by Liddie Cain
“I wonder if it is spreading across the ground or making new ground? This area looks different to me now.” Barden responded.
“I didn’t pay enough attention,” Aurnia answered.
“Me either,” Darby added.
“The Seelie mound is only an hour away from us, if it is taking up more ground we might end up with close borders.”
“My father can still make the lands grow and move the border back with it if it is needed.”
Barden made a noise to signify that he was impressed. “Didn’t realize King Egan had kept such powers.”
We kept walking as Aurnia responded, “As all of us, he fades in most. Honestly, it isn’t a power that is utilized often and it has been many years since I last saw him do it. Perhaps it has faded as well.”
“There are many human cultures that still speak of fire spirits, Egan did not suffer from modernization as the rest of us did.”
Aurnia smiled at him. “Well, most of us. Conall does not have the direct worshipers he once did but plenty of humans toast to his essence every day.”
Barden grinned in response. “It does not give him the same punch as it once did but, aye. Conall is still a good time.”
“A good time?” I asked. I still felt a little emotionally hollow but listening to them talk and the possibility that Felix might not be lost to me forever had me feeling a little more steady. It felt risky to feel hopeful about it so I was trying to keep my expectations low. The chance was still there to save him, though, and I was going to focus on it.
Barden replied to my question, “A long time ago, Conall was a god of revelry. The Merrymaker.”
Aurina added, “Such talents were always useful for the demons of hell and the Unseelie King was a sought after ally for them.”
“But he’s so serious most of the time,” I said.
“He is much the way he was before,” Barden replied. “Stoic at times. But he's always been good for a laugh. And he should have a better idea of what or who could overpower someone as strong as Felix.”
Fergus was standing outside the entrance to the new mound as we approached. He walked out to meet us and gave Aurnia his arm to escort her back inside. “Nolen and Powell are both awake and look as if they will be healed in a few days. Your father is aware of the new court and has assigned the four of us to remain with you as your guards with it being permanent if you wish it.”
“Perhaps Nolen, since he is the only single guard. The rest of you should return to your families,” she responded.
“Your word will be law, my Queen. But I spoke to Kenna and she would like to join us here and be a part of the building of your court.”
“I adore your wife, as you well know. I would be very happy if she wanted to make this new court your home,” she said as we walked into the mound. As soon as my foot crossed the threshold, the marks that bound me to Felix and Mac hummed in my mind. I felt a moment of relief from Mac when he was aware of me again. Felix was still a foggy presence I couldn’t touch.
I flexed that connection to Mac. He trailed with my thoughts as I reflected on the encounter with Felix. But once he was updated, he gently nudged me back away again, letting me know that he needed to concentrate on something.
Darby reached over and took my hand and I smiled for her. The courtyard was gone now. A moderately sized banquet hall met us as we came inside. Two thrones sat on top of an elevated balcony in the center of the wall, the focus as you walked in. A white marble staircase with an elaborate railing led up to them.
One side of the room had four long tables while the other side had a large fireplace with more casual seating arrangements. Couches, loveseats and armchairs sat in little groups for socializing.
What pulled your gaze the most was the sunset above the throne floor. As Conall’s court boasted a moon, here there was a brilliant orange, red and purple sky after the sun had just dipped below the horizon. Gloaming was a beautifully poetic old term for the period between sunset and full dark. It was an in between time that held magic for itself between the day and the dark. That magical sunset looked like a hologram floating a few feet above the throne.
The Unseelie King himself stood up from one of the armchairs by the fireplace and walked toward us with a happy expression on his face.
“Rozalyn, my dear Roz. You continue to be a surprise,” he said as he gestured around himself. I smiled, but shook my head at him.
“This is not my doing. Barden and Aurnia created this wonder,” I replied.
Aurnia touched my arm, making me look at her. “Do not dismiss your own contribution. Combining power is rare, but not unheard of. It wasn’t only your ability to act as a catalyst. Your trust and openness allowed such a marriage of power to achieve a feat such as this. Perhaps it wasn’t direct intent, but it was still the intent behind your specific magic that gave us this place.”
“A heart’s desire that was given an answer you had not even thought of,” Conall added.
“She wanted a haven,” Darby said quietly. I looked at her with widened eyes, to which she smiled. “Roz, surely you realize you are always creating them. A home for me growing up, a house that the two of us could live in as adults with no strings or demands. A spa that the friends and neighbors you love could come and take a break from the stress of their lives. Even at Mac’s house, you are building an extra house for the vampires and humans you care about. Every phase of your mortal life has been dedicated to making the safe place that was ripped from you as an angel.”
“I... Wow,” I breathed out and looked at all of their faces. “Isn’t that any human’s goal though?”
“No,” Conall replied. “There are many who care about only their own safety. There are even some that enjoy creating strife for those around them. But this,” he paused and looked around the room again before saying, “This is your crowning achievement. You have taken a Seelie Princess and made her into your Queen, and Unseelie noble and made him your King. You have the allyship of the Light and Dark. Then you gave an opening for Heaven and Hell. You can call angels here, did you realize?”
Aurnia smiled at me again as she said, “You may not be able to enter your heavenly home, but you made a place that you could have heaven come to you.”
“They can come to Earth,” I responded.
“But not as they truly are. They must be invisible or look human. Clip their wings. But not here,” Darby said.
“Does it not feel like you in here, Roz? Is it not as you would have designed it?”
I hesitated. If it had been a conscious choice, is this what I would have made for the safe haven for my loved ones? I shook my head a little and said, “No. I never lived in this setting. It would have been a beach.”
The air paused, then it was as if the entire Sithen drew in a great breath. The exhale came and with it the walls spilled downward and the room became an actual dry cavern. Behind the thrones, the wall had dissolved into the floor and never reformed, leaving a huge opening overlooking a white sand beach.
My mind held the entire layout. The main dry cave still held the banquet tables, seating area and thrones. Now doors marked both sides. The doors on the right, one leading to a descending network of living quarters, kitchen, workrooms and essential spaces. The one next to it opened to stairs leading upward into the royal chambers. One of them was my own. It held only a bedroom and bathroom, but it was all that was needed since I already had my own home with Mac. The suits for the King and Queen were much larger with an office and sitting room for entertaining.
Three doors stood to the left. One leading down into a dungeon type room for dangerous creatures or oath breakers to be imprisoned. The middle door led into more common rooms such as a library, a roman style bath with a large pool and a steam room, a lounge room with a bar and a music room. The last door on the left opened to a long stairway up to the top of the cliffs that overlooked the beach where the gardens and stables were.
The view behind the thrones was a breathtaking glimps
e of the shoreline with the beach at sunset. That salty air swept into the banquet room but without the usual humidity. There were a few paths down to the beach, two from the banquet room and one from the lower living quarters. A small road from the cliff took a winding trail to the white sand below.
The thrones had lost their balcony and were instead elevated on a large flat stone platform that had a few small steps on each side. The enchanted image of the sunset had stayed high in the air so it was still visible in the colors of the darkening sky over the ocean.
Aurnia’s intake of breath beside me pulled me out of my own thoughts and made me look at them again. Darby had a look of wonder on her face as she walked towards the cave opening and gazed at the beach. Conall lifted his eyebrows at me, “I admit I am envious. The Unseelie Sithen isn’t nearly as eye catching.”
“The Seelie Sithen is a huge garden with buildings that look small from the outside but can be as large as is needed on the inside. It is beautiful, but this is even better. What a lovely place Roz. I will greatly enjoy living here,” Aurnia said.
“I’m glad you like it. I didn’t realize what would happen when I answered Conall what place I would have chosen, so I am glad it was a good answer.”
They chuckled. Aurnia went to stand with Darby while Barden and Conall stepped to the side. I knew Barden was explaining what we had discovered about Felix and grew anxious. I even jumped when Conall finally gestured for me to join them.
“I may have an idea,” he told me as I joined them. “I have an old alliance with another archdemon. Her dominion is in Europe so she should have no conflict over helping Felix. I know she typically flies under the radar for lower realm politics. She has had a marked human servant for quite a long time. I think if I asked, she would be willing to help.”
“That sounds okay. I trust your judgement of her.”
He nodded and said, “I will return soon then.”
He gave my hand a squeeze before he walked over to the fireplace. There was a swell of smoke that reached out to him like searching hands. It wrapped around him and then he was gone.
I slid my arm through Barden’s and we walked over to where Darby and Aurnia were quietly talking. I could feel Darby’s anxiety, but also her interest that I was certain was directed to the new Queen of the Gloaming Court. Was this the beginning of something new in her love life? I liked Aurnia, but I also liked Sylvia. Maybe they could end up a trio.
It was a happy thought for me but it was her life and only she could decide what she wanted. I stepped up to that cavern ledge and listened to the waves roll up on the shore, wondering when I could walk that beach with my own men all together again. If I could save Felix.
Garcelle was short and soft spoken. Conall had escorted her into the library where me and Darby had settled down with bowls of soup that Fergus’ newly arrived wife, Kenna, had cooked after clicking her tongue over the fact that we had not eaten for most of the day. Food was an afterthought for most of the Sidhe around us since most of their energy was sustained through the magic of Fairy.
The tall and willowy Kenna with her bright lavender eyes and charming laugh was a sharp contrast to Garcelle’s black curls and reserved demeanor. Conall smiled at her fondly as they walked over to the couch we were occupying and she returned a small but soft smile to him before they turned their attention fully to us.
“Garcelle, may I present Rozalyn and Darby? They are both guardian angels reincarnated as humans. Roz wears Felix’s mark. Darby is his sister.”
“How did you become mortal?” she asked.
It took me by surprise since I was expecting more introductions and greetings. Both of us being Alabama born and raised caused us to hesitate over skipping past polite introductions. But we recovered quickly and I said, “The story is a little long, but we took deals for falling from heaven. My deal was to give Darby a chance at mortal life so she could return to heaven one day. Felix made the last deal to give me the same chance.”
“With what demon did you make these deals?” she asked.
I started to answer but Conall spoke over me quickly, “That is information that is best left unspoken for now. I trust you my dear Garcelle, I do. But it is a risk I cannot ignore.”
She pressed her lips together as she considered this, her eyes so brown they were almost black redirecting to the floor for a moment. Then she finally nodded and looked back up at me.
“I can probably help you without knowing. But finish your meal,” she said.
“Thank you. And it's nice to meet you,” I said, throwing in the polite greeting because I couldn’t help myself.
“Yes, it is a pleasure to meet you,” Darby chimed in automatically.
“Thank you. And you two as well,” she replied even while she looked at us oddly. Her and Conall took seats on armchairs that were positioned across from the couch while we finished eating. He looked thoughtful but didn’t dive into conversation immediately. I imagined that he was considering what topics he considered safe to speak about in front of Garcelle.
Finally, he asked, “Have you spoken to Mac?”
“Not much, he was occupied when I tried to earlier.”
“Meredith has been given the southern dominion and the oath,” he said carefully.
“I assumed he would have to do that.”
Garcelle regarded us seriously. “It has been met with protest. Felix is favored among many of us Earth realm archdemons. He is always willing to assist in business and trade. Meredith only wants to gather power and riches.”
“I can easily believe that,” I responded.
“He plays her lover,” Conall said.
That brought my face to his. No wonder Mac had shielded me out earlier. It was something I knew he would likely have to do, but hearing it confirmed wasn’t much fun. Conall wore a carefully blank expression and made me wonder if part of him had wanted to see my reaction to this news. Darby laid her hand on mine since she could sense my unease with the news.
“I knew it would likely happen,” I finally replied.
Conall gave me a short nod and relief was apparent in his gaze. I realized his guarded expression was only from him hoping I wouldn’t be upset and I felt bad for my moment of doubt in his intentions. He had been so genuine when we first arrived in his Court yesterday. And that kiss...
“I appreciate you telling me Conall. It probably wasn’t the easiest thing to say, but it gives me time to adjust before I go back.”
“That was also what me and Mac thought,” he responded.
“Is he okay?”
“He is disturbed, I believe, but unharmed.”
My appetite had left me. I stood and carried my half eaten bowl over to a side table near the door. Darby followed me since she had barely been picking at her food anyway. She slipped her arm around my shoulder, bringing the lines of our bodies closer together. Garcelle glanced to us and then frowned at Conall. “You did not tell me they shared an angel mark,” she said as she pointed at us.
He looked over his shoulder at us. I felt a crackle of power as if he had to use a bit of magic to see what Garcelle was seeing with her natural vision. “Ah,” he finally said, “I see the link between them now. But Garcelle, my dear, Darby is Felix’s sister. It should make it easier.”
“It might make it easier for her but it will keep me out of her mind.”
“So you won’t be able to simply unlock it for her,” he said with a frown of his own.
She sighed before responding, “No. I thought this was going to be a quick trip. Now I have no idea how long it will take to show her this.”
A little tired of being spoken of like I wasn’t there, I walked over and stood in front of them. I gave Garcelle a direct look. “I know I am in a mortal shell now, but I do remember my life as an angel and how that power worked.”
She stood up in front of me and I gazed down at the shorter woman as she said, “That is a vast improvement then. You know how to do your invocations. Could you invoke the archange
ls?”
“Yes. My father is Azrael.”
I saw shadows pass across behind her eyes and she took two steps back away from me, knocking over a small side table as she retreated. She ignored it, her eyes staying on me.
“You didn’t tell me they were the wayside ones,” her eyes didn’t leave me but she spoke in a whispered voice to Conall.
“Because it was important that you say nothing.”
“Devina would obliterate me if she knew that I knew I was talking to Azrael’s daughter.”
“I’m not going to say anything,” I told her softly.
“Is Felix, Eziel’s son?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“She used an archangel to lead her army. If Lucifer knew what she did…” She shook her head and looked at Conall.
“Don’t dig too deeply into it, Garcelle,” he advised with an intense expression. He flicked his gaze to me then back to her again. I watched her take in a slow breath, shake her head as if she had already decided it was a bad idea but she was going to do it anyway, then turn back to me.
“Calling power to a demon mark is like when you would do so for your father or any other archangel. Place him into that point of power in your mind. Touching the mark should help too. For angels you prayed, for Felix you should just call for him to come to you by name. I am quite sure you will have to touch him and the mark as you do the invocation to break through the enchantment that holds him.”
“And have faith that he will come.”
“Yes. Your belief is essential. Try it, let me make sure you can call the power for it.”
Invocations had been an almost daily part of life as a guardian angel. It was a way to request power from a higher angel when I needed it or just communicate with one that I was separated from by a different realm. But my mortal mind did not have the same conditioning and I struggled to make the transition in my head.
There were a few awkward moments as I tried to take my state of thought to that abstract place. I slid my hand up under my shirt to lay across Felix’s mark. Darby’s face drew my attention as she tuned into my emotions. When she felt me getting closer, her eyes would grow wider and she would sit up taller like she was coaching me on. Then when I lost it again she would slouch back down.