The Seven Year King (The Faerie Ring #3) (28 page)

“‘Fear not the water, for it only appears to block our way.’”
Tiki raised her eyebrows at him. When he continued to stare at her with a blank expression, she said in a slightly exasperated tone, “The passage is beneath the surface of the lake.”

IT WAS HARDER to sneak away now that Donegal’s threats had multiplied. Callan took his job seriously and seemed determined not to let Tiki elude him one more time. In the end, Tiki decided to invite the man to come with them, with the condition he be the only one who would accompany them.

“You take dangerous risks, Majesty.” Callan protested after she’d made the proposal to him. “If we’re attacked I might not be able to protect you alone.”

“Rieker will be with us and I know how to use a knife.” Tiki gave him a steely gaze. “It will have to be enough.”

THEY SET OUT at mid-day. Neither she nor Rieker were willing to wait. Their ride through the Wychwood was uneventful, possibly due to the size and fierceness of the Macanna who accompanied them. Callan had not asked where they were going and Tiki hadn’t yet informed him. The less he knew, the less he would be tempted to dissuade her.

DARKESS WAS SETTLING, on the second day, casting shadowy fingers through the trees, as they approached the far end of the lake. A frown settled across Callan’s brow when they came in sight of the deserted village.

“We should not be here,” he said in a low voice. “There’s a reason this village is empty.”

Like usual, Tiki rode behind Rieker and they both turned to look at the other man.

“Why’s that?” Rieker asked.

“It’s haunted.”

“By what?”

“Many centuries ago this spot was home to a coven of witches. They had lived in these woods for almost as many centuries as the fey, celebrating Samhain, as we do, but for different reasons. It is said three witches were dancing and chanting around a bonfire when the Wild Hunt rode through this part of the forest one Samhain. The legend says the witches were so outraged at being interrupted that they each pulled a rider down from their horse and turned them to stone.” Callan pointed in the distance. “There they still stand to this day—frozen in time.”

At the end of the road the three stones they’d seen before towered in the grassy area.

“You think those stones are faeries?” Tiki asked doubtfully.

“They aren’t the first to be turned to stone. The Rollright Stones, on the border of the Wychwood, were once a king and his knights. They were foolish enough to bargain with a witch and paid the price.”

“But this village is deserted,” Rieker said. “What happened to the witches?”

“The UnSeelie king took his revenge in a different way—he used his magic to turn the three witches into trees: the thorny plum, the oak and the elder. They are trapped inside. That way he could torture them until the end of time.”

“The Tree Dryads,” Tiki whispered. She and Dain had encountered them during their trek to London. “I was told they were a deadly combination.”

Callan nodded. “That they are, even after all this time. Beware if you see the three together, for they still roam these woods, seeking the fey who turned them into trees. The only way they can regain their original form is for someone to take their place within their woody trunk—thus, they try to lure passersby into their arms.”

He gestured toward the stone buildings. “The other witches left, for fear they would be doomed to life as a dryad, but they cursed this place before they departed. None but those who cast the darkest magic would seek sanctuary here now.”

THEY CONTINUED PAST the vacated town around to the cliffs where the White Tower was secreted. The cool air chilled Tiki and she fought to suppress the hacking cough that rose from her chest.

“This is the spot,” Rieker said as he pulled Aeveen to a stop. He threw a leg over the horse’s neck and jumped to the ground, then assisted Tiki. He pulled her cloak tighter around her neck and his fingers lingered. “You don’t sound good. I’m not sure you should be here.”

She put her hand over his, her fingers cold against the warmth of his skin. “This is exactly where I should be.”

Callan remained on his horse, surveying the area. “Majesty,” he finally ventured, “why
are
we here?”

Rieker pulled the mirror shard from his vest and stepped over toward the guard. “Because there is a prison here.” He held the mirror up so Callan could see the tower in the reflection. “And we need to free the prisoner.”

The soldier was silent for a long moment as he gazed into the mirror. “Only powerful dark magic can conceal an entire building,” Callan said in a heavy voice. “It’s the Winter King’s doing, isn’t it?”

“We think we know the way in.” Tiki walked to the edge of the crag and looked down. The cliff was made of rough gray stone that offered a multitude of steps and handholds down the face of the precipice. “We need you to stand guard while we investigate.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

“C
limb down the face of that cliff? You can’t be serious.” In a blink, Callan was off his horse and next to Tiki, ready to stop her from climbing over the edge. “With all due respect, Majesty, I can’t allow you to do it.”

Tiki didn’t raise her voice as she stepped past him. “Callan, I command you to step away from me and remain with the horses.” She gave him a sweet smile as she began to descend on a narrow trail. “I’m sorry, but you made me do it.”

“But—” the muscular faerie’s mouth dropped open in dismay. He stood there as if Tiki had frozen him in place like one of the standing stones.

“Sorry, old chap.” Rieker clapped the man on the shoulder as he walked past. “I could’ve told you not to argue with her, though.”

The narrow path was barely wide enough to traverse and Tiki clung to the jagged rocks as she moved lower down the face of the cliff.

“I think I see an entrance to a cave over there—” Tiki pointed— “that’s only partially submerged. Do you see it?”

“Yes.” Rieker followed more slowly, gingerly placing his larger feet on the slippery trail while gripping the rocks. “And it’s close to where the tower sits on the cliff.” They were dressed, once again, in the fabric of the forest: tight bark colored pants and dappled green jackets, allowing Tiki to move more freely than if she wore a gown. Her boots were of the softest leather that allowed her toes to grip the little shelves of rock to secure her purchase to the cliff face.

The bluff was about twenty feet high and it didn’t take long to reach the opening that Tiki had seen from above. She gripped a jutting rock tight with her hand and leaned out over the water to peer into the depths below.

“I think we’ll have to drop into the water and swim in—what do you think?”

“I think you should let me go first and see what’s down there.” Rieker had already stripped off his jacket and dropped it at his feet. The well-defined muscles of his chest and stomach flexed as he kicked off his shoes. Tiki was surprised to see the ring of the truce hanging on a gold chain around his neck.

Rieker seemed immune to the cold breeze that came off the lake, though Tiki shivered and fought the urge to cough again. He dove neatly off the rocks and sliced into the water, barely making a splash.

“I didn’t know you were part selkie.” Tiki called down to him when he surfaced.

He flicked his hair out of his face and smiled. “I can’t tell you all of my secrets now, can I?” His voice echoed off the rocks as he dove underwater and disappeared into the cliff.

Tiki said a silent prayer as she tugged her jacket tighter across her chest. How she hated to wait here helplessly. She’d barely finished the thought when she kicked off her own shoes and jumped in the water after Rieker. There was no reason he had to go alone. He might need her in there.

Though she had done some swimming in the lakes around London while growing up, she wasn’t the best swimmer and panic rose in her chest at being in the cold, dark water. She kicked her feet as fast as she could and flailed at the water, trying to catch up to Rieker, sure she was going to drown. Her head went under once and she came up sputtering. There was too much water in her mouth to yell for help, and she began coughing and choking.

A firm hand gripped her arm and easily lifted her head above the water, steadying her.

“Take a deep breath and calm down,” Rieker said. “Because I want you to be able to clearly explain what in
bloody hell
you’re doing in the water.”

Rieker’s calm voice immediately soothed her fears, not to mention the seemingly effortless way he managed to support her in the water. Tiki gave him a wobbly smile, clenching her teeth together to stop them from chattering.

“I wanted to come, too.”

He stared at her for a moment, an inscrutable look on his face, then he gave a small shake of his head. “I should’ve known. Can you swim?”

“Y..yes.” Tiki said in a small voice. “I just needed to get used to the water.”

“I’m going to take my hand away—” Rieker slowly let go of her arm— “but I’m right here if you need me, all right?” Tiki gave a shaky nod. “The worst thing you can do is panic. Now take small strokes with your hands like this—” he demonstrated a sweeping motion with his arms— “and kick your legs. There you go.”

“I..I’m f..fine now,” Tiki said. “I c..can d..do it.”

Rieker frowned but didn’t comment further. “Follow me.”

A SURPRISING AMOUNT of light filtered in from the lake allowing them to navigate through the dim shadows of the cave. Tiki began to warm up as she swam, and became more relaxed in the water. Rieker led the way deeper inside the cliff, stopping and treading water as he waited for her to catch up.

“By my calculations, we should be just about under the Tower here.” He turned a circle, squinting to see through the dim light. “Do you see any way we could gain entrance?”

Tiki swam closer to the rock wall, the little bit of light that reflected off the surface and the rocks, made it difficult to tell where one stopped and the other started. She reached out and blindly felt along the rock wall. After a few minutes she felt an indent within the face of the stone.

“Here,” she called over her shoulder. “I think these are stairs.”

They pulled themselves out, bracing their wet hands against the walls to steady themselves from slipping back into the water.

“You’re right,” Rieker said. The steps, hewn from the rock, were crude and small, but still effective. They wound up into the darkness and disappeared into the very cliff itself.

Tiki gazed up into the darkness. “Do you think this is it?” she whispered.

“Only one way to find out.”

THE STEPS TWISTED upward like a spiral staircase, each circle a bit smaller than the last. The stairway was completely dark, unlit by any kind of light. The further up they went—the darker it got. Tiki moved by touch—one hand on each wall to balance herself.

Her breath was coming in short gasps when Rieker finally stopped. “It’s a door,” he whispered back to her. Tiki jumped in surprise when he pounded with both fists on the wooden panels.

“Dain!” he shouted. “Are you in there?”

“Yes!” Came the muffled reply. “But the door is locked.”

Rieker felt around until he found the handle, then gave it a sharp tug, but the door held firm against the strength of a deadbolt. He ran his hands up the jamb until he located the locking mechanism and yanked the metal bar free. This time when he turned the handle the door opened with a rusty squeak.

Before them, the fading light of the day seeped through a barred window to illuminate a small room. Rieker moved to enter the room but jerked to a stop so suddenly that Tiki ran into his back.

“What are you—” but her words died on her tongue as she peered around Rieker’s shoulders. Before them stood a young man, who at first glance appeared to be wearing a golden eye mask such as one might wear to a masked ball. Upon closer inspection, it became evident that the bottom portion of his face—the part that was exposed beneath the eye mask—was also a mask—a white face with golden lips. Around the porcelain face, great brown feathers jutted, like some wild ceremonial headdress. The Jester’s words echoed in Tiki’s ears.
Falsehood wears a mask…
“Dain?” she whispered.

“Yes, it’s me,” said his familiar voice. He started to reach for her hands, then seemed to think better of it and stepped back. There was a long pause and Tiki thought she heard him say, “I can’t believe you came for me.”