Enchanted Reality
Wren
The bar looks weird in the daylight, as if it doesn’t host some of our towns most wanted criminals by night. No garbage from the night before litters the street, the windows all sparkling from a recent wash. Not a hint of vomit in sight.
Reaching for the knob of the bar, I marvel at my hand, confident, no tremors in sight. Nash Turningten will have to do better if he expects to scare me.
I push my weight into the door but it doesn’t give.
Seriously.
Frustrated, I kick the door. My boots leaving a dark scuff against the oddly clean surface.
“Humph.” I cross my arms over my dress.
“Got a problem?” The owner of the voice prowls from the dark alley, a deep green hood over his face.
Pulling the hood off, I realize it brings out his eyes, he speaks again in a smooth voice, “Thinking of moving in? Feel like I’m starting to see you every day.”
“Ledian.” I grin. “You seem to creepily appear every time I come looking for you.”
Crinkling his nose, he retorts, “It's like a sixth sense. Blessing and a curse. Call me your magic genie, only your wishes aren’t free.”
His steps remind me of Cormac, the way self-assurance drips off of every move. Heat rises to my cheeks at the thought. Guilt drags through my stomach.
I miss them.
“Does that mean you’ll help me?”
“Will you ever stop trying to hunt me down if I don’t?”
“I would show up looking for you till the day I die.” Dropping my hands to balance on my hips, my cheeks ache from the huge smile that’s managing to work its way into my face.
“I knew it.” He laughs. “Follow me.”
Ledian turns briskly, walking down the street. He walks like he owns the world. My breath picks up as I take large steps to catch up with him.
“Where are we going?” My curiosity can’t be contained.
“Gonna find you a witch, I suppose.”
We walk through town and people are already immersed in their day-to-day lives. They’re unaware of a princess and a common thief strolling the roads for a magical witch.
After a few minutes of silence, I clear my throat. “So, what do you do for a living?”
Ledian snorts, “I thought that was obvious.”
“Right.”
I suppose a thief doesn’t need side jobs.
“What about you? Let me guess. A daughter of a wealthy journalist, seeking out a good story?”
“Nope.” Laughing, my hands brush my cheeks, I haven’t smiled like this in a while. “I thought it was obvious,” I mimic in a deep voice.
He steps closer, bumping me with his shoulder. My feet stumble a bit as his little push breaks loose a freeing laugh that rises from deep within me.
“Well I give up.” His muscled shoulders rise and fall as he shrugs.
“You mean to tell me you don’t recognize me?” Dramatically, I hold my hand to my heart as if he has truly offended me on the deepest, most vain level of my being.
I continue, “What about if I do this?” I raise my hand waving delicately to the pretend crowd of people. A large fake smile covers my features. “How about now?”
“Oh my Lord.” He covers his cheeks, his jaw dropping a second before his voice flattens. “Nope. No clue.”
“You are joking right now.”
His green eyes roll. “Sorry Miss Popular, not everyone knows who you are.”
“I’m the princess.” I stop where we stand on the side of the cobble road.
Even the way I say it makes me want to cringe at the ridiculous words. Not a princess. The princess.
Ledian doesn’t miss a beat, he continues to walk. With a shake of his finger he says, “Must be fun. Ruler of the land and all that.”
“Trust me, it’s not.”
Taking a few turns, Ledian leads me further until we reach the edge of town. Together we stand overlooking the steady river.
A large mansion to our left is eloquently caged in by an iron fence. The metal swirls in equally delicate designs. I recognize the house immediately. My features harden with a glare as I take in the estate.
Ledian’s eyes follow mine. “Ah, I take it you know Lord Turningten.”
I frown in the general direction of the home. As if the beautiful property is Nash himself.
“Unfortunately.” I nod.
“Don’t tell him you know me. I’ve climbed that fence too many times to count.”
Mumbling, “Of course you have.” I turn away from the thoughts surrounding my betrothed.
“Well, follow me.” Ledian raises his shirt over his head, revealing the hard strength of his stomach. My eyes mill around his hips. The fabric of his pants drops low enough to see the lines of muscle pointing in a satisfying vee.
He bends low untying his boots. “You gonna undress or just watch me with that hungry look on your face?”
“Why would we undress?” I turn looking uneasily over my shoulder at Nash’s house. “Surely there is a bridge?”
Sighing he stands, his hands settling on his trim waist. “There is a bridge if you wanna take a three day travel by carriage to the next town over.”
“Ledian, I can’t get undressed in the middle of the day, right outside my future husband's house with another man!”
His face scrunches, his lip curling in annoyance. Picking up his shirt he rolls his eyes at me. “Fine, meet back here once it gets dark.”
***
At midnight, I sneak from my room once more. I’m getting really good at climbing the lattice. Ledian appears to be impressed and surprised that I’m here as I said I would be.
“Didn’t take you for the rebellious type.”
Once again he raises his arms, as if making a show of removing his shirt for me.
“Wait, what will we do once we’re on the other side?” He pulls his shirt from over his head and gives me a confused look. “We’ll be naked.” I say, emphasizing the predicament. “What will we do once we’re on the other side?”
“Have a good time it sounds like.”
Carefully my lips seal into a thin line, my eyes narrowing on the man I’m putting far too much trust in.
A smirk cracks his features, his eyes shining in the moonlight.
“We’re not going far. Keep your under clothes on. It’ll be freezing this time of year but it’s just a little past Turningten’s estate.”
I nod my head slowly. It’s already chilly. Now I’m going to climb into a river in my underclothes and then take a midnight stroll.
There has to be something wrong with me.
Maybe I should just go home.
The dagger against my calf burns against my skin, reminding me of why I’m here. It’s like the curse within the dagger is urging me forward. Guiding me. Helping me help the Ryken brothers.
And that’s why I’m here. Ledian will lead me to the witch, I just know it.
I pull my hands behind my back and begin unbuttoning the simple maid’s gown. My numb fingers push against the few smooth buttons, slipping against them.
“Need some help?” Ledian asks.
Suddenly, he’s a bit closer to me. It’s as if he’s a real gentleman seeking out a damsel in distress. Or just a princess he wants to help undress.
“I’m fine,” I snap at him, turning until there’s a foot of space between us.
“You’re a little stubborn.”
“You’re a little eager.”
His palms raise from his sides.
“I can get women. I don’t have to pretend to like them either.”
My lips curl at his insult but I continue forcing the buttons through their holes.
“And yet, you’re wasting your time with me.” I all but roll my eyes at him.
Slowly, his fingers begin undoing his pants, drawing my attention to his movements. Against his abdomen, smooth lines disappear into the top of his pants. My dress dips down from my shoulders, free from my body at last, just as Ledian’s pants fall to his feet.
A thundering sound takes up residence in my heart, roaring through my ears until my whole face is on fire with heat.
I push off my dress with as much confidence as I can manage, my cold palm slipping down my silk corset and hips. I’ve never been this exposed with anyone other than my maids.
Ledian doesn’t look at me the way my maids do, though. With careful observation, his gaze travels along my body; across my white underclothes, down my long legs, skimming along my pale smooth skin.
“Ready?” he asks in a rasping voice, holding out his hand to me.
The warmth of his skin against mine makes me scoot in closer to him, our shoulders touching as his palm envelopes mine.
I scoop up my clothes and glancing down at my boots, I remember the blade there. Nervously, I step away from Ledian. Quickly, I scurry to the nearest tree and kick off my black boots. The dagger gleams with power, shining against the moonlight, demanding my attention; demanding I take it with me.
Time is running out. The blade whispers. For a moment, my attention is caught in the shine of the blade under the moonlight. A face not my own looks back at me in the reflection, the laugh lines of an innocent woman wrinkle into a snarl.
My stomach twists with the fear that someone might find it. I can’t entirely trust Ledian yet, and I can’t be sure I won’t lose it in the river. I shove my dress on top of my boots at the base of the large tree trunk, praying no one will find it.
I stand and walk back toward Ledian. A skeptical arch raises his brow as he studies me. As if I’m still a proper princess, I smooth my palms against my nonexistent gown, skimming across my flesh like I’m wiping away wrinkles and not my anxiety.
“Ready?” I ask with a nervous smile.
He returns my look with a tilting smirk of his own. He looks younger when he smiles. More carefree. More earnest. Almost trusting.
Almost.
He nods and takes my hand once more. Our feet teeter against the edge of the small river. Dark waves dance, ignited by the white light of the stars. The damp grass is slick against my toes.
We both stare at it for several seconds.
“You know how to swim?” He looks to me, measuring my small height. “I could carry you if you like.” He leans a little closer to me, his bare chest skimming my shoulder.
Oh yes, the poor princess might need someone to carry her across a river.
Without warning, I shove him. My palm collides with his smooth skin and he stumbles until he falls. Crashing into the cold water below.
His dark hair bobs above the water, damp strands fall into his eyes.
My feet push off from the safe ground. I leap into the water without hesitation, as if the waters of this world is merely an old friend calling me back to it.
Except it’s freezing. I surface, my palm pushing back the wet locks from my eyes.
I wait for something angry to fall from Ledian’s mouth. A smile is all he gives me.
“You’re a cruel woman.”
My shoulders shake from the cold, goosebumps forming along my arms.
“Come on. Let’s get you out of here.” His palm skims up my arm beneath the water.
His strong arms cut through the dark water and I trail after him. Mud slips through my fingertips. Ledian climbs the shore with ease but I can’t get my grip.
Kneeling at the shore, he reaches down for me, his brows lowering with worry. My palm slips against his but he doesn’t let me go. He pulls me from the water, my feet slick against the mud. I kneel there with him. The moment the night air stings my skin, I shiver uncontrollably. Strong arms sweep around me, holding me to his damp warmth. My head dips into the crook of his neck, my cold nose pressed to his collar bone.
“It’s just a few feet farther, Wrenley.”
A chattering sound accompanies my shaking breath, my teeth jarring together repeatedly. I shake my head into his chest. Neither of us move for a moment as he holds me to his hard body.
It feels … nice. In this moment, Ledian feels less like a hard criminal and more like a reliable friend.
Without a word, he helps me to my feet, his arms remaining locked around my frame as we trail past Nash’s estate. The high arching peaks reach up to the sky, attempting to touch the moon itself. It’s a proud manor. A carefully sculpted building. Carved into something beautiful and dark. Everything about it screams Nash Turningten.
I’ve never loathed a building so much in my life.
“Wh—what would your betrothed say if he saw you right now?” A slight shake controls his wide shoulders, the wind is probably relentlessly biting into his flesh just as it is mine.
I shiver against his side, our damp bodies pressed tightly together.
“Nasty things, I’m sure.”
“Really?”
“W—whore for starters.” My teeth clamp together, forcing the words out as another hard shake quivers through my shoulders.
“And here I thought so much of the guy.”
I shake my head, my jaw feeling tight.
Just on the other side of the ominous building is something I didn’t expect so close to his home. The ocean. It surrounds it fully. Waves caress the shore on all sides. Dark waters are all that can be seen for miles and miles. The skyline disappears into the ocean, the heavens being swallowed up by the overpowering sea. It’s as if Nash has built his own island away from every single person on the planet.
Typical.
“Sit here,” Ledian instructs, lowering me carefully to the ground, just at the edge of the water. The ground has been smoothed away at the edge, a perfect drop off into the ocean. A large boulder stands proudly at my side. It’s carved into a flawless surface. It feels out of place and catches my attention.
The smooth brick sidewalk is cold against my thighs. My hair hangs in clumps of icy strands around my numb face.
“What—what are we doing here?” The air burns my throat as my shaking breaths heave into my lungs.
“Calling on your witch.”
“What?”
“I met a witch once. Just one. She told me to never come back here unless I had something of value to say to her.”
“Sounds kind of dangerous to call on her again, Ledian.”
He shrugs his shoulders as he kneels at the side of the glittering ocean.
“We better hope you have something of value to say, huh?”
His features reflect against the clear water, stern brows lowered in concentration. His fingers shake as he runs them along the surface. Rippling waves arch around his fingers as he traces shapes into the sea.
With a jerking motion he lurches forward, his hand disappearing for moment, his face just inches away from the water.
Glistening crimson hair rises from the ocean, beautiful blue eyes gleam into Ledian’s wide gaze. The sharp angles of her face are emphasized from the shadows and the light reflecting off the water. She looks both beautiful and deadly all at once.
“You again?” the gorgeous woman purrs. One hand holds his palm in hers, while her other hand rises from the sea, her fingertips skimming against his jaw. “I do miss your handsome face, boy.”
She calls him boy the way an elder would but she can’t be a day older than eighteen. Her smooth features curve with sharp lines. The arch of her upper lips demands attention as she smiles prettily. She isn’t at all the menacing witch I thought she might be.
“Oh, and you brought a friend.” She glides through the water, forgetting Ledian entirely. She folds her arms against the land, leaning up to study me. Bright eyes take in my every detail. A mischievousness clings to her, a sense of wonder and yet overbearing intelligence gleams within her features.
A delicate wafting movement wrinkles the smooth water. Her tail skims along the surface like a hint of enchantment kissing reality. Everything in my logical mind tells me she shouldn’t exist. I should be terrified.
All I manage to do is shiver, the cold biting into my body, seeping into my core.
“Where I’m from, on the other side of the surface, there is a legend of a cursed princess.” Her voice is all whispers and even tones.
I hold her gaze, my eyes boring into her. Interest sparks within me.
“So?”
“So … you look like her. Beautiful and tragic, bold but uncertain.”
“What happens to this princess?” My heart thunders against my ribs, fear trickles through my veins but my features remain impassive.
Her hair catches the wind like fire burning through the midnight sky as she shakes her head at me with a mischievous smile.
The sea witch’s porcelain skin dips low, disappearing into the water at her waist. The tangles of her red hair covers her breasts. The moon reflects into her sea-like eyes, the ocean glitters against her gaze.
“My name’s Marisabel.” The corners of her lips tip up. She doesn’t ask for my name and for a moment we just stare at one another.
“What is this?”
My fingers shake against the smooth worn stone. Deep lines etch the surface of the rock but the writing has been washed away, eroded by years of salt water and wind and life in general. It’s astounding the thing is still in one piece.
“It’s my grave.”
My attention darts to her serious face.
“My mother had four children. When I went missing, they searched for a few days but they knew how much I loved the sea. They knew the sea took my life, they just thought it was death, not … this.” Her brows shade her eyes as she looks down at her body, her beautiful tale sweeping through the clear ocean water. “She couldn’t keep looking for me. She had too many responsibilities. My—” She pauses, uncertainty filling her pretty face. “My lover had this built in my honor. The only thing left to remember me by.”
She’s so young. Younger than any of the Ryken’s. I can’t imagine her life being ripped from her. Her family torn away.
“I’m so sorry, Marisabel.”
The syllables of her name fall from my tongue. It reminds me a little of the term miserable and I wonder if she is. She appears happy. Intrigued. Full of life.
My heart sinks, slipping into my stomach as I realize everyone she knows is dead. They’ve all lived and died and she’s still here.
Just like Cohen, Cason, and Cormac.
“You still have time, you know.” Her deep gaze finds mine again. “Don’t marry someone who doesn't love you. Your history isn’t carved in stone yet, Princess. Don’t let them bury you before you’re dead like they did me.”
My lips part, a tingling feeling scurrying down my spine that has absolutely nothing to do with the cold.
“How did you know about that?”
Ledian stands, taking a protective step closer to me.
“The sea knows all things, Princess Wrenley. Their time is running out.”
My heart quivers in my chest, terror following her words.
“You know what you must do.”
I shake my head at her. I have no idea what I must do.
A sneering smile pulls across her lips as her head dips below the surface. An elegant, glittering tail whips through the air as she dives deep into the ocean.
The water stills without her presence. Smooth waves and confusion is all that she’s left me with.
Free them …
Her whisper races through the wind, chilling my bones with her words.
My own face reflects in the cold water. My own face is shown within the cursed sea.