The Faerie Queen (The Faerie Ring #4)

by Kiki Hamilton

  “The Faerie Queen’s mirror.”

  Rieker’s eyebrows shot up. “Leo, I think you’d better explain.”

  “Mother told me about it…”

  THE NEXT MORNING Leo shared breakfast with Fiona and the children over a breakfast of poached eggs balanced in delicate china cups and a plate of buttered toast. They ate in an elegant parlor decorated in bright yellow and white making the room light and sunny, a sharp contrast to the dark, stormy weather outside. Wait staff in black tails stood at the ready.

  “Is your friend Johnny feeling better? He’s hardly eaten a thing since you’ve arrived.”

  “I know he would have been at breakfast if he could, Prince Leo,” Fiona replied, staring down at her plate.

  “Should we call for the physician?”

  “Do you think it would help, sir?” Fiona and Toots looked at him hopefully.

  “Well, he’s certainly having a devil of a time. I feel for the poor chap—throwing up everything he tries to get down.” Leo used the edge of his spoon to crack the top of the egg and pulled the little dome away. “He’ll blow away in a stiff breeze at the rate he’s going.”

  “We don’t need a physician,” Clara piped up in a matter-of-fact tone, “we need to call Larkin.”

  “Who’s that you say, child?” Leo turned to gaze at Clara with an indulging smile. The five-year-old’s wavy hair was like a golden halo around her head and she looked as pure and delicate as a little angel. A grubby pink stuffed dog sat next to her chair.

  “Clara—” Fiona warned as Toots choked on his bite of toast.

  “Larkin is a friend of ours,” Clara said, ignoring Fiona. “She’s very clever. She’d know right what to do to fix Johnny up.”

  “Fi—” Toots’s green eyes were as wide as two lily pads floating in his freckled face. “Clara’s right. That’s exactly what Johnny needs—he needs Larkin.”

  THEY WERE STILL at the table when Rieker entered the room. Snow coated the shoulders of his dark coat and a gust of cool air swirled into the room with his arrival.

  “Any success?” Leo asked.

  Rieker shook his head. “If Dain was at Grosvenor Square, he’s gone now. And to make matters worse, there’s a bloody hell of a storm on. The winds are howling, there’s a sea surge that could flood the coastal areas and it’s starting to snow.”

  “It’s probably worse up in Scotland,” Leo said philosophically. “Why didn’t Tara plan to accompany you there?”

  Rieker sighed. “It’s long and complicated. She felt I was the only one she could trust to care for the children while she took care of some problems that others felt only she could solve. But I’ll tell you Leo—I can’t shake the feeling I shouldn’t have let her go without me.” He slapped his leather gloves onto the table. “I knew better than to let her go. Now I don’t know where to even look for her.”

  “I’m going to call Larkin,” Clara said brightly, gripping a glass of milk in both of her small hands. A white moustache covered her upper lip. “On account of Johnny, o’course. When she comes you could ask her how to find Teek.”

  Rieker sat up abruptly. “Clara—you are brilliant! That is exactly what we need to do.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  “There’s nothing for it but to go,” Larkin said after they left Rory Campbell’s small apartment. “It’s obvious he knows nothing and even if he did—he’d never tell us.”

  “I have to agree,” Dain said. “We’ll never find it here on our own. Besides, it’s possible the MacLeod’s took the Faerie Flag with them to London.”

  Tiki looked away and gazed out over the loch. She couldn’t shake the feeling that they needed to stay. Why else would the Cup have released the word Dunvegan?

  “Tiki?” Dain touched her elbow, his gaze intent upon her face. “What do you think?”

  “Yes, I suppose you’re right. It’s just that—”

  “We need to find MacLeod and get some answers,” Larkin snapped. “We are running out of time! Hold on to me and we’ll go now.”

  THEY ARRIVED IN London within the small abandoned clockmaker’s shop that Tiki had called home just a year prior.

  “We’re in Charing Cross,” Tiki cried in surprise.

  “There are too many people in the City for all of us to arrive together,” Larkin explained. “We can leave here one by one and not draw any unwanted attention.”

  Tiki gazed through the dim shadows at the familiar space, a strange mix of emotions tugging at her. When she looked around this room she could almost imagine Shamus, Fiona, Toots and Clara here with her. Memories of the many nights they had snuggled amongst the rags they’d called blankets, reading stories by candlelight, flitted through her mind. How many of those nights had they gone to bed hungry? More than she could count. A pang of longing twinged in her chest as she thought of Rieker. He was as much part of her memories of this place as the rest of her family.

  The overturned wooden apple crate with a plank of wood that had served as their table still stood next to the rickety chairs they’d taken from a burnt-out flat in Drury Lane. The small box stove at the back—that had cast out enough warmth so they didn’t freeze in the winters—was now cold and dark.

  This place had been a safe haven when she and the others had lived here, yet now it was so barren and desolate—barely more than four walls, a floor and ceiling. She imagined the elegant beauty of Grosvenor Square as well as the opulence of the Palace of Mirrors and a surge of gratitude welled in her throat. Thanks to Rieker, she had a very different life now.

  Dain reached for Tiki’s hand and squeezed her fingers. “Loads of memories here, I’ll bet.”

  Tiki nodded. “It seems like last week we were plotting how to get the ring into Buckingham and then back out again. I guess we figured out those answers.”

  “Yes—” Dain’s brow flickered and it was as if a shadow had crossed his face— “but there are still some answers I wished I had—like what happened to Kieran and who was Breanna?” He ran his hand through his hair in a move so reminiscent of Rieker that Tiki’s heart jumped. “But I guess I’ll be thankful for having a family again.”

  “Rieker mentioned he has questions too. Maybe when the two of you have a chance to talk you’ll both learn something.”

  Larkin interrupted them, her words clipped. “I can’t go into London with you. You’ll need to go on without me.”

  “Why not?” Dain tilted his head to gauge her strange comment. “I thought finding the Faerie Flag was the most important task we had.”

  “It’s too complicated to go into now, but I must find the Jester first.”

  Tiki’s mouth dropped open. “The Jester? But Toran said Donegal had captured him. You don’t even know where to look. Where would you start?”

  “There are only so many places Donegal keeps his prisoners.” Larkin’s voice was tight. “The White Tower, the Plain of Starlight or the Palace of Mirrors. Trust me—the Jester is being tortured in one of those places.”

  “But that’s a death sentence to try and enter any of those locations right now,” Tiki said. “Donegal is trying to kill us all. You’d walk right into his arms and offer yourself up?”

  “Don’t be foolish,” Larkin snapped. Her eyes narrowed and her fingers clenched in tight fists. “You think I’ve survived this long without knowing who and what I’m dealing with?”

  “A’ine Fiachna Erinn Lasair, come to me.” The words were faint, as if spoken from a great distance.

  Tiki jumped to her feet, her eyes wide with panic. “Who said that?”

  Larkin looked as startled as Tiki. “I need to go.”

  “No. Wait.” Tiki blinked but the space where the faerie had stood a second ago was empty. Larkin was gone.

  “Where’d she go?” Dain looked around in surprise. “I still have so many questions—”

  Tiki gripped Dain’s arm. “Did you hear that voice?”

  He nodded, glancing around the room one more time. “Yes. It was very odd—”
/>   “It was Clara. She knows Larkin’s true name. She can call her—”

  “But how is it we could hear her? Isn’t she in Scotland?”

  “She’s supposed to be,” Tiki said. “Something must be wrong. We need to go check on her.”

  “How? We don’t know where she is.”

  LESS THAN FIFTEEN minutes had passed when Larkin returned and she wasn’t alone.

  “William!” Tiki gasped and jumped to her feet. “Is it really you?”

  “He had Clara call me,” Larkin said, her face twisted with displeasure. “The child was out waiting in the snow.”

  “She enjoyed it.” Rieker’s dark hair was wind-blown and his cheeks ruddy with cold. He was dressed for London’s winter weather in a dark coat, with a grey and black checked scarf he had loosened around his neck. “She was trying to build a snowman before you insisted she go inside.”

  “Are you all right?” Tiki cried, as she hurried toward him. “What’s happened?”

  Instead of taking her hand as she expected, Rieker wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close, pressing her tight against his chest. Cold radiated off him causing Tiki to shiver. “Thank god you’re safe, Teek.”

  “You’re freezing,” Tiki said as she slipped her arms inside his coat and pressed against his lean body to share her warmth. “Where are the children?”

  “They’re fine. They’re safe.” He threaded his hands in her hair and looked into her face, his smoky eyes dark with worry. “I couldn’t leave you to do this alone. I just couldn’t do it.”

  Conflicting emotions warred in Tiki’s chest. She was relieved to see him, yet, there was nowhere she considered safe, so where could he have possibly left Johnny, Fi, Toots and Clara?

  “I’m glad you’re here, too,” Tiki said gently, “but the children—”

  “They’re with Leo. Playing pony, no doubt. Safe in Buckingham Palace and having the time of their lives.” Rieker gripped Tiki’s hands. “It was the only spot where I was sure I could leave them without worry.”

  “Brilliant.” Dain strode forward and clapped Rieker on the back. “Glad to have you here. We’re going to need you.”

  “It’s disturbing that you don’t trust me inside Buckingham Palace, William, but better that you’re here,” Larkin said. “We’ve got much to do.”

  “And Leo didn’t mind?” Tiki searched his face.

  “No, he said they could stay as long as we need.” Rieker ran the backs of his fingers along her cheek. “And what of you? Have you learned anything?”

  “I have learned something,” Larkin said. Her gaze shifted to Tiki. “The boy you took in—the pickpocket—is dying.”

  Tiki sucked in her breath. “Johnny?”

  Larkin shrugged. “I suppose that’s his name. The one the liche brought to the Otherworld. I tried to warn you when you fed him faerie drink from the Cup of Plenty—”

  “I was trying to save his life,” Tiki sputtered.

  “But it also doomed him to life in Faerie. You should know by now that magic has consequences for a mortal. The boy can’t live in this world any longer – the food and drink are killing him. If you truly want to save him, he’ll have to live in Faerie the rest of his days.”

  “No,” Tiki whispered as unwanted images danced before her eyes. “What about Fiona?”

  Larkin’s lip curled. “Wasn’t it you who said better alive in Faerie than dead forever? The boy won’t last much longer. He needs to be returned to the Otherworld and cared for there. I’ll take him with me when I return.”

  Rieker gently squeezed Tiki’s hands. “Let’s get Johnny well and then we can decide where he lives. Tell me what you’ve learned.”

  Tiki quickly brought him up to speed on their search for the flag and the news about the Jester being captured. “We’ve just returned to London to search for the missing MacLeod but Larkin has informed us she’s going to return to Faerie to help the Jester.”

  Rieker glanced over at Larkin. “I agree the Jester was entertaining, but why would you risk your life for a man who didn’t claim allegiance to either court?”

  The air seemed to thrum as they waited for Larkin’s answer.

  “Because—” Larkin practically snarled— “he is important…to me.”

  Tiki’s stomach did a slow roll at the turbulent expression in Larkin’s eyes. Something wasn’t right. What was the faerie hiding?

  Rieker half-laughed. “That’s all you’re going to tell us? The Jester is important to you and you’re going to risk your life—to what? Save him?” Disbelief was thick in his voice.

  “Perhaps the meaning of the word loyalty—” she spat the word from her mouth— “has never been properly explained to you, but in my world it—”

  “Come off it, Larkin,” Rieker interrupted. “You’re not going to save the Jester.” His lip curled in disgust. “There’s something else going on and in typical fashion you’re not being honest with us.”

  Larkin’s eyes narrowed to deadly slits. “How little you know of my world and yet, for some inexplicable reason, you think you know it all. You—”

  Dain stepped between them and raised his hands for them to stop. He turned toward Larkin. “I’ll go with you.”

  Tiki choked. “What?”

  “I said I’ll go with Larkin,” Dain shrugged. “I can vouch that she knows more about Donegal than anyone outside, and possibly inside, the UnSeelie Court. If she says it’s more important to save the Jester than to find the Fourth Treasure then I will help her do it.”

  “Thank you, Dain,” Larkin said.

  “I don’t believe this.” Rieker slammed his hands on his hips and turned away, his shoulders rigid with anger.

  Tiki didn’t know what to think. She shuddered at the idea of the Jester being tortured as Larkin and Dain had been, but to try and sneak into the White Tower again or the Palace of Mirrors while Donegal ruled….her skin crawled at the thought. She spoke to Larkin.

  “At least tell us why the Jester is so important?”

  The faerie looked away, seeming to fight some kind of internal battle. Finally the words exploded from her lips.

  “Because he saved me.” Her turbulent gaze circled the group. “You three should know better than anyone that there is no escape from the White Tower without help. When Donegal captured me I would have died there if it hadn’t been for the Jester. He is the reason I was able to escape from the White Tower. He is the reason that I am alive today. And I won’t leave him to die by Donegal’s hand. Not as long as there is breath in my body.”

  The room was silent but for the distant sounds of the trains coming and going.

  “There’s more to it than that, isn’t there?” Tiki spoke with a quiet surety. “You said the Jester had never pledged himself to a sovereign—never claimed a court. Why would he risk his life to help you?”

  Rieker nodded, his face unreadable. “Tiki’s right. For once, Larkin, tell us all of it.”

  Dain shifted to stand next to his brother, a frown furrowing his brow. Identical in height, together they were an intimidating presence. “Yes, Larkin, I’d like to know, too. We’ve risked our lives over and over for the Seelie Court, for the Macanna, for you. We’re about to do it again and battle a war that we all know we’ll be lucky to survive. We deserve to know whatever truth you’ve hidden from us.”

  Larkin’s gaze shifted from Tiki, to Rieker, to finally rest on Dain. She pressed her lips together and for a shocking moment Tiki thought she was trying not to cry. Instead of speaking, Larkin sank down onto one of the rickety chairs and put her face in her hands.

  Tiki exchanged a glance with Rieker. This was a side of Larkin she’d never seen before. Was it an act? Or for once, was the faerie revealing a true emotion? And if so, what kind of secrets had she been keeping that would evoke such a response?

  Dain spoke again. “I’ve always trusted you, Larkin. Now it’s time to trust me. To trust all of us. Tell the truth.”

  The faerie lifted her
head and pushed her golden hair away from her face. In that moment, her skin was like parchment and dark hollows carved the space beneath her cheekbones. She looks beaten, Tiki thought.

  Larkin’s lips twisted in a bitter grin. “I suppose it is somehow suitable that we should return here to speak of this.” She looked around the room and her nose curled in disgust. “The hovel where I doomed Clara to live when I first left her for you to find.”

  Tiki had to bite her tongue not to snap a retort that the child had been loved here, but Larkin continued.

  “The same place where you and William plotted against me. My hideaway when I escaped from Donegal.” Larkin let out a heavy sigh. “It’s been a long road. Such a long road.” She stared at the floor. When she spoke again it was as if she were talking to herself. “I never dreamed I might be the only one to survive.”

  Tiki reached for Rieker’s hand and threaded her fingers through his, suddenly afraid of what was coming.

  Larkin looked up. “But as Eridanus and Finn saw fit to hide all four of the Treasures in the mortal world, I suppose it is only fitting that you should learn the truth of their plan here as well.”

  Dain sank cross-legged to the floor next to Larkin, his gaze never leaving her face. “Go on.”

  Tiki tugged on Rieker’s hand and they also sat on the floor, forming a half-circle around Larkin.

  In a mercurial mood swing so typical of her, a fleeting smile lit Larkin’s face and she reached out to cup Dain’s chin. “As you listen, Dain,” she dropped her hand and touched Rieker’s cheek, “and William,” her gaze flitted to Tiki, “and Tara, you must always remember we believed it was up to us to change the future—” Larkin’s voice dropped to a whisper— “and to do that we gave up everything.”

  Tiki’s stomach twisted and she fought the impulse to tell Larkin to stop. She had a terrible feeling she didn’t want to know what the faerie was about to reveal.

  Larkin folded her hands together and rested them in her lap in a rare moment of repose. “There is so much to tell, I’m not sure where to begin, but I think the most important thing you should know, William and Dain, is that the Court Jester in the Palace of Mirrors is the man you knew as Kieran—”