The Castle of Earth and Embers (Briarwood Reverse Harem Book 1)

by Steffanie Holmes

  Arthur and Flynn took down the other attacker. Arthur pinned the guy’s arms while Flynn tore open something in his pocket and sprinkled it into his face. The guy screamed, thrashing wildly in Arthur’s grip, his foot nearly clobbering Flynn in the face. And then, poof! He disappeared.

  I squinted into the gathering dark. Yep, the guy was definitely no longer there at all. Flynn helped Arthur to his feet, and the blond giant hunched down to retrieve his knife from the long grass, the stalks bent and broken from the fight.

  Meanwhile, Corbin was off the ground. He and the other guy circled each other like two boxers in a ring. The black-coated guy had a long, curved sword made of some kind of white material, almost like the rib bone of a large animal. The white blade shimmered with a pale blue light along one edge.

  Corbin’s eyes flicked to the other guys. “Arthur!” he yelled, raising his hand.

  Arthur tossed his blade through the air. Corbin reached up and grabbed the handle of the knife just as the other guy swung the white sword at his arm.

  I gasped. The entire world moved in slow motion, the blade inching closer to Corbin’s raised arm, the moonlight gleaming off the sharpened edge. The blue light kissed Corbin’s skin, but before it sank into his flesh Arthur slammed into the guy, knocking him sideways and plunging a second knife into his side.

  “Arrrrrrgghhh!” the guy bellowed. Arthur leaned his full weight into his, twisting the knife into his flesh. Blood spread out from the wound, but in the dark it looked weird, kind of green. But that was probably just a trick of the light and the green meadow.

  The guy’s eyes rolled back in his head, and his body stiffened. But before his back had even hit the ground, he also disappeared, his body shimmering away into the air as if it had been made of dust.

  I glanced behind me, to where we’d left the twat’s body lying in the grass. He had gone, too, although the rustling of the grass behind suggested he might have picked himself up and run.

  My head spun. All three of the black-coated attackers had disappeared. They hadn’t just been knocked out – they were completely gone.

  “Nice one, Aragorn!” Flynn cheered, thrusting a fist into the air, an enormous grin on his face.

  Arthur took a deep bow, pushing a knife back into his belt. “It’s too bad I left my sword at home. I could have done some serious damage.”

  “What the hell is going on?” I demanded. “Why are guys jumping out of the grass to attack us? And how in God’s name did they do that trick with the claws? And where the hell are they now?”

  That was more blasphemy than I’d get away with in an entire year in the Crawford house. But right now, it seemed appropriate.

  Corbin stood over the place where the last guy had lain and scuffed the earth with his boot. He clutched his shoulder, and I noticed his black t-shirt was torn where the blue-tinged white sword had touched him. Blood – definitely red – ran down his arm. “We need to get going. We don’t know if any more might be coming.”

  As if on cue, the grass rustled behind us. Corbin whipped his head around, then pointed to the house. “Go, now!”

  I started to run. Something slammed into me, sweeping me off my feet. I screamed, but a rough voice whispered in my ear. “Hold on.” It was Arthur, my Aragorn. He tossed me over his shoulder like I was a sack of potatoes and raced across the field, passing Corbin and Flynn as they stumbled through the long grass.

  The rustling behind us grew louder. My heart pounded in my ears. Something snarled, like an angry dog about to attack. “Shite!” Arthur poured on speed, tearing through the gate.

  Corbin, Flynn and Rowan leapt through after him, and Rowan slammed the gate shut. The snarling grew louder, and the gate rattled as a dark shape pawed at it. Arthur raced up the path and into the trees before I could get a good look. Flynn puffed in front of me. As Rowan passed us heading up the flagstone steps beside the gatehouse, I noticed his hands were shaking.

  The snarls and growls of the dog – it had to be a dog – grew faint as we plunged deeper into the estate. It wasn’t following us up the hill. But it was big enough it could have just jumped the gate.

  We crashed through the inner gatehouse, Corbin and Flynn pulling the heavy wooden doors shut and drawing the bolts. Arthur didn’t set me down until we were back inside the Great Hall with the door firmly locked behind us. He dropped me on the couch and slumped down beside me, rubbing his throat, which was raw and red from where that guy had touched him. “There were three of them,” he snarled at Corbin, who was digging around behind the bar, one hand still pressed against his shoulder. “How the fuck were there three of them?”

  “They must be getting more powerful.” Corbin drew out a large first aid kit from a bottom drawer and dumped it on the coffee table. He riffled through the contents with his free hand. “They know we are weak right now, and they’ve had years to plan how to take advantage of that. Maybe we… fuck.” He winced as he tried to open a bottle of antiseptic with both hands.

  “I’ll do that,” Rowan said quietly, uncapping the bottle and pouring out a little onto a cotton pad. As he rolled up Corbin’s torn sleeve, I gasped. A red welt crossed his shoulder, laid on top of three long gashes that tore through his skin, leaving jagged rips that oozed blood. Bits of grass and dirt clung to the skin and his t-shirt. Corbin winced again as Rowan dabbed at the wounds.

  “Those rawny bastards.” Flynn slumped down in the sofa opposite, his foot kicking Arthur’s knife across the table. I noticed droplets of some green liquid on the blade. Weird, some kind of stain from the grass? “Still, that was exciting. Good thing I’d had that drink or I would’ve been completely useless.”

  “You’re always completely useless,” Arthur shot back. He grabbed a bottle of mead from the bar and filled four cups. “Admit it, you nearly pissed yourself when that pouka showed up—”

  “Excuse me?” I held up a hand. “I’m still waiting for an explanation—”

  “It’s weird they sent Kalen again after he messed up so badly in Arizona,” Corbin shook his head. “I don’t understand any of this. Fuck, if we hadn’t all been there tonight, this could’ve gone arse over tit.”

  Arthur flexed his bicep, the bulging muscles transfixing me for a moment. He took a long drink from his mead cup, wiping the edge of his beard with the back of his hand. “As long as you’ve got me, you’ll be fine. It’s been an age since we had a tussle with an Unseelie. And three of them in the same night, what a treat.”

  “Um, guys, what’s an Unseelie—”

  “You should have stuck that blade right in Kalen’s heart,” Flynn declared. “That guy is not going to leave us alone.”

  “We need to figure out how they’re getting stronger,” Corbin said. “We need to strike now, because if they get too powerful we won’t be able to defeat them in our current state—”

  “HEY!” I yelled. My voice bounced off the high ceiling, echoing along the vast room. The guys jumped. Arthur splashed mead all over his pants. Four faces turned to me in concern. “Could you maybe fill me in on what the goddamn hell just happened?”

  I was swearing like a sailor tonight, but swear words were invented for nights like this.

  The guys exchanged a glance, and then Corbin said slowly, as if he were choosing his words carefully. “”What just happened is that we were attacked.”

  “Brilliant deduction, Sherlock. I know that. But what was I attacked by? Those guys were on drugs or something… but I’ve never heard of any drug that can turn your hands into claws…”

  “Not drugs, Maeve.” Corbin said, his eyes burning into mine. “I know this is going to be really hard for you to believe, but those guys weren’t human. They are fae.”

  10

  MAEVE

  Not human?” That doesn’t make sense. “You mean they’re some other species? But… there are no other primates in the world with that level of language ability. I mean, that was astounding. What genus and species are they? Why have I never heard of these fae in scienti
fic journals? Are they localized in the UK or—” I stopped as I noticed Flynn grinning. “You’re teasing me.”

  Flynn grinned harder. “Not pulling your leg, but I think our little scientist is confused.”

  “They don’t have a genus and species, Maeve.” Corbin explained. “No scientist can exactly get close enough to study them, for reasons which you discovered tonight. I wasn’t kidding when I said they’re fae.”

  “Fae? As in… fairies?”

  “The very same.”

  I studied Corbin’s face, waiting for him to crack up laughing, But his pouty lips remained pursed, completely devoid of mirth.

  “But… that’s just kids stories…” I glanced at Arthur, but he was nodding sagely. “I stopped believing in fairies years ago… actually, I never believed in fairies…”

  “Oh well, then,” Flynn grinned at the guys. “You hear that, lads? We’re totally safe. Maeve doesn’t believe in fairies, so they’re going to stop trying to tear our throats out now.” He tipped the last of his mead down his throat and reached for my glass. I knocked his hand away. I had a feeling I’d need the alcohol.

  “Unfortunately, belief doesn’t factor into it one way or the other.” Corbin said. “The fae are real, and if you’re staying at Briarwood, they’re going to be a very real part of your life.”

  That was such a cop-out answer, but something in the seriousness of his voice made me pause. I remembered that the twat… the fae – whoever he was – knew my name. And that he followed me here from Arizona. A shiver ran down my spine.

  I folded my arms. “Okay, so let’s say for argument’s sake that I believe you about this fairy business. Which I don’t, for the record. But let’s just leave that aside for now. What do these fae want? Why did they attack us like that? Where did the dog come from? And why didn’t they all follow us up the path to the castle?”

  Flynn gestured at Corbin with a flourish. “Take it away, mate.”

  Corbin cleared his throat. “I’ll try to answer all your questions, but there’s some stuff we can’t explain right now. They didn’t follow us up to the castle because we’ve placed magic protections called wards around the boundary of our land. These wards have been in place for many centuries. The fae can’t walk on this land, in the same way we can’t pass over into their realm. But they want us. They want this castle. It’s very important to them.”

  “I’m sorry, magical protections?”

  “Yeah.” Corbin blinked. “Arthur, Flynn, Rowan and I… we can sort of do magic.”

  Oh hell. In a small voice, I asked, “Like card tricks, pulling a bunny out of a hat, that sort of thing?”

  I knew that wasn’t what they meant, but part of me hoped…

  “I mean we are witches. We’re descended from the ancient bloodlines who used their powers to help the early Britons win the first wars against the fae and banish them to their realm.”

  I held up my hands. “Come on now. This is getting crazy. Fae, magic, witches… I know you Brits like to poke fun of the stupid Americans, ha ha ha. But if you thought I was going to believe this stuff, then you definitely—”

  I gasped back my words as Arthur extended his hand in front of me, palm facing up. A flame burst from his fingers, the orange light casting a strange glow across his skin.

  I peered under his hand. Nothing underneath. I grabbed his wrist and felt around his lower arm – there was no wire or ignition or anything hidden against his skin. My fingers brushed over the scars near his elbow, and he shuddered a little. I yelped as the flame leapt up, nearly touching the beam above our heads as a flare of heat crashed against my body.

  “Arthur!” Corbin yelled.

  “Sorry!” Arthur narrowed his eyes. The flame calmed down a little.

  I sucked in a breath. “Okay, I give up. How are you doing that?”

  “This is my power,” Arthur said. “All witches can control one of the five elements. My element is fire. I can conjure fire at will, and manipulate it.” He cupped his other hand, and passed the flame between them.

  “Okay, well now I know this is ridiculous because there are only four elements.”

  “In science, maybe. But alchemists have recognized a fifth element for centuries – the element of spirit,” Corbin explained. “But that’s not so important now. What’s important is that you believe what we’re telling you about the fae and about our ability to protect you.”

  “I don’t have to believe this.” I folded my arms. “It’s insane.”

  “If this isn’t true, if we aren’t what I say we are, then what other explanation could possibly explain what you saw tonight?” Corbin nodded at Arthur’s hand. “Or what Arthur’s doing right now?”

  “Or this.” Flynn held his own hand over Arthur’s, his palm pointing down. A trickle of water ran between his fingers, quickly turning into a spout. With a sizzle, Arthur’s flame went out.

  “Flynn’s element is water,” Arthur explained. “Because he’s such a wet blanket.”

  “You’re hilarious, mate.” Flynn shot back. “Maeve, don’t let Arthur do the comedy set at my funeral.”

  “My element is air,” Corbin explained. “And Rowan is earth.”

  Earth. I faced Rowan, remembering how he’d pressed that clump of soil into the twat’s face, how he’d chanted something under his breath – a language I didn’t recognize. How the guy had recoiled as though the dirt caused him great pain, and how I’d felt something as I’d pressed the twig in my hand against Rowan’s…

  My head throbbed. I rubbed my temples. So many questions, but one burned in the front of my head, one that was vitally important even though their story so far was completely ridiculous. “So, okay. Sure, you’re witches. I thought witches were only old ladies with hooked noses or teen girls who dressed like goths, but whatever. That fae guy, why did he know my name? And if he comes from this fae realm, why was he in Arizona on the night my parents died?”

  Flynn kicked Corbin’s shin, and Corbin cleared his throat again. But before he could say anything, Arthur patted my knee and said. “His name is Kalen, and we’ve encountered him before. Unfortunately, although we killed his other friends tonight, he lives to hassle us another day. Kalen was in Arizona because he followed Corbin there on his visit.”

  My body sagged with relief. He isn’t stalking me. This is all just a big coincidence, and there’s a logical explanation—

  But Arthur was still talking. “—because Corbin is the leader of our coven – that’s the word for witches who work together in a collective—”

  Okay, not such a relief.

  “I watched The Craft. I know what a coven is.” Any film or book featuring witches was sacrilegious in our house, so of course we loved them. Our parents went away on a ten day Bible retreat and Kelly and I had binge-watched every Satanic show and movie we could find on Netflix. We spent most of that film mocking the horrific 90s fashion.

  “Well, Corbin was the one who found us all and brought us together.” Arthur glanced at Rowan. “Some of us had no idea what we even were before we met Corbin. It’s only with our coven working together here, with our power focused at Briarwood, that we’re able to keep the fae in their realm.”

  “Fae used to live all over the British Isles,” Corbin explained. “That is, until humans came across the seas with swords of iron. People cut down the forests, tilled the fields and built roads through the ancient sacred places. The fae fought the humans, and there were many bloody battles, but in the end the fae lost, and with the help of our ancestors the humans banished them to another realm. They used to escape into our world all the time and cause mischief or chaos, so in the thirteenth century a coven of powerful witches found a spell to seal the fae inside their realm forever. The witches took over this castle in order to guard the entrance to our world. We’re all descendants of that coven—”

  “Ah, the joys of inbreeding,” I said.

  Flynn burst out laughing, but Corbin continued as if he hadn’t heard me. “—the fae
have magic, too. That’s how they get the claws. They can focus their magic, and sometimes they can send one fae through the entrance into our realm. But there hasn’t been three fae at once for… hundreds of years. So something in the spell that blocks the entrance is faltering, and we need to figure out what.”

  “Corbin is the biggest, baddest witch of us all,” Flynn said. “If the fae get to Corbin, they break us up, and then they might be able to free themselves and walk the earth once again.”

  “And that’s definitely a bad thing?” I asked, cringing as I heard myself entertaining the ridiculous story as if it was something that was real. “It does sound like we humans kind of kicked them off their ancestral land. They have every right to be pissed.”

  “Except that if they come back into our realm, they’re not exactly going to live in harmony with humans. They will raise the Slaugh.”

  “The Slaugh?”

  “In folklore, it’s called ‘The Fairy Host,’ but it’s actually a swarm of restless dead – spirits of the most dark and evil people and fae who have been rejected from the heavens and the earth. They fly over the land like a dark swarm of birds, and they bring death and destruction in their wake. The last time the fae escaped and unleashed the Slaugh, we had the Black Death.”

  Flynn piped up. “Fairies are wankers.”

  “I studied the Black Death in school,” I said. “It was an assignment about biochemistry. The plague was caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria, which hangs out in rodents and in the fleas that feed on them. It’s not caused by some horde of cantankerous ghosts.”

  “If you say so.” Flynn swiped Corbin’s drink and gulped it down.

  “So fae equals bad. I got that. But you guys know these fae,” I remembered. “You called them by their names.”

  “We only know that guy who attacked you,” Arthur said. “Kalen. He’s a type of fae called a pouka – he shapeshifts into the giant black dog that chased us to the gate. He’s also a prince of the Unseelie Court.” Seeing my blank look, he added, “The world of the fae is divided into two courts, each one ruled by royal fae. The Seelie Court are kind of the good guys – they dress in green, and they sometimes help humans, if it suits them. The Unseelie Court are the baddies. They won’t hesitate to maim or kill anyone who tries to get in their way. They’re the ones who control the Slaugh.”