Snow White and the Seven Fae

Chapter Sixteen

I woke up feeling out of place and with nothing other than a guilty pang in my stomach to keep me company. I mean, I guess there was nothing technically wrong with falling asleep next to Aiden last night. But I still felt like having three guys on the fringes of my life was wrong. Even if I wasn't officially with any of them. And I was especially not with Aiden.

Kissing Damon on and off has worked for us for years without complications, he was always just there. But it wasn't the same with Jasper, kissing him once felt like more. More intimate, more valuable. The only problem was that he just up and disappeared as quickly and as quietly as he came leaving me with guy number three. For that alone I could kill Jasper. I really don't care how attractive the man may be, I wouldn't be happy until he was gone. Forever. Taking his cryptic moods and secrets along with him.

I sat up in bed suddenly feeling wide awake. I could feel that my hair was a tangled mess without even touching it. My eyes no longer had the sandpaper feeling to them that they had when I first pried them open.

I threw the blankets off of my body and jumped off my bed. I padded over to the bathroom situated across the hall without bothering to check if Aiden was still around. Besides, I had a gut feeling that was telling me I was completely alone in the house. I'll admit, it wasn't a bad feeling. When I first lost my mom I had trouble adjusting to the quiet, lifeless feel of an empty house. But after all of the "company" I've have lately, I welcomed the loneliness.

Once inside the bathroom I stripped out of my night clothes and stepped into the steaming shower. I didn't waste time like usual, instead I scrubbed my body with vanilla body wash hastily but thoroughly and rinsed the conditioner out quickly. I was in and out of the shower in under twelve minutes.

I wrapped myself in a soft, white towel and walked back into my bedroom. After putting on a bra and underwear I pulled out a pair of dark, stretchy jeans and a black tank top. I skimmed my drawers some more before I found a warm, dark green sweater and pulled it on over my undershirt. I finished my outfit with a pair of leather boots that laced up to my knees. My training clothes.

I then tread down the stairs and to my weapons closet. I pulled out a black duffel bag and set it on the ground. I then drawled out my two best training swords, my practice compound bow, and some other things that I need for my usual training days. Once I got everything I needed, I zipped it shut and pulled out my phone. I scrolled down through the scarce list of names in my contacts till I found the one I needed and clicked call.

Natalia answered on the second ring. Her voice was calm but held an edge to it that I had pretty much gotten used to hearing in her every word.

"Hey Natalia, I'm heading over for training. Be there in ten. " I learned years ago that it was best to stay very clean and concise with talking to her because she wouldn't have it any other way.

"See you then." Was her reply before a sharp click disconnected the line.

I hiked the duffel bag onto my shoulder and walked out of the door that was tucked away in a dark corner of the downstairs. The door was invisible unless you already knew it was there, I'm not sure if the architect intended it that way but it was convenient none the less. Once I stepped out of the door I followed the familiar tunnel that eventually led to the abandoned garden behind my cottage.

It was the end of January but the snow was clearing and I could see little sprouts of green weeds and grass in patches as I walked the familiar trail to Natalia's cottage. The air smelled crisp, the ground crunched beneath my feet.

After about ten minutes of walking I reached Natalia's cottage. It was about half the size of my own and was made of dark cobblestone. Just beyond the cottage I could see the straw sacks with bulls-eyes painted on them. Archery targets that have been worn down and punctured so many times that they cave inward on themselves a little.

I knocked on the door three times and waited. After a few moments the door swung open to reveal the face I haven't seen in what feels like months though it's only been a few weeks.

The face almost caused my heart to stop beating for a moment it looked so much like my mother's. But that's probably because of the chocolate brown eyes staring back at me. They were shaped like almonds and set above high cheekbones. She didn't smile, but she didn't frown either and that was enough for me. Her face was flecked with a few freckles and was framed with the same dark hair as mine. Except her's was cut to her collarbone and was toothpick straight, it almost wasn't fair how cooperative her hair was for her in comparison to my unruly ringlets.

We stood there studying each other for awhile before finally releasing the building tension. I could see her visibly loosen the same time I did. My mother's death seemed to hit her just as hard as it hit me. We pretty much shared her. Growing up Natalia didn't really have her mother around because she died when she was very little so mine basically took her under her wing. Though we didn't show outward affection often, I had a bond to Natalia. She was the closest thing I ever had to a sister growing up and now she was all the family I had left.

After standing in the doorway long enough Natalia jerked her head towards the house in a silent invitation. I then followed her into her den where she already had two mugs of tea ready for us sitting on the oval coffee table.

Natalia's living room wasn't decorated in simply one color, it had bits and splashes of neutral colors all over the place. The couch I was sitting on was dark brown but the two recliners opposite of me were light blue and cream. The walls were off white but covered in painting ofs nature. Though her place wasn't exactly clean or precise, it was comfortable.

I tucked my feet up and relaxed into the soft down of the couch cushions while holding my mug tightly in both hands practically hugging the warmth to my body. I tilted my head back and closed my eyes.

"Natalia, please come live with me." I groaned.

"What??" I could tell by the sound of her voice that I legitimately surprised her, I could even picture her eyebrows lifting to meet her hairline.

"The Queen keeps assigning random men to live with me because I'm apparently not 'of age' to live safely by myself." I lifted my head back up and rested my eyes on Natalia.

"She has an irritating habit with interfering with people's lives." I almost flinched at the clear resentment in Natalia's voice but I knew for as long as I've know her she's never liked the Queen. And that was definitely putting it lightly.

"Anyways, they're driving me crazy." I sighed as I lifted my head up to steady my gaze on her glaring face.

"How so?"

I sat there and gave Natalia a detailed explanation of everything that had happened starting with the night Jasper chased me through Vixen Forrest. Throughout my story, Natalia sat patiently absorbing every bit of information I gave her until at last I stopped and gulped back the warm tea she made.

"I never liked Damon." she said, her voice low.

"And this Jasper guy ditched you. But I wouldn't trust this new guy just yet." She paused and then continued, "Then again I wouldn't trust anyone sent by the Queen."

I sighed again and set the empty cup of tea on the coffee table.

"I guess we should get started. Swordsmanship first." I grabbed my duffel bag and started walking to the back door knowing without looking that Natalia was following me.

Once outside we took our stances opposite of each other. The stance felt natural, like second nature. Especially after the past few days. The difference now is I was absolutely relaxed, yet determined. We each nodded our heads once in a silent signal to begin.

Natalia's warrior nature took over and I used all of my strength to parry with her. I blocked each of her blows, a few cutting far closer than I'm comfortable with. She didn't relent nor give me the chance to advance with my own attacks. But I knew her moves by heart and though she more than likely spent all of her free time training I had my natural strength that I always felt lingering in the blood that sustains my muscles.

I pulled on that strength now to push forward with attacks of my own. Natalia resisted fiercely at first but gradually became exhausted. Her steps faltered a few times and I was progressively pushing her backwards with the ferocity of my swings.

With one final double-handed swing, I knocked her sword clear across the yard and directed the tip of my own at her jugular.