by Cara E Holt
She is quiet for a few seconds. “Okay, it’s working. What next.”
“Now let it enter his body, searching across each inch of him to find any injuries. As you find one, call upon your magic to heal him. Visualise in your mind’s eye, his body healing, the burns fading.”
She is quiet and doesn’t respond, but she doesn’t need to as my magic can feel hers and knows that it is working. Together we are slowly healing our father. Inch by inch his burns start to scar over and heal. It was taking a lot out of me to heal him. I could feel my magic straining under the pressure. In normal circumstances his body would heal itself in next to no time but he was too weak and depleted by the hellfire. He had also been starved of what his demon craved and fed upon – war.
When we eventually both pull back we are both dripping with sweat. I give Alana a proud smile.“Knew you could do it.”
Alana quietly grins looking down at her hands and then over at our father who lays there still asleep but already looking much better.
Lorcen comes up behind me and gives my shoulders a quick rub. “Let him sleep now. He should be fine after a good rest.”
Alana nods but doesn’t take her frowning face away from our father. “It’s still unreal to believe this is now my life. My Dad’s a fallen angel and Lucifer’s right hand man. I can heal people. I feel like I belong in an episode of supernatural.”
I let out a light laugh. “Tell me about it. I’m still getting used to it all myself.”
We all sift downstairs. Allowing my Dad the peace and quiet he needs to rest. Alana takes some juice from the fridge and pours us all a drink.
“So, are you going to tell me how you got out?” She asks me as she takes a seat at the kitchen island.
I rest my head on Lorcen’s chest. I was craving his touch and taking every opportunity I could to be close to him.
“I had something Lucifer wanted. He offered me a deal and I accepted.”
“Go on.” Alana insists, I can tell by the concerned look on her face that she is worried this is bad news.
“I gave him the Nuada sword.” There you have it. It was out, the news of what I had been willing to give away.
Alana almost chokes on her drink. She looks at me, an eyebrow cocked. “Sorry, I thought you just said you gave him the sword?”
I nod. “I did. I have no idea why he wants it, but at least Devlon can’t get to it now.” I try to sell the positives of this news. “Oh bugger! I forgot. Devlon has the spear. I dream-walked into my sisters mind yesterday and saw them find and retrieve the spear.”
“Shit.” Lorcen exclaims. “How did he manage to find it? I have our best historians and scholars on the case and they have come up with no possible locations.”
“I have no idea how he knew where to find it, but he is always one step ahead. We need to tell Drustan though, because my worry is that he may be able to activate the cauldron with the spear.”
Alana’s face drops. “Oh god. Is that possible?”
I shrug. “That is what we need to find out as soon as.”
“I’m going to go and fetch Blaine, bring him back here. Then we can all go and see Drustan.” Giving her a quick nod of agreement, I watch her leave and then lean back into the chest of my mate.
Lorcen sighs and rest his chin on the top of my head. “I just got you back and we don’t even have time to make up for lost time.”
I pull back slightly so I can look up at him. “Hey. I know, but we’ll have tonight.”
He grins at me then, his green eyes sparkling with promise. “Then I hope you’re not tired because you aren’t getting no sleep tonight love.”
I smile back at him and can’t help but blush a little. “I think I can handle that.”
Lorcen gives me a look and looks like he is going to say something else but then pauses and seems to change his mind.
“What?”
“Okay. Please do not take this the wrong way.” He rubs the back of his neck, which is a sure sign that he is nervous about something. “Is there anything you can about the red demon eyes? It’s just fae aren’t used to it in our own realm.” He holds his hands up in defence when I glare at him. I kind of get where he is coming from though.
“I’ll try but honestly, I don’t think it will work.”
I close my eyes and use all my concentration on turning my eyes back to blue. It should be piss easy given I could use magic to change my clothes, with no problems. I open my eyes and look in question at Lorcen, who shakes his head.
“I knew it. It’s because I have spent so much time in the underworld. I’m hoping they’ll fade the more time I am away from there.” I tap his chest with my finger. I have an idea. “You try to glamour them.”
“Okay.” He focuses his gaze hard on to my eyes but frowns. “Yeah, it’s not working.”
“Do they make me look scary?” I ask hesitantly. In the past when I had been angry and my demon eyes had made an unexpected appearance he had always said they were kind of sexy. With a soft smile, he cups my face with his hands.
“Blue or red they’ll always be beautiful to me.”
Smiling, I roll my eyes at him. “You have to say that though.”
He chuckles at me and then looks at me with a serious face. “Okay, maybe to others a little, but to me, never. I think they make you look fierce.” He pulls me back into his arms. “Summon Noah and Megan over here. We need to ask Megan to sit with your father whilst we pay a visit home.”
I call upon my fae magic and concentrate on Noah and Megan and summon them. Two ticks later they both appear in our living room. Noah looks around shocked until his eyes fall on me.
“I hate it when she does this weird summoning shit.” Noah tells Megan before he hits me with a mega-watt smile. “You’re back again?”
I nod. “Back for good this time.”
“No way?!” Noah walks over to me and fist bumps me ‘big hero’ style. “Good to have you back Daphne. The mystery crew was missing one of its key members.”
Megan pulls me in for a quick hug. “It’s good to have you back.” She pauses seeing something over my shoulder and looks shocked. “Err, Ebony. Do you know you have a giant wolf in your house?”
I pull back from her and turn around to see Failinis sprawled out on the floor by the sofa. I laugh.
“Ah he’s a pussy cat. That bundle of fluff is Failinis.” I scratch my head. “Yeah, I’m not sure how to best explain this. Basically I got really mad in a fight with a demon and some kind of black smoke came out of my hands and there he was.” I chew on my lip and look hesitantly at all three of them.
Noah eyes look like they might pop out. “Bundle of fluff! The thing is huge.”
Failinis as if hearing he is being talked about opens his one white eye and lazily looks the three strangers over.
“Hawkeye will shit himself when he sees this guy.” Noah comments as he continues to stare at my wolf.
“Where is he actually?” I ask Lorcen, who like the others is staring in fascination at Failinis.
“He’s in the seelie court, my brothers looking after him.”
“So does the wolf thing have super powers? Shoot flames from his paws or have wings?” Noah asks somewhat hopefully.
I chuckle. “Not that I know of. I know he will defend me if he thinks I’m in danger. I guess I don’t really know what he can do yet.”
Noah shakes his head in intrigue. “Amazing.” He nudges Lorcen. “You’d better not piss her off anytime soon then.”
Laughing off Noah’s comment. I walk over to where Failinis is and crouch down to pet him.”This is your new home now boy. I need you to guard my Dad and Megan while I’m gone okay?”
Failinis makes a rumbling noise as if answering me and leans into me affectionately and then he goes and disappears from before me.
“Shit. “ I look around me. “Well he’s never done that before.”
“Holy brownies. The wolf super-beast can sift??” Noah states, looking mightily impressed.
/>
“He’s pretty cool huh?” I ask grinning.
“We need to get going.” Lorcen suggests and taking my hand in his, he pulls me back into his side.
Noah groans and rolls his blue eyes as he drops a kiss on Megan’s lips. “These two are going to be all lovey-dovey and touchy-feely on me baby.”
Megan laughs and squeezes his cheek. “I’m sure you’ll cope. Now go on, get off. I’ll look after your Dad.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
We portal to the unseelie realm. The biting cold hits us as soon as we pass through the portal. We all quickly glamour on thick cloaks in the royal fae colours. I smile when I see the castle and sniff at the air. I loved the smell of winter.
“It feels like so long ago, since I first came here.”
Lorcen squeezes my hand. “Having you here after waiting so long for you was the best feeling in the world.”
I wrap my arms around his neck. “Can we visit that log-cabin again soon please?”
He rubs his nose against mine and his eyes burn with intent. “When we are done with Devlon, I’m taking you to that cabin and we won’t leaving for at least a month love.”
I groan in delight at the thought of being holed-up in that cabin with my mate. “I’m going to hold you to that.”Lorcens lips come down to mine and I let out a small moan as I return his kiss. The kiss is short-lived though as a cough from Noah reminds us we are sadly not alone.
Noah stands arms folded shaking his head at us. “Okay guys. I know you missed each other, but please quit with the P.D.A’s. Did I say that right?” He asks me. “I heard it on that reality television show the Bachelor.”
Lorcen and I look at each other and grin. “He’s such a party-pooper.”
Lorcen nods in agreement and then waggles his eyebrows at me. “Let’s just pretend he’s not here.” He suddenly whips his cloak up over our heads. “Now that’s better. Some privacy.” Lorcen leans down to kiss me, but before he gets chance the cloak is pulled away. I look up giggling expecting to see Noah but blush when I see Alana.
“Sorry to interrupt, but its god darn freezing here and I hate being cold.” She shivers and rubs her hands together, trying to create some heat.
“Shall we portal down to the castle?” I ask them all, getting an enthusiastic nod from Alana and Blaine.
“I thought you might like to walk in the snow. I know how much you love it.” Lorcen tells me, and I can’t help feeling all warm and fuzzy inside at how thoughtful he is sometimes.
I waggle an eyebrow at him. “But why walk when we could fly.” I flex my back muscles and my great black wings quickly release and stretch out behind me. I push off into the air and hover, leaving them all looking at me in surprise. Lorcen quickly recovers and opening his wings flies up to meet me.
“You can fly? Since when?” He looks at my wings, as if taking them in for the first time. My wings had once not been quite so pretty to look at. You see I had inherited my father’s demonic wings, which were devoid of feathers. However when my sisters had both awakened, our wings had changed. Now they were covered in jet-black feathers that had an undertone of red and silver in them. I wasn’t one to blow my own trumpet, but well they were pretty awesome.
“Kol taught me whilst I was in the underworld.”
I see his face drop and I wince. “You let him teach you?” He looks mightily pissed off and tries to fly off but I hook a finger in his trouser belt loop and stop him from doing so.
“Look at me Lorc.” I demand softly and with a frown, he does as I ask. “Look. I needed something to occupy my mind okay? It was hard being there, away from you and my family. I needed something to focus on and flying gave me the peace that I need right then.”
His face softens and with a sigh his eyes meet mine. “I had wanted to be the one to teach you, that’s all.”
I stroke his cheek. “I know and I am sorry but I needed something to keep me busy. Please let’s not waste time falling out when we just found our way back to each other.”
He rolls his eyes and gives me a smile. “You do that too well, you know. Give me those big blue eyes and look at me like that. I’m a sucker for it every time.”
Winking, I use my wings to push away from him. “Race you to the castle.”
Lorcens eyes twinkle with challenge. “Oh you’re on love.” He beats his fae wings and quickly catches up to me and passes me in a blur. Damn he was fast. Next red hair whizzes up by my right.
“Aw. I feel like a proud Dad. My princess can fly.” He tells me, smiling down at me from where he hovers just above me. “You’ll never catch his royal ass up you know? He is the fastest flyer I know.”
“A girl can try.” I reply, as I beat my wings a fast as I can and use the push of the wind to help me.
Up ahead my mate glides smoothly down and lands in the courtyard. Like Bond walking into a casino, he is all smoothness and grace. His eyes find mine in the sky and he does a mock bow and looks cheekily at his watch. I glide closer to the castle and here’s where my nerves kick in. I still hadn’t quite mastered landing. I realise I’m going to land too fast and overstep my mark and crash down with a thump knocking over several large metal barrels. I’m sat on the floor, with my hair in my face, when a hand appears.
“Nice landing.” He teases.
“Yeah, yeah I know. I still haven’t quite mastered that part yet.”
He pulls me to him and pulls a piece of grass from out of my hair. “Now there’s something I can help you to get better at.” He leans in, his green eyes all serious. “By the way. You flying up there. Hot as sin love.”
“Really?” I ask surprised, but equally delighted. My mate found my flying a turn-on. I wrap my arms around his neck. “I will beat you one day mate.”
He chuckles and gives me a smirk. “Well until that day, you can enjoy the view of my fine ass up in front of you.”
I playfully slap him, but lean into his ear. “It is a fine ass.” I had missed this so much- our playful banter and flirting.
“Well you two certainly know how to make an entrance.”
We both turn to find Lorcen’s mother the unseelie queen stood smiling at us. She was a beautiful but formidable woman who had ruled these lands alone since her mate was killed in the great war. Her long dark hair is braided and runs down over her left shoulder. She is dressed in a fine green velvet gown with white fur decorating the sleeves and collar. Lorcen leads us over and drops a kiss on his mother’s cheek. She turns to me and offers me her hand and I take it and kiss it.
“It is so good to see you. I was beginning to think we would never have you back here.”
I nod. “I was starting to wonder myself.”
Noah and the others come up behind us and Lorcen’s mother gazes from me to Alana. “I still can’t get over how similar you are.”
“There identical triplets Mother what would you expect?” Lorcen teases.
She bats off his comment with her hand. “I believe the four of you will bring a peace to the fae lands and a new unity that we have not seen for centuries.” She squeezes my hand. “Now, let’s catch up over some Lilly tea.”
“We’d love to mother, but first we need to speak with Drustan. We have news you see. Devlon now has the spear.”
“The spear of Lugh?” Queen Arliss asks and goes a shade paler when I nod in response.
“We aren’t sure if it is only the sword that can awaken the cauldron. We’re hoping that Drustan might know the answer.”
The Queen wrinkles her nose in thought. “In all the books on the Tuatha I recall it being the sword.”
“Well let’s check and then we can all relax and have a catch up.” Lorcen suggests and we all fall in behind the queen who leads us inside.
We enter the great library and it is a busy hub of activity. The grand room is full of serious bearded fae, all with heads buried in books or ancient looking scrolls.
“What on earth is all this?” I ask, looking around the room.
“This is all
for you.” Lorcen tells me. “They are all searching to find a way out of a blood oath.”
Drustan looks up from where he is stood conversing with a group of fae around a large table covered in open books. He smiles and stalks towards us, his blonde hair swinging as he walks.
“Everyone take a break.” He tells the fae around the room, his booming voice echoing in the room. “Our princess is returned to us.”
Fae eyes around the room all fall on me and they all start to clap and bow to me. I blush and raise my hand and wave at them. It still feels strange to be treated like a royal. They then all sift out of the room leaving just our group.
Drustan leans back against a large table. “Well you’re a sight for sore eyes princess. Good to have you back. I’m eager to learn how you did it. How you broke the oath.”
“I didn’t.” I tell him shaking my head. “Lucifer retracted the oath. We made a deal.”
Drustan frowns and looks confused. “What kind of deal?”
“The Nuada sword for mine and my father’s freedom.”
Drustan looks surprised. “What could Lucifer possibly want with the sword”?
I shrug. “He likes to collect magic objects. He has King Arthur’s sword you know. I have seen it in a glass box in the great hall there.”
Drustan mulls the idea over. “I have heard he is somewhat of a collector.”
“We have an important question for you.” Lorcen advises. “Devlon has the spear now and we are worried that he may be able to use it to awaken the cauldron.”
Drustan rubs at his chin. “All the ancient scrolls and books on the Tuatha treasures only ever talk about the sword, there’s no mention of the spear.”
The tension in us all somewhat releases and I feel my tense shoulders relax. “So we should be okay then? Lucifer has the sword. Devlon has no way of entering hell and what could he possibly offer Lucifer that would make him part with the sword?”
“It is unlikely.” Drustan states. “I would suggest paying a visit to see your Mother. If anyone can answer that question it will be your Tuatha family.”
