Pixie-Led (Book 2 in the Twilight Court Series)

by Amy Sumida

  “She's here,” my father glanced at me. “Go ahead and tell her.”

  “Seren?” Uisdean asked and I scooted forward to peer into the crystal. There he was, in full Uisdean glory; black on black with just his white skin for contrast. “Ah, there you are,” he took a breath. “We've had some suspicious discoveries concerning Cailleach Bheur.”

  “And they are?” I prompted.

  “Things I think you should see for yourself,” he said vaguely.

  “Just tell me,” I groaned. “I'm not visiting your court.”

  “You have my word that you will not be harmed or imprisoned,” Uisdean waved his hand airily. “You have nothing to fear from me for the moment. Remember your ambassador status protects you.”

  “I love that little caveat you added; for the moment,” I rolled my eyes. “I'm still not going.”

  “You'll want to see this, Seren,” Uisdean's face filled the crystal ball. “And you'll need to leave for the Human Realm from my kingdom anyway.”

  “What does that mean?” I leaned into the crystal too.

  “It means that Cailleach is in a portion of the Human Realm that's connected to the Unseelie Kingdom,” Keir clarified.

  “You want me to go?” I looked at my dad in surprise.

  “Uisdean won't hurt you when you're visiting as an ambassador,” Keir assured me. “You'll be safe. I can't go with you, I need to be here for our people, or I would.”

  “I will accompany her,” Tiernan said immediately.

  “I know you will,” Keir nodded. “And I know you'll keep her safe but I want you to take the Star's Guard with you too.”

  “Does that mean you're accepting my invitation?” Uisdean smiled like a snake and shivers went down my spine.

  Goddess help me. It looked like I was going back into the Unseelie Court.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “Damn it, I don't like this,” I grumbled for like the fortieth time. We were in a carriage on our way to the Unseelie Kingdom and although the ride was smooth, my stomach rolled.

  “He won't try anything,” Tiernan reassured me... again.

  Cat whined. She was stretched out on the seat across from us since it was only the three of us this time. I sighed and shook my head at her, no reason for her to be worried too. She huffed and laid her head back on her paws but continued to watch me warily.

  “You can't know that for sure,” I rubbed at my temple as I leaned into Tiernan. His arms went automatically around me as I continued. “The man's a maniac. I can't believe I agreed to go back there.”

  “He's also a fairy king,” Tiernan glanced out of the window and nodded. “We're almost there. Just act like you're untouchable and you shall be. Fairies respond well to attitude.”

  “Well, I've definitely got an attitude,” I mumbled.

  “You can say that again,” Tiernan mumbled back.

  “Ha ha,” I shot him an annoyed look as we passed beneath the imposing onyx gates of the unseelie castle.

  We approached the main keep and I slid away from Tiernan so I could look up and out of my window. Like driving by an abandoned house everyone knows is haunted, I couldn't resist gawking. The unseelie castle didn't shout fairy as the seelie castle did. It wasn't that kind of pretty, though it was beautiful and worth a good stare. Thin towers of midnight stone stabbed the sky aggressively. Beneath them, the roof boasted multiple steeples, more sharp points to threaten the world with. The only adornment on this angry edifice, was a silver moon set into the center of the ebony doors of the main entrance. That was it, the only light in the darkness. Yes, Castle Unseelie had a unique voice and it screamed; Beware!

  The Star's Guard was with us, riding both in front and behind of our carriage. They dismounted and positioned themselves to both sides of our coach as an unseelie fairy came down the main castle stairs to open our carriage door.

  “My lord,” the fairy stepped back as Tiernan climbed out, followed by Cat. Before he could reach inside to help me, Tiernan did and I gave the unseelie an apologetic look.

  “He's picky about helping me out of the carriage,” I said to the the bristling fairy, who happened to be a djinn.

  Fairy djinn were shapeshifters, categorized as either snake or dog. Though oddly enough, they could also appear as vultures, dragons, or even normal humans. This particular djinn was of the snake variety and his reptilian eyes were a disturbing shade of tennis ball yellow. Nonetheless, they warmed at my words and the man smiled, revealing a set of slim fangs. Nothing else betrayed his serpent association but those two features were enough. His normal looking brown hair and tan skin didn't make up for the snake traits. He was definitely not human but I'd expected that and wasn't the least bit disturbed by his appearance.

  “My name is Mufasa, Your Highness,” the djinn bowed and when he stood up, he straightened his three-piece suit. “King Uisdean has asked me to accompany you through the castle.”

  “Ooooo... do it again,” I grinned.

  “I beg your pardon?” He lifted his brows, his whole face betraying his confusion.

  “It's a human movie... oh never mind. It's a great name, just forget I said anything,” I waved my hand, imitating my Uncle Uisdean. “Please proceed.”

  Mufasa gave me another bow and preceded us up the long set of glossy black steps. They needed a runner on those things, they were slippery and I instantly had a vision of Cinderella trying to flee the unseelie palace, only to fall on her little patootie and break both of her slippers. She'd be really screwed then. But I guess this wasn't that type of fairy tale castle, was it? If Cinderella was actually trying to flee the unseelie, she'd have a lot more to worry about than her slippers.

  “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here,” I whispered as I stared up at the foreboding castle. Tiernan gave my arm a squeeze and I looked over to see him smiling reassuringly.

  I made it up the stairs in one piece, my heels clicking on the slick stone (along with Cat's claws) and then Mufasa pushed against the silver moon and the double doors swung inward. I walked into the main entrance hall of the unseelie castle and gawked again. Tiernan actually had to shake my arm to get me to start walking.

  I'd thought I'd been prepared to return to Unseelie Headquarters but I so wasn't. The last time I was there, I had walked through dank hallways with moss-covered walls and bat-covered ceilings, which led to sarcophagal candlelit chambers. That's what I'd been expecting, not this understated elegance. Not the deep cobalt walls set with sparkling stones to resemble the night sky. Not the lush, wine-colored carpets laid over the polished onyx floor. Not the warm wood staircases to either side of the room. And definitely not the sparkling atrium directly in front of me.

  I wandered away from Mufasa, Tiernan, and Cat, right into the bright garden, and stared up at the open sky above. There was no crystal dome to protect the castle while allowing the sunlight in. The unseelie seemed to scoff at such silly barricades, welcoming in the clean, fairy air, and any flying fauna brave enough to come with it. I wandered down a path of little white stones and then stopped to stare up at the opening above me.

  The castle gathered around that central shaft of sunlight, hallways open to it on every level, so that passing fey could look down into the garden or simply enjoy the fresh air. My gaze traveled back down to the earth and saw only green; a verdant expanse of foliage without a single spot of differing color, only the path of pale stones.

  “It's a midnight garden, Your Highness. Its beauty is unveiled after dark, like much of our court,” a fairy came out of the shadows so smoothly, it was almost as if he'd been formed of them.

  He bowed slightly and then straightened, revealing his own beauty; which I have to admit was quite formidable. I'd seen some stunning men in Fairy but this guy had looks so hypnotizing they could be used as a weapon. And I had a feeling he wasn't above doing just that.

  Golden eyes gleamed against a background of sable skin; pure black, like a witch's cat. It was no wonder I hadn't seen him standing in the heavily shroude
d corner; he really was made of shadows. His features were sharp but in an odd and striking way. The bones beneath his eyebrows created a subtle ridge, angling up into a point at his temples before falling away into his hairline. At the inner corners of his eyes, the ridge smoothed down into the bridge of his nose, emphasizing his eyes and giving them a predator's cast. Beneath his metallic gaze, his cheekbones were just as pronounced as his brow bone, a ridge coming in towards his nose and then abruptly ending, so that it created an angular hollow below it. His nose was long, with slightly flared nostrils at the end, and his mouth was wide but not in a generous way. More in a the better to eat you with, my dear way.

  He had the graceful movements of an animal but not a sleek jungle cat, something larger and much more powerful. Something that would eat jungle cats. It was in his face and the thick muscles of his shoulders and arms. Something familiar but rare. Even his hair looked rapacious, cut into dramatic points, it was as black as his skin but two of the points; one at his right temple and one just below his right ear, were as red as freshly spilled blood. Everything about him lured me in while simultaneously warning me off.

  Or maybe it was just the wings influencing my perception. They were folded away behind his back but impossible to miss; massive arches of midnight leather. They had claw tipped joints which seemed aggressive even though he was clearly at ease, and wherever the sunlight caught them, they had a strange crimson sheen. Wicked wings.

  He gave me a soft but knowing smile as he held an elegant hand out to me. Elegant even though it was tipped with sinister looking talons. “I am Lord Raza Tnyn,” his voice was low and seemed to vibrate into my chest, as persistent as the rest of his allure. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Princess Seren. I was only able to admire you from afar during your last visit.”

  I had laid my hand in his gently, fascinated by the way his talons closed around it, just dimpling my skin, but at the mention of my previous time in the Dark Court, I stiffened.

  “Yes, I was a little too busy fending off my family to socialize,” I pulled my hand from his grip and his fingers jerked open so he wouldn't cut me.

  “We made a bad impression on you, I see,” he cocked his head and half-closed his eyes in acceptance as he slid his hands behind his back. “I believe it was done on purpose. His Majesty can be very calculating, but please don't judge all of us by his theatrics.”

  “I don't but then I think you know that already,” I felt someone coming up behind me and looked over to see Tiernan scowling at Raza. Cat came over and pressed into my side, staring at Raza intently.

  “Yes, I suppose I do,” Raza smiled. “I must say; I thoroughly enjoyed your dramatic escape. Well done, and well done with freeing all those prisoners. A dear friend of mine was returned to me because of you. I owe you my gratitude for that.”

  “A friend of yours was one of the prisoners?” I asked. “Which one?”

  “His name is Balloch,” Raza said. “He's a shellycoat and he spoke quite highly of you.”

  “The shellycoat. Yes, I remember him,” I turned to Tiernan. “You remember him, don't you?”

  “Of course I do,” Tiernan spoke gently to me before looking toward Raza and saying tersely, “Lord Raza.”

  “Lord Tiernan,” Raza nodded. “Madam Puka,” he gave Cat a nod next.

  Cat took a long sniff and then went still. I laid my hand on her back and felt her trembling beneath my palm. My stomach lurched and I looked back at Raza with wide eyes. Nothing scared Cat, not even the Queen of the Seelie. So what was Raza, that he'd accomplished what a fairy queen could not?

  “Your name, it's Arabic?” I asked casually. “Like Mufasa's?”

  I glanced over towards the garden's entrance, where our escort was waiting, and blinked in surprise to find him staring at Raza warily. That really had me worried. Djinn fear even less than pukas do. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tiernan's hand settle on his belt, very close to his sword.

  “Yes, it's in honor of my grandfather,” Raza brought his hand forward and Tiernan tensed, but the unseelie only waved it at the red stripes in his hair. “I'm told that I resemble him. I inherited his stripes and wings.”

  “Among other things,” Mufasa said grimly. “Lord Raza please excuse us. I'm escorting the Princess to her uncle.”

  “I was merely being polite,” Raza pouted and damn if it didn't make him look sexier.

  “Your grandfather?” I couldn't help it, I had to know.

  “Oh,” Raza smiled. “He was djinn, one of the few remaining dragon djinn.”

  “Dragon djinn?” I gaped. “I thought that dragon was just a form all djinn could shift into.”

  “Not at all,” he smiled and it became so obvious then. I don't know how I'd missed it. He had dragon written all over him. “They were a third type of djinn but they died out. I'm one of the last and I'm only a quarter djinn, the rest is sidhe. So alas, I fear my race will go extinct.”

  “What happened to them?” I asked but Tiernan laid his hand on my arm.

  “Seren, that's not something appropriate to ask,” he warned me.

  “No, I don't mind,” Raza smiled at me gently. “My grandfather's people were rather misunderstood. By humans and fairies alike. They were hunted; murdered. We are rather hard to kill but when you have such great numbers on your side, you can accomplish anything.”

  “I'm so sorry,” I whispered, my heart hurting to think that dragons once flew over Fairy but never would again.

  “By Danu's breath, I think you truly are,” he said in wonder.

  “Of course I am,” I frowned. “Extinction is tragic and persecution is evil.”

  “Some would disagree with you,” Raza's eyes went solemn.

  “A lot of people disagree with me. It happens all the time,” I gave him a small smile and laid a hand on his shoulder. “But truly, I'm sorry for your loss and for mine. I would have loved to have seen a dragon flying across the sky.”

  “You may yet,” Raza whispered and looked from my face to my hand. He stared at it like he couldn't believe it was sitting on his shoulder, all on its own free will. I drew my hand away slowly and he lifted his gaze. “I didn't expect that from a princess,” he admitted.

  “Expect what?” I asked.

  “Kindness. Compassion,” he leaned in close to my ear and whispered. “You should be more careful who you show that too. Some are not so deserving of it.”

  “Maybe but perhaps those are the ones who need it the most,” I mused. “Perhaps they'd be more deserving if it had been shown to them in the first place.”

  “You're dangerous,” he shook his head at me. “I'd probably do best to stay away from you.”

  “Sounds like a good idea,” Tiernan slid his free hand around my waist. It tensed, as if in preparation of pulling me away.

  “But I don't think I'll be able to,” Raza went on smoothly, ignoring Tiernan's remark completely. “May your heart ever be filled with flames but never burned by them,” he bowed and drew back into the shadows. “Goodbye, Princess Seren.”

  “Goodbye, Lord Raza,” I frowned at the space I knew he'd slid into. It was dark but not so much so that I wouldn't be able to see him. Yet he was gone, vanished completely.

  “Please don't wander off in the Unseelie Court again, Seren,” Tiernan gave my waist a squeeze before letting go.

  “He wasn't so bad,” I glanced at Cat, who was finally relaxing. “I don't know why you guys were so worried.”

  “Lord Raza is one of the deadliest members of the Dark Court,” Tiernan said under his breath as he led me back down the pale path. “The only reason he doesn't rule it, is because he doesn't want to. You need to be careful here, Seren. You can stumble into things you don't understand.”

  “He's friends with a shellycoat,” I gave Tiernan a reproachful look. “I think that says a lot for his character.”

  “That he likes minions?” Tiernan grimaced.

  “He said Balloch was a dear friend,” I shook my head. “I think he may be ju
st as misunderstood as his grandfather was.”

  “And I think you may be letting his dragon pheromones influence you,” Tiernan said in a low, angry tone.

  “Pheromones?” I looked over at him in surprise. “Huh, I guess that could be it. I mean, yeah, he looked dangerous but he seemed kind of sweet to me.”

  “Sweet on you, you mean,” Tiernan growled. “Don't make the mistake of confusing seduction with good intentions, Seren. That fairy has a reputation for breaking hearts, in every way imaginable.”

  “I'm not about to ask him out, Tiernan,” I stopped and looked over his face. “Is that jealousy? All I did was talk to him.”

  “And water the garden with your drool,” Tiernan muttered.

  “What?” I laughed and he glared at me. “Yes, he's very attractive but so are you and I happen to be in love with you, which makes all the difference to me.”

  Cat was sitting beside me, looking back and forth between me and Tiernan as we spoke. Tiernan glanced at her and she gave him a deep huff.

  “You're right, I'm being silly,” he shook his head.

  “Just like a lover,” I lifted up on my toes to give him a quick kiss and when I pulled back, his expression was much happier.

  “We'd better get back before our escort has a heart attack,” Tiernan slid a look Mufasa's way. Sure enough, the djinn looked anxious.

  “Okay,” I took Tiernan's arm and strolled back with him. When we got to the entrance of the atrium, I gave Mufasa a bright smile. “Do you have night-blooming flowers in here?”

  “Yes,” Mufasa cleared his throat. “The aroma seeps into the castle. It's quite wonderful.”

  “But aren't those considered twilight plants,” I cocked my head at him.

  “Twilight is close enough to the dark for us,” he shrugged. “Besides, the plants may be ruled by the Twilight Court but they bloom in darkness and that's all that matters.”

  “So anything that loves the dark is welcome in the Unseelie Court?” I asked with a lifted brow.