“He wants our help, so let’s see if we can be of assistance.” She walked into the mists, following the cat-man, not waiting for her men. They would come with her, even if just to protect her. She realised that she could use their instinctive protectiveness to make them do what she wanted… fun.
Cam continued to whisper doubts and complaints, but Macey left him behind, catching up with the cat sìth.
“What is your name?” she asked him and he gave her a curious look with his glowing eyes.
“Us sìth never reveal our names, did you not know that?”
“Ehm, you’re the first cat sìth I’ve met. Why not?”
“A name gives you power over the named. That’s why we have nine, one each for partners, children, parents, family, neighbours, friends, colleagues, strangers and enemies.”
“Wow, that must be hard to keep up with,” Macey said wide-eyed. She was terrible with names, and remembering nine of them for each person would be more than a challenge.
“So you can’t tell me your name for strangers?”
“No,” he said simply, not giving an explanation.
“Well, I’m Macey. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too, Kelpie.”
She sighed. “Why does everybody always know what I am and I have no clue about what they are?”
Cat-man chuckled. “I’m a cat. My sense of smell is excellent.”
“Have you smelled many kelpies?” Macey asked incredulously.
“You’re the first. But you smell like the sea, and you’re not blue and don’t have a fishtail, so kelpie was the logical option.”
“Oh.”
“We’re almost there,” he said and they walked in silence, Macey still pondering what she smelled like. Maybe she should ask the guys if she smelled fishy? Then she’d have to do something about it.
A growl that was distinctively non-cat carried through the mist. She stopped in her tracks, suddenly suspicious.
“Why did that sound like a dog? You said we’re going to see your sister.”
“We are. We’re twins, in fact, but fraternal. She’s not a cat sìth, she’s a cù sìth.”
“A what?”
He sighed. “A dog fae, if you wish. I got the whiskers, she got the wagging tail.”
“Does that mean one of your parents was a dog and one a cat?” Macey had to suppress a giggle at the thought.
“Yes. Now will you please come? She needs help.”
Macey turned serious immediately. “Of course. Although I still don’t know what we could do.”
“Neither do I,” Cam muttered from behind her. The guys had been so quiet that Macey had almost forgotten all about them. The cat-man’s voice was so alluring, so beautiful that her entire focus had been on him. Only Jared’s incubus vibe got anywhere close to his.
Another growl, much closer this time. The mists slowly parted in front of them and offered them a view of an iron-wrought park bench. It looked out of place, as if it had been transported from an old-fashioned park. The ground was covered in mist, giving it an eerie, out-of-this-world feel. That made her think that she had no idea about where they were. Was this Earth? Another planet? An in-between place?
A heart-wrenching whine made her forget all about it. Behind the bench lay a large, white shape, camouflaged well against the misty background. It was too big to be a normal dog and far too white. Not even huskies were that white.
“Sister, I brought help,” cat-man said and quickly walked around the bench, kneeling next to his twin. Cautiously, Macey followed him, flanked by Cam and Flint. The dog was massive, the size of a small bull. Her fur was snow white with a dark patch on her chest. Her eyes were the same glowing ones her brother had, but hers were red-rimmed as if she’d been crying too much. Her large tail had been braided and embellished with a bright pink ribbon. The rest of her fur was shaggy though, as if it hadn’t been cleaned in a while.
She lifted a massive paw in greeting, but it was a weak gesture and it was obvious that she was finding it hard to move.
Macey approached carefully. The dog may have been poorly, but it was big and rather intimidating. She’d never been a fan of dogs, she was more of a cat person. And this cù sìth was far too big for her liking.
“What’s wrong with her?” she asked and cat-man sighed.
“She was stupid and tried to protect a human. She says he was important, but how could a human be worth getting hurt?” The disgust was clear in his voice.
“Who did she protect him from?”
Cat-man frowned. “We do not say his name. But he is the worst of the evil spirits that roam this land. He can fill you with terror and his voice makes even the bravest afraid.”
Macey turned around and looked at her men who were all having the same expression. The Voice. Could it be him? Could he have hurt the dog-woman?
“What did he do to her?”
“He sent her horrible images, memories filled with dread, visions of terrible futures. Her mind is in pain and I cannot reach her. She’s not getting out of the haze he induced. It’s like she’s trapped in a nightmare while awake.”
That sounded more and more like the Voice.
“Can she talk?”
“She has moments where her mind is clear enough to communicate, but those are rare. I’ve had to piece together what happened.”
“What happened to the human?”
“How should I know? And if I knew, I’d likely go after him. My sister is hurt because he got in trouble. He deserves to suffer for that.”
Cat-man’s eyes were glowing brightly now and Macey shrunk back at the anger shining in them.
A comforting hand pressed against her back. Cam. She leaned back slightly, wordlessly acknowledging his support. She liked that about her men. They were there, no matter what, offering her the support and protection she needed, while letting her fight her own battles. Though she wasn’t naive enough to think they wouldn’t insist on standing in front of her if her life was actually at risk. The foolish men. She could take care of herself. Not that flinching away from the cat sìth showed that.
In fact, she was being rude. The Cat-Man clearly loved his sister, so being angry and protective was only to be expected. She’d be exactly the same if it was one of her brothers who was injured and in pain. She pushed all thoughts of her brothers aside. There’d still been no way of knowing quite how involved they were in what was happening to her, and she didn’t want to entertain the notion of their guilt any more than she had to. It’d only make her doubt everyone around her.
Instead, she reached out and touched Cat-Man’s arm gently, her hand cooling drastically, same as it warmed when she touched Flint or he touched her. Her eyes unfocused as something unnamed flowed through her. It was an odd feeling, like she was solely focused on Cat-Man, but not focused on anything else at all. His pale blue eyes met hers, and they softened instantly.
“The man’s not worth it,” she said softly.
“I know,” Cat-Man acknowledged. “That doesn’t stop me wanting to rip him apart,” he added slowly. Macey nodded once, understanding now creeping over her. She didn’t think he’d actually hurt anyone unless there was a good reason to.
“How can I help?” she asked him, taking a step closer to him and feeling the cold rush over her. She felt oddly comfortable. Then again, the bottom of the loch was pretty cold, so maybe she was just used to it. She didn’t think so though.
“I don’t know. I was hoping...” He looked away, and uneasy look crossed his face.
“This will only work if you talk to me,” she pointed out. “No matter how bizarre it might sound, I’ve probably encountered worse.” She thought back over the events leading to this moment. Yes, she’d definitely encountered worse.
“I’d hoped you could connect minds with her.” He glanced back at her as he finished his request, a hopeful but unsteady look in his eyes. Macey frowned. She didn’t think she was unapproachable. She certainly hoped she wasn’t.
“What makes
you think I can do that?” She certainly had her doubts after all. She’d never had those kinds of powers. She didn’t know many people who did. And she was sure she’d have discovered them by now, especially as Flint and Cam both had them.
“You’ve been spoken to by him.” Cat-Man shuddered as he said the word. She didn’t blame him.
“I call him the Voice,” she supplied, barely holding off a shudder of her own just thinking that much about the invasion into her mind. Of all the things that could ever be done to her, that was the biggest violation anyone could have made. “But how do you know that?”
“I begged the Staran to bring me someone who knew. I had to speak his name to even get you here, and I worry that even that brief moment was enough to give him more power.”
“Oh.” She waited for a moment to see if he’d say anymore. “Your speech has improved massively.” Her hands flew to her mouth as soon as the words had escaped. She couldn’t believe she’d said that. How rude could she get? Behind her, Jared began to chuckle, and as pleased as she was that she could tell it was him just from the sound, it couldn’t replace the shame she was feeling right now.
To her surprise, Cat-Man chuckled. “I’m not surprised, kelpie. I’m not a simpleton, but a long time in my other form takes its toll. When I regain my human shape, it sometimes takes a little conversation for me to return to my former self.”
“Why don’t you transform more often then?” It seemed like a very simple solution to his problem. More transformations meant more chances to practice speaking. That was all he needed really.
“I can’t. I have a finite number of transformations. Once I return to my cat form for the ninth time, I will be stuck there forever.”
“Or until you die?” she prompted. “That doesn’t seem very fair.”
“Life isn’t fair, kelpie. But I think you know that better than anyone.”
She nodded in reply, grateful for the silence of the others. It was more likely confusion and shock than anything else, but it was still good to know they trusted her judgement.
“How many more transformations do you have left?” she asked, hoping he said most of them.
“Two.”
“Oh.”
“Yes, it’s a little concerning, but I had to do it for my sister’s sake.” He glanced at the large white dog, affection plain on his face. Right, yes, his sister. The reason he’d wanted Macey in the first place.
“May I?” she asked, indicating towards the large white form.
“Please.”
She made her way over to the liveless dog’s form. No, not dog. Woman. It was a woman and she needed to remember that. She crouched down next to her and pressed a gentle hand against where she imagined a dog’s forehead was. Something almost crackled against her skin, but it was gone the moment it arrived, so Macey dismissed it.
“What do I do now?” she asked, feeling far more unsure of herself than was entirely pleasant.
“I don’t know,” Cat-Man replied.
“Follow your instincts, Macey,” Cam insisted. She half-scowled at the unhelpful instructions, before realising he was probably right. He had been so far after all.
She drew in a long, deep breath, and pressed her hand more firmly against the woman’s dog head. She pushed her thoughts out, trying to gain the woman’s attention.
“It’s not working,” she grunted.
“Let me try and help,” Cat-Man said softly, placing his hand over hers. The coldness of it sent shivers through her, but not unpleasant ones. There was definitely something enthralling about it, though what that was, Macey had no real clue. Maybe she’d unravel that someday. “Try again,” he prompted.
She took another breath and squeezed her eyes back shut. This time, she felt a presence alongside her, and she reached out to it, feeling it touch the outskirts of her mind, but not probe within. Having connected with the presence that she was sure was Cat-Man, she pushed forward.
Hello? she thought out towards the woman. She even tried picturing her in her mind, but it was hard without a true frame of reference. Hello? she repeated.
Hi. The returning voice was weak but melodic, she liked it. But one thing it wasn’t, was reassuring.
Can you tell me your name? she asked without thinking, cursing herself quietly when she remembered that wasn’t something she was supposed to know.
Sharara, the weak voice replied. Macey’s heart skipped a beat. That wasn’t the answer she’d been expecting.
Sister! Cat-Man’s scold sounded loud and clear through Macey’s mind. That’s not a name you should be telling. Especially in front of me.
Shh, brother, you’re giving me a headache, the voice answered.
A headache? You’ve had me worried sick, sister.
Macey found it interesting that he still wasn’t using her name. Though what was it he’d said? They had different names for different people? She wondered which one Sharara had given her.
I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that, Macey said, trying to send as many apologetic thoughts as she could. She was slowly getting used to this talking-in-your-mind stuff. A lot of supernatural species seemed to do that. Strangely enough, kelpies didn’t. Their language underwater was a mixture of whinnies and dolphin-like clicks. In Macey’s opinion, their way of talking was a lot more sophisticated than how humans did it.
It’s okay, you don’t know our customs, Sharara answered weakly. And I hate to say it, but I don’t have much time left, I can feel the darkness approaching already.
The darkness? Macey asked, wondering if the dog-woman was simply talking about losing consciousness.
He’s keeping me trapped in a sphere of darkness. I’m in the middle of it and all I can see are memories. Bad ones. They replay on the walls of the sphere. When I’m out of there, I know that they’re twisted and distorted, but not while I’m inside. And I don’t get many lucid moments anymore; the walls are getting stronger and it’s harder to escape.
How can I help?
I don’t think you can. But the young man needs your help.
Sister, stop being so stupid! You’re the one that needs saving, not that human. The cat-man’s rage filled their conversation and Macey strengthened her mental barriers, making sure he wouldn’t affect her. He definitely had anger issues, but that wasn’t a surprise, really, when she thought about it. Cats weren’t known for being rational.
I don’t see a way out of here, Sharara said sadly. But he is young, and his life is important. He was on his way to rescue his lady love... She sighed dreamily. It’s so romantic.
This isn’t a fairy tale, sister. Snap out of it and come back to me! The desperation was clear in cat-man’s voice.
I wish I could, dear brother. But I believe it’s the end of my story. I cannot stay in this nightmare forever. Please, you know what to do.
Never. I’m not going to kill you. No chance! He was shouting now and Macey was tempted to intervene, but she could see how it was a conversation the two siblings needed to have.
Then let the kelpie do it. That’s why you brought her here, right?
I... no, she’s here to save you! That’s why the Staran called her to me.
Kelpie, where were you headed? Sharara asked, finally including Macey back in the conversation.
It’s a long story, but we need to find someone. Two people, in fact; one of them is imprisoned and the other one is on his way to rescue her. And I believe you may know one of them...
Cat-man growled. No, we’re not going to talk about the human. The Staran wouldn’t do that to me... they brought you here to save her, not him... No, it cannot be. Sister, don’t do this, I beg you!
Sharara sighed. I’ve lived long enough, brother. We both have. But if the kelpie and her companions are looking for this human, then we should help them. Let me do one good deed before my life expires. Let me send her my memories.
I will have no part in this, cat-man growled. You do it yourself, if you must, but I will not watch you die.
I am too weak to do it on my own, Sharara whispered, her thoughts becoming weaker. Please, brother. Please.
The cat’s anger dissipated in a flash, replaced by a deep sadness that made Macey shiver. She could feel tears running down her cheeks, far away, and was worried that her men might think she was in trouble. She hoped they wouldn’t rip her out of her trance, or whatever else she was to call this.
Cat-man sighed deeply. If I help you, will you try and stay a little while longer? Maybe if I go and fight... the Voice, it will free you.
Oh my sweet brother, I wouldn’t have you sacrifice yourself for nothing. He is too strong. Stay with me in my last moments, help me go into the Beyond.
Macey wanted to leave them alone, but if there was any hope that Sharara had indeed seen Ice, she needed to stay. Finally, they were close to finding one of the other Wardens. And if they were lucky, Ice would lead them to Lightning. Then the only one left was Air, and then... well, what was going to happen then? Heal the Staran? Defeat the Voice? Live happily ever after? Somehow she was sure it wasn’t going to be that easy.
Sharara interrupted her thoughts. Kelpie, we will send you some of my memories. I will try and only send those related to the human, but it’s not an exact science and you may get more than that. Fear not, it won’t hurt.
Okay, what do I need to do? Macey asked.
Relax, cat-man said in his most sultry voice and she could feel herself instantly grow calm. Don’t shy away, as she said, it’s not going to hurt.
Then, a flash of light hurtled towards Macey and before she could evade it, it crashed into her and she was thrown into whiteness.
The man had bright blue hair and strange metal rings on his ears. Sharara stayed hidden in the mists, watching the human as he stumbled through her domain. He was the first human she’d seen in awhile. They rarely left Earth, and if they did, it was often involuntarily. There were some species who liked to keep humans as slaves. She shuddered. It was despicable to have another being as a slave, even if it was a human. And this particular one... she liked the bright colour of his hair. He was dressed in black, so the blue stood out even more.
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