Wilde's Army

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Wilde's Army Page 31

by Krystal Wade


  We lock eyes, and Arland smiles.

  I’m frozen in place.

  The sight is more magical than any power I’ve been graced by the gods with, and I want to remember this—all of this—forever.

  I inhale a deep breath, holding it in.

  “Are you coming, Kate?”

  “Yes. I’m just … just … I don’t even know what to say, Mom. It’s beautiful. I’m amazed.” I gasp. “The tree … .”

  “It is a tree of life.” She takes my hand in hers. “You should not keep Arland waiting. He has suffered without you as much, if not more, than you have suffered without him.”

  I don’t meet her eyes or ask about the implication of the tree; instead I stare ahead at Arland, watching for some indication of pain. He’s had to witness me kiss Perth, hug him, hold his hand, sneak in and out of his room at night and vice-versa, but Arland reveals nothing more than joy. The yellow light glows on his skin, flickering in his eyes. The corners of his mouth twist up, melting my heart.

  The distance between us is unbearable—my feet want to run to him, my body craves to be held in his arms, my lips tingle with excitement for an encounter with his. Every step I take sends another thrilling jolt of excitement through me. The protective barrier around us fades in the corner of my vision and all that’s left is Arland, smiling at me, for me.

  Arriving next to him, Mom bends and places my invisible clothes and weapon on the ground, then takes our hands and places them together. Arland’s warmth shoots up my arms, makes my heart do summersaults in my chest. Mom places a palm on each of our shoulders.

  Goose bumps line my skin from head to toe.

  “You look beautiful,” he says in a deep, sultry voice.

  I glance down, cheeks warming. “Thank you.”

  Arland kisses my forehead. “You have no idea how much I have missed your hands in mine.”

  I squeeze his fingers. “I think I have a very good idea.”

  Mom lets go of us then picks up a candle from the ground. “We should get started.”

  Arland and I turn to face her. The crashing waterfalls in the distance behind Mom give me a strong sense of déjà vu, but I shake the thought.

  She waves the candle above and below mine and Arland’s connection, then sets it down. When Mom returns upright, she places one hand under mine and one on top of Arland’s, then closes her eyes. “Cheangal orthu, banna iad, iad a choinneáil le chéile Arland agus Katriona. For you, Kate, it means Bind them, bond them, keep them together, Arland and Katriona.”

  My skin warms. I look from Mom to Arland to my hand. Golden lines twisted around each other in braids swirl from my fingertips, loop around my palm, and curve up my wrist like an intricate tattoo of light. Matching braided lines appear on Arland.

  We meet eyes and hold each other’s gaze. I feel his heart beating and the relief each breath of air brings his lungs—we are one.

  “Le Chéile deo. Together forever.” Mom releases us, kisses Arland on the cheek, then me. “Anois agus i gcónaí. Now and always.”

  The warmth in my hand races up my arm, across my shoulders, down my back and legs. My entire body is hot and swollen, ready to burst, ready to meet lips with Arland’s … ready to love.

  He’s beautiful. Gone is the sadness he carried when we arrived at Willow Falls. Gone are the small dark circles under his eyes.

  Every exposed part us radiates with light from the golden braids. The magic swirls around us, keeping us together, drawing us closer.

  Mom sucks in a sharp breath. “I have never seen a Binding so strong … .”

  “There has never been a Binding reinforced by the gods.” Arland’s voice floats through my mind, seductive, hungry.

  My head fills with memories—Arland’s memories—full of love, sadness, joy, pain, desire. I see the girl I used to be, dropping a plate of food on the ground, feel his excitement when he saw my face. Even before he knew I was Katriona Wilde, he thought I was beautiful, captivating.

  The next memory hits: our first kiss. He swore to never let anything happen to me, swore never to kiss another, swore to sacrifice his life to save me. The pain the first time I saved his life brought him is almost unbearable, buckling my knees. He felt like he’d betrayed me, like he’d failed me, like he should leave me.

  I shake my head.

  His thoughts change, and he shows me images of us in the stables, in the bath, all of our soldiers working to prepare for our marriage and then our marriage itself. Intense pleasure is what he feels; his entire body emanates with it. He sees no world beyond me, beyond my lips, beyond my eyes.

  I don’t know what memories he’s received of mine, but he hasn’t stopped smiling, hasn’t loosened his grip on my hand, hasn’t looked away from me once.

  I thought I’d be nervous about what to do once we were Bound and had to follow through with things we’d been interrupted on so many times. Instead, I find myself wishing my mom would disappear, run as fast as possible, go anywhere but here so Arland and I can complete our marriage.

  My breaths come out heavy, and my head almost refuses to turn, but I face Mom.

  She’s gone.

  I look toward the hill, but she’s not there either. “Where did—?”

  Arland ignores my half-asked question and crashes his lips against mine. His hands make their way to my face, mouth trailing along my jaw, up to my ear, down my neck. I lean my head back, allow him to kiss a line straight to my chest where he stops at the row of flowers on my scooped-neck gown.

  Electricity shoots out to every nerve ending in my body.

  I run my fingers through Arland’s hair, grab his brown locks then pull him up to my mouth again. He grips me with one rough, yet tender hand at the waist, while fumbling with the silky tie of my bodice with the other. Each lace removed sends relief through my chest, replaced by a breathless desire.

  Abandoning my mouth, he kisses every inch of my neck, slides a strap of my dress off my right shoulder and kisses there, too. Lifting me from the ground, he takes a few steps forward then sets me on my feet on a blanket under the lush weeping willow—never once breaking the intimate connection we both so desperately crave.

  Our eyes lock. We stare long and hard, exchanging unspoken emotions and memories, but longing wins out over all. Without looking, he slides off my other shoulder strap. The white gown flutters to the ground, landing in a pool of silk around my feet.

  My body is his to do with as he wishes, and he just looks into my eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  “I am memorizing you. Parts of you which were not already memorized.”

  I sit on the blanket, unlace my boots then slide them from my feet. When I’m left with nothing on, I smile at Arland and lie back. “Memorize away.”

  He rids himself of his leather belt, flinging it aside, removes his boots then joins me. Our lips reunite, settling my craving for more, but giving way to a more powerful ache. Arland shifts so he’s hovering over my body, arms on either side of my head.

  I cannot wait any longer.

  It’s torment.

  Grabbing a fistful of tunic, I lift it over his head. I trail my hands down his back, find the waist of his pants, then work to get them down. When he’s freed of his barriers, our skin meets, and I’m filled with heat, with intensity, with love.

  His sculpted chest presses against mine with each deepening kiss. Our breathing in sync. He pulls away, and our eyes lock once more. “I love you, Katriona Maher.”

  Hearing him utter my name, his name, our name sends me over the edge. My breathing speeds up. I fight the animalistic urge to force him into me. “I love you, too, Arland Maher.”

  He smiles, and our bodies truly become one. Flooded with warmth, with love, with Arland, I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Our legs are tangled. Arland lies next to me, arm draped over my stomach, fingers tracing lines along my side. I stare at the stars through the green leaves on the Willow while running my ha
nds through his knotted hair. The candles have very little wax remaining. Time is coming to an end. Soon I will have to stand, get dressed and part with my love. Return to living a lie. Be burned for each kiss I give to Perth.

  Stars? I haven’t seen stars since the cave, but here there are millions of them above us. Not a small patch of the heavens, a huge patch as far as I can see. Stars! The sun will shine over everything when it rises. Plants here will thrive, food will grow naturally—that is assuming, of course, these stars are not figments of my imagination and they do not fade like they have so many times before. “Arland?”

  He lifts his head and smiles at me in a way suggesting he wants more time, more of me, of us.

  I point to the sky and am surprised again. The golden bands still cover my hand. I sit upright, and Arland rolls over. “What are we going to do?”

  Face turning white, he looks us over. “We need more time. Look”—he takes my hand and points at one of the bands which first appeared—”this one is lighter than the rest.”

  “We don’t have more time. Mom said we had two hours, max. The candles have almost completely melted away; I’m sure we’re already over our limit.” I look around, afraid of being in the open, afraid the concealment spells might have broken.

  Afraid.

  Arland wraps his arms around me. “Do not fear, my love. Everything will be okay. We should get dressed and find your mother. She will know what to do.”

  “I am afraid her mother has already done enough.” Leader Dufaigh’s cold tone matches the sudden temperature shift in the air. “Stand up, offenders.”

  Turning his head in Dufaigh’s direction, Arland’s eyes widen.

  I’m frozen. Afraid to see what’s behind me. I don’t want to think of the consequences we somehow knew we’d have to pay for our love, or care about the hideous nature of the man who wishes to steal my life from me.

  “Do not stand up. Do not move. Cover yourself with the blanket. Remember, we knew this might happen, and everything will be okay.” Arland kisses my forehead, gets to his feet, wraps the blanket around me then stands tall, proud, emotionless.

  Naked.

  “Arrest him!” Dufaigh shouts.

  Arland doesn’t flinch. “I love you, Kate. Every fiber of your being is pure, beautiful and a part of me. Do not go lightly. Give them what they deserve.”

  “I will fight, for you, I will fight.” I think of the dagger, but am unable to move. Everyone might realize what I’m reaching for and kill one of us for it.

  Cyric and Deverell march up to Arland, keeping their heads low. They cast me an apologetic glance, take Arland by the arms then lead him away. The two guards have sat by Dufaigh’s side, followed his orders and watched me every evening when I’d grace the great hall outfitted in something new his dressers designed. Neither guard ever appeared happy about his job babysitting me, but I’ve broken laws. I have no idea how deep their loyalties run with Perth, Dufaigh, or High Leader Maher.

  “Gather his clothing, Perth. We do not want to scare the women and children in the base with his appearance.”

  Perth? I turn my head but wish I didn’t. Arland stands naked, hands tied behind his back, head still held high, face to face with Dufaigh. Perth trots toward me, eyes revealing the man I thought was long gone—the icy nature of the Ground Dweller Perth swore he was not.

  When he reaches me, I glare. “What did you do?”

  “I am sorry.” He kneels beside me. “I thought everyone was sneaking away without me. This place, these people, they have lost touch with reality of the world around them—I did not want to be left alone. I followed you and your mother outside. When I saw you disappear behind the concealment spell, I lost faith in our agreement. I broke the edge of the spell and followed you in.” For a split second Perth’s eyes flash a brilliant shade of green.

  “How could you, Perth? I gave you my word. You said you trusted me. Why would you think we were leaving you?” The fury boiling inside makes it near impossible to keep my voice at a whisper. I want to wrap my hands around his neck and squeeze.

  “Calm down.” Shaking his head, Perth glances over his shoulder.

  “I made a mistake. As soon as I realized what was happening, I left, but my father followed me. He watched your mother perform the Binding spell, watched as the magic enforced your bond, even commented on how he has never seen one so strong.” Perth wipes his hand over his face like he’s seen things he’d like to forget.

  I swallow hard. “You watched?”

  “No. When your mother came back, we dragged her inside, questioned her and got the guards. No one saw anything.” He shakes his head again. “I am so sorry.”

  ”Son, leave her to rot. I am sure daemons will find her unchaste body and deal with her. If you would like to punish her for her behavior, I understand, but aside from that she is of no concern to you,” Dufaigh shouts.

  Anger inundates Arland’s mind.

  We’re still connected.

  His thoughts turn murderous. Wiggling his hands, he tries to free himself.

  ”Arland, no! We knew this might happen, remember? I will be okay.”

  “Somehow I knew Perth would be behind this.”

  “It was a misunderstanding. Please, don’t do anything to make this worse.”

  “I am coming, Father,” Perth says like the perfect son.

  “Wait.” I grab Perth by the arm. “If your father was there, why didn’t he try to stop us?”

  Perth brushes my arm from his, always keeping up the façade. “My father is cruel, Katriona. He wanted you to suffer for your transgressions.”

  The only way to make me suffer is … Arland. “What does he plan to do to Arland?”

  Perth narrows his eyes then glances toward his father. “He will not do anything to Arland because we will not allow him. Get dressed. Meet me outside the door to the base in half an hour.

  “My father was right about you. You are worthless like the rest of them.” Perth clutches the clothes to his chest then runs toward his father, leaving me all alone and naked under the weeping willow.

  I’ve been here before. In my visions. I knew this was coming—my mom pretty much told me this was coming—so why does it feel like I’ve just been punched in the gut?

  “Put your clothes on, Arland Maher, fallen Leader of Encardia. You will never see her again, do you understand? How dare you go against the law of a High Leader, against your own father … ?”

  I turn my head to see Arland one more time before he’s taken away. I want to bask in his healthy glow because I fear the next time we see each other, he will have been punished, and I’m sure punishment will come in a physical form.

  Cyric and Deverell free his hands for him to dress then tie the rope around his wrists again.

  Dufaigh catches me looking at Arland. “On second thought, Perth, go get the girl and bring her to me.”

  The blanket seems very thin all of a sudden; I tighten it around my chest and do not make any effort to stand. Perth runs over, takes me by the arm, lifts me to my feet then leads me to his father.

  The red and black plaid blanket trails at my feet.

  “Do not be afraid. We will beat this. It is my fault, and I will somehow make it right,” Perth whispers.

  “I hope you’re right,” I say, staring straight ahead. I’m watching the back of Arland, afraid he might suddenly fall over dead, or disappear, or be punched—anything where I may need to step in.

  Perth stops in front of Dufaigh and releases my elbow. I stand, not as proud and tall as Arland, but I meet Dufaigh’s eyes with defiance in my heart.

  “You may have disgraced yourself, but I will not allow you to live easily and disgrace my family. We will keep your crime between us and you will marry my son and be punished every day. An impressive amount of magic secured your Binding to Arland. I have a feeling it will bring you great pain to break that bond.” Dufaigh smiles and bounces on his toes.

  My skin crawls.

  He’s always
wanted to hurt my family and Arland’s. This situation must be like a bonus to what Dufaigh has already done.

  Perth shakes his head. “No, Father, I will not marry Katriona.”

  Dufaigh places his pale, fat hands on Perth’s shoulders. “Think of the pain it will bring the two of them, and with her in our family we will be safe.”

  “You are right, Father.” Perth sighs. “I cannot imagine touching her, let alone marrying her, but she deserves to suffer for her actions.”

  No! This was Perth’s chance to stand up to his father, to fight for his people, to help me and Arland, and he chose Darkness. He chose to stray from the path of Light. Fire burns in my heart, spreads like a flame in a dry forest—

  “Kate, calm down. Perth is playing the game. Look at his eyes, he is not genuine.” The calm in Arland’s thoughts mimics his exterior.

  So many times I’ve seen Perth’s eyes, so many times I wish I hadn’t, but now I find myself captivated by the look of utter terror for all to see in his eyes. Wide and wild, glancing in all directions, as if mapping his escape. Maybe his father believes it to be because of my transgressions, but I recognize it as fear of something Perth’s about to do.

  Dufaigh slaps Perth on the back, nearly knocking him over. “So it is settled. Take her to your quarters and do not allow anyone to see you. If they do, tell them you were out for a stroll and attacked by daemons. Make up a story about how you saved her life. She will be crying, no doubt, so anything she does will only corroborate your story. Make sure you kiss her if she does not shed tears, the pain will aid you.”

  The cruel Leader turns away from us then walks next to his guards. “Now, Deverell, take Arland to the High Leader’s quarters with Leader Wilde.”

  Dufaigh turns to me and reveals his yellowed teeth. “We need to discuss how to deliver their death sentences.”

 

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