by Brenda Trim
“It’s the object that anchors the portal to Earth. It was buried where the portal used to be. Because of my connection to it, I was able to tether it to me and drag it with us so Vodor couldn’t use it to do any more harm.”
Danalise gasped. “I had no idea. I can’t sense the magic anywhere around us.”
I smiled at the proof my spell was working. “That’s because I cast a spell to cloak my energy along with the portal. Once we anchor the stone here, I will need to do something else to conceal its presence because it won’t be tethered to me anymore.”
“Make it feel like a wood nymph. No one would investigate further. Our kind isn’t that powerful, and we pose no threat to Vodor. Besides, it will read as any other location in the realm.” I looked at Danalise and wanted to hug the woman. Her suggestion was brilliant.
Argies clapped his hands. “That will work. First, we need to secure the archway before we can go any further. Let’s lift it to standing so we can evaluate how to keep it upright.”
I left Sebastian and the others to get the stone standing. My throat burned with bile, and my head pounded insistently. Before long, the arch stood twenty feet into the sky. It was as wide as it was tall, with each leg placed five feet from the trees on the sides. But it was skinny. Barely five feet thick, so it wouldn’t stand up on its own.
“We need braces on each side of the legs,” Sebastian pointed out. “If I had my forge with me, I could create some triangles to brace it.”
Finarr circled the portal and scanned the structure. “We can use stone. As long as we locate boulders big enough, we can carve them to act in the same way. It’s the only thing we can find quickly.”
I bobbed my head then winced when it increased the pain. “We should split up. It’ll make it much faster to find what we need.”
Sebastian linked his fingers with mine. “Don’t go far. The sun will be up soon, and patrols will increase.”
I followed Bas, holding his hand, but had to let go within a few seconds. I couldn’t keep up. “You go on. Violet and I will keep searching closer to the clearing. My head is only going to halt your progress.”
He stared at me for several tense seconds. “Don’t go too far. I will be pissed if you get yourself hurt.”
I chuckled then saluted him. “I’ll try my best.”
With a shake of his head, he took off, and I turned to Violet. “Let’s see what we can find.”
Violet held up her elbow. It was far more movement than she’d be able to manage thus far. “I won’t be able to carry anything.”
“How is it feeling? I should have checked on it sooner to make sure the infection isn’t getting any worse.”
She waved me away as I reached for the bandage. “I haven’t looked at it yet, but it feels much better. I’m not shivering anymore, and I’m not hot to the touch. Whatever that paste was, it did the job. Let’s get this handled so we can find a shower. Please tell me they have hot water in this Underground place.”
I lifted my shoulders. “I’m not sure, actually. From what I saw last time, it’s like a town down there. There were businesses and cafes and alleys, from what I recall.”
“If they’ve got that, they must have some way to clean themselves, even if it’s just a bathtub. Hey, do you think this one’s big enough?” Violet was gesturing with her chin to a boulder between two trees.
When we stopped beside it, I guessed it was about five feet tall. It was slightly shorter than my five-foot-five-inches. “I didn’t study physics, but I would say it needs to be taller to prevent the stone from tipping forward or backward. I doubt we will find one tall enough, so let’s haul it back. We can stack them.”
“I’m getting better at making air do what I want,” Violet shared as I conjured the element. With a wave of my hand, I had the air wrap around the boulder before gesturing up. I felt Violet’s energy mingle with mine in a complimentary if playful way. We hadn’t gone far, so we didn’t have to maneuver between too many obstacles.
We moved it next to one of the legs and returned to the forest when the others returned, doing the same thing we had. Nearly a dozen car-sized rocks littered the area.
Sebastian scanned me from head to toe for several seconds. His hot gaze made my blood sing and my skin tingle. God, that man was dangerous for my health. Getting dizzy, I braced myself against the portal. I watched as he and Aislinn manipulated the largest boulders to both sides of one leg. At the same time, Finarr and Argies did the other.
“I think you’ll need to stack them,” I called out.
“That’s the plan. Perhaps you should bond them to the archway, as well. It’ll add magical glue to the mix,” Sebastian suggested.
“That along with anchoring the portal here should secure it in place.” I cast the anchor while they placed the supports then bonded them together. It didn’t take much energy, but it did make the dizziness worse.
Bracing myself on the stone archway, I tried to cast the mask. “Can you two join me in making it feel like a wood nymph?” Violet and Aislinn both bobbed their heads and joined me in the middle of the arch while Danalise stood off to the side beaming. I sensed her pride in playing a role in the process. I doubted she got involved in much.
Violet, Aislinn, and I joined hands, and I reminded them to keep the image of Theamise and Danalise in their minds. “Acidis imitantur vitea.” The second the words left our mouths, energy left our hands and encircled the stone before sinking into it.
Sebastian scooped me up before I could protest, and I decided to let him. My head was spinning, and my mouth was watering again. I didn’t have to do everything on my own. The first step in changing how I reacted was to allow him to carry me into the Underground.
It was a challenge not to dissect my reaction and try to figure out the reasoning behind it. My mind battled silently for a minute before I closed my eyes and laid my head against Bas’s shoulder.
Chapter 13
My eyes flew open when the cool breeze suddenly cut off. I was comfortable in Sebastian’s arms but needed to get down. I wasn’t entirely certain of the reception we would receive.
I patted his chest to get his attention. “I can walk. My head is better now.”
Bas stopped walking and glanced down at me. His expression was shuttered, and he was closed off entirely. “If you’re sure. You looked a little green around the gills back there.”
“That last encounter with Vodor's soldiers left me with a concussion. It’ll heal soon enough.” I looked around as we continued down the hall.
The path sloped down sharply, reminding me we were heading below ground. I had never been afraid of being surrounded by dirt and rocks, and I wasn’t now either. My heart had to be racing because I was anxious about having the weight of the entire realm on my shoulders.
Violet turned to face me. “Should we keep you awake? Isn’t that the proper course for a head injury?”
“That’s only if there’s a concern there’s an intracranial hematoma or brain bleed. It’s why we advise people to wake someone after a head injury every two to three hours. If there is a bleed, they will have symptoms like slurred speech, blown pupils, or an inability to be roused. Getting help right away, if that happens, will save a person’s life. I don’t have any of that, so we don’t have to worry.”
Violet sighed and shifted her shoulders. “Thank the Gods. That’s one worry off the list.” It was good to see her injured shoulder moving. Not like the other, but she was able to move the joint. And the bandage wasn’t soaked with blood—all good signs.
“Maybe the fates are on our side after all. How is there electricity down here, anyway?” Aislinn was pointing to one of the sconces lining the walls.
They weren’t like anything we had on Earth. The light was bright enough that it was impossible to see it didn’t come from a lightbulb. Argies had explained they were spells to me. The Fae blacksmiths designed a silver base to tether the light on and hung them where the light was needed.
There wa
s a back panel with a shelf at the bottom. The designs of the rear panel varied greatly. The ones in the Underground weren’t intricate like Argies had in his house. They were silver rectangles with short posts sticking out from the top and bottom. Rings hung from the poles, and a circle was welded to them. The light sat inside the middle of that.
Finarr chuckled and shook his head. “We have no electricity in Eidothea. It doesn’t work with the magical energy permeating the realm.”
“How about indoor plumbing? Fiona and I talked about running water, which I can live without as long as I have a way to wash. But I cannot go to the bathroom in a bucket or something.” Violet’s face screwed up in apparent disgust.
“We don’t have plumbing like you think of it,” Finarr replied. “We do use ceramic pots, but they are enchanted to dispose of the waste.”
“As long as I don’t have to empty them, I can deal with that.” Violet shuddered as she continued down the path.
I couldn’t help but agree with her reaction. I hadn’t thought about the Underground and its amenities. Argies had something similar to a toilet in his house. The last time I had been here, I was running and hiding in the forest and relieving myself while hovering over a hole in the ground. I’d blocked out most of that time from my mind.
We reached a juncture, and I was surprised to see doors lining the halls in both directions. “Where’s the main cavern area from here?”
Sebastian urged me to the right with an arm around my shoulders. “It’s in the opposite direction. The Underground is set up like a small town, only the streets are tunnels.”
I watched the doors pass for a couple seconds. “What’s behind there?” I gestured to a wood panel on the right.
Argies passed between us and walked ahead. “They’re homes.”
I knew some Fae lived down here, but I assumed they were housed in the main cavern buildings. “How many people live down here?”
“I’ve been gone, so I don’t know current numbers. Many still reside in their homes up top. It keeps Vodor’s men from hunting too hard for those that have disappeared altogether. Most assume they didn’t survive being drained by Vodor,” Finarr explained.
“Here we are.” Argies pushed open a blue panel and ushered us inside.
My eyes roamed all over the room and settled on the large wooden table and the individuals seated around it. Kelvhan, Eliyen, Teagan, and Chasianna had their gazes frozen on Sebastian and his hands where they rested on my shoulders. I looked around for an exit. I hated being the focus of anyone’s attention.
I really should have cared about the fact that I looked worse than something the cat dragged in. I didn’t need to do a casual whiff of my armpit to know I was rank. “Hello, again. Good to see you all.”
Sebastian’s sister, Chasianna, glared at me. “You’ve created a big fucking mess for us to deal with.”
Eliyen, Bas’s mom, put her hand on his sister’s shoulder. “We agreed to listen to the explanation about the increased attacks.”
Sebastian stepped around me and acted as a shield between his family and me. “Enough. You have no right or reason to talk to Fiona like that. You’re lucky she’s here to help win a war that has nothing to do with her.”
I couldn’t come between him and his family. I knew some issues had nothing to do with me, but I certainly didn’t want to add tension. “It’s alright, Bas.” I moved to stand by his side. “I will not apologize for killing Thelvienne. She was killing Fae in Cottlehill Wilds and tried to take my head. She left me no choice.”
Sebastian’s brother, Teague, shared a look with their father, Kelvhan, who focused his intimidating stare on me. “You killed the Fae Queen? A hybrid isn’t powerful enough.”
There was nothing that pissed me off more than being underestimated. I snarled and took a step forward with Violet and Aislinn at my back. “I could destroy you in the most beautiful way possible and prove to you why storms on Earth are named after people. Bottom line, I’m no ordinary Fae-witch.”
“And she doesn’t have to be here listening to people judge her,” Violet added.
Aislinn crossed her arms over her chest. “Why are we here with these ungrateful cretins?”
“Because they’re my family, and they lead the rebellion.” Sebastian’s words landed like bombs dropped from airplanes.
“Your family?” Aislinn’s voice sounded like air being let out of a balloon.
“Yes,” I interjected. “We’re on the same side, you know.”
Argies stepped forward. “Kelvhan, she really did kill the Queen. I witnessed it with my own eyes. She’s shielding her signature, which is why you can’t sense her power level.”
Sebastian’s mother stood up and gestured to the empty chairs. “Sounds like we need to be updated. Why don’t you all have a seat.”
I eyed the blue couch on the other side of the room. It was calling my name. Dirt and grime-covered me, and my hair was tangled. Shower then couch. There wasn’t a part of me that wanted to do anything else, let alone deal with the doubt and hatred I felt flowing from these people.
“Is there a restroom? I need to get cleaned up before I have this conversation.” It probably wasn’t wise to push my luck, but there was only so much a girl could do. And looking like the scum, they thought I was didn’t helping my self-esteem.
“We have bathing pools here.” Bas grabbed my hand and tugged me through the room and toward a hallway.
I then looked around us and noticed the kitchen area behind Sebastian’s parents, complete with a wood-burning oven and a box where they kept food fresh. The décor was simple and reminded me of Argies’s home, colorful and comfortable.
We passed two open archways. Glancing inside, I saw the beds. One was covered in a purple blanket, while red covered the other. They looked like mattresses, but I couldn’t be sure until I looked closely.
Sebastian stopped at the first door and pushed it open. I never would have called the chamber I entered a bathroom. There was a pool set into the floor of one side with steam rising off the water. There was a mirror on the back of the door and a table along one wall. The chamber pot was attached to a chair that had no seat in the middle.
“I can help clean you,” Bas offered.
I laughed and smacked his shoulder. “That will only lead to me getting dirtier. Besides, there is no way I can fool around with your parents in the other room. I won’t belong.”
“Alright. If you insist.” Sebastian lowered his head and took my mouth in a scorching kiss. His lips pressed to mine, making me momentarily forget about his family being close by. His hands knew precisely how to touch me to tease me into a frenzy while his mouth made my need burn through my groin. I tingled and ached for so much more from him.
Pushing against his chest, I broke away. I stared into his gorgeous brown eyes while I caught my breath. “I’m positive. I won’t belong. Wait, where’s the soap and a towel? I have clothes in my backpack to put on, but nothing to clean with.”
“I’d be happy to clean you. And I’m fairly sure we can create enough heat to dry you in a flash.”
A groan left me, and a shiver traveled down my back. “You make saying no really difficult. I really want to get cleaned so we can crawl into bed and get some rest.” My head was getting better and would be fine after a good night’s sleep. I was relieved that the nausea was much better, and the dizziness had been forgotten the second I saw his family and had yet to return. I prayed it wouldn’t.
“The soap is here,” Bas handed me a flower from the table, then bent and reached back. When he stood up, he gave me a towel. It wasn’t terry cloth-like ours. Instead, it was a big piece of fabric. Fae cloth was soft as silk and felt great against my skin.
“I’ll meet you out there when you’re done. And I’ll fill my parents in while you’re cleaning up.”
I went on my tiptoes and kissed him briefly. “Thank you.”
I stripped my clothes off the second he left the room and dropped them in a pile nex
t to the pool. I sat on the stone floor and dropped my legs in the water. Surprisingly enough, it felt like a hot bath.
I braced myself as I jumped in the water because I had no idea how deep it was. I landed with a jolt and ended up waist-deep in the hot bath. The landing hurt my bad knee and reminded me my hips weren’t spring chickens anymore.
I knelt down and ducked beneath the water. It felt good to scrub my hands over my scalp and face. When I came up for air, I already felt better. I’d forgotten the flower, so I had to hop out and grab it. The air was cold compared to the water and had me running full tilt for the table.
Plant in hand, I was back inside the bath. The water soothed all the aches and pains from the fights and running through the forest. I looked at the red petals in my hand, wondering what to do. I had never washed with anything like this, so I decided to scrub it over my arms first.
The water made a sudsy film form on the plant. The bubbles increased as I rubbed it all over my body before moving it to my hair. I quickly lathered the locks and dropped the plant on top of my dirty clothes. Dunking my head beneath the surface, I ran my hands through it to rinse the soap.
Before I got out, I brought my shirt into the pool, scrubbed the plant over it, and cleaned it as best as possible. I repeated the process with my pants, socks, and underwear. I would need to find a place to dry them, but they were clean for now, and that was all that mattered. When I got out and wrapped the towel around my shoulders, the urge to sink into a soft bed returned.
No time for that now. I dried off, got dressed, put my boots back on, and laid my clothes out on the table then headed out to the living room. Conversation stopped when I returned, making me self-conscious.
“Ais, Vi, can you guys help me redo the spell hiding my energy? I think I scrubbed it away in the bath, and I’d like you two to add additional layers that will make it impossible for Vodor to locate me.” I wasn’t taking any chances. Sebastian’s parents wouldn’t hesitate to blame me if anything happened.