Chosen Darkness (Chosen Series) (11 page)

“Change your clothes. I shall be back in a few. Open the door to no one but me, Princess. Everything you need should be on hand in this chamber, and I trust you will find it to your liking. And if you wish me to join you, just ask!” He laughed at his own joke before turning to leave.

Falyn did not reply to his silly statement. She had no desire to share a bed with him. The last time she slept with someone she got a vampire and turned into a dog!

The room was nothing short of amazing, and she walked around admiring everything. She noted the four-clawed porcelain bathtub, already full of steaming water. It was odd. Lark seemed so ready for her. However, she would not pass a bath up after getting a freezing shower on the way here.

She slipped out of her wet clothes and into the warm water. Falyn planned to get to the bottom of how Lark knew she was coming, but first she would do as he had asked. Then she would determine if she should pack up and get the hell out of there at the first chance or not! For the moment, though, she was going to enjoy the heat from this bath.

She washed with the sweet rose-scented soap provided and then dried herself on the soft fluffy towel next to the bath. Falyn looked at her wet dress. She really did not want to put it on again. She sighed, and then, as if by magic, a long green gown appeared. It was like the one the woman she’d seen had been wearing. It was Grecian in style and floor length, covered in tiny gold and silver sparkles. The dark green matched the forest outside. It was lovely. She touched it, feeling how soft it was even with the dusting of sparkly thread. It felt like silk.

“Okay then,” Falyn whispered as she slipped into it.

The dress went on easily over her head, and she tied it at each side of her waist. Looking at herself in the mirror, Falyn really felt like a princess now!

Oh, how she wished Alex could see her looking like this. Of course, her hair was somewhat disarrayed but her dress was to die for. She glanced down at it again. Then, when she looked back in the mirror, her hair was dry and hanging in loose curls to her waist. It was pure magic.

She quickly realized whatever she wished for instantly happened to show up or be done.
Well then
, she thought,
I would also like matching shoes and a dagger strapped to my thigh
. She instantly felt shoes on her feet and the cold blade of the dagger on her thigh.

“Amazing!” she whispered.

A few moments later a knock sounded at her door. She opened it, knowing it would be Lark. He was now dressed in white from head to toe, making his dark hair appear even blacker, if such a thing was possible.

“Now that is a dress, Princess!” Lark smiled.

“Thank you. It popped out of thin air,” Falyn told him, watching his face.

“Yes, it happens within these walls. Magic, you know.” He winked and took her hand.

She let him hold her hand for a moment until it became clear he had no plans to let it go. She jerked it free and held it behind her back.

“A pity,” he frowned.

“I am sure you will get over it, Elf,” she snapped.

He laughed as they made their way into another room.

“Lark, I need your help,” she whispered as they left.

“Do you?” he asked with a smile on his lips.

“I need you to trust me when I say I have to get away from here. I am looking for my… friend and I would like to be gone before your father learns I’m here since you seem to think this would be bad. I need you to show me the best way to do so… peacefully,” Falyn begged.

Lark doubled over with laughter at that. Falyn rolled her eyes.

“Stop that! I’m serious!” she hissed.

“Okay, I get that, but ‘peacefully’? Really, are you planning war if my father stops you?” Lark teased.

“I would very much like to slip away without having to rip your father’s throat out, or any other elf’s throat if possible, yes,” Falyn snapped.

“Oh, I’m not sure my father needs to fear a lovely woman like you. Even if you are a Druid, ripping his throat out would seem a wee bit hard for a tiny lass like yourself,” Lark grinned.

“Listen. What I could or could not do to your father is a moot point right now. Lark, will you help me or not?” Falyn asked.

“Of course, Princess. After all, you outrank Father, even if he does not wish to acknowledge this,” Lark informed her.

“I have to ask. How did you know I would be coming?” Falyn inquired.

“Everyone here is waiting on some magical savior they call The One. Well, I just happened to get to you first. It’s a gift of mine – knowing things. My father would love to get his hands on The One and that would not go well for you!” Lark’s words grew softer.

“Why do you wish to help me?” Falyn was trying to read his face.

“I can sense you will need my aid, and as your blood outranks mine I shall offer my help willingly,” Lark told her with a shrug.

“Thank you!” Falyn said.

She wasn’t sure what he meant by that outranking business, but she was truly thankful he was willing to assist her.

“Come, we will use the exit in my chambers. It will lead us far outside the castle walls.”

“You have a secret exit in your bedroom?” Falyn asked, thinking it a bit odd.

“As you know, this place gives you what your heart most desires, and for me it happens to be easy escape from Father when I wish!” Lark grinned.

Falyn smiled back. It was odd all right, but she was glad his wish came down to wanting to escape because, at the moment, she wanted the exact same thing!

His room was dark, everything either black or silver, but it had charm in a manly kind of way. Lark pressed his hand to a stone on the wall and it pushed back to reveal a gloomy passageway.

“All right, you need to hold my hand and keep up. It’s dark and slippery,” Lark warned her.

Falyn held on to Lark’s hand as tightly as she could as they ran down the steps. It grew colder the farther they went. Just when she was sure they would freeze to death, the steps headed back up and so did the temperature. They emerged on a small ledge overlooking a large clearing.

“Thank you. I can’t tell you how much this means to me, Lark!” Falyn smiled with relief.

“It is the least I could do for you. I mean, I’m the one who took you to the castle. I know Father is up to something but I never understand his games. He keeps most of his doings to himself and you are not the sort of person he should be wronging. Sometimes he is very foolish.”

Falyn was taken aback because for once Lark was not joking. It was the most serious thing she’d heard him say since meeting him. It gave her a spark of hope she was in good hands if they ran into trouble.

“Yes, well, I have no time for his games either. I came here to learn how to free a curse and find someone… Someone I love.” Falyn was not going to say more on the topic right now.

“Well, we need to get you to someone who will know what you seek. Any ideas?” Lark asked.

Falyn didn’t know but it occurred to her that it might be a fellow Druid that she wanted.

“Do you know of any other Druids in this world?” Falyn wanted to know.

Lark shook his head at first, but then a spark came into his eyes a moment later, giving Falyn some hope he might.

“No Druids – they were wiped out long ago – but I recall my father talking of the Wiccans, a clan just as old as the Druids. The Wiccans and Druids used to worship together in their ceremonies. Perhaps they would have the information you’re after,” Lark said.

“That sounds like something we should look into,” Falyn smiled.

She was sure this was the right route to what she needed. After all, who would be better at breaking a curse then a witch?

“All right, give me a moment.”

Lark let out a long, low whistle. Before Falyn could ask what he was doing, a huge black stallion came prancing up to Lark and then nuzzled his master’s hand.

“Wow, he is some horse!” Falyn exclaimed.

She had never seen a horse so big in all her life! What was even more amazing was he was wearing a bridle and saddle, and there were also two packed saddle bags.

“He is that,” Lark agreed.

Lark mounted the stallion and pulled Falyn up behind him. She was sure to wrap her arms tightly around his waist as he urged the horse into a full gallop. They flew through the clearing and before too long were in the thick of the trees. Once they made it to the forest, Lark slowed the pace.

They rode another few hours before Lark stopped by a river. He told her they would have to make camp here and head out again in the morning. Falyn was not really keen on stopping. She wanted to find the Wiccans and learn what they knew of the Druids and if they could help her unlock her magic and break the curse.

Lark sensed her reluctance.

“I’m sorry, Falyn, but the Wiccans are always on the move from one place to another and we might have to ride a day or more before we find them. We need to sleep,” Lark said.

“Okay, I guess one night won’t hurt,” Falyn grumbled.

“It may take a few nights, but if we’re lucky, we’ll find them sooner rather than later.”

Falyn sighed. But if that was what it took to learn what she came here for, she would count herself very fortunate!

The sun set quickly and if Lark had not started a fire, Falyn would not have been able to see a hand in front of her face, let alone anything else. She wished she could switch on her wolf sight, but she was not really ready to share with Lark this part of her just yet.

Amazingly Lark pulled two sleeping mats from the saddlebags on the stallion. They beat sleeping on the leafy floor but they were not as comfy as sleeping bags. Above the trees, the stars shone bright and the moon was huge. It was larger than any moon she had ever seen back home.

“Is this world much like yours?” Lark’s words floated to her in the dark.

“Yes and no. It looks much the same, but it’s different too,” Falyn said, aware this probably sounded slightly lame.

“The world for humans has Immortals?” Lark asked her.

“Yes, there are lots of non-human races. Does this world have any humans?” she asked. If they were any here, she couldn’t help wondering what kind of life they would have.

“There might be a few humans hidden about but I have never seen one myself.”

“How can two worlds even be possible? How can one hold mostly humans and the other an endless amount of Immortals?” she wondered out loud.

“Our history tells us that the Immortals of this world and the gods of yours each had a hand in making different races. Some say Zeus’ unclaimed daughter was a moon goddess and she is the one who made the night children – the werewolves and vampires. Others say it was the god of the underworld,” Lark explained.

“Each world making its own blood ties and setting up fates for unsuspecting suckers. How noble!” Falyn muttered, more to herself than anything.

“Is that an insight into how you feel?” Lark inquired with a laugh.

“Sometimes,” Falyn shrugged. She would not be surprised to learn her fate was already decided.

In some ways, the fact she knew she was a werewolf helped her accept the rest of what came her way. It was not hard to picture other Immortal races, such as mermaids and vampires and even elves living in her world. Even being here – in another world, the world of the Immortals – seemed entirely credible.

What was out of her grasp of understanding was why her father wanted her to unlock the power from her Druid bloodline? It was his fault she was stuck in her current state, both unable to change into her wolf or stay human! If she had not learned about dipping an object in the tide pool, she would be stuck like this still. She looked down at the beat up silver cuff on her hand and sighed.

True, she had agreed to the curse at the time to save herself from her father, but had she truly understood what that would mean?
No,
Falyn thought,
clearly not
! And to top it off she was still kind of pissed at Alex. Even knowing he’d left to help her, it still hurt.

Falyn pushed the old feelings down. She swore repeatedly not to go over this again, yet time and again she did. Even with a cute elven man tempting her with his charm she could not forsake Alex.

While this mental turmoil was going on, Lark had not said a word. Maybe he was sleeping or perhaps he was dealing with his own inner conflict at helping her evade his own father. Either way, he was as still as the night around them. Falyn wanted only to sleep so she closed her eyes and let her mind drift off to its own darkness.

Chapter Twelve: Bonded

Alex felt as if his mind was full of mush after poring over the endless amount of books Luria had hidden in the dark dusty chamber. He learned many things he had not known before, but not the one thing he needed: who The One was. If he could find her, he could possibly restore the Immortal Guard to their rightful place and find a cure for Falyn – and a way home.

Even with Luria’s help, he could not uncover a single clue as to who this Druid Princess would come back as – neither what race, nor which world, nor even a time-frame for when she might appear.

“Maybe we need to be seeking a living source who knows of The One. Perhaps they might know something not recorded in any books,” Luria suggested.

“Could there be such a race or person?” Alex wanted to know.

Luria walked to the row of books behind him and pulled loose a large, burgundy red book. She placed it on the table and flipped through.

“Here.” She pointed at a name at the top of a page: Wiccans. It was the history of a nomadic race.

“Are these people still around?” Alex asked her.

“Yes. The Wiccans live deep in the forest. Mostly they stay around the Elven Kingdom in the Green Forest.”

“Then I think we should go and seek them out.”

“Yes, I think that would prove the wisest choice for us,” Luria agreed.

Alex gave her a hard look. Something about the way she had said “us” aroused a hint of suspicion but he did not say anything. Perhaps he was reading her words all wrong, because not once had she touched him in a way that would make him think she wanted him. However, it was still hard to shake the feeling from his gut.