When I had finished he nodded his head and said, ‘So as the blood touched the stone, the figure appeared?’
I felt a surge of power pulling me to the left. ‘Watch out,’ I shrieked, diving at Aethan. I hit him hard in the middle and carried him to the ground. A long spear sliced through the air where he had been standing and thudded into the trunk of a tree. We stared at the quivering shank for a second before leaping back to our feet. I pulled my sword from its sheath.
‘Orcs,’ Wilfred hissed.
But it wasn’t orcs that surrounded us. A score of mudmen crouched in the trees. Their grotesque smiles showed rows of needle-sharp teeth. Although they were smaller than goblins, about half the size, they made up for that with sheer ferocity. Their green skin and squishy faces had birthed a series of jokes about mudmen and frogs, but I didn’t feel like laughing as they surrounded us. Their eyes glowed maniacally as they raised their spears and shook them at us.
‘Are we hunting?’ I said out of the corner of my mouth. If we tried to take them all on, there was a very good chance one of us would get hurt.
‘Don’t like our chances,’ Wilfred murmured.
One of the mudmen stepped forward and pointed his spear at us. ‘We serve the War Faery,’ he croaked. ‘Hail the War Faery.’ He thrust his spear towards the sky and the others followed suit.
‘Let’s go,’ Aethan said.
I reached back and laid a hand on his arm and the mudmen disappeared from view. A quick glance at where we had entered Trillania, then I was opening my eyes to a view of the sleep room ceiling. Scruffy hopped up from his position at my feet and proceeded to lick my face.
‘That was weird,’ Wilfred said as he unclipped the armband. ‘I wonder why they didn’t attack.’
‘They tried to skewer me,’ Aethan said. ‘I’m guessing they didn’t attack any further because they’d lost the element of surprise.’
I wasn’t so sure, but I didn’t voice my opinion. It didn’t hold much weight with Aethan at the moment. I mean the man hadn’t even thanked me for saving his life.
Rako entered the room as I was climbing off the bed.
‘It all checks out,’ Aethan said. ‘The stone, the blood, it’s all there.’
As if there had ever been any doubt.
‘And we encountered a band of mudmen.’ Wilfred moved to stand next to Aethan. ‘They pretty much told us Santanas was back.’
’You need to go talk to your father,’ Rako said to Aethan. ‘And Orion. They need to know.’
Aethan nodded his head and moved towards the door. ‘Not alone,’ Rako said. ‘You three stay together from now on. Consider yourselves a unit.’
I felt a thrum of pleasure at the thought of staying near Aethan. That faded when he gestured towards me and said, ‘She’ll just slow us down.’
‘You are a high profile target. All pure faeries of royal blood will have guards with them at all times.’
I shuddered as I realised what Rako meant.
Galanta needed a body. A faery body.
Aethan pulled a face. ‘Well give me a proper guard. Wilfred and Brent.’
The twisty knife was back. Damn him and his amnesia. I was going to enjoy killing Galanta when I caught up with her again.
‘I saved your life once already tonight and I’ll do it again if need be.’ I met his gaze and held it.
He stared deep into my eyes and for one brief second I thought I saw a flicker of recognition. ‘Fine,’ he said, pushing past me, ‘but if you can’t keep up, I’m leaving you behind.’
I spluttered as I followed him. Can’t keep up? I’d show him a thing or two about keeping up.
Wilfred grinned and rubbed his hands together. ‘Excellent.’
***
‘Get what you need,’ Aethan said when we reached the landing that led to the second years’ accommodation. ‘We’ll meet you downstairs.’
I raced to my room, changing into my uniform and strapping on my weapons in record time. Then I bolted down the stairs two at a time, meeting Aethan and Wilfred at the entrance to the car park. My car was nowhere to be seen so I made a mental note to contact Grams. I was going to need to get it back at some stage.
‘Finally,’ Aethan said, gesturing towards Wilfred’s red sports car.
I rolled my eyes at Will and climbed into the back. Scruffy jumped in beside me and stretched out onto the rest of the bench seat.
‘We have to be back in time to take our turn tonight,’ Aethan said, as if to explain his impatience.
I had a feeling his bad mood was more to do with the hole in his memory than my tardiness. He had never liked being in the dark about anything and having me there as a walking-talking reminder that Galanta had played with his mind would make him clench his teeth in frustration.
Well, he was just going to have to get used to it because I wasn’t going anywhere, especially not if he were in danger.
Wilfred made record time through the country lanes back to Eynsford. He pulled up at the entry to the castle ruins and met my eyes in the rear view mirror. ‘You want to help Aethan with the veil?’
I’d only ever done it once but I didn’t want Aethan thinking I was more of a hindrance than he already did. ‘Sure.’
I wiggled out through the passenger side door and went to stand next to Aethan. The last time we had been here, doing this, he had almost kissed me.
Great.
The last thing I needed was to get distracted by the thought of his hard body pressing into mine. I shook my head and pushed the memory to the back of my mind.
Then I closed my eyes till I could feel the weight of the veil settle over me. I could feel a weakness in it where Aethan was preparing the opening. I reached for that weakness with my mind and my hands, then I grasped the edge and pulled.
The veil gathered in my hands like the fabric of a heavy curtain as I moved it to the side. I opened my eyes and stared through the hole Aethan and I had rent in the fabric of the veil. We held it like that as Wilfred drove the car through, and then we moved through to the other side and let go of the edges. They flowed back together, overlaying the view of the village with that of a forest of tall oaks.
I clambered into the back of the car for the short drive to the castle, stifling a yawn as I stared out the windows at the garden faeries that flitted through the branches.
‘Perhaps you should stay in the car and catch up on some sleep,’ Aethan said.
‘I don’t think so.’ Even though my blood boiled I managed to smile sweetly at him. ‘Goodness knows what trouble you might get into without me there to watch over you.’
Wilfred chuckled as Aethan shook his head and climbed out of the car. I crawled out and trotted to catch up. When he got his memory back I was going to make him pay for every single time he doubted me. And the currency for that payment was going to be in kisses.
I followed them into the castle, up a flight of stairs and down a long hall. Aethan knocked on an ornately carved door.
‘Enter.’ I recognised King Arwyn’s voice.
As we entered, he looked up from a piece of paper he had been reading. His face broke into a huge grin and he rose to clasp Aethan’s arm. Another faery with his back to us studied a piece of parchment. Piles of paperwork sat on the table between them.
I was happy to see that Queen Eloise was absent. If she had found out that I was there against Aethan’s wishes, I doubted even Rako would have been able to stop her from exiling me.
King Arwyn beckoned Wilfred and me toward the table. ‘Orion, say hello to your cousin, Isadora.’
The other faery started as if only just realising we were there. ‘I’m so sorry,’ he said, standing and turning to face us, ‘I was reading a report on this year’s crops.’ He reached out and swept my hand up in his. ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you Isadora. I’ve heard a lot about you.’
‘All of it positive I’m sure,’ I said, staring at him. It was like looking at a blonde version of Aethan: same height; same broad stature; and s
ame dreamy, midnight-blue eyes. Even his hair had the rumpled, just-got-out-of-bed look. The main difference, apart from the colour of his hair, was that where Aethan always had a delicious amount of stubble on his cheeks, Orion’s face was shaved smooth.
‘Father,’ Aethan said, ‘we bring grave news.’ We took seats at the table while Aethan filled them in. He managed to do a remarkable job considering he couldn’t mention Trillania.
‘And you’re absolutely certain of this?’ King Arwyn directed the question to me.
‘Absolutely certain.’ I nodded my head.
King Arwyn pushed back from the table. ‘This is grave news.’ His eyes were sad. ‘Nothing good will come from this day.’
Orion drummed his fingers on the table. ‘But what to do about it? What does Rako recommend?’
‘That we kill her before she finishes the resurrection. Other than that we need to start uniting the lands,’ Aethan said.
Orion nodded his head. ‘We need the night faeries.’
‘We will need them all, son.’
‘Yes, we will. We’re not going to win over the goblins or the orcs, but the night faeries have always been fence sitters. With the right enticement we could win them to our cause. At last count their population rivalled our own. Their allegiance could make or break us.’
King Arwyn was silent while he contemplated Orion’s words. Finally he nodded his head. ‘You are right, as usual. If we get to them first, we might sway them to our side. What sort of enticement were you thinking?’
‘A marriage.’
It took a few seconds for me to understand what he meant.
Aethan got there before I did. ‘Orion, no. You don’t need to sacrifice yourself. Tell him father.’
Rather than agree though, King Arwyn stared at the ceiling. Those sad eyes were back. He sighed and shifted his gaze to Orion’s. ‘It might work,’ he said.
‘You can’t,’ Aethan said.
Orion chuckled lightly. ‘You were always the romantic.’ He reached over and touched Aethan’s arm lightly. ‘I always knew it would come to this.’
Aethan shook his head, ‘It doesn’t have to. You could marry someone you love.’
‘Perhaps I will,’ Orion said. ‘If I am lucky, love will blossom from the union.’
‘But a night faery.’ Abhorrence dripped through Aethan’s words.
‘It will be what it will be.’ King Arwyn pushed his chair back from the table. ‘Will you go son? On behalf of your brother?’
‘You want me to choose his bride?’
‘I doubt there will be much choice in it,’ Orion said. ‘But yes, you must present the offer. As next-in-line to the throne, it is only proper.’
Aethan looked between his father and his brother. His eyes held the anguish he felt for his brother. I resisted the urge to reach out a hand to comfort him. He would not appreciate it.
‘Fine,’ he said. ‘I will do this thing for you.’
‘You will need to take an entourage.’ Orion reached for a piece of paper to start making a list. I got the feeling he was very good at list making.
‘No.’ Aethan shook his head. ‘We will traverse goblin country. We need to travel light and fast. That’s no place for an entourage. The fewer people we have with us, the less chance our path will be detected.’
I waited till we were back in Wilfred’s car, speeding towards the barracks before I voiced my main concern. ‘Do you think this is very wise?’
‘Of course not. Night faeries are treacherous creatures.’
‘Not that. Do you think going through goblin country is wise? What with Galanta after a body and everything.’
‘It’s the most direct route. To avoid it would add weeks onto our trip for no real gain. Besides, the other options are just as dangerous.’
Our trip? Well at least he wasn’t trying to exclude me any more.
I made a non-committal grunt in my throat and settled back into the seat. We’d see what Rako had to say about it.
2
We’re Off To See The Wizard
‘It just might work.’ Rako scratched his chin while he contemplated Aethan’s plan.
So much for the voice of reason.
‘With the night faeries as firm allies, the goblins would be less likely to raid the country between their lands and ours. We could crush them between us if they did.’
‘And the whole Galanta-wanting-a-faery-body thing?’ I raised my eyebrows and pointed at Aethan.
‘You don’t think you’re up to guarding me?’ A faint smile matched the mocking tone in Aethan’s voice.
‘Oh, I can guard you.’ I put my hands on my hips and stared him in the eye. ‘It’s stopping you from doing something stupid that may be the problem.’
He met me stare-for-stare and I felt the old chemistry zing between us.
‘I’ll make you a deal,’ his voice was a low murmur. ‘I’ll only do stupid stuff if you do.’
‘There will be no stupid stuff.’ Rako’s voice caused me to jump.
For a second I’d forgotten he and Wilfred were there. I felt a blush creep up my cheeks.
Aethan smirked and turned to Rako. ‘No stupid stuff,’ he reiterated.
Rako shook his head as he looked at Wilfred. ‘I’d ask you to keep them out of trouble but that’s like asking a bear to stay away from the honeypot.’
Wilfred fixed an expression of wide-eyed innocence on his face and spread his hands. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
Rako took a seat behind his table and turned back to Aethan. ‘So who are you going to take with you to Emstillia?’
Emstillia. I’d seen the name on a huge map hanging in the second years’ recreation room. It was a long way from Isilvitania.
‘I want to be able to travel fast, but I need enough people so that we can fight our way out of any chance goblin encounters.’
‘You’ll want to go the long way round, skirt along the edge of Galanta’s lands.’
Aethan nodded. ‘If we’re lucky we can make it there and back without her realising we’ve even been.’
‘So no more than ten.’
‘I was thinking six.’
Rako let out a low whistle. ‘And if you run into a band of them?’
‘Ride really, really fast.’ Aethan grinned. ‘Let’s face it, if we run into a band of them, six or ten’s not going to make much difference.’
Rako nodded his head. ‘Take Brent and Luke.’
‘And I was thinking Wolfgang.’
‘You don’t want another sword?’
‘It would be good to have some magic on our side.’
I wanted to tell him that I could handle the magic side of it, but the problem was, I couldn’t. Even with my faery and witch sides aligned I still had no idea how to control my powers. But on the bright side, if I were going to spend time with Wolfgang he might be able to help me.
‘You leaving tomorrow?’
‘First thing. I want to make it to the edge of the goblin lands before we stop.’
Wilfred rubbed his hands together. ‘Road trip. Awesome.’
Rako stood and walked towards the door. ‘Pack light, don’t forget your dream-catchers, and you two,’ he pointed at Aethan and me, ‘no visits to Trillania while you’re away.’
Not go after Galanta? Was he kidding?
I put what I hoped was a meek expression on my face and kept my eyes downcast. If I didn’t vocalise a response then I wouldn’t be breaking any promises.
I left the conference room and headed back to the second years’ dormitory to start packing for the ‘road trip’.
‘You’re back.’
I stopped in the process of folding my camouflage pants and turned to Jared. ‘Not for long.’ I gestured towards the saddlebags I had found in the back corner of my wardrobe. Where we were going, cars wouldn’t cut it. Apart from the notorious terrain, there were no fuel supplies in any of the magical lands.
Jared’s feline familiar Tinka extended her nose to
Scruffy. She stretched out her tongue, licked him on the nose, and proceeded to groom him.
‘Always the mother.’ Jared shook his head and opened his own wardrobe. He dug around and pulled out saddlebags identical to mine. ‘Where are you off to?’
‘Night faeries. You?’
‘Peace mission to the gnomes.’ He was silent for a moment while he checked the pockets on the bag. ‘So, is it true?’ He looked up at me through his shaggy, brown fringe. ‘Is he really back?’
I sighed and sat down on the edge of my bed. ‘Yep.’
‘And you saw it?’
‘Saw the whole thing. It was….’ How best to describe the horror of what I had witnessed? ‘Disturbing.’
‘Man, that’s the pits.’ His face scrunched up and for a second I thought he was going to cry.
Tinka finished grooming Scruffy and jumped up onto Jared’s bed. She circled a few times, pawing at the blankets before settling into a ball pressed up against Jared’s thigh. He reached a hand down and rubbed behind her ears.
‘You okay?’
He dashed the back of his arm across his eyes (whizbang, he had been about to cry) and said, ‘My sister was one of the ‘Taken’.’
My breath escaped my body in a loud whoosh. Taken. One of the children sacrificed by Santanas.
‘That’s why I got into this gig.’ He waved a hand at his Border Guard uniform. ‘When they brought her body home, I swore I would avenge her.’
‘We will stop this.’ I reached a hand towards him. ‘And you will have your revenge.’
A wry grin came over his face. ‘You, me and the rest of the army.’
‘Indeed.’ I returned his smile.
We were silent while he packed the rest of his stuff. ‘Gotta go. They’ll be waiting.’
‘Good luck,’ I said.
‘I’m about to meet a group of gnomes. How much luck do I need?’
‘Don’t make any bargains with them and you won’t need any.’ Gnomes were notorious deal makers. No matter how well you thought you’d managed to broker, you always ended up with the short end of the stick.
‘Try to stay out of trouble.’ He patted Scruffy on the head, picked up his saddlebags and waved goodbye over his shoulder.
Faery Forged Page 2
