“I’m returning to General Weis,” Trune grumbled, already headed to the door.
“Let him know I had to stay, will you?” The man didn’t respond and, even if he had, I doubted he would pass the message on.
Sighing, I leaned close to Ariela to tell her, “I’ll be back later.” She nodded and helped Maeleigh reposition her hands as I jogged out, catching up with Trune.
Chapter Two
Maeleigh
Whoa. The ground seemed to wobble under my feet as I sat down on the stone bench in the garden. Vaguely, I saw Ariela’s hand wave for my attention. Looking up, she signed. “Are you alright? It takes a lot of effort at first, doing magic.”
I smiled weakly. Despite her face swimming a little, the endorphins from using magic still hummed excitedly all over inside me. “I’ll be okay. I just need a snack and a nap.”
Wondering how long it was until dinner, I suspected I probably missed lunch judging by the fading light around us. Pressing a hand to my rumbling stomach, I lifted my water to my lips, willing my hand not to shake so much.
Head tilted back as I slowly sipped, I was slow to pick up on another’s entry until they stood over me.
Great. Just what I needed.
“You alright, princess?” Lugh asked me in sign.
One handed, I told him I was “fine.”
The usual irritating scowl was gone, replaced with something else that didn’t really sit well with me, concern.
“You don’t fool me,” he said with deft fingers. How the hell did he do everything so gracefully?
I rolled my eyes at him. I didn’t even want to get into it with him.
“Come on,” he waved, moving closer like he would help me up from my seat. I batted at his hands.
“I’m fine,” I said aloud.
“Then get a move on, Ariela has to finish her work here and doesn’t need you in her way.” I could see the quick look he sent her way, but I already knew full well that Ariela had already finished all her work before I’d arrived earlier.
Still, I stood up. I needed to get some food. Maybe some juice would help stop the ground from wobbling beneath my feet too. The sight made my stomach turn, so I concentrated my gaze straight ahead. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Ariela,” I said, turning to the door, leaving Lugh behind me.
I could feel him following me though. Ugh. I just hoped Gearden didn’t come looking for me. The last thing I needed right then was to have them get into it while I could barely walk straight. Huge effort went into keeping my steps careful so as not to fall on my face.
Halfway down the long hallway that would take me to the left wing of Seelie Hill where the residences, kitchen and meal hall was, I nearly jumped out of my skin when he slipped a hand around my waist. I moved to dart away but only ended up tripping over my own feet, just what I was trying so hard not to do.
“Get off of—” I started to say but my body stopped functioning properly. My legs felt like Jello. I looked down to make sure they were actually still attached. Seeing that the appendages were, in fact, still there, I looked up at Lugh, my mouth feeling numb.
Crap. Was I going to pass out? Was that what was happening just then?
The moment the thought finished; black spots started to float in my vision.
“Crap,” I said. Vaguely, I felt Lugh scooping me up. Just before I lost consciousness, I told him, “Don’t let this go to your head, faerie.” The world went dark after that.
Lugh
By Danu, she’d exhausted herself completely. What was Ariela thinking, letting her drain her energy like that? Magic was so consuming when first learning. I hardly remembered my own time, millennia ago, but I knew the young faeries were taught how to pinpoint the warning signs. It was nothing to be ashamed of. Magic could kill you if you drained the natural well inside you. Empty its stores, it would take from your body. If Ariela hadn’t called it a day, Maeleigh could very well have done much more damage to herself.
Hefting her higher against my chest, I made my way to the meal hall at a clipped pace. She needed food right away. I just hoped she woke up once we got to the kitchen.
A few hurried moments later and I turned down the small hall to the entrance of the kitchen. Entering, I bypassed the concerned workers there. It was bustling with activity, people moving all about - some at the stoves, some readying large platters of food, and others moving said platters out to the meal hall where I was sure people were already filing in.
Taking her to the counter in the corner where a loaf of bread sat with a hunk of cheese, I sat her on the edge and held her there as I cut the cheese with one hand and ripped off a piece of bread.
I tossed her arms over my shoulders to keep her up and gently tapped her cheek. Nothing. Damn it. I blew on her face, but that didn’t work either. Seeing no other way, I placed my hand over her forehead and shot a small jolt of electricity into her. It wouldn’t harm her, just shock her a little.
It did the trick though, as her eyes snapped open, and her body seemed to jump on the counter. With my free hand wrapped around her waist, I held the food to her lips.
“Eat, Maeleigh,” I told her, but she couldn’t see, her eyes weren’t focused. In fact, they were rolling in the back of her head. Afraid she’d pass out again, I shook her. “Ah, ah. Stay awake, princess,” I said, wishing she could hear me.
Thankfully, she blinked, struggling to keep her eyes open and opened her mouth for the bread I pressed to her lips, cheese crumbling as she did. I could tell she didn’t chew much, but she swallowed it just as well, thank Danu.
“More,” I told her, all but shoving the food down her throat. Spotting a young kitchen helper enter my peripheral, I jerked my chin at him. “You, get me some juice.”
Right away, he did as I bid, pouring juice into a glass and handing it to me. Glass in hand, I waved him away, which he seemed more than happy to do.
Not bothering to tell her what it was, I pressed the rim to her lips, tilting it up for her to sip. I could feel her muscles regaining some of their strength. Tentatively, I eased back enough to give her space. Relief flooded me when she reached up to hold the glass herself. I helped her wrap her fingers around it, still keeping a grip on it myself, unconvinced she was in full control of her body again just yet.
A snarling wolf rammed me to the ground just then, and it was all I could do to keep his snapping jaws from tearing into my neck. I had no doubt he would either. His mate was ill and finding me so close would have been more than enough to set him off to full wolf mode.
Handfuls of fur were in my fists at either side of his neck as he snapped his razor-sharp teeth an inch from my face.
“Calm down, big guy,” I grumbled, wrestling to keep him from rolling me to the side, afraid I’d lose purchase and become his next meal.
He just snarled at me in response.
“Stop,” came weakly from Maeleigh.
But Gearden was too far gone. Taking advantage of my distraction of her moving off the counter, he placed a paw on my chest, pushing back, my fists loosening. Quickly, though, I rolled out from under him before he could make his next move. He may have snuck up on me but I was still faster.
“You don’t want to do this, wolf,” I said to him, holding a hand in front of me in an effort to calm him. Though, I could see that this was something he’d been wanting to do for a long time. Not just Gearden, but his wolf.
“Stop,” Maeleigh said a little clearer. Gearden heard her that time, I could tell from the twitch of his ear, but he didn’t turn to look at her, ignoring her.
Damned wolf wanted a fight, I thought. Then I’d give him one.
Muscles tensing, I sped for him, kicking him in the chest, sending him back to tumble into the wall behind him. I had to give him credit though when he quickly got back to his feet and charged at me again. As he moved to jump, I slid to the side. Somehow, he’d anticipated me and feigned, teeth clamping down on my shoulder like a vise, and sinking into muscle and tendon. I groaned at the fire
hot pain that lanced down my arm but I didn’t keep me from grabbing his snout as I shook him off, brushing him down to the stone floor again. Lifting my fist high to backhand him, suddenly my body went stiff, frozen.
What the Dagna?
Unable to twist around, I looked over with just my eyes to see Maeleigh in the corner, hand lifted, sweat running down her face as she panted. Damn it. She’d kill herself.
“Stop,” she rasped, falling back into the wall behind her, her legs too weak to hold her any longer.
Exhausted, her arm dropped and she slumped down, sliding to the floor. Gearden, who was caught in her magic as well, shifted back to human the second she passed out. As one, we both leaped for her, Gearden, naked as the day he was born. Inwardly, I had time to roll my eyes.
“What’s wrong with her?” he asked, panicked.
Hand trembling, he reached out to brush her hair away from her drenched face. “She’s cold,” he observed.
“She’s exhausted herself,” I told him. “I’d hoped some food would help but she went and used magic again, stupid girl,” I ignored his growl and started to scoop her up, but stopped when he shoved my shoulder – the good one – and took her up into his own arms as he got to his feet.
“Where am I taking her?” he asked, his eyes green steel.
“To the healer,” I told him, turning to show him the way.
We both jogged, despite his burden, to the healer’s niche between my quarters and the great hall.
“Leila,” I called, waving the lycan inside, pointing to the stone table in the center of the room for him to set Maeleigh down on.
“My king?” Leila said, coming out from behind a curtain at the back where she stored her potions, tools and housed two small beds for patients.
“Help her,” Gearden grumbled, though I could hear the uncertainty behind the gruffness.
When she looked up at me for direction, I nodded. Rolling up her sleeves, she stepped over to peer down at the still unconscious Maeleigh. Hand on her chest, she checked her breathing, then pressed it on her forehead, noting the sweat and body temperature, I’m sure.
“Magic sickness?” she asked, looking up at me, confused.
“She was training with Ariela in the garden,” I explained.
“Goddess,” she gasped. Ariela was hardly a slave driver when it came to teaching magic, but greenery magic was the hardest kind to master and took the most energy to wield.
“Magic sickness?” Gearden echoed, stepping back to give the smaller woman room to work. The space was small, forcing us to stand nearly shoulder to shoulder near the door, staying out of the way.
“Maeleigh used too much magic, exhausting herself,” I explained. “The magic ate away from her own life force when she ran out.”
I heard him curse but kept my focus on the healer.
Leila bustled about the shelves surrounding the room, plucking a leaf here and a dash of some powder there, then adding them to a small mortar before picking up a pestle to grind them.
Adding water to the concoction, she glanced back at me. “Hold her head up for me,” she ordered.
Instantly, I moved to the other side of Maeleigh and gently lifted her head up, keeping it from lolling to the side as Leila slowly poured the potion into her parted lips.
Done, she stepped back, turning to set the bowl on a tiny work bench.
“How long before we know it worked?” Gearden asked, coming to take stand over Maeleigh as I laid her back down.
Leila scoffed. “Your wolf friend doubts my abilities, my king.”
I didn’t beat around the bush when I told her, “Not a friend, but yes, I believe he does.” Looking up at him, uncomfortable with how close he was, I said, “Leila is the best healer we’ve had in centuries.”
His eyes didn’t lose any of the worry in them. “But Maeleigh isn’t just faerie.”
I felt Leila still behind me, no doubt sharing the same thought I had, that the Lycan was right, Maeleigh wasn’t just faerie. She was also Lycan. And being hybrid could make healing trickier.
Silent, I didn’t respond, unwilling to even consider the possibility that Leila’s potion may not work. Luckily, I didn’t have to wonder long. The next moment, Maeleigh began to stir.
Gearden’s relieved exhale echoed mine.
Gaze concentrated, he looked down at her intently. I could only guess that he was speaking to her telepathically. I tried to push down the feeling of envy that he could speak with her so intimately at will. She’d erected a natural defense to my mind. I wasn’t even sure she recognized she was doing it. Still, her mind rejected mine.
“Ugh, running. Don’t make me run right now,” she murmured to me, lips pulling up in a weak smile. Gearden chuckled, probably knowing where she got running from.
“Thank Danu,” I said, moving to hover over her. In the same second, Gearden placed a hand on my chest and firmly pushed me back. Right, so he was still upset, I thought.
“Watch it, wolf,” I growled, flashing my teeth at him.
“Don’t start,” Maeleigh said out loud, giving a weak attempt at lifting her head from the table.
Rushing over, Leila placed a hand on her forehead to gently ease her back down. “Now, now, none of that. Give yourself a few more minutes for the potion to take effect.”
Confused, Maeleigh looked up at the healer. “She can’t hear you,” I explained.
Surprised, she moved to stand where Maeleigh could see her better. “Lay still,” she ordered and her patient nodded.
“Keep her here for another ten minutes, then go get her some food. Tell Ariela, no magic lessons tomorrow. I need to go check on a patient.” At that, she breezed out.
“Step back if you like your arm attached to your body, faerie,” Gearden growled at me and I saw that his wolf was back at the forefront. The concerned mate was replaced by the overprotective, possessive wolf side of the male in front of me.
With Maeleigh still half asleep, I decided to step back, though I felt something tether me to the woman on the table in front of me. A cord that tightened around my heart. I pressed a fist at the spot that ached suddenly, rubbing at it as if I could rub it away. But I knew better. I recognized what that tether was and it scared the shit out of me.
Without a word, I turned on my heel and high tailed it out of there, in search of the nearest barrel of goi, the Tuatha De’s equivalent of Ambrosia. Contrary to the myth, it didn’t give us magical powers. Magic itself, it was the only thing that we could get drunk on. What our anesthetic was based on, though we rarely needed it with magic around.
Pushing into my apartment, I nearly raced for the small desk on the other side of my bed. Pulling the top off the glass decanter there and taking a hearty swig straight from the container, I barely registered the clatter the lid made as rolled to the floor.
A little went a long way, but I needed to escape fast.
It didn’t take long. Within a few moments, I could feel the numbing start in my muscles and my mind trail off to other things. I heaved out a sigh and moved around to sit in my desk chair, cradling the glass to my chest.
Chapter Three
Maeleigh
Holy crap, what the hell had happened?
After resting like the healer had directed, Gearden led me to the meal hall. Thank goodness, it was mostly on my own steam, too. No one had to carry anybody.
Settling on a bench seat, he left me to retrieve plates for both of us.
Someone sat down beside me on the bench, making me jump. Whatever was in the healer’s potion she gave me had me on edge now. Maybe it was some sort of adrenaline enhancer.
Seeing it was just Ariela, I tried to slow my racing heart, smiling at her.
“Are you alright? I heard from Leila what happened,” she signed, concerned eyes flicking over my face, looking for any hints of a lie if I told one.
“I’m alright. Lugh and Gearden got me to her in time. I think,” I signed back.
“She also said you get the day of
f tomorrow.” A wicked look crossed her face. I couldn’t remember a day, since my arrival, that I hadn’t had do some sort of lessons with the woman, so I had some reservations to her statement.
I gazed at her suspiciously. “Really? A day to myself?”
The sudden frown that crossed her face, told me my suspicions were correct. “I said no such thing. You just have the day off from magic lessons. We’ll work on your history lessons tomorrow while you rest.”
She set me up for that one, evil faerie. I figured she must be related to Lugh with how mischievous she could be at times. All good fun, but still, she was rather sly.
Speak of which… Stretching, I looked around the room, searching for Lugh’s telltale braids. He wasn’t necessarily tall compared to other faeries but he did sport the most braids with strands of blue interwoven in them. It told of his heritage and leadership. There was no crown for the king of faeries. That was reserved for their goddess, Danu.
“He’s not here,” I saw Ariela sign in my peripheral. I didn’t want to dissect how she knew who I was looking for. I turned to look over at her. “I heard he’s still in his room. A guard went to give a report and found him—” She stopped suddenly, curling her fingers into tiny fists.
“Found him what?” I pressed.
She cursed. Prankster that she was, she was terrible at keeping secrets for others, I’d found. “Drunk,” she signed.
My eyebrows flew up. “How? He only left Gearden and I twenty minutes ago.”
“Goi doesn’t pull any punches,” was all she said.
I pushed up from the table. “Tell Gearden I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?” Not answering her, I just turned and walked out, adrenaline pushing my steps to a hurried clip.
I made it to Lugh’s door in a matter of minutes and pounded on the old wood, the vibrations like thunder against the polished oak.
He didn’t answer. In case he said something on the other side, I hollered, “Lugh!”
Still nothing.
Irritated, I tested the door. The second I felt it give, finding it unlocked, I shoved through, slamming it behind me as I stomped to the desk where he sat. I’d only ever seen his room from the hallways as he was coming out of it, never from the inside. He was draped over, more than sitting in, the fancy wing backed chair at his desk.
Truce: Book 1 in the Aftermath Series Page 2