8. Chapter Eight Rhowyn
Chapter Eight: Rhowyn
For a moment, Baer seemed taken aback by my choice to drag him along with me. I could practically see his mind running through how exactly to respond to that request. Well, it wasn't really a request, not if they needed me to come back with them. This wasn't something I was willing to compromise on. In just the short time I'd known him, he had been honest and forthcoming, even when it didn't really benefit him or his mission. Plus, he seemed capable of managing the other two, even though I was pretty sure Lennox was the one in charge.
If I spoke the facts of my situation out loud, it sounded certifiably insane, but it sure didn't feel that way. Then again if I was really going crazy, would I know it?
I studied Baer, his face so full of emotion and expression. He seemed to be an open book, but I sensed a predator underneath it all. His gray eyes shifted with his emotions between shades of blue and green. His shoulders were wide and tapered to a narrow waist before giving me a view of his perfect ass. His muscles were lean but seemed to ripple under the surface of his skin with his movements. Without a doubt, he was a beautiful man. Playful when it suited him and serious when it didn’t. He knew when to turn it on and off. Finally catching my eye, he gave me a knowing look. Apparently, I’d been too obvious in my study of his body. Oh, well. If we hooked up, I was pretty sure it would be one of the highlights of my life. And that was something I could get on board with.
“While I would love nothing more than to agree with your terms,” he started, “I unfortunately don't have the power to make that call.”
“Well, who does have the power to agree to my terms?” I asked, but I already knew the answer.
“Lennox.”
“Of course he does,” I mumbled to myself, not bothering to keep quiet, which seemed to amuse Baer. “So, I guess we can head back to your car, and I'll let the asshole know just exactly how it's going to be. If he needs me to come back with y'all, then he doesn't really have a choice.”
Baer chuckled at that. “Alright, Killer, let's head back then. Unless you have any more questions?”
“None that are pressing. My mother explained a lot to me and what you've told me seems to line up so far. Though I can’t help but think that I’m going insane.”
Despite what I’d said, my mind still swirled with too many questions. Ones I feared lingering on. I knew nothing about this new world or its people and would need to learn all I could as fast as I could. Especially if I meant to make it out of there. Lost in my own thoughts, I hadn't realized we’d made it back to Baer's car outside the taco shop.
Lennox and Arryn both leaned against the car, waiting for us to return. Arryn straightened before glancing up and down the street suspiciously, so obvious in his assessment that if anyone was watching us, they'd think we were getting ready to make a drug deal. I laughed as Lennox stood, causing him to scowl.
“What' s so funny?” he demanded from me.
I just shrugged, not giving in to his pissy mood. “Nothing.” My answer only pissed him off more, and he crossed his arms, sneering at me as if I was the dirt on the bottom of his shoe.
Ever the diplomat, Baer jumped in, causing me to turn and grin up at him, amused at his obvious attempts to mediate. “So, Rhowyn has agreed to come back with us.”
Lennox seemed genuinely shocked at that statement, but he quickly covered it up. Which was good because I was pretty certain he wouldn't like my terms. “I've agreed, but only if Baer can come with me all the way. And I only plan to stay long enough for this Master Jude guy to break this connection, whatever it is,” I told them, a part of me excited by the idea that I was about to anger asshole further.
Surprisingly, Lennox seemed to relax and soften. Well, as much as that was possible, what with the stick up his ass. Weird . “I see no problem with that. When can you leave? I'm ready to get away from this place,” he asked with a shudder, for once not sounding like he was trying to piss me off.
“Tomorrow morning. I already said my goodbyes earlier today at the gym, and they're expecting me to be gone for a little while. I told them I had a sick grandmother. All that's left for me to do is pack, and I need to speak with my mother again. Plus, I'd rather leave in the morning. Maybe I’ll wake up from this crazy ass dream.” I laughed at myself but noticed none of them joined me.
Arryn and Lennox looked at each other, again as if they were having a silent conversation. I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms over my chest as I waited impatiently for their reply. Lennox turned back to me, finally, and said, “That should be okay, but we'll need to set a hard pace back to Court. We’re running out of time.”
I grit my teeth, trying to hold back what I really wanted to say, which was along the lines of no one telling me what I could or could not do. They needed me, not the other way around, but starting senseless fights wouldn't help the situation. After all, a good fighter knows when to pick their battles. “Fine. So, when and where do I need to meet you guys so we can head out? Also, how much can I pack, and is there anything I should or shouldn't bring?”
“We should leave as soon as we can if we're going to make it back in time,” Arryn said quietly to Lennox and Baer.
“Will six work for you? Or is that too early, Princess?” Lennox snarked at me. It was like he was actively trying to make me angry. Thankfully, I knew how to deal with bullies. If you ignored them, they got no satisfaction when they couldn't get a rise out of you.
Instead of speaking to Lennox, I turned to Baer. “I can be ready by six. Where should I meet you guys?”
“We can pick you up at your place,” Baer offered.
“Yeah, not going to happen,” I said, not feeling the need to explain my reasons.
“Alright, Princess, if that’s not an option, then where will you meet us?” Lennox said, holding his hands out, palms up as he turned at the hips like he was searching for a spot.
“We can meet at the gym. Y'all found that place easily enough today, so tomorrow shouldn't be a problem. And my name is Rhowyn, Asshole.” So much for ignoring the bully.
Baer choked on a laugh, and Lennox furrowed his brow at me, but he didn't seem angry, more like amused with my response. At this point, I didn't think I would ever understand Lennox's mercurial attitude. But whatever, he was just a temporary acquaintance. “That sounds good to us, Killer,” Baer replied once he’d fully hidden his amusement again .
“What is with the nicknames today? Geeze, it's going to be a long trip. I can already tell,” I chastised them, as if I was displeased by their audacity. Well, I wasn't fond of Lennox's, but I did find myself liking Baer's name for me. “Alright, guys, as pleasant as this whole thing has been, I'm gonna go and enjoy my last night here. At least for a little while.” I responded with my typical form of communication, sarcasm. I gave them a two-fingered salute as I turned around and started walking away from them. I needed to talk to my mom and ask her a few more questions. I had a feeling I was about to get in way over my head, but it seemed that it had always been inevitable that I’d end up here.
Answering the knock on the door, I peered through the peephole to ensure it was indeed my mother. She looked good, no signs she'd fallen off the wagon, which was always a good thing. Her hair was starting to get its shine back, and she was carrying herself with a confidence I couldn't ever recall seeing on her before, her shoulders pulled back and head high.
After letting her in, I shut the door. “Thanks for coming over so quickly.”
She turned to face me, smiling softly. “Of course. So, what is it you need? You weren't very forthcoming in your messages.”
“Yeah, I wasn't exactly sure how to word things.” I shrugged and then turned to walk toward my bedroom where I was in the middle of packing. Or trying to, at least. What exactly does one bring to some fantasy world? The guys never had answered that question, and I was already home before I remembered that little fact. We hadn't exchanged numbers either, so that was out of the question. “I was just in the middle of packing, and I wanted to see if you had any thoughts on what I should bring?” I asked as we made it to my room.
“Oh? Does that mean the fae have already reached out to you?” Her eyes turned fearful as her body stiffened.
“Yeah, they found me a couple of hours ago while I was grabbing dinner. They want us to leave tomorrow morning at six. Honestly, I’d just gotten back when I sent my messages, but I haven't really made any progress on packing since then. I'm not even sure where to start.” I hadn't asked her for anything so mundane or simple in a very long time, and it felt odd to be doing so now.
My question caused her to beam, obviously happy that I needed her again. “I understand completely. Let's see,” she trailed off as she walked to my closet to look at my meager wardrobe. It was a little embarrassing to have so few options, which mostly consisted of jeans, tanks, tees, and leggings. All casual. I did have a couple of dresses and nicer tops for weddings and stuff, but it had been a while since I'd worn any of them.
“So, what kind of weather can I expect? I can narrow it down from there,” I asked from behind her as she thumbed through my clothes which were hanging up for once. I loathed putting clothes away.
She turned to look at me over her shoulder, her hands pausing briefly before she turned back to her task. “Well, all of it really.”
Puzzled, I asked, “What do you mean?”
“Well, I mean that all of the seasons happen all at once.”
“How?” I asked, my brow furrowing, not quite following as she continued to peruse my clothes. Feeling useless, I turned and sat on my bed, leaving her to it.
She spoke as she worked, “Avalon is divided into four quadrants; each one has a season. Spring, summer, autumn, and winter all maintain their season year-round. In the middle of them all is the capital, Tír Na Síoraí, which does cycle through the seasons. Each season has different types of Fae within them, and their magic corresponds to the season they are born to, with variances of course.”
Done perusing all the options in my closet, she started to pick out clothes for me. “For instance, a winter fae can usually control snow and ice, or they could have magic that corresponds to the dark since their days are much shorter than summer's.”
“Okay, that kind of makes sense, I guess. I mean, if I completely suspend reality, I can believe it.”
She glanced up at me and chuckled. “You'll believe it when you see it. You never did have much of an imagination.” She was right of course, but I didn't tell her why that was. Growing up too soon kind of put a damper on that side of me. Back then, my only concerns were where to get food and shelter, but saying that would only ruin the moment. One I was surprisingly enjoying.
“Since Tír Na Síoraí, the capital, experiences all the seasons equally, you'll find more diverse fae. Usually, though, it's just the High Fae and the Court. That’s where Cashel Rí the castle is, the Queen’s source of power. It's the Queen's responsibility to ensure the magics and seasons are balanced. So, she rules from the center of Avalon so as not to favor one territory over another. As the Queen ages, her magic weakens, causing the land to weaken as well, resulting in an imbalance. It’s when this imbalance is too great that the land begins the process of selecting a new queen to regain its strength and right the balance. It's also why the Queen has four consorts, one from each season so that a single king cannot influence her to favor a season. ”
By now, she had picked out a couple of outfits, which I glanced over as I let her words sink in. It honestly sounded like an ideal situation. “Wait. Four consorts? You mean like four kings? Four husbands?”
Again, she laughed. “Yes, the Queen always has four. Once she ascends to the trials, the Chosen gain access to the powers of their Consorts, which the Chosen or Queen can wield equally. Again, this allows for balance.
“Now, try to remain open minded because the fae don't see relationships like humans do. Many have multiple partners or mates of varying genders. The fae are all very sexual beings, unlike humans who find pride in repressing that side of themselves. The fae enjoy touch and sensual experiences since their senses are heightened by the magic of the land.”
I tried not to blanch or be a prude about it all, but I hadn't enjoyed that side of myself in a while. To me, it was too much vulnerability, too unstable, to allow another person in like that. They only had the power to hurt you if you let them in. And since everyone I had ever dared to let in had hurt me, I just quit letting anyone in at all. Just another reason why I’d never been in a relationship.
I hadn't been nervous before, but the more I learned, the more anxiety bubbled up. As if sensing my discomfort and unease, my mom stopped and walked over to me, placing her hand on my cheek. I didn't say anything, but the look in her eyes said she knew and understood anyway. There was a deep sorrow in her gaze which reflected my own. “I never wanted this life for you. I had so many other plans, but it seems the fates had other ideas. For that, baby, I'm sorry. If I could have changed it, I would have. Neither of us asked for this, yet here we are. If nothing else, I've learned that it's no use fighting the fates. They do with us as they will. All we can do is try to make the best out of what they give us. ”
I nodded while swallowing back the tears that threatened to spill over as what I was about to face finally started to become real. Before, I could pretend it was just a dream or that it was happening to someone else. Now, it was all closing in on me too quickly. Everything was changing before I could catch up, even if I didn't want it to. Knowing that there was nothing I could do about it yet, already feeling a restless pull inside myself, I changed the subject. “Are these what I should bring?” I asked, eyeing a few choices she'd laid out.
Stepping back from me, she nodded. “Yes. I figure there's something that can fit into any season, a jacket in case it's winter, and jeans because the terrain is rough no matter where you go. If everything hasn't drastically changed, the Queen should provide you with clothes and everything else you'll need while at court during the trials.”
“Sounds good to me, though I don't plan on staying long enough to need a new wardrobe,” I responded, getting up to start folding the clothes to put into my gym bag that I’d emptied earlier. Heading to the bathroom, I grabbed my toiletries, tossing them in before picking out underwear.
“Rhowyn, I want to caution you to not get your hopes up for a fast trip. You'll only be released from the trials should the land wish it,” my mother warned me, now sitting on my bed as she watched me move about restlessly.
“I get it, Mom. However, I can be persuasive when I want to be and I'm pretty good at getting out of tough spots,” I assured her, confident that I was telling the truth.
“I know, baby.” She eyed me thoughtfully as I kept packing. “Can I ask one favor from you, though? I know I haven't really earned that right, but will you at least keep an open mind while you're there? It is your home and heritage after all, and you may find you like it there. ”
“You can always ask anything of me, Mom. I honestly don't think that I'll enjoy it, not with everything I have here waiting for me, but I promise I'll keep an open mind.” She nodded, satisfied with that answer, and drew me into a hug, her still taller but leaner frame wrapping around me. Now this, I had missed. And suddenly, I found myself not wanting to go alone.
“Why don't you come with me, Mom? The fae seemed eager to get me to come back with them, so I'm positive I can get them to agree to letting you come, too.” I held her shoulders as I asked her, but I knew the answer when her eyes started to glisten, and her voice wavered.
“I wish I could. More than you could ever know, but it's not safe for me there. It's only slightly safer for you because no one knows you. The only reason I'm letting you go is because neither of us has a choice. The land has chosen, and it won't be denied your return. But listen to me now, Rhowyn. You mustn’t tell anyone about me or who your mother is. Your life depends on this. I thought we might have a little more time, but they were much quicker at finding you than I’d expected.”
Concerned, I nodded. “I won't. No one knows who we are, and I'll make sure it stays that way.”
She hugged me again. “Good. You'll find out why it has to be this way soon enough.”