Soul Mates: Magic (Soul Mates Series) (19 page)

“All right, what is it?” I asked curiously.

Gareth reached out a hand and cupped my face. “Let me kiss you, no biting, just a kiss.”

I considered everything that he had done for me this evening, the dress and boots, the dinner, the show, the conversation, and I couldn’t say no. I smiled. “All right, for your last boon, one kiss, no biting.”

Gareth leaned in and I closed my eyes. His lips touched mine in a gentle caress and then he pulled away. “You really are very sweet, Abbey. Though I fear your heart is truly spoken for and that saddens me. You and I would have made a powerful couple.”

“That does not mean we cannot be friends and allies, Gareth.”

Gareth tilted his head, considering my offer. “You mean you would not exclude us from your banquets and such and would consider visits to our territory?”

“I
would be honored to have you at my banquets and to visit your territory,” I said with a smile.

“Your Guard, he approves this offer of yours?”

I smiled again. “He does. Should you ever need the Guard’s help, you have but to ask.”

“I shall consider it,” Gareth replied as a knock came at the door. “Enter.”

“Your Highness, the dragon says it is time to return the Princess to her Faerie Mound. Something about school in the morning?”

“Thank you, Khardlkan. I shall escort her to the dragon’s side,” Gareth said standing and taking my hand to help me rise. He waited until Khardlkan left, closing the door behind him, before he spoke again. “It has been an exceptional evening, Abbey. I do hope that we may do it again,” he said with a smile.

“I would like that, Gareth, although next time, maybe we can leave out the seductive pursuit?”

Gareth laughed. “We shall see, sweet Abbey, we shall see.” He escorted me out to Thomas and James
with a grin.

“Thank you Gareth, for an amazing evening,” I said kissing his cheek. “I look forward to seeing you at my ball.”

“I am looking forward to it as well. I shall bring Gertrude, if you do not mind? I believe she would enjoy an evening of dancing with the Fae.”

“That would be wonderful. Goodbye, Gareth.”

“Until next time, Abbey,” he replied. “Be careful with her, Dragon.”

Thomas grinned. “Always, Goblin King.”

James took my arm and walked with me behind Thomas back into the clearing. As Thomas changed forms, I slipped behind a tree to change my clothes. “Turn away, James,” I called.

“You ain’t got nothing I haven’t seen before,” James said with a chuckle, but he turned his back anyway.

The dress was too precious to snap into oblivion, so I removed it before snapping my fingers to dress myself in a pair of denim shorts and a tank top. I left the boots alone, I rather liked them. I folded the dress over my arm and returned to James.

“Ready yet, your spoiled Highness?”

I ignored James and used Thomas’ wing to boost myself up onto his back, sitting astride for the ride home. James climbed up behind me and Thomas lifted us up into the air. Thankfully the ride home was quiet, despite it being pitch black. It almost worried me.

Chapter Twenty
-four

“You’re safe!” Daire said, pulling me into his arms as soon as I walked through the door. “Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?”

“A lot, apparently?” I said grinning as he hugged me.

“You have no idea,
mo ghrá ach
,” he murmured against my hair. “Now tell me everything. Did he ask for his last boon?”

“He did
, nothing to worry about. He only wanted a kiss.”

“That’s it? He didn’t ask for anything else? No invitation to your ball, or to ride on the
Wild Hunt or help with the Queen? All he wanted was a kiss?” Daire asked incredulous.

“I invited him to the ball before he asked for the boon, and I also offered to be allies and the use of the Guard, should he need you all. I suppose kissing me was more attractive than joining in on the
Wild Hunt,” I commented.

“Hmmm, I suppose I would have to agree with that statement,” he said with a grin as he pulled me more firmly against his chest and kissed me.

“I hope you don’t plan on greeting us the same way,” James said with a chuckle as he stepped into the hallway from Never Never.

Daire winked at me and went to hug James, pretending he was going to kiss him. “
Aww come on Wolfie, don’t you want a smooch too?”

“
Get off me, you crazy Fae,” James said, shoving Daire with a laugh.

“Seriously James, thanks for watching out for her,” Daire said.

“Anytime. You know I love that girl,” James said with affection.

“I do,” Daire said, nodding. “Thomas, I appreciate it, man.”

“Not a problem. Got a room for me tonight? Don’t wanna fly back now. I might be pressing my luck with the Queen.”

“Sure, you can have your usual room I’m sure,” Daire said taking my hand and leading me back to my chambers. “Get some sleep,” he murmured and kissed my temple.

“Good night,” I whispered, closing the door behind me.

I fell into bed completely exhausted. I didn’t even bother to change my clothes.
My dreams were a jumbled mess of dancing masked Fae and Goblins, being struck down by the Queen and her minions as I stood frozen in the center of the chaos, unable to do anything. I woke up only a few hours later in a cold sweat, my heart racing. “Daire!” I screamed before I had a chance to think about what had been going on in the dream.

My door slammed open and Daire ran into the room. “Abbey, are you all right? What’s wrong?” he asked, his face full of concern.

I was breathing hard and shaking as I recalled details. The Queen had somehow managed to call up an ice storm and freeze me in place while she rained down fire and brimstone upon the guests of the party who were all oblivious to what was going on until the perished in the flames and faded. “I…I don’t know,” I stuttered, trying to concentrate, to decide if it had just been my imagination or if it had been a vision of things to come. “I’m not sure…”

“Breathe, Abs, just breathe.” Daire gathered me in his arms. “You’re shaking like a leaf.
I’ve never seen you like this,” he murmured. “Hush, it’s going to be all right.”

Suddenly I was angry, not with Daire, but at the way I was feeling.
He was right. I have never been the shaky, nervous girl, and I wasn’t going to start now. I felt the wind stir into action in my room. My hair began to lift with it. My breathing became harsh as my fury built.

“Abs, you have to calm down, someone is going to get hurt,” he murmured.

“You’re darn right someone is going to get hurt! The Queen will if she continues to mess with me. I know she sent that dream to scare me. Well, it’s not going to work! I’m stronger than she thinks.”

“You are. You are the strongest person I know,” Daire whispered gently against my temple. I could feel his grin as he said, “And I’ve known a great many people.”

I chuckled as he’d meant for me to. “It wasn’t real was it? What she sent isn’t a prediction of the future?”

“No, it was just a dream. She couldn’t possibly get into the Mound, it is protected from her.”

I nodded. “You’re right, I know you’re right.” I turned in his arms and snuggled against his chest. “Will you stay?”

Daire leaned back against the carved wooden headboard and settled me on his chest. “Go to sleep, Abs,” he said stroking my hair.

I slept soundly for the remainder of the night and woke feeling well rested and still wrapped in Daire’s arms. “Mmm, good morning,” I said with a smile as I stretched in his arms.

“Good morning,
mo ghrá ach
,” he murmured sleepily. “Do you know what today is?”

“Friday?”

Daire grinned. “It is a week before your ball. And yes, it is Friday and no, we will not be going to Michael’s party, you still have work to do in the ballroom.”

I laughed. “Michael’s party is the last thing on my mind.
I have much more important things to think about.”

“Oh you do, do you? Such as what?”

“Well I as you mentioned, I still have the quickstep to master, and I have to check on my signature bloom, and then there is dealing with the Queen, and the Wild Hunt…”

“You are busy,” Daire commented with a smile. “Best get up now and get to work.” He let go of me and moved off the bed and then pulled me up as well. “Go, get ready for school, I’ll meet you in the dining room,” he said before kissing my temple and leaving the room.

I changed into a pair of low-rise Levis and a black and pink striped sweater. It had been a mild autumn, but I knew that today it was going to snow. I could feel it, as if Gaia was whispering to me. It wasn’t going to hit until after lunch, but it
was
going to snow, a couple of inches at the very least. I thought about wearing the Manticore-hide boots, but they would have just looked wrong with the jeans, so I snapped myself a pair of knee-high black leather boots with a low chunk heel. After brushing my hair, I picked up my book bag and met Daire and the other Guards for breakfast.

School went as smoothly as it could with several Fae warriors running around disguised as humans. There was quite a bit of glamouring going on to cover up sudden appearances and disappearances by them, especially at
lunchtime. Apparently none of them wanted to eat the mystery-meat smothered in gravy. They claimed it was Salisbury steak, but it tasted like rubber.

Football was over for the season, so we didn’t have to stay for practice. So after going out to the woods, we all flashed back to Faerie and I went to practice with Jarlath.

“Princess,” Jarlath said coldly.

“Jarlath,” I replied just as coldly, narrowing my eyes.

“The quickstep?” Apparently I was going to get as few words from him as possible. He turned on some music, nothing I recognized, and certainly nothing I would dance to normally. He was in one of those kinds of moods.

“Fine.” I snapped myself into a hot pink
dress with a neon green belt and bright, orange heels. I totally did it just to irritate him, because I knew he hated the neon shades. Yes, it was childish, I know, but I really didn’t care. I nearly laughed at the expression on his face when he turned back to me, but I kept my face blank.

“Whenever you’re ready, Princess.”

I held out my arms in the perfect frame and he joined me, barely touching me, as if the dress might rub off on him. I smiled. I actually managed to learn the dance and have a good time. By the time we were finished, I had the quickstep down and we’d moved on to swing-dance. I wasn’t sure that particular dance was required, but Jarlath insisted. I think he just wanted to throw me up in the air and spin me around until I was dizzy and couldn’t see straight. I’d never admit it to him, but the swing-dance was kind of fun.

I spent the next week in the same routine. First school, then dance practice and combat
practice, then dinner with the family and back to Faerie for the night. And then it was finally December twenty-second.
Yuletide
.

My debut ball
was that night and then at midnight, the Wild Hunt would begin. I woke up slightly nervous and rushed through my morning routine. The only difference was, today I left my ring on the night table before I dressed in a pair of jeans and a blue tee shirt with a picture of a pen that said ‘Write On’ written on it. Then I went to find Tatiana. I wanted to be sure my bloom was perfect for it’s unveiling.

“Good morning, darling. Did you sleep well?” Tatiana asked sleepily.

“Yeah, I suppose,” I said sitting on her bed.

“Are you excited about tonight?”

“Yes, and no. I’m just nervous.”

Tatiana put her hands on mine in a comforting gesture. “You will do fine, everyone is going to love you,” she said hopping out of bed. “Come, we shall go see your bloom and then have a nice cozy breakfast and spend the day being pampered.”

I nodded and gave her a smile. She changed quickly, and then swept us out of the room and down the hall to her workroom, or as she had taken to calling it lately, our workroom. I entered
and suddenly felt very relaxed, as if this was where I was meant to be. It calmed me being in this room. I walked over to my workbench and in the center of the table sat my bloom. A perfect, deep, deep purple Calla Lilly with pure white edges. And the fragrance was intoxicating, sweet and delicious. I grinned.

“I’m almost afraid to touch it,” I whispered softly.

Tatiana held my shoulders and peeked around my arm at the bloom. “It is gorgeous, just like you, darling,” she said quietly. “You have done me proud.”

I turned and hugged her. “I could not have done it without your guidance, Tatiana.”

“I know,” she said with a smile. “Now, let’s have breakfast and then Tallari and Linna will pamper us in the spa.”

“I would like that, as long as it doesn’t involve the mud springs from the Goblin’s territory,” I said with a smile.

“No, definitely not,” Tatiana said with a laugh as we made our way through the maze of hallways. “I am glad though that you have made friends with the Goblin’s. I tried to get Auberon to do so long ago, but he never saw the point of it.”

“He wasn’t exactly excited to know that Gareth would be coming here,” I commented as we entered the dining room.

“Well, you know Auberon. Very set in his ways,” she said with a gently and affectionate smile. “You have been changing that in him quite a bit, Abbey, my love. You have been a daughter to us. And you know we love you.”

I smiled. “I know. I love you both too.”

We took our time as we ate a nice breakfast, egg casserole and sliced Manticore meat, a treat sent over from Gareth for me. When we’d finished we went through another long maze of hallways to a part of the Mound I don’t recall ever being in. We stepped through a doorway into an oasis of plants and tranquil music.

“My Queen, Princess, welcome! Tallari and Linna are expecting you,” the
Brownie behind the counter said with a smile. She led us to a comfortable room with large white sofas. “They shall be out in just a moment, please, sit and relax.”

“Thank you,” Tatiana and I murmured. We waited only a
few minutes before two Fae women appeared. The first woman had long green hair and pretty green eyes. Her skin shimmered when the light hit it just right and I figured she was a Rusalki or water Faerie. The other was a very petite blonde, with bright amethyst eyes and a kindly way about her. She seemed to float on the air and I knew she must be an Asparas or Sky-dancer, though it was rare to see them away from their Fig tree homes.

“Good morning, My Queen,” The green haired Sprite curtsied.

“Good morning, Tallari,” Tatiana answered.

“Princess, welcome to the spa,” Linna said with a smile and a curtsy. “Shall we?”

“Thank you,” I replied. I followed Linna as she floated down a short hallway into a small quiet room with a massage table in the middle. A small music box played ethereal music that seemed to lull me into a relaxed state.

“If you would like to undress and lay face down upon the table under the sheet, I will return in just a moment.”

As soon as Linna left the room, I undressed and did as she asked. The music continued to play and I was nearly asleep when she returned. She laid a soothing hot towel across my back and I felt myself melt into the table. Linna then began to rub my shoulders, my back and down my arms. Her touch was gentle and very relaxing. My body felt absolutely delicious when she’d finished more than a few hours later.

“I’ve laid a robe on the edge of the table, if you would like to dress and
meet me in the next room,” Linna said softly. “Take your time.”

I lay there for a few moments more, just feeling like gelatin. After a minute or five, I’m not really sure exactly, I sat up and slipped into the silk robe. Then I stepped through the second door
to join Linna. “That was wonderful.”

“We aren’t quite finished, Princess,” Linna said with a smile. She directed me to a chair and when I sat she leaned it back. She placed a warm cloth over my face to open up my pores and then used a gentle cleanser to clean my face before rubbing in a delightful moisturizer that smelled a bit like pink grapefruit. “Just relax, Princess,” she commented.