Telophy

by Wanda Wiltshire

  He glanced at Finelle. ‘She’s very like you—when you’re not in disguise of course.’

  ‘She’s my mother,’ I told him. ‘And I need you to wait with her. Or better still, try and get her back to Faera. There’s a dark faery I need to see and time’s running out.’ The thought of Rual gaining control over King Telophy’s power while we stood here talking was sickening.

  ‘Marla, I am your friend and guard, not your servant—where you go, I go.’

  I watched my birth mother, small and shivering. ‘We can’t leave her.’

  ‘So we take her.’

  ‘What if she resists?’

  ‘We take her.’

  I didn’t like it but agreed, adding that it was not the right time to tell her my identity. There was no telling how she’d react, and no time to deal with it.

  I crouched down beside her. ‘Finelle?’

  She turned to me, slowly. Her eyes were lavender blue and filled with worry. She was the photo on my bedside table come to life. I couldn’t speak. And I couldn’t lie and give her a name other than my own. I swallowed the lump in my throat. ‘The man over there’s called Linden,’ I said pointing towards him. He gave a wave. ‘And I’m his friend.’ I lay a hand on her arm. ‘There’s something we need to do and … we can’t leave you here.’

  ‘I must wait. My king will come soon and take me to my children.’

  I glanced up as Linden joined us. His shoulders were broad and his arms strong. Taking her by force wouldn’t be a problem. But I thought of Leif taking me, how furious I’d been. It had turned out well in the end, but still … was it really our right?

  ‘Finelle, I know for a fact King Telophy won’t come out of the castle any time soon, and he wouldn’t want us to leave you here alone.’

  ‘How do you know?’

  ‘I can’t explain now. But if you come with us, I’ll tell you everything as soon as I can.’ She watched me, unmoving and Linden took a step closer. I held my hand up to stop him.

  ‘Tell me now.’

  ‘I can’t.’ I suspected she’d go to pieces right where she stood if I told her King Telophy had given up his soul for her. ‘But I know Marla and Lysander—they’re close to me. I’ll take you to them when I’m finished in Dark Faera.’

  She stood and released her wings.

  Chapter Thirty-one

  ‘I believe he is at the bazaar,’ said one of the guards outside Baen’s cliff-face home. I recognised him as Seius, the enormous dark faery who’d come close to challenging Baen over my brother’s lost soul. His eyes were fixed to the pink flickering beyond my shoulders. Mine and Finelle’s combined, a single shade apart.

  ‘You know he’ll want to see us,’ I said. Then hoping it would be an extra incentive to give us directions, added, ‘He once told me he had a fondness for pink-souled Fae.’

  Seius exchanged a smirk with his fellow guard before telling us to follow. Then he stepped off the rock shelf. Inches from the ground, slick black wings exploded from his back, his legs kicking out, knocking a passing dark faery on to his face.

  He led us to an enormous burned-out volcano—a vast crater sunk into the centre of the mountain like a pockmark full of seething colour. Even from the sky I could see the area was teeming with dark faeries, their squabbling sounds rising up as we began our descent. Lower still and the smells wafted up to join the sounds and colours. Spices, perfume, smoke. The thick odour of cooking meat coming from huge joints suspended over open fires.

  We alighted by a stand bright with blankets and furs, piles of cushions in vibrant geometrics. Dark faeries shoved and shrieked as they made their trade, stopping dead to stare when they caught a glimpse of us. Next door, plants and greens were tied in bunches, vegetables, fruits and bags of grain stacked among them. Seius grabbed a handful of berries on the way past, tossed them into his mouth and flicked a coin in the merchant’s direction. Everywhere, shoving and haggling and screeching.

  Seius cleared a path, kicking shins and thumping shoulders. I hurried along behind, Finelle at my side and Linden at the rear, all three of us riding the dark faery’s slipstream. We passed stores filled with jewels and clothing, or bowls and lamps crafted from coloured glass. There were soaps and candles sweetly scented, and birds and animals suspended from hooks and dripping blood—or breathing still, but crammed into tiny cages and squawking their distress. I heaved at the sight and linked my arm through Finelle’s. She seemed unaffected and it made me wonder what else she’d seen in this strange dark place before Rual had taken her soul.

  We continued on, past whips and chains and strange things that looked like they belonged in a seedy street, and stands with little to sell but the bodies of the writhing dark faeries within. Seius paused at one, tossing coins at a female before beckoning her with a bent finger. She left the others and joined us, cleaving to Seius’s side.

  Just as I was about to ask where Baen was, we reached the end of the corridor, an arch hewn into the wall ahead, a curtain of beads hiding what was within. Vanishing inside was a queue of dark faeries, the line stretching around the crater’s wall.

  ‘Wait here,’ Seius said and slipped between the beads as two dark faeries came out, one with a dead gadeer slung over his shoulder, the other carrying a huge jar, the scent of alcohol strong. Seius returned and, holding the beads aside, told us to enter before leaving with the female he’d picked up earlier.

  Inside was a cavern, the dim lights illuminating the blue and green marbling in the walls. Dark faeries sat at a long table poring over ledgers and handing out coins imprinted with Baen’s profile as they argued with those at the head of the queue. I heard snatches of conversation.

  ‘I earned more.’

  ‘I worked the wall.’

  ‘My time’s not recorded.’

  ‘Take it up with the master,’ was the standard response.

  On the other side of the room, great piles of bags, baskets of food, weapons and who knew what else were being sorted. Next to that was what looked like a miniature aurora borealis—a fog of shimmering, swirling colour level with the floor. I tore my eyes away when I heard a deep voice speaking my name.

  Baen sat in a jewelled throne overseeing it all—head high, muscles bulging and legs wide in that alpha way. Two stunning women were curled at his feet, their legs tucked up beside them. They reminded me of a pair of bookends. Each claimed a thigh. One trailed her fingers up and down, the other rested her head and clung. An equally beautiful woman stood behind him, running her hands over his arms which were draped along the armrests. The picture they made looked contrived, like they’d been posed to have their photo taken. I went to Baen and told him so.

  Baen laughed heartily and told the dark faeries to leave us. He took off his crown and flung it aside. It rolled across the floor and bounced against the wall as the faeries melted away, vanishing through a door off to the side. ‘Just trying to win back a portion of dignity.’

  I could understand that. The last time I’d seen him, he was gouged, burned and moaning—victim to Rual’s cruelty. I pointed a finger at him. ‘You owe me a favour.’

  He grinned, light flickering across his teeth. ‘Ah, you’ve come to collect. I wondered when you would. But what’s with the disguise?’ He reached out and tugged a springy brown curl. ‘I prefer you blonde.’

  I rolled my eyes before glancing at the guards nearby. ‘You don’t expect me to speak in front of them, do you?’

  A wave of their master’s hand and they too left.

  ‘What’s that … stuff?’ I said, pointing to the swirling colour. Finelle was staring into it, Linden close by.

  ‘Nothing that concerns you.’ Baen smiled wickedly. ‘I heard you made it out of the Dark King’s lair. I like to think I had something to do with that.’

  I thought of the green and glowing balls containing his essence, now stashed in a corner of my wardrobe. They’d taken away some of my anxiety, but done nothing to ward off the Dark King’s magic. ‘My betrothed came for me—just
as I was about to lose my soul.’ At the thought of Leif, a warm, melting feeling infused my heart. I pushed it away before it could distract me. ‘You were right though. Rual’s a master of deception.’

  ‘I’d like to know his method actually.’ One eyebrow snuck up his forehead. ‘Perhaps you could educate me.’

  I gave him a disbelieving look. ‘You really think I’d give any dark faery information that might help them trap a faery?’

  ‘Wise decision I suppose.’

  ‘Anyway, Rual’s cruel ways wouldn’t suit you.’ The corner of his mouth tilted up and I narrowed my eyes. ‘But I am glad you still want to defeat him.’

  Baen’s grin widened. ‘This should be interesting.’

  I looked around. ‘Maybe we could go somewhere quieter to talk.’

  He stood and called a guard to him, murmured something against his ear. I caught Linden’s eyes and held a finger up to let him know I wouldn’t be long before following Baen through the side door and into a room full of lounging females.

  Baen made a shooing motion with a hand and they got up immediately, swaying out the door like a conga line. He gestured towards plump cushions and went to the sideboard curving around the wall. ‘What can I get you—food, drink, something a little more fun?’ He took a small glass vial from the belt at his hip, and wiggled it at me before tipping a portion of shimmering grey into his palm. He took a pinch and inhaled.

  ‘I have all I need,’ I said, sitting down and patting the bag beside me.

  ‘And you wouldn’t trust me anyway. Rightly.’ He put the vial away. ‘But I make a vow to you, Marla—anything I offer you will be as untainted as that which your own king would serve.’

  ‘Except for that,’ I said pointing to where he’d stashed the dust.

  ‘Harmless fun,’ he said, pouring ruby liquid into two goblets and handing me one before sitting beside me.

  ‘What is this?’ I asked him, suddenly aware of how dry my mouth was. ‘Is it vegetarian?’

  ‘Wine of berries is all.’

  I took a long drink, then told him everything—from the moment I knew of King Telophy’s plan to the time I’d left the Dark King’s castle.

  He sat back and twirled his goblet in his fingers. ‘This is bad.’

  ‘And it will get much worse when Rual learns how to use King Telophy’s power.’

  ‘Why would your king do such a thing? Selfish really.’

  ‘As I said, he never intended to survive. That part of his plan failed. But will you help me get him back?’

  He watched me, dark liquid sloshing over the rim of his goblet. ‘How do you propose I do that?’

  I took the drink from him, set it on the low table between us. ‘Challenge Rual. I know you were planning to and I’ll help any way I can.’

  ‘You would be a good distraction.’

  ‘I was thinking that.’

  He picked up the goblet and drank what was left. ‘And perhaps, my eyes.’

  I didn’t know what he was talking about so waited for more.

  ‘It will be dangerous. Lives will be lost.’

  I let out a sigh. ‘I know that … but there’s this one small window of opportunity. When I left Rual, he was exploding random things all over the place. Imagine the death and destruction he’ll cause when he has control of all that power.’

  ‘If I fail, I die. There’s no question.’

  I leaned forward. ‘Together we can do this, Baen.’ I didn’t know how, but I knew it was true.

  The words had only just left my mouth when there was a blood-chilling scream, cut off abruptly as though it had been sliced in two. Ice flooded my veins. I leapt to my feet and ran back into the cavern. Neither Finelle nor Linden were anywhere to be seen. ‘Where are they?’ I hollered at the guards standing by the shifting colours. They watched me, silent. ‘Tell me!’

  ‘What’s in it for them?’ Baen said, as he came through the door behind me.

  ‘Are you kidding me?’ My insides were burning up, adrenalin racing through my veins. ‘That’s my mother!’ I pressed my palms to my temples, paced back and forth, looking up as Linden came in from outside.

  ‘She’s gone,’ I cried, running to him. ‘Where did she go? You were supposed to stay with her!’

  ‘I was gone only a moment,’ he said as he rushed to the shimmering colour and dropped to his knees. ‘She was right here.’ He leaned over and placed his palms on the surface, pressed down. To my shock, his hands sank into the floor, his wrists. And then pale fingers came up through the swirling colour, latching on to his forearm. I grabbed him, tried to pull him away. He slid from my grip and I screamed as he vanished into the ground.

  Horrified, I turned on Baen. He shrugged and said, ‘I suppose I should have told them to stay away from there.’

  I didn’t bother begging, even asking questions—just closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and stepped into the swirling colour. It was like sinking into a giant marshmallow. Soft, spongy walls slowed my fall, closing around me and filling my nose and ears. I couldn’t breathe or even make a sound. All my senses were lost. And then the feeling was gone and I was standing in a tunnel. The air was cold, and the smell of damp was thick. Behind me was the only source of light, a swirling shimmer of aurora spread across the ground.

  Up ahead were sounds of struggle. I took a step and something brushed my face like spiders. Muffling my scream, I whacked it away, looking up to see a network of fine strands falling through a ceiling of packed dirt and rock. I ran, the sounds growing louder.

  I burst into a cave of near darkness, Linden locked in battle with two shadow faeries, their saucer eyes glowing and blades drawn and slashing. A third lay on the floor groaning, blood spilling from his thin and pasty chest. A fourth and fifth had my mother up against the wall. One was locked to her throat, the other her wrist, their strange grey limbs holding her fast as her light seeped into them.

  Without stopping to think, I launched myself at Finelle’s attackers, kicking at one and tearing at the other’s hair. They persevered for a few seconds, then turned in unison. Finelle slumped silently to the floor as they came at me, blades raised, pale skin glowing. I backed away, changing direction to bring me closer to Linden. And then the creatures rushed at me, pushing me down. I rolled away and leapt to my feet.

  Linden yelled my name and I turned to see him coming, fists striking the shadow faeries crowding me.

  I scrambled from the fray and over to Finelle. She was speaking but I couldn’t hear. I reached under her arms, heaved her up. She swayed and then Linden was there, taking her weight. He threw her over his shoulder like a sack of rice. ‘Marla, run,’ he yelled.

  I hit the tunnel after him, Finelle’s arm limp over his shoulder. Her hand lifted to me and I heard her say, ‘My daughter,’ before her head rolled to the side.

  ‘Hurry,’ Linden called.

  I was right behind him—a metre at most, but as he dived into the swirling colour, my mother in his arms, I felt something grab the back of my dress. I didn’t scream. If I did, Linden might hear. He’d turn back. I was dragged back into the cave, my screams coming only when I saw it filling up with shadow faeries.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Ten, fifteen, perhaps twenty shadow faeries gathered around me as I was thrown to the floor. Memories burst to life. Strange things. Mum telling me when she went to the dentist, she’d always remember how horrible it was the last time.

  The creatures forced me down. I thought of what Nian said about making the pulse points available. But none of it mattered— there were too many.

  And then a booming voice called, ‘Stop.’

  ‘This faery came to us,’ a shadow creature growled, dragging me up. I could feel hot breath on my neck. He stepped back, taking me with him.

  ‘And if you think having her is worth breaking our agreement,’ Baen said, ‘then please, carry on.’

  ‘You would not,’ a different shadow faery said.

  ‘Wouldn’t I?’ Baen stared
her down with burning eyes. ‘How much sun does her little body carry anyway? Hardly seems worth the price.’

  ‘What would you do if you broke our agreement?’ another shadow faery snarled. ‘How would you keep your subjects loyal?’

  ‘You depend on us.’ The first again, his nails digging into my flesh.

  ‘Not as much as you depend on me,’ Baen replied casually. ‘And if you want to keep what I give, there is no choice for you—I want her back.’

  Growls and murmurings of dissent. ‘She knows too much.’

  Baen shrugged. ‘It was you did all the talking. And if you don’t let her go, I will see every faery knows your secrets. I don’t need your lot anyway.’

  ‘You made a vow,’ hissed the shadow creature holding me.

  ‘You think that would stop me?’ Baen barked out a laugh. ‘I’d find a way around it and you know it.’

  They shoved me towards Baen. Hard. He caught me in one arm, as though I were a doll. ‘Wise decision,’ he said. His eyes were glued to them as he ushered me ahead of him towards the tunnel.

  I forced myself to move. ‘What is this?’ I asked him, glad he couldn’t see my face. ‘Why are there shadow faeries in Dark Faera?’

  ‘Ask no questions, get told no lies, Marla.’ He took my hand, and together we stepped into the swirling colour. It wasn’t till I’d reached the other side that I realised I shouldn’t have been seen by the Shadow Fae with Naobe’s magic on me. I glanced down. Every trace of golden glitter was gone. Whatever that strange substance I’d passed through was, it had washed every trace of dark magic away.

  ‘Now where were we?’ Baen said, cool and calm. ‘About to discuss a price, I believe.’

  Finelle was a heap in Linden’s arms, and from what I could tell, unconscious. I glared at Baen. ‘My mother needs help.’

  ‘Don’t look at me like that. I just saved your life. You’d be torn apart by now and every one of those Shadow Fae would be feasting on your sun.’ He strode towards the entry and told us to follow, dark faeries bowing and dropping to their knees around him.