and wildflowers enveloped me in a warm haze as he folded his arms around me. I clung to him, wishing the images from earlier would stop haunting me.
I turned around fully to face him, letting my arms wound around his neck. My enthusiasm made his lips morph into a smile as he kissed me. Excitement flooded inside me, driving away the cold, heavy fog that seemed to have settled over my chest. Breaking off the kiss suddenly, I looked into his eyes.
Desire pooled into those warm silvery eyes as he stared at me. It hit me deeply because the last time we were intimate, we were both being driven by lust and a need to keep me alive from the spreading gancanaugh venom in my veins. Now, he was kissing me sweetly and savoring it, like he’d been thirsty for a long, long time and I was the only one who could offer him the nectar that would satiate him.
Breaking away, Rowan gazed at me with longing in his eyes. He’d tried so hard to suppress his desire for me in Aelia to protect me. This small cottage in the fringes of Coran’s manor finally gave him the freedom to express himself fully.
“You’re always beautiful to me, Moira,” he said, pressing his lips to mine.
Moving away for a moment, he added, “I have loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you. I was attracted to your innocence like a moth to a flame. You’re the answer to all my prayers for a mate I could trust with all my heart.”
His words broke through the cold numbness in my mind. My body ached with desire. I threw myself at him, catching him unawares and making him tumble onto the floor. Laughter shook his body as I climbed on top of him and smothered his face in kisses.
With a sudden move, Rowan placed his arms under my thighs and hauled me into his arms. He carried me inside the cottage and into his room. The cot assigned to him was small but it didn’t deter him at all.
Rowan dropped me down on the bed and got on top of me. I gasped from the abrupt rush but next moment, he’d captured my lips in a heated kiss. His hand slid down my legs and moved the hem of my skirt to reach my bare skin. His fingers delved further up to reach the triangle between my legs.
I moaned into Rowan’s mouth just as I felt his hand brush over my panties. He lowered his mouth to my neck while his hand pulled my panties down my thighs. Fire coursed through my veins, making my core throb with need.
“This is taking too long,” I gasped out.
Rowan stared at me, his gaze darkening with an emotion I’d never seen before. He didn’t move away but straddled my thighs as he hurriedly unbuttoned his tunic and threw it away.
Leaning down, he started removing my clothes but my eyes were fixed on the delicious display before me. His chest was a mass of thick, defined muscles. His skin was like burnished gold, like he worked out in a gym right under the sun. The sudden urge to lick those hard planes overwhelmed me.
My dress was already taken off me. Next, I took threw away the linen shift and pulled him onto me, enjoying the feel of my soft breasts pressing up against his hard chest. He left a trail of kisses
down my neck as he settled between my legs. His hard cock pressed against my thighs, making me grow even more desperate with need.
A loud moan escaped me as Rowan’s mouth closed over a red-tipped nipple. His teeth grazed over the soft, sensitive flesh as he sucked and kissed it. Sparks of heat shot through me, making my body writhe underneath him.
“Please, Rowan,” I whispered. “Don’t torment me anymore.”
“Tell me what you need,” he replied, kissing my stomach.
“You,” I gasped out as he left a kiss on my belly button.
Rowan moved over me, covering my body with his. For a moment, his silver eyes stared into mine. Next thing I knew, he was aligning the thick head of his cock at my entrance. I braced myself for both the pain and pleasure of having him inside me.
“Moira,” he groaned as he entered me with one hard, satisfying thrust.
My walls pulsed around him, eager to take him in deeper. Pulling out, he thrust in again, burying himself to the hilt in my throbbing, hot core.
Within a minute, all thoughts vanished from my head. Rowan was moving inside me at a slow, steady pace while his lips left kisses on the side of my neck.
“You’re so damn tight, Moira,” he groaned, pressing his head between my breasts. “I feel like I’ll come anytime.” While he might have felt that way, Rowan kept thrusting inside me, plunging deep enough to reach that spot that transformed every hit into a cascade of pleasure.
I moaned out, feeling my entire body throb with pleasure. My nails dug into his back as it became too much to bear. “Harder, Rowan,” I groaned, hungry to feel nothing but the delicious thrusts of his cock deep inside me.
The muscles in my lower abdomen went tight as pleasure coiled deep inside me. It only took a few more thrusts to break my control. I shouted his name while my walls clamped onto his hard, hot cock. He kept plunging into my tightening channel, lighting another fire deep within me.
Rowan’s mouth closed on mine but my returning kisses were intermittent as my lips opened wide, gasping for breath as intense pleasure coursed through me. His own thrusts became harder and faster, his deep groans joining my incoherent moans.