Author's Note

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything, years to be exact. lol

But the mystery character still has not risen. I'm still working on the it.

Hope you enjoy this chapter, possible lemon in the next one.

I do not own the rights to the Merry Gentry series and the characters etc..Laurell K. Hamilton does (she's brilliant lol)

Also would like to know what suggestions you all have etc!

Read. Enjoy. Review

Chapter 4

Unsure of who was at my door, I decided to wait a moment longer before answering. There was yet another knock, a tad harder and more urgent than before.

"Maeve, I know you are there," the voice said.

I sighed and made sure my robe was covering what it needed to before I opened the door. Standing there was Crystall, another of my guard. He was tall, not like my Ivi, but a foot or so shorter. His skin was pure white, a little translucent if you looked at it long enough. His eyes were like mine, changing each and every day. Today they were tri-colored red, orange and yellow, looking as if he had fire in his eyes. His hair was the most magnificent in the court, my own opinion. It was long down to his knees, clear like a prism. When it caught any light, it would turn and shine like a rainbow, sending smaller rainbows about whatever room he was in.

"Crystall, it is very late and you are not on guard tonight," I said quickly.

He nodded, taking a step back so that I could open the door more and step into the hallway.

"I know, Princess, but I came to tell you that your parents have not left the throne room yet." He told me, a slight stammer in his voice.

"Is there anything the matter as to why Queen Andais has taken to entertaining them longer?" I asked.

He shook his head quickly. I sighed and thought of retreating back into my room. Crystall looked at me, tilting his head slighting, as if something had intrigued him. He took a step closer to me, putting his hand near my cheek, as if to caress it. My skin started to shine ever so slightly with my power, anticipating his touch. As if sensing this, his power began to rise slowly, starting first as a small glimmer of light under the skin intermingling with my own. His ghostly glow and my pure white light sending away every shadow in the hall. Feeling both our power together brought a sharp gasp from my lips. There was a small cough to the left of us, causing him to stop in mid-motion and let his hand fall back to his side, his power fading almost immediately.

"Don't stop on my account," Ivi said quietly.

Crystall looked at him, slowly realizing something on his face, stepped back a foot from me and bowed down on one knee, head looking to the floor beneath him.

"I apologize, Princess and Captain of my guard, I did not mean anything by it." He says, voice muffled as if it hurt to say the words.

Ivi stepped out from his post, looking to me, glowing like a star in the dark night and then to Crystall. My head was spinning from the altercation, as if it couldn't quite comprehend the situation, which in fact I did not.

Sighing, I went to Crystall placed my hand under his chin, forcing him to look up at me. My power was fading from my skin ever so slowly as if it wished to remain and never hide again.

"How many times must I tell you all, do not call me Princess and please stand up, I am not the Queen and do not make my guards bow to me with every indiscretion."

Crystall smiled shyly, standing as he did. Ivi sighed and folded his arms across his chest, his skin starting to shine with his power. Something he rarely did only calling power if he needed in battle. Crystall bowed at the waist, taking one of my hands in his and laid a tiny kiss on my knuckles sending a shock down my hand to my groin. Ivi glared at him as if he wanted to tear him limb from limb. His eyes shown with the colored light that threatened to escape at any moment.

"I apologize again, Maeve. Tomorrow I will not make the same mistake again," he says, still smiling.

Ivi steps to the side of me sending his power like a sword to cut into the other man in front of me, something he did to make the other guards fear him. Crystall turned his head to look at him again eyes squinting as if he were hurt worse, then nodded and went on his way. Exhausted from the confusing encounter, I turned to look at Ivi. He had made his face a calm mask again, hiding whatever he was thinking in that moment. His skin fading back to that wonderful color I loved and wished to have all over my body one day. He looked at me as if he could hear my thoughts as clearly as if I had spoken them.

Hawthorne fidgeted slightly in the corner of my eye, making me turn to him. He had a look of being uncomfortable and somewhat fearful, which made me turn my face away so he would not see the curiousness and wonderment in my eyes.

"Ivi, will you escort me to my brother's room so I may bid him goodnight?"

Hawthorne gazed at me as if looking straight through me and then turned to his Captain. Ivi nodded, closing my door. He said something to Hawthorne, by which he replied with a whisper nodding and turned going towards his room down the hall.

"And why did you send Hawthorne away?" I asked suspiciously. "Mustn't he guard my door so no one will try to enter without my being here?"

"He is tired from today's…excitement and wishes to rest. By my orders he will send another guard to your door." He explains, holding his arm out to me. His beautiful tri-colored eyes begging me to accept him.

Taking his arm in mine, I nodded and started walking towards the direction of my brother's room. Roane's room was a few corners away. But as soon as we came to the first turn, Ivi stopped and pulled me into his arms too quickly for me, causing me to gasp and freeze in his grasp. He loosened his hold on me, so that I was able to look up at him, my skin tingling from the contact. Slowly he lowered his face unto mine, our lips so close together; I could feel the breath coming from his mouth. I wanted to close the space between us, to finally have his lips on mine.

To be continued…