by JD MITCHELL
Ali’s eyes flew to the doorway. She saw soldiers loitering outside in the halls, some of which held weapons. They were in a well-guarded room, but it didn’t mean they were safe.
“How’d they get in?” Ali whispered, fearing the answer.
“Those monsters used to be Fae, so they can come and go as they please,” Jessica spat.
“We can’t stop them?” Ali asked.
Jessica shook her head. “The palace wards are comprised of a series of spells which are designed to allow the Fae or invited guests inside. As former Fae, the sluagh found crossing as easy as breaking a window to unlock a door.” Her voice suddenly cracked. “The Fae are strengthening the wards. Soon the sluagh won’t be able to cross the barrier.” She took a deep breath as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Ali’s heart stopped. “What happened?”
“Lean-an…” Jessica choked on her name. “She’s gone.”
Ali gripped the side of the cot, feeling as though she couldn’t breathe.
“How?” Ali asked. She thought Leanan was immortal.
Jessica wiped her nose with the sleeve of her shirt. “One of those things came out of nowhere.” Jessica let out a shaky breath. “It cut Leanan’s throat open.”
Tears blurred Ali’s vision. She moved to wipe them, and a searing pain shot though shoulder. Ali choked, dropping her hand. Her cheeks itched where the tears forged paths down her face and onto the cot.
“What about the others?” Ali asked, unable to control the shaking of her voice.
Jessica straightened. “Leigh is dozing against the wall.”
Ali strained her neck to see. Propped upright in a corner, Leigh’s head rested against a pillow. Relief filled her at the sight of him sleeping. She wanted to wake him, but he looked like he collapsed from exhaustion.
“Red and Aengus are with one of the hunting parties. I haven’t seen them in hours,” Jessica fidgeted her sleeve. “Sawyer is with the Fae children. He’s safe. I didn’t think this makeshift hospital was a good place for a child.”
Nowhere is safe.
“We can’t stay,” Ali breathed.
Jessica sniffled again, glancing at the empty doorway. “You’re right. Next time the Sons will find their way inside.”
A knot formed in Ali’s stomach. “So, the tunnel didn’t work?”
“No,” Jessica said. “Dain, the middle Son, sent a message to Aengus this morning.”
“What? The violent one?” Ali sat up straighter. This was the first direct communication she’d heard of.
Jessica’s shoulders tightened. “I wish I hadn’t mentioned their names, but yes, the violent one. Translated, it was something to the effect of you’re all dead.”
Ali was going to be sick. First Dub hunted them, now Dain taunted them.
“Oh!” Jessica stood suddenly and ran toward the opposite end of the room.
Ali twisted to see Red enter a side doorway. His clothes were blood-stained and torn, but he didn’t seem injured. Jessica stopped inches short of embracing him, then lunged forward, wrapping him in a hug. Red seemed surprised, but he squeezed her tight as she sobbed.
“Those two have issues,” Leigh said. He stood behind Ali’s cot; eyes bloodshot.
“Are you all right?” Ali asked.
Leigh crouched beside her. “The girl in the hospital bed is asking me?”
“Good point.” She tried to move so he could sit but winced.
Leigh helped swing her feet to the cold floor, then sat next to her. “So… are you good at chemistry?”
“Huh?” Ali asked.
“The way you killed the sluagh,” Leigh said.
It took Ali a second to remember the aerosol can and the light bulb. “No, I’m terrible at chemistry.” She gave him a sad smile. “When I was a kid, I tried to coat a light bulb with black light paint. Let’s say I had a similar experience and my mom was pissed.”
“Well, if any sluagh attack, I’m sticking with you,” he said. He forced a smile which quickly faltered.
His words were nice, but their situation was a complete mess.
A tear streaked her cheek. Closing her eyes, she couldn’t help but think she contributed to Leanan’s death. Ali should’ve insisted something was wrong when Dub invaded her dreams.
“I’m sorry about Leanan,” Ali said finding her voice. Her head was fuzzy, and her mouth was dry again.
Leigh nodded but looked away from her. “Fae deaths are in the dozens.” He exhaled. “The sluagh killed Bryan and his daughter is missing. Aengus has been looking for her.”
Ali didn’t know Bryan, but the thought of his little girl ripped apart by a sluagh was horrifying. This is my fault.
She stood up, ignoring the pain.
“What are you doing?” Leigh asked.
“I can’t sit here,” Ali said.
Leigh crossed his arms. “There’s nowhere to go.”
“I can help Aengus find Bryan’s daughter.”
The room swayed, but that didn’t stop Ali from attempting to walk. Her bare feet were cold, but it gave her focus. Ali tilted to the right and Leigh caught her before she toppled over. Her shoulder stretched further than it could handle. A small cry escaped her lips.
“Careful,” Leigh said. He placed her left hand on his shoulder and gripped her around the waist for support. “You’ll tear the stitches.”
Ali balanced on the balls of her feet and waited for the room to steady. “Isn’t there a magical healing gel for this? I know they put one on Jessica.”
“There is, and it’s working,” Leigh said. “However, it doesn’t give you free rein to act like an idiot.”
She glared at him. “I’m not staying on that cot.”
Leigh inspected the cot, then across the room at Red. “Fine. This way.”
Ali allowed Leigh to help her as she walked across the room. Her vision dotted, but she pushed forward, refusing to remain stagnant. That wasn’t a mistake she’d make again.
“Where are you going?” Jessica’s voice cut though her concentration in a flat parental accusation.
Next to her, Red looked gaunt with dark circles under his eyes, but nothing a meal and sleep wouldn’t fix.
“I can’t relax,” Ali pointed a shaking finger back to the cot. She wished for better control over her body, but she couldn’t force her arm still. “Every time Dub invades my dreams something worse happens. Now Dain is sending threats.”
“It doesn’t mean you need to rush out the door,” Jessica said, her worried expression reminding Ali of their mother.
“The remaining Sons won’t allow us time to regroup. They’ll just keep coming,” Ali said. She was tired of letting everyone else decide. If she’d spoke up sooner, Leanan might still be alive.
Jessica looked behind Ali, no doubt at the Fae ushering in more wounded. The injured grew by the minute.
“We aren’t in any shape to pick a fight,” Jessica said.
Ali stood straighter, using Leigh for support. “By the time we’re ready, they’ll have found another way to hurt us.”
“Ali’s right,” Red said flatly.
“What?” Jessica looked at him.
“They’ve kept us off balance and on the run,” Red said. “Time to launch an offense.”
Jessica stepped away from him. “How?” She pointed to the Fae again. “With what army?”
“We stop being predictable,” Red said. His eyes lit up. “Come on, we need Aengus.”
Red took off toward the exit.
“Wait,” Jessica called after him. “I don’t think wandering around the hallways is a good idea.”
“It’s fine,” Red said over his shoulder and disappeared into the hallway. “This part of the palace is heavily guarded.”
Using Leigh as a crutch, Ali was quick to hobble behind. Jessica sighed, but followed without further complaint. Ten minutes later they entered make-shift mess hall.
They found Aengus sitting alone at a table in one of the smaller dining rooms. The dec
or was reminiscent of a Victorian parlor from the 1800s, taking on shades of mauve, sapphire, and white. Windows lined one side of the room, letting in the morning sun. Someone pushed a large oak dining table against a far wall and covered it with fruit, meat, and bread. Weary Fae ate in silence, but some slept on the floor in the corner.
Red plopped into the chair next to Aengus; who flinched.
“Redmond, I thought you were checking on the others.” Aengus pushed his hands through his mop of tussled, sweaty hair.
“We all came,” Red nodded toward Ali, Leigh, and Jessica.
Aengus glanced up as Leigh lowered Ali into a chair. She held her injured arm against her body, ignoring the stabbing pain in her shoulder. Aengus schooled his features, but he couldn’t hide the exhaustion in his eyes. A rip cut across the front of his billowy shirt, and soot covered his back as though he’d rolled around in a fireplace.
Red’s brows drew together. “I heard they found Samantha.”
Aengus nodded.
“Alive?” Red prompted.
“Yes,” Aengus said. “However, the child is traumatized.”
Red pat Aengus on the arm. “She’s alive. It’s enough for now.”
Aengus’s face constricted, his lips depressing into a thin line. It took a moment before his features relaxed. He rubbed his forehead. “You must be hungry,” Aengus gestured toward the table of food.
Red eyed the table but didn’t move. “I’m here about something else.”
Ali debated if Red was wise to engage Aengus at this moment. His anger simmered below boiling, Ali imagined the next level involved hurling furniture through windows.
“Our strategy needs to change,” Red said.
“I know. The palace is no longer safe,” he said deflating.
Red shook his head. “I mean our entire strategy.”
Ali wasn’t aware of their strategy. To her annoyance, they hadn’t included her in the late-night meetings.
Aengus straightened. “In what way?”
“We’ve approached the problem wrong,” Red said. “Our focus was on repeating the past. It’s easy for Dub and Dain to guess our next move, because we have limited options.”
“I’m listening,” Aengus said.
“Their greatest strength is their abilities,” Red said. “Ours is the weakening of those same abilities.”
Propping his head on his hand, Aengus frowned. “I’m not following.”
“A magic-less world has encouraged the growth of technology,” Red said. “The Sons aren’t familiar with it.”
Aengus’s hand dropped. “Human technology can’t defeat them. Trust me. I would have tried.”
“I agree,” Red said. “But we can’t even get close and we know their location.”
This was news to Ali. She wasn’t aware Aengus knew the location of the remaining Sons.
“Ali gave me the idea,” Red said. “We need to distract them.”
She straightened. This conversation was heading in an interesting direction.
Aengus rubbed his face. “With human technology?”
“With unfamiliar enemies. Yes, they’ll defeat technology in the long run, but they’ll waste time figuring out how.”
Aengus’s pensive gaze shifted into the distance, the creases of his brow forming deep depressions. “So, what do you have in mind? Tanks? Bombs?”
“Maybe,” Red spoke faster as ideas tumbled from his mouth. “If we overwhelm them, maybe a group of descendants can get close enough to inflict damage. It’s worth the risk.”
Aengus’s features softened. “A coordinated attack of varying technologies could work.” His eyes narrowed. “Except guns, I don’t want them discovering they can redirect an array of bullets back at my Fae.”
“Then we should move fast,” Red said. “If the Sons attack us first, we might lose the numbers needed to put up a real fight.”
Aengus looked around the table, meeting their eyes. “This is a serious decision which will result in the loss of many lives.” He cleared his throat. “Do you all agree with Red?”
The hairs on Ali’s arms and neck rose. Did she have the right to make such a decision? She looked around at the injured Fae, they were suffering because of the TDD. But they were targets now – just like Ali. It was time she found a spine and helped.
“We should fight,” Ali said looking at Aengus.
Aengus considered her, then glanced around the table at the others who silently nodded. “I agree.” He sighed. “We have five days to plan.”
“Why five?” Red asked.
“The Fae are due to return with more decedents in four days. We recruit who is able and leave the following morning.” Aengus said. His eyes darkened, and anger crept into his voice. “First, I want conformation every sluagh in my palace is dead.”
Twenty
The palace was clear of sluagh by the middle of the next day. Immediately after, all able-bodied individuals trained. Ali ached to spar, but the Fae doctor cautioned that her wound needed time to heal. Antsy, she forced herself to sit on a stool and watch Leigh and Sawyer run drills alongside forty Fae.
“Heads up!”
Ali ducked as a wayward gust of air flew over her head and into the stone wall a few feet behind her.
“Sorry,” Sawyer said meekly.
Malvina gave Sawyer a stern look before the two of them resumed their sparring session.
Ali’s eyes swept the bouncing sea of warriors until she found Leigh. He didn’t hold back in his training. As usual, sweat soaked his clothes, but he practiced with an unrelenting repetition. Leigh had only stopped once when Nash entered the training grounds. He took one look at Nash, then moved to the furthest corner of the training area.
Bored, Ali’s thoughts drifted as her stomach growled. Since meals were no longer lavish events, she decided on a quick sandwich. Standing to leave, she discovered Nash loitering in the doorway. He drank from a water bottle as sweat dripped down his face. A frown crossed his lips and his brow narrowed in disgust while he watched the Fae.
Ali decided not to risk a confrontation and begrudgingly sat on her stool. Her protesting stomach begged her to use a different exit, but without Leigh’s help she’d wind up lost. With a sigh, her eyes wandered towards the corner where Leigh trained.
He wasn’t there.
Ali looked between the training warriors, searching for his lean stature until she found him striding doggedly toward Nash.
Oh no.
“If you’re going to pout, you might as well speak up,” Leigh barked. His damp shirt clung to his chest and his head glistened. He looked exhausted, but his eyes held fire.
Nash stood straighter. “None of you dry shites are prepared to fight the Sons.”
Leigh squared up facing Nash, a dangerous edge to his voice. “Anything else?”
A few nearby Fae stopped sparring to watch.
“Aengus will get us killed, and you’re a stook for believing him,” Nash said crossing his arms.
“Which makes you better than the rest of us?” Leigh challenged.
Nash’s eyes narrowed. “My brother insisted on joining the Cridhinbheal family and he paid for it.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Leigh growled.
Nash stepped from the doorway into the dirt, puffing out his chest. “You lot are pathetic on a good day. I saw the video of you and Red langered in that bar fight. It’s all over social media. Only a Cridhinbheal would let that happen.” Nash took another step toward Leigh. “Your family is a joke. Every last one of you are drunk cowards.”
Leigh charged at Nash like a bull in a ring. Nash responded with gaoth. It soared past Leigh’s shoulder, missing him by an inch. Leigh tackled Nash, knocking them both into the dirt. They rolled around before Leigh wound up on top. Leigh threw a punch into Nash’s jaw.
Nash covered his face with one hand and used gaoth to push Leigh away.
Ali thought the fight was over, but Nash got to his feet and swung his fist. He connected with
Leigh’s cheek.
Leigh stumbled back, and Nash lunged on top of him. They rolled around trying to put each other in headlocks. Occasionally one or the other landed a punch.
Ali glanced around to see who would stop them, but the Fae warriors didn’t act like they’d intervene. Annoyed that the responsibility fell to her, Ali ran over to them.
“Stop it!”
They both ignored her.
Leigh elbowed Nash in the rib cage. Nash stumbled, then lunged at him.
Ali threw her hands in the air, the motion a reminder that her shoulder was still sore. “What’s wrong with you two!”
She looked for Malvina, who was nowhere in sight.
Great.
Sawyer, who’d been watching wide-eyed from the sidelines, caught Ali’s frantic gaze.
Ali gestured to the tumbling guys. “Help me!”
With an enthusiastic nod, Sawyer plunged his hands forward like he was diving into water. He then pulled his hands apart about four inches. In front of her, Nash and Leigh separated about four feet. The two of them continued to flail against the invisible force, trying to land a final blow. Nash smashed his fist into the shield a few times, each blow sending a translucent blue shimmer across its surface.
Leigh gave up as soon as Nash was out of reach. With the shield acting as a barrier, Leigh doubled over, panting as sweat poured off him into the dirt.
Nash sat and spit. Blood dripped down his chin. He wiped at his lips, smearing the trickle of blood across his face.
Ali wasn’t sure what to do.
She walked over to Sawyer. His lips pursed and his brow furrowed as he held the shields in place. If she was in a better mood, Ali would have found his determination adorable.
“Good job,” Ali said.
Sawyer’s eyes brightened, but he kept the shields raised.
From the corner of her eye, Nash shook his head, spit again, then stormed out of the training grounds.
The shields blurred, then disappeared.
Ali turned on Leigh. “What were you thinking?”
Short of breath, Leigh collapsed to his butt, then laid back in the dirt, closing his eyes. His shirt and shorts looked like he climbed out of a pool. He waved in the direction Nash took off. “It’s fine.”
