by Ann Gimpel
Fionn snorted. “Safe is relative. Wait. I have an even better idea. Backtrack.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Nidhogg. If Aislinn and I come out in the middle of fifty or more Lemurians plus a dark god or two, we’re dead meat. We’ll never find your younglings. We need to be stealthier. Put us down—or let me jump us—to a place we’ll at least be able to get our bearings and craft an attack plan.”
The dragon wheeled. In moments, the air grew clearer. Dewi flew near. Nidhogg didn’t seem to be circling to land, so Fionn called to Aislinn, “I’ll jump us down.”
She nodded across the air between them. Fionn stroked Bella. “Do ye wish to be included, or will ye fly on your own?”
The raven spread her wings and took off.
Fionn battled momentary anger at the bird’s high-handedness and then shoved it aside so it wouldn’t get in the way of his casting. He called magic and wove strong wards into his spell, taking care to test them. They needed to be invisible until they determined their next move.
A savage protectiveness settled in his mind, clouding it. What he really wanted to do was jump them back to Inishowen, where Aislinn would be sheltered, and return with one of the Celts to figure things out here. Her presence made it hard for him to focus on anything other than making certain no harm befell her. He set his mouth in a determined line. Shy of locking Aislinn up, he knew she’d never stay put. Her independence was a two-edged sword and one of the many things he loved about her.
He clamped his teeth together and loosed the spell to bring them down.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Aislinn stopped holding her breath when her feet landed solidly on the ground. She’d rather have cast her own jump spell, but understood the wisdom of them forming a unit. Fionn’s arms closed around her. She leaned into him for the barest moment before she scanned their surroundings. A rolling plain stretched ahead of them, dotted with the occasional cottage. Standing puddles gleamed dully in the gray light of the rainy day. She reached for Rune through the Hunter bond. The wolf materialized by her side, last to emerge from the portal. “Do you know where we are?” she asked Fionn quietly.
“Aye. Still in Ireland, but toward the south and inland.”
The portal shimmered and disappeared.
“We need cover,” she said.
“I’ve warded us.”
Aislinn thought about that. “It might work here, but not when we get closer to the Old Ones.”
“Never mind that. Did Dewi tell you aught about where her younglings are?”
“Yes. She even showed me. I had to join her mind because I couldn’t see through the murk. There’s an enormous castle that’s crawling with Lemurians. The younglings are deep within it.”
He blew out a breath. “Amazing they’re still alive. The Old Ones must be using them as bait to draw us.”
“There has to be at least one of the dark gods involved. This has the stink of their maneuverings.”
“I agree. Unfortunately, so did Nidhogg.” A muscle jerked beneath Fionn’s eye. “I am going to put out a call for reinforcements.”
“We can’t afford to wait. Every minute—”
He ran a gentle hand down the side of her face. “We willna wait, lass. The others will come as they can.” He shut his eyes. Magic heated the air as he cast a telepathic sending. A corner of his mouth turned downward. “At least this way, there will be someone to pluck our bones from the dust.”
A frisson of fear marched down her back. She straightened her shoulders. “Let’s get closer and see if we can’t sneak into the castle. Rune and Bella might be particularly good for that.” The wolf grinned at her, jaws lolling.
“At least someone thinks I’m good for something.” Bella flew from behind a boulder and landed on Rune’s back for a moment before taking off again.
Aislinn glanced from the bird to Fionn and back. She didn’t ask what was wrong. They couldn’t afford to divert their attention from the task at hand. They moved forward at a brisk pace until they reached the perimeter of darker air.
Fionn stopped and turned to her. “The River Boyne is to the east. It isna far, and there will be high marsh grasses to give us cover. The river leads straight to the castle.”
“If it’s like most river bottoms, the ground will be uneven. I don’t think we should do anything that will delay us. Dewi and Nidhogg are up there somewhere.” She gestured. “They’re waiting until we storm the castle to provide a diversion. Once we come out with the younglings, they’ll get us out of here somehow.”
His drew his brows together. “Is there aught else ye decided with Dewi?”
She shook her head. “We didn’t really decide anything, other than they’d wait until they sensed us…” Her voice ran down. Now she heard the words out loud, she knew how exposed they’d be. “I may have a better idea. Do you know the castle I’m talking about?”
“Aye.” The word seemed torn out of him, as if he guessed what she had in mind.
“Jump us there.”
“That isna smart. No better than it would have been to go directly from the dragons’ backs into the thick of things. We would be vulnerable coming through at the far end of our traveling spell—and likely captured. They’d be able to sense our magic afore they could see us. ’Twould alert them to our presence.”
“Well then, bring us out in the dungeon. At least there won’t be as many Lemurians there.”
“Ye doona know that. They like underground places. Remember Taltos.”
“Okay.” She put her hands on her hips. “You think of something.”
“I did. If we’d begun walking when I suggested it, we’d be at the river by now and swallowed in ground fog and marsh grass. Hell, we’d likely be at the castle wall. ’Tisn’t far from here.”
“What other outbuildings does the castle have? Stables? Shops?”
He cast an approving look her way. “Aye, ye just may be onto something. There’d have to be a blacksmith shop. The Old Ones are not enamored of iron. I doona care much for it myself, but so long as I do not spend overmuch time around it…”
“What about the dark gods? Do they have the same problem?”
Fionn shrugged. “I doona know. My guess is they’re sensitive to iron like us.”
She frowned. “What do you mean, sensitive?”
“’Twill burn me, though not badly. If there is enough, it can dampen my magic, which is a far greater problem.” He shook his head. “’Tisn’t important. Give me a moment so I can recall the way the castle grounds are laid out.”
“What’s it called?”
“Castle Trim. ’Tis on the River Boyne. The waterway wends beneath the castle.” Fionn whistled for Bella, but the bird didn’t come.
“Bella. You’re holding us up,” Aislinn sent and then added, “Rune needs you,” as further inducement. The raven flew slowly toward them.
“I don’t know what happened between you,” Aislinn muttered to Fionn, “but fix it, now.”
He snapped his fingers. Bella landed on his shoulder, head cocked at a defiant angle. Aislinn wanted to throttle the bird, but it wasn’t her bond animal. Fionn murmured low to the raven in Gaelic and then gathered magic. Within seconds, stone walls rose around them. Fionn hadn’t been joking when he’d said they were close to the castle.
Barely breathing, Aislinn warded herself and Rune. Fionn piled wards atop hers. She glanced about; they were indeed in the ruins of a blacksmith shop. Dusty piles of metal littered the floor and hung on the walls. Long cold fire pits sat along two walls with an assortment of primitive-looking tools. Everything was blackened by centuries of soot. A low, sloping roof had partially collapsed at one end of the structure. Mice and rats scuttled away from them.
“At least we’re alone.”
“Mayhap not for long. They have to be expecting us.”
“Which way is the castle from here?”
Fionn didn’t answer. He picked his way through the shop. It looked as if he were hun
ting for something. A spell shimmered around him to muffle noise. Through its indistinct borders, she saw him chuck things aside. He called, “This way. Quick,” and yanked hard at something embedded in the floor. She drew in a whistling breath. A wooden trap door. How had he known? Aislinn hurried to his side.
He gestured her and Rune through and whispered, “These old castles always had a warren of underground passageways for use during sieges. Ye’ll need your mage light, but keep it dim.”
The smell of damp and mold enveloped her. She nearly slipped on slick stone steps. Partway down, she heard the trapdoor close and hoped Fionn was able to secure it. Beady eyes shone in the beam of her light. Rats. Hundreds of them, from the looks of things. A strong rodent smell mingled with everything else. The steps disappeared into standing water. At least it didn’t look like a sewer. She huddled on the last above-water step and waited for Fionn to tell her which way to go.
He was by her side in a flash. “Can ye swim?” He spoke right into her ear.
“Of course.”
“Good. Ye may well need to. I dinna know this would be flooded. The castle proper is to our left. Mayhap three hundred yards.”
“How will I know what to look for?”
“Ye canna miss it. The foundations run deep.”
She continued down the steps, feeling stupid. A structure as substantial as the castle she’d seen in Dewi’s mind must have been built on something sturdy, or else it would have fallen down long since. When water hit her knees, she ran out of steps. Aislinn turned and slogged through the passageway against a mild current. The curved walls were low and coated with thick green slime; she had to duck her head in places.
She shivered. The water was cold enough to make her feet and legs ache. She ran a small stream of magic downward to warm herself. Rats paced them, but didn’t close in, maybe because of Rune, who swam by her side. “Are you all right?” she asked him.
“Yes. Water’s not my favorite, but at least this is fairly clean.”
Huge stanchions rose out of the murk. Holy crap. She snorted. No way could I have missed them. High-pitched shrieks filled the passageway. Claws and leathery wings brushed against her as flocks of bats exited upward in a rush.
“Now all we have to do is locate a set of stairs.” Fionn’s voice sounded in her mind. “No doubt there will be more than one.” He hesitated. “I hope no one was keeping an eye on the bats. They’re an ancient early-warning system.”
“The Lemurians aren’t smart enough.”
“Mayhap not, but the dark gods are. Huzzah. Found some stairs. We’re not going to be picky about this. Over here.”
Aislinn hastened toward him and started up stairs that were in much better repair than the ones leading downward from the blacksmith shop. Looking almost modern, they spiraled around a sturdy central post. A landing was just ahead. She came out onto it, glanced back to make certain Rune was behind her, and ran into something. Damn! I thought things were going too well.
She stared at a miniature portcullis blocking a stone-inlaid passageway. A rusted padlock secured chains that wrapped around its latticed wooden grillwork, effectively disabling the pulley system. A bevy of rats chittered at her from the other side. The landing vibrated as Fionn came up behind. The intensity of his energy heartened her. She could have managed alone in this creepy, underground warren of byways, but it was better with Fionn by her side.
“Hmph. Not much point in mind speech. The rats and bats will drown out most anything we might say.” His voice buzzed against her ear. “Besides, we need to conserve our power. I can break the lock, but it will draw enough magic to attract attention if anyone is looking.”
“We don’t have much of a choice. Do you want me to do it? The chain is metal.”
“I can manage. Iron is only a problem if it surrounds us or if I have to touch it for verra long.” He shrugged. “For all I know, the chain is something modern, like aluminum. Get behind me. If ye sense aught amiss, take the wolf and jump back to Inishowen.”
“I’m not leaving without you and the dragons.”
Fionn blew out a frustrated-sounding breath. Magic bubbled around them as he focused a mixture, which was mostly fire, to cut through the chain. It glowed red hot just before a length clanked heavily on the ground. She fanned magic to see if anyone was coming. She didn’t know how the castle was laid out above them, so it was difficult to tell for certain, but she didn’t sense anyone near. Aislinn allowed herself to hope they’d avoided detection.
“Cut your magic. Help me with this.”
She sheathed her power instantly and unwound lengths of chain. She tried to be quiet, but metal against metal and stones made noise. “Should I shield the sound?”
“Nay.” A terse, bitten-off quality to that one word discouraged further conversation.
She focused on the corridor beyond the gate, intent on being ready the second she felt anything like a Lemurian draw near. Her nerves jangled with tension; her stomach was sour. At least the rats—never her favorites—had scattered after the first loud clang of metal on the stone floor. Maybe that’s not good, either. She hoped they hadn’t scuttled off to tell the Lemurians—or, God forbid, the dark gods—they had company.
Fionn shoved the gate up a couple of feet and shinnied under it with Bella. He held it while she and Rune scrunched beneath. Once they were all on the other side, she started up a stone-inlaid corridor.
Fionn grabbed her arm. He spun her around, pulled her against him chest-to-chest, and spoke right into her ear. “They know we are here. So do the dragons. I feel fire energy. Dewi and Nidhogg are strafing the castle from above. I will go first. Ye will do as I say. No heroics like ye did on Perrikus’s world. Do ye understand, lass? I canna protect us if I am worried about what ye will do next. It breaks my concentration.”
“If they know we’re here, why haven’t they come for us?”
“’Tis an excellent question. I doona know, but I fear we shall find out. Mayhap the Old Ones have summoned one of the dark gods and they are awaiting further instruction afore they move against us. ’Tisn’t as if they fear we will get away. They know we have risen to the bait and willna leave without the young dragons.”
“How will we manage against twenty, or thirty, or fifty of them?”
Fionn’s face hardened; its planes bespoke grim determination. In the glow from her mage light, he looked like the thousand-year-old warrior he was. His eyes glittered menacingly. In that moment, she wondered if she knew him at all.
“Getting cold feet, lass? There is still time for you to leave.”
She felt out of her league. What did she, a young woman raised in modern times, know about bloody, brutal warfare? She’d be much better off—She balled her hands into fists. “Stop it, Fionn.” She wriggled against him, but he held fast. “You’re good. Damned good. I almost didn’t notice your compulsion spell until after it snared me.”
He tightened his arms around her until they felt like metal bands. “Ye are my life, my heart, leannán. I wouldna want to live should something happen to you. Ye are not immortal, yet I am selfish enough to wish to see ye grow old and die by my side.”
“I’m not leaving.”
“Hush. Fighting is my life. ’Tis the only life I’ve ever known. Ye are strong and brave and beautiful, but ye doona have—”
Rune barked. Fionn sprang apart from her, hands raised to call power. Aislinn did the same. She’d been close to capitulating, to telling him she’d return to Inishowen and wait. It didn’t matter whether he was still weaving compulsion, or if the anguish in his words had settled into her heart. Fionn loved her beyond wisdom or reason. That love drove him, and she couldn’t fault him for it.
The sound of footsteps hastening toward them jolted her heart into high gear. If it was Lemurians—and it practically had to be—they’d be shielded. The only way she’d killed them before was in personal combat. She started to remind Fionn of that when four of the impossibly tall aliens came into view. They were i
n humanoid form, with long, thick, fair hair swirling around them, but the skin hidden beneath their flowing golden robes was scaled. The Old Ones switched from male to female, seemingly at will; Aislinn had never truly understood the magic that fueled their transformations.
She ducked a lethal blow that flew at her, warded herself, and chucked killing blows as the Lemurians closed on them. “We have to get past their shields. Otherwise, we’ll wear ourselves out for nothing.”
“No shit, leannán.”
Rune took to the shadowy edges of the corridor, with Bella on his back. Understanding, Aislinn diverted a stream of power to create a don’t look here spell about him. She couldn’t tell Fionn what they were up to without alerting the Lemurians.
He clucked to Bella in mind speech.
“Don’t,” she panted. “Wait. There will be an opportunity. When it comes, go for their throats.”
Magic blazed from his hands, lighting the high-ceilinged hallway. Rune was past the Old Ones and turning around. Bella launched herself from his back. The wolf targeted one of the Lemurians. He leapt on the alien from behind and buried his teeth in its carotid. Bella latched onto another’s shoulder and pecked holes in its neck, right over the major vessels. Greenish blood geysered.
“Now,” Aislinn shrieked. She poured magic into her ward and hurled herself at one of the two remaining Lemurians. Its magic pounded against her ward; cracks formed, but the ward held. She was inches away, so close she could smell the metallic reptile stink of her opponent, but she couldn’t penetrate its shielding. Her ward was weakening. Panic formed a knot in her belly. There wasn’t enough magic to protect herself and drill through his defenses.
“I’ve got him.” Rune snarled and drove his body sideways into the Lemurian she’d been struggling with.
Aislinn sidestepped just in time to avoid it falling right on top of her. Rune was on its back. Understanding slammed home. The Old One’s shielding was directed in front of them, not behind. It was why the wolf and raven had been able to kill the first two. She yanked her knife from her belt and drove it deep into the Lemurian’s neck. Its blood burned where it splattered her.