by Bonnie Lamer
“There is a flaw in your plan,” Whysper says from the terrace door.
All eyes swing to her so fast, I think we all get a little motion sick. “What is that?” Isla drawls.
“What will stop the Elves from simply travelling to another realm and using its gateways to come here?”
Silence. Dead silence. Shock has frozen us to our spots. Why didn’t at least one of us think of that? “So, I did this all for nothing,” I mutter to myself.
“No,” Kallen says firmly. “I cannot believe that.” He gives me a long, appraising look. “Are you truly feeling well enough to travel now?”
Numb, I nod my head a little. “Yes.”
Kallen turns his attention to Dagda. “Then you go now and bluff.”
Dagda considers his suggestion. “It is not ideal, but we have little choice.”
“What do you mean by bluff?” I ask, a bit slower on the uptake since my brain was recently scalded.
Kallen explains. “You go to the Elf Queen and inform her you have sealed the passageways to this realm. You then threaten to close all of their passageways.”
Which even I may not have enough magic to do. “I’m not very good at bluffing,” I admit.
“Then you must learn quickly,” Dagda informs me. With that kind of attitude, I should let him go alone.
But, I cannot. I need to go so I can open a passageway to get us there, seal it back up and open a new one when we want to leave. “Are you ready to go now?”
Dagda looks me up and down. I am covered in sand and in very casual clothes. “Perhaps something a bit more regal,” he suggests.
Suddenly, I am free of sand, my hair is snarl free and I am wearing a dark blue dress that hugs my curves. I smile up at Kallen. “Thanks.”
Pulling me in his arms, he says, “I expect you back in one piece.”
Wrapping my arms around his waist, I say, “I will do my absolute best.”
“Try not to kill anyone,” Kegan instructs. I glare at him.
Stepping away from Kallen, I prepare myself. I get an image of the new Elf Queen and the King Consort in my mind and imagine opening a passageway to wherever they are. Reaching out, I peel back the fabric of the realms.
Perhaps I should have imagined being right outside of where they are.
19 CHAPTER
The scream Adelaide lets out is loud enough to wake at least four generations of her dead ancestors. Maybe five. She has some mighty fine lungs. I can’t blame her for screaming, though. Having a hole torn between the realms directly into her bedroom where she is currently having sex with the King Consort is as good a reason as any to scream. I just wish she would stop.
Dagda is trying hard not to be fazed by the situation. The tightness around his eyes is the only giveaway that he is upset. Regardless, he motions with his arm for me to lead the way. Reluctantly, I step into the Elf realm with Dagda on my heels. Before I can convince myself to run right back out, I seal the passageway.
“Pardon the intrusion,” Dagda drawls.
The Elf Queen is still shouting but now it is for guards. We don’t need guards joining us in this already awkward situation. Dagda beats me to it, though. I feel his magic travel across the room and press against the door. The guards will have a difficult time getting past that. I doubt they can at all. “What is the meaning of this?” the King Consort demands. He has covered the Queen and himself now with a sheet. Thank goodness.
“We will explain once we can be heard,” Dagda practically shouts over the Queen.
The King Consort turns to her and wraps an arm around her. I half expect him to put a hand over her mouth. He seems controlling that way. Instead, he makes cooing sounds like he would to a scared child. “Shh, it is alright,” he repeats over and over until the Queen is finally quiet. The only sound in the room now is that of the guards trying to break the door down.
“We have come with a counter offer,” Dagda begins.
The King Consort sits up straighter. “Unless you are planning to return the child, our declaration of war stands.” Swinging his legs off the bed, he searches for his pants. I avert my eyes. I have already seen more than enough of the King Consort.
“It will be difficult to wage war when you can’t leave your realm,” I say, impressed I am able to keep my voice even.
The King Consort narrows his eyes. “Surely, you do not expect me to believe you have sealed all of the passageways in our realm.”
Nope, can’t say I did. But, here goes with the bluffing. “Right now, it is only the passageways to the Fae realm. If you attempt to travel to our realm via another realm, I will seal all of the passageways in this realm. The only person who will be able to come and go freely is me.”
The Queen has moved from fear to anger to her current condition of shock. “Impossible,” she murmurs.
“My daughter is incapable of lying,” Dagda informs her. Obviously, he’s not incapable of lying. He does it really well, too.
A malicious little grin forms on the King Consort’s face. “The Queen and I may not be able to travel to your realm, but the warriors we have in place are more than adequate to defeat your army.”
“Hmm,” I tap a finger against my chin. “Do you by any chance mean the Elf warriors we have confined in a magical cell?”
“You certainly have gall,” the King Consort scoffs. “Even you do not have such power, Witch Fairy.”
I glance at Dagda and he gives me a slight nod. This wasn’t part of the plan but it will go a long way toward them believing our bluff. I turn and tear a hole between realms again. This time, it’s more like a window than a passageway. Through the window, we can all clearly see the angry Elf warriors who are still trying to free themselves. I close the hole back up and turn around with a smug smile in place. “You were saying?”
Remembering she is the Queen, Adelaide asks, “What terms have you come to discuss?”
“We want Addylyn,” I blurt out before Dagda can say anything. Man, he is really good at keeping a straight face while seething underneath.
“You swear you do not have her child, yet you demand her presence? It does not make sense,” the King Consort simpers. We are busted. I probably should have let Dagda speak first. On the other hand, the Elves know exactly where Lielle is.
“First and foremost,” Dagda grinds out. “We demand peace. We will return your warriors unharmed if you give up your search for the child.”
The Queen shakes her head. “No. The child must die lest she tear our realm asunder.” Her tone makes her sound like a televangelist from back home. Who else says asunder?
“Even if we agreed to your demands, it would be impossible to give you Addylyn. She has been placed in deep stasis and removing her from it is likely to kill her,” the King Consort informs us.
Scowling, I say, “Then you have already basically killed her if she has been reduced to a breathing vegetable.”
The King Consort is scowling now. “What on earth do vegetables have to do with this conversation?”
I am about to explain it is a Cowan thing when Dagda interrupts. “I have heard of other Elves being removed from stasis when their conviction is overturned. Why is the same not possible for Addylyn?”
It is apparent from his expression the King Consort was bluffing just as we are. Adelaide tries a different approach. Addressing Dagda, she says, “You have no right to our prisoner, Fairy. She has been tried fairly for her crimes and has received the suitable punishment for such crimes. Not only this, but she is my sister. Both as Queen and kin, I have sole rights to her body.”
She speaks of Addylyn as if she is already dead. I glance around the bedroom and its rich furnishings. The bed is canopied with the finest of silk in various shades of green and the floor is covered with soft rugs to match. There is beautiful art work on the walls and a chaise lounge in the corner. This room was definitely built for a Queen. “You moved into your sister’s room and are screwing her husband in her bed. I would say your claim of kinship is se
riously lacking,” I blurt out to Dagda’s horror. I really meant to keep that thought in my head.
A snicker comes from the vicinity of my ankle. “There may be hope for you yet,” Taz chortles.
Adelaide is about to retort when Dagda rushes to say, “I believe we are getting off topic.” He gives me a surreptitious dirty look. It wasn’t that sneaky. I’m certain everyone saw it. “This is our offer. We will give you twenty-four hours to hand over Addylyn’s body and draft a treaty between our realms stipulating you will not continue with your plans for war and you will leave mother and child in peace.”
The King Consort crosses his arms over his chest. “So, you finally admit you have the child.”
Dagda’s smile is downright frightening. “Wanting you to stop searching for an innocent child is not the same as admitting she is in our realm.” Returning to the topic at hand, he adds, “Once this is in place, we will return your warriors unscathed.”
“If we do not agree, you will close all the passageways in our realm?” the Queen clarifies.
I nod. “Yes.”
“We will leave you to consider our offer,” Dagda says.
That’s my cue to open a passageway. I turn and tear the fabric of the realms yet again. I am not surprised to see everyone still outside and waiting for us. I motion for Dagda to go first. When we are both through, I send the King Consort and the Queen a devious smile and I seal the realms again.
20 CHAPTER
The first to speak is Kegan, of course. “I bet that was not awkward at all,” he snickers. He stops snickering when Dagda throws him his best death glare. I really need to start working my face muscles if I am ever going to be as good at that as he is.
“The counteroffer has been made. They have twenty-four hours to comply,” Dagda says tightly. I bet he wishes he had taken Kallen with him instead of me.
“Do you believe they will capitulate?” Isla asks.
Dagda shoots me a quick glance before replying. “I believe the threat is very real in their minds.” Was that a compliment? I doubt it. He is way too grumpy to compliment me.
Kallen walks to me holding Lielle. She opens her arms for me to take her. Fitting her on my hip, I murmur to Kallen, “I may have been a little too outspoken for his liking.”
My gorgeous husband chuckles and kisses my cheek. “My love, you are always too outspoken for his liking.”
After elbowing him good naturedly in the ribs, I ask, “What do you know about Elf stasis? Is it similar to what the Witches do when they take a criminal’s mind away?”
Kallen shrugs. “I am afraid I know very little on the subject.”
Feigning shock, I hold a hand over my heart. “You do not know something? I am so disillusioned.”
Narrowing his eyes, he informs me, “As soon as you are not holding the child, you will be going for a swim. Clothes and all.”
I laugh but I’m pretty sure he’s serious. I had better not put Lielle down anytime soon. Maybe he’ll forget after a while. Catching up with Dagda, I say, “So, my dear father, what do we do now?”
He stops in his tracks and stares at me in wonder. It takes me a moment to figure out why. I called him father. I wonder if that’s enough points in the ‘not mad at me’ column in his mind to cancel out the points in the ‘mad at me’ column. Getting ahold of himself and his emotions, he doesn’t make a big deal out of it. “Now, we wait and see what the Elves decide to do.”
“They will fight. That is always their way,” Whysper announces to us all. As a self-confessed Elf hater, we probably shouldn’t consider her opinion as fact.
“She is correct,” one of the Elf warriors calls out. It appears they have accepted their lot now. None of them are hitting or kicking at the magic caging them. “We always choose to fight.” Okay, Whysper was right this time.
“Then prepare to meet your end,” Kallen growls.
“I am not afraid of you, Fairy,” the warrior scoffs.
I debate whether or not I should teach the warrior a lesson about talking to my husband like that. A resounding no echoes through my head. Kallen would be so pissed if I defended him. Besides, I needn’t bother. The warrior is already laid out on the sand from a magical blow. It is Kallen’s magic, of course.
“We should continue our discussions inside,” Isla encourages.
We follow her inside and I’m amazed at how much more confident I feel walking around with Lielle. I am now eighty percent certain I won’t drop her. Good thing Kallen is walking next to us in case I fall into the twenty percent category. In the kitchen, I sit her in her highchair and take the stool next to her. Kallen creates a couple toys for her to play with while we talk.
Dagda fills everyone in on what happened in the Elf realm. He doesn’t mention how we found the King Consort and Queen but everyone got a pretty good look at them when I opened the passageway. The image has been seared into my brain and I don’t believe I’m the only one.
While Dagda speaks, I watch Whysper. She seems absolutely fine. No one would guess that just an hour ago she was unconscious and could not be wakened. I wonder if Tabitha found something to heal. Though, I suspect she would have mentioned it. No, she must have made a miraculous recovery. Was she simply faking it? She is listening intently to the conversation and every once in a while, her eyes swing in Lielle’s direction. Which makes me want to stand between the two of them. There is something not right about her.
“Xandra, have you heard a word I said?” Dagda drawls.
“Um, maybe the first few,” I admit sheepishly.
“I was saying,” he grinds out, “that we should speak to the warriors one at a time to discover where their loyalty lies.”
I finish his thought for him. “And you want me to be the lie detector when you speak to them.”
“If you are not too busy daydreaming, yes.”
“Whoa, daddy just threw down the gauntlet,” Taz informs me.
I open my mouth to say something I am certain would drive a wedge between my biological father and me again, but Dagda holds up his hands with his palms out to stop me. “I apologize. My comment was both rude and unfair.” Wow. I’m impressed.
“He couldn’t back it up,” Taz says, shaking his little head. I ignore him as I regularly do.
“They are drones. They do not care who their Queen is. They will follow anyone who sits upon the throne,” Whysper butts in.
I give her a doubtful look. “We already know that is not the case,” I inform her. The warriors from earlier are proof of that. She opens her mouth to argue, but closes it again. She realizes we are not interested in her opinions.
“Do you want to begin straightaway?” Kallen asks.
“There are many warriors to get through. The sooner the better,” Dagda says.
Kallen stays with Lielle and I follow my father outside to begin the process. One warrior at a time is released from the magical cage. All of them start out a little squirrelly when we first begin our interrogation, but it doesn’t take long for some of them to confess they have no real loyalty to the new Queen. A couple of them try to lie but I am able to call them out on it. Whysper was partially correct; there are a good number of them who will blindly follow whoever happens to be in power. I don’t know much about war and soldiers, but it’s my guess this is not unusual. Some people are born to be soldiers and dedicate their lives to the defense of their country, or realm, no matter what. That can be very important in war.
After what feels like a million and one hours later, we have separated the warriors into two groups. About seventy percent of them are against war with the Fae. The other thirty percent are ready to follow wh atever orders they receive. Those are the ones who go back into the magical cage. In a show of good faith, the rest of them are able to hang out in the ball room where tables have been set up with food and drinks. I really hope they remember this if it does come down to war. I have no doubt that disagree with it or not, all the warriors will fight against us in defense of their realm. War sucks
. I’m certain people have been saying that since the very first one eons ago.
21 CHAPTER
When Dagda finally lets me and my lie detecting brain go, I search for Kallen and Lielle. I find them upstairs in our room with Alita. She is having fun playing with the baby while Kallen tries not to fall asleep in the rocking chair. I join him, laying my head on his shoulder. “That was tedious and painful,” I moan.
Kallen wraps an arm around me. “You have an amazing gift. Those usually come at a price,” he teases.
“Lielle has really taken to Alita,” I note. The child barely even registered my entrance. She is too busy trying to find Alita’s face behind her hands. “How long have they been at it?” I ask.
Kallen shrugs. “Probably an hour, maybe more.”
“Alita, you are going to be a far better mother than me someday.”
Alita blushes. “I am certain you will be a wonderful mother.”
I snort. “As long you are around to play hours and hours of peekaboo.”
Changing the subject, she asks, “Is Kegan still needed downstairs?”
Nodding, I say, “Dagda has him keeping an eye on the warriors in the ballroom. He’s also still holding the cage with Isla.”
Giving Lielle a kiss on the top of her head, Alita climbs off the bed where they have been playing. “I will see if there is anything I can do to help.”
“Thank you for entertaining her so well,” Kallen says to her as walks toward the door.
She smiles at him over her shoulder. “Any time.” She leaves the room in search of Kegan.
“Do the warriors have any idea what Adelaide’s next move will be?” Kallen asks as he stands and moves to the bed. He sits down and offers a toy to Lielle.
“Pretty much all of them believe she will find a way to wage war,” I say glumly. “Kallen, I don’t think I can back up my threat. I don’t think I can close all of their gateways. There are simply too many.” A couple of the warriors who were particularly upset when Addylyn was overthrown were nice enough to draw a map of their realm and all of the gateways they knew about. There are hundreds going to various realms.
