Heart of Thorns

by Nicolette Andrews

  She flushed. She had been thinking just what he would have expected of her. The villagers had convinced her that he was the one stealing the hearts of the women. That damn witch, what game is she playing?

  She placed the tips of her fingers into his palm. He closed his larger hand around hers, marveling all the while at how small and fragile she was. They moved through the clearing. Only a few revelers remained, Tabitha, the owl, among them; she had maintained her human appearance. An owl mask rested on her brow, askew. Her gown was made of feathers sewn together, and she wore a cape that when stretched out appeared to be a span of wings. She smiled at Ray. He exalted in his triumph and gave the owl a smile in return. They all doubted me, but I have found her at last, our princess. Now I shall be redeemed.

  The pathway emerged from the darkness of the night, illuminated by moonlight. He pulled Lady Thornton along after him. They hurried, and at times Lady Thornton struggled to keep up. He was eager to have the test finished.

  "Where are we going?" Lady Thornton panted behind him.

  "We are headed to the heart of the forest, where the Thorn King sleeps. You may remember it as the place where you retrieved my antidote." He glanced over his shoulder at her. Her white skirt was unfurling behind her like a banner, and her tiny bare feet glided over the ground. Focus. Now is not the time to lose sight of the ultimate prize.

  The brush cleared away, and the tree line thinned back. The pathway ended at a circular clearing rimmed with trees. Ray let go of Lady Thornton's hand. The pair of them stood at the clearing's edge, side by side. Lady Thornton was shorter than him by a head, and he could see over her as she took a few tentative steps into the clearing. His heart swelled with joy. Everything was going as he had hoped. He too joined her in the clearing and walked towards the massive oak tree at the center. Lady Thornton walked around in circles, admiring the oak tree, whose huge canopy shaded the clearing, blocking out the moon and stars.

  "Where does the king sleep?" Lady Thornton asked, looking about.

  Ray kneeled down at the base of the oak tree and tipped his head back to look up at the gnarled bark of the tree. The leaves in the trees rustled as he approached as if they quivered with anticipation. Soon, Your Majesty, I will free you, I promise. "This is the king." He gestured to the tree.

  She had come to stand beside him, and next to the massive tree she looked even smaller than before. "Oh," she gasped in awe and reverence. "Mr. Thorn?" Lady Thornton's voice warbled. "You said I was the princess of the Thorns. Does that mean this is..."

  "Your father? Yes, you are the lost daughter of the king." He stood up and his long hair fell forward, shielding his face. "Lady Thornton, this is your father, the King of the Thorns."

  Lady Thornton blinked a few times and stared at the gnarled oak tree. He could practically see the wheels turning as she processed the reality of her situation. "Do not tease me, Mr. Thorn. My father is a gentleman named Arnold Wells. He is not a tree."

  The tree rustled and the wind blew, brushing Lady Thornton's hair away from her face. She shivered. It was exciting to see; he had not seen this much movement from the tree in a long time. The king was reaching out to his kin, stirring in his sleep and waiting to awake. Lady Thornton folded her arms over one another, rubbing the gooseflesh that had blossomed along her skin.

  "The man you thought your father was merely a cover. Years ago, it was not uncommon for the Fae to take human lovers; many children were born of these unions, oblivious of their heritage. The king indulged in this practice and sired a daughter on his human lover. She disappeared shortly after the girl was born--I do not know why. Normally it would not matter. Everything changed with the War of the Thorns."

  "What happened?" Lady Thornton pressed.

  Ray closed his eyes, remembering the blood, the clang of swords and the cries of the dying. He opened his eyes to see Lady Thornton watching him. He gave her a faint smile. "All of the king's children perished. It left the throne vulnerable. By this time, we had noted the decrease in pregnancies in the Otherworld. There were fewer and fewer children, and we were having difficulty conceiving."

  Lady Thornton colored. He smirked at her discomfort. "I will spare you the details of our attempts to increase our numbers. In the end we discovered our lines were dying. There has been much debate on how to proceed, but I will not bore you with the details. Without the ability to produce a true-born heir, the king began searching for his half-breed progeny. A difficult task because time moves differently in the Otherworld than it does in the human realm. Women he had lain with a month ago were now grandmothers, their children dead in the crib."

  "Then you never found the heir?" Lady Thornton asked.

  "Not until now," Ray replied.

  She shook her head. He could see she did not want to believe, but believe or not, she was their princess. He only had to administer the final test to prove it.

  "Mr. Thorn, it is getting late. I must be going, or my husband will worry."

  He grabbed her hand and pulled her against his chest. Lady Thornton gasped. She looked up at him, and he locked her with his bright green gaze. He did not want to use his power of persuasion. Using it on another of the Fae was difficult even if she was not entirely Fae.

  "This is not for my amusement. Believe me, I would not have brought you here now had our need not been great."

  He felt her heart beating against his in a steady even rhythm. Her lips were parted slightly, and the smell of her sweet, fresh scent was intoxicating. He imagined his lips against hers and the feeling of her small hands running over his chest and arms.

  "Mr. Thorn, this is grossly inappropriate," she said in a hushed voice. "What happen the other day, it was a mistake." She tried to look away again. He grabbed her chin and forced her to meet his gaze once more.

  "You are the heir I have been searching for. You need to awaken the king. Press your hands against the trunk and say: Blood speaks to blood, by the lines of kinship we share, I ask that you awaken."

  She was staring at him with a blank expression. The power was washing over her, removing everything but the commands he had given her. He let her go, but the feel of her skin against his lingered on his fingers.

  "Touch the tree, and you will understand why I brought you here." He stepped aside and pointed to the tree.

  She did not move, and for a moment he thought she was going to fight against his influence. She took a deep breath and approached the tree. She stepped up to the great tree and tilted her head back, taking in its imposing presence. Ray watched her every movement with rapt attention. Eleven woman had come before Lady Thornton, and none had come this far. She had to be the one. Her hands hovered over the bark of the tree. She was hesitating still, and though he was impatient, he had to appreciate her control even under such a strong spell. She drew her hand back. And Ray took a step forward, intent on forcing her to touch it if he had to.

  "Lady Thornton, there isn't much time," Mr. Thorn urged from behind her. His voice had a sharper edge, but it seemed to be the final pushed needed to propel her to act.

  She laid a flat palm upon the woody surface and said the words he had told her. They waited. Ray was never certain what was meant to happen other than the king would wake. He expected an explosion of magic, enlightenment, something. Nothing happened. After a few moments of polite waiting, she turned to look over her shoulder at Ray.

  "Nothing is happening," she said.

  Mr. Thorn frowned as a rock sank in his stomach. "If you are his daughter, you would have the closest bonds to him, you would be the only one who could break the spell."

  She looked back up at the tree. The clearing had gone completely silent. The wind had stilled and no birds sang. "Does this mean I am not the princess of the Thorns?" she asked.

  "You are Fae. I can sense it. Maybe you have lived too long among humans and your magic has gone dormant." He walked around the tree, examining her and it together. I cannot have failed, not when I have come this close. He was grasping at str
aws and he knew it.

  "If you do not mind, could you not stare at me so; it makes me uncomfortable." She blushed and lowered her gaze.

  He stopped his pacing and put a fist on his hip. He was trying to keep his tone light, but despair was creeping up to choke him. "I cannot understand it. I thought you were the one."

  She let her hand fall to her side. "What happens now?"

  He sighed and slumped onto the ground in defeat. "I wish I knew, Lady Thornton."

  She looked around, and he suspected she was trying to find a graceful way to exit. He had lost his last chance, and now he would have to face the council and whatever punishment they chose to mete out. Lady Thornton surprised him by sitting down on the ground beside him. She tucked her knees to one side and folded her hands in her lap. She's very graceful. A gift from her Fae heritage, I suspect. It was not enough to save me. He considered kissing her again, just to get one last taste before his life ended. Surely the council would not let him live, not after his crimes.

  He watched her while she avoided making eye contact by taking overlong to smooth a wrinkle in her skirt. "Please tell me, how can I help you?" she asked.

  He chuckled. Let me kiss you until your lips are bruised. Let me take you to my bed and teach you what only a Fae lover can do. He knew his thoughts would be unwanted, so he said instead, "There is nothing you can do for me, Lady Thornton. I am a bit of a fool. I thought that I had found the king's lost daughter. That is, I thought you were she. You are not my first mistake, but you are my last. The council gave me numerous chances to erase the errors of my past, but I failed at every turn. Now I must face my judgment."

  A flower petal from the garland in her hair fell into her lap. She stroked the petal for a few moments. He knew she wanted to ask him more, but she was struggling with the words. He had watched her this entire time thinking she was the one. He probably knew her better than she did herself. She used her insecurity to hide a banked fire that was waiting to blaze. She would have made a magnificent queen.

  "How did he get to be this way?" she asked. She glanced over at the massive oak behind them.

  He was in a sharing mood, no use keeping these things to himself any longer. He said, "It is my fault, in part. I made a grave mistake that changed the lives of the Thorn Kingdom. I let a human woman join the forest dance."

  Lady Thornton turned to regard him with wide curious eyes. He looked away and at his hands. He had resumed a more human form, for her comfort; he hated the soft smooth skin of humans. He balled his hands into fists on his lap.

  "I thought myself handsome and clever. As I mentioned, we have for many generations taken human lovers, and when the daughter of the forest guardian caught my eye, I brought her into the forest. She participated in the dance, which no human should do, and once she did, it changed her. Humans cannot sustain Fae magic, it warps them, and the more time they spend among us, the more it twists their minds. I thought she would be different, living alongside the forest her entire life and from the line of guardians as she was."

  "Who are the guardians?" Catherine asked.

  "They are a chosen few who keep the peace between our two worlds. They have been tied to the Thorn Kingdom since the first man walked across the earth. Your husband's family is the line of guardians, and your husband is the current guardian. We have for generations intermixed with them, and there is a strain of Fae blood in them.

  "The strain was not strong in this guardian's daughter, and she grew hungry for power. She made a pact with a dark god and waged war on the Thorn Kingdom. She desired the throne and thought herself the Thorn Queen. I was blinded by my feelings for her and hesitated too long to stop her before it was too late. She used the dark god's magic and sealed the king into this tree. The only one who can save him is his daughter--who is lost."

  Lady Thornton nodded her head. "So you have been searching for her to set things right?"

  He grinned. "You give me too much credit. This is my punishment. It was my mistake that caused this, so the council banished me from the Otherworld, and I was relegated to live on the border between the worlds for my foolish choice of allowing her into the forest." He looked back to the tree. He wanted to warn Lady Thornton about the witch and her apparent designs for Lady Thornton, but there was more to the story that he was unable to share--even if he wanted to. "My only hope was to find the heir and win the council's forgiveness. I fear I have run out of favors."

  "I am sorry I was not the one you were looking for."

  He brushed her cheek with the tips of his fingers. She gasped as he leaned closer. He pressed his forehead against hers. I believe you, and I have no reason to. I have met many liars, but it is a rare thing to meet an honest person. "I apologize for the trouble I have put you through." He sighed and moved away from her.

  She fidgeted with the hem of her dress. "I suppose I should thank you. Had you not approached me, I would never have accepted who I am--what I am. You opened my eyes, and for that I must be grateful, even if I am not your princess. Now all that remains is explaining this to Edward. I am sure he will want to help protect the forest as well."

  He hesitated to say this next part, but he could not think of any other way to set her free of this village. She is in danger while she remains in the village; there is no other way. I did not do enough to protect the others, but she should live.

  "Lady Thornton, I cannot take your compliments with a clear conscience without telling you the truth first. You came to Thornwood under my design. I put a spell on Lord Thornton. It was meant to attract him to a woman with Fae blood. I wanted him to bring you back so you could be tested."

  Her hands went very still, but she did not look up at him. "Are you saying that my marriage is a fraud?"

  He had never felt guilt for his actions. Everything he had done was for self-preservation. He felt a twinge of guilt now. Maybe it was because he had grown fond of Lady Thornton, or maybe it was just the fact that he was nearing the end of his life and he had nothing left to lose.

  "Yes, my lady. I am saying that your marriage was instigated under false pretense."

  She stood up suddenly. He tipped his head back to regard her. She had her petite hands balled at her sides. "You are a terrible person, Mr. Thorn. Why would you tell me this? I could have lived in ignorance." Tears were gathering along her lashes. He jumped to his feet as well. He tried to force her to face him, but she wrenched her shoulder out of his grip. "Do not touch me."

  "You're right, I am a terrible person. I am selfish, but that is who I am. I do not deny it. You could go back to the life you had before, believing you were insane, in a place you were comfortable. All you would need to say to Edward would be: I release these ties that bind; no longer will I hold you in my thrall. You are free to love as you will."

  Tears were running down her face, and he wanted nothing more than to brush them away and to hold her. He stared at her, waiting for a response. When she looked up, her eyes were blazing behind her tears. She slapped him hard across his face. He reeled back from the sting and pressed a hand to his cheek. When he looked up again, she was gone.

  Well, that could have gone better, I suppose.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  After her time in the forest, Catherine returned to Thornwood manor and saw nothing more of Mr. Thorn for weeks. She resumed her place in the household, and her two brief disappearances were never remarked upon. She tried to speak with Edward about the incident, but he played the innocent and refused to believe anything she tried to tell him about the forest. As for the spell that Mr. Thorn claimed had initially drawn Catherine and Edward together, she feared testing the theory. Though she did not realize it, Catherine was keeping her distance from her husband. Weeks passed as they shared silent meals and passed occasionally in the halls. When he asked questions, she gave him quick one-word answers. She kept her head down and hardly left the house at all.

  Her only solace was Lady Rosewood, Edward's aunt. The two women spent much time together preparing
for the ball. Catherine confided in the older woman about her time in the forest, and Catherine was relieved that Lady Rosewood did not scold her for her actions.

  She reached across to touch Catherine's hand. They were sitting in the parlor together with napkins and silverware spread out on the table.

  "Catherine, many a good woman has been entranced by the charms of the Thorn Dwellers. You are fortunate enough to have escaped with your life, be glad for that." She smiled, and it helped ease Catherine's guilt.

  The ball arrived on the night of the full moon. Miss Larson had withdrawn her post, which saddened Catherine. Among all the servants Catherine had hung her hopes that she might find an ally in Miss Larson. She had not even had the chance to say goodbye. As a temporary substitute, Miss Brown stood in until another maid could be hired. Miss Brown did not have the same talent for styling hair that Miss Larson did. Catherine turned her head from left to right, looking at the work her maid had done. The curls hanging down were too loose, and the ones pinned to her crown felt likely to come apart as soon as she started dancing. There were pearls scattered across her head tucked into the circle of a curl, which looked charming, if a bit crooked. I should ask her to change these. She pressed a fingertip to a pearl that was dangling and tucked it back in discreetly. She looked at Miss Brown, who was watching Catherine in the mirror with expectation. Catherine had never been a vain woman, and she hated the idea of hurting Miss Brown's feelings.

  She smiled at Miss Brown and said, "It's very lovely. Thank you."

  Miss Brown beamed. "I am glad you like it, my lady. I have been studying late at night. Miss Smith used to let me practice, but she's been gone a while, and I figured..."

  "Miss Smith?" Catherine could not help but ask. A month ago she would have kept her lips sealed. Everyone insisted that a Miss Smith had never worked or lived at Thornwood Abbey, but Catherine suspected differently.