by Eve Redmayne
“Well,” Fyona sniffed, “be that as it may, I’d happily help you as well as her highness… with only a minimum of grousing.” The maid wiped her eyes and blew her nose on a hanky whipped from her bodice. After tucking the cloth away, she crossed to the bed. “No time to waste, where’s a satchel?”
Packed and dressed warmly, Jessica gave both women a tender hug. “I’ll miss you both,” she said and choked on a sob. They’d made her stay at Britarre enjoyable, despite herself. She could almost forget about the incident on the scaffold… almost. “Sorry for leaving such a mess behind…” she waved at the articles of clothing scattered about the room and gawked at the silk stocking hanging from the chandelier. “How’d that get there?”
“Get on with you!” Fyona shooed her away. “You like me to suffer ever since I had you groomed that first day.”
“You’re right,” Jessica chuckled and placed a hand protectively over her belly. “Thankfully I learned a thing or two about what the full treatment means and haven’t let you near me with hot wax since.”
Lyzelle walked with Jessica and the witches to the front entrance, carrying Jessica’s satchel, herself. Jessica fell into the elven princess’s arms as she pulled her in for one last embrace. With a hand over her lips, Lyzelle stifled a sob and waved frantically as they walked down the marble steps.
The three rode across the meadows surrounding the elven kingdom with speed, but not so fast they’d arouse suspicion, in the direction of Moonstone.
Once in the relative safety of the woods, with night fully descended, Jessica squinted through the dark as both witches removed their glamours, feeling oddly relieved Orrin hadn’t shaved. Although he looked fine clean shaven, she liked the ginger beard that contrasted so nicely with his brown hair.
She focused again on Orrin, trying to get a better view, then realized she couldn’t see worth a damn. With an impatient jerk, she reigned in her horse. There wasn’t time to worry about her dwarven eyesight, right now. Something was wrong, otherwise, they wouldn’t have come for her so soon.
In the lead, Willow kept going, unaware they’d stopped. “That’s far enough,” Jessica said, setting her jaw as Orrin pulled up alongside her. “What’s going on? Why did you come back so soon?”
“We need to be well-away before we can get into it.” Orrin reached for her reigns.
“Back off! I can feel something’s wrong with Braum. And, to be honest, I haven’t felt like myself for a couple days.” The odd tingling in her bones was back, only stronger. Like when she and Braum consummated their marriage and she’d taken on fae magic.
“We can still see the lights of the castle.” He pointed back the way they’d come. Sure enough, a dim glow shone toward the ridge where they rested. “We keep moving.”
“Humor me.” Jessica dismounted and almost laughed at the incredulous look he threw her.
The moment her feet touched, the ground blossomed into a profusion of grass and flowers. Her mouth dropped as she spun. Spontaneous bloomings hadn’t happened for months, now.
“What’re you doing?” Willow hissed as she pulled up, looking around to make sure no one witnessed Jessica’s magical indiscretion.
“Oh, that felt good.” Jessica moaned with pleasure. Not done yet, she stretched both arms wide, letting the magic do as it pleased. The small glen sprouted before their eyes. Lush foliage, wildflowers, and a scrim of trees shielded their presence from prying eyes. Even the stars focused on their spot, shrouding them in hazy light. And it all came so easily like she was bursting at the seams.
CHAPTER 39
The wind whooshed through the trees. Orrin watched Jessica’s hair come undone to flow freely in the fragrant draft. He recognized the scent, as it haunted his dreams, part Jessica, part the very land they stood upon. There was a feral quality about her that hadn’t been there before, a ferocious disposition promising annihilation. She was wild and aggressive, and he grew hard instantly.
Inwardly he cursed. How many times did he have to reunite Jessica and the fucking dwarf? A man could only take so much before breaking, and the vision Jessica presented was cruelty in its finest, ethereal but completely worldly at the same time. She was kind, loving, and the cinched gown revealed her curves. This woman was everything he wanted.
“Where’s Braum?” she demanded, a note of panic in her voice.
The breeze picked up and whipped her white gown against her body. She held her arms down and clawed at the wind, feeling for something. “Whenever I’ve faded to him before, I felt his presence beforehand, but now when I focus, I don’t feel anything.” Her brows knit in concentration.
She looked up at him with an imploring gaze. But he could do nothing but stare. What the hell’s different about her? His eyes narrowed. Something had happened during her stay with the elves.
Willow looked back the way they’d come, shoulders tense. “Let’s get going.”
“Where is he?” Jessica pleaded, unconcerned with Willow’s demand.
The fragrant glen grew dark, and the foliage shriveled back to nothingness.
Roused from his stupor, Orrin spoke first, explaining what had happened, as best he could. With Willow reluctantly filling in the gaps.
“He won’t last long without his soul. We need to use you to bring it back,” Willow said.
“I’ll just send my shade to find him—” Jessica began.
“Don’t!” Orrin interrupted, dark brows furrowed. “You won’t come back, the link between your body and soul’s too thin now.”
“And,” Willow interjected, “you just said you can’t feel him. How will you find him?”
Jessica grinned. “I’ve got this.” And before anyone could object further, a burst of light flashed.
When his vision cleared, Orrin saw that he and Willow were alone.
“What just happened?” Willow asked, clutching the reigns as though she might fall off her horse.
“You’re asking me?” He grabbed her ankle and tried to laugh, but it came out a panicked croak. “How the hell should I know? The last time she sent her shade, her body’s shell remained.” He ran his other hand over his beard. “She’s changed.”
Green eyes searched his. “Will she come back?”
***
Jessica blinked up at the moon, unsure what she’d done or where she was. One minute, she was with her friends, ready to fade to Braum, the next she was here, wherever here was. Only, it wasn’t just her shade that had traveled, she’d come as her whole being. Oh shit! They’d warned her not to fade anymore, and did she listen?
Fragrant flowers surrounded her, twinkling like actual bells, a cacophony of joyful ringing as she stood on a small hillock. The novelty charmed her until something caught her attention in the distance, a familiar prickle.
Braum!
She ran towards the sensation only to stumble to a halt. She’d never find him this way, and if he was as bad as Willow and Orrin said… “Dammit, how am I going to find him?”
As she looked around, a sudden burst of pain rammed between her shoulder blades. She reached back, felt along her spine, then blanched at the blood coating her fingers. Out of nowhere, several miniscule creatures appeared, wings fluttering frantically and licking the blood.
She peered closely and realized they were… fairies? “Shoo!” A shudder rippled through her. There wasn’t time for this.
The pain hit again, worse than before, and her flesh ripped. She gasped until the burning subsided. This time when she reached back she felt something soft growing inch by inch out of her shoulders. Her back muscles were splitting apart to make room for…. what?
Surprised by the soft caress of feathers, she peered over her shoulder and spied the most glorious set of wings. Not gossamer thin and veined like an insect’s, but lushly feathered, like a deep brown dove, with pink tips. The same as her hair. Stretching as far as they’d reach, easily spanning ten feet, she felt the tug and pull on each muscle in her back.
Did this mean she could fly? A
light breeze riffled the long feathers along the edges, and a slight updraft lifted her to her toes. Face scrunched in concentration, she pumped the wings up and down. At first, her movements were clumsy, but after several wobbly tries she found a rhythm and before long, rose into the air.
“I’m flying,” she squeaked as the powerful up and down thrusts moved her higher.
In the distance, she sensed Braum, felt him beckoning her. And with the strength of resolve, she flew hard, aiming for the faint outline of a mountain. Her lungs burned as muscles relearned how to work. And she tried not to think about the mechanics of it, for fear if she over-thought everything, she’d mess it up and crash.
Hours passed, and by the time she reached the mountain, the sun had dawned. She crossed over a lake surrounded by a meadow of the twinkling flowers and pushed harder, flapping her wings faster until a village came into view. Tidy thatched cottages lined perfectly straight streets. The sense of him was stronger than ever.
But exhaustion slammed through her with the force of a landslide, and her speed dropped. Every stroke that pushed her forward left her wings faltering and reeling in pain. And it wasn’t just the wings, other muscles began seizing as well.
Her stomach leapt into her throat as she plummeted several feet before balancing into a shaky soar. Body tensed, she strained to hold her wings out, but the ground was coming fast. Her back muscles screamed as she held the glide, teeth clenched.
Seconds before crash-landing, she arced away from the village and pulled herself into a protective ball. Hitting down, the breath slammed from her as she bounced head over heels over rocks and craggy bushes until skidding to a stop.
Lying in the fetal position, she forced air into her lungs as her wings folded back into her body of their own accord. She’d never given solid land the appreciation it deserved and now understood the compulsion to kiss it. With no time to waste, she stood, shoved hanks of hair from her face, and hobbled onward.
Stunned faces watched as she hurried through the village, brushing away bits of grass. But, try as she might, she couldn’t stop staring. The villagers were a myriad of shapes and sizes, and some were even green.
Still, her sense of Braum urged her to focus. She raced towards a small cottage built into a tree, sitting alone down an alley. Flower boxes hung outside each window filled to overflowing with blossoms. The shutters, periwinkle blue, matched the front door that sported a silver knocker.
The gate slammed behind her. She strode onto the porch. The knocker sat heavy in her hand as she pounded. He’s here.
No answer. She knocked again. Finally, she pushed her way in, not willing to wait for politeness-sake.
Dust motes floated on beams of light, revealing a single table and chair. Along every wall sat floor-to-ceiling shelves filled to the brim with various jars and bottles, even a plastic milk jug. And each vessel held a faintly glowing light.
Neck prickling, she moved towards one and picked it up.
The Coke bottle, circa midcentury, glowed from within. Warm to the touch, it grew increasingly hotter the longer she held it. “Shit!” she hissed as the bottle slipped from her throbbing fingers to shatter, sending hot glass everywhere.
“Gah,” she winced and pulled a bottle shard from her leg before looking about frantically for the spark. Heedless of sharp edges, she tossed bits of glass aside. Finally spotting it, she pressed a hand to her breast. It glowed steely blue on the floor under a cracked fragment. “Thank god.”
Gingerly, she captured the tiny, glowing ember, no bigger than a pencil eraser. It was pleasantly warm and pulsed in time to her own heartbeat. This was what she’d come for—Braum’s spirit. Of course, it’d shimmer like the granite that came from his mountain.
Something creaked in the back of the house, and her head jerked up. For the first time, she noticed a door buried between two over-stuffed shelves. When she moved to open it, she found it barred from the other side. “Who’s there?” she asked.
Silence greeted her.
Afraid she’d crush Braum, she placed his ember on the table. “Stay,” she said, then shook her head. It was his soul, not a puppy.
Instincts told her whoever hid on the other side wouldn’t open the door. So, she raised her foot and kicked.
CHAPTER 40
Mouth agape, Jessica stared through the shattered doorway. Klieg stood naked in the middle of the cottage’s kitchen, about to open the back door.
“What’re you doing here?” she demanded and ducked through the door’s remnants. A pot simmered on the hearth coals, emitting a minty odor.
“Leave me alone!” Klieg howled, hunching as though in pain.
“Are you okay?” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Klieg?”
He shrieked again and before her eyes transformed from her handsome brother-in-law into a hunched, little man, a startling shade of green. He bared his sharp teeth at her and snapped, aiming for her hand. She jerked away in time to avoid losing a finger.
“Go away, girl,” he rasped “You don’t belong here.” He sounded and looked reptilian; bristly, green hair stood straight up from his head. He backed away, still snapping his teeth.
He’s going to run. She grabbed a tuft of hair and flung him to the ground with a grunt. He squirmed, but she threw herself on him, preventing his escape.
Unable to get away, the beast changed tactics. “Ohh, looking for a little suck and tickle are you, sweetheart?” He stuck his tongue out and lewdly licked his lips while bucking his hips. “Come on, I can give it to you since my brother no longer can.”
She slapped him hard across a sunken cheek. “I know you’re not Klieg, so drop it.” He laughed again, so she slapped him once more. “What have you done to Braum?”
His head smacked against the floor in time to her blows and still, he smirked. “Wouldn’t you like to know, beautiful?” he sneered, baring sharp, blood-stained teeth, black eyes glittering. “He’s mine now. We made a deal.” A dribble of red saliva slid down his face to puddle on the floor. And suddenly, his face went blank.
“What do you mean, you made a deal?” she asked through clenched teeth. This thing talking in riddles was more than she could handle. “Listen, you,” she leaned close, making sure to keep away from his jagged incisors, “I’ve had a shit week and you’re not helping. I’ll give you thirty seconds to bring back Klieg and tell me what I need to do with Braum’s soul!” She smacked him once more for good measure.
To her utter amazement, the creep started counting down the seconds. When he reached ten, he cackled, “You get nothing, girl!” Then snarled, “Let me up.”
Not knowing what else to do, she released him. “What are you?”
He chortled and danced around, genitals bouncing in wild abandon.
That sight’ll haunt me for the rest of my life, she thought, tamping down her gag reflex.
“I’m surprised you can see me.” He peered at her and continued to dance around the kitchen. “I’m Klieg Stoneforge, prince of dwarves, can’t you tell? Or maybe I’m not. Perhaps I’m a dealer of deals. A collector of souls.” He over-pronounced his S’s, further reminding Jessica of a snake.
She didn’t know what this creature was, but he wouldn’t be the end of her happiness. A warmth began to build under her skin, and Jessica grinned, a smile so full of deadly promise, the creature paused then bolted for the door.
“You’re not going anywhere.” Plant roots broke through the stone floor at her command and grabbed him. With a flick of her wrist, he crashed, pinioned against the wall.
“Tell me where we are.” Tired of his evasiveness, she’d decided to try another question. She had to know where she was to figure out how to get home, after all.
“Faerie, of course,” the creature answered, struggling to free himself. “Though how you’re here, confounds me.”
“Faerie?”
“Yes, stupid girl. But that’s all you’ll get from me.”
Before he could utter another hiss, she stepped back sever
al feet and focused on the ground. She wasn’t going to let him play games with her and her husband’s lives. Let’s see how he likes being messed with. The floor opened below him, a gaping sinkhole urged on at her bidding. With a nod, the roots released him into the ever-growing pit.
The hole spread at her command as she backed into the front room. Shelves collapsed, one by one, sending their glowing embers crashing free of their confinement.
The green man shrieked as his treasures broke away. He scuttled around, grasping at sparks.
“Braum!” Jessica cried and ran to the table before it too tumbled into the pit. She snatched up the steely light then waited for an explanation, certain he wouldn’t hold out in the face of her angry magic.
But a sound bubbled up from the pit. Laughter? “That’s it.”
She surrendered to the fae instinct buried deep within—the voice that demanded she do everything within her power to destroy her enemy and damn the magical consequences. A high, unearthly screech tore from her mouth.
The treehouse burst into a raging inferno the moment she thought the word ‘fire’. She jumped and looked around sheepishly. Had anyone seen that? She’d never been able to command fire like that before. Walls ablaze, the Klieg-thing covered his head with his arms, protecting himself from burning debris.
At first, she smirked at his shrieks, then frowned, realizing he still mocked her efforts, though his tone had grown shrill. “Oh, look who thinks she’s all-powerful!” he cackled and thrust his pelvis at her. “If I get my souls back, I’ll make you pay.”
The hole spread as she hurried outside, funneling her anger until the house and garden collapsed. Freedom pulsed through her as the magic flowed at her every whim. She directed all the anxiety she’d felt since arriving in Orygin, along with the insatiable need to punish, into the enormous pit.
Hand cupped around Braum’s soul, she spread her wings wide and soared high into the air, feeling an unrivaled power as she listened to the music of the collapsing earth.
Unearthed boulders crashed towards the Klieg-thing. And she craved more of the intoxicating havoc. The last time she’d let go so fully was when she’d punished Braum. Her smile widened at the memory she remembered now with a bitter fondness.
