Faith is Fallen (Broken Fantasies Series)

Chapter 51

Caoimhe paced in front of her mirror, flitting in and out of view as Eachann waited out the other royal's most recent pique. All interactions with her had been like this recently, ever since Roderick was taken. Emotion tightened his chest as he watched the pain of loss wrap the woman in tighter and tighter knots.

In some ways, he cared for Caoimhe like family, and it ripped him up a bit to see her like this. It also made him want to rip his countryside apart looking for her right hand man. He shook his head. Usually, she was the voice of reason, but he took up that mantle with a sigh. "Be at ease. We'll get him back. With a bit of thorough planning, all will be well."

She glared at him. "Don't give me that, Eachann. I'm not an idiot. If I'm damned lucky, he's still alive. Then again..." With that thought, her pacing became more furious.

"Caoimhe!" His sharp voice stopped her in her tracks. "You are the most focused, ruthless, and cunning ruler I've ever met. If you put your mind to it, you'll get him back. I have no doubt. Now quit waffling, and let's get down to business."

Anger seethed in her eyes, and a tick developed under her right eye, but that viscious, determined side of her backed it, making Eachann smile. That was the Caoimhe he'd been waiting for.

#

Cara woke up with sun streaming through the window. With an arm thrown over her head, she rolled over, not even flinching as she lay momentarily on her injured back. No, the weird sluggish feeling to her chest garnered all her focus. She pushed herself to a sitting position and the room spun around her. "Fuck me," she said as her hands flew to her head to stabilize her a bit. "What the hell?" Maybe she shouldn't have asked for that spell after all. This was not at all a feeling she relished. She felt like a some sort of expressionist painting, half expecting that a glance in the mirror would show an elongated face. Actually a scene from a Fantastic Four movie popped into her head as well of Mr. Fantastic after he tried to fix his genetic anomalies. She did rather feel like she should slip to the floor in a giant heap any moment.

"Val," she gasped, the feeling not going away.

A crash came from the room next to her, and she tried to laugh, but her breath escaped her. A few more crashes, and a quick, clipped gait, and Val burst through the door. "Really, Cara, was that necessary?"

She had no idea what she'd done. She'd only wanted him to come to her. Needed it. She had no control over how it came about. "I need you to lift it," she panted out.

He crossed the room in a skidding slide, and kneeled in front of her, his hands raised as if afraid to touch her. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. I don't feel right."

"Okay, no worries." He grabbed her face with his hands, and pressed his forehead to her own. His eyes closed, he whispered words she couldn't hear.

Comfort seeped into her like warmth from a hot bath, knowing that she would feel better soon.

#

When Val finished lifting his spell, Cara curled up in bed, going back to sleep almost immediately. Alarm coursed through him as she drifted off. She'd been asleep all night, had just woken up after oversleeping by hours, and yet drifted off into slumber yet again? She'd been right. Something must have been wrong.

But what? Not wanting to disturb her, he stood and left, closing the door without even so much as a click. Daniel stood outside the door, but Val shook his head and put a finger up to his lips, then motioned him downstairs.