by Cara E Holt
“We get the troops ready on the ground.”Drustan replies, as he passes his binoculars to Lorcen.
With a deep worrying frown etched on his face Lorcen lowers the binoculars. “I never imagined a day where I would fight against my brother on the battle field.”
My heart ached for him. I remembered how I had felt when it had been possible that Leora would have stood and fought against us. I place my hand on his arm and kiss his cheek attempting to offer him some small comfort. “I need to change.” Queen Eira was already in full military attire and well Jeans and a polo neck probably wouldn’t cut it as battle wear.
“Go.” Lorcen tells me. “I’ll come find you when we are ready to go.”
I sift up to our quarters and into our bedroom. Dread pooled in my stomach. Never in my life did I imagine myself in this situation. Gone was the human girl who had nothing to worry about apart from her grades and boy trouble. I was going to go into battle looking the part. Standing in front of the mirror I magic on my clothes. Back fitted leather trousers. Sturdy black boots. A black chest plate holds the trinity symbol in red. Red chain mail covers the black leather on my arms. My hair is plaited down my back and inter-woven with red rope.
“You look bad-ass.” Alana admires my outfit through my reflection. She comes to stand beside me and I look to my side in surprise when Leora comes to stand at my other side. I offer out both my hands and they take them and standing there looking at our reflections, my sisters sift on matching outfits.
I grin wickedly. “Now, we look like warriors.” I close my eyes and summon Failinis and seconds later he sifts in behind us and pushes between the legs of Alana and I. I stroke his head. “You ready for this boy?”
In response in growls and rubs his head against my hand. We turn from the mirror and the three of us embrace. “My sisters.” When I pull back I can see the trinity symbol red and glowing on Alana’s forehead. I reach up and touch my own and feel it etched into my skin. “We need to take a quick trip.” Alana understands my meaning and holding hands we sift into the derelict temple of the trinity goddesses. Leora’s jaw drops when she sees their statues in front of us. Without a word to us, she walks forward as if in a trance and reaches out to the blonde haired stone goddess. This time though all three statues come to life and our three ancestors stand before us, in their ghost-like forms.
Badb beckons Leora forward. “Welcome my blood.” Smiling she places a hand on Leora’s forehead. “You are the life in death, the eye in the sky. The beginning.” Leora gasps and jumps back as the symbol is etched into her head.
Anand steps forward. “We have gifts.” A sword appears in all three of their hands. “These were forged in the afterlife of the gods.” Anand offers hers to me and I take it in my hands at the same time my sisters are given theirs. “Go now. You have a destiny to fulfil.”
As quick as they came they disappear and we are left with the stone statues that were carved in their honour. “Come on.” I urge. “We are running out of time”
We sift back into the castle and walk into the great hall. Failinis walk in-between myself and Alana. All talking stops as we enter.
“I told you we look badass.” Alana whispers grinning as we walk further into the room. People bow as we pass and I pick up on whispers of the words goddesses and Morrigan. We reach our mates who are stood with their families.
Lorcen smiles as I move to his side. “You ready for this?”
Placing my hand on his chest I smile back at him. “I’m ready. Whatever happens out there today, know that you are my everything. I love you.”
His eyes burn thick with emotion. “I love you Mo Chroi.”
Noah whistles. “You’re glowing by the way.” He gestures with his hand to the air around us and sure enough we are emitting a soft white glow.
Lorcen laughs and leans into my ear. “By the way. Can you keep that outfit?”
“You like it huh?” I ask with an amused smile.
He nods, desire flicking to life in his eyes. “I really like it.”
“It’s time.” Drustan announces.
This was it. All my months of training and learning to use my powers would now be put to the ultimate test. I was ready now, ready to accept who I was and face my destiny.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN.
Crisp white snow crunches under my boots as we come to a stop on the field where we would defend our home. There were thousands of innocent children and good people in faery and there was no way we were letting any un-dead creatures get through to the villages. Behind us fae soldiers in all their armoured splendour stand strong and ready. The castle wall is protected by archers ready to defend the castle should we fail to stop them getting through. Lorcen squeezes my hand and I look up at him. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, one of us could die today. The thought of this man not being by my side for the rest of my long immortal life, terrifies me to the bone. Leora stands to my left, her eyes fixed firmly across the field. There is so much hate and anger in those eyes. Failinis stands between myself and Leora, head low, eyes alert and ready. I could feel the cauldron thrumming with power, waiting to unleash horror on to this world. Behind us Queen Eira and King Faolan sit astride their fine unicorns, ready to defend their people and their homes. As strange as it may sound there was something serene and peaceful about this scene. There was total silence. Not even the sound of a bird singing its morning song. This was the calm before the storm.
All of the sudden the ground beneath our feet rumbles and shakes. My demonic powers allow my vision to reach out across the field. The cauldron gives off a deep low rumbling sound and then a large black mist billows. Through the mist emerge creatures. Hollow eyes, with no life behind them. Their flesh is a murky grey colour and their wings are nothing more than a skeletal frame devoid of any flesh or feathers. In the back of my mind I hear Drustan bellow instructions to his army to ready themselves. The creatures move like a tornado across the snow white field towards us. I hold my sword in my hand and ready myself. My Black feathered wings are spread out behind me, ready to take to the air and attack any enemies in the skies. Drustan gives the order to charge and we move forward as one. The air around me changes from silent to deafening within seconds. The sounds of swords clashing against swords. Elemental magic of fire balls fly over my head and take out some of our enemies. I come face-to-face with my first un-dead soldier. Up close they are hideous, but I don’t have time to dwell on how they look. My sword swings up to meet his, blocking his attack. I swing my sword back around and swing to the side, my sword hitting the pasty grey flesh of his thigh. The creature makes a hideous squealing noise. Using its moment of distraction from the pain, I pull on my fae fire magic and thrust a ball of fire into his chest. The creature stumbles backwards and falls to the floor. I stand over it, looking into its empty eyes and I thrust my sword down into its soulless chest. As I rush forward to meet my next enemy my gaze catches my sister Leora. Her eyes are bright red, as she rips the head from one of the creatures, but her eyes are not on the enemy in front of her, they are trained ahead, on the man who betrayed her. Devlon remains across the field, waiting. I pay for my distraction in thoughts when a sword swings into my vision. It never hits me though. Failinis pounces forward and wraps his huge jaws around the neck of the enemy, severing its head from its body. I flick my wings and float up a few feet in the air. I pull on my magic calling upon its darkness. Pulling them back, I flap them forward and a large black mist rushes from them and hundreds of crows and ravens appear and take flight towards the enemy. Lorcen stops and looks up as they fly over his head and he gives me a proud smile and a wink before he sinks his sword into the creature attacking him. Blood and power rushes through my veins. It feels like I was born for this. I create balls of fire with my magic and from the skies send them crashing down on our enemies. They fall like dominoes and it allows those on the ground to quickly and easily finish them off. I land on the snow covered earth and place my hands on the ground pulling on my earth essence.
The ground below rumbles and shakes and the sound moves across the field until the ground cracks open, creating a vast hole, into which several of our enemy fall into. Alana is fiercely fighting one un-dead soldier when my eye catches another planning to come up behind her. I sift straight into its path making it jump in fright and lunge my sword in and up into its chest. “Take that Fucker.” I hiss as the lifeless body falls to the ground.
“Thanks for having my back.” Alana shouts over her shoulder to me as she swings her sword and takes out her other attacker.
“Always.” I grin as I ready my sword for the next assault. We carry on like this, fighting enemy after enemy, until it feels like we have been out here for hours. The creatures keep on coming and that’s when the feeling of dread rises in me. What if the cauldron can keep producing these lifeless beings? That’s when I know we have to get to Devlon. Take him out and we take control of the cauldron. I close my eyes briefly and send a message into the minds of my sisters and my mate.
‘The cauldron will keep producing more undead soldiers. We need to get to Devlon and take him out.’
‘I’m on it.’ Lorcen replies and I shake my head.
‘No Lorcen. I won’t let you be the one to do this. He’s your brother.’
‘This is my fight.’ Leora says. ‘If anyone deserves to end his life it is me.’
Before I can reply she takes to the air and moves at speed across the field.
“Fuck.” Pulling my wings back, I take off in the air after her. Fire balls whizz past my head as enemy soldiers who have yet to fight try to take us out in the air. My sister suddenly vanishes from before me and then seconds later I see her sift before Devlon. Right into the grasp of the enemy. Devlon smirks and placing a hand on the cauldron he sifts. Leora rolls her head back and roars in frustration. Realising she is surrounded by the enemy she holds her sword ready. Alana sifts in beside her and standing back-to-back they start to fight their attackers. I remember what my grandmother told me about the triple goddesses and their ability to strike fear into the minds of the enemy. Closing my eyes I feel myself fade out and when I open my eyes I am stood beside a living enemy soldier who advances on my sisters. I lean in and whisper into his ear.
“You cannot win this fight. You will die. Run.”
The soldier whips his head around confused as to where the voice has come from. He drops his sword and runs off away from the battlefield. I pull on my magic and whisper the words again and this time it carries across the air and into the ears of dozens of living enemy soldiers. The fear and uncertainty crosses their faces, the bravery they felt seconds ago has dissipitated. I appear before them and grin as they stop still in fear. My eyes as red as blood, I raise my hands up and black mist rises out of them.
“Run. Now.” I want to give them this chance. These are not un-dead creatures, they are living breathing fae, who foolishly have chosen the wrong side. I didn’t want to take their lives unless given no other choice. Their swords raised they all look at one another and then at me and they sift. I yelp when I ball of fire catches the edge of my shoulder and turn to find its owner. Standing before me is Rhoswen. She smirks at me as she calls on more fire.
“You.” She hisses the venom deep in her voice. “He always wanted you. Obsessed over you, watched you. Yet I was the one who stood beside him. I was the one who supported him.”
I shake my head and tut. “Seriously? You’re jealous?” I scoff. “You want him, he’s yours crazy lady.”
She roars in anger and throws the fire in her palms towards me. I sift and avoid them and smile as I reappear unscathed. This just riles her more and she runs at me then sword raised above her head. I wait until she is almost upon me and then I reach out my hand and slam the black mist into her stomach. Her body shakes and convulses, her eyes rolling back into her head and then the black mist escapes through her mouth and her heart stops beating. The human part of me dies a little inside as I watch her life fade out. I had killed. I had killed a living breathing person and that was hard to swallow. A hand wraps around my arm and pulls me up. I look into the eyes of my mate.
“You okay love?”
I nod and offer him a quick sad smile. He quickly drops a kiss on my forehead before he swings round and drives a sword into the stomach of an incoming enemy. “Where did he go?”
“I don’t know.” I yell over the clash of swords as I raise mine and take out an un-dead soldier. Having no immediate enemies upon me I close my eyes and search out for Devlon. “Come on Devlon,” I mutter to myself, “Where are you hiding?”
“I’m not hiding my love. I am waiting for you.’
His voice comes from nowhere into my head and I jump in shock.
‘Get the fuck out of my head and come face me you coward.’
He laughs in my head and I shake my head and I try to pull my walls up around my mind and push him out. More un-dead soldiers come pouring down over the hill. We have to get to Devlon, otherwise this battle would be lost. Leora comes to a stop beside me and I reach for her hand. She looks at me in question as I reach out with other hand and grab Alana. “We need to go.” Before either of them respond I sift us off the battle field and into the grand hall in the unseelie castle. There before us sat on the throne, with his legs up over the arm of the chair is Devlon. He playfully throws and catches an apple in the air and grins when we appear.
“Ah excellent. I wondered how long it would take you, and you’ve brought your sisters too, how lovely. Leora my darling, how are you?”
The ground rumbles below my feet as Leora clenches her fist and moves towards him. I snatch a hand out and stop her. “End this Devlon before hundreds of innocent people die.”
He grins and rests his chin on his hand. “I could do that. Or I could do this.” He points with his hand and my heart sinks when a fae sifts in and he has my brother before him, with a knife to his throat.
“Scott!” I cry out.
“Hey sis.” He croaks, the knife tight against his throat. His blue eyes are wide with fear.
Angrily I turn my attention back to Devlon. “You really like to piss me off, huh Dev?”
He smiles in answer and winks. The man is bat-shit crazy. “All I need is for you to swear a blood oath that you will take your place by my side, as my queen and I’ll let the villagers live. I’ll kill all the royal court and all the soldiers though.”
“You’re a sick bastard.” Leora hisses at him, looking like she wants to rip his heart from his chest.
He chuckles but his response doesn’t come. My brain races to come up with a solution that would save my brother and end this. Suddenly Lorcen sifts in behind Devlon and drives a fae sword right through his chest from behind. At the exact same time Blaine sifts in and slices the throat of the fae soldier holding a knife to my brother. Blood drips from Devlon’s mouth as he stumbles forward and reaches a hand out to me. I take a step back and Leora steps forward blocking me from his view. He takes another weak step forward and falls to his knees. Leora grins as she leans over him. She takes his chin in her hand and raises it up so he has no choice but to look in her eyes.
“You took my child from me. Ripped her from my womb. Ripped my heart out and stamped on it, like I meant nothing.” More blood bubbles out of his mouth and it’s clear he doesn’t have long left. “I’ll not have your brother bear the responsibility of killing you. That pleasure is mine.” Two iron shackles suddenly chain his wrists and then she places a hand on his chest and a warm yellow light pushes into him.
“What the hell are you doing?” Alana yells and storms towards her. I sift in front of Alana and put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. “Leave her.”
Alana looks at me like I have blown it but steps back. I reach for my brother and pull him into my arms. “I’m okay.” He tells me as he rests his chin on my shoulder and lets me hug him to death. Once I have assured myself that he is okay I release him and we both turn our attention back to Leora.
Devlon is now fully healed and s
hackled in iron chains around his wrist and neck that drain and weaken him. She pulls on the chain and he stumbles forward on his knees. She grins wickedly and leans into his face. “Now I’m going to kill you slowly.” Black mist spills out from her mouth as, holding his face still she lowers her lips and presses them to his. Devlon eyes widen in panic and he struggles to break free from her hold. She pulls back with a satisfied smile on her face. “Goodbye my love.” Black moves along Devlon’s veins as it moves through his body, his eyes roll back in his head and he scream out in pain. “Hellfire.” She tells him. The ground rumbles and shakes and we all take a step back as a deep craterous hole appears in the marble floor of the great room. Hot fire billows from the hole and then black smoky figures crawl out from the fire towards Devlon and grab at his legs and start dragging him towards the hole. He shakes his head and tries to pull himself free, his eyes wide with fear and terror. The smoky black figures step back down into the flames and pull him over the edge. His eyes meet mine for a brief second and then he is gone and all that can be heard is the sound of his screams fading out as he disappears into the ground. Leora dusts off her hands and holding them out closes the enormous hole in the ground, until it is completely sealed. For a few seconds we all stand there in silence, staring at the ground where the hole had been.
Scott breaks the silence. “Holy fuck!” His open mouth stares at my sister like she is some scary enigma.
Leora turns to me and gestures with her head to the cauldron. “You need to hurry up and shut that thing down.” She says it in such a matter of fact way.
Pulling myself out of the shock I am in I nod and make my way over to it. I place both hands on either side of it and close my eyes. Dark, powerful and dangerous magic buzzes under my fingertips. “Return these creatures from where they came.” I speak my demand, having no clue if it will work. The cauldron makes a large low rumble and then falls silent.
“Is that it?” Alana asks, sounding somewhat unimpressed. Blaine rushes to the window and looks out.
