She finally called a desperately needed rest when they reached the 'fishing' camp. Lani helped get Sorcha off of Justin's back, then set to building a small fire. Ashling scouted the area around them, while Megan and Justin collapsed.
As soon as she'd caught her breath, and she and Justin were both drinking lots of water at Lani's insistence, Megan looked to him. "So, the spear. It did the blue runic thing when I was singing. Then when you got it, and stabbed Balor, it did the same thing. Bit of a multitool."
"It kind of makes sense if you've read the stories about Lugh," Lani said.
"I've read some of my dad's stories. Mostly just focusing on how badass he was," Megan said.
"Yes, but you know how he joined the Tuatha De Danann?"
"You know, 'the Gods' really is so much easier to say. I'd know which ones you're talking about.”
“I know,” Lani said. “I also know I haven't had to ease you in on training wheels in a long time.”
“Fine, fine. Anyway, I thought he was just, you know, one of them. I know about the half-Fomoire thing. I... guess we just killed his grandmother.” Best not to think of it like that, Megan figured. Best to be glad to have stopped one monster-goddess and not think of how many more were left. Best just to finish answering the question. “But the ones who were a little of both just picked sides, right? Or... does that make too much sense?”
"Well, when he showed up to offer his services, they wouldn't let him in unless he could prove he'd be useful,” Lani said.
"Given the things he did, I'd say he was pretty useful."
"Right, but then, they didn't know a lot about him,” Lani said. “He said he was a warrior, and the doorkeeper guy said they had those. So he went down the rest of the list... craftsman, poet, smith, historian, harpist, and sorcerer."
"He was a bard?"
"Poet-historian-harpist... yeah, among other things. That was part of the point."
"So, which one got him in?"
"None of them. He was told they had a God for each of the things he could do."
"But Lugh did join the Gods, right?" Megan was starting to get confused.
"Yeah, as soon as he asked the doorkeeper if they had anyone who could do all of those things."
Megan smiled. “Ah. Okay. Serious pre-Renaissance man stuff there."
"Right,” Lani said. “So my point being, when he was having his friend make him a suitable weapon when he became the Gods' champion, it'd make sense he'd want something kind of versatile."
“Yeah. It'd also have made sense if his friend had said that he should make the darn thing himself,” Megan said.
“Jack of all trades, master of … several, actually,” Justin said, cleaning the spear.
“Terrible whisperer, though,” Ashling said. “Really, no inside voice at all.”
Lani blinked. “Never heard anything about that.”
"All you were just going on about, and you've never heard of Lugh Lonnbeimnech?" Ashling asked."
"Lugh the Fierce Swordsman?" Lani said.
"Ah, you had one of the lousy translations," Ashling said. "Lugh Sword-Shouter. 24/7 battlecries and songs of glory, all at the top of his lungs."
"All I can say to that," Lani said, "is that you all need to be drinking more water."
“I wasn't hurt,” Ashling said. Nevertheless, she hardly looked her best.
"And you're lucky for that," Lani said, offering canteens around anyway. Not long after that, and setting watches, Megan drifted to sleep.
She woke to Justin shaking her. She slowly sat up, just aware of how everything seemed to hurt, and how it felt like she hadn't slept at all. "Wha?"
At his next words, she snapped more awake. "They're coming, in force."
As she got to her feet, she became aware of noises beyond just the wind outside. In the distance, she could pick up baying, howling, and less definable noises. Closer, Ashling was urging Lani to hurry as the half-menehune tried to rapidly pack up their camp and not leave any essentials behind. As soon as Megan was up, she grabbed a last couple of things, and abandoned the rest to help get Sorcha up on Justin's shoulders.
Megan had Lani continue to carry the spear, while she used the Claiomh Solais to break up the snow and ice ahead of them, speeding up their travel. She kept glancing over her shoulder, looking for signs of their pursuers.
She made some attempt to sing up the winds again to cover their tracks, but soon gave it up. Figuring out working her own magic around the sword's anti-magic protections was tricky enough. What ultimately dissuaded her was just managing to keep forging through the deep snow, with help from the flaming sword, to ease passage for the others.
They moved through the valleys between the hills as much as they could, to conserve energy and to keep themselves as hidden as possible. Ashling changed directions a couple of times, looking around. She eventually doubled back towards the teens, making a stop gesture.
Before she could reach them, there was a piercing shriek, and some sort of flying hawk-cat thing swept over the nearest hill and snatched Ashling and the Count right out of the air, driving them into the snow. Megan ran for them, as Justin tried to hand off Sorcha to Lani as quickly as possible, while collecting the spear.
Megan's swing with the sword didn't hit the creature, but the flaming sword coming near it got its attention, stopping it from snapping and clawing at the pixie and bird. As it started to lift off to get away from Megan, Justin threw the spear, striking it in the chest and bringing the creature down.
Megan let him collect the weapon again while she saw to Ashling. The pixie had stretched herself out over the Count, protecting him from the worst of the attack, but had gotten one of her wings partially crumpled and slashed further in the process.
"Are you all right?" Megan asked.
"I'll heal," the pixie said. "Not like I'm using my wings anyway," she added, with a hint of extra bitterness.
Ashling stood, working on helping to get the Count unburied from the snow enough for Megan to pick him up. Megan set Ashling on her shoulder and carried the Count to Lani, who tucked the wounded crow into her backpack.
"We need to hurry," Justin called, rushing back to heft Sorcha again, after handing off the spear.
"We killed their flying monster-thing," Megan said, nonetheless starting to forge their way again.
"That thing's job wasn't to stop us," Justin said. "You heard that noise it made... the Fomoire will have too."
"We're almost back to the tunnels," Megan said. "And I have an idea."
They managed to make their way to the tunnels, though Megan imagined, from the sounds, that the Fomoire's packs of hunting things was right behind them. Shoving the sword at Lani to make sure it didn't mess with her magic, she called up her best storm song, managing to collapse the snow and ice on the hillside above the tunnel entrance, blocking the path behind them. "That should slow them down," she finally said.
"We can hope," Lani said. She handed the sword back, letting Megan use it like a torch to light their way as they did their best to hurry through the twists and turns, Ashling pointing out the safest path.
It was all too brief a time before they heard the cracking of ice, and then the baying of the Fomoire packs, racing through the tunnels after them. Ashling's guidance turned to quickly shouted commands every time they came to another passage. Even so, the echoing howls grew louder.
Following the pixie's directions, Megan darted into a small chamber, followed by the others. The light revealed stalactites and stalagmites, but no way out.
"You said this was the right way!"
"This is the safest way," Ashling insisted.
"Safe? They're coming, and you led us into a dead end."
Chapter 22: The Sound After Silence
"She led you to the only help available." The whispery voice came from a will o' wisp, emerging from hiding behind one of the stone formations jutting from the floor, followed by the Gray Lady.
"So you know the way out of here?” Megan
asked. “Show us, quick!"
"No, I..." The words paused, as did the Gray Lady, blank eyes widening as she looked at Justin. "Is that...?"
Megan wanted to scream about all the scouts and short-enough soldiers behind them, but on seeing the look, she took a deep breath and responded. "Yes. Sorcha. But this is about to be a very short reunion. I'm sorry."
The Gray Lady stepped forward, helping Justin to ease Sorcha off his shoulders and onto her feet. The woman hugged the former slave, and after a few moments of confusion, the girl hugged the bane sidhe back.
Finally, with the echoing howls continuing to build, the Gray Lady broke the embrace. "You will need to follow my instructions precisely."
"We will," Megan said, looking to the others, and back to the bane sidhe.
As the hordes closed in on their dead end, the Gray Lady turned to face out towards the single door into the chamber, stepping forward, leaving the teens behind her. The wisp spoke, "Plug your ears with wax, and even then, sing your best counter-magic to yourself, and your friends. And do not stop."
Lani had long since taken up packing lots of earplugs. She handed them out as soon as the group had gathered close, including Sorcha. Megan also handed the sword back to Justin, to get the magical protection into the best hands, taking the spear herself to enhance her song.
As soon as they had the plugs, Megan began to sing, huddled in a small circle with her friends, singing to them, and wishing, for the first time, that her mournful version of the counter-magic song didn't sound so hopeless.
The Fomoire began to round the bend, and still, the Gray Lady stood motionless. They started a mad rush through the door, more and more racing into the cavern. Creatures, some humanoid, some beast like, all terrible, charged, screaming, snarling, and howling.
The first was only ten feet away when the Gray Lady opened her mouth, for once, letting her own voice be heard, instead of working through the wisps. Despite the earplugs, despite the counterdirge, Megan was still able to get some impression of the bane sidhe's true voice.
It was a song.
It brought to mind younger days, the days full of hope, naivete, play, and boundless imagination. Of warmth, and family, and security as well. But it brought them to mind as memories, of a simpler time, but a time long gone. All of that hope and energy collided with reality, with war, with fear, with uncertainty, until everything beautiful or worth hoping for was gone.
One by one, some of the Fomoire trying in vain to cover their ears, some wailing and gnashing, others running, trying to get to the bane sidhe, they dropped. Bodies littered the cavern floor while the song echoed and carried through the underground. Megan had always heard tell that the wail of the banshee was so hideous and terrifying that those who heard it died of a heart attack. Now she knew it wasn't true. In its own way, even just the bits were some of the most beautiful she'd ever heard. So much so that she had to struggle to force herself to keep singing. But the song was also so painful, so full of loss, and so devoid of hope, she had to imagine that hearing it without her magic would be like nothing so much as dying of a broken heart.
At long last, the caverns were still again, bodies of twisted beasts, maddened slaves, and a few Fomoire warriors scattered all around the Gray Lady, and down the passage. Megan kept up her counter-magic just a little longer, just in case, until the Gray Lady nodded. Everyone removed their earplugs, and slowly stood.
"Thank you," Megan said. "I can't believe you just did that, but thank you."
The wisp responded, "You brought my daughter back to me. Nothing I have done and nothing I could offer will repay that, but if you allow it, I will try. Let me take Sorcha, quietly, back to An Teach Deiridh. I have allies there still who will be emboldened by your tale, be ready to rally to your banner. The Last Home will hold a little longer than the General might prefer... if you will let me serve as I once did for your father." The Gray Lady stepped forward and knelt before Megan. "Your Majesty."
"Actually, hold that thought, and visit with your daughter for a little bit. I need to talk to Justin and Lani," Megan said.
The Gray Lady quirked a brow, but then nodded, rising and stepping aside with Sorcha.
"Yes, Megan? Or is this a My Lady moment?" Justin asked.
"This is a ‘we all need to sit down and talk now that we're not racing for our lives’ moment first," Megan said. "My feet are killing me, and my throat could really use some tea, if Lani brought any of Kerr's blends."
"Of course I did. I'm also going to make you a harness for the spear so we can stop playing hot potato with it every time you need your hands free," Lani said, laying out her supplies for both brewing tea and sewing work before starting to build a tiny fire.
As soon as they'd settled in, and Megan had tea in hand to help soothe her throat, she glanced between Justin and Lani. "I'm going to ask something really difficult for everyone, but I think it needs to be done."
"Of course, My Lady," Justin said. "We're with you."
"That's just it. I think we need to split up. I need you to regroup with Cassia, find out what her status is, and help her. Take the spear. It might help rally people a little... and I need to not have it with me for a bit. Too risky."
Lani looked confused. "Why? Where are you going?"
"I'm going back to An Teach Deiridh. The Gray Lady knows people there and can help sneak me in."
"It's far too dangerous. General Inwar won't want to let you leave," Justin said. "At least let me go with you."
Megan said "Justin, I know this is hard. I will always need you. But right now, I need you to take this to Cassia and get everything ready. The spear is powerful... I'd have stood zero chance back there without it. But I'm not at all sure about unstoppable. I need to collect some things, and this will be quicker."
"What sort of things?" Lani asked. "Can she go get them for you instead?"
Megan shook her head. "Not for this. It kind of goes back to things my father said, and especially Justin said. Being Queen isn't just a responsibility. It's a weapon—or at least a tool. So far, we've done the sneaking around thing. If we're going to stop Inwar's plans, I need to be the Unseelie Queen for real. And that starts with looking the part."
"So, going for your father's armor?" Lani asked.
Megan shook her head. "No. That's part of the point. Get Cassia and whatever forces she has left ready. I'll be back as soon as I can. But I'm going back to An Teach Deiridh to get my armor."
Chapter 23: What We Are
The Gray Lady led Megan back to An Teach Deiridh, avoiding General Inwar's patrols. Megan helped support Sorcha while the Gray Lady walked ahead of them, her will o' wisp dimmed down to provide only the faintest illumination. As they neared An Teach Deiridh, Megan could hear the sounds of the castle under siege: marching boots, hoofbeats from the massive Fomoire warbeasts, and the whips of the handlers.
Finally, the wisp floated back to Megan, speaking for the Lady again. "Your ear-plugs and the counter-song, but quiet."
Megan nodded. Back in the caves, when she'd announced her intentions to go to the castle, the Gray Lady had told her to bring the ear plugs, just in case. She put the earplugs in, making sure Sorcha did the same, and started her song. The Gray Lady's mouth didn't open in her song this time, and Megan couldn't make out the noise, but the woman appeared to be humming.
As she did, the ground fog typical of Faerie Winters rose ever so subtly, creeping upwards ahead of them. Through the fog, the Gray Lady gestured for Megan to follow, along with indication it was safe to cease her song.
The fog hid their passage as they crept around, avoiding the outskirts of any forces, towards one side of the castle. Every time she caught a hint of movement, Megan was sure they were going to be caught, but no one stopped them. Whatever Fomoire forces the Gray Lady considered herself incapable of avoiding were clearly not around. Megan supposed they may well have been lying withered in dust beside the lake at Gorias.
She brought her attention back to the current da
ngerous stealth attempt. The Gray Lady led her to a brush-covered rock formation. The bane sidhe held up some of the brambles while Megan helped Sorcha under them. The rocks opened into a hidden tunnel, narrowly low to walk into.
“Where are we?” Megan whispered as they walked, conveniently ducking a little under Sorcha's weight.
“Underneath,” replied the wisp. “Soon, we will be within the Unseelie wing.”
And soon, indeed, the path scaled upward, until bedrock gave way to branching walls. Sitting at this bizarre crossroads was one of the hags on the palace staff.
It was hard for Megan to identify the process of eyes widening on a scaly green face that already had saucer-sized eyes, but she thought the hag's did so at the sight of Sorcha. Or perhaps it was at Megan's sudden return, or the Lady's—Megan couldn't tell. In any case, the hag nodded silently and stepped aside, letting the Gray Lady press her hand to a particular wall, which turned out to correspond to one of Riocard's bookshelves.
Megan carefully stepped out into the chaos of her father's room, with his old collections of bits of everything, especially bits and pieces of tragedy and war. As always, her eye was drawn to the painting, seeing Brigid looking back at her, a lone spot of serenity and calm amidst everything.
"Huh, I guess this must have been useful for secret meetings," Megan said, finally.
"Sometimes, there was a great deal of work involved with things happening effortlessly," the wisp said, as the Gray Lady reached to take her daughter's arms like someone being passed an infant. "You're certain you do not wish to rally any troops now, to assist with the fight for the pathways?"
Megan shook her head. "Things are going to be difficult enough here. I need to make sure that I have some allies when I get back, and just as importantly, need to be sure the Ballroom will still be standing."
"If you get back." The bane sidhe turned to look her in the eye. "You have a difficult fight ahead, and I cannot lead the struggle here for you. Only influence things in your favor."
All's Fair (Fair Folk Chronicles Book 4) Page 11