Earth & Sky (11 page)

I took a few deep breaths and told myself he was right.  I
was more attracted to him than I had ever been to any other man, Shifter or
human.  But that was just the thing- maybe I was attracted to him because he
wasn’t Shifter.  Maybe it was because of his magic, and had nothing to do with
me at all.

“Cool it Wren,” I muttered to myself.  “Is this really
what you should be thinking about right now?”

The weight of my situation settled on me, and the fizz of
laughter and arousal died.  I stood and pushed away from the door.  The room
was tiled with smooth, grey stone.  A huge sunken tub and a walk-in shower took
up opposite corners of the room.  A big copper tank of water steamed away,
waiting to be directed. 

I gave the bathtub a wistful look before crossing to the
shower.  I slipped out of the shirt and stepped inside.  Turning on the tap, I
stood under the explosion of hot water, letting it pound against me.  Some part
of me hoped it might wash away the grime on my soul.

There were a few jars of liquid arranged on shelves inside
the shower.  They looked to be hand-made concoctions.  I chose one that didn’t
smell like flowers- kind of a pungent, herby smell that reminded me of the
forest.  I used it to rinse my hair, and splashed it over my body, feeling like
I was at some sort of spa retreat.  Winona did those sorts of things.  I had
always felt my time was better used in training for battle or studying for my
classes.  Damn it, I had tried so hard.

I emerged some time later, feeling stronger.  I was firmly
wrapped in one of the big towels, and I made sure that nothing alluring was
peeking out- not that there was much of that around.  Ville was probably right
to think his reaction to me was suspect. 

The bedroom was empty when I emerged, so I sat on the
fainting couch and toweled my hair.  The door opened and Ville stepped in, carrying
an armload of clothes.  He gifted me with his usual relaxed smile, and I
breathed a sigh of relief.  Things could have been beyond awkward, but it was
fine.

He spread out the items on the bed, and I joined him to
inspect his haul.  “These should do for right now,” he said, staring down at
the clothes.  “I’ll find you something better as soon as I can.”

I laughed.  “I’m sure you have better things to do than
cater to me.”  He was an emperor after all.  I bit my lip.  I really needed to
get out of here.

Ville shrugged.  “I want you to be comfortable here.”

There was a knock at the door and Ibbe drifted in,
carrying a pair of kid boots and some stockings.  She looked pissed.  Apparently,
the wolf was out of the bag.

I glanced at the elegant dress that lay on the bed and
back at her in dawning horror.  “Are these your clothes?”

The pale blond Fallen regarded me with eyes like dark blue
daggers.  “Ville asked me for a nice dress.  Does it not suit your taste?  Would
you prefer a flour sack and some rope?”

“Ibbe…”  Ville’s voice was full of warning.  “Please treat
Wren with respect.  She’s important to me.”

He gave me an apologetic look and started for the door. 
“I’ll meet you in the dining room in a bit.  I have some things to do first.”

The door closed and I turned to the icy woman, bracing
myself for an attack.  Instead, she crossed to the bed and picked up the dress,
then returned to me with a neutral expression on her face.  “I think this will
fit, but we might have to make some alterations.  I have a few other dresses
that we’ll have tailored.  It will be faster than going to town to purchase
something.”

I regarded her warily.  “Why are you being nice now?”

She arched an eyebrow at me.  “I know you’re a Shifter.  I
don’t trust you, and I certainly don’t think a disgusting beast like you
belongs in Ville’s bedroom.”  At least she was honest.  She shrugged, and some
of the tension left her shoulders.  “However, he has asked me to treat you with
respect, so I will.”

I crossed my arms and regarded her with disbelief.  “You’ll
be kind to me- even let me wear your clothes- just because he said to play
nice?  Even when he’s not here?”

She nodded and handed me a pair of lacy underwear.  “You
may not understand this, because your people are so barbaric, but we follow
Ville because we trust and love him.  If he asks us to do something, we do it
because he’s our friend, not out of some fear of punishment.”

I slipped into the bits of lace and took the proffered dress. 
It was a high necked, short-skirted thing in the Victorian style, with dozens
of buttons and ruffles down the front.  Possibly the most beautiful thing I’d
ever worn.  “Thank you,” I said softly.

She inclined her head ever so slightly in acknowledgement. 
“If you ever endanger him, I’ll kill you.” 

I met her eyes.  “Thank you.”

She looked startled at my response.  Giving herself a
visible shake, she came and helped me with the buttons, and then she stood
back, frowning.  “Well,” she said with a sigh.  “I suppose it will be okay. 
The others will need to be let out a bit though… and we’ll have to take up the
hem.”

I opened the wardrobe and studied myself in the mirror on
the inside of the door.  The dress was flattering on me from the waist up,
fitting perfectly over my small chest.  However, the bottom was a bit…
stretched… over my generous butt.

I forced a smile.  “It’s fine.”

Ibbe regarded me with suppressed amusement.  “Breakfast
will be waiting for you.”  Her eyes rested on my rear end.  “But maybe you
should skip it.”

I accompanied Ville down to the cozy little dining area
where he had sat with Ibbe and Marshall the night before.  I was more than a
little surprised that the Fallen even observed mealtimes.  I wondered just what
they were going to eat for “breakfast.”  And what would I do if they dragged a
human in here?

When we arrived, Ibbe was already there.  The platinum
blonde sat at the end of the table, sipping something from a glass.  It was a
dark red color, thick and almost black, but I relaxed when my nose told me it
was just blackberry juice.

 “Good morning Ville.”  She inclined her head to me in
acknowledgement, and I felt only a trace of hostility.  I was impressed at her
ability to behave herself.  After all, Fallen were supposed to be bloodthirsty
savages, incapable of rational thought. 

Ville pulled out a chair for me, and took his own seat
next to Ibbe.  As if this were some kind of signal, a woman in a simple, lightweight
maid’s uniform came to pour him a glass of juice and place a huge tray in front
of me.  She was a human, I thought, but she looked to be in good health.  No
bruises or scars visible.  I surveyed the contents of the tray and my stomach
rumbled loudly. 

Ville chuckled and took a sip of his juice.  “By all
means, dig in.”

I picked up a fork, then paused to gesture at the heaps of
food.  “Are you guys going to eat?  I mean… you know, real food?”

Ibbe rolled her dark blue eyes and heaved a sigh.  But
Ville just smiled.  “We don’t eat much solid food.”  He gestured at the piles
of thick sliced ham and bacon piled on my plate.  “And meat is…”

Ibbe glanced at my plate and chimed in, “dead flesh is
completely abhorrent.”

Apparently it was only living flesh that did it for them. 
I poked at the dead flesh on my plate.  Setting aside the fork, I picked up a
thick slab of ham with my fingers and stuffed it into my mouth, just to gross
her out.

I was startled by a masculine laugh.  As I chewed the
heavenly meat, the brown-haired Fallen from the night before strode into the
room.  He still wore that slightly mischievous smile.  I wondered if he had any
other expressions.  He slid took the chair next to mine.  

“Hungry little thing, hmm?”  He extended a hand to me. 
“You’re even more beautiful in this form.  Nice to officially meet you.  I’m
Marshall.”

I glanced at Ville, then took the man’s hand.  Instead of
shaking my hand, he lifted it and brushed his lips across the back.  I jerked away
and scowled. 

Ibbe laughed.  “Rejected by a dog.”

Ville frowned at her and she gave him a sweet look. 
“Sorry.”

“Don’t pay any attention to my sister,” Marshall said,
appearing unaffected by my slight.  “She’s just jealous.”

I gave them both a bland smile and shoveled in some bacon.
 Ville laughed. 

“I know you’re both curious why Wren is here,” he said
practically.  He touched my shoulder.  “She’s very special to me, and I’ve
offered her sanctuary from her own people.  For now, please just accept that
and treat her well.”

I swallowed and met Ibbe’s eyes.  She shrugged and
finished her juice.  Marshall gave me a sly smile.  “Welcome, darling.  A friend
of Ville’s is a friend of ours.”

Ville rolled his eyes and took a drink.  “Finish up your
breakfast and I’ll give you a tour.”

He glanced at Ibbe, and a small smile tugged at the corner
of his wide mouth.  She had picked up a newspaper and was leafing through it,
ignoring us.  “Thank you for making sure we had something prepared for Wren to
eat.”

I raised my eyebrows at the slender woman as she twitched
her white wings uncomfortably.  “Not a problem,” she said, still not looking
up.  “We were fresh out of dog food, and I didn’t want her to decide to eat one
of us instead.”

A
little stream made its boisterous way out of the rock face and tumbled down the
hill toward the valley below.  The feeling of height hadn’t registered when we’d
come in the back way.  Of course, I had been just a tad bit distracted at the
time.  I suppose a member of the Earth clan, unable to shift into something
winged, should feel uneasy in this setting, but I thought it was exhilarating.

Ville watched me with a soft smile.  “You approve?”

I nodded.  “The air up here is so different.”  Heady,
fresh. 

He laughed and gestured at the top of the hillside, a
little bit further up from the house.  “You should taste the air up there, it’s
intoxicating.”

I watched his face as he glanced at the pinnacle, his
crystal blue eyes full of happiness.  “I’ll race you,” I said, shifting from
foot to foot in the soft soles of my borrowed shoes. 

He glanced at me in surprise.  “It won’t be much of a
race,” he scoffed.

I raised an eyebrow and took off, not waiting for his
reply.  It would be a more even match if I could shift, but I wouldn’t risk it
this close to the house.  A large, apex Shifter charging up the mountain this
near the emperor’s home was sure to draw some attention.  It would probably set
off every ward within a mile- and I knew there were quite a few around.  I
could feel their faint electric buzz just below the surface of my awareness.

I dodged trees and leapt over a boulder.  The vegetation
was pretty sparse this high up, and I was making good time.  I was nearing the
top when a large shadow blocked out the sun and Ville dropped down onto a clear
patch of grass in front of me.  I dodged to the side, attempting to dash around
him, but he struck out, lightning fast, catching me, and pulling me against him. 
His energy washed over me, tingling and cool.  I didn’t have time to protest
before he bent his knees and launched us into the air. 

I wrapped myself around him like a monkey, letting out a
girly eek of surprise.  I had left the ground precisely one time in my life, in
an airship.  I hadn’t cared for the experience.  This was nothing like that.  The
ship had slowly made its way across the fields and over the town.  Ville
propelled us forward with sweeping thrusts of his huge wings, the trees
whizzing by in a blur.  I could feel his magic at work, making us light enough
for his wings to carry.

“You’re choking me.”  His deep voice was filled with
laughter.

“That’s what you get for cheating.”  I squeezed tighter,
fighting the urge to press my face to his shoulder- terrifying though it was, I
didn’t want to miss the view. 

He set us down on the highest point of the hill, a small
clearing that allowed for an uninterrupted view of the world stretching out below. 
“Cheating?”

I disentangled myself and gave him a superior look.  “You
were just afraid I’d win, so you had to intimidate me.”

He raised his dark eyebrows and crossed his arms over his wide
chest.  “You just looked so tired; I thought maybe you needed a ride.”

We both laughed and I turned to look down at the valley
and the miniature road leading away from the little doll’s house that was the
mansion.  “It’s beautiful, Ville.”

He came to sit on a big boulder next to me.  Drawing one
leg up, he draped a long arm over his knee and looked out over the valley. 
“It’s a good place to think.”  He stretched his glossy wings and settled them
in a relaxed position against his back. 

I curled my hand into a fist, resisting the urge to stroke
his feathers.  I’m sure Fallen don’t appreciate being petted any more than Shifters
do.  However, I remembered his graceful fingers ruffling my fur, and thought
maybe he wouldn’t mind so much. 

Ville let out a sigh and I joined him on his rock.  “You
come here a lot?”

He nodded.  “My brother and I used to come here and play
when we were younger.”

I looked at him in surprise.  “You have a brother?”

He shook his head, pulling the other knee up and wrapping
his arms around his legs.  He looked shockingly vulnerable.  “No.”

I watched a hawk glide over the trees below.  It looked
lonely way up there.  “Was it the war?”

He closed his eyes.  “Do you remember when we first met?”

I snorted.  “Oh, it’s a bit hazy, but I think so.”

He gave a short laugh.  “Yes.  Well, my brother was four
years older than I was.  I was so jealous when he was old enough to fight.  I
wanted to be out there too, killing beasts, protecting our kind and the
humans.”

I said nothing.  I knew the feeling.