Leaving Eden

by Kelly A Walker et al.

  When I didn’t respond, he gave me a brief nod, then turned to follow Enzo down the hall. I waited until they’d disappeared around a corner before turning back to the bedroom door. Steeling myself, I went in.

  11

  CHARMAINE

  I was standing at the tall, heavily-curtained window when I heard the door open. Hastily, I wiped away the tears of anger and frustration that had leaked from my eyes, then turned to face Andreas. He stood just inside the door, his body stiff, and his tanned, flawless face unyielding of emotion.

  For a moment, we simply stared at one another, and I wondered what Gregory had told him after he’d left. We had discussed the curse; Gregory, again, confirming that Andreas was the third key to unlocking it. Then he’d sworn to do all he could to spirit Helena away from the dreadful circumstances I’d unwillingly put her in.

  Andreas’ face remained expressionless as he watched me now, and when he didn’t speak, I shook my head and turned to stare out the window once more.

  “Charmaine—” His gruff voice held less cruelty, less anger than it had earlier, but it was still tinged with something that sounded like hesitance.

  “You needn’t bother,” I said quietly, refusing to face him. “Kosandra gave me a task she knew I wouldn’t be able to fulfill. I’ve accepted that.”

  Footsteps, sure and quick, approached, and I tensed when I felt the heat of Andreas’ body behind me. I folded my arms tightly across my chest and pressed my lips together in an attempt to keep my thoughts from tumbling out.

  “Gregory explained everything,” he whispered. When I didn’t respond, he touched a hand to my shoulder. “Look at me.”

  Some rebellious, stubborn part of me wanted to ignore the command that laced his words, refuse to let him tell me what to do. There was no time for that, though. I needed to know now whether he was going to help me.

  Defeated, I turned to face him.

  His blue eyes ran over my face before meeting mine. “The King will not die tonight, Charmaine.”

  I wiped away the stubborn tears that had started to track down my cheeks. “Gregory said as much. I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

  “What will happen to you if the terms of your bargain with Kosandra are not met? If you don’t succeed this evening?”

  “Death or some other form of punishment is typically what is required in exchange for a broken bargain with fae,” I told him, choosing my words carefully.

  Fear flickered across his face, the first emotion I’d seen from him aside from anger all night. “Then let me help you.”

  My heart began to beat faster at his words, but I shook my head. “I don’t want your pity, Andreas. I got myself into this, so I have to face the consequences.”

  “You truly believe I would allow you to die over this?” His voice was rough with emotion. “I’ve never been more furious at someone as I have been with you these last months, but your death is not something I would ever hope for.”

  “But you would be content to share me with your brothers? You’d accept the knowledge that I would be going to their beds as often as I’d be going to yours?” I nearly laughed at how ludicrous that notion was. “It’s never been in your nature to share.”

  A muscle twitched in his jaw, and he sucked in a breath through his nose. “We can determine the logistics at another time, if that’s what you’d like, but I will not see you perish over an attempt to save yourself.” He took a step closer and raised his hand as if to touch me, then let it fall. “I can’t let you forfeit your life.”

  I blinked, surprised at the note of desperation in his voice. “You—”

  My words were cut off as his lips met mine, crashing against my mouth with such force that he had to throw out an arm to keep us from crashing against the wall. He wrapped his other arm around my waist, pulling me against him.

  I broke the kiss, pulling back to stare at him, wide-eyed, as both gratitude and anger warred within me. “You’ve been nothing but horrible to me tonight, Andreas,” I breathed. “You can’t expect—”

  He gripped my chin, holding my face still as his eyes bore into mine. “You can’t expect me simply let you die,” he growled.

  I knew deep down Andreas would never wish for my death. He was a hard man to care for at times, but his cruelty tonight had stemmed from hurt and anger, not hatred or malice. I knew that, and yet…

  “And what happens tomorrow?” I asked, letting my hand rest on his arm. “Once the curse is broken and I’m no longer tethered to Kosandra, what happens to us?”

  Gently, he brushed a thumb against my cheek. “I don’t plan to leave you, if that’s what concerns you.”

  I swallowed back my apprehension, searching for any hint of uncertainty or hesitation. Seeing none, I nodded.

  Needing no more encouragement, Andreas’ lips were back on mine, both soft and forceful as his hands gripped my waist. I felt the wall at my back as one of his hands began loosening the corset that Enzo had just so carefully retied. His tongue plunged into my mouth, dancing with my own as he shoved my dress to the floor. Kicking it aside, I ripped open his shirt, sending two buttons skipping away. Ignoring them, I shoved his shirt down his arms, then he flung it off to the side. As he began undoing the laces on his pants, I pushed him back toward the bed, breaking the kiss only long enough to allow him to step out of his trousers.

  Then, with surprisingly gentleness, he laid me down on the bed, his body pressing mine into the soft mattress.

  We lay there for a moment, skin to skin, his eyes smoldering as he brushed his fingers across my cheek.

  Frowning, I slid my fingers into his auburn hair, relishing the softness of it. “What is it?”

  He closed his eyes and touched his forehead to mine, every hint of his earlier anger finally evaporating. “I…gods above, I love you, Charmaine. I should’ve told you years ago, but—”

  I dragged his mouth to mine in a quick, fierce kiss, then kept my hand on his cheek when I spoke. “Tell me that again tomorrow, alright? When all of this is said and done, tell me again, and I will tell you the same.”

  “And my brothers?”

  “You can’t ask me to choose. If all three of you—” I closed my eyes and shook my head. “You cannot ask me to choose.”

  He brushed his lips against mine in the gentlest of kisses. “Never, Charmaine. I would never ask you to choose.”

  With those words, he began feathering kisses down my body as he slid a hand between my thighs. My back arched, and I let out a moan as his tongue brushed over my breast, licking in time to his fingers, slowly working me into a frenzy.

  When I was moments from release, he removed his hand and pressed gentle kisses along my chest and neck, leaving me panting with need. Pulling himself to his knees, he slid his hands under my thighs and slowly drew them around his waist. A soft smile tilted his lips, then wordlessly, he drove inside me, sealing his lips over mine when I cried out at the sudden fullness. Tears sprung to my eyes, and my back arched against him as wave after wave of pleasure tore through me. The pure emotional bliss of his hands, his lips, and him shattered me into a thousand pieces.

  Moments later, he roared his own release, his hands gripping the blankets beside my head as tremors shook through his body and into mine.

  The feelings of complete contentment had only just settled in when I heard a faint click and felt the absence of weight on my wrist.

  “What—” Andreas leaned back, then ran his hand down my arm and linked his fingers through mine. Lifting my arm up, he smiled. “Look at that.”

  I could only stare in shock at the empty spot on my arm where Kosandra’s golden snake had been only moments before. Two small, red punctures were the only remaining evidence that it had even been there. Andreas rolled off me, allowing me to sit up and touch the skin that had been hidden by that golden contraption the last six months. Wide-eyed, I jerked my eyes to Andreas.

  “It worked,” I whispered, my voice no more than a rasp. “It—gods, Andreas, it worked!�
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  Andreas slid a hand over my cheek, letting his fingers tangle in my hair. “You doubted me?”

  I would’ve hit him for his arrogance if it weren’t for the overwhelming sense of calm that had washed over me.

  But almost immediately, that calm evaporated. “Quick! Help me get dressed!”

  I sprung off the bed and scrambled to step back into my dress as I tossed Andreas’ clothes at him. “We have to get to the castle!”

  He leapt up and began tugging on his pants, then tossed me a handkerchief. “My brothers and Gregory are taking care of it, Charmaine, and if the Prince is correct, the people who were under the…thrall you put them under are no longer feeling its effects.”

  “But we don’t know that!” Hastily, I ran my hands through my hair, attempting to smooth out the tangles. Gods above, this night had taken a turn. Forcing my body to still, I let Andreas lace up and tighten my gown as I shoved the pins back into my hair, securing it off of my face. “We have to make sure—”

  His hands stilled at my waist. “You still want her to escape, don’t you?”

  Turning to face him, I gripped his arms. “Yes, Andreas, I do. I want her far, far away. I don’t care if I never see her again, so long as she’s safe.”

  “He’ll bring her to the fae lands, Charmaine,” he said cautiously. “The Prince will bring her to Lindoroth, and you truly may never see her again. If he turns her—”

  “If he makes her immortal, then she will have an eternity with the man she loves,” I told him softly. “Which is all I want for her.”

  Andreas motioned for me to turn around so he could finish lacing me up. “I can’t—I won’t get in the way of the King, Charmaine. If Horace finds them…”

  “He will kill them.” He finished tightening the velvet ribbons. I faced him, putting my hand on his cheek, and stared at him beseechingly. “If Horace catches them, he will kill them both. We cannot let that happen.”

  Andreas closed his eyes against what I could only assume was an internal struggle between loyalty to his king and the knowledge of what kind of husband Horace would be to Helena. Finally, he nodded. “Alright. I will do what I can.”

  I scooped up the golden snake from where it had fallen to the floor, then kissed him one more time. “Get a carriage. We don’t have time to walk.”

  12

  CHARMAINE

  The moment we arrived at the castle, Andreas slipped off to find his brothers, leaving me to make my own way in. Slowly, I began to ascend the wide marble stairs that led to the main door of the castle. I’d only just begun to concoct a plan to get Helena away from the King when Kosandra descended on me.

  “Clever, clever Charmaine,” she crooned as I took a startled step backward, nearly losing my footing on the slick stone. “You’ve managed to break my curse.”

  Tilting my chin up, I tossed the gold snake at her feet. “I have, so you can be on your way. Go do your own dirty work.”

  Not sparing the snake a glance, she gave me an indulgent smile. “The terms of our bargain are not met until you’ve completed each task I’ve assigned you.”

  Cold dread sent shivers through me as I realized what she was saying. “No—”

  “Yes,” she hissed, stepping toward me, her face mere inches away, causing me to step down once more. “Yes, Charmaine, you are still mine until your duty is fulfilled. That bauble may have slipped from your arm, but if you refuse to complete the task I’ve assigned, you will suffer greatly.”

  “Well, then let’s pray that the events I’ve already set in motion continue to play out as intended,” I said, trying to keep my voice from quavering.

  She shook her head as a self-satisfied smirk curved her red lips. “Silly girl. Your power is gone. It no longer exists, so those you have influenced are no longer affected.” She let out a small laugh. “No, in order to fulfill this task, you must complete it, not one of your puppets.”

  “No.”

  Dark brows lifted at my response and she took a step closer, lowering her voice to a whisper. It was only then that I noticed the curl of her fingers, the tips of her sharpened nails sparking with magic. “You don’t have a choice.”

  “I don’t care what you do to me, Kosandra. I won’t do it.” I held up my bare arm. “I am no longer tethered to you, so you cannot make me do it.”

  She raised her hand, moving as if to touch her fingers to the exposed skin at my throat. Hastily, I took a step back. I’d only just opened my mouth to cry out when a slender hand wrapped around her waist, and a shiny bronze dagger pressed against her throat.

  Struggling to catch my breath, I stared wide-eyed at the fae prince that had come to my rescue, his face a mask of cold fury.

  “You think you’re quite amusing, don’t you, witch?” Gregory hissed, pressing the blade more firmly against her skin and drawing several drops of blood. Power I hadn’t known he possessed pulsed off of him, immobilizing the witch where she stood. “You know as well as I that your rules are shit.”

  Her eyes widened in fear and pain as she struggled against him, and I took that opportunity to move away.

  Gregory’s eyes shot toward me, and he jerked his head toward the castle doors. “Go. Find your men. I’ll handle this cretin.”

  I cast another terrified look toward Kosandra, then glanced down at the golden snake which was slowing turning a dull gray. “Alright.” I met his gaze, then gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

  He gave me a brief nod in response, then began to drag Kosandra down the stairs and toward the waiting carriage. I had no idea what he intended to do with her, but drawing-and-quartering seemed a fair choice.

  Turning from them, I ran up the steps, narrowly avoiding slipping on the damp stone near the top. This was certainly not the time to take a tumble.

  I checked my appearance before entering the ballroom, using the ornate, gilt-framed mirror in the hall to ensure I appeared presentable. My hair was a bit mussed, so I rearranged a few pins until my curls were pinned back from my face and flowing over my shoulders. It wasn’t the elaborate updo I’d had earlier, but it would suffice. My cheeks and lips still held a flush, subtle enough that it could be mistaken for rouge. Satisfied that I didn’t look as though I’d just taken a bedroom romp with three men, I took a deep breath and entered the music-filled room.

  Almost immediately, my men flanked me.

  My men. Such a heady experience, knowing these three were meant for me, that we’d been crafted for one another. One day ago, I would have thought it impossible to love three men so fully, but it suddenly felt as natural as breathing.

  Corbin’s hand found mine, and he brushed his knuckles along my cheek. “It’s done?” he asked.

  I curled my fingers around his and smiled. “It’s done. Prince Gregory is taking care of Kosandra as we speak.” I cast a glance past Corbin toward where Helena and King Horace were standing. The fawning women were gone, and Horace was holding court with a number of noblemen, all wealthy landowners that no doubt wanted to improve their standing with the court in some way. Helena stood by his side, lips tilted in a smile that didn’t reach her eyes as she conversed with one of her handmaidens, a brunette by the name of Alesandra.

  Enzo’s hand came to rest on my waist. “Walk with me,” he murmured. He took my hand and led me back into the hall, leaving Corbin and Andreas inside, watching the crowd. He twined his fingers through mine and tugged me toward the darkened hallway we’d been in earlier, then back out to the courtyard, through the archway, and into the orchard.

  “Enzo, what is it?” I pulled my hand from his and stopped, not wanting to be so far from Helena. He cast a furtive glance back toward the castle, then took my hands once more and pulled me under the cover of a large apple tree. He leaned in close, and I braced myself for his kiss. When his lips were a hair’s breadth from mine, he began to whisper so quietly, I struggled to make out his words.

  “We’ve told Alesandra that you wish to speak to Helena privately.” On
e hand drifted to the small of my back, and he pulled me closer, sealing the kiss. He leaned back, then brushed his nose against mine. “In five minutes, Helena will excuse herself to freshen up, then meet you out here. Corbin and Andreas are locating Gregory as we speak. They’ll instruct him to go to the eastern edge of the orchards, near the small bridge just outside our estate.”

  “Andreas is… helping orchestrate her escape?” I shook my head. “No—”

  “Yes, Charmaine, he is. He may not care to admit it, but he knows as well as you and I do that you’re correct about what kind of husband Horace will be.” He brushed a gentle finger along my jaw. “But we won’t have you or your kin wrapped up in a ploy to kill him.”

  “He’ll just find another queen,” I whispered.

  “An unfortunate truth, but one we cannot escape if you want to ensure Helena’s safety.”

  I knew what he said was true, and although I hated to consider another woman in her place, Helena was my first priority.

  We waited quietly for a few more minutes. Then, through the shadows that had begun to fall, Andreas and Helena stepped through the archway from the courtyard and into the orchard.

  Helena tore down the path toward me, golden curls streaming behind her, her slippers making quiet noises in the mud. She paid no heed as the hem of her pale blue wedding gown dragged through the muck, ruining the fine material.

  “Aunt Charmaine!” Her breathless voice was a loud whisper as she approached. “What have you done?”

  I gripped her arms to steady her and met her eyes. “I am getting you out, Helena.” I cast a glance behind her, scanning the area to make sure no one had followed. Lowering my voice, I continued, “Gregory will be waiting for you at the eastern edge of the orchard, near the stone footbridge that crosses the river. Go find him and leave this place.”

  Wild eyes ran over my face as she struggled to compose herself. “He’s waiting for me?”

  I nodded. “He is. But you must go now before anyone notices your absence.”

  Her gaze darted in the direction of the bridge where Gregory would meet her. “Will he take me to Lindoroth?” She sounded both hopeful and fearful at the same time.