The Tainted Web (The Godhunter, Book 7) (5 page)

“
There's your problem right there,” I smiled at his lifted brow. “You're thinking too much. I'm the Goddess of Love, I prefer feelings, you should follow yours.”

“
Feelings?” He shook his head. “You know of mine and it doesn't make a whit of difference to you. Look what we just shared and how you instantly apologized for it.”

“
Of course your feelings make a difference to me,” I lost my smile. “Your feelings and those of our fey, are the most important reasons for me to be here but I can't make this decision alone.”

“
Because of your other loves,” he said with a little bitterness.

“
You know, you'd fit right in with my other loves,” I shook my head. “Each of you has good reason to be bitter over not having me to themselves. Odin was with me first, paid dearly to bring me back from death, and then suffered centuries without me until finally, his own son brought me home as his lover.”

“
His son?” Arach looked shocked, glancing down at Vali and Vidar. “But they're your sons as well.”

“
Only Vidar was actually born of Sabine's body but yes, I consider them both my sons. It's not them I refer too though, but Thor. In this life, Thor found me first.”

“
Thor?” Arach looked over to where Thor danced with a fey woman. She had thick green hair that looked like seaweed and he smiled down into her pale, beautiful face with interest.

“
Yes,” I smiled, hoping Thor was moving on. I knew he'd been dating Epona but there were rumors it was over. “Long story but then came Trevor, who has been there for me through so much, has brought me back from heartache and given up a way of life for me. Hell, at one point, he gave up life itself, becoming mortal because I was.”

“
This was before you became a Goddess?”

“
Yes,” I frowned, remembering a time when I'd been injured and shocked Arach with my speedy recovery. “I drank a potion that made me immortal. It gave me those recuperative abilities that you saw.”

“
Yes, I remember,” he gave an amused huff and shifted us around another twirling couple. “I wasn't able to talk to you more about it, since I'd been keeping you in the dark, as it were.”

“
You mean, the whole bit about stealing my memories?” I laughed at his stricken expression. “Yes, that's another reason I'm not sure about us but let's not get into that now. Aren't you fey, excuse me,
us
fey supposed to be immortal too?”

“
Yes, we are,” he sighed. “Another thing I wasn't able to discuss with you completely. I guess long-lived might be a better term. Any wounds inflicted upon us heal. They just may take awhile to do so. Faster than humans, of course, but not nearly as fast as you did.”

“
I'm not the average goddess though,” I shrugged. “It has something to do with the recentness of my drink. Because it wasn't so long ago, the regeneration magic I received is working at its best. The others heal too but not nearly as fast as I, unless they're some kind of regeneration deity, like a harvest goddess for example.”

I frowned, remembering Sif, her cold face lying in a puddle of blood. Beheading is one wound even a god can't recover from. I looked back down at Thor, Sif's death was the reason our relationship had ended. Thor suddenly looked up at me, as if he'd felt my stare. I glanced away but not before I caught a glimpse of the gold ring on his finger. I'd given it to him when we were together, it had my hair wound through it. My frown deepened, hair that could be used against me if Thor ever felt the urge. It had been meant as a trust offering, to show him that I knew he'd never hurt me, but I was wrong and I should never have given it to him.

“Are you alright?” Arach brought me back to the present.

“
Yes, yes,” I shook off the memory. “So I assume the only way to kill a fey is beheading, like when I killed the goblin and redcap.”

“
No, actually,” he frowned and started to lower us slowly to the ground. “What a dark subject we've chosen on an evening meant to be about peace.”

“
Yes, you're right,” I laughed. “Let's talk about something more lighthearted.”

“
Indeed.”

“
I've brought presents.”

“
Oh,” his eyes lit up, quite literally. A yellow glow started in their depths, slightly different than the amorous glow of earlier.

“
Yes, something for you and something for the High King and Queen,” I glanced down as I felt us touch ground. “Do you think I should give it to them now? The rest of the court might enjoy seeing it.”

“
I think it would be a wonderful gesture.” He steered me over to the edge of the dancing and then off to the table I indicated, where I'd stowed the gifts. I picked up a large bag and he carried it for me to the thrones. “High King,” he nodded to Cian, “my wife has brought gifts from the Human Realm for us.”

“
Really?” The High King sat up straighter. “Please,” he gestured us forward and I looked over my shoulder to catch Odin's eye and make sure he knew to come over as well.

“
There are two parts to this gift,” I handed him a large box. “This is a machine that needs electricity to run but since you have no electric ports here, I've brought you and King Arach both other machines called generators. They will supply the energy needed to make these machines work. We'll show you how they run later, for now, these machines have a stored amount of energy in them already and will be able to perform for a few hours. I've brought one for both you and King Arach. Please go ahead and open it.”

The King opened the box, brought out the laptop, and then the stack of movies. He looked at me in question.

“This is a type of computer called a laptop,” I opened it for him and set it on his lap. “With it, you can access all of the information in the Human Realm.”

“
Oh yes,” he sighed appreciatively. “I remember discussing this with you.”

“
You won't be able to access anything yet,” I smiled at his disappointed face. “You'll need to establish a link to the Human Realm that will allow you to connect to this source of information. Odin has assured me that you'll have no problem doing this, as you have so much magic at your disposal here. He'll show you and Arach how to establish the link.”

“
If you please,” a little voice spoke up and we all turned to see a small red creature standing at the base of the steps.

“
Meilyr,” Arach gestured with a hand that the little guy should approach. “King Cian, this is Meilyr, one of our imps who was lost to the Human Realm during the separation, and has now found his way home.”

“
Ah, yes,” King Cian smiled at Meilyr and then back at me. “You're not the only child of Faerie that has been returned to us upon the opening of the gate. Some of our imps did not hear the call, they can be distracted so easily you see, and they were trapped in your realm. When the gate opened, they came home. It's with a happy heart, that I welcome you and your brethren back, Meilyr.”

“
Thank you, High King,” if possible, Meilyr got redder. “As you know, we imps like human science and we have an affinity for the energy that makes these machines work. We've been known to cause a bit of mischief in their other machines, causing the humans to name us gremlins, but with computers we don't get bored. I have long swam in the waters of information which the humans refer to as
the inter-net
and I would love to offer my services and those of my fellows who've returned with me,” he waved his hand back to indicate a small gathering of imps. “We can show you how to use these machines and set up this connection you need.”

“
Oh how fortunate,” Queen Meara smiled, showing off her lengthy canines. “Thank you, Queen Vervain, and thank you precious imps, for bringing such spectacular gifts to Faerie.”

“
My pleasure,” I smiled and looked back to Meilyr and winked. He was one of ours, how fortunate indeed that a member of my House could help with the gifts I brought. “But until we have that connection established, I've brought some things to help you enjoy this tool. Here
is a movie,” I picked up
A Midsummer Night's Dream,
I couldn't resist the faerie theme, and put it in the player. Then I turned it on and the King gasped.

“
What kind of magic is this?” He tapped the screen and then held it aloft to show his wife.

“
It's amazing,” Queen Meara blinked large eyes at him and then gestured that he should show the crowd. The faeries murmured appreciatively.

“
These are plays,” I explained. “Stories told and recorded on these discs. When you put them in this device, you can watch them. It's not magic at all but science. I'm sure Meilyr knows all about these as well.”

“
Oh yes, my Queen,” he nodded. “I can show you how to get more of those, when we have the connection made. You won't even need discs to store them on but can store them directly on the laptop.”

“
I never knew humans could do such wondrous things,” King Cian touched the screen reverently.

“
They'll surprise you, yes,” I nodded. “They have their own kind of magic.”

“
And you brought one of these for King Arach as well?” King Cian leaned forward expectantly.

“
Yes,” I smiled over at Arach and gestured to the bag he was holding. “That last box is for you. I expect you to share this with all the others in the House of Fire.” I leaned in and whispered to him, “I can bring you more.”

“
Thank you,” he said solemnly and then tore into the wrapping with glee. He pulled out the laptop and stared at it like it was the most wonderful thing in the world. “Meilyr,” he handed it carefully to the imp. “Will you take charge of this machine for me?”

“
Yes, my King,” he bowed, making his height go from one foot to six inches. “It would be my honor and I will care for the generators too if you wish.”

“
I would like that, yes,,” he looked over at the other imps. “Will two of you volunteer to stay here and help the High King and Queen with their machines?”

Two little imps stepped forward and bowed.

“Thank you, honorable fire fey,” the Queen smiled and I thought her very sweet to call them honorable, but then I remembered that she was originally of the House of Fire, she probably knew these imps.

“
You're welcome, Queen Meara,” they said as one, before stepping back.

“
Well,” I laughed, “I guess we won't have to show you how to work these after all. Enjoy your presents, King Cian, Queen Meara.”

“
Oh but we have something for you as well,” Queen Meara smiled conspiratorially to her husband. “Not necessarily a gift, more like an inheritance.”

She gestured to a brownie who was waiting in the shadows of the thrones. I remembered her from my last visit and I smiled at her when she caught my eye. She smiled warmly back, ducking her head shyly as she handed a carved black box to the High Queen. The Queen took it and stroked the small lid lovingly before handing it to her husband.

“This was your father's,” King Cian's face had gone somber and a little sad. “It was put into the royal treasury upon Lord Finnian's death and then subsequently disappeared. A month after you returned to us, it was found, sitting in the middle of the treasury floor.” He handed me the box. “It appears that it's been waiting for you.”

I took it from him, something unfolding inside of me in excitement. My father. I had no memories of Sabine's fey daddy. Her mother, yes, I remembered her clearly but her father? I didn't- wait, there was something, a flash of a fey face. Sad, slanted eyes that filled with joy when they looked at me and sparkling green scales on angled cheeks. His hair had been gold and I remembered touching it. It was soft like dandelion down. My throat constricted, my heart aching for someone who was lost to me, someone I hadn't even known I needed. To have something of his, was a blessing I couldn't have even hoped for.

“Thank you,” I held it to my heart, not even wanting to open it, just enjoying the fact that it had been his. I saw my mother's face then, her dragon beauty covered with a veil of humanity. Her eyes had been very light blue in that guise and her hair was human red but in her dragon-sidhe form, her eyes burned blue like the crest of a flame and her hair was like the flames themselves, alive with light and heat. She had gold scales at her temples and I remembered how my father would touch them reverently, the few times she'd taken us to some secret spot in the forest to meet him.

“
Well, it's more than just a box, my dear. Open it,” King Cian cajoled softly, pulling me out of the long-buried memories. I looked up at him with tears in my eyes and he nodded. “Ah, I understand. It makes me even happier, that you appreciate the return of it but its value far exceeds the connection it holds to your father.”

“
Not for me, it could be a piece of string and I'd be content,” I whispered and swallowed hard. I hadn't really known my father in this life either. The man who had raised me was actually my Mom's father, my grandfather who I loved very much but still it wasn't the same. Two lives in a row, I hadn't known the man who had truly fathered me and I'd wondered at times if there was a reason for it. So it didn't matter what this gift was, it was my link to the man I never really knew but whose magic ran through me regardless.