At a loss for words, I simply shrugged, not liking the way he said it. He sounded . . . respectful. More respectful than he ever had.
To my surprise and horror, he suddenly dropped to his knee, bowing before me. The small sword he’d pilfered from his secret cache was driven point first into the ground, his forehead resting on the hilt, gaze focused at my feet.
“I pledge to ye my allegiance,” he murmured.
Unable to help myself, I groaned. “Get up,” I urged him. “Ye look like a fool. I’m no king, and even if I were, I wouldn’t ask ye to pledge yerself to me.”
He grinned, glancing at me. “Ye wouldn’t have to, brother.”
A low, guttural, horn blared, the sign of the Children of Darkness having finally discovered our position. The sound of it shook us both and Callaghan rose, sheathing his sword and looking in the direction of the call.
“We should go.”
“Go.” Waving my hand, I sheathed my weapon as well, grateful to be forced from of the awkward occurrence with him. “I am with ye. I’ll not fall behind this time.”
He stared at me, as if in awe of having been somehow rescued by my actions, and then turned, pointing ahead of us. The Citadel was much closer than it’d been before, statues of monstrous fae visible on its towers.
“We’re almost there.” Cal was whispering, a thread of fear present in his voice. “They won’t be expecting us to march right to their door, but they’re tracking us now.”
“We’ll get in and get the spear,” I muttered back, confident. “We’ve made it this far.”
His eyes found mine again, a frown on his face. “It wasn’t the getting in I was worried about.” His attention returned to the castle looming before us. “It’s getting out.”
There were no guards in this place, which seemed odd to me. Of course, Callaghan had mentioned the Children of Darkness were not often bothered by souls trapped in their realm. Perhaps they had felt there was no need for a sentinel. Anyone who approached their stronghold had nowhere to hide. Massive stone steps led from the forest to a long, wide walkway. We could have been shot through from any window and never seen our killer. But, it remained calm and quiet, not a trace of any hunter anywhere. As the great, glass, double doors opened soundlessly for us, I couldn’t help but feel something was terribly wrong.
An empty hall greeted us, decorated like a space fit for a king. It stretched on forever, it seemed, several staircases leading away from the area, as well as many doors scattered down the walls. Tapestries depicting many bloody scenes hung on the stones, candlelight shining overhead from candelabras made out of so many bones I couldn’t count all of them. Skulls with mouths gaping open held each wax stick, the poor faces forced to forever choke on the torches. Despite the morbid sight, I was surprised by how elegant the place looked, after traversing through the bleakness outside. It smelled of death and decay, though, the air cold and biting as we slowly moved deeper inside.
Cal went first, a bow and arrow in his hands as he peeked into rooms and soundlessly checked every space we entered.
“Do ye know where the spear is?” I asked quietly, gently opening one of the doors and looking into the empty bedroom beyond. It was far less impressive than the hall outside, the straw mattress covered with a deteriorating blanket. Rotting meat surrounded by flies sat on the bedside table, the orange light of the eclipsed sun flitting through the barred window.
Holding my breath because of the stench, I closed the door and looked toward Cal, noting the wrinkled distaste on his face as well.
“No,” he whispered back, shaking his head. “I’ve never been in here before. All I know is the Fomorii took it from me when they first caught me. The demon dropped me outside the entrance, howling and trying to pull the spear free. The noise drew out the bastards. When they saw the javelin, they panicked.” He grinned, his eyebrow raising slightly. “They were afraid of it.”
Pursing my lips, I peered around the hall once more. “It’s likely not in here, then. These are all rooms for sleeping and eating.” Folding my arms, I glanced at the staircases. No doubt, they led to the massive spires, any of which could be holding the Red Javelin in its peak. There was most likely a dungeon hiding below, making the entire space beneath us a candidate, too.
“Ye think it’s in their armory?” Cal asked, lowering the bow for a second.
I shook my head, slowly. “No. It’s somewhere they would think it was safe.” Glancing at him, I felt a surge of adrenaline, a plan forming in my mind. “Safe from being used against them.”
Falling silent, his brow furrowed, until, gradually, a smile began to creep across his face. “I have an idea,” he said quietly.
“Aye,” I agreed. “I think I do, too.”
Kicking the door in with a satisfying crunch, I strolled into the bedroom, covering my face to help keep the smell of decay from overwhelming my senses. Using one of the candles from the chandelier we’d broken from the ceiling, I lit the bedspread on fire, fanning the flames to make sure they really took hold. Then, I moved on to the next space.
In the hall, Cal shattered anything and everything he could get his hands on. Tapestries flamed along the walls, tables crushed and scattered across the space. Bones that had once been used for decoration were now piled respectfully away from the carnage he was creating. Smoke curled from of the entrances I’d already laid waste to, the sound of fire crackling loudly in the space.
An angry grin on his face, Cal grabbed the nearest stand and threw it toward the glass doors. The wooden table splintered against them, causing cracks like spider webs to shoot across the surface of the entrance, marring the view of the long promenade outside.
“We need to stoke the blaze.” Glancing toward one of the staircases, I paused, considering our next move.
“We’ll make more headway if we split up.” Cal seemed to be thinking along the same lines as myself, coming to stand beside me as he straightened his shirt. “They’ll notice quicker if the whole thing is ablaze, too.” Glancing over his shoulder, he tapped his fingers against his thigh. “We could torch the forest. It’s dry enough.”
Shaking my head, I tried to concentrate. “We want them to think we’ve taken their home from them and already have the javelin in our possession. The thought should frighten them so much, they’ll lead us right to it as they try to make sure it’s safe.”
I gazed at the steps in front of me. The idea of splitting was unsavory and dangerous. To say I didn’t like it was an understatement. However, Cal was right. Time was not on our side here, and the more we could destroy, the more panicked we would make these Children. We needed everything to work to our advantage in this situation.
“Ye have only minutes,” I finally conceded, accepting there was no other option. “Go straight to the top and fire it. Make sure any windows are open, so the flames will be visible outside.”
“I know how to make a scene.” He had the audacity to sound bored, his panic at our actions showing in the way he fidgeted, his eyes always searching for some unseen attack. His knuckles turned white whenever he grasped something, his tongue darting across his lips every few seconds.
His nervousness made my own grow exponentially. To see him so agitated at the thought of purposefully enraging them and drawing them toward us made me wonder if we’d made the right decision in doing so.
But, there was no other option. It would take forever to search this castle and the odds of us being caught before we’d fulfilled our goal were greater than those of us finding the spear on our own. No, this was the best way, as dangerous as it was.
Callaghan slipped away, moving to the next level of the building before I’d set foot on the first step. His absence was like a sliver in my mind, memories of being lost in the woods filling me for an instant.
Fingering the hilt of Excalibur, I took a pause to steady myself. There was comfort in knowing simply unsheathing the weapon had warded off the dangers of this place. If the worst should happen, I’d still have th
e blade on my side.
Taking a deep breath, I headed upward as well, moving as quickly as I dared. The steps leveled off at the second floor, another large, open area sprawling out before me. It was a huge, enclosed courtyard, the center of which was bare, save a few rugs and scattered pillows. The walls held glimpses of four other landings, the hallways lined with doorways and ledges that jetted over the yard. Several staircases twisted their way through the levels, forming the bases of the towers I’d seen outside.
Turning, I peered down the steps I’d ascended. They continued upward on my left, spiraling toward the heavens in an immeasurable amount of rungs. The sheer amount of them made my body feel tired, but I forced myself to run them.
My legs burned as I moved along, eventually passing the extra floors and entering the tower itself. Bone candelabras lit my way, made of arms, fingers curled around the bottom of the torches. Thin, rectangular cutouts spattered the stone walls here and there, giving excellent views of the forest outside. Smoke was already heavy in the air, floating from our handiwork below. There was no sign of the creatures that lived here and hunted across the islands. When I reached the peak of the tower, I was even more out of breath than I’d been in the forest.
Surprisingly, the space was completely empty. Windows spanned the walls, the view completely breathtaking. I could see the desert from here, and the ocean beyond it. Other islands I hadn’t been unfortunate enough to have to travel across dotted the distance, bleak and empty as this one.
Pulling the rug off the stone floor, I wrapped my arm in it and punched at the glass, repeating the blow several times until I managed to break through completely. Unfurling the fabric from the window, I stuck the corner into the broken shards, planting it like a flag. Then, taking the torch from the last candelabra on the staircase, I set the thing on fire, the blaze catching quickly and arcing out the window.
The banner flapped in the wind fiercely, being devoured by a light so bright I had to shield my eyes against it. Smoke burned my nose and pulled a cough from me, flooding my insides with surprising speed. The spectacle of it all forced me to turn away, sending me back onto the steps, trying to escape being smothered.
Instantly, the hunting horn bellowed, followed by the cawing of birds outside. It was a different call than the ones I’d heard previously. Instead of menacing and overbearing, it seemed like a scream. High pitched blasts followed the first, short and sloppy.
Freezing, I strained my ears, trying to hear any other sounds. Silence greeted me. With a start, I realized, our plan had worked.
The Children of Darkness were sounding their retreat and coming home.
I practically flew down the stairs, almost tumbling in several spots. When I finally reached the courtyard, Callaghan was waiting, worried.
“They’re coming,” he muttered, pulling his sword free. “This is a bad idea, Tristan.”
“It will work,” I insisted, glancing at the area in trepidation. “How fast do ye think they’ll be here?”
He shrugged. “They could be here already, for all I know.”
As if confirming the worry, a door suddenly opened and slammed shut upstairs, drawing my attention in an instant.
A head of long, dark hair ran down the hall, pointed, gray ears sticking from it. The creature moved quickly, emitting a panicked sound. It seemed to not notice the two of us standing below, something else having caused the reaction it was showing.
Finally, the fairy creature came into view fully. Her long, black dress hugged her figure and shimmered in the firelight. What I’d thought was hair was actually feathers. A whole mane of them sprouted from her head, long and delicate, brushing past her bare shoulders and reaching to her thigh. Her skin was the same gray color as her ears, giving the fairy the appearance of being undead. Large, completely black eyes only enforced the comparison, in my opinion.
Surprised, I stared at her, having expected the Children of Darkness to be more sinister. At first glance, I never would have expected her to be dangerous. Instead, she looked not at all threatening. The creature was beautiful and awe-inspiring, something that, in another time and place, should have been cherished, revered, and studied. I’d never seen anything like it, not even among the magic creatures my blessed sight had spied since entering the Otherworld.
Callaghan hissed beside me, his sword suddenly put away and the bow in his hands. Furious, he barred his teeth, his skin flushed with sudden heat. An arrow pointed directly at the being two stories above us, the point seeming to quiver with pent up energy.
“I knew it,” he growled, pulling the bowstring back so far I thought he might snap the fragile weapon in two.
“Cal,” I whispered, not wanting him to alert the Formorii to our position.
“Do not fall prey to this scheme, Tristan,” he whispered back furiously. “This one knows exactly what she’s doing.” His voice took on a tone of bitterness. “I am well acquainted with her ploys. This is nothing but a trap.”
Suddenly, he released his hold on the serving and the dart soared forward, whistling slightly as it aimed right for the fae’s heart. Then, at the last second, it stopped, caught midair by its intended target.
The fairy grinned, her frightened and panicked façade fading away as she snapped the arrow in two with one hand, letting the pieces fall to the floor. Her mane of feathers instantly changed, glinting in the light like blades, her eyes darkening further as she stared down at us. Long, pointed teeth gleamed beneath her full lips, and I slowly realized her beauty was an enticement, meant to draw her victims toward her.
Swearing under his breath, Cal quickly grabbed a second arrow and aimed for her, moving slowly across the courtyard. He was different again, now that the enemy he had feared was before him. It was as if he’d put all of his worry aside and was focused only on the moment at hand. I could have said anything to him and it wouldn’t have broken his concentration.
To my surprise, his next words were to me. “Go to the room she came from,” he stated calmly. “If she’s here, she must be protecting something.”
The fairy laughed, the sound high and cold. “You always did think you could outsmart me, Callaghan. Did you really think we would make it that easy? My siblings and I have known what you intended to do here as soon as you set foot on our shores.” Her voice was silky smooth and sounded like bells, even the sound of her meant to be a trap for her victims. The accent was almost the familiar Irish I’d heard at home, but it was different somehow, the speaking of it rooted in the language of the fairies.
Caught off guard, I simply stared at the two of them, wide eyed. It was like I wasn’t even in the room, the hatred they shared for each other rolling of their bodies.
“Had a hard time finding me, did ye?” Cal’s voice was calculating and hard, his stare never leaving the woman on the landing. The weapon in his hands pointed steadily in her direction, the feeling in the very air seeming to confirm someone was going to die here shortly.
Smoke curled from the staircases below and flooded down from the towers above, a haze quickly filling the space. If we weren’t careful, we wouldn’t be able to see—or breathe—in a matter of minutes.
Coughing, I hedged, unsure of what to do. I’d no ranged weapon, which meant I’d have to sprint the stairs to get to her. Callaghan seemed more than willing to talk about their issues, too. Something inside me sensed he needed this moment, whatever it was. So, I remained silent, however reluctantly.
“Go ahead and kill me,” Cal suddenly shouted, loosing another shot that she easily blocked. “Every time our paths have crossed, ye have gutted and paraded me around like a prize. Ye show no mercy, no thought for what it is ye do to the souls unfortunate enough to be trapped here. Do the same to me now, as usual. Wear my skin and curse my bones. I’ll only come back, as I have every time before, and when I finally get my hands on ye . . .” His eyes narrowed, a wicked smile covering his face. “Ye won’t be returning to this place ever again.”
“You are scared.”
She scoffed. “I can hear the racing of your heart. But, please, continue to make promises that will never come to pass. You and I both know I can’t be touched.”
He smiled, contempt seeping from him. “I seem to remember another of yer kind saying the same thing.”
The words affected her in a way I hadn’t expected. Leaning forward, she slapped her hands on the bannister, filled with rage. Growling, she hissed at him. “You killed my dearest brother, sealing your fate. Did you really believe you could return to these Isles and I wouldn’t find you?” Her laugh echoed through the room. “That I would allow the gods to bring you back to life again? I loved my brother and I would do anything to avenge him, even things that are forbidden.”
Reaching behind her back, she threaded her fingers through her mane of feathers, grinning wickedly as she did so. Slowly, she revealed what she’d hidden, the red spear extending to its full length in her grasp.
I could feel myself pale as I stared at the Red Javelin, clutched firmly in her palm. It’s color was so starkly different from her own skin it almost looked as if she were washed in blood.
“Lord save us,” I muttered, my hand instantly going to the sword on my belt. Before I could draw it, though, a whistle filled the air and I turned, surprised to see the arrow flying right toward me.
Rolling out of the way, I looked to the highest floor, catching sight of the archer hidden there, waiting to attack. He disappeared as soon as I found where he was, a dart shooting through the courtyard from the other side of the space.
“Cal,” I called, turning every which way. We were surrounded, the woman’s speech having distracted us from the fact the Fomorii had arrived. Smoke obscured them from our view, flooding the room without any resistance.
We should have ran, left the castle, done something to get out before we were caught in this mess. I’d been so mesmerized by the sight of the fairy, though, all sense had left me. Here I was, standing in the middle of the room, watching as her fellow feather-haired creatures flooded the hallways, burst through the doors and passageways, and I hadn’t even drawn my weapon yet, I was so stunned by them.
Stolen Away : A Time Travel Romance (The Swept Away Saga Book 4) Page 27
