by J. M. Kearl
“Do you know you’re a faerie? You will live an extended life, probably even longer than me, but we don’t have to worry about you growing old in the next fifty years. You won’t leave me here. We can be together, Zy. We can be together for a long time.”
I rubbed the outside of her thighs and up her hips and kissed her. “Yes, my love, we can.”
“If you two love birds have had enough, we should get moving.” Gideon was perched on a stone near the pool.
I pressed my forehead to hers and as much as I wanted to stay here for longer, there wasn’t time. I stood, lifting her from the water and set her on the stone near Gideon. Steam rolled off her body. My eyes drifted from her toes up to her navel and further still to her face. I didn’t take a long hard look at her before but she was perfect and I couldn’t believe she was mine. I grabbed the rock ledge and pulled myself out of the water. “Two of the Chosen died the first night, and I’m assuming it was you who killed the other girl I saw a while back. That leaves seven.”
“Six,” Visteal said, sliding her pants on. “There was a Night Court Chosen who would have died but I saved her. She used magic to heal herself, so she’s out. Unless she kept going anyway. I don’t know.”
Gideon perked up. “Someone is drawing near. A male… one of the spotters I think.”
Visteal threw her coat on. “You’re not supposed to be here. Change back to a wolf.”
“They’re going to know I’m not a normal wolf.”
“The wolves here are big,” Visteal said, strapping her sword on. “Trust me. One of the other Chosen had one with her.”
“Fine. You can ride on my back. We’ll get there much faster.” I paused before I shifted. “Let the spotters see you. Astaroth is losing his shit and threatened to kill Bastian without an update on you.”
“He’s such a bastard.”
I turned around and dropped my shorts and changed into a wolf. Picking up my pack in between my teeth I carried it to Vis. I wished I could communicate with her mind like Gideon.
“I can translate for you, Prince,” Gideon said inside my head.
“Ask her to strap my pack on me.”
As soon as she slid her gloves on Visteal ran a hand along my back then buckled the pack on. “You’re going to have to move over by the tree. You’re too tall for me to hop on.”
I didn’t realize how large my wolf form was having never seen myself from an outsider’s perspective. I trotted over to the tree. She leaped up, grabbed hold of a branch, and swung onto my back. Footsteps drew my attention. A low growl rumbled in my throat. I couldn’t stop my wolf temperament.
“It’s the spotter,” Gideon said, calming me a bit.
A Fae man came into view. When he looked up and saw us, he pulled a crystal ball from his side pouch. “Saffire Snofury is alive. At the base of the mountain.” I didn’t know if Visteal could hear him but I could with my wolf senses.
“I just have to say this is amazing but also really strange. No offense.” Visteal petted my fur lightly. Gideon jumped up and I felt his weight settle in front of Vis.
Strange didn’t cover the way I felt about what I’d become. I started off at a trot then went to full speed. She was already probably behind the others due to her injury. My stamina in this form far surpassed my human one. Even carrying another person and a somewhat heavy cat, I tore across the snow and weaved between the trees without tiring. At this rate we’d reach the Spear of Ice in a couple hours. And in a couple hours we did. Without seeing anyone along the way we found it. Stuck into the snow half surrounded by massive boulders. It had given off such a powerfully bright light it had drawn me straight to it.
Visteal hopped down, sword in hand and turned in a circle. “There’s no one here.”
“I do not sense anyone,” Gideon said, prowling in the snow toward the spear.
Raising my muzzle into the air I took in a deep breath through the nose. I smelled no one nearby either. “Grab it and let’s go,” I thought, wishing she’d hear.
Visteal turned and looked at me. “I will. I was just making sure no one was going to ambush us.”
I lowered my head a little. “You heard me?”
She smiled. “I did… In my mind. I think. You’ve learned a new trick.” Sliding her sword into the sheath she stepped forward and took hold of the spear. It was a light blue and at least seven feet tall, with a blue jewel encased in a bubble, and tipped with a thin black blade.
“This thing is… powerful,” she said. “I can feel a force or something emanating from it.” Using the spear as a catapult she launched onto my back. After swinging her leg over she settled in. “How lucky would we be if we can make it back without seeing anyone else?”
I wouldn’t count on it, I thought but that wasn’t meant for her. She seemed to only hear my thoughts when I directed them toward her. Thank the gods because if she could hear everything… every dirty thought, I mean the number of times I thought of her naked, and not even on purpose, I wasn’t a pervert but she was my girlfriend and I loved her and it just popped in there. Now I’d seen her mostly naked, well she had on underwear and a bralette, but it was enough to make feelings stir in me that I needed to bury for now.
Gideon made a clearing of his throat noise in my mind. “I am quite used to hearing your inner ramblings so it does not bother me, but the girl would turn tomato red if she knew your thoughts boy. You better make sure nothing slips through now that you figured out your wolf form is telepathic.”
“It will be ironclad, Gideon.” I started down the mountain with him trotting at my side. I figured we weren’t in need of a full sprint just yet. “Do you think I can do this when I’m human?”
“The only way to find out is to try.”
“What do you miss most about home?” Visteal asked.
I didn’t even hesitate to answer. “Respect. At home I was respected. Here I am nothing. Although a part of me has enjoyed the freedom. I’ve been able to go where I please to an extent and haven’t had to check in with anyone. No class schedule, my father isn’t ordering me around, and no one tells me what to do.”
Visteal groaned. “I’ve been ordered around more here than I ever have in my life.”
“Nightfrost hasn’t hurt you, has he?”
“He’s tried a few times but you know I’m no pushover.”
“All too well I’m afraid.”
She laughed and I wished I could laugh with her. I tried but my wolf body didn’t want to do it. I still hadn’t learned control over it completely. I wondered if I’d be able to speak aloud when I did.
Suddenly it hit me what day it was. “Happy birthday, Princess. I’ll get you something special when we get home.”
“I forgot it was today.”
“How does it feel to be eighteen?”
She gripped my fur tighter as I picked up the pace. Soon enough we’d lose the light. “About the same as seventeen.”
My paws padded swiftly over the snow. “What is a deal breaker for you in our relationship? I need to make sure I don’t screw things up. Though I have my suspicions.” We’d been over trust issues already in our relationship so I knew that. I hoped she didn’t still think I had any sort of feelings for Jennika.
She was quiet for a moment. “Lying and disloyalty. If I can’t trust you then we don’t have a relationship. If you even think about a second wife...”
“I think I need a first wife to have a second. Are you proposing to me, Princess?”
She lightly hit me in the side. “Astaroth was going on about having a second wife and it struck a nerve with me.”
I ran even faster at that. Even thinking of him taking her as his wife made my blood hot. I glanced over and Gideon was keeping pace. “His opinions on wives don’t matter.”
“He thinks we’re destined to be together,” Visteal said quietly. “He said the prophecy came the year he was born. He thinks we’re meant to be.”
I didn’t want to ask but I had to. “And what do you think?”
“I think he’s crazy and I’ll marry whoever I damn well please. I make my own destiny.” She said it with such determination it left no room for questioning.
I knew Visteal and I were young to be thinking about marriage especially when we’d both live for so long. And when our kingdom’s alliances could fall apart if something went wrong, yet I couldn’t help but feel we would be husband and wife one day. I’d never felt so connected to someone.
“That’s my girl.”
“Where is your pixie friend?”
“I made her stay with the boys.”
We talked for a while, Gideon ended up hopping on for a ride, and everything was quiet until a strange odor hit me. It was unfamiliar and not human or Fae or any animal I’d encountered. I slowed to a walk and listened and looked for anything nearby. “Gideon, do you sense anything?”
No reply. “Gideon!”
“What? What happened?” He sounded groggy.
“Have you been asleep?”
“Well, I did stay up all night being the lookout,” he said loudly.
“What’s wrong?” Visteal asked, her thighs tightened on me.
“There’s—” The ground shook again and again almost as if footsteps… I looked to my left and a massive troll that had to be at least twenty feet tall, wielding a tree for a club, headed our way.
“RUN!” Visteal roared.
23
Visteal
My hold on Zyacus tightened when his walk turned into a sprint. The shaking and thundering of the giant troll’s feet followed us too closely. I risked a glance behind and he swung his club, taking out the trees just behind us. I didn’t know how but he was catching us. The creature let out a gurgly yell and swiped, trying to grab me. I held the Spear of Ice in one hand and with the other, I struck the troll’s palm with my sword. It jerked back and when I tried to pull my sword out, I was lifted into the air. I dropped the spear and held onto my sword’s hilt with both hands.
A scream tore from deep within me as I dangled twenty feet from the ground. If I fell from here, I could break my legs. Huge yellow tusks stuck out from its protruding underbite. Its yellowish-green skin had boils as big as my fists, and holy phoenix, it smelled like a rotten carcass. Its beady black eyes watched me as it licked its lips. Bringing me closer, it sniffed my head and caught me in its other hand. My sword fell and was lost in the snow when it hit.
I wiggled and grunted trying to squeeze out of its grasp. “Let me go!” I screamed. I couldn’t even reach down to grab my dagger and my bow was probably getting crushed at this very moment. I started to think about clawing the kirune out of my arm when it opened its mouth and slowly brought me closer. No, no, no I cannot be eaten by a troll! “ZYACUS!” I yelled, slamming my fists as hard as I could. I leaned forward and tried to bite but its skin was so thick it didn’t even penetrate.
Its mouth suddenly slammed shut and it swung me around, leveling me out at its side. I hung upside down, but I could see fire blast from Zyacus’s palms into the troll’s legs. Its loincloth or whatever it wore had caught fire. It started hopping and patting at the fire. Its fingers opened and I was free falling. I fully expected to hit hard but I was suspended midair. I opened my eyes; Zyacus had a hand stretched toward me, holding me with magic. He slowly set me on the ground. I ran for the Spear when I was slammed into from the side. My shoulder hit the ground first. I whipped around and kicked off whoever had hit me. I scrambled to my feet, pulled my dagger, and faced Chrishna.
“Miss me?” she said with a sick smile.
The spear was not far to my left. The troll was stumbling around to my right while Zyacus pelted it with spells.
“When I saw you riding the wolf with the spear I couldn’t believe it but then I realized it was a shifter. You’re a cheat. You don’t deserve to win. I want to marry Astaroth, and you clearly have a man.”
“You’re right, I don’t want to marry Astaroth but I have to win.”
Her eyebrows furrowed and she readied her sword.
“Look, Chrishna. You can marry him. I don’t want him, but I have to take this spear and present it to the King... Do you want to be a queen instead of a princess?”
Her eyes flicked to the spear. “What are you talking about?”
Either she’d be in on this with me or I’d have to kill her. We slowly circled each other. “I am going to kill King Valefrost.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You can’t. You have Fae blood.”
I smirked. “Do I? I am from the human realm. I am a princess.”
Her once narrowed eyes blew wide. “The princess from the prophecy. But… how can that be? You look like us. You’re a Snofury.”
“My name is Visteal Magnevera Exavior and I assure you, I am not Fae.” I grabbed my hair. “This is from a potion.”
“But that would mean that Bastian—”
“Knows? He does. So does Astaroth.” I didn’t even know why I was telling her this when she poisoned me. She tried to murder me already. But I didn’t want to kill her unless I had to.
“Why are you telling me this?” She raised her sword slightly.
“Because you can either help me or die but either way, I will be the one to present the spear to the king.” I stopped moving. “But just know if you breathe a word of this to the King or anyone before I can do it, Astaroth will kill you. I won’t have to.”
“Why would he want the king dead?”
I had figured it out. “Simple. He murdered the only person Astaroth ever loved.”
She looked away. “How do I know you’re not lying? Humans can lie.”
“If I were half Fae I couldn’t lie, and if I’m human why would I lie about this?”
Chrishna put her sword away. “Take the Spear.”
I slowly walked toward it, keeping my eyes on her the entire time. I picked it up and pointed it at the troll. It vibrated in my palms and a blast of blue careened from the tip and hit the troll. It froze solid in an instant. Damn.
“Just so you know,” Chrishna said, folding her arms. “The spear won’t work on the King. It belongs to him. You’ll have to use another weapon.”
I turned to Zyacus who jogged toward me. He didn’t have a shirt on but he’d managed to slip on pants and boots.
“Are you alright?” he asked. His eyes drifted to Chrishna warily.
I nodded. “I’m alright. Let’s go.”
He looked to Chrishna again. “We good?”
She gestured for us to go. “As long as I get to be Queen at the end of this.”
I didn’t know what she’d end up as but it wouldn’t be dead if she let us go without a fight. Zyacus and I started off. Gideon fell in beside us. Zyacus kicked his boots and dropped his pants and shifted in a matter of seconds. I picked up his things and stuffed them in the bag. Then with a running start and using the spear I hopped on his back again. Even though I was a little cold, Zyacus’s body heat kept me warm enough. We kept going until it was dark. At this pace we’d be there in the morning and a day early, so we had time to let Zyacus rest.
We found a small cave and built a fire. It crackled and popped. I stared into the darkness letting my eyes unfocus. Zyacus had caught a rabbit and roasted it over the flames. He’d also found some berries. I was hungry too. I’d only snacked on small things since this race started. I popped a few cold white berries into my mouth and enjoyed the sweetness as they burst on my tongue.
A beautiful melody came from Zyacus’s low hum. I closed my eyes, enjoying the sound. It was a song I knew and made me think of home. “Sing it,” I said and turned to face him. “Sing it for me.”
He smiled. “Oh, I’m no good.”
“Please?”
His eyes sparkled in the firelight. “Only if you don’t laugh.”
I put a hand to my chest. “I would never.”
He cleared his throat and started off quiet, then the luring words and melody grew louder with his confidence. It was a song of war and love and loss. I always enjoyed the saddest son
gs most.
He wouldn’t look at me at first but then his eyes slowly drifted up from the fire. His timbre mesmerized me, as if his voice were meant to make me fall further into the depths of everything that was him. Further than I already had. I wanted to drown in it.
I smiled when he sang the last word. “Why haven’t you sang for me before? Your voice is wonderful.”
He shrugged and poked at the fire. “It’s not really.”
“Oh, we’re in rare form tonight.” I stood and crossed the short distance and knelt behind him, putting my arms around his neck. I rested my chin on his shoulder. “Is this the humble side of Zyacus? I don’t know if I’ve ever seen it.”
“You should have seen the way Astaroth beat me in the banquet hall. And he didn’t even know it was me. I posed as a servant to get information on you. I couldn’t fight back... It humbled me a bit.”
I scowled at the fire. “I hate him.”
Slicing off a piece of meat from the rabbit, he handed it to me. “I’m fine. And it’s not seasoned but should taste alright.”
“I’m so hungry I don’t care about seasoning.” I bit into the meat and after we’d finished off the rabbit my belly was full.
Zyacus pulled me onto his lap and then laid down, taking me with him. My chest pressed against his. Our faces were only inches apart with his arms wrapped snugly around my middle. “We’ll be warmer this way. Body heat, you see.”
I kissed him softly. “So that’s why you want me lying on top of you? To keep warm?” I teased.
“If I told you more you’d blush, Princess.” He ran his fingers through my hair; I loved the way it felt.
It became very apparent why we’d been careful about being alone together before. When we made a deal not to be intimate until we were betrothed or married, I’d accepted it. I was still unsure about our relationship then; I couldn’t even say I loved him. We set boundaries. We didn’t let our kisses become too passionate. Those nights I’d slept in his room before we came here, I was so exhausted and paranoid and anxious I couldn’t think of what I would want to do with him. He was a shelter from the storm. But something had changed. I could see it in his eyes. I could feel it in me. I swallowed hard trying to force the nervous lump growing in my throat.
