Chapter 10
Finding the Balance
Iris could feel herself slipping further and further into the other realm. Her temperature continued to rise, but not quite as rapidly. An image of a young boy at a funeral playing cards flittered through her mind. Then the feel of Ian as a tiger, and how happy she was to rub his head. Then the feel of his lips on hers. The tears were pouring down, but she could feel that she was smiling as she ran. He was anchoring her with positive emotions so that she could release the other one.
There was a sense of déjà vu as she reached the ship, but this time, she stopped short. Trying to focus on the world in front of her, Iris found that she couldn’t see anything there. Voices were shouting at her, but nothing reached her. She felt something drive into her back. Slowly, her eyes moved down, and there in her shoulder was the tip of an arrow.
“That shouldn’t be there.” Her mind worked sluggishly as she stared at the bloodied arrow.
She felt the ground coming toward her, and realized she was falling to her knees.
“No, you don’t. That’s not your role today.” The voice was a little stronger. “Not today, Iris.”
Iris thought back, “I don’t want to live without you.”
“Callie’s here.”
“What?” Iris muttered it aloud.
Suddenly a white blur went past her sight as a voice said into her mind, “I love you, even when you act like an idiot, I love you.”
The sound of bone crunching behind her was disturbing, but it seemed to be part of something else. The pain in her shoulder intensified, and she looked down to see the arrow was gone. “That should be better, right? But it still hurts.”
Suddenly she felt like she was floating. A warm voice in her ear muttered, “Yes, it is going to hurt, but right now, we need to get you back here.” Without another word, she felt something pressing against her lips. At first, she didn’t react, but then, she felt a tongue tickle her lip. She giggled a little, then placed a hand in front of her. She pushed back, her mind filling up with something else. The swirls of red and black faded away as she smiled. Ian’s face was in front of hers.
“Hello, beautiful. Sorry for making you worry.”
“It’s okay. Just don’t ever do it again.”
“I make no promises, but I think I will keep it on a much smaller scale in the future.”
She giggled for a second, buried her head in his neck, then everything faded out.
Iris felt very tired, but something was pulling her into the world. “I just want to sleep,” she muttered to no one in particular. “I will open up the shop, just 10 more minutes and I will open it.”
“You know, for the longest time, I thought that story about the village sleeping was a wild story, but after meeting you and seeing that you have slept for four full weeks in a five-week period, I can see that it isn’t so far-fetched.”
Iris’s eyes flew open. She looked around at her room. Directly beside her bed was a second, smaller bed. Ian smiled at her, “There are those beautiful eyes.” He scooted forward and leaned toward her, giving her a gentle kiss on her forehead. This was followed by a grimace.
“I understand. If it has been two weeks, you’ve probably already found someone else to love.”
“That’s not even remotely funny, and I will make you pay for it when you are doing a little better.”
“Bring it, pretty boy.”
“What? What did you just call me?”
Iris giggled, “Yeah, it doesn’t really suit you now that you are grown up. But that was how I thought of you at the funeral. I thought you were a very pretty boy.”
“You figured it out, then?”
“Of course.”
“Because I showed you the image?” His smile was lopsided because he already knew the answer.
“I would have figured it out,” she pouted at him.
He leaned forward and kissed her. “Pout all you want. I think it is adorable.”
Iris smiled at him. “Maybe fancy man? Handsome ass?”
There was a cough from the door, and her eyes moved up and landed on her father. He sighed, “I leave you for one trip, and I can’t even tell you how many rules and laws you have broken.”
“I let you go on one trip, and you can’t even come back safely.”
He frowned at her, “It wasn’t like I planned to get abducted.”
“Yeah, well, now you know what will happen when you don’t keep your promises to me.”
“Young lady, this is not acceptable. What you did—”
Iris groaned, “You are welcome, Father, for coming and saving you when they were arguing over what they should do. You are welcome, Father, for not exploding, sorry, imploding in your house after you neglected to tell me anything about my powers. You are welcome, Father, for taking care of the shop for one day before blacking out from an overaccumulation of the powers I didn’t know I had. You are welcome, Father, for forgiving you after everything you have put me through.”
“I was trying to—”
“I know what you were trying to do, but you need to learn to ask for help when you are out of your depth. And when it comes to magic, you are always out of your depth.”
The man sighed, “I do appreciate what you did, but you nearly got yourself killed. Do you think that I could live with myself knowing that you died to save me?”
“Do you think I could live with myself knowing that I could have saved you?”
“Do you know how to let someone make a point without throwing it back in their face?”
“Sorry, Father, I never understood that lesson.”
A faint smile passed over his lips. “I will see what I can do, but I’m afraid the queen is understandably upset with both of you, and she will force you to talk to her about it. I cannot stop her decision or change her mind.”
Iris looked up at the ceiling and shrugged. “Somehow facing the queen after merging two worlds doesn’t seem so scary.”
There was a chuckle from the door. “I am never going to win with you again. I can’t compete with that.”
“Just remember that, and there will be peace in our home.”
They spoke a little while longer, her father keeping his distance. He said he did not want to intrude because he knew his place was not to the side and not by her side. Bowing to them, he said that they could talk later, and left to take care of other business. Once her father was gone, Iris rolled over and looked at Ian. She was about to talk, when he shook his head, “It is time we faced up to the wrongs that we committed, because we did a lot of wrongs.”
“I only regret two things.”
He moved closer to her, “And what are those?”
“Not protecting you. What happened?”
“Ah, well, no matter what my hair color is, I am not an assassin, so when I walked into a cavern full of pirates, I was not really equipped to take them on. Actually, most assassins probably couldn’t have taken them on. That was not what I had expected, but I wasn’t about to leave the hostages, either.”
“We should have stayed together.”
“I can’t be your anchor if I’m pulled in, too. That was the flaw with my father and your mother. Well, that and the fact that they couldn’t sync.”
“That was not a problem for us.”
“Nooooo, that was decidedly not a problem. The problem was in getting you to stop.”
“I thought you were dying.”
“And you were right, but Callie is quite good. She ended up sleeping for nearly a week after fixing me, you, and a few of the hostages. And your father. She is incredibly gifted. And Caden is pretty mad at me for her having to work so hard.”
“She is amazing. A real natural.” Iris looked at her hands.
“I mean she didn’t cause a mountain to nearly cave in on itself, or open a chasm from the other realm here, but she is quite good for what she does.”
“Life and death magic. Hers is better.”
“Her magic is a lot of healing, including the fire, but it isn’t life magic. Your abilities are a better deterrent. I guarantee that word is going to spread, and the Unwashed will find it much harder to get pirates and other miscreants to join them in the future. At least as long as there is a death walker in Solona.”
“Death walker? That’s a terrible name.”
“I didn’t come up with it. Anyway, word has made it around town, and I think we are going to need to lay low for awhile. Like several years.”
“I can’t do that. I’m on the board.”
“No, you aren’t. You were kicked off while we were off fighting evil in the world.”
“Really, they didn’t even wait to see if I was successful?”
“Success is irrelevant. They don’t want people taking off with their ships, so they can’t let you set a precedence.”
“I guess we both have more free time now.”
“Well, I may have to spend mine in jail. Your father wasn’t kidding about the queen.”
“I don’t care. She isn’t putting you in jail, I won’t let her.”
“You aren’t going to threaten the queen.”
“I don’t have to. All I have to do is bring up the past and guilt her into doing the right thing.”
“I’m not sure that will work.”
Iris put her hand over his. “We will worry about that later. For now, I am feeling really tired.”
“Yes, your magic will do that to you. I will be here every time you wake.”
“Can you be a pretty tiger?” She looked at him.
“You brat,” he laughed and leaned over to kiss her.
“Fine, if you won’t shift, could you join me in my bed?” Iris looked at him pleadingly. “I just want to feel you when I wake because you calm me. We won’t be doing anything like that in my father’s house.”
Ian smiled, then shifted over to her bed. He gave her a gentle kiss, then rolled her over. She pressed her back into him and drifted back to sleep.
Three days later the couple were waiting outside the court.
“I haven’t seen Caden or Callie around since we returned.” Iris looked up at a window.
“They have not been back since we returned. Caden chewed me out for everything, but I’m afraid it didn’t stick. I failed to regret it, so it was in one ear, out the other.”
The doors opened. “The queen is ready.”
Ian looked at her and spoke to her mind, “Ready?”
She smiled and winked.
The couple walked into the room and immediately they both had things they wanted to say about overcompensating, but they kept it to themselves so that they would not start the hearing by giving the queen the wrong impression.
Queen Freya looked intimidating sitting on her throne, guardians on both sides.
“You are both charged with a wide range of violations of the law, several treaties, and policies. I need to hear from you what happened.”
Iris and Ian started talking at the same time, each trying to talk over the other.
The queen rapped a stick on the floor. “Well, it is obvious that you either hate each other or that you have, in fact, broken the guardians’ primary rule.”
Ian was prepared much faster than Iris to respond to that one. “That was my fault. I seduced her.”
The queen leaned forward, “Is this true?” The question was directed at Iris.
“I saw that our bond was red, and I took advantage of that. I told him I was scared and begged him to come to me faster. I then insisted that he undress in front of me in my private cabin. And when he tried to prevent it, I constantly pressed him to keep going. I am certain that he feels he led me astray, although I think that the majority of the blame lies with me.”
“Your story is certainly more detailed.”
Ian spoke up, “I can provide details, you—”
The queen raised a hand, “You have broken the primary directive, Ian, and with your first mystic. I am afraid that I have to agree that you have no place in the Order.”
“I understand and accept responsibility.”
“Good. Next, Iris, did you really only find out about your abilities within the last month?”
Iris looked over at Ian. “Um, I believe it was two weeks and five days ago when I was on the boat heading to save my father.”
The queen’s eyes widened and her eyebrows went up. “You didn’t even know what you could do when you rashly rushed off to save your father? On your own? Leaving behind two highly capable guardians who understood your abilities? That hardly seems logical.”
“I wasn’t thinking logically. I was thinking linearly. After 21 years, I have learned that people think that I don’t need to know anything unless I force my way into the middle of… whatever is going on. Caden had promised my father that he wouldn’t tell me of my powers in my father’s absence, but Caden also kept warning me that I needed to talk to him. I did not feel inclined to divulge my nightmares and terrible memories as he wasn’t giving me anything beyond ominous warnings. Ian broke from him and followed me. He told me everything that he knew.”
“He told you about layering the worlds?”
“Yes.” Iris felt a hand slide into her. Looking to the side, she saw Ian smiling at her.
The queen’s eyebrow was raised again. Ian gave a slight bow, “Sorry, Your Majesty, her temperature is rising, and I need to help her.”
“Hmm,” the queen responded. She closed her eyes and sighed a very weary sigh. “Given the Order’s inability to properly manage Iris, I am placing her solely in your care. Given the amount of stress she has endured over the last month, I think that you will need to take her away for a while. A few years. Somewhere that her powers are not now the center of gossip.”
The couple stared at her.
“At the druids’ request, I have agreed to send her to them where she can learn, as they put it—not to nearly drag the entire world into ruin.”
The pair looked at each other. Iris then turned to look at the queen. “I am to leave Solona?”
“Well, I certainly couldn’t insist that they come here, nor could I argue with their logic. We felt the earthquakes are here, mild, but still they were noticeable. I can’t leave you with the guardians since I do not trust them to instruct you properly. The best I can do is send this deviant with you.” She gestured to Ian, who hid a smile.
Iris bowed, “Thank you, Your Majesty. Can I bring my father with me?”
“That is not my decision. You will need to talk to him.” She waved them out of the court.
Ian knew that it was best to just go, but he could not help but step forward. “That’s it?”
“Were you hoping for worse punishment?”
“No, I just don’t want to be dragged back here again for the same incident. My father had to repeatedly return for the same case for several years.’
“Yes, well, your father worked for my father, so less than optimal conditions. But I suspect you are wondering why I have been so lenient?”
Ian looked at Iris, “I don’t think lenient is the word. You seem to be overlooking a lot when it would benefit you not to overlook them.”
“Oh, well, that does put it into a different perspective, and I feel that you need to put your mind at rest. If you must know, I was actually quite fond of Mia, as well as your father. It was I who assigned him to her. At least it was my request that pushed that pairing. Your father assisted me with my abilities for years, and I felt that he was the best choice to help Mia. Though our powers are not the same, they are rare and difficult to wield. And I wanted the best for Mia. It was because of her that I was able to see my mother one more time. She gave a little bit of herself so that I could say farewell because I was abroad when my mother died. Mia gave me those few minutes, and it changed my life. I know what it is to have a terrible burden, and to have no one to talk to about it. And it was my suggestion that ultimately ended up resulting in both of them dying. My father learned of her abilities because of what she did for me, and my father was not one to let an opportunity go. I have felt guilty about it ever since. I realize that Iris is not Mia, but someday, I hope to be able to discuss our burdens because there is no one else who understands mine. Well, Caden, but he is not a panacea, and he has gone off and found the love of his life, so he has less time for friends these days.”
Ian hid a smile behind his hand as Iris repressed a giggle.
The queen raised an eyebrow, “What is so funny?”
Ian cleared his throat, “Actually, we thought he and Callie were avoiding us, but something you just said reminded me that he and Callie missed an entire week following our disappearance. He is probably not at all concerned about anyone else, as you pointed out. I can understand that.” He squeezed Iris’s hand.
“Indeed. Thank you for that.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm. The couple turned to leave when she called back to them, “Iris, I want you to know that you are always welcome here, although I recommend for a while you come in disguise. I will not be able to visit you, but I would like to see your progress and know that the mistakes that have been made with you up to this point have been righted.”
Ian and Iris exchanged a look. Iris bowed, “I would be honored, Your Majesty. And I will make sure to remind them that I am not a representative of Solona, merely a citizen.”
“If you speak to them about that particular incident, feel free to claim the right of a representative. They are quite impressed that you were able to keep the worlds from collapsing with so little training. If your abilities can gain us further trust, we can use all of the ties we can get to rectify the wrongs of my father. Have a lovely day.”
The couple hurried out before she had a chance to call them back.
The next week, the couple were on the same ship in the same cabin. Iris’s father had to stay behind to manage the guild and other items, but he promised to join them within a couple of months. He hinted very heavily that he expected there to be a wedding within a year. Ian promised to try to convince Iris, but pointed out even he could only make her see so much reason. When they left him, Easton seemed sad but less burdened.
The first night on the ship, the couple was holding hands as they burst into the cabin laughing.
Iris laughed, “The look on his face. Priceless!”
Ian pulled her into a kiss. When he let go, he caressed her cheek. “It was certainly something, but I wouldn’t say priceless.” He pulled her in again before she could interrupt. “You know, you never did tell me what your second regret was.”
“Oh, um,” her cheeks flushed, “who can remember that long ago?”
“Clearly you do. You look like you are about to fry your dress off.”
Iris giggled, “No, that I will just slip off. Do you have any idea how long it took me to design it?”
“It took you two hours, 13 minutes to design it.” Ian smiled at her.
Seconds later, her dress was resting on the floor.
“You have a hard time unfastening pants, but a massive dress takes a couple seconds?” Ian was staring at her body, his mind barely able to focus on anything else.
“Those kinds of dresses are made for quick removal. To encourage sex, not discourage.”
Ian tried to grab her. Iris quickly sidestepped the attempt and giggled as she ran around the room. Ian chased her around, throwing his own clothes on the floor. By the time he finally caught her, his clothes were scattered everywhere.
“But you do love to make a mess,” she laughed, looking around the cabin.
“It isn’t my fault that they pin men into their clothes. It wasn’t my idea. Usually I keep an immaculate room.”
“Okay, next time you wear the dress, and I will wear the pants.”
“How about you design some easy-to-remove clothing for me?” He began kissing her neck.
She giggled at the idea, “Maybe something that falls off when you aren’t expecting it.”
“I would prefer not to expose myself in public.”
“Who said I was making anything for you to wear outside of the bedroom?”
He ran his hands up her back, “Are you trying to further limit me?”
“Would it be so bad to be trapped in my bedroom?”
“If you were always there with me,” he slipped between her legs, “I don’t think I would complain.” He enjoyed making her moan every time she tried to talk. It was only after she had climaxed that he let her talk again.
“I guess,” she panted, “I can make something you can wear outside of the bedroom, too. It may be the only time I can have any control over you.”
“You always have complete control over me.” He leaned down and kissed her as he slowly started to set a new rhythm.
Bree’s Dragon
By: Lisa Daniels
Chapter 1
Unexpected News
“Gods! Is it morning already?” A rather sleepy voice was muffled through several blankets. Throwing them off displayed the incredibly vibrant curly red hair of an unbelievably attractive woman. Despite having just woken, everything about her looked like she had just stepped out of the halls of the gods. Sparkling green eyes reflected an intelligence that seemed in dissidence with the pretty features. Her nose was petite, but not small. Her cheeks bones were obvious, but they did not look sharp. A well-defined jaw rested under glimmering pink lips that looked almost heart-shaped.
The beautiful mouth widened to reveal a perfect set of teeth and a very pink tongue. The young woman’s yawn was far more an exaggeration than a necessity. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, the woman made her way to a small chest with an energy that did not seem to belong to the morning. With a quick gesture, she flicked the chest open and began flipping through all of her available dresses. Given the size of the chest, it was nearly impossible to believe just how much clothing the redhead was able to cram into it.
Suddenly, her face brightened, “Well hello, old friend! It has been quite a while since we last got together.” With a melodic laugh, a shiny green dress was drawn from a small space behind most of the other clothing.
The woman’s steps were light as she danced with her dress across the floor and into a small bathroom. Pulling off her glittering golden nightdress, the woman tossed it to the floor and picked up her underclothing. She gave them a skeptical look and tossed them on top of her night dress. “I think not today.” Parading around the bathroom without any clothing, the woman washed her faced, brushed and styled her hair, looked in the mirror with a gentle frown, and admired the view from her current location. In the building opposite was a rather young looking man whose eyes were clearly watching the young woman. His hands were held up to his mouth as if he was taking an imaginary drink of tea, a look that hinted at the cup that had been there until he had looked out of the window at the inn. The young woman gave him a huge smile and an energetic wave before moving back into the bedroom area, the dress back in her hands.
Pulling open a small drawer in the chest, the young woman decided on a simple set of underclothing that would be more comfortable for traveling. Pulling the dress on over her head, the red head moved toward the door without a backward look at the mess she had made that morning.
She missed the little head shake her neighbor gave before leaning over to see if she was still moving about naked. Soon after he called in a servant to clean up the broken cup and get him a change of clothes as his current outfit was covered in tea.
Not entirely unaware of what she had done, the young woman bounced down three flights of stairs, her arms swinging and a beautiful melody resonating from her chest as she hummed. Her long fingers curled, and her arm stretched to rap on the door marked 204. She continued to hum as she turned the handle and barged into the room.
Her body stopped as the sight that met her eyes was not the childhood friend that she expected but a young couple clearly intent on something that did not require her presence. The sound of the door closing behind her did not register as the woman’s eyes moved between the two figures on the bed. Instead of turning and leaving, the young woman put her hands on her slim hips, “And just what do you two think you are doing here? And I don’t mean the obvious.”
The man immediately got off of a very dainty looking woman. Hurriedly pulling the sheet over himself and the blanket over his companion, he rose from the bed. Extending a hand, the scantily clad man introduced himself, “I am Phelan, and my charming companion is Taja. You must be the friend that we were told would stop by to visit.”
An eyebrow rose as a smirk spread across the red head’s mouth, “Oh, I see. She did a runner last night. Good gods, but that woman…” With a shake of her brilliantly lively hair, the woman looked between the couple. The woman’s face was very striking, and she looked far less composed than the man. Holding out her hand, the red head took the proffered hand as she sized up the male. He was just slightly taller than her, though his build was clearly a lot more muscular. Despite his apparent composure, his cheeks were nearly as red as her hair. “It is very nice to meet you Phelan. I’m Bree, Annora’s friend, as you already know.” There was a slight gasp from him as she gave his hand a very firm shake. Letting it go, the young woman turned to a chair. “I do hope you don’t mind a bit of interrogation. It is rather unfortunate, but I am somewhat busy and need to head out soon, and since I did not hear that my friend was going to depart, I need a few details to make sure she hasn’t done anything stupid. You will be allowed to return to your previous activities shortly.”
Phelan looked back at the woman on the bed. Taja smiled as she looked at the red-haired woman, “Well, Ms. Bounty Hunter did say that we should expect a bubbly woman in the morning. Since she was kind enough to give us her room, we may as well consider this payment for such luxurious accommodations.”
Phelan moved to sit on the bed as Bree clicked her tongue. Taja moved next to her companion and put her arm through his, almost like she couldn’t stand to be without physical contact. Bree noticed, but her mind was a bit too preoccupied with their words to make fun of the woman for her clinginess. “So, Annora said that she was a bounty hunter and she told you that she acquired the rooms, huh?” Her eyebrows were raised.
The couple looked at each other, their nervousness clear. Phelan responded, “Well, no. We assumed from the fact that she was…um, running out at night into a dangerous forest dressed as a man – we figured she must be a bounty hunter. And she never said otherwise.”
Bree raised an eyebrow.
The petite woman responded, her nearly platinum blond hair tumbling around her doll-like face, “Actually, she kind of did, didn’t she?”
“I don’t remember her saying anything against it.” The way the pair talked made Bree wonder if they forgot she was there.
“No, remember when we said something about her coming after you, she said, ‘I'm not going to track any creature that has aided me.’ She never said she was hunting people.”
The man laughed and kissed the woman’s forehead, “I wish I had your memory. Of course, you are right. We didn’t pick up on it at the time, did we?”
The doll-like woman’s head shook, causing her hair to sway against her face. It was a cute style that really suited her little features.
As interesting as it was to watch these two, Bree was in a hurry. Clearing her throat, she reminded them that she was there before saying, “That does sound like Annora. Before moving on to the second lie, what exactly are you not telling me about her appearance when you bumped into her?”
Both pairs of eyes immediately moved to the clothes on the floor before shifting around the room. It was obvious that they were going to lie.
“Never mind. I'm sure I’ll find out soon enough, so don’t bother lying. I’ll bet it was something stupid like a broken bone or bloody injury.” The pair exchanged a look, and Bree said triumphantly, “So obviously she was bloodied. Well, I hope she didn’t leave too much on your clothes as I do not plan to have them cleaned on her behalf.”
Bree’s hand slapped the arm of the chair causing the couple to jump. They both pulled their sheets and blanks to cover themselves as Bree stood. “As for the second lie, she didn’t procure this room. I did that. You’ll probably say that she simply told you to use this room or some such nonsense to defend her. But honestly, someone could have told me something.”
“Actually ma’am,” Taja looked concerned as she appeared to be getting angry at her friend, “She left you a letter. I had tried to slip it under your door, but there were….was a problem.”
The way he reworded his sentence made Bree laugh. “Ah yes, there was no way for you to get up to the floor to leave it. So where is the letter?” As the young man rose, Bree waved him off, “Oh please, just point to it. I would hate for your clothing to fall off while I am in the room.” The way she looked at him suggested Bree would not be at all upset, but that just made Phelan blush harder. Taja leaned over him and pointed at something on the desk. Bree’s eyes followed the direction and there on the table was a familiar handwriting that could only be Annora’s.
Shaking her head, Bree moved over and picked up the letter, “Do you have any idea how difficult it was to get her to learn her letters. I am at least glad she has kept up with it.” Her eyes flitted over the note before creasing it and slipping it into an unseen pocket in her dress. “Well, I would love to go after her to reprimand her for this, but by now she’s gods know where facing down a monster. And I have quite enough work of my own.”
Taja tilted her head to the side, “So she hunts beasts for a living.”
Bree took in a deep breath and gave the pair a knowing look, “Yes, she does, but as she said, there would have to be a good reason for her to go after either of you.”
Both heads swiveled to look at each other, a look of concern painting their lovely features. Phelan bit his lip and turned to say something to her, his embarrassment from earlier clearly worn off. There was a gentle smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes as he looked at the authoritative woman who had interrupted their love making, “She is more than human isn’t she?”
Bree gave him an incredulous look before answering, “She’s 100% human, unlike the three of us.”
Again, they exchanged a look that they were ill at ease the longer Bree was in the room, a reaction that the woman was rather accustomed to. Then the man began to laugh, “Ah well, I suppose I should have known that people up here are a little bit more knowledgeable about humanoids than the people in cities. I was certain last night that there was something about your friend that suggested she wasn’t human, but it was late and we were-”
“Tired.” Taja cut in trying to keep him from saying what had actually happened once they had arrived.
Bree shook her head, “You didn’t look tired to me, and I know that second generation pixie’s have enough stamina to best a griffin.
And-”
Phelan couldn’t help but cut in, “Second generation?” His eyes went back to his companion. “I thought you were third generation.”
Taja shrugged, “I didn’t know I was any Pixie amount of pixie before you, so don’t look at me.”
A sad smile spread across Bree’s face as she watched them. It was hardly the first time she had encountered something like this, but at least the pair had found each other. With any luck they would be enough. Interrupting their dialogue, Bree tried to wrap up their discussion so that she could move on to her own work. “She is definitely second generation, which means that her grandmother on her father’s side was full pixie. That should be enough if you are looking to locate her family.”
Taja shook her head and hugged Phelan’s arm tighter, “I have all the family I need right here.”
Bree could guess the girl’s story. Humans always loved the humanoids until the pressure from other humans turned the love to hate. With a knowing sigh, the young woman gave them a strange look, “Well, I have no doubt you will be singing a different tune the next time I see you.”
They both frowned at her not understanding what Bree was hinting at. Brushing the stomach of her dress, Bree continued, “As I was saying, I have known enough shifters to know that it is nearly impossible to tire one.” Her eyes caught and held Phelan’s eyes.
The color drained from his face.
Bree gave them one of her winning smiles and a wink, “Do you really think that I’m in a position to say anything?” She laughed, “Of course, I am, but I'm not going to. Clearly you’re not one of the dangerous ones, otherwise you wouldn’t be traveling with a Pixie.” Her eyes travelled his body taking in the way it was built, “Your stature is a bit small, but from the musculature, I’m going to say something big.” A huge smile spread across her face, “Don’t tell me you are a griffin! That would be-”
Phelan was shaking his head, his lips pressed together for a moment, “Definitely not.”
“Hmm, then….maybe a … bear?” Bree moved closer, her mind totally taken with the challenge in front of her. Her eyes flicked to the dragon on the man’s upper arm. “I’ve never heard of any dragon shifters. You wouldn’t make it that obvious any way. I don’t think that it would even be possible to make shift without destroying the human form.” Her eyes were so intent on the puzzle that she missed the flash in the man’s eyes.
He merely smiled, “You seem to be enjoying it too much for me to tell you.”
Bree wrinkled her nose at him, “You wouldn’t tell me even if I begged. You shifters are so secretive.”
Taja frowned as Phelan shook his head again, “Not all of us. It really depends on what our people think of humans.”
“Oh please,” she rolled her eyes, “I’ve never known a shifter who actually liked humans. And I dare say you are no exception. I’m not about to force you to tell me and I really must be going.” The young woman abruptly turned to leave, her curiosity nearly forgotten. If the young man did not have such an attractive female companion, things probably would have turned out differently. Bree had certainly found the man very attractive, but it was clear from the way the pair interacted that there would be no point in trying to toy with him.
Her hand was on the door when Taja called out, “Ms. Bree?”
The young woman spun around. Her eyes the size of saucers at the way the young woman addressed her. “I am not a Ms. anybody,” she responded regaining her cheerful disposition.
Taja cast her eyes down shyly, “I’m sorry. I just have one question.”
“It’s quite alright since I know you didn’t mean any offense by it.”
“You said you aren’t human either.”
Bree moved her head a little to the side waiting for Taja to finish. She knew exactly what the girl was going to ask, and she wasn’t about to make it any easier.
When Taja realized that Bree didn’t know the question, she stumbled over her words, “May I ask, um, exactly what – I mean not that it matters, but…um…” Her voice faltered. Phelan looked worried as his eyes turned to Bree wondering how she would respond.
Bree simply laughed. “I am one of a kind. However, I can say that I am pleased that it is difficult to tell that I am not human. Bree looked at Phelan’s eyes as they looked at her a little differently. “And what do you see Mr. Shifter?”
If it had come from anyone else, Phelan may have taken offense, but the way Bree said it was clear there was no malice or accusation behind it – just a statement of who they were. It was a sign of respect within the humanoid world to be recognized as part of your people. He bit his lip and furrowed his brow, “I am not entirely certain. There’s definitely a magic aura, but it is not at all similar to a witch or wizard. It’s too strong to be any of the most common humanoids, and judging by the way you talk about shifters, I dare say you aren’t one.” Finally, his eyes met Bree, “I have to say that I cannot honestly tell. You do hide it well.” There was a sincere smile on his lips as he gave her his assessment.
Bree gave them a deep curtsey, “I thank you both for the morning entertainment and kind words. As a parting gift, I will tell you that whatever you are seeking, you should stop now.”
Taja looked at Phelan as he looked out of a window, “I cannot. I am acquiring things that are important to my people.”
“There is no treasure more important than what you have and fail to see.” Bree’s face was more serious than they had yet seen as she offered her warning.
Phelan turned to face her, “Taja supports me, and I will not let her come to harm. But I must do this. Those things that were lost are too important to remain gone. The power in them is too dangerous to remain up for anyone to find or for humans to use.” There was bitterness in his words.
Bree gave him a gentle smile, “I fully understand the sentiment, but you have more pressing matters. And I have no doubt that if you were to stop and consider your situation, you would agree. There are others to do what you should not.”
“How can I give up now? Even if I cannot…” he looked out the window again, a troubled expression creasing his handsome face.
His head snapped to Bree as she let out a loud laugh, “Oh, the how is easy.” She leaned forward and in a mock whisper she informed them, “Mr. Shifter, you’ve knocked your companion up.”
The look on the pair of faces was priceless. Giving her head a small satisfied nod, Bree turned, “Have a lovely few days. You are welcome to stay here for the next year. I will make sure it is all taken care of before I go. But do find a place of your own before the baby starts to call this home.” Bree gave them a wink as she left the room.
Her steps were light as she returned to her rooms to finish packing.
Within 10 minutes she had everything packed up and ready to go. With a sigh, Bree left the inn as she pulled out the letter her friend had left and her eyes scanned the contents again.
Suddenly, Bree tripped, pitching forward. A strong pair of arms stopped her from hitting the ground. The letter floated to the ground as Bree looked up into a pair of reddish eyes. Her breath caught as she took in the chiseled face of someone who was obviously another shifter, but all her mind saw was a breathtaking man with luxurious brown hair that framed an impossibly handsome face.
“Ye gods, I didn’t think that your type was possible,” she muttered, her heart fluttering in a way that was unnerving. For the first time in forever, she felt like a young girl developing her first crush.
The man’s face went from a wary expression to one that would strike fear into the hearts of anyone less courageous than Bree. “With that sentiment, I would be forgiven for dropping you, you fouled mouthed-”
Bree covered his mouth with a finger and pressed her body against his. There was a look of fright on his face for a moment, but he recovered so quickly it would have been impossible to notice had she not been in his arms. “I didn’t mean that in an offensive way. I merely meant that you look like a perfect statue come to life or an angel returned from extinction. You are….” Bree’s checks flushed pink as she caught herself from saying any more. It was such a ridiculous mistake to make with someone she didn’t know. With a laugh and a wave of her hand, she tried to brush off what she had been saying, “Like the hero of a story rushing in to save a foolish woman from herself. You seem too good to be true.”
The man raised an eyebrow at her before realizing he was still holding on to her. “You are welcome,” was all he said before turning and walking away from her. Several men followed him, all of them looking back at her as they left. All except the one who had caught her. Bree could hear them talking about her as they entered the Palace Paradise.
Bree closed her eyes and put her hand on her chest, “That was truly terrifying. I’m supposed to be beyond that.” A shiver ran down her spine as her eyes immediately went back to the door where she had last seen the man. “Oh, I have a bad feeling about this.” Her heart was still beating a little too fast as the young woman finally turned and tried to put her mind back on her current task.
Wishing she had time to check up on Annora, Bree took a deep breath and told herself that Annora was both smart and strong enough to be able to handle herself. Any more delays and Bree would be putting a whole lot of lives in danger. “Life really is unfair,” she muttered as the images of her friend and an impossible handsome man floated before her eyes. Tilting her head back, Bree forced a smile on her lips. Feeling more like herself, the young woman began to make her way to the gates of Defiance.
Removing a small badge from her bag, Bree fashioned the medical indicator on her arm. The woman channeled her focus on what was really important as she stepped onto the road. While it would have guaranteed her safety if Bree displayed what she actually was, she preferred not to advertise. It meant she got to be very selective about which jobs she chose, as well as ensuring that she was far more effective in her passion – spying. Having people think that she was a medic was the next best thing. Apart for people like her, there was no group as well travelled and respected as medics. If anyone messed with medics, the perpetrators soon found themselves doomed to natural. Medics were kind hearted and giving, but they were anything but forgiving. Anyone who harmed a medic would never receive medical help again. Bree knew just enough about human medicines and medicines to be able to fool most people. It also added to her appeal as men tended to love the woman who nursed them back to health. Loose lips made her real job that much easier.