Enchanted (25 page)

She rushed to the French doors and threw them wide, leaving them open in her hurry. To hell with the mess. Shay Evers could stay up all night sweeping leaves for all she cared.

Running, she kept her eyes trained on the back of his head. When he reached the crossroad in the trail, he glanced over his shoulder, and then swung off toward the woods. She wondered why he was acting so strange. He must know that once she woke up she would search for him.

Caitlyn stopped to catch her breath. He was hiding something, and she intended to find out what. Not wanting him to see her, she trailed after him at a discrete distance. When he glanced once more toward the castle a moment before he disappeared into the dimness of the forest, she scrambled behind a bush. Once he turned away, she continued following him. He wouldn’t get away from her. She’d discover what game he played.

She sprinted across the grass to where he’d entered the tree line. Noting how far ahead he was, she waited then continued shadowing him, keeping trees and undergrowth between them. After fifteen minutes, her newly rested muscles screamed for relief. The forest opened into a rolling meadow. Breathless, Caitlyn flattened her back against an oak tree. She peeked around the edge, searching for Shay.

He sat atop a boulder several feet from her. She frowned. What he was doing just sitting there, staring at the scenery? She scrutinized the sloping surface of the meadow. Bit by slow, blurred bit, the forms of young men and women appeared. A lilting song reached her.

Tightening her hands into fists to keep them from trembling, she watched as several youths danced while three played stringed instruments. They reminded her of the people she met in her dream. She shot a glance at Shay. No muscle moved, no sign revealed he witnessed the same scene.

He pulled his knees up and rested his cheek on them. The expression of sadness on his face tightened her chest above where her heart beat. It reminded her of schoolmates from her childhood who had always watched from the sidelines, but had never joined in. Like her, they never fit into the group, were never accepted.

She shook her head to rid herself of those ugly memories. Not wanting to believe what she saw was real, she decided to wait until he departed then corner him. He would tell her what was happening. She wouldn’t allow him not to. He owed her big time for all the tricks and illusions he’d played on her.

Even though her eyesight was normal, she didn’t believe he’d touched her eyes and healed them. Something strange was happening here, with her and him. She wasn’t sure what, but this was real and though she dreaded admitting it, maybe, just maybe, magic was a little possible where he was concerned.

He’d led her down a twisting path, but no more. She was stronger than he ever imagined. She refused to let him continue to use her for his own means. The sun drifted toward the treetops on the opposite side of the meadow, and Caitlyn tensed. Shay stood on the boulder then leapt down, ducking his head away from the dancers.

She shifted to the other side of the tree and watched him enter the forest. Moving parallel with him, she stayed close enough to see him, but far enough away he wouldn’t know she followed him.

He reached up and grabbed a low tree limb. He flipped over and landed in a squat on the branch. She gaped at the ease in which he’d accomplished the act. He didn’t strain at all. He glanced about the area for a moment, then he stood and ran down the length of the branch, his balance perfect. When he reached the end, he jumped to a neighboring limb.

He moved too fast. She broke into a run, trying to keep up with him. With no time to check where he led her, she ducked branches and jumped over small bushes, keeping him within her sight. She glanced ahead and saw a huge gap in the trees. At least thirty feet separated the line of trees from where Shay headed. He’d never make that jump.

Fear filled her, shutting out the sound of her crashing through the brush. Exhaustion bore down on her. He reached the place and leapt. She cried out, falling to her hands and knees. She squeezed her eyes shut, unable to bear watching him fall to the ground. Magical being or not, he’d end up injured. Had been just three days ago.

She whispered his name.

Strong hands grasped her upper arms and lifted her off the ground. Fury blazed in his amethyst eyes. She curled her fingers into the front of his shirt.

“You were following me. Why?” he demanded, the muscle in his jaw flexing.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she glared back at him. “Don’t ever scare me like that again. I didn’t think you would make it.”

“Why, Caitlyn?” He shook her a little.

“You lied to me. I remember, Shay. I remember this morning. You don’t have any reason to be angry at me. I’m not the one who’s been lying all this time,” she cried, her anger refueled by her dwindling fear. “Tell me the truth. I want to know. You owe it to me.”

He shifted nearer, his gaze locked with hers. “The
truth
? Are you sure you can handle the reality of it?”

“Yes.”

“Then so be it.” He gritted his teeth. Placing his palms on her jaw, he covered her eyes with his thumbs. No more than a second passed before he released her, turning her body away from him.

“You wish the truth. Open your eyes, and you will see it,” he whispered. He rested his forehead against the base of her neck.

Without fear, without reservation, she snapped her eyes open and froze. The star-covered void spread out around them. Gasping, she tried to turn toward Shay, but he held her still.

“Look into the mirror, Caitlyn. What you see there will be the truth,” he told her.

Before her, the same mirror from his performance in Los Angeles materialized. Once more, dressed in the radiant gown, she denied what she saw. To prove her point, she raised her hand and touched the glass. Ripples started where her fingertips brushed the surface, moved to the outer edges of the frame and disappeared.

Nothing changed.

“You are Princess Caitlyn of Tylwyth Teg. Stolen shortly after your birth, you have suffered a life without knowing your true identity.” Shay slid his hands from her upper arms to her shoulders.

“You’re lying. This isn’t real. I don’t believe it.” She felt the warmth of his breath on the side of her neck.

He started to speak, but she jerked away. Keeping her gaze on the mirror, she watched him lift his head. The sight of his face built a scream in her mind. Cracked and peeling, the flesh appeared half skin, half wood. His hair streamed up and out about his shoulders and tangled with leaves and twigs. He lifted a hand to touch her, and his fingers were made of small branches.

Caitlyn pulled away, swinging about to face him. She stumbled when she saw what she’d witnessed in the mirror had not changed. She tripped as she backed up, unable to cushion the impact, she landed on her back with a jarring bounce to the rear of her head. Darkness surrounded her. Stars burst behind her eyelids.

Shay called her name. Moaning, she cracked open her eyes. Blue-gray sky and darkened treetops loomed over her. His concerned features came into view.

“Are you all right?” He brushed the hair from her brow. Tremors vibrated from his fingertips. He seemed frightened. She saw the fear in his worried gaze and felt it in his gentle touch.

The back of her head throbbed with sharp pains. Her memory returned, and she cried out. Scooting away from him, she scrambled with her hands and feet to escape. She didn’t look back when he shouted for her to stop.

She had to escape from him. She needed to think, to figure out what was happening. Confused, hurt and frightened, she ran, swatting at the low branches until she broke free of the forest and felt the trimmed grass of the castle’s lawn under her feet. She didn’t stop running until she was locked behind her bedroom door.

Sinking to the floor, panting, she squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could do the same with her memories. He’d said people saw their true form in the mirror. Well, she had just witnessed his.

He wasn’t human. He wasn’t, and even knowing it, she still loved him.

Chapter 28

Darkness covered the world outside her bedroom window. Caitlyn rolled her forehead against the glass. In the five hours since she’d run from Shay, she’d thought about nothing but what had happened in the forest. How could she have called him a liar? Yet, he had lied. All along, he had lied and used her. But why? What was his purpose? Did he even have one?

She stepped away from the window and wandered to the looking glass. The dark-haired woman gazing back at her was unfamiliar. The beauty of this woman amazed her. The Caitlyn Reiley she knew didn’t possess such loveliness. This person was a stranger.

Her thoughts were muddled with how she felt for Shay. She still had trouble understanding the change in her vision. She shoved her hair over the tops of her pointed ears. She laughed. Yes, pointed tips.

Tears stung her eyes. No, she wouldn’t cry. Tears never accomplished anything. She ought to know. They’d never helped when her parents beat her, left her alone days at a time and tried to feed her pills and alcohol. Tears hadn’t helped her then, and they wouldn’t do so now.

Maybe, she should go to Shay and talk to him. Just talk, calmly and intelligently. What could it hurt? She might end up telling him she loved him. What good would that do?

She shook her head. Would it matter? The way she felt wouldn’t change just because he knew. It might complicate the situation, but it wouldn’t change anything.

Taking a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders, and headed for the door. For some reason, a gentle premonition tugged at her. She headed for the library. Without knocking, she eased the door open and slipped in. Her assumption was right, he was there.

Thrown wide, the French doors behind the desk swayed back and forth under the force of the wind. The curtains rippled. Shay sat cross-legged in the center of the desk with his back to her. A bottle that looked as though someone flattened it while still forming it swung in his left hand. A tiny, thimble sized cup was pinched between his thumb and the index finger of the right.

“I didn’t believe I would see you again.” He grunted, raising the tiny cup and tossing a deep purple liquid into his open mouth. He never turned his head. How had he known she stood there?

Caitlyn walked toward the doors, keeping distance between them. She didn’t want to get close. If she did, she would weaken. Become too wrapped up. She needed answers, not distractions.

She hugged her arms about her waist. “Probably won’t believe me, but I couldn’t stay away. You owe me an explanation.”

“Um...” Dark hair threaded with silver-entwined braids shook. “I have no excuses for what I have done.”

“Then explain it to me. Excuses won’t change anything, but giving me answers might.” She shifted and tilted her head, looking at him.

The bottle tipped, and he poured more of the purple liquid into the cup. His chest expanded after he emptied the thimble into his mouth.

“That’s wine, isn’t it? What kind?” She didn’t really want to know, but he didn’t seem inclined to answer her other questions.

The side of his mouth rose in a half smile. When he spoke, his Welsh accent changed to an Irish brogue. “Pixie wine from our cousins in Eire. Finest in the land. I’ve been saving it for a special occasion. What better time than the return of our clan’s princess?”

For the first time since she’d entered the room, he lifted his gaze to her. He raised the cup. “Would you care for a bit? I should warn you, it’s not as gentle as human drink. This will put stoutness in your heart.”

“Shay...”

“No? All right, I don’t mind drinking alone.” With that, he downed another cup.

“Talk to me, Shay. Tell me what’s going on. Please,” she whispered, stepping closer.

“Don’t–come any closer,” he said, holding up the hand with the bottle.

She gave him a small smile. “And what will you do if I don’t stop?”

“I’m the reason you were stolen. It was because of me. I enchanted your parents so that a witch could steal you,” he muttered, glancing at the cup.

Her arms tightened about her waist, and she fisted her hands. She glanced about the room, blinking back the sudden sting of tears. “And you expect me to hate you because of what you did? How am I supposed to do that when I don’t have anything to compare one world to the other? I can’t miss something I don’t remember. I worked hard to make a place for myself here, in this world. It might not count for much to most people, but it does to me.”

When her courage increased, she looked at him. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. She took another step toward him. “Shay, I don’t care where I come from. This is my world, my life, and you’ve turned it upside down. I don’t know what to believe.”

“Believe you will go home and live. Believe you will survive.”

“I know I’ll survive. Just tell me the truth.” Battling to keep her frustration under control, she clenched her teeth. She wished he would open up and talk to her.

“The time is right. Tonight. I’ll take you to the doorway, and you’ll return home.” He nodded. He spoke as though she no longer stood so close to him.

“And what will you do? You’ll be with me, won’t you?” She studied him. One more step.