Legendary (8 page)

Aliana started to panic. She couldn’t do this in the dark. Her fear of being trapped became so great that it threatened to crush her. “Galahad, it’s completely dark up those stairs. We need to be able to see!”

“We can’t take the torch. It will take too long to extinguish if we need to hide from the Sidhe,” Galahad explained softly, carefully studying her expression. “How did you get down here?”

Wanting to hit herself for letting her fear overwhelm her, she pulled out her cell phone, clicking on the flashlight. Smiling at the look of amazement on Galahad’s face, she explained to him that if needed, she could click it off in an instant and they would be hidden. His wonder made him seem so youthful, and she realized that he couldn’t have been older than his mid-twenties when he was trapped.

“What kind of magic is this?” he asked Daggerhorne.

Aliana answered, “It’s not magic. It’s technology. You’ll get used to it.”

Placing the torch back in the holder she had taken it from, she followed Galahad up the stairs, being sure to keep the light directed at the steps.

“We need to go faster,” she whispered. “Those things were sleeping when I got in here, but that was a while ago, and they could be awake by now.”

Looking back, Galahad hesitated, then nodded and continued. When they reached the floor where Aliana had found Daggerhorne, she gently grabbed Galahad’s elbow, whispering, “We’re three flights away from the main floor. We have to be sure the Sidhe aren’t around.”

Without a pause, Galahad took command. “Lord Daggerhorne, when we get to the top you will check to see if it is safe for our exit.”

Dagg nodded from his perch on Aliana’s shoulder. Even more focused than before, Galahad continued to lead the way. His boots made almost no sound as he climbed the steps, unlike Aliana, who felt like she was making enough noise to raise the dead.
Or the Sidhe
.

She rested her hand against the knight’s back, pinching a small piece of his leather tunic, trying to stay close to him. He made her feel safe. He looked over his shoulder, his eyes scrunched together, questioning whether she was okay. With a shy smile, Aliana shrugged her shoulders.

Reaching the first landing, she saw the door that had been locked earlier hanging open. Tugging on his tunic, she pointed to the door. He nodded, raising his sword. Gripping his tunic tighter Aliana clicked off her phone’s light. She was scared, but Galahad’s closeness and the faint light coming from the room helped her keep from panicking. Dagg’s warm leather-like wing brushed gently against her shoulder, reminding her that he was here for her too.

Placing a finger to his frowning lips, Galahad motioned for silence. Climbing the last few steps to the landing, the knight gently moved Aliana behind him, covering her as they stepped past the door. Once past it, he held his sword ready, his face set in hard lines, and motioned for Aliana to stay put while he checked the room.

Nodding once, Aliana stroked Daggerhorne’s scaled body like she would a cat’s, trying to calm herself. She watched Galahad nudge the door further open with his sword and disappear into the room. She waited to hear the sounds of a fight, but everything remained dead quiet.

Galahad reappeared after a minute, took her hand, and pulled her into the room. He shut the door quietly, sliding the wooden lock into place as she studied the large room. Wooden benches were covered with decorated masks and piles of richly-colored fabric. Pegs stuck out from the walls, holding dark cloaks. The masks were various sizes and shapes, some large enough to cover a person’s face while others were just large enough to surround a person’s eyes.

“Do you think we should grab some of these?” she asked Galahad quietly. “If those things are awake, maybe we can disguise ourselves.” Thinking of how disgusting the Sidhe were, she wasn’t thrilled about wearing something that belonged to them, but it would be worth it if it protected them.

Galahad considered her suggestion for a moment, then nodded. “I agree. Since the door was opened, it would be safe to assume the Sidhe are also wearing them.”

Leaving Galahad to pick their cloaks, Aliana walked over to the table of masks. They were all beautiful in an eerie sort of way. “Why do the Sidhe have these?” She ran her fingers over one of them but couldn’t tell what they were made from. They appeared hard and stiff, but the material was soft to her touch.

As he sorted through cloaks, Galahad said, “I cannot be sure. The only creatures I know of that would wear such masks are the Elves. I cannot imagine what purpose the Sidhe would have for them.”

Thinking these had once belonged to the Elves made them seem less eerie and more beautiful, but if the Sidhe had had them since taking over the keep, God only knew what they could’ve used them for.

“The Sidhe are cousins of sorts to the Elves,” Dagg explained, jumping from her shoulder down to the table. “Their rituals are as much the same as they are different. You are right to think these masks will help us escape. Tonight are the full moon rites, and these disguises will hide the fact that you are human.”

Aliana picked a simple black and gold mask for Galahad. Next to it was a deep green, leafy mask with swirls of dark purple and pointed edges.

“We need to hurry.” Galahad now stood directly behind her, and Aliana swallowed, surprised by his nearness. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Galahad hold up a heavy, green cloak.

“For you, my lady.” His hands were warm as he placed the cloak over her shoulders, resting them there a moment longer than needed. Biting her lip, Aliana took the cords from his calloused fingers. Tying the cloak securely, she took a small breath, inhaling Galahad’s wintery scent. He smelled like crisp air before a heavy snowfall, with a hint of warm spices. She felt a sense of disappointment when he stepped back to don his own cloak.

Instead of obscuring his large body, his ebony cape emphasized the width of his shoulders and strong arms. She held out the mask she had chosen for him, and he took it, the corner of his full lips turning up in a smile.

He would be a good kisser…What am I thinking?
Aliana quickly spun around before her blush could give her thoughts away.

She peered at Dagg, still sitting on the table, surrounded by masks. The Dragon’s eyes crinkled at the edges with laughter, his large mouth turned up on the sides as he smirked knowingly. Why did Galahad have to be so hot?
Stop that line of thinking right now!
Aliana knew herself—she always fell too hard, too fast.

She dropped her mask on Dagg’s smug face and twisted her hair, tucking it into her hood. The Dragon chuckled as she picked the mask back up and tied it around her head. It molded perfectly to her face, as if it had been made just for her. Hoping that the mask and low lighting would hide her blush, she turned toward Galahad.

With the cloak and mask, together with the sword sheathed at his waist, Galahad looked like a dark knight ready to infiltrate another’s castle so he could sweep a beautiful maiden away into the night. He glanced over and caught Aliana staring at him.

Embarrassed all over again, she fixed her eyes on the door before saying, “We should go. Deidre said to not stay in one place too long.”

He came over to stand just in front of her and brushed escaped locks of her hair off her shoulders, tucking them into the hood of her cloak. He watched her intently as he raised her hood up into place. “There. Now you are ready.”

Hoping Galahad couldn’t see her furious blush in the low light of the room, she broke eye contact and went back over to the table to pick up Dagg. The Dragon chuckled in her ear as he settled over her shoulders again, tucked inside the oversized hood.

“Shut it, Dagg,” she whispered furiously to him. “There’s nothing for you to laugh at.”

“If you say so,” he said, his Dragon’s breath warm against her ear. Aliana turned back to Galahad, watching him lift his own hood before unsheathing his sword and unlocking the door.

She needed to focus on the Sidhe and the danger, not on ogling the hot knight. Pulling out her cell phone, she was about to click on the light, but Galahad’s hand on top of hers stopped her.

“No need,” he whispered. “There is enough light from up top. We will not need your
technology
.” The way he said “technology” made it sound like a bad word.

Annoyed, Aliana peered around his shoulder into the hall. It was better lit than before, but it was still dark enough to have her hands and neck sweating.
I can do this!
she told herself reluctantly, putting her phone back into her pocket.

As they ascended the final flight of stairs, she stayed close to Galahad. Before they reached the top, just out of view from the main floor, his arm went out to hold her back. “Lord Daggerhorne.” He nodded to her Dragon.

Dagg jumped from her shoulder, his wings flaring out as he landed soundlessly on the stone stairs. The little Dragon paused at the top step, sniffing the air before poking his head up and vanishing to the floor above.

Anxious, Aliana tapped her index finger silently against her thigh. The tapping became a drum, beating in time with her heart, gradually speeding up. The drumming calmed her nerves. In her mind, she could hear deep horns joining the dark, primal beat and a woman singing unknown words in a sultry, smooth voice.

Dagg reappeared before them, and Aliana stopped tapping her finger, but the melody remained in her mind. The Dragon said the ground floor of the keep itself was empty of life. “But we are too late. The Sidhe are awake and have already started their ceremonial rites in the courtyard. We must use extreme caution. The magic surrounding us is strong.”

“What do you mean?” Aliana asked softly, scooting just a little bit closer to Galahad, a random wish to dance with him popping into her head.

“The Sidhe are able to put a person into a trance-like state in which they become their slaves,” Galahad said darkly. He turned to her, circling his free hand around her neck, gently tipping her face up to his. “The only way to escape their pull is to focus on something else. Focus hard enough that you can block the influence of their magic.” His blue eyes pierced her. She forgot all about the dark music, focusing on the twisting knots in her stomach. “Do you understand, my lady?” he asked softly, his eyes searching hers before wandering down her face.

“Yes,” she whispered, wishing she knew what he was thinking as he examined her.

Galahad took a deep breath, straightening, and pulled his hand from her neck, his fingers trailing lightly over her skin.

“I will lead the way,” Dagg said, breaking Aliana’s attention on Galahad. The little Dragon was smirking at her again.

Still twisted in knots from Galahad’s touch, she followed behind the guys, wrapping her cloak tightly around herself, hoping that would help block out the Sidhe’s magic. When she tried to focus on something, as Galahad had suggested, it was his amazingly clear blue eyes, strong square jaw, full lips, and warm and soothing presence that her mind fixated on.

Enough! I shouldn’t be thinking about him like that. I shouldn’t want to be so close to him. Think about…photography!

Instead it was the music from just moments ago she thought of, recalling the dark melody and crooning voice. She crept to the archway, pressing tightly to the side as Galahad peered around the wall to see if the way was clear.

Speaking so softly that she could barely hear him, he said, “We need to jump over the side of the wall, just on the other side of this arch. From there, we can make our way around to the back and retreat into the forest.”

“Okay,” she said, trying to keep the dark melody foremost in her mind rather than Galahad. The music was louder now, sounding as if the pounding bass was only a few yards away. Swaying with the music, she followed Galahad under the arch, not wanting to be far from him. She chanced a quick look at the courtyard, wondering if the music taking over her mind was coming from there.

Small fires created a path from the keep and surrounded the courtyard. The sinking sun’s orange and gold glow played against the stone tables, dancing across the white, flowing dresses of five women as they twirled around the altar. Two of the women had pale blond hair, and the other three were brunettes. Flowers and small beads were woven through their hair.

Transfixed, Aliana peered through the flames that separated her from the dancers, meeting the brown eyes of one of the blondes. The blonde smiled, closing her eyes in pleasure. Two men dressed only in white drawstring pants danced alongside the women, seemingly bound in the same thrall.

5

The Destined One looks so young, innocent even. But the shadows in her mesmerizing eyes speak of pain, loss, and fear. Fear of me, yet she still fought me with a courage I have not seen from many females. The moment I felt her soft touch, something inside me broke. All I want to do is possess this girl. It is a need I cannot seem to fight, yet I know I must—my memories are still piecing things together, and I haven’t forgotten that my first duty is to my king.
~Galahad

A S
IDHE
C
OVERED
I
N
A B
ROWN
C
LOAK
approached the striking blonde. Playfully, the woman pulled back his hood, revealing a large mask with short stubby horns. It covered all but his mouth. Dozens of creatures, which looked nothing like what Aliana had seen sleeping in the courtyard earlier that day, watched the dancers. They were dark and ethereal, dressed in thick wool jackets and brown leather pants. Their long, raven-colored hair seemed to absorb the light of the setting sun. Seven of them stood at the center of the courtyard, wearing heavy cloaks and masks like the ones she and Galahad wore. Several other Sidhe appeared to be female, dressed in layers of dark-colored material with thick ropes of bright silver and gold woven up their arms and across their torsos. Some wore eye masks that tied around their heads while others used masks held up by carved wands, but their beauty was unmistakable.