by Lauren Dane
“Do I have to use the green soap?” She hated the green soap. It was gross and slick and she smelled like pesto when she got out of the shower. But it was healing soap and she already knew the answer.
“Don’t waste my time with this nonsense, Helena. Make sure you get it on the back of your head where they hit you.”
“Speaking of that.” She turned the shower on and then finished undressing. The crisp scent of the herbs floated her way from where her mother had just murmured her spell and the flame sparked. “How’s your head now?”
“I’m going to drink some healing tea, but really? I’m all right. At first when I drew it from you it was bad. I can’t believe you were even able to stand in so much pain.”
“I was sitting. And Faine nearly carried me to the front door. Also, I’m used to it. You aren’t.” She breathed in deep, knowing the herbs would work better if she just sucked it up and used the gross green soap and let the herbs her mother burned do their job.
“Sweetheart, between your father and you and your sister, I’m quite used to it. And since the Magister my abilities have grown. I’m astonished at how much in some ways.”
“Mine too.”
“Yes, I saw footage of my daughter on her knees, blood everywhere, stopping a bomb. Nothing I’ll be forgetting any time soon. You foolish, foolish girl.”
Her mother’s tone was sharp, full of fear, and Helena knew it wasn’t a rebuke.
“It was so brave. All that you do. Every day. It’s brave and right and I’m so very proud of you.”
Tears stung her eyes so she closed them and pretended it was the soap. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you. Now. What on earth is this mess on your pants?”
“Pie. Those assholes not only ruined the pie I was bringing over, but they got it all over me and Faine’s car too. It’s going to be a sticky mess in there. But it’ll smell good.”
Her mother laughed. “I like him. Faine, I mean. I like how focused he is on you without seeming obsessive or creepy.”
“I’m in love with him.”
“That much is clear. He feels the same.”
“Yes.” She rinsed off, feeling much better.
“You have clothes here still. I’ll be back in a moment with something for you to change into.”
She dried off and noted the bruises beginning to appear on her legs and side where she’d hit the car door. They wouldn’t be as bad because of the magick and the “greenwork” as her mother called the herbal magick she used. Her head didn’t hurt so much she wanted to puke anymore. But she’d definitely take some pain reliever once she got food into her body.
“Will he take care of you?” Her mother thrust some clothes into her hands. “Like you deserve to be?”
“Faine?”
She pulled on the yoga pants and an old long-sleeved shirt. “I can’t believe you still have this shirt.”
“You and your sister leave things here. I put them away in case you ever need them. And I like having some of your belongings in the house. It’s a tie to you both.”
She pulled on a pair of thick socks.
“Yes. He takes care of me like I should be. He’s kind. Really bossy. But not in a gross I’m the boss, you do that way.”
“Well, that’s good, as you’d have to punch him in the sac if he acted like that.”
Helena laughed as she finished braiding back her wet hair. She turned to her mother and hugged her. “I love you.”
“I love you too, baby.”
When they both got back out to the dining room, Helena’s stomach growled rather rudely. Faine smiled as he caught sight of her. “You look better.”
Her mother breezed past and took over from her dad. “She’ll be better after she eats. Sit, everyone.”
They filled their plates and ate for a bit, Helena answering questions from her father about the assault at the grocery store.
“I’m afraid we’re going to need to add it to the list of places Others need to be wary about.” They had a list, available at the website, of businesses and places throughout the country that Others had negative and positive experiences with. “I think we should give the owner a chance to issue a statement though. If they deal with this Nancy creature and they’re otherwise fine to do business with, that’s all we can ask really. There are bound to be problem employees all over the place. No matter how awesome the owners and management.”
“You’re probably right. But I want to go over there right now and hit someone. Screw being the bigger person. As they’re so fond of saying, I’m not a person anyway.”
Hearing her normally loving and gentle mother say something like that broke Helena’s heart. She wanted to push that negativity away, even if just for a little while.
“Faine has asked me to marry him. Well, to bind with him. I’ve accepted.”
Her mother’s face lit and she was glad she’d brought it up.
“A binding, like what Lark and Simon have?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Faine nodded, reaching out to take Helena’s hand. “There’s no reason for me to pretend she’s not it for me. This binding is a ceremony older than recorded history. My brother is in Lycia right now, putting all the arrangements in place.”
“It’ll just be a short thing this time. We’ll go, do the binding and have a small family party and come right back. Things are too uncertain here for us to be gone any longer. But we’d like you to be there. Simon and Lark will be as well.”
“Of course we’ll be there. Normally, I’d frown and say it hasn’t been long enough. But you’re not one to make rash decisions. This man has been at your side for months in some rather difficult situations. And he’s proven he can be counted on. It’s something a mother worries over. I knew your father was the one the third day after I met him.”
Helena settled in and ate, listening to her mother tell the story of their courtship. Her father leaned toward his wife, a grin on his face. Faine laughed here and there, nodded, and the sounds of it, the sheer, wonderful normalcy of it, healed her far better than a hospital could have.
Chapter 22
FAINE kissed her awake. “Hello there.”
“Not that I am complaining about the kisses, but it’s really early.” She turned to look at the clock. “Like two in the morning early.”
“Card just called. They’re ready for us.”
“Like binding ceremony ready?”
He nodded. “Are you ready?”
Yes, she realized, she totally was. She tangled her fingers with his. “I am. Let’s call everyone. I take it you’ll have to be with my parents to get us all through at once, right?”
“Card volunteered to do it. He’s going to be with his wife, who is Fae, and her ability to travel between the Veils is pretty awesome.”
“Let me call them to let them know what to expect.” She did, and once her father knew she was calling for something good instead of another assault of some kind, he perked up and said they’d be waiting for Faine’s brother when they arrived.
She went into the closet and stood. “Oh my goddess. I have no dress. I don’t know what to wear.”
He brought her a garment bag. “I saw this and I thought you might like it.”
“You bought me a wedding dress?” She laughed. “Really?” He did have great taste so it wasn’t like she was worried. “You’re incredibly sweet, you know that?”
“Yes. Well. I want you to be happy. I know this is all very rush rush and not probably what you dreamed of as a girl.”
She took the bag but before she unzipped it, she looked up into that gorgeous face of his. “I dreamed of weapons when I was a girl. I never dreamed of a big wedding. And I have my dream man right here.”
He smiled and kissed her quickly. “Good. Then you should know your roundhouse kick needs some work. I’ll help you with it later today.”
She laughed, unzipping the bag. “Okay then.”
Inside the bag . . . wow. A pale blue dress. Vintage styled. Chantill
y lace, low in the back, draped at the front with a formfitting bodice. It was classic and simple and very elegant. And chosen by a man who clearly understood her better than she could ever deserve.
“This is . . . I honestly couldn’t have picked a more beautiful dress on my own.” It was perfect. “You know me well.”
“I hope to love you as well as I know you.” He then drew out a ring box and got to one knee.
“I’m going to cry.”
“You’re supposed to. Will you marry me, Helena?” He opened the box and inside was a single ring made of three interwoven bands studded with diamonds. “A band for you, a band for me and one that symbolizes us.”
Crying, she took it out and he slid it on. It was perfect. Like he was perfect. “Where did you come from and whatever did I do to merit such a blessing?”
“Good answer.” He stood. “Wait to get dressed until we get to Lycia. I’ve already called Simon and he and Lark will be there waiting. I figure you’d want to have your mom and sister help you get ready.”
He drove them to the spot he said they’d use to go to Lycia. “The Fae can travel a lot easier. They sort of fold space and move through it. Like in Harry Potter. But we use thin spots. One is just here. We can hold a corridor open and go through that way.”
“Can anyone do it? Is it magick? Is it guarded on the other side? What if humans came through with an army?”
He kissed the top of her head and led her to the clearing. They were about forty-five minutes east of the house.
“I’ve been to this park before. There are ley lines here.”
“Maybe that’s why we can cross in this spot. It is magick in its own way, yes. Yes, it’s guarded on the other side. Though there are many spots here on this side of the Veil, they all open to the same place in Lycia. And no, humans can’t cross it. Only those carrying Lycian blood can do it.”
“Oh. Well that’s good. Safer.”
He saw her disappointment and grinned. “You’ll be able to do it once we’re bound. Lycia will recognize you as her own.”
She perked up. “Cool!”
She wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but he drew a hand through the air in front of them and they kept walking, and then they were standing in a field with a whole different sky.
The magick at her feet surged to greet her, rushing through her veins. “Holy cow. That’s good.”
He turned. “What?”
“The magick here. It just filled me up. The earth recognized me immediately.”
He smiled. “Really? I like that.”
Someone hailed them and he waved, speaking another language briefly.
“My brothers are here. Come on then. Welcome to Lycia.”
She wished so much that they could stay for longer than just a few hours. It was beautiful there. The stars burned bright overhead as they headed toward a grouping of buildings ahead.
“This is Leviathan ground. All the eye can see belongs to us. The biggest building over there is a meeting hall. We’ll have the binding there. That’s my parents’ home just ahead.”
He was unbearably pleased with how much joy she wore on her features. He’d seen her in a pretty wide array of situations and moods, but this Helena was so full of wonder and happiness that he found himself unable to stop smiling. He held her close, an arm around her shoulders, and she slid hers around his waist as she peppered him with questions.
Up ahead, his parents came out of the house and waved, both wearing smiles. Lark and Simon, along with Helena’s parents, approached from the gate as well. This was a good thing.
And with so many bad things occurring with alarming regularity, good things were to be treasured.
His mother approached and simply pulled Helena into a hug. “Welcome to you, daughter.”
“Mamieri, this is Helena. My Ne’est. Helena, this is my mother, Tila, and my father, Cross.”
And then his woman got to one knee and touched her forehead. “It is my honor to become a member of your Pack and to be the key to your son. I will guard your lands with my body and your honor with my heart and fists.”
He was the one honored. He had no idea she knew to do that. But it was exactly the right thing and he could see the approval rolling from his father and the rest of his family gathered there.
Cross stood forward and touched Helena’s forehead. “It is Leviathan’s honor to add you to the rolls. Stand and take your place, daughter.”
Faine helped her stand.
“Come on then.” Tila clapped. “Helena, Lark and Rain, follow me. We’ve got some rooms prepared for Helena so that she can prepare for the binding.”
Helena turned to Faine and he hugged her. “You do me such an honor tonight. I love you.”
“I love you too. I’ll see you in a bit. Don’t go sniffing around any other ladies here or I’ll be forced to maim you.”
He laughed and hugged her again. “All right, I promise.”
She was quickly swallowed up by females and swept off toward the meeting house.
His father slapped him on the back. “It’s too bad there are only two of these sisters. You and Seymeon have clearly met your match. You will make fine babies to fill my home with laughter. Your mother and I are pleased with your choice.”
They headed to the main house where drinks were poured and the stories began as his brother Pere performed the ritual cleanse and blessing for the binding rites.
He loved Helena Jaansen with all his being. She was his key. The one person in all the worlds who he would love forever. Vexing. Beautiful. Intelligent. Canny. Powerful. She was so much more than what she appeared at first glance. She was a worthy partner in life and they would have such a future.
This was good. And right.
“I felt the exact same when I did this with Lark.” Simon stepped back after he’d finished the warrior braids at each of Faine’s temples. In Lycian culture, it was the males who tended to the dressing of a warrior’s hair for any important ceremony. In fact, Pere had gone to Helena just a few minutes before, to tend to her hair.
“Am I so obvious then?”
Their father raised his glass in Faine’s direction. “If you are not, it’s not meant to be. Doubts have no place in such a ceremony. We may take a few centuries to do it, or we may never make such a choice. But a binding is only for the certain. The magick you and Helena will create as a unit will make you both stronger and wiser. It will make Leviathan stronger and wiser. Sisters binding with brothers has its own sort of energy. It’s rare and these two sisters are exceptional. Strong and gifted.” He turned to David. “Your daughters are welcome here, as are you and Rain. We honor those who raise such powerful beings.”
“It’s all Rain. Except for the weapons work.” He grinned. “That’s me. And they’re both pretty good at it if I do say so myself.”
He had no doubts as they left the main house. A line of lit torches led the way to the meeting house. Ceremonial herbs burned in the large, open space and flowers and tributes began to fill the room.
And there she was. At the head of the room with Pere on one side and her sister on the other. Warrior braids at each temple. And yet, she still looked delicate and beautiful in the dress he’d chosen for her. She’d understood that it was more than just a gift he’d given her. The dress, the ring, the house here and the one in the enclave that he’d furnish to her liking, these things were his way of fulfilling his pledge to her.
He approached her and went to his knees. He spoke to her in their ancient tongue, pledging his fidelity, his loyalty and his honor to their union. But she had no need for an interpreter.
Getting to her knees, she handed him a bundle of flowers woven together with herbs and tied with ribbons the color of their Pack.
She spoke back in the same language. Accepting his pledge and giving one of her own. Tila and Rain came forward then and bound their hands together at the wrist. Wreaths were placed on each one of their heads and ceremonial smoke was blown over them as the oldest of
them, his great, great uncle, came forward.
As the elder, he was the repository of their history. Of the Pack’s magick and lore. He performed all important rites and ceremonies. One hand on each of their heads, he began to speak low, his beast very close to the skin.
Faine felt his own stir in response and scented Helena’s magick as it rose and filled the air.
Pere hit the earth beneath them hard with his staff and the rush of Helena’s magick filled him to bursting. His skin was tight and super-heated. She gazed at him, calm as beast rushed through him and into her. Then her head fell back as she said oh softly.
Her magick was cool and confident as it took up space in his gut. Where his beast usually curled up.
The elder sliced each of their hands with a ceremonial blade and their blood mixed and dripped over the cords binding their wrists and then the earth at their knees.
Her magick burst from him then, mingling with his beast as it rushed back into his belly and filled him once more. But it was changed. He was changed. Her magick was part of him now and he realized his beast was part of her in much the same way.
She was satisfied. Full of joy and certainty.
“It is done.” The elder spoke and removed his hands before he cut the cords at their wrists and stepped back. “You are bound.”
And he was. And it was the best thing he’d ever felt.
“Now, we have but a short time before Faine and Helena have to leave, so let us celebrate this new binding!” Cross cracked open a bottle.
Faine helped her stand and pulled her close. “Hello.”
“Hi there. Wow, your beast is amazing. No wonder you carry yourself like such a badass. I would too if that much power lived in my belly all the time.”
He kissed her and held her for long moments. “You learned the words of the binding for me.”
“Even better. Rain found a spell, sort of a universal translation spell.”
“Amazing. And your magick lives in me as well. I rather like it. My beast is curled up with it as if it’s his.”
She laughed. “Like a chew toy? I like that.”
