by Liz de Jager
‘Hence making myself irresistible?’
‘Maddening.’ His lips brush mine. ‘Frustrating.’ A further kiss. ‘Impossible.’
‘Lovable?’
‘Yes.’
I tilt my head a little bit further towards his and move that tiny fraction closer so he can kiss me properly. It feels as if I’m on fire. My heart races so fast that I’m sure he can feel it, where he’s wrapped his arm around my waist so his hand rests below my ribs.
‘I’ve been in love with you too,’ I say when he lifts his head reluctantly so we can breathe. ‘For a long time. And it’s scared me so much because I don’t know if we can have this. We never spend time together – apart from when we’re running and fighting. I’m worried that things won’t change, that we’ll never have a normal relationship like other people do.’ I look into his eyes and notice that they’re no longer the blue I remember. There’s gold in there now too and flashes of green. I’m distracted for a moment only, but then I’m talking again. ‘I want to watch movies with you. I want to go to restaurants with you. I want to take you dancing. I want you to meet all my family and go on holiday with me. I want to walk the forests of the Otherwhere, with you showing me the places you’ve discovered. I want you to show me the places you see when you travel the songlines. I’d like to spend time with you and I don’t know if we can do that. Or have that.’ I close my eyes against the stark expression in his eyes. ‘You made it clear when we first met, that humans and Fae can’t be together. That the Fae are not allowed to mingle or marry or have relationships with humans. Has any of this changed?’
‘No.’
I pull away slightly. ‘Then what are we doing here? Talking about being in love if we can’t take it further than stolen kisses? If I can’t be with you, or if you are ashamed of me, then there’s no us, Thorn. Do you understand what I’m saying? I’m not going to be your guilty secret. I’ll leave here now, because it will be better for us both. I don’t want our relationship to be built on deception and I’d rather have a broken heart now than months down the line, because I don’t think I’m strong enough to cope.’
Thorn’s eyes are intense as he stares down at me. ‘You are incredible.’ The grip he has on my waist tightens slightly and I’m momentarily distracted by the heat I can feel from his palm through the fabric of my dress. ‘I spent most of the day with my mother, Petur and the high council. With Petur’s ascension to the throne, they feel it should herald the start of a new era. Many ancient laws that have little to no bearing on how we live now will be reviewed and changed. My mother suggested revoking the law preventing Fae and humans from being together. They want to review the case law and my mother is very vocal about her support. She argued that if the Fae are to survive the upcoming changes Petur’s reign will herald, then the relationships between Fae and humans need to be reconsidered. Naturally safeguards will be put in place, and it will have to be proved that a human has willingly entered into a relationship with a Fae, but the law will be changing.’
‘Your mother did this?’
‘She did. I think she’s grown tired of me watching you with heavy sighs and a pining expression.’
‘There was that to consider. But she also did it because it’s a law made by ancient old men, bent on keeping the race of the Fae pure. They never stopped to think that before they’d created this rule, thousands of Fae already had husbands, wives and children spread across the Frontier. Fae had been marrying into the human race for centuries – living among them, becoming more and more human with each generation.’ Dina surprises me as she steps out onto the balcony. She is a vision in a slim-fitting gown that flares around her slender hips into a full skirt. The colour is so darkly deep red, it is almost black. She wears the Stormborn colours and she is as fierce as any of her warriors as she moves to stand with us. ‘I am truly sorry for interrupting you,’ she says, ‘but I need to crown my oldest son as the new High King of Alba and I need Thorn to fulfil his role as guardian of the realms.’
I smile at her and nod. ‘I’ll entrust him to you, as long as you promise to return him at the end of the ceremony.’
‘On my word,’ Dina says, her expression unexpectedly solemn. She takes both our hands and we move back through the doors. ‘Come, the ministers are waiting to get this over with. They’ve heard what’s being served at dinner and seem keen to install Petur as high king so they can celebrate and eat me out of house and home.’
Thorn gives me an apologetic look and I can’t help but laugh at his put-upon expression as we follow Dina into the ballroom.
Chapter Fifty-One
Six months later
The Caribbean, Buck Island, East of Tortola
If anyone ever promises you a relaxing day on a privately owned island in the Caribbean, stop to ask why. And definitely consider the life choices you’ve made up to that point and maybe give yourself a stern talking to.
I repeat why why why in my head as I run in a dead sprint along the pristine white beach. Behind me the undergrowth explodes as a monster the size of a bus comes charging out at me. The thing is all thick black fur, bunched chest muscles and long arms à-la-gorilla. It already almost took my head off further inland and I only managed to get away because I squeezed through a crevice in a small rock outcrop and it had to scramble around.
Dante’s lounging on the jetty in the distance and I’m too exhausted even to shout at him. Instead I just feebly wave my arm in an attempt to get his attention as I run. He eventually glances up when I’m about a hundred metres away. The smile on his face freezes and he brings his hand to his mouth.
‘Kit, run faster! He’s right behind you!’
As if I didn’t know that. I can feel the creature’s breath at the nape of my neck. Dante jumps off the side of the jetty and starts towards me.
‘Run back!’ I gasp-yell. ‘Just keep running. Away from here.’
He doesn’t listen and we almost plough into each another. I sidestep Dante as he barrels past me and I pivot, spraying sand as I spin back, ready to back him up in a brawl with this hairy long-armed creature from someone’s nightmares. I have no idea what to call it and I’m pretty sure my Giant Book of Monsters That Try to Eat my Face Off has no entry on this one. Dante trips up and almost face-plants in the sand but he stops, hands up, and starts talking rapidly in the kami language he’s been studying.
The creature drops to all fours after a very frustrated-sounding grunt. It then stares at us, scenting the air with a wide flat nose, before it starts pacing in front of us, blocking our way up the beach. But at least it makes no move to come closer or attack us.
‘What’s it doing?’ I gasp at Dante, hands on my knees as I struggle for breath. Running on the beach is a completely different kettle of fish to running on the street or on a treadmill. My calves are burning and I’m so out of breath I can barely speak.
I know I’m fit but this, fleeing for your life, tends to take things to another level entirely. Adrenalin courses through me and I wish I had my knife with me. Or a sword.
‘We’re fine, it’s just posturing. Where on earth did you find it?’
I wave a trembling hand in the general direction of the island’s interior. ‘I was just, like, hiking. Thought I’d get some photos to send back to Megan and then I look around and there’s this thing charging towards me.’
‘Did you do anything to antagonize it?’
‘I was standing on a little hill taking photos of the sea.’ I bite the words out and straighten. I push my hair out of my face, as it’s fallen out of its loose knot. ‘Unless it was – I don’t know – heavily objecting to the filter I was using on my phone, then no. I wasn’t doing anything to antagonize it.’
‘Actually,’ a familiar voice calls from a distance. ‘You were near her nest. She has babies. That’s why she chased you.’
I look up to see Thorn striding towards us from the undergrowth. He’s dressed in a scruffy white T-shirt and a pair of cut-off jeans that leave his legs bare from
the knees down.
He’s not wearing any shoes and he looks suntanned and relaxed. His hair has grown even longer than the last time I saw him, and he looks so different from the put-together young prince I’d left behind six months ago that my jaw drops open.
The creature ignores Thorn’s presence entirely and instead settles down into a weird approximation of a human sitting with their legs outstretched as he walks past. I get ready to run towards him if she grabs at him but she seems more intent on trailing her fingers through the white sand. It looks to all the world as if she’s sulking.
‘Thorn, what are you doing here?’ I move towards him once he’s past the creature and throw my arms around his neck. Words rush out of me and I don’t even pretend to play it cool. ‘I thought I wouldn’t see you for at least another three months, until they’ve passed the new law and—’ I stare at him in dawning shock. ‘Oh my God, they passed it already, didn’t they?’ I squash his face between my hands and stand on my toes to peer into his eyes. ‘Yes?’
He wraps his arms around me in a hug and lifts me off my feet. ‘I missed you so much. I may have caused several scenes and threatened a few people to pass the law faster. But yes, it’s done. We’re allowed to see one another without fear of breaking any ancient laws.’
I kiss him hard and fast and he hugs me tight before dropping me back to the ground. He frees an arm and reaches out to shake Dante’s hand. ‘You’re looking better, cousin.’
‘You’re not looking too bad yourself.’ Dante gestures to his hair and clothes. ‘It looks as if you’ve made yourself at home on the island. Are you’re staying here?’
‘I’ve been here a few months, actually, getting to grips with some things. It was deemed safer for me to be separated from society where I could do little harm to others if my new powers didn’t settle.’ He looks completely at ease saying this and I ache for him. ‘And although I appreciate solitude, it was getting a bit much. Although –’ he glances at the creature – ‘Erica and I have come to a mutual understanding: if we happen to spend maybe five minutes a day in one another’s company we agree not to see one another for at least a further twenty-four hours. It keeps our relationship fresh.’ Thorn gives me a little shake without removing his arm from my waist. ‘And why didn’t you read the instructions that were left in your cabin, by the way? It said not to go out into the island until someone came to fetch you.’
‘I got bored,’ I admit, feeling only slightly abashed. ‘Besides, it’s an island the size of a postage stamp. I mean, I didn’t expect Godzilla’s bride to be out here.’
Thorn manages a long-suffering sigh but he’s definitely not looking grumpy. ‘Where’s the other troublemaker?’
‘Aiden’s out diving.’ Dante closes his eyes to concentrate for a second before unerringly pointing off the beach, towards the sea. A dark head pops up as if summoned and Aiden whips his mask and snorkel off to wave at us. We wave back and, as we wait for him to reach us, I stare up at Thorn. His eyes are exactly the same colour as the sea. It is both remarkable and stupidly, distractingly, pretty.
‘Why are we here?’ I ask him. ‘And why are you dressed like a surf bum?’
‘Remember the night of the Midwinter Ball? Do you remember everything you said you’d like us to do together?’
I nod, remembering the words all too well. I’d felt raw and exposed, not quite believing I was putting everything I felt out there in the way I did. He could so easily have walked away, said that I was expecting too much, but instead he’d listened and brought us closer still.
In my mind I run over what I’d said and when Thorn lifts his eyebrows at me meaningfully, I grab his arm in shock.
‘Wait. This is a holiday? You’ve arranged this? For us?’ His acknowledging smirk is cute. I turn to Dante. ‘Did you know about this?’
‘Nope. Aiden just said he was coming to the Caribbean for a few weeks as his dad wanted him here on business, and that you were coming along so …’ He shrugs lightly. ‘Who’d say no to some sun and sea when we’re riding out the tail-end of a really rubbish winter in the UK?’
‘Exactly.’ I scowl at Aiden as he comes out of the water like a Bond girl, shaking water from his hair and face. He catches my scowl and stops mid-step, his expression immediately going sheepish. ‘You knew!’ I said accusingly. ‘And you never said a thing.’
‘Hey, don’t hate me cos I did something nice for you,’ he retorts. ‘It took ages to set this up, okay? Just enjoy it.’ He gets an arm around Thorn and gives him a hug. ‘Dude, you’ve gone surfer on us. It’s a good look on you. Is this what living gods look like these days? Because, let me tell you, I totally await my own godhood.’ He poses dramatically as if waiting for a light to shine from above and when it doesn’t happen, he just laughs. ‘Do you have food? I’m starving and – holy hell what is that?’ Aiden stops to stare at Erica, where she’s drawing in the sand. He glances at us. ‘No one mentioned the furry monster to me when I got involved in planning this.’
‘That’s Erica, and she’s fine. Just don’t go near her nest or her babies or she’ll chase and probably try to kill you.’ I peer at the creature and she peers back, looking moody.
Aiden drags his eyes away from her and nods slowly. ‘Okay, yeah, I’ll do my best not to do that.’
Thorn points to a rooftop that’s just visible above the treeline ahead. ‘The house is that way. Everything is at your disposal. If you don’t want to stay in the main house, there are two villas on the other side, on the cliff overlooking the sea. Just, wherever you want to stay is fine. The island is my mother’s, so we’re safe here.’
Dante pushes Aiden ahead of him and they start chasing one another up the beach towards the house. The wind kicks up and I push my hair out of my face and smile at Thorn.
I’ve missed him so much these past few months. After the Midwinter Ball and Petur’s coronation, we all returned to the Frontier, back to our normal lives. I threw myself into helping Kyle do research for a trickster case Marc was handling in Exeter. I’d spent more time with Dr Forster and his colleague Elki, working on heavy meditation and yoga techniques. These not only helped my migraines and nosebleeds enormously but also stabilized my magic further. The nosebleeds have stopped but the migraines have not. However, at least they don’t strike as often and they’re also less intense. I am still a work-in-progress but it’s only been six, going on seven months. There is time. The family keeps me busy but I still have a lot of down-time.
After talking to Andrew, I have now opted to go to university. Classes start in September, after my birthday, and it feels massive, knowing that I’ll be entering a new phase of my life. Andrew insists I take a break from family jobs during the first year at uni, because he wants me to pay attention to my studies. I agreed readily enough, but don’t think I’ll be able to stay out of trouble for more than a week. I don’t think he thinks I can either, but the fact that he wants to give me at least a year of being a normal student is sweet.
‘Hey, you’re deep in thought.’ Thorn peers down at me. ‘Already bored of your holiday?’
I give him my sweetest smile and a quick peck on the lips. ‘No, not at all. This is really nice of you, thank you.’
‘I hear this is what normal couples do. Go on holidays together. Relax. Spend time together. Read. Sleep. Watch the sun rise together. Kiss.’
He takes my hand in his and links our fingers together. We follow the boys up the beach at a slower pace. Erica lumbers to her feet and passes behind us, moving back into the interior of the island. The undergrowth is so thick that she’s gone from our view within seconds.
‘What about the monsters?’ I ask him. ‘What do we do about them when they come for us?’
‘The island is monster-free; I’ve made sure of that. You have nothing to worry about, at all.’ He nods out to the sea and does a complicated gesture with his free hand. A wall of magic shoots up with a whump sound and a dome slides shut over the island above our heads. ‘Being magically strong
er has been a revelation.’ He waves his hand and the dome disappears, but not the sense of being safe.
‘No monsters? What will we do if we aren’t fighting any?’ I stare out at the ocean, then look back at him. ‘Won’t we get bored?’
He shakes his head and tugs me towards him. I stand on my toes a little so we fit together better and kiss him slowly. His lips are warm beneath mine and I let myself melt into him. He worries my lower lip between his teeth and when I laugh he kisses me harder and I revel in it. By the time we pull apart I’m shaking from the intensity of the kiss and he looks a little dazed and no less affected.
‘For the next few weeks it’s just us. Will that suit the Lady Blackhart?’
‘No idea who she is, but this suits me perfectly.’
He nods thoughtfully. ‘Does that mean the new sword I had made for my Lady Blackhart wouldn’t interest you?’
My feet still and he walks on a few paces more before turning to stare at me.
‘You had someone make me a sword?’ I squeak out.
‘Yes. I know you lost yours.’ His expression goes from teasing to worried within seconds. ‘Is that a problem? Do you not want it? I can have it destroyed …’
‘No – what? Why would that be a problem? Thorn, that’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me.’
‘You’ve not even seen the sword. You may hate it.’
‘Shut up, I’ll love it. Show it to me immediately.’
He laughs at my pout and yanks me faster along the beach. ‘I hope you do. Come on, we’ve only got a month. We’ve a lot of relaxing to do.’
I let him tow me towards some stone stairs that I missed during my initial exploration. He turns to look at me and I grin at him.
‘What?’ I ask him.
‘You. I never thought we’d have this. Us. I’d hoped and dreamed and now …’
‘It’s a new world,’ I say, and he nods solemnly. ‘With a lot of things to figure out.’
‘You’re right, but at least we’ll have the choice to do it together. And we know my mother approves, at least.’