The Marked Ones (Fairytail Saga)

by Munt, S. K

  Ivyanne nodded feebly. She was well aware of all of that. But her poor heart....

  ‘You have to go back Ivyanne-kiss him good-bye, like you never got to before-and then leave. Tell him you love him if you must, but make it clear that it will never be. Use Ivanna as a reason-and exit his life leaving nothing in your wake. The smallest drop of hope could destroy you both.’

  Ivyanne nodded. Hadn’t that been her intention, all along?

  ‘Once you choose to walk away from him, your heart will begin to heal.’ Her mother went on. ‘Because the truth is that the only shot you have at eternal love is to choose someone from within your own kind. And you will find it-just as I did with your father. Do you think he was the only man I cared for in all of these years?’

  Ivyanne glanced out over the water-it was like a sheet of grey-the sky, meeting a sheet of deeper grey-the ocean. It reflected how she felt inside. But there was a peak of sunlight glowing through-a chance to hope. Her heart was crying out that she loved Lincoln, but what did it really know? Her mother, however, knew what it was to carry the flame of love for centuries.

  ‘Okay,’ Ivyanne finally said. ‘I can do that.’

  Her mother reached over and squeezed her hand. ‘I know you can.’

  Ivyanne glanced up into her mother’s eyes. ‘Tristan isn’t the only problem mum. If you know about Link, then I assume you know about Ardhi also?’

  ‘I didn’t. Until yesterday.’ All softness left Vana’s expression. ‘I’ve been trying to deal with him, and yet he remains elusive.’

  ‘What will you do when you pin him down?’ Ivyanne asked, concerned for her friend. She twisted the necklace she’d donned when she’d ducked back into her room the evening before-the whelk Ardhi had given her. Every time she felt a surge of rage at her circumstances, she touched it, and it reminded her of who she was, and where her destiny lay-in the ocean. Regardless of with who, she was a creature of the sea, and a guardian of others like her. And the time had become to act like the current and not the driftwood caught in it.

  ‘Put him to work. Somewhere far from here where he can learn to control his temper, and his powers.’ The Queen frowned. ‘I just don’t know where he is.’

  ‘Lingering around the resort. I know that much.’ Ivyanne stood. ‘If I can get him to come out here with me tonight, say ten...can you be prepared for him?’

  Vana’s eyes widened, but she nodded. ‘What do you have in mind?’

  Ivyanne smiled grimly. ‘An offer he can’t refuse.’

  Her mother said nothing, but nodded in understanding.

  ‘Anyway, I have untangling to do.’ Ivyanne didn’t know how she’d say good-bye to Lincoln, but resigning her job was a good start. She could come back here for awhile, licking her wounds, and then maybe try mainland life somewhere else-somewhere new and unbiased. ‘But before I go,’ she smiled at her mother, ‘I want to know the name of at least one of your spies......’

  ‘Ivyanne! You don’t plan on exacting revenge, do you?’ Vana asked, horrified. ‘After all, it was my doing.’

  ‘One name.’ Ivyanne said softly. ‘Of the person who’s been lurking around me the most,’ she looked back at her mother. ‘You don’t want even one subject laughing at the future Queens’ naivety, do you?’

  To her surprise, her mother grinned. ‘Well...when you put it that way..…’

  ⁓

  Because Wednesday was the day that the Rainforest Safari bus ran a tour to the Blue Gorge Falls, two hours to the south, it was generally the quietest day at the resort, and a RDO for half of the staff. The heat, if not the sun, had come out around midday, so the beach was busier than it usually was-the tourists not gorge-bound escaping from their rooms to the sand after twenty four hours of torrential rain.

  Tristan was taking advantage of that by opting to spend the afternoon at the beach with Pintang, Caleb, Ilsa and Liv. He wasn’t in the mood to socialize, but he wasn’t the type to sit in his room and brood either, so he lay on his towel, head buried into the crook of his arm, listening to the girl’s gossip around him as the sun warmed his back.

  However, it wasn’t the kind of gossip he could tune out, not knowing how directly it concerned him. So he feigned sleep and listened avidly.

  ‘Adele thinks that Ivyanne is after Link.’ Ilsa whispered. ‘And that’s why he’s dumped her.’

  ‘Adele is deluded with a capital D.’ Livia giggled. ‘Link’s great...but the calibre of his competition is way too fine to be overlooked.’

  Tristan smirked into his arm.

  ‘Nothing will ever happen between Ivyanne and Link.’ Pintang said quietly. ‘She’s not the home wrecker sort. Besides, she’s got more than one extra option, and he’s almost as cute as Tristan and crazy in love with her. He’s like, her best friend.’

  Tristan’s smirk turned into a scowl.

  There was a gasp. ‘Seriously? Some girls have all the luck!’

  ‘It’s the hair.’ Livia said. ‘Bitch.’

  ‘Sure of it.’ Ilsa giggled. ‘How do you know so much about Ivyanne anyway, Pintang?’

  ‘We’re getting close. At least, I think we are.’

  ‘So you know she wants Tristan, not Link then? If I can tell Adele that Ivyanne’s not going to go there, it’ll probably calm her down.’

  ‘I don’t know who she wants. Like I said, option three is probably best suited to her though-but Lincoln doesn’t have a shot in hell, so tell Adele by all means.’

  Tristan rolled over onto his back. ‘Okay ladies seriously….there’s nothing covert about using actual names when gossiping.’

  The girls looked at him, blushed, and started laughing.

  ‘I knew you weren’t asleep.’ Pintang grumbled. ‘Faker.’

  ‘Do you have anything to add?’ Ilsa joked. ‘Clear up the mystery for us?’

  ‘My lips are sealed, girls.’ Tristan said, with a lopsided smile. ‘But I appreciate the votes.’ He kicked Pintang’s foot. ‘You, on the other hand-are on my list now.’

  Pintang wiggled her glasses at him, unabashed. ‘You were already on mine. I’m not about to stick a bow on her head and push her into your arms, am I?’

  Tristan snickered. At least she was honest. Meanwhile, the human girls were gaping at Pintang in shock as she made a play for a guy who was supposed to be out of all of their leagues. He hoped they weren’t getting ideas.

  Pintang turned to Ilsa. ‘Where is Adele, anyway?’

  ‘At a hotel in River City,’ Ilsa said, very quietly. ‘She’s going to stay a few days to see if he changes his mind, but if not, she’ll head home. I’m going to go see her tomorrow-Hey look Tristan!’ Ilsa exclaimed, interrupting herself. ‘Ivyanne’s coming up the beach now. Bout time she made an appearance-she’s been MIA all day.’

  Tristan sat up, and peered down the sand. Sure enough, Ivyanne was making her way towards the flagged area, surfboard in tow. She looked completely spent.

  ‘Huh,’ he said, like he wasn’t really concerned, though his heart was racing. The sight of her bathed in sunshine was like a balm for his overwrought soul. He knew he was crazy for wishing she’d come over, and certifiable for still wanting to pursue her at all-but she was in his system now, and he couldn’t give up on her for one lapse in judgement. To be married for centuries meant generating tolerance, even if it bruised his ego some.

  Besides, she filled her bikini so well that his tolerance, and his manhood, began to rise to the occasion instantly.

  ‘You know if Ivyanne prefers surfing alone Tristan, I could take you out some time.’ Livia’s voice was practically a purr. And he barely heard her.

  At that moment, Ivyanne seemed to spot him. She halted in her tracks, doing a double take at seeing him sitting with a bevy of pretty girls. She dropped her chin, appearing to stare at him down the tip of her nose, before scowling.

  Tristan reclined back on his elbows, returning Ivyanne’s haughty stare with an equal amount of intensity until she began to walk towards him. Come on sexy, he t
hought silently, willing her over. Let’s kiss and make up... a lot.

  But to Tristan’s dismay, Ivyanne halted at the lifeguard stand, squinting up at it as though she’d spied something riveting. She returned the yellow and white surfboard to the rack and then moved back to the lifeguard station, peering first beneath it, as though examining the sand, then up at whoever was in there, shielding her eyes from the sun.

  ‘Is she talking to Marcus?’ Pintang asked.

  ‘Maybe she wants a surf report,’ Ilsa said.

  ‘I don’t know....’ Tristan said. To him, Ivyanne looked pissed.

  Proving his intuition, Ivyanne lunged forward, grasping the rear and front left hand legs of the stand with each hand. They were at least three feet apart so her arms were quite stretched. Suddenly, Ivyanne appeared to thrust all of her weight forward. The lifeguard stand, and the guy in it, both began to tilt to the right, first slowly, then fast, until the bolts which fastened it to the concrete slab beneath shrieked and gave way. The whole lot thumped onto it’s side, landing almost soundlessly on the sand. Most of the noise generated by this attack was coming from the people crying out nearby. Marcus scrambled out on all fours and gaped at Ivyanne as he rubbed his tousled brown hair as though soothing a bump, but she had already turned and was coming their way. Tristan’s first instinct was to run.

  ‘Oh my god!’ Pintang got to her feet, kicking up sand as she rushed to the lifeguards aid. ‘Marcus-are you okay?!’

  ‘Guess she didn’t like the surf report!’ Liv giggled.

  ‘What’s going on?’ demanded Caleb, awakened by all the noise.

  Tristan’s mouth was still open when Ivyanne reached him, a small smile on her face, her brilliant green eyes shining wickedly. ‘What?’ she asked, glancing quickly at the shocked faces.

  ‘You do know you just tossed Marcus out of the lifeguard stand right?’ Tristan asked.

  Ivyanne looked back and Tristan followed her gaze to Marcus, who was red-faced and attempting to heft the stand back up to it’s original position. ‘Oh that?’ she asked quickly. ‘Don’t worry... he knows what he did.’ She looked to Tristan, eyebrow arched. ‘Can we talk later?’

  Tristan swallowed. ‘Will this be a violent conversation like the one you just had with Marcus?’

  ‘Not if you’re on time.’ She said quickly, her face giving nothing away. She was fiddling with a whelk shell draped artfully around her graceful neck. ‘Four? Here?’

  ‘Um...okay...’ Tristan didn’t know what to think. But by the look of things, she’d lost her anger towards him as rapidly as he’d gotten over his own hostility. Either way-talking was a good start.

  ‘Great! Later guys!’ With that cheerful farewell, she side-stepped Tristan and made her way up the sand dune without a backwards glance.

  ‘I think you can stick to surfing alone...’ Liv drawled. ‘I don’t think I want to mess with her.’

  Tristan was inclined to agree.

  23.

  Ardhi awoke in response to a sharp kick in his left ribs. ‘Hey!’ He exclaimed, scrambling to his feet. He wasn’t alarmed-he’d sensed Ivyanne’s presence in his dreams. But the kick had hurt. ‘I thought I was the one with the bad temper?’ But he wasn’t mad. In fact, he felt triumphant. He’d known the scene with the human and Tristan the night before would have shocked some sense into her, and lead her back. He’d only had to wait.

  ‘You shouldn’t be staying in here.’

  Ardhi squinted up into Ivyanne’s face. She was little more than a silhouette against the sun streaming through the salt-sprayed glass doors behind her, but her eyes were glowing as though lit from within. He got to his feet, nursing his bruised side, and gestured around the empty function room.

  ‘Yeah well, I haven’t got a credit card so I can’t book a room. This is the most I can swing.’

  ‘You could be staying with your sister.’ Ivyanne pointed out. ‘It beats sleeping in a box of…’ she frowned. ‘What is that you’re sleeping on?’

  ‘Napkins. They’re soft-but they rustle when I move.’ He smiled knowingly. ‘Besides, I figure your mother’s after me to deliver a royal-talking to for the ages, and I don’t feel like being banished to Indonesia before you and I have had a chance to talk things out-so I hid.’

  ‘Not at all cowardly.’ Ivyanne cocked her head. ‘You’re in a better mood today. Dare I ask why?’

  Ardhi recounted the sight of seeing Tristan turf her out of his bungalow while Lincoln stalked off, pouting up a storm. ‘Call it hope. The force is strong in this one.’

  Ivyanne placed her hand on her hip, smiling gently. ‘You and your movies. I actually caught myself quoting one before.’

  ‘Which movie?’

  ‘The Godfather.’

  ‘Nice.’ Their playful banter was music to his ears. Suddenly, they felt like them again. ‘So...can we talk?’

  Ivyanne leaned back against the wall. ‘Yes, we can. But not now. First, I have to go see my boss and resign. Then, I have to meet up with Tristan-and tell him something I know he’s not going to take well.’

  Ardhi’s hope took flight. ‘And then…?’

  ‘Then, if you want, you can swim me home. To Bracken.’ She smiled at him. ‘We can talk all night once we’re there. But I need to leave the mainland as quick as I can, before it does my head in.’

  Ardhi swallowed, not able to believe his change in fortune. ‘What time?’

  Ivyanne paused. ‘Nine sound okay?’

  ‘Perfect.’

  ‘Good. See you then.’ Ivyanne turned to leave.

  ‘Hey...Ivyanne?’ He smiled. ‘You’re wearing my whelk. Is that a good omen?’

  Ivyanne’s hand fluttered to her neck. She’d never been more beautiful. ‘Let’s hope so.’

  Ardhi grinned. His Ivyanne was back. His time had come to prove himself the fairest of all, and he wasn’t going to rest his case until she understood what lengths he would go to, to keep that smile on her flawless face.

  ⁓

  Five minutes after Lincoln was informed about the incident at the beach, he was knocking on Ivyanne’s door. He was over-tired and emotionally spent, his clothes rumpled from doing nothing but napping all morning and trying to solve the mystery that was Ivyanne Court.

  Meanwhile Adele sent him message after message, begging for the chance to talk things out. He’d ignored them all, waiting for the opportunity to go see Ivyanne again in private. Now, he had one, and he wasn’t going to waste a second.

  Ivyanne answered, wet-haired and sand-covered, wearing only a towel with her bikini dangling between her fingers.

  ‘Sup Link?’ she asked breezily. ‘I was just about to get into the shower. I’ve been surfing since seven and I’m covered in sand!’

  ‘Surfing... knocking over lifeguard towers....’ It was surreal for him to be talking to her so casually, following the drama of the night before. With Adele gone, he was allowed to approach her as a single man who didn’t have to look over his shoulder. Ironic, that the first chance he got to talk to her alone, had to be under the jurisdiction of employer/employee, but he’d take what he could get. ‘You’re a busy girl.’

  Ivyanne leaned her hip against the peeling paint door frame, barring his entrance. ‘Well I have the day off.’

  Lincoln was taken aback by her lack of apology. ‘Ivyanne... it’s not cool. You could have hurt someone!’

  ‘No I couldn’t have,’ she responded, matter-of-factly, reaching around the door frame to drape the wet green bikini over the arm of a cane patio chair. ‘I checked that no one was in the way first.’

  ‘What about poor Marcus?’ Lincoln said. ‘He could have been hurt. Luckily for you, he just seems to be embarrassed. And he’s not explaining what happened either.’

  Ivyanne shrugged. ‘So what’s the problem?’

  His problems were numerous-and her blaze attitude about her violent and very public outburst was yet another. He’d had his father in his ear all morning, lecturing Lincoln about letting the night staff
run amuck. Chase had come to the conclusion that his son was more obsessed with his diet and girlfriend then doing his job. And he was right.

  But if Ivyanne was determined to skirt around the consequences of her actions, then there was little he could do about it. He’d learnt the impossibility of getting the truth out of this woman’s gene pool. ‘How did you even knock the tower over? It was bolted down!’

  ‘Oh!’ Ivyanne’s eyes danced with merriment. ‘I don’t know-perhaps they needed to be tightened. I could have just saved you and your dad a lawsuit, hmm? Thanks to that and my crab-napping, you won’t have the Greenies or OHS on your back.’

  Lincoln realized he’d hit yet another conversational loop-de-loop, and he was not in the state of mind to navigate it. The incidents of the previous evening had all but shattered him and he felt off-balance in her company-especially since she was clearly naked under her towel while acting vague and slightly flirtatious.

  Besides, he was there in an official capacity. She was supposed to be in trouble. ‘Is it completely redundant if I ask you to never do that again?’He asked wearily.

  Ivyanne nodded. ‘Completely. It’ll never happen again.’

  ‘Good.’

  ‘And if anyone asks-you read me the riot act then fired me.’