Mistfall (24 page)

Speaking of which, Melissa had joined Rory in
finding us. “Hey Rory, Melissa,” I said.

“What’s going on?” she asked, noticing my
sullen expression.

I couldn’t say anything in front of Rory
about the situation between Hailz and me. I opted for the truth but
skipped around the details. “Hailz didn’t like my wedding present.
She and I got into an argument over it and then everything went
south from there.”

“That stinks,” she commiserated with me. “I
swear, it’s like a tug of war between the two of you. No matter
what, Hailz is always pulling in the opposite direction of
you.”

Rory, oblivious to the conversation, said
nothing. His sole focus was geared to Melissa’s ample breasts. I
rolled my eyes but said nothing.
That’s as close as he’s
probably gotten in a long time.

John still held me in his arms. He gave me a
quick squeeze and suggested we head back. When we returned, the
party was in full swing, but still PG-rated. The rip roaring
raunchy randiness wouldn’t start until after midnight.

We returned to our table. Two women from the
Witch’s Council were seated with us. They introduced themselves as
Astrid and Edith Grall. They were middle aged women who time hadn’t
been kind to. Astrid looked as if she had been beautiful once,
remnants of her beauty apparent in her wrinkle free skin. Edith, on
the other hand, I think was born with the sour expression she wore
on her face.

When it was my turn to be introduced I was
greeted with evil stares from the two Witches. They were polite as
could be with everyone else at the table. The Grall sisters only
seemed to have a problem with me. Abel may no longer be here, but
his influence was apparent in these two women.

I made the best of the situation. Being
seated between John and Melissa, I was safe from the evil eye of
the Witches. Rory, on the other side of Melissa, seemed to relax
and enjoy himself. I think it may have had something to do with
Melissa.

A new glass was set in front of me and I took
a hearty gulp, hoping to steady my nerves. The only thing it did
for my nerves was set them off kilter even more as I realized I had
just downed half a glass of fairy wine.

I spoke in a low voice, not wanting
eavesdroppers to listen in. “I accidentally took a big drink of the
wine,” I informed John. “Am I going to be okay?”

He cupped my chin in his hand and chuckled
softly. “You should be just fine, just switch to something
else.”

Oh thank the Goddess, I sighed in relief.
Waking up a week later with no memory of what I did wasn’t sounding
like my idea of fun.

“Just in case, I won’t leave your sight,”
John added, patting my hand.

I took a moment to take him in. A five o’
clock shadow was making its appearance on his face. Even dressed
like a foppish French gentleman from the 1700’s, the stubble looked
good on him. I loved how he always smelled like nature, the scent
of fresh mown grass radiating from his every pore.

Melissa cleared her throat, gaining our
attention. “Mags, are you going to sit there all night and stare at
John all doe eyed or do you want to come and dance with me?”

Rather than face another embarrassing
situation, I left with Melissa before John had the chance to tease
me. We left John at the table, with Rory as entertainment.

I mentioned Rory’s attentiveness towards
Melissa to her as we made our way to the dance floor.

“Rory’s nice enough, but I think I’d break
him,” she mentioned. “Does that make me sound superficial?”

“A little,” I responded, “but who isn’t.
Besides, you haven’t seen him at his best yet.”

She raised her eyebrow at me, knowing I was
up to something, but unable to put her finger on it. “What do you
mean, at his best?”

“Stick around him long enough and you’ll find
out,” I warned, laughing at my little joke. I wondered what she
would think of Rory if she saw him transform. After all, Melissa
did like a beast of a man.

There were two circles of dancers, one inside
of the other. They were getting ready to begin when we joined them.
Melissa and I found ourselves between a Dwarf and a Fae. The Dwarf
acknowledged us and nothing more. The Fae was kind enough to
explain the dance to us.

Each circle danced in opposite directions
until the music stops. Then, you and the person opposite you on the
inside circle dance round and round until the music stops once
again. Whichever circle you are in when the music ends is the
circle you begin the whole process with again. The dance is meant
to give each dancer as many partners as possible.

Melissa and I had a blast in the dancing
circles. I can’t remember who all I danced with, but even the
queen’s consort and I shared a twirl.

One of the women in the inner circle began to
scream, breaking up the frivolity and drawing everyone’s attention.
I tried to push through some of the onlookers to get a better look,
but Rory pulled me away.

“What happened?” he asked while on the
lookout for the source of the threat.

John had found Melissa and brought her to
where Rory and I were standing.

“I don’t know,” I replied, just as baffled as
anyone else. “I was dancing and all of the sudden a woman started
freaking out.” I looked at Melissa. “Did you see anything?” I asked
her.

“No. I didn’t see anything either,” she
replied.

John was in his familiar warrior stance,
alert to everything and scanning the area for dangers. As long as
I’ve known him, he’s always been prepared like a finely trained
soldier. As long as I’ve known him, he’s always seemed ready to go
into battle. I wonder where he trained or why he did it. I made a
mental note to ask him about that.

“I doubt she’s screaming bloody murder for no
reason,” John remarked while putting his body between the group and
I.

The queen’s consort made his way through the
mass of people and was walking past us when he overheard John and
stopped short. He dismissed our concerns with a wave of his
bejeweled hand. “It is nothing to worry about. I’ve simply won a
bet.”

Rory bowed in deference. “But my lord, she’s
screaming,” he pointed out.

Melissa, John, and I were not used to Fae
customs and hastily made the same courtesies as Rory had.

The consort, gleeful of his victory, was all
too happy to tell us his story. “The woman was frightened, that’s
all. I told Aurora this morning that something would try to nest in
one of these ghastly wigs we’re all wearing.”

Melissa’s hands shot up to her mouth in
shock. “Oh my goodness!”

The consort looked Melissa over with a rakish
eye. Finding her countenance pleasing he continued. “Yes, quite
shocking indeed,” he told as he kissed her hand. Melissa giggled,
like a little schoolgirl, at the pleasantry. Rory bristled as the
exchange took place. I had no doubt a green eyed monster was, well,
going to replace his monstrous self.
I wonder if Aurora knows
her lover is a cad.

The consort, remembering his manners,
continued with his tale, this time addressing all of us. “It seems
a group of hummingbirds have decided that Baroness Carrick’s wig
was a fine place to make their new home.”

We all broke into laughter at that. Even the
consort couldn’t hide his joviality at the ridiculous scene. We
drew the ire of the other guests. I guess some of them took the
woman’s predicament more seriously than we and thought us
impolite.

I didn’t want to find Pixies playing hide and
go seek in my beehive of a nightmare. Wasting no time, I got rid of
my wig and Melissa’s, relegating them to wherever things go when
they magically disappear. Other women, not having to be the first
to do so, followed suit and removed their hairpieces.

“What did you win, my lord?” Rory asked of
the consort.

His wandering eye had led him to Melissa’s
bust line again which led to his distraction. “Win?” The consort
took a moment as he tried to figure out what it was that Rory
asked. His eyes lit up when he realized what he had been asked. “Oh
yes, the bet. I won a village,” he said nonchalantly and walked
away, being summoned by Aurora. The queen had noticed his
appreciation for Melissa.

“A village?” Melissa asked in disbelief.

“Is something wrong?” Rory inquired back,
confused by her reaction.

She took her time and chose her words
carefully, not wanting to offend Rory. “How do you feel, being won
and lost in a bet at the whim of a noble?”

Rory’s lips curved upward and his eyes
twinkled in amusement. “I appreciate your concern. If I was
anything other than Fae you would have a valid point.”

“It isn’t problematic?” John asked as we
still mulled around.

“No, it’s not,” Rory replied and explained
why. “Though village leaders change, their treatment of us is
always humane and just. We don’t rule and treat each other like
your leaders do.”

Melissa was placated by his answer. She
couldn’t stand injustice and her heart always bled for those she
felt were oppressed. The Fae way, socially evolved light years
beyond the rest of ours, seemed alien and strange to the rest of
us. Maybe one day we’ll be lucky enough to follow in their
shoes.

Crisis averted, the wedding reception was
back in full swing sans party hair. We, along with the others
joined back in the merriment as we ate, drank, and danced well into
the night.

Hours later, our feet were sore from dancing,
our minds were slightly fogged over by the alcohol, and we were
getting tired. Deciding to call it a wrap, the four of us went back
to the hotel. To our luck, the mass orgy was only beginning. The
few participants who decided to get a jump in on the action were
partially hidden by bushes. I, in particular, was glad I didn’t get
accosted with an eyeful of fornicating Fae.

Our rooms were next to each other on the
second floor. My room was sandwiched between Rory and John, with
Melissa on the end next to Rory. Across the hallway sat an
unfamiliar Fae.

Rory acknowledged the stranger and introduced
us. “Magdalene, this is Finn. He will be your night guard.”

Fantastic, another warden.
“Nice to
meet you,” I said, withholding my disdain for yet another
babysitter.

Finn scowled at me in return. If I didn’t
know better, I’d think he had a problem with me. As it was, I
didn’t even know the guy. I was clueless to his surly attitude.

Rory noticed his co-worker’s craptastic
attitude, but said nothing to him, pulling me to the side instead.
“Don’t mind Finn. He’s just upset that he couldn’t partake in the
festivities tonight.”

The Sandman had been singing his song to me
for the last hour. I wasn’t in the mood for someone I didn’t even
know to give me any gruff. I raised an eyebrow and put my hand on
my hip in full sass mode. “Well, I didn’t mean to get in the way of
him getting a piece of ass tonight,” I replied sarcastically.”

Finn’s brow furrowed from the tension his
buddy and I were causing. Extreme hate was radiating of Finn which
put me at unease. I seemed to be the only one that noticed it
though. Melissa was leaning against her door, wanting the night to
end and John seemed uninterested in Rory’s and my conversation. Any
other time I would have been up for a good verbal sparring with the
less than charming Finn, but I relinquished the standoff, not
wanting to keep the others up because of my stubbornness.

I looked from Finn to Rory. “He doesn’t have
to guard me Rory, I offered, my voice low enough so the
frowny-faced Fae wouldn’t overhear me. “I promise I won’t leave my
room tonight.” It was a double-ended deal. The mean Fae could leave
and I would keep my word and remain in my room for Rory’s sake.

Rory paused and ran his hand through his
hair. I don’t think he’s ever been put in a situation like this
before. It took him a moment to choose his words. “That’s a fine
offer Magdalene and I’m sure Finn appreciates your generosity.
However, considering the Elven intrusion, I will not take any more
risks as far as you are concerned.”

I’ll admit his diplomacy was impressive.
Maybe there was more to Rory than meets the eye, aside from the
enormous steroid addled monster he turned into.
I’m going to
call him the Incredible Hulk next time he changes,
I thought
absentmindedly.

“Rory?” Melissa chimed. “What are the plans
for our departure tomorrow?”

Though he was exasperated with me (the
feeling was mutual), when answering Melissa he stood up straight
and smiled at her as if she were his queen. “Once the three of you
are awake and fed, you will be sent through the portal and back
into the Wildwood.”

“Great,” she said yawning before covering her
mouth with her hand. She hadn’t noticed Rory’s subtle flirtations.
“Goodnight everyone, I’m going to bed.”

Rory gave Melissa his heartiest goodnight and
the two of them retired to their rooms, leaving John and I alone,
with Finn. I wanted to give John a proper goodnight kiss, but I
didn’t want Finn and his still venomous glare as an audience.

I leaned into John so I could whisper in his
ear. “I’d kiss you goodnight, but I feel a bit uncomfortable with
Nanny McFae over there.”

He chuckled while pulling me into a hug with
one arm. Brushing my hair back behind one ear, he lowered his face
and whispered, “Not to worry, I will get that kiss from you
shortly. Just wait up for me please.”

His warm breath tickled my ear and I shivered
in response. The fine hairs of my body stood up across my body like
soldiers at attention.

I looked up at those beautiful green eyes,
puzzled as how he’d manage that feat with the Sour Plum Fairy
sitting right outside the doors. “But how?” I said, loud enough
that Finn took a sudden interest in the conversation.