Keron poured her another, but when she reached for it, he said knowingly, “Slow down on this one.”
“Okay,” her voice shook.
“Fale?”
“It’s nothing.” She smiled tentatively.
“You look beautiful,” his voice was almost a whisper. Fale relaxed and smiled genuinely at him then. He wore a mask of concern, and he leaned forward in his chair, as close to her as the table would allow. He held his hands out and laid them on the table. His shirt sleeves were pushed up to his elbows, and she looked down at the corded muscle on his left forearm and his valezsan arm on the right. Both of his hands, however, were flesh and she reached out to lay her palms on his. His grip was warm and strong. It made her think about how it would feel to have his hands roam her body, his long fingers spanning her waist, and heat flowed through her veins like tunnels of lava.
“I don’t think I can eat anymore,” she said.
“Me either,” he agreed. “Go read your book and sip your wine while I clean up. I’ll come get you.”
“I can help,” she offered, standing up with her plate and going to the sink.
“No,” he said quickly. “I won’t be able to do anything with you in here. Go sit on the couch.”
She did her best to sashay out of the room and Keron groaned. Fale smiled to herself. Bonus points for me. She went to the couch and tried to read, but her mind wandered. She read the same paragraph over and over, thinking about what it would feel like to trust somebody with herself in a whole new way. Would Nelson kill him? If Nelson was a machine, he could most surely rip Keron apart, if he remembered who they were. But if he was a machine, he wouldn’t care about her anymore, so the point was moot. She decided not to worry about it now, it was escalating her anxiety. Would Keron think she was not exciting enough or beautiful enough or lacking somehow? She’d seen the kind of girls Keron attracted. What if she turned into Taran? That would be disastrous. A sparkle flickered in the corner of her eye, the Ondah. She picked it up and smoothed her fingers over its buffed surface. The jewels were polished brilliantly. She wondered what would happen if she tried it out. Lucien had said to have Keron nearby, but what could happen?
Lost in thought, she didn’t notice Keron until he stood in front of her shirtless in his lounge pants, holding out a hand to her. His every muscle was defined and smooth. Fale stood up in front of him, running her hand along the washboard of his stomach, and handing him the Ondah.
“You want to check this out?” He looked down at the disc.
“I thought we might. If it’s okay?”
“As you desire,” he said in a low timbered voice that made Fale’s stomach warm. He watched her as she reached up and smoothed his hair back behind his ear, pulling him down to kiss her. He was going to let her explore him, but she deepened the kiss and said, “Take me to the bedroom." He leaned down and scooped her up behind her knees, carrying her to the middle of the bed, placing her on the pillows.
Keron had lit a few candles sending light whirling around the room, chasing shadows everywhere. He knelt on the bed facing Fale and picked up a small box from his bedside table. “Before anything, as my wife,” he looked down at her. “You need a ring. I didn’t like that guy not knowing you were with me.” He opened the box and took out a beautiful silver ring with a sky-blue stone. It had filigree all along the sides, the raised stone was perfectly round and the color of Keron’s eyes. “You said it was your favorite color,” he said.
Fale’s eyes were wet. “It’s the best gift I’ve ever gotten.” She held it up to the light.
“Lemme put it on you,” he said, taking it back and holding it next to her left ring finger.
~*~
Somewhere along the road, she had turned into what he was looking for. He knew their wrist bands would link them now for the rest of their lives, but for some reason, it didn’t bother him. He couldn’t imagine life without her sassy smile, her hidden tenderness, her discipline, just her. He realized he wanted to spend the rest of his life discovering Fale. It made his gut clench and his heart ache.
“Will you marry me, wife?” he asked.
“What?”
“We could do it; you know. Have the mages make it official?”
“Are you serious? Wait, does this have to do with um, making love? I don’t need to make it official to be with you,” she said.
“Geez, Fale. I’m trying to give you my heart here.”
“Are you sure?” She pulled her hand away.
“So, you don’t want to marry me?” He looked defeated.
“It’s not that. I don’t think you really want to marry me.”
“I wanna show you everything you’ve missed. I wanna be with you for every new experience. I want to know we are doing this together even though I don’t deserve you. I just want you. Will you take the ring as my girlfriend, at least?”
“Yes,” she said, her eyes shining. She had wanted to belong to someone for the longest time. The day Nelson claimed her would be forever etched into her mind, but he was her mentor, her guardian. She needed to be one half of a whole. She realized she had never stopped loving Keron. His returning her feelings melted her heart. She stuck her hand out again, and he slid the ring on her finger.
“Don’t cry.” He kissed her.
“Can’t help it,” she said between kisses. “You want me.”
“I promise I do.” He leaned his forehead against hers.
Fale was overcome. Keron picked up the Ondah and said, “Let’s attempt to draw out your powers. How does this thing work?” He shook it upside down, making her laugh.
“Give it to me.” She took the Ondah and laid it on the bed between them as they sat cross-legged.
“What’s next?” Keron watched Fale as she took the glass of water from his bedside table and poured some into the shallow dish. She spoke the only Crion words she knew over the water and waved her hands theatrically.
“That should do it, don’t you think?” She grinned at him.
“You forgot hocus pocus.”
Fale leaned over the liquid-filled disc and gasped. She sat transfixed, staring at her reflection. She touched her face, her hair, her ears.
“What is it? What do you see?” Keron asked.
“It’s the princess…” she reached her hand toward the water and her hand went right through the reflection; and the dish.
“Fale, wait. Don’t put your hand in there-" He leaned over to push her hand away.
“But I want to touch…” Fale’s arm was sucked into the liquid up to her elbow. She was obviously in a trance-like state, her eyes void of emotion, “…the princess." Keron was glad only her arm could fit into the disc, when it began to enlarge as her shoulder came near it. He didn’t know what to do.
“Wake up, Fale. C’mon, wake up!” He jumped behind her, grabbed her around the waist and pulled backward. She felt like dead weight. Actually, it felt like she was being pulled forward. Holding her with his valezsan arm, he reached around her for the water glass and splashed her in the face.
“Aaah! Keron, what are you doing?” She was livid. She realized what was happening and it wasn’t Keron holding her arm. She tried to pull back, to no avail. Terror gripped her by the throat like a python tightening around its prey. “My arm is hot, Keron. Pull me out. Please pull me out.”
“I’m trying,” he grunted and pulled Fale like a game of tug o’ war with an unseen player, but she slid in farther and farther. Her neck was touching the liquid surface, now beginning to hover in the air like a mirror on an invisible wall.
“It’s burning, Keron, hurry. I don’t want to get sucked in there.”
“Use your fire. Push it out toward whatever is holding you.” He held on, afraid to lose her.
“It’s not working.” She felt a jerk on her arm and yelled out in pain.
“Wait. You are supposed to be waking up your powers from this, right? So, let go. Open yourself up like you did with Lucien and see what happens. Stop resisting.”
“Don’t let me go.” Her voice shook.
“Never.”
~*~
She took a deep breath and centered her mind on her core. On letting go of her resistance to the pull, to the pain, to the unknown, and welcomed it all. It took a few seconds of conscious releasing, but then wave after wave of energy filled her. Cool peace like mint, and calm joy like sunshine. Fale relaxed in Keron’s arms and he sighed with relief. They were both breathing hard when she pulled her arm out of the Ondah. The disc shrank back to its normal size and they set it on the floor.
“Well, that was an adventure,” he said quietly, holding her in his lap.
“I think I understand it now, but I know why I need to have you near me next time,” she laid a hand on his chest, slid it up to his muscled shoulder and down to his bicep.
“Do you think you’ll have to use it again?” He ran a finger lightly under the strap of her nightgown from the shoulder down to her breast. She inhaled a shaky breath.
“I don’t think everything is awake yet.” Her hand traveled back the way it came and snaked around the thick column of his neck. She loved the feeling of his hair between her fingers, raking her nails across his scalp.
“Mmmm,” he responded, gently turning himself so she was lying on the bed and he was laying over her. She looked at him through hooded lids and he grinned with dimples.
That is so damn hot.
Fale held Keron close to her, digging her fingers into his shoulders. He ran his hands down her body, lightly sweeping them up over the contours of her flesh. She needed to be close to him, but she couldn’t get close enough. She felt like she wanted to be inside him, to be one person with him. He hugged her back, picking up her head in his hand. Tears of desperation rolled from her welling eyes. She clung to him. “What is it, Sprout?” he asked tenderly.
“I can’t hold you tight enough. I need to be closer to you and I can’t,” she cried.
He looked at her knowingly, and soon they were kissing with a passion she had never felt before. Only they existed, and as his fingers had skimmed her skin the night before, this time they explored with purpose, every part of her. Fale offered her hesitation to him and when he knew she felt safe, he laid bare all their secrets in the gentlest way. With her skin against his, she finally felt what she’d been missing. Every single glorious thing.
~*~
The flames flickered in time with their breath as they lay in each other’s embrace. “You okay?” Keron looked down at Fale, concern etched on his face.
“Perfect,” Fale said, touching his cheek. “I feel whole for the first time." She ran her fingers over the cut on his lip and her palm warmed. The cut faded under her hand. Suddenly, she was touching him everywhere she could find a bruise or scar.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Healing you,” she said.
Keron touched his lip. “Did it happen because of us?”
“It’s the Ondah, I guess. It’s supposed to bring my latent power into something I can use,” she said, touching his brow. “Lucien did say it was part of a ritual, though, didn’t he? It’s like we make magic together. The Ondah feels like it starts to fill a hole deep inside me, but I didn’t hold the power until your touch awakened me completely. I wonder what other gifts we could wake?”
Keron grinned, “Wanna find out?”
Fale laughed at him and ran her hands through his hair. “Kiss me,” she said.
“Gladly,” he smirked. “Where?”
“I’ll show you,” Fale said provocatively.
She led the way and they threw the quilts onto the floor...
Chapter 13
The morning sun streamed through the window onto Fale’s pillow. The candles had guttered, the wine bottle was empty, and they had used another vial of rose oil and plenty of protection. She wasn’t sure if the trip to the gym yesterday was making her body so sore or if she had overdone it last night; if that was even possible. Fale was getting cold without the quilt, but the places where the sunlight touched were deliciously warm. She remembered her palms getting warm last night, healing Keron, and a few strange occurrences she’d have to talk to Lisle about.
“What’re you thinking so hard about?” Keron nipped her ear, sending goosebumps down her already cold body. His mouth sent her heartbeat out of control like a runaway kite kicking in the wind.
Fale shivered in his arms. “I was thinking about some things I need to ask Lisle today.”
“Tell me?”
“My new gifts.”
Keron smiled. “Glad I was there for you. And after...” He grinned wickedly.
“I don’t think we should tell Lisle and Izzy about how it happened,” she said. “I need to keep the Ondah a secret to be safe. For now.”
“I wouldn’t anyway,” Keron said. “Nobody’s business.”
She smiled at him. “Just ours.”
He looked down at the body in his arms and held her close to him. “Just ours, my sweet Sprout.”
“I don’t think I mind the nickname so much anymore,” she whispered.
When they finally decided to get up, they showered and ate together. Fale put on her new skinny denims and a deep blue top to go with her ring and set off her white hair. Keron wore khaki’s and his long-sleeved t-shirt. His black hair curling with moisture from the hot shower. Fale looked into his cerulean eyes and wanted to go back to bed desperately. Her stomach turned somersaults. The sight of him reminded her of all the ways he had driven her wild with his touch. Tonight, Fale, she told herself. She could see the desire in his eyes as he looked at her clothes in approval, and she knew he was really seeing her as he had this morning.
“Let’s leave before we decide not to,” Keron said.
“Good idea,” Fale agreed, taking her bag and Keron’s hand.
As they passed the TacTrac, a woman was walking toward them, using a cane. Her face was as wrinkled as crumpled waxed paper, the waxen lines cut deep into her tanned face, but her eyes were clear. Fale recognized her instantly and lowered her head, but not soon enough. She pulled Keron’s elbow and turned her toes to step left, but the woman thrust her cane out. It hit Fale and Keron in the stomach, effectively stopping them mid-stride. Fale jerked her head to gaze at the woman, her white hair swinging behind her and her mouth open in shock.
“Fale.” The woman’s eyes narrowed.
“Sensei Edan,” Fale stuttered, “H-How are you?”
“What have you done, girl?” She dropped the cane but held them captive with her stare.
“I don’t know what you mean-” Fale began, but the older woman let out a cackle of laughter.
“Don’t think me senile, young one. I’ve seen the posters and I’ve known Sensei Wickarsham for longer than your lifetime. He wouldn’t leave you, so, where is he?”
Fale looked around nervously and lowered her voice, “I don’t know.”
“We need him here, and you are out cavorting with fantocci. What have you done with him?”
“I really don’t know where he is.” Fale held her hands open as if to show she wasn’t holding him in her grip. Keron’s elbow lightly nudged her arm and he nodded to the street where two Control Officers were walking with scanners, talking between themselves.
Sensei Edan didn’t miss the exchange and looked over her shoulder to see the officers. She turned back to Fale and Keron with a glint in her eye.
Fale held her breath. She poured every bit of pleading into her face and voice. “Please, I am going to find him. I am working on a plan. You’re right, he’s alive. He must be, but I didn’t do anything to him. You have to believe me.”
The woman shrugged. “That’s the problem. I don’t.”
Fale backed up a step. “You don’t what?”
“I don’t believe you.” She said it in a whisper like she was telling Fale a secret. Then, without warning, she yelled, “CONTROL! CONTROL!” She looked at the officers as she pointed toward the young couple.
Fale fe
lt Keron take her hand and pull her backward. Then they were running. She doubted the officers knew why they were chasing them, they probably assumed she and Keron had tried to mug the Sensei or rob her. Keron led the way around buildings, through the parking lot, and headed toward his old apartment building. Her hair whipped around her head and stuck to her dewy face. She could barely hear their feet beating the sidewalk over the thumping of her heart.
The officers chased them doggedly, blowing whistles. They were gaining too much attention. “We’re gonna get stuck.” Fale panted.
“No, we’re not.” The look of concentration on Keron’s face did a lot to put her mind at ease. He would know what to do. They had a good lead on the Control officers. Keron made a sharp right, crossed the main street of the city, and pulled Fale behind the grocery. She stumbled when her foot snagged on plastic netting, but he caught her before she could spill onto the concrete.
“Come on,” he encouraged, “we’ll lose them.”
As soon as the officers came around the grocery corner, Keron was pulling Fale into another apartment complex. He took them to the roof, and barred the door, with his valezsan arm. When the men reached the metal door, they couldn’t open it. They looked out the tall window but didn’t see Fale and Keron crouched down below it.
“It’s locked,” one man said.
“They must have gone another way,” said the other officer.
Fale opened her mouth, but Keron held a finger to her lips. He held the door for several more minutes, until they heard Control outside the building, walking away.
When they felt it was safe, they headed to Izzy’s as fast as they could. Izzy answered her door quickly, looking around outside.
“Where have you guys been?” she asked. “It’s after noon already.”
“Sorry, we were tied up. Where’s Lisle?” Fale asked.
The Key of F: a young adult fantasy romance (Freedom Fight Trilogy Book 1) Page 19