by Brindi Quinn
Heart of Farellah: Book 2
By Brindi Quinn
~
Copyright 2011 B.E.L.
Cover Art by Ene Karels
Smashwords Edition
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Also By Brindi Quinn:
Heart of Farellah: Book 1
Heart of Farellah: Book 3
Seconds: The Shared Soul Chronicles
Sil in a Dark World
The World Remains
The Atto’s Tale Miniseries
EverDare
NeverSleep
The Death and Romancing of Marley Craw
The Ongoing Pursuit of Zillow Stone
Chapter 1: The Agreement
“Miss Havoc?” Nyte’s concern-filled voice broke me out of a particularly deep state of brooding.
“Huh?” I looked over at him, and he was staring at me with a worried expression. It didn’t fit him. The Elf was far more suited for a look of complete care-freedom and mischief.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m great!” But my voice was a little too loud. He frowned.
The two of us were making our way back to Crystair from the crumbling city of Earthden. The Crystallands around us were a sparkling kingdom filled with scattered remnants of crystal shards amidst solid, immovable rock masses guarding the way back. After everything that had happened – meeting The Mystress for the first time, being unable to retrieve the prophecy, getting separated from the rest of the guard – why was it that the only thing now coursing through my mind was an impulse – a sick, desperate impulse that had only grown stronger since Nyte and I’d kissed a day earlier?
“Miss Havoc?” He was still watching me.
No, Nyte, don’t make me say it out loud. It’s way, way too shameful. If I say it, you’ll know the truth about me.
The thought of that was unbearable. I couldn’t. I just couldn’t.
To stop myself from erupting into a frenzy, I smiled and gave him a cute nose-wrinkle. “It’s really nothing. I’m just anxious to get back.” Unfortunately, forced antics like those weren’t fooling either of us.
“No, Aura. Stop.”
I reluctantly obeyed his order, and in the absence of movement, my feet sank into the noon-lit crystal sand.
“Please, tell me what worries you.” He reached for my arm, but it was the worst thing he could have done.
Eeeeh! Not this again!
I wouldn’t even have a chance to deny the accusation that something was wrong this time. Contact had been made, and the impulse started to grow once more.
I needed it.
I pulled my arm away from him before I could reveal the leeching monster that I was again starting to become – the uninvited monster that had taken up residence inside of me.
Nyte winced and looked away, but not before his forest-colored eyes showed the hurt my rejection had caused.
“What is it, Miss Havoc? Why have you been acting so strangely? You have barely said a word since last night. I thought that we were. . .” Still looking away, Nyte let his voice trail off.
It was too hard to see him like that, too hard to know that I was the one causing him that strife.
“No, Nyte, it’s not that. It’s . . .” I couldn’t say it, so I thought it instead.
I’m a leech. Yes, that’s right. I’m a leech that wants to consume you. More than anything, I desire your spirit. I want to feel your warmth fueling my song, filling me with power. I’ll use you until you run dry, so I’m warning you: just stay away. Just stay away or I’ll take it all!
Those were the things I wanted to say, but they were too horrifying to utter aloud, even if they were true.
“Aura . . .” Again he reached for me; this time my shoulder.
The internal battle commenced again, but whereas I’d resisted it before, this time wasn’t so easy – not that last time had really been all that ‘easy’ either.
I’m hungry, so I’ll just take a little.
No! Don’t do that! Remember what happened in the tunnel? Those murky eyes? That blank stare?
I did that do him.
That’s right, and you’ll do it again if you aren’t careful.
They were wise words, but I didn’t heed my own warning. I pulled in just a little of his spirit through his warm hand on my shoulder.
“Nyte, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s gotten so much worse since we . . .” Since we kissed.
“Miss Havoc?” Nyte leaned in close.
The breeze ruffled his mossy hair around his pointed ears in a way that could only be deemed ‘tantalizing’. That same breeze carried his scent of cherry tree, a smell that now served as a warning that we were too close. I started to back away, but he stopped me.
“I promise I will not give you more than you can handle.”
Without warning, he rested his lips on my forehead.
Ah!
My heartbeat quickened, and I reveled in the warmth that was his spirit for just a moment before, true to his word, Nyte pulled away and stopped me before I could take in my fill.
“There. See? It is fine if we touch, so do not treat me like I have some disease. It has been lonely with you behaving in such a way.” He looked away, and there was something like embarrassment there.
I reached for his cheek, but stopped my hand before it was against him. I would touch him in spirit. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how to explain it, you know? It’s just gotten so much harder for me to resist. I feel like a wretched creature or something.”
“No, it is I who is a wretched being,” he muttered.
“Hm?”
“It is nothing.” He straightened up. “I suppose there is only one thing to be done for two wretched creatures such as us.”
With that, he wrapped both arms around me, and I let out a worried, protesting grunt.
“Nyte, what are you-”
But he scooped me in his arms before I could finish.
Not good. This is not good! This is too close. I’m too close to you. I won’t be able to stop myself!
He took off in a full Elf’s-pace sprint. “Miss Havoc,” he whispered, “concentrate.”
I tried to do as he said.
Tch! Is this some dumb form of endurance training? Because it’s not working!
I gritted my teeth and glared at the spirited Elf, but my grit melted away when I saw how incredibly boyish he looked with an enormous grin on his face. That was more like it. That was how he was supposed to be. And then it wasn’t so hard to resist. When I studied his happy face, I somehow forgot to crave him.
“Look up there!” he yelled excitedly and pointed to a stack of jutting, crystal-covered rocks. I followed his point.
“A . . . bird?”
Yes, it was some sort of winged creature, shining as brightly as the glittering crystals dotting the landscape. Its feathers were a sparkling white that reflected the early afternoon light and illuminated the bird, creating the illusion that light was streaming from its body – a living light source amidst the already-bright landscape.
“It resembles your lightsong,” said Nyte. He’d stopped his sprinting and was now holding me tightly in his arms while gazing up at the creature.
Uh-oh. My distraction had been broken. Not good. Not good!
“Miss Havoc,” – his voice was again a whisper – “I am a selfish person – for as much as you long to be fed, I long to feed you even more. Please, take some. Sing something. I do not care what you do with it. I want you to take some.”
“This is too dangerous.”
He nodded.
“Too dangerous,” I said again, searching his face.
“It is worth it.”
It was no use. The temptation was too great. For no reason other than to quench our own instincts, I started up a lightsong.
“Light of virtue, light of hope,
Light to drive away the void,
A new light born where there was none,
Light this song with spirit’s sun!”
With the casting of the ariando, sourceless wind swirled around us – a constant side effect of power songs that always made me feel sort of mystical. Like a real master of elements. Then, to further the feeling, a faithful orb of yellow light shot out of me, showing brightly even in the light of day.
The glittering bird flew away at the disturbance.
Well, that was pointless. But it felt good.
Nyte held me in his arms and closed his eyes. I let his spirit come into me, and the orb pulsed in response.
Just a little longer. I’d let myself hold the song just a little bit-
“My, my, I hope I’m not interrupting anything here. It . . . er . . . looks like you two are involved in some sort of strange ecstasy. Quite revolting if you ask me.”
The lightsong fell abruptly with my astonishment at the familiar and frustratingly-arrogant voice.
Nyte snapped his eyes open and spun around, only to see Ardette, who was leaning against the stack of jagged rocks with arms crossed and a wide frown across his handsome face.
A day ago we’d parted ways at the prophecy site, and since then, I’d been so worried – tremendously worried over what had become of the rest of my guard – but now, standing there like it was normal or to be expected, it was him. I didn’t know how, but it was really, really him!
“Ardette!” I jumped from Nyte’s arms and ran to the Daem. “You’re all right!” Then I threw my arms around him with foolish spontaneity. “You have no idea how good it is to. . . I was – I’ve been really worried about you! And I feel terrible about leaving you behind!” Looking past him, but seeing no one, I added, “Where’s everyone else? They’re here, right? I mean, they have to be around here somewhere!”
But Ardette didn’t give me anything in the way of an answer. Burying his nose in my silver hair, he wrapped his arms around me and squeezed.
“Ah . . . er . . .” I immediately regretted the embrace that had been another one of those impulses I’d been unable to resist.
Don’t you dare read into this, Ardette.
Nyte, it seemed, agreed wholeheartedly with the internal command. In a tone that was disapproving, he cleared his throat and said, “You may release her now, Daem.”
Ardette let out a soft chuckle, but didn’t let go. “What? Feeling jealous at how eagerly she ran to me?”
Oh, man! I didn’t mean to do that. This is just what he needs, something to feed that cocky attitude of his. But still, I was glad to see him, so I was gentle when I tried to push myself away.
“Er? Ardette?”
“Ah, yes. I know, my cherry pit. You have yet to realize your true feelings regarding me, but I’ll count today as a small victory.”
I rolled my eyes.
He finally released his too-close embrace, but took one last deep smell of my hair before fully pulling his face away.
But Ardette, despite that type of behavior . . . “I am glad you’re okay,” I said.
I held my elbow in my opposite hand and looked at the ground, guilty at my show of affection in front of Nyte.
“Of course you are, my cherry pit. It’s only natural to feel relief when your lover has returned safely from war.”
Ardette locked eyes with Nyte and gave a grin that was somehow bright and evil at the same time. I nervously eyed Nyte’s scowl, but secretly, I found relief in the restrictiveness of this new situation. Our time alone had ended far too quickly, but with Ardette around, it would be much easier to resist my addictive Elf’s warmth.
“Eh-he,” – I forced a laugh to cope with the awkwardness – “anyways, where are the others?” I looked around for Kantú’s tail, half-expecting it to come swishing around one of the crystal trees, but when said tail was not found, panic set in quickly. “They aren’t with you? Is everyone okay?!” Kantú? Grotts? Scardo? Rend?
But despite my noticeable worry, Ardette returned to nonchalantly leaning against the rock-pile. “Your feisty squirrel friend went with Grotts back to Crystair. Scardo and the other Elf involved in your little love triangle are searching the northeastern area around the prophecy site for you. I took the northwestern area. We planned to meet up in Crystair regardless of our findings in three days. It seems our connection was too strong for you to remain hidden from me, my cherry pit.”
I ignored the comment. The more important part was that everyone was okay.
Phew.
Nyte and I shared a look of relief.
“Yes, well, looks like you’re putting your powers to good use, what with summoning a light ball in the midst of this bright day, and all.” Ardette narrowed his eyes at Nyte accusingly.
I fiddled with my ear. Right, how was I supposed to explain that?
“It was exercise,” said Nyte slyly, but there was a knowing glint hidden in his eye that only served to give us away.
I could tell that Ardette wasn’t fond of the glint.
“Well, whatever the reason, your little ‘exercise’ did help me find you, so I suppose it wasn’t entirely wasted. Though, I’m disappointed to see how quickly the two of you made up . . . after he betrayed you and everything.”
That was hurtful.
Betrayed. Betrayal. Betrayer.
Nyte had betrayed me. But it hadn’t been his fault. He’d been controlled by The Mystress at the time. I knew that and I’d accepted it, so . . . why did the word still hurt?
I thought Nyte would retort or draw his sword or call Ardette a bastard or any number of things, but instead he just winced and looked away.
“There is no way that I will be able to fully atone for what has happened,” he said. “After putting Aura in danger, I am not sure how to live with myself. Ardette, I do not expect your forgiveness or your trust, but I vow to protect her until my last breath. Please, accept this as the only thing that I can say in my defense for now.”
“Nyte?” I shook my head. Why so formal all of a sudden? Vow to protect me? He should’ve known by now that that sort of thing only made me embarrassed. “For the last time, it wasn’t your fault.” I wanted him to understand that. It was The Mytress, and she’d be the one to pay for those sins, not him.
“Dear me, that’s no fun. Protect her, will you? And how do you expect to do that, exactly, when you’re the one she should be protected against?” As usual, Ardette sounded bored by the heavy topic.
I glared at him.
“What? I’m quite serious about this. As I’ve said before, I will not hesitate to kill him, should the need arise. How weak, allowing himself to become a puppet like that.”
“Ardette!” I flicked him. “Knock it off.”
But to my surprise, Nyte again refrained from delivering the well-deserved ‘bastard’. He instead nodded. “You are right. I cannot protect her as things are now, the way that I am now, not knowing anything. But I can become stronger if I unlock the information within myself.” He clenched his fists and stared Ardette down with a stern and serious mouth. “Daem, lend me your assistance!”
Ardette let out a deep laugh and clasped the handle of his saber. “Why should I?”
Nyte shrugged. “Is that not obvious?” He nodded towards me. “Because of her.”
I coul
dn’t take it any longer.
“Me!?” I yelled, lurching forward. “You know, this has gotten really awkward for me, the two of you discussing things like that in front of me. I am a person – more than a person, I’m a songstress. I’m not delicate, and I’m not something for you to feud over or use as an excuse. For the last time, treat me NORMAL!”
Ardette relaxed the grip on his saber. “Aura, you still, after everything, don’t see your own value?” He walked over to me and placed his hand on my head. “Can’t you get it through that stupid little skull of yours? You’re the most precious person of all.”
“Ardette, don’t say things like that.” I stepped out from beneath his hand and looked at the ground, but for some reason, he left his hand there, lingering above nothing. He sighed and said,
“Very well, Elf. I will aid you, but only because of her.”
Oh, geez. How dramatic.
“I thank you.” Nyte tipped his head forward but left his eyes locked on Ardette.
Ardette looked away and studied his nails. “All right then,” he said, “close your eyes.”
“What?” I asked. “Now? Is it really that simple?”
“Yes, now. Unless you have some reason for wanting to wait? Could it be you know that the truth of his past is too disgusting to imagine? Close your eyes, Elf. Let the retrieval begin.”
I didn’t have a good feeling about the endeavor. Apparently, neither did Nyte. He narrowed his eyes before obeying.
Ardette waved his hand in front of Nyte’s face to be sure the Elf’s eyes were indeed shut. Satisfied, he shot me an evilly brilliant smile.
I wrinkled my brow in confusion and tried to decipher the smile, but before I could grasp what was happening, Ardette grabbed my wrist, pulled me close to him, and bit my earlobe softly.
“Waaah!” I was too angry to let the small ‘something’ surface.
Nyte’s eyes shot open, and in an instant, the Elf’s hand was around Ardette’s throat.
“Nyte! No! I mean, he deserves it but . . . Ardette, let go of me!” I pushed my hands against the forward Daem’s chest.
