Devotion

'Have you heard anything from Owen?' I asked as we descended.

Tristan's voice came out low and heavy. 'Nothing at all. Not from Char either.'

'I feel so bad for them. Owen probably hates me.'

'I don't think anyone can hate you, Lex,' Tristan said as he led me outside. 'And it wasn't your fault. Owen's not stupid; he gets that. He just needs some time to deal with this. Like you did when you found out about your biological father.'

'Like you do about your mother. How was your time with Bree, anyway?'

He shrugged. 'A bit … awkward. But it's not over. She wants to talk to both of us.'

We had followed the path to the beach, where we came upon Bree sitting on the sand and gazing out over the water. The sun enflamed her hair to a near blinding brilliance. She turned to look at us and gave us a stunning smile. But I had to agree with Tristan. It was a bit awkward. I returned her smile anyway, and Tristan and I sat down next to her.

'When the Angels first spoke of this plan for both of you,' Bree said as she looked back out over the water, 'I had no idea two people of this world could be so perfect for each other. I didn't fully understand what they meant. Now I finally see you two together and realize they truly did create a match in Heaven. There's no doubt you belong together.'

'And not because of a stupid stone,' I muttered.

Bree looked over at me and frowned. 'A stone cannot create or force love, no, but it is not a 'stupid' stone, Alexis. That stone is very important, and you need to know about it. All about it.'

I sighed. I practically hated the stone now, with all the problems it had nearly caused between Tristan and me. I didn't want to think about it and had seriously considered letting Vanessa keep the damn thing. But I couldn't deny my curiosity about it. After all, it had been implanted in Tristan's heart, and he had cut it out and given it to me, his true soul mate. Bree had called it a fertility stone the other day, but I still didn't understand its full meaning.

'Okay, so let's have it,' I said.

'I have to start by saying I don't know everything about it,' Bree said.

'But it's your stone,' Tristan said. 'How could you not know everything about it? Or was it your stone to give?'

Bree sighed. 'No, not exactly. But before we go further, Alexis what have you been taught about faerie stones?'

I snorted. 'Nothing. Tristan showed me his memory of you implanting it in his heart, and everyone's called it a faerie stone, except when you called it a fertility stone. That's all I know.'

'A faerie stone comes from the Otherworld,' Bree said. 'It's an element of that world that when brought into this physical one, takes the form of a stone. Only a faerie can bring it into this world, and when he or she does, it's for a specific purpose. The stone is given characteristics by the faerie to serve that purpose. Each stone is unique, so it's said to belong to that faerie.'

'So this one didn't belong to you?' I asked.

'Yes and no. The Angels wanted me to bring the element of fertility when I came to this world permanently. They ordered me to give the stone to the child on his third birthday, with the instructions that his heart would warm when he met his true mate. The stone would tell him she is the right one, and he is to give it to her. Only then could he produce a child.'

'And he did give it to me, and we had Dorian,' I said. 'So is Dorian it? Did the Angels know Tristan would break the curse and Dorian could lead?'

Bree's mouth formed into a thin line. 'I've been kept from the Otherworld for almost three hundred years, so I am unaware of much. But I doubt it, Alexis. I'm sorry, but I don't believe Tristan is the right one to break the curse.'

'Then why do we only have Dorian? Did the stone not work properly?'

'The stone doesn't determine the gender. It only guarantees Tristan's fertility. Everything else has been part of the Angels' plan. There is a reason they gave you Dorian by himself–a purpose he must accomplish that he can't do if he has a sister–but I do not know what it is.'

'But regardless, he'll go to the Daemoni,' I said, my heart sinking. 'And we still don't have a leader after me.'

'You haven't been able to get pregnant without the stone. It must be in the possession of Tristan's true love, and then can she become pregnant by him.'

'So we must recover the pendant.'

'Exactly.'

I looked at Tristan. 'Is this why you said the Daemoni couldn't have it? You knew when we lost it that we needed it back.'

'I told you I didn't remember anything at the time,' he said. 'I only knew it was important you had it and not a good idea for it to be in their hands.'

'Is there any way the Daemoni … since they have it … can they use it?' I asked Bree.

'The characteristics I gave it only allow it to work with the two of you. However …' Bree paused. When she didn't continue, Tristan and I both looked at her with our eyebrows raised.

'However?' Tristan finally asked.

She blew out a breath. 'As I said, I don't know everything about it. The Angels enhanced it, and they would not tell me how. They did something with it and returned it to me, along with the instructions. They may have simply reinforced it with their powers or … they may have added something to it. It could be more than a faerie stone. It could be an Angel stone.'

'And you have no clue?' Tristan's voice came out harshly, as if he didn't believe her.

Bree shook her head. 'I'm sorry, but I don't.'

Tristan sprang to his feet and paced in front of us. I didn't understand why he was so upset. 'So there could be something more to the stone, but we have no idea what it is?'

'Yes,' Bree said.

'And we don't know if it's something only for us or if the Daemoni could figure out how to use it against us.'

'Correct.'

And now I caught up with him.

'Shit,' Tristan and I both said at the same time. He plopped back into the sand next to me.

'Agreed,' Bree said.

We all sat in silence for a long moment.

'But if we get the stone, I can get pregnant, right?' I asked.

'Well,' Bree said, hesitantly. 'Its fertility works specifically for Tristan, so he couldn't populate the world with offspring before you were even born. It doesn't guarantee your fertility. However, with all the Angels have planned for you and the Amadis, I am sure they have included another Amadis daughter in those plans. But right now, your chances are zero, at least with Tristan. You must retrieve the stone.'

'Yes, we must. And sooner rather than later. I really don't want to fight the council again about staying with you, Tristan. I won't let them force me to Owen.'

Bree stood up. 'I must return to Lilith now. Just remember it may be even more important than another Amadis daughter. Considering it's a connection between the two of you, if the Angels added anything to the stone, it probably serves as some sort of protection of one or both of you. As in your lives or your souls.'

Tristan and I exchanged a glance, and we looked back up at Bree, but she was gone. I sighed and leaned my head against Tristan's shoulder.

'Ms. Alexis,' Ophelia's voice called in my mind. Now that my ability had been made public, I'd have to get used to people jumping into my head. The good news, though: they never heard my thoughts unless I wanted them to. Well, except when Tristan made me lose my mind completely. One reason we wouldn't be staying on the island long.

Yes? I answered.

'Mail for you. Ms. Sophia said to deliver it straight to you.'

With tiny pops, three envelopes appeared in the air in front of me and dropped into my lap.