by Bonnie Lamer
Chapter 24
“Rise and shine,” Tabitha says loudly. I would attempt to ignore her but Xandra sits up and stretches. In the low cut, black silk negligee I dressed her in last night. She almost falls out of it. Perhaps it will go unnoticed.
Nope. Tabitha narrows her eyes at me. “Apparently, Xandra needs a new tailor. Your services will no longer be required.”
I believe it is time for a quick retreat. I stand up and walk a wide arc around Tabitha. “I will make sure that everyone is ready.” I am already out the door when I finish my sentence.
I find everyone else in the living room looking morose. Am I the only one hungry for breakfast? Flopping down on one of the sofas, I try lightening the mood by saying, “You are all looking way too cheerful this morning. Will you please tone it down a bit?” I receive several dirty looks. I guess I should leave the humor to Kegan. Picking up a couple of figurines on a side table, I begin to juggle with them to stem off some of the anxiety that is crawling up my spine now. Grandmother narrows her eyes but she does not tell me to stop.
I put the figurines back on the table when I hear Xandra coming. I stand up and turn in her direction. It is a good things I already put those items down because I surely would have dropped them now. Xandra is absolutely gorgeous. Scratch that, she is always gorgeous. At this moment, she has surpassed that description. Her face is framed by wisps of hair but the rest is pulled back, letting the beauty of her face shine. And the way she is dressed? I will never see another woman who looks better in a bra top and sarong. Everything else in the world has disappeared as I lose myself in her beauty. There is simply Xandra and me and the love and passion that we have for each other.
“If you are done ogling your betrothed, perhaps we can get on with this?” Grandmother says evenly bringing me crashing back to my surroundings.
I clear my throat in an attempt to push my hormones back down my throat. And away from other places. It does not help. “Of course,” I say and walk to Xandra. Taking her hand in mine, I lean down and whisper in her ear, “You take my breath away.”
“Thank you,” she says with a smile that further enhances her beauty. Oh, I am in so much trouble here. My soul would never be the same if anything happens to her today. Refusing to let that fear show on my face, I give her hand a squeeze and lead her out to the beach.
Once there, we assume our agreed upon places. Grandmother is standing close to Xandra hoping to mask the fact that it was Xandra that cast such a powerful spell. Dagda is on her other side for the same reason. Just as Dagda taught her in training, it is never a good idea to show all of your strength up front. Surprise is a powerful weapon.
“Are you ready to say the spell?” Grandmother asks her.
Xandra looks a bit uncertain. “Can I say no?”
“No.”
“Then I guess I’m ready.” I smile at her reluctance. I have no doubt that she will handle this with strength and courage.
Grandmother hands her the ancient grimoire and she begins to read. “As the wind blows south, east, north, and west, I call again my plea to the great mistress. During this, my hour of need, when malicious forces came to feed, you granted your power and wisdom, allowed in this realm a protective schism, between virtuous and baneful, well-being and peril. My sacrifice made, my blood paid, your eight legged creatures I had bound, the magic now to be unwound. Finding my heart to be just and pure, my safety you did help ensure. Please guide me now in tearing down this wall; the time has come to answer thy enemy’s call.”
It is apparent when the spiders answer the call of the spell. Shrieking as if the realm is being torn to shreds commences. I am somewhat disappointed in my fellow Fairies. No one on this side of the web shrieked like that. Except Rhiannon. Then again, we did have some idea of what to expect. Regardless, I grin at their reaction.
It does not take long for the top of the web to open as the spiders return to recycle the web by eating it. The first rays of sunshine pouring through are a little hard on the retinas. It was not dark under the web during daylight hours but it was not lighter than an early twilight, either.
The wall comes down a lot faster than it went up. I doubted Grandmother when she said the process would only take about an hour. Yet, after forty-five minutes the faces of the rebellion are already staring back at us. Mostly in shock and awe. There is quite a bit of magic pulled on that side of the web but no one seems to want to use any of it against the spiders. I believe that at this time it is pulled simply in case self-defense becomes an issue. It is not until the last spider has disappeared into the sand or the woods that anger ebbs their fear aside.
Now I can clearly see the Fairy who has spent years attempting to make me miserable. Seeing her face this close makes me want the spiders to return. I find their company more enjoyable.
“Kallen,” she says in that voice that she believes is sexy but it only serves to put pictures of injured Tasmanian devils in my mind. “I am so happy you chose to do what is best for our kingdom.” Turning to Dagda, she says, “Oh, Dagda, whatever are we going to do with you? You and I have had our fun, but now, I am afraid I just do not need you anymore.”
She cannot possibly be implying that she and Dagda had an affair. Granted, my aunt did leave him when she could no longer bear his dark moods, but that still does not make him free to have an affair. That would make him the realm’s largest hypocrite. I am relieved when he says, “I am afraid you are giving the wrong impression of our relationship. I was your mentor, nothing more.” I believe him but I can tell that Xandra does not.
Grandmother nudges Xandra so she stops looking at Dagda with disgust all over her face. That slight movement draws Xenia’s attention to her. “I cannot believe, Dagda, that you have been trapped in a house for two days and have not found the opportunity to kill your little mutt. Another weakness on your part. One that we will take care of shortly. We will also find your wife, though you did hide her very well, I will admit.”
Xandra starts pulling magic so Grandmother and Dagda do as well. I can feel Xandra struggling for control but she is doing okay so far. Xenia is not going to goad her into showing her strength quite yet.
Xenia has a malicious smile on her face. The only part of it that reaches her eyes is the malicious part. “Tsk, tsk, you two. You may be strong, but we outnumber you greatly.”
She takes a couple of steps forward to get a better look at Xandra. Just as we knew she would. Her overconfidence will be her doom.
Xenia looks Xandra up and down and her face scrunches up into a most unattractive expression. I am not sure what she is trying to convey. “Kallen, I can see that she is reasonably pretty, but you cannot be serious. You were going to stay in the Cowan realm for this scrawny thing? I am sure at this point you are ready for a woman in your life.” She turns her eyes to me and there is no guessing now what is on her mind. It is a good thing I did not eat breakfast this morning. I may have tasted it twice. “Fortunately for you, you already have a wife who will take care of any needs you may have.” That brings bile to the back of my throat. It does not seem to make Xandra happy, either.
Regardless, Xandra sticks to the plan. While Xenia is engaging me, Xandra sends her magic out over the crowd and uses it to immobilize several Fairies in the back. With all the magic present on the other side, no one notices a thing.
Xenia moves towards me and I find that I am now the one having trouble keeping my magic at bay. I would love nothing more than to send her flying into the ocean. “You are quiet this morning, my love. Would it help if I told you that I will make your little Witch Fairy’s death quick and mostly painless?”
My rage is almost beyond control. Xenia takes a step back as I say, “You will not harm the woman I love.” I have veered from the plan but my anger does not care.
“Love?” Xenia scoffs. “What a ridiculous notion. We do not need love. We have power. That is infinitesimally more useful than love. We also have attraction. That will get us by just fine.” She must believe
there is enough attraction on her side to make that true because there is none on mine. I cannot respond to her insane ideas because I need all of my internal resources to keep my magic in check.
Which pisses her off even more. Her jaw tightens as she waits just a little too long for a response. Xandra uses the uncomfortable distraction to incapacitate more of the crowd.
Finally, Xenia gets a creepy smile on her face and says, “You know, Kallen. If you would like our reign to be platonic, I can always keep your cousin in my room for my entertainment. His Cowan blood makes him useless for anything else than a toy.”
Kegan must not have eaten breakfast either. If he had, it would be all over the sand if the green hue of his face is an indication of his gastrointestinal discomfort. “I would prefer that you kill me.”
Xenia reacts with her magic. Once again, my cousin has managed to use his mouth to his detriment. Instantly, he is on the ground writhing in pain. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Dagda and Grandmother restrain Xandra. I hear Grandmother say quietly, “He is strong.”
We may be attempting to keep Xandra’s strength under wraps but not mine. I will not stand by and allow her to hurt Kegan. I am the only one that gets to intentionally cause him physical pain. My magic rushes towards him and I begin to push Xenia’s magic out of him. The meeting of our magic is not comfortable for Kegan, but the relief on his face tells me that he does not care. It only takes a moment to prove I have the stronger magic.
Xenia smiles at me. “I love it when you show your strength.” My god, she is practically drooling. I will never get that disgusting image out of my head now.
I have to turn away from her before my tongue is overcome with horror. My response would be graphically specific about what I find unappealing about…all of her. My eyes find Xandra’s and Xenia’s image in my mind is found to be fleeting rather than permanent.
Xenia seems to have figured that out as well. She stomps through the sand until she is in front of Xandra. “I understand that Maurelle and Olwyn were but putty in your hands. You will not find me as pliable. I am a full-blooded Pooka warrior, I am not tainted.”
Xandra’s knack for verbalizing all of her thoughts strikes again. “Not tainted, just insane,” she says.
Those are the words that make Xenia snap. Her magic attacks Xandra and I attempt to send telepathic messages to Xandra reminding her of how she is supposed to react. Much to my surprise, that is exactly how she reacts. She pretends to be bowled over by Xenia’s magic even though I can tell that it has barely registered on her pain scale. We should have had her practice her acting, though. She does a terrible ‘I am in pain, help me’ act. To my relief, Xenia does not seem to notice it is fake. She is stands above Xandra with a sadistic expression.
“Xenia, let her go,” I demand. I think it sounded pretty convincing.
“So that you can pine for her the rest of your days? Definitely not.”
When Xandra fell to the ground, she sent some magic towards the house. She really is sticking to the plan. It is only a moment before Rhiannon comes running out of the house to help provide a distraction while the rest of the plan falls into place.
“Xenia, stop, she is the Witch Fairy!” Rhiannon shouts as she tears down the terrace steps towards her sister.
I believe Xenia is attempting to bore a hole through Rhiannon with her eyes. “Thank you, what timely information you have brought me.” Her anger has found a new target for the moment. “I am disappointed Rhiannon that you let yourself be captured. I trusted you with one small task and you failed miserably. It must be the Cowan blood from Mother’s illicit, and poorly covered up affair that everyone knows you carry.”
Rhiannon looks like she’s been stricken. Not only did her sister confirm the rumors, she humiliated her in front of the most powerful Fairies in the realm. “That is not true!” Rhiannon shouts but the truth is in her eyes.
Xenia looks at her with something closely resembling pity. “Poor sister, you know what I say is true. But, perhaps you can redeem yourself. I may still show pity when I scourge this realm of any trace of Cowan blood. What have you learned about the Witch Fairy that I would be interested in knowing?”
Rhiannon looks from her sister, who she is just learning despises her for her tainted blood line, and Xandra. I can see in her eyes that she knows Xandra is faking the pain. Her expression becomes calculating as she turns to survey the crowd behind Xenia. For her, this comes down to self-interest. She makes the right choice. Turning to Xenia, she says, “I have learned that all of the stories of her greatness are untrue. She has trouble performing even the most basic magic. She cannot even dress herself. Nor can she fight like a warrior.” Xandra takes some offense to that but Rhiannon is simply telling the truth. Though the truth is misleading in this case. “I have watched her these past days. She is a mockery. The Witch blood in her has left her weaker than even the twice tainted Fairy.”
She certainly knows how to lay it on thick. She is even able to beam with pride as her sister looks her over with a newly found respect. Maybe not respect. Maybe it is more like less distaste. “Thank you Rhiannon for confirming my suspicions.”
Xenia turns back to Xandra and shoves more magic inside of her. With obvious reluctance, Xandra pretends to writhe in the sand. She sort of looks like a seal doing tricks for a fish. I believe I will keep that observation to myself, though.
“Look at her, Kallen. There was a day not so long ago that you would not look twice at a Fairy with nothing less than full-blooded status. Now, you expect me to believe that you would prefer to be with this mutt that is powerless under my superior magic?”
A statement she will soon learn is not the truth. Even if it were, my answer would still be the same. “Yes.”
Chapter 25
Something closely resembling a growl escapes from her throat. “Then, I will take care of her right now.”
Xandra actually looks relieved when Xenia pushes even more magic at her. Capturing all of Xenia’s magic within her own, Xandra stands up. She must have gotten some sand in some uncomfortable places because she is doing a little sand in my underwear dance for a moment. I would love to help her with that. Kegan snickers behind her but she ignores him.
Xenia’s mouth is trying hard to stay closed. Her eyes swing from Xandra, to me, and back again. “Kallen, you dare do this when I have the backing of these powerful Pooka warriors?”
Xandra scowls as she turns to me. “Why is it that people are always assuming that you’re the one performing my magic?”
I shrug and grin. “You have not had the opportunity to build the reputation I have.”
She nods at my reasonable explanation. That is about to change. To Xenia, she says, “As much fun as it was to pretend that your magic is anything more than a blip on my radar, everything has to come to an end. Right?”
Xenia stands taller. “If this is the game you want to play, fine. Raphello, bring the twice tainted mutt’s mother. I will show how serious I am about ridding us of Cowans.”
After a couple of seconds of no response, Xenia turns around. Unfortunately for her, it is not the most powerful Pooka Fairies in the realm she finds. It is the most powerful Sheehogue Fairies that I contacted last night. Then Grandmother established two-way communication and after hours of painful negotiations, sometimes literally, the Sheehogue Fairies agreed to make a stand. Their one stipulation was that it could not be in battle. They were not willing to shed blood to save another realm. That rubbed Xandra the wrong way but she agreed anyway.
Dagda has more than a healthy amount of amusement and pride in his eyes. “As you can see Xenia, my daughter is full of surprises. It would seem that your little rebellion has fizzled to a dull whisper.”
Dagda draws magic to fling at her when she quickly pulls a circle over her. Dagda swears because he does not know what else his beautiful daughter can do. Grandmother leans towards him. “Patience, Dagda. Trust your daughter.”
He watches in curiosity as Xandra walks
towards the magic circle. The circle that the rest of us cannot see. He looks confused when Xandra laughs and waves. Then his eyes become wide when Xandra walks through the wall of the circle and disappears.
After a couple of minutes of every Fairy on the beach staring in wonder at the spot where both Xandra and Xenia disappeared, the circle comes down. Murmurs spread amongst the Sheehogue. They know who made that circle fall. It was not Xenia. She is now writhing in pain in the sand. I definitely do not want to help her remove the sand from her body.
“Now, to get on with my spell,” Xandra says continuing a conversation they were having in the circle. She turns to give the Pooka Fairies who are bound and gagged on the sand a pointed look. “You may want to pay special attention to this. It could be you next.”
Xandra pulls back enough magic so that Xenia can push herself to a kneeling position. The hatred in her eyes is fierce but underneath, she knows that she is beaten. She starts to speak, but Xandra takes her voice away.
