“He’ll be fine without you,” declared Izzy from behind me. I knew she was creeping around in the shadows somewhere around here. She just wouldn’t let Fergus go, the way I let Edgar go.
I nodded. “My heart is breaking,” I said, as my eyes misted over. “And it’s not for…” I plunged my face into the palms of my hands, sobbing.
“Sometimes,” she said serenely, “you have to fight for the ones you love.”
“Yes,” I said, with a sigh of relief. Izzy seemed to really understand what was going on in my heart. She knew I wanted to fight for Blane. But how could I? I just agreed with him, telling him we shouldn’t be together.
“When you finally realize who really matters to you in your life,” she continued, “you can’t hold on to the past anymore.”
“True,” I said, feeling hopeful.
“Pretty much do whatever it takes to make it right.”
“Yes,” I muttered, staring off into the shadows of the night.
I heard a whistling sound stinging against my ear, whooshing from where Izzy stood behind me.
A powerful weight clobbered against the side of my head, jolting me forward.
Thud!
And then…
It all went black.
Chapter 20
♦♦♦
Izzy
My fingers curled around the brass rimmed telescope, a sinister grin inching across my face as I stared down at Anabel’s unconscious body, passed out cold. I knelt beside her, trailing my fingertips over the Moon Pendant, lingering for a moment over its energy, swirling around inside its gem stones in a cloudy mist.
Quickly, I shifted my feet, looking over my shoulder, hearing Edgar mowing through the tall grass, staggering like a fool. Standing up, I squinted hard and could see he was staring at me, gobsmacked, stumbling toward Lainahwyn’s cave.
“Go on you big nerd!” I yelled at him, releasing the telescope from my hand, it clattered hitting the jagged rocks, shattering the mirror inside into a million pieces. “I know she’s calling you,” poking my index finger at my temple. “She’s in your head.”
I took a deep breath, sauntering toward the whispering oak, leaving Anabel’s body exposed to the elements. I’m sure Blane will come by and rescue her. He always seemed to know when she needs rescuing, I told myself.
This was the part I was waiting for. I grinned from ear to ear, rolling my body under the gnarled roots of the mighty oak tree, sneaking into Lainahwyn’s lair undetected. I flipped on a flashlight, beaming its bright light against the cave’s walls, lined with human skeletons still dressed in their Sunday’s best, loosely dangling from their chains.
It didn’t take long for me to make my way through the damp labyrinth, searching to find Fergus and his dad, climbing over slippery rocks, sliding past decomposing bodies still imprisoned in Lainahwyn’s lair.
I wonder if she’ll find a new place to store the bodies if the Portal remains open and she wins? Ahhh…. What am I thinking?
Focus, Isobel, focus.
There they were, Fergus and his dad.
His dad lay lifeless, his dusty mouth hanging wide open, his wrists snaked together with frayed roped, moaning in pain, unaware of where he was.
Fergus, on the other hand, was tied up with barbed wired to the cave’s wall, sharp pointy pieces of metal twisted around his limbs, deep slashes gouged into his arms showing he fought a good battle, trying to free himself from his prison.
“Fergus!” I cried, clamping my hands onto his bruised cheeks, raising his head up to look into his eyes. “Fergus, I’m here! I’m gonna get you outta this hell hole. Do you hear me, Fergus?”
Fergus’s head lolled to the side, unresponsive, his eyes a creamy white. My body shivered inside. The damn demon had gotten to him, turning him into some sort of marshmallow. I studied the barbed wire, fastening him to the dreary wall.
“I’m gonna get you out of here,” I said through clenched teeth, popping out my razor-sharp knife, and sawing through the metal wire coiled around his wrists.
“Aye, such a pretty, lass,” mumbled his dad, smacking his flaky cracked lips together, puckering them out toward me. “Now, would ya give us a kiss?”
“Sorry, Pops,” I said, struggling to cut through the metal wire. “I’m kinda busy right now.”
“Ah, you don’t say?” he said, his tongue thrust between his lips as if he were a baby, trying to wet them. “I wouldn’t bother with him, lass.”
I huffed staring at my knife’s blade now dull as a spoon, tossing it back into my boot, realizing I couldn’t cut the damn wire!
Ahh! I’m so stupid! Why didn’t I swipe Blane’s short blade when I had the chance?
“He’ll be out for a bit,” mumbled Fergus’s dad. “She just fed on him.”
I froze.
What the heck was I going to do?
I tilted Fergus’s head up, curling my fingers into a ball, transforming into a powerful fist of pure adrenaline. I slammed my fist down into his chiseled jaw, clocking him as hard as I could, nearly breaking his jaw and my hand.
Fergus’s eyes popped open, shifting his head toward me, spreading his lips thinly against his teeth, flaring, hissing at me like a cat. I jumped away from him, watching his eyelids grow heavy, relaxing his scruffy head, it flopped gingerly down to the side, bobbing off his neck.
“You’re a real feisty one, lass,” chuckled Fergus’s dad. “You should meet me other boy, McKade. He’s a bit of a lone ranger himself.”
Fergus began to moan, shifting his head side to side.
“Fergus,” I said, cupping his face, studying his poisoned eyes. His jaw lurched out at me, snapping sharply, wanting to bite me.
“Told ya, lass,” sniffed Fergus’s dad. “He’s gone, beyond any magic known to man. Just let ‘em go.”
A tear drizzled down my cheek. I hastily wiped it away. None of that mush, I said to myself, thank you very much. My fingers bracketed his face once more, my hands quivering as I touched his face. His eyes were dilated, completely in another world.
I lunged in swiftly, planting a huge wet one on his beautiful lips, hoping that somehow he would remember me and wake him up out of this crazy nightmare. I pressed into him, molding my lips to his the curve of his mouth, giving him a deep soul kiss, sending goose bumps all the way down to my toes, his stubble scratching against my fragile skin.
It felt like heaven.
I pulled away, licking my mouth with the taste of him still on it.
Nothing.
I cringed inside.
“Like I said, lass,” chuckled Fergus’s dad, “I could use a nice wet one, too.”
My hand dove into my bra, whipping out a fragrant bluebell that I picked on the way over. I pushed its delicate petals up into his nostrils, hoping it’d break the demon’s spell.
Nothing.
My shoulders slumped. I had nothing more. How was I going to break him out of this dreadful place? How was I going to wake him up? How was I… Fergus groaned, fluttering his eyes, dipping his head back and forth.
“Fergus!” I whispered, my voice cracking as I said his name.
“Aye,” he moaned.
“You did it, lass!” said Fergus’s dad excitedly.
I glanced over at Fergus’s dad with a sweet smile. You would’ve thought I planted a wet one on him too.
“Fergus,” I said, lifting the iron chain off my neck, lapping it around his sweaty throat. “Take this. I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Do you hear me?”
Fergus smirked, “You came, Izzy. I’m so happy you came, lass.”
“Fergus, listen to me, I have a plan.” I brushed my hand against the lump in my pocket.
“Gotta love a woman who puts up a good fight,” he said beaming at me, “Are ya gonna marry me, lass?” he laughed jovially.
I was surprised at his words. Did he really mean it? Or was it just from all the venom surging through his blood hindering his thinking? It must’ve affected his brain, seriously, who s
ays that to someone they barely know?
“Will you quit it, Fergus.” I said, wanting to kiss him again for being such a dream.
“Seriously, Izzy,” he added, “What say you marry this sweaty Scotsman? Goodness only knows how much longer we have on this planet.”
“Aye, if you don’t marry him,” said Fergus’s dad, “I’ll marry you meself.”
I giggled and I think I might have actually blushed.
I leaned into Fergus, sweeping my lips over his velvety lips, drinking him in until I was drunk on him. Is this what it feels like? When they say, two people become one, when it makes sense and that you’d do anything, anything, to be with the person you love? My toes tingled as if I was floating on cloud nine, soaring high above the clouds.
I was finally, happy.
A deep voice cleared his throat behind me. “Aye, lass, I suppose this is the time you’d say Holy Shyte,” chortled Vyx.
I spun around, staring into Vyx’s ugly bulldog face.
“Aye, what a big balloon!” said Fergus’s dad.
Vyx’s fist shot out, bashing Fergus’s dad across his cheek bone, knocking his head into the stone wall.
Vyx latched his burly fingers around my forearm tightly, wrenching me away.
“Fergus!” I called back over my shoulder, my feet dragging behind, Vyx.
“Give ‘em hell, Izzy,” called Fergus, his voice trailing off as Vyx dragged me through the dark passageway.
♦♦♦
Anabel
I was cold. My body shivered in the dew-drenched air. Izzy had made it perfectly clear whose side she was on. It was her way or no way at all. The biggest task was before me, the Nuckelavee, and I was lying on the hillside unable to move. My head throbbed from where Izzy struck me, leaving a painful welt.
What was I going to do? Blane was injured, Edgar had left, Fergus was captured, and Izzy just betrayed me, stealing the Moon Pendant. Talk about sisterly love.
I was all alone.
Maybe, it’s a blessing that Izzy stole the Moon Pendant. Now, I can be with Blane. I suddenly realized I didn’t have to face the Nuckelavee. I was free from my duty. My head swirled with pain. My eyes focused on a face above my head.
“Guardian,” Blane said, brushing his fingers against my delicate face.
I blinked not able to respond to him.
I could feel tiny ropes coiling around my wrists and legs, the Heathers hoisting me up into air, flying me off to Dunvarghan Castle.
Chapter 21
♦♦♦
Izzy
Vyx shoved me in front of the demon, a satisfying grin curling on her ruby lips, her spiky nails caressing Edgar’s lanky body, purring, her eyes sparkling as they studied me falling onto my bony knees.
“Glorious!” she said, captivated by my presence. “Another MacAlpin!”
I scurried back onto my feet. Smiling at her as I stood straight up, broadening my chest, showing her I wasn’t under her spell as the others were.
“I’ve come here to demand you release Fergus and his dad, at once!” I said strongly.
Vyx chuckled, yanking my hair back, breathing his foul breath into my ear. “You’ve come here to tell us where the Dragon Spell is, wench.”
Edgar stood in a dream like state, bubbling over in excitement with all the attention the demon was giving him.
“Do you like my new toy,” asked the demon, unraveling Edgar’s bowtie, sliding it off his neck, rolling it between her fleshy fingertips.
“No,” I said flat out.
The demon slid her body behind Edgar, brushing her cheek along his sallow face, her wispy hair straggling over his meager chest. “You speak hastily, child,” she said with a gleaming grin.
“I say what’s on my mind,” I said stiffly, “got a problem with that?”
The demon pulled away from Edgar, floating across the stone floor. “Do you know, Isobel, there’s another way of opening the Portal?”
“I heard stories.” I lied.
She laughed in amusement. “The Dragon’s Spell is an ancient magic that is known only to your family,” she said in a faintly mocking smile. “It was given to your family by Danú herself. Vyx says you had it in your possession?”
The Dragon Spell? I knew she was talking about that old tattered scroll with the Dragon symbol on it. That’s what they wanted now? That was going to open the Portal, outside of the Moon Pendant? I needed to think fast and to play their game.
“Was that before or after Vyx tried to kill me?” I said boldly, eyeing Vyx as he sneered at me. “Yes, I did have it. But after the No. 7 bus slammed into me on Main Street, it was lost.”
“That is hard to believe,” expressed the demon.
“May I suggest that there was someone else nearby that may have apprehended it?” I said, rolling my eyes toward Vyx as obvious as I could make it. “Or has knowledge of its whereabouts.”
“You little tramp,” cursed Vyx, wringing his arm around my neck.
“It is strange,” I coughed, feeling the pressure against my esophagus, gasping for air. “Isn’t it funny how a very important artifact vanishes into thin air? Something that you need, desperately, Lainahwyn?” Vyx hardened his grip into my throat. I struggled for air. “I could easily give it to you and yet,” my fingers fumbled into my deep pocket, drawing out a chunky necklace, laced between my black nail polish, “here I am, offering you what you really want.” I wheezed, holding up the Moon Pendant before them.
Lainahwyn’s eyes widened, bulging in pure bliss.
♦♦♦
Anabel
Blane shook me gently, waking me up from a dream. I massaged my swollen head, still feeling the lump Izzy left on it.
“‘Tis morning, Guardian,” announced Blane, securing his tartan around his chest, tying it securely in knot along his hip bone, and fastening his new iron sporran around his waist.
My fingers grazed over my décolleté, feeling for the Moon Pendant. I jolted up, unexpectedly. It was still there. How could this be? Izzy knocked me out cold and stole it!
“I thought…” mumbling to myself.
Blane jerked back the satiny curtains from the mullioned windows, allowing the dawn’s light to fill the darkened room. Leigheas sat in an armchair next to the window, her skin shimmered in an angelic white orb, a halo of golden sunlight swirled around her body as she absorbed the energy of the morning’s sun.
I rubbed my eyes with the heel of my palm, beguiled, watching her transform from a frail, sickly faery into a strong, healthy one.
“Sit,” she said to Blane, rising out of her chair. “Now, I can heal you fully.”
“Leigheas,” argued Blane, hobbling into the upholstered chair, “I doona think ‘tis a good idea. I need you to save yer powers for tonight. I fear there will be bloodshed.”
“I will have enough,” she paused, averting her eyeing toward me under her hooded lids. “If one were to be on the verge of death that I could handle, Sentinel, but no more.”
Today was the day. How did it approach so quickly? I still had to face the Nuckelavee, charge the Moon Pendant by the MääGord standing stones and close the Portal. I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing the swell of tears back into my eyes, dropping my head into the palm’s of my hand, wishing I had one more day.
There was a deep snorting sound next me. I flung my head up to meet Slu’s smoky blue eye, his wrinkled arm extending out a single Scottish thistle.
“Thank you, Slu,” I said, picking it up and rolling it between my two fingers before it pricked my finger. “Ow! These things are a bit painful.”
“You save us,” Slu said in a hoarse voice, “she come, we all die!”
I plastered a smile on my face. “I will,” I replied.
I studied Slu, throwing a snail-tooth grin at me, a white hairy mole rested awkwardly on the tip of his nose. I never thought that if Lainahwyn opened the Portal it would affect the other faeries.
Blane crossed the room in two strides, his right calf now healed from
Leigheas’s power. “Rest, lass,” he instructed as his eyes swept me from head to foot, his hand pressing me back into a reclining position, fluffing the laced pillows behind my head. “Today is the midsummer’s solstice,” his powerful blue eyes steadied on me. “You’ll have to meet the Nuckelavee and then close the Portal at 11:11 p.m.”
I swallowed hard, gripping the afghan on me, white-knuckled, and then nodded yes.
Blane lowered his head, kissing me on the forehead tenderly. “Rest and then we shall face the demon.”
Chapter 22
♦♦♦
Izzy
I felt as if I was a lead actress in a hit Broadway show. Please, hold your applause until after the final curtain call. I laughed to myself. I had them eating out of my hands, jaws dropped, hanging wide-open as they gaped at the Moon Pendant, stringing through my fingers. Quickly, I clasped it onto my neck, buttoning up my top button, hiding it behind my shirt, not allowing them to see it or get too close.
“Go on,” directed the demon, her pearly eyes glittering on me and only me.
I plunged my hand into my leather pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes, swiftly, popping out a slender white tobacco stick, tossing it into my big mouth and lighting it in a hurry, puffing out a magnificent cloud of smoke. “I’m the new Guardian now,” I said smugly, inhaling again on my death stick, my eyes beginning to tear as I choked back on a painful cough.
Keep it cool, Isobel, keep it cool.
“Liar!” Vyx hollered, spitting angrily as his face turned bright red.
“Oohh,” I said demurely, “is that all you have, Vyx?”
Vyx stepped toward Lainahwyn his bloodshot eyes twitching. “My Love,” he said sweetly.
Funny, he never talked to me that way?
“How do we know this wench is telling us the truth?” Vyx argued.
“Let’s get something straight, Vyx,” I said directly into his face, cozying up next to him, poking my index finger into his thick brick wall of a chest. “You’re ugly and your breath,” I took a long drag on my cigarette and exhaled a plume of ashy smoke it into his face. “It smells like dog food.” I stepped away, circling the room as if I was the entertainment. Truly, I was, and if felt damn good. “Always playing second fiddle to a powerful woman,” I shook my head, tsk-tsk, and continued. “Aren’t you, Vyx?”
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