Discovering Fae

When I finally came downstairs, Ben and Blaine gushed about how cool my new look was, then cheered like lunatics when we told how it happened. Apparently, they had a bet on how long it would take us to finally give in and Ben ended up passing Blaine fifty bucks.

After dinner, the map came back out and I felt Mal’s hatred and reluctance and an undercurrent of fear.

“Okay, before we get started, I want to hear solid plans, not arguments,” I said, holding up a hand to stop Ben and Blaine from picking up the bickering again. “First, let’s address the issues with getting intel. Does anyone here have any standing with the people of Malokia that would of any use to us?”

“My family does a little bit, but we tend to stick to the grayer areas of things,” Ben said. “I can get in touch with some of our other contacts and see if they wouldn’t mind being a proxy, but that’s stretching trust that isn’t really there to begin with.”

“I used to, but that kind of went out the window when your mother and I took the throne,” Dad said. “I have contacts as well, though mine might be in the wrong areas of information.”

“Okay, so next problem is funding,” I said.

“That’s not an issue,” Mom and Ben both said before Mom smiled. “I have a vast fortune on my own, not including what your father has. Plus, we put aside a fair amount for you so you would have it when we found you again.”

“Like I said, my family is doing well, so ditching the money in exchange for something useful is helpful,” Ben nodded.

“I guess that fixed itself. Now, I think it might be a good idea to split up,” I said looking at the map. “Two groups. The last news we had said he was heading towards the west, so one goes west and the other goes southwest, deeper into Malokia.”

“I agree,” Dad nodded with a small smile. “Who goes where?”

“Mom, Ben, and Blaine should go west,” I said, looking at the map. “There’s more towns and villages that way, so they’re ability to talk to people will be more useful there. Plus, I kind of stick out now.”

“I know how to talk to people,” Dad pouted.

“You growl at people, which, I admit, might be an asset right now, we can’t take the chance of it offending the wrong people,” I rolled my eyes. “Remember, we’re trying to be as low-key as possible.”

“So, me, you, and Quinn are going southwest,” Mal said looking at the map. “I like it.”

“Ben can use com-wisps to keep us all in touch with each other,” I said.

“They only last a day, Fae,” Ben said.

“Then it’s a good thing there are two fairies that can fly insanely fast, if need be,” I nodded.

“Where do we meet and how long do we look?” Blaine asked.

“It’s been long enough now that any tracks there may have been are long gone,” Dad said. “But the thickness of these woods... There might be traces left, but it’ll be very difficult to find them.”

“People tend to be reluctant to talk around there, too,” Blaine added.

“Three days or five?” Mom asked me.

“Normally, I would say the longer we try the greater the chances, but if we draw too much attention to ourselves, that kind of blows the low-key thing out of the water,” I frowned. “Three days tops before we move on to a new plan. We’ll save the where for when we know where we end up.”

“I like it,” Ben said after a moment of thought.

“Agreed,” Blaine nodded.

“It’s the best plan we’ve had so far,” Mal said as pride flooded the Bond. “You’re pretty good at this.”

“Reminds me of someone,” Mom smirked at Dad.

“So, when do we leave?” I asked.

“Malokia is a three-day journey by carriage from here,” Mom said. “We’ll leave in the morning, I think.”

“May I suggest a small alteration?” Dad said with a frown at the map. “Since those woods are so thick and the traces of Zane passing through will have faded quite a bit by now, I would like the search team to fly out and begin sooner.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Mal nodded. “The info team has less ground to cover, while we have almost an entire forest to comb through. The sooner we get to work, the more likely it’ll be that we find something.”

“Alright. We have a plan,” I said. “In six days, we’ll discuss the next move.”

The map was rolled up and we all went to bed early. I laid on the floor next to Mal with my mind racing through all of the possibilities. It had been so long since there was any news of Zane’s whereabouts, the hope I had of finding him had dwindled down to a tiny spark that was barely alive. I held on to it, though. I had to. He was one of my Bonded. A guardian, as Mom called them, since she got tired of explaining not all of the people she called her “Bonded” weren’t her Soul Bonded. I owed it to him to find him and try everything I could to save him. To bring him back.

“Fae, stop worrying so much,” Mal said, his voice rough and husky with sleep. “You need to get some sleep.”

“I can’t help it,” I said and snuggled closer to his side. “He was the first person I met, and he sort of opened the door for, well, all of it. What if we can’t find him?”

“As if you’d accept that,” he chuckled and started stroking his hand through my hair. “One of us will find him. What happens afterwards, I can’t say, but we’ll find him.”

“There has to be a way to help him,” I muttered as Mal’s fingers started to massage my scalp, helping me to relax.

“I’m not sure there is, but if there is, you’ll be the one to find it,” he said and kissed my forehead. “You’re far too stubborn to give up on him. I am not looking forward to when we do find him, though.”

“Why not?”

“He’s not going to recognize us the way he used to,” he said. “There’s no telling what will happen, but it’s very likely that he’ll try to attack us, especially when he realizes we’re trying to trap him. Morphi don’t like being confined.”

“But he will recognize us, right?” I sighed, closing my eyes.

“Maybe. Maybe not. From all accounts, a Haze is like being possessed by a demon,” Mal said. “The ones that come out of it, describe it as a darkness, but one that makes sense. At the time, they don’t think of it as madness. They see it as logic. It isn’t until they come out of the Haze that they see it for what it is.”

I hummed, feeling heavy as Mal moved a little, bringing himself to almost lay over me, shielding me from the world with his body and I felt a small smile tug on my lips. The smell of him filled my lungs and I rubbed my face against his chest, grabbing a handful of his shirt, before I gave in to the pull of sleep.

-----

There was this soft pressure on my lips, and I smiled as I returned the kiss.

“I prefer this wake-up call to an alarm,” I said when Mal pulled away.

“Get used to it, Princess, because that’s how you’ll wake up every morning for the rest of our lives,” he chuckled. “Breakfast will be ready in a little bit and then we’ll be leaving for Malokia.”

“Can you carry me that far? With our supplies?” I asked with a frown.

“I’ll carry you to the end of the universe and back, Fae,” he smirked. “But yes, I can manage the trip to Malokia just fine.”

I could feel his emotions flowing through me like a river. It was all tender and warm and made it very difficult to want to get up.

“I don’t want to get up either,” he smiled down at me.

“It’s going to take some time to get used to that,” I laughed. “It feels weird, having another person knowing what’s going on in my head.”

“I can feel when you catch things,” he chuckled and nuzzled into my neck. “You get a bit of embarrassment and shyness that’s very unlike you.”

“You seem to draw out the swooning damsel in me,” I grumbled at him.

“I make you swoon, huh?” he grinned and looked at me.

“You know you do, you conceited monster,” I narrowed my eyes at him, but I still felt flushed by my admitting it.

He just smiled bigger and leaned down to kiss me again. I’m pretty sure I could do this every second for the next decade at it won’t be enough. It made my heart swell almost painfully and my body grew warm every single time.

“Ahem!” came the loud sound of Dad clearing his throat. Neither of us had even heard him opening the door, since that rule had been tossed out by Mom after we finished the Bond.

Mal groaned and rolled to his back as irritation and frustration flashed through the bond. I giggled and rolled over, pecking his cheek before getting up.

“Breakfast will be done in five minutes,” Dad said gruffly as his usual scowl deepened. “We’ll leave in thirty.”

He stomped down the hall after making a point to swing the door as far open as he could, making me roll my eyes as I went to shut it again. I never did like sleeping with an open door. It gave me the creeps.

“He’s going to skin me alive when you’re not looking,” Mal muttered as I grabbed some clothes.

“Mom keeps saying he’ll get over it,” I snorted. “She never says when, though. Imagine. A life of my dad’s glaring.”

“Come here,” Mal growled as I walked by him towards the door. He jumped up and grabbed me around the waist, flinging me backwards onto the bed.

I squealed as he sat on my hips and started tickling me.

“That’s not funny, Fae,” he said as I laughed so hard, my ribs hurt. “Take it back.”

“Alright! I take it back!” I cried out. Mal pinned my hands over my head and smirked at me.

“Better,” he said and leaned down to kiss me again before letting me up. “I’ll get us packed while you take your shower.”