by Amy Sumida
“So why didn't you?”
“I've already told you, Niece,” he sighed. “I won't repeat myself.”
He started to turn away but I punched him in the face. He staggered and then snarled. His cloak went flying as he cast it away and then he carefully placed the club on the ground. I shucked out of Chad's flannel and prepared to fight.
“This is really what you want?” He lifted a brow, his ebony hair flashing red in the light of my burning barricade.
I dove at him for an answer and we went tumbling. It never once occurred to me to use my magic on him. I wanted to connect my fist to his flesh, feel the impact that brought him pain. And perhaps I wanted to feel pain too. Some part of me needed to suffer for bringing death to those good men; immortals who should have lived forever. Now they would rot in the ground because I had made the wrong choice.
Uisdean's fist struck me in the belly and the air rushed from my lungs. I kicked upwards and connected with his face. Blood sprayed and the unseelie knights drew close to my barrier, shouting. Uisdean's fingers tangled in my hair; long, elegant fingers which knew the motions of violence well. My face slammed into the cold stone of the courtyard and pain seared up from my cheek and into my eye. My vision swam.
“Enough, Seren,” Uisdean growled in my ear.
I closed my eyes and flung my head back into his nose. The sound of crunching bone made me smile. Then I turned and delivered another punch to his sternum, which sent him tumbling to the ground. I surged over him, holding him down with my knees as I pummeled his face. Blood dripped off my jaw and splattered onto Uisdean, immediately merging with the blood gushing from his nose and mouth. Blood of my blood. I wanted to see more of it. Another punch and his cheek started to bleed too. Ah yes, that's better.
“They were good men,” I shouted as I kept punching him. “Here to help you, you bastard!”
A gust of air blew between us and knocked me onto my back. Uisdean's shiny black boot kicked me back down when I tried to rise. Breathing suddenly became hard and painful. Then his fist cranked my head to the side. My mouth filled with blood. It poured out of my lips and down my cheek, soaking my hair. I didn't care. I spat the blood at Uisdean as he leaned over me. He pulled back in distaste and I began to call my magic. If he wanted to escalate this, I'd oblige him.
“You killed them, Seren, not I,” Uisdean sneered as he lowered himself over me. “And that's why you're so angry.”
He pulled a knife from his belt just as I lifted my hand. But I was too late. Before I could cast the magic upon him, Uisdean turned the blade and knocked the pommel into my temple. The world and all of my burning rage, sizzled away.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Seren, the voice was soft and familiar, like an old blanket, and it came from within my head. My aching head. Seren, I'm so sorry.
“You,” I grumbled as I tried to sit up. “Now you wanna talk?”
The clatter of chains and searing pain accompanied my movements. I sucked in a breath and held it when that only made things worse. Alright, I could handle a little pain. It wasn't like this was the first time I'd had my ass kicked. In fact, this brought me back to my early years as an extinguisher. Breathe through the pain, my father used to say. No, not my father; Ewan, the man who I'd thought was my father. A different kind of pain lanced through me.
Goddess, I missed that bastard.
Speaking of Goddess... Had I heard her voice or was the pain making me hallucinate? I pushed back the pain and breathed through it, just as I'd been taught. Ewan would be so proud. Or just pleased that someone had beaten me. No, wait, he didn't hate me anymore. I seemed to remember him saying that. Right. He didn't hate me but he didn't love me anymore either.
I scowled as I opened my eyes and squinted into the dark. I knew this place. I'd been here before... when I'd first come to Fairy. But back then, I was on the other side of the bars. Actually, I'd been opening them, rescuing seelie fey from Castle Unseelie's dungeon. Uisdean was probably giddy now that he had me to replace those fairies I'd freed. And he could keep me there as long as he wanted, without the Sluagh rising against him.
I checked out my accommodations with an air of apathetic acceptance. The floor was dry and fairly clean but it was also cold, making my bruised muscles cramp. The wall however, was damp in several places. Not dripping, just damp enough that I didn't want to lean against it. To the front and sides were steel bars, going from the stone ceiling down into the stone floor. Cells stretched away from me to my right and across the small aisle from me was another length of them. Within those cells were the corrigan casters who had placed the breathing spells upon me and my Guard.
“Princess, we're sorry for what we did,” Beatrix called over to me when my gaze settled on her. “We didn't think anyone would be hurt.”
“Why did you think the dragon kings wanted me unprotected in their court if not to kill me?” I asked woodenly and they all cringed.
They weren't in chains like I was and they still had their protective veils on, though they weren't so clean anymore. It was hard to see their faces behind the material, what with the shadowy atmosphere of the dungeon, but their body language conveyed their regret clearly. Still, I didn't have the strength to forgive them. I was battered physically and emotionally. It took all my strength to breathe, I didn't want to talk.
In all honesty, I welcomed the cell with its stark punishment. It felt appropriate. I should rot there, like my men would rot in their graves. If only rotting wasn't so painful.
Seren, stop feeling sorry for yourself, Danu chided. The guilt lays upon Uisdean's shoulders, not yours.
“Oh, so that was you,” I huffed. “Too late. Your apology is too late. Go away and leave me be.”
He was in pain, Seren. Try and forgive him. A broken heart lays heavy in the chest.
“Are you fucking kidding me?!” I screamed, my chest burning with the effort. Across the way, the corrigan cowered. “You're preaching forgiveness to me now? I already tried to forgive him after he killed my mother. My mother! What was I thinking? You don't forgive something like that. Not ever. Ah hell, lady, I ain't listening to your bullshit anymore. Go sell it to another stupid princess.”
I understand that you're in pain too, Daughter. You must-
“Yeah I'm in pain,” I growled. “He broke my face!”
A tingling warmth eased through me and my pain faded to a bearable level.
This was not the pain I referred to, she said as the magic sank deeper. I know you grieve-
“Fuck off!” I shouted so loud that it echoed through the dungeon.
The warmth abruptly stopped and silence reigned for five minutes. Long enough for me to settle back into my remaining pain and sadness. I laid back on the floor and started staring at the stone ceiling.
I never left you, Danu whispered and then I felt her presence draw away.
“Yeah right,” I muttered and then shouted, “And I'm not having a threesome with Tiernan and Raza either, you big pervert!”
The corrigans pulled back into their cells as far as they could go.
“I'm not talking to you guys, just relax,” I ground out. “I'm talking to Danu.”
They gasped.
“Talking to Danu won't help this time, Niece,” Uisdean stood in the doorway of the dungeon.
“No kidding,” I grumbled and then noticed that his face was completely healed. “What happened to your face? I could have sworn I turned it into hamburger.”
“We have healers, Seren,” he tsked me. “I would have brought you one but I had a feeling that you wanted the pain.”
“Go to hell, Uisdean,” I growled. “Speaking of which, have you summoned up your evil queen yet?”
“She's not evil,” he sighed. “I think you're going to like her, Seren. She's a far better fairy than I; beautiful and sweet, and generous. There was no one as pure in heart as Rue.”
“Except she won't be that way when you bring her back through murder,” I wanted to sneer but I was too
tired.
“No evil could ever touch her,” he said confidently.
“Except for you evidently,” I scoffed. “Not such a good judge in men, was she?”
“I'm not here to argue with you,” he crossed his arms and leaned back against the cell bars across from me.
A couple of red caps came in, turning sideways to get through the doorway. Their grimy hair was matted with the blood dripping from their jaunty caps and their footsteps vibrated through the floor. I stumbled up to my feet to face them, grudgingly grateful that my injuries were improved enough for me to do so without too much pain. The chains hung before me, a length between my wrists, one between my ankles, and then another binding the two together. And they tingled.
“What's up with these chains?” I asked as one of the red caps unlocked my cell door. “They're not even attached to the wall.”
“They're the usual magic dampeners we employ on powerful sidhe,” Uisdean shrugged. “You should feel flattered.”
“Great,” I grimaced as the red caps came through the doorway and picked me up by my upper arms. I dangled between them like a pinata. Actually, I kinda felt like a pinata that had already been whacked open. “Well, this is a fun way to travel.”
“Oh, it's about to get much more fun than this,” Uisdean promised as he turned and led us out into the guard chamber.
A few men stood at attention behind a rustic wood table. The fireplace sparked behind them, setting its glow over the remains of their meal. They all gave me wicked smiles as we passed and I stuck my tongue out at them. It was the only gesture I could manage with my arms held so securely and it had the desired effect of making them gape at me.
Up and up we went, past the levels of damp stone hallways with moss-covered walls and ceilings covered in clinging unseelie creatures. The higher we went, the more elegant the décor got, until we were walking through polished ebony halls and up spiral stairs of clean, dry stone. I knew where we were going, I'd been there just days before after all.
Uisdean's tower.
Except this time we went past the dining chamber and up to the highest floor. This was some sort of observatory. Just an open, round space surrounded by low walls and arches. I'd call them windows but there was no glass in them, nor wall between them, just a circle of arches stretching up to the tapered ceiling. The view was probably spectacular during the day but as it was, I could barely see beyond the light of the fairy lanterns hovering above us.
In the center of the room was a simple gold stand holding Dagda's club like some kind of museum piece. The red caps escorted me to a place off to the side as Uisdean moved forward and picked up the club. He held it aloft like it was Excalibur and he'd just pulled it out of a rock.
“You may go,” he nodded to the red caps without taking his eyes from the club.
They dropped me and left without a word.
“What are we doing here?” I asked as I flopped onto the floor and leaned back against the low stone wall.
“Isn't it obvious?” He hefted the club. “It's time to bring back my beloved and I thought it would be appropriate for you to witness the event.”
“Swee-e-et,” I rolled my eyes. “You got any popcorn?”
“Do you think you could chew it with that broken jaw?” He shot back.
“Hmph, nice one,” I acknowledged. “I must look pretty bad, huh? I think you broke a rib too.”
“And your nose,” he nodded. “There isn't much of your face that isn't purple or blue actually. But it matches your hair perfectly.”
“You're such a dick,” I smiled at him and felt my lip crack, dripping fresh blood down my chin. “You sure you want me to be one of the first things your wife sees upon her reanimation?”
“She won't pay you any mind,” he shrugged. “Not when she sees me. And it's a rebirth, not a reanimation.”
“Pretty confident in her love, aren't you? What if she comes back and decides she wants a divorce? Actually, are you even still married? It's to death do you part after all, and she did die.”
“Enough banter,” he sighed and lifted the club. “Rue Reòthadh, return to me!”
That was it. No other words were needed, no special dance to do or candles to light. The club immediately started to glow and the light grew in intensity until it was blinding. Just like when it had killed my men. Even Uisdean had to avert his eyes. The room filled with the glare and it must have looked like the tip of a lighthouse to everyone below. It was a beacon which I was certain could be seen throughout the kingdom.
A beacon which led Queen Rue back to her husband.
Within the club's luminosity something coalesced. I felt it before I saw it, since I was basically cringing away from the glare. A biting sensation along my skin, like tiny needles, preceded a heaviness in the air. I squinted and saw a shape within the light. It was growing, lengthening into the form of a woman. It hovered there until it was fully formed and then slowly lowered to the ground.
As she dropped, the light faded until it died out completely. A woman with hair as red as holly berries stood there for a moment before her body continued to fall and she gracefully crumpled onto the floor. Her face was angelic, features soft and rounded, and sooty lashes fluttered over her moonlight skin. Her body was slim but screamed femininity. Lying there among her long, wavy hair, she looked like that famous painting of Ophelia dying. Except this Ophelia had done the opposite of dying.
I gaped at her as Uisdean dropped the club and rushed to her side.
“Rue,” he whispered as her eyes opened. “Mo ghaol bith-buan, I have missed you every moment.”
“Uisdean?” Her voice was rough and she cleared her throat before continuing. She asked him something in Gaelic. Or maybe it was the fey language. It's so hard for me to tell the difference. And then she began to cry.
“Rue?” He pulled her into his lap and covered her nudity with his cloak. “Don't cry, Rue. I've brought you back. You're alive again. Rejoice with me, dearest.”
“Uisdean,” she moaned. “Something is wrong, it's inside me. It's spreading, Uisdean. I feel it. What have you done to me?”
“Shh now, it will be alright, love,” he kissed her gently and I looked away.
I shouldn't be there. It was all kinds of wrong for me to witness this. Especially since my heart was suddenly breaking for them both. I knew why Rue was crying and I knew what was inside her. It was the evil taking root, changing her. Uisdean was about to reap what he sowed and I should be rejoicing to watch as my vengeance took form. But I could only mourn.
If Rue had returned whole and untouched by Uisdean's deeds, at least there would have been some good to come from the deaths of my men. But as her body shook and her hands clenched into fists, I knew there would be no good coming of this. Rue had been brought back, just as Uisdean wanted, but she'd been brought back just as I had foretold. And the most awful part was that she was innocent of Uisdean's crimes and yet she would be the one who suffered most.
Rue opened her eyes and set them on me suddenly. They were acid green and filled with malice. My breath seized my throat shut as I stared back. She began to smile and then snuggled into her husband's chest and sighed. One delicate hand slid up to his neck and her expression shifted into one of sweet adoration before she lifted her face to him.
“Uisdean,” she whispered sweetly. “I love you.”
Terror raced through my blood as Uisdean lowered his joyous face to Rue's and kissed his queen.
His evil queen.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“And who is this?” Rue stood before me clad in Uisdean's cloak and a vicious smile.
“Our niece,” Uisdean came up and slid his arm around her waist. They made a striking couple, I'd give them that.
“Niece?” She looked up at him and when he stared down at her with love-filled eyes, I knew he would be blind to her evil. Uisdean would see only what he wanted to see. He had to.
“Keir's daughter,” he gave her a smile.
“Litt
le Keir?” She laughed. “He's not old enough to sire a child. And why are we conversing in the Anglo-Saxon tongue?” She paused and blinked. “Actually, it's a different dialect completely and yet I understand it.”
“Probably a result of your rebirth,” Uisdean suggested.
“But why are we speaking it?” She insisted.
“Rue, it's been a very long time.”
“Centuries?” She went serious. He looked away. “Millennia?” Uisdean sighed. “Sweet Goddess,” she held a hand to her chest.
“I have never stopped searching for a way to bring you back to me.”
“And you finally succeeded,” she kissed him gently. “Now, why is our niece in chains? And who hurt her?”
“We were not in agreement over your return,” Uisdean said. “And I hurt her.”
“So you didn't want me back?” She bent down and got in my face. “Wanted him for yourself?”
“Who?” I frowned, fascinated by the ferocity stirring in her eyes.
“Uisdean,” she hissed. “My husband!”
“He's my uncle,” I scoffed. “Of course I don't want him. I don't even like him.”
“We are fey,” she waved her hand. “Blood relations can only increase our power.”
“Well I'm only half fey,” I huffed. “And I'm not into the kinky stuff you guys are.”
“Half?” She pulled back as if I might contaminate her.
“Keir bred with an extinguisher,” Uisdean explained.
“A what? Is that some kind of creature?”
“Before her time, Uncle,” I shook my head. Damn but she had been dead awhile.
“A truce was struck with the humans,” Uisdean continued. “Then both sides created councils to form the laws and mete out judgments. Military forces were created to uphold those laws. For the fey, we have the Wild Hunt, hunters who kill humans who break the laws of the truce. The humans have extinguishers who do the same with fairies.”
“And we allow this?” Her eyes went wide with shock. “You allow this? Humans judging us? Killing us with our permission? It's abhorrent. A disgrace to our ancestors!”
