Touching Fire (Touch Saga) (13 page)

“
Let him go,” I hissed. Sharp nails cut into my palms, drawing blood.

“Fallon.” Ashton was on his feet and at my side. His hand touched my shoulder. “It’s a
ll right.”

“
Who is this?” The man stopped five feet from where I stood, trembling as I struggled to restrain myself from ripping his throat out.

It
was a bad time for him to test me. I was already on the verge of losing control. This was not helping.

“Quain, please, let the boy go.” Ashton moved away from me to approach the man.

“He is human,” the man said, spitting out the word as though it were something foul. “A human, Reaghan. What are you thinking?”

“Father.” Archer rose out of his seat. “
Perhaps this isn’t the place.”

“Arcarius
, this does not concern you.”

Ashton put a hand up, silencing the two. He turned to the man and rested a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Let’s discuss this in the library.” He glanced at me. “Why don’t you come with us? You too, Archer … Arcarius,” he amended quickly when Quain bared his teeth in a deep, disapproving growl.

“I’m not going anywhere without Isaiah,” I said, my gaze fixed firmly on the man.

Ashton’s hands went up again before Quain could respond. “We will bring Isaiah with us. This would be best done in privacy.”

I had completely forgotten about the group hanging on our every word. Personally, I didn’t give a crap.
But I followed the group when everyone started out of the room. I fell behind with the two holding Isaiah up.

“If anything happens to him,” I said, glancing from one to the other. “I will
skin you both alive.”

I must have sounded scarier than I looked because the two exchanged quick, uncertain glances. They hefted Isaiah higher between them
, and together we followed the group down a series of winding and never ending corridors.

At a set of enormous gold doors, the caravan paused.
We waited as Ashton pushed them apart before shuffling in after him. Isaiah was draped over an elegant divan with red velvet upholstery. I ran to him before the other two could even step back. I shoved them aside and dropped down next to him.

“Isaiah?”
I touched his ice cold cheek. He never moved, not even an eyelash. He was barely breathing. Every inhale shook as though it were a struggle. “What did you do to him?” I whipped my head around to pin Quain with all the rage boiling inside me. “What did you do?” I shot to my feet. “Fix it! Fix it now!”

“Fallon!” Ashton grabbed me before I could lunge for the guy’s
face.

“Fix it!” I snarled,
struggling against Ashton’s grip.

“He’s sleeping.” Archer appeared at his father’s side, his palms up. “He’ll be fine in a few minutes.”

I finally threw off Ashton’s hold on me and stood trembling before a man twice my size with my blood pumping and my nails extending into the torn skin of my palms. I felt the slick dampness of blood trickling from between my fingers to rain across the polished marble at my feet, but I didn’t care.

Kill him. Kill him!
The voice pushed against the cavity of my brain, urging me to do what I was fighting so hard not to. I wasn’t a monster. I didn’t kill people, even if I wanted to, and did I ever want to.

“
Stay away from him,” I bit out through my teeth. That was all the warning I would give him, I told myself. If he made one move towards Isaiah, I would drop him. I would do it without hesitation.

It must have shown on my face or sounded in my voice, because Ashton stepped between us, facing me.

“No one will touch him,” he said. “I promise.”

I swallowed. My spit tasted coppery, like blood and bile.
I hadn’t realized how hard I was clenching my teeth. I tried to relax, tried to let it go, but the fury wouldn’t abate. I had to turn away. I made myself move and go to Isaiah. Maybe being near him would somehow keep me from killing.

It worked, but only just.

“Would you like to explain why you have a human in your region, Acheron?” Quain demanded.

“He is with my daughter,” Ashton replied quietly, like we might somehow be overheard.
“He’s her guardian.”

I could feel Quain’
s eyes on me, but I couldn’t trust myself to glance up from Isaiah’s slumbering form. “Your daughter no longer requires a guardian. She is home. You need to get rid of him.”

“We had a run in with the guard on our way home last night,” Ashton explained. “It’s too
risky to activate another nexus so soon after. We needed to wait.”

Quain sighed heavily. “
You assured me my son would be safe with you, Acheron.”

“I have been, Father,” Archer interrupted. “There has been no change in the plan, except for the human.”

“Yes. The human.”

I did glance up then. Something in the tone had the little hairs along my neck prickling.
Quain’s cold gaze met mine.

“This complicates matters,” he mused.

“It complicates nothing,” Ashton replied tightly.

Quain broke
our staring contest to glance at Ashton. “Are you so blind, Acheron? Do you not see what is before your eyes? The girl loves the human.”

“Minor infatuation.
”

Quain
’s long fingers tightened around the head of his cane. The knuckles bleached of color. “The passing is nearly upon us, Acheron. You will not be able to conceal this from the Guild. They will come for her.”

“
I have not forgotten,” Ashton insisted. “I only just got my daughter back. I have time—”

“You have nothing but the impending doom you have settled upon yourself,” Quain interrupted, practically shouting.
“That girl will be the fall of your region and the fall of mine if you do not finalize this matter immediately. Tell the girl. Start the process. Let’s be done with this.”

Rather than answer him, Ashton turned his gaze to me. He searched my face, his expression a mixture of uncertainty and guilt.

“What’s going on?” I spoke without realizing it. “Tell me what?”

“This, dear girl, is your future,” Quain said in his booming voice.
“I hope you are prepared.”

Chapter
10

“Quain, enough.” Ashton moved around the steel and glass coffee table to stand before me. “I promised you answers, Fallon. I haven’t forgotten. I only ask that you trust me.”

Nothing good ever came from being asked to trust someone when that trust was never earned. So far, the only person I did trust was Isaiah. Had my mother lived, I probably wouldn’t have even trusted her after all the lies she told me, all the truths she concealed from me. I hadn’t realized before, but I realized at that moment that I wasn’t a very trusting person.

“Why?” I narrowed my eyes. “What is he talking about?”

He hesitated. Not a good start.
Then, rather than answer, he turned away and moved to the high back chair, and I was finally made aware of the room.

We were in a small sitting area, tucked away in the corner of an enormous room brimming with books. Row upon row of shelves lined every wall. They stood erect and towering in columns nearly brushing the cavernous ceiling. There were levels so far up that I had to squint against the light glaring down from the glass dome overhead. I counted six floors of books before I had to look away.
Stairways of iron, twisted up each flight, joining each floor with iron catwalks. The entire place smelled of dust, old parchment and leather. Hidden amongst it was the scent of lemon floor wood polish and smoke. It was the most impressive library I had ever seen in my life. Had I not wanted answers, had Isaiah not been unconscious and had I not been furious, I would have given my soul to explore the depths of such an incredible place.

“Fallon, this is Quain Blackburn, a dear, trusted friend of mine and Archer’
s father,” Ashton began, reminding me to focus. “He has been a great ally to us during these complicated times.”

How great for you, I wanted to say, to have such asshole friends. But my father’s choice in allies was not my concern.

“I asked him and the others to join us today so that you could meet your family.”

“Is that why you told them I was merely a guest?” I asked dryly.

Ashton dropped his gaze. “I would give anything to be able to walk out there and announce your true identity, to tell my mother that she has a granddaughter. But it’s just not that simple.”

“Vinnie knows,” I said.

“And Vinnie is my twin. I have no secrets from her. She was your mother’s maid of honor at our wedding, a wedding my family has no knowledge of.”

I squinted at him. “Are you telling me that you got married and no one in your family knows about it?”
I glanced at Quain and Archer. “How come they know?”

“I love my family. I would do anything for them, but I don’t trust them. We’re not
that
kind of family. My own brothers would like nothing more than to slit my throat for the position I wield. You are not the daughter of a simple man, Fallon. I have enemies that could make Garrison seem insignificant.”

“So you’
re like the mafia, or something?”

Ashton and Quain exchanged glances. Ashton
lowered his gaze to his knees when Quain arched a white eyebrow. “Or something.” He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “But I trust Quain with my life.”

“He attacked Isaiah for no reason. I don’t trust him at all.”

“Humans are forbidden in our world,” Quain said. “How was I to know Acheron was keeping one as a pet?”

“Isaiah is not a pet,” I
shot back. “And he may be
human
, but he is the bravest and strongest man I know.”

“Perhaps for a mortal he exhibits a certain amount of impressive strength, but he is no match for the men in ou
r world, girl.”

“My name is Fallon, not girl.”
I could see what Archer got his sterling personality from.

Quain regarded me with cool deliberation, like he couldn’t decide if he wa
nted to throttle me or find me somehow mildly entertaining. “Acheron, I suggest you handle this quickly before matters become … irreparable.”

I put my hand up. “Wait. Why do you keep calling him Acheron?
His name is Ashton.”

“My name,” Ashton said
before Quain could. “Is Acheron, Rem Legacy. Sire of the region of Luxuria.”

I shook my head. “I don’t understand what
any of that means. Who’s Ashton?”

“
I am. It’s my…”

“Human name,” Quain supplied
when Ashton faltered. “There are those amongst us who feel the need to conceal their birthright by giving themselves false names in hopes of becoming interchangeable with humans when it comes to mortal business dealings. Disgusting habit.” I didn’t miss the side glance he shot his son. “Our name is power. It’s a dishonor to be ashamed of being better than those filthy savages that only yesterday crawled out of the muck like pigs.”

I was certain my eyes were enormous with surprise, disgust and
bitterness. “You clearly haven’t been to the human world in a while. We are not savages and—”

“Do you consider yourself one of them?” His tone was light, but there was a hint of mockery in it that prickled up my spine.

“I do,” I said boldly. “And proud of it.”

“What cheek.” Quain chuckled
sardonically. “I do hope you will keep your little delusion to yourself. Not many would applaud your bravado. Being considered human is an insult in our world. One does not brag about being one.”

I felt my cheeks burn. “Well, I’m not from
your
world. My mother was human and she was a million times better than all of you put together.”

“Quain.” Ashton rose to his feet. “You
’re goading the girl and it’s senseless.”

“No, not senseless.” Quain cocked his head to the side and slitted his eyes. “
I am the kindest she will find here. Patting her on the head will do her no good at this point. Her tongue alone will be the death of her. She will need to be broken of her fondness for humans. Starting with that one.” He jabbed with his cane towards Isaiah.

“The boy is no threat,” Ashton broke in.

“Isn’t he?” The cane made an audible crack as it struck the stone. He folded his hands on top. “I think he’s done far more damage than you’re willing to admit, Acheron. There is only so much I can do for her if she is unwilling.”

Ashton looked my way. “
I will speak with her. All will continue as planned. I assure you.”

I
did not like the direction this conversation was taking. But Isaiah took that moment to shift. He released a groan as he raised a hand to his face. I was by his side in an instant. My palm flattened on the taut muscles of his breast plate, just above the soft patter of his heart.

“Hey, you okay?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose as he struggled up onto his elbow. “Yeah, I think so.” He pushed the hand back through his hair and his blue eyes opened to my face. “Are you?”

I laughed softly
without humor. “Yeah, but I’m not the one who was unconscious.” I swallowed hard and touched his hand. “You were so cold. What happened?”

Throwing his legs over the divan, he sat up.
“I was headed back upstairs when these two guys jumped me. I didn’t see them coming until one of them stabbed me with something and everything went black.”

“You were stabbed?” I exclaimed, hands already
reaching for the hem of his shirt to see for myself.

“It’s just a minor
venom injection,” Archer said like that made it okay. “There wasn’t enough used to cause harm, just knock him out.”

Disbelief and disgust had my angry pushing to the surface.
“Oh, well, that’s just fabulous!” I laughed bitterly. “Why didn’t you just say so? That makes it perfectly acceptable then. Maybe we should have a stabbing party and I can stab you a few times with venom, you know, just for fun.”

Isaiah surveyed the room around us. He bolted to his feet when he caught sight of the two standing mutely by the door, the two who had no doubt jumped him.
His hand closed around my upper arm and I was pulled up and pushed behind him.

“What’s going on?” he demanded, the ice in his tone stating very clearly that he had no problem taking them down despite having been drugged only moments ago.
That’s what I loved about him. He never stayed down for very long.

“It’s all right.” Ashton moved forward, hands up in that annoying gesture people used to calm a frightened animal.
“There was a misunderstanding, but it has been clarified now.”

It was? Because I didn’t recall anything
being clarified.

“This is Quain Blackburn, Archer’s father,” I said, gesturing to the scowling man.
“And his … friends.”

“My guards,” Quain corrected, indicating the two by the door.

“Why did you attack me?” Isaiah demanded, sounding annoyed.

“
We were under the impression that you may have found this location by mistake, seeing as how we don’t normally have humans roaming freely amongst us,” Quain answered smoothly. “But Acheron requests that you are not to be harmed.”

Isaiah looked as confused as I expected.
“Who’s Acheron?”

I patted his arm. “I’ll explain everything later. But right now.” I looked to my father. “You promised me answers.”

“Perhaps after we have spoken,” Quain interrupted, turning his tall frame in Ashton’s direction. “We have matters that require immediate attention, Acheron. It would not do to delay addressing them. This matter has held for seventeen years, a few more minutes will make no difference in the scheme of things.”

Ashton sighed, and for a moment,
for just a split second, I actually felt almost sorry for him. The strain began to show around his mouth and in the ever so slight curve in his shoulders. He did his best not to show it, but it was painfully obvious and for that I felt a pang of remorse, which was why I didn’t push when he promised to find me later that evening to finish our talk. I should have stayed and demanded answers right then and there.

Stupid bleeding heart.

I followed Isaiah and Archer from the room and watched as the giant gold doors were shut behind us. I swept a strand of hair off my face and tucked it behind my ear before facing the two watching me.

“
So now what?” I wondered.

“I could show you back to the dining hall. You could finish breakfast,” Archer suggested.

I shook my head. “I’m not hungry.”

Archer
took a fluid step backwards. “Well, I am. Can’t keep this robust figure without properly fueling it.” He did that stupid bowing thing again. “Princess.”

God I hated the guy and his condescending arrogance.
I cut my foot open. I wasn’t being a sissy. He didn’t need to keep calling me princess like he was mocking me. Then he was gone and I was left glowering at the empty space he’d vacated.

With nothing to do and nowhere really to go, Isaiah and I wandered through the maze of corridors
while I filled him in on all the things he missed during his venom induced nap. It amazed me how much each looked like the previous one with stone statues guarding doorways and paintings of stern looking men and women. All halls were carpeted in faded crimson and the walls were wood paneled, giving the space a dark, narrow appearance. I had no idea where we were going or how we were going to find our way back, but truthfully, I wasn’t all that anxious to return. Part of me wondered if we could just keep walking to some abandoned part of the castle and stay there forever. No one would ever know.

“He’s not so bad,” Isaiah said, drawing my attention to him.

“Ashton?” I guessed.

He shook his head. “Archer.”

“I am going to pretend that’s the mystery injection you were subjected to talking,” I muttered, making him chuckle.

“I talked to him a bit after he found me wandering the corridors yesterday. He’s an ass, but he means well. I think.”

I folded my arms and scowled at him. “He wanted to leave you to get eaten.”

“They’re not cannibals, Fallon,” he replied.

I glanced warily at the barred doors. “I wouldn’t count on that. You weren’t in that closet yesterday.”

I still wasn’t wholly convinced I had imagined those things in there with me. No matter what Ashton said.

Carefully, Isaiah unclasped my hands from where I was cupping them over my elbows and drew them to him. He splayed the fingers and lightly touched the torn patches of skin, four perfect gashes, with his thumb. Some were still bleeding, but only slightly. There was crusted blood beneath my nails and dry trails running down my palms and between each finger.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, making me frown.

“For what?”

His blue eyes met mine. “
For getting taken down so easily.”

I shoved him playfully in the chest. “Don’t be stupid.” My fingers curled in the fabric of his t-shirt.
I moistened my lips. “These …
people
, they’re not like Garrison’s men. They’re not normal, Isaiah. I don’t know what they are, but they’re not human, which makes them dangerous. I need you to be careful. Promise me.”