Pixie Problems (Dani’s POV)

There was a cracking noise as I hit the table with a resounding thud that shook the stone walls. “Why did you do it?” Tallyn demanded as the air rushed out of my body. I struggled to sit up, gasping for a breath in hopes of answering his question. As I righted myself it was just in time to come face to face with the point of Tallyn’s sword. I opened my mouth but I was still struggling to breathe. Just when I thought I might meet an untimely end, a rather large fireball collided with the Elf, knocking him to the ground.

“That’s enough! She didn’t do it.” Kat stood holding her own sword once again with Hue doing his best to hold her back.

Climbing to his feet, Tallyn rushed to face Kat’s fury. The two stood inches apart locked in a staredown that could peel paint and send demons cowering. “You don’t have any jurisdiction here,” he snapped.

Aiden cleared his throat and slid between the two, facing Tallyn himself. The two Elves stood all but nose to nose and towering over all but Hue. Tallyn, who was shaking with anger, stepped a little closer. “Step aside, cousin. The Pixie will answer for her crimes against the Elves and Lady Alizeyah will learn her place.”

Aiden looked unimpressed and quirked a brow. “If what you are saying is true she is Princess Alizeyah and this is more her domain than yours. As I am KING, I will handle this situation as well as remind you of YOUR place.”

Tallyn’s jaw clenched but he took a deep breath and stepped backwards.”Yes, your majesty,” he said with a hint of sarcasm.

Aiden smirked and stepped aside, leaving Kat to continue her stare down with Tallyn. “Let’s figure out how to wake everyone up – then we can worry about who and why.” Kat nodded and turned back to face Hue. Tallyn excused himself from the group to go check on the others who had come to help with the rescue.

Aiden turned to face me, his face more stern than before. “Lady Dani, please know it is Alizeyah’s faith in you that keeps you from getting better acquainted with my dungeon while we sort this out. Let’s hope you are forthcoming with ALL the answers we ask of you.”

I blinked a few times, not missing the threat laced into his words. “Your Majesty, I can assure you that at no point did I hatch a plot to put you or your subjects to sleep.”

“We shall see,” he answered. I watched him leave before turning to Kat and Hue.

Kat had attached herself to Hue and currently was hugging him in a death grip he didn’t seem to mind. His arms wrapped protectively around her as if she may float away if he didn’t. “Dani, is there any way you could have done this accidentally? I mean, as part of your awakening?”

I considered the question carefully. “I don’t think so. I warded everything into and out of the room. If I had Pixie-bombed anything, it would have been the two of us.” Kat was quiet, a change for her.  I smiled gingerly. “You know that whole thing about me being more than a book worm?” She nodded at me. “Yeah, forget that. I think I like being a book worm. Heroine sort of hurts.”

She laughed. “You’ll get used to it.”

Hue sighed. “Think, Dani. Anything?”

I was at a loss and was about to tell him as much when tall, blonde, and vampire walked in… or should I say stalked in. He moved with the grace of a predator set to kill. Before I could utter anything else he positioned himself at my side and laced his fingers through my own. “She said she didn’t do it. I suggest you start working on other theories.” Hue gave a nod and nobody stopped us as Oliver led me out of the room. We ducked down the hall and with a light tug we disappeared into another room.

No sooner had the door clicked shut and the lock in place when I shoved  Oliver against the door, wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his. He was startled for only a second before returning the kiss, pulling me close and lifting my toes off the ground. “I missed you, you grumpy old bat,” I teased in a whisper between kisses.

I felt the corners of his mouth turn up where his lips were pressed to mine. I squealed as his kisses moved to my ear and down my throat where he playfully dragged his fangs along my tender flesh. “Oh, how I have missed you,” he told the curve of my neck, and with startling speed he pulled his head back and crushed me against his chest. “If you love me at all, never scare me like this again,” he pleaded with me.

“She was in trouble and neither you nor anyone else would listen to me. She’s not just my friend, Oliver, she’s like my sister.” He stroked my hair and shushed me.

“We have bigger problems. Like how did you put the entire castle to sleep and how do you undo it?” He didn’t resist as I struggled to move far enough back to stare at him.

“Why are you so convinced I did it?” I argued.

“Pixie dust and the castle is sealed off.”

I hated that he was right. “Wait, you said you believed me in the other room. Why the sudden change in heart?”

“I said that you said you didn’t do it,” he corrected. “For what it’s worth I don’t think you did it intentionally.”

This time I pulled out of his embrace. “No, this is like at the nest all over again. I’m telling you, I didn’t do it.”

He thought for a moment then nodded. “Ok, then who did and how do we find them so we can clear your name?”

“Contrary to what you may have heard, I don’t really know everything.”