Chapter Thirteen

 

 

 

Dylan

“If it isn’t the captain of the guard himself. Or is it ex-captain?” Sylphi’s voice bounced off the cavern walls. I cringed. “I heard a rumor you no longer held the position. Not since that half breed wench took you away from here for good. Tell me, it can’t be true, can it?”

I turned toward last person in the world I’d expected to see in the Teleen Caverns. Sylphi. The Sylphi who’d treated Shade like an abomination during our first journey through Faerie and had nearly put her in the hands of a dangerous faery queen. Sylphi, who never had her fill of annoying the crap out of me and who falsely claimed I was hers whenever she was around.

Other Teleen men would be happy to have her attention. Far greater men than I would all but die for her hand in marriage. She should have already gotten some fool to ask her, but from the looks of her flashing steel grey eyes and ringless fingers, this wasn’t the case. For someone who was notorious for smooth-talking her way out of things and getting anything she wanted, Sylphi’s presence was more than surprising.

I frowned, knowing it was just a matter of time before her real agenda came to light. “What are you doing back here? I thought Queen Gretel had banished you.”

I threw her the most unpleasant scowl I could muster then glared across the cavern pools, far more interested in the scenery than her petty conversation. It was an understatement to say I wasn’t happy to see her.

“Oh, Dylan, are you so out of touch? A call went out to all Teleen that a new ruler must be appointed. Any Teleen were invited, regardless of banishment. Queen Gretel is old. Tired. Her replacement will need to be vivacious, strong, and younger, of course. I’m applying for the job.”

I turned, drilling my eyes into Sylphi. What the hell? She wasn’t really going to go for the position of queen, was she? It was too absurd.

“Why am I not surprised?”

I blew out an impatient breath, hoping my stiff, broody demeanor put her off. She wasn’t easy to swat away. She’d never been one to give up so easily on something she wanted badly enough. I’d been her target for several years until she’d up and turned against Shade. Now, with the call out for a new ruler, all Teleen were welcomed back with open arms, no matter how serious their crimes.

The hell I’d ever vote for her. Shade was more a queen than Sylphi ever would be. Too bad the woman didn’t know it.

“Because you missed me?” She snickered and reached out to caress my chest. I was shirtless, but my glamour kept my blue glow under wraps. If I could scorch her fingers with my electrical fire, she’d be toast. Too bad she was of Teleen blood too; my powers did nothing to her.

“Don’t flatter yourself.” I pushed her hand off my chest and headed for the ropes to rappel down the slope. I was surprised she’d climbed all the way up there alone. Maybe she’d been watching me and knew I went up there to think. I had to give it to her, she noticed details others didn’t. Still, she was the last person on earth I wanted to see let alone spend any kind of time with.

“I heard about Shade choosing Soap over you. How’s that for an ingrate? You know, I could’ve saved you so much pain if you’d just listened to me. That wretched girl was nothing but a—”

“You will not speak of my wife in such a way. Am I clear?” I threw sparks off my skin as my glamour unraveled. The fire licking the surface of my body amplified, growing to such a brilliant white Sylphi had to shade her eyes against it.

“Sorry. I didn’t know she meant so much to you, Dylan. I must say though, I never would have hurt you in such a way. Ever. I’m always open for further chatting if you like. If there’s one person I never let drift from my thoughts, it’s you. It must count for something… all those years between us. Don’t they? Or did it mean nothing?”

I paused as I snapped the rope into place, looping it firmly through my belt. I refused to look at her, because her words dug into me unlike anything I’d known before. Back when being captain was the most prestigious job to have and I was pretty much in charge of the whole place, life had been easy. Fun, even. Even with Sylphi’s constant attention. Though mostly unwanted, she’d been a decent distraction.

Now, as king of the faraway Scren Palace in the south, I felt inferior. Lost. I’d never held so much power, yet felt lost. Even though these feelings hadn’t manifested until Shade had taken Soap’s engagement seriously, it was only when things fell apart that I’d realized how disconnected I’d become to what I’d been before Shade. What was I now? I didn’t know, but the drive to discover who I was without her made my blood ignite.

I turned toward Sylphi, who watched me with grim curiosity, a look I recognized as more amusement than trouble. She knew how to dig into my very soul, I had to give that much to her. She’d been my girlfriend, in a way, since we were young. How she’d soured in her adult years had repelled me and severed our friendship.

But the bitter, selfish, and insecure woman I’d known when I’d met Shade wasn’t the same woman staring back at me now. The change was obvious as she quietly waited for me to either walk away or turn and take her into my arms. The master manipulator in her had clearly matured, and now her patience was as lethal as the anger that used to burst from her pretty lips. But I had also changed.

She could be a match for Shade. She could help me figure this puzzle out and help me either win my wife back or lose her forever.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you, Sylphi. I just have a lot going on in my head, and you probably wouldn’t understand.” Or would she? I cleared my throat. “Meet me down below, and we can have lunch together.”

She perked up at the mention of eating a meal with me. Inside, I felt a Cheshire smile widen at her interest. Yes, she could be of use to me, and the timing was impeccable.

“Oh, did you see the angel girl? Her wings? Wow!”

I nodded, and she beamed as I confirmed her observations. “Isolde is Benton’s friend from before the war. I guess they went to school together.”

“It’s fascinating to find that Nephilim still exist, isn’t it?”

I shrugged. Her attempt at conversation was good, but I wasn’t sure yet how I felt about hanging out with her. I had to get used to it fast, or she’d see through any ruse.

“Hey, Dylan?”

“Yes?”

“I’ll meet you down below, but on one condition.”

“What’s that?” I asked as I watched her belt up to rappel down the slope.

“Next time you go climbing, you wait for me and we’ll race. I’ll beat up the mountain with minutes to spare. Guaranteed.”

I laughed and shook my head as she leaned back and leaped off the ledge. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”