The Oaken Throne

by Sara C. Roethle

  She nodded. “This evening. My mother is right, I cannot put it off forever. Now that our friends have all left us save the few remaining Aos Sí, there is nothing else for me to do here, and I cannot stand idly by while Ealasaid is attacked.”

  He hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder, unsure if his touch was welcome.

  Finally, she looked up at him.

  “You do not have to do anything you do not want to do,” he said softly. “While I encourage you to grow your army, it would be far better for you to face Oighear in a defendable area. You can make her come to you.”

  Finn shook her head. “You would let Ealasaid face An Fiach on her own? What about your brother? Oighear could very well use the opportunity to launch her own attack. Her realm is not far from Garenoch.”

  He took a steadying breath. He did not like the idea of Garenoch’s vulnerability, but he liked even less Finn marching into battle before she was prepared. As things stood, her help might not even be welcomed, though he did not have the heart to say so out loud.

  “I will come with you to meet with the Cavari,” he said instead.

  She frowned. “I do not believe that is a wise plan. They will not speak freely in front of you.”

  “You are their queen,” he countered. “They will speak if you tell them to.”

  A small smile spread across her lips. “I keep telling myself that, but somehow it does not feel like the truth. I suppose I just know them too well, and all that they are capable of. Even weakened, their magic is great.”

  “Then allow me to accompany you,” he pressed, “regardless of how freely they will speak.”

  She turned her attention back to Loinnir. “I suppose we can go together,” she breathed finally. “I truly don’t like the idea of separating now, even for a little while.” She turned her dark hazel eyes up to him, and he felt for a moment as if he could become utterly lost in their depths. “I feel as if you might disappear too, just like everyone else.”

  “I fear the same,” he replied softly, unable to help his words. “Every time I close my eyes, I worry you will no longer be there when I open them.”

  Her mouth formed a small oh of surprise.

  He was such a fool. He could not cross that line, not again. She needed a protector, not a lover. “I’ll meet with the remaining Aos Sí,” he said quickly. “I will tell them what we plan so that they might be prepared in the event we require their aid.”

  With that, he turned and stalked away, ignoring the thundering of his heart in his ears, and the weight of Finn’s eyes on his back.

  Later that evening, Finn stroked her fingers through Loinnir’s mane, feeling the warmth emanating from the unicorn’s skin. She rode her bareback, since she didn’t intend to go far, at least not yet.

  “Are you sure about this?” Iseult asked again, though they’d gone over it countless times since that morning.

  It was too late regardless. They’d already passed through the fortress gates, and soon would reach the small camp where fires never burned, and voices never sounded. Her people truly were little more than phantoms, though they appeared as flesh and blood.

  A few of the cloaked forms came into view. Though she knew there were more of them elsewhere, whenever she dared look toward their camp there were always just three or four still forms staring in her direction. Waiting. She did not see her mother amongst them, though it was difficult to tell with their hoods.

  As she reached them, with Iseult’s horse keeping pace at her side, one stepped forward from the group. Broad shoulders beneath the billowing fabric of his black cloak hinted at his gender.

  She debated climbing down off Loinnir’s back, but thought better of it. The unicorn seemed immune to the Cavari’s magic. She could stop any conflict before it started.

  “The time has come,” Finn announced, looking first to the figure in front of her, then flicking her gaze to the three who stood behind. “I need an army.”

  The cloaked figure nearest her bowed his head. “If we are to go to war, we need a proper queen. Accept our oath. Return our full power.”

  Her stomach clenched. This was wrong, but how else was she to defeat Oighear and An Fiach? The Cavari were the most powerful tool at her disposal.

  Iseult was silent beside her. They’d had their arguments over this, but in the end, she was queen. It was her decision.

  “I will accept your oath,” she breathed despite her better judgement. “I will be your queen in more than name. I will share my power with you, but I will not restore you fully.”

  The cloaked figure in front drew back his hood, revealing shoulder-length golden hair and piercing green eyes. He was just as she’d remembered, except for worm-white skin. Once upon a time, his skin had been perfectly tanned. Finn had been deemed lucky to receive him as her consort, the most powerful male member of her tribe.

  “Sugn,” she hissed. “I did not expect you.”

  His smile made her skin crawl. “Why ever not? Without you, I was the most powerful amongst our tribe. Someone had to lead the search for you.”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat, fighting against the contents of her stomach as they threatened to make an appearance. Sugn had been the father of her daughter, Niamh, but he was father in title only. He did not deserve the pride that came along with the word. He hadn’t cared when his child had been cast aside for being weak, nor had he cared when she died.

  “Will you refuse our oath?” Sugn questioned, one golden brow raised.

  “No,” she growled, sudden rage making her skin hot. “I like the idea of a world where worms like you must kiss my feet.”

  One of the still-hooded forms snorted at her comment.

  Her own words shocked her, but she refused to take them back.

  Sugn simply inclined his head, a sly smile on his wide lips. “I’ll kiss you wherever you like, my queen.”

  Her face burned, eliciting a wave of power from within her. It seared through her chest then down to her fingertips. The earth beneath Sugn’s feet rumbled, then a massive root shot upward. It swung down toward him like the arm of a giant. He hopped aside, a heartbeat before it would have clobbered him. The other cloaked forms calmly stepped back out of reach of the root.

  “You will not speak to your queen in such a vulgar manner,” she said haughtily as the massive root hovered above Sugn, dripping clumps of soil.

  He swept an arm across his chest and bowed, though his face when he raised it held no fear.

  “Finn,” Iseult muttered, drawing her attention. His horse stamped its hooves, unnerved by the giant twitching root.

  She took a deep breath, then nodded to him, suddenly more embarrassed than before. She’d never told him Sugn’s name, but he’d likely drawn accurate conclusions about who he was, especially since violence usually was not her first reaction.

  She relaxed her shoulders, and the root withdrew into the earth just as quickly as it had arisen, leaving violently turned soil in its wake. While Sugn did not seem cowed, the remaining three Cavari maintained a respectful distance.

  Loinnir snorted, as if trying to remind her of her task.

  Finn glared down at Sugn. “As the current leader of the Cavari, you will swear your oath to me at midnight. I will return at the appointed time.”

  He raised that infuriating golden brow at her again. “So we are not allowed within your fortress?”

  “Do not question your queen,” Iseult growled.

  All humor left Sugn’s expression as his green gaze turned to Iseult for the first time. “Do not speak to me human, and don’t you dare think I do not know who you are, and what your people did to my daughter.”

  His daughter? Finn thought, rage and revulsion washing through her once more. She stifled a shiver, forcing herself to remain calm. She would not give him the satisfaction of eliciting another reaction from her.

  She glared down at him, letting her hatred shine through her eyes. “She was never yours.”

  Sugn’s smirk faltered,
ever so slightly.

  Having said all she needed to say, Finn tugged at Loinnir’s reins, turning her away.

  She heard Iseult’s horse moving to follow behind her, but she could not look back at him. She could not let Sugn see her tears.

  Kai wasn’t sure just what had brought him to Garenoch. He only knew he’d traveled there unbelievably fast. As long as the sun was down, his legs never seemed to tire. Now he stared up at the newly constructed high walls, astonished at how the burgh seemed to have grown.

  Though the moon shone bright above, a few travelers still came in and out of the burgh, likely returning to the nearby farmsteads after selling their goods at the market within, or conversely, retreating from the farms for the safety of the burgh.

  He shook his head, marveling at the high stone wall. There was no way normal men could have constructed such a wall so quickly. Magic had been used. Given that, he wondered just what else the mages might be capable of.

  Casting away his thoughts, he approached the gates, wondering if they’d let him in, or if he should just scale the wall unseen. He felt himself quite capable of the latter, though he would have felt better about his abilities if he weren’t starving.

  He’d snared two rabbits to add to his meager supply of hard bread, but the meals he’d made only seemed to make him hungrier. He needed a proper stew, and perhaps some honey bannocks and wine. Surely that would make him feel better.

  Of course, he had no coin, but he’d been skilled at thievery even before the apparent effects of his bite had set in. Now, with all the changes he’d incurred, it would be nearly effortless.

  He started toward the high gates, then stopped as they opened to let someone out. Kai moved back, observing from the darkness. He recognized the tall man exiting the burgh by himself. Maarav.

  Kai watched as Maarav walked a few paces down the path, then veered left, hurrying past the few small, abandoned buildings outside the gate and into the woods beyond.

  Without considering his actions, Kai followed. In a matter of seconds he reached the trees nearest to where Maarav had disappeared. He stopped to listen for a moment, then continued on into the darkness. He saw no sign of Maarav, but knew he could not have gotten far.

  He continued weaving his way through the dark trees, stopping to listen every few steps. His eyes were far more keen in the darkness now than they used to be, but all he saw was dead grass and the pale trunks of trees, illuminated softly by moonlight.

  He slowed, wondering what Maarav was doing out here in the first place.

  “It’s rude to spy,” a voice said from behind him.

  Kai whipped around. Maarav was standing a few paces behind him. He shouldn’t have been able to sneak up on him, not with his improved speed and senses. How had he moved so quietly?

  Kai turned to fully face him. “Can you blame me for being curious?”

  Maarav stepped forward, closing the distance between them. His black hair hung forward to partially obscure his features in shadow. “If anyone gets to be curious right now, it is I. What are you doing here? Are Finn and Iseult with you?”

  Kai shook his head, wondering how much he should tell him. “No,” he said simply. “I came on my own. I was hoping to find a hot meal, then I’ll be on my way.”

  Maarav looked him up and down. “There’s something different about you.”

  Kai’s heart sputtered. He just stared at Maarav, unsure of what to say. Could he actually sense the changes in him?

  After a moment of thought, Maarav smiled. “Come now, I’ll buy you a drink at the inn and you can tell me all that has transpired since we parted ways.”

  Kai watched him cautiously, then nodded. He’d said nothing of what he’d been doing sneaking around in the woods, but he was apparently willing to abandon his task now. Perhaps he could learn something useful from Maarav, and he wouldn’t snub a free mug of wine, not after all he’d been through.

  Still wary, he nodded, then followed as Maarav turned and led the way back into the burgh.

  He hoped he would not regret his choice. Many humans would kill one of the Faie on sight. At one time, he might have been one of them. That position had altered slightly, considering he was quite sure he’d soon be more Faie than human himself.

  Maarav gestured to the men manning the gates to readmit him. He’d unfortunately not made his meeting with his scout, but the chance encounter with Kai had proven too interesting to pass up. He’d meet with Rae, one of the assassins, later. He’d been gone for nearly a week gathering information to the west, information Maarav was desperate to learn, but it would have to wait.

  He rolled his shoulders, loosening a twinge of guilt as he and Kai walked through the open gate. Truly, he’d not requested Rae meet him outside the burgh in an attempt to hide things from Ealasaid. He’d made the request that all meetings take place outside before Keiren had left. If news came of Finn and Iseult, he wanted to hear it long before the sorceress caught wind.

  Now, with Kai’s appearance, such news had dropped right into his lap at the perfect time. He would at least know what Finn planned, if not more of what was occurring out west. Keiren had said she’d be gone a week. It should be safe to talk.

  They walked in silence down the rutted dirt road toward the inn. Though Maarav was glad for the opportunity to interrogate Kai, something felt off. He’d always had excellent senses, and they were currently sounding a warning in his mind. A warning about Kai. Not to mention how quickly and silently he had moved. Fortunately, Maarav had spent many years perfecting the art of being the watcher, and never the watched.

  They reached the inn, bustling with the sound of those having late night wine and whiskey. A warm glow emanated from the open doors, supplied by dozens of candles and a massive fire blazing in the hearth.

  Together, they stepped inside.

  Maarav gestured to the innkeep, another person within the burgh who knew him on sight, and waved to him when they passed in the streets.

  He grimaced at his thoughts, then took a seat at a small open table near the door.

  Kai sat silently across from him, glancing up as one of the barmaids approached.

  “Whiskey?” Maarav questioned.

  Kai nodded, and the barmaid walked off to fetch their drinks.

  Once they both had drinks in their hands, the two men proceeded to stare at each other. While Maarav had known Kai for quite some time now, as they had traveled together after returning to Migris, they’d had few conversations. All he really knew about him was that he’d been a thief before he met Finn, and now he was quite obviously in love with her. It would make him guard her secrets closely, but at least he knew her secrets. He might let something slip.

  He raised a black eyebrow at Kai. “Are you truly going to make me ask what you were doing skulking about outside the burgh?”

  Kai took a sip of his whiskey, seeming to resist the urge to down it one gulp. “I could ask you the same question.”

  Maarav steeled his gaze. He knew he’d likely need to give information to get information, but not just yet.

  He sipped his drink, biding his time before asking, “Did Finn send you here? I find it odd that you would travel so far from both her and Anna.”

  His expression somber, Kai shook his head. “Much has happened since we first left Garenoch—” he hesitated, staring down at his whiskey. “It’s difficult to explain, but Finn has a tendency to sacrifice herself for others, and I could not let her do so for me any longer. Not with so much at stake.”

  That sounded about right, Maarav thought. Finn and Ealasaid were astoundingly alike. It made the conflict in their friendship all the more tragic. There were few selfless people left in the world, at least, as far as he could see.

  “And what of Anna?” he questioned.

  Kai shrugged. “Anna has her own troubles to worry about.”

  Maarav watched him for several more seconds, weighing the odds that Kai might actually be a spy sent by Finn.

  He found it hi
ghly unlikely.

  “Well,” he began, pausing to take another sip of his whiskey, “you may as well stay within the estate until you decide what to do. I’m sure Ealasaid would like to see you.”

  Kai raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Truly? She was the one that told Finn never to return here.”

  “Ah, but you are not Finn,” Maarav countered. But he was close enough, he added in his mind. Someone close enough to Finn to perhaps bridge the gap between her and Ealasaid. It was the only way he could think of to get rid of Keiren without killing the sorceress in her sleep . . . not that he’d mind killing her in her sleep, but Ealasaid would never forgive him.

  Kai’s shoulders slumped, then he shook his head. “No, I cannot stay. I do not want to bring trouble to anyone—”

  “Nonsense,” Maarav interrupted, not about to let him slink off into the night. “You’ll return with me to the estate and we’ll find you a room. My girl is a bit low as of late, she’ll be happy to see a friendly face.”

  Kai’s jaw dropped as he fumbled the small cup in his hands. Setting the cup down and wiping the sloshed liquid on his breeches, he stared at Maarav. “Your girl? Truly?”

  Maarav nodded, unable to help the proud smile on his face.

  Kai shook his head and laughed. “My perceptions of reality have been challenged on a daily basis these past months, but never as much as they have this evening.”

  Maarav chuckled, then downed the rest of his drink. While he still felt there was something different about Kai, he still seemed to be the same person, not possessed by some dark Faie force.

  “Come,” he instructed as he stood. “We’ll find you a room, and,” he sniffed the air, “a bath.”

  Kai smiled graciously, finally agreeing with a nod.

  Maarav led the way out of the inn, wondering how he’d explain to Ealasaid what he’d been doing when he’d discovered Kai. He supposed he’d think of an excuse when the time came, then he’d think of another the next night when he’d finally be able to meet with Rae.

  Regardless, he was glad Kai had come. Perhaps they could commiserate on their dealings with idealistic, frighteningly powerful women. They both knew them better than most.