fight him for it. If women were scarce in one tribe, they had no problem fighting and taking them from another tribe. Men would take what they wanted without thought or shame. She watched as the strongest and smartest would promise protection, and soon they had tribes. The tribes would become a village, and then a village would become a city. Women and children became property instead of being valued as humans. Mother’s sorrow grew so great she could finally no longer live among them. She created a new realm, and it exists right beside yours, but you cannot see it. It is a place of beauty and peace, where the power of nature is respected and not exploited for resources.
“Some of us still walk in the human realm from time to time, and on very rare occasions, Mother herself comes. Once fae walked among the humans and lived with them, now though we have become only a legend. When we do come, we’re mistaken for witches, and we do not correct you. We prefer to be unknown and have no interest in this realm anymore,” she said and paused so they could absorb the information.
“So why tell us now? I mean, you say you don’t want anyone to know you exist, but you’re telling us,” Liam asked, and the rest nodded in agreement.
“Because one of you four is tied to the fate of our youngest fae,” Astrid answered.
“In what way are we tied to your fate?” Marcus asked.
“Many years ago on one of the rare occasions when Mother came to this realm, she encountered one of you. You were but a small boy, but when she happened upon you, she felt your sorrow in her soul. She did what she had never done before and had never done since. She took from you half of your soul. She gave this half over to the energy in the fae realm, and it has created for you a true soul’s mate. A perfect love made from your terrible sorrow. People speak of a soul’s mate, but very few truly exist. This realm has become so crowded it is almost impossible to find.
“Your soul’s mate was born almost twenty-two years ago. She will receive her full power on her birthday, as all fae do when they are twenty-two. On the full moon following her birthday, her soul will sing a song, and one of your souls will answer the call. She is the most beautiful fae that has ever been born, and she awaits one of you.” She paused again.
“Well then, why are we all here, why not just the one she is supposedly meant for?” asked Julius.
“Only Mother knows which one of you it is, and she would only say it was one of you four. You are all important in some way that no one but Mother understands, and she will not speak of the future only she can see,” Astrid answered.
“Well, I can assure it’s not me,” Julius said, and his tone indicated he was becoming bored.
“It’s a fascinating story, Astrid, but wouldn’t one of us remember half of our soul being taken?” Marcus asked skeptically.
Liam nodded his head in agreement and said, “I would certainly remember that, and besides, I’m already involved in a relationship.”
“Oh, Liam, when are you not involved in a relationship?” Astrid asked sarcastically.
Lucas laughed at his being chastised and then said, “I’m sorry, Astrid, but it’s pretty unbelievable, and I’m going to have to pass.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to mislead any of you into thinking I was giving you a choice in the matter,” she said, and they stared at her in shock for a moment before she continued.
“I’m powerful enough to enforce my will on all of you. I prefer that you all come along willingly, but make no mistake, you will come either way,” she said bluntly.
“Come where?” asked Liam, still shocked by the turn of her tone.
“We have raised Sawyer in a home in this realm. Mother says she is meant for this realm, although I’m still unsure what that really means. You will all come and live there until her birthday and her soul sing. Mother wants her to have the opportunity to get to know you all, she doesn’t want her to go blindly into her soul sing. She wants each of you to know one another and form a friendship,” she answered.
“Impossible,” Julius said.
“I agree. I can’t just drop everything to come meet some fairy soul mate. Do you know how ridiculous this all sounds? We can’t be expected to stop our lives and follow you,” Liam said.
“Liam, you have always been the most impulsive among this group, so I’m surprised to hear you protest. You have nothing that can’t be dropped on a whim. You may bring your sister or your girlfriend or whoever else you want. I’m not here to hold you hostage. Your every need will be met, and you have all lived for endless centuries, so two months will not interrupt things that much. You have nothing to lose, and one of you has everything to gain. I will remind you all though that this is nonnegotiable, and refusal won’t be an option,” she said.
No one spoke as she finished. Each man contemplated his answer, although it seemed their refusal would fall on deaf ears. They continued the discussion for a few more hours. Arrangements were made, and certain stipulations were agreed upon. In the end they all agreed to come, because they understood the reality was they really had no choice in the matter. Astrid had saved all their lives, so they could give her two months.
When they left the bar, night had fallen, and they noticed that no one was in the bar any longer. The customers had left, and it seemed even the bartender had disappeared.
Chapter 4
They arrived at the house the next day in two limousines in the late afternoon. They drove up a long, paved drive that was at least three miles long, trees lined the road on both sides. As Marcus looked out the window, he thought to himself that Astrid had left out a huge part of their destination. They were near a city about an hour away, but the house itself was secluded.
When they pulled out of the tree line, they saw a huge mansion. It was six stories high and must have housed hundreds of rooms. The enormous circular driveway had a big fountain in the middle, and it was dwarfed by the house. The land surrounding the house stretched for miles, and on the right side of the house was the biggest garden any of them had ever seen. It stretched past where the eye could see. Filled with flowers and bushes in full bloom, even though it was late in the season. The fountain, they noticed as they drove around it, was made of marble, and it had mermaids in poses all around it.
When her soul mate looked out the window at the house, he felt drawn to it. He mistook his feeling for nervousness, though.
Marcus and Julius’s car stopped first, and Marcus held out his hand to help Cassia from the car. They had only brought their sister as she was truly the only company they kept besides one another. Both brothers were convinced that they were not the soul mate of anyone but had decided a break from New York would be welcome. Double doors to the entrance of the house were opened, and servants came to stand on both sides of the stairs leading up to the house.
Liam and Lucas’s car stopped right behind theirs, and Liam waited as his current girlfriend, Hunter, and her friend Brexley stepped out of the car. Liam had no manners when it came to women, so he didn’t offer a hand to either of them. Hunter had been changed for only a few short months, and she had changed her best friend without telling Liam. They hadn’t been together long, and although she was beautiful, she was becoming a handful for Liam. She had insisted on coming with him and bringing Brexley. She didn’t want to be bored, but she had to keep an eye on Liam. Liam had assured her he felt like it could only be Lucas, but she wasn’t taking any chances. Some of her confidence was shaken though when she saw
