Betrothed (33 page)

‘Only when your brother was mentioned.’

‘Are they all right? What did they say?’

‘Well, I admit they were . . . I had to . . . relax them. But they are well now.’

‘Oh Leif!’ I thought I might possibly be the most selfish girl in existence.

‘You need not worry, your family knows you are safe and as far as they are aware, you are away for a few days with young people from your church.’

‘You made them believe I went to church camp?’

‘It was easiest.’

‘Thank you.’ I relaxed and nuzzled my face into his chest.

‘You’re welcome,’ he said and then watched, amused, as I became irritated with his shirt. I needed his skin and tugged impatiently at his buttons. He chuckled when I pressed my face to him. Then I kissed him slowly, became consumed by the whisper of the little hairs on his chest as they tickled my nose and lips.

Yum,
I said silently.

‘Yum?’

I looked up. ‘You’re more delicious than chocolate.’

‘Chocolate? I don’t believe it.’

‘You are,’ I assured him and wanting more of him, pushed his shirt open.

Sighing, he pulled me to him, holding me against his body with strong arms. ‘You’re making my job difficult again.’

‘I can’t help it, you’re too gorgeous.’ I reached beneath the shirt to stroke his back.

You disarm me,
he told me, and it was almost a sigh within my mind. I could feel his resolve slip as he returned my caresses. I took complete advantage of it and, pulling back from him a little, reached up and slid my fingers down his neck and across his shoulders, pushing his shirt away. He released his grip from around my waist and allowed me to slide the shirt down his arms until it fell to the floor. Then, scooping me up, he carried me to the window, released his wings and took to the night.

Above us the sky was full of dazzling stars, so much brighter and more colourful than they appeared from Earth. And below, as far as the eye could see, the forest was alight with sunlamps twinkling in the treetops like thousands of fireflies. Leif flew with me wrapped in his arms, the cool night air whipping around my body, making me shiver.

‘It’s cold, Leif.’

‘I know.’ And then a moment later with a grin, ‘I thought we could both use some cool air.’

‘You’re so harsh.’

‘I love you, Marla.’

I admired the view both above and below. ‘Why are the trees so full of sunlamps?’

‘Because the trees are so full of Fae.’

‘But there are so many! Does everyone live in the trees?’

‘No, your family are River Fae. Others live in the mountains or on the plains.’

‘I didn’t see any houses when we were in the forest today.’

‘You would not have—they are hidden in the topmost branches. Much of the forest floor is too dark even in the daytime. The sun barely penetrates in places. When the Fae need to go
there, they lower the sunlamps. You would have seen them at the markets today.’

The markets. I still couldn’t comprehend my discovery—a grandfather and a twin brother. The thought filled me with warmth. I couldn’t wait to find Lysander, to get to know him. I wondered how I might do that, where he might be. And then reality hit me. Aside from a birth date and name that he was unlikely to be aware of let alone using, I had nothing to go on. My body became tense as this awful truth settled on me.

Leif must have noticed because he said, ‘What’s wrong?’

‘What if we can’t find Lysander?’

‘We will, Marla.’

‘But how? We don’t know anything about him. We don’t know where he is, what name he’s using . . . We don’t even know if he’s alive!’

‘He’s alive.’

‘You can’t know that! I can’t even count how many times I’ve almost died!’

‘But you did not.’

‘But I might have.’

‘Marla, the Fae heal very well. I am sure you have not been so near to death as you believe. Your brother is alive.’

‘Do you really think so?’

‘Yes, so please, do not worry. The assembly is mere days away. Until then, I need to focus on that, but when it is done and you are free to make Faera your home, I will not stop searching for your brother until he is found. You have my vow on that.’

‘But how will you know where to look?’

‘I will search the entire Earth if I must.’

‘How can you, Leif?’

‘My love, your man is very gifted.’ He smiled—an attempt to soothe me.

I allowed myself to be soothed.

A moment later, he said, ‘Have you cooled down enough?’

I narrowed my eyes. ‘I don’t know, have you?’

‘I think so,’ he said. ‘But then again, I could be reignited at any moment.’ He grinned, and the stars lit his beautiful face and danced in his dark eyes.

‘I’m cool enough—you can take me back now.’

‘I was thinking I might take you to meet some of my friends.’

‘Do you think they’ll like me?’

He gave me an odd look. ‘Why would they not?’

I couldn’t answer. I didn’t know why I always worried about things like that.

Leif kissed my hair. ‘They will not like you, Marla, they will love you.’

Leif flew on for a few minutes more and then descended into the treetops. Hidden among the branches and seeming to spring from nowhere was a tiny house that appeared to be one with the tree. Leif landed and set me down on a miniature balcony. Everything was wood, the same colour and texture as the tree itself. Leif knocked on the little arched door and a woman called out, ‘Who’s there?’

She flung the door wide when she heard my prince reply.

‘Leif,’ she cried and tugged him through the door. He ducked just in time to avoid knocking his head on the doorframe. ‘You have been gone. Classin has missed you!’ She stepped back to look at him. ‘What has happened to you?’ She touched the last of the bruising on his face.

‘It is nothing,’ Leif said, and pulled me from behind him. ‘I have brought Marla to meet you. Marla, this is Tenay, mother of my friend, Classin.’

‘Finally,’ Tenay cried, reaching for me. She kissed each of my cheeks, fussed over me a while and then turned to face a small
door set atop a short curving staircase. ‘Classin,’ she hollered in an attempt to make herself heard above the music coming from around the edge of the door. There was no reply. ‘Oh, just go up, Leif, he’s up there with Rowan.’ She turned to me and smiled again. ‘Classin will be so relieved to meet you, Marla. He was worried you’d not come.’

I wondered why someone who didn’t know me would care.

Leif let himself into a tiny room, taking care to duck his head as he entered. This house was not made for princes. More than half of the room was taken up with a wide bed low to the floor. Two brown-haired guys, their heads bent over guitars, sat cross-legged in the middle of it. They looked up when Leif walked in. ‘Leif!’ they exclaimed together, and jumping up greeted him with bear hugs.

‘Who have you brought to see us?’ the taller of the two said with a wide grin. ‘Please God let it be Marla! But I fear it cannot be so.’

‘Ah, but it is,’ Leif replied, his face full of pride.

‘But how?’ the same guy said, his quick green eyes full of curiosity. He obviously knew the story.

‘It’s too long a tale for now, but wait—let me introduce her.’

‘Of course, my apologies,’ the young man said, with a slight bow in my direction.

‘Marla, these are my friends, Classin and Rowan.’ Leif gestured to each of them in turn.

‘Hi,’ I murmured, giving a little wave.

‘I cannot say what a relief it is to meet you,’ the green-eyed Classin said. ‘I don’t know how you come to be here, but oh, how I have suffered in the waiting for you.’

I looked between him and Leif.

‘Quiet,’ Leif said, and smacked the back of Classin’s head.

‘I will not!’ Classin said, whacking Leif right back. ‘Marla, your betrothed has been impossible with his pining for you. And, I might add, a threat to my own happiness.’

‘Really,’ I said, smiling.

‘Yes! He has been unbearable. “Oh, where can my love be? Oh, why can I not find her? Oh, what am I to do?”’ he mocked, throwing the back of his hand dramatically to his forehead. He was quietened only when Leif took him in a headlock and rumbled him to the ground. They wrestled each other in the tiny space, bumping into furniture and knocking things over until Classin finally called out his surrender. He got up after Leif and brushed himself off.

‘Hardly a fair match, my friend,’ he said to Leif. ‘Besides, I speak only the truth and you know it.’

Leif grinned. ‘Speak it some more, Classin. Come, let’s hear more truth,’ he dared.

Classin held up his hands. ‘I think not.’

‘Where is Haigen tonight?’ Leif asked after a moment. ‘I thought she would be here. I was looking forward to introducing her to Marla.’

‘Oh yes, that should be entertaining,’ Rowan laughed.

‘She is at home. You know she’s not allowed to stay here through the night,’ Classin said.

‘I recall,’ Leif said. ‘But surely her parents know by now you can be trusted.’

‘It is not
me
they do not trust. You know Haigen well enough yourself, Leif.’

‘Of course,’ Leif murmured.

‘I feel like I’m missing something,’ I said.

‘Haigen is my twin,’ Rowan told me, with a twinkle in his brown eyes. ‘She’s a bit of a wild thing.’

‘But Classin, could you not have taken Haigen home if she had come out tonight? Surely you and Rowan together would
have been protection enough. You
are
a member of my father’s guard after all.’

Rowan said, ‘Nobody goes out after dark any more. I will be staying here tonight.’

‘I noticed the skies were empty. What’s going on?’

‘Has your father not spoken of it with you?’ Rowan asked, surprised.

‘I have been away; I only arrived home today and have barely spoken to my father.’

‘So you do not know that my father is attending the king tonight? People are vanishing, Leif. King Telophy has called the High Guard to a conference to discuss the crisis,’ Rowan explained.

‘I should be there,’ Leif said.

‘Go then,’ Classin said. ‘Will you come back tomorrow, though? Marla can meet Haigen then.’

‘If we are able,’ Leif said, leading me away.

Leif’s mother was waiting when we arrived at the castle. She was pacing the length of the entry, her face pale and wretched, her hands clasped tightly together.

‘Oh, Leif,’ she cried, her face flooding with relief when she saw him. She came to him and clutched his arms. ‘Your father waits for you.’

‘Why did he not call for me?’

‘He would have had you not returned soon. Quickly, go to him my son.’

Leif turned to kiss me. He lay his palm against my cheek for a moment and then left to join his father.

‘Come, Marla, I have prepared a room for you,’ Atara said, then added with a smile: ‘Do not worry, it is near to Leif.’

She must have read my mind.

She led me to one of Leif’s guest rooms. ‘I hope you find it pleasing,’ she said, as she opened the door.

The room was decorated in jewel colours. In the centre was a four-poster bed of emba, delicately engraved and hung with reams of gossamer. Crystal bowls overflowing with flowers adorned every surface alongside bottles filled with perfumes and potions, and golden lamps lit with sunstones. I went to the wardrobe and opened the door. Inside was everything a girl could possibly want—nightgowns in fine silks and sheer cottons, gathered skirts and dresses in shimmering fabrics, as well as fine and pretty jewellery. This lush and extravagant space had taken more than a weekend to prepare.

‘I’ve been expected,’ I said.

‘Yes,’ Atara murmured.

‘But Leif doesn’t know.’ I gazed around the room a moment longer before looking back to Atara. ‘If he’d known he would have brought me here for clothes instead of taking me to the market.’

Atara lowered her face and in little more than a whisper, said, ‘My king commanded the room made ready the day after our son vanished.’

My capture had only ever been a matter of time. The realisation sent chills all the way to my toes.

‘He seems to want me to be comfortable at least,’ I said when I’d recovered.

‘I am sorry that you are not with us under happier circumstances, Marla. For my son to find you after believing you lost, only to have you subjected to my husband’s temper, is a sadness for you both.’

‘But why did he even have me brought here? Leif said he wants me kept out of Faera . . . ’

‘Marla, I wish I could reassure you but I do not know what will happen. I have given up trying to predict anything where my husband is concerned. But I do know my son loves you and will not let you go easily.’ Her smile was small and resigned. ‘But you know this already.’

I nodded.

‘I will leave you to settle in now, but if there is anything you need or want—anything at all, you may ring the bell on the bedside table. One of the maidens will come to wait on you.’

‘Thank you.’

Atara wished me goodnight, pausing at the door to add, ‘Marla, just one more thing. Be sure to leave the windows closed till morning and the sunlamps by them lit.’

‘Um . . . all right—why’s that?’