The Faerie Queen (The Faerie Ring #4)

by Kiki Hamilton

  “Fi? Did you beat the boys?” she asked in a sleepy voice.

  When there was no answer she sat up, rubbing her eyes with her fists. The shadow had moved from the doorway and now stood leaning over her bed.

  Clara screamed as a man with silver hair yanked her upright. He wound a cloth through her little mouth and tied it tight behind her neck, cutting off her screams. With three quick movements he tied her hands and feet and scooped her from the bed. When he spoke his voice was low and rumbling, like a thundercloud.

  “Donegal’s been looking for you, little girl.”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  “We can’t possibly expect to find the flag without any idea where to look,” Tiki said as they walked down Lombard Street toward where they’d left their carriage. “And Rory Campbell certainly isn’t going to reveal where it’s hidden. I wonder if he even knows.”

  Rieker turned to her in surprise. “Didn’t you hear what the man said?”

  “What I heard was nothing of substance,” Tiki replied. “He wasn’t about to reveal the flag’s location to us.”

  “The silk awaits our return. The only place that old man would return to would be the castle of his ancestors. I’d bet a thousand quid that the flag is at Dunvegan.” Rieker practically skipped beside her. “And who is more perfectly suited than the two of us to find a faerie treasure? We’ve done it twice already—three times, if you count the ring—” Rieker grinned at her— “why, Teek, you’re like a faerie treasure magnet! You’ll probably step foot into Dunvegan and the flag will display itself.”

  Tiki rolled her eyes. “You’re a bit too much of a believer.” But she did agree. The card the Jester had given her had definitely held a picture of Dunvegan. There had to be a reason.

  Rieker threw his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “You’ve got to believe, little lassie,” he said in a thick brogue. “Perhaps the good folk will smile down upon ye and grace ye wit’ the answer.”

  “Please, William O’Blarney, spare me your witless prattle. You know as well as I that we won’t be finding any buried treasure at Castle Dunvegan without better clues than what we’ve been given.”

  Rieker’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “We’ll never know until we try.”

  THEY RETURNED TO Dunvegan at night, hoping that Rory Campbell had retired for the evening. They stood just outside the castle entry, listening for any noises that would suggest the older man was about.

  Convinced they were alone, they walked through the arched entry, Tiki’s gaze shifting to the windows of the caretaker’s apartment, but all was dark.

  “It looks like he’s gone to bed.” She scanned the vacant area. “Now what?”

  “We know the flag is in an iron chest.”

  “Helpful,” Tiki said sarcastically. “Where, however, might be more helpful.”

  Rieker slid his arm over her shoulders and pulled her close. He smiled as he whispered in her ear. “Demanding little wench, aren’t you?”

  “Only when necessary.”

  “You’re a faerie, Teek—where would you hide a faerie treasure in your castle?”

  “If I had a castle,” Tiki said drily, “I would hide it—” She paused as a thought struck her— “in a faerie tower.”

  “That’s a good idea.” Rieker gazed up at the battlements that capped the towers of the castle. “Wonder if they have one?”

  “They do,” Tiki breathed. “Don’t you remember? Rory told us the first time we visited. He mentioned it when we were talking about the treasure. He said, ‘Why else would we have a faerie tower?’”

  They walked up and down more stairs than Tiki cared to count.

  “Why don’t they make it obvious which tower is the bloody faerie tower?” Rieker grumbled as they descended from yet another tower that had yielded no treasure.

  “A true faerie would probably recognize it,” Tiki said, concentrating on the steep stone stairs she was descending.

  “Wait. Teek. Stop.” Rieker stopped and motioned for Tiki to climb back up to where he waited. “It’s worth a try—you can see most of the battlements from here—which would you pick to be built for the fey?”

  Tiki gazed out over the castle that stretched before them, not exactly sure what she was searching for but trying to intuitively recognize something that would feel familiar. “That one.” She pointed. “The one with the sawtooth stairs on each side. Let’s go there.”

  IT WAS A winding path they followed to reach the steeply pitched tower. The four floors were connected by a circular mural stair that opened onto a rectangular room at the top. The small stone room had a soaring ceiling with wooden arches that supported the peaks and was lit by a beautiful arch-topped stained glass window. In the center of the window was a design and the motto, ‘Hold Fast’.

  “Oh, how lovely,” Tiki said as they entered the quiet space. “It almost feels like a cathedral.”

  “I get the sense we enter hallowed ground here.” Rieker pointed to a stone table positioned beneath the leaded glass at the end of the room. “That looks like an offering table.” He looked over at Tiki. “Perhaps this is where the MacLeod’s come to kneel before the Faerie Flag and acknowledge powers greater than their own?”

  Tiki walked slowly toward the table, Rieker by her side. A thrumming hummed in her veins and she knew they were exactly where they were supposed to be. They stopped before the display and Rieker pointed to a wooden bowl that was centered on the table. “Do you suppose that holds the flag somehow?”

  “Perhaps.” Tiki slid her hands over the bowl and whispered the words to remove any glamour that might be cast. The ripe smell of clover filled the air but the bowl remained unchanged. “Where else could it be hidden?”

  THE SUN WAS low on the horizon when they arrived back at the house in Hampstead. Tiki’s shoulders sagged with exhaustion as she walked into the front parlor to light the fire. They had spent hours looking for the Faerie Flag without success. They had searched every inch of the faerie tower and the treasure was simply not there.

  A voice spoke from a chair in the corner of the room.

  “What did you learn?”

  Tiki whirled in surprise. “Larkin—will you ever arrive at the front door like a normal guest?”

  The blond faerie shrugged. “Where’s the fun in that?” She sat forward, her gaze intent on Tiki. “Did you find MacLeod?”

  “We did. He works on Lombard Street just like the driver told us.” Tiki went back to the business of lighting the fire they’d previously laid in the grate, crouching down to set flame to the paper crumpled under the logs. “He acknowledged the flag existed—called it Am Bratach Sith—but wasn’t about to tell us where the clan had hidden it.”

  “But you think it’s at Dunvegan?”

  Tiki blew gently on one corner of the pile of wood and paper, encouraging the flames to grow. The fire took hold, the paper crackling as it burned. The wood popped as the sap melted on the bark. “Yes.”

  She pushed herself off the floor and sat in a nearby chair. “Tell me what’s happening in the Otherworld. Fial made it sound like the situation was dire. Have you rallied the Macanna? Are you fighting back?”

  “Donegal’s army outnumbers ours five to one.” Larkin’s voice was flat. “When are you planning to go? We need the Flag.”

  Something twisted in Tiki’s chest and she couldn’t suppress the desire to test Larkin. “Will you come to Dunvegan and help us look?”

  Larkin didn’t meet her gaze. Instead she stared into the flames. “No.”

  “Why not?” Tiki frowned. “How do you possibly expect William and I—who know practically nothing of the Otherworld—to find one small flag hidden somewhere in an immense castle that requires some special faerie logic? It could take us years!”

  “I hope not, because we don’t have years.”

  There was something in the faerie’s expression that sent a chill through Tiki’s heart. “Something’s happened, hasn’t it?”

  Larkin s
tared at her without answering.

  “Larkin?” Tiki’s breath quickened. “Tell me.”

  The faerie pressed her lips together and inhaled before she spoke. “Donegal has Clara.”

  It was as if someone took Tiki’s heart and squeezed until it hurt. Her skin turned to goose flesh and for a second she couldn’t draw a deep breath. “That’s not true!”

  Larkin answered in a whisper. “It’s true.” Her shoulders sagged with an air of defeat.

  Tiki jumped to her feet. “Why are you sitting there talking? Tell me everything you know right now. I will not allow that monster to harm Clara.”

  Larkin put her head in her hands and rubbed her forehead. Her words came out muffled. “The last I heard was that he has her at the Palace of Mirrors—”

  “How did he get her? She was with the Bosworth’s in Richmond—”

  “I don’t know,” Larkin snapped. “He was at Buckingham looking for her too—I got to Richmond too late, she was already gone.”

  Tiki raced for the door.

  “Where are you going?” Larkin called after her. “You need to find the Flag—”

  Tiki was looking over her shoulder at Larkin and didn’t see Rieker coming through the door. He caught her by the shoulders before she ran into him.

  “Tell Rieker what?”

  “Donegal has Clara!” Tiki cried. “We’ve got to go back—”

  “Dain and Fial are already on their way to see what information they can learn. I came to tell you,” Larkin said.

  “Why would he take her?” Tiki cried. “She’s just a little girl.”

  “It’s a trap, of course,” Larkin said. “To lure you to the palace.”

  “Well, it has worked.”

  “We need the Fourth Treasure to battle him.”

  Tiki’s words were as sharp as needles. “I’m not wasting any more time searching for a treasure that may never be found. I’m returning to the Otherworld now to save Clara—whether you come with me or not.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  They arrived in the forest outside the stonecutter’s cabin deep in the Wychwood Forest where Dain had hidden Tiki so long ago. Smoke hung low, like a cloud, and the air was sharp with the smell of fire. Tiki wore tight-fitting black clothes that emphasized her petite size. Her black hair was braided down her back and she was dressed to blend with the shadows that gathered among the trees. Larkin and Rieker were dressed in a similar fashion.

  Larkin motioned toward an impenetrable thicket of brambles. “Dain told me of this abandoned cottage long ago. It will serve our purpose.” She flicked her wrist and the brambles and thicket magically parted, revealing a small stone structure.

  A flood of memories played before Tiki’s eyes—Dain glamoured as the scarred, lonely Sean ó’Broin, helping her escape from Donegal, neither of them realizing who the other was and that their fates were inextricably woven together. So many secrets revealed over the last year—and yet, so many more still held. She didn’t want to think of the risk that both Dain and Fial were taking to return to the Palace now—but there wasn’t a choice—for any of them.

  Larkin led the way toward the cottage. Rieker motioned for Tiki to follow when a gust of wind rattled the leaves in a way that made them chatter like voices speaking. Tiki turned, her senses suddenly alert.

  “You’ve returned.” The voice was rough.

  Tiki searched the shadows until she spotted a familiar face. Formed within the bark of an immense tree, two dark eyes watched her without blinking. Tiki nodded. “I’ve returned. And I haven’t forgotten our bargain. Now I’m looking for a child that Donegal has taken from me.”

  The Elder Dryad stood very near. The tree-like woman blended with the forest so seamlessly Tiki hadn’t noticed her or the thorny plum and oak tree dryads who stood behind her.

  “I know nothing of the child. We are running out of time,” the rough voice said. “The Winter King will burn us to death if he’s not stopped.”

  Tiki nodded, her jaw set with determination. “Make your way to the top of the Tor. I will keep my promise.”

  Larkin turned on her as soon as they were inside the stonecutter’s cabin. “You’ve made a pact with the Elder Dryad?” The faerie’s voice echoed with disbelief.

  “I needed her help to find Rieker when Bearach captured him,” Tiki said. “I didn’t have a choice.”

  “The thorny plum, the oak and the elder are a deadly combination,” Larkin muttered. “Do you have any idea what you’re taking on…”

  “Yes, so I’ve heard—perhaps moreso for Donegal than for us.”

  “One can only hope, but she is the least of our worries right now.” Larkin stood before the fire she had conjured in the small stone fireplace. “We need to split up and enter the Palace separately.”

  Tiki came to stand next to the blond faerie. “Do you know where Clara is? Tell me.”

  Larkin shook her head, before she spoke. “She’s in the palace, I can’t say beyond that.”

  “But she’s alive?” Tiki faltered.

  “I believe she’s alive. She’s worth more to Donegal alive than dead.”

  “Where are Fial and Dain?” Rieker asked.

  “Dain was headed to the palace when I left. He was going to try and locate where Clara is being held. I don’t know where Fial is, nor would I expect to. He never gives away too much information, though you can be sure he understands the seriousness of the situation.” Larkin began to pace. “We have to think like Donegal. He has taken Clara to lure Tara back to the palace—that much is obvious. How do we turn this into our advantage?”

  “I don’t care if we turn this to our advantage.” Tiki’s voice was shrill. “I just want Clara back safely, that’s all.” She stood in front of Larkin. “Where are the Macanna? Who is commanding them?”

  “Most have fled from the Plain of Sunlight since the last attack. They’ve scattered throughout the Wychwood recovering from their wounds and waiting for our direction.”

  “But there must be someone in command?”

  “We have five generals who direct the different factions.”

  “And who directs the generals?” Rieker asked in a dry voice.

  “I am going to command them,” Tiki said firmly. “We need to have them bring their armies, in whatever shape they may be in, to the Tor. Have them stay hidden, but be prepared to storm the palace when we give them the sign.”

  Rieker nodded. “What are you thinking, Teek?”

  “Once we get inside the palace and find Clara, we’ll have to create a diversion to draw Donegal outside. I suspect the diversion will have to be me. I’ll need some support for what I plan to do.”

  “And what is that exactly?” Larkin asked.

  “The Elder Dryad told me that she, the thorny plum and the oak were witches who Donegal had trapped within the trees long ago. For them to leave, someone with powers equal or greater to their own had to stay.” Tiki raised her chin. “We made a bargain. I promised to deliver Donegal to the Elder Dryad. She will pull him into the tree and be able to step free.”

  Rieker scowled. “Donegal is not one to be easily tricked. Your plan sounds too dangerous to me.”

  “We don’t have a better one and we have to do something.” Tiki looked over at Larkin. “Can you send word to our generals? Have them make their way to the Tor.”

  “Yes,” Larkin seemed distracted. “It won’t hurt to have reinforcements closer to the palace. We can worry about the exact details of how we roust Donegal once we have freed Clara but first, we need to get back inside the palace and find her. Then we need to figure out how to get back out again before we hand Donegal to the Elder Dryad.” She propped her hands on her hips. “Any ideas?”

  “Actually, I do have one,” Tiki said. Her plan involved much more than just setting the Elder Dryad free but she didn’t fully trust Larkin—even now. She doubted she ever would.

  “Tell us,” Larkin said.

  “It’s winter—the UnSeelie’s control Faerie
now, which means any UnSeelie can enter the palace—giants, Jack-in-Irons, hellhounds, sprites, selkies, brownies—or Redcaps.” She gave them a significant look. “Ailléna is a Redcap. Perhaps she’ll spy for us and help us find where Clara is being held.”

  TIKI AND RIEKER had barely stepped foot inside the stone cottage before Larkin had glamoured herself in preparation to go to the far side of the Tor, where the homeless faeries congregated on the barren rock cliff.

  “Three strangers arriving to the camp would be no different than blaring our arrival from the loudest horn,” Larkin said, once again wearing black garments. “The news of one stranger will travel fast enough. I know best how to blend in. Wait here. I’ll be back.”

  Before Tiki could protest, she was gone.

  “I AM NOT going to wait here,” Tiki stormed, pacing back and forth across the small room. “What if Clara needs me?”

  “Larkin knows this world, Teek. Let’s give her a little time. Where did you leave the Cup of Plenty and the Faerie Queen’s mirror? Maybe they could provide us with some answers.”

  Tiki jerked to a stop. “You’re right. I left them both at the Plain of Sunlight. We need to get them now.”

  THEY ARRIVED OUTSIDE the stone opening that led to the underground chambers of the Plain of Sunlight but the area was as foreign as another world. The meadows that had graced the Plain were black and smoking—what remained of the trees was now nothing more than black spikes of burnt wood.

  “What has he done?” Tiki cried, turning in a full circle, unable to comprehend the destruction.

  “While the Macanna were fighting on the Tor Donegal must have sent other troops here. He will kill everything to control this world,” Rieker said, his jaw set in a grim expression. “Then he’ll move on to London.”

  They entered through the open doorway and climbed down into the Seelie headquarters only to find the space was eerily empty—as if they’d entered a long-forgotten tomb.