Veiled Shadows (The Age of Alandria: Book Two) (24 page)

BOOK: Veiled Shadows (The Age of Alandria: Book Two)
8.53Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Kaeleigh looked up at him with her big green eyes. “I think I can help him, Finn. I have to try, look at him,” Kaeleigh pleaded with him as she tried to side step him. “He needs... well, I don’t know what, but something! I feel it in here.” She put her hand to her chest. “I have to try.” She pulled out of his grasp and was suddenly standing at Daegan’s back.

Daegan stiffened at her presence, but he didn’t lash out or try to strike her so she took that as encouragement to continue.

“You can’t save me from this. It’ll pass, just let me be,” he rasped hoarsely as though he hadn’t used his voice in a long time.

“Let me try, Daegan.” Kaeleigh spoke softly to him knowing he could hear her.

He tilted his head slightly toward her, but still held himself incredibly still, afraid of himself and his control. His arms had started to shake from his grip on the back of the chair. Kaeleigh was surprised it was taking this much abuse from his grip. She took a hesitant step toward him along his side so he could see her. She had learned from Chel’s parents that you should never corner a scared animal as they may lash out uncontrollably, and that was how she was treating this situation.

Seeing her out of the corner of his eye, he hung his head and began breathing deep in through his nose and out through his mouth. Going on instinct, Kaeleigh reached over and put her hand on his arm. His already tight muscles bunched as he flinched at her touch. She pulled away but very quietly he rasped out, “No... please”—his face was so tight—“it... it hurts.” He barely got the words out. In fact, Kaeleigh realized that he didn’t get them out at all. They were in her head—he was in her head—although she didn’t think he meant to be; that’s how out of sorts he was. Her heart broke for him. Her own energy stirred within her as she put her hand back on his arm. He began to relax under her grip, and the relaxation then spread through his entire body. Realizing she had closed her eyes, she opened them to find Daegan staring directly and unabashedly into hers with clarity, relief, and even a bit of wonder.

“Better?” Kaeleigh asked tentatively.

Daegan nodded slowly. “For now. What did you do?” He noted that her hand was still on his forearm.

Kaeleigh ignored him as she stared at his shoulder, where one of his markings was near where he was injured back in the forest. There was a strange vibration of energy and a wisp of darkness snaking out slowly from the marking. It felt wrong. He watched her as she moved her hand up to his shoulder. It was hot. She could actually feel the vibrations, like tiny ants racing under his skin back and forth. There was a crack and she tried to pull her hand away but couldn’t. She felt the fear, not just her own or even that of Daegan’s, but... someone else’s.

Flash.
Kaeleigh held her head as an image appeared of a very angry Maleina with cords that were more like snakes or vines connecting Maleina to Daegan. It wasn’t much and it was there then gone again. Kaeleigh couldn’t breathe. She felt a pulling on her stomach, then realized Finn had a grip around her waist and was trying to pull her away from Daegan. The connection broke and in that instant air flooded back into her lungs. Daegan jumped back from her as if she was the one that had burned him. Unexpected fear and anger flamed in his eyes. Then there was shouting.

“What did you do to her?” It was Finn. Kaeleigh moved in front of Finn to keep him from lunging at Daegan—not that she could really stop him if he actually tried. Although maybe she would at least provide a stumbling block to buy some time. She just didn’t want to be there when it happened because at this rate, it probably would happen sooner than later.

Daegan looked at Finn with disgust then at Kaeleigh and back again. Regaining his stiff composure as if nothing had just happened, he looked at Hal. “Tell them what they need to know, then bring them down when they’re ready. Don’t keep Maleina waiting.” He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Silence. Everyone’s jaws were practically on the ground. “Did he seriously just bark out orders and storm out?” Chel asked, perturbed. Kaeleigh just stared after the door. Her eyes were full of tears, but she refused to let a single one fall. Chel came along her side and linked their arms. Turning to Hal she said, “Well, what’s the news and how long do we have?” Chel in the midst of tension and her own personal changes, remained lighthearted and positive.

After Hal had explained their remaining time had shortened as other guests had arrived earlier than expected, the girls pushed Hal and Finn out of the bedroom. They proceeded to try on the dresses, which were more like gowns, that had been brought up for them. Remarkably, they fit well and were in colors attractive on each of them. Kaeleigh’s gown for the evening was a lovely shade of green and the material fit her like a glove.
A really snug glove.
The material was so lightweight it felt like she wasn’t wearing anything, not to mention the plunging neckline that plunged much further south than anything she had ever worn. Her hair was left down, her curls relaxed and elegantly lying exactly where they should, draped across her shoulders and down her back. She was completely uncomfortable with her own reflection looking back at her. Kaeleigh had her own bad feeling about tonight. She was unable to explain it, but there was an ache deep down in her gut that refused to be ignored. She didn’t know what to do about it yet, but she knew they needed to leave as soon as they could.

A knock from Finn on their bedroom door told them it was time to go. Chel kept checking her reflection in the mirror, touching her hair now pinned up elegantly on top of her head with still enough pieces of her black and blonde hair coming out in multiple directions that she still looked like Chel. Her dress was a beautiful cream silk that complemented everything—her hair, her eyes, her coloring, her figure, all of it. Even her tattoos seemed to complement the dress. Chel caught Kaeleigh’s eyes in the mirror and her pierced-dimple-cheeked smile touched her eyes.

“Kaeleigh, you are stunning!” she exclaimed as she clapped her hands and bounced on the balls of her feet. Kaeleigh returned the infectious smile and allowed herself to giggle over the giddiness that oozed from Chel. Kaeleigh knew Chel had secretly always wanted to get dressed up and go to a ball. She put on a tough act sometimes, but she was girly deep down.

“I feel like an extra in
Sex and the City
. Oh! Or
Extreme Makeover
where they make you practically unrecognizable.
You
are the one that is stunning,” Kaeleigh said, watching her friend blush in the mirror. “You look absolutely amazing, Chel!” she added as they turned to leave the room.

Kaeleigh gasped as she yanked Chel back to the mirror and swung her around.

“Kaeleigh! What are you doing?”

As Kaeleigh pointed at Chel’s very exposed back where the material of her dress began to “V” down her lower back, Chel gasped in response to what she was seeing.

“When did you get that one? I’ve never seen it before,” Kaeleigh asked, eyeing the tattoo.

“That makes two of us,” Chel said, confused, as she tried to adjust her dress to get a better look. “What is it? Can you tell?”

“So you didn’t do this one?” Chel shook her head. “That means you got a marking like mine!” Kaeleigh began to give a smile like they were sharing a big secret.

“Wow. I guess so. I’ll have to ask Hal about it.” She raised her eyebrows suggestively.

Kaeleigh went out first then turned back to Chel. “Yes, you do that. And speak of the devil...” She tilted her direction toward Hal, who was leaning against the door frame waiting for them, trying for nonchalance.

His eyes instantly found Chel. He stood at attention, but couldn’t seem to keep his jaw in its rightful place. He saw Kaeleigh trying to stifle a giggle and he looked away suddenly, trying to suppress the red heat that was climbing up his neck toward his face. Trying to cover his awkwardness he tried for formal. “Ladies, you both look lovely. If you’re ready we shall proceed to the hall.” He turned toward the door ready to bolt when Chel walked up next to him and lightly placed her hand on his arm. He seemed to relax and she smiled. As he held his arm out, she took it and he ushered her out into the great hall, her voice trailing behind them as she asked, “Hal, can you tell me about the shifter marking? I think maybe I got mine.” She turned to show him her back. Hal’s eyes widened probably more at the “V” cut of her dress exposing her skin, but his hand hovered over her marking as if wanting to touch it, but decided against it. He then went on to explain about it’s design and how the mark of the Shifter can change, but the wavy lines and circular crescent shapes indicated her lineage and dominant animal. There voices faded as they kept walking.

Finn stepped up next to Kaeleigh and in a similar gesture offered her his arm. She graciously took it with a smile. “You look nice, Finn, are you ready to meet our doom?” Kaeleigh said, trying for lighthearted to ease their sudden tension.

Finn looked her in the eyes. “You are beautiful, Kae, and with you on my arm, I would gladly meet any doom that came to take me,” he said seriously but added a small smile in his own attempt at lightheartedness. However, Kaeleigh knew there was nothing light about what he said and that made her more nervous than she already was, if that was even possible.

“Remember to keep your energy and emotions under control in there. I’m not as sensitive to as
others
but if I can feel even the amount you are giving off now in spurts, they will be able to feel it too, and that won’t keep the attention off of you.” After a moment’s pause, Finn asked, “Are you all right, Kaeleigh?”

Kaeleigh nodded and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to center herself and draw her own energy back inside her, putting up mental walls around her to keep it inside. She didn’t know if she was doing it right, but it helped her focus it and it seemed to work well enough for now. It was one of the things she had wanted to spend more time on with her grandfather before they had to leave. Thinking of him made her chest hurt. She still didn’t know if he was hurt or worse—she had to find her way back to his cottage somehow.

Kaeleigh heard her name, bringing her back to the present moment, and she realized she was rubbing her chest over her heart where the pain was sharpest. Finn looked concerned but she appeased him by patting his arm. “I’m okay, Finn, but I do have a bad feeling about tonight. What do you think will happen?”

Finn stared straight ahead as they maneuvered through the doorway catching up to Hal and Chel, but Kaeleigh could see the frown on his face and the intensity with which he seemed to be trying to figure something out. “I don’t really know, but it’s not going to be good. I want you to stay close to me.” Slowing down just a little, he brought his head down closer to hers and lowered his voice. “I don’t like him or trust him on a good day, but there is something not right with Daegan here. I know you don’t see it or you think you can help him, but please be careful.”

Kaeleigh looked up at him with soft, understanding eyes. “I trust you, Finn... and I do
see
it maybe more than you know, but I will be careful.”

Quietly they all walked the rest of the way down one corridor and then another with nothing but the sound of their breathing and their footsteps on the smooth marble floors until they were standing at a pair of large, heavy wooden doors manned by Faerie warriors equipped with spears. Their eyes were soulless and empty as if they were under a spell. Hal spoke a few words that Kaeleigh didn’t understand. The guards stepped to each side of the doors and grabbed a huge round iron door handle and pulled them open toward them in tandem. The effect sent butterflies swarming in Kaeleigh’s stomach. She took a deep breath. Chel looked back at her with a reassuring smile and nod of confidence. Kaeleigh squared her shoulders, steeling herself to face what she was about to encounter, but she had no idea what that might be.

 

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

 

Exhile

The Realm of the Unforgiven Dead

 

“He’s in so much pain!” cried Cley-una as she sat on the hard dirt floor holding her knees up to her chest and rocking back and forth.

Eva frowned. “I thought she helped him.”

“She can only do so much for him at this point. The pain is getting to be constant. The grip on his control is slipping. He may push her away before he is able to find a way to break free,” Cley-una replied sadly. “The darkness that
woman
is weaving is getting stronger over him.” Infuriated, she jumped up and began pacing next to the cave wall. Dy’lánd, her husband, came up behind her, stopping her in her tracks and holding her biceps securely.

“He is strong. He is strong, Cley, and he will not let this darkness overtake him.” He stared intently into her eyes, infusing the confidence and the truth he believed behind his words.

“There must be something I can do to help him!”

“Cley, we’ve done what we can by leading him to the Sol-lumieth,” he said gently as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms lovingly.

She pulled away and continued to pace in agitation. Eva came up next to her, reinforcing the words of Cley-una’s mate. “Kaeleigh is his only help at this point. She won’t give up on him, I know it.”

Cley-una stopped to look at Eva. If anyone understood, it was Eva. “What am I supposed to do? He’s my son! I would give my life for him, but I can’t even do that.”

 

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

 

Gazing around the room, Kaeleigh was awestruck at what she saw. Ceilings grand enough for a cathedral and taller than she remembered the “castle” structure fortified with. It wasn’t an enormous room but it was large enough for a dinner party, with a banquet table sprawled out before them in the center of the room.

They cautiously made their way into the room, not sure what was expected of them. Hal sauntered in like it was nothing more than a casual family dinner and perhaps to him, that was exactly what this was with a few extra guests. He seemed at ease. Kaeleigh, and now Chel holding onto her arm, followed him in with Finn following closely behind them.

BOOK: Veiled Shadows (The Age of Alandria: Book Two)
8.53Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho
Seduced by a Rogue by Amanda Scott
Renegade Agent by Don Pendleton
The House of the Laird by Susan Barrie
Burkheart Witch Saga Book 3 by Christine Sutton
Hidden in Shadows by Hope White