The Skye Trilogy: Isle of Skye, Isle of Night, and Isle of Dawn. * Bonus: Scrumptious Skye Confections Cookbook* (49 page)

“I thought the book said Sidra was the one who asked him to do the paintings?” Jeremiah asked

“That’s what the author of the book assumed.” Milton smiled. “According to Patcoena when the king died Sidra did ask him to paint the Fae Sanctities. He tried to pass off a set of fake paintings but when Sidra saw them she was so incensed she banished him and his wife from Fairlia.”

“What did he paint I wonder?” Cormac asked

“According to his diary he painted some random weapons which Sidra knew was not accurate. The king had informed her of the gist of what the weapons were, but he didn’t tell her everything. When Patcoena presented her with these paintings they had a terrible fight and she told him and his wife Summer to leave.”

“Where did they go?” Winifred asked

“They started their journey in Ireland but slowly after a few hundred years migrated towards England.” Milton answered. “They settled in London where they waited to find the right owner.”

“He was looking for the right owner?” Riah asked. “Meaning my cousin?”

“It’s strange, his writings.” Milton mused. “He knew exactly who he was going to sell these pictures too. When he did finally meet up with your cousin, who took over the title after you had been declared dead, he writes about how happy he was that he was relieved of this burden. He goes on to say that he was now ready for the next leg in his journey.”

“Where was the next place he went?” I asked

“All he writes is that he and Summer were off to America.” Milton answered

“So my cousin Clarence just bought these paintings?” Riah asked. “That makes no sense. He was a penny pinching miser.”

“I believe that Patcoena had to use a bit of magic to persuade him to purchase the paintings. From what he writes Clarence bought them for his son Francis, who had been born a few months earlier. He had to convince him that these paintings would make an excellent addition for the nursery.”

“The paintings depicting the Fae Sanctities were in the nursery for a baby?” Mathias asked in disbelief

“Yes.” Milton answered. “After Clarence had died the young Viscount was so enamored with them he kept them at his country house in Salisbury. From what Patcoena writes, when the Germans were bombing England during World War two, he hid them somewhere in the house. Unfortunately, Francis died before telling anyone what he did with the paintings. Once they were hidden, the paintings magically rolled up like scrolls, where they will wait to be found.”

“Is that all?” Cecily asked

“Patcoena makes some rather cryptic statements. He writes that one day there will be a very special seer. Only she will be able to find them.”

“Me?” Julia croaked

“So Julia needs to go and find these paintings?” Jeremiah asked, “Along with Willa and me, of course.”

“No.” Milton replied. “He explicitly writes that only the seer and two Guardians of the Solas will be present with her.”

“That’s bullshit.” I said. “Jeremiah and I have been researching this for months. Everyone else laughed and brushed off our research as a wild goose chase.”

“Willa.” Cormac said. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Umm, yeah it is.” I said, giving Mathias a pointed stare. “Frankly, I’m tired of people saying that to me.”

“Riah, Julia and I will leave at once.” Mathias said

“Are you sure?” Winifred asked. “The Fae will be arriving in a few days. I think it would raise suspicion if Julia is not present.”

“If we leave now we can scout out the property. Monitor the comings and goings of the occupants.” Mathias said. “If all goes well we should be back by tomorrow night. If we don’t think we can get in the house right away we’ll come back at once.”

“I still think Willa would be a much better person to take along with you than me.” Julia said

“I agree.” I answered quickly. “All those in favor say aye.”

“Aye.” said Jeremiah

“This is not a democracy.” Mathias said, almost amused.

“No kidding.” I muttered

“I agree with Mathias.” Riah said

“Let’s see, what rhymes with traitor?” I asked sarcastically, “How about Zachariah?”

Riah gave me an apologetic smile. “I also think that finding this diary means something. The fact that these paintings are hidden in my ancestral home is almost weird but if it is all connected, if we’re all connected, then we must follow the clues in Patcoena’s diary.”

“Riah is correct.” Cormac said. “I find this all to be a little too convenient.”

“Mathias.” Winifred said. “You, Riah and Julia will leave at once. We must find these paintings. They’re the key.”

Mathias nodded and went to leave the room. I still wanted to know more. “Milton, was that all that was written?”

“No.” he answered. “There’s this one line at the end of the diary but I can’t unscramble the language.”

“It’s not Fairlian?” Cormac asked, his brow furrowing

“I’ve never seen it before this morning. I am going to run it through several language programs. Although it might take me a few days before I have any results.”

“I have every confidence in you Milton.” Mathias said as he walked out of the room

“Great.” I said. “I just want everyone to know that I am going to be in a foul mood until they return.”

“As opposed to the happy, joyous mood you’ve been in the last few months?” Winifred asked

“If I didn’t know better it almost sounded like you made a joke.”

“You have plenty to do today.” Winifred replied. “Have you forgotten you still don’t have a dress for the ball?”

I had forgotten. I was hoping to skip out on it all together. The thought of dressing up and dancing around with some evil jerk off stalking me was not my idea of a good time.

“Oh, can I join in the fun?” Kathleen asked as she joined us in the conference room. I liked Kathleen very much. Out of all the Guardians she was probably the most unusual. She and her daughter Serena, my slain Guardian, became vampires together by a sick Rau, who had wanted a wife and mother by his side for eternity.

What was so unusual is that, the Rau tend to select young, healthy individuals who can help them on their quest to hunt our magical blood. Kathleen, who was fifty-five when she was turned, was somewhat of an oddity.

“I can pretty much guarantee that this is not going to be fun.” I answered. “You may want to go for nice long walk on the other side of the island today…oh, yo, wait a minute.”

“What?” my mother asked

I pulled out my cell phone and hit Polly’s number. “Polly, get your skinny ass over here.”

“Do you want a dog watcher or assistant?” she asked grouchily. “I can’t be both.”

“I have to go into the attic of the castle to pick out one of my grandmothers old dresses to wear to the ball.”

“I am so f-ing there,” she answered

“Cool, you’re probably going to need something as well.”

“Does she have any corsets?” she asked. “I was thinking a corset, fluffy tulle skirt, gloves and my biker boots.”

“Madonna?” I asked, “Early to mid-eighties?”

“You got it, desperately seeking some action.”

I hung up and noticed everyone staring at me. “What?” I asked

“Nothing,” Winifred sighed as she answered. “I will not have that girl ruin anything that is old or priceless.”

“No worries, she’s more of a cheap and tacky kind of girl.” I replied

We all left the conference room, and Sabine immediately waylaid me. “Willa.” she said in her sickening sweet French accented voice. “I heard that Mathias and Riah will both be leaving. May I offer my services to you as a short term Guardian? I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, and I would love to spend some quality time with you.”

“I’m good thanks.” I said trying hard not to grit my teeth

“I’m just trying to be nice.” Sabine said. “Honestly, I’m rather offended that you won’t take my kind offer of help. You must be somewhat lonely here on the island. I’m sure most people regard you as a freak because of your unusual powers.”

“Let’s cut to the chase Sabine.” I said. “I don’t like you and you don’t like me. Please don’t pretend that you want to be my friend just so you can save face for Mathias. For your information, I am far from lonely; in fact, I have more people that care about me than I deserve. Everyone else might buy your little act but trust me I’m not purchasing that theater ticket. I have no desire to watch or be a part of your little off Broadway disaster of a show.”

“Well, well, the little princess has claws.” Sabine said. “I’m curious though does your dear grandmother and devoted parents know that you are lusting after Mathias like a pathetic schoolgirl?”

I smiled. Did this bitch really want to get into a war of words with me?

“If you think that I am such a school girl, why don’t we go outside to the playground and settle this the old fashioned way?”

“Please,” Sabine snorted. “I realize that everyone here thinks you are, what is it called in America?  A bad ass? But darling girl, you have no idea who you are messing with.”

“Oh, please you’re not some Rubik's cube. You’re more like Chutes and Ladders.” I scoffed. “You’re not that hard to figure out. Honestly, I think you’re a fake, insecure, skanky bitch.”

Sabine’s eyes narrowed. “Mathias certainly didn’t think so many years ago. I’ll have to ask him when he comes back from this little mission, and we can have a quiet evening at my apartment whether or not he feels that way.”

Over my dead cold body, I thought before yelling for Mathias in my head.

The little French tramp wants to be my stand in Guardian and is trying to engage me in a battle of wits. You better diffuse this situation before I blow her to bits. Hey, I’m a poet, and I didn’t know it.

Mathias casually walked over to where we were standing.

“Mathias.” Sabine said brightly. “I was just offering my services to Willa. I heard you and Riah were going on a secret mission.”

“What a kind offer Sabine.” Mathias said. “I already asked Robert though, maybe next time?”

Next time? Really?
I asked

Keep your friends close and your enemies close,
he replied

Is she our enemy?

Jury is still out

Are you going to explain that or tell me later, like after she does something awful?

Please come to my office

“Well, next time then.” Sabine said. When she walked away, my nose wrinkled. I thought she smelled familiar somehow, but I couldn’t place what or where that could have been. I glanced back to see her give me a fake smile. I returned the gesture with my own. I shot her my faithful middle finger and had to swallow back the chuckle at her outraged expression.

“Willa?” Mathias asked, gesturing towards the hallway where his office was located

I had sighed before I started walking. “Mathias, if this is going to be some lecture on how I should behave can we please skip it professor. I’m really…”

Before I could finish my sentence, Mathias had slammed the door and swept me in his arms. I let a little shriek as he slammed me up against the wall, but he covered my mouth so quickly with his only a small sound came out.

His hands gripped my hips and wrapped my legs around his waist. He plunged his tongue into my mouth over and over until I could barely breathe. I responded by shoving my fingers in his hair and thrusting my hips up to meet his hardness.

“You seem to have this fascination with slamming me up against the wall.” I observed as I leaned my head back while he planted rough kisses along my neck.

“I finally found a way to get you to stop talking.” he said smirking before turning his attention to the other side of my neck.

When his teeth grazed my skin, I pushed his head down even closer. His right hand made a slow exploration around my hip before settling on my derriere while his other hand firmly held on to my upper thigh.

“Mathias you should feed before you leave.” I whispered

“No, I took too much already. You need time to heal,” he replied huskily in my ear.

I wound myself around him even tighter and leaned my head to the side as far as it would go. “Please, you need to be at full strength.”

I heard him sigh before he abruptly set me legs down on the floor. I looked up at him in confusion as he backed up slowly towards his desk. Mathias knocked everything off the top so quick I didn’t even have time to say a word. He came back at me just as swiftly, and before I knew it I was lying down on the cold surface.

My flip-flops dropped to the floor with barely a sound. Mathias leaned over with a smile that made my stomach do somersaults.

“I’m so not going to have sex with you for the first time on your desk especially when you’re leaving in two minutes.” I pronounced

“I have no intention of ravishing you right now,” he replied

“Ravishing?” I asked. “You know that’s just not a word you hear nowadays.”

“It’s a shame.” Mathias said as he ran his hands down my body and nuzzled my neck. “Ravishing is not only a lovely word but it is also entirely appropriate at certain moments.”