Betrayals of Spring

by L. P. Dover

  We were going to travel back to the Winter Court, but then decided that Meliantha would need the strength of her court to bring her back; therefore, we brought her to her home in the Summer Court. King Oberon and Queen Tatiana were still in the Winter Court at that time so we sent word saying that Meliantha was home, and in dire need of help. They immediately made it back along with the rest of the Summer fae.

  Ever since I’ve been here, the Land of the Fae’s calling has been amazingly strong. It’s been hard to resist the pull, and I had been secretly hoping it would pull Meliantha out of her slumber. Lost in thought, I forgot Ashur was even in the room until he takes a seat on the other side of Melianatha’s bed. He takes her hand in his and caresses it lovingly. If I knew he didn’t have feelings for Elissa, I would be furious right now, but I know his bond with Meliantha makes him close to her in ways I wouldn’t understand.

  Ashur looks at me and shakes his head.

  “Why did she have to be so stubborn?” The sadness and guilt he feels can be felt all around him, and honestly, I feel the same way, too. If it wasn’t for me, Meliantha wouldn’t be lying here in a vegetative state. I know Ashur blames himself for not being there to help, but I don’t think there is anything he could have done. Meliantha was determined to save me no matter the consequences, and when she wakes I plan on expressing how idiotic her plan was.

  “There’s nothing you could have done,” I answer him. He shrugs his shoulders with indifference and stares back at Meliantha. I’ll never know what it feels like to have a guardian bond, but I can feel how strong it is through Ashur’s emotions.

  “I know,” he sighs. “She was so determined to get you back and I know that if I tried to stop her she would’ve tried harder to find you. So I did what any man would do that was left in Meliantha’s mercy...I let her go. It seems she did fine on her own trying to find you.”

  I smile, but I know it doesn’t reach my eyes. “Yes, she did, and when she wakes up she’ll hear an earful about it from me too.”

  I haven’t been able to think straight since this happened to Meliantha. The ache in my chest is unbearable at times and it makes my body feel like it is going to explode if I don’t get her back. She needs my help and I feel useless just sitting here waiting.

  “When is Elvena supposed to arrive?” I ask impatiently.

  “She should be arriving with Calista and Ryder any moment now,” he responds sounding hopeful.

  Almost time, my love. I will bring you back, I think to myself wishing Meliantha could hear me. We sit in silence for about half an hour when the door bursts open and in comes Elvena being quickly followed by Calista, Ryder, and... Finn. Finn blames me for Meliantha being trapped inside her body, and he’s made it known on numerous occasions. If I knew Meliantha didn’t care for the bastard I would have already killed him. Ashur has had to break us apart many times. I’ve told Finn on many occasions that I fully blame myself and that I would gladly forfeit my life to save hers if I could. I also made it apparent that he isn’t the only one suffering and that he’s not the only one that loves her. He’s stayed away from me for the remainder of the time I have spent here until now. He scowls at me and I scowl back. I seriously hope he doesn’t plan on following Meliantha to the Spring Court when it’s formed because I’ll surely have something to say about that.

  Elvena is the Prophetess and she also happens to be half brownie and half elf. She walks over to us and sits on the bed beside Meliantha. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her, but she’s a petite, curly brown haired woman with fierceness in her amber colored eyes. A frown mars her face as she looks intently down at Meliantha. We’re all afraid to hear what she has to say about Meliantha’s situation.

  Elvena is one of the most powerful beings in the world along with the prophetic Four women the dark sorcerer is trying desperately to steal magic from. He’s managed to obtain Calista’s and Meliantha’s power, and now he’ll be after the other two. One of those women happens to be my sister, Sorcha, and the other, Ariella.

  Closing her eyes, Elvena places her hands on both sides of Meliantha’s head. She then begins speaking in the Old Fae language and continues to do so while furrowing her eyebrows. I can’t stop from shaking so I stand up and begin pacing alongside the bed. My heart feels like it’s in my throat, and I can’t seem to breathe as I wait in anticipation. Please don’t let there be bad news, I pray. Elvena removes her hands and then slowly slides off the bed. I take in a shaky breath while I wait for her to begin speaking. She looks at us all and lets out a heavy sigh. “She is lost,” was her weary reply.

  I shake my head in confusion, “I don’t understand. What do you mean she’s lost?”

  She looks at me with sorrowful eyes and explains, “When she tried to heal you she gave you everything in her soul. Her determination to save you was so strong that she wore her body out until there was nothing left.” She looks at the floor and then back up to me. Tears are forming in her eyes and her lip begins to tremble. Elvena takes a deep breath before continuing, “She thinks you are dead, Kalen. She never saw you open your eyes so she…she thinks she failed to save you. Her heartbreak and devastation has made her feel lost, and now she’s stuck neither here nor there, but in another world all alone. She will wander around endlessly searching for answers until we bring her back.”

  “How can we bring her back from this? Isn’t this a different situation than what Calista’s was,” Ashur interrupts.

  Elvena wipes away her tears and replies, “Yes it is, child, but the same magic I did with Merrick and Ryder when trying to find Calista is still the same. Getting in her head is the easy part, but finding her might be harder than you think. The longer she goes searching for answers, the farther out she will be.”

  “When can we start?” I ask, impatient to get things moving. I don’t want to waste another moment. I look at Elvena and Ashur because other than Elvena she will need both Ashur and me to channel the magic through our bonds with Meliantha.

  Ashur nods his head, “I’m ready, Prophetess.”

  We all three sit on the bed and hold hands. I am not sure what to expect, but Elvena explains, “I’m going to start by speaking some magical words in the Old Fae language, and I need you to focus as hard as you can on the bond you have with Meliantha. You will then begin to feel an extreme amount of pressure building up around your body, and immediately thereafter you will be thrust into her mind. All three of us will be reunited in her mind and in the place she is lost. We will figure out the rest when we get there.” Ashur and I look at each other and nod our heads in understanding. “Close your eyes and concentrate,” Elvena instructs.

  I close my eyes and I envision the bond I have with Meliantha. It isn’t complete yet, but I can still feel the closeness I have to her soul. I grasp on to that feeling and I keep it close. I can feel the pressure building around my body and it makes me feel like I am about to explode. I begin to see nothing but a bright white light behind my eyelids, and then...I’m there.

  Elvena and Ashur are standing before me and are just as mesmerized as I am of our surroundings. Everything here is white. The grass is soft underneath my feet, but it’s white. The trees are white, the flowers are white, and even the sun shining above is giving off a white glow. The only color here is us and the clothes we are wearing. There’s no sign of Meliantha and it looks as if this place goes on for miles and miles past the horizon.

  “Our best chances are to split up,” Elvena says.

  “How will we know when someone has found her?” I ask curiously.

  Elvena smiles and says, “Whoever finds her and brings her over will automatically send the rest of us over too. That part is easy, child.” She turns around slowly and furrows her brows, “So all we need to do now is find her. I don’t know how long we have here so we best get to looking.”

  We each choose a path and begin heading in our own directions. I chose mine because the moment I got here I could feel a pull on my soul demanding me to follow. There
are trees up ahead scattered across a hill and they all look like they’re covered in snow, but then again everything here looks covered in snow. The trees are still a good distance away, but the magnetic force that’s pulling on my soul is getting stronger the closer I get. It couldn’t be her, could it?

  I pick up the pace and begin running as fast as I can. If I don’t find Meliantha in time there’s no telling how long she will stay lost before I find her. The trees are so close and I’m now at the base of the hill looking up at them. It’s only a matter of seconds before I reach them…one...two...three...I made it.

  I crest over the top of the hill, anticipation in each step, and my heart stops the moment I see the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes is standing there before me. She’s wearing a flowing white dress, but her back is turned to me and she’s staring out at the white horizon in the distance.

  “Meliantha?” I whisper.

  Her back stiffens for a few seconds, but then her shoulders begin to sag. I expected her to turn right around, but she didn’t. Why isn’t she turning around? “Why aren’t you answering me?” I ask, concerned.

  “Because you’re not really here,” she answers. “Every time I hear your voice I always search for you, but you’re never here. I’ve been searching for days to find you, and I’m starting to believe this is my punishment for killing you.” My heart aches at the sound of her voice. She is a strong woman, but her voice sounds lost and defeated right now. I can’t believe she’s been wandering in this world lost and alone, confused, and thinking she didn’t save me. Oh, Meliantha.

  “My love, you didn’t kill me,” I reply lovingly. “You saved me, and I’m alive just as you are. Will you please turn around and look at me, Meliantha. I’m here, and I have come to take you home.” I look at her standing there all alone, and it makes me want to hold her and never let go. I’m about to go to her, but I stop when she begins to turn around. She takes a deep breath and turns around slowly. I can see tears streaming down her face when she lifts her head. For the first time ever she actually looks scared, but when she looks at me...everything changes.

  She stares at me wide-eyed and makes no move to come closer. My hands begin to tremble and my heart is beating frantically with impatience as I long to touch her. I don’t want to rush her, but I have to bring her back before the magic wears out.

  “Please, Meliantha. Time will begin to run out if I don’t get you out of here,” I urge quickly.

  Her chest is rising and falling rapidly with her breaths and a huge smile slowly begins to take over her face. Her amethyst eyes bore into mine and I stare lovingly back into hers. “Is it really you,” she asks, hopeful.

  I smile back at her and nod my head, “Yes, my love, it’s me. Now let’s go home. Everyone is waiting for you to come back.” I hold out my hand for her to take, but instead she shakes her head and laughs. She begins to run towards me, laughing along the way, and so I open my arms wide to receive her. I’m ecstatically counting down the seconds until she’ll be in my arms. She slams her body into mine, and covers my lips with hers in a desperate embrace. I kiss her with all the force of my love and she returns the feelings with great fervor.

  “I love you,” I whisper desperately in her ear.

  She laughs and wipes away her tears. “And I love you,” she cries.

  I pull her in tighter and she rests her head against my chest. I breathe in the enticing smell of her body and it reminds me of what’s to come. She carries the scent of the Spring Court, and I have longed for the day she’ll truly be mine. While holding her body close, the world of white slowly begins to fade until I start feeling the pressure of being returned to my body. We are finally going home.

  I’m thrust back into my mind quickly and I immediately let go of Elvena and Ashur’s hands. They both come awake slowly, but everyone in the room is startled by my movements and stares at me wide-eyed and excited.

  “What’s happened?” Calista jumps up and shouts.

  I rush over to where Meliantha lies on her bed and I lean over her waiting for her to wake. I smile back at Calista, “She’s coming back! I found her!” I announce excitedly. Everyone shrieks with joy and surrounds Meliantha with tears streaming down their faces. I, myself can’t stop the warm tears from flowing down my cheeks. Meliantha stirs and her eyelids begin to flutter. She opens her eyes slowly and blinks a few times before turning her head to face me. I smile at her and she gives me the most radiant smile back. After years of being apart and being torn away from each other we are finally going to be together.

  Our most important journey as one will now begin.

  The world of white has faded and in return, my heart and soul has come back together with my body. Seeing Kalen alive was the best feeling I have ever felt in my life. Knowing that I didn’t fail feels like a huge boulder has been lifted off my chest. All the sadness and all the despair has melted away as if it never existed. I know my face is radiantly glowing as I smile at the one man I am destined to be with forever.

  “You found me,” I whispered.

  He brings his hand up to cup my cheek and whispers back, “Always, my love.”

  I tear my eyes away from him to look around the room at everyone celebrating and jumping around in joy. I honestly didn’t know if I was going to see them again when I was trapped in the depths of my mind. Calista is hugging Elvena and both of them are laughing and crying. Ashur and Finn have smiles on their faces, but the tension around their eyes lets me know they were worried. Ryder walks over to Kalen and pats him on the back. He nods at me and then takes his place by Calista’s side. It feels wonderful to be back in my room, but looking around I realize that this isn’t my home anymore.

  Elvena comes to the other side of the bed and leans over to kiss me on the cheek. “Welcome back, child.”

  I grab her hand to give it a squeeze and then I murmur softly, “Thank you, Elvena. I wouldn’t have made it back without your help.” She smiles at me once more before taking her leave. I guess this will be the time for everyone to make their rounds. Calista and Ryder both come forward and Calista falls over on the bed and crushes me in a hug.

  “I’ve missed you,” she wails. “You were so brave, Mel. All the things you did took great courage, and I will never in my life doubt you.” She stays in my arms for a few minutes but then lifts her head to smirk at me. “But I think I can still beat you in a target contest, even though you happen to be a master of the bow,” she taunts playfully. Calista has never missed a target and neither have I. I don’t think there will ever be a time when we beat each other, but there’s no harm in trying.

  “I’m ready when you are, sister,” I taunt back. We both laugh and she gives me one more hug before whispering in my ear. “I have a surprise for you and Kalen. When you’re ready, go to where your heart leads you and there waiting for you is a gift.” She gives me a sly smile and winks before letting me go. “Have fun little sister.”

  I can only imagine what she means about her cryptic message, but I’m beginning to have a few ideas. Once everyone leaves I plan on following my heart and bringing Kalen along with me. We have waited far too long to complete our bond. Finn takes this time to approach, and I can feel Kalen tense beside me. His hand grips mine tighter, but when I look at him questioningly he smiles and loosens his hold.

  “They had a few altercations while you were gone, Princess,” Ashur informs me telepathically. I quickly look at him and he smiles. “I kept them in line though.”

  “Thank you,” I smile back.

  Finn sits down on the opposite side of the bed away from Kalen and takes my hand in his. He gives no notice of Kalen when he speaks to me, “Did you mean what you said, Mel… or was it just words?” I know what he’s talking about and I know I meant every word. I just hate it took so long to let him know how I felt. I look up at him and smile, “Yes, with all my heart, I meant every word of it, Finn.” A tear rolls down his face and he shows no shame with letting it fall. He cups my face in his hands, l
eans down, and kisses my cheek gently. “Thank you, Meliantha. You will always have a special place in my heart,” he whispers in my ear. He pulls back and looks at me once more. “I know I’ve told you this before, but I’m really going to miss you.”

  “And I you,” I murmur with a smile.

  He bows his head to me and quickly leaves my room without looking back. Kalen is silently fuming beside me, but my reassuring gaze seems to calm him down. “I’m assuming with Finn’s last statement that he will not be joining us in the Spring Court?”

  So that’s why he looks so perturbed. I shake my head and laugh, “No, he’s not coming to the Spring Court.”

  “Good, I would hate to have to kill him,” he jokes, but with a hint of truth. I’m sure they would fight every day if Finn joined us in the Spring Court. I honestly do believe that in time he will find someone that will love and take care of him.

  “He will,” Ashur agrees silently.

  “I hope it’s soon,” I reply back.

  Ashur takes his place by my side and his face turns from friendly to serious. “Don’t you ever do what you did ever again?” he scolds. I nod my head in understanding, but it’s not enough for him. He opens his soul to show me what I’ve done to him. The anger and worry he felt comes pouring out of his body and into mine. This is what I put him through and it tears me up inside.

  “I’m sorry, Ashur. I was only trying to protect you,” I admit desperately.

  His face goes soft and he sighs, “I know, but I don’t want you to protect me. I’m here to protect you.” He closes his eyes and shakes his head. “Women,” he grunts.

  Speaking of women, my curiosity peaks with the thoughts of Elissa. I wonder what all has transpired since their first kiss. “How are you and Elissa?” I ask curiously.

  A huge smile appears on his face and he gladly announces, “She’ll be joining me in the Spring Court. We plan to complete the marriage bond soon.”