The Earl's Childe (27 page)

“I know who you are, yes, and I know for whom you think you speak. And you have no idea how
delighted
I am that you and your whole family landed in the middle of my skirmish. However,” I felt his eyes land on both Lily and me, “you are not a MacArthur child, and you are not the one who has complete control of the kelpie.
That
is the only person with whom I will speak. And might I remind you these are only a few of my minions.”

With a sigh, I stepped around my parents, patting my dad's hand even as I moved it off my shoulder as he tried to stop me. “I wouldn't say I have complete control of the kelpie,” I said. “He definitely has a mind of his own.”

Ermie coughed and stretched his neck. “Shee…allows. A…degree…of. Freeee willl…” he spoke. Really spoke. In that disturbing not-exactly-human voice of his. In my mind, I heard.
No. You have complete control over me. And he must know so. Be forceful
.

I could sense there was a distinct barrier protecting his and my thoughts from whom I could only assume was Lord Calbraith. He was trying to catch my eye. Look
this
guy in the eye? Yeah, right!

“That's because I'm a generally nice person. Until the people I love are threatened.” I glared really hard at the daoine síth's lips. “So, I suggest you stop threatening the people I love.”

That may be too forceful. We're not quite in a position to make demands
. After a moment,
I ran this by your mother. See if we can accomplish a safe journey back to the castle. I will warn you of any pitfalls in the wording. You have my word on this; it is my safety on the line, too
.

Fortunately, I suppose, Lord Calbraith found my response more amusing than offensive. “I had heard you had spirit, child, be it from your foolish youth or otherwise, but that does make conversation more interesting. And when you deal with mostly Faerie of the Court and my family, ‘interesting' has a value.” He stepped closer. “Tell me, why should I not threaten you and the royal family of this particular human ‘empire?'”

I paused, thinking, and remembering my first conversation with Tom. He'd asked me why I even assumed he was trying to help after he'd heckled me for a good twenty minutes while I was researching what to do about the kelpie. “Honestly, I don't know. Why did you stop if you have us at such a disadvantage? If you just want the land, wouldn't it be easier to get rid of us and not even negotiate?”

“What—” From behind me I heard Prince Christopher start to protest and being stopped by someone; I couldn't tell whom. I kept my eyes on Calbraith.

The daoine síth cocked his head and lifted his chin, like he were inspecting something. “It is worth my time to speak with you.” He took another step closer. “I could have the red caps kill you here. As strong as the kelpie is, even he cannot stand up to two score.” Ermie growled in his throat. “I know this from experience, of course. I could also have them capture the lot of you and bring you back to my camp while I entertain myself with whom I kill and how I kill each, one at a time, while you all watch. But, no. There are rules even I have to follow. A hostile takeover is looked down upon as undignified and, perhaps, even, a cause for some of the higher-ranking Seelie Courts to descend upon the borders and
do
something about it for some grand, political reason they find most entertaining and righteous.” He gave a sigh so dramatic my dad and sister should be taking notes for their acting careers. “And if the lot of them come down, I am outnumbered and would have to submit. However, if I make a good enough attempt to work within their rules, I can do… well, quite a bit.”

Unfortunately, I had a feeling a snarky comment about villain monologuing and maybe getting to the point wouldn't go over too well with Calbraith. And I did, actually, want all of us to get out without further injury. Very carefully, in as neutral tone as I could muster, I asked, “So, what
do
you want?”

“I heard you were invited to make a contract with the ruling lady of these lands and her consort, my brother—”

“Your brother?” I couldn't help myself. “Lord Cadmus said you were his cousin.” Were the other daoine síth lying to me too? Was there anyone worth siding with? If we even had that chance?

Calbraith gestured in the air as if he were batting away a lazy but annoying fly. “He
would
say that. We're cousins, too, and he despises even that connection. It's rather complicated for humans, perhaps. Our father…who recently was killed…” He touched his hand to his heart in a gesture of mock grief, “… killed Cadmus's mother and took his mother's younger sister as consort, and I was born. When you have millennia to play with, these things happen.”

“Okay.” Millennia? Ha! He had no idea how complicated my family was. Dad was Mum's second marriage, but Mum was his first, though he'd already adopted Rose and had Lily with his Evil Ex Jess before that. And that didn't even include my aunts, uncles, cousins… And not a one of us had even hit a century yet. “So, aye, Lady Fana and Lord Cadmus wanted to make an agreement with my family, but we never got to. There was…a breakdown in communication.” That sounded like an adult thing to say, and I had four adults who I knew were nervous as anything because I was doing the talking.

“I had heard that, too. So I have a counter-offer. Lend no aid to the Seelie Court, make a contract officially naming me ruler of this land and—” He cast a glance at Prince Christopher “—not answerable to
human
rulers, and I allow you to live as my subjects, on call as I need you. But alive and…unharmed by me. Directly.”

“Um, even if I thought that was a good idea,” I said, “I don't even think we can legally do that by any human standards.”

“Is not the son of the ruling monarch of the human people in our presence?”

I was pretty sure the
snerk
behind me was from Joe, but it was too brief for me to tell for sure.

“I'm deferring to Prince Christopher on the legal issues of that because I've only taken one politics class and I barely got a B in it.”

Prince Christopher cleared his throat and I glanced, seeing him stand straighter, careful where his eyes went.

“The monarchy has little political sway these days. We're figureheads, not rulers. In fact, most of the laws of our country are set by others, and we must abide by them. There is no way we could come to that kind of agreement. We haven't the power.”

“And does not the MacArthur clan hold title to this land?”

My dad cleared his throat, now, and I saw the slightest smirk on his lips as he glared directly at Calbraith. “The MacArthur family holds rights to the land, and I have documents to prove that, along with the most recent agreement with, I believe, the Lady Fana.”

Wait, what? My dad had
what?
Why didn't he mention this earlier?

“However, we've had no title for two generations. There was no male heir to the late Alexander MacArthur, though his sister had two children out of wedlock who carried the name. One moved to the States with the other MacArthurs, the other married, though she never took her husband's name. After a nasty divorce, her son legally changed his name back to MacArthur to spite his father. Therefore, as Heather rightfully pointed out, we cannot fulfill such an agreement with you. Our family has no title, and the royals cannot grant you the kind of amnesty you want.”

And weren't we just talking about complicated family issues?

Calbraith frowned. I tentatively reached my mind out to Ehrwnmyr to see how he felt we were doing.

His only response was,
He hasn't yet further tried to spill anyone's blood. We may be thankful of that. One of you may wish to steer the conversation back to negotiating our free retreat as opposed to debating powers and titles
.

Clearly, he didn't feel cheerleading was part of his advisory role.

“Your title can be reinstated, though.
They
—” Calbraith gestured towards Prince Christoper “—have the power to do that, still. That much I know.”

“What would be the point of that?” my father asked.

“And it would be my mother, Her Royal Majesty the Queen, with that power, not me,” Prince Christopher added.

“Excuse me, Lord Calbraith,” I said. He looked at me. “But is there an agreement we can work out? At least one where you'll let us get home safe tonight? All of us?”

He gave me a particularly condescending sneer.

You may have wished to word that so that our passage back was not the only item being negotiated
, Ermie noted to me.

You may have wished to give me a little clearer advice than “can we get the negotiations to safe escape moving a little faster” then
. I kept myself from scowling, though. It wouldn't do for Lord Powerful Daoine síth with Two Score Red Caps to see I was having a disagreement with my kelpie.

“Why would I want to give up my advantage in these negotiations? I feel rather certain none of you want to see my minions tear each of you apart, one at a time, while you're helpless to stop it.”

I ground my teeth but did my best to speak with genuine-sounding innocence and sweetness, “True, but aren't you tired? Don't faerie need to sleep, too? I don't know…I mean, I really don't know that much about faerie or what you really want with the humans. I just got kind of pulled into this because I didn't want to kill Ermie.”

What are you doing?
Ermie asked me in a tone that suggested he didn't approve.

Playing to his superiority complex
.

It is not a “complex.” He does have a superior position. Significantly so
.

Trust me. For once?

“I am getting tired, yes,” Calbraith responded, looking not at all tired. “This was a rather unexpected visit on your part, although, as I said, one that clearly benefited my position. I'll keep this simple for your simple human mind, then. I want the rights to this land on both human and Faerie terms. It should have been mine years ago. Fana lost claim to it when the MacArthur clan vacated—”

“The MacArthur clan never vacated,” my father interrupted again. “It was always in our name, and there was, indeed, always a MacArthur living on it. My great-aunt never left, and my uncle returned before she passed, though he chose the life of a recluse and made it appear abandoned. And I have documents to prove it.”

“But you have no
title
, merely ownership. The agreement was made with the Earl of the Borders, not some common landowner who happens to live in a castle. Without your title, your contract is problematic, so I can, technically, make an attack upon
you
without having broken the rules, and if Cadmus and Fana choose to defend you, they have no recourse with the higher courts unless I make too terrible a scene.” Calbraith's grin grew wider. “Which, I suppose, lack of actual rulership or not, might be a problem if the human royals are involved. However, one or two or four of those lovely children currently on your land might be minor enough to avoid a higher court's involvement.” I heard the collective gasps and growls behind me. “But, as much as I'd enjoy it, I'd enjoy my proper respects more. So, I will very kindly and generously offer you until sunset to have your title reinstated so you may return here and make a contract swearing complete obedience to me, or you can rest assured none of your salt or your spells of protection or even your kelpie will keep me from reaching you. Are we clear?”

“We've got till sunset,” I said, glancing at the brightening sky to the east, “to come back to you with my dad's title reinstated and willing to do whatever it is you want, or you come after us, and we have no chance to stop you. Aye, I think we got it.”

He grinned even wider, showing perfectly smooth, white teeth that were a little pointed. Yep, definitely creepier than Lord Cadmus. “Oh, and just so you're not holding out for some miracle support from the Seelie Court…” He opened a leather satchel on his side and pulled out a small cage, which he illuminated. Inside, the poison-ivy pixie I'd met earlier that day lay curled in a fetal position, shaking. “Its little mate has already informed Fana and Cadmus that you're negotiating with me.”

There was another wave of swearing and grumbles behind me. In my head, I sensed similar thoughts from Ermie.

Tucking the little cage back into its bag, he fixed us with another of his awful smiles. “So. Sunset. Let's not waste a moment. Some royalty requires time to get things accomplished.” He shot a look at Prince Christopher, who gave the briefest of nods.

“I'll do what needs to be done,” he said coolly. I had to give props to His Royal Highness; he didn't flinch in his royal demeanor at all, despite the fact that, as I could see him in the light, he looked pretty messed up. One arm was in a filthy sling, and his shirt and trousers were in tatters. He held the iron knife in his good hand, and he still looked like he knew what he was doing with it despite his injuries. Joe was staring at him, too, with awe and respect in his eyes.

I was rather proud of my dad, too. I wouldn't have known all that family information, nor could I have used it in negotiations as easily as he had. Though I saw his hands shaking terribly, and his eyes still that unnatural brightness that let me know his mind was uncontrollably spinning a hundred miles an hour, he was focused. And he wasn't backing down. “So, you're fixing our truck, too?” he asked. “I don't believe we can all fit on the kelpie.”

Calbraith raised an eyebrow at my dad, who… Wait! I followed his gaze and had to look away.
What
did my dad think he was doing, looking the daoine síth in the eye?!

Mum must have noticed that, too, because she sucked in her breath and clutched his non-knife-holding hand.

Calbraith broke the stare-down first, but not without style. He lazily flicked his hand in our direction again, turning to leave. “I don't touch human contraptions. It's not my fault I had to use force when other means couldn't stop you. It's a beautiful sunrise. Enjoy a walk beneath it with the last bit of your freedom…or the last bit of some of your lives.” He glanced over his shoulder, this time at Lily and then at me in a way that totally made my skin crawl. “You
do
make lovely children.”