Allegiance (29 page)

I started to answer but stopped myself the moment I pictured Haigen and his smorgasbord of faeries. They could have him. I just wished I was back home—with Jack. I hadn’t had to worry about a zillion other girls all after a piece of
him
. Where was Jack, anyway? I scrubbed at my eyes—so tired.

I stumbled on.

Marla, speak to me, my love
.

Oh, so
now
he calls me ‘my love’—Haigen must have gone home. Fresh snarls tied me up inside. I knew I was being immature but ignored him anyway. A short while later I came across an enormous tree, its branches slung low—a canopy of golden green. The bark was soft and white, like sheets of tissue. This was the safina tree Leander had told me about recently, it was used to make mattresses, cushions and paper. A vast web of roots spread out at its base, creating caves and crannies—smooth and protective. I clambered around the trunk checking for doors and windows. When I found none, I chose a tiny cave and crawled inside where I sat down and listened to Leif call to me.
Please, Marla, answer me. I am worried for you.

Worried for me? It was daylight! Didn’t he think I was at all capable on my own? I didn’t need to be rescued. I wiped what remained of my tears away with the hem of my dress and, leaning back against the wall of the cave, closed my heavy eyes.

In my dream it was dark and Leif was calling me, over and over—just like in the days before I met him. I turned from his voice and walked away.

When I opened my eyes, my pulse jumped. Dusk was just about to slip into dark. I sat up quickly, shuffling as far into the little root cave as I could, pressing my back into the curve of wall. Then, pulling my knees tight under my chin, I wrapped myself up in my arms and considered flying back to the clearing. But I knew there was no way I could make it before dark. My heart went
boom, boom, boom
against my thighs and goose bumps peppered my skin.

I peered into the almost night. Shrouded in shadow everything mingled into one—trees and bushes and fearsome things conjured by my imagination. Night sounds murmured around me—a terrifying hush, the mutter of water over rocks, a breeze rustling through leaves, my own rapid breaths—all of it muffled by the crazy beating of my heart. I could barely see beyond the patch of light my body cast. I dragged my eyes from the dark and looked up. A sprinkling of sunlamps twinkled in the treetops far above me—too far. My skin crawled as my mind returned to the last time I’d been alone in the forest at night. There’d been party noises then, the castle lit up like a fairytale. And across the lake, Leif had watched and waited.

‘Leif!’ I called. My voice split the silence apart. A night bird answered, its call ringing through the trees and waking the others, setting them off. I wondered if my voice had reached him. I couldn’t hang around to find out. I had to get out of here. Sucking a long breath, I crawled out of the cave and opened my wings. The last bit of sun died as I took to the sky. I hadn’t even reached the treetops when something shot into the halo of light around me and grabbed my leg. I screamed, fear ripping through me as I was wrenched from the sky and dragged back down. I
barely managed to tuck my wings away before I hit the ground with a loud snapping sound. Something went pop and a scorching pain shot through my shoulder as I was thrown to my back. A patchwork of thoughts and images became all tangled up in my mind—I was captured, my father’s face, Leif, I was going to die. Luminescent eyes jumped all around me, mad with craving—so many eyes! A war began over my body. I was yanked this way and that—a multitude of hands, clutching, tugging, twisting—like cold bone digging into my flesh. Mouths, snorting, snuffling, biting, sucking. My shoulder screaming, flesh torn, clothes ripped out of the way. ‘No,’ I screamed. ‘No! Please! No!’

I was a cacophony of pain and terror, of greedy mouths fastened to different parts of me—neck, wrists, elbows, groin—the sucking so ferocious it felt like everything was being pulled out of my body along with my blood. It seemed like my tendons, veins and muscles were all being ripped away. I cried and begged, trying to tear myself from them. But it was useless. I was utterly pinned. I was at their mercy—and they had none.

The feeding continued with great guttural grunts and moans. Beyond the sound I could hear myself groaning, crying for my king. The creatures only became more frenzied. I could see them now—long skinny limbs gleaming with my sun. My ears were ringing so loudly my pleas were nothing but a tiny whine. The creatures paid no attention. I was going to die.

Then all at once the creatures stopped, their heads shooting up. In the same moment King Telophy was there. A fraction of a second later, he had two of the creatures by their throats while a third lay pinned beneath his foot, shrieking and thrashing wildly. As I watched, my king squeezed and twisted rapidly, making jerking movements with his wrists. The creatures dropped from his hands, their bodies hitting the ground either side of him while their disconnected heads fell onto the shrieking monster at the
king’s feet before rolling away. King Telophy dealt with the one beneath his foot just as swiftly, tearing the head from its body. I looked away and saw a fourth and a fifth, both already dead, likewise decapitated. Then my king was scooping me into his arms and taking to the sky. I tried to lift my arms so I could hold on to him, but I didn’t have the strength. I let them fall away from me as my head lolled back over his arm. With one hand he lifted my head and held it against his chest. I didn’t care that my clothes had been torn away, that I was completely vulnerable. I trusted him. Secure in my king’s arms, I closed my eyes and, as I slipped into unconsciousness, I swear I heard him whisper—
Finelle
.

My body was a giant aching throb when I woke the next morning. I let my face fall to the side to catch the morning sun. My eyes widened when I saw Leif sitting in a chair beside me, his face etched with exhaustion. He smiled but made no move towards me. Something sank in my chest. I rolled my head back and watched the ceiling.

‘Why, Marla?’ he asked after a little while.

‘Why what?’

He didn’t answer, just reached out and covered my hand with his, waiting.

Because I’m jealous, because I’m insecure, because I know if we weren’t betrothed there is no way in a billion years you would
ever
even look at me let alone
choose
me. I blinked the sting from my eyes and shrugged my uninjured shoulder.

Leif sighed and curled his fingers around mine. ‘I thought I’d lost you when night came and still you did not answer me.’

‘I fell asleep… but when I woke up I called to you, Leif.’

He frowned. ‘I did not hear.’

‘I woke all the birds.’

‘I must have been too far. When you need me, call with your mind instead of your voice. I will hear you across a greater distance.’

‘But you didn’t hear me when your father brought me to Faera… I called and called that day.’

‘I was outside of the kingdom, Marla—did I not tell you so?’ I shook my head. He apologised for his oversight and, after a
short silence, added, ‘I’m afraid you won’t be able to go home for a while.’

‘I have to… everyone here belongs to you.’

He leaned in to me. ‘Marla, they belong to you, too.’

He didn’t understand at all. ‘I shouldn’t have gone,’ I mumbled.

He touched the bandage on my neck. ‘Can I see?’

I tipped my head to the side and he peeled the bandage away, touching the wound with gentle fingers. A moment later the edge was taken from the pain and replaced with tingling heat. He redressed the wound using the ointments and bandages on the bedside table and treated all the others before climbing into bed beside me.

‘Your father came for me last night. Did you know?’

‘Yes, he told me… I was surprised.’

I looked up at him. ‘Why?’

‘Because he always sends the guard.’

‘Oh… So why did he come for me then?’

‘He said he was in the area… It might be true.’

‘You don’t think so?’

Leif caught my eyes with his. ‘No, I don’t.’

‘So, what
do
you think?’

He watched me for a long moment. ‘I have been trying not to think on it, Marla. But I’ve seen images of your mother.’

I thought about the almost kiss in the king’s receiving chamber. I swallowed the lump in my throat and said, ‘Oh.’

‘Yes.’

Leif left me so he could catch up on his sleep a short while later. He’d not been gone long when I had another visitor to my
room—his father. Memories of travelling home in King Telophy’s arms washed over me and I was no longer so unconcerned about the state I’d been in at that time. I pulled the bed covers to my chin and, if I’d had enough blood in me, would have been blushing scarlet.

He took the seat Leif had abandoned and after watching me for a few beats, said in his most formal tone, ‘How are you feeling this morning, my subject?’

‘I’ve had better days, Majesty.’

‘I trust now you have discovered the ways of our world first hand you will not be so foolish again.’

I agreed I would not.

A long silence followed.

‘Thanks for saving me,’ I said, keen to fill it. I watched my fingers pluck at the fabric of my quilt.

‘It is my occupation.’

‘But still… thanks.’

He inclined his head.

‘I’m a bit embarrassed about it to be honest.’

‘There is no need, you are not the first and you will not be the last.’

‘I meant about the state I was in when you found me.’

‘The Shadow Fae are not known for their care, Marla.’

He rose to his feet and watched me for a moment longer before saying, ‘I will leave you now to begin your recuperation. My advice is to take much rest and sun. You will be excused from the dining room until you are recovered. The maids are aware you will need to be waited on.’

I thanked him again and he left.

More than a week had passed before I began to feel close to okay again. Even then, it was as though a terrible lethargy had come to live inside me, settling deep into my muscles and bones. I spent all of my time lying around the castle grounds trying to soak up the sun. But I couldn’t get enough. Leif told me I simply didn’t have enough blood to capture the sun I needed, that it would take weeks for my supply to build up again. He insisted I not return home again until Christmas, telling me he’d go to my family and make an excuse. As much as I loathed missing the time with my family, I didn’t argue. It was my own stupid fault I was in this predicament. A week more and I woke up feeling well enough for a trip to the markets.

‘Are you sure?’ Leif asked.

‘I have to be, I need to get presents. It’s Christmas in a few days.’

‘Ah yes, humans give gifts for Christmas. What would you like, Marla?’

‘All I want is for Jack to come back and my brother to be sitting at the table with the rest of my family for Christmas lunch.’

He smiled. ‘Only that?’

I rested my chin on his chest. ‘What about you?’

‘I want nothing but for you to be well again,’ he said climbing out of bed.

‘Where are you going? Stay.’ I grabbed his arm and pulled him back to me. He fell laughing into my arms.

‘My father calls,’ he said, brushing hair from my face. ‘I have to go to him. Rest a few minutes more then come to breakfast with us if you feel well enough. After, I will take you to the markets.’