Another battle is probably in the offing, a decisive one. We now know that the idea of our enemies is to strip away the layers of protection that Susan has through us. Really, we could just retreat from the world. Only, the child has to be born to the world, so in the end, we have to risk bringing Susan somewhere to give birth. It’s at that time that Susan will be most vulnerable.
“Are you sure about this, Pulania?” Eppy asks.
“It makes sense,” Pulania comments. “I mean, immortals plan for the long game. It makes sense that they’ve been preparing for decades, centuries even, to destroy the next occurrence of the daughter of Gaea. The Unseelies would have stolen that copy of the covenant to stop it from being invoked for her protection. You need to seduce that Unseelie King, he’s our target.”
“I don’t understand though,” I comment. “I mean, Charlotte didn’t see the covenant being taken, she had to answer truthfully, I take it?”
“Yes, she did,” Pulania answers.
“So how did she know who took it?”
“Half-truths and diversion, but never an out and out lie. Charlotte’s replies had ‘Faerie deal’ written all over them. I’d say that she didn’t see it being taken, but saw the person, being, or beings that did. The Scotts had magik, so they couldn’t kill Charlotte in her own home, instead they made a deal with her to keep her quiet. She may even have taken the covenant for them, who knows for sure? Only, Faerie deals are nearly always a double edged sword. I think the deal was that she would live as long as she kept their secret, and would bear the child she wanted. We were just lucky that she had grown tired of her life, otherwise, instead of waiting for us at the Library, she could have run, and we might never have found our answer.”
“But the answer Charlotte gave was an Unseelie, not the Unseelie King,” Eppy remarks.
“He’ll know where it is. I’m sure he’s had a direct part in this plot from the beginning, he’ll know where the covenant is kept. The Unseelie King knows all things Unseelie. You just have to find a chink in his armour, Eppy. It may be his daughter, Bríghe, we know he cares about her. He’s also cared about humans, or human women at some stage in his life, you need to breakdown his barriers and find out what we need to know.”
“And if you have a good date night, and get laid in the process, bonus!” I add.
Eppy blushes. “Are you always so forward?”
“No, she’s holding back, believe me,” Pulania replies. I just smile at the compliment.
“Okay, so are we giving up on dominatrix?” Susan asks. “It doesn’t look like it will work for Eppy.”
“Yes, but what’s the alternative? I mean, what’s going to turn on a cynical immortal, like Arawan?” Pulania asks.
We’ve been in the sewing/Tadpole nursery room. Ruby has been rocking in the background on the new rocking chair that I got for her. I think she likes it. “Faerie princess, Faerie princess, Faerie princess.”
We all look at her, and then at each other. “She is a Faerie, she may know a thing or two about what the males of her people like,” Gil suggests.
Ruby stops her rocking. “She should wear one of my gowns. A semi-mortal woman who can have children is going to be attractive to any Faerie male. But one that can blend in with his own people will be irresistible.” The sensible Ruby has come out to play, and she does make a logical argument.
“My red mermaid gown, the one with the plunging neck line will work best. It’s elegant, in the way that a Faerie noble will like, but with the coquettish look that humans are so good at portraying,” Ruby continues.
“Red mermaid gown?” Pulania asks.
“Ah, yes,” I reply. “I’ve been increasing Ruby’s wardrobe. We’ve been experimenting, at her direction of course.” In fact I’ve made three other pieces for Ruby during the last few months, but the mermaid dress is a marvel of a creation. It’s a ball gown really, something she could use to wow the Seelie court with. It could fit Eppy, Ruby’s clothes fit me. “Shall we try it?”
We strip Eppy of the trappings of torture seductress, and slip her into the finery of what? A shapely keeper? She doesn’t look too bad in it. Not really to my taste, but I guess an Unseelie Lord might approve.
“How does that feel?” Pulania asks when we have her fitted out.
“I feel like a movie star, like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany, only brighter.”
“You seem more comfortable in it,” I comment.
“Yes, it’s like dresses I wore in the 1950s and 60s but much more stylish. I can do this.” She swishes the short trail of the gown, going down into a low curtsy, which displays her lifted bust. “Your Majesty, I’m your keeper.”
We all giggle at that.
“It’s not going to work in the cells though, is it? We’ll have to let him out,” Pulania says. “I think we need to have some sort of ball, or party. Just in the pub, mind.”
“Oh, a theme party! Princesses!” Susan cries out. “Excellent!”
“You’re banned,” Pulania and I call out in unison.
“We’re not risking you near the Unseelie King,” Pulania explains. “He wants you dead, it might not be much of an opportunity, but it’s best to keep the risk to you at zero for this one. As it is, there’s a small chance he could escape.”
Susan crosses her arms, and goes into a major pout.
“Hey, your fault, you shouldn’t have been born a daughter of Gaea,” I rub it in. “You can console yourself with Ardan.” She smiles at that.
“It’s going to be a bit of a nightmare making sure Arawan doesn’t escape,” Gil comments.
“I can make an ankle bracelet up for him,” I volunteer. “One that’ll blow his foot off if he steps outside of the pub.”
“I like it. That will definitely help. We’ve got to get the security right on this,” Pulania says.
“We could use Samael as a guard too. He looks pretty scary really, and being the angel of death, the title alone will likely keep Arawan in line.”
Pulania is shaking her head, she doesn’t like that idea. “Samael won’t be allowed to do that.”
“Oh, he’ll be happy to play act the part though, we won’t tell Arawan that he can’t actually do anything,” I suggest.
“Our father you mean?” Oh, of course, Eppy has never met Samael.
“Yes, Eppy, your father,” Pulania replies. “He can appear in the pub. You’ll be able to meet him.”
“I’d like that, but… will he be angry with me?”
Pulania and I give each other a blank look.
“You know, for what happened with Pulania?” she explains.
“That was a long time ago, Eppy. I’m sure he’ll love to meet you.”
“Right, we’re set, we have a plan.” Looking around the room, with Susan, Ruby, Eppy, Pulania and Gil, I can’t help thinking that we have our own coven now, a different sort of coven, but a coven none-the-less.
Chapter 41: The ankle bracelet
Arawan has gone into the Seelie sleep. Well, we were so busy we forgot to feed and water the poor bugger.
“Wakey, wakey.” I throw the bucket of water over him. His eyes barely blink open.
“C’mon, dude, I’m not buying it.” I throw him an energy bar and some bottled water. “There’s no way I’m going in there to feed you. I can tell a con when I see one.”
He growls at me, but gets up on an elbow to grab the water. Ha, if he thought I would go in there and let him overpower me, he should have known better. I probably would have kicked him in the nuts before he got the chance anyway.
I give him a moment to recover. I just stand there watching him with a smirk on my face. He’s staring at me as he drinks and eats though. Is that spite in his eyes? I think so.
“We have something special for you.”
He stops eating, and sighs. I lift up the clothes carrier I’d brought into the cells with me. “Got you some new daks, too.” His eyebrow lifts in question.
“What? Did you think I was going to tort
ure you, or something?’
His mouth is open a bit. “That was my guess.”
“Wrong. You mate, are going to be one happy Larry.” I throw some more bottled water, a towel and a cake of soap to him. “Get yourself cleaned up as best you can. You’ve got a date tonight. Here’s your new clothes, we’ll burn the old ones later. You’ve got about thirty minutes to get yourself ready. Oh, I’ve got a special device to put on your leg. It’ll blow your foot off if you go outside the building. I’ll help you with that when I get back.”
I leave His Majesty to his private ministrations. Eppy is up the top of the stairs in the pub proper. I have to give her a pep talk while we give Arawan time to get ready. She looks pretty good, all done up and all. Near the bar there are a couple of hot guys eyeing her off. The party is in full swing at the moment. Well, it’s a ball really, the first Two Witches Ball Night. It’s a bit lame as names go, but we couldn’t agree on a theme. I wanted to go for Steampunk, Pulania wanted to go for Fifties, Gil wanted Princesses, so in the end we just decided it was a ball, nothing more.
“Ready for the big date?” I ask. She doesn’t answer, she seems nervous. “You okay, Eppy?”
“What if I don’t like him?”
“Then we look for someone else for you. Or, you could just use him to have a kid. Your choice really.”
Eppy seems to be mulling that over. Okay, pep talk over, good job, Amura. I go over to Master, who has taken the form of Samael for the evening. Pulania had second thoughts about having Samael present while we were trying to get his daughter laid by the Unseelie King. She thought there might be father-daughter issues with that. I don’t know why, I mean, he’s an angel and will know anyway. It took me a shite load of sexual promises, and threats, to get Master to do this though. As it is, he’s just hanging in a form, and hoping Samael isn’t going to be too pissed off by it. He’s made it very clear to me that he can’t actually do any more than that.
“How’s it going, Dad?”
“I’m not your father… and, not well, Samael is not going to be happy about this.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I’ll smooth it for you.”
“You better,” Master replies. “This is a really big favour I’m doing for you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I run a finger along Master’s jowl. “You’ll get your reward later. Aren’t you impressed by the way I’ve figured out how to use angel power for good, instead of neutrality?”
He smiles at that. “The Dark Witch does some good for the world, but also succeeds in making an angel feel awkward. It seems like a double win on your part.” He winks at me, and I give him a side hug for the compliment. Gotta love me some Master.
Then I push him away. “Time to get the two love birds together. You coming?” Master nods his head.
Pulania is nearby, flirting with one of the musicians from the small brass band that’s been brought in for part of the ball. I guess there is a bit of an underhanded fifties or sixties theme going on. Humph. Steampunk would have been so much cooler.
I catch Pulania’s eye and she ditches the musician for business. It’s time for us to get Arawan from the cells. No point in asking Eppy to come, no way she could make it down the steep stairway to the basement in that gown she’s wearing.
With Pulania and Master in tow, I descend the stairs back down to the dungeons where we have Arawan stashed. On the way into the cells, I snag the special little ankle bracelet that I’d made for the King of the Unseelie from where I’d left it resting on a keg of beer.
I dangle the bracelet out in front of me when we get to Arawan’s cell. He’s tidied himself up quite well. Hmm, a metro Faerie, he even has his hair reasonably well finger combed, good man.
“K, dangle your footsie out here, and I’ll ankle you up.”
But he’s frozen there looking at us with this incredulous look on his face.
“What is this?” he asks. “Why are you all dressed that way?”
“Arrgh,” I sigh. “Well, we’re having a ball upstairs and we’ve set you up with a date, but I’m not going to let you out of the cell unless you let me fasten this thing to your ankle.” I rattle the bracelet.
“And who is this, he’s not of your world?” He means Master, in his Samael impersonation, of course.
“Well, this is the Angel of Death. He’s here to make sure you don’t run out on his daughter… who is who we’re setting you up with.”
Oh, it’s just occurred to me that Arawan can probably see auras, just like the Seelies. I wonder what he’s making of Master’s angel aura? It’s not the black aura of my father, but does Arawan know that? Is that a slight gulp he just gave? Yeah, I think it was. Our angel deception is a success!
“Just stick your foot out here,” I repeat. “And don’t forget, if you step outside the building, this thing will blow most of your leg off.”
Chapter 42: First date
I’d made the bracelet, in part, of wrought iron, which would take away much of Arawan’s power. For the Faerie people wrought iron is anathema. I coated it with an application of gold leaf so that he can wear the iron without it burning him. It’s a shackle of simple magiks, and science. Inside the iron there is a small explosive device with an electronic trigger. So long as he stays in the radio perimeter I’ve set up around the pub, he’ll be fine.
He might actually be able to regrow the leg, but it would hurt like blazes having it blown off. It would definitely slow down any escape attempt too. I’ve done a pretty good job, really, but despite that, my obsidian blade is out and I’m making it very clear to Arawan that it’s going to be used if he tries anything. We actually didn’t make any deal with Áine about keeping him alive, just not hurting him. I’m sure I can slit his throat without him even knowing it. Painless.
“Come on, Your Majesty, we’ve gone to a lot of trouble to set this up. Don’t try anything, and be nice, or I won’t be happy.”
As I open the door to his cell I step aside and sweep my arm as I bow to invite him out. My eyes don’t leave him though.
He reminds me of a big cat, a tiger or a lion, as he cautiously wends his way out of his cage. I guess he’s trying to figure out what sort of trick we’re up to, but it’s not an overly sinister one. Master, Pulania and I take him up the stairs to the pub, where the brass band is in full swing. People are on the dance floor, and oh, they’re playing boogie, that’s right out of the 1950s.
As it happens I don’t have to point Eppy out to the King, he stops when he comes out from behind the bar, taking in the whole scene, of people, sound and light, but his eyes stop when he gets to Eppy. Well, little wonder, with that red gown on, she’d pop in any crowd. I must have sewn hundreds of red sequins into the thing, so she’s catching all the light, and the fabric clings to her figure emphasizing every curve.
Arawan turns around to me. He’s noticed that Eppy is my twin. I expect it’s a bit like night and day as she’s pretty clean cut compared to me. I smirk at Arawan, and nod him toward Eppy. He takes the hint and goes and introduces himself.
Pulania and I put in our ear mics. Much to Eppy’s embarrassment we’d convinced her that we needed to wire her so that we could keep track of what Arawan was up to.
“I am Arawan, you don’t appear to be dark, like your sister. Are you a different type of witch?” Arawan asks.
“I’m not a witch,” Eppy answers, and there’s a touch of affront in her tone. Ah oh, that’s not a great start. Oh, maybe I should have given Arawan a quick low down on our family history. He’s pretty arrogant sounding, he could blow this really quickly.
“My apologies, I assumed that since your sister is a witch that you must be one too.”
“Amura isn’t a witch, either.” Hmm, Eppy seems a bit less resentful with that answer. At least Arawan is trying to be courteous.
“Oh, I apologise once more. I understood that she was part of a dark coven.” He seems genuinely surprised.
“It’s true, she is part of a dark coven, but she is not a witch, she si
mply lives as one.” I watch as Arawan cocks his head to the side. Eppy has him curious now.
“May I ask what you and your sister are?”
Eppy smirks at him. “You may ask.”
A short silence ensues, oh no, she doesn’t mean for him to actually ask, does she?
“Well, what are you and your sister?”
Eppy! Head smack moment.
“We are descendants of Gaea, hundreds of years older than any of the Fae. I am to be your new keeper.”
Does Arawan look impressed? I think so. We’d decided ahead of time to keep the relation with Gaea a bit vague. If he has access to the covenant he might know that Pulania is mentioned there as a daughter of Gaea. We don’t think it’s a good idea to give that family connection away. If he somehow gets loose he could use it against us.
“You have a very strong aura, I guess it makes sense that you are not of the Fae. Are you an immortal?”
“I don’t know,” Eppy answers. “But I haven’t died, nor have I aged, and I am from the Dark Ages.”
“Ah, if you were born of this world, then you cannot be immortal, but semi-mortal,” Arawan comments.
“I wasn’t born,” Eppy replies, and technically that’s true, to borrow from Shakespeare, she was not born of woman, but from her mother’s womb untimely ripped. Well, untimely swept away in a current of air, but whatever.
Even from here I can tell that Arawan’s eyes have gone wide. “What manner of being are you?”
“Let me show you.”
Perhaps because I’m her twin, her magiks haven’t affected me: as Eppy freezes time, I’m able to walk toward them. As I do so her form melds with the air so that only her eyes are visible, her body washes away into a whirlwind of air, skirting the inside of the building casting drinks aside and rushing the pictures hung on the walls. For a moment the centre of the room, where Eppy’s eyes eerily remain watching the King, is still. Then the air that had coursed through the pub, comes screaming back to one point where her body had been, and roughly slams Arawan into the wall behind him after lifting him maybe ten feet off the floor. As he hangs there being buffeted by columns of wind that are pressing him there through shear force, Eppy’s eyes rise up to his face, and then her nose and mouth appear, and press themselves against Arawan’s lips.
The Dark Witch and the Elemental Page 15