by Ivy Clyde
“I am not unaffected,” I shouted. “I am bleeding too.”
Rowan shook his head at me imperceptibly. “Let me take you home, Deirdre,” he said in a soothing voice. “We will find someone to heal you.”
“I am telling my father what she did to me,” screamed Deirdre. “There is no way I’d let her go for this. She will die in the most horrific way possible. You’ll be my witness, won’t you, My Prince?”
“You need the attention of a healer,” said Rowan. He lifted her up in his arms. The sight seemed to sear itself in my brain. Rage pulsed through me and the urge to burn both of them nearly overwhelmed me.
Rowan turned around and hurried away with the moaning, screaming Deirdre in his arms. I was left to look after them with the knife still clutched in my fingers.
Deirdre attacked me with the same knife but other than making me bleed, it did nothing. Why was she burned with the slightest cut from it? And why was she making a big deal about the knife being made of stainless steel? Weren’t most knives made of them?
Throwing away the dagger, I walked toward the dorm building. The pain from the wound in my arm was starting to grow in intensity. Even my sleeve was damp from the blood flow. There was a stabbing pain in my heart too as I recalled Rowan’s worry for Deirdre. He’d probably interfered because he was afraid I would turn his precious Deirdre into a burnt toast if she kept attacking me.
Tears streamed down my cheeks but I brushed them away. Why was I crying like an idiot? Rowan made it clear from the beginning he didn’t want anything to do with me. Why did it still hurt like he’d betrayed me somehow?
I walked through the dark grounds and reached the dorm building. The pulse of my magic in my veins was steady. There didn’t seem to be any signs of any danger around me.
Reaching my room on the second floor, I headed into the small bathroom. Under the bright lights there, I inspected the cut Deirdre gave me. The blade had been sharp enough to slash through my sleeve and leave a deep graze there. Blood still gently dripped from the wound, making me feel light-headed. At the heel of the sensation, came dark memories of the past where I’d loved this feeling of blood loss…
I hurriedly grabbed a towel and pressed it to the wound. My gaze fell on the mirror before me and I realized how pale my complexion was. My skin hadn’t looked this clammy since the night my powers burst out of me.
I took several deep breaths and walked out of the bathroom. My hand held the towel to the bleeding gash tightly. There was no way I’d let myself succumb to the memories of those dark days. Suddenly, I missed my old neighbor and wished I could see the strict old woman again. I was sure she would have some advice for me regarding the cruel princes who were playing with my heart.
For the first time since I arrived here, I felt the urge to go back to the city of Lost Sanctum, a place where the laws were the same for everyone. It was unbelievable how I could miss the town where I grew up to be so miserable.
A deep sigh escaped me as I sat down on a chair and looked out at the dark night sky. Dawn was still hours away. Cradling my arm in my lap, I leaned my head against the wall and closed my eyes.
14
Rowan
Anxiety weighed heavy in my gut as I rushed Deirdre into a carriage and placed her into a seat and sat beside her. Her constant moans of pain were punctuated by curses directed at Moira.
“Hold my hand, My Prince,” said Deirdre. Before I could even consider her request, she grabbed my hand and leaned against my shoulder. I sighed internally. Even when she was in pain, Deirdre was determined to milk the situation for all it was worth.
I wanted to throw her off me but controlled my urges. She was the daughter of Lord Coran, one of the most powerful nobles in the kingdom of Aelia. He still hadn’t chosen a side between me and Cade, so it was important to stay on good terms with him.
“Will you kill her for me?” asked Deirdre. “Will you avenge me?”
“Don’t think about that now,” I told her as the carriage flew down the empty street. She was the one who was at fault for attacking Moira. It was her luck Moira didn’t unleash her full powers on her and merely scratched her face with the blade.
Deirdre continued to use my shoulder as a pillow and pressed up against me. I ignored her, thinking about the best way to protect Moira from her wrath. The burn mark from the steel knife would stay on Deirdre’s face for weeks. While the fae could heal from wounds much quicker than humans, they were vulnerable to any injuries caused by iron or steel. I couldn’t help wondering why Moira wasn’t as badly affected as Deirdre when she took a worse hit than her.
The sight of Moira’s darkening sleeve rose up in my mind. Not knowing how she was holding up on her own, my anxiety deepened. I wanted to be with her but it was important I settled matters with both Deirdre and her father. They were both vengeful and powerful and could easily hurt her.
“Hurry up!” I commanded the driver in a deep voice.
The carriage flew at a higher speed toward Lord Coran’s castle.
“Do I disgust you, My Prince?” asked Deirdre with a pitiful moan.
“No.”
“Then, why won’t you look at me?”
I stared down at her. The skin around the thin slash had turned black. It marred her beauty but that wasn’t the reason I abhorred Deirdre. She was one of the cruelest girls at Belenus Court who loved torturing the weak and vulnerable. Cade let her stay at his side, thinking it would put him in Coran’s good books. His support further made her think she was invincible.
“You think I’m into Prince Cade, don’t you?” she asked.
“You are his friend,” I said.
“I am but only because I needed a way to get close to you, My Prince.” She pretended to blush as she coyly lowered her head. My patience felt stretched thin. Only someone as self-assured as her could dare to behave this way toward me. Unlike my brother Cade, I wasn’t outgoing or vivacious. My cold silence deterred most people from approaching me. Only Deirdre had the audacity to flirt with me in such a situation.
The carriage seemed to be slowing down, saving me from having to reply to her. Turning toward the window, I saw we were outside Lord Coran’s castle. Burning torches lined the walls of the outer courtyard. Two guards approached just as the coach came to a stop before the gates.
“It’s Prince Rowan and Lady Deirdre,” said the servant from the front. “Alert the household. The mistress is injured and needs immediate aid.”
With a bow, the guards ran away.
“Will you stay with me?” asked Deirdre in a soft, pained voice.
“You need a healer right away,” I said.
“But I need you, My Prince.” She slumped against my shoulder once again.
“You can’t tell anyone about what happened today,” I told her.
She looked up at me and frowned. “Why?” Her gaze narrowed at me suspiciously. “Why do you want to protect that nobody? Do you really feel some kind of responsibility toward her?”
“Of course, not,” I lied. “In fact, I believe you.”
“Believe me?”
“I believe she is using some kind of trick too,” I said. “But we need more time to attain proper proof. It would increase my credibility in the court if I could prove it on my own. Something like this would bring me more praise. If you really like me more than Cade, then let me use this opportunity to win this.”
Deirdre’s expression changed immediately.
“You’re asking for my support?” She laid a hand on my chest as she stared up at me.
“Yes,” I forced myself to mutter.
She smiled and then gasped out, clutching at her cheek. Her eyes watered from the burning pain. “Then, I will support you, My Prince,” she said after a while. “Just make sure you pay me more attention from now onward.”
Even now, she was bargaining with me. Deirdre didn’t really care for me but for her own reputation. Getting attention from both the eldest and second princes would only increase her popularity
in the royal court. Lord Coran had to be proud of his daughter. He’d raised her to be just as ruthless as him.
The sound of people’s shouts reached inside the carriage. Glancing through the small window, I saw a group of maids hurrying toward us with lit torches and lanterns.
“What will you tell your father?” I asked.
“I will tell him it was an assassin who attacked me but that you were there to save me,” said Deirdre. “Sadly, the person who tried to kill me fled.”
I gave a nod. It was a good enough lie.
“I shall leave you in their hands now,” I said. “Take good care of yourself, My Lady.”
She reached out and grabbed my arm. “You must come to visit me.” Her eyes were filled with warning as she stared up at me.
“I will,” I said.
She relaxed.
The servants arrived and started making a fuss. I instructed them to forget about etiquette and to help their mistress first. The noise and chaos would soon wake Lord Coran and the rest of his household. I didn’t want to be around for his interrogations, so I rejected the housekeeper’s invitation to go in for a cup of wine.
Turning toward my servant, I commanded him to take me back to Belenus Court.
Away from the conniving Deirdre, I was able to relax on the way back. Deirdre would be able to manage her father and his concerns. Her injury would also keep her housebound for at least a month, giving me ample time to figure out a way to get Moira away from Belenus Court.
When the carriage dropped me inside the grounds of the Court’s castle, I hurried to my own chambers first. Moira could do with a bottle of goldflower wine as well as some healing ointments.
Reaching my quarters, I bundled everything inside a tablecloth and ran out of my room.
I rushed toward Moira’s room. My heart thudded in my chest, both from running as well as the anticipation of being close to her again.
I rapped my knuckles on her door. The sound wasn’t too loud since I didn’t want to wake anyone else. It took another minute of knocking until I heard the knob turning on the other side.
The door opened and I found myself looking at Moira. She looked terribly exhausted but surprise flitted through her sky-blue eyes when her gaze met mine.
“Why are you here?” she asked. I went to enter the room but she blocked my way. “What do you want?”
“I brought medicine.” Slamming a hand on the door, I pushed it hard. The move made her jolt and stumble backward. I didn’t want to startle her but there was no way I was letting her make a fuss with me standing at her door.
Moira closed the door after me and turned to look at me. I felt a stabbing pain in my heart when I noticed how vulnerable she looked at the moment. Her bottom lip was trembling as she struggled not to cry. She cradled her injured arm against her chest. The white towel she held to it was already stained a dark crimson.
Turning away from her, I walked toward the table in the corner and opened the bundle. “Come here,” I called. She hesitated at first but obeyed and moved to stand behind me. Taking a glass vial of an antiseptic potion, I moved close to her and gently made her take the towel away from her arm.
I frowned at the deep, bloody gash on her forearm. Deirdre had been vicious when she attacked her.
“This will sting a bit but it will prevent any infections,” I said in a grim tone. My hold on her injured arm was gentle as I poured the potion on the cut drop-by-drop. She hissed from the pain but didn’t cry or pull her hand away. “You’re really brave.” I couldn’t help complimenting her patience and ability to bear pain.
Moira froze at those words and stared closely at me. I picked up the healing ointment and gently smeared the herbal cream over the cut. Once I was satisfied the wound had stopped bleeding through the paste, I lowered her arm.
“Does it feel better?” I asked, finally looking at her.
“Yeah…thanks.”
I took the bottle of goldflower wine and uncorked it. “Drink this,” I said, giving her the bottle.
She hesitated for a few seconds but then grabbed it from my hands. Tipping the bottle up, she drank deeply. When she was done, she fixed me with a strange look. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she asked, “What’s the deal with you?”
“What do you mean?”
“I thought you were siding with the bitch who attacked me first.”
“I had to or she would have sent soldiers to arrest you.” Gesturing toward the bed, I added, “Go sit down and I’ll explain.”
She obeyed me but still continued to look like she didn’t trust me. “Deirdre is Lord Coran’s daughter. You probably don’t know these things yet but Coran is a powerful noble at the royal court. He would retaliate blindly and viciously to punish the person who caused his beloved daughter such harm. So, I had to pretend to side with her to settle the matter.”
“You were trying to help me?” The desperation in her eyes made me feel guilty again. She was so alone and helpless, it made my protective instincts rise to the surface.
“I was,” I said, struggling against the urge to hug and comfort her.
“Why did her face burn like that?” she asked.
“The touch of iron and steel does that to us. It is lethal to the lower fae and can be harmful to elves like us.” Her question made me glance at the ointment-covered wound on her arm. The injury looked like it was done by a regular blade. “It is strange you weren’t affected by it the same way as Deirdre.” She stayed quiet while my mind tried to figure out the mystery behind it. “You were inside the womb of a human,” I said slowly as a thought occurred to me. “Their blood is steeped in iron. Is it possible you developed some kind of immunity while you grew inside her?”
A soft chuckle escaped her. “You’re saying I was this amazing even before I was born?”
Her attempt at humor relaxed me a little. “It explains why you weren’t burned by the blade like Deirdre.”
“She wanted to kill me.”
I stayed quiet, knowing Moira was probably right about Deirdre’s intent.
“But why?” she asked in a pain-filled whisper. “I haven’t done anything to her. I even stay away from her and Cade. What reason could she have to kill me?”
“Your existence threatens some of these girls’ futures. They all want to be married to one of my brothers so they can enter the royal palace. These women from noble families don’t tolerate anyone who stands in their way.”
“The three princes already rejected me,” she said. “Shouldn’t that clear up the matter that I am unwanted?”
“They always want to be certain,” I said, knowing how the minds of these courtiers worked.
“Why are you here?” she asked, meeting my gaze. “You said you didn’t want to associate with me. Then, why help me and bring me medicine? Wouldn’t it be best if Deirdre and the rest got rid of me for you?”
Regret washed over me. I’d been successful in making her think I didn’t want her. She didn’t trust my intentions toward her anymore. My every action caused her doubt. My hands balled into fists to stop myself from blurting out the truth that was on the tip of my tongue.
“I want to be a just ruler when I am king,” I said instead. “Deirdre unfairly attacked and injured you. Unlike my father, I didn’t want to let a nobleman’s daughter pressure me into siding with her.”
Moira gave a nod and looked down at her knees. My heart pounded in my chest as I stared at the woman who was stealing my heart at that very moment. She sat far from me, didn’t even touch me sensuously. Heck! She wouldn’t even spare me a saucy glance and yet, both my body and mind were being enraptured by her.
Goddess, help me, I prayed as I crossed the distance between us and threw my arms around her. A surprised gasp escaped her as I pulled her against my chest. Raising my head, I looked down into her wide, blue eyes. Next moment, I mashed my mouth against hers.
Moira was so surprised, she didn’t even have the opportunity to protest or throw me off. My tongue pushe
d through her parted lips, tasting the sweetness of her mouth. A moment later, she relaxed in my embrace and closed her eyes, letting me have my way with her.
I moaned against the taste of sweet cherries that seemed to linger on her breath. Her luscious lips moved against mine but I wanted more. Capturing her bottom lip between my teeth, I pulled and sucked at the plump, sugary flesh. In the past, I’d kissed plenty of women, both younger and older than me, but they never tasted as exquisite or addicting as her. I drank from her to my heart’s desire but my hunger couldn’t be satiated.
“Ow!” she muttered as I ended up sinking my teeth into her bottom lip.
She looked at me accusingly and tried to move away but I held on to her tight. However, it proved to be a wrong move. Fear descended into those beautiful eyes and she froze in my embrace.
“Do you want me to stop?” I asked.
She gave a nod. “Please.”
I loosened my hold on her and watched her struggle to calm her suddenly erratic breathing.
“What scared you?” I asked, desperate to know why she was excited one moment and scared the next.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I am not really used to people touching me so intimately. Sometimes, it reminds me of past memories.” She hesitated, falling silent.
“What kind of memories?” I pressed.
“Every time I got my period, I got attacked by men,” she whispered, her eyes filling up with tears. “They would try to get intimate with me and every time I protested, they would hurt me. Back then, I had no idea what drew them to me or made them act that way. Those traumatic incidents are hard to forget.”
My hand captured hers and I gave it a gentle squeeze. “I am so sorry about the things you had to go through on your own.” I wrapped an arm around her shoulder, holding her close to me. “Is this okay?” I asked, wanting to make sure she felt safe with me.
“Yeah,” she said, leaning against me.
“Will you tell me how you got the scars?”
“I did it to myself to drown out the pain,” she said in a tear-choked voice.
