I rolled my eyes. “How can I forget her? She was fucking scary. But you’re right. She had a ruthlessness to her that made my skin crawl. The gods don’t have it, though, not like that. At least not the ones we’ve met.”
“I think the humans are closer to us in nature then the magic-born. At least the greatest among the magic-born. It seems an odd thing to say, but I’ve met quite a few higher-level witches and magicians and sorcerers. They all have that streak of callousness to them.”
“Kipa, Ember? Come back to the table, please.” Herne shoved his phone in his pocket. “I found a portal we can go through. It’s actually a local portal.”
“What do you mean, ‘local portal’?” I asked.
“The native people of this area created it. They also have portals throughout the state. We very seldom use them because we don’t like abusing our welcome. But I just called Quest Realto and she has contacts. There is a portal in Issaquah that leads to the Skykomish River. Very close to where we’re going. She also has friends who live up there—the portal keepers there. She called them and they’ll wait for us and provide us with a vehicle.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank the gods. That’s such good news. When do we leave?”
“I don’t want to go back to the office to pick up supplies. So I asked Quest if her friends could gather some things for me. You don’t have any of your weapons on you, do you?”
“No, and I want my sword. I saw myself in one of the visions carrying it. Actually in most of the visions. There’s some reason I need to take Brighid’s Flame with me.”
“All right. I’ll call Yutani and ask him to gather our weaponry and bring it to us. Quest said her friends can supply a tent and some gear for climbing, in case we need it.” Herne jumped up again, taking off to call Yutani. I glanced over at Raj. He looked lonely and frightened.
I knelt beside him and once again put my arms around his shoulders. “Would you like Angel to stay with you while we’re gone? We’re going to go find Raven now.”
Raj let out a little gulp. “Raj likes Angel. Raj lonely, so Angel will stay with Raj?”
“Angel will stay with Raj, yes.” I called Angel and asked her to come over to stay with Raj. “We’ll be gone, but Kipa will leave his key under the mat.” I glanced over to where Kipa was standing. I walked over to his side. “Leave your key under the mat for Angel. She’ll come stay with Raj. You certainly kept Raven and Raj’s secret.”
“Of course I did. That he can speak wasn’t my secret to tell.” He paused, and I could see the fear in his eyes. “I think I love her. I mean, I know I do. It’s still hard to say and to be honest, neither one of us has said the words to each other. But…”
“But the fact is, you have fallen in love with Raven?”
He nodded. “I don’t think she’s ready to hear it yet. And that’s fine, I can wait. But I can’t stand to think of someone out there hurting her. She never wants me to interfere, at least not without her instigating it, so I stood back when she went to the club with you. It wasn’t my place to stop her, but I wish I had. I wish I had argued with her, even made her angry. Just…something, anything so she wouldn’t have become a target. I feel like my heart is a second away from shattering.”
I rested my hand on his arm. “We’ll get her back. We have to get her back. She’s our Raven. Raj can’t make it without her.”
Herne interrupted. “Yutani and Angel are on the way with our weapons and some prepacked camping gear that we always keep ready. Grandfather, it’s time to tell us what we need to know about Pandora. How do we defeat her? How do we get Raven away from her?”
Mount Bracken was located a few miles from the trailhead leading into Lake Serene. The portal that would lead us to the area was located in the yard of one of the portal keepers named Gatsby. He had been named after the literary character by his bibliophile mother. Quest told Herne that Gatsby was half dwarf, half human. While his people would accept him better than the Fae would accept a half-breed, he preferred to live on his own, away from his father’s people. She didn’t tell Herne why, and he wasn’t about to ask.
Yutani and Angel made it over to Raven’s house in record time, and they had brought my sword and several weapons for Herne and Viktor. Yutani had obviously wanted to go along, but Herne told him no.
“If you go, the chaos from your heritage combined with the chaos from Pandora could wreak havoc. I can’t take the chance that she might be able to use you as conduit. She’s a goddess, remember.”
“I may have only found out about it, but I’m the son of a god.” Yutani stared at Herne, and I almost thought he was challenging him, but then he shrugged and looked away. “I’ll take care of the office with Talia. The three of you be careful.”
“We will,” I said, clapping him on the shoulder as I walked past, following Herne out to his Expedition. I turned to Llewellyn, who had crossed the street when he saw us exiting the house. “Watch over Raj for now. Angel’s here and she’ll keep you company. I’m hoping we’ll be home by tonight, but there’s no way of telling.”
“Let’s get moving,” Morgana said. She climbed in the second row of seats, and Merlin gingerly sat next to her. Viktor and Kipa sat in the back. I rode shotgun.
As we took off, I glanced over the back seat at Merlin. “It just occurred to me, you were around long before cars were ever dreamt of. What did you think when you saw technology emerging?”
He stared at me for a moment. “Quite honestly, it just seemed like a different form of magic. Magic for the non-magical. And though technology did push those of us who work with magical energy into a corner, it also gave us room to regroup and plan out how much we wanted to be involved in the new emerging societies. I will say that modern medicine is a whole lot better than relying on leeches and amputations.” As abruptly as he spoke, he stopped, looking back out the window to indicate the conversation was over. I glanced at Morgana and she shrugged, rolling her eyes. Oh yes, there were definitely family issues at play here.
The road to Issaquah was packed, I-405 was a tangle of cars, but we made it through after passing several accidents. I remembered that there was a Mariners game today over in Seattle, and southbound to I-90 was a mess with people heading across the bridge to the stadium.
Once we cleared I-90, we continued until the exit to Issaquah. Issaquah was a smallish city, but it ran right into Renton and Redmond, and like all the bedroom communities on the Eastside, it was an unending stretch of city interspersed with large patches of trees and greenery. It was kind of an old-fashioned town with a rustic feel downtown, but beneath that studied rustic demeanor lie the heart of a trendy hipster community.
Gatsby Jones lived up in the Issaquah Highlands, on Harrison Drive NE. His house was a small ranch on a large lot, in sharp contradiction to the McMansions that crowded together on a sprawling development.
We pulled into the driveway, and I saw the requisite twin oaks in the backyard. Actually, a portal could be between other trees than oak trees, but they were the most common. As we tumbled out of Herne’s car, a sturdy man about five-five stepped out onto the porch of the house. It was neatly kept, small but tidy, and it looked as though he had put a lot of work into the upkeep. The yard was meticulous, which surprised me given he was half dwarf. Dwarves weren’t known for their gardening skills.
Herne strode forward, holding out his hand. “Gatsby, I presume?”
“Aye, that’s my name. Quest said you’d be on the way. I’ve got the portal ready for you. You’ll come out in the yard of the portal keepers who own the lot next to the trailhead. They keep watch over it year-round. They’ll have a vehicle gassed up and ready to go for you.”
He didn’t ask what we wanted, but that was no surprise. The portal keepers were there to serve, not to enquire beyond making sure of who was using the portal.
“Thank you kindly,” Herne said. “We appreciate this. What are the names of your friends who will be waiting for us?”
“Niles and L
eila Greentree. They’re part of the Elemental Fae—forest dryads.”
“I thought that dryads couldn’t touch any form of metal, at least not easily,” I said. I held up my hand. “Ember Kearney, at your service.”
Gatsby grinned as he shook my hand with a firm, seasoned grip. “Nay, lass. I can tell why you might think that, but you’re water Fae yourself, at least part of you. I can smell the ocean on you. You should know more about the Elemental Fae.”
I shrugged, blushing. “Let’s just say I’m not up on all of my kin.”
“Well then, you have a thing or two to learn. Anyway, they’ll have whatever equipment they could pull together. I see you’ve brought some of your own.”
Viktor had been unloading the car, and I turned to see a pile of gear on the ground. Viktor began hoisting packs over his shoulder, and he handed me Serafina, my bow, and quiver of arrows, and my sword. I slung my bow and quiver over my shoulder and fastened the sheath for my sword around my waist on my belt. Herne fastened his sword around his waist, and he slung his own bow over his shoulder. Morgana and Merlin held out their hands and staves appeared, shimmering into their palms. Kipa picked up a large hammer from the pile and tested it against a rock, cracking it with one solid blow. He closed his eyes, and suddenly four wolves appeared, massive creatures that padded over to his side.
“You look ready to me,” Gatsby said. “I wish you luck on your quest. I’ll be here when you return and I’ll take care of your car until then. You’d better keep the key, but if you have a spare one I can move it into the garage.”
Herne unfastened a spare key from his keychain and tossed it to the half dwarf. “Thank you, Gatsby. We’re ready.”
I glanced overhead. “What time is it, before we go?”
“It’s going on two, Ms. Kearney.” And with that Gatsby held his hands out to the trees and between the oaks a large vortex appeared, crackling with brilliant blue energy. It sizzled and sputtered around us, and if I hadn’t known what to expect I would have been afraid that I would be electrocuted. Instead, though, I had become an old hand at this. With Herne and me leading the way, we headed through the portal, followed by the others.
Chapter Nineteen
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but we came through onto a rough-and-tumble looking lot. As we stood there, sorting ourselves, a couple hurried to meet us. They weren’t regular Fae. They reminded me of the Elves in Annwn. Niles and Leila Greentree were as ethereal as Gatsby had been solid and sturdy. But someone was waiting with them, and I immediately recognized Trinity.
“Welcome,” Leila said, staring at me with wide eyes. But there was no judgment in her expression, simply surprise. “Gatsby said you’d need an SUV and some supplies. We have one ready for you. I hope that will work.”
“As long as it can make it up Mount Bracken, we’re good,” Herne said. “Hey, Trinity.”
I glanced at Herne, a question on my lips.
He glanced at Viktor, Kipa, and me. “Trinity knows the countryside all around here. I asked him to come with us. He’s an excellent scout.”
“And spy,” I said, a faint smile on my lips. “At least this time we know why he’s here.”
Herne sighed. “I am not letting you run off to places like Fire & Fang without sending someone along I can trust.”
“I was with Yutani,” I said, narrowing my eyes.
“And I love Yutani, but he does carry chaos on his shoulders. He can’t help his lineage, but the more it comes out, the more cautious we’re going to have to be until he settles into his birthright. The Great Coyote doesn’t deliberately trip up most people—well, some he does, but not most. But his presence alone brings havoc down on the shoulders of those he’s around.”
“Pardon me for interrupting, but Ms. Kearney, Trinity definitely knows the lay of the land around here. You’re lucky he’s with you,” Niles said.
Trinity caught my gaze and flashed me a subtle grin. His long dark hair was caught back in a braid and I realized his heavily lined eyes were just normal—it wasn’t eyeliner after all. He was wearing a pair of black and olive zebra–striped stretch pants, a black leather jacket that was fully zipped, and a pair of heavy steel-toed boots.
“You, I know.” Trinity gave Viktor a nod. “How do you do?”
Viktor held out a meaty hand. “How do.”
Trinity shook it, then said, “I’m Trinity. He/him, if you’re wondering.” He paused, glancing at Niles. “I’m ready.”
“Do we really need a guide?” I asked Herne. It wasn’t that I didn’t want Trinity along, it was that Herne was… I paused in my thoughts. Herne’s doing what he feels is best as leader of the group. It was too late to pull back my question, but I resolved to be a little less ready to jump on my boyfriend’s back.
“Yes, you do need a guide,” Trinity interrupted. “Trust me. Mount Bracken is haunted, for one thing, and for another, there are dangers there that you won’t be likely to spot until it’s too late. I can see the signs because I’ve traversed these mountains for hundreds of years. There are reasons why fifty-five hikers never returned from their day trips over the past fifteen years.”
I fell silent, staring at Trinity. With a slow nod, I said, “Thank you, then, for agreeing to go with us.”
Niles motioned for us to follow him. As we crossed the wide lawn, I looked around. The forest encroached on three sides. To the front, before a line of trees, the highway ran past. We were near the junction where Mt. Index Road turned off from the highway, right before a bridge crossed the South Fork Skykomish River.
“Just pull out onto the highway and turn right. Cross the bridge and a few moments later you’ll come to the Chinook River Expeditions property. If you see their driveway, you’ve gone too far. Directly before you get to their land, there’s a small access road that will lead you through the forest to a one-lane bridge over the North Fork Skykomish River. You’ll come out on the Old Gold Bar–Index Road.”
Herne was following on his GPS map. “Right, I see it.”
“Turn left at the next turn. You’ll approach the Lower Town Wall cliff, at which point you’ll find another small access road to one side of the climbing wall. It will lead you to the top. From there, the access road bends northeast, toward Mount Bracken. Continue on. The drive should take about half an hour to reach a second access road—this one’s marked Access Road 348. The going will be slow—the grade is steep and the road is full of potholes and rocks. The drive up the side of the mountain takes about thirty minutes. Be cautious. I chose a low-rise vehicle so you don’t tip over from being top-heavy. If you forget my instructions, Trinity can lead you.” Niles handed Herne the keys as we approached the SUV. It was a Subaru.
Herne motioned for Viktor to stow our gear, and we climbed in, with Kipa sitting between Morgana and Merlin, and Trinity and Viktor squeezing into the back. It would be a tight return with Raven, but I had the feeling Morgana could just blink herself back home if need be. We said our good-byes and headed out, across the bridge.
The Skykomish River was popular for rafting, and kayakers abounded during the summer months when the water wasn’t running high and dangerous. Salmon and trout filled the waterways, and fishermen lined the banks during fishing season.
There were two main forks to the river—the south and the north forks—and both had a number of tributaries branching off of them. Some of the stream names were evocative—like Troublesome Creek and Goblin Creek. The river was at the heart of an environmental controversy, with the local PUD wanting to build a hydroelectric project in the South Fork, and environmentalists and locals objecting that the project would destroy spawning grounds and disrupt the ecological balance of the area.
In the car, no one said much of anything, including Trinity. I glanced back, but all I could see was that he had taken out a tablet and was glued to something on it. I wanted to ask what he was doing, but decided to hold off.
We passed through the tall timber lining both sides of the river and sure enough,
once over the bridge, it was only a short distance to the access road. Herne took a left, and we passed through a short patch of forest, coming out on the wide branch of the North Fork. There was a narrow one-lane bridge that led across a sand bar in the river to the Old Gold Bar–Index Road that ran parallel to a set of even older train tracks.
Crossing the tracks, we found the access road that led through the bare cliffsides that climbers referred to as the Lower Town Wall. The cliff face wasn’t terribly high, but it was extremely steep and climbers came here to challenge themselves. We passed several of them who were crossing from the parking lot over to the base of the wall, roped up and ready to go.
The access road leading to the top, then past the Upper Town Wall—yet another more challenging bare cliff—wasn’t well maintained, and as we chugged up the steep grade, I found myself grateful we weren’t in Herne’s Expedition. Any top-heavy vehicles could easily tip here, and roll down the embankment.
About three miles past the wall, we were headed up the back route to Mount Bracken, a jagged hill rising out from the treeline. I glanced up at the top. It was barren and bleak, with patches of snow left in places, and I realized it looked oddly familiar to me.
“I think…I’ve been here. The visions—we’re nearing where they took place.” I caught my breath, staring out of the window. “Why do you think Pandora brought her out here?”
Morgana looked up at Mount Bracken. “That would be a good place for—” She stopped, glancing back at Trinity.
“Say what you like,” Trinity said, not even looking up from his tablet. “I’m not interested in much of what goes on outside my sphere.”
Morgana paused, then shrugged. “It would be a good place for Typhon to settle when he comes in. Or for other dragons. I wonder…”
I felt an alarm go off in the pit of my stomach. “You think he’s going to establish outposts?”
“It would make sense, wouldn’t it?” Herne said. He paused, then said, “I’m going to just get something over with and out into the open. Trinity, heads up.”
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