Puck: Where have you been? *Watching Dark Mina*
Dark Mina: Okay, I'm so so sorry about taking soooo long, but I stopped writing this story for a while to write another story, and then I had to write a different story for a class. I'm done with both and got extra credit on my story for class, you can read it on FictionPress if you want. ^-^ Now I'm back on this and I've come up with a new plan to get me to write faster ;) lets hope it works.
Ash: Let's just get on with the story
Recap: I knew Electra had to pay before she could run after me, even though she can sneak around it. I just hoped I had enough time. I went through the trod and came out to stand behind the Iron palace. I quickly ran inside and ran into the throne room where Mom and Glitch were still talking, since to them,Electra and I just left but for me and Electra,it's already felt like two hours. They were either drinking tea or something; I didn't really pay attention as I walked up to my mother.
"Mom, Electra, she's working with Mab to ki-" before I could even finish Mom fell out of her chair to the ground. "Mom!" I knelt down next to her as Glitch practically fell next to her on the other side of me. Dad came in shortly, almost like he sensed Mom was in trouble. Dad picked her up bridal style then he and Glitch ran out the room with a couple knights following right behind them. I stayed sitting on the floor dazed as I thought;I didn't think she meant this soon.
Kierran
Mom was laying in her bed unconscious. We had a few doctors, but they all told me and Dad what I already knew: That my mother was poisoned. They didn't know how to help her though.
I did.
Dad wouldn't leave Mom's side, which I was grateful for since I had to find Electra anyway. She was the one who started everything, she could end it too. The problem was, I didn't know at what price she would help me.
It didn't take long to find her. She was standing at the balcony by the throne room. Her brown hair was flowing in the little wind that was blowing through the air. She was wearing some new clothes too. She had on a dark red t-shirt with a black mini-skirt and a pair of matching sandals. I then noticed she was waiting for me as her pink lips curled into a cruel knowing smile. "Have you reconsidered my offer?" she asked me.
"Will you save my mother if I have?" I asked. I could hear no emotion in my own voice as I talked. I sometimes hated talking in such a emotionless voice, but once in a while it came in handy.
"How will I become queen if she lives?" Electra turned to me with a pout.
"How will you become queen if you let her die?" I set a glare on her. "I will tell my father who you are and who you're working with. You should know he will not take mercy on you, even if your Glitch's daughter."
She seemed to think this over. "Fine, if you at least agree to marry me, I will spare Queen Meghan's life."
"I'll agree to marry you if you save my mother, but if you're in any way connected to how she dies I will kill you myself." I didn't trust Electra, and some guide lines needed to be put down for her.
Electra hesitated though, which made me think she was even more untrustworthy. She finally agreed to my terms and gave me a vial of clear liquid. I questioned it since it looked exactly like water, but when I tilted the vial around it didn't move like water. "Put this in Queen Meghan's water," Electra explained. Of course it goes in water, I thought.
With a quick nod I was off to my parents' room. As soon as I walked in, though, I almost walked back out. The room was freezing. But I soon knew why. Dad was bent over in a chair by Mom's bed holding her hand. He was whispering something- like he was praying. It surprised me so badly I almost stopped breathing as my body froze. He didn't seem like the type to pray; hell Dad didn't even show his emotions most of the time out of a bad habit. Well, until he sees Mom.
Even when I was little, I would see when Dad saw my mother, his emotionless facade would just disappear. It mirrored the wind blowing the clouds away and being able to see the sun again. As soon as those clouds were gone, my dad's eyes would shine so bright you wondered how he hid it in the first place.
But now you could only see a cold statue of my dad hunched over my stone still mother.
"Dad?" I asked tentatively finally finding my voice.
Without looking at me he called back, "Yes?"
I slowly walked up behind him. "How's she doing?" I already knew the answer, but I needed to put the antidote into Mom's drink without him noticing-and my dad notices everything.
He shook his head. "Her breathing is slowing fast. I'm... afraid-" That put me through a tail spin-"I don't think she has much longer..." I stared at my father for a long time. He never admitted he was afraid to me ever.
"Dad, you should probably get some food or something." After a long stare at Mom he finally nodded.
He slowly got up and trudged out of the room.
I sighed and looked over at Mom's nightstand after he left. There was a small untouched glass of water sitting on it. I took the antidote out of my pocket and poured it into the clear liquid. I wasn't expecting anything, but the clear antidote went into the water green.
I watched it as it slowly turned the entire thing of water into a forest green color. It was like smoke from a fire as it filled a room.
I found a spoon next to the glass. I was mostly curious as I began to stir; I wanted to know if it would change anything. It did. The green quickly disappeared and the water looked clear again.
Suddenly I felt suspicious of Electra and her antidote, but she couldn't kill my mom. Could she? I thought. Had she already found a loop hole in our deal? I didn't think she did, so—with a hopeful pray the antidote was real and safe—I tilted my mother's head back and slowly had her drink the water.
As the last bit of the water went down her throat Glitch and my—for once—weak looking Dad came walking into the room with a green drink in his hand.
"What are you doing?" asked Glitch watching me still holding the now empty cup.
"Leave my son alone," Dad said sounding very tired. "If you haven't noticed his mother could be on her death bed." I swear my heart skipped a beat as he spoke.
Glitch bowed his head as an apology to my father, but I couldn't care less. I knew Mom was going to be okay and I couldn't wait until Dad knew too.
I looked down at Mom's resting face. I hoped she woke up soon before Dad did something stupid or regrettable, or both.
"Kierran."
I turned towards my dad. "Yeah?"
"Leave."
"What?"
"Leave your Mom to rest," Dad explained.
I knew he wanted to spend time with her, so I nodded. "O-okay," I said adding the stutter.
Once the door closed behind me, I went back to the balcony Electra was at before. She was still standing in the same spot. She was looking out at the land with glossy eyes. She hadn't noticed me yet either. I wondered what she was thinking about but didn't care to going to ask.
"Was that the real antidote?" I asked startling her. I couldn't help smirking a bit.
She turned to look at me. "Why do you ask?"
Not a good sign. "Just answer the question."
"It should have been," Electra said. "Unless it was the wrong one."
"Wrong one?" I growled.
"Both of the vials look the same, but I swore the one I gave you was the right one."
"How could you know?"
Electra seemed to think for a moment before pulling out a vial from her bra. I should have known she would use her woman's pocket. She looked at the vials lid, but then stared at me like I was the dumbest person she ever met.
"What?" I asked.
"What color did the water turn?" Electra asked, slowly, like I was a child.
"Green..." I was starting to guess what she was going to say before she said it.
"Idiot," started Electra annoyed, "that is the antidote. If it turned red it would be the poison."
"That's a bit cliché, isn't it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Green is good and red is bad?"
Electra rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up." I smiled a bit at her annoyed shaking head.
After a couple minutes Electra suddenly asked, "So, when are we going to tell our parents?"
I knew she was talking about her and me getting married and thought about it. With my mother sick and barely recovering, and my father being depressed over my mom, plus I didn't know exactly when Mom would be better. So I answered, "Um, once my mom is feeling better and things get back to normal."
"Oh good, then in two or three days we can tell them."
"In a hurry are we?"
"What do you expect?" Electra shrugged.
I shrugged also as I said, "I don't know. I didn't think I would ever agree to marry you."
"Why not? You don't think I'm pretty enough?"
"That's not it..." I was thinking of Thorn, of course. She was the woman I loved and probably always will love, and Electra was the enemy I was keeping close. Huge difference.
"What is it then?" Electra persisted setting a glare on me.
"It's not you—"sort of—"I just..." I didn't know what to say. I couldn't tell her I was in love with my best friend that was a Summer. Even though I was pretty sure she already knew, I didn't feel it was smart to confirm it either way.
"You don't like me do you?" Electra asked suddenly.
No. "I didn't say that."
"You're thinking it though, huh?"
Maybe. "No, of course not." Unlike everyone else I could lie. Thanks to the human blood from my mom's side, but I've made sure that only I knew that.
"Then what's the problem with me?"
"Like I said: It's not you."
"Oh really?"
I took a deep breath before finally saying, "I'm in love with someone else."
Electra stared at me with a blank eyes. She was like a statue, but her still face was suddenly cracked as an evil grin split it. It sent shivers down my spin. "You're in love," the girl started, "yet you have still agreed to marry me?"
I think I understood what she was talking about. "I'm only agreeing so you don't hurt my parents."
"You could just kill me, though."
"I'm not a killer." I could hear the defensiveness in my voice. It surprised me how dark it sounded.
Electra seemed surprise also as her numbered eyes widened a bit. She was staring at me again, I guess you could say she was studying me this time though.
"I'm going to my room," I said then. I turned on my heel walking away from Electra before she could say anything.
As I got to my room all I could think about was Thorn again. Electra said she had Mab capture her, but she didn't use her against me like she used my parents' lives. I wondered if Thorn escaped. It wouldn't surprised me if she did. Puck could get out of anything, and he passed that down to his daughter.
I have to ask Electra about her, I thought. But not tonight. I was too tired after a ridiculous date, my mom almost dying, and then agreeing to marry the enemy.
I fell onto my bed and my eyelids were too heavy to stay open anymore as sleep pulled me under.
Thorn
I noticed Ion glance at me as the men began to pursue us. I ignored them though and grabbed Ion running into a random room. I had no idea where to go, but I knew I needed to find a place to hide or a way outside.
"What are you doing?" Ion asked.
I turned to look at him as I said, "We have to get out of here." I wasn't actually looking at him when I turned around. I was looking around trying to think of something fast, but I was at a lost.
"Maybe your vision—or whatever you want to call it—is wrong," Ion suggested tearing his arm away from me.
"They've never been wrong before," I snapped at him.
"Those guys are some of Mab's knights," Ion growled. "They're probably here to take you back to Tir Na Nog."
"What about you though?" I asked glaring at him. "In my vision—or whatever—they took you too."
"Well, maybe if you'd let me talk to them." Ion left before I could argue.
I waited impatiently for him to come back. As I paced a small line I wondered if something happened to him. Just then the door creaked opened to reveal Ion's face.
"I think you might want to hear why they came here," Ion suggested confusing me.
"What do you mean?" I stepped up to him. I was trying to see over his shoulder to see the knights, but the door was too closed around Ion.
"Just come on," Ion growled. The Winter prince seemed easily annoyed I could tell.
There was no way I wasn't going to use that against him.
Nodding towards Ion I followed him into the room where the knights stood side by side. The first one I noticed was on the right. He was pretty short, about 5'5", and had long brown hair. What mostly caught my eye was a scar on his nose. It looked like he was burned by iron, as if an Iron knight grabbed him by the nose. The guard on the left was a more typical Winter with black hair and dark eyes, though, he was very tall. They both looked tense too, like they were tigers getting ready to pounce on their prey, which was me at the moment. So, I made sure I was close to the door that I knew lead outside. Sadly it was behind the two knights.
Ion stood at my side. He was standing with his back straight and shoulders broad, he was full of authority towards the men. In his emotionless face I could see the Winter prince he was. I couldn't deny it; I didn't like him as the Winter prince.
"Tell her what you told me," Ion demanded the knights.
The knights seemed taken back. Of course they would though, their prince just told them to give a Summer what was probably Winter only information. I only sighed.
"Prince Ion, we can't," answered the knight with the burn scar.
Knew it, I thought.
"And I told you to," Ion argued.
Mr. Burnt Nose looked at me glaring as the typical Winter knight spoke up. "Queen Mab's voice wins over yours."
"Queen Mab isn't here," Ion replied simply. Could it really be so important for me to know? I wondered silently.
"She's still the queen, Prince Ion," the typical Winter argued, emphasizing prince to get his point across.
I could tell Ion was getting annoyed edging on angry, which didn't surprise me, but he took a deep breath to calm himself down. "I understand," Ion started. He glanced at me before continuing. "But I doubt she'll follow you to Tir Na Nog."
Damn right, I thought.
Both the knights looked at me. I swear they read my mind from how they tense they became. The typical Winter's jaw clenched as Mr. Burnt Nose moved his hand to the handle of his sword.
"What?" I asked glaring at both of them.
Without warning Mr. Burnt Nose pulled out his sword and charged at me. He was easy to get around though. He had his sword raised over his shoulder like he was aiming to chop off my head. In one swift move I placed my hand on the top of his head and jumped. It felt like I flew over the knight until I finally landed in front of the another knight grinning. As I landed the ground shook with a thud indicating Mr. Burnt Nose fell.
I grinned at the typical Winter, who's jaw was still clenched and so was his fists.
I glanced back at the fallen Winter knight for a moment. "Well, he went down quickly."
The knight narrowed his eyes as my grin grew wider. With a teasing crook of my finger taunting him to come he charged at me. The typical Winter fist went up getting ready for a punch right before we upon me. I knew he was going to punch, try and punch me at least, but as his fist began to come down my foot was in his gut. He grunted but surprised me by grabbing my ankle.
"You're almost as annoying as your father," the knight growled. I knew he was trying to make me mad, and it worked.
"At least I'm not as ugly as you."
The knight gave me a weird look, but I didn't waste a second. I bent my leg he was holding a bit, mostly to give me support so I could lift my leg fast enough to collide my foot into his face. He dropped my leg stepping a couple steps back. I backed up and ran into a chest. At first I thought it was Mr. Burnt Nose, but the person behind me was smaller. Ion. He hadn't moved from his spot since the fight started.
The Winter prince didn't hesitate to run as soon as I touched him though. He went out a random door that lead outside. It was snowing making it hard for me to see but Ion seemed to know what he was doing. I could hear the two knights behind us, gaining on us quickly.
When the knights were almost upon us, I looked back in time to see Wolf flying threw the air. He landed on the typical Winter, flattening him into the snow face first. I grinned as I looked forward again.
As I caught up to Ion, he glanced at me, then back, as if checking if they were catching up like me. His eyes brows went up in surprise as soon as he did. "Your wolf sure is protective, isn't he?" Ion asked looking at me.
I looked back again to see Wolf attacking Mr. Burnt Nose. Looking back at Ion, I noticed he was slowing down, so I did the same. When we finally stopped, I nodded answering, "Yeah, I guess he's a bit over-protective."
The Wolf knocked out—maybe killed—Mr. Burnt Nose. He jumped off the knight, looking up at me and Ion. He sat down in such a way that he looked cute, like he was a husky not a wolf. "How 'bout you don't get yourself in trouble the night before the ball at Tir Na Nog," Wolf growled.
"Tomorrow night?" I asked.
"Tomorrow night is the ball," Ion answered.
"I was invited to it you know," I reminded them.
"I know." Ion rolled his eyes like he thought I was stupid or something.
"Well, I should go home so I can get ready for it."
"Your staying here."
Wolf growled. "Prince, we had a deal, did we not?"
"When she's completely healed she can leave," Ion answered. "That was our deal, was it not?"
Wolf watched the Unseelie boy before walking away without another word. I didn't get what just happened, but I wasn't about to ask.
"Come on, lets get inside," Ion said after Wolf was gone.
I looked at him but he was already walking back to his house. I looked back at the knights in the snow. There was blood surrounding them, and I finally had my answer; the Wolf did kill them.
"No what maybe we should leave," Ion said suddenly.
I looked up at him. "What?"
"Wolf killed them, that means when Queen Mab finds out, she'll send more knights after us." Ion took my hand pulling me to his house quickly.
"Where are we going?"
"I'll think about it once we're gone."
As soon as we were back inside Ion was gone from my side. I stayed by the door waiting for him, but I couldn't stop looking out the window at the dead Unseelie.
When Ion came back, he had a big white coat and a bag in his hand. He gave me the white coat then swung the bag over his shoulder. Ion walked through the room quickly to the front door.
Before going to Ion I threw the white coat on. It felt like I just put on a coat of white cats it was so heavy and super soft. It reached down to my ankles also and had buttons, but they only went to my midsection.
"Let's go," Ion said impatiently.
I rolled my eyes before following him back outside. Ion seemed to head in a random direction as Wolf and Grimalkin came out of nowhere following him. I sighed and had no choice but to follow.
"Is this your plan?" Wolf asked. "To run away?"
"Yes, it does seem like a human defense," Grimalkin added.
"I'm not running," Ion argued.
"Oh?" Grimalkin looked up at Ion with knowing eyes, irritating him. I forgot how much I liked the caith sith.
"Yes!" Ion walked faster so he was in front of the group.
I never thought I would ever see Ion mad. He seemed so... emotionless. A lot like other Unseelie fay, but he's the next in line for Mab's place on the throne so I thought he'd be more unemotional than most. Then again Ash is Mab's son.
We walked for a long time. Wolf and Grimalkin were walking on each side of me with Ion ahead of us the entire time. No one said anything though as we walked silently. None of us seemed to make much noise as we moved either. The only sound was the faint blow of the wind.
"We should take you home," The Wolf suggested suddenly. I think he was getting tired of watching me.
"I will not go home," I told him.
"Why? You wanted to when we were still as the Prince's."
"I changed my mind, okay?"
Wolf rolled his eyes, but didn't get to say anything because Ion finally spoke up. "Maybe you going home wouldn't be a bad idea." It almost hurt that that was the first words he said since we left his house. I didn't understand the hurt I felt, but it annoyed me either way.
"Excuse me?" I yelled up to him.
Ion turned looking at us. "Not alone, I meant with us coming with you." I didn't say anything at first so Ion added, "Or maybe just with me."
"I doubt my dad would allow that," I finally said.
Ion shrugged. "So? At least you'd be home."
"With the Winter prince! And if you haven't noticed he doesn't like any of the princes before you."
"So? You'll still be home! And him and Ash were best friends!"
"There not best friends and I'd still be there with you!"
Ion rolled his eyes. "I'm the Unseelie prince, big deal!"
"Is it a big deal!" I yelled crossing my arms.
"You two are giving me a headache," Grimalkin muttered his ears pinned against his head.
"Me too," Wolf growled.
"So what? You mongrels were giving me migraines at my house!" Ion yelled.
"And you want to do the same to me at my house?" I yelled over him.
Ion suddenly turned on me grabbing me arms. His face was very close to mine too. He even turned so fast that his hair covered his eyes making him look dangerous and—with no better way to say it—cute.
"Thorn, we have nowhere else to go and Robin Goodfellow has already broke the law once by helping and befriending my uncle." Ion looked at me in the eye then as he added, "Plus, he had you with a Winter."
"That could be a myth," I said quietly.
Ion stepped back. "Fine, I'll prove it to you." Ion walked away from me until he was about three feet away, and then suddenly turned around. At first I didn't notice until it almost reached me, but Ion threw an ice shard at me. I was going to dodge it when I saw a sparkle of glamour. It was faint at first, but the more I concentrated on it the more glamour I could see. Maybe I can use it, I thought. Narrowing my eyes towards the icicle, with a single thought, it went to the ground. I knew glamour, it wasn't hard to figure out a different kind, yet it all went in slow motion.
"Told you," Ion said.
I looked up at him. I didn't know have anything to say or that I could say. I'm a Winter fey, the thought kept invading my mind.
Ion walked up to me. "You okay?" I shook my head. "Come on(,) let (')s get out of here."
I didn't say anything as Ion lead us to the Seelie Court. We walked in silence until we reached the Wyldwood.
"Maybe we should stay here tonight," Ion suggested.
"That doesn't sound like a smart idea, Prince Ion," Grimalkin said seeming bored. It made me wonder why he even said anything. Yet the Wolf agreed with the Caith Sith.
"Well, it's either that or walking all night." Ion glanced back at us, most likely seeing our reactions. His eyes seemed to set on me though. "Thorn?"
"Yeah?" I asked Ion confused.
"What you think we should do?"
I looked past him at the Wyldwood. "I have a friend on the other side of the Wyldwood."
"That's great." Ion smiled at me, as if I was looking for reassurance or something. He went serious again quickly and turned to Wolf and Grimalkin. "Let's hurry though."
We walked for a long time in silence again. It was getting on my nerves a bit, but I had nothing to say or joke about. So I just let the quiet dragged until Ion broke it, again.
"So, Thorn," he started. "Who's this person you know other side?"
"Her name is Hanna," I explained. "She won't like to help me but you-" I cut off to examine the Winter prince- "she'll love to help."
"What do you mean?" Ion looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
"Every man she meets that's good looking, she's automatically wrapped around his finger."
"What do you mean?"
I rolled my eyes at Ion, he just kept surprising me. "You'll see."
"Okay..." We had only taken four more steps before Ion completely stopped, I almost ran into him when he turned towards me. "Wait, did you just call me good looking?"
"You're a Winter fey, don't take it as a compliment."
"It doesn't sound like an insult though."
"It's not." I walked past Ion done with the conversation. I found it completely insane that he even thought of my opinion of his looks at all.
Though I could hear Ion's footsteps hurrying after me. "Then what is it meant to be? If it's not a compliment or an insult."
"It was a fact." I faced Ion. "All Winters—if you haven't noticed—have sharp, gorgeous features, and your no exception."
"What about me?" a high girl voice came from above us.
I looked up but couldn't see anything except a white face in the dark branches. "Kiri?" I wondered out loud.
The white shadow jumped down gracefully. Kiri landed right in front of me and Ion. Ion seemed surprised but when he spoke his voice was cold with anger. "What are you doing here?" he asked Kiri.
"I'm following you," Kiri told him simply.
"Why?" Ions hands were clenched into fists as he narrowed his eyes on his cousin.
Kiri pointed at me though. "I'm here to watch out for her."
Ion gave me a confused glance before glaring at Kiri again. "What?"
"Just keep walking, cousin." Kiri went to my side, on the other side of Ion.
"No." Ion darted across me to get in front of Kiri. "You need to go home, you have no business here."
"Don't even start, Ion. I may look young but you know- better than anyone else- that I'm not Ion, so don't treat me like I'm a child."
"I'm still older though," Ion growled. "Now leave."
"No." Kiri walked around- much like I did- with her arms cross though.
Ion grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her back. He turned the small Winter to face him. "Kiri, I'm doing this to protect you, so leave."
"I'm sorry, Ion." She picked Ion's hand off her shoulder. "I can't leave Thorn again after what happened last time."
"What do you mean?" Ion asked.
"We have a deal," I answered for Kiri.
Ion turned to me. There seemed to be a cold breeze flowing off of him. Abruptly Ion grabbed me by the throat lifting me from the ground. I had a feeling he was going to act violently. That's why I answered before Kiri had a chance to.
"You made a deal with my cousin?" Ion yelled. "What was the deal?"
Kiri pulled on Ion's arm instead of answering. "Let her go!"
Finally Wolf jumped up tackling Ion. He was at the Unseelie boy. Staring at Wolf, I was the first to move as I slowly lifted myself so I was leaning on my elbows. I could see that Wolf's snout was almost touching Ion's nose. They both were glaring at each other, but Wolf's sharp teeth were bared making him look more scary. It almost looked as if Wolf was saying something to Ion—which would explain why he hadn't killed Ion yet—but Ion seemed to only get more pissed.
"Wolf," I croaked. The big dog jumped over to me admittedly.
"Are you alright?" Wolf ask me.
I nodded and sat up. "I'm fine." I looked at Ion then saying quiet enough only Wolf would her, "Just don't hurt him, alright?"
Ion met my eyes. His green eyes were unemotional, but they weren't completely empty. There was something in them but I couldn't figure out what it was.
Wolf growled getting my attention. Wolf's hackles were raised and his teeth were bared again as he looked at Ion. "He tried to kill you," Wolf said simply.
"We don't know that for sure..." I said sounding every bit in denial, even to me, but I didn't think he wanted to kill me. Ion could kill me too easily and he wasn't exactly crushing my wind pipe.
"How can you say that?" Wold snarled. "He's kidnapped you, shot you, and now choked you. I would think you'd be the first one to want him dead."
"I can tell he didn't want me dead this time." He was just being over-protective of Kiri, I added silently.
Ion seemed to stare at me as if he was seeing me anew. His eyes were shinning like stars to prove my point as he stared.
I then noticed everyone else was watching us. Wolf and Grimalkin were mostly looking at me, but Kiri was looking between the both of us. It was like she couldn't decide which one of us to watch.
"Ion..." Kiri said seeming surprised.
He looked up at the young looking girl. "What?" Kiri didn't say anything, though, only stared. Once in a while her gaze would turn to me.
"Why are you staring at us?" I finally asked.
"We should get moving," Wolf said without answering my question. He began walking away with Grimalkin at his side. I looked at Kiri, she was glaring at me before quickly following the two creatures.
Ion and I watched them leave us. They didn't turn back to see if we followed or not either. Wolf and Grimalkin seemed to be bored and wanted to leave. Kiri, though, seemed mad or annoyed about something.
"We should hurry after them," Ion said suddenly on his feet. His face was like stone—well, ice. Before I could reply he was catching up to the others without me.
I watched them until they were almost out of sight. I wanted to sit longer wondering if they would even come back for me. I was thinking of Kierran; he wouldn't even have moved until I was up and at his side. But none of them felt the way he felt about me, and I him. Sighing, I pushed myself off the ground and began following their trail, never really catching up. I wanted to be alone and I wanted to think, and with everyone I was with I didn't think I would get that a lot.
When I was finally out of the Wyldwood everyone else was waiting for me. Wolf was laying on the ground with his head on his paws. Grimalkin was sitting on a random tree stump licking his paw. Ion and Kiri were to the side whispering to each other.
"Nice of you to finally catch up," Grimalkin said turning his golden eyes on me slightly.
I only shrugged. "Lets just head to Hanna's house."
Wolf looked up at me then. "Will she really allow two Winter fey into her home?"
"Oh right..." I looked at the cousins still locked conversation. "I can use my glamour to disguise them." Ion looked at me and just as quickly looked away. I eyed him suspiciously as I asked, "What is it?"
"Well, um, you can't use your glamour- unless it's your newly found Winter glamour," Ion said looking at the ground.
"What are you talking about?" My nerves were on high alert.
"Well, when I brought you to Tir Na Nog I asked Mab to seal your Summer glamour."
"What?" I screamed. "You had my glamour sealed! Why the hell would you do that?"
"Thorn, please calm down," Ion tried.
"Calm down?" I yelled. "You're got to be kidding me!" I thought back through the last few days. I hadn't been using my glamour a lot, though, I did when I was trying to escape Tir Na Nog. I couldn't transform into a blue bird, like how my dad turned into a raven, but it didn't work and I fell to the ground. I should have noticed then that it was weird that I couldn't. I then glared at Ion and was about to yell at him more if it wasn't that he began talking first.
"Thorn, before you tear me to pieces, let me explain."
"Speak fast." I narrowed my eyes at him.
"I had your Summer glamour sealed because I wanted to see if you were really half Winter, which you are." Ion tried to give me a sheepish smile, but it looked more like a grimace. "And now you can practice Winter glamour."
"You have no idea how much I want to hurt you right now," I said. "But I guess I can't do anything about it." Sighing I scratched my head looking at the two. "But what are we suppose to do about you two?"
"What do you mean?" asked Kiri.
"What the Wolf said; Hanna might not let two Winters into her home, even if one is a hot boy," I explained.
"Maybe you can practice using your new glamour to disguise us as Summers then," Ion suggested.
I shrugged a bit nervous. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to try."
I looked at the two Unseelie fey in front of me. It was harder to gather Winter glamour since I was so used to Summer. Concentrating hard, I blocked out everyone around me until even Ion and Kiri looked like blurs. As soon as I saw the light spark of glamour I expanded it. Taking hold of the glamour with my mind, I moved it over the blurs as if it was a blanket. When I was done, my vision cleared to see two people I never had seen before in front of me.
Ion's pale skin, green eyes, and straight, shaggy, black hair were now brown, well his skin was a bronze and his eyes were technically hazel. He was shorter too and didn't have as much muscle. Ion's clothes had changed too. Before he was wearing a mandarin-collar suit ensemble done in black and dark blue, but after he was wearing a dark brown mandarin-collar suit, not much of a difference and a lot of brown. You'd think as Robin Goodfellow's daughter I would come up with a more colorful disguise. But I was mostly hoping he was still cute enough for Hanna to like him. Wait, of course he's enough for her, I thought, a centaur is enough for her.
Kiri looked much of the same, though, her blue eyes were completely brown not hazel. She was the same height she always was, but she had a heavier build. Her dark gray dress was a long sleeved green dress with a puffy skirt. I then noticed Kiri was wearing earrings in the shape of tear drops.
"I never noticed you were wearing earrings before," I said.
Kiri's hand shot up to her ear. "They were my mother's."
"I should disguise those too, huh?" I asked.
"And unmake me fat. Who's ever heard of a fat faery?"
I rolled my eyes and gathered more glamour. It was a little easier, especially since I was gathering such little of it. Next thing I knew, Kiri's earrings looked like seashells and was a tiny girl again.
"Alright am I done now?" I asked.
"Are you sure you can keep them like this until tomorrow?" Wolf then asked.
"Probably not but I can keep it up until tonight until Hanna's asleep, and then until we leave Hanna's tomorrow."
"Let's hope your right," Kiri said.
"Let's hurry," Ion added.
As we headed to Hanna's, I took down Kiri's and Ion's disguises. I didn't want to strain myself too quickly. Once we were at her house though, I put it back up before we even knocked on her door.
Hanna's voice yelled threw the door. "Be right there!" But she didn't open the door, though, until I was already getting tired of using my glamour.
Hanna came out with a grin on her face. "Yes?" she asked with a high happy voice. Her eyes then landed on me and her smile faltered. "What do you want this time?"
I sighed. "Me and my friends need a place to stay."
"Your friends?" Hanna began to ask as Summer Ion stepped by my side.
"Hello," said Ion with a charming smile. It was terrifying, but Hanna didn't think so.
"Hi," Hanna replied to him putting up her flirtatious persona. She was smiling at him and leaned against the door frame. "You can stay as long as you want."
Wolf and Grimalkin walked past her as soon as she finished her sentence, but she didn't seem to notice them as she stared with half lidded eyes at Ion. I rolled my eyes and followed the two creatures. As I walked past Hanna—was frowning again—I said, "We'll only be staying for tonight."
Hanna stuck out her lip, putting, as she looked over at Ion. ""Only tonight?"
"Yep, isn't that ashamed?" Kiri asked sarcasm woven into her voice walking behind me.
"Okay," Hanna growled glaring at me. "who are all these people?"
I looked back at her. I needed to think fast, but Ion thought faster. "Why do you care who they are?" he asked as he leaned over Hanna. He had a seductive smile plastered on his face. "I'm much more interesting," he said leaning closer to her face.
Hanna grinned. "Oh, I know you are."
Kiri and I left before we could see anymore of that conversation. We went searching for the guest bedrooms to keep us anywhere but near Hanna and Ion. Thankfully it didn't take long to find them because Wolf found them first. They seemed to figure out our sleeping arrangements too. Well, at least Grimalkin said he would share a room with Kiri, he seemed to like how short she was.
Kiri agreed with Grim and followed him to a room. I waited until she was inside and the door was closed before I took down the glamour from Kiri. I didn't know how long I would have to keep Ion's up, so I wanted to make it less straining on me as much as I could.
Wolf and I went to our room. I sat on the bed and looked around the small space. It was barely big enough to hold the only thing in it; the bed I was sitting on. It didn't have any decoration to it either. The walls were all white and the floor was hard wood, there wasn't even a rug.
"I think this is supposed to be a closet."
Wolf looked up at me as if he didn't even noticed how small it was. "It doesn't matter to me what the room looks like," Wolf said jumping onto the end of the bed. "As long as I get a break from saving you."
Sighing, I took off the coat Ion gave me back at his house. Folding it I rest the coat on the ground before laying down myself.
"You can't go to sleep, you know?" Wolf asked.
I looked down at him. "Why not?"
"Ion's disguise."
"Oh yeah." I closed my eyes anyway and sighed.
Wolf and I waited for a long time. I wasn't sure how we would know they were asleep though. I thought Wolf would hear the doors of their rooms, but when I looked down at the huge dog, he was sleeping.
Suddenly, Ion walked into the room. He looked at Wolf sleeping but said in a normal toned voice, "I just wanted to tell you Hanna's asleep."
I sighed in relief, finally letting go of my glamour to reveal the real Ion.
"Before you get comfortable," Ion added. I looked up at him, glaring. "I brought you these." He pulled the bag on his shoulder around so he was holding it in his hands. I was very bulky and was obviously filled to it's capacity. He reached inside pulling out an apple and threw to me. As I caught it though he had flipped the bag over to make various colors of cloth fall out.
"What's this?" I asked biting into my apple.
Ion held up an orange cloth to show it wasn't cloth but a orange dress. It was all orange except for a red stripe over the top of it's cut off sleeves to the corset. It was most of my dresses, though, with long sleeves and a skirt that would reach my toes.
"Where did you get these?" I asked then met Ion's eyes. "Did you steal it from Hanna?" I couldn't deny: I liked that idea.
"Well, she said she didn't like these dresses, and put them in a pile at the back of her closet in the corner," Ion explained. "So, I thought I would take them off of her hands."
Ion smirked at his accomplishment.
"Don't smile," I said turning away biting into my apple more. "It's creepy."
"What's wrong with my smile?" I could hear his footsteps as he came closer to the bed.
"Nothing is wrong with your smile, it's just creepy to see on your face."
"And why is that?"
I finally looked at him to see a smile firm on Ion's face. "Stop it."
"Why should I?" Ion leaned over me. Was he really trying to be teasing? I wondered as I glared.
"Because it's really really creepy." I wasn't falling for it.
But I guess I did when my breath caught once I noticed how much Ion leaned in. He seemed to notice too since his smile had finally faltered. We stared at each other for a long time. I felt like I was waiting to put down my glamour all over again, but my heart was racing. Especially when his face was moving closer to mine.
It was as if time was slowed down. His eyes were locked on mine, and vice versa. His eyes were closing and his lips were almost pressed to mine—
I held my finger to his lips. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I can't."
Ion pulled back quickly as if realizing what was about to happen. "Don't apologize, I was out of line."
Looking down I asked, "Were you? I mean I am a Winter also." But if that's not bad how is Kierran and I? I added silently. Ion looked at me. Because he's the Iron prince. I then looked at Ion. But he's the Winter prince. I began to wonder if either of them were "allowed".
"Will you two go to sleep already?" Wolf suddenly said.
Ion only rolled his eyes before laying on the floor, using the coat he let me borrow as a pillow. Feeling bad about just rejecting him, I leaned over and tapped his shoulder. As Ion looked at me I said, "Get into the bed." I then nudged the canine with my foot. "Wolf, make some room."
They both looked at me with surprise written on their faces, but I ignored them by turning towards the wall and closing my eyes. The Wolf growled some, though, he still scooted down some.
Ion, on the other hand, took a while to move. When I looked back at him it seemed he was fighting with himself whether or not to get in the bed with him. I had a feeling he was only having the fight since he was about to kiss me. Suddenly—as if sensing me looking at him—Ion's ice-green eyes connected with my emerald ones.
He got up and sat next me on the bed. "Why are you letting me sleep in the same bed with you after what just almost happened?" he asked me.
"Sympathy," I said simply, but I could hear the coldness in my voice. I only heard the icy tone come out of a Winter's mouth, though. Either way, I turned my back to Ion again.
I heard Ion sigh, but I couldn't tell if it was a sad sigh or a sigh of relief. It didn't though because then I felt the bed move and Ion's cool chest was pressed against my back.
What was nice about it—well I guess it was the nice thing—all I could think about was how different Kierran's chest was compared. Yet I still founding it soothing. Squeezing my eyes shut I thought, I must be insane.