Through Time-Whiplash (21 page)

Jazz frowned. “She had no choice, Trevor—she had to avert a battle with the Dark King.”

“I agree, but it was a difficult time for me, and in the end, look what it has wrought, and where is he, this Dark King who has thrust his son upon the universe?”

“It sucks,” Jazmine pronounced.

Trevor regarded her for a serious moment and then let loose with uncontrollable mirth. “It sucks,” he repeated and began laughing again.

She hugged him fiercely then and said, “Trev—something is wrong.”

He forced his laughter to die down and took her chin. “Yes, we should be lying on a bed of green grass in Tir—”

“Trev, listen to me. I know it is only human instinct, but something in my gut tells me those brothers were putting on a show for us. Like us, distracting them while the other Royals work to close the gaps on the other side, the Dark Ones are trying to distract us from the real door they are opening through the Prison Wall.” She put a fist to her stomach. “I feel it … here …”

“You feel it, but that doesn’t make it so.” He frowned.

“Well, then logically, Fae logic, think about it. What the heck were they doing? Standing there naked, chanting just one word—
open?
You don’t really believe it would have stayed open long enough for them to get through? And where was their army?” She shook her head. “I don’t think they mean to go through without backup. This time, when Pestale goes marching into our worlds, I think he will have his two brothers and Queen Morrigu at his side, yes, but he will need that army at his back. And they will be dressed for battle, with whatever weapons they have accumulated at their disposal. Think about it—he can’t cover the globe unless he has numbers. Trev, he has to have his Dark monsters come through with him … he has to, because he damn well won’t risk coming back for them.”

He considered her, and then dawning lit over his face. “Your human gut is very wise.” He began pacing. “Right then, where would he be working on this portal, for, my sweet Fios, it will have to be enormous and bursting with living power.”

“I’m guessing it has to be somewhere we wouldn’t think to look. Somewhere he could line up his army and have them available for the trip. Somewhere, hmm, somewhere where he is in control of his surroundings.”

“Queen Morrigu’s castle then—it would have to be at the Castle. But there isn’t enough room there for the—”

“Yes, there might be. Do you know how cavernous the dungeon part of his castle might be? He might have a tunnel that could extend for a mile for all we know. He is a Dark Prince—he can create with the flick of his wrist, and he isn’t Hordly. Everything he does, he does with forethought and purpose.” She got onto her knees on the bed and held his hands as she continued, “Think about it. A tunnel for his monsters to line up in while he opens the real portal to the Human Realm. Wouldn’t that be convenient? And convenient is what I think Pestale will go for. Trev, you can’t underestimate him. He isn’t a raging bull like Hordly. There is more to him. He arranges his plans with a certain flair—I feel that in my gut. I can see that although he is reserved enough to control himself to achieve what he wants, he is ruthless.”

She put a finger to her lips and tapped. “Yup, I think that is what he has been building, a portal underground that will lead him to the human world and
then to yours
once he and his army are out of here.”

~ Seventeen ~

QUEEN AAIBHE STOOD on her balcony and looked over the courtyard. It was a distance, quite a distance from her private quarters, but she was Daoine, the highest of the Seelie caste, and able to turn up her Fae hearing volume even more than most and at will.

Some of her favorite acquaintances and friends were in a heated debate. She was thankful that none seemed to think she should be deposed. None seemed to think it was even their legal right to do so; no, that was not at the meat of their arguments with one another.

And their arguments divided them, females against males.

Female Fae reveled in the notion she had at last found someone she could love. Male Fae were outraged it wasn’t one of them but a Milesian.

Their arguments had escalated, and sides were being taken.

Aaibhe felt the pain of this.

Peace amongst themselves was what they had enjoyed until she had fallen in love with Morgan LeBlanc. If she gave him up, peace would be restored. She had no choice.

She turned to him and felt as though her life would soon be over. She was reducing her eternity to a form of robotic duty—nothing more.

“Morgan, you know of course … it must end for us.”

“I know nothing of the kind. I mean to take you away—to Milesian if you will allow. You don’t need to bring harmony and peace to subjects who deny you personal happiness.”

“They need me,” she said softly and touched his cheek.

He took her hand and feverishly kissed her fingers. “I need you more. Tell me, Aaibhe—tell me you don’t want to live without me, for I shan’t live without you. I would give up my kingdom for you. Tell me you will do the same.”

She was Queen of the Seelie Fae, and they were in dire circumstances. She knew Pestale would find a way to break through and that the Dark King wasn’t even near enough to know or care. She knew that Banzar did not have it in him to lead. He was too self-centered to put his people first.

Morgan stepped away and planted his fist into his open palm. “Tell me, Aaibhe, that you and I matter enough to fight for!”

Aaibhe saw it all so clearly, and he was correct. Their union was her right. Her Fae subjects were asking too much, but could she win this battle and keep them safe? Even if she won the political battle, would they be able to defeat the Dark Ones?

“I do, Morgan, I do love you, beyond what is seemly. And, yes, I think our union will be good for both our worlds …
so, yes
, I will fight for the right to be with you.”

A knock sounded, and Aaibhe smiled warmly as she said, “Come in, Frankie.”

Frankie had just come from training with Nuad, the queen’s Chief Tracker. She skipped into the room and curtsied to Morgan. She then took the queen’s hand to drop a light kiss and said, “My Queen?”

“Yes, sweetheart?” Aaibhe already adored the child, but she knew what was coming. Had known it was coming; after all, Frankie, though quiet, had begun to open up. She knew sooner or later, Frankie would need to know the truth.

“I have a question, my Queen.” She regarded her sandals, and then she lifted her eyes to the queen’s face and took a long breath. “I know Miss Jazz would have told me if she knew, but I be thinking she didn’t.”

“If she knew?” Aaibhe probed gently.

“Aye, the longer I am here … amongst ye, well, it isn’t something that will go away, so I trust ye to tell me the truth of it,” Frankie said, sounding years older than she was.

“You are quite correct. You may trust me,” the queen said softly.

Frankie rolled back the sleeve of her closely fitted green exercise top and displayed bruises, faded bruises. She regarded the queen solemnly and said, “I go all black and blue trying something Nuad says I wasn’t ready for. When the bruise first comes on, it is dark and purple and hurts—it has always been so.”

“And soon afterwards it fades and does not hurt so very much,” the queen said with a gentle and encouraging smile.

“Aye, exactly, my Queen. A human, even a Fios human, couldn’t heal so fast, could she?”

“No, a Fios is not immortal and cannot heal herself,” the queen answered and waited.

“After m’mum died and I was bought by the farmer Higgens, he would hit me in the face, and then hours later the bruise and the pain were gone. It made him mad.”

“You don’t have to think about him any longer.” The queen put her arm around Frankie and hugged her close.

“No, I don’t suppose I do, but, m’Queen, why do I heal so fast? I used to think it was because I was a Fios, but Nuad, like you, says no. He also said Fios are mortal and can’t heal themselves.”

“I suppose it is time to give you the truth.” Aaibhe sighed and said, “I am not certain you are ready for it, though. You are still too young to understand affairs of the heart.” Aaibhe got up and paced.

Frankie watched her with solemnity, her eyes wide, her thoughts clicking the queen’s words into place. Aaibhe saw this at once and immediately returned to sit with her. She cast a quick glance at Morgan, who gave her an encouraging smile. He made her feel whole. He banished the doubts—every single doubt.

“Shall I leave you two to talk?” Morgan suggested.

Frankie reached out her hand, and he walked over and gave it a squeeze as she said, “
No
 … don’t go.” She turned back to the queen. “I am that ready, I am, to hear whatever it is you are going to tell me.”

Aaibhe took Frankie’s chin and asked, “How much do you remember about your father?”

She shrugged. “He was good and kind and …
why?
”

“Did your mother ever speak of anyone else?”

“No.” Then Frankie eyed her strangely and said, “Once I saw something—someone—he was half-hidden from view, and it bothered me, for m’mum seemed … well,
he
seemed important to her.” She drew in air and said, “I saw her in the barn. She was talking with a Fae … there was no mistake about it. He was a Fae—not a Royal, but he was a Seelie Fae. I was angry with her, because she was breaking her own rule. She said never to look at them, and there she was
with one
—
holding his hand
like they were friends. I heard her tell him to please leave
me
be.”

“I see, Frankie,” the queen said and then slowly added, “I am going to shock you now, my dear one.” She paused then once again asked, “Are you sure you are ready for this?”

“I don’t know what it is ye be about to tell me, my Queen, but I do think truth is always the right way.” She shook her head. “Ye see me as young, and mayhap I be young in years, but … I’m not blind.”

“Young people today know a great deal in the human world, but not in the time you lived,” the queen said, still uncertain how to proceed.

“I know.” She smiled brightly. “Nuad showed me American TV, and that was quite fun, but I saw that everyone is very different in manners and behavior to m’own time. I do like the way they dress—so free.”

Aaibhe hugged her and then lifted her chin. “Well then, where do I start?”

“I don’t need the talk about the birds and bees as m’mum used to call it. I lived on a farm.”

Aaibhe laughed. “So you did.”

“That Fae I saw her with … it has something to do with him, doesn’t it?”

Aaibhe paused and said gently, “Yes, it does, because your mother knew him before she met and married your father.”

Frankie digested this. “So they were old friends, m’mum and this Fae? She warned me off the Fae … and yet, she was friends with one?”

“These things occur,” said the queen softly.

Frankie giggled. “Aye, they do—look at me, a Fios in Faery!”

The queen smiled. “You are now eleven years old … so young to have to deal with this …” She looked at Morgan, whose look of love stroked and encouraged her forward.

“I’ll be twelve in a couple of days,” Frankie objected.

Aaibhe touched her face. “You still have quite a bit of growing up to do, and so you shall.”

“My Queen.” Frankie lowered her lashes. “Please … tell me the truth about m’self. I need to know everything, and
I know
there is more. It is something about me being a Fios, isn’t it?”

The queen made her decision and dove right in. “Very well then, child. The truth is, you are
more
than Fios, which you are because of your mother’s bloodline.” She paused, and her voice caressed Frankie when she continued. “And
you are
Fae,
on your father’s side.”

“No, that can’t be right—m’da was no Fae,” she said on a frown.

“The man you called your ‘da’ was, for all purposes, your father. He loved you and raised you, and you loved him, but he wasn’t the one who gave you life.”

Frankie got up and walked away from the queen; when she turned her eyes were narrowed with her thoughts. “So then, ye be telling me I am half Fae?”

“Yes, I am telling you that, though a little part of you knew something … always suspected there was more inside you. Your Fae genes have remained dormant during your childhood, as there was no one to call on your powers and train you, but you have felt ‘different’ during your training time with Nuad, haven’t you?”

“Aye, I jest thought it was m’Fios growing.” She pulled herself up and returned to sit with the queen. “Kindly tell me who m’Fae father is then?”

“There is time for that. I need you to remember that you have been snatched out of your time period.. You were living in the 1800s … you would have grown to maturity and at some point realized you were immortal. At maturity, your Fae genes would have expanded and taught you who you really were …”

“But now I know who I am, and I want to know
who he
was,” Frankie said calmly.

“Our job now, Nuad’s job, is to unite the Fios with the Fae in you and bring out your strengths to make you powerful for the immediate future, because the universe is about to be plunged into the deadliest of all times.”

“Aye, and though child I be, I will be fore and center, my Queen, in the fight. But my da … m’father, the man who raised me as his own—
did he know
?” Frankie chewed at her bottom lip.

Aaibhe had no way of knowing the answer to this, but she lowered her lashes and shook her head. “No, Frankie, he did not. As far as he was concerned, he was your father.” She was pleased to see the sigh of relief Frankie released.

“Right then, if ye please, can ye tell me now who this Fae is … who is m’Fae father?”

Aaibhe arched a look at her. “I can tell you he must have cared for your mother a great deal. I can tell you he left you to lead a normal life for your sake, not his. I can tell you he is a good and faithful member of my very special team and I can’t have him distracted just now.”

Frankie cocked her head. “But he already knows about me, doesn’t he?”

“Yes, but remember, he doesn’t know
you are here in Tir
, or even if you lived through the centuries. I believe your mother must have asked him to let you be raised as a human with her.”

“Please, m’Queen, please, who is he? Can I not go see him?”

“Not right now. He is on a mission, and I can’t recall him. The time will come to reunite you.” The queen squeezed her hands and said softly, “Frankie, we have a threat approaching from the Dark Realm, and I need you to continue your training. Will you do that for me and trust me to choose the time and place for you to meet your Fae father?”

Frankie hugged her close. “Aye then, for ye must know, my Queen … I do trust ye … and Miss Jazz … with m’life, and I would lay down m’life for either of ye.”

Aaibhe sighed and held her. Her vision of the future had been filled with blood, and she knew life—that the life they prized, where art, music, and harmony ruled, was coming to an abrupt end.