by Amy Sumida
I woke to the crowing of a rooster. It was like a death knell, foretelling the end of a chapter of my life. I knew Torin and I were over, and the knowledge stabbed me in the gut, sending me over to the edge of Declan's bed to dry heave. Nothing came out because there was nothing left inside me. I was utterly empty.
“Elaria,” Declan's voice was like warm water on my soul, a sip at the fountain of eternal youth. His hand brushed back my hair as he settled beside me on the mattress. “It's going to be alright. Right now, the future seems bleak, but Torin lives, you live, and there is hope in that.”
“When did you become a motivational speaker?” I muttered from beneath a fall of my tangled hair.
Declan chuckled and stroked my back soothingly. “Is it so bad to be stuck with me for awhile?”
I groaned and rolled onto my back. Declan was beautiful, as always. Hair of such a deep ruby, it was like freshly spilled blood. Eyes shifting from deep blue to shining amethyst, just like the stone he aligned with, and my own eyes. Declan was the only person I'd ever met who had eyes like mine. He also had wide shoulders, strong arms, and a look about him that clearly said he was much too powerful for the average beneather to fuck with. Declan was on a level I'd never thought to reach, as far as lovers go. But then, so was Torin.
I sobbed, covering my face with my hands.
“I guess it is,” Declan said flippantly, but I could hear the hurt in his voice.
“No, it isn't,” I whispered and sniffled. “That's what's so heartbreaking.”
“I don't understand.”
“I've hurt Torin,” I said simply. “You get that, right?”
“Of course.”
“And yet, part of me is so happy to be here with you,” I whispered it as if Torin might overhear me. “And even worse; part of me wants more.”
“More?” Declan cocked his head and considered me. “Tell me exactly what you mean by that.”
“No, forget I mentioned it.” My heart felt bruised, and I needed the solace Declan offered. If I told him about Banning, I might lose him too. I couldn't lose another lover.
“Elaria,” Declan said sternly, “tell me. We know this is not you; this is some outside influence, and we must discover what exactly it is. Don't be bashful when I have just hours ago been inside you. We have been one, you and I, and for the first time in my extensive life, that means something to me. I will not desert you.”
“Declan,” I whispered, my heart breaking for wanting more than this fairy tale romance he was offering; a romance he'd never offered another before me.
“Tell me,” he growled with a resolve I hadn't realized he was capable of. “Tell me now, Elaria, or I cannot help you.”
“I want Banning too,” I whispered.
“Uh-huh,” Declan murmured, his stare suddenly very far away.
“That's all you have to say?” I was beyond shocked, I was a little offended. Here he was saying that he loved me like no other before me, but then he wasn't bothered by my wanting another man.
“Remember that I believe your desires have something to do with an enchantment,” Declan noted. “Now, tell me, did these feelings begin before or after we vanquished Thomas Frost?”
I thought hard on it. I had wanted Declan and Banning before we'd had our little frosty victory. But I hadn't wanted them to the point of betraying Torin until the night we'd returned from saving the sirens. And then there was the crowing.
“I've been hearing a rooster,” I admitted.
“What? When?” Declan sat up straight.
“When I was with Torin last night.” I cleared my throat. “And then, when I was with you. I saw Banning too, images while we had sex.”
“What was the spell Thomas used on the sirens?” Declan asked.
“I'm not sure, but when he took Addy, and Mom called her phone, he crowed at her. Then, in Greenland, he said something about being a rooster with his hens.”
“I consulted several magical experts,” Declan noted as he helped me up. We went to sit on the settee before the fireplace. “They all suggested that this was some sort of sexual enslavement spell.”
“Sexual enslavement?”
“Thomas bound several women to him,” Declan spoke in the tone of a man with a puzzle. “When he died, the spell broke. Or at least it should have.”
I saw Thomas lying before me again, heard his cryptic words. Had the spell somehow transferred from him to me?
“Where's my contact stone?”
“I don't think you had it on you when you came,” Declan said gently. “Nor did you have your iPod.”
“I didn't bring my iPod?” I was horrified.
As much as it sounds wrong, my first thought was that Torin would never return those treasured items to me. Not if he truly believed that I betrayed him. But had I? I was so confused, my head foggy as a Scottish morning.
“I can send someone to fetch your things for you,” Declan said. “And I have a contact stone you can use.”
He went to a bedside table, opened it, and pulled out a simple contact stone. Not at all like the beautiful rose one Torin had given me. Still, it would work, and I needed desperately to contact someone in Onyx. I took the stone from Declan and slid it into my ear.
“Quinlan of the Onyx Kingdom,” I called.
After a few minutes, Quinlan's voice came through the stone. “Yes? This is Quinlan. Who is this?”
“Quinlan, this is Elaria Tanager.”
“Your Majesty? What's happened? The Onyx King is upstairs tearing apart his chambers. The members of the court are hiding in terror. Are you alright?”
“I'm fine,” I said. “Though I think I may be enchanted, and I was hoping you would help me. I know your first loyalty is to King Torin, but I assure you, this would be in his best interests.”
“What do you need, Queen Elaria?”
“I think I may have been the victim of some sort of spell backlash,” I said. “I need someone who can diagnose me. Do you think that's something you could do?”
“I am a rhodonite Shining One,” Quinlan said proudly. “I can see into your thoughts if you allow me, and I can peer into magic too. It's what helps me be such a good alchemist. In fact, I have just the tool for this. Where are you? Are you in your guest chambers?”
“No, I'm in Alexandrite,” I said hesitantly, “with King Declan.”
Quinlan paused briefly, then declared, “I'm on my way, Queen Elaria.”
“Thank you, Quinlan.”
The contact stone faded into dullness. I handed it back to Declan, who looked at me with a question in his eyes.
“Quinlan is on his way; he'll help us,” I said to Declan.
“Torin's alchemist?” Declan asked. “He's willing to help you?”
“He knows that helping me will help Torin, which will help him,” I reasoned.
“That's rather enlightened of him,” Declan said skeptically.
“Quinlan is an enlightened sort.”
“Uh-huh.” Declan narrowed his eyes. “He fancies you, doesn't he?”
“Maybe just a little,” I admitted.
“Well, if it means he'll help us, so be it.”
“Talk about enlightenment,” I huffed.
“I think you will find that I can be even more open-minded than your Onyx King,” Declan said stiffly.
“Declan,” I whispered. “You know that I care about you too, right? This wasn't just sex for me, whether or not some spell was behind this.”
“Truly?”
“Truly.” I took his hand. “If it wasn't for Torin . . .”
“You'd be with me?” Declan asked. “Or would you be with Banning?”
“Fuck,” I growled. “I'm a horrible person.”
“Loving more than one person doesn't make you horrible, Elaria.” Declan sighed. “But it does bring home the irony to me.”
“Irony?”
“That after all these centuries, wasted in pleasure alone, I finally fall in love. I finally find a woman I treasur
e so much, that I would forsake all others for her, and she's in love with two other men.”
“I'm sorry, Declan.” I closed my eyes in remorse.
“It doesn't even matter to me,” Declan whispered, pulling me close. He laid his forehead against mine. “I'm just happy to have you here, with me at last. Is that wrong? Does that make you think less of me?” He shook his head, the movement rubbing his skin against mine. “I've never worried about the way a woman felt before. But I worry about you, Ellie.” Declan leaned back to look at me. “I worry about your happiness more than I worry about mine. And I'm so fucking confused over it.”
“I think most people would call that love,” I said.
“And you,” he asked, “what would you call it?”
“I'd call it luck. I'm so damn lucky to have you; lucky to have you standing beside me, lucky to have your understanding, and lucky to have your support.”
“But what about my heart?” Declan's stare went steady. “Do you find it lucky to have that as well?”
“No, honey; I find it tragic,” I whispered. “But we're in this tragedy together; I love you too, Declan.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
I tossed and turned on the bed, clawing for blankets to cover myself with. The weight of them was heavy upon me, but still, I felt frozen. I rubbed at my skin like a crazy person, trying to heat it with friction if not with layers. Nothing did any good.
“Elaria,” Declan's voice pulled me out of the cold wasteland. “Quinlan is here.”
“Quinlan,” I whispered.
“Queen Elaria”–Quinlan stepped up beside the bed, a concerned look on his face–“how are you feeling?”
“I'm cold,” I whispered.
“It's going to be alright, Your Majesty.” Quinlan leaned forward and laid a hand on my forehead. Then turned to look over his shoulder at Declan. “She's like ice.”
“I'll have more blankets brought,” Declan said immediately.
“No, I'm afraid that won't do any good.” Quinlan set his eyes back on me. “The cold is coming from within.”
I took a deep breath of his scent: a combination of science and magic, just like Quinlan. But then his face blurred as my eyelids fell heavily, and all I saw was the golden-blond of his hair. It brightened into something even blonder –blooder blond to be exact. And in my mind I saw a different face; one very dear to me. I lifted my lips automatically and said his name. Except it wasn't his name.
“Banning,” the whisper seemed to shimmer between us.
Quinlan jerked as if I'd slapped him, and the movement brought his face into focus. I frowned and pushed back into the bed, away from him. Where was I? What was I doing with Quinlan? Was that Declan behind him? I thought I had been with . . . I held a hand to my temple and tried to remember. Had I been with Banning? Why? How? Wasn't he in Kansas?
“Your Majesty?” Quinlan held a hand out cautiously to me. “I think you are enchanted. Let me help you.”
“Quinlan?”
“That's right.” He smiled softly. “We'll figure this out. Don't worry, Queen Elaria, you can trust me. I will not betray you.”
That's right; someone had betrayed me. Someone who was like family to me. But Quinlan wouldn't. No, not Quinlan; he was steady in his loyalty. I could trust him. And he was wise. Plus, Declan was with me. He wouldn't let anything bad happen to me. I breathed out a sigh of relief. Yes, let's figure this out. Thank you.
My brain was getting more and more confused, flashes of men rotating through it like horses on a spinning carousel. Then my entire world spun. I moaned and held my hands to my head. There was movement around me, the bed shifting as someone crawled into it with me, and someone opening a satchel on my left.
“Elaria, just take a steady breath.” Declan's body slipped beneath the covers and pressed up against mine. He breathed in a sharp breath when his warm skin came into contact with my frigid flesh. But he didn't pull away. In fact, his hands went around my waist and pulled me tighter to his chest. “I've got you, my love. I've got you, and I'm not letting go.”
“Declan?” I frowned as something eased inside me. I started to warm. “Declan.” I turned my face to his for a kiss.
“Stop,” Quinlan's voice interrupted us. “Don't kiss her, Your Majesty.”
“What?” Declan frowned over at Quinlan as I moaned in annoyance. “Why not?”
“You know this is a spell,” Quinlan said reasonably. “We need it starved, weakened, so we can delve its secrets. Please, get out of the bed, King Declan.”
“I just swore to her that I wouldn't let her go,” Declan growled.
“I know, but you must if you want me to help her.”
“Blooder's breath!” Declan swore as he let me go. “I'm sorry, sweetheart. I have to let you go briefly. But I'll be right here, standing beside the bed.”
“Declan, no,” I groaned and reached for him.
But he slipped away. The cold inside me blasted out through my limbs, a gust of angry air. My teeth started to chatter. Even with my immortality, I wasn't sure how much more I could take. Long life didn't mean you couldn't be killed; I had proved that over and over. Turning someone into a Popsicle could have a pretty permanent effect on the body.
“Queen Elaria?” Quinlan's hand went to my temple and pushed back the hair that had fallen into my face. “Think of fire. I'm told you have an affinity for it.”
I closed my eyes and thought of flames. Heat. Burning. I started to warm, but then the heat turned into a different kind of burn, and need consumed me. I could feel Torin's hands on me –his body moving inside mine. Dark hair like black silk sliding across my cheek. The curve of thick muscles filling my hands. Eyes of brilliant blue darkening to deep sapphire. My love for you will never falter.
I groaned as Torin's face changed to Banning's. A memory belonging to another woman –another me– rose up. Hair like the palest part of sunlight. The magical flash of green eyes. Silk and lace brushing intimate flesh. Mouths merging, hands gripping, teeth drawing blood. Hours wrapped around each other, limbs and hearts entwined. A century of love strong enough to defy death. Oh gods help me. I thought I could never love anyone as much as Fortune, but I love you more.
Then the blood flowed into strands and became hair –crimson hair spilling around strong shoulders. A glistening, muscled body laying back in the Shining One Sea. Wet hands sliding over my shoulders, holding me to a slick chest. My ear pressed to the wild pounding of a heart that beat for me. Lips soft against mine. The striking planes of an aristocratic face. Teasing amethyst eyes changing to serious blue. Love filling every touch and look. I just want to hold you, feel your skin against mine again.
“Elaria!” Quinlan was shaking me. “I need you to focus, Your Majesty. I'm going to conduct an experiment. It's of my own creation: a blend of magic and alchemy. But I'll need your help. Can you hear me?”
“I hear you,” I whispered.
“Good.”
Quinlan let go of me and turned to the bedside table. There was a strange object there: a silver instrument that kind of looked like tongs, with stones placed at the ends instead of clamps. These stones were pink with black streaks in them: rhodonite –Quinlan's allied crystal.
“Close your eyes,” Quinlan said as he brought the instrument closer. “Rhodonite opens the senses, illuminates dreams, and will allow me to see what you're seeing. It should also calm you and help you fall into the magic that is affecting you.”
“Do I want to fall into the magic?”
“If we are to figure out how to overcome it, we must first discover what it is.”
“Alright, I'm going to trust you to not let me fall forever.” I closed my eyes.
“We are here with you, Ellie,” Declan said. “You won't fall forever.”
“Just try and relax, and let whatever this is take over,” Quinlan suggested.
The cool stones touched my closed eyelids, and I felt a sense of peace settle over me. I took a deep breath, and as I released it, the ima
ges came. I was surprised that they weren't images of the men I loved this time; they were of Thomas Frost. I inhaled sharply as I saw him sitting in that cavern again, surrounded by my family as if they were his personal harem. I shivered as his hand stroked Aoide's hair. It felt as if he were stroking mine.
“Don't fight it, Your Majesty,” Quinlan urged. “I see him. Let him speak to you.”
“No, that bastard–”
“Is not really there,” Quinlan cut me off. “It's his magic that you're seeing. This is what's ailing you. We must discover what it wants.”
“You're safe, here with us, Elaria,” Declan added. “These images are only in your head.”
Thomas opened his mouth and crowed.
“What the fuck?” Quinlan growled.
“What? What is it?” Declan asked.
“Shh, Your Majesty, please be silent through this process,” Quinlan admonished Declan.
“You have killed me,” Thomas cackled, “but you haven't killed my vengeance, Ellie-phant.”
“Fuck you, Tom,” I snarled.
“Don't anger it,” Quinlan warned. “We must work with this energy and convince it to change its allegiance.”
“What allegiance?”
“Right now, this magic belongs to Tom, but it's also bound itself to you,” Quinlan explained. “Can't you feel it? What happened with this Tom person, Queen Elaria? Why does his magic cling to you?”
“I killed him,” I whispered in horror. “I broke his spell. But magic breaks as it's broken, doesn't it?”
I saw Thomas's face again, that grin as he dropped to his knees.
“No!” Quinlan shouted. “Keep your focus on the magic, not the man. Don't give him more power over it.”
“I don't know what the magic is.”
“Sure you do.” Thomas stood, pushing Aoide aside, and strode closer. “You feel me surging inside you. I am desire, delight, and the devouring might.” He chortled. “The rooster with his hens,” the Thomas-magic spread his arms wide to indicate the sirens around him. “And now you are the rooster, little bird.”
“No,” I whispered.
“Or are you a hen with many roosters?” Thomas-magic laughed scathingly. “Maybe not many. It seems that one has flown the coop. How many men do you need to call them 'many' anyway?”