“I speak for this couple,” Miss Wrenn stated.
Mr. Tunis asked, “What connection do you have with the couple to have authority to speak on their behalf?”
Miss Wrenn’s eyes widened as she wrung her hands together nervously. “I—I, I’m…” she shook her head. “I can’t—”
Liam interrupted, “Wrenn is Rachel’s mother. She does have the authority to bless our union. If she deems me worthy.”
Tears spilled down my tutor’s face. At first, I thought I’d misheard, but as she gazed at me, her chin trembling, I knew that I’d heard correctly.
“You’re…my mother?” I couldn’t break loose from Liam, the magical bindings held us together.
She nodded and looked away, as she normally did when I got too close.
Her tone wobbled with emotions. “Liam, you are very much worthy. I do not remember much, same as you, dear man. I do recall not being given a choice. I’m pleased that Rachel has found you, and in turn, has found true love. It’s a precious gift that not many in our land are allowed to enjoy.”
Mr. Tunis said, “Very well. The witness has cast her blessing upon your union. My dears, I now declare you one before all. No man, beast, creature or other will ever be able to sever the ties you now share with each other, short of death itself. May you both live long, prosperous lives.” He leaned in closer to us. “You’ll kiss her now and then you’ll seal your vows.”
This time when he kissed me, everything was different. It was like drawing in a breath of cool air or being wrapped in a fuzzy warm blanket on a cold night. As I kissed him back, the thought that he’s mine permeated every part of me. He was suddenly as familiar as my own skin. I couldn’t hear his thoughts, but I could feel them, and sense what he was thinking, feeling, experiencing.
He was cautiously optimistic, hopeful and yes, totally in love with me as I was with him. I could feel it like the heat pulsating from fiery flames on a cold night.
When we finally pulled apart, I was hit once again at the startling revelations presented during our ceremony. Liam was a dryad! A tree nymph! So much made sense now.
More importantly…was Miss Wrenn really my…mother?
I turned to ask her, but she and Tunis were gone.
Chapter 10
Present day.
The crowd applauds and begs for more.
I stand and take my bow. The orchestra is beginning to put their instruments away. Then they will also stand to bow, as well.
Liam waits for me to wave my hand in his direction. That gesture will signal to the announcer to say, “Let’s give it up for Liam Shields, everyone!” in his disembodied cheerful voice.
I hesitate.
I glance over at Liam, once again his brows are furrowed in confusion over my hesitation. He gives a slight shake of his head meaning that we’ll not try tonight. Once again, his contact is unable to come.
My heart plummets into the pit of disheartenment I often found myself in these days.
What if I simply remove my mask? Would it cause enough of a commotion that we could escape on our own? What would really happen if I did reveal my true identity? Once again, my fingers brush over the glittering mask, aching to pull if free.
A noise to my left startles me. I quickly turn to find that Liam has knocked over his violin stand. His warning glare leaves me wondering if it was an accident or a distraction.
I sit down hard on the bench. Maybe I’ll not reveal myself tonight, but if the audience wished for another song, then I’ll at least give them an encore!
I send him a tight smile as my fingers start to play.
He freezes a moment, face paling. I continue playing. The audience grows quiet, expectant. They’ve never been treated to an encore or extra songs outside of Godmother’s playlists.
Soon, the worry lines pinching his brow ease as a smile pulls at his mouth. He immediately recognizes the refrain of our song and falls into the melody. Nobody else has ever heard us play it, except for Wrenn. Dear, sweet Wrenn.
I pull the microphone closer then break another of Godmother’s rules. Since I’m on a roll tonight, might as well make the trouble I’ll be in worth it.
“I can’t thank you enough for coming out tonight.” It’s not the first rule I’ve broken and certainly won’t be the last. I’m tired of waiting. Sometimes one simply must make things happen. That’s what I’d read in a book once.
The crowd goes wild. They chant my name, then Liam’s as well. Of course, they love him, too. Who wouldn’t?
“This last song is so very special to me and very dear to my heart. I hope it touches your hearts, as well.”
The ensemble members look at each other in shock. They’ve not had a chance to practice this piece since we’ve kept it a secret. This one will only be performed by Liam and I. He keeps his head down, his hair falling into his eyes, then slowly lifts his violin and sets the bow across the strings. His smile grows larger as he follows me into our last song.
One Year Past…
“Liam, how long have you known?” I asked later that night as I lay beside my mate and stared up at the brilliant stars scattered across the black sky. “You started to tell me about my history once not long ago. Did you know then who she was?”
My head rested on his smooth chest. We were wrapped in a blanket I’d swiped from my room. Fearing that Godmother could return at any time, or that Marcus might come looking for Liam here, we’d decided to take refuge in the woods where we could be completely alone and hidden.
“Not then,” he whispered, “but I’ve known for a while. Are you angry that I didn’t tell you sooner?” His fingers traced the lines swirling around my wrists. Wherever his fingers touched, the lines glowed faintly.
“Yes. But no. The contract she has with Godmother keeps her from speaking to me about it, doesn’t it?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Her contract is almost up. What will happen to her then?”
He squeezed his other arm tighter around me. “I don’t know, love. She might be returned to Realm. You can’t ask her. And you can’t let on to anyone else that you know the truth.”
My vision blurred with tears I refused to let go. “And I can’t talk to her about this, either, can I?”
He kissed the top of my head. I already knew the answer to that. My tears pooled in the crook of his neck.
“The sky is beginning to turn grey. I’ll have to return to World soon.” He held me tighter to him. Our legs were tangled together like tree roots digging into the hard earth.
“Will you be able to come back whenever you want? Promise to not leave me for as long as you have in the past.”
His kisses trailed down the side of my face. “I won’t be able to stand to be apart from you for very long, now.” He turned so he could look down at me. “We will have to be extra cautious, love. They will both be furious if they learn what we’ve done today.”
I brushed aside the long strands of hair that fell over his face. “I know. It’s our secret. She won’t be able to hurt you without going through me now. Please don’t leave yet.”
He buried his face against my neck sending pleasant shivers through me. “Not yet. If only I had power over the sun, I’d tell it to sleep in late. But we still have at least an hour. Let’s make the most of what time we have left, my heart.”
Everything had changed, but everything was the same.
The next time we were alone together, I attempted to ask her about what had been revealed during our binding ceremony, despite knowing I shouldn’t discuss it. As expected, she immediately shut me down.
“I have no idea what you are talking about, silly girl. Now hold still so I can check to see if this dress needs adjustments.” She held a sleek green evening dress, unlike anything I’d ever been allowed to wear before, against my body. “I think it’ll be long enough. You’ll need to try it on to be sure.”
“But…I have to know—”
Wrenn grabbed a fistful of my hair. Her face turn
ed savage and eyes burning. “I said hush! Not another word about that day, am I understood? Are you trying to get all of us killed?”
Would Godmother really kill me? Could she kill Liam now that we’d bonded? Wrenn, I was truly worried about, but she was letting me know this was not something we’d ever be able to talk about. At least here.
I shook my head, trembling so much I nearly dropped the satiny dress.
The normal Miss Wrenn returned, all grace and decorum. “Very good. You’ll wear your hair down tonight. Now try on the dress. We are running out of time, dear.”
And that was the end of any more attempts I tried to get information out of Wrenn. She’d done us a great favor by witnessing our bonding ceremony, I’d not ask for more. I was sure she’d seen more of my Godmother’s true personality and had reasons to fear the old woman.
Liam had shared what he could, reminding me a few times that Wrenn’s contract wouldn’t allow her to speak freely about what she did know about the past.
For the rest of the afternoon, I was made over like a doll. Greta took care of my makeup. Miss Wrenn and the cook, Mrs. Westin worked their magic on my hair. Literally. Never before had it been so shiny or so tame. Wavy curls hung around my shoulders. Thin braids wove around my head, adorned with glimmering beads that looked like cut diamonds. My full lips were tinted with a soft pink that matched my cheeks and brought out the deep blue in my eyes.
“What a vision,” Mrs. Westin exclaimed as Greta nodded quietly.
Wrenn simply smiled with appreciation and maybe a little pride. Once again, her bottom lashes glistened with tears that she held in check. “She is a vision. If her voice doesn’t enchant the audience, then her beauty will steal their hearts for certain.”
I blushed at her compliment. Deep down, I had a feeling that if she could tell me the truth, she indeed would. Maybe someday….
Our first performance was simply amazing. When we took the stage, the audience clapped politely. But once I sang the first song, they were on their feet applauding and cheering. Godmother sat in the front row, taking it all in.
At first, I wasn’t sure what she was getting out this, but as our music continued to enchant the crowds, I began to finally understand. When Liam played his solo parts, I sat back and opened my mind to what exactly I was experiencing. The best way I can describe it is the emotions, the feelings that our music brought about in the people of the stadium, welled up and flowed back toward me like when Wind gently blew across my face on a hot day.
The audience was completely transfixed by our playing.
All those feelings, the excitement, and energy coming from the humans somehow infused me, strengthening and empowering my music. The more excited they grew, the more passion I was able to put into my songs. The stronger my voice grew and the more Liam’s violin sang. He had a nice voice, but Godmother usually forbade him from singing with me for some reason.
I knew when he and I sang together, something happened between us. Something even more passionate than our kissing. Maybe she sensed that power between us and sought to keep us from realizing it.
In the exhilaration after our performance, we weren’t even allowed to enjoy the moment. Godmother was backstage soon as the stage lights went down. She grabbed my arm and Miss Wrenn’s hand and we were gone. In a blink, I was standing in the manor’s living room. A roaring fire blazed in the hearth. Cook had set up trays of her finest desserts and tall glasses filled with golden bubbling drink.
“That went better than I ever dreamed it would,” Godmother exclaimed, throwing off her mink stole and tossing it over the back of the couch. I blinked again and rubbed my eyes. She looked twenty years younger! Not one wrinkled sliced across her exuberant face. Her skin shined with a smoothness more like Wrenn who never seemed to age.
Taking advantage of Godmother’s exceptionally good mood, I asked, “When will we do that again? It was so much fun.”
She handed me one of the fluted glasses, then gave one to Wrenn who held hers without sipping it. “Oh my dear, you’ll need time to practice before the next one. Marcus will be looking for more venues where you can attend. The people loved you. I’ll have to go out tomorrow and see what the critics have to say.”
Wrenn was staring at Godmother with furrowed brows. “It was hard to really see the audience from backstage, but they did seem to love our—uh, I mean, they loved Rachel, just as we knew they would.”
“Indeed.” Godmother said, eyeing her suspiciously.
Had Wrenn almost made a slip about our relationship? The coldness in Godmother’s eyes worried me, so I tried to distract her. “What is this drink? It tickles my nose.”
“Champaign, my dearest. The best there is, I might add. Don’t waste it, Wrenn. Now, let’s sit and enjoy these wonderful desserts Westin has prepared for us.”
I took a seat and helped myself to a small square cake with lacy icing and raspberries on top. “I never had a chance to say how beautiful you look tonight, Godmother. I mean, you always are stunning, but tonight, I swear you look years younger.”
She was up and peering into the closest mirror that hung beside the foyer. The very one she always checked her reflection on whether coming or going.
“Thank you, my treasure, for saying so. I believe these little concerts are just the thing I’ve been needing. Not that I wish to give ol’ Marcus anything to puff his chest out about. Pompous fool. Still, he was right, I’ll give him that much.” She spun around to face us. “I’m not sure how long it’ll last, so from now on, I want you to really put all you have into practicing your music. I want you both ready for the next concert. I know we can pull more from the audience if we really put our hearts into it.”
I tried to hold in my amusement. She acted as if it were her on stage with us. Still, it had been wonderful to be around people. Real humans! Even if I never had a chance to speak to anyone, or look around. Most likely, I’d never get that chance.
The saddened expression on Wrenn’s face confirmed my fears. I better find what enjoyment I could out of this deal because Godmother would use me to gain as much power as she was able to funnel through my music.
The good thing about our new normal was that Marcus and Liam came nearly every day. Trusting Miss Wrenn to keep watch over me, Godmother only visited a couple of times a week to check on our progress. Whatever business she had going on in World still kept her busy.
I wondered if she had others like me who she used to help fuel her magic.
She and Marcus came up with a new playlist that consisted of songs that were sure to draw on the human’s emotions and feelings. Liam said little to me during our practice, but his uncle still encouraged him to spend time with me when Godmother wasn’t around.
He was to continue teaching me about World, showing me pictures he collected on his little device. After our first performance, Liam had screen saved a couple of newspaper clippings.
“People truly did love us and are hoping that we’ll have another concert soon,” Liam said one day while we were hiding up in the sprawling oak tree.
“When?” I asked, snuggling up beside my mate. Today he smelled of popcorn and hay. I wondered where he’d been to before they arrived here.
“Marcus is working on it. Estelle is very strict about where we are allowed to perform, which limits his connections,”
The branches were stripped of leaves, but he was able to make us blend in so well, that at one point, Greta had passed right under us without even realizing we were watching her stroll by.
“You’re really good at this, know that?” I teased while he nuzzled his face against my neck. “Keeping us hidden, that is.”
“Is that all I’m good for?” He teased back.
I shook my head, blushing at his suggestive smile.
The weeks passed in a blur.
When the snows covered the garden, sending it into hibernation, Marcus announced that we’d been scheduled for a Christmas concert at some large hall in a city called New York.
One snowy morning while we were alone during breakfast, I had to ask, “Will she send you away soon?”
Wrenn buttered her toast, being her usual evasive self.
“I don’t want you to leave me, Wrenn,” I whispered. “I need you.”
Her lips pressed so tightly together, they began to whiten. Glancing around the room, she finally said in a quiet voice, “Has Liam said anymore about helping you… you know…?”
I shook my head, knowing she referred to our escape plans or rather hopes. There were no plans yet. “He’s looking for someone to help…” I stopped, fearful of being overheard. “I’ll ask again.”
She nodded, then stood and gathered her plates before taking them to the sink. Before I could say anymore, she left the kitchen. When I went to look for her, she was nowhere inside the house.
Later that night, when Liam made one of his midnight visits, I told him about Wrenn’s contract and what she’d said. “What will happen when it expires?”
He laid beside me, his arms tucked under his head. “I’m not sure, love.”
I snuggled up beside him. “If we escaped into World, would Wrenn be able to come with us?” I knew she was my mother, but I simply couldn’t think of her in that way. Not while she was unable to speak about it. The thoughts of having my mother here with me all these years and not knowing were too painful to deal with while trying to keep a happy face for Godmother.
He drew in a long breath as if contemplating my question. “Marcus has been watching me more closely. He caught me talking to a…how do I explain?” He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “One way to break your contract with Estelle is to find somewhere to hide you for a few weeks. A complete moon cycle, to be exact. If I can find a place of concealment where she’ll not be able to track you down, then the contract should become void. That’s what Faerie Law states.”
Promise Forever: Fairy Tales with a Modern Twist Page 24