by Helen Harper
Coira pressed her lips together. ‘I think you should brush that habit off,’ she replied, her face expressionless.
He looked up and realised there was amusement dancing in her eyes. They shared a smile and he felt himself relax.
‘Speaking of hair,’ Coira said, ‘there’s something you should see.’
Intrigued, Gale raised his eyebrows. She took his hand, pulling him along the path. The few people they met stepped politely aside to let them past, respect for Gale and curiosity about Coira mingling in their gazes. Other than some hurried acknowledgments, they didn’t say anything however.
The sun threw dappled shadows out in front of the pair and the fragrant summer air around them felt light. This beat sitting in a stuffy council session.
Leading him down to a quiet expanse of greenery, Coira pointed in the direction of a small copse of trees.
‘There,’ she said softly. ‘A down of hares. There are even some babies. They’ve been living here for years.’
Gale followed her finger, his eyes coming to rest on the furry family. ‘It’s like they’re a Clan all of their own.’
‘Just with less in-fighting,’ she commented with a wry smile, before turning to face him. Despite being at least a foot shorter than him, their eyes were level. Gale gaped. When he looked down and saw her feet hanging in the air, he started to laugh. ‘Levitation? That’s your Gift?’
She grinned at him. ‘Cool, huh?’
‘Yeah,’ he admitted. ‘It kind of is.’
‘It makes it a lot easier for me to do this,’ she said impishly, leaning in to give him a lingering peck on the cheek. ‘Thank you for helping me escape. I didn’t want to talk to James.’
‘James?’
‘The Bull.’ Her mouth turned down. ‘I should have twigged that something was up when I learnt that was his nickname.’
‘Because he’s like a bull in a china shop?’
Coira laughed. ‘No. Because he’s hung like a bull and has his own harem to make use of that particular, um, attribute. I had the unfortunate joy of walking in on him last night. Him and three others.’
Gale finally understood. ‘Oh. I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be.’ She gave him a meaningful look. ‘I was but now I’m starting to think it’s not such a bad thing after all.’ She kissed him again. This time, however, it was on the lips. ‘I’ll see you around, Gale Adair.’
Next to nothing had happened. Two demure kisses, neither lasting more than a few seconds. The thrumming of Gale’s heart against his ribcage, however, was extraordinary. He held his fingers to his lips as he watched her run off. Perhaps this was going to be a very good day after all.
Unfortunately, no sooner had that thought formed than a high-pitched scream rent the air.
The scene that met Gale’s eyes when he sprinted back to the castle was one of utter chaos. The bloody shape of woman lay on the ground and a panicked cluster of people were staring upwards at the highest parapet. There, hanging by one hand and dangling a small child by the other, was the unmistakable evil of a Fomori demon.
It didn’t make sense. The magical border surrounding all the Clanlands was strongest around the Cruaich. By rights no creature, certainly not one of the Sidhe’s greatest enemies, should have been able to pass. And yet, even though he’d never seen a Fomori demon except in artists’ renderings in old books, there was no mistaking the monster.
Aifric ran out of the main entrance, his face pale. The demon screeched with such a loud, grating noise that it seemed the entire castle’s foundations shook.
‘How the hell did that thing get here?’ Gale muttered.
Aifric didn’t respond. He seemed slack-jawed, frozen into inaction by the demon’s unexpected appearance. Several Sidhe formed into a small group, preparing to use their Gifts to attack. A moment later three bolts of fire flew upwards.
Gale cursed aloud. ‘Stop it!’ he yelled. ‘It’ll drop the child!’
‘It’s not Sidhe,’ someone said, their meaning clear. ‘It’s a pixie kid belonging to one of the servants.’
Gale glared at the man. It didn’t make any bloody difference whether the babe was Sidhe or not. The demon had already killed one person. Gale was damned if he was going to let it kill anyone else.
Knowledge is often the greatest gift of all. Summoning up the power inside him, Gale threw out a probe, using his psychometry to learn what he could. Maybe it wasn’t a Fomori demon after all. Maybe it was just an illusion. There was no denying the dark shades of power that he gleaned from his Gift, however. There was something else there too. Blinking in horror, Gale took a step back.
‘What is it?’ Aifric whispered, almost afraid to speak loudly in case the demon turned its fearful eyes on him.
‘Someone summoned it here. That’s why it got past the border. Who would do such a thing?’
Aifric didn’t answer. Gale balled up his fists, watching as the demon swung the child’s limp body in the air.
‘The best thing we can do is zap it from here,’ the Bull grunted, appearing beside them. ‘Get rid of it once and for all.’
The man was despicable. He was prepared to sacrifice an innocent child to save his own damned skin. Gritting his teeth, Gale twisted round and ran inside. He had to reach the demon and confront it face to face before anyone did anything stupid.
It wasn’t a direct route up to the parapets. There were many of these corridors and staircases which Gale didn’t know particularly well. He had to rely on faint memories of exploring the outer reaches of the Cruaich as a child when he’d come here with his father. He took the steps three at a time, leaping up with his heart pounding and his veins icy cold.
He shot down one dark corridor and found the next looping staircase, then sprinted upwards again. When he got to the one of the higher floors, he was confronted with two possible avenues. Cursing to himself, he stared at both narrow staircases. One led up to the parapet where the demon was; the other would lead further away. He had to make the right decision.
Something barrelled past him at lightning speed. He blinked, only just registering Coira’s slight shape.
‘Stop!’ he yelled, as she disappeared into the stairwell on the southern side. She ignored him and kept going. He ran after her.
‘It’s here for me,’ she flung out over her shoulder.
‘You don’t know that!’ he shouted, catching up to her.
‘I do. It’s been tracking me. I told you that.’
He shook his head. It didn’t make any sense. A Fomori demon wouldn’t give a crap about someone like Coira. One of the Chieftains, perhaps, Cal MacBrayne certainly, Aifric maybe. But a young lower-level Sidhe?
‘But...’
‘Trust me,’ she said through gritted teeth, bursting out the door and onto the castle roof. ‘I don’t know why it wants me but this is my fault. It’s here because of me.’
The demon was cackling loudly. From this vantage point, all Gale could see was its long-nailed hand curling round the stone edge.
‘Hey!’ Coira yelled. ‘Come on then! It’s me you really want!’ The wind whipped round her, making her hair fly up in all directions.
The demon fell silent then lifted itself up, fixing malevolent red eyes on her. It licked its lips slowly and swung over the edge to face her.
It cocked its head and examined her as if she were a fly under a microscope. It was like something out of Gale’s worst nightmares: grey, pallid skin and naked from head to toe, its sinewy muscles spoke of power – and terror. One hand still held the baby, a wide-eyed, blue-haired boy who seemed to sense the danger and had fallen silent. The Fomori’s other hand reached up to its misshapen skull and stroked the few long black hairs plastered there.
‘Child,’ it hissed.
Gale leapt in front of Coira and the demon spat, fire reflected in its blood-red eyes. It swept a terrible glance over him and he found himself unable to avoid shuddering.
‘Get out of here, Coira,’ he said through gritted teeth
.
The demon’s lips drew back over its mouth, revealing sharp yellow teeth. With horror, Gale realised it was smiling. ‘You,’ it growled.
The thought that the demon knew him somehow began to crystallise. The hand holding the child lifted into the air and Gale knew it was about to dash the baby’s skull against the stone slabs at their feet.
Without thinking, he sprang forward. ‘No!’ He grabbed the demon’s throat. ‘Let the baby go.’
The demon’s eyes bulged; it was obviously in pain. It raised its hand higher. It didn’t care that Gale was squeezing its life away; it simply jerked its head back once, then slammed it forward into the bridge of Gale’s nose.
Gale couldn’t help himself. He released his grip and fell backwards.
The demon grinned once more and began to back away. With a sickening sensation of nausea, Gale tried to get back to his feet. Coira flew past him, lunging for the baby. Tauntingly, the demon swiped its hand away, like some dark bullfighter holding a cape.
It opened its mouth once more. ‘Die.’
There was a rush of blood in Gale’s ears. The wind whipping around the parapet seemed to recede. Both the baby and Coira faded into the background and all he could hear was the thumping of his own heart. There was a pressure building inside his chest like nothing he’d ever felt before. He tried to breathe but he didn’t seem able to gulp the air that would fill his lungs with oxygen.
As the demon smirked, Gale flicked out one fist. He was metres away – he would never reach it but the power inside him had to come out some way. He felt an explosion of light and his ribcage expanded with sudden pain. There was one sharp howl then both the demon and Gale collapsed.
His eyelids flickering against the bright sunshine, he tried to move his limbs. A strange squalling sound filled the air. He tried to focus, but his vision was blurry. Then a cool hand covered his forehead.
‘What did you do, Gale?’ Coira whispered. ‘The demon’s dead and you didn’t even touch it.’
He blinked. The infant was in her arms, crying lustily.
Gale tried to speak but no words emerged. Raising his head, he looked over to where the Fomori demon had been standing. Now there was nothing but a pile of dark slimy goo. ‘I don’t understand,’ he croaked. He flexed his fingers. They felt strange and tingly.
‘I do,’ said a grim voice from behind. It was Aifric. ‘You’ve got three gifts. Not one. Not even two. Who’d have thought it?’
Coira frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
‘He soul-punched the demon. Reached inside its heart and ripped out its very essence with the power of his mind. No one’s done that in centuries. You, my friend, have the ability to kill at will.’
Gale’s head sank back down again. He felt hot and feverish. As long as Coira, the baby and everyone else at the Cruaich was safe, it didn’t really matter.
1987
Dusty from the road, Gale flung off his coat and went in search of his wife. He’d barely gone three steps when she appeared in the doorway. Her features were wan and heavy shadows circled her eyes. There was no denying the delight in her expression, however.
‘You’re home!’
He pulled her into his arms, taking care not to squeeze too hard. ‘I am. I’ve missed you.’ He kissed her upturned mouth. ‘How are things? How’s the baby?’
Coira placed a hand on her protruding stomach. ‘Restless,’ she admitted. ‘I’ll be more than glad when she finally deigns to make an appearance. Our girl is stubborn.’
‘You’re still sure it’s a girl?’ he teased, his eyes dancing.
She nodded. ‘You’re not disappointed? You’d rather have a son?’
‘Are you kidding? She’ll be stronger than any boy could ever be. But if any boy dares to come near her...’
Coira laughed. ‘God forbid. Our poor daughter.’
‘I just want the man who ends up with her to be worthy of her, that’s all.’
‘She’ll be a nun.’
He kissed her forehead, covering her hand with his and feeling his daughter kick. ‘She’ll be whatever she wants to be.’
‘We still need to think of a name.’
He grinned. ‘Maybe she’ll tell us herself what she wants to be called.’
‘Faobhar,’ she whispered, touching his rough cheek and using his true name.
Gale’s eyes softened. ‘Binneas,’ he said back to her.
They shared a look of mutual trust and love. Few Sidhe every gave away their true names, the ones they received along with their Sidhe Gifts when they were thirteen years old. Gale and Coira were the exception rather than the rule.
‘Any problems?’ he asked. ‘I’ve been away longer than I intended.’
Coira smiled. ‘Everything’s fine. Lily’s been a great help.’
‘Really?’
‘She’s a lot saner than the other Sidhe I know.’ Lily hailed from the MacQuarrie Clan. They were known for having a touch of the moon about them. Some were more stable than others, of course.
‘There are a lot of crazies out there,’ Gale agreed. ‘Fortunately, the only thing I’m crazy about is you.’
They kissed again.
There was an awkward cough. Gale glanced up, spotting several members of his household standing to one side.
‘We’ve just received word, Chieftain. The Steward is on his way. He’ll be here by nightfall.’
Gale tensed. ‘Any idea why he’s gracing us with his presence?’
‘I think he’s still worried about the Veil.’
Coira drew back. ‘There’s not been a single Fomori demon since...’
Gale reached out and squeezed her hand. ‘And there won’t be another one. Aifric is just being cautious. It’s a good thing.’
***
Aifric arrived with considerably less fanfare than Gale expected; his entourage numbered no more than six. It was good to see that his old friend hadn’t let the Stewardship go to his head.
As soon as he stepped across the threshold, they clasped each other’s hands in friendly greeting.
‘You’re honouring us with your visit,’ Gale said.
Aifric gave a dismissive wave. ‘One of my best friends is about to become a father! How could I not come?’ He handed over a beautifully wrapped present. ‘Don’t open it just yet,’ he said with a wink. ‘Not until the baby comes.’
Gale smiled and passed it over to a hovering Clan member. ‘I won’t,’ he promised.
‘Things are looking good around here,’ Aifric said, gazing around the high walls of the Adair castle. ‘You’ve done a lot of work.’
‘And spent a lot of money.’ Gale gestured at the imposing granite. ‘But it’s worth it. I need to make sure my family are safe. It would take an army to breach these walls and the magical barrier I have in place. Speaking of which, how’s your family doing? How’s your son with the daft name?’
A tinge of pride crossed Aifric’s face. ‘Byron. And it’s not a silly name. It has a fine lineage.’
Gale snorted. ‘If you say so.’ They grinned at each other.
‘Byron’s almost four years old. He has the entire Clan running after him. He’ll be breaking hearts all over the Highlands by the time he’s a teenager. He takes after his mother in that at least. ‘
‘And how is Mhairi?’
Aifric’s eyes darkened. ‘Not well,’ he admitted. ‘The sickness is getting worse.’
Gale touched his arm. ‘I’m sorry. If there’s anything I can do...’
Aifric nodded. ‘I’ll let you know. Anyway,’ he boomed, turning round, ‘what does it take to get a drink around here?’
‘Whisky?’
‘Perfect.’
The Adair castle was busy. With winter fast approaching –and signs that it was going to be a long and bitter one – the entire Clan had retreated behind the walls. Rather than the petulant grumblings of a large group of people confined to a small space, however, everyone seemed happy.
‘Things are going well for you
,’ Aifric commented, after passing yet another beaming Sidhe.
‘I’m a lucky guy.’ Gale motioned into a small room set into the side. ‘Come on. My study’s in here. We’ll get some peace and quiet. Your men can get some food in the kitchens. Beric will show them the way.’
Parting company from the others, Gale and Aifric went into the small book-lined room and settled on an old sofa covered in cracked red leather.
‘I’m surprised you’ve not been back to the Cruaich for a while,’ Aifric commented, once he had his whisky in hand.
Gale gave him a rueful glance. ‘It’s hard work there. I never get a moment to myself.’
‘Well, if you will go around saving helpless infants from evil demons, you can’t expect anything else.’
Gale rolled his eyes. ‘Anyone would have done the same.’
Aifric’s response was quiet. ‘Almost everyone was at the Cruaich that day. You were the only one who did anything.’
‘Coira did as much as me.’
‘She’s Adair now. You’re one and the same. It must be nice to be treated like a hero everywhere you go.’
Gale laughed. ‘Says the Steward. You’re the leader of all the Sidhe. You must get some perks.’
‘It’s a lot more complicated than it looks,’ Aifric sighed, running a hand through his hair. ‘The frustrating thing is that by the time my five years are up, I’ll only just be getting the hang of things.’ He put his glass down. ‘That’s why I’m here.’
Gale raised an eyebrow. ‘Oh yes?’
‘I’m going to put forward a motion to extend the Steward’s term. It makes sense. I’ve only got another twelve months and then someone else is going to take over. There are still so many things that need to be taken care of.’
‘Why can’t the next Steward do that?’ Gale asked mildly.
‘Because they’ll spend the first three years learning the ropes and working the angles. We’ll go backwards about ten steps.’ Aifric leaned forward. ‘You know, I’ve been taking your suggestions about doing more for the Clan-less very seriously.’
‘I’m pleased to hear it. I’m not sure that staying Steward for longer is the best course of action, however. There’s a term limit for a reason.’