“Thank you, good sir,” William said.
“Happy to help you, kind wizard,” the gnome answered, before disappearing into the forest. Hugh looked, but could no longer see him as the gnome blended into the forest.
“What good was that?” Hugh asked.
“Well, if he is always lost, we know not to go the way he suggested,” William said.
“Great, so that only leaves us a hundred other directions in which to go.”
“I am only trying to help. I say we continue the opposite way Dvorovoy suggested,” William nodded into the forest, “which is also the way we were going anyway.”
“Forget the gnome.” Hugh tried to think logically. “All right, so we have been walking for days. I know this has to be the right general direction. Juliana’s sprights, Halton and Gorman, took us north from the faery palace to find King Ean, so now we head south.”
“But the faery palace changes location within the forest,” William put forth.
“I know that,” Hugh said, his tone hard. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Fear ate at him, making his temper shorter than usual. He hated feeling out of control.
While they walked, both Hugh and William had a chance to tell the other what had happened to them since leaving Bellemare. William thought Mia was really trying to help, but Hugh was hardly convinced his brother wasn’t just enamored of the nymph.
Neither of them trusted Lucien or Tania for that matter. As more of his memories came back to him, which seemed to be more the further away from Tania’s palace they went, Hugh recalled the Damned King with Juliana’s dagger. That worried him. The last he’d seen the knife, his sister had it at Merrick’s.
Hugh wished with every fiber in his being that he could be two men—one to save Thomas and one to rescue Juliana. How did a man decide which sibling to go after? How did he know which would need him more? Juliana had been in the unblessed palace for a year and it could be assumed Thomas was in the immortal realm for a short time. Which would need him more? Different scenarios played in his head, making it impossible to decide.
Forcing his tone to lighten, Hugh repeated, “I know that, William. But what else could I do? Ask Tania for directions before leaving? You heard her, she doesn’t want me to leave this world. She threatened to kill me if I went back. And that accursed witch is why we are here in the first place.”
William sighed instead of answering as he went to where Nicholas and the elf stood waiting for him. The two appeared to be more lucid than when they first left the faery palace, but they didn’t go anywhere or do anything without help or prompting.
“If we do not get to Merrick, we should find Ean.” Hugh walked along the narrow path through the trees. In the distance, he heard a bird singing, but it was faint. Other than that, the woods were quiet. “At this point, I would settle for either king.”
“I’d settle for ale,” William muttered. “Or something to eat besides forest berries.”
“B-ed,” Nicholas said, his tone weak and stunted. It was the first whole word he’d uttered. He had made weak sounds and grunts but nothing coherent.
“Aye, that’s right,” William exclaimed, grinning as he slapped Nicholas on the back. “A nice, warm bed as well! Did you hear that, Hugh?”
The earl didn’t answer as he turned to study their old friend. He didn’t trust Nicholas, but he still felt affection for all they’d shared through childhood. The man was like a brother, not so close as blood, but nearly so.
“Bed,” Nicholas repeated.
“Ah-ha! Aye, a bed!” William stopped in his progress to do a little dance.
“Wonderful,” Hugh drawled. “Now they are going to start complaining for finer comforts.”
“Blood,” the elf whispered.
William opened his mouth, as if he would praise that man as well. He stopped, mid-motion and shook his head. “Did he say he wanted blood?”
“Aye.” Hugh nodded, before drawling sarcastically, “Just what this journey needed.”
“Blo…” the elf tried again.
“You long for drink and this one—” Hugh began.
“Ah, nay, actually, I long for several draughts of ale,” William inserted. “I long to be so drunk I am incapable of walking another step.”
“Fine. You wish to be drunk, Nicholas wants a bed and that one,” Hugh pointed at the elf, very suspicious of him, “wishes for blood. What manner of man did you rescue, William? Perchance he was in the Damned King’s dungeon for a reason.”
“Hmm.” William studied the elf. “He does not look evil.”
“Most evil men do not.” Hugh frowned, thinking of Tania. His gut tightened. Nor do evil women.
Desire tried to fight its way inside him. Tania hardly looked evil. Nay, she looked more like a goddess. For a moment, he thought of her naked, her wings fluttering as they dropped little dots of light over them while making love. Even now he desired her. The only difference was now he could control the urge, could fight the lust she induced. His nose burned with the threat of tears, as if he would cry out, but he held the pain back, swallowing it down. He would not cry for her.
Responsibility had to come first. Before he was a man, he was an earl. The burden of it had never been as heavy as it was now. When he wasn’t worrying about his siblings, he was worrying about his people and his horses.
“Cannot you do a spell?” Hugh turned in circles as he looked around. It seemed hopeless to continue on, but he knew he must decide a path.
“I already told you. I do not have my wand.” William pulled Nicholas and the elf’s arms and began walking toward what they believed to be the south. “The sky looks darker this way. It could be Merrick’s palace.”
“And it could just be nightfall again.” Hugh sighed. William had made the same comment for the last couple of nights. He led the way over the forest floor, taking the two men with him.
“Aye,” his brother agreed. “You never said, Hugh, what do you wish for?”
“Right now? A horse, a sword, my family and a spell to wipe away all knowledge of this place from our lives.” Hugh snorted, adding to himself, But, mostly, a way to forget the faery queen.
Tania didn’t move. She had no strength of will to. The silver walls around her were crumbling. Tarnished, broken chunks littered the floor like fallen stones. She wanted to find the will to carry on, but she hadn’t the strength. Her magic was fading and she couldn’t stop it. Her heart was tied to her magic, to all faery magic. And without her heart, she was dying.
“Roslyn,” Tania whispered, not lifting her head.
“My queen?” The lady faery had been hovering nearby. Tania felt Roslyn lean close, but did not lift her eyes to look at the woman as she stared at a chunk of fallen ceiling.
“In the sacred chamber a scroll is hidden. Take your sister and find it. Without my purity, I can no longer rule. We must find another.”
“Nay,” Roslyn said, her voice frantic. “You do not know what you are saying, my queen.”
“Aye, I do,” Tania asserted weakly. “My reign is over. We must try and find a new queen.”
“But, you have no child,” Lily said. Tania should have known both sisters were there. “Who will we give the crown to?”
“The queen does not need to be my blood,” the faery said. “We can find another.”
“Where are we going to find a pure faery?” Roslyn asked, her tone giving voice to the sheer impossibility of such a thing. Faeries thrived on pleasure and to find one who hadn’t partaken of flesh wasn’t likely.
“You must try,” Tania said. “We have no choice. I have failed as your queen.”
“Nay,” both said at once.
“You have ruled well,” Roslyn insisted.
“Very well,” Lily added. “We love you, my queen.”
“Do as I ask,” Tania ordered, finally finding the strength to look at them. “There is not much time.”
“But, Hugh…” Lily began.
“He might come back,”
Roslyn added.
Tania wished she could be as positive, but she felt the truth inside her. She’d seen the anger in him. It wasn’t meant to be. Otherwise he would be by her side even now as her faery king.
“I am dying,” Tania said. Both of them gasped, their wings drooping as tears welled in their rounded eyes. “Go. Get the coronation scroll and find a new queen. Her blood and body must be pure and she must be willing to sacrifice. Call the others to help you. I do not know how much time I have left.”
The camp was quiet, as the morning was still new. Sunlight barely peeked through the trees and a soft, magenta glow surrounded the forest. Ean stood in meditative silence close to Commander Adal. They listened to the forest, enjoying the peace of such a moment.
Adal was newly appointed to the position, taking leadership right after the war had begun, but the commander was doing well in leading the army. He was skilled in combat. Though not the most seasoned warrior of the elfin army, he was smart and knew how to use his head. A leader had to be smart or men died.
“Word has reached us from High Leader Talan,” Adal said. “He does not like that you send him to patrol the borders.”
Talan had been passed over for supreme leadership when Ean named Adal the late Commander Gregor’s successor. The high leader had no problem showing his displeasure over the decision.
“Leave him where he is,” Ean said. “There is so much anger in him. I do not want him leading his men into battle and someone must watch the borders.”
“But the western border? There is no threat from the ocean kingdoms. They do not care about the battles of land.”
“Aye, but we cannot be too safe.”
“He knows he is sent away,” Adal insisted. “He knows you give the post only to keep him busy.”
Ean knew Adal felt bad about taking the command away from Talan, but Ean had to go with instinct and his had told him to pick Adal. “There is little I can do about his feelings being hurt. Like I said, he is too angry to fight. Tell him to remain where he is.”
“Aye.” Adal nodded, again falling to silence.
Ean thought of the war, of his brother on the other side of it. He couldn’t help but contemplate the thin thread that joined him to King Merrick. Blessed and unblessed, they were two very necessary sides to the same realm.
Thomas had been right when he spoke of the bond of family, but Ean was reluctant to admit he still cared for Merrick. The blood link of brothers was as strong as magic and it kept them connected to each other. The link between them had been calmer for some time. Queen Juliana could well be thanked for that. But, then, as the newness of his marriage wore thin, Merrick once more became disturbed. The Unblessed King always walked a thin line between blessed and damned. Ean knew King Lucien wished to take his brother. Even Merrick had begged him to sever the tie that bound them together. Ean couldn’t bring himself to do it.
Why did his brother start this war? Why? Peace had been good. There was no reason to fight. The battles were pointless, the death they caused horrific. And yet, Ean and his men would fight because they must, because Merrick forced his hand.
“What is wrong with the trees?” Commander Adal drew the Blessed King’s attention from within himself to the surrounding landscape. Ean followed the man’s gaze up. Indeed, the color of the leaves seemed a bit pale and the wind did not stir them. “And, come to think on it, I have not seen any flowers for days.”
“Or ferns,” Ean nodded. Small plants normally covered the forest floor, but he’d noticed the earth looked barren. Dead leaves and broken limbs created a bed beneath the trees. “I see some moss, but not much.”
“Should we be concerned? Does King Merrick try something?”
“This does not feel like Merrick. Flowers die in his presence, but do not stay dead.” Ean closed his eyes, letting his magic pour from him, feeling the nature around him, sensing the wind and the trees. It was peaceful, but troubled. Frowning, he opened his eyes. “I felt…”
“Aye, my king? What?”
“I felt Lucien where the faeries should be.”
“What does Lucien want with the faeries? Those meddling creatures are hardly ideal allies to a man such as him.”
“True.” Ean was glad Adal spoke without restraint. There needed to be open communication between a king and his commander.
“And I would hardly think Lucien seeks their company for a mere diversion. The queen would hardly stand for it. For faeries to take a demon to their bed would contradict their very natures and we have both heard the tales of Lucien’s dark lust.”
“I do not think it would be for lust,” Ean answered, not liking this new sign. “Call a wizard—one of our allies. Have him cast a protection spell around the encampment.”
“Do you think that is necessary? Anyone looking will sense the magic. That could lead Merrick right to us.”
“Aye, I am afraid it might be very necessary. Merrick and his men might detect us, but I do not think they will come for us. They will think it a trap.” Ean again tried to sense the faeries, only finding darkness. It was almost as if they’d been wiped out completely. Why would Lucien want to hurt the faeries? To take their magic from the land? And how exactly did he get close enough to Queen Tania to do whatever it was he’d done? “There is trouble in the faery world. If not for this war, I might have felt the shift sooner. The faeries have always been blessed, flighty, but blessed. They have never done us harm, but that does not mean they cannot be turned to darkness.”
“Come to think on it,” Adal mused, “there have been no faeries near the camp lately trying to seduce the men, or in the forest, working to mend broken leaves. Do you think Queen Tania has called them away?”
“Possibly.” Ean cursed, kicking at the ground. “What would the Damned King want with the faeries? It does not make sense. Why faeries? Their magic is of no use to him in this world.”
Suddenly, they both turned to look to where Thomas the mortal slept.
“But if not in this world,” Adal began.
“Then in the mortal,” Ean finished. “The scouts should be back very soon. If there is no immediate threat to the camp, I will ride with Sir Thomas to find his brothers. Mayhap the mortals will have some insight into this matter of the faeries.”
“Doubtful.”
“Aye, but it is all we have got at the moment. It’s too much of a coincidence that the faery magic would darken around the same time the humans arrive. I will not take chances. I will not fight Lucien and Merrick both. If they were to join forces…” Ean shook his head, refusing to think about what would happen. “Balance is a delicate thing. In the past, the Unblessed Kings have been too prideful to fight with Lucien. Merrick is different. He was not born prideful, not like those that ruled before him. He struggles for balance. I feel it.”
“What do the faeries have to do with Merrick?”
“All magic is tied. If Lucien cannot get Merrick, he might have formulated a plan to recruit the other races to his side. Such a force in the magical world would be hard to refuse. Lucien might make another try for Merrick’s allegiance.” Ean forced himself to appear calm, though inside he was perplexed. His men would look to him for strength and leadership. But who did a king go to for such things? Merrick had Juliana. Did she help to lessen his brother’s burden? Loneliness curled inside him, but he fought it. There was no time for self-pity. “Or, Lucien’s plan could be tied to the Bellemare family. Blessed souls have to be very tempting to a demon. Perchance Queen Tania has something to do with the mortals.”
Adal made a small noise as he scratched his head. “When Lady Roslyn was in my bed, she told me the queen detained Hugh and Thomas last they were there. Methought little of it when she spoke the words, but it could be a connection between them.”
“I will question Sir Thomas about their time at Feia with the faeries,” Ean said. “Wake Raoul and Laurent and explain to them what is happening. They will come with me to find the mortals. And have them prepare my special mounts w
ith extra for William and Hugh, should we come across them.”
“Are you sure you wish to take the unicorns for this? With the Damned King’s influence at Feia…” Adal paused. “Lucien would love to capture them.”
“Aye, but I would have their magic with us. We have no idea what we are going to learn about Tania and Lucien.” Ean took a deep breath and held it for a long moment, contemplating his actions. “I will wake Sir Thomas and see what he knows. Hopefully, all this will come to nothing.”
“Blood.”
Hugh frowned. It was all their elf companion would say, but he was saying it often. They traveled, theorizing that they’d eventually have to get somewhere. It wasn’t as if they had a choice. They were lost after all.
“Blood,” the elf said again.
“I am beginning to agree with you about this one,” William said quietly from his side. Nicholas and the elf walked in front of them, finally able to move on their own. Hugh didn’t trust them at his back. “He is a bit obsessed.”
“Blood,” the elf said again. He suddenly veered to the side, heading straight into the forest.
“Blessed saints,” Hugh cursed. “Where is he going?”
Nicholas automatically moved to follow the elf.
“Ugh, grab Nicholas before he follows him,” the earl ordered. William was closer and reached out to grab Nicholas’ arm, stopping him. Hugh sighed heavily, trying to see where the elf went. “We do not have time for this.”
“We could leave him,” William suggested. “It would save us the aggravation.”
“Nay, we are responsible for Sir Blood,” Hugh said, reluctant. William saved the man, which made them honor bound to protect him if he was good or turn him in to face justice if he were bad. “I will go after him. He could not have gotten far. Wait here with Nicholas.”
Hugh strode into the forest, listening for the elf. “Blood.”
It took some searching before he heard the elf mumbling, “Blood, blood.”
“Ho, Sir Blood.” Hugh found the man sitting in a circle of sunlight.
Faery Queen Page 15
