Page 6 of Destined

He grasped her hand and walked to the tallest of the magnificent trees. He took out his crystal and touched it to the smooth gray bark. As he stepped back, a shimmering silver light outlined a long oval space that became a recess. Water formed a curtain of droplets across the space, slowing and then stopping as a Fae male emerged.

Christine gave the man the once-over. He was fair like Ryan and Wallace, but his coloring seemed much cooler. He was also lean and compact, a few inches shorter than Colm. He wore a thin white shirt and jeans that were so worn they almost matched. He confined his very long, white-gold hair in a loose braid that fell over his shoulder to his waist. His sea green eyes met Christine’s.

“Clan Leader Devalan of the Cloudstar,” Colm said, performing a respectful bow. “I am sent with an entreaty from Ryan Sheridan of Forever Faire regarding a lost Fae halfling.”

“You speak a selective truth, Longacre.” Devalan’s voice had a liquid quality that tickled Christine’s ears. When she cleared her throat to keep from giggling, he glanced at her. “I wager the halfling is but an excuse. Your master means to leverage the life-debt I owe him, and adds insult by sending his errand boy to collect.”

“Whoa. Nice manners, Clan King.” Christine turned to her lover. “I don’t want to meet these people. If he’s any indication, they’re not worth my time. Let’s go back to camp and find some hay to roll in, Handsome.”

Devalan peered closely at her face. “You refuse to meet us?”

Colm stepped between them. “This is Christine Marszalek, whom my liege believes may share your bloodline. She is one of the lost Fae we met while wintering in the mountains.”

Christine muffled a groan, while the clan leader jumped right on Colm’s slip.

“You met more than one lost to us? Where are the others?”

“There’s only one more, and she’s my sister, Kayla,” Christine said before Colm could reply. “She and our guys are holding off the Blackstone clan. More of them are coming, so we need your clan to help us kick some Dark Fae ass. That’s where the debt you owe Ryan comes into play.” She saw his face darken. “Thanks to Mom, I’m half-Fae, maybe even half-Cloudstar. You know I can’t lie to you, so what do you say, Clan King? Want to grab your guys and give us a hand?”

Devalan produced a small dagger and slashed it across his palm before offering the hilt to Christine.

“Cross your blood with mine, and then I will answer.” When Colm muttered something in the Fae language, the clan leader smirked a little. “He must love you. He just threatened to part me from my balls, should I harm you.”

“Hurt him, and I’ll make you wish he did.”

Christine used the tip of the dagger on the end of her finger, and squeezed a drop of blood from the tiny wound onto Devalan’s palm.

The clan leader closed his eyes and fisted his cut hand. A silvery light briefly glowed from under his clenched fingers. When he looked at Christine again his eyes took on the same glow.

She couldn’t decide if he looked pissed or afraid. “So are we kin, or not kin?”

“That is something we will discuss when I meet your sister.” Devalan’s eyes lost the unearthly glow as he regarded Colm. “I will send my warriors to provide aid to you and the outcasts. Tell your liege our debt is settled.”

Devalan stepped back into the tree recess, over which spilled a curtain of water. When the cascade stopped a moment later the space had vanished.

“So I guess I’m not meeting the folks,” Christine said, grinning up at Colm. “More time to find us some hay.”

Chapter 4

“THIS IS SO weird,” Kayla said as she inspected Wallace’s unmarked ankle.

As with Gavan and Tara, all she’d had to do was touch him to repair the raw wound he’d acquired while being dragged into the lake.

“Maybe my mother could do it, too. I mean, you guys have your own doctors and nurses, right? You don’t just use sex with mortals for healing, or there’d be a lot more halflings around.”

The blacksmith looked as if he smelled a skunk.

“Right,” Kayla muttered. As she stood, she looked at Ryan. “I think that’s your cue to explain the stuff you’ve been keeping from me.” Ryan’s mouth flattened into a line. Kayla put her hands on her hips. “Why is Wallace dodging my questions? And why does Gavan keep staring at me like I meant to rip off his face instead of heal it? Any time now, Ryan.”

“I will tell you, love,” he said, his voice tight. “’Tis the matter of where to do so.”

“The old grove,” Wallace suggested. “’Tis the only place where you may be protected while you, ah, remove any doubt.”

“Okay, now you’re starting to scare me,” Kayla said and studied her hands. “Does this healing stuff have a dark side? Could I hurt someone without meaning to? Is that why you’re so jumpy?”

Ryan put his arm around her shoulders. “We cannot speak of it here. Come, love. We will take a ride out to the grove. It is quiet and, as Wallace says, protected.”

Kayla suspected she wouldn’t get another word out of him about her power unless she agreed. “Let’s go.”