Primeval Prelude

by Amy Sumida

  “What could a traitor on the run have to offer a bunch of Lesser Fey?” I mused.

  “She was a queen,” Torin said. “She may have had property in other realms. In fact, I'd be surprised if she didn't. If those fairies wanted a new life, Eileen would have been a way out.”

  “Or perhaps they found out about the side effects and deserted her,” Banning said. “It would explain why we found her alone in that clearing.”

  We all made sounds of agreement.

  “I think we've forgotten one important piece of information.” Declan looked around at us as if we would figure it out if he stared long enough. Finally, he huffed and said, “Shining Ones don't cast spells; that's a Witch thing.”

  We all gaped at him.

  “Holy shit,” I whispered. “Why didn't that occur to us sooner?”

  “Because it's not necessarily an issue,” Torin said. “Shining Ones don't cast spells per se, but we are magic users. Eileen could have been using her magic in a way that created the evil taint, or she could have hired someone to teach her spellcraft. We may not be known for it, but it doesn't mean we don't cast spells at all. Anyone with an ounce of magical ability can learn.”

  “Anyone?” Declan asked in surprise.

  “How do you not know that?” Torin asked.

  “How do you know it?” Declan shot back.

  Torin looked meaningfully at Declan.

  “Ah!” Declan's expression shifted into comprehension. “Your mother. But she never knew her Witch father.”

  “When she was young and reckless—before she met my father—Mother went abroad,” Torin said.

  “Abroad?” I asked.

  “She came here, to meet her people.” Torin sighed.

  “And what happened?” Declan asked impatiently.

  “The Witches taught her to be a Witch.” Torin shrugged and then started walking toward the Witch manor again.

  “You never told me that your mother knew witchcraft!” Declan snapped. “Sweet stones! She never told me.”

  “It wasn't your business, Declan,” Torin said in the low tone he reserved for putting people off

  It didn't work on Declan.

  “Did you learn any spells?” Declan asked.

  We all watched the exchange avidly.

  “A few,” Torin admitted.

  “Anything dark?” Declan growled.

  Torin stopped walking and turned to face Declan with a furious glare. “No. And do not take that line of questioning any further, Declan.”

  Declan took a deep, considering breath as he looked over Torin. The two kings eyed each other critically before Declan finally nodded.

  “Okay,” I muttered. “We've established that Shining Ones can learn spellcraft. And that's enough for now. I think I need some sleep. Maybe I'll process this better after some rest.”

  As we stepped into the main hall, Odin appeared with a bound and gagged Eileen. Her eyes were wild, as was her hair, but Odin looked cool, calm, and collected. He winked at me with his one eye.

  “The Blooders are on their way to Kansas,” Odin said to Banning. “The Griffins have used their shells to go home to Torr-Chathair, and the Shining Ones are transporting my Witches—”

  Before he could finish, the Witches walked through the main doors with the Shining One knights; including my kyanite knights. I went over to my knights; realizing that I hadn't told them what was happening. I had just left them for someone else to deal with.

  “I'm sorry, guys,” I said to the three men. “I should have told you that I was leaving.”

  “We understand, Your Majesty,” Sir Nial said. “You were in danger, and we'd rather have you safe than take the time to speak with us.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “And thank you for helping to bring the Witches home.”

  “It's no trouble at all, Queen Elaria.” Sir Jin bowed to me.

  “I'd like you three to head home to Kyanite and let Duke Kieran know what's happened,” I said to the third knight: Sir Samuel. “Tell him that we have Eileen and that we've handled another threat to Primeval, but now I'm investigating it further. I'm not sure when I'll be returning to Kyanite.”

  “I'm certain that Duke Kieran will be honored to continue to watch over things in your stead, Your Majesty,” Sir Jin assured me. “Don't concern yourself with that now. We'll tell him what's happened. He'll most likely want to put the castle under a heavy guard.”

  “You're right.” I could have smacked myself in the head. I needed to think like a queen now; there was a whole kingdom depending on me. “In fact, tell him that those are my orders. Be wary of any Lesser Fey. In fact; be on alert for any strangers at all.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” the kyanite knights said together.

  They bowed and then used their traveling stones to head home.

  “I'm relieved that you have men such as those helping you,” Declan said. “Ruling is so much easier when you have support.”

  “They're very brave,” I agreed. “To even volunteer to go into Primeval with me was impressive.”

  Eileen made a snorting sound behind her gag.

  “Right; we have to deal with you.” I sighed.

  “I'll take her into the cell I use for especially powerful prisoners,” Odin said. “It's in a room beyond my altar space; no one will be able to reach her, and she won't be able to get out—I promise you.”

  “Thanks, Odin,” I said.

  “Of course, Elaria. It's no problem.” Odin grinned as he manhandled Eileen out of the room.

  I didn't blame him; we all wanted to get a few good swings at the ex-Copper Queen. A little rough treatment from Odin was the least of her worries.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  I slept for a few hours; tossing and turning in the subterranean room Odin provided us. I had requested one below ground so I wouldn't have to worry about the sunlight creeping in and waking me up. But the darkness didn't help; my unsettled dreams woke me by sunset, and I slipped out of bed carefully so I wouldn't wake Declan. We had been too tired to do anything but literally sleep together. Still, he had wanted to share the bed with me, and I didn't want to sleep alone. But Declan wasn't as troubled as I, and he slept on soundly as I left the bed.

  I dressed and headed up to Odin's suite. His altar room was deep inside the stone foundation of the island, but there was only one way down to it, and that was through Odin's private rooms, which were on the main floor. So, I had to go up before I could go down.

  I knew Odin had been speaking truly when he said he'd have no problem holding Eileen. The Shining Ones may be the most powerful magical beings in all the realms, but Witches knew how to condense their magic, and the Relic had been proof that such spells could defeat the Shining Ones. Plus, it was Odin; he was one of the most powerful Witches in existence. Eileen was never getting out of a cell made by Odin Earthshaker.

  I knocked on Odin's door and had to wait awhile for him to answer. When he did, he looked as if he'd just rolled out of his bed. His straight hair was so mussed it was nearly curly, he was dressed only in pants—which drooped on his hips, and his eye patch was off. His lid was closed over the empty socket, but it was slightly concave. Odin squinted at me with his good eye and then sighed.

  “I suppose you're here to question the fairy,” he said morosely.

  “It's okay.” I laughed. “You don't have to join me; I'll just speak to her through the bars.”

  “But I have to let you into the workspace,” he huffed. “Come on.”

  Odin walked me through his immaculate rooms, past his rumpled bed, and to the door that hid the stairway leading down to Odin's workroom. He opened the door—releasing a ward as he did so—and gestured down the stairs.

  “The cells are behind the only other door in the room,” he said. “I think you'll be able to find it on your own.”

  I went into the stairwell, and Odin started to close the door behind me.

  “Hey!” I stopped him. “How am I going to get out?”

 
“It's a one-way ward.” Odin yawned. “I made it to keep people out while I work, but there's no need to lock myself in.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  I descended the stairs into the massive cave that served as Odin's workroom. It was in perfect order, as usual. Odin was a bit OCD. He had a place for everything and left nothing out of its place. So, it was easy to maneuver the vast space to the door across the cave from me. There were only two obstacles to veer around; a huge wooden table and a spellcasting circle. I opened the door to find a room with two cells down one side and a corridor in front of them. There was an overhead light that was dimmed for the night. I found a panel by the door and turned the brightness up as far as it would go. A chair stood beneath the switch, and I grabbed it. The sound of movement came from the last cell, so that's where I headed; taking the chair with me.

  Eileen was lying on a cot, one arm cast over her forehead. She peered out from beneath it as I approached. Her gag and restraints were gone. They were unnecessary when she was locked behind spelled-steel.

  “Hello, Eileen.”

  “Hello, Murderess,” Eileen hissed.

  “That's rich, coming from you,” I huffed. “You nearly killed an entire realm.”

  Eileen laughed derisively. “When you finally figure out that you have the wrong person, I'm going to treasure the look on your face.”

  “Sure; you're innocent,” I said derisively. “You just ran into Primeval to hide—the dumbest move a Shining One could make—and then wound up in the same meadow as a bunch of kidnapped barghest children and Blooders. That makes sense.”

  “I was offered sanctuary in Primeval.” Eileen lifted her chin. “It was not a dumb move.”

  “Sanctuary?” I laughed. “Yeah, okay. The Lesser Fey came to Copper, right in the nick of time, and offered you a place to hide.”

  “They did, actually.” Eileen frowned thoughtfully. “In hindsight, I should have been more suspicious of it, but it wasn't as if I had a lot of options.”

  “You mean after you attacked pretty much everyone?” I grimaced.

  “You needed to pay for what you did to my husband!”

  “Your husband created weapons that could have destroyed all of Tír na nÓg!” I shouted back.

  “What?” Eileen whispered.

  I sighed deeply; I hadn't meant to say that. But now that it was out, I might as well go with it. It wasn't like Eileen was going to live much longer, and she probably deserved to know why her husband had died.

  “Someone tried to assassinate me,” I said more calmly. “I will not tell you what tool they used because I have no wish for anyone—especially you—to know that such things are possible. But we traced the killer back to your husband, and then I found him holed up in a farmhouse with a loup, in the very act of creating those weapons. There was a fight, and we defended ourselves with one of King Lorcan's inventions. He threw it at us, and I deflected it; he was killed by his own weapon.”

  “I don't believe you,” she growled.

  “Do you honestly think that I can make people—Shining Ones, no less—explode into tiny pieces?” I asked.

  She stared at me uneasily. “I heard that you raised Hell in the Sapphire Kingdom.”

  She had me there.

  “I didn't want to kill your husband, Eileen,” I said gently. “And I am sorry for your loss.”

  “No,” she whispered. Then she shouted, “No! I won't let you worm your way into my mind. I know what you did.”

  “And I know what you did,” I countered.

  She blinked; her gaze dropping as she seemed to work through something.

  “Sweet stones,” she whispered. “Could we both be wrong?” Eileen lifted her stare to mine.

  I went still.

  “Tell me how you ended up in that meadow,” I demanded.

  “I told you—”

  “Again,” I interrupted her. “In fact, start with entering Primeval.”

  She sat back on the cot and stared at me in consideration.

  “All right.” Eileen heaved a deep sigh. “But first; tell me what led you to my husband. What made you suspect that Lorcan tried to kill you?”

  “The assassin confessed,” I said. “And the weapon I mentioned; it was made from copper.”

  Eileen sucked in a shocked breath. “No,” she whispered. “Not the magic destroyer?”

  “Fuck!” I hissed. “You knew about it?”

  Eileen was shaking her head; her eyes round and horrified.

  “You knew it was possible,” I corrected.

  “He swore that he would never do such a thing,” Eileen murmured. “He swore! I told him it was blasphemy—an insult to the very energy that gives us life—and he agreed. Lorcan promised me that he'd never try to make them.”

  “He made them,” I said softly. “Lorcan destroyed several onyx guardians in Torin's garden with one of his bombs, and then he tried to kill me.”

  “Oh, Lorcan,” Eileen whispered miserably. “And it was one of the destroyers that killed him?”

  “Yes.”

  Eileen wept further, bending over to cover her face with her hands. I just sat there silently, letting her have a moment to grieve. After a few minutes, her weeping lessened and then ceased. She sniffed, wiped at her face, and looked up at me steadily.

  “When things didn't go as planned with you, I was ready to make a final stand,” Eileen began. “But a leanan-sidhe appeared at Castle Copper and told me that the Trinity of Strengths would give me sanctuary in Primeval. The messenger said the Trinity thought we could help each other. I knew I'd die if I faced the combined might of Kyanite, Alexandrite, and Onyx, and I would take my court down with me. Primeval seemed like the perfect solution. I told my court to surrender to you and your forces, and I went with the leanan-sidhe to Primeval.”

  “And then?” I asked.

  “Things went smoothly at first.” Eileen grimaced. “I was taken to the Amber Temple and given accommodations befitting my station.”

  I rolled my eyes at that.

  “I met with the Trinity, and they said they had a way to save Tír na nÓg from any future threats,” she went on.

  “Future threats?” I scowled.

  “The Sapphire War,” she said simply. “When the Relic woke, all of Tír na nÓg sensed it, and that included Primeval. The Trinity decided that this was the last time they let the sidhe determine their fate. They wanted to take action.”

  “What kind of action?” I asked.

  “They're trying to seize power.” Eileen sneered. “I laughed at them. I told them they had no idea what kind of magic they'd be up against. Then I told them what I had so recently faced with you—and I being a jewel queen. They couldn't possibly defeat the Savior of the Realm.” She made another face when she spoke the title the sidhe had given me. “You would unite the Jewel Kingdoms against them; you're annoyingly tenacious.”

  “Thank you; I think,” I muttered.

  “They said that they would defeat you and anyone else who stood in their way.” Eileen went sober. “And they gave me an ultimatum; I could help them, or I could become their first casualty.”

  “So, you helped them,” I concluded.

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” Eileen huffed indignantly. “I am the Queen of Copper; I bow to no one's demands. I laughed in their faces and told them to do their worst because they didn't have the power to make a sidhe queen into a casualty.”

  “Fuck.” I chuckled. “I have to hand it to you; that's pretty hardcore.”

  “Thank you.” Eileen's mouth twisted into a small smile.

  “What did they do?”

  “They fucking locked me in my suite,” Eileen growled as she narrowed her brown eyes. “After all their threats, they took my traveling stone and sent me to my room like a child. Well, I wasn't about to wait around and see what they came up with to torture me with; I left.”

  “You left?” I lifted my brows. “Just like that?”

  “Did you not hear the part where I'm th
e Queen of Copper?”

  “Yeah; I heard you,” I said. I could have pointed out that it wasn't true any longer, but I didn't want to destroy this tenuous truce we had going. “I also saw Trinity's army. How did you get past them?”

  “Love.” She smirked.

  “Love?”

  “One of Copper's properties is attracting love,” she explained. “I made one of my redcaps guards fall in love with me. He overpowered the other guard and helped me escape the temple.”

  “And then he just sent you off into Primeval alone?”

  “He wanted to go with me, of course.” She snorted. “I told him I'd come back for him; the buffoon.”

  “Nice.” I grimaced.

  “We do what we must to survive.” Eileen shrugged. “I had nearly made it out of Primeval when a group of dryads ambushed me. I was bound before I had a chance to defend myself.”

  “Reyne's group,” I murmured.

  “I never asked their names,” she said snidely.

  “And then you escaped.”

  “No; actually, I didn't,” she said grudgingly. “Trinity sent fairies after me. They were the ones who broke me out of the dryads' custody. I thought they were taking me back to the temple, but we stayed within the forest. Then, they spelled me to sleep. I woke up in that clearing you found me in. You know the rest.”

  “So, you're saying that the Trinity is behind the dying trees and kidnappings, not you?” I asked skeptically.

  “They are!” she hissed.

  “Okay.” I started to stand.

  “Wait!” Eileen called. “I'll prove to you that I'm trustworthy.” She inhaled deeply and then let her breath out in an annoyed heave. She made a sour face as she said, “I'll save your life.”

  “You'll do what now?” I asked in surprise.

  “I know something that can save your life, Queen Elaria,” Eileen said with deadly sincerity. “Do you want to hear it, or would you rather take the chance of discounting me?”

  “I'm listening.” I sat back down.

  “So are we,” Torin announced as he strode in with Banning, Declan, and Gage. “What do you know, Eileen?”