by Liz de Jager
The guards do their best to prevent people crowding us, but it seems to make people more determined. I feel a tug on my arm and spin around, but the crowd’s closed up again.
Walking through the Unseelie Court’s camp is like walking through a nightmare. Creatures of all types surround us and my mind whirls in an attempt to categorize them. Ogres, goblins and a smattering of redcaps crowd around a fire, prodding at something in a pot that looks suspiciously still alive. I see a group of stunning women, Sidhe by the look of them, with fine features, large eyes and razor-sharp teeth. Their diaphanous gowns leave little to the imagination and I expect Aiden to ogle them. But he’s watching Thorn’s back with an intensity I find worrying.
He catches my eye. ‘This place gives me the creeps,’ he says. ‘Something’s not right.’
‘I know.’
The guards come to a halt and step aside, making space for a newcomer to approach. He’s dressed plainly in something like denim, but his presence is effortlessly commanding. He’s handsome like most Fae I’ve seen, but – for want of a better description – he resembles a romanticized version of a Gypsy prince.
‘Where’ve you been, princeling? We were all very concerned when you went missing.’
For a second I’m shocked by his casual rudeness, but then he does an elaborate bow and when he straightens his expression is impish.
Thorn laughs, and seems to release some of his tension.
‘At least someone worried, Istvan,’ Thorn says, grinning back at the man, leaning in for a loud thumping hug.
‘A lot of people worried, your highness. Your father, but especially your mother. It is good to have you back here and safe.’ His gaze takes in our bedraggled and damp group and introductions are made. But although he and Olga have met before, she gives him a frosty greeting:
‘If only the king had sent a message, we would have known to come here without delay,’ Olga says, her eyes cold. ‘Instead we were left in the dark, unsure of the next move.’
‘He is the king,’ Thorn says, his voice warning. ‘And the king is always right.’
Istvan’s lips tighten but he nods agreement, though I wonder if I imagine a hint of anger in his eyes. But then he looks past Thorn to include the rest of us.
‘Yes! Of course he is.’ His voice is just a bit too jovial; I’m not sure what to make of him. ‘Come, why are you standing here in the muck and mire? The king and queen await your arrival.’
Istvan gestures and the crowd opens a path. He leads the way, seemingly untouched by the rain and mud we’re slogging through.
‘So that was Istvan,’ Thorn says to me as we fall in behind him.
‘He seems pleasant. Happy to see you,’ I say.
‘Istvan was my tutor. He took on the role after the incident with Eadric. Without him I’d have been sent to a monastery for my schooling.’
Megan is quiet and I’m not used to it, so I wonder what exactly I’m walking into. I touch her wrist in Morse code. Okay? I ask. She shakes her head and looks bleak.
Our silent communication goes unnoticed by everyone except Aiden. Then we come to the royal pavilion itself. Here a cadre of soldiers with the most ornate armour yet stand guard, facing blankly outwards. Their gazes don’t even flicker towards us when we come to a messy huddle in front of them and push into the tent.
Inside, the tent isn’t richly furbished and the man and woman waiting for us look as if they’ve not slept in weeks. Aelfric, High King of Alba, dominates the space. He has a lot of charisma, I decide, but there is a coldness as he looks us over that I do not like.
Thorn’s mother, Dina, is taller than me, with striking Nordic features. Like her husband she’s dressed casually and she looks every inch the badass warrior I expected to meet. For the longest moment we all stare at each other then Dina smiles, brightening the atmosphere.
‘Thorn,’ Dina’s voice is raw with emotion. ‘Thanks to the gods you are safe. We were so worried.’ She doesn’t give him a chance to speak and wraps her arms around him. ‘Dear stupid boy. What were you thinking, running across all of Alba? You could have been killed.’
‘It’s not like I had much choice,’ Thorn says, annoyance tinging his voice. ‘None of the gateways belonged to us any more and my men were tired. We kept running to stay alive.’
‘That was reckless, boy.’ Aelfric’s voice, like him, is cultured, rich and lovely to hear. ‘Running to the Frontier, of all places. You caused us no small amount of trouble. Dina, let the boy go. You’re strangling him.’
Thorn is still while his father inspects him. There is nothing on King Aelfric’s face that indicates he’s impressed or unimpressed by what he sees. Then he nods and Thorn’s shoulders lower marginally.
‘You have gathered quite the group,’ Aelfric says, examining each of us in turn. ‘One of Garrett’s pups, a Kassan and you – what exactly are you, my dear?’
I’m startled to realize he’s talking to me. ‘I’m Kit, your majesty. I’m a Blackhart.’
He looks at Megan. ‘Interesting family, these Blackharts. Is there no end to your talents? Be at peace, little fighter. You are among friends here.’
My hand drops from my sword hilt and I smile weakly at him. Dina is still all about Thorn and she’s got her arm around his shoulders, speaking softly and rapidly. Megan shifts next to me.
‘We need to talk,’ she whispers. ‘But not here.’
She leans against me, her arm wrapping around my waist, hugging me close. It feels so good having her next to me that for a second I’m so relieved I almost don’t care why she’s being cagey.
‘Istvan? Let the ministers know we are ready for the war council.’ Aelfric nods towards Aiden. ‘Your father has been informed that you are here. He is on his way.’
Istvan has been watching all and steps forward, bowing quickly before leaving to carry out Aelfric’s orders. The queen gestures to one side of the tent, where there are low tables and cushions.
‘Please, everyone, sit. The council is scattered across the camp. It may take Istvan some time to locate them all.’
She grasps Thorn’s hand as she leads the way and I’m struck by how alike they look. And how close they seem. I feel a pang of loss but suppress it, focusing instead on Megan.
Olga lingers to talk to Aelfric for a moment and from their manner, I suspect that they know each other from old. Occasionally I forget that Olga is someone to be reckoned with, and has a foot in both the Otherwhere and the Frontier.
Megan nudges me, nodding towards Aiden where he’s hovering near the flap, a look of discomfort on his face.
‘How did you meet up with him?’ she asks me. ‘We’ve been going insane trying to get word to him and you for days now but every messenger we sent was blocked by Aelfric or Istvan. It’s like we’ve been prisoners more than valued guests.’
I look at Aiden, giving him a wink when he notices us looking. ‘He was at Olga’s, looking for help to find his dad. It’s been tough on all of us, not knowing where you guys were.’ I lean back against one of the cushions. Fatigue hits me out of the blue. ‘I am so tired, Megan. We’ve been on the run non-stop since the house disappeared. How did we not know that a dragon exists in this world?’
Megan scowls at me. ‘Let’s not go there,’ she says quietly. ‘Not here, anyway. Kyle’s been going nuts trying to figure out what happened and how they brought the thing over.’
‘Where are they?’ I ask her. ‘I thought they’d be with you.’
‘Marc’s not great. He got into a bad situation during one of the battles we had with Eadric’s lot. His arm’s broken and they had to stitch up a cut he took to his leg. He’s in our tent and giving everyone hell, refusing to let any of Aelfric’s healers anywhere near him. He’s freaked out by their magic.’
‘But he’s fine around me.’
‘You’re family. They’re not. And they are strange, Kit.’ She twirls her finger next to her head. ‘They—’ She breaks off and smiles as the flap opens and a large man wa
lks in.
‘Aiden’s dad,’ she says. ‘I thought he was physically going to tear apart the guards manning the perimeter of the camp when they wouldn’t allow us to leave. All on the strict orders of Aelfric.’
‘So you guys have basically been held captive?’
I turn to watch the tall man fold his son into a bear hug. I can’t hear what they’re saying but it looks how I’d imagine a reunion with Aiden’s dad would be. There’s lots of physical contact and punching and slapping in a way that’s somehow both macho and parental.
‘You could say that, except in everything else we’ve been treated really well.’ She ticks off on her fingers. ‘Food, clothing, hospitality. But no contact with the outside world.’
‘How did Marc get hurt, then?’
‘We joined a scouting party that went into the Otherwhere, thinking we could slip away and find a way home, but we got involved in a running battle with one of Eadric’s scouts.’ She stares at me intently. ‘Between Aelfric and his brother, the gateways between our world and the Otherwhere are sewn up tight. We were lucky to get back here even.’
Chapter Thirty
I try and question Megan more but she shakes her head. ‘More later.’ She jerks her head in the direction of Thorn and his mum. They’ve been talking non-stop, and from Thorn’s demeanour he looks to have been thoroughly questioned.
‘He is really pretty.’ Megan’s voice is soft and low. ‘What’s the story there?’
I look at her in surprise and follow her gaze. Thorn notices us staring at him and I grin at him, giving him big eyes. His smile back is happy and relieved.
I give her a brief recap of how we got to the camp. ‘And now I’m wondering if we should be here at all,’ I say to her. ‘Even if I want to help Thorn.’
‘Look, Aelfric told us that our dad knows we’re here,’ she says. ‘And if he knows, then it should be okay. I kinda understand why Aelfric’s keeping us here. He wants to limit information leaving the camp. The only way you leave the camp is through those gateways his sorcerers control. And, of course, he controls them.’ She sighs. ‘There is no way out. The guys patrolling the perimeter aren’t pleasant and any deserters they come across are fed to the wyverns.’
When she sees my curious look she shrugs. ‘Nasty smelling things that are partial to a bit of human meat.’ She shudders.
‘Why are we sitting here?’ I ask her. ‘Can’t we go see Marc and Kyle?’
‘Not until your boyfriend’s mum tells us it’s okay to go.’
‘What?’
‘Etiquette, Kit. We can’t come and go without Dina or Aelfric’s say-so.’
‘That’s stupid,’ I say, annoyed. ‘I’d really like to see my cousins and meet Aiden’s dad and his brothers.’
I stand up and she follows suit.
‘I’m off to go check on my cousins,’ I say to Thorn, doing my best to ignore his mum’s look of surprise at my intrusion on their talk. ‘My cousin Marc’s been hurt and I want to make sure he’s okay.’
Thorn excuses himself to his mum and walks towards me.
‘I’m sorry to hear that. I can arrange an escort for you.’
‘Don’t be silly,’ I say with a laugh. ‘We’re capable of looking after ourselves.’
‘I’ll come with you, then, to make sure.’ His glance slides to Megan, who’s trying not to look worried at my rude behaviour and flouting of etiquette. ‘I’ll be a moment only.’
He turns and walks back to Queen Dina, ignoring the councillors who have entered the tent and are now in discussion with his father. His mother’s looking at me as he speaks and I do my best to keep my face impassive.
‘We are in trouble now. Mama is not at all happy with Thorn running off with you again,’ Megan breathes. ‘She’s glaring like she wants to eat you for dinner.’
‘Thanks, that makes me feel safe,’ I whisper back and jerk with fright when Thorn comes up next to me.
‘Come, I’ll escort you to your tent.’
The camp here is as busy as the Unseelie camp, but there’s less sense of menace. Even so, I keep my hand on my sword hilt and feel eyes assessing me as I walk next to Thorn. I know that compared to some of the warriors we’ve seen I look less than impressive, but Jamie’s fond of saying that image only counts for so much.
Megan leads us to a tent about the size of my bedroom at the Manor, which houses three cots. Marc’s standing upright with Kyle’s help in the middle of the tent, struggling to put on a clean shirt. They look up when we come in and are clearly delighted to see me.
I admit to squeaking and acting like a real girl. But there is no reason for Marc to let out quite the exaggerated ‘oophh’ as I connect with his chest. Then I’m in a Kit sandwich, hugged between Megan, Marc and Kyle.
‘You got shish-kebabed,’ I say to Marc, pulling back and looking at him. ‘Jamie won’t be impressed.’
Marc’s handsome face pulls into a grimace. ‘Don’t remind me. Megan’s already working out a whole new exercise regime for when I’m better.’
I am relieved to see him okay, even if he’s bruised and full of holes. It also looks as if he’s lost some weight, like Megan. Kyle, on the other hand, is still a hundred per cent himself, even if he looks not to have slept for a while.
‘Don’t get me wrong, Kyle, I’m happy to see you, but you’re not okay, are you?’
The smile he gives me is sweet but anaemic. ‘I’m on logistics detail,’ he says, keeping his voice low. ‘I’m keeping track of the network ferrying supplies and goods across to the two sides of Aelfric’s army. I’m exhausted. I don’t think I’ve slept since we stumbled across everyone here.’
‘Are you going to introduce us at some stage?’ Marc asks, nodding to something behind me. I turn to find Thorn standing behind me, watching our reunion.
‘I’m so sorry. Thorn, meet my cousins. Kyle, only about a month younger than me, but far more clever. Then this is Marc, Megan’s twin. He likes to think he’s the boss of us. Or we let him think that.’
There’s much friendly greeting and the tension hanging over us all lightens for a moment.
Thorn turns back to me and his smile is sweet. ‘I’ve got to go. My mother wants me where she can see me. For a little while at least. My brothers are on their way back from Alba and she wants me there when they get back.’
I nod and walk with him towards the exit.
‘Your cousins are very fond of you,’ he says, pausing for a moment.
‘Family,’ I say, shrugging. He huffs out a laugh and nods.
‘I know. Can’t live with them and can’t live without them.’
As I turn to leave he catches my hand and runs his long fingers through mine briefly, before letting my hand drop. ‘Stay out of trouble, Blackhart,’ he says earnestly. ‘Promise me.’
I grin and shove the hand he’s just touched, the one that’s tingling, deep into my jeans pocket. ‘No promises in times of love and war, Thorn, don’t you know anything?’
He shakes his head, still smiling, before ducking back out. Four soldiers stand outside the tent flap and form up around him as he leaves.
I waste no time getting back to my cousins. Marc’s taken his seat on his bed and he’s wearing his shirt, but it sits awkwardly because of the bandages. Overall, though, he looks more steady.
‘Really?’ I say, raising my eyebrows. ‘Forays into Alba? More than one?’
Both Megan and Marc have the grace to look uncomfortable.
‘They’ve been going in and coming back with information about Eadric’s movements. Carrying dispatches and stuff.’ This comes from Kyle, who glares between his siblings in an uncharacteristic display of anger. ‘You try and tell them that it’s not safe, because they sure as hell don’t bother listening to me.’
‘Without that information . . .’ Marc waves his hand. ‘We’ll be going in blind when the time comes for attack.’
‘But it doesn’t mean you have to go, does it?’ Kyle says fiercely. ‘Aelfric has his foresters
and his scouts out doing recon. You guys are just doing it because you’re bored.’
‘Kyle, we’ve been through this. We’ve been trained by Jamie; we know to look for different things. Has anything we’ve brought back not been golden?’
Kyle looks as if he’s struggling not to speak his mind and shakes his head. ‘Dude, you aren’t listening, are you? Eadric’s army is everywhere now in Alba. He has thousands of supporters. You have to stop and listen to what I’m saying here. Our home ground is here, we have the advantage here, not in Alba. Jamie’s trained us as well as he can but we are still just kids.’
Marc’s scowl shuts Kyle up pretty quickly. It’s the first time I’ve seen Kyle stand up to his elder brother. I’m not entirely sure Marc’s appreciating it right now.
Chapter Thirty-One
‘Kyle, listen, I know you think we’re mad doing this . . .’
‘No, Marc, you listen for a change. I sit here and I compile all the data that’s coming in. I am seeing a far bigger army in Alba than Aelfric has any hope of beating with his current forces on such short notice. I read the reports coming in from the scouts. I hear about the devastation Eadric’s army is causing in Alba. Aren’t you worried that neither Suola nor the Sun King have sent their entire combined armed force to Aelfric to use as needed? The two most powerful rulers in Alba, not counting Aelfric, are sitting on the fence. They are going to wait to see how the war goes before they decide who to support.’
‘Which is why it’s so crucial for us to go out there and to send back as much information as we can about all of this.’ Marc grabs his younger brother by the shoulder. ‘If Alba falls to Eadric and his cultists, what do you think will happen to us? Eadric has to be defeated or we will all be killed or become slaves to a raving lunatic and the gods he’s bringing back.’ Marc rakes his fingers through his hair. I’ve never seen him this unsettled and it puts me on edge. ‘This isn’t a domestic tiff Aelfric’s having with his baby brother. This is all-out war, Kyle. I know you want to keep us safe, but if we don’t fight now, to stop this, what are our chances of stopping this madman when he breaks through that gateway with an army of sorcerers and beasts that’ve not walked this earth for thousands of years?’