by Bonnie Lamer
Standing, Kallen says, “I will inform Kegan of the plan and meet you outside in five minutes.”
“Kegan is not going to be happy,” I tell him. “He wants to research.”
“Alita can organize the effort without him,” Dagda says. He stands, as well.
“I will contact my realm and ascertain if there are bodies to spare to bring here. We can monitor the shores,” Arie says.
“That leaves me to what, sit here and babysit? I think Isla and Tana can manage that without me.” I want to do something a bit more helpful than that. Like search the archives myself.
“You need to work with Tana and Isla to contain the situation here. There will be panic when word gets out. Males will want to go home to protect their wives and children,” Kallen says. “You must not let them. Many will die tonight if they are not under your sleep spell.”
I nod because I know he’s right. I’m still going to be petulant about it. “So, babysit it is, then.”
Kallen pulls me to my feet. Placing his hands on my cheeks, he says, “You are saving lives, not babysitting. If it was not for you, hundreds would already be dead. You are the most important part of our plan.”
I don’t know about the most important part, but he’s right. I am doing more than babysitting. I know that. “I hate this.”
He wraps his strong arms around me. “We all do.”
Dagda slaps his thighs with his palms before standing. “We have a plan, then. If you will excuse me, I need to find my Queen and High Chancellor and bring them up to speed.” He strides from the room.
Arie and Kai stand. “We will be ready for whatever comes.” Without a glance at her husband, Arie leaves the room. Kai trails after her, his head high but his shoulders slumped.
Kallen still has his arms wrapped around me. With a finger under my chin, he lifts so we are staring into each other’s eyes. “There is absolutely no danger of me falling prey to the Sirens,” he assures me for the hundredth time.
I sigh and hug him tighter. “I know.” I don’t really, but I know how much he believes it. “It’s just, from what I’ve learned, no one has ever eluded the call of the Sirens.”
“Then no one has loved as deeply as I,” he responds. He dips his head and kisses me in a way that erases ninety-nine percent of my doubt about him and Sirens.
Burrowing deeper into his embrace, I murmur, “I love you.” After a second, I force myself to step back. “We have work to do. We should get started.”
Kallen nods. “Are you certain you are okay?”
I shrug. “As certain as I can be at the moment.”
Lacing his fingers through mine, we leave Dagda’s office. We part at the Great Hall with me going up the stairs and Kallen going in search of Kegan. After I talk to Isla and Tana, I need to check on Alita. She is not going to handle the news of Kegan going to the village any better than I did with Kallen. But, Kegan has loved her since they were kids. Surely, she has nothing to worry about.
Chapter 14
I find Dagda and Tana in the sitting room in the private family area. Tana is wiping a tear from her eye and I pretend not to notice. I would back out of the room but they have already seen me. Straightening her shoulders, Tana says, “Come, we have much work to do.”
“Isla is on her way. She was handling a minor crisis but should not be long,” Dagda informs me.
“Okay.”
He pulls Tana close and whispers something to her. I try not to be icked out when she wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him like she’s performing mouth to mouth resuscitation. If this kiss is any indication, she’d make a great EMT. When they start to get handsy, though, I can’t take it any longer. I clear my throat loudly. Twice.
Finally, Dagda un-suctions his lips from Tana’s and smiles at me. “Love is not only for the young,” he informs me.
“Pretty sure public displays of affection are, though,” I counter.
He chuckles. “Perhaps you are right.”
“Thank god, I would have gone blind if I had to watch them feel each other up like you and the wanker do.” I nudge Taz with my toes. It’s not really a kick. Even if he does curl up into a fetal position and shout curses at me.
“It was barely a nudge,” Felix chides. “I would be happy to give you something to equal your reaction.”
“When are you sending this hound from hell back to his rightful place?” Taz demands.
I smirk down at him. “Are you kidding me? I’d keep him over you.” Insulted, Taz slinks away to pout.
“If you are done conversing with your Familiars, I believe we have a war to prevent,” Isla says dryly as she breezes into the room. “I suggest we inform the male Fairies as soon as possible. If they find out from any other source, the panic will be exponentially greater.”
“How about if we don’t tell them and I put a circle around them so no one else can, either,” I suggest hopefully. It’s going to be a mess when word gets out that the Sirens plan war.
“As favorable as that sounds, I suggest you conserve your magical strength. You have considerably more to place under your spell this evening,” Isla reminds me.
Yes, every male Fairy for miles around. Piece of cake. Uh huh. “About that,” I start. “I am going to need some of your magic and Tana’s to pull this off. In the Centaur realm, I pulled from others to create a spell big enough to put a village to sleep.”
Isla considers for a moment. “Perhaps it would be best if you left me from the equation. If you are weakened from doing the spell, at least one of us should be at full power.”
I’m tempted to suggest she do the spell and I stay at full power, but that would be petty. “Fine.” Tana doesn’t look thrilled to have her magic siphoned, but she doesn’t suggest otherwise. I think her mind is too focused on Dagda at the moment to really care what happens to her. Not necessarily a good thing.
“Can I at least magically seal the exits?” I ask. “There is going to be mass panic and I don’t want to have to chase each Fairy down individually.”
Pursing her lips for a moment, Isla finally says, “Agreed.” She adds, “Wait until we are about to make the announcement. We do not want to panic anyone early.”
“Does she think you’re an idiot?” Taz snarks. “Oh, wait, you are an idiot.”
“You are so lucky you’re across the room,” I say menacingly.
“I am going to assume you are not speaking to me,” Isla drawls.
“Nope.”
“Good. I have not had a chance to speak with our new guest. Do you believe she is credible?” Isla asks. Both she and Tana turn to me. They haven’t heard what happened yet.
“She’s here under duress, but I believe the warning she came to give us is credible. There’s probably more to it than she knows, though.” No way would have Irena let Zyrene in on the whole plan. She already betrayed her once, pretty safe to assume she would do it again.
Isla shakes her head. “If Irena sent her, she would have known we would detain her. She will not be able to relay any messages back to her people.”
“Yeah, about that.” I fill the two of them in on Zyrene’s role.
Isla shakes her head. “Circaea? Nightshade grows in practically every realm. How could none of us know this?” Her expression grows hard. “If any harm comes to one Fairy because of her deception…” She doesn’t finish her thought but I have a pretty good imagination.
“I could chew her lips off so she can’t sing ever again. I hear Sirens taste like chicken,” Taz offers.
“We’re good, thanks,” I snark back.
“We should go downstairs,” Tana quietly urges.
“This is going to get ugly,” I groan, anticipating the male Fairies downstairs attempting a mass exodus from the Palace.
“Most likely,” Isla confirms. Sugar coating really isn’t her thing.
Tana pulls a small amount of magic to freshen her clothes and hairstyle. Several strands had come loose from her elaborate bun when she was making out with
Dagda. Really? She’s worried about her appearance with everything else going on? “Ladies, shall we?”
I look down at myself. Maybe she has a point. The more put together we look, the more confidence we’ll exude. I should freshen up, as well. My long black hair is pulled into a ponytail and my jeans are a little dusty from spending the morning in the village. The roads there aren’t paved since none of the carriages have wheels. They float above the ground via magic. Nah, I look fine. Turning toward the stairs, I start walking. “Let’s get this over with.” Tana and Isla follow without comment.
The Great Hall is an explosion of sound. Voices, both high and low, ring out all around us. Some are jovial, some are angry and others are just plain scared. Those are the smart ones. Everyone in this room should be scared. Not that I don’t believe I can put them to sleep. They should be scared of what could happen while they are asleep. I know I am.
We stop a few stairs from the bottom. Magically projecting her voice like she’s holding a megaphone, Isla calls for quiet. It only takes a second for the conversations to die down. When they do, all eyes are facing us. “Thank you,” Isla says to the crowd. “I need everyone to gather around. I have an announcement to make.” Fairies fall into place around us. When Isla speaks, people listen. When the shuffling about is done, Isla continues. “We have been informed that the Sirens have an even more nefarious purpose than originally suspected. They are preparing for war.”
“War?” several people ask at once.
Isla nods. “Their plan is to weaken our realm with the deaths of as many males as possible and then strike out at the survivors in an attempt to overthrow the realm.”
That’s not exactly what Zyrene said. Zyrene spoke of total annihilation of the Fairy race. A minor change in the details but a very important one. I wonder why Isla is sugar coating it. She’s usually more straightforward. At least, she always is with me. While she’s speaking, I pull magic and send it out in search of all the exits in the palace. I hope it finds them all.
“I have a wife and children,” a Fairy toward the front calls out over the growing murmuring of the crowd. “What is being done to protect them?”
“The King and the Prince have gathered the most powerful guards and will be keeping the village safe this evening,” Tana assures him.
“What if they fall under the Sirens’ spell?” a Fairy directly in front of me asks. He doesn’t meet my eyes as he implies my husband might not love me enough to not be tempted.
“I assure you, that will not happen,” I say more curtly than I should.
“I am not staying here while my wife and mother are in danger!” someone calls out and several others echo the sentiment.
“If you want to be safe, you need to stay here,” Isla calls out. “Your families are in good hands. Your deaths will not keep them safer than they already are.”
“Why is the Princess using magic right now?” someone demands to know. “What is she doing?”
Considering how much magic I’ve drawn, it’s not surprising the Fairies are feeling it. “I am simply assuring your safety,” I call out.
“We are trapped here!” a Fairy yells from across the Great Hall. “We cannot leave!” He is pulling on the front door handle but it will not budge. My magic is more powerful than his physical strength, even when he begins to throw his body against the door in an attempt to break it down.
This is going to be a very long night.
Chapter 15
“You cannot hold us against our will!” a Fairy shouts. He has added his body and magic to trying to get the front door open. It feels like a gnat attacking my magic. He's not a very powerful Fairy.
The chanting in the Great Hall grows louder until the cacophony is pounding painfully against my eardrums. I can’t take it anymore. I throw magic at the crowd and take their voices away. A grim faced Isla nods in approval. “Listen!” I call out to the crowd. “No one is leaving here. All that would lead to is more death and destruction. You need to trust in the King and the Prince to keep your loved ones safe until we find a way to get rid of the Sirens.” My words fall on unaccepting ears. It’s a good thing the Fairies and Mermen can’t speak. Some of the words they are silently screaming are pretty easy to read on their lips. Turning to Isla, I ask quietly, “What should I do?”
Her words are as grim as her expression. “I believe it is time for your spell.”
“Against their will?” That doesn’t seem right to me.
Tana places a hand on my shoulder. “It is for their own good.”
I shake my head. “No.” I know how I’d feel if I was in their place. “Not until I have their permission.”
“Xandra,” Isla says sharply. “They are too emotional and frightened to think rationally. There is a war coming and we need to finish this and prepare for an attack.”
I shake my head again. “This doesn’t even sound like you. You’re better than this.” The look she gives me for chastising her almost makes me take a step backwards. Instead, I say, “I have an idea.”
Turning back to the Fairies and Mermen, I shout loudly enough to be heard across the Hall. “I am asking you to put a lot of faith in us, I realize that. But, you know how powerful we are. I will make a deal with you. First, I am going to give you your voices back.” I pull my magic from them. I’m relieved when they do not start shouting again. Their curiosity is peaked. “You constitute an army both in number and strength. An army larger than the Sirens could possibly have.” I pause for dramatic affect. Or to build my courage for my next words, I’m not certain which. “I hereby challenge you. You make me let you out of the palace and you are free to face the Sirens on your own. If you cannot make me let you go in the next five minutes, I ask that you trust in my power to keep you safe.” I let my eyes travel around the room, meeting the stares of the dumbfounded Fairies.
Finally, one in the front speaks up. “It is forbidden to take up arms against a member of the royal family.” He does have a point.
Before I can respond, Isla calls out, “That edict is hereby suspended. For the duration of this test, you may do as you wish to attempt to escape. Provided,” she adds, “that if the Princess is undefeatable, you will abide by her terms.”
There’s a lot of murmuring in the crowd. Me? It’s my turn to be dumbfounded. Not only is Isla backing me up, she is giving the Fairies free reign. I can’t decide if she’s really on my side or not at the moment. Yes, this is what I offered, but to tell them they can do whatever they want?
As if sensing my thoughts, Isla says quietly, “There are no rules in war.”
“Xandra,” Tana whispers, “You do not need to do this.”
She’s wrong. “Yes, I do. I will not give the Fairies reason to distrust me. Forcing my sleep spell on them is the same as taking away their free will.” It occurs to me that doing so might put my Angel wings at risk, too.
“We are agreed!” a Fairy calls out.
Before I have a chance to take a breath, magic is flying toward me. Okay, this does not feel like a gnat attacking my magic. This feels like an army of Fairies, some weak and some very, very strong, attacking me. It is pure instinct that my magic makes a wall around Isla, Tana and me. A wall that is being battered relentlessly.
I can’t stay on the defensive. The Fairies need to trust in my strength and doing nothing but defending myself will not show them how strong I am. Honestly, now that I’m doing it, I’m not a hundred percent positive I’m going to win. I’ve never fought an entire army before. Fairies are surging forward, charging me physically as well as magically. Being careful to keep my magic holding the doors closed and the wall of magic around me intact, I push back at the Fairies with a windstorm of magic. They try to fight it but it’s too strong. The Fairies in the front begin to fall, their magic faltering. I push harder, reaching deeper into the crowd, using my magic as a battering ram. It burns through them, into them, leaving pain in its wake. Two pinches on my back tell me my wings have come to me. I use their power to
push harder, deeper into the crowd until every last Fairy and Merman in the room feels its touch. One by one, they fall. The use of so much power is wearing at me. I don’t know how much longer I can keep going. I’ve taken on powerful beings, but never an army before. I feel Tana pulling magic but Isla shakes her head. She’s right. I need to do this alone.
“Put some muscle into it,” Taz encourages unhelpfully. “Is that really all you got?”
“Shut it,” Felix growls at him. He moves in front of me and snarls at the Fairies. “You can do this, Xandra.” I should so get rid of Taz and keep Felix. My doppelganger had no idea how great of a Familiar she had.
Gathering my strength, I make my magic explode around the room. Chandeliers fall from the ceiling, sending Fairies scurrying from their path. The floor and walls shake violently, causing more than one Fairy to fall. The water in the river splashes everywhere, pulling Fairies into its stream and forcing the Mermen to concentrate on their own safety rather than attacking me. Fairies are lying on the floor, some moaning in agony, others bleeding from where pieces of window and chandelier have cut them. I am unscathed, my magic wall still intact.
I don’t want to keep hurting them. “Tell me you’ve had enough!” I call out.
At first, they ignore me. They continue to battle my magic. But, as my magic continues to rip through them, one by one they begin to surrender. White flags appear in hands, some barely lifted from the floor. Huh. I guess the white flag thing is universal.
An older Fairy with a touch of gray in his hair and eyebrows forces himself to his feet and calls out, “We surrender.”
“Does that mean you trust me to keep you safe?” I ask just to be sure.
After a long pause, the Fairy rasps out, “Yes. Do as you will with your spell.”
Well, that was a lukewarm surrender. I’m about to comment on that fact when Isla murmurs out of the side of her mouth, “You cannot expect better from an army of males taken down by one female.”
Ah. It’s a male ego thing. I guess that’s universal, too. Then again, my ego is pretty big so it’s a female thing, as well. I wonder if Dagda and Kallen are having the same response from the female Fairies as I am the male. It’ll be interesting to compare notes in the morning.
