Dark Matter (20 page)

She hid her surprised expression behind
a veil of laughing. “Too many to count now. Why?”

“
Tabitha mentioned that
there were different levels of bonding, but she didn’t elaborate. I
know you don’t want me to bond with anyone, but that doesn’t seem
to be an option anymore.”

She frowned at me. “I hadn’t considered
that Tabitha would step in. She doesn’t usually resort to
underhanded tactics to get her way, but I don’t have her sight. I
could be wrong about the whole thing. What are you asking, my
lady?”

“
I’m sure you’ve seen a few
that didn’t exactly stick?”

She considered my question for a
moment. “Two that I am aware of.”

I clenched my jaw. I had hoped for
more. “Was there a common factor between the two? Something that
could be useful to me?”

She stood and motioned for me to follow
her. We walked in silence for a while. I didn’t want to say
anything and keep her from remembering something that would help me
maintain a safe distance from Heath while still being bound to him.
My thoughts drifted to the look on Cassie’s face just before she
collapsed. It had been an expression of utter joy and ultimate
love.

There was too much between Heath and I
for that to happen, and I felt a little sad about it. I’d been
looking forward to my wedding night for as long as I could
remember. I had every detail down from what music would be playing
to how I would do my hair to what I would and would not be wearing.
The only thing missing in my vision was the face of the man I would
spend the rest of my life with.

That wasn’t even an accurate statement
anymore. I’d be spending five lifetimes with the man I bonded with.
I would never have agreed to this if it wasn’t for the opportunity
for a coup. I had to believe I would ultimately be able to pick my
bondmate, but what if I couldn’t? What if Heath and I were stuck
together for a small eternity? He’d made it clear he was only doing
this out of obligation.

“
There might be something,”
said Lysanne softly. I had been so caught up in my thoughts, I
asked her to repeat what she had said.

Hope filled my chest as I waited for
her answer. I closed my eyes and listened intently for the words to
come.

“
I think in both instances,
the Elemental had been unconscious when the bond took
place.”

That explained why Tabitha wanted me to
be coherent when I was bound. “Do me a favor, knock me out then
take me to the east-wing arena,” I said, knowing she never
would.

She laughed. “If anyone can find a way
out of this, it is you.” She gazed at me reflectively. “Something
seems different in you today. Your glow has intensified. Tell me,
Rayla. Have you by chance fallen in love?”

I nearly choked on my saliva. “I’ve
been in love the whole time I’ve been here.”

She gave me a dubious look. “Luthais
and Ammon, is it?”

I nodded. “They are both good men and
would be suitable leaders.”

I wasn’t sure I bought what she was
saying. Something dark lingered in her gaze. “What aren’t you
telling me?”

“
It’s nothing, my lady. I
will not pass on judgments that should have been forgotten long
ago.”

I hated when people did that. They
start to tell you something and then think better of it, refusing
to expound on the implication that leaves an imprint on your brain.
What she had to say couldn’t possibly be any worse than what I was
thinking.

Was one of them evil and I couldn’t
sense it? Were they both followers of the dark side? My mind raced
with overwhelming thoughts of what she could have meant. I finally
lost it and practically screamed at her to tell me.

She smiled and shook her head. “It’s
just those two have been in a battle over love once before. I
hadn’t thought it possible it would happen again.”

Zach had admitted to me that he had
loved in the past. Luke had blown off his attachment to Faine, so I
wasn’t sure if my hunch was correct. “Who was it?”

She looked curiously at me. “What
purpose would it serve for me to answer that question? It will not
change what is happening now. The only thing it could accomplish
would be to cause you pain. I will not do that.”

She was probably right. I should let it
go. It didn’t matter who they had loved because that person was no
longer around. I didn’t know how I felt about competing with a
ghost, though.

I heard footsteps behind us. My heart
raced at what I was about to do. I put my hand on Lysanne’s
shoulder. “Wish me luck. I’m going to need it.”

“
May you have peace and
happiness all the days of your life, my lady.” With that said she
walked back toward the pond.

I smoothed my skirts and turned around.
To my surprise Finn stood there with a friendly grin on his lips.
He wrapped me in a bear hug and spun me around until I was dizzy. I
clung to his forearm to steady myself when he finally released me.
My brain hadn’t exactly realized I wasn’t moving
anymore.

His smile deepened. “I could kiss you
right now.”

I chuckled. “I hardly think your new
bondmate would appreciate that.”

“
If it weren’t for you I
wouldn’t have her. You don’t know how much this means to me. I am
your man for life, Rayla. You need only ask.”

“
Thanks,” I said, unsure
what else to say to him.

“
I saw Tabitha and Heath on
my way here,” he commented. “Neither looked pleased.”

I smirked wryly. “When have they
ever?”

He shook his head at me. “I never
thought you would go through with it.”

I gave him a thoughtful smile. “Well I
had a pretty good reason.”

He glanced over his shoulder. “I’d
better go. Cassie will think I’ve deserted her.”

Grasping his hand, I squeezed lightly.
“Take good care of her.”

“
You’ve got it.” He whirled
on his heel then raced out the door.

I made my way leisurely to the arena. I
wasn’t exactly putting it off so much as I was finding it hard to
command my feet to move in that direction. I was at the entrance
when I heard a little sound.

“
Psst.”

I scanned the hallway in both
directions. I was the only one here.

“
Psst,” the sound came
again. This time it was a bit stronger.

I turned again. A tiny laugh erupted
behind me. I spun around again and Gibbit was standing in front of
me.

I smiled, relieved it wasn’t Ainessa.
If she knew what was about to happen, I had no doubt she would
break down the walls to get to me.

Gibbit held out a hand toward me.
“Better hurry, miss.”

I frowned at him. “What are you doing
here?”

“
I should think it would be
obvious.”

But it wasn’t. I didn’t want to look
stupid though. “Why don’t you tell me anyway, just so we’re
clear?”

“
I’ve come to rescue
you.”

I pressed my hand to my mouth to keep
my laugh from carrying. “I appreciate the gesture, but this place
is warded. The only way I will be leaving will be after I am
bonded.”

“
You needn’t worry about
that, miss. Just take my hand and all of this will go
away.”

That sounded too good to be true. In
fact I’d be stupid to think otherwise, but what if I could leave
without bonding with Heath? My only hesitation was that Gibbit
didn’t do anything out of charity. Before I took his fingers, I had
to know one thing. “Who hired you?”

“
We don’t have time for
questions. All’s you need to know is I’m here offering
help.”

He shoved his hand closer. What would
happen if I took it? Would he take me directly to Ainessa? Had
Heath hired him to get out of this? Maybe it was Jett? As I saw it,
I didn’t have a better option. The last thing I wanted to do was
renege on an agreement, but I was too much of a coward to go
through with this if I had an alternative. I stretched my fingers
toward his.

Heath and Tabitha came into view as we
touched. Tabitha wailed for Heath to grab me. He just stood there
stunned for a moment before he sprang into action.

Gibbit’s fingers closed around mine and
for a moment, I thought it was too late. Time seemed to slow as
Heath rushed toward us. His face was ashen. His eyes were locked
onto mine as if he could keep me there by sheer force of will. One
word escaped his lips before we disappeared.

I had never heard my name sound like
that before. I shuddered from the loss in his voice that lingered
around me like a ghost.

I found myself in a tight space that
smelled of rotting food and damp earth. Gibbit let go of my hand.
Before I could offer a thank you, dizziness claimed me. I clutched
my head in my hands and groaned. It felt as if someone was
squeezing my brains with a vice. “What’s wrong with me?”

Gibbit’s expression didn’t offer me
much in the way of comfort. “It’s the aftereffects of going through
the ward. I’m afraid the only way out of it is to sleep it off.” He
tugged on my fingers and led me into a tiny bedroom. When I saw the
pile of blankets, I heaved a sigh of relief and flung myself onto
them.

I drifted to sleep the minute my head
hit the pillows. Thoughts I couldn’t quite grasp swirled in the fog
of my mind.

I found myself floating on a cloud
looking down on the beauty of the earth. Something caught my eye
off in the distance. It looked familiar, but I couldn’t exactly
remember how. The cloud I was riding decided to offer a closer
view.

The island lay below me. It didn’t look
like much from this vantage point. Who knew that a place so small
could frighten the mighty fae? The minute the word entered my mind
I moved forward. Something was calling to me.

No it was someone. I zoomed over the
roofs in the compound and down into the largest building. I
continued to descend deeper and deeper wondering just how far down
I was going to go then found myself in a tiny room. How could a
place be stuffy and freezing at the same time? What was that over
in the corner? The object was large. In fact on closer inspection
it looked like a man. I let out a gasp. Zach.

It couldn’t be. I said his name
hesitantly, not believing I was actually seeing him.

His mesmerizing eyes found mine,
holding them in a wordless embrace. His hair looked horrible and
dirt was smeared across his rugged jaw line. His smile wasn’t as
bright as I had remembered it. Something troubling lurked in the
tension he was trying but failing to hide.

I coughed on a sob and ran to where he
lay on the cold stone floor.

We were underground. I could feel the
oppression even in my dream. Was I dreaming or had my mind
transported me to him without my realizing it?

His voice was weak as a dying breath.
“You should not have come.”

I pulled his head into my lap and
cupped his face in my hand, smoothing his hair back with the other.
I didn’t dare speak above a whisper. “What have they done to
you?”

His leg was angled funny, and he had a
nasty bruise below his left eye. He tried to move but stopped short
with a wince.

Rage started in my heart and spread
into my fingers. Tiny particles of purple light swarmed around me
like a bunch of gnats. They brushed up against my skin before they
melted into me. The whole room glowed with a blinding light that I
could feel pulsing from within me.

I ran a finger softly over the marred
skin under his eye wishing to take the pain from him. I wanted to
lift him into my arms and carry him out of here. Even if I could
manage such a thing, I didn’t even know where we were.

“
Is this real, or am I
dreaming?” I asked, trying to figure out what I should do. If it
was a dream, I could hope he wasn’t really this bad off.

He laughed then grimaced. “I can’t
believe you are still asking that question.” His smile faded into
unending sadness. “You are not physically here, if that is what
you’re wondering. Your body is tethered somewhere else.”

I didn’t even know that was possible.
Drifting was one thing, but this was something else entirely. I
frowned, wondering how safe my body was without me in
it.

“
You are right to be
worried. You should not be here.”

“
I have to get you out,” I
whispered.

His eyes hardened, going all stern and
fatherly. I glowered at him. He was mistaken if he thought he could
order me around.

He shook his head slightly. “You are
still making the worst decisions for you, Rayla. You must listen to
me. I will live through this. I can even escape eventually. I’m
working on it, but you coming here would only complicate this for
me. I would have to worry about you, and I can’t risk that right
now.” His fingers closed around mine feebly. “I can’t allow them to
get you.” His head snapped up and he brought a finger to my mouth,
hushing me. His eyes flew wide. “Leave now. It’s coming
back.”

His command surged through me. A tear
trickled down my cheek, and I felt myself withdrawing from him as
if he had given me a slight nudge.