by Sarah Beth
When Wesley bowed, but said nothing, Abby guessed that he was leaving it up to her. With a warm smile on her face, Abby bowed to the woman. “Your home is beautiful, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
The woman’s face changed, a small smile on her lips lighting up her eyes, “No, I’m sure you haven’t.” With a smile still on her face the woman gestured to the next flight of stairs. “Please, this way to your rooms. Lord Elazar had his guest quarters prepared for you.”
Shock ran through Abby’s veins like fire. “Elazar is here?”
The woman reclined her head, “Of course. Lord Elazar has been in residence for weeks. He is the reason why you have been summoned here.”
Wesley leaned close to her ear, his breath tickling her neck. “Well, who would’ve thought.”
The servant cleared her throat before gesturing again. Abby gazed side-long at Wesley before following the woman up the stairs. Of course, Elazar was there. Of course he was. Where else could he have possibly gone? No wonder they hadn’t been able to find him. As she climbed the stairs, the houses on the ground getting smaller and smaller, all Abby wanted to do was talk to him. And maybe yell at him for leaving without telling her.
Chapter Six
Abby
Looking down, Abby was acutely thankful she wasn’t afraid of heights. They followed the Faye up another two flights of stairs, before being led to a building halfway up the tree. It appeared to be a guest house. It had one open room, a sitting area with wooden furniture surrounding a small fire pit in the floor. Cushions of soft blues and pinks covered the benches and chairs. On the other side, on a raised platform, was a bed. The covers looked incredibly soft, the baby blue hue inviting. She hadn’t gotten the chance to test it out yet, but Abby guessed it was a king-sized mattress. If it was even a mattress. She wouldn’t have been surprised if it was made of moss.
But it was the window she stood in front of that really took her breath away. It wasn’t even really a window, more of a rounded hole in the wall big enough for a horse to fit through. There was no pane of glass or netting to keep anyone from falling to their deaths. Peeking over the edge, glad she hadn’t eaten yet, she could see most of the village. The colors from that height were even more vibrant and stunning. The bright reds, blues, and yellows of the flowers and doorways contrasted against the deep green of the forest.
“Careful, I don’t want an angry wolf coming for me because I let you break your neck.”
Turning from the window, Abby smiled at Meira, the Faye who had led them to their room. “I have better balance than that, don’t worry.” She chuckled, then noticed the tray of food in Meira’s hands. She would have been ashamed of the way her stomach growled loudly, but she was too hungry to care. Wesley walked into the room from the small bathroom, a fresh shirt and trousers on. Meira had brought him a change of clothes first, saying that Abby’s weren’t ready yet. Whatever that meant.
With no shame in her, Abby admired Wesley’s new clothing and what they did for his frame. Light brown trousers covered his long legs, hugging his thighs just right, and the light blue shirt brought out his eyes. It had buttons up to his neck, but he left the top two undone. The sleeves were long but loose, meant to look nice but not keep in heat. His feet were still bare, since he took off his boots and socks to change. Living in Washington state, she didn’t see him without shoes or socks often. It was cute, if she was being honest with herself.
With a soft chuckle, Meira set the tray down on a small wooden table by the fire pit. “Sit, eat your fill. I’ll run a bath for you, I’m sure you’d like to clean up.” Even though Abby had stripped down to her last layer of clothing — a tank top and thermal leggings — the thought of a warm bath still sounded incredible.
Padding over to the tray, her bare feet making soft sounds on the smooth wood floor, Abby smiled. “Meira, that sounds amazing. Thank you so much for everything.”
Waving it off, Meira disappeared into the small bathroom off the bedroom area. “It is my duty, Lady Abigail. No thanks is needed.” While passing Wesley, Meira looked him up and down, before smiling. “The clothes suit you. Do they fit well?”
Abby seldom saw Wesley self-conscious, but that’s exactly what he felt in that moment. She could feel it pass through the bond, but only briefly — a fleeting sense of panic and unease before it calmed again. The way his cheeks heated a little added to the effect.
He patted his chest, straightening the light blue shirt even though it looked fine. “They feel wonderful, thank you, Meira. I’m just not used to wearing such...nice looking clothes.” Meira smiled, inclining her head at Wesley before continuing into the bathroom.
With a grape in her mouth, Abby swallowed before walking towards the bathroom. She patted Wesley on the chest on her way by. Leaning on the door frame, she watched the Faye kneel by the tub. “Meira, why do you call me Lady? I’m no Lady.”
Meira bent over a large stone basin, turning a knob here and there. Water began pouring in through holes on the sides. She made a satisfied sound when she tested the water, before sitting on her legs to regard Abby. “It is what we call all Faye women, with no other title.” With a smile, her green eyes warm, she added, “You are half-Faye, our kin. The title is not only necessary but expected.”
Abby didn’t know what to say. As she stood there, trying to figure out why the knowledge made her emotions do flip-flops, Meira stood. Walking to where she stood, the woman put a gentle hand on Abby’s shoulder. She said nothing, but Abby realized that she didn’t need to. Meira nodded before walking passed, back to the living space. “Sit and relax, I’ll be back shortly with a change of clothes for you, Lady Abigail.”
Before Meira reached the door, Wesley stopped her. “Meira, I need to get word back to my Alpha that we have arrived. Is there some way I can do that?”
Gesturing to a small desk to one side of the window, Meira nodded. “You should find everything you need there. I will send for a messenger, he will wait outside for your letter.” Adding with a smile, “He will make sure your message gets to Alpha Alexandr in good time.”
Wesley nodded, thanking her, before she bowed again and left. Watching her leave, the wood door latching behind her, Abby let out a long breath. It was like a plug had been pulled out and let all the tension in her muscles release at the same moment. The last hour had been a blur. One moment, she and Wesley are trekking through snow and ice, and the next, she’s standing hundreds of feet in the air in a tree house. Now, more than ever, she wanted to speak to Elazar. She needed to know more about where she came from.
Walking over, blocking her view of the room, Wesley put his hands on her shoulders. “You okay?” His eyes were full of concern when she looked up. But if she concentrated, she could feel his sympathy and understanding floating through the Mate bond. They had been practicing, over the last couple of months, on reading each other. It wasn’t always easy, and sometimes just didn’t work at all. But they were getting better.
A smile pulled her lips, before she leaned into his chest and wound her arms around his waist. “I am, this is just an awful lot to take in. I don’t even know what I’d been expecting.”
He chuckled, the sound vibrating under her cheek. His hands started running up and down her back. “I know what you mean. I don’t know what I was expecting either. But it certainly wasn’t this.”
She hummed against his shirt, enjoying the feel of it on her cheek. Before arriving, she had been keeping her imagination in check. It was easier to not be let down by things if one didn’t imagine what they’d be like. But now that she was here, surrounded by Faye who kept saying that she was one of them, she wasn’t sure how she felt. Humming softly, she leaned away from Wesley’s chest. Smiling up at him, the way his eyes seemed to shimmer captivated her. Whether it was the clothing, some aspect of being in The High Forest, or something else entirely — his eyes looked even more radiant than usual.
He leaned down and placed a kiss to her forehead, his hands still splayed on
her back. When he leaned back, his hands trailed down her back and arms, finding her hands. “Come on,” he pulled her towards the bathroom, “you soak in the tub and I’ll bring some of that fresh fruit to you.”
With a chuckle, she let him pull her towards the food. Relaxing in a tree house, in the middle of The High Forest with Wesley, sounded like heaven.
Wesley
Wesley realized, rather quickly, that Abby fit into the world around them like she was born to. Of course, he reminded himself, she was.
As he watched her move through the village — in a long light blue tunic, gray leggings, and tall brown boots — he couldn’t help but smile. Her hair was loose, falling down her back in waves. The silver-braided circlet around her head that Meira had insisted she wear, kept her hair from falling into her face. The bath earlier in the afternoon had done wonders for her. He could see it in the way her shoulders were relaxed.
They had been exploring The High Forest for about an hour, after Meira had come back to their room with clothes for Abby, and said that dinner would be served at sunset. They were free to explore the Forest until then. He felt Abby’s excitement and apprehension like it was his own. Part of her wanted nothing more than to explore, and yet the idea of it was also terrifying. Her nervous energy only calmed slightly when a young Faye male appeared at their door to escort them around the city. Apparently, they needed a guide so they didn’t get lost.
Or as Wesley liked to think of him, a guard dog. He looked just like the other Faye guards, who had met them at the passage. Although he was the first Faye Wesley had seen with shortcut hair, it was the same silver white as Elazar’s. The man was tall, armor covered his blue clad chest, and a powerful looking sword was strapped to his back.
Soryn Halandar was already annoying Wesley.
The fact that Abby found him charming may have been the main reason. The Faye was currently showing Abby something at a vendor’s stall, his hand resting on Abby’s back and a smile on his face. Wesley really wanted to break his hand. Soryn looked over Abby’s head, a smug grin on his face. Telling himself he needed to control his temper, Wesley took a deep breath. Walking up beside his Mate, he worked his jaw to unlock. Taking her hand in his, his mood lifted slightly when she met his eyes and smiled. But only just.
Soryn’s smile only grew. “Lady Abby, we should continue on. Dinner will be served shortly and there is still much to see.”
Nodding at Soryn’s words, but keeping her hand in his, Abby turned back to the path. “Then lead the way. You know these woods better than I do. I’ll just get lost.” With an inclination of his head, Soryn smiled and walked a few paces in front of them. A gentle squeeze on his hand had Wesley looked down at bright green eyes. Her lips were pulling into a smile. “You’re giving him exactly what he wants, you know.”
Unable to help himself, he rolled his eyes as he let go of her hand and put his on her back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She chuckled, bumping her shoulder into his side. “Right, so I’m imagining you acting like a jealous teenager.”
He stayed silent for a moment. Content to look at the back of Soryn’s head and plot murder. After a few more steps, he sighed. “I don’t like him. And he clearly doesn’t like me.”
They passed a few more vendors, the market unfolding before them. Fabrics of bright colors hung above their heads. Stalls selling everything from jewels, to food, to clothing begged for their attention. But Abby’s focus stayed on him. She laughed lightly, “No kidding, I can tell you don’t.” She stopped walking, pulling him to a stop. Wesley watched Soryn out of the corner of his eye walk a few more paces before stopping. He didn’t turn towards them, but he was waiting. His head turned in their direction. “Wesley.”
He turned back to Abby. Her lips were set in a tight line, and she had one brow raised. Running a hand down his face, he sighed. “I’m sorry, I can’t help it. It’s like every time he smiles or touches you, I want to rip his arm off.”
He watched her lips quirk up in the corners, but she pulled them back down. “He’s a nice guy, and he’s just doing his job.”
Wesley snorted, looking away from her face and back to the man in question. He still hadn’t moved, standing with his arms crossed and that irritating smile on his face. A warmth bloomed in Wesley’s chest. Turning his attention back to Abby, he saw her hand on his chest and a smile on her lips.
You have nothing to worry about.
Still so unused to someone in his head, he startled briefly. Sharing their thoughts was still so new. They didn’t do it often, although that may have been simply because they weren’t very good at it. The warmth from her palm spread through his body, all the way down to his fingertips. He was being stupid, and he knew it. He sighed, before bowing his head to her forehead. They stayed that way for a moment, before he leaned back and kissed her hair. “Thank you. I’m sorry for being an idiot.”
Smiling, she shook her head. Taking his hand in hers, she started walking again. Before they reached Soryn, she whispered so quietly it was only his wolf ears that caught it. “Besides, he’s not the one sleeping beside me in a tree house tonight.” He was proud of himself for not tripping over his own feet. But her little giggle was enough to make his heart skip a few beats.
Chapter Seven
Abby
Leaving the market behind them, Soryn led them down a winding path in the forest. Rocks lined the worn down grass and the birds chirped in the air as they flew overhead. He said there was one more thing he wanted to show her before dinner. Although Abby found it funny how out of sorts the Faye was making Wesley, she didn’t think staying in the Faye’s presence for much longer was a great idea. She liked Soryn, she already got the feeling that they could be good friends. But Wesley was on high alert, being in a new place and around so many strangers. After dinner she’d take him back to their room, hopefully then he would relax.
“Just this way, Lady Abby.” Soryn led them around a bend in the path, holding a few branches out of the way and gesturing her through.
The breath in her lungs left in a gust at the view. She thought the village was beautiful, but this place was something else. The opening in the trees led her into a space no bigger than Claire’s backyard. A slow moving stream flowed into a pond, breaking over layers of rock and moss. As the sun filtered through the leaves, the water seemed to dance before her eyes.
Then, as if the beauty wasn’t enough, the glade seemed to speak to her. Not in words, exactly. It was like a pulling sensation in her chest; not unlike the tug between her and Wesley. It was warm and comforting, drawing her in closer to the water. As she knelt beside the shore, sitting on a flat expanse of stone, she got the distinct feeling that the water was trying to tell her something. With a steadying breath, she reached out a hand, laying her palm on the surface of the water.
As quickly as she could blink, the glade transformed. Fog formed along the edges of the clearing, hovering over the water’s surface. Glancing around her, Abby realized that she was alone.
Panic seized her chest. Where was Wesley? And Soryn? They had been standing there just a moment before. She would have heard them leave. They had to be around her somewhere. Her heart pounded but then a sensation of a warm blanket over her shoulders engulfed her senses. Turning back to the water she was stunned by what she saw.
Floating amongst the fog was a Faye, his face was serious, and he appeared to be talking to someone else. His hands moved wildly as his mouth moved silently. Abby wished she could see who he was talking to, but whoever it was stood outside of the fog. A strong tug in her chest made her focus on the man before her. He had striking features, but all Faye did. His long black hair was pulled back at his temples, a leaf-shaped clip holding it at the base of his skull. There was something about the curve of his nose and the high cheekbones that made him look familiar. It wasn’t until he turned in her direction that she saw his eyes — the only time she ever seen eyes so green was when she looked into a mirror.
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br /> As the shock of what she realized the glade was showing her filled her veins, the specter before her vanished into the fog. Just as quickly as the glade had changed before, it changed again.
Pulling her hand away from the water, Abby sat still for fear of moving might alert the two men near her to her sudden distress. It was all she could do to clamp down on the bond so Wesley wouldn’t sense her wild emotions. Why would the glade show her that? Was she imagining things? Or had she just seen the face of her father?
“Lady Abigail, I must apologize.”
Soryn’s voice broke her out of her thoughts. Turning her body away from the water, she regarded the young Faye. She was shocked to see him kneeling, his head bowed. “What do you mean?”
Soryn rose, but left his palm on his chest. “I did not believe what Lord Elazar told me about you. For that, I apologize.” Gesturing to the surrounding glade, Soryn added, “This is a sacred place to us, here in The High Forest. The glade welcomed you and so I am sorry that I did not.”
Looking at him again, Abby moved away from the water towards Soryn. So this had been some sort of test? Interesting. Placing a hand over her own heart, she bowed her head. “Then I accept your apology. Perhaps this will help you to not judge a book by its cover next time.” She may not understand all that Soryn said, or what he meant by being unwelcoming, but he seemed so sincere in his apology. The least she could do was accept it. What had the Glade shown them? It must have done something.
Soryn’s lips pulled into a smile, and he bowed his head. “Thank you, Lady Abigail. Dinner will be served soon, we shouldn’t be late. Lord Elazar wouldn’t be pleased.”
Her attention moved to Wesley’s face, as he stood near her but not touching her. He had one eyebrow raised. Leaning closer to her, he whispered into her ear. “What did you see? You looked like you do when you see a ghost, just staring off into nothing.”
