I nod my head. “So, how do I get her to show me how to use her magic? And more, how do I act indifferent to my friends acting like they don’t miss me or when I see Orrin kissing her? It brings every insecurity to life. Why would anyone want to love me, or be with me?”
Lithius, moves so that he is looking me in the eye. “Thiss iss where you need to sstart your training. You will never be able to usse the magic until you learn the value of love. Think of one of your friendss. Hold him in your mind. Think of what you love about him. Iss it hiss looks?”
I shake my head as I envision Puck, thinking about his sweet nature and his need to care for us through feeding us.
“Now, think of another friend. Iss it hiss looks that make you care for him?”
Again, I shake my head as I think of gangly Warren, with his glasses, but he tries to put me at peace.
“And your lassst friend? What makess you care for him?”
“Um, I’m not sure. He’s a bit of an ass. He’s soft on the eyes, but can be quite the jerk. One minute, he’s saying that my size doesn’t matter, then the next he’s playing kissy-face with the Briar fairy.” Bitterness laces my voice.
Lithius tssks at me. “Do you know for ssure that he wass kissssing her? Could you have misssss read the ssituation?”
“Well, it was only a few seconds, but they were on a bed, she was on top of him, his lips pressed against hers and his hands on her hips.”
“Sssoundss to me like sshe might have pusshed him.” I look at him in surprise, I hadn’t thought about that. “Yesss, dear. Thingsss are not alwayss asss they seem. Now you need to start believing in yoursself. I believe you are good at figuring thingss out. Sstart ussing that brain to find a ssolution. Now, I musst nap.”
Lithius wraps himself so that I am lounging in the water with the bare minimum of me submerged, his head resting on my stomach, as he drifts off to sleep.
I think about what he said. Ever since I was small, I have felt different, been treated different and that has shaped my world. How much of that has colored my perception and, in turn, made me push people away before they could hurt me? I don’t like the conclusions I’m coming to. Bray and Nip are my only friends and more because they nagged at me for so long that I gave in and became friends.
I glance down and, even laying flat, I can see the large melon-like breasts and ample hips that I was born with. Diets and exercise never really helped. Well, let’s be real here- I never really did those too often. They were dirty, fighting words in my book. But I do have a pretty face, and my hair is gorgeous with its curls at the ends and the dark to light coloring. Maybe there is truth in what Bray and Nip are always saying, but I’m just too close to it to be able to see.
I turn my thoughts to Orrin and how sweet he was when we went to go swimming. How earnest he seemed in liking me as I was, not wanting me to change. I remember him kissing me by the river. Then taking me over his knee, and spanking me. My bottom tingles at the memory and my core clenches. His hot and cold behavior, along with his domineering attitude confuses me, but I believe him when he says he is interested in me. Peace settles over me, and I drift off to sleep.
Chapter 24
“LITTLE FAIRY, WAKE up. You need nourissshment.” Lithius rocks back and forth, shaking me awake.
“No, I was having such a nice dream.”
He chuckles, “What were you dreaming of?”
“I was on a beach, laying in sun with the guys, their hands massaging me . . .”
“Ssso you’re feeling better about yoursself?
“Yes. I think as a child I had some bad experiences that made me start pushing people away before they could hurt me. Puck and Warren made me feel desired from the first. Orrin was a massive jerk at first, but something changed as we started this journey. Now, I know there is the possibility of a future with them.”
“Good. Now, when Loretta comess to take you to eat, whatever sshe sshowss you, act like it doessn’t matter. Make a comment about how you are glad they are happy, ssomething about their healthy appearance, that they must be pleassssed with their accommodationss and amenitiesss. If sshe ussess her magic, then assk her to sshow you how it workss. Tell her true masstery iss sseen by being able to teach it.”
We both look at the stairs as the click of shoes on stone becomes louder. “Sstay sstrong.” Lithius moves so that I’m once again submerged in the water to my chin, and I do my best to look miserable.
“How are you today, my wingless fairy?” Loretta speaks before even coming fully into view.
“Fine, Loretta. And you?” I say, remembering Lithius’ advice to play her mind games and not let her get to me.
She looks at me and turns. “Let’s go feed you.” I resist a little as she uses her magic to pull me from the water. She waves her hand over her shoulder and a whip of air swats against my wet buttocks. I jump and yelp.
“That’s a cool trick. Care to teach me?”
“I don’t think you’re ready yet,” she says, with another whip of air hitting me. As when Orrin spanked me, I feel myself getting wet. What is wrong with me that even my archnemsis, a woman at that, spanking me makes me hot and bothered?
“You’re sure you can’t teach me? They say that the true tell of mastery is teaching someone who was thought to be unteachable. But, I guess if you are unable to even try to teach me, then you must not be a master of your magic at all.” I keep my face in what I hope is an innocent expression as she whips around to face me, her face a not so flattering shade of red.
“I am a master of the magics, and I will train you if it kills you, which it very well might.” She turns and stomps up the stairs, much like a child throwing a temper tantrum. She doesn’t see my smile or little victory boogie as I’m suddenly dragged up the stairs to the dining room at an even faster pace.
She seats me at the table and snarls, “If you want to learn magic so badly, then to eat you will only use the power of air to bring the food to your mouth.”
My stomach is already groaning at the tantalizing smells and sights before me. Quiches and fish and delectable cheese chips. I can tell that Puck was enjoying himself with the varied ingredients.
“So, how does this work?” I ask her. I am determined to do this and surprise her. I keep the love I feel for myself and my men at the forefront of my thoughts. I will not let her poison me, as Ren said, through everything I endured I am pure.
“Magic is all around us in Empyrean, you just need to know how to access it.” She pulls a small black marble from her pocket and places it on the table. “This is a focus. Place your hand on it and focus deep inside you for that part of you that shimmers. Once you find the shimmers grasp them in your hand and pull them towards you. Now, this is the hard part. You need to tether them to an object in your mind, something that is easy to find. Hold them to the object until they stick.”
I do as she says, finding this to be quite easy, as I hold the feeling of love in my mind. Once I have the slippery shimmers, I pull them up and find the Armarillia Cape with the swing and tether it to them. Once I’m sure that they are all stuck tight to the stem, I open my eyes and nod.
Loretta’s eyes widen. “You can’t have done it that fast. It took me months to learn that much.”
“Why, Loretta, you must be a true master, then, to be able to teach me so quickly,” I say, tongue in cheek.
“Let’s see if you can get this next part then. Now that the shimmers are easily accessible, when you need them you just mentally reach for them, and hold onto them, and think what you want to do. While thinking, you move your hand or hands in the action.” She demonstrates by miming picking up a berry and moving it. The berry rises from the table and moves through the air and into her mouth. “Your turn.”
I again bring love to the forefront of my mind and attempt to pick up a cheese crisp, I love cheese crisps. It’s hard to think on two things at once, and nothing happens. I try again, this time thinking on love but less strongly and more on the action of picking
the cheese crisp up. It wavers in the air and moves a few inches before falling onto the table and breaking into pieces. I want to cry, I am so hungry.
“Again.”
I try again, this time with a small berry and get it almost to my mouth before it falls to the table.
“Stand and try again!” Loretta says. I obey her and feel the chair move away from me as I stand.
This time, the berry gets to my mouth but misses the mark. A whip of air hits my buttocks, and I scream in shock, my hands going to rub my bottom. Two small gales of wind pull my hands away and hold them down on the table as three more whips of air hit my bottom.
“Now, let’s try again. Let’s see if this is the proper motivation for you.”
I can feel my control slipping, my peace and love retreating and being overtaken by hate for Loretta as well as lust? Unsure what to do, I take a minute and breathe, in and out, in and out. I think of Puck and his sweet nature, of Warren and his love of astronomy, of Orrin and his declaration of love for my body, and my realization that I’m perfect as I am. I stand up and take a deep breath. I mentally grasp the shimmers and then air grasp a strawberry and bring it to my mouth. It floats perfectly through the air and lands on my lips, holding steady as I bite into it. I chew and swallow, then take the last bite, licking the juice off my lips. I give Loretta a sweet smile and continue with my breakfast.
Chapter 25
Warren
ANOTHER DAY HAS COME, and I’m no closer to finding a solution to Lin’s flying issue. I have a drawing, but the parts don’t make sense to me as they come from the human world, and I’m not sure how to make them here.
Maybe I should be honest with myself. I am using this as a distraction, a way to not face the fact that I’m a prisoner of someone I have never seen. I don’t know if my friends are safe or even alive. I don’t want to face myself, but that’s what I must do as I pass this space. Not even the beautiful stargazer can distract me anymore.
A knock on the door has me jolting. Why would they knock on the door that they have locked. Why not just walk right in? I get up and walk to the door, as a more impatient knock sounds. With trepidation, I open the door and feel my jaw drop at the gorgeous woman before me.
She has the classic fairy figure, and her dark hair cascades down her back. Her porcelain skin and pink lips add to her beauty. I can just see black tattered wings behind her. At her feet, is a large basket with a variety of dishes in it. I stand there staring at her until she clears her throat.
“I’m sorry. Please come in.”
“Thank you. How do you find your accommodations? Is there anything you need?” She lifts the heavy basket and drags it into the room. I rush to take it from her.
“No, no nothing. It’s perfect. Well, besides the being locked in part.”
“Well, that is just a formality. Once you’re ready to join us, then you will have free rein.”
“Join you? Who are you, and why would I want to join you?”
She takes my arm and leads me towards the table. “Let’s eat while we talk. I brought a nice wine with me, just for you.” She smiles up at me, and I feel my whole body go hot. NO, think of Aislin!
We sit down at the table, and she sets the food out, more food then I will be able to eat in a sitting. She opens the wine and pours me a glass.
“I am Loretta. And, as I imagine you know, I am the reason the talents are going missing.” She looks at me as if waiting for my response, but I just keep eating. Flustered, she continues. “As the talentless fairies mature, Ren will send them out to find me and get their talents back. But the only way to get their talent back is to find magic. The magic that I can teach them.” She smiles at me, but it has no warmth in it.
“So, if I want my talent, then I have to accept the magic that you will teach me?” She nods her head. “And what do I have to do for this magic?”
“Nothing much, just follow my orders. Help me to conquer and rule Empyrean.”
I nod my head thinking about what she is suggesting. “What will happen to Empyrean once there are no fairies with talents? Who will help control the storms and the water levels? Who will plant the harvest or harvest the seeds? Who will help the animals hibernate or wake for the spring thaw?”
She flicks her wrist at me. “Look at the Human Realm. They do not have fairies that do any of that, but they seem to do just fine.”
“I’m not so sure I agree with you there, but I do want my talent.” I pause, thinking through what she has said. “But what about my friends? Will they get their talents? Will they be safe?”
“They are safe, and if they have their talents, that will be up to them. Now what do you say?”
“Loretta, I’m honored, I really am. But this is a big decision. Can I have some time to think about it? I don’t want to make the wrong choice.”
She frowns, and I can see her anger building, but then the small anger lines disappear, and she smiles. “Of course, my dear. This is a big decision.”
I smile my thanks and rise, signaling that our meal and time together is up.
She smiles over her shoulder as she steps out the door, “And as one of the first in my army you will be given an officer position.”
Chapter 26
Puck
THIS TIME THE KNOCK at the door doesn’t surprise me. I wake up to all the food I had prepared the day before gone and another supply of ingredients available. I figured out that Lori was using the food I made to feed my friends, though I had no clue who the odd meat was for. I shuffle to the door and open it then shuffle back to the couch and plop down. I don’t even bother saying hello to Lori. I haven’t showered, haven’t dressed, haven’t even made a cup of coffee. Nothing matters without my friends, knowing that they are safe.
“What is wrong with you?” Lori asks, she comes up behind me and rubs my shoulders. “You’re not cooking, no coffee.” She leans in and sniffs, “Pheew, boy, you need a shower.”
“Doesn’t matter. Nothing matters. I’m stuck here. I don’t know if my friends are safe, don’t know what the point of me being here is, or what the point of my life is.”
“Oh, sweetie. Let me take care of you. I have everything you need.” She takes my hand and leads me into the bathroom. Once there, she turns the water on and starts removing my clothes. I let her, too tired to care. Once I’m undressed, she pushes me into the shower. I hiss as the hot water hits my skin, but then I just stand there. I feel broken.
Suddenly, cool naked, female flesh is pressed against my back. “My poor boy. You are so lost, so alone. Let me give you purpose, give you life.” She wraps her body around me, her breasts pressed against my side, her thigh rubbing against my dick, the combination causing my body to react before my brain could comprehend what was going on.
Lori soaps my body, running her hands over every part of me, paying special attention to my ass and dick. By the time she’s finished, I am trembling in need. “Oh, my boy, you are all hot and bothered now. Let momma help you.”
She goes down on her knees and takes my dick in her hands and looks up at me through her lashes. Just as she places her mouth on the tip of my already engorged penis, I wake up and look around me. I wake up from the stupor I have been in. I push her hands and mouth away from me.
“No, Lori. No.” I step past her to grab a towel and wrap it around my waist and grab another towel to cover her nakedness. “You’re a beautiful woman that any man would be honored to be with. But that man is not me. My heart is claimed by another, and I will not dishonor her.”
I turn away and go to find some clothes to put on, but stop at the door. “Lori, I know who you are and what you offer. I’m not interested. I have found my own worth and my own enjoyment. I don’t need a talent and will be happy as I am.”
I don’t look back, but the keening is ear shattering.
Chapter 27
Orrin
I AM BORED IN THIS room. She has left me nothing to do here, obviously hoping that I will fall in love with her a
nd become her play toy and agree to be her general. I won’t do it. I refuse to betray Lin, but more, I don’t believe in the world she wants to institute. With her as queen, no one and no freedom would be safe.
Plus, she didn’t do enough research about me. Her tactics are all wrong. First, she did the whole ‘praying mantis, I’m going to devour you’ thing. Now she’s perfecting the ‘I’m your captor, so you’re at my whim’, such as forcing me to allow her to feed me yesterday. But if she really wanted to spark my interest, she would bend over the bed and ask to be spanked. I might be aroused to see her pale white skin turn blush pink and then fiery red under my hand. But I’m not sure if even that would sway me. My mind hand craves soft, pillowy flesh that will jiggle when slapped.
I stand at the window and don’t acknowledge when she enters the room. She comes up behind me and rests her chin on my back, like long-time lovers do. I shrug her off and turn away from her, wandering to the basket she brought. Puck made some delicious foods again, by now I have figured that it’s him cooking. I spy a mushroom chive quiche in the bottom of the basket and grab it. Almost moaning as the flavors pop on my tongue. I love mushrooms.
“That’s not how we eat.” Loretta pouts at me and tries to take the quiche from me. “I’m supposed to feed you.”
I slap her hand away.”Forget it, Loretta. I am done with your games. I won’t be your little toy. The general that you parade out for all to see, yet you pull the strings behind the scene. I won’t betray my love, won’t betray my heart, won’t betray my people.”
“My whole life I was raised believing that when I came of age I would go through the dust ceremony and enter my family. From that moment on, everything would be perfect. That isn’t how life turned out. I may not have a talent. But I have a family, and that is what is important. Family protects each other. Now get out of my way.” For the first time in my life, I treat a woman harshly with no care for their feelings, and push Loretta to the ground. I stomp out of the tower room and down the stairs, a keening cry following me.
Finding Her Wings Page 9