Spell Me Always

by Cherie Marks

  They must have looked like a couple of fools walking straight at a charging army. Two individuals, one the size of a large baby, heading straight for twenty or so fighters. Yet, each group kept working its way toward the other.

  When Mez was around a hundred yards from the approaching warriors, she stopped and stood still, both hands on the peppermill, ready to do her own version of damage.

  “When will you let the pepper fly?”

  “When I can see the whites of their eyes. At least, that’s what I’ve heard works.”

  “Um, and what if it doesn’t work?”

  Mez tensed as the force moved closer. “It has to work.”

  They were running quickly at Mez and Noxy, like they planned to run right over them. Despite her bravado with words, Mez was feeling anxious about waiting any longer. She nervously shook the peppermill in her hand, and despite her resolve to wait until she made sure everyone was in her blast zone, she began to twist the device, releasing a cloud of pepper into the air. She quickly sniffed in as much as she could, but an unexpected breeze kicked up at that moment, and much of the contents of the peppermill she’d managed to free into the air, floated away or fell straight to the ground.

  “Again! Get more out! They’re so close.”

  Mez twisted again, straight up into the air, this time more vigorously, and she immediately, pulled in a deep breath through her nose. A tickle began there, and she almost smiled in anticipation. She raised her hands, readying for the cold blast she hoped would burst forth at any minute.

  A pressure built in her sinuses, and she couldn’t wait for the moment of relief that would cause the chain reaction she needed to do her part in their plan of defense.

  As expected, the pressure grew to a crescendo until a sneeze erupted.

  But nothing happened.

  “What’s wrong?” Noxy shouted. The noise of the incoming invaders was growing as they were now within twenty feet. Within seconds they would be upon them.

  “I don’t know. I guess...” But Mez didn’t finish her thought. Instead, a series of sneezes came in quick succession and several ice blasts expanded out in front of her in spurts of snowy streams of ice.

  Everyone in front of her came to a sudden halt, frozen into place. It was like a field of badly carved ice sculptures.

  Noxy and Mez heaved a weighty sigh of relief.

  “Why’d you cut it so close?”

  “I didn’t mean to. I don’t know why it didn’t work the first time.”

  Noxy fell to the ground and lay on her back as she said, “At least it worked. You gave me a heart attack, you crazy bitch, but at least, you made it work.”

  Mez laughed a little and nodded. “Now what?”

  “Now, we go see if we can find Kresley. Hopefully, she’s having an easier time subduing her half of the army.”

  “I still can’t believe it didn’t work. Does that mean I’m getting better?”

  “I don’t know, but one thing is for certain—your disadvantage worked this time.”

  Kresley suddenly Spanned to a spot a few yards away from Mez.

  “Nice job! We took care of our crew, too, but it was all a diversion. The real attack came while we were distracted. They sent a thief in to take the stink root they came for. They have what they need to bring the High Priestess back. We’re in more trouble now than ever.”

  Chapter 10

  This time, when she appeared in his room, he was ready for her. He was lying in bed, propped against the wall, waiting for her attempt to seduce him.

  But the minute he saw her, that was all forgotten. She looked frazzled and like the last bit of hope in the world had died in her hands. He threw back the blanket and stood in an instant, crossing to stand in front of her, wanting to comfort his mate.

  “Mez, what happened?”

  She wasn’t looking at him. Instead, she stared at her hands for a few heartbeats before looking up, tears shining in her eyes. “Do you work for her? Did you call for those invaders?”

  “What? Work for who? What invaders? You’ve got to tell me what’s going on.”

  “We were attacked. And the people who attacked us were after stink root so that they could resurrect the High Priestess. Were you a part of that?”

  He stared at her blankly, trying to see her angle. Was she playing him or was she serious? Everything about her demeanor said she was upset, but what if this was just another way to get information from him?

  “I...I am not involved in any attack.” This much was a truth he could stand by. When he’d sent Esved back to meet with the general, he hadn’t expected them to return with reinforcements.

  “But are you one of her followers?”

  “Look, I know you’re upset and looking for someone to blame, but I can assure you that I am not one of her followers.” He decided not to go into detail about his actual role as a double agent. Mostly, he didn’t want to involve her any more than he already had. He knew why she mattered to him in that moment, and he felt a strong need to protect her, but she wouldn’t understand it the same way.

  Instead, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. She fit so nicely against his chest, her head falling just below his shoulder. He draped his arms around her, and when she squeezed him tightly, he squeezed her back in return.

  “But Noxy found a pin with the emblem of the High Priestess on it in your bag at the campsite.”

  He stiffened. He wondered if he’d left any other artifacts behind that might give clues to his identity. He also wondered if she wanted to know simply so that they might be able to connect. Was she a follower of the High Priestess? Hell, he hoped not.

  “Some guy who stopped to camp with me for a few days handed it off to me. I didn’t even know what it was really. I just stuffed it in my bag and forgot about it. I had no idea it was connected to the High Priestess and her followers.”

  She nodded against his chest, tickling his skin with her dark hair. The feel of her breathing against him sent prickles of sensation throughout his body. Her scent reminded him of running through a field full of flowers after a fresh rainstorm had passed. Warm and new, she felt right in his arms.

  “What’s your name?”

  It was such an odd question from someone who he held against himself, comforting her as if they’d always known each other. But she didn’t know his name. In reality, not many knew his real name. He’d told Esved and the others from the Secret Army to call him Henry. It was his grandfather’s name and seemed simple enough to remember without telling too many specific details. He knew he should use that particular code name with Mez, but for one obvious reason, he didn’t want to.

  Instead, he opened his mouth to give her the lie and said, “Lucian. My name is Lucian.”

  “Lucian. It fits. You are definitely a Lucian.”

  He chuckled, liking the way his name sounded on her lips. He wanted to hear it some more.

  “I think we should start over.”

  She pulled back a little, and he let her until their gazes could meet.

  “How so?”

  He stepped back and held out a hand as he said, “Nice to meet you. I’m Lucian Zefron.”

  A slow smile spread across her face as she said, “Glad to make your acquaintance. I’m Mesmerelda Wilder.”

  She was a Wilder witch. This was a good sign that she was not a follower of the High Priestess, assuming she was telling him the truth. In reality, she had no reason not to.

  “What brings you to this part of the kingdom?”

  “I’m looking for something I’ve lost, and I can’t do it without getting a remedy for a magical ailment first, so I’ve come to the witch everyone recommends seeing when things aren’t going your way.” The smile had slipped from her face as she summed up her situation, but she lifted one side of her mouth as she asked, “How about you? How did you end up here?”

  “Curiosity. It doesn’t only kill the cat apparently. I saw you moving about the place. I’d never seen you before, and
I wanted to know why you were here.”

  “Me? Why would anyone be curious about me?”

  “I might have seen you throw some that ice all over Kresley and her people. I needed to know the witch who could do that in the blink of an eye.”

  “Or the twitch of the nose. I sneezed. That’s how it happened. Something I almost couldn’t replicate when I needed it most. I’m a bit of a mess, really.”

  “A mess? I doubt it.”

  “No, really. That’s what they used to call me in school. Instead of Mesmerelda or Mez, they called me ‘Mess’ everywhere I went. It was demoralizing, and I used to smile to their face and cry every night.”

  “That’s...cruel. So, they never knew it hurt you?”

  She pulled completely away from him at that moment and crossed her arms over her midsection. Her eyes were unfocused, like she was back in the moment.

  “The first time it happened, I laughed it off. By the time it became a regular thing, I had asked them not to call me that, but no one would listen. It was miserable.”

  “I’m sorry people were so heartless.”

  “Well, I survived.”

  “Yeah, but you moved away from people. Maybe some would see that as an extreme reaction, but I see why you needed some distance.”

  She laughed. A beautiful sound that made the tension fade.

  “Distance. Lots and lots of distance is exactly what I needed.”

  They continued to chat, finally settling back on the floor. It wasn’t the most comfortable of places, but it was less of a reminder as to why she was originally placed in the cell with him than the bed would be. He didn’t know about her, but every time he looked at the bed, all he could think about was her beckoning him toward it with seduction on her mind. It was best to avoid those thoughts. At least, that’s what he kept telling himself.

  Mez finished a story about a bit of trouble Noxy got her into, and he saw the switching of the gears in her head as she said, “Tell me something about your childhood.”

  He felt uncomfortable talking about himself, but he didn’t feel right lying to her, so he gave her a bit of truth. “Typical family. I had a mother and father. I also had a brother. A twin, actually.”

  “Wow! That must have been fun.”

  “It was. For a while. We were happy, but I didn’t realize my father had a secret life. He was fighting for the resistance against the High Priestess.”

  “What? That’s fascinating.”

  “Yes, well, eventually, she found out, and sent her people to arrest him. He didn’t give up easily. My mother tried to run with my brother Wilhelm and me, but they caught her and Wilhelm. I got away and ran as far as I could.”

  “How old were you?”

  “Ten.”

  “What? That’s horrible. What happened to you?”

  “I lived on my own in the woods for a couple of weeks. Finally, my mother’s sister found me wandering and delirious. She nursed me back to health and raised me from that point on.”

  She seemed hesitant when she asked her next question, “And your mother and brother?”

  He shook his head sadly back and forth. “They didn’t survive. The High Priestess stuck them in a dungeon to rot.”

  “I’m so sorry. That must have been devastating.”

  “It was. For a time. But my aunt helped me find perspective. She helped me realize that nothing I did would bring them back, but that I could make a difference for the next ten-year-old like me.”

  “And have you?”

  “Have I what?”

  “Made a difference?”

  “I don’t know. I’m still working it all out.” He glanced down and slowly raised his gaze to meet hers once more, a huge grin on his face as he said, “I might do a better job at it if I could get out of here.”

  She laughed, and his abdomen tightened as she scooted a little closer to him.

  “Do you want to know a secret, Lucian?”

  “You don’t even have to ask. Just lay it on me.”

  “I don’t know how to get out of here either.”

  “Yeah, but eventually, Kresley will pull you out, and you could leave at any time.”

  She shook her head back and forth. “I don’t know what’s going on with her. She doesn’t seem to be thinking straight.” Her eyes widened, and she began to breathe a little quicker. “Did I mention that I get slightly nervous in enclosed spaces.”

  He gave up all pretense and reached out and pulled her onto his lap, holding her against his chest once more. She gave no protest.

  “Nothing to worry about. We’ll be fine here, and trust me, there’s not a single place I haven’t learned how to escape from yet. This is more of a challenge than most, but there are few things I consider myself a genius at. Escape is one of them.”

  She nodded against his chest again. He really liked the way she felt in his arms, like she belonged there.

  “Listen, I think you’ve probably had a really long day. I don’t know what all happened, but it’s probably a good idea for you to get some sleep.” She glanced up at him, her eyes so big and beautifully blue, surrounded by thick, dark lashes. “Take the bed. I’m going to continue working on a way out.” He laughed lightly. “I can’t believe I just said that to my captor.”

  One side of her mouth went up in a crooked smile he found irresistible. Without thinking, he leaned down and placed his lips on hers, feeling the soft give of a returned kiss. He pulled back and stared at her for a few heartbeats before he said, “No more seduction tonight, Miss Wilder. Let’s save some for tomorrow.”

  She nodded slowly as he urged her to her feet. He steered her toward the small bed and covered her with the blanket. Within minutes, he heard the heavy rhythm of her breathing and knew she was asleep.

  What was he going to do about her?

  Here she was, vulnerable to an attack. He could use her to make Kresley, who was most assuredly her aunt, free him, and yet, he had no desire to do that. Even the thought of hurting her made him feel sick to his stomach. What was wrong with him? Where was his killer instinct?

  It was simple. True mates didn’t hurt each other. He would never be able to use her, even to save himself.

  Tonight, when she’d shown up again, he’d thought to pull more information from her to use against her and Kresley, but the more she talked, the more interested in her he grew. It was baffling to him, and even now, he didn’t understand his need to just watch her sleep.

  His parents had been mates, and he’d seen firsthand that it was the deepest of bonds. It was difficult not to pursue all that mating entailed, especially the physical aspects.

  He shook himself and turned to stare at the wall instead. There was definitely some sort of connection between them, and he needed to find a way to work past it. Right now, his priority was escaping, and it was imperative he do it without any emotional ties that might hinder a jailbreak free and clear.

  In other words, he needed to get over his need to possess her and find a way to stop the Secret Army. That was the only way that Mez and everyone else would ever be safe again.

  Chapter 11

  Mez woke suddenly. She’d had the dream again. The world was dark and dying, but this time, as she turned toward the figure with the hands raised, eyes white as the brightest light, it hadn’t been Mez.

  This time, it was Kresley.

  She took a few calming breaths as she shook the dream from her mind. It had felt so real, and yet, she knew it had only been a dream. She was clearly in bed, in a tiny, cell-like room, and disoriented.

  As the nightmare faded, she stretched the sleep from her muscles. Mid-stretch, though, she paused at the feel of another body next to hers—practically wrapped around hers. A muscular arm was draped over her torso. The hand attached was loosely cupping the lower part of her breast, causing all sorts of wild sensations to shoot off through her midsection like fireworks in the night. Against her back, she felt the hard shell of Lucian’s body shaping them both into the same rounded
form. And last night came back to her.

  Why was she still here? Had Kresley just left her there all night?

  He shifted, his hand tightening around her feminine flesh, squeezing enough to get her heartbeat pumping and her breathing to shallow. He stretched with a groan and then froze with the same realization she’d just come to.

  He slipped his hand away and put a little space between them, but not before she felt the evidence of his arousal against her backside.

  With as light of movements as he could manage, he pulled his arm from beneath her head, but she rolled with the motion and ended on her back as he rose to lean on his elbow.

  “Sorry about that. My hands tend to wander when I’m asleep. It wasn’t intentional.”

  “Um...of course. You were out of it. I’m the one invading your bed.”

  His eyebrows dipped closely together as he asked, “Yeah, why is that? I mean, I am surprised you are still here.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  Her heartbeat still hadn’t quite recovered, and now, having him staring down at her, she found her breathing becoming even more erratic. Maybe it was the feeling of being enclosed in the tiny room that was making her so nervous, but her stomach wouldn’t stop turning somersaults.

  “Seeing as I apparently can’t rely on Kresley, did you happen to find any possible ways out?”

  “There are a few promising spots, believe it or not, but I haven’t found an actual exit yet.”

  His gaze dropped to her lips just as she parted them, and she got the strange idea that he wanted to kiss her. Instead, he laid his head down on his propped arm, and she turned over to face him. They were mere inches away from each other, and though the nerves were still there, Mez didn’t feel like she wanted to run. Not yet.

  “So, what do we do now?”

  “I know what I’d like to do.”

  “Oh...what’s that?”

  “I’d like to revisit your first stay in here.”

  She wondered if he could hear the pounding of her heart tapping out a fast staccato. “What about it?”