Diadem

by Kate Kelley

  Lyra laughed and threw it to the side. “I’m enjoying the breeze on my skin. I won’t get to do this when we go back to earth.”

  “Lyra.” His tone warned. She sat up. Too fast. She cracked her head on Terrin’s.

  “What the fuck, woman?” Terrin rubbed his skull.

  “Ouch,” Lyra mumbled, a blush creeping into her cheeks. Lyra got to her knees and placed her hand on Terrin’s head. “Are you alright, my Liege?” She burst out laughing.

  Terrin watched her with a flat expression. “That Fae rum is not for the light weights.”

  “Frey is lighter than me. She practically has a little boy body. I have breasts, at least.”

  Terrin was silent. His eyes returned to the fire.

  Lyra pouted. “I seem to remember you liked my breasts very much not too long ago.” Abruptly, he attacked Lyra, pulling the shirt over her head. Her punch landed in his gut, the impact jarring her wrist. He grabbed her wrist and she jumped up, kneeing him in the groin. Except he blocked it, so her knee hit his thigh instead. He twisted her arm and pulled her back against him. Lyra breathed heavily but stilled.

  “Put the shirt on and have some decency,” Terrin growled in her ear. Lyra chuckled.

  “That’s rich, coming from ‘Mr. Warm my Bed, be my mistress,’ whilst we were both engaged to other people.” Terrin’s right hand splayed over her abdomen, the touch sending delicious waves of lust between her legs. She twisted her head up, her face level with Terrin’s throat. His male scent enveloped her, like a drug promising only good things. She brought her lips to his neck where his pulse beat erratically, and let her tongue stroke the hot skin there. He shivered, a low, strangled sound escaping his lips, and his grip loosened on her wrist. She didn’t hesitate as she pulled his arm over her shoulder, leveraged her right leg back, and flipped him over her shoulder. He hit the ground hard, his breath leaving his lungs.

  She sat on his legs, hands at his throat.

  Chapter Five

  His eyes twinkled with rage.

  “You don’t have control over me anymore,” Lyra breathed. She wished her voice had been stronger, but the move had taken nearly all of her strength.

  “You’re getting stronger, and faster,” he said. His eyes were hooded, his lashes shading his already dark eyes. Her body draped across his, as she was considerably shorter than him and she had to stretch forward from sitting on his legs to reach his throat. He still had not looked down at her body. For some reason, it irked her.

  “Get off of me, Lyra, and get dressed.”

  She smiled. “Make me.”

  She was flipped onto her back in a nanosecond, pinned underneath his hard, heavy body. He propped himself up on his elbows to keep most of his weight off of her. A thrill went up her spine, breaking her body out into a shiver. Their naked bodies were pressed together. She’d dreamt and daydreamed about this many times, and yet the reality of it barely wrapped around her head.

  He looked into her eyes and she fell headfirst into the bottomless gaze. His face was expressionless, except for the torture twirling in his eyes.

  “I thought I’d lost you.” His voice was a whisper on the wind, barely there.

  The rum was still swimming heavily through her veins but his words did something to her. She didn’t notice when tears sprang to her eyes and she wiped at them when they tickled her ears. Terrin shuddered out a breath as a hand came up to trace the planes of her face. His lips hovered over hers. She could tilt her head up a notch and their lips would meet.

  Suddenly his body was gone, cold air sweeping her body in his absence.

  A sickening thud and a shuffle of feet. A scream--Poppi.

  Lyra stood, the world spinning. Terrin sported a bloody nose as he packed his giant fist into Oriel’s jaw. Oriel landed in the dirt briefly before standing again. They circled each other, bodies tensed, two towering, powerful, naked men.

  “Stop this right now!” Lyra screamed. They didn’t even spare a glance her way. Lyra had never seen Oriel so angry before and his anger encompassed her as if she felt it inside of her.

  Freydis sat down and took a bite of bread, eyes intent on the fight. Iris’ sleepily rubbed her eyes and squinted before shock overtook her features.

  Oriel lunged headfirst toward Terrin’s middle but Terrin easily sidestepped and elbowed his back, dropping him to the ground. Oriel rolled and kicked up to stand, circling again. A bright red light blasted Terrin back before he lunged, knocking him to his back. Terrin roared, and released his own, less potent aura, blasting into Oriel. Alec approached calmly, aiming his aura at Terrin. The force of the two blasts moved Terrin a considerable distance away. He lay on his back for a few seconds before jumping up, eyes blazing.

  “Shloppy!” Freydis shouted through a mouthful of bread.

  “Put your clothes on,” Terrin growled through clenched teeth. Lyra flinched when she realized he was talking to her. She glanced to Oriel and suddenly it made sense.

  He’s trying to protect me from Oriel. Why, she didn’t know.

  Terrin would keep hurting him if she didn’t comply, she was sure of it. Clenching her jaw, she picked up the shirt at her feet and slipped it over her head, then ran to Oriel. Alec crossed to Terrin and the two began speaking in raised voices.

  Oriel bled from his lip and shoulder. The wounds were already closing, but the blood remained. “What the hell was that?” Lyra hissed.

  Oriel spat blood into the dirt. “He’s naked. You’re naked. I come up to find him on top of you. What is there to understand?”

  Lyra huffed out a breath. “You and I are not together, Oriel. I don’t care if we’re bonded or not.”

  Anger washed from his face as he touched her arm. “I care. We belong together now.”

  Lyra clenched her teeth and stepped away. “You can't expect me to be with you just because half your soul is inside me. I didn't have any choice in the matter.”

  “Neither did I. I couldn't let you die.” His voice cracked.

  She sighed. “I know you think the bonding saved me, but Gaia sent me back herself.”

  “We can't know that for certain.”

  A beat of silence filled the air.

  Lyra hesitated, staring at the waterfall plunging into the mouth of the river by the light of the moon. “Is there a way to break the bond?” It was a full minute before he responded.

  “Yes. But it's too dangerous. It could kill you, even if it isn’t what’s keeping you alive.”

  Before Lyra could respond, a retching noise turned her head. Poppi knelt on the ground, naked, puking in the grass away from the camp’s light. Oriel watched her, a crease between his brows.

  Lyra reached her in a few strides and held her hair back from her face. When Poppi had finished, Lyra wordlessly helped her back to camp where she helped her into her rumpled dress. She fell asleep as soon as she laid down.

  Lyra collapsed beside the dwindling fire and tucked her arm under her head. She dreamt of nymphs stabbing her to death and Oriel kissing her back to life.

  Chapter Six

  Lyra woke up hooked by a strong arm nestled around her middle. His warm, spicy scent told her who it was before she turned to look. His steady breaths told her he was still asleep. She let Oriel hold her as her morning eyes watched the stream trickle by. The day was gray, the sky washed out. A cool breeze scuttled up her top.

  Birds cried out to one another from their treetops, dragonflies skimmed the surface of the water, their iridescent wings catching the glimpses of dull morning sun through the clouds. Lyra’s stomach grumbled, and her throat stuck together like sandpaper as she tried to swallow. Carefully removing Oriel’s arm, she sat up and looked around until she spotted the satchel. Terrin was using it as a pillow. She glanced at his face and startled. His eyes were watching her. Dark hair messy, thrown around his head from sleep, and a book in his hand, he looked perfectly content. She pulled on her pants before crossing to him. She tried not to blush, and failed.

  “Not so bol
d in the light of day, are we?” His voice was deep and scratchy as he set his open book page-side down on his chest. She read the title. ‘Poems of the Lost Men.’

  “Poetry?”

  Terrin snapped the book closed with one hand and set it aside in the sand. “You disapprove?”

  Lyra shrugged. “You just don’t seem like a poetry man.”

  Terrin narrowed his gaze. “You don’t know me very well, then.”

  Lyra sighed. “Can I have some fruit from the satchel?”

  Terrin arranged his arms behind his head but didn’t give any indication that he had heard her request.

  Lyra glanced to the side and schooled her voice into one of polite indifference. “I would be grateful for something to eat from the satchel.”

  Terrin smirked, watching her from hooded eyes. Lyra huffed and turned, walking into the forest.

  I’ll just find my own food.

  Terrin caught up with her, the satchel nowhere near him. Lyra rolled her eyes.

  “There’s an apple tree closeby,” he said.

  She eyed him. “Where is your shirt? It’s cold.”

  He gave her a strange look. “You’re wearing it.”

  “Of course. I’d forgotten,” she mumbled.

  “Do you remember anything from last night?”

  “Of course I do! I wasn’t that drunk.”

  The apple tree stood before them. Lyra inspected the shiny red fruit until she found one she liked. She plucked it and wiped it on her shirt--Terrin’s shirt, rather, and bit into it, the juice spraying her chin. Terrin grabbed his own, watching her carefully. Lyra chewed and thought about what to say next.

  Now was as good a time as any to talk about it.

  “Oriel said there’s a way to break the bond. How do we do it?”

  Terrin stopped chewing and swallowed, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Who wants to break the bond?” he asked, schooling his face into an impassive mask.

  Lyra wiped juice from her chin, licking the juice from her fingers. “Does it matter? How do we do it?”

  Terrin shrugged, his eyes glued to her mouth. “I could do it, theoretically, when we reach earth, and when my powers come back. But…” His eyes flicked over her. “The priestess would be the safest option.”

  Lyra paused before taking a bite. “Priestess?”

  “She lives in Gem, on the other side of the island. She’s who people go to when they want to break their bonds. Breaking a bond is dangerous, Lyra. She is the safest option.”

  “It’s only a half bond.”

  “Even still. It could be keeping you alive.” His eyes darkened.

  “I already told you, it’s not.” She threw the emaciated apple core to the ground. Terrin plucked seven more apples and they carried them back to camp.

  Lyra spoke before they exited the privacy of the trees. “Would I be able to break the bond without Oriel there with me?”

  Terrin stopped, his back toward her. “So you’re the one who wants to break it.”

  “Come here.”

  Lyra startled and looked up. Oriel was watching her, his body taut like a tightly coiled spring.

  “I’m not your slave, Oriel.”

  Oriel shifted on his feet, his face unsure for a moment. “Please. I don’t like you alone with him.”

  Guilt stabbed at her heart. It was unreasonable. She wasn’t with Oriel. Why was she feeling guilty?

  “Oriel, we need to get rid of the bond. It isn’t right.”

  Hurt slashed his face and he turned and crossed to Poppi without another word.

  “What did you say to make him so pouty?” Terrin asked, biting into his third apple. Lyra huffed out a breath and walked away.

  Alec rolled over, his back to her, shielding the sun from his eyes. He was wearing pants, of which Lyra was glad. Freydis sat up from the other side of him, her hand resting on Alec’s leg. Lyra’s eyes widened when she realized she’d been shielded by his body...and she still wasn’t wearing any clothes.

  Had they...last night?

  Lyra shook her head. Iris watched them closely from her perch. Her hair was glossy and perfect, her skin perfectly smooth and balanced. She didn’t look as if she had slept on the ground at the bank of a river. She did look as if she had sucked on a lemon.

  The group packed away their things and poured water on the fire to ensure it was out. After filling their canteens, they were off again, starting up the side of a steep hill covered in violet and buttercup yellow wildflowers as a fine mist fell from the sky. The mountains drew up on either side of them like giant vernal wings as they walked through the widening valley. Lyra quickly caught up with Freydis.

  “Yes, we did,” Freydis said flatly. She extended her arm up and muttered something Lyra couldn’t understand. A glimmer of light, a zap along the dome.

  “You did what?” Lyra asked innocently.

  “Alec and I. We slept together last night.” Freydis repeated her magic, strengthening the glamour.

  “I didn’t ask you that,” Lyra said with a frown.

  “Oh. We had sex, too,” Freydis clarified.

  “Frey!” Lyra exclaimed, swatting her arm. Frey giggled in that disconcerting girly way she did that didn’t match her personality.

  Her golden eyes glanced sidelong at Lyra. “Don’t tell me you didn’t have at least one of your men last night.”

  Lyra’s mouth dropped open. Her face looked like a beet, she was sure. “Frey, really, that’s going too far.”

  “You’re half-Fae. The Fae don’t deprive themselves of good, wholesome pleasures. It’s unnatural.”

  Lyra was about to argue on the “good, wholesome” part, when Iris spoke, her voice edging on menacing. “Shouldn’t you be focused on your task of securing the glamour instead of having silly talk about who you’re bedding?”

  Lyra clasped her hands behind her back and moved a step away from Freydis. The Queen had a way of unnerving her. And an irrational part of her wanted her to like her, because she was Terrin’s sister. She hoped Iris hadn’t seen the majority of last night’s chaos.

  Frey glanced back at Iris as if as an afterthought, then chuckled. “You can’t be more obvious, human.” Iris’ face paled and she sniffed. Lyra didn’t think anything was obvious. In fact, she had no idea what Frey had been talking about, but judging based on Iris’ blanched expression, she dared not ask.

  They walked for hours, stopping only to relieve themselves or fill their canteens. The day was groggy and thick with humidity. Mist fell on them steadily and the way ahead fogged. At one point, Frey unsheathed one of her knives and held it close, but she didn’t signal danger was imminent. Even so, Terrin drew his own blade. She noticed Oriel didn’t carry a weapon, but she supposed his magic was sufficient. Lyra regretted not having weapons training, and decided as soon as they were back that she would request lessons.

  Oriel seemed to be avoiding her, staying close to Popp, which was fine by her. She took up her usual traveling spot at the rear of the group. She scanned the forests and glanced upwards.

  The glamour hadn’t shattered, so why was Frey holding her weapon so close?

  “There!” Poppi declared, her arm pointing past Oriel’s shoulder as she clung to his back. Lyra looked up. There it was--the jutting precipice over which they had all jumped into Eclipsa. In less than ten minutes, they would be there. The question was if the portal would open again.

  As they drew near, Lyra began running. She ran around Terrin and Frey at the front of the group, leaving them behind. All she knew was that she needed to get there and the waiting was killing her. After a few minutes and out of breath, she steadied herself on her knees until her breathing returned to normal. She squinted up at the jutting rock, scrutinizing the air around it to see if any portals hovered there. There were no ethereal glowing diamonds floating in the air above her. Terrin jogged toward her out of the mist, his breathing completely normal.

  “The portal isn’t open,” Lyra told him.

 
; Terrin squinted up at the precipice. “We should climb up and try to open it from there.”

  A glint of white light turned Lyra’s head toward the rushing river to her left. In the middle of the river, the water silently churned and fell through a hole that disappeared into darkness. It was hard to tell, but if you moved your head just right, the swirling water glinted with something strange--magic.

  “Is that…”

  “It’s the portal. It must have never closed,” Terrin surmised, scrubbing his jaw.

  The rest of the group caught up, all squinting up at the sky.

  “It’s there,” Lyra said, pointing to the river.

  “That’s where we came out,” Poppi pointed out.

  “And this portal likes to change locations. Or can be moved. It could be worse,” Terrin said.

  An ear-splitting crack wracked Lyra’s ears and she looked up in time to see the rain of sparks falling from the split dome. The glamour had cracked.

  “Let’s go!” Alec shouted, and grabbed Iris by the hand, pulling her toward the water. They’d have to swim against the currents to get to the portal. Lyra inwardly groaned at the thought. Poppi clutched Oriel’s neck as his stare pierced Lyra.

  The air began to hum faintly, tickling Lyra’s ear like the drone of a fly. Except, this humming increased in intensity with each passing second. They all held still, waiting, as their eyes darted around the bank.

  “They’re back!” Frey snarled, her teeth bared in a vicious grimace, her arms held out, the dull sun shimmering along her twin blades. The drone grew to a crescendo as tiny bodies flit across the surface of the river at an impossible speed toward them. There must have been a hundred of them, forming a swarm like an ominous plague. Alec was already halfway to the portal with Iris in his arms. She’d have to switch to his back soon or swim the rest of the way herself. The nymphs were almost upon them.

  “They aren’t going to make it,” Poppi choked out as she cowered behind Oriel’s back. Terrin wasted no time sprinting and diving into the water, breaking free several feet away from shore in time to blast the front lines of the nymph army. They scattered like leaves in the wind. He kept blasting, tearing into them. Frey was shooting them with her own magic, the strikes flashing through her daggers and piercing them like spears. It bore into them and they fell limp into the water. Several nymphs managed to circumvent the attack, diving toward them like loose arrows. The ones that reached her were cut down and slashed in half, Freydis spinning and diving with deadly precision.