Mistfall(Book One of the Mistfall Series)

15. Rules Are Meant To Be Broken





Love. What a concept. We give our hearts to someone with the expectation that they’ll take care of it, protect it, and hold it dear to them. That’s a lot of blind trust. In the matter of hours after reuniting with John, after a five year absence, I had just handed him mine as easy as you please.

I know I should be wary. After all, was I in love with John or the memory I had of him. I stopped myself from continuing that train of thought. Over thinking was a specialty of mine. I looked at the facts instead. He came to rescue me, he sought help to find me, and he was still helping me to get home. That was the kind of man John is. Matter settled, I told myself before I railroaded this relationship before it got off the ground.

Melissa was fuming on our return to the cave. “Where on the Goddess’s green Earth have the two of you been?” she demanded angrily.

Neither John nor I could help it. Between my red cheeks and his cheesy grin we gave ourselves away.

“Are you kidding me?” she exclaimed, looking back and forth between the two of us. “I’ve been here worried that something terrible happened to you both.”

“I’m sorry,” I apologized.

“Don’t give me sorry. I know neither of you are sorry for taking a side trip to nookieville so don’t even pretend to apologize.”

“I brought dinner,” John piped up, holding the fish.

I didn’t know what spell she used, but when it hit the fish they exploded all over John. Fish guts were everywhere. I was lucky and threw up a shield at the last second. No roly-poly, fish heads on me!

“Feel better now,” I asked Melissa.

“A little,” she responded tight lipped.

“Ugh, you smell,” I directed at John and his pescarian covered torso, holding my nose. “You should go get cleaned up.”

“Good idea. Want to assist?” he asked, wagging his eyebrows.

“NO!” Melissa responded forcibly. “I’m not letting either of you out of my sight until we’re back home. Try and keep it in your pants until then.” She turned in a huff and walked back to the cave leaving John and I alone.

Melissa had run out of steam. I noticed earlier that she looked exhausted. I was being a bad friend. Not until this moment did I wonder how she was holding up. I had sent Luca right back to her, made us homeless, and sent her on a wild goose chase after me. I may not have had any direct hand in it, but jeez I was an arse right now.

“Um, John?” I couldn’t help but giggle when I looked at him and his slimy, fish covered body.

“Yes,” he replied, trying to ignore the smell of seaweed and rotting fish parts.

“Why don’t you go and get cleaned up while I talk to Melissa,” I suggested.

“Good luck with that,” he smirked. “If she asks where I’ve run off to, I’m just behind those trees.” He pointed to a small copse of trees thirty yards away. “Privacy,” he noted and left, but not before kissing me passionately, setting off the insatiable sex kitten once again.

I entered the cave to reconcile with Melissa. She was sitting, cross-legged, in front of a medium, sized bowl. I took a seat next to her.

I nudged her with my shoulder. “Hey girl. I really am sorry for making you worry.”

“I was just scared something had happened.” She gave me a tired smile and nudged me back, hard enough to hurt. “I’m over it now.

She may have been okay with things, but I wasn’t. “It’s not only that. I’ve been a horrible friend dragging you down this rabbit hole with me.”

She gave me a quizzical look while stirring the contents of the bowl. “Why are you apologizing for something you have no control over?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “That may be true, but I still feel like a jerk. It seems like you’re life revolves around me and that’s not fair.”

She tapped the spoon she was stirring with on the lip of the bowl. “I would’ve been here regardless, like John, to come and find you,” she honestly admitted.

“Ditto,” I replied. It was true; I would scour Hades for her if she needed me.

“For the record,” she added, “as far as my life goes, I chose my path. I also wouldn’t change it for anything,” she added, hugging me.

I was relieved. She truly was the best friend a girl could have. Come hell or high water, she was in it for the long haul with me. I was blessed with the friends I had and I would put my life on the line for them too.

“Speaking of John…” Melissa prodded me.

I hung my head, hands covering my eyes. “Oh God. Really?”

“Yup, spill it,” she told me. “My recent love life was upended because Owen wanted to kill you. Since I can’t revel in my own I’ll live vicariously through you.”

I lifted my head and chuckled. “Going the guilt route I see,” I pointed out as she nodded her head yes. “Fine, what do you want to know?” I asked.

She was giddy with excitement, forgetting the bowl and its contents. “Let’s start with endowment,” she decided.

“That’s where you want to start?” I asked uncomfortably.

“Well, I’m not interested in a play by play, so what else is there to ask?” she said.

I began to fidget. I’m not a kiss and tell kind of girl. Usually Melissa was the one to tell me about her romantic interludes. She felt comfortable telling me things we might not otherwise divulge to others, but I did not.

I think she may have enjoyed putting me on the spot. Perhaps it was retribution for not coming back from the pond sooner? Regardless, she wasn’t letting me out of this until she got the information she wanted to know.

“I don’t know about his, um, exact measurements,” I admitted red-faced.

Melissa looked at me in disbelief. “What do you mean you don’t know?”

“We were in the pond. I didn’t see anything from the waist up,” I replied.

“And you were going to feed me that fish?” she shrieked, pushing me over. “That’s disgusting!”

She stood and knocked the bowl over, its contents spilling on the ground. I laughed so hard at her conclusion that I couldn’t get off the floor. Tears formed in my eyes and my sides spasmed so hard it became difficult to breathe.

“It’s really not that funny,” Melissa scolded me, still disgusted by the thought of sex-tainted fish.

“What did I miss?” John inquired, returning from his washing up and seeing me in stitches.


I pointed at Melissa, horror and distaste lining her face. “She…thinks…you…and I…tainted…the fish!” I managed between gasps of air and laughter.

“You two are ridiculous,” he replied, smiling in amusement while shaking his head at us.

I turned onto my back and let the laughter subside. John was standing over me, shirtless. I had a pretty amazing view from down here.

John wasn’t overtly muscular, but he was well built. Years of training showed through the play of shadow and light across his body. A smattering of hair covered his chest while a thin trail pointed south on his eight pack abdomen. I envied the drops of whatever that fell onto his stomach as he shook the water from his hair. I was looking forward to exploring his body again.

My stomach rumbled, bringing me out of my reverie. “What do you guys have a taste for?” I asked, offering Melissa and John use of my jinn magic.

“Pizza’s always good,” John answered.

“Sounds better than the soup I was attempting,” Melissa chimed in, pointing to the bowl’s spilled contents, now forgotten.

Melissa and I liked sausage on our pizzas and John would eat just about anything. So I made it half and half, John’s half including everything but the kitchen sink.

We spent some time catching up as we ate. Melissa had been working on a new Mistfall spell. Her aim was to bend the Mistfall around people and not locations. She thought it would be useful in our situation. So far, no luck, but she was sure she was close.

John had distanced himself from the Elves. He explained that he and the current political climate just didn’t get along. He also told us that Abel was publicly running The Powers now and made no qualms about the public’s hatred for him.

I elaborated on my antics on the oubliette. They were surprised when they found out Hailz had been more of a help rather than her usual hindrance. I also told them of the kind of prisoners Abel was now keeping and his treatment of them. They were shocked and appalled by the revelation.

With full bellies and no less troubled minds we bunked down for the night. I had no bedding, so away with the magic I went. The temperature was on the chilly side in the cave so I needed something warm. I chose a pair of pink flannel pajama bottoms and a plain black camisole to wear. One pillow, down comforter, and air mattress later, I lay down and closed my eyes.

“Cheat,” Melissa threw over her shoulder, her back facing me.

“You wouldn’t be calling me names if I gave you some creature comforts,” I retorted.

“That’s true,” she replied sleepily.

I set the two of them up with similar necessities and fell, for the first time in weeks, into an unencumbered sleep.





Early the next morning I was awakened by an arm reaching over me and pulling me close. John had crawled onto my mattress to cuddle. I responded by curling my body to fit his. The heat coming off his body enveloped me in its coziness.

Unable to return to sleep right away, I turned over to see his face. “Good morning,” I greeted him.

“Morning beautiful,” he returned, making my heart swell. There was now a smile on my face that wouldn’t be dampened anytime soon.

“You’re going home tomorrow,” he reminded me, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

“Mmm, home,” I replied groggily before it hit me. My eyes shot open in stark realization. I couldn’t go home.

“Where am I going to go?” I asked, bewildered at my new set of circumstances.

“Sssh, you’re going to wake Melissa,” he warned, pushing a strand of my dark hair out of my face and behind my ear. “Don’t worry,” he crooned into my ear, “you’re coming home with me. At least until things are safe.”

My anxiety eased some. John’s home was secluded, far removed from any populace. If I’d feel safe anywhere, it was there, with him. I rested my head against his bare chest and snuggled closer. He stroked my back, lulling me back to sleep. After a few minutes silence, John’s breathing slowed as he nodded off. I closed my eyes and joined him soon after.

I slept restlessly at first. Images of Abel enslaving the masses flickered through my head. The tortured, dead, and dying were pointing at me, blaming me for their circumstances. I must have been thrashing around, waking John, because my dream shifted all of the sudden. I was transported to the day John and I had spent in the pixie garden. I was more aware of when my dreams were being hijacked and knew John was responsible for the change in scenery. Normally I would’ve been angry with him since his previous infiltrations of my dreams were not done with my permission. This time I was thankful for the diversion. For the next two hours, I slept blissfully by any standard.





“Hey, Sleeping Ugly. Wake up.” It was Hailz and she was poking me in the back with her shoe.

“Go away,” I mumbled, still enveloped in John’s strong, muscular arms.

“Fine with me, enjoy Ireland,” Hailz replied as she turned on her heel to leave.

That got my attention. “Hailz wait.” Sitting up, I eyed her groggily. “I’m up,” I told her.

“Here.” She threw three parcels to the ground. “Put this on,” she ordered. “Dress for the wedding is formal and mandatory.”

“Who’s wedding?” I inquired, nudging John awake.

“Does it matter?” Hailz shot at me, perturbed by the question.

“Oh look, Bitchy Go Lightly’s back,” Melissa spoke up after being awakened by Hailz’s dulcet tones.

“Watch it Witchy,” Hailz warned, seemingly ready to fight.

Melissa ignored her posturing, picked up a parcel, and walked off.

Hailz stood there, like a petulant child tapping her foot. The petite, strawberry-blonde bundle of badass bitchiness was in rare form this morning.

“What’s your problem today?” I asked Hailz. “You’re always a smart ass, but why so bitter?”

“If it was up to me, you wouldn’t be going at all,” she sniffed, avoiding the question.

It was too early to deal with whatever bug was up her butt. She wasn’t being too forthcoming either, so I followed suit with Melissa and ignored her too.

The three of us, John, Melissa, and myself dressed hurriedly as the arrival of the elder approached.

“Hailz, are you kidding me?” I asked incredulously. Our formal attire was reminiscent of the gaudy opulence found in the court of the Sun King, Louis XIV.

“Put it on or stay here and rot,” she demanded before snickering. “Oh, I almost forgot, full hair and make-up too.”

My gown was an icy blue satin number with white petticoats. It had a low cut bust line and tight sleeves from shoulder to elbow that ended in lace and ribbons. The extra wide hoop skirt was going to be a little hard to get used to. I was pretty sure that I needed a wide-load sign attached to my backside with warning horns.

Melissa’s dress was in the same style as my own. Hers was a rose color that nicely accentuated her ivory skin tone. John was costumed in knickers, a long coat, and heels. Though in fashion at the time of Louis XIV, the heels only emasculated him now. It would only get worse when I magicked up our hair and he was in a powdered wig. If time wasn’t of the essence, I would tease him mercilessly for wearing girl shoes.

Melissa noticed the heels as well. She wasn’t as kind as I and was snickering behind a hand held fan as John was trying to figure out how to walk in them. Luckily, he was too busy trying not to fall and didn’t notice Melissa or I would have destroyed the oh-so-tight corset from the laughing.


With hair and make-up magicked to perfection on us, I looked in a mirror. I looked like Madam Pompadour or Marie Antoinette. Hailz shot me a blood thirsty look, telling me which one she was considering I looked like.

“So, whose wedding are we going to?” John asked Hailz, trying to get her to answer the question I asked earlier.

“What’s it to you? Doesn’t Santa need you or something?” she snarled.

John threw his hands up in the air. “She’s yours to deal with Mags. Sorry but I’m not dealing with hormonal hell beasts.”

I hung my head. This was going to be a long day.

“What’s it to them?” an old man’s voice boomed causing us to jump in surprise. “Our village leader, the one who will return your friends home, is getting married to you today. Of course it’s their business.”

John, Melissa, and I stood there with various looks of shock on our faces.

“You’re getting married?” I asked, amused that someone could put up with her longer than ten minutes.

“Hmmph!” Hailz stomped her foot and disappeared, leaving a cloud of purple and gold in her wake.

“Don’t mind her,” the man said, nearing us. “The ceremony was decided upon only recently and she’s merely having wedding jitters.”

“It’s not a problem Phineas,” Melissa assured the man.

He waved his hand, dismissing the subject. “Of course not, of course not.”

John put his hand on my back and gently pushed me towards Phineas. “Phineas, allow me to introduce you to Magdalene Maguire.”

Phineas took my hand in both of his. “It’s a pleasure my dear. I’ve heard so much about you.”

I laughed nervously. Most of my stories end up in mayhem and justifiable murder. “All good things, I hope. Otherwise I’ve an explanation,” I joked.

“He chuckled, amused by me. “You have nothing to worry about my dear.”

Phineas wasted no time jumping into his official capacity. “The rules,” he began, “are as follows. No fighting, even if your mortal enemy is found within our walls. We will not tolerate it. Remember, you are under our jurisdiction once you enter the village. Our penal system is designed for those of us with life spans near to the gods’ own. You will do well to remember that.”

Phineas then looked to the three of us to make sure we understood. He explained that this rule was the most broken by outsiders.

“The only other rule we have is no weapons,” he explained. “Not under any circumstances. Aside from that, please enjoy all our village has to offer.”

Uh-oh. That no weapons rule was going to be a problem.

“Um Phineas?” I cringed. “I have a slight issue with rule number two.”

He looked perplexed as he scratched his bald head. “How can there be an issue with it?” he asked. “The rule is straight forward.”

I didn’t bother with a long and drawn out explanation. The Fae had interacted enough with the gods in the past to know of their weapons. I brandished Hofuo, its silver glinting in the morning sun. Phineas’s eyes widened in awe at the sight of Heimdall’s sword.

“I don’t understand why you’ve been entrusted with the blade of Heimdall,” Phineas thought out loud.

“I don’t understand the gods’ reasoning for it either,” I interjected, returning Hofuo to its sheath across my back. “But, I have been given explicit instructions not to lose it. With all due respect to your rules, the gods’ wishes contradict them.”

“This does pose an issue,” the elderly Fae agreed. “Please allow me a few minutes to decide on the matter.

We took our cue to leave him to his thoughts and walked a short distance away. We huddled closely to talk so as not to be overheard by Phineas.

“What will we do if he says no?” Melissa asked.

“We’ll just have to find another way home. Surely the Fae portal isn’t the only way to cross continents undetected,” John replied.

Here we were, me with a problem with the possibility of no solution, and I was dragging my friends into it once again.

“You don’t have to stick around because I’m stuck with Hofuo,” I said offering them an out. “You’ve already done so much and I’ve returned very little of your generosity.”

It’s not that I didn’t want them around. Without them I wouldn’t have gotten here. I just couldn’t keep asking them to do more. I wanted them to know they could bow out, no feelings hurt.

Melissa punched me, hard, in the shoulder. “Are you out of your mind?” she asked, incredulous.

“I concur,” John added, giving me a disproving look.

Now they’re mad at me for doing the right thing?

Melissa put her hands on her hips, or at least tried to in the ridiculously wide dress, in a sign that she meant business. “You must be out of your mind if you think John or I would leave without you. We’re in this together,” she reminded me.

I have to admit, it’s good to have friends as crazy as you. Life wouldn’t be as interesting and no one would have your back if they weren’t.

I was saved from having to answer John or Melissa by Phineas.

“I’ve come to a decision regarding the god’s weapon,” he informed us.

John was holding onto one of my shoulders for balance. He was still having an awkward time adapting to heels. “And that would be?” he inquired.

Phineas turned to me. “You will be permitted to carry Hofuo, but you will be under guard while in our village.

I accepted his offer. My tension eased. Having a Fae babysitter was a small price to pay in order to return home. I also felt a little safer having the sword with me.

Having been deemed worthy, we left the cave, heading towards the Fae village. Melissa and I offered John help while he continued to struggle with the shoes. I may or may not have welcomed him to a woman’s world. He may or may not have threatened to tie me to his bed until I took that comment back. It wasn’t exactly incentive to try.

One wedding and a good night’s sleep and I would be home. Melissa and I would be safe, staying with John until we made new living arrangements. I would be able to put the last few weeks behind me. The budding romance between John and I? Icing on the cake. Thank the Goddess, this ordeal was almost over.