by Lola Gabriel
“Let her go. Right now,” Max commanded as his paralysis broke and he ran toward the man.
12
Ellery heard the front door of the house smashing open and relief filled her. Max was here for her. Or maybe her parents had discovered what had happened and sent the royal guard in. Either way, she was going to be saved from the crazy man who seemed to think they were heading toward some fairytale ending.
Errol jumped up as the smashing sound echoed through the house.
“Move,” he commanded.
Ellery shook her head. He reached down and grabbed a handful of her hair, dragging her to her feet. Her scalp screamed as he pulled her across the room toward a second door. As they moved, Errol pulled a key out of his pocket. Ellery tried to slow him down, holding herself back despite the screaming pain in her head as Errol kept dragging her forwards.
The door to the room smashed open, banging off the wall, and Max stood there. He seemed to be frozen for a moment, taking in the scene before him. Errol didn’t waste a moment. He kept dragging Ellery toward the second door.
“Let her go. Right now,” Max said in a low, angry voice that sent a shiver of desire through Ellery. Even now in this situation, Max was irresistible to her.
He ran toward them and Errol released his hold on Ellery’s hair. She backed away as Max and Errol came together, fists flying. She spun toward the door as another man ran in. She put her fists up and with an angry roar, she ran toward him.
“Stop!” he shouted. “It’s okay, Ellery. I’m with Max.”
Ellery wasn’t sure whether to believe him or not, but she reasoned that there had to be some truth in the man’s claim, otherwise he wouldn’t have known Max’s name. She was confused, though. Who the hell was he? She recognized most of the villagers and the royal guard on sight and she didn’t know this man. In her moment of hesitation, though, he had gotten past her and joined the fight, and Ellery saw with relief that he was indeed helping Max.
Between the two of them, it didn’t take long for them to subdue Errol. The man Ellery didn’t recognize pushed him to the floor and put his foot on his back, holding him in place. Errol struggled but it seemed almost like it was for show. There was no longer any real energy left in his fight.
Max dug in his pocket and brought out a pair of shiny silver handcuffs. He squatted down beside Errol and handcuffed his hands behind his back.
“I am arresting you on behalf of Faust and Freya Flannery, the King and Queen of the Fae. As part of the royal guard, I am taking you into custody to face judgment from the ruling couple,” Max said.
He straightened back up and nodded to the stranger, who pulled Errol to his feet roughly. Max turned to Ellery and she ran to him when he opened his arms to her. She practically fell into Max’s arms, feeling their warmth, their strength.
“I knew you’d come for me,” she whispered.
“Always,” Max replied.
He released her from his hold and she instantly missed his arms around her, but she knew that for now, they had to deal with Errol. They turned back and Ellery saw Max’s friend wrestling Errol to his feet. For the first time, the man got a clear look at Errol’s face and he gasped.
“You,” he said. “How could you do this?”
Errol opened his mouth to reply, but Max got in first.
“Save your talk for the ruling couple,” he said. He looked at his friend. “You seem to know him and I’m sorry, but you’ll have to wait for an explanation. I’m sure Faust and Freya will be happy to allow you to sit in on the interrogation since you were a part of rescuing Ellery. Now, let’s get him back to the house.”
Max went and took one of Errol’s arms and the stranger took the other. They marched him out of the house and pushed him into the back of Max’s car. The stranger got in the back of the car with him and Max went around to the driver’s side of his car as Ellery got into the passenger side.
“By the way,” Max said to Ellery, “this is Errol.”
“I know who the bastard is,” Ellery said.
“No,” Max said, shaking his head as he started the car and began heading back toward the house. “Not your captor. He’s an imposter. The other man, the one who helped me, he’s the real Errol.”
Ellery’s jaw dropped and she turned in her seat to look at Errol. The real Errol.
“You’re Errol?” she said.
He nodded.
“Pleased to meet you, Ellery, although I would have liked it to have been in happier circumstances.”
“Me too,” Ellery smiled. Her smile faded slightly. “I don’t understand, though. How are you the real Errol?”
“I sent a message to your father telling him I would have to delay our meeting because of some urgent business. I’m assuming this bastard intercepted it and posed as me to meet you. I don’t know why yet, but I intend to find out.”
Ellery nodded and then she smiled a little sadly at Errol.
“I’m sorry you got dragged into this,” she said. “And I’m sorry you had a wasted trip. I know my parents told you that there was a chance you could be my one true mate. But you’re not. I’ve already found him.”
At that, Ellery turned and smiled at Max. He returned her smile, and for a moment, Ellery was able to forget about everything else and just be content in her little bubble of happiness with Max.
13
As they drove toward the house, Max asked Errol to call ahead and let Faust and Freya know that Ellery was safe and that they were heading back with a prisoner to be dealt with. Errol complied and when he ended the call, he told Max and Ellery that Faust had asked them to go straight to the building at the back of the house where the holding cells were.
As Max approached the gate, it opened automatically and he drove through and kept following the road around to the back of the house. He pulled up outside of the building he had been asked to go to and instantly, four members of the royal guard stepped forward. Max got out of the car as they wrestled the prisoner out.
Faust and Freya ran from the building and Ellery jumped out of the car. Freya pulled her into a hug and then she released her and Faust hugged her.
“Are you alright, Ellery? Are you hurt?” Freya demanded.
“No, Mom, I’m fine. Really,” Ellery said.
Faust turned to Max and offered him his hand. Max took it and Faust shook his hand, his grip firm. He smiled at Max.
“Thank you, Maxen. You did well, and I owe you more than I could ever repay you,” he said.
Max smiled and shook his head.
“You don’t owe me anything, sir. I’m just glad Ellery is safe,” Max said.
Faust released Max’s hand with a smile and the five of them began walking into the building. Ellery moved toward Max and slipped her hand into his.
“Let’s go in here and you can tell us what happened, Ellery, and then we’ll question the prisoner,” Faust said, leading them into a small lounge area that seemed out of place beside the holding cells.
They all went in and sat down.
“There’s not really much I can tell you,” Ellery said. “I don’t even know who he is. I thought he was Errol.”
“Just tell us whatever you can. Start with how you came to be with him in the first place,” Freya said. “Did he come to the house?”
“No,” Ellery said. “I went out this morning…”
“Why didn’t you take Max with you?” Faust interrupted.
“I was getting him a surprise present,” Ellery said, blushing slightly.
Faust rolled his eyes, but he made no further comments and Ellery went on.
“I met who I thought was Errol on my way to Main Street. He asked me to have dinner with him and I said no, so he asked me for coffee instead. Again, I said no, but he insisted, saying it would just be as friends. I didn’t want to go. He creeped me out, but I figured that if you two thought he was a potential mate for me, then his family must be important and I didn’t want to cause any trouble, so I agreed. As we walked
toward Main Street, he smacked me in the temple and knocked me unconscious.”
Max felt anger surge through him at that and his hands balled into fists at his sides. Ellery rubbed his arm and he looked at her.
“It’s okay, Max. I’m okay now,” she said.
Max nodded, but he was finding it hard to quell his anger all the same.
“I woke up in the house you found me in. Errol, sorry, not Errol…the man, he was crazy. He kept saying he loved me and that I would learn to love him too. His plan was to keep me prisoner until I fell for him. I tried to escape, but he was strong, and so in the end, I went along with his charade, sitting down to watch a movie with him. I knew Max would sense that I was in danger, and I knew he would come for me,” Ellery finished with a smile.
“Errol,” Max said, when Ellery had finished. “You seemed to recognize him when we brought him into custody.”
“Yes,” Errol said, looking down at the ground. “I am ashamed to admit it, but I do know the man. His name is Alexander Jenkins. He was, until last month, part of my staff.”
“Errol, it’s okay,” Freya said gently. “It’s not your fault.”
Errol finally looked up and flashed Freya a grateful smile.
“Thank you for saying that,” he said. “Alexander put his notice in last month. Obviously, I didn’t suspect why, but it is now my belief that it was he who intercepted my message letting you know of my delay, and he took the opportunity to pretend to be me and meet Ellery.”
Faust nodded and stood up.
“Let’s go and interrogate the prisoner. Let me make something clear right now, though. None of you are to speak throughout the interrogation. Freya and I will be the only ones asking the questions. If any of you break that rule, then I’m afraid I will have no choice but to have you removed from the room,” he warned.
Max didn’t think it would be easy to control himself when confronted with Alexander, but he knew he had to. He had to hear the man’s story, no matter how angry it made him.
Max, Ellery, and Errol followed Faust and Freya into the interrogation room. Faust and Freya took their places on two chairs set in front of a small cluster of additional chairs, and Max, Ellery, and Errol took their places behind them. Faust reached out and pressed a bell on the desk in front of him. An intercom crackled to life in the room.
“Yes, sir?” a voice said.
“Issue the truth serum and bring in the prisoner, please,” Faust said.
Within minutes, the door opened and Alexander was brought in by two royal guards. He was taken to a chair opposite Faust and Freya and then he was strapped into place, his wrists and ankles bound to the chair.
Faust nodded to the royal guards and they backed away from the prisoner a little bit, although they remained close enough to step in if the need should arise. Max didn’t think it would. Alexander already looked defeated.
“What is your name?” Faust asked.
“Alexander Jenkins,” Alexander said without hesitation.
“Why were you impersonating Errol?” Freya asked.
“I just wanted to meet Ellery,” Alexander said. He had the nerve to smile at Ellery and Max knew he should be angry, but at that moment, he felt nothing but pity for the seemingly broken man being questioned. “She’s so beautiful and I have loved her from afar for years. I knew she would never consider a lowly civilian as her one true mate, but I also knew I could make her happy, and so I pretended to be Errol so I could meet her. I would have told her the truth once she fell in love with me. I never meant to deceive her.”
“So why did you see fit to abduct her and hold her against her will?” Faust demanded.
Max could hear the undertone of anger in his voice as he asked the question.
“I made a mess of our dinner. I screwed up my chance. But I knew I couldn’t just walk away. I knew Ellery and I were meant to be together, so I had to see her one more time. She was so reluctant to spend any time with me, and I knew I had no chance of convincing her I was right for her over one quick cup of coffee. I only took her to give her the chance to get to know me. I would never have hurt her. I love her,” Alexander said.
Faust and Freya looked at each other. Faust whispered something to Freya and she shook her head. Faust nodded to her and then turned back to Alexander.
“Do you have anything further you would like to say in defense of your actions?” Faust said.
“Only that everything I did, I did for love,” Alexander said. His eyes scanned the room and he smiled when they landed on Ellery. “I love you, Ellery, and I always will.”
“Please take him back to his holding cell,” Faust said to the royal guards.
Faust and Freya stood up and beckoned to the others and they all left the room as the royal guard began to remove Alexander from the chair. They went back to the little lounge and they all took seats except Freya, who remained standing and addressed the little group.
“We have all heard Alexander’s story. And we know it’s the truth because of the serum. Faust and I will have the final say over his fate, but we would welcome your input. Ellery, as the victim, what are your thoughts?”
“I’m not sure, to be honest,” Ellery said. “I mean, he seems mentally ill rather than evil. And while on the one hand, I’m conscious of the fact that he had every chance to truly hurt me and didn’t take it, I’m also aware of the fact that he could take a liking to someone else, someone who doesn’t have anyone to come and rescue her, and then I would worry about her fate.”
“Thank you,” Freya said. “Errol?”
“I know you two will make the right decision as to Alexander’s fate, and I am thinking along the same lines as Ellery, really. He could be a danger to the public, but at the same time, I don’t get the impression he’s evil. More disturbed.”
“Thank you,” Freya said again. “Maxen?”
Max thought for a moment. He wanted the bastard to suffer for what he had done to Ellery, but he had considered what Ellery and Errol had said, and he felt like they were right. Alexander seemed more mentally disturbed than evil.
“While there’s a big part of me that wants to tear him limb from limb for taking Ellery, I do agree that he seems to be more ill than evil. Maybe it would be inhumane to execute him for a crime that only came about because he was so convinced he was in love. I feel that maybe an exile would be more appropriate, but then that worries me in another sense, because like Ellery said, this could happen again, and next time, the girl might not escape without being harmed.”
“Thank you,” Freya said for the third time. “Faust and I will discuss the matter and we will let you know when we have reached a decision.”
“Actually,” Errol said, “if it wouldn’t be too rude, would you all mind if I left now? Like I said, I trust you to make the right decision and it seems that my reason for being here no longer exists.”
“Of course, Errol, feel free to leave whenever you want to, but also know that if you wish to, you are more than welcome to stay,” Freya said. “And from the bottom of my heart, thank you for the part you played in getting Ellery back.”
Faust stood up and extended his hand to Errol. Errol stood up and they shook hands.
“I, too, offer my thanks,” Faust said.
He and Freya left the room and Errol turned to Ellery and Max.
“Well, I’ll be off, then. It was nice to meet you both,” he said.
Ellery stood up and hugged Errol.
“Thank you,” she said. “What you did, coming with Max to help me, it won’t be forgotten.”
Errol smiled and then he shook hands with Max.
“Thank you for having my back,” Max said.
Errol left and Max and Ellery were finally alone. Max turned to Ellery.
“Why on earth did you go off alone like that, Ellery? Were you mad at me for sneaking away from you? I only did it because…”
“I wasn’t mad at you,” Ellery interrupted him with a smile. “Really. I understood why you snuck
away. I was telling the truth to my parents earlier. I wanted to get you a present. I was going to surprise you with that comic book you were looking at.”
“Oh, Ellery, that’s so sweet, but really, I don’t need gifts. I just need you,” Max said.
He pulled Ellery into his arms and kissed her, and instantly everything felt right with the world again. Ellery pulled back slightly, long before Max was ready for the kiss to be over.
“I love you, Max,” she said.
“I love you too,” Max said with a smile.
They moved back together, kissing once more, and this time, neither of them pulled away—until a coughing sound interrupted them and then they jumped apart quickly. Ellery blushed and wiped her hand over her lips.
“I’m so sorry, sir, ma’am,” Max said as Faust and Freya came back into the room.
Faust waved away his apology and they both sat down.
“We’ve considered everything you all said, and we’ve also considered our own point of view and our duty to the tribe, and we’ve reached a decision about Alexander’s fate,” Freya said.
She nodded to Faust, who took over.
“For all we agree that Alexander isn’t evil, he’s not someone we want in our tribe. He’s not someone we want representing us in the world. We are going to exile him. But we also considered the very real possibility that this could happen again, and before he is exiled, he will be going to our clinic in New York, where he will be treated by our top psychiatric team. Only when they are confident his mental health is stable will he be exiled,” Faust said.
Max thought it was a good decision, the best of both worlds. They would be rid of Alexander for good, but they wouldn’t be sending him out into the world while he could still pose a danger to other people.
“He will be transferred to the clinic in New York within the next twenty-four hours, once I have chosen the right royal guards to escort him,” Faust said.
“I am happy to volunteer to be a part of that team, if you’ll have me,” Max said.