by J. L. Madore
"Blessing and abundance," they responded.
The crowd tilted their heads in whispered conversation. The ceremony continued until, after a time, the host dismissed formalities in favor of festivities. Steins were drained, laughter was shared and everyone ate enough to hold them 'til the autumn rains. When it was over, Galan, Tham and Aust, as the three were called, watched the procession of exodus. Guests flowed down the path in silken waves like smoke on the night breeze. Slim-waisted, blush-cheeked beauties giggled and gossiped while the men conversed about tradition and the days, long behind them, when they accepted their stations.
"And they leave disappointed," Galan, the silver-haired one, deadpanned. "Many of them attended simply to witness our scandalous refusal to quest, no doubt."
"Nonsense, my rapier wit and stunning charm was the draw." Tham waggled his brow then sobered when Galan failed to laugh. "Regardless. The grains of sand have trickled through the sandglass for the last time. They may force us to abandon youth but become responsible males? Never." Tham's body shook with an exaggerated shudder and this time, Galan did smile. Tham squeezed his friend's shoulder. "Fash not, brother mine." They have endeavored to mold us for a century and have yet to succeed."
Galan pulled the tie binding his hair and scrubbed his fingers through it as it fell loose. "I cannot explain it, Tham. Deep in the knit of my bones I sense something ill awaiting us. Lia needs me and Nyssa is close to birthing. My every instinct scream to tell the Elder Council to shove the Ambar Lenn into any orifice of their choosing and leave me be."
"Mayhap speak with your eda again."
"No." Galan said. "Disdain and unending criticism are the very bricks and mortar of my relationship with my sire. Our uniting bond from the day Naneth passed." He squeezed his eyes shut and sighed. "Whatever the Fates have in store, I am helpless to fight it."
Galan and Tham joined Aust at the altar-stone. The ivory, rectangular slab lay where it had for aeons, cracked and eroded from bearing the load of centuries past. This night it lay buried beneath layers of silken, hand-stitched runners, littered with ravaged platters of sweets and breads.
Galan sifted through dozens of crock jugs tipped on their sides, bellies drained. Finding a half-size still corked, he laced his finger through the loop, swirled the contents and proposed a toast. "To success on our Ambar Lenn and returning to those we love." He drank deep.
Tham corralled the abandoned scraps of food onto one platter, tucked it into the crook of his arm and glanced around the vacated site while popping pastries into his mouth. "Is Faolan not questing with you, Aust?"
Aust lifted his gaze from the ground and shook his head. "The elders insist she remain in the village to 'allow me the opportunity to expand and embrace my possibilities'. Toeing the dirt, he kicked a rock soaring. "Faolan is vexed."
Tham popped a honey-glaze into his mouth and washed it down with a swig from Galan's jug. "Can you use your ability and explain to her?"
Aust glanced over his shoulder toward their host and leaned closer. "I have, yet she still refuses to see me off."
"Then your wolf and my father have much in common." Galan reclaimed the stone jug and drained it before placing it amongst its fallen brothers. Finding another containing a few sloshes he smiled. "Mayhap, Faolan should console him while we are away."
Tham smiled. "Or better yet, sink her canines into his gem pouch and shake until the old man turns blue."
They all chuckled.
"Did Lia not attend, Galan?" Aust asked.
Galan's jaw flexed. "No, she did not."
The heavy silence that followed was broken when their host spoke. "Gentlemales, seek your purpose. Discover the path to personal fulfillment and the enrichment of our community. Inventory your lives as you inventoried your belongings for this quest. Some items were chosen for survival, though equal in importance are the talismans which give your guiding spirit strength. Decide which burdens are worth the weight to bear. Keep your load light and your hearts pure. Blessed be."
"Blessed be," they repeated.
With belts cinched, swords sheathed and bows slung, the three men grabbed their satchels and bedrolls. The worn path from the ruin site took them away from the village and along the larger of the two rivers heading north to begin their Ambar Lenn—Fate's Journey.
* * *
My mind spun in a vortex of surreal images as I disconnected from the vision. Breathe. I needed to breathe. How could they—
"Jade?" Lexi whispered, dropping her head forward.
"I'm here, hon."
Summer solstice was more than just the longest day of the year and my personal hell. Fae lore claimed it was the day when the veil between magic and reality was almost non-existent. I'd thought that was superstitious hoo-ha until now. Highborne Elves?
"Jade?" Lexi raised her head as she eased out of the trance. When her vision cleared, she stared at me with the same Oh-My-Gods look I knew I wore. "We need to go."
I scooted to the edge of the booth, grabbed my purse and handed Lexi a chocolate. She peeled the wrapper and popped it in her mouth. When the sugar kicked in, her eyes began returning to their normal shade of purple. "Are you good?"
Lexi tossed half a dozen silver pieces onto the table, then bounced down from the booth. Grabbing the edge of the table, she checked her balance. "No, but we need to find Reign."
Damn. "He's at that stupid exposure conference in Hong Kong. Cowboy?"
"On a mission. Savage?"
"Covering up that crop circle disturbance in Vancouver."
"So, who's in charge?"
Ah, double damn. My heart stopped mid-beat. "Samuel." I looked to his booth and fought the urge to bolt. I'd like to think we cared enough about each other to get past the failure of us as a couple, that Samuel wasn't going to trash me for all the times he'd felt rejected, that we could function on a professional level until the wounds healed.
That, of course, was bullshit.
"You want me to do this?" Lexi asked.
Yes. "No. I've got it." With clenched fists, I made my way to the other side of the dance floor to the booth where Samuel and his date were oh-so-cozy. She was draped over him like a blanket . . . a horny, skanky blanket and his face was buried somewhere under her back-teased brown hair . . . along her neck maybe or in her cleavage. I so did not need that visual.
Steeling myself against what was coming, I knocked on the table. "Excuse me."
Samuel's dark, half-hooded gaze was unfocused when he lifted his head. I knew that look. As he registered the source of interruption, I thought I glimpsed the man I cared about. He vanished all too quickly. "Jade, are ye on for a pint or are ye on the pull?"
Ignoring the tone, I raised my chin. "I need to speak with you."
"Do ye now? And where's the wee princess?" He struggled to lift his head. Glancing around the crowded tavern, he found her next to the exit. "Oh, there she is. Never too far."
I ignored the one-fingered salute Lexi offered Samuel and the lazy roll of his unfocused eyes in reply. After she pointed at the door and stepped outside I got back on task. "Samuel, forget Lexi, I need you."
He blinked slowly, his lazy grin widening. "I may be a bit gone in drink, but I still recall that ye've never needed me Jade."
"Look, Samuel, I need to speak with you. Could I have a minute?"
"I've company at the moment, luv."
"I see that. However, that's not what this is about."
"Really? Ye're sure?" The brunette looked up from his neck as if noticing me for the first time. Apparently, I wasn't of interest because she lowered her head and went back to business.
"Look. Reign isn't here and I need to speak to you. Lexi had a vision."
Samuel straightened, resting his head against the back of the booth. "A vision? Well, very convenient that your sister had a vision during my date. Very convenient indeed."
"It's not convenient, Samuel. Something happened."
He leaned forward, propping his head in his hands. "I'
m no so gone that I don't know this is the night of the solstice, Jade. Wallowing in the murder of your parents, are ye? Need a shoulder to weep on?"
"You bastard." My fists clenched as a dozen candles on surrounding tables hissed to life. Six inch flames leapt into the air as diners jumped back. When my eyes began to sting, I spun. Do not cry in front of him. Heading for the exit, I fought the urge to break into a run. Using my parents against me was low. Samuel knew how badly I hungered to find the last of those responsible and claim my Right of Vengeance. The need was especially raw tonight.
Everything in me wanted to go back to that booth and smack the sanctimonious scowl off his face. Slamming through the door, I collided with a couple groping hot and heavy at the exit. The duo toppled like pins on a waxed alley.
Lexi took one look at me bowling through lovebirds, cursed and headed back into the tavern. "What the hell did Merlin say to you?"
I caught her arm as she flew by. "Forget him." I swiped at my cheeks. "Nothing has changed, we need a plan."
My mind cleared as we crossed the grounds back to the castle. Even without a plan, getting our gear assembled was a given. Twenty-five minutes later, we sat in my suite, gear packed and brainstorming. I turned the mug in my hands, studying my butter-caramel coffee as if answers would magically manifest within.
"Why did we get this vision, tonight of all nights?" I asked. "What does it mean?"
A flutter of serenity washed over me as a warm breeze stirred my locks and my senses filled with lavender and bergamot. Thank the gods . . . or god would be more accurate. I raised my gaze to the ceiling and closed my eyes. "Have you been spying on me, Sire?"
The presence in my mind was filled with male amusement. I prefer to think I watch over you, Mir. Spying sounds far too invasive.
Castian's endearment, Mir—his treasure—soothed me like a hot stone massage after training. "That's some distinction. So, what does the vision of the Highbornes mean?"
I am releasing them from exile.
"You're kidding? After all this time?"
I think eight thousand years makes my point.
"I'm sure it does." Sipping my coffee, I held down the butterflies fluttering in my belly and waited for Castian to continue. Gods were not ones to be rushed.
Ready your mounts. You and Alexannia will make first contact. The information you need will be sent to your phones.
"Us?" I set my coffee on the table. "Alone? There are a dozen enforcers more qualified. Why would you send us?"
Are you questioning me?
I winced at the cutting edge in Castian's voice. I just questioned the God of gods. Damn, I was off my game tonight . . . but that was it, wasn't it? At the Hearthstone, I did everything right and still got knocked on my ass. If the lions hadn't been there, I could have been in serious trouble. Maybe Reign was right; maybe I should stick to training at the Academy and joining raid parties. I snapped back to my senses. "No. Of course not, Sire. I am so sorry. It's just—"
What?
I took in the wide eyed WTF glare I was getting from Lexi across the table and shook my head. "Nothing, Sire. Thy will be done."
Good. This task is part of your destiny, Mir. I have seen it.
Destiny. I bit my tongue. If he only knew.
CHAPTER THREE
There was a long moment of silence as Lexi and I caught our breath. We'd only just grabbed our gear and readied our mounts when Castian Flashed us to our destination. In a split second, we dissolved from the Haven stables and stood on a leafy ridge, watching the first tangerine rays of sun come up over an enchanted, rainforest.
"This is where Highborne Elves spent the last eight thousand years?" Lexi wrinkled her nose. She would face off against deranged sorcerers and filthy, half-naked barbarians rather than rough it for a few nights in the wild. "Gods, it's sooo green."
A warm, wind blew strong in our faces, stirring a lush canopy of emerald-leafed branches high above our heads and swirling the earthy scents of growth and decay. The ground was overrun with sprawling plants and vines, the rich browns of the tree trunks, buried beneath spongy sage mosses. Even the weak morning light filtered in with dappled mint strobes as the tropical trees danced above.
"Is it possible for something to smell green?" Lexi scowled, running her fingers over the gem-studded saddle spanning the back of her bearded dragon. After adjusting the girth and harness, she patted her mount's scaly head. "Puff and I don't like so much nature. Do we Puff?" Puff continued chewing a chunk of sweet potato, not giving any indication of his preferences. "Are they Elves or Ewoks 'cause I'm getting a yub-nub feeling here?"
I laughed. "You'll survive."
Lexi pushed the toe of her new Chloé boot into the stirrup and sprang into her saddle. Three strap, sable mid-calves with buckles. Nice. Her predilection for inappropriate footwear in the field always made me smile. "Imagine being exiled here," she said. "No Victoria's Secret. No BeDazzlers. No Game of Thrones!" She rolled her eyes.
"Don't sweat it. We'll make first contact with the Highbornes and be home for John Snow—" I finished reading the mission spec downloaded to my phone and pulled up short. "Holy hells."
"What?"
"This isn't just first contact." I reread the last paragraph of our orders, waiting for it to sink in. "We're retrieving the lost spell book of Queen Rheagan. Are, we ready for this?"
"Uh . . . yes." Lexi's body was almost completely shielded behind the frill of her bearded dragon, her black spiky hair bobbing in the affirmative. Gripping the two curved horns coming off the scales of Puff's neck, she turned away. "And even if we weren't, we sure as hell aren't going to admit that to Castian or Reign."
After tying my cloak, I secured my backpack to the saddle-horn and swung up onto my ebony panther. The crunch of leather on leather, as I sunk into the saddle, roused Naith from his catnap. Tendons and muscles quivered and lengthened as my mount bowed in a deep stretch and mrowled a yawn. His rising rump pitched me forward and then levelled, ready to ride.
Reining north, we crossed a clearing and headed on a course to intercept. No matter how hard I pushed the waves of nausea down, I had a sickening feeling that this mission was going to come back to bite me in the ass.
Ten minutes into our ride, Lexi stopped. "Um, Jade?"
Naith and I strode alongside her and my mouth fell open. "What the hell is that?"
On a mossy fallen log, gently flapping, blue, iridescent tennis racket sized wings, sat what I could only guess was a pre-historic butterfly.
"This isn't the Ewok village after all," Lexi muttered. "We're in freakin' Jurassic Park." Both of us scanned the forest doing a complete 360. Now that I was looking for it, the leaves of the trees higher up were the size of bed sheets. "Jade, what if this doesn't go according to Hoyle and everything craps out?"
"Nothing's going to crap out."
"Could we at least have our full gear?" Her gaze jerked and darted to the shadows of the forest, following every sound, every movement. "Remember that goat getting munched by the T-rex in the first movie? One minute it was there and the next it was crunch crunch in the bushes."
I had visions of the trees rustling, hiding the unseen dinosaur. "I remember, but for first contact we're messengers—knives only and only for defense." I ignored the icy amethyst glare. "When we go for the spell book you can wear the entire armory."
"Oh, I don't need the entire armory." She patted the hilt of her dagger where it rested against her thigh. "Over accessorizing is tacky anyway, right Puff?"
Puff swung his broad, triangular head from the trail and glanced back at us. His reptilian grin gave nothing away. Puff. I bit my tongue—only Lexi.
Naith padded along, swaying in a hypnotic rhythm. It was grace in motion that only a prowling jungle cat could pull off. Lying over his neck, I nuzzled deep into his velvety pelt. He smelled like musk and the cedar mulch from his barn stall.
Straightening, I watched the sun continue to rise. The solstice was over for another year.
; Lexi slowed Puff until we were side by side. "At least you have memories beyond the bad. More than I've got."
I loosened the draw strings on my pack and pushed my hand inside. Which was better? Reliving the annihilation of your family over and over, like me, or living in a void of not knowing where you come from, like Lexi?
My fingers found the smooth curve of Castian's royal seal on the Highborne pardon. 'This task is part of your destiny, Mir. I have seen it.' Destiny. Was it my parents' destiny to be slaughtered? Was I supposed to live? Would I ever know the answers?
I drew a deep breath. Time to think about the now. What the hell was I supposed to say to these three men? Hi, I know you've never seen a human before and your people have been trapped in this valley for eight thousand years, but today's your lucky day.
A mint-scented breeze blew my curls away from my face as Castian's silky baritone entered my mind. Have faith in my judgment, Mir. Worry less, smile more, my child.
Easy for him to say, looking down from the Palace of the Fae. I rubbed my thumb over the royal seal again. "I like the mint. It's a nice touch."
Castian's tone was rock steady and serious. You need this, Mir. I've seen your tapestry. Trust in me, this journey is the path to the answers you yearn for.
My mind went numb. "What? Are you sure?" I winced. Of course, he's sure. He's the God of gods for god's sake.
Lexi met my gaze and cocked a brow. "Message from on high?"
"Ah . . . yeah." My voice was too high pitched and I tried to regain my wits before Lexi caught on and started up with an interrogation.
Thankfully, she wasn't paying attention to me. She tilted her head to the canopy and smiled. "I bet Castian's a total jaw-dropping hottie."
I shut my eyes, hoping in vain that Castian had signed off or tuned out or whatever he did to break his connection. The rolling laughter filling my mind made me cringe. "Lexi, you might think about exercising impulse control once in a while."