Hidden Worlds

by Kristie Cook

  When Liam slowed down and I felt the pressure release, my lungs automatically gulped in air. I opened my eyes to see grass and boulders and a dirt road blurring by. Then he came to a complete stop and I wriggled off his back. My equilibrium was still in Stoneville, so I was glad he held me steady by the elbows. I might have gone down like a sack of rocks otherwise.

  The trees on either side of the road towered above us, their long branches intertwining overhead to give the impression of a tunnel. The grass was wild and tall around the two indents of the road. It was obvious that no vehicles had been up this way in quite some time.

  “Niamh’s house is just around that bend,” Liam said, walking along the overgrown path.

  I followed closely behind, keeping underneath the green canopy where the air was cooler. The only sounds were the chirping of songbirds and our footsteps on the earth.

  “It’s pretty here. But why are we in the middle of the woods?”

  “We’re backed up to a wildlife preserve in Wheelwright. We try to stay away from iron as much as possible, so this spot is perfect.”

  “How can you stand being in Stoneville then? Iron and steel are everywhere.”

  “We use magic,” he said, glancing at me sideways as he walked. “There is no iron in TÍ r na n’Ó g, as you can imagine. There is a mineral known as fhÁ illan, however. FhÁ illan is, in many ways, the opposite of iron.”

  He lifted the sleeve of his shirt. A silver-colored band decorated with intricate swirls and triskelions encircled his upper bicep. That’s what I must’ve seen those days ago.

  “This fhÁ illan band repels the effects of iron for a time. It’s not complete, but it’s bearable.”

  As we walked, I thought about the dream I’d had the night before. “I dreamed of my mother last night.”

  “Oh?” he asked, waiting for me to continue.

  “She was in a room, surrounded by these women. One of them was so beautiful it practically hurt to look at her. They were all smiling and laughing.”

  Liam’s eyebrow furrowed. After a moment, he asked, “What did the woman, the one you said was beautiful, what did she look like?”

  “She had long, pale blonde hair. Her skin was equally pale, flawless. At first I thought it was Niamh, but Niamh’s hair is much more golden.”

  “That sounds like it might be Niamh’s mother, Saoirse,” Liam didn’t seem to actually be talking to me, but rather thinking out loud.

  “I hope that’s a good sign, that my mother seemed happy.”

  Liam didn’t say anything, just kept walking until we came to a vast clearing. The rolling hills were dotted with purple and yellow wildflowers. Nestled between two ancient oak trees sat a pale blue shaker-style farmhouse. It appeared to be at least two hundred years old, yet impeccably maintained.

  As we opened the front doors, we heard low voices. I widened my eyes as Liam gestured for me to follow him inside.

  The old wooden floorboards creaked under our feet, and the house smelled of wood and old, oiled leather. In the small foyer, a staircase led to a second floor. Doorways were at both sides of the room.

  Sitting at a round wooden table to the left were two young men, one I recognized as Tagdh. He didn’t seem very surprised to see us, though. He smiled tightly and glanced across at a man with shaggy black hair. It seemed as though they were expecting us, even.

  A large map lay on the table in front of them. I didn’t recognize the locations, but there were little blue beads dotted over its surface.

  The black-haired man rose to his feet. “Liam. We were wondering when you’d arrive.” He spoke with a thick Irish accent. His gazed moved past Liam to rest on me.

  “Allison, meet Diarmuid, Niamh’s advisor,” Liam said.

  Diarmuid looked at me curiously. His eyes were soft blue and gentle. “Lovely to meet you, Allison.”

  “And, you met Tagdh in Stoneville,” Liam said.

  Tagdh stood and inclined his head and looked at me with a blank expression. I tried to smile at them, but it came out more like a grimace.

  “Liam.” I turned to see a young woman with wavy, ginger hair come through a swinging door.

  She hurried to place the plate of fruit she was carrying on the table and turned to Liam. She grabbed his arms, and her gaze ran up and down the length of him.

  “I’d heard you were all right, but I’m so glad to see for myself.” She turned to me, confusion plain on her face. “And, who’s this?”

  The woman released Liam and tilted her head to the side as she appraised me. I felt heat creep up my neck.

  Diarmuid came to stand at the woman’s side. “This is Allison. Liam’s daughter.”

  “Daughter?” The woman stood frozen, looking at Liam with utter shock.

  Liam cleared his throat. “It was a surprise for me as well.”

  For an awkward moment there was only silence.

  “Forgive me, Allison. I’m Eithne. Come, sit.” Without meeting my eyes, she gestured to a chair across the table, and I sat down. Liam took the chair next to mine.

  “Eithne was once Aoife’s handmaiden, the one I told you about,” Liam said. “She and Diarmuid are bond-mates, similar to a married couple.”

  Liam waved his hand at the map, clearly done explaining. “I’m guessing Aodhan is on another mission?”

  Diarmuid leaned back in his chair. “That he is.”

  Now, that I was closer, I could see that the map showed the Northern United States and Canada, most of the beads concentrated in lower Ontario.

  “Who’s Aodhan?” I asked. “Does he have something to do with my mother?”

  Eithne’s eyebrows shot up and her mouth formed an O.

  “Aodhan, like your father, was once human,” Diarmuid said.

  The other three Danaans kept their eyes cast on the floor, and I got the impression that talking about Aodhan made them uncomfortable for some reason.

  “After a time in our realm, he wished to visit his family. When he returned, they were long gone. He’d been in TÍ r na n’Ó g nearly three hundred years, but now he lives here, alone, hunting for Danaans who harm humans.”

  I wished we had someone like him on our side. He sounded like just the guy to help get my mother back from Breanh.

  “My brother Niall tracked him to Canada,” Tagdh continued. “There are reports of serial killings up in Thunder Bay. Humans left completely drained of blood just left on the streets.” Tagdh's voice was strangely void of emotion considering the gruesome news he shared.

  “Is there a portal there that’s been left unguarded?” Liam asked.

  Eithne got up and excused herself, exchanging a look with Diarmuid. Huh. What was her deal?

  “There’s one just over the Canadian border. Since Aoife was imprisoned, her folk have been running wild up there. It was just a matter of time before Aodhan caught up with them.”

  Liam cleared his throat and turned away, but I could see his jaw clench. Between his reaction and Eithne’s I guessed there was more to this story than I was getting.

  “Does Niamh know about the situation up there?” Liam asked, still gazing out the window.

  “No, when she first came here, her father showed up in a rage. She went back to TÍ r na n’Ó g before we had a chance to tell her,” Diarmuid said.

  Liam’s head swiveled in Diarmuid’s direction. “Deaghlan was here? Does he know what’s happened with Aoife?”

  Diarmuid and Tagdh both hesitated.

  “He does, Liam. Breanh told the King and Queen everything.”

  Liam smacked his palm on the table and muttered an oath under his breath. “Where is the fey globe now?”

  “Deaghlan demanded that Niamh give it to him.”

  Liam swore, louder this time. “We need to go, Allison. Deaghlan is Aoife and Niamh’s father. If he releases Aoife, she’ll go back to Breanh. Things could go very wrong if we don’t hurry.”

  Butterflies as big as helicopters filled my stomach. “Why would Deaghlan let Aoife out?” I st
ammered. “What about all the trouble she’s caused?”

  The muscles in Liam’s jaw popped under his skin. “Deaghlan doesn’t value human life. Humans are just playthings at his disposal. I’m fairly certain he doesn’t even think Aoife has done anything wrong.”

  I stared at Liam for a moment. It was like a nightmare, where no matter what you did things just got worse. How could I have lived my entire life without knowing these people existed? And now they held everything I cared about in the palms of their hands.

  “If Breanh has my mother, and Aoife goes there...” I couldn’t even finish that sentence.

  “Liam?” Diarmuid asked. “What will you do?”

  “We’re going to TÍ r na n’Ó g to get Allison’s mother before something terrible happens to her.”

  Diarmuid and Tagdh rose gracefully from their seats. “We’ve been given specific orders not to allow you to enter the portal.”

  “I don’t understand,” Liam said, looking between the two men. Both stared back blankly.

  My heart plummeted at their grave expressions, and I knew that we would not get past them without a fight. They were stronger and faster, and who knew what kind of magic they were capable of. It wouldn’t be a fair fight. And judging by Liam’s frown, he knew it, too.

  I stared down at the table, running my finger along the image of the Great Lakes. Why would Niamh forbid Liam to go through the portal? I’d been wary of her before, but I didn’t think she would purposely keep Liam from being able to help find my mother.

  “Maybe it’s best this way,” I said, pushing up from the table.

  At any other moment, I’d have paid money to see the incredulous look on Liam’s face. But the beginning of a plan had taken root in my mind. And in order for it to work we needed to hurry.

  I stood up and walked straight out the door without another word.

  Chapter 8

  I counted my steps as I walked away from Niamh’s house. Frustration and panic boiled inside me, but I needed to keep calm. I stopped walking when I realized Liam wasn’t with me.

  I was not going back in there. The Danaans were lovely to look at, but their behavior was not normal. It was as if they were made of stone, incapable of emotion.

  Minutes passed and Liam still hadn’t come out. I paced back and forth in the field, willing myself not to panic. When the front door slammed, I turned to see my father at my side in an instant, his expression wary.

  “You’re taking all of this too well,” he said, his brow furrowed.

  I sighed, knowing this would be a fight. “I’ve come up with a plan.”

  He stiffened. “Oh?”

  “You and I are going to go find this Aodhan guy and bring him back here,” I said, nodding toward the house. “I can tell those two are at least a little afraid of him. We need someone on our side.”

  “Absolutely not,” he said.

  “Niamh doesn’t care about my mother,” I said. “Who knows what she’s doing now? If you want to find my mom, you’ll come with me to ask this guy for help. Otherwise, I’ll go alone.”

  “You’ve only seen a handful of the Danaans, Allison. You don’t understand what you’re dealing with. Did you hear what Tagdh said in there? They’re draining the blood of humans. Aoife’s folk are involved in all sorts of forbidden magic.”

  “All I care about is getting my mother home safely. Are we supposed to just sit around until Niamh comes back before we do anything?” I put a hand on my hip, acting braver than I felt. “I get that Breanh isn’t someone I can face on my own. But maybe Aodhan will help us.” I paused. “I have to do something, and if this is all I can do, I’ve got to try.”

  Liam looked away from me, past the trees to the hills in the north. After a few minutes, he exhaled and looked back at me.

  “I suppose you’re right. We need to do something and waiting on the whims of Niamh is not looking like much of a plan now.”

  “I'm ready. Are we going to...run again?”

  “I guess that was more uncomfortable for you than I expected.” He took a couple steps toward me, put his hands on my shoulders, and looked into my eyes. I stared back, and then everything went black.

  ***

  A young woman with fire-truck red curls and multiple facial piercings clings tightly to a guy’s arm as they walk through a large, mirrored door. The guy is tall with black gelled spikes and tattoo-covered arms. She scans the darkness surrounding them while they walk toward an alley. He looks pleased at the way she is pressed tightly to his side.

  “Tori, look, there’s nothing there. It’s okay.”

  The woman pouts her full, black-painted lips and buries her face in his arm, making a low whimpering sound.

  “Seriously, how many of those drinks were for you, and how many did you give Val?” he asks her, laughing.

  “I’m not that drunk, Wes. I’m telling you I heard something.” She pulls away from him and smacks his arm before the heel of her black boot catches on a crack on the sidewalk, making her stumble. The guy kneels by her side as she examines the tear in her black fishnet stockings.

  Without either of them noticing, two tall shapes move out of the shadow of a striped awning, heading straight toward them.

  “Allison.” My eyelids fluttered open to Liam staring down at me in concern.

  I took a deep breath and blinked, trying to figure out where I was. I lay in the center of a double bed, in an unfamiliar room. A motel room?

  The walls were dingy white and the bedspread smelled like fabric refresher—chemicals covering unwanted body odor. There was one large window with its floral drape pulled closed. On the bedside table, a tiny lamp cast shadows on the wall, and the alarm clock flashed 12:00 in red.

  “We’re in a motel in Thunder Bay,” Liam said. He was sitting on the side of my bed, looking down at me.

  I sat up and stretched my arms over my head and yawned. “Did you cast a spell on me?” I asked, moving my fingers and toes, feeling a little groggy.

  “No, not exactly. Mind magic doesn’t really work like that. I was able to coerce you to go to sleep.”

  “All right,” I said slowly as I stood up. A horrible possibility occurred to me. “You could coerce me to do whatever you wanted?”

  He looked aghast. “I suppose I could, Allison, but I wouldn’t. I still have my humanity.”

  I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. Did he? I sure hoped so.

  “Before we left, though, I found out a little more about the situation up here,” Liam said, changing the subject.

  I raised my eyebrows as I waited for him to continue.

  “Aodhan is staying at a motel adjacent to a nearby crime scene.” He pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket and glanced up at me before continuing.

  “The entire area is on alert because of a suspected serial killer. There was a group of teenagers murdered on their way home from a concert Wednesday night. Then on Friday, a bartender and his girlfriend were found completely drained of blood not far from the spot where the teenagers’ bodies had been discovered.”

  I sucked in a breath. “That’s awful.” The memory of the dream I'd had of the couple out walking played in my mind.

  “Yes. What they’re doing, this kind of magic, it taints them. Makes them wicked. And they don’t give a damn if they leave a mess behind.”

  “What do they actually use the blood for?” I asked, not positive I wanted to know the answer.

  “There are two kinds of magic the Danaans can use. One is mind magic. It is all about being able to control things with ones will. For instance, Eithne is a healer. She is able to use her mind to see what it is that ails you and reverse it. Niamh is able to use her mind to hear your thoughts and share hers.

  “The other is elemental magic. It involves using outside forces. Some aspects aren’t bad, but what it sounds like Aoife’s guards are doing has been forbidden by Saoirse for a very long time. They’re taking the blood of humans and harvesting the small levels of magic in it to increa
se their own abilities.”

  “So humans have magic in them too?”

  “That's right.”

  “Did Diarmuid and Tagdh tell you all this?”

  “After you walked out they told me that Tagdh’s brother, Niall, is one of the guards tracking Aodhan.”

  I nodded and went to get a cup of water from the tap. I took a sip and then glanced at myself in the mirror hanging by the bathroom. My hair was a disaster, and I had circles rimming my eyes. No surprise there.

  Once I pulled myself together, Liam took out his cell phone and opened the door. I watched him curiously but kept quiet as I followed him outside.

  The motel was like the dozens of others I’d seen in my life, with the lot butted up to a highway. We walked out to the sidewalk, and I looked around. Thunder Bay was a busy place. Cars were flying past and people rushed around, talking on cell phones or yelling to their friends. Across the street was a park littered with people playing Frisbee or walking their dogs. Beyond the park, I could see a marina that edged out into Lake Superior.

  Liam’s phone snapped shut, and I looked over at him. “That was Niall. He’s about three blocks away. Let’s go.”

  We walked past several businesses and apartment buildings until we came to a corner where one of the murders had taken place. Two buildings down, on the side-street, were three metal doors with mirrors on their surfaces. I looked at the reflective doors, and my jaw went slack.

  The doors from the dream I’d had on our way to Thunder Bay.

  A black sign above the door read Black Pirates Pub in curling, white letters.

  Liam stopped walking, not noticing my preoccupation. His lips curved into a little smile. Following his gaze to a bench, I saw a man with shoulder-length chestnut hair reading a newspaper. He put the paper down and turned. As soon as he recognized Liam, the man stood and walked over to greet us.

  “Liam,” he said, clapping him on the shoulder and glancing curiously at me.

  “Allison, this is Niall. Without his help I may have never escaped Aoife in the first place.”

  Niall smiled, clearly glad to see my father. “So, Liam, what news do you bring?”