The Hybrid Fairy King's Lost Mate

14 Going back there.

Present day:

“You’re really going?” Hayley asked from the couch. Mystic could feel her eyes on her. She didn’t understand why she was going back there. She didn’t either. She experienced so much pain there, she would rather forget.

She walked to the bathroom, and closed the door behind her. She leaned against it, closing her eyes. She took a deep breath, and walked to the sink. She opened the tap and splashed some cold water on her face. She wiped it dry with the towel, and stared at herself in the mirror. Her eyes fell on the curve of her neck. She pulled her t-shirt to the side, revealing the smooth skin there where her mating mark should have been. Her mind filled with the memories of the night he claimed her. It was so long ago, it felt like a dream. Like it didn’t happen at all, especially now that he didn’t feel like her mate anymore. There was no trace of what they had. Removing her mating mark was her greatest regret. But she couldn't hold on to it, not after what happened. Their bond was too painful for her.

“Mystic?” Hayley called from the door. Mystic turned to the door as it was pushed open. “Are you alright?”

Mystic took a deep breath, and forced a smile to her lips. “I’m fine,” she said walking to the door.

“Okay,” she said giving her a look. She shook her head, and walked back to the couch. Instead of sitting down, she picked up the blanket she had used during the night and folded it. “I’m going home now. Please make sure you come back. You know there’s no one here I like besides you.”

“You should make other friends. Ryan is in the house, you should go and see him from time to time,” Mystic said, walking to her bed. She had all the clothes she wanted to take set out on the bed. She was yet to pack. She was procrastinating. She was dreading going there and seeing Aria again.

Hayley rolled her eyes. “He’s become a recluse after the whole kidnapping thing. I don’t know what’s wrong with him. I can’t deal with that. His wolf is too weak for mine. She gets pissed off every time she sees him.”

“You need to show some empathy sometimes. Not everyone is as strong as you,” Mystic said. Hayley just rolled her eyes again and walked to the door. She walked out without saying goodbye. Mystic shook her head.

She'd never understand Hayley. She turned to the bed, and stared at her clothes. Was she really doing this? she asked herself. Going back there without her sister was going to feel so strange. She shook off the gloomy feelings that suddenly filled her, and folded her clothes. Lanarrie’s man said he'd come for her today. He’ll drive her to the house.

Mystic stuffed everything in her bag. And placed it on the floor. She sat on the bed, and buried her face in her hands.

Why was this so hard? She asked herself as all kinds of emotions bubbled within her. She touched her chest feeling her wolf reach out to her. She was reacting to her anxiety. Mystic didn’t even know why she was feeling this way. Seeing Kalan for the first time after so many years hadn’t felt like this. She even managed to spend some time with him when she visited his kingdom during the festival. She hadn’t felt this overwhelmed. She could sit and talk to him as if nothing happened. The fact that she didn’t recognise him as her mate anymore helped too.

But going back there… it was like she was opening all the wounds, all the pain she’d somehow forgotten.

Don’t go, Zarie begged her. They’ll hurt you again.

Mystic knew that. She should avoid going back there by all means. But she had this need to go back and recapture her sister’s memory.

She missed her so much, after finding out that she was dead…she couldn’t stop thinking about her. She wanted to reconnect with her somehow. And Lanarrie’s house was the place where they really became close. After that, maybe she could go home to her pack. She needed to tell her father about what happened to Mae. But she couldn’t bring herself to go yet. Guilt swirled inside her at the thought of going home. She couldn’t face her father just yet, Mystic thought. The thought of seeing him again without her sister was painful.

Mystic wiped the tears that filled her eyes. She’ll go eventually. She just needed the strength to do it. And she hoped her memories with her sister would give her some strength, because she didn’t have any left.

Zarie, she said, calling to her wolf. She felt her rise within her and comfort her. There was a knock at the door, and Mystic knew that Lanarrie’s man had come. She took a deep breath and got to her feet. She picked up her bag, and walked to the coffee table where she dropped her sword. She picked it up, thinking about Mason. He’d given it to her on the day she left him to go after her sister.

“You’ll need it more than me,” he’d told her as he handed it to her. Mystic stared at it. She guessed he was right. The sword protected and saved her many times. She should go and see him too, Mystic thought, as she remembered the mysterious fairy who saved her on the night she left Lanarrie’s house. He’d appeared out of nowhere, and just took her and Mae in. He taught her everything she knew about healing and using a bit of magic. They stayed with him for three years until Mae got restless and decided to leave.

Mystic wished she’d tried harder to stop her. But there was nothing she could say or do. Mae wanted to find her mate, to live a life that only her mate could offer her. Even after what Kalan did to her, Mae still had faith.

Her mind went back to Mason. Finding him might be hard, they moved around so much over the three years they stayed with him. She didn’t know where to look for him.

Mystic hooked the sword to her belt and hid it in the folds of her skirt. She walked to the door, and opened it. Lanarrie’s man took the bag from her and they walked up the path, through the trees towards the front of the main house. An SUV was parked in the driveway. She got into the back. The man dropped her bag in the trunk, and walked around the car to the driver’s side. He got in, and within minutes they were driving away.

Here we go, Mystic thought as she stared out of the window. They drove towards the fairy kingdom. The journey to Lanarrie’s house took a couple of hours. They arrived at the house in the late afternoon. Mystic stared at Lanarrie’s house. Twelve years had gone by, and nothing had changed, she thought, as she stared at the sturdy oak door. Memories flooded her mind. Her heart hammered in her chest. She took deep calming breaths as she reached for the door handle. She got out of the car just as the door opened and Aria stood there staring at her.

Her wolf growled at the sight of her. Mystic didn’t even care enough to calm Zarie. She wasn’t that girl anymore.

“Here,” the man said. Mystic reached for her bag, and walked down the path to the door. Aria looked more beautiful than she remembered. Her hair was longer, and still had that glossy shine that made her stand out. Aria stared at her for a few minutes and then she was pushed out of the way. Lin came to stand at the door. Her lips pulled into a bright smile. She ran from the door towards her.

“Mystic!” she shouted, pulling her into a hug. Mystic dropped her bag on the ground and wrapped her arms around her. Lin was the only person in Lanarrie’s house who treated her like a human being. She felt tears prickle her eyes as she remembered her kindness. “I can’t believe you’re here. When father decided to call you here. I didn’t think you’d come,” she said, wiping her eyes.

“I almost didn’t come,” she said, wiping her own eyes too. “Do you know why he called me here?” she asked.

Lin didn’t answer her. She turned to the house, with a sad look on her face, and then she picked up her bag, and took her hand.

“There’s someone I want you to meet,” she said with a broad smile. Mystic tried not to think of the look on Lin’s face. Whatever it was, she could handle it, she told herself. And besides, she wasn’t there for anyone, but her sister. She’ll fill herself with her memories and, hopefully, that will be enough to give her the courage to go back to her pack. They walked into the house. Aria stood to the side waiting. She gave Mystic a look that made her clench her jaw as her wolf pushed to the surface.

“Did my sister tell you the good news?” she asked with a taunting smile on her face. Mystic knew that smile so well, she had to endure it for so long, but she wasn't going to do that now. She let go of Lin’s hand and stepped close to Aria. A growl ripped out of her as Aria's scent hit her. It reminded her so much of that night. Anger and hurt warred within her. She held on to that anger. Aria flinched and stepped away from her. Mystic smiled to herself at the startled look on her face.

“No. She didn’t,” Mystic said as she stared. “Maybe you can tell me.”

“Don’t do that in my father’s house,” Aria said.

“Don’t do what?” Mystic asked, letting her wolf surface. Aria’s eyes widened as she probably saw Zarie’s blue eyes. “I’m not that little girl you used to push around. If your father called me here to toy with me…things won’t go well for you.”

“Aria is getting married to the fairy king,” Lin blurted out from behind her. She came to Mystic and took her hand again. “Just know that I am against this,” she said, turning to Aria.

“Shut up Lin. Kalan is finally marrying me. That’s all she needs to know,” Aria said.

“If that’s true, father wouldn’t have called her here. Why don’t you and Kalan marry each other and leave her alone?” Lin said, and dragged Mystic deeper into the house. She pulled her up the stairs to her room. She closed the door behind her and turned to Mystic. Lin cleared her throat, looking a little embarrassed. “Sorry about that. But I can’t stand Aria sometimes. She and father can be cruel, especially with what they’re doing now. You see, father heard that you went to the palace for Fagnad festival. He got it in his head that Kalan invited you there because he…” Lin trailed off with a shrug. “He called you here to make sure that Kalan doesn’t want you anymore. I mean, he agreed to the marriage. Clearly, that should be enough.”

“He’s going to marry Aria?” Mystic asked, surprised. Her heart gave a slight lurch but she ignored it. He wasn’t her mate anymore. He could marry anyone he wanted.

“Father said that he'd be here tonight to ask for Aria’s hand in marriage,” Lin said with a wince. She gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry about…”

Mystic shook her head. She walked to the window and looked out. Lin’s bedroom window faced the tiny room that she and Mae had shared. Mystic stared at it, feeling those overwhelming emotions all over again. She should have known that Lanarrie would call her there for something as selfish as securing Aria’s marriage to Kalan. God, she hated the man.

“Tell your father, there’s nothing between me and the Kalan, he’s no longer my mate,” she said, taking her bag from Lin. She walked to the door, and headed out of the house. She followed the path around the house.

“Wait!” Lin called, running after her. Mystic stopped and turned to her. “There’s someone I want you to meet,” she took her hand and led her towards the line of trees.

“Who do you want me to meet?” she asked as they walked through the line of trees to the meadow. Mystic came to a stop when she saw him.

“Mason?” she said as she stared at the fairy. He smiled, opening his arms to her. Mystic dropped her bag and ran to him. He closed his arms round her, holding her tight. They hugged for a few minutes and then she pulled back to stare at him. “What are you doing here?” she asked. She couldn’t believe he was there. To think she thought of him a few hours ago. And there he was.

“I came to see you. A few days ago, I had a vision of you for the first time in years. And I came here. If I knew where you were all these years, I would have come to find you, Mae needs you,” he said.