Charmed Vengeance (34 page)

Her entire being, well, what she could feel of it in the mist, began to tingle.

No, no, no, you can’t go yet,
the voice told Noli.

“What?”

They’re trying to take you. You’re not well enough to go yet … and I’m not just saying that because I like your stories and you’re kind. Also, I haven’t finished my story.

“Wait, who’s taking me, taking me where?” She wasn’t even sure where she was, other than safe and cozy, not hot, cold, or thirsty. The urgency in her voice made Noli’s skin crawl.

The princes. They wish to take you.

“Wait, V? Is V here? But I want to go with him.” The thought of seeing him again made her heart soar. He’d come back for her. Did that mean that his quest was over? She remembered now. A little.

You do?

“I … I love him. I love him so much.” With every fiber of her being. Memories of him flickered through her mind like a zoetrope. “Please, let me see him.”

You do love him, and it’s so beautiful.
The voice made a happy sigh.
If you truly wish to go, I’ll make you well enough.

“You can do that? I don’t even know who you are?” Her body tingled in a way that almost hurt and lights flashed in front of her eyes. What was happening?

Noli didn’t feel afraid, just prickly.

Don’t forget me and remember my story. You must keep the staff out of the wrong hands. You’re a good person, Magnolia Montgomery Braddock.

“I am?” Sometimes she wondered about that, with everything she’d done of late.

The voice didn’t answer, other voices echoed through the fog. Familiar male voices.

“Noli, darling, can you hear me?” V pleaded.

“Maybe we should put her back in, I don’t think she’s done yet,” James replied.

She felt as if she were being tugged like taffy. The nothingness slipped away and the prickly sensation ebbed. Hands gripped her and a breeze caressed her skin.

Noli’s eyes fluttered open, and two very concerned princes came into focus. “Not done yet? What am I, a cake?”

“Oh, Noli!” V’s unspectacled green eyes grew as wide as saucers as he pulled her to his chest. “You’re alive. I’m so glad you’re alive and well.”

Noli wrapped her arms around him. “You came, I knew you would. Everyone said you wouldn’t, but I had faith in you.”

“That makes me so happy.” V buried his face in her hair. “I feared I’d lose you.”

“Where was I?” It felt so nice to be in his arms again.

“We put you in the tree because you were sick.” James leaned back on his hands in the soft moss surrounding the big oak. Wood faeries encircled them, some even had swords.

“How did I get to the Otherworld?” She waved at the wood faeries, who waved back. A pink one perched on her outstretched hand, translucent wings flapping, dress resembling flower petals, pointed ears poking out of her brown hair. They were in the grove at the center of the maze at the big house. She was also wearing her nightdress.

“We brought you here.” James crouched beside them.

V stroked her hair. “Are you feeling better? We were so worried.”

Noli nodded. She’d been in a tree? But she’d been someplace … memories of where she’d been hung like a haze—present but not quite tangible.

“Oh good.” V caressed her face.

“Why did you put me in a tree?” Something nagging at the back of her mind, something she wasn’t supposed to forget … but she just couldn’t remember. More things escaped with every second she tried.

“Let’s return to the house, I’m hungry,” James groused, standing and shifting his weight from foot to foot. “I’m glad you’re better, Noli.”

V moved her off his lap and they stood. He took her hands and pulled her to him, gazing so deeply into her eyes it was as if he were looking right into her soul.

“I’m sorry I hurt you. I love you so much. When I saw you so ill …” he shook his head, eyes misty. “I never would have forgiven myself if something had happened to you.” V leaned in, his lips soft and sweet. Her toes tingled in delight as she savored his deep and gentle kiss … and kissed him right back.

Breaking it off, she caressed his face trying to remember him with her fingers. “Apology accepted.” She punched him in the arm. Hard. “Never, ever do that to me again, Steven Darrow, or so help me … ”

V rubbed his arm, eyes meeting hers. “I’ll try not to, I promise.”

“Good.”

“First one to the library wins.” James took off through the maze.

V took her hand. “I think we made him uncomfortable.” He turned to the faeries and saluted them, eyes gleaming. “Thank you, thank you so much.”

Noli’s heart jumped. He
thanked
the faeries for saving her. The faeries chattered in response. She still couldn’t understand them.

“Shall we?” He held out his hand to her and looked in the direction James had run.

“He misses her.” Noli leaned her head on his shoulder as they wove through the hedge maze and returned to the big house. She’d missed V, and the idea that he’d worried when she’d been ill made happiness bubble inside her.

“James misses Charlotte so much.” He put an arm around her waist as they walked.

“I miss her, too.” A little piece of her had died that day. After all, it could have been her.

He squeezed her. “We all do.”

“We’re in the Otherworld, together. Does this mean your quest was over, were you successful?” The dirt under her bare feet felt sinfully delicious and part of her expected her mother to yell at her to put her shoes—or clothes—on at any moment.

“Yes, we were successful. May I tell you all about it as we eat? Are you hungry?”

Her belly rumbled in reply and she laughed. “That sounds perfect. Will you please explain to me how I got here? The last thing I remember was … ” She froze as she recalled the previous events. “Your uncle. Your uncle attacked me, and threatened me—and you, too.”

Steven pulled her close. “You’re safe, Noli. I won’t let my uncle hurt you.”

“I won’t let him hurt you, either. Will you teach me to use magic to defend myself? And can we continue fencing lessons?” Anything to be able to protect herself—and those she loved.

“Of course.” He took her hand and they resumed walking.

“But how? Mama went to Boston and you can’t be with me.” She sniffed at the thought. It wasn’t as if she
needed
him, but after being without him, she knew that she
liked
being with him. It felt … right. It always had.

“We could remain here for now.” Steven wiped away her tear with his finger. “While we figure things out. If you wish. You might not be allowed to wear my sigil, but you’re still mine. Remember when the queen gave you to me?”

“I’m not a marble, but yes, I remember. It’s protection, right, and different from the sigil?” Noli never would understand that concept any more than she’d get used to V’s name being
Stiofán
or him not actually having to wear glasses.

“Even the queen can’t take that away from you, which means that we can still be together, if you still wish to be with me.” He looked at her with bashful eyes. “I’ll understand if you—”

Her lips captured his before he even had the chance to finishing, telling him with her kiss what words couldn’t say.

When she broke it off, he grinned. “So, it’s
yes
?”

“I suppose,” she grinned. “I meant what I said. We’re in this together. I’m not a marble.”

He laughed. “But you’d make such a pretty marble.” She shoved him. Steven laughed again. “Yes, we’re in this together. I promise.”

“I missed you so much, you fussy old bodger.” She squeezed him tight.

He leaned in and kissed her. “I missed you, too, darling. I missed you, too.”

“Where do we go from here?” Still in her nightdress, Noli leaned against V on the settee on the library, their finished supper sitting on the low table. She loved eating in the library instead of at a proper table, so delightfully scandalous.

Steven and James filled Noli in on all their adventures and she’d told them about hers. She was glad to hear that Rahel was at home with her father. It galled her that Vix hadn’t told her about James and V’s arrival. Nevertheless, Vix
had
been the one to summon V when she’d needed him. The idea of Vix and James knowing about the Otherworld still seemed so strange.

It felt odd to be at big house without Charlotte and she kept expecting to see her cuddling James in the window seat.

“This artifact troubles me. I think we need to ask

Quinn about it.” Steven rubbed his chin. “I can’t believe I’ve never heard about it.”

The artifact. She needed to remember something about the artifact. “My valise! Do you know here it is?”

“It’s in your room. Vix gave it to me when we took you from Boston,” James replied, mouth partially full of food. “She said that everything you had on ship was inside. Why?”

“There are important things in it.” She wasn’t ready to mention that she had a piece of the artifact. However, perhaps checking on it would help her remember. The watch chain was also inside her valise and that was not important but gave her an excuse. “I’ll be right back.”

She dashed out of the library and found the valise sitting on her bed, well, Elise’s bed. But she always used this as her room. Opening the latches, she fumbled inside until she discovered what she sought—the watch chain and the metal piece. Noli also pulled on one of her simpler gowns, since James was present. She tucked the metal piece away, glad it was safe, and ran her fingers through her hair, untangling it. Watch chain in hand, she returned to the library where James and V discussed whether or not Quinn would know anything about the artifact.

“James, I made this for you.” She held the assembled, but unwrapped, watch chain out to James, twitching a little in apprehension. The sprite didn’t interject, perhaps she remained asleep. Noli wouldn’t mind if she never woke up.

“What it is?” James took it from her. “Certainly, it’s quite nice. You made this?”

“It’s a watch chain, made from Charlotte’s hair—so she’ll always be with you.”

James stood and embraced her, eyes glistening. “This is this nicest gift ever.”

“I’m so glad you liked it.” Her heart leapt at the idea that it pleased him, since it had taken longer than she expected to make.

“I still think the idea of weaving a dead person’s hair into something is odd,” V replied, as he took another bite.

“Good thing it’s not for you.” Noli plopped down beside him on the settee, wiggling her still bare toes. “So, you want to visit Quinn?”

“He’d be the best person to speak to. Also, I should let my father know we’re still alive.” V looked less excited about that idea.

“If we’re venturing into the mortal realm, could we send Mama and Jeff an aethergraph telling them I’m well?” Noli took a sip of tea. “I don’t want them to worry.”

V squeezed her hand. “That’s an excellent idea.”

“She’ll want me to return to Boston.” As much as she missed her mother, that’s not what she wanted for herself.

“You don’t have to go to Boston. Do you wish to rejoin Jeff and Vix?” V looked at her through veiled lashes. “I’ll support you in whatever your decision may be.”

Wait. For the first time in her life she could do whatever she desired. Not what her mother wanted. Not what Jeff wanted. Not even what V wanted. Her.

She kissed V so deeply that James cleared his throat in protest in the background.

“So, you’d like to return to the Vixen’s Revenge? I think you’re well suited to being a ship’s engineer.” V’s cheeks pinked in embarrassment.

She liked bashful V and bumped him with her hip. “You are a fussy old bodger. Is staying here truly an option? It feels … indecent.”

It wasn’t as if she could return to her home in Los Angeles—or walk right into a university and start tomorrow.

On the other hand, this would totally and utterly ruin her reputation. Oh, her grandfather would probably spin some tale about her being off, but still, they’d know, they’d disapprove. Even Jeff and Vix would probably disapprove.

The thought of such disapproval from her family hurt. At the same time, where else did her choices lay?

“It’s just until we figure things out … perhaps we
should
apply to the university together … for next term. I think we’re not too late.” His fingers intertwined with hers, but she didn’t completely relax.

“I like that idea,” she replied. As much as he tried, V didn’t quite fully understand mortal conventions—or why she clung to them. But if she didn’t cling to them, that would be admitting she was no longer mortal and no longer wished to be so. That the queen had won.

Also, going to the university and becoming a botanist was still a goal.

“You two could just go to the university here.” James rolled his eyes, still toying with the watch chain. “That’s what the Academe
is
, right? A university?”

“There are universities here? I didn’t know that.” Noli looked at V for confirmation.

“
A
university,” V confirmed. “The Academe is very different from universities in the mortal realm. We can look into it, if you’d like. I’ve wanted to use their libraries for research. I’d also like to travel to the cloisters and to visit their library.”

“Cloisters, too, what sort?” There was so much she didn’t know about this realm.

“Men and women who dedicate themselves to the Bright Lady. They have excellent records and libraries. If any information exists that would help return you to yourself if would be in one of those places.” He touched his forehead to hers, sending little shivers up her spine.

James yawned, not bothering to hide it. “That sounds
so
boring.”

V looked down his nose at his brother. “What? Dedicating your life to the Bright Lady or researching in the library?”

“Both.” He threw his feet over the chair, food abandoned, as he continued to finger the watch chain.

Researching wasn’t Noli’s favorite thing, but if it would help return her to her old self she was willing to try.

“The plan is to return to the mortal realm, speak with Quinn, let your father know you’re alive, let my mother and Jeff know I’m alive, then come back here and visit to the university here and the cloisters?” It wasn’t as if she had anything else to do. “While we’re there we could research the artifact as well.” For some reason that seemed important, but she couldn’t quite remember why. What was it she needed to recall about the artifact?