“No, what I’m telling you is the truth and I can prove it.” I allowed my eyes to darken and I slowly made myself disappear, ensuring she would understand that I had not simply traced. “I can’t trace like the rest of you, but I have the power of invisibility. My powers are singular to myself, as is my ability to open portals to the Twilight Realm.” As I spoke I made myself visible to prove my point.
Guin slowly stood, her eyes bore into me, attempting to ferret out a lie while her Valkyrie guards moved in close to her sides. “How?” was all she said.
“That is a secret only Merlin can tell. I only know what I am and that is, I am not Seelie.” I paused to let my words register. “Because I am not Seelie, you don’t have control over my access to Earth. I wanted to come here in goodwill to assert my independence as a Twilight Fae. I was human once and have no desire to harm humans or reveal the secrets of the Fae. My family lives on Earth and I simply wish to live there as well.”
She tipped back her head and contemplated what she had learned. I could almost see her run through the possible implications of each outcome and once she had made her decision, her lips pursed tightly. “Very well. I don’t suppose there will be many more of you, and you by yourself pose no threat to me and my kingdom. You have said your piece, now leave.”
This was where things would get tricky. “I have one more request.”
“You try my patience.”
“I understand, but this is very important to me. My best friend Ashley, who was once human, has been turned Fae as well and I would like to keep her with me. She can be a part of my small Twilight Court.”
Guin’s head tilted just slightly and her eyes narrowed. “Is this of Merlin’s doing as well?”
“Yes.”
“I thought you said you were unique in your powers.”
“I am, Ashley only has light magic but…”
“Enough. Seelie is Seelie, she is under my rule unless she wishes to live in the Wilds. Those are her choices. If she disobeys this edict, the penalty will be death. I have been lenient with you, Rebecca, I would not recommend you push your luck.” She lifted her head regally, one side of her mouth quirked up in challenge.
A throat cleared from the back of the room and every head in the room swiveled to see who had interrupted.
“I do apologize if I’m late, I’ve been rather occupied lately. Your majesty.” Merlin smiled warmly and dropped into a respectful bow.
Guin’s jaw clenched as she lowered herself back to her throne. “To whatever do we owe the pleasure of your presence?”
“For quite some time I have been preoccupied with family matters.” He began as he casually strolled toward the raised dais. “Some issues that had been long plaguing me, and others that just arose and were unexpected, even to myself. Because of the extensive time I have dedicated to those matters, I have not had the opportunity or desire for many years to take on a new apprentice. However, now that closure has been reached with Morgan, I find myself ready to yet again share my wealth of knowledge with a new student. What better student, than the woman whose magic derives from my own.” Merlin took a step back, turning to look back from where he had come to where Ashley stood, hands clasped anxiously in front of her. “Your Majesty, I wanted to introduce you to Ashley Moore, my new apprentice, and in a way, my daughter.”
The crowd of courtiers gasped and broke into a cacophony of chatter.
“Silence!” Guin barked out and the room instantly quieted again. “You mean to include her in our…arrangement, is that it?” She clipped bitterly.
Merlin offered a small smile and tilt of his head. “She would not be in this circumstance if it were not for me, so in that regard, she is my responsibility to guide and to teach. As we have discussed previously, my work takes me to a variety of locations and as my apprentice, Ashley would need to have the same freedom of movement as myself.”
Guin pursed her lips before asking, “Should I expect any more ‘children’ of yours to come crawling out of the woodwork?”
“None of which I am aware.”
As she looked between the Fae man and my best friend, contemplating her decision, my heart pounded in my throat and my hands sweat like a glass of iced tea on a hot summer day. “So long as our bargain remains,” she looked at Merlin pointedly, “she is free to accompany you.” She then stood and looked around the room then at her subjects. “Let it be understood to those of you who will go forth and spread the word of what has been said here today that there are no exceptions to my laws and that those who defy me will be punished severely. My arrangement with the sorcerer Merlin is unique. Do not act under the misconception that I will be lenient with anyone else who thinks they can circumvent my mandates.” With that said, she spun and disappeared behind a curtain set back from her throne.
My heart stuttered in relief that not only had my plan worked, but Ashley had been saved as well. I looked back to Ashley with a grin plastered on my face and as soon as our eyes met, we ran toward one another.
“Becca, that was almost as terrifying as being attacked by Ronan. Oh my God, I can’t even believe that happened! Merlin showed up unannounced and then we were in Faery and he said I would be his apprentice and I didn’t know what to think but he assured me everything would be fine and I was so scared.” Ashley unloaded all her fears as her body shook in my arms.
“It’s okay now, Ash. Everything is going to be okay.”
She pulled back slowly and held my eyes. “I heard you argue on my behalf, thank you.”
I smiled with watery eyes at my best friend. “It wasn’t working, but I tried. I’m just so relieved Merlin stepped in to help.”
“Ladies, I believe it would be best if we left the palace and gave Guin some time to cool down.” Merlin cut in with a hand on each of our backs.
We readily agreed and hurried outside. Once we were beyond the city walls I explained that I still had one more matter to handle and Merlin volunteered to return Ashley to Belfast. The two headed toward the Valkyrie-guarded portal site and Lochlan looked at me expectantly.
“There’s one more thing I need to do before we go home.” I peered up at him, my eyes pleading with him because he would not like what I wanted to do next.
He studied me suspiciously. “And what exactly is it you want to do?”
I stepped back away from him, leaving several feet between us before I whispered, “I can’t tell you that.” In an instant I became invisible and stealthily darted away before shouting, “Wait there, I’ll be right back.” Some distance away, where he wouldn’t see me in time to stop me, I opened a portal to the Twilight Realm and hurried through.
Now that I knew how to open portals and doing so within Faery was infinitely easier than going to or from Earth, I was able to quickly open another portal directly to the Shadow Lands just outside of a familiar hut.
“Fenodree?” I called out softly, not wanting to scare the man and get myself killed. “It’s me, Rebecca. I’m here to get you out of Faery.”
“What you offer is a dangerous prospect.”
I whipped my head around to search the trees behind me. Fen stepped forward and I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face. “Dangerous for whom?” I teased playfully.
“For you, helping me would be directly disobeying the queen.”
“I’m not her subject. As of today, I am officially an autonomous nation of my own. I am the queen of the Twilight Realm. I’m also my only subject. Her mandates don’t apply to me, so if you’re willing to risk fleeing to Earth, I’m willing to take you there.” My eyebrows lifted in challenge.
He considered the options for a moment, but only briefly. “When do we leave?” he asked as a new light sparked in his eyes.
I did my best to explain the modern world to Fen in a few brief moments, which was grossly inadequate, but it was all I could give him at the time. I instructed him where to hide out until I could get to him and help him start a new life for himself. Before I sent him through the
portal to the Beltany stone circle, I gave him a wad of cash I had gathered to help get him started.
“Be safe Fen, I’ll see you again soon.” I gathered the Fae man into a hug and after a moment he awkwardly returned the gesture.
“Thank you, Rebecca. This favor you have done me will not be forgotten.” He bowed his head deeply in respect and then he slipped through the portal to Earth and was gone. After everything that the man had suffered, I desperately hoped he would find happiness in this second chance he had been given.
When I returned to Lochlan, he was leaning against a tree, arms folded across his broad chest. “Do I want to know what you were just up to?”
“Definitely not.”
The corners of his lips turned down, but his head gave a single nod and held out his hand for mine. “I suppose it’s time to go home then.”
My smile grew so big my cheeks began to ache as we continued toward the portal back to Earth.
One week later Lochlan was named the new Erlking of the Wild Hunt. The ceremony took him and all the other huntsmen to Faery for a couple days so the club was closed for ‘renovations’ and Ashley and I had the run of the building.
We invited Cat and had a full twenty-four hours of girl time—facial masks, nails, wine and chocolate, chick flicks and every other conceivable stereotypical female activity you could conjure. The two girls hadn’t spent all that much time together but hit it off like long lost sisters. Even Knight, who had become Ashley’s new sidekick, partook in the festivities in that he followed us around and ate whatever food we left unattended.
In a matter of months I had gone from scared and alone to being surrounded in family. Even the druids had warmed to the idea that the Fae weren’t out to kill them and had agreed to a meeting with Lochlan. The newly appointed Erlking assured the assembly of anxious druids that the Hunt wished them no harm and expressed his hope that the two groups could work together in the future.
Watching Lochlan graciously discuss the delicate past with the druids made my heart swell with pride. This man who was brutal and domineering was also thoughtful and just. He was the type of man who protected his family with a fierce loyalty and would even lay down his life for those he loved. He was nothing I had ever thought I would want and the only thing I would ever need in life. Best of all, he was mine.
The End
A Note to the Reader
I am a self-published author, which means this West Texas girl has to compete against big-name publishing houses that have lots of money to throw at advertising and promotions. If you enjoyed The Fae Games duet (Shadow Play and Twilight Siege) and would like to hear more of the many stories I’d like to tell you, please show your support by clicking on those Amazon stars and reviewing my books. Thank you!
About the Author
Jill Ramsower is a life-long Texan—born in Houston, raised in Austin, and currently residing in West Texas. She attended Baylor University and subsequently Baylor Law School to obtain her BA and JD degrees. She spent the next fourteen years practicing law and raising her three children until one fateful day, she strayed from the well-trod path she had been walking and sat down to write a book. An addict with a pen, she set to writing like a woman possessed and this is her happily ever after.
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Twilight Siege: A Dark Fantasy Novel (The Fae Games Book 2) Page 25