by Mary Dublin
Lights stirred within the trees. Slow at first, but the numbers grew steadily until the forest was bright as day. She shielded her eyes as tiny windows and doors creaked open and fairies began to take to the air. Simple tailors and woodworkers alike drew spells to their palms, their skin aglow in bright colors.
Indistinct whispers of allegiance passed her with every wing beat, filling her with a rush of hope. Aeron's remaining forces fell back further with every push.
Esmae's relief turned sour in her mouth when she stepped out into the open. Aeron had Brennan by the neck of his cloak. Brennan shirked it off, but by that point Aeron had already whispered a spell. Brennan's wings went rigid as wood.
Time seemed to slow, ballooning those seconds as Aeron wrenched a screaming Aveline from Brennan's arms and held her, squirming, over his own shoulder. Brennan's eyes were wide: horror for his own fatal fall as well as the fate of the princess.
Unaware of the scream on her lips, Esmae dove to catch him in outstretched palms. He landed with a soft thump perfectly in the center.
Before she could open her mouth to ask if he was alright, every nerve in her body lit up with the familiar agony that kept her on her knees. She squeezed her eyes shut just as Brennan looked up at her alarm.
Though she could hear Aeron's wings still humming above, she swore his whisper was at her ear. "Shut your hands," he hissed, audible to no one but her. "Fast. Tight. Do it."
A cry of refusal lodged in her throat as she fought to keep her fingers unfurled. Brennan shifted in her hands and said her name, but she couldn't open her eyes, terrified that Aeron's glamour would overtake her if she caught a glimpse of him. The safety behind her eyelids couldn't protect her from Aeron's goading voice.
"The more you fight it, the slower you'll kill him," he said, and for a terrifying instant it sounded reasonable. Her fingers burned as if she'd plunged them into hot coals. "Do you want him to suffer? Do it now!"
"N-no," she whimpered, fingers shaking. She willed herself to pull her hands apart and drop Brennan the short distance to the ground, but it was no use. If she didn't hold her hands perfectly still, they would snap shut like a mousetrap. "Brennan, move! H-He's... he's making me—" She choked against the pain.
For a moment, she blocked out the entire world along with the agony, until she could endure it no longer. Her hands crushed into fists. She released the cry she had been holding, eyes flying open.
Her hands were empty.
Tears blurring her vision, she looked around and caught sight of Alyssa and a couple other fairies hovering with Brennan safely between them. Esmae fixed her outraged glare upward, only to be met with a fresh wave of torture the moment she laid eyes on Aeron. He had his hand to Avie's forehead, but Esmae didn't see for long before Daniel threw himself in front of her like a shield.
They were cornered, no matter which way they looked. All around them, the cold air fizzled and smoked with magic, while fairies darted this way and that. Long distance spells were thwarted by allies forming a loose ring around him and Esmae. But there was no stopping the swelling strength of Aeron's magic. No one could touch him—not only did his power keep them at bay, the very act of holding Avie granted him a shield that no one dared attack.
Peering desperately past Daniel's shoulder, Esmae squinted and saw her baby squirming and shaking with sobs while Aeron clutched her tenaciously. Avie's mounting cries tore viciously Esmae's heart, but fairies—enemy and ally alike—reacted even more intensely to her empathetic abilities. Scorching spells faltered, fairies cringed and covered their ears. They desperately recovered their swerving flights to dodge attacks and return fire, gritting their teeth.
Tiny shouts came from behind. Esmae struggled to focus on what they were saying. There were cries of alarm, confusion about more humans in the forest, approaching Evrosea. Aeron's glamoured humans from Mirrel were closing in. An army of disposable victims.
Above it all, Aveline's tiny screams rang out with awful clarity, making every fairy within range cringe. "Let me go! Let me GO!"
She was fighting Aeron's thick arm, kicking and clawing and writhing—seemingly anything to break his focus. His blond hair whipped about his square face as he dropped several inches in the air, eyes flashing.
"Stop. Moving," he hissed to her.
It was enough to terrify her into submission, but only for a moment.
"I'll c-call the guards!" she declared, mustering up what authority a five-year-old could manage. "They'll make you give me back to Mummy and Daddy. They'll come a-and you'll be sorry you ever came here!"
"Shut up!" Aeron snapped, his face flickering blue and then green in the cast light. He gave Avie a shake. "Shut up and be still, you little imp, do you understand me?"
A tiny hand made contact with the side of his face. He gave a growl and twisted to find a suitable outlet for his rage—and found Esmae staring back at him. She braced herself as he lifted his free hand once again, but she wasn't his target. Daniel, on the other hand, was disposable to him.
She could scarcely recall a time when she had so dearly missed her old magic.
Giving his cloak a hard yank, Esmae pulled herself into the spell's path as Daniel's booming shout filled her ears. She was lucky—the magic barely grazed her, shooting against the side of her face. Her knees buckled from the pain, and when she dared to open her eyes, stars danced so madly in her vision that she had a difficult time telling which of them were real.
Daniel clutched her. He was speaking to her in a panicked voice, touching the wound on her face with trembling gloved hands. She only had eyes for that golden glow, her heart thudding as Bogdan's voice carried on the wind.
"Look what you've done. Look!" Aeron grabbed Avie by her chin and forced her gaze down at her parents. "If you keep fighting me. I'm afraid there's going to be nothing left of Mummy and Daddy. Whether you like it or not, you were born to be with me, Princess."
Aveline's eyes widened in horror. For an awful moment, Esmae had full view of her daughter's terror—her tiny face was screwed up with choked cries as her eyes darted every which way to take in the horrible, colorful chaos.
Then, a new surge of energy buzzed through the cold air. It seemed to rush through the entire kingdom like a flood, leaving no exceptions to its influence. Even Esmae, magic-deprived as she was, could feel it.
She knew she wasn't alone when exclamations came from fairies hovering amongst the trees, distracted from the vicious battle. Many clutched their heads, and others staggered onto the nearest branches for support. Anything to get away from the paralyzing sensation.
Aeron was one of the few who managed to stay in the air. He gave Aveline another brutal shake. "You imp! Stop that!" he growled through clenched teeth. "Or shall I have you pick who I kill first? Your human father? Or your traitorous abomination of a mother?"
Avie stared back at him, her tear-stricken face expressionless. She trembled, rage storming in her kind little eyes. By the time Aeron Bogdan realized he should be worried about himself, it was too late.
The scream that left her throat could have rivaled a banshee's. Raw energy burst forth, a tidal wave compared to the taste she had given just moments prior. Esmae's breath caught as the sheer force of it bowled her to the ground. When the air settled, not a single fairy remained hovering in the air.
Not even Aeron.
Chapter
Twelve
Haltingly, Daniel pried himself off the ground. He was careful as he stirred not to crush any of the fairies that littered the ground.
It was like a scene from his darkest nightmares. Tiny bodies stirred weakly, like withered leaves rustled by a breeze. Brennan at the very least was conscious, but that was more than could be said for most of them. Even Esmae was clutching her head as though she'd been struck.
All of this from Avie's howl, he thought with a shiver. But how?
He wrapped his arm around Esmae, gently urging her upright as he scanned the ground. All of the wild colors had vanished, leavin
g behind an inky darkness deeper than any night.
"Avie," he demanded of the dark. Then again, less certainly. "Avie?"
Silence replied where her screaming had been moments before.
Movement from the corner of his eye drew his gaze downward in time to see Brennan wave off Alyssa's protests about staying off his wings. He took to the air determinedly, igniting his amber light as he called for Aveline. Stiff and awkward as his flight was, it was a catalyst for the rest of the fairies, breaking the cold standstill that had taken hold of the edge of Evrosea.
Without Aeron barking orders and coloring the air with his intimidating power, it was easier to notice how vastly his men were outnumbered. As fairies recovered and took to the air, illuminating the area with their glows, the struggle that followed couldn't even be called a skirmish. Some surrendered at once, claiming desperately that they had been forced into working for the madman; the ones that put up a fight were immediately overwhelmed and subdued.
Ignoring his throbbing shoulder, Daniel straightened where he sat and helped Esmae do the same. It no longer felt as though every little movement could bring harm upon fairies littering the ground, but some were still unmoving where they had landed during the battle, while healers rushed to help. The thought that Aveline could be just as motionless spurred Daniel to twist around and seek Brennan's form on the ground.
His eyes skated over Aeron's fallen figure; Daniel couldn't tell if he was dead or not. Something monstrously destructive stirred in him all the same, seeing that monster within arm's reach. But the sight of Brennan straightening beside Aeron proved more important to Daniel's attention.
"Avie," Daniel breathed at the same time that Esmae gave a small sob of relief.
"She's alright," Brennan assured in a thready voice, staggering closer to Daniel and Esmae.
She was awake—alive. Her little arms clutched Brennan weakly around his neck, face buried in his shoulder.
Daniel reached a shaking hand to brush her arm. He met Brennan's eyes, desperate to hold her, and his friend gave a small nod, murmuring gently as he began to pry her off. She stirred and peeked over her shoulder to see what had touched her, looking delirious.
Horror seized her expression, wide blue eyes traveling up Daniel's fingers, his hand, his arm. Her silence was shattered with a scream that pierced his soul.
"N-no!" Avie wailed, squirming wildly to remain in the safety of Brennan's arms.
Daniel was frozen where knelt, like a heaviness had settled upon him that would never leave. Mechanically, he tried once more to brush her back with a single gloved fingertip. She recoiled with a sob as though he'd tried to stab her.
"No, p-please! Uncle Brennan, please d-don't let it!"
"It's alright, Princess! You're in no danger here," Brennan urged.
Kind or not, the words fell on deaf ears. It was with great difficulty that Brennan managed to pry Aveline off and lower her kicking and screaming into her father's cupped hand. Immediately, she went running for the edge of his palm. Daniel cringed his second hand to cup around the first, terrified of losing her to a reckless fall.
This didn't stop her from running, slapping little palms on his leather glove, wailing. It shattered him, watching her cower against his fingers in search of escape. Escape from him.
"My darling, please, it's only me. It's Daddy." His gentle voice came as a croak. He swallowed hard as he lifted her towards his harrowed gaze. "Just find my eyes, Avie. You're alright, I promise you."
A tiny shiver ran through the girl, and she fell still.
Finally—"Daddy?"
Aveline stepped into the light. Daniel relaxed his grip so that she could manage to stand on his palm, her tiny bare feet scrunching against the leather creases underneath. Tears streaked her cheeks, but she met his gaze, wonder shining in her identical blues.
Daniel broke into a smile. "Yes, love." His breath wafted her hair around her face. Gently, ever so gently, he tucked it back behind her shoulders. "I'm here now. I've got you."
"You... you're so big."
Swallowing hard, Daniel had to silently agree with her. He felt big, as he always did in Evrosea, but he hadn't felt quite so monstrous in years.
"I'm as big as I've always been, darling," he told her delicately. "Aeron… he changed you, but you're going to be alright. We're going to get you back to normal at once. Aren't we?" He looked to Brennan, an unspoken plea.
"We'll—we'll do everything we can, of course," Brennan said, tearing his eyes away from Daniel's hand to take in the fallout surrounding them. "The council must come together immediately. They can help. Come to the palace, you and Esmae and Avie. Your injuries will be seen to."
"The wounds can wait," Esmae said. "Avie is the priority." She had been so silent by Daniel's side, he almost flinched, curling his fingers slightly around his precious cargo.
"M-Mummy?" Avie piped up.
Daniel caught a glimpse of Esmae's face and saw the crumpled terror she tried to hide behind a smile. "Yes, sweetling," she whispered, reaching in slowly to brush away Avie's tear tracks with the back of her finger. "Everything will be back to normal soon. Don't be afraid."
Avie sniffled and nodded, clutching restlessly at the front of her nightgown. "It's… it's so cold."
Daniel's second hand immediately closed in from behind, shielding her from the chill. "I'm sure they can find you something warmer at the palace," he promised. At the thought of standing to leave, his eyes trailed back down to Aeron. Though the man was motionless, a tiny mist of breath passed his lips in the frosty air. He was alive.
Brennan caught Daniel's stare and flew in front of him. "Guards will be along to take care of him" he assured, looking Daniel and Esmae with unfiltered exhaustion and worry. "The palace. Avie is far more worth your time."
It took every ounce of Daniel's self restraint not to crush Aeron's legs under a footfall as he passed. Had Avie not been watching him so fixedly, he very well may have.
He walked in a daze towards the center of the fairy kingdom, boots hardly making a sound on the enchanted green grass. As he passed between ancient trees and the homes they harbored within, Daniel stole a look towards the edge of the forest. His staff, knights and servants had stopped their progress towards Evrosea. Whatever tasks Aeron had cast into their minds appeared to be lost, as their silhouettes shuffled around in the darkness, away from Evrosea. He hoped Sir Logan was making such a recovery, wherever he was.
It was a crushing relief to see the throng dissipate, but he couldn't dwell on this victory. Not while Avie was still the size of a thimble. The rest of the world fell out of focus for a while, all of it white noise in his ears, until—-
"There's nothing that can be done."
The remaining council had gathered in the grassy courtyard before the Evrosea palace. Torches were lit hastily with glittering blue flames, while a cloak was fetched for Avie.
Daniel scowled at the fairies circling his cupped hands, hating the grimness on their little faces. "What do you mean nothing? I don't believe you."
"We've attempted every counter-spell known to our kind," the little lord explained pityingly. "Aeron Bogdan did not follow the Old Rules for this incredible magic. It is… corrupted spellwork, I'm afraid."
Esmae gave a shudder. "Corrupted?" she echoed, as if the word was enough to constitute a final verdict. "N-no, please… are you certain?"
"It's worse than a curse, Your Majesty," Alyssa said when the others couldn't bring themselves to continue delivering the bad news. "This twisted brand of dark magic—it is not within our power to reverse it. Tampering beyond the bounds of the Old Rules will only cause her more suffering, with no certainty. I truly am sorry."
Aveline huddled under the cloak on Daniel's palm, lifting her scared little eyes up at him, desperately seeking to understand what she was hearing as much as he was. He could only stare as the finality of it all threatened to drown him, racing to think of anything—anything to prove the council had missed something.
/> In his stupor, he felt something alight upon his shoulder. A tiny hand pressed to his neck, and Brennan's tremulous voice sounded by Daniel's ear. "I'm sorry. I-I thought, maybe they knew what to do… I'm so sorry, Daniel."
Even Brennan was willing to give up without a fight, and it ignited a red hot anger in Daniel that had him flinching his free hand up to swipe the fairy off his shoulder.
"Don't," Daniel hissed.
Brennan grunted in pain and righted himself in the air, whirling to face Daniel with a look that was equal parts indignation and concern. The council members were quick to give Daniel space, watching him warily, but he ignored them long enough to gingerly pass Avie off to Esmae.
"Daniel," Esmae whispered. Whatever she was going to say died in her throat when Daniel unsheathed his dagger. "What are you doing?"
"Fae magic may not work, but blood magic—"
"Daniel, no—"
"It worked for you! The witch's contract. I bled for you, and you changed! I-It brought you back to me." He ripped off his left glove, positioning the tip of the blade over his palm. "Block Avie. Don't let her see."
"Daniel!" Brennan snapped, pulling in closer while several council members warned him to stay out of arm's reach. His hands were raised, crackling with magic. "Put the blade down. I won't have you harming yourself. You're already bleeding. It won't help."
"Get away from me," Daniel commanded. What could he possibly understand about his grief? He wasn't a father. Shallow, seething breaths filled his lungs. He tore his eyes off Brennan's wounded glower and pressed the tip deeper.
But Brennan was right. His blood had already been spilt in his efforts to rescue Aveline. It was smeared on his trousers and the stomach of his shirt like streaks of mud. The open wounds still stung. He'd spilt blood and nothing had come of it.
"Daniel, please. You're upsetting her," Esmae murmured.
She looked down at her cupped hands, worry knit on her perfect face. His hands began to shake, anger swelling into grief and grief into despair. The dagger fell with a thump to the ground, and Daniel buried his face into his hands.
