by Conn, Claudy
“Ete!” Jazz said with concern. “What is it?”
“Something is wrong,” Ete said on a hushed note. “I do not…feel…quite right…”
“But you are a Fae, you don’t get sick,” Jazz said worriedly. She had formed an attachment for the lovely and wise princess.
“I’m not sick, but something else. Something is whirling around inside of me…and I…” Ete murmured and then looked at Jazz meaningfully. “Jazmine, I don’t want Breslyn to worry, but I think I need…” so saying Ete collapsed right before Jazmine’s eyes.
Jazz was beside herself as she dropped down to the grassy slope where Ete lay unconscious. Ete’s beautiful and bright copper lit auburn hair was spread out all around her and her eyes were closed.
Jazz look around in desperation and her inner human woke up and took over. She screamed as loudly as she could. “Breslyn!”
Immediately Trevor was by her side. He always heard her. This time he was not the only one who heard her; half the field of Fae had heard her.
Finding Ete lying on the ground made him choke back a low growl of horror. He bent over her and slowly moved his hand about four inches above her face and then her torso in what Jazz instinctively knew was the healing mode. He whispered the ancient Danu words over and over again. Jazz breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Ete move slightly.
Ete’s eyes fluttered open and she managed to utter in a cracked dry voice, “Breslyn…?” and then a flicker of pain crossed her lovely face and she whispered, “Trevor, my mind link, it isn’t working. You must find Breslyn for me.”
Trevor didn’t speak and Jazz saw the distress on his face as he took in the gravity of the situation. Ete wouldn’t call for Bres unless it was serious.
Jazz watched anxiously as Trev closed his eyes during the mind link process. Breslyn, Prince of Dagda was still out slashing about on the grassy upper field, getting rid of the stragglers the Dark Ones had left to die.
Suddenly Jazz felt the airwaves part as though something forceful had exploded into the atmosphere. Breslyn was there, down on his knees beside his mate. She saw his face and wanted to cry. He looked terrified.
“Ete,” his voice was a cry of desperation as he bent over her and brought his face to hers and begged, “Ete, Ete, Ete, what is it my love, my breath, my life, what is it?”
She opened her brilliant eyes again and said, “I am not certain, you must get me to the Queen at once my love, something is very wrong.”
He scooped her up as though she were no more than a featherweight child and was gone in the passing of a moment.
Trevor turned and found Danté at his back, joined immediately by Z who asked tremulously, “What has happened? Where did they go? What is wrong with Ete?”
“Ete collapsed that is all I know,” Jazz said looking at Trevor for an answer.
Z cursed and said, “Let’s make short work of the remaining bodies and get to her at once.”
Trevor looked at his brother and asked, “Danté?”
Danté shook his head. “I don’t know what this is. Do you think she came in contact with some Unseelie poison?” He sighed, “But Radzia is correct. Let us finish this and get back to Tir and the Queen, whom I am certain will get this under control.”
Princess Aida, Breslyn’s wayward but loyal sister arrived with her mate Desmond Lang, who was also Shee Willow’s father. Jazz looked at them curiously for she had only been told bits and pieces of their story. “What has happened? Tell me what has happened to my dearest Ete? What is wrong with Ete?” Aida demanded.
Danté shrugged and said, “We don’t know, let us clean up this mess so that we can all get to the Queen’s chambers and find out.”
It took the rest of them less than twenty minutes to sweep the rolling hills that led to the water’s edge clean of bodies, blood and guts.
And then all of them, including Shee Willow and Shayne Bantry shifted to the Queen’s private chambers to inquire after Ete.
What they saw upon their arrival was Ete, with her eyes closed as she lay on a settee. Prince Breslyn was on one knee beside her covering her delicate hand with kisses and Jazz was certain she saw a tear trickle down his handsome face.
Jazz turned to Trevor and put her head on his bare chest. She couldn’t bear it if anything was seriously wrong with Ete. She could see Breslyn would never recover from such a loss.
She knew that Ete was half Daoine Fae, half Seelie and that she was in line to be Queen should the Queen ever give up her post. She was…
This looked serious. She immediately looked at Frankie who was smiling, sitting on her knees beside Ete holding her hand. Why was Frankie smiling?
Jazz looked suspiciously at the two Queens who had suddenly embraced one another. All around her everyone began asking questions in hushed voices. And then Jazz clearly saw Aaibhe’s face. Tears flowed freely but the Queen’s face was filled with joy. Ete was going to be okay ,thought Jazz.
Jazz looked at Queen Mab and although she was still her cool reserved self, she saw an expression of pleasure curve her lips. There seemed to be something else going on here, but what?
Morgan LeBlanc arrived on the scene at that moment. The Milesian strode hard across the room and immediately took Aaibhe’s hand and put it to his lips.
Her first thought as she looked at the dark blond hunk, was that he was definitely worthy of the Queen’s attention. He was battle worn, covered still in dust, black blood and other things she didn’t want to think about, and yet he stood a regal warrior.
He blinked himself clean and met Aaibhe’s gaze with his own and everything about the two of them felt right to Jazz. Somewhere along the trip with this big hunk, she had traded a piece of herself for a piece of him. She sighed and again rubbed her face against Trevor’s chest.
Ete had to be okay she told herself. The Queen wouldn’t let anything happen to her successor. She just had to be okay.
Trevor held her tightly and she could feel his concern in his absolute silence as they waited.
The murmurs of the others stopped all at once and the room was deadly quiet. Jazz feared the worst and held her breath.
All life felt suspended for one moment, as they watched Prince Breslyn get to his feet and turn to face them all.
He ran a hand raggedly through his dark blonde hair and tears rolled down his beautiful face. His silver eyes were bright yet unreadable. His lips trembled with a tentative smile, as Jazz watched him pull up straight and tall. She couldn’t imagine anyone not loving Breslyn, and she was confused as he seemed to puff up his massive chest with a great show of pride. His eyes lit up and his voice cracked with emotion as he put up his hands and said, “Back up!, come on now, back up and let my Ete have some air!”
Everyone except the two queens and Morgan LeBlanc, who were already standing to one side, took a step backwards.
Breslyn suddenly grinned wide and Jazz didn’t know what to make of it. She saw as she glanced around that the others also looked perplexed.
And then Breslyn burst out laughing.
No, thought Jazz, has the madness overtaken him. Was Ete dying? No, it couldn’t be!
Breslyn brushed away a tear and laughed. He slapped his thighs and clapped his hands, then held them up in the air and announced, “My friends, my dear friends, Ete…we…she, that is, no, we are going to have a son.” He grinned like a fool.
“Or daughter,” Ete said softly.
Relief and laughter broke out followed quickly by back slapping. Radzia grabbed Jazz and hugged her and all the females began hugging one another and laughing with great relief and joy.
Aaibhe had been the one to diagnose Ete when Breslyn had brought his mate to her. She and Queen Mab along with Morgan LeBlanc stood silently. Their faces were alive with happiness as they watched their loyal warriors experience a few moments celebration.
Jazz glanced around and thought, even in the heart of war when they knew they faced their own deaths, moments like these made the world feel normal again. J
azz felt the wonderment of it all.
“I love you, Jazmine Decker,” Trevor whispered in her ear. “I am happy for them, for all of us. A new life will come to us, but now all I want; all I need is you with me and a time that can be our time. I am waiting for the moment when I can once again be alone with you.”
“Me too,” she answered and looked up and into his golden eyes. When she dug down deep inside herself, she found that Trevor and all that made him what he was seemed to fill her up and take over. He was her everything, her morning light and evening dusk.
“I am astounded by you and what you have accomplished in such a short span of time.” He said, his eyes and voice filled with admiration. “No other could have handled all the changes both physical and mental that you have been put through.” He sighed and kissed her neck. “I am driven by you and brought to life by you. My fate, my present my future is yours.” He snuggled her close and stroked her arm.
His words sped through her heart and touched places where nerve endings tingled and set her on fire. His touch was magic, the sound of his voice and the truth of his words banished all doubts about her future as an immortal.
All she wanted to do now was be alone with him. She wanted to hear his ancient Danu language and hear the translation in her head. It was a beautiful language. It spoke of love and he did it with such passion. Her body trembled at the thought and belief that they were sweetly bonded.
Suddenly Jazz felt a fluctuation in the atmosphere and turned to discover the most stunning redhead she had ever seen.
Jazz heard her soft chuckle as she surveyed the crowded room of comrades.
Holding the redhead’s hand was an enormous blond hunk that looked almost a twin to Morgan LeBlanc. It struck Jazz that this one, even more than Morgan had the look of Thor about him.
Jazz fixated on these two for a moment.
The redhead was clothed in a white tank top and tight jeans and her luxurious hair swayed with her as she walked. She dropped her mate’s hand and she walked right up to Trevor and took hold of his hands and pulled him in for a strong, hard hug.
Trevor was forced to drop his hold on Jazz as he responded with a wide grin and obvious delight. Jazz felt a dangerous tremor of jealousy.
“Trevor, oh my dearest Trevor,” said the beauty. “I am so very happy for you.”
“Red!” Trevor exclaimed with great pleasure. He looked over her shoulder at the hulking Thor type and nodded a silent greeting as he returned his attention to the beauty.
The redhead had already turned away from him and was taking Jazz’s hand, setting her apart and openly looking her over, “Well, well. So this is the Fios human that got through to my Trevor.” She turned to him then and asked, “What do you think of humans now?”
His grin was broad, his answer prompt, “I can only tell you that I worship at the feet of this one, my own Jazmine Decker.”
Princess Royce laughed and Jazz thought it was a musical sound. How had Trevor not fallen in love with her?
Royce said tweaking his cheek roughly, “That’s my Trevor!”
Jazz thought possessively, not your Trevor. She said in spite of her sudden territorial flare, “—Princess Royce, I have heard a great deal about you.”
Royce laughed, “Oh my, I hope you won’t allow that to tarnish what you think of me.” She eyed Jazz sweetly and added, “I have heard a great deal about you as well. You know Fae like to gossip as much as humans do,” she giggled. “Though none would admit it and I did hear that Trevor had been swept away by a Fios human, but you are not human at all, are you? You must sit with me soon and tell me everything.” She turned to the hunk hovering at her back and said, “This is Chancemont.” It was obvious from the manner in which she held herself and the way she gazed at the Milesian that she was deeply in love with him.
“Aye,” Chancemont grinned and said with his thick Gaelic accent, “So then lass, I hear tell Trevor poisoned ye with his Fae blood?”
Jazz laughed and said, “Trevor saved my life with his Royal Fae blood.”
“That shouldna make ye beholding to him,” he teased. “I can find ye another if ye so choose. A right strong Milesian to while away yer…”
Trevor shoved Chancemont in the chest. They laughed and then gave one another a hearty hands to arms shake.
Jazz smiled to see such affection between Fae and Milesian. She had always been warned as a Fios that Fae could only befriend one another. It was so not true.
After the newcomers made the rounds and warm greetings had been exchanged, Chance’s father took Royce and his son aside. Jazz heard a word here and there and realized that Morgan was bringing them up to date.
It was festive in the Queen’s chambers and Jazz found herself smiling. In some ways they were not so very different than humans. There was such joy at the prospect of a baby on the way.
Aaibhe brought the attention back to herself for a moment and said quietly, “Now that we are all together, I must tell you what Queen Mab and I have discovered regarding the Twalla.”
The laughter died down as they turned and waited for Aaibhe to continue. With a heavy sigh she continued. “Queen Mab and I have looked into my Orb of Time and tried to locate where the Twalla may have gone. We are now certain that it must have come with us. With the Danu dust and everything that came from Danu after its destruction. We believe we will find Twalla where the Danu dust was most concentrated.”
Shee Willow stepped up and asked, “I don’t know if my Sounder will work to find anything other than Fae artifacts, but I would like to try, my Queen.”
The Queen tilted her head, “You may wish to start at Newgrange in Ireland.”
Chance grinned mischievously. “Well, as to that,” Chance chuckled, “Well we won the war with the Fae alright. But there was a time when the land around Newgrange was covered in Danu dust. We Milesians collected it and over time ingested it. We found our little community forever changed. It was most plentiful at Bru na Boinne, what they now call Newgrange. Bru na Boinne was larger then; all those centuries ago, say two hundred yards larger than what stands in the Human Realm today.” He paused for effect as he seemed to be enjoying the looks that came over the faces of the gathered Fae. He sighed dramatically and grinned, “Then some years after we won the war and the Fae scurried off to Faery…”
Breslyn took a step forward at that and said, “There you go Milesian, getting your dreams confused with facts. You did not even come close to winning the war. Out of the kindness of our essence we spared you more causalities and left it at that,” Breslyn’s grin was naughty, belying the tough words.
Chancemont laughed and Jazz found she liked him. He had a certain cavalier charm to him that was most infectious. Trevor, however, glared at her and whispered, “You can’t seem to take your eyes off him.”
“Aww baby, don’t be silly,” she answered and laughed as she touched his lips with hers and felt a thrill rush through her.
“As I was aboot to say, we moved a great deal of Newgrange leaving only a part of what it once was. We took the land and many of the Sarsen stones with us when we created Dravo.” He waited but the Fae in the room with him had been totally unaware of this and stared dumbfounded for a moment. He liked that and slapped his knee with a laugh, “Ye dinna know that. Ha.” He eyed Danté and then Trevor before turning to Queen Aaibhe, “It is there, I think we should begin searching for this Twalla ye speak of for I doona think it could be anywhere else.”
His disclosure had everyone chattering at the same time, but Aaibhe turned to Morgan LeBlanc and said, “What do you think?”
“This is your call, my love.”
She turned to Queen Mab. Her white gold lashes were shading her iridescent eyes, quietly she nodded and agreed.
Aaibhe said, “Then I agree with Chancemont. We will start there, in Dravo,”
“Good,” said Shayne Bantry who Jazz had been told was an immortal Druid, and Shee Willow’s mate. She had no idea what their story was, but it was a story she
meant to investigate at another time. “Let’s get going then.”
Aaibhe nodded once more, but said, “In a moment,” she said and turned. “You four, my Princess Royce and Chancemont, and Shee Willow and Shayne may leave shortly, but first let us spend a little time together. We must celebrate this momentous occasion. We as immortal Fae are not often favored with the ability to have children. Children of Fae unions are rare. It is with such happiness that I congratulate Ete, my cousin and Breslyn, my faithful prince.” She leaned her head back and added mischievously, “And I find myself in agreement with Breslyn, I think this baby is going to be a boy.”
Laughter and jesting broke out again.
After a time Queen Aaibhe presented each with a glass of heavily spiked Negus and said, “It is for moments like these that we fight and maintain life as we know it should be and as it will be again.”
Breslyn nudged his closest friend and beamed proudly, “Danté, I am going to be a father.”
“By Danu who will save spare us now?” Danté grinned broadly. “You have always been insufferable and now…?” he shook his head, “And I, I shall be the
baby’s athair baisti.”
“What is that? It translates in my head as master of the child, but that can’t be right,” Jazz asked of Trevor in an aside.
He grinned at her, “No, not master, love, I suppose guardian comes as close as we can get it in translation.”
“It stands for godfather,” Z said brightly, “And I shall be his godmother!”
“No, you won’t, I shall be…!” exclaimed Aida.
“His aunt,” Z cut in promptly. “You have that title, I should be the godmother.”
Aida frowned but conceded this.
Deimne who had remained behind to do a fly-by and make certain none of the monsters had escaped into Killarney Village, arrived at that moment. He went directly to Frankie who had been sitting silently on the floor next to Ete and was still holding her free hand.
“What is it?” He smiled at his daughter.