Alita shakes her head. “No, that would not help.” Probably not but it would sure feel good.
“Your opinion of a man you have never met seems a bit harsh,” a strange voice says from the back door of the kitchen.
I turn around to find a tall man with black hair and a face so close to Kegan and Kallen’s in shape and features that I instantly know this is Kegan’s dad. “Not harsh. Your reputation just precedes you is all.”
“Xandra,” Kallen says with an underlying ‘please don’t make the situation worse’ plea in his voice.
Who, me? Make the situation worse? I don’t think so. I think it’s about as bad as it can get. “What? I’m supposed to be nice to this jackass because he’s related to you? Well, I have jackasses in my family and I don’t expect you to be nice to them.”
Kallen sighs and shakes his head. His uncle, on the other hand, explodes. “How dare you insult me, you little trollop? Of course you would not see the harm in tainting my family’s bloodline, you are a half-breed yourself. A disrespectful, egotistical little half-breed who has seduced my nephew to your bed without the decency of a proper hand-fasting. If anyone’s opinion does not matter, it is yours.”
Oh look, the situation can actually get worse. That explosion that just happened? That was me blowing Kegan’s father out the back door with a force of magic equal to a tornado. “What was that?” I call through the doorway that’s now twice as big as it was a moment ago. “I couldn’t hear you over the sound of splintering wood.”
“Xandra, please stop,” Alita says quietly. “You cannot force the man to like me.”
“No, but I can react when he insults me or one of my friends.”
Kegan is staring out at his father who is just now struggling to get up. I think he might of sprained an ankle when he fell because he limps as he starts to walk back to the house. “I have wanted to do that for years,” Kegan says quietly. Huh, I thought he’d be mad that I did it. He seems to be the only one who’s not. Even Tabitha’s looking at me with an incredulous expression.
“Can we be of assistance?” a soft feminine voice says from behind us. We turn in unison to see Zoe standing in the door way that leads out to the living room. Zoe, who now has two legs.
“You’re not a mermaid anymore,” is all I can think to say.
She laughs that sweet little laugh from her Angel heritage. “No, I am not. I thought I would be better prepared for whatever is to come if I could walk on land.”
Ray is standing next to her and he’s taking in the scene in the kitchen and watching Kegan’s dad hobble back towards the house. His eyes fall back to me after a moment. “Is there anyone in this universe you refrain from making angry?”
I pretend to think about it for a moment and then I shake my head. “No, it’s a universal thing for me.” The proof is in the number of friends I have. Two. And I’ve even managed to offend them on occasion. Yeah, I should probably work on that.
He smiles and shakes his head. “So I see.” Walking past us, he goes outside to help Kegan’s father. Zoe joins them. I’d say that I feel badly that none of us thought to do it, but that would be a lie. I don’t want the man to make it back into the house. I am so tired of family members that want to cause trouble.
Ray and Zoe are speaking quietly to him as they make the slow journey. The rest of us are quiet, waiting for the inevitable storm coming our way. I even have magic pulled and ready to go in case he makes me mad again.
When they have finally reentered the kitchen, Tabitha says, “Put him on that stool there so I can get a look at that ankle.” We all stay quiet while Tabitha plays nurse. After a moment, she stands up straight and says, “It is not broken. Just a little sprain. You got lucky, I have seen much worse injuries than this when someone crossed your nephew’s betrothed. I suggest you not do it again.” She gives me a funny look. Hey, I’m not that bad, am I?
The man glares at me, but Zoe and Ray each put a hand on his shoulders and his face becomes calmer. After a moment, and probably after counting to a thousand, he says, “I apologize for my behavior. I was out of line,” he says. “I would like to try again. My name is Sebastian.”
Everyone is looking at me now. Fine, I guess I’ll play nice. “I’m Xandra.”
He tilts his head and gives a slight nod. “It is nice to finally meet you.” I don’t know what Ray and Zoe said to him, but they certainly didn’t encourage him to tell the truth.
“What is your problem with Kegan and Alita getting hand-fasted?” I hate beating around the bush. Even if I’m getting death glares from the others in the room.
Sebastian sighs. “I hold out hope of keeping our line as pure as possible.”
“Oh, that makes sense now. That’s why you chose to have Kegan with a human. One with no Fairy blood, unlike Alita who has Fairy blood.” Does this realm not have crickets? Because if it does, they keep missing perfect opportunities to fill the silence.
Sebastian looks like he’s getting mad again. “It is not your place to question my decisions.”
“He has a point,” Kallen says quietly beside me. “You should leave this discussion to Isla and Kegan.”
Sebastian sighs and waves Kallen away. “It is fine, nephew. She is right. I loved Kegan’s mother, which drove me to make a poor decision. I was hoping to save Kegan from the same fate.”
“Father, I do not care about blood lines. I care about spending the rest of my life with the Fairy I love,” Kegan says, frustration ringing clear in his words.
With tired eyes, Sebastian looks at his son for a long moment. Finally, he stands up and says, “There is much to discuss. I would prefer to have this conversation in private.” He gives me a pointed look. I was just trying to help.
Kegan looks unsure, but he finally nods. He reaches over and gives Alita’s hand a small squeeze. “I will return shortly.” She nods and tries to smile. At least she’s not crying anymore.
Kegan and his dad leave. Kallen looks at me and then at Alita. “I am sorry, Alita. There is something I must do.”
She gives him a weird look. “Okay.”
With an appreciative smile, he says, “Thank you.” Then he turns to me, picks me up, slings me over his shoulder and walks out of the kitchen towards the living room. I think I’m in trouble. I hope it’s the fun kind of trouble.
Chapter 17
“Why are you carrying me like this?” I ask as I bounce uncomfortably over his shoulder. I’m starting to get a little nauseated. I’m debating whether to tell him that or let him figure it out when I throw up all down his back. Yeah, that one because he’s ignoring my question. “Kallen, where are we going?”
He keeps walking through the living room, out onto the terrace and down the steps to the sand. “You’d better not be throwing me in the water.” Still, nothing.
He walks to the water’s edge, but then he makes a sharp left and keeps walking on the sand. “Will you please put me down. This is uncomfortable.” I pound a little on his back. “Kallen, put me down.”
“No.”
Well, at least I know he can hear me now. Listening to me would be better. “Please put me down?”
“No.”
“Does your brain need to be rebooted so you can say something besides no.”
“No.”
I could use my magic to make him put me down. I suspect that would be a really bad idea at the moment. So, I suck it up and let him carry me wherever he wants. When we round a bend that leads us to the place where I first met Alita, he finally puts me down. Not very gently, though. I feel like a sack of potatoes.
“What is the matter with you?” I ask. I don’t like him acting like this.
Kallen sits down in front of me. He puts his hands on both of my cheeks and looks into my eyes. “Xandra, it is not your responsibility to solve every problem that comes up. I know that you mean well. I also know that your idea of family is a little skewed right now with everything that has happened. But my family is not like that. Uncle Sebastian was s
imply holding on too tightly to beliefs that I once held. He was not being mean or hateful, he simply wants Kegan’s life to be easier. Does that make it right that he is opposed to Alita because of her Cowan blood? No, it does not. But there are ways to talk to people about these things without blowing them out of walls.”
I feel like I’m three years old and getting the ‘be nice’ speech from my mother. I can feel tears starting to burn my eyes and that makes me mad. “I didn’t blow him out the wall until after he called me a trollop.” I’m not sure exactly what that word means, but I have a pretty good idea.
Kallen sighs and pushes a hand through his hair. “I know. But you went at him first, Xandra.” I start to say something but he cuts me off. “I know that I should be having this same conversation with Uncle Sebastian. You were both inappropriate. But I am not marrying him.”
“I don’t know if you should be marrying anybody. You don’t seem to like much about me right now.”
He puts his hands back on my cheeks, but I pull away. He sighs again. “Xandra, I am not saying that I do not like things about you. I am saying that there are things that may make things easier for you. Things like a modicum of diplomacy and learning to let others fight their own battles when they are capable.”
The tears are really starting to get anxious about being held back. One slips down my cheek. Traitor. “I get it.” I say, wanting desperately to end this conversation. I have a sudden need for some time alone.
Kallen tilts his head and stares at me. “I do not believe you do. You know that I love you, right?”
I nod because I don’t trust my voice at the moment. How humiliating. He carried me out of the house like I’m a naughty child and then lectures me on my behavior. I’m sure Tabitha and Alita knew what he was doing. I don’t know how I’m going to face either one of them again.
“Xandra, please do not cry.” He tries to pull me into a hug but I put my hands on his chest and push him back. “I am so sorry. It was wrong of me to do it this way. I should not have carried you out of the house like that. I did not mean to make you cry. Everything is so crazy right now, I should have waited until things calmed down and we could have talked about it then.”
“Kallen, will you please go back to the house. Or anywhere else you want to go. Please.”
“I do not want to leave the conversation like this.”
I brush my cheek with my fingers to get the next traitorous tear that jumped ship from my eyes. “Can we finish it later? I’d really like to be alone right now.”
“Xandra, you are taking this all wrong. I did not mean to hurt you. I love you and I only want you to have a happy life.”
I nod and take in a shaky breath. “And everyone around me. I get it.”
He looks more frustrated than ever. “Xandra, please. Can we keep talking? I do not want to leave you alone right now. I did not get my point across correctly. I love you and I do not want you to change.”
My turn to look incredulous. “Yes, you do.”
He growls in frustration. “I do not want you to change. Maybe mature is a better word.” My mouth drops open at that and I can see in his eyes that realizes he said the wrong thing. “I did not mean it that way, Xandra.” He growls again. “I do not know how to say anything correctly at the moment.”
Enough. I’ve had enough. “Kallen, please leave me alone for right now.”
“Xandra.”
“Please don’t make me use magic, Kallen.”
He stares at me for a moment. Something in my eyes must tell him I’m serious because he sighs and stands up. “We will finish this conversation.”
“Fine.”
With a head shake, Kallen turns and walks back towards the house. Leaving me to ponder all my fantastic character traits. Yes, that was sarcasm.
Chapter 18
When Kallen is out of sight, I get up and walk to the water. I stand with my toes at the edge of the tide, feeling it tickle my toes as it ebbs and flows. What a mess I am. I thought I was handling everything thrown at me pretty well, but I guess I’m not. I’ve been taking my stress and anger out on others, including Kallen. He’s right about me not having to fix everyone’s problems. I know that. I just can’t help myself. I have all this power and I like using it to help my friends. So, I feel I have to butt my nose in wherever it fits. Maybe it’s the fault of my social isolation growing up. I was never around other people. Maybe if I had been, I would have learned a long time ago to mind my own business.
Feeling restless, I start walking. I follow the shore, not paying attention to much of anything as I ponder how I can stop treating my friends like kids who can’t take care of themselves. Lost in my own thoughts, I haven’t noticed how late it is getting. It’s almost full dark, now. It will be by the time I make it home. I contemplate teleporting but I don’t want the Fallen Angels to see me do that. So, I’m stuck with walking.
As I round the bend that brings the house into view, something catches my eye and I stop. There’s something on the roof and I can’t make out what it is. It’s black or dark gray and it sort of looks like a blob. Until it moves and stretches out its black wings. No way. Is that a Gargoyle? I move a little closer, keeping to the shadows of the brush and trees that meet the sand.
It is a Gargoyle. Why are there suddenly Gargoyles on Isla’s house? I have a feeling there’s not a good reason for it. Something is definitely wrong.
“I have come to give you something to do instead of wallow in self-pity.”
I put my hand to my heart after jumping a foot in the air and I whirl around. “You scared the crap out of me.”
“Shh,” Ambriel says putting a finger to my lips. “Gargoyles can be in many different times and realms at the same time. You do not want them to hear us. Listen very carefully because I only have a moment. The dark Angels have come for you and the others.”
“What? You mean my family?”
He shakes his head and gives a nervous glance towards the house. Grabbing my arm, he pulls me back around the bend. I pull my arm loose as soon as he stops. “Ambriel, tell me what’s going on.”
“No, you silly little girl, they are not after your family. They are after you and the Fallen Angels.”
My face scrunches up when I say, “You’re not making sense. I’ve never heard of dark Angels. And why would they want me?”
He rolls his eyes at me. “If you would be quiet for a moment, I will explain.”
I’m not sure I want to know what’s going on if there are dark Angels involved. I have enough problems with the ones who aren’t dark. “Fine, explain.”
“The dark Angels are trying to start a civil war. In order to do that, they have to keep the strongest of the light Angels out of the picture.”
“Who are the dark Angels?” And are you one? I almost say it but it’s probably best not to ask that last part quite yet.
“Dark Angels are Angels who have been cast aside. They have been stripped of their wings and exiled to a place similar to what Humans call hell.”
“Hell? I thought the Shadow realm was hell.”
He gives me yet another disdainful look. “Did you see any dark Angels when you were there?”
“No, but I wasn’t exactly looking for any either.” Jerkwad.
I can tell he wants to keep being snarky but a look back in the direction of the Gargoyles makes him think better of it. “Angels have their own hell. Can I move on now?”
“What kind of hell do Angels have? Is it all fire and brimstone, lava pit kind of hell? Or are there different levels for different types of sins?” Was Dante right in his Divine Comedy?
Ambriel shakes his head. Impressive. He can even do that in a snarky way. “That hell is but a figment in the minds of lower beings. Hell is a place of nothingness.”
“Nothingness? What do you mean?”
He sighs. “They are sent to a realm that consists of nothing but air and mist. There are no other beings, no land or sea or sky. It is an eternity of gray mist.”
>
“That sounds awful.”
I know he wants to say duh, but I don’t think Angels lower themselves to use human vernacular. “It is meant to be unpleasant. Do you think the dark Angels would rise up and start a rebellion if they were comfortable and content?”
There are so many things I want to say to him at the moment. I refrain with a great deal of self-control. “If they are exiled, how can they start a civil war?”
“Many of the dark Angels were powerful Angels who were popular among the others before they were exiled. There has always been an undercurrent of sympathy towards most of these Angels. Many believe their punishment to be too extreme for their crimes.”
Blood of Destiny (Witch Fairy #6) Page 14