“A little better?” he asked.
“Maybe a little.” My lips twitched, but I couldn’t smile as I sat down again.
“Tell me about your parents.” He finally took a seat and held out his hand.
After a moment, leaving my hands clasped in my lap, I inhaled deeply. “My father put me on the back of a young horse when I was two. I was a natural, and he told me that one day, I would learn how to jump. I don’t remember this, of course, but I took it upon myself to jump shortly thereafter. It was only a log, and I wasn’t in any danger, but when my father boasted to one of the advisors, and my mother overheard, well, she was furious. More with him than with me. Again, I was just told this many years later.”
“A little rebel,” Baxon said with a mischievous grin.
“Maybe. My mother wanted me to be a proper fairy lady.”
“Tell me,” Baxon said. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but you almost always keep your wings tucked away. Why is that?”
“I haven’t seen your wings,” I pointed out, “but my mother tried for years to get me to be more grounded, more… angelic, maybe? I used to fly around the castle. She would hate that. I was young then, younger than ten, but still, I knew better but did it anyway.”
“So you eventually started to listen?”
“I merely changed what I was doing that aggravated her.” I smiled warmly. “My father would cover for me a few times. Once he discovered I was with Novus, though, then he started to become more of a disciplinarian. He did not wish for his only daughter to be with such a fairy as Novus.”
“Why not?”
“Because Father thought Novus was not good for me, and he was right. Novus only wished to be with me because I was the princess.”
“And so you let him go,” Baxon assumed.
“Once I found a better kisser, which was not an easy feat. Novus had this way with his tongue…” I shook my head. “He was not the kind of fairy any father would wish for his daughter.”
“I don’t think your father would want you to be with me or any of my friends either.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” I stared into his eyes, and I felt as if I were falling. “Thank you.”
“For?”
“For listening to me about my parents.”
“Certainly.” Baxon continued to hold out his hand.
After a moment, I slipped mine into his. “I miss them so much.”
“You can honor them despite their death.”
“Hmm. I don’t think you would want that.”
“No? Why not?”
“Because they would not want me to do this.”
And I leaned over and kissed Baxon. It was such a deep and involving kiss that I somehow ended up in his lap.
Chapter 16
Yes, I felt somewhat better for having talked about my parents, but the desire to return home would not abate. When the front door opened and Aman strolled in, I jumped off Baxon’s lap.
“Did you go to the castle?” I asked eagerly, rushing over to the tall, hunky blond.
“I did.”
“And?”
"There have been defensive measures built onto the castle. The throne room needs more repairs, of course, but there are spells now warding the castle—"
“Protection spells!” I smacked my palm to my forehead so hard that the flower tucked behind my ear fell to the ground. “I would have thought that the advisors or guards would have cast them, but my parents must have. I hadn’t realized! I never thought to check or to create new ones. The advisors hadn’t thought to either. At least none of them said anything to me about it, but I should have. I should have known. It’s all my fault!”
Baxon came up behind me and tried to rub my shoulders. “What’s your fault?”
I jerked away and shifted so I could face them both. “The castle. The entire realm. The borders… All of them are meant to be spelled for protection. My parents’ spells would have ended the moment they died. It’s no wonder the demons attacked when they did!”
Aman and Baxon exchanged a glance.
“What is it?” I demanded.
“I doubt that the protection spells were only created through your parents’ magic alone,” Baxon said.
“And demons, well, they can get into and out of tight spaces easily,” Aman said. “For them to have been kept at bay, the layers of protection spells necessary would have been beyond the capability of only two fairies.”
“Are you certain?” I asked dubiously.
“The attack was not your fault,” Baxon said.
“But the demons came during my coronation. There is no way you can make me believe they did not come for me. They wanted to make the fairies vulnerable, and—”
“The fairies are not waiting around to be attacked again,” Aman said firmly. “You do not have to worry about that.”
“Good. I’m happy to hear that, but I really should be with them.”
“If you’re right, and maybe you are,” Baxon said. “Maybe the demons are coming after you. Do you really think they will stop hunting you? If you return to the castle, they will just attack there again.”
I hesitated. I truly believed I had been the demons' target. Had my parents been murdered somehow after all so that I could be the next one killed? Then again, the vile creatures of darkness had not ganged up against me. They only engaged me after I fought them. So maybe I was wrong.
But the timing remained so suspect. Something had happened to the protection spells. Somehow, the demons had been able to venture to our realm.
“What questions do you have for me?” Aman asked.
Baxon patted my back. “I will go and see the others. You two talk. Violet, do not be alarmed. No harm will come to you so long as we are by your side.”
“Thank you,” I said, and the muscular redhead strolled out the door.
Aman held out his hand and gestured toward the table. Instead, I walked over to one of the windows and pushed aside the geometrically patterned brown curtain that let in little light. The scene outside was breathtaking, the grass green, the sky a bright, lovely blue without a cloud to mar the picturesque view.
He crossed over to stand beside me. “The view is stunning,” he said.
I rolled my eyes as he was staring at me and not out the window. “Tell me the names of those killed or injured.”
“I did not memorize the names, I’m afraid.”
I grimaced. Perhaps wishing for all of the names was asking for too much.
“Are the angels helping to keep the fairies safe?”
“I’m surprised you want the angels’ assistance.”
“Why? If I cannot be there for my people, should I not want someone else to be there in my stead?”
“I suppose, but you seem so independent. I would have thought you would prefer to take matters into your own hands and save your people yourself.”
“I do indeed, but if Baxon is right…”
I would not be willing for more fairies to be harmed. If I truly were the target of the demons, they would hunt me down. It would be far better to face them here than at the castle again.
“Why do you care about my safety?” I murmured.
“Why shouldn’t we?” he countered.
“That’s not a reason,” I protested.
“You wish for me to lay out all of your attributes? You are stunningly beautiful. You are strong and capable. You are loving and worthy of love. You care almost too much about your people. You are headstrong and reckless and—”
“Reckless isn’t too be admired,” I protested.
The right side of his lips curled upward. “I noticed you did not deny the charge.”
“That’s because it is the truth,” I admitted.
“I, for one, am glad you are reckless.”
“Oh?”
“If you weren’t, you might not have agreed to allow us to take you to safety.”
I swallowed hard. “Leaving my people behind was the hardest act I have ever done.”
“If you hadn’t, we would have had to have another funeral,” he said quietly. “You would have killed yourself for the sake of your people.”
“Yes, and perhaps I should have.”
“Who then would lead the fairies? There would have been chaos and destruction, and then the demons would be able to sweep in and do whatever they wanted. Do you think they meant to kill all of the fairies or enslave them or force them to fight the angels or…”
“I don’t know, but am I truly leading the fairies while here?”
He did not respond, and I rubbed the back of my neck, watching as a butterfly landed on a massive oak tree. How I envied the butterfly, fluttering about with hardly a care in the world. She could go where she wished and fly until her wings failed her. She had no boundaries, no restrictions, and no obligations.
When the butterfly fluttered away out of sight, I sighed. I was far too emotional because I felt as if I had lost a friend for some reason.
I shook my thoughts away. “The demons have been fighting the angels for so long. The stalemate would persist for centuries more if nothing changed. The angels had been trying to get us to fight alongside them for ages and ages as they thought we could help them overcome the demons. Most likely, the demons thought the same.”
“Are all fairies close to angels?” Aman asked.
“No. There are some who act as if fairies never had any link to angels at all.”
“And you?”
“I cannot say I know many angels well,” I confessed. “My friends are all fairies.”
“You do not like how noble and pure the angels are,” he said.
I scowled. “I suppose I am too reckless for them.”
"Ah, so it is more that you wish to protect yourself from the scorn you feared you would face from the angels."
“I am a princess—a queen. I do not fear angels or demons.”
"Courageous, too. What man would not love you?" he asked.
“Aman, stop.”
“I am only speaking the truth.”
“You are being absurd, and you are not telling me enough details.”
“I told you to ask, and I would answer.” He smiled disarmingly.
“Did you hear anyone talk about me, about my absence? Do they hate me for being away?” My nervousness surprises me, and I realized I was wringing my hands only after Aman reached over and clasped them.
“I heard no one mention you,” he murmured.
I winced, cut to the quick. Had they forgotten me already? Perhaps they would not accept me once I would return, believing that I had abandoned them. That was not close to the truth at all. Even now, I still was not at full strength. My body had mostly recovered, but my magic remained critically low. If a demon were to come after me now, I would have to rely on a weapon to take him out rather than my magic.
But I did not have a weapon save for the four men who had taken me under their wings.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“Whatever you need, whatever you desire, it’s yours,” Aman said, giving me a one-armed hug, and I laid my head on his shoulder, content.
Chapter 17
Before I could try to get more information out of Aman, the others arrived. I hadn’t really noticed until now, but for the most part, my interaction with them since we had come to the cottage had been mostly one-on-one.
For the rest of the day, we chatted and laughed and reminisced. They told me stories about their antics over the years, and I relegated them with stories about my parents and my friends. My sorrow returned, but it was much more subdued this time. Remembering, it seemed, helped.
All of us ate a wonderful meal together, and I could only be pleased. Without them, I would have been lost. I most likely would have died in a vain attempt to save my people.
That night, after the talking, laughing, and drinking wine, Marlo tucked me in. Part of me wanted to ask him to climb into bed with me. I didn’t, feeling as if I should speak with them all about my feelings. It wasn’t fair that I needed them all so much, but I did.
Still, I allowed him to kiss me, and once he left, I impatiently waited for a half hour to pass. I quietly slipped out of bed, put on my shoes, and tiptoed to the door. No signs filtered through, and I willed my heart to beat quieter.
My palms sweaty, I opened the door. It creaked slightly, but nothing appeared disturbed.
I was reckless all right. No matter what they said, I had to return home and see for myself that everything and everyone was safe. I was the Fairy Queen. My people had been attacked. I could go and possibly find some herbs along the way that would help to replenish my magic faster. That way, if I should happen upon a demon, I would not have to use a weapon against him.
Speaking of weapons, I made a detour to the table and secured a knife with a thick, wide blade. There. Now I was ready.
Thankfully, the front door made no sound, and I shut it behind me. For the first time in forever, I unfurled my wings. I spread them out completely, and they hardly flapped as I lifted myself into the air. In no time at all, I was soaring along, enjoying the rush of wind in my face. The waterfall was as majestic and breathtaking as before, but I surveyed the area critically. Had Solo lied? Or had he truly taken me along the route that would lead to the fairy realm?
I flew way up high so that I could try to get a better view of the surrounding area and try my best to find a landmark I recognized. Alas, the scenery, while breathtaking, was not such that I could determine where I was let alone know where I had to go to return to the castle.
The waterfall was alluring, the foam at the bottom where the falls met the pond was a brilliant white that at times had almost a pink hue and then blue or yellow. I had never seen anything like it.
My feet touched the grass, and I hesitated. The water was calling to me in a way it hadn’t before, and I took a step closer to the pond.
A throat cleared behind, and I whirled around to see Aman. His arms were crossed, his lips pursed, yet his gray eyes sparkled almost like the cresting waves actually.
“Where do you think you are going?” he asked.
“I thought I would come back to the waterfall. Solo brought me here.”
“Why didn’t you ask for one of us to come with you?”
“Maybe I wanted some time alone.”
Aman nodded slowly, but I could tell he was wounded. A vein in his neck jumped, and he gnashed his teeth before inhaling through his nose.
“Do you want me to leave?” he asked softly.
I hesitated.
“If I may,” he said, his tone growing with quiet anger, "we have given up our lives, our time, our resources, everything. We have put our lives on hold so that we can defend you against those who wish to harm you, and you wish for alone time?"
I bristled. “I appreciate all you have done for me,” I said through gritted teeth. “Please do not think differently. However, I never asked—”
“Asked or not, we are your defenders.”
“My dark defenders,” I said sarcastically. “You tend to me, yes. You keep me safe, yes, yet you take turns leaving and doing what exactly? For all I know, you four could be in league with the demons and keeping me away from the fairies so that you can kill them all!”
My chest heaved from my heavy breaths. I hadn’t even realized I worried over this until now. The story I had been told about the white hart by Solo might have been a fabrication. There was no means to validate the claim.
“Is that what you truly think?” he asked, his tone low but his fury evident. “Do you truly not trust us after all we have done?”
“You all have been trying to sleep with me,” I cried. “You all are nothing but horndogs!”
Aman blinked a few times, his anger fading to amused confusion. “What precisely is a horndog?”
“A, ah, a man with…” I flushed, embarrassed, which was ridiculous. “You are doing it again!”
“Doing what again?” he asked innocently.
“Trying
to change the subject. You give little information, Aman. You left and were gone for hours, but you could not bring me the name of one fairy—”
“You wish for names? I can tell you them all.”
I gaped at him, shocked. “Why did you lie?”
“I wished to keep you from more pain,” he said gently.
“Don’t you realize how impossible that is at this point? Who died?”
“Jamie Birdbreeze, Badger Driftsand, Daphne Hollyray, Magpie Cozyriver, Finch Grassywings, Cloud Littlefrost, Amanda Lillysky, Lapis Limelight, Flax Hollystone, Rainy Fancyhoney, Dragonfly Pearflip, Earth Crystaldale, Lemony Rumplefluff, Magna Tuliprock, Phoebe Sunbee, Strombo Rosefruit, Oliver Beachflash, Dalila Wildlace, Jarrah Darkdale, Skyler Seastone, Ora Grayfly, Woods Darktree, Kiki Dapplelake, Camie Driftwood, and Mercury Jesterfig. I did not memorize the names of all those injured, but I believe all of them have fully recovered by now.”
My hand went to my heart. Daphne Hollyray had been a maid at the castle. Finch Grassywings had been the one to tend to the horses and would often turn aside when I would sneak out my steed. Dalila Wildlace had made all of my mother’s gowns and most of mine too. While it was true that none of them were my close friends, I still knew all of them well, and I ached for their loss. The world was worse off for their light going out.
“I have answered all of your questions,” Aman pointed out.
“Yes, but you…”
“But I what?”
“You try to distract me, to tempt me so that I won’t ask for more details.”
His lips curled into a roguish smile. “So, then I shouldn’t ask you again what is the meaning of horndog?”
“You should not need to ask,” I said hotly, “but if you must know… a horndog is a man with strong sexual desires.”
“I am guilty then,” he said, holding up his hand. “I do not deny it, but then, why shouldn’t I be attracted to you? You cannot tell me that fairies did not try to flutter up your skirts.”
My blush warmed my cheeks. “There you go again.”
“You haven’t asked me another question,” he protested.
Her Dark Defenders: Breath of Air (The Darkness of Light Book 1) Page 8
