Cadence of Ciar (The Fate Caller Series Book 1)

by Zoe Parker

  ‘It doesn’t work quite that way. But,’ I hate buts, at least in this circumstance, ‘if they discover who your father is they can. Any house of the king’s choosing.’

  ‘You’re kidding?’

  ‘I’m working on it, monster girl. This one sees something he wants and is accustomed to getting it.’ Way to change the subject Ciar. ‘I’m old, monster girl, and I’m strong, but there are Fae that can make life very difficult for us.’

  ‘This guy?’

  ‘Of course not, are you daft?’

  ‘Then who?’

  ‘His father, the king.’

  ‘Well that can make things difficult.’ It explains his arrogance too.

  “Since the Duke of Harleigh is going to be there, I expect that you two will give the performance of your life.”

  “Aren’t you the Duke of Harleigh?” Ciar asks, breaking the sudden silence of the room.

  For a half a second the look of arrogance fades from the Duke’s eyes, and as he stares at Ciar I see a little fear. He might not know what Ciar is, but he knows he’s something to be wary of.

  The smile he turns on me washes away any wariness and makes me dislike him even more.

  “My house is currently seeking out an Awakened, you realize the status in society you’d receive being a member of my household will bring you—do you not?”

  ‘Humor him for the moment. I need to look into things before we make him an enemy,’ Ciar cautions.

  “I have only one member of my Triad, your grace,” I say, to make sure it’s known if nothing else. This is my only protection.

  “That changes nothing. The other two aren’t far behind, I imagine,” he counters.

  “Sounds… interesting.” And saying that makes me want to throw up a little.

  “Wear something fabulous, Keri Nightshade.” With that said he walks out of the classroom and everyone looks around in confusion. Except Ciar, he pulls me to my feet and we exit the class in a hurry.

  ‘Things will work out,’ he says, giving none of his emotions away. Why can’t I be one of those people who can do that?

  Blind folk see the Fairies,

  Oh, better far than we,

  Who miss the shining of their wings

  Because our eyes are filled with things

  We do not wish to see.

  ~Rose Fyleman

  “Tonight, we start your magical defense training.” That can’t be taken as anything other than an order and it makes me laugh. There are times when he doesn’t mean to sound bossy but this time it’s on purpose and arguing with him won’t get me anywhere.

  “What got that rock rolling?”

  “He tried to use magic on you and you didn’t feel the slightest hint of it. If I had not been there to stop it, you would be with him right this moment.”

  Oh, that’s not good. Really not good. “What was he trying to do?”

  “Spell you into looking at him with guppy eyes.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Enrapture is a potent spell and if I had been on a hunt…” His voice trails off.

  I might not know much about magical defense, not for lack of him trying to teach me, but because as a kid I was a know-it-all who thought that since I didn’t really have magic I’d never need to know how to defend myself with it. The only thing I learned how to do back then was mental shields. But I did pay attention to what things are.

  “They last days at most, eventually I’d come out of it and cut his balls off.”

  “Yes, and then be executed by his father for it.” He stops walking and faces me, and I swear the world hushes around him. “One-on-one I can take the king, Keri, but I can’t stop his entire force. He employs some major powerhouses and combined they’re too much—even for me.”

  Hearing him admit that he’s not all powerful makes me a little nervous. Yes, logically I’m fully aware that there is always someone bigger and badder in the world, but Ciar is and always will be the most powerful creature I know.

  To have him say he can’t beat something changes the game.

  “Okay, teach this magical defense crap to me. I want to learn everything about it.”

  I instantly regret my words as I go flying backwards, my body connecting to the ground with a solid whump sound.

  “First lesson, monster girl. Always be prepared.”

  I take the hand he holds out with a dirty look at the smug smile on his face, he pulls me to my feet and I tense when he moves. Laughing, he starts walking again and I silently mouth insults at his back.

  As we walk I dust off the singed threads off my shirt, he did that on purpose knowing darn well I can’t shoot fireballs. I can only blow up water bottles. Wait.

  Focusing on the back of his pants and only distracted for a few seconds by the view, I whisper my word and wait for the blow out. Nothing happens. Biting my tongue, I try again this time with more umph. Nothing.

  “And this is why you learn magical defense.” His words float over his shoulder and I swear he’s grinning again.

  Anger flares in my stomach and I laugh in shock when the back of his pants disintegrates, leaving his lovely bum hanging out for the entire world to see. Instead of reacting like anyone else in his situation he keeps walking with confidence and absolute disregard for everyone staring and admiring his bare butt.

  I’m even staring at it. Pulling my eyes away I try to zap him again, but this time it feels like I’m hitting a brick wall.

  “Not taking any chances this time. Now it’s your turn.” Right before I impact with the sidewalk, again, I manage to twist myself mid-air to land with grace, okay mostly with grace. At least I didn’t hit my face. Pushing myself to my feet I glare at him.

  “You know darn well I don’t know how to—” His eyes flash with intent. Ducking to the side I manage to avoid the fireball that came out of nowhere. “Hey!”

  “You’re using your eyes too much. Magic isn’t always going to be visible. Open your other senses,” he eyes me, “the ones I know you have now.” He’s using that teacher voice that I hate.

  I also can’t deny its effectiveness.

  On the way home, I end up on the ground often, but I’m starting to get a sense of when someone is trying to sneak magic at me. It’s not going to be easy, Ciar says that it can take months for me to be able to stop a spell like Enrapture.

  But I’ll know it’s being cast which gives me a chance to do something. That’s more than I have now. I need to find out more on what the heck a Fate Caller is.

  “We can go talk to the Old Man Under the Hill.” I make a face at Ciar’s suggestion. “He is the historian of Faerie and might have the answers we need to truly understand what you are. What I know is very limited and your conditions are different than his were.”

  There are rumors about the OMUTH, mostly scary ones but those don’t concern me, it’s the cost of information. He makes you give up something valuable and I’m not talking monetarily.

  He stops and looks at me. “He owes me a favor,” Ciar says softly, breaking into the horrible thoughts I’m having about the OMUTH wanting my feet as payment.

  “What’d you do? Kill someone for him?” I tease. Ciar looks at me but says nothing, instead he starts walking again.

  I jog to catch up with him. “Hey… holy meatballs you did!”

  The longing of my heart is a Fairy portrait of myself: I want to be pretty, I want to eliminate facts and fill up the gap with charms.

  ~Mark Twain

  After a brief stop at home for Ciar to change his pants, that I’m still proud I blew the butt out of, we head to the dress store. To say that the dress is perfect is the understatement of the century. I’m looking at a clothing orgasm. The dress is a ballroom style silver and black confection of my dreams. It’s so flipping pretty I want to eat it or hide it away and guard it like a Dragon.

  Ciar reaches over and wipes my chin with a tissue. “You’re drooling, monster girl.”

  “But—but look at that dress. It’s so beautiful.” My eyes eat
up the relatively modest heart-shaped neckline and the two thin straps made of the most delicate spider silk braids I’ve seen, the hour glass bodice and the flouncing puffy skirt—that when worn will spin around me like I’m a princess at her first ball.

  The skirt is a rich black with sparkles woven into the material, the bodice is, of course, spider silk. Silver and stunning, it will make the color of my hair a beacon in the myriad of attendees.

  “I knew this gown would suit you. As you know, the spells woven in will make it fit you perfectly, but the spell is only good for one wear, if you need it respelled don’t hesitate to bring it back to us.” Adelle says, flittering around me while I try to pull my eyes off the dress. She’s like a doll sized butterfly and now I’m covered in dust again.

  In awe I step forward to lightly stroke the material of the skirt and find it as soft as it looks. Noticing that my hands and fingernails are dirty I step away and tuck them into my pockets. I’m guessing all the trips to the ground left their mark in more ways than one.

  “The dress is… I don’t even have a word for it. Spectacular? Mind-bendingly beautiful? All I can say is it’s more than I ever hoped to own and wear.” I’m fully aware that I sound a bit gob smacked and am possibly even breathing heavy but the dress… drool.

  “You will do it justice. Now will that be cash or credit?” With a wink, Adelle is all business once again.

  He looks at me in question, and I nod. I don’t mind him paying for it, I can pay him back when Calsis sells all my junk. People get all weird about someone else paying, Ciar and I are partners—partners back each other up.

  Ciar steps forward and passes her a gemstone—the light reflects its pale blue color. It’s lovely and probably magical, Ciar always seems to have one or two in his pocket. My favorite are the purple ones, I have no idea what type of gem they are, but they tickle your skin when you touch them and make you feel happy.

  I got to squeeze every moment of happy I can out of life, doesn’t everyone?

  Watching on the tips of my toes while the dress is carefully bagged up in a magically protected plastic dress bag I relax only when Ciar carefully folds it over his arm.

  Adelle pauses in front of me on her way to the back of the store and whatever they have hidden behind that plain red curtain.

  “The Fairy who marked you—loved you, they only mark those they love,” she whispers, and then with a quick kiss on my cheek she flits away in a shower of pink dust.

  For a solid minute I stand there, staring at the curtain gently moving in her wake. Blinking at the sudden burning in my eyes I take a shaky breath and swallow the lump that chokes up my throat. Pushing myself to move, I turn away and head out the front door without a backward glance.

  Ciar follows behind me, quiet but sending comfort through our bond, it laps against me in gentle waves, soothing the rough grief threatening to rise to the surface and take over.

  Grief owns a slice of my soul and now is not the time to deal with it, so I fight it.

  A few deep breaths later I manage to shove it down and lock it away. Tonight, while I lay watching the moon through the window with Ciar’s strong arms wrapped around me, I’ll let it out and maybe, just maybe, this time for good.

  A warm hand wraps around mine and tugs me closer as we walk. Looking up at him, grateful for his silent support, I smile and shoulder bump him.

  “I wonder what Gertie is making for dinner?” he muses, a soft smile on his face as he looks over at me. “Also, your vacation is over. We’re going to start training with weapons, concurrent with your magical defenses.”

  Groaning, I give him a dirty look. That means he’s going to start busting my ass again.

  “But I’m sleeping with the teacher!” I mock protest.

  “That just means you’ll get double the workout after training,” he teases, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

  Laughing—because how can I not laugh—I pull my hand from his and break into a run. “See ya at home dog breath!” I yell, over my shoulder.

  Laughing and out of breath, I fling open the front door only to find him lounging on the stairway. Figured he beat me here, somehow.

  “How the heck did you do that?” Instantly my eyes seek out the dress and I find it hanging, on the bannister the plastic bag spotless.

  “Magic.” He waves his hands around like a wizard. Rolling my eyes at him I look around for Zag, he’s normally with me but for the last few days he’s spent quite a bit of time out and about.

  I’m snoopy enough that I plan on asking him where he’s going. I can feel him loud and clear through the Familiar bond that’s tucked in the back of my brain—he’s concentrating hard on something, but he’s not in any kind of pain or really any negative emotion at all.

  Just that stillness that indicates he’s doing something that requires his full attention. A fact that makes me even more curious and brings my gaze back around to Ciar.

  Sitting on the stair next to him, I snuggle against his side and look up at him my eyes big and pleading. “Where the heck is Zag?”

  His laughter is enough to wipe my attempt at looking innocent off my face. “He’s out checking out some things for me.”

  “Uh-huh. You’re snooping on the two that I can feel lurking around, aren’t you?”

  Shaking his head, he says, “Those two idiots will be around soon enough. Whether they want to or not.”

  Chewing my lip, I frown at him. “I hate the idea of them having to do things against their will.”

  Ciar’s face turns serious. “You need them, and I’ll drag their asses here myself if I have to. They don’t have to have what we do, even though it’ll make you stronger, but they need to be here.” He points at the floor, his eyes lighting with irritation.

  “You feel really strongly about this?”

  “So should you! Not all Triads are about love, or even lust, the attraction to your Center is there—of course—but the follow through isn’t required. Just the bonding. I’ve seen other Triads who weren’t romantically or sexually involved at all. But they were a family and right now those two morons are running around fighting the pull, one for stupid reasons that he’ll realize soon enough, and the other from fear.” Clearly, he’s passionate about his beliefs in this system and he knows more than I realized about our two mysterious other members.

  “Yes, Keri, I know that you’re feeling the lack of them. It’s why you’re more tired and why the brand has started to ache.” He fills in the blanks for me.

  Well, that explains all of that.

  ‘Ciar, if they don’t want to be here they shouldn’t have to be, though. No one should have to be a slave to magic, it feels wrong.” Guilt wraps itself around my heart and gives it a little squeeze.

  Turning towards me he cups my face and with a soft kiss on my lips, smiles as he pulls away. “This kindness in you is one of the reasons I love you so much, monster girl. But,” yeah, there’s always a but, “that’s just it, they do want to be here.” The guilt eases a little but only a little.

  The sudden knock on the door makes me about jump out of my skin. Laughing, he stands and cross the few feet to open the door. A brief conversation that I can’t make out over the sound of crinkling paper follows and then he’s turning with something in his hands as the door shuts with a bang behind him.

  I’m on my feet jumping around like a schoolgirl. A bouquet of candy flowers, a specialty of Brownies, fill the beautiful crystal vase. Each flower is perfect in its design, identical to its floral counterpart. Except these ones are made from candied fruits and chocolates. The leaves are mint and chewable designed to be used after you nibble on the blossoms.

  They’re flipping awesome and as much as I’ve talked about them I’ve never gotten them. Dodging carefully around the vase, I hug Ciar around the waist.

  “Keri, I didn’t get these, but now that I know how much you like them I’ll keep that in mind for the future.” Pulling back from him I search the arrangement for a card. If he di
dn’t send them then who did?

  Finally, I find one tucked near the center and wrapped around it is a necklace. Untangling it from the card I hold it up to study the delicate silver bird hanging from the black metal chain. I can’t quite tell what it is but maybe a raven or a crow?

  The card simply reads:

  After I take care of things, I’ll return. Sorry I’ve hidden like a coward.

  Trick.

  Looking at Ciar, who shrugs his shoulders, I hand him the necklace and turn my back to him so he can put it on me.

  “Keri, too trusting,” he scolds. Turning back around I watch him set the flowers down on the hallway table that Gertie provided. The feel of his magic flaring to life gives me the shivers, good ones, I watch him carefully check the necklace. Without a satisfied look on his face, he turns me back around and moves my hair out of the way and then latches the necklace around my neck.

  Feeling the weight of it settle between my breasts I turn back around and hand Ciar the card. Without missing a beat, I grab a flower and before I can bite into it, I pause. Under his watchful gaze I first sniff it and then use my magic to check it for poisons. After I’m finished he grabs my hand and does the same. Giving it a final sniff, he releases my hand and I bite into it, with absolute glee. Strawberry flavor bursts across my tongue and I can’t help but moan a little.

  “It seems one of them is going to stop being an idiot,” he muses.

  “You know exactly who they are, don’t you?” Sure, it sounds accusing but I’m not wrong either.

  “Of course I do. You’re not the only one connected to them.” Leaning forward he kisses me, rather thoroughly, carefully licking the sugar off my lips.

  Now what was I going on about?

  A persistent dinging noise pulls me out of the haze that is Ciar and grouchily I pull my phone out of my pocket. It’s a text from Lucinda, well actually it’s like ten texts from her.