Chapter Eleven
Brennan
“Mother, really? How old are you exactly that you allow a human child—an infant, practically—to upset you so?”
Nerida sniffed. “Probably because she is right. I have been selfish.”
Brennan met Drake’s eyes over his mother’s head. Nerida never admitted she was wrong. She merely switched course, and carried on as though that had been her plan all along. What was it about Iris that forced everyone around him to behave so differently? Drake, Nerida, even himself. All of them, as though bewitched. No one made Nerida feel guilty. In spite of the confusion Iris brought in him, he found himself admiring her and her abilities. He doubted she even had any awareness of them.
Which he would not consider at this moment. Iris could not be his priority. His kingdom, the promises made by his father—those were his concerns. Put anything else away. Lock it inside.
“What can we do to make this better for you, Mother?” Drake asked kindly. “I am sure it’s not comfortable to come up against someone else’s pain.”
“It’s not. It’s quite dreadful. I don’t lie to myself, though, and Iris is correct. It might have been better had you just left her where you found her, Drake,” she said, a spark of her normal self returning. “That is neither here nor there. I did make a promise, as much as I wish I hadn’t, and Iris’s words reminded me of it. You must bring the full power of the king, Brennan. I cannot fall back on my promise. No matter how irritating I find it to be reminded.”
“I am sure many feel that way,” Drake grinned, not making eye contact with Brennan. “Nothing to be done now, however, other than move forward.”
“So will you please come back with me?” Nerida asked again.
Brennan had to contain his shock. Iris had really affected Nerida. If he could keep his temper in check, he’d have to ask her how she’d done it. Nearly seven hundred years, and he hadn’t been able to be as effective as one argument with Iris.
“If you’re taking him and drawing on the power of the King, I’m going with you.” Drake’s tone brooked no discussion. “With everything that’s going on, he will have need of extra protection.”
“Very well. I need to contact Jharak, to let him know what has happened. I do not wish to leave your kingdom without you for long. Let me have a moment to speak with him and then we shall return,” Nerida busied herself with searching for her mirror.
“Very nice to be asked,” Brennan glanced up at the ceiling. “Almost like there is no king in the room at all.”
“You really need to move past your overly strident concern for dignity at all times,” Drake said. “I know you too well. Mother knows you even better.”
“It would be nice to be consulted, rather than ordered,” Brennan snapped.
“Welcome to how the rest of us live,” Drake snapped back. “Mother, take your time. Catch your breath. How long has it been since someone got the better of you?”
“Oh, be quiet, rude child,” Nerida flapped a hand at him as she walked towards the other end of the throne room. “Where is the family mirror, Brennan?
Brennan felt grateful to Drake. He’d calmed Mother pretty quickly. That was only to everyone’s benefit. “I have one here, Mother. Please take it and stop searching through my room.”
Nerida hurried to him and snatched the mirror away from him without a word. Brennan rolled his eyes. Oh, she was in a rare mood.
As for coming with them, Drake made sense, and his reasoning was logical. He didn’t care for the being ordered about, but he knew better than to continue protesting. It wouldn’t get him anywhere. It would also make him feel awful if he stood by and let Iris’s mother die. Not when he could possibly help. No matter how much the idea bothered him.
“Very well. Let us be off once she’s done,” He gestured with his head where Nerida held up the mirror, speaking rapidly. “Might as well get this over with.”
“I know you do, and I appreciate you helping me to assuage my guilt, Brennan,” Nerida said as she joined him and Drake. This was uncharacteristic appreciation from her. “I don’t care for this feeling, and I know I am putting you out somewhat.”
“That will have to do,” he smiled at her. “How often does one have the upper hand on Queen Nerida?”
“Not often,” Nerida took his hand. “Let Drake and I open the portal. I need you to save your strength for healing.”
Together, Drake and Nerida concentrated, and a portal of mixed colors opened in front of them. First Nerida, then Drake stepped through, and Brennan followed behind.
As he took another step, he was blinded by the bright, artificial light of the Human Realm.
Iris
I stared out at the ocean. Why had mom gotten sick? Why did we have to leave the life we’d built? Ever since we’d come ashore, things had gone to hell, and that put it mildly. Sorcha rocked gently on the swells that rolled through the marina. I tried to force the last several hours from my mind.
I kept coming back to Nerida lying to me, and my mom still sick.
The ring of my phone dragged me from my thoughts. It was Dad. I had to answer.
“I’m at Sorcha,” I said as soon as I answered.
“Come home. We need you.”
“What for?” I wasn’t running around on the whims or broken promises of anyone else. “Are they still there? No need for me to be if they are.”
“Iris.” He had his Dad voice on. “Come home now.” He hung up.
Well. That meant I didn’t get a say. Great.
Reluctantly, I got up and hopped off the boat. Swinging onto my bike, I headed for home. For whatever next level of shit was headed my way.
***
When I opened the front door, I felt the overwhelming attention of many eyes on me. There were too many people, too much for me to focus on. I found Mom and Dad, and then…
“What is he doing here?” I gestured at Brennan.
“I brought him.” Nerida answered me.
I glared at Nerida. She’d disappeared like cake at a birthday party after I’d screamed at her. I walked towards the couch and sat next to my mom, trying not to sob like a baby and pull myself together. I hugged her, and she raised a hand to put around me.
I kept my face buried against my mom, loving and hating the feel of her thin arm around me. All the anger I’d felt came rushing back at the sight of Nerida, with Drake and Brennan in tow. I stood and glared at Nerida as she spoke again.
“Brennan is one of the most skilled healers in the Fae Realm. I brought him here at great personal risk and inconvenience because I don’t want to break my promise to you to try and help your mother.”
Nerida hadn’t lost one ounce of her haughty demeanor. So much for humility.
“Really? Or is she just saying that because she’s your mother?” I glared at Brennan.
Drake answered. “No, it’s true. We’ll need you to move away from your mother, Iris.”
“What exactly are you going to do to Claire?” My father, quiet until now, spoke.
Brennan and Drake turned almost as one towards him, standing with crossed arms at the end of the couch.
“Sir, I am Brennan, and this is my brother, Drake. We are the sons of Nerida, and she speaks true, I am skilled at healing. I understand Nerida promised your daughter that she’d try to help your wife,” Brennan turned his head slightly and smiled at Mom. “With my mage, I will see if we can vanquish the illness that resides within her.”
Dad didn’t respond immediately. I could tell he was keeping himself together with great effort. Suddenly, his shoulders sagged as he looked past them towards Mom.
I stared at Brennan, amazed at how polite and caring he seemed towards my dad. Wow. He was a smoothie when he wanted to be. Seeing him smile at my mom, like he cared…it made all the positive thoughts I’d had about him before he opened his mouth, kidnapped me, zipped my mouth shut—they all went away.
Wow. When he smiled…
“Claire?” My dad said sof
tly.
She gave the merest of shrugs. “What can it hurt, sweetie? It won’t make things any worse.”
“Will it hurt her?” Dad turned back to Brennan.
“I don’t know. I am unsure if I’ve come across this sort of illness. I’m sorry,” he said to Mom. “I don’t have a sure answer for you now.”
Mom shrugged again, closing her eyes and leaning back against the sofa.
“Let’s get on with this,” I interrupted. Something about Brennan in my home made me uncomfortable, like my skin itched all over. I wanted to know what he thought of my home, I wanted to tell him this wasn’t really our home, not to judge. Then I felt anger at myself for even worrying about it.
Brennan was maddening. That’s all there was to it. Maddening man.
Who looked really, really amazing right now, with his dark hair and blazing blue eyes. He had black trousers on and a blue shirt and the ever-present cape in a darker shade of blue. He could be one of those guys on a cheesy romance novel cover, he had so much sex appeal going on.
What the hell was wrong with me?
Brennan met my eyes at that moment, and I felt the heat rise through my cheeks. Could he read thoughts? Dear lord, I hoped not.
A smile tilted one corner of his mouth, and he broke eye contact. Thankfully. I could feel myself sweating.
“Taranath, if you will join me?” Brennan moved closer to Mom, and Mara took a few steps back.
“Madam, you are Imara?” Brennan sounded very formal as he addressed her.
She inclined her head regally. Who was royalty here? Or were all the fae this formal?
“I am. It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty.”
Brennan nodded briskly. “I would like to speak with you later, but let us tend to Claire first.”
Imara nodded. I didn’t know whether to be impressed or annoyed with all the elegant formality.
Taranath moved next to Brennan, and the two of them knelt down next to Mom. Taranath placed his hands on Mom’s head. Brennan took her hands and crossed them over her chest, still holding both of them.
I stepped back and tucked myself under Dad’s arm. He squeezed my shoulder hard. I could tell he had just as much fear and anxiety about this as I did.
Brennan and Taranath closed their eyes. Like before, I could feel the hum. Feel it, rather than hear it. It thrummed through me, and I leaned in more to Dad, needing to feel him. If I didn’t I felt like I’d drift away, sort of like a stray balloon.
As before, Taranath glowed as he touched my mom and focused on her. This time, Brennan was part of that glow. Actually, Brennan glowed more brightly. Perhaps that was only my impression of him.
I could see part of the glow leaving them and moving down their arms towards my mom. I stood up and slightly away from my dad, feeling the need to be close to this, just like before. That scared me, because I had stopped the whole operation once already.
This was different. I took one, then another step until I stood very close to Brennan.
“Iris, what—” my dad said.
I reached out and put my hands over Brennan’s on my mom’s chest.
Brennan
He hadn’t noticed her coming closer until she put her hands over the top of his. Then he felt the jolt that her touch elicited in him, and almost as quickly as it was there, it disappeared into something else. She had healing powers! Whatever Iris had, it amplified what he himself did.
Claire sat up, her eyes open and bright.
She met his eyes, and then moved to her daughter.
“Daughter,” she said.
Brennan heard the gasps behind him. It took him a moment to ascertain why.
Claire had spoken in Fae. Not the human tongue.
He risked a glance at Iris. Like he and the mage, she glowed with the healing magic. All of her features seemed accentuated. Her hair crackled and sparkled with the light of a summer’s day, and her eyes were the color of the moss on trees. Her lips were parted, and all Brennan could think of in that moment were cherries, or some other fruit that he wanted to take a bite out of.
Where did this magic come from?
He lost his train of thought as Claire eased her hands from beneath his and took one of his and Iris’ hands. Taranath still had his hands on her head, but as she sat up, they slid away. The mage staggered back, and Drake moved to catch him.
Brennan felt suddenly that there were too many people in too close a space.
“You can let go now,” Iris said. Her voice didn’t sound like her.
Nevertheless, he stepped back, and Iris leaned down to take both her mother’s hands.
“Mom, let’s get up.”
“Claire, Iris, no!” Iris’s father stepped forward, arms out to—help? Stop?—his wife and daughter.
“It’s all right,” Claire spoke. While low, her voice held strength, strength that hadn’t been there before.
“We need to go outside,” Iris said, still speaking in that strange voice.
He and the mage stepped back further to give the women room. Iris helped her mother to stand, and then walked, holding her arm, towards the door that led outside.
Paul had moved around them all and opened the door. “You sure?”
Brennan couldn’t tell which of his women Paul asked.
Iris answered for both of them. “We are. Come on, Mom.”
He didn’t know why, but Brennan was glad to hear that Iris sounded more like herself, inasmuch as he knew what she sounded like.
“What just happened?” Drake murmured in his ear.
“I don’t know. Mage?”
Taranath shook his head, his eyes glued on the little family as they escorted Claire outside.
“I’m a fool,” Imara said quietly. “That girl is as much fae as I am.”
Nerida responded. “You think so?”
“Did we not just see the same thing?” Imara rounded on his mother. “That was not the action of someone more human than fae. Logically, Iris shouldn’t be able to do that sort of magic right out of the box, so to speak.”
“Right out of the box?” Taranath asked.
Imara waved a dismissive hand. “It’s a human saying. Regardless, this is not logical. She has a lot of fae within, and I am foolish and riddled with stupid pride.”
“Why did you continue to keep your distance?” Taranath asked.
Brennan loved having him around for this very reason. The mage had such an inoffensive manner that he could ask things without being insulting.
“You’re just like your parents,” Nerida said.
Imara nodded. “After being so affronted at their actions, I did the same to my own daughter.”
“Your mother is still with us,” Nerida said softly. “I know she would love to see you.”
Imara’s eyes brightened with hope. “That is something I would like to discuss, but not right now. I want to tend to my daughter. I’ve let things go too long with her.” She walked out the door.
No one followed her.
“Taranath, what did we just see?” Drake asked as soon as Imara left the small room.
The mage shook his head. “Iris is very powerful. Brennan and I were finding success in eradicating the disease but the healing sped up when she took part.”
“Have you ever seen such a thing?” Nerida asked.
“Maybe it was a good thing that I didn’t leave her where we found her,” Drake added.
“I don’t know about that. More problems than anything else,” Brennan said.
Taranath looked him with a mild expression. “Don’t discount something merely because it presents a greater challenge than one is used to,” and he walked outside to join the others.
“What does that mean?” Brennan allowed his frustration that had been present ever since he fell into Iris to come out. He felt even more frustration at the leap of hope and longing that this new side of Iris brought out. Why did these small bursts of hope keep occurring? Why did they feel they were getting larger, not fading? Th
e thought of emotion growing in him made him even more uneasy. Unchecked emotion brought only danger, and hurt.
Drake grinned, laughed a little, and clapped him on the shoulder. He too walked outside, leaving Brennan with his mother. That was never a good thing.
“Brennan, I really think you might want to engage in a bit of self-reflection and be honest with yourself,” she said kindly. “It would do you good.”
“I am fine, Mother. I need no reflection. Happy though this is, I need to return to my kingdom before some wretch destroys it.”
“It won’t happen in the next hour. Come, and let’s see how Claire is.”
Then she walked outside to join the others.
Brennan watched everyone else from inside. Claire had stretched her arms up towards the sun and turned her face upwards. He hadn’t seen such naked joy in a long time. Slightly apart from Claire, Iris and her father stood together, arms wrapped around each other, both smiling and crying.
As Brennan watched, Imara approached Paul, and said something he couldn’t hear. Paul’s face closed and then relaxed, and he leaned down and gave Imara a hug. Brennan could see that Paul did not feel entirely comfortable with Imara, but some of his strong anger seemed to have dissipated.
Brennan could only assume that the happiness of knowing he wouldn’t lose his wife brought this on.
So much emotion. Why did anyone think this a good thing? He shook his head.
Still, watching Iris’s family and his own before him, he had to admit that the only thing he got from them was happiness, relief, and a great deal of love.
Emotion might be all right for others, but not for him. He’d learned that lesson all too well all those years ago.
With a reluctance he didn’t want to think about, he turned his back on the happy scene before him and took a stone from his pouch. Drake had been right. Helping Claire had drained him. He would need help to return.
He cupped the stone in his hands and summoned a portal. Without fanfare, and with a quick glance over his shoulder, he stepped through it. Imara would have to wait until later.
The stone winked closed behind him, and he stood in his cool, dark lounge.
Heart Of The Goblin King (The Realm Trilogy Book 1) Page 12
