Flight (Children of the Sidhe)
Page 10
Yet in the next second Abarta was gone, and so were the Fomorii he’d brought with him. Just gone.
With them fled the night, leaving Middleworld dusk.
TWENTY-THREE
Tessa watched Nathan spin and drop silently to the ground. Was he hurt? He switched back to his human form, rising with one hand pressed to his temple. His legs gave out beneath him as he tried to stand, and a bright flare of alarm filled Tessa with urgency. Tessa shifted into her triple bird form. She flew to him, singing bright notes in a quick stream. She would put him to sleep with her song and heal whatever wound had made him stumble.
Nathan lifted his hands hurriedly. “I’m not hurt! I’m fine.” He turned to take in the rest of the clearing, and rose from the ground with a bit of a stumble, as if he’d rather just lie down. Her song had made him sleepy, but the effects seemed to wear off rapidly as he looked around.
Tessa took it in, too, turning her attention from Nathan even though what she really wanted to do was grab him and run from what she saw.
Therese lay sprawled across the doorway of the little building, which was near collapse and tilted at an awkward angle. A spear stuck up out of Therese’s side, and she wasn’t moving. Tessa flew to her, all three of her birds crying silent tears into the half-human’s grievous wound.
“Where’s Joel? Where’s her brother Joel?” Nathan asked, his eyes darting around the building as he leaned across the doorway where Tessa worked on Therese. Tessa didn’t see any sign of Joel, the other half-human who had been in the building when she’d arrived with Ian. A bloody handprint marred Therese’s cheek, and Tessa chirped to get Nathan’s attention.
“That must be his.” It was smeared as if he’d been pulled away from his twin by force. “Why would they have taken him?”
Therese still didn’t move. Tessa kept trying, though she was beginning to think there was nothing she could do for this half-human. Even if she revived her, the spear still impaled her, and would have to be removed, damaging her organs and starting the blood flowing massively. What could she do?
“Tessa? Honey, she’s gone. Come back to me, Tessa.”
She switched back to her Sidhe form, thankful for Nathan’s presence, so close she could feel the heat of his body. “She is gone.”
Nathan picked up Therese’s hand sadly.
Tessa sobbed suddenly, all the pressure of the past days colliding with the sight of a dead half-human girl in front of her. An innocent girl who had paid the price for Sidhe pride, for the prejudice Sidhe like Tessa perpetuated despite their shared blood.
“It’s my fault. Oh, Nathan, what have I done?” She slumped next to the body. “I should have told Mikhail earlier – I never should have kept the blackmailing to myself. I should have told Ian. I should have figured out how Abarta was traveling and how to stop him! What have I done?”
Nathan spoke no words of comfort. He put his arms around her and pulled her close, letting her sob into his shoulder. He let her get her feelings out before he spoke. “It isn’t your fault. You came to help. Abarta was out for our blood long before he began blackmailing you. You never gave him useful information. You completely swindled him where I was concerned, although I know you don’t like half-humans, as a rule.”
Tessa narrowed her eyes at him, but then she couldn’t see through her tears. And she needed to see his smile as he teased her, it was the best of balms to her broken heart.
“You’ve shown your true colors today, Tessa. I’m sorry I doubted you before, but I have no doubts now. I love the woman you are. I love you.”
Tessa stared, drawing deep breath after deep breath. Had he just said what she thought she heard? “I love you, too. You’ve changed me, Nathan,” her voice cracked on that last part. He hugged her harder.
Suddenly, Nathan jumped, squeezing her a little too hard. “How did I forget? The sacred well! Tessa, hope is not lost. We have to get Therese to the well. Airmid told me not to forget.”
TWENTY-FOUR
Tessa shot him an incredulous look. “Airmid? Where did you hear that name? She’s the well’s patron goddess.”
“I know. She was here.”
“I didn’t see her.”
“She froze time and we had a little chat. That’s how I was able to wound Abarta – the time freezing thing. He would have gotten away scot free without that. I still wish I’d done more damage. I wish I’d killed the bastard before he could escape–”
“Oh, he’s suffering. Between Ian’s knife and your talons, he’ll be out of circulation a while.”
Nathan waved her off. “I’m not sure how much time we have. Help me carry Therese. I don’t want to take the spear out until she’s submerged – I think that’s her best chance.”
They lifted the girl carefully, trying their best not to jostle the spear that still impaled her body. Nathan led the way to one of the buildings.
A number of Sidhe joined them, forming an impromptu procession to the Well of Slaine. “Do you know the chants?” One of them asked Nathan.
“No. Can you help us?”
“Always,” came the answer. They entered the circular chamber that housed the well, making a ring around the sacred, healing space. Nathan stooped to place Therese in the well, and a hush descended. Nathan wondered if Airmid was freezing time to have words with him again. Had he taken too long to remember?
Tessa fussed over Therese’s body, trying to arrange her so that the spear and the entire wound were submerged. Her clear voice joined the chanting Sidhe. The air pounded with the pulse of life. Nathan thought of green things, of vines growing, weaving tight. He thought of moss, covering, knitting together.
And he realized that without even trying, he was tapping into the magic, that power Airmid had spoken of. His thoughts were as good as actions, and visualizing Therese’s wounds knitting together like moss covering the earth was actually helping the woman heal.
Shocked, Nathan met Tessa’s eyes. She clasped his hand, and together they focused on Therese.
A shallow breath. A flutter of eyelashes. Then nothing but the chant. Nathan averted his eyes. Maybe he’d just imagined it. Maybe they were too late.
“She’s breathing, Nathan.” Tessa’s voice was filled with wonder.
He breathed a sigh of relief. She will take time to heal, Airmid’s voice spoke in his mind.
“Tessa, we must take her back with us. Her brother is gone, and while the Well of Slaine has just proven its worth when it comes to healing, Abarta has proven we aren’t safe here.” He knew it was asking a lot.
Tessa took his hand, kissing his knuckles and meeting his gaze with a soft smile. “Then let us return home.”
“Home,” he smiled back. “That sounds good.”
“I could swear you decide what to wear only on the basis of driving me out of my mind,” Nathan’s breath tickled Tessa’s neck as he snuck up behind her. She’d been choosing an outfit for dinner, and he’d caught her just in time to see her snap between two sleek halter dresses. This one was emerald green, the bodice embroidered with jewels. It might be a little much.
“I need something that says I’m not scary.” She was about to meet her three-year-old niece. Now that the day had arrived, the thought was overwhelming. She was more open now to love, and to disappointment, than ever before. But would Sirena accept her?
Nathan wasn’t worried about family issues. He had another agenda entirely, one his roaming hands attested to. And she hated to put him off, especially when he said things like, “It’s too hot when you change like that. Makes me want to do this.” He stepped closer, and grabbing each side of her bodice, he tore it open to reveal her breasts. A few of the jewels went pinging along the floor, and Tessa giggled.
Nathan shoved the bodice aside hastily. Tessa gasped in surprise as he bent to swirl his hot tongue over one nipple.
“Nathan, we have to be somewhere.”
“Mmm.” He didn’t stop. Instead he moved lower, shoving her dress down to find her completely nude
underneath. He teased toward the center of her pleasure, and her pulse pounded with desire, his tongue working magic on her body.
Tessa forced her mind back to this afternoon. She had to speak now, or she’d be lost in him. “Mikhail returned with his daughter. Will you go with me to see them?” She needed him with her, and she wasn’t too proud to ask him. Not anymore.
Nathan groaned, pressing his cheek to the soft skin of her belly. He stood, looking resigned. “You’re cruel. You know, Mikhail doesn’t even like me.”
“But I like you.”
He lifted amber eyes to meet hers, a mocking smile on his lips.
“I love you, Nathan,” she amended, blushing at his look, which resembled a predator about to strike.
He kissed her neck and gave her a nibble she knew came straight from Hawk, chuckling as she jumped in surprise.
“I love you, too, Tessa.” He stepped back, his gaze dropping to consider her semi-clad body in a way that made her blush a deeper shade. “Definitely the blue one. It brings out your eyes. Good thing, since I ripped the green one.”
Yes. A good thing. Better than she’d ever expected. And she wasn’t about to let him get away.
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READ AN EXCERPT FROM DESCENT
(CHILDREN OF THE SIDHE, NOVELLA FOUR)
COMING SEPTEMBER 2013
Rosa halted uncertainly on a trail she’d known all her life. What her eyes told her just couldn’t be. She was only half a mile from the Tree of Dubhros – her ward as Guardian of Dubhros – and she knew every inch of the surrounding forest. This world’s bland gray shades couldn’t hide the richness of the forest life from her eye. That was her duty.
The creature before her hadn’t been seen since times of legend. She moved cautiously, unsure what to expect from the being that used to be a pixie. Now it was llaiadian, the dark pixie. She’d never seen one – not even a picture, as she hadn’t learned the lore from books – but she knew what it was.
Rosa watched for signs of more of them as she hiked closer to her ward, but she didn’t see any. As she came closer to the spot where the Tree of Dubhros stood, her heart thumped in her chest, faster and faster as anxiety gripped her–
The Tree of Dubhros stood unmolested at the edge of the clearing.
Rosa allowed herself a single breath of relief, of wonder that this being should depend so wholly on her, faulty and half-human as she was.
“Are you alright, child?” The Tree of Dubhros spoke, a creaking sound like a loud whisper that seemed to fill the clearing.
Rosa smiled. “As always, I am happy to see you, my friend.”
“And I, you, Rosa.” Du’s limbs shuddered, as though he were waking from a doze.
She nodded. “All is well here?”
A deep rumble she knew for his chuckle sounded around her. “Little changes here. Yes. All is well.”
“Some things do change.”
“What do you mean?” Now his tone was curious. She worried she’d hear fear there next.
“I saw a llaiadian.”
A hush fell all around. Rosa hadn’t realized how much chatter was going on in the underbrush, the small creatures of Echtge, this shadowy forest dimension that Rosa tried to protect along with her ward. After all, the Tree of Dubhros only had one home. A tree can’t travel portals. It has deep roots.
That was something Rosa knew about. Her mother had fostered deep roots. She’d been human, with a half-Fomorii daughter, and the future Guardian of Dubhros at that. She prayed for Rosa every day, clutching her rosary beads in the local cathedral. And any other time she lavished her only daughter with love, games and laughter. Rosa had it good as a kid, despite her differences from others. She’d never had a real human friend as a child. As a kid she was strong. Very strong. And quicker than she should have been. Enough that it freaked other kids out, not to mention their parents. Her friends had been trees. It was probably for the best.
“What is it?” she finally asked, breaking the eerie silence.
“Where did you see this creature? And are you sure it is llaiadian?”
“It is exactly as you have described to me. Small body, wingless, shaded as though a storm cloud crept under it’s skin – mottled and bluish-gray. Like a pixie, yet not at all like a pixie. It is llaiadian. And it was close. About a half-mile from here.”
The hush deepened, if that was possible, and then the creepy silence was broken as a chatter arose in the forest.
“Yes. The creatures of Echtge confirm it. The llaiadian has stepped from legend, into reality.” A sadness deep as his ancient roots filled the Tree’s voice.
“What does it mean?” Rosa knew if Du was this upset, it was not good.
“A time of darkness is coming. The dark pixies are a sign...that all is not right between the worlds.”
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
J.R. Pearse Nelson is a native Oregonian, residing in the beautiful Portland area. She lives with her husband, two small daughters and the family dog. J.R. is always searching for the magic in our world. She weaves tales rooted in mythology, bringing legend to life in modern-day and fantasy settings.
J.R. is the author of the Children of the Sidhe paranormal romance series, and Queen Witch, the first installment of the Foulweather Twins series.
You can connect with J.R. online at her blog. Visit www.jrpearsenelson.com.
Table of Contents
Copyright
Author’s Notes
Flight (Children of the Sidhe, Novella Three)
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-one
Twenty-two
Twenty-three
Twenty-four
An excerpt from Descent (Children of the Sidhe, Novella Four)
About the author