Betrayals of Spring (Forever Fae #2)(18)
“I don’t know, but I could tell earlier that Kalen could feel that something was wrong around us, and when you came in sight the feelings intensified. I think with us together it makes us stronger. You felt how fast the evil disappeared when you looked at Finn the way you did. I’m beginning to believe the dark sorcerer wasn’t expecting us to be stronger together,” I state.
At my mention of Kalen, she furrows her brows and purses her lips.
“Speaking of Kalen, what happened between you two? I thought things were going great for you at the wedding. One minute you look like you’re in love and the next you turn into Xena the warrior princess with a heart of ice.” She pauses and then continues to look at me skeptically when she continues, “The reason why I’m asking is because I’m concerned for you, and Kalen has wanted to know for years why you denied him.”
What? Kalen wants to know why I denied him? That doesn’t make any sense. He’s the one that turned me down.
“When did you talk to Kalen?” I snap.
“Right before you arrived he told me he came to visit you and you denied his visit. Why would you do that when you were obviously in love with him and him with you?” she retorts back.
I guess I can’t keep the past hidden forever. I didn’t want to have to tell anyone of that horrid visit, but I know Calista will understand. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. When I open my eyes Calista’s gaze is filled with wisdom and sorrow. She’s known pain and loss. I can’t believe I was too afraid to confide in the one person that’s always been by my side.
“Kalen came to visit me right after your wedding and said some real terrible things to me. He said I was too timid for his tastes. He broke my heart into a million pieces, and I vowed to never fall for a man like that ever again. I don’t know what he told you, but that’s what happened and that’s what fueled my persistence to change.”
She looks at me confused and shakes her head.
“He never said anything about talking to you.” She bites her lip and looks around the room mumbling, “Something doesn’t feel right about this. If the dark sorcerer fooled you once, who’s to say he hasn’t done it before, maybe with...Kalen?”
Thinking back to that day, things did feel a little odd and detached with the way Kalen was acting. Could it have been the dark sorcerer who visited me that day? He can’t take over any of the royal’s bodies, or at least he used to not be able to. Now that he has Calista’s power we’re not sure what capabilities he has. If it was the dark sorcerer being Kalen that day, then that would mean the real Kalen wasn’t the one who denied me. How could I have been so stupid? I should have known something was wrong that day.
“Do you really think it could have been the dark sorcerer impersonating Kalen?” I ask Calista, hopeful.
She looks at me like I’m crazy and rolls her eyes when she says, “Mel, the dark sorcerer has been screwing around with you for years. Hell yeah, I think it was him. Kalen would never have done that to you.”
“What am I going to do now? I’ve spent the last five years hating him for nothing,” I cried. Feeling weak, I find the closest chair I can and fall into it. Resting my elbows on my knees, I cover my face with my hands in hopes of being able to think.
Calista kneels in front of me, takes my hands away from my face, and holds them in my lap.
“You’re going to talk to Kalen, that’s what you are going to do,” she answers.
I can hear Finn fumbling around in a room down the hall, so I take the chance to quickly confess to my sister. I whisper quietly, “I felt the connection, Calista. As soon as I saw Kalen, I felt it and I know he did, too. It blasted through my body with such force that I could barely stand. It feels the same way you said your connection with Ryder felt like.”
She closes her eyes and sighs while hanging her head. This wasn’t the reaction I was hoping for.
“Why are you acting like this? What’s going on?” I demand.
She lifts her head with a sad look in her eyes. I can tell she’s keeping something from me, but what? My hands start to sweat and I can feel my heart pounding. I’m beginning to get frustrated with all the secrets and lies being flown my way.
“There’s something you should know,” she begins, but stops when Finn enters the room carrying a thick black towel. Damn it, why couldn’t he take a few minutes longer? I need to know what Calista was going to say.
“Do you think this towel will work?” Finn asks Calista while holding it out to her.
She gets to her feet and accepts the towel.
“Yes, Finn, this will work. Thank you.” He bows his head in reply and comes to stand by my chair. Calista walks over to the gold band lying on the floor and picks it up using the towel making sure her skin doesn’t touch it. I know I’ve touched it before and I’ve often wondered why the metal always stayed frigidly cold even after being on Finn’s warm skin all day. It never made sense until today. The cuff is filled with the essence of black magic and there is nothing warm about that.
“I’m going to get Ryder and Kalen and tell them everything. We need to inform King Madoc and Queen Mab as well as our parents to let them know we need to be on our guard tonight.” She looks directly at me and commands, “You stay here with Finn and Ashur. I don’t want you going anywhere by yourself, understand?”