by M. C. Cairns
Alayna dropped her hands and stared at Brianne. "Are you serious? You really don't remember anything? And, obviously, have never been exposed to any information about the fae. Fun faerie fact number one, cold iron will drop us faster than news of a breakup travels in high school. That chain is one hundred percent cold iron and if he gets too close you will have a headache for weeks afterward."
The puca cleared his throat, filling the clearing with the sound of rocks being ground together. "The fact still remains that you harmed me with a rock and I demand compensation."
"You want to hit me back?" Brianne raised an eyebrow at him.
He grunted and threw his head back and forth. "Violence is a pointless practice. It is much more satisfying to strike back at your mind."
"I’ve heard about this before," Alayna said. "You’ll tell us a riddle and we have to solve it or you’ll take something valuable from us, right?"
"Aw. So close. I will tell her a riddle and she has to solve it or I will take you from her." The puca pointed at them with his muzzle as he answered Alayna.
"What?!" the girls yelled in unison.
"Or you are free to choose option two." The puca's equine smile sent shivers up both girls' spines.
"Wh-what is option two?" Brianne tried, and failed, to sound braver than she felt.
The puca shook his flank and the chains rattled in answer. "Which do you prefer, ladies? A chance that both of you are free? Or suffering together in the clutches of these icy cold iron chains?"
"The riddle. Definitely the riddle," Alayna turned to Brianne and added, "At least one of us has to walk away from this. I know that you will find me if it comes down to that and, trust me, you do not want the chains."
Brianne stared at her, slack-jawed. "I cannot put you in danger again." Turning to the puca she demanded, "If we choose the riddle and I get it wrong, you will take me instead. Deal?"
The puca thought for only a split second before agreeing, "Deal! Now, here is your riddle. What is black, majestic, and uses his head to trap you?"
Brianne rolled her eyes. "Seriously? You are not very good at this. The answer to your riddle..."
"Wait!" Alayna turned to Brianne. "It has to be a trick. It's too easy. He wants you to say him so you get it wrong and he wins. There has to be another answer."
Brianne puffed out her cheeks then huffed the air out in a rush. "Do you have any other ideas? You know more about this stuff than I do."
"Ladies, I need an answer." His smile grew wider.
"Hold on a minute! Give us a minute to think." Alayna was pacing and tapping her head. "What is black, majestic, and uses his head...I know the answer! Brianne, tell him 'The Dullahan.'"
"The Dullahan? What is that?" Brianne sounded less than convinced.
"I’ll tell you later. Just tell him!"
Brianne turned toward the puca and cleared her throat. "The Dullahan. That's our answer." She closed her eyes and anticipated the worst.
"You are correct." The puca bowed his head. "You are free, Brianne." He started laughing and raised his head, "But, I am taking her to the Dullahan," he said, nodding his head at Alayna.
"What? No! That wasn't the deal!" Brianne jumped in front of Alayna.
"Oh, but it was. We agreed that if you got it wrong I would take you, but you got it right, so I am taking her. A deal is a deal!" He trotted toward them and lowered his head, "You can either get on yourself, or I will use the chains to secure you on my back."
Alayna took a deep breath and held Brianne's hands. "I know you’ll find me. You have to open your mind and regain your memory. It’s the only way." She stepped toward the puca, grabbed a handful of his misty mane, and jumped up on his back. She nodded determinedly at Brianne, "You can do this. I know it."
16
The Reaper
B
RIANNE STOOD IN THE MIDDLE of the clearing and yelled after Alayna’s disappearing back. "What am I supposed to do now?" She looked around and added to herself, "Now that I am completely alone, in a strange place, with no idea how to get out." Before she could answer herself, a loud crash in the woods behind her made her jump. She snatched her backpack from under the tree and ran into the cave. Her heart pounded in her ears, making it impossible to hear any sounds outside the cave. She searched the clearing left to right and right to left with unblinking eyes, but their voices reached her before they came into view.
"Something must have gone wrong. They should have been here a long time ago." She recognized that deep voice. It was Mack.
"We won't wait forever," said a booming voice. "We could get some pay from the dark faeries if we bring you instead."
"Just hold on! They should be here. Give me some time to figure this out." Mack sounded and looked desperate as he and the trolls entered the clearing. Brianne could barely see them in the sliver of light remaining from the disappearing sun.
Brianne scowled. Why is he leading the trolls to us? He wouldn't really betray us, would he? She concentrated and pushed flames to her fingertips. When the trolls were both completely in her line of sight, she began hurling flaming rockets at them. She missed with the first three, but then one landed on the upper arm of one of the trolls. Payback, sucker. She was about to throw another one when Mack appeared in the mouth of the cave.
"Get out of the way! I'm starting to get the hang of this." She moved past him and shot two more fireballs toward the trolls. They stomped toward the cave, the ground shaking beneath them, and swiped blindly in the darkness. She managed to jump back just in time to avoid a matching set of gashes on her other arm.
Mack ran between them and yelled, "Stop! All of you, stop!" He blocked Brianne from throwing another fireball. "They are on our side now. Well, not really on our side, but working for us."
"But they said they would take you to the dark faeries." Her hands were still flaming and her eyes burned with rage.
"Only if we didn't find you guys. Wait, where's Alayna?" Mack squinted and looked around the cave.
"Long story. I have a feeling the trolls will want to know you found me. Let's go out there and I will tell you everything." She extinguished the magic in her hands, grabbed her bag and walked into the clearing her hands up in surrender. "Hey! I'm here. Mack says you guys are working for us now. Is that true?"
The trolls grunted and nodded their heads. One of them tried to look behind her. "Where is the other one?"
Brianne sighed and dropped her arms, her hands slapping her leg as she rushed through her explanation. "She was taken by a puca. He tricked me and I made a stupid deal with him that I thought would save her, but it ended up putting her in more danger. I don't know what Mack has told you to do, but I am changing it. I want you to go find her. He said he was taking her to the Dullahan, whatever that is, so go there and get her back."
The trolls and Mack were all frozen momentarily. One troll gulped, the other made a sound that resembled a gasp.
Mack began pacing and rubbing his hair like he had at Brianne's house. "A puca is taking her to the Dullahan? Are you sure? That doesn't make any sense. Pucas are solitary creatures. They don't work with anyone, including other pucas. Why would this one be working with the Dullahan?" Mack stopped pacing and looked up at Brianne. "Wait. You don't know what the Dullahan is? Wow. You really don't remember anything."
"Could people please stop reminding me how dumb I am?" Brianne sighed and plopped down on a ledge of the rock wall.
Mack shook his head no. "That's not what I meant. You're not dumb at all. It's sometimes hard to remember that your memories are all still human."
"Doesn't matter," one of the trolls said. "No way we're going to the Dullahan. We aren't dumb either."
"What is the Dullahan?" Brianne demanded. "Why does everyone get so scared when they hear that name?"
"Oh, nothing serious, just the Reaper!" the other troll spouted.
Brianne jumped off the ledge and grabbed Mack's shoulders. "The Reaper? Like THE angel of death? The one who steals souls? Mack is
this true?"
"Technically, yes. You've heard of the Headless Horseman, right?" He waited for Brianne to nod before continuing. "Well, that is the human, watered-down version of the Dullahan. The Dullahan does ride on a black stallion, and he holds his head in his hands, but he has the gift of supernatural sight, so when he raises his head up, he can see for miles. When he finds the mortal he is looking for, he chases them down and calls out their name. He does this to separate their soul from their body, which, for a mortal, means death. He is also known as the Reaper."
Brianne crumpled to the ground. She buried her head in her hands and sobbed, "No, no, no. I can't lose her. Not now. It's all my fault."
Mack bent down, wrapped his arm around her, and pulled her head to his shoulder. "It's going to be okay. We can figure this out. There has to be a way to save her. I promise to do everything in my power to bring her back. If I only knew where we were bringing her back from." Brianne tried to speak between sobs, but her voice was muffled in Mack's shirt. He pulled back and wiped her eyes. "Say that again."
"She told me that I could save her. I don't know how, but she said I had to remember." She looked at Mack with tears streaming down her face. "I don't know how. I have tried to remember, but I just can't. And now I can't save her because of it."
Mack thought for a moment, then turned to the trolls. "Do you know where the Dullahan would have her taken?"
They shook their heads, "No. He is always moving. He travels in and out of the realm because he is always hunting for mortals."
"Okay. Brianne?" He knelt down in front of her again. "I think Alayna wants you to remember so she can talk to you telepathically. Your connection with her makes that possible, if you can figure out how to open that channel in your mind. I have an idea that might help you remember."
She wiped her eyes, took a deep breath, stretched her neck, and shook her hands out to the sides. "Okay. I can do this. Alayna is counting on me, so I have to. What's the plan?"
"We need to keep going to the cauldron's resting place.” Mack held up his hand to stop her protest. “The magic there is a hundred times stronger than anywhere else in the faerie realm. If you can find a way to tap into that magic, it may be enough to break down those mental barriers."
"Okay, let's do it."
Mack addressed the trolls, "I need you guys to go make sure the area is safe for us. I will take Brianne through the portals and meet you there, okay?"
"Wait. Is it faster to go the way they are going than to go through the portals?" Brianne looked back and forth from the trolls to Mack.
"Yes, but it's not safe for you," Mack said.
"We have them to protect me." Brianne pointed at the trolls. "And I have learned a lot about controlling my magic. We have to get there the fastest way possible if we have any hope of saving Alayna." She crossed her arms over her chest and made it clear she wasn't taking no for an answer.
Mack sighed and ran his hand over his head again. "Fine. But you have to listen to me. You have to do things my way. Got it?"
"Yes, sir." She saluted him. "Brianne Nicole at your service."
Mack rolled his eyes and headed into the dark forest with Brianne on his heels and the trolls taking up the rear.
17
The Dragon
B
RIANNE COULD BARELY SEE MACK'S outline in front of her. Night had set in and the darkness was overwhelming. She created a fireball in one hand to light the way.
"No! Don't do that." Mack swiped at her hand to put it out. "We’re in the dark faerie realm and we’re definitely not supposed to be here. If anyone sees your fire we’ll be in deep…well, it won’t be good."
"But I can't see a foot in front of me.” She knew she was whining, but the darkness was so heavy and unsettling. “How am I supposed to keep up with you if I can't see you or where I am going?" Brianne waved her hands in front of her face and accidentally smacked him in the head. "Sorry! Like I said, I can't see at all."
Mack swept his hand in her direction until he found hers and laced his warm fingers between hers. "We don't have much farther in this part of the realm. Soon we’ll be in light faerie territory and you can make your own sun and place it in the night sky if you want, but, for now, don't let go of my hand. I’ll lead you."
Brianne blushed furiously and was glad it was too dark for him to see her. "Okay." she said quietly
They had only taken a few steps when muffled voices stopped them again. Mack dropped into a crouching position, pulling her down with him, but his attempt to hide only drew more attention. She stumbled and fell sideways, colliding with a tree. Mack, still holding tight to her hand, felt his way to the backside of the tree, guiding her to a safer hiding spot. Brianne crouched next to him and whispered, "Who is that?"
"Shhh," Mack quieted her.
"Did you hear that?" Whoever the nasally voice belonged to stopped about five feet from where they hid. "I thought I heard voices."
"Yeah, me too," the other voice croaked. "Hello? Who's there? Come out before we pummel you!"
Brianne squeezed Mack's hand tighter and leaned into him.
The strangers began walking slowly toward them and continued to call out. "We know you’re there! You can't hide forever," toad boy said.
"Come on, let's go. We have things to do anyway," the other boy said to his friend. "It's not worth wasting our time. If we don't get back to torturing the light faerie girl soon, the Dullahan will come after us."
"Alayna!" Mack covered Brianne's mouth as soon as she said it. She tried to pry his hand away. "Mmmph!"
"Over there! I heard it again." Toad boy moved toward them.
Mack reached out and tried to push the trolls forward, whispering, “I’m paying you to protect her. Start protecting.”
The troll closest to them shuffled forward. "You think you can pummel us?"
The other troll joined him. "We would like to see you try."
"Who do you think you are? Show yourself!" the nasally voice snarled.
Suddenly there was a blinding light in the sky. Mack jerked Brianne behind the tree, but she peeked around him. Even though the trolls stood between her and the two voices, she could see between them. The creatures belonging to the voices appeared to be faeries, but not like Mack or Ian. They both wore black clothes and carried a weapon. The one with stringy brown hair hanging over his glowing green eyes was holding a dagger that gleamed in the light, while the one with snow-white hair held a staff with rune-like markings glowing on it that seemed to be creating the light.
"Trolls? What are you doing all the way out here at this time of night? Shouldn't you be sleeping in a hole somewhere?" The one with the dagger was toad boy.
The first troll rubbed his stomach. "We just finished a late-night snack and are on our way to our sleeping grounds. Surely you would not keep us from our slumber."
"Of course not. We have no reason to stop you. But the voices we heard did not sound like they belonged to you," the faerie with the white hair said as he tried to look past them.
They looked at each other and shrugged. "You must be mistaken. We heard no other voices than our own."
"Be on your way, then." The white-haired faerie shooed them away. "We have more important things to tend to."
"No!" Brianne broke free from Mack and ran between the trolls. "Where is my sister? What have you done with her?" Her hands and arms were engulfed in flames, her eyes were full of fire.
"Your sis...oh! You are the other faeling!" The white-haired faerie turned to his companion, "Look at that, Doyle! It's the other one! If we bring her back to him, surely he would grant us immortality!" An evil smile spread across his face. He pointed his staff at her and commanded, "Get her!"
Before Brianne could process the conversation, Mack jumped in front of her, pushed her to the trolls and transformed into a dragon with razor-sharp teeth, shimmering purple scales, and a spike-covered club for a tail. He swiped at the dark faeries with his claws and blew fire from side to side to push th
em back. The white-haired faerie lifted his staff and created a shield around both of them, keeping them from getting barbecued. When the fire stopped, he twirled the staff until shards of ice flew at the dragon and pierced his side. Mack roared in pain but didn't back down. He turned and slammed his tail down where the faeries were standing. He caught the leg of toad boy, who screeched as blood covered his entire pants leg.
Mack stumbled as he was bombarded by another round of ice bullets. He returned to faerie form and fell to the ground, speckled with blood-filled holes. Brianne broke free of the trolls and ran toward him, shooting fireballs at the dark faeries as she moved. She stood in front of him and used her hand like a flamethrower. Without looking back, she shouted at the trolls, "Get him out of here!"
"We were hired to protect you, not him," one of the trolls called back.
She pointed one and in their direction for a second. "Either get him out of here or I will melt your hairy skin off your bones!"
The trolls grabbed Mack and took him to a nearby grove of trees. Brianne watched as the white-haired faerie helped toad boy limp away. When they were no longer in her sight, she let go of the streams of flame, but didn’t put out the fire completely, just in case
"Mack!" She ran toward the hole the trolls laid him in and slid to his side on her knees. "I am so sorry, Mack. I just wanted to find Alayna. I didn't mean to get you hurt."
"It...It's my...fault," he managed to whisper. "We should have...taken the...portal.” He stopped talking and struggled to pull air into his lungs. “I...knew better." With the last word, Mack's hand went limp.
"No! It's not your fault. You told me I had to listen to you and I didn't. I should have stayed with you behind the tree and because I didn't, you are hurt. Everything is my fault. I have gotten so used to doing everything myself and not letting anyone in that I forgot what it was like to care about other people. And now, the two people I care about the most are hurt and in danger. And it's all my fault. Please, don't die. Please, don't leave me alone again." She hated how selfish she sounded, but she couldn’t bear the thought of someone else she cared for dying. Her cheeks streaked with wet trails, she laid her head on his chest, her tears mixing with his blood.