MIDDLE GROUND

45

'...wait or so?! Are you kidding me?'

Rian and Fiona both were staring at me when I jumped up and growled at the voice in my head.

'I don't know what else to do. Do you want to know the truth and save the Princess? Or is Prince Charming not as in love with her as everyone thinks he is?'

'Fuck you.'

'Thought so. Violet will meet you in Fiona's room with bottles of sun ointment that should provide protection.'

'Fucking hell! So this is guaranteed? Why don't I just follow Violet and if I die so be it.'

'Why don't you just step out before them and if it works great! If not, we will need to dig another grave.'

'I'll turn to ash you asshole.'

'So we'll hold a small ceremony. Maybe a candle light vigil. Gotta go. Don't trust anyone.'

'Even you?'

But the voice was gone and the link seemed to be severed. This was new to me. I'd only talked to people who I can see and usually have to be close by but I had no idea where Nyx was in the castle.

Turning to Fiona and Rian who were sitting on the side of her bed hands clasped together, waiting on my instruction; I felt like the big brother I knew I had been but hadn't felt like since Rian was crowned King.

"So we're going out during the daytime with only a possibility that we could die." I tried to be somewhat humorous but it was the truth. "Pack essentials only. Where a hat, sunglasses - hell Fiona should even wear her gloves from the ball just to be extra cautious. Someone will be here soon. We'll need to be quick and thorough in applying our sunscreen before leaving this room. Do you trust me?"

Rian jumped up and grabbed my shoulders. "Yes, brother. We do."

***

Evelyn's POV

We dug into the ground so Liam was untouched by the sun. It wasn't easy to dig into the hard dirt. My muscles were tired even with my increased strength and speed from being a faery. Nothing close to what a vampire or werewolf had, but I could tell I was more powerful than I had been as a human.

I wanted to sit out in the sun but Liam was right, if I was seen all of this would be for naught.

"Liam? It's a little tight in here."

"Sorry I couldn't dig a bigger hole for us Princess, I need to conserve my strength."

"Well seeing as I just helped you dig our own grave it seems fitting to offer myself to you."

His perfect black eyebrows came together forming a V above his nose. If he aged or got wrinkles, he'd definitely have one there. He seemed confused. We were both so tired.

"I'm not having sex with you, sorry love you just aren't not my type. No one is." His eyes even in the dark seemed to glow with sadness.

"No. Liam. Drink from me." I glared at him in the dark and slapped his shoulder. I knew he could see me even though we were basically buried alive. "I know you love Fiona. I'm not asking you to cheat on her."

"Ha. Blood sharing is a sexual thing with vampires, so you kinda are."

"First off, it's not blood sharing since I'm not taking any of yours. Two, I'm not a vampire so it's definitely not sexual for me. Lastly, even if it were cheating, which it clearly isn't, you need blood to survive and I'm the only human source available to you unless you're hiding a blood bag somewhere on you."

"Shit. Fine. Just know Fiona won't be happy about this. I'm not going to make it enjoyable. I don't have the strength to even if I wanted to...." He said while wiggling his body so he was facing me.

It was tight quarters and we were basically spooning. I was the big spoon and used my cape to cover us both incase the sunlight made it through the dirt and mud.

His eyes grew dark but somehow glowed red. He looked like he was in pain. I held up my wrist but he was in my face making me freeze up before he dipped down to my neck.

"This will be faster for me to get what I need and I'll lick it, hopefully healing you without need of my blood...which will be your blood in my body."

He was trying to resist, stalling. He needed to feed.

"Liam, shut up and bite me."

I felt pressure but no pleasure like I had with Oisin. Two fangs like large needles sinking deeper into my veins. It was excruciatingly painful. Last time it stung a little, but now it felt like a third degree burn. And then he started to drink from me.

Hot tears came no matter how hard I tried to hold it back. As soon as my tears met the earth something magical happened.

Liam was still drinking but slowing down and my pain was lessening, but I continued to cry. My tears hit the dirt and sprouted up greenery. Like little flowers and grass. What was more peculiar was some of them had teeny tiny lights that lit up the space.

"What in the bloody hell..." Liam sounded stronger and more like himself as he moved away from me.

Wait. Moved away?

We had room. It transformed from a clay, dirt, worm filled tight grave for two into a comfortable cocoon with wiggle room. I felt the earth and it felt me. The grasses grew tall and captured us softly, protecting us from the sun. The dirt was still there but gave way for the new life to spread.

"How the hell did you do this? What is this? Princess?"

I was as surprised as Liam. He couldn't hear or feel the earth like I could, but I needed to thank Mother Gaia for this gift before I could address him. It didn't stop him from freaking out in the mean time.

"Princess? Princess Evelyn?"

...

"Evelyn?"

...

"Evee? Love?"

...

"For fucks sake lass say something."

My hands moved from the walls around me to Liam's hyperventilating chest.

"Calm down. Show some respect to momma earth. I was just thanking her. Geez. And you all think I'm anxious."

He choked out a laugh. It sounded like it hurt, like his throat was dry, which it shouldn't have been at this point. "You were talking to Gaia? The Goddess of all things? Mother Earth?"

"...umm yeah. Why? Is that weird? I talked to Selene and Danu. Why not Gaia?"

"Because, love, we don't all have the ability to speak to them. Let alone ask something of them. Did you ask for this? Or was this a spell or some sort of fae magic?"

I shook my head. I honestly didn't know.

"Can you see her?"

"Kinda... when I speak to her I can see her but not like she's right here. It's like in my minds eye. Does that make sense?"

"You know I'm a big fan of the Dahlia Llama and what you are describing is seeing with your third eye." His finger poked my forehead. "It's about here."

It is where I saw her. "Yes! Exactly. Like Princess Leia in her message to Obi-Wan Kenobi. She appears like that when my eyes are closed and that spot is like the lens of R2-D2!" This is so cool!

"I didn't peg you as a Star Wars geek, Princess. You keep surprising me." Liam was too amused.

"You're laughing at me, aren't you?"

"Yes. You like Star Wars." He found it hilarious and spent the rest of our time underground laughing... at me.

Well at least he was laughing. It was good to hear my friend laugh again.