The laughter left his eyes and he nodded. “I think I do.” Overcome by emotion, he pulled her into a firm embrace, his mouth hot against her skin as he buried his face near the nape of her neck. “I’ve missed this more than you could ever know.”
Her heart hammered and she could hardly breathe. She ran her hands over his broad shoulders, down the sculpted flesh of his arms. Her knees weakened with a rush of blind passion and she melted against him.
“Whoa, lass. Slow down.” He cleared his throat and stepped back with a nervous smile.
Alarmed by his sudden hesitation, Fate stared at his eyes to see if the light in them was being swallowed by the darkness he’d been possessed with.
He recognized the fear on her face. “Don’t worry. It’s not what you’re thinking. That’s all behind me. I promise.”
“Why are you holding back then?” She stepped close, slipping her arms around his waist. “We can be together now. All the way this time.”
“And I want that. God only knows how much.” He squeezed her waist, his fingers digging into her back, sweet and painful. “We can’t go any further than this. Not yet.”
Her throat constricted and humiliation roiled in her chest. She tore her gaze away to stare out over the Keep. “Why not?” She blinked through hot tears.
Finn hung his head. “Because I promised your father I’d be a perfect gentleman.”
Shock held Fate speechless. She didn’t know what to think. Eustace had never actually had “the talk” with her. Probably because her interest in other boys had been non-existent up until…well…now. She’d had no idea her father was so old fashioned.
She searched his face. “That’s the only reason?”
He gazed back openly. “Of course.”
The sharp stab of anger came without warning. Fate was furious. She wasn’t about to let her father’s Puritanical rules get in the way. She would just have to work around him. “Okay…so we don’t tell Eustace what we do when we’re alone. It’s none of his business.”
Finn smiled and shook his head. “Weren’t you supposed to go through this rebellious stage about four or five years ago?”
“I was too busy being reasonable back then. I made the mistake of spoiling my dad. Now he thinks he can get away with anything.”
Finn took her hand in his. “Listen, before you go getting angry with your father, you need to know that I agree with him.”
Fate stared back mutely.
Finn chuckled as he nudged her open mouth closed. “While you were sleeping off your near death experience, he had a sit down with me. He asked me what my intentions were concerning you, and when I told him, he was crystal clear about how he felt on the matter.”
Her heart plummeted. “Are you saying my dad doesn’t want us to be together?”
“No, nothing like that. He just doesn’t want to see his daughter deflowered before she’s…ready.”
“I’m ready.”
“Not according to your father. He doesn’t think you’re old enough and–”
“I’m eighteen in a few months. Technically, I’m older than that after being stuck in the Book of Fables for six months.”
“He doesn’t see it that way. You’re his wee lass.”
“Meaning if he could keep me ten-years-old forever, he would.”
“True enough. But that’s only part of it. He feels you’ve been running on adrenaline for so long, you’re in constant reaction mode. He doesn’t want to see you rushing into things you might regret.”
Fate pressed against Finn and smiled. “How can you call this rushing after how long we’ve been waiting to be together?”
His body trembled beneath her touch. “You’re a vixen.”
Taking that as an open invitation, Fate kissed the edge of his lips, teasing him until his mouth captured hers. The air grew hot between them, buzzing with energy. His mouth descended to her neck, the wet touch of his tongue lanced sparks of heat over her skin. Tracing his hands over the outside curves of her body, he scooped her off her feet and laid her down on the soft moss. The commanding move took hold of Fate’s senses and her body responded of its own accord. She floated outside herself, giddy, as if in a hypnotic state.
A voice shattered her blissful trance. “My, what a lovely place for a stroll. Don’t you agree, Gerdie?”
Fate opened her eyes, struggling to rise from the thick haze of desire as she focused on the surrounding foliage.
Sithias and Gerdie emerged into the clearing. The snake stopped, feigning surprise. “Misss? Fancy meeting you here.”
“Yeah, fancy that.” Gerdie’s mouth turned up in a small, sarcastic smile.
Finn let go of Fate and sat up. “Hey, what brings you two here?”
Sithias flew over before plunking down beside them. “Merely taking in the scenery.” He winked at Finn.
Irritation scratched at Fate, like carnivorous pixies gnawing on her nerves. Gerdie settled in next to her, wearing an apologetic expression. “Just so you know, this wasn’t my idea,” she muttered.
Fate fumed as she watched the transparent attempt at secrecy pass between Finn and Sithias. “Whose idea was this exactly?”
“Mine, all mine,” Sithias said, all too quickly.
A faint flush stained Finn’s cheeks. “No, don’t listen to him. It was me. I asked him to be here. I knew I’d be too weak to be left alone with you for too long.”
Fate crossed her arms. “Since when is my virtue everybody else’s business?”
“Since I made a promise to your father.”
“I don’t care about that!”
“Well I do. I respect the man, and I want him to respect me. I’m already on thin ice with him after allowing you to come so close to dying.”
“That wasn’t your fault.”
“That’s not how your father sees it. He needs to know that I’ll protect you at any cost.”
“You have, and you’ve proven that more than once. I told Eustace about everything you did for me and everything you gave up.”
Finn sighed and let his head sag a little to one side. “It doesn’t matter. I have to prove I’m worthy of his daughter, which ultimately means keeping my word to him.”
A dull ache spread through Fate’s chest. She’d been looking forward to stealing a few hours of joy so she could forget her problems. Ever since she’d regained her strength, she’d been filled with impending dread. She was plagued with worry over Jessie. She had no idea if she was still alive and under Kaliena’s control.
Not to mention, Kaliena and Wodrid were planning something horrible. Farouk had already confirmed he’d lost contact with large sections of the Keep. It was torture knowing they would pull the trigger on their plans at any time and most likely involve Jessie. It killed Fate to think about fighting her best friend to the death.
But even if the world was perfect, and Jessie was safe, and there was no imminent threat looming in the near future, Fate was cursed by an oath she never should’ve taken. Brune had said it best. She was a prisoner of the Keep.
Fate laid her hand on Finn’s to quiet him. “Don’t you get it? You can’t get my father’s permission to court me, because it’s not his to give. You might as well consider me married to the Keep. Ever since I got here, it’s been one emergency after the other and it’s never going to stop. There’ll always be monsters to fight and someone or something to protect. And the worst thing is, I chose this. Albeit, ignorantly.”
Fate pulled her hand away and stared at the guardian seal glimmering under the skin of her palm. “If I’d known how lonely and scary this would be, I never would’ve taken the oath. You have no idea how much I’ve been wishing for a do-over. But life doesn’t work that way. I’m cursed and I have to focus on saving the universe instead of being with the love of my life. So with that in mind, I think that gives me the right to do what I want, when I want for a few measly hours once in a while.”
Compassion moved in Finn’s eyes before his gaze flicked to Gerdie. “Te
ll her.”
Gerdie wriggled in place as she tucked her dress over her crossed legs. “I may’ve found a loophole around the oath.”
Hope instantly wedged its way through Fate’s growing despair, but she was too afraid that soul-crushing disappointment might be the end result. “We thought we figured it out last time, and look what happened then.”
A soft breeze ruffled Gerdie’s frizzy hair. “It’s good you’re bein’ cautious, cuz I can’t promise anything yet.”
Despondency settled back in and sat like ice in the pit of Fate’s stomach. “Then why even talk about it?”
“Because we have to.” Finn’s eyes burned with feeling. “You’re not alone in this. Wherever you are, I am there. Do you hear me?”
Fate gulped dryly. “Finn–”
“You’re not alone in this place or in the fight against Kaliena and Wodrid,” he pressed. “We’ll figure this out, love. All of us, together.”
“Yesss indeed.” Sithias started to smile, when a butterfly-winged green caterpillar the size of a mouse fluttered in front of his face. He ducked with a frightened squeak.
Sithias’s presence was, as always, entertaining and Fate couldn’t help but smile. “But shouldn’t you get back to Elsina?”
Sithias shook his head vehemently. “And risk the shrieking that’s sure to ensue? I’d rather die in battle than deal with that, and you know how I feel about fighting.”
“I do.” Fate’s smile faded as optimism gave way to concern. “Which is why I can’t let any of you stay. Kaliena’s cooking up some major league damage, and I’ve already lost Jessie.” She choked down a sob. “I couldn’t bear to lose–”
“It’s not up to you, misss. I’m staying.” Sithias gave her a serious stare. “See this face? This is determined, obstinate, inflexible, stubborn–”
“Thanks, I…I get the point.” Fate gulped and glanced at Gerdie.
Her doll-like face gazed back with the soft, measured weight of the adult inside. “Where would I go? You’re stuck with me, whether you like it or not.”
Fate turned to Finn. Light and shadow reflected in the luminous green of his eyes. The mere sight of him soothed her troubles like nothing else could.
“See? You’re just going to have to accept it. We’re here for as long as you are.” He rose to his feet and held out his hand. “Now that we’ve got that settled, how about we see if the food simulator can whip up a half decent pizza? Heavy on the Parmesan, of course.”
Smiling through tears of gratitude, Fate took his hand and stood. “You know the way to my heart.”
He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Aye, I do, and I always will, love.”
Epilogue
BRUNE PACED THE TWENTY square feet of her cell, furious she’d agreed to be locked up.
If she wasn’t suffering mind-numbing boredom, she was enduring hours of examination by Farouk’s robots. Surely by now he had everything he needed to run the tests on her mutation. Either way, she’d made a stupid mistake. She should’ve insisted on being shackled and allowed to roam. At least then she could go about her business and look into a cure on her own end. She couldn’t trust that anyone else would care enough to keep digging until a solution was found.
And then there was Fate. Who was going to ensure she was staying on top of her duties? It drove her mad to leave the Keep’s safety in the hands of a greenhorn who had her head in the clouds one minute, and in the depths of depression the next. Especially with Kaliena taking over the Keep one section at a time.
Brune stopped and kicked the wall. The abrupt motion set the snakes around her head to hissing. “Shhh, shhh,” she whispered to them. They slithered down around her face, caressing her cheek and neck with their cool scales as they calmed down. She couldn’t help smiling at them.
But then she caught herself. She should be repulsed. It bothered her she wasn’t. This mutation was not a condition she ever wanted to get used to, despite the increased strength and endurance she’d been enjoying.
Brune leaned against the wall and hung her head. Was she destined to become a vicious reptile? Maybe Farouk was right to worry she might lose herself completely and become the Gorgon she’d fought in those caves.
The clamber of Farouk’s cage sounded from down the hall. Pushing away from the wall, Brune rushed to the edge of cell, careful to stop several feet from the force field keeping her locked in. Her heart beat fast. Maybe he had good news.
Farouk ambled over to the shimmering force field and parked his cage. Wearing goggles to protect against her lethal Gorgon gaze, he scrambled out of his chair and held a bottle of what looked like swamp water swirling with tiny beads of light. “I have your curification,” he announced proudly. “And just in time. The lab tests show your monstramorphosis is doublefying.”
Brune’s throat went dry. “The mutation hasn’t stopped?”
“I’m sorry to say it has not.” He said the words, but he didn’t look sorry. His slanted eyes gleamed with excitement.
Brune waited for him to let her out. When he made no move to do so, she edged closer to the force field. “What are you waiting for? Hand it over.”
Farouk sat back down in his chair. “Not until we’ve had a confabulation.”
“About what?”
“As you know Kaliena is shutting down my connectifications with vast portionages of the Keep. This can only mean she’s prepurating an attack.”
“Yes, I know, but what does that have to do with me getting my cure?”
Farouk settled in his chair, reached for a small brush and smoothed the soft bristles over the white downy fur of his chest. Apparently he wished to torture her by dragging the conversation out.
She slowly sucked the air in between her clenched teeth in an attempt to control her impatience. “Stop dangling the carrot and tell me what you want.”
Farouk’s ears twitched with eagerness as he lifted his gaze. “You know what I want.”
Brune’s mind was a blank, but only for a moment. Red fire flickered in the pupils of his eyes. Something Farouk kept hidden, unless he was feeling especially enterprising. It was all she needed to see to know what he was thinking. “No. Absolutely not.”
He dropped his brush and stood without releasing her from his keen gaze. “It’s time.”
Dread iced through Brune’s chest. “You’re jumping the gun. Kaliena hasn’t shown her hand yet. There’s always the possibility she isn’t the threat we’ve been building her up to be.”
Farouk’s steady gaze burned into her. “She governated Jessie by using the Dragon Eye, which means she can also governate the Keep.”
“What you’re suggesting is a last resort.”
“It is the only resort.”
“How exactly?” Brune’s breathing grew ragged with tension, which set the snakes to hissing again. “By unleashing yet another monster into the Keep? No way. Just because you erased yourself from the records, does not mean I’ve forgotten what you really are under all that neatly manicured fur.”
Farouk wagged a finger at her. “But you’re the only one who knows about me, and you’re in no positionality to tell anyone. I diagnostificate you have between ten and twenty hours before the reptilian genes destructalize your human cells beyond restorstruction. Nothing will curify you after that happens.”
Brune’s snakes lashed out and struck the air “You’re actually holding my cure for ransom?”
“I like to think I’m using it as a motivcentive. Think of the gambletunities a cure will give you. Once you’re restructified, you can be Fate’s proxy. After she leaves and takes the others with her, it’ll be just the two of us again. The way it should be.” His eyes blazed a deep red as he leaned forward. “You know as well as I do that Fate isn’t preperated to handle this forthproaching war. I’m the only one who can stop Kaliena. And you’re the only one who knows how to find the key to open my cage.”
Brune glared at him in horror. While it was true they needed a force powerful enough to lay waste t
o Kaliena, how could she unleash an evil whose appetite for mischief, madness and carnage could destroy everything she held dear? Farouk had been caged for thousands of years for good reason. He may be wise and helpful, but only because the magically infused technology wired into his cage forced him to be. If she unlocked the door to his cage, she would be releasing a nightmare.
She wished she’d never stumbled upon the truth all those years ago. At least then, she wouldn’t be faced with such a terrible choice. How could she in good conscience, possibly agree to his demand?
Yet her eyes fell to the bottle sitting at Farouk’s feet and her longing to be normal and take back her position as Keep Guardian stretched her sense of right and wrong to the breaking point.
Farouk’s gaze slid to the potion. Using his tail to lift it, he dangled the glass bottle beyond the bars of his cage. “Decide now, or I drop it.” He let his grip slip along the neck of the bottle.
“Stop,” she gasped. “I’ll do it.”
To Be Continued In
FATE’S WAR
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About the Author
Bestselling author T. Rae Mitchell is an incurable fantasy junkie who spent much of her youth dreaming up worlds and bringing characters to life–like the mysterious Mr. Nobody who left encouraging notes under the pillows of her younger sisters. While most kids grow out of such things, T. Rae didn’t and she sometimes took playing make-believe a bit far. Like the time a wizard hid a bottle of dragon beans in the back yard and left her son convinced he could grow his own dragons. Needless to say, the beans failed to produce and disappointments were had. That’s when T. Rae decided to funnel her crazy imagination into writing. She has since begun her young adult series, Fate’s Fables, Book One of Fate’s Journey, which can be found on numerous Amazon Top 100 Best Seller lists, such as Coming of Age Fantasy and Fairy Tales & Folklore.
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