The Cypher Wheel (14 page)

“Are we all here?” she asked, gazing about the group
and doing a mental inventory of bodies. Everyone was there. They
were safe, for now.

Joy flooded into her soul. They had rescued Todmus's
family. Faedra grabbed her Guardian by the arms and gave him a
playful shake. She laughed. “We did it, Faen! It worked!” She
grabbed his raindrop covered face and brought it down to hers,
planting a big kiss on his lips. After a moment, she pushed his
face back a few inches. “God, I just love you!” she exclaimed,
getting all raveled up in her own excitement.

Faen's energy exploded, Faedra felt it surround her.
She looked at him, her eyes widening. Her hands warmed as the heat
rose in Faen's cheeks. Faedra did a mental check; it was definitely
his heat this time, not hers. If she could see his energy, she
would imagine it being like watching the most amazing fireworks
display.

“Marry me.” Faen's breath fanned across her face.

Faedra sucked in a breath. “What?”

There was a collective gasp around the couple. The
others, who had been chattering excitedly about their close escape,
fell silent. The noise of the raindrops hitting the canopy of
leaves above them was the only sound Faedra could hear.

Faedra swallowed. She could feel everyone's energy go
still. Without looking at the group around her, she knew they were
all watching her and Faen, waiting with bated breath.

Faen's energy did not quiet down. She could almost
hear his heart pounding. A mixture of love, excitement and
apprehension were flowing out of him. Faedra moved one of her hands
from Faen's cheek and placed it on his chest, never moving her eyes
from his. Now she could feel the thunderous beat of his heart. At
that moment, it was beating just for her. Of that, she was
certain.

“Yes.”

Faen's face lit up. His smile was breathtaking. He
leaned in and gave his Custodian a gentle kiss before wrapping her
in his arms. Faedra laid her head against his chest and closed her
eyes. She could feel him kiss the top of her head before resting
his chin there.

A second later, a squeal erupted from somewhere in
the group. Jocelyn lunged forward and threw her arms around the
pair.

Faen released his grip on Faedra. She looked up at
him and chuckled before turning to a very excited Jocelyn.

“We are going to be sisters,” Jocelyn squealed before
throwing her arms around Faedra. “Not only are you my best friend,
I get you for a sister, too.”

Faedra was speechless. All she could do was smile and
return her friend's hug.

Etyran moved over to Faen and slapped him on the
back. “Nice one, mate,” he said with a grin.

Someone cleared their throat. The four friends
stopped their congratulating and turned.

“Thank you,” Allora said softly. Skylar was peeking
out from behind her mother's skirt. Her lips curved into a small
smile.

Allora reached for Faedra's hands. As soon as they
touched, Faedra felt a flash of hatred, but before she had time to
register it, it was gone. Faedra pinched her brows together; maybe
she just imagined it. Everyone's emotions were all over the place
at that moment. She shook the feeling away.

Allora's expression was full of appreciation. “You
have saved us from the most terrible life. How can I ever thank
you?”

“No thanks necessary,” Faedra replied. “As soon as I
found out you were still alive and being held prisoner, there was
no way I was going to leave you there. Todmus will be over the moon
when he finds out. That is, if we can figure out a way to get back
to him and let him know.”

Allora's face lit up. “Todmus is alive?” she cried.
“After all these years, I’ve wondered and hoped.” Allora turned to
her daughter and took the little girl's face in her hands. “Do you
hear that, darling? Daddy is alive!”

Skylar’s bright blue eyes lit up and her smile almost
split her face in two. Her mother pulled her into a loving embrace.
Faedra looked on, her heart almost melting with happiness. After a
moment Skylar broke free from her mother's embrace and wrapped her
arms around Faedra's legs. Faedra was taken aback by the gesture
and gave Faen a ‘what do I do now?’ look. Faen just smiled. Faedra
didn't have much experience with kids, being an only child. She
tentatively put her hand on top of the little girl's head. When she
did, the little girl looked up at Faedra, eyes wide. Skylar
squeezed Faedra's legs a little harder and Faedra was overwhelmed
with the love and happiness flowing from Todmus's daughter.

“Thank you,” Skylar whispered. “I never thought I
would ever see my daddy again.”

Faedra bit back a tear that was threatening to make
an appearance and cleared her throat. She leaned over and took the
little girl's hands in hers.

“Your daddy will be so pleased to see you, too. He
didn't think he would ever see you again, either.” Faedra whispered
back.

“We better get out of this field,” Faen interrupted.
“We all know what happened last time we were here.”

Skylar stepped back from Faedra and took her mother's
hand again.

“Yes. Good point. Don't fancy a repeat episode of
that.” Faedra agreed, pulling herself back together again. It was
bad enough having to deal with her own emotions, but having to deal
with everyone else's was bit too much at times; it was easy to get
lost in them.

“How will we get back to the caves?” Jocelyn asked.
“Carina and Anwynn are waiting for us on the other side of the
forest.”

“Another good point,” Faedra conceded. “Didn't think
about that when I had the idea to bring us here.” She turned and
plopped herself down on the fallen tree.

“Fae, don't go beating yourself up,” Etyran said.
“What you did back there was genius. You probably saved all our
lives. We'll figure a way to get back to the caves.”

Faen sat down beside his Custodian and put an arm
around her shoulder. Giving it a little rub, he said, “Etyran is
right. That was very quick thinking on your part. It could have
gotten very nasty.”

Faedra turned to her Guardian. “Thanks.” Then she
turned her attention to the trees lining the meadow. “Well, we know
it's in the forest, so I guess we better start walking and hope
that some of the lookouts spot us before Arawn's spies do. At least
the lookouts know who we are now; they should help us find our way
back to the caves.”

Faen stood up and took hold of Faedra's hand. “We
better start walking then.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The group started to make their way across the
meadow. Much to everyone's relief, the clouds dispersed and the
rain stopped. Silvery light once again spilled from the heavens,
illuminating their way. Faedra couldn't help but keep her eyes to
the sky after what they encountered the first time in the meadow.
She was hoping it was too dark for Arawn to send his spies out, but
she wasn't taking any chances and she certainly wouldn't put it
past him.

The familiar tickle of hatred ran down her spine
again prompting Faedra to turn her head. As soon as she did, the
emotion dissipated. No one was looking at her but she couldn't
mistake the emotion, it was too strong. She wrinkled her brows as
she turned back.

“Is something wrong?” Faen asked.

Faedra hesitated before answering him. Was something
wrong? She wasn't quite sure. She had felt something, but she
couldn't quite put her finger on it. Faedra looked up at her
Guardian. “I'm not sure. Whatever it was, it's gone now.”

She cast a fleeting glance behind her once more.
Etyran was in conversation with Jocelyn and Allora was holding her
daughter's hand as they trudged through the wet grass. Allora met
Faedra's glance and her lips curved into a smile.

Faedra couldn't understand why she kept sensing such
a strong emotion in a group of friends. It just didn't make
sense.

They reached the forest on the other side of the
meadow without incident. There was a collective sigh when they made
it under the cover of the trees. Faedra felt the odd residual
raindrop, which had made its way through the canopy of leaves, land
on face or head. She could hear droplets of water land on the
undergrowth around them, breaking the otherwise eerie silence
within the forest.

“I hope we find a path soon,” Jocelyn uttered to no
one in particular. “My feet are soaked.”

Faedra turned and gave the young fairy an incredulous
look. “Well, why don't you fly then, silly,” she chuckled.

Jocelyn smacked her palm to her forehead, something
she had learned from living too long amongst humans. “Why did I not
think of that?” she said before beating her wings and raising
herself from the rain soaked floor of the forest. “That's better,”
Jocelyn sighed.

Faedra raised her eyes to the heavens but kept the
grin firmly planted on her face. Maybe her friend was really a
blonde in disguise. She had to agree, though, the wet from the
grass was starting to seep through her boots, she could feel her
feet getting cold and damp. Then Faedra had her own a-ha
moment.

“I wonder,” she mumbled to herself.

“You wonder what?” Faen whispered.

Faedra gave him a wry smile before letting out a mewl
of pleasure. Faen gave her an odd look, and then followed her line
of sight down to the floor. Steam was rising from her boots as they
trudged through the undergrowth.

“My feet were getting wet,” Faedra stated.

Faen's eyebrows arched and he shook his head, a smile
curving his lips.

“What? I may as well take advantage of what little I
can control.” Her words prompted another thought and her face lit
up with realization.

“What now?” Faen asked.

“I've just realized. I don't have to worry about
getting rid of Arawn for Carina.”

“What do you mean?” Jocelyn said, hovering in front
of Faedra, flying backwards so she could face her friend.

Faedra looked up at the young fairy. “Well, I can't
control Savu's power enough to defeat Arawn. We saw what happened
when I tried. He just put up some kind of barrier to stop whatever
I threw at him. So, that kind of lets me off the hook, doesn't
it?”

Faedra was not happy about being kidnapped in the
first place. But being told she had to kill someone was definitely
not cutting the mustard. One good deed did come out of this,
though. They found Todmus's family and were getting them back to
safety. For that, she was thankful. She couldn't wait to see the
look on Todmus's face when they took Allora and Skylar home.
Although,
this
was really their home. Todmus was living in
exile in Azran. Faedra wondered if he would move back to Drofoz
now. Surely not. Not while Arawn was still ruling this land. She
hoped they would stay in Azran so she could visit. She didn't fancy
having to come back to this place when they finally got to leave;
which would be as soon as they got back to the caves and got the
co-ordinates to Azran from Carina. Faedra had a feeling Carina
wouldn't give them up that easily, though. Carina would probably
take some convincing that Faedra couldn't help them defeat Arawn.
If that wasn't the case anymore, what use was she to anyone in this
realm? Surely Carina would let them go home after this.

She felt her hand get squeezed and looked up.

“Penny for them,” Faen said, looking upon the
Custodian with a thoughtful expression.

“Oh, I don't think they're worth a penny,” Faedra
mused. She looked up at her Guardian. Fingers of silvery light were
pushing their way through the canopy, illuminating the contours of
her Guardian's face. He looked beautiful in this light; ethereal
grace oozing from his every pore. Did this amazing creature really
just ask her to marry him or was that a figment of her imagination?
She opened her mouth to ask, but didn't get past the first
syllable.

Faen's expression changed. His smile was replaced
with astute seriousness as he stopped abruptly, pulling Faedra to a
stop, too. His eyes scanned the area, then he looked at his charge
and put his finger to his lips. Faedra felt her heartbeat
quicken.

Jocelyn lowered herself to the ground. She and Etyran
herded Allora and Skylar, caging the rescuees between the four
friends.

With her hastening heartbeat, Faedra felt her energy
grow, along with the anxious sensation running up her spine. She
could feel it coursing through her veins, searing her from the
inside. Would she ever get used to the feeling? She doubted it.
Would she ever be able to control it? She hoped so.

Faen drew his sword. With that movement, steam
started to rise around them. An eerie mist enveloped the group,
cutting down their visibility to near zero. Faen fanned his hand
through the vapor barrier unable to get a good view.

“Is this you?” Faen whispered, pointing at the
mist.

“Sorry,” Faedra replied, somewhat sheepishly. “You do
stuff like that,” she waved her hand at his sword, “and my body
does stuff like this.” She waved her hand through the mist.

“Stay here,” Faen whispered the order before taking a
step forward. The newly dried leaves crunched under his foot and
Faedra cringed. The heat from her body was drying the leaves all
around them. Faen beat his wings and hovered just above the ground,
fanning the mist around as he did.

Faedra nodded.

“What did he mean, 'Are you doing this?'” Allora
leaned forward and whispered in Faedra's ear.

Faedra sighed. “I have no control over the power I
absorbed from Savu.”

“Interesting,” Allora said.

Faedra gave Allora a sideways glance at her odd
response, but said nothing more.

“There you are!” A familiar voice echoed up ahead
breaking the unearthly silence. Faedra moved forward, crunching
through the leaves until she pushed through the barrier of mist.
She found Faen looking up the leaf-covered embankment at Carina and
Anwynn who were sitting on their horses. The horses shone in the
tree-filtered moonlight. Their flawless white coats shined with an
iridescent quality that was truly mesmerizing. It was surprising
they didn't have horns; they could pass for unicorns any day.
Faedra could see that the path lay just ahead of where they were
standing. Thank goodness, now they would be able to follow the two
ovates back to the caves.