by Bonnie Lamer
The kitchen door slams open and a Fairy neither of us has seen in a very long time stomps through it. “Get your hand off my husband, you half-breed bitch.”
Husband? I glance up at the Fairy who is most definitely my husband. I honestly don’t know who is more horrified. Me or Kallen. Okay, it’s probably a draw.
12 Chapter
“Excuse me?” Kallen finally chokes out.
Xenia steps farther into the kitchen, her hands fisted at her sides. “What, you thought you could run off to your exiled grandmother’s house with your lover and I would not come looking for you? At least try to come up with someplace original for your rendezvous!” She begins pacing back and forth. “I am Queen, dammit! You will not continue to embarrass me this way!”
I glance up at Kallen and watch as his shock fades to disgust which combines neatly with anger. “I am not your husband,” he growls.
This stops Xenia. “Not this argument again. You know as well as I do that the rite was binding.”
A weight lifts from my chest. She’s talking about the rite Kallen’s mom and Xenia’s mom performed when they were babies. Which means Kallen didn’t actually go through a hand-fasting with Xenia in this reality. In fact, I am so relieved that I don’t realize my mouth has opened and I am speaking about something else entirely. “But, I stopped you before you became Queen.”
Xenia bursts out laughing. “Whatever are you talking about? You were not even in this realm when I became Queen. You simply kept me from accessing the Cowan realm.” Her eyes take on a steely edge. “Something I will rectify soon enough.”
Got it. I missed the coronation but saved my home realm when she tried to come through and take over. That’s a relief. At least, it is until a ton of dread rains down on me. “Um, what happened to Dagda again?” I ask, trying hard to sound nonchalant. Since I am asking what is tantamount to a very stupid question in this reality, I am not surprised by the nasty, dumbfounded look I get from Xenia.
“You grow stupider over time. I did not believe it possible, but it is amazing the rate at which it occurs,” she cackles.
Kallen sends his magic out, but mine reaches her first. I have her pressed against the wall and her neck firmly caught in a chokehold. “Watch it,” I warn. I couldn’t care less that she is Queen. This isn’t my reality. And she will not insult me. Whatever Xenia sees in my eyes wipes the snide humor from hers. “Where is Dagda,” I growl, no longer caring if I sound stupid or not.
I need to lessen the magic holding her throat closed so Xenia can respond. “He is where he has been since the revolution. Chained in iron in the cells,” she rasps.
My heart is torn. Part of it is relieved. The other part is horrified. He is alive. But, a Fairy chained in iron? Dagda is probably on the brink of death and he is certainly in a great deal of pain. It makes me want to increase my magical hold on her throat again. Which I must do, subconsciously of course, because she is turning the most marvelous shade of blue. Quite the contrast to her dull green eyes.
“Xandra.” Kallen places a hand on my shoulder. “As much as I would like you to finish what you have begun, she is the Queen.”
I shrug. Like I care who she is in this reality. “So.”
“Before we start a war with the entire Fairy population, we should probably learn more about our current situation.”
With great, and I mean great as in Herculean, effort, I let Xenia go. My voice is low and hard when I speak. “Get out. Do not come back here or I will finish what I began. Even if that means killing every single Fairy who stands with you.” I wouldn’t really do it, but she doesn’t know that.
“You would not,” she wheezes through her effort to replenish her air supply. Okay, maybe she does know I wouldn’t start killing off Fairies.
“I have convinced her it is the right thing to do,” Kallen says with the wickedest smile I have ever seen grace his lips. “My hatred of you knows no bounds and Xandra is willing to stand with me until your death if need be to make things right in this realm. As a matter of fact, we were just discussing how ending you would end all of the trouble this realm currently faces.” I know he’s lying, but he’s doing an excellent job of it. A part of me is beginning to believe him. Dragging my eyes from Kallen to Xenia, I see that his lie is working on her, as well. She believes every word he’s saying. When her eyes shoot to me, I paste my best serene smile on my face. As if I am perfectly fine with the abrupt change in my personality and sudden willingness to actually commit murder.
Edging toward the door, Xenia growls, “You cannot stand against the entire Fairy army. I will find a way to rid my realm of you once and for all. Then I will go after those Cowans you hold so dear.” She stomps outside to the small army she brought with her. Really glad she left them outside, but it’s strange she did if she hoped to drag Kallen back to the palace. I wonder if it was to ease her embarrassment over him meeting a lover, or because she knew they were no match for me when she realized he wasn’t alone. Probably both.
When they have left the property, Kallen slumps back against the kitchen counter. “Grandmother in exile and Dagda in chains. What a reality we have been dropped into.”
I snort. “Now you feel my pain of the last few days.”
He gives me a sheepish smile. “Yes, now I understand.” He pulls me closer as his expression sobers. “I am very proud of you. You have bravely faced alone what each day has thrown at you.”
Which brings us to a very salient point. “Why are you aware today? Why aren’t I alone again?”
“I have been wondering the same thing. The only conclusion I can draw is that by making me consciously aware of what was going on, you somehow dragged me out of the loop.” He pauses a moment then adds, “Or, it could simply be that we were kissing when the world ended last time.”
I shake my head. “No, I don’t think that’s it. We were embracing when the meteor hit. I believe you were right the first time. It’s because you were consciously aware of what is going on when the tornado killed us.”
“Technically, it did not kill us,” he points out.
I wave a hand at him. “Semantics. It killed that reality.”
“I am not certain that was a correct use of the word semantics,” Kallen insists. I just glower at him in response. Wisely changing the subject, he says thoughtfully, “You were not even upset by the fact that I may have been married to Xandra in this reality.”
Okay, maybe he didn’t wisely change the subject. “Did you want me to act like a jealous wife and demand a duel or something?” I ask sourly.
Startled, he shakes his head. “No, not at all. I was just making an observation. Though, I must admit, I would have been furious if you were married to someone else for whatever reason.”
“Honestly? I didn’t believe her.”
Surprised, Kallen asks, “Why not? Stranger things have happened in previous realities.”
With a smile, I stand on my toes to kiss him. “Because there is no reality where you could be married to her. Your personality could not alter that much.”
Kallen grins. “No, it could never alter that much.” He kisses me again before resting his forehead against mine. “Thank you for believing that,” he says softly.
As much as I would like to stand here and continue to kiss my gorgeous husband, we have work to do. “So, do we round everyone up and make them believe us now?” I ask. We had decided not to try to convince anyone else as we search for a solution, but if it pulls them out of the changing reality loop, maybe we should.
Kallen shakes his head. “No, simply for the fact that it does nothing more than make them aware. My knowing did not change the fact that the realities shifted. We need to figure this out on our own.”
Nonplussed, I ask, “Don’t we want them to be more aware?”
With a worried grimace, he says, “Who knows how that will affect them. Do you really want Kegan and Alita to be aware that their child no longer exists?”
I hadn’t thought about it l
ike that. “That would make me insane.” I’m going crazy knowing their child is gone. I can’t imagine if it was my own.
“Precisely. Which is why we need to figure this out on our own,” he reiterates.
“How?” I ask miserably. “Where do we even begin?”
A corner of Kallen’s mouth props up. “With magic, of course.”
I eye him speculatively. “What are you thinking?”
Wrapping his arms around me, he grins. “I am thinking the one with whom I am truly hand-fasted is one of the most powerful beings in the universe. Certainly she can come up with a spell which would give us a clue as to where to search.”
Hey, what is that on my chest? Oh, yeah, a great big ball of unreasonable pressure to complete a monumental task. Good thing I’m used to the weight of those things. Otherwise, I might be crushed by it.
13 Chapter
“But, what am I casting the spell for?” I ask. “I need to be specific.”
Kallen is quiet a moment as he considers my question. Funny, it’s usually me who has to stop and consider such things as ‘a spell needs to be specific.’ Finally, he says, “We must be very careful. I fear that if you simply create a spell to keep the realities from changing, we will be trapped in this one.”
My belly roils like I just ate spoiled oysters topped with moldy olives with a glass of lumpy, rancid milk to top it off. “A reality where Xenia is Queen, Isla is in exile and we have no idea where everyone else is. I don’t think so. What’s the next option?”
“You could reverse the magic causing the reality,” he suggests.
I ponder this idea a moment before shaking my head. “Considering how many realities I’ve experienced, it might be tricky to reverse it back to the beginning. I would hate to get stuck somewhere else along the way.”
Kallen nods. “Good point.”
“Can’t I cast a spell requiring the person performing the magic to present him or herself?”
“Exposure magic is rather tricky,” Kallen begins. “It also requires a ritual.” He glances around the empty kitchen. “I doubt we have the items necessary at our disposal.”
I shrug. “I’m pretty good at winging it.”
My gorgeous husband gives me a dubious look. “You are also good at blowing things up when you do that.”
I wave him off. “I haven’t blown anything up in a while.”
His eyes narrow. “Just last month you wanted to drive the carriage.” I gulp. This story is going to make me look bad. “You powered it with so much of your magic that instead of driving it, you ended up in a pile of shards in the driveway.” Several of which stabbed me painfully in the butt.
“What do you suggest then?”
“We need access to the archives.”
I quirk a brow. “You are suggesting that I go into the archives? You aren’t afraid I’m going to somehow blow the realm into a million pieces like I did the carriage if I do?” I tease.
With a grin, he says, “If you do, it will reset.”
“You hope,” I counter, not liking the very real fear lurking in his eyes. He is afraid I might blow up the realm if I spend too much time in the archives. I would be insulted if it wasn’t actually true.
His face suddenly sober, Kallen holds a finger to his lips. I feel it now, too. I hate to do it, but I draw magic. Kallen and I move to the corner of the room, waiting for the newcomer to step into the kitchen.
She rounds the corner and stands akimbo before us. She doesn’t care a flying fig about our drawn magic. “Just what the hell do the two of you think you are doing? We discussed just two days ago how you were going to not rendezvous here anymore. Draws too much attention. Not to mention, you are a hair’s breadth away from being hand-fasted the way you sneak off to be alone together.”
I open my mouth to contradict her but snap it closed. My heart clenches at her words and I glance up at Kallen. We’re not hand-fasted in this reality? Well, that bites horse butts. Kallen’s expression goes blank, proving he is by far the better between the two of us at poker faces. I’m certain I look guilty as hell.
“Of course, we apologize. We should know better,” my husband lies smoothly. We didn’t know better before we were married in our reality, why would we be any different in this one?
Appeased somewhat, or she just knows us well enough even in this reality to know that is the best she is going to get from either of us on the matter, Tabitha changes the subject. “What were you saying about the archives?”
“We need a spell to identify someone casting a spell,” I blurt out, earning me an exasperated glance from my husband. We did just agree to keep this between ourselves. Oops.
Suspicion filling her green eyes, Tabitha gives me a long, assessing look. “What kind of spell?” she finally asks.
Well, I’m already neck deep in ‘I shouldn’t have said that.’ I might as well fill the tub further and see if I can still swim. Um, probably not the soundest logic I’ve ever thought in my head, but still, I’m going to tell her. At least, I’m going to tell her part of it.
“Someone is trying to mess with reality,” I hedge. “We want to stop him. Or her.” No reason to be sexist about it. Besides, I’ve discovered the hard way that men and women can be pretty darn equal when it comes to doing evil deeds.
“What do you mean, mess with reality?”
Kallen sighs and shakes his head. He has accepted the fact that there is no going back now. “Reality keeps shifting from day to day. We need to put an end to it so we can all get back to the reality we are supposed to be in.”
Tabitha stares at us long and hard. The words ‘you are bat shit crazy and I don’t believe you’ should be tattooed on her head at the moment. Since that is obviously what she is feeling. Tabitha has never been difficult to read emotion-wise.
Proving my point, she says, “Do you really expect me to believe that load of bull?”
Calm, cool and collected like I never am, Kallen says, “Yes.”
Tabitha studies him a bit longer. More than a bit, actually. She studies him so long that I’m tempted to think of a spell which will make her speak. Just as the words are forming in my mind, she blurts out, “Is this other reality one in which Xenia is not Queen?”
Kallen’s lips quirk but he doesn’t grin yet. “Yes.” Me, I’m smiling like a hyena.
Tabitha nods. “Then we will find a way to get you into the archives.”
I don’t think she really believes us. Not really. I think she is just so disgusted with how this reality is for her right now, she’s willing to try anything to change it. I wonder where she lives if she doesn’t live here. With Kegan or Alita, maybe? I’m not going to ask. She looks miserable enough as she glances longingly around the house. I’m not going to ask her a bunch of questions which will make her feel even worse. Maybe she’s hoping that my magic will bring a new reality on instead of, as Kallen and I claim, fixing an old one. It doesn’t really matter either way. She is willing to help us. Which is all that matters.
“Excellent,” Kallen says, finally letting his grin unfold across his face.
Tabitha surprises us both when she says, “We will need to rescue Dagda.”
“What? Why?” I ask. My face turns a brilliant shade of fuchsia when I realize how callous that sounded. “I mean, we can rescue him after going to the archives, can’t we?” I want to hurry up and get the spell cast so this reality doesn’t exist at all. Then Dagda won’t even need saving because everything will go back to normal. I hope.
Glowering at my lack of empathy, Tabitha drawls, “Not if you want access to the archives. The scribe will only let the rightful monarch pass through the doors.”
“Um, how does that work?” I ask. Xenia is a pretty powerful Fairy. It seems like she could easily bully her way into the archives if she so desired.
Tabitha is now looking at me as if I’ve grown two heads. One of them I suspect strongly resembles that of a baboon. Or a baboon’s butt. “What is wrong with you?” she asks. She reac
hes out to feel my forehead.
Stepping back, I scowl at her hand. So annoying how people always assume I am ill in these realities. “Not my reality, remember?” I blurt out a bit harsher than I meant to do.
Pulling her hand back, Tabitha purses her lips and narrows her eyes. She opens her mouth and I expect a chastisement about lying or something like that, but instead, she says simply, “You gave him the spell.”
Him? The scribe here is a him? I glance up at Kallen and he gives a little shake of the head. Don’t ask more questions, it will only upset her his expression tells me. I do a great big snort inside my head. When has that ever stopped me? “The scribe is male?” I blurt out. I’m doing a lot of blurting in this conversation.
Brow folding into a deep frown, Tabitha says, “Yes, and he has been scribe since before I was born.”
Ah. Tana must not be around to kill him in this reality. Or hasten his demise with a heart attack. Makes sense. I wave the subject away. “Of course. So, if I gave him the spell, why won’t he open up the archives for me?”
“Because the last time he granted you access you destroyed a large section of ancient scrolls. You promised to never return.” I open my mouth to ask how I did it, but close it again. It doesn’t really matter. “Needless to say, he does not like you,” Tabitha adds. Unnecessarily, I believe.
“Yes,” I mutter, “It was needless to say that.” This earns me a glare which I soundly ignore.
“How do we get to Dagda?” Kallen asks before Tabitha and I go at it. “Xenia said he is locked away.”
“The same way we always get to him,” Tabitha snaps. She is obviously losing patience with the ‘other realities’ thing.
“Look, I know you don’t believe us, but can you at least pretend you do?” I ask. “Things will move along faster that way.”
Sighing, Tabitha nods. “Kegan will let us pass.”
“Kegan?” I gasp. “What does he have to do with this?” I glance up at Kallen. He is wondering the same thing.
Deciding it really is easier to assume that we don’t know what is going on, Tabitha explains, “To prove his loyalty, his father arranged for Kegan to guard Dagda. Which is why we have not broken him out long before this. Kegan’s wellbeing is tied to Dagda’s continued imprisonment.”
