Conspiracy (3 page)

As Mick pulled Heather aside for a final goodbye, I looked at Gregor and Eimile, who were retrieving their things in preparation to leave. I had never seen Eimile in anything but a beautiful gown, but she looked... well…
human
, for lack of a better word. She wore a pair of black slacks and a white sweater with black leather boots. Her hair was pulled back in a low, messy bun, and I had to wonder if Shannon, who had done my hair on a previous visit, was her stylist and had produced this casual look. Eimile could have been any forty-year-old suburban mom in Anytown, U.S.A.  She was my fifth great-grandmother, but she looked like my older sister.

Gregor was fitted out head to toe in black. In fact, I don’t think I had seen him wear any other color. It was trademark Gregor. I didn’t know what Heather was going to do with herself for the next few weeks while they were in hiding. I could already tell they were going to clash big time. Heather appreciated a man who took care of himself. She liked the preppy Yale types and Mick fit her stereotype to a T. Gregor had the two-day beard Heather liked to call “ape face”. Mick was always clean-shaven and never had a hair out of place, whereas Gregor always looked like he was three weeks behind in going to the barber. Mick was a total gentleman and Gregor said whatever came to his mind. It was shaping up to be a long few weeks for my baby sister.

Mick and Heather finally rejoined our group and we prepared to leave. Ian and I were ready to go as well.

“Since Eimile is going with you, she’ll be able to sift you through the portal, Gregor,” Mick said, knowing that Gregor had no powers within the Western Realm.

That lack of Elven power was one reason why visiting didn’t occur too often between the Realms. The visitor felt too vulnerable. After our vacation in the Bulgarian dungeon, Ian and I were proof of that limitation. I doubted he would ever make that decision again.

I went to stand beside Ian. Gregor and Heather stood on either side of Eimile. With a nod from Mick, we were suddenly standing before the stone archway that separated the magic of the castle from the human world.

“Reagan, as soon as we cross through, we need to sift immediately to your apartment. We can check your phone to see if any messages have come in from work. We’ve lost about two days over the past few weeks, what with traveling to Bulgaria and between Realms,” Ian explained.

I nodded understanding, smiled at the others, and then Ian sifted us through the portal to the misty gray Irish morning and the vision of a castle in ruins.

Chapter Three

Heather

I watched Reagan and Ian walk through the old castle gate and then disappear into the mist. You’d think that watching people disappear all around me would freak me out a bit, but funny enough, it didn’t.  I’d been seeing
Olc
since I was a child, and the magical side of life was second nature to me. I had always wondered why I could see them and no one else could, so when Reagan confided in me about being taken to a different world, it was more of a relief than anything else.

Gregor and Eimile stood with me now, ready to walk through the portal.

“Once we get through, we’ll travel to where I’ve hidden King Aegir, Queen Mallorie, and Alisha, explain the situation to them, and then head to the cabin. Heather, I’ll need you to give me a description of where we’re going so I can get us there,” Gregor said.

I nodded, thinking of our family’s cozy cabin on the Virginia shore. I loved that quiet home on the waterfront. It was the last place I remembered my family being truly happy, before Mom got sick. Reagan and I had talked about Dad spending too much time there alone after she died, but neither of us had confronted him about it. I had so many great memories of our summer retreat that I hoped being there with my new acquaintances wasn’t going to ruin them. I was really starting to love Eimile, but Gregor seemed to enjoy pushing all my buttons.

After Eimile sifted us through the portal, Gregor took the middle position, holding out his hands to both of us. Eimile looked extremely nervous, and I gave her the most comforting smile I could muster while holding Gregor’s calloused hand. Before she could smile back, we winked through the fog, landing in heavily forested terrain.

“Where are we, Gregor?” Eimile asked as we looked around our new surroundings.

Gregor seemed tense, checking the area carefully. “We’re near Seattle, Washington. Queen Mallorie requested I locate them in a cool area. This forest retreat was the best we could find on short notice.”

After a quick scan, Gregor relaxed, and I suddenly noticed he still had a grip on my hand although he had released Eimile. I withdrew it and stepped back a few paces. At my movement, he grinned wolfishly at me, resembling a large predator more than a man.

“Not to worry, lass. My bite is oh, so much worse than my bark.”

I took another step back and tripped over Gregor’s backpack, which had dropped on the ground. Before my body hit the dirt path, Gregor had his arms around my waist, pulling me back to a standing position. The man was inhumanly fast, faster than my eyes had been able to track him. I’d only seen him without his Elven powers, but the gift of reactive speed was a talent he definitely possessed. I could see where it would be handy for a warrior.

“Careful, little one. Your sister isn’t around to heal your wounds, and I’d hate to see anything happen to you,” he said as he retrieved his backpack.

The feel of his arms around my waist startled me, but at the same time was comforting. That feeling alone gave me pause. I tried to think of something witty to say, but before I spoke, Gregor eased my concern.

“The house where the king and queen are staying is just down the path. I’ve left some of my men for protection, so when we get close, for your own safety stay near me until they identify us.” He gave me a little wink and I looked away, ignoring his crude behavior. He gave a little chuckle, and then we followed him down the trail.

Eimile had been apprehensive since I’d first seen her earlier, and now she looked like she was going to pass out before we could arrive at our destination. I could totally understand why. Not only was she outside her kingdom for the first time in—what, several hundred years, but she was going to see the daughter who had been believed dead for the past sixty. Even not being a mother, I could feel her anxiety. I, too, was curious to meet Mallorie and hear the story of her disappearance.

As we rounded a bend in the path, I could see a small house nestled amidst the trees. A whistle broke the silence and I looked over to see Gregor with his fingers in his mouth, blowing a signal to his men. He paused for a moment and turned to me.

“Heather, I don’t foresee any problems ahead. I wouldn’t have brought you if I thought there would be any danger. However, unexpected things happen, and I want you to be prepared.”

He pulled a long, slim object from a pocket in his cargo pants and handed it to me.

“This may not look like much, but against the
Olc
, it’s a powerful weapon. It’s one of the only things that can kill them. A strike to the chest will bring an
Olc
down quickly. They’re very fast, and you won’t have time to consider it. If we’re attacked, you must act immediately.”

I shuddered, wondering if this was part of his act, a test to put me in my place. I knew Reagan had such a weapon. She had even used it the night Mick whisked me to her apartment. I took the weapon and held it at arm’s length before tucking it in my pocket. My weapon of choice was a double-fisted oar extending out from a dual scull. Reagan was the one who carried real weapons, not me.

Eimile saw the exchange and my hesitation. “I gave one of those to Reagan too, Heather. I believe she calls it ‘Cal.’”

The thought of Reagan naming a weapon was so in character for her, it made me laugh. “I doubt I’ll be naming mine anytime soon. It looks like a metal chopstick.”

“You can retract and extend it with a push of a little button on the underside. Just keep it close to you,” Gregor explained, deadly serious.

I slipped it in my pocket just as two men came jogging down the trail. As they reached Gregor, they hit their chests in a type of a salute. Gregor returned their greeting.

One spoke. “The king and queen and their daughter are on the veranda out back. They’re anxious to speak to you.”

“Good, but they won’t be expecting my guests. I have Queen Eimile with me, and also Heather Sullivan. She has a new location for us to keep King Aegir and Queen Mallorie safe. Alert the team we’ll be relocating everyone” Gregor said.

The five of us walked to the back of the house where three people sat in chairs on a large patio area, with another of Gregor’s men standing watch. I could see two additional men out in the forest. One of those seated was a large, overweight man I took to be King Aegir. Next to him was a younger woman with long black hair, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. The last person on the patio was a woman I knew immediately must be Queen Mallorie. She looked remarkably like Eimile. They hadn’t yet spotted us, but as we drew closer, the one I presumed to be Alisha spotted us and came to her feet. She moved toward Gregor, since he was leading our group, and her face broke out in a smile.

“Gregor! You’re back!” She rushed up to give him a hug, and I was astonished at his obvious warmth as he returned the hug and smile. I’d never seen him so friendly. It actually kind of ticked me off, since he was always so grumpy around me.

With all the commotion, the king turned in his chair to see who was arriving, and the queen rose. A bright smile adorned her face—clearly the royal family liked Gregor. As she glanced at the rest of our party, the smile froze on her face when she saw her mother. I was standing two paces to the side and slightly behind Eimile, who had stopped when her daughter came into our view. Her composure dissolved and tears began to stream down her face.

With her arm still on Gregor’s shoulder, Alisha looked back and forth between the two women, appearing confused at the turn of events. The moment seemed to last forever, but soon, Mallorie and Eimile were in each other’s arms, hugging and crying.

Gregor pulled Alisha close as they watched the scene unfold. Aegir looked uncomfortable, disturbed either by the unexpected guests or the burst of emotion coming from his wife and mother-in-law.

After a few minutes, Eimile and Mallorie drew back from each other and were able to take a seat. The rest of us had assembled in the available chairs and waited for the women to compose themselves. I took the time to watch the people around me surreptitiously. The king was not what I had imagined. He looked to be in his early fifties, but I knew that guessing the age of any elf was impossible. He wore a large, stately robe and his hair was almost gone on the top of his head, but grew down past his shoulders and was pulled back with a maroon ribbon. Not what
I’d
want to come home to every night.

As for Queen Mallorie, she was the spitting image of Eimile. They could have easily been sisters. I’d have to look more into my Elven heritage, genetically speaking—it was quite possibly the best fountain of youth any girl could imagine. Mallorie looked a little younger, and her hair was a darker shade of auburn than her mother’s. Her outfit was not as casual as Alisha’s, but she was dressed like anyone you’d see on the streets of Seattle, with a chocolate turtleneck and a pale yellow skirt. The queen of the Eastern Realm was strikingly beautiful, and her daughter took after her rather than her burly father . . . thank goodness!

Considering her in the presence of her two direct female ancestors, Alisha was drop-dead gorgeous. It was obvious that she was more than a little interested in Gregor, and I wished her luck with that one. She watched the exchange with her mother and grandmother with interest but kept her place besides Gregor, a possessive attitude apparent. I saw her glance at me once or twice, probably wondering who I was and why Gregor had brought me here. If she was worried about my ties to Gregor, she could relax.
He’s all yours, sister
.

With all of us finally seated, Gregor took charge of the conversation. “Your Majesty, may I explain our presence?”

Aegir gave a slight wave of his hand.

“I have come today to move you and your family to a safer location. You’ve been here for four weeks, and I feel that the longer we stay in one spot, the more vulnerable you are to detection.”

“I agree, Gregor. I have discussed this matter with the queen and we are ready to leave as you suggest.”

“Good. Now for the other matter of importance. I have brought Queen Eimile with me at her insistence. I didn’t have time to send news of her arrival ahead, since we came to the decision only last night. As you know, she has been under the impression that Queen Mallorie was dead these last sixty years. When she was advised, by the young woman you met, Reagan Sullivan, that Queen Mallorie was alive, she would not agree to stay behind.” Gregor directed his next comments at Mallorie. “I apologize if this causes any discomfort, my queen.”

Mallorie nodded to him before turning toward Eimile. Her words were soft as she answered. “Mother, I am deeply sorry to have caused you pain. You and Father have been on my mind every day for the past sixty years. When I heard of Father’s death …” Mallorie paused for a moment, taking a handkerchief from her sleeve and dabbing at her eyes. “I feel the need to explain my actions. I hope you can understand why I acted as I did and come to forgive me.”

She looked around at each of us and held my eyes for a long moment as she scanned the group.

“This is a deeply personal matter, and I would ask that it go no further than this gathering. Aegir, of course, knows what happened, but aside from his mother and father, no one else does.” She looked toward Alisha, her sorrow evident in her eyes.

“I know this will hurt you, Alisha, but you’re old enough to hear the truth. I’ve kept you from your grandmother for too long. I left the Western Realm not long after my sixteenth birthday. I often spent my days in the castle library. I loved to read and would go there each evening before retiring for the night and chose a book to take with me. One night, long after everyone had gone to bed, I went back to the library to find another book and was returning to my room when I heard voices in the armory off the stairwell. I went to see who was speaking and was grabbed from behind and dragged into an empty chamber.”