Bekind turned to the others. “There isn’t room for all of us. You all need to stand guard. When he passes through, the shades might know and come for him.”
“We’ll make sure you have time to do what’s needed,” Arlen said.
Bekind took my hand and pulled me across the bridge. The mist rolled around us, making it hard to see. I was concentrating so hard on staying on the bridge that I didn’t even realise when we reached the end.
“Here it is,” she said, sounding awestruck. “The Wall of Souls. Whatever you do, don’t make a sound apart from what I told you. If you scream, we are lost.”
I took a deep breath, even though we weren’t breathing anymore. The normality of the action helped settle me. I stepped off the bridge and stared up at the Wall of Souls. Its surface was smoky looking and untouched by the green haze. I glanced over my shoulder, but I couldn’t see the others anymore. The water, if it could be called that, stretched forever, making the wall look as though it stood in the middle of nowhere.
I held up my shaking hands and held them just before the wall, barely touching the smoke. A spark pricked at my fingers, and something tugged at my soul again. The sensation was more urgent. I could lose myself. I wanted to ask Bekind about it, but I was afraid I wouldn’t go through with it if she confirmed that the wall could actually rip my soul from my body.
I slipped my hands through the smoke before I could think about it anymore, wriggling my fingers to make sure they were still there. I could see mist moving rapidly behind the veil, making way for the intrusion, but I could barely make out my hands.
“Brendan,” I whispered. “Come here and let me pay back a life debt.”
Nothing happened. I looked anxiously at Bekind.
“Say it again,” she whispered.
I did, adding a pleading “please” at the end. Something soft brushed against my fingertips. Then I felt two weak hands take mine. The grip strengthened. The hands were larger than mine. A figure formed behind the veil. I could almost make out the features.
“Now,” Bekind gasped. “Now! Pull him through!”
I held tight and yanked hard, falling backward. The figure fell through, landing right on top of me.
I lay there and looked up into the striking green eyes of a stranger with red-gold wavy hair and a scar across his forehead. He let go of my hand and brushed my fringe away from my face. His smile was weak, questioning.
“Cara?” His voice was deeper than I expected, resonant with power. He was okay. He was back. We had done it. We had saved him. Or at least, were in the process of saving him. “I can’t believe… you came for me.”
“We all did. Drake and the others are outside waiting,” I whispered. “He was hurt. He couldn’t climb down.”
“Climb?”
“Brendan,” I murmured, “please get off me.”
With an easy grin I both recognised and didn’t, he got to his feet and helped me up. Bekind pulled me aside as Brendan stretched his arms and looked around in confusion. She looked a little ill.
“Are you okay?” I asked her.
“Cara,” she said, “I’m so sorry.”
I frowned. “For what?”
She shoved me toward the wall, saying, “Donella, take my debt and consider it done.”
My hands clutched at nothing. I was falling backward, deeper into the Fade. I screamed in terror. A howl roared somewhere far away. I tried to catch myself, to regain my balance, but strong arms wrapped around my waist and held on tight, pulling me through the Wall of Souls. I was going to be lost in the Fade forever.
Caught between two places, I was pulled in both directions at once, sinking even as Bekind and Brendan gripped my hands. Then I was back on the bridge side with Bekind and Brendan.
And one other soul.
When everyone released me, I sat down, my legs no longer unable to support me.
“What did you do?” I asked Bekind. “What did you do?”
“Nella?” Brendan said, appearing shocked.
I looked up. A tall, slim woman with dark hair stood next to me, staring at her hands as if she had never seen them before.
“Later,” Bekind said. “I promise, Cara. I’ll explain everything later.”
She hauled me to my feet. “We have to run.”
We made it safely across the bridge, but the atmosphere was changing. I couldn’t pinpoint how, but it made me wary. Brendan greeted the others with a lightness I had forgotten how to feel. He and Sorcha faced each other.
“Consider my debts paid,” she said, but she didn’t look happy about it.
All eyes were on Nella, the Wall of Souls castaway. The howl rose up again.
“The fenris,” Dymphna said. “We must leave now. The shades are already closing in. Hurry.”
The cat led the way. Arlen passed a sword to Brendan as we ran. I grabbed the dagger from my waistband and held it in a firm grip. The green haze was lifting, making everything look more real. But reality was dangerous. I didn’t know if we could fight a shade, but I wanted to be ready just in case.
The shades closed in from every direction. They were dark monstrous-looking beings. Their faces were covered, but their hands were skeletal. They held no weapons, but they tried to grab us, and I knew they wanted to keep us with them in the Fade forever. I pressed forward with the others, struggling to keep out of the reach of those clawing fingers. Brendan swung his sword, but it cut through the air as if the shades were made of mist.
The howl came closer.
“The fenris,” Sorcha whispered, sounding horrified.
The shades fled, apparently just as terrified by the fenris as we were. We struggled to run faster, but the ground sucked at our feet. A roar came from right behind us. Sorcha tripped and fell, her eyes wide with fear. I grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. Brendan helped, gripping her other arm and striking out at the fenris as we fled away. When we made it back to the gap, Arlen shoved Brendan through first. The others piled through the opening.
I was last. The fenris appeared and breathed fire in my direction. The giant winged creature had long scraggly hair and looked like a wolf born of a dragon. It opened its maw and roared. The steam from its breath singed my skin.
I backed up against the gap, unable to turn around and climb as the fenris bore down on me. Hands reached through the rift as the fenris swiped at me with a huge clawed paw. As the hands pulled me through, a claw caught my calf. I stabbed the massive paw.
Then, I was in the cave. I scrambled away from the gap in a hurry. The fenris swung its paw again, slashing through the gap, but we were all out of reach. I doubted it could leave the Fade.
We breathed a collective sigh of relief as it howled its indignation at losing its prey. I gazed at my dagger. The fenris’s blood had burned into the metal, creating a curious design. If ever there was a souvenir…
Brendan helped me to my feet. The woman who had come through the Wall of Souls was already climbing out of the cave, helped by the rope. Realtín refused to fly up with her to give her light. The woman obviously didn’t care.
I limped over and stared up at her. “I take it that’s the leanan sídhe.”
“I’m afraid so,” Brendan said. “You’re bleeding. Let me see.”
“It’s fine,” I said as Realtín’s light turned red with concern.
“We should clean it,” Grim said.
I held up my hands. “It can wait. We need to get out of this bloody cave.”
King Brendan performed a dramatic twirl. “And what do you think of my true body, Cara?”
“I’m sure you’re very proud,” I said drily.
“I feel like a warrior,” he said, sounding absolutely full of himself.
I stared upward with a sigh. I wasn’t looking forward to the climb.
“I’ll help you,” he offered, seeing my reluctance to take my turn.
“You just got out of the Fade.”
“I feel good,” he said. “Renewed. Born once again.” He picked
me up and swung me around. “Thanks to all of you.”
“We’re regretting it already,” I said, manoeuvring out of his arms with a smile I couldn’t hide. I had missed him. There was some kind of magical connection between Drake and me, but with Brendan, there was something fun and light.
“You look pale,” he said. “You all do. What have you been through?”
“Everything,” I whispered, watching Arlen climb up after the leanan sídhe. “We’ve been through everything.”
Chapter Eighteen
When I climbed out of the cave, the tension and suspicion was palpable. Bekind sat on a rock, her tail moving rapidly as she stared at my ancestor.
Brendan emerged from the hole, and I got my first good look at him. He had once told me there was giant blood in his veins, but I had laughed it off as an exaggeration. He was tall! And broad. And hunky. He was completely different from Drake. And with Drake looking so frail from blood loss, Brendan looked every inch the king in comparison.
“So, Nella,” Brendan said, “you’re back.”
“As are you,” she replied.
Her hair was long and black, but she looked nothing like me. I couldn’t believe she had somehow spawned my bloodline. Her face had a permanent sour expression, and I wasn’t sure what to make of her.
She gave me a scornful look. “And this is it. Bekind,” she said to the cat. “Is this the best you could do?”
Brendan approached Drake, who struggled to get to his feet. They stood face to face, neither of them smiling.
“Did they brand you?” Brendan asked.
“They did,” Drake replied.
Brendan heaved a sigh of relief. “Good. I feared you wouldn’t step up.”
“I would never let Sadler have that throne,” Drake said fiercely.
The leanan sídhe looked at him with interest.
Brendan held out his hand. “And you came for me.”
Drake glanced at me and shrugged, but he took Brendan’s hand and shook it briefly. “You know how it is.”
“I thank you nonetheless.”
“What happens now?” Drake asked.
Brendan whipped off his shirt. I pulled my hood a little tighter to hide my reaction. On his back was a brand identical to Drake’s. Two kings. Brendan looked over his shoulder. The tension in his jaw relaxed when he saw that he was still branded.
“This is the body of a king.” Brendan bent his head. “There are two of us now. We have a lot to discuss, it seems.”
“First, we have to make it out of here,” Dymphna said. “No time for kingly discussions on the road out of the Fade. No time for pledges of fealty, either.”
Brendan looked around, frowning. “What is this place?”
“The Frozen Valley,” Arlen answered. “There’s a rift in the Fade here. That’s how we got to you. Bekind led the way.”
“Bekind?” Brendan said. “And I suppose she’s responsible for Nella’s presence, too.”
Nella snorted. “And it took her long enough.”
“You tricked your way out of the Fade,” I said. “You don’t belong here.”
“I belong!” she shouted, whirling around to face me. “Sadler cut me out of the world to put me in my place and teach me a lesson. I’ll suffer no man to tell me where I should stand. All I needed was a descendent to come and get me. That’s all dear Bekind had to do, but she waited until the blood was so diluted that this is what came.”
She gave me a disgusted look. But if she needed a descendant, then how had I managed to break Brendan free? I wasn’t a descendant of his.
“The Hauntings,” Líle said. “We have to pass through the Hauntings again. And I’m not sharing my horse with that… that creature.” She glared at Nella.
“As if I’m going to ride with a servant,” the leanan sídhe said, seeming shocked. “What has happened to the world since I left?”
“Many, many things,” Brendan said. He pointed up at the horses. “I’ll ride the black one.”
“Uh, no,” I said. “That’s my horse. Our horse. Me, Bekind, Grim, and Realtín. Bekind got it for us.”
“You mean Bekind got it for me,” Nella said with a smirk. “That’s my horse. That’s Dubh.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. I was going to kill Bekind.
“We’ll sort out the mounts when we make it up there,” Arlen said, already sounding sick to death of us all. “Let’s make the climb first. It won’t be any easier this time. Líle, stay next to Drake in case he gets lightheaded.”
We climbed in small groups in case anyone caused a landslide. I was in the first group with Brendan and Anya. He stayed below us at all times as if ready to catch us. I wasn’t sure I liked having him that close, but I couldn’t really do anything about it. The liquid flowed more steadily, as if the earth were weeping because the Fade had lost a couple of souls. The ascent was easier than the climb in the cave, but my limbs were exhausted. I paused midway to wipe my face with my sleeve.
“It’s not far now,” Brendan said. “Keep moving, Cara.”
“I’m tired,” I whispered. “I’ve been climbing all day. And my leg fucking hurts.”
He looked at my calf. “We have to clean that up. It will fester if we don’t do something.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “The Miacha gave me some stuff to help.”
“The Miacha?”
I grinned down at him. “I told you. We’ve been through a lot.”
“Apparently, you—”
Anya slid down with a frightened scream. Without taking his eyes off me, Brendan reached out and grabbed her, pressing her to the rock wall.
“Show off,” I scoffed, moving away from them. I was determined to make it up first. I had to beat the fae at something.
When I got to the top, I headed straight to Dubh. “Oh, Dubh.” I rubbed his face as he nuzzled me. “The stupid leanan sídhe is back and wants to take you away from us.”
He sneezed on me. I laughed and leaned against him. Bekind came from out of nowhere to join us. She leapt onto Dubh’s back and purred, trying to bat her head against me.
“I’m so mad at you, Bekind,” I whispered. “How could you push me into the Fade like that? Use me to free the leanan sídhe? You know what the worst part is? If you had just told me, I probably would have helped you. You didn’t have to do it like that.”
She mewled pathetically, rubbing her cheek against my shoulder.
“Just answer one question,” I said. “Am I related to Brendan? Because if—”
She bit my shoulder. I hoped that was a no because I didn’t have time to ask for clarification. Dubh stomped his feet as Brendan and Anya appeared.
She wrapped her arms around me, panting. “I hate climbing,” she said. “Never, ever again.”
“I don’t think any of us would volunteer for this journey twice,” I said, pressing my forehead against the bronze-skinned pixie’s. “I’m officially exhausted.”
Brendan took a good look at Dubh, then his gaze fell on Bekind. “You can’t stay a cat forever, you little sneak.”
She hissed at him.
“What happened down there?” Anya asked.
Brendan quickly explained the leanan sídhe situation. I stepped away to watch the others climb. Sorcha and Nella fell into a whispered discussion. They both looked up at me as one. I glared back, refusing to be intimidated.
Brendan moved behind me, too close. “How did you do it? How did you persuade them all to come for me?”
“I didn’t.” I shrugged. “Bekind offered to show me the way. We set off with Grim and Realtín. The horse, and the others, came later. I didn’t do anything.”
“You did something incredibly stupid.”
I turned and pushed Brendan back to give me space. I couldn’t get used to his size. “I thought you were joking about the giant’s blood.”
He laughed, his green eyes twinkling. “I can’t tell if that’s a good or a bad thing.”
I frowned. Neither could I. “So what are yo
u going to do when we get back?”
“Establish myself as king.” He hesitated. “As another king. We both have a claim now. More than a claim. We’re both branded.”
“So no war.”
“The last thing the fae need is a war.” He grabbed my arm, his demeanour instantly changing. “Does Drake intend to fight me?”
I shook my head. “Not you. And, ow.”
He let go, immediately apologetic. “I’m not used to… my old self. You said not me. But Sadler?”
I nodded.
“I’ll do what I can to keep peace. Sadler has many supporters.”
Grim and Realtín reached us, looking happier than they had in a while. Líle and Drake soon followed, leaving the final four to ascend. Neither Líle nor Drake looked well.
“You okay?” I asked Líle, but I kept my eyes on Drake. I couldn’t read his expression. I wondered if he had hoped Brendan would never return, despite the journey.
“I’ll be better when we’re home,” Líle said, staying as far away from the edge as possible.
“The leanan sídhe will cause problems,” Brendan told Drake.
“She’s the least of my worries,” Drake replied. “How do you feel?”
Brendan grinned. “Different. Free. No longer trapped. And I’m glad to lose the wings. I could never get used to them.”
Drake laughed. “I remember. Do you feel… powerful?”
“I don’t have the power of the throne,” Brendan said sourly. “Nor the power of fealty. You best me on that until we return.”
Drake nodded, looking nonplussed. “The daoine sídhe are taking care of the realm, thanks to Dymphna. But it’s best we get back as quickly as possible to sort out the confusion.”
“Of course,” Brendan said.
“You’ll have to ride with the leanan sídhe on Dubh,” Drake said, looking at the horses. “The horses are so exhausted by now that he’s probably the only horse you won’t kill with your weight. Anya will be with Arlen, Grim and Realtín can go with Líle, Sorcha with Dymphna, and Cara with me. Bekind can run or ride with Cara and me. Or you and the leanan sídhe.”
“I don’t relish the journey,” Brendan said. “Nella and I never got along.”
Fade (Chaos) Page 16
