At last reality claimed his senses and he realized he couldn’t continue on his present course. He enlisted in Prince Charlie’s army. Having a regular salary would accomplish what he needed. Not only could he pay his bills, going to war would force him to leave her.
Unfortunately, she’d never faded from his heart.
“Move over, you big lug.”
A sharp pain between his shoulder blades drew him from the depths of sleep. Moonlight streamed across the small room, illuminating the confining space. He sat up, noting Lizzie leaned over him, her expression chilling.
“Carnaptious woman. What are you doin’?”
The sides of her tunic parted, revealing two creamy breasts. Despite his annoyance at being awakened, his loins stirred.
“It’s my turn to sleep,” she said, yawning. “Let me have the bed. Or I’ll keep elbowing you.”
“To hell with you.”
“You can stretch out on the floor.” She threw the blanket at his face.
He yanked it away. “I’ve a better offer. Share the bed with me, lass.”
“Ha! You wish. It’s way too small.”
He pressed his back and buttocks against the wall and patted the narrow space in front of him. “Take it or leave it.”
“You’re a big jerk.”
“Maybe. But that’s my final offer.”
Her blouse opening offered such a delicious view. He wanted to bury his face in that valley of flesh. Imps of hell, how could he still want her, knowing he played with fire?
“You’re a witch. Conjure up your own bed.”
“I tried,” she said in a perturbed tone. She held up a tiny bed, about the size a squirrel could sleep in. “Apparently my magic doesn’t work so well in Faery land. Just like you warned.”
“I told you so.” Amused by the miniature furniture, as well as Lizzie’s predicament, Kincaid threw back his head and laughed.
“Not funny,” she insisted, shoving her hands on her hips.
The prisoners in the surrounding tree prisons began to complain, their voices cutting through the darkness.
“Hey, you two lovebirds keep it down or I’ll come over and smash in your faces,” one of them threatened.
“You’re disturbing my beauty sleep. Shut your pie holes,” another one called out.
Thumping on the door indicated the guards agreed.
Kincaid stopped smiling and patted the bed again. He waggled his brows.
With a disgusted sigh, Lizzie slid in next to him, her backside pressed against his groin. He grabbed the blanket and tossed it over them. She wriggled and fussed, obviously trying to find a comfortable position.
Spooning like two lovers, they lay in silence. When Kincaid draped his arm across her waist, she snorted with exasperation and pushed it off. Considering his loins were on fire, he definitely couldn’t sleep.
After a while, he felt her body relax. Somehow, he managed to do the same. When a rush of cold air settled over him, he noted that Lizzie had stolen the blanket.
He tugged it back. She yanked it away. Tired of the battle, he wrested it from her grip and she tumbled to the floor with a thump.
“Ouch,” she muttered. “Damn you, Kincaid.”
“Lizzie girl, come back to bed,” he murmured.
She rolled back onto the mattress and faced him. Sweet torture raced through his blood as he patted the blanket around them again.
“I’m worried.”
“About your coven?” He smoothed strands of hair away from her face.
“I feel responsible for what happened.”
“Bah! You didn’t summon those banshees, did you?”
“No. But long ago, my parents made me responsible for keeping my younger sisters safe. I’ve always done my best. But I was late to the Blessing of the Brooms Ceremony. If I’d have been there, maybe I could have warned everyone about the banshee attack.”
Unable to think of what else he could do, he patted her back, his movements awkward. “You’re thinkin’ of this all wrong, lass. If you had arrived on time, you’d be banshee fodder right now. Since you’re free, you were able to seek help.”
“What if King Aedh can’t help us? What if we’ve come all this way for nothing? What if—”
“Hush now, lass. You’ve got to quit worrying about things that have’na happened.”
“I c-can’t stop.”
He kissed the top of her head and began to hum a Scottish tune he recalled his mother singing to him, long before she abandoned him.
“Cull da loo,” he crooned as he pulled her closer.
“This is tearing me apart.” She pressed her cheek against his chest, and he felt moisture from her tears dampening his shirt.
“Hush, lass,” he told her. “Rest your weary soul. You’ll always be safe with me.”
“Do you mean that?” She looked up at him through ebony lashes glistening with diamond teardrops.
“Aye,” he assured her, though deep down he realized he wouldn’t be able to keep that promise for longer than it took them to finish this job.
A dark mood descended on him and he hated the untruth he’d just uttered. He’d shut her out of his life once. To be sure, he’d done it for her own good and to protect her.
Could he manage to do it again?
Chapter Sixteen
“Wake up, you gormless fools. Today your fate will be decided.”
The angry voice cut through Lizzie’s aching temples. A horrific noise followed. She winced and tried to move, but it felt like she’d been trampled by a herd of wild horses. Merciful ancestors. Kincaid had been right. The Faery ale definitely had a potent bite to it.
“Wake up,” the voice demanded.
Clank, clank, clank.
Prying her sticky eyes open, she glanced around. One of the guards had opened their prison door and stood by the bed. With a malicious grin, he hammered a spoon against a large pewter mug, creating a racket.
Great Goddess, could it be morning already? Either it was judgment day and they would be burned at the stake as spies or Kincaid’s friend, the Faery king, had finally returned. She prayed for the latter. Still feeling Kincaid’s protective arms wrapped around her, she glanced at him. She appreciated how he’d consoled her fears last night. Then cold reality shot through her consciousness.
She’d behaved like a silly fool, blubbering about all her problems. What had gotten into her? She drew her lower lip between her teeth. How could she have been so willing to divulge her worst fears?
Fortunately, her moment of weakness had passed and she didn’t need him to mop her tears any longer. She still possessed a few shreds of dignity. No more pity party for her. She would be strong for her family, for her coven and for the brooms.
Lizzie rolled away from Kincaid and stood. Her knees wobbled, and dizziness claimed her balance. She pressed a hand against the bark wall and drew in a deep breath.
The guard frowned at her. “I can tell someone drank too much ale last night.”
She sneered at him.
He glared back.
Kincaid groaned and released a string of oaths. He swung his feet over edge of the bed and rubbed his dark-rimmed eyes. With an annoyed expression, he looked up at the guard.
“What’s goin’ on?”
“Get your lazy bones moving,” the brawny man insisted, thumping his sword on the ground. “King Aedh returns to Doros Wood as we speak.”
“It’s about damn time,” Kincaid responded.
He rose, gripped Lizzie’s elbow and walked with her toward the door. The guard moved aside, allowing them to pass. They made their way through thick grass and ferns, then the guard steered them toward the main thoroughfare where a huge crowd had gathered. Men, women, and children glanced skyward, speaking excitedly.
Lizzie studied the vivid blue heavens and she spotted a group of Faery soldiers flying toward the village. Amazing, she thought, how they remained in a perfect formation, their ranks well-ordered and unbroken. Humming noises, created by
their gossamer wings, vibrated through the atmosphere.
Each one touched down, their polished boots tapping the cobblestones. A trumpet sounded, after which the soldiers’ baritone voices rang out in a rousing tune. The troops surged toward the village center.
One man stood out in front of the others, his shimmering uniform and golden, jewel-encrusted crown indicating high rank. His coal-black hair fell past his shoulders. Thick, dark brows framed his eyes like fat caterpillars and a gray streak ran through the center of his thick beard.
He jumped atop a boulder. Hands placed on his hips, he observed the troops passing by. Every so often, he waved at them and called out encouragement.
Kincaid must have noted her stare, because he murmured in her ear, “That’s King Aedh.”
“So I gathered, along with a boatload of fanfare.”
“Making an entrance is his strong suit.”
By the Goddess, she hoped the Faery king would release them and offer his advice on how to vanquish Sorcha’s banshee swarm. After so many disappointments, it was about time something went right.
Many of the soldiers, grouped in twos, had wooden cages suspended from their shoulders. As they marched, the cages swung back and forth. Inside were small fat-bellied creatures that looked like tiny boys and girls. They wore brown clothing, red slippers, and bright red hats. Throwing themselves against the confining bars, they tried to escape. Snarling and gnashing their teeth, they glared out at the crowd.
When soldiers bearing one of the cages passed by Lizzie and Kincaid, a creature stared at her with wide eyes. Then it spit at her. She stepped aside just as the disgusting glob spattered on the ground.
“What are those nasty things?” she asked.
“Brownies,” Kincaid said.
“I thought brownies helped people. Why are they so vicious?”
“Brownies enjoy playing tricks on Faeries. If a brownie tribe gets too greedy and demanding, King Aedh and his men hunt them down.”
“What will happen to them?”
“The Faeries will keep them as house slaves. If they can be retrained, they’ll be sent home. If not, they’ll stay here in Doros Wood.”
“Fascinating.”
“Aye. King Aedh and his men use compassionate means to tame all the rogue creatures they capture.”
When King Aedh noticed Kincaid, his face lit up. He leapt off the rock and strode quickly toward him, shouldering his way through the crowd.
Kincaid stepped forward and extended his hand. “’Tis good to see you old friend.”
When a guard reached for his saber, King Aedh waved him off with an impatient swipe of his hand. “Stand down, Colin.”
“Of course, sire.” Red in the face, Colin stepped back, yet his gaze remained vigilant.
King Aedh took Kincaid’s hand and pumped it vigorously. “Ho there yourself, you old dog. What brings you to this neck of the woods, Kincaid?”
“My friend Lizzie has a problem with a banshee swarm that’s holdin’ her witch’s coven hostage back in the Earthly Realm. I’ve tried everything I know to get rid of ’em, but nothing’s worked.”
“Damn banshees.” King Aedh met Lizzie’s gaze. “Did Kincaid tell you they used to be Faeries?”
She nodded, noting he had incredibly green eyes, flecked with gold. In fact, Colin had them as well. With a start of surprise, she realized every Faery she’d met possessed the same unusual eye color.
“Some of the fearsome creatures went rogue, slipped away from our kingdom, and set out to plague humans,” the king explained. “I’ll never forgive myself for allowing them to escape.”
“Here’s your chance to help eradicate a swarm,” Kincaid said. “I figured you’d be the best person to consult.”
King Aedh turned to Lizzie, his sharp white teeth glinting as he smiled. “You’ve an interesting aura, Lizzie. I sense you’re a sorceress?”
“A white witch,” she clarified, amazed by the handsome Faery king’s towering height. He appeared to be several inches taller than Kincaid, who she knew was well over six feet tall.
“White witch, sorceress—it’s all the same to me. Either way, welcome to Doros Wood.” He lifted her hand, kissed the back of it, then winked at her. “We’re in need of a good village sorceress if you’re ever looking to relocate.”
“I appreciate the offer. But I’m anxious to rescue my family and friends.”
“These are no ordinary banshees holding Lizzie’s coven hostage,” Kincaid added. “It’s Sorcha and her spawn.”
King Aedh slapped a palm against his forehead. “Damn, she’s about the worst one of ’em all. I thought we were rid of her years ago when you expelled her.”
“I did, too,” Kincaid said.
“Come with me,” King Aedh told them in a firm tone. “We’ll go back to my castle and discuss the matter. My soothsayer should be able to prescribe an effective method to get rid of Sorcha for good.”
Lizzie and Kincaid followed the Faery king toward one of the large trees like the one they’d been imprisoned in. The news that King Aedh would help them lifted the heaviness from her chest. Her feet seemed lighter than they had been for quite some time. She even dared to breathe a sigh of relief.
Once they reached the tree, she watched, puzzled as the king waved his hand, and the reddish-brown bark peeled away. A misty forest featuring a gurgling stream appeared beyond the tree entrance. Mossy steps next to the silver water led up a slope toward a gray stone castle that boasted four crenellated towers. Surrounded by thick emerald green trees and underbrush, the structure exuded a regal, inviting atmosphere.
A village that looked exactly like Doros Wood spread out next to the castle. That struck Lizzie as odd, and she wondered if she was seeing double. After rubbing her eyes, she spun around to observe the village outside the tree, then back at the one inside the tree.
Turning to King Aedh, she said, “What’s going on?”
When he tucked his long dark hair behind his ears, she noticed they were a bit narrower than human ears, and they were slightly pointed at the top.
“The village you see outside the tree is but a mirage,” he explained. “The only thing that’s real is the prison. For security reasons, our real homes and shops are contained safely inside this tree.”
“I told you these trees are amazing, didn’t I?” Kincaid winked at her.
“I wish I could bring some back to Wysteria,” Lizzie said as she marveled at their magical abilities. “They would come in handy.”
“Unfortunately, they only survive in Doros Wood.” King Aedh stood aside and invited Lizzie to pass through. Once she stepped on the soft forest floor of the real Faery kingdom, the king entered after her, Kincaid followed along with the Faery soldiers.
Once again, the inhabitants greeted their king and his entourage with great fanfare.
“It’s good to be home,” King Aedh said. “Come, let’s locate my soothsayer. He’ll know how to defeat Sorcha.”
Lizzie followed Kincaid and King Aedh up the stairs toward the castle.
***
The soothsayer’s candlelit chamber filled with fragrant, cloying smoke as he set ablaze several sticks of incense. He moved methodically around the room, his long purple robes swishing across the stone floor as he attended to each of the ornately carved burners. Barely visible in the dim chamber, the gossamer wings on his back remained motionless.
Arms folded over his chest, Kincaid observed the old, white-haired Faery closely. Standing beside him, Lizzie watched the soothsayer as well. Her face had turned the color of oatmeal. He could tell she anxiously awaited an answer to the question they’d posed to the wise man.
How could they permanently dispel Sorcha’s banshee infestation?
Lizzie squeezed his arm. He clamped his jaw. Did she realize her grip practically shut off the blood supply? Probably not. Yet, he didn’t complain. He couldn’t blame her for being troubled. Worry gnawed at him, too. If King Aedh’s soothsayer, Ninian, couldn’t aid them, they’d
leave the Land of the Fae empty-handed.
Lizzie would be devastated if her coven couldn’t be set free.
And he would feel guilty as hell.
He frowned, not wanting to consider that possibility. It had been his bright idea to drag her here to consult King Aedh. If his suggestion failed to produce a solution, she’d never trust him again. And of course, he wouldn’t be compensated for his time.
For some reason, it didn’t bother him that he wouldn’t get paid. It did, however, twist his gut to think that he might not be able to provide assistance to the woman he’d loved so much at one point in his life.
Love?
The idea that he’d felt so deeply for her made him take pause. Did he still harbor those deep feelings for her? And did she love him? His mouth went dry. The possibility filled him with countless emotions he couldn’t define. So, he stopped trying. He didn’t want to deal with that right now.
He only knew one thing for certain. If he failed Lizzie again, he’d never forgive himself. A sensation of drowning gripped his senses, but he managed to shake it off. Instead, he concentrated on the soothsayer.
Ninian walked over to a large wooden chest with golden hinges. The old man opened it up, then plunged his hands inside and fumbled around.
Apparently, exploring the mysteries of the universe was a lengthy process. And yes, time was of the essence. He reminded himself that things were different in the Land of the Fae. Barely a whisper of time had elapsed since they’d left the Earthly Realm.
“Ah, ha,” Ninian called out as he withdrew a purple silk bag. “This is what I need.”
He squatted down and untied the cord securing its opening. Tipping it upside down, he poured out several white objects. As the items rattled against the stone floor, Ninian hummed a strange tune. His deep, resonating voice filled the chamber and bounced off the walls.
With trembling hands covered in brown spots, he sorted through the items, arranging them just so. Adding to the soothsayer’s mystique, layers of smoke swirled around him, enveloping his clothing.
Kincaid realized the objects Ninian sorted through were actually small animal bones, perhaps those of a bird. The patterns he created on the floor with them obviously meant something significant because he shook his head up and down as if in acknowledgement. He withdrew several bells from a pocket and began to ring them, their tinkling sound echoing throughout the chamber.
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