“Calen is keeping watch for us. She will alert us to any approaching threat. She will not fail us, dear Rydan,” I soothed. “We need not focus on that. The most important goal we are now tasked with is to find your Fëa counterpart.”
Rydan bent his head backward, pointing his face at the sky, and strongly exhaled. “How? This place is endless. It can be anywhere.”
“Use your instincts to guide you. Only you have the power to direct us on where to go. Your souls will react to each other like gravity, drawing one another in. If you take a moment to close your eyes and focus, search for that point in your heart that pulls you in a single direction,” I instructed.
He did just as I suggested. He stood still and closed his eyes, drawing in deep breaths. I, too, stood still, mesmerized by the rouge highlights the sun cast in his black hair that fell over his eyes when the wind blew.
He wore dark clothing that fit around his masculine form just so and his gifted silver chain around his neck. The very blood in my veins rose in temperature the instant he slowly lifted his eyelids. He gazed at me through slit lids, and the mercury color that filled his irises made me weak in the knees.
I had fallen for this being through my dreams, when neither of us had ever spoken a word. Yet, I had never imagined the affect his very presence would have on my soul.
He stirred something within me. Every look he turned my way sent my heart afloat. Caused my stomach to jolt in circles.
Rydan awakened a whole new side to me.
And it felt amazing.
Suddenly, Calen let out a melodic call in warning. Something was near. I quickly shot my worried eyes back to Rydan, who had already been looking at me.
“Something is near,” I whispered, voicing my thought aloud.
Calen pitched below the treetops and landed on a branch next to where we stood. She kept her gaze on one particular spot in the forest. I could feel from her that it was not a major threat, but it was at least something.
“Is it Ohtar’s hunters?” Rydan whispered, drawing closer to me.
“No, I do not believe so. Hurry, we should hide regardless,” I mentioned quickly.
“Wait—” Rydan halted my retreating steps. “You’re right. It isn’t Ohtar. It’s just a deer.”
“A deer? Are you for certain?” I inquired with surprise.
“Yes, I can feel it. It was frightened to pass through, but it can sense I’m not dangerous.” Rydan walked further into the trees, pulling me along with him.
Grazing in the meadow right in front of us was an enormous stag. The velvet of his antlers had just started to rub off. A few pieces hung limply. He began scratching them against the trunk of a tree, as if it itched.
Rydan chuckled sweetly. He walked up to the stag and slowly petted his snout. The deer was not afraid in the least. I decided I would very much like to be a part of this amazing encounter happening before me as well, so I followed Rydan.
The deer twitched his ears back and forth, blowing air out of its nose as I approached.
“Am I frightening him?” I asked Rydan, slowing my steps.
“Nah, it’s okay. He’s just curious. He can’t feel you the way he can feel me,” he replied.
“That is quite interesting. Your gift is marvelous, Rydan. I have a dear friend who is an Animal Healer. I believe the gifts to be similar, but I suspect they serve different purposes.” I grazed the stag’s neck, taking note of the thick, smooth texture. “When is it that you discovered your gift?”
“I was young, really young. My first memory as a kid was when my parents took me to the ocean. There was a pod of orcas playing not too far from the coastline, which is extremely rare. But I remember it, because I heard their songs so loudly in my head, it almost hurt. I was the only one who could hear it,” he retold the tale warmly. “They were happy. I knew without a doubt, they were happy. It was the first time I realized animals felt emotions, too. What surprised me the most was that they felt love and pride for each member of their pod. It was amazing.”
“That does sound amazing,” I agreed. Surely, an experience such as that would be life changing. I would love to have known what that was like.
“I don’t eat meat. I will never eat an animal. I am too connected with them. Nari hates when I get on her case about it, but it makes me sick to watch her eating their dead flesh. I could never tell her the exact reason why I felt that way. I kinda thought I was a freak back then. I didn’t tell anyone about my ability to connect with animals,” he opened himself further to me. I loved hearing about his life. I soaked it all in.
“Tell me more,” I encouraged.
He shrugged his shoulders in response. “There isn’t much more to tell. I knew there was something different about me, but not once did I ever think I wasn’t human. Not once did I ever question where I came from or Darren and Anna being my parents. It wasn’t until you started coming into my dreams.” He removed his gaze from the deer and landed his eyes on mine. My poor heart thumped erratically within. “I had never experienced a dream before you. At least, I never remembered dreaming once I woke up.”
“Is that true?” I inquired.
He nodded. “Before that, I had another weird encounter when I was around nine or so. It was just before I met Nari. There was a young white wolf with blue eyes in the woods near the Weeping Willow. She gave me this strong sense of...home. I don’t know how to describe it. It was the weirdest thing to ever happen to me. She didn’t stay long, but we bonded. I had started to believe I imagined it.
“But then, there was a white fox with blue eyes when I was with Nari. That time, I couldn’t have imagined it because Nari could see her, too. It reminded me of that wolf so much.” He ran his hand over his head with a sigh before continuing, “And then...there you were in my dreams the next night, giving off that exact same sense of home. I had never been more confused in my life.”
I extended my hand and closed it around his arm for comfort. “I do not know for certain, but it could have been your Fëa trying to reach out to you. It may have the ability to take many forms, or come to you in the briefest of moments. Almost like a shadow. Not truly there, but visible to those around. It may have been worried for you or checking on your well-being.”
He furrowed his eyebrows together as if lost in thought, absorbing the new information.
“Rydan, I do not wish to alarm you. But—” I hesitated, not wanting to upset him.
“But what?” he asked impatiently.
“Well, it could have also meant that your Fëa was in trouble. She could have been trying to reach out to you for aid. I do not know for sure, but it is a possibility.” I gently squeezed his arm.
“Then let’s go. I need to find her,” he replied firmly.
Chapter Twenty-Three
~Nari~
“What an intriguing choice of dress, my Fallaner. You did well.” Ohtar’s sickly sweet voice kept repeating in my head as I laid the shimmery gown out across the bed. His niceness made me sick, because I knew that underneath it hid a crazed lunatic.
But besides his ugly voice, what he had said earlier was the thing confusing me. Why would he say that? Mycah had said that Ohtar chose the dress for me, yet Ohtar acted like he had never seen it before. Like I was the one who had chosen it. It made me hope he wasn’t the one who had picked it out after all, because I sure would like it a lot more if that were the case.
The door opening had me whirling around in its direction.
“This way,” Sarqua ordered. “The King wishes for you to be put in your own chamber.” I followed without a word in reply.
I found myself enjoying the feel of being in this castle. The feel of the dusty air in some spots, the cool ocean breeze that got trapped in its stone walls in others, and the grand atmosphere that encompassed me everywhere I went. We took flight after flight of winding stairs, and then walked through several wide-open rooms that were perfectly decorated with a medieval gothic flair, until the sound of beautiful, entrancing music ha
lted my feet. It was a haunting melody that I didn’t recognize, but found wholly captivating. I found myself walking toward the source and not being able to stop.
There was a dimly lit room across my path where the music definitely came from. The wooden door was ajar. I quietly walked over to it and peeked inside. Nothing but soft streaks of ripening sunrays painted the space. My heart jumped into my throat.
It was Mycah.
Playing the piano.
He was hunched over the ebony and ivory keys in a devilish way, resembling a broken, dark angel. His black hair shone with the sun’s rays in a messy stuck up way that screamed UK model, and the tight cut of his jaw that was scruffy from not shaving made me wish I could run my fingers across it. He was so hypnotic in the way he passionately played the beautiful melody, as if he were hypnotized by the reverberations himself, that I lost all motor function and speech. I had no idea he could play the piano.
He was stunning.
A strong wave of love and lust for this sexy creature ignited through me so fiercely, I almost stumbled backward. Until a tight fisted hand around my bicep had me lurching into the air. I clamped a hand over my mouth in surprise and held back a scream.
“Let this be your only warning. Step out of line again and you shall forever regret it,” Sarqua lashed out. The music stopped playing instantly, but I had no time to look back into the room because Sarqua was already pulling me down the hall again.
Eventually, he threw me into a small room with a cot and little furniture, locking the door behind as he left.
My mind was ablaze as I walked over to the tiny window, tugging on my cotton blue dress that the servants gave me, and watched the burning sun rise just a little bit more. I had learned at the ball that Night Elves enjoyed the night and spent most of the daylight hours asleep. But I didn’t feel like going to sleep after witnessing Mycah playing the piano like he had been, even if I had just spent all night at a masquerade ball.
Why didn’t he tell me he knew how to play? He was as skilled as Rydan was. Gosh darn these boys. They were too talented at so many things for their own good. I started to realize that elves must have a natural gift with the arts. That must be why I enjoyed painting so much.
That thought gave me an idea. There was a wooden desk carved to perfection in the corner, so I crossed over to it with a purpose. I shuffled through the different compartments until I found what I was looking for. Blank papyrus.
Now I just needed a drawing utensil. I began to think a quill and ink jar would have to do until I spotted a small dark item lodged in the back of a tiny drawer. I pulled it out to discover it was a stick of charcoal.
Holy jackpot! My luck was turning around, after all. I squealed a little before jumping back on the rickety cot and started sketching.
I so needed this. My stress-reliever.
I worked tirelessly hour after hour on recreating Mycah enraptured at that grand piano.
The entire day passed by without me even noticing. It wasn’t until the sound of the wooden door abruptly opening that I realized the sun sat low in the beauteous sky.
In walked King Ohtar, flanked by Sarqua and...Mycah. My heart burst into a high speed chase.
A servant girl walked in behind them and brought me a scrumptious-looking pastry that must've been twisted into a knot before baking and an egg. I thanked her breathlessly and kept my eyes on my food as she left. My stomach growled. I was starving.
“Eat,” Ohtar ordered with authority. “You depart immediately. Your assignment is to aid and heal all my fallen men. I cannot have my numbers diminishing. You will replenish them Fallaner, or I will have your heart on a platter and fed to my lynx if I hear one word of your defiance.”
He did not stay long. He started to retreat, but then stopped and slowly turned around. “One last command. Remycah is responsible for ensuring you carry out your assignment dutifully. Should you fail, my Lureá will have two hearts to fill her belly.” He growled the words more toward Mycah than to me, just before he stalked off elegantly.
Wonderful.
“Prepare to leave immediately,” Sarqua said roughly as he stepped just outside the door and waited for me.
“I have nothing to bring, nothing to prepare. I can just leave now, if I really have to,” I said timidly to Mycah. He never let his eyes reach mine. Darn him.
“Change into these. I already prepared a satchel for you,” Mycah replied in a low accented voice as he tossed the items I didn’t notice him holding before. They dropped to the end of the cot. I set down my drawing and examined them—dark pants, white cotton shirt, brown leather vest, black cloak, and dark brown leather boots.
I tried not to smile, so I bit down on my bottom lip instead. But they were cool. Super cool.
“We’ll be waiting out here. Hurry,” Mycah said as he spun on his heel and walked out, closing the door behind him.
I did as he asked. I ate the blackberry-filled pastry and hard-boiled egg, and then washed it down with a steamy hot red tea.
I ripped off my dress and squeezed into the clothes Mycah threw at me. They fit completely and utterly to perfection. Like they were made for me. Man—these elves were excellent when it came to picking out clothes for me.
I went to stick my bare feet in the boots and then stopped. No socks? Dang it—I couldn’t wear boots without socks. Could I?
I shyly opened the door. Sarqua’s eyes found mine, and he straightened into readiness.
“Umm...where’s Mycah? I mean, Remycah?” I fixed my mistake before Sarqua could yell at me. Mycah instantly appeared before me from around the corner.
“What?” he asked flatly.
“Is it possible to get socks? I can’t wear boots without socks,” I explained sheepishly.
He brushed past me, sending a dozen butterflies to take flight in my belly. I watched as he ripped the wool blanket from the cot into several strips and magically transformed them into socks.
I physically brought my hand up to manually shut my mouth.
He swaggered over to me in all his sexy glory, tousled black hair in perfect disarray, and held the socks up to me with disinterest. Like it was the most boring task he had ever been asked to do.
“Thanks,” I barely breathed out from astonishment clutching my vocal cords. He opened his mouth to respond with a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, except he immediately closed it and dropped that premature smile. He went back out of the room in silence.
I pushed my hair behind my ear and closed my eyes to calm myself. His presence did a number on my sanity.
I yanked the wool socks that now felt as smooth as silk over my ice-cold feet and relished the way they were exactly my size. Hmph. I stomped my feet into the boots that were also my size and grabbed the canvas bag Mycah left by the door.
“Ready,” I announced with surprising enthusiasm. What was wrong with me? I guess I was actually excited about this...whatever this was. Maybe it was the thought of traveling with Mycah.
Yes...Yes, that was definitely it.
Neither elf said a word as they walked down the long, stone corridor. I followed them right away without being asked.
As they led the way, I marveled in the feeling of being whole again. With Mycah being so near, I felt complete. I could easily breathe once more, and my soul danced in satisfaction of having its other half this close. If only he wasn’t acting like such a butt.
Just then, he slightly cocked his head and slid his eyes to view me from his peripheral. He knew I was thinking about him. I resisted the urge to stick out my tongue.
We kept making our way toward the exit in silence. The castle was grand and spacious with the highest quality of art decorating every wall. And then finally—the regal entrance.
I heard a strained deep voice from somewhere nearby and turned to see a man in a heated discussion with a guard.
“Why not explain to me where my daughter is? Why is it I cannot know after all this time? Tell me!” the rustic man in poor clothing a
sked in a hushed voice.
I wasn’t able to catch anything else that was said as we kept walking farther and farther away, but it was enough for my heart to go out to the pained elf.
The guards opened the gigantic, heavy wooden doors with ease and without any command once they saw us approach. Sarqua and Mycah ignored them as we passed, and they ignored us, also. I gave a small wave to each despite their eyes being elsewhere.
The outer courtyard was massive. We had to walk all the way to the front gate, which seemed so far away from where we were. We continued to pass clusters of people who crafted jewelry, weaponry, armory, bread, and clothing. Barrels, sacks, and hay sat everywhere.
Once we passed through the final gate, we then had to descend the steep hill that went down to the foot of the castle and through the village that housed the Kingdom’s people.
The diminishing sun cast a rainbow of colors across the partly cloudy sky and sea. It sprayed its golden rays through Mycah’s midnight blue hair, playing with each strand like it missed his presence.
I knew the feeling.
It was strange how Sarqua’s appearance was not affected in the least by the mixture of bright colors around us. Only Mycah.
And it was beautiful.
All the people we passed avoided us or moved out of our way immediately—As if even looking upon us for a second would be a penalty of death.
“Mycah...Don’t they know who—” I tried to ask quietly, tugging on Mycah’s elbow, but he spun around in a fury and cut me off by placing a hand over my mouth. His eyes were wide and threatening.
“Shh,” he whispered. Did he even know what I was about to ask?
“How did you know what I was about to ask?” I mirrored my thoughts.
“I felt your confusion. I heard your question in your thoughts. Never ask it,” he whispered so softly there was practically no noise at all. I was going to ask—Didn’t they know who he was? It was a legitimate question—he was supposed to be their King. If they knew who he was, couldn’t they overturn Ohtar and appoint Mycah instead? Their people had to know—
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