Forever Fae (Forever Fae #1)(46)

I quickly pull Calista over to the willow tree so I can tell her what I have to say in privacy. I move a tendril of her beautiful, blonde hair away from her face and I look lovingly into her eyes when I say, “I have something I need to ask you.”

She looks at me questioningly and prompts me to continue.

“What is it?” She whispers.

I give her a smile and I see her eyes warming up at the sight. “First, I want to do this.” I lean down to kiss her and the kiss grows desperate with my need for her. I don’t care who is watching and I can tell neither does she. Her arms circle around my neck and she runs her fingers through my hair. I feel no hesitation coming from her so I deepen the kiss and relish in the feel of her body. I think we both know that this could be the last time we get to see each other, so we take advantage of the time we have. My hand travels up her back to the nape of her neck and I hold her in place up against my body while my tongue circles hers with a raging passion that’s burning throughout my body.

She regretfully breaks apart and hesitates.

“Ryder, I’m almost out of time. I can feel something pulling me back.”

I look at her face and take in every inch of it, from her mouth, her nose, and lastly to her gorgeous, bright green eyes that captured my heart from the very beginning.

With all the love in my heart I finally say, “You know the truth of our path and where it’s supposed to lead us. We’ve both seen it and lived it in our vision and it was amazing. I want you to be my wife, Calista. My life will have no purpose without you.” I hesitate for a second and then I continue whole-heartedly.

“When we find you and you are safely home, will you fulfill the marriage bond with me?” I kiss her softly and say the last part in a whisper. “And take your place beside me as my wife, lover and princess?”

Her wide tearful eyes are gleaming and she forcefully plants her lips on mine with determination. She looks me in the eyes and the strength I see in her is so powerful. She will make a magnificent queen. We embrace one last time before I feel the pull of being dragged back to reality. She hasn’t answered my question yet, but the last thing I hear before the dream disappears is the words I so desperately wanted to hear.

“Yes, Ryder, I love you.”





Chapter 20


Calista


I wake up right away with joyfulness in my heart. I knew that if things with Ryder progressed it would lead to the marriage bond, but it was still nice to hear him ask. The way he looked at me made my heart melt with a flooding of warmth. I wish I was with him now. If we were alone last night, I have no doubt I would have given myself to him in the dream world. My body craves his with such longing. I know it was just a dream, but it felt great to be in Ryder’s arms and to see Merrick and Elvena. I didn’t know Elvena could visit people in their dreams. She has more power than she lets on.

I was brought out of my reverie with the sound of the door being unlocked and opened. I keep my eyes closed, pretending to still be asleep when the person who walked in sits on the bed beside me. I feel the bed dip down with the person’s weight and it jostles me a little. I have a feeling it’s going to be either Warren or Avery. I was betting on the latter considering he hadn’t made an appearance yet. Whoever it is, I can feel them moving closer.

I open my eyes and move as far away from this person as possible. I do not want to be close to whoever it is, especially while on a bed and in nothing but a bathrobe. I turn to look at who it is and what do you know? It’s Avery. I do as Elvena says and remember to play along, no one can know that I had been contacted already and told of his betrayal. I feign a look of shock at first, with wide, bulging eyes and I give a gasp to accentuate it. He’s smiling at me with one part of his lip curled up in a half grin, half smirk kind of way like he always does.

“Good morning, Princess,” Avery says.

My gaze darts around the room and I pretend that I’m hopeful.

With a trembling voice I plea, “Please tell me you’re here to rescue me and then it’ll be a good morning.”

He shakes his head and sneers, “Not exactly, Princess. I plan to take you somewhere special this morning.”

I keep my face blank.

“Where exactly would that be?”

Avery replies with a sharp tone.

“Don’t play dumb with me, Princess. I know you’ve suspected things of me, so quit the little trembling act because I don’t buy it.”

My body goes tense and I know my face has turned blood red. Well, shit. There goes my cover. I dig my nails into my palms and I grind my teeth to try and keep my anger tamped down.

“Well, in that case, you can go to Hell, and I already know where we’re going so you can save all your bullshit for someone else,” I snap. I look him straight in the eyes and make mine as cold as possible.

“Why did you turn on us? What was so bad that you had to turn against your friends and your court? You had a great life, recognition and anything you could ever want. How could that not have been enough?”

Avery moves closer to me and I flinch back. I do not want him anywhere near me. He reaches up and grabs a lock of my hair turning it around and running his fingers through it. My muscles tighten and I can’t shake the bitter taste in my mouth. I have never wanted to kill someone as much as I do now.

“What is every mutiny about, Princess?” He asks.