Authors: Lani Aames
“As much as I’d love to right
now, we won’t have time to explore exactly how much. The Gnome, Gomit, said we
needed to get out of here as quickly as possible. The Troll—I think his name is
Tredje—would be checking on you before he goes to bed.”
Myghal
groaned as he straightened his legs.
“I’m not
sure why. By the size of these tunnels, the Troll isn’t much bigger than the
Gnome. It seems to me you and I could handle him.”
Myghal
shook his arms to get circulation back into them. “Trolls are mean little
bastards. They have magic all their own and no ethics to keep it in check.
That’s why the old Faerie Queen—and the Faeries aren’t known for their
morality, so you can imagine how bad the Trolls are—banished the Trolls to this
realm. Their magic is severely limited here and keeps them where they can do
the least amount of damage. But they still have control of some magic.”
Kerry
massaged his legs. “If the Faeries are the ones who banished the Trolls, why
would a Troll help them prevent you from going back into your realm? Why would
a Troll help a Faerie?”
“The
Trolls are still in service to the Faeries and are required to do their bidding
when called upon.”
Kerry
nodded. All of this was supposed to make perfect sense. She supposed it did…in
some other dimension.
"How
did they capture you?"
"When
the last customer left--"
"The
tall brunette?" Kerry couldn't help but ask.
He
nodded. "She didn't seem to want to leave, but I finally made her
understand it was closing time."
Kerry
thought he sounded exasperated rather than flattered by the attention. She bit
her lip to keep from grinning like an idiot.
Myghal stretched out one leg then
the other. "They had strung rope across one of the walkways, and I
tripped. I caught a glimpse of Tredje before he knocked me out. When I came to,
I was here and all tied up."
“Gomit said you have to return to
Pixieland by the Equinox. He didn’t say why, though.” Kerry's elation
dissipated. She was afraid to hear the answer to her next question. She had a
feeling it wasn’t going to be an answer she liked. “When you go, you’ll be gone
for good, won’t you?”
Myghal reached for her, placing a
hand at her neck and drawing her closer. He kissed her, his lips possessing
hers. Tears filled her eyes.
This is good-bye, isn’t it?
One last
burning kiss to carry with her the rest of her life. When they broke apart,
gasping for breath, Myghal rested his head against hers.
Kerry
didn’t wait for his answer. She jerked away, knocking his hand aside. She tried
to scramble back, but Myghal lunged for her. He caught her and they rolled together
across the chamber floor. When they stopped, Myghal was on top, straddling her,
pinning her to the dirt with her arms raised over her head.
“Let me
go!” she said between gritted teeth as she struggled to get the big lug off of
her. “What’s the point? You’re leaving and that’s that.”
“You
didn’t let me finish, love,” Myghal said softly.
“What
does it matter? What were you going to say? Something like—Hey, next time
you’re in the woods and find a pixie ring, wave and say hi.”
She
tried to wrench her arms free from his grip, but he was holding her too
tightly.
“No, I
was going to explain why I need to return to my realm by the Equinox…and why
you’ll be coming with me.”
When
the words sank in, Kerry froze. She could see his face by the beam of the
flashlight, and he didn’t look like he was teasing her.
“You—
You want me to…visit?” she stammered. She never thought he would want her to go
with him or that she would even be welcome in his realm.
“No, I
want you to come with me and be my wife.”
Kerry’s
mouth worked, but no sound came out. Had she heard him correctly? Was he asking
her to marry him?
He slid his hands into hers as he
spread his length over hers. She still held the saltshaker in one hand, and it
was trapped between their palms as he entwined his fingers with hers.
“The
truth is I have to be married by the Equinox for Pixieland to retain its
independence from the Faeries. But,” he murmured as his mouth came close to
hers again, “you’re the only woman I want for my Princess. Will you marry me,
Kerry O’Neill?”
Marry him?
Going from never seeing him
again to marrying him gave her mental whiplash. She hadn’t considered marriage.
At all. They’d only known each other a few days. How could they even think
about marriage?
He had to marry by the Equinox to
save Pixieland…but she was the only woman he wanted to be his Princess. What
should she do?
“I know everything is moving too
fast.” His heartfelt apology touched her. “I wish I had time to court you like
you deserve. But I can promise you I’ll do everything within my power to make
you happy. The palace gardens will be yours to do with as you will. And we can
visit this realm whenever you like.”
“Gardens?”
He
grinned. “The palace is surrounded by gardens, filled with every flower and
herb imaginable—and some not imagined in this realm. We’ll rule Pixieland
together, but the gardens will be yours.”
The
thought of expansive gardens, a sea of colorful flowers and blooming herbs, tempted
her. But a marriage couldn’t survive on the promise of a garden alone.
“What— What will happen if I say
no?”
“My heart will break,” Myghal
said. “If I don’t marry, Pixieland will revert to the Faerie kingdom. The
Faerie folk would invade, and the Faerie Guard would police us. We would wither
under their rule. Are you saying no, Kerry? If you say no, I’ll have to return
to the Faerie realm and marry to save my princedom. I have to do this for my
people. But I’ll never forget you, Kerry, and I’ll never love another, not even
the one who would be my Princess. You are the other half of my heart.”
Kerry’s
eyes filled with tears again, but this time because of what she felt for
Myghal. If she never saw him again, her heart would break as well.
“Yes,
I’ll marry you.”
“Are
you sure, Kerry?” he asked, but he was smiling.
She
nodded. “I’m not sure what I’m getting into, but I do know what I feel for you
is real.”
“Good.” He kissed her again, a
lingering fusion of their lips that left her breathless. When he pulled away,
he touched her face. “We probably should get out of here before the Troll
comes.”
“Yes,
we should.”
Myghal
helped her sit up. Only then did she remember the saltshaker. She handed it to
him and showed him how to remove the top.
“Gomit
said you would need this. But I can’t imagine what you can do with salt.”
He
stuck his finger into the salt crystals and touched them to his tongue. He
became more excited than when she’d agreed to marry him.
“Do you
know what this is?” he asked incredulously.
“It’s
salt.”
He
laughed. “It’s Pixie dust in its raw form.”
“Salt is Pixie dust?”
“And
Faerie dust. Pixieland supplies the Faeries with their dust. That’s why King
Norfe wants control over us, so he can control the dust. But what none of the
Faeries or other folk know is that dust isn’t mined in Pixieland. It comes from
here, your realm.”
“We
supply you with Pixie dust?” Kerry had momentary visions of mining
conglomerates shipping truckloads of salt to Pixieland.
“The Gnomes do. They were always
soldiers, but after the Realm Wars ended, they started mining these crystals
for us to use with our magic. The crystals have to be reconditioned and
charmed, but—”
A thud
reverberated through the tunnels, and Kerry heard a gruff voice shout, “On your
feet, you clumsy git.”
“The
Troll is coming,” she whispered anxiously. “Can you use the salt to get us out
of here?”
“Not
like this. I have to change the matrix and charm it. It will take a few
moments. Can you keep the Troll distracted until it’s done?”
“Sure,” Kerry said, but she
wasn’t sure at all.
Myghal poured the salt into his
palm and cupped his other hand over it. His face pinched in concentration, and
a pale white light, growing stronger as she watched, glowed through his
fingers.
Footsteps sounded just outside
the doorway. She didn’t know how to keep the Troll occupied, but blocking the
doorway would be a start. She crawled forward and when she reached the opening,
she looked up into a misshapen face—sunken muddy black eyes, a twisted bulbous
nose, and a lipless slit for a mouth revealing mismatched and discolored teeth.
It was the ugliest face she’d ever seen.
The
Troll lifted his lantern. “Well, now, what have we here?” he growled.
“What
do you want?” Kerry snapped.
“You’re an intruder in me home
and ye ask what I want?” He jerked his chin to indicate the chamber behind
Kerry. “Gomit, get in there and see that the Pixie is still secured. I’ll take
care of the human.”
The Troll reached out one stubby
hand, aiming a blunt finger at her. She felt a pull behind her navel, then she
was jerked through the doorway and slammed against the opposite tunnel wall.
Dazed, Kerry watch as Gomit,
moving slowly, entered the tunnel. He glanced back at her, and she thought she
saw him wink. Then the Troll was in her face, his lantern raised high.
“If ye weren’t so damn ugly, I’d
keep ye for my wife-slave after I send the Pixie Prince back to his own realm.”
His fetid breath washed over her and she gagged, shrinking back from him as far
as she could. “But I can’t stand the look of ye. I’ll have to get rid of ye for
knowing too much about me bridge.”
Before she could tell him the
feeling was mutual, sparkles in the air caught her eye. They glittered in the
lantern light and floated down around the Troll. He gasped and his eyes widened
when they came within his view. “What th—?”
Before
he could finish the sentence, his body went stiff. Just as he started to topple
over, Myghal plucked the lantern from his grasp, and the Troll fell with a
solid thunk.
Myghal
helped her to sit up. “He’ll be all right. In a couple of days.”
Kerry grinned. “What about
Gomit?”
“I’m
here, Lady Kerry.” The little Gnome, not nearly as ugly when compared to the
Troll, appeared in the doorway. “You’d both best be off now. Tredje had
received a message by Sprite that more Trolls are on their way because the
Thane isn’t pleased with the way Tredje is handling the situation. They could
arrive at any time.”
“You’re
right, Sir Gomit.” Myghal flashed him a smile. “I thank you, and all the Pixies
thank you for your help.”
Gomit
bowed. “It’s been a privilege and an honor to serve in my small way.”
Myghal
looked at her. “Are you ready to go with me into the Faerie Realm?”
“What
about Gomit? Won’t Tredje and the other Trolls think it’s strange if Gomit
isn’t unconscious or something? I wouldn’t want him to get in trouble.”
“Never
fear, Lady. The Prince has charmed a little dust for me.”
Myghal
laughed. “He’ll be unconscious with bruises and cuts all over him, but without
the pain. They’ll think he put up a good fight.”
Gomit
leaned closer to Myghal. “An excellent choice, my liege. She cares about those
who serve. The mark of a true Princess.”
Kerry
blushed, but Myghal nodded and clapped him on the back.
Once
again, Kerry heard sounds—this time, loud voices ranting and raving—echo
through the tunnels.
“It’s
time, my liege,” Gomit whispered.
“Are you ready, Kerry?
Transportation will feel strange, but it will be over almost instantaneously.”
She nodded that she understood.
“Hold my hand. You’ll experience
complete darkness, but it will be over in a moment.” He looked at her
questioningly, as if asking if she’d be all right.
She
nodded and did as he directed, intertwining her fingers firmly with his. Then
he threw a bit of dust over them, and sparkles filled the air, each miniscule
crystal shimmering and glinting in the lantern light. The crystals coalesced
into a swirl that whipped around them both. Her bones felt loose and a sharp
sensation sank to the pit of her stomach. Then all went dark.
Kerry walked along the path of
rose-pink stone through the wildest part of the vast gardens that surrounded
the Palace. Here, indigenous plants were allowed to flourish and overflow every
available space. The garden was a riot of color and the air scented as sweetly
as a perfumery with every plant in full bloom even thought it was only the
first day of spring.
Her wedding had been as magical
as any childhood fantasy. Whisked away by Pixie dust to a land somewhere over
the Rainbow—as good a description as any, as far as she was concerned—the
wedding had taken place immediately. No one needed to fill out a form to get a
license.