“I'm too bloody young for all this stuff, Faen,”
Faedra mumbled into Faen's chest, her voice vibrating against his
skin. “I should be out clubbing or partying, or something. Not
saving yet another realm from yet another bad guy.” She pulled her
head away from his chest and looked up at her Guardian. “It's too
much responsibility.”
Faen bent down and scooped the Custodian off her
feet.
“What are you doing?”
Faen started down the corridor towards the main
chamber. “Taking you to bed.”
Faedra raised her eyebrows. “Excuse me?”
“To sleep, Faedra,” Faen verified. “You are
exhausted, as am I.”
“Oh.” Faedra could feel some heat warm her cheeks.
She needed to drag her mind out of the gutter for a moment.
On their way through the main chamber, Carina
approached giving Faedra the chance to ask if someone could take
Alyssa something to eat and drink. Carina told her she would see to
it right away. After agreeing to meet up in the morning and
exchanging their 'good nights', they carried on in opposite
directions.
***
Faedra was asleep before Faen reached her room. He
noticed that Jocelyn's bed was empty and came to the conclusion
that his sister must have decided to keep Etyran company until he
got back.
That is just fine with me
, he thought.
She
is probably sleeping by now anyway. No sense in waking her.
He laid Faedra on her bed and squeezed himself on to
the bed next to her. There wasn't much room but he didn't care. He
lay on his back and looked up at the rock ceiling. A little while
later, his sleeping Custodian turned over and flung her arm across
his chest and nestled her head in the crook of his arm, letting out
a sigh as she did. He looked down and pushed the hair away from her
face allowing himself to gaze at the serenity there, something that
had been missing for a long while now. After a moment, he kissed
the top of her head before wrapping his arms around her. “Good
night, Princess,” he whispered before his heavy eyelids closed and
he drifted off to sleep himself.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Faedra became aware of her head rising and lowering
at a calm steady pace. The sound of a strong heartbeat thudded
under her ear and warmth surrounded her. She willed her eyes open.
They protested, but she won. Her arm was wrapped around her
Guardian's waist and his hand was resting on her shoulder.
Sensing that he was awake, she took in a deep,
wakening breath and angled her head up to look at him. Sure enough,
Faen was watching her, his face relaxed. When their eyes met, his
lips curved into a warm smile.
“How long have you been watching me sleep?” she asked
on a yawn.
Faen just widened his smile.
“Thought as much,” Faedra said with a smirk. She may
be able to look after herself now, but she still enjoyed the fact
that Faen was watching over her.
Faedra lifted her head and glanced around at their
surroundings, then dropped her head back onto Faen's chest again.
“Ugh, I was hoping it was all a dream.”
“Unfortunately, not,” Faen responded. “But, we have
the chance to make a family's dreams come true and reunite
them.”
Faedra's heart swelled. Faen couldn't have spoken a
truer word. It gave her a renewed vigor. Suddenly, energy was
coursing through her veins. The thought of seeing the look on
Skylar's face when she saw her daddy again would make all of this
worth it.
“I guess we better get this show on the road,” Faedra
said, pushing herself up from Faen. She stretched her arms above
her head, then brought them down and scrubbed the sleep from her
face with her hands.
“Someone brought in a pitcher of water this morning,”
Faen noted.
Faedra looked over at the pitcher on the small table
in the corner and wandered over to it. After pouring water into the
bowl, she put her hands in it and let the heat flow through them,
warming the cold liquid in seconds, then she proceeded to splash
some onto her face. She heard the bed creak as Faen pushed him
up.
Faedra dried her face with the soft cloth that was
beside the bowl. “That's better.”
Faen was leaning over the bowl splashing his face
when Etyran and Jocelyn appeared in the doorway.
“Good morning,” Jocelyn sang as they entered the
room.
Faen angled his head to the side, water dripping from
his chin, and gave them a crooked smile.
“Is it?” Etyran mumbled.
Jocelyn gave him a quick dig in the ribs with her
elbow. “Oh, stop being so grouchy. Everything will be just fine,
you'll see.”
“Hurmph,” Etyran groaned as he plonked himself on
Faedra's bed and folded his arms across his chest. He gave Faedra
an uneasy glance before looking away.
Faedra detected a strange mix of feelings coming from
her friend. They were all connected with the guest who was
currently under house arrest on the other side of the cave
compound. She inwardly sighed. To be honest, she had no idea how to
proceed this morning. She knew one thing was certain, it would be
hard to keep Etyran away from the other Lightbender for very long,
and it wouldn't really be fair to them, either. Etyran had every
right to talk to possibly the only other of his kind left in the
seven realms.
“Etyran, I promised you could speak to her today, and
I won't break that promise, but let me talk to her first, okay? I
think she's starting to trust me. I need to find out why she was
following us and if she will tell us what Arawn has planned.”
Faedra could feel Etyran's frosty exterior melt a
little at her words, and his shoulders relaxed.
Faen grabbed the soft cloth next to the bowl and
dried his face. He put his arm around Faedra's shoulders. “First, I
believe we should all go and have something to eat, then we can
approach what to do with our new guest.”
Faedra looked up at her Guardian. “That sounds like a
very good idea.” She turned to their two friends and nodded her
head with a smile, as if to say 'do you agree'.
“I think that sounds like a good idea, too. Etyran?”
Jocelyn asked.
“I'm not hungry.”
“Well, come with us and try to eat something. I have
a feeling this is going to be another long day,” Faedra said.
Faen and Faedra led the way to the main cave. Rows of
tables and benches were set out in the opening. The room was abuzz
with chatter from the inhabitants who were gathered there tucking
into their breakfast.
Carina stood when they entered and beckoned them over
to where she and Anwynn were sitting. Four spaces had been saved
for them and they joined the two leaders at their table. Bowls of
bread rolls, probably freshly baked that morning, and other food
that would have been caught or grown in the surrounding forest,
filled the middle of the table. Wooden goblets of milk were also
placed next to each plate. One thing was obvious, the cave
community had become very self-sufficient over the time they had
been hiding there.
Faedra, Faen, and Jocelyn tucked into a bread roll.
Faedra looked at Etyran who was staring off into space. It wasn't
often that he was off his food. Faedra felt a pang of worry for her
friend, something she'd never felt the need to concern herself with
before.
Faedra turned to Carina, remembering there was
something she had to tell her that would hopefully get her off the
hook and released from her kidnapping. It took some convincing, but
eventually, after Faedra described what happened at Arawn's castle
the previous night, Carina conceded that Faedra must be telling the
truth. That she didn't, in fact, possess enough control over Savu's
power to vanquish Arawn. Faedra explained that she had another idea
and also wanted to take Allora and Skylar to Azran so they could be
reunited with Todmus as soon as possible.
Her next plan was to try to talk Alyssa around and
get her on their side. She had a feeling that the fear the
Lightbender exuded was because of Arawn, and Faedra had a much
better proposition for her. If she could get her on their side,
having two Lightbenders on the team could be very advantageous,
indeed. If she could convince Alyssa that Arawn would never be a
threat to her again, then maybe she had a chance.
Faedra released a heavy sigh after putting down her
empty goblet. She had procrastinated long enough and now it was
time to face the task at hand. Hopefully, all the right words would
come to her as soon as she stepped into the room where Alyssa was
being held. If she didn't come across as at least sounding like she
knew what she was doing and had the ability to keep the Lightbender
safe from Arawn, Alyssa wouldn't likely join them.
“Well, thank you for breakfast,” Faedra said to
Carina and Anwynn as she pushed herself up from the bench. “If
you'll excuse me, I need to talk to our guest.”
Faen and Etyran stood as well.
“Etyran, I'll let you know when you can talk to her,”
Faedra said giving him a pointed look.
Etyran glared back at her, standing his ground. When
Faedra didn't falter, he disparagingly crossed his arms over his
chest and plonked himself back down on the bench with a grunt.
Faedra wandered down the corridor, Faen at her side.
She was deep in thought, wondering how she was even going to start
the conversation let alone ask the girl to come over to their side.
When they got to the door, Faedra stared at it for a long
moment.
“Would you like me to come in with you?” Faen
asked.
Faedra pulled herself from her thoughts with an
intake of breath and turned to face her Guardian. “Truth is, I
would love for you to come in with me. I would love for you to do
this for me, but to be honest, I don't think she will talk to
anyone else and I'm the only one who can see her if she decides to
stay invisible.”
Faen gave her a questioning look.
“Oh, did I forget to mention that?” Faedra said with
a smile. “Last night I discovered yet another interesting thing I
can do with Savu's powers.”
“Faedra, they are not Savu's powers anymore. They are
yours. How you choose to manipulate them has nothing to do with
Savu.”
Faedra sighed. “I wish I could believe that.”
“You should. It is the truth.”
She gave him a weak smile before straightening
herself up and making a move for the door handle. “Wish me
luck.”
“You do not need luck, but I will wish it for you,
all the same.”
Faedra shook her head and gave her Guardian a smile
at his turn of phrase. He always had a way of putting things that
only Faen could.
“Well, here goes nothing,” Faedra said as she opened
the door.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
When Faedra entered the small room, she could sense
the occupant's tension rise. A second later, it calmed again.
Faedra realized, by that energy alone, that Alyssa already felt at
ease with her. This fact would surely make the whole thing much
easier. Faedra could only hope.
There was a shuffle on the bed and Faedra's eyes
followed the noise. She decided she would give Alyssa a moment to
show herself before she looked at her behind closed lids. It was
the right thing to do. Alyssa
unwrapped
the light from
herself when she saw Faedra. Her figure came to view. She gave the
Custodian a smile and Faedra felt herself relax, also. Up until
that moment, Faedra hadn't quite realized just how nervous she was.
Good job no one could sense her energy, or she would be discovered
as the total fraud she was; trying to act all tough when really she
wanted nothing more than to let everyone else make the
decisions.
“Hello,” Faedra greeted. “Did someone bring you
something to eat?”
“Yes, thank you. A nice lady with dark hair. She was
very friendly, too. I don't understand why everyone is being so
nice to me, especially after what I have done.”
“You haven't
done
anything… yet.”
Alyssa lowered her head, shame evident on her face.
“No, but I would have if I hadn't been caught.”
“You didn't want to, though, did you?”
“No.” Alyssa replied with a slight shake of her
head.
“So what kind of hold does Arawn have over you,
anyway, and why are you working for him in the first place? I'm
sorry, but you just don't look like the type to be someone’s
henchman.”
Fear shot through the air and almost took Faedra in a
choke hold. She took an involuntary step backwards to steady
herself. “Okay, so you're terrified of him, but why?”
“You can feel my fear?”
Faedra made a gesture down her body with one hand.
“Energy manipulator. Fear is one of the strongest energies out
there. Hatred is another. Someone here hates me and I'm not sure
who or why yet, but, flippin' heck, if that isn't a powerful
energy.” The last sentence was musing more to herself than the room
at large, but she'd said it before she could catch herself.
Alyssa didn't seem to notice her digression so Faedra
brushed it off.
“He has a hold over me. Something he threatens me
with all the time. The only way I know he won't follow through with
his threat is if I do what he says.”
“What does he hold over you that could possibly make
you stay? You can turn invisible, why haven't you tried to escape?”
Faedra asked as she sat down on the rickety wooden chair. Faedra
was intrigued. As far as she knew, apart from Etyran, Alyssa was
the only other Lightbender left. So he wouldn't be holding family
members hostage.
“You can see me when I'm invisible.” Alyssa
stated.
“Yes, but...”
“You saw with your own eyes how powerful he is. He
cast a tracking spell onto my skin. I have no way of getting off
this realm; he would have found me. Then he'd make me watch him
fulfill his threat, slowly and painfully.”
“What threat?”