by Jen Wylie
Always. We will see each other again soon.
"I'm going to miss you both." She buried her face in his soft fur for a moment before stepping back.
Bo mounted up and Garen walked beside him as they left the settlement. A female Were who would be their guide met them at the outskirts. With a final wave, her boys rode out of sight.
Kei flung an arm over her shoulder. "They'll be fine."
She hoped so. She didn't think she could take losing another of her boys. Bo, Garen, and Kei were all she had left. Something in her chest tightened around her heart, and she closed her eyes as memories of Cain rose to the surface of her mind.
Kei's arm tightened around her and he pulled her closer to place a kiss on her hair. "They will."
They headed back into the settlement. Aro stopped in surprise as Cassia jogged up to her. "Good morning!"
"And to you." Kei nodded.
The Were hesitated a moment. "I was wondering if you've kept up with your stretches?"
Cassia had helped to tend her after the Vor attack, and once she healed, suggested a number of exercises and stretches to help with the muscles where she'd been wounded.
"She hasn't," Kei answered for her.
The Were shook her pretty head. "Come along now then. Rhee-En is busy anyway. He said he wanted to talk to you later, though." Dragging Aro away, she looked over her shoulder at Kei. "Go find Lin. He'll have something for you to do. We'll come and find you when we're done."
After a quick look at Aro, he nodded once.
∞ ∞ ∞
A day passed, as did another, and then a few more. Aro paced inside their cabin while Kei sprawled on one of the beds. She was supposed to be sleeping, but her mind wouldn't be quiet. Another day wasted. At least they hadn't lost contact with Bo and Garen. They'd made it safely to the city the day before and were now scouting it out and searching for a house.
The Were had also opened up to them again for the most part, though some still remained shy. Or afraid. She wasn't sure which, and hated it either way. What kept her in a foul mood was Rhee-En never returned. Scouts sighted Vor and he'd gone off to deal with them.
Time had become a factor. She and Kei would have to leave soon, whether Rhee-En came back or not. They couldn't risk being in Were lands when the King returned.
"Perhaps we should just go now," Kei said. They'd been discussing it for a while. Well, she'd done most of the talking, but that wasn't anything new.
"But he has answers. There is so much I don't know." She flung up her hands and growled in frustration. "I hate this!"
He grinned over at her. For some reason, he did that whenever she growled. Rolling her eyes, she shot him a dirty look and started pacing again, trying to decide what to do.
"I still have things to teach you."
Turning, she looked over at him. He'd sat up on the bed, but his head was lowered as he picked absently at a blanket.
"I know," she answered. "But we have all winter for that. It sounds like I won't talk to Rhee-En again until spring, if ever."
The tenseness in his shoulders faded as he nodded. "True." Looking up, he flashed a grin and patted the bed. "But you're bored now. Come."
A smile pulled up her lips. Kei was hard to resist sometimes. He shifted back to give her room as she settled by the end of the bed, facing him.
His brows drew together suddenly. "You'll be able to concentrate?"
"Well, I won't now that you said that," she teased. "I'll be fine."
Though his words brought Prince to mind, as the days passed, the turmoil in her head, and heart, eventually slowed. She still thought of him too often, but not constantly. The ache in her chest faded and the desire to cry disappeared. She would survive his absence. Waiting hurt. Losing him hurt. Not having him by her side made everything feel wrong. However, she still had her memories and her love for him. The certainty those would never die kept her going. One day she would see him again. She could only hope he would stay.
Clearing her throat, she forced a smile and directed her thoughts back to Kei. "So, what are we doing?"
He smiled tentatively and then let out a deep breath. "The fury. You need to learn to control it."
She nodded in total agreement. When the Fey filled her with power to heal herself, the fury overwhelmed her, just as it had done in the past.
"Let's start small. We'll practice you taking it from me. Then I'll try to stop you and see if that does anything."
She frowned. "Why would a Fey try to stop me? None have so far."
"If they don't understand, or are afraid, they might. You should be prepared."
"Agreed. I hadn't thought of that." The idea of not being able to take a Fey's fury and having to fight them left a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach.
She held out her hands.
"Does it matter where you touch me?"
"No, but that is something we should try later, to see if I can learn to do it without having to touch them. That would make it a lot easier."
"And safer."
She grinned. "That, too."
His eyes shifted from yellow to orange to red so quickly she barely saw the change.
"How do you do that?"
He shrugged a shoulder. "The fury is in me. I just call it." He paused a moment. "It is what gives us the power to change."
She nodded. "Claws and…teeth."
"Yes. We are also faster, stronger. Our senses are more heightened."
"Impressive."
"We were made to kill," he said softly.
What could she say to that? Since he had taken the role of teacher, and was actually telling her things, she asked another question. "When you're angry, or whatever…your eyes change, too. Do you call it then?"
"Not always. No," he admitted. "It is tied into our emotions. Especially anger. It's hard to control, at least for me. I don't know if others can."
His words reminded her how he'd grown up in her world, his parents dying when he was young. What he knew of the Fey he'd learned from them, and he certainly had a lot of gaps in his knowledge. He'd also been lost in the fury a few times, though at least he hadn't been trapped in it for centuries like so many others.
She grinned, trying to set him at ease. "I think you're doing wonderful. Really."
He snorted and held up his hands. "Ready?"
Hands palm to palm, they practiced for a while. She pulled small amounts from him, and when he said he tried to stop her, she found no difference. "Well, that's good to know."
"It feels strange."
"Does it hurt?"
He shook his head quickly. "No, just strange."
"Let's see if I can do it without touching." She tried removing her hands while she pulled, but the connection stopped. Even almost touching didn't work.
"We can keep working on it," Kei said quietly, noting her growing frustration as time passed. "How are you doing?"
"Good. I haven't taken a lot."
"I know. Your eyes are barely orange." He held out his hands. "Let's fill you up and work on you handling that."
His fury flowed into her, building and pulsing through her body. Would she ever get used to the strange feeling? Her body didn't reject it, but at the same time it didn't feel quite right. The pressure within built quickly, and she sucked in a deep breath as her heart sped up. The fury wrapped around her, urging her to fight, to kill. She managed to keep hold of herself even as her body felt like it would shatter.
"Stop?"
"No," she whispered. "A…little…more."
He complied, and a small gasp escaped her. How could he be so strong? She must have said something out loud, because he answered.
"I'm supposed to be."
She looked up at him in confusion, but he only gave her a small, wry smile. He knew something she didn't, probably another line from the stupid prophecy, and apparently he wasn't going to tell her.
Anger rose within her, destroying her control. Pulling on his fury once more, hard, she then pushed h
erself away. Twisting to the side, she planted her hands on the bed, arms braced to hold herself up as she bowed her head and tried to control the rush.
Her breathing came in ragged pants as the fury roared within her. Too much, it was too much. "Tell…me…" She felt the bed shift and curled her fingers into the blankets. "Tell me!"
"I'm…not sure. I don't remember it all."
The roaring in her ears filled the silence for a moment. Clenching her teeth, she squeezed her eyes closed, trying to keep control of herself. The fury rose, and she feared it would burn her from the inside out. Could it even do that? Her body began to shake.
"Aro," he whispered. "Let it go."
"I can't." She struggled to breathe. "Tell me!"
"More than once, the Seer speaks of me standing by the Queen's side. One says, 'He is by her side. Where he was meant to be. Where he will always be.'"
Her mind tried to make sense of his words and failed, finally she turned her head to look at him. "What?"
He looked away. "I haven't remembered anything more specific."
"What does it mean," she demanded. The fury rolled and whipped through her body, and she winced.
"There is one called the Guardian," he said quickly. "It could be that. He, or she, is bonded to the queen. He protects her. Or it could mean…"
She didn't hear the other option, if he even said it. She choked and trembled. "Her mate?"
"Her consort. Mate. Yes."
With a cry, she flung herself at him. As if he expected it, he easily caught her and grabbed her wrists, though she did manage to knock him back against the wall. Struggling against him, she growled and cursed even as she fought the wild torrent of emotions inside of her. "I'm not…I'm not…"
Somehow he shifted, trapping her arms and wrapping an arm around her. Her head cracked against his. He raised his hand, burying his fingers into her hair and guiding her head to his shoulder. "I know. Easy."
"I'm not…the queen," she insisted through ragged breaths as she continued to squirm and fight against him. Why did he have to be so rotting strong?
His grip tightening, he rested his head against hers. "I know. Shhh."
Whispering calming words, he held her until the fight left her. "Can you let it go now?"
Though she no longer wanted to hurt him, the fury still raged within her. Maybe this hadn't been a good idea. "I don't know."
"Can I let you go?"
She nodded against his shoulder and his grip on her wrists disappeared. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.
Wrapping both arms around her, he stroked her hair and sighed. "We'll sort it out. You can do this."
She closed her eyes and wished she could believe him.
"What do you feel?"
Startled, she tilted her head back to look at him. "Angry, the fury is all wild inside."
"The anger, the fury, it drives us to fight. That is normal," he said quietly, his eyes meeting hers. "When we have our Queen, she will guide us. We are all connected."
"Even me?"
He smiled a little. "You are only connected to me. Can you feel it? Look beyond the fury. Can you find it?"
The hope in his voice made her breath catch. Closing her eyes, she tried to do as he asked. Looking inside herself, she dove into the swirling mass of black and red, fighting to see if there was anything beyond it. What she found stole the breath from her lungs.
Strings of black and red twisted and intertwined with two brilliant lights. Her. Kei. It brought them together. Connecting them. Binding them.
The feelings of love and trust and utter devotion overwhelmed her and made her forget everything else. She was everything to him…but it wasn't one-sided. Kei was her best friend, her family. More than that. She would do anything for him, trusted him with her life, and yes, even loved him. The feelings themselves were not surprising. She knew how she felt for Kei, but feeling them so suddenly, so fully, shook the very foundations of everything she knew. It was one thing to say the words, but another altogether to feel them with every part of her being. Finally, she understood.
Pulling back, she opened her eyes. Dazed, she stared up at him in shock. "What is…?"
His eyes glowed golden as he smiled brilliantly down at her. "That is us. You see me now."
Chapter 7
Westport
After the shock of actually seeing and feeling their bonds, Aro finally managed to let go of the fury and let it fade away. Immediately afterward, she fell asleep, still wrapped in Kei's arms.
The next morning she once again woke before him. Staring into the darkness, she blinked away sleep. For the first time in what felt like forever, she'd had a wonderful night’s rest. No nightmares. The warmth of Kei's body curled around her reminded her of the safety and love she'd felt the day before.
She'd never felt such strong feelings. The intensity of them honestly frightened her and left her confused. Kei's response had been so different, but then he'd been feeling such things for a while, hadn't he?
As gently as possible, she shifted out from under Kei's arm and slipped out of bed. Washing up in the basin quickly, she tried not to overthink everything from the previous day. Instead, she decided to try to contact Rhee-En and see if he'd be returning soon, or not.
Good morning, Arowyn.
She winced at the obvious irritation in his tone. Had he still been asleep? I'm sorry to disturb you.
What can I do for you?
Will you be returning soon? Or should Kei and I head to the city.
A long pause began to worry her, and she chewed on her thumbnail as she waited for his reply.
My daughter was injured. It will be some time before I return.
Her eyebrows rose in surprise. I'm sorry. I hope she recovers soon. Please let me know if there is anything I can do.
All will be well, and thank you. Do you wish to leave today? I will arrange for a guide to take you.
She didn't take his abruptness to heart. That would be wonderful, thank you.
His mind voice softened. I am sorry that we did not get our talk. Please contact me in the future, if you like.
I will. Thank you again, for everything.
Striding over to the bed, she poked Kei in the side. "Get up. We're leaving today."
When he opened his eyes and saw her, his smile lit the room. "Morning."
A flustered feeling overcame her, but she managed a quick grin before quickly escaping.
After leaving him with the task of making sure they had everything packed, she headed out to find Cassia. Of all the Were, she felt closest to her and wanted to say goodbye.
She found the Were by the long table in the common area, setting out food.
"Good morning. You're up early."
Aro shrugged. "We're heading to the city today. I wanted to say goodbye."
"Oh!" Rushing around the table, she pulled her into a tight hug. "You take care, and keep up with your stretches."
"I will," Aro promised. "I'll miss you. Hopefully I'll see you again after the winter." She left unsaid that if things didn't go well with the king, they might not ever meet again.
Cassia drew back and gestured to the table. "You have to eat first, and take something for the Fey as well."
Browsing over the multitude of platters and bowls, she nibbled as she collected things for Kei. "Rhee-En said his daughter was hurt," she blurted out.
Cassia paused and then nodded. "You sound surprised. That she would fight?"
She shook her head quickly. "No. I didn't know he had any children. He's never mentioned them."
The Were laughed loudly. "He does. Twins. They have been a handful. Though grown now, they still try his patience often."
"Twins?" She grimaced. "That would be hard."
"We're used to it. Having twins is about as common as just having one with us."
She still couldn't get over the thought of Rhee-En having kids, even if they were grown now. "Their mother?"
Cassia's face sobered. "She died a few years ago.
Such a tragedy, losing her."
"Were they mates?"
The Were shook her head in confusion. "Of course. Only with our mates can we have children. This goes for Fey and Elves as well. There are no–what is the word you humans use–bastards. All our children are cherished and born out of love."
Aro looked away. It was clear from Cassia's tone what she thought of humans and their ways.
"I suppose this is why so many go to the cities for lovers," the Were mused. "There is never any chance of children. They are too different from us, you see?"
Clearing her throat at the sudden awkwardness of the conversation, she held up the armload of food she'd collected. "I better get this back to Kei so he can eat before we go."
"Safe travels, Arowyn. I will hope to see you again soon."
Heading back to Kei, she nibbled on an apple and thought about what Cassia said. Had the Were forgotten she was human or been making a point? The realization she and Prince couldn’t ever have children caused a sour taste in her mouth. The topic wasn't something she thought about much, but being denied something before you can even want it turned out to be more painful than expected. Could a Fey mate with a Were, or an Elf, or any such mix?
She pushed the thoughts away. More important things needed her attention, like reaching Westport and making sure the Were king didn't eat her.
∞ ∞ ∞
Kei stood outside when she reached their cabin, their packs by the door. A woman waited as well, and Aro wondered if Rhee-En had arranged a guide for them already.
She smiled at the woman as she handed the armload of food over to him. "Eat."
"Arowyn Mason," the Were greeted her.
"Good morning."
The woman regarded her for a moment. "My name is Neena. Rhee-En has asked me to guide you to Westport."
Aro nodded. "Thank you."
Neena's brows rose slightly. "No thanks are needed. I do as my alpha wishes. Fetch your horse. We can leave immediately."
Confused at the woman's harsh manner, she stuttered over her response. "I…I'll not be riding."