Sister's Keepers

by Belinda White

  "But MacDougal didn't seem to be talking in riddles to me. And he said that Dell was alive and well and in Titania's court. I'm not sure that he left himself any loophole there. If he did, I'm missing it," I said.

  "I know. And in a way that’s what is worrying me the most. His answer just wasn't in typical faerie speak. It was too plain and straight forward." Rose paused. "In point of fact, it downright scares me that Jed might be right."

  "But manipulation or not, my sister is in Faerie, in Titania's court?" I asked. That was really all I needed to know.

  "The Seelie Court, yes. Supposedly the light court and the most benign of the two by far." Rose was off in her own mind, probably gathering information she'd read through the years on the courts of Faerie. But I was in rather a hurry.

  "That means there isn't any real reason not to sign the pact, right? I mean even if it is a lifetime deal, like you said they can't make me trade favors or take their information, right?" I asked. I mean I really wasn't seeing that much of a downside here.

  Rose looked at me. "I'm afraid we got off on the tangent of manipulation when we are really here to give you the ins and outs of the faerie connection. I'm sorry." She looked grim. "There is more you need to know about that." She motioned for me to sit down.

  Funny, I didn't remember standing up. I sat, though I can't say I sat still.

  I really wanted this part over, but I had agreed to listen to what Rose had to say first. I just wished she would talk faster.

  "The Benandanti to Faerie connection cannot be made in our waking hours. By signing the pact, you are basically giving them permission to visit you in your dreams. By night you can roam the world of the Fae."

  Okay, sounded kind of creepy. Also sounded kind of cool.

  "That doesn't sound so very bad," I said slowly.

  "It is. While it's true that they can't force the Benandanti to trade favors with them, they can be very, very persistent in asking." Rose paused. I could tell whatever she said next wasn't going to be something I wanted to hear.

  "Their nightly visits to my great-grandmother drove her mad."

  There, see, I was right. I so didn't want to know that.

  Chapter 9

  JED AND ROSE SPENT the biggest part of the afternoon trying to get me to delay my decision. To sleep on it. But I was determined that when I went to sleep, I'd be finding my sister, Dell.

  When they saw they weren't going to sway me, Jed switched tactics.

  "Okay, I agree with you. Family comes first and finding your sister and getting her back is the highest priority we have going right now," he said. "But please consider one more thing..." he held his palm out in front of me to stop my interruption. "I'm not talking you out of anything. I know you are going to sign the pledge tonight. I'm only asking for a slight modification."

  Puzzled, I looked at him. "A modification?"

  He nodded. "The original pact was made centuries ago, and times were different then. Maybe it was normal to sign a lifelong contract. In this day and age, it isn't. So, I think that Queen Titania should be willing to update the contract."

  Now he had Rose's interest. "You know, Jed makes a very good point. Since the original contract has been null and void for over a generation, there is nothing to say that we can't forge a new and updated pact. A temporary pact."

  "Exactly," Jed said. "If we are right and all of this was to reestablish the connection, she must have a reason for wanting it. Something she wants very badly that we can help her with."

  "And if she wants it that badly, she should be willing to make a deal for it." Rose smiled. "You know that just might be worth a try."

  "But surely she knows I'd do anything to get my sister back. Why would she deal if she doesn't have to?" I asked.

  "The Fae may judge the Benandanti by their own standards. To the Fae, family is not nearly as important as self-preservation. I'm not saying for certain that she'll be willing to compromise on a new pact, but isn't it worth a try? If she says no, you can always sign the original," Rose said.

  I thought for a minute. What they were suggesting was a good idea, and even dense ole Taz could see that. It would mean a delay if she didn't accept a temporary pledge, but if she did accept it... well, I may just be able to save my sanity.

  "Okay, I'm in. How do we go about changing a centuries-old pact?" I asked.

  Rose and Jed both smiled, relieved. Hey, I'm not that uncompromising, am I?

  "You write it down. In plain, simple English and then sign your name. As long as you spell out exactly what you are agreeing to, the faerie can't change the terms unless they bring you another contract to sign. In person. If they contact you in your dreams, that would have to constitute an acceptance of your terms."

  I still wasn't so sure about the whole dream thing. "How do I know I'm actually being contacted by the Fae and not just—well, dreaming?"

  "You'll know. Even though it shouldn't be physically possible, when you wake up, you'll smell like cedar and lavender."

  It took us a few drafts, but we finally came up with a pact that had gained both Rose and Jed's grudging approval. We kept it simple and plain:

  I, Tazlyn Hunt and Benandanti werewolf, hereby agree to establish a communication link with the Seelie Court of Queen Titania with the following restriction. This link will be available to begin the date I sign this pledge and will continue for no more than one month’s time (thirty consecutive days from this starting date, as passed in the human realm), at which time the link will be severed by both parties unless a new pact is completed and signed to continue the link.

  I owed Rose for thinking of adding the Seelie Court verbiage. After reading that short illustrated faerie book, I really didn't want any dealings with the Unseelie Court. Some of them were really, really scary. Creatures of nightmares. And I owed Jed for the 'severed by both parties' wording. Can you believe Rose and I would have missed that loophole? Give a faerie an unguarded month and they'll take a lifetime. Have I mentioned lately how much I love my new pack?

  Jed and I drove home, much to Rose's dismay. But two nights in a row on her pull-out sofa bed just didn't sound appealing. Besides, Jed would be with me.

  By the time we got home, it was time to sign the pledge and go to bed. I re-read it to make sure some faerie trickster hadn't changed the wording and signed it with my customary scrawl.

  And suddenly going to sleep didn't sound nearly so appealing.

  IT TOOK HOURS FOR ME to go to sleep. I was too nervous to relax. Jed checking to see if I was asleep every half hour or so didn't help the cause either, but I knew he meant well. He had decided to stay awake the whole night just in case I needed an emergency wake-up call. Creator, I love my man.

  Finally, around midnight or so, the lack of sleep from the night before caught up to me and I drifted off. Until MacDougal showed up, I hadn't really thought it would work.

  The first thing I was aware of was the fact that I couldn't smell anything. For a wolf, that's super odd. Then within seconds, he was just there. Sitting on a little stool beside a beautiful wooded path. I took a deep breath. Nothing. Well, on the plus side, I'd always have a way to tell if I was dreaming or awake.

  MacDougal grinned up at me. "The queen sent me to greet ye, what with me being the only faerie with which ye are acquainted." He spread his arms to encompass the forest surrounding us. "Welcome to the land of Faerie."

  I looked around. It didn't look all that much different from the woods behind my little cabin. I guess I'd expected a castle with people in ball gowns and such. Speaking of which, I glanced down at myself and sighed in relief.

  In far too many of my dreams, I show up to places totally without clothes. I was vastly grateful that this wasn't one of those times. But then, neither was I in my pajamas. I was wearing the outfit that Jed had given me last year for Christmas. A feminine version of his hunting outfit. A light tan tunic that fell to mid-thigh with matching breeches. All in genuine leather suede. It wasn't an outfit I wore often around o
ur vegetarian friends.

  MacDougal seemed to approve of my attire. He stood and beckoned for me to follow him. We headed down the path under the trees.

  It wasn’t nighttime here, but full, bright daylight. And I do stress the word bright. The path we were on should have been almost dark, with all the foliage above our heads. Instead, the sun's light had no problem reaching the forest floor. As though the leaves parted to allow it access. I missed my scenting ability, but the sheer beauty of the woods almost made up for it.

  There were trees here I had never seen before, and seriously doubted even existed in our realm. Tall stately trees with gorgeous flowering branches. And the leaves were a variety of vibrant colors. Some of which I had never seen on a tree before. Faerie beat out our Autumn tree-gazing hands down.

  I lost track of time as we walked beneath the trees. It may have been hours or just minutes before we reached the turn in the path. The turn marked the end of the trees and the beginning of a glorious clearing. And there in the very center of the clearing was a castle of light.

  There really was no other way to describe it. It looked like it was built of a very light-colored stone, almost alabaster in appearance. The sunlight gleamed from every surface making the stone sparkle like a multi-faceted diamond.

  What happened next was surreal but, as in the nature of dreams, it didn't seem too odd at the time. One minute we were standing at the edge of the woods looking down into a valley at this marvelous sight, and the next minute—second really—we were standing at the gate to the castle courtyard.

  MacDougal opened the gate with a flourish, ushering me inside. "Welcome to the Seelie Court, Tazlyn Hunt, Benandanti Wolf," he said.

  I hesitated, then stepped inside. I turned back to ask MacDougal where I could find the queen's court. He was gone. I was standing alone at a tall fountain of what looked to be gleaming marble carved into the shape of a mermaid. The water issued not out of her mouth as in the human realm equivalents I had seen, but out of her cupped hands. As if she was the source of all the water in the world, and we waited upon her discretion to drink of it. In a word, intimidating. Beautiful, but very, very intimidating.

  I was alone. I was beginning to get a little freaked out by the faerie's seemingly unending power to manipulate my dream. Instant traveling over miles of pathway, disappearing leprechauns, I mean I should be the one in control, right? After all, it was my dream. But then what was the worst that could happen? Titania could appear as a giant, but I could still fur out and run away.

  Then I had the most frightening thought of my life. What if I couldn't change here? This dream state had taken my sense of smell, my most heightened ability of all. What if it had also taken from me my fur form?

  Gulping, I pushed back an intense desire to wolf-out. The not knowing was killing me. But to wolf-out, I had to get naked. And with my run of bad luck, just as the last piece of clothing hit the ground, Queen Titania would show up.

  Now I was more than a little freaked out. And now I wasn't alone.

  I hated the fact that without my super sniffer, I couldn't smell them coming. Even without the scent to alert me though, I could sense a presence behind me.

  Turning, I faced the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She was tall and slender with long blonde locks that flowed down her back in a wavy waterfall of hair. Her skin was pale, with just a touch of pink in all the right places, and she was dressed in a long flowing gown of seafoam green embroidered with perfect pearl and opal accents. I could tell the gems were real. Fake ones just didn't have that same glimmer to them.

  "Hello, Tazlyn Hunt, Benandanti werewolf," she said. "I am Queen Titania, ruler of the Seelie Court of the Fae. Welcome to my court of light."

  Okay, I'm not up on royal customs. I figured I should probably curtsy or something, but that wasn't something they taught in American schools these days. I settled for a slight bow instead.

  "Thank you, your Majesty," I responded. "I have heard that you are host to my sister, Odella Hunt, Benandanti werewolf as well."

  She smiled, showing most of her perfect pearly white teeth. "The one you call sister is a member of my court."

  "May I please see her?" I didn't think that was unreasonable to ask. After all, it had been sixteen years.

  "In due time, my dear." She flicked her hand and suddenly we were inside the castle. Before us was a long trestle table laden with food. I could tell she'd put some thought into it, as most of the dishes contained meat. I really think every edible animal was represented on that table. For the first time, my lack of smell wasn't a bad thing. The scent alone of all that meat in one place would be enough to drive a hungry wolf crazy. And just as a hint, wolves are always hungry.

  "Won't you have a bite to eat?" she asked.

  Now all the faerie lore we had dug up was very clear on one thing. Do not eat or drink anything in the Faerie realm. Rose was not sure if that rule applied to the Benandanti as we only visited in our sleep. But the consequences were dire enough in the books to make me not want to risk it. Besides, it was just dream food. How good could it really be?

  I shook my head. "No thank you, Majesty." I didn't want to be rude and demand she present my sister. Especially since it seemed pretty evident that she was the one controlling this dream. If I got too belligerent, all she had to do was basically disconnect the call. So I took a deep breath and waited.

  Titania seemed disappointed that I wasn't eating. I gave myself a mental pat on the back. Disappointing the Fae could only be a good thing.

  "Very well," she said. "Let's go into the parlor then by the fire, where we will be more comfortable."

  I have to admit, I was hoping my sister would make an appearance soon. I'm not used to being gracious. It was beginning to rub on my nerves.

  She led me down the open and airy hall toward the room of her choosing. I had expected another flick and magic transport, but I think she wanted me to see this.

  The floor we walked on looked like marble that had been polished to glistening. The boys in my grade school—high school, too, for that matter—would have loved to have that floor in the school we attended.

  No girl in a dress would be safe from their stares. There was almost an eerie reflection in the stone. And everywhere, everything shone. It was dazzlingly bright. She did not miscall it when she named it the court of light. Okay, so maybe I was impressed. But I still wanted my sister.

  Titania led me into a smaller room off the hall. One entire wall was nothing but a massive stone fireplace. You would definitely not get cold in here. I looked around, hoping that the room would hold another guest. It was just the two of us.

  "Your Majesty, I know your time is precious," I said slowly. "And being new to this, I'm not sure how long I'll be allowed to stay. I would really appreciate it if I could see my sister now." I tried out a smile. "It has been sixteen years, as you probably know."

  She nodded. "Yes, I remember the night she joined us well. And you will see her soon, I promise you." She motioned for me to take one of the ultra-comfortable seats in front of the fireplace. Once I sat, she followed suit.

  "The Benandanti and the Seelie Court have long traded favors between one and another. As it happens I have a great and pressing need of such a favor."

  Ah, so Jed was right on track, then.

  "If it is a favor that will not require me to go against my moral upbringing and one I am capable of performing, I will gladly do it in return for my sister being allowed to return to my realm with me," I said. Might as well get my cards on the table.

  Titania looked thoughtful. "If you agree to my favor, the one you knew as sister all those years ago will go freely to your realm with you."

  Her wording made me uncomfortable. I really wished Rose were here to help me watch for the loopholes. She was the expert in faerie speak.

  "Perhaps, if you told me your favor?" I asked.

  She smiled. "You Benandanti always did believe in getting to the very heart of the matter quickly." She pau
sed. "Very well. I require a safe haven and protector for my daughter, Princess Shaylee of the Seelie Court."

  "You want us to agree to be a Faerie Princess Protection Agency?"

  Her laughter was as beautiful as she was. "What a delightful term," she said. "And it quite accurately describes what I am needing too."

  "For how long?" I asked. "And I should warn you that I cannot speak for my entire pack without their consent. I can only speak for myself."

  "Understood. But you are the Alpha female, and I am sure they would not willingly let harm come to my daughter. And as to the length of time, well I'm afraid it could grow quite lengthy. Shaylee will need to remain in your protection until she is ready to take her place on the throne." She paused dramatically. "The throne of all of Faerie, both Seelie and UnSeelie."

  She would have made a fortune in the theater the way her voice seemed to crescendo and echo that last statement. Unfortunately, it was lost on me. She had lost me on the 'quite lengthy' part.

  "I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I'm willing to take on an indefinite job such as that. I have other priorities that take up too much of my time back home." Yeah, like earning a living.

  "Oh, I think you will be agreeable to doing this." She sounded far too smug for my taste. If it wasn't for my sister I'd so be out of there. If, in fact, I could leave. I wasn't so sure that was within my control either.

  Not trusting myself to speak, I just kept my mouth shut. For once it worked. Seeing that her ruse wasn't going to get a rise out of me, Titania called out toward the hall.

  "Shaylee, dear, would you please join us?"

  She came through the doorway, and I recognized her immediately. She hadn't aged a day in the last sixteen years.

  Princess Shaylee, the heir to both the courts of Faerie, was my sister.