by Opal Carew
Kristine said nothing but looked at Kai with something that looked a lot like regret. Before she could respond, Murdoch interrupted.
“Now, now, my dear. That’s neither here nor there.” Murdoch waved his hand and the doors opened revealing a long, crystal corridor. “All is well and you are a cousin of the Fae Queen. Therefore, you will be staying here in the palace as her guest. Follow me.”
Kai and Kristine walked behind Murdoch in silence. A knot of anger coiled in Kai’s chest, as heat rippled over her arms and the ring burned. She wanted nothing more than to zap the crap out of Kristine because any illusions Kai had about a loving relationship with her grandmother were vanishing with each passing second.
The woman brought Kai here knowing it might kill her. Nice.
“Are you excited for tonight’s event?” Murdoch asked as they approached the end of the corridor. Stopping in front of the glistening red doors he looked down at Kai with an eager smile and pointed at the spell book in Kai’s arms. “I do hope you’ve picked a good spell to use on him.”
“Him? Do you mean Asmodeus?” Kai asked with more than a little dread. She looked from Murdoch to Kristine and didn’t miss the look of warning her grandmother gave him. “Is he in there?”
Kai tried to push past Murdoch but Kristine grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her back. Murdoch laughed loudly and clapped his hands, clearly misunderstanding Kai’s motives.
“I’m glad to see how eager you are and I’m sure it will make for a fine display.”
“What display?” Kai tugged her arm out of Kristine’s grasp. “Cut the crap, Kristine.”
“That’s quite enough.” Kristine interrupted. Kai didn’t miss the look of warning she shot Murdoch. “As the queen’s secretary, I’m sure Murdoch knows that Zemi would like to tell Kai all about it herself.”
“Yes.” Murdoch bowed and a contrite look covered his face. “My apologies.”
He waved one hand and the doors swung inward, revealing an enormous silver and ivory hall that brought to mind the gladiator arenas of ancient Rome. The ruby red door closed silently behind as the three of them walked along sterling silver floors into the center of the hauntingly, silent arena.
When Kai looked back the doors were gone and she felt as though they had been entombed. The circular space was lined with ivory colored walls made of marble that were about twenty feet high. Directly above it were several rows of seating, which would give an audience a clear view of whatever happened on the arena floor.
Gauzy, red bunting hung around the edges of the domed ceiling and at the center was a massive crystal sunroof that cast a colorful, glittering beam of light into the center of the room.
Murdoch led them around the beam of light so that they stood to the left of it. Kai noticed that neither, Murdoch or Kristine attempted to touch the light. In fact they avoided it entirely.
Perched high above them there was a gilded balcony fit for a queen. Beneath a canopy of flowing fabric was a massive sterling throne encrusted with jewels and Kai had no doubt that’s where Zemi would be sitting. Just as Kai was going to inquire about the queen, the wall behind the throne vanished and four women scurried out. All of them were dressed in dresses similar to Kai’s but their hair was coiled on top of their heads. They stopped, two on either side of the door, and bowed their heads.
Kristine and Murdoch dropped to their knees as one of the most beautiful women Kai had ever laid eyes on, emerged onto the balcony. Her coffee colored skin stood out against an ivory and gold dress that fit her curvy body to perfection. Thick, curly, dark hair flowed over her shoulders and as she placed her hands delicately on the edge of the balcony, her piercing, blue gaze landed on Kai.
“Don’t you think you should kneel before your queen?” Zemi asked. “Clearly, you didn’t learn any manners on Earth.”
“Really?” Kai laughed as Kristine and Murdoch rose to their feet. She knew it was probably unwise to mouth off to the queen but she was tired of all the bullshit. “Well, you may be a queen but you aren’t my queen.”
“Kai,” Kristine warned. “Mind your tongue.”
“You certainly have the spirit of a Fae woman,” Zemi said, her voice echoing through the cavernous space. She clapped her hands. “Murdoch, you are dismissed. Please tend to the rest of the details for tonight’s gala.”
“As you wish.” Murdoch bowed regally and winked at Kai before leaving. “Until tonight.”
“Kristine, bring the girl up here.”
Laying one hand on Kai’s arm, Kristine waved the other in the beam of light. The familiar sound of wind chimes filled the air and when the light spread over them, that warm fuzzy feeling rippled through Kai.
A split second later, the two of them were standing on the balcony in front of Zemi, who was seated in her throne. Kai swooned with dizziness but fought the lightheaded sensation, clinging to the book like her life depended on it. Fainting in front of the queen would definitely make her look like an idiot.
“For a Chosen One, you seem to get woozy rather often,” Zemi, said, with mild amusement. She waved her hand and two small silver chairs appeared behind them. “Sit. We have much to discuss.”
Kai and Kristine sat down and within a few seconds the four servant girls scurried over with gilded glasses of wine. Kai smiled but politely refused. Even though she wanted a drink—badly—it seemed a wise idea to keep a clear head.
“Do you like the stage we have set for you? I wanted to show it to you so that you’d be familiar with it before this evening,” Zemi said before sipping her wine. The queen’s intelligent gaze studied Kai intently over the rim of the gilded chalice. “I thought it only fitting that you eliminate him in a grand setting for all to see.”
“Yeah, about that,” Kai began, “I’m not eliminating anyone.” Kai placed the spell book on her lap. She folded her hands on top of it but kept her calm expression focused on Zemi. “Sorry to disappoint you.”
“It’s really not up to you, Kai,” Zemi said sweetly. “You are the first of the chosen Custodians. You have been given the Ring of Solomon and that spell book so that you can eliminate Asmodeus. Once that is complete, then the duty will go to the next Chosen One and so on. The cycle will continue until all seven members of the Brotherhood are dark no more.” She sipped her wine and smiled. “Until they’re destroyed…and then we will be free to roam the earth.”
“What do you mean…we?” Kai swallowed the lump of dread in her throat.
“Keepers of the damned? Well, that doesn’t refer to the demons, my dear.” Zemi laughed and took another sip of wine. “It’s a reference to us. The Fae Custodians….we are the keepers of the damned. We hold the light for the Dark Ones--the light that will destroy them.”
“Oh my God.” Kai, completely agog, stared at Zemi as the ring burned against her flesh. “You can’t be on Earth for more than a few days without losing your power.”
“Not without becoming like my sister,” Zemi seethed. “That traitorous wretch and her pathetic coven living beneath Larrun Mountain like insects. They may live in the mortal world but their magic is weak. However, if we destroy the Brotherhood and bring an end to their evil, then all of the Fae can roam the earth freely without any danger of losing our light.”
“You crazy bitch,” Kai whispered. “I won’t do anything to help you harm Asmodeus or his brothers.”
“You forget yourself,” Zemi spat. She rose to her feet and tossed the chalice of wine aside, with little care that it almost hit one of the servant girls. “You may be the Chosen One but I am your queen and you will not speak to me with that insolent tone. Perhaps too much time with that filthy demon has made you lose your senses?”
“Zemi, please,” Kristine begged. “She has had much to adjust to in a very short time. I beg you to be patient with Kai while she learns our ways. I fear her judgment has been clouded by her feelings for the demon.”
“Leave us,” Zemi whispered. Holding Kai’s gaze, she waved her hands at the servant girls. “
All of you.” She turned her sharp, blue stare to Kristine. “Now.”
Kristine and the four ladies-in-waiting scurried silently out of the room. Her grandmother sliced a worried look in Kai’s direction before she left but didn’t do a damn thing to help her. Fear oozed off all of them but Kai couldn’t blame them because she was feeling more than a little anxious herself.
“You love him, don’t you?” Zemi asked calmly. “And you are a foolish enough child to believe that he loves you.”
“I’m not foolish or a child. I may not be a million years old like you are but I know what it feels like to be loved.” Kai straightened her back and curled her hands around the edges of the spell book. “But maybe that’s your problem. You don’t know what it feels like to be loved do you?”
Zemi’s smile faltered and her body stiffened. Kai knew she’d hit the nail on the head.
“Asmodeus doesn’t love you, Kai.” Zemi’s tone grew cold and her eyes glittered with bitterness. Letting out a cruel laugh, she rose from her chair. As she spoke, she walked around the balcony but kept her attention on Kai. “He wants you to love him, though. Oh, yes. He desires nothing more than to have you weakened by your love for him because then, how could you possibly destroy him? Mark my words, child. Asmodeus will use your love and tenderness, against you before betraying you and laying you wasted. He’ll leave you barren, broken, and alone. Trust me,” she whispered in a quivering breath. “That is the only future possible with a member of the Brotherhood. Therefore, it is your duty to use your light to destroy them before they can do it to us.”
Sadness edged her voice and sterling tears glittered in Zemi’s eyes. And that’s when everything fell into place. The woman standing in front of Kai wasn’t a Fae Queen obsessed with freedom on earth. Her motive was far more personal.
Zemi was a woman scorned.
“This isn’t about the Fae getting freedom on earth at all. Is it?” Kai gripped the book tightly as she studied Zemi. “This is about taking out your revenge on Lucifer for whatever went down between you two. Listen, I don’t know what happened but I can tell you that Asmodeus is different. He loves me. You want to worry about someone betraying you, then how about Ben Flaherty?”
“Who?” Zemi looked at her with obvious confusion. “I know no one by that name.”
“Ben Flaherty is Fae.” Kai’s attention was caught by a single beam of light that shone past her and reflected off the jewels on Zemi’s throne. She rose to her feet slowly and inched toward it, but all the while kept her eyes on the queen. “He attacked me at the farm and tried to steal the ring. Based on your reaction, I’m guessing you didn’t send him to steal the ring from me.”
“Why would I do that? It cannot be removed.” Zemi rolled her eyes and gave Kai a bored look. “All of the Fae are aware of how important the Ring of Solomon is to the Chosen One and to the future of our people.”
“Well, maybe, but I think you better watch your back, Your Highness.” Kai moved casually toward the beam of light and prayed Zemi wouldn’t notice. “This Ben guy tried to take the ring. He seemed to think it was pretty valuable and since his little attack wasn’t sanctioned by you…well…I’d say you’ve got a traitor in your midst.”
“A traitor?” Zemi scoffed. “Let me tell you about traitors. The members of the Brotherhood are nothing but that. Demons know nothing of love. They lie, deceive, and toy with the hearts of women as a means to an end.” She looked at Kai as though she were a fool. “I used to be naïve like you. I believed in love…until Lucifer betrayed me with my own sister.”
Kai stilled. Lucifer and Willow? But didn’t Asmodeus say that Willow had a thing with Satan? She shook her head and let out a sound of frustration.
“I’d love to sit here and listen to the Real Housewives of the Fae Dimension.” Kai flicked her gaze to the beam of light, dipped her finger in it and focused her thoughts on where she wanted to go, as she whispered, “But I’ve never been into that kind of drama.”
As the familiar jingling sound filled her head and a tingling sensation flashed over her body, Zemi’s shocked face was the last sight Kai saw before she vanished.
Chapter Nineteen
Through inky darkness, a whisper of warmth washed over Asmodeus’ cheek and he imagined that velvety soft lips brushed over his. He moaned as pain mixed with pleasure and his imagination tormented him with what he knew couldn’t be real.
Dreaming, he thought, I must be dreaming. Demons didn’t dream but at the very least, Asmodeus knew he had to be hallucinating because he was still bleeding and chained to the dungeon wall.
“Asmodeus.” Kai’s voice sounded painfully real as she murmured his name. “Wake up.”
“Kai?” Fingertips fluttered across his chest as a clean, familiar scent filled his head. Asmodeus peeled his eyes open to see the Kai’s smiling face. Dressed in the garb of a Fae woman, she looked luminously beautiful and remarkably self-assured. He licked his dry, cracked lips and rasped, “How is this possible?”
“No time for explanations.” Kai kept her voice down and glanced over her shoulder toward the door. “I’ve got to get you out of here. You might want to close your eyes because I have no idea if this will work and I could blow your head off.”
“I trust you,” he rasped.
Asmodeus watched as a fiercely, determined look covered Kai’s face and the ring began to glow. She held up her hand and aimed the blooming light toward the chain where it was latched to the wall. A blast of heat and a blinding flash flew from her body and a split second later the chains were shattered to bits.
As bits of stone and metal rained around him, Asmodeus dropped his arms. He bit back the pain that fired through his stiff, tortured muscles and sagged against the wall while Kai used her magic to vaporize the chains that shackled his ankles.
“Come on.” Kai wrapped her arm around his waist, encouraging him to lean on her for support. “We’re getting out of here.”
“There’s nowhere to hide from Zemi. She knows every nook and cranny of her own dimension.” He did his best not to put too much weight on Kai but, much to his dismay, the mortal body he was bound in was far weaker than expected. The sound of guards in the hall captured his attention and he tried to push Kai away. “Leave me.”
“Are you kidding?” She raised one eyebrow and shuffled with him into the ray of light that streamed in through the window. “After all of the crap we’ve been through, do you really think I’d leave without you? And who said we were staying in this dimension?”
Light seeped over their bodies just as the door of the dungeon burst open. An instant later, Kai and Asmodeus were consumed by the sunlight.
***
The clean scent of lavender and ivory soap drifted over Asmodeus, along with the crackling sound of fire. His eyes drifted open to see Kai, barefoot and clad in a pair of cut off shorts and a tank top. She had her back to him and was speaking quietly in the corner with Isadora.
They were back at Larrun Mountain.
Asmodeus pushed himself up to a sitting position in the bed, bracing himself for the pain he’d become accustomed to over the past few hours, but none came. He lifted his hands and saw that a subtle aura glowed over his flesh and while the tattoos of the Brotherhood were there, the lacerations from the shackles were not.
He was completely healed and with any luck, all of his powers were restored now that he was back in the mortal plane. Testing his theory, Asmodeus he held his hands in front of him and called up the power of fire. An instant later, energy pulsed through him with a familiar and comforting surge. He smiled while when a red and orange ball of flames materialized in the air.
“You’re awake,” Kai said with a smile. Asmodeus pulled the power back inside him, making the fire vanish just before she climbed up and kneeled on the bed next to him. She placed a warm, welcoming kiss on his mouth and murmured, “How do you feel?”
“Is that a trick question?” He teased. Asmodeus curled his hand around the back of Kai’s neck and brush
ed a kiss on the corner of her mouth before she snuggled up against to him. “Because the only thing I want to feel, right now, is you.”
“Good to see you back in the land of the living. You’ve been passed out for hours but given the extent of your injuries, I’m not surprised. You got your ass kicked by a bunch of fairies.” Isadora, who once again looked young and beautiful, folded her arms over her chest and wiggled her eyebrows. “But you’re feeling as horny as ever, I see.”
“Only for Kai.” Asmodeus kissed Kai again and brushed his thumb over her cheek. “How did you get us back here?”
“Well, I am a Fae you know,” Kai, teased. He knew she was mimicking him and it only made him adore her more. “I used the light travel, and you’ll be pleased to know that I didn’t faint for a change. Anyway, I figured this was the safest place to come while we planned out what our next steps would be.”
Asmodeus kissed her again and pulled her into his arms as he breathed in the clean, shampoo smell of Kai’s hair. The woman embodied purity and goodness and it killed him to know that he’d have to let her go. Eyes closed, he kissed the top of her head and peered at Isadora who gave him a knowing look.
“I can see that you two need some time alone and besides, I have to deliver our message.” Isadora opened the massive wooden door but stopped before leaving. “You’re a smart woman, Kai. It’s no wonder you are the first of the Chosen Ones. I’ll see you in three hours at the rendezvous point but don’t be surprised if Zemi doesn’t show up.”
“What rendezvous?” He asked with more than a little concern but Kai didn’t answer him. “Kai? What is this nonsense about meeting with Zemi?”
The door closed quietly behind Isadora and, without a word, Kai hopped off the bed. She moved to the windowsill and opened the spell book. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he pushed the covers aside and stood up, uncaring that he was stark naked.
