Chapter 634: Failing Sidhe
I didn't go with him right away. Nope, not yet. I had something to retrieve first.
Not that I expected my crystal to be able to help me much, but I was determined from here on in not to go anywhere without it.
I dug it out of my underwear drawer, flashing back to the stairs, Charlotte silent, along for the ride, before striding into the cavern and straight through the already open gate, not waiting for Thalion to lead the way.
She'd put a geas on one of her own Sidhe to force me to face her. Well now. We'd just see about that, wouldn't we? And her little plan to blame all of this on me?
She didn't get to point fingers.
I covered the ground in massive strides, maintaining my natural form, again with Shaylee's full support. From the way the earth vibrated under me, how the very grass and trees seemed to shrink from my stomping feet, I knew I was making the kind of entrance I'd hoped for.
By the time I stormed over the fancy little bridge and into the main clearing, I gathered a big enough head of steam a strong gust of wind actually pushed before me, blowing over the gathered court, flapping skirts and ruffling perfect updos, sending the gauzy white fabric over the queen's pavilion into a frenzy of snapping.
She glared and I glared right back, coming to a halt before her, arms crossed over my chest. I'd taken a lot of crap in my day, but no way was some spoiled, stubborn, arrogant Sidhe going to push me around when I was trying to save her pathetic butt.
No. Way.
The queen's fury rolled over me like an earthquake, but I held my ground, creation magic slicing it open, sorcery siphoning off the excess. Aoilainn looked as beautiful as ever, but the faintest tint of decay had begun here, too, around the edges of the pavilion. Was the grass not quite so lovely, her dress perhaps slightly wrinkled? And her skin, normally poreless and translucent, seemed common, marked with the beginning of wrinkles and minute flaws that made her appear more human.
"It is you!" She pointed a shaking finger at me. "I feel your foul darkness devouring my magic. You have brought this pestilence upon us!"
Enough. Just freaking enough already. I gathered up my maji power and firmly shoved her back into her throne, pinning her there while I fought my temper.
"Listen up," I snarled while Charlotte's wolf form snapped in counterpoint. "I've tried to warn you in the past, but you just won't hear me. Guess what? I'm not giving you a choice this time."
Her whole court stared, some with fury, others in fear. But Thalion held his ground next to me, so they didn't move. For now. I wondered how long that would last, when the first of the queen's soldiers would finally act.
I just hoped I wouldn't have to kill any of them.
Aoilainn's face blanched even whiter than usual. "It must be you," she whispered.
"They are called the Brotherhood." I know I probably shouldn't have spoken to her so slowly, like she was a child without a clue, but it was hard not to use sarcasm. It was either that or shake her so hard her head popped off.
Shaylee might not have liked her mother very much anymore, but I didn't think she'd appreciate me decapitating her.
Aoilainn shuddered, one hand covering her mouth. Eyes full of desperate terror, her fury turning to fear so fast I did a double take, the queen sobbed once as a large patch of decay appeared in response to her loss of control. Several of the court Sidhe screamed and fainted, not all of them women, while the Queen pulled herself back together.
"You must help us." She reached for me. "My daughter, I beg you."
Shaylee shuddered and turned away while I let my vampire and demon comfort her at the sight of her mother fallen so low.
"I offered once before," I said. "You kicked me out of your kingdom, if you recall. And I told you I wouldn't care if you fell. Do you remember?"
Aoilainn nodded, mute. She sank back into her throne. It was only then I noticed she sat alone, her prince consort nowhere to be seen. Coward was probably hiding in his room hoping this all went away.
Anger bubbled inside me, triggered by my frustration and the knowledge I had to take steps that would put not only me but my whole family in danger. All for this ungrateful, spoiled queen. It was almost too much. I wanted to walk away.
Please, Thalion reached for me. Don't punish all of us for the actions of one.
He sent me an image of the Unseelie and I sighed, temper fading, leaving a ball of burning yuck in my stomach.
I met Aoilainn's eyes as she straightened, her queenness returning.
"You're not going to like it," I said. "But you need to work with King Odhran if you want this to stop." Okay, that was a lie. I felt Thalion twitch next to me as Shaylee gasped, but chuckled.
Sneaky, she sent.
Aoilainn turned away, mouth grim. "Never," she said.
"Okay," I said, turning away. "Have a great end of the Sidhe. Let me know how it turns out."
I made it two very determined strides before her magic reached me, along with her voice.
"You can't leave me!"
I turned back and gave her a view of my extended middle finger.
"Like hell," I said. And walked away.
Thalion was silent the rest of the way to the border, though he seemed to be free of the Queen's geas at least. When we came to the gate between Seelie and Unseelie territory, he sighed like he'd lost his true love.
Which, I guess, he had.
"I fear we will not survive if the realm is allowed to fall," he said. "Prepare yourself."
Not good. I stepped over the border and into hell.
Unseelie lay, collapsed and fading, scattered across the dead grass. Large lumps like old stones made hillocks of rock in a semi-circle around two thrones made of twigs and branches. I caught my breath as I realize those hills were the Unseelie giants I'd met my first time here, kind and gentle, sweet natured. Far more than any Seelie I'd met, no matter how they compared on the outside. The power drain had forced them to the earth, their large eyes closed, bodies rigid. And they weren't alone.
The thrones held the sagging forms of the king and queen, both of whom didn't attempt to rise as I approached. A large, black blot, reminiscent of the passage Demetrius used to take me to Wilhelm Castle loomed above, the heart of the storm eating the sky.
"I take it you have no further help to offer." Odhran grunted as he forced himself to sit up, face lined with weariness.
Agony burst from the ball of bubbling grossness in my stomach, fed by overwhelming frustration.
Instead of answering him, I turned and looked up. Lifted my crystal in my hand and focused on the gaping nothingness. My sorcery answered immediately, eagerly, no longer hungry, but starving. And, for a brief moment, I thought I had the key.
Ravenous and powerful, the black flower unfolded, channeled through the living crystal, and began to reverse the process. I felt the sudden rush of Sidhe power, flowing back through the nothingness and into me, my crystal pulsing green. A gust of wind flattened my clothing against me as the force of my sorcery, sucked at the disappearing magic, a sigh of power echoing over the fading Sidhe.
But, within moments I no longer drew power, only defended it. Felt it begin to trickle away from me again. With a snarl of rage I gathered what I had left and tied it to my creation magic, making the edges sticky with air magic tied to the earth, before slamming it into place over the hole.
The patch suctioned to the edges of the nothingness, flattening out, warbling as it hummed with tension. I held my breath for a long moment, staring, watching as the Unseelie sighed and straightened, looking up with me.
The patch groaned, hummed, vibrated.
Held.
Holy. Okay then.
I spun on Odhran with a grim expression, crystal held in my hand so tightly I was sure I'd see blood flow out from between my fingers any second now. He reached out to squeeze my shoulder with a small smile, already regaining strength.
"Well done," he said.
"I have no idea how long it will last." I glanced up, watched my sparkling, iridescent patch waver. "But if you can feed it power, it should keep the siphoning from continuing until I can get back."
"You have a plan then." He looked up, hands forming fists.
I sighed and nodded, chest tight, wanting to throw up.
"I do," I said. "I have to go break someone out of prison."
***
