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Chapter 19
Ryder entered the common room cautiously and smiled at the three pixies sitting on the couch. "Mind if I join?" he asked softly. Violet looked up from the TV and nodded, motioning towards the couch. "I'm Ryder," he said, introducing himself to Basil. Basil gave him the once over, clearly trying to decide if he was a threat or not. Deciding not, he gave a head nod and went back to watching TV.
Clover watched him carefully. Something about Ryder scared her. On the surface he seemed like a nice guy, someone to get comfortable with, but she could tell that he was hiding something deep inside of him. Frankly, she was curious and wanted to know what secrets he could have.
"So I have a question for you," he asked, turning to look at her. She swallowed visibly and nodded. His piercing blue eyes rendered her motionless and fear lodged in the base of her throat. "You don't have to look so frightened," he said softly, "I'm not going to hurt you."
Clover relaxed visibly and forced a smile, "Sorry, natural reaction to be on guard at all times. What can I help you with?"
He had to push the stirrings of anger to the back of his mind before he could talk again. Who had wounded her so efficiently that she feared answering a question? "I'm curious as to how you are able to shape change if you're a pixie. Or is this something you can't answer without shrinking?"
Clover released a throaty chuckle that sent shivers down his spine, "I'm allowed to answer. Some of the pixies, usually royalty, have the ability to change shape if they so choose. You have to go through intensive training, starting with meditation, because if you do it wrong...it's not pretty."
"When did you start training?"
"I started training when I was twelve. I loved flying, but I loved the animals too. That's when I decided to focus on becoming a hawk. My father never understood why I chose a hawk. According to him I could already fly, why not pick another more powerful creature? But something about them spoke to me. I don't know, it sounds ridiculous, but to me it makes sense."
Ryder nodded, he understood what she was saying. Even though he was born a panther shifter he knew what it was like to feel the need to change. "I think that in every one of us there is something wild and free, dying to get out, but only some people take the opportunity to discover it. I can't imagine what life would be like without my panther. I'd probably feel constantly caged in and empty."
She looked at him in wonder, he actually did understand. Never before had she heard someone explain what she felt so efficiently. Everyone else she tried to talk to didn't comprehend her need to be free. All her life she had been living in a cage, dying to be free. When she flew as a hawk, it was her chance to break out of the restraints she was so tightly bound to. Life as a princess was hard work. Her father was powerful and domineering—it's why Violet originally ran away from home. Clover knew she couldn't handle the backstabbing whispers and the disgusted looks from the people, but it was their father's disappointment that truly hurt Violet.
Clover suddenly felt everyone staring at her and she realized that Ryder had asked her a question. "I'm sorry, I was lost in my thoughts, what did you say?"
Ryder grinned sexily, "I asked what it's like, living as a pixie princess."
"Oh," she made a face and thought carefully about what she was going to say. "My father is very overbearing and prideful. He takes great care of our kingdom, but as his daughter it's very hard to live up to his expectations at all times. He tends to be very set in his ways."
Violet snorted, "That's an understatement. The kingdom and his good image come first and anyone who is a threat to either is no longer in his good favor. Another words: me."
"I don't want you to get the wrong impression about him, he's not a bad man," Clover defended quickly, "just very overbearing. He relishes his power, but would never abuse it. As soon as Basil tells him where we are and whom we're with, he'll be here the next day, for more than one reason. First of all, he'll want to create a solid alliance with the panthers. Second, he'll need to lecture Basil and I on our stupidity, after checking to see that I'm all right. Thirdly, he'll work on bringing Violet back into the kingdom, now that he's ready to forgive and forget."
Basil cleared his throat uncomfortably and gave Clover a sheepish look, "I, uh, I already let him know where we are. He said he'll be here as soon as possible."
"Basil! How could you? I asked you to wait a little bit, I'm not ready to face him," Violet cried. She shot him a glare and rubbed her forehead angrily. Great, now her father would arrive, with Sage. She was not ready to face either of them.
"I'm sorry, Vi, I'm already in enough trouble for letting Clover get caught, I couldn't lie to him anymore."
"Wait," Ryder said, holding up a hand, "Why were you captured?"
Both Clover and Basil shifted uncomfortably and looked at each other. "We were supposed to be finding the Vessel, seeing where she was and then assessing the situation from there. Somehow the Hunters overheard us talking one day in the forest and took us unaware that night. We never even felt or heard them. It was like they had some cloak over them. Anyways, they grabbed me and in a fit of panic I tried to change into a hawk but the Hunter didn't release me. He seemed unfazed by my change." Ryder eased a hand over Clover's clenched fists and smiled encouragingly. She nodded her thanks and continued.
"They brought me back to their camp and said that they would torture me until I told them what they wanted to know. I refused to say anything and refused to change back to my true form. They forced a burning liquid down my throat that caused me to change. After that, the Hunter told me that I was under his control and only he could release me." She let out a bitter laugh, "I thought he was kidding, there's no way to control me. But I was wrong. I was forced to travel with them daily, keeping an eye out for the Vessel. When I came across the panthers the first time, I wasn't with the Hunter who had originally bound me, so when the Hunters were all killed I was forced to fly back to the camp.
"He wasn't very happy with me and told me that next time he was going with me. According to him, I was going to be the perfect bait. We headed out a few days later for the panther's estate. And from there you know the rest. Thankfully they never knew what I really was. They just assumed I was a shape shifter like the panthers."
By the time Clover had finished telling her story, Basil, Violet and Ryder were all sitting rigidly in their seats. They were all livid and ready to kill the first Hunter they came across. "Do they know who the Vessel is?" Ryder asked slowly.
Clover shook her head, "As far as I know they don't. Basil and I were careful not to say her name, in case someone did overhear. I feel so stupid; I should never have let myself get caught." She turned to look at Violet painfully, "Can you imagine what Father will say when he's here?"
"A pox on what he says," Violet scoffed, ignoring Basil's horrified look, "He should be more concerned with how you're doing than a silly mistake you made."
"You know how he is," Clover replied. "But maybe he'll be more focused on you than me." She grinned evilly when Violet stuck her tongue out. "I can dream, can't I? Plus, Sage will be here. Yet another distraction away from me!"
"Sage?" Ryder asked, surprised at the sudden bolt of jealousy he felt.
"Violet's fiancé, didn't she tell you?"
Ryder sighed inwardly in relief, "Does Finn know about this? He won't be too happy."
Violet shook her head guiltily, "Not yet. I haven't even thought about Sage for a long time. I assumed after I left the engagement would be canceled, but I guess I was wrong. I'll deal with it when my Father and Sage arrive. Please don't tell Finn yet."
"I won't." Ryder stood up from the couch and inclined his head politely. "You shouldn't keep this from him forever though. He's bound to find out and when he does, he won't be happy." With that ominous warning, Ryder left the room in search of Ingrid. He had something important he needed to tell her.
"Hey baby, you must be a light switch, because every time I see you, you turn me on!" Tamsin giggled at Jed's antics. He was ruthless in his mock seduction of her; sometimes it was hard to believe that he was just kidding around. Whoever his love was would need a deep sense of humor along with a strong backbone.
"Cheesy pick-up lines, Jed? I expected better of you," she said mockingly. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Fletcher watching them angrily. It made her laugh, how jealous he was. Finally he was getting a dose of his own medicine. Well okay, he had never outrageously flirted with another woman in front of her, but he did drive her crazy. It was only fair that she did the same to him.
"Come over here and keep my lap warm," Jed grinned sexily. They were planning on watching a scary movie and the only spot open was next to Fletcher. Or Jed's lap. Grinning like a Cheshire cat she plopped down on his lap and snuggled close to him. Next to her, Ingrid grinned and winked. She approved of the fake flirting, men needed to be taught a lesson. Women were not to be controlled.
Ignoring the burning glares from Fletcher, Tamsin let Jed wrap an arm around her waist. He used his other hand to play with her hair. She shivered at his touch and leaned in closer. It felt so good to be touched, as wrong as it seemed. As a child, she was never held close or hugged. Her parents were rarely home and her nanny's weren't close enough to her. It had taken years for her to let Noelle hug her and since then she had craved even the smallest of bodily contact.
When the movie was over, Tamsin apologized to Jed for cutting off all the circulation in his arms. "I don't usually get that worked up over scary movies."
"It's okay," he grinned, "I like holding you. Sweetness is my weakness."
Tamsin smacked his arm, "No more cheesy pickup lines, you sound like a desperate drunk guy."
"I'm not drunk, I'm just intoxicated by you," he shot back smoothly. Ingrid smothered a laugh when she saw the look on Fletcher's face. He looked ready to hurl.
"For Christ's sake," Fletcher muttered, storming out of the room angrily. He couldn't watch them anymore, it was making him sick.
"Did you see his face?" Ingrid laughed, after he left. "Oh my word he looked like he was going to throw up all over and then punch Jed in the face." Tamsin laughed weakly. He was reacting the way she wanted him to, but then why did she feel so bad? It was the stupid weakness she felt towards him. Whenever he smiled at her, she felt her insides melt and immediately she thought back to their steamy kiss. Stupid hormones. No matter how much she tried to forget him, he just wouldn't leave her alone. Maybe she wasn't being fair to him by flirting with Jed.
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