Ruby Morgan Box Set: Books 6-10

by LJ Rivers

  Chapter Six

  Mum always said I should ‘sleep on it’ whenever I had to make a difficult decision, at least if circumstances allowed me to wait until the next day. Whenever she said it, and Dad heard it, he would break into “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” by Meat Loaf. Mum would join in on the female part, and they always ended up belting out how they would love each other to the end of time. Nine-year-old Ruby Morgan would wish a hole appeared under her feet so she could sink away from the embarrassing scenes. Now, however, the song had its place on the very long list of songs that would bring tears to my eyes. Mum’s sentiment remained, however, even though the end of both her and Dad’s time came all too soon.

  So, I slept on it.

  Not a deep sleep, or anything close to a long one. Still, the few hours I got didn’t change my mind. If anything, I was more determined now than when I snuck back under the blanket and snuggled close to Brendan. While the storm had calmed down since last night, I was no longer in a hurry to see my grandfather. I had other matters to attend to first.

  Taryn was already well into his breakfast when Brendan and I walked into the main room. Wadyan was also up, and sat next to the commander. The young Goblin bowed his head, but pointed at his stuffed cheeks as if to apologise for not greeting me. Taryn inclined his head but didn’t say a word. I was not about to hold his lack of discipline against him.

  Halwyn stood by the stove, but turned as soon as he heard us. “My Queen,” he said, rolling his eyes at his own slip of the tongue. “I’m sorry, but it’s hard for an old Goblin to deviate from tradition. Please, sit, and I’ll bring you both some food. Brendan, an ale, perhaps?”

  “I think that might be a few awrs too early for me, but thank you anyway.” Brendan went to the large barrel in the corner and filled two clay cups with water. “This will do nicely.”

  Halwyn had already filled the centre of the table with fruit wedges, vegetables, at least five different jars of jam, as well as steaming fresh bread. Brendan set the cups on the table and pulled out my chair.

  “Milady,” he said and winked.

  Rowan and Charlie hobbled out of the door leading to one of the many hidden corridors in Halwyn’s magical abode. Jen looked nothing like her usual chipper self as she joined us by the table. Charlie stretched her arms towards the ceiling and, behind her, Kit mimicked her yoga movements before he jumped up on the windowsill next to the door.

  Charlie yawned. “What time is it?”

  “Your grandfather is right.” Halwyn eyed her and shook his head. “Don Hekals are obsessed with the awr of the day.”

  I swallowed a piece of some succulent fruit, or maybe it was a vegetable. “He said the same to me, back on Earth. Where’s Pullhelli, by the way?”

  “Right here, child.” He crawled out of the tiny door to the storage corridor and held one hand to his lower back as he got to his feet. “You might have healed me yesterday, Ruby, but even a Fae with your magic can’t stop time.”

  Don’t I know it.

  We were all here, so I straightened and inhaled deeply.

  Time to act like the queen I was.

  “I have made my decision,” I began, focusing on Taryn. He stared into his plate. I waited, and when I didn’t continue, he appeared to notice the silence. He raised his chin, and our eyes met. “I will stay and fight for my throne.”

  A spark lit his eyes. I hadn’t expected him to smile, and he didn’t. Instead, he gave another nod, but this was one of approval.

  Jen’s hand froze inches in front of her mouth, ready to stuff a yellow and purple fruit inside. She turned to me slowly, eyes narrowing. “Come again?”

  “As soon as we get you lot through the portal.” I motioned with my hand at her, Charlie, and Brendan. “My intention is to—”

  “I’m sorry, Red, but that’s a definite no.” Jen looked casually at the fruit, then sank her teeth into it, ignoring the cascade of juice that rained on the table.

  “I second that,” Charlie chimed in. “And don’t even think about trying to persuade us.”

  I gawked at her, then at Jen, and back at Charlie. “You can’t stay here. I won’t allow it.”

  “Then you’ll have to throw us in the castle dungeons,” Jen said between bites. “Oh, wait, you don’t have a castle until you overthrow Auberon.” She arched an eyebrow and made another juicy mess of what now looked more like her prey than fruit.

  I had to give it another try.

  “Please, listen to me.”

  Brendan took my hand, which I apparently had started waving. “Stop, Ru. Just stop.”

  “But—!”

  “Whatever awaits on the other side of the portal can wait a little longer.” His voice trembled. “I mean, if Char is right, what difference does it make? And there is no way in this or any other world that I will let you face Auberon’s army without standing by your side. No way, Ru. So just stop.”

  “It’s too dangerous,” I croaked.

  “It is,” Jen agreed. “We all know that, but we want to stand by your side.” She placed the stem of the fruit on her plate and wiped her hands on her thighs.

  Talk about a far cry from the Instagram model I met a year ago—or was it two hundred years ago?

  “Besides, I can’t leave my pack. Erica and Jack need me, just as Avalon needs her queen.”

  “I don’t think there’s any point in arguing about it, sister.” Rowan held Charlie’s hand. “You need all the soldiers you can get, and this one can be quite fierce.”

  “I have lost too many people already,” I said. “All because of their relation to me.”

  Charlie let go of Rowan’s hand and approached me. She took my face in her hands and tilted it up to hers. Our noses almost touched. “That’s not true, Ruby of Morgana, so stop saying that!” Her voice was loud, bordering on yelling. “Auberon is why. Gemma is why. Colburn is why. None of this is your fault, and if you can’t get that into your head, I’ll scream it until you see it!” She wasn’t lying, and I had rarely heard her voice as high-pitched as just then.

  I jerked my head back and stood so fast my chair toppled over. Inside me, a surge of magical energy spun in my core like a whirlwind. “All right!” I heard myself yell. “Back off!”

  Brendan reached for me, but I took another step back. Two orbs of fire escaped my palms and started spinning around the table. One by one, my friends ducked to avoid getting the tan of their lifetimes.

  “Ruby!” someone shouted.

  I was breathing faster.

  “Take control!” the voice repeated.

  The room started spinning before my eyes. Was I going into one of the Truesight visions again? If so, it was a violent entry to it.

  Arms grabbed me. Dark arms. Shadows?

  “Easy, Ruby. Easy.”

  I was inside the shadows. Rowan held my hands. He pulled me close, hugging me tight.

  “Breathe, sister.”

  “The fire—” I began.

  “Don’t worry. Pullhelli’s got it. Just breathe. Deep, slow breaths. In. Hold. Out.”

  I tried, but the magic inside me still thundered through my veins as if the storm from yesterday had taken residence inside me.

  “I got you, don’t worry. Focus on your breathing.”

  Finally, with his raspy, yet soothing voice in my ear, and his strong arms around me, I managed to focus. In. Hold. Out. Slow, deep breaths.

  “There you go. Now let’s go back to the light.”

  The room came into view again. Brendan and Charlie stood next to my chair, which was back by the table. Jen was holding Kit, who seemed desperate to free himself from her arms.

  “I—I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I don’t know what came over me.”

  Rowan kept his arms around me. “You’re not alone, Ruby. And what has happened to you—to all of us—is not your fault. I think you’re starting to realise that, and maybe your body and mind wasn’t quite ready for it.”

  Charlie raised her brows. “If I didn’t know y
ou grew up in Nidra, I could have sworn you were a brain doctor back on Earth. That was deep.”

  Wadyan chuckled. “You have brain doctors? How can you fix a damaged brain without magic?”

  “Good question,” Jen said. “In fact, many Don Hekals ask the same every single day. All right, all right, little tiger.” She dropped Kit, who scurried over to me.

  Taryn tapped the table with his knuckles. “So, we are fighting the usurper, then?”

  “Apart from calling him that, we are,” I agreed. With Kit snaking around my legs, I walked over to the eagle Shifter. “Kneel, Taryn of Wenhaven.”

  He obeyed, sliding off his chair and dropping to one knee.

  I placed my hand on his shoulder, which was almost level with my own. “I, Queen Ruby of Avalon, give you full authority in recruiting my army, as well as planning the attack to regain the Avalonian throne. You will answer to no one but me.” My voice was deeper than usual, more resounding, but I didn’t feel I had to fake it in any way. It felt like the most natural thing in the world. “By the blood of Morgana and my queendom, this is my command.” I had planned to say wish, but figured I was done asking for things. We were going to war, after all. “Rise, Taryn of Wenhaven, the queen’s Master of War.”

  The Crimson soldier rose and stood taller than ever. I half expected him to smack his head into the wood beams on the ceiling, but somehow he avoided them. He looked like a statue.

  “When I reclaim my throne, Taryn, I will place your likeness in every city, village and hamlet all over Avalon.”

  “With all due respect, Your Majesty,” he started, “let us do some actual planning before we start thinking about monuments.” The hint of a smile touched his lips.

  “Good point. The first order of business is to increase my army ever so slightly. We are eight so far.”

  “If I may,” Pullhelli said. He was still holding my two orbs of fire. “Although word about you has spread across the queendom, most Avalonians would be hard-pressed to rise against the dominant force of Auberon’s army.”

  I pointed at the fireballs, and they obeyed me just as quickly as Taryn had, finding their way into my palms and further inside my core.

  “I agree,” I said. “Many reeves will, as you have pointed out, already have pledged to Auberon. Those who have refused, or will refuse when the time comes, will be replaced, no doubt. I need to address them myself. Tell them what I have seen.”

  “Seen?”

  “Yes. Last night, my Truesight showed me the fate of Gwyn Fanon if Auberon is allowed to stay on the throne. It’s more than a little grim.”

  Charlie scoffed. “No disrespect, Ru, but anyone can see that, even without magic.”

  “I’ll grant you that,” I said. “My vision, however, was much more specific. We are talking pain and suffering beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Auberon’s goal is to be a fair and just king, albeit by stealing the Avalonian throne and ruling with more of an iron fist than Morgana—or I. Not even he can stop the catastrophic future I saw, however. His way will leave the realm in eternal darkness.”

  “It won’t be enough to simply tell the leaders this, whether it be reeves, or nobles, or others. They will question your sincerity. You could say anything to make them follow you.” Pullhelli started pacing the room, then stopped abruptly. “You have to show them.”

  “How?”

  “The beads of reverie,” Halwyn whispered. “That’s just an ancient legend.”

  “So was the portal to the other worlds, but it brought us a queen, nevertheless.” Pullhelli smiled. “Are you trying to tell me you have never thought of trying, Cropkeeper?”

  Halwyn shrugged. “Well, I might have looked at the ancient recipe once or twice while visiting the queen’s library.”

  “Excuse me.” Charlie held a hand up. “Beads of reverie? What are those, and what do they do?”

  The Goblin furrowed his brow. “Those are a potion, of which a few beads can be used to harvest memories. What Lord Pullhelli is referring to, is extracting a certain memory from the queen’s mind and mixing it with the potion. When someone drinks it, they can take part in her memory.”

  Charlie’s mouth dropped open, and mine did the same.

  “It comes at a price, though. According to the legend—because until someone actually makes the potion, it is still only a legend—the person receiving the memory will also lose one of their own.”

  “It replaces one memory with another?” Charlie asked eagerly.

  “Presumably,” said the Goblin.

  I cleared my throat. “So, what’s in this potion?”

  “Some herbs, most of which I grow in my fields, in fact. Some fruit juices, which I can get from my neighbour in the east, Goff. Oh, and a few drops of your blood.” He said it so matter-of-factly, he might as well have told me he was right-handed.

  “Oh,” I said. “Is that really necessary? I sort of have a thing about my blood. Some bad experiences back on Earth with people wanting to get their hands on it.”

  “I’m afraid it is,” Pullhelli said. “And it needs to be cooked in a pot of Enchantium, over a Sorcerer’s fire.”

  Brendan whistled. “Eat your heart out, Heston Blumenthal.”

  “Send messengers to the reeves,” Pullhelli continued, “and have them drink the potion so they can see what you have seen. Then maybe—and it is still very much a maybe—they will follow you when you march on Avalen.”

  “So, how long would it take to make this potion?” I asked.

  “Not too long,” Halwyn replied. “If I remember the recipe correctly, and if it works.”

  Wadyan chuckled. “Don’t give me that false modesty. I seem to recall having heard about it a hundred times or more growing up.”

  “I might have mentioned it once or twice,” said his father. “First, however, we need a pot, and that’ll take a few awrs of melting and forging.”

  I stood, rolled up my left sleeve and held out my arm. “Then take what blood you need, and get cooking.”

  The cropkeeper went to the kitchen corner and fetched a long-bladed knife. As he returned, a smile played on his lips. “We need to cleanse the blade.”

  “Of course,” I said, producing a fireball in my right palm.

  Halwyn moved the needle-shaped blade back and forth through my magical flame. “That should do it.” He grabbed my wrist and pointed the tip of the knife at my left index finger. “A few drops is all. Wadyan?”

  His son held a copper bowl under my hand, and Halwyn pierced my finger. I bit my lip, not so much for the pain, but I hated spilling my blood out in the open, as it reminded me of all the terrible things it had led to in the past. Maybe this could help change that. After all, this time, my blood would serve a good cause.

  With a gentle touch, Halwyn turned my hand and pointed my finger at the bowl. He gave it a careful squeeze, and a dozen or so drops of my blood dripped into the copper.

  Wadyan gave me a small piece of cloth to press against the tiny wound, before handing the bowl to his father.

  “Thank you,” Halwyn said. “I’ll get started at once. Wadyan, clean the table.”

  Wadyan did as he was told.

  “I’ll summon the Goblin families on Crochan Island to assemble the ingredients,” Halwyn continued. “They will give us whatever pieces of Enchantium they have, and that might be enough to forge a pot.”

  “I could fly you around the island,” Alun offered. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

  “That’s an excellent idea.” Halwyn shook his head in mock terror. “I was terrified to begin with, but I have to admit it’s a fantastic way of travelling. We can go right away.”

  Alun got to his feet. “I’ll go outside and … change.”

  After they had left, Wadyan sat down and folded his lanky fingers on the table. “And then there’s Goff.”

  “Indeed.”

  “What about him?” Brendan asked.

  “He has a few secrets buried in various cavities in the groun
d. Secrets that can be very useful in acts of war.” Halwyn wiggled his bushy eyebrows. “He knows a thing or two about weapons, you see.”

  I bobbed my head up and down. “I think we should pay your neighbour in the east a visit.”

  If only Mum and Dad could see what their daughter had become. A queen preparing for war.

  Chapter Seven

  Goff’s farm lay about a twenty-minute walk from Halwyn’s place, in a wide, open clearing. The fields surrounding his house were full of plants I couldn’t name. Tall green and blue stalks, unlike anything I’d seen in this world, lay like a blanket across the land. His crops looked healthy and plentiful, providing me with hope that if I could somehow change the future I’d seen, nature would eventually start to bloom again.

  “What are these?” Brendan asked, carefully brushing his hand over a plant with violet-coloured leaves.

  “You don’t want to be touching those.” Halwyn tucked his hands in his pockets, rocking on his heels. “You only touched the top of the leaves, right?”

  Brendan retracted his hand, his eyes wide. “Uh, huh.”

  Halwyn guffawed. “Leaves of Eternal Sleep, that one. They hardly grow here any longer, though us Goblin cropkeepers still have a bit of magic at our fingertips, and you never know when a plant like this could come in handy. Luckily for you, the topside won’t hurt you. Not by touch, anyway.”

  I made a mental note of what the plant looked like while remembering the sentry I had encountered on my first day on this island. I couldn’t heal him because of this exact plant, and I could certainly see how it would be useful in a war.

  “Auberon can’t get his hands on these plants, Halwyn.”

  “Not to worry. We’ll make sure he won’t. Not from Crochan at least.” He huffed. “Can’t speak for my brethren in Awarnach, though I’m sure there are cropkeepers there who know how to nurture these plants, same as us.”

  A door opened in the small cottage ahead, and a young boy with wavy and long, golden hair stepped outside, carrying a basket in his hands. He dropped it at his feet when he saw us and strode forward.