The Fae Ring (6 page)

Even before Alana put her hands on the center crystal, it lit up, as if welcoming her to its side. A hum filled the cavern, the other crystals also lighting in order and starting to hum. The wind born of the Faery Stones as well as his cousin’s magic whipped her gown around her body and her pale locks around her face. The laird stood behind her, his hands on her waist to steady her, although Alana probably didn’t need Alex’s touch.

Xander watched as the crystals grew more radiant by the second, brightening the cave around them, making them all squint.

“Ye’ll bring her back?” Duncan grunted from where he stood next to him.

“Aye.”

A loud
pop
sounded. Colors began to swirl in the air as an orb shot out from the stones, rotating and growing wider and wider. The portal was hazy as it slowly opened. He couldn’t see through it yet, but in moments it would be a window, the other side visible.

Xander’s heart kicked up. He’d have his wings again. His magic would be at full capacity. He’d assumed he would never again visit the land of his childhood. Thought he would never fly again.

“Safely?” Duncan had to shout as the air whistled through the contained area of the cavern.

“Aye!” Xander nodded, flexing his grip on the hilt of his sword.

“Keep yer hands to yerself, while yer at it.”

He smirked at the scowl on his new brother-by-marriage’s face. “She’s my mate.”

“No’. Yet,” the man barked.

“She is by Fae standards.”

“No’ by
MacLeod
standards
.
”

Xander bowed at the waist. “You have nothing to worry about.”

Duncan harrumphed, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

The haziness of the portal cleared, and he could see the bright orange and blue grass. Purple and pink-topped trees waved in breeze across the field behind the dais the other realm’s Faery Stones were perched upon. They were a matching set to the Stones here.

The air of serenity before him was false, even though no one was visible. His uncle was not a fool. The Stones never went unguarded. Soldiers—either winged or not—were no doubt poised to attack.

His heart rate sped up.

Janet.

Where was the lass?

His
lass.

Xander needed to go. Now.

Alana threw her arms around him in a quick hug.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Be safe and quick, cousin,” she whispered.

Xander nodded.

Alex grabbed his forearm and squeezed. “Godspeed, brother.”

He was taken unawares by the sincerity in the laird’s blue eyes. Xander had to swallow hard and force another nod. He locked his knees when they wobbled. His chest was tight.

Brother.

Even amongst Fae Warriors, the word was not used lightly.

His cousin’s husband had accepted him. As match for his sister, and considered him a brother.
Welcomed
family member.

Xander had no idea how much he’d craved the inclusion until the laird had said the word.

Alana’s eyes went misty as she picked up the sentiment and probably her husband’s feelings.

Alex’s thoughts told Xander he’d read his expression, but for once he didn’t mind picking up someone’s unsaid words. The laird smiled and offered a nod.

Duncan also clutched his arm. Their gazes collided. “Bring my sister back. I trust ye to do tha’. Then I’ll call ye brother.”

“We’ll be back. Together.”

She landed on her hands and knees.

Hard.

Pain shot up her wrists into her arms, up her knees and into her thighs. Janet winced.

The grass beneath her fingertips was…orange? Bright and unnatural.

Did I hit my head?

Pushing to her feet, agony in her right ankle buckled her knee, and she cried out. She extended her arms for balance and managed not to fall backwards, but clutched at what looked like a dais in front of her.

Realization hit and she blinked again.

She looked up at what had to be the Faery Stones. Janet had never seen them before, but they appeared pretty much how her sister-by-marriage had described them. Five pillar-like rocks forming a circle, each with a large crystal on top. Stalagmites, Claire had called them.

But these were not the Faery Stones she’d been told were in a cave on the beach. There was no beach in sight. No Isle of Skye. No ocean.

Not to mention the orange grass.

I’m in the Fae Realm.

Oh. God.
Janet thought the curse, something she’d admonished Angus for many times—but it was more plea, prayer, than taking the Lord’s name in vain.

How did I get here?

She looked around, running through every word Alana and Claire had told her about the Realm of the Fae.

Colors, all deeply hued and unnatural, like the ground cover, surrounded her. The tree canopy of the nearby forest was pink and purple. The trunks of the same trees were various shades of red. The tall grass of the field was blue.

Her heart bounced against her ribcage as her instincts screamed.

Run.

Hide.

Janet whimpered. Her brothers—and Sir Xander—had often talked about the fierceness of the Fae Warrior class.

“I need to go.”

But where?

She scanned the field before her. The trees moved in a breeze that shifted her skirts and her hair, as if the forest was beckoning.

It was warm—much more so than the beach on Skye. The sun was bright, not hiding behind fluffy clouds like it had been at home.

In the distance she could see a vast palace.

Janet shuddered. Wherever she went, she wouldn’t head there.

Home.
She wanted to go home.

There was no one in sight.

Where are all the soldiers?

Hadn’t Alana mentioned how she couldn’t return to the Fae Realm if she’d wanted to, since her father had the Stones on his side guarded day and night alike?

Panic inched up from her gut. Her arms and legs shook. Janet took a step, then faltered. Her ankle screamed a protest as she steadied herself, barely managing to stay on her feet. Tears—of fright and pain—stung her eyes.

Her gaze shot to the right when a twig snapped.

He saw her at the same time she saw him.

A Fae Warrior.

Long dark hair in a thick plait. A sword the same size as her brothers’ claymores sheathed at his waist. He wore a dark green, shiny chest plate.

Janet screamed.

He drew his sword and started shouting in a language she didn’t understand. It sounded like Gaelic, but the words were off. She didn’t take the time to concentrate to see if she could comprehend anything. No matter what he was saying, it wasn’t friendly.

His iridescent wings flexed. Sunlight glinted off them like a prism.

Two more winged Fae men landed in the orange grass.

Janet’s eyes darted between the forest and the soldiers. She would have to pass them to disappear into the trees. She’d never make it on her injured foot. Frustrated and helpless tears spilled down her cheeks as she backed up. White-hot pain shot into her knee, but she kept going until the wood of the dais hit her shoulder and hip at the same time.

Wind was born from nowhere and the Fae Warriors turned collectively, looking up.

Janet’s skirts were plastered to her legs and the sleeves of her leine flapped against her upper arms, making her shiver. Gooseflesh rose and she had to squint when her hair whipped around her face.

She couldn’t see the Faery Stones, but she could
hear
them. A lyrical, rhythmic hum reverberated, becoming louder every second.

The warriors’ shouts were frantic. The other two drew swords. They formed a line, gesturing to each other, taking no notice of her.

What’s happening?

Though it just about killed her, Janet didn’t stand idle. She took advantage of the soldiers’ distraction. She darted around the dais and slid behind it, uttering curses she’d heard her brothers moan when a wound from the fighting yard required a poultice or to be sewn up. Men were like bairns when they bleed.

Janet could still see the three Fae Warriors, but they likely couldn’t see her.

Colors swirled in the air. There was a loud shredding noise, then another, like parchment ripping. She winced and ducked down, though squatting hurt her ankle even more. She clutched the plank of wood before her, praying the portal would stay open—if that was what was happening.

Maybe I can go home.

Some sort of bubble-magic, like the one that had surrounded her and Xander on the beach, popped into existence and slowly opened up; she could see through this one. It was dark on the other side, but she could make out what looked like rocks.

The cave?

Someone walked through the bubble, blocking her view, then lowered himself to the ground, hand on the hilt of a sword. He was still hazy, but awareness skittered down her spine.

Xander.

Janet’s gasp was ripped from her mouth in the moving air. The bubble—or the portal—disappeared with another loud
pop.

He crouched, but his eyes locked onto her at the corner of the dais, as if he’d heard her thinking his name. “Janet!”

Xander’s voice made her shake. Janet couldn’t move, even as her so-called-husband yelled for her.

She should go to him.

“Stay there. I’m coming for you.”

She nodded, clutching the wood until her knuckles whitened.

Xander straightened, raising his arms, and yelling something. With a burst of multi-colored light, wings appeared on his back. His expression was triumphant.

The three Fae Warriors shouted.

One took to the air, but instead of attacking, he flew away.

Janet’s gut told her he was going to get reinforcements.

Xander drew his sword and whipped his other hand around, throwing a fiery ball of light at the other two. They scattered, one taking to the air to move away. The magic disappeared, missing both of them.

“Traitor!” The shout was English and made Janet shake even more.

When Xander flew, she watched in mesmerized fright as his newly appeared wings pumped hard, moving him higher.

He’s drawing them away from me.

Should she run? No, he’d told her to stay put. So Janet would obey. And watch. She couldn’t look away.

The first clash of swords made her whimper and bite her bottom lip. Sword fighting she’d seen.

But…in the air?

The bright sun made it difficult to see everything. She squinted, staring at the three moving figures.

Xander parried and dove, throwing fiery balls as he fought, but so were the other two warriors. They came together and moved away in some morbid dance full of magic and swords. They were yelling, too, in that close-to-Gaelic language.

Her breath caught, her mouth going dry as the two warriors descended on Xander together. One dove forward to wrap around her supposed-husband’s torso, the other going for his legs. They pinned his arms down, his sword hanging helplessly in his hand. He struggled in their hold, and suddenly the three figures were plummeting toward the ground.

Janet’s heart stopped.

Xander tried to yank away, but the other two Fae held tight as they slowed, pumping their wings in tandem. She could feel the magic between her and Xander, like she had on Skye, but Janet couldn’t see it.

The three Fae men rolled to the ground as one. As if on purpose. A calculated capturing move.

“Nay,” Janet whispered.

What if they killed him?

A burst of light so bright she had to look away erupted from Xander and his captors.

She cried out. Janet shook from head to foot. Had she just seen the man she was supposed to be destined for murdered with magic?

Tears burned her eyes and her bottom lip trembled, so she bit down on it. When the radiance faded and her vision cleared, Xander was striding toward her. She frantically searched for the other two warriors, but they lay on the orange grass, unmoving.

Xander sheathed his sword and smiled when their eyes met.

Her gaze drank him in the closer he got. Janet needed to say something—anything—to him, but her voice was gone. Her throat dry, she didn’t try.

He jogged to close the distance between them.

She could see no marks on his body, and no blood.

Thank God.

A breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding rushed from her lips.

When he reached for her, Janet put her hand in Xander’s without hesitation. Magic hit her in the chest, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Her whole body warmed, starting in her heart and sliding down her arms, her legs, even her fingers and toes. Her stomach fluttered. She stumbled, head spinning.

Xander steadied her, drawing her into his arms. “That’s our bond. You’ll feel it more here, especially when we touch. Magic is alive in this realm.”

“I—”

“We need to go. We can talk when we get to safety. I’ve only stunned them. Reinforcements will be here shortly. We cannot get captured.”

She didn’t have the guts to ask where safety could be. “I want to go home.”

“I don’t have time to open the Stones. Are you hurt?”

“A-a-aye.”

His violet eyes bored into her and a tremor shot down her spine. “Did they touch you?” It was a growl that made her shiver even more.

“No.” Janet shook her head. “I-I-hurt my ankle. I don’ know how.”

Xander pulled her closer and Janet couldn’t help it, she burrowed into his chest, slipping her arms around his waist. She hugged him to her, and he squeezed her right back.

She closed her eyes against his shoulder, trembling as emotions swirled in her head. She felt
right
in his arms, but still scared out of her wits.

His heart beat in time with hers. She could feel it against her breasts, but it was
more
than that. Like before, it was as if his pulse was in her body with her own.

“I’ve got you, lass.” Xander’s warm breath kissed her temple and she couldn’t help but remember his mouth moving over hers at the beach.

“I’m frightened,” Janet whispered.