by LJ Rivers
“Go wash properly,” Mari said and dumped a load of herbs in an already steaming pot. “There’s no way I’ll have you sit at Lili’s table looking like that. By the Lady, you have oil on your nose.” She shook her head at my grandmother. “He’s been working on that old wreck all morning. Never peg him for a bear, more like a stubborn donkey.”
“Still, good to have a working car,” Brendan said.
Llewellyn put a basket of bread on the table. “I gather he’ll be taking you lot to Pwllheli soon?”
Charlie and I exchanged glances.
“There’s something I have to tell you, Grandfather. And you, Grandmother.” Here goes nothing. “It’s serious, so you might want to sit down, Llew.”
He did, and something in his eyes told me he had an idea what I would say.
“This town has committed heinous crimes, and it hurts me deeply that I suspect you both know what I’m talking about. As do you and Rhys, Mari.” I would have liked to talk to them first, but I couldn’t wait any longer. Instead, I gambled on them playing along. “I’m talking about Saturday night and the summer solstice celebration. Or, to be exact, all celebrations like it for the past fifteen hundred years, give or take.”
“Thirteen hundred and fifty-one.” Llewellyn poured himself a glass of milk. “Sorry, go on, Ruby.” He put the glass to his lips and drank half of it in one gulp.
“How could you let it happen?” Tears welled in my eyes. “All those people!”
Llewellyn set the glass on the table. “There is no way you outsiders can understand. It’s our duty, and the only way we can get Nimue to hear our desperate prayers.” His voice didn’t carry the same defiance he tried to convey through his words. “But if it helps, which I don’t think it does, none of us have enjoyed it.”
“But you think it’s right? That so many—there must have been hundreds—should suffer? And in Nimue’s name? What has it brought you, all these dead humans?”
“You,” Lili whispered. “It has brought us you. You’re here, and Llewellyn tells me you can open the porth to take us home.”
I slammed my hands on the table. The plates and glasses scattered in all directions, smashing to pieces on the walls. “I am not here because you killed all those innocent people! Don’t you ever dare say that.” My hands were burning, literally, and I held them up from the table. Two black palm imprints were burnt into the wooden surface. “My mum, your daughter, ran away from this place. Did she know about the offerings?”
My grandfather held his hand up. “Ruby, please. Pull your fire back, so you—”
“Did. She. Know?”
“No!” Lili’s voice shot through the air like a whip. “She did not. Elaine was pure in her heart, and I wanted her to stay that way. She loved her friends and her quiet life in Perllanafal. She was a happy child, who said she would stay here forever.”
I sat, squinting at the old Fae. “Wh—what do you mean?”
Her cheeks had gained some colour again, and her eyes were beaming with life. “Elaine was only a few years away from starting her adult life. What is it they call it, Llew, on the outside?”
He looked as perplexed as I felt. “Uhm … age of majority, I think. Eighteen years old.”
“Right, that’s it. Now, that was still a few years away, maybe three or four, and like all children here, she knew nothing about the Aberth, what you call the offering. And I didn’t want her to know about it. Ever.”
Brendan put his hand on mine, so I had apparently retracted my fire. Still, my heart was beating faster than ever.
Rhys had come back from the bathroom and went to open the balcony door. "You might as well come in, as you can all hear this from out there already.”
Jen stepped inside, followed by Erica and Jack. They nodded at my grandparents and sat on the floor without making a sound.
“Now that my nose is no longer filled with engine oil, I could smell you across the field.” The bear smiled at my grandmother. “Sori, Lili. Carry on.”
She nodded at him. “I pushed her out, Ruby. I planted the ideas in her head, all about the studies to become a doctor and that this life was too simple for her. I wanted her to leave.”
“And what about Dad?”
“He was the biggest blessing we—I could have hoped for.” Tears streaked Lili’s face and fell on the table like rain. “When Elaine fell in love with him, she was so happy to share the news with us. She wrote dozens of letters telling us about this magnificent man she had met. She begged us to accept him, even though he was a Donnal.”
“We said no. By the Lady, we said no.” Though tears kept streaming from Lili’s eyes, her voice was steady and determined. “And then she came here, carrying you in her belly. Oh, my sweet child, how my heart was singing when I saw the lump on her. I remember putting my hand on it, feeling you in there. Elaine said it was too soon to feel you kick, but I know what I felt. And I loved you, even if you were half a Donnal.”
“But you pushed her away. And Dad.”
Llewellyn rose and went to stand by Lili’s side, placing a hand on her shoulder. He still looked surprised. My mind went back to the three letters I had found in Mum’s belongings, all signed ‘Mam’. The revelation slapped me in the face.
He didn’t know what Lili had done.
“It was the only way I could save her. I’m sorry, Llewellyn, but I had to do it.”
My grandfather stood tall and proud behind his wife. “No need to apologise. It’s all good, fy cariad. While I’ve had my suspicions, I’ve always known that whatever decisions you made were born from love.”
In the midst of all my conflicting thoughts about the atrocities in this town, I felt a strong surge of love and respect for my grandfather. What Lili had done was a direct breach of whatever ways of life they were supposed to adhere to. And he forgave her in an instant. This was what real love looked like.
Lili raised her trembling hand to take her husband’s. “Diolch, annwyl.”
She took a deep breath. It was as if the burden of her secret flew from her shoulders and out the window.
“I told her I wouldn’t allow her to come back. Not with a Donnal by her side, and one inside. When she stormed out, she ran down to the gate. It was the only glimpse I got of Dennis, as he stood beside his car, waiting for Elaine. She stopped at the gate. For a second I thought she would come running back to me. To us. And I have never struggled with anything in my life the way I struggled at that moment. All I wanted was to shout her name. Tell her to come home. That we would find a way.”
My grandmother shook her head. “But there was no way. If I had let her stay, let her and Dennis settle in Perllanafal, she would have learned about the Aberth. I couldn’t allow that to happen.” Her eyes burned with a white-hot intensity I had never seen in them before. “I let my daughter leave. I pushed her out of my life so she could have a chance at happiness. And although it was cut short by so many years, I believe she was happy. Most of the time.”
I tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out. I wanted to say that Mum had been happy.
Most of the time.
Instead, I mustered the strength to say something else. “The police are on their way.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
“The police? Oh, annwyl, what have you done?” Llew strode to the window, where Bailey and Kit lay head to head on the sill, fast asleep, and stared across the field.
“It’s more what I have done,” Charlie said. “What Ru hasn’t told you, which I realise is quite a strange sentence given all that has come to light this morning, is that I work for the police.” She stood, raising her palms. “Now, let me explain. On Sunday, at Elaine’s wake—sorry, her Essencebearing—Brendan and I were taken by the Baker boys. And on a side note, there’s no way those two are not brothers. Anyway, they took us to their home, and basically prepared us for a roast. Ruby, with the help of Jen and Rhys, bless their hearts, came to our rescue. There was another human there, which kind of puzzles me. Did you burn a
nyone on Saturday, Llew? And if I might add another side note; that’s now officially the weirdest question I have ever asked anyone.”
This was Charlie one-oh-one. She compensated her nerves by babbling. And I couldn’t have loved her more if I had tried. My little sister.
My grandfather cleared his throat. “No, we did not. Because of the Hanfod Chario, Reeve Yeats decided we should wait. But what do you mean, another human?”
Charlie retrieved her phone from her pocket. “There’s not much juice left on this, but here’s a picture of a certain Leighton Ballard, who went missing two weeks ago. He was taken by a group of Shifters and Sorcerers, according to witnesses. My boss let me come here to … well, investigate.”
The pride seeped through her voice as well as her words. And rightly so, I thought.
“Those hurtyn llancs! Emrys and Tommos, the Baker brothers, as you so rightly observed, have done this before. The reeve has told me he suspects they have their own hunters. That must have been them, taking that man. Did they burn him?”
“They most definitely tried, but Ruby and Jen saved him. Oh, and Rhys, of course.”
Jen, Erica, and Jack, who had been sitting quietly by the fireplace during the entire event, glanced at Llew as he returned to the table. While they said nothing, they were clearly alert.
My grandfather placed his hands on the rough surface. “And where is he now?”
“It’s best for all of us if you accept that he’s no longer in danger. Nor in Perllanafal, for that matter. My boss, Commander Travers, will take care of him on the outside. Ballard was very pleased with the solution, believe me. It’s certainly a much better outcome than what he thought when he watched his life go up in flames, courtesy of the Baker … twins?”
“That’s right,” Mari said. “Emrys was born before Tommos, but their mam didn’t have the heart to send the youngest away. So, she gave him to her cousin, Callum Baker, to raise as his son. I think the reeve has used it as trosoledd … what’s that in English, Llew?”
“Leverage, I think. And you might be right. Those boys have been more or less like servants to the reeve.”
And here I was, thinking Mum and I had kept secrets from each other, but these people would impress even MI6.
Llewellyn gripped the windowsill, disturbing the two cats lounging there. “When will the police arrive?” The cats meowed and jumped to the floor, prancing out of the room.
“Around two.” I checked my Fitbit. “Six or seven hours from now.”
“So, we won’t be going to Pwllheli, then?” Rhys said.
“Not all of us. But if you could take Brendan?” I had to give it another shot. “He has to—”
“I said no, Ru.”
I started to protest, but Brendan waved me off.
“Fine, but if you lose your chance at the Olympics because of this, I’ll dump you like a piano in a cartoon.”
“No, you won’t.” A wry smile played on his lips.
“No, I won’t.”
Charlie leaned forward on her elbows. “Commander Travers will need your statements, Mari. And yours too, Rhys.”
“Oh, is that necessary?” Mari’s voice trembled.
“I’m afraid it is. Without solid witness accounts from someone with first-hand knowledge, he will have prob—”
Llewellyn came back to the table. “I’ll talk with him.”
“Llewellyn!”
“It’s fine, Lili Helene. Ruby knows I’m right.”
I nodded. “I can’t speak for Travers, and I have no knowledge of the judicial implications, but I’m pretty sure it will help if you testify.”
“The reeve will be the primary target for the Crown’s prosecutor,” Charlie added. “As well as anyone with a prominent position in the town’s leadership. There’s a council, I understand?”
Llewellyn nodded. “I was a member until some years ago,” he said quietly.
“I cannot guarantee there won’t be others on trial. I’m only an intern, after all, and not privy to any of the major decisions.”
“There will be many more,” said my grandfather. “Every person in Perllanafal above the age of seventeen knows about the Aberth. And we have all followed the tradition, firmly believing it would lead us back to Avalon.” His shoulders slumped, and his voice carried his resignation. “I was sure there would be a way to open the—”
“Someone’s coming,” Erica said. She tilted her head, ears pricking up.
Jen and Jack mimicked her move, as did Kit and Bailey, who had just sauntered back inside. I picked up Kit. He hissed and clawed the air.
It didn’t take wolf's ears to hear them. Voices, lots of them, coming from the front of the house.
“Llew?” Lili whispered.
I leaned over to Charlie. “You want to quote Star Wars again?”
She nodded. “I defo have a bad feeling about this.”
Llewellyn went to the patio door. “Mari, take Lili to our room, please.”
My grandmother looked up at Mari. “You will do no such thing. Who’s coming, Llew?”
“Gilroy Yeats.”
“The reeve?” I glanced at Brendan. “They found the Baker boys.”
“Let’s go the other way,” said Jen and left through the balcony door.
Erica and Jack followed her, and all three of them changed into their four-legged alter-egos once they were outside. Jen’s instinct matched my gut feeling. This could escalate.
My grandfather stepped through the front door, with Brendan and me on his heels. Charlie grabbed her backpack from the hallway and followed with Rhys, who made room for Mari. She pushed my grandmother’s wheelchair out on the patio. Llewellyn was already halfway across the front yard, waving at the group coming up the road.
“What brings you here this fine morning, Reeve Yeats?”
The reeve didn’t reply. He strutted the final yards until he stopped ten feet in front of my grandfather.
“Stay here,” I whispered to Brendan, and went to stand by Llewellyn’s side.
The rest of the reeve’s group—or posse, I feared—gathered in a semi-circle behind him. There were about twenty of them, half of whom were in their shifted state. I counted six wolves, including Rhod and Osian, a black bear about half the size of Rhys the grizzly, and two lynxes. From the auras of the rest, I figured at least two were Sorcerers and two were either Pixies or Fae.
Kit hissed again. I had forgotten I had him in my arms and set him on the ground. “Go hide in the stables,” I whispered, as if he would understand. He clearly didn’t, as he chose to stand next to me, his back arched and tail pointing straight up.
“That one isn’t very welcoming,” the reeve said.
“Nor am I, unless you tell me your business,” replied Llewellyn and gestured to the Mags behind the reeve. “This does not look like a friendly gathering.”
The Satyr smiled. His eyes had started to turn red, and his goatee was longer than only seconds ago. “That depends on you, old Fae. You see, my people—” He turned halfway and nodded at the closest wolf. “They’re scared. There is unrest in Perllanafal and, as the reeve, I cannot stand idly by.”
My grandfather took a small step forward, his hands resting on his lower back. “And what unrest would that be?”
"You have Donnals here!” spat an old Sorcerer who stood directly behind the reeve.
“That we do, Cai. But they are under my roof and under my protection. And they will leave for London in the morning.”
The reeve chuckled. “I’m afraid that cannot be, Llewellyn. My friend, Councillor Cai, has learned that the Donnals have seen … things.”
This was heading in one direction only. I stepped forward and tried to look a couple of feet taller than my five-two. “I’ll make sure the hum—the Donnals leave, and that they will not speak of their visit to Perllanafal.”
“My princess.” Reeve Yeats bowed. His horns had started to sprout from his head. “I’m glad to see that you are back on your feet. We were so worried when
you turned ill at your mother’s Hanfod Chario.”
I bit my tongue. “Thank you, Reeve. It was nothing serious.”
The silver-grey wolf on the far right let out a puff of air through his nose. I ignored him. For now.
“Excellent. However, your guarantee is not enough, I’m afraid. It seems your friends have paid a visit to the Bakers’ home.” He leaned to the side, looking past my grandfather. “Could you step forward, please? The Donnals, that is.”
I turned and shook my head at Brendan and Charlie, then addressed the increasingly goat-looking reeve. He was already a foot taller than when he first came up the road, and his eyes were now entirely crimson.
“I’m the princess of Avalon,” I said, adding as much authority to my voice as I could. “And I don’t think my father, the king, will take it lightly if—”
“The king, you say?” The Satyr drew the last syllable into a shrill sound, piercing my ears. “I believe the prince will be king of Avalon, of all Gwyn Fanon, in fact. But that is not today. And what’s more, Princess Ruby, is that I’m the head of this town. One could say I am its king.” He laughed, which sounded more like a bleating ram.
His followers joined in, bellowing their contemptuous laughter out over the Morgana farm.
The reeve, now fully changed into his Satyr form, held his hands out to the side, and again I could not help comparing him with the late Jarl Colburn. He waited until the laughter settled.
“Enough, my princess. You will hand over the Donnals so we can deal with them appropriately, and that will be the end of it.”
“The end of them, you mean. I know how you ‘deal’ with humans, you bloodthirsty maniac.” I raised my voice. “The Baker boys, brothers, by the way—a clear breach of your laws—took my friends prisoners and stowed them in their basement to await their turn. Those murdering Shifters had already set fire to another human, with my friends next on the list.”
The eight-foot Satyr inhaled sharply, his large nostrils flaring. “I see. Well, it seems Emrys and Tommos took matters into their own hands, arranging their private, unauthorised Aberth. It is not our way to simply set fire to any and all Donnals who come to our town. The law of the Aberth is as ancient as magic itself, passed down through generations. It clearly states that we shall only punish those who deserve it, and that the punishment shall fit the crime. I give you my personal guarantee that we will release your friends, unharmed, once the porth is reopened and we can return to our homes in Avalon.”