by C. A. Worley
“I’m perfectly safe,” she retorted once she had her wits about her.
“Even from rolling off? I’d hate for you to hit your pretty little head, hard as it may be.”
Evelyn snorted and he chuckled. Jasper was usually good natured, at least, he had been before his teen years. When they were small they’d been playmates. Once he hit puberty, he stopped coming around as much, but she still considered him a friend of sorts.
“Move over,” he grunted, hopping up onto the boulder beside her.
Evelyn scooted as far as she could without falling over the edge.
He frowned, brushing his sandy blonde hair off his brow. “I’m not contagious.”
She laughed and shook her head. “I know. But your large body barely fits up here.”
“Right.” His focus drifted above her discolored eye. “What happened there?”
“Eden happened.”
“Your sister attacked you?”
“Yes. It was hilarious.”
“Looks like it.”
They grinned at one another. Jasper turned away first, throwing some pebbles he was holding into the stream.
“What are you doing out here?” he asked.
“I was meditating.”
“With your mouth wide open and drool coming out? Doubtful.”
She playfully swatted his arm. “It wasn’t that bad.”
“It was.”
Parts of Evelyn’s body warmed in reaction to the timbre of his voice. All the wrong parts. She should not be feeling anything for this male, or any male for that matter.
Except for one.
“What were you doing, aside from interrupting my rest?” she scolded.
“I had the afternoon off and was on my way to help out the Greycen family with the summer harvest.”
“Ah, out being a pillar of the community.”
“I try.”
“And it wouldn’t have anything at all to do with watching Maggie Greycen work the field? I hear it’s quite a sight.”
Jasper smirked. “The ladies talk of her ample … assets, do they?”
Evelyn barked out a laugh and swatted him again. “You are terrible.”
“I can be. But to answer your question, no, I’m not going to help because of Maggie. I owe her father a debt and this is how I’ll repay it.”
“How admirable.”
“Not really. Besides,” he said, staring intently at her mouth, “she’s not half as lovely as the female who always seems to run in the opposite direction when she sees me approaching.”
Evelyn’s eyes grew big as he leaned closer. She reflexively leaned away from him, but he kept coming. Before she could demand to know what, exactly, he thought he was doing, she tipped backwards and fell off the rock.
Too late, she tried to twist and get her arms under her to break her fall. All Evelyn managed was to slam her cheek into one of the smaller boulders just before her body continued its descent to the ground.
She landed awkwardly, with her rear on the dirt and her front plastered to the side of the rock. She did a quick check of her person. Nothing hurt too much other than her cheek.
“Damn, that smarts,” Evelyn cursed, reaching up to inspect the damage.
Already swelling. A little bloody. Likely starting to bruise. It would be just like her to go through hours of rigorous training unscathed—aside from one missing eyebrow—only to be injured by her reaction to some moron’s idea of a sexual advance.
Two large boots landed with a soft thud beside her. Speaking of said moron.
“Ah, Goddess. I’m sorry, Evelyn,” Jasper apologized, kneeling and placing a hand on her shoulder. “Here, let me see,” he cajoled.
His fingers gently lifted her chin. Evelyn turned her face so he could get a better look at the damage and he flinched. The big bad warrior-in-training flinched. Hard. Her shoulders shook as she tried to hold in her amusement.
The corner of his mouth lifted. “You’re a cruel one, Miss Evelyn, laughing at me.”
“I’m not the one knocking ladies off of boulders.”
“Yes, well, I’m not used to such gross aversion to my advances.”
“I imagine not. But really, what were you thinking? You can’t just go around kissing every girl who crosses your path. I mean, sure, convenience is important, but did you think thirty seconds of my time warranted our faces making contact?”
His guffaw was loud enough to knock over a tree. “You are not like other females,” he chuckled once he had enough air to speak.
Evelyn twisted her lips, uncomfortable with his comment. He was right. She wasn’t like the other females she knew. She was good at playing her role well in her father’s court, but outside of those formalities, Evelyn had always been a little rough around the edges. Blunt. A jokester.
She wasn’t sure she liked Jasper calling attention to it. If a handsome male such as he thought her odd, what would he think of her, the one who never strayed far from her mind?
Jasper was a stark contrast to her dream male. Where Marrok was dark and broody, both in looks and personality, Jasper was light and fun. Light and fun might be more akin to her personality than dark and broody. Evelyn didn’t like the thought she wasn’t capable of attracting a male like Marrok.
“I should probably head home and clean myself up,” she said quietly.
“Let me escort you,” he insisted, offering his hand and pulling her up to her feet.
Jasper looked down the path, the one leading to the Greycen’s farm. It was in the opposite direction of Evelyn’s home. He would be late, but he didn’t like the idea of sending her off alone after that fall.
Evelyn shook her head. “I’m fine, Jasper. You’ve got a further trek than I, anyway. I’d hate for you to be late.”
He opened his mouth to protest and she pushed him backwards with air currents. “Go, before I dump you in the stream.”
“Alright, alright. No need for violence,” he jested. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine. Now leave.”
“As you wish, my lady.” Jasper bowed gracefully. When he straightened, his expression was serious. “I really am very sorry, Evie.”
He hadn’t called her Evie since they were young. She liked it, in a brotherly sort of way. A tiny part of her thought life would be easier if she simply gave in to a male like Jasper, explored the potential for something more with another elemental.
It would never work. She didn’t want any of the males she knew. Even if she’d allowed the kiss, she knew Jasper well enough to know he wasn’t seeking something permanent.
Besides, she’d been waiting two years for the demon to return to her dreamworld or, preferably, knock on her father’s door. How long was she expected to wait? Having faith in Fate was no simple task.
With a shrug she waved him off. “It’s fine. If it will make you feel better, you can owe me a favor.”
“Anything.”
“Oh, you really shouldn’t make such promises. I might just take you up on it.”
“Are you flirting with me?”
“What? No!”
He chuckled and saluted her as he walked backwards. “Until we meet again, fair Evelyn.” Then turned and jogged away.
Once he was out of sight, Evelyn sagged against the boulder, covering her eyes with her hands. Her face was throbbing and she now had a terrible headache. Even her bottom was becoming sore. Her adrenaline must have started to wear off.
She traced her lips with her fingers, wondering what it would have felt like to have Jasper’s mouth touch hers. She argued it was out of curiosity. Any female her age would want to know what it was like to be kissed.
A prick of guilt struck her and she destroyed the thought. She was positive—mostly—Fate had marked her for another. She should not entertain such fantasies.
So much for relaxing meditation. At least the ordeal would make for an entertaining story with her sisters.
She stood upright and blew out a sighing breath, taki
ng one last look at the water. A flash of something caught her attention. Evelyn walked closer to the bank, searching below the surface for whatever had caught the sun’s rays.
A glint of silver glimmered and she bent, peering closer. She lowered herself to her hands and knees. Opening her mind, she called to the elements to bring her the item.
With a plop, the reflective piece sailed out of the water and landed in her hand. It was a circular medallion attached to a thick, silver chain.
Evelyn wiped away the silt with her thumbs. She dipped it in the water to rinse away the last of the sand and mud. Putting it in her palm, she brought it close to her face.
In the center of the medallion was an intricate design of a tree. The trunk was wide and the roots visible. Woven into the pattern of bark was the letter M.
Marrok, the name skirted across her mind. The elements buzzed around her in agreement.
Her hands shook. Marrok was a demon. Yes, he’d visited her dreams twice, but he hadn’t really been out here in the forest.
She turned the medallion over. There were words engraved across the surface.
ISTINA NIKAD NE UMIRE
The truth never dies.
It was a saying in the old language, one she hadn’t heard since childhood. Sitting back on her heels, she waited for the elements to tell her something. Anything.
They remained silent.
Unsure what to do with the seemingly valuable trinket, Evelyn decided to keep it. It was a puzzle she could work on at a later time.
She dried it off using the bottom of her shirt. Her trousers lacked pockets, so she lifted the chain around her neck. As she rose to her feet, she tucked the cool metal into her shirt, hiding it from anyone who might happen upon her.
During her walk home, she debated the merits of showing the necklace to her family. The elements whirred in dissent and she sighed.
Evelyn trusted her magic. It didn’t mean she always liked it.
Chapter 3
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Nora asked from where she was perched next to Eden at the foot of Evelyn’s bed.
“I’m fine. Really. I only wish I’d given Jasper some injury to match.”
“Oh, I think you injured him plenty by rebuffing his … encroachment into your personal space.”
“Ha! Encroachment? That’s perfect, Eden. Yes, I do believe he was launching an invasion, encroaching on my face like that.”
“Well, he’s lucky Father hasn’t paid him a visit. Or that I haven’t.”
Nora, wanting to be helpful in her own way, had offered to try some of her new combat moves on the male, but was quickly shot down. Evelyn thought it was a grand idea. Their father had not. No, he wanted to deal with the situation himself.
Edward was, to say the least, furious with young Jasper. Evelyn’s insistence the male hadn’t technically knocked her off the rock had only calmed him enough to where he’d promised not to have Jasper flogged.
Eden nodded. “Oh, I think he’ll confront him eventually. He’s giving Jasper time enough to let the guilt build. Father is good at messing with people’s minds.”
Evelyn’s hand instinctively reached for the chain around her neck. It was under her nightgown, but she could feel it through the thin material.
“Well it serves him right,” Nora agreed. “At least you didn’t break any teeth. Or your eye socket. You just look like you’ve been in a fight.”
“One I lost.”
Nora patted Evelyn’s feet, which were snuggled under the covers in front of her. “There, there. Not many can fight the mighty boulder and walk away intact.”
Evelyn pointed to the massive puff of purple flesh on her face. “Do I really look like I’m intact?”
Nora shook her head solemnly. “No. You look positively dreadful, which is good. You should hope for some permanent damage so the fool won’t try to kiss you again.”
Eden slapped Nora’s arm and Evelyn grinned, wincing when her cheek protested the action. It was typically Evelyn’s job to lighten the mood. She was thankful Nora’s wit had improved with her age.
“Okay, mother hens. You can see I’m in no danger of anything more than the possibility of a scar. The elixir Father gave me is kicking in and I’d like to close my eyes. Off you go.”
Eden scooted off the bed and started adjusting the blankets snugly around Evelyn’s body. She ran a hand over her sister’s head in the mothering way she always did. “Good night, Evie.”
“G’night.”
“Come on, Nora. Let’s let Evie get some rest.”
Begrudgingly, Nora slid off the bed. She approached Evelyn for a goodnight hug, unable to hide her grimace at the sight of the damage from the fall. Faces weren’t meant to take impact. She averted her stare.
A hint of silver caught the light near Evelyn’s collarbone. Nora leaned forward, drawn to it. “Evie …”
The world blanked and rapid-fire images flashed in front of Nora’s face. Her body remained suspended in motion until the onslaught of mental pictures ended.
“Nora!” Eden whisper-yelled, not wanting to draw attention from any of the guards in the house. She grabbed Nora’s biceps, trying to pull her out of her trance.
“Stop shaking me,” the youngest droned.
“Sorry.”
Evelyn’s eyes lifted to Eden’s. Nora occasionally saw things—visions—as had their mother, Elora. Unlike their mother, when Nora’s came, they were quick and she zoned out until they passed.
“Can I let go of you?”
“Yes. I’m steady.”
Nora took several deep breaths, concentrating on what she’d seen. She rarely was able to make sense of anything she saw in her visions. It was like she was being teased with power she couldn’t use, which was appalling to a Gwydion who could not wield magic.
Nora licked her lips. “Demon. With you, Evie. I think you were dancing with a demon. A very large one with dark hair.”
“Really?” Evelyn attempted to hide the excitement in her voice.
“I think so. It was so fast I only saw fragments. Gah. What a useless talent.”
Eden wrapped an arm around Nora. “Perhaps not. Some information is better than none.”
“I’m not so sure.”
“Well, did you get a threatening feeling, like the demon was dangerous? Like it was a warning?”
“No. It was nothing like that. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He was almost … I don’t know. It’s so jumbled.”
“Then trust your gut. If you ever see this demon, you’ll likely remember the vision and the feeling will come back. You’ll be the one to know whether or not he’s a threat. Maybe it’s not control of an element, but your visions could be extremely important.”
“Doubtful, but I’ll take it under advisement.”
“Good. Come now, let’s let Evie rest.”
Nora bent down to her sister in an awkward hug. “Sorry about your face.”
“Sorry about yours, as well,” Evelyn retorted and Nora huffed in good humor.
Eden put out the lamp and led Nora through the door. “Call for me if you need anything,” she said in that mothering way of hers.
“I will.”
The door closed and Evelyn turned to her side, trying to get more comfortable. Relaxing, she drifted off.
* * *
Evelyn opened her eyes and found herself in the clearing. She sagged in disappointment. She was almost looking forward to the nothingness she’d been feeling this last week after she drifted off.
The elixir had done its job in making her drowsy. She’d mistakenly believed it would also prevent her from dreaming. In addition, it didn’t prevent her from feeling the ache of her wound in the dreamworld.
“It’s about bloody damn time,” a voice grumbled behind her.
Startled, but unafraid, Evelyn turned her head, looking over her shoulder. Her hair slid across the side of her face, cool against her tender skin—a safety blanket she hid behind. She feared her blemished appeara
nce would act as a repellent to the one person’s attention she desired.
Sitting on the ground, leisurely leaning against the trunk of the nearest tree like he didn’t have a care in the world, was Marrok. The quiet hum of his power radiated into the night air. Her breath caught in her throat.
One long leg stretched before him. The other was bent and his arm rested atop his knee. The shadows hid part of his face, but she knew it was him. She would know this male anywhere.
Evelyn allowed herself a moment of scrutinizing his form before her brain registered his complaint. His terse indictment diminished her excitement to see him. Two years of anticipation fizzled and died faster than it took to get her breath back.
Bristling, she replied, “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize we had an appointment.”
He leaned forward, the sharp angles of his face emerged from the dark, more pronounced by the moonlight. “I don’t appreciate your sarcasm. You pulled me here, then were nowhere to be found. I’ve been stuck in your woods for hours.”
“Impossible. I’ve only just fallen asleep. And I did not pull you here. I get pulled her nightly. Something else is doing the pulling. I am not the puller. I don’t even know how to do such things. And why were you even asleep before dark? The only males I know who sleep in the early evening are drunkards. Are you drunk? Or a drunkard? I don’t associate with drunkards. Do you think …”
The more she ranted the more animated she became. Marrok stared at the odd female as she prattled on, his stiff posture loosening. Confounding little witch. Surely, she’d run out of oxygen soon.
“Are you even listening to me?” She took a step towards him with clenched fists.
“No.”
He could smell a trace of magic wafting off her, spiced with indignation. Did the little female think to attack him? The corner of his mouth lifted.
Her pursed lips demanded his attention as she raised her chin and flipped her dark red hair in a huff. The counterfeit night sky’s soft blue rays fell upon the right side of her face. He jumped to his feet, snarling.