24. Ciara
Sir Axis’s blazing blue eyes stared into mine. There was a sincerity to the words and the look he was giving me, but his touch made me cringe. I didn’t want anyone but Malachi touching me and the thought of marking Sir Axis as my mate sent a swirling nausea to my stomach so harshly, I thought I might vomit. Gulping back the churning nausea, I took a step back. I needed space and distance. My head was telling me this was the only way to fix the spring, but my heart didn’t want to be shared with anyone else.
If I marked Sir Axis, we’d be joined forever. He’d see all my memories. He’d learn how much I loved Malachi and for how long. Did it make me a bad princess to want to put myself first?
And Malachi, he was willing to do whatever was needed to save our people yet here I was hesitating.
“You want me to be a part of your harem?” I asked.
Sir Axis smirked. “I’m not a one woman kind of man. No Water Sprites are.”
“So, I’d be expected to share you with others?”
I’d never imagined marking a mate and having to share them.
“I’ll share you too. It’s a two-way street. You still want your friend, you can have him.”
“Malachi is more than my friend.” I huffed. Malachi would always be my best friend, but he was so much more than that.
“Ah, now you admit it.”
“There’s no point denying it any longer,” I said, staring into his striking eyes. “I wouldn’t give him up for a mate I’d marked. And I wouldn’t even give him up for my fated mate.”
Sir Axis chuckled long and low.
“What’s so funny?” I snapped as the hairs on the back of my neck bristled to attention.
“You Fae and your fated mates.”
I narrowed my eyes. “There’s nothing funny about them. They are destined for us. How can you find this humorous? Or are you jealous Water Sprites don’t have fated mates?”
“I’m not jealous.” He leaned his head closer. “I don’t need you so you might as well leave.”
Oh, Dia, I’d made a mess of this situation. He was the only one with the power strong enough to fix our spring. I didn’t want to anger him. We needed him on our side, but there had to be another way.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “This is a lot to take in. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
His eyes narrowed into slits.
I touched a hand to my forehead. My power surged to my palms and dark shadows seeped from my hands and wrapped around my aching head trying to soothe me.
“Interesting power you have there, Princess,” Sir Axis said. “I can’t see your head now. You’d make an excellent spy.”
I lowered my hands. “Is that what this is about? You want me to be your spy?”
He stalked back to his throne and sat.
Perhaps I was onto something.
“You don’t want me to mark you, do you?”
He shrugged looking a little lost instead of the super arrogant man he portrayed.
“What do you want, Sir Axis?” I stepped closer and dropped to my knees. “Because I’ll do anything to save my people and my father.” My throat closed on the word father, and it came out strangled.
“What is wrong with Fintan?”
I swallowed hard. “He’s dying. When the spring slowed, he fed his power into the water to keep it flowing. To keep everyone else alive and now he’s exhausted himself.” I placed my hands on his knees. “Please, I can’t lose my father.”
“Oh, sweet child,” he murmured then tore his gaze away from me. A worried frown marred his handsome face. “I’ll help you, but with the way Earth is now fixing the spring from here is impossible. I need direct access to the water.”
“What about access to the water here on Earth?”
“Hmm, that might work. You know where the two worlds connect?”
“Aye,” I nodded, hope lighting up inside me there might be a way to fix our spring without me having to mark him as my mate.
“Is the location secure? I won’t endanger my people by losing their Master.”
“It is very secure,” Malachi said stepping beside me and helping me to my feet. “A secret society of humans are dedicated guards of the fountain and to protecting it and the Fae.”
“The Fellowship didn’t perish when the Trappers attacked?”
“You know of the Fellowship?”
“I know a lot more than you by the looks of it.”
“A few Fellowship members survived the Trappers attack and have rebuilt,” Malachi said. “And we have King’s guards with us.”
“With you?” he quirked an eyebrow.
“No, I used my shadows to escape them before coming here. I figured you wouldn’t let us in if we arrived with guards.”
“You figured correctly.” He tapped his fingers on the arm of the throne.
“Plus, my brother and sisters are at the location of the fountain. They’d protect you too, although I’m certain you wouldn’t need protection from anyone. You seem exceptionally powerful yourself.”
His chest puffed as he drew in a breath and smiled. “You’re too smart, Princess Ciara.”
“Some days I don’t believe I’m smart at all.”
“There is one thing you’re not smart about,” he said standing.
Before I asked what, his arms snapped out, and he yanked me toward him. His lips landed on mine in a kiss that was hard and demanding. I stomped my foot on his instep, he grunted but didn’t let me go. He kept his lips on mine as though his life depended on it.
And then the world exploded in a bright ball of light.