by Amy Sumida
A rush of air and a darker shape loomed over his shoulders. His wings. Suddenly my hands were sliding over bare skin. My head spun and I closed my eyes to try and understand what I was doing. I had a moment of disbelief, a second to think; am I really here, doing this, touching him? But my hands continued to explore on their own and I found myself easing them up around the length of muscles which anchored Raza's wings to his back. I was completely fascinated by how they bunched and stretched all the way down to his waist, with even more bands of muscles sliding diagonally around to his front. Angling down to... my hands froze at his hip bones. I could smell him and taste him, along with the hint of spiced cider that still lingered on both of our tongues. My body tingled and my mind reeled.
But it still wasn't enough to make me forget about Tiernan.
I slid my hands up Raza's chest and cupped his face. Gently, I pushed back till I could look into his golden eyes. They were so bright in the dark room, snatching every bit of meager light which filtered in through the closed drapes. Holding that light prisoner within a gold cage. That stare went intense and filled with something which echoed inside me. Deep. Like an earthquake rumbling to the surface. Perhaps he was right and there was something inevitable between us. But no quake could change the fact that I loved Tiernan.
And I would absolutely murder Tiernan if he betrayed me like this.
“I can't,” I whispered. “I already told you.”
“Yes you can,” he smiled. “Just break things off with the hunter. You know you should be with me.”
“You should be with someone like Nessa,” I pushed away the tremor in my belly. I couldn't allow Raza to shake my world. “She perfect-”
“Say one more word about that watery woman and I will kiss you until we smother your protests between our lips and my honor can just be damned,” he growled.
I gaped at him.
“I told you, Seren,” he went on. “No woman can sate me now. There is only you. There will be only you. Accept that and leave your seelie lover.”
“I don't want to leave Tiernan,” I said gently. “I do feel something for you and I won't deny that I'd like to take this further. But I love Tiernan. I'm sorry, Raza but this has to stop.”
Raza cursed in some language I didn't recognize and pushed himself off me. His wings snapped closed.
“Someday, you will change,” he said as he picked up his shirt. “Someday I will have your love, Seren. And I will be the one demanding that you give me your stubborn loyalty.”
He walked out the door and it clicked closed behind him with quiet rage.
“But I thought you didn't want monogamy?” I asked the darkness.
The only response I got was the ticking of the bedside clock, reminding me that my reunion with Tiernan was still hours away.
Chapter Nineteen
Morning came with a pounding on my door and in my head. I groaned and rolled over in bed, realizing that I was still in Chad's shirt. At least I'd taken off the jeans. Or had Raza done that? I groaned again, this time for a completely different reason.
I flung my hand towards the door and opened it with my telekinesis as I snuggled deeper into the blankets. I rubbed my eyes and blinked through my puffy cocoon, bringing the doorway into focus. Raza stood there looking way too serious and a little sad. My hand started to reach out to him automatically but I jerked it back in horror. This was becoming dangerous.
“We're having breakfast upstairs and then we'll leave to intercept your Guard,” he reported.
“Thanks,” I cleared my throat. “I'll be right there.”
Raza nodded and turned away. My first instinct was to stop him and apologize for what I'd said the night before but that was unfair, wasn't it? Best to let things lie and not drag it out. So I closed the door with my telekinesis again, and ran my fingers through my hair.
After pulling on some pants, I stumbled to the downstairs bathroom and threw up. What the hell had been in that cider? I rinsed my mouth out and searched the medicine cabinet for some aspirin. Nothing, just mouthwash and dental floss. I used the mouthwash.
I padded carefully back to the bedroom and grabbed my shoes and parka before heading upstairs. I trudged into the living room, deposited both shoes and parka by the front door, and went to join the men at the little dining table, set to one side of the kitchen. The grindylows were gathered around the coffee table in the living room, having breakfast while they watched cartoons on Chad's TV. Adventure Time, to be precise. There was no sight of the ladies, so I guess the qalupaliks were still with Nessa at her place.
“Good morning,” I mumbled as I fell into my seat.
“Is it?” Ted looked skeptically at me. “Do you need some help with that headache?”
“Oh, could you?” I looked at him hopefully.
“Sure,” he got up and came around, behind my chair.
He laid his fingertips to my temples and magic tingled through me. I sighed in relief as the headache faded and the world stopped pulsing around me.
“You're a god,” I watched him return to his seat with grateful eyes.
“Anytime, Princess,” he winked at me, then stiffened.
I followed his gaze to where Raza sat, glowering at him.
“Uh, do you think I could get one of those plates?” I waved my hand to the stack in front of Raza.
“Of course,” Raza pulled his eyes away from Ted so he could hand me a plate.
“Thanks,” I started filling my plate with the food set out in the center of the table. “So who's going through the rath with me?”
“Just Raza and I,” Chad said. “The rest will stay behind and wait for the others to arrive.”
“Okay, good,” I nodded my thanks as Ralph poured me a cup of coffee. “I'm anxious to get started.”
“Yeah, we know,” Ralph chuckled. “You wanted to head into the deep blue last night, when you were already deep in your cups.”
“Sorry 'bout that,” I chuckled. “It's been awhile since I got so drunk. I thought I could handle my rum.”
“Oh that wasn't rum,” Ted said. “That was dragon's brew.”
“Dragon's brew?” I looked to Chad.
“My apologies, Your Highness,” Chad blushed. “Perhaps I should have warned you. We dragons make a drink that tastes like cider but has the kick of a...”
“A dragon,” Raza gave me a wicked smile. “You were adorable.”
“Me?” I blinked. “Adorable? I've never been adorable in all my life. And that includes childhood.”
“You were last night,” Ted agreed and got another dark look from Raza. “Sorry,” he held up his hands, “ but it's true. She was so cute, all lost in that puffy parka, her cheeks red from the brew and her eyes glittering with determination to save her uncle. Adorable.”
“Thanks?” I frowned.
“Never mind them, Princess,” Chad tsked at the others. “And never mind the dishes, leave them for Ralph and Ted to wash while we're gone. Let's go save your men.”
“And woman,” I added.
“What's that?” Chad lifted a black brow.
“There's one female guard member,” I explained.
“Oh,” Chad blinked. “Yes, of course, and why wouldn't there be? Let's go save your Star's Guard.”
“Yes, please,” I said with relief and stood.
Chapter Twenty
The rath Chad guarded was hidden behind a covering of shrubs. Chad waved his hand and they pulled away, revealing a gold door. On the door was a representation of the Unseelie Castle and Forest carved out of onyx. Over that carving hung a silver moon. Every rath door was marked with a sign of where it led and this one led to Unseelie. An island off its coast, to be exact.
The Lord of the Rath led the way through the dark corridor and as soon as I stepped on the path, I felt my tension ease. As a twilight fairy, I was most at home when I was within the in-between places and raths were the most in-between places of them all. In fact, the perfect darkness bordering the paths within the fa
iry mounds were In-Between; a territory all of its own.
Most fey would be scared to step from the path and with good reason; they'd be lost forever. But us twilight fairies could travel the In-Between, even without the use of a rath. Without a rath, we'd need to be in another in-between place; like a shoreline or hovering between land and sky, then when twilight came, we could access the magic of the In-Between and harness it to take us anywhere we chose. But inside a rath, I had only to step from the path and ask the In-Between move me.
The thought gave me pause. Why hadn't it occurred to me to use the In-Between as soon as I arrived in Alaska? I could have traveled directly to Castle Unseelie and met Tiernan there. How could I forget such an advantage? Unless I'd wanted to forget. Perhaps I'd subconsciously enjoyed spending time with Raza without having Tiernan breathing down my neck.
What a chillingly traitorous thought.
We stepped out of the rath and into the bright sunlight of a verdant meadow. I closed my eyes and breathed in the clean air, scented only with the fragrance of wildflowers and ripening fruit. That was one of the things I loved about Fairy, the purity. No smog, no gas fumes, no pollution of any sort.
“I forget how much I love my home until I've been away from it,” Raza said, echoing my thoughts.
I looked over to him and nodded.
“Yes, it's quite wonderful here,” Chad started towards the path which led to the beach, his shoulders stiff with tension.
“Are you alright?” I asked as we followed him.
“I'll feel a lot better once we're off this island and on shore,” he said without even glancing back at me.
Right. The island was smack dab in the middle of Nine Sons territory.
“Chad, are you going to be okay going into the Court?” I asked gently. “You don't have to come if it's uncomfortable for you.”
He stopped suddenly and turned to face me.
“Yes I do,” he sighed. “I'll be fine, Princess Seren. I'm just a touch nervous.”
He headed for the beach again.
“If they catch us, it will be bad,” Raza whispered to me. “But if they catch him, he'll be a traitor and that's not a death to even contemplate.”
“I hadn't thought of that,” I whispered back.
“But you can't ask him to stay behind now that he's insisted to go,” Raza slid his hand around my waist and leaned closer to my ear. “It will be a horrible insult, akin to calling him a coward.”
“Men and their egos,” I pulled away from Raza and stomped off after Chad.
We reached the shore and found the ferry waiting for us. I was pretty sure it docked at the island when not in use but even if it didn't, it would have been there. The ferry was magic, as most things in Fairy were, and so it came when it was needed. No one manned it, it just floated over on its own and carried fairies from the island to land and back again. We climbed up a ladder set into the side of the craft and as soon as we were aboard, the ferry began to drift towards the shores of Unseelie.
As we were just reaching the beach, I saw a glimmer through the trees and by the time we'd climbed out of the ferry, Tiernan and my Guard were dismounting and rushing over to us. I found myself swept up in a crushing hug. Despite the lack of air, I sighed and relaxed into that hug. Home sweet home.
“Sweet Danu, I was so worried,” Tiernan whispered in my ear. “What are you doing here?” He pulled back and stared into my eyes. “Is everything alright?”
“No, it's not,” I glanced behind him where the unseelie attendants were minding the horses. “Get the others on the ferry. I need to talk to these men and then we can go.”
“Seren,” he frowned and started to say more.
“Please just do as I ask, Tiernan.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” he said in a clipped tone, his silver stare narrowing as he headed towards the rest of my Guard.
I didn't have time to deal with his hurt feelings, the undersea escort could be popping out of the water at any moment. So I hurried over to the unseelie men and tried not to look like I was in a rush as I did so. But inside, I was fighting the urge to run.
“Princess Seren,” one of the men bowed. “Is anything amiss? Where's our king?”
“King Uisdean is fine and will be scrying the castle soon,” I reassured them. “But he won't be coming back this way. He asked me to bid you to return to the castle immediately.”
The men looked warily at each other.
“That is a direct order,” I said gently. “If you should like to disobey King Uisdean, then that is your concern but my Guard and I are leaving. Good luck to you,” and with that I left, striding quickly back to the ferry, where everyone was aboard and waiting anxiously.
I climbed in and slapped the wooden sides. The ferry seemed to sense my urgency and took off for the island with unusual speed. I went immediately to Tiernan and hugged him again. Now that I'd done all I could for us, I could bask in our reunion.
“I was worried about you too,” I slid my hand into his hair and kissed him. “I'm sorry for being so short with you but we need to get to the island as quickly as possible.”
“Seren, what's happening?” Tiernan asked as my Guard closed in around us. “And why are you dressed like this?” He trailed his hand over the quilted fabric of the parka.
“At first, I thought it was Uisdean who made your spells fail,” I pulled away and spoke to them all. “But now we're fairly certain it was the dragon kings.”
“We?” Tiernan lifted a brow and glanced at his nemesis. “You want to tell me what Raza's doing here?”
“Raza saved my life,” I said grimly and they all glanced at Raza, who was leaning casually against the railing next to Chad.
He winked at them.
“He did what now?” Tiernan narrowed his eyes on me.
“The Sons set up Uisdean,” I waved away Tiernan's ire. “They were going to kill me and blame it on the Court of the Dragon Kings.”
“They what?” Tiernan snapped as Conri started to growl.
“They knew my father would hold Uisdean responsible,” I started to go on but I was making a mess of it.
“If I may, Princess?” Chad stepped up, to my great relief.
“Please,” I sighed.
“My lords and lady,” he bowed to Gradh. “It seems that there was a conspiracy to launch the Twilight Kingdom into war with Unseelie and the Court of the Dragon Kings. Your Princess almost fell prey to this conspiracy but Danu sent Lord Raza to save her. And just in the nick of time, I might add.”
They all gaped at Chad.
Then the sound of rushing water pulled our attention back towards the beach. An aspidochelone was surfacing with a new driver on its back. The driver searched the shore but found no one. Thankfully, the unseelie had seen the wisdom in my words and headed home. So the giant turtle crawled up onto the sand, digging massive trenches as it went.
“Hurry, ferry, please,” I whispered and again, the barge responded and put on a burst of speed.
As it scraped the shore of the island, I looked back and saw the aspidochelone's driver staring in our direction. He was making some dramatic gestures which clearly conveyed his irritation.
“This isn't good,” Raza was at my side in an instant. “When he reaches the Court, Uisdean's life will be in peril.”
“Let's go!” I jumped over the edge of the barge into the wet sand. “Now! Move it!”
They all rushed off the ferry and we ran through the forest to the rath. Within minutes, I was through the fairy mound, bursting out of the darkness into dappled sunlight. I ran straight through the backdoor of Chad's house and into my guest room, where I quickly shed my borrowed clothes and pulled on my underwater hunting outfit. I left off the overskirt this time, the plain catsuit would serve me better. I was braiding my hair as I turned to leave the bedroom and found Tiernan standing in my way.
“What exactly do you think you're doing?”
“Against all odds and reason,” I smirked, “I'm going to rescu
e my uncle.”
“No, Seren,” he shook his head. “I will go, you're staying here.”
“Your spells were tampered with before, honey,” I laid a gentle hand on his arm. “Do you really think they'll work this time?”
He said a very bad word.
“I have to go,” I kissed his cheek. “I need to be there to convince Uisdean to come with us.”
“And you don't think Chad can do it or Raza?”
“Raza can't go,” I chuckled. “He won't fit through the grindylow tunnels, and do you really think Uisdean is going to trust another water dragon?”
He added another bad word to the first.
“We discussed this, remember?” I squeezed his hand. “I need to be able to help people.”
“Even Uisdean?” He spat the name.
“In this inst-”
“Seren, we must go,” Chad poked his head into the doorway. “My apologies for interrupting but your uncle's life depends on our quick response.”
“I know,” I kissed Tiernan. “I'm sorry, T. The other fey will explain more to you.”
“Don't call me T,” Tiernan muttered as I ran off with Chad.
And that's how I had to leave my reunion with Tiernan. All for the sake of my evil Uncle Uisdean. Why did I feel like Danu was messing with me?
Chapter Twenty-One
Grindylows are fast in the water. I mean, super fast. They ended up pulling Chad and I along, our arms wrapped tightly with tentacles, and within minutes we were at the underwater rath. Except something was waiting for us. Something big, snake-like, and with a mouth full of spiky teeth. It's mouth was big enough to swallow me whole so it didn't even need the teeth really. It probably could have gummed me to death. And it was lying in front of the gate.
But the grindylows kept going.
“It's alright, Princess,” Chad shouted to me. “This is the fairy I told you about. The one who will help us. He's a tizheruk.”
Tizheruks were a type of sea serpent I'd read about in the Twilight library. The books said tizheruks had massive heads which could get as wide as seven feet across, a tail which ended in a flipper, and bodies which could reach a maximum length of fifteen feet. Except this guy was easily twice that, both in length and width, and his tail ended in a barbed flipper. Basically a giant spear. So here was a case of don't believe everything you read.
