I shrugged and looked down at my feet. As I spoke, I realized that I may have embarrassed him.
He cleared his throat, and I watched his feet move closer to me. I gave him a little smile and shrugged again.
“Now you know that I did not welcome her affections tonight.”
“Yes, I realize that… now.”
“You are tired. We should get this over with,” he said as he ushered me through the door.
Bryce and Seth were in the living room when we entered the house. They were up and moving toward me in a blink.
“Whoa, take it easy,” I said when they both tried to hug me at the same time.
Ian wandered out of the room, presumably in search of Peder.
“Oh, my pip, are you okay? What happened? You’re pale. Are you hurt? I’ll make you some tea,” Bryce rambled as he began to wander over to the kitchen. Ian had called him from the road to let him know something strange had happened and we were coming back to the house.
“Hold off on the tea until after I’ve told my story, okay?”
“Of course, yes.”
I figured after my story he may need to make me something stronger than the regular restorative tea. Something to prevent Lydia from entering my dreams, or whatever it was she had done. I didn’t want to drink any more foul-tasting tea than needed.
When Ian returned with Peder, we sat in the living room. Even though it was in the high seventies outside, a bone-deep cold had seeped its way into me since I’d woken. Noticing I was shivering, Ian rose to start a fire. I could have helped him out, but I didn’t have the energy to muster up a spark, let alone an entire fire. It wouldn’t take away the cold, but the warmth was welcome, nonetheless.
“Okay, well let’s get this out of the way first…” I began as I wrapped the blanket Ian offered around my shoulders, “Gabriel is dead.”
“What?” they asked in unison.
“Gabriel had broken into the house and stabbed Ian while he was sleeping,” I said, trying to keep it vague. I didn’t think Ian wanted me telling everyone a fairy had bespelled him. “I woke up feeling something was wrong and walked in just as Gabriel stabbed Ian. So, I tackled Gabriel to get him off Ian. A fight ensued. I won.”
“Are you sure he is dead?”
We turned as one in the direction of the voice. Juliana had been eavesdropping again.
“Yes, I am positive. He is dead.”
I went to her and embraced her. I wasn’t surprised when she began to cry. Tears ran down my cheeks as well. He had brought misery and torment into so many lives. It was a relief that he was gone, but that didn’t take away the pain he had left.
“Thank you,” she said. “I am sorry I eavesdropped, it’s just when Ian called Brycson, I worried something terrible had happened to you.”
She had been with Bryce when Ian had called? I looked over to him and his cheeks flamed red and he looked at his shoes. Interesting, I thought.
“It’s okay, stay. So also, Gabriel confirmed we took out his minions.” I held up a hand to stop the whoops of excitement. “However, we think Gabriel was not the only mastermind… and after other events that took place tonight, I have to agree with him.”
“Other events?” Bryce asked.
“So… I was asleep, that I know for sure, but then Lydia called my name. She’s Matilda’s sidekick, by the way.”
“I should have known,” Bryce muttered.
I finished sharing the details of the dream-that-was-not-a-dream.
Bryce was the first to speak, “You were on the Fey sacred lands. She used a transportation spell. A mild one or it wouldn’t have felt like a dream.”
“All right. That explains why she kept telling me I wasn’t having a dream. So, she like, what, beamed me to where she was?”
“Kind of. She’d have also been ‘beamed’ there as well. She probably chose somewhere familiar to you. The Fey lands are part of you… your aura. You recognize them without ever having been there. Matilda must have transported her there as she did with you. Lydia is not a strong magic user and could not handle such a task.”
Ian shifted. It must have stung to know that he had been bespelled so easily, and by a weak spell-spinner no less.
“Yeah, Lydia told me I will go to Matilda, whether I want to or not. She tried to choke me. Just before I blacked out, she began yelling at someone I couldn’t see, pleading with them she needed more time, and then poof she was gone.”
“Matilda pulled her out of the spell. Because of her lack of skill Lydia can be a loose cannon, and she was losing her temper with you. She would have tried harder to kill you if Matilda hadn’t pulled her out,” Bryce said.
Rufus gave me a look that said, “I told you so”, reminding me of his earlier warning against Lydia.
“She’s insane?”
“Possibly,” Bryce said at the same time Rufus said, “Exactly.”
Bryce glared at Rufus, and Rufus just shrugged in response. He was always so calm. I needed him to teach me that.
“Ok, this is just awesome. I get rid of an obsessive banshee who wanted to kidnap me and now I have an irrational fairy who wants to kidnap me. All for some weird science experiment. Fan-fucking-tastic.”
“Goldie, it will be okay,” he said as I wiggled my way out of his grasp. He frowned but let me go and continued what he was saying. “We will make sure nothing happens to you. Brycson, you must have something to prevent this from happening again.”
He still thought he could protect me. Maybe he could, but who would protect him while he was doing so? Who would protect Bryce, Seth, and Peder… and the others? Everyone I cared for was at risk of dying just to protect me. My decision to leave was becoming more solid. I needed to plan my departure and execute that plan as soon as possible.
Bryce sighed, and I looked up at him.
“What? There’s more?” I asked. I was so beyond tired at that point that everything was becoming surreal and dreamlike. Regardless of the sickening feeling, I was going to fall asleep where I sat.
Bryce nodded solemnly before beginning. “Matilda and Lydia are the reason the Elders turned against your mother and father. They accused them of trying to start a new race between fairies and mortals. They did not understand love… they still don’t. They had made a convincing argument for why a mixed race was a bad idea, explaining it would weaken the fairies bloodline and they would become extinct. The Elders agreed and issued the order of execution of your parents. Knowing what I know now, I believe their plan was to take you once your parents were out of the way.”
“Well, that’s even more fantastic… They’ve been looking for me my entire life. They won’t stop until they have me. They need to go now, or I’ll never be able to live in peace,” I said followed by a jaw cracking yawn. “But first I need to sleep… for like a year.”
We had to stop the two nutty fairies, quickly. I wanted some sense of normalcy in my life. I wanted to stop worrying all the time. I wanted a chance to be with Ian without endangering him.
“No, you must stay awake until I give you something to stop her from entering your thoughts again,” Bryce said as he rose and went to the kitchen.
“Okay, but hurry, please.” I stood and started toward the stairs. “I am going to at least lie down.”
Ian followed and talked to me about nonsense, to ensure I didn’t nod off. When I was just about to pass out from exhaustion, Bryce entered the room.
In his hand he held an amulet of a fairy sitting atop a light green stone, her face lifted, eyes closed, and a small smile on her face. The stone sparkled when the light hit it and seemed to glow. I could feel the power pulsating from it as Bryce slipped the chain over my head.
It was warm against my chest. I took the amulet in my hand to caress it. I smiled when the magic caressed me in return.
“This is beautiful, Bryce, but where did you get it?”
“It was your mother’s. It has been in your family for many generations. I was saving it for your wedding da
y, but the peridot gem is good for healing, and it’s a superb conduit for spells. It’s easier and quicker than putting the spell into you… also less painful.”
“Well, less painful will always be my first choice. Thank you for this. It means a lot to have something that belonged to my mother. Something that I can take with me everywhere I go. It’s like she is protecting me.”
“Yes, I suppose it is,” Bryce said as he kissed my forehead. “Goodnight, my pip, rest well.”
“Goodnight,” I said as I gave him a hug before getting into bed.
I fell asleep quickly, the amulet still in my grasp, a small smile on my face, and Ian beside me.
********
Thanks to the amulet and pure exhaustion I had a dreamless, but short, sleep. Movement in the bed woke me and I opened my eyes to find Ian sitting up in bed, his eyes bulging as he fought an unseen attacker.
“Ian?” I called trying to snap him out of his trance. When he didn’t respond I rose to my knees and grabbed him by the shoulders. I shook him as hard as I could, and his eyes met mine.
“Go-ld—” His voice strangled.
He reached for my neck but pulled back just as his fingers brushed my skin.
“L-l-leave.” He was fighting to maintain control of his own body.
I jumped out of the bed and ran to the door to yell for Bryce to come quickly. Thankfully he soon came charging down the hall.
“Qadira? What is it? Has the amulet failed?”
“No, no it’s not me. It’s Ian. I think someone has taken him over…”
Bryce rushed past me into the bedroom. Ian had fallen from the bed and was rolling around on the floor wrestling with his invisible assailant. Bryce kneeled and pulled Ian to a sitting position.
Ian’s body went stiff for a second before going limp in Bryce’s arms.
“Mo chara? Ian? Ian can you hear me?” Bryce asked.
Ian moaned in response and opened his eyes.
“Brycson, unhand me… please,” Ian said. “Goldie?”
“I am here, Ian.”
“Did I hurt you?”
“No. What happened?”
“Matilda tried to possess and force me to remove the amulet from your neck. She got spooked when she saw Brycson.”
“What?! This is possible?”
“Apparently,” Bryce said.
“Well isn’t that just peachy-fucking-keen? Though, that you scared her away could be a good thing… I hope.”
“Yes, well, it can only mean more good than not. I will make a charm for Ian, just as I did for you. I should have thought to do so earlier. I am sorry.”
“Yeah, that works until she finds out she can’t get to me through Ian. Then she will come for you. You’ll need to make one for yourself. Oh, and then she will go for Seth or Peder or Sheryl or anyone else she thinks I care about. And what if she gets to Julianna? You think a charm will work on a mortal? You don’t know… do you?”
“No, no I don’t, but we can try.”
“Try? And if it fails? Then what? Someone dies because of me? This is absurd!”
“Kadi, my pip, please relax. Ian fought her. The amulet protected you and kept her away. I can make more… for everyone in this house if need be.”
I stopped myself from responding any further. There was no other choice but for me to leave and find somewhere to hide out until I could get rid of Matilda and her little puppet Lydia. I could no longer wait for the perfect moment, I just had to go. I was a risk to everyone I loved and cherished… even while they slept. Leaving them was the only way to keep them safe.
“Okay, Bryce, just make them quickly.”
“I will do my best, my pip.”
I looked to Ian. I was going to leave him… Beautiful, sexy him… I needed to be close to him while I still could.
“How are you feeling?” I asked Ian.
“Fine, it is as though it never happened.”
“Well, I need more time in bed. Care to join me?”
“I can think of nothing I want more.”
Chapter Twenty
The next morning, I went in search of Bryce. I found him in one of the guest rooms he had taken over and made into his spell-working room.
“Ah, my pip, I am done with Ian’s amulet,” he said as he held it up so I could see.
It was the same size as mine, but this was a wolf’s head with small pieces of amber for eyes.
“It’s gorgeous. Where did this one come from?”
“This was your father’s.”
My hand closed around my amulet and as I held it, I asked, “Why haven’t you ever shown me these?”
“You have never wanted to discuss your parents. I tried to tell you about them when you were younger, but you never wanted to hear any of the stories I had to tell.”
Hearing about them had always hurt too much. How could the loss of two people I’d never met hurt so much?
“Well, that’s changed. I want to know who I came from, who they were. And I want to know why I can become banshee.”
“Okay, let me give Ian his amulet. Then we can settle in with some plain old green tea and I will tell you about your family.”
Bryce called Ian in and handed him the necklace. Ian examined the amulet and asked about its meaning.
“It was Declan’s. The wolf seems to fit you: fierce, but loyal.”
“This amulet must mean a great deal to you, Brycson. Thank you,” Ian said before turning to me. “You do not mind?”
“Of course not. I am happy for you to have something that belonged to my father, and I am happier that it will help keep you safe,” I responded and leaned into the kiss as Ian’s arms went around my waist. “I’ve asked Bryce to tell me more about my family, would you like to stay?”
“Yes, I believe I would.”
We moved to the kitchen to brew regular tea and get comfortable. Once settled, I asked Bryce to begin where he felt it best.
He cleared his throat and looked uncomfortable for a little while and I thought he was slipping into one of his distracted moments, but he met my eyes and began.
“Best to begin at the beginning, I suppose. I have always led you to believe that I am fairy.”
“Yes, that’s why you hold magic.”
“Well, it is true… I have some fairy blood. However, like you, I also have some banshee and mortal blood.”
“How can you hold magic then?”
“Well, I believe I inherited more fairy blood than anything else.”
“Wait. How is that possible?”
“I think it’s simply that my fairy blood was more dominant than the banshee or mortal blood. It’s like that with mortals. I am not an expert in mortal biology, but let’s say a mother has blue eyes and a father has brown, their children will inherit whichever is the dominant of the two. At least I think that’s how it works, we can look on the internet—”
“Brycson,” Ian growled to get him back on track before we lost him to his ramblings.
“Oh, right, yes, sorry…”
He went on to explain that long ago, a feisty banshee had ventured onto mortal lands and fell in love with my grandmother. Knowing he could not live with her on mortal lands and having no way to bring her to the Fey lands, he seduced her. A pregnancy resulted from their tryst and some months later out came twin boys, Bryce and my father.
When the Elders learned of this, they had the banshee — my grandfather — executed. They only spared my grandmother because they were a pompous bunch and felt that mortals were too primitive for the Fey bloodline to take hold. Still, this was when they created laws against the Fey mating with mortals.
“The Elders monitored your father and I as we grew. They were horrified when we started showing Fey traits. They sent a scout to our village. When the scout saw your father’s battle skills and my aptitude for archery, he recruited us instead of executing us. We were young and intrigued so we agreed.
“So, we left our mother’s home and moved to Fey lands. They taught us
Fey history and trained us as banshee soldiers. I continued to study the Fey tomes and became proficient with magic. I hid this from the Elders, because for me to have magic meant I had to have fairy blood, which meant my mother had fairy blood. A great deal of it, I suspect, as demonstrated by my strength in spell-spinning. Obviously, Declan and I were not the first result of a Fey-mortal affair. Her Fey blood also explained the banshee’s attraction to her. If the Elders realized this, they’d have executed my mother,” he paused, a pained look on his face.
“I thought of leaving Fey lands, but I fell in love with a fairy. That is how I ended up fighting in the Great War.”
“If you have banshee blood, why have I never seen you feed?”
“I do not need to feed from mortals. I have enough fairy blood to suppress that banshee trait.”
“Hmm… And where is your fairy love now?”
“She died in the war.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Yes, well… Anyway, how you came to be… Declan missed our mother and our old way of life, so he petitioned the Elders to allow him to return to mortal lands. They refused, but he left anyway. He managed to hide from the Elders’ scouts for many years. Then your mother came along…”
Matilda entered the story at this point. She had envied my mother and set it up to look as though my mother had thrown a curse intended for Matilda. Fey laws forbade curses aimed at fellow Fey. One way or another, Matilda had convinced the Elders of this and they had sentenced my mother to death. Not wanting to be executed — who could blame her — she escaped to mortal lands.
Being in a world different from her own she was unsure how to live. Her Fey senses came in handy as she was able to identify and track other Fey. Sort of like a snail trail, she picked up on a Fey’s path and followed it until she came to his house, and that’s how she met my father. Bryce had been moving between Fey and mortal lands since my father had left. He happened to be there the day my mother knocked on the door.
Becoming Banshee Page 19