“I’m not sure about that, but I’ll tell you what…I’ll volunteer to go with you. That might help.”
Cass smiled at her. There was something she immediately had liked about Ivy, and now she liked her even more. She looked a little older than Cass, with dirty-blond hair pulled into a ponytail. “Thank you, really. It means a lot to have…someone who doesn’t hate me.”
“They don’t hate you. They just don’t understand why you’re here.”
“And you do? Because I’d like to know myself.” Cass gave a small laugh.
Ivy glanced back at Fern, who had walked even farther away. “I try to keep Raine in my thoughts while I’m out here.”
Cass stopped breathing at the name of her former Protector, who’d been executed nearly six months earlier. Raine protected her no matter what. He had been the one caught with her magic books and ingredients because he wanted her to be safe. Magic was frowned upon in the village but Cass was beyond fascinated with it. Unfortunately, Raine had paid the price for Cass’s curiosity. “What?”
“He wanted you and me to meet, but he and I had only been paired for a few days before…everything.” Ivy looked down.
“Oh.” Cass felt tears coming to her eyes. Raine had meant a lot to her; he was more like a big brother than a bodyguard, and his death had affected her more than she wanted to admit.
“He told me about you. Said you were really a Lycin in Magic User clothes.” Ivy gave a small laugh. “And I believe it now that you came with us. To be honest it’s refreshing to have a Magic User out in the trenches. They usually just give the orders and sit back, watching us do the dirty work. I guess you can say I respect what you’re trying to do here.”
Cass didn’t know what to say. Ivy had given a whole positive spin to Cass’s selfish decision to come along on the mission. The real reason was closer to the one she had given Hunter earlier. She didn’t want to be in the palace anymore, and this was the only place she’d be allowed to go. Both of her Protectors had come with her to camp, but once she refused to leave her tent for a few weeks, someone—Hunter, she assumed—put them to work doing patrols. She felt safe in the camp with so many guards around her, but she wondered whether Hunter would allow Ivy to be her Protector for a while.
“Thank you,” Cass said, quietly throwing on her shirt and pulling the towel away from her. She shoved it and her other clothes into the bag she’d brought with her.
Fern led the way back to camp, although she took a longer route, which made Cass a little happy. She was able to get a good look at the land, which was mostly flat and green. They’d been walking for a while when Fern put up her hand. Ivy took a stance at attention, and Cass looked around, not knowing what was going on.
Fern turned to Ivy and motioned toward a few trees off to the right; Ivy grabbed Cass’s arm and pulled her behind them. “Stay down,” she whispered.
“What’s going on?” Cass whispered back.
Ivy took a deep breath. “Smells like a Shifter. I’ll be right here on the other side of the trees. Don’t move.”
Cass nodded as the Lycin shifted her stance and slinked out behind her. The princess leaned against one of the trees and tried to catch her breath. She wasn’t a fan of stressful situations. When Syney had first been found in the Human Realm, Cass had been part of the party put together to get her. While they were there, three Shifters had attacked them. That was something Cass never wanted to repeat. She still woke up with nightmares from it.
Both women were eerily silent behind her. Without looking, Cass knew they were still there. No Royal Guard would leave a princess alone with a Shifter around, or at least Cass trusted that Ivy wouldn’t. She dared a look and saw them walk, still at attention, toward the left. She moved to look in the other direction just as a young man slipped out of some bushes and ran toward where she was sitting. She wanted to scream but was too shocked and scared to do anything but watch as he darted between the two trees she was hiding behind and promptly tripped over her outstretched legs. He fell face first into the ground and turned toward her. Paralyzed with fear, Cass stared at him with wide eyes. He looked to be around her age, with black hair and amazing red eyes. Cass knew that an entire line of Magic Users, the Blocadrians, had red eyes, but they all had died before she was born, so she’d never seen such things. They stared at each other for a moment before Cass heard the women coming toward them. The man must have heard it as well because his gaze shifted in that direction, and he hissed. And then he changed. He seemed like he was shrinking at first, and then all that was left was a pile of clothes on the ground. Before Cass could even investigate, a long black snake slithered out from inside his shirt and skittered away from her.
Cass heard someone close to her and quickly stood up in front of the pile of clothes. Ivy and Fern looked at her.
“We need to go quickly,” Fern said.
“There’s a Shifter somewhere out here, but we can’t find it,” Ivy said, pulling Cass gently toward the camp.
Cass looked behind her and debated telling them about the man and the pile of clothes he’d left behind, but for some reason, she didn’t. She had been raised to view Shifters as savage beasts that would stop at nothing to kill any Magic User they saw; this one, however, had her at a disadvantage but hadn’t done anything. He had just run. He could have killed her with one bite, with his venom, before either wolf had noticed him. But he hadn’t. That alone made Cass think twice about most things she’d been taught, which wasn’t the first time in the past year. She decided to keep the encounter a secret as they rushed back to the camp.
Syney played with the necklace Gabe had given her as she looked over the crowd gathered to welcome Prince Brian and his rowdy band of friends. The whole thing was absurd, Syney thought. He shouldn’t have been out to begin with, and now they were throwing party to celebrate the fact that he had come back. Noelle had told her it was all politics, but it didn’t seem right to Syney. Throwing this kind of lavish party when there were so many in the Village who were in need seemed ridiculous. But as seated queen, Syney could only play nice and smile as everyone flitted from conversation to compliment. It was all just so fake.
Noelle walked over with two glasses of vinum and handed one to Syney. “I thought you might need this.”
Syney downed it in one gulp. “I did. Thank you.”
“It’s not so bad,” Noelle said, scanning the crowd.
“Yes, it is.”
Noelle sighed. “Well, there is one…um…Never mind.”
Syney looked at her. “What are you babbling about?”
Noelle licked her lips. “It’s just…that guy over there keeps checking you out.”
Syney narrowed her eyes at her. “If I look over there and see Brian, I’ll kill you.”
“Not Brian. The blond next to him.”
She sighed and looked over. Brian was at the center of the room, telling a harrowing tale of some beast that nearly had killed him, complete with hand motions and facial expressions. Syney silently berated the animal for missing. Her gaze drifted to the blond man standing next to him. He was young and drop-dead gorgeous, with short unruly hair and flawless tanned skin. And then he was looking straight at her, flashing her a smile that made her face grow warm.
“Wow,” Syney breathed, as she looked back at Noelle. “That smile should be illegal.”
“I thought the same thing.” Noelle laughed. “He’s cute.”
“He is.”
“Is he cute enough to maybe talk to?” Noelle asked slowly.
Syney looked at her silently for a moment. She was pretty sure Noelle meant more than just talking, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. “I…um…You know, I think I’m going to go back to my room. I’m not feeling so well.”
Noelle grabbed her arm, stopping her. “Syney, you feel fine.” She sighed and pulled her into a corner of the room, away from most of the guests. “Listen, I know you probably don’t want to hear this right now, but you have to move on. This guy is
cute and keeps staring at you. And you’re a catch! Hundreds of guys are going to be lined up to ask you out. So why not start with this one? At least you’ll have something handsome to look at all night.”
Syney stared at her, speechless for a moment. “I have moved on.”
“No, you haven’t. You’ve been going through the motions, concentrating on work. You need some good downtime, and he seems like he might be some really good downtime. And that was an innuendo.”
“Yeah, I got that. Thanks.” Syney sighed and glanced again at the handsome stranger. “I don’t even know who he is.”
“His name is Adam. He wasn’t raised here. He stumbled across Prince Brian’s hunting party and saved his life when they were attacked by Daemons.”
Syney looked back at Noelle. “You seem to know an awful lot about him.”
“I saw him at dinner and asked around. He’s perfect for you. A nonroyal who’ll piss off Mellisandrianna. A good guy who saved a stranger’s life because he could. Hot as hell.”
Syney laughed. “OK, I get your point.”
Noelle took Syney’s hands in hers. “I just want to see you happy again.”
She took a deep breath. “OK, then. How do I go about meeting this Adam guy?”
“Well, I walk away, and you just charm.”
“What?” Syney asked, as Noelle took off almost at a run.
“Hello.”
Syney stared at her handsome stranger as he stood in front of her, his smile not at full bloom but good enough to catch her breath a little. He was wearing a well-fitted black suit that showed off his lean frame and made him look like a sophisticated lawyer. His slightly tan skin was flawless up close, without any lines and his dark brown eyes seemed to be playing with her just with one look. “Hi,” she said.
He held out his hand. “I’m Adam.”
She took it and gave him her best smile. “Syney.”
“Queen Syney.”
They both looked over as Prince Brian walked up and put his arm around Adam. The two seemed like night and day standing next to each other, Brian with his dark hair and blue eyes and Adam with his blond hair and brown eyes. Syney had thought Brian was the most attractive man she had ever met last year, before he revealed himself to be a ladder climbing jerk, but now standing next to Adam, Syney decided he had been trumped in the looks department. She rolled her eyes. “Right, Queen Syney. I must have forgotten.”
Brian laughed. “See? I told you she was funny. This young man saved my life, did you hear?”
Syney gave Brian an odd look. She was pretty sure he was drunk. “I did hear.”
“He also can’t stop talking about you.”
“OK, I think we’ve had too much to drink,” Adam said with a nervous smile.
“Wanted to know all about you ever since he saw you at dinner. Most beautiful thing he’s ever seen, if I’m quoting correctly.”
Adam motioned to the side, and Brian’s sister, Maggie, hurried over. “I think he might be done for the night,” he told her.
Maggie nodded and gave Syney an apologetic look before pulling Brian away.
“I’m so sorry. He’s not usually that…way,” Adam said, motioning with his hands.
Syney laughed. “Yes, he is, but it’s nice of you to defend him.”
Adam smiled.
“So you must not get out much,” Syney said.
“Excuse me?”
“I’m nowhere near the most beautiful thing in the world.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” he said, taking a step closer to her.
Syney instinctively stepped away from him and laughed nervously. “Oh, I am, but thank you for the compliment. I don’t get genuine ones around here too often.”
Adam looked around the small ballroom. “This place is pretty interesting. I’ve only been here a few days, and I already hate it.”
Syney looked at him, surprised. It was refreshing for someone to tell the truth in the palace. Most of those who did were already her friends. Maybe this guy was going to be OK after all. “You aren’t from here, right?”
He shook his head. “I was born in Alchin, out in the neutral territories. My parents died when I was young, and a close family friend adopted me.”
“I’m so sorry. I know what that feels like.” Syney bit her lip.
“I was too young to remember them. But my adoptive father did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself.” He smiled, and Syney couldn’t help smile back.
“How long will you be in the Village?”
He shrugged. “Brian has requested me as his personal assistant, but I’m not sure that’s going to fly. To be honest I don’t think I could stand following him around all day long.”
“Well, considering you hate it here, would it be so bad if they kicked you out?”
“I didn’t think so…until tonight.”
Syney’s face burned, and a slow smile spread across her face. This felt really good. It had been a long time since she had talked to a cute boy and felt the little butterflies rumble in her stomach. The last time had been before all the craziness Altera Realm had started, when she was living with the Andrews in the Human Realm. This felt…normal and really good.
“Well, then, maybe I could put in a good word for you, make sure they don’t kick you out on your butt.”
“Thank you. Maybe you could find me a better job while you’re at it.”
“Oh, now you’re pressing your luck. I’m not a miracle worker.”
“So the stories aren’t true? Damn.”
They laughed. A genuine laugh Syney hadn’t had in a long time. She made a mental note to get Noelle a big gift.
“I hope I’m not being presumptuous when I say I’ll pick you up at seven tomorrow for a date. Maybe dinner?” Adam suggested.
For a moment Syney watched his confidence waver only a little. It was nice to see a bit of vulnerability. But the idea of doing something beyond harmless flirting raised her anxiety level a little. She bit her lip as she had an internal debate. It would be a good thing to go out and have some fun. Noelle herself had told her she needed some downtime. And Adam was good company as far as she could tell. And he hadn’t been raised in the Village, which meant he probably had some good stories to tell. On the other hand, the idea of dating always had made her uncomfortable, even when she was in the Human Realm. She took a deep breath and gave him a smile. “You are. But I’ll be ready at seven.”
His smile widened. “Until then,” he said with a short bow.
Noelle snuck up as soon as Adam had drifted away. “That looked promising.”
Syney grinned. “I like him.”
“Good!”
“We’re going to dinner tomorrow at seven.”
“Good!”
“I need a new outfit.”
“Good!”
“I’m going to bed now.”
“Oh, OK.”
Syney shook her head and headed out of the room. “I’ll see you in the morning!” she called over her shoulder.
Reed met up with her in the hall. “Off to bed?”
Syney nodded. “I’ll be fine walking by myself. Just send up Poppy in a little bit. I’ll make up the couch for her in case she gets tired.”
Reed gave her a look. “She’s not there to sleep.”
Syney rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”
“I’ll come by in the morning,” Reed said, turning toward the guards’ quarters.
Syney wished him a good night and headed in the other direction, toward her room. This had been a rather good day for her. She actually had gotten something accomplished at the council meeting. She had surprised Leaf during training and even gained the upper hand during one of their sparring fights, at least for a few seconds. She had managed not to kill Mellisandrianna as the entire dining hall sang a ridiculous song that was even worse than the “Happy Birthday” song she’d grown up with. And she had a date the following night with the most attractive man she’d ever met. All in all she was pleased with the
day. She even suffered through all her meals with everyone around her without any breakdowns. No, don’t go there, she thought, as she reached her room. It’s been a good day. No need to let your thoughts go there.
“Syney!”
She turned to see Leaf walking toward her down the hall. She gave him a smile. “Hey. I’m heading to bed. What’s up?”
He looked at her with the most unsure expression she’d ever seen on his face. Usually Leaf was a stoic warrior who didn’t let much bother him. This was odd. He pulled out a small box from his pocket and handed it to her.
“You already gave me a gift,” she said, opening the box. Inside was a silver necklace. The pendant was round, with a curved line separating two gems. The one on top and to the left was a purple gemstone, similar to the ones in Syney’s crown. The other was a brown gemstone that seemed vaguely familiar to her, but she couldn’t place where she’d seen it. “It’s beautiful. But two gifts is too much.”
“It’s not from me,” he said.
Syney looked up at him. “I don’t get it.”
“I’ve had it for a few months. My mother sent it to me through Rose. A jewelry maker in Ragin had it, a special order that was just finished, and gave it to Rose. She thought I might know what to do with it.” He paused. “Hunter had it made for you. The top stone is from Queen Amelia’s crown. Helen had gotten it for him. And the bottom one is—”
“Rose’s,” Syney said quietly, as she looked down at the pendant. Both of their mothers. She loved it. She quickly snapped the box closed and held it out to him. “I can’t take this.”
“It’s yours.”
“No, it’s not. And I don’t want it.”
Leaf sighed and stepped closer to her. “One day you’re going to want something to remember what you had with Hunter. This is for that day. Good night.” He walked away, leaving Syney alone in the hallway, still holding the box in her hand.
She gripped it, willing it to crumble in her hand, but it wouldn’t. After a moment she went into her room and closed the door behind her. She leaned against the door and pulled the box to her chest, as the tears she’d been lacking all day filled her eyes. She took a jagged breath as thoughts crowded her mind. Hunter. Her Hunter. Her soul mate. She pushed off from the door and walked through her darkened room and onto the large stone balcony that overlooked the Village. Then she leaned against the wall and slid to the floor, her tears and sobs growing.
Deviation: Altera Realm Trilogy Book 2 Page 4
