by Sumida, Amy
“Queen Vervain,” King Cian's face looked like it was confused, should it laugh or scream? “I understand and believe what you say but you obviously don't understand the magnitude of what you've just so flippantly thrown out before this court. Faerie hasn't spoken, not to anyone, in thousands of years. The last time she did so was to a High King. If what you say is true, that she spoke to you, some would view it as reason to overthrow me.”
“Shit,” I swore and glanced at Arach. He smiled and shook his head. The bastard was enjoying this. “I don't think that was her intention.”
“Now you presume to know the motivation of Faerie herself?” Queen Meara gasped.
“I said think,” I grimaced. “Look, I don't know what she's got planned but I think if she wanted me to take your thrones she would have mentioned it.”
“But the question remains,” King Cian leaned forward in his seat and looked me over. “Why you?”
“Hey, I'm not so bad,” I glowered at the High King.
“He didn't mean it like that,” Arach sighed. “High King, there will be no betrayal from the House of Fire, we're happy as we are. Fire has something that none of the other kingdoms could ever provide for us. The Wild Hunt.”
The fey around us withdrew a step and a light murmuring started. I realized with a start that Arach had been right, the Hunt was deeply feared, so much so, that one might argue that it held more sway over the denizens of Faerie than the High King himself. Arach was subtly pointing out the fact that we didn't need the High thrones, ours were just as impressive.
“There is that,” King Cian's mouth twisted as if it were trying not to smile. “Clear the throne room! Everyone but Queen Vervain and King Arach, get out.”
A moment of stunned silence followed the King's exclamation before a rapid shuffling commenced. Trevor looked at me in concern but King Guirmean came over to us and assured me that he'd look after both my wolf and the sea god, until my session with the High King was over.
When the room was empty except for the four of us, the High King stepped down from his throne and came to stand before me. He laid a hand on my shoulder and looked into my eyes as if he could discover what Faerie had seen in me if he just looked hard enough.
“Tell me, please,” he said softly. “What did she say? What was it like? What did she sound like?”
“She,” I shook my head, “she sounded beautiful, like a party heard from the opposite bank of a lake, you can feel the strength of it but the laughter is subdued, gentle and sweet.”
“Yes,” Arach nodded, “a drifting sort of sound, its intensity wavers like a song but you never doubt that if it chose to, that tone could deepen and ring through you till you died of happiness.”
“Yeah,” I smirked at Arach, “that's a good description too, I guess.”
“And what did she say to you?” Queen Meara had joined us, her sparkling red hair distracting me for a second.
“She said I was a new creature.”
“She said you were a trinity,” Arach gently admonished.
“A trinity?” The High King gasped. “How so?”
“I am sidhe, human, and goddess,” I shrugged. “She helped me accept myself and see that I couldn't be just one thing, I had to be all three.”
“She also helped her survive Dubheasa's attack,” Arach added.
“What?” Cian's focus shifted to Arach.
“She kept Dubheasa unaware of Vervain's goddess immortality and manipulated things so that the rulers of the realm would be here to offer aid to Vervain when she needed to hunt down the traitor Queen.”
“Impossible,” Meara breathed again but this time she sounded less sure of the statement. “Faerie does not interfere, she only bears witness.”
“She interfered this time,” I said confidently. “She saved my life and she did it because she thinks a being of three realms must not ever be locked out of any of them. She wants me to feel welcome here.”
“You are welcome here,” the High King reassured me.
“Thank you but I was having misgivings at the time,” I shrugged. “It was Arach who recommended that I reach for the magic of Faerie and when I did, she gave me a lot to think about. She helped me see that to be truly happy, I had to accept not only those I loved, for who they are,” I paused to glance at Arach and he smiled gently at me, “but myself as well. Trevor then pointed out that I have two triple aspects. Along with being sidhe, human, and goddess, I'm also wolf, lion, and dragon. The beasts inside me, I made peace with long ago but for some reason it never occurred to me that I could also have three separate races inside me, complete and unified at the same time.”
“You have two triple aspects?” Meara's eyes narrowed. “Are you sure it's not three?”
“I can't think of any others,” I sighed. “I can see that you both feel threatened and I don't know how to reassure you beyond what I've just said.”
“Show them,” Arach said softly. “Show them as you did me, by speaking to Faerie while you hold them.”
“You heard Faerie through her?” The King frowned. “Not on your own?”
“I think I could hear her again if I tried now,” Arach concentrated and then smiled. “Yes, she speaks to me now. High King, I believe we were looking at this all wrong. Maybe it's not Faerie who stopped speaking to us but we who stopped listening. It may just take someone raised in the world of men to show us how to listen again.”
I felt the rightness of what Arach was saying, deep in my core, and I automatically reached a hand out to King Cian. He took it slowly, fear etching lines in his face that I'd never seen before. I didn't try to comfort him, Faerie would have to ease his mind.
I called to her, connected with her, and she filled me with her sparkling energy. So bright, like drinking moonlight, effervescent and pure. Her touch was soothing while simultaneously being wild and exciting. She told me I'd done well to bring her the High King, who she felt had turned his back on her.
“Never,” Cian whispered as he began to shake. “Never would I turn from you. You're everything to me, to all of us.”
I reached out a hand to Meara and she eagerly took it. Her face changed quickly, her expression smoothing into reverence. When I saw that she was connected with Faerie, I took the High King and Queen's hands and put them together, so that they were holding onto each other. It felt like reconnecting a circuit that had been left broken, to sizzle and snap on the ground. Now they were complete.
The High Queen lifted her face to her husband and he bowed his head to hers, so that they stood with hands joined and foreheads touching, in a type of holy communion with the land. It was beautiful and when they started to glow, I had to blink back tears.
Finally, they let go, pulling apart slowly to face Arach and I. Arach was beaming at them, knowing better than I what they were feeling. To have a sacred connection lost to your people for centuries and then suddenly have it back, must have been overwhelming.
“I don't know how to thank you,” King Cian said softly. “I regret my earlier words.”
“No biggie,” I shrugged, “I regret a lot of what I say. I'm just glad you're not thinking about having me assassinated anymore.”
“I admit the thought was not a pleasant one,” Cian chuckled.
“Well, I'm sorry to reconnect you with Faerie and dash,” I grinned, “but now that Kanaloa's in good hands, we need to head back to the Human Realm. I've got another problem to fix.”
“Of course,” Cian inclined his head, “We will look after the sea god.”
I started to turn away, when Queen Meara's voice stopped me.
“Queen Vervain?” She said gently, in a tone of voice I'd never heard from her.
“Yes?”
“You hold the High King and Queen of Faerie in your debt.”
Chapter Forty-Three
“What the hell does that mean?” I whispered to Arach as we hurried to the carriage with Trevor and Roarke in tow.
“It means that should you need anything tha
t they could provide,” Arach's smile was devious, “they'll happily help you to unburden themselves.”
“Unburden?” Trevor looked from me to Arach. “Vervain, what have you done now?”
“She rejoined the High Royals with Faerie,” Arach said solemnly and Roarke inhaled sharply.
“Oh damn,” Roarke snapped his fingers, “they owe you big!”
“Roarke, who taught you to do that?” I grimaced at his sassy pose.
“Aidan said it was very cool,” Roarke's expression went dark. “Is it not dope?”
“No, it's not dope,” I sighed. I'd have to have a talk with the Intare, they were having way too much fun influencing the cat-sidhe. “And please don't ever say dope again either. The snapping is kind of a feminine gesture.”
“Men don't snap their fingers?” Roarke tilted his head.
“Not straight men,” Trevor chuckled, “at least not like that.”
“Straight as opposed to bent?” Arach gave me a disbelieving look.
“Straight as opposed to gay,” I explained.
“Gay?” Roarke puffed up. “I am the manliest of cats. My lovemaking is renowned. Women scream my name and fall at my feet in faints.”
“I'm sure they do,” I patted his arm as Arach and Trevor snorted and laughed.
“I'm going to have words with Aidan when we get back,” Roarke growled.
“You're coming back with us?” I stopped walking to stare at him. “You realize it's kind of a dangerous time?”
“Why do you think I'm coming?” He grinned broadly and patted a short sword that was belted to his hip. “I'm bored here.”
“You could join Arach on the Wild Hunt and tear Kael up,” I offered, feeling a measure of relief that I wouldn't have to witness it a second time.
“No he couldn't, he's earth fey, and I'll be joining you as well,” Arach surprised me by saying. “If you won't agree to remain in Faerie, then I will accompany you to the God Realm.”
“What about Kael?”
“Kael is well guarded this time,” Arach waved a hand dismissively. “I care not about Kael. My Queen is in danger and I'm not leaving her side until I'm sure she's safe.”
“Alright,” Trevor groaned, “I admit it. I like him.”
“I knew it!” I pointed a finger in Trevor's face briefly before turning back to Roarke and Arach. “Fine, both of you can come but let's hurry, who knows what the imps have been up to since we left.”
We raced back to the waiting carriage and rode swiftly back to The End of the Road. Tracing was becoming easier and easier for me. It was nice to not have to use a chant wherever I went but to get into Pride Palace I actually did need one, and so did Arach.
“Roarke already knows the chant,” I faced Arach, “and I'll trace in with you this first time but in the future, in case you need to reach me there, the chant for Pride Palace is, Intaro, Ishema, Intare.”
“Intaro, Ishema, Intare,” he nodded.
I took his hand, gave a quick nod to Trevor and Roarke, and traced us to Pride Palace. As my body became a mere thought, I recalled my trip through the Inter Realm inside the Aether, and I was glad I couldn't see what I was passing through in a matter of seconds.
I shivered as I reformed in front of the tracing wall of Pride Palace and put thoughts of the Aether aside. I had scarier things to consider.
I headed for the common room, Arach on my heels, and heard Trevor and Roarke trace in behind us. I made it about five steps before Kirill was there, giving me a wary look until I opened my arms and he came forward for a hug.
“I'm so sorry,” I whispered.
“It's forgotten,” he pulled away and smiled. “Vat happened?”
I explained as we walked the rest of the way to the common room and he in turn told me that the Thunderbirds were ready, the poker tournament prepared, and the imps currently planning which pieces of Iktomi's web to dismantle first, to make our escape quick but still easy to track.
When we entered the common room, it was to find not only my lions and imps but some of the Thunderbirds, and the God Squad waiting for me. I stopped short, looking over the collection of magical people who were there to help me, and I realized how lucky I was to have made it as far as I had and to have made such great friends along the way. If it was in the cards that I died, I had no regrets, only gratitude. What a magical life I'd been given.
“Thank you,” I said into the silence. “All of you who've come to help, regardless of your reasons for being here, I want you to know how much your help means to me. The humans will never know what we do for them but I know, and I'm so grateful to have you standing beside me.”
“It's hard to fight a battle on behalf of people who don't even believe you exist,” Kohana stood up and met me in the center of the room. “Our people have held tight to their beliefs and so it's easier for us. We feel their faith, hear their prayers, and know they believe we protect them but for other gods who have lost their followers, I can see how it would be difficult to risk yourself simply because it's the right thing to do.”
“Humans do it everyday,” Horus said casually from his perch on one of the loveseats. When he noticed that everyone's attention had focused on him, he drew himself up and regarded us regally. “Well, they do. Even when they believe no one is watching, humans choose to do the right thing, sometimes at great risk to themselves. They throw themselves in front of bullets for their friends or throw away careers to report a company whose products hurt people. They brought down that plane with the terrorists, remember? Knowing they'd all die but that their deaths would save so many others, they rushed the terrorists and sent that plane crashing into a field.”
“So it really does have a heart,” Pan peered at Horus like he was studying a new bug.
“I'm just saying,” Horus lifted his nose into the air, “that as gods, we should hold ourselves above humans in honor and nobility. In other words, if they can do it, than I must do it better.”
“And he's back,” Pan snorted.
“Well, whatever the reason,” I rolled my eyes at Kohana, “Thank you, Horus. You've been a good friend to me and I hope you know that I love you.”
“Are you dying or something?” The Egyptian god peered at me with sharp eyes.
“No,” I gave a nervous laugh.
“Oh, okay,” Horus cocked his head. “It's just people are prone to random outbursts of affection when they're suicidal.”
“I'm not suicidal, Horus,” I groaned. “I'm just glad you're here.”
“And what of me, Godhunter?” A sweet voice like rushing water, came from behind me. “Are you glad I'm here?”
“Mrs E.?” I turned around to see her beautiful face smiling sadly at me. I ran over and hugged her, tears pouring down my cheeks as I closed my eyes to try and block out the picture of her wounded ones.
“I heard you might have need of me,” she said as she pulled away and touched my cheek. “You look tired, Vervain.”
“And you look remarkably like a friend of mine,” I swallowed hard, “who I've missed terribly. Are you back for good?”
“I'm back for now,” she sighed. “Life is heavier now, without Tsohonai. My heart is heavier and I find the weight hard to bear. But I need something else to focus on, so I'll help you kill the spider and then I'll see how I feel. If I can, I'll come back to the war, if not-” she shrugged.
“Thank you,” I shook off her indecision, “either way, I'm happy to see you.”
“And I'm happy to see you too,” she nodded to Kohana over my shoulder, “and you as well, Chief of the Wakiya. It's been too long since I've seen your people take to the sky.”
“We are looking forward to the hunt,” Kohana smiled grimly, “and we're honored to have you with us, Woman-that-Changes.”
“Okay, well you two know each other,” I looked around the room at the imps and other Thunderbirds, “maybe we should introduce everyone else while we're waiting for this whole thing to begin.”
“I hate waiting,” gr
iped Horus.
“You hate everything,” Pan mumbled.
“Oh and I heard you're trying to decide on which pieces of Iktomi's web to dismantle first,” I said to the imps. “I have a suggestion.”
Chapter Forty-Four
After hours of arguing, I finally agreed to wait in Pride Palace while the imps went into the Inter Realm to lure Iktomi out alone. I didn't like them going in by themselves but they assured me that my presence was unnecessary and might even be a distraction for them. It would be much better for all involved if I just waited near the router, to shut it down as soon as Iktomi emerged from the Inter Realm.
At least I got to fight. Torrent was hiding in the underground floor of the palace, locked up tight in the theater so Iktomi couldn't get to him and use him against us. I had argued that I didn't think Iktomi could, Torrent being his own person and all, but the others, including Torrent himself, weren't so sure. So he got to watch movies while we killed his maker.
The poker tournament was already underway, Mica firmly entrenched in a game within the specially prepared private room at the Thunderbird's casino. So we felt safe in sending the imps in to draw Iktomi out.
I waited in the library, the router firmly in hand, wearing Tlaloc's goggles, the emerald pendant Odin gave me, and my father's ring. Arach and Trevor flanked me like an honor guard, both of them refusing to let me out of their sight. There were Intare spread out along the path we intended Iktomi to follow, out to the grasslands in front of Pride Palace, but everyone else was waiting for our prey outside.
Then I felt a disturbance in the force. Alright, I felt a build-up of static electricity, whatever. I saw the imps turn the corner down the hall, their forms a little hazy in the Inter Realm but clear enough that I could see their gleeful expressions. So I nodded to my men and prepared to unplug the router. Within moments the imps came popping back into our realm, going from gigantic red wookies back to the forms of their birth. They continued to run, straight out the door and down the hall toward the front entrance.