Devlin"s laughter made my skin scrawl. "Breandan, you always were overprotective of your toys." He eased into a comfortable stance. He moved closer then I could see his face better. The sparkle in his eye seemed devilish now and the curve of his lips sinister.
"It is not overprotective to defend what is yours," Breandan replied and glanced over his shoulder.
I tried to do him proud and look less terrified. Yeah right. I was shaking like a leaf. Devlin had worked magic on me a few hours ago, and it had worked. I remembered the mumbling, quivering mess I had been and felt sick. If Breandan and Conall hadn"t come along, I would have probably given him my amulet and agreed to go wherever it was he was trying to lure me to.
Losing his patience, Breandan shifted, easing his feet apart and asked, "What do you want?"
Devlin pointed to me. "She has spoken to the most powerful Seer of our time, the white witch. She is a fairy born of this region and by rights part of my Tribe unless she swears fealty to a usurper. I have a right to know what her future holds."
"Touch her and I kill you."
"By doing this, denying me the right to see her, you are naming her a prisoner or of your faction. If she swears fealty to Lochlann she will be named a rebel. She already has had a hard life at the hands of her mother. Will you truly subject her to a lifetime of being shunned by the majority of her true kind too?"
Breandan"s face was ashen. He swallowed hard and looked at me over his shoulder, expression torn. I understood what Devlin was saying. Because I hadn"t chosen a side I was automatically a Tribal fairy, but since Breandan had claimed me as his own he"d sentenced me to a life filled with death and destruction. I would have to always be cautious, always have to hide the amulet and myself. I was beginning to think even if I lost my piece I would still be tied to it. It would explain why Devlin did not grab the thing a month ago and take off.
Like Breandan said, there were rules to this thing. I just had to learn them.
In that moment I also realized it didn"t matter what Breandan wanted or what Devlin wanted, but what I wanted. My moral compa.s.s was crooked at best, but I would never choose to be evil. But nor was I so saint like, that I wanted to be part of a fairy revolution. I cared deeply for Breandan, maybe it was impossible for me not too, and so I stepped closer to him. If he let his nature rule him, Devlin could over power him easily. He needed to keep a level head, for what I had planned. I placed a hand on his shoulder and looked up into his face, my eyes pleading for him to calm down.
"Know you have forced my hand, cousin." Devlin"s voice tw.a.n.ged with power and I turned in time to see his glamour drop.
His hair ignited, blazing with white light. His ears were elongated and had the point of fairy I found fascinating, but his face was so sharp, pristine in its formation my eyes found it hard to settle on one feature. His eyes were aflame, cold green flames. His hands and feet were clawed, wickedly spiky. I saw clearly now the difference between him and Breandan in their true forms. Devlin was a leader, powerful in his righteous hate for the rebels who threatened his authority. Breandan had his own power, but it was not born of dominance.
I caught the glint at Devlin"s chest as he shifted to set his feet apart, and my suspicion was confirmed. The colour and shape of it was too distinctive to be anything else other than an amulet piece.
Blinded by the urge to take it from him, I lurched forward. Breandan, confused by my behavior, pulled me back and tucked me under his arm.
Emerging from the shadows behind Devlin, fairies unsheathed their weapons. His eyes narrowed and skipped around the trees.
"Tron and Loki are dead," said the willowy male to his immediate left. Lanky, his grey hair flowed on and on until it hit his knees. With pinched eyes and scraggly grey beard, his wrinkled face reminded me of the crushed velvet I had once seen decorating a Temple Priests robes. Clutched in his hand was a halberd. He jabbed it toward Breandan. "He caught their scent."
That explained why Breandan had been delayed in racing me. I felt a surge of pride.
"No matter," Devlin grated, a trace of irritation flickering across his expression. "Lochlann was always the better fighter. Four against two is more than enough. Wasp, my love?"
The wraithlike fairy-girls face blazed adoration and lunacy as she turned to him. Her long hair was a tangle of claret dreadlocks that seemed alive, like snakes writhing around her face. Wide eyes gla.s.sy, her pouty green lips parted, waiting.
"Would you do the honor of taking Rae? Be careful not to break her, she can be quite temperamental."
Mouth curling s.a.d.i.s.tically, she licked the edge of her blade. A flash of memory showed Ana pulling up her top to expose the scars carved into her flesh by this very demon. My stomach heaved and my lungs sucked air in heaving gulps.
Another male fairy slid closer, eager. An acre of green chest bared his copper Mohawk stood high from his head in stiff spikes. His almond eyes focused on Breandan, and his pierced tongue flicked out in antic.i.p.ation.
Chapter Seven.
They feinted around us in a loose circle and tightened inch by inch. I twisted my head round to watch Breandan"s back, and wished I had a weapon. Anything, a big stick, would do. Failing sunlight highlighted the last leaves of autumn. They twisted into grotesque and beautiful shapes in the air as they twirled down. And then I was frightened. Knee trembling and suffocating on my own air, petrified that Breandan would die here, defending me and I would end up with these psychopaths for the rest of my life. Trapped, forever.
"What do we do?" I kept my hands clamped around his waist. My neck ached from trying to see in every direction at once.
Slowly, the Tribe fairies drew closer with their leader closest. The prospect of wining so alive in his eye, Devlin seemed a lunatic.
Breandan searched my face for something then said, "Run."
"No." My voice only wobbled a little. I would not leave him here, no matter how afraid I was.
"Hear me, Rae." There was deep persuasion in his words as he tried to compel me. "You must run."
I snorted at the stupid idea of him giving his life for mine. As if I could live without him after he"d gone and made me all devoted and loyal. We would leave together or not at all. I was ready to die here, with him. They would have to kill me for I would never stop trying to kill them if Breandan died.
He shook his head in a movement so infinitesimal I could barely see it. "I can"t defend against their spells and conjure a portal to take us. I don"t have enough focus. Please, Rae."
"No," I repeated, firmer this time.
Hissing, I bared my teeth at the copper haired fairy as he took a large, crouched step toward us. His hand twitched on the hilt of his knife. The lack of light made his t.i.tled eyes sinister in what would be a handsome face.
"What about Conall?" I asked in a burst of smarts.
For a second time he shook his head.
We needed to escape, and an idea tickled the back of my mind. I knew magic was the only way to survive this, but if what I was planning didn"t work we would die, painfully. The alternative, Breandan fighting three fairies singlehanded, was not an option. I would not die like this, trapped and afraid because I was worth much more. I was strong and smart. Less than a day ago when I had believed I was human, I"d been the best at everything I did, and I was not set on changing that now. I was strong and I had magic.
"I"m a demon," I murmured, locking my sights on the amulet.
I shifted away so I had room to move. Breandan"s gaze flashed to my face, puzzled by my change of tone. He clasped my hand as if to keep me anch.o.r.ed to him.
The fairies launched their attack. Teeth and blades glinting, they lunged for us. Lurching forward to meet their charge, I smashed my fist into Devlin"s chest and scrunched my fingers together until I felt the cold, hard press of the amulet and simplymoved. We were shunted sideways. Pushing through a thick, unyielding wall of rubbery substance. It stretched against me, refusing entry, but I forced the pressure to abide my will and felt us slip through the hole that opened. Our surroundings shifted from vibrant green to faded grey stone.
I stumbled, releasing both Breandan and Devlin in shock at the abrupt shift of location. Shocked and a little misty eyed, I looked down at the palm-sized green and gold amulet clutched in my fist. Runes I didn"t recognize were etched into the circ.u.mference, and it had two smaller rings in the circle. It looked like you could slot two smaller pieces in. I had hoped Devlin would have slotted the two pieces the Tribe had together, but this was only one third. The power of it hummed, rattled my bones. The amulet seemed to sigh and ripples of power slid across my hand, up over my torso and flowed over my legs. Biting down as it adjusted itself to its new master. Then it bubbled out, extending until I felt more connected to everything. Huh? I didn"t feel protected, I felt wide open. I knew my amulet was meant to inspire wisdom (yeah right), but his one was meant to protect. I made a noise of triumph that morphed into one of annoyance. I"d meant to leave Devlin behind with the others and take us to my dorm room, not the crumbling church I"d met the white witch in earlier. And, I had meant for this d.a.m.n thing to go to Breandan, not attach itself to me. I tried to drop it on the floor hoping it would reverse whatever had happened, but my hand wouldn"t let it fall.
The G.o.ds be d.a.m.ned, I could not catch a break.
I stuffed the amulet in my pocket then the sheer impossibility of what I had done caught up with me. Giggling in disbelief my brain rattled in my skull, settling back into place as I toppled over to puke my guts up. Sc.r.a.ping my mouth with the back of my hand, I whirled in fright at the commotion behind me.
Devlin and Breandan darted around each other in smooth, bold movement. The fight was beastly and magnificent. Their speed alternated from painfully slow to supernaturally fast. I couldn"t see half the moves they executed, but when I could I felt sick.
The need to protect Breandan submerged the rock of my fears in a sea of courage. Confident we had broken away from Devlin"s guard, I felt for the Source. Grasping the pulsing energy a wave of nausea rolled over me, head to toe. Stomach heaving and pitching dangerously, I steadied my legs. My attention was drawn once again to the fight at the sound of a pained grunt. Gone was the illusion of normalcy and tentative peace. Both feral and vicious, the boys feinted around the s.p.a.ce with lethal intent. Breandan and Devlin smacked each other about with their fists and feet, and loud thumps, and hollow crunches accompanied each blow.
I spat a curse and planted my feet, swallowed the bile burning the back of my throat and nose. It tasted sour. I drew deeply on the Source until I thought my body would burst from the pressure bubbling my blood. Focusing my energies on what I wanted was hard. Each of Devlin"s punches on Breandan"s body was like a blow to my own. I molded the ma.s.s of chaotic energy I summoned into a fist of air, panting under the strain.
Breandan lost concentration; eyes darting to mine they filled with concern. Victory flashed across Devlin"s face as he struck with fatal precision.
Releasing air, I reached to fire. A ball of light appeared before me and grew. Larger, and larger until I realized it was more than I could control. Breandan would be too close to use the d.a.m.n thing, so what did I do with it? The flames stared to burn blue then whips of white started to flash across its surface.
"Rae, hold very, very still and do not let it go."
I looked up to see Breandan and Devlin had stopped fighting. They stood side by side, and the alarm on their faces terrified me.
My lip trembled and the fireball bloated slightly.
Breandan took a hesitant step toward me. "Rae, love, please stay calm."
"I think I think it"s a little big," I said nervously. "At least you"ve stopped fighting."
"It was either stop or watch you kill us all," Devlin said angrily.
A ferocious hate blazed across Breandan"s face as he looked at the fairy-lord, but he schooled his expression and focused on me. His face was blank, but his eyes were tight. "It"s going to be fine. I want you to do exactly what I say, alright?"
I nodded manically. The ball of fire hovered in front of me, rolling, expanding and collapsing in on itself slightly. What would happen if it exploded in my face?
"I have courage and I can do this," I said out loud.
Devlin rolled his eyes.
"Yes," Breandan agreed. "You are very brave. Now, I want you to think of the fire ball as the wind."
"Like a tornado?"
"No!"
The fireball lengthened, and spun into a cyclone of flames. A face flashed into my mind and then it was off, sucking Devlin into its centre. Consumed in wildfire he bellowed in anger. The fire swirled into a glowing ball leaving him singed, but unharmed. He bounced the bloated sphere of death in his palm then hurled it toward Breandan.
"Stop," I cried and reached out to call the power back.
The fire winked from existence, but the heat of it enveloped me. Falling to my knees, I batted at the small fires that erupted on my clothes, and watched in confusion as the fist of air I"d conjured hurtled toward the fairy-boys, who had returned to their fight. I was powerful enough to conjure two spells at once? Even as I realized something was wrong with my conjuring, my eyes widened at the glow surrounding them, and I understood too late they used magics of their own.
The casting broke with such impact the ground shook.
Shields conjured for protection bent and exploded. Both boys were flung back and carried by an unstoppable force. The churning energy of their spells rent apart fanned out, like ripples in a still pond. I vibrated as the force encountered my ma.s.s and hammered it. I was thrown from my knees, and kicked across the floor at breakneck speed. Each ripple slammed and beat at me until all I could do wait for it to end. A wall was in my way and as I crashed through it the stone dragged at my skin. I lay dazed. Unable to move, think or breathe. Black spots danced across my vision and my ears filled with a high note of sound. I scrunched my eyes shut. There was blood in my mouth and dirt rammed to back of my throat. I couldn"t smell anything, my nose felt thick and throbbed. Amulet of protection my left b.u.t.t cheek. I gasped, my chest expanding to suck in air in heaving gulps. The busted up thing known as my body was numb.
A hand pressed on me, checking I was whole.
"Breandan," I sobbed. "It hurts so bad."
Coughing up speckles of dirt, I lay a hand on my chest and brought it away to see dark red.
"Lie still."
The voice, familiar yet unwelcome caused bizarre dread to gush through me. It was not the voice I wanted to hear.
"Get off me," I said, breathless. "Don"t touch me."
Despite the pain I wrestled and twisted and attacked with my hands but Devlin deflected me without difficulty.
"Let go." Breandan loomed above, not a scratch on him. His blade bit into Devlin"s jugular drawing blood that trickled to soak his collar. Yet he hesitated to let me go. I glared up at him like he was a mad man. "Now," he snapped.
Breandan clasped my extended arm and pulled me into him, keeping his eyes deadlocked on Devlin. On his knees, Devlin"s hair and eyes were half crazed. My blood stained his hands, and his clothes were singed and smoking at the edges.
If I were a were-cat I would be roaring.
My heart battered my chest as I reached the conclusion the fight had ended. Breandan had won, and I saw in Devlin"s face he was facing something nasty. The defeat at the hands of a younger and weaker enemy, something a tribal leader could never live down. Sweat slicked my palms, and I rubbed them on my jeans. I thought it through quickly, if I wanted to suggest something extreme. I mean, reverse the situation and Devlin would kill Breandan without hesitation. Was his life Breandan"s to claim? The fairy culture seemed deeply steeped in honor and tradition. Lochlann was the rightful leader of the rebels, not Breandan. If he killed the tribal leader I didn"t know what it would mean. It could cause more damage to the fairy hierarchy than leaving him alive would. My eyes travelled down to a puddle of my blood dripping in steady plunks to the floor. I swayed, but before I staggered, I was in his arms.
"This is your own fault for not minding your own business," Breandan said and looked down his perfect nose at me. "Our shields were only conjured to protect. If they had triggers attached you would be dead. Using magics on a whim is beyond irresponsible, Rae. It puts you in danger. You must not go beyond your capabilities."
Tossing my head back in defiance was a bad idea, the forest rolled.
"He was going to kill you," I said petulantly.
The look he shot me had me cowering in his arms. "Such little faith you have in your mate."
Breandan glanced at Devlin, who was still frozen like stone; decided he was not a threat and turned his back to set me down on a fallen log.
Devlin shifted, coming back to himself after the shock of losing. Pressing a hand to his temple then threading his fingertips through his white-blonde hair, his hand kept travelling down until it swept around his neck and chest. His eyes widened, went wild as they darted around the ground. His gaze fell on me, and I met it with cool indifference. Swallowing at the look of expectation on his face, I couldn"t help but slide a hand over my pocket. Devlin followed my gaze and then grinned.
He moved onto Breandan, "One would think you want to kill me, boy." Smiling impishly, dimples appeared on his cheeks.
Breandan growled; a low rumble that darkened his expression and heated my blood. A hiss seeped from my parted lips, and I placed a hand on his stomach, scrunched my fingers together so my talons pierced his skin. The pain was intentional to ground him. His hand slipped into mine as he regained control.
"You will both pay for this," Devlin said and smiled. "In ways you could never imagine."
Breandan made a small noise, but remained still. The smile slid of Devlin"s face and his eyes narrowed.
"Breandan," I began wearily. "What-"
He placed a finger in my lips. "Rae, go back to the Temple now."
I blinked up at him. "But, why can"t I stay? I want to go with you." I spoke with his fingers on my lips.
"I"m taking Devlin to the Grove."
I breathed out slowly. "Okay, why can"t I come to? After all I"m a fairy too. I should know where this place is." I lifted my chin defiantly. "I want to see it."
Breandan risked turning his back on Devlin to grab me by the shoulders, lift me up and set me on my feet. I could feel my face morphing to a sulky expression. He looked me in the eye. "I want to you be introduced to the people with no distractions. Not tainted by his a.s.sociation. Do you understand?"
After a pause I nodded. I could see his point. I would be a great point of interest if I turned up looking like h.e.l.l with Breandan dragging Devlin behind him. It was frustrating, because it felt like he was keeping me in the shadows. But there was no logical reason for him to do that, so it was just me, silly Rae overacting.
"I"ll go back," I mumbled into my shoulder and half turned. "Watch yourself with him, okay?"
Breandan gave me a little shove. "Walk back and I will run. I"ll be with you before you can miss me."
Devlin grinned at me. What was so funny? Did he know something I did not?