Authors: Lisa Kessler
Across the Veil (3 page)
“Are you suggesting we kill him?”
Keth mulled over the thought. Cruelty was Faldo’s specialty. Even before he found Keth and Talia at the lake, Faldo took pleasure in tormenting his younger brother. While Faldo’s physical features favored the light, bitter darkness tainted his soul. The world would be better off without Faldo in it.
Keth turned to grab the stake from his coat, but Talia caught his arm. The gentle softness of her touch pulled him back from his dark thoughts.
Her eyes met his. “We can’t kill him, Keth. If you let darkness win, then your soul will be just as empty as your brother’s.”
“Do you have another plan? He won’t stop, Talia. And now that he knows where you are, he will send his vampires to call on you too. They lust for Fae blood. They’ll be happy to do his bidding.”
Talia glanced over at Faldo, then back up at Keth. “I have another costume prop with iron in it. We can take him back across the veil. The High Council can decide his fate.”
“Why would the council believe us over him?”
Talia straightened up, her glamour lighting up her flawless skin as her eyes twinkled up at him. Even wrapped in her terrycloth robe she looked every bit the regal faerie princess. He couldn’t help but smile.
“They’ll believe us because I am Talia, Princess of the Light, and I have returned home.”
He took her hand and lifted it to his lips, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to her skin. “We have been gone from Summerland for five human years; time passes differently there, remember? The kingdom may not be the same.”
“I guess we’ll find out.” She gave his hand a little tug as she rose up on her tiptoes to kiss his lips. No flower on earth smelled as sweet and Talia’s skin.
He pulled Faldo’s arms behind him as Talia emerged holding another belt with iron links. He wrapped the belt around Faldo’s wrists, binding them tight together. Faldo groaned, but didn’t try to struggle.
Once Talia was dressed, he yanked Faldo to his feet. “Come brother. It looks like we’ll be going to see the High Council after all.”
Without incident, they made their way off the movie set and out into the arid Arizona desert wind. Keth stopped Faldo keeping a tight grip on his arm, and waited for Talia and the Sentinel to approach. Once they were together, he closed his eyes and opened his soul to the magic. Cool air, rich with the scent of springtime, whipped through his hair as he chanted, “
Osclaíodh sé geata
. Open the gate, lift the veil.”
Talia added her voice to the plea. Crossing the veil wasn’t like a spell. It required the veil to welcome you. That was probably part of the reason Faldo sent vampires to attack him. The undead were part of the world of man. Faldo could bribe them with magic or jewels or even the enticement of Fae blood, without ever crossing through the veil himself.
The air around them charged with frantic energy as the desert warped and faded. Then as suddenly as the change began, they were home. Keth frowned, his green eyes narrowing as he took in the stark countryside. Clouds blocked the sun and the lush green grass was withered.
All of Summerland was gray.
“What’s happened?” Talia gasped.
Faldo let out a bitter laugh. “Welcome home.”
***
No fanfare awaited the return of the princess. The cobblestone street leading to the castle lay ahead, deserted and desolate. Talia instinctively walked closer to Keth’s side, scanning the forest for any sign of life.
Nothing moved. No faeries danced in the sunlight, no birds sang. Silence blanketed them.
When they reached Talia’s home, the castle no longer sparkled. The stone was dull and cold. Her eyes welled with tears. “I don’t understand.”
Keth took her hand and led her inside, his brow furrowed. How many years had passed since they crossed the veil? Could the magic of Summerland be lost? The air no longer carried the scent of spring flowers, but the stale odor of dust and mildew.
The sight of the High Council chamber caused Talia to lose her struggle with her emotions. Up on the throne sat the withered bodies of her parents. The king and queen stared blankly ahead, like empty husks, unaware that their daughter entered the room. Talia sobbed; tears streamed down her face as she knelt between them.
“What have you done?” Keth whispered.
Faldo smirked. “This is all
your
doing.”
“I had no part in this.”
“You took what was rightfully mine.” He shrugged with a smug smile. “It was within my right to demand justice.”
Keth’s brow furrowed. He gripped Faldo’s arm tighter and yanked him in close. “You call this justice?”
“Justice comes at a high price. After our parents were bled dry, I had to offer the vampires more Fae blood.”
The world tilted and Keth’s legs threatened to buckle. “Our parents…”
“Are dead,” Faldo finished.
Keth looked up at Talia as she kissed the hands of her parents, and the realization that he would never see his parents again hit him squarely in the chest. All the years of rage and hatred toward his older brother burned through Keth’s veins like an inferno. He tackled Faldo, knocking him to the ground.
His brother groaned as he hit the dirt. Faldo’s wrists were still bound, but Keth was beyond caring. He rolled his brother onto his back and pummeled him with his fists.
Faldo erupted with maniacal laughter, blood trailing from his nose and mouth. “Yes, kill me brother. Finish off the world of magic. Replace it with darkness and hate and retribution. Finish it for me. Kill me.”
Keth stopped punching and clamped his hands around Faldo’s neck, squeezing until his brother was silent. He watched Faldo’s eyes bulge, but the sound of Talia’s scream broke through the darkness and pulled him back.
He let go of his brother and took a step back. Faldo coughed, gasping for air and writhing on the ground like a worm. Fitting.
The air around him warmed as he spun to find Talia. His breath caught when he saw her laying on the ground, weeping. He took a step closer and realized she wasn’t crying. She was bleeding.
Keth rushed toward her, but jolted back when blinding pain stabbed through his head. He fell to his knees, unable to move or speak. His heart raced with panic. Had he caused the death of magic? Did his rage complete his brother’s plans for revenge?
Blood ran from her eyes and nose as she held her head in her hands, trembling. Keth ground his teeth together and forced his legs to move through the pain. He lurched forward on his knees toward her. By the time he reached her side, blood clouded his vision.
“It hurts,” she gasped.
He pulled her into his arms, and tipped his head to the heavens, unleashing a primal scream. Darkness danced at the edge of his vision, and for a moment he almost welcomed unconsciousness.
But he wouldn’t leave Talia to face this curse alone. He kissed her hair and whispered, “
An aimsir láithreach
.”
“I love you too,” she whispered.
He closed his eyes, and sent up a plea to the Lady of the Lake, the heart of their world. “Take me. Let Talia live. Please. Take me in her place.”
Talia clung to him. She always fit so perfectly in his arms, like he was born to hold her. The air tingled against his skin, burning around his head as his vision dimmed. His lungs relaxed, no longer aching to be filled, and peace calmed his warrior heart.
The Lady had granted his wish. He’d been welcomed to his final home.
“Keth? No. Don’t you dare leave me.”
Her voice sounded distant. He wanted to answer her, but he couldn’t move. Her fingers slid through his hair, soothing the fiery pain. Gradually he realized he was breathing, taking long slow breaths and savoring the sweet taste until his eyes fluttered open. He stared up at Talia, dazed by the glow of magic in her red hair.
As his vision cleared, he realized streaks of green also flowed through her mane, and around her forehead a vine appeared green with life. Reaching up to touch her face, he noticed that the tattoo of the vine no longer encircled his wrist.
“You bear the crown of life.” Talia traced her fingertips along his forehead. Her vine no longer marked her wrist either, instead it crowned her forehead just at her hairline.
Talia bent to kiss him and whispered, “Summerland has chosen my king.”
Keth looked into her eyes and sat up. Flowers bloomed all around them, bathing them in their sweet scent. The High Council chamber sparkled with magic and glory once more.
The taint of Faldo’s bitterness had been lifted.
He spun around to face his brother, only to find a twisted oak tree in his place. The entranced Sentinel rubbed his head and blinked his eyes slowly, the ridge of his brow furrowed. Confusion marked his large features as he wandered out of the chamber.
“Kethian of the Gollan Clan, please rise.”
Keth blinked. How long had it been since someone referred to him by his full name? He gave Talia’s hand a squeeze and rose to his feet. The king was no longer a vacant shriveled shell. His long silver hair shimmered around him, and his eyes twinkled with magic when he smiled.
“Summerland herself has chosen you for our daughter. By offering your life for hers, you have brought the Light back to our world.” The King rose and helped his daughter to her feet. He brought their hands together and looked at each of them. “Magic grows from love. May both bloom in your lives.”
After a lifetime of longing, they were finally together, no more hiding or pretending. Part of him still couldn’t believe it.
“I love you,” he whispered. Without hesitation, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
THE END
Author Acknowledgment:
I couldn’t have jumped into self-publishing this story without help from a few amazing people. Special thanks to my “Almost Fabulous” critique group for the extra eyes to clean up the editing, to my daughter, Panda, who campaigned for a longer ending, and to my husband who takes the time to read every word I write.
I also want to thank all my readers who have supported me on my journey to publication. Your encouragement and support means the world to me!
Lisa enjoys interacting with readers. You can find her on the web here:
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