novelxo Chapter CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Noelle...” A soft voice filtered into the room and Noelle’s eyes snapped open. She frowned as she tried to figure out what time it was. The empty space beside her told her that it was early in the morning but who would call for her in such early hours? Or maybe she was dreaming?
“Noelle.” the whisper came again and Noelle lifted her head up.
Lyrah stood at her door looking at her with so much excitement that Noelle was even afraid to ask. “What is it, Lyrah? Are you not feeling okay? Do you need to see a healer?”
Lyrah grinned mischievously and padded softly across the room. “You have ten minutes to get ready or Luna and I are heading into the city without you.”
Noelle sat up and her frown deepened. She didn’t understand why the other female was whispering as if she was doing something--dread settled in Noelle’s gut. “We are sneaking out, aren’t we?”
“I don’t want to go around with a bunch of warriors on my ass, do you?” Lyrah sulked as she sat down on the bed and sighed. “I promise we’ll be back before Tyran’s warriors tear down the city looking for us. Besides, this is a way of getting back at him.”
Noelle couldn’t help but smile at Lyrah. In some way, the two females thought alike. Noelle was thinking of a way to piss Tyran off. All he ever did was to get her angry, forbid her to do what she wanted and then later make love to her as if there was nothing amiss. He was driving her crazy! She felt stifled and she needed to get away from him just for a little while.
Then again, her heart skipped a beat just by the thought of being away from him. She hated the strong bond between the mates. She couldn’t stay away for too long before she started missing him.
“Are you coming?” Lyrah exclaimed lightly.
Noelle grinned and pushed away the sheets. She rushed to the bathroom for a quick shower and a change of clothes and in a short period of time the two females were sneaking around in the corridors.
Lyrah took Noelle into places she didn’t know existed in the fortress. They took stairs that led down into the basement. The walls were grey stones and the floors were cobbles. Soft lamps shone across the tunnel. Noelle followed Lyrah as the female maneuvered expertly through the maze of tunnels.
They got narrower as they went deeper until Noelle could feel her skin creeping with fear. She was getting claustrophobic and if they didn’t come out soon, she was going to pass out!
“During the wars some millenniums ago, our grandfather built these tunnels to confuse the enemies. He hid the true entrance with a cloaking spell and the enemies entered these tunnels instead. Most of them died in here, wandering aimlessly.
Noelle felt a shiver creep up her spine. Those were not the types of stories she wanted to hear about scary places such as that. “I don’t do well in small places and I hope we get out any time soon!”
Lyrah chuckled lightly as they took another turn and eventually came to a wooden door. Noelle sighed in relief when Lyrah cracked it open and they stepped out into the warm fresh morning air. It was scented with freshly cut grass and wild flowers.
“Practice for the new recruits is just about to begin so we better hurry if we don’t want to get caught.” Lyrah raced across the vast yards of lawns in front of the gardens.
Noelle noted the black flashy car parked just down the driveway among the trees. Lyrah couldn’t attempt to flash into town because she knew it would be the easiest way for Tyran to follow her energy pattern and catch them. Outside the car, Luna stood and she looked restless. Noelle ran after Lyrah and in a few seconds they were on their way out of the fortress grounds. Instead of taking the main driveway to the main gates, Lyrah turned the car into a dirt road that took them into the private forest.
Noelle felt that this was not the first or second time Lyrah snuck out of the fortress. She could almost see the fury twirling in Tyran’s eyes once he found out they were gone. She was excited because it was one more tick on her list of things to do to piss off the Lord Mage.
“Oh dear.” Luna wrung her hands nervously as she turned to Lyrah. “Florian will not like this one bit.” She bit into her lower lip.
Lyrah chuckled happily. “Neither will Lord Mage but they should stop treating us like children! It’s high time they knew their place in our lives--don’t you agree Noelle.”
Noelle grinned. “Oh yes!”
Lyrah howled happily as they exited the forest into the main road and within a short period of time they were on their way down towards the city of Agore.
Tyran stalked into the library and his eyes narrowed. The fortress was terribly silent that morning and it told him that something was terribly wrong. The last time he checked, his queen was still sleeping and Lyrah had not yet come down for breakfast. She was still angry with him, he took it. She was going to come around soon enough and see that what he did was for her own protection. They were the last royal blood Mage remaining in the whole enchanted world. If he didn’t take care of her, no-one else would.
Tyran closed the doors to the empty library and stalked down the dining room. Muffled voices came from there and when he opened the doors he found Seranis, Malenna, Florian and Claus having a late breakfast.
“Good morning.” He muttered lightly at the royals.
They answered in unison and Florian stood up with a scowl on his face. Tyran groaned lightly because he knew he wasn’t going to like what Florian was going to say to him.
“Have you seen high Lady Lyrah and Luna? They told me they were going for an early horse ride down the fortress grounds but it’s been a while now.” Florian spoke.
Tyran frowned just as his four commanders entered the dining room with serious faces. He turned to them and prayed that Drake didn’t say anything that was going to make his day any worse. “Yes?”
Drake inclined his head towards the other royals who looked curious and a bit concerned then moved closer to Tyran and whispered. “Lady Lyrah’s car has gone missing but no one has seen or heard it leave the premises.”
Tyran felt the white hot energy twirl inside his body like the stormy seas! Something was definitely wrong. Without uttering another word, Tyran evaporated from the dining room and reappeared in his quarters.
Noelle was gone.
He knew she was nowhere inside the quarters because he always could sense her presence when she was around. It was like having warmth after being out in the cold for a long time. Tyran took in a deep shaky breath and tried to contain the energy fighting to come out. The beast in him roared with fury.
Just yesterday they talked about what responsibility meant. She promised him that she was going to stop her disobedience. He didn’t know whose idea it was to sneak out but he was sure as hell was going to rain on them once they were found. Tyran threw his head back and roared in frustration.
Noelle felt a shiver run down her spine as they went in and out the magnificent boutiques. They tried on different clothes, shoes, summer hats and perfume fragrances. Everyone was surprised when they saw the royal females walking around the city without escort. They were all excited to finally see their queen out in the open.
Everyone that passed them and recognized them wished them a long life. Noelle felt like a celebrity but her heart hurt that at one time in her life she fled and left all this behind. She couldn’t believe that no one held any bitterness about her scorning their king.
“Here’s a nice place for brunch.” Lyrah sighed softly as she sank down into a wicker chair just outside a fancy restaurant. The midday sun was warm and the air was filled with aromas of activities happening around them. Breathing it in was delicious.
Everyone else felt at ease except for Noelle. She felt the malevolence in the air suffocating her until she wanted to scream. It was as if something was stalking them. The energy in the air charged up the particles with static electricity and it sparked with life.
“Noelle, are you okay?” Lyrah voice came through just as the waiter came to them to get their orders.
Noelle turned to Lyrah and tried to smile. “I just feel a little tired. I think it’s the heat.”
Lyrah nodded and fanned herself. “Yep, the heat is getting unbearable. I hope the rains come soon enough—but enough with that. We still have to shop for your wedding dress and to get the cake and--”
“My queen!” Someone called out loud.
Noelle turned to the running girl and was pleased to see Ethinia making her way to them. Without her formal Noble clothes she looked different. Her red mane was tamed back in a braid and she wore a pair of jeans, beautiful cream pumps and a yellow obrisinia blouse. She had a couple of bags in one hand her cell phone in the other. Noelle was glad that the girl was doing well. She looked happier than the last time they met.
When she got to them, she bobbed politely and grinned. “Fancy seeing you here, my queen.”
Noelle got up and couldn’t help embracing Ethinia. Maybe the feeling of comfort from her would rid her heart of the black dread coiling inside. “I thought you went home. How is your brother doing?”
Ethinia’s face beamed. “I’m leaving in the evening. I was getting some presents for Lionel. I heard he was doing very well. He can sit up and eat by himself now.”
Noelle smiled back. “That is great news. I’m happy for you.”
Ethinia turned to the other two ladies and bobbed her head. “High Lady Lyrah, Miss, it’s nice to meet you.”
Noelle chuckled lightly as she introduced Luna to Ethinia. “She’s a Fae Court Noble Daughter.”
“Oh!” Ethinia blushed. “I apologize for my rudeness. I’m Ethinia, and as the Queen said, I represent my brother in the Mage Court member.”
Luna’s eyebrow arched up. “You are quite young to be a court member.”
Noelle reached for Ethinia’s hand and squeezed it lightly. “She’s a special member.”
“I see.” Luna turned to her food quietly.
“Well, since you are already here, Ethinia, why don’t you help us look for a wedding dress for Noelle?” Lyrah finished her glass of juice and turned to the girl.
“Oh!” Ethinia clasped her hands together with excitement. “That would be wonderful.”
Noelle groaned lightly as the females finished their meals and started off to the shops once more.
The wedding parlor was beautiful. It had all sorts of dresses so choose from. They were beautiful and were made from the best and most expensive of materials.
Lyrah and Ethinia were ogling a tirk gown that had Luna a bit envious when Noelle felt the little hairs on her neck raise. Something wasn’t right, she thought as she turned towards the streets. It felt as if something evil was stalking them, watching them and waiting for the right moment to attack. Her eyes passed over the people walking about doing their every day activities but nothing was out of place. She hoped that it was just her overactive imagination since Lyrah, who was much more sensitive to such things, wasn’t acting strange.
“Try this one, Noelle!” Lyrah exclaimed excitedly as she shoved the tirk dress into her arms.
Noelle looked down at the delicate looking white gown. It was beautiful and soft. She ran a shaky hand across it and couldn’t help but wonder why she would dress up in such an exclusive dress for a male who was marrying her out of duty. There was a female out there that was going to get married out of love and she would want to look her best for her mate, in a dress such as that one. It felt wrong to buy such a meaningful dress for a meaningless union.
“It’s too much--”
“Nonsense!” Lyrah giggled lightly. “Just go and try it on. We’ll wait for you out here.”
Noelle looked at the excited females and sighed. It won’t hurt to try it on, right? “Fine.”
Lyrah and Ethinia shrieked in excitement practically pushed Noelle towards the changing room.
Inside the changing room, Noelle held the gown against her small body and wondered what Tyran’s expression would be when he saw her in it. The past few days with him had been a bliss because they found a mutual attraction. They enjoyed love-making but they still saw different perspectives. Tyran was never going to change his attitude towards her because he believed that a queen’s place was beside her king and that she carried out whatever he ordered without question. Noelle was the only child for the Fae king and Queen. Though her father sheltered her for most of her life, he never objected to what she wanted to do. She always had the freedom of going where she wanted and seeing whoever she wanted.
Oh, she wanted to really understand Tyran but it was difficult because at times she felt he saw her as one of his subjects and maybe even that pesty little queen he was obligated to be with because she was his mate. Did he have any regrets coming after her? She knew he feared for her safety but did that mean he cared for her or it was just one more thing he was obligated to do?
She remembered how lost and helpless he looked when he discovered that Lyrah was attacked. She saw the true Lord Mage behind that hard shield he had on and she couldn’t help but be envious of Lyrah. Tyran loved Lyrah with all his heart. She was his only sister, a pureblood royal Mage and a passionate female.
Noelle had yet to see Lyrah wield power like Tyran but until that moment, Noelle felt defeated by Lyrah when it came to Tyran’s love and compassion for her. She didn’t understand why she would feel like this but she did. Normally, she wouldn’t have cared what Tyran did or who was in his heart but lately she couldn’t help but have her heart ache over him.
With a long sigh, Noelle zipped up the tirk gown that fitted wonderfully on her body. It was the perfect dress for the perfect occasion. She wanted it for her Union ceremony....a Union she wasn’t sure would take place when he finally discovered that she and the others escaped into the city without escort. Her body shivered just by thinking of the disapproving look he had on his face every time she did something against his wish.
A blood-curdling scream echoed from the parlor and something shuttered. Noelle’s heart stopped for a moment as something shimmered into view at the corner of the changing room. The lights flickered as the dread inside her heart increased and threatened to choke the life out of her.
A sharp gasp escaped her lips as a familiar face came into view.
“Long time, Noelle.”
Noelle’s eyes widened. “Uncle Ron!”
She barely moved as black smoke began engulfing her and her uncle. The room disappeared and she felt her body drifting into nothingness.
Tyran felt her close by as he materialized on one of the streets. The passers-by gasped in horror and skirted away from him but he didn’t notice them. His mind was solely concentrated in finding his mate. Zach appeared beside him. It was the first time he half-blood decided to use his abilities because he too felt the urgency of the matter.
Tyran was irritated when he left the fortress to come look for Noelle. He knew she was getting back at him for all the demands he always expected from her. This was her way of telling him to stop but he wasn’t a fast learner. His entire perspective changed when he materialized and he felt the black power swell in the streets. It was thick and oily, a dark menace on the hunt. The irritation morphed into stark terror. Noelle was in great danger! He wasn’t sure why he didn’t sense the evil tainting the streets of his city before but now Noelle was somewhere being stalked by it.
A large shadow glided above them and when Tyran looked up, a red Dragon flapped his wings effortlessly as he scanned the streets for the queen. Everyone in the streets panicked and went out to seek shelter. They must have noticed that something was wrong too.
Red, hover around the streets and try to find them. Zach and I will follow the subtle energy she left behind. Tyran pushed the words psychically into Drake’s dragon’s mind.
The dragon let out a cry and flew away while Zach and Tyran rushed through the streets.
He felt her surrounded by the stifling power. She was helpless and she was terrified. Tyran knew where she was. He felt her heartbeat accelerate and the numbing shock that went through her body. He didn’t have much time! She needed him and he didn’t have much time!
Suddenly the glass wall of a shop crushed as a tall male flew out and crushed hard on the stone-paved street. Lyrah jumped out after him looking like the assassin Tyran feared to see. Her eyes glowed yellow and in her hands she had pure twirling energy orbs the size of basketballs. That was too much energy she was using especially in her state! Before Tyran could react, Ethinia jumped out holding what looked like an energy sword.
“Do it quickly!” Lyrah called to the trembling girl. “I can’t hold down his shift any longer!”
The male’s body convulsed dangerously on the ground as his body tried to make the change into...a Dragon. Tyran’s heart stopped beating. More of the Dragons were inside Agore and they were conspiring against him and he had no idea. He felt helpless as he watched his sister struggled against the dragon while Ethinia tried to cut out his heart.
Zach snarled against the dazed Tyran and pushed forward. “She can’t absorb energy from her surroundings. It’s tainted! She needs our energy!” Zach exclaimed then turned to her. “Accept my power!” He roared at Lyrah.
Lyrah turned to them and her eyes widening a bit. Her face was pale white and her eyes eerily bright. “I accept your power.” She murmured.
Suddenly energy pulsed from Zach’s body and seeped into Lyrah’s, feeding her starved cells with energy and power to endure holding the dragon down while they tried to destroy him.
Tyran rushed forward just as Ethinia stabbed the Dragon’s heart. An ear-splitting cry escaped his scaled lips as the energy sword disintegrated the heart into ashes. Hot fiery veins appeared around the dragon’s body and just before his body imploded, Tyran noted the mark on his breast. He was a member of the Kruk pack.
The body folded into itself until there was nothing left but cinders. Lyrah collapsed and so did Ethinia.
“Get them to safety!” Tyran barked at Zach as he entered the wedding parlor.
There was broken glass everywhere the the dresses were ripped and charred. Tyran heard a whimper and the hard beating of wings and turned to his side to see Luna hovering over another male but he seemed frozen in place, his face a mask of agony. Her wings flapped with amazing speed and gold glitter fell over the male like rain. Tyran took a step forward and she turned to him tearfully.
“Don’t step into the haze!” She cried. “It will cripple you!”
Tyran sighed and swallowed hard. “Where’s Noelle?” He could barely pass the words through his lips.
“In the changing room!” Luna answered as more tears began to fall from her eyes. “She hasn’t come out!”
Tyran’s heart drowned in its liquids. Was she alright? He didn’t want to think of anything else other than make sure she was safely locked inside. He approached the locked door and lifted hand tiredly. The door crumbled down on its hinges into a pile of cinders. Black oily evil swelled out of the small room and had Tyran jerk back in horror. Noelle was not inside but he felt her presence. He felt her terror, her regrets and her disappointment. She was gone.
“No...no...no.” Tyran entered the room and looked around. Her clothes hung on one of the hooks on the wall. “No!” his voice echoed through the entire shop.
Everyone else cringed as the Lord Mage lost his control and practically tore down the changing room in search of his queen. No one dared to intervene because they all knew how angry and scared he was that Noelle was missing. They all stood outside and waited...waited for the anger to subside...