“But you left,” Heidi stammered, frowning. “You never came back..”
Lille tilted her head, reaching her little hand out to touch the princess’ cheek. Her soft chime reached Heidi’s ears and Heidi sighed.
“Oh. I did not realize that you were the necklace. I thought it was a gift you’d left for me.”
Lille nodded eagerly before glancing to Pike. Heidi blinked and then it made more sense.
“You mean to tell me that Pike has been with us this entire time?” Heidi asked.
Pike finally came out from the safety of her hair, joining Lille upon Heidi’s palm as he grinned. They nodded in unison.
“What sneaky little creatures you are,” Heidi laughed softly, sniffling.
She didn’t know that Lille and Pike served as personal guides to their families. She had only thought them to be simple Fire and Ice fairies. Pike came to Earth when Heidi and Isaiah did, while Lille stayed behind to gather more information on the attacks before joining them.
Oh, if only Heidi had known all of this sooner! Why did her father not trust her with such information? She bit her bottom lip and released a soft breath as she saw Pike nod towards the dagger she previously laid down upon the table when they realized the room was empty.
Heidi gazed at it before looking back to him.
He lifted a brow.
She knew that he wanted her to keep going. She knew that he was right.
As the two fairies took flight back into the air, Heidi stood and reached for the dagger. She curled her fingers around it and picked it up from the table.
“Let’s go get Isaiah,” She said, feeling a little more confident now that she had Lille back.
Just as she turned to leave the room, a blur of yellow and blue went sailing past her, Lille and Pike hit the wall behind her and chimed in pain.
Heidi’s brows furrowed as she ran to them, kneeling down to check on them.
“Are you all right?” She asked, watching as Pike pointed towards the door frantically.
Heidi felt the dread that gripped her heart as she slowly turned her head to follow his gaze, eyes lifting slowly until she met Brison’s face.
He stepped into the room and lifted a hand, the door slamming shut as he stared down at her.
“Ello, Love,” He said quietly as his eyes narrowed in on her. “I’m afraid I can’t let you do that.”
Heidi swallowed hard as she watched him step closer.
19
Isaiah grunted as the long liana vine came in contact with his back once again, stinging across the flesh and splitting it open. His grip tightened on the restraints as he heard Edie laugh.
“I didn’t have to dig too deep to make you bleed,” She replied, stepping around him until she could gaze at his face.
After Brison left the room, Edie decided it would be fun to tie Isaiah up like some sort of bondage experiment. He didn’t appreciate the fact she burned his shirt from his body.
She gripped his chin in her hand, jerking his head up to gaze into his eyes as she smiled. “What?” She asked, pouting a little. “You don’t like it anymore?” She tsked, clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “If I can remember correctly, you had no complaints when I got freaky in the bed.”
The toxins had worn off enough that Isaiah could at least think of good comebacks, and he intended to beat her verbally even if he couldn’t do so physically. He smirked a little as he stared at her. “That’s because I didn’t realize you were literally dirty,” He replied.
That earned him a hard slap to the face, with a force that caused his head to the move to the side as he groaned. Maybe he deserved that, but it also gave him the satisfaction of knowing he’d insulted her. Good.
“Don’t push me, Icer,” She said through gritted teeth. “I’m trying very hard to be patient with you. I need you as leverage to convince your father to work with me on killing off Sidius.”
“Oh, please,” Isaiah rolled his eyes as he hung there awkwardly in the middle of the room, the vines supporting his weight as they coiled around the branches of the tree. He lifted his head to look at her again. “You don’t need me for anything and you know it. My father won’t agree to your demands. He’s not going to turn on his friend.”
“Don’t lie to me,” Edie stated as she glared at him. “Your father would rather comply than watch you die.”
“That’s what you think,” Isaiah responded, seeing how far he could push this along. How much would she believe?
“Well,” She tilted her head to the side. “If he won’t do it for you..” She smirked again, eyes darkening once more. “Then maybe he’ll do it for Savana?”
Isaiah’s blood, though cold already, began to freeze in his veins as he stared at her. The mention of his sister was not a threat he would take lightly.
“Don’t you dare bring up Savana,” He said lowly.
She smiled, tracing her tongue over her bottom lip. “Oh, so that’s the way to scare you,” She said softly, sighing. “Mm. Well, when Greda returns, I’ll be sure to tell her to fetch that adorable little ice girl for me. Then we’ll see just how cooperative you and Daddy will be for me.”
Isaiah fought against his restraints, wanting nothing more than to break free of the damn vines and put his hands around her throat until the life left her eyes. Edie laughed as she watched him struggle, lifting her hand and squeezing her fingers closed in the air as the vines tightened around his wrists, causing him to cry out from the various cracks and pops sounding off as the vines crushed around bone.
“Shut up,” She said, her smile disappearing. “I am done playing your games, Icer. When your father arrives, he’ll either meet my demands of becoming my ally, or I’ll kill him. Then I’ll kill your mother, and your sister. You will watch me.”
She turned away from him and moved back over to a table, picking up one of the apples that Brison had brought in earlier. She stared at it thoughtfully. “Then I’ll go fetch your little friend Heidi and we’ll have a nice chat before I break the news to her about how I’m going to make her an orphan,” She sighed, seemingly melancholy as she turned to gaze at Isaiah.
“Then, if the mood calls for it, I’ll rip her little fire heart out right here in front of you so you can watch her die a most agonizing, painfully slow death.”
Isaiah stilled for a moment, teeth grinding together as his nostrils flared.
“You’re a proper cunt, you know that?” He asked lowly.
Edie’s smile grew bigger, eyes lightening to a more caramelized color as she shrugged. “Hell hath no fury like an Earth Fire Hybrid scorned.”
It was at that moment that the door opened and Isaiah was horrified to see Brison carrying an unconscious Heidi inside.
He felt his heart drop into his stomach as her arms dangled so lifelessly. What had that bastard done to her? He fought against the vines again, fingers digging into the thick stem as the ice surged from his body, but to no avail. The belladonna had dulled his powers. He was useless.
Edie eyed him for a moment before she smirked. “Well, well. This is a surprise,” She said, moving away from the table so Brison could lay the unconscious princess upon it. “What happened?”
“She was snooping around outside. She tried to fight me,” He shrugged, gazing back at Edie.
“You don’t touch her!” Isaiah yelled, fighting against the vines once again as Edie lifted her hand, curling her fingers. He gritted his teeth, grunting as the vines tightened once more.
“Be quiet, Icer,” She stated, her eyes staying on Brison. “Well done, Brison. I’m impressed,” She stepped in, pressing her lips against his. “Perhaps you are the one I should choose to be my king.”
She pulled back and peered down to Heidi, who was incredibly still upon the wooden table. Edie moved closer, leaning in to examine her.
“Look at you, little Princess,” She said lowly, reaching out to trace a finger over her cheek. “It’s sort of funny, in a way,” She tilted her head slightly. “We h
ave the same nose,” She sighed, glancing over her shoulder to peer at Brison. “It’s almost a shame you didn’t accidentally kill her. But I suppose it’s better that way. I get to do it myself.”
Isaiah kicked, trying to free himself from the vines that were wrapped around his ankles. He had to get free somehow. He had to get Heidi out of here. He couldn’t let Edie hurt her. That’s why he was doing his damnedest to get out of his current bindings before Edie had the opportunity to do anything else.
Edie released a sigh as she tapped her long fingernails against the table top; her attention turning back to Brison as her thin brows furrowed on her forehead.
“What is taking so long?” She asked. “I know fairies travel faster than the speed of light. Greda should have been back by now.”
Brison gave a lazy shrug of his shoulders, hands shoved into the pockets of his coat as he let his gaze shift to Heidi. Isaiah watched him from between strands of blond hair that had fallen into his eyes, wondering just what in the hell the bastard had done to render Heidi unconscious. If he had harmed her in any way…
The chilling rage that surged through Isaiah’s fingertips expanded into his wrists, through his arms and into his shoulders as he struggled against his restraints again. He turned his head to gaze at one of the thick lianas, watching as the dark green color began to freeze over. Good. It was working; if only a little.
He grunted, tugging with all his strength as he tried to break free. He could hear the faint crack of the frozen vine giving way, the pressure beginning to weaken against his skin.
Edie’s head turned in his direction quickly.
“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?” She asked, approaching him quickly as she reached out, a new vine springing forward to curl around the wrist he nearly had free. Isaiah cried out in frustration from the fresh vine that was trying to bind him. “I did not give you permission to free yourself, Icer.”
Isaiah glared at her, jawline tightening as his eyes darkened.
“It’s not going to be that easy,” Edie continued as she moved over to another table, lifting up a small dagger. Isaiah stared at it for a moment, seeing the small ivy that tangled around the handle.
“I was going to wait for her to wake up,” She started, touching the tip of her finger to the tip of the blade. “Let her know the whole background to what’s going on and how I absolutely hate her and I can’t wait to take over her kingdom, but I’m not a patient person,” She glanced at Isaiah. “I think I’ll just cut her heart out and get it over with.”
“You fucking bitch!” Isaiah cried. He let out a desperate grunt as he fought against the vines a final time, the power exploding through his wrists as ice began to cover every single vine; hastily making its way to the tree as the bark began to frost over.
“Take care of him,” Edie stated to Brison.
Brison hesitated for a moment, glancing from Edie, to the dagger, to Heidi, and then to Edie again.
“I said, take care of him,” Edie repeated, her gaze hardening.
Brison’s eyes snapped to Isaiah then as he lifted his hands, the wind picking up as the rotation began once more. He quickly moved forward just as he heard the shattering of the vines and he lifted his hands up in front of himself as Isaiah tackled him to the floor.
While the two men fought, fists flying and blood spilling against the concrete floor, Edie lifted the blade over the limp body of the fire princess.
“I have been waiting for this moment for years,” Edie said, lifting the dagger above her head as a gust of wind blew her hair in every direction. She smiled sadistically, gazing down at the youthful face of the sleeping princess and then she laughed. “I finally get to kill you. Just like I killed your mother.”
As the dagger came down, a blur of blue zoomed past Edie’s face, disorienting her as she nearly fell backwards. It was Pike and he had arrived with a vengeance. Throwing both of his hands out in front of himself, he sent a wave of ice straight for the dagger; knocking it from Edie’s hands.
“You little shit!” She cried out in frustration, her own hand flying up to send a vine hurling towards the small fairy, twirling around him before pulling him back towards the tree. Edie quickly moved over to retrieve the dagger and yelled out in pain. She turned quickly, trying to swat at her behind as the leaves there were set ablaze. The chimes of laughter coming from the bright ball of orange only frustrated her further.
“Enough of this nonsense!” She cried, reaching out and snatching Lille before she had time to fly away. Lille chimed out frantically in pain as Edie began to crush her in her palm.
It was then that a blast of fire came from elsewhere, knocking Edie backwards. Lille flew in the direction of Pike to help him escape.
Struggling to push herself up from the floor, Edie turned her head to see Heidi; awake and very angry.
“So now you decide to wake up,” Edie said, her hands rising at her sides as the left ignited with flames and the right illuminated green. “I guess you’re braver than I thought you were.”
Heidi stared at her, the pain in her eyes undeniable; the fury evident. She kept her hands at her sides, seemingly oblivious to her long strands as they flew into her face from the force of the wind. She stood in place, chest rising and falling quickly as she gazed at the other female.
Isaiah was slammed against the wall from the force of the wind, unable to fight his way through the strength of Brison’s power. He kept his feet braced against the wall, trying to kick off from it as Brison came closer. Branches flew past them and Isaiah jerked his head back to avoid getting hit, though Brison didn’t seem to be worried by the flying debris.
Isaiah moved his hands up, palms turning blue before the icicle-like daggers appeared and he held them out, teeth gritting as he glared at him.
“Come on!” He yelled over the roar of the wind. “Come on, you coward! Take me on!”
Brison lifted his hand and with one simple movement, the daggers were pulled from Isaiah’s hands, clattering against the floor.
Isaiah watched the other male approach him, fisting his shirt into his hands.
Isaiah’s fingers were turning blue, and he was ready to turn Brison into a Breezer-pop when the other male yelled into his ear.
“If you want to stop her, you’ve got to trust me!” Brison said.
Isaiah pulled his head back to stare at him, his blue hues nearly white as his brows furrowed in confusion. Brison nodded slowly.
“If you want to stop Edie, I need you to trust me.”
They both turned their heads then, and Isaiah realized Heidi was awake. She was okay. For the time being at least. He could see the fire that was emitting from her hands and it was a blaze like he’d never seen before. He no longer saw a girl, but a woman. A beautiful woman who was more than aware of the truth. A terrible truth of what had happened to her mother, and she now faced her murderer.
It was the one time in which Isaiah would not try to put out Heidi’s fire. He would not try to control her emotions. This was the one time in which Heidi deserved to let her emotions take over.
It made sense now. This was the reason Brison had created the monstrous roar of wind in the room. He didn’t want Edie to hear what he was saying to Isaiah.
“I swear I didn’t hurt her,” Brison said, staring at Isaiah as he kept him pinned against the wall. “I was quite relieved to see her cute face when I did. I was getting a bit worried there wasn’t no goin’ back after you got tied up.”
“Why didn’t you just tell us the day we met you?” Isaiah asked, his voice loud over the wind as he blinked. He kept the ice at bay, for now. He wanted answers.
“I couldn’t,” He replied. “She would have gone mad and killed my family, Mate. I couldn’t risk my family.”
“But you could risk mine?” Isaiah shot back. “And Heidi’s?”
Brison stared at him guiltily. “I’m sorry.”
“So if her master plan was to get me in bed and trick me all this time, why did she
plan for you to seduce Heidi? What was the point in leading her on if Edie just wanted her dead?”
Brison grinned a little despite the circumstances, shaking his head. “There wasn’t a point, Mate. I like her.”
Isaiah’s fist connected with Brison’s jaw, sending him back against the floor as the ice crackled over Isaiah’s knuckles. He gazed down at him before he smirked. “And that’s my point,” He muttered.
Both men turned their heads just in time to see Edie hurling a stream of fire towards Heidi’s head, but Heidi quickly avoided it. The flames licked at the wall, feeding off the wind as it swirled around. The surge of oxygen wasn’t helping the fire as Edie sent another shot right at Heidi’s stomach; who again, was too quick to hit.
“Stop being such a coward and fight me,” Edie screeched, lifting her right hand as she attempted to catch Heidi in vines. Heidi turned quickly, lifting her hands and casting flames towards the climbing plants, setting them ablaze as they shriveled down to ash.
Edie screamed, lifting both hands as more vines began to lunge at Heidi. Heidi warded them off, torrents of fire surging from her arms as she destroyed the vines before they could even get within a foot of her. Isaiah couldn’t recall a time when he had seen Heidi so perceptive. Then again, he couldn’t recall having seen such anger in her eyes either.
“You killed my mother,” Heidi said softly, her voice being carried away in the loud roar of the windstorm as it began to gain more strength.
“Oh, boo hoo,” Edie scowled as the flames began to move up her arm, licking over her shoulders as green gave way to red. She lifted her arms over her head, creating a massive fire ball before her eyes fell on Heidi’s face again. “I’m taking back what’s rightfully mine, Little Princess, and you can’t stop me.”
Tears were evident in Heidi’s eyes as she watched the fireball surging at her, and in a brief moment of weakness; grief for her mother, the ball of fire consumed her, hurling her backwards before she slammed into the wall.
She cried out, falling against the floor as the flames covered her body, the fabric of her clothing catching fire. As threads began to disintegrate, revealing the flesh of her side, Heidi reached down to absorb the wandering flame into her palm. She lifted her eyes to Edie, watching the other female as her upper lip curled back in disgust.
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