by Runaway Fae
He pulled her into his arms, careful not to squish the baby. Shauna stared up at her husband, seeing that he still didn’t recognize her—at least not in his mind. But maybe his heart did. His mouth came down on hers, and she pressed tight against him, savoring the taste of his mouth. With effort, she pulled back. “That Darkling you were with ....”
“I don’t want her. I want you,” he muttered. It seemed impossible. Maybe the evil in him was making him tease her, to let her down later. But the lust and, dare she hope, love in his eyes looked so real. “Who?”
“I am your wife, and this is your son. I know you don’t remember, Liam, but we need you so much. Especially Lorcan. That’s his name. He needs his father.”
Liam hesitated then tentatively took his son from Shauna’s arms. He pushed back the blanket covering him, and his eyes widened. “His arm ....”
She nodded, “He was born with that dark spot. Liam, my cousin had me under a spell where I felt like I had lost my mind. And he told me that our baby was dead. It was all a lie, an illusion. But the most amazing thing of all is that Lorcan used magic to heal me.”
“That’s impossible!”
A laugh bubbled up from her throat as she watched him gently bounce the baby in his arms, as if he was an old pro. “A baby this age cannot produce magic. It comes to him over a few years.”
“Well our son did! And he can heal you and my mother too. I just know it.” She glanced worriedly at her mother. “What I don’t know is how to help him to find it again.”
Liam would have answered, but an explosion of light outside caught their attention. Her husband winced and shielded his eyes against the light, as did the female Darkling who had just entered the room. Shauna hated being reminded of her existence, and her husband still hadn’t explained himself on that subject. Now wasn’t the time. Something was happening outside, and she feared the Fae had discovered them gone.
Liam handed the baby back to Shauna and headed for the door. The female Darkling, Shauna and her mother stumbled on in his footsteps. Outside, the entire night sky seemed to be exploding with light. Darklings were cowering and crying with pain everywhere. Shauna feared for Liam, squeezing through the others. She watched in awe as a sort of lens slid into place over his eyes. They were like tinted sunglasses only organic in nature.
She gaped, “When did you learn to do that?”
“Just now. Get inside!”
Ignoring him, she continued to look around. No Fae were in sight, yet still light invaded the dark world. There was not even a portal open, and none could be sensed. If this was Shamus’ doing, he was more powerful than anyone had imagined. He’d evolved into something she feared Liam could not overcome.
Lorcan squirmed in her arms, maybe sensing something was wrong. Shauna considered taking him back inside, but dismissed the idea. She was not leaving her son alone again in this world, no matter what.
The area around them went quiet. The Darklings had stopped crying. The constantly rippling ocean water had gone still. Liam’s ship stopped rocking with the increased wind and choppy waves. Now it sat dead in the water like everything else around them. She couldn’t help thinking it was the calm before the storm. Shauna turned to Liam. “Darling, your only hope—our only hope—is to remember. Everything. Shamus had taken over your mind and my mother's. If you don’t remember I suspect he will kill us all.”
Her husband stared out at the water and at his ship. A puzzled look came into his eyes, but he said nothing. Shauna glanced up at the light sky again. The light was spreading. In another situation, it might have been a good thing for light to be shed on the evil there, but its portent was too frightening.
“Liam!” Shauna shouted. She grasped his arm with one free hand, shaking him as best she could. “Remember!”
At first she thought he was drawing a blank, that is until he spun to face her slowly. “I spanked you on that ship.”
“Yes! Darling, keep trying”
“I brought you here.”
She nodded, but Liam put a hand up to his head, wincing in pain.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t remember anymore. It hurts too much to try. It feels like a knife being jabbed in my skull.”
“That’s Shamus’ handiwork. That was the case with me when I tried to gather the scattered thoughts he’d slung all over my mind. I cannot believe he is my family, and that I thought he was a good and kind king, perfect for replacing my father. I just want the Fae and Faeland back the way it used to be.”
Liam looked doubtful. “Even if this cousin you speak of is stopped from his evil—and really I can’t fully spite him for being evil, except when it comes to you and this baby—I doubt that your people will go back to the way they were. There have been many lives lost, many hurt.”
This was a side to Liam she hadn’t seen. She wondered when he had obtained this calm balance of good and evil. He was kind to her and their son, even prepared to protect her though he didn’t remember her, while at the same time discussing going to war with the Fae as if he enjoyed the prospect. That was a Darkling trait if she ever heard one. The Faeries were peace-loving people. But Liam was showing an ability to know the difference and choosing to operate in goodness. If he could remember, Shamus would not stand a chance.
Liam turned toward her and reached a hand out to stroke her face. “What is it about you?” He leaned in and pressed a feather kiss against her lips. Then to her shock, he bent to kiss the baby, but he drew back at a shock. “Whoa, he’s a strange one.”
Before Shauna could comment, Liam was strolling away. She moved to follow, but the female Darkling stopped her. “You’ll only get in the way. Let my king do what he needs to do to stop the nasty Faeries.”
Shauna’s eyebrow flew toward her hairline at the Darkling’s gall. Pointedly, she eyeballed the black hand on her sleeve. The female snatched the hand away, offering her a sassy look instead. Shauna ignored it.
“Trust that if I were not holding my son, I could rip you apart,” she stated through gritted teeth.
“You would try anyway.”
“Touch him again and I will kill you.”
The Darkling waved a hand through the air. “Pish posh. While he is our leader, Liam is a bore. I offered him everything. He took nothing. One would think he was impotent.”
Shauna clicked her tongue, joy flooding her heart. “I happen to know he is far from it.”
She looked back out along the platform, but Liam was out of sight. Soon she heard a splash and terror gripped her heart. No Fae were present still, but where was her husband?
* * * *
Right then, there was nothing Liam wanted more than to turn around and take his beautiful wife into his arms and tell her over and over again just how much he adored her with every fiber in his body. He hated realizing what she must have felt being separated from him for so long and then to come looking for him only to find him ready to have sex with a Darkling woman.
He had dreamt of Shauna every night and thought of her every waking hour, though he couldn’t remember who it was he’d seen and made love to him in fantasies. But as time went on, he was losing hope that anything could take away the lonely hopelessness he felt. It had only been a few minutes before that he decided that maybe sleeping with Lucy, he could wipe out the torturous thoughts of the mysterious Fae. Had Shauna come a few minutes later, he would have killed himself.
Now, he had hope that he could convince her that he did not sleep with either Darcy or Lucy and if he could find that Faerie’s Stone inside the ocean water without being eaten, he had a plan to strip Shamus of his power once and for all.
His precious son had given him more than a shock when he kissed him. Liam had felt the restoration of his memory, his sanity. But he had also experienced something else. Liam suspected that Lorcan, despite his young age and inexperience, had released in him that last element—something that might have taken Shamus years to master—that would help him to gain complete mastery over his power, to access reces
ses buried inside him. It had felt like a key turning in a lock. Like his mental book at the back of his mind had been unchained. Now he could flip through its pages and pull tricks that he could only dream of before. He felt ready to face Shamus. But the first step was the Stone.
Standing at the edge of the platform, he saw the beast swimming back and forth nearby. It waited for its meal. “Not tonight, creature.”
Stripping of the rest of his clothing, Liam dove into the black depths to search out his people’s only salvation. Thoughts of Shauna and Lorcan gave him strength and determination, guiding the way deeper and deeper into a watery pit.
Chapter Twenty
In the murky distance below him, Liam spotted the Faerie’s Stone. Its smooth pink surface was half hidden by the black sands on the bottom. He was grateful that the area around the platforms was no more than fifteen to twenty feet deep. As he neared the gem, something moving in his peripheral vision caught his eye. He stopped swimming and looked around. Nothing. When he started forward against, the creature came from nowhere, jagged teeth aimed at his head. Liam flipped backward and kicked the beast away. It circled around and came at him again, but Liam zapped it with a bolt of magic that left it little more than singed sushi. He hurriedly swam on before his air ran out. Magical creatures could hold their breath under water for extended periods, but not forever.
Finally retrieving the stone, he turned to head back to the surface but was stopped with a sharp pain in his head. He closed his eyes against the pain and grabbed his head. A voice cut across his thoughts.
“It’s hopeless. Do you really think Shauna will accept a Darkling for a husband? Look at you, you’re even darker than you were before. You tried being good. It didn’t work. Give up.”
Even as the words were spoken, he felt a gradual sensation of hopelessness descend on him. It was like someone had poured warm honey over his head, hard to resist giving in to, but not inviting at all. Liam shook his head, struggling to clear it. He was running out of air. He redoubled his efforts to get to the surface but was getting nowhere. Inexplicably, he was sinking. The soft sand on the bottom closed over his feet. Still he sunk lower.
Liam fought, clawing at the water above him with nothing to hang onto. He flung down a bolt of magic at the sand, willing it to release him. Nothing was working. With his lungs burning, the pain of losing his family so soon after finding them tormented him. At that moment, he looked up to the platform far above and saw Shauna standing there with Lorcan in her arms. He believed he could hear her in his mind.
“Come back to us, darling. Please. We need you.”
Just as quickly, the other voice, the one that wanted him dead spoke again. “You’re going to die, and she’ll be left a widow, your son, fatherless.” He now knew the voice was Shamus. With his level of control over the dark magic in him, how could Liam fight him?
“Liam! Come back to us now!” Shauna screamed.
The itch began in Liam’s eyes. He felt the dark magic level increase, but this time was different. He had control he had not experienced before. The magic expanded. A wave of it extended from his body down below the sand and freeing him. It increased his capacity to hold his breath, but it wasn’t needed as he came up out of the water like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Liam was shocked to feel his wings unfurl and grow from his back. The shimmering black wings carried him into the air a foot above the water, and he moved swiftly to land in front of his wife and son.
Shauna zipped into his outstretched arms. “Liam, if I lost you ....”
“I know, baby.” He tipped up her chin to run the pad of his thumb over her trembling lips. His body craved her. They had been separated too long, and when this was over, he had plans to strip his wife naked and enjoy her sweet charms.
Shauna nuzzled closer, tracing the line of one of his wings with excitement in her eyes. “You have wings.”
A tremor went through Liam. He gently moved her hand to her side, kissed her lips and then kissed his son. “Keep that for me later, Shauna. I have to take care of your cousin.”
Her eyes widened. “Liam, I’m not sure about this. He’s grown so strong.”
“Don’t worry. You get back to the house and wait for me there.” He snapped his fingers and Fric and Frac appeared. “You two take care of my family. If you fail me, I will kill you. Is that clear?” The twin Darklings nodded, fear in their eyes.
Shauna threw herself into his arms once again before leaving with the Darklings. Liam knew Shauna. She would not have gone easily if she wasn’t concerned about the baby being safe. He just hoped he could indeed handle their enemy, but his plan had to work. Everyone’s safety—in Faeland and in the Dark World—depended on his success.
* * * *
The wait was excruciating, especially hard when Shauna had to answer her mother’s endless questions. No matter how many times she tried to encourage her son to heal his grandmother, the baby seemed not to understand. No shock of power transferred from him to Shauna’s mother when she guided the baby’s hand to her mother’s face. The former queen remained as unaware of the epic battle taking place outside Darcy’s house as she was of the existence of Lorcan. And through it all, Shauna felt if she had to wait another second to know what was happening between her husband and cousin in the clouds above, she’d die.
“Mother, sleep!” she finally commanded. Her mother’s chin dropped to her chin. Shauna turned to examine the two Darklings who had previously tormented her. She couldn’t imagine why Liam had sent them with her, how he could trust them. “You stay away from us. Over there in the corner.”
“We don’t have to listen to you,” one of them countered.
Shauna smirked, “See this baby? He’s young but he is your king’s son.” She pulled back the blanket to show her baby’s birthmark. The Darklings pretended not to be staring at it in curiosity. “He has a special blend of magic.”
“Whatever.” The Darkling was impertinent, but nervous, she knew.
Turning back to the baby, Shauna said, “Lorcan, if they try anything, kill them.”
She heard gasps of fear from the two now cowering in the corner on the opposite side of the room, but ignored them. Shauna was interested in one thing, how her husband was faring.
Outside the window, lights flashed, lightning crackled and clouds of thick black smoke expanded over the house. Shauna couldn’t make out Shamus or Liam. The only thing she could distinguish were streaks of black and white flitting against each other and away, only to follow the same pattern. She imagined it was Liam and Shamus, but couldn’t be sure which was which. Did white represent Shamus because he had maintained his Fae look, yet was evil? Did the black represent Liam having skin so much darker since she’d seen him last? She wished she knew and could settle her worried mind. But nothing would help until this madness was at an end, until every mind that had been clouded by Shamus’ trickery was restored. That time couldn’t come fast enough.
Suddenly, the black streak was knocked down into the water by the white streak. Soon after Shauna had her answer to which was which when Shamus touched down, fluttering his wings, in front of Shauna’s house. When the door blew open without him touching it, Shauna backed away.
“You know why I’m here, don’t you, Shauna?” Shamus asked.
“Apparently, I know nothing about you, Shamus. I thought you were good, were for the people of Faeland and not against them. So how would I presume to know what you’re doing here?”
He gave a cold laugh, “Oh didn’t I say? I’ve come to kill you all. But first your son. Then your mother, then you. Lastly, if he hasn’t drowned yet, I’ll go pull Liam from the ocean and put him out of his misery too.”
Shauna ran to her baby and picked him up to hold against her chest. “What’s your problem, Shamus? Why do you hate us so much? We’ve never done anything against you.”
Shamus glided across the room, making Shauna want to hurl on him. His over-dramatization was grating. The man acted like he was putting on a sho
w for an audience. She had no interest in being his catalyst to entertain himself. For it was sure everyone else tolerated his arrogance and lack of conscience.
She drew away when her cousin reached for the baby, but before she had moved Lorcan out of reach, Shamus drew back his hand crying out in pain. Shauna glanced down at her son, but there was nothing different about him. She had detected no flash of lightening. Again, foolishly, Shamus put a hand on Lorcan’s blanket, his fingers tightening around the soft material.
This time, Shauna saw the repel, a brightness to Lorcan’s pale skin, like someone flashing a picture. Shamus drew back a steaming hand and fist. “You’re doing that!” he accused. “You will pay!”
The door crashed against the wall. Liam stood in the jam soaking wet, his black hair plastered against his forehead. Shauna had been impressed with his wings, but now they lay flat against his back. “Shamus, get—away—from—my—family.”
Shamus, a look of confidence on his face, swung to face Liam. He moved so fast toward her husband that to Shauna it looked like he had transported to that position. Shamus raised his hand, power crackling at each fingertip to strike down Liam.”
“Liam, look out!” Shauna called out unnecessarily.
Before Shamus could attack, Liam uttered quick words in the Celtic tongue. Shamus gasped. “What are you doing? That’s the spell for—” He stared in disbelief, and Shauna moved to a location where she could see everything more clearly.
Liam had uttered the spell to activate the Faerie’s Stone, the gem he now held in the palm of his hand. He held it up toward Shamus, and a solid beam shot out to Shamus’ head. Her cousin was instantly paralyzed, while from what Shauna could tell, every drop of his magic was drained from him.
“Shamus, for your crimes against Faeland and in defense of my country as one of its royal guards,” Liam announced, “I am officially relieving you of your powers. You will no longer practice magic. Yet, I will allow you to live in spite of all that you have done.”
