A Fey Harvest (19 page)

“
On that happy note,” Arach grinned, “How about a tour of the castle?”

“
You're going to take me below, aren't you?” Guirmean asked with such trepidation, Arach and I laughed.

“
You don't have to go if you don't want to,” I waved it away. “Right, Arach?”

“
Of course not,” Arach shrugged. “I merely wanted to return the gesture of good faith.”

“
Oh good,” Guirmean sighed. “I'm fine without knowing where your lava lake is. Frankly, I wouldn't go there even if I did have bad intentions toward the House of Fire. The idea of a lake made of fire kind of chills me to the bone and yes, I see the irony in that.”

“
Why don't we just have some coffee and dessert?” I smiled.

“
Coffee?” Guirmean piped up. “Like the Arabs used to make?”

“
Yes,” Arach waved at one of the fire fey and they went to fetch the French press I'd brought from home. “Vervain brought boxes of the stuff, she's addicted. I find it quite enjoyable too, especially in the morning.”

“
I like it with breakfast and dessert,” I looked happily over the plate laid before me. The cooks had made little blue cakes, the frosting whipped to resemble water, in honor of our guests. I love cake.

“
Here it is,” Arach took the french press and poured a cup for everyone.

I instructed Guirmean on the possibility of cream and sugar and he fixed his to his liking, sipping at it in delight. I smiled to myself, taking a warming sip. I was gonna get the fey addicted to caffeine. That was probably very wrong of me but who cares, even though they live forever, they still only live once.

We drank our coffee as
The Talking Heads
sang about burning down the house and the fey danced with abandon, working off all the pizza they'd ate.

Chapter Twenty-Two

“
I think I need to return to the God Realm,” I said to Arach that night as we walked back to our bedroom. “Our conversation tonight has got me thinking that waiting here for Kanaloa to make his move is not the best course of action. We now know the identity of the fey working with the Darkness and we know he's in the Human Realm. I think I should go and look for him. I can get the wolves to help if I have to.”

“
That sounds wise,” Arach nodded. “Did you want to leave immediately?”

“
I'll go from the bedroom,” I nodded. “I wanna grab that handkerchief with the fir darrig scent on it.”

With the magic in my father's Ring of Remembrance, I didn't need to go to The End of the Road, the only tracing point in and out of Faerie. The ring would take me anyplace in any time, from anywhere that I was. So I waited till we were safely ensconced in our bedroom before I turned and gave Arach a kiss goodbye.

“I'll only be a few minutes,” I waved the handkerchief at him.

“
Don't be late this time,” he settled into a chair near the window to wait for me.

“
I won't,” I looked down at the ring. “Please take me back to the God Realm, Pride Palace, a few moments after my last departure.”

And then I was elsewhere.

And back again.

“
How's that for timing?” I asked Arach, who looked like he had just finished lowering the hand that he'd begin to lower to the table when I left.

“
Excellent,” he grinned. “Anything helpful to tell me?”

“
How about the name of the goddess who's killing fey?” I put down the bag I was carrying.

“
What?” He sat bolt upright in his chair. “A goddess? Not Kanaloa?”

“
Yes and no it wasn't him,” I took the seat across from him. “Her name is Andrasta, she's an ex-lover of UnnúlfR's and she killed some Froekn in a way that made me suspect a connection between her and the missing fey. Then we found the fir-darrig and he confirmed it, she's been taking fey to feed to the Darkness. Oh and she's the Goddess of Darkness if you still have any doubts.”

“
No, no doubts,” he frowned. “So you think she's taking the fey as some kind of sacrifice?”

“
I think she's taking the fey for their elements,” I sighed. “Her magic was different to begin with, it wasn't taken from the sacrifices given to her by humans. It was an old magic, already lurking in the land when Andrasta arrived from Atlantis. I believe it offered her powers in exchange for her hosting it and she agreed. It's like she's possessed. She's never needed sacrifices before but I believe that with the opening of the Faerie Realm, she saw a chance to grab what her magic really does need, or maybe just wants, elements.”

“
Elements?” Arach's dragon eyes narrowed on mine. “Why would it want elements?”

“
I have a theory but I'd really like to run it by the High King,” I sighed. “It was something the fir darrig said. He said the Darkness was nothing, that it was loneliness, that it had no breath, blood, brine, or stone.”

“
Those are the representations of the Elemental Houses of Faerie,” Arach said in a deadly soft voice.

“
Exactly,” I swallowed hard. “The Darkness has no
elements.”

“
It's loneliness?” Arach focused on me intently. “That was the word he used?”

“
Ah, see,” I smiled, “this is why I love you. You're so smart. It took me awhile to make that connection. It's the story, isn't it? The one the High King told about the origins of the fey. It's
that
Darkness but how did it get to the Human Realm?”

“
I don't know,” Arach shook his head. “That was before I was born. The first time I'd ever heard that story was when King Cian told it.”

“
There was a time before you?” I gasped.

“
Very amusing,” his lips flattened into an aggrieved line. “We need to speak to the High King about this.”

“
Should we mirror him now?”

“
Later,” he pulled me out of my chair and into his lap. “I've missed you horribly and the thought of killing something has aroused me.”

“
I've been gone all of five seconds.”

“
Are you seriously going to complain about me wanting to take you to bed?”

“
No but you might have come up with something more romantic than the idea of killing something turning you on.”

“
The sight of you has softened my hard heart,” he crooned as he lifted me and carried me to the bed, “and hardened my soft cock. Better?”

“
Ahhh, you're such an ass,” I laughed as I yanked my dress off.

“
And you love me anyway,” he prompted as he crawled up my body.

“
And I love you anyway.”

“
Oh, thank Faerie,” he groaned and rolled over beside me, a hand over his head. “I'd thought surely you hated me when you didn't immediately jump into my arms at the suggestion of sex.”

“
Arach!”

Chapter Twenty-Three

We were sprawled naked across the bed when the sound of chimes filled the room, so we both shot up and grabbed robes. At least I had thought we were grabbing robes. I went for mine and so did Arach, evidently he was more concerned with covering me up than himself. I didn't know whether to be flattered or not so I just laughed and pushed him in the direction of his own robe.

We covered up just as the mirror misted over and then King Cian's face was filling it. I sat down in the chair in front of the vanity table and Arach stayed standing behind me.

“King Arach,” the High King nodded, “Queen Vervain. We have more missing fey.”

“
What, is it water fey this time?” I huffed.

“
Yes, actually,” he frowned. “How did you know that?”

“
I guessed,” I said softly as my suspicions were confirmed. “So now there are missing earth, air, and water fey?”

“
Yes.”

“
High King,” Arach interrupted while I gathered my thoughts. “My Queen has journeyed to the God Realm and returned with news. She believes she knows the identity of the culprit.”

“
She does?” King Cian's eyes lit up. “Who is it?”

“
A goddess named Andrasta,” Arach answered. “She's the Goddess of Darkness.”

“
And ravens,” I added in a little voice.

“
Ravens?” Cian frowned. “That black fog we saw in the crystal valley, it sounded like birds when it escaped.”

“
Yes, exactly,” I nodded. “We found the fir darrig and he confirmed it's her. I'm just not sure how to stop her. There was an attack while I was in the other realms and when I pursued the trail I found, I was confronted with a very powerful magic. One much more powerful than what we've already seen traces of. I believe she's taking these fey to steal their elements and give the Darkness what it needs.”

“
The time difference,” King Cian nodded. “Of course but wait. How would a goddess gain access to the Faerie Realm?”

“
With the help of a fey,” Arach growled. “The fir darrig we thought was responsible for the murders. He's just an accomplice.”

“
Aligning himself with a goddess?” King Cian inhaled sharply. “Betraying his race? I know fir darrigs can be mean, even cruel, but this? That is too horrible to contemplate.”

“
It's true, he said it himself. He's also paid the price for his treachery, Fenrir killed him.” I said grimly.

“
Fenrir?” Arach raised a brow at me.

“
He needed some kind of satisfaction for his dead family since I told him he couldn't have Andrasta.”

“
Fair enough,” Arach sighed. “I guess you can't kill them all.”

“
The saying is you can't win them all,” I grimaced.

“
Not for me it isn't,” Arach grinned viciously.

“
Look, King Cian,” I tried to get us back on course. “There's a lot more I have to tell you but I'd like to do this in person, with the other royals in attendance. Why don't you tell us where the site of the water fey abduction is and we'll meet you
there?”

“
Oh, yes,” Cian stammered, “Of course. It's Castle Deuraich, someone will direct you when you arrive.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

“Vervain,” Guirmean took my hand, “oh damn, I'm so sorry.
Queen
Vervain. I've just... I can't think right-”

“
It's okay,” I gave him a hug and he kind of crumpled into me. “I'm sorry for your loss.”

“
King Guirmean,” Arach put a hand on his shoulder sympathetically. “It speaks well of you, that you're so distraught.”

“
Where is everyone?” I pulled away and looked around the entry room of Castle Deuraich. There were a few water fey wandering about, looking a little shell-shocked, but that was it.

“
They're at the location of...” he ran a shaky hand through his green hair. “They took Dearbhail.”

“
The asrai?” Arach's face went slack.

“
Another ex-girlfriend?” I eyeballed him.

“
Yes,” his voice was a little sad, “and one I actually cared for. I'm sorry, A Thaisce.”

“
No, it's fine,” I stammered, “I'm sorry too.”

“
She was a lovely fey,” Arach sighed.

“
Yes, she was,” Guirmean nodded.

“
Oh no,” I gave Guirmean a sympathetic face, “you too, huh?”

“
She was hard to resist,” he shrugged, “and I was the reason she was here. She would have been safe in the sea if not for my lusts.”

“
Stop that, right now,” I took his hand and eased some of my love magic into him.

Just a little, because I knew that loss needed to be felt first before it was relieved. Loss. Shit, I hadn't even told Arach about my loss but that would have to wait. A lot had happened in the God Realm, a lot more than I had the time to tell him about right now. I focused instead on Guirmean and sent a few butterflies in to take his horrible guilt away.

“What was that?” Guirmean's face had lost its haunted look.

“
Just a little Love,” I shrugged, “I didn't take away your grief, you're entitled to that, but I healed your guilt. You need to be able to focus on helping us find Dearbhail's killer.”

“
Thank you,” he laid a hand on my shoulder, much as Arach had done to him and took a deep breath. “That's an amazing magic you have.”

“
Yes, I like it too,” Arach eyed Guirmean's hand.

“
Of course,” Guirmean cleared his throat and pulled his hand away. “Please, follow me, I'll show you to the scene.”

He led us up a shining stairway of polished, white, seamless stone. It echoed hollowly with our footsteps, like walking inside a conch shell. The acoustics returned to normal as we came out into a gleaming hallway. One side of it was open to the air, with only a delicate glass railing to define it. The railing melded into the view, showcasing the Water Kingdom without impediment. Salt-laced air blew in, fresher than any breeze on any beach in the Human Realm. This water was untainted by filth or decay and so the scent of it was cleaner, uplifting even. I took a deep breath of it and felt refreshed but I walked as close to the solid wall of stone as was possible.

At the end of the hallway was a huge door, its opening
bordered by carvings of sea-life and studded with pearls. The door itself was mother-of-pearl, shining in the sunlight, and it was ajar. We went through it and into the massive bedroom beyond, a circular room that was extended out from the main body of the castle, over the sea. I knew this because there were thick glass panels set into the floor, giving an unsettling view of the ocean below.

I stepped around the panels, trying not to look at the dizzying sight, and walked right into a pale blue silk curtain. The windows, which adorned sections of the wall to both the right and left of the door, were open and the pieces of silk were flowing in that wonderful breeze like rippling water. The pieces of floor that weren't glass were made of white marble but they were also covered by silk carpets designed to look like a top view of underwater life. So it appeared that we were walking over glass panels in a submarine. I actually stopped to stand over one of the carpets and stare at the fish below me. They were moving.

“It's magic,” Guirmean was beside me, waving a hand to the carpet. “I was fascinated as well, the first time I beheld it. It helps keep me from missing the sea when I have to spend long periods of time out of the water.”

“
This is
your
bedroom?” I gaped at him. “Oh hell, of course it is. I'm so sorry. It's very beautiful and kind of disconcerting for me.”

“
Yes, it would be a little uncomfortable for a fire fey but thank you for the compliment,” he smiled sadly. “I hope I'll be able to sleep in it again sometime soon.”

“
Oh, crap,” I groaned. “This is so awful.”

“
You have spoken true,” King Cian came around the massive, four-poster bed and I didn't know what to focus on, the High King's shiny skin or the magnificent bed. I chose the bed because I'd seen the skin before.

It was on a raised platform of white stone and its posters were huge pieces of red coral. The branches extended out to frame the bed, draped with strings of pearls and lengths of pale blue silk. The mattress was covered in shimmering blue fabric with shifting hues and there was a mobile of shells and driftwood hung above it at the center crest of the coral. I may have sighed a little. Now that, I could get used to.

“Queen Vervain?” King Cian was in front of me, peering at me strangely.

“
Oh yes, sorry,” I shook myself free of the bed's pull. “Where was she taken?”

“
We think it was here,” King Cian pointed to a corner where the other royals were congregated. They spread out so we could see the destruction.

It looked so out of place in the pristine room and it took a moment to process. The furniture that had been there, I'm not even sure what it once was, had been smashed to pieces. Shards of broken stone, glass, and shells littered the ground. The curtains were torn, one of them stained with blood, and there was a large pool of blood near the window.

I walked over, carefully stepping around the blood, and everyone backed away from me. I spared a glance for the other royals but really I was focused on the evidence. The blood trailed over the windowsill, like Dearbhail had been dragged, and the scent of it, of her, assailed my nostrils with the acrid tang of fear. Fear. I sniffed further and there, underneath it all, was a hint of the nothing. It was faint and I wondered if being in Faerie somehow weakened it. Things started to fit together in my head.

Then I pulled out the goggles.

“What are those?” King Guirmean asked from right behind me, startling me a bit.

“
They're god magic,” I put them on over my head and pulled them into position. “They'll help me see further.”

“
Why didn't you bring those to the earlier sites?” King Cian came up beside Guirmean.

“
I didn't think about it,” I shrugged. “What's done is done, I have them now.”

Then I looked upon Faerie.

“Whoa,” I breathed out the barest hint of the word.

Under the true-seeing glass of Tlaloc's goggles, the Realm of Faerie was even more magnificent. Everything pulsed, shimmered, glittered with life and magic. There were trails of it through the sky, misty collections of it in the forest, and when I focused on the water, I could see streamers of it swirling happily. There wasn't a single thing in all of Faerie that didn't glow or sparkle with power. It really was the heart of magic, the birthplace of it all.

Now you finally see,
Faerie spoke into my head.

“
Fuck,” I jumped, totally unprepared for her.

“
What is it?” Arach was beside me, holding my hand.

“
Sorry,” I gave a short laugh, “just Faerie talking to me. It's been awhile since I've heard her and I've forgotten how she can sneak up on me.”

I hardly sneak. I am simply always here.

“Ah,” he smiled and then it turned intense. “How long were you gone to the God Realm exactly?”

“
Exactly?” I shrugged and gave my attention back to the mystical view of Faerie. “I dunno, I had some issues there.” I swallowed hard. Not yet, I couldn't talk about it now. “A few
months.”

“
Months?” Arach lifted a brow at me.

“
Don't look at me like that,” I huffed, “I spent just as long here before I went back to the God Realm. You don't actually have to do without me at all, remember?”

“
I guess,” he sighed. “It just feels a little insulting that
you
could do so long without
me
.”

“
Really? You're gonna do this now?” I turned to face him and stopped short.

Under the view of the goggles he was breathtaking. I'd seen him before with the goggles but that had been in the God Realm. He'd looked fairly normal there, except for the gigantic dragon form that hovered over him. In Faerie, he was magnified. He was made of fire, a bright torch shaped into the form of a man. His heart was the pure white center of him, pulsing with every beat and sending waves of heat out into his extremities. His skin was a golden crust to the flames, a thin barrier between the element that fueled him and the rest of the world. I understood then why another element thrust into that heart could stop it. I mean I'd understood before but now I saw the reality of it and really knew what the fey were made of. Arach
was
fire, he was his element, every cell of his body was held together by magic.

Layered upon that was the dragon and although he played second fiddle to the fire, the beast still thought himself dominant. He rose above Arach larger than he had in the God Realm. This was the true size of Arach's dragon and he filled the room, pushing into and sometimes through the other auras of the royals. It explained a lot about why other fey usually gave Arach such a wide berth.

“Vervain?” He looked me over in concern. “What is it?”

“
It's you,” I whispered and held a hand out to his face. I pulled it back quickly though, when I saw the fire underneath my own skin. I held my hand up to my face and watched the flames race along beneath my skin. Why hadn't I ever thought to look at myself through the goggles? Maybe I'd been scared of what I'd see.

My fire was just as bright as Arach's but it wasn't the only thing I was made of and beneath it, no, within it, ran other magic. My hand began to shake as I examined myself. Was I ready for this? I'd just recently become a triple triple being, collecting my third type of magic and therefore making my third collection of three. It had done something to me, made me feel complete and melded all of what I was together. So the question was, what had I become?

Within the fire was blood, a throbbing, red, DNA-loaded river of human cells. It had magic of its own, sparkling through the flames. Then among those was a different color, a bright blue haze that swirled through the other two, my Goddess magic. I had an epiphany, looking at the three of them together. They were like an evolution, the fey creating the human magic and then the human magic fueling the Atlantean. They melded so well because they were already a part of each other.

“
I need a mirror,” I said to Arach's dragon and he lowered his head to mine, sniffing at me happily before jerking his head to the right. I walked off before realizing that I hadn't even addressed Arach himself and he was standing behind me, looking perplexed.

There was a large mirror hanging on the wall near the door. It was set into a monstrous nautilus shell that had been sliced in half. It was beautiful but I hardly had time to admire it, I was too busy looking at myself.

“Holy cannolis,” I whispered as I touched the glass.

I was completely formed of that glistening combination of magics; cerulean mist swirling with the flames of my element
while bright red blood vessels shot through me and connected them all together. At my center, over my pulsing red heart, was a glowing nine-pointed star but that wasn't what amazed me, I'd been prepared for that. What really shocked me was my true self which stood over this sparkling core like Arach's dragon stood over his.

She was massive, an amazon aura encasing and surmounting my body, and she glowed, a halo of light shone around her. Her face held traces of my own but it was angled into sharp lines, her cheeks and forehead covered in gold scales which merged into lion eyes, set deep under the crown of the dragon. Those eyes cut at me, piercing me straight to the heart. They held all of my pain; all the anger, frustration, and heartache that I'd thought were gone or at least lessened. My love magic had muted them, had given me enough relief to be able to function again but that had only been on the surface.

The pain had been so bad this time, it scarred me. Even though I had worked through a lot of things, healed myself, the trauma had burrowed deep into my soul and I knew that those eyes, my true eyes, would have that look in them forever. They blinked slowly at me, acknowledging my acceptance, and I took a deep breath before I looked further.