Fae (6 page)

“Shall we?”

She giggled like a giddy child and gave me her hand. “Of course.” I threw my arm around her shoulder and tried to keep my mind off of Caroline.

From the look of it, it was obvious that Teddy had a deep crush on her. And it was even more obvious that she was oblivious to it. As Jordana rambled on about some ridiculous story about a cheerleader who was obviously not in favor, I gained control over my volatile emotions.

I decided that Teddy would be perfect for Caroline. He was safe. He cared for her. And he was privy to her most inner thoughts and desires.

It was my duty to do everything in my power to facilitate the union. I promised myself I would.

I had to.

They were better suited for each other.

“There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.”
—Ella Wheeler Wilcox

I heard their voices all whispering at once. I stood outside by my car and faced the tall dark trees as the noise consumed me. I put my hands on the hood of the car and closed my eyes. I knew they had to be shining brightly, as they did whenever I heard my people.

The Dark Fae.

I had to gain control of the rush of blood that flowed through my veins whenever I felt them. It was a call for me to come and take my rightful place as their true Prince. To sit on the throne and preside over their kingdom. And it took every single ounce of my self-control to deny the pure adrenaline rush that pulsed through my body when they sang for me.

Breathe,
Devilyn
.
Just breathe slowly
. I tried to soothe myself. It took a moment for me to get my emotions in check. The bright glow that threatened to burst from my eyes was hidden again, and the choking darkness was gone.

When they came calling, I could hear it in my soul. Straight from within. It was clever of them to permeate my essence. It had its benefits, I suppose. When they spoke out in the open and were not surrounded by Alderon's
magik
, like they were doing now, I could listen to them. I could hear all of their plans. It gave me an advantage, but it kept me close to them as well, which could be enticing. I had kept this secret hidden from Odin for years. I did not want him to ever know that I could hear them calling for me.

It was a gift that only the Dark Prince of the Fae could possess. In what seemed to be an endless list of magical powers, here was another that I had, but it came at a cost.

I knew when my people planned and plotted. It was my curse. And at the same time, my blessing. Because now I could protect Caroline.

Now all they ever chatted about was Caroline. And her demise. All they sang about, all they obsessed about, was destroying this innocent girl.

If she were to become my queen she would unite two kingdoms and destroy the evil and darkness that would otherwise rule for centuries. The Dark Fae would not have this. So now they had to find her.

Destroy her.

Eliminate the threat of her forever.

And this,
I
would not have.

I took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on what they were saying. In an instant my mind transported my body deep into the fairy woods, and I stood on the outer banks, unseen by them as they conspired.

The kingdom of the Fae is a magical place filled with lush trees, sweeping landscapes, and beautiful castles. If humans were to simply look beyond what they believed was real, they would see.

And if humans were to ever open themselves and see the fairies together they would be in awe. When the Fae came together, even the dark illuminated a bright light that would bring mortals to tears. We are breathtakingly beautiful. Not the way legends and books described. Fairies did not have wings and were not tiny creatures flying around the woods. They were spectacular beings, illuminating an almost godly light from within that seemed to filter through their souls, their spirits. They were also blessed with flawless features and perfect bodies. They were, in every way, the light of the Gods.

They sat in a circle, ten in all, and spoke to one another. They all had jet-black hair and eyes. And they all wore long robes. Even the women.

“We must find her,” Alderon said coolly. He was the Dark Fae that I despised above all others, the current “elder,” and thus interim leader of the Dark Fae. He continued, “She will destroy us if we do not destroy her.”

“Why can't we see her?” one of the females asked, concern in her voice. Her name was Katya.

“Because
he
protects her,” Alderon responded, quietly.

“But he is our Prince!” one shouted angrily.

“He is to be our King!” cried another, rising to face Alderon.

Alderon raised a brow and stood. He walked majestically to the center of the circle and stared at the others.

“He is not with us,” he looked around, turning to stare right at me. Almost as if he could see me there, watching them. Or even
feel me.

It was impossible, I knew.

But still unnerving.

“He is here right now. He is listening to us. Why won't he claim his place as our king? It is because he is different from us. He is no longer
with
us. He does not believe in our cause. Odin has succeeded in turning him.”

Cries of dismay erupted around the circle, joined by a thousand whispers of “no” from the forest.

“He shields his Queen from us.” Alderon's voice dropped to a low whisper. “The light has won him over.”

“Stop it, Alderon. You do not know what you say,” Katya rose in my defense.

“Do you deny the prophecy?” Alderon responded angrily.

Prophecies and fairies: a dangerous combination. They fell silent.

“
He
will kill her,” Katya said. “
That
is the prophecy.”

My heart clenched at her words.

“And if he cannot do it, we will. That is why we gather now. To prevent their union,” another declared.

It took all of my will to stay where I was and not enter their lair to destroy them all. Those words. Those words shook me to my core. Filled me with enough hate for a lifetime.

“Enough.” Alderon looked away from Katya and over to where I stood. I could feel the anger flowing fiercely through my body. “We will not wait for our future
king
to determine the future of our cause. We will act. And we will act swiftly and without remorse.”

Alderon smiled directly at me. A menacing smile. Filled with evil. But I knew this had to be impossible. There was no way he could see me…

Or was there?

“This meeting is over,” he said, snapping his fingers. The Fae disappeared.

But this wasn't over.

It was only just beginning.

I walked into my house and immediately bent down to greet Famous, who bounced up and down. I scooped him up in my arms and planted a kiss on his soft head.

“You have no idea what kind of day I had.” He licked the side of my face in response.

“Mom?” I called out. I could smell the food wafting through the house. Spaghetti. One of my favorites.

“In here, honey.”

I ran into the kitchen and gave her a giant hug.

“Wow,” she said. “Rough day?”

“Words can't explain.” I pulled away from her and smiled. My mother was still a very attractive woman. She was tall and blonde with bright blue eyes. My father had that exact coloring as well. It was a wonder why I was so petite with darker hair. It was a complaint that both my parents had become accustomed to hearing.

“You want to talk about it? Or do you want a bowl of spaghetti?”

“Spaghetti.”

She pulled me into the kitchen. It was my favorite room in the house, especially when my mom was cooking. She had a strong passion for everything rustic, so it felt like being in an old world home in Italy. I sat down at the table and marveled as she scooped up a hearty portion of spaghetti for me. She grabbed the fresh Parmesan cheese out of the refrigerator and grated some on top. I dug in with gusto. She sat across and cradled Famous in her arms.

“What happened?”

“Nothing,” I said between mouthfuls. “Just usual school stuff.”

“Lots of homework?”

“Yes.”

“You'll be fine,” my mom said supportively. But she was staring at me. “You look different.”

Different again. What was wrong with everyone?

“What do you mean?”

“Your hair, clothes…just different.” I looked down so she couldn't analyze my face any more.

“I don't know what you mean.”

I knew that my quick denial was sure to lead my mother to believe the exact opposite of what I was saying. Her next question proved me right.

“Did you meet a guy?”

I shoved the bowl of pasta away. “No.”

My mother watched me carefully. I knew she had to be disappointed. She was the kind of mom that wanted to hear about boys and crushes, but unfortunately for her I had never talked to her about those typical girl problems. Instead of asking her to go shopping, I'd ask her to go to the bookstore. I didn't think I was that much fun for her.

“That's too bad.” I knew she meant it.

But what was I supposed to say?
I met a boy, mom, he was arrogant and rude
. I would sound like such a loser.

“Sorry to disappoint you.”

“Oh Caroline, you never disappoint me. You're perfect.”

“Love is blind.”

My mom's look said it all. “Honey, you're a beautiful young lady. When are you going to see yourself the way that others do? The man who gets to be with you will be the luckiest guy in the world.”

I stood up and walked over to the sink to get a glass of water.

“When I do meet him, I'll make sure to bring him straight over so you can fool him into believing that.”

“Honey, don't you think you're being a little harsh on yourself?

If you've lived through what I have the past two days…

I smiled at her. “Let's change the subject.” My mom looked down at Famous and patted his head. This time I noticed the strain on her face.

“What's wrong?”

“Nothing,” she quickly responded.

Something was definitely wrong. I couldn't believe I had been so selfish and not noticed right away.

“Mom, don't lie to me.”

She sighed then leaned back in the chair. “We had to let three people go today. It's not anything to worry about, but it was hard. They were all like family. Not to mention, they have their own families to support. But we just couldn't afford to keep them on. Business has been so slow lately.”

I knew it had been slow, but I guess I didn't realize that it had been this bad. My parents never wanted me to worry about money, and they shielded me from everything. But I appreciated her honesty tonight. It must have been really bad if she opened up so easily. I couldn't bear to watch her struggle.

“So when does my shift begin?”

“You're not working there. You're too busy with school.”

“You know that once I put my mind to something, I always end up doing it. So you should just accept it. I can come by on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I can help out on the weekend.”

“Honey—” I knew she needed my help but didn't want me to feel obligated.

“Mom. I'm showing up whether you like it or not. Besides, just think about how much extra time we'll get to spend together.”

She smiled. “That's true.”

“See? It's done. And I'll get to make some extra money waiting tables. Maybe I'll even use it to buy some new clothes!”

“Only if I get to come with you.”

I nodded my head and started to walk out of the kitchen.

“I love you, honey.”

“I love you too, mom.”

As I strode toward the large wooden doors of our house, they opened of their own accord. Odin must have known I was home. I walked into the massive foyer and looked up the spiral staircase hoping I'd find him there waiting for me. There was a lot I had to talk about with him.

Instead, I found my half-sister sliding down the wooden banister. I hadn't seen her in a while and couldn't hide my surprise.

“Hi Devilyn,” Tatiana said, beaming at me.

I tried not to roll my eyes. Tatiana was one of the most beautiful fairies in the kingdom. She had long, curly blond hair and cat-green eyes. She was tall, like most of our race, and graced with the physique of a supermodel. She knew her appeal and used it whenever it benefited her, playing endlessly with the mortal boys that adored her. She loved being worshiped.

And it showed in her every move.

Every action.

Every word.

“How was school?” She laughed, seeming quite pleased with herself. Her laughter even sounded like music.

“Fine. When do you think you'll finally make an appearance?”

“He wants me to start as soon as possible. But I think I may need a few more days before the torture begins,” she said, annoyed.

“Great.” I was not looking forward to Tatiana showing up at school. She had a propensity for bringing trouble along with her.

She made her way over to me and smiled mischievously.

“Did you miss me, brother?”

“Not particularly.”

“That's too bad,” she pouted. “I missed you.”

“I'm sure you found a way to amuse yourself.”

“Always, Devilyn.” She twirled around in a circle and then made her way to a round marble table. She sat down on top of it, crossed her legs, and stared at me deviously.

“Did you see her?”

Tatiana was the last person on earth that I wanted to discuss Caroline with. Not just because it was a personal matter, but also because of the danger it would inevitably bring to Caroline. The Dark Fae would undoubtedly use Tatiana to their advantage, and when they were around, she couldn't be trusted to be loyal, not even to her brother.

“I won't discuss this issue with you.”

“Does that mean yes?”

“If it suits you to believe that.”

She uncrossed and re-crossed her legs on the table, sighing dramatically. “You're
so
boring, Devilyn.”

Before I could answer, Odin materialized in front of us.

“Hello, children.”

Tatiana stood and kissed him on the cheek. “Hi, Father. Miss me?”

“You know I did.”

Tatiana looked over at me pointedly. “I'm glad
someone
did.”

“Did you have a nice vacation in the Cote D'Azur?”

“It was alright. I got bored after a few days.”

I glanced at her, annoyed. “We all know how short your attention span is.”