The Cuckoo's Eye

by Holly Campbell

  The pair of them continued to talk, bickering playfully the way the twins and I used to. I watched with interest, toying with my food to make it appear like I’d eaten some. Neither of the girls, the wards of the court, spoke a single word during dinner, in fact they barely looked up from their plates.

  As the meal drew to a close and the servants began to gather up the plates, Neala turned her attention to me once more.

  “So Blair, I have to ask… you and that Gancanagh… what did you get up to in the mortal world?”

  “The what?” I asked.

  “The Gancanagh. The tall dark haired one?” she said with a devilish smirk.

  “She means Rhydian,” Lyr cut in. He poured himself another glass of the spiced wine and drank deeply, scowling slightly.

  “Yes! I took one of his kind as a consort once. It was amazing. So? Tell all?”

  “Oh. We were just friends… or we were.”

  “Just friends? Really?”

  “Well…”

  “I knew it!” Neala crowed.

  My cheeks coloured and I reached for my drink, sipping so I wouldn’t have to talk. Lyr got to his feet, chair scraping the ground.

  “It’s very late, Blair may I escort you back to your bedroom?” he asked, offering his arm. I looked to Neala and nodded. Anything to end the conversation.

  Lyr guided me down from the balcony and through the throne room. He seemed irritated and remained silent as we walked. Only once we had reached my door did he speak.

  “I would recommend you avoid Rhydian from now on Blair. His kind are known for causing trouble and little else.”

  “Don’t worry Lyr. I have no desire to be anywhere near him.”

  He smiled at me and brushed some hair from my face.

  “I am very pleased to hear that. Would you accompany me on a walk tomorrow? I can show you around and we can talk some more.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “Very well then. Good night princess. Sleep well.”

  He leaned in and gently kissed my cheek before striding away.

  BLAIR

  I wasn’t sure how long I slept for. In the strange perma-light of the caverns there was no sense of time and my body varied between exhaustion and alertness. It reminded me of jet lag but increased tenfold.

  Eventually I decided I’d slept for long enough and rose from the bed. It was remarkably comfortable, the covers soft and fluffy in a way that didn’t feel synthetic. I suspected it was made of some form of fur, although I wasn’t sure from what sort of animal.

  I went to the trunk and after a moment’s consideration, I decided against wearing the gowns inside. I was used to trousers and I lacked having full range of movement. Instead I selected the box with the leather garments from the bottom and went through to the bathing area. I caught sight of my reflection in a sheet of burnished metal that served as a mirror and almost screamed. My hair had turned almost completely blonde with only a few streaks of red still lingering.

  “Wh…what?” I stared at my reflection, unable to really accept that the face I was seeing was my own. I tugged at a strand, trying to determine if it was some kind of trick. It seemed real… and that made me very uncomfortable.

  I looked away, feeling mildly nauseous, and opened the box. Examination of the items found that they weren’t identical to the ones the guards wore but were similar, definitely designed for the same purpose. The outfit was made up of thick leggings which stuck to my skin, a belt with the same triquetra emblem I’d seen in the entrance hall and a lightweight vest style top. It was a deep green and stitched with swirling symbols. I even found a pair of leather wrist guards and fingerless gloves. The only bit I couldn’t wear were the boots I found with the clothes, as they were too big for my feet.

  I felt more comfortable in the clothes than I did in dresses. They had been designed for function rather than appearance. I was mildly disappointed that I hadn’t found a sword to go with them though.

  Dressed, I found myself standing awkwardly in the bedroom. Lyr had said he would show me around, but I didn’t know if he intended to collect me or if I should go find him. I decided to go for a walk and stop by his room. After all, if I was going to live with the fae I couldn’t hide in the bedroom forever. I would need to adjust to my surroundings, and it was better to do it sooner than later. Once again I was surprised by the calmness I felt. With the exception of my hair, I was taking things in my stride.

  I left the bedroom and headed in the direction I thought Lyr’s chambers were. I took my time, taking in my surroundings more than I had previously. The path spiralled, curling back and forth like a snake. A door was open off the hall and I peeked in to see a large library. The sight made me pause and step across the threshold to get a better view.

  In the centre of the room was a large oak tree, branches reaching up to the roof and serving as the support beam. The walls were lined with bookshelves, curved to fit neatly. A tapestry was hung on the furthest wall opposite the door, embroidered with a detailed family tree. I smiled to myself and took a few more steps, looking around with interest. As I did, a large cat emerged from the foliage of the tree and jumped down. It chirruped at me and stretched.

  “Hey. Are you a normal cat or some kind of other thing?” I asked, crouching down and offering my hand to the animal. It prowled forward and sniffed at my fingers. The cat looked up at me and I saw that its eyes were completely black. Okay, definitely not a normal cat.

  The cat purred and nuzzled my hand. I smiled and stroked it gently.

  “I see you’ve met our librarian.” Lyr’s voice came from behind me and I looked over my shoulder.

  “The cat? He’s cute.” I scooped him up in my arms. “Please tell me he’s not a person in disguise.”

  “He’s a Cait Sidhe, Somewhere between a fairy, a witch and an animal. Not everyone likes them because of their connection to the witches but they’re impossible to keep out.” Lyr smiled. “You look nice. Interesting choice of attire.”

  “Is it okay? I’m not breaking rules or anything?”

  “We’re royalty, we make the rules. Most of our women do tend favour the dresses but it’s not a rule per say. And our most elite guard is almost entirely female, they wear outfits similar to that.”

  “Like the one who took me up to dinner yesterday?”

  “Actually no. She was just a member of the palace guard. Our elite are known as the taibhsí. They serve as our personal guards and you’re unlikely to see them unless they want you to. You’ll be assigned one in time. But the outfit is fine. It was made for Liadan. She liked to run wild with the hunters. I think she’d be pleased to see you wearing it.” He ran his eyes over me and nodded to himself. “How did you sleep?”

  “On and off. I was just coming to find you actually. You promised me a tour.”

  “That I did. Here seems a good place to start.” He walked over to the tapestry and beckoned me to join him. “This is our family. Our bloodline. Going back to the very beginning. There is me, Neala and Liadin. Our mother, Mehb, our ancestors. And of course our descendants. Your line. And my line.”

  “You had children?”

  “A long time ago. But I thought you’d be interested in seeing your lineage. It was a strong female line. Only one son through all those years. See, there’s Liadin, her daughter Ailis and her second child Sarai. From Ailis came Eachna who gave birth to identical twins, Niamh and Ceara, which is a rarity amongst our people. Those girls were something… they did everything together. Ceara was your grandmother. You definitely inherited her fire. And her hair.”

  “Oh… that… is there a reason for that?” I asked, fiddling anxiously with a strand.

  “Yes. A changeling will do whatever they can to blend in with their human hosts. They’ll take on physical traits of those around them. Now you’re where you’re meant to be, your true appearance is starting to return. It suits you.”

  “It’s… an adjustment.”

  The cat squirmed in my arms and I
released him. He clambered up the bookshelves and perched at the top.

  “Most things are,” Lyr told me sadly. “Shall we continue?”

  I nodded and let him guide me out of the library. We walked together through the maze of corridors, Lyr pointing out things occasionally. He seemed distracted, moving quickly as though eager to get somewhere. Still, he allowed me to linger when we reached a room made up of several large stone pools each filled with brilliant coloured fish. There was a seal perched on the edge of one pool beside a woman with completely white hair. I ran through all the stories Nan had told me.

  “Selkies?”

  “Yes. Very good. You can usually find them around here. There are Merrow too, they pop in and out, and sometimes Kelpies but they can be a little aggressive so we try to keep them separated. They’re one of Neala’s favourites though, which is why they’re allowed here at all.”

  The woman sitting at the pool scowled.

  “They’re a menace…” she muttered.

  “They are a bit of a nuisance,” Lyr conceded. “Kelpies are carnivorous. And they don’t usually care what they consume.”

  He gestured for us to continue. I was reluctant to leave. There was something calming about the room, the stillness of the pools.

  “You have the rest of your life ahead of you,” Lyr said softly. “You will be able to come here any day. And we live very long lives.”

  “How do you do that? You always seem to know what I’m thinking.”

  “Just a talent of mine,” he said with a slight smirk, ushering me out. I eyed him warily, not completely confident with the prospect of someone seeing inside my brain.

  “What am I thinking right now?”

  “You are thinking that you’re unsure if I can actually read your mind or just read your expression. And that you’d rather I didn’t.”

  “Yeah… pretty much.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m just very good at reading people.”

  He led the way past more rooms to a point where the stone of the walls and floor turned to dirt and widened out. The glow of the caves faded to be replaced with a more natural light, sunlight pouring through small crystals set in the roof. The space was vast and for a moment I struggled to register what I was seeing. Growing through the ceiling were twisted upside down trees, branches stretching down towards the ground completely bare of leaves.

  “What is this place?” I asked, softly. My voice echoed and disappeared into the depths.

  “This, Blair, is our graveyard. When one of our kind falls, their body gives forth new life in the form of trees likes these ones. On the surface, this is a great forest. We stand beneath it, amongst the roots.”

  I thought of my home, of the endless stretching forest that loomed over the town. Each one of those was a…?

  “Yes. Every tree in the forest above was once a beautiful vibrant person.”

  “Are my family here?”

  “Liadin is. And Sarai. But those were the only bodies we managed to recover. One of the few decent things that the beast ever did was allow us to take them back for a proper burial.” He looked down at the ground. “I can take you to them if you wish?”

  “No… thank you…. but no.” He nodded, indicating that he understood why and didn’t press the matter.

  “This place remains one of great power. All the power of our race flows from here. In here it’ll be easier for you to embrace your abilities. Watch this.”

  He cupped his hands and blew gently into them. Beautiful iridescent butterflies scattered from his grasp, fluttering off into the cavern where they faded away into a crescendo of sparks.

  “I can do that?”

  “Yes. That’s a beginner trick. And I know you can do that and more. Do you want to try?”

  I nodded nervously and mimicked his actions, raising my cupped hands to my lips. I tried to copy what he had done but nothing happened.

  “Don’t worry. You’re learning. Just try again.”

  I took a deep breath and tried again. A small flash of sparks shot from my hands. I scowled and repeated the action, blowing fiercely. There were more sparks, a loud crack and a flash of light. When I opened my hands, no butterflies flew forth. Instead a ghost like bird erupted from my hands, wings crackling with electricity.

  Startled, I jumped back, watching as the bird swooped through the upside down forest.

  “Wow…”

  “I told you. You have skills. They may take a while to get under your control but this place will be useful for you to practice.” He paused, eyes following the bird. “That is one of the reasons I brought you here. The other is that… this is one of the places that Neala refuses to enter. Which means we can talk without risk of being overheard. Tell me, what are your impressions of my sister? From your brief interactions.”

  “She’s… intense.”

  “Appropriate choice of words. My sister has always wanted to rule. But she doesn’t really care about those she is ruling over. Since she took control our numbers have fallen, we’re confined to this darkness. Our people are miserable. And I can do nothing. I cannot move against her and she cannot rid herself of me. We are trapped in an endless impasse. Until now. Until you.” Lyr took hold of my hands, clasping them in his. “Blair, I know that this is new to you. But I’m asking you to place your trust in me. The people cannot continue to be ruled by her.”

  “What can I do? I don’t… I’m not…”

  “You’re young. You don’t know how to rule, I understand. But you won’t be alone, I can help you. This was what you were born to do. Alone I cannot face her, I’m not strong enough. When a fae has a child, they lose part of themselves… part of their power. Neala refused to have children because of this. I’m the youngest of my siblings yet I have aged where she has not. She will rule until she dies and she will destroy us all to do so.”

  I pulled my hand free.

  “I can’t help… I can’t…”

  I tried to turn away from him but he seized hold of me, pulling my back.

  “Don’t walk away Blair. Listen to me.”

  “Lyr…!”

  He tightened his hold, gripping my upper arms to prevent me from pulling away.

  “You have more power than you know. You need only embrace who you are and I promise, you will be able to do anything.”

  Lyr’s face was inches from mine and I could feel the rough surface of a root pressing into my back. My breathing spiked and my heart felt like it would burst from my chest.

  “Lyr you’re scaring me…”

  “Blair, please. I know what you are capable of. I’ve seen it.”

  I shook my head fiercely, refusing to listen.

  “I saw you. At the lake with that mortal? I saw that. And even before… I’ve been looking for you for a long time. You are brimming with power, I know it, and I’ve seen it.”

  He placed a hand on my cheek in what I was sure was meant to be a sweet gesture. I turned my head away, screwing my eyes tight shut. I was aware of a chill breeze moving through the forest and the sound of wind chimes.

  “Stop it!” I screamed. “Please! Stop!”

  There was a rumble from somewhere nearby and I felt dirt falling from the roof. Lyr released me, stepping back. The root I was pressed against splintered and cracked, spilling red fluid that ran down the length of the tuberous arms and dripped onto the floor.

  I struggled to catch my breath, stepping away from Lyr. He was watching me, his eyes shimmering and a small smile on his face.

  “What did I tell you? You can do so much Blair… all you need to do is embrace it… embrace me and I will help you become the queen you’re meant to be.”

  BLAIR

  I used the only power at my disposal, the only strength I had that was within my control. I ran. I ran from the forest and down through the tunnels. Ran until my legs gave out beneath me and I was lost in the endless maze. I didn’t know if Lyr followed.

  In the quiet, I could think straight. How was it possible that of al
l the families in the world, I’d ended up with one that was even more disturbed than my old one? It made sense in a way. Lyr had said that the fae lived long lives. I couldn’t imagine the amount of baggage that would accompany that. I didn’t want to get involved in their squabbles but I knew that I needed help handling my new abilities.

  I’ve seen it, Lyr had said.

  I’d been scrapping since I was young, fighting just to stay above water. The thought that I possessed any real power was almost ludicrous to me. But I had felt it… felt that surge at times when I was at my most vulnerable. I leant my head against the wall. There was a throbbing sound somewhere deep within, like the caves possessed their own heartbeat. My fingers scrabbled at the floor, gouging a tiny hole, revealing dirt beneath. I dug my fingers in, burying them as far as I could within the soil.

  My senses felt more awake than they ever had, I was in tune with the life force of the world. I could feel the energy stirring beneath my skin in a way I hadn’t before. Well, maybe once. Not at the lake, no, long before then.

  Early evening, summer. Still light out. Raining, the kind of rain that soaks a person to the bone. I was ten. Walking home from school, the rain turning my uniform transparent. When I’d reached the house, a town house in the city, looking over a park, no one was home. The twins were on a school trip but mum was supposed to be there. Supposed to be waiting for me. But she wasn’t.

  So I sat on the step. I sat in the rain until the sky darkened and there was only the streetlights to illuminate the expanding puddles. My skin turned numb. My whole body shook. As I sat, the world froze around me. The rain hung suspended in mid-air. I got to my feet. The air felt thick like jelly and stretched around me as I moved. I stretched out a hand, feeling the caress of the raindrops like icy needles.

  There was a flash of lightning, a roll of thunder that seemed to surround me. The air rippled outwards, spreading out across the sky. The trees bowed at the force, the metal fence that surrounded the park groaned and bent. Behind me came a deafening crack and above my head, the streetlight exploded. Sparks fell, accompanied by shards of glass, and with it the rain tumbled to the ground. The world resumed spinning. My head felt like it was caught in a vice and there was a terrible pain in my neck. I had stumbled forward, reaching for the door. The pressure had caused me to pass out and the next thing I knew, I was lying in the front hall. My brothers had found me there, bleeding from a shard of glass in my neck.