“I’ll be the referee.” Ryn stood between us as the others leaned against the wall under the shelter of shade and I took a few tentative swings to gauge the balance of the sword. It wasn’t as light as my katana and I’d have to adjust for it, but its weight wouldn’t hinder me. Uncle Kalen made sure of that when he trained me with different weapons. I used another minute to test my balance and heard Bretton chuckle. Let him be amused. In a few minutes, he’d be making a new noise. I cracked my neck and faced my opponent.
Bretton and I circled each other with our weapons in front of us, until he spun slinging sand at my face. However, I was prepared for his move and dropped to a crouch when he charged and kicked his feet out from under him. I leapt out of the way as his wooden sword arced in the air when he landed with his nose in the sand. A feral growl made it past his curled lips, and he jumped to his feet, puffing his chest out with each breath. This was exactly what I wanted. When emotions get in the way, mistakes are made.
“Why do you look so terrified Ryn?” Bretton brushed the sand from his chest. “Afraid, I’ll hurt her attractive face or mar her perfect flesh?”
“My fear isn’t for her.” Ryn watched us closely. “The score still sits at zero.”
“I bet on the Princess.” Dannick dropped a handful of coins to a pile I hadn’t noticed in the sand near the guards. The other guards scoffed and Dannick and Ryn only shook their heads.
Bretton started circling me again and I watched for an opening. All it would take was one and I’d end this. He jumped in the air with his sword over his head, bellowing a battle cry. I quickly spun behind him, but his sword connected with my lower back and I staggered with a hiss.
“One point for Bretton.” A growing pile of coins rattled as more were added, but Bretton didn’t give me a chance to catch my breath and charged me yet again; screaming so loud I’m sure the entire castle heard him. This time his sword connected with my shoulder and I heard raucous laughter when Ryn declared Bretton’s second point. I couldn’t let him hit me again.
Gripping the wooden hilt, I spun slashing at where I knew my opponent would be and landed a combo hit to his chest and gut.
“Two points for Kitra.” Ryn called as the others quieted. Bretton bent at the waist, a whistle of air shooting from his lips. This gave me enough time to right myself before he recovered and charged me again. Bretton was using his size to wear me down.
Our swords met, sending shockwaves up my arm, but I kept my grip on the hilt. We parried back and forth, dancing over the sand never giving the other any breathing room. Bretton had more upper body strength than me and if I let him keep hacking at my defenses, he’d win. I had to find an opening. No sooner than the thought flitted over my mind, Bretton gave me exactly what I was hoping for.
Leaving his left side undefended, I used the opportunity to dig my sword into the soft tissue below his ribs. His body folded in on itself, but he was still trying to lift his sword.
“Third point for Kitra.” The silence in the arena was deafening. None of them besides Ryn and Dannick saw this coming.
I batted Bretton’s sword away with a crack on his wrist and swept an arc at his ankles, knocking him off his feet. I tapped the tip of my sword to his throat while I kicked his weapon away.
“And that’s five points for Kitra, making her the winner.” Bretton breaths heaved and sweat poured from his brow.
“Don’t always judge a book by its cover, Bretton.” I turned to witness the gaping mouths of the other guards. Ryn and Dannick stood with big grins. “We’re supposed to be on the same side, remember? Let this be a lesson, never underestimate your opponent. Hopefully, now I’ve gained your respect as a fighter and a woman.” With my parting words, I strolled back over to Ryn and the others.
“Any more takers?” Dannick picked up his winnings as the others shook their heads and ran to help their comrade bandage his wounded pride.
“Anytime you want to train, let me know.” Dannick bowed deeply. “I know I could learn a few things from you too.”
“Thanks, Dannick.” I said to his back while he exited through the same door which he’d earlier entered the arena.
“You stick up for yourself, that makes me proud.” Ryn pulled me into a hug. “Even if each time his blade came close to making contact, I lost ten years off my life.” I smiled against his chest and squeezed him tightly. “You ready for some food?”
“Yes.” His lips pressed to my forehead.
“I know the perfect place.” He took my hand and led me from the arena as my ensemble morphed back to the dress Hattie fashioned for me.
Chapter 5
R YN LED ME THROUGH the entrance of the castle and across a bridge to a side door nestled next to a massive silver gate. It was covered in faceted jewels just like the outer stonework of the castle. Two guards with spears saluted Ryn and opened a white door I hadn’t noticed before, standing between them. When we left the palace grounds, we entered a bustling street lined with carts, each offered different wares. One cart was covered in silk and other elaborate fabrics while another offered a strange looking purple fruit with white, daisy like designs on its flesh. The chattering sounds of trades being made and the laughter of children at play saturated the air. One cart owner, who was selling a multitude of strange gems and jewelry, called to us but Ryn strolled right past them as if on a mission.
A mixture of odors enticed my senses and my wolf was jumping for joy at the possibility of trying new food. Because of her excitement, I did a drool check. The aromas of food were mixed with strange floral smells. It was all so overwhelming my senses wrestled to determine where they originated from. Although somewhere in the back of my brain they seemed familiar.
A voluptuous woman with forest green hair and matching eyes squealed when she locked onto Ryn’s muscular frame. Her face was made for magazine covers and she was all curves. She wore a brown dress which was so tight it appeared to be painted on. It reminded me of Hattie’s tree-like skin. Even the heels she wore resembled bark.
“Ryn!” Her voice dripped as sweet as honey and she glued all her curves to him; arms gripping him as if they were tentacles. “I’ve missed you!” He turned his head just as her lips landed on his cheek. I knew his past was marked by a revolving door of women, but at that moment all I saw was red. Before I could reach nuclear proportions, he untangled himself from the she-devil.
“Morgana.” His face pinched and he held her wrists together out of reach of his chest. “I want you to meet someone.” His gaze left hers and met mine, the apology spoken in the black depths of his pupils. “My soulmate, Kitra.”
Morgana cast a fleeting glance in my direction and her face morphed into a demonic mask. “You’re kidding, right?” Jealousy came off her in waves of acrid musk. “This child? If you were ready for someone else to warm your bed, all you had to do was say so, not pretend to be bound to a child.”
Her admission punched me in the gut and the white-hot anger soured to curdled milk. I had been warned about Ryn, but I told myself I’d look past his womanizing ways and give him a chance, just like the one I was determined to give Caden after the debacle with Layla.
“I’m not pretending, Morgana.” He dropped her hands and stepped back next to me, wrapping an arm around my waist and puffing out his chest. “I found my other half. We share mate marks.” His gaze met mine and I knew he wasn’t thinking of the goddess standing in front of us; only me.
She bent at the waist in hysterics, not able to catch her breath. “This is priceless.” She got out between gasps. “Not only is she a child, but upper class also.” She motioned to my attire of fabric in much better shape than her own. “I don’t believe any of this. You and me; I’m not giving that up.” Her heated glance swung to me. “He’ll be crawling back to me before too long. He always does.”
I clamped my mouth shut instead of saying what I truly wanted to say as she sashayed back into the building she came from. Steam was probably coming from my ears when I moved out of his
reach and turned to him.
“I’m sorry, Kitra.” His head fell and he refused to meet my eyes. “When I came to protect you at the Queen’s command, I was seeing Morgana.” I paced back and forth in front of him. “I didn’t think I’d meet my soulmate in your world.”
“So, she thought you were still together.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement.
“I should have sent her word, but with all that has transpired.” He paused my pacing by throwing his hands up to stop me. “My main thoughts have been about your protection and winning your heart. Morgana and my life before meeting you didn’t cross my mind. Please forgive me.”
“Will anyone else be flinging themselves at you?” I stared at my feet, waiting for his answer. I wanted to push the incident to the back of my mind, but caution flags were soaring, and my wolf growled her disapproval.
“No, Kitra.” He reached for me but withdrew at the last second. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”
I raised my eyes and saw his shoulders curling over his chest, broken with what I’d witnessed. “I knew what I was getting into when I told you I’d give you a chance. I just didn’t know how difficult it would be to not behave like the jealous girlfriend and now I know how it feels for you and Caden.”
If I wanted to see where this was going, I had to get beyond his past, but my mind was a muddled mess when it came to the two of them. I didn’t know how to react or behave around either of them. One minute my heart cried out for both and the next my mind threw up a stop sign. How was I going to make the right choice without leaving one of them broken and without losing a part of my heart? I reached out and cradled his cheek and he turned his face to kiss my palm, but I pulled back. “Breakfast, remember?”
“Right, breakfast.” His forehead dropped to mine. “I won’t let you down again. I promise.” I hoped he was right, but I knew deep down in the depths of my soul that this wasn’t over. I could only hope to survive it when it came back full circle.
He grabbed my hand and we walked past gray brick buildings for several minutes in silence. Once we turned right on the corner, the buildings exploded in an array of bright colors and we stopped in front of a teal building which sported canary shutters. Several wooden tables for two were scattered in a garden courtyard bursting with flora. A hand carved sign hung above the lemon door which read Zapper’s and Ryn laughed at my scrunched face.
“Zapper’s?” One brow arched up my forehead. Where had the owner come up with a name like that?
“Zapper’s is my favorite venue in all of Faerie.” Childlike excitement beamed from the smile on his face and I couldn’t wait to go inside. “It’s a fairy bistro with great food, but it specializes in coffee and desserts.”
“You had me at coffee and desserts.” I threw my head back and laughed when he dragged me to the door and turned the knob.
I dug my heels into the dark wooden floor with my eyes as big as saucers. What in the world was happening?
Ryn tried to smother his chuckle at my poor attempt not to catch fairy insects with my gaping mouth. My eyes tried to find one thing to rest on. The inside was painted in the same teal color and murals of the seaside spread throughout. Ryn guided me to one of many actual sunflowers and pulled out one of the yellow petals for my chair. The ceiling pulsed in a fluorescent blue glow like it was taking deep breaths. The crazy décor wasn’t what held me captivated.
Wooden brooms swept the floor while dishes were dipping in a sink filled with bubbles over and over until they were clean. Then fleshy green leaves wiped them dry and sent them to their proper resting places all on their own accord. I fell onto my petal and Ryn pushed it closer to the sunflower table as a floating notepad and pen stopped beside us. It was like a scene out of a movie. Ryn picked up a menu from the disk of the sunflower, perusing what was offered.
“I’ll take an iced mocha with a zap of self-assurance and confidence boosting French toast. What about you, Sparkles?” The pen scribbled his order while he pretended this was an everyday occurrence for me and kept his face neutral.
“Seriously?” Each syllable hit a new octave, trying to outdo the others in their shrillness. The serious glance never left Ryn’s face.
“After the morning I’ve had with Morgana, I think I need some self-assurance and confidence, especially in front of you. I can order for you too if you want.” Still, he didn’t break in his unaffected character and I rocked in my seat. How did he not see how freaked out I was? “She’ll have an iced mocha with a zap of get it together and the Helen of Troy Appeal breakfast platter.” The pen finished scribbling and both it and its partner zoomed behind a set of swinging double doors.
“Ryn? Really?” What did I have to do to get him to understand?
“Kitra, you’re in Faerie. What did you expect? Bite-sized fairies with gossamer wings tossing magical dust?” Finally, the amusement I knew he was masking seeped into his features.
“Not the fairies with wings,” I all but growled past my clenched teeth. “What is this place?”
“It’s a bistro. I promise.” Ryn reached for my shaking fingers. “Is it so hard to believe that fae will use their gifts in everyday life?”
“I…I guess not.” My head dropped as redness colored my cheeks. Great! Now he thinks I’m stupid. “It’s just that I wasn’t prepared to see magic brooms cleaning.”
“You’re a shifter fairy hybrid, Sparkles. Anything is possible.” His pointer finger lifted my chin. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Remember, fae gifts are all different and you will witness some unusual things in this realm.”
“How do they work?” I pointed at the brooms still sweeping.
“The owner, Moonbeam, can animate nonliving objects and she’s deftly skilled with emotional influence.” The word emotions caught my attention and I remembered what he ordered for me.
“So, I need to get it together then?” I was ready to bite off his head.
“I ordered it to help calm your racing heart.” The left side of his mouth tugged upwards. “I only want to be the reason for it to gallop.” I kicked his shin when the double doors crashed open and out walked a coal dark feminine figure with stark white hair brushing her hips followed by a tray with our food and drinks.
“Ryn Ralodi, I know you don’t need any more self-confidence.” A voice tinkling like wind chimes reached our ears as our order rested on the table.
“Moonbeam, it’s good to see you.” Ryn stood and hugged the woman and motioned to me. “This is my soulmate, Kitra Noel Frost.” My taste buds were shocked with a jolt of sporadic tingles along with the sweet chocolate and bitter java of my iced mocha. Instantly, my body felt lighter and I knew I could handle any issue the world threw at me.
The woman held out a perfectly smooth hand to me and I stood, completely dwarfed by her tall stature.
“Hello. It’s nice to meet you.” I clasped her hand and she gave it a firm shake, while eyes the same color as her hair catalogued my appearance.
“The rumors are true. The long-lost hybrid princess has returned.” She curtsied cupping my hand, holding it in a death grip.
“How many know?” Ryn sat straighter and surveyed the room, watching the exits.
“Just rumors in the market. Probably because of all the extra security the Queen has around our territory. We have been waiting for her return and some feel the time is now. Don’t worry, old friend, your secret is safe with me.” She released me and stood, while I tried to shake some feeling back into my fingers without anyone seeing me do it.
“I know I can trust you, Moonbeam.” Ryn’s posture didn’t change as he scrubbed a hand over his face. “Kitra has dangerous enemies. The Council held her prisoner, but we were able to rescue her. I’d hate for them to know she’s here.” I sat back down and cut into a stack of pancakes coated in a red syrup, containing green bits of what I assumed was glitter. I wiggled in my seat with the first bite as a burst of several flavors spread over my tongue.
“I’m afraid that’s not your on
ly problem.” Ryn’s worried glance met mine before he turned back to his friend. “With the rumors has come some whispered unease. A faction doesn’t want a hybrid to wear the crown or have her shifter counterparts in Faerie.”
“Racism again?” I dropped my fork and pushed my pancakes away. Not only did I have to endure it at school from the Dire Wolf pack, now I had to face it in Faerie also? “Why can’t I be accepted for who I am?” I washed down the remnants of food with a large gulp of my mocha. It soothed my growing anxiety. I now knew how addictive Moonbeam’s establishment could become. She was able to erase fears and make you forget.
“The fae were once hunted by all other Supernaturals, especially the shifters.” Moonbeam pulled out a petal and sat with us.
“Why?” How could the rest of the Supernaturals hunt one type of being? Weren’t we all the same just with different abilities?
“Before the Great War, a few members of our realm decided the human world needed new leaders and started a trail of terror across the North American continent.” Moonbeam snapped her fingers and a cup of espresso landed in front of her. I sat back while she sipped her drink. Why didn’t I know about this?
“Those fae were hunted and killed by the Dire Wolves and they vowed to kill all fae who crossed over to their world.” Ryn picked up where Moonbeam stopped. “It wasn’t until the war that the Supernaturals called for our assistance to fight their dirty little secrets.”
“Abaddon and the Shadow Death Dealers.” A shiver raised the hairs on my arms when I recalled the black mist that robbed Chad of his life, and the horned creature I helped Lira force back into the Gate of Aramath.
“Exactly.” Ryn leaned forward and his voice dropped. “There are more dangerous creatures in Aramath’s prison.”
“Yes, but the top priority now is the fae unease. Even though the hunting stopped and the fae gained a place on the Council, hatred against the wolves is still rampant among our people.” Moonbeam blew on her drink before sipping again.
Ascension Page 5