Giant's Daughter

by Jennifer Allis Provost

“Aye, that he was. Gods rise and fall, much like empires do, and many of the old ones went to ground waiting for the right time to reemerge.” Da paused, and added, “Perhaps this Crom grew tired of waiting and decided to make his own fortune, and that was how he fell in with Fionnlagh.”

  “More like my brother was unsatisfied with his place in the world, and sought to steal that which wasn’t his,” Maelgwyn muttered, then he cocked his head to the side, his outstretched arm keeping Da and me from advancing. “Do you hear that?”

  “I don’t hear anything,” I began, then I realized what he meant. “The keening. It’s gone.”

  “Quiet as the tomb now,” Da said. “Stand aside, Udane. I want to know who lays their head in such a desolate place.”

  The ground rumbled. “When did Ireland last suffer a quake?” I demanded.

  “The earth shakes all the time,” Da said. “Most don’t notice.”

  A fourth voice rumbled, “But you do?”

  The question emanated from all around us, pulsing through the rock cut walls and coursing up our legs from the ground. I glanced at Maelgwyn; his shocked face told me he knew as much about what was happening as I did.

  “Are you Crom Cruach?” I asked the void.

  “Crom Cruach?” the voice repeated. The cavern shook. “What do you think you know of Crom Cruach?”

  The cavern went from a gentle tremble to nearly a full quake, as the walls shook and the tile floor rippled beneath out feet. Pebbles and sand rained down from the ceiling, and for a single heart-stopping moment I feared this cavern would also be our crypt. Then a being raised himself up at the far end of the cavern, and I truly felt fear.

  The being was made of mud and stone, and its form was vaguely in the shape of a man. His head was like a boulder with a chasm that served as a mouth, and the deep pockets of his eyes were lit by the same sickly green light that had illuminated the watery crypt. He was taller and broader than Da, and something told me he was stronger, too. Any being that could best the Bodach in combat, fair or otherwise, belonged in a dark hole in the earth, banished from everyone and everything he could hurt.

  “Crom,” Maelgwyn said. Apparently this monster was indeed the one we’d come to find. “It has been a long time.”

  “Summer King,” Crom growled. “Why have you disturbed my rest?”

  “You haven’t been resting long, have you?” I asked. “Seven years, or thereabouts?”

  The creature fixed me in its gaze. “Who questions me?”

  Remembering every lesson Mum had given me about behaving like a queen even when I didn’t feel like one, I lifted my chin. “I am the Queen of Winter.”

  “Are you, now,” Crom said, looking me over as one would a horse at market. “I remember you having nicer tits.”

  Frost bloomed in my clenched fist. “I am not Beira.”

  Crom grunted. “Did you kill her?”

  I narrowed my eyes. “What if I had?”

  “When did you last see my brother?” Maelgwyn demanded.

  Crom didn’t take his gaze from me. “I did not know you had a brother. Is he as stupid as you are?”

  “Fionnlagh didn’t bring you souls in exchange for power?” I asked. “You didn’t help him become the Seelie King?”

  “Who accuses me of such?” Crom demanded. “I need not beg for souls! My tributes of flesh and spirit come willingly!”

  “Of that I have no doubt.” I stepped closer to Da, and said, “We’ve been lied to.”

  “So it appears, lass,” Da said. “Get behind me.”

  “Da, I can—”

  “Get behind me,” Da roared. No sooner had he put himself in front of me when Crom raised his rocky fists over his head, then he doubled over to strike the floor.

  No longer pebbles and sand, rocks and boulders now rained down onto us.

  Maelgwyn threw his magic above us, creating an umbrella that shielded us from the bulk of the debris. “Run! Now!”

  I threw a handful of cold at Crom’s feet, freezing him to the floor, then I grabbed Da’s hand. “We go together!”

  “Aye,” Da yelled, then he threw Maelgwyn over his shoulder and we ran as if there was fire at our backs. We splashed through the swampy water, slipping and sliding on the tile and uttering every curse we knew, none us cursing as loudly as Maelgwyn.

  When we’d made it across the water and reached the church’s basement, and Da set Maelgwyn on his feet.

  “How—How dare you,” Maelgwyn spluttered. “To haul me—me!—off like a sack of potatoes!”

  “You’re not as fast as me, or my lass,” Da said. “If I hadn’t grabbed you Crom would have snapped your skinny back in two.”

  “I have my magic to protect me.”

  “Is it stronger than Crom’s?” When Maelgwyn didn’t answer, Da continued, “That’s right, we have no idea which of you is stronger. I’ve precious few allies in the world, and I’m not about to let one of them end up as Crom’s toothpicks.”

  Maelgwyn looked down his nose, and asked, “You consider me an ally?”

  “You fathered my lass, therefore you’re kin,” Da began, then the cave erupted behind us. Crom came up through the floor and smashed the ceiling, causing the crypt to collapse onto us. Big hands pushed me forward, and Maelgwyn and I sprawled onto the floor. Caskets and bones tumbled from their shelves, covering us in bones and old rotted wood. I pulled on the protection spell I’d cast earlier and formed it into a magic bubble. It saved us from being buried by the dead, with the dead.

  The dust and bones settled, and I dropped the bubble. “Are you all right?” Maelgwyn asked.

  “I am,” I replied, then I realized that only Maelgwyn and I were on the crypt’s floor.

  “Da,” I called. “Da!”

  I jumped up and picked my way through the rubble toward the mouth of the cave. The passage to the cavern was blocked by a boulder the size of a cottage. I sent forth a tendril of magic, seeking answers about what lay beyond the boulder. My magic told me that the entire cavern had collapsed in on itself.

  “Da.” I slumped to my knees, my hands on the stone that had crushed my Da. My sweet, noble, big-hearted Da.

  “He saved us.” Maelgwyn stood beside me, his hand on my shoulder. “His last act was caring for you.”

  The earth shook again, but this tremor was localized to the rubble from the collapsed ceiling. With a mighty yell Da stood up from underneath the massive stones and pushed them off and behind him. He’d only just dropped the last of them when I flung myself into his arms.

  “I am stronger,” Da said over my shoulder. “Faster than you, Udane, and stronger than that stone beast.”

  “Don’t ever do that again,” I said into his neck.

  “Don’t do what? Save you?” Da patted my back. “I thought you kent by now that the most important mission in my life is to keep my lass safe.”

  I gave him a final squeeze, then I stepped back. “We should go before Crom demands a rematch.”

  “Aye, and we need to ask Angus what he’s been up to,” Da said.

  “Agreed,” Maelgwyn said, then he indicated Da should go first. “Strength before wisdom, Bod.”

  “Aye, and don’t you be forgettin’ it.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Chris

  AFTER ROB EXPLAINED to me how many regular families occupied the Seelie portion of Elphame, he and I were of one mind: we needed to stop Crom Cruach before any innocents were hurt. Figuring out his ultimate objective could wait until after Elphame’s residents were safe.

  Rob went into the bedroom to wake Rina, and ask her to send us to Ireland so we could track down Anya. He reemerged a moment later, frowning.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked. “Is it the baby?”

  “Faith is well,” Rob replied. “Your sister, however, has taken a turn for the worse.”

  I walked past Rob into the bedroom, and saw Rina lying flat on her back in bed, her arms outstretched to either side. Her skin was ashen and she had a fever, evidenced by
the sweat-soaked hair plastered against her forehead and cheek. I remembered her stuffy nose from earlier, and realized she hadn’t been crying. She was sick.

  “It’s the flu, or something like the flu,” I said, remembering the many times I’d taken care of Rina when we were younger. It always started with a headache, and ended with her in bed for a few days. “It always hits her hard and fast, but never lasts longer than a day or two.”

  “Chris?” Rina asked, her voice weak. “This sucks.”

  “I know it does. I’ll get a cool washcloth for you.”

  I went into the bathroom, and dampened a washcloth. When I returned Rob was sitting on the bed next to Rina, holding her hand. He took the washcloth from me and dabbed at her cheeks.

  “The feared walker, felled by a humble sickness,” Rob said.

  “I don’t think anyone fears me,” Rina mumbled.

  “Then they have no’ seen ye angry,” Rob said, and she laughed a bit. “As ye can see, Christopher, I am no’ going anywhere.”

  “Go, I’ll be fine,” Rina said, then she started coughing.

  “She does this, too,” I said. “Claims she’s fine, then she refuses to stay in bed and get better.”

  Rina threw a tissue at me. It fluttered menacingly before landing on top of the blankets. “Stop telling Robert all my secrets.”

  “Get some rest, and I will.” I turned to Rob, and said, “I’ll head back to the Winter Palace. Come by when everyone’s healthy.”

  “I shall. Godspeed, Christopher.”

  AS I WALKED BACK TO the gate to Elphame, I thought about what Rob had told me. There were people in Elphame. Families. I have to admit he was right; I’d never thought of Elphame as anything other than a land of trickster fairies, and while there were plenty of those there were also regular folks living their lives. Now that I knew there were families, I understood why Rob insisted we fight for the Seelie Court. Hell, if there’s just one family, or even one single innocent person, that’s enough to fight for.

  I also wondered what else my prejudices were blinding me to about Elphame. Granted, my first experience with the realm had been horrific, but so many good things had happened to me since then. There was Anya, the single best person I have ever met, and I really don’t know if I ever would have spoken to her if it wasn’t for Elphame. When Nicnevin had enthralled me to her, I’d gotten the side effect of being able to see through glamours. Fast forward a few months to Rina’s Geology 101 class, and I instantly noticed the fae girl among the students. A beautiful, mesmerizing fae girl, and despite the fact she was fae I needed to learn everything about her. I’m so glad I did.

  I now know that Anya isn’t fae, and that Beira had sent Anya to watch over Rina in New York. That in itself was suspect, because Beira never did anything without having an ulterior motive or three. Evil mothers in law aside, I decided to set aside some time and reexamine my stance on Elphame. These prejudices would only end up hurting me, and Anya, which meant I needed to deal with my issues sooner rather than later.

  I turned onto Buchanan Street and stepped inside Remy’s Place. Despite the very late hour, it was packed as always. The titular bartender winked at me, filled a glass half full with absinthe and set it below the countertop water reservoir. A moment later he balanced a pierced silver spoon across the top of the glass, added a sugar cube, and opened the fountain’s spigot to a slow drip. As the clear, cold water dissolved the sugar cube and dripped into the acid green liquor, I found myself wondering if the water was melted snow.

  “Here you are, m’lord,” Remy said as set the finished drink on the bar. The glass and spoon had the delicate feel of antiques, the former so thin I worried I’d break it.

  “I’m no lord. Thanks for the drink.” Once, I asked Remy why he poured whisky when we arrived from the Winter Palace, but switched to absinthe for the return trip. He’d claimed a good bartender never gave up his secrets, and I hadn’t asked again. I don’t need a liquor-related curse following me around this world or Elphame. I took the glass and headed toward the back room, when the bartender called after me.

  “Sir,” Remy called. I guessed that was better than lord. I turned around, and saw him holding up the ornate silver absinthe spoon. “Don’t forget your spoon.”

  “Why?” I asked as I accepted the spoon. “Is it magical, like a key?”

  He grinned. “Not in the least, but they do clang around the bottom of the dishwasher. I like to keep ‘em where they’re needed, you ken?”

  “I ken. Thanks again.” I stuck the spoon in my jacket pocket, then I headed toward the beaded curtain in the back. I downed the absinthe, pushed the beads aside, then I stepped out of Glasgow and into the Winter Palace.

  “Whoa.” I set the absinthe glass in a niche carved into the ice wall, and grabbed the shot of whisky that someone had thoughtfully placed inside. I didn’t know if I’d ever get used to the trip from the bar to the palace, and vice versa. It wasn’t a smooth transition like traveling via Rina’s portals, not that I was ever going to bring that up to Anya. Some things were best left unsaid.

  I wandered through the palace, all the while fingering the aquila in my pocket. It was too soon to summon the Ninth for help against Crom Cruach, mainly because we didn’t have a battle to point them toward. Legionnaires without an upcoming battle were just a bunch of guys standing around looking for a fight, and I didn’t need them accidentally tangling with Anya’s brothers. I’d just decided to track down Lucius and tell him what I’d learned about Crom and ask his advice when I heard the Bodach’s rumbling voice, followed by a string of curses from Anya.

  Great. I hoped Bod wasn’t destroying the rest of the palace. We did need someplace to sleep. I followed the voices, and found the two of them and Maelgwyn standing in the corridor adjacent to the throne room.

  “Hey, everyone,” I greeted. They turned toward me, and every one of them seemed miserable. They were covered in dust and debris, and Bod had bits of stone in his beard. He hadn’t been so filthy when we’d pulled him out of the ground at Glen Lyon. “I take it things didn’t go so well in Ireland.”

  “Crom almost buried us alive,” Anya replied. “If not for Da—”

  She looked at Maelgwyn, but he seemed unaffected by Anya referring to Bod as her father. “If not for Da he would have succeeded,” she finished.

  “Are you all right?” I asked.

  “I am. We all are.”

  My heart was in my throat. Anya was nearly invincible, especially in winter, but she almost hadn’t come back to me. “Thank you,” I said to Bod, then I approached Anya. “What do you need from me?”

  “What I need is to find the fuath that lied to me, make his body corporeal, freeze him solid and bury him in ice,” she snapped. “Fionnlagh was never in league with Crom! That creature wanted Crom to finish us off!”

  “Rob mentioned as much,” I said. “I guess we should have talked to him first. What happened with the children?”

  Anya glanced at Maelgwyn. “They were not in Crom’s lair.”

  “I guess that’s a good thing, in its own way. What do we do next?”

  “I for one shall locate Angus, and find out what he knows about the missing dahm coroin,” Bod said. “We’ll get your property returned to you, Udane, safe and sound.”

  Maelgwyn nodded, then Bod lumbered off toward the kitchens. I imagined a giant must need to ingest a large amount of food. His sons certainly did.

  “He didn’t even apologize for what he did to the throne room,” I said, not mentioning how Bod had almost killed me and injured members of the Ninth Legion.

  “Don’t hold your breath waiting for one.” Anya kicked off her shoes and scowled at the chunks of mud that came off with them. “Sarmi will have my head for this mess. I’m off to a bath.”

  Anya squeezed my hand, and I watched her walk toward the stairs. That left me alone in the corridor with the Unseelie King. I realized then that he hadn’t said a word since I arrived, and when I faced him I understood why; his
face was drawn and his shoulders slumped. He was devastated. He’d pinned all of his hopes on finding his children with Crom and bringing them home, and that hadn’t happened.

  “Let’s sit for a bit,” I said, and Maelgwyn followed me into the first floor study. It was set up like a Victorian men’s club, complete with oak paneled walls lined with bookcases, a fireplace, and rich leather furniture. Anya had indulged my whims in many parts of the palace, but this room was by far my favorite. The cabinet Sarmi kept stocked with single malt whisky and writing materials only increased my good opinion of the study.

  Maelgwyn sat in front of the now-cold fireplace, and I poured us two glasses of whisky. I handed one to him, and said, “I’m sorry you didn’t find them.”

  “Ah, well.” He downed the whisky. “It was a foolish hope.”

  “It wasn’t.” I refilled his glass, and claimed the opposite chair. “What if they had been there? You had to find out, one way or the other.”

  “And I almost got my sole living child killed in the process.”

  “But, you didn’t. And now you know of another place where they aren’t.” I fingered the edge of my glass. “If you ever want to look for them someplace else, I will help you. If you want me to.”

  “Anya tells me you are the one who takes after your mother, the volva. Do you have a touch of foresight?”

  “Not exactly. My sister thinks I understand the past, rather than the future.”

  “Karina is a dear heart. How is the child?”

  “Faith is good.” I almost mentioned Karina’s flu, but Maelgwyn was already in a delicate place. Hearing that Rina was less than one hundred percent healthy might push him over the edge. “Anyway, since Rina’s the smartest person I know and usually right about everything, I’ve been thinking about understanding the past. I can’t find out where your children are now, but maybe, once I get a handle on this volv business, I’ll be able to see where they’ve been. That should point us in the right direction.”

  “You would do that for me?”

  “Of course.”

  Maelgwyn set down his glass and took both of my hands in his. “Christopher, thank you. That you would help me locate my missing children means everything to me.” He paused, and added, “Even if what I fear most is true and they no longer live, my heart rests easier knowing that Anya has chosen you.”