Legend 4 - Free Falling (18 page)

“No. Is the Dark King there now?”

“Yes.”

“Does he need you to get back?”

“No … he is beyond that now. He has evolved … he has absorbed. He is the mightiest of all Seelie Hallows.”

“What are you saying? The Dark King has become a Hallow?”

“In a manner of speaking … he has absorbed …”

Okay, this was getting me nowhere fast, and I was stuck here in the middle of a field where no one I needed would find me. Chances were, I thought ruefully, if I couldn’t get a message out to Danté, they wouldn’t be able to track me either.

“Rolo, can you help me?”

“It would please me to do so, Princess.”

“Can you shift me to my home?”

“It is too far. I can shift you away from here, and I think I had better.”

“Why?”

“Because the warlock is headed this way across the open pasture in his driving machine, and he has seen us.”

“Go! Go now
!
” I shouted.

* * *

Pounding my head with my fist didn’t help, and then I looked up to see Ete appear, with Breslyn standing protectively at her side a few feet from the billiard table. They looked around at the floor strewn with the bodies of Dark Fae, and Breslyn grimaced and consigned their bodies elsewhere.

“Where is she?” Ete asked on a hushed note. “She didn’t follow me to the queen …” She turned to Breslyn and dove into his arms, her voice breaking as she moaned, “I failed them, Breslyn … I failed both my queen and Radzia!”

I know I was frowning as I watched them. Words at this point wouldn’t do any good. She needed a moment to assimilate that what had happened was unforeseeable and not her fault. I reached out and touched her back.

She turned from Bres and dove into my chest. “Who took her, Danté … one of the Unseelie?”

“No. It was the warlock.”

“We will find her, Danté, make no mistake, and then we will take turns running the blackguard through … long after he is dead and past regretting putting his hands on your Daoine,” Breslyn growled.

How did he know? I hadn’t told him yet about my
enfant
and me …

It didn’t matter. Breslyn and I had no secrets between us. All that mattered was that we find her and soon. “I can’t get a bead on her, Bres … she is out of range somehow or unconscious.”

“It is my fault … I knew that it was a tricky maneuver … I should not have shifted without her!” Ete was now near to sobbing.

Breslyn hugged her to him and made some strange cooing noises I found extremely annoying. I had never in all his ten thousand adult years, ever seen him behave like that, and then I thought of Z and knew it was in me to do the same. I watched as Breslyn took her chin and said, “You were under attack, Ete. You did what you had to do.” He stroked her face. “You brought the Hallow safely to our queen.”

“Enough!” I shouted irritably. “Ete, you did absolutely nothing wrong. This was not your fault. This is all Gais’s doing. You and Z are warriors. You cannot be everywhere, every moment, and Z … she has a knack of finding trouble.”

I shook my head. “At any rate, I believe she, even more than the Hallow, was the target. This warlock is brazen—because I think he works directly with Gais. For whatever reason, Gaiscioch has chosen this warlock as his trusted human. He would not have otherwise dared to touch my woman … and
he will pay
.”

“Where to first?” Ete asked timidly.

“To his home.” I had to stop myself from snapping.

“Ah, then you know who this warlock is?” Breslyn asked interestedly.

“That I do, Bres … that I do.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Breslyn was grinning wickedly, and the death threat was evident on my friend’s face. We were of a mind as we shifted and stepped out of the atmosphere in front of Aaron Dunbar’s home!

* * *

Rolo jump shifted us, but this time we were in the middle of the road and he quickly jump shifted us once more. I looked around as I tried to get my bearings, and Rolo said in that soft, musical voice, “I am sorry, Princess, but we will have to do this one more time—we are still in the same field and
the warlock
approaches quickly.”

We jump shifted and landed with a thump that hurt my butt in the woods adjacent to the field. I could see the van touring in a hobbling manner over the uneven terrain of the field and wondered what the warlock was thinking. What did he know about me? Did he know I could only shift short distances while in my golden prison? He must suspect that. What did he know about Gais? Was he working directly with Gais or through the Dark Fae, and how had he been recruited?

And then Rolo interrupted my thoughts and said, “Princess, you must do something quickly with one of your many powers.”

“Can I break the netting? Is there a spell to do that?”

“Oh yes, but you would need another Royal to do that in unison with you. The queen alone, of course, could break it …”

“Okay—then what do you think I should do?”

“Don’t you know? I just don’t understand why you don’t know.”

“What don’t you understand?”

“It must be the human in you … but, Princess, I sense that there is so very little human left. You need to be who you are—a Daoine princess.”

“Okay, explain.”

“You can go into your mind and shift below the surface to escape the
Wiele …”

“What?”

“It isn’t spelled to hold you to the earth. Neither the Dark Fae nor a warlock can spell our Hallows. Only a Seelie Fae can do that. What holds you only holds you above …”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“What is kidding?”

“Never mind … let me understand this, Rolo—I can shift into the ground?”

“Surely.”

“Then what—won’t I suffocate?”

“You are immortal, but I daresay you won’t like it.”

“No kidding.”

“Again with this word I don’t understand.”

“Rolo, then what?”

“You shift out. You don’t want to stay in the earth—you would find it most uncomfortable. So would I. I like being above ground. In fact, I rather like being with you, my Daoine Princess.”

Hmm, Rolo liked me—it felt oddly nice. “How will I breathe … think … underground?”

“Your human is afraid. Your Fae understands. Allow your Fae full rein.”

“And you and the Wiele?”

“Keep me close … Do what you will with the Wiele, but if you seek advice, I would say bring it to the queen. It belongs to the Trackers … and one must wonder how it got into the hands of a warlock.”

“Gais must have given it to him … because no one could ever make me believe Nuad is a traitor.”

“Nuad—a familiar name, but, Daoine Princess, you must hurry … He has seen us.”

“Into the ground—you’re sure?”

“Yes.”

“Okay—here goes.”

“You have an odd way of speaking. I like it. I think I will remain in your safekeeping and attach myself to you.”

“What does that mean?”

“There is no time—you must shift below now!”

So I envisioned the earth beneath me, and whop, I was surrounded by it. Breathe, breathe … move … out … I had to get out …

And I was. We came out in the same spot, but I was no longer in the Wiele. Instead, the gold netting was dangling from my hand. I could see the van coming at us, and I shifted out and home, specifically to my bedroom!

A moment later I had both the Hallow (with a towel over it as it seemed like its voice was male) and the gold
Wiele
at my feet and in the shower with me. Nothing was getting near these two artifacts while I was alive.

It took just a few minutes before I was done with my shower, threw on a black T, jeans, and sneakers, and with my black hair still dripping wet, shifted off to Tir and Queen Aaibhe’s chambers!

~ Seventeen ~

BRESLYN SHIFTED UPSTAIRS and shifted back to shake his head at me.

Looking around Dunbar’s house made me hiss. “Damnation, Bres, where the hell is he?” However, it suddenly occurred to me, and I offered them, “I have an idea—he might be at the MacClennys’, in their utility building.”

Enough said; a quick glance passed between Breslyn, Ete, and myself before we shifted and came out inside the MacClenny outbuilding, only to find it dark and quiet. No sign of Aaron Dunbar.

We stared at each other, and Ete asked softly, “If he has Radzia, he would have to take her where none would find her.”

“Yes, of course … but damn it … where?” I heard my own harsh voice and immediately apologized. “Sorry, Ete … I didn’t mean to snap at you, but …”

“I understand, Danté, and there is no need to apologize.” She turned to Breslyn and touched his hand as she said quietly, “Allow me a moment of quiet and I will try …”

I watched as she closed her eyes and knew she was using her power of ‘sight’. All female Fae were capable of some ‘sight’; some of our females were better at it than others, but Ete was usually superb at the art.

“The warlock … I found the warlock …” Her bright eyes were full with excitement. “He is in a van, and her scent—Radzia’s scent is there with him, but …
she is not …
”

“She is not—what the Danu does that mean?” I was snapping again.

“It means just that, Danté. She is no longer with him, but she is trapped—trapped in something … I sense a gold wall all around her.” Ete gasped. “It is the Wiele—one of Nuad’s … he is holding her somewhere trapped in the Wiele.”

“Then we’ll just have to go and ask him where that might be!” I felt my teeth grit with my words. We shifted to Aaron Dunbar’s van, which was in the middle of a field … but, once again, he was nowhere to be found!

* * *

“Radzia—you have done well,” Aaibhe said softly as she touched my wet hair. All at once it was no longer dripping. In fact, a quick glance in the mirrored wall showed me that it looked as though it had been brushed into thick, black silk.
Nice …
why hadn’t I thought of doing that?

“May I see the Seelie Hallow you retrieved?”

“Of course.” I realized that Rolo had created a belt around my waist of thin gold, and he (I was now sure Rolo was a he) had attached himself to it. He reposed quietly at my back. Rolo hadn’t spoken after we arrived in the queen’s private chambers, and I wondered at it; however, as I undid the clasp of my belt I heard him clear his voice and say roundly, “My Queen … a boon if you will?”

“Yes, Hallow?”

I was amazed that she took his ability to speak for granted, but I kept silent and listened to their exchange.

“My name … is Rolo,” he said proudly.

Aaibhe smiled sweetly. “Yes, Rolo, what boon?”

“I must remain with Radzia MacDaun, Daoine Princess. We were meant to be together … it is part of the prophecy.”

“So I have read. I know the prophecy but also know it has three possible outcomes, and you are not mentioned in all.”

“So it does, but it only tells you that one outcome will be devastating to all, while the others might be what you need. I believe Radzia will stand a better chance of eliciting the right outcome if she has me with her. We have bonded. Together our magic is, I think, preferable than our magic apart.”

I said nothing during this. What I was thinking was—how could a gal go wrong with a death weapon that told her where to land the blow and a Seelie Hallow full of unknown magic he was willing to throw my way? Ha! But Danté would say,
I
f it could go wrong, enfant, you could make it so!

“My Queen …” I interrupted her thoughts. “Ete … she will be worried about me.” I wasn’t thinking of Danté asleep in his castle.

“Yes, and we have another problem. Danté worked off the sleep spell and has already discovered that you were captured by the warlock. The three of them, Ete, Breslyn, and Danté are running about helter-skelter.”

“I have to go to him … immediately!”

“No
. He needs another few hours to regain his full strength. As of now, the warlock has used the urn to hide himself in his abode. They will search about for a bit before they realize you are here … learning a new skill, and one that you will need to defeat Gaiscioch.”

“Skill … what skill is that, my Queen?”

“Don’t you know what is in your power to achieve as a Royal Fae?”

“Okay—I’ll bite, what are we talking about?”

“Shape shifting.”

I frowned. I still wasn’t comfortable with letting Danté and poor Ete think I was in trouble somewhere. “Okay, great … I’ll learn whatever you want me to learn, but Danté, Ete, and Breslyn have to know I am okay.”

“Not yet—I do not like being disobeyed. They need a lesson.”

“A lesson in what?”

“In control. They must not allow their emotions to hinder their Fae abilities. They could have found you quite easily had they not been so very desperate to do so. They must learn. This will teach them a valuable lesson.” She paused and then added, “And, yes, Rolo … if you have bonded with Radzia MacDaun, then it was meant to be. Destiny has spoken.”

* * *

“Wait, Breslyn!”

“What, Danté?” Breslyn frowned at me.

Ete put a hand to her head and sighed. “Danté, you made me nearly jump out of my skin.”

I put up my hand. “Something has changed. I feel it … but … I am not certain just what it is. I need the two of you to stop your forever babbling at each other so I can think.”

Breslyn shot me a threatening glance, and in spite of my bad humor, I smiled at him, whereupon he took my shoulder and shook it. “We will find her … and—”

“Like I said … wait,” I repeated and was astonished that they actually did shut up and give me some space. I felt it … knew it … and breathed out loud, “My
enfant
is free of whatever was holding her …
she is free!
”

I didn’t wait for their reaction as I shifted to her bedroom; however, they were right behind me—literally, and they almost collided with me, which under ordinary circumstances would have been cause for laughter, but I was in no mood.

“Fire and brimstone!” I cursed. I was already too late—my
enfant
had already shifted off using the skill of concealing her scent as I had so wisely taught her. I wanted to punch myself.

Ete saved the moment for me by saying quietly, “I am certain Z has gone to Tir and the queen.” She smiled and touched my arm. “She would have taken the Hallow directly to the queen.”

We shifted but were denied access to the queen’s chamber. Aaibhe had left instructions for the three of us to await her in the lower chamber. We knew she was annoyed with us. She always allowed us entre to her private quarters …

I called Aaibhe on the channel we shared in our minds, but she did not respond. Breslyn and Ete tried much the same, but she still did not respond. I tried leaving her a message, informing her that we were concerned for her own safety and would charge her quarters just to make certain no one held her against her will. We knew otherwise, but I thought that would get her.

She replied to this in curt terms. “I am well and quite busy with my Daoine princess. You deserve, Danté, severe punishment both for breaking my direct orders and lifting my spell. Very naughty of you—but if you wish to make amends, take this to Nuad. He has been missing this since Gais abducted Ete and we lost him at Killarney.”

The Wiele appeared in my hands, and Ete gasped as she reached to touch it. She said, “Gais must have stolen this when we weren’t looking … but how did he get it to the warlock, and why would he?”

“I don’t know, and at the moment I don’t give a rat’s—”

Breslyn raised his brow at me, and I curbed my language. “I want to go in and see my
enfant
now.”

“Calm yourself, Danté,” Breslyn said, and his silver eyes were alive with amusement at my state of frenzy. “She is safe with our queen.” He slapped me on the back and added, “Come on … let’s go to Nuad. He is in Ireland, planting a trap. He could use this.”

“You take it to him. I am not budging an inch.”

“Our queen
directed you
join us in this delivery. If you wish to get back into her good graces, and I believe you must, come on, Danté—it is good to be on a mission together. Queen Aaibhe will not admit you until she is done doing whatever it is she is doing, and your …
enfant … is
quite safe with our queen.”

“You do not know Z … she is never safe,” I grumbled, but I actually did believe she would be safe with the queen. More fool I.

* * *

I knew the moment Danté was outside the queen’s private chambers! It was as though my body came alive and my mind whispered his name. I started towards him, but the queen gently laid a hand on my arm, shook her head, and softly said, “I have sent them off on a mission. I need you to focus, Radzia. You can’t go about swinging your sword around haphazardly. You need to have a plan. You need to be controlled and take control. Gaiscioch is no one to trifle with, and now I believe he is determined to capture you and use you. You are Daoine, and your magic is far greater than his, as he is not even Tuatha Dé royalty, but still, he has acquired a great deal of black magic and will use it.”

“Can black magic win over white magic?”

“Never … but it can trick one into believing that it can, Radzia.” The queen touched my face, and I felt a warm glow envelop me as she spoke. “Now … practice what you have learned, my Princess, and do not think about Danté—at least not for now. I have given them a mission of no consequence to keep him busy until he recoups his full power.”

“Ah …” I smiled at her and stopped for a moment. “Have you heard anything about my mom?”

She smiled and lowered her hand to take mine. “She is being cared for … and I believe she woke from her illusion yesterday and asked for you, but before anyone could get control of her and break her away, she went back in.”

I hung my head. What was I going to do? Somehow when this was all over, I had to get through to my mom. She would wither into madness if allowed to continue in her ‘dreamland’.

As though reading my thoughts the queen said softly, “She is a strong woman, and her love for you is enormous. Her memory of you … here, not in her dream with your father, must get through to her eventually.” She gave me a moment and then said, “Now … practice … focus. So much depends on this, Princess Radzia.”

I knew she was invoking my name to remind me of who I was and what I owed the Fae. I took in air and let it out slowly before I answered, “I know … the prophecy.”

And I did, because Ete had told me briefly that I was the key in the prophecy. Oh, not by name, but by description.
A human Daoine princess will face Gaiscioch in the final days, and all will be forever changed. She will have the might of the Hallow, the sword, and her will, and all will be met. Sacrifice—as she will have the power of love and will fight to the death …

Didn’t sound that great to me, and the other version was worse:
A human Daoine princess will rush at Gaiscioch to save all, but how can she win against so many? She will have might, the Hallow, and the sword, and her bravery will out, but she will be lost in darkness, and still she will fight to the death …

Then Ete had said there was a third prophecy, but she wasn’t sure what that was. Oh great, just great, I had told her.

I thought about it and decided I didn’t believe in prophecy. I didn’t believe in predestined outcomes. I believed we made our own. There is no accounting for the power of the individual. Each of us thinks apart from one another. We come to different conclusions, and they can be varied and many, and so can the results. Destiny … predestined … nah … that theory just didn’t take into account what each of us might do in any given situation!

At any rate, I knew one thing for certain: I was going to face Gaiscioch, and with everything I knew, with everything I was, I was going to take him down, and if I had to die doing it,
so be it.

* * *

Breslyn, Ete, and I arrived in Killarney to find the violet-eyed Shee Willow and her Druid husband Shayne Bantry engaged in a tight battle with a horde of creatures near the shores of the Middle Lake.

Needless to say, weapons swinging, we dove in. There were at least fifty Dark Fae of various castes, but none of them had any death weapons. I had to wonder what Gais was doing—sending them to sure death. Was he sending them through just to test the new portal he had opened at the bottom of the lake? Did he not realize that we had team members situated strategically to defeat them?

It wasn’t a large portal—certainly not large enough to allow an army through its dark mouth, and Breslyn and I would be able to close it easily without calling on the queen.

This was not like Gaiscioch, who was methodical. I had to worry about what his motive was. Was he testing us? Was he trying to divide us? What?

Shee Willow and Shayne Bantry shifted to stand with us, and we fought the ugly beasts as a team. As a warrior, I must admit it was shameful—it was a slaughter. Their feeble weapons meant nothing against us. Gais was regularly sending these Unseelies to their death, but none of them knew. None of them lived to ‘talk’ so to speak, and they had no way to get back into the Dark Realm even if they’d wanted to do so.