I don’t know how you get yourself into these situations, Rand’s voice interrupted my appreciation of Odran’s taut backside.
I didn’t know what to think, so I didn’t think anything at all.
TWENTY THREE
I woke to the sound of someone tapping on the door. With a groan, I rolled over. “Yes, hello?” I managed in a voice two octaves deeper than normal.
“Lass, the king will see ye this mornin’,” a voice called out.
“Okay, I’ll just be a minute, thanks,” I croaked, wondering what the hell time it was. Leaning forward, I pushed the drape from the window and found it was early morning; the light still had a tinge of blue and hadn’t matured into the full yellow of midday. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, yawning. I’d slept pretty damn well. Luckily, Odran hadn’t tried to woo me into his bed after he’d retired the night before.
I dropped my feet to the floor, wanting nothing more than to crawl back into bed and close my eyes. Tossing the blankets aside, I was suddenly reminded I was naked. As soon as I’d been ready to go to sleep last night, my clothes had disappeared—melted off me into nothing.
I stood up, wondering if fairy magic would automatically clothe me again and what-do-you-know, it did. I found myself dressed in a butter yellow gown made of something like chiffon. The lace sleeves were long, the bust low cut and the waist still empire. Hmm, so I was dressed more formally today. Maybe because we had business to discuss with the king?
I took a few steps and faced a full-length mirror. Not bad. My hair hung freely about my shoulders in blonde ringlets and my face didn’t have any of the bloating it normally did upon waking. You know how you get that sleep-swollen eye thing and basically look like a pimple? Yeah, no pimple here.
Without a toothbrush to speak of, I imagined rinsing with Listerine and could taste the stingy aftertaste of acerbic mint.
I opened my door and narrowed my eyes as a burst of dawn broke through the trees, its rays dancing on my face. The scent of dew and early morning was thick in the air. Shielding my eyes, I noticed the village was very much awake. An old man yelled at a cow, hundreds of pixies busied themselves with the gardens, pruning leaves and watering, and two young boys whitewashed the walls of a cottage across the way from mine.
“Mornin’, miss.” The little red-headed boy from last night skipped by and gave me a big smile.
“Good morning,” I said to his retreating back.
I couldn’t help the river of nerves flowing through me. Today was a very important day—really the course of our potential success in warring with Bella depended on it. And how was I going to somehow convince Odran he needed to join us? I had no freaking idea. It probably hadn’t helped things that I hadn’t accepted his offer last night. Not that I regretted it. But, still, it probably hadn’t helped.
“This way, lass.” The same little man who’d led us to the table last evening suddenly appeared in front of me as if the air had choked on him and spit him out.
Taking my hand, he led me away from the cottages, down a grassy knoll that overlooked a valley of pine trees. I found Odran sitting on a blanket that was bedecked with blue and purple tulips and daffodils, fruits of every sort, breads, and puddings. Unlike last night, I didn’t await the king—he awaited me. He sat rod straight, his eyes fixated on me as I made my way toward him.
“Good morning, Your Highness,” I said but skipped the curtsey this time. Hell, I still didn’t know if Your Highness was even the right appellation. This royalty stuff was getting really old.
He stood. He was wearing a kilt but this one was of a different plaid, the colors of the royal sort—purple and blue. Of course, he wasn’t wearing a shirt and of course, my eyes took in his chest with pleasure, heat spiraling through my stomach.
His face was stoic, his eyes revealing nothing. “Lass,” he said. His eyes fell to the man who’d led me to him. Odran nodded and the man left with a little hop.
“Where are my friends?” I asked, suddenly feeling ill at ease.
Odran sighed and my nervousness turned to anxiety. “I wanted only ta meet with ye, lass.”
I nodded and refused to start freaking out … yet. So he just wanted to meet with me. That was still in the realm of normal. I mean, he did seem to have some sort of connection with me, based on last night anyway. Okay, granted the mead had been tainted but even without that, I’d say there was something between us.
“Okay,” I said, my voice sounding none too sure. “I imagine you know of Bella’s plans?” I figured I might as well jump right into it.
“Aye, lass, aye,” Odran said and reached for my hand. “Sit.”
I quickly took a seat on the edge of the blanket, wrapping my arms around my legs. Odran sat beside me. Stretching his long legs out before him and crossing them at the ankles, he leaned back against his elbows and exhaled.
“Are you going to answer my questions now?” I asked, not sure what his plan was but not wanting him to sidestep mine.
He turned to me and a smile brightened his entire face. It was so disarming, I nearly dropped my defenses. But I knew better. Odran couldn’t be trusted.
“Aye, lass, but furst let us break our fast.” He lifted a bunch of red grapes and pulled against the vine in a tug of war. It was like I was having breakfast with Bacchus or something. Once he freed the grape from the vine, he held it up to my mouth.
“I prefer to feed myself, thanks,” I said and took the grape between my fingers. I dropped it into my mouth and the flavor burst into tiny drops of delight on my tongue. It was the sweetest grape I’d ever tasted and my stomach groaned with hunger. Odran eyed it with quirked brow and the flush of embarrassment claimed my cheeks.
“Lass, afore we discuss yer reasons fer being here, cannae we discuss jist one other thing?” Odran asked.
I nodded. “As long as we can talk about you joining Rand and me, yes.”
“I doona need yer answer right away, lass, boot I want ye ta consider livin’ with me.”
I choked on nothing. “What?”
“Not here, ah course,” Odran continued, completely ignoring my outburst. “Ma village is mooch larger an’ more … coomfortable than this one, lass. Ye wouldna be unhappy there. Ye wouldna want fer anything.”
Then it occurred to me—why would Odran want me to live with him? It wasn’t my pretty face, and it wasn’t my witty conversation. He wanted me for my talent. As usual, the creatures of the Underworld were always looking out for themselves.
“Why?”
“I find maself taken with ye, lass.”
What a load of … “Taken with me?”
“Aye, lass, yer fair face an’ amicable company …”
“That’s the biggest load of crap I’ve heard in a long time,” I snapped. Odran’s eyes widened in surprise. I guess he was used to women jumping at his blatant lies. Well, I was human and used to players. Hell, I’d dated one. “Why don’t you drop the act, Odran, and tell me what you really want from me.”
“Why, lass, ye doona do yerself justice.”
I shook my head. “Okay, granted, I know you want to have sex with me, but having sex with me and wanting me to join your village are two different things. You’re not smooth enough, Odran, I can read you like a book.”
He sighed. “I shoulda known ye wouldna be easy, lass.”
“Okay, so why don’t we try this again. Starting with the truth, this time.”
Odran nodded. “Very well. Ye have a unique ability. I want that ability. Ye would strengthen the fairy power, lass.” Then he smiled. “An, as ye say, I would like ta bed ye.”
Well, at least I was getting the truth now. But that didn’t change the fact that it pissed me off. “Well, regardless of what you would like, I’m not interested. Thanks all the same.”
Odran chuckled. “Think on it, lass. I know yer offended now, boot think on it. The fairy community is the oldest ah the creatures. We’ve the most power an’ we can offer ye safety.”
My eyes narrowed. “Spea
king of how powerful you are, let’s discuss why I came here in the first place. You are aware that Bella will consider you an enemy if you don’t join her?”
He sat up straight and grabbed another grape, rolling it around in his hand aimlessly. “Aye, Ah’m not worried ‘bout Bella, lass. She couldna defeat us.” He wound his elbow back and launched the grape into the air. We both watched as it hit the bark of a tree and disappeared into the undergrowth.
“Okay, well that’s fine and good but what about the other creatures of the Underworld? Half of them are against her and she’ll wipe them out.”
He faced me again and his eyes were sharp, predatorily so. “Aye, an’ she plans ta become queen herself.”
Wait, what? I wore my shock. “What are you talking about?”
Odran shook his head like I was stupid or something. Hmm, I could say that Scottish men didn’t hold quite the attraction for me that they had yesterday. “Doona ye think that Bella would’ve come here ta try ta get us on her side, lass?”
Well, crap and a half … no, I hadn’t considered that. “She did?”
“Aye, threatened us might be the better word. Her plan is ta become queen ah all creatures ah the Oonderworld.”
“And you as king?” I put the final puzzle piece in place.
“Aye, lass.” He picked up another grape and launched it again, this one missing the tree and disappearing into the pine needles.
“And? What was your response?” I demanded.
Odran chuckled. “Ma response, lass, was ah no. I doona need ta join with anyone, we’re powerful enough as it tis. We prefer ta keep ta ourselves. Let the other creatures war among themselves. If they kill each other, it matters noothing ta me.”
Okay, that didn’t sound good. And it surprised me. You’d think that creatures of the Underworld would have more of a care for one another, but the more I got to know them, the more I found that wasn’t the case.
“You don’t care if the other creatures destroy themselves? What of the Lurkers?”
“Lurkers?” he asked with a laugh, shaking his head. “We’ve never dealt with them, lass.”
“Okay, then what about the other creatures of the Underworld?” I repeated. “You don’t care what happens to them?”
“They matter noothing to us. They are the squabbles ah children.”
It was beginning to look like there was no light at the end of this tunnel. Frustration and fatigue beat down on me until my shoulders sagged. “So you won’t join us?”
Odran held my gaze, strong and relentless. “No, lass, I willna.”
“Because you don’t care what happens to us?”
He shook his head. “I doona care what happens ta the rest ah them. I care what happens ta ye.”
“Because you want to use me for your own needs,” I finished as any warmth I might have harbored for him dried up within me like water in the desert.
“Those are yer wards, lass, noot mine.”
“If I agreed to help you, would you consider it then?” I asked, my tone suddenly hopeful.
“I willna consider it at all, lass, it would mean the death ah many ah ma men. I doona think yer side is capable ah defeatin’ Bella. An’ puttin’ the lives ah ma men under yer lead … I willna think on it.”
“Rand is very powerful,” I said, my lips tight. “We also have one of the strongest vampires who has hundreds in his lead. And I thought you believed me to be powerful?”
“Rand was taught magic from the fairies, lass. Vampires are destroyed by the light ah the sun an’ ye, lass, ye are powerful boot not in fightin’. Ye are powerful in creatin’, not destroyin’.”
I stood up, furious. Furious with Odran, but more so with myself. How stupid I’d been to actually believe this asshole would help me. What a waste of time. And what would we do now? Fight Bella and die? Give in and join her?
“How can I prove to you that I’m powerful enough?”
Odran shook his head. “Ye couldna, lass.”
I wasn’t taking no for an answer. The futility of my situation echoed through me until I could feel it in every part of my being. Odran was our only chance to beat Bella. “There must be some way I could prove myself to you. You name it.”
He was quiet for a minute. “I would believe in ye if ye could defend yerself against ma best fairy … in magic.”
Well, crap, that sounded doable, didn’t it? It wasn’t like he was asking me to defeat someone, just defend myself. I’d think my magic had advanced enough that I could handle it. “Defend myself? Against magic?” I repeated.
“Ay, lass, then I would believe in yer magic. But tis silly discussin’ it. Ye couldna take on a master ah magic. It’d surely kill ye.”
I ignored him. In fact, I’m not even sure I really heard the “kill ye” part. My mind was completely stuck on the fact that I’d found a chink in Odran’s armor, a way to get him to join us. That was all that mattered. “Let’s just say, for the sake of argument, that I did take on your fairy and was able to defend myself from him. Would you join us then?”
Odran was quiet again. Finally, he nodded and my heart swelled. “Aye, lass, I would join ye if ye could defend yerself against ma fairy.”
I guess everyone did have his or her price. “Then I accept.”
Odran’s eyes grew wide. “Nay, lass, I thought ye were speakin’ in generalities. Tis too dangerous. Ye would be killed. I’ll not ‘ave that oon ma conscience.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Are you taking back your word, Odran? Does the word of a fairy mean nothing?”
His face colored and his jaw was tight. “I am no fibber.”
“Then it’s set.”
“Lass …”
“My mind is made up, Odran. ”
He stood up and towered over me. “Ye are too big fer yer britches,” he said in a thunderous voice. Color stole his cheeks and just as quickly, bleached away into golden skin. His lips relaxed into the slightest hint of a smile. He ran a finger down the side of my face. “Sooch courage.”
Well, courage or no courage, all I could do was hope and pray that I’d be able to defend myself against fairy magic. We needed Odran on our side, but I also wanted to live.
~
Twenty minutes later, I stood in what looked like a Roman amphitheatre—like the Coliseum. Only much smaller. Instead of holding fifty thousand spectators, this one could probably hold two hundred, maybe. I guess that included me and the fairy who was going to kill me.
The buzz of excitement filled the air. As soon as I walked into the arena, the crowd grew silent and as one, turned to watch me approach their king. I imagined there were fairies here from neighboring villages because the fairies in Glenmore alone never could’ve filled all the bleachers. Odran sat in his throne looking as stoic as a statue—staring straight ahead, his eyes focusing on nothing. I had yet to see Christa or Rand.
“Where are my friends?” I asked.
He dropped his gaze, but his mind was still elsewhere, his eyes just as vacant as they had been. “Comin’, lass.”
I nodded and glanced around, extremely uncomfortable with the fact that I’d have an audience. I’m not sure why, but it seemed like it made the task at hand that much more real. Or maybe I was just embarrassed with the idea of losing in front of two hundred people. Course, if I lost, I’d probably be dead, and it’s hard to be embarrassed when you’re dead.
“Lass, please reconsider this foolishness.”
I shook my head immediately. “If you won’t reconsider joining us, then I won’t reconsider taking on your fairy.”
I’d made up my mind. Well, really, it seemed the only way to get him to join us and when you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place … you get it. Maybe I was just being stupid, but defending myself didn’t sound like it would be too difficult. It wasn’t like hand to hand combat like it had been with Ryder. Yeah, piece of cake.
“What’s going on?” Rand demanded.
I turned to find anxiety written in his wide eyes and tight
lips. The little man who’d met me this morning had led Rand into the amphitheatre.
I started toward him. “It was the only way, Rand.”
“What was the only way?” He grabbed my shoulders, shaking me as if trying to get the words out faster than I could say them. “What the hell have you done?”
“She’s agreed ta defend herself against my best fairy,” Odran said.
Rand glanced up at him, fire spitting from his eyes. “No, your fairy will kill her.”
A surge of anger spiraled through me. Why did everyone doubt me? I wasn’t sure if my own sense of bravado was misplaced or stupid, but either way, it hurt to be constantly reminded that I wasn’t powerful enough merely to defend myself.
Odran nodded glumly. “Aye, Ah’ve told the lass boot she is determined.”
Rand faced me again. “Jolie, you will die, do you understand?”
“I just have to defend myself,” I repeated what I’d been telling myself over two hundred times already.
Rand shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. His strongest fairy could kill you without even trying.” He faced Odran again. “Call this off, Odran, Jolie won’t fight your fairy.”
Odran shook his head. “I cannae call it ooff, it tis doone.”
“Goddammit!” Rand yelled and then immediately fell silent, his eyes pensive. His jaw was so tight, it twitched. “Let me take her place.”
“Rand, no.” This was my fight. “I have to do this.”
Odran shook his head again. “I grow tired ah this argument. Either step aside or I’ll ‘ave ye restrained.”
Rand’s eyes were wild. “Jolie, run. Run as fast as you can.”
No sooner did he say it than two fairies grabbed his arms, pulling him away from me. Rand’s face was an angry mask, outrage etching his lips and eyes. He broadsided one fairy with a burst of magic but as soon as he did so, another four surrounded him, all of them livid. Tears blossomed in my eyes as I watched him struggle to free himself.
Fire Burn And Cauldron Bubble, A Paranormal Romance (Jolie Wilkins) Page 34
