Chapter 11
11
MEV
I was going to die.
He was the son of the person responsible for separating my family. For closing the portal. Me thinking the absolute worst of my father. And if I was being particularly uncharitable and avoiding responsibility, the reason I was attracted, rather than repelled, by red-flag men.
Of all the rotten luck. Why him? He hated humans. And Aetherians. So what the hell was he doing there when I’d come through? It would be my next question, if I survived the day. My eyes had been squeezed shut, my ass bouncing up and down and my arms wrapped tightly around Kael’s waist for what felt like hours.
Finally, we slowed down. But then, without even fully stopping, Kael leaped from his horse, slapping the great beast on the rump and yelling, “Grab the reins,” and, “Stay.” I assumed the first command was for me, and the second, for his horse.
Where the hell was he going?
I was about to ask that very question when his hands began to twist and turn, dirt and leaves and grass forming a wall on the road, just like the first time. I grabbed the reins, but never once having ridden a horse, I had no idea what to do.
Was there any chance I could escape?
Unlikely. And I’d probably break my own neck trying.
I watched in fascination as Kael constructed a wall clear across the road. As much as I hated him, there was a part of me that had to admit the sight of him like this was… well, incredible. Otherworldly. Like I was watching a movie.
Suddenly, after he’d finished, the wall came crashing down. Kael moved away just in time, and there on the road, on the other side, was another sight to behold. A woman, and a beautiful one at that, atop a stately white horse. Her own hands waving furiously.
Kael knelt down to the road and slammed his fist to the ground. It tremored beneath us all, but affected her more. Riding backward, she nearly collapsed into what appeared to be a break in the road.
Had he just… created a mini earthquake?
“Don’t make me do this, Lyra,” he shouted as she narrowly avoided certain death. If she’d been caught in that chasm…
“She isn’t yours.” The woman looked directly at me then. Her hair was so beautiful, long and flowing, a silver shade that almost glowed, not unlike the carvings in The Crooked Key. “We all wish to know what happened.”
With a wave of her hand, the woman named Lyra dismounted.
Aetheria. Air magic. Back and forth the two alternately summoned nature, one from the ground, the other from the sky. With a twirl of her fingers, Lyra created a funnel of wind, sending it directly toward Kael.
No sooner did he escape that wind funnel than he hurled a rock that came from God knew where toward her. I screamed, not wanting to witness the woman being smushed to bits in front of me.
She just flew.
More accurately, levitated briefly. Lyra’s feet had left the ground as she effortlessly avoided the rock, but she didn’t go far into the air.
I watched, mesmerized, not just by Kael’s ability and strength but the grace and calming beauty of Lyra’s skills. Just like in the pub, a stirring inside me made me wish to go toward the gust of wind she’d produced, attempting to knock Kael off his feet.
He didn’t fall. Instead, Kael jumped into the air, landed, and simultaneously pounded his hands on the ground once again. This time, there was no doubt what he’d done. The man created a damned earthquake and the chasm that opened, while it didn’t swallow her, was certainly too wide to cross.
As quickly as it began, the fight was over. Kael ran toward me and mounted. As we rode away, I turned back, the woman growing smaller and smaller as we sped from the scene. This time, we didn’t stop. I begged Kael to do so, well after the encounter, but he didn’t.
After what felt like forever, we finally slowed, the reason for it becoming apparent as a castle in the distance came into view.
“Hold on,” he said. “I realize you are human. We’re almost there.”
So my kidnapper had a thoughtful side, realizing my very human needs might need attending to. Sure enough, that castle seemed to be our destination. I knew something about castles. This one was of the motte and bailey variety. If it were anywhere but in Elydor, I’d have thought the structure a magnificent example of eleventh-century architecture. But compared to all that I’d seen so far, the most striking thing about it was how… ordinary it was.
Kael didn’t let up, not even as we approached the gatehouse. I expected the guards stationed above us to make inquiries, but before we were even upon them, the portcullis opened, its metal hinges creaking alongside the klop, klop of horse’s hooves on wood. Crossing the motte, the only out-of-place feature the bright blue water beneath us, Kael called out, “A privy, if you please?”
“There, my lord,” a man surrounded by very normal-looking animals—chicken and hens among them—said. Kael raced toward the turret when the man pointed, and by the time we dismounted, it felt as if I’d burst at any moment.
“Quickly.” Kael grabbed my arm. “This way.”
For a man who had to ask for the privy, he seemed to know where he was going. Or at least know his way around the castle. An arched entranceway led to a door. Whipping it open, Kael confirmed we’d found our mark. I rushed inside, hardly even caring if he closed the door of the garderobe behind me.
So much for counting ABCs while I washed my hands. There wasn’t much inside the small room except a hole and, surprisingly, some form of toilet paper on a wooden stand. Briefly considering grabbing a few extra pieces—the stuff was softer than anything I’ve ever used—I decided against it.
Pulling open the door, I found Kael leaning against a stone wall.
Furious, I was about to lay into him, not caring about the power he’d unleashed against that Lyra, when he said, “My apologies, Mia. It was not my intention to cause you pain or discomfort.”
Well, that was wholly unexpected.
“You did wish both, and worse, upon that poor woman. She could have died.”
He laughed, the arrogant ass. Literally laughed, as if a woman’s life meant nothing.
I crossed my arms.
“She was not in mortal danger.”
My jaw dropped. “Not in mortal danger? You threw a boulder at her.”
“Lyra can handle a little rock.”
“Kael. That wasn’t a little rock.” Oh my God, he was ridiculous.
Out of nowhere, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up straight. It was the same sort of feeling one got when finding themselves in a dark, empty parking garage and someone walked toward you.
I was in danger.
“What is it?” Kael asked.
No sooner did the thought pass through my mind than I shrugged it off. This place was getting to me. Holding my bladder for too long had done something to my brain. Not to mention getting so little sleep, or food. I’d been in therapy before and knew trauma. This whole escapade was going to cost an arm and a leg to untangle, if I made it out of Elydor alive.
“I don’t know,” I said, that strange sense not going away.
“So it’s true?”
The voice at my back was like a sledgehammer between my shoulder blades. Kael looked at me strangely just before standing up straight and addressing the newcomer.
“Draven.”
I spun around.
This one didn’t have shining silver hair or Kael’s unearthly good looks, or anything that made him appear… Elydorian.
We were in the human kingdom.
Had to be. But Kael hated humans? Or at least, his father did.
“I was told you came racing in here.”
Kael cleared his throat, nodding toward the privy. “Some discretion, if you please?”
I’d kill him. How embarrassing.
Draven’s eyes narrowed on me. That strange feeling hadn’t completely gone away. I didn’t like this guy, even more than I didn’t like Kael. But I plastered a smile on my face anyway.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” I said, trying to sound as formal as possible. “I’m Mia.”
“And a human.” He tried to act gracious. Charming even, since that smile meant to disarm. But I didn’t buy it. “Where do you live? I’ve not seen you before.”
Kael stepped between us. “I’m here to see Issa.”
“Lady Isolde, to you.” This Draven’s tone was night and day from how he’d spoken to me.
Without a word, Kael pushed past him, grabbed a hold of my elbow, and walked away without a response.
“It’s good to know I’m not the only one you ignore.”
Kael looked at me as if I’d said something untrue. “I don’t ignore you.”
I actually snorted. “You do,” I verified as Kael released my elbow. “We’re in the human clan, aren’t we?”
“They’re not a clan,” he said, striding toward the keep. Where was Stormbreaker?
“When I say kingdom, you correct me.”
“Kingdom is your word. Clan is ours. But Estmere is not a clan.”
He was so frustrating. “Then what is it?”
“A nuisance,” he said, as more than one woman stopped to stare at him. Apparently I wasn’t the only one that noticed his good looks. I wondered if they knew he was a walking red flag too.
“Then why are we here if you hate humans so much?”
He didn’t respond.
“See, you just did it. Completely ignored me.”
Kael stopped, just before the doors of the main keep, and stared down at me. “I’ve spoken more words to you in the past day than I have to anyone in a week.”
“Yay for me. Still doesn’t negate the fact that you ignored my question.”
“Prince Kael.”
As the man who opened one of the large wooden doors of the keep greeted Kael, I turned to find Draven but didn’t see him anywhere. Good riddance. The guy gave me the creeps.
“Come inside. Lady Isolde knows you are here and will receive you in the solar chamber. Supper has been cleared, but I will bring a tray for you and your guest.”
“Thank you,” Kael said as we were escorted inside.
I’d been to a handful of castles before but never one that looked like this. Even the more medieval castles, one of which I’d stayed at for two nights on a research trip to Scotland, had touches of modernity. This was like truly stepping back in time. No lights, except from wall sconces we passed. The floors were lined with rushes instead of carpet. And the servants looked like, well, servants.
“My lord,” the man said as we arrived at the end of a corridor where an ornate wooden door stood open. Inside, a comfortable chamber filled with tapestries on every wall. A lit fireplace made it quite cozy. There were half a dozen wooden chairs lined with velvet cushions and a long table along one wall. A trunk sat in the middle; on it, more than a half-dozen candles. Seemed like a fire hazard to me, but what did I know?
“Do make yourself comfortable,” he said as a maid scurried into the room with a tray. On it, three pewter goblets and a pitcher of, if I were lucky, wine. If I ever needed a drink, it was today.
The maid brought each of us a goblet. I looked to Kael who nodded. Taking a sip, I nearly cried. It was as good a red wine as I’d ever had. I knew very well medieval drinks did not taste like the ones we drank today.
“Why is everything here so… medieval? Like you carrying a sword. How do you not know about guns?”
As Kael took a sip of wine, I couldn’t help but notice his lips. The way he looked back at me wasn’t helping either.
“We know of human modernizations but have no need of them.”
“Not true. You have toilet paper.”
Kael actually rolled his eyes. “We do not have toilet paper.”
“I beg to differ. Back at the gatehouse they had some.” I left out the fact that it was the best toilet paper I’d ever used in my life.
“It’s silkspore, not toilet paper. Your question is one humans have grappled with since they arrived. And one of the reasons they don’t belong here. Elydor requires balance. Foreign materials, guns, electronics… we’ve no need of them nor would Elydor allow for it.”
He spoke of Elydor as if it were a living thing.
Kael stood, so I did too.
If this were a medieval castle, the woman that just joined us was its lady if her bearing told me anything. Except, she wasn’t dressed like the lady of the castle. Judging by the others I’d seen in the courtyard we passed, I’d expected a gown with flowing sleeves, maybe a kirtle and overcoat. Definitely not breeches and a cream tunic. Small strands of dark brown hair, braided, framed a face as beautiful as the Aetherian woman, Lyra. But darker, as if she’d spent much more time in the sun than the other woman.
She looked ready for battle. Beautiful. Fierce. And in Kael’s arms. As if I gave a wit about that. But the same man who’d hauled me over his shoulder without a thought and only answered me half the time had his arms wrapped around this woman as if they were lovers.
“Issa,” he said, releasing her. “You really need to get rid of Lord Draven.”
She arched a brow. “I haven’t seen you for, how long? Years? And that is the first thing you say to me?”
“It has not been years, and aye, I do not like the man.”
I couldn’t disagree with Kael on that.
Issa… Lady Isolde… looked at me. She couldn’t be much older than I was, maybe even younger. But it was hard to tell; the wisdom in her eyes aged her well beyond a twenty-something-year-old. I’d never seen such full lips on a woman before either, or at least not without some filler. And her light brown eyes were fascinating, the way she held my gaze.
“I’m Isolde,” she said, sticking out her hand. Not only was she human, she was a modern one, despite her clothing and surroundings. I offered my hand back.
“No doubt Kael would have introduced us if he had manners,” I said, surprised by my own bravado. And rudeness. I wasn’t usually so sour, but extraordinary times and all… “Mia,” I added, remembering I hadn’t offered my name. “Your man called you Lady Isolde, yet you offer your given name to me?”
She glanced at Kael, smiling. “I like her.”
“Makes one of us.”
I made a face at my captor but then offered Isolde a smile back.
“Any friend of Kael’s is a friend of mine,” she said. “I’ve no need for formalities. Sit. Tell me, what brings you both to Hawthorne Manor?”
Manor? Although a manor house could be as large as this castle, it typically was not a defensive holding, and from everything I’d seen, this place was built for defense.
“Can we remain here for a few days?” Kael asked.
Isolde waited for more, but Kael wasn’t forthcoming with any additional information. So he wouldn’t tell her about me? Was he worried I would reveal myself? Ask for her aid? If she was human, this was the ally I needed.
On the other hand, the two were obviously very close. She might not side with a stranger over her friend. I looked between them, but said nothing. For now.
“You will tell me no more?” she asked finally.
“Only that I would appreciate any who are pursuing us to be turned away.”
Isolde sighed. “Kael, I’ve no desire to be embroiled in your war.”
“ My war?” He laughed. “Surely you jest. You know as well as anyone I’ve attempted to avoid bloodshed whenever possible these past years.”
Isolde frowned.
“Two days is all I ask.”
“Of course,” she said tightly, turning to me. “And your friend?”
“We are not friends,” I said, earning a sharp glance from Kael. Something held me back from saying more, at least in front of Kael. But if what Jon had told us was true, this man was the son of my father’s enemy, which made him my enemy too. I needed more information, and it sounded like we’d be here long enough to get it and ask Isolde for help.
“As Kael has few human friends, I am not surprised to hear as much. Why then, do you accompany him?”
“I cannot tell you Issa.” That from Kael. “And I wish to share her chamber. Mia is in danger, but that is all I’m able to tell you.”
Share his chamber? Hell no. “Kael, I hardly think?—”
A knock at the door was followed by the steward’s arrival with a tray of food. I was hungry, tired, sore, and confused. For the moment, hunger got top billing. But after a meal and some sleep, it was time to plan my escape. I’d just have to figure out who to trust with the information swirling around in my head.
I’d come through the portal, the Aetherian Gate as Kael called it, despite the fact that it was closed. The son of the man responsible for separating my parents and for my awful thoughts about my father had kidnapped me.
It was time to face the truth. Despite a recurring sense of peace, even while being held against my will, this was no dream but a nightmare. And one I fully intended to wake up from.