by Talia Jager
She grinned, took Kallan’s and my hand, and stood between us holding our hands up as we faced the guests.
The fey, other creatures, plus three humans, erupted in cheers.
And then the party began. I clung to Kallan’s hand as Azura, my parents, Sierra, Drake, and everyone else wanted to hug and kiss us. A band started playing and faeries started dancing. Some very long tables were pushed together to make a buffet for the food. Breads, jams, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, and desserts covered the tables.
The music started and Kallan led me to the designated dancing area where we had our first dance as husband and wife. That was so weird to say in my head. You doing okay? Kallan asked.
Yes. I’m still processing everything. The ceremony was so different, but I loved it. I wish we had a photographer.
I saw Sierra and your parents snap a few pictures.
Oh good!
You’re happy then?
I grinned. The happiest I’ve ever been.
Kallan pulled me close and pressed his lips against mine for a long, lingering kiss.
The song ended and then the band played a song from the human realm about dads and daughters and I got to dance with my dad. His eyes glistened with tears. “My daughter…the queen of some fantasy land…who would have thought?”
I shrugged. “Still seems unreal to me sometimes.” I rested my head on his shoulder and let a couple tears slip down my cheeks, not because I was sad, but because I was worried about how he felt.
The next dance was for Kallan and my mothers. He switched between the two of them halfway through. The final special dance was for the wedding party. Sierra and Drake danced as well as Violet and Tiern and Nessa and Ronan.
A big cake was on one of the tables. Traditional white, with edible flowers cascading down the cake. Kallan and I got a piece and fed it to each other, then everybody else dug in.
We spent hours at the waterfalls dancing, eating, partying, visiting, and even sneaking off for some kissing. The sun was getting lower in the sky and I knew I’d have to say goodbye to my parents. Sierra had talked my cousins into giving her another fruit, so she’d be staying another day. Violet and Nessa had taken a liking to Sierra, even though she was human.
Kallan and I walked my parents home. When we got to the tree line, Dad hugged me first. “You make one gorgeous bride. I’ve never been prouder than I was today.” He took a deep breath. “I never thought I’d say this, but you do belong there.”
“Thanks, Dad. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“You are beautiful, Rylie.” Mom embraced me. “The faery realm really is magical. I wish I could stay here with you. I’m going to miss you so, so much.”
“I’ll visit often.”
“You better.” She squeezed me tight, kissed my cheek, and said, “I love you.”
“I love you.”
I watched them cross the yard and go in the back door. For the first time since dawn, I thought about Satine. My parents were home now, safe and sound.
Kallan took my hand. “You can go visit anytime. Every day if you want. I won’t stop you.”
“I’ll visit. I just think as time goes on it won’t be as much. I wish there was a way for them to visit me.”
“We can arrange it whenever they want.” He put his arms around me. “Ready to go home?”
Home. I wasn’t even sure where that was. “Where’s home?”
He sent me a mischievous grin. “You’ll see.”
We walked further into the faery realm. “Sierra?” I asked. “Will she be safe?”
“She’s with Drake.”
“Good. He’ll protect her.”
Hand-in-hand we continued through the forest until we came to an archway made of trees. “Close your eyes,” he said to me.
I shut them and he slowly led me a few steps more and came to a stop. “Okay, open.”
Tucked away in the faery realm far from anyone else, and surrounded by the forest on three sides and a lake with a small waterfall on the fourth side, stood a one-story log cabin. Faery lanterns hung in the windows making it look warm and inviting. My jaw dropped. “This is what you’ve been working on?”
“Do you like it?”
“Like it? I love it! It’s perfect.”
“You haven’t seen the inside yet.”
“I don’t need to. I just know.”
Kallan led me to the wooden patio. He nodded over at the swing hanging from a covered area. “I know how much you love the one at your house.” He pointed to a nearby hammock and a ladder leading into the lake. “Relax or swim.”
Then he swept me off my feet and carried me over the threshold and into the house. “Welcome home, Rylie.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him.
He put me back on my feet in the living room. There was a warm, cozy feel to it. Nothing like Varwik’s cold castle. A rug covered part of the wooden floor. A brown couch with green and rust pillows faced the floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace. On the end table were a few pictures. One of my parents and me on vacation this past summer and another of Sierra and me. There was a large picture window on one wall looking out over the lake.
I could see the stars through the two skylights in the ceiling.
“There’s also a solar panel to have a little electricity. Just enough to charge an iPad for some human music.”
I laughed. “You know me well.”
“We have the skylights in the daytime. At night, the faery lanterns will keep it well lit.”
The kitchen wasn’t too elaborate, but had all the necessities with a beautiful wooden table and wood-burning stove. An empty room was off of the kitchen. “What’s this for?”
“For our hobbies. A music room? An art room? Just a place for both of us to do what we like to do.”
He led me to the back where three bedrooms and a bathroom were. “You can see those later.”
I followed him into the master bedroom. Huge floor-to-ceiling windows lined one wall of the bedroom. “They’re tinted so nobody can see in,” Kallan told me. There was a large four-poster bed with a puffy, white comforter and teal accent pillows. Everything was perfect, even organized to satisfy my OCD.
“I can’t believe you did all this.” I threw my arms around him.
“I wanted to make you happy.”
“You do.” I gazed into his eyes. My lips tenderly touched his. The kiss was slow, gentle, loving. He ran his hand up and down my wings making my body tingle with excitement. I let all my thoughts and worries fade away. There was nothing but Kallan and me.
He reached behind me and undid the back of my wedding gown, letting it slip to the floor. Scooping me up into his arms he carried me to the bed and gently laid me down on the soft pillows. His eyes met mine for an instant and he smiled before kissing my birthmark, my neck, my chest, and all the way down to my navel. I reached up and brushed his wings. A smile appeared on his lips and he closed his eyes for a second.
Lost in the soft kisses, nothing else existed.
He placed my hands over my head, ran his fingers down my arms, and then the sides of my body. My wings tingled more than they ever had before. Other parts of my body that had been asleep all my life suddenly awoke and were trembling, yearning for him.
He whispered my name. “Rylie…” His eyes sought permission. Biting my lip, quivering, I nodded ever so slightly and the next thing I knew, we became one. Nothing had ever prepared me for that moment. Pleasure washed over me making me feel like the happiest person in both realms.
I lifted my face to his, aching for him to kiss me. He indulged me and kissed me fervently, leaving me to catch my breath when he pulled away and collapsed next to me on the bed.
Chapter Twenty-One
I woke with the
sun and opened my eyes. Kallan was wide awake, watching me. He smiled—an amazing, wonderful smile. “Good morning.”
“How long have you been awake?” I asked.
“Not too long. I love watching you sleep.”
“Can we stay like this forever?” I asked, not wanting to move. “It is our honeymoon.”
“I wish we could, but Drake should be here soon. We need to leave when he gets here.”
Today was the day I had to look for the Aurorian temple. I had no idea what I was looking for or how to find it. All I knew is we had to get the stone to it before Satine got her hands on it.
I stuck my lower lip out. “I know, but it feels so good to be here next to you.”
“With any luck we’ll be back here tonight.”
I smiled, thinking about making love to him again. “I can’t wait.”
Kallan kissed my nose. “Stay in bed a few more minutes. I’ll get ready first.” He rolled over and stood up wearing only boxers. I blushed as I remembered the night before.
I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. I had parents who loved me, the best…husband…in the two realms, and no friend could ever compare to Sierra. The love of my life had built me a home I could live in forever. And the ceremony yesterday, I would replay that over and over in my mind.
After my shower, I stood in front of the closet. Kallan must have had my clothes brought over from both my homes. I felt like wearing a dress today, so I searched the ones hanging up and picked a lavender one.
Kallan walked up behind me and ran his hands up and down my wings. I closed my eyes and literally swooned. He kissed the right side of my neck and then whispered in my ear, “Tonight will be here before you know it.” He picked up the hematite necklace and placed it back around my neck.
“Maybe if we hurry, we can get back in time to spend the afternoon in bed.”
I spun around and planted my lips on his. I wanted to throw him back in bed and make love to him again, but I pulled away and said, “Let’s go.”
Kallan grabbed his sword. He saw me watching and said, “Just in case.”
We walked outside the same time that Drake and Sierra came into view. “Oh my God!” Sierra cried out. “Look at this house! It’s gorgeous. I can’t believe you live here!” She hugged me and whispered, “Girl, I want details.”
I blushed and nodded. “Later.” Then I glanced at Drake and asked, “Why is Sierra here?”
Sierra punched me in the arm. “Don’t you want me here?”
“Of course, but we’re not safe yet. You should be home—”
“I don’t want to wait around at home. I want to be with Drake, you, and even Kallan.” She winked at him.
I sighed. “Fine, but please stick by us. No wandering off.”
“Yes, your majesty.”
Now it was my turn to punch her back. “No. Just no.”
Sierra laughed as she took Drake’s hand, and the four of us walked into the woods.
“How are we going to find this invisible temple that only I can see?” I asked Drake and Kallan.
“It’s not that we can’t see it, we can’t find it.”
“How am I supposed to find it?” I revised my question.
Kallan shrugged his shoulders. “I haven’t figured that out yet.”
We walked for a good hour, and I was starting to get annoyed. I had tried all my “tricks.” Nothing worked. I scanned the area trying to figure out how to find the temple from here. I sat down on the ground and played with a flower in front of me. The flower grew and the petals spread open.
When I looked back up, I saw the Aurorian in the distance. I sprang to my feet and ran toward her.
“Rylie?” Kallan gave chase.
She was gone before I reached her. I spun around looking for where she went, but I didn’t see her.
“What’s going on?” Kallan asked.
“The last Aurorian was here.”
“You saw her? Just now?”
“Yes.” I pointed. “By the tree line over there.” I noticed that the bush near where she had been standing was full of flowers. The other bushes weren’t. “I think she wants me to go this way.”
I headed toward the bush and slipped into the forest. We walked for a few minutes.
“Are you sure?”
“I thought so.” I started doubting myself and glanced around. Then I saw another bush actually blooming right in front of my eyes. “This way.”
I hurried through the forest, over logs, ducking under branches, finding a blooming bush every so often. The last Aurorian was leaving a trail.
“What is she following?” Sierra asked.
“Can’t you see the flowers?” I asked.
All three of them responded, “No.”
It made sense. I was the only one who could see the flowers, because only an Aurorian could find the temple. One single flower bloomed by a stone that was covered in moss. I walked up to it and could barely see the handprint with a star in the middle under the moss.
I put my hand on the handprint in the stone and the trees and bushes in front of us parted, making a walkway. As we walked through it, the path disappeared behind us. Before us was a sight like no other. The Aurorian temple was like a castle floating in the sky over a large body of water. The bottom was made of the earth and shaped like an ice cream cone without a point. An old stone castle sat on top of it.
“Wow…” I had no words.
“I never knew this was here,” Kallan said.
“So I suppose that means you don’t know how to get up there?”
He shook his head. “No.”
Looking at the temple again, I thought about what it meant. This was an Aurorian temple. Special. Only Aurorians could find it. So that had to mean only Aurorians could get to it. I didn’t have a special talent to use and Kallan’s mind control wouldn’t get me up there. Neither would Drake’s paralyzing power. I had to use my earth talents. I went through them in my mind trying to think of what they might do. Air? Water? Fire? Earth?
The floating temple was above water, so earth might not do anything. Fire was probably out too. Air and water were left. I had made a twister before and made it rain…could I do a waterspout that would lift us up to it? I walked to the water edge and using my hands, I created a waterspout. I tried everything I could think of to get on, but it didn’t work. All I succeeded in doing was getting wet. Next I tried to make the ground rise up to it, but nothing of significance happened there.
“Look.” Kallan pointed to a rock with a triangle on it. One of the points was aimed downward. “That’s the symbol for water.”
“Hmmm.” The waterspout didn’t work. Rain wouldn’t do anything. Did I need to swim over to it? What about making stairs? I placed my hand over the water, palm facing down, and I willed the water to meet my hand. It did. I made another a little higher up. I stepped on it, bracing myself for the fall, but it didn’t happen. I was standing on a step made of water. I did some more and then looked back. “C’mon.”
Kallan stepped on and fell right through. He tried again as did Drake and Sierra. No luck. They couldn’t come with me.
“You go,” Kallan said, waving me on. “Do what you need to do. We’ll wait right here.”
I nodded and continued on my way, glad I had a good sense of balance or I’d have been swimming by now.
I jumped from the last water step to the floating island and waved down to my friends. I could barely see them from so high up. I walked up the cobblestone path to the castle door.
The very large door opened for me as I approached. I walked into a large circular room with double set of staircases, one on the left, one on the right, leading up to a catwalk. Paintings of different creatures hung on the walls. A piskie, a flying horse, treefolk. I l
ooked into the downstairs rooms and realized that there was a theme to each room. The elements. One was painted different shades of blue and had pictures of mermaids and other ocean animals. It even smelled like the sea. One room was reds and oranges from the walls to the couches and had a fireplace. The earth element room was brown with paintings of trees, and then the air room was white, with paintings of things blowing in the wind, and had open windows. Once I saw the kitchen and bathroom, I wandered back to the foyer and looked up at the stairs. Time to go up. I held on to the railing and slowly walked up the stairs.
There were a few rooms on this level. Bedrooms mostly. I wasn’t quite sure why this big old place was here if only an Aurorian could get in, but it was calm and relaxing here. I liked it.
Now I had to figure out where to put the stone. Somewhere it would be in both the sunlight and moonlight. Outside? Up at the top? I glanced at the spiraling staircase that seemed to go on forever before being swallowed by darkness. That was the only way up so up I went. There was a door at the top. I opened it and walked into a hall leading to an archway.
There was another one of those handprints on the wall and I placed my hand in it. A small door in the wall popped open, revealing a book. I took the book out. There was a star on the cover like the one on my face. I opened and skimmed through. It talked about the elements, different ways to do things, traditions, who the Aurorians had been. My name was written at the top of one page with blank space underneath for me to enter my story in.
I flipped to a bunch of blank pages in the back of the book. Suddenly words appeared. The words wrote themselves as I read, like it was being written right that second.
The room you are about to enter is our temple, our sanctuary. A place of peace. Listen to the winds, stand in the glory of the sky, feel the warmth. Listen to your heart, to what you already know. Trust in yourself.
The room is home to the faery stone. Once split in two only to stop evil is now whole again. Placed in the middle of the elements, it stays safe. If the stone is destroyed, the faery realm is also.