Reign of the Stone Queen

by Jayne Faith

  He gave me a tight nod, and my heart sank a little. It’d felt like Maxen and I had just started to take tenuous steps toward being on better terms, but my order had clearly set us back. I wasn’t surprised, and it couldn’t be helped, but it saddened me all the same.

  “One more thing,” I said. “Morven told me to tell you that the answer to our questions about the Fomoire power running through our blood lies in some caves. He seemed to think you’d know exactly what he meant.”

  Maxen squinted. “Caves?”

  “Does it make any sense to you that the supposed god power running through our veins has something to do with caves or mines?”

  “Maybe. I’ll look into it immediately.”

  We rejoined Jasper, Oliver, Bryna, Eunice, and Drifte, who’d gathered at the back of the room where a doorway’s arch was painted on the wall.

  “We’ll go to a remote spot of Drifte’s choosing first,” Jasper said. “There, we’ll be met with Great Ravens who will take us into the Daoine Sidhe kingdom.”

  Eunice watched him with round eyes. She swallowed hard as Drifte stepped in front of the arch. Remembering what I’d said to Jasper about not taking anyone who couldn’t defend themselves, I tamped down my concern about dragging Eunice into this and gave her what I hoped was a reassuring smile. Then, I placed my hand on the shoulder of the raven shifter. She only hesitated for a second before doing the same. Once the whole party had made physical contact with Drifte’s arms and shoulders, he raised his hand and began tracing sigils in the air.

  Just before we stepped into the oblivion of the netherwhere, I glanced over my shoulder at Maxen who stood alone a few feet away. His sapphire blue eyes held my gaze for a fraction of a second before everything gave way to the void.

  We all shuffled out of the netherwhere into the dark night of a realm with no artificial light. Stars glittered overhead, and I could see the plume of my own breath against the dark sky in the chilly air. Something about the place rang with familiarity. When I spotted the lazy curls of smoke rising from small, rustic abodes, I knew we’d come to Drifte’s settlement. Jasper and I had been there once before, when we’d been desperate to rescue Oberon from the Tuatha.

  “Oh, my,” Eunice murmured. She shivered visibly and pulled her cloak tight around her shoulders.

  “Wait here,” Jasper said. He and Drifte strode several feet away, and a moment later I heard the strange whistle Jasper used to call Great Ravens.

  We were in a region so remote it wasn’t part of any civilized kingdom. My chest went icy when I remembered the snow-peaked mountains. I looked off to the horizon, and even in the dark of night, I could see the white tops of the distant ranges. It appeared the snow line had descended considerably since my last visit.

  Snow in Faerie. I pulled my cloak tighter. More snow than before meant the Unseelie had gained a greater foothold in the balance of power. The reign of Oberon and the Summer Court had lasted for seemingly endless generations, and the Fae had basked in the warmth and abundance of eternal gentle breezes, blooming flowers, and warm sunshine. But this place was crisp and cold. Summer was over, here.

  “There they are,” Bryna whispered. She pointed over the treetops of the forest to our left.

  Just above the tree line, dark shapes were winging toward us. We all stood silently and watched the Great Ravens approach. Five of them, one for each in our party minus Drifte, landed in the clearing fifty yards off and then flapped and hopped toward us.

  Oliver was shifting his weight and clenching and unclenching his hands. I moved to his side.

  “I’ve ridden them several times,” I said in a low voice. “Great way to travel. You’ll get used to it.”

  “I’m not wild about heights,” he said after a second’s hesitation.

  “Keep your eyes on the horizon, use your thighs to stabilize your position, and hold those feathers for all your worth,” I advised.

  Eunice had edged over to us and heard my suggestions.

  “I’ve always dreamed of riding one, Your Majesty,” she said, her voice awed. “You have my gratitude for making this dream come true and for trusting me with such a vital mission.”

  I suddenly wanted to hug her, even though I wasn’t the hugging type. “We are lucky to have you.”

  “You’re a brave woman.” Oliver’s words came out gruff and ended in a grunt. I peered at him, surprised. The stone man wasn’t one to cast compliments around.

  Eunice tittered with pleasure. “Oh, dear me, I do appreciate that coming from one such as yourself, my lord.” Her fingers came up to smooth her hair.

  “It’s time,” Jasper called.

  Bryna, Eunice, Oliver, and I joined Jasper. Drifte turned and headed off into the shadows of the trees. Jasper assigned each of us a Great Raven, and when I approached mine, a grin spread over my face as I recognized the spiky feathers poking up on top of the creature’s head.

  “Hey, Mohawk,” I whispered, petting the bird’s sleek neck. I’d ridden this Raven a handful of times before.

  Jasper got everyone else situated, and I mounted my bird, settling into the soft feathers and positioning my knees between the wings.

  Something burst from the nearby treetops, and I swiveled around with my heart in my throat. Jasper raised a hand to the bird circling overhead, and I realized it was Drifte in his raven form.

  Jasper climbed on top of his bird, and it hopped around to face us.

  “They’ll take us through the netherwhere into the Daoine realm,” he said, his voice low but carrying in the quiet of the nearly deserted land. “The birds know to be stealthy. Just stay quiet in the air, keep low to your Raven’s back, and wait until they land before speaking.”

  He whispered something to his bird, and the great creature hopped three times, flapped its wings hard, and took flight. The rest of the birds followed. Exhilaration blazed through me as Mohawk gained altitude. I lay over her neck, keeping my weight forward so I wouldn’t tumble back. A glance to either side revealed that Bryna, Eunice, and Oliver had managed to navigate the takeoff.

  Freezing air streamed past my face, numbing my cheeks and bringing tears to my eyes. We continued to climb for another minute or two, and then Jasper and his bird winked out of existence. A few seconds later, Mohawk plunged us into the void, using one of the Great Raven doorways that were invisible to Fae.

  We materialized back into the world, and Mohawk quietly winged through air considerably warmer than that of the realm we’d just left. Ahead, I spotted three identical pointed pinnacles, the tops of the tallest towers on each of the three Daoine palaces, jutting up past the horizon line to loom higher than the distant range of foothills. The palace towers were lit with spotlights that highlighted their golden sheen. As we drew nearer, small explosions burst in the air around Palace City. Mohawk dipped a wing in alarm, but the glitter of fireworks showered down harmlessly a mile in front of us.

  Jasper’s Raven angled off to the right, toward a dark area of rolling hills that bordered one side of Palace City. The rest of the birds followed. We landed behind a low hill, except for Drifte, who continued to circle overhead.

  Jasper tipped his head back, raised his hand, and then blew a couple of short bursts into his whistle. Drifte took off toward the palaces.

  “He’s going to scout the area for us,” Jasper explained, sliding to the ground. “He’ll let us know which way is best for us to enter. Then, Bryna will help us navigate Palace City.”

  The sounds of music, laughter, and revelry drifted to us on a gentle updraft of warm night air.

  “I hope that Elvish wine is making everyone lose their minds,” I muttered and began hiking up the small rise so I could get a view of the palaces.

  The rest of my party trailed after me. I stopped before the crest so I wouldn’t be fully exposed on the chance anyone was looking our way. We were about a half mile from the nearest edge of Palace City. The three strongholds were surrounded by an octagon of battlement walls, and guards patrolled the parapet walk
s between towers. But even from our current distance I could see that several of the gates were thrown open. Revelers were streaming inside, with a few coming out. It didn’t look like a particularly locked-down situation from the outside, but if Finvarra was in there somewhere, there was certainly tight security surrounding him.

  I turned to my half-sister, whose pale-blond hair glowed like spun silver in the light of the moon. “Where do you think they’re hiding him?”

  She pursed her lips and frowned for a moment. “Probably in the most luxurious guest accommodations they have. That’d be between the avian palace and the reptilian palace.” She pointed between two of the three tall pinnacles.

  “Is that Drifte?” Oliver asked, pointing at a dark shape darting toward us.

  Jasper peered over the hilltop. “Aye, it’s him.”

  My pulse quickened at the thought of finally getting some action, even if it was just walking the short distance to Palace City.

  We set off in the direction Drifte took us. I walked next to Jasper and Eunice kept close behind us. Oliver and Bryna brought up the rear of our party. We moved quietly through the darkness shadowing the land that surrounded the brightly lit Palace City. Drifte led us by flying ahead a short distance, returning, and then darting ahead again. It appeared we were aiming for one of the main gates.

  As we neared the bridge leading to the gate, I slowed and then halted before we reached the loose stream of people still flocking inside.

  “It’s time to split up,” I said. “Jasper and Eunice will go ahead. The rest of us will trail you. Don’t look back. We’ll keep track of where you are.” The last part was for Eunice, as I could tell she was nervous about what was about to happen.

  “Once we’re inside, you’ll want to start making your way to the left,” Bryna said. “There’s a public garden area where I know of an entrance to a passage that will get us close to the luxury guest quarters. Go there and linger until we catch up.”

  Jasper brushed the back of my hand with his fingers. “We’ll see you in there.”

  He was armed only with Gae Buide, as his Duergar short sword wouldn’t have blended with the persona he was attempting to portray. I’d also had to leave my primary weapon at home, and instead of Aurora, I carried a generic broadsword.

  Eunice fell into step beside him, and the pair made their way out of the shadows, joining the line of people flowing toward the footbridge leading to the gate. I waited until a dozen guests filled in behind them.

  “Okay, let’s go,” I said to Oliver and Bryna.

  To cross the bridge, we had to pass under three arched barbicans, each of them uplit and flanked by guards posted on either side. The soldiers’ eyes roved the people moving toward the gate.

  Most of the people ahead of and behind us appeared to already be in some state of inebriation, singing, joking, or laughing raucously. Our silence was making us stand out.

  “We’re too quiet,” I muttered to my companions.

  I threw one arm around Oliver’s waist and the other across Bryna’s shoulders. She shot me an irritated look but didn’t push me away. I pasted on a big smile and listed a little as I walked.

  To my surprise, Bryna started singing a drinking song in a strong, clear voice. I managed to dredge up the words by the time she got to the chorus, and I joined in. By the time we reached the gate, most of the people around us were singing, too.

  I kept the back of Jasper’s reddish-blond head in my sights and let out a little relieved breath when I saw that he and Eunice had made it inside. The guards at the gate didn’t seem concerned about weapons, as a woman with two short swords on her back sauntered right by them. It didn’t surprise me. The royal families and their courts would be tucked away in their palaces at their own private parties. They didn’t care if drunken commoners carved each other up. It was characteristic of many Unseelie kingdoms to expect and even revel in violence as part of their celebrations, something that harkened back to the days when the Unseelie tribes were more primitive and wild. Before Finvarra had stepped in to civilize them and unite them into kingdoms.

  We spilled into the wide-open space of a bailey. Most of the guests veered to the right, toward the loud music, voices, and occasional holler or crash. I spotted a sign for the public gardens that pointed to the left. Jasper and Eunice were heading that way. They disappeared into a corridor.

  I said a silent prayer to keep them safe and steered Oliver and Bryna that direction.

  Chapter 19

  WE EMERGED INTO a large open courtyard dimly lit with the dancing flames of torches. We weren’t alone—pairs of guests roamed the gravel paths that wove between flower beds, trees, and shaped hedges. It seemed to be the place for couples to look for a bit of privacy to steal a romantic moment. One couple leaned against a tree, their lips locked together and their arms twined around each other in a passionate embrace. Lusty moans and cries from behind some of the hedges indicated others had progressed beyond kissing.

  Jasper and Eunice sat on a bench next to a tall, tiered fountain.

  Oliver, Bryna, and I moseyed over to stand near them.

  “Bryna, you’re up,” I whispered.

  “See that structure over there?” She lifted her chin to the left. “It’s a public restroom. In the end stall of the women’s side, there’s a trapdoor. It leads down into the service tunnels. I’ll go in first and wait for you.”

  She broke off and strolled to the path that led to the small building, and a moment later she disappeared inside.

  “The two of you should go next,” I said to Jasper.

  He and Eunice rose and traced Bryna’s steps. I waited until they were in before nodding to my father. As our boots scuffed over the gravel, I looked around for Drifte, but the shifter was out of sight somewhere. I was just about to reach for the door when a man and a woman stumbled around the corner, the man plowing into Oliver. They smelled of alcohol, and they both wore broadswords on their belts. My insides tightened.

  “Hey, watch it, mate,” the man said. He shoved Oliver’s shoulder.

  The woman leaned forward, peering at us. “That’s the ladies’ room. You can’t go in there,” she said to Oliver, slurring just a little. She turned to me. “Honey, is this man trying to get you to do something you don’t wanna do?”

  “No, I’m fine,” I said impatiently.

  The man was still focused on Oliver. “I said you need to watch it.” He punctuated every other word by jabbing his finger into my father’s chest. Dumbass.

  “Back off,” Oliver growled.

  That was all the man needed. He reached down and drew his sword.

  Oliver nudged me toward the door. “Go, I’ll be right behind you.” He drew his own sword and nimbly tossed the handle between his two hands, obviously relishing the thought of taking the drunk man down a notch.

  With a grumble, I pushed through the door, hoping Oliver would quickly knock out the man and catch up. But the clangs of metal outside indicated there might be more of a fight than I’d hoped.

  I got to the last stall and found Bryna waiting. “Oliver got waylaid,” I said.

  She cursed under her breath. “You might as well go down.” She pointed to a square opening in the floor where a tile had been removed.

  I sat on the edge, let my legs hang through, and then dropped into the darkness. My feet hit a rough surface, and the stale and slightly rotten smell of standing water filled my nostrils. Eunice and Jasper stood off to the side. The unfinished ceiling was only about a foot and a half over my head.

  “Someone tried to pick a fight with Oliver,” I said and huffed an annoyed sigh.

  “Damnit,” Jasper muttered.

  I looked up, hoping to see my father appear. Half a minute passed.

  “Can you hear them out there?” I called up to Bryna.

  “Shh!” she hissed irritably. She paused for a moment, listening, and then shook her head. “It sounds like the fighting’s stopped. Hang on, I’m going to look.”

 
She left and then reappeared several seconds later. “He’s not out there,” was all she said.

  My heart dropped as I watched her lower herself through the opening.

  I knew Oliver could handle himself, but I’d already lost him once. It made me edgy to not know what’d happened to him.

  “Others may have noticed the fighting,” Jasper said. “He probably had to hide to avoid more trouble. Next time we cross paths with Drifte, I’ll see if he can locate Oliver.”

  I nodded, but my jaw worked as I tried to squash the uneasy sensation growing in the pit of my stomach.

  “Boost me up?” Bryna asked Jasper.

  He interlaced his fingers to create a step and then lifted her so she could reach through the opening and slide the tile across, plunging us into semi-darkness. Faint light leaked from far ahead.

  Bryna landed back on the ground and brushed off her hands. “This way.” She pointed in the direction of the weak light.

  Plumbing conduits hissed and thumped above us as we followed her, and every so often water splatted on my head or shoulders or ran down the walls to form puddles. Widely spaced caged bulbs saved us from complete pitch dark.

  My boots crunched on the gravel of what looked like an in-ground drain, and Bryna’s head whipped around. “Try to keep it down, will you?”

  I lifted my hands and shrugged. I was being as careful as I could, and I didn’t think I was any louder than Jasper or Eunice. Bryna had always enjoyed criticizing my lack of stealth.

  When we reached a crossroads in the tunnel, she stopped and looked both ways, hesitating for several long seconds.

  “We’re not lost, are we?” I finally asked.

  She shot me a glare. “No.” Then she stalked off to the left.

  After a couple more turns, the tunnel dead-ended at a metal ladder. Bryna put one hand on it and turned to us.

  “This’ll put us out into a mechanical room,” she said.