Witch Fairy book 3 (27 page)

It’s my turn to grin.  “You’d risk Isla’s wrath for me?”

He smiles and closes his eyes again.  “Of course.  I have you to protect me.”

I laugh and splash some bubbles at him.  “What would all the female Fairies in this realm think if they knew you had to have me fight your battles for you?”

With a haughty voice, he says, “They would still find me irresistibly attractive and swoon at my feet.”  That earns him another splash.  He ignores it like he did the first one.  “You know, it is not fair that you have the warm side of the tub.”

I cock my head to the side.  “Really?”  I’m not that naïve.  “Sure you just don’t want to join me on my side?”

He opens his eyes and with his best offended face, says, “That would be highly inappropriate.  Just the fact that you suggested it has me dismayed.”  Splash.  He looks hurt now.  “You doubt my intentions?  I am deeply saddened that you would think such a thing.  I was simply stating a truth.”

“Of course you were.”

“You could always see for yourself. This side of the tub is practically frozen.  I am surprised I have not turned into an icicle yet.”

Ah, that’s his plan.  “Maybe I should just take your word for it.”

“And have you forever doubt my intentions.  I could not live with that.”

“Fine, I’ll come half way and see for myself.”

“I am glad to hear that.”

I stand up from the underwater bench that runs along the sides of the tub and wade to the middle.  In a flash, Kallen has ahold of my arms and draws me closer to him.

“Do you see what I mean?” he asks innocently as he sits me on his lap.

“Actually, it seems fine to me.”

“Perhaps you are colder blooded than I am.”

Turning around so that I am straddling his lap, I whisper, “Shut up.”

I kiss him for a long time before releasing his lips.  “It is amazing how warm the water is now,” he murmurs.

Capturing my lips with his again, he deepens the kiss to a mind blowing level.  I feel his hands working to untie the straps of my bikini top.  When his hands replace it, I moan softly against his mouth.  We stay in the tub a long time, going no further than this, regardless of the urges we both feel. And we enjoy every second of it.  I don’t care what he says, if Isla finds out about this, she’ll make sure there’s a hand-fasting.  I guess we’ll have to make sure she doesn’t find out.

When our bodies are as close to being prunes as we dare let them become, we finally make it out of the tub.  Drying my hair with a towel, I quickly braid it so it doesn’t get my pillow as wet.  While I’m doing that, Kallen changes into his pajama pants.  For me, he creates a beautiful black nightgown that only falls to mid-thigh and plunges low in the front.  Maybe I need to start giving him specifics on what I wear.  Nah.  This is just fine.

When we finally tumble into bed, we are both so exhausted that sleep finds us quickly.

Chapter 17

The time to wake up comes way too soon.  Tabitha bustles into the room as she has every morning and tells us to rise and shine. Yawning, I sit up and stretch, trying to wake up. 

When Tabitha sees my nightgown, she narrows her eyes at Kallen.  He has the decency to be embarrassed.  “Apparently, Xandra needs a new tailor.  Your services will no longer be required.”  Kallen mumbles something about checking on the others and leaves as quickly as he can. 

Tabitha takes her time creating the perfect outfit for me today.  She tries a couple different ones before we both find one we like.  It’s an island style dress in dark shades of purple, blue and red.  It’s a stark contrast with my pale skin and flatters my dark hair and brows.  The bottom is like a sarong falling just above my knees.  The top is halter style and its straps crisscross in the back, exposing a lot of skin.  

My long black hair is pulled back into a ponytail and then braided again.  Soft wisps of hair frame my face.  Tabitha adds a bit of color to my eyes and lips. I don’t want the full makeup like I had the other day.  Finally, I’m ready to go downstairs.

Everyone else is congregated in the large living room scattered out on various chairs and couches.  Except Rhiannon.  We’re not going to let her spoil our plans.  She’s still up in her room, where she’ll stay until I let her out.

At five minutes to eight, we are all in place on the beach.  We’re assuming that Xeniaa is as well.  Isla is standing close to me, with the hope being that her reputation as a truly powerful Fairy will mask my use of magic.  People will assume it is her.

“Are you ready to say the spell?” she asks.

“Can I say no?”

“No.”

“Then I guess I’m ready.” 

She hands me the grimoire and I begin to read.  “As the wind blows south, east, north, and west, I call again my plea to the great mistress.  During this, my hour of need, when malicious forces came to feed, you granted your power and wisdom, allowed in this realm a protective schism, between virtuous and baneful, well-being and peril.  My sacrifice made, my blood paid, your eight legged creatures I had bound, the magic now to be unwound.  Finding my heart to be just and pure, my safety you did help ensure. Please guide me now in tearing down this wall; the time has come to answer thy enemy’s call.”

I’m guessing from the shrieks coming from the other side of the web, the spiders are on their way back as magic rushes through me to them.  Isla had explained to us last night that spiders like to recycle their webs by eating them.  They then use the proteins they digest from it to create more silk.  There’s no way the spiders would just give up this much of their spun gold.  They want it back now that we’re done with it.

The wall comes down a lot faster than it went up.  These spiders must be famished.  When Isla said that we would only need about an hour for it to happen, we all scoffed.  Here it is, ten minutes to nine and we see the heads of people on the other side of the wall.  They look angry, but not as angry as they are scared of the spiders.  By nine, the wall’s completely gone.  A huge sigh of relief can be heard on both sides as the spiders retreat to the woods and sand instead of trying to make any or all of us their next meal. 

When the last of the spiders are gone, it’s time to take stock of the enemy.  There are at least fifty Fairies who have come to either kill me or kill Dagda.  Probably both.  After a moment, the crowd parts and one of the tallest women I have ever seen walks through them.  She may even be taller than Kallen.

I guess I just expected her to be beautiful, because that’s how it happens in the books I read, but she’s not.  She’s pretty, but she’s not drop dead gorgeous.  Even though she’s tall, she’s not willowy.  She looks pretty sturdy, and if those arm muscles mean anything, she’s strong, too.  Her hair is in a short bob and her eyebrows have been plucked into a perfect arc over her eyes.  They sort of make her look like she’s surprised all the time.  Her dress is light pink and gauzy, as if she is trying to be the sweet girl next door.  She’s not really pulling that off.  There’s a cruelty in her eyes that won’t be masked by a pink dress.

“Kallen,” she says in the same sultry voice she used yesterday.  “I am so happy you chose to do what is best for our kingdom.”  Turning to Dagda, who is on the other side of me to further cloak my magic, she says, “Oh, Dagda, whatever are we going to do with you?  You and I have had our fun, but now, I am afraid I just do not need you anymore.”

I look up at Dagda with disgust written all over my face.  He was
sleeping
with her?  I thought he was hand-fasted?  He doesn’t acknowledge my look at all.  Instead, he says to Xeniaa, “I am afraid you are giving the wrong impression of our relationship.  I was your mentor, nothing more.”  Yeah, right.  Mentoring her in sex?

Isla nudges me slightly to get my attention back to what’s really important here.  That slight movement brings Xeniaa’s eyes right to me.  “I cannot believe, Dagda, that you have been trapped in a house for two days and have not found the opportunity to kill your little mutt.  Another weakness on your part.  One that we will take care of shortly.  We will also find your wife, though you did hide her very well, I will admit.”  Oh, yeah, I wondered where she was.  Okay, now I’m even more annoyed he was sleeping with this Fairy.

I start pulling magic, so Isla and Dagda do as well.  I try really hard to keep from pulling enough to drop her in her spot, but there’s a bigger picture here.  It’s not going to be enough to simply get rid of Xeniaa.  Someone else will just step into her place.  We have to make sure that it is understood that rebellion will not be tolerated by anyone.

“Tsk, tsk, you two.  You may be strong, but we outnumber you greatly.”  Xeniaa has a malicious smile on her face.  The only part of it that reaches her eyes is the malicious part. 

She takes a couple of steps forward.  Presumably to get a better look at me.  This is what I’ve been waiting for.  In order for our plan to work, she needs to be a little ahead of her pack.  Okay, that made her sound like a dog or a werewolf or something; but she did call me a mutt.

Xeniaa looks me up and down and the look on her face makes it clear she has found me wanting.  “Kallen, I can see that she is reasonably pretty, but you cannot be serious.  You were going to stay in the Cowan realm for this scrawny thing?  I am sure at this point, you are ready for a woman in your life.”  She turns to him with lust in her eyes.  “Fortunately for you, you already have a wife who will take care of any needs you may have.”  Eew.  The thought of her and Kallen having sex is not an image I wanted in my mind.  Yup, that was more magic being pulled inside of me.  Okay, I might be a tiny bit jealous, as well.

While her attention is directed towards Kallen, I take the opportunity to use some of the magic I have pulled.  Using one of the tricks Dagda taught me yesterday, I send my magic out like a stealth aircraft.  It moves over the heads of those in front and doesn’t stop until it reaches the end of the crowd.  It latches on to several people who are now unable to move.  Nor can they speak to alert anyone else of their dilemma. 

Xeniaa moves in Kallen’s direction, confident that the greater numbers on her side will keep us in check.  “You are quiet this morning, my love.  Would it help if I told you that I will make your little Witch Fairy’s death quick and mostly painless?”

Rage is building on Kallen’s face; enough that Xeniaa takes an unconscious step back.  “You will not harm the woman I love.”  Oh, Kallen, that wasn’t in the plan.  He’s a terrible actor. 

“Love?” Xeniaa scoffs.  “What a ridiculous notion.  We do not need love.”  Liar.  Her love for Kallen is written all over her face.  Well, if you can classify obsession as love, anyway.  “We have power.  That is infinitesimally more useful than love.  We also have attraction.  That will get us by just fine.” 

I’m pretty sure that’s not attraction in Kallen’s eyes, but I’m not going to bring that up.  Instead, I’m going to use the opportunity to incapacitate more of her flock.  I’m about half way up through the crowd now.

Kallen doesn’t respond and there’s a distinct tightening of Xeniaa’s jaw that says how much that bothers her.  Instead of admitting it, she tries a different tactic.  Her eyes lock onto Kegan and a frightening smile breaks out on her face.  “You know, Kallen.  If you would like our reign to be platonic, I can always keep your cousin in my room for my entertainment.  His Cowan blood makes him useless for anything else than a toy.”

I can’t decide if Kegan looks mad or if he’s going to throw up.  Maybe both?  “I would prefer that you kill me.”

That wasn’t the right thing to say.  Instantly, Kegan is on the ground writhing in pain.  A hand on each of my arms keeps me from helping him.  “He is strong,” Isla says quietly.

Kallen must not be as sure.  He pulls his own magic and pushes hers out of Kegan.  For an instant, Kegan is in excruciating pain as the too magics come together, but it only takes a second for Kallen’s stronger magic to push hers out.

Xeniaa smiles at Kallen.  “I love it when you show your strength.”  Eew.  I think she’s turned on right now. 

This is driving me insane.  I want to handle this situation like I have the others.  I take control, I kick ass, I win.  It’s such a simple way to handle things.  I was told last night that didn’t make me a team player.  I need to learn to work well with others.  Maybe Mom and Dad should have thought of that before keeping me isolated in the mountains.

Kallen doesn’t respond to her last comment.  Instead, he looks at me and every bit of love he has for me shows on his face.  I thought Xeniaa was mad before, that was nothing compared to now.  In a flash, she is back in front of me. 

“I understand that Maurelle and Olwyn were but putty in your hands.  You will not find me as pliable.  I am a full-blooded Pooka warrior, I am not tainted.”

Not tainted, just insane.  Good lord, how much trouble do I need to cause before I learn to quit mumbling stuff out loud?  Maybe I have Tourette syndrome and should see a doctor.  No, I’m reasonably sure that Dad would have mentioned something if I had it.

Her magic comes barreling at me.  I’ll admit, she’s strong.  She’s not as strong as Kallen, or Dagda, or Isla, but she is strong.  It takes every teeny tiny bit of will power I have to let her magic bowl me over.  My pride alone suffers the most damage.  My pain sensors, not so much.  I wonder if I’m not as sensitive as the others?  Maybe that’s why my magic doesn’t kill me.  That also means I have to try to act like I’m in pain.  I fall to the ground on my hands and knees.  I don’t think I can manage writhing.

“Xeniaa, let her go,” Kallen demands.

“So that you can pine for her the rest of your days?  Definitely not.”  While I’m on the ground, I take the opportunity to see if everything is in place.  Almost.  Just a few more minutes.  I let Rhiannon go from the room she’s locked in as a distraction to give us a little more time.  It’s less than a minute before she comes barreling out of the house.

“Xeniaa, stop, she is the Witch Fairy!”

I believe Xeniaa is attempting to bore a hole through Rhiannon with her eyes.  She kind of looks like she might succeed. “Thank you, what timely information you have brought me.”  Hmm, I thought the two sisters were close.  “I am disappointed, Rhiannon, that you let yourself be captured.  I trusted you with one small task, and you failed miserably.  It must be the Cowan blood from Mother’s illicit, and poorly covered up, affair that everyone knows you carry.”

Rhiannon looks like she’s been stricken.  Not only did her sister confirm the rumors, she humiliated her in front of the most powerful Fairies in the realm.  “That is not true!”