“Why didn’t you use its magic sooner?”
“I don’t want to waste it. In Faythander, the crystal would have an easy time of regenerating, but not here. Now, it’s only got enough magic left to open the portal.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”
“Because now you’re the only person alive who knows I have the crystal, and I would like for it to stay that way.”
“Does this have something to do with the elves? Aren’t those crystals only given to royalty?”
“How do you know that?”
“I’ve spent some time with the elves. My brother was engaged to the princess, and she also wore crystals similar to yours. So what’s the story behind that crystal? Did you steal it?”
“I didn’t steal it, but it would make a lot of people angry if they knew I had it.” He tucked the crystal back under his shirt.
“Why all the secrets?” I asked. “Who are you hiding from?”
He gave me a shrewd glance. “Why do you want to know?”
My eyes met his. I realized we were more similar than I’d first thought. He had his secrets and I had mine, and neither of us was willing to part with them, so I decided to change the subject.
“Where do we go from here?” I asked.
“We’re leaving France. I’ve already bought tickets for the train. Its speed is maddeningly slow compared to the light carriages, but we have no other choice. We’ll have to be careful today. That beast is still after my crystal. He’ll be tracking us, so we should be prepared for a fight.”
He reached in his bag and pulled out a slender rectangular box. When he offered it to me, I took it from him, surprised at its heaviness. The box was made of handcrafted leather and looked expensive. Why wasn’t I surprised?
“What’s this?” I asked.
“I got you something. When I saw this, it made me think of you.”
As I opened the lid, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but inside I found a knife with a mother-of-pearl embellished handle sitting atop a bed of blue velvet. My eyes widened as I stared up at Maveryck.
I ran my fingers over the mirror-smooth blade, and then I stopped, staring, but not touching. I’d only been given a blade by one other man, the man who’d left me with scars.
“Is something wrong?”
“I—I’m not sure if I can accept it.”
“Why not?”
I studied the sleek pearl handle. Gold filigree decorated the cross guard, forming the likeness of a phoenix, each of its wings overstretching the guards. My heart pounded in my chest. It’s just a knife. It doesn’t mean anything.
“I’m more skilled in searching for quality than functionality,” Maveryck said. “Is it not acceptable? Should I return it?”
He lifted the box off my lap, but I grabbed his hand before he could take it away.
“Wait. I’d like to hold it first.”
“You’re sure?” His eyes held a fervent passion as he studied my face.
“I’m sure.” But I wasn’t. I reached for the knife, trying not to notice my scarred hands as I picked it up.
The moment I held it, I knew it was mine.
The metal warmed as I held the grip. Was there magic in the blade? Why did I feel as if it spoke to me?
Fear settled in the pit of my stomach. It was the same feeling I’d had when I’d first held the goblin blade. I stared up at Maveryck.
“Have you enchanted it?” I asked.
“It’s an Earth Kingdom weapon. There’s no magic in it.”
“Then why does it feel like there is?”
“I don’t know. Do you have the ability to detect magic?”
“No, not exactly. It just feels strange. I don’t know how to describe it.” I tightened my grip on the handle, and my heart raced with excitement. This was mine—the weapon I’d been searching for since I’d lost my goblin blade. But was it more? I still wasn’t sure I could accept it—wasn’t sure if I was ready for such a blade.
“Why did you get this for me?” I asked.
“Because it suits you. I realize there are subjects from your past you do not wish to discuss, but from what I’ve seen of you, I can say you are a brave warrior, and you have a pure soul. If there are people who have hurt you, then let this be the symbol of your redemption.”
Redemption?
“Is it acceptable?” Maveryck asked.
“I’m not sure.” I returned the blade to its box.
“Give it time. You don’t have to accept it now.”
I only nodded.
“The train leaves soon. Are you ready?”
My eyes met his. “Yes. I’m ready.”
Half an hour later, we’d made it to a large building packed with people. We wandered through one hallway after another, through metal gates that opened and closed behind us, while sounds of beeping and engines and voices filled the air.
Maveryck had given me a leather scabbard to keep the knife on a belt, and I’d secured it around my waist. I wore a gray jacket over the knife and belt, and he’d even whispered a word of magic to keep it undetected by the human authorities, but I still wasn’t sure I could use the blade.
Reluctantly, I had to admit that I felt safer with the knife close. Although Maveryck had only just given me the weapon, it seemed as though the dagger had always been with me, and its presence helped distract me from the noise of the station.
The building was exponentially larger than I had envisioned. We walked on moving staircases that brought us to one path and then to another. After wandering the station for what felt like hours, I was certain Maveryck had gotten us lost, although he assured me he knew where to go.
In one area, a glass-domed ceiling loomed overhead, making the cacophony of voices echo. My heart rate spiked as we approached yet another gate.
I was prepared for the unfamiliar, but this was nothing like the last time I visited Earth Kingdom. The crowds seemed to press in against me, and I couldn’t help but feel their eyes on me—as if they watched me—as if they knew I didn’t belong here. Was the wraith lurking among them? Was it hiding in plain sight?
“Are you coming?” Maveryck asked as he stood near the gate.
“I don’t know. I don’t think I can do this anymore. This is nothing like home. I feel like I’m going to suffocate if I keep going.”
He stood without speaking as the crowd passed us on either side to enter through the metal gate. If I turned around now, where would I go? I would be more lost than I was now. I felt like screaming, but doing so would bring us unnecessary attention.
He took a step toward me and took my hand, his fingers surprisingly warm and gentle. With that one small gesture, I felt my tension begin to ease.
“We’re almost there,” he said. “You can do this.”
“I’m not sure.”
“But I am sure, and I know you can do this.”
I inhaled deeply while staring at the gate that seemed so far away. “It’s all so unfamiliar. If I were in the woods back home, or the mountains—”
He gave my fingers a gentle squeeze, and then he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. If we’d been back home, I would have shoved him away without hesitation. But since we were here, in a place that felt so strange and different from anything I was used to, I decided to let him stay close to me. For a minute at the most, anyway. Just until I felt I could breathe again.
“I don’t understand,” I said. “Why is this so hard? I’ve fought goblins and wraiths, battled my way through a dragon’s lair, beaten beasts of prey, and overcome magical spells. Why is navigating through Earth Kingdom’s train station so difficult?”
“Maybe because you understand dragons and goblins. You know what they are and where they come from. Many times, the things we fear aren’t the things that can kill us. What we fear most are the things we don’t understand.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, gently caressing my face.
The familiar scent of his cologne enveloped me—a scent that reminded me o
f amber and rich mahogany—reminding me of last night when he’d kissed me. I felt his eyes on me, so I met his gaze.
Sparks of purple danced in his irises, and I could have gotten lost in his eyes. He said he didn’t wield powerful magic, so why did I feel like he was casting a spell over me? Something inside screamed at me, telling me this was wrong, but I couldn’t look away. I wanted to be with him again, my longing an emotion so powerful I could hardly control it or make any sense of it whatsoever.
He was just too damn pretty—and that was the problem.
“I’m ready,” I said, finally looking away. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’ve had it with this place.”
He squeezed my hand, making my heart race even more. When we passed through the final gate and found the train terminal, we waited in yet another line as we boarded. But once we entered the train, I breathed a sigh of relief. We were finally out of the terminal.
The train had two levels, and Maveryck led me to a staircase where we ascended to the second floor. I was surprised to find elegant tables with white linen cloths interspersed among the seats. Vases of red carnations sat atop each table, and beyond the flowers, the windows gave us views of the enormous station.
Maveryck took a seat in one of the booths, and I sat across from him, peering out the window. A long line of people still filed inside the train, and I scrutinized each one, thinking anyone could be the wraith in disguise—the man with the hat, another man wearing a coat and dark glasses, another with shoulder-length, white hair…
The train slowly moved forward. As it did, a man wearing a white suit and apron placed several small loaves of crescent-shaped bread and chocolate-covered fruit on the table.
I swear, Maveryck and his expensive tastes. I was surprised we weren’t eating on golden platters.
As the train left the city, ancient-looking buildings built with crumbling stones stood along the streets, and green countryside sprawled all the way to the horizon.
“I was like you once,” Maveryck said, bringing me out of my thoughts.
I eyed him. “Excuse me?”
“There was a time when I trusted no one.”
Where had this come from? “Who says I don’t trust anyone?”
He smirked. “It’s a little obvious.”
“Fine. Perhaps you’re right and I don’t trust anyone, but I have my reasons. Do you?”
“Yes, actually.” He took a sip from his glass. “In a way, my distrust was learned. My brother and I were always in a constant struggle for power and dominion, so I never learned to think of him as a friend. We sought to find one another’s weaknesses, to best each other. Brutality and subterfuge were how we survived.” He glanced at his hands. “But things changed. I met someone. She loved me honestly, and she had no hidden agendas, but what confused me most was her ability to put my needs above hers, even if it meant getting nothing in return.”
I didn’t reply, though my mind was buzzing with questions. He had someone already? If that was so, why had he kissed me? Perhaps he was more of a scoundrel than I thought.
“Where is she now?” I finally asked.
“She’s dead,” he answered. “Has been for a very long time, although to me it only feels like yesterday.”
“How did she die?”
“Lung sickness,” he answered. “We’d been married for a month when she contracted it. She died a week later. It was a stupid, senseless death, one that haunts me even now.”
Sorrow shone in his eyes. “You have to understand, I’m not quite like you. To me, memories don’t fade over time. If I allow them to surface, I can see them with such clarity it feels like only moments have passed instead of years, so I’ve taught myself to hide those memories. If I don’t, I would never be able to function.”
“Why don’t your memories fade?”
He shrugged. “As I said, I’m not quite like you.”
Typical Maveryck, never answering any of my questions. Did I expect anything else? I ate a few bites of bread and fruit, mostly because I wasn’t sure when we would have our next meal, and I had every intention of keeping up my strength so that I could slay the wraith, reclaim the staff, and be done with this quest.
Maveryck fell silent as the train passed through the countryside. He stared out the window, his gaze distant, as if he’d been swept away by his memories. What was it like to be able to replay memories in perfect clarity at a moment’s notice? And what would cause a person to have such an ability? I’d always known there was something different about him. It made me wonder what else he hadn’t told me about himself. And about his past.
As we traveled through the French countryside, past rows of vineyards, thatched-roofed houses, and small villages where churches with tall steeples stood out among the other buildings, I was reminded of everything I missed in Faythander. There were no fairies, no dragons in the sky, and no maywelters dancing over ponds. Although I couldn’t deny that this world was lovely, its beauty reminded me of what I didn’t have.
I closed my eyes and rested my head on the seat, thinking of how nice it would feel to be back in the keep, sitting in the leather chair by the fire after a long hunt. I would be free of Maveryck and his bewitching ways.
But did I really want to be free of him?
Opening my eyes, I found him still staring out the window, his gray eyes intent as he focused far away. What was he thinking about? It was uncanny how much he knew about this world. I’d nearly gone insane navigating through the train station while he’d had no trouble at all, like he’d done it a million times before.
As dusk approached, the train stopped at the Montpellier station. Maveryck and I made our way down to the train’s bottom level, filed in line, and then walked out the narrow doors.
The station at Montpellier was much smaller than the terminal in Paris, and soon we found the exit and walked outside into the calm evening.
The air tasted of salt, and I knew we were near the ocean.
Maveryck sighed as he glanced toward the setting sun. Its rays streaked across the sky, bands of red and pink against the jagged peaks of tall, ancient-looking buildings. The café and church’s stonework turned deep golden under the setting sun. Church bells chimed in the distance, a sound both melodic and haunting.
“I was hoping to make it before sunset,” he said. “Finding a boat and then locating the island won’t be easy to do in the dark.”
“Should we wait until morning?”
“No, there isn’t time.”
He searched behind us, seeming calm, but then again, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever seen him anxious. He was like a statue sometimes, so cool and collected that I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
“Let’s get off the street,” he said, and then he led me down a narrow alley. Soon, we entered a walkway spanning the distance between the tall brick buildings, blocking out the last rays of sunlight.
With the loss of light came a chill in the air. Maveryck glanced behind us several more times as we made our way through the alley and then toward a harbor where boats docked. I also glanced back, but I couldn’t decide what he was looking at. As far as I could tell, there was no one following us.
Our footsteps rang out against the cobblestones as we descended a steep hill toward the harbor. Sailboats and small skiffs bobbed up and down as they floated in their moorings. Only a few fishermen milled about, most of them tying down their boats or lugging buckets full of fish out of their cargo holds.
Maveryck stopped by one of the fisherman and started a conversation.
Up until that point, I wasn’t sure how Maveryck acquired items. I’d thought of him as a skilled thief and nothing more, but as he stood there talking to the fisherman, I finally realized his true skill.
Deceit.
He could become whomever he needed to be in order to get what he wanted. My heart sank as I grasped the truth, and it dawned on me that it was very possible I had never seen Maveryck
as he truly was. He could have been toying with me from the beginning.
In a matter of minutes, Maveryck stood untying the boat from the dock, the fisherman long gone, with only a promise from Maveryck to return the boat whenever he could.
“You used magic on him?” I asked while he continued to untie the boat.
“Magic? No. I told you my magic is limited. Professional reclamation does not require magic, but it does take skill and a good deal of acting.” He tossed me a coiled rope. “Put that on the deck, will you?”
I took the rope, laid it on the deck, and then turned back to him. “Tell me, how long have you been acting? Since you met me?”
“What?” He laughed. “Of course not.” He held out his hand. “Time to board. Are you ready to go home?”
I paused before taking his hand. Did I really need him? Wasn’t there any possible way to get home without him? My heart was getting too involved, and I feared I no longer exercised clear judgment when I was around him.
But once I got home, none of this would matter anyway. I would remember nothing, like it had never happened. That final thought gave me hope as I took his hand and stepped into the skiff.
I took a seat on one of the white-cushioned benches as Maveryck cranked the engine and then steered us away from the harbor. Again, I was clueless at his ability to control a motorized boat.
“How do you know how to drive this?” I asked him.
“It’s not so different from a Faythander vessel. Elven engines function with many of the same principles as the engines here, albeit their fuel is different—but that doesn’t seem to make much of a difference.”
“Yet you seem uncannily comfortable in this world. Why?”
“You’re right,” he agreed. “I’ve spent some time on Earth.”
“You must have been here for years to know as much as you do.”
He only smiled, and then he glanced behind us. His constant watchfulness was starting to annoy me.
“Do you see something?” I asked.
“No… I don’t see anything. It’s just—something else. Something feels wrong.”
Fairy World M.D., Boxed Set Two (4-6.5) Page 38