Breaking Out

by Gayle Parness

  But the fear was still there, an icy spear in my gut. If I was angry enough, if I lost control, if I let my guard down, I could destroy lives. I rubbed my scar, remembering some of the talks I’d had with Isaiah about abusing power. He’d said I had to trust myself, accept that I had the magic to destroy on a large scale, but to know I would make the right choices. I’d been raised to understand the value of life, all life, not just supernatural. He was sure no matter what the circumstances, I’d be strong enough to stay in control.

  Let that be true.

  IVY

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  Charlie was sleeping on the couch when Aaron and his escort arrived.

  Aaron covered him with a blanket like he was his dad or something. It made me think of my dad, now working as a servant to pay off our debt. “He looks beat. We’ll let him sleep. What’s cooking?”

  “Italian sausage, garlic bread and my world famous lasagna.” Jay beamed with pride.

  “Is it as good as Kyle’s?”

  “Better.”

  “We’ll have to see about that.”

  Aaron had arrived via the lines with a female fae. Rylen and I introduced ourselves but this fae wasn’t anything like Charlie. She watched Rylen and me like we were aliens, untrustworthy. And she was so tall for a female—I hated the way she looked down at me. She was dressed in a thick tunic, skinny pants, and high leather boots that looked like she could kick the crap out of you. Of course, she wouldn’t need to ‘cause she also carried a sword like she was going off to fight the Vikings or something.

  She’d seen me looking at her sword. She pulled it out, the sound of the metal scraping against the scabbard was creepy. I wondered how many people she’d killed with it.

  “Would you like to see it up close? It is extremely sharp.” I was completely tongue-tied. She laughed, whipping it around a few times, then slipping it back in its scabbard—where it should stay.

  I decided that I could eat later and that now was a very good time to take Samson for a walk.

  It was chilly by the water, but I never minded and neither did Samson. Because of the cooler temperatures, the beach was almost deserted: the couple of lifeguards I saw were wearing jackets and not busy saving lives like they usually were.

  Humans could be careless around the ocean, not aware of the strength of the tides or the dangerous creatures just off shore. There were unseelie other than kelpies, who liked to catch humans unaware, stealing their strength then watching as they drowned. Often the lifeguard would see them struggling and save them, but sometimes they got there too late.

  I sat down on a large piece of driftwood, a tree limb that had fallen into the sea and then been washed up onto the shore. I threw a stick and Samson chased it, his tongue hanging out. He was such a clown at times like this, but when he was in protect and defend mode, he was nobody’s clown.

  The wind had picked up so I pulled up my hood. I should go back. I mean, she hadn’t threatened me or anything. She was just…beautiful and tall and powerful and skilled and beautiful and Jay had hugged her, like they were old friends. Which they might have been, only he hadn’t ever mentioned the bi…the fae. I’d already forgotten her name—on purpose.

  I took off my shoes and socks and dug my toes into the sand. I wanted to stay here, in this realm, forever, but my dad and my sisters needed me. I’d have to go back. But not tonight. Tonight I’d go back and eat Jay’s famous lasagna and joke around with everyone and all would be good. I stood up to call Samson back. He was way down the beach chasing seagulls.

  That’s the last thing I remembered for awhile.

  I woke up, naked and freezing in this pitch-dark room. I only knew it was a room because I crawled along the floor to feel all the walls. There were four. Maybe there was a door, only I couldn’t find one. I screamed for help, I cried, I did jumping jacks to stay warm, I cried again, more jumping jacks. I was hungry and so thirsty, but no one came. I had no idea how long I’d been there, all I knew was that if I didn’t get some water soon, I’d pass out. Kelpies weren’t built like humans. We needed a quart of water at least three times a day to survive.

  I started to shiver more violently from the cold; only I couldn’t find the strength for any more jumps.

  CHARLIE

  CHAPTER FORTY

  The sound of a timer dinging woke me up.

  “Lasagna!”

  I rubbed my eyes and shot up off the couch. I was starving. As I approached the kitchen, I heard a familiar laugh, one that I shouldn’t have heard for a couple more hours.

  “Uncle Aaron?”

  “The kitten’s up. Now we can eat.” When I was really small he used to tease me by calling me kitten. I hated it then and I still hated it.

  “How did you get here so…?”

  “Hello, Charles.” Brina was leaning against the far wall, giving me one of those smoldering looks that had my knees going weak. Her blonde wavy hair was pulled back in a tail at her nape, her lavender eyes shining with interest.

  I kinda forgot about food for a minute. I kinda forgot about everything for a minute.

  With great effort, I yanked my gaze away, forcing myself to snap out of the hormonal haze she always managed to throw me into headfirst. This was definitely not the time to hit on a female fae warrior. Nope. I had way too many things to do. I gave her a brief smile. ”Hi Brina. It’s nice to see you.” I turned back to Uncle Aaron, who was looking pretty smug at the moment. “Where’s Franklin?”

  “Coming with Kaera.” Oh good—another hot fae. Didn’t these females understand we males needed to focus on something other than sex? Why didn’t Farrell or Liam bring everyone through the lines? “Ginamarie Wilton is traveling with Farrell. She’s on the WPC Council with me.“

  “I figured you’d bring backup.” I looked at Brina. “You staying?” I thought frantically: don’t stay. Don’t stay. Please stay. Even my brain was a traitor.

  “I will remain. A fae warrior is also a most impressive back-up.” I wasn’t going to argue with her. I was pretty sure the Catalina Pack would be quivering in their boots the minute they saw the six foot kick-ass female with access to more magic than Gandalf.

  “No kidding.” When my blood decided to desert my brain, my ability to speak in sentences went with it.

  Jay, busy dishing out food with Rylen, laughed at my expression. I looked around the room for Ivy, but she and Samson were nowhere to be seen. “Where’s Ivy?”

  “When your Uncle Aaron arrived with the lovely Fae lady, Ivonne took Samson for a run,” Rylen explained.

  “I frightened the minnow,” Brina chuckled. I was surprised by how much her smug laugh pissed me off.

  “Lay off Ivy. She’s been through a lot.”

  “Protective instincts kicking in?”

  “She’s new at this.” I tried to explain.

  “How sweet.”

  “She’s one of mine.” I meant my team, but it came off sounding more personal.

  “I will treat her with the respect she deserves. Running away from an important guest is not a good beginning.”

  “Your ego is showing.”

  “I was referring to your uncle.”

  “My apologies.”

  “Get a room or eat, just make up your mind.” Jay and Aaron were practically choking on their food, they were laughing so loudly. Rylen just looked confused.

  I sat, not taking my eyes off the frustrating female who’d rocked my world not too long ago. I’d changed a lot since the night of my seventeenth birthday, taking responsibility for a team, tackling a tough crime, allying myself with a species of unseelie and going up against a dangerous pack of wolves. I was a different guy now.

  Brina took the seat across from mine, her booted foot brushing against my ankle under the table. ‘Course some things never changed. My body responded to her touch in the most predictable way, making me want to scream at my uncle for bringing her.

  Instead I pretended that her presence didn’t affect me. “When will the ot
hers arrive?”

  “Perhaps two hours. They couldn’t get away as quickly as I could,” Aaron said, swallowing an enormous bite of garlic bread.

  I played with my food, worrying about Ivy, worrying about tomorrow’s meeting, worrying about how I was going to get any sleep at all with Brina in the next room. Aaron caught my glare. He shrugged and went back to his food, saying, “Eat. We’ll be busy tomorrow and won’t be able to stop for meals.”

  Brina began speaking to me in Fae. “How have you been Charles? Is the trip all that you have hoped it would be?”

  “It’s nothing like I’ve expected.” I looked at Rylen who was staring at Brina like she was an angel who’d just hopped a sunbeam down from heaven. “Rylen understands Fae. So does Ivy. Just a heads up.”

  “But he cannot hear us now, can he?’”

  “No.”

  “I have missed you.”

  “I’m sure you have males lined up at your door.”

  “Not the males that interest me.”

  I’d known Brina my whole life. This flirting banter was not the only thing on her mind. “What do you really want?”

  She smiled. “Always perceptive. I want a challenge. Faerie is under King Finvarra’s capable yet very firm hand, and some of our freedoms have been curtailed. I am not to spend time in the mortal world unless I am asked by a blood ally to assist them in some manner.”

  “Bored, huh? Is Kaera bored, too?”

  “My sister follows orders from her king like a stream flows down a mountainside. She does not question his directives and she does not complain. I am not of her temperament.”

  “I’ll think about it. I already have Jay and two kelpies.”

  “You know their magic and their skills do not compare to mine.”

  “That’s true, but here I’m the boss. We both know there’s not a rat’s chance in hell that you’ll follow my orders. And if you don’t, you could put my friends’ lives at risk.”

  “Finvarra will want to know of the rediscovery of his steeds.”

  “They aren’t his steeds. They belong to themselves.”

  “They worship us, did you know this?”

  “If they do, they’re foolish. None of us should be worshipped.”

  “In the past many humans worshipped us.”

  I laughed. “And look where that got you? Stuck with a witch like Fionna running the court and killing her own people. If I were you, I’d be grateful Finvarra came back.”

  “I am loyal to my king, however, I am not fond of his edict.”

  “I guess I can understand that.” For too many years to mention my parents had kept me in lock down. In my head I understood the reasons why, but inside there was an animal trying to claw its way out, and I wasn’t talking about my cheetah. My magic, my spirit, even my mental health was suffocating.

  “I knew you would understand.” Her mental voice had grown quiet. I looked up, locking eyes with a female warrior who’d practiced her magic and her fighting skills for three hundred years longer than me. If we worked together, who knows what we could accomplish.

  “I’ll think about it, okay? Meanwhile you’re here and there’s an alpha to take down.”

  “Are you pleased?” She smiled. “That I am here?”

  “What do you think?”

  “Char!”

  “What, Jay?”

  “Eat your freakin’ dinner. I’m going out to find Ivy.”

  “Sure.”

  An hour later, Jay was back with Samson. “Ivy’s gone. Samson was sitting on a boulder and whining, then he took me over to this log where I found these.” He held up Ivy’s shoes and socks. “She must have jumped in. I waited around, but she never came back.”

  “We know she didn’t drown.” But that was small comfort to Jay.

  Rylen spoke. “She may have been taken. Lord Tellek is not a forgiving male. If he has discovered that his room has been searched, he might blame her. I believe he had petitioned the chieftain for the honor of first mating.“

  “First mating?”

  Aaron winced. “It must be exactly what it sounds like.”

  “That guy? He’d crush her.” Jay was pacing.

  “This is custom…”

  “I don’t want to hear it. How do we get to her?” I asked.

  Rylen straightened up. “I can bring one or two, my prince. No more.”

  I looked around the room, my gaze settling on Brina. I nodded, hand over heart. “I humbly request your aid. Do we need to share blood?”

  “It is not necessary. Your father and mother are our blood allies and you are the son of a fae lord.”

  “Will you help me find Ivy?”

  “Yes.”

  “Will you follow my orders?”

  Her gaze tightened. “If they are wise.”

  “Advise me, but the final decision is mine.”

  “I will agree to that, young prince.” The mischievous sparkle in her eyes made everything okay.

  We walked to the beach with Rylen, who promised to send back another of his people to bring Aaron and Jay to the court. I told Aaron he might disturb the kelpies because of his “werewolfiness”, but he just laughed.

  “I’ll show them nothing but respect, unless they try to hide the criminal who assisted the murderers of my wolves.” Every wolf in his jurisdiction was considered “his” even though they weren’t in one of his four packs.

  Rylen turned to Aaron, his expression stern. ”You enter our realm as our guest, an outsider only welcome because of Charles’ assurance that you are not an enemy. You must say that you wish to help us regain the territory the Catalina wolves have taken from us. We will assist you as much as we are able with the murder of the wolves, but we will not tolerate falling under the thumb of another lupine bully.”

  Aaron and I exchanged glances. Did he want me to smooth things over, or should I wait for him? “Uncle,” was all I needed to say. He winked at me and faced the young male.

  “Prince Rylen, I misspoke and I apologize. As a representative of the WPC I will do everything in my power to ensure the return of any territory taken unjustly by the Catalina wolves or any other wolf pack in my jurisdiction. As an alpha, I feel the loss of the two wolves deeply, even though they were not from one of my packs. They will be mourned and their deaths will be avenged and I will greatly appreciate any help that you, your chieftain or your people can give me toward that end.”

  Rylen held out his hand in friendship, surprising for someone who hadn’t spent much time on land. “I believe this gesture is appropriate, is it not?”

  Aaron’s face remained solemn, although I was sure a laugh was brewing. “Most appropriate. Thank you.” They shook and that was that. I inwardly wished that all problems could be solved so easily.

  Brina stepped close, whispering in my ear even though she knew everyone could hear her. “Wolves are generally creatures without elegance or honor, however your uncle is a male of worth.”

  “Thank you Lady Brina.” Uncle Aaron bowed in a cartoony way, knowing Brina hated to be addressed with her title. She thought of herself as a warrior, not the typical fae lady.

  She glared in his direction. “Perhaps I was mistaken.”

  “Don’t pay any attention. If he teases people it means he likes them.”

  “We will go now while the tides are in our favor.” Rylen dove into the water. A heartbeat later a shiny silver fin appeared on the other side of the waves. I took Brina’s hand and we walked into the icy water, jumping over some waves and diving under others. It was awkward, because we were fully clothed, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable appearing at their court in a bathing suit.

  The slickness of the kelpie form beneath us was startling, our legs straddling the creature and clenching to hold on. Behind me, Brina gasped, grabbing my shoulders. We were under the water and moving at a terrific speed, our bodies protected from the cutting force of the water by Rylen’s magic. Without it, air would be forced out of our bodies as water was forced in, the cold
consuming us.

  There was no light this deep, no way to tell what direction you were turning, no way to find the surface. “This is unsettling. Why do we not take the lines?” Brina asked, her hands tightening on my shoulders, probably leaving marks. The fae were a people who gloried in the sunlight and fresh air.

  “My waist might be a better place to hold on.” She couldn’t see my smile, but it was there.

  Brina scooted closer, wrapping her arms around my waist and burying her face against my shoulder. “Do not imagine that I am afraid.” There would be consequences if I ever mentioned it.

  “Never.” I held her hands against my body and felt her relax. A guy could get used to this.

  “Where are we going? Where is this place?” she asked.

  “The location of our grottos will always remain a secret to land roamers.” Rylen said.

  “We can take the lines back?” she asked.

  “Of course,” I reassured her.

  We arrived in one piece, dry and feeling perfectly normal. Brina, fully recovered, moved around the room, fascinated by the wall hangings, portraits and sparse furnishings. Many of the tapestries depicted the fae in battle, most of them seated on steeds. Rylen excused himself, saying he’d inform Chieftain Marea of our arrival and that he was sending someone back for Jay and Aaron.

  “The kelpie are a race well known in our histories, but I have heard nothing about this realm, not even from the elders,” Brina said.

  A servant walked into the room carrying a tray of beverages. After one glance at Brina and me, she dropped the tray and knelt, speaking in fae, “How may I serve you Prince and Lady of Faerie?”

  There was shattered glass and a pool of dark liquid on the floor by her head. Brina frowned and flicked her wrist. The liquid was gone and the slivers of glass were back on the tray. She spoke before I had a chance. “You may inform the kitchen that your chieftain has four guests, all of whom will be requiring food.” She glanced at me with a wry smile. “Three are animals.”