Faery Realms: Ten Magical Titles: Multi-Author Bundle of Novels & Novellas

by Rachel Morgan

  “I know.” Suddenly, all the things she planned to say abandoned her. She could feel him inside the house. He must have been aware of her too, but still she could not move.

  The front door opened. Munro stood in the doorway. His eyes never left her. He did not even appear to notice Beniss or the fact that Eilidh’s appearance had changed. He strode toward her and put his arms around her, pulling her into a fierce hug. He buried his face in her shoulder. Finally, after a long moment, he looked into her eyes. He started to speak, then instead, kissed her full on the mouth, with none of the indecision or hesitation he’d shown before. “Don’t ever leave me again, Eilidh.”

  “You don’t mean that,” Eilidh said, turning her face away. “I have learned much since we last saw each other. These feelings you have for me are part of a bonding magic that we inadvertently triggered when we first met.”

  Munro put his finger on Eilidh’s chin and tilted it upward to force her to meet his eyes. “I may not know a lot of things, but I know my own mind…and my own heart.”

  “Quinton, I have many things I need to tell you, but we don’t have a lot of time.” She squeezed his arm, and he released her.

  He lowered his voice. “I know. We found two more bodies, probably his first victims, and I have reason to think he’s killing druids. Although one of the first victims was likely fae.”

  Beniss and Eilidh exchanged a surprised look. The fae victim must have been an outcast, otherwise Saor would know of it. Eilidh nodded grimly. “We believe he is trying to perform what is known as the Krostach Ritual. It requires the hearts of four true druids.”

  Munro appeared to notice Beniss for the first time. “I assume you’re not any more human than she is.” He smiled and ran a finger over Eilidh’s invisible twisted ear, causing her to shiver and blush.

  “And you have doubts, child, that he wants to complete the life bond of a true druid servant?” Beniss asked with a smile.

  “Servant?” For the first time since they’d arrived, uncertainty passed over Munro’s face.

  “If you consent to complete the bond with Eilidh, her strength will be increased many times over. She will gain access to magic that even one of her deep talents would have difficulty mastering on her own. Your connection with the Ways of Earth will be open to her, and she can use the powers to challenge the one who preys on your people. In exchange, you will receive the long life that fae enjoy and be forever bonded to the one you so obviously love.”

  Munro began to speak, but Eilidh held up a hand and stopped him from replying to Beniss. “There is more you should know. The bond is deep and cannot be severed. We will be in each other’s minds and in each other’s hearts as long as we both live. Should you change your mind…”

  “I won’t.” His words were sure, but his voice held some hesitation.

  “Quinton, you must…”

  Munro held up a hand to stop her. He studied her eyes intently, then glanced to the sky. It was overcast, and Munro took some time and considered the clouds, breathing in the evening air. Finally, he spoke. “Do it. Whatever you have to.”

  This time it was Beniss who asked. “And the cost?”

  “I’m not seeing a downside.” Munro put a hand on either side of Eilidh’s face. “The last two days as I felt you coming home, I’ve thought of little else than being with you. Do you love me? Could you love me?”

  “These are not things the fae speak of.” Eilidh felt her face reddening. She did not yet have the mastery of illusion to know if she kept it hidden.

  “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not fae. If you bond with me, you’ll have to get used to the fact that I’m not what you expect. I know things will take time, and I know we’re different. But if you’re asking me if it’s too much to bear, being stuck with you for a very long time, the answer is no. It’s not too much. Do what you have to do.”

  Eilidh glanced at Beniss, who nodded. The elder fae said, “Perhaps we could go inside?”

  Munro led them into his house, and they sat awkwardly on the soft furniture. “I found this at the latest crime scene,” Munro said, digging a small, carved stone out of his pocket. He handed it to Eilidh. It was beautiful work, more intricate than the rough shape she’d seen Munro make. “I made this the day you and Saor left,” he said and gave her a small metal bear. In it, she could feel his essence, which had become as familiar as his face.

  She showed both pieces to Beniss, who said, “The dead man was surely a druid. His heart was taken?”

  “Yes. According to the coroner, he died before the other two. That means the blood faerie has taken three hearts, but one was destroyed. It looks like he tried to take the faerie’s heart as well, but it was also found mangled at the scene. So whatever he tried didn’t work there either.”

  Beniss grew pale. “An abomination,” she said.

  “While you were gone, I met a few other druids. I took your advice, Eilidh, and tracked down a cousin who seems to have a similar talent, although he’s gifted with water, not stone. The druids talked about a mentor named Cridhe, but I don’t know if he is a druid or fae.”

  Beniss tilted her head to one side. “It seems likely they are speaking of the blood faerie himself, although I do not know this name.”

  “Can any faerie detect a druid? My cousin seemed to know I was like him the moment I walked into his house.”

  “I do not think so. From what lore we still possess after our exile, it seems most azuri fae can only detect a druid with whom a bond would be successful. Not every druid is suited to every faerie. The magic is complex.”

  “Yes,” Eilidh said. “The first time I saw Quinton, I knew there was something different about him.” She remembered that night, how she watched Munro from the shadows and how he seemed to be able to sense her in the dark.

  “I had not anticipated there would be more druids the blood faerie was keeping alive.” Beniss seemed troubled. “How he has managed to collect so many is beyond me. True druids are so rare. He must be old and worked long and hard in his search, or possibly found a strong lineage.”

  “What do you mean?” Munro asked.

  “It could be your blood connection to your cousin enabled him to sense your talents. As you will learn when you further your training with Eilidh, our heart and blood is the conduit for our magical flows.”

  “On the other hand,” Eilidh remarked. “You and your people do not travel very much. Perhaps druids are not so rare as you thought.”

  “That was not always so. Only within the last thousand years has the kingdom conclave persecuted those who cast the azure. Although most of us are gone, Galen, Oron, and I are all from a time before. We remember when things were much different in the kingdom. Even before the persecution started, we sought out true druids, but few found one.” Beniss looked pointedly at Munro. “And that was after a thousand years of searching. I cannot imagine how the blood faerie found so many. At least we know that until he completes the Krostach Ritual, he can only bond with one of them. The fae-druid bond can only happen one time in the lifespan of each. If we can determine which one is his creature, we target that one, and his death will weaken our foe.”

  Munro’s eyes narrowed. “No. We’re not killing anyone we don’t have to.” He looked from Beniss to Eilidh, his eyes determined.

  “If he has bonded with a druid, it has increased his powers immensely. When the druid dies, the blood faerie’s additional power will die with him. Besides, even if the druid survived, he would be useless to us, since he would not be able to bond with another.” Beniss shrugged.

  “I will have no part in killing an innocent man, and if you try, I will stop you. Cridhe is a ruthless murderer, and I have reconciled myself to the fact that I can’t exactly arrest him. But as far as we know, the druids haven’t committed any crimes or even been aware that Cridhe is responsible for the murders. Nobody, not even you, is going to go around killing innocent people. Make no mistake about that.”

  His passion stirred someth
ing within Eilidh. Although she saw the practicality of Beniss’ words, she had seen too much killing of innocents. “Quinton is right. The only death we seek is that of Cridhe, the blood faerie.”

  Beniss relented with a brief nod of assent toward Munro.

  “I forgot to mention, my cousin Frankie, the druid, asked me to come by tonight. I think he’s starting to piece together what is going on, assuming he didn’t already know. He might be willing to lead us to Cridhe. He hasn’t admitted he knew all three victims, but it’s unlikely he didn’t. He and the others have to be getting worried.”

  Eilidh fingered the stone Munro had found at the crime scene. “Beniss, do you think this stone means the human victim was of stone talents?” She couldn’t help but hope Munro would not be a target for the Krostach Ritual.

  Beniss shook her head. “No, child.” She reached over and touched the blackened grooves. “This was crafted with fire. A remarkable piece.” She nodded at Eilidh. “I know your fears, and I share them. But even if this were a stone druid’s work, we cannot be certain the dead man made it. Any of them could have dropped it.”

  Munro turned to Beniss. “How much sway will Cridhe have over the druids?”

  “If you’re asking about compulsion, that’s unlikely with one of blood talents.” She nodded toward Eilidh. “That’s more along the line of our gifts. It’s complicated and dangerous to both the one who casts it and the object of the incantation. I’m not as familiar as Oron with the rituals of the blood, but I do know casting the azure does not work the same way as invoking the Ways of Earth.

  “The four earth talents are compatible. One faerie may have some abilities in two or three of the seasons. With the Path of the Azure, not only are we restricted to one path, but talents in the Path tend to run in families. So every faerie in my lineage that has access to the Path only has gifts in astral magic. Blood sticks with blood, as they used to say. I could not cast blood shadows any more than I could breathe underwater.” Beniss paused to think for a moment. “Although he probably has no control over their thoughts or access to their minds, he may have other ways of tracking them. The body, the blood, the bone, he will be able to manipulate these things with ease. If you share familial blood with one of his minions, you should be wary.”

  Munro glanced at his watch. “I have to go. Frankie’s expecting me. I’ll find out what he knows, and we’ll decide what to do from there.”

  “The ritual must be completed,” Beniss said.

  Eilidh shook her head. “We are not ready. We will discuss it further when Munro comes home tonight.” She appreciated his certainty about their bonding, but she couldn’t yet share it.

  Munro gave her a searching look, but he didn’t press.

  “I don’t like the delay, but a few hours won’t hurt. We should come with you,” Beniss said.

  “There’s no way he’d talk around strangers. It’s taken long enough for him to trust me, and I’m family. He’s my cousin. I’ll be fine. I don’t know how deep he’s in with Cridhe, but we’re blood. Besides, he needs my help.”

  Eilidh started to argue, but Beniss placed her hand on Eilidh’s arm and shook her head. “Let him go. We have things to discuss and plans to make.”

  Munro stood and took Eilidh’s hand, helping her to her feet. As she slipped the carved stone into his palm, he kissed her lightly on the cheek. “I won’t be long. Make yourself at home. I’ll give you a ring if I have any trouble.”

  He left before Eilidh could ask him what that meant. There was so much she didn’t understand about humans. Eilidh turned to ask Beniss what she planned to do next, but Beniss didn’t give her the chance. “We’d better go. He’ll probably drive, and we don’t want to lose him.”

  “We’re going to follow?” Eilidh asked.

  “Don’t be stupid. Of course we are.”

  ∞

  When Munro got to his car, he tapped on his mobile’s touch-screen to call Frankie and tell him he was on his way. Instead of wanting to meet at his house, Frankie asked him to come to a farmhouse out by Abernethy. It wasn’t too far, but it seemed an unusual request and Munro felt wary. Frankie explained that the place was owned by one of the other druids and he had persuaded them to meet with Munro.

  Now that he knew others would be there, part of Munro wished he’d let Eilidh and Beniss come. It was too late to go back and ask, and he just wasn’t sure how the druids would react to meeting faeries. Assuming they didn’t know what Cridhe was. Although Eilidh and Beniss looked human, he could tell they weren’t. He assumed the others would be able to sense the difference too.

  The meeting was too important to risk spooking them. The best case scenario, in his mind, was to learn something of Cridhe’s location, and what, if anything, Frankie and the others knew about him. If he could convince the others to turn against their mentor, that could make his job a lot easier. Munro didn’t like the idea that, if he succeeded, the police would never know the truth. But if the killings stopped, that had to be enough for him.

  By the time Munro exited the highway at Bridge of Earn and turned toward Abernethy, the long summer dusk had dissolved into darkness. He parked his car where Frankie had told him to and grabbed a torch. Flicking it on, he headed down a dirt track on foot. Soon he arrived at a cluster of abandoned outbuildings. It seemed like an odd meeting place, but on the other hand, he couldn’t picture where in town a bunch of druids would get together to practice magic. This seemed as good a place as any.

  Frankie stepped out of a feed barn. “There you are. Come on then. The others are waiting.”

  When Munro went into the barn, he saw Frankie was not alone. The man stood with an elegant disdain Munro had come to associate with the fae. But that wasn’t the only reason Munro immediately knew his race. His ears were sharply pitched at the top, although not twisted like Eilidh’s. His skin had a strange, blue-grey pallor Munro associated with the dead. He hadn’t seen many dead bodies, but the ones he had were firmly stuck in his mind.

  Munro froze. He knew exactly who this was. He felt a tingle of dread.

  Frankie seemed visibly shaken and more than a little apologetic. “The others will be here soon. Meanwhile, our mentor wanted to meet you. This is Cridhe.”

  Frankie had set him up, and they both knew it. But had he been compelled, or did he do it willingly?

  The blood faerie looked Munro up and down. “I can smell her on you.”

  Munro felt a small relief that they weren’t going to pretend. He shrugged. Frankie, on the other hand, seemed puzzled. Obviously, Cridhe had not told his underlings about Eilidh. Interesting.

  “I’m disappointed you didn’t bring her with you. But never fear, I suspect she’ll come for you soon enough. While we’re waiting, I’d like to show you something.” Cridhe turned to Frankie. “Wait for us.”

  Frankie gave a small awkward bow to Cridhe and left them alone.

  Finally, Munro found his voice. “What makes you think Eilidh will follow me here?”

  “The bond, of course. I had to figure out the bond on my own. Dudlach hid the truth from me for a time. If I had known, I never would have let him kill Jon. But now I understand, you see. Perhaps it is better this way.” Cridhe went on, oblivious to Munro’s confusion. “So I know that once she feels your pain, she’ll come running. I do regret, however, that I have to kill you. I want you to understand that. The others, well, they were necessary and expendable. But your death will pain my future queen, and that is most regrettable. If only you were not gifted in stone.” Cridhe shrugged, lifting his shoulders with perfect grace. He looked like an undead fashion model.

  Munro glanced toward the door, an unwelcome knot of fear tightening in his stomach.

  “Don’t do that. It would be most tedious to have to chase you. I ordinarily don’t mind a hunt, but I have much to do tonight. Here, I have something to show you.” Cridhe gestured to an inner door. “After you.”

  When Munro was near Eilidh, and even Beniss, he felt a fine tugging that he
supposed was a response to their magical nature. With Cridhe, the sensation was more like a claw grasping something within him. He didn’t know if it was because of the difference between blood magic and astral magic, or if Cridhe had become twisted and warped through his murderous actions. The closer he got to Cridhe, the more Munro’s stomach clenched. This answered one of his questions about Frankie and the other true druids. There was no way they could be around Cridhe and not realise something was very wrong with him.

  It pained Munro to think it, but his cousin had sought the power Cridhe could give him and had ignored the obvious dangers. It didn’t justify the death of Robert Dewar and the others, of course. But if they accepted his teaching, they had to have understood there would be a cost. They must have known Cridhe was responsible for the murders, but did they play a part?

  Seeing no other option, Munro preceded Cridhe through the wooden door. They walked into a small room with no furniture or décoration. The only object was a wooden crate filled with straw.

  “Please. Look inside.”

  Munro found the blood faerie’s politeness peculiar. He intended to kill Munro, likely in the same gruesome way he had the others. And yet, he still took time to say things like please. Not that Munro planned to let Cridhe kill him. He hadn’t yet tested the blood faerie’s power, but the moment for rebellion hadn’t come. He had to admit, he was curious about what Cridhe wanted to show him. A small part of him hoped Cridhe was right and Eilidh would show up before long.

  What Cridhe didn’t seem to know was that he and Eilidh had not yet bonded. Munro understood why Eilidh had been reluctant to bond herself with a human, but now he wished they had done it before he left. Munro had a feeling they would need the extra power before this thing was done. Now he feared it was too late. Munro didn’t correct Cridhe’s misapprehension, even though he wasn’t sure what keeping that little titbit to himself would accomplish. On the other hand, he didn’t see any point in telling Cridhe anything he didn’t have to.