by A. K. Koonce
"Are you asking me if I want to watch Kai kill what appears to be my mother?" I crack one eye at Rowan. He's still watching Kai. "The answer to that would be fuck no."
"I mean, I guess I get it. Also, I'm a tad disappointed that you didn't see me. It would be pretty badass to watch me and my brother dueling right now. Even if I would have to be rooting for my brother's win."
"You could watch yourself die?" I finally sit up. I keep my back to Kai, though I can still hear his breath mingling with the Spirit’s in their efforts.
"Eh," Rowan shrugs. "It's almost over—”
There's a gurgling sound, like water bubbling out of a child's cup. The noise softens. I jump as Kai pounces to standing on the rock next to me. Looking from his boots up to him, he looks grim as he pushes his sword back into his belt.
Carefully, I turn to look down into the forest. Black is splattered against the brilliant hues of the plants. Everything is tinted with blood. My mother stares back at me, her body lifeless. Against my lips, I feel my fingertips touching my mouth to hold in the tremble of a horrified sob. I hadn't even realized I'd moved.
Had she looked like this in her death? Was she just as beautiful as she remains now as when she was beheaded while the kingdom watched? Cordelia's mother took everything away from me. Cordelia took it away from me. My deepest desire isn't the love of a man, it isn't power of a fucking kingdom, my deepest desire is a fucking parents love.
"It bit you," Rowan stands.
Kai holds out his arm, examining the bite. He offers his unharmed side and I take his hand and rise. Teeth marks, the perfect crescent of a human bite, breaks through his flesh. Black mingles with the red of his blood. More than that, the veins extending from the bite are tinted black as if the spirit's bad energy is seeping into his being.
"Oh my god." I grab his wrist and pull it toward me.
"Uh, ow." Kai blinks.
"Are you going to be okay?"
Slouching, I look at the bite even closer, praying that he hasn't been injected with venom or something else just as hideous. Kai shakes off my hands.
"It's fine."
"Did she poison you? Don't you lie to me Kai Ziko!" I shake a finger at him.
"Cupcake," he flashes me a brilliant grin, "If you think I'm going to let an annoying Wishing Spirit take me out of this world then you are sorely mistaken."
"Well, Buttercup," I try the nickname, "Sue me for being worried."
"Sue you?" Rowan tosses the Wishing Spirit one last look, frowning at the mess that surrounds it.
Kai brushes his sleeve down to cover the bite and adjust the backpack on his shoulders. They turn toward the mountain again.
"We better get moving. There are more of those, I'm sure." Kai moves into the new tree lined incline.
"I'm still confused what ‘suing you’ means. Does it have anything to do with being sexual?"
"I'm not sure how many times it has to be repeated but, like, not everything is sexual, Rowan."
"That's debatable." He points at me, grinning.
"No," I shake my head and do my best to keep up behind them. Walking away, I fight the need to give my mother's body one last look. "Suing someone...," I explain to keep my mind from dwelling, "is when they do something harmful to you or break the law or... something like that," Maybe I'm not good at explaining this. "Anyway, you take them to court and you get money out of them for whatever the reason is."
Sure, yeah, that explains it.
Rowan's eyes narrow. "What?"
"It's not like our Court. It's their law system. It's run by multiple people in her area instead of just the rule of their King or Queen," Kai tries to explain.
"Why would I want money from you?"
"How do you know so much but visit the human world so little?" I raise an eyebrow at the golden-haired prince.
"I once had relations with a lawyer of sorts," Kai doesn't bother to look back at us as he forges a path forward.
"Seriously, I'm confused," Rowan tries again.
"You know what... just forget it." I sigh.
A silence falls between us. As quiet as the sound of our feet hitting the mountainside and the angry huff of my breath can be. Every noise reminds me of the high-pitched screaming of the Wishing Spirit. Every blink, I see my mother's face.
I wonder if in her death she was content. I wonder if saving me was all she really needed.
I wonder if I would have made her proud.
I wonder if I'm making her proud now as I cling to every jutting tree and follow behind the princes of the Iron Court.
Ten
Cavern Camping
Everything in my body begs for rest. My eyes drop and I know I must look like Kai when he is high. I keep my attention focused on his back. Rowan trails behind me.
"Quit staring at my ass," I breathe.
"It's a nice ass." Rowan replies.
Through Kai's sleeve I can see where black is seeping into the grey fabric as it clings to his arm. His energy since the encounter hasn't dwindled. Maybe he's right, the bite isn't an issue at all.
Though I realize Kai hasn’t taken Reminints since we began the trip. The lack of Reminints may soon be a problem. Kai's arm pulls away from the branch he pushes down and breaks under his boot. His fingers tremble. The only sign his body isn't at peace.
A loud caw echoes over our heads as a bird takes flight. Its wingspan cuts across the clouds that ripple across the sky. The sun has moved down, hiding behind the mountain side. Only a little bit of light spills down to us. Occasionally, I take a look back down and our efforts have gotten us far enough up that the view is quite breathtaking. If I stop for even a moment though, I begin to lose Kai among the trees. And being behind along with Rowan sounds like a terrible idea at this point.
"I'm going to need a break," I say, ashamed of the limitations of my body.
"There's a small cave just up ahead. We'll make camp for the night. We should reach the seer by midday tomorrow. Though, I expect that she already knows we are here."
"Couldn't she make it easy and come to us? Meeting us mid-way would be the polite thing to do."
"If you want, I could carry you," Rowan offers.
"I'd rather walk till my feet bleed."
"Ooooo," He inhales through his teeth. "Why must you always play hard to get like that? You know I just want what’s best for my queen."
"If you keep talking like that I'm going to throw up in my mouth." I turn back to him and roll my eyes. "And seriously, quit looking at my ass!"
"Some things just can't be helped, Briar."
"Well soon I'm not going to be able to help the foot that meets your balls."
Kai laughs. It's the most I've heard out of him since the Spirit.
Finally, the trees split enough that I'm able to see the cave’s mouth up ahead. It's enough to motivate me to move faster. It's the last little bit I have to make and then I can rest. I didn't pack anything to sleep with...I remember. Oops. But I won't say anything out loud because then Rowan will just tell me that I can sleep with him. As if that does me any good.
Kai notices the increase in my pace and moves faster too, and much swifter. He slings the backpack from his shoulders and chucks it into the cave, pulling himself up onto the rock. This isn't too tall for me this time. I cling to the edge and my boots scamper up the side. Rolling ungracefully, I topple into the cave. Rowan's already inside when I sit up.
I melt back down onto the cave floor. Everything in this forest is just covered in its own sweat. Even the surface of the rock, cushioned by a thin layer of moss, makes my clothing damp with more than just my perspiration. I lift my arms over my head, trying to stretch myself out. Both men are pulling things out of their bags and when I think neither are looking, I take a big whiff of my underarm.
Ripe. Definitely not fresh. Lovely.
Then there is another smell. I'm certain isn't me. I turn away from my own body odor and sniff the breeze as it passes the mouth of the cave. Lavender.
; I shoot upright, blood rushing painfully to my head. "I smell lavender."
"What?" Rowan says slowly. "All I smell is you."
"You better mean that in a very wonderful way," I snap at him even though I'm very aware of how utterly awful I reek myself. "No, I smell lavender. It's what I smelled when the Wishing Spirit was near."
Kai sniffs the air and Rowan follows suit.
"I don't smell anything." Rowan says again.
Kai moves past his brother, dropping his bag at his feet. He walks beyond me, extending himself as far as he can without teetering off the edge. I watch, unable to move.
His soft chuckle breaks the following silence.
At least this is laughable for him.
"There actually is a small lavender patch. It’s a little out of sort for the area but I have a feeling it is some sort of spell. I'm sure the seer uses lavender every now and again."
I flatten myself back against the cave floor. Kai walks with loud steps as he goes back to his bag. Every movement he makes is deliberate and somehow there is a comfort in knowing that he wants me aware of where he is at all times. Rowan walks smoother, it's harder to pick up the sound of his movement.
"Water?" Rowan offers.
I open my eyes and find him sitting with his legs folded underneath him, not even a foot away. He holds out a small metal container. The humidity clings to my skin, I can even taste it in the back of my throat. But still, my body craves the water. I've probably sweated out half my body weight on the way up here.
With a thankful smile, I reach for the canister. As my fingers brush his he pulls it away.
"Ah, ah, ah," he teases, "I'll let you have a sip if you give me a kiss."
"Fuck off, Rowan!" I push myself further away.
He inches himself closer. "Just a little peck on the cheek. You've already kissed me once, what's the big deal?"
"I'm not using my body to make bargains with you." I give him my darkest stare and pray that it burns some sort of hole into his soul. Rowan is like that creepy friend you have that just never gets the hint. Take the damn hint, Rowan!
"What if--"
Rowan shoots upright, his toes scraping against the floor to find purchase. Kai's hands are wrapped in the fabric of his shirt pulling it away from Rowan's thick chest.
"I have had it! That's enough. If I knew that I was going to have to listen to you harass my guest the entire trip I would have left you at home." Kai's nose hovers just a hair away from Rowan's. His gaze squints as he focuses on his brother. Maybe I'm not the only one who wants to burn a hole into his soul...
"Calm down," Rowan tries to push his brother's hands off of him. Kai remains unmovable. "It's just a joke."
"It's. Not. Funny." Each syllable is firm.
"You're just saying this because the Wishing Spirit bit you and transferred some of its rage to you." Rowan brings his fists down, hitting Kai's elbows hard enough his brother drops him. He points his finger into his chest. "Don't you try and look all big and bad to me. Give yourself another hour and you'll have withdrawals so bad I could blow you over like a piece of lint."
Muscles chord in Kai's jaw, a large vein bulging in his neck. He pulls his brother closer, finally letting their noses brush. I'd crack a joke about brotherly love if it wasn’t for the way both their ears were turning red and I could feel the anger coming off of them in waves.
"Would you like to test your theory?" Kai finally manages.
Rowan arches back and laughs. "We're going to do this right now? Over a joke? Over her?"
Her.
I stand up, talking softer to Kai. "Just put him down."
"Listen to your Cupcake, Kai." Rowan teases.
Kai takes his time lowering his brother and letting go of the front of his shirt. Rowan watches with a daring smile and flattens down the wrinkles their spat has created.
"That's better," Rowan continues.
"Yeah, Kai, I can fight my own battles." I give Kai's bicep just the smallest squeeze before I whirl on his brother. I focus every ounce of frustration, fear, and outright anger at how life was handed to me and I channel it into my fist. My knuckles make contact with the sharp angle of Rowan's jaw.
Pain instantly blooms in my hand. Rowan grabs his cheek and takes a confused step back as I bite my lip and turn back to Kai. The blonde-haired prince is watching me with his brows lifted up to his hairline. Tears of surprise are welling along my eyelids and I shove my hand between my thighs as if their thickness could cuddle the pain away. Why does punching someone hurt so bad? It's supposed to hurt him not me!
"Damn, Briar!" Rowan scrubs at his face. "Why the hell would you do that?"
"To teach you a lesson," I groan.
A large grin finally breaks Kai's lips and he leans forward grabbing both of my shoulders. "You are bloody brilliant, Cupcake. Though, perhaps, with your human fragility we shouldn’t go around punching Fae with Iron in their bones." Kai looks back up to Rowan. "You're lucky it wasn't my fist. It'd do you well to go find yourself some place to rest away from us. And next time don't try to talk her into giving you sexual favors for items that are a necessity. Or rather, you just don't ask for sexual favors."
Rowan rolls his eyes but ultimately listens. His boots kick at the ground as he works his way around us and heads for the back of the cave. He pulls an apple from his backpack and tosses it in the air a few times already moving on from the situation and no longer caring about the hit that didn't even leave a red mark on his face.
Kai shakes his head. "Let me see your hand."
I clench my teeth as I pull my hand from between my legs. In offering, I hold it up between us. My knuckles are a dark red and I'm reminded of my weakened state every time I bend my fingers for him.
"Well, you'll probably have a nice bruise but other than that, no broken bones." Kai presses a gentle kiss to my knuckles. It stings when his lips brush my skin.
A sigh of relief is all I can respond with. The gesture of his kiss so sweet it reminds of something Lincoln would have done. They were brought up by the same people. Rowan must be the odd man out when it comes to their upbringing because his incessant flirting and lack of respect for other people’s boundaries is really setting the tone for a less than pleasant friendship.
"So... we're going to sleep here?" I press my back to the cave wall and slide down to sitting, the hilt of the dagger digs into my side.
"Yes."
I flick my attention up to his face. "I want you to say 'Yeah', just one time for me."
"That's an odd request." He tilts his head to the side. The pink of his tongue slips out over his bottom lip before he tries. "Yeah."
It's much more attractive with his accent, I think. It must be my accent that makes it sound so uneducated.
"Yeah," he tries again this time grasping at my accent. "Yeah." He perfects the tone.
"It's nice not to be so formal all the time, huh?" I ask.
"I'm a prince. One day I'll be a king. I don't really do informal."
Kai paces a few feet in front of me, sending a weary glance to his brother. Rowan sits in the corner, chewing on his apple. He avoids our attention, finding something truly intriguing about the rock across from him. Kai slips his hands into his pocket. He looks down at me.
"You'll be safe tonight. I promise."
The temperature is steadily dropping with the setting sun and I’m suddenly very aware of the chill coating my once sweat dampened skin.
"I didn't pack a blanket," I confess.
"You won't need one."
Finally, Kai crosses his legs and squats down until he's sitting in front of me. He picks at his nails looking almost bashful. I squint trying to process if I should be worried that he's hitting on me now.
"What do you mean?"
"I can do this..." He reaches out and presses his fingers against my wrist.
Heat bubbles in my veins. Every rushing pulse pushes the heat through the rest of my body. It's hot but not scorching. Magic that doesn't burn but sooth
es... like a blanket. Even the wall behind me seems to soften.
I give him a lazy smile. "Are you trying to put me to sleep right now."
He leans to check the sun outside. If it's at all above the horizon the mountain has totally blocked it from our view. I can't even make out the tree tops or the ground that we made on our journey today. It's just black. Everything is dark.
I close my eyes. Dark. Everything is dark. Dark enough that I could just go to sleep. When he speaks, I only crack one eye for him.
"No, but you should rest because we'll be up bright and early tomorrow and I'm sure unlocking your powers is going to be some sort of trip for you."
"Uh-huh." I nod, closing my eyes, content to sleep against the wall. "I didn't know you had this sort of power."
"I've got all sorts of things that you don't know about me," he whispers.
Eleven
Zeve
"We're here!" Rowan calls.
"Where exactly is here?" I pull myself up, clambering, cautiously up the rocks. The higher we rise the less trees are sprouting. Dust has begun to fill the air, it clings to us like ash. I can even taste it, like burnt raw dirt, on my tongue.
"Does the seer live here?" I ask.
Rowan stops at the mouth of another cave. The entrance to it is so slender, I'm not sure that either of the Fae are going to be able to fit through. Even I'll need to suck in and crush my boobs against me to make it between that tiny opening.
"The seer lives here," Kai says mostly to the sky.
Dark clouds are forming around the mountain range. The flash of light and the following boom an eerie threat of what is to come. I pray it's just my own paranoia. This isn't foreshadowing. Right?
"Do we knock?" I swallow the lump in my throat.
Rowan offers me his hand on the final step I have to make up the landing he balances on. He holds my hand gently. I'd like to say it has something to do with the right hook I'd shared with him the day before. More likely though, it has to do with the conversation the two were having when I woke up. Not a minute after Rowan had trudged over to me looking like a child who'd just gotten grounded and apologized for his less than princely behavior. He promised not to ask for sexual favors anymore but insisted he couldn't turn off the flirting. 'It's just who he is as a person.'
