by Julia Crane
I was horrified that I had admitted that fact to him. “Probably just the adrenaline high. I’m terrified of heights. I’ve never done anything that crazy in my life.” Now I was the one rambling. I paused, trying to figure out what to say next. “Don’t worry. I still love Adam and want to leave. It won’t happen again.”
Kallan nodded as if he accepted the answer, which kinda pissed me off. “Can I try it again to see if it was mind control?”
“As long as you don’t will me to kiss you.” He smirked.
“Very funny.” I stared into his eyes and thought, Stand up and turn around.
Kallan stood up and turned around.
“Wow.” He shook his arms, turning back with a strange look on his face. “Now I know what others feel like when I use my power on them. It’s not cool to give up control.” He sat back down on the rock. “I’ve never met another mind controller. It’s not a common ability.”
“Oh. That’s kinda weird, huh?” I said, thoughts racing through me that were worrisome.
He nodded, his eyes on the horizon as he said absently, “It’s very unusual that we both have the ability.”
An hour later, I was back in my room. Not having anything else to do, I could only think about what had happened with Kallan.
I ran my fingers over my lips and thought of his lips on mine. I wavered back and forth on how I felt about it. I had used mind control on him, which meant he didn’t do it himself. But the kiss had felt so real. Did he regret it?
I was torn. Part of me wanted to kiss him again, and the other part of me felt very guilty. I was still with Adam. I loved him, and I had kissed another guy. Not only had I cheated, but it had been with someone I didn’t even like. Was I that lonely? Kallan wasn’t my type.
So now I knew my ability. A world of opportunity had arisen, and I stared at a crack in the wall, considering options.
One that kept coming to the front of my mind was to use it on Kallan and make him show me the way out of here. But every time I thought of it, I knew I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t use my ability on him like that. Who else could I use it on? Think, Rylie! Time was running out. I had to find a way out of this place soon before my head was on a platter.
I could control someone else with my mind, which meant if I told Lena to lead me out of here, she would. A smile spread across my face. Time to blow this joint.
I wiggled the doorknob and, within moments, heard it being unlocked.
Lena opened it, a sweet smile on her face. “What’s the matter, Oleander? Do you need something?”
Take me for a walk.
She looked at me strangely. “Oleander?”
Show me the way out. I clenched my fists at my side and willed her to listen to me.
Lena sighed. “Cat got your tongue? What do you want?”
Why wasn’t this working? I tried something simpler. Jump up and down. Nothing happened. Flap your wings. Again, nothing. I fought the urge to scream.
“Okay, then, let me know if there is something you need.” Lena frowned at me as she closed the door.
Frustrated and annoyed, I sat on my bed and pulled my knees up to my chest. Why didn’t it work on her? It would just be fantastic if she was immune like Varwik, or even better if it meant I was defective. Was it possible that my power only worked some of the time? It could be a consequence of living apart from the faery world. That would be just my luck. Mind control that only worked some of the time. Lovely. Maybe it only worked on certain faeries?
After a couple more hours, Lena came in and told me it was time for my walk. I felt like a dog being let out a few times a day. At least I wouldn’t have to look at the same walls for an hour or so.
“Could we go to the kitchen?” I asked.
“What for?” she asked, surprised.
“Just want to see what kind of food is there. Maybe get a snack? I haven’t eaten, and I’m starving.”
She shrugged. “Sure.”
The kitchen was beautiful. It had dark hardwood floors. The countertops were also made of various shades of wood. Three faeries were bustling around. One was kneading bread, another standing over the stove stirring something in a pot, and the last one was mopping the floors.
I walked over to the faery that was mopping the floor and stared at her. Jump, I mentally willed her. Nothing. They were worried about my powers, and I was a dud. Talk about ironic.
“Can I have something to eat?” I asked the woman who was working on the bread. She wiped her hands and hurried over to the refrigerator.
“Would you like a sandwich or something sweet?” she asked. She was an older lady, her curly white hair tucked beneath a plaid kerchief and an apron wrapped around her middle. I assumed she had to be extremely old to have finally aged into middle age.
I’d like to get the hell out of here, I thought bitterly.
Sorry, lass, that’s not possible.
My eyes widened. Did she just talk to me without speaking? Or had I said that out loud?
I’m a mind reader with the ability to share thoughts. She pulled out a plate of ham and set it on the counter, but her eyes never met mine. Speak, child, so the other doesn’t find the silence odd.
“Umm, sure, a sandwich sounds good. Can you put extra mustard on it?” I asked. I was trying to wrap my mind around what was going on. She was a mind reader, but I could read her mind. Wasn’t that strange? I didn’t seem to be able to read anyone else’s mind. She did say she was able to share thoughts, so maybe that was it.
No. Others usually can’t speak back to me. They can just hear my thoughts and respond out loud.
Huh, I thought. The woman handed me the plate, and I walked back towards Lena. So, I could use mind control on Kallan and read the servant’s mind. An idea came to me. Excitement welled up in my chest. I had to find out if what I was thinking was true. If it was…the possibilities were endless.
I saw a small carving knife on the counter and grabbed it. Carefully, I slipped it into the pocket of my dress. “Can we go outside to eat?”
“Of course,” Lena replied and led me out a side door. We walked down a path to a wooden bench.
“Lena, I think I know what my power is.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Really? What is it?”
“Can I try something on you? It might hurt a little.”
She hesitated. “I guess so. What is it?”
“Give me your hand.” Lena gingerly placed her hand in my left hand. With my right, I reached down and grabbed the knife. Quickly, before she changed her mind, I put a small gash on her palm.
“Ouch! Why did you do that?” She tried to yank her hand back, but I held on to it tightly.
I placed my hand over hers, and I could feel an odd tingling sensation radiate through my hands. I waited a few seconds and removed it. The cut was gone. I was closer to proving my theory was true. If I was right, I could use the ability of a faery I was near. It was like I absorbed what they could do. But only when they were close.
“You’re a healer? That’s it? Well, that’s not very impressive.” She looked down at her hand and back at me.
I shrugged. I wasn’t ready to give up my secret, and technically, I wasn’t lying. I was a healer as long as she was there. “Maybe more will show up. Do faeries have more than one power?”
She looked skeptical. “Not that I know of, but you are obviously a different case because you are marked.”
I ate my sandwich in silence. I wondered how I could use my gift to get me out of here. I was going to have to start learning what other gifts the rest of the household had. With Varwik being immune to abilities, I couldn’t use anything against him, but I might be able to make someone else help me escape.
The next morning after breakfast, Kallan and I walked back to the fountain. I think he felt bad about making me leave so quickly last time, but it was hard to say with him.
We sat on the bench facing each other. My left leg was tucked under me, and I rested my arm on the back. Being so cl
ose to him made my heart accelerate.
“What are you thinking about?” Kallan asked, squinting in the sunlight.
“I don’t know. Everything, I guess. How crazy it is that I’m stuck in a realm of dark faeries? Not long ago, I wasn’t sure there was anything else out there. Now I’m a faery, and not only a faery, but a marked faery. It’s just a lot to digest. I don’t know if I’ll ever see my family again…” Tears sprang to my eyes.
“This life is all I’ve ever known. I’m sure it has all been very jarring to you.”
“You have no idea. Life is so different here. Why do faeries get married so young?” I asked. I had so many questions and no idea where to begin, or if he would even answer them.
“I don’t really know. It’s just something we’ve always done. I think because our life span is so much longer. Time is thought of differently here. Age doesn’t really matter.”
“But you don’t think to question it?”
“I guess not.” He shrugged. “Like I said, it’s not unusual here. It just is. Don’t you like being with someone? I thought even humans dreamed of big weddings and finding a soul mate.”
“Yeah, but sixteen is absurd. We’re still in school trying to find ourselves. I wouldn’t want to be forced into being with someone. I enjoy the freedom of free will.”
Kallan shifted on the bench, his face very close to mine. “Our case is special. Most of the time, we fall in love or are matched perfectly. It’s not something that is forced, only encouraged. Ruling families usually mate. On the other hand, there are also instances when faeries have been forbidden to be together.”
Kallan’s lips were dangerously close to mine. I could smell his sweet breath. I swallowed hard, trying to keep my wits about me. My body betrayed me by tingling all over. I couldn’t let this happen. No matter how attracted I was to him, I had to stay loyal to Adam. I was determined to find a way back to him.
Looking into Kallan’s eyes, I wasn’t sure how long I could resist him. I really needed to get out of there and back to my real life—before I was sucked into this life.
Ask something else, I told myself. “What about divorce? Is that common here?”
“It’s rare, but it happens. Sometimes, faeries just go their separate ways. Like your parents.”
My parents. I still couldn’t think of anyone other than the couple that raised me as my parents.
“Azura and my father are still married?” I hadn’t thought of that.
“Yes.”
“Is it odd for a faery go to missing? How big is the fey world? Could someone go ‘underground’?”
Kallan looked off in the distance as if trying to compose his words before he spoke. “Our world is not very large. It would be extremely unusual for a faery to go missing. In fact, faeries like to gossip so I assume we would have heard something about him. Unless…well, it’s possible that he moved to the human realm.”
“You think my father has been with humans all this time?” I leaned back, trying to take in this bit of information. Could he have been living near me? Maybe it was somebody I knew? Doubtful, as it sounded like he was a coward. He was probably living it up in Hawaii or somewhere nice.
“I’m not saying that, Oleander. I’m just saying it’s an option. I know my father has been searching for him since you came back to let him know the debt has been paid, but he has had no luck. If he can’t find him—”
“No one can,” I finished for him. “Do you think he’s dead?”
“That is definitely a possibility,” Kallan said softly.
I turned to face the fountain, pondering different ideas of what happened to my father. Even though I really didn’t care what happened to the man that traded me for access to dark magick, I had to admit my curiosity was piqued.
I was lying in bed and counting the stone blocks on the walls when I realized I’d lost track of how long I’d been held there. That was not a good sign. Maybe Lena would get me a notebook so I could start marking off the days. Although, I guess at this point it didn’t matter. Soon, I would be married—or dead—if I couldn’t find a way to use my ability to escape.
I was startled out of my thoughts by a knock on the door. I got up and strolled over to answer. When I swung it open, I was surprised to see Kallan standing there.
“I see you’re wearing black again.”
One corner of his mouth turned up. “Observant.”
“Do you ever wear colors?”
“No.” After a short pause, he casually asked, “Want to eat lunch outside today?”
“Like a picnic?” I couldn’t help but get a little excited. Picnics had always been my favorite, and I was going stir-crazy in the room. The thought of fresh air was like music to my ears.
“Yes.” His eyes sparkled when he smiled. “Like a picnic.”
“Okay,” I said tentatively, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice. I didn’t want him to know how badly I wanted to go. Not just with him, I wouldn’t have cared who it was with. I just had to get out of that confined space.
He led me to the kitchen. Opening the door, he stuck his head in. “Is the basket ready?”
“Yes, sir, just like you requested.”
A basket was handed out the door, and Kallan took it. His hand brushed mine as he turned around, sending my heart into overdrive.
I took a deep breath and stepped back, letting him take the lead again. “Obviously, you expected me to say yes.”
“I was being optimistic.” Kallan grinned.
We went out the back door and walked through the woods. The breeze felt wonderful against my skin and hair. Something fluttered by my face. What in the world? Was it a butterfly? Whatever it was landed on my shoulder and caused me to giggle. I looked closer. It was a little tiny faery.
“Follow me!” The piskie laughed and took off.
I started chasing after it, giggling, and before long five or six were flying around me. They were beautiful, shimmering magickal creatures. Their wings looked even more delicate than mine, and their eyes were happy. I would have followed them anywhere.
Suddenly, Kallan grabbed my arm and spun me around. “I told you not to get sucked in by them.”
I watched them fly away and sadness spread through me. Running with the piskies made me upbeat and joyful. Something I hadn’t felt in a long time. “But they’re so cute. I need to follow them. Please, let’s just go with them for a little while,” I begged.
“Not today. Maybe another time.” His tone brokered no argument, but there was a twinkle in his eye. “You need to learn to resist them. They use magick to enchant.”
“They spelled me?” My eyes widened in surprised.
“Pretty much.” Kallan looked around. “I guess this is as good of a place as any.”
He spread out a blue and green plaid blanket. He placed the picnic basket in the middle of the blanket, and we sat on opposite sides.
“I guess we should find out more about each other if we are to be mated.” Kallan laughed.
“I’m not marrying you.” I crossed my arms and stared at him, angry that he’d even brought it up.
“We’ll see. So I know you like to sing, and you’re not very good at sports. What else? Do you like to read?” He began to pull food from the basket.
“Not as much as I should. I just never seem to find the time. What about you?”
“I love reading. It’s always been an escape for me.”
“An escape? From what? Your father?”
“Yeah, I guess,” he said thoughtfully. He laid two identical sandwiches on the blanket. “It’s interesting to learn about the rest of the world. Hope turkey is okay?”
“I pretty much love all food.” I reached over and grabbed a sandwich. “Any chips?”
Kallan laughed. “No chips. Just fresh fruits and a couple of juices.”
“I’ll take a juice.”
He reached in the basket and pulled out a bottle and two cups. He poured the purple liquid into the cups and handed m
e one of them. I lifted the cup to my nose and sniffed it. A wonderful, sweet aroma filled my nose. I took a sip. “Mmmm.” I wasn’t sure what it was, but it tasted wonderful.
It was getting harder and harder for me to hate him as time went on. “What’s your favorite color?” Kallan asked and took a bite of his sandwich.
I glanced at his wings. “Teal.”
He smirked. “Has it always been teal or is this a new thing?”
“Don’t flatter yourself. I’ve always loved teal, so nothing more than a coincidence. Purple is my second favorite. Do you like music?” I asked curiously, since music was such a passion in my life. I’d already polished off half my sandwich and was seriously hoping he had another hidden in his basket.
“Sure.” He took a swig of the drink, the tilt of his head revealing his neck.
I couldn’t help but stare at his perfect features and the strong tendons beneath his skin. I pulled my eyes away. “What kind of music do you have here?”
“Mostly soft music. Handmade instruments.”
“Soft?
“Yeah, harps and violins are big forms of entertainment here.”
“Do you listen to any human music?” Sandwich demolished, I rolled onto my side and propped myself up with an elbow.
He hesitated. “I’ve heard some. A few of the guys like to visit the human realm and bring back music or go to concerts.”
“Really? That’s kinda cool. Do you like our music?”
“Some of it is okay, I guess.”
I could tell he liked it more than he wanted to admit. I didn’t think I’d be able to live without real music. And TV! I missed my shows. “What does your room look like?” I asked curiously.
He glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. I guess it was strange for me to ask about his bedroom. “It’s a room.”
Typical man. I rolled my eyes and threw out some adjectives. “Big? Colorful? Small? Plain?”
“It’s got a big bed, bookshelves line one of the walls. I don’t know. It’s hard to describe. My father likes nice things so it’s…nice. Guess you’d have to see it.”
Our eyes met at that last statement. I felt the heat rush to my cheeks.