by J. M. Briggs
Bran was the calmest. He was seated in his armchair and watching Alex. Then he turned and met Lance’s gaze. Neither of them said anything or made any gestures. Lance relaxed a little. At least there was one other sane person in the mix of all this. Bran nodded to him: a tiny little nod, but it got his agreement across. Holding back a sigh, Lance returned the gesture.
Something brushed against his hand and Lance turned to find Jenny looking at him. There was a sad smile on her face and the pressure on his hand increased. Smiling, Lance turned his hand to thread their fingers together. There was more than one other sane person. He was silent as Jenny turned her head and watched Alex. He could see the worry for their friend on her face, and Lance wondered just how long it would be before something gave away.
9
The Rescued
465 B.C.E. The Golden Vale, Ireland
Everything ached. Leugio made himself slowly keep moving, using the wall to support himself. Kent kept pausing and looking back at him, a silent plea for him to hurry shining in his eyes. Leugio hoped that meant he could smell Keelia. Taking another step, he bit back a groan. A dark thought formed in the back of his mind, that even if he found Keelia now he was in no condition to get her out.
He didn’t stop. It wouldn’t really matter now anyway. He couldn’t leave. Even with his heart racing and the fear closing in, Leugio knew that he wasn’t going to leave. His sister was in the dark somewhere. The Sídhe had taken his sister, and some instinct fought hard against that. There was another fearful cry that echoed up the dark pathway and Kent snarled. The dog’s whole body tensed, torn between running forward and staying with him.
Inhaling slowly, Leugio gave himself a moment. The ache in his muscles eased a little, but the taste of the air seemed wrong. It bothered him more now and he wondered if that was the magic he’d used. Had it changed something here? Or something in him? Kent whimpered and trotted ahead, looking back at him imploringly. It was enough to get him moving again and he kept following the tunnel.
The stone was cool and smooth beneath his hand. Every so often he caught a whiff of a more natural, earthy smell that reassured him that he hadn’t strayed too far from home. Stories blurred together in his head as he tried to remember the way out and any advice he could gather from the tales he’d been told. There were fewer torches now, or at least it seemed that way with shadows creeping in.
Kent kept moving and somehow Leugio mostly kept up with his pace. His hand gripping the torch was sweaty and even the rough wood was trying to slide out of his grasp. Keeping one hand against the wall, he kept leveraging himself along. The magic was still pulsing in his chest, and he recognized it now. It had always been there, just faint and unnoticed. He’d had no idea what it was or what it could do. Now he could only be grateful for whatever instincts his fear had given him.
The tunnel opened ahead, widening into a circular room with a few doorways leading off of it. Dark stone was barely illuminated by torches, but the scene was clear. There were three Sídhe standing around his sister. Keelia was on her knees in the center of the room, bound by some sort of thin chain with her mouth gagged. To Leugio’s horror, one of the Sídhe was running its long fingers through her brown hair thoughtfully. She was glaring up at them and trying to move away. There was a darkening patch on her right cheek.
Kent snarled, the sound resonating through the room. The Sídhe spun around in surprise, their violet eyes widening in shock. Keelia’s eyes met his and he could see her worry for him, her relief and anger all welling up in her dark eyes. There was a heartbeat of stillness. Then everything happened at once.
Only one of the Sídhe had a sword which it quickly pulled. Kent jumped forward to put himself between Keelia and the Síd nearest to her. The creature looked at the dog in surprise and a touch of fear. It and the other unarmed Síd fled, vanishing through one of the doors with frantic shouts.
Leugio pushed himself off the wall. His right hand jumped to his dagger and he pulled the weapon forth in one quick movement. The guard spun around and lashed at him with its sword. Ducking away from it, he slashed the dagger forward. Kent distracted the guard, trying to bite its leg. The Síd dodged his first wild swipe, but his second swing caught its arm. Leugio stumbled, his foot slipping on the stone and he fell against the wall.
Grunting, Leugio twisted away from the wall. In the distance there was yelling. He stepped back, his heart pounding, and slashed with the dagger again. The gold sword of the guard hit the stone beside his head with a sharp metallic ring. Metal fragments cracked off and he backed away. Kent’s snarling was suddenly louder and there was another choked scream. The guard tried to twist away from the dog that now had a firm grip on its leg. Leugio jabbed his dagger forward, catching the Síd in the hand. It roared in pain and pulled back as its skin began to darken. Leugio didn’t wait. He shoved the dagger forward, closing his eyes as the metal slid into the Síd’s unprotected neck.
The Síd collapsed on the ground. Leugio forced his eyes open but didn’t linger to watch its death. He nearly tripped over it as he reached frantically for his sister. Two more Sídhe came rushing in through the door the other two had fled through, both of them armed. Panic was clamoring through his system. Blood was seeping down his arm. He wasn’t sure when that had happened.
Suddenly, Keelia rolled forward, knocking into the legs of the nearest Síd and sending it stumbling. Kent took advantage as it fell to the floor and jumped at its neck. His stomach turned and bile filled his mouth. Once again he feared that his legs were going to collapse, but somehow he stayed upright as the second Síd headed straight for him.
In the corner of his eye Leugio saw his sister struggling against her bonds. Twisting around, she freed one hand and tore off her gag. She climbed to her feet and tackled the remaining guard from behind. It hit the ground with a grunt of pain and Keelia’s fingers reached for the sword in its hand. The Síd struggled and Leugio stumbled forward to help her. He had to jump against the wall as the sword slashed wildly. Holding out his dagger, Leugio made a move to attack, but his knees quaked. The dagger dropped to the floor with a clatter, but Keelia made a grab for it. The Síd was crawling away from her when Keelia got the dagger and slashed at its throat.
There was a gurgle of pain and the Síd collapsed. Silvery blood spilled out onto the floor and the body started to slowly dissolve. Behind him, there was yet more shouting. Looking towards Keelia, he found his sister climbing to her feet, Kent growling at her side. He turned around, panting at the effort, and found three more Sídhe coming towards them.
A fearful sound escaped Keelia. Anger, fear and most of all an absolute desire to save Keelia filled Leugio’s chest. The spark flared back to life and he pulled on it, wishing, telling, begging it to push them back. White sparks exploded from his hands. The wave of magic rolled across the Sídhe guards, knocking them back into the walls. He tried to count them, but everything was on fire. His eyes hurt, his muscles convulsed and his lungs burned.
Two of the Sídhe scrambled to their feet and advanced. Keelia’s eyes widened and she jumped between the Sídhe and her brother. Leugio collapsed against the wall. The strength he’d mustered was spent. His chest ached and his legs were on fire. Every muscle quivered and threatened to give out beneath him. Kent snarled, putting himself between the Sídhe guards and his humans. Leugio almost smiled at the show of loyalty, but couldn’t manage it.
The third guard had recovered and was on his feet, but all of them seemed uncertain as to what they should do. They were all nearly identical with the same golden swords and leather armor. None wore anything like the elegant golden armor he’d seen on display. His head pounded. His knees quaked and Keelia stepped back next to him.
Straightening up, Keelia waved the dagger threatening in front of her. Looking at his sister in surprise, Leugio found her brown eyes bright with an internal fire and her features calm and cold. He’d never seen her like that. Keelia had always been sweet and playful. None of that was here now.
“Back off,” she growled. She stepped closer to him, shifting her body next to his and carefully took on some of his weight. “My brother has magic and I will fight with this iron, my teeth, and my nails to leave here.” Her tone was sharp and low. She meant every word and Leugio looked at her in shock. “I will take as many of you as I can with me. Stand aside and you live.”
One Síd started to step forward. Kent lunged at him, biting into its leg and Keelia jabbed the dagger forward. It twisted away frantically, but she sliced into its arm. Silvery blood oozed forth even as the white flesh around the wound began to glimmer and turn dark. Another Síd grabbed him and tried to pull him back, but Kent did not release his target until Keelia ordered him to. In the corner of his eye, Leugio saw another Síd moving towards him.
He pulled on the faint flare of power lingering in his chest. The ache spread, but he didn’t relent. Magic rushed down his arm and he flexed his fingers, releasing tiny white sparks that encircled his fingertips. The Síd stopped and then backed away.
“Stand aside,” Keelia ordered.
Her voice was louder this time and Kent barked. The sound echoed in the stone hall, and the Sídhe drew back. Several of them glared at them, but one huffed and outright turned and walked away. It vanished through one of the side doors, grumbling something. Leugio watched him go uncertainly. Then the other two began to move back. The way out was open to them and Leugio nodded towards the tunnel he’d come through.
Keelia didn’t have to be told out loud. She took on more of his weight and they started walking. The adrenaline was burned away. Fear remained however and Leugio’s ears were straining for even the slightest sound of them being followed. Kent was fixed to Keelia’s side but kept looking back. He guessed the dog didn’t like knowing there was danger behind, but Leugio was in no shape to summon more magic.
“Don’t follow us,” Keelia said. “We may be tired, but if you make us fight for our lives you’ll discover how much damage we can do.”
Grinning, Leugio felt a jolt of pride and outright admiration for his little sister. While she’d needed help, it was clear that she could take care of herself. The thought made him smile a little, even if it didn’t banish all of his worries. They passed the golden armor and he gently shifted to guide her towards the stairs. Keelia nodded, and he swallowed back the blood he could taste in his mouth. His tongue found a small wound in the side of his mouth. When it had happened he wasn’t sure.
Leugio grew stronger as they climbed the stairs. It was odd, because he would have thought that the climb would have weakened him. Yet there was something in the air that helped as he inhaled it. The musty scent of the ground was growing stronger while the strange flowery scent of the Sídhe’s domain was fading away. The ache was still present in his muscles though, and while he could feel that faint fluttering of power in his chest he knew it wasn’t safe to touch. He’d been burned on the inside by it. That was the only way he could understand it.
He managed to point Keelia towards the entrance, tracing their steps back. Behind them he could hear low voices, but they were fading. The Sídhe had gambled and lost. He hoped that they’d keep to themselves for a while after this. Nothing was worse than hearing the tales of young children taken, or worse, traded away by their parents. His grip around Keelia’s shoulder tightened for a moment.
“Easy, Leugio,” his sister said. Kent kept climbing up the stairs ahead of them, sniffing at the air. “I’ve got you.”
They seemed to be alone. Distantly he could hear voices and sounds that were familiar from his own village, his own home. He wondered where down here the rest of the Sídhe lived. Wondered if they had families like his own, if they married and lived in houses built underground or if they just had little rooms off the tunnels. The stories didn’t say, but then again people who crossed their threshold weren’t usually supposed to return.
“Thank you for coming to help me,” Keelia said. Her voice was soft and low, almost a whisper.
“Always: you’re my sister.” He grunted a little and shifted his weight off her a bit. “I’m feeling a bit better now.”
“Let me help.” She glanced his way and then looked down at Kent. “So… you have magic. I thought those were just stories.”
“I did too. Never noticed it before today, but when I was surrounded it just happened and then when Kent was hurt-”
“Kent was hurt?”
“Uh, yes, just a bit,” he assured her. “The magic healed him, but it was… really exhausting. I’m not sure how I even stood up after it.”
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t careful this morning. I slipped in some mud and twisted my ankle. Kent stayed with me, but two of the Sídhe found me.”
“Kent came running back to the village. We’d noticed you were missing already, but that was what told me you were probably hurt or that the Sídhe had gotten you.”
“Yeah, Kent attacked one of the Sídhe while the other dragged me off. I guess he killed it, but I was already gone.” Keelia shook her head. “I’m not sure; it all happened so fast.” Her breathing suddenly became faster and ragged.
“It’s alright,” Leugio whispered. “Let’s just get home. We’re not out of danger yet.” He swallowed thickly as fear clawed its way up his chest. “I’m not sure how many more guards there are. I… I killed the ones we came across on our way down to you.”
“Understood.”
They were silent, listening to the distant sounds of the Sídhe and bracing for another attack. The spark in his chest was gone now, snuffed out and leaving a smoldering sore spot below his heart. It wasn’t hard to find their way out. The air became fresher and fresher with each step. Keelia was pulling him along faster and faster. Kent’s stride had changed as the dog’s excitement for the open sky grew.
Inhaling the air greedily, Leugio almost collapsed. Almost all of his weight was on Keelia’s narrow shoulders, but his little sister kept pulling him forward. Her grip was tight on his shoulder, silently promising that she wasn’t going to let him go any more than he’d let her go. It bolstered him and he made those last few steps into the sunshine.
He closed his eyes against the bright light and tilted up his face. A soft cry of relief escaped Keelia. Kent barked happily and Leugio opened his eyes. Trying to speak, he found his mouth too dry and looked at Keelia. Tears were shining her eyes, but she was smiling at him.
“So you found her then,” the Síd said. It was still sitting in the shadows and plucking at the cruit’s strings. Looking back into the tunnel, it hummed to itself and then smiled. “I hope that Faridon at least is dead.” That smile made Leugio’s stomach turn and Keelia tugged him further into the sunlight. His sister brandished the iron dagger once more, but the Síd didn’t react at all. Instead, its eyes stayed on Leugio and he nodded slightly to itself. “Interesting.” Then it rose from its lounging position and stepped into the darkness of the tunnel. “You best be getting home, little Iron Children.”
Keelia took a few steps back, pulling him away from the Síd. It calmly plucked at the tight strings of the cruit and seemed to pay them no mind. Kent growled a little, but Keelia ordered him to hush. The dog looked back at her and slowly, very slowly, Keelia turned them around. Before them, the faint path headed over the rolling hills. Leugio thought that maybe he could see their village, and it gave him some strength. It would take some time for them to get home, but he looked down at the top of Keelia’s head and placed a quick kiss on the hairline. His sister looked up at him and the fear and anger in her eyes finally eased. She smiled at him, and Leugio grinned in response. They’d get home, of that he was certain. They were both safe now.
10
Dreams of Dying
Alex could hear the whispers. They were distant, but in her sleep they came closer and closer. One voice stood out to her. It was higher pitched, almost feminine, but with a chill to it that inspired fear. Some part of her knew that she was sleeping and she willed herself to wake up, wanting to escape that strange voice
.
“No no no,” the voice said. It was suddenly louder than all the others. “No no no, Iron Soul; time to sleep. Time to dream: so many memories, so much just beneath the surface. Time to dream and let it all out.” The voice faded away and sleep pulled her down, harder and deeper than before.
The truck was bearing down. There was a shocked gasp. Everything lurched to the side. There was a cut off scream, metal crunched and a crash shook the whole world. All the noises collapsed into one long shattering sound. Her mother was thrown into her father. There was red, so much red and more crunching.
The coffins sat on the matching tables amongst flowers and photographs. It was a poor substitute. No photo had ever properly captured her mom’s smile or the twinkle in her dad’s eye. Matt and Ed were barely holding it together, and in privacy, they cried. She didn’t. The tangle in her chest tightened. There was a soft, whispering voice, taunting her and laughing at the nightmare. The other voices rose up, becoming louder and louder in an attempt to drown out the cold voice. Yet it only laughed louder.