Dark Faery III: The Celestials

by Bridget McGowan

  “Hugh was taken prisoner.”

  “Taken prisoner? I’ve never heard of pirates taking captives.”

  “It happens sometimes, but it isn’t usual. I fear he was singled out, and the others were taken only to hamper our return. They knew he was the son of the High Priestess.”

  There were tears in Osprey’s eyes as he related this.

  “There is more you’re not saying, isn’t there?” she asked.

  “Aye, there is, indeed, but I don’t know what to make of it. The pirates were like savages. They were intent on killing and the sight of blood turned them to frenzy. You won’t credit this, but I swear on my life that I saw a few of them drain the blood from some of the slain, and I saw blood on the lips and faces of most of them.”

  “I have heard of such things. There are clans that believe drinking blood gives them strength. Fortunately our people do not follow such primitive gods.” She would not acknowledge, even to him, the truth of these pirates.

  “Still, they did seem to have extraordinary strength.”

  “I’m sure they have a life that requires such strength aside from pirating.”

  He nodded, but his face held little conviction.

  “What will they do with Hugh?” he asked.

  “They’ll probably hold him in order to make a demand of me. Thank you for telling me, Captain. I am not without friends. I will work to have my son returned. And do not fear: in no way are you responsible for what has happened.”

  “That is more than I deserve,” he replied.

  She gave him a blessing and he was on his way, relieved to be out of her presence. He’d expected anger and raving, and wondered why she’d been so calm. But the druids and priestesses knew of things unknown to others, so he trusted she would do all in her considerable power to save her son where Osprey could not.

  Aoife was swift in her decision. She barely waited until Osprey had left the village before she was out the door and flitting toward Teilo’s. Jessica was surprised to see her sister, although she, like the rest of the clan, had heard of the pirate attack, even if none of the details had filtered through.

  Only the discipline of being a priestess allowed her to observe the civilities. Once she had appropriately greeted the couple and informed them of the most recent doings at the House of the Priestesses – and Bran’s mission, although without informing them of the danger he’d been in – she came to the subject of her visit.

  “You have, of course, heard of the pirate attack?” she asked.

  “Was it Hugh’s ship?” Jessica asked.

  “It was. And he was captured.”

  “Hugh? I thought he was so able nothing could touch him,” Teilo said.

  “Vampyres.”

  “Vampyres?” he asked, confused.

  “They weren’t ordinary pirates, and Captain Osprey thinks they wanted Hugh.”

  “But why?” Jessica asked.

  “I don’t know. But Zoe might. That’s why I’m here. Teilo, you’re the only one who might know how to contact her.”

  He looked lost.

  “Aoife, if I ever did, it was long ago. But I’ll try. I can offer no guarantees.”

  “I ask for none. But please try. Hugh is my only child.”

  She left abruptly, worry too overwhelming even for one of her discipline.

  As night fell, Teilo flew off to a quiet spot outside the village. He thought of Simon as hard as he could. In response, after a few moments his arm began to tingle. His reply. He waited, but no one approached. Perhaps his precise thought had filtered through, that Aoife wished to see them.

  He stopped by the House of the Priestesses on his way home and told Aoife to go to the clearing where the concerts were held the next evening at nightfall.

  XV

  Aoife stood on the rise, gazing at the stage. The moon bathed the stage in light. She’d never felt so alone in her life, and she didn’t know if anyone would appear.

  All her life had been dedicated to the goddess. Now for the second time in a year she was seeking the help of Vampyres for her family’s protection. She’d been accused of consorting with them, and now it was true.

  “I’m impressed,” Simon commented as he flitted down from the tree. “The High Priestess herself looking for one of us. Am I correct in assuming this isn’t a social visit?”

  She looked at him nervously.

  “You knew I was coming. I guess you know why?”

  He shook his head.

  “I once told Teilo if he ever had need of me he could call out to me. He did. I didn’t discern the reason – or even that it was you who had need. We don’t read minds, you see.”

  “And are you willing to help?”

  “That would depend on what you want me to do. But the fact that you’re not insisting we’re still somehow in your debt disposes me more kindly to you.”

  Her smile showed her embarrassment.

  “My son oversteps himself sometimes.”

  A sob escaped her despite her best efforts.

  “Has something happened to Hugh?” Simon asked, coming as close as he could.

  Aoife put a hand over her face, trying to regain control. She nodded.

  “He’s been kidnapped.” She straightened and looked him in the eyes. “Pirates attacked the ship he was on. He’s a ship’s navigator. They took him and several others. But they weren’t interested in cargo, only the folk on the ship. They let the old ones return and the rest they didn’t take they killed and drained their blood.”

  He stared at her.

  “Vampyres?”

  “Captain Osprey didn’t say so – I doubt he knows your kind is real – but after this I’m sure he can add the evidence. He said the dead had had their blood drained, and many of the pirates had blood on their lips.”

  Simon nodded and asked, “Where did these pirates sail from?”

  “The Black Harbor, Osprey said. And he overheard their leader talking to Hugh. He knew Hugh was the son of the High Priestess.”

  Aoife wandered toward the tree as if it had answers.

  “So, you think he was taken on purpose?”

  “I don’t know what to think!” Aoife said.

  “You’ve done nothing to the Vampyres, especially foreign ones. Until now, we’re the only Vampyres Hugh has ever met.”

  Aoife turned to him again.

  “Please don’t misunderstand. I am in no way accusing, but is it possible Zoe has enemies among the Vampyres?”

  He looked thoughtful before replying, “Not Zoe specifically, and none of us has in the Isle of the Dark Cove. Those who would be our enemies are much farther away.”

  He stood very still for several moments, his back to her.

  “I will discuss this with the others,” he said. “Give me a day.”

  He turned to her.

  “You’ll help?” she asked.

  “Of course. It will take some time, but if it’s in my power to rescue Hugh, I’ll do it. These other Vampyres threaten our way of life as well as yours. You and yours have kept our secret.”

  “You have kept your promise to us, so we had no excuse to expose you.”

  He winked out of sight, and Aoife returned home, a feeling of hope lifting the weight of loss slightly. She had thought she would need pleas or threats, but this Simon was not as she expected. She hadn’t expected him to be so decent.

  Once the Vampyres returned to the cave at the Black Harbor, the thralls were allowed to bring food to the prisoners. Then the thralls were released to have their rest.

  “Why are you keeping us here?” Hugh asked, noticing another, more imposing Vampyre was with the three he’d seen before.

  “I could make you one of us,” Phineas said.

  “Hugh would never join you!” Conor Tides retorted.

  “Conor, be quiet,” Hugh said.

  “You wouldn’t.” Conor insisted.

  “It isn’t his choice,” Phineas said.

  “He’d run away.”

  �
�Conor, be quiet!” Hugh insisted.

  “It seems you’ve neglected to inform your friends of our nature,” Phineas said.

  “Aren’t they frightened enough?”

  “What about your nature?” Conor asked.

  Phineas glared at Conor, his eyes darkening and his fangs clicking into place. Conor took an involuntary step back.

  “You’re Shauna Faun? I’ve heard they were evil.”

  “Shauna Faun?” Phineas laughed. “Those fools? ‘Live in peace with the light world!’ They’re a parade of singers. We are Vampyres. You can’t run away from that.”

  “Vampyres?” Connor asked, shocked to learn they were real, and now more frightened.

  Hugh had been right: They’d glamoured the others to keep them from seeing the gore on the ship.

  “You’d have the wrath of the priestesses on you if you turned me,” Hugh said quietly. He wasn’t trying to issue a challenge. Indeed, he didn’t know whether or not his words were true.

  “We are not of the goddess.”

  “You’d cause bloodshed needlessly?”

  “Should we care? You’re food to us. We’re not your precious Shauna Faun.”

  Phineas stalked away and Hugh turned to Conor.

  “What do you know of Shauna Faun?” Hugh asked him.

  “What everyone knows: our parents told us they were evil.”

  “Yet when a Vampyre showed his fangs –”

  “I never thought Shauna Faun was a group of Vampyres. I’ve never heard of them doing anything to anyone.”

  Hugh nodded but said nothing.

  “Hugh – do you think they’ll turn you?”

  Hugh shuddered. “I hope not. I don’t want to be one of them.”

  “Do you think any of them wanted to be?” Conor asked, but walked away before Hugh could answer.

  One Vampyre stood guard over them during the night while the thralls went to their rest. The other captives spoke amongst themselves about rushing the guard and escaping.

  “Do you think they left a single guard because they’re careless?” Hugh asked. “Believe me, he could kill us all without a second thought, and wouldn’t hesitate. You saw what only ten did against our entire crew. Don’t be foolish!”

  “Listen to the priestess’s son,” the Vampyre said. They were startled that he’d heard their whisperings. “He knows better than you our powers.

  They looked at Hugh as if he were hiding information.

  “I know little more than you do,” he said, “but I do know that anyone who can vanquish an entire ship’s crew of trained sailors and swordsmen with the small number they had can easily overcome the five of us with one of theirs.

  XVI

  Aranck and Kele had the most knowledge of outland Vampyres. Kele had spent several decades in the lands across the sea.

  “It sounds out of character for them to pirate,” Kele said. “They’d leave everyone dead. I can’t imagine that the Faeries there are in such small numbers that they’d need hostages. The Island of the Dark Cove has always had the most anxious-to-populate light Faeries I’ve ever known. Six or eight children to a family are not uncommon. The joke was always that they worshipped at the shrine of the god of fertility. But the Vampyres there are generally descended from the Faeries of the north.”

  “Why would they target the High Priestess’s son? They have no traffic with light Faeries here,” Simon commented. “And she is not their priestess.”

  Aranck said nothing.

  “You are quiet, Aranck,” Simon said.

  “My thoughts are too far-fetched.”

  “Nothing is too far-fetched to be overlooked.”

  “What if the Vampyres of the Dark Cove are being used as mercenaries?”

  “By whom?”

  “Artemis.”

  “He wanted Flynn,” Kele said. “Flynn is no kin of the priestess.”

  “Zoe is,” Aranck said. “We defeated him. How better to defeat us than steal and turn the son of the High Priestess? We would be blamed and there would be war between our kind and the light Faery here.”

  “It wouldn’t kill all of us, but it might kill all of the light Faery here,” Simon said.

  “He cares nothing for them,” Kele replied. “They’re food. But it would cause Zoe pain, and he would assume she’d blame you if she wasn’t killed. He doesn’t care about Flynn. His only rationale now is vengeance. Hurt us any way he can. Once he had Hugh, he’d send some to wreak havoc here and we would, of course, be blamed.”

  “Why now?” Simon asked.

  “Opportunity,” Aranck replied.

  “The light Faery of the Isle of the Dark Cove have always lived in peace with the light Faery here. The dark have no reason to leave their shores,” Simon said, pacing.

  “I don’t think it’s the dark Faery of the Isle,” Aranck said.

  Simon stared at Aranck.

  “He never lets a humiliation go.”

  “But why Hugh? I would expect him to try for Flynn.”

  “Precisely. We’re too strong to take the risk. Why Hugh? He’s the son of the High Priestess. She’s Zoe’s niece. Zoe is your partner. He hurts you by hurting Zoe.”

  “Zoe barely knows Hugh. She barely knows Aoife.”

  “But Aoife would blame us.”

  “She knows it isn’t us!” Simon insisted. “She asked for our help.”

  “But we’re the only ones who could get him back. If we fail, we have the enmity of the priestesses and druids.”

  “They’ve never been our friends.”

  “But they’ve kept our secret.”

  Simon considered. Aranck seldom made a point without having given it study.

  “Then we must find these pirates before they move the captives. Once they’re in Artemis’s hands you know what he’ll do.”

  “Do you suppose he’ll go himself to the Isle? He failed before, and I’m sure he sees it as an incompetent subordinate who caused his failure.”

  “I wonder if he’d risk leaving his kingdom for so long.”

  “I think he has some trusted enough to let him leave without the others knowing. We can’t take the chance. All of us will need to go.”

  “Even Flynn?” Aranck asked. Simon hesitated.

  “If we leave him behind, we’ll have to leave Caeli as well. And he’ll see it as a lack of trust. He’s grown in character over the last few years. I don’t know if he’s strong enough. But we may have to risk it. We’ll need to train.”

  Simon sent a thrall to request Aoife’s presence at the concert hill the next night.

  She was anxious and against her better judgement, early to the meeting place. She was surprised that Simon was already there. He must have awoken before sunset, and if his lair wasn’t near here, he came at great peril to his own existence.

  Simon inclined his head in acknowledgement of her position.

  “Tonight we are readying our things. We have made arrangements to be transported at dawn to the Isle of the Dark Cove.”

  “You will be safe in the crossing?” she asked.

  “We have those we can trust,” Simon replied.

  “You must have many thralls –”

  “We have those we can trust,” he replied, his lips forming a thin, straight line that carried warning not to ask more.

  “I shall pray to the goddess for your safety.”

  “Spend your prayers on your son, Aoife. Your goddess will avail us nothing.”

  “It’s one and the same. And perhaps she will smile on you since you work for good. I shall be in your debt.”

  “I wish no ill to your family, and we have reason to believe this journey is in our own best interest, as well.”

  “Then I doubly wish you the luck of it.”

  “Pray that it takes no more than that, if you will.”

  He left so abruptly she wondered if she had imagined the encounter.

  When he returned to the lair, the more experienced Vampyres were instructing the younger in tactics to defe
at their kind. Caelen was extraordinary in her ability to look helpless and inattentive only to take down an unwary opponent.

  “Our kind as well as light Faery, especially those from older times, believe the female is more vulnerable without considering the female of the species is often more ferocious. We are not unlike the praying mantis.”

  The others chuckled, and Luke gave Flynn a friendly cuff to the shoulder.

  “Watch you don’t lose your head with that one, Flynn.”

  Flynn, who knew Caeli’s softer side, chuckled, and returned to battle practice.

  XVII

  Before dawn they were ready and waited near a secluded cove. A boat just large enough to hold the boxes for each of the dark ones came close to the shore, and the members of the band, each carrying his own resting box, flew to meet it and boarded.

  Nightfall was strange, indeed. They’d all gone to their rest in the boat. They awoke on land, in a cave. Colm Hoarder, a Vampyre from the Isle of the Dark Cove greeted them, clasping Simon’s shoulder.

  “Welcome, Simon, and all of your clan. It has been too long a time.”

  Simon had sent a message to Colm, telling him of their predicament. Colm was more than happy to accommodate them. He and his coven had been harassed for months by these newcomer pirates. Although Simon would have preferred not to involve Colm and his coven, he feared what would happen if there weren’t sufficient warriors.

  “So, they’re not from the Isle?” Simon asked.

  “I’ve no notion where they’re from, but they’re not ours.”

  “I suspect I know who they are.”

  He outlined what had taken place when Shauna Faun travelled across the sea, their troubles with Artemis and the subsequent deaths of his henchmen. Then he explained Hugh’s kidnapping and Zoe’s relation to Hugh and Aoife.

  “So, you believe Hugh was kidnapped on purpose by Artemis?”

  “It’s the only conclusion I can think of.”

  Colm nodded and said, “I and mine will be happy to assist –”

  “I don’t wish you to have problems with Artemis yourself. Giving us accommodations is enough.”

  “I’d like to see that lordly b – well, his reputation precedes him. If he’s invaded my country, we’d welcome the chance to help the lad in order to be rid of him.”