by Mary Morgan
The children all nodded and as they took their leave, they made slight bows to him in passing.
Keeping his hands clasped behind his back, he noticed wariness in Ivy’s eyes. “You are well?”
Smoothing out her dress, she stood. “Yes. Thank you for saving my life. But why didn’t you take me to the nearest hospital?”
“There was a crash involving the vehicle you were in and my motorcycle. Unfortunately, time was critical, and you required immediate medical attention.”
Frowning, Ivy moved forward. “How did you manage to get me here? Magic?”
He arched a brow. “I have friends in the animal kingdom. I called forth a horse, and we were able to travel the landscape quickly.”
“Wow…remarkable.” She twisted her hands together. “What happened to Mike Banister?”
“You no longer have to worry about him.”
“He died in the accident?”
“Yes,” Conn lied.
Ivy nodded. “Good. Less work for the police.”
He shifted slightly. Did she know how much he ached? “Do you find my chambers comfortable?”
A flash of humor crossed her face. “They’re more than comfortable. You have an entire forest and waterfall contained all for your pleasure. Don’t get me started on your book collection, though I couldn’t read most of them.”
“They provide the necessary solitude. The books are a collection of the many languages over the centuries. I am sorry I did not pull out those in English for you to read.”
She started to reach out to him, but hesitated. “You never shared everything about yourself. Why?”
“At the time when we were together, I was a Fenian warrior, not the Fae prince.”
Ivy took another step closer, her scent surrounding him. “What changed?”
By the Gods, he wanted to touch her skin. He ached to devour her sweet lips, smother her face with kisses, and whisk her away. “In order to save your life, I made a bargain with the king. I have left the Brotherhood and will take my place as heir to the throne.”
Her eyes misted with unshed tears. “Yes, the healer Kaelan told me this, but he didn’t tell me there were strings attached to this deal. So, you can never return to…above? With me?”
“No,” he replied in a hoarse voice.
“Too much for a prince to love a human?”
Her words were like a dagger to his heart. “It is not my decision.”
A single tear slipped down her cheek. “No, I suppose you could not go against your family, laws, or whatever. But thank you. I owe you so much for giving me courage to step out of my shell.”
He clenched his hands tighter behind him. “It was there within you all the time. It only required coaxing.”
She swallowed and standing on her tiptoes, Ivy kissed his cheek. “I will love you forever, my Celt. Be happy.”
Conn was unable to move, words of love frozen inside his heart. His mind screamed at him, but he locked them far away. “I shall remember you always,” he whispered.
Raw hurt glittered in those aqua eyes he adored as he watched her turn and walk quietly out of the library.
And Conn let out an anguished moan.
****
“Are you ready?” asked Taran, coming alongside him at the forest’s entrance to the human world.
Conn glanced sideways at his friend. “Do you have the required information?”
The warrior snarled and pulled out his dirk. “The bastard is currently residing in the northern part of Ireland. A town called Cragan.”
Removing his sword from its sheath, Conn held it up to the light. “Remember, Mike Banister is mine.”
Taran’s voice hardened ruthlessly. “A shame I cannot take a slice at the man.”
“Regrettably, his death will not come by my hand.”
His friend snarled. “Where?”
“Undecided.” Conn gestured the Fae forward. “Lead onward.”
In a flash, both warriors passed into the human realm. Light rain greeted the two men as they emerged and steadily made their way to the small town. The gray light only added to the dismal atmosphere of the place. A dog darted out from behind a garbage can, giving them only a passing glance as he ran across the street. If Mike Banister wished to disappear from the Garda, he chose a perfect place to withdraw.
“He keeps a small place around the next bend,” uttered Taran, keeping his focus steady.
“Weapons?”
“An arsenal.”
“Back entrance?”
“Door and large kitchen window.”
“Any visitors?”
“None since he’s arrived.”
Conn’s smile became sinister. “Good. All the more easier to displace him permanently.” He wanted no trace to lead back to Ivy once she returned to the village.
As they approached the road leading to Banister’s house, Conn motioned for Taran to go around the back. With stealth-like moves, Conn made his way to a cluster of trees and crouched behind them. Keeping his gaze and concentration on the front, he waited for Taran to magically seal off the back exit.
When he heard the falcon’s cry, Conn vanished and reappeared inside the house. Instantly, an alarm sounded.
“Shit,” he hissed out, drawing forth his blade. Mike Banister appeared with a loaded rifle aimed right at his head. A wicked scar across his brow was evident in the fading light.
“Wrong choice of weapon to bring to a fight,” stated Mike.
The man’s words seemed worn, thin, and hollow, used so often by shallow men.
“Ahh…but I disagree. Perfect to where I’ll be sending you.” Conn moved toward the bastard.
“Stop!” he ordered. “Take another step, and I’ll splatter your brains against the walls.”
How easy it would be to snap the neck of the bastard. Conn would never forget the damage to Ivy’s body. A muscle twitched in his jaw, and he fought the urge to end this standoff.
“Now this is what you’re going to do—”
“I’m listening,” interrupted Conn.
“Shut-up!” he shrieked, spittle flying outward. “You and that dead bitch have ruined all my plans.”
“She’s not dead.”
The man’s face contorted. “Good. Then I can find her after I’ve disposed of you. You are forthcoming with all this information. I will remember to tell her right before I carve her heart out of her chest.”
Conn’s blood boiled, and his hand gripped the blade tighter. “Wrong. Where you are going, you’ll never set eyes on Ivy O’Callaghan again.”
“You’re an arrogant bastard.”
Conn’s expression stilled and grew serious. “I am my own arrogance, and I grow weary of this sparring of words.”
Taran had quietly moved in behind Banister, allowing Conn the advantage he needed. “Do you think you can fight both of us?”
Surprised by Taran’s outburst, Mike reacted and half-turned.
Bringing his sword in an arc, Conn used magic to freeze the man where he stood. Stepping forward, he removed the rifle from his hands and flung it into the corner.
The man’s eyes grew wide, and he struggled to break free.
Conn waved a hand in the air, releasing him. Mike stumbled, fear registering on his face. “What…who are you…monsters?”
Taran rubbed a hand across his chin. “Did you hear what he called us?”
Conn leveled an icy stare at the man. “There is only one monster in this room. You.” Shoving him hard against the wall, he leveled the cold steel against the man’s throat.
“Devil’s spawn,” gasped Mike. “Kill me now.”
“No, Banister. You shall not die by my hand. Your destiny awaits…in another time, another place.” He leaned close. “What you did to Ivy will be repaid to you a thousand fold. She will never have to endure seeing you again.”
Fear shown in his eyes. “What are you saying?”
“Atrocities, slavery, war—the Crusades were horrific in many ways. That i
s where I’m sending you, Mike Banister.”
Before the man had a chance to utter a protest, Conn whispered the ancient words and created an opening within the veil. The clang of steel, shouting, and dust filled the room as the vortex opened. Taking a step back, he knelt and held up his fist. “So let it be done.”
Snakelike tendrils gripped a hold of the man, and Mike’s screams lingered long after Conn sealed the veil. Breathing heavily, he waited until the last fiber of energy left the room.
Taran approached by his side. “Impressive. Never thought to send the bastard there, and so swiftly. You’ve mastered parting the veil extremely well. A shame you’re abandoning us.”
Conn stood. He looked at his friend and clasped a hand on his shoulder. “The Brotherhood will always be a part of me. Trust me, I have no desire to rule a kingdom or take a wife whom I will never love.”
The man shook his head. “Then you’re doomed to a life of misery.”
Conn’s voice was resigned. “Then I will learn to seal off the pain.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Hidden scars always find a way of tearing open, if you heal them too quickly.”
~Chronicles of the Fae
Hearing the bells chiming in the distance, Ivy leaned against the crystal doors to the garden. Though the sun warmed her skin, she was unable to stop the chills from entering her body—her heart. Each time she tried to close the door on Conn MacRoich, a memory from the past ripped open the hurt.
She’d spent the entire night tossing and turning within his bed, recalling every detail of their conversations, including the last one from a few days ago. Ivy wanted to scream at him when she saw him. Yet, when he stepped away from the bookcase, she stopped breathing. Gone was the man in leather, replaced by the Prince of the Fae realm. And her heart grew heavier.
He’d bargained his own life for hers. Could his pain mirror hers? Her love for him consumed her—making it impossible for Ivy to breathe at times. However, a part of her ached to hear what he never professed. Words of love.
He may have called her his love, but it wasn’t the same. Perhaps he never fully loved her.
Glancing upward, she shook her head. “You bring me into the light, but take back the most treasured gift you gave me. You. Or was it only a piece, Conn?”
Ivy wrapped her arms around her body. This was not her world. It was his. The longer she stayed, the more the pain would consume and destroy her.
She turned at the sound of soft knocking. Sighing heavily, she wandered over and opened the door. “Good morning, Ronan.”
“Good morn to ye, lovely lady.”
Ivy gestured him inside. “The bells sound beautiful. I’ve never heard them before.”
“Aye, they are.”
Collecting her slippers off the terrace, she asked, “What are they for?”
Silence was her answer, and she turned around. “Conn?”
“His coronation is today.” He retrieved her silk shawl on one of the chairs and held it out to her. “Where would ye like to venture today?”
Her heart pounded so loud, she thought it would burst. Squaring her shoulders, Ivy grasped the material to her chest. “There’s only one place.”
“Excellent. Where?” he asked.
Ivy draped the material around her shoulders. “Take me to Conn’s coronation.” Shock registered on his face, but she held up her hand. “I only require to stand at the back for a few moments.”
“I dinnae deem it wise.”
Ivy grasped the warrior’s hands. “Grant me this one last request, please? If I must give him back to you, I would like to witness some part of his coronation.”
He closed his eyes on a sigh. “Now I understand why my prince could not resist your charm.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
As they made their way out of Conn’s chambers, Ivy glanced over her shoulder at the massive room, trying to etch every detail into her memory.
Closing the door softly, Ivy placed her hand on Ronan’s outstretched arm. He led her along the corridor and down the marble steps. She traced her fingers along the vines circling the banisters. Sunlight, bells, and birdsong greeted them as they left the royal house. Moving the length of the inner gardens, they passed fountains and canopies flowing with ribbons. The scent of lush flowers filled her with each step.
Ronan escorted them around a bend on the path and through a stone archway covered in roses, gardenias, and lilacs. Beyond, the area opened up and she witnessed another crystal palace. This one in hues of green and gold with massive turrets on either side. Banners fluttered in the light breeze—each depicting a dragon.
With each step, they drew closer, and her nerves tingled. She bit her lower lip, but held her head high. Approaching the steps, Ivy took a deep breath in and released it slowly. The place reminded her of a magical castle. She counted four turrets, glistening like icicles against a sapphire sky. “It’s stunning. Beyond words.”
“Aye. ’Tis the Cathedral of Trees.”
“Excuse me, but this doesn’t look like it was carved from any tree.”
“They are inside.” The warmth of his smile echoed in his voice.
“Incredible.”
“Can ye manage the climb?”
“How many?” She turned her gaze upward to the open doors.
“Ninety.”
Ivy rolled her eyes. “I’d rather not.”
In a flash, Ronan transported them before the entrance of the cathedral.
Swaying slightly, she firmly grasped his arm. “You could have warned me.”
Ronan chuckled low. “My apologies.”
“Why ninety steps?”
“For the nine dragons that came with our people. They are the elders, the timekeepers of the Veil of Ages. Though they have left us, they dwell in the cosmos, along with their descendants.”
“I’m in awe of your people.” Releasing her hand, Ivy moved forward.
The cathedral was vast and filled with many of the Fae. They gathered around trees that did indeed tower inside. A soft glow of lights flickered from all the branches. Casting her sight upward, she smiled. The ceiling resembled the night sky, glittering with the brilliant light of stardust. It was a place of worship and called out to her. She ached to move forward and join the crowd.
When the first trumpet sounded, she focused her gaze to the center. In the far distance, standing under an arched trellis covered in vines, stood Conn. Her Celt was magnificent in his royal blue sleeveless tunic edged in silver and gold. Silver bands encircled his upper arms, and Ivy fought the desire to be near his side.
Ivy recognized his mother standing apart from him. She had her hand on a man’s arm. His features were similar to Conn’s, and Ivy believed him to be the king.
She stood motionless, watching as Conn took his place in front of his parents. She swallowed, trying to force the lump away.
As the second trumpet blared, Conn knelt. The king took the thin crown from the queen, and placed it on Conn’s head. Ivy barely registered the words spoken, but she felt them within her own heart. Bells chimed loudly and Conn stood. Beautiful song burst forth in a chorus of many voices. Offering her own words of prayer, she took a step back.
Fighting the tears that threatened to spill, she whispered, “I will never forget you. Years will pass, but by no means will there ever be another.”
“He did not tell ye?” asked Ronan softly, stepping beside her.
Ivy kept her gaze steady. “Tell me what?”
“That he was a prince? Left the Brotherhood? Gave his vow to his king?”
She sighed. “Yes, he told me everything. But he left out the most important words I had hoped to hear.”
“Which would be?”
Ivy let the tears fall freely. “Not once did he ever tell me he loved me.”
“It is difficult for ye to comprehend, since humans require the spoken words. However, a Fae professes their love within the mind, heart, body, and soul.”
She
shook her head in dismay. “And as a human, those same spoken words would resonate in those very places you mentioned.”
“If I can offer some insight, Conn did truly love ye, Ivy.”
Turning toward the Fenian Warrior, she placed a hand on his arm. “Nevertheless, it wasn’t meant to be. Please return me to my home. I do not belong in this world—his world.”
“As ye wish, my lady. But first, preparations must be made for your journey back to the other world.”
She glanced once more into the cathedral. “Will they take long?”
“No. I must send a message to another Fenian Warrior. Time moves differently in your world than ours. I must return ye to a certain point in time.”
Ivy frowned. “How long have I’ve been gone?”
“Many months, but dinnae fear. When I take ye back, it will only be a few weeks.”
“But who took care of my cat, Neala?”
He chuckled softly. “She was cared for by your friend, Sean Casey. Conn mentioned the feline when he brought ye to our world.”
“Good. I am ready,” she uttered softly.
With a wave of his hand, Ronan transported them to the gateway in front of the giant oak trees.
Ivy clutched a hand to her chest, trying to ease the pain of leaving. Unable to stop the flow of tears, her vision blurred.
Ronan placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “The warrior has informed Sean Casey of your arrival. He will help to spread the story of your recovery from the accident. The timeline has resumed.”
Wiping away her tears, she turned to Ronan. “Thank you. Your world is beautiful. I appreciated the time you took in showing me everything and being patient with all my questions. I will miss you.”
Ronan placed a fist over his heart. “I am your guardian, Ivy, in this world and yours. If ye should ever require my aid or have a question regarding your health, please call forth my name.”
“Health?”
The warrior smiled and nodded. “Your blood flows with the Fae. Ye will find that ye will heal quickly.”
She rubbed a hand over her forehead. “Good grief. Anything else I should know?”
“Only time will tell.”
“Thanks.” Taking a deep breath in and releasing it slowly, Ivy inclined her head toward the trees. “Take me home.”