And then I saw it. The door frame to the kitchen. Words were written across the top lintel and the side struts. I switched off the Sight, and the words disappeared. Aha! Fae activity. I switched it back on again, grabbing the doorframe for balance. I was beginning to feel particularly unwell with the jumping from Fae vision to regular witch vision. Another missile at my ankle. Fraidy looked at me with a sheepish grin.
“Guys, seriously. I’m trying to focus here. Quit it, will you.” I kicked the white stick-like thing away once more and then turned to study the words written on the door frame.
Duo on the left side of the frame. Una inscribed above on the top lintel, and then the word Una appeared again on the right side of the frame. These were words from the flag-crest rune. The communication ward. They looked as if they had been penned using cha--. I spun around to my kitties, who were sat side by side grinning at me. Fraidy batted the chalk toward my feet for the third time. Okay, so maybe I’m a little slow, but at least I got it on the third go. My fur-babies were so smart. I bent down to pick up the chalk and blew a kiss at my adorable moggies. “Thanks, guys, you’re the best.” Fraidy and Eclipse padded over to me to stare at the door frame with me.
“Okay, so what do we have?” I said, more to myself than the cats.
Eclipse came through, though.
“Well, the ward’s inscription, in its entirety says Duo Seculorum, Una Tellure, Una Spe. Or, in English. Two worlds. One Earth. One hope.
“Right, right,” I said in response, clutching the chalk. “So, presumably you need to enter the remaining words; seculorm, tellure, and spe,” Eclipse announced.
“Right, right,” I said again.” But where do I add the ‘tellure’ and the ‘spe’? top lintel or right?”
“Can you do it like a clock?” Fraidy asked, motioning his paw like the hand of a timepiece, sweeping it around in a clockwise direction.
“Good one, brother,” Eclipse said.
“I agree. Nice work, detective Fraidy.” My frightened cat grinned through chattering teeth. I chalked the word ‘seculorum’ next to the already present word ‘duo’ first. Then, followed with ‘Tellure’ and ‘Spe’ next to the two already inscribed ‘uno’s. As soon as I had finished the last ‘e’ of the word ‘spe,’ the living room that adjoined to the kitchen somehow folded up on itself. I can’t describe it any other way really. But, it folded as easily as a painted canvas, and all that remained was a giant stone door. Which swung open right in front of us. The light that burst through this magical archway was blinding. A high pitched harmonic ‘hum’ engulfed us. It was the wand. The flag rune was glowing insanely. And, I knew then that we had just succeeded unlocking the communication ward.
I looked down at my cats. “What did you two just do?”
“I Gave you a skeleton key to Mag Mell,” Eclipse said. “Or, rather, we hit your ankles with it. To, you know, point you in the right direction.”
“I’m still not convinced that was a good idea,” Fraidy said, nervously eying the now sparkly doorway.
Eclipse gave his sibling a brotherly pat on the head. “Your spirit animal is a lion, brother. Never forget that, ” ‘Clipsy said sagely.
“Is it?” Fraidy looked visibly surprised. “Gloom always told me my spirit animal was a dodo.” I reminded myself to have words with that feisty feline when I got home.
“Okay, guys, I have to get the last delivery done by four pm. That gives us about forty-five minutes. So, who’s up for seeing what’s on the other side of that door?” I clapped my hands together acting way more enthusiastic than I felt.
“Lead the way, boss,” ‘Eclipse said.
“Well, I - I did swear that oath to Lady Bast that I’d keep you s-s-safe,” Fraidy ventured
“That’s the spirit!” Eclipse said in approval. “And that’s why you’re going first.”
Fraidy looked at his brother as if he’d just told him his spirit animal was a T-Rex.
I couldn’t wait. “I opened the door,” I interjected. “So I’ll go first.”
I walked through the stone portal and into Mag Mell once more.
As I remembered, the landscape was verdant and beautiful. A cerulean blue sky crowning emerald, rolling hills and fronted by a dazzlingly white sand beach. But, what really got my attention was the edifice just in front of us.
The building was roughly twice the size of the cottage that we were standing in moments before. Its walls and roof looked like they were made from the same stone as the Myrdwen Cliffs too. It was slapped together in a pretty rude fashion like someone had used a bunch of boulders as Lincoln Logs. It had a bit of a curved shape about it that reminded me of Stonehenge, right down to the big, long rocks that made up the outer bounds of that ancient rock circle. The front entrance didn’t have a door. It was three times as wide as I was and twice my height. In other words, it was roughly the same size as the two trolls standing guard on either side.
I glanced back at the entrance I’d come through. The portal was just like it had been on my side of the dimensional hop, all bright light that obscured what lay beyond it. Weirdly, I could still see the regular reality of the cottage’s main room imprinted on the door we’d just stepped through. I was tempted to see if I could reach back into the real world by touching it. But, given that I had wanted to cross into Mag Mell in the first place, I decided to stick with what I came here to do.
Fraidy’s courage finally gave out on him as he hid behind my legs. “You didn’t say anything about trolls, ‘Clipsy.”
Eclipse snorted. “Not the worst thing we could be dealing with right now. Let me handle this.”
I wasn’t sure his Obliviscatur charm would work on his Fae cousins. But he wouldn’t have been that cocky unless we had a reasonable chance of survival. So I walked right behind his confident trot, doing my best to ignore the weight of Fraidy as he hung from my pant leg. How Hinrika managed to stand upright with eight cats clinging to her was beyond me.
Predictably, the trolls snorted and grunted as we got closer. Eclipse just glanced between the two of them and said, “Make way, cousins. We have business with the Autumn King.”
Apparently ‘Clipsy’s words were all these trolls needed. The snapped to attention and turned sideward, allowing us passage into the dwelling. I shook Fraidy from my jeans, and he trotted to be alongside his brave brother instead.
Despite the dimness, the interior of the temple seemed like an extension of the magnificence outside. While the outer walls had been stone, the interior walls were wood, the hollowed-out stump of a great tree that would have made a redwood look like a toothpick. There was a stone path laid out for us that led to the center of the great room grass and flowers grew from the cracks in the flagstones. Vines covered the humble walls, and hanging creepers waved their exotic leaves in the breeze coming through the now open doorway.
A great throne dominated the center of the temple, carved into the body of a still-living, medium-sized tree. Through an open hole in the roof, the sun shone a celestial spotlight on the important wooden chair.
“Look!” Fraidy pointed a toe toward the grass on the floor. The vibrantly green grass we’d seen just seconds earlier seemed deadened and withered. The tree throne itself seemed to be shedding crispy leaves. Eclipse, not able to suppress his cat instinct shot out a paw to bat at a falling leaf. These natural splendors seemed to be in the autumn of their lives, as evidenced by the decaying rust and brown colors that swirled down around us. If the plant life looked tired, then the throne’s occupant looked positively haggard. His fine silk clothes did nothing to boost his unhealthy complexion. He appeared more corpse-like than Hector, even. Shoulder length white hair tumbled in brittle strands around his shoulders, but it was his coal-black eyes that stole the ghoulish show. I sensed a kind of cheer in the glitter of those black pools. His smile beat Hinrika’s hands-down. A set of pearly whites neatly rowed, top and bottom.
“Greetings, dear cousins, and, of course, my other guest,” he said, rising from the th
rone. “Within these walls, I wish you alls, the very best.”
The worse-for-wear man squatted on his haunches to face the cats. Fraidy seemed like he was one freakout away from running out of the temple. The throne owner looked at my scaredy cat with amusement. “No need to test your courage, oh timid one. I meant what I said when I proclaimed that no harm be done.”
“He has issues,” Eclipse said, giving me a cocked eyebrow.
The man just laughed and affectionately rubbed both cats’ heads. They purred in response and he rose to his feet. Giving me a careful look, he said, “My Cait Sidhe cousins to me are known. But tell me, dear lady…what name is your own?”
“I’m…I’m Hattie Jenkins, from Earth. Um, for .. what it’s worth.” You wanna rhyme? Anytime.
Ankou, the Autumn King looked at the wand in my hand. Noting the glowing runes, he said, “No mere mortal stands before me. For who could set the Great Challenge’s runes free?”
I glanced between the wand and Ankou. “I still have my doubts about that, Your Majesty.”
He smiled. “Clever girl who knows royalty…where, pray tell, did you first hear of me?”
“Actually,” I said, not wanting him to get the sort of inflated ideas about me that Hinrika already had. “Eclipse, here told us that we were here to see the Autumn King. So, as you’re sitting on a tree throne. It didn’t seem like that big of a stretch.”
The Autumn King spread his hands. “Indeed, indeed. Cait Sidhe words you did heed.”
I remembered something then. “As far as I know, the Ankou were the last people to die in any given year. They then became something like the grim reaper in the afterlife.”
“In my honor are such spirits named,” Ankou affirmed, sitting back down. “But the process is trickier than claimed.”
“Well…no offense, cousin Ankou,” Fraidy said carefully. “But you Unseelie’s don’t work that hard at inspiring your own bad press.”
Ankou returned Fraidy’s observation with a shrug that looked positively French in its indifference. But, I was stunned by how Fraidy had so casually mentioned that our host was of Unseelie blood. Ankou noticed my shocked expression. “Yes, Hattie dear, I am Unseelie,” he said lightly. “ And, your previous visit here is now known to me.”
“Baphomet,” I guessed aloud. “I’m surprised he’s not here right now to be part of the welcome wagon.”
“Alas, Baphomet and Oof have much to atone,” Ankou said, his face turning grave. “It does not do to oppose the Dying Throne.”
Eclipse frowned. “But why? Because he took out that murder contract on Aurel Nugget?”
Ankou shook his head. “All things die, though they may not know why.” The Autumn King chuckled and folded his withered hands over his hollow belly. “No, my fuzzy friend, that’s not the reason. Baphomet is guilty of treason. He did not gain our leave to take out the contract. Hagatha Jinx was a forbidden contact.” The King spoke of Aurel’s wife, Hagatha, who had entered the contract to have her husband killed, by the devious, slimy Baphomet.
So, that hideous creature who had shown no qualms about taking Aurel’s life had done so without obtaining permission from the highest in the Unseelie courts, our Autumn King here. Fascinating, but this was old news. I wanted to know more about what was going on NOW.
“I know I’m not a relative like my cats,” I said, taking a step forward. “But would I be out of line if I asked you a few questions about…certain things that have been happening in our world?”
“It’s a question you have already spoke,” Ankou said. “But, never let it be said that I am less than generous to folk.”
I cleared my throat. Okay, now all I had to do was just ask the King of the Unseelie Court if he or his people were mixed up in murder. No problem…if you were Conan the Barbarian.
“Did you have anything to do with or know anything about the murder of Morag Devlin?” I finally asked, hoping my bluntness wouldn’t get us killed.
Ankou held up a hand and said, “By the sacred sap of this tree do I swear that neither my people nor I were ever there.”
“Phew,” I heard Fraidy mumble under his breath.
Okay, I thought. That was an easy one. Let’s try something a bit harder.
“There’s been a big spike in Fae activity, and let’s just say it hasn’t been exactly benign. Our world has been besieged by Unseelie hostility over the last several months…what do you know about this, and what do you have to do with it?”
Ankou shook his head sadly and gave me a look that seemed full of pity. “Though my court is not your friend, all’s not what it seems in the end.”
“Well, there have been murders. Too many for our isles. And, talks of dragons. And, the balefire beacon that wreaked so much havoc.” My nostrils were flaring.
Fraidy shot me a look and shook his head frantically. Eclipse gave me a similarly worried expression. Ankou took my borderline accusation in stride, thankfully. “Mortals stand up until they fall down. When that comes to pass, we can but frown.”
“Well, there’s one big thing that a lot of people in my part of the world would frown on,” I said. “The return of the Wyrmrig…don’t tell me you know nothing of this.”
Ankou’s pleasant smile crashed at the mention of the dragon king. He stroked his chin for a few minutes before finally nodding to himself. “Through the darkened gate, black currency flows. From our stony heart, the dragon’s fire grows.”
It took every ounce of self-control I had not to scream. Okay, the rhyming thing was cute in a beat poetry kind of way. And yeah, straight answers out of the Fae were a dodgy proposition on a good day. But would it kill him to tell me something straight for once? This last little rhyme made no sense whatsoever. I couldn’t even guess what he was inferring. I found it more annoying than the Infiniti’s con games, even.
“So where is this ‘black currency’ flowing from? And who’s doing it?” I snapped, my patience all but exhausted. And, what’s black currency anyway?
Eclipse looked ready to hit me with a memory-wipe, his staring at me was so intense. Fraidy’s head was turned toward the exit, no doubt planning his escape route.
Ankou gestured towards my cats, letting them know it was okay. Then he looked at me and said, “Is there a hope? Maybe a glimmer…as the fire grows, the steel shimmers. A young lad can, with metallic parts, forge a shield for the witching arts.”
The withered King rose from the throne again. “And now, my audience, we’re at a close. Should you need to know more, consult another who knows.”
The trolls from the front door stepped into the ring of light. It was unnerving how I’d never heard them coming. Was it the soft grass they were walking on or was it some sound-dampening enchantment that Ankou laid on them? Either way, even I knew better than to push my luck any further.
“We do appreciate you receiving us, Ankou,” Eclipse said, arching his back into a respectful bow.
The nearest troll grunted at us, his club hanging casually from his mammoth hand. We walked cautiously toward the door. Once on the outside, we picked up the pace and walked briskly to the portal that had permitted us access to this isle. The trolls followed us, the eyes menacing, and their clubs poised at the ready.
“It’s fair to say we nearly died, so now I say we run and hide!” Fraidy squealed, sprinting for the portal. I have to admit I galloped at a fair clip for the last remaining yards myself.
We were inside the cute cottage again. I had a lot to think about. Ankou’s riddles were going to take some time to figure out.
“We’d better get that last delivery done, boss,” Eclipse nudged his head into my shin.
“Right!” I said, glancing at my watch. “Hey, hold on, we haven’t even lost a minute!”
“That’s correct. The Autumn Court is all about decay.” Eclipse explained. “Even the passage of time is degraded while held in its courts.” I looked at Fraidy, and he nodded in confirmation.
“Just don’t go wandering into a Spring Cour
t,” my timid cat cautioned. “Because one minute there could lose you a week. Or a month. Or a year. Or a century. Or a life--”
“Yeah, she gets it, bro,” ‘Clipsy stated.
I didn’t ‘get it’ though. In fact, I didn’t get anything.
Chapter Seven
Millie twirled her peacock blue locks around her finger as I finished recounting my newest adventure into Mag Mell.
“Wow, Hattie. So, you’re saying that the applewood wand, is like, super powerful? And, you happen to be the one in control of that power?”
“Mills, I was hoping you’d be more interested in the riddles Ankou told, to be honest. I’m not thinking about this ‘Great Challenge’ business. I can barely even utter a charm, let alone wield the power of this ancient artifact,” I exclaimed, holding up the wand.
“Yeah, well, I’ve no idea what the Autumn King’s poetry’s about, but I suspect it means trouble if recent events are anything to go by.” I nodded my head in agreement and was about to run the riddles by my assistant one more time when we heard Fraidy’s voice, strained and querulous.
“What’s wrong?” He had directed his question at Midnight who had just reached the bottom of the stairs. My night prowling cat looked at his brother in confusion.
“Why would you assume something’s wrong?”
“You’re up way too early. So something’s wrong.”
“Ain’t nothing wrong with ME, bro,”
“No, Midnight, brother,” Onyx said from the counter. “Something isn’t right if you’re up this early. This is unusual for you.”
The Chimera Charm Page 8