The Brotherhood of the Snake (Return of the Ancients Book 2) (18 page)

Heaving a loud sigh, I closed my eyes.

As usual, I was better off shoving all my thoughts away, promising myself that I’d think about them later and then never do it. That had worked wonders for me my entire life.

To distract myself, I took out Rafael’s pen from my pocket, wondering why he’d said it was fated to be mine.

The case was intricately carved, obviously a valuable antique in its own right. And the pen itself looked truly the heirloom full of history that Rafael had claimed it to be. If it had really belonged to his forebear, a great king of Avalon, then it wasn’t really something I should accept.

With a little sigh of regret, I snapped the lid shut and looked up to see Jareth watching me curiously.

I jumped, startled. “I really hate the way you guys pop up all over the place without warning,” I muttered.

“It’s a pleasure to see you too, Sydney,” he drawled sarcastically, moving to catch my hand before I could shove the pen case into my pocket.

He stared at it in obvious surprise before flicking my hand with his finger.

It stung. “Ouch!” I snapped, jerking my hand back.

“And how do you lay claim to Cor’s pen?” he asked casually, but there was nothing casual about the hawk-like expression in his dark eyes as he added, “But more curiously, why does this pen think it belongs to you? Where did you find it?”

“Rafael gave it to me as a birthday present!” I began a bit defensively, not liking the implication that I’d just picked it up or had stolen it. I half expected him to throw a fit that Rafael had given me a present and added warily, “I’m going to give it back, anyway.”

“Oh?” he prompted in a belligerent tone, slamming his hand over the pen case and practically shoving it back at me. “It’s chosen you, Sydney. It’s not something you can just refuse or give away. It doesn’t work that way.”

I blinked and stared down at the pen uneasily.

Jareth threw back his head and chortled. “It isn’t possessed!” he was obviously enjoying my discomfort. “It isn’t going to stalk or randomly attack you!”

I scowled at him deeper. I never could tell when he was messing with me or telling the truth. “You said it
chose
me, like it was a live thing.” I mumbled, irritated. Deciding to think about the pen later, I shoved it into my pocket.

“Perhaps it is. Who knows why the pen thinks it’s yours now.” He shrugged nonchalantly. Leaning close with a wicked grin, he snapped his fingers. A slim, wrapped package appeared in his hand. “I forgot how you humans make such a fuss over the anniversaries of your Earthly births. I can’t be the only one who hasn’t given you a gift.”

“Yes, you can,” I said, eyeing him and his package suspiciously.

Placing a hand dramatically over his heart, he gasped, “Sydney, my heart is broken! You are so cruel!” Shoving the package in my face, he added, “You’re going to love this. After this, you couldn’t possibly want anything else.”

With the greatest reluctance, I took and unwrapped the present.

It was a signed photograph of himself with a ‘Happy Birthday, Sydney!’ written across it in large, sprawling letters, and underneath it in only a slightly smaller font was written ‘I know you love me’.

I rolled my eyes and would have torn it in half right then and there when it disappeared from my fingers.

“I’ll just keep that safely for you.” His grin widened. “You’ll admit it one day. It’s your destiny, Sydney.”

I froze, recalling Rafael’s conversation in the parking lot about me being on the path of love. I looked up at Jareth, expecting to feel the usual supreme annoyance I’d always felt in his presence. But this time, the image of him standing in the desert alone and looking sad flashed across my mind, and I felt an odd twinge of sympathy.

Jareth drew back and his expression altered abruptly. “No need to turn so serious,” he growled softly.

Spinning on his heel, he strode away, disappearing through one door as the soft swishing sound of another door announced Rafael’s return.

He’d changed clothes yet again, this time wearing a muted gold-colored trench coat with a black tank top, black pants, and impressive knee-high, leather boots. His blond hair was artfully arranged in an outrageous anime style, and a bold, dramatic pattern of black makeup—complete with glittering sequins—curved in a swirl above his eyebrow to trail down the side of his cheek.

He looked downright wicked.

As he approached, he shook out a shimmery green coat that had been draped over his arm. “This should suit you well,” he said politely.

His tone was distant, mannerly, and formal. Too formal. As if he were talking to a stranger.

A little unsettled, I hopped off the chair and nodded my thanks.

Was he upset with me? He must really be regretting the kiss now.

I swallowed, feeling depressed all at once.

Jareth chose that moment to saunter back.

He’d taken the time to change as well. I shook my head, wondering if they always changed clothes several times a day.

Jareth joined us, shrugging into a long black coat that matched his leather pants, black fishnet t-shirt, and the studded leather collar around his neck.

Rafael’s eyes flicked disdainfully over the collar. "Ajax would like that," he observed coolly.

Adopting an arrogant stance, Jareth responded only with an audible grunt.

I slipped into the coat that Rafael had given me and followed them both as they wordlessly turned in unison to stride through a new door opening in the wall ahead.

This time, the door led us out into the hallway leading from Rafael’s quarters to the streets below. I wondered how the door system knew where we wanted to go, but then became distracted by the high-vaulted glass ceiling, mural covered walls, and tall windows framed with trailing vines. And though it had only been a day or two ago, it felt like years had passed since I’d last seen it all.

We walked in silence down the spiraling passageway, but my apprehension grew with every step as the immense, arched exit loomed ahead of us. We were nearly there when I finally balked.

“Aren’t we going to get caught trying to leave?” I finally asked in a low voice.

“No one knows we’re here yet.” Jareth shrugged without breaking his stride.

“You’re quite safe, Sydney,” Rafael reassured, pausing to wait for me. “The danger lies in returning to Earth. The snares only activate the one way.” He held his hand out in invitation.

I looked at his fingers, wanting to hold them, but I knew he was just being polite.

I mentally kicked myself.

I’d have to watch myself, make sure I didn’t turn needy or desperately try to cling onto something I couldn’t have. I’d seen my mother do that far too much.

Taking a deep breath, I forced my feet forward. And simply to keep my thoughts focused on anything other than Rafael, I mused aloud, “So, the snares only work one way? Is that how the lizard people snuck into Avalon undetected then? I mean, since they’re only watching what
leaves
Avalon?”

I apparently struck a raw nerve.

Rafael’s jaw clenched.

But Jareth’s dark eyes fired with excitement. “We’ll soon find out the truth. The Hall of Mirrors will reveal the actual purpose of the snares and the Glass Wall itself! We’ll see what the Inner Circle’s been hiding all these years,” Jareth said with a smirk, gauging Rafael’s reaction.

“How will—” I began when Rafael interrupted.

“Do not speak of this here,” he ordered, holding up a commanding hand. “It’s not safe.”

For a moment, Jareth appeared as if he’d disagree, but then we arrived at the archway, and with a careless shrug, he strode through.

I hesitated, but not wanting to be left behind, followed with a hurried skip.

A beam of light shot from our bracelets as we passed under the arch and it shimmered in response. Nothing else happened.

But I waited until we stepped into the courtyard before heaving a sigh of relief.

Above me, the white-stoned tower twisted into a spiral, gracefully stretching up towards the two moons hanging large in the midday sky. Blue butterfly-winged dragons glided in lazy circles, weaving through the islands floating in the sky above us.

Different islands hovered around us this time, different from the ones I’d seen just a few days before, but each still showcased a tall, wispy tower in the center built around or on some unique land feature like a waterfall or crystal cliff. And each island still had its long white staircase circling down through the center to end abruptly in mid-air.

Idly, I wondered at the purpose of those stairs, but my mood had strangely shifted. I didn’t feel like talking anymore. Instead, I peered through the clouds at the vast City of the Queens stretching out in all directions below us.

“Dance with me, Sydney!” Rafael murmured. His tone sounded wooden, almost forced, as he grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the street.

Sliding a hand about my waist, he guided me forward.

Just a short time ago, my heart would have fluttered at his nearness, but now it only felt heavy and sad. Frowning a little, I looked up to find him watching me with his heavily outlined eyes. The makeup made him look all the more mysterious, and I couldn’t even begin to decipher what he was truly thinking.

We stared at each other for a few moments before I looked away.

The streets were fairly empty, only a few devout white-clad Fae remained. Apparently, the celebrations were over. Briefly, I wondered why they weren’t noticing Rafael dancing only mere inches away from them, but then I saw they were focused on their own appearances. Several were shaking out brightly colored scarves to drape over their shoulders, while others were wrapping chains and feathers over their white gowns. They all appeared a bit self-centered.

Rafael had just given me a half-hearted twirl when Jareth threw back his head and roared with laughter.

I jumped, startled, expecting everyone to look at us, but no one even glanced our way.

“Galahad!” Jareth chuckled fondly, holding his hand out. “It’s about time you came back. I was beginning to worry.”

Shading my eyes, I saw his white pigeon zoom down from the sky to land on his hand. The bird ruffled his feathers, and then craned his head to fix me with a baleful glare.

It was a bit unsettling. He didn’t really act like a normal pigeon, and recalling how he’d tied up Tigger on Thanksgiving, I didn’t think he
was
a normal pigeon, either.

“You and Ajax are two of a kind,” I muttered under my breath.

Galahad surveyed me with cold, glittering eyes.

As Jareth cooed to him, we resumed our journey, following Rafael as he left the streets to lead us up a steep, sloping path circling the tower. We’d gone about one third of the way up when Rafael and Jareth both paused to inspect their reflection in one of the tower windows.

I watched in silence as Rafael slowly turned his head from side-to-side and then carefully selecting three strands of hair, moved them away from his eyes, leaving the rest to fall half across his face. I wondered what difference those three strands made as I observed Jareth adjust his collar a fraction of an inch and brush imaginary lint from his sleeves.

Apparently satisfied with their appearance, they moved ahead several yards before stopping in front of another window to repeat the process again.

I supposed that if I hadn’t been feeling so down about everything, I would’ve found it amusing to see guys preening themselves so much. But I honestly felt nothing but jealousy that I couldn’t live in the moment like they could. And even though I physically felt fine, and I had only their word that something horrible would happen
sometime
, I couldn’t free myself from the weight of the future to enjoy the present.

The fourth time we stopped in front of a window, I caught Rafael staring at my reflection and not his. I still couldn’t fathom the expression on his face, but I was becoming too mentally exhausted to even try.

He began walking faster after that. I had to struggle to keep up and had to break out into small periodic bouts of running to prevent myself from being left behind.

Above my head, a beautiful crystal tree at the top of the tower rapidly grew closer. We seemed to be heading there, threading our way through growing numbers of white-dressed Fae who, thankfully, were too preoccupied with their reflections to notice that Rafael was walking freely among them.

I found that perversely amusing.

Several blue butterfly-winged dragons with six-seat saddles swooped over our heads to land next to the tree. I wondered if we were going to ride them, and the thought filled me with both fear and excitement.

We reached the tree without incident, and as one dragon lifted off, another one landed. The next moment, we were standing right next to one and Rafael was practically throwing me into a saddle.

Startled, I sank back into the soft cushioned seat as several strands of shimmery material slid over my shoulders to wrap me in a kind of cocoon. I didn’t have much time to wonder what we were doing before Rafael and Jareth vaulted behind me, and the dragon crouched, stretched its gossamer wings, and launched itself into the sky.

At first I was too scared to look and instinctively closed my eyes, but as the cool air blew softly on my cheek, I began to feel safe and cautiously opened an eye.

We were gliding low above the City of the Queens, floating over crystal towers, magnificent waterfalls, and groves of what looked like tree-sized purple stalks of celery. In the distance, I could see harsh jagged mountain peaks rising in every direction, extraordinarily tall mountains, many times higher than anything on Earth.

The dragon dove down, skimming low over an orange lake surrounded by stone pillars the size of skyscrapers. The water was as smooth as glass, and so clear that I could see miles below into an incredibly complex coral reef system covered with massive schools of brightly colored and odd, cube-shaped fish.

Ahead, a tall stalk protruded from the water, shooting out clumps of white string that oddly reminded me of the party string that comes in cans, and as a lemony scent pervaded the air, we began a sudden, sharp ascent, rapidly changing course to head for a dense cluster of massive stone pillars.