Enchanted

by Judith Leger

  Caitlyn slowly shook her head. “No, not that I know of. The only e-l-f I’ve ever met is Shay. And I don’t really believe that he’s one.”

  “Perhaps. Shay has wondrous magic about him. He is a very talented e-l-f,” Myrielle said, then laughed. “Enough of your worrying. The boulder hit your vehicle because of the rain. Nothing more. Now rest. You will be very sore in the morning.”

  Caitlyn nodded and eased under the covers. Her eyes drifted closed, and once more, the idea that Rhys’s wife was as beautiful on the outside and as she was on the inside crossed her mind. And how much she resembled that woman on the unicorn of her dreams.

  * * * *

  Shay stood in the doorway and studied Myrielle as she watched her daughter sleep. His queen took a deep breath, then brushed strands of Caitlyn’s hair over the pillow. The daughter was so like the mother. This close, he saw the strong resemblance.

  Rhys passed him, placed a hand on Myrielle’s shoulder and squeezed. “Come, my love. Let her rest.”

  Myrielle raised her hand and covered Rhys’s. “You don’t know how hard it was for me last night to see her, yet not grasp and hold her to me. Of all the things I have desired in my existence, not one, save your love, could match how I desire to have her home. Safe. Alive.”

  Shay heard the tears in her voice. He lowered his head as the ever-present guilt gripped him. Damn Gwyneth. He wanted the witch dead. If he didn’t succeed, then in one more week, Caitlyn would die.

  Determined to beat Gwyneth at her own game, Shay silently vowed to catch her. Without a word to the royal couple, he slipped from the room.

  Chapter 27

  The fourth morning after arriving in Wales dawned with golden splendor. In the blue sitting room, Caitlyn reclined in a chair turned to the window overlooking the gardens. She ran a brush through her hair, admiring the rainbow colors painting the early morning sky. Birds and insects sang to greet the new day.

  Droopy-eyed, she smiled, pondering the peacefulness in Shay’s home. For two days after the accident, she’d lazed around in her room. The time to rejoin the world outside had arrived. Today, she’d get dressed and go see Shay. She missed him.

  It had been nice to have Grazelda and Myrielle to pamper her, but not anymore. She woke this morning feeling back to her old no-nonsense self.

  She had a job to do. Resting didn’t accomplish all she needed to do. She’d called Kramer the day after the accident and he assured her he understood. But how long would his patience hold out?

  A knock on her sitting room door. She frowned, curious about who was coming to her room so early. Glancing at the clock on the far side of the room, she wondered who was there at six o’clock. Way too early for someone to visit.

  She stood and walked to the door. The knob turned smoothly under her palm. Opening the wooden portal, she peeked out. A bright grin greeted her. Shocked to see Shay standing on the other side, she tugged the door wider.

  “What are you doing out of bed? You know what the doctor said,” she fussed, but Shay brushed past her. He stood in the center of the sitting room, gazing around.

  “Shay?”

  “Um?”

  “What are you–”

  “I’m better.” He rotated his arm in a wide circle. “See. Just a little twinge every now and then. How are you doing? I couldn’t stand it any longer. I had to check on you. Besides, I was wondering if we might start filming in the morning. We don’t have much time left, and I want it done.”

  Caitlyn stiffened. Trying to appear nonchalant, she hugged her robe closer. A few steps, and she reclaimed her chair. “Are you that anxious to get rid of me?”

  “What?”

  “There isn’t any reason for me to stay once the interview is over.” She cut a glance at him. A frown creased his brow.

  He tilted his head, and his amethyst gaze caught hers. “I don’t want you gone. I was thinking more on the lines that if we finish with the filming, you could relax the last few days. I want to show you some of the local sights. That’s all.”

  A warm glow lit within her heart. Her mouth twitched. “So you want to spend the last few days playing?”

  “Can you think of anything better?”

  She bit her bottom lip, trying to stop the smile from emerging. “No. But, I don’t think my boss would like that. He sent me here to do a job.”

  “And you’ll be doing it. Come on, you know you want to. Besides, it will add some flavor to your story.” His tone cajoled a smile from her.

  “I’m all for filming tomorrow. I have to think about what follows that,” she conceded.

  “Great. I have appointments set up for some people to come and fix you up. They’re a lot better than the ones your station allotted to do the job.” He strode to the window and sat on the sill. “They’ll do something pretty with your hair and clothes.”

  Heat rose to her face and she snapped, “What do you mean by fix me?”

  “I want to uncover your beauty.” By his excited expression, he was serious.

  Anger fueled by hurt forced her to speak. “So you don’t think I’m beautiful the way I am.”

  He stared at her, studying her. “I think you’re the most beautiful woman alive, but that’s beside the point. You don’t see yourself like I do. I want you to. And I want the whole world to see it too.” His soft words soothed her.

  “You sound like this is going to be a makeover. I’m not sure I want that. What’s wrong with me the way I am?” Heat crawled up her neck as she demanded.

  A lot of the people in her life had tried to do the same with her but she’d fought to keep her individuality. If Shay didn’t like the way she looked then he could go to hell.

  He stood, stretching out his hand to her. “Come here.”

  She eyed his hand for a second. With a huff, she placed hers in his and let him to lead her into the bedroom. He crossed the room to a stand-up mirror and pulled her in front of him.

  He studied her in the looking glass. “Look, Caitlyn. Look close. Tell me what you see.”

  It seemed useless to try and dissuade him, so she stared at her reflection. As usual, nothing spectacular appeared. This wasn’t the magic mirror he had hidden away in a storage barn, so she didn’t expect major changes.

  “I see me. Simple, plain, me.”

  “Open your eyes and look. You’re not seeing with your heart.” He squeezed her shoulders.

  Her gaze met his before she focused on her reflection once more. A minute ticked away. She shook her head.

  With a motion so fast she didn’t have time to blink, he shot a hand up and slipped her glasses off her face. She gasped and jerked around, glaring at the blur he’d become.

  “Give them back. I can’t see without them.”

  “I don’t think so.” With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the glasses to his right. They flew through the air and landed on top of the armoire on the other side of the room.

  The frames clanked against the wood and Caitlyn cried out, “What are you doing? They’re the only pair I have. Don’t you understand? I can’t see without them. I need them back.” Her voice rose with each word. Surprise and shock over his callous behavior coursed through her.

  He touched her shoulders and leaned down to gaze into her face. His warm touch moved over her shoulders and neck until they cupped her face. Passing his thumbs over her eyelids, he closed them. She wanted to shove him away, but found her body frozen. A faint sound came to her, and she tried to comprehend the words but couldn’t. All she heard was the breath leaving his body in almost silent words.

  After several moments, he removed his hands and stepped back. She refused to open her eyes. Gently, he turned her around, and moved her forward one step.

  His warm breath touched her skin as he murmured close to her ear, “Now look and tell me what you see.”

  She opened her eyes. Blurry images swayed back and forth then joined. Her reflection came into focus. The blood in her veins vibrated. This was impossible. She could see witho
ut the aid of her glasses. As far back as her memory allowed, she had needed glasses.

  “What did you do?” she whispered, disbelief emptying her mind of all other thoughts. Dampness coated her body. She felt lightheaded as darkness crept along the edges of her new-found sight.

  Shay placed his chin on her shoulder, and caught her gaze with his. “I just believed in magic. Why can’t you?”

  “This isn’t magic. I don’t know what this is.” She jerked away from him, fear biting at her. “This isn’t possible.”

  Panic increased, until she heard his order.

  “Caitlyn, be still.”

  She stopped instantly, her eyes drooping. Her chest heaved with slow breaths as her mind grew numb.

  Caitlyn woke with the sun’s rays caressing her skin. She smiled at the pleasurable heat. Sitting, she glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table. Ten o’clock. A chuckle escaped her. How wonderful had it been to sleep late. She glanced around the room. The many shades of blue seemed intense, brighter than she had ever seen. She reached for glasses where she’d placed them on the bedside table.

  They weren’t there. She scanned the room, searching, but didn’t see them anywhere. Now where had she placed them? Shrugging, she stood and headed for the bathroom. She didn’t need them.

  Halfway there, she stopped and frowned. Something wasn’t right. She eyed the full mirror in the corner of the bedroom. A fleeting memory passed through her mind. She stared at her reflection, her concern increasing. The tall shape of the armoire on the opposite side of the room caught her eye.

  She turned and studied the upright chest. What was it about the piece of furniture? Her gaze traveled from the base to the arch at the top. With her intuition guiding her, she dragged a chair to the armoire. She stepped on the seat and reached on top of the chest. Her hand fumbled and then stilled. She pulled away, gripping her dark rimmed glasses in her palm.

  She hadn’t dreamed what had happened. Shay had come into her room. He had touched her eyes and now she could see. What had he told her? Seeing with Tylwyth Teg vision. With a shake of her head, she tried to deny his comment. She wasn’t an elf.

  Spinning around, she jumped down from the chair. He’d asked her once if her ears were pointed. She had told him no. Her ears had a nice shell shape to them. If she saw with elf sight, then she would see points on her ears.

  Frightened, but determined, she marched to the looking glass and lifted her hair away from her ears. The curve of her ears angled up to a sharp tip. Her hands fell to her sides as her breath caught in her throat.

  With her eyes squeezed shut, she jerked away. She needed answers, and she needed them now. She grabbed jeans and a pullover sweater. Tennis shoes on her feet, she ran from the room.

  She had to find Shay. He would tell her the truth. He owed her that much.

  Her search took her all over the castle. No one had seen the illusionist. He wasn’t in his room. Jogging down the main hallway, she skidded to a stop in the sitting room at the back of the house. She would stay long enough to decide where to look next.

  Anger simmered below the surface. Shay Evers had some explaining to do. Right now. Glancing around the room, she shot a look out the windows. There in the distance, his dark head showed above the line of shrubs. He walked along the path leading toward the lake.

  She rushed to the French doors and threw them wide, leaving them open in her hurry. To hell with the mess. Shay Evers could stay up all night sweeping leaves for all she cared.

  Running, she kept her eyes trained on the back of his head. When he reached the crossroad in the trail, he glanced over his shoulder, and then swung off toward the woods. She wondered why he was acting so strange. He must know that once she woke up she would search for him.

  Caitlyn stopped to catch her breath. He was hiding something, and she intended to find out what. Not wanting him to see her, she trailed after him at a discrete distance. When he glanced once more toward the castle a moment before he disappeared into the dimness of the forest, she scrambled behind a bush. Once he turned away, she continued following him. He wouldn’t get away from her. She’d discover what game he played.

  She sprinted across the grass to where he’d entered the tree line. Noting how far ahead he was, she waited then continued shadowing him, keeping trees and undergrowth between them. After fifteen minutes, her newly rested muscles screamed for relief. The forest opened into a rolling meadow. Breathless, Caitlyn flattened her back against an oak tree. She peeked around the edge, searching for Shay.

  He sat atop a boulder several feet from her. She frowned. What he was doing just sitting there, staring at the scenery? She scrutinized the sloping surface of the meadow. Bit by slow, blurred bit, the forms of young men and women appeared. A lilting song reached her.

  Tightening her hands into fists to keep them from trembling, she watched as several youths danced while three played stringed instruments. They reminded her of the people she met in her dream. She shot a glance at Shay. No muscle moved, no sign revealed he witnessed the same scene.

  He pulled his knees up and rested his cheek on them. The expression of sadness on his face tightened her chest above where her heart beat. It reminded her of schoolmates from her childhood who had always watched from the sidelines, but had never joined in. Like her, they never fit into the group, were never accepted.

  She shook her head to rid herself of those ugly memories. Not wanting to believe what she saw was real, she decided to wait until he departed then corner him. He would tell her what was happening. She wouldn’t allow him not to. He owed her big time for all the tricks and illusions he’d played on her.

  Even though her eyesight was normal, she didn’t believe he’d touched her eyes and healed them. Something strange was happening here, with her and him. She wasn’t sure what, but this was real and though she dreaded admitting it, maybe, just maybe, magic was a little possible where he was concerned.

  He’d led her down a twisting path, but no more. She was stronger than he ever imagined. She refused to let him continue to use her for his own means. The sun drifted toward the treetops on the opposite side of the meadow, and Caitlyn tensed. Shay stood on the boulder then leapt down, ducking his head away from the dancers.

  She shifted to the other side of the tree and watched him enter the forest. Moving parallel with him, she stayed close enough to see him, but far enough away he wouldn’t know she followed him.

  He reached up and grabbed a low tree limb. He flipped over and landed in a squat on the branch. She gaped at the ease in which he’d accomplished the act. He didn’t strain at all. He glanced about the area for a moment, then he stood and ran down the length of the branch, his balance perfect. When he reached the end, he jumped to a neighboring limb.

  He moved too fast. She broke into a run, trying to keep up with him. With no time to check where he led her, she ducked branches and jumped over small bushes, keeping him within her sight. She glanced ahead and saw a huge gap in the trees. At least thirty feet separated the line of trees from where Shay headed. He’d never make that jump.

  Fear filled her, shutting out the sound of her crashing through the brush. Exhaustion bore down on her. He reached the place and leapt. She cried out, falling to her hands and knees. She squeezed her eyes shut, unable to bear watching him fall to the ground. Magical being or not, he’d end up injured. Had been just three days ago.

  She whispered his name.

  Strong hands grasped her upper arms and lifted her off the ground. Fury blazed in his amethyst eyes. She curled her fingers into the front of his shirt.

  “You were following me. Why?” he demanded, the muscle in his jaw flexing.

  Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she glared back at him. “Don’t ever scare me like that again. I didn’t think you would make it.”

  “Why, Caitlyn?” He shook her a little.

  “You lied to me. I remember, Shay. I remember this morning. You don’t have any reason to be angry at me. I’m not the one who
’s been lying all this time,” she cried, her anger refueled by her dwindling fear. “Tell me the truth. I want to know. You owe it to me.”

  He shifted nearer, his gaze locked with hers. “The truth? Are you sure you can handle the reality of it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then so be it.” He gritted his teeth. Placing his palms on her jaw, he covered her eyes with his thumbs. No more than a second passed before he released her, turning her body away from him.

  “You wish the truth. Open your eyes, and you will see it,” he whispered. He rested his forehead against the base of her neck.

  Without fear, without reservation, she snapped her eyes open and froze. The star-covered void spread out around them. Gasping, she tried to turn toward Shay, but he held her still.

  “Look into the mirror, Caitlyn. What you see there will be the truth,” he told her.

  Before her, the same mirror from his performance in Los Angeles materialized. Once more, dressed in the radiant gown, she denied what she saw. To prove her point, she raised her hand and touched the glass. Ripples started where her fingertips brushed the surface, moved to the outer edges of the frame and disappeared.

  Nothing changed.

  “You are Princess Caitlyn of Tylwyth Teg. Stolen shortly after your birth, you have suffered a life without knowing your true identity.” Shay slid his hands from her upper arms to her shoulders.

  “You’re lying. This isn’t real. I don’t believe it.” She felt the warmth of his breath on the side of her neck.

  He started to speak, but she jerked away. Keeping her gaze on the mirror, she watched him lift his head. The sight of his face built a scream in her mind. Cracked and peeling, the flesh appeared half skin, half wood. His hair streamed up and out about his shoulders and tangled with leaves and twigs. He lifted a hand to touch her, and his fingers were made of small branches.