“Aw, I’m sorry,” She stated, leaning in to press a kiss just beneath his ear. That felt nice. “Don’t think about that crazy little girl right now. I’ll make you feel better.”
His eyes fluttered closed for a moment as he gave in to the pleasurable sensation of her teeth nibbling at the soft outer lobe of his ear. He lifted his own glass to his lips, taking a few sips before he pulled the glass back to examine it.
“Don’t call her crazy. She’s not crazy,” He commented, “What is this?”
“Stone Pine Liqueur,” Edie replied, moving her hand to rest upon his thigh, gently massaging over the material of his jeans as she rested her chin against his shoulder. “It’s from the Alps. Delicious, isn’t it?”
“Interesting choice of poison, Love,” He murmured, taking a more generous gulp as he hummed from the sweet, crisp taste. “It is,” He agreed, tracing his tongue over his bottom lip before he turned his head towards hers. He leaned in and pressed his mouth against Edie’s in a deep kiss, wanting nothing more than to forget the events of the morning. He knew Edie was capable of doing that and so much more.
He felt her fingers moving into his hair and he took the opportunity to move his glass to the table, not paying any mind to the fact he missed the table entirely as the glass fell to the carpeted floor. His hand moved to the couch, pressing into the cushion as her mouth continued moving vigorously against his own. He felt lightheaded; the room was spinning. He knew that was not because of her kiss.
“Interesting choice of words, Zay,” She whispered.
He pulled back, unable to keep himself upright as he slid towards the floor, attempting to grip at the arm of the couch and missing as his tailbone connected hard with something-maybe his shoe? He knew he was not drunk that quickly. He had a damn high tolerance for alcohol. Being of his kind, he was not easily intoxicated. It took more than a few sips to even get a buzz. Whatever this was, it was very unnatural for him.
He blinked, shutting his eyes tightly for a moment as he struggled to speak.
“What was in that drink?” He asked, his speech slurred.
He could hear Edie laughing as she crouched down beside of him, tracing her fingertips over his handsome face before gripping his chin painfully tight between her fingertips and thumb.
“Just a little fruit from the Arolla Stone Pine,” She replied with a light laugh as she leaned in to press a kiss against his bottom lip. She sighed loudly, her eyes narrowing on his face as the color of her irises changed from their pale green color into a very light brown. The blonde hair slowly darkened to red as she smiled wickedly. “Oh, and a bit of a lot of Atropa Belladonna. Karma’s a real bitch,” She added softly, shaking her head. “Don’t you know never to accept a drink from a Digger?”
Isaiah blinked again, trying to keep his vision in full focus as he stared at her. He might have been seeing two of her in that moment, but he could make out the fact that her appearance changed. He understood in that moment he had been tricked, and he was helpless. Heidi was not there. He was alone. He was poisoned with one of the only things that could have possibly been used against him. A damned Dirty had disguised herself, worked her way into his life, and slipped him her own brand of toxin.
Isaiah struggled to keep himself upright against the couch, but he was slowly beginning to slump over. Edie laughed as she stood up and glanced towards the front door as it opened.
“Perfect timing,” She purred. Various leaves grew over her breasts and between her thighs to cover her body from the view of Brison as he entered the house, staring at her with a somewhat remorseful frown on his face.
“I thought you said you weren’t going to hurt him, Edie,” Brison said quietly as he gazed at Isaiah.
“Well, I lied,” Edie, the dark empress of the Earth people, replied as she moved her hand up to touch the emerald jewels that draped across her forehead.
She glanced at him. “Oh, don’t be so sensitive, Breezer,” She stated with a roll of her eyes. “Just take him to the car and let’s get out of here. I’ve got demands to make and lives to ruin, kingdoms to overthrow.”
Brison released a heavy sigh as he moved over to grab Isaiah, lifting him over his shoulder as he carried the limp male across the living room floor and out of the house. Edie laughed softly as she gazed back at the couch and then she tapped her finger against her chin. Everything was going according to plan. It would only be a matter of time before the Ice King would have no choice but to surrender.
With a small clap of her hands and an excited squeal, she turned and exited the house, leaving only silence behind with a crime scene no human would pay attention to.
She did, however, overlook one very important thing.
The Snowflake keychain that rested upon the table, with only one key upon it, began to tremble. It jumped from one side of the table to the other before it fell to the floor. A burst of blue light exploded into the room as the car engine started. As it drove off, a very panicked and somewhat angry Ice fairy was flying in the opposite direction.
It was heading straight for Heidi.
15
Heidi had been in the co-ed bathroom for nearly twenty minutes, furiously attempting to wash the ashes from her skin. She still couldn’t get it out of her mind. She had cleaned up the mess from the hardwood floor, dumping what was left of the Fire fairy into the trash bin before she threw the burnt blouse in on top of it. She’d taken the bin outside to the dumpster and emptied it, deciding to throw the whole thing away. She would leave some money for Sarah to buy a new one if need be.
“Her name was Lille,” She reminded herself angrily, grabbing for the bar of soap, scrubbing at her hands again as another tear slid down her cheek. How had things escalated to such a point? How had she allowed herself to get so distorted that she had cremated a fairy? And Isaiah. Oh, Isaiah.
She had every right to be angry at him, didn’t she? He wasn’t taking anything seriously. This entire time he had been so carefree, while she was left with the burdens and grief of what was happening to life as they knew it. Maybe it wasn’t a big deal to him, but it meant everything to her.
Lifting her eyes to gaze at her reflection, Heidi shook her head. Everything was a mess and she didn’t know how to fix it. She didn’t even know where to begin. She only knew one thing for certain at this point in time. She had to get as far away from this town as possible. She needed to distance herself from Isaiah and the humans. She couldn’t cause any more damage.
Willing her breathing to calm down, Heidi lifted a hand to her face and wiped at the tears. She had to be strong now. For her father; for her kingdom. She had to be the princess they needed her to be, even if that meant staying on this planet and out of harm’s way.
But she could fight!
No one understood.
Isaiah understands.
No. She would not run to him. She was mad at him, and he deserved to know what it felt like to have someone be angry with him. She wasn’t about to humiliate herself by crawling back to him like some little lost puppy. She just wouldn’t do it!
She would be just fine. She would show him. She would show her father. She was a strong, independent young woman. She would be all right.
So it was with that renewed confidence that Heidi returned to her dormitory and wrote a goodbye letter to Sarah before she grabbed her bag and left behind the only home she had known on Earth. From here on out, it was just her.
At least that was what she wanted to happen.
She hadn’t gotten more than a few yards away from the dormitory when she heard the frantic chimes.
“Lille?” She turned her head quickly, an excited smile upon her face. She wasn’t a murderer after all!
It was much to her surprise to see the dim blue shimmer of the slender Ice fairy that was hovering there, waving an arm anxiously at Heidi.
..But why would an Ice fairy be after her? Would it not be going to find Isaiah? He was the Ice Prince after all.
Heidi blinked in confusion,
gripping at the strap on her shoulder as she stepped closer to the fairy, watching as it flew closer to her. This one was not nearly as shy as Lille had been.
“Are you lost?” Heidi asked in a gentle tone. Snow Fairies weren’t known to be very nice to Fire people. Their loyalty was with the Icers, so Heidi was somewhat apprehensive. Perhaps this was a trap. Maybe Isaiah had sent this fairy to do something to her. Surely he wouldn’t! But she had been pretty mean to him…
Upon further observation, Heidi was surprised to see that the fairy was a small man. She’d never seen a male fairy before. He chimed again and Heidi found that she was able to understand him. She smiled a little, nodding.
“Hello, Pike,” She replied. “I’m sorry but Isaiah isn’t with me.”
Pike began to sound off in various chimes again, his small arms going in every direction as he broke the dreaded news to Heidi. Her eyes widened as her grip tightened even more so around the strap and she swallowed hard.
She knew that little trollop was no good. She thought none of them were any good, but especially that one! She knew deep inside it was someone within the system who was attempting to destroy their kingdoms, but she hadn’t had the slightest idea of who it could have been until now. The dark empress had always been bad news. She was a very bad seed. Heidi could still recall meeting her when she was younger and remembering her father stating what a dark heart the young Digger possessed. Most people of Earth were kind and passionate about ensuring the growth and wellbeing of the plants and animals, but there was something very off about that young woman.
Heidi didn’t have the slightest idea who the Breezer was, but Pike was insisting the two sides were working together to bring down both Fire and Ice in hopes of becoming the more dominant forces of nature.
She gazed to Pike as he continued hovering in the air, his light blue wings fluttering as rapidly as a hummingbird’s as he peered back at her with cool blue eyes.
“What do we do?” Heidi asked gently, a frown upon her lips as she tilted her head to the side. “How do I get to Isaiah? I don’t know where they have taken him.”
Pike began to grin a little and Heidi watched as he pointed towards the dumpster where she had stored Lille’s ashes. Heidi felt the guilt building tenfold within her stomach.
“I’m so sorry,” Heidi blurted suddenly. “I didn’t mean for that to happen!”
Within only a pinch of a second, Pike was right in her face, pressing both hands against her mouth in an effort to silence her. Heidi blinked, nearly going cross eyed as she stared at him. He was a bold little fairy indeed. She watched as he pointed towards the dumpster again and then he motioned for her to follow him.
She had to run to keep up with his speed, making it to the dumpster within half a minute. She watched as he disappeared inside and she tiptoed to peer over the edge to see what the little fairy was up to.
“What are you doing?” She asked, watching as various items began to fly up into the air as he tossed them aside. Fairies were so energetic!
His chimes were distinguished grunts as he hoisted the trash bin from her room onto its side, dumping the ashes everywhere. He coughed and sputtered, lifting his hand to fan the dust out of his face as he glanced up at Heidi. He gave her a grin that wasn’t very different from Isaiah’s as he began to flutter his wings in an aggressive manner, trying to stir the ashes as he lifted his arms into the air.
Heidi watched as dust particles began to rise, but not as they had before. They were shimmering with glints of blue and a dash of gold mixed in. Pike’s eyes were closed as he began to twirl his index fingers, the circulation of the dust following in suit.
She wasn’t entirely sure what he was doing at first, but within only a few seconds it seemed, the dust and colors settled and there, hovering in the air, was the heart shaped necklace that she had been wearing weeks before.
“How did that get in there?” She asked. She reached out to take it as Pike grinned proudly and another series of chimes began to sound off.
“Isaiah had it?” She questioned.
Pike nodded.
“He was trying to return it to me?”
Pike nodded.
“I didn’t know..”
Pike shrugged. You win some, you lose some.
Heidi sighed as she began to clasp the necklace around her neck once more, her fingers tracing over the smooth surface of the pendant as it emitted a warm glow of orange. She felt an odd comfort surrounding her as she closed her eyes, holding a moment of silence for Lille.
But then she felt a tiny smack against her nose and her eyes popped open to see Pike staring at her.
“What was that for?” She asked.
Pike pointed to the necklace before he tapped the side of his head.
“What do you mean it will help me find him?” She asked. “How can a necklace possibly help me find Isaiah?”
Pike rolled his eyes before running his palm down the length of his face. Fire people.
“I beg your pardon,” Heidi retorted as she stared at him.
He shrugged.
Heidi sighed, still holding the pendent between her fingers as she closed her eyes again, deciding to do as the fairy suggested. It was difficult at first; trying to clear her mind. It was no easy feat to push away the worries that were plaguing her. Isaiah’s face kept coming to mind, and she could just imagine the destruction being done to her kingdom and the fear in her father’s eyes. They were visions she couldn’t help but to generate in her brain.
Another slap to her nose made Heidi’s eyes pop open and she glared at the fairy as he waggled a finger at her.
“Do you mind?” Heidi asked, a bit irritated.
He gave her a look that seemed to say “Not really.”
“Fine. I’ll try again.”
Taking in a deep breath, Heidi willed her mind and body to relax as she traced her thumb over the ruby heart once again, the tender heat coursing through her chest and neck before entering her head. The outside noises of the world disappeared as she felt herself sinking into a place she had never been before. It was like she was slipping into slumber, but she knew she was not asleep.
Within only mere seconds, the princess’ eyes popped open, her usual caramel hues dimming from a penetrating gold as she turned her head to gaze at Pike.
“He’s alive,” She said excitedly, relief washing over her.
Pike nodded eagerly as he tilted his head to the side.
“And I know where he is,” Heidi smiled, but it soon faltered. “I don’t have any way of getting there.”
Pike rubbed at his chin before he put a finger up in the air, giving her a grin as he gazed back towards the college campus, quirking a brow.
Heidi followed his gaze before she began to shake her head furiously.
“No. Absolutely not,” She started, “I will not. You cannot ask that of me!”
Pike put his hands on his hips, his wings stopping for a full second as he dropped down in the air before they began to speed up again. He dove in, smacking her forehead this time as a series of frustrated chimes sounded.
Heidi’s jaw dropped as she listened to what he was saying. What a mouth on such a small creature! And to speak to her, of all people, in such a way!
“I will have you know I am no coward,” Heidi replied as she reached out and poked at his stomach. “But I will not risk the life of human beings either. I am not asking anyone to give me a ride!”
Pike began to roar with laughter as he doubled over, his chimes getting louder as he pointed at her.
It was only then that Heidi realized he was suggesting something only Isaiah would have done.
Heidi would be the one to do it instead.
16
Isaiah had never experienced a hangover quite like this before. His head was pounding and he felt as if someone jabbed an ice dagger into the back of his head several times before finishing him off with a stone hammer. The throbbing behind his eyes wasn’t helping a thing.
He couldn�
�t even recall that the biggest keg parties he’d attended ever resulted in his head throbbing in such a way. He needed his vision to focus. He needed the dry feeling in his throat to go away. The feeling in his fingers needed to come back. He really needed to sort out his priorities. Maybe he needed to start considering the studying thing like Heidi. Perhaps she had caught onto something he should have learned earlier.
“So you’ve finally decided to come around.”
Isaiah’s eyes fluttered open upon hearing Edie’s voice and he lifted his head, very slowly, until he could see the blurred outline of her face. Why couldn’t he see properly? All he could really make out was the light blotch that served as her face at the moment, and an outline of dark hair. Was her mouth moving? He felt like her mouth was moving but it was taking forever for her words to catch up to his ears. He felt so strange. What the hell had she done to him?
With her hands placed on her petite hips, she tilted her head to the side as she gazed back at him.
“Feeling a little funny, Icer?” She asked, crouching down in front of him as she batted her lashes. “You made this incredibly easy for me.”
Isaiah traced his tongue over his parched lips as he struggled to sit up, but that was proving to be a difficult action considering his body was at an awkward angle. He couldn’t move his arms. Why couldn’t he move his arms? His body wasn’t doing anything he wanted it to do in the moment.
“You’re paralyzed. That’s the Belladonna working its magic. It’s such a beautiful little berry. The Romans quite liked using it as poison for their enemies,” She smiled again as she reached out to nudge his foot. “You may not be able to move anything, but you can feel everything,” She promised.
Isaiah clenched his teeth as he glared at her. It was slowly coming back to him now. He could remember what happened back at the house. That sneaky little dirty.
“What do you want, Edie?” He asked, barely able to get the sentence out between lips that simply did not want to work.
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