Thirteen

     “If you don’t want me to go, I won’t,” Darby told him.

“It’s not up to me, if it was then we’d both miss it. But alas,” Kellen explained surlily.

She was confused but didn’t press him with anymore questions.

“We’re going to fly there, you like flying right?” He smiled and all the stress that seemed to have plagued him over the last couple of days disappeared for a moment.

“I’m an expert at it, it’s the one thing I can do,” she snickered.

He gave her a kiss, “Then this should be fun.”

Watching Kellen fly was like watching shadows inch up the walls, graceful and brooding. It was breathtaking. She couldn’t fly like that to save her life.

They began to descend over the rural Salem region, growing closer to the thick trees. He dove down to the ground, expertly dodging all the tree limbs. She went down slower, careful not to crash. 

It made no sense to her why a funeral would be held in the middle of the woods. And she braced herself for another magical faerie secret.

She landed beside Kellen and combed her fingers through her ruffled hair, and leaned on Kellen for support.

He chuckled, “You okay?”

“Sure,” she guessed, a little light headed.

“If you want I’ll tell Philip to drive over and pick us up so you don’t have to fly back.”

“There’s no need to bother him. I’ll be fine.”

“Whatever you want to do.”

She nodded, but wasn’t entirely focused on him. Suddenly the top of a temple sprouted out of the trees in front of them.

“It’s the Temple of Eclipse. It’s used for religious purposes, celebrations, and funerals,” he explained.

“It’s huge!” She exclaimed as more of the temple came into view, “do the humans know about it?”

“Of course not, only the fey. It’s the birthplace of the first two created faeries,” he winked. 

Seth and him.

“How many faeries will be there?”

“Normally for funerals it’s the faerie’s loved ones, both kings, and many other members of the empire. We aren’t like the mortals, if one of us dies, all in the empire grieve.”

“What does that make me?”

“You’re mine and will stay with me, and no one will tell you otherwise,” he pulled her close to him, “you still nervous?”

“I’m not nervous.”

“Yeah right,” he scoffed, “ I can taste it.”

She blushed, “Well, you can’t really blame me.”

“I wouldn’t.”

“You won’t leave me alone, will you? No matter what king business you have?”

“I won’t leave your side.”

She smiled, “Then I guess I have nothing to be nervous about.” Then she saw the whole temple and all the gathered faeries. She stopped.

“You’ll do fine,” he promised, stepping through all the whispering faeries.

She kept her head down, she was uncomfortable with all the stares and murmurs swirling around her as she walked past, the Dark King’s arms around her.

“Ignore them,” he said, loud enough that only she could hear.

She didn’t answer, trying to be invisible. Although she couldn’t stop her eyes that flickered upwards at the scene around her. And gradually she began to feel like a sun beam had shined down on her, her tension vanished and she was left with an internal sensation of warmth. She looked up.

The boy in front of them seemed to recognize her. He was vaguely familiar, most likely from a human memory, but she couldn’t believe it. The more she looked the more she noticed that he was only slightly different from the boy in her past. He was still tan, but now it was darker and richer. His blond hair was gelled into a short and small mohawk that now revealed golden highlights. His green eyes now resembled new grass in a meadow. The gold tattoo and wings further emphasized his lightness and if she eyed him close she could see that she remembered of him, the bright smile, cheerfulness, and warmth.

He strode up, aware that all the faeries were watching, fascinated by the scene unfolding before them as the two kings met. He glanced around uneasily, “Why don’t we talk somewhere more private, shall we?”

She followed him instantly but Kellen hesitated.

Why? He appears perfectly safe to me. 

Behind the open temple and away from all of the faces she began to relax. Then she recalled that Seth had lied to her and her peacefulness morphed into anger.

“You lied to me!” She hissed.

Seth’s smile faded while Kellen’s seemed to grow, “I had to. You hadn’t transformed yet and wouldn’t have allowed me to help you otherwise. I did what needed to be done. I knew that once you did become one of us I could explain myself. I’m sorry.”

She was tired of being tricked and didn’t want to admit that he was probably right. She leaned against Kellen again.

Seth winced at the gesture, “I know that you’re mad and that he brought you here but that doesn’t mean you have to stay with him.”

“Where else would I go?” She asked in frustration and slight confusion.

“To your king,” he looked hurt.

“I am,” she beamed as Kellen kissed her fingers delicately.

Seth glowered at a silent Kellen, “You didn’t tell her?! You kept her and didn’t even tell her the truth?!”

“Tell me what?” She looked expectantly at Kellen.

“You’re a light faerie, I’m your king,” Seth answered for him.

She stared at him, not understanding, “But. . . you said I was a dark faerie.”

“I lied,” Kellen stated dryly.

“Why the hell is it so hard for anybody to tell me the truth?!” She demanded to no in particular. 

He didn’t answer. 

She removed Kellen’s arm and turned away from both kings. Anger rippled in her blood as she stormed off. 

I can’t believe it! All this time and nobody told me the truth! And they knew I wouldn’t be able to tell!

She sat down at the bar and glared at the table in front of her. 

“Need a drink?” A boy with a steel blue tattoo asked her.

“You have no idea,” she grumbled.

He grinned and poured some unknown red liquid into a glass and handed it to her.

She took it gratefully and after one sip she was drawn into it. The deep and rich flavor caught her off guard, it was like nothing she had ever tasted and her taste buds tingled as she craved more.

“I’m David,” he introduced, pouring her more.

“Darby,” she replied, drinking it greedily.

“Darby, would you like to go and sit by over in the shade with me? I’ll bring the wine.”

“This is just regular wine?” She doubted.

“As far as you know,” he grinned.

Something deep down inside her was begging her to say no. But the rest of her was clouded with fury, “Sure,” she stood up, and went with him. Mainly for the wine, but partly because she wasn’t completely positive that she could walk away.

Seth’s anger grew by every question that Kellen answered. He took Darby to Vegas, got her intoxicated out of her mind, and now they’re dating.

Kellen never dates. 

“As her king I’m not allowing you to see her,” he decided.

Kellen smirked, “Do you really think it’s going to matter whether or not I’m allowed? I’ll see her anyway. And you know that forbidding her isn’t going to get you very far with her.”

It was worth a try.

Seth watched him, “You sure she’s going to want you after you lied to her?”

“Hey, you lied too. What makes you think that she’ll want you either?”

“Because I did it for her sake. When were you going to tell her? Never, not until you got bored of her and tossed her aside like every other girl.”

Kellen was quiet, for once not defending himself.

“Look, I don’t care what you do but I’m going to go find her. She’s young, she could get in plenty of trouble without even realizing it.”

“I’m coming with you,” he said coldly, his face stolid as he walked past. But Seth couldn’t shake that he seemed genuinely worried.

Kellen doesn’t feel remorse. If anything he’s probably just upset he lost out on her.

But he didn’t focus on that, it was Darby he cared about. Now that he gave her the chance to calm down they could talk it out.

He finally spotted her over by a tree with some boy faerie. He grit his teeth and pushed himself to move quicker.

They stopped in front of him and Seth turned toward Kellen, “He’s yours.”

Kellen scowled ferociously at the boy but faded into surprise when his eyes searched the scene and saw a drunk Darby leaning against him clutching a bottle of dark wine.

They boy was obviously in control and to prove it he took the bottle away and as she reached out for it, he took her other hand and placed it on his crotch. He smirked at them as she still tried to reach the bottle, mewing softly.

Seth was enraged but before he could even react Kellen snarled viciously and yanked her out of the boy’s grasp. She fell limp to his side and he picked her up in a cradle and began to walk away. 

Seth had a hard time keeping up with his pace, “Aren’t you going to punish him?” He questioned.

Kellen ignored him and yelled for Anthony, “Kill him,” he ordered, motioning towards the boy.

“Wait, kill? Kellen, I’m pissed too, but killing. . . isn’t that a bit harsh?” Seth interrupted. 

“The boy is under my rule, not yours. And I thought since you are Darby’s king and all that you of all people would approve,” he raised an eyebrow, “but I see that it’s unfair to have Anthony take care of my dirty work. I’ll leave it up to my guards.”

“Isn’t there any other kind of punishment? He really didn’t do anything.”

“Your knowledge of the Dark Empire continues to disappoint me. You have no idea what we’re capable of, what he would’ve done to if we didn’t come earlier. You may be to ignorant to know, but I’m not. Some dark faeries aren’t above that, and I will not have her used like some disposable toy. I’m not sure what qualifies for the death penalty in your kingdom, but in mine this is reason enough,” he growled, “trust me, it’s more humane what my guards will do to them than what I would do.”

“Kill him,” Seth agreed.

It’ll be better for both empires if he was dead.

Anthony nodded and went off to contact the head guard of the Dark Empire.

Seth sighed, “So, I guess you’ll be taking Darby.”

“Well, yeah, she’s kinda out of it, wouldn’t you say?” Kellen gazed down at her. By now she had stopped wiggling and had drifted unconscious but when she woke up the hangover would be unbelievable.

“I’m going to see her tomorrow,” Seth told him.

“We’ll see,” Kellen challenged before finally saying, “sorry we couldn’t stay.”

He shrugged, “It’s fine.”

Kellen turned away and lifted off into the sky.

Seth strode back to the celebration of life just wishing it would be over. But on the way back to his chair some of his faeries pulled him into their dance circle where he finally relaxed and put all his worries to rest.