by VS Winters
The area smelled of cinnamon and nutmeg which made me regret stuffing myself so full. Pimea continued to drag me until we were well away from the grand hall and back into the winding corridors. Maybe I was out of shape, or maybe she was just fit, but by the end of our sprint I had my hands on my knees as I stood there, gasping for air. She stifled a laugh and helped me back into a walking stance.
"Let's get back to the guest quarters," She said. "We can talk there. The others shouldn't be back for a while yet."
"Okay, just give me a second to catch my breath." I panted.
"Eden!" I rolled my eyes at the sound of Scott's voice. Busted.
"Hey, Scott. Before you say anything, I just needed to get out of there. The prince already delivered his speech, I'm sure he won't mind that we left." I swiped a hand through the air dismissively.
"I'm not bothered about you leaving. I couldn't find you and was concerned."
He eyed Pimea, being mindful to keep his distance as much as possible while placing a hand on my lower back and meeting my eyes with his. She crossed her arms and tapped her toes impatiently.
"We were going to have girl talk."
"That can wait a moment, would you mind…"
He shooed her with a wave of his fingers. Pimea threw her head back and slapped her palms against her thighs before making her way further down the corridor to allow us a moment. With a brow slanted in great disapproval, Scott made sure the coast was clear before starting in on me.
"I'm sorry I left you with Lord Blaive back there, I can't stand to be around the man. I supposed he wouldn't try anything with an audience. He didn't, did he?"
"No," I shook my head and wiped the sweat from my brow, not caring if he was looking.
"So, you only left to have a chat with the siren?" His piercing azure gaze sliced through me like a knife, he was not buying it.
"Okay, fine. I might have aggravated Rowan-"
"Lord Rowan!" Pimea shouted from down the hall. Scott sighed, and his eyes rolled to the back of his head as he drew his fingers through his silky hair at the scalp. With a firm grip, he pulled me further out of earshot. I jerked my wrist from his hold with a scowl.
"Proceed."
"I didn't mean anything by not standing and bowing, I just don't like him-"
"Eden. What did he do?"
I was beginning to see that tiptoeing around the subject would get me nowhere. With outstretched arms, I attempted a show of peace before sharing whatever I had provoked.
"He may have threatened me a little. And maybe it wasn't just a little, or just me..."
"Tell me, please."
"He said he could stomp your Coven-"
"Our Coven."
"Okay. Are you going to keep doing that? Because if you are…" I sighed and dug underneath my fingernails, an old nervous habit. Scott waited for me to finish.
"He said he could stomp our Coven into the ground if I don't behave myself here."
"Are you going to? Behave that is."
"Yes. I don't worry if I get under his skin, but I would never intentionally put other lives in harm's way."
He cocked a brow in surprise.
"What?"
"Well, I don't think it would be a bad idea for you to stand up for yourself. Look, Eden, we Witches have been swept under the rug for decades, centuries even. There have been few bold enough to show a backbone in the face of danger. Besides," He smiled and tucked a damp curl behind my ear. I leaned in, just ever so slightly, to his soothing touch. He held my stare as he spoke, sending ripples of feel-good sensations all over me.
"You alone are stronger than the entirety of that grand hall in union. There is a reason they hate us, Eden. It is out of fear."
Trailing a finger over my chin and across my lips, he studied every tiny reaction I had to his caress. Exerting a stride backward, I shook the warm feeling away and gave him a phony smile. His fingers remained in the space between us for a few seconds before descending to his side.
"I'm sorry, it's just that Pimea is waiting for me. We will talk more another time, okay?"
"Of course."
He twisted away, and a sting of guilt stabbed my gut. Without another word, I retreated to my newest companion. She was standing, hand on hip, scrutinizing the artwork on the walls. Catching my footsteps thudding down the hall, she turned, and a smile spread from ear to ear.
"Finally!"
Together we initiated our trip back to her room. I peered over my shoulder to find that Scott had disappeared. He was too good at doing that. It hurt just a little to know that, this time, it was my fault. Why did I just flake out like that without an explanation? Just the same as when I had left Ben at the bar without a word. The fear of letting my guard down.
Pimea stopped us beside the door with the Celtic knot before I realized how far we had walked in silence. I laid a hand on the door and was rewarded with a searing zap to the palm.
"Ow!" I jerked back and clutched the wrist of my aching hand in horror. Pimea chuckled and placed her hand upon it, ramming it open.
"You can't open your opponent's bedroom doors, it's a rule."
"I-I'm sorry," I stuttered. "I thought this one was mine, it has the same symbol on the door."
"They all have that, it's a sign of unity. Maybe they are hoping that the ones who lose will remember it once they have to relinquish their authority. And the crown wonders why there is a war going on when things like this silly Trial happen every so often."
The siren swept an arm through the doorway, permitting me to enter first. Her room looked very similar to my own, save for the enormous tank sitting in the place of a bed. Aquamarine seawater filled the tank, and a gentle swirl disturbed it, sending the slightest ripples to the surface.
"I can walk like a human, I can eat like a human, but I cannot sleep like one. They had the water specially transported from my home-sea. I do miss home, especially once inside of that box. It is the water of my people, but I don't have the privilege of swimming freely in it."
"I'm so sorry, that must be awful."
Pimea shrugged her delicate shoulders and motioned to the table and chairs set.
"Shall we?"
I sat with her, respectfully declining a bowl of grapes that she pushed across the tabletop in offering.
"So, you don't have your mother's power?" She asked, popping one of the sweet fruits between her plump lips. Guess we were jumping right into the heavy stuff.
"I do, I think. I'm just not sure how to use it. Not yet, anyway."
"It will come, in time. And with such a gorgeous teacher... You won't be missing any classes, right? I mean, he is gorgeous, as are you. I almost believed you were Fae when I saw you during our introductions." She smiled with perfectly straight, white teeth.
"Sure," I laughed awkwardly.
"I have an important question to ask you if you don't mind."
She gestured for me to continue while still chewing on the grapes.
"Why do I need my powers for the Trials? I mean, I know now that we aren't going to be killing each other, so why is it important?"
"Even those of us who have always lived with the Fae don't know much about the first two Trials. But what we do know, is that the last one is combat. Not to the death, that would lead to dangerous circumstances between the different kingdoms. It is just a show of strength, proving who is the most suitable to be named queen."
"Like wrestling?" I asked. Pimea's shadowy lashes swept up, and she peeked at me through them.
"You could wrestle, if you'd like. Or you can use your powers. There will be preservation spells cast to protect the competitors from dying."
"What will you use?"
"I don't worry about it these things as I won't make it through to the last round of Trials."
"Why do you say that Pim? You might."
She smirked at the nickname like it was a generous gift I had just offered her.
"I don't care if I drop out as soon as the first horn sounds. Some of our specie
s don't care about things like social status. Especially not as much as the elves and the Demons. And how they do love a good war, to show who cares more."
"The war…" I had forgotten to ask about it.
"Why did it start?"
"Why do most wars start? Resources, power, estranged lovers. This is no different. Lord Rowan's father was alive for the start of this one. He fought on the battleground alongside his only son many times."
"Wait." I laughed nervously, thinking she had misspoken, and drilled her with my eyes. "Lord Rowan can't be older than, what, twenty-six?"
Pimea nearly spit grape flecks all over my face. Throwing a hand over her mouth she quickly cleaned the mess from her chin and eyed me.
"Eden, Lord Blaive is over a century, in years."
"No way."
"I'm guessing human lifespans are much different than ours? Here in the Fae realm we can live for centuries, with the right care. Sometimes spells help too. I believe that Lord Blaive will be celebrating his one hundred and twenty-fifth birthday soon."
"Wow. He looks excellent for his age." I joked, to keep myself from overthinking this whole age thing. We both erupted into laughter. Wiping tears from my cheeks, I beamed at my new friend.
"Thank you, Pimea."
"For what?"
"For being kind to me. I don't get that a lot, especially around here. I appreciate it more than you can imagine."
I departed from the seat, deciding it was about bedtime. I could hear the sounds of people hobbling in intoxicated steps through the halls just outside of the door. Pimea stood to walk me out. Just before she opened the door, I said something that I wasn't sure was fair to ask of her.
"Do me a favor? Don't lose the Trials. Not on purpose anyway. Kick ass and take names, don't let these jerks make you feel like you are less than what you really are."
A crinkle formed at the corners of her eyes as she smiled with her entire face. She flung her arms around my collar and squeezed with more strength than I thought she could produce.
"I will agree to that, so long as you do the same."
"Deal." I accepted.
She pulled back and I could have sworn there was a tear in her eye.
"You know, for a Witch, you aren't that evil."
"Neither are you for a cold-blooded, man-killer." She laughed at that.
I waved goodbye and started to look for my room, marked with the colors of my Coven, green, and gold. Half expecting to get shocked again, once I found it, I pushed it open gingerly. The door swung ajar allowing me to get inside, shut it, and search through the wardrobe for clean pajamas. I carefully pulled the strings of the corset back loose and removed the dress, hanging it over the back of a chair.
Finding a fresh nightgown, I kicked off my shoes and pulled it over my head before crawling into bed. The crackling of the hearth aided in relaxing my mind and body. Just as I was about to drift off, an image of Ava, shouting at me the day I had left, invaded my thoughts. I questioned how she was doing without me, how my father's health was holding up.
The good sensations I had established when chatting with Pimea were put to rest in an instant. I was overwhelmed with a dread that ran deep, entering my soul. Hazel eyes that matched our father's stared at me from behind my eyelids, pushing me to keep going.
A new concept hit me like a slap in the face. Did my father know about this place and what my mother was? Surely not, I convinced myself and rolled onto my side. Sinking into the fluff that made up the bed, I breathed a sigh and let sleep overcome me.
Chapter Nine
"Get up sleepyhead," Scott said, rocking my shoulder. I growled at him and rolled to my other side, as far from him as possible.
"Come on, Eden. We have lessons that start today. The sooner we begin, the better. You're going to need every second of it to learn your spells and alchemy."
"Is it common for people to come into your room and bother you while you are sleeping here?" I snapped, my speech was muffled by the pillow.
I felt the bed jostle as he sat himself down on the edge of it. I sighed and elevated my head, fairly certain that if I didn't show some signs of life, he would wait there forever. I was pretty positive that my hair was a mess, and that my makeup from the day before was most likely smudged to hell as I glowered at him through bloodshot eyes.
"Good morning," He smiled.
"Do you have coffee in this realm? Or do you all expect me to make it through every day without a drop of caffeine?"
The smell of spices filled the room making my belly gurgle. Ellie, who just happened to be setting the table with mountains of the same foods I had eaten the morning before, rushed to the door with the new information.
"I'll get that drink to you right away, miss!"
"No, that's-"
She was already gone. Secretly, I was glad. The fragrance of coffee alone might be enough to motivate me to make it through the day at this point. Without warning, Scott clutched my wrist and began to pull me from under the covers. I'm not sure why I reacted the way I did, but it presumably had something to do with the caffeine deficiency.
With a swift yank backward, I brought him, and myself, tumbling over the side of the mattress. The whole thing might have even been comical, had he not landed directly on top of me with his thighs between mine. I could feel every fragment of his sensual heat as it radiated from his body and all over mine. Azure eyes bore into me. He studied my face from my eyes, to my chin, and back up. His stare dwelled on my lips.
Before I could shove him off of me, or at least attempt to, his head dipped toward me. The picture of Rowan's body flush against mine ran through my mind and I twisted my head away just in time for his lips to make contact with my jaw. Holding his forehead against my temple, he withdrew his kiss and squeezed his eyelids shut.
"I-I apologize, Eden, I don't know what came over me."
"It's okay." I lied.
"Please pardon my being so presumptuous," He leaned back and moved a foot beside my waist to stretch himself into a half-standing, half-bowing position. I took the hand he extended and let him haul me to my feet. A hush settled between us. Walking around me, he moved to the wardrobe to sift through it.
"I'm going to eat," I said without needing to and made my way to the table to do just that. I avoided looking straight at Scott. Instead, I concentrated on whatever he was preparing as he extracted a pair of pants, a murky green and gold top, and a thick belt. He then stepped to the chest and yanked it wide open to retrieve a pair of knee-high boots.
"So you don't have to keep wearing those revolting sneakers," He smiled a little and dumped them alongside the garments. Ellie burst through the door just then, nearly making me jump out of my skin, and bustled to the table with a platter in hand. The strong aroma of just-brewed coffee floated around me.
"Oh, thank you so much, Ellie!"
"Of course, miss. Now, we have fresh cream, sugar, and a collection of flavorings if you'd like?"
"I'll take it plain."
Not that I usually drank my coffee black, I just hadn't had any in two days and needed it in my mouth as quickly as possible. Ellie nodded and began to fill a cup that looked like it had been carved from bone. Once she had finished, she assembled the gleaming silver tray amidst the food. With a bow, Ellie left the room. Scott migrated to the door behind her.
"I'll see you in a bit."
"Mmhm."
I didn't watch him leave but instead focused my attention on downing the drink so that I could start on eating my breakfast. Swallowing food by the mouthful until I had my fill, I advanced to the vanity to freshen up before getting dressed. My hair sat in a mass of knots at my nape. After brushing through it vigorously and removing the pins Ellie had expertly arranged in it the night before, I pulled it into a long French braid. When I had finished with that, I washed the remaining makeup away with the fresh water and cloth. Once I was satisfied with my appearance, I began to pull on the garb left for me. First came the simple pants that hit at my hips and fi
t me like a pair of tights.
Next up was the tunic, which I examined before pulling over my head. The embroideries embellishing the neckline had me convinced that the glistening thread was formed from genuine gold. It felt heavy and snug against my breasts as I dragged it down past my hips and looped the belt around my waist. I looked like a female Robin Hood. Which was sort of cool, in my opinion.
Pushing the boots onto my feet, I was delighted to see that they fit perfectly. I fastened them and crammed one last spoonful of eggs into my mouth before leaving the room. The passageway was chock-full of people, probably family members of those who had them, who were departing the castle. Disregarding the frowns aimed at me, I searched to find anyone who could tell me how to find wherever the heck I was supposed to be going.
Scott was resting against a wall just a few doors down from mine. I figured that he had probably decided, once leaving my chamber, that I wouldn't be able to make my way around the castle without a guide. Ignoring the memory of what had transpired just a short while ago, I made my way over to him. Looking at me from head to toe, he shoved away from the wall.
"What do you think?"
"You look incredible, as always. Now, are you eager to learn your spells?"
Detesting the blush tickling its way up my neck at his praise, I shot him a thumbs up. Without another word, he pivoted and started walking down the hall. I followed at his heels, not wanting to get lost in the chaos of mythological creatures that filled the place from top to bottom.
Scott led us to a rather large, oblong room that was practically empty. It resembled an attic, with a half of an inch of dust covering everything within it. Flush against the walls stood elegantly carved antique bookshelves that were supplied with thousands of books. The other thing in the space that didn't look older than dirt was the enormous table that had been placed in the far right corner of the chamber. Upon it was a variety of bottles and vials packed with different herbs and other things that I didn't recognize. With just a few steps, I approached the table and bent down for a better look.
