Soul Mates: Magic (Soul Mates Series) (13 page)

Chapter Sixteen

“Are you sure you wish to leave so early, Abbey?” Gareth asked as he escorted us to the door of the palace. “It’s barely even light out there.”

“I’m sure. If we don’t go soon, Auberon will send a search party to look for us.”

“Very well, but I still have two boons to claim from you,” Gareth said with a wicked smile. “You will be seeing me soon, my delicious little Princess.” He leaned into me and kissed my neck.

I held fast to Daire’s arm, knowing it was pissing him off that Gareth continued to flirt with me as if he weren’t there. “I look forward to it
, Gareth,” I said with a smile as we stepped out into the Never Never.

I heard the door click shut behind me and turned to make sure we had everyone from our party. One dragon, one Werewolf, three Fae warriors and me, yep all accounted for, I thought with a nod.

“I’ll take the lead,” Thomas said moving in front of us and shifting to his dragon form.

“Guess that means I’ll pull up the rear,” James said rolling his eyes and moving behind us before he too shifted.

“Daire, stay with the Princess. Cale, I’ll go behind the Princess, you take second,” Cole said with authority.

Daire didn’t argue, he just pulled
his sword and kept a watchful eye on the purplish sky. Every sound made him jump and look around as if he expected the Queen to appear at any moment. I didn’t know what to expect, but I didn’t think the Queen was going to give up easily. She wanted her stone back and I wasn’t about to give it to her. Not that I could, even if I wanted to, I thought. Gaia had swallowed it and it didn’t seem as if she was planning to give it back any time soon.

“On your left!” Cole shouted
as a Nightmare tore out of the darkened forest, charging at us. It was built like a rhinoceros, had scales for skin and a giant horn that I’m sure was used to gore whatever creature it was after. Its claws looked sharp and deadly as it came towards us.

Daire stepped in front of me and I pushed him out of the way and drew my own sword. “I can defend myself, you worry about you!” I shouted at him.

“We are your guard for a reason, we protect you,” Daire said getting in my way again.

“I’m not arguing with you about this right now! Move!” I said stepping around him.

“Princess! Behind you!” Cale called as he ran forward.

I spun around to see another of the rhino beasts charging at us. I wasn’t sure what to do, aim high, or aim low… as it got closer I realized its most vulnerable spot was the back of its neck. I leapt in the air, swung my sword and as I came down I sliced right through the rhino beast’s neck, taking off its head in one clean swoop.
“Go for its neck!” I shouted at Cole and Daire who were fending off the other beast.

Thomas was busy charbroiling another two beasts that were headed our direction and James was running after another couple that apparently had thought better of attacking our party.
Cale was not far behind him, leaving me with no one to deal with at the moment.

Cole swiped his sword through the beast’s neck and took its head as Daire ran to help Thomas with the beasts that he was charring. It took seconds for him to destroy the creatures and then the three of them joined James and Cale in capturing and killing the last two beasts.

“Do you think they were able to pass a message to the Queen?” Cale asked.

“I don’t think they had time. That was a hunting
party; they usually keep six to a pack. We should keep an eye out for more though,” Cole replied as we all fell back into position.

We almost made it to the Faerie Mound without another incident. We had the door in sight when the next attack came, this time from the sky. The Dark Fae warriors were riding on serpent like creatures that
just barely resembled dragons and I would have said as much if I didn’t think my dear dragon friend Thomas would take offense. These were ancient creatures that had poison-infused teeth and an appetite for Light Fae blood, Dracones.              

Before anyone had a chance to object
, I climbed on Thomas’s back and urged him into the air. I carefully pulled my daggers and threw them, one at a time, my aim true as they went straight into the hearts of the beasts. Another set of daggers took out their eyes, causing them to come crashing to the ground. From there it was nothing for Cole, Daire and Cale to take their heads.

“Don’t ever,
ever
, do that again!” Daire shouted at me, pulling me off of Thomas’s back and into his arms and burying his face in my hair.

“Daire, I’m fine. I was never in any danger.”

“I don’t care! I nearly had a heart attack when you climbed on Thomas’s back. Do you know how close you came to having one of those creatures poison you? Millimeters!”

“Would you stop worrying about me? I told you
, I can take care of myself,” I said with a smile.

“
You are going to be the death of me, you know that, right
Mo ghrá ach?”
Daire said squeezing me tightly. “Please consider that if anything ever happened to you, it would kill me.”

I nodded into his shoulder. “I’ll be careful,” I said into his shoulder.

We continued on, reaching the Faerie Mound door without any more trouble. I held Daire’s hand as we stepped into the Mound and headed for the throne room. This was a little bit scarier than facing the Nightmares and Dark Fae. I now had to face Auberon and my brother. I had to tell them in no uncertain terms that Daire and I were involved and that I wanted him. That he would be my King when the time came for me to take over the throne.

“Thank goddess! Abbey!”
Max rushed forward and pulled me into his arms. “Where have you been? It’s been a week!”

“Never, Never time shift again. We were gone for two nights is all,” I said as he squeezed me.

“What happened? Did the Goblins cooperate? Was Thomas able to smooth the way with them?”

“Yes, the Goblins were very accommodating, for a price of course,” I said with a smile. “I still owe Gareth two boons.”

“I’ll get them back for you. I’ll buy them from the twerp if I have to!” Max said fiercely.

“No you won’t
. Gareth is…well let’s just say Gareth and I have an understanding.”

Max frowned, letting it go. “What about the Queen?”

“Well, when I last saw the Queen she was being handcuffed to her torture table,” I said with a half smile. “However I am sure she has freed herself and is now on the warpath. We ran into a few of her hunting parties on our way back here.”

“I knew I should have sent more warriors with you,” Auberon said softly. “How did you manage to handcuff the Queen?”

I shrugged, not sure how to answer.

“She unleashed her Fury. There is a little bit of dark in our Abbey, you knew that though, with the storms, her control of wind and rain…” Cole said softly.

Suddenly I couldn’t breathe and dropped to my knees. My world was turning on its head. “W-what?”

Daire pulled me up and into his arms, and stroked my cheek. “You are
not
evil.”

Cole held his tongue and looked away when I looked over at him. “What do you mean I’m not evil? Of course I’m not evil!”

“No, you aren’t, but you do have a little bit of the Dark in you Abbey,” Max said softly. “You’re the second born. Mom’s not Fae, so you aren’t afflicted with the complete darkness, but your powers… they lean toward the destructive side. It’s just how you choose to use them.”

I thought back and realized Max was right, I shouldn’t have been able to control the wind, I shouldn’t have been able to control that storm in the face of the Queen of Air and Darkness. She should have been able to beat me like a
n egg. But I had something she didn’t; I had the power of Fury. And it had allowed me to keep control of the storm I’d created and take her down. I’d never thought of my Fury as being a Darkness power. “I never considered…” I started.

“Shhhh, you are all that is Light,
Mo ghrá ach,
even your Fury. You don’t unleash it on anything that is of the Light, only the Dark. That makes your power of the Light. Do not for a moment think that you are evil,” Daire said softly looking into my eyes.

I swallowed hard and nodded. “But… can I even take the throne if I have this power?”

“That is my decision to make,” Auberon said with a smile. “And I decided long ago, Abbey, my darling, that you are my heir, no one else. That is if you still wish to be?”

I smiled feeling less like a panicky child and more like myself. “I do, when you are ready to have me.”

“Well, your debut is in two weeks, on Yuletide. You will become the official heir apparent then. Though it will be years before you take the throne. I’m not quite ready to retire yet.”

I grinned. “No, I don’t suppose you are.”

“Now, we have other matters to discuss,” Auberon said raising an eyebrow and staring at Daire.

I took a deep breath, “Daire is who I love and it is he who will be King by my side when I do take the throne.”

“Abbey, you are young still, not even eighteen. Daire has lived for a millennium, how do you know what you will want when that time comes?”

I narrowed my eyes and glared at my great grandfather. “I may not be eighteen yet, but neither was Max when he met Anna. And neither were you when you married Tatiana, don’t think I don’t know that story! I love him. Nothing is ever going to change t
hat. He is…he makes me…whole.”

“Daire, what do you have to say about this?”

Daire took my hand and looked into my eyes. “I know that I will never be good enough for her, that she deserves someone so much better than me, but if she will allow it, I will do everything in my power to make her happy and keep her safe. I love her more than she will ever know.”

Auberon smiled and nodded. “Very well, I give my blessing. And just for the record Daire, I couldn’t have asked for a more worthy Fae warrior than you for Abbey.”

“You get to tell Mom and Dad. They are not going to be happy, Abs.”

“Why? They love Daire,” I said.

“Oh yeah, they love Daire. They love that he protects you and keeps you safe and they think of him as part of the family. But they are going to be really upset that you are considering marriage at eighteen,” Max said with a grin.

“I don’t know why that would upset them. You were married at eighteen and look how happy you and Anna are. Why wouldn’t they want that for me?”

“Just a guess.”

“It doesn’t even matter at the moment,” I said with a smile at Daire. “We have plenty of time to talk about marriage. We haven’t even had time to officially start dating yet.”

Daire smiled. “And I plan to make up for that starting tonight,” he said stroking my cheek.

“Oh yeah?” I asked.

“Yeah,” he said leaning down and kissing my lips. “Shall we go inform your parents?”

“We’d better before Max beats us to it.” I grinned.

“Just be careful, the Queen will still be after you,” Cole broke into my bliss.

I frowned. “I actually forgot about her. What are we going to do? She wants that stone back.”

“We’ll think of something,” Auberon replied. “Go, tell your parents your happy news.”

Chapter
Seventeen

“Mom? Dad? I’m home!” I called as Daire, Max and I entered the house.

“We’re in here
, honey!” Mom called from the living room.

We entered the living room to find everyone gathered together as if they knew something big was going to happen. I glanced over at Daire and he shrugged. I looked over at Max and caught the guilty expression the flitted across his face. “Thanks a lot
, Max,” I whispered. “What’s going on?” I asked.

“You’ve been missing for a week and you ask us what’s going on?” Mom said with a frown. “If it weren’t for Anna and the kids we would have been worried sick!”

“I didn’t realize we were gone that long, I was in Never Never.”

“We know, that is why we didn’t get too concerned. I knew Daire and Cole would take good care of you.”

I frowned. “Why does everyone think I need protection? I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself!” I huffed.

“It’s not that we think you are incapable Abbey, it’s just that Daire and Cole have more experience fighting these things and you are our daughter. We don’t want you to have to fight these things.”

I sighed.

“Abbey is quite good, she has good instincts and fights well,” Daire said taking my hand with a smile.

I watched my Dad’s eyes narrow as he noticed our linked fingers. I took a deep breath and heard Max chuckle as he moved past us to sit with Anna and I glared at him.

“I think Abbey has some news,” Max said with a grin, enjoying every bit of my uncomfortableness.

Daire squeezed my fingers encouragingly. I wasn’t sure how to tell my parents that I was in love with a two hundred year old Faerie, they were so going to freak out. I gave Daire a panicky smile, took another deep breath and said, “Mom, Dad, I’m…umm, I’m seeing…I’m…” I couldn’t find the right word for what Daire and I were doing. I looked at Daire, took another deep breath, closed my eyes and said, “I’m in love with Daire and he’s in love with me.”

I waited a heart
beat and opened my eyes to see my Father’s frown, my Mother’s raised eyebrows and Max’s smirk. I glared at Max.

“So, have you already told Auberon?” Dad asked. “Did he approve of this…
” He waved his hand at us, for once at a loss for words.

“I have talked to Auberon about this and he accepted it. Actually I think he was happy about it.”

“Honey, you are only seventeen, how do you know that this is what you want?”

“Really Mom? Max was seventeen when he found Anna.”

“That is different dear, Max didn’t have a choice. He and Anna had to get married, and they are soul mates.”

“Well I think it is wonderful that you and Daire have found each other,” Rose said supportively.

‘Thank you, Rose,” I said with a smile in her direction.

“Still can’t believe Auberon is allowing it, but dude, welcome to the family officially,” Hunter said with a grin at Daire.

“So what does this mean Abbey? This relationship? What are your plans?” Mom asked looking as if she were sucking on lemons.

“I don’t know. R
ight now it just means that we’re together.”

“So you’re not planning to drop out of school and move to Faerie?”

“No! Geez Mom! Daire and I are both going to stay in school and I may even decide to go to college, I got my acceptance letter from the University of Evansville last week. I’m still waiting to hear from Purdue, but I don’t really want to be that far away from the Mound.”

“Okay, so f
or now the two of you are just…dating?”

Can a two hundred year old Fae warrior just date? I frowned. “Yeah, I suppose we can call it that.”

Mom smiled. “All right. Daire you know we love you around here, and we know that you will keep Abbey safe. You have our blessing to see our daughter,” Mom said. “Doesn’t he Alan?”

Dad didn’t look all that happy about it. “Fine. But if you hurt her, if you break her heart, so help me…”

Daire smiled, “I swear on all that is Fae, I will never be the one to break her heart.”

Dad nodded. “Now, do you want to tell us why you went into the Never Never anyway? Max was very unclear about that.”

I sighed. This was another conversation I
so
didn’t want to have. Daire and I took a seat across from Mom and Dad on the couch. “I went to get back Daire from the Queen.”

“The Queen of…” Dad started.

“Yes that Queen. She took him, and poisoned him. I went to get him back and now she is very pissed off at me.”

Dad frowned. Mom gasped. “I won’t let anything happen to her,” Daire said squeezing my fingers again.

“She wants the Dark Stone back.”

“So is she going to stay after you until she gets it?” Dad asked anxiously.

“I have no idea. Probably.”

“Alan, maybe it would be a good idea to keep her out of school until this is resolved. She is vulnerable there, unable to use magic in front of the humans.”

“No Mom, it’s fine. Daire and Cole will be with me and if I have to, I can glamour them. They’ll never know what is going on. Besides, Hunter and Ronny will be able to help if it comes to that. They know almost as much as I do.”

“Hunter and Ronny will be staying out of the Queen’s way, they will not be drawing attention to themselves, do you understand me
, boys?” Max said quickly.

“Dad, if Abbey needs us…”

“I said no. You may have trained, but you don’t have the power to go up against the Queen and I won’t have you anywhere near her.”

“I agree with your Father, you are Panthers, not Fae. This isn’t your fight.”

“Dad, it’s family! It’s as much our fight as it is Abbey’s,” Hunter growled.

“No, your
Mom and Dad are right,” I said. “I shouldn’t have even mentioned you. I don’t want you anywhere near the Queen either. I don’t know what I was thinking. I will talk to Auberon; maybe we can increase my guard. It doesn’t matter, I will be fine, and I will be inside long before dark. She won’t get her hands on me.”

“We could still help keep you safe Abs. At least we can keep a watchful eye out for any nightmares looming about the school.”

“Fine, but do not engage any of them in battle, you find one of the warriors to take care of the problem, do you understand me?” Max asked, but it was more of a demand.

“Yeah, yeah,” Hunter and Ronny both said, nodding their heads.

“Do you think Auberon will let a few more warriors come to the school?” I asked Daire.

“I’ll go talk to him, I’m sure there are a few that he trusts enough not to break their glamour in front of the mortals,” Daire said watching my face intently, so he knew that the thought of him leaving my side bothered me. “Do not worry my dearest love, I will be fine and I will return just as soon as I have spoken to Auberon.”

I nodded and Daire flashed himself away, presumably to the entrance of the Faerie Mound. I sat quiet while the rest of the family chatted around me, discussing me and the situation as if I too had left the room, but it was all a buzz in my head. I didn’t really hear anything that was being said, I was too worried about Daire and I would continue to worry until he was back at my side.

“I know how you are feeling,” Anna said softly to me.

I turned and looked at her. “Hmmm?”

Anna smiled. “I do understand, when he is not in your sight, you worry. When Max goes away and shuts down our connection, I know that he is fighting, and is trying to protect me from it, but it makes me worry, until he lets me back in and I know he is all right, I worry. I just wanted to let you know that I completely understand.”

I smiled back, a sort of half smile. “I feel like I can’t breathe,” I murmured.

“He’ll be all right, he is an excellent warrior and he is on his guard. They will not take him by surprise again.”

“I know. I know I know that, but tell that to my heart and the mental images I have playing in my head of him seconds from death from Póg Tocsaineach’s poison.” I shook my head. “I won’t feel better until he is sitting next to me again, safe.”

Anna squeezed my fingers in understanding.

“You must be starving honey, let’s get you some dinner,” Mom said standing up and heading into the kitchen.

“It’s okay Mom, I’m not really hungry.”

“Nonsense, you need to eat.”

I sighed. Mom always thought food helped. “Fine, just something light then.” Of course Mom took that to mean a full meal of meat loaf, mashed potatoes and green beans with apple cobbler for dessert.
I ate, but I barely tasted the food. Daire should have been back by now. I was getting antsy, and very fidgety.

“He’s fine, Abs,” Max said coming into the kitchen and seeing my nervousness. “I just spoke to Auberon.” He held up the scrying glass he used when he had to be in two places at once.

“Where is he then?” I asked.

“Auberon is having him decide who he wants to help guard you. He is being very thorough with his choices. Even Auberon is impressed with his choices.”

I frowned. “How many is he bringing?”

“He’s already chosen six warriors to guard you, aside from Cole, but he isn’t finished.
Auberon mentioned that Daire was planning to see Shamus O’Connell,” Max said.

“Isn’t that the Leprechaun?” I asked looking at Max with fear.

“Yeah,” Max said with a nod.

Shamus was the Leprechaun that had created our rings, the ones that keep us human looking in the mortal world. He was very powerful, and agitated easily. Approach him wrong and you could lose your powers for life. Daire had paid a fortune for his ring, an entire year’s worth of his good luck, worth more than any gold or jewels. He couldn’t really afford to give up another year’s worth now, not with the Queen after us. I was afraid of what he might use to bargain with.

“He can’t! It’s not worth it, no matter what the cost!” I said standing up, prepared to flash to Faerie and stop him before he attempted something so foolish.

“You aren’t going to be able to stop him
, Abbey.”

“I have to try.”
I flashed myself to the Faerie Mound and let myself in, pushing past Thane and practically ran to the throne room. “Where is he?”

“You’ve already missed him,” Cole said with a sigh. “I told him it was a stupid idea. But he insisted.”

“He’s going to end up getting himself killed!”

“He’ll be fine,” Auberon said coming into the room. “I’ve given him something Shamus has wanted for a long time.”

I raised an eyebrow, “What could Shamus want more than good luck?”

“The Wish Giver Wand.”

“What?”

“He won’t have to use his magic to grant any wishes, he won’t have to give up any of the good luck he has and he can collect more good luck from others. He’s wanted this Wand for centuries. Daire will ask for six rings for the trade, they will agree on three, possibly four if Shamus is in a good mood.”

I sighed. “How long before he returns?”

“Depends on where he has to go to hunt Shamus down. Last time Daire went looking for him he found him hiding out on the Moors in North Yorkshire. Now he could be anywhere. He’ll use his own ring to trace him, but it could still take a few hours.”

“Did anyone go with him?”

“He took a couple of warriors, Peri, Avery, Kalen and Brokk, as well as Ferein and Nexil.”

“Ferein? Did he have to? Felicia is so not going to be happy if Ferein is out guarding me at school and she isn’t.”

“I think Ferein volunteered Abbey. He wasn’t on Daire’s list.”

I raised an eyebrow, “Ferein is a good fighter, he’s just so…distracting.”

“He’s young still, not much danger yet, one of the last born deadly Fae before Tatiana and I had our little tiff.”

Auberon’s little tiff had lasted nearly seventy-five years, and it had all started when he’d banished his son, my Granddad from returning to Faerie. Things had gotten better when he’d discovered Max and me. Granddad and Grand Mum had been allowed back into Faerie and the Nobles were once again able to have full blooded Light Fae children. All was good in our world, except for the occasional attack by the Dark Fae. At least it had been up to this point. Now, now we had a full-blown war on our hands again. Not that the war with the Dark Fae had ever really ended, but there were lulls, or so I’d been told. Now I wondered even about that. Maybe they’d been hiding it all from me. Wanting me to grow up in the Light with as much joy and wonder as I possibly could ever imagine.

“Princess! Come quick!” Peri said running into the throne room in a panic.