by Amy Sumida
“What am I missing?” Banning asked. “Amber is a gemstone, right?”
“Not really.” I shook my head. “Amber is petrified sap, not a mineral.”
“Oh, right!” Banning exclaimed. “I saw that in Jurassic Park.”
“Yeah, that stuff.” I chuckled, and then my face fell. “The same stuff that's being poisoned. At least pre-petrification.”
Reyne blinked, then looked from me to the temple. “Primeval preserve us,” he whispered like a prayer.
“I think the time has come for us to preserve Primeval,” Torin said as he stepped past us.
His gaze was on the Griffins; they stood along the edge of the forest staring toward the temple; a nearly complete circle, broken only by the bay.
“I think it's time to pull an Indiana Jones,” I declared.
“And invade the Temple of Doom,” Banning finished.
“Yeah, sure,” Cerberus huffed as he joined us. “But if someone tries to tear my heart out of my chest, I'm bringing the doom to them; you feel me?”
“Buddy, I think you found your next tagline,” Banning said as he smacked Cer's shoulder fondly.
Cerberus smiled widely and announced, “I'm bringing the doom!”
Chapter Fourteen
“There are no walls?” I stood at the edge of the clearing with the rest of our group.
“There's no need for them,” Reyne said. “I told you; they cast wards to keep us out.”
“I don't sense anything,” Gage muttered and then looked at the other Griffins. “Anyone?”
They all shook their heads.
“Because we have lowered our wards,” a woman's voice came from behind us.
We all spun to face the leanan-sidhe who had snuck up on us. Snuck up on Griffins, Witches, Shining One kings, and me. That's impressive.
“Greetings, Ceanag,” I said.
The representative of Spiritual Strength bowed to me. She was a prime example of her kind; willowy-thin—even more so than the sidhe—with pale skin, and eyes the color of fresh blood. Her elegant hands were folded before her calmly, and her stare was equally relaxed, though a bit creepy.
“Welcome to the Amber Temple, Queen of Kyanite,” Ceanag said. “We had hoped that you would pursue your criminal and keep to your own business while you crossed our land, but we see that you were coerced to do otherwise.” She sent a hard look at Reyne.
“You've left us no choice!” Reyne snapped. “You withdraw to the temple and no longer answer our calls. And the poisoned trees lie around this temple. You look guilty of grave evil, Spirit Strength.”
“Looks are often liars,” Ceanag said calmly. “Since you have left us no choice, I have come to welcome you to the temple and show you that we are innocent of the crimes you accuse us of.”
I lifted my brows in surprise, casting a look around our group. Even Reyne looked startled.
“Will you accept the invitation?” She snapped when no one spoke. “It is not often extended.”
“Of course,” I said immediately. “My apologies; you just surprised us.”
“Humph.” Ceanag grimaced and strode through our group. “This way.”
We followed Ceanag across the meadow and up to the Amber Temple. The closer we got, the stronger the pulse of energy coming from it became, until I could practically see the air vibrating. I gaped at the walls of pristine amber—no insects caught in this petrified sap. They were clear but so thick that whatever lay beyond them became blurred into waves of color. Ceanag led us around to the front of the temple, and the clean scent of the sea called to me.
I stopped, torn between the beach and the beauty of the temple. The Sgàthan held a powerful allure for me; a magical ocean free of human pollution. After Declan and I had swum in it, it had become even more special to me. Standing near its opposite shore was almost too much of a temptation. But then there was the Amber Temple.
I turned away from the sea to stare up at the soaring walls. Now that we were closer, I could see the liquid quality to the design. This amber hadn't been pieced together to form the temple but had flowed up from the earth to form the swirling designs of undulating walls and unicorn spires as a liquid before it had hardened. And within that solid sap thrummed the power of Primeval. This wasn't just a temple; it was a direct connection to the heart of the forest.
Golden, double doors were set at ground level with just a couple, rounded steps leading down from them like undulating waves. Ceanag went to the doors and pushed them open. They glided back effortlessly, and we followed her into a glowing hallway. Every piece of the temple was formed of amber, and the sunlight outside filtered through it to create the most glorious light; a warm, honey halo.
Guards were stationed throughout the temple; redcaps, dryads, and leanan-sidhe. They stared straight ahead as we passed them; barely batting an eye at our parade. We walked by enormous rooms paneled in wood, and one in mirrors; all devoid of people. Ceanag took us down every passage on the first floor; stopping occasionally to throw open doors and show us every room. She even took us into the soldier quarters, where off-duty fairies jumped up in surprise at her appearance, and then stood at attention. Frankly, I hadn't expected the Trinity to have such highly trained soldiers.
Ceanag took us down a curving, golden staircase, and into tunnels of amber. Storage rooms full of food, herbs, and assorted supplies ranged out from a central hallway like air bubbles blown out from the main tube. Ceanag remained silent as she showed us each room. Then she took us back upstairs to a grand staircase. She escorted us through every room on every floor, and the only other people we came across were Lesser Fey guards. Finally, we reached the central tower. Ceanag led us up a winding staircase and into a circular room wrapped in windows. Primeval and Sgàthan spread out below us, and, in the distance, the Jewel Kingdoms. It was breathtaking.
But I couldn't concentrate on the view. We were led directly to a circular table in the center of the room, where the other Strengths awaited us. Caorall, the Physical Strength, was a redcap, but he dressed like a royal sidhe. The only article of clothing he had in common with his brethren was the bleeding cap on his head. He glowered at us with his bulky arms crossed over his chest. Red and black splotches mottled his skin like a disease. The black patterns were considered to be the height of beauty among his people; so I'm sure someone thought he was attractive. It just wasn't me.
Beside Caorall sat Eimhir; the dryad representative of Mental Strength. She was surprisingly curvy; with full breasts and hips. Her bark/skin was pale brown and smooth, and her hair was a fall of autumn leaves that went well with her golden-brown eyes. She smiled gently at us and waved her hand toward the empty seats at the table.
“I apologize for the shortage of chairs,” Eimhir said. “We don't usually have so many visitors.”
“No problem,” I murmured as I took a seat.
My consorts, Cerberus, Reyne, and Rentar, sat with us. The rest of our group took up positions behind us.
“You have concerns,” Eimhir said as Ceanag sat.
Caorall made a derisive snort.
“Caorall,” Eimhir chided, “we spoke about this.”
“This isn't their business,” Caorall growled.
“I have made it their business,” Reyne said bravely.
“Just so,” Eimhir agreed as she laid a restraining hand on Caorall. “We can offer the savior of our realm a little hospitality and respect. Surely, Queen Elaria deserves that after what she's done for this world.”
The redcap simmered down, and I lifted a brow. So; we knew who was in charge of the Trinity. It wasn't Ceanag, who was sent out to bring us in. Nor was it Caorall, who had just been put in his place. This threesome was run by the dryad. I wasn't surprised that Mental Strength dominated.
“Your people are going missing, and your trees are dying,” I said. “Doesn't this concern you?”
“Of course it concerns us,” Ceanag snarled.
My gaze slid over to her and narrowed.
“We have been invest
igating,” Eimhir added sweetly. “There have been some recent events that have provided some clarity. This information makes your involvement necessary.”
“What do you mean?” Torin leaned forward to ask. “What information?”
“We believe that the woman you seek is behind the disappearances and the poisoning of Primeval,” Eimhir announced dramatically.
“Eileen?” Torin asked. “She's been too busy plaguing us these past months to have orchestrated anything in Primeval. And why would she?”
“I do not claim to know the motivations of a person consumed by such depths of evil,” Eimhir said stiffly. “But I assure you, King Torin, Eileen of Copper is guilty. We have found remnants of her presence predating the poisoned trees and the first reports of missing fairies.”
“What kind of remnants?” Gage asked.
“Energy signatures that we can now identify as hers,” Eimhir said. “Also, there have been footprints found in her size, and testimony from the trees. But the most damning evidence comes from the Amber. It communicates with us; telling us what we need to know about our land.”
“And it says that Eileen is guilty?” I asked.
“Not in so many words, but yes,” Eimhir said evasively.
“In what words then?” I pushed. “What did Amber say to you exactly?”
“You have no reason to distrust us,” Ceanag snapped. “We allowed you into Primeval, and now I have shown you every room in the Amber Temple. How dare you question our honesty!”
“Queen Elaria is being thorough,” Eimhir said sweetly to Ceanag before answering me. “The Amber said that Copper had brought her evil to Primeval. Is that clear enough for you?”
“No, not really.” I scowled. I personally knew how tricky it could be to interpret messages from magical presences. Speaking of which... “Give me one second to confirm with Kyanite.”
I turned my attention inward and called to Kyanite. When I felt his presence in my mind, I silently asked him if what Eimhir said was true.
She has reported accurately, Kyanite said. Amber does not indicate any falsehood. But it is unlike other stones—both solid and fluid at once—and it communicates differently with me. I get only images from it. Eimhir's words may be true, but I cannot be certain if her message is. She may be misleading you. I advise caution.
Well, that was unsettling. I silently asked Kyanite if Eileen was responsible for the poisoned trees.
I do not know. There is not enough of me here to probe my memories. All I know for certain is that the poison is spreading, and something must be done to stop it.
“You say that you've been investigating,” I lifted my head to speak to Eimhir again. “What were the recent events that led you to suspect Eileen?”
“Ah; now there's a good question.” Eimhir nodded approvingly. “Amber showed us images of Eileen with a group of fairies. They had captive barghest children and Blooders.”
Banning sat forward with a growl.
“I see that you already suspected Eileen,” Eimhir noted. “Shall we not work together to find this traitor queen and the missing people? Then you can gather your information and make your own conclusions.”
“Either way, we want Eileen,” Torin said.
“So, there's no reason to split our efforts,” Eimhir said reasonably. “Let us unify and battle this villain together.”
The others agreed, but I continued to stare at Eimhir. This felt odd to me—off. No one throw open s their doors and takes you on a tour through their temple after you've traipsed across a forest to accuse them of kidnapping and tree-murder. And Eimhir was way too sweet. I trusted the leanan-sidhe and redcap more for their honest antagonism than I did the dryad's charm. But when the others looked at me for my opinion, I nodded and went along. There was nothing else for me to do. Either way, we had to go where the Trinity led us... for now.
Chapter Fifteen
We were offered rooms for the extent of our investigation and were invited to join the Trinity for dinner. Since we had to wait for the rest of our party to catch up with us and we had no other leads, we decided to take them up on their hospitality. The investigation would continue in the morning, but for the moment, we'd be taking a break.
“Thank the stones,” Torin said after we'd been shown to our massive suite. “I couldn't take much more of that amber.”
The color did get a little overpowering, and then there was the thrum of energy running through the place. It was like the crackle of electricity you can hear when you get too close to a light bulb, except it was felt instead of heard. But our suite was paneled in wood with carpets laid across the floor. Only the ceiling showed the underlying amber, and the barriers helped to tone down the vibrations. We stood in a central, socializing area with bedrooms branching off it. Our entire group was being lodged in this one set of suites, and that was fine with me. I liked having us all together; it would be easier to fight or flee if we had to.
“I'm in full agreement,” Declan said as he rubbed his temples. “I can still feel it, but at least it's dampened.”
“And at least we can't see so much of it,” Cerberus added. “It's a nice color and all, but after awhile I started to feel like a fly trapped in honey.”
“So, all of you can feel the power in the amber?” I asked them.
“It's significant,” Odin said. “It must come from the forest directly.”
“Can the Trinity use this power?” I asked Reyne.
“No more than any of us can.” Reyne shrugged.
“What's that supposed to mean?” Gage asked.
“Any fairy can connect with our world,” Reyne explained with a wave toward the Shining Ones. “It gives of itself freely. You just need to know how to access that gift.”
The Shining Ones nodded in agreement.
“But can any of the Trinity connect through this amber?” I said as I laid my hand on the wood paneling to illustrate my point.
A zap of energy shot through the wood and into my palm. I jerked back with a hiss.
“What the fuck?” I growled at the wall.
“What happened?” Banning came over to inspect my hand.
“The fucking wall zapped me like a bug,” I grumbled.
It's merely saying hello, Kyanite said in my mind. The pain was an accident.
“Hello?” I huffed. “That's a hell of a greeting.”
“What?” Banning scowled at me.
“I'm talking to Kyanite,” I explained.
“What is your stone saying?” Torin asked.
“That Amber was saying hello.” I glared at the wall. “Hi, Amber, reel back the energy, please.”
We all gasped as the thrumming power around us lessened and faded.
“Holy shit,” I whispered.
See? It likes you.
“I guess so,” I muttered.
I strode through the room, heading out to the balcony. An amazing view of the sea spread out before me, but I ignored it. I was too intent on finding an unpaneled wall; one where I could touch the amber. The group followed me to the archway that led onto the balcony, then stopped to watch as I laid my palm onto the amber directly.
I inhaled sharply as images bombarded my mind. The castle walls flew by as I fell through the floors, dropping down further and further until I was tunneling through the earth itself. I saw the golden columns of amber turn into liquid sap, and I flowed along a river of it. The river surged away from the temple, deeper and deeper into the ground until it emptied into a massive lake of sap.
The heart.
I dove into the sticky heart of Primeval; the blood of the forest which held the magic of Tír na nÓg. Not the gem magic, but the power of the planet itself. Soil and sap; like blood and bone. This was the life of the world. There, I floated; my mind merging with the consciousness of the forest. A feeling of endless peace washed over me, and time stretched forward and backward from where I floated. Eternity was a river, and I was caught in one of its pools. The magic of Tír na nÓg streamed in
all directions, and I had the feeling that if I could just understand it, I could see the future.
Then something bit me. I flinched and flailed, turning to see what was attacking me. An inky ribbon hovered before me, its sharp tip angled up, ready to strike again. I tried to move away, but my body wouldn't respond. I wasn't really there; this was a vision given to me by Amber, and my body was just a projection of my soul. So, I went where Amber took me; which happened to be up. I rose; following the trail of darkness upward, through the earth and back to the surface.
The river I swam within split; two, four, eight, sixteen; it multiplied over and over and went in all directions—arteries racing out from the heart. The black lines split with them, and I saw the darkness flow up into the roots of the massive trees. Up I went with it; into a tree. There, the blackness thickened—tearing apart the living wood—and became that awful sludge. I oozed out of the bark with it; an acidic venom dripping back into the earth.
