Page 1068 of One More Kiss

Chapter16

I gasped.Sure the Fae was pesky, but kill him? “That’s an overreaction, don’t you think?”

“He deserves it.” She laughed, and I decided she must be joking. “I’m furious with him. He took you straight to Father and that wasn’t part of the plan.”

“The plan?” I sank down onto the couch. “What plan?”

Fin sauntered into the sitting area, nonchalantly taking a seat in one of the arm chairs. He wasn’t worried about the death threat, so I probably didn’t need to be either.

“He was supposed to bring you here so I could meet you. Not trap you.”

“It wasn’t deliberate,” said Fin. He placed a bundle on the coffee table and pulled my sword sheath towards him.

I frowned. “What are you doing?”

He unwrapped the bundle, revealing a jar of something and a soft cloth. He pulled on leather gloves and took out my sword. “I’m cleaning your sword,” he said to me. Interesting. The leather protected him from the burns.

To Alyssia he said, “If you’d been at the pools like we planned it wouldn’t have happened. But when we got there we found the Prince, not you.”

Alyssia squinted her eyes at him. “You were supposed to be back three days ago. I was there, waiting, three days ago. And two days ago. And yesterday. Father was there when I arrived today and I couldn’t very well kick him out, could I?”

She flounced down onto the opposite end of the couch I was on, her skirts flaring. Her outfit was gorgeous, colorful, floaty skirts topped by a form fitting bodice. She tucked her feet up under herself and I caught a glimpse of ballet flats. Maybe they had some other name in Faerie Land, but I was calling it like I saw it.

“You could have waited in the Auditorium. Or the transit chamber. Or anywhere else along our route. You knew which way I’d travel.”

Alyssia hmphed . “For how long? You were already three days late. For all I knew you’d perished, never to return!”

Fin rolled his eyes. “I’ll always return to you, Princesa.”

It was said as a joke but the warmth in his voice betrayed his feelings. He meant every word. I was starting to think that Fin had feelings for my sister.

“But once the Prince’s guards had seen us it was too late. They acted like they were expecting us, and I had no choice but to reveal Liandra.” Fin frowned. “I had thought to pass her off as you, dressed in hunting clothes. But I knew as soon as we entered the baths that I’d made a mistake.”

“As if I’d hunt.” Alyssia smirked. “And even if I did, there’s no way I’d wear - that.” She waved her hand towards me. “I’d have something with more color, for starters.”

“As I said, I realized my mistake as soon as the Prince saw us. He would never be fooled. So I presented Liandra to him.”

“When you should have made an excuse and hustled her out of there before he could sense her properly.” Alyssia sighed. “It’s done now. He always suspected I had a twin. He told me he sensed my other half when he brought me home, but was unable to find her. He’s searched over the years but she remained hidden.”

Thanks to my mom and Aunt Joey. The constant sage cleanses, to dissipate any residual magic hanging around our house. The magical wards renewed more often than anyone should ever need to, always with the pretence of testing new variations so I wouldn’t worry. Her daily warnings to keep a low profile. It all made sense now. Dad had been looking for me, and Mom had been keeping me hidden.

Alyssia clapped, her mood changing on a dime. “But now you’re here! I’m so happy, you have to tell me everything! I mean, not all at once, we’ve got forever to catch up. Oh, and I’ll show you the stables, and Blossom, my pony. She’s more of a unicorn than a pony, you’ll love her!”

One word caught my attention over all the others. And it wasn’t ‘unicorn’.

“Forever? What do you mean, forever to catch up?”

My heart lifted, joy filling me as her meaning sank in. “You’re coming home with me? I thought I’d have to convince you, you don’t know how happy this makes me.” I couldn’t keep the grin off my face. It felt like my cheeks would split. “And Mom, she’s going to lose her mind. In the best way, of course.”

“What?” Alyssia hugged her knees to her chest. “You don’t understand. We’re not going anywhere - you’re staying here. I mean, I’d love to meet Mom but I barely remember her. But you - you’re my sister. My twin.”

I leapt to my feet. “No, no, no, no, no. I can’t stay.” I scrubbed my hands through my hair and paced to the window and back. Fin watched me warily. He’d seen me in action, he knew what I was capable of.

I knelt on the floor beside Alyssia, taking her hands in mine. “I came here to rescue you. To take you home. We don’t have much time, if I don’t get us both out of here before midnight on our birthday then we’ll both be stuck here. Forever. That’s not happening.”

“You don’t want to stay?” Alyssia’s voice trembled and was that a pout? This girl was the epitome of a pampered princess. She was going to have to do some adjusting when we got home. Mom would sort her out though. “It’s taken me so long to get the courage to send Fin after you. And now you don’t want to stay?”

I shook my head firmly. “No. I don’t.”

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