Blood of the Exiled (Witch Fairy Book 10) (6 page)

Upstairs, Alita and I disappear into her room.
 
Her mother is waiting impatiently for us and as soon as we walk in the door, she starts giving orders like Drill Sergeant Tabitha last night.
 
Apparently, it’s contagious.
 
What is it about weddings that make people so crazy?
 

For the next hour, Alita’s mother goes about making us as beautiful as possible for the hand-fasting.
 
Since Alita’s mother is Human, therefore non-magical, she does our hair by hand.
 
She weaves tiny flowers into intricate braids in both of our hair.
 

Gazing at my friend, I realize I’ve never seen Alita without her shoulder length bob falling straight.
 
With her hair up like this, her neck is long and regal and with her natural elegance, she looks more like a princess than I do right now.
 
Truthfully, she probably always does.

My dress is a simple, lilac knee-length silk.
 
It’s form fitting but not too tight.
 
Bits of me won’t be popping out of it.
 
I’m relieved it doesn’t have a bodice like Alita’s.
 
I’ll be able to breathe freely throughout the day.

A knock on the door is followed by Flynn’s baritone.
 
“Alita, may I come in?”

“Yes, father,” Alita says, still admiring her hair in the mirror.

Flynn opens the door and a grin as wide as the Atlantic spreads across his face.
 
“You are the most beautiful creature in any realm,” he says lovingly.
 
I try not to be insulted even if it is true.
 
“It is time.”
 
He holds his hands out to her.

That’s my cue to find Kallen so we can walk outside together to the music the Fairy band is playing.
 
I keep expecting the traditional wedding march from back home, but that’s not a thing here.
 
I find Kallen waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.
 
He is unbelievably handsome in a gray suit that fits him perfectly from his broad shoulders down to his shiny black…sandals?

I raise a skeptical eyebrow.
 
Nodding towards his feet, I say, “Really?”

Kallen grins.
 
“Did you expect Kegan and me to wear shoes in the sand?”

Yeah, I guess I did.
 
“Kegan is wearing sandals, too?”
 
Granted, Alita and I are also wearing sandals but for some reason it seems odd the guys are as well.
 
I’m such a hypocrite.

Kallen shrugs.
 
“Of course, it would be a long day with sand in our shoes.”

“I guess it’s better than Bermuda shorts and Hawaiian shirts,” I say, walking down the stairs.

He gives me a quizzical look.
 
“Do I want to know what those are?”

With a grin, I say, “I’ll make you some later.”

A spark of fear jumps into his eyes.
 
“Perhaps you should describe them to me and I will make them.”

I roll my eyes.
 
“I’m getting better at making clothes.”

He doesn’t look convinced.
 
Instead of a reply, he holds his arm out for me and I curve mine around it.
 
“You are beautiful, my love,” he says quietly.
 
“You will outshine the bride.”

I blush at his compliment and say, “You haven’t seen her dress.”
 

We walk outside arm in arm to take our places near the altar.

Officiating
the ceremony, Dagda’s eyes shine with pride as Kallen and I walk towards him where he stands at the altar.
 
I don’t know why.
 
Maybe he’s just proud that I haven’t somehow managed to bring hell’s fury down on the ceremony.
 
Yet.
 
I try not to grimace at the thought that I may have just jinxed myself.

“You look lovely,” Dagda says as I take my place to one side of him and a terrified looking Kegan.
 

My cheeks flush with this compliment as well.
 
“Thank you,” I say softly, trying to ignore the scrutiny I am receiving from the rest of the Fairies present.
 

Flynn and Alita come into view and the terrified look is washed from Kegan’s face.
 
It’s replaced with the love, and lust, he wore yesterday when he got a sneak preview of her in her dress.
 
Even his father regards his beautiful, soon to be, daughter-in-law with a broad smile.
 
Not in a creepy, lecher kind of way, but like he always thought this hand-fasting was a good idea.
 
I still think he’s kind of a weenie.
 
My new favorite word for people I don’t like.

Dagda doesn’t seem to like him much either because he starts the ceremony off with, “I am honored today to perform a hand-fasting I thought may never occur.
 
Fortunately, love truly does concur all.”
 
He gives a pointed look towards Kegan’s dad who does not look pleased.
 
Um, this is a hand-fasting, not a political arena or some old grudge fest.
 

Continuing, Dagda says, “Alita, you stand before me a Fairy of intelligence, beauty and charm.
 
Your talents have kept me and the entire realm safe from dark magic.
 
You hold an esteemed place in both my Palace and my heart.
 
It is with great satisfaction that I bind you to the only Fairy I believe worthy of you.”

Kegan’s dad is seething now, but he doesn’t interrupt the ceremony to call Dagda out for his blatant jabs at his prejudice.
 
I honestly don’t know why Dagda is doing this.
 
It wasn’t that long ago Dagda held those very same beliefs.
 
I guess his dislike of the other Fairy runs pretty deep.
 
Hypocrisy abounds here today.

“Kegan, you have been my nephew in heart if not by blood,” Dagda continues.
 
“I have watched you grow into a fine, strong and intelligent Fairy with the unique ability to listen to your heart when it really matters.”

As Dagda speaks, my eyes are drawn to the Fairy taking a seat in the very last row of chairs and I have to work hard to stop a snarl from escaping me.
 
Tana has decided to attend the ceremony, making this the first time she has seen her husband since trying to kill him.
 
I really, really hope she’s not going to choose now to try again.
 
I would hate to kill her in front of all of these witnesses.

Following my worried eyes, Kallen spots her and his lips press together in a thin line.
 
Several Fairies in the audience also turn to look.
 
I know Dagda has seen her when he stops mid-sentence and has to take a moment to clear his throat before continuing.
 
“This hand-fasting is based on the truest of love and you each will hold the other in your hearts forever.”
 
I’m not sure he’s talking about Kegan and Alita now because his eyes are glued to Tana.
 
After a brief glance, she averts her eyes, not acknowledging his pledge of love.
 

Oblivious to the sideshow attraction, Kegan and Alita are speaking their vows to each other.
 
To my relief, Tana does nothing to interrupt the ceremony and it isn’t long before Dagda declares them hand-fasted.
 
As soon as Kegan and Alita walk back down the makeshift aisle as a happily married couple, Dagda heads straight towards his wife like a love sick fool.
 
I think he’s afraid she’ll disappear if he doesn’t get to her in time.
 
She probably would.

I groan.
 
Why couldn’t she stay up in her room moping like she does most of the time.
 
She knew her presence was going to draw attention away from why we’re all here.
 
Irritated, I follow my biological father to where she sits.
 
I’m so annoyed, I almost hope she does do something just so I can see how far out into the ocean I can fling her.
 
She’s way too skinny, but the sharks probably wouldn’t mind.

A small crowd is gathering around the wrong couple and trying to act like they’re not listening for something to gossip about later.
 
A few of them look a little scared to have Tana so close, but their curiosity wins out and they linger.
 
I open my mouth to tell them, nicely, of course, to move their butts along to dinner, but Kallen beats me to it.
 
“The happy couple will be receiving for a brief time before dinner is served in the ball room.”
 
I never dreamed I would live in a house that has a ballroom, but Isla’s house is huge.

Reluctantly, the crowd shuffles towards the house.
 
More than one Fairy looks back to see if he or she is missing something important, like the demise of their King.
 
They’re like vultures wanting to pick through road kill.

Hands in his pockets, Dagda asks Tana softly, “How are you?”
 
I’ve never heard his voice so tenuous.

Barely meeting his eyes, she says, “I am well.”
 
This is probably not an appropriate time to snort, but I really can’t help it.
 
That was a ridiculous response.

“As well as can be expected,” Kallen amends in a soothing voice when my snort makes Tana’s eyes flash with anger.
 
He gives me a sour look like I’m the bad guy.
 
Hey, she’s the dark magic Queen, not me.
 
But, it’s apparent that he, like Dagda, still cares for Tana.
 
She is his aunt and he loved her growing up, so I get it.
 
Me?
 
I’m not a fan of the crazy lady who can do enough dark magic to infect the entire realm.
 
Well, okay, I’m the one who actually did the magic, but she set me up.
 
My god, I sound like a felon on death row.
 
I’m innocent, she made me do it!
 
Maybe I do need to back off from her a little bit and think about my own role in that whole destroy the realm plan of hers.
 
I could have been smarter, less rash, and not fallen so easily into her traps.
 
I hope she’s done moping by the time we get back from my realm, though.
 
I’d like to meet the Fairy Dagda and Kallen knew before pain and anger sucked her in, chewed on her until she was bloody and then spit her back out to bleed all over the world.

“Will you allow me to escort you to the ballroom?” Dagda asks.
 
He holds his arm out hopefully.

Tana meets his eyes now.
 
“No.”
 
Wow.
 
That was rude.

Dagda’s arm drops back to his side, his eyes dim and his face blanks.
 
He gives her a slight nod and prepares to walk away.
 
Uh uh, no way.
 
She will not spoil this hand-fasting with her need to hurt Dagda.
 

Laying a hand on Dagda’s arm to stop him, I hiss at Tana, “Look,” I barely move my lips because I don’t want any of the gawking Fairies to figure out what I’m saying, “you chose to come down here for the ceremony knowing that you would cause some kind of trouble but I’m not going to let that happen.
 
Kegan and Alita are going to have the hand-fasting they deserve and that means you not spoiling it with your desire to keep punishing Dagda.
 
So, either
knock
it off and be polite or I’ll turn into my Pegasus form and trample you in front of everyone until every iota of your body is indistinguishable from the sand.”
 

“Xandra,” Dagda growls.
 
He is furious at me for speaking to her like this.
 
Kallen doesn’t look happy either.
 
 
Too bad.
 
I am not going to tip toe around her delicate feelings, or her temper.
 
Alita and Kegan’s happiness means a lot more to me than hers does.

“You have two choices,” I continue, ignoring Dagda and the death rays shooting from his eyes.
 
“Either move forward and decide you’re going to forgive him, or do whatever it is that Fairies do to divorce him, but stop being so wishy-washy and stringing him along.
 
It’s been how many years now?
 
Get over it.
 
I did and he tried to kill me.
 
And it’s not like you’ll be forced to leave if you choose to end your marriage.
 
Isla won’t have any problem letting you stay here if you decide on divorce.
 
So, what’s it going to be?”
 
I know it’s wrong to force this decision on her so soon in her recovery, but her passive aggressive behavior is cruel.
 
I believe that deep down, she already knows what she wants.

Now Dagda’s really pissed at me.
 
My little disclosure about forgiving him has gone unnoticed.
 
I think mostly because I brought up the D-word.
 
He’s moved so his back is towards the house and no one except us can see his murderous expression.
 
Of course.
 
We wouldn’t want the other Fairies to know that we don’t always get along.
 
What a shock that would be to them.
 
I roll my eyes at him.

Tana gives me a long, assessing look.
 
I’m pretty sure she’s trying to decide if I’m serious about the trampling thing or not.
 
She must decide I am because a tight, obviously fake, smile forms on her lips.
 
“I do not want a divorce.”

The relief that washes over Dagda is so great, I’m afraid he’s going to start dancing a jig or something.
 
Or swoon, which would be worse.
 
Neither would do much for his tough guy image, and I seriously doubt he has rhythm.
 
“Thank you,” he says.

Tana meets his eyes.
 
“But I have not forgiven you yet.”

A disgusted burst of air leaves my lungs.
 
“So, we’re right back to where we were a minute ago.”
 
The angrier I get, the more magic I draw.
 
I could level a decent size realm with what I’m holding right now.
 
I’m even starting to shake a little.
 
Kallen and Dagda exchange a nervous glance.

They’re not the only ones who can feel it.
 
Fear has taken root on Tana’s face.
 
“You will strike me down in front of all these witnesses?” she asks, trying to keep the fear from her voice.
 
I have to admit, she’s pretty good at it.

A burst of magic leaves me and a solid wall is suddenly standing between us and the house.
 
Acid leaking from my mouth in the form of words, I ask, “What witnesses?”

“Xandra,” Dagda says sharply, “stop this.”
 
He reaches out to grab my arm, but I move out of his reach.
 
Whatever he sees on my face convinces him not to try again.