by Morgan Wylie
“Finn!” Kaeleigh was shocked at Finn’s rude outburst.
Finn glared at her then explained, “It is a grave accusation to make, Kaeleigh. I need proof.”
“What accusation did he make? I’m really getting tired of people not giving me the answers I need—and why for the love of all things holy, Daegan, are you untying your pants??” Kaeleigh practically shouted then immediately a blush ran up her neck when she realized what she had shouted and that a very attractive warrior was indeed lowering a part of his pants. “No, really... what is he doing?”
“I am showing Finn what he is looking for.” Daegan looked into Finn’s eyes as he exposed a part of his right hip where there was nothing to see. “Remove the glamour, Kaeleigh.”
Kaeleigh’s eyes snapped back to his. “What?”
“Please remove the glamour. Or at least see through it and tell Finn what you see. Otherwise he will think I placed it there for him to see.” Daegan looked at her a little softer, with eyes pleading for her to simply do as he asked.
She nodded and stepped forward. It made her blush to be that close to him and with his pants slightly hanging down even though there was nothing more to see than his very defined hip bone surrounded by tight muscle that led to other areas of him still covered. That blush was rushing on full throttle from her stomach all the way to the top of her head. It was all Kaeleigh could do to keep from reaching out with her fingertips to trace the lines of each muscle. Daegan cleared his throat, causing her to flinch back into her mission.
She took a step back to help her think a little more clearly. Kaeleigh concentrated on the smooth tanned skin where his hip was. Suddenly an image appeared in front of her eyes and she sucked in a breath. “I see a small black orchid marking,” Kaeleigh said. “That’s all I see.”
“Can you show us, Kaeleigh? Remove the glamour?” Arileas asked calmly.
“Okay, I’ll try.” She focused her magic to dismantling the threads of a glamour she could see surrounding the image. It really wasn’t that hard compared to what they’d had to do with the glamour surrounding Aidón. She heard several gasps from around the room, so she assumed what she did worked.
“There is your proof, Finnlan.” Arileas nodded at the marking on Daegan’s hip.
“I also have this,” Daegan said to Arileas as he held out his hand. “My father’s ring. He gave this to me when I saw him last, right before they were killed.”
Kaeleigh knew the ring; Daegan never took it off. He said a few words she did not recognize but her mind quickly translated, and softly said, “Reveal.” His ring altered its appearance in both texture and design to something much more ancient looking. It had a small green stone that glimmered like new in the center. Kaeleigh was transfixed on the ring and how it had changed before her very eyes. Then suddenly she realized that everyone around her had gone down to the floor on one knee, bowing to Daegan. This time was different. She could feel it. Everything had just changed.
She quickly took her own knee, only to have Daegan raise her eyes to his with his fingertips lightly brushing her chin. “You do not bow to me, Kaeleighnna.” He helped her to her feet. “Neither do you, my friends. I have done nothing yet to deserve the honor you are giving me.” Daegan looked down, humbled, and showed slight emotion. “My parents never got the chance to serve you or be honored the way you honor me.”
Arileas stood and walked closer to Daegan. “They knew who they were and who they were protecting. They would do it again to ensure that you were in this time and in this place. I know, they told me so. They will be honored properly when this is over.” Arileas smiled at Daegan. “I know you will see to that.”
“So, I’m assuming Daegan is some kind of royalty since we just pledged our lives to him or something,” Metrí whispered to Chel, who was chewing the inside of her cheek but nodded her head in agreement.
“Yes, young one.” Arileas spoke directly to Metrí with an almost giddy grin. “I present to you Daegan Tokníyth, the heir to the throne of Elnye and the territory of Feraánmar,” he declared, arms open toward Daegan and jubilation in his eyes.
The room buzzed with excitement as Daegan’s face slowly began to frown as a thought and question rose in his mind. He began pacing the room as everyone looked on. He looked to the Elder. “Did Maleina know? Is that why she sought after me and took me?”
“Yes, I believe she suspected, but did not actually know.”
“That would explain so many of her actions toward me. She was threatened by me even as a boy. That must be why she orchestrated all that she did and put me in the position I held, to keep me under her thumb and watchful eye.”
“Yes, that does seem to line up,” Hal mused aloud, looking down and running his hands through his hair. He was deep in thought as his eyes raised sorrowfully toward his brother and now his king. “I never knew, Daegan. I was blind to it. I swear I would have told you if I did.”
“I know.” Daegan looked at Hal with a smile. “You are my brother and you will always remain so.” He thought for a brief second and then nodded his head as he spoke more softly. “And Rheina is my sister. I’m not sure what she would say about that, but I like to think she would feel the same, in her own way,” he finished with a smile.
Hal chuckled. “I think little sister has had her own hand in things and her own part to play all along. She is a mystery to me.” His expression grew serious and far off. “I hope she is all right.”
Daegan reached over and gripped Hal’s shoulder. “I hope the same,” Daegan whispered.
Arileas gave them both a conspirator’s eye, “Your sister has had her own part to play indeed. She is quite special. I do look forward to what comes next on her path.”
“You know something, Elder?” Hal asked.
“Of course he does!” Daegan declared with a smile, showing brief affection and emotion for Arileas. “This man always seems to possess the right secrets at the right time. Are there any more secrets we should know right now, Elder? Perhaps involving our sister?”
“One more, but it is not quite time, I am sorry to say,” Arileas said with a smile. “Shall we proceed with deciphering the prophecy?”
Everyone agreed and went back to the table where the scrolls were laid. Daegan grabbed Kaeleigh’s hand quickly and pulled her to his chest. She gasped out of surprise. He would never have shown affection in front of others before. Her eyes grew big as he leaned down, his mouth so close to her ear she could feel the warmth of his breath as he whispered for her ears alone. “I am yours, Kaeleighnna, if you will have me.” He did not even give her a chance to respond, but let her loose as he went to a seat beside Arileas that was left open for him.
Kaeleigh was left staring into a corner of the Great Hall. Her legs were shaking and her eyes felt pried open, unable to blink. She clutched her arm where he had just held it.
“Come on, so a boy whispered in your ear. That’s nothing new, right? Shake it off. We got stuff to do.” Chel laughed and winked at her friend as she conveniently helped her to a chair at the far end from Daegan. Chel had decided her friend needed some breathing space. Kaeleigh gave Chel a grin and then rolled her eyes and shook herself to clear her head.
“See, now you can just sit back and watch him from here,” Chel said snarkily, but Kaeleigh just continued to grin.
It seemed like hours had gone by as they studied the ancient magical text. They could see where it had been added to, but understanding it was proving to be more complicated. There was quiet frustration in the room. Kaeleigh had a thought and stood up abruptly. “I keep feeling like I get close to something and I get ‘rerouted,’ for lack of a better term. Could there be a magic to confuse us on it?”
“Is that such a thing?” Chel asked.
Arileas cocked his head for a moment as he stared at the parchment, but he was seeing something other than what they were all looking at. He appeared to be searching it thoroughly. After a long time, one of his eyebrows rose. “I believe you may be on to somethin
g, Kaeleighnna. I have detected something that should not be a part of either the old version or what it should say.”
“Okay, well, what do you suggest we do?” Kaeleigh asked slightly impatiently as if he was waiting for them to all figure out the riddle before they could move on.
“Metrí. She needs to begin training as well. This is something I want you to work on, Metrí. There is unknown magic here. I think if I point you in the right direction, your magic that is such a mystery may have something to offer.” He spoke sagely to a young Metrí, whose eyes had grown quite large, but she quietly nodded as she began focusing on the parchment.
“I think it best if I can have some time with Ella and Metrí as we finish, to help her focus her magic. A lot has transpired today. So much has been revealed and there is more to come. I am so grateful for you all in this time. Rest well.” The Elder’s eyes twinkled at them as he shooed them out of the Great Hall.
“Wow. I am exhausted,” Chel yawned out as they left the hall into the perfect night air. The trees practically glowed in the shimmering light of the blue moons as it streaked through the tree canopy above.
“I know! I feel like I don’t even know you people anymore,” Hal joked as he gave Daegan a light slug as he passed. “We’ve got kings and queens among us just like that!”
Daegan let out a laugh as he pushed Hal before he got too far out of his reach. Hal was accustomed to the more playful side of Daegan, but none of the rest of them had seen it before. To Kaeleigh especially, it was breathtaking.
After Finn and Ella had walked past as well, Kaeleigh steeled her resolve and turned toward Daegan. “I have news for you, your Highness.” Her eyes danced as they looked into his. “You were mine long before you acknowledged me. Just for the record.” She spun to keep walking and perhaps play a little hard to get, only to have him catch her arm and twirl her back to him.
“Is that so?”
“Mmhmm,” Kaeleigh hummed through her lips. Lips that he was staring intently at before he looked back to her green eyes.
“We are even then,” he said.
“Not quite,” Kaeleigh smirked then reached up to grab his hair in her hand and pressed her lips to his. This was not their first kiss, but it felt different. It was mutual and acknowledged. It was more than a kiss of desperate emotion bubbling forth, it was purposeful with focused passion. Kaeleigh could feel him—the real him, the him that was deep inside of his rough exterior—it was his soul. The kiss they shared was one soul reaching out to the other’s soul. It was magical and full of energy that surrounded them both. Kaeleigh could feel when her energy entwined with his own. It was electrifying, similar to what they each experienced when they would touch skin to skin in the past, but so much more. Daegan’s lips began to intensify on hers, their kiss deepening. His tongue reached out to the seam of her lips, coaxing them to open to him. She let him in, opening her mouth and tangling her tongue with his. It was a dance that they had not dared get near before, but now... but now, they belonged to one another.
The energy within Kaeleigh sparked, starting at her wrist where Daegan was holding her, and then from her wrist up into her hand as he kissed her senseless. It was a shock that neither could ignore, however, and they stepped apart with enough room to look down at her wrist. The marking on her wrist that had been only partial before was now fully apparent.
“Whoa!” Kaeleigh managed to get out as she was trying to refill her lungs with air. She was afraid the magic of a dream come true might snap and shatter before her. “Look at that!”
“I see,” Daegan said, smiling as he examined her wrist. Where his fingers traced the marking, he left a wake of fire burning along the nerve endings of Kaeleigh’s wrist. “It seems to be complete. Though I still have never seen a marking like this.”
“I wonder what it means,” she said, no longer disappointed by how different her markings were, but now knowing clearly for the first time who she was and who she belonged to.
He tipped her chin to look her squarely in the eyes. “It’s beautiful, I know that much. I have a feeling that our resident Elder will know or at least know something about it.” His eyes went distant as he thought.
“What is it?”
“It happened after I kissed you.”
“Right...” She looked at him to continue.
“After I remembered who I am to be. After I declared myself to you. After I gave you my heart. Arileas said we were two halves of the Sol-lumieth together. Maybe it has something to do with that.” Daegan shrugged one shoulder.
“Maybe you are right.” She thought for a second. “Wait! Did you say you gave me your heart?” Kaeleigh’s eyes filled with emotion and she tried to swallow it down, but her throat was so tight she almost ended up choking.
“Yes, my choosing you is my way of giving you my heart. I have given it to no one before you and I would give it to none other than you.” She gasped and took in a staccatoed breath. “There is no other for me, Kaeleigh. I want you. Always.” Then he kissed her. Because it was the perfect time to do so, because he wanted to, because he could.
In between kisses wet with salty tears and Kaeleigh gasping for breath she responded, “I... want... you too. You have my heart.” She pulled back enough to see his eyes. Kaeleigh whispered, “Forever.” Then she lay her head against his chest as they held each other close for another moment. Nestled within his strong, muscled arms, Kaeleigh felt everything was suddenly right in her world. She was safe. She was loved. She took a deep cleansing breath, feeling lighter than she had in a long time.
They both turned to walk in the direction of their friends, who had now long disappeared on the path ahead. Daegan grabbed Kaeleigh’s hand and slid his fingers in between hers as they walked together under the Ehsmian night sky.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
For the first time since they had all found each other and embarked on the journey from the mortal realm into Alandria, there was peace blanketing their small group. There was an unspoken unity amongst them—they would fight together for Alandria and all her people. In the training room that next morning, they took turns sparring with each other using various weapons. This time Kaeleigh faced off with Finn. She almost hated sparring with Finn, because he was so good at fighting simultaneously with his swords and his magic. They had also learned he was a skilled archer. Kaeleigh had tried to learn to use his bow, but she wasn’t connecting with it like she did with her sword. She thought she might be able to shoot an arrow to save her life or that of another, but it would take more time and effort than she was prepared to offer learning to master it.
Facing Finn in the designated ring—a circle of dirt dug out of the ground that was a lighter color than the rest of the ground—Kaeleigh centered herself and became one with her magic as he had taught her.
“When you’re ready, Kae,” he taunted her. She looked to him with a smirk and waved him forward, mimicking Neo in the old Matrix movies they used to watch back in the mortal realm. He let out a laugh, shaking his head. He did his best Morpheus expression and nodded her way. She stepped forward to make the first move. Then everything was practically a blur as they danced with swords flying in perfect rhythm. They were faster than humans, and their senses were all enhanced to varying degrees—Kaeleigh’s especially—and with magic as that little bit of “extra,” it was hard to keep up with them.
Kaeleigh was finally able to hold her own against most of her opponents. This time was different though. She could feel her body anticipating Finn’s moves almost before he even made them. She was there to stop him and counter his moves. She pushed her magic at him, to trip him up when she could. He had to respond in kind. Sword for sword and magic for magic. It was like four people fighting within two bodies. When magic was involved, wind reacted, flying back and forth between fighters, electricity soaring from the one bidding it to the other. She had the benefit of the elements more so than Finn as she was part Faerie. Kaeleigh concentrated her magic, asking the wind to help her as she
sent it toward Finn. The wind swirled together in a swift yet fierce twister in front of her before it flung itself at Finn. He barely had time to jump out of the way, landing on the ground looking up at Kaeleigh with eyes of shock and awe.
“Kae! I didn’t know you could do that!” Finn shouted.
“I couldn’t before. I guess now I can.” Kaeleigh laughed as she did a little dance at having bested Finn in such a manner.
“What else can you do?” Daegan asked from the sidelines.
“I... I don’t know. There were a few things I wanted to do before but was never able. Let me try. Finn, you game? Or is someone else volunteering?” She looked out to the crowd now gathered.
“No way, I’m out, Kae.” Finn got up with a smile on his face, teasing her.
“I will let you have fun with me, Kaeleighnna.” Líyl of the Ehsmia stepped up. Kaeleigh had fought with her before but had never won. She was hesitant, but excited about giving her magic another try. When Líyl stepped into the ring, they faced each other and bowed respectfully to each other. Then it began.
The women went at each other with everything they had while still protecting each other from harm. It was a very even match with weapons and endurance, but then Kaeleigh pulled the magic from her core, which was coming much easier and faster than ever before. She tried beckoning wind and energy within the air at the same time and pushed it at Líyl, with the intent only to throw her off balance. Her magic responded beautifully, knocking Líyl onto her back before she even knew Kaeleigh had summoned magic. It was smooth and graceful and Kaeleigh felt strong and beautiful—more than she ever had before. She felt like her true self, what she was made to do, who she was created to be. She felt almost fully in control of her magic and her skills.
Líyl looked up to Kaeleigh, nodded her defeat, and then bowed her head to Kaeleigh.
“You are ready. You and your magic are one now.” Arileas spoke from the back of the crowd where he had been watching silently. As he moved forward, the people parted a path for him to easily reach the front. “May I see your wrist?”