A Fey Harvest

by Sumida, Amy

  I was immensely pleased even though my Hidden Ones were absent. Arach hadn't wanted to scare the water fey with their presence and after awhile of arguing, I finally saw his side and agreed. I'd made sure there were plenty of pizzas sent down to them though and Arach was intending on taking Guirmean below to visit the lava lake anyway.

  Then a remake of Fever sung by Beyonce came on and Arach stood. I looked up at him in surprise and he held a hand out to me. I laughed a little but let him lead me out to the middle of the floor. All humor fled when he pulled me against him though. He started moving, his hips directing mine in an effortless slide that had me swallowing hard past my sudden nervousness.

  His eyes were starting to slant, his hands running down my sides, and then one slid up my back, holding me securely as he leaned me back in a slow dip. He brought me gently upright and then pushed me out in a swirl of fabric. At the last second, he caught my hand and pulled me in. I hit his chest and he lifted me up above him, then brought me sliding down his front as he spun us in a circle. When my face was level with his, he kissed me, his growl rumbling through his chest and into mine while Beyonce crooned: What a lovely way to burn, what a lovely way to burn.

  The music stopped and the fey exploded into applause. I blushed all the way back to my seat, nodding at the smiling fey who complimented us as we passed. Inside my head I could still hear those lyrics, they pulsed inside me, echoing a promise that I knew would be fulfilled later that night. I couldn't wait to burn.

  Arach helped me into my seat and Guirmean gave us both approving nods. “King Arach, you need to teach me how to do that.”

  “You just have to listen to the music,” Arach shrugged and then winked at me.

  “Or watch a whole bunch of movies,” I whispered to him.

  “Has everything been well in your kingdom?” Arach turned toward Guirmean, changing the subject before I could give away his secrets.

  “Yes,” Guirmean rubbed absently at his rounded stomach as he answered. “We've added more guards to both Castle Deuraich and the underwater barracks. I've withdrawn all of my fey who are not soldiers, to the cities and nothing is going to get into those without approval from my guards.”

  “Good,” I was relieved. “We haven't had any disappearances either. We've brought the pixies inside the castle and fortified the main defenses. The villages in the kingdom have been notified as well and have taken their own security measures. We offered rooms to any who wished to come and stay within the castle but most chose to remain in their villages. So we have the Hidden Ones taking shifts at the lava lake to watch over the villages, that way one fey can watch over an entire kingdom. Everyone's on high alert but it's been pretty quiet.”

  “There's been no sign of Ualraig,” Arach said, then lowered his voice, “or Kanaloa but if Ualraig's escaped into the Human Realm, it may be weeks before he strikes again, if for no other reason than the time difference.”

  “Well, it's already been a month since the last attack,” Guirmean frowned. “Gruach went into the Human Realm and hasn't been spotted returning to Faerie but if she's sneaking Kanaloa in, they may have been smart enough to get in undetected. I've set guards to watch for them but honestly, I still don't believe it's Kanaloa. I think Ualraig is working with another god and maybe he knows we're on to him and has decided he's done enough damage. Maybe there won't be anymore abductions.”

  “I don't think we're that lucky,” I sighed. “There has to be more to this than just killing for the sake of killing. I think there's a method to this madness.”

  “What kind of method would include the death of brownies and air-sidhe?” Guirmean sat back heavily.

  “I think you're looking too closely,” I spared a quick smile for the phooka pups as they ran by in naked toddler form, a slice of pizza in Gràinne's hand and sauce all over her face. Her brothers and sisters looked about the same “Step back a little and what do we have?”

  “Missing fey,” Arach cocked his head at me.

  “From two kingdoms,” I finished. “Why would a fir darrig abduct brownies from his own kingdom and then traipse halfway around Faerie, steal his way up into the Air Kingdom, and throw two air sidhe out a window?”

  “He's collecting them,” Arach whispered.

  “I think so,” I said to Guirmean's sharp inhale. “I think he'll come after either water or fire fey next. I think he has to, in order to complete whatever ritual he's doing. Or rather, the god he's in league with is doing.”

  “You think this is a spell?” Guirmean pressed forward, looking down the table toward me.

  “Maybe,” I grimaced. “I don't see why else he'd go through so much trouble. Can either of you think of a spell that would involve killing fey from each elemental house?”

  “No,” Guirmean said immediately.

  “I don't think so,” Arach took longer to answer. “It would be a twisted magic, something dark.”

  “Well, duh, the Darkness is coming,” I sighed. “It has to be a god with dark magic. There are several deities that humans view as dark, they probably have access to all kinds of dark spells. I don't know of any besides Kanaloa who are actual gods of darkness but there must be more of them and it's possible that one of them is behind this. I just can't see why some other god who's never been to Faerie would suddenly start stealing fey. I want Kanaloa to be innocent but if he is, I've got not clue who the killer is.”

  “I see your point,” Guirmean looked over at the fey in front of us, mingling happily. “I just hope we can find this killer god before he comes for us.”

  “On that happy note,” Arach grinned, “How about a tour of the castle?”

  “You're going to take me below, aren't you?” Guirmean asked with such trepidation, Arach and I laughed.

  “You don't have to go if you don't want to,” I waved it away. “Right, Arach?”

  “Of course not,” Arach shrugged. “I merely wanted to return the gesture of good faith.”

  “Oh good,” Guirmean sighed. “I'm fine without knowing where your lava lake is. Frankly, I wouldn't go there even if I did have bad intentions toward the House of Fire. The idea of a lake made of fire kind of chills me to the bone and yes, I see the irony in that.”

  “Why don't we just have some coffee and dessert?” I smiled.

  “Coffee?” Guirmean piped up. “Like the Arabs used to make?”

  “Yes,” Arach waved at one of the fire fey and they went to fetch the French press I'd brought from home. “Vervain brought boxes of the stuff, she's addicted. I find it quite enjoyable too, especially in the morning.”

  “I like it with breakfast and dessert,” I looked happily over the plate laid before me. The cooks had made little blue cakes, the frosting whipped to resemble water, in honor of our guests. I love cake.

  “Here it is,” Arach took the french press and poured a cup for everyone.

  I instructed Guirmean on the possibility of cream and sugar and he fixed his to his liking, sipping at it in delight. I smiled to myself, taking a warming sip. I was gonna get the fey addicted to caffeine. That was probably very wrong of me but who cares, even though they live forever, they still only live once.

  We drank our coffee as The Talking Heads sang about burning down the house and the fey danced with abandon, working off all the pizza they'd ate.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “I think I need to return to the God Realm,” I said to Arach that night as we walked back to our bedroom. “Our conversation tonight has got me thinking that waiting here for Kanaloa to make his move is not the best course of action. We now know the identity of the fey working with the Darkness and we know he's in the Human Realm. I think I should go and look for him. I can get the wolves to help if I have to.”

  “That sounds wise,” Arach nodded. “Did you want to leave immediately?”

  “I'll go from the bedroom,” I nodded. “I wanna grab that handkerchief with the fir darrig scent on it.”

  With the magic in my father's Ring of Remembrance, I
didn't need to go to The End of the Road, the only tracing point in and out of Faerie. The ring would take me anyplace in any time, from anywhere that I was. So I waited till we were safely ensconced in our bedroom before I turned and gave Arach a kiss goodbye.

  “I'll only be a few minutes,” I waved the handkerchief at him.

  “Don't be late this time,” he settled into a chair near the window to wait for me.

  “I won't,” I looked down at the ring. “Please take me back to the God Realm, Pride Palace, a few moments after my last departure.”

  And then I was elsewhere.

  And back again.

  “How's that for timing?” I asked Arach, who looked like he had just finished lowering the hand that he'd begin to lower to the table when I left.

  “Excellent,” he grinned. “Anything helpful to tell me?”

  “How about the name of the goddess who's killing fey?” I put down the bag I was carrying.

  “What?” He sat bolt upright in his chair. “A goddess? Not Kanaloa?”

  “Yes and no it wasn't him,” I took the seat across from him. “Her name is Andrasta, she's an ex-lover of UnnúlfR's and she killed some Froekn in a way that made me suspect a connection between her and the missing fey. Then we found the fir-darrig and he confirmed it, she's been taking fey to feed to the Darkness. Oh and she's the Goddess of Darkness if you still have any doubts.”

  “No, no doubts,” he frowned. “So you think she's taking the fey as some kind of sacrifice?”

  “I think she's taking the fey for their elements,” I sighed. “Her magic was different to begin with, it wasn't taken from the sacrifices given to her by humans. It was an old magic, already lurking in the land when Andrasta arrived from Atlantis. I believe it offered her powers in exchange for her hosting it and she agreed. It's like she's possessed. She's never needed sacrifices before but I believe that with the opening of the Faerie Realm, she saw a chance to grab what her magic really does need, or maybe just wants, elements.”

  “Elements?” Arach's dragon eyes narrowed on mine. “Why would it want elements?”

  “I have a theory but I'd really like to run it by the High King,” I sighed. “It was something the fir darrig said. He said the Darkness was nothing, that it was loneliness, that it had no breath, blood, brine, or stone.”

  “Those are the representations of the Elemental Houses of Faerie,” Arach said in a deadly soft voice.

  “Exactly,” I swallowed hard. “The Darkness has no elements.”

  “It's loneliness?” Arach focused on me intently. “That was the word he used?”

  “Ah, see,” I smiled, “this is why I love you. You're so smart. It took me awhile to make that connection. It's the story, isn't it? The one the High King told about the origins of the fey. It's that Darkness but how did it get to the Human Realm?”

  “I don't know,” Arach shook his head. “That was before I was born. The first time I'd ever heard that story was when King Cian told it.”

  “There was a time before you?” I gasped.

  “Very amusing,” his lips flattened into an aggrieved line. “We need to speak to the High King about this.”

  “Should we mirror him now?”

  “Later,” he pulled me out of my chair and into his lap. “I've missed you horribly and the thought of killing something has aroused me.”

  “I've been gone all of five seconds.”

  “Are you seriously going to complain about me wanting to take you to bed?”

  “No but you might have come up with something more romantic than the idea of killing something turning you on.”

  “The sight of you has softened my hard heart,” he crooned as he lifted me and carried me to the bed, “and hardened my soft cock. Better?”

  “Ahhh, you're such an ass,” I laughed as I yanked my dress off.

  “And you love me anyway,” he prompted as he crawled up my body.

  “And I love you anyway.”

  “Oh, thank Faerie,” he groaned and rolled over beside me, a hand over his head. “I'd thought surely you hated me when you didn't immediately jump into my arms at the suggestion of sex.”

  “Arach!”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  We were sprawled naked across the bed when the sound of chimes filled the room, so we both shot up and grabbed robes. At least I had thought we were grabbing robes. I went for mine and so did Arach, evidently he was more concerned with covering me up than himself. I didn't know whether to be flattered or not so I just laughed and pushed him in the direction of his own robe.

  We covered up just as the mirror misted over and then King Cian's face was filling it. I sat down in the chair in front of the vanity table and Arach stayed standing behind me.

  “King Arach,” the High King nodded, “Queen Vervain. We have more missing fey.”

  “What, is it water fey this time?” I huffed.

  “Yes, actually,” he frowned. “How did you know that?”

  “I guessed,” I said softly as my suspicions were confirmed. “So now there are missing earth, air, and water fey?”

  “Yes.”

  “High King,” Arach interrupted while I gathered my thoughts. “My Queen has journeyed to the God Realm and returned with news. She believes she knows the identity of the culprit.”

  “She does?” King Cian's eyes lit up. “Who is it?”

  “A goddess named Andrasta,” Arach answered. “She's the Goddess of Darkness.”

  “And ravens,” I added in a little voice.

  “Ravens?” Cian frowned. “That black fog we saw in the crystal valley, it sounded like birds when it escaped.”

  “Yes, exactly,” I nodded. “We found the fir darrig and he confirmed it's her. I'm just not sure how to stop her. There was an attack while I was in the other realms and when I pursued the trail I found, I was confronted with a very powerful magic. One much more powerful than what we've already seen traces of. I believe she's taking these fey to steal their elements and give the Darkness what it needs.”

  “The time difference,” King Cian nodded. “Of course but wait. How would a goddess gain access to the Faerie Realm?”

  “With the help of a fey,” Arach growled. “The fir darrig we thought was responsible for the murders. He's just an accomplice.”

  “Aligning himself with a goddess?” King Cian inhaled sharply. “Betraying his race? I know fir darrigs can be mean, even cruel, but this? That is too horrible to contemplate.”

  “It's true, he said it himself. He's also paid the price for his treachery, Fenrir killed him.” I said grimly.

  “Fenrir?” Arach raised a brow at me.

  “He needed some kind of satisfaction for his dead family since I told him he couldn't have Andrasta.”

  “Fair enough,” Arach sighed. “I guess you can't kill them all.”

  “The saying is you can't win them all,” I grimaced.

  “Not for me it isn't,” Arach grinned viciously.

  “Look, King Cian,” I tried to get us back on course. “There's a lot more I have to tell you but I'd like to do this in person, with the other royals in attendance. Why don't you tell us where the site of the water fey abduction is and we'll meet you there?”

  “Oh, yes,” Cian stammered, “Of course. It's Castle Deuraich, someone will direct you when you arrive.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “Vervain,” Guirmean took my hand, “oh damn, I'm so sorry. Queen Vervain. I've just... I can't think right-”

  “It's okay,” I gave him a hug and he kind of crumpled into me. “I'm sorry for your loss.”

  “King Guirmean,” Arach put a hand on his shoulder sympathetically. “It speaks well of you, that you're so distraught.”

  “Where is everyone?” I pulled away and looked around the entry room of Castle Deuraich. There were a few water fey wandering about, looking a little shell-shocked, but that was it.

  “They're at the location of...” he ran a shaky hand through his green hair. “They took D
earbhail.”

  “The asrai?” Arach's face went slack.

  “Another ex-girlfriend?” I eyeballed him.

  “Yes,” his voice was a little sad, “and one I actually cared for. I'm sorry, A Thaisce.”

  “No, it's fine,” I stammered, “I'm sorry too.”

  “She was a lovely fey,” Arach sighed.

  “Yes, she was,” Guirmean nodded.

  “Oh no,” I gave Guirmean a sympathetic face, “you too, huh?”

  “She was hard to resist,” he shrugged, “and I was the reason she was here. She would have been safe in the sea if not for my lusts.”

  “Stop that, right now,” I took his hand and eased some of my love magic into him.

  Just a little, because I knew that loss needed to be felt first before it was relieved. Loss. Shit, I hadn't even told Arach about my loss but that would have to wait. A lot had happened in the God Realm, a lot more than I had the time to tell him about right now. I focused instead on Guirmean and sent a few butterflies in to take his horrible guilt away.

  “What was that?” Guirmean's face had lost its haunted look.

  “Just a little Love,” I shrugged, “I didn't take away your grief, you're entitled to that, but I healed your guilt. You need to be able to focus on helping us find Dearbhail's killer.”

  “Thank you,” he laid a hand on my shoulder, much as Arach had done to him and took a deep breath. “That's an amazing magic you have.”

  “Yes, I like it too,” Arach eyed Guirmean's hand.

  “Of course,” Guirmean cleared his throat and pulled his hand away. “Please, follow me, I'll show you to the scene.”

  He led us up a shining stairway of polished, white, seamless stone. It echoed hollowly with our footsteps, like walking inside a conch shell. The acoustics returned to normal as we came out into a gleaming hallway. One side of it was open to the air, with only a delicate glass railing to define it. The railing melded into the view, showcasing the Water Kingdom without impediment. Salt-laced air blew in, fresher than any breeze on any beach in the Human Realm. This water was untainted by filth or decay and so the scent of it was cleaner, uplifting even. I took a deep breath of it and felt refreshed but I walked as close to the solid wall of stone as was possible.