by JD MITCHELL
“There’s a button inside the cuff,” Leigh said grinning.
She held out her arm revealing a small gold button on the interior. The shield dissolved when she depressed it. Ali depressed the button again. The shield snapped back into place. She pursed her lips. Good to know there was an easier way. Someday she’d ask Aengus why he didn’t just use the button.
Red announced it was time to leave. With only a quick warning, he began the trek deeper into the forest with most of the Fae on his heels.
“Keep pace,” Red called over his shoulder.
Ali jogged to catch up. Leigh fell into stride next to her. He gave her a reassuring nod and scanned the trees, his eyes darting back and forth. The woods were thinner than back in the states, which allowed for more light. However, the contrast between the dappled shade and morning sun made her distrust every shadow.
Fae soldiers moved to flank their sides, resembling a giant equal sign as they escorted Red, Leigh, and Ali though the woods.
Ali spun around. She hadn’t seen Sawyer since Aengus gave them shields.
Fifteen feet behind her a green shield opened and closed, like a kid playing with a light switch. She smirked. It was a kid playing with a light switch. Aengus jogged behind Sawyer, frowning. Several Fae warriors trailed them. Malvina was in the rear group jogging closer to Sawyer than necessary. It comforted Ali know Malvina was with them. She was a serious ball buster.
A twig snapped loudly underfoot, the sound reminding her they weren’t stealthy as they progressed. She tensed, wishing for the bubble of a creek, or the chip of birds to cover their footfall. Anything to swallow the trampling feet in an otherwise quiet wood.
To her left, a guttural growl drew everyone’s attention. A second growl came from the right. The hairs rose on her arms. Ali couldn’t see past the Fae solders, but her mind raced to fantastical creatures. Questing Beasts?
In front of Red, a white wolf jumped into their path causing the procession to stop. She relaxed. They could easily dispatch a few dogs.
Except, no one in their party acted relieved. Instead, the Fae’s perimeter tightened.
Ali stared at the wolf again and noticed its ruby eyes glowed, reminding her of car taillights. The wolf snapped at Red, a flame licking from between its teeth.
“Fire again?” Ali groaned.
Leigh’s shield deployed into place, but Ali didn’t move. The Fae soldiers would have it under control.
Around them shields expanded into a rainbow of yellows, oranges, greens, and reds. A blend of colors matching the diversity of their users. They pushed Ali toward the dirt as a Fae warrior raised her yellow shield above them like an umbrella. Sawyer was crammed next to her as shields encased them. The turtle-formation reference made sense now. A shell of colored glass protected their assembly.
Because of his height, Leigh helped create the roof of their barrier. Ali wanted to help him but was pinned between a sea of black pants and torsos.
“Move!”
To her surprise, their group slowly crept forward in tiny steps.
A soft thud came from their left. She saw a shadow streak past as the group paused. Growling came from behind her, followed by a louder thud. More shadows raced past with growing frequency. Wolves surrounded them, but Ali couldn’t see how many.
Their barrier opened near her. Red threw solas before the gap closed. A yelp came from the left, following by whimpering.
“They should fight with water,” Sawyer said to Ali.
“Because of the trees catching fire?” Ali asked as the group pushed forward again.
Sawyer shook his head. “The white dogs hate water.”
“What’s with the Sons and fire creatures?” Ali mumbled. She reached forward, stretching to poke Leigh in the ribs.
Surprised, his eyes fell to her.
“Sawyer says to try water.”
Leighs face tightened, before his eyes lit. He looked to Sawyer. “Can you conjure ice like Nash?”
Sawyer nodded.
Leigh elbowed Red. “Open the top and let Sawyer give it a go.”
“What?” Red asked looking confused.
“He can conjure ice bullets.” Leigh pointed at Sawyer, a smile playing at his lips. “What do you say, kid?”
Sawyer’s eyes set with determination. “I can do it.”
Red pressed his lips together, then spoke. “Halt up front.”
Their turtle shell came to a standstill. Red planted the bottom of his shield into the dirt, then kneeled, offering his thigh as a step. Around them, the shadows grew thick, the wolf’s bodies slamming into the barrier.
Leigh looked at Sawyer. “When I lift my shield, you jump off Red’s thigh, fire once through the hole and drop. Got it?”
Sawyer nodded.
“One, two… three!”
Leigh’s shield slid to the side. Sawyer launched himself skyward. He threw a wad of ice to his right before dropping. Leigh closed the gap.
There was a whelp, met by silence.
“One dead! Twenty to go,” a Fae soldier yelled.
Ali held out her fist, and Sawyer bumped it with his.
It was an odious plan, but it worked. The group crept through the forest, stopping to attack when the wolves neared, before continuing onward. She guessed they’d taken out an additional seven wolves before the plan went sideways.
Sawyer positioned himself to jump skyward as a shadow cast across the colored roof. Leigh slid his shield aside, allowing for an opening above them.
“No!” Ali grabbed Sawyer by the ankle as he pushed himself upward.
She jerked him back inside and Sawyer’s face smacked into the edge of Leigh’s shield. Blood gushed from his mouth as he crumpled into the dirt.
A wolf crashed through the hole, tumbling face first into Leigh. The formation broke instantaneously. Red, along with four others, struck the wolf with various spells. The wolf was dead in seconds, but the damage was done. Wolves forced their way between the Fae, separating the group.
Aengus’s voice boomed, ordering the Fae to close the formation, but it was difficult in the chaos. Ali and Sawyer were no longer in the group’s protection. She pulled Sawyer from the ground, towing him toward a large tree. The remaining wolves focused on the larger group and paid them no attention.
Dirt caked Sawyer’s bloodied face, and he was missing a tooth.
“Are you okay?” Ali asked looking him over.
Sawyer didn’t seem to notice his lip was swelling. Instead, he fired ice bullets at the pack of wolves. Ali almost told him not to be stupid, but she saw a wolf had cornered Leigh.
She threw gaoth. The attempt accomplished nothing more than to spin the wolf which caught its attention.
“Duck!”
Ali shoved Sawyer behind the tree as the wolf raced toward them. Sawyer tripped, landing on his back. To her relief, the wolf didn’t pounce on Sawyer, instead it stayed with Ali, its predatory eyes on her.
She ran, the wolf snapping at her heels. It’d overcome her in a few more steps.
Ali spun to unleash gaoth but saw the wolf’s body slump into the ground. It lay still.
Sawyer stood behind it; his face taut.
She took a few hesitant steps toward the wolf, wondering if it was dead.
“Behind you!” Sawyer screamed. He conjured a band of white light which flew past her head. Ali spun to see a dark rider on a horse.
Holy crap on a cracker.
She fell to her butt. It was unmistakably the Dullahan.
A Clydesdale the color of tar bayed at her. Its rider clad in a brown leather tunic, holding its head before him like a lantern, gripping oily black hair like a string. The fleshy facial features were a meld of droopy gray skin over eyeless sockets. The rider raised its other arm, cracking a spiny whip into the air.
With horror, Ali lifted her arms before her. A blue shimmer obscured her view. The skeletal spindles clashed against her shield. The edges of which dug into the surrounding dirt, trapping her like she was ins
ide a dome. Stuck, she panicked thinking the Clydesdale could crush her between her shield and the ground with one stomp.
Sawyer raced around the corner, firing solas at the rider. “Leave her alone!”
Leigh appeared behind Sawyer. The next thing Ali knew, the Dullahan was off the horse, lashing his whip at Leigh. Dirt flew wherever the whip stung the ground. Dullahan moved swiftly as he lunged, cracking his whip. The rider’s steps resembled a dance. He was deft on his feet, attacking in a fluid movement.
With the rider distracted, Ali fumbled for the switch on her cuff, freeing herself from the shell. Sawyer grasped her by the armpits and helped her upright.
“Thanks,” Ali breathed, immediately turning to the fight.
Leigh cast gaoth, which tossed the Dullahan fifteen feet. Sawyer reentered the fight, hitting the Dullahan with solas. It stumbled and squared up against Sawyer as Ali threw more gaoth.
Malvina appeared, sprinting at the Dullahan. She jumped and kicked it in the chest. It stumbled, dropping its withered head.
The Clydesdale thundered past Ali. In a graceful movement, the Dullahan grabbed the Clydesdale’s mane and swung on top of the giant beast, clutching its head from the ground before it mounted.
Ali watched as it disappeared into the trees, the weight of the situation suddenly overwhelming her.
Nearby, Malvina fussed over Sawyer like a concerned mother while Ali doubled over, her world spinning.
“Are you okay?” Leigh asked.
She shook her head. The rider would have crushed her to death if Sawyer hadn’t been with her.
He hovered over her. “We need to regroup.”
Ali covered her head with her hands. She was helpless on her own.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Leigh’s shield disappear. His hands found her shoulders. “We’ll get through this.”
“I’ll get someone killed,” Ali said. It’d be Leigh or Sawyer trying to save her.
Leigh swallowed hard. “In the last few weeks you killed a sluagh, a dragon chased you through the woods, and another choked on a drone you piloted. We’re all scared, but you’re still fighting.”
She’d blundered her way through every situation. Ali righted herself, shaking her head. “I’m in the way.”
“Stay the course. You’re doing a damn good job.” His eyes found hers.
His body moved close to her, and she thought he might kiss her. Was this a moment? His serious gaze suggested it might be. She steeled herself, but Leigh took a step back looking sheepish.
Ali closed her eyes, realizing the moment passed. Their timing was terrible. Her teenage hormones had three weeks to make a move on Leigh and they chose right now. There were freaking monsters lurking in the shadows.
She forced her romantic notions away. Whatever was happening between her and Leigh could be sorted later. Instead, she looked at the bracelet on her wrist. It saved her life.
“I owe Aengus an apology,” Ali said.
“How’s that?” Leigh asked.
She snorted. The situation wasn’t comical, but humor seemed to be her outlet. She pointed to the bracelet. “I understand why the shield activates without the button.”
“Honestly, I’m not sure what that means–but fine.” Leigh faced the direction they came from, then sucked his breath at the sight of Sawyer. “You all right kid? Your lip is the size of a grapefruit.”
Ali cringed. “Sorry, I saw the wolf…”
Sawyer touched his face then dropped his hand. His lip shrunk back to the regular size faster than she’d seen anyone else heal. “I’m okay.”
The missing tooth impaired his speech but considering the lump he had seconds ago she didn’t point it out.
“Let’s go,” Malvina said, her voice harsh.
Ali eyed the trees, looking for the Dullahan. Nothing moved, but she scrutinized the patches of shadow. The sun may glow outside these woods, but under the canopy of leaves it was damp and dark. She trusted nothing, and that included the trees.
In the distance, Red yelled their names.
***
The Fae maneuvered to the end of the forest with no further complications. They settled along the edge of an empty portion of battlefield, while Aengus and Red debated their next move.
Her eyes took in the damage. Flames licked the sky like the devil’s forked-tongue as dark smoke raced to meet it. Bodies, both creature and Fae, littered the pock-marked earth. Grunts, cries, and clashing metal became audible in the distance, but this part of the field was as silent as the grave.
She wanted to retreat to the woods. The corpses unnerved her. But Aengus and Red were intent on remaining in this spot. When the bushes parted revealing Grace, Ali understood the delay. They’d been waiting.
The spear rested on Grace’s shoulder like a natural appendage. She was dirty, sweaty, and a spray of dark blood peppered the right side of her face. Looking every part a goddess charging into battle, her visage could’ve adorned the mantle of a great lord. Nash should be proud of his mother; Ali was in awe of her.
“Any luck?” Aengus asked her, sounding hopeful.
“I couldn’t find them.” Grace knelt beside Red and Aengus. “What’s the plan here?”
“We need to identify a point of ingress,” Aengus said. He pulled a small box out of a hip pocket and tossed it before him. The topographical map from earlier sprung to life. Ali saw the tiny colored dots appear once more, but they were far fewer.
“I believe this is a Son.” Aengus pointed to a dark spot on the map. “I’m uncertain where the other is.”
Their group huddled around the map, pointing at various landmarks and deciding on the next course of action. Unable to watch the colored dots winking out of existence, Ali moved closer to the trees and looked at the castle. It was in ruin. Flame marred the crumbling stone walls. Rubble lay at its base.
A silhouette rounded a corner of the castle wall, firing lightning bolts away from their group into a section of unseen battlefield. Faint cries of anguish suggested the lightening hit its target.
It’s Dain.
His white suit shone through the smoke as his dark beard came into focus.
“Aengus!” Ali hissed. She spun to face him, pointing behind her.
Aengus, Grace, and Red looked the direction she gestured.
“He’s unaccompanied,” Grace said. “This could be our opportunity to try a banishment.”
From behind them in the shadows of the woods, the sound of a whinnying horse froze Ali’s muscles. She turned to see the silhouette of a rider, escorted by more white dogs.
The Dullahan had followed them.
Aengus grabbed the nearest Fae solder by the arm. “Take your team and dispatch the Dullahan.”
“All of us, sir?” The Fae asked. “You’ll be undefended.”
“Malvina will stay with me,” Aengus barked. “Now go!”
Their Fae guards took off into the woods, fading into the shadows as they chased the Dullahan. The thundering hooves retreated deeper into the depths until they disappeared. With the disappearance of the Fae, Ali felt exposed. She exhaled slowly threw her nose, steadying her nerves.
“It’s now or never,” Grace said to Aengus.
Dain was still alone, his attention on the battle.
Red crouched on the balls of his feet ready to spring. “I’ll lure him toward us. When he leaves the wall, you follow.”
“Good,” Grace said. She stood and clutched the spear, looking ready to use it.
Aengus protested, but it was too late. Red already walked past the tree line into the murky field. His outline slid in and out of view through the heat and smoke, reminding Ali of a comic book superhero. Red pointed at Dain.
“Fight me you coward!”
Dain faced Red.
Ali’s heart jumped into her throat. They were in the fight now.
She squinted for a better look. It was difficult to tell at this distance, but Ali thought Dain was amused by the way his head slightly tilted to the si
de. His fingers twitched at his sides before he thrust his hands forward. At first, she didn’t understand his action, then she saw a bubble of electricity forming near Red’s feet. It grew to the proportion of a bowling ball. Red dove away as the bubble popped, resulting in a small explosion.
Ali stood to help, but Leigh caught her arm and shook his head. “Give him a minute.”
Red pushed himself upright, slapping his chest in challenge. “Quit cowering on your wall!”
Another bubble – this one larger than the last – formed behind Red. Again, Red dodged the explosion.
Ali scrambled past Leigh reaching for Aengus.
“Dain doesn’t speak English,” she hissed. “Taunting won’t work!”
Out on the field, the dirt near Red burst and sent him flying.
“Do something!” She pleaded.
His fists balled; his knuckles white as he stood. “Pray I say this correctly.”
Aengus strode toward Red, then let out the heartiest laugh Ali ever heard. It grabbed Dain’s attention, his wicked grin slipping.
Pointing at Dain he yelled, “Katapoléste mou skýla!”
Whatever Aengus said, it worked. Dain’s eyes grew darker, and he leaped off the wall landing in the grass. It was a good three stories, but he stood without injury looking predatory.
“What’d he say?” Ali asked Leigh.
“How’d I know?” Leigh said. “I don’t even recognize the language.”
Grace’s voice was low as she answered. “He called Dain a bitch in Greek.”
“Oh,” Ali said. It didn’t rank high on her insult list, but she experienced a decade where it was a girl term of endearment. Dain wouldn’t be up on pop culture.
Grace shrugged. “Provided it translated.”
“It was close enough,” Leigh said. He balanced on his toes, waiting like a cat on the hunt. “Sawyer, stick close.”
Malvina materialized at Sawyer’s side, hovering like a helicopter parent.
“Do you remember the words?” Grace asked them as Dain strode into the field.
Ali did. The words were etched into her skull from frequent practice.
Before them, Aengus and Red advanced, placing themselves on either side of Dain. A whip of lightening lashed out of Dain’s hands so quickly Ali didn’t see it coming. It knocked Red to the ground before Dain flung it in Aengus’s direction. Aengus had enough time to block the attack, then sent the whip back into Dain’s face.
