Faes enlightenment, p.4
Fae's Enlightenment, page 4
part #4 of Call of the Elements Series
“No,” I grumbled back, pulling the blanket over my head. I’d struggled to fall asleep, tossing and turning for hours with fitful dreams. Of course the grumpy ass fae would show up five minutes after I won my fight with the sleep monster.
When the blankets disappeared from my grasp, I squeaked. I was about to mutter some choice words at the fae, but a loud thump quickly followed by a groan had me sitting up. My eyes darted around the room, finding Ronquil pressed against the far wall. I giggled. Even though I couldn’t see my elemental, I knew Niyol had Ron pinned against the wall.
“You can let him go, Niyol,” I said, rolling off the big bed and trying not to laugh as the giant fell to his knees. “Why are we up so early?” I asked, ignoring Ronquil’s perpetual scowl.
He wore the same cool armor he had on the day before. Hopefully not the same one. Surely they needed to be washed, right?
His fists clenched at his sides, and he took a deep breath. “Don’t attack me again,” he growled, not answering my question.
“That wasn’t me,” I snapped. “Talk to the elemental while I try to find something that might actually fit me. I should’ve brought my own clothes.” The fae didn’t move, and I glared at him. “Get out,” I commanded, not at all embarrassed by the force of my words.
Ronquil flinched, his eyes widening, but he remained silent as he left the room. Stupid men thinking they could boss everyone. I quickly changed my clothes, mumbling the whole time about not having my own wardrobe with me. Braden had assured me everything would be provided. How was I supposed to know they were giants and not normal people?
When I finally emerged from the bedroom, I found Niyol and Ronquil sitting across from each other at what I would’ve called the dining room table had there been a real kitchen or dining room. They stared at one another in silence, and I was almost afraid to interrupt them.
“He should join us for poker night,” Niyol said after several tense moments.
“Why?” I asked. “So you have someone else to practice your newest cheat on?”
He swiveled around and stared at me with his shifting eyes. “I do not cheat.”
“Sure.” I slid into the wooden seat next to him and smiled. “You just pick through my mind trying to find out what cards I have.”
Niyol’s wispy laugh echoed through the room, and I winked at an astonished Ronquil.
“If you’d quit thinking of all your favorite fairytale princesses, I would know your cards,” Niyol argued.
“Exactly.” I pointed my thumb at the elemental but spoke to the fae. “He cheats.”
“You have poker night?” Ronquil asked, finally finding his voice.
“Yep, almost nightly as way to…” I paused. I didn’t need to discuss my trauma with the fae prince. “It’s been good therapy,” I finished. “I hope we can continue here.” And I meant it. I couldn’t see a real therapist for my issues. Even if they didn’t lock me up in a nuthouse for talking about supernatural creatures, they probably had some obligation to tell the authorities about a murderer admitting to their crimes.
“I’m assuming your vampire won’t be joining us?” Niyol asked, even though we’d just had this discussion a couple nights ago. Was he rehashing it for our host?
“No, I don’t think he’s welcome here,” I replied. “Even though he did help save the world while our arrogant new friends sat on their thumbs.”
A low growl rumbled from across the table. I knew I shouldn’t be antagonizing him, but I also couldn’t ignore my bitterness. These people were part of the reason my life was turned upside-down. I couldn’t help but think that if the fae had just gotten over themselves and helped fight Jack, I wouldn’t have personally had to kill so many people.
“Not everyone agrees with the decision to stay neutral,” Ronquil hissed.
“Well apparently you’re not important enough for your opinion to matter,” I snapped. “And yes, I realize I should be trying harder to play nice, but screw you! My whole life went to shit because your people refused to help.”
“I’ll leave you to it,” Niyol said, interrupting my tirade. “Try not to hurt the fae. Remember you’re training, not exacting revenge.”
My elemental disappeared, the flowering curtains fluttering in his wake. I met Ronquil’s glare but couldn’t hold it. I needed to find the limits of my magic, and I needed him to do it. Which meant swallowing that bitter pill of resentment.
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled. “I have anger issues. I’m working on it.”
Ronquil stared at me for several moments. “Will the elementals interfere with your training? We will be sparring, sometimes with weapons. It’ll be difficult to teach if they are constantly…protecting you.”
“That was just Niyol’s way of introducing himself,” I replied. “He’ll only interfere if he thinks you’re genuinely trying to hurt me.” I rose from my seat and headed to the flowery door. “So, what’s on our agenda today?”
“You will do combat training with me in the mornings,” he replied, following me down the steps. “Coral will spend the afternoons teaching you about magic.”
“Breakfast first?” I asked, noticing the lingering darkness. I wouldn’t see the sun beneath the canopy of trees even if it were up, but it was light enough to know morning wasn’t far away.
“Yes, but tomorrow I expect you to be done with breakfast and waiting for me.”
I stopped mid-step. Did he think he could boss me like some new recruit? Obviously. I clamped my mouth closed and raced down the steps. The bastard was deliberately trying to piss me off. He had to be. Was he trying to provoke my darkness? He must know about it. After all, Alra said I wasn’t exactly a secret around here.
I didn’t stop until I reached the large building I’d seen the night before with the dozens of outdoor tables and chairs. A flickering light glowed through the nearest window, and I pushed aside the curtain of flowers, letting myself in.
“Well, good morning!” a tall, dark-haired beauty called out from behind a wooden counter that stretched halfway across the room. Numerous stools dotted the length of the counter, and several long tables filled the space between me and her. All of them empty. Only idiots like Ron and I were up this early. And the lovely woman cooking for us.
“Good morning,” I responded, weaving my way around the tables to her location.
“Ronquil said you’d like breakfast before you left.” She smiled and slid a ceramic plate and cup in front of me.
I smiled back and looked down at what she offered. It appeared to be a thick slice of ham and chunks of a peachy colored fruit. No eggs or toast or hash browns. I kept my grumbling to myself and thanked her, then tried not to inhale my small meal.
Ronquil arrived a few minutes later and hovered close behind me. I held back the smartass comment trying to slip off my tongue. Insulting his impatience wouldn’t help. I gulped the contents of my cup and didn’t hide my smile. Some sort of fruity drink slid down my throat.
“Wow!” I glanced up at the lady serving me. “That tastes fantastic. I’ve never had anything like it.” Was it some kind of special fae island fruit?
My hostess smiled and cleared away my dishes, then nodded at the brooding man behind me.
“He’s grumpy,” I whispered, leaning forward and winking at her. I needed allies. The cook would be a great start. “How long will take for me to get a smile from him?”
She laughed, not answering my question. “My name’s Sage.”
“Call me AJ.”
She set my plate back on the counter and offered her hand. I accepted the friendly gesture with a smile.
“Good to meet you, AJ. Let me know when you get a smile out of our prince.” She released my hand and took my dirty dishes through an arched doorway behind her.
I tried to hide my surprise but was pretty sure I failed miserably. My grumpy friend was a prince. Go figure. Sending a prince to train the enemy seemed odd, though. Now I really needed to try harder to maintain my filter. I also needed to be more careful about what I revealed. Braden had warned me not to reveal all of my secrets. But how could I learn anything while hiding my abilities? I wasn’t sure I could.
“If you’re done, we have things to do,” Ronquil grumbled.
I slid off my chair and started to say something, but he was already halfway to the door. Maybe it was better to keep my mouth shut anyway. I raced after him, catching up as he turned onto the well-worn path that was also empty.
“Where to, boss?” I asked, watching his profile as we strolled through the quiet village.
“The beach,” he replied, glancing down at me for a second. “I want to determine how much you already know so we can develop a training plan.”
“Okay,” I said. “Would it help if I told you what I know I need?”
“I’m certain you need everything.”
Arrogant bastard. Just another man seeing a skinny little girl. I shook my head and kept my mouth closed. Instead of pouting over his comment, I enjoyed our short hike to the beach. I wouldn’t let him ruin an otherwise beautiful walk.
The towering palm trees gave way to the wide expanse of sand and thin grasses growing along the shoreline. I slowed to a stop at the water’s edge and gazed out at the ocean. Its calming waves threatened to soak my boots, but I ignored them, drinking in the soothing sensation the ocean never failed to give me. It was different from the Pacific Ocean and even the Mediterranean, but its familiarity felt good.
“You are drawn to the water,” Ronquil stated, interrupting my moment of tranquility.
“Yep. I always assumed it was because of my mage talents, but now I’m not so sure,” I replied, still focused on the white-capped waves in the distance.
“It’s likely both your mage and fae magic.”
I glanced at the man now standing next to me. His arms hung at his side, feet about shoulder-width apart, and his wide chest barely moving with each breath. Just like I imagined a warrior would be. Had he even seen a war? According to the rest of the supernatural world, the fae stayed out of all the puny squabbles of the lesser families. It wasn’t something I could ask without pissing him off, so I changed the subject.
“I’d really like help with hand-to-hand combat, not using my magic,” I said, thinking of all the times Braden wrapped me up in a bearhug I couldn’t get free of.
Ronquil turned to face me. “Why would you not use your magic?”
“Well, when the vampires first kidnapped me, they threw me in a magic-proof room. If they find a way to make that mobile, I’m screwed.”
“There’s no such thing,” Ronquil said, a deep furrow forming between his brows.
“Oh sure, I just made that up.” I waved a hand at him and sat down to remove my boots. I wanted to feel the sand on my toes. “I didn’t have magic at the time, but the fifteen mages with me swore they were disconnected from theirs. I have to believe them, or they would’ve blasted us out of there.”
“Why have we not heard of this?” he asked.
I glanced up at him, my dislodged boot still in my hand. I sucked in a breath as I set my shoe beside me. “Maybe because you spend too much time here,” I replied, untying my other shoe.
He grumbled incoherently, then huffed. “Why are you taking off your shoes?”
“I like to feel the earth,” I replied. “It balances me.” I stood and tossed my boots up shore, away from the tide.
“And what happens when I crush your toes beneath my boots?” he asked, rolling his shoulders.
“How about you catch me first?” I quipped. “Then we’ll talk about my fragile toes.”
He lowered his stance and narrowed his eyes at me. I grinned. I was definitely using my vampire speed on his arrogant ass.
“Any rules?” I asked.
“Rules?”
“Yeah, you know, rules of engagement,” I replied, lacing my fingers together and popping my knuckles. “Things that aren’t allowed.”
“No rules.”
“Well, I have one,” I said. “No biting.”
His lips twitched, almost as if he fought against a grin. Braden said that trading bites was a fae thing, so I expected Ronquil to understand the reference.
“Okay, no biting,” he said. “I’ll let you engage first.”
My smile broadened, and a red haze crept into my vision. I dug my toes in the sand and closed my eyes. Not today, little beast. This is not Braden. The haze receded, surprising me. Braden and I had worked with my darkness frequently, but it never responded like that. Maybe because I didn’t deny myself with Braden.
My eyes popped open, and my fist snapped out, connecting with the soft spot at his collar—right above that damned armor. He flinched with the impact, but I was already behind him, slamming my bare foot into the back of his knee. He wavered on his feet and spun. I skipped backwards, putting several yards between us, and smiled.
Ronquil rubbed his neck and glared at me. I didn’t hurt him, probably couldn’t unless I let my little beast loose. That wasn’t happening.
“Don’t underestimate your opponent, Ron,” I teased. “Isn’t that the first rule of combat?”
“Yes,” he mumbled. “No restrictions?”
“No biting,” I corrected. I wouldn’t contain my beast if his bite was anything like Braden’s.
He lunged. I sidestepped, dropping to my knees and grabbing his nearest ankle. Ron stumbled, barely regaining his balance before spinning around to face me again. A deep flush covered his neck and cheeks. I’d really pissed him off.
“Can you change forms?” he asked between clenched teeth.
“Yep. Any restrictions?”
“None.”
Yep! He was really mad.
His body shimmered, and he fell onto his hands and knees. Between breaths, he changed into a rhino. A fricking huge-ass rhinoceros. How was I supposed to fight that? Something bigger? Smaller?
Before I made up my mind, he lowered his horned head and charged, throwing plumes of sand behind him with his hooved feet. Well, shit. I dodged the massive creature and raced towards the waves with my vampire speed. What was a rhino’s natural enemy? Humans and coordinated attacks from large predators.
I skidded to stop at the edge of the water and turned to face him as a human. I pulled a long, slender shard of air into existence, compressing it into a solid spear with sharp points at both ends. It was the first weapon Niyol taught me to create. Not that I’d really stab Ronquil with it, but I had no objections to smacking him in the head.
Ronquil’s thundering hooves slowed as his little black eyes widened. He lowered his head but didn’t stop, and I crouched, preparing to jump. He snorted. As soon as I leapt into the air, he turned his wide body to the side, sliding in the wet sand and totally screwing up my trajectory. The toes on my right foot clipped his spine as he slid beneath me, crunching painfully with the impact. I released my spear, hitting the sand in a forward roll and stopping on my hands and knees. My foot hurt like hell, but Ronquil wasn’t done. He growled and pawed at the ground.
Göksu? I don’t suppose you can take care of a few minor bones for me, can you?
They aren’t broken, child.
I huffed. Fine.
I glared at the rhino across from me. What could I do to win this fight, or at least satisfy his curiosity about my skills? A t-rex would be awesome, but I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. Was it worth the effort to try? Braden would say yes. He encouraged everything.
My thoughts went to Jurassic Park’s wonderful rendition of the ferocious creature. That’s what I want to be. Be one with the t-rex. Magic swirled around me, picking up sand as it went. My perspective changed as I rose into the air, everything instantly shrinking.
A bellowing roar escaped my throat. Yes! Queen of the dinosaurs!
I swung my tail at the little rhino standing below me. He didn’t even try to move, stupid fae. My scaly flesh smashed into his side, tossing him in the ocean. Well, shit. He was supposed to dodge or something.
I scanned the water’s edge, waiting for him to resurface. When he didn’t, I started to panic. Had I hit him that hard? I hadn’t meant to. After another twenty seconds, I stepped into the water, my gaze dancing back and forth where I knew he fell in. Nothing. Oh shit!
I released my dino form and immediately took on a dolphin, diving beneath the waves in search of the prince. I’d get kicked out for sure if I killed the king’s son on my first day. More likely, they’d just execute me. My fishy eyes scanned the murky depths looking for a rhino or even the giant fae. He was nowhere.
Okay, don’t panic, I thought. Which way is the tide shifting? I crested the water and let it roll over my smooth skin. To the left.
I dove back under and raced just beneath the waves, looking desperately for a body. A few seconds later, a pair of kicking legs caught my attention. I breached the surface and sighed with relief. Ronquil swam against the current trying to reach the shore. I rushed to his side and dipped my head. His hand gripped my dorsal fin, and I pulled him back to the island.
We collapsed on our backs at the water’s edge, and I didn’t miss Ronquil’s labored breathing or the way he favored his left side. I sat up – back in my human form - and scooted towards him. He turned to look at me, and I swallowed hard. His lips pressed into a thin line and his dark eyes narrowed.
“Let me heal whatever’s broken,” I said.
“I’m fine,” he hissed.
I tried not to roll my eyes. I really did. “I’m sorry I got carried away. Let me fix it.”
He grunted and tried to sit up, wrapping one arm around his waist. He squeezed his eyes shut and fell back into the sand, mumbling in what I assumed was the fae language. Looked like bruised ribs, maybe even broken. I wrinkled my nose and frowned. I hadn’t meant to hit him that hard. I needed to remember how strong the t-rex was for next time and not let my excitement make me stupid.
Without waiting for his ego to make a decision, I rested my hand lightly on his stomach. His eyes popped open and glared at me.
“Wait,” I commanded, then pushed a healing wave towards his injured middle. A puddle of water formed on his armor and went no further. I tried again but couldn’t get past the shimmering material.
