Ch.17 A sign

Chapter 17

With her knees drawn to her chest and her arms tightly wrapped around them, Birdie sat as still as a mountain. Her breathing was even, the air slowly moving in and out of her lungs.

Should I tell Wren about Earth? Birdie asked herself.

He could help me...

Or he will follow me with his army and take over Earth.

Birdie felt her thoughts jumble in her mind like strings. She took in another deep breath and let it out, hoping it would release some of the tension in her shoulder.

Baba, she called out through her mind-link. Mom?...Hayden?

But it was like trying to hold air in her open palm. Birdie could not reach her link. It was as if it had never existed. Just the thought was enough to frighten her.

"What are you doing?"

Gently, Birdie opened her eyes to find Mina standing before her. The large woman had a small curious smile on her face as she folded the laundry.

"I'm trying to open my mind-link," Birdie explained.

Mina's brows furrowed before she shook her head and went back to her chores.

"Why don't you guys have mind-links?" Birdie asked, placing her chin on her knee. She looked up at the woman through her lashes and waited for an answer.

"Baby, I don't even know what that is," Mina laughed. "How can I explain to you why we don't have it? Why don't women have an eel?"

"Because of the Y chromosome," Birdie said.

"The what?" Mina laughed once more. "Girl, you are a basket of crazy. Just like those old Tyveers my mama used to entertain when I was a little girl in Deserati. They would say some wild stuff that had me and my mama laughing our-"

Birdie's head snapped up, "The what?"

"One time, one of them told us the most horrifying story of men that can turn into beasts," Mina continued, not noticing the way Birdie's eyes had widened.

"Tyveer," Birdie said, her heart hammering. "The Tyveer court? They're here?"

"They're here alright," Mina chuckled. "A load of drunk, good for nothing crazies who sound just like you som-"

"Where are they? How do I find them?" Birdie sat up and clutched the woman's arm.

"Baby, you don't want to meet them," Mina frowned. "They're crazy."

"No, I have to go to them," Birdie stood up. "Do they have a sultan? An army?"

Mina stared at the girl as if she had grown two heads, "The Tyveer live on the outer edge of Desarati. You can't go there."

"I have to," Birdie said, looking at the door and then the window.

"And how will you do that?" Mina pressed her lips into a thin line. "You have Xaiba brass on you. You are not allowed to cross the Glass Sea."

"How do I take it off?"

"Good lord!" Mina threw down the dress she had been folding. "I want no part of this. Jasmeen! Come deal with this crazy girl."

"No, wait!" Birdie stopped the woman. "Tell me more about the Tyveer. Who are they? Where are they?"

"I told you," Mina shook Birdie's hand off. "They're just crazy old drunk men who live outside of the town."

"How did they get here? Where did they come from? Who leads them?"

"Birdie, I have work to do, sugar. I got no time to be listening to all these questions."

"No, you don't understand," Birdie felt like her insides would burst with frustration. "I need to know!"

"Birdie."

Mina and Birdie froze as Wren's voice came from the doorway. They turned to find the sinister prince patiently waiting with his hands behind his back and his dark eyes glistening mischievously like always. It was as if Birdie was his permanent source of entertainment.

"What?" Birdie snapped, narrowing her eyes.

"Your grace!" Mina stepped forward and grabbed the back of Birdie's head. She forced her to bow her head as she did the same herself.

"Good morning, Mina," Wren said, without a trace of emotion in his voice. "Is she ready?"

"I'm right here," Birdie said, stepping away from Mina. "You can ask me yourself. I know how to speak."

Wren turned his attention to Birdie, "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Birdie nodded. "I'm ready to kill you or die trying."

Mina gasped, her hand flying to cover her lips.

"Come," Wren motioned with his head.

"Where?" Birdie arched her brow.

"To die trying," Wren said.

"Dying isn't on my agenda today," Birdie folded her arms over her chest.

"I wasn't giving you an option."

"And neither am I," Birdie said. "I'm not going with you."

Wren's eyes held Birdie's gaze for a few seconds before they slowly began to move towards Mina. Birdie immediately heard the woman start to shiver and whimper as she pushed Birdie forward.

"Go with him!" Mina whispered.

Birdie bit down on her jaw as she glared at Wren. He held back a smile as Mina practically shoved her out of her room.

"Will you walk or should I have Mina push you all the way?" Wren asked, once outside in the hall.

Birdie did not answer. She turned her face away and let out a hot breath. The tips of her ears were starting to turn red, matching the high points of her cheeks. Up until that moment, Wren hadn't realized just how smooth and clean her skin was. Like glass...and the red stain beneath seemed to make her glow like a polished peach.

"I'm going to take that as a yes," he said. "Come."

Birdie waited as the prince took a few steps forward. He didn't wait for her because he knew Birdie wouldn't take his threat lightly. If she didn't start moving, he would go back inside and mind Mina.

"You're a psychopath," she said, as she began to follow the fey.

"Thank you," Wren stared ahead. "I work very hard at it."

"Some day, I am going to strangle you."

"So you're into that kind of stuff," Wren smirked. "Good to know."

"Pervert!" Birdie stepped away. "Is that what your mother taught you? What kind of prince are you?"

"The kind of prince who asked the king to buy you so he can have you all to himself," Wren looked over and smiled.

"You're actually sick," Birdie said. "Sick in the head."

With a low laugh, Wren turned away and continued walking. He led Birdie down the hall and up a long flight of stairs she had never seen before in all the days she had been there. But then again, it wasn't like she was allowed to explore the place.

"Your sickness can be explained by the incest going on in your family," Birdie continued. "Many kingdoms have fallen to mad kings who were products of ince-"

"Don't talk about my family, little bird."

"Is it a sensitive topic?" Birdie asked.

Wren did not reply.

"Oh, it is!" Birdie laughed. "How wonderful! Let's dive deeper. Did your father buy your mother too or did she come free with his other purch-"

Suddenly, Birdie yelped as Wren grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer. His eyes darkened as he pinned her to his chest and twisted her wrist behind her back.

Birdie felt her heart lodge into her throat as she looked up at the angry fey. She could feel his fingers digging into her. They would most certainly leave a mark on her annoyingly delicate skin.

But despite the fear that coated her every breath from the way Wren's body hummed with energy, Birdie kept pushing his button.

"Go on," she said. "Do it."

Wren's jaw tensed. The muscles in them clenched as he stared down at the firecracker he was holding.

"Are you going to hit me with your hands or are you going to use that brass baton?" Birdie asked.

"Have I ever laid hands on you?" Wren asked.

"Hands..." Birdie said. "So you pick the brass baton."

"I'm not going to hurt you, Birdie."

"What do you think you're doing now?" Birdie asked. "And every single second and moment and minute that I am here inside this cage?"

Wren's jaw clenched once more before he took in a long deep breath and released Birdie's wrist. She immediately pulled away and examined her skin, frowning from the way her wrist stung.

"You haven't laid your hands on me," Birdie looked at the fey. "Yet."

Wren looked as if he wanted to say something but decided against it. He turned to face the door he had stopped at and pulled out a small brass key from his pocket. Birdie looked down the hall in both directions to study her surroundings as the prince unlocked the doors.

"There is a set of stairs down the hall to the left," Wren said as the door unlocked with a small click. "It's the only exit and entrance to this floor."

"What is this floor?" Birdie asked.

"Let me show you," Wren pushed the door open. "Ladies first."

"Are you going to feed me to your lions and tigers and bears?" Birdie asked, holding her wrist.

"It's a tempting idea," Wren laughed. "Especially after your wonderful speech about my family."

Birdie glared.

"But no," Wren said. "I'm not going to feed you to my lions and tigers and bears. Unfortunately, they're all extinct."

"I heard about them from a story," Birdie lied, cursing herself for her big mouth.

"Of course," Wren nodded, playing along with her words. "Come, let's go inside."

With cautious steps, Birdie walked through the large double doors. She could feel Wren on her heels as he followed her inside and closed the door behind himself. Her Heart jumped with the sound of the lock turning. She wanted to look back and see how far away from the door she was when a familiar sound reached her ear, making her halt in her tracks.

"What is that?" Birdie asked, looking around the small foyer of the grand hall.

"Keep going," Wren urged.

Birdie stepped forward and into the indoor courtyard the foyer opened up to. She gasped as her eyes fell on the sheer size of the hall and all the birds fluttering around.

The high glass ceilings showed off the clear blue sky, letting in plenty of sunlight for the trees, shrubs, and flower plants to thrive as the birdie hoped from one branch to another, eating the ripe fruits.

There were about a hundred birds all around her. Some big, some small. Some red, some white. Some familiar, some unfamiliar.

"These are the last of the birds on Pangea," Wren said, stepping forward and standing beside Birdie. "We collected them from all over the lands."

Birdie listened to his words as her eyes scanned creatures. She slowly turned and looked all around, her lips slightly parted and her eyes a bit sad.

"They're not flying," she observed. "They're hopping around."

"Their wings are clipped."

"Of course..." Birdie said, her voice almost a whisper. "They're your birds."

"I'm trying to save them."

"Birds are not meant to be kept in captivity," Birdie frowned. "They belong in the sky. Not inside this....this glass cage."

"Most animals don't survive on Pangea," Wren watched Birdie as she stepped forward and held out her hand towards a bird. "Especially the delicate ones."

"Why not?" Birdie questioned.

"Well," Wren picked up a handful of bird seeds and dropped them onto her palm. "There is a myth that says their soul longs to be back on Earth. They chose death as it is the only way for them to return home."

Birdie's heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. She felt her eyes start to sting as her throat tightened and her fingers grew numb. Breathing was an impossible task. She felt as if she was forced to fill her lungs through a straw.

"But it's all just a myth," Wren continued, not taking his eyes off of Birdie.

Birdie had all her attention on the small bird that walked over to her and jumped onto her palm.

"They most likely don't survive because of the ecosystem," she said.

"I don't know about that," Wren shrugged. "I was talking about the dying being the only way out part."

Birdie's silver eyes flickered up towards the fey.

"There are portals that lead out of Pangea to Earth," Wren refilled Birdie's palm with more birdseed. "Now, wouldn't that be nice for someone who got stuck here from Earth?"

"Did you read about these portals in your fairy tale books?" Birdie asked.

"There are maps."

"Do you have an obsession, Wren?"

"I can take you home."

"How about you let the birds go home first?" Birdie said. "They really don't belong here."

"And neither do you."

"So let me go!"

"Go where?" Wren asked. He took a step forward and grabbed Birdie's hand, causing all the bird seeds to fall all around them. "I'm the only one who knows about these portals, little bird. Trust me and I will take you home."

"Why?" Birdie asked.

"What?" Wren asked in confusion. "Don't you want to go home?"

"Why do you want to help me?" Birdie asked. "What's in it for you? And if you really know these portals then why aren't you on Earth right now?"

"Because I was waiting for a sign."

"And now you have it?"

"Yes," Wren nodded. "It's you."

"I am not your sign."

"I needed a sign to fully accept that Earth is real," Wren said. "And here you are....an Earthling."

"Don't call me that."

"My father dedicated his whole life to gathering information about Earth," Wren said. "He would have really liked to meet you."

"If you're anything like your father then I have no desire to meet him," Birdie said, twisting her hand in an attempt to pull away.

Wren stood silently for a few seconds before finally letting go of Birdie's hand. He watched her pull away as if she would catch on fire if he was too close. Her hair was messy once again that day. The braids were loose and the small pieces framing her face were beginning to stick to her forehead.

"You're very bitter," Wren said, taking a seat at the edge of the table in front of them.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Birdie gasped. "Am I supposed to be grateful to you for keeping me here against my will? Or am I supposed to fall madly in love with you?"

"That would make things a lot easier," Wren smirked.

"For who?" Birdie arched her brow. "For you?"

Rolling his eyes, Wren reached into the small bowl of birdseed and poured some more onto Birdie's palm.

"The cardinals are my favorite," Wren said, motioning to the bird on Birdie's hand.

With a deep frown, Birdie observed the light blue feathers on the bird. She wanted to point out that it was a Bluejay. But when she looked over and caught the glint in Wren's eyes, she knew he was baiting her to see if she would slip up and talk more about Earth.

"I've never seen a cardinal before," Birdie lied. "I love how blue their feathers are."

Wren's shoulders shook with silent laughter. His tongue darted out as he licked his bottom lip and bit down. Birdie looked away, feeling his eyes on her like a heavy weight.

"What do you think of my birdies, Birdie?" The prince asked as the bluejay hopped off.

"I think it's a shame they never get to use their wings," Birdie said, brushing her hand on her dress.

"Maybe I love them too much to set them free."

"I thought you didn't love anything," Birdie pointed out. "And if you love something, you're supposed to set it free."

"Why?"

"Because you can't force someone to love you."

"I've never been unkind to them, I feed them, I take care of them."

"You also clipped their wings and took away their freedom."

"To keep them safe."

With a heavy sigh, Birdie turned away. Arguing with Wren was useless. She didn't know if he was really that clueless or if he was pulling her leg. There was no way he could possibly think that the birds loved him.

"Why were you asking Mina about the Tyveers?" Wren asked from where he sat on the edge of the table.

"Just because," Birdie shrugged. "I was curious."

Wren slowly nodded. He watched Birdie walk around the hall with her face tilted towards the sky. Her eyes lingered on each bird as she memorized their colors and their soft songs. Her long white dress dragged behind her as her bare feet moved silently over the marble floors.

"They're a small group of jinns, most older ones, who occasionally try to start a rebellion," Wren said.

Birdie's eyes lowered from the skies to the fey. For a second she was surprised he was sharing the information with her. But she wiped it off her face before he got too curious. Wren had a bad habit of being too observant.

"What do you mean they try?" Birdie asked.

"They don't have the manpower, the magic, or the weapons to overthrow the palace," Wren shrugged. "Most of the time when they gather to recruit in Deserati, the guards dispatch them."

"Great," Birdie felt her heart sink. "They're good for nothing."

"Maybe you should lead them."

Birdie narrowed her eyes.

"You have the spunk for it," Wren grinned.

"Maybe I will," Birdie said. "And when I march in here with my army, you're the first one I will kill."

"Oh please," Wren snorted. "I've sensed your magic. It's....mediocre."

Birdie's eyes widened as her cheeks turned red instantly. Wren knew it had nothing to do with being embarrassed or coy. That red was fiery and angry and a bit addicting.

"You have no idea who my parents are," Birdie laughed. "If you only knew who trained me."

"Want to put it to a test?"

"No."

"Scared?"

"Never."

"Let's try," Wren dusted his hands off. "Come here."

"Fuck off."

"Do you plan on showing me your magic with your cuffs on?"

Birdie looked down at her wrists. Her skin had been much better since Wren had healed her, but she could still feel the sting of the metal. As she stared, Wren stepped forward and undid the cuffs. He slipped them into his pocket and wrapped his fingers around her wrists.

"You don't have to do that," Birdie scowled, feeling Wren's hands heat up as he began to heal her.

"It would be an unfair fight if you're injured," Wren said, almost to himself.

Birdie did not say anything else as she allowed herself just a few seconds to enjoy the high of his magic. Every inch of her felt as if she was dipped in gold.

"Ready?" Wren took a small step back and released her wrists.

Birdie fluttered her eyes open and nodded.

"Raise your hand."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Birdie snapped.

"Fine," Wren released a burst of energy that exploded against her face like a pollen bomb.

Birdie immediately backed away as Wren grinned. Stepping around her and appearing behind her, he commanded the air to push her forward and into the center of the grand hall. The birds all around them fluffed their wings but they couldn't take flight.

"Come on, little bird," Wren teased.

Birdie whirled around, her eyes narrowed like the sharp edge of a blade. She raised her hand and summoned a gust of strong wind. Wren watched the cloud form as the corner of his lips curved up. Instead of focusing on the strong wind headed his way, he ducked right on time to escape the scolding ball of lava Birdie had summoned behind him.

"Really?" The fey laughed. "That is the oldest trick in the book."

Angered by his laughter, Birdie pulled on the energy surrounding the trees plated into the raised beds. She heard the roots groan and protest as they popped up from the ground and began to swing like the tentacles of a mad octopus.

"Not bad," Wren said, dodging the roots. "My turn."

Birdie shrieked as one of the roots she was commanding wrapped around her midsection. She was yanked back several feet and pinned to the tree trunk as the small white flowers rained all around her. Wren straightened up and waved his fingers through the air.

"You can't do that!" Birdie protested. "You can't use my own spell against me."

"Who says?"

Birdie grinded her molars as the fey set her free and her feet touched the ground. She filled her lungs with air and began to look around for what she could use to her advantage.

"Look up," Wren said from where he stood.

Birdie looked up just as a giant wave came crashing down upon her. She held up her hands and summoned a shield, saving herself from the freezing water.

"Into fire," Birdie chanted the spell as she directed the water towards Wren and watched it transform into flames.

"Not the birds, Birdie!" Wren groaned as he jumped out of the way and dismissed the girl's spell.

But Birdie did not listen. She pulled on all her strength and focused on the trees. She wanted them all to tear up from the ground and shatter the glass ceiling. She willed them to grow fifty feet tall, wanting them to rip apart the metal frames around the glass.

"That's very stupid," Wren said, stepping forward just as the first tree broke the glass overhead.

In a flash, Wren was before her.

He threw up his arm and summoned a shield as glass began to rain down from the sky. The shattered and jagged pieces caught the light, refracting hundreds of small rainbows around the room. Birdie tried to push away from the fey, but he pulled her closer and kept her standing under his shield as the broken pieces of glass hovered in the air.

"You really are very reckless, little bird," Wren said.

Birdie looked up as the light from the millions of pieces of shard glass shimmered over their faces. Wren had one arm hooked around her waist as the other hovered over their head with an invisible umbrella. The navy blue of his eyes seem to lighten with the intensity of the sunlight and make them appear like the skies at dawn, blue with hints of white and daylight.

"Really?" Birdie asked, her breathing heavy from the amount of energy she had exerted to pull off the spell. "I thought it was the perfect way to kill you and set the birds free."

"And what about you?" Wren asked, his eyes glued on her face. "You would have been caught in the disaster too."

"I told you I would either kill you or die trying."

The corner of Wren's mouth curved up into that half smile that really got under Birdie's skin. She wanted to wipe it off his face and tell him to fuck off but she couldn't find her voice.

They were standing so close to one another. Too close to one another.

Birdie could feel her magic rising up to the surface without her even summoning it. Beneath her hands on his chest, Wren's heart hummed as if he too could feel his magic stir up in response to her's. Their bodies were separated by a breath, touching each other like waves touched the shore.

Birdie felt the tension in her bones dissolve as Wren carried her weight and held her tightly. Her eyes flickered down for a split second just as he did. She found herself stealing a glimpse of his mouth and knew he was doing the same.

The birds were silent. The shards of glass hovered in the air, gently colliding against one another like a wind chime. Birdie slowly spread her hand over Wren's chest and looked down, a small frown forming on her lips.

"What's wrong?" Wren asked, ducking his head to get a look at her eyes.

"Your heartbeat..." Birdie looked up. "It's....the same as mine."

"It can't be," Wren dismissed the idea.

"It is," Birdie pushed.

"I don't think it would happen this qui-" Wren stopped as he raised his hand and placed his fingers over Birdie's pulse on her neck.

"See," Birdie said, knowing he could feel each pound of her heart through her skin.

"Shit," Wren muttered, spreading his hand over her neck to get a better feel.

"What is it?" Birdie asked. "What did you do?"

When Wren looked back up, Birdie could feel his agitation in her own chest. She looked down at her hand over his chest once more as her mind clicked into place.

With a loud gasp, Birdie pushed away from Wren and stumbled back a few feet.

"No!" She said with extreme stubbornness. "No. Nope! Never! Uh-uh, this is not happening!"

"I'm curious," Wren said, commanding the glass to fly back up into the sky and mend the ceiling. "What do you think is happening?"

"Our heartbeats are synchronized and I just felt your emotion," Birdie shook her head and her arms. "It's a fuckin' autura, isn't it? You healed me too many times and now we're bonded."

"It's not permanent," Wren rolled his eyes. "It'll fade in a few days."

"I know!" Birdie stomped her feet. "But I don't want it! I want no part of you in me!"

Wren held back a laugh.

"Oh for the love of gods, now's not the time to be thinking dirty!" Birdie tugged at her hair. "How do we get rid of this faster?"

"How do you even know about it in the first place?"

"I just do, okay!" Birdie snapped. "How could you do this?"

"It's a common side effect of healing," Wren shrugged.

"You did this on purpose."

"No, not really."

"You're trying to get into my head!"

"It's not that difficult."

"Get rid of it!"

"I can't!" Wren clicked his tongue. "It'll fade on it's own."

"What am I supposed to do until then?"

Wren couldn't help himself as he grinned, "Enjoy a part of me inside of you."

Birdie stared at the fey as his words reached her ears. She felt the need to laugh along with him but knew it was only his vile emotions running through her system. She pushed it aside and picked up the bowl of birdseed and hurled it at his head.

"I'll be there all day and all night," Wren laughed, stepping out of the way.

"I hate you!" Birdie looked for something else to throw.

"Constantly in your head."

"Oh you motherfuc-" as Birdie picked up a fallen tree branch to use as a bat, Wren flashed forward and grabbed her arm. He pulled her to himself once more as his hand twisted her wrist until she dropped the branch.

"I'm looking forward to having you on my mind all day," Wren said, lowering his mouth to her ear.

Would you trust Wren?