Deceptions fall, p.21
Deception's Fall, page 21
part #6 of Call of the Elements Series
Vethiar’s thin eyebrows rose to her hairline, and she glanced at me, then Mal. She had to have seen my magic or at least felt it. “Indeed?” she asked. “Tell me what you found.”
He explained the open wound in the Forest of Tears. Dusha must have shown him our battle because Mal’s description was spot on. Even the part where I became the sun for three minutes.
Vethiar tapped her fingers against her lips, watching me throughout the entire dialog. Her intense scrutiny was about to drive me nuts, and I almost interrupted Mal on several occasions to tell him to hurry up.
“You can take me there now?” she asked when he finished.
Mal didn’t answer, and I realized they were waiting for me.
“Yes, but I have stipulations,” I replied.
“Really?” Her incredulous look made me frown.
“For your safety, you cannot touch the hole in the ground,” I replied, reigning in my impatience. “Not with your hands or your magic. It might send an alert to our enemy. We can’t fight them alone.”
“I agree.” She smiled at me, but I wasn’t done yet.
“Also, same goes for the trees. As a matter of fact, don’t even look at the trees. They agreed to stand down, but if they’re provoked for any reason, our only option is to leave.”
“Done.” Vethiar’s curt reply felt off somehow, almost too agreeable—too eager. Shouldn’t she have more questions or arguments?
Mal stood, bringing me to my feet, then extended a hand to Vethiar. She took it and flashed another smile, confusing the hell outta me. I’d expected her to protest at least a little bit.
My partner wrapped his free arm around my waist, and I tried not to tense. He looked down at me and smiled. Again.
“I don’t wish to be separated from you when we arrive in your Forest of Tears,” he said, way too calmly. “I saw the memory of your battle. The trees are much more than they appear.”
I nodded and placed a hand against his chest. I was responsible for their safety, and Mal very subtly reminded me. I slipped my other arm around him as well, aware of Vethiar’s scrutiny.
“You’ll feel the Forest’s aggression as soon as we arrive,” I said, piercing her with a look. I tried to, anyway. “It’s very important you don’t react. They don’t like strangers.”
They both nodded, and I carried them to what could easily be their deaths.
We arrived about fifty feet from the portal. My grip tightened on Mal’s waist. If the Forest changed its mind about our deal, I needed to be able to take them back home in a hurry.
I did a quick survey of the trees, who’d already started moving our way. Their aggression battered me, and Mal pulled me closer to him.
These two are my allies, which makes them yours as well, I said. Remember our agreement.
The Forest stilled, and silence fell around us. I glanced over at Vethiar and noticed the death grip she had on Mal’s arm.
“We’re okay,” I said, pulling out of Mal’s embrace. “But hurry up and do whatever you need to do.”
Vethiar didn’t let go of my partner. She also didn’t peel her eyes off the soil at her feet. She must’ve taken my warning to heart about not looking at the trees. I stepped in front of her, and she met my gaze.
“Turn around and look at the portal,” I said softly. “We need to know if you can close it.”
“It feels awful,” she whispered, her voice quivering. “There is so much anger and hatred.”
I masked my sense of triumph. At least she was sensible enough to be scared. She’d acted like coming here was no big deal and my warnings were nothing but frivolous words. “Yes, but it isn’t directed at you.”
She nodded and let go of Mal’s arm. I walked with her to the edge of the fiery spiderweb marring the ground, still pulsing like it had a heart of its own.
The worry lines on Vethiar’s face smoothed away as she scrutinized the portal. She extended her left hand and closed her eyes. I almost reminded her not to provoke our enemy but stopped myself. I was the only one here new to the magical world. She didn’t need me to tell her how to use her magic.
So I waited at her side, walking with her as she circled the scarred earth.
“I think we can close it,” she murmured. “But it will require a great deal of magic.”
“There are two of these,” Mal said. “It would be ideal if we could close both at the same time.”
“Not possible.” Vethiar turned to face him directly. “It will take all our Arcanists to close this one.”
That sucked. Our plan had been to close both so Stephan couldn’t summon reinforcements when we attacked the palace. I looked up at Mal. We couldn’t close them at the same time anyway. The other portal was in the middle of the Highland Kingdom.
My partner returned my questioning look, and I swore I could feel him poking around in my head.
“Can you arrange a meeting with Zane?” he asked shifting his gaze to Vethiar.
“Are you certain you want to?” she asked in return.
“Yes.” His intense eyes turned back to me. “I’m very certain.”
I knew at that moment there was way more implied in those few words.
“What?” I asked.
“We should not discuss it here,” Mal replied. “Can you take us back? Then I’ll explain.”
I had a really bad feeling about the secretive glances they kept throwing back and forth. The growing trust between me and Mal fractured a little more with each second that passed. Even if the elementals would keep him in check, I didn’t like the idea of a Dionadair keeping secrets. Hadn’t he just entrusted me with something very personal, though? Something so personal, my actions in the Arcanists’ lair benefited me more than him.
I’d reserve judgement.
Vethiar looped her arm in Mal’s, indicating she was ready to leave. For a moment, I contemplated telling them to go without me. But I needed answers. I grabbed Mal’s hand and took them back to the same room we left.
As soon as we arrived, Vethiar hurried from the room without a word. I closed the space between me and Mal, gripping his shirt in my fists. I pulled his face down to mine.
“We’re going someplace private,” I whispered.
He nodded, and I took him to the middle of the fricking Sahara Desert. I considered the one in Nevada, but it’d be hot as hell in the middle of the day. Instead, we arrived in a cool desert night.
I released Mal and put several paces between us. “Start talking.”
“Where are we?” he asked, turning a full circle.
“The desert.”
He huffed. “Obviously.”
Dusha flared into existence at my side, making me jump. “You could’ve warned me you were joining this little party, Dusha,” I snapped. “It’s not like you aren’t in my head, damnit.”
My elemental ignored me. He glared at Maldrius with a fury I’d never seen on Dusha’s face. What the hell had the elf done?
“You will not take her to him.” Dusha’s voice echoed across the desert, and Mal flinched at his harshness.
“She is the one,” Mal retorted, not backing down from my elemental, who towered over him. “He cannot control her, nor can he cage her.”
“You would risk her life over some prophecy that has been proven wrong for centuries?” Dusha’s wings flared, sparks of lightning flickering from their ends.
“They were proven wrong because we expected an elf!” Mal shouted. “We were fools. The prophecy says she will be ‘one of our own.’ We assumed it meant an elf, but we are all fae.” He glanced at me. “Even though some have forgotten.”
I stood there with my mouth gaping open and my eyes dancing between the two of them. What the hell were they talking about?
Dusha took a step back, but he was clearly outraged. “I cannot interfere if you’re wrong.” Dusha finally looked at me, his eyes softening just a little. “And I hate to risk everything.” He turned his anger back on Mal. “Have you already forgotten how we defeated that creature in the Forest? Only through Alisandra can we channel the power required to do so.”
“Yes, because the rest of us are too weak,” Mal sneered.
“No.” Dusha growled. “Because the rest of you would try to redirect the power and use it for yourselves. She has proven herself worthy of our trust.”
They glared at one another with so much hostility. It hurt me to see Dusha this angry. He was my light, my compassion, my love. Not my anger. I needed answers, but I refused to let them go down this path.
I stepped between them and faced Dusha, placing my hand against his stomach. His eyes closed, and he knelt in front of me. I cupped his face in my palms and rested my forehead against his. Words could not describe how much I needed him, so I showed him how he made me feel when Braden’s spirit was ripped away from mine. I reminded him how broken I was at his hands, then how he fixed it with his love.
“This is why I trust only you,” he said. “I broke you. Not just once but three times, and you still love me. You still forgave me.”
“What can I say? I’m a sucker for a man with wings,” I teased. “I’m glad to see you’re okay. I was a little worried about you after our last battle.” He wrapped me in a quick hug. I couldn’t imagine how ridiculous we looked. His enormous frame all but swallowed me. “Now explain this nonsense about a prophecy.”
Mal grunted behind me, but I ignored him. Dusha folded his legs beneath him and sat down, pulling me with him. Mal joined us but not without more grumbling.
“The elves have many prophecies,” Dusha began. “The one Maldrius refers to is about a warrior who will harness the power of the Earth. She will bring her people out of the darkness and vanquish the evil meant to destroy all the fae.”
“That is a very condensed version,” Mal stated.
“Yes, but we’re in a hurry,” Dusha countered. “There have been many times of darkness on Earth. Humanity has always pulled themselves from the ravages of war, but it never truly impacted the magical families.”
“Until now,” I confirmed.
“Yes, until now.” Mal’s anger faded. He spared a glance at Dusha before giving me his undivided attention. “We are all fae, AJ. Have you not noticed every race shares one similarity?”
He tilted his head and ran a finger up his long, pointed ear. I hadn’t really thought about it, but he was right. Besides the fae and elves, the trolls, goblins, even the ogres, all had pointed ears. Some were longer than others, but they all had them.
“We don’t share the same blood, but we are all fae,” he continued. “Elves are no different than the others. We get lost in our arrogance. We assumed the prophecy spoke of an elf. Arcane magic feeds off the Earth’s ley lines, so why wouldn’t she be an elf?”
He picked up a small rock from the ground in front of him and rolled it between his fingers.
“The prophecy also states she will carry the blood of royalty and command all around her. She will be a goddess among men and magic.” Mal looked at me and shook his head. “We should’ve known it could never be our royal line. Yet I didn’t want to believe it was you either.”
I stared at him with my mouth hanging open. This was exactly why prophecies should never exist.
“It’s a load of bullshit,” I said. “Every single one of the Dionadair harness the magic of the Earth. Dusha could’ve picked Coral, who has the blood of royalty and she’s pretty fricking bossy.”
Even as I said it, I realized no one could command people like I did. Mal didn’t hesitate to point out the flaw in my logic.
“Your family has always carried the ability to command others,” he said, but I heard what he didn’t say. I was the last of my mage family. “Only you harness the power of the Earth.” He nodded at Dusha. “He proved it with his admission of trust in you alone.”
I shifted in the sand to face my elemental, giving him my best ‘you better explain’ look. “You believe him?” I asked, pointing my thumb at Mal but not taking my eyes from Dusha.
“Prophecies are rarely correct, Alisandra,” he replied. “It’s just a vision recorded by a powerful Seer, but as you know firsthand, visions change. Especially visions about you.”
“So we ask this powerful Seer to ‘see’ me again in relation to their prophecy,” I suggested.
“The Seer died years ago,” Mal said.
“How convenient,” I muttered, propping my elbows on my knees and cradling my head in my hands. I really wanted to deny the similarities between me and this prophecy, but I couldn’t. Did it really matter, though? Would it change anything we needed to do to save our world? Nope.
“Do you want to hear the rest of the prophecy?” Mal asked.
“Nope. We’re doing shit our way,” I replied, pushing myself to my feet and dusting my hands on my thighs. “A whole lot has changed in the world from a few centuries ago. I’m pretty sure your Seer couldn’t even imagine a car, microwave oven, or smartphone. I don’t want some outdated shit dictating how we fight our enemy.”
Dusha laughed, and I kicked sand at him.
“Now tell me who I’m supposed to meet and why.”
Chapter 20
I was such a dumbass sometimes. Really and truly a dumbass. There was no other explanation for what I was about to do or my current position.
“I want you to sit in front of me this time,” Mal said, stepping up beside me. “You can hold onto the saddle, and I can keep you from falling. It might be a little more comfortable.”
“Fine. I still think we should’ve just done it the easy way.”
I’d tried to convince my asshole partner that we didn’t need the horse. His elementals could carry both of us through the realms to the hidden cave for our secret meeting. Despite my arguments, Mal had refused. Something about ‘tradition’ and ‘respect’ and some other bullshit I didn’t want to hear.
Whatever.
I let him help me get into the saddle, then I scooted as far forward as I could. He swung into place behind me and caged me in with his arms. The saddle didn’t have one of those horn things, so I gripped the front edge with both hands.
“Are you ready?” Mal asked, his scratchy voice right next to my ear. With his chest pressed firmly against my back, he had to be uncomfortable. The saddle wasn’t designed for two people. At least he wasn’t as big as one of the Oceanic Fae.
“Yeah. Let’s get this over with,” I replied.
I spent the first five minutes of our ride talking to Ronquil telepathically, relaying what Vethiar said about the portals and the Arcanists’ willingness to help close them. Which was welcome news because he’d already started making plans to split the armies between the Forest of Tears and the Highland Palace. The level of cooperation from the other magical families was rather surprising considering the fae had isolated themselves for so long.
The fae.
I was still a little surprised and not at all sure about that revelation. It was a thought for another day.
I didn’t tell Ronquil about my meeting with this reclusive man living in the Elvin kingdom. And I had no intention to unless I could make this idiot an ally. Dusha would only tell me his name, Zane. Like that was supposed to clear everything up for me.
My elemental still insisted it was a bad idea, but he wouldn’t tell me why. He’d said, “Maybe if you don’t know everything, he’ll be more likely to cooperate with you.” Then he shook his head and disappeared. Again with the helpful.
We rode for nearly twenty minutes before the narrow trail changed from ragged rock to powdered snow. A chill wind swept across the mountain, and I shivered. Why the hell weren’t we wearing coats?
One of Mal’s arms wrapped around my middle, but I didn’t argue. His warmth felt good against the biting cold. The horse snorted and jerked its head up and down several times.
“What does that mean?” I asked, sensing the animal’s discomfort.
“We’re close,” Mal replied. “The cave is just around this bend in the trail.”
Sure enough, as soon as we rounded the corner, the opening to a large cave greeted us. Not just large, but big enough to walk several elephants through. The horse stopped a few yards from the entrance, and Mal slid from the saddle. I followed him and moaned at the pain in my legs and ass. I was not riding the horse back.
I only half paid attention to Mal as he tied the horse’s reins to its saddle and whispered in its ear. My head snapped around when the animal trotted back down the path towards home.
“It’s not safe for him to stay,” Mal explained.
“But it’s okay for us to be here?” I retorted.
“We can defend ourselves or simply leave,” he replied as if talking to a child. “The horse cannot.”
I stuck out my tongue, and he laughed at me. Despite my irritation, I liked his smile. It completely changed him.
“What have we here?” A man’s voice echoed on the chill breeze.
Mal stepped in front of me and dropped to one knee. “We come requesting assistance.”
I wasn’t sure what to make of my friend’s reaction toward the man in the cave. The caveman. I stifled my giggle from the idiotic thought and refocused. All I could see was the silhouette of a large, muscular frame and his long hair dancing in the wind.
“And the little girl is your payment?” he asked.
“Not hardly,” I scoffed. Definitely a caveman. “There shouldn’t be a price for saving your ass.”
The man laughed a full, unencumbered belly laugh. “Come. I accept your gift.”
He disappeared into the cave, leaving me and Mal to follow or not. I took several deep breaths of the icy air, then shivered violently.
“Why does everyone have to be an asshole?” I muttered, stomping towards the cave. “Just once, I’d like to walk up to one of our potential allies and say, ‘Hey! Let’s save the world together.’ And they’d be like, ‘Sure! That’s a brilliant idea.’ But no, I get assholes.”
Mal chuckled as we entered the cave. As soon as we crossed the threshold, the temperature went from ‘freezing my ass off’ to ‘wow, this feels like a sauna.’ Not that I was complaining, just surprised. There was no obvious source of heat.
