A Blaze of Magic: Chosen Saga Book Two

by J. L. Clayton

  “Well, you know… I was just doing what any nice person would’ve done. I also, wasn’t the only one that helped get everyone out safely. It was a team effort.” I beamed.

  The Kings eyes darkened and he nodded. “Ah yes ah know of the help you had, but now ah mist leave, we will meet again.”

  He bowed and then held out his hand. I shrugged and shook it. He shook his head and laughed.

  “No dear, please give me the pleasures ah have bestowed on you. Please,” He smiled and it was beautiful.

  I would imagine that was what the devil looked like just before he ate your soul. Follow me and all your dreams will come true, you will have eternity. Yeah, right, in hell. No thank you!

  “Kiss me as ah have kissed ye.”

  I looked at him. I couldn’t come out and ask if that was a good idea, so of course I was back to Asher.

  I asked: Asher, what do I do?

  Asher: Don’t do it Kitten, please trust me.

  I smiled and patted the king’s hand saying, “You don’t want a little girl like me to kiss the hand of a king such as you.”

  Asher: That’s a good girl Kitten.

  The king just smiled and nodded then said, “If not a kiss from ye. Allow me to give thee one more. It is only polite.”

  I asked: Asher, will it be okay?

  Asher: No, but you don’t want to make him mad, it is better that he kisses you, and then you kiss him.

  Reese cut in, “Father, would ye allow yer son tae kiss far Charlie? I am in her debt as well; she is one of the people that saved me after all.”

  Reese’s father looked at him coldly; he straightened, nodded once and left without a backward glance. I shuttered, as Reese sighed. My mother and father excused themselves to go talk to Eli leaving Reese, Thorn and I alone. Well as alone as you could get in a room full of supernaturals. I saw Jace watching the Prince of the Seelie court very close; his eyes were turning that darker shade they sometimes got. He saw me and smiled then walked over to us.

  “Don’t do nothing funny, fairy boy.” Jace said it with a smile.

  Thorn stepped around Reese and faced off with Jace, it was kinda funny, even though Thorn was a shape-shifting chameleon, in his human form standing two inches shorter then Jace glaring at him was silly looking.

  I sighed, “Jace, Thorn come on, stop the testosterone mach. Please!”

  Jace snorted and Thorn looked shocked, “You know who I am?” His voice was light and soft, no longer screechy, I nodded. “But how did you know?”

  I grinned, “It is easy to see bullshit anywhere.”

  “Why you—”

  Reese said one word, “Enough.” We all looked at him; he rubbed his face looking worried and sad. “Charlie, I do apologize for my friend and father. Allow me to pay my respects and leave before my father has any inkling to rejoin us.”

  I blinked and nodded, “Okay, so, do you want to kiss my hand as your father did?”

  Reese sucked in air, “Sweet Oberon no. That would be overstepping my father and I do not wish to defy him. Even if I was going to kiss you in that manner, it is too late now. The King has stolen that pleasure from me. I will simply kiss the top of your hand and we will be on our way.”

  “Okay,” I held out my hand feeling silly and lady like. I also felt like I should shake hands not let someone kiss me as if I too was royalty.

  Reese’s lips were warm and that was it, just a kiss; a kiss from a Fairy prince. There was no zing or rush of heat like that of his father’s kiss, and I did not feel like touching him or any other sensation that I would get with the other guys in my life. Boy was I glad. I did not need another guy; I had too many as it was. I talked to Ziggy’s family, and got to meet Sally’s husband Jo. You would think that Trolls would have odd names but Sally and Jo are boring human names-where’s the wow factor. After almost everyone had left I looked at Jace and smiled.

  “Alone at last,” He joked.

  Asher sighed heavily: Kitten please stop looking at him that way, it is killing me.

  I said: Why? It’s not like you are in love with me. You just want me for my power base, same for the King of the Seelie court. I am putting the wall back up Asher and I will be over in a sec so you can explain to me all about the Fairy realm.

  Without letting Asher protest, I slammed the wall in place and told Jace that I would be right back. He nodded as I turned and headed over to Asher.

  “Kitten, why do you have to be so mean? It hurts me when you cut off our conversation so abruptly.” Asher placed his hand over his dead heart and I just glared.

  I got straight to the point, “Tell me about being marked? What is the Seelie court? Why not say thanks to a Fairy? Why was everyone acting crazy when the King marked me? Why were there a lot of gasps and murmurs when King Demetrius said he was in my debt?” I stopped and sucked in air.

  Asher’s lips twitched, “That is a lot of questions. Do I have the time to answer you?”

  I rolled my eyes, “We’ll make the time. Everyone will just have to wait until I’m finished talking to you before they can cut in.”

  Asher shook his head, “No Kitten I am afraid everyone will want in on this conversation.” Asher pointed to everyone in question.

  Mom, Dad, Eli, Jace and his Mom and Dad, Sara and Robert were looking at Asher, while Oz and Zeb were looking at me. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

  “I guess you all heard me ask my questions. So someone have at it. Please answer me.”

  Eli rubbed his face, frown lines caressing his eyes. “Asher, you might as well do the honor. However, after everything is said and you leave us, I will be having a talk with The Head Vampire Liege. Do I make myself clear?”

  Asher flashed fangs and snorted, “Very.” He turned his gaze on me, and it softened.

  I wonder what Eli meant when he said he would have a talk with, “The Head Vampire Liege?” And how cool was that? Vamps have a King too, well kind of. Liege is not a King, but it is a Lord, close enough, right? I mean, God is a Lord and he is the King of heaven, so then the Liege of Vamps would be like a King.

  Asher smiled, “Let me start with the Seelie and Unseelie courts.” I nodded. “The Seelie court, well it’s the creatures of light, wishes, dreams, joy and magic. When humans think of Faeries, it is the Seelie court that they are thinking of. They are known as the Shining Ones.”

  Reese did tell me he was a Shining One.

  “The Seelie court,” Asher was saying, “Considers itself higher than any of the other courts, and is very formal. Kind of similar to the old English Courts! However, the Seelie court has the highest ideal of pure blood. They reject anyone with impure blood and are prejudice against anyone with any amount of Unseelie blood.”

  As Asher told me the history of the two courts, I had an impression this was boring him. A lot! The way his voice dragged on, sounded like he wished someone else would tell the history already so he could just go home.

  “The Seelie,” Asher continued, “Consider the Unseelie court to be full of Fey with deformities, but years of inbreeding have caused the pure Seelie to breed with humans, forming their own monsters. The Seelie Court is not as pure and shining as it wishes to believe. Seelie enemies consider the Seelie court to be pretenders, pretending that they are something that they are not; pretending to be human rather than true Fey. It is easier to be deceitful in the Seelie court due to their interest in illusion. The Unseelie court, however, is a lot more forward and blunt then the Seelie. The Seelie court is ruled by its King as you know.” Asher shook his head and frowned, “Anyone who displeases the King is exiled from the Court. The Unseelie Court takes in anyone who is exiled from the Seelie Court, but many Seelie believe that the darker court is a fate worse than exile from Faerie.”

  “Wow, was that why Reese didn’t kiss me in the way his father did?”

  “Yes,” Asher said, “Although, I don’t know if the King of the Seelie court would have exiled his only son, but he would have been reprimanded badly.”

>   “Okay now the Unseelie, tell me about them.”

  I was so wrapped up in this Fairytale! Get it, Fairytale! Ha!

  “The Unseelie court is considered the lesser court, and is known as the Dark Ones. They are the creatures of nightmares with their mixed genetics and interest in casual sex, dominance & submission, blood and torture. The Unseelie court is ruled by fear, power and dominance, and is less formal than the Seelie court. For thousands of years any un-pure Seelie have been left at the doors of the Unseelie by their own mothers. This is one of the Unseelie courts greatest strengths. In The Seelie court disobeying the King, displeasing him or any other crime, will see you exiled from the Court. In the Unseelie Court your punishment depends on the Queen’s mood. Exile is never used as a punishment. However, there are times when the Queen of the Unseelie court will exile a Fay from the Fairy realm, to the mortal world where it is hard for any Fairy to exist in.”

  “Why? If Fairies can look human, why is it hard for them to exist in the mortal world?”

  Asher exhaled, “Fairies cannot handle iron, and slowly the iron will destroy and kill the Fairy. Even so, I never understood why they would not want to live in the mortal world when there Queen prefers torture, humiliation and execution. And of course, in the Queen’s hand, death never comes, you just continue to be tormented, but in the mortal world death will follow a full blood.”

  “Wow. That is something.”

  Asher laughed, I smiled at him and wanted to hug him but I shook my head and looked around at everyone to see if they saw my movement, but everyone was not looking at me. Everyone was looking at Asher. I let down the wall and asked Asher what was going on.

  I said: Asher, what’s with the looks you are getting? Everyone looks about ready to kill you!

  Asher: That is because they are. I have done something wrong in their eyes.

  I asked: What did you do now?

  Asher: Kitten, don’t you know? I have bonded with you against your will.

  I exclaimed: Oh, crap.

  Asher: Precisely.

  “Kitten,” I heard my Mom suck in a breath. Asher closed his eyes as Zeb grabbed him from around the neck.

  Zeb shook Asher and he let him, then Zeb said, “Do not ever call her that in my presence again.”

  “Zeb, chill out! It’s okay,” I said.

  Zed’s rusty-golden-eyes looked at me, “No he will not use an endearment while I am around.”

  “Zeb,” I frowned, “But you do.”

  “Yes, but I have not done to you what he has. It is time to leave; I will tell her the rest.” Zeb didn’t give Asher time to say anything he just opened a ley-line and shoved the Vamp into it.

  “Zeb, what did you do to him?” I was mad.

  “He’ll be fine, now allow me to finish.” Zeb smiled and chucked me under the chin.

  “No, someone else can, I don’t want to look at you right now.” I folded my arms.

  “Youngling, you don’t understand.” Zeb pleaded.

  “Yeah, and right now I don’t want to. Look Zeb the one side of my mind knows you and remembers that I love you as a brother, but right now, brother, I don’t want to look at your face.”

  Smoke streamed out of his nose and then he closed his eyes and changed in to his Dragon form. I gasped. He was so wonderful as a Dragon. I held out my hand to touch him. Zeb stepped forward to let me; however, he just stopped and shook his head, Zeb glanced at Oz. Oz nodded and quickly changed as well. They must go through a lot of clothes. Zeb looked at me one more time then both him and Oz flew away. I felt really bad and everyone was looking at me like I had just grown another head, but I was mad.

  “Let’s get this over with,” I snapped.

  “I will,” Eli announced. “Never thank a Fairy, because if you do then they will consider you to be in their debt for the duration or until they redeem it otherwise.” He boomed, “Trust me Charlize; being in debt to a Fairy is not a good thing. I assume King Demetrius thought you were going to thank him.”

  I nodded, “I understood that, but I don’t know why he would want me in his debt? Plus, how is saying thanks going to indebt me to him?”

  “If you say thank you to any Fairies, they have the power to bind that word to them, and ask of anything they desire. If you do not do their request, then bad things will happen.”

  “Like what?” I asked a little afraid. Dang how close was I to thinking King Demetrius, if it hadn’t been for Reese. Boy I’m glad Reese stopped me from binding my words to his father.

  “Summoning The Wild Hunt that Odin leads to kill or turn you into one of his horsemen. If you become one of Odin’s horsemen’s you will never have peace or eternal rest, your soul will be lost in torment. Do you understand now?”

  I nodded and shuttered. “Okay, never say thanks to a Fairy, check. Trust me I won’t. Definitely now that I know what could happen to me.” Eli nodded, then I asked, “Um, when the King kissed the under part of my wrist, Asher said he marked me for him and him alone. What exactly does that mean?”

  Eli sighed, “To be marked by the Fairy King is a great gift, but also a great curse, something that is not to be taken lightly. He is saying that you are now his property in the Seelie and Unseelie courts. To harm you, is to harm him. And if someone in ether court did so without the Kings say… Well then, the King has the right to punish those who would betray his word; however, he sees fit. Even so, I do not know why he felt the need to mark you, other than your power base I will have to look into it. Just be careful and never mark him back, it would bind you to his side until one of you no longer exists.”

  “Wow. That sucks. Why am I always the one that’s put in these situations?” I asked no one in particular. Dad patted my shoulder. “Eli?” I asked, looking at Jace.

  “Yes?”

  “What about Kate and Jerold? Did you capture them like the rest of their guards?” I kept my eyes on Jace and Rose. I had no idea what this had to be doing to them. I could only imagine.

  “No, they got away.” Eli said.

  “So. Now what?” I asked.

  “You will go home and let us worry about it.” Eli smiled sadly.

  “But, what about learning my magic? What about learning how to control my powers? Because if any of you haven’t noticed yet, I suck at it.”

  “You will come back soon and spend your time here learning all you will need to know. I was informed there are only three weeks left of school, so you will have plenty of time after school is finished.”

  “I’ll be able to travel back and forth at will, right? I mean, I love Callamose, but three straight months of the city would drive me crazy.”

  Eli laughed, “Yes. Do not fret; you will not have to stay here three months straight. You can go back by your own will.”

  “Good,” I smiled.

  “Um, you know that woman Subrand?” I asked, not looking at Jace anymore. He looked hurt and pissed about his guardians, but I didn’t think he was mad at me so I was happy. Rose, however, was giving me daggered looks.

  Eli’s smiled, “Yes.”

  I bit my lip, “Will she be getting out now that she has been proven innocent?”

  “Only time will tell. Subrand is stubborn, she might not want out just to spite the council.”

  I shrugged.

  Crazy! Who would want to be in prison if they didn’t have to be? Hello, been there done that and I am not going to buy the t-shirt!

  “It is time to go home,” Mom smiled. “I know you negotiated with your father, but don’t you think you’ve been here long enough? So, are you ready?”

  I nodded. Home! The word sounded wonderful! Yes I wanted to go home.

  Chapter Thirty Six

  Crispin & Nikko

  Crispin knew when his follower Quilisa had died. He felt it deep in his bones. For a moment he felt a twang of sadness. She was, after all, one of his favorites. But then it passed as he realized the one he came for was gone! His other half left Callamose! However, Crispin was not deterred. He has
been going on about this all wrong. He knew what he had to do. He couldn’t take her; he had to get her to fall in love with him.

  “Yes, she will love me and then I will have her!”

  With that thought, Crispin vanished.

  Nikko, couldn’t find Charlie anywhere. She was not answering her phone and he was starting to really freak out!

  Where was she?

  Not even Tru knew where she was. No one knew where she was. So now Nikko found himself pulling up to Jace’s house.

  Maybe he knows where Charlie is? Maybe!

  Tru said he had already checked here, but it would not hurt to just check one more time!

  “Please, for the love of all things good. Be here! I am really starting to worry about you girl!” Nikko muttered as he got out of the car.

  Chapter Thirty Seven

  A Messed Up Homecoming

  At my calculations, I was at Callamose for seven days. Seven very long not fun, days. Seven I wanted to die days. Oh hell, seven get me out of this realm days. Yeah, you get my drift and they say seven is a lucky number. I don’t think so, seven sucks big fat toes! Anyway, with that calculation, I have been away from home for three days. Sara and Robert came back with us since Jace and Rose no longer had guardians. For now Jace’s parents would be their protectors. As we stepped out of the portal in front of Jace’s house, I saw Nikko of all people knocking on Jace’s door saying my name. That wasn’t the bad part! Nikko turned and looked at me with a smile on his face. Then his face crumbled, and he started running my way. I, at this point was freaking out.

  Nikko ran fast. Man he was fast! He yelled, “Look out she has a bomb.”