Enchanted (28 page)

“I see. No human blood was mixed with theirs. Okay, I know I probably shouldn’t ask this, but I can’t help it.” Caitlyn rubbed her forehead, trying to ease the sudden tension building there. “How long ago was that?”

Myrielle frowned and glanced at Rhys. “How long? Three or four, would you say?”

“Almost four,” he grunted.

“Four what?” She looked from Rhys to Myrielle.

His face remained expressionless as he answered. “Four thousand years ago.”

Caitlyn felt a surge of bile in her throat. “That’s not possible. You only look a few years older than me.”

Pride rang out in his voice when he pinned her with his gaze. “Possible? We are the Tylwyth Teg. Space voyagers from the planet Vanir. All things are possible for us. Magic is a way of life, and only through the threat of arms and enchantments are we destroyed.”

Realization dawned. “What about fading away?”

A flicker of pain deepened the creases in his face. Myrielle lowered her gaze to the clenched hands in her lap.

He continued with low tone. “And– We can fade away. That is a last resort. Many become disenchanted with living, so they allow themselves to disappear.”

“Physically disappear?”

“Yes.”

“Great.” Caitlyn had trouble catching her breath. So that was what Shay meant when he’d spoken to her in the library. He was willing to vanish rather than return to his prison. Guilt ate at her. She was the reason he’d entered this place. She winced as she recalled how she’d begged him not to leave her.

No longer able to sit, she came to her feet and paced, trying to relieve some of her tension. “Okay. Gwyneth traveled with you and Shay from your home planet. She had to have known how close you and Shay were. That’s the only reason she needed his help. Right?”

Rhys frowned. Myrielle raised her brows and glanced at her husband. Taking their silence as agreement, Caitlyn continued, “She knew if she failed to steal me, then she would still hurt you through Shay. In a way, she was giving a double whammy with one blow. Right?”

His head tilted. “You’re assuming her actions were aimed at me. I’ve thought of that, but I still don’t understand why she would want to hurt me.”

“Maybe you did or didn’t do something that ticked her off a couple of thousand years ago and she took offense,” Caitlyn rattled off, pacing. She stopped and gazed at Rhys, the information she’d gathered snapped into place. “What if it wasn’t you that she wanted to get even with? What if it was Shay?”

She studied her parents’ reactions to her words. Rhys opened his mouth to speak, but he stopped. Myrielle sat forward in the chair, staring up at her husband.

“I don’t know,” he said, slowly shaking his head. He cast a glance at Caitlyn. “Would you care to see what happened that night?”

“What? Did you video tape it?” She asked. That was not something she’d been prepared to hear.

A low chuckle came from Rhys. The tension seemed to ease. “No. There is a mystic fountain in the garden. You may witness what occurred on that night. Perhaps, you will notice something we failed to see.”

“What are you waiting for? Show me. After that I want to hear this riddle,” Caitlyn said, grabbing his wrist and tugging him out the door.

Once on the stone path, she allowed him to lead. They passed near the blackthorn tree in the center. She was drawn to the twisted form. The muscles in her chest squeezed around her heart. A fallen bloom lay along the path and she bent, picking it up. Following him, she brought the white flower to her lips.

Her father continued to the opposite side of the garden. Strange how easy that title came to her. He didn’t look old enough to be her father. Shay certainly didn’t look like he was almost four thousand years old. All this new information played with her mind. The whole situation was beyond her comprehension.

As they approached a small fountain, a chill crawled up her spine. She stopped and glanced around her. Nothing caught her attention, yet unease built within her.

“What’s wrong?” Rhys twisted about, his eyes narrowed.

She shook her head. “Nothing. Imagination, I guess. For some reason, it’s like my senses are more acute.”

He smiled at her. “As they should be. Shay believed the curse Gwyneth placed on you wasn’t as strong as we assumed. If you are experiencing extra sensations, perhaps your Tylwyth Teg blood is fighting to come alive. That’s good.”

“I suppose,” Caitlyn murmured, still uneasy. The very air felt wrong. Like an unseen menace watched her. “Where is Gwyneth?”

“Somewhere in the human world. Why?”

“She attacked us tonight. Could she have returned here?” Caitlyn wanted to make sure the presence she sensed wasn’t the woman who had threatened her.

“I doubt it. She knows what would happen if she did. My punishment to Shay is mild compared to what I would do to her,” Rhys responded without hesitation.

He sounded so confident. Was he that in control of this world? Obviously not, since Gwyneth had managed to kidnap her all those years ago. One lesson Caitlyn had learned growing up, never underestimate someone with a burning desire to achieve a goal. Right now, Gwyneth’s goal centered on taking her away from Shay.

Rhys stopped at the fountain and waved a hand over the top of it. “Come, peer into the water. You will see whatever you ask.”

Shiny black, the fountain appeared more of a birdbath than a water spouting mechanism. No more than two feet in diameter and about three feet high, the rim consisted of carved orbs. The gaps formed where the spheres connected to the basin overflowed with water and cascaded over the sides into a stone trench encircling the slender pedestal.

“What kind of stone is it carved out of?”

“Onyx. ’Tis fashioned from the best magical quality. Come, look into the basin.” He motioned for her to come nearer.

Squeezing the blackthorn bloom in her fist, she questioned if she really wanted to do this. Her dream experiences with Shay came to mind. They weren’t so bad.

She leaned over and glanced into the dark water. “Is this like watching television?”

“In a manner.”

“Well, that relieves me. In what manner isn’t it like TV?” she muttered. Cutting her eyes to her father, she saw him smile.

“It’s more personal.”

“Oh. That way, huh?”

He nodded.

She took a deep breath and said, “Show me what happened the night I was stolen.”

Seconds ticked by, and she concentrated on the mirrored surface of the water. The flower’s waxy petals turned to gooey liquid in her palm. Fitful light moved across the water. All sound faded. Caitlyn felt sucked into the light.

Images formed, revealing the glittering clothes of her clan. From the corner of her vision she saw her hand resting on the smooth carved surface of a pillar. No, not her hand. Long and lean, the fingers appeared to belong to her, yet that was impossible.

Her head swerved to the left, and she watched a man approach. He spoke a name and realization shot through her. This wasn’t her body. At that moment, she became aware of another’s thoughts.

Shay.

This hand, body, they belonged to Shay. She watched through his eyes.

Refusing to allow fear to control her, she focused her attention on him. Then, like a door opening, his thoughts rushed through her mind. Boredom. Intense dissatisfaction spiraled in his head. The joy of living no longer existed in him.

Steeling her emotions, she mentally eased back to experience the night with him.

Chapter 31

Shay tilted his head and glanced past the queen to the petite infant in the bassinet. He marveled at how so much magic existed in such a small body. Radiant light enveloped the babe to a degree that her aura extended several feet.

Beautiful as a pure spring morning, her deep green gaze touched his and held. In that instance, the supreme boredom in his life lifted like a veil, revealing a new and wondrous path for him to follow. Never had he experienced such a surge of excitement as when he stared into the babe’s eyes. She smiled at him. His heartbeat halted, and then pounded.

He did not stop to consider the onslaught of new emotions flooding his senses. A need to touch this child one time came to him and he stepped forward, not caring about and without fear of the growing frown on her father’s face.

The queen, a gentle smile gracing her beautiful face, eased to one side and allowed Shay to draw near. The newborn princess gurgled in glee and bounced her dainty arms and legs. Going down on one knee, and unable to stop, he reached out. In the bare second it took for her to grasp his finger in her tight clasp, his heart was lost forever.

“I swear ’til my dying hour, I will protect you from all harm,” he whispered. The baby’s face puckered at the serious tone for only a moment, then she smiled again, causing the aura to increase.

Basking in the power evident in the babe, Shay stayed longer than was usually permitted. The princess was new and many had yet to pay homage to her.

“We have named her Caitlyn, my muse. What think you of it? Is this name fitting for our most precious daughter?” The queen touched the crown of his head, bringing his attention from the babe.

“Aye, it is more than fitting. Pure beauty is truly befitting for her name.”

With a deep courtly bow, he stepped off the platform where the bassinet stood. He moved to the shadows surrounding the terrace. Thoughts of Gwyneth and her plans to play a practical joke on the royal couple flooded his mind. Perhaps he should warn the king, yet as he watched, he noted something Gwyneth spoke of. There was a laxness in the king’s attitude toward the princess’s security.

Anyone with vile intentions could harm the babe if they so chose. Yet, because of the peace within the Tylwyth Teg realm, why should the king worry? Several hundred years had passed since the last war. Their enemies in this dimension and in the human world were no longer a true threat.

“Are you prepared?”

The alluring voice carried a hard note. Shifting to one side, Shay gazed at the self-acclaimed beauty of the Tylwyth Teg court. Gwyneth’s cold and calculating eyes studied the princess. Foreboding crept through him.

“Why do I feel you are plotting more than you claim?” He leaned closer, anger rising in him.

The scent of sweet lilacs coated the female elf, but another scent lurked underneath. Slight, but still there, she carried the smell of fresh blood on her. Shay remembered the smell. Its prevalence thousands of years ago when their people fought against the humans was as clear to him now as it was then.

“Nonsense. Do you believe me so stupid as to dare to cross our king? Rhys would have our heads if the babe came to harm,” she whispered as she darted a look from side to side.

“I smell blood on you. What have you done? What spells do you plan that I do not know of? Speak now, or I will bind you with my magic and give you over to Rhys.” Shay hated liars, and he feared Gwyneth lied to him.

“I cut my finger earlier. Nothing serious.”

He frowned. Her explanation was simple and easy to prove, yet his inner senses warned him to beware.

She leaned closer, brushing against his arm. Her scent sickened him. He swallowed against the surge of bile.

“Come now, muse. I have no ill feelings for our liege and his queen, and I have no reason to have any for our new princess. I am beginning to wonder if you are acting the coward, seeking ways to break our contract. Do you wish me to release you?”

Shay stiffened and clasped her wrist. He squeezed, and she released a pain-filled breath. Her eyes widened as he spoke. “I will fulfill my word to you, but I swear, if you harm the babe in any way, I will be the one who removes your beautiful head from your body. So fear not our king, Gwyneth, because I will seek you out and take the life from your body. Heed my words, for I do not foreswear in vain.”

“Fool, do you take me for one also?” She slid her gaze toward the queen, before raising her other hand and caressing his cheek. “Be still, they will notice us and grow suspicious. The queen is staring.”

Gwyneth stretched up and kissed him on the mouth. He shut his eyes, but kept his lips sealed.

When she drew back, he noticed a callous glint in her eyes. Her words verified her anger. “Why do you draw away from me?”

“We are not lovers, nor shall we ever be. Now leave me. When all are gone from here, we will carry through with your little prank. Just remember, I will be watching.” He stepped back into the shadows.

Though he cared little for the witch, proving to Rhys he should take better care of his loved ones served to justify agreeing to this jest. At least, that is what he continued to tell himself. He’d tried several times to approach Rhys but his king had laughed off his concerns as if they were nothing.

The night aged, and many visitors wandered away to seek their own homes and beds. Soon, only the royal family sat on the terrace enjoying the peaceful evening. Shay strode forward and bowed before them.

“With your permission, sire, might I sing a lullaby for the princess?” he spoke evenly, glad that his voice did not crack under the strain of deception. This lie weighed on his soul.