John put his forefinger to my lips. Abel had been the last one to do that to me and I resented it then. Now, I didn’t mind so much since John was the one doing the shushing while holding me to him with one of two very strong arms. “Ssh. You’ll see, I promise,” he replied. Kissing me chastely on the forehead, he then went into his room, winking at me before closing his door.
I was in front of my own door, twisting the doorknob when Finn decided to come up behind me. “Sweet Brigid!” I gasped when I turned around, finding Finn two inches away from me. I tried to back up to regain my personal space, but the door greeted my butt and I could go no further.
“Listen up,” he demanded while poking me in the chest with his finger. “I only have one rule for you. DO NOT leave your room. No exceptions. I don’t care if the roof comes crashing down. I expect to find your body in the rubble of this room. No one is allowed in your room either.” Finn moved his finger from me to the door of my room. “Don’t even bother coming out in the morning. I will tell you when you can leave your room.”
Against my feisty side’s better judgment, I turned towards my room, feeling it best to go inside instead of arguing it out with the foul Fae. I didn’t get halfway turned around before I realized he wasn’t done barking at me yet.
Finn poked me once again. “And one last thing. I AM NOT your servant. I will not bring you anything or do any bidding. Do you understand?”
What was this guy’s problem? I just met him and certainly didn’t have time to make him hate me. Could Finn’s attitude really be because he couldn’t join the writhing sex fest going on outside?
I slapped his hand away from me. Upset or not, he had no right to treat me so unkindly and I had no intention of putting up with it. I pushed him back a bit to regain some breathing room.
“I don’t know what your problem is with me bud, but let me tell you something,” I told him, reacting with the intensity of a lightning storm. “Just because the only action you’re going to get tonight is with your hand doesn’t’ give you the right to act like such an asshole. Secondly, if you don’t let me out to use a restroom, be warned, I will do my business on you.” (The bathroom comment was really a non-starter since there was one in my room, but I was trying to make a point.)
Finn’s mouth opened slightly agape at my last threat. I had his attention, but I wasn’t done yet. “So you know, I have no intention of leaving this room tonight,” I informed him. “That is out of respect for Rory and not because you demanded it,” I added. “Lastly, there is not a damned thing on this planet that I want from you. Do you understand?”
Finn looked as if someone had slapped him. He didn’t respond to me, but stood there like a deer in headlights.
“Are we done here?” I asked Mr. Personality while waving my hand in front of his face to get his attention.
“I uh…I-I-I’m sorr…” He was stammering and confused. I wasn’t too sure what was wrong with Finn. His behavior was beyond any explanation. I was so done with him for the night. “Whatever, goodnight,” I said rudely and went in my room, slamming the door behind me.
I may have, under normal circumstances, tried to find out what Finn was playing at. As it was, I was tired and just didn’t give a crap. Safe in my room from the Fae orgy outside the inn and Rude Ralph outside my door, I sat down on my bed and laid back.
Staring at the ceiling, tears formed in my eyes. The stress of everything had finally reached its limit and needed an outlet. I had been reminded of my precious stone covered ceiling at home. That led me to thoughts of Willa. I really wish she was here right now, I thought. She’d know what to do. My battle was over, but there was still a journey ahead of me.
I was wondering if I had the fortitude to continue to fight against Iblis, The Powers, and Abel when one of the walls in my room began to split in two. I sat up like a shot at the spectacle. The hard, wooden, immovable wall acted as if it was a curtain. It swayed a little as if a breeze had blown through though the air was still. Invisible hands pulled each side of the wooden curtain open and John stepped through.
He cocked his head to the side at the sight of my tear stained face. “What’s wrong beautiful girl?” John took a seat next to me, wiping my tears away with the hem of his shirt.
“I’m just decompressing,” I replied and laid my head on his shoulders.
John stroked my hair to comfort me. “Don’t worry Violet. Everything’s going to be fine from here on out.”
“I know it will. It’s just my built up frustration finding its way out,” I told him.
John didn’t try to calm me down after that or distract me. He gave me a squeeze and held me as I let go.
David’s assault, Luca’s betrayal, imprisonment, and the constant attempt on my life by Iblis and the Aelfadl were just the top three on the list that had my head tied up in knots. There was also the possibility of two futures that ended up in some type of horror. I also had a hard time understanding why everything that had run afoul in my life had to do with me being an anomaly, an outlier among Otherworlders.
I couldn’t wrap my head around why so many people were going out of their way to destroy me. I wasn’t anything special. Sure, I was more powerful than most Otherworlders, but there certainly were those more powerful than I.
I wasn’t a politician or member of any royal house. There wasn’t some long lost prophecy concerning some ominous destiny either. Prophecies, by the way, are overrated. The vagueness of the superfluous language they’re written in leave its meaning up for speculation. The Dreamweavers vision of my future isn’t a long lost prophecy. That was some type of psychic vision, foreknowledge, etc.
Iblis has always been straightforward in his pursuit of me. He wanted me for my powers, plain and simple. Abel too wanted me for my magic. However, Abel harbored extreme hatred for me, making his attempt at acquisitioning me an exercise in brutality. Sure, he might use me to squash his enemies, but I’m fairly positive my mouth would incur his murderous rage and I would become a genie in a bottle. An urn shaped bottle.
My brain eventually fizzled out and my tear ducts dried up. I knew my face was red and swollen from the crying. I could only imagine what the smudged mascara was adding to my looks. I stayed in John’s arms for a few minutes more as I calmed down.
John didn’t push or prod me as he held me. He was giving me what he thought I needed, a shoulder to cry on. The heat from his body radiated out, enveloping me like a warm blanket. He was endearing himself to me more and more. I was one lucky girl.
I eased myself away a few inches and looked up at him. I should’ve cared what I looked like, but John had seen me sweaty and dirty in the past (from training). This was nothing compared to that. “Thank you,” I told him. “Thank you for letting me cry on your shoulder.”
He shifted so we were sitting face to face. Lifting my chin up with his hands he said, “You’ve been through a lot and we’ve been on the go since. At some point you had to decompress. I was starting to worry because you hadn’t.”
He let go of my chin and sat beside me once more, draping his well tanned arm around my shoulder. “That’s too much for one person to hold inside, even for a warrior jinn like you,” he added.
My heart felt like a bevy of butterflies had taken up residence inside it. With John by my side I could stand up to whatever challenges would come my way, without breaking in the process. I was starting to feel like my same old self once again.
John took my hand in his and squeezed it. “Now that you’re back to sorts why don’t you get out of that ridiculous costume and into something you can breathe in,” he suggested.
I looked down at myself and laughed. How I didn’t bust through my dress from the crying was beyond me. John was right. Aside from looking ridiculous, it wasn’t very comfortable either. “Good point,” I told him and headed to the bathroom. Now that I was back to sorts I wanted to wash the smudged make-up off my face and look like a normal girl once again.
I was halfway across the room when
the sound of a scuffle came from outside the door to my room. As soon as I turned to John, the sound stopped. He got up to go and see what the commotion was all about, but I stopped him.
“You can’t go out there,” I told him, putting my hand against the hard planes of his chest. “Rory and Bitchy McGee would throw a fit if they knew you walked through the wall and into my room.”
He didn’t move any further, but the hard stare he focused on the door told me I had to act quick. “I’m just going to poke my head out the door. If something’s wrong then you can come out.”
He ignored me and with a single minded determinedness walked towards whatever threat lay beyond the solid wood of the bedroom door. “John!” I hissed. “We can’t afford to upset the Fae this close to going home.”
He stopped dead in his tracks. He knew I made a good argument. Trying to find another way home while Abel was possibly laying in wait for me outside the village walls wasn’t a good play. He crossed his arms, unhappy with the fact I was right, and reluctantly ceded to me. “Alright. But if there’s any trouble, and I mean any, I’m coming out.”
Closing the distance between us, he held my face in his hands. The inflexibility in his face was replaced by a softer, kinder one. “Violet, you’ve been through enough. I’m not about to let any more harm find you until you’ve had some time off to rest. Damn the Fae, I’d rather find another way home than see you hurt.”
The butterflies that had set my heart a flutter were having a party and their friends were over. But where did this protective edge to him come from? Sure, the next baddie that came my way anytime soon would meet a bloodier than normal end, but I wasn’t some delicate flower. Then again, the feeling of having a big, strong knight in shining armor protecting me was kind of cool.
I could see that I would have to learn to be better at letting my guard down around John if we were going to have a future together. My fiercely independent nature wouldn’t disappear overnight, so it was a good thing he knew me well enough to carefully choose his battles with me.
Poking my head out the door, I was surprised by what I saw. Nothing had changed. Finn was sitting calmly in his chair reading a book. There were no signs of a struggle anywhere. Nothing was broken, Finn’s breathing was regular, and no one else appeared to inquire about the disturbance.
“Is everything okay?” I asked cautiously, wary of the temperamental Fae.
“Quite fine Magdalene,” Finn replied in an unusually cheery tone.
“Oh.” I was stumped. John had heard the sound of fighting too so I know I wasn’t imagining things. “I thought I heard a scuffle,” I informed Finn.
“Nothing of the kind has happened, I assure you,” he replied. “Thank you though for being so kind to inquire.”
What the…? “Are you sure?” I double checked.
“Yes ma’am,” he replied with a smile.
The Fae’s mercurial behavior had made the situation all the more confusing. “Oookay,” I said unconvinced. “Well, good night then.”
You know what? I’m not even going to bother figuring out what happened. For all I know, the insane Fae was arguing with one of his personalities. Tomorrow I was going home and would make sure I put enough distance between myself and the Otherworld. I didn’t want to bother with any of them, aside from Melissa and John, for quite some time. A hundred years sounded like an appropriate amount of time.
I was back in my room and closing the door when Finn spoke up. “Um Magdalene? May I speak with you for a moment?”
I hit my head against the door, on purpose. “Why me?” I whispered as I looked towards the heavens. Motioning to John that I would be a moment, I stepped back outside of the room to see what Finn wanted.
“What do you want?” I asked, exasperated.
Finn was fidgeting with his hands, his head was down, and his eyes darted everywhere except to me. He seemed ashamed, embarrassed even. Oh, for Odin’s sake, what personality is this one?
“I just wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier,” he uttered.
He had progressed from Surly Fae to Smiley Fae and now Shameful Fae. I preferred the seven dwarves.
I was a little afraid to say anything, unsure of what personality I would be greeted with next. With my luck it would be a murderous one. “Um, thank you?” I replied.
He looked up at me through his lashes. “You’re still angry with me?”
Oh for Pete’s sake! “No Finn, it’s fine. I’m not holding a grudge against you. Hopefully, from here on out, we shouldn’t have any more problems.” I even put on a fake smile in order to convince him I was over our earlier confrontation.
“Yes, yes,” he murmured before abruptly leaping at me.
His sudden movement caused me to take a defensive stance. Finn stopped his approach when he noticed my reaction. “Please, I only wanted to shake hands with you,” he cowered.
I made no move to attack and said nothing. I didn’t even know what to say. Hades only knows what would happen if I opened my mouth again.
“I’m sorry,” Finn apologized. “It’s just that I don’t know what came over me earlier. I’m not a mean person normally,” he disclosed in an attempt to convince me.
I wasn’t convinced. Even though Finn seemed sincere, something bothered me about the situation. This Fae was seriously unhinged. This conversation needed to end quickly. I couldn’t believe I was actually looking forward to Rory coming back on duty.
“It’s been a long day Finn, don’t beat yourself up about it,” I replied, trying to remedy the situation.
Seemingly placated, he finally looked me in the eye. His lips turned upwards in a smile for the first time tonight. “Thanks.”
I clasped my hands together in relief. “All right then, it’s late and I’m going to bed. Goodnight.”
I turned on my heel and went back into my room followed by Finn’s goodnight. I closed the door quickly behind me, just in case Finn changed his mind, and rested my head against the door for a few seconds.
“What was that about?” John asked, wrapping his arms around me and kissing the back of my head.
I turned around in his arms. “Are Otherworlders susceptible to mental illnesses like the humans?”
He raised his eyebrow at me in question. “Not that I know of, though I’m curious as to why you’re asking.”
“Well then, somebody really needs to take a look at Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde out there,” I replied pointing my perfectly polished pink finger at the door.
Having missed my earlier confrontation with Finn, John was understandably confused. We sat down on the bed as I recounted what had happened earlier after everyone else had gone into their rooms.
Once I was finished, John became upset with me. “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” he demanded angrily. “There’s no way I would have let you go out there right now if I knew he’d been hostile towards you.”
I stood up and moved away from him. “I know how to handle myself John,” I pointed out, becoming irritated.
John slammed his fist down on the mattress causing a small down feather to find its freedom. “Why do you have to be so damned stubborn?” he scolded.
“What in the world is your problem?” I asked incredulously, throwing my hands in the air.
Realizing he was being an over-protective jackass, his mood dissipated slightly. He came over to me and grabbed both of my hands. “I know you can hold your own,” John acquiesced, pulling me forward. His hands let go of mine and slid down my back, resting on my waist. “The fact that you went out there isn’t even what made me upset,” he confessed.
I crinkled my forehead, baffled at his admission. “Then why are you mad at me?”
“Just because you can take on half of the Otherworld, it doesn’t mean you have to do it alone,” he chided me.
John was right. Remember what I said about learning to not be so independent where he was concerned? It appeared that it was going to be harder than I thought.
“I’ll try not
to be so headstrong, but give me some time to adjust,” I entreated him.
Could I be dependent on another? Melissa had always been there for me, but she had always left me to choose when or how I needed her help. John wanted to take some of the weight I always seemed to carry alone. But what if he drops the ball? It could be the difference between life and death. My life and death. He wouldn’t do that though. I can trust him, can’t I?
John tapped me on the nose with his finger. “Quit over thinking it,” he chuckled, amused at his own ability to read me so well. “I’ve waited five long years to get you back. Do you really think I would just up and leave you hanging?”
“How did you know what I was thinking?” I asked, astonished at the acuity of which he was now able to see through me. John was good at reading my expressions, but there was no way he could tell my exact wording.
He laughed again, his mood back to normal. “I’ve been here,” he said while tapping my head. “It gave me a lot more insight on you.”
I narrowed my eyes in mock anger. “Cheater,” I accused.
John smiled, pleased with himself, before he kissed my forehead. “I love you Violet and I promise I’m not going anywhere. You can trust me.” Looking back down at me, I could see the playfulness dancing in his eyes. “I do remember you saying something about a goodnight kiss,” he baited me.
I winked and taunted him back. “That’s why you came, isn’t it?”
“Does your offer still stand?” he asked, hopeful for a positive response.
“I don’t know,” I teased. “I’m going to have to check my schedule and see where I can fit you in.”
I laughed at the silliness of the conversation. John didn’t join in with me, being determined to win the battle of the witticisms.
“It’s a good thing then that I had your secretary clear your schedule,” he said.
“Well Mr. Gwyneddson (that was John’s last name), it seems I can pencil you in after all,” I replied in my most coquettish voice.
He pressed me close to his body. “Well, have your secretary hold all your calls then, we might be here awhile,” he instructed, hinting at something I wasn’t picking up on.
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