Innocent Darkness (33 page)

It’s Just Not Fair

Noli awoke; Charlotte snuggled against her, using her as a pillow. Darkness cloaked the room and her stomach rumbled. Carefully edging Charlotte’s head off her and onto a proper pillow, she climbed out of the bed and padded off to find something to eat—or V. Butterflies fluttered in her belly when she thought of him.

Yes, Kevighn might awaken feelings deep within her, but she wanted V.

She checked the library first. Was he even sill awake? Soft, concerned voices came from the library.

“It’s imminent?” James’ voice dripped with uncharacteristic defeat and worry.

“I believe so. According to the books I’ve found that’s just not something we can cure.” V sighed. “I’m not even sure if we can make it so she could walk again. I don’t know about you, but my magic’s behaving oddly. Also, it might take awhile, and from the look of it, I’m not sure how much time she has. We can try to seek outside help, but … ”

“I know; who would help us? Especially to save a mortal.” James’ voice turned bitter.

Standing outside the door of the library, angling her body so they couldn’t see her, Noli put a knuckle to her mouth as the realization hit.

Charlotte was going to die—and they could do nothing to save her.

She sank to her knees on the hallway rug. What was the point of having magic if they couldn’t save anyone? Wait. That wasn’t fair. There was a difference between talking to trees and healing tumors. Noli wasn’t even sure what a tumor was other than a death sentence. Certainly it escaped mortal doctors. Still …

“Don’t cry, Noli.” V crouched in front of her. “I guess you heard.”

“Why does everything here have to end with people dying? It’s not fair,” she sobbed.

“It’s not fair. Life isn’t fair—and that’s not fair either.” He shot her a lopsided grin that reminded her of better times.

“Why is that?” Noli felt like the turtle who carried the world on her back.

“I don’t know.” He held out his hand. “Charlotte’s asleep?”

She allowed him to help her up. “Yes. I’m hungry.”

“Come sit with us.” Putting an arm around her waist he ushered her into the library. “We’re going to do all we can. I’m not sure how much of a help we can be other than keeping her free of pain.”

“For her that’s important.”

“I know.” James looked up from his perch in one of the big, comfortable library chairs. “When I found her she was in so much pain she could barely talk. She was dirty, starved, other people had hurt her.”

She could only imagine what life on the street held for a defenseless young woman. Her hands fisted in anger. “How could her uncle do such things?”

James shook his head. “There are terrible people in all worlds, Noli.”

“Charlotte’s a good person.” Her face contorted as she took a place on the settee. “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

“And that is a question the great thinkers have been pondering for eons.” V sat down next to her on the settee. “Here.” He handed her a piece of fruit from a bowl on the table.

“I wish we could do something.” James put his head in his hands. “How will I tell her?”

“You are doing something.” Noli remembered what Charlotte said about happiness. “I don’t think she’ll take it nearly as hard as you think. She has a different outlook.” “She’s very upbeat, all things considered,” James replied.

“This is someone who chose to not play the game at Findlay House because she didn’t want them to win, because she didn’t want to be the soulless drone they wanted us to be.” Look where it got her.

“She told me stories.” James shuddered. “Sounds dreadful.”

Just the thought of that place made her shiver. “Terrible.”

“What of you?” V’s look turned pensive. “Did you play their games?”

“I wanted to go home, but I didn’t want to be like those girls, those vapid, pretty dolls. That’s why we were going to run away. If only we’d worked faster, run away
before
her uncle came. This all would have been avoided.” Her hands twisted in guilt. If she could do it over …

“It’s not your fault,” V soothed, putting a hand on hers. “The two of you on your own would have been a target for all sorts of scoundrels.”

She made a face. “Because of how Sparky we both are?”

“Who told you that?” V’s forehead wrinkled in concern.

“Kevighn,” she shrugged. “He spoke to us once, back at the school, through the fence. Did you know there’s a bawdy house on the other side?”

V’s look shifted from concern to horror. “Kevighn knows about Charlotte?”

James’s expression turned solemn. “No one can know she’s here, then.”

“Oh. She’s a target, too?” Her blood ran cold. Unlike her, Charlotte couldn’t fight back.

“That she is.” V’s voice went grave.

“How much trouble are you two going to be in for all of this?” She gestured to the two of them. “I know how strict your father is, and this is a lot worse than hoverboarding in the hills without a license.”

V made a face at the thought. “I don’t relish facing him, but we will eventually, and we’ll take whatever punishment he doles out as befitting our station.”

James rolled his eyes. “I’m so glad I’m the younger son.”

“You’re not going to escape—especially since you plan on staying here with Charlotte,” V warned, though kindly.

“You won’t see me being all stiff backed, taking it like a man without a word of dispute.” James leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms.

“Oh, I think you will.” V’s voice lowered.

Eventually, James left, leaving them alone in the library, talking softly.

“I’m sorry for causing you stress.” She leaned her head on his shoulder, wishing they sat in her tree house looking at the stars.

“What?” V yawned as he paged through another big, old book.

“You’ve been in an odd mood. Charlotte says you’re stressed. I’m sorry I caused this.”

His lips brushed the top of her head. “It’s not your fault, Noli.”

Sleep pressed down on her. “I don’t want Kevighn.” “What?”

“I don’t want Kevighn—even if he weren’t a roguish liar who wants to kill me.”

Chuckles brushed her ears. “I’m so glad to hear that.”

“Do you know who I want, V?” Even though she didn’t want them to, her eyes closed as she leaned against him.

“Who?” His voice took on a ragged quality.

“I want you.” She sounded like a strumpet, but was too sleepy to care.

“You don’t mean that, do you?” Fright colored his voice.

“Of course I … ” Before she could finish, his hand pressed over her mouth. Her eyes flew open as memories of suffocation back at the school crashed down on her.

“You don’t know what you’re speaking of. You’re tired,” he snapped

“What?” She sat up, ramrod straight, shocked, hurt, ripping his hand away from her.

He didn’t look angry. No. V looked utterly terrified. “Please, Noli, just go to bed.”

“Fine. I thought you felt something for me as well.” Without looking at him she stomped out of the library. What a stupid girl she was. She was mortal, he a prince of the Otherworld. She’d read enough stories to know how
that
usually turned out.

Charlotte’s Solution

“Here you go.” V poured Noli a cup of tea and handed it to her. Silently, she took it. She hadn’t spoken much all morning—especially to him. Charlotte hadn’t said much to him either and he had a feeling he’d become the victim of female solidarity.

He deserved it. Once again, he’d been tender with Noli only to push her away. Why didn’t he tell her?

It would be easy.
You see, Noli, I can’t only see the Spark, but I can feel shifts in the magic. It wants you, and every time I kiss you, every time I touch you, I feel it swirl around you, building, trying to use our feelings for each other to seal your fate as the sacrifice. I’m not pushing you away because I hate you. I’m pushing you away because my love for you runs so deep that if the magic bound you, I’d never forgive myself.

But at the same time, he didn’t want her to bear that burden. He just got her back and wanted to protect her with all his might.

Noli never did like to be protected.

Yes, he should tell her as soon as they had a moment alone.

He poured a cup of tea for Charlotte, who, as usual, sat wrapped in a blanket, bundled on the settee. At least right now she leaned on Noli and not James.

James intercepted the cup, then handed it to Charlotte. “Here you go, Lottie, love.”

Steven shook his head. His brother possessed all sorts of obnoxious nicknames for Charlotte. He had none for Noli. The only one he could think of was
little blossom
, since a magnolia was a flowering tree. But that was quite stupid.

Girls did often like stupid things.

He took a piece of fruit out of the bowl. Simple fare got old, but there was no kitchen staff to make and serve meals and it wasn’t as if he could go and get things for them to eat.

The queen might tolerate him being here for now. If his uncle found out …

He wasn’t ready to face his uncle, yet. For the time being they’d have to make due with the garden’s bounty. James had offered to cook—a frightening prospect.

“What happens when a sacrifice is found?” Charlotte’s earnest question startled him from his thoughts.