I quickly found my way out of the castle. Once outside, I pulled into the shadows and phased over to my home in the Ice Realm. The freezing bite of icy air was my greeting. I snatched up my discarded coat from the floor of the cave and shoved my arms into it. Man I hated that place. Too cold, all the time. I quickly lit the lamps and gathered the few decent clothes I had left to my name. I shoved them into an old pack, and then I made to head off to my next stop.
Then I saw her, or it. I don't really know if the blue fairies were boys or girls. They were feminine like, but who really knew. They all looked the same to me. She sat on the edge of my cot, her little feet swinging back and forth absently.
"Yeah?" I asked.
She took flight and hovered a few feet before my face. I was a bit reserved at that point, though; she was either going to be nice and easy or try to bite my face off. With the blue fairies, sometimes you just couldn't tell which. She pantomimed putting something on her head then shrugged her shoulders at me.
"The queen?" I asked stupidly.
She quickly nodded her head up and down at me and clapped her hands together.
"Okay, well, so far, she's good to go. I'm heading back there in a few, after I get some supplies." I made to leave when another thought hit. "Why do you guys even care?" From what I could tell and had seen over the last few years, the blue fairies didn't like or care about anything, but the blue fairies.
She held out her hand.
"All right," I said and held out mine back to her. She laid her hand easily against my middle finger. Images flashed before me, all of them of Sunny. Sunny smiling up at the sky, the sun bright on her skin; Sunny standing before a mess of construction, directing the people before her; an image of the finished kingdom, it was beautiful and the people were happy, Sunny was happy; Lucas and Sunny standing together watching the sun go down, her head resting on Lucas's shoulder; and the last one, Acadia, a world of peace, the people within it, at peace.
The fairy moved back and disconnected from me. The images vanished as quickly as they had appeared. I thought about all I had seen and all that the fairy had showed me. "Sunny brings peace to Acadia; okay I get that, but what does that have to do with you guys and the Ice Realm?"
She frowned at me, and then sighed with an exasperated sound. She flew toward me once more, and I quickly held out my hand for her, but instead of the images I expected to see, she simply patted my finger twice and flew off and out of sight.
"Goodbye!" I shouted after it sarcastically. I guess I was on my own in figuring it out.
I turned out the lamps, and quickly phased out of the cold, frozen realm and into a cold, wet one. It was my turn to sigh. Earth, the Water Realm; you never knew what you were going to get when stopping over. At least with the other realms, you knew what you were in for. Hot and dry in the Fire Realm; cold and frozen in the Ice Realm; and just right in the Sun Realm of Acadia. The Water Realm was always a crapshoot, depending on where and when you went.
I'd phased back to Sunny's hometown. I quickly pulled the shadows back over myself. I didn't have time to be seen, and I needed some supplies that I didn't exactly have the money to pay for. The only realm that used money was the Water Realm. It was a bit annoying.
I quietly made my way through the boot and sporting goods store in town. I shadowed the products I needed and gathered as much as I could carry in one trip. When I was confident I had enough supplies, I phased back over to Acadia.
Instead of dropping in where I had before, I chose the place the blue fairies had shown me Sunny would be attacked. It was a small spot by the creek that ran behind the castle. What was so special about that spot? It was just an ordinary bit of ground.
The creek that ran through it was the same water which ran the length of Acadia. The ground was a dry patch of dirt, with but a handful of weeds desperately trying to hang on. The only other thing to draw the eye was a big boulder that sat a few feet back from the water. That was it really.
I quickly stowed the supplies by the ragged weeds at the creek, then I crawled up onto the boulder and stood looking out over the land. The castle behind me, Gabriel's woods before me; if I stood up on tiptoe, I could see over the small hill where the rebel camp had once been. I knew that place, but only from passing. What was so special about it to Sunny?
"Hey, what are you doing here?" Sunny said from where she stood almost directly below me.
I shrugged and said evasively, "I don't know. Just stopped here by the water for a moment." I jumped down from the rock, then asked, "What are you doing here?"
She laughed a light and happy sound. "This," she said and indicated the area where we stood, "happens to be my spot. I love this little quiet bit of land. It's the water trickling next to me, the rock to climb up and sit on in the sun, the view of all Acadia from one little place. Whenever I want to think or just be alone, I come here." She shrugged and said, "Yeah, it's my spot."
"Does everyone know this is your spot or is it a secret thing?" I asked. That could narrow down the suspects if I was lucky. I wasn't.
"Yup. Everyone knows. I usually get left alone when I come here," she said and raised an eyebrow at me as if to tell me to take a hint and go away.
I wasn't taking the hint, though. "Why did you come today? What's on your mind?"
She stiffened up at my question. "Nothing. I felt like a bit of quiet is all."
She was lying. That I could see. The real question was, why? I sat down in the shade of the rock and held out my hand to her. She didn't take hold of my hand, but she did sit down next to me.
"You sure you want to know?" she said after a moment of quiet.
"Sure. What can it hurt?" I replied.
"I'm worried about tomorrow."
"Why? Don't you have it all planned down to the last lace doily thingy," I asked with a soft, teasing smile.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean everyone will play nice," she said and dropped her head into her palms. A loud, breathy sigh soon followed.
"What do you mean? The people of Acadia? I thought all was going well with the people," I said. I didn't say most of the people.
She looked at me with her big blue eyes and for a moment I was lost again within their depths. God, I'd missed her.
"Acadia is fine in general. Oh, there're a few hiccups here and there, but we are working on those. It's my family. My mom and dad are coming and Gabriel's coming and they don't play well together. All I want to do is get up tomorrow, put on my dress, and walk down the aisle and marry Lucas. I don't want to have to worry about Gabriel getting mad at something my mom says or vice versa. Gabriel gets mad and the realm shakes. My mom gets mad and we could all drown in her tears. I can't deal with this. I'm…I'm overwhelmed and it's just a wedding. What about the reception when they have to talk? What about…"
"Whoa!" I said and held up my hands in front of her face. "Take a breath, Sunny." After I watched her breathe in and out a time or two, I continued. "What does Lucas say about this?"
"He says that they will all be on their best behavior for the day, but Leif, you of all people know my parents. They are always right and don't want to hear anything else. Plus, I have to phase them over tomorrow and that puts them in a horrible mood to start. They hate the jump out and no matter how many times we do it, it doesn't get any better for them. I should have just eloped. What was I thinking? Oh, God!"
Girls, geez. "Sunny, stop it. You are making too much of this," I said.
That was apparently the worst thing I could have said because she suddenly burst into tears. That was when I remembered that Sunny was a bit of a softy. Tears were not unusual when it came to her. I'd forgotten that part. "Look, we all know how territorial Gabriel is of you and I know from personal experience how your parents are. But…they like Lucas, right?"
"Yeah."
"And they love you, right?" I asked.
"Yeah," she said again and began to wipe away some of her tears.
"They will all be so happy for you tomorrow, th
ey will not want to ruin your day. I promise," I said. "Plus, maybe someone else could jump them over? Why does it have to be you?"
She shrugged, then said, "I don't know that they would be comfortable coming over with someone else."
"Well, tomorrow would be a good day for you and them to try it. Don't you think?"
She was quiet a moment, then she replied, "Yes, I suppose, but who?"
It wasn't going to be me, that was for sure, but I knew there had to be someone. "What about Cinder? Do they know her?"
She nodded her head.
"Then have her do it for you."
She was quiet again for a moment, before one of her full smiles blossomed over her face. Her tears instantly were gone, and she was happy. Just like that. "That's a great idea, Leif. Thank you!"
She embraced me tightly before she jumped to her feet. She said a quick, "I'm so glad you're home! I have to get back and talk to Lucas; oh, and Cinder."
She was gone, as quickly as she had appeared. I didn't really mind, as I was stuck on the word 'home' that she had used. I didn't have a home. I certainly wasn't there.
Don't get me wrong, I was glad I was able to take at least one concern off her shoulders, but now I was left with a heavy feeling in my chest. What was home anyway? Did I even need one? I told myself, no, I didn't, but I knew I was lying. You can't really lie to yourself.
~ * ~
"I was sent to find you. Apparently you had the big idea that I was to pick up the folks tomorrow before the wedding," Cinder snapped as soon as she was within shouting distance.
After Sunny had left, I regained my position from up high on the rock. I had been sitting there for a while by the time Cinder arrived. Sunny was right, the creek did have a nice calming sound to it. I'd been listening to it all morning long by that point.
"What are you doing up there?" she asked. She was dressed in tight brown pants and matching vest top. Her boots were leather and black, along with her belt. Add in her dark, long hair, and she was quite the picture.
"Nothing. Just thinking," I replied. Then I again looked out over the hill that had once been a landmark to the rebels.
"About what?"
I'd been trying to put together a course of action to keep Sunny safe. The reality was I couldn't do it alone. I hated, so very much hated to admit it, but I couldn't. I was going to need some help. I looked down on Cinder again and finally took a leap of faith. She was loyal to Sunny. She didn't particularly like me all that much from what I could tell, but she didn't exactly hate me either, judging by our lip escapade of the night before. She was a good bet to at least listen.
"You know the blue fairies from the Ice Realm?" I said and dropped down from my perch to stand with her. We were next to the creek at that point.
"Yeah, I know of them. So?"
"So do you also know that it is believed they have the power to tell the future?"
"So?"
"So do you believe that people or beings can do that?" I asked.
She stared at me with her big dark eyes and said, "Duh. My mom happens to be one of those beings."
"Yeah, but your mom can only see certain things, right? The blue fairies see everything," I said.
"Again, so?" Cinder said and dropped down to sit on the ground.
I joined her there and then continued. "So, they came to me and told me that Sunny would be killed. Right here in this spot."
"By who!" she almost yelled right in my face, before she leapt to her feet and hovered over me.
I shook my head and stood up as well. "I don't know."
"Well, then, when?" she asked.
"I don't know that either," I said.
"Well, then, what do you know?" she snarled at me.
I started to get mad then. I leaned forward and snarled right back, "Lose the attitude. You know, I don't have to tell you anything."
She did back down an inch. "Stop trying to bully me around," she snapped. "I'm not afraid of you."
"I don't care if you are afraid of me or not, I'm serious about not being a bitch with me. I don't need it or want it."
"Fine!"
"Fine," I snapped right back. "Do you want to hear what I know, or not? We can continue with your little tantrum if you'd like to do that instead."
"I'm not throwing a tantrum," she said in a more moderate tone of voice.
I simply lifted an eyebrow at her.
"I'm not. I'm just upset. You can't expect me to be calm when you blurt out that someone is out to kill Sunny, the Queen of Acadia, and one of my best friends. Most people would get a little upset when they hear that kind of news."
"I'm aware of that, but they don't usually take it out on everyone else," I said, even though I was one of those very same people that tended to do just that. It was strange being on the other side of that coin. "Why are you always so angry, anyway?"
"I'm not," she said. I watched as she visibly straightened and went on the defensive.
"Yeah, you are, and you know it. Is it just me or are you like that with everyone?" I asked.
"It's probably just you. You tend to get under my skin," she said.
I definitely liked her skin. Its pale pink color drew me. It was flawless, from what I could tell. Not a freckle or blemish to be seen. I know, as I looked, often. "I tend to do that with a lot of people," I said.
"You're right. I'm sorry," she said. She looked it, too. She deflated right before me.
I was surprised as hell and probably looked it. Of all the things she could have said, an apology wasn't one I expected. The spark of anger fizzled right out of me. "It's all right," I said. My voice was strangely soft. I coughed and cleared my throat. "I understand."
"So, what do you know about the threat?" she said and took a seat on the ground once more.
I only hesitated a second before I joined her. "Not much. I know it happens here, but I don't actually know when, other than a guess it will be tomorrow."
"Why tomorrow?"
"Because the vision the fairies showed had Sunny in her wedding dress. It's a good guess that she isn't going to be wearing it all that often after tomorrow."
Cinder smiled. "Yeah, I doubt it."
Man, she was very pretty when she smiled. Her cheeks rose and plumped, her eyes squinted and little wrinkles formed around her tiny nose. She was very pretty and very cute. I couldn't help but think of that kiss, that one, almost perfect kiss. Then I remembered her pulling away from me. Ashamed to be seen kissing me. I wasn't even angry about it anymore. I understood. Why would she want to be with me anyway? "What I don't understand is what the point of this spot is. Why here?"
Cinder looked around and then shrugged. "She likes it here. Sunny comes here all the time, and usually alone. If I was looking for a place to find her, without a horde of people following her around, this would be the spot."
"All right, then. We will just have to watch her. That's all we can do," I said. "I still think someone should let her know that she could be in danger."
"Also, what if we stop the attack tomorrow, but it just pushes it out to another day?" Cinder asked.
"What do you mean? The blue fairies only showed me one moment in time," I said.
"Mom says that if you change the course of any events, it will then change the future. It's one of the reasons that having that gift can be so difficult. You don't know what will happen if you set out to change what you have seen."
I'd heard something like that before. "Ripples," I said.
"In the water. Yep," Cinder said. "Everything we do causes ripples. It just depends how big and how many."
"Then we need to see where the threat is coming from, so that we can stop it for good. Not just for tomorrow. We have to change it so that no threat exists."
Cinder nodded her agreement. "Okay. How do we do that?"
"No idea."
My attention was drawn to her lips. She had pulled them into a pout as she thought about the dilemma that was Sunny. I watched as her little pink tongue peaked ou
t and slipped over her lips. The sun glistened off the moisture left behind. My brain left the problem at hand and moved right on to a desperate want to taste Cinder's mouth. Just a small nip was all I wanted.
I saw her glance at my lips, as well. Was she thinking the same thing? I leaned forward, slow and easy, trying to gauge her feelings and intentions. All the while I was worried, what if she didn't want my intentions?
Very subtly, she leaned toward me. Not much, but enough of a movement to indicate her wants matched my own. I knew I was right when her lashes lowered over her eyes and her mouth opened on a breath moments before I sealed our mouths together.
Her breath was warm on my face. Her lips were soft beneath my own, and her tongue teased almost shyly against mine. I breathed her in, and tried very hard not to devour her. I didn't succeed in gentleness. I roughly snaked my arms around her back and pulled her hard against my chest. I wanted - no I needed - to feel her body against mine. I needed to feel her life beat against me.
She didn't disappoint. She pulled me just as tightly against her as I pulled her toward me. She fisted her hand in my hair and yanked me forward. I complied readily. I nibbled against her lips and tasted her mouth with abandon.
When I needed to come up for air or perish in her arms, I hesitated. If I let her go, would that be the last time I held her? Should I press forward or pull back? I'd hesitated where Sunny was concerned. An orphaned street thief had no business with a would-be queen. Did that same thief deserve the affections of Cinder?
Did I?
Cinder drew back and her face was closed. Did she already regret the moment? Was she already thinking about who and what I was and feeling ashamed? I wasn't about to find out. I grabbed her by the arms and set her none too gently away from me. I got to my feet and stepped, actually I stomped back a couple feet from her and then all but barked, "I'm not going to apologize to you, so you can just save it."
Her face fell. It completely shut down. She was without emotion showing. I matched her look for look in that regard. I was the king of icy demeanor.
"I wasn't going to ask for one," she said.
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