by Toni Cox
A slight frown appeared on Arianna’s forehead, but she answered.
“It’s easy magic. A simple concealment spell, nothing special. But because I had to hide three people and three horses, it took a lot more strength than I anticipated. We were lucky I could hold it for as long as I did.”
“Thank you,” I told her earnestly, before pushing my luck further. “I can only do fae magic, you know, earth magic. But lately, as Thomas told you, I’ve been having this problem with this other magic that keeps bothering me. Do you know anything about it?”
Arianna shook her head and sighed. “It is getting late. We’ve already sat up for longer than we should have. You two need to get an early start tomorrow.” She rose from her chair, sadness in her eyes. “Good night.”
Thomas glared at me as I watched Arianna walk away. I needed answers, and she was my only hope.
“Why did you do that?” he hissed under his breath. “Arianna already told you she couldn’t help you with that.”
“I had to try, Thomas. You don’t know what it’s like walking around with this curse. I just want to be rid of it. Or, the very least, know how to control it. Is that too much to ask?”
“Curse?” I could not interpret the look on his face, but his eyes scrunched up, and his mouth pulled skew. What was he thinking? “You have a bizarre viewpoint on magic.”
“It’s not my magic. Not fae,” I replied stubbornly.
“So, you think other magic is bad, then?” Thomas’ voice rose in pitch.
“I didn’t say that.” I lowered my tone placatingly.
His defensiveness about other magic got me thinking again. It appeared as if Arianna could perform a variety of magic, for I had already seen fae magic and witch magic at work around the homestead.
I had no idea what kind of magic she used to conjure the concealment spell. She’d said it was a simple spell, but I didn’t believe that for a moment.
“I would like to find out about other magic,” I continued. “You never mentioned what race Arianna belongs to and what kind of magic she has. I’d love to know.” I tried to sound innocent and interested, but I knew I had failed when I saw his face.
“It is not my place to tell.” He clammed up completely.
“Alright,” at least I had tried, “could you then maybe speak to her again about helping me? Maybe she will change her mind.”
I knew I had gone too far when he slammed his hand on the table and leaned forward to stare at me.
“We have done everything we can to help you. I am leaving my home to see you safely to yours. What more do you want?”
“I’m sorry.” I meant it. I did have a conscience.
It dawned on me then that I expected two complete strangers to put their lives on the line for a girl they didn’t even know. Even if they thought of me like a princess, I wasn’t their princess. They weren’t fae.
Thomas and Arianna had nothing to do with the troubles that had befallen Draeguard, and I had no right to destroy their world because mine was falling apart.
“When I left the palace, I was a wanted person,” I said quietly, staring at my hands. “The palace guards had orders to capture me and bring me in. The councillors wanted me locked up with my father.”
Thomas retook his seat opposite me, listening.
“I cannot simply go back and tell them that I think it’s the dark elves that are attacking the palace. I appreciate your offer to help, but if I go home, I do so as a fugitive. They will arrest you, too, if they catch you with me.”
“That complicates matters,” Thomas said seriously.
“It doesn’t have to, Thomas. I have asked enough of you already. In the morning, I will take my things and leave. I will be a bother no longer.”
“That is not an option.” Thomas sat up straighter, and I could see the determination in his eyes. “We decided that I would see you home safely, so that is what I am going to do. You will never make it back by yourself.”
That stung. How did he dare assume I was helpless without him?
“I am quite capable, Thomas. I’m not the damsel that you think I am. Besides, the way I remember it, it was me that saved you from that dark elf down by the river.”
“Yeah? My path would not even have crossed his had I not gone looking for you after you ran the wrong way. I searched for you everywhere.”
“The wrong way?” Had he expected me to follow him? “If you remember, we were arguing at that point. What made you think I would follow you?”
He stared at me.
My pulse raced, as it always did when we argued. Could the shifter not understand my reasoning?
“Whether you accompany me or not, it makes no difference, so I might as well leave alone. That way, I do not interrupt your family life here.”
“Stop being such a stubborn redhead.” He threw his hands in the air. I gaped at him. “I know the route, there are people that will help us along the way, and now that we know the elf is out there, we can take appropriate measures. We leave together in the morning.”
“Why are you doing this, Thomas?”
I didn’t want to go alone, not if I was honest with myself. Still, it left me to question Thomas’ motives. I’d given him the option of staying here, of staying out of my affairs, yet he refused. Why?
“Arianna asked me to keep you safe.” A strange look crossed his face. I’d have to get better at reading him. “It’s also the right thing to do.”
Another question I had asked myself surfaced again. What was their relationship?
“You would go just because Arianna asked you to? She must mean a lot to you.”
He nodded. My stomach roiled.
“So,” I began, unsure of how to approach the subject, “are you just together, or are you married? Or isn’t it called a shifter-mate with your people?”
Thomas went very still. An icy chill crept down my back and colour rushed to my cheeks instantly.
“Mate?” he hissed. “What do you think we are? I have just turned eighteen. Arianna is thirty-six. I cannot believe your mind went there. What on Earth made you even think that?”
My mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.
“I will make sure you get home, but after that, I will be glad never to see you again. You question everything and then draw the wrong conclusion. Until you learn to trust people, no-one is going to trust you.”
“Thomas, I’m sorry.”
He shook his head, disappointment written all over his face. “Good night, Dana. Make sure you are ready to leave early tomorrow.”
Thomas left the table but turned back to me one more time before he walked through the door to the corridor.
“Just so you know, Arianna is my mother.”
Chapter 11
Before I could reply, Thomas disappeared through the door, leaving me to stare after him.
His mother? Thomas had said I questioned everything, but how could I not when things like this kept being flung at me? Inbreeding was illegal!
If Arianna was fae, I thought I’d know, but she lacked the faint sheen of the skin that all fae had.
If only I could maybe see her ears ~ the shape of them. She always kept her hair in such a way that it hid her ears, even when it was tied up. Or, she covered her head with a hood.
Thomas had said she wasn’t a witch. Yet, the magic, and the books, and everything around the homestead clearly pointed to her being one.
Shifters couldn’t do magic. They were non-magical legendaries, which was why the majority of shifters lived in the human world.
Then, what was Arianna that she could do magic and give birth to a shifter?
I knew of no magical shifter race, and it frightened me. The word ‘werewolf’ floated up in my head, but that was just a stupid human horror story. Or was it?
Maybe the best course of action would be to leave right away. Determined, I got up and went to my room to get my things.
Everything I knew about the outside world had been wrong
. Everything I had been taught was flawed, and I was stuck here with no idea how the world worked.
I resisted the urge to slam the door. The dark room calmed me, and I sat on the bed. The linen smelled faintly of lavender, and the flowers on the bedside table exuded a sweet perfume.
It was late, dark, and my clothes on the line were still wet. I was exhausted from the days on the road, and I could do with a good night’s sleep. The bed looked so inviting with its floral print.
Frowning, I took off my shoes. Why had I been so upset? I could not remember. The bed called to me. Climbing beneath the blanket, I rested my head on the pillow.
The smell of lavender smoothed out the frown on my forehead and calm spread through my body. Yes, sleep; that was all I needed now.
***
I woke up blinking in the early morning rays that filtered through the curtains. It took me a moment to recall the events from the night before, but once I did, I was wide awake.
When I threw my legs out of bed, I noticed a fresh cup of tea on the bedside table, and my dry clothes neatly folded on the chair alongside it.
A moment of panic rushed through me as I realised someone had been in my room while I was asleep, and I quickly dived beneath the bed to check the rucksack. It was undisturbed.
I darted to the bathroom, then changed, and then packed my bag in record time. There was no point in staying here any longer than I had to. My strange calm from last night had evaporated.
Thomas sat at the kitchen table, eating breakfast. His packed bag rested against the wall next to the front door.
He indicated a plate with bread, goat’s cheese, and fruit as meant for me. I sat down in silence and ate my food. The stillness hung awkwardly between us ~ solid, tangible ~ but we both kept our heads down and ate our food, ignoring each other.
We packed the dishes away and turned to get our bags when Arianna entered through the green front door. I mumbled an embarrassed ‘good morning.’ I guessed it was her who had brought my tea and clothes to my room.
“Dana, I made this for you.”
Arianna took my left hand and brought it towards her.
“It’s braided from horsehair, iris, honeysuckle, and wisteria. It’s a protection charm.” She tied it around my wrist. “Never take it off. It will not lose its effectiveness while you’re alive.”
“Thank you.” I thought it strange to wear a bracelet made from horsehair, but the gesture touched me. Besides, it was pretty. My smile reached my eyes when I looked at Arianna.
“Before you go,” she continued, “you have to promise me something.”
My heart dropped. Did she gift me the bracelet so I would agree to this demand?
“Dana of Silverstalk,” Arianna use my full name, and it sounded strange to hear it from her lips, “you may never tell anyone you saw me, nor may you ever tell anyone of this place. Will you swear it?”
“I swear it,” my mouth agreed before my brain could process the request.
“Thank you, please travel safely and with my blessing.”
Arianna wore a cloak this morning, and as she turned now, her face hidden in the shadow of its hood. I thought I saw a glint in her eyes, but I could have been mistaken.
One moment I was scared of Arianna, the next I wanted to hug her. I just couldn’t understand why my father had sent me here. It had achieved nothing. Maybe, Arianna was not the woman he thought she was.
Thomas led the way out of the house, shouldering his pack as he went. When we got to the stable, I saw that he had already saddled the horses, and each carried a bedroll and provisions.
“We’re not taking the Gypsies?”
“Arianna has a use for them here. They are good workhorses.” He patted the piebald Gypsy on the nose as we passed. “My gelding is faster, and we’ve seen how fleet the elf’s mare is; you can ride her. We’ll make better time.”
I was sad to part with the heavy draught horses, but I saw the logic behind Thomas’ reasoning. Coming up to the dark elf’s mare’s stable, I took a good look at her.
She looked like she could be a Thoroughbred; she was certainly tall enough. The mare had a dark brown coat and honest eyes. I thought we’d probably get along.
Within five minutes of riding her, I knew I had been right. The mare had a feisty spirit, but a gentle mouth. I couldn’t believe an animal like this ever belonged to a man like the dark elf.
Thomas and I didn’t talk. After telling me about the horses, he hadn’t said another word. I concentrated on my new horse, but I disliked this new dynamic between Thomas and me.
It got me to thinking about why I didn’t just leave last night like I had wanted to. I’d made up my mind. Why hadn’t I left?
Thoughts of flowers and soft sheets drifted to the surface of my mind. With a bitter taste in my mouth, I realised that Arianna must have enchanted me to stay.
Why? If I had left, they would not have had to worry about me again. So why make me stay? It made no sense. They could have been rid of me. Then, another thought crossed my mind ~ one that sent a shiver along my back.
What if my blue magic was dangerous, and Arianna put the sleeping charm on me so they would be safe during the night? Had Thomas told her about what happened in the forest?
Maybe Arianna knew more about this magic than she said she did. Perhaps she was afraid of it. Could I be the reason for the attacks after all? What if it was this blue magic that the elves were after?
The sensitive mare pranced beneath me, picking up on my changed mood. Thomas glanced in my direction but kept his comment to himself.
Taking deep breaths, I tried to calm myself. I’d come here to find answers, but I was leaving with more questions. This trip had been entirely worthless. My father would be disappointed.
How could I help him now? Who could I tell about the elves? Who would believe me? I would need to prove it, too.
I could speak to Alyssa’s father. He was a professor at the palace and well respected. Maybe someone would listen to him.
Despondent, I followed Thomas along the roads he chose. I didn’t even know where he planned to go. It didn’t matter. I’d failed, anyway.
I cursed my brain for over-thinking everything.
“There are tracks.”
The sound of Thomas’ voice startled me out of my reverie. “What kind of tracks?”
He got off his chestnut gelding and knelt on the ground, touching the deep indentations in the narrow path we were on.
I looked around and found myself staring at a dark and unwelcoming forest all around me. The narrow, rutted road had standing puddles, which was probably why Thomas and I were riding on the verge.
“Where are we?”
“Not far from Silverlakes. No-one ever comes this way anymore, which is why I chose it. It’s the old road. Come, I don’t like the look of these tracks.”
Thomas mounted his horse, and we continued riding along the road, but I paid attention now. I noticed how aware Thomas was of everything around us. He listened to every sound, looked at every movement, and I suddenly felt safer.
“Who do you think it was?” I asked at a place that allowed our horses to walk side by side.
“Shh, keep your voice down. Sound travels in this forest.”
I looked around, worried.
“I may be wrong, but if I am right, then it means trouble.”
The horses fell into single file again, and I followed with trepidation. Could it be the dark elf? What else could have Thomas so worried?
A slight breeze came up, blowing eerily through the trees. I drew my green hood closer around my body.
“Stop,” Thomas whispered. “Do you hear that?”
I strained my ears, but could only hear the wind. I shook my head.
“There are voices ahead. Follow me.”
Thomas moved his horse off the path and into the trees. The branches snatched at us, hooking on our bags, our clothes, and even the horses’ manes. I didn’t think it wanted us to pass.
; We eventually got off our horses and walked on foot, leaving the horses tied to a tree. Thomas tread carefully, and I made sure to follow where he walked. It didn’t take us long to find the source of the voices.
“I was right,” Thomas’ voice dripped with bitterness.
“Those are goblins,” I gasped.
“Yes. Do you see what cargo they have in that wagon?”
“I’m not sure.”
“That’s steel from the human world. I wonder where they are taking it to.”
Goblins out of their burrows during the day. Steel from the human world in the magical realm. Dark elves attacking the fae kingdom with dark magic. What was going on?
“I’m scared, Thomas. Can we leave?”
He cast me a quick glance, but I looked away before he could read my face. I didn’t need him to know what I was thinking. This one was private.
“Yes, Silverlakes isn’t much further. Let’s get the horses.”
We didn’t stop again until we reached a small homestead on the outskirts of Silverlakes. The owner saw us coming, but Thomas waved at him, and the man ran to open the barn.
I put my mare into a free stall and took off her saddle. Everything smelled of fresh hay and horse feed. When I came out of the stable, the burly shifter farmer glowered at me.
“Henry,” Thomas stepped between us, “she’s a friend. You can trust her.”
“You brought a fae under my roof?” Henry burst out.
“I know what it looks like, but she needs our help. If you want to worry about something, worry about the horde of goblins passing along the old road transporting steel from the human world.”
That did it. Henry blinked and looked from Thomas to me and back again. “Curse it.” He spat into the straw. “Who told you?”
“We saw them on our way here. It’s a big wagon. Five tons, at least. Thirty goblins.”
“Thirty-two,” I cut in.
The men looked at me. I shrugged.
“Alright,” Henry conceded, “the fae can stay.” He walked over to a hay bale and sat down. “This is the fourth load the goblins have brought through here,” the farmer explained. “At least that we know of.”