Fairy Keeper (37 page)

ierra dove into the water. The shock of the cold stole her breath, but her panic only stirred a little. Her sister was in Tristan’s arms, cheeks puffed with held air.

“It’s okay, milady. You are safe here. I heard your call.”

That was strange. He was looking right at Phoebe, but she hadn’t called him. Hmm. Well, he must have heard her say she wanted to go home. Whatever. Sierra would take it.

She swam over to them. “He allows us to breath, Phoebe.”

Breathing underwater was pretty wonderful, an unexpected miracle in a time of trouble. Sierra did a backflip for her sister’s amusement, and it worked. Phoebe laughed and lost half her air. The little merman held her tightly still. If Sierra’s friends weren’t in such danger, she’d play all day under the waves. Phoebe eventually squeezed her eyes shut and took a breath. Her eyes opened wide when nothing bad happened.

Sierra wished she could give her more time to adjust, but there wasn’t any left. Sierra wrapped her arms around them both and said, “We’ve got to get to the main entrance.”

“Is stealth an issue?” asked Tristan.

“Not anymore. I think they’re distracted by our friends.”

He nodded, then they were off like a shot. Phoebe’s eyes opened wide as they flew through the currents, making the darting fish around them look slow. Sierra gave Phoebe a fast run-down on why Corbin and Nell were in danger. Even a skeleton of an explanation contained plenty of news.

They reached the shore of the peninsula within minutes. Sierra stumbled out of the water, soaked once again, teeth chattering, but realized her sister had stopped.

Phoebe still stood knee-deep in the water. She and Tristan were staring at each other with a strange intensity, gazes locked, saying nothing. Phoebe slowly lifted a hand to say farewell, and the seawee saluted her and then disappeared into the depths.

“What was that?” Sierra asked, pulling on Phoebe’s arm to make her move.

“I have no idea,” she mused, speaking as if waking from a dream. “But it’s like knowing something important I can’t quite remember.”

Sierra would worry later about what one of the merfolk might want with her sister. There was no time to figure out what the mysterious salute meant, or even how he had known they were waiting. Their feet smacked the ground as they took off running, Phoebe leaning heavily on Sierra.

The paths were all but vacant. Only homeless people who lived along the alleys meandered down the cobbled pathways. The shops were closed. Even the guards were absent. That did not bode well. They put on another burst of speed, as fast as Phoebe could stand with her knee, and Sierra only hoped they were not too late.

Unlike the streets leading to it, the main square was full to bursting. Every person in the peninsula had to be there. The two girls entered at the back, far from the upraised platform that occupied the center of the space. Four heavy chairs sat prominently on the stage in a row, where the elders of the port sat. Bentwood was up there, a small smile playing on his lips as Corbin finished his speech. The girls were too far to hear, but Corbin was so earnest with his flourishing hand gestures, it bruised Sierra’s already pounding heart. Nell stood to one side of him without her weapons.

The hair rose on the back of Sierra’s neck. They were defenseless up there. No one could speak to the port’s elders while armed. Sierra clutched the guard’s knife tighter. In this crowd, it could easily get knocked out of her hand, and she feared she was going to need it.

“Bentwood
must not
see you, Phoebe, do you understand? He considers you his property now. You’ve got to stay hidden. He could kill you for leaving, and Jack wouldn’t stop him.”

Phoebe nodded, eyes dilated wide in fear. Sierra took off her wool cloak, wet as it was, and put it over her sister, pulling the hood up to cover her red hair. Sierra found a discreet spot in the doorway of a closed shop on the back corner of the square.

“I’ll come back here. If it all goes bad, turn and run. Go to Corbin’s parents.”

Phoebe shook her head desperately.

Sierra gently held Phoebe’s chin to force their eyes to meet. “I won’t have you back in his hands. It would kill me. You run if you have to, do you understand?”

Tears filled Phoebe’s eyes, but this time she nodded.

Sierra wished Micah was there to stand guard. She wanted Phoebe safe. She felt a pang of worry for him, too. Where was he? She wished she knew.

Leaving Phoebe alone to go to Corbin and Nell was like being torn in half. Too much love for too many people destroyed you. But it was too late now. Sierra couldn’t leave them up there to be killed.

She squeezed her way through the crowd. Each time a group of people noticed her trying to get by, they recoiled at the sight of her soaked clothing, giving her a bit more space to move. No one wanted their finery ruined. Even the poorest wore their best cloaks when the elders held a meeting in the port square.

Pushing and shoving to get through the gathered mob, Sierra wished she had the comforting touch of Phoebe’s hand. But she was better off where she stood. Far safer. The smell of tobacco, body odor, and roasted corn filled the air, making Sierra’s stomach turn.

Bentwood stood in front of the crowd. “They declare we need to set the fairies free. To live without Flight, to do without our most profitable elixir. What say you, my people?”

“Noo!” The crowd’s roar shook Sierra’s body. The growl beneath the roar told her she’d somehow better get Corbin and Nell out of here soon.

“They say
magic
will save us. Let me show you what magic brings us.”

Two burly men climbed onto the stage, dragging Micah between their arms. Blood dripped from his mouth, and he stumbled as they yanked him along. Micah’s hands were chained, and his ankles were hobbled. His legs looked strange, like they bent differently than a human’s… and hooves were clearly visible below the hem of his pants.

Sierra’s mouth went dry, and a strange roaring filled her ears. Her knees barely held her up. He’d changed back into a faun. How terribly had they hurt him that he lost his hold on his magic? And what more would they do?

What had she done to him, bringing him here?

Queenie?
Sierra thought, desperate to save Micah.
Queen, are the other queens ready?

It looked like they were going to need them.

They forced Micah next to Bentwood. Corbin’s mouth hung open, and Nell’s cheeks were as pale as her hair. Sierra’s feet were frozen to the ground.

The men each took out a knife, and shock ran through Sierra like a lightning bolt.

Words whispered past her lips, almost like a prayer. “Not him! Not him!”

Her eyes burned as she stared at Micah’s hunched figure. It was the very thing she had feared. She told him not to come, didn’t she? And he’d come with her anyway.

They slapped him across the face.

“No! Stop!” The words exploded from her but were lost in the noise of the crowd.

They shook him and laughed at him. Sierra shouted louder, “Leave him alone! Not him!
Please
!”

Tears rolled from her eyes.
Please!
She was ready to beg for his life. He didn’t even know how much he meant to her. She had never let him see.

She shoved past people, uncaring about their startled cries. She cursed her small size, which slowed her down.

She would never reach the stage in time.

“
Queen
!” she cried, but the fairy still wasn’t there.

One of the men brandished his knife, and the crowd leaned forward in anticipation of a show. Sierra wanted to vomit.

But instead of the man slashing Micah’s throat, he sliced down the legs of Micah’s pants over and over. Bits of fabric flew off the stage, floating in the wind. Then the man stood back, leaving Micah alone center stage. He had nowhere to go. Micah was completely exposed for what he was, his furry faun’s legs clearly visible among the ragged strips of pants. The crowd gasped.

“It’s an abomination!” someone cried, and people started shouting.

Micah’s head hung down.

A new burst of energy slammed through Sierra. She pushed and weaved through the crowd again, eyes fixed on the faun. Corbin backed up to Nell, and Sierra could tell they were having a quick, hushed conference. Nell looked out over the crowd, sky blue eyes widening when she spotted Sierra making her way toward them. Nell’s gaze flickered to Bentwood before she shook her head at Sierra, the message clear:
Don’t do anything stupid
. Sierra shook hers back and pressed forward. She swore she could see Nell sigh from here.

“That’s right. They want to bring an army of these mismatched creatures to take over our world! They’ll make you all slaves!” Bentwood’s big, booming voice carried to the end of the courtyard.

Fury was stamped on Nell and Corbin’s face, but Sierra knew their rage would do no good. Suddenly, though, Nell’s head tilted back in a familiar way.
Oh no
, Sierra groaned. Not now.

Nell grabbed at her throat frantically, but her message wouldn’t be stopped. So much for keeping her new talent a secret from the alchemists.

“Why do you listen to a man known to lie and cheat? A man who steals your children and sells you only elixirs that enslave you?” Her new deep, gravelly voice soared over the crowd now quieted in shock.

Dread filled Sierra, but she kept moving forward.

Nell continued, “Have you not felt the groaning of the earth as the very land shakes in death? Where have all the fairies gone? Have you not wondered? The queens left in despair, you fools, and their little ones died from lack of magic. You have stolen from them for too long. The whole earth suffers. You are all tied together and must work together to save Aluvia for your children and your children’s children!”

A heavy hush flowed across the crowd. Her eyes were black as night now, startling in her pale, pale face, and people cried out as they saw her. Radiance shined from her, shocking even Sierra. A beautiful smile crossed Nell’s lips, making her stunning. Corbin certainly looked stunned, eyes nearly popping out of his head, but to his credit he watched the crowd around them carefully. If she passed out after this one, they’d all be in trouble.

Looks of fear and suspicion faded and turned to shame as Nell raised her voice louder. “Look at this lone, frightened creature of magic! Yes, magic! But where is his threat? Is he the one with the knife in his hand?”

Sierra’s knife was cold in her hand. She was getting closer.

“Where is this army this man says is coming? Besides the one of his that keeps you pinned here in this square?”

Mutterings filled the crowd, people hesitantly nodding.

Bentwood glared, jerking his head at the two men by Micah. While the man with the knife guarded Micah, the other hustled toward Nell, clearly intending to shut her up. With a shout, Corbin blocked him, the two of them grappling while Nell continued to prophesy.

Go, Corbin! Hang on a bit longer!
Sierra edged even closer. She silently begged Micah to meet her gaze, but he continued staring at the ground.

“Why do you not fight back, people of Port Iona, and take back what is yours?”

Sierra tensed her arm muscles, preparing to jump onto the platform as soon as she reached the edge. She was almost there when she saw a face that made her knees too weak to move.

Her father stepped onto the stage.