Fire and Ice (11 page)

It was too late. Four razor-teethed creatures burst through the brush, snarling forward with claws bared, ready to rip into flesh. Frothy saliva dripped from the corners of their torn mouths.

“Quickly, human,” she sang. “It's now or never. These nasties look rather hungry.” She didn't seem the least bit phased by the ravenous monsters surrounding us.

“Okay!” I cried, as a foul-smelling hand reached for my face. I skittered backward, behind the tree. “Okay, take it… just get them away from—”

There was a flash of blinding green light and a gust of wind smelling so acerbic it burned the inside of my nose.

When I opened my eyes, the Redcaps were gone. In their place were four perfectly formed piles of black dust. My stomach dropped as I stared at the green girl wondering how someone so tiny could have incinerated those creatures so quickly.

She licked her fingers like a cat after a satisfying meal. I was too nauseous to even speak. Finally she looked up at me and smiled, holding out her hand. What was she expecting me to do exactly? Yank out my own vocal chords?

“Thank you,” I managed to whisper over my thumping chest.

She glided over and placed her tiny hand on my throat. Every muscle in my body froze. The overpowering scent of wet leaves struck me a second before the searing pain. It began as a dull ache, swelling into an agonizing burn. I tried to scream but when I opened my mouth there was silence. Just as I reached the breaking point, the pain stopped.

My legs trembled, refusing to hold me up. I collapsed to my knees, pressing a hand to my mouth, willing back the tears.

Fauna leapt back to her perch and coiled into an impossible position, studying me with that same intense curiosity.

“See, human, how clever I am. Watch this.” She opened her mouth and sang a note, a perfectly pitched high C in my voice.

My resolve melted and a few of the tears I'd tried to hold back slid silently down my face.

Wrinkling her nose she laughed. “What is that now? More goodies. How did you do that?”

Her applause completely threw me.

Wiping away the last of them, I stood up.

“Do it again, human.” Green girl squealed, clapping her hands like a toddler.

She was cute in her strange way, which made it easy to almost forget she was at least as dangerous as the Redcaps if not more so.

“No. I'm done now.” My voice had returned, although it trembled, sounding hollow… thin.

“Okay, human, stay on that path and it will lead you back. And maybe next time we play you can give me those.” She pointed a boney green finger at me.

With a weak nod, I scurried away, hoping she was referring to the tears and not my eyes.

****

Mythlandria was as mystical and haunting as it appeared from my window. Only now it pulsed with life. It was a startling sight — all manner of creatures and beings, walking or flying about. A family of dwarves chattered among themselves. A small group of male satyrs stopped to watch me go by, staring a little too long at my chest. An elf sitting on the branch of a tree was engaged in a heated exchange with a dryad. There were dwarves, fey, centaurs; all milling about as though it was a normal day in a normal place. It could easily have been Drearyton Cove's weekend market, were it not for the breathtaking landscape, animated personalities, and the fact I was the only human present.

Unlike Drearyton, these beings were not afraid to stare, all of them openly gawking, exchanging hushed words, or knowing leers. Passing several elegant Elven women, they stopped to gape at me, whispering to one another in a language I couldn't understand. I tried not to stare, kept my head down, hoping to be less conspicuous, as if it were even possible.

Instead, I bumped into a crumpled wood-elf peddling charms. I nervously asked him where I might find Prince Adrius, as I helped him collect the goods I'd knocked from his hands. The peddler bowed his head, pointed hastily, and scurried away as quickly as he could.
Nicely done, Lorelei. Now you're the one terrifying the locals.
Feeling even more self-conscious, I veered down a narrow cobbled walkway leading away from the busyness, toward a vine-encroached tower. The space surrounding it was clear except for a massive gnarled oak.

With a low groaning creak, a massive root burrowed out of the ground throwing off dirt and leaves. Rising from the ground, it looped into a round archway, the space in between shimmering with… I wanted to say,
magic
? When the shimmering stopped a doorway appeared.

There was no one in sight, no one to stop me from entering, and there was a possibility I might find Adrius somewhere inside. Or better yet, a way out of this place.

Throwing a cautious glance over my shoulder, I slipped through the heavy doors unnoticed.

Before my eyes could adjust, deep voices echoed in the dimness. I dove behind the nearest thing I could find, which happened to be a rack filled with swords, bows, knives, and various other medieval weaponry. Dust filled my nose, and I stifled a sneeze. The room had a sickening combination of smells, like rust, oil and, judging by the queasy feeling in my gut… blood.

A cold chill ran through me as I rethought my brilliant plan. I had no idea what went on here, or what might happen if whoever was here found me spying on them. Footsteps came closer. Crouching behind the rack, I peered between the boards at legs walking by so near I could have reached out and grabbed them.

“The Dark Prince of the Unseelie Court has arrived, My Lord King Etienne,” one voice said.

“Bring him to me,” boomed the reply as the footsteps hurried away.

My legs were starting to cramp in this squatting position, and I couldn't see. Slowly I stood up, to get a better view, hoping the shadows would be enough to conceal me.

I stayed hidden, tucked carefully out of sight, pressed up against a wall in the narrow alcove, gleaming blades inches from my nose.

It would be impossible to explain my presence here, yet I had to see more.

The Elven king didn't fail to impress. He had the same statuesque presence as all of the elves I'd seen so far. A sweeping floor length cape draped from his shoulders, emblazoned with a symbol that looked like an inverted
fleur-de-lis
. His back was turned so I couldn't see his face. But it was the Faerie Prince of the Unseelie Court who caught my eye. He was lean and cat-like, with lily-white skin and full scarlet lips. Platinum hair hung in long jagged layers around his angled face and swept down his back in elongated spikes. Even in the dim light his silver eyes seemed to glow. A full-length black duster swept around him, embellished with chrome buckles and epaulets engraved with symbols I couldn't make out. He was decidedly younger than the king… striking, attractive in an almost painful way.

He followed the Elven king to a circular table and whirled around, folds of black fabric swishing dramatically. It was then I saw his most striking feature… a pair of black-feathered wings, folded on his back. They fanned and twitched seemingly with a life of their own. I shrank back in my hideout. It wasn't so much his appearance that disturbed me, or even that he was terrifyingly beautiful. It was the
familiarity
that gave me goose bumps.

“I did not think you would risk coming, Zanthiel, so close to Beltane.”

“Yes. Well, with all that has come to pass I was left with little choice.”

That
voice
. I
know
that voice.

“So she is finally here then? The rumors are true, the daughter of the Tuatha De Danann has returned at long last?”

“Yes. And the fate of my kingdom is far worse than we feared. Mythlandria has more to worry about than the misconstrued prophecy of an adolescent human half-breed.”

“The
Una Electa
. The
Chosen One,
destined to stop the Ice Witch. The future Faerie Queen…” His silky voice coated the room.

“Not of my kingdom. Not ever.” The king scoffed.

Were they talking about
me
? I leaned forward, trying to get a better look. From behind me something cold and sharp jabbed between my ribs.

“Spying on the king is a treasonous act…” came a gruff accusation. I whirred around to come face to face with the tip of a sword aimed for my heart. Sucking in a gulp of breath I froze. “Who are you? Speak now.” The guard commanded, lifting the blade to my throat and pressing the tip against my skin. “Nothing to say? Perhaps taking you to my chambers will persuade you to talk.” He sneered, looking me up and down. I could feel the tip of his sword break the skin and I let out a whimper, debating which answer would get me killed the fastest. A trickle of blood dripped down my neck and without fail my stomach reeled and my knees buckles.

Before I could make another sound, a hand reached from behind the guard and grabbed his head. There was a snapping sound and his armored body slumped forward then collapsed onto the floor.

"What are you doing here?” A voice hissed in my ear as a hand reached out and grabbed me. I jumped, sending a sword clamoring to the ground, then shrieked. But a hand clamped over my mouth, silencing me.

Whipping around, I found Adrius glaring at me.

“You shouldn't be here." His tone was icy, and his hand tightened on my arm. “Come on.”

He dragged me through a nearby door, just as two guards with blades came to investigate.

We stood inches apart in a dark tiny space no larger than a broom closet. As my heart thumped against my ribs, he stared at me enraged, waiting for the guards' footsteps to retreat.

“Are you insane or is that what you wish for — premature death?” He scowled.

I tried to wrench my arm away, but he held fast.

“I was lost,” I lied. “I tried to leave, but they came in through another door and I was trapped.” My temper flared and I tried again to free my arm. “You seriously need to let go of my arm.” This time he released it. “Are you following me or something? What are you doing here?” I demanded indignantly.

“Trying to keep you alive.”

“Well, that's just great. Where were you when I was being chased by Redcaps?”

His scowl deepened. “You ran… from Redcaps? Not the best plan, Lorelei.”

“And I would know this
how
? I'm not exactly used to being dropped in the middle of a Spielberg film, alright.” I pushed the hair covering my eyes away from my face.

Adrius leaned in. “You know, that sharp tongue of yours isn't going to be enough to keep you alive. Could you at least
try
to stay in one piece while you're here?”

His condescending tone was so grating I didn't bother mentioning the price my safety had already cost me. I felt awful enough without a lecture on the perils of negotiating with fey.

“You know—”

“Shhh…” He clapped a hand over my mouth, hearing something I'd missed.

A second or two passed before he dropped his hand.

“What did you overhear?” he whispered coarsely when the invisible danger abated.

“Nothing much, but the king and the Faerie… they seemed to be talking about me. And I want to know why.”

“This isn't a game, Lorelei. Do you have any idea how dangerous this place is for you?” The heat of his breath fanned over my face.

“What are you talking about?” My eyes challenged his with equal defiance. “I thought you said there was a prophecy predicting my coming here… that I'm supposed to be here to fulfill some predestined fate. Isn't that what everyone believes?”

“There are many who do… many who still believe in prophecy,” he whispered through clenched teeth. “My father and the Unseelie fey are not among them.”

“It didn't sound that way to me. You have made it pretty clear your only concern for me is by duty. So if your own king doesn't believe in this prophecy, then my safety is none of your concern.”

“Really? Is that what you think?” His eyes darkened, his voice dropping to a low growl.

“I'm not sure what to think… one minute you're telling me I can't leave and the next you're telling me I can't stay. It's making me crazy.”

I watched his jaw muscles flex and for a moment I thought I'd pushed him to the edge. But he didn't explode. His voice remained even, cool, and detached.

“For what it's worth, it might interest you to know I have always believed in the prophecy's prediction. Although the fact someone without so much as a shred of common sense has been chosen does give me reason to question it.”

I rolled my eyes back.

“But my feelings for you aside,” he continued. “I am deeply bound by laws over which I have no control. You have no idea what it's like to watch as your own hands disobey you… willed to do unspeakable things by another, for pure sport…”

A cold chill coursed through me as I stared into his dark, distant eyes. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“That is my sworn existence, Lorelei, and you would do well not to forget that. Danger exists everywhere here. It is real.”

Footsteps passed by outside our secret hiding space and Adrius fell quiet, a finger held up to his lips. It was almost as though he knew they were coming before we actually heard them.

“The Unseelie faeries enjoy nothing better than delighting in twisted ritualistic acts involving fresh human flesh for pure entertainment. Their boredom invites the cruel perverse diversions they invent. If it ever became suspect I was serving interests other than those I've sworn to uphold… well, let's say things would go badly, for both of us.”

“So isn't it your
duty
to turn me in for spying or something?” I whispered, in case more silent footsteps were approaching again.

Adrius sighed. “I don't want to turn you in. I want you to leave. You should go, Lorelei… back to the Citadel where it's safe. It was a mistake for you to come here.”

That was the final straw. “I didn't
plan
to come here!” I exploded, not even trying to lower my voice. “You were the one who told me I had no
choice
but to stay. Well, I'm not staying. And I will find a way to get out of here.” I was trembling uncontrollably now.

His hands washed over his face, in exasperation. “Did you hear
any
of what I told you? Why do humans always cling to false hope?”

“Sometimes, hope is all you have left,” I said flatly. “You can do what you have to do, but I'm leaving. Prophecy or no prophecy.” My voice resonated with a false bravado he probably saw right through.

Smiling wryly, he shook his head. “Fine… It's your life.”

“Yeah, that's right. It is. And I'd rather not spend the rest of it stuck — in this closet — with you.”

Gritting his teeth, he recoiled. “As you wish…” He opened the door, checking to make sure the room was clear. “Just so you know, I'll be joining you for breakfast in the morning, so perhaps you can save any more tantrums or kamikaze missions until then.”

I pushed past him, inwardly frustrated by the warm surge I felt as my arm brushed against his. The open air and distance came just in time. In that moment I understood too well what it was like to be betrayed by your own body. It meant I would have to work that much harder to do what I should have done all along — find the one Faerie I'd been warned to keep away from. The Faerie I now know for certain was flesh and blood, because he'd been terrorizing my dreams at night for years… and the puppet master of my vocal chords for even longer.