Blood of Centaurs: Book 12 of The Witch Fairy Series (2 page)

I wake up the next morning to find Kallen already gone.  He left lilacs on his pillow with a note that reads ‘Off to the fishing hole.  Love you.’

Holding the lilacs to my nose, I inhale one of my favorite scents.  I can’t help but smile when Kallen’s masculine scent mingles with the flowers.  It brings back wonderful memories of the night before.

I am pleased to find that my skin feels perfectly fine.  Not a single itch or strange feeling.  After a quick shower, I put on the pretty green sundress I asked Kallen to make me last night.  Per usual, it hugs my curves in all the right places.  I slip into a pair of sandals and make my way downstairs for breakfast.

In the kitchen, I find Raziel, Adriel, Kegan and Alita eating at the island counter per usual.  “Morning,” I say heading straight for the coffee
pot. 

“Where was your husband off to so early in the morning?” Alita asks, handing me a plate
when I sit down at the counter and pushing the platter of banana walnut pancakes toward me.

I try not to grimace as I think of the day Kallen is going to have.  “Fishing with Dagda and my Dad.”

Snickering, Kegan says, “I do not know if he is brave or stupid.  I will assume the latter.”  He ignores the dirty look I give him and continues to enjoy his breakfast.

“I understand fishing can be a bonding experience for mortal males,” Adriel says. 

I shrug.  “I guess.  I don’t get how pulling a slimy fish out of the water on a hook is bonding, but they seem to enjoy it.”

A very haggard looking Isla comes into the kitchen in search of her own cup of coffee.  “Good morning, everyone,” she says.  She sounds exhausted.

“Everything okay?” I ask.  I assume she and Garren stayed up late arguing.  They’ve been doing that a lot lately.  It probably is time for Garren to move out as they don’t seem to be able to resolve anything in their relationship.

I don’t think
Isla’s going to reply but after a contemplative moment, she says, “Things will be back to normal soon.”

What does that mean?  I guess I said this out loud because Tabitha, who wasn’t far behind Isla, says, “It means the house will have one less body in it as of tonight.”  The glee in her voice puts pain in Isla’s eyes
but the older Fairy doesn’t seem to notice.  Isla turns and tops off her coffee in an attempt to hide this fact.

“So, you gave Garren the boot for real?” Kegan asks.  I’m pretty sure Alita kicks him under the table because he rubs his legs and gives her a sour look.

“Yes,” Isla says, her voice less matter-of-fact than she was going for.

Adriel, who does not always understand the workings of mortals
and their emotions, asks, “Why would you ask someone you so obviously love to leave?”

The room becomes still, forks stopped halfway to mouths.  A small chuckle from Raziel is quickly covered by a cough.  A louder chuckle is stifled by Alita’s hand
clamped over Kegan’s mouth.  I bite my lip to keep from laughing.  The only one at the counter who doesn’t get the joke is Adriel.  She is genuinely confused.

Isla, trying hard to hold onto her dignity, says coldly, “I do not love Garren.”

My mind and body become distracted from the conversation by the distinct sensation of bugs crawling on my skin.  I jump off my stool and search my body for signs of an infestation.  The lack of one makes me begin to worry someone has put a curse on me.  A glance back toward the others exposes an amused gleam in Raziel’s eyes.  It’s not because of Isla.  “What?” I demand.

Oblivious to me
and my bug infestation, Adriel tries again to clear up her confusion.  “The way you look at him, the way your face lights up when he enters a room and the way you relax into him when you two stroll on the beach at night all indicate you at least have strong feelings for him.”  It takes another hard kick from Alita to keep Kegan from laughing.

I am more concerned
about Raziel’s amusement.  His amusement at
my
expense.  “What’s so funny?” I ask him again.

He smiles widely.  “I am simply enjoying a meal with good friends.  Do I need another reason for joy?”

I’m not buying it.  “It’s not joy.  You’re laughing at me.”

Ignoring my side conversation with Raziel, Isla grinds out to Adriel, “You have misread the situation.”

Another bout of skin crawling comes over me.  I want to tear off my dress and search my body for whatever is causing this to happen.  Instead, I glare at the Archangel who knows exactly why this is happening, because he knows why everything happens, and demand, “What is causing this.  Am I under a spell?”

Raziel debates whether or not he should tell me.  He has strict rules to follow regarding what he can and cannot share of his knowledge.  Basically, if it will in some way alter a person’s free will, he needs to keep it to himself.  Since I am desperately seeking a way to make this stop happening, I believe telling me very much encourages my free will.  “Spit. It. Out.”  My
acerbic tone is enough to draw attention away from Isla and Adriel.  Now, everyone is staring at Raziel and me. 

Finally, Raziel’s inner debate comes to an end.  Favorably for me this time.  That doesn’t happen a lot.  “You have simply come into your unique Fairy ability.”

I’m not sure about other supernatural races, but both Witches and Fairies develop an expertise above and beyond their normal magic.  Kallen can do reversal magic.  Mom can create illusions that confuse scryers.  Isla, always the over achiever, can do reversal magic and has visions of the future.  But for some reason, I figured this wasn’t going to be true for me since I am already so powerful in many different ways.  “My what?” 

Awed, Tabitha asks, “You mean she can do more?”

Under his breath, Kegan grumbles, “Show off.”

I, however, am still not getting it.  “Feeling like I have bugs crawling all over me is my
unique Fairy ability
?  Am I being punished for something?”  For once, I’m not being sarcastic.  I am truly afraid I’m being punished for something.  I mentally make a list of reasons this might happen and stop when I realize the list is way too long.

Chuckling, Raziel says, “No, you are not being punished.  This is a good thing.”

“Your sympathy is underwhelming,” I drawl.

“Think, Xandra.  Think about when you get this feeling,” Raziel urges with a grin.  I want to push him off his stool.

Still, I try to remember the different instances I have felt like bugs were crawling on me.  It started at dinner last night.  It happened again when we got home and now again this morning.  What is the common denominator?

“She can be pretty obtuse,” Taz informs Felix.  “Give her a year or two and she might eventually figure it out.”

I round on my Familiar who seems to have a sixth sense about when Tabitha is in the kitchen.  He’s sitting at her feet waiting for the inevitable feast of bacon she gives him every morning.  He probably has a cholesterol level higher than most cardiac patients.

Putting my hands on my hips, I demand, “If you’re so smart, why don’t you tell me what this new stupid power is.”

Felix, who has been trying to be nicer than he was when he first got here, says to Taz, “You shouldn’t make her mad all the time.”

I appreciate his support, but I am much more interested in hearing from Taz.  “Well?” I
demand, tapping my foot now like my mother used to when she was upset with me.

In his best imitation of a female voice, Taz says, “Oh, you look so pretty and young, Julienne!  I hate you, Garren!  I don’t want to marry you!  I want you to move away!”

Losing my patience, I stalk toward my soon to be dead Familiar.  “Why are you making fun of people instead of answering me?  You don’t know any more than I do, do you?”

Felix responds for his new brother.  Did he just take a step closer to Taz as if to protect him from me?  “What do those things have in common
?” the scarred Tasmanian devil asks me.

I stop walking and scowl.  “What do you mean, what do they have in common?  Nothing except they were all lies.”  As soon as the words come out of my mouth, it hits me.  At dinner last night, every time someone oozed out a nicety they didn’t mean, I felt like bugs were crawling on me.  When Isla was lying to Garren about how she feels about him, I felt like bugs were crawling on me.  Today, when Isla started doing the same thing, I felt like bugs were crawling on me.  Whirling around, I ask Raziel incredulously, “I’m a human lie detector?”

“You are not exactly human,” Kegan says helpfully around a bite of pancake.  I ignore him as I so often do.

Astonished, Isla asks, “What did you say?”

Still not quite believing it, I turn to her.  “Every time you lie about how you feel about Garren, it makes my skin crawl.”

I expect another round of denials and I prepare for the creepy crawlies to hit me.  What I don’t expect is for Isla to become ashen, set her coffee mug down and leave the room without saying another word.  I guess I just made her day.

I slump back onto my stool and pick up my fork even though I’ve lost my appetite.  “Why do these things happen to me?” I grumble to no one in particular.

“You are such a baby,” Adriel tells me.  She really knows how to cheer a person up.  Really.  “You can now tell when someone is lying to you.  How can you not see this as a good thing?”

I think about all the little white lies people tell each other every day and cringe.  I don’t even want to think about the big lies.  “I don’t see it as a good thing because I am now going to almost constantly feel like I’m being attacked by spiders,” I whine.

“I feel badly for you.  This is tragic,” Kegan says in his best sincere voice.  The feeling of spiders crawling on me tells me just how bad he feels.

My voice contains a strong warning as I say, “Not funny.”

“Kegan, leave her alone,” Alita says.  The sympathy in her eyes is more genuine.  But, she always looks for the bright side of things.  “This will help you with the Sasquatch and Centaurs.  You will know if they are planning to abide by the treaty you help forge.”

I cringe again.  The Sasquatch and Centaur peace talks.  What a giant lie-fest that’s going to be.  I groan and shake my head.  “I never should have gotten out of bed this morning.”

After taking in my expression and my words, Alita says, “Maybe the King should go alone.”

Like that’s going to fly.  Dagda’s going to be thrilled when he finds out I’m a walking lie detector.  I turn to Tabitha.  “Is there a Fairy equivalent to Benadryl©?”  Maybe treating it as an allergic reaction will take care of it.

After I explain to her what this is, Tabitha says, “I will see what I can whip up.”  She doesn’t sound convincing.  I suspect nothing will be able to take away the side effects I now get
when people lie.  Except them telling the truth.  It’s going to be a long, itchy life.

By the time Kallen returns, my mood has dipped well below the horizon.  He finds me sulking on the balcony attached to our bedroom.  Coming behind my chair, he leans down and kisses my cheek.

“How was fishing?” I ask glumly, hardly caring but trying to be nice.  He did spend the day with my two dads. 
That had to be painful. 

“I will tell you all about it after a shower,” he says
, walking back into our bedroom.

“Okay,” I say.  If I sounded any more down, I would be made of lead.

Kallen comes back to the balcony and squats down in front of my chair.  “What is wrong?” he asks.

I try to muster a smile.  “Take your shower.  I’ll tell you after.”

Giving me a long, assessing look, he says, “I would like to know now.”

Sighing, I make myself tell him the tale of my woes.  I love my husband.  I really do.  But I am seriously tempted to throw him off our balcony when he starts laughing.  I just may.  It’s not like he’d hit the ground.  He’d simply turn into his raven form and fly back up.  Probably not good marital relations, though, to push one’s spouse off a balcony.  “It’s not funny,” I inform him.

Kallen nods his head, still grinning.  “Yes, it really is.  But,” he says with a twinkle in his eye, “at least you now know there are definitely not bugs crawling on you.”

I narrow my eyes at him.  “Who’s to say that as my power grows it doesn’t manifest real bugs just so it’s perfectly clear when someone is
lying?”

This was not supposed to make him laugh harder.  “That would be a sight to see,” he acknowledges when he has the power of speech once again.  Giving me a kiss and then standing again, Kallen says, “I’m going to take that shower now.  Tabitha informed me that we are not to be late for dinner.  Something about Garren finally leaving.”

He sounds almost as happy about it as I assume Tabitha is.  “Yeah, your grandmother wasn’t happy when she found out I am living proof she’s lying when she says she doesn’t love him.  She probably wants to get him out of the house even more now so she doesn’t have to worry about it.”

Again, Kallen’s forward progress is halted.  “What?”

I shake my head at him.  “Like you didn’t already know,” I accuse.  My gorgeous husband pretends to be ignorant of Isla’s feelings for Garren because he doesn’t care much for the Fairy.  I wave a hand at him.  “Go take a shower so we can go downstairs and watch Tabitha dance a jig of joy.”  Chuckling, Kallen once more heads for the shower.  This time he makes it all the way there.

Kallen and I are the last ones to arrive for dinner.  Everyone else is already seated at the dining room table.  Even Mom and Dad.  Chairs and place settings are laid out for them so they can feel more involved with the meal despite the fact they can’t eat anything.
  This also keeps Dad from circling the table to smell the food.  He has his own plate to smell.

Looking at Kegan as I sit down, I announce, “If anyone tells a lie, I am going to make
him
feel like bugs are crawling on him.”

Giving me his best innocent expression, Kegan says, “I have no idea why you are addressing this to me.”

As soon as I get the creepy crawly feeling, I follow through with my threat.  Kegan jumps from his chair brushing at his clothes.  Glaring at me, he says, “I apologize.  Now make this stop!”

“I do not believe he is truly sorry,” Kallen says with a grin.  “Perhaps another five minutes or so will help it sink in.”

“Xandra, leave the poor boy alone,” Dad admonishes.

Poor boy?  Right.  Regardless, I pull my magic back.  “Next time, it’ll be longer,” I warn as Kegan sits in his chair once again
and sulks.

It turns out, Kallen and I were not the last to arrive.  The annoyance on Tabitha’s face when Garren enters the room would be enough for most people, or Fairies, to turn around and leave.  Instead, Garren heads for the open seat at the table and sits down.  He grins at Isla who doesn’t meet his eyes.

Shaking out his napkin and putting it on his lap, Garren remarks, “Sorry to disappoint, Tabitha.”

“Grandmother?” Kallen says, wondering if he should help Garren to the door.

Isla waves a hand at him.  “It is fine.  Garren will not be moving out.”  No creepy crawlies for me, so she’s telling the truth.

Drawing my attention, Garren says, “Xandra, I must thank you.  If it was not for you this stubborn old Fairy would never have admitted she loves me.”

The looks I get from both Tabitha and Kallen make me want to slide under the table with Taz and Felix.  “Um…you’re welcome, I guess,” I mutter and become absorbed with the food I have put on my plate. 

Clearing her throat, Isla announces, “
I would like to apologize to you all.  Garren and I obviously have had a troubled past,” she ignores Tabitha’s snort, “and I have been slow to forgive.  When this was hurting just the two of us, I was able to continue to deny my feelings.  I will not, however, let my foolishness affect those I love.  Xandra’s reaction to my denial has forced me to act.  It is time I let go of old grudges and move forward instead of continuing to punish.  I plan to move forward with Garren.  He and I are now considering marriage.”

I’m pretty sure she just told me it’s my fault.  At least, the looks I am getting from Tabitha and Kallen imply this is my fault. 
Not that I necessarily think it’s a bad thing.  But, they really hate the idea of Garren and Isla together.  But, what does Isla mean, considering marriage?  “Does that mean you’re engaged?” I ask.

Kegan narrows his eyes at his grandmother.  “Are you going to do a left
hand fasting?” 

It is truly a rare sight to see Isla blush.  “Yes.”

Since I strongly suspect the two have already engaged in premarital sexual relations, this doesn’t make sense.  “Why?” I ask.  Their rings will glow as soon as they have sex again.

Garren is the one who responds.  “We want to give others time to come to grips with the idea of our marriage.”  It’s not a secret who he means.

Tabitha snorts.  “It is going to be a long left hand fasting then.”  Again, no creepy crawlies here.

“Tabitha, please,” Isla says
, placing several fingers on her temple as if she has a headache.

“I think it is wonderful,” Alita says with a genuine smile.  “Congratulations.”

“Yeah,” Kegan says.  “Congratulations and good luck.”  He says the latter for Garren’s benefit.  As we all know, Isla can be difficult at times.  Well, most of the time.

Mom, Dad, Raziel and Adriel echo the sentiment.  Not wanting to seem unsupportive, I offer my congratulations, as well.  Only after a small kick to Kallen’s shin does he offer his.
  Tabitha will die before she offers hers.

Desperately wanting to change the subject, Isla asks me, “Are you prepared for your trip?”

I shrug.  “Nothing really to prepare.”

Isla’s eyes narrow.  “Have you been studying the information I gave you regarding each culture?”

I glanced at it.  Once.  Putting a forkful of rice in my mouth so I don’t have to respond verbally, I nod my head.  Isla isn’t buying it.

“Xandra, you cannot continue to bully your way through these things.  As future Queen, you need to understand the way other realms work
.  Diplomacy will be required from you if you do not plan to be constantly at war.”  Okay, so I’ve almost started a few wars.  None of them actually happened.

Sighing, I know she’s right.  To a point.  “I really don’t think it’s that complicated.  The Centaurs have something the Sasquatch want.  This isn’t a cultural issue.  It’s a matter of one race believing they can take something from another.”

“There is more to it than that,” Kallen remarks.  “The Sasquatch world is dying.  It will not be many more generations before their realm is unable to support them.”

“So that makes it right to try to take over another realm?”
I ask.

“In your realm, it is common for one group to take land from another,” Adriel adds helpfully.

I give her a sour look.  “That doesn’t make it right.”

“No, it does not,” Kallen says.  “But should not those who have plenty help those who have little?”

I’m starting to feel like Scrooge.  “Yes, they should.  But the Sasquatch want to take over the Centaur realm.  They don’t want just a piece of it.”

“Do you know this for certain?”
Dad asks.

No.  “It’s pretty obvious.”

Isla adds her two cents again.  “Xandra, you have met a handful of Sasquatch.  You cannot judge an entire culture on the behavior of a few.”

No, I can’t.
  But I can’t shake the feeling that the Sasquatch I met were a pretty good representation of their realm.  Why else would they have been sent as ambassadors?  Then again, where I’m from most ambassadors are politicians and they definitely don’t represent humans as a whole.  I guess I need to open my mind to the possibility that I’m wrong.  “You’re right.  I’ll look through the information again tonight, I promise.”

Satisfied, Isla says, “Very well.
  When will you be leaving?”

“Uncle will be here at eight,” Kallen tells her. 

“Are you going the normal way or Xandra’s way?” Kegan asks.  He means are we going by existing gateway or one that I tear through the realms. 

I’ve only travelled through an existing gateway once.  “Definitely my way,” I say
, remembering the nausea from that one trip.

“Try to remember you are there to make peace, not enemies,” Adriel says.  I would like to think she’s teasing me.  She’s not.

“Thanks for reminding me,” I say dryly.

Dinner conversation moves to different topics.  Isla tries hard to keep conversation away from her news.  The wide grin on Garren’s face is hard to miss, though.  He is bursting at the seams with triumph.
  I can’t blame him.  He has been pining for her since he blundered their relationship when they were young.

After dinner, Tabitha lets her feelings be known by slamming dishes around and muttering to herself.  Since she can magically wash the dishes, it’s obvious this is
to work out her anger.  The rest of us avoid the area.  It’s much safer in the sitting room where we decide to play cards.

“So, when is the big day?” I ask Isla.  Was that a wince?

Having seen this as well, Kallen asks, “Grandmother, are you certain this is what you want?”

“Of course it is,” Garren says gruffly.  “It was her idea.”

That’s a surprise.  Dealing out the cards, I ask the least tactful thing possible in this conversation.  “This morning you were planning to kick him out and now you’re getting married.  Did my lie detecting really force you to admit it’s what you want or did you know all along?”

Isla turns sharp eyes to me and I prepare myself to be chastised.  The chastisement doesn’t come.  Instead, Isla sighs and says, “It is difficult for me to admit
when I am wrong.  I wanted to continue hating Garren and I felt foolish when I could not despite his idiotic actions in the past.”

“You do realize I am still in the room, correct?” Garren drawls.

“It is a good thing Alita is more forgiving than Grandmother,” Kallen tells Kegan.  “Otherwise, your marriage would be brief, indeed.”  This must be his way of changing the subject.  I don’t believe he wants to think about his grandmother married to Garren.

Taking the teasing in stride, Kegan replies, “At least I am less likely to die at the hands of my wife if I make her angry.”

“Hey!” I exclaim. 

Kegan shrugs.  “I was warned not to lie.” 

Turns out, this lie detecting thing is a double edge sword.  I’m not sure I want everyone to be one hundred percent honest around me.  “You could simply try keeping your opinions to yourself,” I tell him.  He just chuckles.

“Xandra, tell us more about this new power of yours,” Dad says.  “It came on suddenly?”

I explain my lie detecting to him.  Mom is slightly uncomfortable when I tell her it began when she and Tana were sniping at each other.  “So, I’ll probably spend the rest of my life feeling like spiders are making webs on my body,” I conclude.

“Interesting,” Dad says thoughtfully.  “I wish I could
do some clinical tests.  I would love to discover the neurology and physiology behind the magic.”  Dad misses being a doctor. 

“
I’d rather not be a lab rat,” I mutter.

“That is similar to the work I was doing in the Dragon realm,” Garren says.  “You could look at my journals if you like.”

Dad’s face breaks out into a wide grin.  “That would be great.”

“Can I see how Dragons work, too?” Zac asks.  He has been amazingly quiet throughout dinner. 

“My notes may be a little over your head right now,” Garren tells him as if he’s two.  “Maybe in a few years.”

I watch Zac struggle to keep his comments and his magic to himself. 
He has less control than I do right now so it’s impressive when he doesn’t say anything.  It is Isla who comes to his defense.  In a brisk tone, she says, “Zac is advanced for his years, Garren.  Do not discount him because of his age.”