“Truce!” Thomas shouted, dropping his knives as the Seelie contingent reached us. Saorla grabbed him by his collar, a silver-bladed knife held with its point against the underside of his jaw.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Where is the remainder of your party?” Tisean demanded.
“Gone,” Thomas forced out, trying to pull away from Saorla, but she twisted the fabric of his collar, tightening her grip. “Aerenia withdrew them.”
“The fact that you can lie does not mean that you should do so now,” Saorla snapped.
“It’s the truth! We were running from a swarm of sluagh and they vanished!” Saorla shifted her grip on the knife. “I called for a truce!” Thomas protested. “Our people have been allied for decades, doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
“Not here,” Saorla said. There was an icy bitterness to her voice that I hadn’t heard from her before. I looked up at her, suddenly more afraid than I had been even with the boar. There had been a change in her since the other knight had been killed. Her face was drawn in tight anger, with a dangerous edge to her expression.
“Saorla,” Tisean said warningly. “Our bargain.”
“We agreed not to hurt him,” Saorla shot back. “If he persists in lying, I can make his death quite painless.”
A snarl broke out of me. Oh, so we were playing like that, were we? Well, I could exploit loopholes, too—something rather important had occurred to me, before the puca had even found me. I whipped around, then bit Tisean’s leather boot at the ankle.
He kicked me, predictably. I flew about five feet, skidding on the rocky ground before I managed to turn around to face him. My ribs throbbed, but the sudden pain and shock on Tisean’s face made it well worth it. I grinned. I’d been right. Tisean was only free from his promise to protect me from harm while the competition was running. And right now, it was suspended.
My satisfaction was short lived, however. The wulver snarled at me, and I spun around to face it, my hackles rising.
“Hold!” Tisean shouted. “Do not harm that fox.” The alarm in his voice was extremely gratifying. “Saorla, release him this instant.”
Saorla shot him a startled look but obeyed. Thomas took a sharp breath in relief. Tisean knelt, looking at me carefully.
“Samantha?” he asked. Oh, he did remember my name. I’d been beginning to wonder, with how often I’d been referred to simply as ‘mortal’. I nodded. “How… why are you here?” he demanded. It was a testament to how pervasive magic was in these beings’ lives that his first thought had been to ask why I was there rather than why I was now small and furry.
“She can’t answer,” said Thomas, rubbing his neck. “Aerenia cursed her.” He frowned. “How did you know it was her?”
A small, dark form slunk out from behind one of the trees. “Bringing her here was my doing, lord,” the puca said. It had shifted back to rat form, which I thought was fitting, at the moment. It took a couple of hesitant steps forward. “Aerenia planned to kill her, and I didn’t want that. I have prior dealings with the mortal, you see.” It hung its head. “I’m sorry, lord.”
Tisean stood. “Aerenia planned to kill her?” he asked. The puca nodded, and Tisean took a slow breath. “You have done me a great service by saving her, then. I thank you.” The puca looked up, surprised.
“Nice of you to come back,” Thomas said scathingly, looking at the puca.
“You’re welcome,” it said brightly, and I remembered what Saorla had said about sarcasm. Thomas rolled his eyes.
Tisean turned to face Thomas. “What is happening?” he asked. “We received word from one of Aerenia’s messengers that the competition had been suspended, and that we should remain still for a time, though we were not told why. Shortly after…” He trailed off, looking at me. Ah. Yes, shortly after that, Aerenia had decided it was a good idea to torture a confession out of me. He would have felt it, too. Part of me felt sorry about that, but the larger, not-as-nice part of me just felt petty vindication. Maybe next time he’d be less willing to hand the terrified mortal back to her kidnappers. So there.
For a second I wondered why the curse hadn’t impacted him, and then I remembered what he’d said when Dietrich had threatened to have Isana enthrall me—it didn’t constitute harm. Apparently transformations didn’t, either. I sat down. Fae and their technicalities, I thought in annoyance, not for the first time.
“Aerenia withdrew Dietrich and Isana from the competition,” said Thomas. “She found out that they were plotting something against her, though I don’t know how. Samantha might. I think… did she think you were involved somehow?” I nodded, sending a pointed glare towards Saorla. Thomas followed my gaze, frowning. Saorla ignored us. “That would have been about when she suspended the competition, I think. A few hours later, the puca brought Samantha to me here. Then…” He gestured toward the boar. “I didn’t need help with that, by the way,” he said. “I was stopping the blood flow to its heart. It would have been dead in a minute.”
“Our goal was not to assist you, but rather to determine why one of the competitors had apparently ignored the injunction to stay still and warded,” said Saorla.
“I never got the message,” Thomas said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Probably something to do with my team’s leader getting withdrawn on suspicion of trying to assassinate the queen of the Unseelie Court.”
“Assassinate her?” Tisean asked, startled. Thomas nodded. “And the Septagonal was involved in this?”
“I don’t know,” said Thomas, his voice low. “I was told that the objective was to… to stop Aerenia from taking a certain action that would be detrimental to us. Mitchell never told me our exact orders, except to support Dietrich through this contest.”
Tisean looked thoughtful. “Your master… he was withdrawn as well?”
“No,” said Thomas, his voice suddenly going flat, emotionless. “Sluagh.”
Tisean shook his head slowly. “I am sorry for your loss,” he said. “He will be greatly missed, both by your people and mine.” Thomas just nodded, looking at the ground.
There was a long silence, and Tisean looked to me, frowning. “We need to remove her from this place as soon as possible,” he said to his companions. “If there has been treachery, it is possible that Aerenia will not continue the competition. If that happens, it will be difficult to ensure that ownership of the mortal passes to me.” Ownership? I growled.
“What are you talking about?” Thomas asked.
“Our party made a rather ill-considered bargain with the girl,” said Saorla, voice chill. Tisean sent her a look but didn’t contradict her. “Our agreement to protect her and see her safely back to the mortal world has been extremely problematic.” She folded her hands behind her back. “Still, her input over the course of the competition has been of some value to us.”
“What—you were helping them?” Thomas asked, staring at me. I shrugged, uncomfortable. “Traitor,” he muttered.
I snapped at his ankle, and he jumped away, startled. I sat down, wrapping my tail around myself and lowering my head to fix him with a glare. I didn’t think it was quite fair to sling words like that around when I couldn’t defend myself. Thomas turned back to the Seelie. “I’m going to take care of getting the two of us back to the mortal world,” he said. “The plan is to reach the center, then use the boon granted to survivors to ask Aerenia to release us unharmed.” He paused. “We could use some help getting that far, though.”
“We are not making any more bargains,” Saorla said, with a swift look at Tisean.
“I didn’t ask you to,” said Thomas, keeping his tone level. “It was just an observation.”
Tisean motioned for Saorla and the wulver to step away from us, which they did. They began discussing something in rapid Gaelic. Thomas sighed and sat down next to me and the puca, sheathing the knives he’d dropped. “Fae,” he muttered under his breath. I tucked my paws beneath my body. The adrenaline from the boar’s attack and the Seelie’s subsequent app
earance was wearing off, and my exhaustion was returning. I was feeling a little weak from not eating, too, but I was long past the point of feeling hunger pangs.
After what seemed a long time, the Seelie turned back to us. Thomas stood. “It seems our needs coincide,” said Tisean. “The moment the competition ends, regardless of its winner, I am responsible for the girl’s safety. If you were to return her to her own world before that time, it would be appreciated.”
Thomas considered this. “So… you want to get us to the center, then send me and Samantha through before you or any other competitors.” If there were actually any others left at this point.
“It seems best,” said Tisean. Thomas frowned.
“You realize that by ignoring the warning to stay still and await further instruction, you’re probably ensuring that you’ll be disqualified,” he said.
“It hardly matters, at this point,” said Saorla. “Given the Alder Prince’s actions, it seems unlikely that Aerenia will be inclined to continue on as planned. The priority now is simply to escape alive.” She paused. “If Aerenia does cancel the remainder of the competition, as we suspect, then Tisean will still be responsible for the girl, but have extremely limited options as to how to keep her safe.” As in, he’d have to somehow convince Aerenia to release me without letting her know about our bargain, since she’d be sure to use it against him.
“You know that ‘the girl’ has a name, right?” Thomas asked, folding his arms. I sent a grateful look his way. The Seelie ignored the comment.
“Onward,” said Tisean. “How is it that you were able to fight the boar?” he asked Thomas as we began to walk through the stone forest. “When we first saw you, I assumed your master must be nearby, but…”
“I’ve been drawing off of the curse Aerenia put on Samantha,” said Thomas. “She has a web of magical energy around her like nothing I’ve ever—what?” he asked. The Seelie had stopped walking abruptly, and the tension in the air was suddenly palpable. The wulver’s ears were pinned back along its skull, and both Tisean and Saorla were staring at Thomas with unmistakable hostility. “What?” Thomas asked, this time sounding alarmed.
“You are draining magical energy off of her?” Tisean said, voice dangerous. “As you would a familiar?”
“I—it’s not the same thing at all!” Thomas protested. I looked rapidly between him and Tisean, confused and now alarmed myself. I didn’t understand why they had reacted like this, but if their expressions were anything to go by, Thomas had better clear this up fast. “It isn’t hurting her at all; she can’t even feel it. Can you, Sam?” I shook my head emphatically. Tisean nodded slowly, probably realizing that if Thomas’ magic use had hurt me, he’d be the first to know about it. Saorla was still watching Thomas with narrowed eyes. Thomas straightened. “I follow the Pact,” he said. “I understand what happens when you siphon off another being, and I wouldn’t do that. I’m just drawing off the spell. I promise.”
Saorla and Tisean exchanged a look loaded with meaning I couldn’t fathom.
“He speaks truth, lord,” said the puca. “It’s caused the mortal no distress.”
Tisean looked to Saorla, and they conversed quickly in Gaelic. Tisean returned his gaze to Thomas. “Do I have your word that if anything about this arrangement begins to cause any pain or harm, you will cease it immediately?” he asked.
“Yes.”
Tisean nodded curtly. Saorla gave Thomas a look filled with dire warning, then she and Tisean turned and continued walking. I exhaled—the peculiar danger had passed as quickly as it had come. I didn’t understand what had earned that reaction, but apparently Thomas had convinced them about his intentions. Thomas rubbed the back of his neck, still on edge by his posture, then began walking as well. I trotted along beside him. “Lady Saorla,” he asked. “Speaking of Samantha’s curse… your magical abilities are renowned. Can you help her?”
I looked up at Saorla as I hopped over a twisted stone root, not quite daring to hope. The puca, which was in wolf form now, looked over at her as well, its ears perked. “Aerenia is far stronger than I,” said Saorla. She didn’t even glance at me.
“That’s not an answer,” said Thomas. “Lady Saorla, please.”
“The Septagonal has many skilled cursebreakers in its employ. I recommend that you contact them, in the event that you survive this,” said Saorla.
“You’re saying that a mortal cursebreaker might be more successful than you?” Thomas asked, his tone perfectly innocuous. Saorla sent him a withering look.
“What I am saying, mortal, is that I have no intention of attempting any magical experimentation on Samantha while she is bound to my lord. Even if I were certain of my success, I would not. We are still in grave danger, and I imagine that she is much swifter in that form than as a human, and thus less vulnerable.” She cast him a sideways glance. “I am surprised that you would suggest it, given that destroying the curse would leave you vulnerable as well.”
“I don’t care about that,” said Thomas quietly. From the way he was pitching his voice, I thought that he didn’t mean for me to hear it, but my ears were quite a bit better than your average human’s now. “She’s been used by everyone she’s met since coming here. It needs to stop.”
“It can stop when she is no longer a danger to Sir Tisean.” Thomas made a quiet noise of frustration but didn’t press further.
We reached the far end of the boar’s cavern, and Tisean motioned for us to halt. “Do not speak unless necessary past this point,” he said. “We are close to the center, but must be wary. There will certainly be further challenges.” He glanced at me. “Your warning has not been forgotten.”
“Warning?” asked Thomas. “How exactly was she helping you?”
“Explanations can wait. For now, just know that something awaits us at the center, possibly an oillipheist or some such. Be ready.” Thomas, pale, nodded, though he did send me a look I couldn’t read. I flicked my tail. I was not going to let myself feel guilty about supporting Tisean, not when it had looked like my only chance at surviving. It still looked like my only chance at surviving.
The tunnel exiting the cavern was much broader than the one that had led me and Thomas into it, easily wide enough for five people to walk abreast. We started in.
The floor of the tunnel gradually transitioned from stone to gravel (where it became apparent that Thomas was not the only one present who had spelled himself for silent footfalls), then dirt. Strange, ghostly blue-green lights began to appear, blinking in and out of existence. My hackles raised as one appeared right over my head, then vanished.
“Will o’ the wisps,” Thomas murmured to me. “Not dangerous.” Still, he looked wary.
Saorla abruptly moved to the front of the group, holding up a hand. We stopped. She knelt, laying one hand against the ground. Slowly, a complicated web of light appeared on the tunnel floor, extending midway up the walls as well. The lines slowly undulated, reminding me unpleasantly of tentacles.
“Do not step on the traces,” Saorla said, barely audible. The puca shifted into raven form, fluttering back to its perch on Thomas’ shoulder. “They are meant to alert someone—or something—of our presence.”
I swallowed as we began to move forward. I kept my gaze on the ground, creeping forward. My heart beat hard in my throat as I stepped over each slowly waving line, glancing back constantly to be sure my hind feet were clear as well. Painfully slow, we moved forward. Up ahead, I could see a fork in the tunnel, illuminated both by the glowing web and the eerie light of the wisps.
I was so focused on not touching the lines of magical energy that I didn’t realize that I had gotten far ahead of the others until the puca swooped in front of me. It landed in front of me, nodding quickly back towards the others before taking off again. I gingerly made my way back towards them, realizing the problem—the lines comprising the magical net had gradually grown far closer together. I was the only one with small enough feet to navigate it.
T
homas stepped close to Saorla, eyebrows raised in a question. She gave him an appraising look, then nodded, and they each laid a hand against the floor, faces set in deep concentration. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the lines writhed away from them, eerily snakelike. Gradually, a narrow pathway formed. Tisean nodded approval to the two of them, then stepped forward. Saorla made a sharp gesture, shaking her head. Tisean stilled, waiting. Thomas and Saorla both appeared to be listening carefully. I strained my ears as well. Nothing. Saorla glanced at the wulver, which nodded.
Saorla stood, as did Thomas. Still deadly silent, everyone began to move forward, approaching the fork in the tunnel. Thomas motioned to the one on the right, and Saorla nodded confirmation.
A hissing sound reached my ears, almost inaudible. The wulver turned as well, hackles rising. The others looked at us, alarmed.
Something huge burst out of the left tunnel, its scales rasping against the walls. The will o’ the wisps vanished, blinking out of existence. We all spun to face it, and my heart almost stopped. The thing paused for a moment, sizing us up. It was easily fifty feet long, with a narrow, wedge-shaped head. My first thought was ‘dragon’, but a second later, I realized that wasn’t right. Its body was wingless, and it dragged itself on just two front legs. Its eyes were completely black, like deep wells. It flicked out a forked tongue, tasting the air. It hesitated, staring down at us. It sniffed, then growled, a rumbling sound that reverberated in my chest. It backed a pace, its claws grating against the tunnel floor as its tail coiled behind it.
“Storrworm. Why isn’t it attacking?” Thomas asked, his voice constricted. He took a step back. I followed suit, not daring to look away from the creature.
“Because of Samantha,” said Saorla. My ears flicked towards her in surprise, but I didn’t take my eyes off the storrworm. Its tongue quested out again, and its throat expanded, skin stretching outward. A guttural noise filled the cavern. “She reeks of Aerenia’s magic,” Saorla continued quietly, backing up. She had pulled her bow from where it rested against her back, laying an arrow against the curved wood. “The beast knows its master, and the scent has confused it.”
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