by Jaye Shields
The aunts, on the other hand, ushered Sparrow to the front of the group. The girl handled herself like a pro surrounded by the tall, adoring Knights. “Lovely to meet you,” Sparrow purred. Sabin couldn’t help but admire the young woman’s laid-back demeanor. He counted his lucky stars that Tera’s friends and family were so incredible. He was already beginning to think of Sparrow as a lovable cousin.
Sabin scanned the fog with his haze-cutting vision to appraise the crowd. Creatures littered the ground in various heaps. “As we make our way through the fog, try to stay behind Sodor and I. It will be impossible for you to see the ground in this fog, and there are many bodies that you could stumble over.”
“How romantic.” Tera winked at him and he received her teasing look.
“Bodies?” Sparrow questioned, unable to see anything in the dense fog. The Knights stepped closer to her.
“There is nothing to fear, milady. Sabin has taken care of the crowd, and we will not be far behind to ensure your safety. The smooth passage of your family is our utmost goal.”
Sparrow nodded. “Sounds good.”
“Sound really good.” Morgana added.
“I like you.” Melissandra patted the Knight’s strong bicep.
He watched his friend beam with pride. But when Sodor realized he held Sabin’s gaze, he stepped backward. Sabin chuckled, the ladies were causing quite the sensation in the fog. Getting back to business, he communicated with the group to scan the perimeter as they departed. “Already ladies and gent, the tour of the Portal Realm begins.” The rest of the way through the fog, he described the portals they passed, and even let them poke their heads into Heliodor, the realm of the faeries. Eventually he stopped them in a particularly dense patch of fog.
“Ghehestia varlo … ” Spreading their arms out wide, he and Sodor began chanting and the fog parted, revealing a large wooden boat. Their vocals echoed in the foggy abyss.
“Whoa, talk about cryptic choir boys.” Sparrow interrupted. “You guys sound like the next Lord of the Rings soundtrack.”
“This is how we will travel.” Sabin announced as Sodor held the boat in place in the dark water.
“Tee hee.” Tera threw a playful punch at Sparrow. “You’re right.”
Morgana was next to be helped aboard the twenty-foot boat. “I hate to be the whiner, but that thing does not look large enough for all of us for two days of travel.”
He smiled, flashing gorgeous teeth, his aqua-gray eyes ablaze. “True Morgana, but nothing is always what it seems in the Realm of the Fog. Take a peek below.”
As Sabin and Sodor helped the Sparrow and Melissandra aboard, Duncan teleported with Michelle into the raft. Suddenly there was a scream from below the tiny deck.
“It’s incredible down here!” Morgana’s voice echoed from below. “And guess what I found!” Ascending from the stairwell came Morgana followed by Rowen. Clad in low-slung leather pants and a bared chest, the Knight looked sinfully mouthwatering, and for a moment, all the girls, were speechless. Except for Melissandra, of course.
“Hot damn!”
“Good day. I have been preparing your cabins for travel.” Rowen glanced at Sparrow. “It is good to that you are fully recovered.”
For the first time since they had arrived in the Realm of the Fog, Sparrow blushed deeply and wiped her palms against her blue jeans nervously. When she didn’t respond, everyone glanced her way. Tera jabbed her friend in the back with an elbow to bring her back to reality.
“Thanks.” Silence. “Nice pants. I mean — leather is cool.”
Melissandra snickered, but Rowen simply nodded, not seeming to catch Sparrow’s awkwardness. “There is a giant spider in the Asuras Realm that can spin the likes of this form of leather fiber. No animals need to be harmed. Well, save for the spider, which needs to be convinced to part with the fiber.” A roguish glimmer played upon his expression.
“I wouldn’t mind a pair of those. What spider do I have to wrestle?” Duncan spoke aloud, asserting his presence for the first time.
Rowen and the Knights laughed heartily at the successful ice breaker. “After we meet with the King, you will be welcome to visit and I or one of the Knights could take you to the realm. But I must warn you, the Arachnyd is the size of a tanker.”
Michelle kissed Duncan on the cheek. “Um, I think we can stick with jeans. I don’t like the sound of dangerous tank-sized spiders.”
Duncan tugged Michelle close against his body and nestled her tight against him. “Say no more, my love. Jeans it is.” They lost themselves in a passionate kiss and Tera could have sworn she heard Sparrow harrumph jealously.
Sodor punched the vampire playfully when the kiss ended. “I believe the current term in your realm is ‘whipped.’”
Sabin laughed at the jab and brought Tera closer against his body as well. “Well, Knights, I’ll be the first to admit that I, too, am whipped. I shall wear whatever my beloved prefers, which hopefully, is nothing.” He pressed an adoring kiss to her lips and Tera nearly melted into a puddle at his feet.
“Rowen,” Sodor piped up teasingly, “I think we may be on the wrong ship. This rig is the fucking love boat.”
Melissandra perked up at that and spread her arms out toward Sodor’s shirtless, chiseled body. “That’s right, baby. Come to mama!”
The whole crowd laughed, save for Sodor whose skin flushed bright pink all the way up to his electric silver hairline. Tera had never felt so happy so far from home.
• • •
Sabin had been quiet about the reason for the journey, treating it as if they were on a top-secret mission. Tera was excited, mostly because he was showing her so much of his world. With every moment, she felt more and more a part of his life. Even now, he stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her, his fingers intertwined with hers.
The dense fog that had crowded them during the trip had been cold, but now as the fog lifted, the bright sunshine that caressed the Kingdom Hy-Breasal kissed her skin. A bright golden light shined a contrast against the fields of green grass that stretched all the way up to the beach. The salty mist of the ocean tickled her nose. The pale pink hue of the ocean swirled with the foamy white lace of waves. High up on a hill was the most glorious castle that she had ever seen. No travel guides or National Geographic specials had ever boasted an image of such a castle.
As their boat landed at the end of the semicircular inlet, the townspeople that had gathered bowed, their faces smiling. Her first impression was that the men and women and children of the kingdom were very happy.
Sabin jumped into the water and placed his hands gently on her waist to hoist her out of the boat and carry her gently to the sand. Duncan had already embraced Michelle, and teleported them both to shore. Rowen turned to help Sparrow from the boat in the same fashion, but before he could move toward her, her body disappeared and a dove fluttered gracefully above the water. Once over the sand, the dove turned into a young woman once again. Rowen turned next to Morgana, followed by Sodor who moved to carry Melissandra.
Morgana yipped as Rowen’s hands wrapped around her knees from where she stood on the edge of the boat. “Oh, no you don’t. I’m not a skinny waif like my niece. I can make it to shore myself.”
Sodor and Rowen looked aghast. Rowen glanced at the crowd, who, although still bowing on shore, seemed to have heard the remark and appeared quite entertained. Sodor laughed and was nearing hysterics. “My ladies, we battle demons for a living, you are but a waif for us.”
Rowen moved swiftly and grabbed Morgana gracefully into his arms as if she were nothing more than a feather. Melissandra squealed delightedly and held her arms out for Sodor. “My turn, hot cakes.”
From shore, Tera, Michelle, and Sparrow giggled, but didn’t look; instead, they gazed around at their surroundings. Sabin’s lips were creased together in a peaceful sm
ile as he clutched Tera against his body comfortably. He’s a thing of beauty. She could feel the eyes of many women riveted on her, as if they longed to be in her spot.
When they were all ashore, Sabin released her from his close embrace. Clasping her hand, he led their group up the stone staircase built into the hill toward the castle. Bringing up the rear, Melissandra patted her fluffy mass of blond curls and teased, “What ever happened to the waif idea? I’m definitely out of — ” But before the huffing and puffing woman could finish, Rowen scooped her up into his arms.
Tera and Sparrow glanced back at the cute spectacle, and she noticed a look of awe upon Sparrow’s face. Is somebody smitten?
Sodor shrugged and moved to carry Morgana as well, not to be outdone by Rowen. Morgana held out a hand and smiled. “Thanks handsome, but I do have a little bit of self-respect, unlike my sister.”
In response, Melissandra winked at her sister from where she rested comfortably in strong arms, against Rowen’s chest. “I love you.” Sabin whispered softly into Tera’s ear and squeezed her hand. The tender endearment reminded Tera of all that she had to look forward to with Sabin by her side.
The group arrived at the top of the hill, the gigantic, ethereal castle looming high above them. The spacious entrance was wide, with a high arch encased in golden engravings. Tera recognized the intricate golden border of the archway to be Celtic in design. Beginning from the gold lining of the archway stretched colorfully painted flowers in the art-nouveau style. Vibrant shades of green, pink, red and of course, more gold-leafing created a façade that she could have gazed at for hours. But Sabin guided her through the doors, and past the doormen dressed in sleek golden silk. She’d think a castle like this would be guarded by men in armor, not gold.
Sabin seemed to pick up on her thought process and explained in a soft voice to the group as they padded through the long, elegant entry corridor. “Since there are few who know how to access this place, including the Gods, the Kingdom of Hy-Breasal is very safe. The castle does not need protection from its people either, because they are the most content. Breasal is the High King of the world, or at least he was, and he is certainly the most fit ruler to keep his people rich in food, luxury, and contentment.”
Sparrow spoke up. “He was the High King of the World? As in no longer?”
Rowen didn’t miss a chance to answer. “Yes. The Human Realm has greatly changed, and is no longer deserving or capable of being ruled. It is when High King Breasal retired to his own island that the faeries and many other mystical creatures went into hiding in their own created realms.”
The conversation was cut short when they noticed a regal presence awaiting them at the end of the corridor. The figure moved toward them, his sumptuous golden robe that cascaded around him etched with intricate Celtic symbols. The clothes wrapped around his body were a unique mixture of leather and gold silk, so he looked both fierce and elegantly regal.
Sodor was the first to rush the king and embrace him in a fierce hug. “It has been long, High King,” he said before kneeling before Breasal. “Please forgive me for my outburst in the prison.”
The king laughed, and only a slight trace of wrinkles etched near his eyes as he smiled. “Forgiven, Sodor. I must say, a brief stretch of prison time certainly builds character. It was quite a surprise to see you lose your composure.”
Rowen patted Sodor on the back before giving the king an embrace of his own. “Sodor did royally lose his cool. But then again, Chaos tends to have that effect on people.”
Now Sabin stepped forward, but instead of hugging the king, he bowed. “I present to you, High King, my love Agrotera, Dryad of the Muir Woods, and also, Sparrow, Morgana, and Melissandra, Wiccans of Alameda, California.” Motioning to Duncan and Michelle who held hands, Sabin continued the introductions. “And this is Duncan, noble vampire, and Michelle, a Mayan were-jaguar.”
Only Sparrow curtseyed, dipping gracefully in her jeans, and then glared at her friends when they sent her entertained looks. “What? That’s what they do in the movies.”
The King laughed and all smiled with him. “You are brave in battle and in your antics.” Breasal bowed toward her. “Come, I will show you all to your rooms.”
Morgana smiled. “Wow, an escort from the King himself! What did we do to earn such a vacation?”
Another bout of laughter came at the King and he smiled at the women. A flicker of recognition passed through his eyes but quickly disappeared. “I am retired these days, but I admit that I take great pride in hosting guests in this beautiful place. And a hidden island rarely gets many visitors. Your presence will be very celebrated here.”
The King spared another long glance at Sparrow, as if assessing her before he gestured to a doorway. “I thought you all would be most comfortable in close proximity. This door leads to a parlor with three adjoining sleeping rooms. I have attendants inside that will prepare to dress you.”
“Prepare to dress me?” Sparrow asked sheepishly.
“Oh, how exciting. I knew I was underdressed.” Melissandra looked down and appraised her flowing tie-dye skirt and Jefferson Airplane t-shirt.
“If you don’t mind my asking, what occasion are we dressing for, besides your presence, I mean?” Morgana asked. “I do know that my sister’s lack of fashion sense is probably royally offensive.”
The King smiled. “I have not laughed so much in more than twenty years. You fine ladies will have to come visit again. You are always welcome no matter your dress. ’Tis not the first time I have seen tye-dye.” The king smiled fondly, as if recalling a distant memory. “And concerning our occasion, I see that Sabin has left it a surprise. Let us just say that it is very momentous.” The King offered Sparrow a curious glance once more before continuing. “I will leave you to my attendants.”
“And you, Knights,” the King motioned to Rowen and Sodor. “Join me in the library. Zeth awaits us there with ale.”
When she turned to follow the other women, Sabin instead took Tera’s hand and led her down the hall. She couldn’t help but gaze at the floors, walls, and ceilings all around her. The castle was of the most intricate and curious design. Remnants of design from all ages of the past, and futuristic, magickal elements were mixed effortlessly throughout the palace.
“This is for us.” Sabin brought her to another wide, tall door. The rich mahogany was inlaid with inlays of gold and silver.
She smiled up at Sabin and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. After their lips tasted each other sweetly, she smiled nostalgically. “This room is quite different from our first.” Tera sighed happily. “The Red Victorian will always have special meaning for me.”
“I imagine you might like to continue living with your family in Alameda. If that is the case, I suspect we might be visiting the Red Victorian on some occasions.”
“What occasions?” She looked up at him, pleased that he was sensitive to her desire not to leave her family yet.
“Such as when the pleasure I give you will defy a mystical sound barrier.”
Her knees buckled from under her. As if on cue, Sabin swept her up into his arms and walked into the incredible room.
“Like now.” He smiled lovingly at Tera with intent that filled her heart with ecstasy. Today had been an incredible day, and was about to get a lot better indeed.
The opulent room was awash in sunlight. Tall windows were bordered by rich hanging fabric. Like the windows, the bed was also oversized and covered by large puffy blankets with intricate crimson and gold embroidery. The floor was pristine marble — not that Sabin let her walk on it. Carrying her across the room, he laid her on the billowy comforter. As her body sank down, the covers puffed up around her body like a cloud.
“I love to see my Dryad surrounded in luxury and comfort. I want to spoil you this way forever, my love.”
She
reached out and grasped him by the shoulders, pulling him down until he was just a breath away. “Starting now?” She smiled wickedly, giving herself up to her newfound wonton ways.
“Starting now.” Sabin flipped her over on the bed so her stomach met the mattress. Reaching his hands to her sides, he caressed the skin under her shirt. Slowly, he inched the hem up. Pulling the shirt over her head, he pressed kisses along her spin before unclasping her bra.
A moan escaped her as his strong chest descended upon her back. Resting atop her, he suckled on the skin of her neck, nibbling sensually as his hands gripped her soft curves. A breath that sounded more like a pant escaped her as he sucked harder against her neck. “That feels good.”
Sliding his hands under her, his fingers caressed her body. He found her nipples and twisted them gently. She mewed from surprise and pleasure. Her own voice was husky with determination. “My turn.”
Turning over against Sabin’s strong body so that they were face to face, she brought her hands down to the fly of his leather pants. Her eyes took in the hardened length that sprang loose. “Someone is happy to see me.”
“Very happy to see you.” He replied sensually. In just another moment, Sabin was free of his pants and was tugging off her own. As he knelt by the bed, he grabbed her into his arms and she wrapped her legs around his muscular torso. Diving into a room-spinning kiss, their tongues entwined in the language of steam and raw need. His lips broke away as if they were desperate to utter something.
“I love you, Tera.”
“I love you more.”
