by Bonnie Lamer
Kallen opens his mouth, ire burning from his eyes. “I am not under a dark magic spell,” he grinds out, taking an aggressive step forward. Then he stops. He looks down at his feet that must have moved him forward of their own volition, and then he looks at me again. “That may be the case,” he admits a bit sheepishly.
I put as much of a smile on my face as I can muster and fill the gap between us with my body. Wrapping my arms around him, I feel the dark magic swirling around him, trying to find a way inside. Kallen’s magic is strong, though, and the protective wall he has guarded his mind with only has a chink or two missing. Other than that, it’s standing strong. I feel him pull magic, filling the holes in the fortress of his mind, fixing the problem. Taz, on the other hand, is giving me the hairy eyeball as he waits to see if I’m going to shove dark magic into him. He got lucky this time.
I watch the two older Fairies absorb everything I’ve said, and to my great surprise, they seem to agree. Good. Only one of us at a time can be plagued by self-doubt, and in general, I have dibs on that. “So, just to throw a log into the fire, do you think she can change into anyone?”
I really know how to kick up the stress threshold in a room. That fraction of a second when our minds were beginning to ease as understanding crept in and a plan can be made is gone. It’s so gone, it may not have existed at all.
“Your Highness,” Naja says. “I should depart now that my message has been delivered. There is an inordinate amount of criminal activity today and I need to be available to help the Fairies in my employ.” To her credit, she didn’t look at me at all while saying that and her voice is even, no insinuation leaking into it. I like her.
“Of course,” Dagda says. With a slight nod of her head, Naja departs.
“Okay, how do we do this?” I ask as soon as the door closes behind Naja.
Before anyone can respond, we hear a loud thump against the door and the strangled cry of a male Fairy fills the air. Dagda is out of his seat in a flash, but Kallen beats him to the door with me right behind him. Throwing it open wide, the three of us stop dead. On the ground at Naja’s feet is an unconscious Fairy. He is tall, maybe as tall as Kallen, and he is well muscled in a ‘look at me I can lift a house sort of way’. Near his left foot, there is a knife so large, it has to be considered a machete. No need to wonder what he was planning to do with that. One of us was supposed to lose our head.
Looking over at Naja, she is still calm and collected, even after taking out the equivalent of a six and a half foot brick with her bare hands. I don’t think she even has a scratch on her. She’s good. I like her even more now.
Looking back at the King, Naja says, “I will deliver him to a holding cell.” With that, she grabs the collar of the guy’s shirt and drags him down the hall. None too carefully, either. As she rounds a corner at the end of the hall, she is not at all concerned that the guy’s head hits the wall before she yanks him farther to the left to get him around.
“Best decision I ever made hiring her,” Dagda says.
“I agree,” I say. “I think we should move things along, though. The sooner I’m technically dead, the sooner the craziness can take a break.”
I probably should have picked my words better because Kallen’s face has blanched. In a vain attempt to make him feel better, I say, “Don’t worry, you’ll be dead with me.” Hmm. I wonder when the next ‘Queen of Making Things Worse’ competition is. That line will definitely be on my entry application.
Seeing that her grandson’s head is about to explode, Isla says, “Kallen, if I could think of a better way, I would.” All he does is nod numbly. Great, now I’ve made my husband mute. Without magic.
Chapter 19
After another hour of planning and debate over the details, we have finally gotten to the part when I can create a passageway between realms. I have a pain of nostalgia when my old house comes into view. I wouldn’t change my life for anything, but seeing where I grew up again, it sort of makes me wish for calmer days. We had to break up three fights and disarm seven Fairies just going from the office to outside of the palace. The darkness has a tight hold on the realm and I know it won’t go down without a fight. I really, really hope this works.
Calling out, I’m both relieved and disappointed not to hear my aunt’s voice in reply. I would love to see her, but I doubt she stays here much anymore, if at all. I know she has given up her research on different planes of existence and since we’re no longer in her realm, she probably spends her time in Denver where she has an apartment. I hope she still checks on the house from time to time.
The reason I am glad she’s not here is because she would have a bout of hysteria if she knew that we were going to use her equipment. She had been planning to dismantle it – with a sledge hammer, but Dad had talked her out of it. He convinced her that there may come a time when her research could be of value. Like now. Reluctantly, she had relented.
Despite her lack of response, Kallen and I still check the house for Aunt Barb. After all the rooms have been deemed empty, I return to the passageway and signal Zac. I dragged him away from a magic lesson, which didn’t earn me any brownie points with him. He loves his classes. My little brother steps nervously through. I would have kept him out of this, but he’s the only one who ever made the machine work properly. I’m hoping he still remembers how. He had only been playing around when the machine sent him and Aunt Barb to the Shadow realm. He seems pretty confident, though. I still can’t help thinking about the fact that the balance of my and Kallen’s life is held in the hands of a young boy. It’s amazing that the places life brings you.
Making our way to the garage, I have to keep Zac focused. His mind has suddenly gone to all the toys he didn’t take to the Fairy realm when he and my parents officially moved. I’m guessing that he is making a list in his head of the armfuls of stuff he wants to bring back with him to the Fairy realm. If he can actually make the machine work, I’m going to let him take it all.
We make our way to the garage where Barb’s lab was and my eyes are instantly drawn to the two reclining chairs. The thought hits me that the last time I saw these, they contained the soulless bodies of Zac and Aunt Barb. I had lifted Zac’s body so carefully and held it close as I brought it to the Fairy realm before heading into the Shadow world to look for his soul.
Sitting down in a recliner, I smile weakly at Kallen as he does the same. I find myself not quite as confident as I was before, now as the reality of my plan looms in front of us. This had better work and we had better end up where we are supposed to. I’m not sure what the implied ‘or else’ after that sentence may include, but I’ll figure it out if I have to.
Trying to make myself more comfortable in the black leather chair, I can’t help thinking that I should have a metal bowl thing with antennas coming out of it on my head like an old B movie about Frankenstein. No waiting for an electrical storm here, though. There’s plenty of juice in the machines to make them work without an assist from nature.
“Ready?” I ask Kallen. My voice may be a little higher than normal, but I’m going to ignore that. Grimly, Kallen nods.
“Come on, Xandra,” Zac chides. “I did it, so you can’t be scared to do it.”
I lift my brows at my little brother. “It didn’t exactly work out that well for you,” I remind him.
He shrugs in that way eight year olds do. “It didn’t hurt or anything. We just went to a bad place for a while.” Yeah, and the thought of that still sends shivers down my spine.
“Do you think you can remember how to make it work?” I ask, not wanting to focus on the possibility of things going wrong anymore.
Zac’s little face scrunches up. “I think I was playing with this,” he says, putting his hand on a small dial.
“Was anything else on?” I ask before he starts fiddling with the little knob.
Looking around the room, he points to a small device on a desk across the room. “That’s what Aunt Barb was working on while I was playing aro
und over here.” A bit of color touches his face. He wasn’t really supposed to be playing around with anything in here. Inadvertently proving Aunt Barb’s research to be true does not take away from the fact that he was misbehaving.
“Okay, go turn it on.” I’m so glad Aunt Barb didn’t have the electricity turned off here. I don’t think she would, though. Even if she’s not staying here, she’d leave it on in case we needed something and had to return.
“Okay, Zac,” I say nervously, “get out of here so we can do this. The passageway home is probably going to close as soon as we do this.”
With a disappointed face, Zac goes. I know he wanted to stay and watch but we couldn’t run the risk of him getting stuck in this realm if something goes seriously wrong. Yeah, Aunt Barb would come get him but Mom and Dad would definitely be furious, not to mention heart broken.
Kallen reaches his hand out to me and I place mine in it. “Any chance I can talk you out this?”
“You do remember who you’re married to, right?” I tease.
A small smile touches his lips. “I do, and I would prefer my beautiful Witch Fairy wife to be alive and well.”
I squeeze his hand, but I think I’m trying to reassure myself as much as him. “Everything will turn out okay.”
From outside we hear a loud shout. “I’m going back through,” Zac yells. That’s our cue.
“I love you,” I say staring into Kallen’s vibrant green eyes.
“I love you,” he replies.
“Okay, let’s do this.” I reach my hand out and begin fiddling with the dial that Zac had shown me. Nothing happens. Is it broken? I fiddle with it again.
A blinding light pierces the room, not only blinding us but also transporting us to who knows where. Zac was right, it didn’t hurt. But it sure makes you queasy to have your soul jostled around. Wow. I hope it goes back in without the dizziness and nausea I’m having right now. Looking to my left, I see Kallen. He’s unconscious. Why?
“Xandra,” a sharp female voice says behind me. One I recognize immediately because she scares the crap out of me every time I meet her. “You are playing a dangerous game.”
I turn around slowly, not wanting to make a sudden move that could send her into her truly horrifying shape. I sigh in relief to see a beautiful Angel with long blonde hair and skin as beautiful and smooth as a baby’s. “Hello, Rashnu.” She’s not an Archangel but I still have an overwhelming need to bow to her. I refrain though. I’m not supposed to bow to any of the Angels since I have Angel blood in me.
“As an immortal, your soul is free to wander,” she says and my brows rise quickly. Immortal? Me? That word gets thrown around a lot but I’m not sure in what form I’ll be immortal. Only as an Angel or as a Witch Fairy? I’m going to file that away to ask about later. “That of your hand-fasted mate must be judged for him to go further since he is on this side of the passage to the Shadow realm. No one may enter freely without this rite being performed.”
Oh god. I hadn’t thought about that. “We’re not trying to go the Shadow realm. We’re trying to get to the Underworld.”
Something terrifying slides through her eyes and I have honest to god goose bumps all over my body. Her face has not changed expression though. It’s still calm and collected, and possibly even scarier this way than when she’s transformed into her beast form because I can’t read her at all. “You seek entrance to the realm of Hades?”
I’m guessing she and Hades aren’t on the best of terms. Since Rashnu is the Angel of Judgment and all of the Angels of Death answer to her, it makes sense that she wouldn’t like the guy who’s harboring souls that don’t want to be judged. “Only to ask him some questions,” I reassure her. “I’m not planning to stay there any longer than necessary.”
Her face softens slightly. As slightly as the difference between one grain of sand and another. It’d be really hard to notice without a microscope. “What is your purpose?” she demands. Her voice hasn’t softened at all.
I need to tread carefully here. Rashnu is not known for her patience or her mercy. “I believe he is helping a Fairy whose soul he does not possess, so he can get ahold of mine.” I leave out that he probably wants Dagda’s as well. Angels don’t like to interfere with anything involving mortals. They don’t, however, like it when anyone messes with other Angels.
The air around Rashnu is beginning to change. It’s as if a dark cloud of acid has descended and is changing her into something altogether different than the beautiful Angel standing in front of me. I have to force myself not to take a step back even though I’m pretty sure she’s not going to stay pretty for long. The beast inside her wants out.
Rashnu closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Slowly the black cloud dissipates and her body is no longer trying to elongate into the monster I’ve only seen once, and that was once too many. “For what reason do you bring this mortal with you?”
Hmm. I wonder if the Angel of Judgment understands the emotion of love? To be on the safe side, I had better go with logic. “He is more tactful than I am. Since my magic will be gone when I enter the Underworld, Kallen will help keep me from getting killed by using diplomacy and reason, emotions I sometimes lose track of when I’m angry.”
Rashnu laughs. “We have a lot in common you and I.” Sobering, she says, “I will grant you and the mortal passage through the time of the Angels to the place of lingering souls. I warn you, there are laws to abide once you are there. Breaking any of these will trap your soul there forever. I will not be able to save you.”
“You wouldn’t happen to have a handbook would you? I’m not good at remembering rules when I’m upset.”
Rashnu laughs again. “You amuse me, young Angel. Travel in peace now with your hand-fasted mate.”
Then she snaps her fingers and I find myself standing before the entrance of a cave. Or a black hole. I’m not sure which.
Chapter 20
The dog head, or heads, that want to tear me apart assures me that I’m in the right place. I take a step back ready to fight but Cerberus is on a tether this time. That’s a relief. I still jump out of my skin though when something pulls on my leg.
Thank god it’s Kallen. “I guess we made it,” he says weakly. I have to help him to his feet since his limbs are as weak as his voice.
“Yeah, with a little help from Rashnu.” I’ve explained who she is in the past so he just nods.
“I have to say, that was not one of the more pleasant moments in my life,” Kallen says, shaking his head as if to remove cobwebs clinging to him.
“It was probably the stop in Angel time that disoriented you. Rashnu kept you unconscious so her presence wouldn’t kill you.”
“You will have to give her my thanks the next time you see her,” he says dryly.
“Careful, she could be watching. She doesn’t like the fact that I wanted to come here.”
Kallen’s face is instantly blank as he looks around. “How do we get in?”
“I’m pretty sure there’s only one way. That way.” I point towards the black hole behind Cerberus.
“Great. Just great.” My thoughts exactly.
“Get back you mangy dog,” an ancient voice says in the darkness. “Let me do my job.” Instantly, Cerberus calms and sits on its haunches. Huh. This guy must be the three-headed dog whisperer.
Around the massive dog, a man makes his way towards us. He is old and bent with gray hair and a long beard but his years definitely have not affected his mental faculties. His eyes are crystal clear and sharp, and I bet he doesn’t miss a single thing when it comes to assessing someone. Like us, which he is doing now.
“Come on,” he says and turns to go back into the hole. Does he mean us or the dog?
“I mean you, idget,” he growls without looking back. I’m already not a fan of his. “Don’t care,” he says.
“We’re here to speak with Hades,” I say as both Kallen and I stay put. I try to keep my mind blank since the guy can obviously read minds.
I don’t think so. “We will wait here for him.”
That bark is emitted again. “No one stays at the entrance.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I say, “We’ll be the exception to that rule.” Kallen puts a hand on my shoulder and starts to speak but is instantly cut off.
“Cerberus, do your job, you mangy mutt,” the old man says still not turning around.
We’re about to be eaten by a three headed dog. I desperately try to find magic anywhere from above or below us, but there’s none to be found to draw into me. Which is why Kallen and I are both practically catapulted into the cave by one the dog’s giant snouts. My back is now dripping with saliva and what may just be dog snot. Some things can never be washed off the body or out of the mind. This is one of those things.
