The Skye Trilogy: Isle of Skye, Isle of Night, and Isle of Dawn. * Bonus: Scrumptious Skye Confections Cookbook* (74 page)

“This is all a little overwhelming.” I said. “Do you have a bottle of something I can take a swig off of?”

Summer and Patcoena just smiled at me indulgently. Mathias still looked like he had a million questions.

“Did you see Willa as well?” he asked
Summer

“Willa was the easy one.” she replied

“Funny, I’ve never been called that.” I mused

“All we had to do was keep an eye on the Fae and Gypsy gatherings.” Summer continued. “We knew that the couple would come from both royal families and so we waited.”

“You saw my parents fall in love?” I asked

“Yes we did.” Summer replied. “We shadowed them from the time they left until the time they came back to the Isle.”

“And you put spells on me so I wouldn’t remember you?” I asked Patcoena

“Every few years.” he answered. “I figured it would make you suspicious if an old man were following you.”

“Suspicious, creeped out, whatever word you prefer,” I said

“You almost remembered on the day you opened the bakery.” he smiled. “That’s when I had the brilliant idea of adding the last line in the diary. Only when you heard that would you remember and the spell would be broken.”

“I’m still unclear on the significance of the paintings.” Mathias said. “Why not just use the diary to lure Willa out when she was ready? And why did anyone even know about the Fae Sanctity to begin with? That’s a massive breach of security.”

“I started the rumors of the Fae Sanctities.” Patcoena said

“What?” I asked confused

“There were whispers after the king died so suddenly. The rumors were quite ridiculous that were swirling around court. I wanted the Fae Lords to know that, yes the king did create a weapon to kill them in the event of his death, but I didn’t want them to know that it was a single person. I wanted them to believe in the myth that there were weapons out there that could take away their lives and their powers.”

“You wanted them to live in fear so that they would think twice before trying to overthrow Sidra?” Mathias asked. “Not bad. Not a bad idea at all.”

“Does Sidra know that it’s me?” I asked

“Sidra is perfectly aware that there are no Fae Sanctities.” Patcoena answered. “That was a silly story that we made up so we could explain Summer and I’s absence. The queen does not know that it is you, but I think she suspects.”

“You said we needed her. Why?”

“Only both queens will be able to help you learn to control the power that is being given to you.” Patcoena replied

“What if I can’t learn to control it?” I asked. “Will it control me?”

“You are fully capable of mastering the elements.” Patcoena said

“You know what I don’t understand? What does the Clan have to do with this?” I asked. “The Gypsies have no interest in Fae politics. Why would the Fae Lords want to destroy us?”

“The Clan of Skye thwarted their master plan.” Patcoena said. “Lord Fonn came up with the idea that the Rau would be perfect protectors or Guardians of the Fae. Not only would it give each royal family an added protection but it would also, in the long run, help control the Rau population.”

“But how would they control them?” I asked. “They’re ruled by blood.”

“The Rau are much more adept at controlling themselves around the Fae.” Patcoena answered. When I still looked a little confused Mathias jumped in with an explanation.

“Just imagine that the Gypsies are like the richest, creamiest ice cream imaginable. The Fae, however are more like frozen yogurt.”

“Gotcha,” I said. “You want the best but you’ll settle for something slightly inferior if you have too.”

“Sometimes it’s best to apply food analogies to Willa when she doesn’t understand quite grasp something.” Mathias said to Patcoena

“Yes, well, the queen had caught wind of this and that is when she had a vision.” Patcoena said. “Not only would she be helping the gypsies but she would also be safeguarding her people. Sidra did not trust the Rau nor was she going to allow them in her realm.”

“So Lord Fonn has held a grudge against the Clan because essentially Sidra took his idea and applied it to the gypsies?” Mathias asked. “Instead of using the Rau though she gave them the Guardians of the Solas.”

“Yes.” Summer said nodding her head. “I’m afraid Lord Fonn is using the clan to act out his vengeance.”

“Why would my grandmother allow her daughter to marry him?” I asked

“She didn’t have any choice.” Summer said. “Lord Fonn kidnapped Alvie and before the royal guard could catch up to him, he had married her, bedded her, and took her powers. To be honest, I do not think Alvie put up much of a fight. She had been charmed by him since she was a child.”

We all sat quietly. Mathias and I were both just trying to take everything in that had been told to us. There was so much information rolling around in my head that I wanted to lie down in a dark room for several hours to absorb it all.

“So what do we do now?” I asked. “I assume we’ll be leaving soon to Fairlia?”

Patcoena and
Summer exchanged an anxious glance before answering

“Only you and I will be travelling to Fairlia.” Patcoena announced

Mathias and I both smirked. Like that was going to happen.

“I realize that both of you would put up a fight over this.” Patcoena said. “That is why
Summer is going to show you what will happen if Mathias travels with us Willa.”

Summer grabbed my hand, and instantly a vision started to flood my mind. I could see Mathias surrounded by at least fifty Rau. I was standing off to the side in what looked to be a castle courtyard being held down by Lord Fonn. Patcoena and
Summer were lying dead at my feet. The screams that were coming out of me were horrific.

When the Rau tore Mathias apart, I tried to break free but the Air Lord was so strong. I called upon my fire, but he used his power to fan my flames around the Rau. I finally slumped to the ground in defeat after several minutes. Lord Fonn leaned over me and using his air tore my powers from me, leaving me helpless against the Rau, who began to tear into my body with their sharp fangs.

I released my hand from Summer and looked at Mathias frightened. What I saw had shocked me to the core, and I could barely speak.

“He’s right Mathias.” I whispered. “You cannot go with us.”

“Willa, whatever you saw could very well be false.” Mathias said. “How do we know those images weren’t planted in your mind so that we would agree to this?”

“They weren’t false.” I replied

“How do you know?” he asked urgently

“I just do.” I said

Mathias got up from his chair suddenly and started pacing the kitchen. “There is no way I am going to allow Willa to go anywhere without me. We can take preventive measures against whatever this vision is of coming true.”

“I’m afraid that is impossible.” Summer said. “I’ve had other visions but all of them except for one end the same.”

“What’s the plan?” I asked Patcoena

“The plan is that you and I will travel to each realm. When we are done, we will go to court and collect the queen.  We will then travel to the Isle of Skye. Once we get there, it is imperative that Mathias takes you to his island so that you can…acclimate to your new powers.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mathias asked

“Willa when you did the spell that killed all those Rau, how did you feel afterward?” Patcoena asked

“Drunk,” I answered. “It was intoxicating.”

“Now imagine feeling like that only this time the power will be ten times greater.” Summer said

“I can’t picture that.” I shook my head. “I barely was able to pull myself together.”

“That is where Mathias comes in.” Summer said. “Mathias you will need to help Willa. She is going to be overwhelmed by not only power, but she is going to have an incredible sense of the elements.”

“I’m not sure how much help I can be.” Mathias said. “Her grandmothers can assist her better than I.”

“Willa is going to be like a drug addict.” Patcoena said bluntly. “She is not going to be in sound mind to listen to anyone but you. You are going to have to focus her energies elsewhere and teach her compartmentalize her new powers so that she may go about her day to day life.”

“Focus my energies elsewhere?” My mouth twitched. “Are you saying Mathias needs to keep me occupied with sex?”

“Willa.” Mathias said warningly

“What?” I laughed. “You’re going to be my sexual therapy boy toy.”

Mathias sighed. “When I get that feeling, I need sexual healing.
Sexual. Healing.” I sang. “Oh come on, we’ll throw on some Luther Vandross and you can let the healing begin.”

Patcoena and
Summer both smiled until Mathias fixated his glare on them. “This is utterly ridiculous.”

“Mathias this is the only way.” Summer said

“What about Summer and Mathias?” I asked. “Where are they going to go while we are off doing the whole power grab thing?”

“Mathias will take
Summer to the Isle.” Patcoena answered

“You know that may not be such a good idea. I just broke him out of jail.”

“Mathias will not be punished.” Patcoena said. “He needs to bring her there so he can explain everything and help prepare Winifred for what is to come.”

“How long?”
Mathias asked. “How long will you be gone?”

“No more than four or five days.” Patcoena answered

“That’s it?” I asked in surprise. “That’s nothing. It’s not like four months.”

Mathias’s eyes narrowed and I looked at him pointedly

“Summer and I are going to need a few days to tie up some loose ends here.” Patcoena said. “We will meet you both on Mathias’s island in two days.”

“How are you getting there?” I asked

“I am part of the royal family and have always been able to make a mirror portal with relative ease.” Patcoena smiled

I stood up and went to stand by Mathias, who was so still he could’ve have been mistaken for a statue. I grabbed his hand and proceeded to take the reins since he was giving me no direction. I focused on the blank wall in front of me and slowly an image of Mathias’s living room started to take shape.

“We’ll see you in two days.” I said to Patcoena and Summer. They both nodded and waved goodbye. I pulled on Mathias’s arm and together we were sucked through the whirling portal to go home.

Chapter Twenty-Three

We landed in the living room, and Mathias started pacing around the room. I watched as he raked his hands through his hair in agitation.

“It’s four or five days Mathias.” I said reassuringly. “I’ll be fine.”

“There’s no way I can do this,” he said. “I’m not letting you walk into the lion’s den without me.”

“You saw me fight off over five hundred Rau vampires the other day but you’re having a problem with me basically taking a nature walk?”

“Don’t be flippant.” he warned. “You can’t fight the Fae Lords.”

“That’s why I have to go and do this.” I said. “To be honest you’re getting on my nerves right now. I’m the one who has to prepare myself to be some power drunken junkie. I don’t have time to deal with your macho, overprotective crap.”

“I’m sorry Willa, but I cannot let you do this,” he said. “There are too many things that can go wrong.”

“I promise to be on best behavior.” I grinned

“What if you get caught?” Mathias asked. “What are you going to do then?”

“We’ll figure it out.” I replied reassuringly. “You know I don’t know what you’re all uppity about. All you have to do is wait for me here. Then you can sit back and enjoy the ride, literally.”

“I just don’t know how to do this.”  Mathias said. “You’re asking me to not to worry and not to be protective of you but it’s all I know how to do.”

“I get…” I started to say

“No, stop,” he said interrupting me. “I realize that you can handle yourself. I also am very much aware that you are fully capable of doing anything you set your mind too. I’m not trying to be some macho man. I just need you to understand that the thought of you going off to Fairlia with just an older man as protection doesn’t sit well with me.”

“What are you afraid Patcoena’s going to hit on me?” I had laughed before I started singing ‘Let’s get it on’.

Mathias wasn’t amused. “That’s not what I am talking about, what I am trying to say
is you need someone to watch your back not stand aside.”

“I’ve been waiting a long time to say this to you Mathias.” I sighed. “I don’t have time for this shit.”

“Excuse me?”

“Oh, you heard me.” I said angrily. “Did you not listen to anything they said? I am a weapon of mass destruction. I don’t need anyone to watch my back. Apparently the only thing I am going to need is for you to fuck me back to my senses.”