Shadow Play_A Dark Fantasy Novel

by Jill Ramsower

  Me: Nope, like I said, things have settled down

  Ash: k, tell me if that changes

  Me: Will do!

  When I walked into work the next morning, Cat was sitting nonchalantly at the front desk.

  “Where the hell have you been?” I whispered harshly at her. She had been absent for the second half of last week and had missed out on all the commotion.

  She came around the desk and spoke softly. “Come on, let’s visit in the coat room.”

  I followed her lead into the small, empty room and she closed the door.

  “I told my family about the Unseelie and the elders called a meeting out of town. Those can take a while for everyone to gather and settle on a course of action.”

  “What did they decide? Are they going to help?”

  “Right now they are still watching, seeing what develops.”

  I was more disappointed than I had expected. I hadn’t anticipated that her secret group would get involved, but apparently I had managed to raise my hopes high enough that her news was upsetting.

  “I don’t suppose you are going to tell me who this group is and how they know about the Fae?”

  “I don’t suppose you're going to tell me how you see the Fae?”

  We held each other’s eyes, clearly in a stalemate because neither of us was going to share.

  “That’s what I thought.” She said with a brow raised.

  I rolled my eyes and relayed the basic events from the night, although I kept my newfound abilities to myself. I was also not going to mention that the Hunt had a traitor in its ranks—that wasn’t my information to share.

  Cat was shocked to hear about the red caps and I asked her if she knew anything about them. “They're supposedly exceptionally vicious and even cannibalistic, although I don't know many details. The legend is that they get their name from a time when they served as Queen Mab’s guard. Similar to the Native Americans who took scalps as trophies of their kills or other cultures that take ears or fingers, the red caps used to mop up the blood of their slain enemies with their hats and wear them as a badge of honor. At least that’s the rumor, I’ve certainly never seen one to confirm.”

  “That sounds insane. Every new thing I learn about the Fae is more twisted and messed up than the last. And get this, after everything that had happened Saturday night, when Lochlan took me home, he informed me that I was moving into his place at the Huntsman.”

  “You didn’t agree did you?” she asked in horror.

  “No, I’ve only known him a week, I’m not just going to move in with him and his men!”

  “Thank the Lord.”

  “Cat, I need to know why you’re so afraid of them. I’m sinking into this world more and more every day and I need to know why you think they are so dangerous.”

  Cat’s eyes flitted to the door and I could plainly see on her face that she was torn. Just as I thought she would refuse, like she had the last time I’d asked, she spoke softly. “I can’t tell you everything, but I will say that my ancestors were killed by the Wild Hunt to keep the Fae secret. They slaughtered many innocent people until few were left, and those who survived went into hiding. The Hunt cannot know of our existence, we don't know if they would still try to eliminate us, and we can't risk it.”

  I was heartbroken for Cat’s family and I hated to know that Lochlan could have been involved in murdering innocent people. I tried to assure her that I understood the importance of her secret. “I won’t say a word, I swear to you.”

  Our eyes locked in understanding and we both recognized the profound impact the moment had on our new friendship.

  Leaving work later that day, I exited the museum to find Lochlan waiting for me just outside. I froze as a flood of embarrassment and anger rushed through me at the memories from the night before. He was back in a suit and was ridiculously handsome. His deep blue dress shirt made his eyes almost glow and the crisp lines of his suit framed his physique perfectly.

  “What do you want?” My tone was cold and his jaw clenched in response.

  “I have something for you, since you refuse to stay with me, this will help protect you.”

  He handed me a small rectangular box and inside I found a black blade similar to the one he had given me during the fight with the red caps.

  “There’s also a holster in there, I would strongly suggest wearing it at all times.”

  The blade was sleek with a solid handle, and though I wasn’t an expert by any means, I could tell it was a beautiful weapon made for precision. While I couldn't just forget how demeaning his powers had made me feel, my mom taught me to accept a sincere apology, and I had a feeling this was as close to an apology as the Fae male would give.

  “Thank you, Lochlan. I’ll definitely keep it on me.” I met his eyes but could not read anything except a flash of determination before he began walking in the direction I was headed.

  “Let’s walk.”

  Getting in step with him, uneasiness settled over me at his words.

  “I’ve given you enough time to figure this out on your own, but you seem to insist on sticking your head in the sand. I could tell from day one that you were in the dark, but I would have thought by now, after all that’s happened, you would’ve started asking questions. The reason I’ve asked you what you are and where you were from is because I can sense that you aren’t fully human.” He let his words hang in the air and my steps faltered.

  I gawked at him, thinking surely he was joking, but his stoic features held no humor. “I have human parents, baby pictures, and I know I’m not adopted—they even have pictures of my birth!”

  “At first I thought perhaps you were the offspring of Fae and human—I’ve never heard of such a thing happening, but I knew of no other way that I would sense both human and Fae from you.”

  “I’m human, if you sense Fae, it’s because you sense the necklace.” I stated firmly.

  “Your powers, Rebecca—” he started before I cut him off.

  “It’s the necklace, I tried to get it off and it won’t even come off. As much as I know I should leave this place, I can't seem to do it—I even argued with Ashley over leaving. I know it sounds crazy, but I think the necklace makes me want to be here.” My words flew out in a frenzied attempt to explain away his suspicions.

  “I wish it was that simple, but I’m a hunter and I can sense these things—with you, I sense Fae. Maybe you were once fully human, but you aren't entirely human anymore.” He stepped closer but I couldn’t meet his eyes.

  My breathing was labored and I couldn’t get enough air. “How could that have happened? Is it even possible?” I began to walk again, wanting to get to the safety of my home and away from Lochlan's terrifying words.

  “I'm not aware of this happening before, although that’s not my area of expertise. Now that I know about the necklace, my best theory is that over the years that you spent wearing the necklace, your body has been absorbing its power. Your new proximity to Faery here in Ireland, where the veil between worlds is the thinnest, has only sped up the process. The energy in the necklace has transformed your body and changed its molecular structure.”

  I walked in silence for a while as I processed what he had said. I didn't want to believe him, but how was I to know what was owed to the necklace versus my own acquired powers?

  “But the necklace only seemed to have power just recently.”

  “That doesn’t mean it wasn't always powerful, you were just unaware.” He effectively shot down my argument. “Your healing abilities are examples of your new Fae nature. I don't believe that the necklace was imbued with healing powers—as Fae, we don't need to put such magic in a talisman as we already possess those powers on our own.”

  I was quiet again, raw with emotion and unsure what to say or what to think.

  “There is one more thing.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Some of the powers you have exhibited … they’re unknown to me.”

  “Unknow
n? As in you've never seen them before?”

  “Precisely.”

  “When I put darkness into the red cap?”

  His chin dipped in confirmation. “And how you knew the red caps were in the garage. These are not normal gifts for Seelie or Unseelie, or even the Shadow Fae for that matter.”

  I nodded absently, but I couldn't process what he had said. I was still stuck on his assertion that I was now Fae.

  As we approached my apartment, I turned to Lochlan, unable to meet his eyes. I spoke in a tone that sounded empty, even to my own ears. “Thank you for being patient with me and for explaining this. I think I’d like to have some time alone to process it all.”

  His normally stoic features were etched with concern and he brought his knuckles to my chin, raising it just a fraction to lean in and place a soft kiss on my lips before speaking gently. “Don’t be afraid of the unknown merely because it’s unknown. I have no doubt your strengths will see you through this.”

  As he walked away, a numbing shock set in and I could barely come up with questions beyond the obvious—How? Why? What now? I stepped inside my dark living room with a sigh. As I reached for the light switch, thick arms wrapped around me from behind, one giant hand firmly covering my mouth. I wrenched forward violently, panic surging through my body, but I was unable to free myself from the vice-like grip my assailant had on me.

  My struggles pulled us in front of the window and in the reflection were the terrifying eyes of the man from the airport. His hand that had clenched tightly across my body swiftly moved to my forehead, and before I could try to pull free, my body went limp and everything faded to black.

  18

  Voices penetrated the fog in my mind.

  I was too groggy to comprehend what they said so my addled brain simply listened to the melody, back and forth like a boat swaying on the ocean. Eventually I roused enough to identify that there were two voices, a man and woman, talking in hushed tones. The man's voice was not particularly deep, but had enough of a tenor that I could tell it was a man. Both spoke with a variation of a British accent and sounded aristocratic.

  “I've tried to take it off, both with magic and force, it will not budge. I do not think it can be done, at least not by us,” said the man, sounding as if he were standing a few feet to my left.

  The woman responded. “I would have been surprised if you could. He would not be so careless as to allow its removal.” Her voice was confident and firm and a bit frightening.

  Where was I?

  Who were these people?

  My heartrate increased as I recalled being taken from my apartment. I was on a bed, my head resting on a pillow. I still had my clothes on, so that was a relief, but before I got any further, the voices continued and I focused on their words.

  “We could always kill her, removing her head should do the trick,” the man said flatly.

  I could only assume they were talking about me and fear and adrenaline made me fully aware.

  “That is not an option. I do not need to make an enemy of him, we all know what he did to his own sister. We shall have to leave him to his schemes.”

  The room was silent for a moment and I wondered if they were gone.

  “I know you are awake, Rebecca, open your eyes and we shall talk.”

  Cursing to myself, I opened my eyes to the soft light in the room and peered at the man and woman watching me curiously. As my eyes focused, my body tensed at the recognition of the Airport man who had abducted me from my apartment.

  “You kidnapped me.”

  I moved to sit up on the edge of the bed and pain shot through my skull. I winced but pushed through the discomfort to take in my surroundings.

  “You were not so much kidnapped as summoned,” countered the woman.

  She was tall for a woman, around five-eight, with long red hair flowing in smooth waves down her chest. Her porcelain skin was dotted with freckles and her green eyes practically glowed they were so brilliant. She wore a diaphanous long-sleeve gown of green silk that hugged her lithe frame. Her body may have been willowy, but her regal stature spoke to her strength and confidence. Like seeing a striking work of art for the first time, I stared unabashedly at her perfection.

  Eventually, my eyes moved from her to the bedroom that I was in, which was lavishly decorated in soft shades of blue. The ceiling was about twelve feet high and two large multi-paned windows were covered with sheer white drapes cascading the length of the wall. My hands drifted across the luxurious velour bedspread. “Where am I?” Awe was evident in my voice, which was also hoarse from being unconscious. I continued to scan the room, taking in the small sitting area by the windows, a vanity with mirror not far from the door, and an ornate fireplace across from the bed. The room was absolutely stunning, decorated with such opulence that I was totally overwhelmed.

  “You are in Faery, in Avalon to be precise,” spoke the woman, drawing my attention back to her and the man still standing beside the bed.

  “And who are you?” My eyes flickered between them, unable to read anything of their intentions.

  “I am Queen Guinevere of the Seelie Court and this is Beck, he assists me in sensitive matters.” She gestured at the man standing next to her before continuing. “What you should be asking is why you have been brought here.” Her aristocratic brow arched, as if she were painfully aware of my inferiority.

  My breaths grew shallow as her question sank in. “Why have I been brought here?” I asked calmly, fighting my growing hysteria.

  “I wanted to see the half-human half-Fae girl for myself. So here you are.” She offered smugly.

  My eyes jumped back to Beck who was just as intimidating as he had been that first day at the airport. His hair was still buzzed close to his scalp and his muscular frame was tall. I imagined he would pulverize anyone who challenged him in a fight and I desperately hoped my situation didn't come to that.

  The Queen hadn't asked me any questions, and now knowing who I was dealing with, I wasn’t inclined to offer any more information than absolutely necessary.

  “Merlin seems to think that there is a war approaching.”

  A war? Someone was opening portals, yes, but no one had said anything about a war.

  She continued in an uninterested tone. “I disagree with him. My spies have been sent to the far reaches of my kingdom and beyond—they have found no evidence of an uprising. Aside from my interest in your Fae abilities, the other reason I had you brought here was because Merlin also seems to think you have a role to play in this alleged war. I wanted to see who he was relying upon. While I have not found evidence of an amassing army or insurgence, I have not held the throne for over a thousand years by ignoring possible threats.”

  Her eyes gradually made their way down my frame and back up, her face showing she was clearly unimpressed. Dismissing me, she turned to Beck. “Merlin had better hope he is wrong, if there were a war coming, there is nothing this child could do about it.”

  She stepped toward the door and Beck followed.

  “Wait! How long are you keeping me here?” Panic rose in my voice.

  “You will have dinner with us when the bell tolls, then you will be returned to your home.” She called from the doorway without turning back.

  Once I was alone I tried to relax and examined the artwork and priceless objects casually placed throughout the room. A seemingly priceless silver handled hairbrush inlaid with intricate scrollwork sat on the vanity. Every detail of the room was extraordinary, lest anyone forget they were in the queen's palace.

  The light coming through the windows indicated that it was mid-afternoon, if Faery daylight was comparable to Earth's. When I was taken it was near seven in the evening, and I wondered if that meant I had been unconscious all night and morning. I started to panic until I remembered Ashley saying something about time not working the same in Faery as it did on Earth. I could have been gone from Belfast for days and not just a single night or it could have just been hours—there was
no way to know.

  My room appeared to be on the second floor with an amazing view of the vast gardens lush with flowering plants and fruit trees. If I hadn't known better, I would have said that I was in France gazing out on the infamous gardens at the palace of Versailles.

  I still didn't know what Faery was—a separate planet? Or perhaps a different dimension? It appeared unsettlingly similar to Earth. The trees and plants, as well as the building and décor inside, while fitting of a different era, was nonetheless familiar. If I hadn't met the austere queen myself, I would have said this was some kind of lavish joke at my expense.

  A soft knock sounded at my door and after a quick debate, I opened it just a crack to peak at who had come calling. The woman on the other side offered a soft smile with warm eyes, but it was her greenish skin that took me by surprise. Not green like an olive complexion or green like she's feeling ill—her skin was literally green. Like a human-sized version of the little man in my apartment. She didn't appear threatening, so I smiled in return and pulled back the door to invite her inside.

  “Good afternoon to you, mum. I brought you some food and thought I could help you freshen up for dinner tonight.” She spoke timidly and her hands held a tray filled with fruit and cheeses.

  “Oh, thank you, that's very kind. I suppose you can set the tray anywhere.”

  I stood back out of the way and she set the tray on the vanity. She was wearing a plain servant's dress that would have been worn back in the early 1900s on Earth. I supposed Faery had its own fashions and trends, which sounded fascinating to a student of the arts.

  “My name is Cyrene.” Her shy smile was so endearing that I liked her instantly.

  “I'm Rebecca.” I reached out to shake her hand and she regarded me curiously. After a moment she touched my hand awkwardly, unsure of my intent. I clasped her hand slowly and shook it. Her eyes met mine and her face lit up with fascination. “It's a handshake, that's how we say hello on Earth.”

  “I quite like it. This is how the Fae greet an acquaintance.” She bowed her head with eyes lowered and then looked at me expectantly. I repeated the gesture and we both grinned.