Aerial Magic (Witch Guardian Romance Book 2) Read online

  Owen said a quick cantrip to strengthen his disguise and returned the thick glasses to his face while reluctantly releasing his Destined One. “Right now, you must keep this a secret, Elise.”

  “Don’t worry, I won’t blow your cover,” she said with a smile and a wink.

  “I know you won’t. After the ceremony, we will go someplace to talk.” Owen stepped away from Elise. He needed the space to wrench himself back into reality and control his response to her. This woman couldn’t become a distraction. The queen counted on a successful completion of his quest.

  “Elise, there you are. I want you to explain to Councilman Amhurst why it is so important to have a healer on call for every house.” Elise’s mother, Clara, walked up to the group. She nodded to Mabel and Owen. “Good evening, Councilman. Excuse me while I steal my daughter away.”

  Elise looked at Owen, her gaze full of longing, as her mother dragged her away. He steeled himself not to follow her, but couldn’t help but watch.

  “Well, I never expected this. What are you going to do about your Destined One?” Mabel demanded.

  “At the moment, nothing. Though I hope not to wait thirty-five years to claim mine like you have. If I do claim her, that is. When are you and Rodric going to tie your magic together ?” It wasn’t hard to see Mabel yearned to bond with her Destined One.

  “I’m working on it. Before Rhaim used a portal to get to Earth, I would have said soon. Now this blood cult takes precedence.” Her eyes glanced over the party guests. “Garrett is bonding to his Destined One. He should have been Rodric’s and my son. I put my job in front of my desires. It was a mistake to have kept my connection with his father a secret. Rodric felt the pull of a Destined One and I used my magic to push Arethusa at him. She was the most popular girl at that time and had several suitors. I knew what I was doing, but it still hurt when he married her.”

  “Being near your Destined One has changed you. I hear regret in your voice. You are no longer Morgan la Fey, or Mab, but Mabel—a woman who wants to mate.”

  “Just wait, you will find you are no longer Sir Ywain, nor Esos, but a man who wants one woman. The pull of the Destined One bond is unbreakable. Destiny will win in the end.”

  “Hmm, we will see, won’t we?” Owen knew of at least one fae who’d chosen to ignore his Destined One and stay immortal, Dinadan, captain of the queen’s guard. So why should he, Fae Duke of Lleufer, give in and accept the bonding?

  “Don’t make the same mistake I did,” Mabel warned. “There is more to life than duty. Bond with Elise, become human. Don’t wait to begin living life to the fullest. You no longer have eternity, a human lifetime will never be enough time to share with your Destined One.”

  “Mabel,” a voice called out. “Garrett is ready. I’m going in to fetch Gabriella. Be ready to begin the ceremony as soon as I return,” G. Rodric Amhurst Jr.—Mabel’s secret Destined One said, walking up to them. “Will you do the honors of holding the Fire Tower, Brant?”

  “I would be delighted, Councilman Amhurst.” Owen gave a slight bow. As a Fae, his magic wasn’t limited to one element. Fire, Air, Water, Earth, all were his to command.

  “Splendid.”

  §

  Elise took her place behind her mother on the east side of the outer circle dedicated to the element of Air. She felt excitement zing through her system. One day soon she would celebrate her bond with Owen, a Fae lord. The ancient texts talked about the magical races that once walked the Earth, but that had been centuries ago. How did Mabel summon Fae royalty, and what happened all those years ago when the magic races disappeared from Earth?

  Elise’s gaze stayed locked on Owen. He took the Fire position in the south, tall and masterful. Even with his disguise, she could feel the energy underneath. He radiated magic. Elise frowned. How was it no one but her seemed to feel it? He certainly was one of the most powerful wizards she’d ever met.

  He looked at her as if feeling her gaze. When their eyes met, he winked. She couldn’t help but smile at the man. What would their future be like? A lot of stories called the Fae tricksters. Others said they were formidable mages who could walk through dimensions. What was the truth and what would it be like to share her magic with one?

  §

  As the ceremony began, Owen looked over and smiled at Elise. He liked that her cheeks colored and a smile bloomed upon her face like a flower turning toward the sun. His body reacted to her kiss, and he called on his strength of will to pay attention to the ceremony.

  Even elementary magic such as this required clear focus. It was his turn to invite in the element of fire, and he did so, sketching symbols in the air with his hands, adding to the magic of the circle.

  Once all four elements had been summoned into the magic circle, Mabel began the Destined One part of the ceremony. Owen’s gaze turned to Elise. At that moment, she looked from Mabel to him, catching his gaze. He couldn’t look away. What was it about this woman that called to him so strongly?

  Before he knew it, the ceremony was over, and Mabel opened the circle. She presented the bonded couple to their family and friends. Owen gazed at the man who would have been Mabel’s son if she hadn’t kept her Destined One in the dark all these years. He was a handsome lad with red hair and the fabled amethyst eyes of the Amhurst house. Garrett couldn’t take his eyes off the young woman, whose hand he held, and now shared his magic.

  Owen glanced at Mabel and noticed the sad smile on her face. Rodric took her hand, and like an old memory, the sadness disappeared. They said a few words and then separated. Mabel’s face once more looked distressed. Is that what having a Destined One was like? Finding happiness only when your destined mate was near?

  A slight movement of air and the scent of honeysuckle wafted around him. Owen gazed at the woman by his side. A fierce protectiveness flooded Owen’s system. He never wanted Elise to be so unhappy.

  “It was a beautiful ceremony…” she began.

  “Yes. They look happy.”

  “Until you found me, I was afraid I would be alone forever.”

  Owen searched her face. Alone forever, like me. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”

  “I thought I might go to the coffee house. Would you like to join me?”

  “I would be delighted.” Owen had tried the bitter brew at Mabel’s. Once milk was added, it was more palatable.

  “Let me congratulate Garrett and Gabriella and then we can go.”

  “Of course.”

  “Hirael, meet me at Mabel’s apartment. I am taking Elise to the coffee house.”

  “As soon as I sample some of these delicious looking foodstuffs. Hmm, yummy.”

  “Cath-cydymaith, you are supposed to be keeping out of sight. Mabel explained to you there are no familiars here on Earth.”

  “No one can see me, gwarcheidwad. Go seduce your Destined One.”

  “I’m not seducing her!”

  “Such a pity…” Owen felt the usual feeling of doors closing on Hirael’s thoughts. He wouldn’t be getting through to his familiar now.

  He looked to where Elise and a group of other guests gathered to speak to the newly bonded couple. Garrett opened his arms and Elise stepped into his embrace. Owen felt a wave of anger rise. He didn’t like how easily the man held Elise. From the look on Gabriella’s face, neither did Garrett’s Destined One.

  Unable to stop himself, Owen strode up to the table and placed his hand on Elise’s back. “Are you ready to go, Elise?” Owen said in the guise of Councilman Brant.

  “Councilman Brant offered to join me at the coffee house. I feel a mocha calling my name.” Elise smiled up at Owen. He pulled her next to him, liking the way she fit under his shoulder.

  Garrett looked slightly confused as he shook hands with Owen, who offered his congratulations. Not waiting around for chit chat, Owen hurried away with Elise tucked against his side. He wasn’t sure why he needed to stake a claim in front of Garrett, but as long as Owen was on Earth, no one would put their hands on Elise
.

  Once they were out of sight of the guests, Owen stopped and turned Elise to him. He searched her face. Her eyes gazed tenderly into his. He lowered his head and claimed her lips with a kiss. So sweet. She sighed and he tasted her mouth, his tongue rubbing over hers. He deepened the kiss, needing more of her.

  “I thought you weren’t going to seduce your Destined One,” Hirael’s voice came pouring into his mind.

  Owen groaned and pulled back. He wasn’t going to seduce her. He had a quest to complete. “You’ll have to take lead on the port. I’ve never been to the coffee house.”

  Elise looked at him, her gaze still dreamy, her lips moist from his kiss. Beautiful. She blinked and her eyes became more focused. Owen wanted to put that dreamy look back on her face.

  “The coffee house,” Elise took his hand. “On three. One, two, three…”

  In the blink of an eye, they stood in a small alley. Elise led Owen to the street and door of the establishment. When they stepped through the entrance, the smell of coffee and other delectable desserts wafted through the air. Soft music played in the background and several people stood in queue in front of the counter. Owen followed Elise inside.

  “This shouldn’t take long. Do you want something to eat? They make a lovely lemon cake.” Elise gestured to the case of confections.

  “Whatever you’re having. Get two.” The food would never hold up to fae standards, of course, but Owen found he wanted to try it for Elise’s sake. She seemed so pleased at the prospect.

  They made their way to the counter. Elise gave their order and Owen pressed one of the paper bills Mabel gave him into the worker’s hands. The last time he was on Earth, money was made of precious metals. Mabel explained paper was now used and the coins they did have were copper or mixed metals. Since he didn’t know if the coins might have iron in them, Owen placed them in the jar marked tips. He didn’t want anything disrupting his magic and iron was deadly to a fae.

  Elise took his arm and led him to the end of the counter where one of the baristas worked a large machine. Owen watched as the gadget thunked and hissed before the attendant poured their drinks into white cups. Elise put brown rings around the cups before handing one to Owen. “Be careful, it’s hot.”

  “I would think so with all the hissing of the machine. Is there a fire inside it?” Owen asked.

  “No, the hissing is from steam, which is water that has been heated.”

  “They use fire to heat the water?”

  “No, they use electricity, the same way they make the lights work.”

  “Mabel spoke of electricity. It’s like lightning, only contained with copper wire.”

  “You’re really interested in machines. My father was like that. He wanted to know everything about how something worked. It was like technology was completely foreign to him.”

  “You speak of him in the past.”

  “Yes, he died suddenly when I was thirteen. I remember my parents arguing. My father left the house during a horrible storm. There was an accident and his car went over a cliff.” He noted a slight tremble in her voice. She took a deep breath and blew it out.

  Owen’s heart ached for her. “My sweet Elise, your story saddens me.” He still felt the pain of losing his parents during the Trahaearn uprising. Being immortal didn’t mean you couldn’t be killed. “Do you think about him often?”

  “Yes, I miss him. He was so calm compared to my mother. He understood me better than anyone…” A hitch in her breath stole her words. Her eyes shined with unshed tears, which set Owen’s palms sweating. How did one fix a crying human female? Uffern Dân!

  “Yes, well, um…the evening is quite comfortable.” Owen wiped his hands on his pants and sighed when she seemed to recover her composure. “Why don’t we walk and you can tell me more about electricity.”

  Owen enjoyed Elise’s delightful company and found the inventions of man to be astounding. They’d developed so much since the last time he visited Earth. Huge machines carried humans through the air, and on the roads, though tonight, traffic was nonexistent. It fascinated him.

  Owen held the door for Elise and they moved onto the sidewalk. They had gone a short distance when four men appeared out of the alley. Their demeanor sent Owen’s senses screaming. He pushed Elise behind him. “Port out of here, Elise. These men are dangerous.”

  “I don’t want to leave you.”

  Owen reached for Elise’s hand. He’d get them to safety. If only he wore his sword as he used to, these scoundrels wouldn’t stand a chance against him. Owen visualized Mabel’s apartment, reaching with his magic to connect with the energy there. One of the men stepped forward, a black gadget in his hands. Two little nodules attached via a thin wire launched from the device, hitting Owen’s chest. Pain like he’d never felt before smashed into him. He heard Elise scream as he fell, his body jerking with waves of lightning flashing through him. Then there was only darkness.

  Chapter Two

  Elise blinked, slowly coming to from the kidnappers hitting her with a sleeping spell. It was dark. The only light came from a small barred opening in the door. Elise could hardly make out the long, lean body lying on the ground next to her. She kneeled on the dirt floor and checked Owen for a pulse. It was there, weak but steady. She sighed in relief. The illusion she used to keep his disguise in place failed when she was knocked out.

  Tingles ran through her when she looked at him. He was handsome, his skin fair. His facial features perfect in their symmetry. All of the fae appeared beautiful to humans and he was no exception. His long white blond hair fell around his shoulders and she couldn’t help but stroke its shiny softness. She lightly ran her finger along the tip of his ear and smiled. No one possessed ears like that on Earth.

  She opened his shirt and frowned at the bruises on his chest. Luckily, they hadn’t been put in a nullifying cell where her powers wouldn’t have worked. Calling on her air magic to heal him, warmth spread from her hands as they hovered over his chest. She willed her magic to take away the lingering effects of the Taser the kidnappers used against him. She’d only known Owen a few hours, but he was her Destined One and she didn’t want him to suffer any pain.

  If she could get Owen to wake maybe they could escape this nightmare. She bit her lip when she found the metal cuff around his leg and the attached chain leading to the wall. His skin blistered under and around the enclosing metal. She sent healing energy into his ankle, however, as quickly as his skin cleared, more blisters appeared when the alloy once again settled on his flesh. It was almost as if the material caused some kind of allergic reaction.

  She leaned down and blew around the cuff. Using her magic, she put a layer of air between the metal and Owen’s skin. Then she once more sent healing energy into the area. His skin cleared. She looked at his face and thought he might have twitched.

  “Owen,” she whispered. “Owen, wake up. We need to get out of here.”

  He moaned and tried to roll to his side. The chain jerked him back. She leaned down and could just make out his eyes staring up at her.

  “What are you doing here? Are you all right? I told you to port to safety,” he snapped.

  Elise shook her head. “I couldn’t leave you. When they hit you with the Taser your glamour spell dissolved. I had to stay and cast an illusion spell on you to keep them thinking you’re Curtis Brant. I am a Guardian, you know.”

  “You are a healer. When did you last use your magic to attack someone?”

  Elise looked at him in horror. She’d never use her magic to attack. Owen sighed. “It’ll be all right, losinen. I’ll get you to safety. Help me to sit up.”

  Elise obediently wrapped her arm around his waist and helped him without the cuff pulling him off balance. She breathed in the scent of forest and wildflowers whenever she was near him. She almost thought of the smell as feminine except the forest was evergreen and the wildflowers weren’t sweet.

  “I have in my possession a port key. As soon as I find the Red Wizard, I w
ill place it on him to return him to the dimension he came from. His aunt, the queen, is very anxious to speak with him. I’ll make sure you’re safe before I leave Earth’s plane.”

  “Leave? Aren’t you taking me with you? I’m your Destined One.”

  “I know exactly who you are.” His voice came out a growl.

  Elise jerked back, his words struck like a physical blow. He didn’t want her.

  “No human may enter Ynys Afallon on punishment of death. I can’t take you with me. But I will make sure you’re safe before I go.”

  “Will I ever see you again?” Her voice broke and a tear ran down her cheek. This was her Destined One, the one man meant for her. Was she going to lose him, like her father? She shuddered. Her chest ached as panic set in. She couldn’t breathe.

  §

  Owen wiped the tear from her face, his touch infinitely tender. She follows me into danger but panics when I tell her I must leave her. “Breathe, losinen. We’re getting ahead of ourselves. First we must escape our prison, and then I must find Rhaim. Once we’re out of here, I want you to port to safety. I won’t see harm befall you. How is it that this metal cuff is not draining me of my magic?”

  “So it’s true that iron harms the Fae. I put air between the cuff and your skin. You were blistering.”

  She knows I am Fae. Of course, without his disguise it was apparent he wasn’t human. “My sweet little healer. Thank you for taking care of me.” When was the last time someone cared for him enough to worry about him? There was Hirael…where was the beast? He should have come looking for them by now. “Do you know how long we’ve been in this cell?”

  “I assume it’s been ten to twelve hours. The sun is shining in the small window in the hallway. We were taken last night around eight.”

  “All right. Do you have a hair pin? I want to pick the lock on these cuffs.”

  “Why don’t you use your magic to get them off?”

  “It’s the iron, the bane of the Fae. My magic won’t work correctly when it touches the metal.”