The Tainted Web (The Godhunter, Book 7) (6 page)

I finally took a breath and opened the box. Over on my left, I heard Arach gasp and when I looked up at him, his eyes were as round as a mermaid's. I frowned and looked back at the simple piece of jewelry, nestled inside the box on a layer of black velvet. It was a ring. A thick gold band with a single clear-colored cabochon set in the center of it. The stone was an oval, set horizontally, so that it didn't break up the line of the band.

“Is that?” Arach looked up at King Cian and the High King smiled and nodded. “I thought it was lost, destroyed.”

“
No,” King Cian smiled at me, “simply waiting for its mistress. Fey artifacts have life in them, Queen Vervain. They've been known to develop a fondness for their bearers and this one in particular was very fond of Lord Finnian. It would not allow another to wear it until now. This is not just a ring, it's a member of your family. Please, treat it as such.”

“
I will,” I promised and held it up. The rest of the room sighed. “It's nice to meet you, ring.”

“
You must tell her what it does, darling,” Queen Meara smiled at her husband. “Remember, she knows not our history.”

“
Oh yes, of course,” King Cian laughed. “This is the Ring of Remembrance.” More sighs and some murmurs. “It is a time bender.”

“
Excuse me?” My heart started thumping faster in my chest. Did that mean what I think it meant? The possibilities were mind-blowing. I could save my lions and the Froekn we lost in the last battle, Mr. T, and Alfred. I could-

“
It is as you assume,” the King cut off my thoughts. “But there are limits. I know what you're thinking. I know what I would think if someone were to present me with such a treasure, but it cannot be done, I'm afraid. Even magic has limits. Time can only be bent, not broken, the past can't be meddled with. You cannot use it to save a life, in the past or present, not even your own. If it had been capable of such, your parents would still be alive. All of the dragon-sidhe would, I'm sure. You can't change anything that you yourself have experienced either, the new memories would be in conflict with the old and the discord would shatter your mind.”

“
Of course,” my hopes were instantly dashed, though I knew the rightness of it in my bones. Death cannot be swindled. I, of all people, knew that. Everything had its price.

“
There are other uses though,” King Cian traded a look with the now beaming Arach, and I frowned at both of them. “It was created as a tool of remembrance or nostalgia. When you live to be as old as we, you tend to forget things. The ring allows one to go back and witness it all over again. If you go back to your own past, you actually relive it, your body melds with your previous one and you're able to experience everything again. I'm told it's a strange experience though, as your words and deeds have already been set, so they come without your will.”

“
Like being possessed or controlled,” I grimaced. “I know all about that.”

“
Ah,” the High King nodded, “perhaps, but these are things you originally decided to do so you're possessed by yourself really. However, if you go back to a time or place you had no part of, you may interact freely, as long as your actions don't come into conflict with the prerecorded future. You could say, use it to even out time between the realms.”

“
What?” I couldn't process it all fast enough. “I thought Faerie was faster than the other realms anyway. I could spend a month here and go back to have only lost a day.”

“
Yes,” Arach took over the explanation. “But now you can go back and not have lost even that, you could return to the same moment you left, and when you came back to Faerie again, you could do the same. It would be like you never left either realm.”

“
Sweet Daddy Finnian,” I breathed and the ring seemed to glow softly in response to my father's name. “Is it safe to wear? I mean, how do I activate it? It's not like
Lord of the Rings
where he puts it on and he's instantly in some weirdo shadow-world, is it?”

“
No,” Arach laughed as he frowned a little at my reference. “You can wear it constantly if you like. To use it, you simply ask it to return you to the time and place you'd like to be in. I recommend you be as specific as possible.”

“
Ask it?”

“
Did you not get the part where he said it was alive?” Arach smirked at me.

“
You know,” I grimaced back at him. “I think you're getting a little too loose with my lingo, lizard breath.”

The crowd gasped again, guess tonight was all about the shocks, but Arach just laughed, knowing that it was kind of a compliment coming from me. He took the ring from me and put it on the pointer finger of my right hand. It shifted and shrunk, till it fit me perfectly, and I gaped at it. The clear cabochon swirled colors once, every color imaginable, and then returned to clear once more.

“I think it likes you,” Arach whispered as he looked at it over my shoulder.

“
Thank you so much,” I smiled at the King and Queen. “I don't have the words to tell you how much this means to me.”

“
Your return to us is thanks enough, daughter of little fire,” the High King said, referencing my mother's name, Aednat, which meant little fire. “From witch to goddess to faerie, maybe it's time for you, like your leader lion, to take a new name.”

“
I already have many names,” I smiled at him. “I am Vervain, Sabine, Rouva, Tima, Minn Elska, Carus, A Thaisce. I am the Goddess of Love and Lions, the Queen of Fire, and the Godhunter. So many names and not a single one I'd ever give up.”

Chapter Six

“Where the hell are all the bathrooms in this place?” I griped as I wandered the area surrounding the throne room/ballroom. “Please don't tell me I have to go all the way up to that damn branch to pee.”

“
Do you need some assistance?” A beautiful pale man leaned casually against the smooth wood wall, regarding me with very amused eyes.

“
You wouldn't happen to be privy to where the privy is? I joked as I took in his sleek swimmer's build and long, green hair. It looked like seaweed, like the woman who'd been dancing with Thor earlier. “Are you a merman?”

“
A what?” He laughed. “Do you mean a water-sidhe? No, I'm a kelpie and yes, I happen to know where the wash room is.”

“
Oh good... isn't that a horse? The kelpie I mean, not the wash room.” I looked him over again, lingering over a particular area I probably shouldn't have but jeez, a girl can't help wondering about that old saying. I mean if he really was a horse... well, there you go.

“
I can become a horse, yes,” he was laughing at me again with his eyes. “I'm a type of water horse.”

“
Huh, good for you,” I crossed my legs under my heatwave dress. “So about the bathroom?”

“
Ah yes, my lady,” he gestured to a hallway on his left. “If you would follow me.”

“
I'm Vervain,” I said as we walked.

“
Yes, you are,” he smiled. “I am Kael, Knight of Water.”

We walked a bit before he opened a door and miracle of miracles, there was a bathroom behind it. I rushed in with a hurried thanks thrown over my shoulder. I didn't really take that long but I was still surprised to find him waiting for me outside.

“I thought I'd escort you back,” he grinned at me with a mouth full of sharp looking teeth. Not at all horse-like.

“
Oh, that's nice of you,” I smiled but inside, my stomach was clenching in alarm.

What were the myths about kelpies? I remembered something about them drowning humans for fun but I think you had to climb on their back first and there was no way I was gonna let this guy give me a piggy-back ride. No matter how pretty his face was.

“Shall we?” He held out an arm to me and I took it, letting him lead me away. “I must confess, I was sent to find you. My Queen asked me to bring you to her.”

“
Your Queen?” I thought back to my first visit in Faerie. I think I met the Water Queen. “Queen Dubheasa?”

“
Yes,” he smiled brightly. “You remember her.”

“
From my first visit,” I nodded. “What did she want to see me about?”

“
Oh, I'm not privy to that,” he laughed, “only the location of the privy. Would you come see her? This is supposed to be a visit of alliances, is it not? Maybe she has thoughts of forming one with you?”

“
She doesn't want to see King Arach as well?” I frowned.

“
I believe this has more to do with your god alliances than your Fire,” he smiled gently. “The last thing we want is a war with Fire and when King Arach and Queen Dubheasa get together, it can sometimes get,” he sighed, “steamy, and not in a good way.”

“
Ah, yes,” I laughed, “he can have that affect, even on his own fey. Okay then, take me to your leader.”

“
Right through here,” he led me out a side door and down a shell-covered path. At the end of the path was a beautiful garden, filled with night blooming flowers. They gave off a sweet fragrance and glowed white in the moonlight, just like the stunning woman who waited for me there.

Queen Dubheasa turned to me, her light pink hair luminescent in the soft light, her skin glowing like mother-of-pearl. Actual pearls were strung around her slim throat and through her beautiful hair, their sheen set off by the muted blue of her long dress. On her brow was a crown made out of some kind of shimmering translucent material, set with sparkling blue stones in the shape of water droplets. She looked like a goddess emerging from the depths of a lake, more Aphrodite than I was and that just wasn't fair. I held Aphrodite's magic and yet I felt gaudy and crass standing in front of her but then I usually felt like the ugly stepsister when surrounded by goddesses, so the feeling was familiar.

“Queen Vervain,” she smiled sweetly, just barely showing me the tips of her tiny, sharp teeth. “I'm so glad Kael found you.”

“
It's good to see you again, Queen Dubheasa,” I smiled back.

“
Alas,” she sighed, “you may not feel that way shortly. Kael,” she gestured and from the corner of my eyes I saw something flash, descending toward my chest.

Before I could say a very eloquent
huh,
I was looking down at a long piece of wood, sticking out of my chest. I gasped for breath as my heart stuttered and I fell to my knees. The pain was searing and a bit nauseating. I felt like passing out and throwing up all at once.

“
Sorry,” Kael came into my line of sight. “Nothing personal.”

“
I cannot allow the race of dragon-sidhe to continue,” Dubheasa added in a bored tone. “Even more insulting if it's done through a human, full sidhe soul or not. Kael, take the ring.”

My mind raced as I fell to my back, the pain almost overwhelming all thought. This wouldn't kill me but evidently, they didn't know that. So maybe if I just acted like I was dying, I'd be okay. As long as they didn't stick around to watch my last breaths.

Kael said something in a language I didn't understand, as he yanked at the ring on my finger.

“
Then take her whole cursed finger,” Dubheasa snapped in English, probably for my benefit.

Oh, I was gonna get that bitch, but first, oh please just slide off my finger, little ring. I promise, I'll find you again.

Kael made a triumphant sound as the ring did as I asked.

Then the snotty, mucous-covered mermaid snapped something in her language. There was a low rustling sound, possibly someone approaching, and her tone changed to one of concern. Kael spoke back to her in a low whisper and they conversed for another moment before subsiding into silence.

I heard their footsteps furtively depart and I chanced a small breath which ended up becoming a moan. My heart was trying to heal itself but the small matter of a sharp piece of wood seemed to be in the way of that.

“
Queen Vervain!” Soft footsteps hurried over and a small hand brushed my cheek. “Oh no, my lady, not when we've just found you. Fate cannot be so cruel.”

I opened my eyes to reassure whoever it was that found me, and saw it was the little brownie woman who'd brought Queen Meara my ring. I tried to say something but as soon as she saw me open my eyes, she screamed, jumped up, and ran away like I'd become a zombie with a taste for faerie brains.

“What the hell?” I gasped as I yanked out the stake. I bit back a scream as white hot pain flared through my chest, and sat there huffing through the worst aftershocks ever as my heart mended itself and my bones knitted together. That asshole had cracked my sternum and broke a couple ribs with the force of his blow. Didn't he know that the best way to get to the heart was with an upward stroke?

I was still shaking, catching my breath, and staring down at the amazingly pristine dress I was wearing, not a mark on it or even a stain, when a swarm of crazy people rounded the corner and invaded the tranquility of my garden of doom.