Only a red cap hit directly in the face with a grenade was down for the count. The others trampled it trying to control Stormy. Three more ropes were thrown around the horse while the rest of the pack went for the mounted riders.
Sara-Not-Beth ran to Chris and me, dodging around red caps as she would on the football pitch. Just as on the pitch, none of them could touch her. I handed her the other oversized iron dagger, then we charged them.
Jared had left us to help Lily free a shaking Livy. Gaping scratches bled down her legs. One red cap jumped up and sank its vile, yellow fingernails and teeth into Jared’s horse’s throat. Another chomped one of its legs. Through the leg.
I nearly puked at the sound, and at the sight of the screaming horse and Jared and Livy sinking into a sea of rusty red and sickly yellow. Frozen at the sight, Sara-Not-Beth, Chris, and I almost missed two more red caps attacking us. Out of “nowhere,” Joe appeared, swinging his own sword. The red caps paused, still grinning. I think they might have wanted us to see what was happening to our other friends.
“Jared!” Lily yelled.
“Take Livy!” With a push, he got Livy on Lily’s horse and leapt from his dying horse’s back. Landing with the grace of the black belt he claimed to be, he cut around the pack to get to us. Two more red caps stepped in front of him. Without missing a beat, he stepped into a defensive stance and slammed his fist into the throat of one of them. A shot that would totally disable a human.
Snap! Jared breathed out a cry as his forearm…
Bent. In. Half.
“Jared!” Chris broke from us and ran for his best mate.
Two of our flanking red caps, grinning so wide I thought their faces might split open, cut him off, cracking their knuckles.
“Enough!” Like a clap of thunder, Calbraith’s voice echoed around us.
I didn’t remember that effect last night. But for half a second, we were all frozen as we had been last night.
Damned faery magick!
As soon as we could move, the red caps backed off, though they kept their clawed hands outstretched, letting us know we wouldn’t get very far without a boatload of pain.
Lily rode around behind us, one hand clutching the reins of Dream, who was frothing and ready to bolt, and one holding a half-conscious Livy.
Livy.
Her legs from the thigh down looked like ground meat bulging through blue leather sausage casings.
My stomach totally turned over.
I heard Sara-Not-Beth gag beside me, and Joe gasped. “Heather, we need to get her home.” Lily’s voice was trembling.
“I told you not to harm him!” Calbraith sounded rather peeved. We turned around to see him approaching Max. In the sunlight, I could see the Unseelie daoine síth better. He wore smooth brown leather breeches and a forest-green tunic. Belted around his waist and shoulder were a sword, a whip-looking thing, and a cylinder of leather, which I recognized from this morning. It was where he kept the pixie. I shivered, hoping it could breathe.
The other red caps were still struggling with the horse that was bouncing Max around as it tried to escape.
“It wasn’t us—” began one of the red caps holding a rope. It sounded like they’d been smoking cigarettes for the centuries of their faery lifespan.
“I don’t want excuses!” Calbraith pointed at the beastie The red cap that spoke froze again, and then started to shake uncontrollably. He fell over, totally still, blood leaking from his mouth, nose, and eyes.
It was dead. The group of us must have stopped breathing. We collectively gasped at the same time.
“Please, my lord!” another said, as it cowered behind Stormy. “The human brats threw the liquid iron, and the dark-skinned one broke his nose before we even got to him.”
I looked at Chris. He was shaking, eyes wide, but edging towards us with Jared, who cradled a hand and arm that were already twice the size they should be. Chris met my eye and hardened his face. “He was messing with these lines of salt and made Lily freak out. He was, like, in a trance, so I got him out of it.”
“Keep the humans surrounded.” Calbraith waved in our general direction and placed one hand on Stormy. He cocked his head at the fighting horse, as if surprised by something. “Curious.” With a shake, he pulled a knife and cut Max from Stormy. “Get that horse under control. I don’t want him harmed, either. I have plans for him.”
Once his ropes were cut, Max slid off the horse, stumbling to stay on his feet. The backs of his shirt and jeans were riddled with holes, some big enough for me to see severe burns on his skin. “Who. The Hell. Are you?” he demanded. “And let them go!” He pointed at us.
Calbraith didn’t answer right away, but continued to look Max up and down.
“What do you want?” When Calbraith didn’t answer again, Max launched himself at him.
The daoine síth sidestepped as if he were dancing, appraising Max, and, with a flick of his wrist, sent him sprawling on the ground.
“You’re weak,” the fey lord said. “You’re useless to me weak.”
“What are you talking about?”
Another flick sent Max staggering back a few more steps before he could even think of trying to attack again. Not that he had much of a chance. Every movement was clearly painful.
“Heather MacArthur,” Calbraith called out without looking at me. “I thought we had a truce until sunset? And here I find one of my own brutally attacked on the very land we’re negotiating for.”
“I’m not ‘one of your own!’” Max declared. “Who the hell do you think you are? You’re a delivery man.” His voice sounded weak, though. After all, what kind of “delivery man” could knock you to the ground as if he was swatting at a fly?
Calbraith turned and squared his gaze at Max.
“Don’t look him in the eye! That’s how he mind-controls you!” I shouted.
Max turned his head quickly but shouted back, “Mind- control? What?”
“It’s a little late for that, my dear liaison. You see, Max and I have already met. I wanted to deliver my gift to him personally.”
“What?” From where I was standing, I could see Max catch himself from looking Calbraith in the eye again. He switched his gaze to where the red caps were throwing more rope around Stormy. “Stormy was a gift from my fa—”
“From me.”
“No! I don’t believe you.” Max started to shake.
“What are they on about?” Chris growled.
“Nasty family reunion,” Joe whispered from behind us. I could tell he was trying not to be noticed.
Calbraith slipped a leather glove over his hand and arm as he circled around Max. In a flash of movement, he slapped Max on the back, shoving him to the ground. Max cried out in pain.
“Iron poisoning is painful. Even for a halfblood.” He nodded towards Max’s horse. “The Son of Storms is probably in some pain, too, though animal flesh isn’t quite as…affected by fey blood as that of humans.” The daoine síth pulled out a whip with several metal ends on it, a scourge. He brushed the ends lightly against Max’s back, making him curl away from the touch. Clearly, they were iron. He lifted the scourge to strike.
“Stop it! Stop!” I screamed, breaking from the group, halting as several red caps got between Max and me. “You said you didn’t want him hurt!”
Calbraith searched for my eyes, but I focused on his horrible smile. I’d have nightmares about this for a week, but it was better than being a mind slave. He shrugged. “I didn’t want the red caps to hurt him. He may have been more likely to listen. And if he didn’t, the first strike has a particular enjoyment that, once it’s been taken, just isn’t the same.”
“Even your own son?” I said, taking several steps towards them. More red caps joined the two blocking my path, so I stopped.
“You’re clever, child. But yes. Even my own son.” “I’m not your son!” Max growled, pushing himself up from the ground.
“Now if only said son were as clever as the cute little
liaison.” Calbraith sneered down at him.
“Your conversation was pretty obvious,” I said. He didn’t have to know that Joe had just about spelled it out to me earlier. Still, I probably would have gotten the gist of it.
Our attention was drawn as Stormy broke three more ropes. Calbraith flicked his gaze back to me.
“Hand your rope to Dorn, Heather MacArthur, and I’ll put my iron-tipped scourge away.”
One of the four red caps that blocked my way stepped forward, hands outstretched. Swallowing hard, I took it off my shoulder, and then stopped. “Put your scourge away first and step away from Max, and then I’ll hand it over. You have my word on that exchange.”
“As I said, clever.” Calbraith chuckled. “I’ll play your game, little liaison.” He tucked the scourge back into his belt and took two steps away from Max. I handed the red cap the rope. As soon as he turned away, the daoine síth said, “Seize her. Don’t break any of her pretty skin.”
“Heather!” Joe’s voice came from near Calbraith. Wait, what? Hadn’t he been just behind us? I heard my sister behind me, though, along with several shouts and scuffles and sounds of horse hooves.
“The young prince is here?” I heard Calbraith say.
I think I heard the sound of metal clashing, but I was a bit preoccupied with my own situation. I managed to stab one red cap with my long dagger before the other grabbed my outstretched wrist and twisted. I felt the crack, and my hand released the dagger as I cried out. My weapon fell to the ground as the stabbed red cap gurgled, staggering back. The other kicked my knees from behind, and I fell as it grabbed my other wrist. Not wanting that broken, too, I stopped struggling as I knelt. Waves of pain throbbed all the way up my left arm.
“Stand down and show yourself, little prince. And you all…” Calbraith looked behind me, using that echoey effect again. “Any of you move, and Carna tears off one of the girl’s ears.”
Joe appeared a few feet from Calbraith, his sword extended.
“You’re precious. Now, drop your weapon at my feet and go join your little friends. Because I can have either of those two slice some part of Heather wide open before you can even strike. Do you understand me?”
“Leave her alone!” Max was back on his feet, hands clenched. He didn’t attack. He met Joe’s eyes briefly, though, before shifting to size up the daoine síth.
With a squeal and a thud, the red caps used my rope to get Stormy to the ground. Max’s eyes grew wide.
“Don’t worry, boy. I won’t hurt your horse. His blood is rarer than yours. Now, focus. The two of you.” He nodded at the red caps holding me, and the one holding my broken wrist squeezed. I couldn’t stifle the yelp in my throat. Max and Joe whipped their heads back to me, horrified. Point made, Calbraith continued, “You.” He pointed at Joe. “Weapon down and move.”
Joe clenched his teeth, but dropped his sword and walked back towards our friends. He was shaking head to toe and our eyes never left each other’s. Twisting as much as the hold on my injured wrist would allow, I watched him walk all the way back to the rest of the group, who seemed so much farther behind than I’d thought. Almost twenty of the red caps (Had there been that many all along? Had more come?) surrounded the group, with most around Lily and Livy atop Dream.
“Now for you.” Calbraith’s voice drew my attention back to him and Max. “I’ll leave dear Heather, and all of them, alone. They can all go back to the castle in time for tea…”
In time for tea! Dad was with Ermie and, if everything had gone all right, should be heading back home by now. Except the yew trees were on the other side of the castle. Farther from us than Ermie’s stable was from the castle. If I tried, could I summon him? Why hadn’t I thought of this before?
“…if you come with me, to where you belong.”
Max’s face grew ghostly pale as he processed the ultimatum.
I had to try. And I had to not let Calbraith know I was trying.
I pictured a tunnel in my head, going right to Ermie. And I sent him the picture of what was going on right now.
“F-fine, I’ll go with you. But…but I need proof that Heather and everyone will get back to the castle safely.”
“Max—Aay!” I called, but Carna squeezed my broken wrist again, and the name turned into a scream.
Calbraith grinned. “My boy has made his decision. And we’ll assure him your travel to the castle is safe by going with you, so we can inform our hopefully reinstated earl that this little stunt means our deadline has been moved to teatime. I hear that’s when you shall have an answer from the queen—” How did he know these things?! “—And you, Max, can continue breaking all the salt lines. Human blood has its advantages.”
“What are you talking about?” Max asked.
“Heather’s family had the brilliant idea that laying down salt lines of protection would keep mean, nasty faery folk out of their lovely castle. Which is rather effective. You felt a bit of it, you remember? The sickness, the difficulty breathing, maybe a nosebleed or two? But your human blood is enough of a buffer that you’re not blocked out entirely.” He patted Max’s shoulders. “And since you and I had already connected when I gave you the Son of Storms, it only took a little patience on my part to work my way back into that handsome head of yours.” Max ducked away in disgust as Calbraith reached to ruffle his hair.
“Wait,” he said. “So you want me to clear the way so you can attack them later? No! That’s not what I agreed to!”
“You agreed to join me if I got them all back to the castle safely. They will arrive at the castle safely. After that was not part of the negotiation.”
“No!”
“Are you breaking your word to me?”
“No.” Max looked at me. “I didn’t say I’d given you my word. I was…clarifying the terms. When Heather made her deal about your scourge, she said, ‘I give you my word,’ and I haven’t said that yet.”
Calbraith sneered at him again, and then looked at me, his expression melting into his disturbing smile. “I suppose you’re right. Well, I kept my end of the bargain with Heather, which said nothing about me taking my scourge out again after I put it away.”
He marched over to me and leaned in close, but spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. “You may not suffer iron poisoning, but your flesh tears just the same.”
He walked behind me. I saw Max run and get caught by two red caps. I heard my other friends, but the sound of Calbraith pulling his scourge from his belt sounded louder.
Then I heard hoofbeats.
With a yelp, I turned. So had Calbraith. Lily charged Dream over four red caps. I could see the terrified horse’s beard of froth and the sheen of sweat covering his coat as he approached.
He didn’t get far. Calbraith made a backhand motion and knocked Dream over. He rolled right over my sister and Livy. I tried to move, but the pain in my wrist and the monstrous strength of the two red caps kept me on my knees. Calling my sister’s name became another yelp of pain.
“Hush, dear Heather,” Calbraith said. But he wasn’t looking at me. He was looking at where Dream had scrambled to his feet. “I heard your sister call that beast’s name… Dream, was it?”
I whimpered. The sweetness in his voice, and the new smile he wore, made me break into shivers.
“Dream,” he called. “Come here.”
Dream, or Dancing with the Dream King, was a “striking” horse, everyone said. His right half was almost solid black, and his left, almost solid white. He was a big draught that Mum had rescued from an abusive carriage owner. She’d owned Dream longer than I’d been alive. He was the first horse every single one of us had learned to ride on. Mum rode him when she and Dad came to save Lily and me from the kelpie.
No! I thought. Stay away, Dream! Run away!
With stilted, forced steps, shaking even more than I was, Dream came and stood in front of me. Sweat dripped down every inch of his body, his nostrils flared, and I could even see the blood vessels in the whites of his e
yes.
Calbraith began to circle us. He casually shook his scourge in my direction before putting it back in his belt. “I will have time to enjoy this later. Now, I don’t think you’ve been educated in exactly what one of my people can do.” Rather than continuing with that line, though, he turned his attention to the terrified Dream. “You know, I find it absolutely fascinating how you humans get so emotional over these dumb beasts. However, I suppose those of the Seelie Court have become about that enamored of your kind.” He shrugged. “Regardless, the compassion you all share can be useful.” He glanced at Max. “All you needed was for one of these beasts to trust me. Granted, I’m sure you knew your mother wanted some time without you and what you remind her of. What she lost. You’re not that foolish a child, and I’ve been watching you for some time. And when I managed to get the paperwork about this place into her hands, an excuse to ship you off, it was perfect. Alas, you’d lost your own dear pet…so I had to supply you with one. So here you are, on the land that belongs to us, which my father should have had the right to years ago. I worked this all out…”
While he was focusing on yet another of his monologues, I tried reaching out to Ermie again. Please! As if from very far away, I felt…something. I couldn’t tell what it was. It might have been my imagination. But I could hope?
“…but, back to your horse, Heather. Your dear Dream.”
I stared at Dream. Rasping squeals were slipping from his mouth. Beneath his skin, I saw, like, bubbles, ripples. He shook harder, but…it was as if he were pinned in place. “Those of us like myself have an amazing amount of power, Heather. You don’t want to make us angry. Besides getting into your simple human minds, which you already know about, we can…affect physical things. I believe it’s similar to what you humans call ‘telekinesis.’ Only it’s far more than humans can comprehend.”
Calbraith was circling me, leaning in so close his face was only inches from mine. But all I could see was Dream. Scared and dying Dream.
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