“You hid large chunks of truth,” she hiccupped, face still buried in his white shirt.
“I hid them from everyone—on my father’s orders. He doesn’t know I’m here.” His fingers traced her neck sending little shivers down her spine.
“No?”
“No. Besides, would you have believed me if I’d told you?” His fingers found the necklace chain around her neck and traced it, reminding her of her last dream.
The stories, all the odd things he said … it all made sense now. “Does my faery tree in the backyard really have little wood faeries in it? Will I be able to see them when I come home?”
“It’s a real faery tree,” he told her gently, as if the very words might break. “But no wood faeries live in it. I’ve had a devil of a time trying to keep clans of them from settling, too.”
She looked up at him, blinking. “Really? Why?”
“Because it’s a nice tree—and who wouldn’t want to live in a tree cared for by someone like you? But I was afraid it would draw attention to you so I kept them away.”
Noli stepped back from his embrace as if burned. “What? You know that I’m all Sparky and whatnot?”
V looked around and held a finger to his lips. He lowered his voice, “I do, but it’s important that you don’t let the queen know that.”
“Why?” Her hand went to the necklace. “Did you know this would happen?”
“No.” He took a step, closing the gap between them. “I didn’t think Kevighn would find you. Strange things lurk in San Fran, things even more dangerous than Kevighn. I gave it to you to protect you from them. I see you didn’t take it off.”
She fingered it, looking at the green stone and gold design, not him. “I do listen to you sometimes. Kevighn and the queen keep trying to get me to take it off.”
V cocked his head, a lock of blond hair falling in his unspectacled eyes. “Do they?”
“Is it really bad faery repellant?” She looked up at him through veiled lashes, feeling a bit ridiculous for saying it out loud.
He laughed and it reached all the way to his eyes. “No. It’s the mark of my house—my family crest. That’s also why it looks like a tree.” Taking his out, he traced it with his finger. “Those are the branches, those are the roots, all intertwined, and the stone is its heart.”
V tucked the necklace back in his shirt. He waved his sword in the air and before her eyes it shrunk and became a pen, which slipped into his shirt pocket.
Noli grinned. “Is your pen collection really a sword collection?”
“Yes. Nice trick, isn’t it?” He grinned boyishly. It was always difficult to be mad at V for long, especially when he smiled.
“You still owe me an explanation.” Noli poked him in the chest with her index finger.
“I never meant to deceive you, only to keep you safe.” Reaching up, he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. His fingers trailed down her cheek, making her skin blaze.
“Because they like girls with the Spark here.” Noli sighed. “I still don’t know what exactly the queen needs my help with.”
V’s eyes widened. “She asked for your help? Did you agree?”
“Not precisely.”
“Good. We really need to talk. I’ll answer all your questions if you answer all of mine. Please, come with me?” He took her hand like so many times before. Only this time it made her toes tingle.
“Then I can go home?” Biting her lip she looked at him. “I miss Mama.”
“I know you do. We’ll figure it out together. I promise.” He put her hand to his lips and kissed it as if she were a fine lady.
“I … ”
His lips silenced her. It reminded her of the kisses in her dreams—gentle, sweet, and tasting of nectar. Their lips and tongues danced as his body pressed to hers as if he sought to unite them. Her hands ran over his back, feeling his muscles, him.
V broke it off. “I missed you so much.”
“I … ” Breathless, her heart raced. It was one thing to kiss him in her dreams …
“This place isn’t private and we really need to talk.” He led towards a different garden exit than the one they’d come from.
Her lips burned with desire, as did other places. “Won’t they stop us?”
“She’ll let us leave for now.”
“Why?” She half-expected them to come charging into the garden any moment.
V’s cheeks colored and he looked at his feet, bashful. “I told her I just wanted to speak with you, and well,” he kicked the ground. “She let me. It surprises me. But, then, there’s no hiding from her in the Otherworld. She’ll grace us with her presence soon enough.” A worried look flashed in his eyes. “Please, let me explain?”
“Don’t think you can simply come in brandishing a sword, rescue me, kiss me, and everything will be fine.” She tried to make her voice tough, but she could only think of that kiss.
“If only it were that easy. But we’ll figure it all out.” Worried colored his voice, but that was V for you—always fussing about something.
“Promise?” Her heart fluttered like the wings of a wood faery.
He smiled. “Promise.”
Steven relished the sensation of holding Noli’s rough, tanned hand as he led her through the wildwood and through several gates. He knew the queen wouldn’t pursue him … yet. But it still surprised him no one did—or that she allowed him to take Noli.
“Where are we going?” Her voice, though soft, didn’t tremble.
“We’re going to my home. I can’t wait to show it to you.” He had to give her credit for taking this all so well, but who knew what things she’d endured before his arrival.
“Another palace?”
“Our real home, where I grew up. We spent most of our time there, not at the earth court palace.” His face contorted as pain pierced his heart. Coming here, facing her, was much more difficult than he’d expected.
She squeezed his hand, the corners of her lips twitching downwards into a slight frown. “I don’t understand.”
“I don’t either, quite honestly.” As high queen her word was law unless the magic—or the Bright Lady herself—objected.
“What happened?” She swung his hand back and forth while they walked reminding him of better, more innocent times.
“The short version is my father was king of the earth court. He made a decision the high queen objected to and wouldn’t reverse it. As punishment, she took away his throne, gave it to my uncle, and exiled my father to the mortal realm. As children, James, Elise, and I could have stayed here—with our uncle or with her—but James and I chose to stand by our father, since we understood why he made the decision in the first place.” He would have made the same one. “Elise was too little to understand, but my father didn’t want to separate us.”
Noli took this all in, drinking the information like a plant did water. “Is that why he’s so sour? Because once he was king and now he’s simply a man?”
“Yes. We all lost a lot that day.”
Noli squeezed his hand again. “Your home, your life.”
His mother. “Coming to the mortal realm, no longer being a prince and just being a boy was difficult. To have to conceal our nature, use our magic in secret … ” He looked away. “To be forced to hide in shame, even from those of our world who walk the mortal realm freely because unlike them, we can’t return at whim.”
“But you came for me?” Her face scrunched in confusion. “Will you get in trouble?”
He laughed. Such a dire situation and she worried about punishment? That was his Noli. Too soon she’d understand. “My father will be angry, but I needed to protect you.”
“Why?” Biting her lip, she looked at him with questioning eyes.
Stopping, he pulled her to him, planting a kiss on top her head. He’d missed her so much. “You know the answer.”
She looked up at him through veiled lashes. “Truly?”
The way she said it sounded so fragile, like she
didn’t dare believe it.
Stopping, he cupped her face with his hand and gazed deep into her beautiful steel colored eyes. “Truly.”
They continued to walk hand in hand. They stood at the edge of the property now. Steven inhaled the rich woody scent. Home.
“You wanted to return and take your kingdom back? Like in a story?” She cocked her head, studying him.
“One day, yes. That was the plan—it still is, really.”
“Will your uncle give it back?”
“Not willingly. My uncle wanted the throne for a long time. The queen thought everyone would be happy—my uncle would get the throne and she’d get what she wanted. No one counted on my father preferring exile, especially when she cast him out not only from our court and home, but from the Otherworld entirely.” It was difficult to speak of it, even to Noli.
“I’m confused.” Her nose wrinkled and he found the gesture adorable.
“I know and I’m sorry. Desperately, I feared someone would discover how you shine with the Spark and seek to use you.” His face crumpled as he kicked the ground. “Some protector I turned out to be.”
Noli stopped. Gently, like feathers, her fingers brushed his face in a tentative, exploratory motion. He closed his eyes, drinking in her touch. When he opened them, she held his gaze.
“You came. I wished and wished and you charged in with your sword like a knight from a story.” She smiled shyly.
“As everyone tells me, I’m no knight—or adult—yet. You … you aren’t too angry with me, are you?” His belly tightened. “As I said, no one knew. Who’d believe us?”
“I… I’m not sure I would have … before all this.” Her voice trembled ever so slightly.
“I never meant for you to experience this.” He led her towards the grove. Maybe he’d take her to visit his tree and they could check on the wood faeries. “It uncomplicates and complicates things all at the same time.”
How would he solve this mess? But he would. He had to.
“How? Kevighn said my talents lay in gardening and fixing things. How can that help the queen? She said the fate of your whole world lay on me.”
“Unlike them, I’ll be completely honest with you— even if it’s unpleasant or hurtful.” They entered the grove and she grew in a sharp breath. “It’s nice here. Isn’t it?”
“It is.” She looked around, eyes widening in wonder.
Giant rowan trees, as old as the land itself towered above them. Soft moss covered the ground. Bird chirped in the distance. “I … I like trees too. That’s why, in part, I think I like spending time with you. How could I not love being with someone who likes trees and plants as much as I do?”
“You’re earth court, right? So you like being outside?” She made another darling confused face, face scrunching in an unladylike way. “Does the water court have tails and air court fly?”
“Some.” He touched her face again. Steven couldn’t stop touching her. No longer did he have to. Now she knew the truth and they knew of her and her beautiful Spark. Now he no longer had to hide his feelings to protect his secret or conceal her Spark. “My talents lay in trees and plants.” Elise possessed some of those gifts, but not to the same degree, yet. She also showed a dangerous propensity towards their mother’s gifts. Frightening. Another reason for them to shelter her the way they did.
“Can you speak to trees?” She looked up at a tree that seemed to have no end.
“That’s how I figured out you were in the Otherworld. The tree at Findlay told me.”
Noli’s face crumpled and her shoulders drooped. “I didn’t mean to come here. Findlay was so dreadful, and I wished I was any place but there and suddenly I sat in some strange garden with faeries and Kevighn promised to help me find my way back to Los Angeles … ”
Her words came out rapidly. Pulling her to him, he held her. “Shhh, it’s not your fault, Noli. It’s not your fault.”
They sat on the velvety moss under one of the giant trees, his back against the smooth trunk, her in his lap, his arms tight around her. The very weight of her against him made him certain they were no longer children.
He ran his fingers through her wayward, curly strands. The sunlight streamed through the trees, making it shine. The pink gown she wore did nothing for her complexion. She would be radiant in his family’s colors.
“Noli, darling, you must tell me everything from the moment you made your wish to the moment I found you. I need to know every detail—even the ones you may not want to share.” He laid a finger on her protesting lips. “I promise I won’t get angry. If we’re to get you home, you can’t leave anything out.”
“Promise?” Biting her lip, she looked at him with worried eyes.
His heart sunk and his insides knotted. But he needed to know in order to help her, to keep her, to prevent her from dying, yet still save his people. “I promise.”
“Very well.” She said this with much resignation, like it were punishment—or schoolwork. Getting comfortable, she repositioned herself in his lap. “It’s a long and strange tale, one I hardly believe myself … ”
Twenty Five
Sometimes the Truth Hurts
Noli told him her tale as they sat under the giant tree. Parts of it sounded ludicrous even to her—and she’d lived through it. Would he believe her?
She twisted her hands and looked up at him. He had to.
Even though he told her not to, she left parts out of her story. Like the dreams where they kissed. Like Kevighn getting her drunk and taking off her gown.
Kevighn and V were so different, yet both drew her. Though she knew who to choose, she wasn’t entirely certain whom she preferred.
That realization made her stomach churn with guilt. “When Kevighn told me that eating faery food trapped me here forever, did he speak the truth?” Closing her eyes, she prayed it was just another one of the huntsman’s beautiful lies.
He put his hand on hers, quieting them. “I’m afraid so. We might be able to figure that one out, though. Right now it’s the least of our problems.”
“What? I only want to go home.” She sniffed.
V cupped her face with his hand. “What things did you eat? Again, nothing you tell me will make me angry, but you can’t leave anything out if we’re to solve all this.”
As always, he was the voice of reason. She had full confidence in his abilities to figure this out—whatever it was.
“Um,” she thought for a moment. “Tea, berries, little fancy deserts, soups, stews, porridge—all manners of things.”
“Anything… harder?” Trailing down her face, her neck, his fingers toyed with the chain of her necklace.
Her cheeks warmed and she looked at her lap, shoulders hunching. “I got angry with Kevighn when I overheard him speaking with the queen in his cabin. He brought out some sort of honey wine while he explained and I got a little … ”
Noli averted her eyes in embarrassment. Ladies didn’t do such things—and to think, V, her best friend, was an actual prince.
“You got a little tipsy, did you? Like we did the time my father had the dinner party?” His voice held no blame and his fingers ran up and down her arm in a feathery motion. “Ask James about the time we snuck into the great hall at the earth palace after a feast and decided to have a taste from every glass left on the banquet table.” V grinned. “I’ve never had such a headache in my life. Mum was so angry.”
Noli laughed, picturing the event as clearly in her mind as if it were a moving picture. “Where is James? I’m surprised he didn’t join you.”
“He’ll turn up eventually; after all, he’s the better swordsman,” he chuckled. “We couldn’t simply barge into the Otherworld without proof. James went to see if you’d run to your brother or to your friend Charlotte’s.”
“I miss her. I hope she’s all right. Her uncle is more dreadful than even Findlay House. He hurts her.” Noli shuddered. How could anyone do such things to their own niece?
“I’m sure she’
s fine.” He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. “After you got tipsy, what happened?”
Would he be so calm and gentle when she told him? “Kevighn … he … ” She closed her eyes, as if that would change things. “He said things to me.” Things she found scary and exciting all at the same time. “Then he kissed me … ”
Memories of his kisses, his touch, choked her, cutting off her voice.
“Don’t tremble.” His arms tightened around her, bringing her close enough to lay her head on his shoulder. “Did … did you lie with Kevighn?”
“No. Of course not.” Her head popped up as she bit back disbelief and outrage. “What sort of girl do you think I am? I might be mortal, I might be a hoyden, but I’m no dollymop.”
“Shhh, I know, I know.” He covered her face with tiny kisses as gentle as spring rain. “You’re none of those things. I know of his reputation—though I’ve never heard of him having to get someone drunk. If anything, you should be proud you’ve resisted his charms.”
“He did get my dress off, so I’m not that good.” Shame burned her face and she averted her eyes. “When I ran away from him, I was in my underclothes. I got lost and the wild hunt found me. I met the queen in my corset and petticoats. Oh, what would Mama say about that?” Noli shook her head in despair.
Soothingly, he toyed with her hair. “No one will ever know but us. Certainly, I won’t tell. Though I have to say, meeting Queen Tiana in your undergarments must have been quite the sight. The wild hunt brought you to the palace and you met the queen, then I found you?”
“Thank you for rescuing me when you did, that game was dreadful.” Realizing what she said she put her hand to her mouth. “I’m not supposed to say that to you, am I?” She couldn’t recall what happened, but odds were it wasn’t nice.
“I won’t take advantage of you, but others might—you didn’t thank Kevighn or the queen, did you?” His brow furrowed.
Reaching up, she smoothed his forehead with her fingertips. “No, I didn’t thank them, but I forgot with you. I still see you as V, as my best friend, not some prince, even an exiled one. It still sounds so strange.”
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