Betrothed

  Grrrr.

  Leif laughed as he caught my hand and led me to his room. When he got there he fell onto the double bed with a groan. Then he spread out on his back and held a regal hand to me. I took the hand and was deftly pulled into his arms.

  ‘I’m so full,’ he complained.

  ‘Oh poor thing,’ I said, as I undid his buttons and eased his shirt open. I lay my hand on his belly, caressing gently. ‘But I did warn you.’ I slid my hand slowly up his body, tracing each muscle with my fingertip. He was so lovely. I wanted to ravish him, kiss him all over. But I knew he’d put a stop to it if I tried.

  I snuck a glance at his face. He was watching me, his head raised from the pillow, supported by a bent elbow tucked behind it. I smiled sweetly and averting my eyes again, ever so lightly, swept my hand slowly back and forth across his chest.

  I looked to him again a moment later—his head was back against the pillow, eyes closed and lips parted. I smiled to myself and nuzzled my face under his arm. I thought I might drown in his intoxicating scent, and couldn’t resist kissing him, my tongue darting out to taste his skin. And then my lips began a languid journey across his chest as my hand trailed slowly down his body. I could hear his breath become heavy, and then a moment later his hand came up and caught my wrist.

  ‘Oh well, it was fun while it lasted,’ I said with a laugh as I attempted to free myself from his grasp.

  He sighed. ‘Marla, you do not make it easy for me.’

  ‘Well, you told me it was work to resist me, which means it must be my job to provide the work. I don’t see why I should make it easy for you,’ I smiled.

  He returned my smile and in a whisper had leaped up off the bed and was leading me back out into the living room. ‘Now that I know what you’re up to, I’ll be on my guard.’

  ‘Oh, come on, Leif, I don’t want to go out there. Janet and Dave are out there.’ With my free hand I plucked at the strong fingers that held me, but he held fast, releasing me only when I’d been deposited on the lounge.

  Where’s your sense of fun? I complained silently.

  Confined till we are wed.

  That might be never.

  It will be sooner than you think and then we will have long years ahead of us for such fun. Now be satisfied with this thought, my love, because my resolve will not weaken . . . But I do wonder, he continued after a moment.

  What do you wonder?

  I wonder what you would do if I let down my guard.

  I ran my hand slowly up his thigh, caught his eyes with mine and smiled. Would you like me to tell you what I would do, Leif?

  He picked up the hand that lingered on his leg, took it into his and began kneading my palm with his thumb. He turned to me and smiled. All right, my little seductress, tell me—what is it you would do?

  Oh, I hadn’t expected him to say that!

  Um . . . ah. I felt myself blush.

  Leif looked at me and chuckled. Just as I thought, you have no idea.

  I poked him hard and silently told him to shut right up.

  We maintained a silent conversation while we chatted to Janet and Dave, and when our private talk turned to Ashleigh and Jason, I decided I needed to go home to try to make peace with my sister. I said goodnight to my neighbours and Leif walked upstairs with me. He stopped at the door.

  I said, ‘Aren’t you coming in?’

  ‘No, I can sense Ashleigh’s unhappiness. She won’t want me around.’

  ‘You can sense her unhappiness?’

  ‘I am able to gauge the environment of a room. You will too when you’re immortal.’

  ‘That’s how you knew everyone was asleep that first night you came!’

  ‘It is.’

  I wound my arms around him and looked up into his eyes, ‘You’re just so clever, Leif.’

  He took me to him instantly, lifting me from the ground with the power of his embrace. He kissed me softly and slowly and when he released me, murmured, ‘I want you so much more than you realise.’

  ‘Well, then?’ I said and smiled.

  He smiled back and shook his head as though to clear it. ‘Goodnight, Marla. Sleep well.’

  Ashleigh was sitting on her bed doing her homework, music blaring around the edges of her earphones. She didn’t look up to acknowledge me—not that I was expecting her to. I walked over to her, reached out and unplugged her ears.

  ‘You’ll go deaf if you keep that up,’ I warned, with what I hoped was a friendly smile.

  ‘Oh go away, you’re so self-righteous.’

  ‘I don’t mean to be, I just care about you.’

  ‘Don’t bother—you won’t be round for much longer anyway.’

  ‘I’ll always be around, Ashleigh.’

  ‘What for? So you can watch me get all wrinkly and dead while you stay forever eighteen?’

  I had no response. If everything worked out the way I wanted, she was right.

  ‘Yeah, thought so,’ she said. ‘So you might as well just butt out of my life right now.’

  ‘You’re my sister.’

  ‘Not really, not even the same species actually.’ She looked me straight in the eyes as she said it, her face a challenge.

  ‘Ashleigh!’

  She remained silent and when she realised I would say no more, she lowered her glowering eyes, put her earphones back in and went back to her homework.

  I went to bed early—defeated and miserable. My sister wouldn’t even talk to me, let alone talk to me about Jason. I prayed that Leif would remember to take me to Faera in my sleep. I needed him tonight.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Of course he remembered. I heard him calling me through my dreams. He was standing by our river, and when I saw him, I ran to him, throwing myself into his arms. I could feel his laughter vibrating through his chest.

  He looked down into my eyes. ‘Happy to see me?’

  ‘Always.’

  ‘Come then, do you want to see Faera?’

  ‘Yes!’

  ‘You will need to let me go.’

  ‘In a minute,’ I said, and buried my face into his chest again. I felt him kiss the top of my head.

  ‘Are you going to fly, or do you want me to carry you?’

  ‘Fly, of course.’

  ‘You’re not wearing your new dress,’ he pointed out.

  I was wearing pink pyjamas and there was no way my wings were coming out with the top half in the way. I looked at him and then, smiling, stretched my arms into the air. He leaned down and kissed me softly, reaching for the hem of my top to lift it over my head. I watched him closely. He released a long slow breath as his gaze drifted down, letting my top fall to the ground. His eyes lingered for the briefest of moments before returning to mine. He smiled and, wrapping his arms around my waist, held me to him. I crushed myself against him, wondering if I would ever, could ever, get close enough.

  ‘Let’s fly,’ he said, releasing me finally.

  ‘Where will you take me?’

  ‘I thought you might like to see my home?’

  ‘I’d love to, but would it be safe? Won’t your father be there?’

  ‘This is a meeting of our minds, Marla—yours and mine. I know it appears that we are standing here in Faera, and in a way we are, but our bodies are back in bed. My father has no way of knowing we are meeting like this.’

  ‘Is this like astral travelling or something? I’ve read about that. It’s when your soul leaves your body.’

  ‘I have heard of it,’ he said, and judging by the look on his face, he was trying not to laugh. ‘But no, my love, our souls are safely within our bodies. What I’m showing you now is what lies within my mind.’

  ‘Your memories?’

  ‘In a way yes, but not particular memories, more my knowledge of this place. It doesn’t have to involve people, but I will show you my parents so that you can have an image of them. But it’s not just a matter of me showing you this place. This is a merging of our minds—you are showing yourself to me
as well. Right now, you are lying in your bed, completely relaxed with sleep, but because you answered my call, I see you before me. His eyes flickered downwards again as he said it, before he averted them once more.

  ‘I’m yours, Leif. You can look all you want.’

  ‘It is easier for me if I do not.’ He smiled.

  ‘Oh, the work again.’ I laughed. ‘I told you, don’t worry about it.’

  He shook his head. ‘Come, Marla, let’s fly.’ He took my hand, released his wings and waited for me to do the same.

  We took to the air. The vision of Leif flying alongside me kept me captivated as we flew across the sky. His wings were alight with his stored sunlight and flashed brilliant sparks into the air around him. His thick dark hair flew out behind him and his body shone. With my hand in his, Leif led the way and when he glanced back and noticed me admiring him, he smiled but motioned for me to look beneath us.

  What lay below was a never-ending wilderness. There were no signs of habitation—no buildings, housing, roads or even walking tracks. Though admittedly, the lush canopy of gleaming green was so profuse that, save for an occasional glimpse of woody ground cover, it was impossible to see what lay hidden inside of it. The land rose and plateaued, then dipped again, and rivers snaked throughout, flashing a multitude of diamond sparkles, forking here and there and leading to gushing waterfalls, trickling creaks or clear, wide lakes. The beauty of it was overwhelming. We were flying too fast to make out detail and if I wasn’t so eager to see Leif’s home, I would have asked him to stop so I could look around.

  How much further? I asked after a while.

  Leif turned back to look at me. You’re tired—I should have taken you directly to the castle.

  No, this is amazing, I’m enjoying it.

  But Leif pulled me close and gathered me into his arms.

  ‘How can I feel so exhausted when my body is asleep?’

  ‘This joining of our minds uses up more energy than if we were actually flying through Faera. You will be tired tomorrow.’ Leif pointed ahead. ‘Look, we are coming to my home.’

  We were approaching a snow-covered mountain range. I remembered it from the first time Leif took me flying. It was bare of any type of foliage and the very top of it was ghostlike in the filmy cloud. ‘You live in the mountains, Leif?’

  ‘Yes, the tallest, do you see?’

  The outline of the mountain range was becoming more defined and I could clearly see the one he referred to. ‘It’s impressive, but how can the mountains be covered in snow when it’s so warm?’

  ‘That’s not snow, Marla. It’s the colour of the rock.’

  ‘What kind of rock is that?’

  ‘It’s called willa, it’s similar to the Earth stone marble, I think.’

  We flew closer still and I was captivated by the amazing sight before me.

  ‘What do you see now?’ Leif asked.

  ‘An enormous castle built onto the tallest mountain.’

  ‘Close,’ Leif replied. ‘It has been carved from the mountain itself.’

  ‘It’s so beautiful—look how it sparkles!’

  ‘When the willa is cut, the fragments inside catch the sun—do you see? The other mountains do not sparkle so, because they remain intact.’

  We flew nearer still and when we were close enough to make out the detail of Leif’s home, I was stunned. It was magnificent, a pure white fantasy crafted to utilise the shape of the mountain. There were several round towers, each carved with images of Fae—some dancing, some playing musical instruments and still others engaging with nature. The towers were topped with spires, each reaching its pinnacle at a height unique from the next, the topmost two fading into a wisp of cloud. The castle was immense, dwarfing the surrounding mountains and various dwellings cut into the base of them. To add to the grandeur of the sight, if that was possible, it appeared to double in size as the image was captured in reverse, reflected perfectly on the glass-clear lake that lay at the base of the mountains.

  Leif carried me up through the haze and we landed on the balcony that wrapped around the tallest tower. He held me close, my back pressed against his chest and said, ‘Look around you, Marla. All that your eyes behold, and then far beyond, lies the Kingdom of Telophy.’ As we walked around the tower, he gestured to the landscape below, pointing out this feature and that—a panorama of forest, lakes, rocky places and open spaces.

  ‘It’s enormous.’

  ‘My father rules all of this, but beyond this land are a multitude of other Faeran kingdoms, each ruled by one of my grandfathers.’

  ‘Faera must be enormous.’

  ‘Enormous yes, but finite—where the sun shines, the Fae thrive, though there is a place where it is too bright even for us and another where it is too dark. But come, Marla, let me show you inside my home.’

  He turned towards the tower and walked the few paces to the arched door. I was entranced when I saw the effect of the sun on the rock. Thousands of tiny rainbows danced as each fleck within the willa captured the light making prisms of gorgeous colour trapped beneath the surface. I ran my hand across the polished rock. It felt like warm glass beneath my fingers.

  ‘Do you like it?’ Leif asked.

  ‘Oh yes, it’s incredible!’

  He took a key from his pocket and unlocked the door, then taking my hand, brought me inside.

  ‘This is the watch tower. There are always at least two of my father’s guard present.’

  I could see the room would be effective: enormous windows displayed the view in every direction. The guards had it good too—the decor was amazing; the furniture crafted from rich dark wood and upholstered in velvets and silks the colours of jewels. As Leif led me through, I discovered the ornately carved furniture and dazzling gemstone colours were typical of the castle, coordinated perfectly with captivating artworks and an abundance of flowers. Sparkling chandeliers were suspended from the ceilings in every room. They were powered by sunstones, Leif told me, a type of rock capable of capturing and holding the sun and used for every one of Faera’s energy needs. I was blown away by the implications of such a thing—free power for everyone, with none of the desperate measures to which humans go to feed their power-hungry technologies.

  ‘That’s so amazing,’ I said, peering at the sparkling cluster high above the centre of the ballroom. ‘But how do you get the sunlight into the stones?’

  ‘Come, I will show you,’ Leif said, and lifting me into his arms, he flew up to the ceiling, and hovered beside the chandelier. He caught my eyes as he touched a finger to one of the stones. ‘How bright do you wish the light—just enough for romance?’

  I smiled in response.

  ‘Watch.’ A slight radiance came to his fingertip as he filled the stone to a soft yellow glow.

  ‘Wow . . . ’

  He kept his finger on the stone. ‘Or perhaps you wish a light to eat your dinner by?’ He released a little more of his sun so that the stone shone brighter still.

  ‘I kind of liked the romance.’

  Leif chuckled and said, ‘As do I, my love, but what if you must read or study?’ He filled the stone until it shone like daylight. Then he removed his finger and touched it to my lips.

  ‘Oh, it’s still warm!’ I clutched his hand in both of mine and pressed his finger to my lips, drawing his zinging heat into me. Then unable to resist, I took his finger between my teeth and bit gently. He watched me, his eyes going all soft and dreamy for a little while. Then he appeared to shake himself back to normal before reclaiming his finger. A smile came unbidden to my lips. He wasn’t so immune to me after all. ‘So how do you turn the light off again?’

  ‘Just take the sun back.’ He reached for the stone.

  I grabbed his finger. ‘Let me.’ I touched the stone and drew the sun in through my finger, just as though I was soaking up a sunbeam. ‘There, now I’ve got some of your sun.’

  He laughed. ‘Take all that you wish. It is yours.’

  We continued our tour
of the castle. Leif showed me music rooms, dining rooms, sitting rooms, conference rooms, libraries and studies. He stopped at one of the smaller dining rooms—the morning room apparently—and pointed out his father and mother. They were each sitting at one end of a long table.

  King Telophy was stunning. As bare chested and well built as his son, he wore loose-fitting pants in what looked like pale cream silk, edged at the hips and ankles with gold. I could not drag my eyes from him. His features were more angular than Leif’s—harder, but apart from that he might have been Leif’s twin. Physically he looked no older than his son but his whole presence belied his youthful looks. He oozed strength and power.

  ‘He’s quite a vision, is he not?’ Leif said, noticing how enthralled I was.

  ‘He looks . . . mighty.’

  Leif smiled. ‘He is mighty, Marla. He is king. What do you think of my mother?’

  I dragged my eyes from his father to look at the woman sitting opposite him. She was soft and lovely and wore a floor-length dress in some diaphanous fabric in the same cream with gold accents as her husband. It flowed close to her curves, the back plunging low. Her hair, pulled from her face with a jewelled tiara, was glossy and dark and cascaded down her back in loose ringlets.

  ‘She’s beautiful.’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Are you sure they can’t see us?’ I whispered.

  ‘How could they? You are inside my mind.’

  I wanted to linger, but time was limited.

  Quickly, Leif showed me the rooms where the castle’s staff lived—almost as luxurious as those of the royal family—then we flew back upstairs to see his suite. We walked down a wide hallway, carpeted in the blues of sapphire and aquamarine and accented with gold curls at the edges. To the right was an enormous music room equipped with a multitude of instruments, some familiar to me, others not. A stage was set on one side of the room, and opposite that, an area that could easily accommodate at least fifty people.

  ‘Do you have musicians come and play here?’ I asked.

  ‘Often—or my friends and I perform for others.’

  ‘You play well, Leif?’

  ‘I am told so.’ He smiled. ‘One doesn’t like to boast.’