Heir to the Underworld

by Walker, E. D.

  The Morrígan, aside from a narrowing of her glittering eyes, did not otherwise acknowledge her liege lord and husband, Cernunnos. She tossed her snowy mane of hair and smiled beatifically at Freddy and Colin. "What a pity Cúchulainn did not manage to really show what he can do in full battle frenzy."

  Colin started toward her. "You bi--"

  "Silence." The Morrígan's head snapped around. Colin bit his words off so quickly, he might have done the same to his tongue. Hatred made Colin's eyes glitter, but his mouth remained closed in a puckered grimace.

  The Morrígan acknowledged Polydegmon and Freddy with a patronizing nod. "Thank you for deflating the Hound. It makes him so much more conveniently travel sized. I'll just collect my property and depart."

  ~~~

  "The hell you will." Freddy started forward, but Deg grabbed her back to hold her against him. She wished he would stop doing that.

  Morrígan tossed that bleached out curtain of hair again and smiled with sharp teeth at Freddy's dad. "O faithful Hound, as you have given yourself to my service, so must you obey my commands." Morrígan took her time. She drawled her words out, twitched and smoothed her skirts, showing off.

  "Get over yourself and spit it out." Freddy folded her arms across her chest and looked at Morrígan with contempt.

  Morrígan flashed a glower back at Freddy. Slowly, regally, the war goddess raised one finger to point at her. "Hound, Cernunnos' bastard offends me. Kill her for me, Cúchulainn, and bring me her pretty head."

  Mom screamed.

  Morrígan laughed.

  Cernunnos burst forward. "You go too far, Macha, self-proclaimed Goddess of No One, of Nothing. My daughter's life is not yours to end." He gestured and his huntsmen surged forward.

  Badb darted forward and snatched a handful of Mom's hair. The war goddess hauled Freddy's screaming mother away, slamming Mom's back against her as she drew a dagger. The blade pressed against Mom's throat. A line of blood trickled out in a thin stream. Mom's eyes flicked to Cernunnos' face, pleading.

  The stag-god looked at his feet. Mom's eyes darted to Freddy, and Freddy's heart pounded so hard every beat slammed through her body like a blow. Mom's face paled, and she closed her eyes. Resignation and a horrible look of acceptance calmed her lovely features. Freddy clung to Deg's restraining arms even as she half-heartedly tried to push him away, still wanting to help her mother even as she longed for the comfort of Deg's embrace.

  Morrígan snickered again and turned a triumphant gaze on Cernunnos.

  Freddy jerked her head around to her dad. His eyes met hers, wet with unspilled tears. He shook his head and looked away. Rocking himself back and forth on the pool's wet concrete, his veins bulged with strain. His face flamed red as he fought himself. He groaned and banged his head against the ground. "No. No. No. Not again. Not my daughter. No." He raised his head and his forehead was bleeding. "Not like my son. No…"

  When she tried to go to her dad, Deg tightened his hold on her and gave her a little shake. "The Hound will kill you if you go to him, Freddy. He will have to."

  "Dad wouldn't hurt me." Remembering the ríastrad, though, and seeing how unhinged he was, Freddy's unshakeable conviction cracked, sending a violent shudder through her body until her vision wavered and her legs wobbled.

  Morrígan, probably because she'd ceased to be the center of attention, swirled forward in a rustle of silk skirts. Smiling, she reached out to stroke Mom's cheek. Morrígan turned to Cernunnos. "Ah, my husband, you can only stop one of these deaths tonight. Which do you choose? Your old lover or your child?"

  Freddy hated her. That absolute revulsion rolled through Freddy just then, making her gut churn, her hands shake. Deg's arms were too strong around her or Morrígan would have died that moment.

  Colin keeled over to his side. His head was bloody, and his breath rasped out of him. He curled around himself as he fell, mumbling and crying.

  Cernunnos did not move, looking pale and ill. His head snapped back and forth between the Fitzgeralds--Dad, Mom, and Freddy. He was probably weighing his options, deciding who meant the most to him, who he could afford to lose. Freddy didn't know whether to admire Cernunnos' absolute ruthlessness or vomit in horror as the stag-god so obviously measured and compared the relative value of the lives of her and her family.

  Kore, who had been immobile on the floor to this point, slithered to her feet--no one noticed but Freddy. The young goddess set herself beside Freddy and Deg. Cold fingers probed Freddy's back and the waistband of her jeans. She flinched, but without turning her head, Freddy flicked her eyes to meet Kore's.

  Kore gave a small nod as she palmed the dagger Deg had slipped to Freddy earlier. The goddess eased herself away from Freddy and edged closer to Morrígan. The Phantom Queen didn't notice as she postured and threw her arms out for her next grand stand moment.

  Morrígan went to Dad on the floor. She rolled him over with her toe. He flopped boneless onto his back and didn't move. He barely breathed, and a layer of caked, dark blood masked his face. She bent and stroked down his body, licking her lips. "Up, my Hound. I have work needs doing. Wake up."

  Dad snapped upright at the last words, his face livid. Instead of going for Freddy as Morrígan wished, he went for the war goddess instead. Large hands bulging with strength curled themselves around Morrígan's neck and choked her. The war goddess gasped and flailed.

  Karma's a bitch. Freddy's throat throbbed in remembered pain from Morrígan's near strangling of her.

  With a high pitched shriek, Morrígan lashed out. Her hands had become the long, sharp talons of a bird. As she lost her breath and her life, she tore Colin's skin in deep, bloody gashes. Freddy winced in sympathetic pain at each slice, and her feet carried her forward almost before she knew she'd moved.

  Deg let Freddy go and she barreled toward Morrígan, her legs pumping hard in sudden, unrestrained momentum, while Deg moved on Badb. Freddy's mom broke free somehow and Badb tumbled to a heap in the floor, Deg standing over her. That was enough for Freddy. "Get off my dad." She rushed in and yanked at Morrígan's shoulders with all her strength. Her arms throbbed with the effort as she pulled Morrígan away from Dad.

  He choked and coughed, his face and torso a bloody mess of scratches. But he was alive. Relief flooded Freddy in a warm surge as she put Morrígan in a headlock and hauled her roughly backward. Morrígan's elbow shot up and in to Freddy's solar plexus. Karma again, for all the times Freddy had nailed Deg is just that way. Freddy choked, pain throbbing in her torso, and gasped to get her air back, like someone had stuffed a sink plug down her throat.

  Morrígan stalked toward Freddy, claws crooked to gouge her eyes out. Freddy stumbled back, rubbing her chest and coughing, one hand held out futilely before her to hold the angry goddess off. Freddy still couldn't get enough air, but it was her own fear choking her now.

  Morrígan stepped close, face contorted with hatred, and Freddy, jolting with pure adrenaline, dodged under the goddess's arm and came up swinging. She clipped Morrígan's jaw with a solid punch that jarred Freddy's hand and snapped Morrígan's head back.

  Morrígan stumbled, woozy and off-balance as Kore ran up behind her, hollering some ridiculous war cry and clutching the borrowed dagger.

  Horror blossomed in Freddy's belly, and the world seemed to slow as Morrígan fell back from her punch. Freddy half-stepped forward, reaching for the goddess. I take it back. Stop. No.

  But it was no use. Freddy moved too slowly.

  Morrígan fell toward Kore, and the knife in the young goddess's hand accidentally slid deep into Morrígan's back with a slick, squishing pop.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  The force of the fall buried the knife to its hilt in Morrígan's back. Her gown was already wet with blood, stained a deep red. Freddy gaped in horror. She rushed toward Morrígan then stopped herself. Her stomach rose in the back of her throat.

  Morrígan tilted and turned. Kore's bloodstained hand moved to steady her, leaving a red handprint on the Phantom
Queen's shoulder. They looked at each other, locked in a ghastly mockery of an embrace. Eyes wide with dismay, Kore quivered as she stared at Morrígan.

  Morrígan smiled.

  Freddy blinked and looked again. Yes. Morrígan was smiling. Not one of her toothy grins, all menace and the promise of impending death. This smile was kindly. Tender. Freddy put her hands to her mouth, everything in her swirling with dismay and horror, and, worst of all, relief.

  Morrígan reached out and drew Kore to her.

  Deg started toward them.

  Morrígan kissed Kore's forehead. "Take care of them." Her red eyes rolled back in her head. She teetered and her body folded up. Kore caught at the other goddess, but they overbalanced into the pool together.

  "Kore." Deg leaned over the side, and Freddy snapped free of her shock to crowd in next to him. She and Deg both nearly fell in as everyone--Cernunnos, Mom, Dad, the Morrígan-ettes and all the various huntsmen and fairies leaned far out over the edge of the pool to see, too.

  The pool water was still that clear chlorine blue. Kore and Morrígan were two blurs at the bottom of the deep end, one dark, one light. They looked like a living yin yang symbol as their skirts and long hair swirled and churned to mingle with each other.

  Freddy shivered. The temperature in the room dropped, slapping Freddy with its sudden intensity. Her hands shook, not only from the cold, but from sudden fear, too.

  The water of the pool misted over. The windows fogged. An icy wind whipped up, and chill draughts cut through her clothes to tickle her skin with shards of ice.

  The pool's surface, stirred to fury by the wind, lapped against the sides. Waves crashed over and doused Freddy and those near her with chill water. Freddy peeped over the side and gaped to see a whirlpool forming with violent force at the heart of the deep end. Kore's and Morrígan's bodies were caught in the swirling mass of water, and Morrígan's blood swirled in streams through the whirlpool's cone. The sight reminded Freddy of those spinning tables where you squeeze paint on your paper to get a crazy riot of splattered, swirling colors when you finally stop the table's spin.

  Would the whirlpool ever stop?

  And what will we wewewhave when it does?

  The windows shattered above her and the glass rained down. Deg covered her with his body, pushing her to the ground. His breath rasped in her ear and his skin was clammy, chill where it touched hers. Freddy clenched her fingers in the folds of Deg's clothes and held herself against him. Her heart leapt to her throat to choke her with terror.

  And yet she was grateful that if the world was going to go to pieces, at least it was considerate enough to have Deg on hand for her.

  As suddenly as it had started, the chaos ended. The icy wind and the consuming dark leeched away with an abruptness that threw her off balance, soaked and confused.

  Deg let Freddy up and looked at her, he seemed to search her face and body for new hurts. "I have to get Kore out."

  She stood with him. "I'll help." Freddy steeled herself for the shock of the water. She and Deg surged toward the pool edge to jump in. Cernunnos flung his arm out to stop them. "Wait."

  Deg, past patience, past diplomacy, rounded on the other god and barked in his face. "My sister is down there!"

  Kore broke the surface with a massive splash the Little Mermaid would have envied. She gasped a great gulp of air in and blinked dazed golden eyes around at everyone.

  Her hair had turned white.

  Kore swam toward the side of the pool. Deg went to pull her out, but the Morrígan-ettes beat him to it. Badb and Nemain perched on the side of the pool and towered over Kore. She hesitated but, at last, she caught their hands and let them haul her out.

  Once Kore stood, Badb lifted one of her hands and kissed the palm. "Blessed be my sister. Kore of the Morrígna." She sank to her knees and bowed low to the concrete on one side of Kore.

  Nemain stepped forward as Badb had done. "Welcome to our Trinity, Kore the Phantom Queen." She kissed Kore's hand and placed her forehead against it then pressed her forehead against the top of Kore's foot. Kore frowned, but she didn't seem to be confused by any of this tribute.

  Deg rushed forward a step then stopped, shaking his head a little, maybe in denial. His face contorted, pinching into a grimace of pain. Aching for him, Freddy wrapped her arms around his middle, offering what comfort she could.

  He'd found Kore but lost her, for--whatever Kore might have wanted--she could never go home to the Underworld now. Deg clung to Freddy, trembling, eyes wide as he watched the haphazard ceremony unfold.

  Freddy looked around for her parents. Mom had Dad nestled in her lap. When Freddy raised an eyebrow in question and nodded her chin toward Kore, Mom just shrugged and shook her head. Dad looked barely conscious, but he gave Freddy a wan smile when she caught his eye. Relieved warmth spread through her; her dad would be fine.

  Cernunnos drew all eyes to himself as he strode forward. Kore's eyes fastened hungrily on his face. He stopped in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders. He leaned in and gave Kore a chaste kiss on the mouth. She clung to his arms with tense, stiff fingers. The stag-god pulled back and gave her one of his more wolfish grins. "All honor to you, my love, my consort. My queen." He sank to one knee and lowered his head, his massive antlers bracketing Kore like a cage.

  The fairies, the huntsmen, they all followed suit at once and flung themselves face down at the poolside, some of them getting a face full of puddle for their fealty.

  Freddy and Deg were the only ones still standing besides Kore. Kore looked back and forth between Badb and Nemain, down at the top of Cernunnos' antlers. The impromptu tribute left her at a loss, apparently.

  Freddy didn't blame her. She tried to smile but couldn't get her mouth to do more than tilt sideways in a crooked grin. Kore returned her a limp smile.

  Cernunnos and the goddesses stood. The fairy court followed suit at once. Badb and Nemain held Kore by her elbows, steering her toward the door. "Come, sister." Nemain gently tucked a lock of wet white hair behind Kore's ear. "We are done here. And there will be much to do at home."

  "Now there will be," Badb muttered audibly enough so the whole room heard her.

  Nemain shot her a sharp look. They hustled Kore through the crowd, right past Deg and Freddy.

  Kore dug her feet in and broke free. When Badb and Nemain tried to stop her, she wheeled on them with a look so fierce the old Morrígan would have been impressed. They lowered their heads and retreated. Kore nodded in satisfaction and turned back. She clasped Freddy's hand.

  Kore opened her mouth once, twice, shook her head and tried again. "Thank you. For what you have done. For what you tried to tell me that I could not understand. I--I would repay you for my past wrongs, Frederica." She raised her chin and looked more like her old arrogant self.

  Freddy covered Kore's hand, anxiety tickling the back of her throat. Please don't say no. "Cúchulainn swore allegiance to the Phantom Queen. Will you give my dad back to me?" Freddy hastily added, "Please, your highness?"

  Badb and Nemain hissed in disapproval.

  Kore smiled. She led Freddy over to where her parents had crumpled. Mom lifted and coaxed Dad to a kneeling position in front of Kore.

  The new Phantom Queen placed her hand on top of Dad's head. "Your freedom was granted once to you, Faithful Hound. You traded it for one you hold dear. I grant it again unconditionally, and officially confer the blessing of the Phantom Queen and the Morrígna on you and yours. May the House of Fitzgerald thrive and prosper for many a long day to come." Kore bent and kissed the top of Dad's head.

  He smiled at her, seeming less weary, less hurt, less broken. "Thank you, my queen."

  Mom eased herself to her feet with a wince. Kore turned to her.

  Cernunnos shifted awkwardly on his feet, staring at the ceiling, obviously ill at ease to have his girlfriends meeting face to face.

  Putz. Annoyed more than anything else, very little real venom stirred inside Freddy now at the thought of her
irresponsible father. Maybe Cernunnos has grown on me. A little.

  Mom gave Kore a small hug and a maternal smile. "Good luck to you." Her eyes flicked briefly to Cernunnos. "You'll need it."

  Kore chuckled but nodded. "The gods go with you, Abigail."

  "I hope not," Mom muttered.

  Kore stepped back. Deg reached for her and pressed her arm. "Kore."

  Tears welled up and Kore's lovely eyes shimmered like stars with them. "Will you tell Father for me? And Mother?"

  "Kore?" But Deg's sister threw herself into his arms. He looked startled for a moment then hugged her tight. He patted her long sheathe of wet hair and pinched his eyes closed. "Adelfi."

  She pulled back and leaned her head against his chest. He kissed her hair. She stood straight, and they spoke softly in Greek to each other. Deg kissed her on one cheek. She returned it. They gave each other brave smiles, and she trailed away from him, her hands lingering on his arm until the last possible moment.

  Nemain and Badb took charge of her again. They followed the trailing rabble of fairies and huntsmen as they left the pool area to return to the Otherworld. Cernunnos waved them on and lingered.

  Freddy eyed him warily when he went toward her mom.

  Mom furrowed her brow and darted a worried look at Dad, but she went forward a few paces to meet Cernunnos.

  Freddy wanted to punch the stag-god. Dad needed to get home and get patched up and here the stag-god was--his wife dead, his mistress the new queen. He had better things to do than leer at Freddy's mom. Freddy started forward, but Deg yanked her back.

  He shook his head when she glared at her mom and Cernunnos. "Freddy, it is between them. Do not interfere with old lovers."

  Ouch. Freddy didn't like to think about that. He was probably right, which was worse. She restrained herself with an effort and sat cross-legged beside her dad to glower at Cernunnos and Mom while they talked. The poolside wasn't exactly private, but Cernunnos didn't seem to care.