Page 48 of Their Chosen

“So, how do you ever know that the person you are talking to is actually the right one? That seems a little scary when I think about it.” I bit my lip at the thought, becoming more wary of the people around me.

“As you learn more about your magic, you should also learn how to detect when it has been used. Again, the more magic you have, the more you'll be able to detect glamors and spells on others,” Baer said, smiling at me and dropping an arm around my shoulders in a side hug.

I held back my initial urge to wrap my hands around his waist and snuggle into him. His answer had reassured me, but without my own magic, it was useless.

“However, if the other person is more powerful, they can cast spells without anyone being the wiser,” Callum said, finally chiming into the conversation.

I stiffened slightly under Baer's arm with his words. Baer slugged Callum in the shoulder. “Way to make her feel better,” he chided him.

Callum flicked his eyes to mine, his face and voice passive, his head turned toward me slightly. “She needs to know that she must always be careful of what she says and does around anyone unless she is absolutely certain they are who they say they are.” His deep voice rumbled as he held my gaze.

I nodded my understanding. Baer replied, “We would have covered that once she had access to her magic.”

I interrupted Baer. “No, I'm glad he told me. I'd rather know now. Please don't coddle me by withholding information from me. Besides, knowledge is power unto itself.” I glared up at him, but he immediately capitulated to my request. I could handle anything that was ever thrown at me. Having learned over the years what my limits were, I knew what I was capable of.

With Baer's agreement, I glanced back at Callum, who was still watching me, though his stance and posture hadn't changed. “Thank you, Callum.” He didn't respond, though it could have been because Arryn and Lennox finally joined us.

We all made our way back to our suite where I noticed another door had been added. At this point, it seemed my room would never be the same. Instead of focusing on it, I headed to the sofa in front of the fireplace, which was surrounded by several chairs. I threw myself down on the couch, laying across half of it, my feet dangling, and draped my arm across my eyes as I groaned, glad to be back in my room.

“Ugh! That lunch was the longest and most grueling one I've ever had to endure. Please tell me it'll be my last one,” I spoke to the guys without moving my arm from my eyes.

A couple of chuckles sounded out, and I heard rustling that sounded like they were joining me. “I don't think that's a promise any of us can make except to say that the current itinerary doesn't show anymore, but that's all pending the Queen's whims,” Arryn said. He sounded like he had taken the chair next to me.

My feet were picked up as someone sat on the couch with me, draping my legs across their lap. Finally moving my arm, I glanced at Arryn, noticing Baer on the couch with me. “So, what do we have to do now?”

“I suspect Master Jude will be along shortly, and he'll see what he can do to help us,” Lennox replied instead of Arryn. “I went to see him this morning to request he meet us here.”

“That's good. I'm ready for some answers,” I replied. For once, neither of us snapped at each other. I guess we both wanted the same thing.

I noticed Callum still standing apart from the group. He seemed to be wary of us and very guarded. I wondered what his story was to cause him to be so stand-offish. “Would you like someone to show you to your room, Callum?” I asked him. I would offer myself, but I had no idea what their rooms looked like or who had chosen which room.

Lennox stood from his chair. “Here, let me show where you'll be for the time being or until Rhowyn goes back to Earth.”

He startled at that. “What do you mean, until she goes back?” he asked, a little too harshly.

Instead of letting the guys answer, I spoke up, “He means that I don't think I should be queen, and I have people on Earth that are counting on me. I'm wanting to return to them as soon as I can.”

His eyes seemed to flash with flames, and I watched a muscle in the side of his jaw jump as it tensed, his face remaining passive. I blinked, slightly taken aback by the anger I saw, but when I met his gaze again, it was gone, as if I’d imagined his reaction. Ugh! The stress was surely getting to me, and the sooner I returned to Earth, the better.

Deciding not to say anything more, I ran a hand over my eyes, rubbing and pushing on them to ease the fatigue that was catching up to me. Callum followed Lennox through to the guys' section of the suite, both disappearing through the door. Taking the opportunity, I questioned Arryn and Baer, “How well do y'all know Callum? Can we trust him?”

I glanced up, catching them looking at each other in silent conversation, unaware I was watching them. It was Arryn that finally spoke up. “I've known Callum for years, but the last few years have changed him. I don't think they've managed to erase the honorable man he was before,” he finished. Oh, goody. More cryptic answers, just what I needed.

“I personally don't think he would have been chosen as your consort if we couldn't trust him,” Baer said.

“I'm not sure how much I buy into that since Lennox was also chosen as my consort, and he's a complete asshole.” What I didn't say was that despite his miserable attitude, I still felt like I could trust and rely on him if I needed to.

Lennox and Callum returned just as a knock sounded on the door. Lennox made his way across the room and answered it, his long legs eating up the distance quickly. Once the door was opened, I heard Master Jude and Lennox exchange pleasantries as Lennox invited him inside to join us. I sat up as they both walked over, a smile lighting my face at the old man's appearance. The guys all stood as he drew near, and I followed suit.

Jude laughed, waving both hands at us for us to sit back down. “No need to stand on formalities here. Please, let's sit while you tell me what exactly I can help with. Well, outside of the glamor I was ordered to remove.”

I sat back down, scooting to the end of the couch to give him room to join me. He did, the sofa dipping under his weight as he angled his old body toward me. He held my gaze patiently as I decided where to start, the guys staying silent. Arryn and Baer were sitting in chairs while Lennox and Callum remained standing. Lennox was behind me with his arms crossed while Callum stood across from me, removed from the group as he watched us all.

“Well, I guess the biggest thing I wanted to know about, that might save you a lot of time or maybe not...” I rattled off, suddenly nervous to have the answers I’d been wanting. Taking a deep breath, I settled my nerves. A warm hand covered mine on my knee and I opened my eyes to see Jude was smiling softly at me in understanding.

“Take your time, dear, we've got plenty of it,” he said.

“I want to know how to get out of the trials. I don't belong here. I've got people on Earth who need me, and it's all I've ever known. I can't be the next queen. I wouldn't know the first thing about how to be one, and everyone deserves better than what I have to offer,” I pleaded with him, ignoring the heavy gazes from the guys that I could feel boring into me as I admitted why I needed out of this. I liked to pretend otherwise, but I was broken on so many levels, and I knew what I was capable of. This was so far beyond what I could do, and the fae deserved more than I could give them.

---