53. ZARA
ZARA
“So how did it go? Did the stone work? And I’m going to need more than just a satisfied smirk, Agapiméno, because that’s not a proper answer. Please tell me you did at least some talking.”
“Of course we talked. Eventually.” Nope, that smirk wasn’t going anywhere despite my best efforts.
Nero rolled his eyes. “So did you learn anything useful?”
I frowned. “In a way. He didn’t tell me much about the Underworld, but at least I learned that he’s okay. And that he’s staying there because he feels he needs to, not because he has to. I was mad as hell with him at first for wanting to be there, but…”
“But?”
“But seeing him so passionate about what he’s trying to do, I couldn’t stay mad at him for long.
That’s when we stopped talking for a while,” I said with a grin.
“I do feel better about everything though. I was worried the deal I made with Michael meant we wouldn’t be able to try and rescue him if he needed it.
Now I know he doesn’t need it, I feel like it was the right thing to do.
And it leaves the way clear for me to go back to Fae and get on with my training without worrying about him. ”
“Is that what you’re going to do?” He looked a bit disappointed. “You know you’re more than welcome to come and stay here if you don’t want to be at the manor on your own.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I think it will make things easier if I’m in Fae.
I can still dream walk with you from there, but I can’t train with Gideon and Taryn from here.
I was hoping you’d help me work on strengthening my dream walking abilities though.
Maybe if I can up my game in that department I’ll be able to get through to Seth without needing an amplification stone. ”
“We can certainly try, but remember I couldn’t reach Seth myself, and I’m a lot stronger than you.
Of course, I don’t have your connection to him, I just don’t want you to get your hopes up too much.
It might be easier to work on it if you were physically here though, rather than trying to do it astrally. ”
“I suppose I could split my time between there and here,” I said, “but I’m a bit reluctant to do that.
You just said yourself I’m unlikely to be able to reach him without a stone.
And I need to get a handle on this battle cry thing, in case the day comes when I need to use it.
Unless that’s something you can help me with too?
” I added hopefully, disappointed when he shook his head.
“I can put a damper on it when it gets away from you, but I don’t really understand how it works.”
“In that case I need to go to Fae, for now at least. Taryn said that a Siren’s abilities are all linked, that mastering one will enhance control of the others.
Maybe getting a handle on the battle cry will help to amplify the dream walking.
What?” He was looking at me as if he was trying to figure out whether I was planning to do something stupid.
“If you have any thoughts in your head of being able to use your battle cry against Michael you need to forget them, Agapiméno,” he warned. “There’d be no getting around the consequences of the oath you took if you acted against him in such a way.”
“I’m not an idiot,” I huffed. I didn’t add that I’d been thinking about it and I wasn’t at all sure that was true.
The oath I’d taken was not to interfere in the Watchers’ affairs collectively, not against Michael in particular, and if they were planning a coup then maybe our interests were more aligned than we’d thought.
That was something I needed to ask Gabriel about though, because if Nero got wind of it he’d have me whisked away to Avalon or Olympus for my own safety quicker than I could say little pink sea creatures.
“One can only hope,” he said, not looking entirely convinced.
“If you’ve made up your mind to go to Fae, remember I still expect at least three nights a week with you while you’re there.
And updates on your check-ins with Gabriel.
Which reminds me, are you sure you don’t want me to put the wards back up at the manor? ”
“I’m sure. The team don’t want to give Michael any reason to think we’re brewing anything behind his back.”
“Very well. If that’s what they think is best. When do you plan to go?”
“Tomorrow. I’ve already told everyone I’m going and to be honest, I think they were more than a little relieved.” I’d been a bit hurt when everyone had immediately agreed I should go, but I couldn’t deny I’d been a bit of a loose cannon recently, so I couldn’t really blame them.
“I’m sure they’re just glad you’re not going to be moping around feeling sorry for yourself again,” he said with typical Nero bluntness and I couldn’t help grinning.
“You’re such a charmer. I don’t know how you’re still single.”
“I haven’t met anyone who deserves me yet,” he said with a smirk, although I didn’t miss the look of sadness that briefly crossed his face first. It seemed like there might be a story there and if there was, I hoped one day he’d trust me enough to share it with me.
“Now go home and get some sleep. Because it doesn’t sound like you got much last night. ”
I gave into the impulse to give him a hug before I left. “I’ll see you soon Agapitos Daskalos. Thank you for always being here for me.”
“Always, Agapiméno.” His arms tightened around me for a few moments before I felt him give me a gentle push out of the dream space and back into my body.
The next morning I did something I’d been putting off for far too long.
I called my mum. Things had been pretty tense between us since I’d found out she’d known I was fae long before I did, but I couldn’t just disappear off the face of the earth – literally – without letting her know where I was going.
After telling her as little as I could get away with, but enough to stop her from worrying about me, I called Ali as well, and gave her much the same story, then did the same with Jack.
When I was satisfied I’d tied up all the loose ends I needed to, I closed the door to our apartment and wandered through the rest of the manor, going from room to room and letting the memories we’d made in each flow over me.
My birthday dinner in the dining room, my slutty secretary roleplay in Seth’s office, the drunken girls’ night with Thea and Affie and my spirit sisters in the lounge.
Then there were all the times we’d sat around the kitchen table and Eli had spoiled us with his cooking.
“Stupid, Zara,” I muttered to myself as a few tears escaped and ran down my cheeks. “Anyone would think you’re leaving forever, not just for a few months.”
I picked up my backpack and headed outside.
I’d better wait for Terrah in the rose garden because if I stayed here my emotions were going to get away from me.
More memories assaulted me as I crossed the terrace.
Eli telling me how the vampires were created.
My heart to heart with Seth after he’d decided I was moving in with him without any discussion.
There had been more than a few late nights sitting out here with Phoebe drinking far too much fae wine too.
And I giggled when I remembered how I’d licked Eli’s face and told him Seth tasted better the night we’d all sat out here after that helicopter trip to Paris.
The four of us had shared so many good times here, but I knew it was never going to be like that again, even when Seth came back, because Eli and Phoebe had very different lives now.
“So do you,” I told myself sternly as I felt the familiar buzz of Terrah’s portal opening. “So you’d better get on with it, hadn’t you?”
I headed towards the rose garden, refusing to allow myself the one last backward glance I craved.
I was a fae princess, and it was high time I started acting like one.
Oh, and I also needed to learn how to slay my own dragons of course.
Just in case the opportunity to dispatch one named Michael ever arose.