Whisper and Rise (24 page)

Colin jumped away. Owen brushed me aside and tackled Cael, pinning him down.

“I’m sorry,” I said, stepping back. “He was going for Colin.”

The screams were horrendous. Both men’s voices filled the forest with agony and spite. Their curses split the air.

“Get something for him,” yelled Owen. “Colin, take his blade.”

Colin stepped on Cael’s wrist, causing another flurry of curses, and snatched the short sword meant to harm him. “Go, Rhiannon. Look inside for some rope.”

I spared a moment and glanced at the leg and the wound I had inflicted. Black in the dark, blood covered his leg and soiled the dirt around him. I dashed around him and past Jory. He twisted in the dirt, struggling to stand. I ignored him and kept going, almost reaching the low steps to the shack.

“Rhiannon!” The Elders’ voices shouted at me.

I turned to see Jory lunging forward, pain in his face, death in his eyes. He thrust the blade in his hand toward me. I stumbled back and fell. He could kill me like this.

He didn’t.

I heard the arrow coming as the short sword dropped to the dirt. The bone barb passed through Jory’s neck before the man fell to the dirt. I knew he was dead. Nothing could live through that. I turned around and ran into the hut, not knowing who shot the arrow.

It was dark, but flickers from the firelight sifted through the window, allowing me to see. The room was small and nothing looked like rope. I kicked over a chair, moved a small table, and threw a blanket inside.

Nothing.

A flash of bronze in the corner stopped my frantic search. I knew the design, but it didn’t belong there. Confused and dizzy, I lifted the shield and held it up.

Someone near the fire called my name, but I didn’t answer.

Why is this here?
I caught myself not breathing and forced a gulp of air as I examined the shield I had given to Sean as a promise gift. Then I choked when I looked at the corner from where I had taken it.

The Fae Scrolls. The leather was unmistakable. I dropped the shield.

“Rhiannon, are you all right?”

I wasn’t all right. I started crying. “I’m not injured,” I replied, choking a half-truth.

I snatched the leather and cradled the scrolls against my chest. I forced another breath and fell down, refusing to drop the scrolls. The force of my weight struck my knees as I hit the floor.
How many of Cael’s words had been lies?
There wasn’t an answer. I lifted my shoulder and wiped my eyes.

“Rhiannon?”

I stumbled out of the hut with the Fae Scrolls in my arms. I was met by another surprise as I saw who had shot the man and saved me. Taya stood over Cael, binding his legs with rope, twisting them with skill that didn’t surprise me. Colin crouched low and held Cael’s hands together.

Owen was the first to look up. He gasped. “Are those the Fae Scrolls?”

Colin dropped Cael’s hands.

“Hello, Rhiannon.” Taya smiled as she gave Cael’s bindings a hard tug. In that moment, I felt a bond of sisterhood with her. I didn’t even notice her crooked teeth. In such a short time, she had become a friend, and much more. I owed her my life.

I stepped over the dead man and walked to Colin. As he looked up at me, with the same look of surprise that I must have shown, I handed him the leather bundle. Then I dropped to my knees and stared at the struggling Cael, who glared at me. “You had the scrolls?” I asked.

He moaned and turned away.

Taya twisted his neck, forcing him to look back at me. “Answer the woman,” she said.

Cael didn’t speak. Taya grabbed the handle of the spear in his leg and wrenched it.

Cael screamed. “Stop it! Yes, I had them. Stop.”

“Why, Cael? Why?”

“I didn’t think you’d actually get them,” he said, gasping. “I thought you’d fail and give up on Sean. I wanted you to love me, not my brother.”

A season of pain and cold enveloped me and held me down. I stopped breathing. This wasn’t the answer I had been searching for. The danger had always been close to me. When I wanted to save Sean, the person I trusted had been the demon I should have feared. Father had been right: there was more to this that anyone understood. My choices had been wrong, all wrong. I hung my head and stared at the soil. While the energy inside drained through my arms, a hand pulled me to stand.

“I’m sorry,” Owen whispered, squeezing me close.

The warmth he offered was overwhelming. I had never hugged him before, and immediately understood where Madeline got her gift of warmth. I had always thought it was from her mother. Owen’s skin was soft and he smelled clean, like berries. The scent added to the comfort. I let him hold me and let the tears fall. I had never imagined this. If it hadn’t just happened, I wouldn’t have believed it.

“Demon,” I whispered with all the strength that remained. I didn’t care if Cael heard me.

Colin spoke to Taya, but I didn’t pay attention. I stood, wrapped in Owen’s arms, accepting his gift, releasing the emotion of the moment. Part of me left when Sean had died; another part faded as I realized his brother had been involved in killing him. I still didn’t know how, but I didn’t care. Cael knew something. All along, he had known. The man had convinced me to help him, but never saved his own brother.

As images of regret flashed through my vision, I remembered the red-feathered arrow. I turned my head; I had to be certain. The lifeless body, just a few steps from the hut, lay with its face in the dirt. The stem of the arrow and its feathers pointed toward the stars. Brown feathers, not red. Of course not. Cameron was the only one who used those.

“I’ll report to the Elders in the morning,” said Owen. His voice felt warm in my ears. “As a witness. This man will pay for his crimes.”

I choked again and wiped my eyes on the leather of his coat. “I want you to see something,” I said. I left him and returned to the hut. I grabbed the shield I had dropped and scanned the cluttered corner. Certain as I expected, the helmet was there too. I lifted Sean’s helmet and returned to the fire with the set of armor.

“What are those?” asked Owen.

I shoved my arm into the straps of the shield and put on the helmet. “These were my gift to Sean,” I answered. “We had everything to marry. Cael took it all from me.”

Colin came closer and hugged me. He was warm, but not the same as Owen. I smiled at the gesture. “He’ll answer in council for this.” Colin raised the scrolls. “And we’ll return these where they belong.” He released his hug and nudged me toward the forest. “Leave with me, away from this horrible place.”

I let go of him and smiled, though weakly. “Allow me a moment.” My head felt light and drained. While the length of the day and my travels had made me weary, the emotions had stolen my strength. I removed the helmet and walked to Taya, who grinned back at me while pressing Cael into the dirt.

“Great strike in the leg,” she told me. “This type of wound could kill a man.”

“You never left?” I asked. “I thought you’d be far away, by now.”

“I told you there is good hunting on this mountain,” she answered. “I wouldn’t leave that so soon.”

I nodded my understanding.

“The men almost found you.”

“What men?” I asked,

“Last night. They almost reached the cave.”

“You were watching us?”

“Of course. I shot one for you. He tried to steal your horse.”

“You saved Gwenn?”

Taya nodded. “She got away.”

I bowed. “Thank you.”

“I’m just looking for a good adventure. I’ve never been able to hurt a man and get away with it.” She offered me her hand. “Now, we’ve both had the honor.”

I looked down at Cael and stared at the scar across his neck and ear. “Did Sean give you that scar?” I asked.

Cael didn’t blink.

“Did he?” As I spoke, Taya twisted her arms, forcing Cael to wince.

“Yes,” he answered, coughing from obvious pain. “He cut me the night we took him.”

I wanted to press my foot against the wound I had caused in Cael’s leg. I wanted to make him scream. The man had stolen my love, my life. He wasn’t worthy of another thought, nor another glance. “Now you’ll have a scar from me.” I turned from Cael Bauer and patted Taya on the shoulder. “Thank you.”

Taya reached out her hand to me and grinned.

I accepted her offering and shook her hand; her skin was coarse and broken, and her grip hurt, but it felt good, the hand of a friend. “You’ll always be welcome at my fire.”

Our footsteps made tiny breaks in the night, though my thoughts kept me occupied. I remembered the day, the night prior, Darian and Cael. I thought a lot about Sean. Long ago, he had played a part in this day that lasted so long. It wasn’t over, yet.

I carried Sean’s helmet and shield while Owen held the rolled scrolls close to his chest. He kept examining the cover, tracing his fingers over the designs etched into the leather.

“Had you ever seen the scrolls,” I asked him, “before tonight?”

Colin smiled before looking at me to answer. “No, Rhiannon. Owen and I were the first Elders to see them—that I know of.”

“Then tonight is special. It’s sacred. You are an Elder like no other.”

“These belong to the Fae. The scrolls weren’t meant to be seen by men. Out of respect and reverence, I won’t open them and look inside.”

I could tell he was curious, but I didn’t press him. The same as the emerald had been for Darian, the scrolls were my key to returning home. When Colin and I passed the trail to Stone Meadow, the golden flash of light that had preceded Darian’s disappearance returned to my memory.

“Colin?” I asked, unsure how to phrase the rest of my question.

“Yes?”

I stopped walking and collected my thoughts. “Have you seen a crystal with golden lines before?”

Colin stopped. He lowered the scrolls to his chest. “How do you know of such a crystal?”

I smiled and pointed toward the meadow. “I’ve seen one,” I answered. “An emerald. It glowed when Darian took it close to the Season Stone.”

“What happened?” Colin grabbed my wrist and pleaded with his eyes. He leaned close to hear my words.

“Darian walked through the hole in the stone. There was a flash of light and then he disappeared.”

Colin released a sigh and stared at the sky. Then he lowered his face to look at me. “You saw this happen? It’s not a story you’ve heard?”

“I saw it true,” I answered, “though I’m not certain what happened.”

Colin glanced around, examining the darkness, and leaned close to whisper. “Don’t tell anyone else about what you saw,” he said, warning me with another squeeze of my wrist.

“What is it? Where did Sean go?”

“That emerald—” Colin’s voice was so low, I could barely hear him.

I leaned close as he continued.

“—is a key.”

“That’s what Darian said.”

Colin ignored my interruption. “It’s an ancient secret, as old as Stone Meadow.” He raised the scrolls. “These hold its mystery.”

I leaned closer, suddenly interested in looking within the leather. I took a quick breath, aware that I hadn’t been breathing while I stared. “How do you know of it?” I asked.

“The Fae Scrolls aren’t the only record of Aisling. The Elders keep their own words, though there’s no ceremony or dancing.”

“Are your records sacred?”

“No, they’re barely legible. Most Elders can’t read, much less write. I’ve also heard stories about the stone. Ancient tales called it one of the Stone Portals.”

Stone Portals.
I repeated the name in my mind. “What are they? Will you tell me?”

“Not tonight,” answered Colin. He gripped the scrolls tighter and resumed his march along toward home.

We didn’t speak again, but questions swirled around my mind about how much Colin knew.
Where was Darian from? What are Stone Portals? How are the Elders and the Fae involved?
When we reached his front door, my head hurt from thinking. My mother rushed out and grabbed me, almost knocking me to the ground. I dropped the armor.

“I was worried.”

Father appeared in the doorway. I saw a smile part his beard.

“We found a few precious things,” said Colin. He held up the scrolls.

“What are those?” Mother turned to look, puzzled.

I reached across my mother and took the scrolls from Colin’s hand. Then I held them out for my parents to see. “These are the Fae Scrolls,” I told them. “Cael Bauer had them.”

“Cael?” Mother covered her face, but failed to hide a gasp.

Colin took the scrolls back from me. “I’ll return them to the Fae,” he announced. “Cael and his men will be punished for multiple crimes.” He turned to my father. “We’ll hold council in the morning. Owen will serve as Rhiannon’s witness.” He motioned to me and grinned. “Your daughter saved my life tonight.”

“Oh, Rhiannon.” Mother sobbed as she gripped me again. She offered me her warmth, but all I could think about was the scrolls. There was something I wanted to do.

“Colin, I need to return the scrolls.”

“You have. I’ll present them to Madeline when she returns from the temple.”

“No.” I told him. I covered my mouth in shame, but stood taller to face him. “I took them from the temple. It’s my duty to return them.” I turned to my parents to explain. “I never wanted to take them, but I was desperate to save Sean. As soon as I had done it, I wanted to put them back. I couldn’t.”

“Guilt doesn’t entitle you to honor,” said Colin. “Stealing the scrolls was still a crime.”

I nodded. “I know, sir. The scrolls belong in the Faerie Temple. You can’t take them. It’s something I must do.”

Colin looked skeptical. Mother frowned.

“You can’t go to the temple,” she said. “The Faerie Temple is a sacred place for faeries. You don’t belong there.”

I glared at my mother. Finally, she revealed the truth of her thinking:
I wasn’t good enough to be a faerie.
I wasn’t worthy of her love.
She admired my passion—at least, that’s what she had said, but I wasn’t a faerie anymore, and anything less than perfection wasn’t good enough.

“I know what the temple is,” I told her, glaring back. “I’ve been there, remember?” I stepped back, allowing my thoughts to focus while Colin and my father crouched closer to me. Behind them, Ethan stood quietly in the open doorway. “I never wanted any of this. I wanted to be a faerie—forever. I wanted to marry Sean. Everything was taken from me and here’s what I am left with.” I turned to Colin. “I can’t be perfect, I won’t be. Life has taken me in a new direction.” I turned to my mother. “And I know I’m not your favorite.”

“Rhiannon!”

I cut Mother off. “I don’t care about that, now.” I believed my words. They gave me courage. “I want to be myself. I want to be what fate has presented. We always wish each other good fortune. What does that mean? May nothing change? May nothing bad happen?” I picked up Sean’s shield and held it in front of me. “Horrible things have met me the past year. I think it’s good fortune to do something about tragedy. I’ve learned not to run—but to face evil with strength. I shouldn’t have to wait and hope for something to change my future. I need to change it.”

Everyone stared and no one spoke. I didn’t blame them. I had never spoken like that before, but the words flowed out of deep confidence that I had never known I possessed. I may not be perfect, but I valued who I was becoming, even though I wasn’t of the Fae anymore. Two Elders of Aisling, the Chief Elder and my father, stared at my insolence.

“I’m not begging you to let me return the scrolls,” I told Colin. “You know what I’ve seen. I have secrets. There’s more to me than anyone in this village can understand. This is my responsibility. Honor me by allowing me to correct my wrongdoing.” I turned to my mother. “I love you, Mother, but I’m not like you. I won’t try to be like you. And I won’t hide behind whispers of my past any longer.” I handed her the shield and collected Sean’s helmet from the ground. “I know I’m filthy,” I said, handing her the helmet. “And I don’t deserve the white and gold.”

Colin handed me the Fae Scrolls.

“Thank you.” I held them close. “You’ll know of their safe return when the faeries come home tonight.”

~ O ~

There was once a night that I had feared the Aspen Grove, but I had changed since then. As I walked toward the trees, the wind brushed by, warning me by stirring the leaves. I wasn’t afraid. I was walking to my destiny.

The first step inside stole my breath. I gasped for a moment, until finding a way to breathe. It was dark, pitch black, but that didn’t bother me—not like before. This was vindication. I belonged here more than I ever had before. I clutched the scrolls tight, walking swiftly at first. Then I slowed to consider my position. There was no light, but I could see shadows.

There was also something else that night in the grove. Singing. Faint and slow, voices called through the trees. I knew the music. It was rare for the Fae to sing, but I remembered the melody. It called like the song of sweet birds and faceless women. The faerie voices rose and weaved between the trees in the Aspen Grove. Their voices offered peace and calm. They gave me a direction to follow.

Once I found the voices, then I saw the light. The Temple glowed softly in the distance. I stopped to admire it before approaching with my gift.

My crimson dress was soiled and dark with dried blood and soot and soil. I looked nothing like a faerie; if anything, I could have been the opposite. That’s not what I felt like. There was no spite or hatred. I was once one of them—a pure and discreet faerie of the forest. I knew what the women at the temple wanted, and I was bringing it to them. I allowed myself a bit of selfish satisfaction as I approached them.

Fawn was the first to see me. She had obviously been assigned as the Guardian, to prevent an interruption to the Gathering. She held out her hand and motioned forcefully for me to stop walking. “You aren’t welcome here,” she told me, confidence gleaming in her eyes.

I chuckled softly to myself. She wasn’t close enough to hear me. I increased my stride to meet her.

“Rhiannon, stop!” Her eyes pleaded as she looked up at me.

I obliged her request and stood in front of her. “I’ve come to speak to the Fae,” I told her. Before she could protest, I revealed the leather wrap I carried. I started walking again while she covered her mouth and watched me pass. My strides were long and I bounded toward the other faeries as Fawn scampered behind me.

Their singing ceased as two dozen pale faces announced their surprise at my arrival. Leila rushed forward, leaned on Abigail Bree, and stared with wide eyes. I saw the worry in some of their faces, and anger in others. I knew the looks; I had seen them from much closer, at a different time—a painful and somber moment when these same women chose to exclude me from the devotion. I nodded at Madeline, who shared anticipated joy in her lifted smile.

Fawn rushed to Raisa Bannon, the Faerie Queen, and whispered excitedly into her ears. Raisa looked up at me and gasped.

I approached the altar, at the center of the crowd of white and gold, and lifted the scrolls to my chest. After a deep breath, I addressed the Fae. I hadn’t planned my thoughts, but the words summarized a season of wanting from deep inside. “You know me,” I told them. “Despite what you believe, I’ve never been the villain you expected—” I glanced at Abigail. “Or wanted.”

With a final stroke of reverence, I touched the scrolls with my fingers and handed them to Raisa. “Here are the Fae Scrolls.”

The faeries hovered closer.

Then the tears fell. I couldn’t stop them, they were heavy and strong,—a giant release of the pain I had felt for too long. I smiled weakly and sifted through the golden shawls as I left the temple. This was my exit. Someone called my name, but I didn’t turn back. Instead, I kept walking—through the darkness, between the tight trees, and onto the road through Aisling.