“Damn,” Ryder said as he awarded me with a crooked smile.
“Didn’t you feed her, Ryder?” Alden asked as he looked past me to Ryder. “She’s only this grumpy when she’s hungry.”
“I don’t feed her anymore,” he said as he gave me a smoldering look that was loaded with lust. “She’s my meal, but she no longer feeds from me.”
“Try it anyway. Maybe find her a doughnut or something,” Alden offered before he turned back to me. “I’ll be here, I promise. Don’t go wiping out the Guilds; it would be total chaos without them in place. The Fae would declare it open season on the Humans.”
“They already have in Spokane,” I said as I exhaled. “Luckily Vlad sent out a warning which seems to have lessened the instances of open attacks on the Humans. I’m sure he and Adrian will be effective in stopping the Fae until we can we create another Guild and place you back in lead of it. But, Alden, I think the one you run—that we help you run—it shouldn’t be a part of the actual Guild. I have an idea for one, and once things calm down enough, we will talk about it and see if it’s something that’s workable.”
“I’m in,” he said with a soft smile. I shook my head and started to argue that he should at least hear the details, but he held up his hand. “Listen to me, Synthia. I’m not the young man I used to be and I’m not immortal. I’ve given the Guild the best years of my life and what I’ve done under the guise of it is something I can’t forgive myself for. The Guild would retire me—even if you managed to somehow make them see that I’m not guilty of the charges, they would retire me. Think of it for a moment; just for allowing the Demon free reign in the Guild they would have retired me. Oh, he was wandering around inside the Guild long before I was aware of it. All the Guild Elders will see is that I knew he was there, even if it was to protect me. I helped him and didn’t report it. So as a proud man, I need to walk away from them with as much dignity that I can. So yes, if you have a plan for a safe haven, and a way to protect the innocents that isn’t linked to the Guild, I’m in.”
I smiled. “You’re not immortal, Alden, not yet.” I left him with that thought as I turned and left him gawking on the comfy bed, knowing he wouldn’t be able to follow me.
“You realize you just told him that you plan to make him immortal, and then left?” Ryder asked as we walked into main hallway.
“It’s not his choice,” I said and then heard my own words. “He can make it, but only if he makes the right one.” I smirked.
“He won’t choose immortality.”
“He will, and here’s why, Ryder. He’s not done living, and he needs to atone for his sins. That’s how he thinks. He thinks he slaughtered—well, sent thousands of Witches and Warlocks to the slaughter and now he wants to atone for it. He’s not a young man, but he isn’t that old either. He’s not done living. He’s the only link I have to that world, and we need him.”
“You just threatened to wipe out the Guilds,” he said as he turned to look at me as he handed Cade off to Darynda.
“And I meant it. If they kill him for the Spokane Guild, I’ll show them what true evil looks like. He’s the only reason I’m willing to fix the bond between the Fae and the other Guilds. I don’t think Fae should be in the Human world, so I would see no reason not to recall them back to Faery. We fix this world and recall the Fae, which would end the war, period. They’d have no one to fight and the reason for their existence would cease to be. But, Ryder, if they hurt someone I love, they will in fact cease to exist. You and I both know that the Gods are aware of what is happening, and that Danu created the Mages—inadvertently—but they are Changelings, which means they are Fae.”
“You’ve thought this through,” he said, wisely not arguing the fact.
“I have. Not because I wish them harm, but because I’m tired of being on the losing end. Alden doesn’t deserve their accusations. Not after everything he’s done for them; everything he’s lost because of them. Marie said a long time ago that each of the Witches and Warlocks were special, and that each held the Guild up. Alden singlehandedly held the Spokane Guild together and he’s lost a lot because of it. He deserves their respect, not their accusations.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
We sifted in before the masses arrived. The ice that had frozen the Tree had been slowly spreading down the base and now covered the roots and the ground immediately surrounding the Tree. The rich scent of sandalwood was in the air, and I let it filter through me. My handmaidens walked behind me as I moved closer, and then we all stopped. There were a lot of other trees surrounding the largest one, and I knew for a fact they hadn’t been here last night.
The Fairies worked tirelessly as they tried to save the Tree. They hadn’t made a difference in the ice, as every time they thawed a small piece, thicker ice replaced it. I exhaled a shaky breath and turned to look at Ryder, who was scouting the area with sharp eyes.
“Feel anyone else?” I asked, knowing that the lesser Castes would soon be here, and while they would be a show of force, they were weaker than the others here.
“No,” he said and turned his obsidian eyes on me. I watched as they glittered with the challenge facing us. I knew Ryder loved challenges. I was a challenge he’d enjoyed winning. This one, however…This one, everything was riding on. This was a big one, and we both knew it.
“We can do this,” I whispered breathlessly. Anxiety was a bitch. I had it. I had so much of it right now. “We can do this, Ryder; tell me we can do this.”
“We can do this,” he said softly, and I believed him. “You can do this; you’re one of the strongest women I know. You have escaped my grasp on many occasions. You stand up to the Horde King, and you make the beast purr like a kitten lapping at cream. I have no doubt that together we can save our children’s lives and fix this mess. With you at my side as my Queen, there is nothing we cannot do together.”
I turned to watch as the Shadow Warriors sifted in behind Adam and the Dark Court. Their cloaks were silver, but the moment they caught the light, they turned black as the shadows they were named for. Adam walked proudly between his parents, his eyes on me and the Tree that stood in frozen stillness behind me.
“We brought as many people as we could without leaving the Dark Kingdom vulnerable to an attack,” Adam said as his tri-colored green eyes watched me. “I hate not knowing what you’re feeling. I’d grown so used to it that I feel I’ve lost a piece of myself without it.”
“I’m terrified,” I whispered. “I’m glad you came, and I’m also glad to have my best friend at my side for this, Adam,” I said as a tear slid down my cheek.
“Don’t cry, Fancy Face,” Adrian chided as he sifted in. “Show no weakness,” he whispered as he bowed to me.
The Light Fae sifted in next, without their King and Queen. I bowed to Shea, and judging from the crown of diamonds she wore, I was betting she’d taken the lead after the exile of her parents. Their warriors were cockier and hadn’t worn cloaks; instead they’d come dressed in full armor. Theirs looked as if it was created of the same material the Elite Guard used, only theirs were a shimmering white color. We watched as they joined us silently.
“Thank you,” I said to Shea, as I squared my shoulders and tried to dislodge the fear I felt.
“I wouldn’t have missed it,” she said as she looked to where Adam stood beside his parents.
I looked at Adrian, who smiled knowingly back at me. “Don’t need super powers to feel that one, now do ya?” he said with an emphatic wink that was almost comical.
I felt the power ripple through the air and turned to look at the Tree. Danu stood beside it, her eyes weary as she took in the damage.
“Sister,” Liam’s voice sounded as he and my parents sifted in. The Blood Warriors sifted in around the King and Queen. Their armor was crimson in color, and had barbs of metal that were lined at strategic points that
could easily be used against an enemy.
I knew that the guards were all on edge. It was the first time in history that I knew of that every royal Caste was present with their entire guard in tow. Skeleton crews of guards had been left at the palaces, and while it wasn’t ideal, the more we had here, the better the chances were of fixing the Tree—or more to the point, saving my children.
“Thank you for coming,” I said, and noted that I sounded like a parrot. “This means more than I can ever put into words,” I amended.
We stood united as the lesser Castes sifted in, and when they were all present, I turned to Danu who looked at the entire assembly in awe. Her eyes took us in with open pride.
“Is she here?” Madisyn asked, as she watched me.
“Yes,” I replied and turned my eyes to see Madisyn as she searched the area by the Tree. “I’ll be right back,” I said to everyone, and moved closer to the Tree and Danu.
“There is more damage than when I checked on it yesterday,” she said as I got closer.
“Can it be fixed?”
“Not by me,” she admitted. “I’m not even sure you can do it,” she continued. “This frost is meant to affect the Tree and anyone who touches it.”
“You can’t bless them and the land won’t accept them without the Tree,” I said barely above a whisper. “We have to save this Tree.”
I turned my eyes to where Ryder’s men now stood with my children as he walked in our direction. He saw the look in my eyes and for a brief moment, I saw his despair as he read my thoughts. I turned to walk and meet him, but the ground shifted. I had to struggle to keep my balance. Danu reached out and held me up, and then I felt it.
I blanched at what I felt, the raw untapped power of a Leyline. “Oh no,” I whispered, thinking that the Mages were here, at the same time and place my babies were.
I turned to warn Ryder, but then I felt calmness fall over the glade. I looked at Danu as she watched something across the water as it approached. I gasped as the White Stag—the real one—walked out from the lush forest and moved to where we stood. He was a symbol for the world of Faery, and he spoke for the world in times of great need, or at least that is what my Fae history teachers had said.
It was a massive deer, but where a regular stag normally had horns or antlers; he had elaborate branches of wood that seemed to have been interlinked into an intricate design of Celtic knots. His hooves clicked against the rocks; it was the only sound that could be heard.
I looked to where he had left the forest, and watched in shock as hundreds of tiny Bramble Pixies followed in his wake. Other animals, as well as more Pixies, followed behind them. I stood side by side with Danu. I felt her fingers as she slipped them around mine in a show of solidarity.
“I’ve only seen this magnificent creature once before, and that was when I created this world,” Danu whispered for my ears alone. “He draws his power from the Leyline under the Tree,” she continued. “He knows what you are.”
“How is that even possible? No one else knows, except for those who needed to.”
“I feel you.” A voice of deep timbre filled my mind. “I felt your birth, and you are tied to us. To these lands,” the voice said, and as I watched, the White Stag approached.
“It’s you,” I whispered to the Stag.
“It is I, my Goddess,” he continued to speak in my mind.
Okay, let’s be honest. Carrying on a conversation with a Stag was weird.
“You’re of the land, and we, your people, have come to pay our respects. We have power to feed the Goddess, and the bond we share called us to you.”
I was at a loss for words, unable to think beyond the fact that I hadn’t even known the White Stag actually existed.
“The Elder Tree’s bark will melt the ice, my Goddess, and you can heal the Tree,” he said softly as he bent his head with his massive horns scraping the ground. “That is why they’ve come.”
I looked around at the trees, and smiled, and then frowned. “Won’t it hurt them?”
I watched as one of the massive trees moved and the entire ground shook with the sheer force of it. I swallowed as the beautiful ancient tree reached for me with its branches, and lifted me up swiftly.
I saw the men preparing to move forward as Ryder stepped closer. “Stop them, Ryder. It’s friend, not foe.”
“Friend,” the tree said loudly, its voice like a severe wind rattling through the leaves.
“Friend,” I whispered as I tried to balance on the harsh branch. “Thank you for coming,” I said and exhaled a shallow breath.
“My bark will melt the frost and ice. You can use it; it would be an honor if you did so. Elder Trees have the ability to banish or break spells. But it is only through death that the spell can be broken and rebirth can happen,” he said through the same mental path as the Stag had.
“But it will hurt you,” I said, knowing I would risk anything to save my children. I just wanted to make sure it was aware of the danger it faced.
“It will not hurt me,” he said softly. “I will die for you, and for the children you must save and the others who will come after them. It is the way of life, and I am honored to make the sacrifice for you. I only ask that you allow my children into the safety of your gardens. That you protect them, and plant a seedling from my body to regrow and allow my children to watch over you and yours.”
“Done,” I whispered. “I don’t have a garden yet, but I will create one for the seedling and your children. I can never express to you how much this means to the entire realm of Faery. Your sacrifice will be noted, and I will make sure that this story is told to generations after this one, so that everyone will know of the Elder Tree’s sacrifice to save their world.”
I felt depleted and elated in the same moment. I hated the unfairness of the entire situation, but I wouldn’t turn the Elder Tree down. My children had to survive, and there was no denying that it was a selfish thing, but it wasn’t only for my children; it was for the ones who would come after as well.
“I’m not sure how this will work,” I whispered as the Elder Tree set me back gently on the ground, and Ryder approached silently. “I’m not willing to cause you any pain, but I accept the sacrifice that you have offered. Is there a painless way to proceed?” The ground trembled a little as if the Elder Tree was chuckling at me. I took that as a no.
“Synthia,” Ryder whispered as his fingers grazed mine in silent support.
“The bark of this Elder Tree will break the spell, but I’ve made him a promise that I fully intend to keep,” I said as I turned to look up at Ryder. “His children will be in the garden that we will create, and they will watch over us as we do the same for them. They are his children, and for his sacrifice to save ours, we will in turn protect his.”
“Synthia, are you sure?” Ryder asked. “Elder Trees can be very dangerous,” he amended.
“My children will be vigilant, and they will know of the sacrifice I make today.”
We both turned to look at the Tree. “I’ve already agreed to it, and I will protect the trees.”
“So be it,” Ryder agreed.
“Once I have said my goodbyes, Goddess, I will give you the bark that is needed to save the Tree. You will need to bless the ground around the Tree, and the White Stag will show you how.”
“Thank you. This world needs more creatures like you, who are willing to make sacrifices for the good of this world.”
I looked up at Ryder as his words finished, and then back at the Elder Tree.
“We need the kind of rulers you two will be,” the tree said. “Ones who can unite our people, our land, and bring peace to this world.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
We watched as the Elder Tree moved, and the entire ground shook with the subtle movement as it turned to the sma
ll copse of new trees. I turned to look at Danu, and she watched them with watery eyes. The Stag watched me, and I felt his calm and wondered if he was feeling my unease and had somehow managed to calm me.
“It is his choice, and his time was nearing his end, Goddess.” His voice filled my mind, but with it came a calmness that filtered through me. I knew it wasn’t my own. “Tell me child, what do you plan to do with the ones who harmed our world?”
“I plan to kill every last one of them,” I replied back.
“Violence is not always the answer, little Goddess. They may just need a push in the right direction,” he said.
“They are pure evil,” I said softly aloud.
“Evil isn’t born, it is created. Find the reason they became like this, and you could find their peace, as well as your own.”
“They were going to cut me open and take my children. They’ve poisoned this land and are trying to kill my people. They’ve managed to create turmoil in the Human world as well. They are hell-bent on destroying us.”
“And you feel they cannot be reached nor saved?”
“No,” I replied honestly. “I think some who embrace evil cannot be found once they’ve become lost in it. They feel rejected by this world, and yet the Horde would have embraced them with welcoming arms. However, they target us because Ryder is the King, and he is the strongest leader. No, I fear they cannot be reached or saved because they don’t want it. They want to decimate us, and I’m not even sure they know why anymore. They, unlike the Fae, are not immortal. Those who were wronged have long since found peace. The ones who fight have no valid reason to since they were never rejected. Some evil runs too deep to be changed or saved.”
“You are wise, but healing the world is only the beginning and a war is not something I would wish for this world. We hide in the shadows ourselves to avoid it, and we are no longer able to do that. Think long and hard, Goddess, before you bring war upon this world.”
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