Page 8 of Wind and Water
“You two, play nice now,” Momma whispers as Mary brings over the beers.
Chapter Two
Liam
By some miracle, despite a poor showing, I am still with Wren and Birdie a week later. They have rented something called a flat in the city of Edinburgh. If not for Birdie, I’m sure I would have been left behind with little means to follow.
From the moment I stepped through the portal, I’ve gone about my mission wrong, and thought I could command a human woman to do as I say through force or magic. My balls still sting from the memory of where she planted her foot the moment I touched her.
My mistake was thinking it would be easy. My mother told me to ask. Admittedly, I didn’t believe her. How could a being void of magic be a match for an elven soldier?
After meeting Wren, my view has changed. She caught me off guard twice. After a week of watching her ignore me, it’s difficult to want to put her life at risk. She is small and sweet. Her heart is kind, and her gifts lie in making jewelry, not fighting shadow demons. Yet the prophecy says she’s vital to our cause.
I was sent to ask her, and I tried to force her. It was stupid and has stripped me of any trust I might have built with her. The only thing saving me is that her mother likes me.
Magically forcing her into a portal would make me as bad as the witch queen. The shame of that thought will stay with me for a long while. Somehow, I must convince her to travel to Domhan and assist in saving my world.
I’m not a diplomat. Hopefully, Aaran had more luck with the human he was sent for.
I sip an ale and watch as both Martin women dance with strangers on the street while two women play instruments and people put money in the box they have set before them. The weather has turned warm, and Wren is wearing short pants that hug her deliciously round bottom and expose so much flesh that my mouth waters at the sight of her. Silver earrings catch the light as she shakes her head, singing along and dancing with joy. Her bright blond curls bounce and are so different from elves’ typical long, straight hair. My fingers itch to feel the texture of every strand.
Get yourself together.I close my eyes and take a deep breath.
As the song ends, Wren drops a few bills in the box. She and her mother laugh together as they make their way to the table. They sit across from me and pick up their drinks.
Birdie says, “Tell us more about where you’re from, Liam.”
“Momma, this isn’t the place.” Wren looks around at all the people seated outside the pub called the Devil’s Dance Card.
Birdie waves her hand in dismissal. “They’re more interested in their drinks and the busker’s music. No one is listening to us.”
“Busker?” It’s a new word for me.
“That’s what they call street performers.” Wren rarely speaks to me directly unless she’s disapproving of something. She looks away quickly and takes a long pull on her ale.
The fact that she’s friendly and sweet with everyone else we meet should bother me, but I can see her point of view. I’m not like her. I’m not like anyone else here in her world. I came here to change her life forever, and without permission.
“Domhan has different areas: marshes, meadows, deserts, and forests. There are mountains, rivers, lakes, and oceans. It’s vast, with different kinds of people living separately.”
“What kinds and why do they live apart?” Wren’s pupils are small on this rare sunny day, and her stare is fixed on me.
Lowering my voice, I say, “Dwarves are greedy and live in the mountains where they dig for more riches. Fairies keep to their island and never bother with the rest of Domhan. Centaurs live in the forest and, by all accounts, are a vicious race. Giants live in high mountain caves and do not come down. Dragons have trapped themselves in time until the witch queen is defeated.”
Birdie’s eyes are wide, and her voice is soft with wonder. “Dragons and giants. My grandmother never said anything about those. I suppose she didn’t know.”
“You said your ancestor met elves in Texas? Perhaps they didn’t tell her about Domhan. They were likely in this world to learn about humans. Elves don’t usually come through. I’ll have to ask my mother or a historian what brought them here so long ago. My parents came ten years ago looking for a way to break the curse.” I’m deep in thought when I realize Wren’s gaze is on me. I stare back.
“You didn’t say why all these people you say live in your world live apart from one another? Why don’t fairies mix with dwarves and dwarves with elves, and so on?” Her expression is deadly serious, and she’s so beautiful it’s hard to think when she looks at me so intently.
“Honestly, I’m not certain. I’ve never met a fairy or a dwarf, Wren. I only know what people say about each race and that they don’t mix.” A touch of shame creeps into my gut, and I’m notsure where it came from. This is just the way Domhan is, and it’s certainly not my fault.
“Then you dislike all races save your own when you’ve never met anyone from the others? Do I have that right?” Her gaze is unwavering.
Birdie bites her lip, holding in a laugh at my expense.
“I never thought of it that way, but you’re right. My prejudices are founded in old rumors and even older traditions. I will endeavor to be more open-minded.” In one week, she has me rethinking a lifetime of beliefs. What kind of magic does this human hold?
“And humans?” She plops her empty glass on the table. “What is the overarching opinion of humans that all elves believe?”
