Blood of the Exiled (Witch Fairy Book 10) (7 page)

Kallen places a soft hand on my cheek, turning my head towards him.
 
It takes a lot of effort not to zap him away with my magic.
 
“My love,” he says softly, “the day still holds promise of joy and good times.
 
Do not let her drive you to using your magic in anger.”

His words for once wash through me with the calming effect he intended.
 
Instead of berating me or telling me to mind my own business, he has acknowledged that his aunt is the root cause of the problem, not me.
 
Even if I’m not handling it very well at all.
 
I let a smile form on my lips as I let my magic slip away.
 
Bringing his mouth to mine, he kisses me.
 
This isn’t a tactic he should use often, but in this situation, it was the perfect thing to do.
 
With his lips on mine, I couldn’t care less about Tana.

“There truly is love there,” Tana whispers.
 
What, she had doubts?
 

“Yes,” Dagda muses, “enough to douse the fires of hell.”
 
Tana starts at his words and Dagda’s face pales.
 
“I did not mean…”

Tana waves his words away, “I know what you meant.”
 
Rising from her chair, she curls her arm around her husband’s and tugs gently to get his shocked body to move forward.
 
“Come, let us join the rest.”

When they are several feet away, Kallen grins against my lips.
 
“Perhaps we can take that walk in the woods we tried to take yesterday.”

I laugh.
 
“I’m pretty sure our absence would be noticed.”

Disappointment clings to him, but he stands straight and holds his arm out for me.
 
“Unfortunately, you are correct.”

“We don’t have to stay downstairs long, though, right?” I ask hopefully.
 
He grins in response.

All eyes turn to us as we enter the ballroom.
 
I think they’re checking to see if we still have all of our body parts.
 
I’m tempted to amputate an arm briefly just to see their reaction.
 
If only I wasn’t afraid that I wouldn’t be able to put it back on.

Tana makes it about three feet into the ballroom before tugging Dagda to a stop.
 
She whispers something in his ear and he nods.
 
With an apologetic nod in our direction, he leads Tana back out.
 
I guess I should give her some credit.
 
At least she made an appearance on his arm.
 
That will probably go a long way in making people believe she is getting better and won’t be blowing the realm up any time soon.
 
I have to admit, though, it’s been kind of nice having someone else be the pariah in town.

Hoping he says no, I ask Kallen, “Do you think we should check on them?”

He shakes his head.
 
“We should leave them be.
 
They have a lot to sort out.”
 
Yeah, they do.
 
I will gladly stay away from those conversations.
 
Since there
are no
sudden, loud explosions or screaming, nor is Alita suffering a mind-blowing headache from dark magic, I assume we’re making the right choice.
 

Dinner is served soon after we enter and Tabitha has outdone herself.
 
I don’t know what half of it is since
it’s
traditional hand-fasting fare, and I didn’t get to taste any at mine, but the food is delicious.
 
There are meats and pasta and rice all richly flavored with herbs and spices fresh from Tabitha’s garden.
 
After I finish everything on my plate, I’m positive I can’t eat another bite without exploding.
 
Except the desserts Alita’s mother made are being brought out.
 
I’ll make room for those.
 
By the time I’m done eating, I feel like I’m made of lead.

Standing, Kallen holds his hand out.
 
“Dance with me?”

I touch a hand to my tummy.
 
“After all that food, I’m not sure I can stand.”

He laughs.
 
“Then I will twirl you around in my arms.”

I kind of like that idea.
 
I put my hand in his and let him whisk me off to the dance floor.
 
Kegan and Alita are dancing as well.
 
They’re whispering and grinning and I bet wondering how long they have to stay at the reception.
 

After several hours of dancing and drinking, the Fairies begin to totter off.
 
Some of them quite literally because they drank too much wine.
 
Since Fairy laws are so different than in my realm, I am actually old enough to drink here, but I don’t.
 
It’s difficult enough controlling my magic when I’m sober.
 
Besides, I’ve felt drunk on Fairy darts a couple of times and I didn’t like the feeling at all.

Exhausted from all the dancing, I sit down at a corner table and hope no one sees me.
 
Unfortunately, it is considered rude not to dance with the older Fairies of the elite who ask you, so my back is covered in palm sweat from too many old guys touching me.
 
I’ve also received several unappealing propositions.
 
I’m debating whether to share them with Kallen.
 
It would keep me from having to dance with them at the next occasion that requires dancing.
 
But, that would probably be because Kallen killed them.
 
I should probably keep it to myself.
 
Besides, I’m sure more than one female Fairy has propositioned him tonight by the pained look on his face while he danced with some of them.
 
I’m secure enough now to know I don’t have anything to worry about, so I can live without details.

Taking the seat next to me, Kallen says, “If I have to touch one more Fairy other than you, I may commit suicide.”

Nope, nothing to worry about.
 
“I don’t know
,
the last one with wandering hands seemed nice.”

Irritated, he glowers at me.
 
“Then perhaps you should dance with her.”

I laugh.
 
“No thanks, I’ve had my fill of other Fairies as well.
 
I’m done being polite.”
 
I’m using the word polite as a euphemism for keeping wandering hands from touching my butt.
 
Alcohol and self-important old guys are not a good combination.
 
I suspect most of their attempts at seduction
are more of a desire
to influence my power than truly wanting me as a lover, though.
 
But, some of them truly are lechers.

Looking around the room, I say, “It’s clearing out.
 
Should we help clean up?”

“No, Grandmother has Fairies coming in for that.”

“Then does that mean we can sneak away?” I ask hopefully.

He leans towards me to purr in my ear, “Only if you want to make love from now until morning.”

A tingle of anticipation travels down my spine.
 
“I can teleport us.”

He chuckles and I can see he likes the idea, but he doesn’t say yes.
 
“We should at least congratulate the happy couple one more time and maybe give them their present.”

Neither of us has had much opportunity to talk to the bride or the groom tonight.
 
They have been pulled into a thousand directions by the Fairy guests.
 
Other than the dancing, I spent most of the night talking to Kallen, Adriel and Raziel.
 
Those two left about an hour and a half ago.
 
Isla would have killed us if we left that early.

Getting to my feet, I say “True.” Kallen stands as well and wraps an arm around my waist.
 
“They look like they need rescuing anyway.”
 

A rather large Fairy with gray hair and several disgusting warts on his face is laughing and slapping Kegan on the back.
 
Hard apparently since Kegan is propelled forward a foot or two.
 
Alita has a smile pasted to her face that seems to be past its expiration date.
 
It’s curdling around the edges.

Rudely interrupting whatever the Fairy is saying to them, I plant myself between him and my friends.
 
“We’re going to head upstairs,” I say, ignoring the huffing down my neck by the offended, wart ridden Fairy.
 
“Would you like to walk with us?
 
Kallen and I can give you your wedding present.”

If relief was measured in weight, theirs would be equal to that of an orca.
 
A pregnant one.
 
“Of course we will walk with you,” Kegan says graciously, as if he’s doing us a favor instead of the other way around.
 
I try not to smirk.
 
Leaning around me, he says to the flustered Fairy, “It was nice speaking with you.
 
My bride and I will cherish your advice for a long and happy hand-fasting.”

Shocked, I mouth ‘he’s married?’ and Alita nods subtly, trying not to laugh.
 
“Yes, thank you,” she adds to Kegan’s comment.
 
The warty Fairy huffs off, presumably to find the woman who would marry someone whose face warts must touch her every time she kisses him.

Amused, Kegan says, “You know you just pissed off the Minister of Economics, right?”

I feign ruefulness.
 
“I’ll call him back right away and apologize.”

“No,” three voices say at once.
 

Smug, I say, “That’s what I thought.”
 

“So, about this gift you mentioned,” Kegan says.

Grinning like a fool, I say, “Come on, we’ll show you.”
 
It took Kallen and me a while to decide what to get them and I’m excited to show them what we decided on.
 
Turning, I take Kallen’s hand and we walk out of the ballroom and then to the stairs.
 

“Give us a hint,” Alita says.
 
They are both dying of curiosity now.

“No,” I say and Kallen chuckles at her disappointed look as we climb to the second floor.

At the top of the stairs, I say over my shoulder, “Come to our room, it’s in there.”

“Was it too heavy for my cousin to carry down the stairs and put it with the other gifts?” Kegan asks and Kallen narrows his eyes.
 
If this wasn’t his wedding day, Kegan’s arm would be sore right now from Kallen punching it.

“It’s so small, even you could carry it,” Kallen retorts.

“Then why keep it up here?” Kegan asks.

“Because it’s something we need to give you in private.
 
None of the guests can know,” I explain, opening the bedroom door.

“It is not something that will explode or anything, right?” Alita
asks,
a twinge of nervousness in her voice.
 
“Did you make it with your magic?”

Only half offended, I say, “No, and thanks for the confidence in my abilities.”

Walking to the night table, I open a drawer and pull out a small, gold giftwrapped box.
 
Kegan and Alita sit in the chairs near the terrace and Kallen on the end of the bed, leaning back on his arms.
 
I hand the box to Alita.
 
She opens it and looks up at me in confusion while handing the box to Kegan.
 
“A key?” she says.

I nod.
 
“Mm hmm.”

“A key to what?”
Kegan asks.

“It’s a key to my old house.
 
In the Cowan realm,” I explain.

They obviously think I’ve lost my mind.
 
“Why would you give us a key to your old house?” Alita asks.

“So the two of you can go there anytime you want some privacy.”

“What?” Alita gasps as Kegan says, “And be killed crossing through the passageway to the Cowan world?”

I roll my eyes.
 
“Yes, we’re giving you a gift that will kill you if you use it.”

“Xandra has made it possible for you to move between realms.
 
You will not be harmed when crossing over,” Kallen explains.

Alita’s eyes are open so wide I’m pretty sure she’s going to lose an eyeball.
 
“What?
 
Really?”

“You are not serious,” Kegan says.