by Shania Tyler
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“Kelly?” Piper reached out and took her friend’s hand. Kelly was trembling. The men had announced earlier that day that they would be reaching Ember’s Woods, and Kelly had been pensive since then. But now, she was freaking out.
Shouting came from outside and then Piper heard Mason say, “Hold!”
Kelly crawled at the door and then pushed herself out the carriage as though she needed to escape. Meg, however, did the opposite, almost shrinking away from the outside. Piper didn’t understand what was happening and when she looked at Fedora, she saw only confusion in the other woman’s eyes as well.
But then Piper felt it. Something was wrong and it caused a sensation like insects crawling up her arms to spread through her. It was so quiet outside the carriage, and Piper feared getting out.
“Must be an elf thing,” Fedora said as she looked between Piper and Meg. “We’ve made it to the entrance of Ember’s Forest.”
“What happened?” Meg asked in a low voice.
“Destruction,” Fedora told her. “In order for the Evaness to attack us three months ago, they had to surround Morwen, which means they had to come through Ember’s Forest.”
“But why destroy it?” Meg asked.
“Because the keepers of the forest do not like my kind,” Fedora said. “The keepers would not let the Evaness through the forest. The keepers are elves themselves.”
Theo showed up and his dark eyes met Piper’s. “Are you all right?”
Piper was sure she nodded. She was sure she gave off the impression that nothing was bothering her, but in the next minute, Theo was in the carriage, taking the spot that Kelly had occupied, and his arms were around her. She rested her head on his shoulder while his hand moved through her hair. She wrapped her arms around him, and it was only then that she truly felt all right.
She watched Meg get out and heard her speaking in a low voice to Ethan.
Fedora whispered, “It’s so dark.”
“Isn’t it always dark?” Piper asked.
“No,” Theo said. “Ember’s Woods is usually alight, because of the creatures that live here. It also holds one of the only portals to Talon Island where everything glows.” Talon Island was where the gods lived.
Piper said, “I want to see.”
Theo lifted her head to meet his eyes. “Are you sure?”
She nodded.
He walked with her outside of the carriage and the moment Piper’s feet hit the ground, the crawling sensation hit her harder. She wrapped her arms around herself and looked around, wondering if anyone else felt the way she did.
The woods were hideous. More trees lay on the forest ground than there were still standing, and unlike in Morwen, where Piper could hear the music that the night animals created, Ember’s Woods remained silent.
She did notice that though the torches that were lit, many of the men they’d brought with them were kneeling in the dirt, their hands rested on the soil. She could tell it was a position of humility, honoring something. She could also tell by the pointed ears that all the men on the ground were elves. “Why do the vampires not feel it?” Piper asked. “Are you not the keepers of the night?”
Theo’s arm rested around her waist and he sighed. “We’ve not been quite as connected with Asea for many years. Not sense Monrel.”
Piper looked at him. “What do you mean? Monrel is inside of you?”
Theo gave a single nod, though it looked like it hurt to do so. “Every vampire does, thanks to Sinem.” Piper remembered Meg telling her about the first true vampire. Sinem had been the first of their kind to crave blood and not be able to walk in the light. “So, though the Rebels fight a worthy cause, there will always be Darkness in us.”
Piper touched Theo’s chest and said, “I don’t agree. You’re too good to hold Darkness.”
Her husband smiled at her, and his free hand grazed her cheek.
A soft cry made Piper turn to find Kelly running her hand over a tree, and Piper knew what she was trying to do. She was trying to heal it. And maybe she could, but could she heal an entire forest?
Kelly’s movement were done with panic and urgency, as though she were looking for the tree’s heart and couldn’t’ find it. Mason touched her shoulders, but she shrugged them off and went to another tree, one lying on the ground, though its width reached her hip. She knelt by it and placed her cheek against its heavy trunk, wrapping her arms around it, and whispering.
Piper saw Ethan and Meg slowly walking through the trees and studying them with pained looks. She even caught sight of Maurice with his arms crossed and a deep scowl on his face. He was the first vampire she’d seen who looked upset. “Why is Maurice upset?”
Theo turned to look at his friend and said, “Maurice grew up here.”
“In the woods?”
Theo nodded. “It was where Noel found him before coming to Morwen and joining the Rebels.”
“Noel found him?”
“It’s a long story.”
Piper nodded and then said, “I’m going over to where Kelly is to see if she needs anything.”
“I’ll go with you.”
They walked together, around the kneeling and standing men, and made their way to Kelly. Her murmuring to the trunk was louder up close.
“It’s all right,” Kelly whispered. “I’ll not leave you this way. You shall live.”
“Kelly,” Mason called gently as he knelt by his wife. He didn’t touch her. “There is nothing that can be done here.”
“I can help.”
“Maybe, but not every tree.”
Kelly’s blue eyes glittered with unshed tears. She looked past everyone as if seeing something no one else could. Meg eventually made her way over and dropped down into the dirt beside Kelly. In her hand was a small insect of an amazing blue shade. At the flick of a broken wing, it also had shades of green and red spots.
“It’s a ditto dot. They are usually not found this close to Morwen.”
“Where do they come from?”
“Ucrary. They spread messages amongst themselves faster than any other creature in Asea.”
Piper drew closer and watched as Kelly touched the ditto dot’s wing. With a shimmer, it was healed.
Kelly and Meg smiled.
“Sing.”
Their small group turned around and saw Vivi and Aymee standing nearby. Aymee had been the one to speak, and her startling silver eyes were looking directly at Piper.
Piper narrowed her eyes at the little girl. “You want me to sing?”
Aymee nodded. “To the ditto dot.”
“Why?”
“It is destiny,” she said with a smile.
Piper shook her head. Theo tightened his hold around her as she said, “You saw me singing?”
Aymee nodded. “Many times.”
“Aymee,” Vivi said with warning.
“Sorry, Mama.” The little girl looked sheepish now.
Vivi placed her hands on Aymee’s shoulders, “She, at times, reveals too much, but she did see you sing to the ditto dot that Meg holds in her hand.”
“What was I singing?” Piper asked.
Aymee opened her mouth, but Piper could visibly see her mother’s fingers tighten on her shoulders. Aymee’s mouth closed again.
Vivi said, “Sing whatever comes to mind.”
The elves who’d been kneeling on the ground began to stand and everyone stared at Piper. She jumped when Theo let her go, but calmed at the tenderness in his eyes. He wouldn’t go far; he was just giving her space. But for what?
She turned to where Kelly and Meg still knelt in the soil and dropped down and stared at the creature. “I’ve no idea what to sing, guys,” she whispered to her friends.
Meg smiled. “Just sing whatever comes to mind.”
Kelly took Piper’s hand and then led her fingers over to the insect. “Sing what it needs to know,” she told Piper. “When I healed its wings, I could feel what it needs. Feel its need,
Piper.”
Piper rubbed the wing, felt nothing, but the moment she looked into the insect’s black eyes, the crawling sensation ceased. All sensations left her. The world around her was gone, and it was only her and the creature in her palm.
And the lyrics just fell from her lips.
She had no idea why she’d decided on Use Somebody by Kings of Leon, in the style of Pixie Lott but as she lulled to the critter, the words just felt right. He flapped his wings as she sang on and seemed to try and bury itself further into her palm as the song went on.
The critter hopped, as if getting life from the words then turned and moved toward Piper’s fingertips. She knew he would take flight when she ended the song and smiled.
* * *
She watched the ditto dot flutter into the night and stared after if for a long time before she realized that everyone was still quiet. She turned to Theo and the look he was giving her made her heart jump. His dark eyes seemed more intense than ever before, and she wondered what was wrong. She reached her mind out to him and his thoughts hit her one after another, like caresses from his hands, traveling down her body and groping her most intimate parts. She had to shut herself from his mind before she embarrassed herself. He wanted her.
She looked around and found everyone else watching her as well, even Meg, Kelly, and Ethan, who’d all heard her sing before, were looking at her with wonder.
“What?” she asked them.
Ethan shook his head. “I don’t know. There was just… something in the song this time when you sang. I feel… awake.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
Meg left out a breath and said, “You were singing to the bug, but everyone felt the words, Pipes. You’ve made us all feel alive.”
Kelly touched Piper’s hand, and a current of energy passed through them. It wasn’t until Piper looked to where Kelly touched her that she realized Kelly was glowing softly. Her friend’s other hand still rested on the tree, and she said, in a voice that held a slight echo, “The forest has heard your song. Thank you.”
Theo came and offered her a hand up.
Piper took it, but she was barely on her feet before his lips found hers. Her arms flew around him as he ravished her mouth. He fisted her hair and plowed into her mouth, sending small quakes down Piper’s body. He kissed her with desperation, and Piper was swept up into the fury, moaning and rubbing herself against him as though they hadn’t just made love the previous night.
Someone cleared their throat. Twice.
“Hey,” Maurice called. “Let’s get out of here.”
Theo broke off the kiss, but his hands remained on her and his eyes spoke of dark promises that had Piper squeezing her thighs together. Oh, yes, she was definitely enjoying married life.
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21
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
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Ucrary could be described in one word. Adorable.
Even with the world in darkness, it was obvious that Ucrary was meant to shine in the light. The buildings were an array of colors and outside the city were spread out over long strips of land. Torches lit the roads, tall like streetlights, and welcomed them.
From their position on a hill an hour ago, Piper saw five roads that led to the heart of the city and a stadium, but as they drew closer, her anxiety hit her at full force. Would she be meeting the royal family? Was she even part of them? People could look alike and not necessarily be related.
They were just outside the city when Piper noticed how quiet it was. The carriage stopped at a large green building with white trim and it was announced that they would stay at an inn before entering the city during visiting hours the next day.
“Why is it so quiet?” Kelly asked as Mason helped them all out.
“The concert is over,” he told her.
“What?”
“No!”
Piper and Kelly spoke at the same time.
Mason chuckled. “I mean, it’s done for tonight. Ucrary is always very quiet after a performance. They can be quite draining, depending on who is singing.”
Piper calmed. She was looking forward to seeing what Ucrary offered.
Theo slid a hand around her waist and started for the door.
“Colester Theo,” a woman with blue eyes and straight black hair called before bowing low. She was dressed in a beautiful black dress and seemed genuinely happy to see him. “I received your message that you would be gracing my inn with your presence. Welcome.” Then her eyes came up and settled on Piper. They widened and then she openly stared, “Your wife, Colester?” Was there disappointment as well as surprise in her eyes?
“Yes, Henna,” Theo said with a smile. “This is my wife Piper. Piper, meet the woman who owns most of the inns on the south continent.”
It was disappointment in Henna’s eyes, but she smiled at Piper and said, “Welcome, Piper.”
Piper shifted closer to Theo and said, “Thank you for having us.”
“Servants will lead you all to your rooms,” Henna announced as the rest of the group began to come inside. A servant came over and greeted Theo and her just as Henna turned her attention to Mason, greeting him in the same manner she’d greeted Theo.
Piper looked around the room and took note of the hardwood flooring and bronze knobs and light holders as she followed the maid. She noticed the little elf wore no silver choker or thick bracelets, but had the burn marks from silver chains. She was a slave and the thought of it turned Piper’s stomach. She also noticed a red scar on the woman’s cheek as though a lash had been taken to her. Her anger grew. “Someone hit her,” Piper whispered.
“Yes,” Theo agreed quietly.
“She doesn’t wear chains.”
“Ucrary elves rare do, though do not mistake this for freedom. Ucrarians are usually not cruel owners, but they are owners all the same.”
Piper shook her head. She was upset, but without an outlet for it, she decided to change the subject.
“She was wearing black,” she whispered, referring to Henna.
“Yes,” Theo replied.
“She wished to give you blood, didn’t she?” Piper asked.
He looked at down at her and said, “Yes.”
Piper looked away as they turned a corner and bit her lip, but gave no reply.
And Theo wondered what she was thinking. Henna wasn’t the first woman to offer blood to him, and as he was sure Piper knew, the offer had been for more than just blood. Henna wanted more. She wanted more than sex as well. She wanted marriage.
For years, Theo had suspected the Evaness to be taking part of some game to see who would capture his heart and for that reason alone, he’d never leaned toward marrying anyone. Whenever he drank blood, it was from a blood servant and whenever he’d felt the need for more intimate connections, he’d hired someone’s services, and made sure they knew there was nothing but money between them.
But one look from Piper had changed all that for him. From the moment he’d caught her scent, he’d known that if he got her, he wouldn’t let her go. Actually, he’d thought his drive for her would have killed her. He was glad to know that was not the case.
Theo stared at Piper’s profile and said, “There’s no need to be jealous.”
“I’m not,” Piper said with slow grin. She bit her lip again as if to stop herself from laughing. It took her a moment before she could speak. “I know how much you love me, I’m just sure that Henna feels embarrassed.”
Theo smiled and took her hand. “Well, now that Henna knows, word should spread that I’ve taken a wife.”
“How did she know?” Piper asked. “She didn’t ask if I was your girlfriend or mistress. She asked if I was your wife.”
“We are bound. When people are near, they can feel it. But also,” his hand trailed over the gold chain around her neck and down to the diamond that hung from it, “you wear my
chain and the Evaness know I would not give it away lightly.”
“Who did it belong to?” she asked.
“The stone was my mother’s.”
Piper smiled.
They approached a door in the back and the servant said, “Past this door is all yours.” She opened the lock and behind the door were a pair of stairs. Piper and Theo proceeded her and after a short flight were showing a very spacious and beautiful suite. Heavy silks and flowers adorned the room. And a feminine scent was in the air. It was overly romantic.
He turned to Piper to find her biting her lip again, to hold the grin in. It seemed Henna had made many plans for them.
The servant asked, “Do you need anything else from me?”
Theo nodded. “Your name.”
The slave bowed her head again. “Tris, Colester Theo.”
Theo nodded. “That is all, Tris, thank you.”
Tris left.
Theo turned to Piper and found her playing with the petals of a white bouquet that sat in the middle of a side table, but she was staring at him intently.
“What was that about?” she asked him.
“What?” Theo asked as he walked to her side.
Piper turned to face him. “You asked her for her name.”
Theo shrugged. “Maybe I just wanted to know who was serving us.”
Piper crossed her arms and tilted her head. “Maybe. Or maybe you were doing something else.”
“Like?”
“Like planning to free her,” Piper whispered. Then she leaned toward him and asked, “Are you?”
Theo placed a finger over his lips. “These things are never easy, but I’m sure we both saw the mark on her face that she tries to hide. I can’t free them all, not yet, but we can take those who are abused.”
“How do you do it?” Piper asked.
Theo found a nearby chair and fell into it. “For years, I simply bought their freedom and then they came to work for me, earning a fair wage. But even I don’t have enough coin to buy every slave in the east. Some are worth more than others. Some, masters will never let go for any amount of money, especially if they have certain abilities.”
