Betrayals of Spring (28 page)

My left arm is freed from Bastian’s grip
and Bayleon gently picks me up and sets me on what I assume is the bed. It’s
soft and fluffy beneath me, but nothing feels comfortable to me right now. He
removes my bow and arrows that I have strapped to my back, and he also takes my
armor off one piece at a time. He lightly touches my skin each time he removes
an article of my armor, and he also seems to be enjoying taking his time with
it. After the tormenting is over I’m left with nothing on but my undergarments.
I might as well be naked.

“I’ve never seen a female warrior, my
lady.” Bayleon says, sounding fascinated. I would love to show him my warrior
skills, but I know I can’t fight all the Tyvar and make it out alive. He pushes
me back gently to where I am lying on the bed and crawls his way slowly up my
body. The realization of how screwed I am finally sinks in and I can feel the
panic beginning to rise. Bayleon places both hands against my cheeks and
whispers against my lips.

“Open your eyes.”

This is it.
This will be my final
doom. I have failed my people and now the Spring Court will never exist. I wish
with all my heart that I could see Kalen one last time. The last tears I will
ever shed have left my eyes as I now prepare to open them to my doom. Bayleon
comes closer and I know he is about to merge his lips with mine when I slowly
open my eyes to meet his. His midnight blue eyes bore into mine, but then they
go wide in surprise. This is my end
.

I can feel the power flowing all around
me, but then...nothing. His power was trying to take over my body, but
something held it back. Why didn’t his powers work on me? Bayleon’s eyes go
wide as he pulls back to gaze at me bewilderingly. He narrows his midnight blue
eyes, penetrating mine to the depths of my soul looking for answers.

I peer over at Bastian and he’s standing
in the corner of the room looking just as confused and transfixed. Bayleon and
Bastian look exactly alike, and being that they’re brothers, they must be
twins. Their looks are all fae, but the Tyvar are more angelic and ethereal
looking in appearance than the warriors of the courts. It’s deceiving because
any woman who gazes upon these men will think they are angels when actually
they are the complete opposite. I can see how many women are seduced by their
looks alone without their power. Both Bayleon and Bastian have long, silky
golden blonde hair that hangs perfectly straight past their shoulders. Their
eyes are the most beautiful thing about their faces. They’re so big and full of
color that you could get lost in the depths of them with one single look. If I
wasn’t immune to their powers I know I would have already been lost. I don’t
see where they would need their powers of seduction to seduce women. I’m sure
any woman who happens to gaze upon them would be more than happy to come
willingly.

“Who are you?” Bayleon asks. “You’re not
just a she-warrior. What are you doing here, and why have you come?” he asks,
astonished.

I don’t understand why I can thwart
their power, but knowing that I can sends relief and hope surging back into my
body. With my newfound strength I am able to finally speak with confidence.

“I’m Meliantha, Princess of the Summer
Court. I was led here by someone and that is the reason I’m here. I am trying
to save Prince Kalen of the Winter Court.”

Bayleon nods his head, “I believe I have
met the fae you speak of. His complexion was different like yours, but he also
had a female with him.”

I snap to attention.

“How long ago was this?” I ask
hurriedly.

Bastian saunters over and uses this time
to speak.

“He was here early this morning and left
just as quickly. He has a strong lead on you if you are trying to track him.”

The dark sorcerer is doing everything to
delay me from getting to Kalen, like leading me through tasks that he deems
unbeatable, and who knows what else. The longer it takes, the more desperate I
know I will become. I don’t want to make mistakes by being careless. It doesn’t
feel like this search is ever going to come to an end. Will there always be
something that evil bastard throws in my way.

“I’m trying to track him, and my wolf
has been helping me follow him. Do either one of you know about the prophecy?”
I ask. They both nod their heads so I continue, “The man you saw was the dark
sorcerer. He is not of this land and he is not fae. Evil runs through his veins
instead of blood and his goal is to take over the Land of the Fae and bring
ruin to all that live here.”

“Why did he look fae when we saw him?”
Bayleon asks.

I take a deep breath to calm my nerves
before speaking.

“The dark sorcerer has trapped himself
inside Prince Kalen’s body, and that is why he looked fae. He’s leading me on a
wild chase across our realm to torment me. You see, I can’t complete my destiny
without Prince Kalen.”

Both men seem to contemplate everything
I have said and then they both look at me with admiration in their eyes. Bastian
is the one who comes to the realization first.

“I know how you were able to thwart our
powers! You are one of the Four!” he exclaims.

I never thought that being one of the
Four would give me special advantages, but I am thankful nonetheless. I nod slowly
at them and they both get down on their knees and bow their heads. Maybe I
should have said this before and saved all of us the torment, especially with
Ashur and Finn. Now they are out there thinking the worst, and doing who knows
what to get me back.

“What can we do to help?” Bayleon asks.

“I need you to let me go,” I plead
whole-heartedly, looking at both of them.

Bayleon gets to his feet and reaches for
my hands to pull me up. I didn’t realize how tall he was when I had my eyes
closed, and now I have to peer up at him. He turns my hands over, palm up, and
kisses them both lightly. Please let them understand and let me go, I wish to
myself. Bayleon looks me in the eyes, sadness and longing evident in his
midnight orbs, and vows.

“I will let you go, but
only
if
you do me one favor.”

I can see the honesty in his eyes, but
favors to the fae can mean anything from something easy to something extremely
difficult. I begin to grow weary and a frown takes over my face. “I am not
asking for much,” he admits, smiling.

I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Then what, may I ask, is your favor?” I
ask curiously.

“I have never had the pleasure of a
woman who hasn’t been enthralled by my power, so all I ask from you is…one
kiss.”

“One kiss?” I repeat, confused.

He nods his head, “Aye, one kiss. Our
mother once told us before she died, that there is no greater joy than the
pleasure of true love. She said that we have been cursed with our powers of
seduction.” He moves closer to me and continues. “By kissing you, it will give
me a taste of true love.”

I furrow my brows and stare at him. How
can he get that from me? I don’t love him. I’m about to ask him, but he stops
me with his next words. “I know you do not love me, but I will be able to feel
the love you share for your prince when I connect with you. It’ll be a gift I
will cherish for the rest of my existence.”

“Is there not a way you can stop using
your powers on women and experience love for yourself?”

He shakes his head wearily and looks
down at the floor. “Nay, that is why we are cursed.”

I am shocked by his admittance, because
I never would have thought the Tyvar would consider their powers a curse. I can
feel the sadness in his soul, and I wonder if all the Tyvar feel this way or if
Bayleon is the only one. I’m sure a lot of them thoroughly enjoy bedding the
women until they die, and thankfully, Bayleon isn’t one of them. If kissing him
is the only way to get out of here, then I’ll gladly give it to him. Doing so
feels like a betrayal to Kalen, but I think he would prefer I kiss one man
instead of bedding a hundred of them. I know I would prefer the kiss. I will do
anything to save Kalen, and if it only involves a kiss then so be it.

Bayleon is still looking at the floor,
hands in mine, when I squeeze them to get his attention. He hesitates before
finally looking up to meet my eyes. “You can have your kiss,” I say softly.

His midnight blue eyes glow and a smile
takes over his angelic face. He reminds me of Finn with how ethereal he looks.
Thinking of Finn spikes my need to get out of here quickly, and to let him and
Ashur know that I am safe and well. I don’t want them getting killed trying to
save me, but when I get out of here I’m going to do what I should have done in
the first place. I am going to finish out this journey alone.

Bayleon moves closer and with him being
so tall, I angle my chin higher to receive his kiss.

Before touching my lips, he whispers, “I
need you to think of your prince and the love you feel for him. Take all of
that love and build it up here.” He releases my hands and places one of his
over my heart. “Are you ready?” he asks.

The love I have for Kalen has never left
my heart, but I do as he says and concentrate on all the love and all the
passion I have for the one man I desire most. I let those feelings build until
my heart feels like it’s going to explode. I close my eyes and nod my head,
ready for Bayleon’s kiss.

“I’m ready,” I confess, shaky and
breathless.

He moves closer and takes my face in
between his hands. His lips feel warm when they close over mine. I part mine
slightly, giving into him fully, and he uses this invitation as time to deepen
the kiss. I try to picture Kalen in my head while another man takes claim to my
lips. The way Kalen looks when he smiles and the way his eyes smolder when he
looks at me are fresh in my mind. My lips move against Bayleon’s and I know
that if I am to get out of here I have to make this gift memorable. I have to
put everything into it, and that means doing the only thing I can think of to
do — pretend it is Kalen that I am kissing.

I envision the man before me is the
strong and handsome Winter Prince that I have fallen madly in love with. I take
us to the place in our vision where everything is colorful and free, the place
where we will make our court and begin a new life. I deepen the kiss of my own
accord and the man before me moans into my mouth and pulls me in tighter to his
body. I wrap my arms around his waist while our tongues intermingle in a
sensual embrace. His breathing becomes frantic and so does mine. Things are
beginning to get really heated when Bayleon breaks away from the kiss, and I am
thrust back into reality. Imagining he was Kalen might not have been the best
idea because things were beginning to get carried away really fast.

Bayleon tilts my chin up and presses his
forehead against mine.

“That was the most amazing feeling I
have ever felt, Princess. Your love for the prince is powerful,” he says,
amazed.

I give a small laugh, “Yes it is, and
that is why I must go. Am I free to leave?”

He smiles at me warmly and nods, “Aye,
you are, and thank you for giving me the taste of true love. I know it must not
be easy to give yourself to me when you love another. It warms my soul and has
made me see things in a new light. Are you sure you don’t want to stay for the
night? Your warriors are gone which means you will be travelling alone at
night.”