The Portal to Sidhe: Book 3

by Kelsey Schaeffer

  Damon and I rose from our seats and began to look around at the chaos as Benny picked up the microphone. He tried to speak into it, but it was now broken.

  “Excuse me, everyone!” Benny shouted over the commotion. “Excuse me!”

  Several of the guests quieted down, but most were fixated on the commotion between Luke and the guards.

  “Everyone please remain calm and head back to your rooms until further instruction. Please remain calm,” Benny said firmly.

  Several of the guests followed Benny’s orders, but many of the guests were screaming in fear and running around in a panic as Luke knocked down tables as he dodged the guards. Fine china shattered as it crashed against the marble floor, and chairs broke like toothpicks as Luke hurled them at the guards. As Luke ran, he shoved frightened guests out of his way.

  I could hear Luke’s laughter from across the hall as Damon took off after his son. Several other friends and family members tried to reach my son, but before anyone could get to him, Luke howled one last time. In the distance, I could see Luke’s eyes glow silver just before the room went dark.

  “Get down!” I screamed in the darkness as I slammed by body against the hard marble ground.

  As chaos erupted in the darkness, I prayed that my son’s lightening power wouldn’t hit anyone as the silver from his eyes shot a massive lightening bold across the hall. Just as darkness consumed the room once more, I heard the most horrifying scream of all coming from the front of the room.

  With my eyes open wide, I tried to see through the darkness, but everything was black, and I couldn’t see a thing. I pressed my firepower into my fingertips to create a light as I headed to the front of the hall.

  As I grew closer to the front of the hall, I heard Benny scream, “SAMANTHA!” Then I heard a horrifying howl of sadness come from my eldest son.

  “Benny,” I screamed as I ran to my son in the dim light.”

  Just as I reached my son, I saw some of the guards shining their flashlights. I heard a terrible growl come from Luke across the hall, just as I heard someone yell, “We got ‘em!”

  I turned around to see if Luke was okay, but the horrifying shrill of Benny kept me moving forward.

  “Benny!” I cried again as I turned off the firepower in my fingers and allowed the light from the flashlight pollution to guide my way.

  When I reached the front of the room, I saw Benny collapsed to the floor and screaming in horror, as his new bride lay next to him on the ground. Ben was knelt down next to his son, trying to calm him down, but his shrills wouldn’t cease. Ben saw me approach, and he shook his head as a tear fell from his eye.

  It only took seconds for Elona and her husband to reach the front of the room, and the moment they saw their daughter, Elona screamed in horror. I quickly ran to their side and caught Elona in my arms, and her husband stared at their daughter in disbelief. Elona sobbed and shook as she screamed out from the pain of seeing her daughter.

  Finally Samantha’s father took action and began to scream, “Someone call a healing fairy! Someone help!” He knelt down and tried to resuscitate his daughter back to life. A few moments later, as Samantha’s father continued to try and give her life, a healing fairy came to our side. The healing fairy took her pulse and tried to run several tests to check for life, but when he was finished he sadly shook his head.

  Elona screamed again and trembled in my arms, but her husband continued CPR. Nathen, who had now come to the front of the room, tried to console Samantha’s father as he tore him away from his child. Everything seemed chaotic as Ben comforted our Benny, Nathen comforted Samantha’s father and I comforted Elona as we all waited for what would happen next.

  Time disappeared in that moment, as we all mourned our short-lived Queen. Soon, Dr. Campbell arrived to declare Samantha dead, and I passed Elona off to Emerlee so I could hold my son. Under Dr. Campbell’s orders, a few vampire guards began to cover Samantha’s broken body. Benny screamed as he stood between Ben and I, and they carried his first love’s body away.

  When her body was gone, Benny trembled in pain and refused to move.

  “We need to get him home,” I said softly to Ben as a few tears fell from my eyes.

  Ben nodded his head. We tried to guide Benny from the hall, but he was so hysterical, he wouldn’t budge. Ben gestured a guard over.

  “Can you carry him to our home?” Ben asked the guard while Benny continued to sob.

  The guard nodded his head and pulled our son away from us as he lifted him from the ground like a small child in pain. Benny’s cries grew louder as he didn’t want to move.

  We followed the guard back home, as Benny and I tried to soothe our son along the way. When we arrived, Delia and my mother were in the kitchen with Alice and Isabella, who all looked emotionally drained. Ben followed the guard into the living room to lay Benny down, but I remained in the kitchen with the others.

  “Nathen is with Chris and Elona. Where’s Damon?” I asked.

  “He went to the dungeon to be with Luke,” Delia replied as she held Isabella tight. My mom had her arms wrapped around Alice as she held her right.

  “Delia,” I said, “Can you do something for Benny? Can you help him relax for tonight?”

  Delia nodded her head as she handed Isabella off to me. With my youngest child in my arms, I took a seat and stared into space, as my mind was dulled by the events.

  It was my daughter Alice who was the first to speak. “Why Mom? Why would Luke do that?”

  I shook my head as I tried to wipe my tears away. I didn’t know how to answer her.

  Not long after we arrived home, there was a knock at the door. My mom left Alice for a moment to answer, and when she returned, Brandon and his grandson Nick accompanied her. Aunt Allison was right behind them.

  As soon as they entered, Alice ran to Nick and embraced him tight. Nick, Alice and Luke were best friends, and I knew everything going on with Luke was heartbreaking for the two of them.

  “How is he?” my aunt asked us right away.

  “He’s in the other room,” I said. “Delia is using her magic to calm him down.”

  “And Luke?” Brandon asked.

  “They took him back to the dungeon. Damon is with him,” I replied.

  “We’ll stay here, if you want to be with Luke,” my aunt said.

  “And I will take care of Alice,” Nick said as Alice sobbed into his shoulder. Not only was Alice torn up over her brother, but Samantha had been like an older sister to her.

  I shook my head, “I don’t know what to do right now. I don’t know.” I wiped more tears from my eyes as Aunt Allison quickly came to my side. “I hurt for Benny…for Luke, and I’ve known Samantha my entire life. I don’t know what to do.”

  Brandon took Isabella as I sobbed into my aunt’s shoulder.

  Finally, I settled down and said, “I need to see Luke.”

  My aunt nodded her head, “We’ll be here for the children, honey.”

  I quickly checked in on Benny, who was sound asleep before I headed towards to dungeon.

  Several guards were gathered outside Luke’s cell, and Damon stood amongst them. Luke sat on his bed, staring at his audience, with a look of satisfaction upon his face.

  “What do you know?” I asked Damon as I reached his side.

  When Damon gazed at me, I could see his eyes were bloodshot and the wrinkles on his forehead were tight lines of frustration. He shook his head.

  I looked over at a guard near Damon’s cell. “I want to go in there,” I said.

  “Miranda,” The guard said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea, after…”

  “Please,” I said, “I need to talk to my son.”

  The guard stared at me for a moment, then he turned to look at the guard standing next to him; he shrugged his shoulders.

  “What does the King say?” The first guard asks.

  “My son isn’t well.” I said. “He’s resting.”

  The guard nodded his head, then
looked nervous for a moment before he said, “If that is what you want.”

  I nodded my head. The guard quickly opened the gate. As soon as Luke saw the gate open, he jumped off the bed.

  “Sit down!” one of the guards yelled.

  Luke didn’t sit, but he didn’t move as I headed in his direction.

  When I reached my son, I looked him in the eye and said fearlessly, “Why would you do that?”

  Luke flashed a sadistic smile. Then he chucked and said, “What?”

  “You know exactly what you did Luke…why?”

  Luke stared at me while his horrifying expression remained unchanged.

  “Luke, why?” I said again.

  “Because,” he finally answered, “my brother put me in the dungeon to rot.”

  Chapter 16

  The next several days, were spent mourning the loss of the Queen who only reined for a few short hours. Benny remained at our home as he hardly rose from the guest room bed, and only two days after Benny’s wedding, the community gathered once again to grieve during Samantha’s funeral.

  It was a massive, yet heart-wrenching ceremony as the entire Sidhe and Pine Lake community gathered in attendance. I sat near the front with Benny, who was wedged between his father and I; Damon sat to my right. Ayden and Addison, the standing King and Queen of Pine Lake gave a beautiful service in memory of our lost Queen. Several members of both communities spoke kind words of a young woman who would have made a wonderful Queen. The audience expected to hear from my son, the King, but he was still in such deep shock from the event, he declined to speak. Tears fell from my eyes as I looked towards Benny who seemed dead inside as he blankly stared into space. I squeezed his hand tight, but it seemed as if the gesture went unnoticed, as it remained limp.

  After the service, the crowd headed to the grand dining room where we would celebrate Samantha’s life.

  Just as my family turned to head towards the stairs, Benny stopped and looked at me with bloodshot eyes, “I think I’m going to head home.”

  I looked at Ben, who looked lost for words, so I said, “Honey, this is for your wife. Her family and everyone are expecting you. I know you’re in pain, but can you just try to go for even a half hour.”

  Benny gave me a blank stare, and then he slowly nodded his head. “A half hour,” he said just above a whisper.

  I took my son’s hand, and led him up the staircase as I had done so many times when he was a child. When we entered the dining room, everyone seemed to stop and stare. Elona and her husband, Chris were already standing at the front of the room, greeting guests as they received condolences.

  “Go ahead and stand next to them,” I whispered in my son’s ear.

  He stared at my blankly again, so with his hand still in mine, I led him to Samantha’s parents.

  Elona gave us a very artificial smile, and I could see she was doing everything in her power not to cry. She quickly came forward and gave Benny a hug as he took a place next to her.

  “Will you stay with me, Mom?” Benny said quietly.

  I nodded my head and took a place by his side. The four of us tirelessly greeted guests as they apologized for our loss. Guilt ran rampant in my mind as I accepted apologizes for the loss of my daughter-in-law, as my son had been the killer. Thankfully, everyone was so wrapped up in the loss of the beloved Samantha, stones were yet to be throne at my son. I knew that as soon as the shock of Samantha’s death wore away, everyone would be coming for my youngest son, including his older brother. As much as I didn’t want to see my youngest son leave, I was actually hoping Desmorelda would make her appearance sooner than later.

  My predictions deemed accurate. Three days after Samantha’s funeral, Benny began to emerge from his slump. I knew trouble was brewing when Benny came down the stairs that morning, dressed in a suit and ready to return to work.

  “Going back to work already?” I asked as Benny poured himself a glass of coffee.

  “Yeah,” he said. “I have responsibilities. It’s time to go back.”

  “I understand,” I said, “but if you need some time off, I would be happy to sit in your place until you’re feeling up to it.”

  Benny shook his head. “No. I’m sorry, but it’s time to take action on Luke. It can’t be put off any longer.”

  My heart began to pound as I wondered what my typically merciful would do.

  “What are you going to do Benny?” I asked.

  “I don’t know yet,” he muttered.

  “Benny…he’s your brother, and he’s going to be gone in a few weeks.”

  “I know that Mother!” Benny shouted. “But he murdered my wife!”

  “You’re not going to…kill him?” I asked nervously.

  “I don’t know!” Benny growled in a tone I didn’t recognize.

  I stared at him blankly for a moment in fear of what he would do. I took a deep breath. Then I said, “Benny if you kill him…I will have to give Alice or Isabella to Desmorelda, and if I don’t, she will take them both and kill everyone.” I sighed, “Is that what you want?”

  My son growled quietly. Then without another word, he took off.

  “Benny!” I cried out after him as he headed towards the tunnel leading to the castle, but he didn’t stop.

  I jogged to catch up to him, but he only walked faster. I kept calling out his name, asking him to stop, but he only ignored me. Finally, as we almost reached the portal, Benny stopped and turned towards me.

  “Mother please!” he cried out in a more recognizable tone. “I’m the King and I have to do what needs to be done.”

  “But what will you do?” I plead.

  Benny took a deep breath in and let it out very slow. “I won’t kill him,” he said softy.

  The racing in my heart slowed down some as I felt a strong sense of relief.

  Benny continued, “I’m doing this for Alice and Isabella…and you, otherwise he would be sentenced to death.”

  “Thank you, Benny,” I said as I wrapped my arms around my son. My son stayed stiff as a bored as tears flowed from my eyes in relief.

  My son quickly pulled away, then he looked at me and said, “I’m calling a meeting tonight. I’ve invited the counsel, Samantha’s parents, and the parents of the fairies Luke hurt.”

  I nodded my head. My son continued, “Can you please tell Damon, Ben and Nathen. I’ll alert the others. We’ll meet at seven.”

  I nodded my head again. “Are you okay?” I asked softly as I patted my son’s shoulder as he towered above me.

  Benny nodded his head, but he didn’t look okay. I returned home and told the other about the meeting as Benny had requested, and at fifteen minutes to seven, the four of us headed to the throne room. Nathen had previously been on the Pine Lake Counsel, so when he moved in with us on Sidhe, he took an open superhuman spot. Delia was unable to join the counsel, as Elona and Sadie were long time counsel members. When Damon and I stepped down from our spot as King and Queen, Roger and Allison turned their hybrid counsel spots over to the two of us so they could retire.

  When we arrived at the throne room, Brandon was already in his assigned seat at the far left of the table. Nathen took his seat next to him, and Damon sat down next to his father. I sat in my assigned seat next to Damon, and Ben took his seat at the foot of the table. Not long after we arrived, Elona and her husband arrived, with Sadie following close behind. Chris pulled a chair up, so he could sit by his wife at our counsel table. Moments later, Brian and Vic, the vampire representatives joined our table. The four parents of the fairies who my son had injured were just behind the vampires; they pulled chairs up, since the counsel table was completely full.

  Our large group sat quietly as we awaited our king. There was awkward silence amongst our group, with only a faint whisper here and there. At seven o’clock sharp, my son entered the room with a guard following behind.

  Everyone in the room stood in respect, but my son quickly said, “Everyone have a seat.”

  Everyone was seat
ed, just as my son took his seat at the front of the room. The guard remained near the doorway.

  “Thank you everyone for coming on a short notice,” my son began. “I am sure everyone knows why we are here, and I apologize it took this long for me to bring everyone together. Obviously, the last few days haven’t been easy.”

  Everyone nodded their head in understanding as they awaited to hear of Luke’s impending doom.

  Benny sighed as the room sat still. “This is all very difficult for me,” Benny said in a quiet tone. “Luke is my brother…and he killed my…”

  Benny covered his eyes from a moment as I heard him gasp in pain. Ben and I stood up at the same time, but Benny quickly wiped his tears off his face and gestured for us to sit. When I looked around the table, I saw that some of the others had tears in their eyes, and the others looked sullen.

  “I’m sorry,” Benny said softly. Then he brought his voice to a more dominating tone as he said, “Most of you know that Desmorelda came back to Sidhe almost three years ago and demanded my parents give her one of my siblings…which is why we built an army.”

  Most everyone nodded their heads. My son continued, “As most of you also know, after Luke…assaulted the two fairies, the unfortunate decision was made to send Luke to Hell, and to remain a prisoner until that time.” Benny sighed again. “It is my fault Samantha was killed.”

  Everyone looked at one another in confusion.

  “I wanted my brother to be my best man, so I allowed him freedom for my wedding day. The potion used to temporarily remove his vile had been tested, but it wasn’t enough. I should have brought this decision to a counsel vote, but instead this decision was my on own, and I’m sorry for that. I take the blame for my brother’s actions. He should have remained in the dungeon without magic until his departure.”