The Portal to Sidhe: Book 3

by Kelsey Schaeffer

  “Yes!” my father cried as he slapped his hands together. “How did it take so long for us come up with this idea. It’s brilliant. There are so many forces against us; our two worlds together would create strength.”

  As the others nodded their heads in agreement, I said, “I’m tired of sitting on the sidelines. I will learn to fight, and I will be a part of this army.”

  “But you’re pregnant,” Ben said full of concern.

  “I won’t be pregnant forever,” I cried, “Our baby will be born in a few months, and I will join the warriors as soon as I recover.”

  Ben nodded his head reluctantly, but said, “I want to join too. I may be human, but I used to be a powerful fighter. There has to be something I can do.”

  I nodded my head at Ben in agreement. Then I addressed the rest of the room. “As queen of both Sidhe and Pine Lake, I would like to put together this army immediately under the leadership of Vic and Victor. Does anyone have any objections?”

  No one said a word, so I said, “I will have to speak to my husband, the king…but if he is in agreement, training will begin immediately on Sidhe. In the meantime, I would like anyone not joining the army, to help find a way to end Desmoreleda and Taylor. I’m not losing any of my children!”

  “I will recruit anyone I can find,” Vic said.

  “As will I,” Victor echoed.

  “Thank you,” I said to everyone as I gazed around the room at my supportive friends and family. “I will speak with my husband, and if you do not hear from me, he has agreed.”

  After the meeting, I found Damon hiding out in his office. His appearance had quickly turned sloppy; he had thrown his jacket on the floor, pulled off his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, exposing the blond hair at the top of his chest. His thick blond hair had become messy, and his usually pale face was rosy. Despite his distorted appearance, my first husband was still ridiculously attractive. Damon kept his perfect jawline clean-shaven, and a flawless nose sat upon his perfectly symmetrical face. His lips were plump, but not too thick—lips that any woman would love to kiss. Although my husband was in his mid thirties, his face was still smooth and age had only made him considerably more attractive. He had been fairly thin throughout his teens and early twenties, but time had filled him out, giving him the body of a man.

  Damon now appeared full of spite, as he sat at his desk quietly; a half-empty decanter of bourbon and an empty glass of ice sat in front of him, temping him to finish the bottle. This wasn’t the first time I found my husband in disarray, but each time, it scared me more. The man sitting in front of me with vacant blue eyes wasn’t the man I married so many years before. Half drunk and fuming, it didn’t take much convincing for Damon to agree to a joint army. After it was settled, I fled the room as quickly as possible, leaving my husband in a stupor.

  After a short meeting with my husband, I found my good friend Emerlee and asked her to put a committee together; I wanted only the best and brightest on Sidhe. This committee would research everything they could about Hell and ascending. Although we had five years to find a way to defeat Desmorelda, I wanted the very best in charge of the task, and I didn’t want to waste a moment.

  During the final months of my pregnancy, Vic and Victor recruited an army of two hundred and fifty humans, vampires, superhumans, fairies and hybrids. Similarly, Emerlee and our friend Sadie assembled a committee of the smartest individuals to research everything Desmorelda had told us. Although everyone worked their hardest to find a way to keep my children safe—everything consistently led to a dead end.

  Chapter 2

  My beautiful daughter was born on April second, just after I turned thirty-seven. We named our sweet child Isabella Charlotte, and she was a perfect, darling baby girl.

  Too quickly, the month of May rolled around. Unlike Earth, the snow stayed fresh on the ground and the scent of spring flowers remained absent through the air. Instead, the scent of burnt wood remained rampant year round, as fires burned throughout the castle for warmth and comfort. Burning logs was far from a bad smell, but I longed for the fresh smell of spring flowers as there were on Earth. Reflecting the way I was beginning to feel, it was forever winter on Sidhe.

  By mid May, Isabella was already a month and a half old, and her short, dark baby hair was already turning to a golden blond, as her father’s blue eyes became more prominent. My middle children, Luke and Alice were growing up much too quickly; as they were so close in age, they were nearly inseparable. During the months after Isabella’s birth, I was frequently overwhelmed with balancing my duties as a new mother and trying to save my children. With Damon still running the realm, Ben and I quickly grew overwhelmed with tasks, leaving little time for my children. I was only grateful that my middle children were quite independent and able to care for one another.

  Each May, Pine Lake held an annual ball to celebrate the town founders, Katherine and James; the couple had died when I was an infant. It was the night before this year’s ball, which was going to be an extra special celebration. My husband Damon would be handing over his Sidhe crown to my eldest son Benny who had recently turned eighteen. This would be the first coronation since I had taken the throne many years before.

  As I was going through my closet, picking out jewelry, I heard a soft knock on the door. When I called for them to come in, I realized the knock was coming from the closet door leading to Damon’s room. Since I was married to both Ben and Damon, we had separate rooms, with a closet in the middle that served as a tunnel between the two bedrooms. I was surprised to see Damon poke his head into the closet, as we seldom spent time together outside of work.

  “Hey,” he said as he strolled into the closet. His face appeared clean as if he had just shaven. I took a whiff of the air as he stepped besides me, and the musky smell of aftershave confirmed my notion of his fresh face. “Do you think we can talk?” he asked.

  “Sure,” I replied as I held a large pair of diamond earrings up while looking in the mirror. “Is everything okay?” I set the earrings back into my jewelry box; they were too big for a day that wasn’t mine.

  “I guess,” Damon said quietly as he took a seat on my small ottoman in the middle of my closet. His shoulders were nervously slumped, and his face was soft. He didn’t waste a moment. “After Benny’s crowned king,” he said, “I’m going back to Pine Lake.”

  I immediately stopped searching through my jewelry box and turned to look at him in complete disbelief of what he said. “You’re not serious,” I replied.

  “Miranda, we haven’t made love in ten years. You and Ben are happy together. The two of you belong together, and I should’ve left a long time ago. Your son will make a wonderful king, and you will be here to help him.”

  “But Damon!” I cried as I jumped from the chair to my dressing table, “You have been running this realm for years. You know so much more than I do…Benny will need your help. Plus the children…what about Luke?”

  “They have Ben, and he has been more of a father to Luke than I have anyway.”

  “It doesn’t matter!” I said as I felt tears growing under my eyelids. “He’s your biological son. How can you leave him!” I demanded as I narrowed my green eyes down at him in anger.

  “I’ll come back at least once a week to see him and the others. When he’s thirteen he can come visit me anytime, and when he turns eighteen he will go to Earth to be king anyway.” He paused and gave me a fake, half smile. “Miranda, your parents are getting too old to keep running Pine Lake for us. You know your father’s heart isn’t well, and your mom has been holding the town a float for years. Honey, you need to stay here for Benny, and I need to go where I’m needed.”

  “I understand,” I said softly as tears were gently falling from my eyes. I knew he was right…about everything, but I didn’t want to lose Damon, even if out relationship hadn’t been amazing. “What if we ask Addison and Ayden to stand in as king and queen for awhile? They’ve stood in many times before.”
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br />   “Miranda, it’s not their job. They did it as a favor…but they want to retire. This isn’t their job…or your parent’s job—it’s ours.”

  “Your right,” I pouted. He was right. This was the burden of ruling two kingdoms, but at least Benny would relieve some of that burden soon.

  Damon was right, but I didn’t want him to go. I knew if he wanted our marriage to work, he would find a way to stay. He had stayed this long to help his stepson prepare to be king; couldn’t he stay until Luke took the Pine Lake throne? Now that his duties on Sidhe were finally coming to a close, he had found an excuse to walk away from our marriage that had been decaying for many years.

  Damon and I were silent as he quickly stood up, leaving me with tears streaming from my eyes.

  Ten years had gone fast with so many children to watch grow, and I had let Damon slowly drift away. After Alice was born, Damon stopped trying, and so did I. The place in my heart that Damon had once willed was now overwhelmed with Ben and my children, while Damon spent every spare moment running Sidhe. The two of us remained so busy with our own things, we had let not only our marriage, but our friendship drift away.

  The day of the ball, I packed my bags and said goodbye to my three young children, as I prepared to portal to Pine Lake with my husbands. Benny would be joining us at the ball for his very first time, along with his sweet fairy girlfriend, Samantha. Samantha was a seventeen-year-old fairy, and the daughter of our good fairy friend Elona. Samantha and Benny had known one another their entire lives, but didn’t pursue a relationship until my son was sixteen years old. They seemed very happy together. Although my son had tried to pursue other girls when he was younger, the moment Samantha stole his heart, I knew the two of them were forever. Elona and some of the other residents of Sidhe would be joining us for their first time at the Pine Lake ball tonight.

  As soon as we stepped through the portal that would take us to Earth, our small group headed off to find my parents. Though Damon and I were the official King and Queen of Pine Lake, for the last several years, my parents had been running the town while Damon and I were busy with Sidhe. After greeting my parents, each couple took a guest suite. We would all be staying the night at the mansion after the ball. As everyone headed to their suites, I remained behind in my parent’s bedroom.

  “Is everything okay honey?” my father asked as his brow wrinkled his forehead. My father had always had great health, but now that he was nearing seventy years of age, he was beginning to have heart problems, which had me quite concerned. Although my father was a superhuman and had always been in incredible shape, heart disease ran in his family, and no matter how good he ate or how much he worked out, his age was catching up to him. Unlike fairies, superhumans aged just as humans. When my father had his first small heart attack a few years back, my mother demanded he step down as interim king, and she had been running the town alone since.

  “Yes Father,” I smiled, not wanting to stress him out with any of my problems. Then I looked at my mom and said, “Mom, can I talk to you alone?”

  “Oh course sweetheart,” she smiled.

  “My father headed out of the room, and the two of us quickly took a seat in their sitting room.

  “Mom, did you know Damon is moving back?” I said immediately after we were seated.

  My mom looked guilty as she darted her eyes around the room, before she returned her gaze to me. I knew she wouldn’t lie to me, but the look on her face told me everything I needed to know.

  “Yes, Miranda,” she said, “He told your father and I a few months ago, but he begged us not to tell anyone. He told us he would tell you when he was ready.” She looked terribly upset as she said, “I’m so sorry honey, I feel terrible for not telling you, but this is between the two of you. I didn’t want to get in the middle. “

  “I understand Mom.”

  She sighed, and suddenly, I noticed the deep lines beginning to engrave next to her once very youthful eyes. “Honestly, I need his help,” she said. “Your dad is always trying to step in, and he doesn’t need the stress on his heart. Sometimes, managing the town and our investments can be a lot on me…more than I can bear to handle. Damon is going to move into the mansion, and your father and I will move back into your childhood home. The two of us will finally retire, and when Luke takes over the town, Damon will be here for him. You and Ben need to stay on Sidhe to help your eldest son.”

  I nodded my head. It made sense and was the best for all of us, but it caused a lump to form in my throat as feelings I had packed away for many years began to unfold.

  My mom sensed my pain, as she said, “I never spoke my opinion on your double marriage to Damon and Ben. It isn’t my business, and it was good for the children...but I know you and Damon have drifted apart. I can see it...everyone can.” She paused and looked torn as to continue giving advice. “Maybe,” she began, “it’s time to let Damon find someone else to love. He’s like our own son, and your father loves him almost as much as he loves you. We know he’s not happy, and we know you and Ben are madly in love. Honey, it’s time to let him go. Let him be happy.”

  I nodded and felt tears falling from my eyes. I didn’t want to let Damon go; he was my best friend and my rock, but my mother was right. Damon and I had been married for over eleven years, and we hadn’t made love in ten.

  As soon as my rain cloud of tears passed and my mom helped to dry them away, I took a few deep breaths and headed to the room Ben was staying in. Although I had tried to hide my pain, it was obvious to Ben that I had been sobbing.

  “Miranda, what’s wrong?” he asked softly.

  I had to tell him. “Damon is leaving us. He’s going to stay here and run Pine Lake until Luke takes over. Then he will stay here with him...he’s staying here forever Ben.”

  “Oh honey,” Ben said as I collapsed against his shoulder in tears. After crying for some time, Ben began to speak again. What about Luke?” he asked.

  “Ben, you are more of a father to Luke than Damon has ever been...and I know it’s not his fault. He’s up to his neck in work as king, and I don’t help him enough, and I know he hurts, and I know he’s resentful. I know it’s my fault.”

  “No it isn’t Miranda!” Ben said sternly as I remained tight against his chest. “The two of us would have married right away if Desmorelda wouldn’t have killed me. This was no one’s fault. The three of us tried to make our marriage work the best we could.” He paused and looked deep into my sad eyes. “Damon deserves to find love somewhere else. We need to let him.”

  I nodded my head. I knew everyone was right.

  I quickly put away my sadness, as tonight my son would be crowned king—this was his night, not mine. I was wearing a simple floor length black silk gown that gently flowed as I walked. I only wore my special heart necklace that had been given to me by my father the night I was crowned queen. I also wore my Sidhe crown that I would hand to my son, who would one day give to his Queen.

  As soon as I was ready, I gave Ben a quick kiss and went to meet Damon. I felt bad Ben would not be the one to crown his son, but it was tradition for the new king or queen to be crowned by their predecessor. Benny was unmarried, so he would be crowned alone, but his beautiful girlfriend Samantha escorted him, just as Ben had escorted me on my night several years before.

  Damon and I took our places halfway down the mansion’s spectacular staircase as a crowd began to gather around. At exactly seven o’clock, the string quartet silenced and the crowd gazed our way. I had always been a bit crowd shy, but this was such a special moment for my son, I smiled in excitement—hardly noticing the massive crowd below.

  As the giant crystal chandelier just above our heads was dimmed to a romantic glow, I smiled at Damon and nodded my head. Moments later, Benny and Samantha carefully glided down the hall at a gentle pace. Benny looked scared to death, but Samantha had a smile of pride and joy glued tightly across her face in excitement for her beloved. Her long platinum blood hair was curled tight and hung at h
er sides as she wore just enough makeup to make her pale face glow. She wore an emerald princess ball gown that flowed gracefully with each stride, while Benny was wore an elegant black tuxedo with a simple black bow tie. His buttonhole was a simple emerald green rose to match his escort’s brilliant dress. The two looked young and fresh, ready to take on an exciting new adventure.

  Benny and Samantha glided gracefully down the staircase just as a prince and princess would, until they stood just in front of Damon and I. I knew Benny was disappointed his father was not there to crown him, but he loved his stepfather all the same. Damon stood looking down at his stepson—who he had loved as his own child since the day he was born—with an enormous smile across his face.

  “Thank you for joining us tonight,” Damon spoke with his smile pasted wide. “Tonight is a very special night for everyone, especially the citizens and supernaturals of Sidhe.” He paused. “Tonight I will be crowning my...stepson Benny, a man who has been studying and learning to be king his entire life...and I can say with confidence, Benny will be a better king than I could ever dream to be.”

  Benny shook his head modestly and quickly wiped a tear from his cheek as he mouthed thank you to his stepfather for such kind words.

  It was my turn to speak. “I am so proud of my son,” I spoke to the crowd, “I know he will be a wonderful king and make his family and realm proud.” I couldn’t say anything more as I felt a tear steaming down my cheek. I quickly backed away and nodded at Damon to continue.

  I wiped a tear away as Damon said, “And now for the crowning of the king.”

  Benny stepped forward and the quartet played a quiet but dramatic tune. Damon and I methodically removed our crowns and held them forward in our hands as Benny moved so that he was standing directly in front of us.

  “With this crown…” Damon spoke as held the crown over Ben’s head, “I make you king.” As Damon placed the crown perfectly atop Ben’s head, the crowd went wild.