Ember

by Mindy Hayes

  I touched his arm and moved my head down so he was forced to look at me. “Even if I didn’t, Cam, you know this wouldn’t work. We are from two different worlds now. You belong here. I belong there. There’s no middle ground anymore.”

  He sighed. “I know. I just thought … I don’t know what I thought. I just … I guess I miss you more than I let on.”

  I bit my lip to keep it from quivering. “Me too.”

  “You’ll always be mine, Callie. They know that, right? I found you first.”

  My teeth gritted away the tears. “I know, Cam. I know that.”

  He nodded, satisfied, even though I think he knew the truth. I belonged somewhere else to someone else entirely. “I say we put aside all the faery royalty crap, and we have some fun. What do you miss most? Movies? Music? Food? What do you want to do?”

  I smiled and wanted to cry at the same time because he was back to my Cameron.

  “Let’s go see a matinee?” I suggested. “Something good you’ve been wanting to see.”

  “Backlash it is.”

  “Action flick?”

  “It’s got some comedy, too,” he defended.

  “All right. Let’s go,” I chuckled.

  • • •

  We got halfway across the theater parking lot when I recognized a familiar figure standing in line to get tickets. “Is that Matt?”

  “Lia’s brother?” Cam followed my line of sight. “Yeah. I think it is. I didn’t know he was back yet.”

  “You really haven’t kept up with Lia. He was supposed to be back months ago.”

  Then I saw Lia in front of him turn around to face him. Her eyes wandered to us and I stopped walking, wondering how long it would take her to place me in her mind—if I was even lucky enough for her to remember me at all.

  Lia’s eyes narrowed then widened. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. “Calliope?” she shrieked in surprise, stunned still. That didn’t take long.

  Matt’s head flipped around at his sister’s outburst. We locked eyes, but no recognition passed his gaze. Not even a hint.

  After a few dumbfounded moments, Lia maneuvered out of line and ran to me. She threw her arms around my neck, basically shoving Cameron out of the way.

  I laughed and hugged her back. “Hey, Lia.”

  “Oh my gosh, you’re back! What are you doing back? Are you here to stay? I can’t believe they let you leave.” She pulled back. “Jeez, you look different! I mean not in a bad way. I just see a definite change. But I’m your best friend. I should see a difference.”

  I chuckled. “I missed everyone too much to stay away any longer.”

  “Are you here to stay?” she asked anxiously. “Do you have to go back?”

  “I’m just visiting. I’m heading back tomorrow morning.”

  She nodded, mulling that over. “Why didn’t you come see me?” She frowned.

  “The plan was actually to come see you after the movie. I just got here yesterday.”

  “You’re only here for two days?”

  “We’ve got a lot going on. I can’t be gone for longer than that.”

  Matt finally came casually walking in our direction with their tickets in hand. Lia saw me looking behind her and turned her head over her shoulder. “Come see Calliope, Matt!” She turned back and said, “He just got home a few weeks ago.”

  “No wonder I haven’t heard from him. Hey, man!” Cameron called, lifting his hand in a wave.

  Matt walked up and held his hand out to Cameron with a wide smile. “Long time no see, bro!” They shook hands and pulled each other in for a man pat.

  “It’s good to see you!” Cameron said excitedly. “Italy treated you well.”

  Matt had bulked up a bit. His golden tan somehow made his blonde curls more blonde. “Thanks.” He smirked. It was always funny to see Lia and Matt next to one another. They looked nothing alike. “And who do we have here?” He looked at me, but I could tell he wasn’t saying it like an old friend. He honestly had no idea who I was.

  Lia’s face dropped. She chuckled nervously. “It’s Calliope, Matt. You know Calliope.”

  He looked clueless. His eyes wandered from me to Lia and then back to me, his smile gradually falling. “I’m sorry I—” He was trying to place me. I saw the wheels turning behind his eyes, but he was struggling. It had been too long since he’d last seen me.

  “Matt,” Lia interjected, nudging him. “My best friend, Calliope. We all went to high school together. The four of us used to hang out all of the time.”

  This wasn’t good. I wanted to cower away. This was going to raise too many questions if he couldn’t remember. Cameron remembered me. Lia remembered me instantly. Matt—I wasn’t sure if he’d ever figure out who I was.

  Cameron put a hand on his shoulder. “Think real hard, man. You know, Cal.”

  Matt shifted uncomfortably and smiled tensely, but he looked at me, running his eyes up and down me and into my eyes. We were making him feel mental. Poor guy. I wanted to tell him it was okay—he didn’t have to remember me. I wanted to lie and say we’d only hung out a few times and that I wouldn’t be offended if he couldn’t place me. He scratched his head and opened his mouth like he was about to apologize again, then closed it.

  I needed to let him off the hook. “Matt, it’s okay if you don’t remember me. We didn’t—”

  His eyes widened. “Callie Holbrook?”

  Oh, thank the Fallen fae.

  Lia and Cam heaved a sigh of relief.

  He chortled. “Callie! Of course! How could I forget you?” He grabbed me for a giant bear hug, running his hand over my hair like I was a child. I had been like a little sister him.

  He pulled back. “How are you?”

  “I’m good. Really good. How was Italy?”

  “Unbelievable.”

  “Don’t get him started,” Lia groaned. “He could talk about it for hours, and we’ve got a movie to catch.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Dang, you’ve grown up.” He looked me over again now that he knew who I was, and then his eyes grew wide as they landed just to the side of my face. Not only did his eyes grow wide, they looked alarmed.

  Crap. My stomach sank. I instantly put my hand to hair where I felt the peak of my ear. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I didn’t think we would see anyone. I didn’t think I would have to worry about my hair being messed with. I was screwed.

  “What was that?”

  I felt Cameron’s arm loop around my waist protectively. “Let’s go,” he whispered in my ear.

  “C’mon, Matt,” Lia linked her arm in his. “The movie’s about to start.”

  “No. What was that? What’s wrong with your ear, Calliope?”

  Freak. “I …” had nothing to say.

  “See you two later,” Cameron said, speaking for me because I couldn’t open my mouth. He turned us back toward his jeep, but that didn’t keep me from hearing Lia and Matt.

  “What’s the deal, Lia? What was that?” he hissed.

  “What was what, Mattie?” Lia played the innocent card so well.

  “Her ears. Did she have surgery?”

  “I think you’re seeing stuff, brother.” Her voice shook. He may not have noticed, but I heard the unease.

  “No, I know what I saw. She had a point. It stuck through her hair.”

  I curled forward, feeling vomit twist in my stomach. He wasn’t going to let it go. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

  “Stop it. No, she didn’t,” Lia denied, attempting a teasing tone. I could picture her shoving his shoulder, trying to play it off.

  “Yes, she did,” he insisted adamantly. “And her eyes were all bright and stuff, too. What is she?” he hissed.

  “We’ve got to get you out of here, Cal.” Cameron rushed us through the parking lot, and I lost it on the concrete just before he opened the passenger door of his jeep. “You okay?”

  “Get me to Kai and Declan.” I wiped my mouth.

  “Okay.” He helped me into the car and
peeled out of the parking lot. His hand reached out and tugged on the glove box, taking out a napkin for me. “He’ll forget, right?”

  I took the napkin from him gratefully to wipe my hand and lips. “Yeah, but I don’t know how long it will take. Freak! I have to leave. I have to leave right now.”

  “Can’t your faery buddies do something about it?”

  “I don’t know, but we can’t risk any more exposure.” I took a deep breath, my head falling back on the headrest.

  “We should have just stayed at your house. It would have been the smart thing to do. I knew I shouldn’t take you out, but you just looked like you really needed a break. One human moment. This is all my fault.”

  “No, it’s not, Cam. I wanted this, too. I wasn’t thinking. I’ve just been so used to not needing to hide anymore. I was stupid. I wasn’t thinking at all. Now I just have to go. Lia will cover for me.”

  Cameron nodded and accelerated the engine to my house.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  My parents must have heard us storm into the house because they both came running from their bedroom.

  “What happened?” Dad questioned.

  “Matt saw my ears. I have to leave.”

  “Matthew Sullivan? Lia’s brother?” Mom asked, clenching her hand to her heart.

  “Yeah,” Cameron answered, following me to my room.

  Dad sighed. “It’ll take a day or two for him to forget. I think you’ll be safe, but it would be wise for you to leave soon.”

  Tears welled up in my mom’s eyes. “But I just got you back.”

  “I’ll come back, Mom, and I’ll be smarter about it next time, but I can’t stay.”

  “You know she’s right, Melody,” Dad said sadly.

  She nodded, bringing her hand to her mouth to hide her crying face. I grabbed my clothes from the top of my dresser and headed for the back door. “It’ll be okay, Mom.”

  The four of us met Kai and Declan at the edge of the forest. The Keepers looked at me with concern, unable to decipher why we were leaving now. Their expressions were about to change when I filled them in on my slip up.

  “I hope you got the answers you came for.” Dad reached for me.

  “I think so. Thank you.” I held him tighter as if holding him tighter would make it hurt less to leave. “It’s been so hard not having you to turn to.”

  “It will get easier,” Dad consoled. “I promise you. I love you, Calliope.”

  “Love you back.”

  Cam snatched me up when Dad let me go. “Don’t stay away for too long.”

  “Don’t forget me completely,” I replied into his neck. I didn’t want to let him go yet. We didn’t get nearly enough time together.

  “Not possible.” He pulled away.

  After saying goodbye to my mom I darted into the forest, unable to see the three of them standing there watching me go.

  Kai and Declan caught up to me as we soared through the trees. “Why the sudden departure?” Declan asked.

  “Lia’s brother saw my ears.”

  “We let you out of our sight for a couple hours and disaster strikes,” Kai groaned. “Why weren’t you more careful? You know what’s at stake.”

  “I don’t need a lecture, Kai. I’m frustrated enough as it is, so could you please just shut your mouth and take me home?”

  I saw him fall back. So I slowed and stopped to look back.

  “Home?” he questioned.

  “Yes, home. I live in Faylinn. Do I not?” I knew what he was trying to get at. I’d never actually referred to it as home before. I don’t know when the transition set in, but it did feel like my true home now.

  “Yes, My Queen.” The sardonic edge was back, and I rolled my eyes before spinning away from him, shooting off my branch. I felt like I had aged ten years today, and my patience was nonexistent. Declan obviously knew better than to speak, so the three of us made our way back to Faylinn in a silence that had never existed before.

  • • •

  The sun was about to begin its decent behind the peak when we finally made it back. Dugal stepped out from behind an oak tree when he saw us approach. He bowed and greeted us individually.

  “Declan, may I have a word with you?” he requested and searched for my approval.

  I nodded.

  Declan turned to Kai. “Will you manage to get Calliope back to the castle without speaking a word? We know anything else you say this evening will not go over well.”

  “If she’s lucky,” Kai remarked snidely.

  I didn’t wait for anyone else to speak, nor did I excuse myself as I continued to walk toward the village. Kai didn’t waste time as I had hoped he would and joined my stride.

  “You know I only said what I said because we can only do so much from the forest. Beyond that, you are on your own out there,” Kai said with a soft firmness.

  “Was that meant to be an apology?” I peered up at him.

  He shook his head. “I’m not sorry for what I said. You made a stupid mistake that shouldn’t have happened in the first place. You lived as a faery, attended high school, and existed among humans for months and no one knew. Then you go home for two days and can’t seem to conceal your identity. You put yourself at risk, Calliope.”

  “I get it, Kai.” I threw my hands up. I didn’t need a lecture. “I’m upset enough with myself. I barely got to spend any time with my family. Just let it go.”

  We were walking past his home, and I was about to tell him I needed my space and to take the rest of the night off, when we saw Violet sitting with a few other girls in a flowerbed outside Lorelle’s cottage.

  “You’re back!” she exclaimed, jumping to her feet and ran to Kai. He knelt down and snatched her up in his arms.

  “Hey, sweet girl. What have you been doing?” Kai’s entire countenance changed when he was with Violet.

  “Nettie, Clover, and I were making bouquets for Mama.” She scurried back to the other girls and swept up a bouquet of wild flowers, covering her entire face, burying her cheeks into the greenery. “I wish this was the whole world.” Her little lavender eyes peeked above the petals.

  “Me too, Violet,” Kai softly said, chuckling. “Me too.”

  Violet’s smiling eyes above the flowers, Kai’s solemn face as he peered down at his sister—my heart was melting in pools of warmth at me feet. He picked her up again and swung her around. “I missed you.”

  “I missed you more,” she chuckled and threw her head back. Her bronze tendrils fanned out as he spun her around.

  “You’re good for him.”

  I jumped at the sound of Allura’s voice and turned. “What?”

  “Kai. You’re good for him.” Allura watched me. I didn’t know what to say, so I didn’t say anything. She continued, “Not many people can handle Kai like you do. He’s …”

  “A freaking pain in the butt?” I knew a few more choice words for him, but I kept them to myself.

  Allura chuckled, but said, “Complicated.” She gazed back at Violet and Kai who were horsing around with each other. She had crawled on his back and was messing up his hair. “After our dad died, his fun-loving personality turned a little more snarky, but he means well. And you handle him very well. You’re the only one that can really keep him in his place.”

  “That’s the Supremacy. I’ve tried to learn to control it.” I felt ashamed.

  “It’s not,” she differed. “I see it in his eyes. He wants to do what will make you happy. He’s just scared.”

  “Allura,” I groaned.

  “No, I know what you’re going to say. What does it matter if I’m good for him? He belongs to another colony. It’s forbidden.” That wasn’t what I was going to say, but I won’t say it hadn’t crossed my mind. “You have the power to change things, Calliope,” she said gently.

  “I’ve had a long day, Allura. I think I’m going to head home.”

  “Just think about what I said.”

  “And what exactly did you say?” Kai
’s voice came from behind me, startling me. He sauntered up, folding his arms.

  “Just talking about what an annoyance you are.” Allura smirked. With that one lift of her mouth, I saw Kai in her snarky smile.

  Kai flicked Allura’s hair. “You’d miss me if I was gone.”

  “Doubtful,” she shot back, swatting his hand and laughing.

  “I will let you two sort out your differences and head to the castle. See ya.”

  “Would you like to be graced with my presence?” Kai moved toward me.

  “If I have to be graced with your presence for one more minute of today, I may shoot myself. So, thanks, but I’ll pass.”

  Kai’s face went blank. The smirk wiped from his lips and any light mood was gone. I may have taken that one a little too far. It wasn’t as if I really meant it, but I didn’t recant or apologize. I bent my head and waved without looking back. What I really wanted to do was march up to him and smack him, then kiss him, but I didn’t do either. Obviously. Instead, I dragged myself in defeat back to the castle, grabbed something to eat, and took my spineless self to bed early. With the pale moonlight cascading across my room, I drifted off into a restless sleep.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Something warm pressed down over my mouth, cutting off my air supply, startling me awake. I pulled in a lung-full of air to scream before I saw Kai’s eyes glowing in the darkness and a finger pressed to his lips.

  “I have to get you out of here,” he whispered urgently.

  I kept my voice low at his level. “What? Why?”

  “We’re being invaded.”

  “What!” I hissed, shooting up in bed. “By who?”

  Kai growled. “I think it’s Rymidon.”

  I stopped short before replying. “But that doesn’t make any sense. Adair just gave us everyone back. He’s paired me up with Sakari. They wanted peace. We’ve been negotiating trades. And—”