Guardian

by Sam Cheever

  We fell into silence again as we headed toward the Faery Wood. Ian’s anger seemed to have leeched away with the pain. I was glad for that anyway.

  As we stepped into the outer edges of the Wood Ian turned to me. “I want you to stay with me this time. I don’t care if they see you. You need to be ready to do battle.”

  I nodded, wondering what the hell he was getting us into.

  We headed in the opposite direction from Tana’s kingdom. As we moved into the densest part of the Wood the air became cool and moist, a roaring sound in the distance slowly penetrating my awareness. We followed a fairly narrow dirt path that wound its way through the thick growth of trees, occasionally swatting at mischievous sprites or hostile brownies trying to club our ankles with thorn covered sticks.

  As we walked, the Wood became so dense that there were places we could barely squeeze through. In those places we had to be careful not to stab ourselves on the thorn trees, which peppered the Wood. The nasty trees sported thorns the width of my little finger and the length of my hand along their rough barked surface.

  There was very little light at the base of the thousand year old growth around us and what there was came through in lace-like patches that only served to make the space seem more fractured and claustrophobic.

  The air became thicker with moisture as we forged our way more deeply into that part of the Wood. I finally identified the distant sound as falling water, and it was growing steadily louder as we walked. When the sound had built to a roar, we suddenly emerged from the trees into a circular area of grass and, in the distance, a rough wall of rock that was striped with waterfalls, lots of them, as far as the eye could see in both directions. The sound was thunderous.

  “The hundred falls.”

  Ian glanced at me and nodded.

  “We’re in Aldine!”

  Ian grinned. “That we are, Monad.” Then he took off across the lush, green grass, heading toward the largest waterfall in the center.

  I scurried to catch up. “Faerydae will kill us without asking questions!” The Elvin queen didn’t much like intruders in her kingdom.

  Ian chuckled but didn’t slow down.

  As if on cue, something whizzed by our heads and embedded itself in the dirt in front of us. The object flashed immediately into flames and disintegrated to ash, leaving only a ribbon of smoke behind.

  It was an Elvin arrow, fletched with Phoenix feathers. An exceedingly deadly weapon.

  Ian stopped and looked down at the scorched grass. “I believe we’ve been noticed.”

  I glared at him, pulling the long knife he’d given me out of my string belt. “You think?” I swung around, searching for our shooter. I wasn’t exactly sure what I could do against fire arrows with a long knife, but I was certainly ready in case the shooter fell out of the sky at my feet or burrowed under the ground and popped up at me.

  The next arrow landed an inch from my feet. I jumped away as it exploded into flame. “Do something!” I yelled at Ian.

  “I am.” He responded in a calm, unconcerned tone.

  Five more arrows flew toward us and I flinched, ducking as they headed right at me. I closed my eyes, thinking how much it was gonna hurt when I was pierced several times and then exploded into flame. I heard a pinging sound and then a layered fizzing as the arrows combusted one by one against something that wasn’t me.

  I opened my eyes. Several wisps of smoke wafted up from my feet.

  I looked back up. The air shimmered in front of me.

  I looked at Ian. His palms were stretched out in front of him.

  I grinned. “That works.”

  He slanted me a look. “Happy I could please.”

  “Now, how the hell are you gonna get us out of here?”

  “I’m not.” He threw back his head and opened his mouth. His muscular throat pulsed and a deep, rich sound began to emerge. What at first seemed like disparate musical notes, although pleasant, soon coalesced into the most incredible song I’d ever heard. Around us all became suddenly and completely still. The sound of falling water disappeared. Birds stopped singing. And arrows stopped winging our way. Nothing else moved, no sound competed. Only the rich magic of Ian’s voice throbbed on the air. I watched in shocked silence as the song flowed around us like a living thing, pulsing against me and bringing goose flesh up on my arms. His voice was deep and rich and made my knees buckle with its beauty.

  This wasn’t a normal voice, it was a magical entity, a tool that was crafted for persuasion, for seduction. It was an elfish voice. Used only by the Royal elves of the Wood.

  It was as much a weapon as it was a tool of seduction.

  My eyes widened and I stepped back, hitting the ground knees first in shock and sudden, uncontrollable lust.

  He couldn’t be. Ian Lavelle couldn’t be both faery and elf. It didn’t happen. It wasn’t even possible. It defied everything I’d ever known. Everything I’d ever been taught.

  But as the song wound around me, urging me forward against my very will, I knew it had to be.

  Ian Lavelle was Royal elf. And of faery birth.

  Chapter Six

  The Gods are Fools

  As Ian’s song drifted into silence I blinked and looked around. Hundreds of elves, many holding nocked bows in their hands, stood around us. In the unnatural stillness of the moment, I became aware of the waterfalls again, and something else.

  We turned as the sound of hooves intruded on our consciousness. The sight that met my eyes made me gasp.

  Thousands of horses loped regally in our direction.

  The beautiful, all white mounts were liberally decked out in gold and silver armor and their riders wore flowing silver gowns, their long, multi-colored hair flowing away from them like silken flags.

  At the lead, a single black horse carried the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. The horse was enormous, easily twice as big as the other horses, and had huge black wings that it held back and out to its sides, as if barely restraining itself from taking off. Its huge hooves floated above the ground and I knew, though I couldn’t discern it from the general thunder of their advance, that its approach would be soundless. I looked at the creature’s long, elegant head and gasped. “A black unicorn?” The rarest of rare creatures. I’d heard rumors that Faerydae had one, but I hadn’t believed it.

  Ian turned to me and smiled. “Yes.”

  We waited while Queen Faerydae and her beautiful, magical horse approached us. Ian stood straight and still. I glanced at him and was surprised to see a power aura encircling him. I wondered if it was a protective aura or meant to be a warning against the other elves.

  Faerydae pulled her magical mount up before us and looked down a long, straight nose at Ian. Her pale, flawless skin glowed with power and her midnight black hair flowed over her shoulders and slid down her horse’s shiny flanks in silken waves that reminded me of the waterfalls behind her. She wore a golden gown that plunged from her slim shoulders to a decadent vee that ended just below her navel, showcasing pale, iridescent skin. The sleeves of the gauzy gown streamed down from delicate, white wrists and fluttered away from her slender form in a conjured breeze. She stared hard at Ian, ignoring me completely.

  Ian bowed low before her.

  I followed suit.

  The black unicorn snorted and stomped one huge hoof, narrowly missing Ian’s booted foot.

  He didn’t even flinch.

  “How dare you return to these lands.”

  Ian straightened and grinned. “You’re not happy to see me? I’m devastated.”

  Faerydae stared at him coldly for a long moment. “You are still phenomenally stupid I see.”

  Ian laughed. “It appears that I am.”

  “What do you want?”

  “I need to speak with you. In private.”

  Faerydae stared at him a moment longer, apparently considering his request. Then she frowned, gave a single nod, and lifted a delicate hand over her head. Immediately the sound of hooves filled the air
as one of her warriors galloped forward with two white horses in tow.

  The warrior pulled his snorting mount up abruptly in front of us and flung down the reins for the extra horses. He glared at Ian before turning away and galloping back to his spot at the back of the mounted cavalcade.

  Ian grabbed the reins of the largest horse and sprang onto its back, settling into the Elvin tooled leather saddle as if he were weightless.

  I narrowed my gaze at the horse I assumed was mine. All eyes turned to me.

  I just stood there, trying not to show my horror.

  Horses and I don’t get along. And Elvin horses were especially difficult creatures, with higher intelligence and more than a little attitude to go with it.

  I briefly considered handing the horse over to Ian, entering a wrinkle, and walking with them toward our destination but something about the little smirk on Ian’s handsome face kept me from doing it.

  Finally I sighed and walked over to the snorting, stamping nightmare on hooves. As I reached for the reins the evil thing folded back its lips and lunged at my hand. Huge, white teeth clacked together barely a hair away from my skin.

  As I snatched my hand back the elves around me laughed heartily.

  Faerydae watched me with an Elvin gleam in her lovely blue eyes.

  I bristled but ignored them as I snatched the reins and grabbed a handful of mane. I bent my knees and sprang upward, toward the thing’s sleek, well groomed back.

  The horse trotted forward and I hit its rump hard, pinging off to land against Ian’s mount. I slid toward the ground in a less than graceful manner.

  Renewed laughter exploded around me and the evil white horse turned a suspiciously sparkling brown eye in my direction. Ian pressed his lips tightly to keep from laughing.

  I levered myself up from an unattractive puddle on the ground and narrowed my eyes at the nasty beast. It simply turned its head toward me and swished it’s thick, flawless tail disdainfully, lifting one rear foot in silent threat.

  I grinned and, with a thought, entered a travel layer.

  Murmuring ensued as the elves debated where I’d gone.

  I stepped up to the horse quickly, before it could register that I’d disappeared, and grabbed a handful of mane, springing onto its back.

  When I popped back into view on the back of the evil beast the elves laughed and a few clapped their hands.

  The horse’s head flew up and it turned a wild eye toward me.

  It hopped around a few times, snorting wildly, and spun in a circle in an effort to rid itself of me.

  As a few of the elves called out congratulations for my handling of the horse, I took a slight bow from my unsteady spot in the flat, soft saddle.

  But my victory was short lived.

  The damnable creature threw up its head, bellowed its displeasure to the sky, spun around, and took off at a gallop back the way it had come.

  The amused Elvin faces of Faerydae’s convoy flashed by like colorful blurs as I grabbed mane in both hands and wrapped my legs around the monster’s barrel, holding it in a death grip. The laughter of the convoy seemed to spur the evil horse on and he ran faster, until my eyes watered and my cheeks felt as if they were flapping around my ears.

  I swore into the wind and promised myself, if I survived the ride to Faerydae’s castle, the first thing I’d do was apply an annihilation level of power to the stupid horse. And then dance on his still twitching body while he died.

  The damnable thing headed straight for the largest waterfall in the center of the ridge, its head held high in outrage and its huge nostrils flared in temper. Legend held that Faerydae’s castle was hidden behind a wall of water, magically enmeshed within the heart of acres of rock.

  I hoped legend knew what it was talking about.

  I prayed the horse wasn’t stupid enough to plow into the waterfall and straight into rock, just to spite me.

  I was pretty sure it wasn’t that stupid, but as the first pounding streams of water hit my head, driving into my skin painfully, I hunkered down over the thing’s neck just in case. I’d let the stupid animal soften the blow with its own stupid head.

  The water drove into my head and shoulders, causing me to hunch lower onto the horse. The roar and rush of the water went on for what felt like hours. It pounded against my head and skin with bruising intensity.

  I tried to hold my breath but after a few minutes of unending pressure from thousands of barrels of water driving into my body I finally gave in and sucked air. Fortunately for me I mostly got air and not water.

  Choking and spitting the cupful of water I’d inhaled, I covered my head with my arms and prayed we’d reach the end of the water soon.

  Suddenly the pounding stopped and soothing heat from a bright sun replaced the water beating on my back. The horse drew itself up to a slow trot and then a walk, snorting noisily and shaking its mane to spray water into my face.

  I looked down and realized the water he’d sprayed came from me. Other than the water streaming off of me in liberal amounts, the damnable creature between my legs was completely dry. “What the hell!”

  The horse stopped and turned as Faerydae and her convoy emerged from the falls. He stamped a foot, reared up dramatically, and called out before taking off again toward them.

  “Oh shit!” I screamed as I went into the death grip again. Please don’t let him go back through the falls! I prayed silently.

  But he simply returned to the spot beside Ian and his mount where he should have been all along.

  I glared down at the stupid animal, pushing wet tangles out of my eyes and blowing water off my lips.

  Ian’s grin couldn’t be repressed this time. “Is it raining, Monad?”

  I had been tugging my clothing away from my body, wringing the loose bits to extract as much water as possible, but his words brought my head up. My mouth was open, ready to deliver a scathing response, when I caught sight of him and the Elvin queen.

  Dry.

  Water-free and perfectly coiffed.

  “Son of a demon!”

  Faerydae’s mouth curled up and her eyes sparkled. “We’ve played you a dirty trick I’m afraid, Monad, the falls are magicked for those we aid. We neglected to engage the magic when you went barreling through. I fear your abrupt departure discombobulated us.”

  Around us, soft chuckling ensued at my expense.

  I glared at her, wondering if “we” were using the royal plural, or if the other elves were capable of this magick.

  “Shall we continue?”

  The horses started walking again and I slumped in the uncomfortable saddle, dripping and fuming. I shook my head occasionally so that water droplets sprayed Ian, just to be mean.

  Finally I got bored with pouting and started taking in my surroundings. I’d heard the expression ‘faeryland’ all my life. But I had never really understood the meaning of the word.

  It all became clear to me in that place.

  Moving toward Faerydae’s castle at that moment, it suddenly clicked. This was faeryland. This was what the ancient human faerytales were based on. This was a magical land.

  In the distance, built upon a small mountain, Faerydae’s castle rose above us, with pristine white towers that climbed to the sky and sparkled in the sun. Pink domed turrets graced the long walls of the castle at regular intervals, a faery flag undulating from the top of each one. The walls were dissected by regular rows of large windows and every third window had a balcony beneath it, which overflowed with vibrant flowers. The castle rose above a perfect lake, and was surrounded by an enormous green park.

  It was a beautiful thing. A magic place. It could easily have been created by an artist, pulled from a hopeful place in his fertile mind.

  As we rode forward, and I began to dry and warm in a welcoming sun, it became harder to stay cranky. Against my will, I soon found my good spirits returning.

  We climbed the winding road toward the castle in narrow bands. I’d gotten pushed behind Ian and Faerydae
due to the narrowness of the road so I watched them carefully as we rode. Though the Elvin queen’s greeting of Ian had been hostile at best, her body language as they conversed was anything but.

  She leaned toward him as he spoke to her, nodding and smiling easily. I’d even seen her reach across the space between their horses once or twice to touch his forearm. They were a decidedly handsome couple and I wondered suddenly about the nature of their relationship.

  As we rounded the last curve and the castle exploded into view before us, it was all I could do not to gasp. Where it had seemed a beautiful and magical place from a distance, it was even more impressive close up.

  The castle was enormous, spreading across the mountain on either side almost as far as the eye could see. It was a beehive of activity. Servants and Elvin folk alike strolled the grassy walkways and skimmed across the pristine surface of the lake on Elvin boats. Riders on horseback walked and trotted the grounds and filled the streets of the city nestled in the shadow of Faerydae’s castle.

  We continued climbing until we reached the castle. There, in a wide, pink bricked courtyard beyond the gates to the castle, we dismounted. My evil mount actually turned its head and nuzzled me hopefully, looking for a treat. I fondled my weapon in its sheath and the horse jerked its head back and lifted a rear foot.

  I stepped quickly away and bumped up against Ian. “You have quite a way with animals.” His handsome face in its warm, brown tones looked tense. A far cry from the playful and charming façade I’d been witnessing all the way to the castle.

  I stepped closer and murmured so no one else could hear. “What’s wrong?”

  He gave a quick negative jerk of his head. “We’ll talk later. When we have privacy.”

  “Well, well, well. The faery killer pays us another visit.”

  My head jerked around at the familiar voice. Ian’s head turned more slowly and I noticed he wore a smug smile. Quite the actor, this one.

  “Aubrie, I’m surprised to see you here.”