The Lily's Splendor

Chapter 20

“Mind if I come in for a snack?” Reeve asked as he followed me to the front door.

“Of course you can. You are welcomed any time, Reeve.” I smiled at him as I unlocked the door and led the way to the kitchen.

“Kyra.” My grandmother’s voice called for me from her study. Reeve followed me, also hearing the grim, cold set of her voice.

“Is everything okay grandma?” I said as I rounded to the door and froze when I noticed an older gentleman standing next to her desk with Jacques on my grandmother’s other side.

He almost looked aristocratic with his dark brown hair cleanly cut. He wore an expensive looking gray suit along with a luminous, emerald ring on his forefinger. His blue eyes watched me as I came closer.

“Kyra, this is King Albion . . . Damita’s father.” My grandmother stated formally. I bit my lip as I inclined my head to him.

“I came in search of my daughter. I heard that you are enrolled in the same school and perhaps know of her where-abouts? Your grandmother has offered me nothing, except that I should wait for you,” he said as he took a step forward.

“Yes. Damita is here.” I said carefully as I tried to gather my thoughts on how to tell him that he will never have his old daughter back.

“Is she ill? Take me to her.” he demanded, but I pursed my lips and held out a hand for him to stop.

“First, tell me everything you know about why she came here,” I said. King Albion clenched his jaw as if he wasn’t used to being given orders. But he had no other choice. No doubt my grandmother had already told him of our identities.

“She came to get Prince Henry Alastair and bring him back to Wed. It was an agreement his father and I had made. At first we suggested that she marry King Sachiel’s first born, Maddox, but my Damita did not want him. Instead, she fell in love with Henry.”

“But he did not return the feelings.” I said. King Albion scowled. “He might not have in the beginning, but surely in time he would grow to love my daughter.” I bit the insides of my cheeks as anger washed over me but I held control as I said, “Go on.”

“I have been in contact with Damita ever since she stepped foot on land. Her last contact with me was yesterday around noon. I haven’t heard from her since.”

“What did she tell you?” I wondered.

“That she had found Henry but that he was in love with this other girl.”

“And what did you have to say about that?”

“I told her that she knew what she must do. Eliminate the girl, of course.” he sighed, giving us both a droll look as if we should have known this. My grandmother gasped.

“What? I know that sounds barbaric, but I wasn’t going to let some human girl take away my daughter’s happiness.” King Albion said with conviction. My grandmother gave him a disgusted look.

“So you were in agreement to this-this murder?” I felt my insides fuming. My magic fought against my barriers to be released and vanquish this threat, but I held strong as I kept my gaze narrowed on Albion.

“Yes,” he simply said. “Now take me to my daughter,” he commanded. I shared a look with my grandmother before saying, “Very well.” I walked out to the hallway and yelled out her name. I heard a door hurriedly close before footsteps were pounding down the stairs.

“Yes Kyra?” she smiled hopefully up at me.

“Come, your father is here and he wants to see you.”

“Do you want me to see him?” she asked. I turned my head when I heard glass shatter. Albion had walked out of the study and had stood in the hallway. A shattered wine glass stood by his feet as his eyes looked horrified.

“Damita?” he whispered her name but she did not look at him. Her eyes stayed on me, waiting.

“I am sorry, your Highness, but I took her will when she tried to kill me.” I said. His eyes went to me as his face paled. “I didn’t know that the girl w-was . . . you.” he fell on his knees. “I would not have told her to go through with it if I had known.” he said in a hoarse whisper.

“And yet you would still have an innocent girl killed,” Reeve said disgustedly. King Albion just kept shaking his head back and forth as if he was in denial. He looked up at Damita as tears swam in his eyes.

“My daughter . . . you took her away from me!” he cried. Something cracked in my heart. Yes, I had taken away his beloved daughter and, for that, I was sorry.

“I truly am sorry for that.” I told him but it fell on deaf ears. I saw him reach inside his coat before launching himself at me with a long knife. Damita screamed as she rushed to stand in front of me but Reeve was already there. King Albion’s knife clashed with Reeve’s sword before Reeve kicked it away. It slid to the side where Jacques hastily picked it up.

“Get out of my house. Since you have lifted a sword to my granddaughter, you are no longer in our good graces. If I ever catch you here again, I will not hold back my power.” my grandmother said in a dangerously low voice. Albion looked defeated as Mathew and Jacques each grabbed an arm and began to carry his limp form out.

“Are you alright?” Damita clasped one of my hands as I mutely nodded while my eyes followed Albion’s retreat. As soon as the door shut behind them, I looked away and to the back of the house where the ocean waves called to me.

“I’m going for a walk,” I said.

“I’m coming with you.” Damita said giddily, but I shook my head at her as I placed my hand on her arm. “No. I want you to stay here. I’ll be back.” I promised as I looked at my grandmother, who nodded understandingly.

“But you can’t go alone!” Reeve protested.

“But she wishes to. Do not bring her anymore distress.” Damita went in front of me as she spoke to Reeve. Reeve glared at her and was about to shove her aside when I stopped his arm.

“You will not ever lift a hand against her. And she is right, Reeve. I wish to be alone. I’ll be fine and I won’t wander too far.” I said. I heard my grandmother go back into her study, shutting the door behind her. Without another word, I pivoted and walked out to the familiar path that led to the beach.

~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~

I sat on the cool sand, huddled with my knees drawn up and my arms circled tightly around them. I rested my chin on my knees as I gazed out into the horizon, lost in thought.

As much as I should embrace who I am, I couldn’t. I loathed what I could do to people with my magic. I repulsed myself. I tried to comfort myself and say that if I hadn’t done what I had done to Damita, then I would be dead. And it’s not like I was going around making everyone my slave. I could have just entranced Damita, but then how would I have known that she wouldn’t have attempted to kill me again?

I sighed, hearing soft footsteps come up from behind before stopping.

“Kyra . . . you okay?” Lilly’s familiar, soft voice spoke.

“Yeah.” I mumbled as a cold breeze moved in and ruffled strands of my hair. I heard Lilly come closer until she was sitting next to me.

“Henry will probably kill me for not going back to tell him that you’re out here,” she stated as she smiled. I felt the corners of my lips slightly lift at the thought of Henry.

“Reeve texted me and told me what happened.” She said, explaining her appearance.

“Reeve texted you huh?” I wonder why he didn’t text Henry . . . oh. Of course he wouldn’t ask the guy that has my heart to come when he still thinks that there could be a chance for us. Oh Reeve.

“He sounded pretty worried about you being out here alone…especially after the way King Albion lost it.” Lilly said as she undid her braid, running her fingers through her hair until it was completely smoothed out.

“I don’t blame him Lilly. He is grieving over her loss.” I sighed as I straightened, placing my hands behind my back with my palms down and fingers facing the opposite way. I leaned into my arms as I stretched out my legs, burying my toes in the moist sand.

“It isn’t your fault either, Kyra. You did what had to be done. Who knows if Damita would have tried again and, knowing her, she always gets what she wants, and she really wanted Henry.”

My hands fisted into the sand at the thought of Damita going after Henry. Lilly seemed to notice my tense form and patted my shoulder. “Relax. Henry truly loves you Kyra. I can see that. I think everyone can and there’s no chance that he will ever leave you.” I smiled my thanks to her.

“You still look a little sad though,” she pointed out.

“I just wish my mother was here to help me. Not that my grandmother isn’t any help. She is. But . . .”

“It’s not the same without your mother,” Lilly said quietly. I suddenly remembered what Henry had told me of their mother.

“Lilly, Henry told me what happened to your mother. I’m so sorry.” I turned to her with compassion and understanding. Lilly sniffled as she wiped the corner of her eyes.

“Guess we both have something in common,” she said. I scooted closer until my arm was around her shoulders and we both sat there, staring off into the constant waves and seagulls that glided close to the surface. We wept for our mothers in silent tears as the sun set, casting off bright orange and red clouds into the clear skies.

~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~

“You should head back before they start to worry. And knowing your over protective brothers, they will.” I said as I wiped my cheeks. Lilly did the same before getting to her feet and offering her hand to help me up.

“What about you?” Lilly asked.

“I want to be out here a little longer. Perhaps take a quick jog. Can you text Reeve and let him know that I am okay?” I pulled my hair up into a tight pony tail.

“Sure. Just be careful and don’t stay out too late. If something happens, Henry will surely never speak to me.” Lilly gave me a quick tight hug before I turned around and began to jog away.

~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~

“Lilly!” Henry’s voice called out as he and Maddox ran over to her.

“Hey, I was just about to come in.” she said.

“We saw you talking to someone but we were too far away to tell who it was,” Henry said as his eyes followed the disappearing form. Bright, caramel hair flowed from behind, whipping in the breeze.

“Was that Kyra?” he turned to his sister who was about to reply, but Henry took off.

“I was about to tell him that Kyra wishes to be alone.” Lilly shook her head while taking Maddox’s arm and walking back to their cottage.

“Would have done no good. He would have still gone after her,” Maddox said with a knowing smile.

~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~

I pushed my limbs to go faster, loving the way the cold air felt against my face. My brows creased when I heard someone approaching from close behind. For a moment my heart did a little flip with fear that perhaps Albion hadn’t left but followed me to finish the job. I abruptly stopped in my tracks, ready to face my opponent. I guess they had gotten really close, too close to stop and they collided into me. I let out a startled cry as we both began to go down. Instantly, my hands went out to break my fall but then a muscular arm went around my waist before twisting so that they broke our fall with their back. I landed on his chest, releasing a gasp as the breath whooshed out of me.

“Henry.” I breathed when I lifted my head to look up into my captor’s eyes and instead found them to be those memorable, compelling, gray eyes that were also looking back at me, holding me imprisoned in their gaze.

“Why did you just stop like that?” he asked, breathing a little heavily.

“Sorry, I thought that you were Albion.” Oops. I watched as his eyes grew hard as his arm around me went rigid.

“Why would he be after you?” Henry asked. Instead of being intimidated by his dangerous tone, I dropped my head back to his chest, hiding my face. I inhaled deeply, taking in his wonderful scent of Downey mixed with his soap.

“Kyra . . .” he tried again. I shook my head, still not looking up at him. The silence stretched as I heard our breathing relax. My head lifted up and down with his chest before he sighed. His hand went around my shoulders as his fingers played with the end of my pony tail.

“I take it that you ran into Lilly?” I asked as I turned my head so my right ear was over his steady heart.

“She didn’t tell me anything if that is what you are asking,” he said.

“I thought she would have told you that I wanted to be alone,” I mumbled. His fingers in my hair stilled.

“Do you want that?” he asked softly. Sensing his eyes on me, I lifted my head and was surprised to feel a tear run down my cheek. I quickly sat up and wiped it away, but not before Henry’s hands whipped out and held my face still.

“Ah, my Kyra, what is it?” he gently pushed strands of my hair away from my face as his thumbs ran underneath my eyes to chase away the tears. I tried ducking away but Henry’s hands were firm.

“Why do I have to cry so much!” I exasperated as I bit my bottom lip to stop it from trembling. Henry actually smiled. “I would hate it if you didn’t.”

“But I’ve never cried this much before. It makes me feel like a baby.” I folded my arms across my middle, making a surly face when Henry chuckled.

“I don’t see you like that. You have every right to cry, Kyra. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.” He ran his knuckles across my cheek.

“King Albion was in my home when I got there. He somehow found out that I was enrolled with Damita and thought that perhaps I knew where she was.” I paused to see if Henry had something to say but his eyes beckoned me to continue. “I questioned him first, to see if he knew about Damita’s attempt to kill me. He did. As a matter of fact, he agreed with the idea except that he thought that it was just a human girl.” I pursed my lips at the memory of Albion’s voice and the way it had mocked and showed just how much he valued humans. Henry’s eyes clouded with anger and revulsion but said nothing.

“I brought Damita down to see him and he . . .”

“He what?” Henry probed.

“You have to understand, Henry. He just lost his daughter who won’t ever recognize or see him as her father. He was grieving.”

“Kyra, what did he do?” Henry asked in a low voice. I gulped before clearing my throat and said, “He tried to kill me.”

“He what?!” Henry quickly got to his feet as he fumed over this. I joined him but left him alone to his anger.

“Nothing happened, Henry. Reeve knocked his knife away, and my grandmother even banned him from ever showing his face around.”

“Why are you so quick to forgive?” Henry whirled around to look at me.

“Because I took his daughter away!” I shouted. Henry’s eyes cleared from anger and went back to their tranquil gray.

“Kyra, that wasn’t your fault. If you hadn’t done what you did, Damita would be dead by now.” His hands went to my shoulders.

“Why do you say that?” I asked, giving him a startled look.

“Because I would have killed her myself.” he said harshly through a clenched jaw, curling his long fingers into an angry fist.

“Henry—” I began, but his finger went to cover my lips. “There is nothing you can say that would change my mind.” I sighed, letting this one go.

“It’s getting late. I’ll walk you back.” he stated, lacing my hand with his. We took our time walking back. I sneaked a glance at him and noticed that his eyes looked far away, as if he was in deep thought.

“What are you thinking about?” I asked. His eyes flickered to me and back. “Just how lucky I am to have an amazing girlfriend like you,” he smiled. I saw right through his lie and elbowed him in the ribs.

“That was not what you were thinking about,” I said. He cracked a smile. “Well, I do think about it every second.” He brought our entwined hands up to his face, brushing his lips across my wrist. I blushed.

“Thank you.” I managed to say. Clearing my head from his distraction, I said, “What were you really thinking about?” Henry sighed. “I was wondering if I scared you away.”

“What? Now how could you do that? I didn’t shy away from you when we met.” We both smiled at the memory before Henry sobered.

“I thought that perhaps I scared you with my admission of being able to kill,” he finally said.

“No. You didn’t scare me away. Nothing you ever do can.” I said after a moment of silence. “And here I thought that one day I would scare you away because of what I can do.”

“Never,” Henry promised.

“I’m always afraid that this is all a dream. That Lilly— a girl— is actually my friend. That you love me for me. That myths do in fact exist.”

“Not a dream.” Henry quipped. “And I think that you are the most beautiful myth I have ever seen.”

I looked up and found his eyes glistening as they came closer. He reached out and wrapped his hand around my neck, pulling me to him. I felt myself relax as my own eyes fluttered closed, completely melting into the kiss.

~*~~*~*~~*~*~~*~

“It is time,” she said as she and her brother watched Kyra and Henry from one of the cliffs. “We’ve waited long enough. Father is getting impatient,” she added. Her brother nodded.

“Arrange for another date. This Saturday,” he said as he walked away from the couple.

“I will. This will be fun.” she licked her lips as her fangs began to grow noticeable before they shrunk back into hiding. She gave the couple one last glance before following after her brother.