Untitled

by Riana Lucas

  Gideon, Reed, and Holly remain quiet as they listen intently to me explaining the news to the others, but they also watch the others faces change from questioning looks to ones of shock and surprise. “Who?” My mother is the first to ask.

  I glance around quickly, not wishing to upset any of the other fae in the dining hall, before whispering. “The unclaimed.” There is still a very unfavorable stereotype about the unclaimed that I do not have time to correct right now. I am not as worried about this with my warriors. They will follow my command, no matter their personal thoughts. So the best thing right now is to keep from causing any more worry or fear within the court. Speaking of the unclaimed would definitely do the opposite.

  This is proven when my mother asks anxiously. “How did this happen? And why would they want to help?” I can hear the concern in her voice although she is good at trying to mask it. She does not trust the unclaimed either.

  Rowan speaks up before I can. “The happenings of both courts spread very fast throughout Faery Land. The unclaimed pay special attention to this information because they have been hunted and tortured by the Unseelie for, well, forever. They have to stay alert and know what is happening in order to avoid being caught up in some trap. They probably not only heard about the upcoming battle but about the cure as well. They would want to help with both in any way they could.”

  I nod as Rowan helps explain. “Exactly. They had not heard of the upcoming battle, but they knew there was one brewing. They actually came seeking the cure and offering any help with it. They heard of the battle from us and immediately offered assistance. They spoke of the ways the Unseelie have mistreated them as well. Fighting alongside us is no hardship for the unclaimed.”

  “What do they want in return for their help?” My mother’s confusion is now replaced with skepticism, but I do not blame her for it. Most fae, whether they are unclaimed, Seelie, or Unseelie do not offer up their services for free. There is always a trade, something they want in return, or some sort of catch.

  So, of course, she does not easily believe me when I shrug my shoulders and say. “Nothing.”

  “Nothing? I find that hard to believe." She scoffs in disbelief.

  “They just want to be cured. We were already offering that anyway. So they want nothing.”

  This time she turns to Rowan for answers. “Can they be trusted?” My mother is not easily convinced. I cannot blame her; she has been deceived one too many times.

  “Yes, Lily, I do believe they can be. If they came seeking help, they are probably in the early stages of the disease. They still have some control, and when not in the throes of the feral disease itself, they are just like any other fae. If they give their word, it is good.”

  She nods once then turns back to me. “What do you think? Can you trust them? To follow your command and fight with you?”

  I do not hesitate. “Yes. I think I can. Something about Skye made him seem sincere and completely honest. My instinct is that I can trust him completely. I always go with my instincts.” I explain further so they will understand my answer.

  She glances at the others who were with me during the encounter. Each nods his or her agreement.

  My mother takes a deep breath. “Very well, then, I trust you and your choices. We will fight with the unclaimed, we will take over the Unseelie court, and then we will work together to find a cure for all that have the feral disease.” She glances at me with a wry smile. “Easy, right?”

  We laugh, easing some of the tension. It will not be easy. But it must be done, and there is no sense in dwelling on the difficulty of the mission before us.

  I look around at everyone again, my heart swelling as a thought occurs to me. This is my family, something I have never had before. The only thing close was Rho. A pang of sadness hits my stomach at the fact that Rho is not here. She would have been so happy to see the changes in me. I can almost hear her teasing voice as she mocks me for making friends and over my feelings for Reed. Although I still occasionally feel this pain, it is becoming overshadowed by happiness at being able to remember her so clearly. She will always be with me, deep within my heart. I will not let the tragedy of her death overshadow the wonderful memories I have of her.

  I feel a warm hand move over mine under the table. I look up to see Reed looking sadly at me. His much larger hand engulfs mine, making me feel safe and secure. It helps push the pain of Rho’s loss away; his whispered words inside of my head taking the rest of it away.

  “She will always be with us. We won’t ever let her be forgotten. We all may not have known her well, but what you have told us and what she did for us spoke volumes. She was one of the bravest people I have ever met. I am so proud to have been able to call her a friend for even a short period of time. And I’m so thankful to have been able to have met the one person that was so important to you.”

  “Thank you. I miss her so much every day. But now I have so many people that are so important to me. I have a family. I have never had this before, and I never thought I would. I never even dreamed of something so wonderful, Reed. Thank you so much for being a part of my family.”

  “I will always be a part of your family, Poppy. Always.” Reed’s voice is fierce in my mind; his eyes hold mine with an intensity that I have never seen before. It takes my breath away. I feel my throat tightening and my eyes stinging. I glance around quickly to see that although everyone else at the table must sense something going on between us, they are purposefully redirecting their attention.

  Reed squeezes my hand, sensing my feelings on our timing for a conversation like this. “Like I’ve said, we’ll talk later. Once we come home from the battle with the Unseelie, we’ll finally have time.” His smile is a bit rueful, one that I completely understand. It seems there is never time. As soon as things settle, another thing pops up. Hopefully, that will end with this battle and rid ourselves of Damien for good.

  “Okay, but promise me you will be careful on this mission. I cannot bear to lose you, any of you.” I know he hears the desperation in my request, but I do not try to shield it.

  “I will, only if you promise me the same. You don’t have to be the hero in this. You don’t have to be the one to end Damien’s life either. I know how much that means to you, but I think it’s more important that we all live to see another day and that he does not. The lucky person that gets to deal the final blow doesn’t matter. Agreed?”

  I hesitate for a moment. Being the one to kill Damien has been very important to me. He has hurt me over and over. He hurt my mother repeatedly, and because of him I lost my best friend and have almost lost my other friends. I lost my entire childhood. I am owed the opportunity to be the one that takes his life. But at the cost of my own or even worse, one of my friends? No, never.

  I take a deep breath. “Agreed.”

  Reed lets out a relieved breath. I cannot help the giggle that escapes my lips. As soon as it does, I feel my eyes go wide, and I throw my hands over my mouth. I do not have to turn to see that all eyes are on me now. Reed’s eyes are large as well, but his smile is even bigger.

  “Did you…did you…just giggle?” This is from Holly. She sounds both amused and horrified at the same time.

  “No. I did not,” I state defiantly.

  “Yes, you did!” This from Willow, who has heard me giggle before, but never in public.

  My mother is the only other person that has heard it before. And even though she has, she still feels a need to draw more attention to it. “Isn’t it the most wonderful sound?” Her voice is wistful and loving. I cannot help it when I roll my eyes. That is such a typical mother thing to say.

  “Yes, it is.” Reed’s voice is soft, almost as if it is in my head, but by the look on my mother’s face it is not. He has said this out loud for everyone to hear. There is not a smile on his face either. He is serious, and it scares me. I do not know what to do with this Reed. I quickly turn my attention to my mother so I can avoid saying anything stupid or embarrassing.
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  “Thank you, mother, but you are supposed to feel that way. I am your daughter.”

  “Ah, but Reed agrees. So it is not only because I am your mother.” Then she winks.

  Okay, walked right into that one.

  I can feel my cheeks heating. I clear my throat as I gaze innocently around the table. I feel trapped so I do the only thing I can think of. I change the subject. “So, what are we having for dinner?”

  5

  Even after Reed’s serious words and heated glances, my mother’s reassurances, and my friends’ teasing, dinner still remains a mostly somber and quiet experience. Every fae in the dining hall is either worried about a loved one or mentally gearing themselves up for the upcoming battle. Everyone at my table does the same, each only able to keep up with occasional small talk or updates. Willow informs us of the healers she has been able to recruit. It turned out to be an easy task for her. She has more volunteers than are needed, having to actually turn some fae away. Of course, she informs us that she is indeed one of the volunteers that will be traveling into battle with us. This is not really a surprise, but it does not mean it is easily accepted. Gideon and Reed both try to protest, offering what they think are valid reasons for her to stay behind. Willow is not hearing it. She sits with her chin jutted out stubbornly, completely ignoring their pleas as she eats her dinner. At first, it is almost comical to see Willow so strong willed, but Gideon begins to get angry, so I finally have to put a stop to it, reminding them that we not only need her, but that she can do as she wishes. Also that it will not be right to accept other volunteers but forbid Willow to go. It is her choice just as it is with the others.

  As dinner comes to a close, my mother gracefully stands, immediately gaining the attention of every fae in the room without uttering a word. They fall silent as they wait expectantly for whatever inspiring words their queen will say. She does not make them wait long, nor does she disappoint them.

  “My warriors, my friends, my family; the time has finally come when we will seek justice and revenge for the horrendous crimes the Unseelie court and their king have committed against us. They have infiltrated our court multiple times, they have killed countless unsuspecting and innocent Seelie fae over the course of time, they took your princess, and now they threaten us once again. Finally, with the inside knowledge your princess has provided, we will raid their court, defeat their army, and take over their throne once and for all!” My mother is a picture of an almighty queen standing now before her subjects. She does not appear dainty or fragile in any way. As her voice rings out over the dining hall, she is regal and commanding as always, but there is an underlying force that is not usually there. She is strong, fierce, and beautiful.

  As the final words leave her mouth, the entire dining hall erupts into cheers. Everyone surges to his or her feet, clapping and shouting at once. The queen’s words have succeeded in wiping away the somber, depressed feeling. Now there is anticipation and eagerness for a battle and hope for a victory.

  My mother finishes her speech with a nod of approval to her people as they continue to cheer. The sound only begins to die down as the warriors and their families begin to leave the dining hall. The time has come for them to say goodbye to their families and make the final preparations for battle. I rise from my chair so that I can do the same, but my mother stops me.

  “Will you see me in my chambers, please?” She meets everyone’s eyes, including Rowan and Anna, letting them know they are included in the request as well. “I will not keep you long, but I would like one last moment of your time before you begin your final preparations as well.”

  Gideon bows his head, speaking for all of us when he says. “Of course, my queen.” The others offer a quick nod of their heads as well. “Thank you,” she says before turning to lead us out of the dining hall to her private chambers.

  The warrior standing guard outside my mother’s door sees us coming and moves quickly to open the door for her. We follow her quietly inside the room, and the guard pulls the door shut behind us once again. We are quiet as my mother moves to take her usual seat. The males file in, standing behind the couch, allowing the females to sit. There is not enough room for all of us, so I take my usual seat beside my mother, sharing her oversized chair. Her approving smile indicates that this is her wish. She takes my hand, as she always does when we are here alone, holding it tightly between the two of hers. For the first time, I am able to truly feel the tension I know she has been hiding so well. Her palms are a bit clammy, and there is a slight tremor in her hands.

  I glance up at her, looking for any other signs of distress or anxiety, but there are none. Her composure is still carefully in check, just as it always is when she is in front of an audience. She would not like for the others to see her upset or worried. She would probably prefer I did not know either, but I think we both realize we cannot hide those things from one another. She squeezes my hand quickly, probably aware of my thoughts. Not wishing to draw unwanted attention to her, I squeeze back quickly before turning my focus back to the others.

  Anna, Holly, and Willow are sitting on the couch, each with their warrior standing closely behind them. Gideon is behind Willow, one hand on her shoulder. The gesture is not as much possessive as it is protective. It is nice to see Gideon return Willow’s feelings. I think they are meant for each other. Thorne is standing behind Holly with the same look upon his face as Gideon, though I do not think he would dare touch Holly. I know there is something brewing between them as well, but Holly is worse than I am in this department. She would not know love if it bit her on the hand and she definitely would not care for a male trying to protect her. The thought almost makes me chuckle. Holly and I are so much more alike than either of us will ever admit.

  Then I look at Anna, the only one displaying her fear and anxiety freely. Thankfully, she is surrounded on all sides with support and love. Rowan is behind her, a hand on each of her shoulders. Reed is beside her, leaning against the arm of the couch with one of his mother’s hands in his. And on her other side, Willow is holding her other hand. I feel so sorry for her having to be involved in this. She has already been through so much, now she has to worry about losing her son in a battle that is not even his to be fighting in.

  Before I can think to guard my thoughts, Reed is in them. “That is not true and you know it! My mother is strong; she can handle this and anything else that comes along. As for this battle… This is just as much mine as it is yours. I may not have been living in Faery Land my whole life, but I have always been half fae, therefore a part of this world. Damien and the king involved me when they kidnapped me and threw me in a dungeon as bait for you. Then, as far as I’m concerned, they killed Rho. If they had not used her as bait as well, she would have never felt the need to protect us with her life. I may not have known her long, but she was my friend, and I lost her too. This is just as much my battle as it is the rest of yours.”

  “Okay, okay!” I reply. “You do not have to yell at me. I understand. I just feel awful for involving your mother in all of this. She is an innocent and I do not like the thought of her suffering or being scared." She has already been through enough on her own.

  “We are all innocents in this, Poppy. Don’t you see? If it weren’t for King Foxglove and Damien, none of this would be happening. But it is, and we will do what we have to in order to keep any of it from happening again. Don’t worry about my mother. Just worry about keeping yourself alive. None of us would ever recover if something happened to you.”

  I roll my eyes at this. I know I am the princess and the loss of my life would be devastating, but recovery would happen. There would be no other choice.

  “I’m serious, Poppy. If something happens to you, I—”

  His words are cut off by the clearing of a throat. My mother’s. I look up at her sheepishly, embarrassed at being caught in a secret conversation with Reed. I know it was impossible for anyone to know what we were discussing, but the fact that we were discussing s
omething would be obvious to anyone that knew of our ability. She raises an eyebrow but does not say anything. I glance around at the others to see them looking between Reed and I. Rowan and Anna already know about the strange ability that Reed and I have, but none of the others do. They wear varying degrees of suspicious glares.

  Before anything can be done to divert their attention, Holly blurts, “Okay, what is the deal with you two?” Holly has never been able to keep her suspicions or accusations to herself. “I get that you two are in love and all, but this is crazy. You’re always staring at each as if you can read each other’s minds. It’s creepy.” Her body shudders mockingly. I am not sure if it is at the thought of us being able to read each other’s minds, or at the thought of being in love. Probably both, knowing Holly.

  I feel my cheeks instantly burn at her use of the word love. I am sure they are the same shade of red as the streaks in my hair. I glance at Reed quickly enough to see a triumphant smile on his face, before glancing at my mother, Rowan, and Anna, expecting the same silly smiles. Their expressions do not match Reed’s, though. They appear concerned. While my focus had turned to Holly speaking of love, theirs did on the mind-reading part.

  We have agreed at some point how important it is to keep our ability a secret, but we have not been able to sit down together and really discuss our situation or what should be done about it. Reed is not even aware of the fact that I have discussed this with our parents. He does not know they know, although now his eyes are narrowed, and he is studying each one of our parents intently. Not wanting him to be angry with me right now, I rush to answer Holly’s question as honestly as possible without giving away our secret. I open my mouth but shut it again when I realize that I have no idea what to even say. Thankfully, my mother comes to the rescue.

  “Now Holly, that was a very inappropriate thing to say. We do not discuss personal relationships in front of others like this. I know I raised you better than that,” she chides Holly.