Vowed

by N R Tucker

  “Don’t worry, you’ll see who the first time you disobey me. I’ll let you watch their torture.”

  “You evil, Ba… baboon.” At the last second, she caught herself and didn’t say his name. She wasn’t sure why, but she believed it was important that she not admit to knowing.

  The fae left the food tray and walked out.

  Part of her training since moving into the shifter facility had been survival. Stay strong until an escape presented itself. That meant she needed to eat the food they gave her. Victoria wasn’t a threat and doubted there was any reason to drug her now. She chewed on the fish and tried not to worry. Worrying about the other prisoners wouldn’t do anyone any good. At least the food was tasty.

  “Oh Fred, I hope you guys are okay,” Victoria whispered.

  *****

  When the door was unlocked, Ryan remained sitting on the floor, leaning back on the wall. When the door opened, he turned a bored face to the fae. That they were using fae camouflage meant he would recognize them, or they thought he would. Perhaps they were from one of the courts. Of course, they could simply be vain, assuming Ryan could identify them.

  The taller fae laid a platter of food on the box that apparently served as a table and opened the lid. The food smelled wonderful, and Ryan’s stomach rumbled in spite of his wishes.

  “Hungry?” The voice sounded pleased. Ryan rolled his eyes but remained silent.

  “If you want food you have to earn it.”

  Ryan raised his hands to show the cuffs, but still, he said nothing.

  “If you agree to our terms, the cuffs will be removed when you are earning your meal. If you don’t agree, there’s a chance we’ll send Victoria here to join you, one piece at a time.”

  “You’re saying I do everything you say when you say, or you’ll kill your cash cow?” Ryan shook his head. “Not even you are that stupid. She’s worth more than all of us if she’s alive.”

  “If I understand the term ‘cash cow,’ then you are right, however, to use you, I must control you.”

  “If you harm Victoria in any way, I will kill you.”

  “Brave words from someone who can’t use magic right now.”

  “A vow, from me to you.”

  The three fae who hadn’t spoken began the beat down.

  Fred flew back up the vent, leaving Ryan. He wanted to help, but if he shifted in the cell, they would both be captured. Never had Fred hated his shifter form more than now. Freaking butterfly! Regardless of form, he could only impact the weather in small ways, so his power was a bust. He could make a heat wave hotter or a cold snap colder in a small area, but he couldn’t turn cold weather warm. He was fairly worthless as a shifter. It didn’t take a genius to understand that his multiple black belts in karate, and all the time he spent in the gym, was his way of compensating.

  He had regained consciousness just as Ryan ran for Victoria. Fred shifted and tagged along inside Ryan’s shield. That may not have been the best choice. Perhaps if Fred had stayed in the Seen, he could have told Tempe what happened, and she would have already rescued them. Victoria and Ryan were in danger, and he was useless. Fred couldn’t open a gate and had no method to contact anyone in the Seen. He needed someone he could trust in the Farseen, but who? And how would he find them? Fred didn’t even know which realm he was in. He needed an identifiable landmark.

  Fred exited the vent and flew up the outside of the fortress to check on Victoria. Hopefully, she had left the window open. Focused on his problems, Fred almost missed the ahool diving at him. Freaking Farseen bats! Unlike their Seen counterparts, the ahools flew day and night. He dove deep into another small vent where the bat couldn’t reach him. Fred heard voices, and he fluttered closer to the sounds and listened.

  “No sign of Lady Tempest yet?” One man gloated.

  “How many times must I tell you, she’s not a proper member of the court and doesn’t deserve the title lady?” Anger rolled off the man.

  The first man lowered his head in submission. “Sorry Father, but I must see her in court, and it would not do to slip there.”

  Fred peeked through the vent and recognized some of the players. Good thing he had studied up on the members of the Northern Realm court. Fred was surprised Balen’s dad didn’t see the flash of anger in his eyes. Balen would not remain submissive much longer.

  “When do I claim Lady Star?” Spruce asked.

  “If you had secured her interests when first you met, she would be yours now,” Balen retorted. “You lost her to a shifter. Perhaps you don’t deserve her.”

  “You can’t blame me for losing Lady Star to a shifter when you lost Lady Saffron to Salix.” Sarcasm coated Spruce’s words.

  Balen stormed around the room. “Yunnan is to blame! She was supposed to secure Salix’s interest. Instead, she chases after his younger brother.”

  “Yes, she has been a disappointment. How she duped Lord Ellwood to approve Styrax to court her when I informed him I wanted her with Salix still amazes.” Their father scratched his chin.

  “Apparently, Yunnan is better at manipulation than all of us.” Spruce grinned, pleased that Balen also had trouble acquiring his lady.

  Balen laughed, “No she’s not. She and Lady Star developed a friendship, and they do things to help each other. Oddest thing I’ve ever seen.”

  “I will deal with Yunnan’s betrayal in my own time. Don’t worry, my sons. You will each get the wife you deserve. Both of you go to court. We must keep up appearances.”

  “Will you open a gate for me, Father?” Spruce asked.

  “It’s not a gate, it’s a way. You spend too much time in the Seen. No, if you can’t do it yourself, you will walk. It’s less than fifteen miles.” Their father walked out of the room.

  “Guess we run,” Spruce sighed.

  “You run, I’ll teleport.” Balen disappeared.

  “You could have given me a lift,” Spruce yelled to the empty room.

  Fred flew back out the vent and up to Victoria’s window. This time he paid attention to his surroundings and arrived without incident. Landing on the windowsill, he tucked himself into a corner where he could remain unseen.

  Victoria sat on the bed, crying. If only he could go to her. But if he shifted, and told her she wasn’t alone, a pixie would see him, and he would be captured. The best thing Fred could do for her and Ryan would be to get help. At least he had a plan. It wasn’t a great plan, but it was a plan.

  It didn’t take long before Spruce left the fortress and ran down a path. Fred sighed in relief. Now he had a plan. Take the trail to the Northern Realm. As the kidnappers revealed information about themselves, Fred identified his location. The Northern Realm. Here he had a couple of contacts leaving hope intact for a little longer. Fred had also studied the layout, and it was the one realm where he might find his way around. Following Spruce, Fred flew away from the fortress and found a spot to shift. Flying into the wind as a butterfly he wouldn’t even make five miles an hour, and Spruce was almost out of sight.

  By the time Fred reached the river Spruce was long gone. Ryan and Joey had talked about how fast the fae ran, but until now, Fred hadn’t believed. He took his butterfly form to cross the river, so he could stay dry and barely missed being the lunch of an iridescent jellyfish creature that moved in and out of the water with equal ease. The Farseen was more dangerous than he thought. Back in human form, Fred trailed the river, knowing it would take him to the backside of the residence where the family tree houses were. Staying on the trails would just alert everyone to his presence.

  “What brings a lone shifter to the Northern Realm?”

  Busted! Fred stopped and gritted his teeth. So close to the castle, he let his guard down. He was tired, hungry, and still unsure how he would find Lady Saffron. And now he was caught. He turned, expecting to see a Northern Realm warrior. Instead, he saw a nymph, no, a mermaid. Well, he didn’t know what she was. So much for Star’s book on the lesser fae, nothing like the female before him w
as in it.

  “You’re not one of the shifters who has visited of late. Who are you and why are you here?”

  “I’m looking for Lady Saffron. I have news from the Seen.” It wasn’t a lie exactly. He did have news to share, and he was from the Seen.

  “I think you must learn to lie with the truth better than that. State your business and your name. I’ll see if Lady Saffron will see you.” Fred didn’t respond, so she replied with a poem.

  “Lady Saffron is my patron, you see.

  No harm to you do I intend.

  I shall depart and leave you be,

  If your plan is to pretend.”

  Fred repeated the poem in his head, and asked, “Are you Kailani?” She backed away, and he could have slapped himself. Since she was of mixed heritage, she would be fair game for most of the Farseen without Lady Saffron’s patronage. “I mean you no harm. I’m Fred, the sovereign’s personal assistant. One of them anyway. I’m not here on the sovereign’s authority, but I have news that might interest Lady Saffron. I would be grateful for any assistance.”

  Kailani stopped moving away, “Are you offering me a boon?”

  “A what?”

  “A boon, a favor in exchange for my help?”

  Fred sighed. What choice did he have? “This boon must be something I can do for you. Not something I would ask the sovereign or Lady Tempest to do. I am a normal shifter and not a strong one at that. I doubt you will find my boon valuable.”

  Kailani smiled, “Agreed. The deal is struck with no out clause. With Lady Saffron as my patron, I don’t need anything. I just like the idea of a shifter owing me a boon. Stay here while I check with Lady Saffron. My friends will sit with you.”

  Fred watched three water dragons slither out of the river and position themselves around him. Now, what did Star’s book say about water dragons?

  Chapter 23

  “What does that term mean?” Balen demanded.

  “How many times do I have to explain this?” Victoria’s voice rose in irritation. “I know the human – mostly English or Latin – words for scientific terms. I can’t translate them to fae, and apparently, you can’t either. I don’t know how to explain the tracking of gates without using scientific terms.”

  She rubbed her forehead and tried to think of some way out of this mess. Balen and the other fae were getting irritated, and that was probably a bad thing, but Victoria had a feeling it would be much worse if she gave them the knowledge they wanted.

  “I’ve had enough.” Balen stood and walked toward the door. “Guard her until I get back.”

  Victoria turned toward the two remaining fae. “Do you have names, or should I call you Fae One and Fae Two?”

  “Huh?” The one who had called Balen by his name and the lead whiner asked.

  “Wordplay. You know, from the Dr. Seuss book The Cat in the Hat, Thing One and Thing Two. Oh, never mind. If you have to explain a joke, it’s not funny. What are your names?”

  “You don’t need our names. If you must address us, master will do.” The reply came from the mean looking fae who appeared older than the others, although appearances didn’t mean much with beings who could glamour.

  Before she could find a suitable cutting remark that wouldn’t get her beaten, Balen said through the door, “Conceal your face.”

  Victoria watched as the faces of the fae suddenly looked blurry. She blinked her eyes, but it didn’t help. Balen, also blurry faced, entered the room pushing a clear faced Ryan to the ground. His hands were in cuffs behind his back, and his feet were in cuffs as well. Ryan landed face-first on the floor with a loud thwack. He rolled over, and a fresh cut on his lip was bleeding. Without the blood, it would not have been noticeable. Ryan was a mess of bruises and cuts.

  Victoria gasped and ran toward Ryan, but Balen blocked her. “As you can see, your failure to comply has already cost Ryan. Do you want to watch us beat him this time?

  “Don’t listen to…” Ryan groaned. Balen kicked him in the side.

  “Stop it! It’s not Ryan’s fault I can’t explain the science so that you can understand.” Victoria pushed against Balen, but he didn’t move. “Perhaps if you were to bring a smarter fae into the room, they would understand.”

  Ryan, still on the floor, laughed. “Doubt it.” Fae One kicked him again and he moaned.

  “Please be quiet,” Victoria whispered.

  “You do the same,” Ryan retorted.

  “No, she will talk.” Balen grabbed her by the hair and pushed her toward the board. “You will explain all the science you have identified – starting with tracking ways – or Ryan will suffer. Each time you explain something so that we don’t understand, Ryan will pay. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Yes, but for me to do that I have to provide you with some basic scientific principles. That will allow me to use certain words that I know you will understand.”

  “Fine, just get on with it.”

  She looked over at Ryan. “Sorry, but I can’t watch them beat you and not do anything.”

  *****

  Two hours later Ryan continued to watch as Victoria taught science to the fae. At first, it was confusing because some of the information sounded wrong. Eventually, he remembered enough from his studies to realize that she was feeding them bad information. Not much, just enough to keep them from successfully tracking gates. It was impressive, and he hoped she could keep it straight. Had Victoria been informed that some fae could recall any experience with perfect clarity?

  Ryan had to get the cuffs off his wrists and ankles. Although the ankle cuffs had a chain long enough to allow him to take small steps, he was useless with his hands cuffed behind his back.

  “Enough!” Fae One stood. “We have somewhere to be.”

  “Who’s taking Ryan back to his cell?” Fae Two asked.

  “Leave him for now. Let him see how nice he could have it if he cooperated.” Balen was the last to leave.

  As soon as the door shut, Victoria ran to Ryan’s side. “What can I do?”

  “Give me a second.” Ryan grimaced and stretched his body.

  “Uh, can’t you use magic? Open a gate or something?” Victoria had assumed he was waiting for them to be alone before taking her to safety, but he wasn’t doing magic or anything.

  “Love to, but these cuffs prevent the wearer from using magic of any kind. I think there might be just enough chain in the wrist cuffs.” Groaning, Ryan contorted his body and slid his wrists down his legs and over his feet. He stood with his hands in front of his body. “Better. I don’t suppose you have a bathroom in your penthouse suite.”

  She blushed and pointed to an interior wall, “That door.”

  Ryan emerged a few minutes later. He was relaxed. “I feel a lot better now.” Still cuffed, he shuffled over to an open window and whistled low, “No wonder you didn’t try to go out the window.”

  “Exactly.”

  “At least I know we’re in the Northern Realm wastelands.”

  “How?”

  Taking pleasure in the simple act of pointing, he said, “See that horseshoe curve in the river?”

  Her eyes followed where his finger pointed and nodded.

  “There’s only one river horseshoe curve, surrounded by woods, in the Farseen. It’s between the Northern Realm residence and the Northern Realm wastelands. I’m guessing we’re less than fifteen miles northeast of the residence, in the wastelands.”

  “The wastelands? I thought humans shouldn’t be in the wastelands, too dangerous.”

  Ryan huffed, “They’re too dangerous for shifters, too.”

  “So, we’re stuck. No escape.”

  “I didn’t say that. I’m working on it.” Ryan wasn’t sure what he was working on, but she didn’t need to know that. If he had his powers, this would be easy. If he had his powers, they would never have been able to hold him. Ryan had begun to realize how much he had come to depend on them. Until the cuffs were removed, he might as well be human. Even if they escaped,
danger would be everywhere, possibly more outside of the fortress than inside.

  “I guess I should explain myself.”

  Ryan had been so busy wishing for his powers back that he had forgotten Victoria would be scared and confused. “No. Even if you don’t see them, pixies are watching us with orders to report everything we say.”

  “Okay,” she chewed her bottom lip. “I’m sorry I got you into this. Who else was taken?”

  Ryan barked a laugh, and his ribs responded in pain. A couple were cracked or broken, but at least they didn’t puncture his lungs. “We’re it. I ran into the gate after you. The others were unconscious.”

  She sighed in relief, “You sure?”

  “Pretty sure. Being Tasered hurts, but a single – even supercharged – shock shouldn’t be deadly to a shifter.”

  “That’s a relief. I was so worried about Fred… and the rest,” she added hastily.

  A grin flashed across his face, before his thoughts returned to the task of escaping. His stomach growled. “I don’t suppose they left you some food or water.”

  “You haven’t eaten?” She hurried over to a cabinet, pulled open the door, and revealed a feast of raw produce and dried meats. “What do you like?”

  “You are a goddess! Anything.” Ryan eased himself into the chair at the desk. He bit into a piece of fruit and groaned with pleasure. He downed the first mug of water and then proceeded to eat while Victoria poured more water into the mug. As his stomach filled, Ryan noticed he was getting sleepy. “Crap!”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “They drugged the food or water.”

  “I’ve been eating, and I’m fine. The fae did, too.”

  “That’s the trick. It must be a drug that only works on shifters, not humans or fae.” Ryan stood, which was a mistake. He stumbled and fell to the floor unconscious.

  Chapter 24

  “Crap indeed.” Victoria moved Ryan’s legs onto the bed properly before checking his breathing and pulse, both were fine. At least he landed partially on the bed. She would not have been able to lift his dead weight by herself. It was hard enough to get his legs on the platform.