Faery Worlds - Six Complete Novels (109 page)

The grav-car slid to a stop in front of Jennet’s house, and the driver turned back to look at Tam.

“Perhaps we should summon an ambulance.” George’s voice was concerned. “Just in case.”

Tam swallowed hard. They had to get in-game as fast as possible - but George didn’t know what the hell was going on, or how that would help. All he saw was Jennet, looking like she was thinking of dying.

“Ok,” he said. “But it’s not an emergency.” Yet.

“Then I will call a non-emergency team in.” There was a touch of wry humor in the driver’s voice, as if joking about it would keep the fear at bay.

“You do that. I’ll take her upstairs.” Tam brushed the back of his hand over Jennet’s cheek. She felt as soft as the sky. “Hey,” he whispered, “Wake up.”

Her eyes fluttered open, pale blue, and she took a deep breath. “Are we there?”

“Almost.” He knew what she was asking. Not if they were at her house, but if they were in Feyland. “You up to walking?”

Behind her eyes, he saw determination. Saw her summon her strength. “Yes. Just…”

He helped her, one hand under her elbow, one at her back. Balanced her as she got out of the car, supported her while she stood on the walk. He tried not to act like he was half-carrying her. It must have worked, because George gave them both a relieved look.

“I’m still making that call,” he said.

“Good.” Because there was always a chance that he and Jennet would lose. Not that Tam would give that thought any room in his brain.

Gently, he turned her toward the house. As soon as the door closed behind them, she teetered. He swept her up in his arms. Good thing she didn’t weigh much.

“Hey,” she whispered.

“Hold still,” he said quietly. “It’s just the quickest way to get you to the game room.”

He settled her into the sim chair, locked the door, hit the jammer button, and then plugged in himself. Game. On.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

T
hey stood in a pale grove, the usual ring of mushrooms surrounding them. Tam peered at Jennet, but in the dim light it was impossible to tell if her character looked any different.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

She took a hesitant step, then leaped over the ring. Whirling, she grinned at him. “Good! Fabulous, in fact.”

“Glad to hear it. Do you think we’re close to the Dark Court?”

He stepped over the luminous mushrooms and glanced about. The sky above them was dusted with stars and the trees gave off a faint glow.

“Yes, we are,” she said. “Do you hear that?”

He tilted his head. Music twisted through the air, pulling at his senses. Pipes and fiddle and the steady beat of a drum. “Yeah.”

“Come on.” Staff in one hand she stepped forward, down the shadowy path.

Tam hurried after her and took her arm, halting her. “Me first.”

“Really, Tam, I’m—”

“This is my job. Besides, you know in a fight that the tank goes first and the spell-caster stays back. We have to do this right, Jennet.”

“Ok. But don’t go too slowly.”

“I won’t - but I’m not rushing into danger either, alright?” Without waiting for a response, he strode past her.

The shadows under the trees shivered as they passed, but nothing leaped out at them. The music was stronger now, the trees taller and more widely spaced. A silvery light gilded the branches, and Tam glanced up to see a crescent moon floating in the blackness.

There were lights visible before them now, too, floating glimmers that looked like fireflies. The path widened, and Tam curled his fingers around his sword hilt. This was it. The Dark Court of the faeries.

He and Jennet stepped forward, into a clearing. An odd purplish bonfire burned in the center, and figures moved around it, their silhouettes inhumanly graceful or oddly grotesque.

Just past the fire, directly across from where they stood, was a throne made of vines and shadows. On it sat the Dark Queen. She smiled at him.

His breath left his lungs, and forgot to return. Who needed breath when
she
was there? Half-whispered secrets, the taste of moonlight, a brush of midnight across his senses. Bright stars sparkled behind his eyes.

“Tam!” Jennet hissed.

Abruptly, his lungs decided to work again. He sucked in a breath and forced himself to look away. His gaze landed on the Black Knight, standing utterly still in the darkness behind the queen. Now
that
was an enemy he could fight.

Beside the knight were feasting tables covered with delicacies, and a group of musicians playing sweet music. Fabulously beautiful women with gossamer wings danced, small twiggy creatures swooped past, and laughter chimed like bells in the soft, dark air.

Then, sudden as a slammed door, everything stopped. The music cut off, the dancers halted, the laughter ceased. Tam felt every creature in the clearing turning to look at them, and fear skittered across the back of his neck.

“Fair Jennet. And Bold Tamlin,” the queen said, her voice full of smoke and promises. “Have you come to issue a challenge?”

“We have.” He took a step forward. “We are here to regain what was lost.”

“Is it so?” The queen’s voice took on an edge. “What I have, I won fairly. Now you would take it from me?”

“Not take,” Jennet said, “Win. I need it back.”

“Ah,” the queen said. “Need.”

The way she spoke that single word made Tam’s whole body tighten. Need. It echoed through him.

“Yes.” Jennet sounded scared, but defiant. It was her life they were talking about, after all. “I demand another chance.”

“So much trouble,” the queen said, “for something so simple. Are you quite certain, Fair Jennet? Are you willing to place your champion in such danger?”

“It’s not—”

“Her champion chooses this freely,” Tam said. He would not make this Jennet’s fault, no matter what the queen said.

“Ah. So bold.” The queen breathed the words. “Very well.”

She extended one hand, palm up, and a glowing sphere appeared there, cupped in her hand. Jennet gasped, and the queen laughed her chiming laugh.

“I see you recognize yourself, Fair Jennet.” The queen turned the globe back and forth between her slender fingers. Bright orange and pink flames were trapped inside the sphere, dancing desperately, seeking freedom. “But if you may have a champion, then so may I.”

There was a flash of silver, like a lightning bolt had struck the clearing, followed by bone-shaking thunder. The purple bonfire snuffed out. Tam turned, sword drawn, to find that he and Jennet now stood on a raised, circular platform. The fey-folk gathered around the edges, their expressions avid.

The queen and the Black Knight faced them. Tam’s blood surged, hot and scared. With a sharp smile, the queen lifted her hand.

“Begin!” she cried.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

S
omething was wrong. Jennet felt it in the stares of the watching creatures, in the way her soul flickered within its imprisoning sphere. But most of all, she felt it when she looked at Tam.

He watched the queen with a determined expression, but underneath that was a yearning that scared her. They couldn’t win if Jennet’s champion was only halfway on her side. Okay, yes, the Dark Queen was gorgeous and magical, but she was the enemy!

Even as fear washed through her, the Dark Queen was casting a spell, the Black Knight drawing his sword. It was too late to do anything but fight. She only hoped, to the depths of her trapped soul, that Tam wouldn’t fail her.

A wave of shadows pushed forward from where the queen stood. Jennet raised her staff and sent a bolt of light into it, and another, another. The shadows danced back, temporarily at bay.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Tam and the Black Knight raise their swords and clash together. Tam twisted and jabbed, his armor contrasting brightly with the flat black of his opponent.

“Ow!” A sharp sting lanced her ankle, followed by numbing cold.

Her moment’s inattention had brought the shadows creeping back, to twine, frigid, about her feet. The Dark Queen laughed, the sound like velvet with pins sticking out of it.

Pointing her staff downward, Jennet let out another blast of energy. With a hiss, the shadows receded again. Enough of this. She leveled her staff at the queen and summoned all her fear and anger. Whoosh! A sheet of blue fire sped toward the queen. The queen’s pale face glowed and her hair shimmered with sparks. She threw up her hands and shouted a command.

Jennet’s attack slammed to a halt. Then the backlash hit, knocking her to her knees. Blue fire streamed past, dissipating into the night. The watching fey-folk cheered their queen, in syllables strange and strident.

Slowly, Jennet got to her feet. Her legs trembled beneath her and it was hard to catch her breath. That hadn’t gone well. She sent a glance at Tam, still trading blows with the Black Knight. His shield arm sagged and he wasn’t moving as fluidly as before. As she watched, the knight landed a blow to Tam’s shoulder that made her wince and sent him stumbling back.

The queen raised her hands again, and Jennet jerked her attention back to her own fight.

This time, skeins of darkness flew from the queen’s fingers, as though she were throwing black threads into the air. Jennet tried to knock them away, but they wrapped around her staff, then flowed to her hand and began twining up her arm. Sweet music and poignant regret filled her mind. She was weary. Better to lay down her staff and rest.

“You are too weak, mortals,” the queen said, her voice lilting with pleasure.

“Jennet!” Suddenly Tam was there. His bright blade sliced through the strands clinging to her staff.

She blinked as the Dark Queen’s magic slid away. Then, over Tam’s shoulder, she saw the Black Knight rushing forward, sword raised for a killing blow.

“Look out!” Jennet lifted her staff and sent a crackling bolt of blue-white fire at the knight.

It stopped him long enough for Tam to duck away and pull her with him. Together, they scrambled partway around the circle. When they had a little distance from their foes, they halted.

“Are you ok?” Tam asked. He sounded out of breath.

“Yes. You?” Could he hear the uncertainty in her voice?

He shrugged, keeping his face turned toward their enemy. “We’re not losing.”

“We’re not winning either. Tam - I think we should switch opponents.”

He looked at her then, a flash of stubbornness in his green eyes. “No way.”

“Yes way. As long as the queen holds my soul, I’m weaker than she is, don’t you see? You need to be the one to face her.”

“I don’t—”

“We have to try.” She put all her hope, all her trust, into the next word. “Please.”

He frowned at her, but she could see him hesitate. From the corner of her eye, she caught movement.

“Ha!” Whirling, she shot another bolt at the approaching knight, pushing him back a few paces. “Look Tam, I can handle him. Now go. Go.”

Tam shook his head. Then, giving her a look she couldn’t decipher, he turned and sprinted past the knight, his sword leveled at the Dark Queen.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE