by Linda Jordan
They kept swimming and after a time, Dylan decided his magic had become boring. Tame. Unsurprising and uninventive. Meredith had such an amazing imagination. He could learn a lot from her.
It seemed to take forever to get through the estuary and past all the ships. He could still feel Corb and Domnu behind them.
The Fomorians wouldn’t have let them go without a huge battle, would they?
Or was this all part of a plan?
They’d just passed out of the estuary and through the city. Was it Limerick? Dylan thought so. It had been so long since he’d been here. The channel narrowed, filled with water grass, other fish and stringy little eels.
He snatched one up and ate it, relishing the fishy flavor. The water here tasted and smelled cleaner.
There was no sign of Lynette. She was lake born though and the youngest. She would still know the way back.
Hours later, they were still swimming when the sun set. The water grew so shallow in spots, it was easier to walk.
The evening air cooled their skins even farther. They saw an occasional human out walking, but the night was quiet.
Until the ground shook.
Meredith looked at him and said, “Earthquake. Tsunami.”
He looked around. Panicked.
They ran for the highest hill they could reach.
Which wasn’t very high.
A few seconds later another quake.
Then the sea water roared in around them.
Domnu had come to land. They kept on running, following the hill inland.
Dylan yelled, “Human!”
“What?”
“Switch to human! Now!”
“I can’t, not that fast.”
“Do it!” he yelled.
As he ran, he hastily constructed a human body. Male, long and lean. A runner. Athletic. It wouldn’t be perfect, wouldn’t last long, but he hoped it would be enough.
His breathing became ragged.
Meredith followed him, working on the change.
Finally, they both had to stop. But they kept concentrating on creating the human bodies. They were exposed. Domnu lay beneath, waves raging at the foot of the hill.
He felt sure the other Fomorians were nearby. He couldn’t smell them, rather Dylan sensed them, perceived their fury. If his senses weren’t so masked by the inadequate body he was making, he could probably hear them.
When they’d caught their breath, and finished their human bodies, Dylan and Meredith ran again. Naked. Far into the night. Passing through fields of cows and cow manure. Their bare feet padding along asphalt roads and dirt paths. Farther and farther into the wilds.
Searching for the entrance to Faerie.
Chapter 24 ~ Egan
Egan stood in the boarding section of Aer Lingus in Boston, chewing cinnamon gum. Skye paced around the waiting area. Adaire, Glenna and Pearce stood in a corner, leaving the uncomfortable plastic seats to other passengers. The flight would be packed. The waiting area felt cold and drafty. He knew the plane would be no better. He wore a warm sweater underneath the leather jacket and corduroy pants. Very uncool looking, but warm.
A woman standing next to him was wearing too much perfume. It was very floral, but he also smelled sandalwood. Egan tried to suppress a sneeze and moved away from her.
He smiled. It had taken a week of searching, but they finally had five packets of ID’s in hand. Fake passports, driver’s licenses and credit cards. They’d also bought ferry tickets to England so as not to be denied entrance to Ireland by customs. Humans and their silly rules. They seemed to think the world could actually be separated by borders.
But he supposed the same could be said of Faerie, who’d closed her own boundaries millennia ago.
Egan sighed.
They were finally on their way back to Faerie.
What they would find there was a mystery.
Probably that nothing had changed. In a couple thousand years.
The plane boarded and the five of them were sitting close, he and Skye together. Glenna and Pearce directly behind them. Adaire was across the aisle from him. He got on after the others. As he went to sit down, he noticed Adaire’s pale face.
“Are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine. I just don’t like flying.”
He nodded and sat down, stuffing his backpack beneath the seat in front of him. He’d given Skye the window seat. As if he could keep her away from it. Her eager face was glued to the window.
Egan stood and got a blanket from the compartment above him. He spread it over him and turned the fans above his seat towards Skye.
She turned and smiled at him, then returned her gaze to the window.
“I do believe you’d fly all the way there if it was safe.”
“Of course I would,” she said.
Egan settled in and waited until the plane took off. He chose not to watch the movie. Some boring cop thing. He got a coffee from the cart that came by. And a small bottle of whiskey that he poured into the coffee. He drank it, which made him all warm and cozy.
He slept through the rest of the flight, waking only when the plane touched down in Galway.
It didn’t take them long to move through the airport. They’d only brought their backpacks and would get rid of them soon. Soon they would be in their Fae bodies with no need for human clothes.
Just outside the terminal, Adaire pointed at the newspaper stands. The headlines were all about an offshore earthquake and tsunami. And major flooding on the west coast, especially near Limerick. There were missing fishing boats. And entire towns flooded, people dead.
Pearce bought a paper and they read it. There didn’t seem to be any logical reason why the flooding had gone so far inland in that area. The port was declared a disaster area and the Shannon was inundated with strange sea creatures washed up by the tsunami.
He grieved for the loss of life. Humans were so fragile, they lived such short lives anyway, that each one dead was such a loss. The Fomorians must have been responsible. How could they have gotten here so quickly?
They’d decided to stay in human forms and not use magic unless they had to. The earthquake and tsunami seemed like the Fomorians’ work. Were they trying to attack Faerie?
Or had they been following the others, Dylan, Meredith and Lynette? He wondered how far they’d gotten. Were they still out at sea or had they made it to Faerie?
Whatever the answer, they decided the Fomorians were a bigger threat than humans, so they’d better play it safe. It seemed apparent that the Fomorians tracked them easily when they were in their Fae bodies. Why, they didn’t know.
Perhaps it was their glow. All Fae glowed. The glow was greatly diminished by wrapping themselves in human bodies.
And to dampen that glow in their Fae form took a lot of energy. They needed to save that energy because they might greatly need their magic later.
For all they knew Faerie might be surrounded by Fomorians.
They left the airport and made their way down the road, passing through the town of Shannon. Past the whitewashed, stone and brick storefronts of the older part of town. They blended in, looking like tourists. As soon as they could, the five of them headed off to the northeast, away from the city. Away from the roads.
Following the old paths, the grassy fields soon turned to brush and even a few trees. They followed hedgerows where ever possible, trying to remain unseen without using their magic.
Egan was enjoying the heat of the sunlight warming his skin, even if he had to stay in a human body.
They kept walking until long after dark, passing through wildish areas when they could. Smelling the sweetness of elder flowers and crabapple blossoms. The trees outside of Faerie had changed since Egan had been here last. There were more evergreens here. Planted in straight rows as if they were being farmed.
They moved through long grassy, weedy fields and scrubby woodlands of birch and willow, which followed a stream he had no name for. They finally stopped to sleep in an old
abandoned barn. Their human bodies needed rest.
Another day should take them to Faerie and all they had were questions.
Chapter 25 ~ Balor
Balor stood on the wrecked deck of a ship. All that was left was the metal flooring beneath the decking and an upright post with the sail on it. It made a nice raft, just large enough for his feet to stand on and his arms to grab onto.
He was drenched with seawater, not a comfortable situation for a god of drought to be in. But necessary. He’d suffered worse.
Inundated by the smell of fish and water, he longed for heat. The hot sun and the smells of baking soil and crispy dried out plants. All he could taste was salt.
Conand, of the North wind, had blown him eastward across the Atlantic. Dela, of the South wind, summoned up a hurricane to aid in the speed. Domnu pushed her waves, making his raft move faster. He’d been on this boat for nearly a day, but he wasn’t tired. He was a god. Gods didn’t tire easily.
He’d waited so very long for this.
Land was finally in sight. Cethlenn waited for him. As did Corb and Elatha, he knew. He hoped they’d gathered a few others.
By now Faerie would know they were coming.
He smiled beneath the gray clouded sky as his raft hit the rocks and he leapt off. His bare feet scrambled on the stony beach, crushing limpets beneath them, his toes grabbing the slippery kelp.
He looked at the dozen or so of his people standing on the shore.
This was going to be very satisfying.
War.
They were finally going back to war to take back their land.
Chapter 26 ~ Fiachna
Fiachna found a fifth desecrated grave. The large boulders tossed aside, as if by giants rolling balls. The Luminary’s bleached bones tossed aside like trash.
He sank onto one of the hard stones. The smell of unwashed bodies and shit still lingered in the air.
He had spent millennia walking the borders. Making sure Faerie was protected. And he was weary.
Fiachna took out his leather water skin and sipped fresh, clean water, splashing a bit of the coldness on his face.
It was time to end this. He needed to rejoin the world of the living. To rejoin the life of Faerie. He’d grieved long enough.
He’d punished himself for far too long.
And this needed to be addressed. He had to see for himself. Make sure the Luminary understood. That the boundaries around Faerie were continually being unraveled. By their enemies.
No one had responded to his previous messages. No one had sent more boundary keepers.
Fiachna smelled the same deep earthy smell that had been at the other tombs. It was as if the earth herself had opened up and broken apart the stones forming the barrow.
White night moths hiding in the shadows fluttered away as he used his magic to move the boulders, rebuilding the barrow. Then he collected the scattered bones, laying them on the stone slab inside. Once, woven cloth had lain beneath the bones, it had long rotted away. He collected soft green moss, making a layer of that upon which he placed the bones.
As he worked tears slid down his wrinkled face. He’d known this Luminary. A strong, yet compassionate man whose tomb didn’t deserve this desecration.
Fiachna picked some of the blue trumpet flowers and the yellow marsh marigolds and laid them amongst the bones.
“I am sorry, my Luminary. Your current successor is not worthy to be on your throne. Trouble is coming and I fear he will not be up to facing it. He has grown soft with the many years of peace. I must go warn him.”
His decision made, Fiachna sealed up the tomb and threaded the boundaries around the boulders, making them strong. He pushed his energy through the fringes of Faerie, trying to close the edges as far down the line as possible. He could feel there were more breaks, farther down. But he needed to go back inside. To make sure his messages had been heard.
A raven croaked at him, perched in a nearby tree.
Fiachna shook his head, “Not today my friend. I have no need of you. I must go myself. You may go look for whatever interests you.”
The raven flew off towards the nearby road.
His mouth felt dry as if filled with sand.
It wouldn’t be good if humans stumbled in through the open boundaries. Humans and Faerie had never mixed well.
But it couldn’t be helped.
Fiachna slipped through the boundary like a pebble falls into a stream. He made small ripples in the energy field and moved into the lushness that was Faerie.
Except that the edges weren’t lush anymore. It was as if the magic had leaked out where it was unravelled.
He walked for an hour or two before he came to the Faerie he’d once known.
Fiachna had to remove his cloak as he walked towards the center. It was much warmer inside the boundaries.
Inside Faerie was vast, much larger than the outside. It would take him a day or two to get there.
Bees hummed amongst the everblooming flowers: nasturtiums and bee balm, oregano and lemon balm. The insects, heavy with pollen, lifted off and flew towards their hives, brimming over with honey.
Fields of wine grape vines dripped with heavy, ripe fruit. Planted nearby, luscious strawberries were ready to pick. He could smell the sweet berries’ perfume just walking by.
Faerie was a feast for the senses and he’d starved himself for far too long. Punished himself because she chose another over him. And he couldn’t stand to see them together.
He didn’t know if they were even still alive. Or if it mattered. His love for her had faded with the millennia of tending the boundaries.
Down the road walked three warriors. Warriors had always existed in Faerie. Younger Fae who needed an outlet for their energy. And who trained relentlessly in case of war. Mostly they were stone and fire Fae.
Their bronze armor glistened in the warm sunlight. Their swords were sheathed and they were passing a wine skin between them.
He tried to pass by them, not meeting their eyes.
“Boundary Keeper, why are you here? Why are you not outside?” asked a tall, earth spirit.
“I’ve sent messages. I need help. I need to warn the Luminary.”
“Warn him about what?” asked the cocky young fire spirit.
“The boundaries are being broken. The barrows opened.”
“It’s those pesky humans. Treasure hunters,” said a short, dark stone Fae.
Fiachna shook his head. “No. Not human. Much older. One of our ancient enemies.”
“Who?” asked the rock spirit.
“The Fomorians.”
“That’s not possible, they’re all dead,” said the fire Fae. “You worry too much old one.”
Fiachna shook his head. “You underestimate them. One can’t kill a god. They are alive. Immortal. And waiting for the right moment to strike.”
“That can’t be,” said the tall earth spirit.
“Why don’t you go outside and walk the boundaries? Talk to the stones of the ruined barrows? They’ll tell you what is happening. Or are you afraid to leave the safety of Faerie?”
“I’m not afraid. You just go give the Luminary your message. We’ll go guard the boundaries,” said the stone spirit.
“Good. I’ve repaired this one. There are more broken places. You’ll see.”
Fiachna kept walking. He didn’t believe they’d actually go outside. But he hoped they would.
Faerie had been isolated from the world for far too long.
Chapter 27 ~ Adaire
Adaire walked through the knee high grass and heather, basking in the sun. It was still early spring and a little cool out. Having lived in Seattle so long she’d gotten into the habit of sucking up the sunlight whenever it appeared, just like the resident humans there.
She’d missed the warmth and heat so much.
The heather flowers were filled with noisy, happy bees and she was careful not too disturb them. A slight breeze blew across the hillside, carrying the faint sm
ell of blooming crabapple trees. She sipped on her water bottle, trying to keep her human body happy. Who knew how long she’d need to stay in this shell? They’d been searching for Faerie now for two days.
It was close. But they couldn’t find the exact point to pass through. And they didn’t want to abandon their human bodies until the last second before they entered.
The whole area reeked of Fomorians.
She recognized their smell by now. Whether they were ocean, wind, fog or something else, they carried a peculiar, elemental smell. There was almost a metallic tang to their scent.
The boundaries of Faerie were tricky. If you were human and unaware of the boundary, you just walked through it, not noticing, and never entered Faerie. It existed within the spaces of the human world.
It was very difficult to find the entrance in a human body. Human senses were so dull, no matter how one enhanced them with magical powers.
To enter Faerie one must be fully in their senses and consciously seeking the edges, even for the Fae. Humans could only enter by invitation. Fomorians never.
At least she hoped that was true.
“I give up,” said Egan, sitting down on a boulder at the edge of a great pile of them.
Skye had long ago given up. She stood looking longingly up at the sky, watching the clouds float past.
Adaire walked up to the spot where Egan had given up. She closed her eyes and held her hands out in front of her.
She could hear the bees buzzing, feel the sun on her back. Feel the dizziness of activity in the world.
Then after a few minutes, she picked up a hint of the radiance of Faerie. It was close. She shuffled forward a couple of steps, her eyes still closed. There. There it was. They’d walked through the place several times already, not recognizing it.
She shed her human body, letting it drop into the heather, which sucked the form up as if it had never been. Interesting. She hadn’t caught that this variety was a Faerie plant.
All that was left behind were the clothes and her daypack.
