Faery hadn’t been his home since the moment he met Jayde and realized he didn’t want to follow his mother’s orders. His psychopathic parents would tarnish his reputation without a single act from Kellan. For now, he couldn’t worry about that and changed the subject. “What about the tattoos, or enchantments? You don’t want to see them?”
“Hang on a moment.” Brent turned to a shelf and pulled a book out. He flipped through the chapters and held it up for Kellan to see. “Does the sword look like this?”
There was a picture of a man with an Elemental Sword depicted on his skin. The elements danced on the page.
“That’s it.” Zoe traced the blade. “So, it is some mythological sword?”
“For fae, yes. Only a true Storm Master or Mistress can use all the powers of the sword. That’s why Brann hid it. He couldn’t wield the weapon but probably suspected someone in his line could. Saressa either wanted to protect you, or use you.”
“Use me,” Kellan answered automatically.
Zoe pulled his shirt up and pointed to the runes on his ribs. “That looks like protection.” She pushed his sleeve up, showing the water cascading down his bicep, turning to droplets on his arm. “I think that might be strengthening his connection to water.”
Kellan pulled back, looking at the spell on his arm. The moving water was creepy. He shook his head. “Why is it like living elements painted into my skin? And won’t normal humans notice?”
Chuckling, Brent shook his head. “No, only someone sensitive to magic would notice. The tattoos are enchantments. Part protection, part attunement, and part enhancing your power.”
“I thought Storm Masters were naturally immune to most magic, that we were stronger than nearly anything.”
“Your mother angered very powerful creatures. Beings more powerful than the fae. Your magic may protect you from nearly anything humans or fae can cast, but not all manner of entities.”
“Like what?”
Brent tipped his head. “Spirits, demons, angels, some types of people from other realms. There’s always a weakness, Kellan. You have one, even if you haven’t learned what. And for Storm Masters, it’s usually something to do with your mate, but it’s different for each of you.”
Kellan scrubbed a hand over his face, racking his brain for a possible weakness. Sighing, he asked, “And you have no clue what that might be?”
Brent shook his head as he flipped through the book, then he handed it over. “This is all I have on Storm Masters and Mistresses. Some things have been forgotten for ages, others are common knowledge, but myth has a few things wrong.”
Kellan took the book, then met Brent’s gaze. “Have anything on harpies?”
Zoe nodded, but he didn’t miss the concern.
One corner of Brent’s mouth tipped up as he looked at Zoe. “That’s going to be tougher to procure. I know of a few records, but I have to find someone willing to loan them to me.”
Zoe’s brow wrinkled. “Why?”
Brent locked his sights on her. “Long ago there was a war between the air fae and the harpies of Sky Top Mountain. Even mentioning the name of the king or the harpy involved could earn a heavy penalty. It’s why so many stories are conflicting. The fae were left to their own imaginations. Makes understanding the curse that much more difficult.”
Kellan interjected, “If you can, get the book. I’ll pay any price.”
“I’ll try. In the meantime, there’s a bookstore in Edenton. You could check there. Tremaine does have access to books no one else has. He may find one faster than I can.”
Zoe glanced at Kellan, then at Brent. “I could never find a solid answer about the curse. Have you?”
“Nothing solid, but I have a contact who can get me answers.”
“Anything else you know about Kellan’s enchantments?” Zoe asked, redirecting the focus to Kellan.
He gave Kellan a long look. Tension rolled off Zoe, and Kellan couldn’t fathom what she was afraid to share. There were a million questions he wanted to ask, but he didn’t expect Zoe to answer. Finding a private moment with Brent seemed the best option.
With a better idea of where to start, Kellan may have a few sources at his disposal. He hoped someone was willing to talk.
Stepping closer, Brent motioned to Kellan’s arm. “May I see this one?”
“Sure.”
Brent touched the cascading water lightly. He lifted his gaze and caught Kellan’s attention. “There’s an enchanter by the name of Nightwing. High in the Adirondack Mountains…”
Zoe stood and backed away. “Oh no, don’t tell me my father cast these.”
Kellan’s brow arched. Her father cast these? Seemed like an interesting coincidence. Zoe’s shock made it clear she had no clue her father may have been involved in the ink.
Brent shrugged, a smirk forming on his lips. “Looks like his work. Which is why you should talk to him. Both of you.” There was a challenge in Brent’s expression.
Kellan caught Zoe’s hand. “I thought you wanted to see your father again? This really is the perfect opportunity.”
“Maybe. I’m not sure how he’ll react to me being mated. That’s something he warned me against.”
Kellan took her into his arms. “I still want to understand. Besides, you were how old when you left home?”
“Sixteen,” she whispered.
“Then there is a chance he wanted to wait to tell you until you were an adult.”
“You know as well as I do that age is hardly an issue for the fae.”
“You were secluded, away from everyone, hardly meeting anyone. Perhaps he thought he had more time with you before you left home.”
Tears shone in her eyes. “Maybe, but he claimed he didn’t understand why my mother left him.”
“How long have you wanted to see him again?”
Shaking her head, she blinked back tears. “He told me mating would break my heart. I don’t believe that shit.” Seemed she was trying to convince herself more than him.
“Hey, Zoe, maybe there’s a reason he warned you,” Kellan pointed out. “Fae often hide truths in vague answers.”
Turning out of his hold, she stared out the window. “We’ll go, but don’t be surprised if he sends you away. Or if he gives us some cryptic answer that makes no sense at all.”
Kellan sighed. “Are you giving up already?”
“No. Never giving up. I’m worried about what he’ll say.”
Kellan shook his head, looking at Brent for answers, but his face was a blank mask that revealed nothing.
“Where am I taking you?” Kellan asked softly.
“Home first. Drop off that book. Then…” Zoe dropped her gaze. “Then I don’t know. How do I tell you how to get somewhere nearly impossible to walk to? There’s no map, no directions. I don’t know the coordinates. I only know how to fly there.”
He grinned. “So, I could see you as a harpy?”
She groaned. “There’s a reason we’re feared. We’re ugly beasts.”
Brent scoffed. “Untrue. A harpy’s wrath is terrifying, but even in your other form, there is a primal beauty. Most would agree, but if you see that form, you typically pissed one off. Not many survive that encounter.”
Zoe’s mouth dropped open as she turned to Kellan. “My hands and feet become talons, my body becomes more muscular, almost grotesque, and wings sprout from my back. The feathers…it’s not pretty.”
Kellan grinned. “Got news for you, gorgeous. Shifting isn’t going to stop what I feel.” He opened a portal to his room. “I’ll show you my place before we go to your father’s,” Kellan offered. He glanced back. “And thank you, Brent.”
Brent held a card out to Kellan. “Call me if you need my services.”
Kellan’s brow arched before Zoe grabbed his arm and pulled him through the portal.
The swirling light closed and Zoe rounded on Kellan. “What the hell is Brent talking about?”
He lifted his hands in surrender. “I have no c
lue. Thought he was just a barista until you pointed out he was your boss at the paper.”
“What services is he hinting at?”
“Shit, I never met the man until today. What do you want me to say?” Kellan prompted.
Her eyes narrowed. “He isn’t telling us something. Something big.”
Zoe paced away, tapping her head.
Kellan tossed the book on the bed and stared after her. “My guess? Something to do with you being a harpy. You became hesitant the moment I mentioned anything to do with your nature. How did you find this guy?”
She sighed. “He found me. After I left Eldred, I started working for a small town newspaper. Luckily he found me before the Silver Council did. He liked the way I wrote the stories about Others.”
“What paper?”
She snorted. “Supernatural Today. Most of the other writers were making shit up. I was actually chasing down urban legends and old stories, trying to prove or debunk them.”
“And did you debunk any?”
“Some.” She smirked. “Some I proved. I got too close to the truth for the Silver Council. At the time, I didn’t know anything about the Council. My father had kept us secluded and told me plenty about the fae—but he doesn’t associate with most Others. Then Eldred tried to keep me locked away unless he escorted me somewhere. Nearly everything I’ve learned about Others, I had to find on my own.”
“And you were with Eldred for more than eighty years?” Kellan rubbed the back of his neck. “How many years were you locked in that tower?”
Her eyes dropped to the ground. “Fifty, unless he escorted me somewhere when I behaved.” She huffed and turned away.
Trying to lighten the mood, Kellan half laughed. “That makes me feel like a baby, and after last night, that’s not how I want you to see me.”
She stepped into his body and squeezed his hard length through his jeans. “Trust me, you’re no baby, Kellan.”
His dick grew harder. He nipped her bottom lip and moved her hand, purring in her ear, “As much as I want to stop and fuck your brains out, you wanted answers. And I agree, we need them.”
Zoe took a slow breath and looked into his eyes. “How do I tell you how to get to my father’s?”
“Imagine the place where you grew up. Not in the house, but imagine the yard. Or somewhere close enough we can walk in and not freak him out when I pull you through a portal.”
“Are you going to get in my head?” A smirk pulled one side of her lips up.
“If you don’t mind.” It was the first time he’d ever asked before diving in. There were people he would never try to read and others he couldn’t. But Zoe was his, and he wanted to gain her trust, to please her, to make her happy. Not betray her by digging in her thoughts without permission.
Chapter 5
Zoe watched Kellan with bated breath. “You know I have to let you in. That I’m naturally resistant to that kind of magic.”
A sheepish smile lit his eyes. “I didn’t. Though I’m glad I asked.”
“Why did you?” she whispered.
“It’s a skill I only use when needed. And when it’s someone I care about, I’ve always stayed out. In this case, I need your sense of presence to find your father’s home.”
She envisioned the valley where she grew up. The yard outside. Then she nodded at Kellan. “I’m there.”
He caressed her face and closed his eyes. After a moment, he swept his hand to the side and another portal opened. This one like glass. She could see the house beyond.
Her breath caught as Kellan pulled her toward the portal. “I’m nervous,” she admitted. “My father and I had an argument after Eldred appeared. I shut myself in my room, angry he wouldn’t explain how he knew him. Then Eldred came to me, walked right into my bedroom, and offered me the fairy tale that turned into a nightmare.”
Kellan placed a gentle kiss on her temple. “If this doesn’t go well, I’ll take you directly back to my place and make sure you forget everything that upsets you.”
Smiling, she shook her head. “We need to do this.” Zoe sucked in a breath and marched toward the house, though a part of her hoped her father wouldn’t be there. She wanted to get word to him first, warn him about the new circumstances, and feel out his reaction before introducing her mate.
Kellan took her hand and kept up without a word. His head swung from one side to the other, taking everything in with an intrigued smile.
“Tell me you aren’t still in my head,” she teased. Though if he were, he wouldn’t be smiling.
“No. I’m getting a feel for the land.”
Her head tipped. “Hmm?”
His face scrunched. “Not that I expect trouble, but if I have a sense of the environment, I can use it against an opponent.”
“Useful.” She smiled, hoping it appeared genuine.
“What is it, Zoe? Why are you so hesitant?”
She drew a heavy breath and let it out. “I haven’t actually seen him in eighty-five years. He knew Eldred, knew I would go, and he didn’t stop me.” Shaking her head, she sighed. “I’ve asked why in letters, but all he tells me is that he loves me and knew I would make the right choice, eventually. What if I see him and he’s angry and he’s only telling me what I want to read in the letters?”
“Maybe he has insight you don’t. Or maybe he realizes we all have to make our own decisions and learn from our mistakes. Do you really think he’d only tell you what you want to hear?”
A bit of hope threaded in. “No. I hope you’re right.”
“Me too.” He kissed her head and nodded to the cabin.
Zoe led Kellan inside. She didn’t sense her father’s presence and started to relax. Her first face-to-face conversation with Pa should be just the two of them. She still had to figure out how to tell him about the man who claimed her heart.
Is it love? Is it too soon to tell?
A smile pulled at her lips as she turned to Kellan.
This is so much more than what I felt for Eldred. Even in the beginning.
And yeah, maybe it was part mating, but she’d never heard of a bond forming between two that didn’t wind up loving each other. There were theories that a seed of love had been planted in each and when they came together love took root and grew at an accelerated rate.
Dust coated everything inside. “He’s not here,” Zoe whispered, fear swirling in. “He hasn’t been here for a while.”
“Anywhere else he might be?”
She swiped her finger through the dust. “For this long? No. He can’t glamour and he has wings that span the length of his body when they’re flat against his back. He stays here because humans wouldn’t understand.” A sad laugh escaped. “Humans mistake him for an angel.” She studied the room, looking for anything out of place.
“What is it?” Kellan asked.
Then she spotted the corner of cream paper between two logs in the wall. There was a seam, and she felt around the area, searching for a button or trigger. She pressed on a knot in the wood and a section of the log above slid open. An envelope fell into her hand.
“What is it?” Kellan asked, now worried.
Her name was written on the front. She tore the envelope open and pulled out the note.
Dearest daughter,
If you happen upon this letter, please do not worry about me. My presence was required in Faery for an undetermined period of time.
Please, let me know you’ve been by. I will send word the moment I am back.
I have read every article you’ve written. You have made me proud.
As soon as I am home, I will contact you. I miss you terribly. Always remember I love you, no matter what.
Love always,
Your father
“Where do you think he went?”
She shook her head, turning to Kellan. “No idea at all.” Her hands trembled. He caught them and pulled them to his chest.
“Relax. He’ll send word when he’s back. We can wait for his answers. If he
’s an enchanter who can place the sword, he has to be skilled enough to work the other spells on my body.” He shrugged. “They aren’t harming me.”
“I’ll help you find the answers.”
He took a slow breath. “Now, I have to ask. Are you worried what he’ll think of me?”
“Honestly, a little.” She dropped her head but looked up into his eyes. “I’ve disappointed him once. If he really did the enchantments on your body, he knows you’re only a quarter my age. I have to wonder if that will affect his opinion.”
“I’d be more worried about what he thinks of my parents. My mother may have forced him to do the spells.” He ran a hand through his hair. “My mother’s actions could have tainted his opinion of me.”
“I don’t believe so. He makes his opinion based on the person and their own actions. Though he’s the one who warned me away from mating.”
“Then together, we’ll prove this is a good match.” Smiling, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly. “What do you want to do?”
“Work on my article so I can spend the rest of the night with you. Think you could drop me off at my place for now?”
“Sounds like a plan.” Kellan opened the portal.
“When I’m done, we can do whatever you want,” Zoe answered with a smile.
Chapter 6
Kellan stared at the tome on his bed. Zoe had promised to call once she finished the article. He’d left her hours ago. Much longer without word and he’d check on her.
Kellan flopped onto his stomach and opened the pages filled with information about Storm Masters. More specifically about their history. There were names he recognized from legends, myths, old stories. The book appeared to be a catalogue of all their powers, abilities, and weaknesses.
Weakness, something he’d never heard associated with Storm Masters. And he’d never experienced anything he’d call a weakness, besides falling for a woman who was never meant to be his.
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