by Leyton, Bisi
“I am here because I do feel this is best for my bloodline. Besides, I hoped you would get some comfort because I am here.” Lluc smiled.
“Yeah, I do,” Bach replied.
“I barely know you,” Wisteria admitted.
Lluc nodded. “Perhaps someday, we will all meet again and we will actually have a proper conversation.”
“Perhaps.” She doubted it. Once the threshold was sealed no one would ever be able to travel from the home realm or Jarthan to Earth again. “Please make sure nothing happens to my family.”
Bach gestured to Lluc and the brothers headed off to talk.
Alone, she squatted by Oleander’s grave and ran her fingers over the flowers she’d laid there.
“Wisty?” David whispered from behind her.
Garfield looked uncomfortable and hurried away.
“You don’t have to go. Stay here and—” said David.
“You’re scared for me, but I’m even more terrified leaving you all here with Nero.” Wisteria turned to him. “I wish you’d all come. You, Poppy and Amanda.”
David burst out laughing. “My two ex-girlfriends? No, I’ll happily go without them, but I can’t leave Byron or Mandy’s baby.”
“David—” she started
“Wisty, I didn’t set off to cross Garfield. I got a lot of time for that guy. What happened with Mandy was one time, it meant nothing,” he muttered.
“David, I’m not mad about what happened between you, Amanda and Garfield. I don’t want that to be the last thing we talk about.”
“I don’t want you leaving, thinking I’m a total arse.”
“You’re my baby brother and I’m entitled to think of you that way.” She squeezed him. “I love you. Don’t forget that?”
“Is there any way you can take Coles with you too?”
She laughed.
*****
“Do you suppose we should embrace?” Lluc suggested as he and Bach watched Wisteria with her younger brother.
“No.” Bach cocked an eyebrow at him.
Lluc chuckled.
“Are you sure you want to stay here?” Bach asked. “I mean, you will not be able to interfere with the humans. Even though the last of Red Phoenix is gone, if the others even fathom there are Famila here, they will come after you.”
“Do not worry.” Lluc patted Bach’s shoulder. “We have learned a lot since your Great Walk. The island is secure and most people still do not understand who or what we are. If we have kept that from a community this small, then we can keep it from the world.”
“Lluc—”
“Our main issue was Red Phoenix and the empirics from home. Your beloved is sealing the threshold and the biters overran what was left of the Franklin Island. My bloodline and I will be safe.”
“I am glad you have taken care of your own.” Bach headed back toward Wisteria.
“Wait, Bach. I—about Frieda. You never asked me why I worked so hard to end your relationship with Wisteria while at the same time—I was with a human. I was a coward and a little jealous. You were able to openly say and do what you wanted. I was not that brave.”
Bach turned back to his brother. “Or that stupid. Maybe if I had listened, Oleander—”
“If things had been different, we could have gotten to Oleander first.”
“Then why did you keep her from us?”
“If you found her and brought her back to father, she would have been imprisoned and punished like Jason and Malcolm were. And if she survived, she would have lived as an outcast because she was born in the first place. I eventually went to find her, hoping she would live with Frieda on Valhalla until there was a better time.”
“A better time? There would have never been a better time.”
“I should have told you.”
“Yeah, you should have.” Bach paused.
“You know I am—”
“Sorry? It does not matter now. You can’t bring her back with your words.”
“I am sorry.”
Bach nodded. He needed to forgive his brother because, this might be the last time he’d see Lluc and didn’t want it to be hostile.
“I should go before Frieda thinks I left with you after all.” Lluc smiled.
Bach nodded.
“Make sure you do me proud Bach.” He patted his cheek and with that, he raced away, gone before Bach could blink.
A raindrop landed on Bach’s arm and seconds later, a downpour of rain fell.
Wisteria and her brother ran down the hill, taking refuge in the church.
Bach joined her in the foyer of the church’s clock tower. He found Lara, Coles, David and Bach’s family waiting inside.
Lara, who grimaced, muttered something to Wisteria who nodded.
“Mrs. Coles, I promise I will take care of your daughter,” Bach tried to assure her. “She—”
“Bach, take her and go please,” Lara ordered.
“Mum,” Wisteria protested. “You can’t talk to him that way. Not anymore.”
Her mother eyed him coldly. She seemed to be as unchanging as Bach’s father.
“It is okay Wisteria. She is losing her daughter to me.” Bach accepted he’d never get her approval.
“Lara, you don’t want things to end this way,” Coles muttered to her. “You don’t have much time before the thresholds seal up.”
Her mother’s stone-faced expression softened. “You love him and he loves you. I see that Wisteria.” She glanced at Bach wearily. “But Bach, you’ll never be good enough for my daughter. No matter how hard you try.”
“Lara.” Coles grabbed his wife’s arm.
“Mum—” Wisteria exclaimed.
“But no one’s ever going to be good enough for you, because you’re so important to me and you are truly amazing.” Lara broke out of Coles’ grip and waved her hand in Wisteria’s face. “But you have my blessing.”
Bach’s jaw dropped.
“What did you say?” Wisteria jerked her head to the side.
Sighing again, her mother touched Wisteria’s cheek. “Just promise me baby, you won’t make him the center of your happiness.”
“I promise.” Wisteria gaped as her mother approached Bach.
He did feel stunned when Lara embraced him for the first time. He didn’t linger too long as it somewhat reminded him of his mother and right now, Coia was be the last person he wanted to think about. Pulling back, he felt Lara draw him even closer.
“You’ll be all she has out there. I’m trusting you,” she whispered to his ear. “If you hurt her Bach of the Third Pillar I will move heaven and earth until I find you and finish you.” Gently, she released him, but not before shooting him a dirty look and kissing him lightly on the cheek.
*****
Bewildered, Wisteria felt glad to see her mother finally warm up to Bach a little, but she wished it would have happened sooner. Not wanting to dwell on the past, she opened the threshold to Jarthan.
The threshold wasn’t as vivid as the previous one’s she created. Instead, it appeared faded like a thin sheet of smoke due to the plan she’d already put into place. In a few minutes, she wouldn’t be able to open it at all.
“Where are Malcolm, Jason and Enric?” she inquired.
“They went ahead in using Jason’s dark glass,” Coles informed her.
“They should already be in Jarthan,” Bach added.
After saying her final goodbyes to her brothers and stepfather, she caught a glimpse of Garfield, Robinia and Amanda waiting outside in the rain.
Garfield waved at her.
Wisteria bolted out into the rain and flung her arms around him.
Without words, he lifted her from the ground and spun her around. “Wisteria, are you putting on weight?” He joked.
Teasingly, she smacked the back of his head. She might miss him most of all, she never had a more loyal friend in all her life. Wisteria fought to keep her tears at bay. He’d always stood by her and supported her no matter how much it cost hi
m personally. “I hope you two will at least be friends.” Wisteria glanced at Amanda. She wanted happiness for Garfield like he deserved.
Amanda nodded and hugged her.
“We are friends,” Robinia said enthusiastically.
After embracing Amanda and Robinia, Wisteria rejoined her family in the foyer of the clock tower. Walking up to her mother, Wisteria wrapped her arms around her and buried her face in the woman’s neck.
“You’ll be fine over there,” her mother softly urged. “Go now before it’s too late.”
Nodding, Wisteria stepped back and moved to the threshold. She waved at her mother who simply nodded in return as she journeyed away.
*****
Fifteen Months Later
Wisteria awoke and lay motionless on the bed in her new home in Jarthan Castle. Her massive bedroom once belonged to the Lord of Jarthan, but now it was hers. She didn’t own much else besides this room and a few clothes, but the one exception would be the painting of the sad girl now hanging in her room. There seemed to be something disturbing about how much Wisteria looked like the unhappy girl in the picture.
Gazing across the room and out through the window, she saw the sky appeared to be blue and cloudless.
It looked like a beautiful day.
Once the humans returned to Jarthan, it seemed the orange skies and black clouds became a thing of the past. Even the Astolat River subdued. Most of the Family already deserted Jarthan before the free-minded humans arrived.
A massive roar came from outside the walls of the castle. At first, she thought may be the Astolat River grew unsettled again, but that rarely happened. Then she remembered thousands of humans and a few hundred members of the Family were coming to Jarthan today for a big party. From the noises outside, it sounded like thousands were already assembling in the streets surrounding the castle.
Just then, something moved in her bed.
Bolting up, she threw off the covers and saw the curly head of a little girl who began to giggle.
“Talia,” Wisteria groaned as two other children’s heads popped out and then a large black and pink striped frog like creature. Jumping out of the bed, she ran to door. “What is that?”
The children, who were between five and six, all burst out laughing as Wisteria legged it away from the bed.
“It is a targ.” Talia giggled as she picked up the animal that seemed almost as large as her. “They are harmless. They eat insects and rats.”
“Get it out of here.” Wisteria opened the door.
Bach stood on the other side dressed in his signature black suit, but now he matched it with purple shoes. His hair looked cut short and he seemed to be growing a beard.
He looked yummy and seeing him made Wisteria’s insides burn.
Looking at the kids with disapproval, he folded his arms. “Where are the children?”
“In my bed.” She darted out, putting him between the targ and herself.
“Talia, Isadora, Lyndon.” Bach’s voice boomed. “Out now, your father wants you.”
Three little kids bounded out of Wisteria’s bed and scurried toward the door.
“Take the targ with you.” Wisteria pointed at them.
“It won’t hurt you Wisteria. Targs are like small zefin—” Bach paused and looked closely at her. “You look—nice.” His bright eyes lit up as he studied her.
Realizing she was only wearing his shirt, she pulled it down further over her legs. “Please, get that thing out of here.”
“Talia, take the targ outside.” Bach gestured toward the little girl. “Sen Wisteria is the Sen. She could have you thrown into a bridewell for this.”
“It was just a game Prime Bach.” Talia waddled over carrying the creature.
“No, I am sorry.” Isadora, the other girl, hurried past Wisteria and Bach. “Talia said the Sen would not mind.”
“But I do.” Bach leaned over at them and his eyes darkened.
“It’s okay Bach.” Wisteria gently pressed her hand against his chest. “They—”
“But Prime you gave us the targ and said to give it to Sen Wisteria.” Bewildered, Lyndon, the little boy, asked as he left.
“What?” Wisteria pushed him backwards. “Bach, you had them put that smelly thing in my bed?”
Laughing, he pulled her to the bed and fell back, pulling her on top of him as he tumbled. “It is lucky for a bride to find a targ in her bed.”
“My father is not going to be cross, is he?” Talia’s large green eyes shone.
“Oh, he’s going to be mad, but not with you.” Wisteria rolled off him.
“I am sorry Sen Wisteria.” Talia pouted.
Crouching in front of the girl, Wisteria smiled. “Don’t worry. You’re not in trouble. Prime Bach on the other hand—” She glanced behind her to see Bach now stood on his feet, staring out of the window.
Talia’s face brightened up as she and her friends scurried away.
Closing the door, Wisteria noticed Bach was still by the window, seemingly lost in thought. “What’s up?” She strolled up, putting her arms around him.
“Nothing is wrong. For the first time ever, everything is—I’m not going to say perfect, but under control. The thresholds to Earth are sealed, the Thayns are free and my people—”
“Some of them don’t completely hate humans.”
“But most still do. After everything that happened—we would have never stopped High Father or Coia without you or the First Pillar’s artifacts. I hoped the bigotry would have ended, but people still have not changed.”
“Some have. The Fifth and Second Pillars openly welcome humans now and the Third Pillar won’t murder me for marrying you.” She sighed. “I should thank your Father for at least passing the edict, even though he won’t come to the wedding.”
“Do not talk about him.”
“Bach—”
“You saved his life, but he wouldn’t even speak to you. He told me, he understands why I am so fond of you. ‘Wisteria is indeed a remarkable Terran, but you will eventually pass this phase,’” Bach mimicked his father’s voice. “As for Frieda, my father does not even acknowledge she exists.”
“He made you the Prime of the Third Pillar, fully aware we’re together. That would’ve never happened before.”
“He really had no choice with Yordi and Lluc gone.”
She rested her head on his back while wrapping her arms around his stomach and chest. “Because he wants to show you he doesn’t hold what happened to Yordi against you.”
“I still don’t understand why you wanted me to stay with him.”
Bach chose not to return to the Third Pillar, but opted to stay on Jarthan, but he blamed himself for what happened to Yordi, so a large part of Bach would feel like he owed his Pillar for robbing them of their Prime. On a more pragmatic note, with him working with the Third Pillar it made them allies to the humans of Jarthan.
“You’re father will come around,” she urged.
“You see that?” He pointed down at the crowds assembling in the courtyard below. “Jason’s estimating there are over 12,000 people here already.”
“You sound disappointed.”
“Relieved. When my father remarried, there were almost 100,000 guests.” He shook his head.
“We can elope.” Tilting her head to the side, she opened a threshold out of thin air. “The Moon Desert is particularly cool this time of year and Merce said we’re always welcome.”
“And what do we do with our guests?”
“Jason’s the best man. He will handle it.”
“No, I need everyone to recognize I chose you and that you chose me.” Leaning toward her as he spoke, his hot breath set her skin on fire. Rubbing the small of her back, he whispered. “And that you will always belong to me.” Each word was filled with a quiet intensity.
“It almost sounds like you own me.” She managed to let out as she bit at her top lip.
“I do, but you own me too, Peeka.” Tracing his fingers along he
r back, then to her neck and up to her face he pried her lip from her teeth. “You own every bit of me.”
“I do don’t I?” Tiptoeing, she placed one hand around his neck and the other around his hardened waist.
“You are so beautiful.” He clenched his jaw as he stared at her.
“Why do you look so surprised?” It seemed almost as if he’d never seen anything as amazing as her and this wasn’t something she would ever get used to.
“Because I am surprised.” Lifting her up, he rested her between the wall and his body. “My love for you continues to grow as does your beauty.” Leaning her back against the wall, he slowly explored her neck, her chin, and then her mouth with his tongue.
She wanted it to be like this forever, but this wasn’t the time. “You’re going to make me late.
“Everyone can wait. We have waited for a long time for this.”
“Bach, I’ve a lot to do to get ready.” She managed to say breathlessly between his kisses.
Nuzzling her neck, he lifted up her dress. “Okay, change and we can go down together.”
Laughing, she smacked his arm hard and pried his hands from her. “It’s tradition where I come from not to see the bride’s dress before the wedding.”
“I have no such custom. It is helpful for me to assist you with your—clothes.” He put her down gently, but still blocked her, placing his hands on each side of the wall.
“You’re not being helpful. You’re being cheeky because you want to see me without my clothes.”
“That is just a coincidence as those two things happen to be related.” Feigning innocence, he shrugged.
“Leave, so I can get ready. I need to shower and sort out that purple dress.” Ducking under his arm, she raced to a large gothic style gown draped across her sofa. Pausing, she examined the dress for the umpteenth time. She wasn’t happy about the color. White would’ve been better, but the custom among the Famila and the humans here was to wear the colors of their pillar.
“Still not thrilled about that dress huh?” He rubbed her back. “You can still wear white if you want. It is your day, so do what makes you happy.”
“I’ll wear the colors of my Pillar. I want the others to think of me as one of them.” She nodded in the direction of the window. “This isn’t Earth, so not all my traditions are applicable here.”