by Amy Sumida
“Perhaps we should give this a chance,” one of the elves suggested.
“How long will it be for, Princess?” Another elf asked.
“I'm not certain,” I said. “It will be until they can find a village where they would like to settle permanently.”
“Don't these fairies want to live with their families?” Another voice called out.
“Several have found homes with family and friends,” I said. “But a lot of them fled the old monarchy, and their families have moved. The Kingdoms of Seelie and Unseelie are just starting to heal from the reigns of Queen Iseabal and King Uisdean. Families who went into hiding, deep in the forests, are only now beginning to move back into their old villages. And then there are those without any family to come home to.”
“What would they do here?” A female elf asked.
“They will contribute,” I said. “They'll farm and build and work in any way they can. You'll have help to make this village even greater than it is, and they will be provided for. Is that a fair exchange?”
“Sounds fair to me,” Dagur said to his brother.
“What say you, Elves?” Hinrik asked. “All who are for letting the returning fairies into our village.”
Hinrik held up his hand, and Dagur followed. Slowly, the rest of the assemblage lifted their hands.
“It looks as if you've convinced us, Princess,” Hinrik noted. “We'll host the returning fairies.”
“Thank you,” I said to him before turning to the rest of the Elves. “Thank you all for being the people I believed you to be.”
“Thank you for reminding us of who we are, Princess,” one of the elves said.
“We wouldn't have this home without you,” another elf added. “It would be wrong for us not to share it when you asked.”
“And once again, you have changed the Elves,” Dagur murmured. “Well done, Princess Seren.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“We received news of your upcoming nuptials,” Dagur said as we left the meeting hall. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” I glanced back at a smirking Conri and narrowed my eyes at him.
Conri just shrugged.
“So, you'll have a husband in each kingdom,” Dagur went on. “And then you have a consort on Earth.”
“King Daxon; yes,” I confirmed.
“Will you be marrying him as well?” Dagur's eyes glinted. “Or will you only be taking consorts from here forth?”
“Consorts?” I asked in surprise. “I have no intention of adding another consort. My hands are already full.”
“I'm sure they are,” Dagur murmured and chuckled.
“Watch yourself, elf.” I glared at him.
“My apologies, Your Highness,” Dagur said. “It was my disappointment talking.”
Torquil cleared his throat loudly. “Perhaps we should be heading back to the castle, Your Highness?”
“But you've only seen the above-ground portion of the village,” Dagur protested. “Wouldn't you like to tour the rest?”
“You finished the underground too?” I asked.
“We did”—Hinrik gave his brother a warning look—“and we'd be happy to show you, Princess Seren. But I'm sure you're very busy. Too busy for any lollygagging.”
“Lollygagging?” Conri whispered. “Is that a sex thing?”
“No, you pervert; it's not,” Gradh huffed.
Hinrik was too busy watching his brother to worry about Conri. Dagur smiled widely and held his arm out to me as he held his brother's stare.
“It will take just a few minutes,” Dagur turned to me as he spoke. “Surely you can spare that?”
“I do want to see the underground,” I said.
“Recall what happened in the last underground,” Torquil whispered to me.
I frowned at all of the strange looks and cryptic words; then I deliberately took Dagur's arm. This wasn't a seedy underground in America; it was a fairy village in Twilight. What could possibly go wrong?
Dagur grinned triumphantly and escorted me past his grim-faced brother. He took me to the entrance of the subterranean portion of the village, down a set of stone steps into the earth, and then to a metal door. The door was wide open; letting sunshine warm the first few steps. The rest of the way was lit by fey lanterns.
As with the last elven underground I'd ventured into, this one was bright and airy. The Elves employed magic to nudge the earth out of the way instead of tearing into Fairy. The process left smooth walls and cylindrical hollows which led to high, domed caverns.
“This cavern was already here,” Dagur said as we entered the main section of the underground. “We let the land lead us to it. Isn't it beautiful?”
“So very,” I whispered as I let go of his arm to wander into the center of the cavern.
The homes of the Dark Elves spread out around me; formed of crystal spires, raw jewels, and smooth stone. Some buildings spanned the entire distance from floor to ceiling, some were perched in crevices on the walls, and some kept low to the ground, but all of them were stunning pieces of architectural achievement. Fairy lights bobbed around the cavern's ceiling; shedding a bright glow over the homes and setting them to sparkling. Stalagmites and stalactites rushed up and down in dramatic points between the houses; glistening with embedded minerals. Water dripped down one giant formation in the center of the cavern; into a glassy pool rimmed in moss and ferns. Assorted flora spread out from there; grass, bushes, and even trees grew amid the village in impossible lushness. But that was the beauty of the Dark working with the Light; the Elves brought their talents together to create wondrous things. Like a flourishing garden beneath the planet's surface.
“There are numerous tunnels at different levels which branch off from this room,” Dagur said as he escorted me down a side lane between houses which ended in the cave wall.
A rope hung down before us, and Dagur grabbed it as he grabbed me. He held me tightly as we surged upward. I let out a small, shocked sound as I saw the ground rushing away from us, and my Guard staring up furiously while Cat barked ferociously. It had been awhile since I'd seen Cat go protective. Her teeth were bared, her eyes wide, and spit flew from her mouth as she leapt forward and tried to climb the wall.
“Dagur!” Hinrik shouted. “Bring her back this instant!”
“My brother can be such a prude.” Dagur chuckled. “But I couldn't let this chance slip by me again.”
Dagur stepped onto a stone platform and set me down. A tunnel stretched out before us, but he didn't seem inclined to take it. Instead, he tossed the rope on the tunnel floor, and it coiled up as the weighted pulley system brought the length of it back down. He had effectively cut us off from the others.
“Dagur, if this is some ploy to flirt with me—” I started.
“We don't have time to play games,” he cut me off. “I have a gift for you, Princess.”
“A gift?” I frowned. “Why the subterfuge in giving it?”
“My brother doesn't think this relic should leave elven hands,” Dagur said as he turned and waved his hand over the surface of the wall.
A large, wooden box was revealed; sitting in a nook. Dagur opened its lid to show me a silver helmet nestled in black velvet. The box and velvet looked worn, but the helmet shone as if it had been freshly polished. It was adorned with a swirl of metal leaves around its crown; one of them darted down from center-front as a nose guard. Carvings in the Fey language covered the rest of the helmet, and as Dagur held it out to me, they began to glow.
“What's this?” I whispered.
“The Helmet of Invisibility that Perseus wore to kill Medusa,” Dagur said.
“It was a fairy relic?” I asked with shock.
“Loaned to him by his elven lover.” Dagur nodded. “She reclaimed the helmet after Perseus slew Medusa.”
“An elf helped Perseus kill another fairy?”
“She was an elf; her loyalties lay with us.” He shrugged.
“And with Perseus, evidentl
y.” I took the helmet carefully.
It started to glow brighter.
“Quick”—Dagur moved to block the light—“put it on. They can't take it from you while you're wearing it.”
“Why are you doing this?” I hesitated.
“You know why,” Dagur whispered; his eyes gone soft. “And I know there will never be anything between us. But that doesn't change the fact that I want you safe, Princess. I heard about the Gorgons. Now, take the helmet; it's the only way to conquer their magic.”
“How will this help me?” I asked. “Other fairies will still be able to see an outline of the magic, even if they can't see me.”
“It doesn't just make you invisible.” Dagur finally took the helmet and set it on my head. “It makes you immune to petrifaction.”
The first thing I thought was; Hey; I know that word. I had just learned it that morning. Ridiculous; I know. But then I realized that I felt strange. Everything had a haze over it, and Dagur's gaze wasn't focused on mine anymore. Still, his hand slipped into mine easily, and he led me back to the ledge.
“Wear this when you face your enemy, Princess,” he said as he clasped me to him again. “And I will be content to know that I've done all I can for you.”
Dagur jumped over the side, and we coasted down to the cavern floor together.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Getting out of the Elf Village with the helmet was easier than I expected. Although Hinrik hadn't wanted Dagur to give me the relic, after the deed was done, he decided not to oppose it. Probably because he'd look like a douche in front of all the other elves for not offering me the helmet in the first place. I also promised to return it to the Elves when the Lana threat was over, and that seemed to appease Hinrik. Cat, however, was not appeased; she watched Dagur as if she'd never trust him again.
Because of Hinrik's change of heart, I didn't have to wear the helmet for long. It went into a handy travel pouch Dagur presented me with, and I hung it from my belt for the journey home. We made it back to Twilight Castle an hour before dusk; giving me just enough time to bathe and pack a few things for my trip... after I showed off my shiny new toy to my father.
“The Elves gave it to you?” Keir asked with shock.
“Loaned it,” I corrected. “To be specific, Dagur did.”
“That dark elf?” My father lifted a purple brow. “He must have a deep admiration for you.”
“He's got something for me, all right,” I muttered.
“Whatever his motivations are, he's done you a great service,” Keir declared. “That helmet could save your life, Seren.”
“So, I've heard.”
“The trick is when to wear it,” he pointed out. “You can't go around invisible all of the time.”
“I don't know; that might be kinda fun.” I smirked.
“Seren, this is serious.”
“It's always serious, Dad,” I said tiredly. “You gotta get your laughs in when you can.”
“Perhaps you're right,” he conceded. “As long as you know when to stop laughing.”
“I have a feeling that won't be a problem.” I got up and kissed my father goodbye. “I'll see you soon, Dad.”
“May Anu watch over you while his sister cannot.”
It was a strange blessing, and it left me thinking about Anu as I headed out of the room. The God of Earth had gone against his own rule of non-interference to save me once, but that had been a massive miracle, and he'd pretty much said that he wouldn't be performing another for me. The recent battle in the Underground proved to me that Anu would be keeping his word. I had nearly died, and he never showed. So, I wasn't putting a lot of stock in his protection. Still, he was a god; he could always change his mind.
Cat followed me downstairs to the entrance hall, where my Star's Guard was waiting; standing appropriately over the silver star embedded in the floor. I stopped at the bottom of the stairs and knelt beside her.
“Take care of Keir while I'm away.”
Cat gave me a petulant look.
“Hey; I don't want you turned into stone,” I growled.
She huffed air loudly from her nose and sat back on her haunches.
“I love you too.” I kissed her furry cheek and then went to stand with my Guard. “Be a good girl.”
Twilight hit, and we all lifted off the floor together; hovering a mere inch. In a moment, the magic washed over us and swept us into the In-Between. We emerged in the Twilight Room; an empty bedroom in Daxon's home that he had designated for our travel use. He set it aside for us after an unfortunate incident involving Cleary and a priceless vase.
We left the room and ran into Sanna, who directed me to Daxon's bedroom. Cleary, Ainsley, and Felix headed outside to secure the perimeter, and the rest of my Guard went with Sanna to patrol the house. Daxon had his own patrols, but a royal guard didn't trust others to do their job for them.
On my way to Daxon's bedroom, I passed his office and noticed that the door was ajar. When I peeped through the crack, I saw Dax rooting around in a drawer. I headed in; dropping my bag by the door.
“Hey, babe,” I said. “Whatchu doing?”
Daxon flinched guiltily and looked up at me with wide eyes.
“Uh. Just looking for some notes on my experiments,” he murmured.
“Which experiments?” I frowned.
Daxon was moving oddly, and his whole demeanor seemed foreign.
“The bombs,” he said. “Do you know where I put them?”
“Do I... ?” I scowled and then let my face go blank. “Um... I think the notes for the bombs were in the cabinet, over there, right?”
“Oh; yes! That's right.” Daxon headed toward the cabinet, and as he passed me, I blew dream dust in his face.
He coughed, stumbled, and then fell face-forward onto the rug. The thump alerted the real Daxon, who came running into the room to see who was in his office.
“What the actual fuck?!” Daxon roared.
“Yeah; just what I was thinking.” I looked the impostor over. “I was coming to find you when I saw you in here, but then you asked me where you had put your notes for the magic bombs. I figured this wasn't you.”
“The bombs?!” Daxon shouted.
My Guard and Daxon's Elite team came running into the room; weapons drawn. They took one look at the furious Daxon beside me and then followed his gaze to the comatose Daxon on the floor.
“Could the real Daxon Tromlaighe please stand up?” Conri asked.
“That's obviously the fake.” I waved to the one on the floor. “He was rifling through Daxon's drawers, looking for notes on magic bombs.”
“How the fuck did he get in?” Daxon shouted at his Elite as he pointed at the intruder.
“Um; he walked?” Rodaidh suggested. “No one would have stopped you from coming into your house, Boss.”
“You're a bunch of fucking fairies; you know about brags!” Daxon the Blue was turning red. “You should be on your guard for every type of enemy.”
“I'll handle it,” Desmond said as he turned about.
“Desmond!” Dax snarled.
Desmond looked back over his shoulder with a narrowed gaze.
“Do not let this happen again.”
Desmond nodded crisply and left.
“You want us to tie him up, Boss?” Matvei asked.
“You think?” Daxon huffed.
Daxon's Elite rushed over to the fairy and started restraining him. Daxon was most-likely correct in assuming that the fairy was a brag; a type of fairy who could shift into anyone... to the degree that they could fool other fairies. As the Elite bound the intruder, his illusion washed away, and we got a look at the real face beneath. The guy was short, stocky, and light-haired, with ponderous features that looked as if they were formed from putty. Perhaps it was an after effect of his shift, but it seemed as if his face could transform at any moment.
“That's Delli,” Ro said.
“Like a place to buy cold cuts?” I asked.
“Yeah; except two Ls,” Ro said. “Definitely a brag and definitely in Lana's employ.”
“So, we have confirmation that it's her.” Daxon grimaced. “At least there's that.”
“And it seems that whoever she got to help her steal Ellie's magic, they weren't able to figure out how to confine magic in glass spheres,” I said. “Does that sound plausible to you?”
“No,” Dax said immediately. “If you know enough to create a device to remove a fairy's magic, you should have no problem creating a magical bomb.”
“So, either the scientist left Lana, or she killed him,” I concluded. “She's probably scrambling to replace him.”
“I need to call Dylan.” Daxon went to his desk and picked up the phone.
“Why?” I asked.
“I need to—“ he stopped mid-sentence. “Duke Dylan, this is Daxon Tromlaighe. Did you happen to come up with a definitive timetable for the magic?” Daxon frowned. “Uh-huh. Okay. Yes; I'll tell her. Thank you.” He hung up the phone. “Dylan's not certain how long it will take, but he's sure that the magic taken from the gorgon will fade eventually.”
“Fade?” I asked.
“It's not within its proper host,” Dax explained. “Without a gorgon powering it, the magic will run out. It has an expiration date.”
“So, Lana will be desperate to find a replacement,” I murmured. “Both for her scientist and for the gorgon magic.”
“Call Medea and warn her,” Daxon said urgently. “They're on guard for harpies, but they won't think to look for Lana.”
I was already dialing.
“Yeah?” Medea answered.
“Lana may be coming after another of your sisters,” I rushed through the warning. “Ellie's magic will run out, and Lana will want to replace it.”
Medea started laughing.
“Um... I don't think you understood me,” I said.
“Oh, I understood,” Medea confirmed. “And that's the best damn news I've heard all week.”
“What?”
“Instead of having to find the bitch who murdered Ellie, she'll find me!” Medea chortled. “Don't worry, Your Majesty, we gorgons know how to defend ourselves. I'll let you know when we've caught the bitch.”
