The Oaken Throne

by Sara C. Roethle

  Glancing both ways to ensure she was alone, she climbed the stairs to the second level of the fortress, then took another set up to the third. While some of the remaining Aos Sí warriors, including Eywen, did not mind inhabiting chambers on the chilly third floor, Kai was the only human.

  At least, Finn hoped he was still human.

  Her steps echoed across the stone floor as she hurried to the end of one long hall, then turned and rushed down another, all the way to the southern back corner of the fortress.

  She wrapped her arms around herself, wishing she’d donned a dry cloak over her thin blouse and wool breeches to ward away the cold.

  Pausing outside of Kai’s room, she took a deep breath, then lifted her hand to knock on the heavy wood and iron door.

  “Come in,” a voice muttered before her knuckles could touch the wood.

  She shivered, this time not from the cold. Kai would not invite just anyone in. He knew it was her standing outside his door, and he knew she was alone. There was no way a human should have known those things.

  She pushed the door open with a loud creak, then stepped inside, shutting it behind her.

  The fire in the hearth had nearly died, leaving only glowing embers to emit warmth into the room. Kai was nothing but a pile of dark blankets on his straw mat. If it weren’t for the room’s small window, she wouldn’t have had enough light to see.

  “You don’t need to keep visiting me like this,” he mumbled from beneath the pile. “I’m fine.”

  She stepped forward, then sat on the foot of his mat, the only place to sit in the barren room besides the stone floor. “You’re a terrible liar.”

  The blankets shifted, then Kai sat up, revealing his face. He was deathly pale, with blue veins showing on one side of his face where the soft light from the window hit.

  She removed the bread and cheese from her satchel and handed them to him.

  Instead of eating, his food filled hands fell limply to his lap.

  “You must eat,” she pressed. “You’re growing weaker by the day.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not though. I should be dead by now, but I haven’t grown truly weak at all. Just . . . ill.”

  She bit her lip. Despite Kai’s protests, she’d secretly asked Eywen more about the bite of the Dearg Due. She knew Eywen would not tell a soul of their discussion. He wouldn’t dare since he’d named her his queen.

  She’d learned that when human men were bitten, they became thralls. Their bodies decayed, and their minds became solely focused on serving their Dearg Due mistresses. Yet, Kai had not run off to find the creatures who’d accosted him. His mind was still his own.

  The only reason she could conjure was that her blood ran through his veins. It had somehow protected him, yet not entirely. No one knew what would happen if one of the Dair was bitten, let alone if one were subsequently fed the blood of the Dearg Due for healing. She would not be surprised if Kai was the first. Most lesser Faie would not dare face one of Finn’s kind. Not even in their diminished forms.

  “Stop looking at me like that,” Kai grumbled. “There’s nothing you can do to help me.”

  She glared at him. “You have no idea of what I’m capable.”

  He smiled, a mere ghost of the smiles he used to give her. “And you have no idea what’s happening to me. The only thing left to do is wait.”

  She sucked her teeth. It wasn’t the only thing left to do. She worried that Kai would eventually turn into something just like the Dearg Due, and at that point he’d be lost forever. The fear of losing him had made her consider some rather dangerous ideas.

  “What are you thinking?” he asked suspiciously. “I can always tell when you’re plotting something.”

  “Nothing,” she lied. Perhaps she could do it while he was asleep. She knew he’d never let her help him otherwise. He’d never let her sacrifice more of her magic to save him, making herself a little closer to human.

  Anna would let her though. Finn would need to break her promise to Kai, but Anna would help her save him if she asked.

  She knew it was selfish to risk herself when so many were depending on her. She was the Oak Queen, and countless Faie were now depending on her magic, including Eywen and the other Aos Sí . . . not to mention Iseult, Bedelia, Àed, and the other humans she’d come to love.

  Kai raised a brow at her, barely visible in the shadows obscuring half his face. “Now I definitely know you’re plotting something. Out with it.”

  She shook her head. “Eat your meal, then rest. I’ll be back this evening.”

  Kai reached for her hand before she could rise. Despite the cold in the room, his skin was like fire against hers. “If it is my fate to die,” he said evenly, “you must let me go. You have more important things to worry about.”

  She returned his stare. “I will worry as I choose.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “Now if you’re not going to eat, then rest, and I will see you soon.”

  Kai nodded somberly, and Finn stood to depart. Not saying another word, she hurried toward the door, fighting the tears that stung her eyes.

  Perhaps it was not her choice to make, but she would not let him die.

  Kai stared at the door as it shut behind Finn. He should have made her eat the bread instead. She looked so frail and thin. She was pushing herself too hard, and soon she would break.

  He could only hope he’d remain alive long enough to protect her when she did.

  Setting aside the bread and cheese on the cold stone floor, he snuggled back down beneath his blankets. He was always so tired during the day, and the sun stung his eyes, yet at night, he felt renewed.

  He was lucky he’d become faster, able to move throughout the fortress with silent footsteps, lest some of the Aos Sí on guard begin to suspect he was changing.

  He knew the time would come when he’d have to end himself. He would not become a monster like the Dearg Due. In fact, he should have ended things already, but how could he? How could he abandon Finn and Anna in such a dangerous time?

  Deep down he knew neither one needed him. They could both take care of themselves, and if they could not, Eywen and Iseult would watch over them . . . but he still could not release the very human part of him that wanted to protect them both. The same part of him that wished Finn was just a human girl, capable of living a normal life out of harm’s way.

  He closed his eyes, hoping sleep would come quickly. Just a few more hours to delay the decision he’d inevitably need to make.

  Oighear lay on her back in the snow. The crisp white flakes cradled her, the only loving embrace she’d known in centuries. To any who might look upon her, they’d hardly see her with her pure white hair, skin, and gown blending into the icy white surroundings.

  She reached a hand toward the sky, gently catching perfect snowflakes as they fell. She brought them near her face, marveling at the tiny facets. Most would see the flakes melt on their skin, but on her hand, they remained perfect.

  She would miss them.

  Slowly, her hand fell back to the snow-covered ground. It was only a matter of time before the Cavari would come for her again. They would seal her magic away once more, forcing her into eternal slumber. She’d failed to retrieve her mother’s shroud, and had failed to best the Queen of Wands. She’d failed her people entirely. Once she was gone, her Aos Sí warriors and the other Faie in her command would fade away. They all knew it. That was why so many had defected to swell Finnur’s ranks. They were less likely to fade away if they followed the one with the Faie Queen’s shroud. Her mother’s shroud.

  She sat up. Her thoughts had lingered for many days on the human girl who’d nearly bested her. A tiny little thing with curly blonde hair and bland gray eyes. She was young, and far too strong for her age. If Finnur didn’t come for her, surely the human girl would. One queen would live, two would die. Yet, what did that mean for the human queen and Finnur? She would not be the only one to die. Another would come with her.

  She blinked at the snow
flakes collecting in her eyelashes. If the human girl could be swayed to her side . . . she shook her head. No. She’d killed the human’s mages, and her entire family. There would be no way to reason with her personally, but there was always the fiery-haired sorceress. She was no queen, but she did whisper in the human girl’s ear.

  She stood, brushing the snow from her gown. Perhaps Òengus would still be of use to her. He’d already saved her twice. She began walking, then stopped, an uncomfortable feeling twisting her gut. The second time he’d saved her . . .

  She shook her head, pushing away the memory of waking up in his arms as he carried her through the melting snow to safety. No one had dared touch her in a very long time.

  No one but the snow.

  Branwen sat atop the eve of the fortress roof. The rain soaked her burgundy cloak and russet hair, but she barely felt it. She barely felt anything.

  She knew she was as good as dead. She only still walked and talked because the Ceàrdaman had filled her with the energy of the in-between, the same place she’d been trapped while her brother had been murdered.

  Her only choice now was to try and live for him. He’d sacrificed his life for hers, and she would not let him die in vain . . . yet, she was not sure that her current state of living was what he would have wanted. Would he have wished for her to aid the Ceàrdaman in destroying the barrier to the in-between?

  She shook her head violently, sending rain droplets scattering around her face. She felt mad half the time. If she could not convince Finn to break the barrier, what then? Would the Travelers send her back to the grave? Would she really mind?

  Sighing, she gazed out at the dark clouds. Perhaps her life should have ended when she first entered the Blood Forest. The memory seemed so distant, and all her time since had seemed like a dream . . . or a nightmare.

  Her current existence was perhaps the most nightmarish of all, and there was nothing she could do about it. For now, all she could do was watch and wait, and hope that she made the right choice when the time finally came.

  Chapter Two

  Anna entered the courtyard. Finn’s unicorn and the few horses they’d acquired needed feeding, and it was her turn to tend them. As she walked past the rough wood panels added to the old stone of the original stables, she sensed someone following her. She inadvertently rubbed the sides of her black breeches nervously, hesitating to complete her task.

  Scowling at her sudden fear, she forced it away. If someone was watching her, the logical thing would be to lure them out. Walking past the stabled horses, she veered toward the newly constructed storage building which housed the feed for the horses, as well as saddles, bridles, and other supplies.

  She casually unlatched the hook holding the thin wooden door shut, then walked inside, leaving the door hanging open behind her.

  Instead of moving toward the feed, she plastered her back against the wall just inside the door and waited.

  It was a while before she heard the footsteps, then a shadow loomed in the open doorway. Anna could see her magic shining before she entered, but now was even more perplexed since Finn had been avoiding her recently. She decided to wait and see what she did.

  After a moment, Finn walked inside.

  Anna darted behind her and slammed the door shut, trapping them both in near darkness within the cramped building.

  Finn yipped in surprise, then whirled on Anna. Seeing they were alone, she relaxed.

  Anna looked her up and down. Truly, she looked nothing like a queen with her long, unkempt hair and plain tunic and breeches. “Are you here to finally tell me what secret you and Kai have been keeping?”

  She thought Finn’s eyes widened, but it was difficult to tell with only slivers of light coming in through the wooden slats of the walls.

  “Secret?” Finn asked.

  Anna rolled her eyes, tired of whatever game they were playing. She knew something was going on with Kai, and suspected it had to do with the Dair blood running through his veins, given Finn’s involvement.

  Leaning against the closed doors, Anna crossed her arms, then waited.

  Finn let out a long breath, her shoulders sagging. “I need your help.”

  Anna snorted. “Of course you do.”

  Ignoring her sarcastic remark, Finn continued. “Kai is in trouble, but he will not let me help him. I need your help to—” she hesitated, glancing over her shoulder as if someone else might be in the tiny building with them. “I need your help to hold him down,” she whispered conspiratorially.

  Now it was Anna’s turn to be taken aback. “Hold him down? What in the Horned One’s name are you talking about?”

  Finn bit her lip, taking a step closer. “I swore to him that I would tell no one of his affliction, but I fear he hasn’t much time left. I want to—” she glanced around again, then turned back to Anna and whispered, “I want to help him like I was able to that night we were in the in-between.”

  Anna’s eyes grew even wider. The night they’d been in the in-between was the night Kai almost died from a poisoned wound. Finn had given him a measure of her immortal blood to save him.

  “It’s that bad?” she questioned. She knew something was going on with Kai, but she hadn’t expected something life threatening. She truly thought he would have told her if that was the case.

  Finn nodded, her expression somber. “I believe so. I don’t even know if my blood will help him, but I think it’s his best chance.”

  Anna recalled the night in the in-between once more. Kai had been unconscious at the time. She knew she’d have to do a lot more than hold him down if Finn tried to give him her blood while he was awake. In fact, she’d likely have to hold a knife to his throat.

  He wouldn’t thank her for helping with Finn’s plan, but it wouldn’t matter if he was dead. Alive, he could forgive her in time. Dead, he wouldn’t be forgiving anybody.

  Anna took a steadying breath. “Just tell me what to do.”

  Iseult stood on the parapet next to Eywen. They’d both seen Anna going to feed the horses, and watched as Finn crept along after her. Then both women disappeared into the feed room and had not returned. It would be dark soon, so hopefully they would hurry up and return to the fortress where they’d be relatively safe.

  “What do you suppose they’re doing in there?” Eywen questioned.

  “Scheming,” Iseult answered. Whenever Finn was around Kai or Anna, there was always scheming. From Finn, he found it endearing. From the other two . . . less so.

  He’d also seen Eywen and Anna leaving the fortress walls together earlier that morning, but did not mention it. It was normal for alliances to be made in dire times, however unusual the pairings might seem.

  “A decision must be made soon,” Eywen muttered, drawing Iseult back to the present. “We cannot allow Oighear to continue gathering strength.”

  He nodded. As much as he didn’t want to risk Finn, they could not just wait around for their enemies to attack. There was the prophecy to think about. Only one queen could live.

  Iseult intended that queen to be Finn, despite any alliances he might have had in the past . . . despite his brother, his only living kin, choosing the opposing side.

  “I’ll speak with her,” he assured, though Finn had been utterly unreasonable as of late. He knew she was hesitant to make her move, to risk more lives, but there was no other choice.

  She could not live in peace, as much as she desired it.

  Eywen nodded, still watching the feed room where Finn and Anna were hiding. “If you cannot convince her, I’d like to ask permission to search for more of my warriors. Others will want to defect from Oighear’s ranks now that there is another option. We could strengthen our defenses while weakening hers.”

  “I’ll pass along your request,” Iseult said evenly, even though he knew Finn would say yes. She would not make anyone stay at the fortress if they wished to leave. Except, perhaps, the Cavari.

  Finally, Finn and Anna emerged from the feed room, then hurr
ied across the courtyard together. Naoki, Finn’s now quite-large white dragon, hurtled across the courtyard upon spotting them, though he had not seen the creature prior to that moment. It was almost as if she’d appeared out of thin air.

  Shaking away his speculations on the dragon, he watched as Finn and Anna, huddled close together and speaking in hushed tones, wove through the crumbled statues in the courtyard to reach the fortress doors.

  Definitely scheming, he thought.

  “I’ll speak with her now,” Iseult said aloud.

  Eywen nodded, his gaze distant, deep in his own thoughts.

  Iseult left him on the parapet and went inside. If he hurried down the interior stairs, he should catch Finn in the entry room before she could scurry off.

  Though he was near her often, others were usually about. The thought of speaking with her alone made his heart race, just a little. He used to think it was her magic, or perhaps the touch of fate that brought them together, but now he knew it was just her. At some point, he’d stopped caring about what she was in favor of who she was. It made him question who he was, or at least who he was becoming.

  Finn entered the main hall with Anna at her side. A fire blazed in the large hearth, and numerous candles decorated the sparse surfaces within the room, illuminating it as the windows slowly darkened.

  They would not go to Kai, not yet. They would need to be quite sure of their plan first.

  She lifted her gaze as Iseult descended the adjacent stairs. Her heart thumped a little admiring his cool approach, his sleek body in black, and his ebony hair bound partially by a leather clasp. At his hip was a sword, and she knew there were likely daggers hidden in each of his boots and beneath the long sleeves of his shirt.