Fragile Destiny (The Aether Chronicles) (15 page)

Allies? Then again, most swore allegiance to his uncle not because they supported him but to avoid exile—or death.

Steven had a thought. “Do we have a moment?”

“A quick one.” James made a face of boyish disgust. “No, we don’t have time for
that
.”

He swatted James. “Not
that
. If I’m really going to take a stand against Tiana, it would make sense to greet her while wearing Father’s crown.”

Noli grinned. “I like that idea. I don’t care if we didn’t have a wedding yet. You’re already my king.”

His heart leapt. Noli was his. Forever. But first things first. “James?”

James took something out of a bag and placed a crown in his hands, a larger, more masculine version of Noli’s. His grin went wide. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Thirteen

Adventures

Kevighn doubled over the table in the tavern kitchen like a drunken ogre as the magic punched him in the gut. He hadn’t felt a shift like that for some time. Lunch finished, he’d been nursing a glass of ale while waiting for the children to return. If they didn’t come back soon, he’d go find them.

“Kevighn, Kevighn.” A panic-stricken Ciarán jogged into the kitchen.

“Did you feel that?” Kevighn rubbed his stomach. “What happened with the magic?”

Ciarán shook his head. “I don’t know, but we have no time for that.”

The terror on Ciarán’s face made his belly churn. “What happened? What did Tiana do now?” he asked.

“I think the children are missing.”

“Missing? I thought they’d gone out to play?” Kevighn froze. Missing?

“Aodhan left me a note.” Ciarán clutched something in his hand so tight his knuckles went white. “It says
gone adventuring, back later.
”

That sounded like something he and Ciarán would have done as children, not that they ever bothered to leave notes. “Does he often do that?”

“Never. He’s not even supposed to go beyond the glade without me.” Ciarán crumpled the note in his hand.

It was interesting how protective Ciarán was of the boy, considering how wild the two of them had been at that age. Adventuring in the Blackwoods would have been a given. Still, with how important those children were, Kevighn could also see why he was panicking.

“It doesn’t seem like something Elise would do, either. She’s such an obedient girl,” Kevighn replied. Especially
when compared to Noli.

“I have no idea why they’d do such a thing.” His eyes glimmered in a way that made Kevighn instinctively lean back. Ciarán could be unfathomably rational at times, but he hadn’t gotten his position through reason.

“How are we going to get them back?” Kevighn asked.

“
We
?” Ciarán’s dark eyebrows rose. “You’re the one who wanted to do something interesting. Find them.”

“Let me get something to use for a tracking spell.” He stood at the order, giving his glass of ale a forlorn look. Later. Orders were orders.

Ciarán shook his head. “Aodhan’s hard to track. I wonder where he got that?”

Quinn always had been difficult to find. “Elise then? I’m sure they haven’t gotten far.”

“Here.” He took the sigil off from around his neck and handed it to Kevighn. “Use this.”

Kevighn pulled his hand back, gazing at the near black stone that went red when held to the fire, wrapped in a spider web of silver wire. It was the sign of a once great house, a house made great again when Ciarán took the dark court. It had been stupid, but when you were that age stupid things often sounded like good ideas. At least they’d been successful.

“Go on.” Ciarán sighed. “You can touch it.”

Usually a peasant such as him
couldn’t.
Though he trusted Ciarán with his life, old habits were hard to break.

“I noticed you gave him a sigil.” Kevighn gingerly took it from him, not completely relaxing when nothing happened.

“I was protecting him.” A hint of defensiveness tinged his voice. By giving the boy a sigil, Ciarán had made Aodhan part of his family.

Kevighn held up his free hand in surrender; he took no issue with that. It was more than he could do for the boy.

“For that I’m grateful. You took care of him when I couldn’t.” Kevighn felt the tiniest stab of guilt for that, even if it had been for the best.

“I have one for you, too. When you’re ready. I’d give it to you now, but I don’t want you to run again.” Ciarán’s look softened.

“What?” Kevighn nearly dropped the sigil.

Ciarán put a hand on Kevighn’s arm, steadying him. “Kevighn, you’ve been my family for a long time. You’ve finally come home and we want you to join our family for good.”

All he could do was stare at his old friend. Him, gifted with a sigil? They were closer than brothers, but this was a gift beyond gifts—even greater than Ciarán making sure his cabin and Creideamh’s grove remained intact after his exile. Still, the implications …

“You know the word of power associated with it. Go find them and bring them home.” Ciarán closed Kevighn’s fingers over the sigil, the touch suddenly so much … more.

Things he hadn’t felt in a long time overwhelmed him. Kevighn held the sigil to his chest, in a fist over his heart. This was much more than a mere order. “I … I will. I promise.”

Elise clutched Aodhan’s hand as they walked through the tall rowan trees, which cast ominous shadows around them. They’d been walking for
ages
.

“Does any of this look familiar?” Aodhan asked. “I’m hungry.”

“Me too.” Her stomach growled. They’d already eaten the cookies they’d brought. “I was so small, I barely remember.” Elise gazed up at trees so tall she couldn’t see their tops, obscuring the pink sky. A pink and purple sky! If she were queen she’d pick a more sensible color, like blue.

Aodhan consulted the map he’d taken from his father. “I think we’re close. Why don’t we ask the wood faeries? In a place like this there’s bound to be wood faeries.”

“
That’s a great idea. Do you wish to call them, or should I?” Elise stayed close to him. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. There was so much … space.

“I can call them, if you’d like.” Aodhan gave her a bashful smile.

“Please?”

Aodhan closed his eyes and sent out a silent call to the wood faeries.

Something hit her. “Ow.” Elise looked around as she rubbed her midsection. “Did you feel that?”

Aodhan nodded, frowning. “I … I think something happened to the magic?”

“The magic?” Her nose scrunched at the odd idea. “How can anyone feel magic?”

“I do … and apparently so you do. Not everyone does. But the magic is alive, so why wouldn’t we be able to feel it?” He shrugged as if it were a perfectly ordinary explanation.

“How can magic be
alive?
” That sounded so … strange.

His expression crumpled. “How can you say that?”

“I … I don’t understand.” That face he made hurt more than being hit by a rock.

Slowly, he nodded. “Maybe it’s because you lived in the mortal realm. Don’t worry,” Aodhan squeezed her hand. “I’ll tell you all about our world.”

“I’d like that.” Perhaps he could explain all the things no one would ever tell her about.

Little balls of light flitted around them—pink, blue, purple, yellow, green.

“We’re lost,” she told the fluttering faeries. “We’re looking for my home, the House of Oak. Are we nearby?”

The faeries said that they were.

“Good, could you take us there? Please? I’m hungry,” Aodhan replied.

“Are Noli and my brothers there?” she added. “Oh, they just left? We can wait for them.” She looked at Aodhan. “Is that all right?”

He nodded. “As long as there’s food.”

The faeries guided them to a little garden. Elise saw a beautiful tree, ideal for climbing. On the other side of the garden was a big picture window with a seat perfect for curling up with a book. There was also a glass door.

Elise walked up to the door and peered inside. It was a library, filled with books. On the low table sat a tray with tea, fruit, rolls, and empty bowls.

Aodhan opened the door. “Let’s go inside.”

“Should we?” No one was in the library and it felt …
wrong.

“It’s your home.” He walked right in.

“True.” She followed, ignoring the feeling that she was doing something naughty.

Making himself at home, he plopped down on the settee and eyed the food on the table. “The tea is cold. It looks like the remains of someone’s breakfast. Should we go find the cook and have her make us something?”

Elise had no idea where to find … anything. “I’ll warm the tea for you.” Taking the porcelain teapot in both hands, she focused on warming the tea inside until tiny puffs of steam escaped from the spout. She poured him a cup and handed it to him. “How’s that?”

Aodhan took a sip and made a face. “It needs sugar, but it’s hot enough. I appreciate you doing that. It’s a handy trick.”

“It is, isn’t it?” She handed him the sugar bowl then poured herself a cup.

They stuffed themselves with leftover food.

“Should we explore a little?” Aodhan patted his stomach contentedly. “Will you show me your room? Do you have one?”

Elise nodded slowly. If only she could remember. “I must. We should look for it.”

They walked down the hall, opening doors and peeking inside.

“That room’s messy.” Aodhan made a face as they looked in a room with weapons on the walls and clothes on the bed and floor. A dressing screen stood in the corner.

“I think this is James’ room.” Elise’s eyes fell on the girlish trinkets on the dresser and she frowned. James didn’t like girls much. “Perhaps it’s Steven’s room … though he’s rather tidy.”

They went to the next room, which was impeccable. A stack of books and some pens sat on the desk.

“This room is
very
clean,” Aodhan replied.

“This
must
be Steven’s room.” Then who did the girl’s things in James’ room belong to? Perhaps Noli was using his room and he slept elsewhere.

Aodhan opened another door and peered inside. “This room is quite girly. Do you think it was yours?”

Elise took in the butterflies painted on the walls, the ruffled curtains and bedclothes. She ran her fingers down the length of the dresser and opened the wardrobe, which held two sizes of dresses—too small and too large.

“This … this is my room.” She touched the butterflies. “James painted these for me. Noli must be staying here.” They looked like Noli’s dresses—and that was her valise.

“Why does your room have an extra bedroom?” Aodhan peeked through a door.

“For my nursemaid, of course.” If she scrunched her eyes tight she could almost see her, hear her voice.

“What should we do now? I’m bored.” Aodhan shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Should we explore?” Elise took his hand and they walked down the hallway and right into a large man.

“And who might you two be? What are you doing here?” He eyed them in a way that made her skin crawl.

“I’m Elise Darrow; it’s nice to meet you.” She bobbed a curtsey. “I’m looking for my brothers Steven and James. Have you seen them?”

He grabbed them roughly. “You two shouldn’t be here. Come with me.”

“Let go.” Aodhan yelled, thrashing against his grasp. “Elise lives here.”

“No little girls live here. Just big ones.” He tried to drag them down the hall.

Aodhan squirmed out of his grip, then grabbed Elise’s hand and pulled her out of the man’s clutches. The children tore down the hall, trying to get away from him.

“Get back here, you little intruders,” the man bellowed, chasing them.

They raced into the library, out the garden door, and across the grounds until their chests heaved and hearts raced.

Outside, Aodhan looked around, panting, no one in sight. “I think we lost him.”

Elise nodded as she tried to catch her breath. She could use a drink of water. “I agree. I’d still like to wait for my brothers, but I don’t think we should stay inside.”

“I agree. Let’s explore outside,” Aodhan said.

Hand in hand, they wandered through gardens filled with fragrant flowers and giant trees. They found themselves on a path lined by giant hedges as tall as they could see. Everywhere they turned were more hedges.

A dead end faced them. Aodhan frowned. “How do we get out of this place?”

Elise grinned. “I suppose we could walk
through
the hedge instead of doubling back.”

“How?” Aodhan eyed the thick wall of green shrubbery.

“We ask them nicely, of course, silly,” Elise teased. She put her hand on the wall of green.
Will you let us through?
She frowned at the hedge’s reply.
What do you mean it would be cheating? What’s a hedge maze? Please let us through.

The hedge parted, making a hole large enough for her and Aodhan to climb through.

“How did you do that?” Aodhan asked.

“Magic. I can talk to trees. It’s how I made the passage between our rooms, remember?” she told him. Once again, they were on another hedge-lined path, though there were no dead ends in sight.

“You can also heat tea,” he added.

Her cheeks warmed. “Shhh, that’s a secret. No one’s supposed to know I can do things not earth magic.”

“Oh, I won’t tell. My father has fire magic, so does Uncle Kevighn.”

“Do you?” She wasn’t exactly sure how it worked, though everyone in her family had earth magic.

He scuffed the dirt path with his boots. “I’m not supposed to talk about it either.”

“Oh. I won’t tell.” She crossed her heart.

Aodhan looked around, voice hushed. “I can do lots of things, including earth magic. I don’t think you’re supposed to be able to use more than one element.”

He was like her? Excitement bubbled inside her. “I know. My tutor never wants me to use my other types of magic, beyond earth magic, except when I’m learning to control them. We’re the same, then—we both can use lots of elements?”

What a great secret to share!

“I … I guess so.” Aodhan beamed and squeezed her hand.

“You don’t look like your father, with his dark hair and tanned skin. You have your uncle’s eyes. Was your mother pale?” It was so blond it was near-white, like Quinn’s. She missed her tutor. Perhaps he was here someplace, too.

He shook his head. “I think she looked like Uncle Kevighn. Another secret? My father’s not my real father. I don’t r
emember my parents. My mother was Uncle Kevighn’s sister.”

“Oh.” Elise squeezed his hand. “I don’t remember my mother much, either.”

They continued to wind their way through the maze until they came to a giant oak tree. Gnarled and crooked, filled with knotholes, the branches stretched far and wide, its roots a visible tangle at its base.

“What a grand tree,” Elise breathed. A faery tree if she ever saw one.