Where would Noli be? He made his way through the rowan forest which surrounded the grounds for protection. Their magic, too, was weak enough for him to power his way through. This time of day she’d probably be in a garden or a tree. A place like the House of Oak probably housed more trees and gardens than the high palace. He was no tree speaker to ask the trees about her location, and no wood faeries danced about. Being the residence of earth court folk, there’d be nothing here he could connect with either.
Kevighn became frustrated as he searched the vast gardens, groves, and mazes—she wasn’t even at the magnificent faery tree. Most of the wood faeries who dwelled there were dead, victims of the fading magic. A tiny tumulus lay at the foot of the tree, the burial mound covered in smooth white pebbles, a wilted pink star bloom on top.
He could imagine her crying over its tiny, lifeless body. Had that whelp comforted her? Kissed her? Done other things with her?
His hands fisted and he punched the faery tree—an uncouth gesture, but it was nearly dead anyway. So many things were weak and dying. Why had he waited so long to find a girl this time, other than apathy?
His knuckles smarted from the punch and he shook his hand, trying to shake away the pain. Another sort of pain caused him to freeze. He could sense the rapidly building magic in his very core. He’d sensed it last night at the pub, which spurned last night’s drinking contest, which lead to drunken revelry. Pity, the Otherworld lacked opium, but soft women abounded.
Like last night, the building magic suddenly ceased. Actually, this time it seemed more like a dull guillotine wielded by an inexpert executioner. Ow. What exactly transpired?
Why now? Unless it was the whelp. Why that puppy of an earth court prince could make the magic start to bind her and not him, he didn’t know. Perhaps it truly was the necklace. He couldn’t come up with anything else.
Sobs reached his ears as he drew closer to the residence—delicate, feminine, familiar sobs. Noli. Breaking into a run, he made his way towards those heart-wrenching cries. Dressed in a green gown that made her look like a dryad, she sat crumpled in an oak, head on her knees, in a sheltered little garden dangerously near a building with a large window.
“Please don’t cry, Noli.” He tried to keep his voice low and soothing as he approached the tree. His fists clenched, ready to hurt whoever hurt her—preferably Stiofán. Actually, even if it wasn’t Stiofán, punching the whelp would make him feel better.
Startled, she nearly lost her balance. Clutching a branch, she steadied herself and assumed a defense stance. Well, as defensive as an unarmed mortal girl could get while in a tree.
“What are you doing here?” Her voice a whisper, he detected slight notes of fear.
“I wanted to speak to you.” He took a calculated step forward. The sigil hung between her breasts—and she wasn’t wearing a corset.
“You want to lie to me.” Red-rimmed eyes narrowed in suspicion as she sniffed. “V told me why you found me, he told me about the other girls and how you trick them, lie to them, seduce them, then kill them.”
It sounded like such a terrible thing when she said it. “It’s complicated.”
The look she shot him spoke volumes.
“I’m sorry, Noli. Truly, I never meant to hurt you.”
“Just kill me?” Her tone was akin to a slap in the face.
“Noli, if you don’t die an entire civilization will.” He hadn’t meant for their conversation to happen this way.
“I’m selfish?” She sniffed again.
“Why are you crying?” He took another step towards her.
“It’s nothing.”
Her eyes, her body, betrayed her, as did the red mark on her chest. He hadn’t seen that at first. Anger built inside him making his fists clench and unclench. “Who hurt you?”
“It was an accident. I… I went too far.” She looked away, a blush rising on her cheeks.
“Whatever you did didn’t warrant that.”
Her steel eyes flashed as she looked right at him, gaze challenging. “I didn’t warrant you hurting me either, but you did. Is it an Otherworld convention?”
“We shouldn’t hurt you.” He raked a hand through his hair in both anxiety and frustration. “Come with me?”
“What?” She tried to play it off with laughter and mock outrage, but that didn’t hide the way her eyes brightened and her shoulders straightened.
Good. He still had a chance.
“I know he’s your friend, but he hurt you, he made you cry.” How could he make her understand she should spend her remaining time with him?
“It was an accident.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, he tried to block out another voice saying those same words. “Creideamh, too, thought it was an accident … ” He turned his back to her. “She loved an earth court prince, too. Once. She’s dead now because of him. They’re not outstanding citizens simply because they’re princes; rather they’re the worst of the lot. He’s not good for you.”
She squinted. “I don’t understand.”
“I know.” He laid a hand on her arm. “Please, give me one more chance.”
“So you can kill me?”
“You don’t think your prince will do the same?” Kevighn put an edge to his voice. He had to make her understand.
Her eyes flashed defiantly. “Never.”
“What are you doing here, Kevighn?” a voice interrupted.
Kevighn turned to see Stiofán holding that sword. His voice sharpened at the whelp’s appearance, “She’s too good for the likes of you, prince.”
“Leave.” Stiofán drew himself up to his full height in an attempt to be imposing.
“I … ” Noli drooped, averting her eyes.
“It’s all right, Noli.” Stiofán walked over to the tree and put his arms out, bundling her into them. The tender gesture made Kevighn’s heart hurt. He longed for her.
“Don’t let him hurt you, Noli. In any way.” Kevighn met her eyes, willing her to understand that she could come back to him and be safe, happy. Despite what he told the other mortal girls, there was more to life than parties and fine gowns.
“She’s fine, we’re fine,” Stiofán snapped, walking towards the house, Noli in his arms.
“Sure.” Kevighn watched them go inside, jealousy raging within. “We’re all just fine.”
Twenty Eight
James Returns
“He didn’t hurt you, did he?” Carrying Noli in his arms, Steven brought her back inside the library. This way he could safely hold her close, show her he cared.
“No, only you did.” Looking wounded and defeated, she looked away from him.
A handprint-shaped red mark colored her fragile chest, making him suck in a sharp breath. He needed to keep his strength in check; he wasn’t some fire court rogue prone to displays of temper.
“I’m sorry.” His lips brushed over the top of her wayward curls but he didn’t dared do more. Sensing the magic tighten around her when they’d kissed earlier had frightened him. Steven wanted to kick himself for that whole incident. He’d sworn last night to not do anything to make the magic even consider binding her. Never had he wanted to harm her.
“What did Kevighn want?” Steven didn’t keep the distaste out of his voice as he set her on the settee in the library, the table set with lunch. How had the huntsman gotten into the estate? Tricky, conniving, bastard.
“He wanted me to come with him. He said you’re not good for me because you’re a prince.” She looked up at him, questions dancing in her eyes.
“That’s just silly.” Busying himself so he wouldn’t be tempted to touch her, he poured her some tea, even though it was probably cold by now.
“An earth court prince hurt his sister once.”
“Oh, I didn’t know he had a sister.” Steven wasn’t sure what court Kevighn hailed from originally, but it wasn’t earth court. He handed the cup to Noli.
“Creideamh is gone.” She to
ok a sip of tea. “She liked gardening and she had a tree house. Kevighn let me use her room and tree house and work in her gardens.”
Pouring himself a cup of tea, he looked at her. “Where, at the palace?”
“No, at his cabin.” Leaning forward, she helped herself to a piece of fruit.
“Steven, where are you?” a familiar male voice called from the hall.
“About time,” he muttered. “We’re in the library.”
“James?” Noli grinned over her teacup. “I hope he has news of Charlotte and Jeff.”
A moment later James came through the door, carrying something in his arms. “Finally,” Steven joked. He got a better look at the bundle. Tiny little shoes peaked out of the bottom of the ratty brown blanket.
“Sorry.” A sheepish look crossed his young brother’s face. “I got … distracted. Oh, you found Noli, great.” He turned to Noli. “I brought you a present.”
Noli brightened. It radiated through her, like the sun coming out on a cloudy day. “You did? What did you bring me?”
Gently, James place the bundle down on the settee next to her. “Charlotte, we’re here.”
He did not. “James!”
“Really?” A sleepy voice with a southern twang came out of the blanket while James fussed over her, making her comfortable on the settee. Seeing James fret over someone was both amusing and strange.
It didn’t diminish the severity of the matter. Noli looked like she’d found the plum in a Christmas pudding. She hugged her friend. “Charlotte, you’re here.” “Careful,” James warned.
“I’m crippled, I can’t get more broken,” Charlotte teased back. Pretty, with red hair, and a pleasing body, her big green eyes danced with mischief. She glowed with the Spark—not as brightly as Noli, but brilliant nevertheless. “Crippled?” Noli’s brow furrowed in concern. “He hurt you, didn’t he?”
The light went out of Charlotte’s eyes. “Uncle Nash is a dreadful, nasty man.”
“You’re safe here.” Noli put her arm around her and looked to him. “She is safe, right?”
James helped himself to some fruit off the table. “That’s why I brought her here.”
Steven suppressed a sigh. As long as they needed a sacrifice, Charlotte would be at risk. If he were less scrupulous, he’d convince Charlotte to be the sacrifice in order to save Noli.
“Um, James, can you come talk with me … outside?” Steven nodded towards the door leading to the garden.
The girls put their heads together and giggled. He hadn’t seen Noli that happy since she first saw him charge into the queen’s garden to rescue her.
“Okay.” Stuffing another piece of fruit in his mouth, James followed him outside.
He made sure they had a clear view of the girls through the window but couldn’t be overheard. “James, what were you thinking?” Steven suppressed the urge to smack his brother. “Charlotte is mortal. She also has the Spark. Do you realize how dangerous it is for her to be here right now? The huntsman actually had the nerve to come here earlier to convince Noli to return with him.”
His younger brother’s brow furrowed. “She has the Spark? I didn’t know, honest.”
“I know. Still, what were you thinking?”
James leaned lazily against a tree, a wistful look on his face. “Charlotte is amazing.”
Steven wished he could bang his head against it. “Oh, no. You can’t fall in love with a mortal.”
“Do you know how much you sound like Father right now?” James’ eyebrow rose. “Besides, you’re in love with Noli.”
“That’s different,” he retorted.
“Is it?”
“And I don’t sound like Father.” As soon as his mouth snapped shut he realized he did. “Flying figs. Still … why did you bring her here?”
James shrugged, toying with a low hanging branch of the tree. “I first went and visited Jeff, who was deeply disturbed that Noli was sent to such a place, let alone missing. Then, I went to find Charlotte.”
“And brought her back with you.” He hoped to the Bright Lady Noli didn’t let her eat anything off the table.
“She wasn’t at her home.” James looked at his shoes. “She’d gotten some kind of tumor and the doctor told her uncle it was fatal. He’d been counting on her making a good marriage to pay him back for raising her after her parents died. Her uncle became angry and beat her so severely he crippled her, then threw her out on the streets. I found her crumpled in the corner of an ally, starving to death and in dreadful pain from both the tumor and her injuries.”
That wasn’t what he’d expected.
James’s face contorted with pain, eyes glowing with compassion. “I want—no—I need to help her. Do you think I can heal her? I’m making her pain go away, but I only took a quick peek at her injuries, I didn’t want to risk anything else until I got here.”
“How bad are they?” Neither of them were experienced healers.
“I can’t believe anyone could beat someone so badly— and he did it with an intention to maim. Then there’s the tumor … ”
Steven shook his head. How sad. “I don’t know if we can heal that. Her bones, maybe.”
Defeat colored James’ face. There wasn’t anyone they could ask for help without endangering the girls and racking up a debt to someone. The best healers hailed from the water court, and as allies of his uncle, wouldn’t deal with a couple of underage, exiled princes.
“Anyway, I couldn’t leave her to die alone and in pain. There has to be something.” James raked his hand through his curly mop. “Charlotte is extraordinary. I like Noli well enough, but I never really understood how you two could spend hours in the tree house simply talking. Now I do.” His face lit up with the light of a thousand lanterns.
Uh oh. “You’re smitten.”
“I’m in love.” His head bowed, forlorn. “I’m in love with a dying mortal and I don’t know if I can fix her.”
“You were right to not leave her. No one should die alone and hurting.” Steven understood. After all, this was Noli’s friend, not a stranger.
Still, it made the situation all the more dangerous.
“She knows, by the way. I needed to explain how I could make her pain go away.”
Well, that solved one problem.
He put a hand on James’ shoulder. “We’ll figure this out.”
James grinned. “You’re the best.”
“I need your help too.” He glanced towards window. Charlotte and Noli chatted away, huddled together on the settee. Quickly, he filled his brother in on what transpired—his rescuing Noli from the queen, the wood faeries dying, and the queen’s visit.
“She did what? I can’t believe it.” James’ voice filled with outrage.
“I do.”
A look of horror crossed James’ face. “I won’t allow you to trade Charlotte for Noli.”
“I don’t believe in tricking them, remember?”
His arms crossed over his chest. “I don’t even want you to talk to her about it.”
Steven nodded, understanding. “Of course.”
James jerked his chin towards them. “What do you suppose they’re talking about?”
“Us probably. After all, they’re girls. What do you plan on doing with her?”
“Um.” James’ cheeks colored. “Why don’t we keep them here?”
“And do what, stay here with them? Father will be livid. What about school?” Privately he’d hoped to go to the university, even though it was unrelated to his other goal. Institutions of higher learning did exist here, but they weren’t quite the same.
James snorted. “We could stay here with the girls and you’re worried about school?”
“Father won’t allow us—and neither will she.” Unless they agreed to certain things, which probably included moving into the high palace and playing good sons.
James slouched against the tree trunk. “I didn’t really think about anything past keeping her from hurting and reuniting her with N
oli. I’m not sending her back. I don’t know how long she’ll last. Bright Lady bless, I wish I could save her.”
“Maybe we can.”
“You think?” His face lit up. “Do you think I could bargain with the queen to release Charlotte if it should come to it? Though I think it would be best for her to stay here. I’ll do whatever I need to stay with her—including defy father.”
Steven whistled. “You have it bad.” Even he wouldn’t defy father that much—though, truly, it wasn’t that different from his own situation. “Bargaining with the queen is dangerous and desperate.”
“It’s an option.” James lowered his voice. “She is our mother.”
“Not anymore.” He looked over; Charlotte seemed to be crying into Noli’s arms. “There’s still the problem that the queen needs a sacrifice and we have two girls glowing with the Spark.”
James rolled his blue eyes. “That’s not our problem.”
No. It was his.
“Come on.” James grabbed his arm. “Let’s go back inside.” Their eyes met, James’ pleading. “Will you help me, please? Help me see if we can fix Charlotte, help me figure out what to do with her?”
It was rash and stupid. But Steven could hardly judge, having run off to save the mortal he loved. “Of course. After all, that’s what brothers are for.”
Twenty Nine
Choices
“There we go, Lottie. Lie down.” James helped the little redhead lie down on the bed in what had been the room of Elise’s nursemaid.
Steven still thought it odd for James to be so tender, so concerned, so smitten. After all, he eschewed all things mushy.
“Will it hurt?” Fear darkened Charlotte’s face.
“I won’t let you hurt, I promise.” James caressed her cheek.
Smiling, she closed her eyes. “I trust you.”
Steven didn’t miss Noli’s look of longing, of jealousy. He’d been finding ways to avoid her all afternoon. Since she’d been closeted with Charlotte, he hadn’t thought she’d noticed.
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