When Summer Stole My Heart

I woke up to an empty room. Both Julie’s and Valerie’s beds were made and my dress that I had stomped all over was gone. I sat up and stretched, got out of bed and went into the bathroom. I took a look at the odd looking tub. I turned the knob and out came hot water. I looked around for where the water came from, but I couldn’t find anything. I threw my clothes onto the ground and stepped in, closing the curtain around the tub.
A content sigh escaped my lips as I slipped into the hot silk. Well, my parents should be happy, they got what they wanted. I was gone, never to be seen again like all those girl my grandmother had told me about.
When I stepped out of the tub my clothes were gone. What the hell? I look under the tub, thinking maybe they might have been pushed under. But they weren’t there. When I walked out there was a pretty sunflower dress that had been placed on my bed with a pair of sandals. I sigh and get dressed. I brush out my wet hair and braid it then step out of the room where a person was standing across the hall with their head down.
“Um, hello?”
The man looked up. He had brown silky looking hair and unlike everyone else around here had almost tan skin. He smiled warmly, “Hello, I’m Lorethan, you may call me Reth, if you would like.” I laugh, “Uh, alright, Reth, do you know where-.” He walked over to me and nodded, “Yes, they are at breakfast, Dorian asked me to bring you.” I raise a brow, “Well then, if he asked, I’m not going.” And with that I open the door ready to go in. Reth reached out, grabbed my forearm and then I was in a large room, with all my friends… and Dorian.
“Well, good morning sleepy head.” Lucas said with a chuckle. I blink and turned to Reth, “How did you do that?” He smiled, “I’m a faerie. We can do those kinds of things.”
“Well, don’t do that again. It freaked me out.”
“Evie, sit down! We have so much to tell you.” Julie said gaily. I sighed and looked around the table, there was only one seat left and it was next to Dorian. I shook my head, “No, I’m alright standing.”
“You dork, you can’t eat standing, besides it’s uncomfortable.” Emmet explained.
“I’m not eating.” I told them simply. Dorian chuckled, “Sit down, now.” I growled but went and sat down. Dorian reached out and grabbed a deep red apple and held it out to me. “Apple.” I shoved it away, “I’m not hungry, thanks.” And of course my stomach betrayed me and growled, as if it were saying ‘feed me!’ I looked down and hissed, “Shut up!” everyone around the table burst into laughter. Lucas, who happened to be sitting next to me as well put his arm around my shoulder, “Evie, you must be hungry, you’re talking to you stomach, I don’t think that is normal.” I looked at him and grinned, “But Lucas, I, myself, am not normal.” He bobbed his head, “That’s true, so, where were you last night, I missed you.” My cheeks flushed. Did he just. No. I think he did. Ah! I shrugged, “Oh you know, this and that. Learning.”
“Learning what?” Valerie inquired from across the table.
“Things.”
“Like?” I look towards Max. I squinted at him, “Things, Max, as in none of your business. Beside me, Dorian chuckled softly. Oh, he knew exactly what I was talking about. “By the way Dorian, where are my clothes?” he blinked, unaffected with my snarky attitude. “I thought you would like something new, since you slept in your clothes last night.” What?! How did he know? I opened my mouth to tell him he can screw off but instead I say, “Thank you. Do you have anything other than dresses though?”
“Don’t be rude, Evie.” Julie hissed. I pouted, good God, he had everyone wrapped around his pale bony finger! We sat there talking about nonchalant things and then we got into the discussion of our stay.
Connor was the first to say something, “So, how long are we going to stay you guys?” I gulped and glanced over at Dorian. His face had gone stone cold. So, I answered him, “You can’t leave, I might still have a chance, but none of you. I warned you Connor, I told you not to eat the food.”
Valerie dropped her Danish, “Why, what’s wrong with the food.”
“Once you eat or drink something from this realm, you cannot leave.”
Everyone around me gasped and dropped what they were eating. I looked at Dorian again, his mouth was pursed in a tight line and he was glaring at me. The whites of his eyes were gone. Everything was black; his hair though, was so still white, almost glowing. I stood up then, “Now if you will excuse me, I need to go figure out how I am going to get out.”
“Sit down.”
His voice wasn’t smooth anymore, it was hard, threatening. I pushed back my chair and his arm shot out, wrapping his long, abnormally warm fingers around my wrist. And then we weren’t there. We were in a courtyard made of stone and plants. His hand on my writs kept getting hotter and tighter. He was breathing heavily and looking down at me angrily with those black eyes of his. I gulped, I was in for it. But he didn’t say anything, he just kept looking at me, his dark eyes seemed to be looking past my face, into me, to my very self. His breathing slowed and his eyes returned to normal. The heat on my wrist dimmed, “I’m very angry with you Evelyn.” Was all he said, his voice slow, steady, dangerous. I licked my lips, my mouth was so dry, “Why because I told them the truth.” I inquired trying to pull away from his grasp. He didn’t loosen his group. “You couldn’t pull off this nice charade forever, and you know it. They were bound to find out.”
The heat in my wrist got hotter again, “Do not make me anymore angrier than I already am.” He warned me. I clench my hands, “Let go of me, you’re hurting me.” I demanded pulling my arm. He didn’t let up but the heat subsided. “You may not leave, so might as well have something to eat? You can’t starve yourself to death.” God, this man was infuriating. I looked at him angrily, “I hate you.” His eyes widen, looking taken aback he releases my wrist. I rub it and look down, there was a red hand print surrounding my wrist, oh, great he burned me, who would’ve known. I look back up and he was gone. I whirled around but no one was there. To make matters worse I didn’t see any entrances.
I groan and walk over to the edge and look down. The castle was below me, the clouds in front of me. There could be no way that I was this far up. I looked out further, dense forest covered a lot of land, but I could see a lake and a few huts. I went t the other side and there was a village and more forest. I walked along the edge and around the whole courtyard, think I might be able to find a set of stairs or something to get me down. But there was nothing.
Okay, so he was punishing me, for what? Telling him I hated him? Well, he should have expected it. You can’t kidnap a girl and her friends, hold her captive in a different dimension and expect her to like you. That’s crazy thinking.
I groan in defeat and go sit down in one of the two on seats in the entire place. I looked around at the emptiness. How long will I be here? I sit there for a few minutes, well, I think a few minutes, I can’t really tell how much time is passing. I stood up on the small plat form on the other side of the courtyard. I looked around for a small stick and grabbed it. I held it up and began singing. I closed my eyes and belted out the lyrics I had written a few months ago for drama. When I got done I sat and thought about another song I had memorized. Teenage Dream was the only one at the moment. So I stood up and began singing and dancing along to the music in my head. By the time I got to the part where it says, ‘We can dance, until we die, you and I, will be young forever’, someone’s voice erupted into my thoughts,
“We can dance all you’d like.”
I stopped dancing and looked at Dorian. My eyes darted around and my face flushed. Oh, wow, this is embarrassing. He joined me up on the platform he took my hand and looked at the burn around my wrist, he stroked it softly as he spoke in an equally soft tone, “You’re magnificent singer Evelyn.” I licked my lips, they were too dry too talk now. “I’m sorry that I hurt you.” He brought my wrist to his lips and kissed it tenderly. And then the pain and the redness disappeared.
“What were those two songs you were singing?”
I pulled my hand away from his, “The first one I wrote, the other one was Teenage Dream.”
He chuckles softly and took my hand again softly and looked at it as he caressed it, “A dream, yes. It does seem like that doesn’t it?”
What was he talking about? I tried pulling away again but he tightened his grip and pulled me into him, holding me close he whispered, “Sometimes my temper gets the best of me. I’m sorry for leaving you here for so long. I looked up at him, “How long?” He sighed and rested his cheek on my head, “Almost three hours. I’m sorry. Let’s go, your friends are missing you.” And with that we were back in the castle, in a room with a sofa and a few chairs as well as all of my friends. Lucas hugged me first, “Evie, I was so worried about you!” He cried as he picked me up off of the floor. I hugged him back. I’ve only had a few hugs from him but the ones I have had I’ve cherished believe me you would too, he was so warm, and it felt like you were safe from the world.
Everyone was looking down at their hands finally Connor mumbled, “We should have listened to you.”
A chorus of agreeing grunts came from the group. I shrugged, looked around, saw that Dorian was gone and I said what needed to be said, “Look, there’s no need to dwell in the past, we just have to think of a way out of here.” Everyone nodded in agreement, Julie sounded confused “I thought you said we aren’t able to leave you know,” Max finished for her, “Because we at their food.” I nodded slowly, “Yeah, but I am sure I can figure something out, okay?” Lucas spoke up, “How about you and I go to the library and start looking for some answers?” I sigh and head for the door, “Everyone else, go about doing…normal things.” I tell them. They all murmured ‘OK’ and Lucas and I set out for the library.
After about twenty minutes of looking for the library we found it on the third floor all the way in the back. We had opened the door to a humongous, musty room filled with two-story sets of books. An old-fashioned ladder was at the end of the large bookcase that wrapped around the entire room and absolutely everything was covered in dust.
“Wow.”
I look at Lucas, “Yeah, come on, let’s start looking around. Look for anything that talks about the faerie realm.”
He began looking at all the books on the bottom half and I started looking on the top. By two hours we were all tuckered out and with only three books out of thousands to show for it. Great, now all we have to do is read them.
I turned to Lucas, “This is going to take a seriously long time.” I announced with a groan. He shrugged and walked up to me with a smile, “You’re absolutely right, so how about you and I should take a break.” He grinned at me. I grinned back and leaned against a book case. He placed his hands on both sides of my head. He licked his lips and leaned in. I raised my head and closed my eyes, ready for his lips to meet mine. His lips were barley touching mine when we heard the door bang open. We looked up to see Dorian standing in the door fuming. Even from here you could see his eyes completely black with no white visible.
“You two should not be in here. Get out, now!”
Lucas and I looked at one another, then Lucas pushed off of the wall and walked out the door. I sigh and try to squeeze pass Dorian. His arm shot out and grabbed my wrist, burning me. “Dorian, you’re burning me.” I wince trying to get my arm out of his grasp. His lip twitched, “What were you two doing?” I raise a brow, “Well, he and I took a break from our research but you interrupted us. You know, I was just about to get my first-.” He clenched his jaw the heat rising in his hand, searing my wrist.
“I saw that, what were you looking for? You could have asked me without coming in here.”
I laughed, “Yeah right! You would never tell me what I want to know.” He smiled and released my arm, his eyes returning to their usual. I didn’t even look down to see the damage he had done this time. “Is that so?” he question with a teasing tone.”
“Are you willing to tell me how to get out of here?”
His smile fell from his face the black spreading into his whites. “No.”
I shrugged and walked out the door. I took a look at my wrist. It was blistering and scabbing over in some parts already. I gingerly touch it and suck in sharply. It hurt more than that sunburn I had gotten at Venice Beach in California when I fell asleep for two hours without sunscreen. Tears begin to fill up in my eyes. I stop short and with my good hand, wipe an escaping tear away from the corner of my eye.
“Evelyn?”
I turn my body away from Dorian and sniffle, “Go away.”
He took my shoulder in his hands and turned me to face him. I looked down and gently covered my burn. “I’m sorry for yelling.” I shake my head my arm was beginning to really hurt, “That’s not why I am crying!” I shout tears falling even more. He looked slightly taken aback, “Then why-.”
I thrust my arm at him, “That’s why!”
His eyes widened he reached out to take my arm in his hands but I pulled away and took of running down the hall.
“Evelyn!”
I looked back and he was running after me. I picked up my speed and took a right down an unfamiliar hall. I looked back and he was gone. Hopefully he gave up on his pursuit. Still looking behind me I stumbled into something hard. Strong arms wrapped around my waist, preventing me from falling on my face as well as running. He held me to him, pressing my head to his chest. I struggled against him but in the end it was no good and a waste of energy.
The hand that was holding my head against his chest slid down to my burnt wrist and took hold of it. I winced as pain shit through my arm. And then the pain was relenting, soon enough the pain was gone.
“You’ll have a scar. But it’s gone.”
I lifted my right arm and examined the slightly red hand print, wrapped around my wrist. I put it back again and started to push away from him. Both his arms went back around my waist and held me tight to him. His head lowered to rest in the crook of my neck.
“I’ve waited so long to do this?”
I scoffed, “To hold me in a different dimension against my will?”
He shook his head, “To be able to hold you close.”
I groaned, “Nice to know; now let me go.”
He shook his head again but didn’t say anything. We stood there for awhile: me in his arms, he burying his face into my neck.
Finally he released me. I swallowed nervously as he looked into my eyes. Then I realized that his eyes weren’t black. They were a deep blue. The color reminded me of the night sky at midnight or the color of the deepest part of the sea, right before all light has disappeared. I chew the inside of my cheeks and break away from his gaze. I mumble that I have to go and leave him standing alone in the hallway.
* * * * *
We were all gathered together in one of the sitting rooms when Max picked up my right arm and gaped. “What the bloody hell happened to your wrist?” he asked rubbing his hand over the scar graciously left by Dorian. I took my hand away from his. “Dorian and I had a disagreement.” Was my simple answer. At my explanation there was a plethora of dropped jaws, gasps, and questions.
“What did he do?” question Lucas sitting down next to me.
“Yeah, it looks like a hand-print.” Chipped in Emmet.
Connor sat there glaring at the door as if Dorian himself was standing there.
“How could he have burned you in a form of a hand-print?” asked Julie.
Valerie poked at the scar, “Does it hurt?”
I shook my head, “Not anymore.”
“So, what happened?”
I looked at Connor who had finally decided to speak, “Well, Lucas and I were in the library and Dorian barged in and yelled at us to get out. So Lucas left, and I was right behind him but Dorian grabbed my wrist before I could get out the door.”
I looked at all of my friends: they were all on the edge of their seats, waiting for me to continue.
“It’s happened before, his hand burning me. Remember when I was gone for a few hours? He’d gotten mad at me, if you recall at breakfast. I’ve noticed that when he gets angry, he gets hot, like really hot. Again today he was angry, but he was extremely angry at this particular moment and he burned me really bad. It had blisters all over it. So he healed me, but the burn was so bad it left a scar of his hand.”
I decided not to tell them the other parts, the talking, the hugging; as well as when Lucas and I almost kissed. I figured they didn’t need all of those details.
Lucas picked up my hand and rubbed it softly, “I shouldn’t have left you with him.” He put his head down. I patted his thigh, “It’s fine, honest.” He looked at me with an unsure half smile. “So,” started Max, “What did you find out?” Lucas and I looked at one another and Lucas answered, “Three books that might have the answer, but he told us to get out before we could start reading.”
I nodded then thought of something, “So, he and I will go back and grab the books.”
He looked at me strangely but I smiled and gave him a look that said ‘so that we can finish what we started’. His eyes widened in recognition. “Yeah! So, we’ll go now.” He pulled me up and everyone said ‘alright’.
* * * * *
When he and I reached the library doors we looked at one another. We both nodded and reached for the knobs and turned. The doors didn’t open. Lucas hissed, “Dammit!” I groan as my response. Those books were the only way out of here! And now they aren’t even accessible. I probably shouldn’t have told him why we were in there.
He took my hand, “Well, let’s at least finish the other thing we were doing.” He grinned backing me up against the wall. I frown, “We just lost our chance of escaping and you want to make out?” He bobbed his head and leaned in. I pushed him away, “Look, Lucas I’m sorry, but I want to get out of here.” He sighed, “And so do I, but right now we can’t do anything about that, so lets do what both of us want to,” he suggested setting his hands flat on the wall on both sides of me, trapping my arms in between him. I bit my lip and lifted my face. He started leaning in slowly. I licked my dry lips in anticipation. He did have a point after all.
Someone behind us cleared our throats. We broke apart and looked at Lorethan, “Excuse me for interrupting you but dinner is served.” He held out his hand waiting for us to take it and transport us Dorian. I glanced over at Lucas who seemed pretty pissed. I looked at Lorethan’s expectant face. Then I got an idea.
“Lorethan, could you do me a favor?”
His brows furrowed, “Depends.”
I looked back at the doors. “Do you think you could take me into the library.”
He shook his head, “I’m sorry darling, Dorian does not want anyone in there, especially you.”
I narrow my eyes at him and pout, “Oh come one! There’s nothing to do here and I really like reading!”
He smiled warmly at me, “Then ask Dorian to get you a book. He would do anything for you.”
I frown but take his hand as does Lucas and we are immediately taken to a large dining room lit by candle light. All of our friends were already seated, waiting for us to sit down so they could eat. Lucas sits down leaving the only empty seat next to Dorian. I bite down on my tongue but sit down.
I caught Dorian eyeing my scar. I coughed and set it on my lap. Everyone around is started chatting and stuffing their faces with all the different and odd looking food spread out on the table. That’s something I’ve always wondered; why can’t you leave once you’ve eaten the food here? It’s always been in the stories I’ve read and all the fairy tales Grandma would tell me every night before I went to bed. I guess it’s something I am going to have to ask Dorian. Though I doubt he’ll tell me. Lorethan might. Or I could always go and find some other faerie in this god forsaken place.
A few minutes later a goblet, yes an actual goblet, was set in front of me by a servant. I blinked. Did they really think I would drink this? “It’s just water, Evelyn.” Spoke Dorian. I frowned and scooted the goblet further away from me, as if its mere presents will ruin what I have been working so hard to avoid, “It’s still from here.” He groaned, “Water is also a part of Earth.” He explained putting the goblet in front of me again. “So is all of this food.”
“The food you see here has been cooked by faeries, this water was taken from the lake.”
I stopped for a minute. What he said made sense; things made by their hands are their food. But water, water was universal so it couldn’t possibly be dangerous in any way… right? I picked up the goblet and sniffed it. No smell. Chewed on my tongue, debating whether or not it was a smart idea to drink it. I was really thirsty. And this was just water.
I slowly brought the goblet to my lips and tipped it back.