Part 13 (1/2)
”I've tried and failed. I'm guessing here, but what if we can't open it until we're....you know...married?”
”That's a good chance. I know we have to be virtuous to wear the ring...does that mean we'll never...eh...well...” Caleb says shyly.
”Have s.e.x? Spit it out,” Amber laughs.
Oh my goodness, you didn't go there.
I did. One day, we'll want to do that..we won't be kids forever.
I know. I turned off his ability to hear my thoughts. My heart was hammering against my chest.
Grandma sits stiff as a board. ”Yes, you will be able to be adults...eventually. The prophecy says you must be a virgin when you put the ring on. It talks about how young you are and later says; one day your offspring will enforce your rulings. Everything will be fine. We need to go though. I'm more equipped to protect you at the house.”
”You are?” I blurt out.
She bends her head forward, peering over her reading gla.s.ses. ”Oh yeah, I'm prepared.”
”Alrighty, I guess we'll head to Jessie's. It will give her a chance to write her vows. You have to do that don't you?” Amber prods me.
”No, she'll repeat after me. The ceremony is specific, so we won't be veering off to the left,” Thorne stops and remembers something. ”Jessie, you'll need to wear something blue, and it can't be seen by anyone other than Caleb. You don't have to worry about the human superst.i.tion about not seeing your beloved before the I do's.” He looks Caleb in the eye. ”You do love her?” Caleb shook his head up and down. ”You'd die for her right?” Caleb agreed. ”You might be tested, you trust her don't you?”
”What are you getting at?”
”He's telling you there might be times that you have to trust your spouse. In Fairyland, the Queen is the ruler...unless she's dead. Typically in a royal wedding there will be tests, and you'll have to trust yourself to believe in your wife. Everything is mystical, even your castle is hidden from all fae...until you're crowned.”
”We have a castle? What is it called?” I ask. ”You're the one that knows the prophecy; I'm a.s.suming you know where our hidden house is. Not house...castle.”
”Your kingdom is currently The Hidden City of Everlasting Light. When you're crowned, it will be The Kingdom of Everlasting Light. No one knows where it is. The fae who live there have never been seen, and the powers have been guarded so well, the elders have only speculations. I'm not kidding, when I say everything is about to change.” Grandma pulled me in for a hug.
As we walked out of the single-wide mobile home, something in the air swirled around us, and I felt trouble brewing. We walked in silence to the cars, I rode with Thorne...he's my guardian after-all. Caleb and Amber rode in her Jeep. Her muddy Jeep. Hmmm
Chapter 21. Muddy.
”Tell me something, do you wonder what Amber was out doing? Her Jeep is mega-muddy, especially for someone who makes out with the car daily. Don't ask.” Thorne and I'd been driving for about five minutes before I worked up the nerve to ask him.
He taps the steering-wheel and shrugs his shoulders. ”Jessie, I can't worry about her right now. You should be focusing on staying out of trouble for the next five hours. I mean it, don't go out for anything. I have two fifty pound bags of salt in the trunk. When we get to the house, I want everyone to take salt and do the protection spell. Does Caleb have any aversion to climbing on the roof?”
”Why? You're not making him sleep out there are you?”
”What? Why would I make Caleb sleep outside Jessie? Remember, you're going to the chapel to get married?”
”Chapel? They have church in Fae-ville?”
”Fae-ville?”
”You know, like Who-ville. Let me guess, you aren't into Dr. Seuss. Why do you want him on the roof?”
”I need him to send up some solar flares to notify my s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p to land.”
I choke on the mouthful of water from my now, very hot bottle of water. ”Your what?” It comes out more hysterical than I expected. ”You're messing with me!” He nods his head at me. ”Jerk,” I smacked his arm.
”Ow! You're violent for being the so-called Queen of Fairyland. You're going to be a tyrant aren't you? You'll behead random pixies that flit into your territory.”
”No, I'd never do anything to hurt someone. Is there a possibility that you'll ask Amber out? Can you date her?”
”Look Jessie, I do want to take her out...right now, isn't a good time to get involved. My main concern is to guard you and Caleb. Don't go running your mouth or anything, but if the prophecy is true, I'm hanging around for a while. Unless you behead me...if you do, it won't work out for us.”
”You're impossible.”
”I've heard that before.”
We chatted for a few more minutes about what he needs done on the roof. He wants the chimney checked and salted, as well as any other openings. We finally pull onto a street I recognize. Both of us found peace, lost in our own thoughts until we get home.
”Jess, one more thing, please don't push the Amber thing...when it's a good time, we'll see. Okay?”
Rolling my eyes, I agree. ”Hey, why five hours?”
”That's when you're getting married.”
”Oh yeah, silly me.” I storm off to the house to grab some cups for the salt. I hope she has a way to explain why we're salting the house like a giant french fry. Hold up, did he say five hours?
Thorne left to take care of guardian guarding stuff, stuff. He'd been quiet while we salted the yard. Amber and I decided to watch The Princess Bride. I popped some popcorn and made us all a gla.s.s of sweet-tea. I'd found a taste for the sugary tea after I left the hospital. Grandma and Caleb went out on the back porch to have a private talk about the way of fae. Mr Gabe called to say he is on the way over to stay the night. I can't imagine what crazy story we'll tell my mom. Hey mom, did you have a long day at work? Well, I can't make it to breakfast with you, sorry...but you see, I'm a faerie. Yes, you heard right, I'm fae. Oh, I forgot to mention light shoots from my hands, my bad. I ran the scenario in my head and realized she is going to put me in therapy. I can hear mom telling the doctor I'm having hallucinations. I smack my forehead in denial.
”Scoot over Amb, snack lady coming through,” I say and set the serving tray down on the coffee table. ”What happened with you last night? Thorne said you disappeared. I sent you text messages, and you never replied.”
”If you're going to grill me about last night, I'll go home. You're not my mom.”
I look at her, trying to figure out why she's so hostile. ”Amber, I'm not trying to be your mom. I was worried...forgive me for giving a c.r.a.p about your welfare. I happen to like you, even though you can be a...” I stop myself before saying something mean.
”You were going to call me a female dog. You were, I see it all over your face.”
”Maybe I was, you know d.a.m.n good and well that's what you're acting like.”
Amber rolls her eyes and c.o.c.ks her head back. ”You do like me don't you?”
”Of course I do, why would you ask?”
She reaches in her hobo style purse and gets her wallet. Thumbing past some receipts she pulls out two folded up pieces of notebook paper.
”You swear you won't make fun of me?”
”No, I wouldn't make fun of you. Amber, what's wrong?”
”This is going to get heavy; can we go in your room, in case they come back inside the house?”