“We have to make you into lean, mean fighting machines,” Ralph said. “You’re not going to learn to fight in a way that really counts if we go easy on you.” Luc agreed.
Dex and Sean helped with training as well. Aldona worked with Marissa, Malia, Ian and Milena, who turned out to be Empathic as well. Mikey was glad that they left him out of that one. He wanted to spend more time in the greenhouse with his Grandpa Brendan and Siofra. He wanted to watch the Fae plants grow. They were unlike anything he had ever seen before, from tiny, jewel-like flowers to huge, brightly colored ones with a beautiful sweet smell that coiled around you if you weren’t paying attention. Brendan and Siofra had decided to set up a separate greenhouse for the Fae plants, and Mikey wanted to be a part of that as well.
On Monday, the children went back to school. They came home at three-thirty, bringing Vannie, Josh and Shari-Beth’s friends Emma and Aidan with them.
“Emma’s the Swan, and Aidan’s the Sparrow,” Shari-Beth said when they followed her out to the training field. “Emma’s parents want her to learn to fight, because in their country, Swan Maidens are like selkies, and a man could steal her cloak and keep her prisoner. Aidan is tiny, and needs to learn to defend himself against bigger shifters, anyway.”
“I’m tiny, but I’m fast,” Aidan grinned. He was about a foot shorter than Shari-Beth, who was only five-eight.
“He would make a good thief, or a spy,” Luc said, staring contemplatively at Aidan. “People would be more likely to look past him, thinking he was still a child. He could go places he wasn’t supposed to and no one would give him a second glance. No one would think he was a threat. Unless they were properly trained themselves, of course. Then everyone’s a potential threat. We’ll train you,” Luc said to Aidan. “Bear in mind, though, that if you are good enough, I will recommend you to the Shifter Council. Be prepared to be offered a job as a spy or assassin when I am done with you.”
“Cool,” Aidan said.
“That sounds like you are thinking about staying around long term, Grandpa Luc,” Shari-Beth said.
“The Dragons, other Guardians and I have been talking. We are thinking about setting up a permanent training facility near here. It will take a while, but we can start with what we have here.”
“That’s cool,” Emma said. “Could we all keep being a part of the training?”
“As long as your parents agree to it, I think that is an excellent idea,” Luc said.
“You think there’s a reason for training us, don’t you?” Josh asked. He had been quiet up till now. “Is there a war coming?”
Luc considered the stocky Wolf Shifter before him.
“Let’s just say, that what is happening now is very disturbing, and that there have been other signs in other places that things might be changing soon. It is always good to know how to protect yourself and those you love.”
Josh nodded and stuck his hands in his pockets. He glanced around the field. Dex and Sean were already leading everyone through opening warm-up exercises. Marissa, Malia, Ian and Milena were sitting with Aldona on the patio, beginning their training in their psychic Gifts.
Luc led the Shifter youth over to Dex.
“Jump in,” he told them. They hurried to take their places in the line.
“I am enjoying this,” Luc said, quietly. “It’s good to feel useful again. I had forgotten how energizing it feels being around new recruits.”
Dex inclined his head.
“We are honored to have you working with us, Sir,” he replied.
On Wednesday, Ciaran received a message from the Fae Council. He stopped in the kitchen where Celine was feeding Nathaniel a mid-morning snack.
“I just heard from the Council. I have to go see them. I’ll be back before dinner.”
“Thank you, Ciaran,” Celine said.
“Good luck,” said Nathaniel.
The Fae council had two meeting places-one in the Earth realm and one in Faerie. They had summoned Ciaran to the Earth realm court. It moved from time to time, every few hundred years or so. It was currently in France, in the Loire Valley. The Fae had taken over a beautiful chateau near the Parc Naturel Régional Loire-Anjou-Touraine. Gorgeous, vibrant gardens graced the estate. The gardens were maintained by Fae loyal to the Council.
The Fae Council was made up of the leaders of the Seelie, Unseelie, Sluagh and delegates from each Fae race within those groups-the ones that wanted to take part, at any rate. In spite of the cultural differences between the groups involved, a meeting had not erupted into bloodshed for several years now. They were setting some sort of record, Ciaran was sure.
At the door to the Chateau de Fée (named by the locals, and it stuck) Ciaran was met by a tall Sidhe from one of the lesser houses who served as the butler of the house.
“Dodds,” Ciaran nodded.
“My Lord MacNamara, please come in. The Council will see you now.”
Ciaran followed Dodds through the open foyer and to a parlor on the ground floor. There was a fire burning in the large fireplace. Around the room, the members of the Council sat waiting.
“My Lords, My Ladies, may I present Lord Ciaran MacNamara,” Dodds announced. He stood to the side as Ciaran bowed.
“Come in, Ciaran,” said a tall, pale Sidhe noble with piercing blue eyes and long black hair pulled back into an elaborate braid bound by a leather cord with silver charms hanging from the end. Those charms contained spells for defense and protection.
“Lord Avran, Council,” Ciaran said. “Thank you for seeing me. As I mentioned in my previous communication, we have a more serious problem than a simple Fae Mage gone astray. It seems that the object this Mage is most likely after is the Crown of Oberon, which apparently is not missing as was previously thought. Oberon gave it to the Dragons and their Guardian descendants to protect and guard. Somehow, our Mage has discovered that they have it, and the identity of the family that guards the vault in which it is contained.”
“Really, Ciaran. The Crown of Oberon?” A Fae woman with ice blue hair and eyes to match spoke up. “Surely not. Why would Oberon’s Crown be given to the Dragons?”
“Lady Bevriel, King Oberon placed the Crown with the Dragons for the protection of all races and realms. He realized, when he started to fade, that it was too powerful and too dangerous to be used by any lesser Sidhe. I think we can agree that there has not been another Fae Mind Mage with King Oberon’s level of power and control since his passing.”
“Does the Crown truly do what it is said to do? Strengthen a Mind Mage’s power till they can control entire armies?” asked the Troll representative to the Council.
“Yes, the Dragons say that it does. It truly is as powerful as the stories say.”
“Well, then, short of destroying it, Oberon did the right thing,” an elderly Brownie woman declared. “I have no desire to be controlled by any war-dealing mind-bending mage. I enjoy having my free will, thanks.”
Ciaran smiled at her. “My Lady Janessa, it might interest you to know that there are two families of Brownies currently a part of this story. Rose Brown has been with the Guardian Family protecting the Crown for years, and was instrumental in protecting their heir, whose blood may possibly open the vault. Rachel and Declan Murphy, and their daughter Mollie, have adopted and protected the mate of the Thorndike’s heir, Theodore, and her family. It was Rachel who realized that someone had placed compulsion spells on Theo and his Bonded, and the Murphys who called for help when they realized that there was more at play here than a simple human plan.”
Lady Janessa smiled.
“What have you done so far to neutralize the human Mind Mage, and to discover the identity of the Fae Mage suspected to be behind it all?” Lord Avran asked.
“I have the Archivist and the Genealogist looking through all records pertaining to Sidhe families looking for anyone with the talent needed for the level of compulsions that we have seen. I am hoping that they are registered. However, the human Mind Mage was registered as
an Air Witch. No one knew that she was also a Mind Mage, with the exception of the uncle who raised her as his tool. It is suspected that the uncle, a member of the Witches’ Council, was under the direct influence of the Fae Mage.”
“There is also the possibility that this Fae is not pure Sidhe,” the Sluagh representative said.
“True, but if someone who was not pure Sidhe tried to use the Crown, it would drive them insane and most likely kill them at once. Painfully. There were safeguards built into the Crown. Really, only someone of Oberon’s line and with his talents and abilities has the hope of using the Crown, and only if they were strong enough. I do not know of anyone who fits that scenario.”
“What if the Fae we are aware of is working for someone else?”
“We will have to bear that in mind as a possibility,” Ciaran said. “That would mean, however, that there were two Fae Mind Mages involved, since the Crown only works on Oberon’s specific Mind Mage powers. It would not enhance any other type of power. And Mind Mages of any power are few. Keeping one hidden might be possible. More than that, I would say, would be extremely difficult.”
“Unless they were in the same family,” Lady Bevriel speculated. “How many children did Oberon have?”
“Quite a few, I am afraid,” an elderly Sidhe spoke up from the back. He stood slowly and moved towards the center of the room. Ciaran bowed low to the newcomer.
“Genealogist.”
“My Lord MacNamara. It was kind of you to bring this puzzle to my attention. It is good to have something to occupy my mind in my golden days.” His eyes twinkled with merriment.
“My pleasure, Your Grace.”
The Genealogist, Lord Cadfael, Duke of Sunholdt, continued.
“King Oberon had five children with Queen Titania, as they couldn’t seem to stay away from each other, to the detriment of all. He also had five children with his own wife, Queen Siobhéal. And then, as well, he had countless mistresses. Tracking all of his descendants would take an incredible working, I am afraid.”
“But it could be done,” Lord Avran mused. “It would help to have some of Oberon’s blood, of course, but maybe the blood of a true descendant would be enough?”
“Like human genealogy testing?” The pixie representative asked.
“Exactly. Where do you think they got the idea?” Lord Avran grinned evilly. The pixie grinned back.
“Well, we have a true descendant of King Oberon and Queen Titania right here,” Lady Bevriel said. The entire council turned to look at Ciaran. He groaned and held out his arm.
“Not now, boy!” Lord Cadfael laughed. “Come to my home when we are done here. We will do what what must done.”
“I have to ask, though, My Lords and Ladies,” Ciaran said. “Surely part of the testing and magical registering done at birth includes our bloodlines? Shouldn’t we already have this information?”
“Not necessarily, if we were not specifically looking for it. The usual testing just ensures that the babe is the child of the parents claiming it. Or identifies a child found without parents to a certain bloodline. But they are looking for close relatives. Not a specific royal line. If the line had started with an illegitimate child to begin with, no one would have thought to look. It also would be possible to block the test, or modify the results, if the person doing so was powerful enough and had a strong enough reason. Which is why we are not telling anyone what we are doing.”
“But all here in this room know, which means that others will find out,” Ciaran said.
“Careful, boy. You speak treason to this Council,” Lady Bevriel warned.
“He makes an excellent point, though,” Lord Avran said. “We will take a blood vow, to neither tell anyone of this meeting, what was discussed nor what was decided. We will also vow not to hinder this search in any way, shape or form, nor to ask anyone else to do so. Can anyone add anything else?”
The Council members all looked around at each other.
“Right. Then let it be done.”
Lord Avran stepped to a cupboard next to the fireplace and took out a silver bowl. Taking a small silver knife from his sleeve, he sliced it across his wrist. A few drops of blood fell slowly into the bowl. He passed the bowl to the next Council Member, who took out a knife of his own and cut into his own hand. One by one the bowl was passed to each member, then to Ciaran. Once everyone had added their blood, the bowl was handed to Lord Cadfael. Lord Cadfael held the bowl in both hands.
“Trwy dy waed yr wyf yn dy rwymo. Ni fyddwch yn siarad am yr hyn a ddywedwyd yma. Ni fyddwch yn siarad am yr hyn a benderfynwyd yma. Ni fyddwch yn rhwystro ein chwiliad mewn unrhyw ffordd, siâp na ffurth. Trwy dy waed yr wyf yn dy rwymo.
By your blood I bind thee. Thou will not speak of what was said here. Thou will not speak of what was decided here. Thou will not hinder our search in any way, shape or form. By your blood I bind thee.”
“You should have said ‘our blood’, old man, or do you not bind yourself as well?” The Red Cap representative asked.
“This spell binds all whose blood was spilled into this bowl, Ronan. Be assured.” Lord Cadfael turned to Lord Avran.
“Well, are we done? I have an important search to begin.”
Lord Avran inclined his head.
“Come on, lad.” Lord Cadfael left the room. Ciaran bowed to the Council members and followed him out.
23
Marissa was wrung out. She had practiced shielding with Devra, her Empathic Gift with Aldona, and fighting with her Grandpa Luc. Theo was not in much better shape. None of them were. At the same time, she felt oddly exhilarated. It felt good to be doing something, instead of sitting around waiting for answers. She turned off the shower and dried herself before stepping out. Theo was passed out on the bed as she entered the bedroom. Marissa smiled at him sleeping there. When all this was over, she fully intended to talk Malia and Tony into having a double hand fasting. Then the Caseys would show the world how to party.
“What are you grinning about?” Theo asked.
“I was just thinking that we should have a double handfasting with Malia and Tony, then throw the mother of all parties when this is over.”
Theo smiled. “Are you sure? Is that really what you want?” He asked her.
“I’m sure. I want our family to be together. First, we kick Clarice’s ass. Then we party.”
“I can agree with that,” Theo said.
Marissa sat down next to him on the bed. The duvet Granny Niamh had conjured was covered in a luxurious red, purple and turquoise silk cover.
“What do you think you will do when this is over?” Marissa asked Theo. “Do you think your Grandparents will want us to live with them? Become Guardians?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t really had a chance to talk about it. I enjoy being a Healer. I wasn’t fond of being undercover when I worked for the Witches’ Council. I want to be able to be home with you and the children wherever that is for us.” He turned to look at Marissa. “What do you want to do? Do you want to stay here, or would you want to move somewhere else? I want you to be happy. You have an amazing community and family here. We can travel, visit family, do whatever you want. I am content to keep this as home base if that is what you want. I like it here.”
Marissa brushed his dirty-blond curls off of his face.
“I think I would like to stay here, for now. Traveling in the summer sounds good, especially if the children are going to be in France for a month or two with Grandpa Luc and Grandma Marthe. Malia will be staying here, for the most part, since Tony needs to stay with the Pack. I only just have her back. I am not ready to move away from her yet. If ever.”
“I understand,” Theo said. “Besides, it seems like there is going to be a lot more action happening here from now on. I heard Luc talking about opening a Guardian training school here. With Allie’s powers being so strong, and all of the people who have stepped up to help, it seems like an outstanding idea. We both come from Guardian lines-we could be Healers t
o the Guardians! I think it would be cool for the children to grow up around that. It’s a part of our blood. Plus, how many kids can say they grew up with Dragons?”
“That’s just it, they couldn’t,” Marissa reminded him. “The Guardians are secret, remember?”
“But the Dragons aren’t. They’re just reclusive. If they set it up as a Dragon funded school, or a Fae school, because of Siofra and Brendan’s new business venture with the Fae plants, that could work. Anyway, I am sure they’ve had years, centuries, to figure out how to do this properly to protect everyone. Seriously, though. The training will be excellent for the children. And for us as well. I’m exhausted, but excited too, if that makes any sense. It feels great to actively work my body. I really enjoyed today-though I am pretty much sore all over.”
Marissa laughed.
“Go take a hot shower. Mama has arnica pills we can take, I’m sure. Maybe chamomile tea before bed to help us relax. I’m going downstairs.”
“I’ll come down when I’m clean,” Theo pushed himself up on his elbows, brushing his lips softly against hers.
Marissa bumped into Malia coming out of her apartment on the second floor as she headed down.
“Hey, I wanted to ask you….”
“If we could have a joint handfasting ceremony and killer party when this is all over? Done deal, Sissy.” They grinned at each other, then Malia gave her twin a quick hug. “This will be the biggest party Valerian’s Cove has ever seen! Let’s go tell Mama.”
Arms around each other, the twins went off to find Celine.
Ciaran was back in time for dinner. The Thorndikes, Susan and Frank were absent, having decided to eat in town at Ben Ma’s to catch up. Luc was eating with them. The Dragons and Fae all ate with the Caseys, as they were all living with them for the time being.
Broken Bonds (Valerian's Cove Book 2) Page 16