A Deadly Duet: Spellsinger: Book 6

by Amy Sumida

  I looked at him with a lifted brow, took his arm firmly, and swung us around.

  “What are you about, wife?” Darcraxis asked curiously.

  “Let our children wait,” I said. “I need to see to my husband. I can't have him feeling inadequate.”

  “Oh? And how do you intend to rectify that?”

  “I'm not going to do anything at all, my love,” I purred. “You will be implementing the strategies you learned last night... and improving on them. As I'm certain you shall.”

  Darc growled low in his throat and scooped me up. He ran the rest of the way to our bedroom.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Weeks passed in peace and pleasure. Life couldn't have been any more perfect. I had all of the men I loved with me and an entire world to adore me. Both the goddess and the woman in me were satisfied. The Shining Ones settled minor disputes among themselves but anything on a kingdom level was brought to Darc and me, and we quickly and fairly ended all arguments. Even some the lesser fey had ventured out of Primeval to pay their respects, and we received them warmly; excited to see the races who had remained loyal to us. Everyone seemed to be happy, but things are rarely what they seem. I should have remembered that; Elaria knew it, but I was ignoring her more and more these days.

  So, I was totally unprepared for Cerberus.

  “What the flying fuck are you doing, El?” Cerberus growled as he strolled into the sitting room.

  Darc and I were organizing our move to Kyanite and the room was full of servants. I waved them out before I turned to Cerberus.

  “I'm trying to prepare for a household move to Kyanite,” I said. “And my name is Faenestra.”

  “The fuck it is,” Cerberus snapped. “Are you serious? Look at yourself.” He waved a hand at my dramatic, crimson, velvet gown. “You look like you're going to the Opera. Or you're in the Opera.” He turned to glare at Darc and say, “Which would make you the damn phantom.”

  “She's a goddess again, Cerberus,” Darcraxis said calmly as he stood. “Faenestra deserves all the finest things; she created them after all.”

  “Not those things, she didn't,” Cer scoffed. “I'll bet my left nut that her dress was made by a fairy seamstress; probably one of those servants you just sent scurrying. What the fuck have you done with my best friend, Faenestra?”

  “We made the Shining Ones, therefore, all of their creations stem from us,” Darc reasoned. “Without Faenestra, that dress wouldn't exist.”

  “I am more than your old friend now, Cerberus,” I said as I strode toward him; my train trailing behind me like a swath of blood. “I feel Elaria's love for you so I will not take offense at your tone, but I warn you to be careful with how you proceed.”

  “How I proceed?” Cerberus huffed. “Fuck you, El—Fae—whoever you are. I'm a god too; you don't impress me.”

  “You're a conman,” I growled. “All of your kind are. You killed or imprisoned your true gods and then took their place. You've never created life; not even in the basest way. You couldn't manifest a fly and yet there you stand, calling yourself a god. It's reprehensible and pitiful. All you can do is destroy what real gods made.”

  Cerberus gaped at me. “I don't even recognize you. I can't imagine how your guys can bear to be near you, much less fuck you.”

  I slapped him hard, and Cerberus started to growl; his dark eyes narrowing on me.

  “Say one more foul word, cur, and I will show you what a real goddess can do!” I shouted as flames shot up from my hand.

  “Faenestra, no!” Darc reached me just as my magic began to kill me.

  I had been so careful about my goddess magic; only using it in conjunction with my spellsinging. Without a song to leech the excess power, the Light immediately resumed where it had left off. I gasped and jerked as I released the Fire, but it was too late. Each mistake took me closer to death.

  “Sing, my love,” Darc urged.

  “What's happening?” Cerberus asked in horror.

  “Elaria?” Torin came rushing in; he must have been the one to bring Cerberus. “Is it her magic?”

  “The hellhound riled her,” Darc growled as he shot Cerberus a nasty look. “Faene, you need to sing, remember?”

  My love, I'm here, Kyanite said gently. I'll help you.

  The tapping of a steel drum startled me out of my pain. Then the soft, swaying beat of Reggae music filled the room. It was so gentle and comforting but also completely out of place in the temple's ambiance. I smiled as I burned inside; what a bittersweet and perfect song for the moment.

  I whispered out the beginning lyrics to Bob Marley's “Three Little Birds” as I held Darc's worried gaze; unsure whether I was reassuring him or myself that everything was going to be all right. A new day was dawning; the birds were singing as sunlight warmed our skin. This would pass and we'd live on; just as we always had. There was nothing to worry about; fear was pointless. The pure melody was a balm to my magic; luring it into complacency before gently draining the boiling power of goddesshood from my body. My voice grew stronger as the magic waned until finally, I sat up and laid a hand to Darc's cheek as I sang the chorus to him.

  “Faene,” Darc whispered as the music faded.

  Darcraxis hugged me to him tightly as the other men sighed in relief. Then Darc pulled me onto his lap and rocked me as he pressed his cheek to mine.

  “It will be all right,” Darc murmured. “We will be all right.”

  “That's what I said,” I teased him gently.

  “Someone want to tell me what the fuck just happened?” Cerberus asked.

  “You know that her goddess magic is too much for her body,” Torin said. “This is how she holds it at bay.”

  “So, you just sing it into submission?” Cer scowled.

  “It gets harder every time,” I said as I eased out of Darc's embrace. I noticed that my other consorts had come into the room with Torin. “So, it would be best if you didn't anger me.”

  “Well, excuse me Miss Hoity Toity,” Cerberus snapped, but I could hear the anxiety in his tone. “You've never been so quick to anger before.”

  “She's never held Fire before,” Declan said.

  “Bullshit; she inherited an affinity for fire from her father,” Cer said.

  “An affinity,” Banning pointed out, “not the actual magic.”

  “Faenestra is the First Flame,” Darc said as he stood and helped me to my feet. “All of you still don't seem to understand; we are the original magics. We gathered them and formed them into the elements and became the source of life. There would be no fire in this realm if Faenestra did not exist.”

  “That's why they didn't kill you,” Declan whispered. “It would destroy our world.”

  “They couldn't kill me,” I growled. “I am a true immortal; a primal being.”

  “That's why they didn't try to kill us,” Darc corrected.

  “But Kukulcan told Elaria that his people had killed their god,” Banning said.

  “All gods are not the same,” Darc shrugged. “Some realms formed elements on their own, and then the gods came later to harness them. It was not so for us.”

  “We found each other in empty space,” I said as I took Darc's hand and stared up into his eyes; their tranquility calmed me. “We built this realm from nothing.”

  “And so, it will return to nothing without us,” Darc finished.

  “It might be a good idea to make that known,” Declan murmured.

  “Why do you say that?” I cocked my head at him.

  Declan exchanged uneasy looks with the other men before answering. “There have been rumors.”

  “Rumors of what?” I growled.

  “An uprising,” Torin said steadily. “They say the Sylphs have brought the hidden book out of Primeval; the one with the spells used to conquer you.”

  “What?” I screeched.

  “Faene,” Darc said gently as he squeezed my upper arms. “Everything will be all right, remember? This is still new to them; our chil
dren need time to get to know us again.”

  “But the Lesser Fey never rebelled against us,” I said angrily. “They stayed true. For them to betray us now is—”

  “Unsettling but not entirely surprising,” Darc finished gently. “They have been without us for a very long time. We need to be patient with them and show them that we are loving gods.”

  “Okay,” I whispered.

  “Not all of them are willing to give you that chance,” Declan said. “You're viewed as tyrants.”

  “We've done nothing to them,” Darc said in confusion. “All we've asked for is peace.”

  “You've demanded tribute and obedience,” Torin pointed out. “And you threatened them with death if they disobeyed. Our race has been too powerful for too long to take a knee without a fight.”

  “We are your gods.” Darc shook his head in bafflement. “How can you think so poorly of us?”

  “Most of us have never heard of you,” Torin said.

  “And those of us who have,” Declan added, “have only heard bad things.”

  “They shall learn the truth of those bad things if they try to stand against us,” I said arrogantly.

  “El,” Cerberus whispered in amazement. “What's happened to you? You would never say something like that.”

  “I am dealing with disobedient children,” I snapped.

  “They aren't your children,” Gage said softly.

  “What?” I growled.

  “The Shining Ones are your creations,” Gage explained. “But you didn't give birth to them. You don't feel a real mother's love for them. If you did, you would have never been able to destroy them.”

  I narrowed my eyes at Gage and lowered my voice viciously, “Some mothers eat their young.”

  “You can't scare or intimidate me, El,” Gage said firmly. “And you know what I'm saying is the truth; we've talked about this before.”

  “And speaking of real parents,” Cerberus added, “yours are worried about you. You might want to take some time off from ruling the Fey World to visit them.”

  “My parents?” I whispered.

  “I will take you to see them, sweetheart,” Darcraxis said. “It will be a good diversion from this.”

  “All right,” I agreed absently. “And let's cancel the move to Kyanite for now. We are more secure here.”

  “I agree.” Darc stared out a window pensively. “If we have to, we'll remove the road. If they can't reach us, they can't oppose us.”

  “If we have to, we will grind them into submission,” I snarled.

  Darc's eyes went wide.

  “Or we could just return to Ildathach,” I whispered.

  “That's an option as well,” Darc said as he glanced at my consorts.

  I didn't like the look they exchanged, but I let it go because I knew that I couldn't afford to get angry again.

  Chapter Forty

  “Ellie-phant?” My father looked over my flowing gown with wide eyes.

  “Hello, Father,” I said stiffly.

  “Elaria!” My mother hugged me tightly.

  I stood awkwardly in her embrace for a moment before allowing Elaria's love for Kalliope to trickle up. I hugged her back and kissed her cheek.

  “Are you all right?” She asked me. “How's your magic?”

  “I've found a way to lessen its damage with my spellsinging,” I said. “It's under control.”

  “As long as she stays in control of her temper,” Gage muttered.

  I glared at him, and he shrugged.

  “What's that mean?” My father asked.

  “Anger triggers my Fire, and if it comes forth without proper preparation, it hurts me,” I admitted.

  “You've always been a calm, rational person,” my mother said proudly. “It shouldn't be a problem.”

  “It seems that my temper was housed in the other half of my soul.” I shrugged. “No matter; I will handle it.”

  “You look different,” Mom whispered as she brushed a strand of hair back from my face. “Odd.”

  “Because I've accepted my true self,” I said haughtily as I pulled away from her. “I am different.”

  My mother scowled and then lifted a brow at my father.

  “I don't care who you think you are now, young lady,” my father snapped. “You will always be our daughter, and that means you will treat us with respect. I won't stand for you speaking to your mother like that.”

  “Then don't stand for it, witch,” I growled and got into his face. “See where that gets you.”

  My father gaped at me while my mother gasped.

  “El,” Cerberus growled, “what the fuck?”

  I backhanded Cer. “I told you to watch your mouth around me.”

  Cerberus growled, shook his head, and stepped toward me as if he was about to start something dangerous.

  “One more step, Cerberus,” Darc slipped between us. “One more, and you will discover the difference between your godhood and mine.”

  Cerberus started growling.

  “All of you; get out!” My father snapped.

  Everyone froze, and then I shrugged and started for the door. The rest of them trailed after me.

  “Except for you, Elaria!” My father said. “You stay right there.”

  “Let's get something clear between us, Robert Scorcher,” I said calmly. “I appreciate the way you've raised Elaria and taught her as best as your moderate magic allowed you to, but you are not my father. You are the father of this body, and I am its host. You are a fire witch, and I am the source of Fire itself. You are a long-lived mortal, and I am an eternal entity. You have no say over me, nor do you have the right to chide me like a child. I gave you some leeway for your first offense, but that's all you'll receive. Disrespect me again, and I will burn this island to ash and then blow the dust off my hands without a backward glance.”

  Kalliope slapped me across the face, and for a brief second, I felt remorse for the horrible things I'd said. But then I remembered who I was again, and I grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off her feet. Her wings whooshed open behind her as she tried to pull away from me, and her legs kicked out uselessly. All of the men lurched forward, even Darcraxis.

  “Come any closer, and I will snap her neck,” I said coldly.

  “Ellie-phant,” my father whispered in pain and horror.

  A deep sadness rose inside me, and a tear welled in my eye. I gasped, but then it was gone, and there was only my bubbling fury threatening to overtake me. I couldn't let it rise; I had to satisfy it before it reached the surface.

  “I am not your daughter!” I shouted as I tossed Kalliope at her husband.

  Robert caught his wife and held her gently as they both stared at me with terrified grief. I turned away and slid my arms around my husband.

  “Take me home, Darc,” I said softly. “I'm done here.”

  Darcraxis swallowed roughly, gave Robert and Kalliope an apologetic look, and then wrapped me tightly in his embrace. He shadowed us to Ildathach instead of our jewel temple in Tír na nÓg. I backed out of his arms in surprise and looked around with a smile.

  “How do you always know what I need?” I whispered.

  “I know you, Faene,” Darc said softly as he stroked a hand over my hair.

  “Thank you for bringing me home.” I smiled brightly. “There's nothing more calming than being here with you.”

  “I feel the same,” he murmured as he led me out to the balcony. “Just looking across the beautiful world we've made brings my heart peace.”

  “Shall we remain here a few days?”

  “I think so,” he agreed. “I'll fetch us some drinks; you stay here and relax.”

  “Thank you, sweetheart.” I kissed him.

  “You are everything to me; always remember that,” Darc whispered and gave me a soft smile before he left.

  I went to lay out on a chaise in the sun; the heat loosening my tight muscles and relaxing me further. I must have dozed off because suddenly, someone was gen
tly shaking me awake. I opened my eyes expecting to see Darc, but it was Gage.

  I frowned and sat up. “Gage?”

  “Hi, El,” Gage said as he sat beside me.

  “How did you get here?”

  “Darcraxis brought me,” he said soberly. “The others are here too, but I wanted to speak to you first.”

  “What is it?” I went serious.

  “You.” He took my hand. “We're losing you, and it's scaring us. It's scaring me.”

  “I'm right here,” I said in surprise. “Now that Darc has accepted all of you as my consorts, everything is perfect.”

  “You're not perfect,” Gage said. “You're not you. The woman I love would never have treated her parents as you just did.”

  I sighed and rolled my eyes. “They aren't my parents, Gage. You're still thinking of me as Elaria, and I'm not her anymore.”

  “That's what scares me,” he said. “I want Elaria; I love her. I don't know who you are.”

  “If you don't want to be with me, no one is holding you here,” I growled.

  “I'm not saying that,” he growled back. “I won't give up on us. In fact; this is me fighting for our love.”

  “Your love with Elaria, you mean,” I said sternly. “But there is no Elaria anymore, Gage. There is only me; she is a separate part of me, but she is not a separate entity. If you can't accept that, I can't accept you.”

  “That's Faenestra talking,” Gage said. “I want to speak to the part of you that's Elaria. I know she's still in there; I saw her sadness when you abused her parents.”

  “I didn't abuse them,” I scoffed.

  “You nearly strangled Kalliope!” Gage shook his head. “I can't believe that Elaria is so weak that your will has completely overshadowed hers. She's in there, and she's fighting; just as I am. So, it's her I'm speaking to when I say that I won't abandon you.”

  “Why? Do the others wish to leave?” I lifted a brow.

  “Elaria, please,” Gage said.

  “Stop calling me Elaria!” I shouted as I stood.

  “Okay.” Gage stood and held up his hands. “All right, Faenestra. But I'm not going anywhere.”

  “Suit yourself, griffin,” I huffed and sat back down.