Arranged (Arranged Trilogy Book 1) (2 page)

A
s soon as
I walked through the gated entry and padded up the cobblestone walkway, I saw two guards shaking their heads at me. “Tulupea, you know we must tell your mother when you sneak out.”

I gave them an impish smile and a half-shrug. “Don’t concern yourself with it. Tonight I’ll be joining my mother and she will be able to keep tabs on me herself.”

They exchanged a glance. Apparently this was the first they’d heard of my departure. Strange, but perhaps mother had acquired new guards for me on Earth. I’d sorta miss the big lugs.

Both of them bowed lower than necessary. “You will be missed, Princess.”

“Thank you, and I will miss you as well. Hopefully I won’t be gone for too long.” I forced a smile before continuing up the long walkway. As soon as I opened the front door, my friends jumped up and screamed, “Surprise,” scaring the crap out of me. Unable to help myself, I grinned from ear to ear. Screw Aiston. I wasn’t about to sulk away my last day in the realm.

The little pixie landed on my shoulder, and her wings tickled my neck. “I hope you don’t mind. But you know we like any excuse for a party.”

I smiled in return. I’d expected her to spread the gossip but the party actually took me by surprise. I’d sorta looked forward to the quiet. But this was better. “A party is exactly what I need. Thank you, Twix.”

With that she fluttered off to find some sort of mischief to get into.

Music flooded the room. Quickly, the party was pushed outside. As fae, we didn’t like to be confined too long inside; it made us antsy and we chose to spend most of our time in nature. Automatically my hips swayed to the music.

Izzy and Puddle, my two best friends, grabbed my arms and pulled me into the middle of the field. We laughed and danced for hours. The only thing missing was the queen, my mother, on her throne clapping. It was strange to celebrate without her. I wondered if she missed our ways while on Earth, or if she had found a way to bring our happiness to it.

As soon as the sun began to set, the panic rose within me as I said good-bye to my friends. I wasn’t ready for this. I didn’t want to leave my home and my friends. The worst part was, I had no idea how long I would be gone. Decades in human time I would imagine. It didn’t seem fair. All because of my bloodline. I understood that we had to help repair Earth seeing as magick was what caused its ruin, but still … why did I have to be the one? I really didn’t see how I could make much of an impact, but my mother claimed I was vital to the repopulation. Hybrids. The idea made me ill. Not that I had anything against humans. But it just seemed wrong to blend our kind with theirs. Unnatural. What would my children look like? Would they even have wings? Magick? Would they be welcomed into our realm? Would they even be welcomed by the earthlings? There was too much unknown so there wasn’t any use in speculating.

After everyone was gone, the help fluttered in, cleaning up the mess we’d left behind.

Slowly, I walked up the long, spiral staircase to my room and glanced around one more time. I would miss this place more than I’d realized. In the silence I acknowledged that my heart still hurt from Aiston’s earlier words. At least the distance would give me a reprieve from having to see his face again. My hands balled up into fist at my sides. What nerve that jerk had.

Tears streamed down my face as I glanced around my bedroom. Even the plants drooped as if they knew I was leaving and they were sad. Before long, my mother’s words were once again in my head. My heart lurched. I wasn’t ready.

Tulupea, it is time.

With a sad smile I reached for my pillow and held it up to my nose. It smelled of lavender and lemon. I debated briefly on bringing it with me, but instead dropped it back on the bed. I’d decided not to bring anything at all to the Earth realm. It was after all a new beginnings of sorts.

I know. I’m coming.

My life was starting over and I wanted to go with a clean slate. Some of my friends promised to visit me, but their words were hollow. Even though our kind and other creatures had fought to restore magick to Earth, now that it was done, no one wanted to leave their homes. Only those forced or paid highly were uprooting. Maybe once the land was stabilized there would be more integration. If not, all of the years of fighting were for nothing. Like my mother, I couldn’t bare for that to be true. So I would hold my head high, plaster a smile on my face, and take my place in this new world whether I liked it or not. Like a princess should.

With a long sigh, I sent a burst of energy to the plants in my room before I trudged down the steps, soaking in the beauty of our home. The castle was much too big for just the two of us but I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Plus the royals always lived in the castle, generation after generation. It’s not like we even had the option to live elsewhere.

The only difference with my mother’s reign was the castle was not filled with children like the past families. I was an only child. Almost unheard of for our kind but my father died when I was young and my mother never took another mate.

How crazy was it that today I was on my way to start a new family? Just thinking about it scared the daylights out of me.

I couldn’t put off the inevitable anymore, so I trudged to the front of the house.

The guards waited for me at the doorway. I wanted to tell them to stay, but I knew it would be useless to argue with them. We walked in silence to the edge of our property. I could hear the spring’s water trickling. Normally it soothed me, but tonight I was so sad, I barely acknowledged my surroundings.

I turned to the guards and offered them my thanks for their service to me and my mother and bid them farewell.

Squaring off my shoulders, head held high, I walked toward the portal. Every step I took filled me with dread. By the time I made it to the portal, it took all of my willpower not to turn around and run back home. All I wanted to do was crawl in my bed and pretend like the weight of the world had not been placed on my shoulders.

As if my mother knew my thoughts, she whispered in my ear,
This is your destiny, child. You were born for this.

That’s what I keep hearing,
I muttered.

Closing my eyes, I called forth the portal. The energy shifted before me. “Take me to Earth.”

Taking a deep breath I squeezed my eyes shut before I stepped into the wavering air. My stomach lurched as I traveled through dimensions. Even though it was mere seconds, it felt like a lifetime. A rush of air pushed me through, causing me to fall onto my knees. I waited a moment for my head to stop spinning before rising to my feet.

My mother stood there alone to greet me.
Where are her guards?

“Daughter, I’ve missed you so much.”

When she embraced me, her energy mingled with mine. I could sense her distress and also her pleasure at having me with her. Her thoughts were one big contradiction, but I didn’t bring that to light. Soon enough I would know everything I needed to.

Glancing around, I sucked in a breath; the air was so heavy. My mother had not exaggerated. The bright moonlight spilled onto my surroundings, casting light and shadows around me. It was in complete ruins. Buildings were torn down, or burned out, and the thick air made it hard to breathe. There was some sort of grimy film surrounding us.

“Mother …”

She placed her arm around my shoulder and started moving us forward. “Hush, we are here to make a change, to bring Mother Earth back to her former glory. It’s going to take time.”

I nodded my head and blinked back tears. The last time I’d visited this area, many moons ago, it had been alive with beauty. Now it was a mere shell of its former self.

Coming to an abrupt stop, I dropped to my knees and placed my hands on the ground. What I felt startled me. Mother Earth’s heartbeat was very faint. In that instant I knew without a doubt that the planet was on the verge of collapsing. Closing my eyes, I sent a wave of healing energy to the center of the planet. My energy pulsed and I received a clear thank you in my head. I knew it wouldn’t last long, but at least I gave the mother a short reprieve. She was working so hard to hold the planet together.

Rising to my feet, I wiped off my dress and gave my mother a curt nod. She was correct. This is where we needed to be. I would do everything in my power to restore this beautiful planet. I felt childish and foolish for my earlier thoughts. My friends and realm would be there when I got back. This was so much bigger.

“Mother, we did this. They didn’t want magick. Why did we have to force ourselves on them?”

She laced her arm through mine. “You know that’s not true. We only came when called on, long after the process was set in motion. It hurts my heart, but if they had just allowed magick to return instead of fighting it…” She paused, lost in her own thoughts, before speaking in a hushed tone. “So many lives lost. Senseless. But it was not by our hand; we were called to repair. Faeries did not fight in the wars. It was the other creatures. They meant well, but …”

Even though we might not have fought in the wars, we’d believed in them. We supported the takeover. “I’ll do whatever I can to help. You’ll hear no more complaints from me.”

My mother patted my hand. “I knew I could count on you. Now tell me, how is our realm? What have I missed?”

We chatted as we walked through the debris. My heart lurched at the devastation, but I kept my head held high and my face impassive. I knew without a doubt we would make a difference, but I also knew it would take a lot of time and energy. I was already drained from passing through dimensions, and I’d given what was left of my energy to Mother Earth. I would need to sleep to replenish my reserves.

“Mother, how many healers do we have on hand?” I asked. My mind was working overtime trying to figure out the exact amount of time it would take to make the repairs and when I could return home.

I glanced up and saw a troubled look cross her face. “We have over a hundred, but the land is just so vast. We haven’t made a lot of progress, I’m afraid.”

Her words left me feeling bleak. However, I put on a brave face and said, “Together we’ll be able to progress faster.”

She nodded, and kept quiet the rest of the way. We walked quite a ways before my mother stopped in front of a large building. It was several stories tall and the outside was crumbling in some parts. It certainly didn’t look like anyone was living there.

“Why are we stopping here?” I asked, unable to keep the shock from my voice.

She didn’t bother to respond. Instead, she pushed the front door open and I followed after her.

O
nce we passed
through the doorway I glanced around, startled. The large daunting building was not fit for a queen by a long shot. Let alone a queen without any guards. The walls that were at one time white were a dingy gray and were literally falling in, and the building was filthy. There was even discarded trash on the floors. I couldn’t contain my gasp. “Why are we here?”

My mother didn’t meet my eyes when she said, “This is where we are staying.”

“No. I don’t believe it. Mother, you couldn’t have been living here all this time? Please tell me you are kidding.”

She smiled slightly. “It’s not so bad. You get used to it quickly. Not everyone is as blessed as we are. It’s a small sacrifice for the larger good.”

Listening intently, I wanted to argue but bit my tongue. The Earthlings should be welcoming us with open arms. My mother should be on a pedestal not living in squalor. What in the world was going on around here? None of this was adding up.

My eyes darted all around, soaking in my surroundings. To say it was a far cry from the luxurious living arrangements I’d been used to was a gross understatement. Unable to stop myself, I asked, “Why haven’t you at least had it cleaned up or built something new? With your magick it would be easy.”

She sighed. “Because it wouldn’t be fair. Plus if anyone were to enter when we were out they would just see another run down building. I am not here as queen, I am here to help repair the planet. I’m sorry, daughter, but while we are here, your lineage is of no importance. We must humble ourselves, just like everyone else that is left. We are equals—it’s the only way to rebuild. I won’t have a tyranny. Magick has done enough damage.” She paused. “Now we must use our powers to restore. And once the planet is restored we will hand it back over to the humans and return to our realm. This is not a mission for accolades. You will find none of that here.”

Shocked, I just stared at her blankly. All my life I’d been raised as royalty, proud of our history; it would be strange, if not impossible, to put aside my heritage. Shifting uncomfortably on my feet, I spoke through gritted teeth. “I’m a little confused as to what you are expecting from me.”

My mother drew an exhausted breath. “As I explained to you, I’ve found a human specimen that I wish you to breed with. It’s all very experimental but the humans have very advanced technology. We were able to secure equipment from one of the government facilities. A brilliant scientist survived the wars. He’s here with us and we’ve come up with a course of action to speed up the mating process.” She paused. “It’s really our only hope at this point. I hate to say it but we really need this to work. I’m out of options. Everyday the planet gets more out of balance.”

Feeling sick to my stomach, I wrapped my arms around myself and spoke in a low tone. “Mother, you really expect me to breed with someone I’ve never met?”

Shaking her head she sighed. “No, my dear, I would never ask that of you. Everything will be done with DNA splicing. You will not have to be intimate with the human boy. I know it sounds strange, but it’s truly miraculous. A sort of magick by science.”

None of what she was saying made any sense, I didn’t even know what DNA was, but I felt a huge sense of relief that she didn’t expect me to truly mate with another. Maybe my reputation wouldn’t be ruined after all. “Okay, well when am I going to meet this being? We should get this started as soon as possible if what you say is true and I believe it to be, so the world doesn’t have long.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know if that is a good idea. A part of me thinks I should keep you separated. It would make it easier for you. You can be very sensitive at times. The last thing I want is for you to grow attached to him.”

I gave her a
give me a break
look. “At least tell me what his name is?”

“His name is Michael.”

My nose scrunched up. “Michael? Humans have such strange names.”

“They say the same about us.” She paused as if she was debating telling me something. “We’ll talk more later, after you’ve rested. For now, let me show you your living quarters.”

I should have pressed her for more, but I was exhausted. Reluctantly I nodded; we’d have time to talk after I got a good night’s sleep. If I could even fall asleep. My mind was swirling trying to process everything at once. I knew Earth was in danger but this was a whole other level. Self-Implosion would happen soon if things were not changed quickly.

She led me down the dark hallway to a small room; it was empty other than a narrow bed with gray covers. Why did everything have to be so dreary here? A candle flickered in the corner giving off an eerie glow. I could have kicked myself for leaving all of my belongings back home, especially my plants. I never dreamt the realm would look like this. “Sit down and I’ll bring you some tea.”

My eyebrow rose. In all my years I’d never seen my mother serve tea. This new lifestyle was going to take some getting used to. She floated out the door, and I sat in stunned silence glancing around at my bleak surroundings. I wasn’t sure what I’d been expecting, but it sure wasn’t this dump.

Unable to help myself, with a flick of my wrist I changed the bed into something softer and bright green. If I couldn’t have actual plants, at least I could pretend.

Within moments she returned carrying a tray with a teapot I recognized from home and some kind of square biscuits. Clearly unhappy, she shot me an annoyed glance. “I told you we couldn’t change our surroundings in such a way.”

I rolled my eyes. “As if anyone is going to come into this room.”

Mother didn’t bother to respond.

We sat down on the floor, legs crossed, and drank our tea and ate the sweet hard bread that she called a cookie. The treat was surprisingly tasty.

“When will I be able to get to work?” I asked, taking another sip of tea.

She set her cup down, and flashed me a warm smile. “You did as soon as you arrived. I felt the energy shift with your healing of the Earth. I’m very proud of you. You were smart; you went right to the source instead of focusing on individual issues. I should have thought of that myself. Every night we will send healing energy to the great mother, and during the day we will visit the humans that are left, heal them, and also work on the gardens.”

The idea of a garden perked me up.
Thank goodness.
I needed to be surrounded by greenery or my soul would feel depleted. I don’t know how my mother could stand being in this drab building for so long. I don’t care what my mother said, the first thing I was going to do was bring a few plants inside to make it easier to breathe, if I could find any. The air was so dense, you could practically cut it with a knife. It seriously felt like I was being choked.

I took a long, hard look at my mother. Even in the candlelight I could tell she’d aged since she’d been on Earth. When she’d left she was young and vibrant. Of course she was still breathtaking, but I could see lines that weren’t there before. This realm was not good for us. I really hoped we could do our work as quickly as possible and return to our homeland. I didn’t want to age quickly, and I sure didn’t want to lose my mother earlier than expected. I would work day and night if that’s what it took.

More than a little impatient, I asked. “Mother, is it like this everywhere? Please tell me there are some areas that are showing signs of rebirth?”

Her gaze met mine and a slow smile spread across her face. “We have some havens were the grass grows wild and birds still sing. They are just few and far in-between.”

A rush of relief flooded my soul. So all hope was not lost. “That’s good, I was worried.”

My mother smiled sadly. “I wish there was another way. However, this is all we could come up with to speed up the process. Now that you’ve seen for yourself you must understand the urgency.”

I nodded, in agreement. The matter was urgent. Plus, I wasn’t about to argue with my mother. If there was one thing I knew, it was my mother did nothing idly. As a queen, I knew she’d given every available option the same weight and came up with the best course of action. I knew she would never do anything to put her only daughter in jeopardy unless there was no other way.

“I trust you, Mother.” I drank the rest of my tea and set the cup back on the tray.

Suddenly, I felt impossibly tired, I could barely keep my eyes open.

My mother sensed this and stood up. “Crossing dimensions is exhausting. Get some rest and we’ll get to work tomorrow morning.”

I gave her a hug before sliding under the covers. I felt like I could sleep a week straight. Everything about being here felt off, like I was missing part of the bigger picture, but I decided to think about that later and instead drifted into a deep slumber.

When I slept, my dreams were filled with shadows and darkness. I woke up in the morning with my heart pounding as if I’d been chased. Taking a deep breath, I pushed myself up to sitting and waited till my eyes adjusted to the dark room.

Hopefully, my dreams were not a sign of what was to come.