Chapter 19

 

No. It couldn’t be. He was alive when I left him, still bound and trapped, but I had released his hands. A big guy like him would have been able to free himself. My heartbeat raced. Through my fear, I heard the commotion but couldn’t move as I tried to recall if he’d freed his hands. I’d loosened the bindings, and he’d been wiggling. But did he get free? Did I suffocate him?

“Why, dear Kyla, you look absolutely pallid. Something wrong?” Alastar stood in front of me with a wicked grin.

I wanted to smack it off his face, but didn’t have the energy for him.

“I’m sure you heard about Orin. Tragic really. Funny how you were the last person to see him. Alive.”

No. I didn’t kill him. Not bothering to play his games, I rushed past Alastar, needing to find Liam. Now. I pounded on his bedroom door. The minute it opened, I practically fell into his room.

“Kylie? What’s going on?”

“I-I couldn’t, didn’t–”

“Okay, slow down.” He ushered me to a chair. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“Orin’s dead.”

“The guard?”

My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth as I nodded.

“I’m sorry to hear that. Were you two friends?”

“No, quite the opposite. I couldn’t stand the guy.”

Liam shifted his weight. “Wh–”

“But I didn’t mean to kill him.”

His eyes doubled in size. “Wait, what?”

“In the garden. He cornered me and wouldn’t let me pass. I was mad. I wanted to teach him a lesson, but not this. No, not this.” My stomach heaved and bile rose in my throat. I’d left him to die. It was inhumane and even he didn’t deserve that. “Oh God, what have I done?”

“You killed him? Like, murder?”

“It was an accident, sort of, but I didn’t mean for him to die.”

“Kylie, you aren’t a murderer. I think you need to start from the beginning.”

I stared at him for a moment and repeated the events in my mind. I didn’t want to talk about it, relive it. Especially now that I knew how it had ended.

Liam waited.

“Remember a while back when I told you a guard gave me a hard time in the hallway? It was Orin. That night with Grant, I forced Orin to drink half a bottle of ambrosia wine, charmed him into thinking he’d freed Grant and left him. Well, I ran into him last night. He wouldn’t let me pass. Oh God. I’m gonna be sick.” I buried my head in my palms.

Liam grabbed a glass of water and urged me to drink some. “What happened in the garden?”

“He stood there, blocking me, threatening me. He said he knew I was involved in Grant’s escape and he couldn’t stop thinking about me. I told him to leave me alone, but he refused. So I used magic.”

Liam urged me to continue.

“I shook the ground until he fell, bound him with roots and entrapped him with moss. I threatened to bury him alive, but I didn’t. I wouldn’t do that. You know I wouldn’t, right? I wanted to scare him. I loosened his bindings and then left him to free himself.”

“Okay, so why do you think you murdered him?”

“He never came out. I don’t know what happened. I wanted to give myself time to get into the castle. So, I didn’t free him completely, but then I ran into your father and we talked. He had enough time then. He should have come out.” I bit my lip too hard and winced. A coppery taste filled my mouth.

“Wait? My father?”

“Yeah, he saw me use my power. Which was bad, but this…”

“What did my father say to you?”

“He hinted about the oracle. Asked me about magic. I didn’t say much. Aislinn came out and the conversation ended.”

“So when you left Orin, he was alive, correct?”

I nodded.

“But he never came out from where you’d left him while you talked to my father?”

I shook my head.

“Then your mother came. What happened next?”

“She and I went inside. I should have checked on him when he didn’t appear but your father’s appearance threw me off. I forgot all about Orin.”

“Did my father go inside with you?”

“No.”

“Kylie, think about it. You left Orin alive, but you also left my father out there. How do you know it was you? He’s an earth user too. What if he finished what you’d started?”

“You don’t believe that, do you? He wouldn’t.”

“Wouldn’t he? Even after hearing about his plans for Grant, do you really think this is beyond him?”

“I don’t know. Maybe not, but, Liam, how would I ever prove it? I was the last person to see Orin alive. Call me crazy, but if it comes down to my word against the king’s, I won’t have a fighting chance.”

“Well, if he did it, there’s a reason behind it.” He paced in front of me.

“You’re missing the big problem here. What if he didn’t do it? I did. I’m a murderer. My magic killed someone.”

“No. I can’t believe that.” His tone carried gentleness. “I know you feel guilty and, as the last person with him, maybe it makes sense, but I know you and you’re not capable of this. His bindings were loosened. Orin’s twice my size. He could have freed himself from some moss and roots. Think about it, Kylie.”

Orin was one of the bigger guards. He should have been able to break through some moss. “Unless, I didn’t loosen his bindings enough.”

“Okay, for the sake of argument, let’s say you didn’t. What killed him? A night in the garden wouldn’t have killed the guy. How did he die?”

My grip loosened from the chair. When I’d walked away from Orin, he could breathe. His nose had been uncovered. How would he have died? “I don’t know.”

“You see my point now? You didn’t do this, someone else did. Maybe it wasn’t my father, but someone did it, and beside you and Aislinn, he was the only other person in the garden last night.”

“But why? Why would he do this? Just to blame me?”

“Maybe, or maybe to silence Orin about your abilities.”

“Orin wouldn’t have said anything. I scared him, really scared him. Oh God.” Tears dripped down my face. “I scared him so much. It was me who trapped him there in the first place, so it’s still my fault.”

“You can’t believe that. If you hadn’t bound him, what do you think he would’ve done to you? He would’ve over-powered you. You did the right thing.”

“Did I? The guy’s dead, Liam.”

“Absolutely. You could have been hurt.” He knelt in front of me. “Kylie, something bad could have happened to you. Something I don’t even want to imagine, because quite honestly, if he’d touched you, I would have killed him. He was dead either way. At least this way, you’re okay.”

“Why would your father do this to me, though? I don’t understand.”

“What makes you sure anyone even thinks it’s you?”

“I don’t know what other people think, but your father approached me this morning and mentioned I was the last to see Orin alive. I don’t know who else knows besides him, but he’s going to blame me.”

“We don’t know that. He may have some ulterior motive. Let’s see what happens. Maybe it’ll pass. We shouldn’t rush around incriminating you if no one else is. And, if I need to, I’ll say we were together.”

“I don’t want to get you involved in this.”

“If you’re in this, so am I.”

I hugged him.

“Have you told Conor yet? Maybe he could talk to some guards and see what people are saying.”

“I kind of sent him on a favor. He’s already gone. He doesn’t know anything about it.”

“A favor?”

I looked down. “A message to Grant. I worried about him. After everything your father said last night, I’m sure he knows I know about the oracle. I’m worried he’ll have Grant hunted and killed. He wants to break me. Your father is chipping away at me. First Grant, now this. He’s going to succeed.”

“No, he won’t. That won’t happen. You’re too strong.”

“After last night, and him seeing me use magic, I don’t know what he’s up to. It’s not good. He asked a lot of questions. I told him my emotions triggered it. Then he brought up love. He’s planning something.”

“I guess it’s good you sent Conor. If my father thinks he can prevent this oracle by killing Grant, you’re right. He’s in a lot of danger.”

It was too late to prevent Grant’s role in the oracle, and after what Alastar saw last night, I think he knew too. So instead, he would kill my true love and leave me so heartbroken I’d have no energy to fight him. Maybe turn to Liam for comfort and ultimately be under Alastar’s control.

“You’re going to lay low today. Stay in my room. No one will bother you. I’ll have Lexie sent over so we can talk to her as well. We’ll wait until Conor gets back. If anyone asks we’ll say the murder has left you shaken and scared, and I’ve asked you not to walk about the castle grounds until we know it’s safe.”

“Thank you, Liam, for everything. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“I told you, I’ll always be here for you. Are you hungry? Should I send for some food?”

I shook my head, still sick over everything which had happened.

“Okay, let me get Lexie. Lie here and rest.” He gestured to his bed.

My body wouldn’t move. I stared at the carpet. Its swirling pattern reminded me of vines. An image of Orin lifeless flashed and I shuddered.

Liam pulled my hand and led me. “You need to rest. You look like you’re in shock or something. Lie down for a while.”

I let the plush blankets and pillows absorb me in a cloud of comfort. I snuggled in and tried to stop the replaying images of Orin, his eyes large with fear. Terror I’d caused.

The door opened and closed.

I took several calming breaths and thought of Grant. My personal happy place. Had Conor found him yet? What messages would he have for me in return? Blissful memories filled me, repeating every moment ever spent with Grant. From the first time I saw him, to my birthday, to him admitting he loved me. My body tingled as I remembered our perfect night in the forest, glad I’d waited because it never would have been the same with anyone other than him. I fell asleep to the image of Grant looking down on me, full of affection as he whispered words of love.

* * * *

I dreamt of Grant. In the faery forest, I’d produced a plush bed of grass for us. We laughed and were free of worry, as we should be.

A familiarity settled over me. My mother. She’d entered my dream.

I felt her, but couldn’t see her. Turning to Grant, I found him gone.

Annoyed, I stood, dusted the grass off my clothes and prepared to find her. I followed the pull over the leaf-cluttered floor, down a narrow path surrounded by trees.

Wearing a long, flowing white dress, my mother stepped from behind an oak tree. Her blond hair lifted in the wind, her green eyes sparkled and her skin beamed radiance. Add a crown of flowers and some wings, and she could have been from a picture book. “This is the safest place to talk right now. I’m sorry to intrude upon your dream.”

Not as sorry as I was. I leaned against a tree.

“Alastar spoke with me today. He implied you had something to do with Orin’s death. Of course, I don’t believe him, but you should know he wants to use this as leverage. He hasn’t told anyone else yet. He feels this secret will keep you loyal to him.” She hadn’t asked what happened, just assumed my innocence. It was either really loving or very naive.

“I figured as much. I didn’t do it, though. I went inside with you last night, leaving him alone.” I let her put two and two together.

“If this ever comes to light, I will say you were with me.”

“Liam offered the same thing.”

“Good. It looks like you have plenty of alibis. I wish he’d put this notion to rest. With this hanging over you, he means to control you. We need to get you out of this castle. Far away.”

“How? I can’t run away. We already tried. Didn’t work.”

“Convince Alastar he doesn’t want you around.”

“I thought about that. What if I promised him I’ll leave Tir na nOg? He’d have nothing to fear if I didn’t even live in the same realm as him.”

With a pained expression, she said, “As much as I don’t want to see that happen, maybe it would be for the best. Even though you aren’t safe on the other side, it seems safer than here. Though it’d be terribly sad. I just got you here and you’re already leaving.”

“I know. I do like it here. When my life’s not in mortal danger,” I added dryly. “Magic is amazing, though. I feel such a strong affinity to the earth, as if I belong here.” I grazed the bark of the tree with my palm. “But I can’t keep doing this. I’m miserable and it’s not safe.”

She placed her hand on my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I want nothing but your happiness.”

“Thanks.”

“I’ll leave you to your dream now. If you want to meet again, let me know. It’s safe to talk here.”

“I will.”

Her dress floated above the leaves and brush. Her slender frame moved with grace, until she disappeared.

I walked back to where Grant had been, but my patch of grass remained empty. I plopped down and waited to wake.

As my eyes fluttered open, Lexie sat crossed-legged on Liam’s bed, staring at me.

“Rise and shine.”

“Is Conor back yet?” I rubbed my face.

“No, silly. You haven’t been asleep long. He won’t be back until tonight.”

“Please tell me the whole Orin thing was one big nightmare.”

“Unfortunately, that really happened.”

I sat up and found Liam in a nearby chair. “How long did I sleep? Why didn’t you wake me?”

“Figured you had to face reality soon enough, might as well let you dream while you could,” Liam said.

“Well, I’m up. So what reality am I facing?”

The two exchanged glances.

I groaned. “That’s never a good sign. What now?”

“My father requested a private meeting with you. I told him you wouldn’t be speaking to him without me present. He didn’t like that too much, but he agreed.”

“Okay, so that’s bad, but not awful. Is that it?”

“He’s also launching an investigation into Orin’s murder. You’re the prime suspect.”

The air pushed from my lungs as though I’d been punched. This was really happening.