by Bonnie Lamer
“It is always Kegan. I would never deplete your pantry of food.” Kallen is trying so hard to look innocent but no one believes it.
Dagda clears his throat. “Kallen, you and I can use this time to develop a plan of action for when we travel to the Dragon realm.”
Whoa. What? “When we travel to the Dragon realm?” I never even thought that he might be going with us.
The look I get from him is stony and his words drop from his mouth like chunks of lead. “If you think I am going to stay here while you go off alone to rescue the Fairy who raised me just because you do not want my company, you are incorrect.”
Actually, that wasn’t what I meant at all. Awkward. “Um, I didn’t think that you wouldn’t want to go. I guess I thought that you couldn’t go.” That didn’t soften up his look any. “I mean, you’re the King. Are you sure it’s a good idea to go off to other realms? You did have a coup attempt recently. And what if something happens to you?”
He’s taken aback and rendered silent for a long moment. Yup, even more awkward now because he’s starting to look at me weird. “I was not under the impression that you cared. To answer your question, I would be a poor King if I was not willing to put my life on the line if I am asking others to do so.”
Wow. Rulers back home don’t think like that at all. “That makes sense. I guess I’m just not used to a King or President or anyone thinking like that.”
He smiles. “I will refrain from commenting on that.” Yeah, I kind of left the door wide open for him with that one in regards to humans.
“Come on, you,” Clarice rasps. “The food is not going to cook itself. I need to get busy.”
I sigh. “Fine, let’s go.” I smile at Kallen. “Clarice, have you ever heard of toaster waffles? They’re delicious.” The horrified look on Kallen’s face is enough to get me through the next hour going over menu options that I don’t care about. All I can think about is the fact that we’re planning a party and not rescuing Tabitha.
I’m also thinking about the barely disguised looks of disdain I am getting from Dagda’s staff. I can’t figure out if it’s because they don’t like that I closed the realms permanently or that my glowing ring means that I am not going into this marriage a virgin like Fairies are supposed to do. Probably a combination of both. But I don’t see Kallen getting the same looks. Fairies are so hypocritical. Just like humans.
After Clarice, I am whisked away by the decorators who have already begun the process but need me to okay various things. After a few minutes, I send them to find Mom so she can do this. She is much more into it than I am. A couple of the Fairies seem weirded out that she’s a ghost but they get over it pretty quickly when they discover she’s not an unintelligible angry spirit like most ghosts are.
I go in search of Kallen and find him and Dagda in Dagda’s office behind the throne room. Isla is with them. Nice that they left me out of the planning for the rescue. I think my opinion means a little more here than whether or not there should be crab or sea trout on the guest’s plates tomorrow.
“Is this a private party?” I ask from the doorway.
Kallen looks up at me sheepishly. “I was just coming to look for you.”
“Sure you were.”
I walk into the room and Dagda sits back in his chair and rubs his eyes with the heel of his palms. He drops his hands to the arms of his chair and looks up at me. “He is telling the truth. We are at a critical juncture and need to discuss a few details with you.”
My mouth opens to make a surly comment but I force it closed. The stress that all three of them are wearing openly on their faces tells me that taking my frustration out on them will not help anything except my own temper. I need to focus on the bigger issue. “Okay, where are you at with the plan?” I walk to an empty chair next to the desk and sit down.
Dagda gives a quick glance to the tight lipped Isla before turning back to me and speaking. “Providing Garren is willing to work with us, he should be able to help us locate where Tabitha is being kept. We hope to use his relationship with the Goblins to help us negotiate her release.”
Color me confused. “Um, negotiations aren’t really my forte.” I know my limitations and diplomacy falls way outside of the fence.
With a half-smile, Dagda says, “We are well aware. In order to prevent this from happening again, we want you to seal the realms.”
That restraint I was feeling a moment ago is starting to slip. “Close the realms and pretend that Goblins aren’t being bred and then fed to Dragons. Which would then make us the monsters?”
“I told you this would not be acceptable to her,” Kallen says to both Isla and Dagda.
“Is it acceptable to you?” I ask him. There are sparks in my words looking for something to catch on fire.
My future husband is smart enough to not let it be him. “I have been arguing against this for the last hour.”
I release the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Then I take a couple deep breaths to give myself time to find my nice voice. Or at least an even one. “I will not seal the realms unless there is peace between the Goblins and Dragons.”
That thing that my words were looking to set on fire turns out to be Dagda. He pounds his hands on his desk and stands up. “Damn it, Xandra. We cannot go barging into another realm and play god.”
I’m trying really hard not to react with magic even though I’m so full of it; it’s knocking on my brain trying to get out. “I don’t want to play god. I want to play…” I almost said human but that wouldn’t be a good example. “I don’t want to play anything. I want to use the power that I was given to bring peace between magical beings. Remember that whole thing with the Angels where that’s my job?” I didn’t even realize that I had stood up and am now leaning across his desks with my palms flat on the surface. “I’m not going to let you keep me from doing that because you’re afraid and don’t want to think about anyone besides yourself.” That is horrifically unfair and I know it as soon as the last syllable leaves my mouth. Dagda is still as stone. One very angry stone. With a stick of dynamite shoved into it.
Kallen moves to my side and touches the small of my back. “Uncle…” Dagda holds his hand up in a ‘don’t say another word’ gesture.
I stand up straight and Kallen’s arm slips around my waist. “I’m sorry. That was not fair nor do I think it’s true.” It surprises me that I really feel that way. “I am just upset and taking it out on you. I understand what you’re saying, but I can’t leave it like that.”
Isla’s lips are in a grim line. “Xandra, the Dragons are ancient and powerful beings. Understand that if we interfere in their realm, they are likely to retaliate.”
Hmm, guess I hadn’t thought of the realm openings being two-way. A bunch of angry Dragons coming into this realm is definitely something to avoid. Which was Dagda’s point.
“Can we compromise?”
Isla looks at me warily. “What do you propose?”
“A week. Give me seven days in that realm to do my best to save the Goblins. If I can’t, then I’ll seal the realms.”
Dagda stands up straight and folds his arms over his chest. Surprisingly calm, he says, “What will you do during this week?”
I’ll just wing it probably isn’t the answer I should go with. “Well, if this Garren guy has been studying the Dragons, he must know some pretty important ones. I’ll try to convince him to get me an audience with whoever runs the realm.” What I’m saying may be like a National Geographic reporter trying to get me an interview with the President of the US, but I had to say something. I’m still just going to wing it.
Dagda pulls his chair back from the wall it slammed against earlier and sits back down at his desk. “A week. And we have your word that you will seal the realms if there is no chance for peace?”
He’s already convinced I can tell, but Isla’s not. “Xandra, we cannot rely on Garren to agree to help in any way let alone put his life on the line with the Dragons.”
I think she’s lying. Dagda’s raised brow thinks she’s lying too. Kallen’s grim lips also think she’s lying. So, I guess I should verbalize it. “I don’t believe you.”
So many emotions wash over Isla’s face that I can’t keep up. I’m pretty sure that’s anger, and that purple shade she’s turning now is embarrassment. Haughty definitely makes an appearance as well as insulted. But her eyes are sad. That’s the most important one, I think.
“Look, obviously you and this guy have some sort of history that you don’t want to talk about. But personal feelings aside, we need his help. If you don’t feel comfortable asking him, I will.”
Isla stands up and runs her palms down her skirt to get the wrinkles out. She turns towards the door and walks to it. Without looking back, she says, “He will help.”
I knew it.
Chapter 4
“So, about this Garren guy…” I say as a lead-in expecting a forthcoming explanation. Once again, silence is the only one who answers me. Which annoys the crap out of me. “Do you really expect me to go into this without knowing who all the players are?” Wow, I sound like a cheesy spy movie.
“It is complicated,” Kallen says.
“What hasn’t been complicated since I learned I have magic?” Nothing.
Dagda stands up. “I have some things to attend to. I will leave you two alone to discuss the details.”
My eyes are narrowed to slits. “Now I do think you’re a coward.” He chuckles and walks out the door.
That leaves an uncomfortable Kallen trying to find a hole in the floor that will swallow him up. “Grandmother should…”
No way am I going through the whole so and so should tell me the story crap. But maybe some privacy will make him more comfortable while he tells me. Without warning him, I teleport us back to our room at Isla’s.
Kallen stumbles a little and gives me a sour look. “A little warning next time would be appreciated.”
I can’t help a grin. “What fun would that be?”
His brows rise. “You want fun?”
Before I can respond either way, he swoops me up into his arms, strides to the bed and drops me so his fingers can find every ticklish spot I have. “This isn’t fun,” I gasp between laughs.
He shrugs. “It is for me.”
After a few more seconds, he finally stops. I’m lying here gasping for breath while he hovers over me. His face is suddenly sober. “You will be my wife tomorrow.” He says it in a way that makes me feel so loved that I can’t help getting tears welled up in my eyes. “I am the luckiest Fairy in all creation.”
I shake my head. “I hold that crown.”
He brings his lips to mine slowly, building the anticipation so that when ours meet, there is an explosion of passion. His lips are demanding and sensuous and I open for him so that his tongue can excite me beyond reason.
Our hands are touching everywhere as our kiss deepens. My nails are scratching a fine line down his back which elicits a deep groan from low in his throat. His hand has found my breast and as soon as it does, my skin is bare. I arch my back, offering myself to his touch. His lips kiss a trail down my neck and over my collarbone. When I feel their heat on my bare breast, my hand moves on its own to grab his hair so he doesn’t move away. I needn’t worry. The only place his lips go is to my other breast. I didn’t think my back could arch this much.
I need more. Now. With a thought, his clothes are gone. I moan softly when I feel his skin pressed to mine. Wrapping my legs around him, I nestle him between my legs and his breath catches.
Tearing his lips from my breast, he leaves a trail of fire on my skin as he comes back to my lips. After a long, deep kiss, he whispers, “It is not fair that I am the only one completely naked.”
“Fix that.” Instantly my clothes are gone. This time my breath catches because as soon as the barrier of clothes is gone, he is pressed against my center. I want him desperately, but he resists when I try to pull him to me. Instead, he teases me with his kisses and his hands, always just millimeters away from being where I want him to be. I sink my teeth lightly into his shoulder as he continues to drive me crazy.
“Kallen,” I gasp, “I need you. Please.”
And then I have him. All of him. Our bodies are one as the laws of nature help us find a rhythm that brings us both to magical places. Over and over again. Kallen and I make love for a gloriously long time until we are both sated and exhausted.
I’m now lying with my head on his chest while he makes lazy circles with his fingers on my back. “Can we just stay here forever and not let the outside world in?”
He chuckles. “You certainly have my vote for that.”
“I hope after we rescue Tabitha that we can have a little time before the next catastrophe hits. Maybe we could even have a honeymoon.”
“I would love to take you somewhere that does not require either of us wearing clothes.”
I smile. “Okay.”
But the outside world isn’t done with us yet. I know this because it knocks on the door. I groan loudly as Kallen quickly dresses us both. I groan even louder when he makes us both sit up. “Come in,” he says to whoever is out there.
The door opens and Kegan strides in. His eyes sweep over us with complete understanding of what has been going on in our room. “Nice snarls,” he says to me.
I run a hand through my long black hair and my fingers get stuck. My hair is a mess. Even more proof of what we were doing.
“Did you come to comment on my bride’s hair, or do you have something of relevance to tell us?” Kallen snipes.
Kegan’s brows rise to his hairline. He looks so much like Kallen when he does that. “You run off to have sex while everyone else is working either on your wedding plans or on rescuing Tabitha and you have the nerve to grouse at my interruption?”
Oh god, he does have a point. This was so inappropriate. I know I’m turning a million shades of red. Maybe even two million. A quick peek in Kallen’s direction shows me that he’s feeling properly chastised as well. There is even some red on his cheeks.
He is not going to acknowledge it, though. “What did you learn from Garren?” he asks. Oh yeah, that’s why we came here. So I could get the story of Garren from him.
“He is willing to help but he has demands. Grandmother is currently considering how willing she is to comply.”
What? “What does he want from Isla?”
Kegan chuckles. “There are a great many things he wants from Grandmother.”
Does that mean he wants sex or power? Or both? “What are his demands?”
“I am not allowed to tell you,” Kegan says and I see him hiding a smile. I believe he was told that, but I also believe he is enjoying the fact that my curiosity will drive me crazy until I’m told what’s going on.
With a sour look in his direction, I slip my hand into Kallen’s pull him towards Kegan. As soon as I am touching them both, I teleport us all back to Dagda’s office. Since Kegan was even less prepared than Kallen had been, he stumbles and winds up stubbing his toes on a chair. I can’t hide my smile.
“Nice of you to deign us with your presence,” Dagda drawls from where he’s standing by the window. His arms are crossed over his chest and his knuckles are white. We’re in trouble.
“Sorry…” I say but he’s not buying it. That’s okay. It may have been really bad timing, but I’m not sorry that Kallen and I made love. We could be Dragon food tomorrow.
His hands drop to his sides and he walks to his desk. “There is much to be done. Have a seat.” He waves one hand towards the chairs in front of his desk while his other rifles through some papers. “I assume you filled her in on the Garren situation?” he says to Kallen.
“No, not yet.” Kallen’s cheeks are turning red and Kegan is trying hard not to snicker.
Dagda glances up from his papers and gives us a long, assessing look. I expect him to say something snarky, but he doesn’t. Instead, he sits down at his desk and says, “Then I will.
Garren was tricked out of marrying Isla by Kallen and Kegan’s grandfather.”
That wasn’t what I expected to hear. “Really? How?”
“It was very simple. Both Fairies were vying for her affection and the competition between them was fierce. They both showered her with gifts and attention. Though she came to love them both, Garren was the one she chose.”
I’m confused. “Then why did she marry the other guy?”
“Because Garren took himself out of the competition,” Dagda explains.
That didn’t really clear up the mystery for me. “Why?”
“Because my grandfather lied to Garren,” Kegan says. “He told him…”
He suddenly looks uncomfortable and he doesn’t finish. A glance at Kallen shows me that he’s keeping his lips firmly in a tight line. So, I look back at Dagda. “What did he tell him?”