by Amy Sumida
“This is our only way out,” she shot back as she continued to hurry down the steps.
Above us came the distinctive racket of a door being slammed open and then the more horrifying sound of things sliding down that staircase after us. Slurping, rasping, and scratching noises which made the muscles in my back tighten in terror. Aideen slipped and almost fell but I grabbed her arm and steadied her. Tiernan shot another ball of light back up the way we'd come and again the Sluagh screamed. I swallowed hard, wondering what kind of magic could make the darkness turn upon itself.
You should fear the darkness. Those words filled my head like a prophecy or a promise.
“Hurry,” Aideen had finally reached the bottom step but as she ran forward, I stumbled and Tiernan had to catch me.
“A rath,” he whispered as he held me.
“I've never seen a fairy mound before,” I whispered back and we stood there clinging to each other, staring at the impossible scene laid out before us like a couple of hillbillies in the big city for the very first time.
An open field of grass languished across what should have been a cold cement floor, and instead of fluorescent lights overhead, sunlight flooded the room from an unknown source. I looked up and all I saw was bright light, no ceiling or sky. The grass was thick beneath my feet, spotted with jewel-toned flowers, and in the center of it rose a small hill. Just a mound of grass-covered earth really, no more than ten feet tall, but set into the side of that mound was a gold door with an inlay of a silver star near its top. Metallic rays shone out from the star's spokes and beneath it was a detailed silver castle with towers reaching up towards the starlight and an ethereal silver forest surrounding it. Aideen was already opening the door.
“Come on!” She shouted at us and Tiernan urged me forward.
“She's right, this is our best option for eluding the Sluagh,” he pulled me with him and then when that became too much effort, he simply picked me up and started to run.
“It's Fairy,” I spoke in a hushed tone, as if I were in church. “I've never been to Fairy.”
“Well hold on, sweetheart,” he said as he reached the door. “The first step is the hardest.”
Chapter Seventeen
The first step is the hardest. Yeah, you could say that. As soon as we crossed over into the Fairy Realm, I was saturated by a wave of magic so strong, the breath fled my body. Magic seemed to burst through every cell I had, permeating my very DNA. Like saltpeter set to flame, I sparked and popped beneath my skin, an explosion of pain. A scream clawed its way up my throat and I convulsed in Tiernan's arms until he laid me down on a soft patch of grass. I heard the slam of a door and then Aideen's face was added to his above me.
“Seren?” Tiernan wrenched off my helmet and cast it aside so he could run a gentle hand over my face. “Why is she having this reaction?” His distraught gaze shot to Aideen, who immediately looked away.
“I don't know,” her eyes were fastened on a golden door to her left. “But we can't stay here. The Sluagh will be right behind us. I have a place where we can hide her.”
“Lead on,” Tiernan picked me up and I groaned but the pain seemed to be over and my body was filling with a sublime tingling sensation. Like sunlight but softer, moonlight but warmer, something in between.
My head lolled against Tiernan's chest, the rough material of his body armor irritating my sensitive skin. I rolled my face away from it with lethargic vexation. His gait was smooth but rushed and the gentle jouncing left my head hanging back over his bicep. Disjointed images flickered in and out of my vision. Flashes of an alien forest filled with alien creatures. Trees seemed to leer over me while peculiar beasties ran across their limbs. Vines dangled down, spiraling tendrils uncurling to clasp at me while their blossoms opened and closed like hungry mouths. My eyes darted side to side as my limp limbs draped uselessly in Tiernan's arms.
Flares of light sparkled through the trees, flitting about as if it were alive, and haunting calls echoed around us. The cries vibrated in my ears, pulsing and thrumming like warbled sound effects before settling into an enchanting melody. Layers of scent gave glimpses of what I couldn't see; luscious berries, sharp citrus, and something syrupy sweet, like mangoes, ruled over the quieter aromas of crushed grass, fecund soil, and crisp water. Then, a pungent base note of fertile decay, rich like patchouli. The perfume of the forest lured me like an exotic lover, arms open and lips smiling. It banished any unease I may have felt and my eyes drifted shut as I breathed deeper. The brush of flora against my skin became a gentle caress and I sighed as a sense of peace washed over me.
Was this fairy magic? Were my charms ineffective around so much of it? Where was my sword? I reached down to pat the sheath attached to my thigh. I'd worn my short-sword simply because it was easier to maneuver with. It was still there but touching it didn't bring me the comfort it normally did. Perhaps because I didn't need comfort. I let go of my suspicions and embraced the peace which had been offered, instantly feeling like a newborn, experiencing the world with fresh senses. A world which felt like a mother to me.
We stopped moving and I opened my eyes to see Aideen standing before a massive tree trunk. I cast my gaze up and followed the trunk to its grand branches, the emerald leaves rustling in a light breeze. I smiled and the branches seemed to wave to me in welcome. It was such a silly notion that I smiled wider.
When I looked back to Aideen, she had her hand against the trunk and a portion of it was glowing. The glow brightened and grew until it disappeared with a sparkling burst and a door shaped opening was revealed. The three of us rushed through, Tiernan's hands tightening against me. As soon as we were inside, Aideen touched the trunk again and it closed seamlessly behind us with another soft glow.
Tiernan laid me down on a squishy mattress and the loamy scent of moss wafted up from it. I immediately swayed upright to peer around me, my curiosity conquering my fatigue. The inside of the tree was completely hollow, the trunk polished to a golden sheen. There was a dainty staircase along one side, curving up and disappearing into the ceiling above us. The ceiling itself was obscured by woven branches and in several places the branches bulged out, creating cages for glowing lights that brightened as I watched.
There were bookshelves flowing out from the trunk in several places, filled with leather-bound books, shards of crystal, rocks, feathers, and unknown objects. The furniture seemed to rise smoothly from the floor, including the round bed I was sitting on, which was also connected to the wall. Vines trailed from the ceiling, veiling the bed near the trunk. There were white flowers blossoming among the vines, releasing their delicate perfume into the air, and the lime silk comforter was scattered with fallen blooms.
Over to one side of the room was what appeared to be a kitchen, with a sink also molded from the trunk, a wide counter, and a stone lined fireplace whose chimney went straight up the side of the tree. Cupboards above the sink and counter had no doors, open shelves showcasing an assortment of mismatched china. There was a small table growing right out of the floor in front of the kitchen and a couple of chairs tucked away beneath it. In its center, a large porcelain pitcher held a collection of silverware like flowers.
Between me and the kitchen there was a thick rug on the floor, which looked as if it was woven of the same vines draped around the bed. There were two rocking chairs sitting on it, one draped with a knit blanket. Though there were no windows, the place felt open and fresh, probably because of all the plant life. I wondered how it all grew without sun and then looked up at the glowing lights suspiciously.
“Where are we?” I whispered.
“This is my home,” Aideen smiled gently at me. “My tree. We'll be safe here.”
“The Sluagh?” I looked over to Tiernan.
“They won't be able to sense us inside the tree,” he assured me as he divested himself of the bulky body armor. “How are you feeling, Seren?”
“Better now,” I sighed and lowered my feet to the floor. “I didn't know entering
Fairy would be so painful.”
“It shouldn't have been,” Tiernan frowned at me and then shot Aideen a sharp look. “There's only one reason for Fairy to affect you like that.”
“Tiernan,” Aideen laid a hand on his shoulder, she'd removed her body armor as well but she still looked strange in the black combat clothes that had been beneath. “Let me do this. I'm afraid I owe you both some explanations.”
“What did you do?” I narrowed my eyes on her.
“Nothing bad,” she gave me a guilty smile. “Look, let's start with the facts. You've never been to Fairy, right? Isn't that strange for an Extinguisher? Don't all of you make at least one trip over here after you've been trained?”
“Well, yeah, I guess,” I frowned. “My mom wanted to take me herself but there was never a good time and then...”
“She was murdered,” Aideen said matter-of-factly.
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Seren, there's something I need to tell you about your mother,” Aideen's face was starting to blur and I blinked rapidly in an effort to regain focus.
A delicious lethargy was overtaking my body and with it came a sweet tingling rush. I felt so good, like I did when I drank too much whiskey. Except this was brighter, almost effervescent, champagne instead of whiskey. It was distracting and I felt my attention wavering.
“Seren?” Aideen knelt before me but that only made it worse. I could make out the shape of her head but that was it. She seemed to look over her shoulder at Tiernan as she urgently asked, “What time of day is it?”
“Dusk,” came the grim reply. “Aideen, please tell me she's not what I think-”
That's when I blacked out.
Chapter Eighteen
“I do not appreciate being manipulated,” Tiernan's terse voice woke me.
I felt strange, my skin vibrated with energy, my fingertips tingled, and my heart beat wildly. There was something in the air, a gentle swaying heat, a pulsing like laughter on my lips. I breathed it in and it rushed through me, seeming to light up all the dark places within. It was amazing, leaving me more refreshed than I'd ever been. Power zipped through my veins like it was alive, like it knew where it needed to go. I felt alive, a feeling which had me wondering if I'd ever truly lived.
“You were not supposed to hunt me,” I heard the end of Aideen's answer. “We believe that to be the work of King Uisdean, as was the Sluagh.”
“He wants her dead,” Tiernan's grim reply came from somewhere above me.
“Yes,” I'm afraid so,” Aideen said. “Which is why we needed her to come home at last.”
“Well, it explains my strange attraction to her,” Tiernan sighed and I felt movement against my cheek. I was lying in his lap; my armor had been removed but my sword remained.
“Yes, I admit I found your confusion amusing,” Aideen's voice gentled. “It was perfectly clear to me. Of all the seelie, your magic, my Lord Shadowcall, would be the most suited to blending with hers.”
“Well, now I'm confused, so one of you had better start talking.” I startled them both as I sat up. A rush of magic sped through my head as I blinked my eyes open and I rubbed at my temples to try an ease the ache. They both gaped at me and I frowned. “What?”
“Her eyes,” Tiernan whispered.
“I told you,” Aideen recovered first and smiled brightly.
“What about my eyes?” I panicked and tried to stand up but the room shifted out of focus and Tiernan caught me.
“Easy, Seren,” he helped me sit back down. “You're okay; I've got you.”
“But what about my eyes?” I looked over to him and saw him blink as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
“Do you know what your name means in the Welsh tongue?” Tiernan's hand lifted and pushed back the hair at my temple. I saw a flash of color in the corner of my eye and I started to turn towards it but he gently shifted my chin back so I'd face him.
“Of course I do,” I said impatiently. “It means star. My mother always called me her little star. That's why she gave me this necklace,” I waved a hand at my throat, forgetting that my star was hidden beneath my thick shirt.
“Your mother gave you your name then?” Aideen asked gently.
“Well, I'm sure my father had a say in it as well,” I frowned.
“Yes, I'm absolutely sure he did,” Aideen gave a little laugh.
“That's unkind of you,” Tiernan growled at her.
“Sorry,” she pouted.
“What?” I narrowed my gaze on him. “Why is it unkind?”
“Seren,” Tiernan's voice dropped to a whisper and his eyes filled with remorse. “Aideen is thinking only as a fairy, she doesn't understand what kind of heartbreak this will bring you. I do and I'm sorry for it. Please know, before we tell you anymore, that I was not a part of this. I had no idea what was happening and I wouldn't wish to bring you unhappiness ever. Still, I think it could be wonderful for you, if you decided to embrace it.”
“You're really starting to scare me,” I growled, “and piss me off. Just tell me what the hell is wrong with my eyes.”
“Just look for yourself,” Aideen produced a mirror gleefully. “It's really amazing.”
“Aideen,” Tiernan groaned as I held the hand mirror up to my face. “You could have eased her into it.”
A stranger looked back at me. I mean, it was me, I recognized the angle of my jaw, my full lips, and my high cheekbones. I knew the long slope of my nose and the wings of my eyebrows. What I didn't recognize were my hair and eyes.
In place of my mossy eyes were two brilliant emerald discs that shone unnaturally bright from my face, almost like faceted jewels. Within the green, surrounding the edge of my pupils, were silver spokes shooting outward. They seemed to be laid over my irises, shedding light upon them as if they were...
“Stars,” I whispered and lifted a hand to my face. Then I shifted my starry eyes to my hair.
Just above my left temple was a streak of dark purple that faded down to lavender at the ends. My eyes followed it and noted that even the length of my hair had changed. Instead of ending just past my shoulders, my hair now curled down below my hips. It had surged free of the braid I'd confined it in the day before, like an invasive vine overtaking a garden. I dropped the mirror on the bed and stood.
“What have you done to me?!” I shouted in horror.
“Seren,” Tiernan stood and held out a calming hand. “No one did this, you were born this way.”
“I can say with absolute certainty that this was not the way I was born!” I waved a hand over my face.
“Why aren't you happy?” Aideen frowned. “You're so beautiful. I'd love to have stars in my eyes.”
“Shut up, Aideen,” Tiernan pointed an angry finger at her. “I should have known something unscrupulous was afoot as soon as I discovered you were a Night Queen. Sweet Danu, I should have known when they told me you worked at Gentry. King Keir would never condone research on biological weapons! But I'd thought maybe he was being betrayed, maybe someone was using his research in ways he'd never intended, and maybe you were the key to stopping the traitor.”
“Thank you for not saying anything,” Aideen said meekly.
“You counted on that,” Tiernan growled. “On my blind loyalty to the Twilight Court! You knew I'd never betray King Keir but that is the very reason you should have told me about her.”
“I couldn't,” Aideen whispered. “I was sworn to secrecy.”
“The Twilight Court?” I frowned. “What are you talking about? There's no such thing as a Twilight Court.”
“Humans aren't told of it,” Tiernan gentled his tone to speak to me. “Not even Extinguishers or members of the Human Council.”
“Wait, no, forget this stupid court,” I growled. “What happened to me?”
“Please, Seren,” Tiernan waved a hand to a rocking chair. “Sit down.”
“I think I'll stand,” I crossed my arms resolutely.
“Fine but this is going to
take awhile,” he sighed. “There are actually three courts of Fairy.”
“I said I don't care about that damn court,” I snarled.
“It's important to the explanation for all of this,” Tiernan waved a hand at me and I quieted. “There is the Seelie Court, which is the Court of the Light, the Unseelie Court also known as the Court of the Dark, and then there is the Twilight Court, the Court of the In-Between.”
“In-between what?” I narrowed my eyes on him.
“Everything,” he shrugged. “They rule dusk and dawn, the time between seasons, and the spaces that lie between... such as that between earth and sky.”
A shiver coasted over my skin as my body tried to tell my mind something that it didn't want to know. Tears sprang to my eyes but I blinked them away. “Go on,” I pushed the words past my cold lips.
“They rule that in nature which is neither Dark nor Light,” Tiernan continued. “Things like trees which flower in the darkness,” he glanced at Aideen. “Animals who roam at dusk and dawn. The eve of all things, the paths between realms, the silence between heartbeats...everything between. Their court is full of half breeds; fey who are both seelie and unseelie. They are solace for those who are cast out,” he swallowed hard and looked away from me briefly. “I myself have lived among them. In fact, I've given King Keir my fealty and although I was born seelie, I'm now a twilight fey.”
“What?” I blinked. “You were cast out of the Seelie Court?”
“That's a story for another time,” he sighed. “Seren, I'm so sorry to tell you this but it seems that your mother, in human perspective, was unfaithful to your father.”
“Excuse me?” I growled and lowered my arms. “Take that back.”
“She had an affair with a fairy,” he glanced at Aideen.
“A king!” Aideen added as if that made up for my mother's indiscretion. “King Keir of the Twilight Court.”
“Uh huh,” I narrowed my gaze on her and she flinched.
