Diadem

by Kate Kelley

  FInn made the first move, and when Lyra got the hang of it, she trapped and removed three of the attackers. Her Queen still hadn’t ventured out of her safehaven in the middle, but one of her defenders had been removed.

  When her Queen was halfway to the corner, a sneak move of the attackers trapped her and she was removed. She lost.

  “Drat!” Lyra blurted.

  Finn opened his arms and his dark hair swept across one of his eyes. “Now where’s my reward for capturing the Queen?”

  Lyra raised her brows at him. “I didn’t know we were playing for a reward.”

  “The winner of the game always gets a reward,” he said with a wink. Lyra’s smile faltered. Edwin and his raven sprang to her mind again and she recalled his words with a repressed shiver. “You’ll be thanking him when you find out.”

  What did Ganymede want? What reward would he reap if he succeeded in capturing me?

  “I’m sorry, lass. I didn’t know you were such a sore loser,” Finn said, bringing her back to the present. She smiled wanly. Frey sauntered over and offered Frey’s flask. Lyra took a sip and handed it back. “If you want payment, ask Terrin.”

  Finn tossed Frey a coin but didn’t reach for the flask. “The lady is mine tonight.”

  “I told you I’m not a lady,” she retorted. “How many sips do I get?”

  Frey laughed and pocketed the coin. “You don’t count. You get as many as you want.”

  Finn opened his arms. “And you took my coin anyway. Sucking me dry, lass, that’s what you’re doing.” He shook his head in mock outrage.

  Lyra giggled. After she’d taken a few more sips of the rum, she felt delightfully buzzed and relaxed. No more foreboding images sprang to mind.

  Lyra followed Frey to a table with all sorts of strange food. Men and women stood around eating, sharing their meals with each other, talking. She spotted Zuri and Vale a little ways off at the head table. Vale nodded at her as she caught her gaze and Lyra nodded back.

  “I don’t know where these cakes came from, but they’re fecking good.” She heard Finn behind her and turned to see him biting into one of the cream cakes. He reached for another from a large platter filled with them. Lyra scowled and picked one up to taste it.

  “These are my cakes!” She said through a mouthful. “I didn’t bring this many,” she added when she swallowed her food.

  “They probably replicated the recipe,” Frey said as she piled food onto her porcelain plate. “Our cooks are well-known for their art.”

  Lyra didn’t know if she should be offended or flattered.

  “Flattered,” Frey said flatly.

  Lyra blanched. “Don’t you dare tell me you can read my mind despite my shield.”

  Frey laughed, her pointed features lighting up. “No, I can sense your emotion and I’m a fair reader when it comes to face reading.”

  “Lyra, when did you have time to make cakes for everyone?” Terrin asked behind her.

  She turned to him and gave him a weary glance. “I didn’t. They...replicated my recipe.”

  “Well don’t look so put out,” he said, on the verge of laughter, “Everyone replicates recipes. You replicated it from someone else, did you not?”

  “My mom,” she said softly. With their plates loaded with food, they moved back to their mushroom seats.

  Terrin sat next to her before Finn had a chance to retake his seat. “If you want to work in the kitchens instead of as my ambassador, I’ll accept your decision, but only if you make those cakes for me every morning.”

  Lyra smiled even as her brow creased. “Are you really hiring me as an ambassador?”

  Terrin chewed on a hunk of meat. “Of course. You’ll need to get an account set up with the bank and we can transfer any funds or valuables you have at your Aunt’s there.”

  Lyra stared at him to catch the smirk she was sure was coming. He looked dead serious. “You’re serious?” she asked.

  Terrin swallowed his food. “Why wouldn’t I be serious? You have a unique position as half Fae, half human. As the Fae will be overtaking Ursa soon, it only makes sense to hire you as my go between. You’ll not be fully distrusted by either side. Iris will agree.”

  “Alec is half Fae too,” Lyra said cautiously.

  “He already has a position on the council. Queen’s Mage.”

  “Sounds interesting,” Lyra murmured absent-mindedly.

  Me, an Ambassador?

  “Don’t look so worried. You’ll be educated thoroughly on both sides.”

  “I’ll help,” Frey piped up, smiling a closed mouth smile, her cheeks puffed with food like a chipmunk.

  “You’ll be busy with the rum business,” Lyra replied.

  Frey stopped chewing and swallowed. “It doesn’t take that much of my time.”

  Lyra realized that Frey didn’t yet know about the proposition. Terrin rolled his eyes at Lyra like she was a dolt.

  Seamus sidled up and sat next to Frey. “Terrin offered me a proposition. Partner with him on earth. I’ll get away from your father’s reach and make more money.”

  Frey’s guarded eyes took measure of Terrin before she turned back to Seamus. “Congratulation,” she deadpanned.

  Seamus cleared his throat, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “There’s one caveat. I have to name you co founder and you get half my salary,” he mumbled into his plate.

  Frey swiveled a piece of bread around her plate through the remnants of a thick brown sauce, taking her time to sop up every lick of moisture. Lyra wondered if she’d heard him and Seamus’ leg started to bob up and down at a ferocious speed. He opened his mouth to say something.

  “I accept,” Frey said, interrupting his thought. She popped the piece of bread into her mouth.

  Seamus’ nostrils flared and a whisper of a smile washed over his mouth. “Don’t ruin this for me, Freydis.”

  Terrin clapped Frey on the back. “Congratulations.”

  Frey’s smile faltered. “Well, don’t get too keen on the idea. We have a war to win first.”

  ✽✽✽

  A man stood in the shadows just beyond her bed, shrouded in a gossamer veil that distorted and muddled his features. She watched him through the holes of her crocheted blanket as she lay stiff, feigning death. She dared not breathe lest the stranger see the rise of the blanket over her body and know she was there.

  She peeked out of her blanket again and her inhale stuck in her throat. The stranger was standing over her. Lyra sat up and pulled the veil off of the stranger’s face. She choked on her scream. Two blood red eyes stared at her, glowing like the depths of a dormant volcano ready to erupt. Viscous black goo oozed from the corners of his eyes and mouth, steaming like freshly spilled innards. He grabbed her throat and squeezed, his long yellow nails piercing her skin, his teeth bared in a grimace of enmity and lust.

  “You’re mine, Lyra Addisonia.”

  “Wake up, Lyra. Wake up!” Someone shook her and she heard her own scream as she came to in a dark room. Someone sat on her bed and gripped her shoulders.

  “Who are you?” Lyra asked, sitting up.

  “You know it’s me,” Terrin responded softly.

  Lyra did know, but her mind was playing tricks on her. Part of her was still in the dream. She smoothed her shaking fingers over her throat, expecting to feel the rough texture of torn skin, but it was smooth.

  Terrin shifted and the bed creaked.

  “You can go. I’m fine,” Lyra told him, her voice barely above a whisper. She wanted desperately for him to stay.

  “I’ll stay,” Terrin said.

  Lyra closed her eyes and laid back on the bed. Her heartbeat began to return to normal but her bones still quivered. She peeked at the window curtains, a figure of a man appearing for a moment before disappearing into shadow.

  Just in my head.

  “You don’t have to stay. I’m okay,” Lyra said again as she rolled to her side. The bed dipped behind her as the weight of Terrin crushed it. He slung an arm
over her and she slowly relaxed in his embrace.

  “I said I’ll stay,” he said in her ear. His beard tickled her jaw and she breathed in his scent. Her body relaxed further and she melted into his warm chest. He held her close and she felt his steady heartbeat against her back.

  She missed this. Needed this.

  As her eyes drifted closed again, Terrin’s deep breathing lulled her back to sleep.

  Chapter Twenty One

  “How come no one told me about this trick of yours?” Lyra asked as she walked along the river, her new jewel toned skirt weighed down by river water, sprinkling drops with each sashay of the hem.

  "Why didn't you just transport us all the way back to earth?" Frey asked under her breath.

  Lyra gave her a scathing glance. "I told you. I tried. don't know why it wouldn't work." Frey gave her a look as if she didn't believe her.

  "Why aren't you joining their ball of light?" Lyra shot back.

  Frey quirked a brow. "It’s called the Fae Máni or Fae Moon. Did you forget I'm the one who does the glamour since your halfling arse doesn't know how?"

  "There are plenty of Fae in that glowing ball who could do the glamour."

  Frey opened her arms wide and let them fall back to her sides with a thwack. "Once again, I am the only one who volunteers to protect you humans."

  "Thought I was a halfling."

  "Will you two shut the feck up!" Finn's voice burst out of the ball of yellow light that was floating closely behind them. It was about the size of a coconut and much too bright to look directly at if one wished to keep their eyesight. Somehow, and much to the surprise of Lyra, the two thousand Fae were able to mesh their lights into one. It was a convenient way for large quantities of Fae, such as a Fae army, to travel. She still wasn't sure how she was going to transport them. She had to touch the person she transported and she wasn’t sure she could touch light in the same way.

  “There we are,” Terrin murmured. Lyra looked up to see the cliff Alec had fallen over and the whirling water in the river that was their portal to earth. Lyra jogged the rest of the way and Terrin and Frey kept up, as did the Fae light.

  A screech filled the air and Lyra inwardly screamed. When she looked up, a giant figure streaked across the sky from around the corner of the cliff.

  “My glamour should stick,” Frey said, her voice low as if she didn’t want the thing to hear her.

  The giant thing descended, its wings wide and swooping lower and lower.

  “My gods, is that…?” Lyra covered her mouth.

  “Is that--?” Terrin’s eyes darkened and he clutched his blade.

  The thing landed on the bank five yards from them, its feet planting solidly in the sand with a thud. Frey raised her arms toward the thing and blue light erupted.

  Lyra shot across the bank, closing the distance between herself and the thing. “Don’t blast him, he’s mine!”

  Terrin crossed at almost the same time in an attempt to block Lyra from Frey’s blast.

  Too late.

  Lyra’s arm was grazed, lacerating her skin in a wide gash. She clutched it and swore, scowling at Frey. Frey bounded over to them and grabbed Lyra but Terrin pushed Frey back with a firm hand. “This is her pet. Leave it be.”

  Frey’s jaw dropped. “Her what?”

  “He’s a bit bigger than he used to be but I’d know that glassy stare anywhere,” Lyra said, raising her good arm toward the beast. “Isn’t that right, Galdr?” She smoothed his beak with her palm. Galdr made a clucking sound at the back of his throat and turned his head to see her better. He lowered himself into a submissive pile on the ground, his long neck curling into its body.

  “Why--how-- do you have a giant pet Lyrebird?” Frey’s voice was pure unbelief.

  Lyra scratched under Galdr’s beak and it purred like a feline. “I transferred dark magic into him from Terrin’s evil half-brother and now he loves me.”

  “And he can mimic quite well,” Terrin admitted, as if defending her choice of pet.

  “And apparently grow to unnatural sizes,” Lyra chimed.

  Frey muttered under her breath and adjusted her satchel across her breastbone while eyeing the swirling portal. “Well we can’t bring him with us. Say your goodbyes.”

  Terrin brought a spare cloth up to Lyra’s arm and wiped the blood away, revealing healed skin, then tucked the cloth back into his bag. “Say goodbye, girl.”

  Lyra turned to Galdr and smoothed her fingers over his onyx feathers. His two-pronged, sinuous tail fluffed up, the beautiful distinction that gave him his species name.

  “Goodbye, sweet guy. I’ll see you again someday soon.”

  “The Máni should go through first,” Frey said, indicating the floating sphere of Fae lights with her hand.

  “Do you think they’ll be able to go in without me?” Lyra asked.

  “The Fae opened the portal for Alec, remember? They’re powerful and have an affinity for traveling to other planes of existence. What do you think a glamour is? It’s a ghost plane we tap into to hide ourselves in.”

  Lyra eyes rounded and she nodded. “Alright, then.” She held onto her pendant and closed her eyes while the Fae Moon floated to the swirling portal opening in the river. Lyra pictured the castle grounds, the wide expanse of green in the front of the castle yard. When she felt herself immersed totally in her vision, she murmured, “Now.”

  “Now!” Frey yelled.

  A moment later, Frey clapped her on the back and she opened her eyes. “Did they make it?”

  Frey smiled. “Well, they went through and I don’t see them so let’s hope--” Her own scream cut her off and Lyra startled backwards as an arrow protruded through Frey’s left arm. Lyra closed the distance between them and Frey pulled her to the ground.

  “Snap it off!” She seethed through clenched teeth, her eyes glinting with a strange, feral light.

  Lyra blanched but did as she was told, snapping the arrow section off on the other side of her arm. Frey gritted her teeth and pulled the staff out of her own arm, leaving a bloody hole in its absence. Lyra’s stomach roiled but she quickly recovered when Terrin flattened himself on top of her back, her mouth filling with sand as the sound of dozens of arrows whizzed by them like angry hornets.

  “Galdr!” Lyra whimpered as she looked through the gap of Terrin’s hair that was acting like a curtain, separating her from from the wreckage. A pause in the string of flying arrows had Terrin rolling off of her and rounding on the hidden enemy in one fluid motion.

  Lyra and Frey branched to each side of him, their auras apt on their palms. Galdr let out a squawk and Lyra glanced behind her. The lyrebird leapt to her in one bound of his gangly leg, his claws digging into the dirt. He lowered himself to the ground and nudged her with his beak.

  “Not now, Galdr.” She turned back around and scanned the trees at the edge of the bank. Galdr nudged the back of her kneecap, his beak like smooth porcelain even through her skirt’s folds. He extended his wings and folded them back in, then lowered himself to the ground again.

  “What is it?” Lyra hissed.

  Terrin grunted next to her and let out a blast of aura, red and blinding. It singed the tree trunks as it seared around the perimeter, looking for its mark of flesh. Lyra noticed an arrow sticking from his arm, one that he no longer seemed to notice.

  Galdr nudged Lyra again with his feathery forehead.

  She whipped around, hissing, “What?”

  Galdr’s black eyes narrowed and he quirked his head at an odd angle. Lyra got the sense that he could pick her innards out with his beak in one go if he really wanted to.

  “Get on my back,” Galdr said. Lyra jumped back and gaped. He had the voice of a young, educated man.

  “Get on before you get hit,” Galdr said calmly.

  Lyra gaped still. “Is--is someone speaking through you--?”

  “Oh, for Gods’ sake, Lyra, you knew I could speak. Get on my back and I’ll explain.”

  Lyra found her voice.
“Pick my friends up too.”

  She held onto the base of a large feather, the feeling like grabbing an oversized quill. An arrow whizzed by her ear, so close she felt the air from its flight. Galdr gave no warning when he set off and Lyra almost fell off his back. She clutched the base of two feathers on his neck. Galdr flitted to Terrin who must have heard the conversation as he swung his leg over the bird without hesitation, his weight pushing against Lyra’s back.

  Frey was busy slicing into the trees with her aura and dodging arrows. Finally, she disappeared into a tiny Fae light and zipped over to Galdr, reappearing on the back of the bird and clutching onto Terrin’s middle. Galdr lifted in full flight and Lyra dug her knees into the sides of its feathers, which were quite slippery, like silk, making it hard to stay on.

  Pain seared her leg as an arrow struck her above her knee. She stifled a scream and buried her head in Galdr’s onyx feathers. They rocked with the thuds of arrows hitting Galdr’s sides, and the swerving of Galdr’s flight from the impacts.

  “Are you alright, Galdr?” Lyra yelled.

  “Not at full capacity,” the bird called back. When they made it to the portal, they hovered over top the churning water directly below them like a giant black hole.

  “Now, Lyra!” Galdr called, his words slightly slurred. He slumped to the left, his long neck bobbing, then readjusted himself.

  Lyra clutched her pendant and repeated the call to vision of the castle’s front grounds.

  Another arrow grazed her arm, knocking her off balance and toward the water.

  Terrin caught her and hauled her back up as she tried to summon concentration again when he grunted, indicating an arrow had struck him.

  Lyra’s brain scrambled. The pain in her leg and arm seared her, and it was becoming difficult to concentrate.

  Galdr slumped again, hovering so close to the water that Lyra felt the spray of the whirling water under her skirts and on her face. Her brow dripped with sweat and her palms slid through Galdr’s feathers as she tried to hold on, and shehe called the vision to her again.

  A lilting voice sounded on the wind, calming Lyra’s nerves. A splash sounded. Terrin was in the water, swimming toward a horde of water-slicked women near the bank.