The Skye Trilogy: Isle of Skye, Isle of Night, and Isle of Dawn. * Bonus: Scrumptious Skye Confections Cookbook*

by Shannon Barczak

  “I’m the Fae Sanctity,” I said in a daze. “I don’t have limitations.”

  “You’re a mom to be now so yes you do,” she said sadly. “I know just by looking at you that you are going to be more determined than ever to fight and win this war, but you need to think of them as well.”

  “I know,” I said. Rhoswen shut down the ultrasound machine and left the room so I could get dressed. I was just sitting down when Mathias spoke to me in my head.

  Good morning, my ball and chain, where are you?

  Very funny, although technically I don’t think you get to call me that until after you say I do

  I suppose I have a few more months of freedom then

  In a few more months I was going to be as a big as a house, I thought

  Are you all right?

  Peachy keen, I’m with Rhoswen helping her catalogue supplies and then I’m going to see my dad

  I just saw him. He was not happy that I didn’t ask for your hand in marriage before I proposed

  Well considering he’s not even married to my mother he really has no room to bitch

  I’ll be in the office today if you need me

  Great, fine, I said. Yeah, I need you Mathias. I’m scared to death right now

  Are you sure you’re okay?

  I’m good, have a lovely day at the office dear

  I heard him chuckle, and I went to go find Rhoswen. She was waiting for me in Oliver’s office with a small bottle.

  “These are prenatal vitamins,” she explained. “You need to take them every day.”

  I grabbed the bottle and after a few more minutes of talking I teleported out of the hospital to our small island. I punched in the code that would get me to my father’s cell, and as I walked down the long, cold hallway I almost started crying. I knew there was a chance he wouldn’t speak to me, but I needed to tell someone, and he was the one person I needed more than anyone right now.

  “Hey dad,” I said softly as I spied him in the corner again. “I know Mathias came by here and told you that we got engaged. I’m sorry he didn’t ask for your blessing but considering you and mom have been shacking up for a hundred and fifty years in sin I think it’s a bit hypocritical.”

  “I’m here because I’m freaking out right now, and I need you. You don’t have to talk or anything. I would appreciate it if you keep this between us, but the thing is I’m pregnant daddy. I’m pregnant, and I’m so scared. I can’t tell anyone, especially Mathias. I know I should back off on this whole fighting thing, but I have to do it now more than ever.”

  I looked up to the ceiling and wiped my crying eyes. “I have two babies to think of now. I need to protect these two helpless human beings that are growing inside of me, and I can’t do that on the run. I have to stop this now, or we’ll always be looking over our shoulder and that’s not the way I want them to grow up.”

  “Twins?” my father asked

  “Yeah, Rhoswen said that in a few weeks we should be able to tell the sex but she has a feeling they’re two boys,” I answered. “You’re going to be a grandpa.”

  My father didn’t say anything and that broke my heart. I sank to the floor and hung on to the bars for support. I don’t know how long I sat there and cried, but I looked up when I felt a hand enclose mine and squeezed it tightly.

  “I always liked Papi,” he said

  “You will make a fabulous Papi,” I said

  “I love you Willy Dilly,” he said. “I wish you would leave with your mother but I know you won’t so promise me you’ll be careful. I would die a thousand deaths if something were to happen to you or my grandchildren.”

  “I love you too dad,” I said. I stood up, and we both looked at each for a moment. I smiled and was about to leave when Mathias’s voice exploded in my head.

  Are you with your father?

  Yes, why?

  I think Fonn is trying to break the enchantments. We have detected almost a thousand Rau circling the island.

  “Oh my God,” I said out loud. No, not today, I thought, I just found out I was pregnant. I can’t handle this shit right now.

  “What is it Willy?” my dad asked anxiously

  “The Rau are invading with Fonn,” I said. “I have to go.”

  “Get me out of here,” he demanded. “Let me help you.”

  “It’s too risky,” I said, “I can’t.”

  “Willa Cecelia,” he started to say but I had already turned to leave.

  “I’ll come back as soon as I can,” I said before I teleported off into vapor. His roar of fury was the last thing I heard.

  I landed right in the madness of the Guardian epicenter. I spotted Mathias and made my way over to him.

  “What’s going on?” I asked

  “There are almost a thousand Rau circling around the island. Lord Fonn is here with Lord Cual. We believe there may be a witch and a warlock with them,” he answered

  “Well I’ll take care of the Rau,” I said but Mathias stopped me

  “We need a plan first Willa,” he snarled. “You can’t go…”

  Mathias stopped what he was going to say to answer his phone. His stony face had changed into exasperation before he handed it to me.

  “Hello?” I asked

  “Willa, its Sidra,” my grandmother said. “The king of the Sprites is here and he is awaiting your command in the castle courtyard.”

  “What?” I asked. “Why is he here? There is no way I am allowing any of the Sprites involving themselves in this fight. Open a portal and send them back.”

  “Please talk to him,” she said. I hung up the phone and went up to the courtyard. I stared for a second at the king and probably two hundred Sprite warriors that assembled in front of me.

  “King Kasius,” I said. “What are you doing here? You need to leave. I could never live with myself if something happened to any of you.”

  “Willa,” he said. “Why do you think Lord Fonn wants to keep us under his thumb? Our warriors are small but mighty. The spears we carry can kill the Rau.”

  “You never told me that,” I said before shaking my head. “No, it’s too risky.”

  “Willa,” Winifred and Sidra both said my name at the same time as they rushed to my side

  “Where’s mom?” I asked

  “She’s with your father,” Winifred answered. “What should we do? Right now the barriers are holding but they will start making cracks within the spell shortly.”

  Mathias and Robert joined us in the courtyard. I bit my lip hard as I tried to formulate some plan. Machall, Bran and Lucian joined us, and they looked at me expectedly.

  “I’ll take care of the first wave of Rau,” I said. “The Sprites and Guardians need to be scattered over the island for any more that may come. I’m sure this is probably just Fonn and Cual’s’ front line. Sidra, you and Granny Winnie need to go to the tower room. You have to drop the enchantments around the island.”

  “What?” Winifred said in disbelief

  “I want them to come on the island,” I replied. “The more chaos around the better and if we can kill a bunch of them so be it. Macky, you and Bran take care of Fonn. Keep him occupied while I focus on Cual. Sidra you need to stick close and use a concealment spell or whatever it is you need to do, but I need you near me. I might need help binding them and pulling out their powers.”

  “Yes, of course,” Sidra said before letting out a cry, “Kelvin.”

  I turned around to see my grandfather and his royal guard striding into the courtyard purposefully. They were dressed in black and looked pretty ferocious. My grandfather greeted everyone, and we caught him up to speed on the situation.

  “What do you want us to do?” he asked

  “Stay with Willa and Sidra,” Mathias said. “You both are going to need someone to watch your backs.”

  “What are you going to do Mathias?” Winifred asked

  “Mathias is going in the command center and keeping an eye on the whole island with the cameras. He can
speak directly to me so this way I can have an idea as to what is going on with everything,’ I said

  “Mathias is going to be killing several Rau and anyone else that may cross his path,” he glowered at me. “I am not sitting behind a computer.”

  “Mathias,” I said pleadingly. “Please,”

  “Don’t ask me to do that Willa,” he said

  “What about me?” Lucian said. “I’m feeling left out of this whole battle.”

  “Lucian, I need you and Beatrice to guard my granny Winnie,” I said. “If we can’t intimidate this witch or warlock they’ll probably come after Winnie first.”

  “I will lay down my life for this magnificent creature,” he said smoothly as he glanced at Winifred. I almost chuckled when I saw her blush under Lucian’s gaze.

  “So when do we start?” Machall asked

  “We start now,” I said before walking over to Mathias and giving him a long hard kiss.

  “Stay alive and kick ass,” he said

  “Ditto,” I said before turning to everyone. “I just want to say to everyone thank you. Stay safe, be on guard and if you find yourself in a sticky situation, get out of here. Also, when this is over you all are invited to the wedding of the year.”

  I held up my left hand, and almost everyone smiled. Granny Winnie looked slightly shocked, and I gave her and Sidra a quick hug before shooting off into the sky.

  I said a quick prayer to anyone that may be listening and then I attacked. I had no desire to play any games. I went from one group of Rau to another setting them on fire as I went from being vapor to flesh in midair. Most of them had no idea what was even happening. I was able to get rid of about half before the other ones caught on to my presence.

  I started having a hard time teleporting and setting them each on fire. One of them caught my leg and all of a sudden I was dangling in the air. I saw his fangs coming closer, and I laughed. Let him drink my poisonous blood I thought. I felt his teeth graze my leg when I heard the most awful sound. It was a roar of madness. I thought it might be Mathias, and I smiled in amusement. Didn’t he realize I had this under control?

  The Rau’s body ripped away from me, and I started falling to the ground. I called on my air, and when I looked up I saw not my fiancée tearing the vampire who had trapped me, but my father. I had no idea how he got out of his cell, but he was here, and he was raging with anger. I watched for a minute as he flew from one Rau to another tearing off their heads and ripping out their hearts with the mindless precision. My dad was on a mission, and his goal was to protect me and my babies.

  I joined the fray, and we had made quick work of whatever Rau that was still left. I spied some more in the distance, but they seemed to be hesitating. I had no doubts that they were weighing their options, but I wasn’t going to give them a choice. I flew near my dad and yelled.

  “There’s more to the east and west. I’m going to fry them,” I said. “Get back down to the island and find shelter.”

  He nodded to me and shot down towards the island. I gathered my air more furiously and called my fire. The flames engulfed my body, and when I didn’t think I could stand it any longer I flung it all around me. I could see it travel for miles and any Rau that was in a ten mile radius was toast. I teleported back down to the courtyard and found Sidra waiting there.

  My father and grandfather were standing near each other and even I could see the toll it was taking on my father. He wasn’t ready, but I knew he had risked it for me.

  “Dad,” I said. “You need to get out of here. There’s too much temptation.”

  “I’m fine,” he said with clenched teeth. “I’m going to fly the skies and see if I can find anymore.”

  He took off quickly, and I breathed a sigh of relief before turning to Sidra.

  “Alright, let’s finish this,” I said

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Sidra and I took off with Kelvin and his group of 007’s following closely behind. I stopped and gathered the elements one by one. The familiar tingling feeling crept all over my body, and I tried not to get too caught up in the sensations. I heard a shout and saw Machall with Lord Braonan. They were battling Lord Fonn, and I observed the three of them for a moment.

  Fonn was crafty and quick with his element. I winced as Bran went flying into the air only to be dropped back down hard on the ground. Machall fared a bit better, and I decided to let them deal with him while I searched out Cual.

  I was slightly miffed when I realized he was on the beach near my old house. I nodded to Sidra, and I helped her perform a concealing spell over everyone. I teleported to where Cual was, and I was not surprised to find him waiting for me almost casually on the beach.

  “Willa, how lovely to see you again,” he said. “I’m sorry we have to meet under such difficult circumstances.”

  “How could you rape and kill the Sprite princess?” I asked

  “Is that what the king of the Sprites told you?” he asked. “Willa, he’s lying. They are all lying to you. I’m here to help not hurt you.”

  “I heard you talk to Machall,” I said and had the satisfaction of watching his face darken. “So you have plans for me huh?”

  Cual laughed, and the sound was so sinister that it sent chills down my spine. “I would prefer your cousin Julia. Where is she by the way? I can’t wait to find her after this is over.”

  A figure streaked out of the woods and came onto the beach with us. Riah grabbed Cual by the neck and tried to twist it, but Cual managed to escape his grasp. He turned to Riah menacingly, and I felt genuine fear. I was transported back to when Serena; my first Guardian had been killed trying to protect me. I couldn’t allow that to happen to Riah.

  I flung the air at Cual so quick he stumbled back and fell to the ground. I shouted for Riah to go and help Lucian protect my grandmother. I saw him hesitate, but I breathed a sigh of relief when he left. I was just about to plunge Cual into the sand when he stood up, and water started to surround me. I panicked at first, but then I remembered that the water couldn’t kill me.

  I breathed in the salty water and felt its power flow through my veins. Instead of suffocating me it was feeding my soul. I gathered it inside of me and pushed it at Cual with everything I had. I locked him in my whirlpool, and I could feel him weaken with each passing second. He suddenly slipped thru the water, and we faced each other.

  His hate poured off of him. I could feel his madness, but I wasn’t scared anymore. I was getting pretty irritated by his defiant stance. I teleported around him, and he, and I went up and around the island and surface of the water for what seemed like hours.

  I kept trying to see an opening, but he was so fast. I finally decided to use the same tactic I used with Machall. I wanted to catch him off guard so I stopped and waited for him to stand in front of me.

  “Tired sweetheart?” he asked mockingly. “I thought you were supposed to be all powerful.”

  “I prefer to call myself a weapon of mass destruction,” I said sadly. “I wish everyone would start using that term to describe me. I also like bad mother fucker too.”

  “You’re nothing but a weak girl who has no clue how to use the powers that have been given to you,” he sneered. “I am going to find great pleasure in taking them from you as well as your body.”

  “Thanks but no thanks,” I said holding up my left hand. “I’m engaged.”

  “Too bad you won’t make it down the aisle,” he said

  “I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” I replied before I cocked my left arm back and punched him right in the face. Blood spurted from his nose, but I wasn’t done with him yet. I could see the poor Duchess in my mind weeping for her daughter and I kicked him right in the balls. He went down to the ground screaming.

  “Allow me one shot please?” a voice said. I looked up, and there was the king of the Sprites looking almost amused until he fixated his stare at Cual, who glanced up right as Kasius plunged his sparkly spear into his eye. I looked away as he pulled it out an
d went after Cual’s other eye.

  Kasius wanted to do more damage, but I held his arm. “Let me finish this please,” I said

  He walked away, and Sidra undid the concealment spell. Kelvin and his guard stood stoically as I approached Lord Cual. I called the water and waited as it gathered strength around me before enveloping Cual’s body with the salty liquid. His screams cut through me like a knife. He was writhing around in agony when the water touched his wounds, and I almost felt sorry for him.

  Almost but not quite.

  I started drawing his power from his body, and he thrashed around in the sand reaching blindly for anything that he could grab on to but it was too late. It took about five minutes to coax it all out of him, but I finally was able to do it on my own. Sidra just stood next to me for support.

  I turned to the king of the Sprites. “The rest of him is all yours.”

  I walked away and closed my eyes as I heard the spear plunge into Lord Cual’s chest. I knew before it even happened that I would hear his last breath being torn from his body. The air wanted to remind me of my time on the mountain and even though I hated to hear that sound I knew that justice had been served to Lord Cual.

  I slowly made my way back to the field where Machall and Bran were still fighting Fonn. The three of them were streaks of vapor in the air as they raced around one another. I saw something out of the corner of my eye and caught a glimpse of my granny Winnie locked in battle with another witch. Lucian and Riah were standing watch close by as they tried to stay out of the way of shooting curses.

  I looked up and could see hundreds of Rau landing on the island. Guardians were battling everywhere. I tried to search out Mathias but knew I had to focus on my task. The problem was though I could feel reality slip from me. The extra amount of power from the water was almost pushing me over the edge, and I had to release it soon.

  I told Sidra to give me a minute as an idea came to me. I flew up to the roof of the castle and grabbed my grandmother. I pushed her over to Lucian and faced the old woman who was looking at me with fire in her eyes.

  “Well, this must be the Fae Sanctity,” she cackled. “Your powers are useless against a Fae witch.”