Blood of Retribution

by Bonnie Lamer

  “You don’t seem fine,” I say, moving closer to the bed.

  “Don’t,” he says coldly.

  I stop moving. “Don’t what?”

  “Don’t come near me. I do not want you to contaminate me with whatever it is you have inside of you this time.”

  Okay, that hurt my feelings. But this isn’t Kallen. Well, it is, but it must be Kallen hyped up on darkness. I hope. I start to edge closer again. If I can get close enough to touch him, I can fix this.

  Kallen sits up and with a nasty expression on his face that rivals those he gave me when we first met, he growls, “I said, do not come near me.” He gets off the bed with a sense of purpose that scares me. He really doesn’t want me near him. “My life has been nothing but worry and pain since I met you. I am done with it.”

  My mouth drops open and my heart skips several beats. “Kallen…”

  “Stop, I do not want to hear your excuses. Nor do I want you.” With that, he dissolves into his raven form and with a last look of his now beady little eyes, he flies away.

  “Nice husband you got there. You sure know how to pick ‘em,” a tired voice says from the chair behind me.

  “Shut up,” I say quietly, still staring at the doorway to the balcony that Kallen used for his escape. Tears are starting to fall on my cheeks like cheese from a grater.

  In a softer voice, Taz says, “Eh, he’ll be back.” After a pause, he says, “Probably.”

  I spin around and glare at him. “You are not helping.”

  His little shoulders shrug. “Just trying to keep it real.”

  “How about if you just keep it silent,” I snap through my hurt and frustration.

  “Geez, last time I try to make you feel better,” he grumbles.

  “Good.” I have to get out of here. I would go after Kallen, but I know I’d never be able to find him. So where can I go? I have no idea. Sadly, I don’t know this realm well enough to know where to go. Regardless, I have to get out of this house. “I’m going for a walk,” I tell Taz, expecting him to stay put.

  He surprises me by getting off the chair and ambling my way. “Wait up,” he says.

  “You don’t have to come with me,” I say, not wanting him to come. I’m pretty sure that was in my voice. But, he keeps walking, my disinterest in his presence is not fazing him at all.

  Taz follows me down the stairs and outside. I’m so happy I don’t see anyone on my way out. I’m still on the verge of crying and I definitely don’t want to tell anyone why. I don’t think I could even get the words out without bawling my eyes out. I know it was the darkness that made Kallen say such cruel things, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less.

  Instead of walking along the beach, I follow the road through the woods. I know that if I take a right at the fork in the road about half a mile up, it’ll lead me to the palace. Definitely not going there. For the first time, I’m going left.

  After walking for about thirty minutes, I find myself on the outskirts of a village. It’s magnificent, with horseless carriages (not cars, literally horseless carriages hovering over the ground) meandering through bright colored buildings, both short and tall. The roads aren’t paved, but I guess they don’t need to be since they’re not really driven upon. The traffic flows smoothly and the carriages always yield to pedestrians. The carriages are all different sizes and colors. The ones belonging to the wealthy are easy to pick out with their ornate decoration and open windows that give glimpses of the luxury within. There are smaller carriages that look to fit only one or two people and are simple in design.

  Most of the traffic though is pedestrians. I have entered a sea, no, more like a lake, of black hair and green eyes. The remarkable thing is even with those similarities, Fairies are still able to easily distinguish themselves by their choice of styles and colors for their clothing and the cut of their hair. Every body shape is represented from the very small to the very large. Regardless of their size, most of the Fairies are gorgeous. I get a pang in my heart as I think of the words my gorgeous Fairy last spoke to me.

  As I walk, I pass by shops selling things like cookware and hardware. I pass by restaurants with patios full of Fairies enjoying good food and conversation. I try to ignore the fact that most of the discussions are getting heated. I pass by offices where Fairies are doing who knows what. I don’t see any clothing stores, probably because Fairies use magic to dress themselves.

  What really amazes me is how clean everything is. Though this small village is bustling, there’s no exhaust fumes, graffiti or litter that I would have found in downtown Denver. The Fairies are cordial to each other, still saying hello as they pass by and they’re respectful of their surroundings, regardless of the darkness trying to consume them.

  At least, most of them are cordial. I’m picking up some definite hostility coming from several areas on the street. Some voices are starting to rise and words are being used that are making mothers and fathers cover their children’s ears. Great, more darkness. Isla told me that it was affecting the whole realm, but that was just an abstract concept when she said it. Now, it’s a reality. A reality that I have to do something about.

  I make my way towards two males who are about to come to blows, and keep my head down. No sense in making things worse by being easily recognized – either as the unloved Princess or the one who released the darkness upon them. I almost pull it off. Almost. A hand that I swear is made out of tissue paper reaches out to me when I am just feet away from the Fairies who are clenching their fists, waiting for the other to throw the first punch.

  “This is your fault,” a raspy voice says. I recognize that voice. It’s the scribe. What is he doing here? I thought he never left the archives of the palace. The little Fairy’s voice rises remarkably high for someone who sounds like there is a gravel pit in his throat when he says, “You have unleashed this evil upon the realm, seeking vengeance for your shameful birth and hatred of our kind! The beast at your feet is more proof of your dark soul. Go back to your own realm before you kill us all!”

  Fairies within hearing distance stop in their tracks. Piercing green eyes are boring into me from all directions. A feeble, “I didn’t mean to,” falls from my lips. Clearing my throat, I say with more confidence. “I’m here to fix the problem, not make it worse.”

  “There would not be a problem if you had not created one,” a voice in the gathering crowd growls. I look around at the faces that are twisting into sneers and anger, but I can’t tell who said it. I guess it doesn’t matter. It’s true and everyone here knows that.

  “She has a Tasmanian devil!” a child’s voice says. I turn to see a small boy pointing at Taz.

  Taz bares his teeth and the entire crowd takes a step back. Apparently, Taz is scarier than I am. Maybe I can get him to teach me how to look tougher. Providing someone in the crowd doesn’t kill him with an umbrella or something. I see a few people checking their bags to see what could be used to fend him off. One woman takes out a hairbrush. Yeah, that’ll do it. Though, he really could use a good brushing. His fur is kind of matted and snarled now after his hair-standing-on-end show in the forest and then crawling into the brush. I’ll have to get a special brush for him because he is certainly not going to use mine.

  As I’m pondering the hair care of Tasmanian devils, I suddenly realize that isn’t really the priority right now. The Fairies have become more hostile by the minute, and many are now clutching random objects. Some are poised to strike at me instead of Taz. I don’t think he’s going to be the one getting a knock on the head with a hairbrush. It’s going to be me.

  Preparing to defend myself, I pull magic which just pisses people off more. Geez, I think it’s a pretty reasonable thing to do in this situation. What did they expect? Did they think I would stand here meekly and let them rip me apart?

  Out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash of black. Turning my head, I watch a raven land on the door of the closest building. It’s a flower shop with beautiful bouquets sitting out
, ready to be purchased. Above the flowers sits my husband, just watching. He’s not coming to my aid or defending my honor. My heart sinks as I look at him, knowing that he won’t come and stand by my side. He’s going to sit there and let me alienate the Fairies of this realm even more by using my magic against them to defend myself. Darkness overpowering them or not, I’m pretty sure that’s something they’ll remember even after I’ve rid the realm of the evil.

  I can’t help the tears that flood into my eyes as I watch Kallen, just sitting there. His little bird head is cocked to the side and his wings are firmly at his side. I feel a stabbing pain in my chest over my heart.

  It takes me a second to realize that pain is being caused by a finger digging into my chest by a Fairy that wants my attention. I look up with tears streaming down my face to see a Fairy who has to be at least six feet eight inches tall. From what I can tell from way down here, I’m convinced he wants to murder me. “Get out of this realm or I will organize a Witch hunt. Either way, you will be gone.”

  Huh, I never thought about that. A Witch hunt. Looking around at the angry mob, I think they may just burn me at the stake. What is this, the sixteen hundreds? Distracted by my own thoughts, there’s a heartbeat where I’m not paying attention to the large Fairy in front of me and he takes advantage of that. He pushes me to the ground like he’s a schoolyard bully. I land hard on my butt on the dirt road.

  Now I’m mad. I don’t care what I’ve done, I am not going to tolerate this. I pull magic, ready to attack, when the man is pulled backwards, spun around, and punched squarely in the face. By Kallen.

  “You will never again lay a hand on my wife,” he growls, looming over the man and half hoping that the guy will fight back so he can hit him again. There’s a lot of aggression in Kallen at the moment and he wants to use it.

  An interesting thought hits me as I pick myself up off the ground. The big Fairy touched me. That should have taken the darkness out of him and poured it into me. Unless he wasn’t being affected by the darkness. Oh man, this guy just pushed me down because he’s an ass, not because he’s bespelled! Now, I’m really mad.

  Moving closer to him and Kallen, I lay my hand on Kallen’s arm. I feel a wash of darkness pour through me as it leaves him. His body doesn’t relax though. I suspect he knows the man wasn’t affected by the darkness as well as I do. Using his magic instead of his fist this time, he pushes the guy back to the ground when he tries to get up. He holds him there as the man struggles.

  A parting of the crowd brings another tall Fairy, but a woman this time. Geez, why didn’t I get any of the tall genes? Her hair is pulled back into a tight bun and she has a severe look about her, one that says, ‘go ahead, mess with me so I can rip you to shreds inch by inch and then eat you for lunch’. She looks like she was suckled on steel instead of breast milk. Something about her manner and her black pants and button down shirt give me the impression she’s some sort of law enforcement. She has a hard look on her face, but it’s not directed at me. Her eyes and her anger have targeted the Fairy on the ground. “Am I to understand you struck the Princess?” she demands, kneeling down so she can look directly into his eyes.

  A new wave of murmuring spreads through the crowd as they absorb this Fairy’s words. I believe it’s dawning on them that dark spell or not, I am still the Princess of this realm. I suspect striking down a member of the royal family carries some pretty hefty consequences. But I don’t think throwing my Princess weight around is the right thing to do in this situation.

  “I think it was accidental,” I say, trying not to meet anyone’s eyes.

  The new Fairy looks up at me with her tight green eyes, then scans the crowd. “Is this true?” she says to no one in particular.

  The murmuring starts up again and I think they’re going to agree with my version of the story when an older Fairy woman with grey hair that only has remnants of black left, steps forward. “The Princess lies in an effort to spare this stupid ass from being tried for treason.” She turns her soft, pale green eyes to me. “Not everyone in this realm is against you. Do not compromise your integrity because you do not believe this to be true.”

  Shame washes over me. I feel my cheeks darken probably to the color of an eggplant. I’m thankful when Kallen reaches out an arm to pull me close to him. “She is correct,” he says quietly. To the Fairy who posed the question in the first place, he says, “He willingly, and without the inducement of magic, threatened the Princess’s life and laid his hands upon her with the intent of doing harm.”

  Oh god, this is not happening. I am so embarrassed by the whole situation, I just want to curl up into a ball and hide out for a week or two. Or a year or two. What these Fairies must think of me. I believe the old Fairy, and that not all Fairies are against me, but I still believe the majority are and this situation is not going to change their minds.

  The law enforcement Fairy drags the guy on the ground to his feet after Kallen lets his magic go. With her own magic, she pulls his hands behind his back as if she is putting handcuffs on him. “You are hereby accused of treason and will be brought before the King and the High Council where you will be tried fairly. If you are judged innocent, you will be set free.” I’m kind of surprised that she didn’t add what would happen if he was found guilty. I hope it’s not death by firing squad or something.

  “We should go,” Kallen says quietly, “and let Naja do her job. You and I also have much to discuss.”

  Naja. I like that name. It makes me think of tigers in the wild. Considering how imposing and sleek Naja is, I think it’s a perfect name for her. What’s not perfect is the serious tone of Kallen’s voice as he says we need to talk.

  He leads me out of the crowd and we walk in silence out of the village, heading towards home. I try to tug my hand away from Kallen’s once, fearful that he feels the same way as he did earlier, but he holds on tight. That gives me hope.

  Thinking back to the scene in the village, it dawns on me that the scribe was nowhere to be found as we left. I wonder where he went.

  Chapter 11

  We are about halfway between the village and home when Kallen stops. I look up at him, confused. My confusion lessens when I see his eyes full of guilt and shame. “I am so sorry,” he says.

  I look down at the ground. “I know.” I believe that he’s sorry. What worries me is that there may have been some underlying truth to his words.

  A finger under my chin lifts my face so my eyes will meet his again. As if reading my mind, he says, “Every word I said in our bedroom was wrenched out of me by the darkness. I felt as if I was locked in a cage and the darkness had taken over my body. It wanted to hurt you and it used me as an instrument to do so. Please believe me when I say I regret every syllable that came out of my mouth.” He kisses my forehead and looks into my eyes. His eyes are glassy, like he’s fighting back tears, “Xandra, I need you to believe me. Not one of those syllables was true.”

  I want to believe him, I do. “You just watched as the crowd surrounded me.”

  Kallen’s head drops. “I wanted to go to you. I tried to make my body move, but I could not.” His head comes up again. “Until you were assaulted, then the darkness could do nothing to stop me from going to you. You being in danger will override anything trying to hold me back.”

  I stare up at him for a moment, still doubting. Mostly out of insecurity now. A voice from my shin breaks the tense silence that has formed. “I think he’s a whacka and I believe him. What’s your problem?”

  A laugh escapes me, making Kallen raise his brows. “Taz is pretty smart sometimes,” I say.

  I snake my arms around Kallen’s neck and he pulls me close. “I love you, Xandra. Do not ever doubt that again,” he says. He bends down and his lips capture mine, making me forget everything else.

  When he pulls back, he makes my heart lurch again by saying, “We still need to talk.”

  My shoulders slump as I drop my arms back to my sides. His brows scrunch together. “W
hat is wrong?” he asks.

  I half laugh, but there’s no humor in it. “In my realm, when someone says ‘we have to talk’ it’s usually a prelude to breaking up.”

  Kallen chuckles. “In this realm, it simply means we need to converse. Besides,” he says, pulling me close again, “under Fairy law, you are stuck with me for the rest of your life.”

  “My god, give it a rest why don’t ya,” Taz grumbles. “I’m going to be ill down here from all the sickeningly sweet ooze that is pouring from you two.”

  I reach my foot out and try to kick him, but he’s fast. I think he was expecting it. “I’m going to bed,” he grumbles, ambling off into the forest to look for a cool place to lie down.

  Kallen kisses me again, long and hard. When he pulls back this time, he says, “Have I ever shown you my favorite spot in the woods?” There’s a gleam in his eye that has nothing to do with being in the forest.

  “I thought we needed to talk,” I say, curling my fingers into the back of his hair.