Blood of Centaurs: Book 12 of The Witch Fairy Series (6 page)

In the end, I agree for the time being to focus only on the reason we are here.  Afterwards?  There’s not much anyone can do to stop me from trying to bring the Centaur realm into the light of equality and women’s rights.  I try to push these things to the back of my mind for now but I’ll still be stewing over them.

It’s about two hours before the Centaur guard comes for us. 
It may have been morning when we left the Fairy realm, but it was afternoon when we arrived in the Centaur realm.  I don’t think I’ll ever understand the time differences between realms.  Just thinking about it gives me a headache. 

We occupy the time by Kallen
and Garren showing both me and Zac how to shoot a bow and arrow.  Zac, of course, does way better than I do.  Except when I cheat and use magic.  Dagda and Tana relax on the brown leather couch and speak quietly to each other.  Neither of them seems angry, so I try not to eavesdrop.  Actually, from what I have gathered, I
really
don’t want to know the details of what they are discussing.  I have a better respect for Dagda’s point of view when Kallen and I were teasing each other.  Now I have a mental image of Dagda and Tana together.  Eew.  I wish I had a mind that didn’t create such vivid pictures of unwanted images.

Taz and Felix haven’t returned yet.  I hope it’s not because they don’t know where we are. 
No, as my Familiar Taz should be able to sense where I am.  I’m starting to get a little worried, though.  Taz doesn’t usually stay away this long when we’re not at home.

As the time approaches,
Tana offers to create my dress for the reception.  I’m a bit leery at first, but the pleading in Dagda’s eyes finally convinces me.  He desperately wants me and his wife to get along.  I want to get along with her, too.  Sometimes, she’s a really nice person.  I guess the same could be said about me.  Sometimes, I’m a really nice person.

The dress Tana create
s is more detailed than any I’ve had Kallen make for me in the past.  It’s a rich green color.  The bodice is overlaid with lace and hugs my curves, showing more cleavage than I usually like to show.  Kallen is pleased but Dagda is scowling.  Past my waist, the skirt continues to hug my body and stops mid-thigh.  Sheer matching fabric falls over it to the floor.  On my feet are sandals of the same color with three inch heels.  I’m sure these will be useful in keeping up with our Centaur guide.  They’re not practical, but they are very pretty.

My hair is pulled back from my face into a tight pony tail.  It falls in curls down my back.  My makeup is dramatic with smoky eyes and blood red lips.  Studying myself in the mirror Kallen created for me, I look fierce.  There is no trace of girl in this outfit.  It’s all woman.  From the way Kallen is studying me, I believe he agrees. 

“Close your mouth, dear Nephew,” Tana teases.  “You are embarrassing yourself.”

Kallen isn’t the only one staring open-mouthed.  Dagda is just as enthralled with his wife.  Her dark blue dress, hair and makeup are quite similar to mine.  We kind of look like twins.  Or like mother and daughter.  Is that what she was going for? 
Does she want people to believe I am both Dagda’s and hers?

Wrapping his arms around me from behind, Kallen whispers in my ear, “I will definitely create walls around our bed later.”

I watch the color rise up into my cheeks in the mirror as my heart quickens at the thought.  I don’t know how comfortable I am with the idea of making love with Zac and Dagda just on the other side of the wall, but I certainly like the idea of making love to my gorgeous, tuxedo clad husband.

A pounding on the door shakes me from my reverie with a start.  Which makes me draw magic.  A lot of it. 

Chuckling, Kallen says, “It is only our guide.”  He walks to the wide barn door and opens it.

Definitely not our guide.  Nope.  Standing in the doorway are six figures, all with silky, snow white hair over their entire bodies except their faces.  They have high cheek bones, full, pouty lips and aquiline noses between deep, yellow eyes.  And, they are perfect models of androgyny.  Beautiful without any overtures toward either gender.  Which is why I have no idea if the Sasquatch standing in the doorway are male or female.  I guess it doesn’t really matter.

“What brings you to our door?” Kallen asks evenly.  He is definitely on guard.  He’s even drawn some magic.

The middle Sasquatch nods his head and shoulders in a sort of bow.  “I am
Laki and I have come to introduce you to our Supreme Commander.”

Confused, I say, “Supreme Commander?  I thought you guys were a monarchy.”

Taking on a snide tone, Laki says, “Our Supreme Commander oversees our powerful army.  She is second only to the King.”

She?  I like that they have a female in such a powerful position.  But why is she here?

Wondering the same thing, Dagda joins Kallen at the door.  “The reception is only moments away.  What brings you here instead of greeting us at the party?”  I think we all know the answer to that.

Yup, we do.  Laki stands straight now that he is speaking to the Fairy King.  “You have met in private with the Centaur
King.  It is the Supreme Commanders concern that you have been swayed from neutral.”

“Can she speak for herself?” I ask.

“Only to those worthy,” Laki snaps.  And apparently, I’m not worthy. 

“You are addressing the Princess of the Fairy realm,” Tana says, a bit of steel in her voice.  “You will address her with respect.” 

Wow, letting her make my dress seems to have greatly improved our relationship.  Though, she is a stickler for etiquette.  She may just be offended by the idea that a Princess of her realm has been insulted.  I’m not going to spend time figuring out which it is.  I may not like the answer if I do.

“Not only the Princess,” Zac pipes in.  “She’s the strongest supernatural being in the Universe.”

Laki sniffs and his face puckers.  “I am to be addressed by children now?”

Garren takes offense to this.  “You are being addressed by one of the envoy from the Fairy realm. 
We will all address whomever we please while we are here.”  Wow, his hackles are up.  It’s moments like this I can see what Isla sees in him.  She has said when he was young, he was strong and brave.  I think it was the long years bowing to the Dragons that turned him into the occasional twit.

I can’t take any more of this.  Using the magic I pulled when they banged on the door, I take Laki’s voice away.  Addressing the rest of the Sasquatch, I ask, “Which one of you is the Supreme Commander?” 

My question is answered when four of the Sasquatch move in front of the one who is not Laki.  Since the Supreme Commander doesn’t tell them to move, I move them.  With magic.  “Now, if you want to talk to us, come on in.  But you need to speak for yourself.”

The Supreme Commander has gorgeous hair.  It is
the purest of white.  Even from a distance, I can tell it is probably the silkiest, softest hair I have ever come across.  Her eyes are so pale, they are practically clear.  Unfortunately, the fact that her hair is so white brings to mind why the Sasquatch realm is in trouble.

The race as a whole has suffered from
an extreme
mutation of the tyrosinase gene.
   
Because of this, they have very little pigment in their skin, hair and eyes.  T
his lack of pigment is prized among the Sasquatch.  The less melanin in their bodies, the happier they are.  To maintain this effect, they eat foods rich in flavonoids.  In their systems, this further inhibits the production of melanin.   The foods richest in flavonoids are fruits and vegetables so they at least enjoy a healthy diet.  But, these are also the foods the animals the Centaurs hunt eat.  There may not be enough space in this realm to feed both the Sasquatch and the animals.  With very little arable land in their realm, the Sasquatch must plant the same crops they need to keep their hair white over and over in the same place, never leaving an area fallow.  So, over time, the soil loses nutrients necessary for healthy plant growth.

After a long moment of scrutinizing me, the Supreme Commander deigns to step forward and into the barn.  I still can’t believe I’m staying in a barn.  “Your reputation does not do your imprudence justice,” she says to me in a voice that could be either male or female.

I try hard to put a pleasant smile on my face.  I think it’s more
me baring my teeth, though.  “The fact that you hide behind guards and have someone else speak for you implies you do not have the courage or strength to stand on your own.”  Imagine that, all the Sasquatch are pissed at me now.  I didn’t think it would take long. 

Kallen and Dagda move to flank me.  Like me, they expect violence to be next on the agenda.  But the Supreme Commander plays it cool. 

“We have begun our acquaintance poorly,” she says.  “Perhaps we should begin again.  I am Kono Nakani.”  The Sasquatch holds her furry hand out to me.

Trying to be mature about this, I reach out and take her
hairy hand in mine.  As soon as our skin makes contact, a searing light explodes behind my eyes.  I’m bombarded with emotions that are not my own as I race down a dark tunnel. 

Kono Nakani is not here to make peace.  She wants war.  She wants war right down to the bottom of her soul.  This is what she lives for and the idea that she is forced to come here an
d bargain for peace kills her.  She will do whatever it takes to sabotage the Sasquatch King’s attempts at peace making without exposing her true desires.

“Xandra, why are your eyes glowing?” Zac asks, bringing me back to reality. 

I drop the Sasquatch’s hand and take a step back.  I somehow know that only a fraction of a second passed as I stared into the depths of her soul, but it felt like an eternity.  I saw her darkest secret but she doesn’t seem to know this.  How could she not have felt me inside her mind?

Stepping forward
before the Sasquatch can ask the same question, Kallen says, “Rest assured, we have not been swayed by the Centaurs.  We are still neutral in our opinions regarding both of your needs.  If you would like to meet again before meeting with the Centaurs, we can arrange that for the morning.  For now, please excuse us as we prepare for the reception.”  As he speaks, he is herding the Sasquatch out the door.  Once he can, he closes it behind them. 

Turning back to me, Kallen asks, “What the hell just happened?”

“Do you need to sit down?” Dagda asks, taking my arm and steering me toward the leather couch. 

“Was that Angel light?” Zac asks.

“Xandra, Love, are you alright?” Kallen asks, joining me on the couch. 

I hold my hand up hoping to stop the chatter.  “Just give me a minute,” I say, noticing how my hand is shaking.
  Finally, after several deep breaths that do nothing to alleviate the tingling up and down my spine, I try to explain.  “I think I saw her deepest, darkest secret.”  Then again, maybe it’s not a secret?  Maybe my lie detecting is able to pick up lies before they’re told.  I groan at the thought.

“What do you mean?” Kallen asks.  He takes my shaking hand in his.

“When I touched her.  It felt like I was inside her looking at the deepest, darkest recesses of her soul.  She wants war and she’s going to sabotage the peace talks.”

Scowling, Garren says, “That makes sense.  She is the Supreme Commander of their army.  How could that be her darkest secret?” 

Dagda gives him a look only a King can give.  “If you had studied the information I gave you, you would know that the Supreme Commander is the one who convinced the Sasquatch King to come to this symposium.”

“Xandra,” Tana says softly, “What do you mean when you say you were inside her.  Was it like the birdcage?” 
As she speaks color rises up her neck to her cheeks.  She is referring to the time she was in my head and convinced me I was in a giant birdcage.  She was evil at the time and trying to convince me I was crazy.  I’ve forgiven her for that.

I shake my head.  “No, it was different.”  I think for a moment.  “The only thing I can compare it to is when I glimpsed Tabitha’s power to detect souls.  But I couldn’t see her whole soul.  I could only see this one little bit of information that was buried deep in her psyche.  And the weird thing is, she didn’t seem to know I was seeing it.”

Brows scrunched together, Kallen asks carefully, “Do you think you could be projecting your opinion of the Sasquatch onto her.  Could it have been your emotions you were feeling?”

I want to be upset with him for asking me this
because it makes me sound stupid, but it does seem plausible.  Were they my emotions?  I consider this for several long minutes.  I appreciate that no one interrupts my concentration by asking me more questions.

I don’t believe the Sasquatch want peace.  I have repeatedly questioned why
they agreed to try to compromise when it doesn’t seem to be in their nature.  And Dagda’s right, I do remember reading that it has been the Supreme Commander pushing for the peace talks.  But the emotions didn’t feel like mine.  They felt wrong in my mind, foreign.  Darker.

Shaking my head, I say, “No, those were not my emotions.”

“How can you be certain?” Garren asks.

I shrug in frustration.  “
I just am.”

“I believe you.  I do not think reading your own emotions would elicit such a glow from your eyes,” Kallen says.  “What, exactly, did you see or feel?”

“I sort of felt like I was in a dark tunnel travelling a hundred miles an hour until I hit the other side.  Then there it was.  The deep, dark secret no one was supposed to see.  It’s like I bypassed everything else inside her mind and zeroed in on just that.”

Pondering this, Dagda says, “It seems detecting lies is only part of your new Fairy power.  What I do not understand is why this particular
aspect of your power manifested while you were touching the Sasquatch.  You have been in close contact with all of us and you have not seen deep into our souls to our darkest secrets.”

I narrow my eyes at him.  “Are you telling me you have a deep, dark secret?”

Chuckling, Dagda says, “No.”

“I believe I know why,” Kallen says.  “I do not have secrets that I keep from Xandra.  She knows everything about me, which leaves her power nothing to discover.”

“Good point,” Dagda remarks.  “I can say the same.”  He smiles in my direction, proud that he can make this claim.

“You have not been in physical contact with me,” Tana points out.

“Nor me,” Garren says.

Are they saying what I think they are saying?  “Do you guys want me to read your deepest, darkest secret?”  If Garr
en’s is about something kinky he wants to do with Isla, I definitely do not want to know.

But Tana.  She is a different story.  I may not like what I see, but it would be nice to know if she is plotting to kill me in my sleep
someday.  Though, why would she offer to let me find that secret?  Taking a deep breath to make me braver, I say to Tana, “Can I try to read you?”

Her face is blank as she approaches the couch, not giving me any indication of what I might find.  When she sits down next to me, I take her hand in mine.  Instantly, I am whooshed down a black tunnel.  It feels a bit different this time.  With the Sasquatch, the tunnel walls were strong, rigid.  But Tana’s walls are, for lack of a better word, wishy-washy.  They seem to buckle and bend, making it harder to reach the other side.

When I finally get there, my gut wrenches.  There, behind a haze of uncertainty, is her deepest, darkest secret.  It is not at all what I expected.  For one, it isn’t even about me.  Not really.  Tana’s deepest secret is that she wishes she had never left Dagda.  She wishes she had understood at the time what was to come so she could have stood with him and helped him stay strong.  If she had, maybe my relationship with him would have had a better beginning.  But she did leave him and those were precious years lost that they could have tried for another child.  Not a child of their own.  Another child.  One who would be my brother or sister, for she has accepted my place in Dagda’s life.  She simply doesn’t always know how to show it.

I let go of her hand and the barn returns.  I am back on the leather couch.  I don’t realize I’m crying until Kallen wipes a tear from my cheek.

“What did you see?” he whispers.  His eyes are riveted on me.  They don’t stray to his aunt who has somehow made me cry. 

“Xandra,” Dagda says sharply.  I look up at him.  The pain on his face is difficult to look at.  “What did you
see?”  His eyes do stray to Tana and they are full of accusation.

Nonplussed and hurt, Tana turns to me.  “Am I such a horrible Fairy that you cannot speak of it?”

Instead of answering her, I lean over and give her a hug.  “You are definitely
not
a horrible Fairy.”

After a brief hesitation, Tana returns the hug.  Pulling back after a moment, she says, “You truly saw my deepest, darkest secret?  I did not feel you in my mind at all.”

“Your eyes glowed again,” Zac says now that some of the tension has left the room. 

Even Dagda has relaxed some.  His face has lost the accusatory expression and a smile has formed on his lips.  “Obviously, my wife’s deepest secret is something to celebrate.  Will you please tell us what you saw now?”

I shake my head.  “No.”

“What do you mean, no?” Garren asks.

“I mean ‘no’.  It’s not my secret to tell.”

“It is fine.  You may tell all of us what you saw,” Tana says.
  I don’t believe she actually knows what her deepest secret is.  This explains the wishy-washy walls getting to it.

I still shake my head.  “I will tell you
in private and if you want to share the information, you can.”

“Would you like to try me, now?” Garren asks.  “I have nothing to hide.”

I don’t need to take time to consider this.  “I don’t think it’s good that I know everyone’s deepest secret.”  To Kallen, I say, “This is another ability that’s a double edged sword.  If I see into people’s psyches every time I touch someone, I think I’ll go insane.”

Kallen wraps his strong arms around me
and kisses my forehead.  “I will help in any way I can.  Even if that means not letting anyone touch you.”

There is a scratching at the barn door.  Garren opens it and two Tasmanian devils
stroll inside.  “Took you long enough,” Taz snaps.  Garren takes a step back.  Not because he understood what Taz said.  It’s because Taz was snarling viciously as he said it.

“These things do not have rabies, do they?” Garren asks.

I roll my eyes.  “No, they don’t.  Taz is just surly.”

“I spend all afternoon trying to avoid being trampled by the ass end of Centaurs and you have the nerve to call me surly?” Taz demands.

“Yes, because you are surly at the moment.  What are you so wound up about?”

“I am wound up because …” Taz begins but Felix interrupts him. 

“He is wound up because it has been several hours since he has eaten,” Felix says.  “He is afraid he may have lost a pound or two of his fat cushion.”

Taz snarls at him before turning his attention back to me.  “Prepare yourself for one hell of a bug infestation, because nobody here is speaking the truth about anything.”

“Yeah, I gathered that already,” I say.  “Did you find anything else out?”

Felix answers me.  “Something big is going down at the reception.  We couldn’t see who was planning it, the barn window was too high and we couldn’t get the door open.  Whoever it was didn’t say exactly what was coming, but it is supposed to kill people.”  Glancing at Taz, he adds, “All the surly ones, anyway.”

Resting my head back against the couch, I close my eyes.  “Do I really need to go to this thing?  I already have a headache.”

“Yes, the poor baby might break a nail if things get to
o rough,” Taz grouses.  If he was closer, I’d kick him.

“What is he saying?” Kallen asks.

Sitting up straight again, I translate.  “Someone, and they don’t know who, is planning to do something at the reception that will kill people.”

“How do they know this?” Dagda asks.

“They heard it through an open barn window.”

“Can they be a little less vague?” Garren pushes.

“Could he be a little less of a twit?” Taz responds.  Fortunately, I am the only who understood him.  Though, he does have a valid point.

“They’re just over a foot tall.  They couldn’t exactly peek into the window that’s several feet off the ground,” I say pertly.

“Do they know when this is supposed to happen?” Kallen asks.  Good question.  I look at Taz expectantly.

“Yeah,” Taz says, “When the clock hand is halfway between wanker and twit.
  It’s not like they handed out a playbook for the evening’s terrorist attack.”

I glare at him.  “Taz, don’t make me use magical liposuction on you.”

Felix snickers.  “You would suck away his fatty brain.”

Taz snaps at Felix but Felix remains unperturbed by it.  To me, Taz says, “They didn’t talk about the details.  They were making sure everything was in place for when the time comes.  That’s all we know.”

Giving my attention back to those with only two feet, I say, “They don’t have any more details.”

Tana gives Zac a worried glance and then says to Dagda, “Perhaps Zac and I should remain here this evening.  You could make our excuses.”

Zac’s little lip breaks out into a pout.  “I want to go.  The Centaurs are cool.  They’re not creepy like the Sasquatch.”

“Tana is right,” Dagda tells him.  “We promised to keep you safe and bringing you to a reception that is destined to become volatile would not be keeping that promise.”

Zac understands.  I can see it in his eyes.  But he tries one last time.  Glancing between Tana and Dagda with big, round blue eyes, he says, “Pleeeeaaaassse.”

I’m not taken in by this act like Tana seems to be.  Before she can buckle under the weight of
the cuteness Zac is emitting, I settle the matter.  “No.”

Throwing himself in
to a rocking chair with his arms across his chest, he grumps, “Fine.”

He’s not the only one grumpy now.  Rising from the couch, I say, “If we really need to go to this thing, let’s hurry up.”

Kallen stands.  “This should be fun,” he says, holding his arm out to me.  I slip mine through his and we walk to the door.

“The Centaur is supposed to return for us,” Garren reminds us.

“As it is time for the festivities to begin, it seems our guide has neglected his duty,” Dagda drawls, following us to the door.  Garren trails after him, his reluctance almost as great as mine.

To the Tasmanian devils, I say,
“Taz, Felix, stay here and watch over Zac and Tana.”  To the others, I say, “Simply so I can say ‘told you we shouldn’t have gone’ later, I’m hereby stating that going to this stupid party is one of the stupidest things we’ve done.”

Smirking, Kallen opens the barn door and we walk through it.