Dark Faery II: The Mercifuls (DarkFaery Book 2)

by Bridget McGowan

  He shook himself and realized Harry had discretely left him to his thoughts. Dawn was approaching and they would all be going to their rest.

  11

  Flynn slept well past his usual time for waking, and as the afternoon wore on his mother became concerned. She woke him and noticed how pale he looked.

  “Don’t you have to work with Simon?” she asked.

  “No, he gave me three days off.”

  “Three? How generous.”

  “Yes. He said I was doing incredibly well.”

  “You look worn out. I hope you’re not becoming ill.”

  “No, I’m fine. Just tired.”

  Mrs. Whitethorn made a warm potion for him to drink of chamomile and lavender. He followed her advice although he knew that ultimately it would do no good.

  Flynn felt elation, perhaps from the loss of blood. His mother’s potion did some good, and he eventually dressed and visited his father’s office. As usual, several people waited to see the good doctor.

  A man with sores on his leg sat patiently as Dr. Whitethorn crushed comfrey and yarrow and made a salve to put on the sores. He gave his patient a jar of the salve and instructed him how to use it before sending him on his way. The next patient had a sore throat. An elixir of crushed willow bark, maidenhair, lemon and honey was prescribed. A child with a broken arm arrived. Dr. Whitethorn and his journeyman assistant daughter, Cara set the bone and applied a splint after Cara applied a thin coating of a comfrey paste.

  “You’re sure you don’t want to join us in medicine?” his father asked when the last of the patients left.

  “No. I’m happy with music. Simon tells me I’m doing better than he expected.”

  “That’s wonderful. I’m happy to hear it. He isn’t working you too hard, is he? You look pale.”

  “No. I stayed extra last night to learn something new. I’m just tired.”

  “Simon should know when to insist on an apprentice stopping.”

  “I’m fine, truly. And I have three days off.”

  “That is extremely generous. Perhaps he does know what he’s doing.”

  “You wouldn’t send me to one who didn’t, would you?”

  “I didn’t think so, but seeing your pallor today made me wonder.”

  They returned home to dinner, and Flynn ate heartily. His mother was glad to see him eat so well, and stopped worrying that he was coming down with something.

  As evening fell on Saturday, the Faeries gathered: Mercifuls, Cantares, Benevolents and Celestials. In the forest they flitted up through the trees and down in a game thousands of years old. Once up in the trees, they would sprinkle shimmers – Humans called it Faery dust – down through the branches, and those on the ground would try to catch them and throw them back up to those in the branches. It was like a vertical ball game with glittering balls that gradually became smaller as flecks of the glimmer sprinkled off on the journey up and down.

  Often a boyfriend and girlfriend threw shimmer back and forth. Sometimes friends played together. Mothers and fathers taught their younger children to play, and the elder Faeries generally danced in circles. Anyone who saw them from a distance would have seen glimmers of light in the trees and perhaps have heard what sounded like a breeze through the grass that was the laughter and song.

  When the shimmer had all been used, the Faeries formed a large circle, each holding the hands of those beside them. They sang a song to the goddess and danced by making a circular move in one direction and then in the opposite direction.

  When they had finished, they socialized for a while until gradually the families began to head home. All were rejuvenated by sharing their joy. Once home they had their Saturday supper and spent the remainder of the evening in family-related relaxation.

  Monday was Flynn’s next day back with Simon. He felt refreshed, with a strength he hadn’t noticed before. Perhaps the disciplined practice had toned his muscles.

  Simon looked pleased when Flynn appeared.

  “Ah, here’s our boy wonder,” he said.

  “Are you really as good as Simon’s been telling me, or is that merely a story?” Harry asked. Flynn started. He’d never been in the company of the others without other light Faery there before.

  “I – I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were busy,” Flynn said, looking at the two.

  Simon chuckled. “No, we were waiting for you. This is Harry. Harry, Flynn.”

  They exchanged the usual pleasantries.

  “Harry plays harp. I thought he might be more use to you than I am,” Simon said.

  Flynn looked confused, but took out the harp. Harry had him play a song he’d practiced with Simon, and made suggestions Simon hadn’t yet given. They worked for about three hours until Harry was satisfied with the level of Flynn’s performance.

  When Harry took his leave, Flynn looked as if something was on his mind. He didn’t offer any questions, but waited for Simon to continue.

  “I think a walk in the night air might be just the thing for you,” Simon told Flynn, leading him outdoors. “With your head cleared, you can tell me what’s on your mind.”

  Flynn looked sharply at Simon. “Why did Harry teach me?”

  “You need the input of others to learn different perspectives. And they need the chance to teach. Why? Don’t you like Harry?”

  “I do. I just thought it strange.”

  “I wouldn’t want you to get too far in your studies before you had the chance to have a different teacher.”

  “So, I’ll have others?”

  “From time to time. You’re lucky Harry had the time.”

  “Do I need to worry about being around the others?”

  “We are all sworn to the same bond. I don’t recommend you sneak up on any unawares. But in general, we are self-controlled. I feel it is simply to your benefit to have as many teachers as possible. I want you to be versatile.”

  If Flynn doubted anything Simon told him, he kept it to himself.

  When they returned from their walk, Simon sat cross-legged on the edge of the desk rather than in a chair, and it gave him a boyish look. But it was farther away than he usually stayed from Flynn. The boy packed his instruments away in silence, then approached Simon.

  “Did I do something wrong?” he asked.

  “Of course you haven’t. What would make you think that?”

  “A different teacher, you staying across the room from me – gee, I don’t know.”

  Simon let his legs drop over the edge of the desk. “You are the apprentice. As such you are here to learn. That doesn’t make you privy to my decisions on how best to teach you. Harry is a master of his instrument. I would be doing less than my job if I didn’t give you the benefit of the best Shauna Faun has to offer. Or would you prefer to prolong your apprenticeship? I was under the impression you were anxious to join.”

  “I am. I just wondered, is all.”

  “Flynn, I assure you, if you do something wrong you will know about it.”

  The boy, with nothing more to keep him here, went on his way.

  The summer wore on with a variation of Simon and others teaching him. He saw Fiona from time to time, but she never taught him since he played none of her instruments. He had thought he’d be finished by summer’s end, but Simon gave no indication that Flynn was ready. Perhaps his apprenticeship would take a year, after all.

  One evening as he came out of Simon’s office, he saw a girl who looked about 16 with hair the color of bronze silk, like the first leaves to turn in autumn. He thought he’d never seen anyone so beautiful before. Her green eyes seemed to laugh, and her walk had something of a skip to it, as if she couldn’t wait to go outside to play. He hadn’t realized he’d stopped in his tracks until he heard Simon chuckle behind him. He turned.

  “Who is she?” he asked barely above a whisper.

  “That’s Caelen. You’ve never met her?” Flynn shook his head. “She’s one of us.”

  “But – she looks so young.”
/>   “She was 18.”

  “When?”

  “Seventy-five years ago.”

  “Oh.”

  “Would you like to meet her?”

  Um –” Flynn licked his lips.

  “Caeli,” Simon called. She turned and smiled at the two of them. “Caeli, this is Flynn. You’ve heard me speak of him? He’s studying to be Shauna Faun.”

  “Oh. Hello, Flynn. Nice to meet you.”

  She had a soft, girlish voice that had a smile in it.

  “Do you sing or play an instrument?” she asked.

  “Both,” Flynn replied.

  “Flynn is being modest. He plays flute, harp and hornpipe as well as singing,” Simon told her.

  “Are you in Shauna Faun? I’ve never seen you.”

  “Yes. I was away for some time. I also sing and play elf bells.”

  Elf bells consisted of a circle of metal cylinders of varying lengths, each with a different tone, that looked much like wind chimes. They were played by tapping them with wands. If the wand were put within the circle and moved quickly – like a boy drawing a stick along a picket fence – they indeed sounded like wind chimes.

  “I’ve never known anyone who played elf bells before,” Flynn said. He stared at the girl. She smiled and looked nervously at Simon.

  “I think Caeli was about to do something important,” Simon said.

  “Oh. Nice to meet you, then,” Flynn said, and Caelen went on her way.

  “And you were afraid there weren’t any girl Vampyres,” Simon remarked.

  “Oh, she’s probably got someone.”

  “No, I don’t think she does,” Simon replied.

  “Did you make her?”

  “No. She joined our coven about ten years ago. Her sire was killed, and she saw one of our concerts when we were traveling.”

  “She’s not from a nearby clan?”

  “No. Now, it’s soon dawn. You should get home.”

  All the way home, Flynn wondered what Caelen had to do so close to dawn, and decided it was Simon’s way of letting the girl go. She was probably preparing for bed – or whatever they called it.

  12

  Flynn turned seventeen at the end of summer, and his family had a celebration. Simon gave him the day off, even though it fell in the middle of the week. His friends helped him celebrate, each talking about their apprenticeships. When he mentioned Shauna Faun, there was silence.

  “They’re going to let you join?” one of his friends asked.

  “I’m apprenticed to Simon, their leader.”

  “Aren’t you afraid of them?” a girl asked.

  “Why? What’s there to be afraid of?” The others looked uncomfortable. Obviously they’d heard the indefinite rumors. “Would my father have apprenticed me to them if there was something wrong?”

  “Well –” his friend, Afreth said, “I’ve heard they once kidnapped someone.”

  “They did not. I heard about that, too. I’ve spoken to the woman. It wasn’t them at all. They’re musicians. They’d never hurt anyone.”

  “So, what are they really like?” Diona, a girl who’d had a crush on Flynn asked.

  “Very serious about music, but nice. Simon even had one of the other band members show me some better ways to play harp.”

  The others relaxed and continued their fun, now reassured that Shauna Faun was no more than met the eye.

  When the party was over and his friends had all gone home, Flynn wondered if this would this be his last birthday. He’d had fun, but he felt that he was growing away from his friends. Perhaps he’d changed their minds about the band. He hoped so. He didn’t want rumors going around about him. He laughed, wondering why he’d care.

  Simon wanted to know about he party, and took pleasure in hearing the details.

  “Did you tell them of your apprenticeship?”

  “Yes, but –”

  “They find fault with us?”

  “I told them my father wouldn’t apprentice me to someone who was bad. They didn’t know anything, really. I told them I met Mrs. Feather, and you didn’t kidnap her.”

  “Perhaps your saying it will carry more weight than when I said it.”

  “Will I have another birthday, or was that my last?”

  “Are you asking not to be a Vampyre? Your contract would be quite a bit more expensive to get out of, you know.”

  “No, I’m not trying to get out of anything. I just wondered how long until –” he hesitated. “Well, I mean, I thought I’d be a Vampyre by now.”

  “You have some other training besides music before that. I want everything done right. Next month you begin rehearsing with Shauna Faun.”

  Flynn’s eyes lit up. “Really? You mean it?”

  “Yes,” Simon replied, smiling.

  He had his training as usual that day, although Simon ended things early to explain some of what to expect when he was turned.

  “Will I actually die?” Flynn asked.

  “Not entirely. You will likely lose consciousness, and when your heart is nearly stopped, you will have to drink my blood. I don’t know whether I remembered doing that with my sire. Afterwards it will take some time before your body becomes used to the change. A day or two. At that point you will rise, and I will take you on your first hunt. You may not like me much at first, since I have to be very firm with you. You’ll be ravenous, and I can’t let you loose anywhere near Faeries.”

  Indeed, without a very strong sire, Flynn would be capable of decimating half of his clan without being satisfied. Such an atrocity would have garnered the attention of the druids. They would have destroyed him, then discovered his sire. They would torture Simon for days in the most atrocious manner while hunting down and destroying the other members of Shauna Faun. Simon would never allow that to happen.

  Although he knew how difficult it was for a fledgeling to exhibit any control, Simon knew that Flynn would remember what he was taught. Through the anger and bloodlust, Simon’s words would cycle through his brain. The more often Simon told the boy now, the stronger those words would be an influence in the fledgeling mind.

  13

  Flynn was nervous and excited about rehearsing with the band. He suddenly felt he knew nothing. His first day of rehearsal, Kele, Luke, Jennica and Calana played while Simon sat in the background to watch. Flynn had seen some of these folk at concerts. He had hoped to see Caelen again, yet he was glad she wasn’t there to hear his mistakes.

  The others were patient with Flynn. He thought perhaps that was why this was his first group to perform with. An impatient Vampyre would’ve intimidated a light Faery, aggravating that particular Vampyre even more. They complemented his ability on hornpipe, which made him relax a little after the first few songs.

  Flynn wasn’t the only one who made mistakes. Others made timing mistakes, and Simon or one of the others corrected them with the same calm tones they used with Flynn. There was teasing at times, jokes about some mistakes one or other typically made. But there were no lost tempers.

  At times they would decide to change the tempo of a song or in some other way change what they usually did. Jennica frequently explained these changes to Flynn, and he did his best to keep up with the others.

  At the end of rehearsal Flynn was relieved. No one was upset with him, and he hadn’t appeared totally stupid.

  “You did a nice job,” Kele said, patting his shoulder. The others hadn’t come close enough to him to touch, and it surprised him.

  “Thanks.”

  “It’ll get easier,” he said.

  Flynn stayed behind when the others had their instruments packed and left. Simon sat watching him.

  “You looked startled when Kele touched you.”

  “None of the others ever have, even when they were giving me lessons.”

  “They don’t like to get too close. Light Faeries have a scent to them that –”

  “I smell bad?”

  “Quite the contrary. You smell irresistible at close ra
nge. Touch makes it radiate.”

  “Then why didn’t it bother Kele?”

  “Kele is quite old. He’s had light Faeries. For years – centuries, perhaps – he had nothing but. Imagine eating cake for every meal. You’d reach a point where it no longer enticed you. Humans were quite a novelty to him for some time.”

  “You make me sound like dessert.”

  Simon chuckled. “You are. Kele may have eaten more than he needed tonight. He knows enough to take precautions where light Faery are concerned.”

  “And the others would make a meal of me?”

  “They wouldn’t want to. They know you’re to become one of us. They know they must do what is necessary not to destroy you. But you are torture to them.”

  “Then why have me practice with them?”

  “To see how you handle yourself and the demands. If you couldn’t work with them, you couldn’t be part of Shauna Faun no matter how good your music is. Would you still want to become one of us then?”

  “I don’t know. Would you let me out of my contract?”

  “I don’t know,” Simon said, wandering to the book case that held volumes of music. He pulled one out and studied a piece in it. “It’s a moot point. You seem to fit in.”

  “They were being nice to me.”

  Oh no, I assure you, everyone is professional.”

  “No one yelled at me for making mistakes.”

  “Has anyone who’s worked with you?” Flynn shook his head. “Well, then you see us as we are. We’re not your parents, or whoever you expected us to be.”

  Flynn knew of masters who beat their apprentices. He was treated with courtesy. He left, secure in the knowledge that he would, one day soon, be part of Shauna Faun.

  Flynn’s friends were excited about his joining Shauna Faun, although a few were skeptical about the truth of it. Taurig Fennel, Flynn’s best friend, alternated between excitement and doubt.

  “Why would they take you? Can just anyone join?”