The Iron Cursed

by J. M. Briggs

  “So, what’s on the agenda for today?” Aiden asked. He leaned his head over the sofa’s back to look up at Morgana. “Training? Research? Anything special?”

  “Actually, we received some news,” Morgana said. “A guest will be joining us shortly.”

  Blinking in surprise, Alex glanced towards Merlin, but his face gave nothing away. Neither he nor Morgana looked worried so Alex guessed it was probably okay. Aiden grabbed another cookie and looked her way, but Alex could only shrug in silent response.

  “Does anyone have anything else to report first?” Merlin asked.

  “I’ve made some progress with telekinesis,” Aiden said. He grinned and Bran fist bumped with him. In the corner of her eye, Alex saw Lance shake his head fondly at the pair. “And I’ve got a list of a couple other things I want to try.”

  A knock on the front door made Alex look towards Morgana. The older woman walked back to the entry hall, her boots tapping against the wooden floor. Leaning forward, Alex tried to get a glimpse of the visitor. A suspicion formed in her head and her heart thudded a little harder.

  “Hello, Sif,” Morgana said. Her tone was civil, if a touch guarded. Alex felt a rush of irritation that she couldn’t fully explain.

  “Hello, Morgana,” Sif replied.

  Sif stepped into view and Alex straightened up. The Old One looked completely human now wearing jeans, a reddish turtleneck shirt, and a light jacket. With a smile, she shrugged out of her coat and hung it up on the hooks. She nodded to Morgana and walked into the living room to join them.

  Alex found her eyes locked onto Sif. Part of her wanted to look away, but she couldn’t. One of the dream memories pushed its way forward. She’d been laying on a bed dying and it had been Sif holding her hand. Her long golden hair was the same and her fine features softened as she looked at Alex. Comfort built in her chest even as tears began to gather in her eyes. Alex licked her lips and swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. The memory brought dozens of emotions to the forefront and they battled for dominance. There was an urge to hug Sif, thank her, and cry all at once. Reaching down, Alex picked up her glass of iced tea and gulped it down. The cool liquid helped ease whatever hold Sif’s presence had on her, and she was able to breathe again.

  Bran caught her eye. He was frowning slightly and Alex inwardly cursed his remarkable perception. Turning her attention back to Sif, Alex’s mouth went dry again and she downed the rest of her drink. The knot of emotions in her chest was shaking a little and even tugging on her magic didn’t do much to help. She looked at the glass in her hand, wondering if she could somehow get away with not looking at Sif.

  That thought made her chest tighten again. Something raged at not seeing her. It was sharp, sad, and angry all at once. Alex was looking up at Sif again before she could stop herself. The shimmer of her golden hair was so familiar. For a split second, her fingers itched to touch it. Alex tightened her grip on her glass, fighting back the urge.

  “Greetings, Sif,” Merlin said. He stood up and smiled at the Old One, actually looking pleased to see her. “I am relieved to see you safely returned.”

  “Thank you, Merlin.” Sif nodded in greeting to him, but her eyes quickly moved over to Alex. For a moment their gazes held and Alex felt like she was floating. Sif turned her attention back to Morgana. “I have good news and bad news. More and more Old Ones are stirring, though some are choosing to go back to sleep as they don’t feel right.”

  “Take a seat,” Merlin offered.

  Sif walked further into the room and sat down in the empty armchair gracefully. Crossing her ankles, she sat delicately and gave the sense of complete ease. Alex glanced towards the iced tea pitcher, but Aiden beat her to it. He poured a glass and offered it to Sif with a kind smile.

  “Thank you,” Sif said. She took a sip of the iced tea. “Well, I’m afraid that I can’t provide you with a complete list yet of who might be plotting against you. Most of the worst are dead at this point. Baldr agreed to go and see if he could keep some of the others asleep for a bit longer.”

  “That would be nice,” Merlin said. He leaned against the back of the sofa as Morgana walked over to stand behind Alex’s chair. “But I doubt it will give us much more time.”

  “True, but it can take time for an Old One to fully wake,” Sif said. “It took me almost two years to fully regain awareness. Not to mention the modern world can be… disorienting.”

  “Who do you think will be the most urgent threat?” Morgana asked. “Things with the Sídhe are such that we can’t afford risks.”

  “Have you learned anything on that front?” Sif asked.

  “Not yet I’m afraid,” Merlin said. He shook his head and drummed his fingers on the armchair. “The Brownie, Timothy, went to open contact between us and the Fae, but he has yet to return.”

  “Our plan still is to have Alex create a few more Iron Gates in the area,” Morgana explained. She reached over and touched Alex’s shoulder. “If you’re up to it, then perhaps we should go out of town a little way tomorrow.”

  “Shouldn’t we do it on an alignment day?” Alex managed to ask. Tearing her eyes away from Sif, she looked up at Morgana. The tension in her chest eased a little. “For the power I mean?”

  “I think you have enough control now that you don’t need the boost from an alignment day,” Morgana said. Her voice was proud, but there was underlying worry in her eyes as she studied Alex. “We can’t keep putting it off.”

  “Yeah, uh, okay then. I’ll do my homework tonight,” Alex said. “Any thoughts on where you want to put it?”

  “Morgana and I will check over some maps tonight,” Merlin said. He offered Alex a small reassuring smile. “Will the rest of you be able to help?”

  “I can,” Bran said. “Just let us know where to meet you.”

  “Sure,” Aiden replied. “I can finish stuff up tonight.”

  “That’s not a problem,” Nicki agreed. She was looking at her phone. “Though I am having dinner with Gran at seven tomorrow.”

  “That shouldn’t be a problem,” Merlin assured her. “You’ve all done this before, but we do need to make an effort on that front.”

  Sif smiled slightly, though Alex caught a hint of discomfort in her eyes. “I’m glad to see that you and the current mages have things so well organized,” Sif said. Alex couldn’t tell if she meant it or not: it didn’t seem like they were organized to her. “How are you doing with all of this Alex?” Sif asked. Her green eyes were kind and Alex knew they saw far too much. “Given the recent events?”

  “Uh, I’m alright.” The words were hard to say; Alex’s mouth was far too dry and rough. “Not great, but I’m doing okay.”

  “Alex had a pretty bad nightmare last night,” Nicki said. Alex held back a grimace as everyone turned to look at her. “I woke her up when I heard her tossing and turning.”

  “Your parents?” Morgana asked. Her hand came up to pat her head gently, running fingers down the back of her head. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

  “It wasn’t…” Alex trailed off. “I wasn’t good, but I’m alright.” She hesitated for a moment and made sure that she didn’t look at Nicki. Alex all but prayed that her roommate didn’t say anything more. “There was this darkness and something was behind me.”

  “Alex said the name of the being was Brekszta,” Nicki said. Alex glared at her, resisting the urge to kick her only because Merlin and Morgana were looking at her. “She wasn’t in good shape when she woke up.”

  Thankfully Nicki stopped there. She caught Alex’s gaze and Alex could see the conflict in Nicki’s blue eyes. Giving her a small nod, Alex silently thanked her for not revealing that she hadn’t been able to remember her.

  “Brekszta,” Sif repeated. Her shoulders slumped and her green eyes dulled. “Yes, I suppose that fits. She is an Old One that seems to have gone mad. I encountered her briefly while I was searching for Cyrridven’s home.”

  “What happened?”

  “Nothing much: s
he made her insanity clear and made some threats against the Iron Realm and the Iron Soul,” Sif answered. At Merlin’s wide eyes, Sif shook her head. “There’s nothing that unusual about that, Merlin. Some Old Ones say things like that only to go back into the water.”

  “Is there a limit to the cleansing?” Nicki asked. “I mean, if they go mad can they be cured by going back into the water?”

  “To a point,” Sif said. There was a cautious note to her voice and she glanced towards Alex. “But only a few have ever returned to sanity after they begin their fall. The most notable one that I know of was Shiva.” Sif frowned thoughtfully for a moment and then shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t know the details, but from what I’ve heard he was aided by the Iron Soul.”

  “Yes,” Merlin said. “That’s one of the reasons why we have an alliance with Shiva. Lokpal even entrusted the Iron Trishula to Shiva, who swore to keep an eye on the demons who dwell in the Indian subcontinent.” Merlin sighed loudly and tented his fingers in front of him. “It’s one of the reasons why India isn’t a priority right now.”

  “But back to the issue,” Bran interrupted. “Who is Brekszta? Did you know her, Sif?”

  “Not well,” Sif answered. “Like I said, I briefly encountered her and she was already in poor condition.”

  In the corner of her eye Alex saw Jenny pulling out her cell phone. She was seated with Lance over by the living room window, and a look of concentration took over Jenny’s features as she did something on her phone. Lance leaned over slightly to see what she was doing.

  “You won’t find much on Brekszta online, Jenny,” Morgana said. She looked a touch amused. “The Old Ones who were worshiped as deities from that part of the world have largely been forgotten. Christian monks did a great deal to destroy those stories.”

  “It says here that she was a goddess of night and dreams,” Jenny said. Holding up her phone, she shifted a bit nervously. “But not much else: no myths or legends connected with her are listed.”

  “That’s not surprising,” Sif replied. She was looking towards Jenny with a hint of curiosity. Alex suddenly realized that Sif might be able to tell that Jenny and Lance weren’t mages: she’d be wondering about their being there. “As Morgana said, much of that folklore was lost.”

  Alex shivered slightly. There may not be much, but the mere description of Brekszta as a deity of night and dreams was a little too on the nose. Holding back a frown, she looked back towards Sif whose attention was now on Merlin. He nodded slightly to her and Alex tightened her fist at the silent conversation happening. There was irritation, a touch of real anger, and other emotions that came and went too quickly for her to identify. She forced her fist open and shivered as she flexed her fingers.

  “Alex,” Morgana said. Her grip on her shoulder tightened. “We’ll review what we know of Brekszta. Write down anything you remember from dreams. This may have been a warning from your magic.”

  She really doubted that. Alex almost snorted. Last night’s dreams had not been from the Iron Realm or her magical connection to the world, or anything else positive that Morgana might imagine. But she nodded. Nicki opened her mouth to say something but shut it slowly as Alex looked her way.

  “I think that’s enough for today,” Merlin said. His voice resonated through the room, drawing everyone’s attention. “Morgana and I will go over the details with Sif and build a list of things we may need to study. You children complete your work and we’ll have details for tomorrow’s task. Don’t practice your magic tonight: we’ll need as much power as possible for creating another Iron Gate.”

  The dismissal hung in the air. Alex blinked and looked towards the others. They looked just as confused and even Aiden was frowning thoughtfully. Nothing had really been discussed and Alex had the feeling that tomorrow wouldn’t see any real information about Brekszta given to them either. Bran stood up first and nodded to Merlin. He caught her eye and Alex forced herself out of the chair. Aiden snagged the last cookie and put it in his mouth as he tugged Nicki out of the sofa. They walked past Alex to join Lance and Jenny near the doorway.

  Alex lingered for a moment uneasily. Bran brushed his hand against hers as he walked by. With slow steps, she walked out of the living room. The others were already out the front door and through the screen door she could see Nicki, Aiden, and Bran all talking. As she picked up her bag and checked the position of her dagger, Alex heard and sensed someone behind her.

  “Alex.” Sif reached out and caught her hand. Their fingers slipped against each other and Alex had to swallow. She turned to look at Sif and her chest tightened. “I’m so sorry about your parents,” Sif said kindly. “I didn’t even consider how losing them might be affecting you.” Sif sighed sadly. “I’m afraid that in many ways I still don’t understand humans.”

  “You married one,” Alex said, the words slipping out. She snapped her jaw shut, a mix of horror and embarrassment flaring in her chest.

  Chuckling, Sif shook her head fondly. “Thor was… boisterous and very convincing. I knew that I shouldn’t have become involved with him, but he won me over in the end.” Her expression changed. “I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to help. I don’t have Cyrridven’s connection to the Iron Realm: she was something of a legend and a mystery even amongst Old Ones, but I’ll try. This is the only home I’ve ever known, and from what Merlin and Morgana tell me of Arthur he could be very dangerous to us all.”

  “Yeah.” It was a bit easier to speak now and the rush of emotion was easing. “I’m more worried about my brothers at this point. Arthur killed my parents despite the blood protection so…” Alex stopped talking. She didn’t want to think about it.

  “I’ll check in on them,” Sif offered. “There are a few protections that we Old Ones can manage. Maybe they’ll help.”

  “I’d appreciate that.” Alex managed a small smile but was aware of how sad she probably looked. “They’re all I have now… even if they are angry at me.”

  “It is difficult for mortals to understand,” Sif replied. “Thor and I lived in a lodge between my people and his; the distance helped.”

  “Well, they’re in Spokane and I’m here, so maybe the distance will help this time.” Alex shifted uneasily. “Uh, are you sticking around?”

  “Only for a little while. I suspect that Merlin and Morgana will ask me to look into Brekszta.”

  “Thank you for helping.” Alex found that she truly meant the words. “Given what happened to Cyrridven.”

  “This realm is the only home I have ever had.” Sif’s eyes were soft and understanding. Then she leaned forward and kissed Alex’s forehead. “Go on; your friends are probably worried.” Winking at her, Sif’s smile became more mischievous. “And I wouldn’t want your other former wife to get jealous.”

  Stunned, Alex just gaped at Sif, but the Old One shook her head fondly. Releasing Alex’s hand, she brought a hand up to touch her cheek. “You’re not Thor, Alexandra Adams. Don’t worry, I know that, but I’d like to think he’d have been grateful to know that I’d look after you.”

  “I doubt that.” The words slipped out and carried a hint of jealousy.

  Sif raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “You may be right. Thor never did like knowing he’d be reborn. I love him deeply, but he was more than a touch arrogant. The stories that were spread about him didn’t help matters at all.”

  “Sif… Thor died of old age, didn’t he?”

  “Yes,” Sif answered. She looked at Alex for a long moment. “Yes, he did. I was with him, as were some of his human relatives and members of my family.” Stepping back, Sif nodded towards the door. “Don’t worry, I’ll do what I can to help Merlin and Morgana ensure that you have the chance to die an old woman.”

  “Right,” Alex said. “See you soon.”

  Sif kissed her cheek and opened the screen door for her. Alex stepped out onto the porch. A sense of dread was settling at the base of her spine. Some painful certainty that nothing Sif, Merlin or even Morgana
could do would see her live to old age. The thought had crossed her mind before: it had been the reason why she’d told her parents the truth about magic. Yet this was different, and she all but stumbled down the stairs.

  Sif’s lips burned against her cheek, waring with the cold dread. Alex’s knees trembled and Alex swallowed, licking her lips. Nicki caught her hand and squeezed it. The sensation pulled Alex back to the present and her stomach dropped. Heat rushed up through her face and in the corner of her eye caught Nicki watching her. Embarrassment warred with an uneasy and even frightened emotions.

  “I don’t like girls that way,” Alex muttered.

  “I didn’t think that,” Nicki said gently. “I was just thinking that your other lives have a nasty way of pushing through at the worst moments, don’t they?”