Dark Promise by Talia Jager (free novel 24 txt) 📖

“Yes. Your medicine works fast.”

“You’re welcome. We have some of the best healers. They make amazing potions from the land. It’s quite impressive. Lena has been kind enough to share some of the light ways with our healers.”

“I’m sure humans would love to get their hands on it,” I said lightly.

Varwik’s eyes flashed. “We do not share with humans. It is forbidden. You really need to learn the laws of our land.” He turned towards Lena. “You need to take time and explain the way things work in our world.”

“Of course,” Lena replied with a smile.

I ate the food in front of me—much more slowly this time—and accepted seconds when they were offered. The meal was interminably long and uncomfortable, as Varwik tried to make everyone talk and none of us did anything but give one-word answers.

When everyone was done eating, Varwik waved a servant over to the table. Immediately the faery with auburn hair began cleaning up around us.

“You have a decision to make.” Varwik stood. “You better hurry up and make it.” He took Lena’s arm and walked out of the room, leaving Kallan and me at the table.

I sat back in my chair and crossed my arms over my chest, fighting a sense of déjà-vu since we’d only just done the same thing at the last meal. I waited for him to speak first, because I certainly wasn’t going to.

He echoed my posture, and we just stared at each other. I was getting more and more annoyed by the second, but I wasn’t giving in. I had no desire to be here and wasn’t going to pretend I did.

I don’t know how long we sat there until Varwik and Lena came back in. Looking at me, he said, “It’s not looking good for you.” He motioned to Lena. “Take her away.”

Lena stood by my chair and waited for me to get up. Once I did, she led the way back to my room. I turned to her before she closed the door and locked me in for the night. “Can’t I at least have a book?”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thanks.” I walked inside and the door closed with a loud clang.

A few minutes later, Lena returned and handed me a copy of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. “Really?” I asked. Just my luck to end up with Shakespeare again. “This was all you could find?”

“Do you want it or not?” Her eyes flashed with irritation and she shoved the book at my chest.

I took the book from her and once again, she locked me in. I paced the room with the book in my hand, flipping through it. Was I really supposed to fall for Kallan? Sure, he was gorgeous, but I hated him. He was cold and uptight, and I didn’t like that at all.

Boredom set in. I sat down on the bed, propped against the headboard, and began reading the book. I finished a third of it before I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer and fell asleep.

Things went just as well at our next meal as they did at the last one. After I refused to play nicely, Varwik’s eyes flashed with anger. “Both of you are stubborn!”

Lena knelt down next to him. “Varwik, I was thinking that it would be a good idea for Kallan to take Oleander out of the castle so she can get a glimpse of the beauty that comes with the fey life.”

Varwik tapped his finger to his chin and glanced over at his son. There was affection in his gaze when he looked back at Lena. “That is a brilliant idea.”

The rest of the meal passed in idle chitchat and uncomfortable silences. Once the meal was over, the servant entered the room and cleaned up the mess. Varwik stood up to leave, and Lena followed. He stopped at the door and turned. “Kallan, take Oleander to see the grounds.”

“Yes, Father,” Kallan said in a tone that made it obvious he would rather scratch his eyes out than be with me.

He pushed his chair back and stood up, then walked around the table and held out his hand to me. I glanced at it and stood up on my own. I didn’t need his help to get out of a chair. Just how pathetic did he think I was? My cheeks burned, and I seriously considered throwing something at him. I was doing that a lot lately.

He rolled his eyes. “Well, I won’t bother offering you my arm, then. Let’s get this over with.”

“We could just go to our rooms and tell your father you took me.” I crossed my arms and glared at him.

“My father has eyes all over this place. It’s best just to do as he asks. It’s really not a big deal.”

“What is with you people? You just follow blindly, not willing to take a stand—it’s annoying. How old are you anyway?”

“Seventeen in human years.”

“Human years? What’s the difference?”

Kallan started walking towards the door, and I followed, curious to hear his reply. “In our world, we age much slower once we hit eighteen in human years. I will look this way for several human generations.”

“You mean when everyone else is almost forty, I’ll still look like a teenager?” I had to admit that was pretty cool, but also scary. Adam would age, and I wouldn’t. Suddenly, I realized the enormity of the situation.

“Well, if you decide to stay in the human realm you will age normally. It’s only in our dimension that time is slowed.”

I tried to process this information. I was relieved to know that I could grow old with Adam if that was what I chose. If I could find a way to get out of this place alive, anyway. I didn’t know what to say so I just replied, “That’s intriguing.”

We were at the main entrance when Kallan paused and looked back at me. His intense blue-green eyes met mine and my wings fluttered again. That was so annoying. “You’re going to see things that will amaze you and some that might scare you, but I assure you that you are safe with me.”

What the hell does that mean? “Umm, okay.”

He pushed the large wooden doors open and a whole new world appeared before my eyes.

“Wow,” I whispered. “It’s beautiful.”

The sky was black, and the stars were several different colors: pink, purple, turquoise and more. Trees taller than I’d ever imagined with trunks as big around as houses flanked us on all sides but behind us.

I didn’t want to tear my eyes away, but Kallan was already way ahead of me. He noticed that I was lagging behind and walked back to where I stood. His fingers closed on my elbow to steer me away. As soon as he touched me, a shot of electricity coursed through my body. I pulled my arm back and looked up at him, stunned. He stared at me intently for a moment, and then looked away. I wondered if he had felt it, too. What did it mean? First, my wings move involuntarily, and now his touch sends surges through my body.

I decided to ignore my feelings. For now. “Where are we?”

Kallan smiled wryly. “This is the world you were born into.”

“But I mean, where are we? The sky doesn’t look like this where I’m from.”

“Just think of it as another dimension. There is only a thin veil between the magickal world and the real world. Which is why we are able to travel back and forth between them.”

“Everything is so much brighter here. Even in the dark, the flowers seem to glow, and the trees look like something out of a fairy tale. I half expect them to start singing and dancing.”

Kallan laughed, and the sound made my heart leap. He always sounded so serious. To hear him laugh and see his face come alive in the moonlight made me think there could be some good in him after all. I had to force myself to look away.

What the hell was I thinking? Adam was the only one for me. I needed to shake these crazy thoughts from my head. Besides, Kallan couldn’t stand me.

We walked forward towards a path lined with huge shrubs sprouting with beautiful flowers. The amazingly sweet smell drifted to my nose. I leaned down to touch one, but Kallan yanked me back.

“Don’t touch them.”

I blinked, surprised, and snatched my hand back. “Why not?”

“They’re poisonous.” He continued to walk forward, and I tried to keep up.

“Oh. Why would you have poisonous flowers?”

“To keep enemies away. Extra security measure.”

“Oh. The dark faeries have enemies?” There really was so much that I didn’t know. It was almost overwhelming.

“Doesn’t everyone?” he said with a chuckle.

The trees erupted into childlike giggles, and I snapped my head up. “The trees are laughing,” I whispered.

Kallan scoffed. “Not the trees, the piskies.”

I caught his eye. “The what?”

“Piskies. They’re like miniature faeries.”

“Oh, right. Azura told me about them. Are they dangerous?” I asked.

“No, they wouldn’t hurt anyone. However, they do like to play, and when you play with them, you lose all track of time. So don’t give in,” he warned. “When I was a young boy, I often got yelled at because of those little trouble-makers.”

I tried to imagine Kallan as a child, and it just wasn’t happening.

The trees giggled again, and I wondered what these piskies looked like. Maybe I’d find out someday. Sadness filled my heart once again. I didn’t belong here; this was not my home, no matter how beautiful or mystical it was. I longed to be back with my family and friends.

“We should get back,” I said solemnly.

Kallan met my eyes and nodded. “Very well, then.”

He escorted me to my room. At the door, I turned and faced him. “Thanks,” I said, trying to be polite.

“You’re welcome, but I’m not sure for what.”

“The walk. I didn’t realize how much I missed fresh air.”

“Oh. Sure.”

He was inches from me, and I had an odd desire to reach out and touch him, but I resisted. I bit my lower lip and looked at the door.

“It was a pleasure,” Kallan finally said, but his face was distant.

Without bothering to respond, I hurried inside the room.

I got ready for bed with my mind bouncing around, utterly confused by the past few days. The fey world was beautiful, and I’d be insane not to want to be a part of it. But not like this. Not captured, not forced, and definitely not without Adam.