by Karen Lynch
The queen’s guard lifted his eyes from the altar and looked straight at the spot where I stood. His mouth barely moved when he said, “Well?”
I tensed. Was he talking to me?
“It will work,” the other male murmured quietly. “It has to be an older one and the hide must be fresh. The scales will fall off after a day, and it will lose its magic.”
Hide? Scales? Bile rose in my throat. Drakkans were impervious to wards. Gus was able to come and go through the powerful ward Lukas had put on my apartment, and he’d only been a young drakkan.
What if someone managed to kill an older drakkan, wrapped themselves in the hide, and were able to walk right past the wards? They’d have to knock out the guards first, but then the ke’tain would be theirs for the taking.
One of the Unseelie guards on duty shifted restlessly, his watchful eyes trained on the two visitors, who had been standing in front of the altar a little too long. The queen’s guard smiled, and the sight made my stomach lurch. He turned away from the altar and ascended the stairs as if he hadn’t a care. Ten seconds later, his co-conspirator followed him.
I looked down at the ke’tain and pressed my lips together. I was not going to give Queen Anwyn another chance to destroy everything I loved.
I needed to warn the king about what she was up to, and I had to do it without revealing how I’d come by this information. I’d worry about that part later. First, I had to take the ke’tain and hide it somewhere safe – like that hidden cave in the mountains. It was a long trip, but no one would ever find it there.
I extended the hand that held the replica, and I had to pull it back because it was shaking. I took a few deep, calming breaths. Get it together, Jesse.
My hand was steady when I tried again, but I was distracted by what had happened, and I forgot to brace myself for the jolt when I touched the ke’tain. Hot needles of pain shot from my fingertips to my shoulder, and I barely managed to bite back a cry.
For a second, I lost all feeling in my hand, long enough for the ke’tain to slip from my grip. It landed in its spot on the altar with a soft thump that might as well have been a gunshot in the tomblike room.
The four guards came to life and rushed toward the altar. I barely breathed as the Unseelie guards scanned one side of the altar, and the Seelie guards checked the other side.
“Do you see anything?” one of the Unseelie guards asked.
“No,” replied a Seelie guard. “You all heard the noise?”
The second Unseelie guard craned his neck, trying to peer around the altar. “Yes, but I can see nothing out of place.”
“I do not like this.” The first Unseelie guard looked at the two from Seelie. He was the same guard I’d seen watching the visitors like a hawk, and he did not try to hide his suspicion. “I am going to send for Korrigan.”
My body went cold, and sweat broke out on my upper lip. If Korrigan came, so would Bauchan, the queen’s head of security. More guards would accompany them, and I’d be trapped here. The glamour made me invisible, but they could still touch me. If they took down the wards to investigate, I was done for.
“Then I will send for Bauchan,” said one of the Seelie guards, who looked anything but happy about it. He followed the Unseelie guard who had already started up the stairs.
I looked at the ke’tain as indecision flooded me. If I left it here, I risked Queen Anwyn getting her hands on it. If I tried to take it, I risked getting caught.
I bit the inside of my cheek. The chances of the queen’s men managing to hunt and kill an adult drakkan by tomorrow were slim. But the odds of me being imprisoned if I was caught were much higher. If that happened, I wouldn’t be able to protect the ke’tain from the queen.
Resigned, I quietly returned the fake ke’tain to my pocket. I kept a close eye on the two remaining guards, who stood facing the altar, as I crept around it. I had to hug the wall to sneak past the Unseelie guard, and I was afraid to breathe until I was halfway up the stairs. In the antechamber, I paused to listen for the presence of others. I released a shaky breath. That had been too close.
I jumped at a sound to my left, and I whirled to see a stone-faced Korrigan stepping out of the tunnel. Behind him were the guard who had been on temple duty and several others I couldn’t see. Damn it. They’d gotten here fast, which meant the Seelie people would arrive any second. It was about to get crowded in here, and I needed to get out before that happened.
More people spilled from the tunnel, and at the front was a blond male with a glacial expression. I saw why the Seelie guards had been so afraid to summon Queen Anwyn’s head of security. Up close, he was terrifying. I suddenly felt like a mouse dropped into a cage with a cobra.
I darted to the steps that led outside. In my haste, I brushed against the bowl of crystals atop the pedestal in the center of the room. The glass bowl rocked, and the crystals clinked against the sides.
I took two more steps before someone slammed into me, taking me down hard to the cold stone floor. Black dots swam before my eyes as I was rolled roughly onto my back and found myself looking up at Faolin’s shocked face.
Chapter 19
Faolin stared at me like he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. “Jesse?”
“What treachery is this?” Bauchan towered over us. He held a sword in one hand and looked seconds away from plunging it into me. My heart banged painfully against my ribs, and I could barely hear over the roaring in my ears.
“Stay your hand, Bauchan,” ordered a commanding voice. Korrigan strode forward. He didn’t hold a weapon, but his glare could have sliced me to ribbons. “Jesse James, what are you doing in the temple?”
Bauchan didn’t wait for me to answer. “She was cloaked by a glamour. No one is strong enough to do that here, least of all someone like her.”
Korrigan nodded gravely, and his eyes pinned me. “You will tell us how you came to the island and how you were able to hide yourself from us.”
I swallowed dryly and croaked, “A drakkan brought me.”
“Impossible,” Bauchan spat. “Drakkans cannot be tamed.”
I looked at Faolin, who still held me down. “Gus. He’s outside.”
Comprehension flashed in his eyes, and he lifted his head to look at his father. “It was the young drakkan she rescued in the human realm. The same one that carried her off the day we went to town.”
One of Korrigan’s men ran outside and returned wearing a stunned expression. “She speaks the truth.”
Korrigan’s lips formed a thin line, and I could tell he didn’t believe me. “Did this drakkan somehow make you invisible?”
I glanced at Faolin and back to his father. “No.”
“What then?” Bauchan demanded.
“I can’t tell you.”
“Insolence!” Bauchan loomed over me. “I have ways to make you speak.”
Faolin shot to his feet and blocked Bauchan as he reached for me. “You will not touch her,” he growled.
Bauchan stood chest-to-chest with him. “You have no authority here. On this island, she is subject to a different rule of law that is neither Seelie nor Unseelie. I have the right to interrogate her about her crime.”
“There is no evidence yet of a crime,” Faolin replied, undaunted.
“No crime?” Bauchan laughed harshly. “She entered the goddess’s temple cloaked in magic. I can think of only one reason someone would do that.”
Faolin jabbed a finger at me where I lay on the floor. “Do you forget who she is? Jesse nearly died returning the ke’tain to Faerie. She is the last one who would attempt to steal it. And there is no law against cloaking yourself with magic in the temple.”
“There is no law because it should be impossible,” Bauchan shouted.
“Enough.” Korrigan’s voice echoed off the stone walls. “Bauchan is correct. No one, not even the king or queen, is strong enough to create an illusion like that in this temple. I do not know of any object that can do it, but that does not mean on
e does not exist.”
Bauchan gave a triumphant nod and waved one of his men over. “Search her.”
I shrank away from them as horrific images of being strip-searched flashed through my mind.
Faolin blocked the guard with his arm. “I will search her.” He leaned down and took my hands, helping me to my feet. His eyes flicked to mine before he began to methodically pat me down and check my pockets. I held my breath when he reached into my coat pocket that held the cloth sack containing the fake ke’tain. He drew the sack out slowly and frowned at me as he loosened the string and tipped the plain blue stone onto his palm.
“What is it?” Korrigan asked.
“Nothing but a stone.” Faolin passed it to his father and resumed searching me.
Korrigan studied the stone. “I feel no magic in it.” He gave the stone to one of his men who carried it to Bauchan.
Bauchan rubbed the stone and examined it like it would suddenly reveal its secrets. When it didn’t do as he wished, he turned his accusing eyes on me again. “Why do you have this? What does it do?”
“It doesn’t do anything,” I answered, relieved when my voice didn’t shake. “It’s a pretty stone I found. I’ve been saving it for my brother.”
Faolin straightened and held up my laevik crystal. “This is all she has on her.”
His father took the crystal. “There is nothing special about laevik.”
“You missed something,” Bauchan accused Faolin. “Remove her clothes.”
“No!” I pulled the edges of my coat together as Faolin stepped protectively in front of me.
Korrigan scowled at Bauchan. “She will be taken to Unseelie where a female guard can perform a search in private.”
“Do you expect me to trust you with this investigation?” Bauchan said with a sneer.
“Do not question my integrity.” Korrigan seemed to grow in size, and his eyes took on a dangerous light. “You are welcome to have one of your females assist in the search, and you may participate in the interrogation. But Jesse is Unseelie, which puts her under my authority.”
Bauchan’s jaw hardened. “When her guilt is proven, Seelie will demand justice.”
“If she is guilty of a crime, the king will demand it as well.” Korrigan looked at Faolin. “Take her to a holding cell. Bauchan and I will join you after we inspect the temple wards.”
Faolin nodded and took my arm in a firm grip. Wordlessly, he led me down the tunnel I’d used earlier. In the room below, he placed his free hand against the wall, and a portal opened.
We stepped through and emerged in a small room I’d never seen before. It was devoid of furnishings, and it had a narrow archway that opened to a hallway. We navigated a series of similar hallways until we came to a winding flight of stairs.
I shivered when we descended the stairs. The level with the holding cells was deep below the ground, and with every step, I conjured images of dungeons and torture chambers. It didn’t help that Faolin was silent the entire time, leaving me to wonder what horrors waited for me.
We reached the bottom level, and my pulse kicked up a notch when he steered me down another hallway that was more of a tunnel. He stopped us at a solid wood door and opened it to reveal a long room with a crude table, two chairs, and three doors along the inner wall. Each door had a small window at eye level with a purple crystal above it.
Faolin pressed his hand to the middle of the first door, and it swung inward. The cell was nothing more than a room carved out of stone with a sleeping niche containing a pallet. The thought of being alone in the cold barren cell made me yank against Faolin’s hold when he started inside. I was no match for his strength, and he pulled me into the room.
“Faolin, I –”
He spun and gripped my shoulders, his hard eyes searching mine. “We don’t have much time. If I am going to help you, you have to be honest with me. What were you doing at the temple?”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Desperation clawed at me. “I…can’t.”
“Do you understand the trouble you are in?” His fingers dug into my shoulders. “You used magic no one should possess to sneak into the goddess’s temple. You have to explain it and prove you were not there to steal the ke’tain as Bauchan claims. I will do what I can for you, but you have to trust me.”
Tears of frustration stung my eyes. “I do trust you. I want to tell you, but I can’t.”
“What is stopping you?”
I tried to say her name, but my mouth refused to form the word. I wanted to scream. I’d done everything Aedhna had asked of me. Why couldn’t I speak of it now?
Faolin’s head tipped back, and he frowned at me. “You are physically unable to say it?”
I gave a jerky nod as relief flooded me.
“You can’t say who or what did this to you?”
I shook my head.
He released me and stepped back. “Did this person or thing force you to go to the temple?”
“No,” I answered hoarsely.
His eyes widened at that admission. “You freely went to the island and entered the temple, but something prevents you from speaking of it.”
“Yes.”
He raked his fingers through his short hair. “I don’t have to tell you how bad this is. Tensions are high, and everyone is on edge about the storms and the fate of our world. You could not have chosen a worse time to do this.”
“I didn’t choose the time.” I wished I could tell him I’d done it for Faerie and my world, but the truth was locked inside me.
Faolin’s head came up. “So, it is someone and not something who is doing this to you?”
I pressed my lips together and nodded again.
Muffled voices came from the hallway, and my heart began to race. I looked at Faolin, unable to hide my fear. What would Korrigan and Bauchan do when their interrogation got nothing from me? I didn’t know if Korrigan would resort to torture, but Bauchan wouldn’t hesitate to do it. I’d seen it in his eyes when he’d threatened me at the temple. He’d enjoy it.
“I will not let them harm you,” Faolin vowed fiercely. “Vaerik will kill anyone who dares.”
My chest tightened. What would Lukas say when he found out what I’d done? He’d protect me, but would he feel the same about me knowing I had deceived him? The thought of losing his trust scared me more than anything Korrigan or Bauchan could do to me.
The outer door opened. Through the open cell door, I watched Korrigan enter, followed by Bauchan and two females. One of the females was an Unseelie guard named Rossa I’d seen in the training room on multiple occasions. The other, I assumed, was Seelie.
Korrigan cast a somber glance at me and turned to Rossa. “You and Alva will do a thorough search of Jesse’s clothing. Remove every item and check for jewelry or other objects on her body. If you find anything, call to us.”
“Yes, Korrigan.” Rossa’s wide eyes met mine as she and Alva entered the cell. I could only imagine what was going through her mind at seeing me down here.
Faolin walked out, closing the door behind him. The back of his head was visible through the small window when he took up a position outside the door to make sure no one looked inside.
“Please, remove your coat and hand it to me,” Rossa said with an apologetic look.
I complied without speaking. The sooner I got through this, the better.
She went over every inch of the coat before she passed it to Alva, who did the same. Next went my boots, pants, and top, until I was left standing in my underwear. I’d undressed around other girls in the school locker room plenty of times, so I wasn’t embarrassed by that. It was the thought of being naked and groped like a new prison inmate that brought heat to my cheeks.
I bit down on my lip and stared ahead with all the dignity I could muster as I removed my underwear, and the two females ran their hands over my body. They made quick work of it, and Alva looked as sorry as Rossa to put me through the humiliating experience.
When Rossa un
raveled my braid to check my hair, I felt a moment of panic. But as it had before, the goddess stone hid itself from detection.
“You may dress,” she said at last. She and Alva faced the door while I hastily pulled on my clothes. Then she walked to the door and said, “We are done.”
The door swung open on Korrigan and Bauchan’s expectant faces. Faolin’s expression was unreadable as he waited for Rossa to speak.
“We found nothing,” she informed them.
Bauchan looked at Alva, who murmured in agreement. I couldn’t tell if it was anger or disappointment in his eyes, but he was not happy.
“Thank you. You may leave,” Korrigan told them.
Rossa tossed me a sympathetic look before she and Alva walked out, leaving me alone with Faolin, Korrigan, and Bauchan. I stood in the center of my cell, dreading what was to come.
Korrigan folded his arms across his chest. “Are you ready to tell us how you cloaked yourself in the temple?”
“I can’t.”
Bauchan’s lip curled. “Can’t or won’t?”
“Why were you at the temple?” Korrigan asked.
“I can’t tell you that either.” I clasped my hands together and sent a silent plea to Faolin to not share what I’d told him. It would only raise more questions I couldn’t answer.
Korrigan caught the look I gave his son and addressed Faolin. “Did she confess to you while you were alone?”
“No, Father.”
“Do you know what I think?” Bauchan held up the blue stone Faolin had taken from me in the temple. “This is the same size and shape as the ke’tain. You intended to steal the ke’tain and put this in its place.”
Korrigan looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “Even if she could somehow make it look like the ke’tain, it would not give off the same power signature. No one would mistake it for the real thing.”
“She entered the temple undetected. Who knows what she can do?” Bauchan retorted.
“I would never steal the ke’tain,” I said vehemently.
Bauchan barked a laugh. “We should take your word on that? Your occupation in the human realm was hunting faeries, was it not? Perhaps you brought your hatred of us with you into your new life, and you seek to destroy our world.”
