Warrior

by Jana LaPelle

  I lean into Tarron, and he pulls me in for a hug where I linger for just a moment before saying, “Thank you Tarron. I know that this comes at a bad time for you and The Horde. I just know that if we are to succeed in bringing him home that you need to accompany me there. By the way, who’s Jericho?” I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me.

  Tarron looks around the room and announces, “I have named Jericho as my second. In times like right now, The Horde will look to him for guidance and leadership in my absence.” Tarron turns his attention back to me, “Ash, remember the vampire family when I was introducing you to The Horde back in Ireland? Well, Jericho is the eldest son. He should be able to continue our work of gathering The Horde together and gaining their fealty in my absence. Hopefully, we will not be gone too long, but no matter, Jericho should be fine with the backing of my council.”

  Dagda clears his throat gaining all of our attention, “Time really should not be a problem, once you enter The Underworld, days or weeks could pass there, but it will be as if no time at all will have passed here when you return. Time is subjective, Ashlinn, and in The Underworld, the goal is to draw out time so that the dead are left to the devices of The Fallen for an endless eternity.” Dagda imparts.

  From the doorway I hear my mother and father rush into the room, “Baby Girl, you are not to enter the realm of the Fallen!”

  “Ash, no, you absolutely cannot.” My father begins.

  “I have no other choice. I know you’re concerned, but what would either of you do to find the other half of your soul? Alaric is going through Hell, literally, and I need to determine what Luc’s end game is. I have to travel to The Underworld, and you have to step aside and allow me to do what I must with your blessing. I need you to go with your grandchildren and watch over them in our absence.”

  “Ashlinn, honey, you have no idea as to what you are walking into,” my mother says, gently, as she walks toward me to take my hands in her own.

  “Don’t you think I know that? I’m scared, Mother, but so is Alaric and he’s all alone. I can’t leave him there. You know that.” Taking a deep breath, I turn to my Guardians and everyone in attendance. “Tarron and I will go after Alaric, we will need a small crew to go with us, and we will leave here as soon as possible.”

  Tolin steps forward, “Ash, you’re not doing this without me. Torin will stay with Lexie and Declan, but I’m going with you and Tarron.”

  “Are you sure, T? Because there is no guarantee that any of us will be walking out of there unscathed.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure, Alaric needs us. Besides, I can’t in good conscience let you go traipsing around The Underworld without me. Now, can I? Who knows what kind of trouble you’ll find once we get to The Underworld? That does seem to be your special talent, Little Bit, finding trouble.” Tolin says with a quirky grin in an attempt to lighten the mood, and I smile back thinking about our excursion to the stone forest.

  “Aye, mo solas, you do have a penchant for finding yourself in danger.” Tarron winks at me, and I shake my head and smirk.

  “Well, you are trouble, that’s why we need you on this mission.” I retort, “I need your ability to throw individuals off balance.”

  He smiles and winks again mischievously, “Then I’m at your service. I think I’m going to like wreaking havoc in The Underworld.”

  Dagda steps forward gaining my attention, “Ceann beag, I would give anything to come with you and bring Alaric back from that dreadful place, but as a god, I’m barred from Luc’s domain. All gods and goddesses are barred from entering there. You, on the other hand, you were invited by Luc. I will give you as much guidance as I can before you leave. I know that I promised you to take action the next time you needed me, but this is someplace that I can na go. It’s only been a couple o’ days, and I’m already finding that I can na keep my word. Please forgive me Ashlinn.”

  “Thank you, Dagda. There is nothing to forgive. I already figured that your help would not be an option where we are going, but your guidance means the world to me. I understand. As long as you will be available when we get him back. I think he will need you and his family.”

  “I’ll be here, you can count on it.” Dagda’s deep voice resonates around the room.

  Jasmine pipes up, grabbing my attention, “Ash, Cam and I will go with you like I said earlier. We’ll always have your back, you and Alaric’s. I was looking forward to going after The Morrígan to get Alaric back, but realm hopping to The Underworld should be a piece of cake. We’ll have Alaric back before you know it.” She’s beaming and obviously excited.

  I smile at my favorite little sprite before shooting her down, “Jaz, you will not be going on this little adventure, you and Cam will be taking over for Alaric and me in our absence. This is one of the reasons why I chose you two. You have a role to play while we are gone. I know that I can count on the two of you.”

  “But -”

  “No buts, okay, Jaz? I need to know that you are safe and that with your help The Tree of Life continues to function as it should. I know that by leaving you in charge, you will stay on top of everything while I’m gone.”

  “But Dagda said...”

  “Jaz, please don’t argue with me over this. The light you carry within is so pure. I will never put you in a position where your light could be tarnished by this dark place. I need you to please understand my decision.”

  “No… You need one of us there with you.” It’s clear she means either her or Lexie.

  “No, Jaz, you and Lexie both have your roles to play. Trust me when I say that this is for the best.”

  “No. No. No. I will not accept that; you need me with you. My light will not be tarnished, and you will be back before anyone misses you. The Tree of Life can run the show. She has proven that she can hold her own for a day or even two or three. You know that as well as I do.”

  “Jasmine, I love your tenacity and your intense loyalty, but you are staying here, and that is final.” My tone is firm, and the silence in the room is almost deafening as Jaz stares back at me, her crystalline blue eyes narrowing to near slits. I can practically see her mind racing through all the scenarios she can come up with to argue her case.

  Sighing, she looks down in defeat and grumbles, “Fine. Have it your way.”

  Camoryn takes her hand and pulls it up to his lips and kisses her knuckles before saying to me, “Ash, you can count on us while you are away. If this is the only way we can help you, then rest assured that we will take care of things here for you and Alaric.” He nods at me with a little smile while pulling Jasmine to his side in an effort to soothe her ruffled sprite wings.

  Jasmine has yet to look back up at me, and I can sense that I’ve hurt her deeply. I would gladly accept her help if we were going anywhere other than The Underworld. It’s not that I don’t think she can handle it. I just can’t stand the thought of this journey changing her beautiful spirit. Sighing, I look over to Lexie, her expression serious, and she nods. I know that she understands my stance on the matter which only strengthens my resolve. Looking around the room, I say, “Okay then, that’s settled. Declan, you are Alaric’s second. You will stay here with Lexie and see to things here. Nym, you will go with the twins to The Twilight Realm. Ēolieus, Ferg, Nemus, and Torin you will all stay here and continue amassing allies and serve as back up to Declan. Lorcan, Garrik, and Khatar, I would like to ask that you three accompany me, Tarron, and Tolin when we leave for The Underworld.”

  “Yes, my Lady,” Garrik replies without hesitation.

  “Whatever you need, Ashlinn,” Khatar says gravely, and Lorcan just grunts his assent by inclining his head.

  “What about me?” Dorlan rushes forward, his unruly blond hair askew, and he kneels before me. His wounds from the battle have not healed completely, and it’s my understanding that we almost lost him that night they battled The Morrígna’s forces on the Isle of Tears. There is no way in hell that I’m going to assign him a spot on a team traveling into Hell.
I want him here where he can heal safely. His injuries were so bad he was bedridden for two days, and still, he grimaces while going to take a knee before me as he continues, “I can help. I know I can. I would like to go with you. It is my duty to you as one of your Guardians.”

  Gently, I hook my index finger under his chin and lift his young face upwards, “Dorlan, please stand. First and foremost, you need to heal. You are not yet one hundred percent, and we need you to be strong in the days to come once we get Alaric back. Okay? I have every confidence in your Guardian abilities, but I have no idea as to what awaits us, and I will not put your life in danger when it is obvious that you still have yet to fully recover.”

  Dorlan looks dejected, much like Jasmine from moments ago but instead of pressing his point he nods and says, “Yes my Lady. So be it. I have but one other request then, may I go with Nym to watch over the babes? It would be my honor to step in for Khatar.”

  “Yes, Dorlan, that’s perfect. It is I who would be honored to have you watch over Lillie and Lachlan and the pups. Thank you. I’m sure that Nym will welcome your company.” Smiling, I step up on my tiptoes and kiss Dorlan on the cheek, and say, “I’m glad that we didn’t lose you the other night.”

  Dorlan blushes furiously and drops his head before looking around to his peers, who all chuckle at his obvious discomfort. Dorlan looks back down at me, gathering his wits and smiles, “Well now Ash, I couldn’t just die. We have an evil queen to overthrow after all.”

  “That’s the spirit,” stepping back I look over to Lexie, and I’m reminded of our talk from earlier and address her, “Lexie, after we make plans for my team’s mission we will speak privately with Dagda and the others.”

  Lexie nods and then looks pointedly at Nemus, “Nemus, you will be included in that conversation, so please stick around after everyone else breaks from this discussion.” Nemus cocks his head and studies Lexie for a moment before nodding his assent.

  Moments later the library is turned into a strategizing room. Reference books are pulled out, and scrolls mapping what it is thought to be The Underworld are laid out on the mahogany tables. Everyone has paired off into teams and is talking in roundtable discussions, planning for all possible scenarios, but I’m not focused on the planning. I can’t seem to concentrate on anything at all, except for the dull ache in my chest just beneath my breastbone. The longer we are apart, the more prominent the throb becomes. At least the connection is still there, I can’t imagine how my Mom felt when she lost her kindred. My jumbled thoughts pull me away from the group to walk toward the doors to the terrace. They are open wide, and I can see that day is fading into night. I pad outside on bare feet to watch the splendor of the setting sun. Tonight, the colors are soft. The glass-like surface of the loch reflects the colors of the sky above, the pinks fading to violet, and then to indigo as night swallows the waning light of day. I’m not centered. I haven’t been since Morríganna took Alaric and placed those damned shackles on him nullifying everything, including our kindred bond. I’m antsy to be on our way. At this rate, we’ll not be leaving out till the morning light, and I can’t help but wonder how many hours that will translate to in The Underworld. The ticking of the clock is not measured the same across the realms, and I have no way of knowing how much time has passed for Alaric while we have wasted the last couple of hours in discussion and planning for the what-ifs. We have no way of knowing what we will be encountering in Luc’s domain, and I feel as if all the preparation is a colossal waste of time. I just want to get on with it.

  “He’s strong you know…” Dagda’s deep voice declares softly from behind me.

  “It’s beautiful, don’t you think?” I ask quietly, as I watch the color fade from the horizon.

  “Aye, lass. That it is.” Dagda is now right behind me, and his large warm hand lies gently on my shoulder. His touch is meant to be reassuring.

  “You know what I can’t help but wonder while I’m standing here watching a tranquil sunset? What is Alaric seeing? What has he encountered? What is he having to endure right at this very moment? I know he’s strong Dagda. That’s not it. He grew up stronger than an average mortal, healing abilities at his disposal, but he’s never felt what it’s like to be mortal. Not like me. Morríganna has stripped him down by placing those stupid cuffs on him. I’m sure that she played some seriously demoralizing mind games with him while she flogged him senseless. He’s exhausted, and he’s hurting, and he’s mentally questioning everything right now while trapped in The Underworld. He’s wondering if he will be able to continue being my Guardian and the god that he has ascended to become. He’s wondering if he will ever be my equal again. You didn’t see him, Dagda. He looked haunted, and he’s not able to heal. He’s been taken to the one place in all the realms that will play on his worse fears. So, you tell me, Dagda, should I not be worried?”

  “Lass, I didna say not to worry. I merely said that he is a strong lad. Have faith in that. Have faith that this is the path that you both must walk to prepare you for the future.”

  I nod and look up at the larger than life god before I impart, “Morríganna never intended to remove the irons once they were placed, Dagda. So, it will be up to me to figure out how to remove them, well that’s according to my Mom’s memoirs. Her husband’s great aunt was a seer evidently, and she told my Mom that, and I quote, “I would have the means that will be needed to unlock the bindings of the gods. Bindings forged in angel fire. The key resides with her,” I have no idea as to her meaning, but one thing is sure, the binding of the gods is what Alaric has the misfortune to bear.”

  “Ashlinn, Alaric will survive this. You both will. I have faith that all of you will come through this experience for the better. The Underworld and all that reside there should stay put.”

  “I know you’re right, to think anything other than positive is counterintuitive. You’re right on another account as well, you know, about The Underworld and all that reside there, we need to place sentries at the sight of the rift. Can you see to that? You and Declan should work together to devise a rotation of guards to see to it that nothing from The Underworld spills into this realm. As the rift grows, we will need to add additional sentries until we can figure out how to close the rift.”

  “We have already thought of that. Don’t worry Ashlinn, we will see to it. You just focus on getting our boy back.” Dagda looks tired, and I can relate. He hasn’t forgiven himself for not going with us that night.

  For a moment we stand quietly together and listen to the frogs and the cicada’s serenade. Night has arrived. The stars are out in full force, and the light spilling from the library lights the terrace around us. Jasmine steps outside to gain our attention, I can tell that she is still angry with me when she addresses us both, her head held high. Her eyes are averted from my own, “Things are winding down in here. Lexie’s ready to speak to you Dagda.” She turns with that and walks back into the library.

  “Do you think she will ever forgive me?” I mumble under my breath, not really expecting an answer.

  “Aye lass, but she’s hurting, and doesn’t understand why you wouldn’t choose her to go with you again. She has been with you through everything so far. From the beginning of your journey, the two of you have been thick as thieves. If it is any consolation, I think you chose well, The Underworld is no place for a water sprite.” Dagda ushers me inside and then imparts, “It’s no place for the likes of you lass, and I want for more than anything to go with ye to protect ye from the goings on in that dreadful realm. Alas, that can na be, but I will be here when you return with our boy.”

  Chapter 5

  (Alaric)

  I feel as though I have been walking for hours on end and still it’s as if I have not made any progress. What the hell? I stop and look around, and it’s as if I have not taken a single step. In the distance behind me, I see a dust storm on the horizon, and it’s heading straight for me.

  From my left, I hear a tiny, young voice say, “Over here! Come! M
ister, over here, quickly! The nocturbeasts are coming.”

  What the hell is a nocturbeast? Turning in the direction of the voice I see a young male peering out from behind an outcropping of rocks that I don’t recall seeing before. The boy’s face would look angelic if not for the tiny horns that are growing forward from either side of his head, his ears are long and pointed, and leathery wings peek up from behind him. I’ve never seen an imp before, and I ask the question aloud, “Are you an imp? And what is a nocturbeast?” By the gods I’m exhausted.

  “Mister, there’s no time for questions. Come with me, the nocturbeast only come out to hunt.”

  Looking around, I see that the dust storm is almost upon us and there appears to be some sort of winged creatures riding the storm, no that’s not right, it’s not so much of a storm as it is that the beasts are stirring up the dust in their wake. They look to be some sort of black griffin, which I certainly want no part of in my current state. Turning back, I see that the boy has disappeared behind the rocks. I quickly move to follow him and see that he is making his way into a hidden entrance in a rock wall. Why didn’t I see this rock outcropping before? He turns to see if I’m following him and motions for me to hurry up. The entrance is just large enough for me to squeeze through and I find myself in a downward sloping tunnel that grows larger as it descends. Turning back, I look through the opening to see that the winged creatures are passing overhead and have begun circling above in the darkening red sky. Their bird-like screeching carries to me on the wind. Not sure what to make of this turn of events, I turn back to the boy who is patiently waiting for me to follow him.

  “Mister, what happened to your back? Did the slavers get ahold of you? You ain’t like most shades. Are you a freshie? Is that why you look so alive?” He cocks his head assessing me. His rather large eyes are a bright crystal blue and are a shocking contrast to his pink-ish colored skin that blends to a deep red to the wings on his back.