I sat back on the hard surface, the coolness of the stone altar creeping through the linen dress I was made to wear. Purity is what her Grace said, though if it was meant to mirror the purity a white wedding dress symbolized, then her Grace had it all wrong. Her son made sure of that.  I wore it anyway because I would wear anything,  a potato sack and bunny slippers to a bathing suit and combat boots if need be, just to get to where I needed to go.

 Her Grace stood at my side, her diamond eyes reflecting the raging red flames roaring behind me. Squeezing my hand, she smiled reassuringly but the smile never reached her eyes. I wanted to see hope, maybe even some encouragement, a single sliver of guarantee that I was doing the right thing. But more, I wanted reassurance that everything would work out and we would both get back a man we loved. However, all I saw in the depths of her crystal pools was stark fear. She was scared. Heck, so was I.

A tense silence drained the breaths from everyone in the room. Rigidly, temple members shuffled to and fro in preparation for the ceremony, sending the knot at my throat crashing into the pit of my stomach.  Silver bowls in their glass hands, the temple servants found their place on the marble floor and set their bowls of crimson water before them. Now fully assembled and prostrated, they waited. 

Her Grace drew a deep breath. “Charlotte, you can still change your mind?” Her voice quavered and the terror behind it was enough to send me running. Hauling in a shuddering breath, I shook my head no. I’d made it that far. Before fear could grip me, I slid my feet onto the stone altar. Laying back, I took little comfort in the eerily calm red skies. It seemed the clouds too were getting ready.

Turning to her Grace, I squeezed her hand in return. “I want to do this—I have to do this.” For a moment she paused, contradictory feelings warring within her. I could only imagine the struggle. There was knowing I might not make it back, but there was also the favored possibility that I might make it back with her son. Finally nodding, she shifted back. From somewhere I reached for her again.

In case I didn’t make it back, I said, “Thank you, for everything.”

Wiping a red tear before it’d been given the chance to fall, she nodded and I let her go. With an inspiring deep breath, she whirled to face the gathered crowd. Spine straightened and shoulders back, she descended the stairs and assumed her place at the front of the temple servants. Meeting my eyes with a strength that fueled me, she smiled. She was scared still as was I but regardless, we were doing this.

I rubbed my fingers together. It was time. There was no turning back. This was only the beginning, a small step in what I had yet to do. Instead of feeling like a little leap, it was more of an enormous mountain, blocking my way. If the ceremony was the least of it all, I didn't want to think of the rest.

From the corner of my eye I watched the congregation of hooded figures ceremoniously kneel down by color. Her Grace mentioned that each side would call to their respective ancestors, their united call then opening the portal to the Underlands. The portal was the only entry way into the never-ending cycle.  She explained that she would use her powers to hold open the portal, allowing for my spirit to travel through. It wasn't too hard to take in except that I couldn’t understand exactly how my spirit would leave my body behind.

I asked her if she would have to kill me for that to happen and she laughed. Not a cruel laugh but more of a ‘are you serious?’ type of laugh. I didn’t think it was that funny because really, how else do you separate a soul from the body? But she calmed my fears somewhat saying that the separation from my body would be instant.  As soon as the portal opens into the cycle, my soul would be drawn from my body and sucked into the cycle. Seemed simple enough…

Naturally I’d asked if it hurt. I cope better knowing what’s coming and lately, I haven’t been coping too well at having random crap thrown my way. So I asked hoping in some way it would alleviate the fearful twisting my stomach had taken to over the past hours. Her answer you wonder?

“I don’t know.” she had said, and nothing more.

Talk about random crap thrown my way...

Standing before the congregation, Her Grace lifted her hands, a quiet hush falling over the Temple. The hooded servants had already been silent. What Her Grace quieted were the elements. The air no longer brushed past, the waters in the distance too fell away.

The hooded servants all lowered their heads over the silver bowls, Maris included. Fleetingly we had locked eyes and she looked petrified. Leave it to Maris to make me feel worse.

Turning to the flickering flame to gather my resolve somewhat, my breathing caught in my throat as a low chanting began. It was a steady hum to the beat of my heart. Slowly, the humming of their voices washed through my heartbeats. Gradually it intensified becoming more of a constant drumming. The air thickened instantly, a whip of fire crackling from the great flame. It was then that I saw that the fires feeding out into the sky were coming to a gradual stop. Whatever wheels were turning to keep the fire flowing was creaking with rust brought on by their chant.

Stiffening, I tried to breathe but the air whirred with a looming darkness, a black anticipation that was beyond anything I’d ever felt. Something was happening….

The feminine and masculine voices whipped around me, their call growing more to frantic cries as if begging for mercy. Any person with half a mind would have jumped off that slab and run out of there but I didn’t have half a mind did I? No, I was insane girl about to risk her life for her husband…well, something along those lines.

Chaos. In a measure of a second, everything went from a frightening expectation to petrifying reality. The roaring of the waves and Her Graces’ voice echoed all around, crashing against each other as the natural order of things was broken, because of me. Focusing on the red smoke above that had since stopped, my blood ran cold. It now started flowing backwards, being fed back inside the temple. The wheels had been reversed.

Angry that its cycle was disrupted, the fire grew to a deep red, almost black. Everything began trembling with a underlying roar as the fire gained speed rushing back into the Temple. Through the glass ceiling, I could see the sky being sucked into the twisting fire.

A funnel tore from the flames, crashing down on me. Instinctively my eyes closed in wait for the blistering pain, but the burn never came. Instead like clawed hands it crept up my body, prickling the more it embraced me. Wrapping its fingers around my throat, the smoke forced my mouth open. I went to scream but it died on my lips. The red combustions scorched my throat as it invaded my body, gripping my lungs. Possessed, my body arched toward the fire that consumed me, feeling as if I were being breathed into the clouds. On impulse I resisted and was slammed back down onto the altar painfully.

In the distance I heard her Grace's voice, “You have to let go Charlotte! You must let go.” But an innate, primal force in me wanted to claw at the altar so the clouds of fire couldn’t take me. It must have been my soul knowing that in all truth, I was going to die. I was going to vacate my body and would I be back? There was no guarantee.

Her Grace’s voice tore through again. “The portal is open! You must let go!” Her voice vibrated with urgency. Snapping my eyes shut; there was the pull again, violent and stronger than before. The fire appeared angry that I’d refused it the first time. Obediently, I relinquished control slightly and forced my joints to ease.  Instantly my closed sights drifted through a tunnel of flaming stars until reaching a plain of infinite darkness. In this nowhere, I felt nothing. In the stillness, I moved further and further into the black. Waiting for something, expecting…something.

In the distance, the chanting voices lessened and lessened. But like the calm before a hurricane….

A roaring wind punctured the odd peace like a freight train. Beneath me, everything rumbled with chained desire for destruction.  Their chants began once more, steady and desperate.  And while at erratic, to my ears their chaotic voices sang their frightful song in unison.

Opening my eyes from this darkness, lightning lit up the red skies. My mouth still opened, the flames tore from within me, joining the mother flames.  Trailing it with my eyes, I suddenly felt myself flow away with it. Higher and higher I floated. Fear on the brink of thrusting me back to my body, I closed my eyes.  

Surrendering the last of my breaths, I let go….

**

For a long time I fell, and fell and fell until I fell no more.  I didn’t crash. I simply…stopped.  My senses expanding, the first thing I felt was nothing. An empty, frigid void surrounded me to a suffocating degree.  You know that sensation you get when you’re alone, and loneliness seems to materialize? That’s how it was, but worse because it seemed as if loneliness was pissed off. The air was heavy with anger and all these observations came about before opening my eyes.

Blinking open, I stood outside of the Temple. It didn’t take long to realize that this was not the Temple I just left. It appeared to be the same Temple of Souls but everything was shattered, in ruins. There was no Red sea in the distance, no hushing of the waves. The gloriousness of the sanctuary too was gone. What remained was something of its shadow, a fractured structure with deep cracks scaring its once beautiful facade. Parts of the crumbling shrine lay in piles of broken stones buried in the sand.  

Most noticeable and what sent my breaths into an uneasy rhythm was that nothing was red. Instead, shades of gray and dark blue overtook what was once a bleeding sky.  The crimson sands were an ashen gray, too close to that of death and despair.  Cool discomfort trickled down my spine.  Having just arrived, I wanted to leave.

Looking all around, it appeared I was the only one there. The choices were crystal clear. Either walk into the Temple or walk out to the black sea that I could see way off into the distance. Neither seemed favorable. Neither seemed safe. But the lesser of two evils, right?

Stepping onto the broken staircase, a large crack ran the length of the Temple, splitting it right down the middle. Not knowing which side to walk on, I walked with one foot on each side.

 I tried to feel anything, a vibration of some sort but there was nothing. Pushing myself forward and cursing the cowardice that begged me to stay put, I made it to the last step only to realize I wasn’t alone after all.

Two hooded figures stood guard at a curtained doorway, their heads down and their hands hidden. One wore black, the other dark blue but to a pair of tired eyes like mine, they could have been the same color. Before I could ask them anything, not that I knew what to ask exactly, the one in black raised a staying hand shutting me up before I’d even started.

“You do not belong here.”

The other one echoed, “You must leave.”

They fell into silence. Well, I suppose it was good to know where I stood. Clenching my fists tighter to my sides, I strengthened my resolve.  I would have stepped closer rather than shouting it from across the small distance but I didn’t want to make any sudden movements. These guys seemed uptight and I didn’t want to be at the receiving end if they viewed any of my movements as threatening.

Plainly and to the point, I said, “I have come to see the elders.” My voice wobbled terribly but I looked at them unwaveringly, regardless of if they saw me or not from beneath their hoods. While my voice surely gave away my fear, I was not going to cower away.

There was a singular laugh, the frame of the black figure rising and falling with silent laughter.

The laughter died.

“You do not belong here.” He said followed by Mr. Dark Blue reiterating,

“You must leave.”

Well hell. Were we supposed to repeat everything in this place? They did. So I did too.

I said, “I-am-here,” I gestured to the floor in case they did not understand me the first time. “to-see-the-elders.” Aggravated, I added, “to ask if they could restore a soul.”

There was a long silence. Then finally, finally—

“Stupid human.” said the one in blue.

“Stupid, stupid human.” Echoed the one in black. In unison, they stepped aside and extended their glass hands. Pulling back the black curtains, they motioned into the darkness past the entry way.  I hesitated.

It would have been nice if they explained what exactly was to happen but explanations were few and far between these days. I doubt I’d be given the right hour if I asked. Besides, it was pointless talking to them. Aside from “Stupid Human, you don’t belong here”, they didn't seem to have much to say. But at least they’d let me in. What mattered was that I made it that far…whether it was a good thing or a bad thing was still up for debate.  

Rooted by uncertainty, I peered inside. There was another layer of black curtains and though the curtains were sheer I couldn’t see a thing, just the faint outline of flickering torches. Resignedly, I blew out a breath. There was nothing else to be had standing out there.

Making as little noise as possible, I padded through the threshold. My footsteps crunched the small stones underfoot as I stepped into an assembly of sorts. Through the sheer curtains I could see that where the great fire once raged, there were now two large thrones facing one another. Each were on either side of the splintering crack. Two beings argued passionately from beneath their robes. I could not see their faces, but their heavily jeweled hands slammed down on the unpadded arm rests with the blatant desire to rip the other’s head off. How did I know this? I don’t know. It was in the air, a thick tension on the brink of snapping.

Behind the thrones were other hooded figures standing, arguing with the opposing sides in loud voices. No wonder they were so angry. How would anything ever get done when both sides were going at it at the same time? That meant little to me however. The benefit to their constant arguing was they didn’t notice my presence—thankfully.

Pushing my steps forward, the curtains closed behind me. Clenching my hands, I held them to my sides in hopes of staying firm. I had to go through the second set of curtains. Nothing was going to come out of me hiding like a scared cur. Granted, I was shaking like the last leaf on a vine in the middle of a Category 5 hurricane, but I was there. And looking behind me at the hooded figures standing side to side, there was no way out. I could almost hear their thoughts, sneering Stupid human over and over but let’s face it. I had no powers, just the words of my mouth. And the fact that my mouth was chattering from the freezing cold was not reassuring at all. Would I even be able to speak a proper sentence?

Swallowing the contents of my stomach that my body felt the need to toss into my throat every other second, I set one foot in front of the other. Easy does it was my mantra. It was either that or ‘get the hell out of there’ which wasn’t exactly uplifting.

I stayed close to the curtains. Considering I wasn’t invited and didn’t know protocol, laying low until someone spotted me out seemed like a safe bet.  As all things go however, like a twig snapping in the dead silence, as soon as my foot crossed the second threshold a wind tore through sweeping away with it all sound. Lifting my sights, all eyes were now on me. At least I had a nice dress on...

The hooded figures around the thrones silenced. Of the two arguing figureheads only the one in dark blue turned. His face was veiled but through the blue fabric I could feel its fiery stare scorch my skin. Rubbing my arms I stepped back and bumped against something hard. Spinning wildly, two other Fae stood behind me. Their hands tightly at their sides, their heads remained down but it was obvious. I wasn’t going anywhere.

While everyone paced back, the guards behind me jerked my arms into their icy hold practically dragging me forward. Tossing me before the throne, they took a measured step back. A loaded silence settled over the crowd.

Slamming his tightly clenched fist on the arm rest, the elder leaned forward, barking things at me that I didn’t understand. Whatever he was saying was heated and passionate, disgust a palpable emotion.

Looking around, it seemed a translator was a distant dream. I made to step closer out of nervousness or restless energy brought on by the situation but the guards’ arms snapped in front of me. Holding my hands in surrender, I retracted my step. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. I don’t speak—“

Again, he brought down his fists on the arm rest with a boom; the beautiful clinking of his jewelry twinkled all around me in beautiful terror.  He continued his ferocious rant and I could only stand there and get chewed out. Unlike Her Grace and all the other Fae I’d encountered, whenever they said anything, it sounded like a soft melody, lulling me to sleep. When this elder spoke, it was as if he meant to bite my head off…literally.

He silenced again.

It took me half an eternity to muddle through my thoughts and remember I had something to say. But movement in the corner of my eye killed the words in my throat. At the far end of the room, the black curtains to another doorway separated.  In an instant appeared what had to be perfection on two legs. My breathing caught in my throat, I could only watch in awe as he approached, his glimmering eyes fixed on me with razor sharp intensity.

Dressed to kill in all black, he advanced. Each of his steps were taken with a lustful determination, with an insatiable hunger—for me. It was as if looking at me would not be enough to satisfy him for very long and hell I didn’t know how long it would satisfy me either. I didn’t want to want him but what he exuded; my body craved. I didn’t know what to do with it. It wasn’t normal.

I literally wanted to confess true love to him though I knew deep down that doing so was as good as signing a death wish. It was glamour, I knew this but I couldn’t get past it. He had it mastered and I was but a love struck student.  His long white hair sparkled in the most unnatural way under the torchlight. An unnecessary light really considering his porcelain skin glowed with golden hues of desire the closer he drew.

Coming to a full stop in front of me, his thin mouth drew to a slow, mischievous curve. Lifting a finger to his slender mouth, he tapped it curiously, each tap leaving my breath in wait for the next one.  From behind him, the elder barked something to my beautiful stranger. His smirk remained in place.  I suppose he was used to it.

Nodding once over his shoulder, his attention once more fell on me, wholly and undivided. As if turning on a switch, the insane lust grew to a raging fire.

“My name is Kala’el,” he spoke softly, his voice a soothing velvet. “I am the speaker of all things Seelie. I walk all of Hillenia and the Underlands, working closely with Her Grace and all Essences, as the link between the living and those having passed into the never ending cycle.  I speak for His Essence in situations such as these. You can’t expect him to be bothered to learn something as trivial as the human tongue. It is an abomination.” Absently, he twirled his hand in the air and I found myself hanging on his every movement as if dependent on it for air. It came to me then that he did it on purpose. He fed off of my desire for him. Forcing myself to look to his chest, instead of his eyes, I nodded.

Kala’el laughed a deep throaty laugh that sent shameful ripples through me. He was laying his glamour on thick, that much being obvious. It was glamour being used by an expert on a newborn guinea pig...guess who was the guinea pig?

 But I had to refuse. Bringing images of Ivan to the forefront of my mind, I focused on all our moments together, the good ones and the bad alike. The ones that sent me on this ridiculous journey to get him back.

Fortifying myself until I could hear Ivan’s voice clearly in my head and smell him as if he stood right beside me, I lifted my eyes and stared straight at Kala’el. Past his glamour, past his appeal, I challenged his stare. Kala’el’s laughter ceased. After a moment of nothingness, he cleared his throat. And though he still smiled, it was clear that my thoughts of Ivan perturbed him.

Moving from before me, he started. “His Essence wishes to know,” he said, slowly working his way behind me. “…what you are doing here. Honestly, I am curious of the same, Leanan Sidhe. Are you here to join us?”  Sweeping my hair into his clawed fingers, a low growl rumbled in his chest setting of a fire within me. Sweat clinging to my pores, it became painfully evident that I had to hurry because Kala’el was looking for a new pet and had no means of stopping.

 “I was told that in order to have a soul recovered, I needed to petition my case before his Essence. I have come for nothing else.” And taking firm hold of his hand that had since journeyed to my exposed shoulder, I reiterated “Nothing else.” While I was learning by the moment to resist his glamour, my pulse still roared at feeling him in my hands, making it hard to breathe.

Kala’el’s brows rose in surprise though I didn’t know to which part of my response. That I’d come to petition for someone’s soul or the part of me turning him down. His devil smirk reappearing, his other hand took a hold of mine. Forcefully bringing it to his lips, he planted a light kiss on the underside of my wrist.

“Are you sure that is all? How do you know there isn’t something else you want more if you haven't yet experienced it?” His scent swept past me, embracing me. It was one of raw masculinity and dangerous need. Then as a torturous shock, he emanated Ivan’s scent. My stomach twisted. I didn’t know how to feel. The singular scent of grass and safety tore at my chest. Closing my eyes, I needed a moment.  Kala’el’s glamour was strong and I struggled.  I struggled to remember Ivan, strained to remember our fusion. Kala’el was giving it his all and I’ll be damned if I didn’t either.

Clenching my fists so tight, to the point my fingers could have bruised, I resisted but by the minute felt my resolve start to give way. With Ivan’s scent, emotions whirled in manic force within me. Her Grace was right. It was the human emotions that messed with me. It was my humanity that responded to Kala’el.  To get past this, I had to think with my Faerie half.

All I could think was that this was a test. It had to be. If I truly loved Ivan, I could resist Kala’el. If I didn’t resist him, why would the elders ever give me back Ivan? But worse, If I failed…why would Kala’el ever let me go?

However, it also became clear I couldn’t afford to piss him off. If his glamour was strong, surely so were his powers. I would have to walk the thin line of using feminine persuasion and falling prey to Kala’el. Holding tight to my desire for life and for Ivan, I swallowed. “Something like?”

His gaze cut the length of my body, a slow smile revealing dangerously sharp fangs. They were like Ivan’s when he’d succumbed fully to his true Faerie form. Drawing close to my ear, Kala'el hauled in my scent in one…long…inhale… purring as if living on my scent alone, it giving him an infinite high. An unsettling shiver rippled through me.

“I can make you feel things Miss O’Dean, things that this Ivan never could.” Stepping dangerously close to my mouth, he exhaled. It was a lure, a sweet, sweet lure. I swallowed, planting my feet firmly. The temptation to meet him the rest of the way was intense. I wanted him, then and there. It was the same raw essence Ivan possessed but magnified to the point it burned my skin with a masochistic pleasure.

“Your power is intoxicating, endless,” his lips brushed my ear. “Let me have you Leanan Sidhe. Let me mark you with my name and you will experience power like no other. I can teach you to control it, to expand it, to feed from it. Together, we can rule Hillenia and Earth alike. There will be no boundaries, just the Seelie as our right hand and the Unseelie as our footstool. Let me have you and you will want for nothing ever again…”

Never had a bad thing sounded so good. My mouth sputtered with words as my mind raced to form something, anything close to the word no. But I did it. Albeit a whisper, I managed a silent "No."

Or at least I hope it was. Whatever it was that left my mouth I couldn’t hear over the constant hammering of my heart against my chest.

He snorted. “You’re denying me?”

Holding tight to that hammering, I forced out a, “Yes,” all the while squeezing my nails into my palms until warmth soaked my fingertips.

Kala’el looked down at the blood dripping from my fingers. “You can be broken, Halfling. I will break you…”

“Before I break you?”  The words had left my mouth before I could even think of them. Granted, I didn’t have my powers but all men, Fae or human were the same, balls in the same place, right? Glamour or not, if there was one thing that pissed me off, it was threats.

The stranglehold on my body suddenly vanished, feeling more like I was a bag of bricks being thrust to the ground. Struggling to find my footing I stumbled back watching as Kala’el’s glamour dropped violently until my desire vanished and I no longer wanted him. Still insanely beautiful, frigid blue eyes stared back at me void of expression, nothing like the hungry blackness that devoured me before. It had been some sort of test…and I’d passed.

His Essence shattered our stare, barking out to Kala’el. Nodding to his Essence, he then bowed his head slightly. “You’ve done well, Halfling. Now his Supreme Essence will ask you one question and one question only. If you pass this test, we will restore this Ivan. If not….” He snickered.I didn’t like it. Whatever this test was, one thing was certain. I could not fail. I’d die making sure I didn’t.

Cold sweat clinging through my pores, I shook out my hands. “I’m ready.” My voice was meant to sound sure and strong but what came out was a faint broken whisper.  Kala’el’s glamour had taken a lot out of me.

His Essence spoke low, a bass rippling down my spine. He didn’t bark. He didn’t slam his hand on the arm rest. I no longer knew if this was a good thing or not.  Whatever question he asked, was simple and terrifying.

Kala’el turned to me, an arch in his brow. “His Essence says you’re a fool to make this journey.” In my book, that was not a question. But I kept shut.

Kala’el went on. “But for you to have done so, the answer to this question should be fairly easy.” He stared at me for a moment. “You love Ivan; your stupidity here today proves that.  The question is however…did he love you?”

What?

“And remember Halfling,” he slithered as a cruel after thought, “the answer must be honest and must be true as it will dictate the outcome. We know the truth…” Falling into silence, Kala’el left me to my thoughts, to the one question that would make or break our deal.  Ignoring the invisible stares, I closed my eyes and lost myself to thought. 

Did Ivan love me? Any logical person would say Yes, he loved me, did his sacrifice not speak of that love? Problem was, this was Ivan we were speaking of. He made his vows to me yes, he protected me, true… but whether of duty or of genuine affection was beyond my knowledge.  If he did love me, he had a strange way of showing it, yet that was Ivan. He was difficult and strange, rude and very guarded. He did things that would be considered sweet but would turn around and shatter them with other actions.

I could always say no, he didn’t love me. But there was always the possibility that in the end, he did…

Truth of it all was that, as Kala’el stated, I loved him.  Stupid and foolish, ignorant and ridiculous, I loved him and whether he loved me or not, it didn’t change anything. I could gamble everything and make a guess but instead why not just stick to what I did know? Besides, Kala’el didn’t say it had to be a yes or no answer. If I were to wager it all, I would do it on the answer I knew with absolute certainty.

And so I answered their question with all my truths. Did he love me?

“It doesn’t matter..” And it didn’t because not knowing whether he loved me or not, I still risked my life to save him. Foolish I know, but I had no apologies. “Whether he loves me or not doesn’t matter because I love him.”

Kala’el narrowed his eyes, boring them into mine. Without looking away, he whispered something in slow hissing sounds. Upon his last word, his Essence sat forward, invisible eyes too fixed on me. My skin prickled coolly.  Booming a simple phrase, His Essence snapped back. But I could have sworn I heard him chuckle lowly. Heavens….

Kala’el clapped twice, the sharpness of his claps cutting through me as if he’d slapped me twice. Flicking his now deep blue eyes to me, he roared “Ivan!”

At once my heart stopped beating yet my pulse boomed in my ears. All else falling into oblivion, I looked around manically, confusion devouring me. He had called Ivan; I heard it as much as I knew my own name. But then why did a group of twelve hooded figures step forward, detaching from the assembled crowd? Forming a perfect circle around me, they stood perfectly still. Their hands clasped before them, they lowered their heads just as all the blood rushed to my feet.

Kala’el clasped his hands behind him, unable to keep the grin from his face. Satisfaction swirled in his eyes and it was clear what ran through his mind. He said I would be broken and for him, this test would be the one to do it.

“Your task? Find Ivan.  You cannot touch them in any manner or you will forfeit your life. Choose wrong and you will forfeit your life. Speak to them and you will forfeit your life. Fail to choose one at all and you will—“

“Forfeit my life, I know.” I snapped.

Kala’el chuckled. “No, you don’t know.” he clipped. A wave of glamour coursed through him, all the way to his now black eyes. “Fail to choose at all Halfling, and you are mine.”

***

MUST READ NOTE (and please read the whole thing, it's important)

First, I really like Kala'el.....it's always the cocky ones :)

Great, now with that out of the way: I am going to stop saying when the last chapter is going to be because I hate not keeping to my word. This was supposed to wrap up but when I started writing, Kala'el appeared out of nowhere and it turns out he is going to be a major force thrusting us into the plot of Book 2 so...yeah I couldn't cut him out to end things sooner.

So I'm sorry... but then again, you also get more to read and seeing as Faethfully Yours is the only story I am writing now, uploads will be frequent.

Now for my important request!

I will be starting to look for representation soon. It helps if you have a fan base, so if you truly like the book and feel you would like to support the series, Like the FB Page and recommend to friends! Any little bit helps.

Ok, now I'm done. Remember to vote/like/tweet! Thank you all so much for your patience and continuous support!!