Forgotten

by Jennifer Sucevic

  "And they'll kill us?"

  He nods before adding, "With bows and arrows."

  Oh God...

  "Hundreds of golden arrows."

  He's right, this is so much worse than a mere dagger through the heart. "When?" It's all I can think about now. Exactly how much time do we have before this hunt begins? Before we have to run for our lives?

  "Tomorrow at dawn."

  Numbly I nod my head. Not even twelve hours from now. My belly trembles before pitching and rolling. How am I supposed to gorge myself with food knowing all this? Knowing that my life will probably be over with in twelve short hours? "How do we escape, Ryland?"

  He doesn't say anything for a long stretch of moments and I feel my heart accelerate at the grim picture his words have painted in my mind. Not for the first time, a shiver of dread snakes its way through me.

  "We don't."

  "What do you mean- we don't? There has to be a way for us to outsmart them, right? Isn't there a way for us to win and not... die? Isn't that the whole point of a game? Sportsmanship?" My voice is rising in panic because honestly- the thought of being hunted by huge hulking faeries on horseback armed with bows and arrows is a disturbing one.

  Studying the flames that dance and leap in the marble fireplace, he shrugs. "I don't believe the Queen is overly concerned with sportsmanship or fairness or having us live for that matter." He shoves his fingers roughly through his wavy brown hair. A telltale sign that he's more concerned than he's letting on.

  "But you're her son," I say quietly.

  How can she want her own son, the Faerie Prince, killed? Me, undoubtedly she wants dead. But Ryland? How can that be? Doesn't she care for him at all? If my heart weren't already his, it would be now. How could it not be? He turned his back on his realm, his people... all for me.

  And now he will be hunted because of it.

  His eyes slide back to mine and within them I see is a wintry coldness that I have never seen before. "No. She does not. In fact, she has a new heir. As long as she has that, the Faerie Realm is secure. No longer does she care about what happens to me. It was never about me. It was always about what I represented. I am dispensable. And tomorrow morning, I shall be dispensed with."

  The thought of what is to take place sickens me. The notion that Ryland's mother would destroy her own flesh and blood makes me even more nauseous.

  I pace away before spinning back towards him again. "Why is she doing this? Why not just kill us now and get it over with?"

  His smile twists with bitterness. In it I see shards of his mother. Another chill sweeps through me. "Now why would she do that, when she can arrange for a little bit of entertainment? Our pain and public humiliation will serve as our punishment for making her look foolish in front of the court. We will run, trying desperately to escape but it will do us no good for we will never be able to escape the faerie guard. No one ever escapes from the faerie guard." His harsh words sound so final.

  "This has happened before?" My stomach churns at even more of an alarming rate than before.

  He nods once saying nothing more on the subject and I find that I suddenly don't have the wherewithal to push for anymore answers. There is only so much I can digest in one sitting. And I find that I have reached my limit.

  It takes me a moment but I finally understand. "We're being punished because, in spite of her, you found a way to bring us together again. She doesn't like that we thwarted her plan. Again. I've even come back to the Faerie Realm."

  "Yes."

  "So what are we going to do?" Even I hear the thick tendrils of anxiety that have woven their way through my words. As brave as I'm trying to be, it's all but impossible to hide it from him.

  He takes me into his arms, holding me close. I lean into his strength gathering my own from him. Resting my head against his chest, I allow my eyes to close. For just a heartbeat, maybe two, I push everything out of my mind so I can simply enjoy the feel of his strong arms around me. Once again I'm overcome by the feeling of rightness that settles within me.

  "We try and stay alive."

  Chapter Nineteen

  "Nooooo!"

  The high pitched cry rips from my lips just as I shoot up into a sitting position. My heart jackhammers painfully under my breast as my eyes search the surrounding darkness. I blink a few times before they finally adjust. That's when I see the outline of the fireplace. Orange flames still glow in the grate giving off heat and soft light. My rigidly held muscles slowly begin to unlock.

  It was just a dream.

  No, not a dream.

  A nightmare.

  A terrible, terrible nightmare.

  I shiver again feeling the hot breath of the faerie guard breathing down the back of my neck.

  I don't want to die.

  I don't want to die... again.

  Not here.

  Not now.

  I hear Ryland's deep easy breathing besides me. For just a moment I watch him, envying the fact that he's somehow able to sleep so soundly when in a few short hours we'll be forced to run for our lives. Goosebumps break out across my flesh and it's slowly that I rub my hands up and down my arms trying to make them disappear. Taking a shaky breath I ease myself back down, resting my head against one of the soft feather pillows but it's almost impossible to relax. How can I possibly fall back to sleep? Even though I'm completely exhausted, my mind keeps circling back to what tomorrow will bring. The dream felt so real. Too real. I remind myself that it was only a nightmare.

  Nothing more.

  Or was it my future being foretold?

  I shiver again unsure of what it means. My heart continues to pound as if it just might burst right out of my chest. Like a frightened bird pumping its wings frantically. Actually that would probably be a more humane way to die than being riddled with hundreds of golden arrows.

  Not wanting to think about that gruesome image, I turn my body towards Ryland so that my front is pressed against his warm strong back. I want to banish the anxious feelings that have settled uncomfortably over me so I snuggle more closely to him, curling my arm around his body until my hand is able to rest against the smooth muscles of his chest. Beneath my hand I feel the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest that tells me he's still sleeping peacefully.

  There is something very soothing about lying next to someone like this. In all the years that Callen and I were together, we never shared a bed. Well, maybe when we were kids but we certainly didn't snuggle up against one another like this. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew I should want to be with Callen like that. But it never felt right.

  It certainly never felt like this.

  My mind drifts back to all the times I tried convincing myself that there was nothing wrong between us. That I just needed to keep trying. Only now do I understand that no amount of trying was ever going to change our situation.

  Even though I'm desperately doing my best not to think about what tomorrow will bring, it forces its way back into my consciousness. I can't stop dwelling upon the fact that I’ll most likely end up dying again. If the Faerie Queen has her way, I will die tomorrow. And so will Ryland. After everything he went through to find me, to be with me, to bring me to a place where we could be together again- it will all come to an abrupt halt.

  It will end before it ever truly had a chance to begin.

  It seems as if the Faerie Queen will do everything within her power to keep us apart. Even death. Even if that means murdering her own flesh and blood. Why? Why is it so important that we not be allowed to be together?

  The more these unsettling thoughts circle within my head, the closer I press my body against Ryland's. Absently I trace light little circles across his naked chest. It isn't long before I feel him shifting in his sleep. My fingers trail slowly down his flat belly to where it meets the rise of his trousers. Before I can decide if I should explore any further, his warm hand covers mine. Tenderly he brings my fingers to his mouth before pressing a soft kiss against them. He turns until our n
oses are no more than an inch apart from one another. Our eyes lock and my breath catches.

  I don't want to lose him.

  Not again.

  That one thought pounds through my head.

  I can't lose him again.

  Not when I've only just found him.

  His eyes are sleepy. At half-mast. There’s a small part within me that feels badly for disturbing him. Especially when we both need to be well rested for tomorrow. But a larger part, the part that’s frightened to death, doesn't care. I'm happy to have this time during the darkest part of the night with him before we fight for our lives tomorrow. In the quiet of the room with the flickering firelight, I simply stare knowing that he’s mine and nothing, not even death, can separate us. Death wasn't enough to separate us the first time around. It won't be enough to separate us again. I have to believe in that.

  "Couldn't sleep?"

  I shake my head. "No," I whisper, "nightmares." My voice hitches at the memory.

  His brows crease together before he admonishes softly, "You should've woken me."

  One side of my mouth lifts. "Isn't that what I did?"

  A sleepy smile spreads its way across his face and my breath catches as it does. There haven't been many of those today which is all the more reason to treasure this quiet moment between us right now.

  "I'm glad you did," he whispers, "I can't help but wish that I would've just left you in your world. You would be safe. No nightmares to wake you." He closes his eyes as if pained by the thought. "At least I would know you were safe... alive."

  I place my hand against his cheek, stroking it, wanting to memorize every single detail. Every edge. Every plane. We’ve been cheated out of a life together twice now. "No matter what happens, I have no regrets." As the words slip quietly from my lips, I realize just how true they are. I don't regret him finding me, or loving me, or that he brought me here so we could finally be together.

  How could I?

  What this has shown me is that when you love strongly enough, anything is possible and I have to believe that we’ll find a way to be together again.

  Haven't we already?

  Haven't we transcended both time and space?

  He closes the distance separating us until his lips hover just over mine. His breath feathers across my lips intoxicating me. The air between us stirs. He teases me for just a heartbeat before his lips close over mine. When he finally touches me, the energy between us feels somehow more powerful. All of the unsettling thoughts that have been humming incessantly through my mind during the night are finally, blessedly, silenced. The world suddenly shrinks until it encompasses just the two of us.

  In this room.

  In this bed.

  We are all that matters as his lips linger gently over mine. Caressing them. Stroking them.

  "You mean everything to me."

  He whispers the words slowly against my mouth. I swallow them, taking them to a place deep inside my body where he has always resided. The love budding within my heart, within my body, is like a revelation. I never understood it before. Didn't actually believe it existed but it does. I want to grab hold of it and keep it safe forever. It feels precious and rare. I don't want anything to steal it from me again. I shove that thought quickly away not wanting to ruin this moment with what the future holds for us. This could be the last night we have together.

  I want to enjoy it with Ryland. His lips nip and nuzzle mine and I return the favor. My hands dance across his chest and then his belly. I don't ever want to stop touching him like this.

  His mouth is at my neck, stroking me until I'm groaning. I pull his face back up to mine needing to feel the way his lips slant over mine, drugging me with their intensity. I have never wanted, no needed, anyone the way I need him. Finally, breathing hard, a little afraid at what has been unleashed within me, I pull away.

  "Sorry," he begins, "I didn't mean to-"

  I shake my head. There are so many thoughts and feelings careening through me right now that I'm not quite sure what I feel. Well, I guess that isn't true. I know I want him more than anything. I've never felt this kind of... need before. The clawing mindlessness of it. That's new. It feels dangerous. Like a drug. "Don't be sorry. I'm not."

  Laying my head against his chest, I hear the strong steady beat of his heart. I don't ever want to not hear that sound. His hand finds its way to my hair before stroking it gently. The searing need that was throbbing through my body only moments ago begins to ease. The steady rhythm of his fingers has my eyes falling.

  Slowly dropping as my breathing evens out. With his one arm banded around my back, anchoring me to his chest, I feel myself drifting off towards sleep once more. I wish I could say that his arms keep the nightmares at bay. But they don't. This time, when I dream, I'm being chased by hideous monsters that have huge scaly wings. They shoot at me with long golden bows. Their arrows never seem to run dry and it isn't long until I'm completely riddled with gold. Thick red blood drips from my wounds before splattering to the ground like raindrops.

  Even though arrows protrude grotesquely from all angels of my body, it's Ryland who lies dying in my arms. With shaking hands, I hold him to me as he coughs and gasps, before finally taking his last labored breath. Grief rips through me as I howl. Nothing I have ever felt in either world compares to the anguish pounding through me right now. Never will there be anyone else. I understand that now. Everything pales in comparison to what we have shared.

  It can only be Ryland...

  Just as a scream rips from my lips, my eyes fly open and I realize that it's just another terrible dream. But it seemed so real. I feel the hot sting of tears scald my cheeks before dampening the pillow. My heart riots frantically, painfully against my chest. It throbs in anguish. Or is the dagger wound that throbs? Blinking my eyes, I swipe with shaking hands at the tears. I see Ryland lying peacefully beside me.

  Unharmed.

  Untouched.

  Alive.

  Just another dream, I tell myself, just another horrible dream.

  But that doesn't stop the dread from unfurling within me again because I realize that although it was only a dream and right now we're both safe, snuggled up in bed together, in an hour or so, the hunt will begin.

  The hunt to claim our lives, our very future, will begin in earnest.

  And this time, there will be no finding our way back to one another.

  The Faerie Queen will make certain of that.

  Chapter Twenty

  The first fingers of light slowly stretch their way across the darkened horizon in a spectacular display of pink and purple hues. If I wasn't feeling so sick to my stomach maybe I could appreciate its stunning beauty but that's completely out of the question because this is probably the last sunrise I'll ever see. A gentle breeze slides across my bare arms as we stand waiting outside the Crystal Palace. The sight of it no longer awes me. In fact, I'm rather wishing I'd never laid eyes upon it in the first place. My gaze bounces nervously to Ryland's but his face is inscrutable.

  An impassive mask that hides all of his emotions.

  Even from me.

  I try looking just as unaffected at the prospect of my imminent death but it's surprisingly difficult. Almost against my will, my eyes are drawn to the faerie guard who stand rigidly in a perfectly straight line. They're garbed formally in severe black uniforms with gold trim. There are only four of them. Not great odds but not too terrible, right? It could be worse. A lot worse. There could twenty or thirty or even a hundred guards hunting us. I need to focus on the positives this morning because, admittedly, there aren't many of them.

  Ryland's fingers slip into my tightly fisted hand. Feeling the contact, I rip my attention away from the impressively dressed guards to meet his steady gaze. I know my eyes are full of (at the very least) anxiety and (at the very most) sheer terror. How could they not be? I'm not even sure if we'll be alive in two hours let alone tomorrow or next week. I gulp as that awful realization washes over me yet again. My
mouth is so dry, I can barely swallow.

  To make matters worse, there's a thick ball of tension rolling dangerously around in the pit of my belly. I have the terrible feeling that it might bolt upwards any given moment. I'm still wearing my hot pink tank top and black running shorts. At least I'm appropriately attired for the occasion. I remind myself that I've spent the last couple years running cross country and track. I could be in worse shape. So, I suppose that's another plus.

  But it doesn't feel like enough.

  Enough to actually make a difference.

  Enough to beat the Queen at her own game.

  I'm trying not to dwell on the fact that this will be the race of my life. Literally. So much counts on us being able to distance ourselves from the faerie guard in that first hour before finding a good hiding spot. If we can't do that, this little game of hers will be over with before it ever really begins. My eyes take in the surrounding area as the sun bathes the landscape in incandescent light. We're standing at the edge of the meadow. There's a smattering of leafy green trees, bright flowers, and tall waving grass. At the far end of the meadow is a dense forest. It looks big but not overly large.

  Certainly not large enough to hide in for days on end.

  It wouldn't take much for the guard to comb through it and flush us out. My belly pitches at such a terrifying image. My eyes slide to the stream that meanders its way through the meadow and the far edges of the forest. If I remember correctly, there are certain points where it's deep and wide. Other than those places, everything is flat, open, and vast. Fear spikes through me once more. The feel of it, the sheer depth of it, is dizzying.

  I can't imagine outsmarting the faerie guard. And we can't hide forever. To make matters worse, they'll be on horseback with bows and arrows. They'll be able to shoot at us from a distance. The thought of such a thing makes me physically ill. My eyes fasten upon the long golden bows that are slung over each guard's shoulder. A quiver of glimmering arrows rests against their powerful backs. I can only imagine what it would feel like to have one of those slice clean through your body and I gulp knowing there's an excellent possibility I'll be finding out relatively soon. The fact that we won't be given any weapons of our own speaks to the reality that this is in no way a competition.