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And in the lowest deep,
a lower deep – still threatening
to devour me – opens wide
- John Milton
AS THE SMALL PARTY approached the Royal Council Chamber, her heart skipped happily when saw Aidan waiting by the doors. He looked so handsome dressed in the traditional Fae warrior apparel. Black leathers and black chaps, with whispers of silver thread woven in a complex pattern, adorned him from neck to toe and his undershirt gleamed brilliantly like silver mesh. Amazingly it was as strong as silver mesh but was soft to the touch. Árdghal stopped briefly in front of Aidan to speak with him and Colin passed silently by and entered the chamber before them all.
Before letting go of Teagan’s arm, Árdghal uncharacteristically patted her hand again and whispered a brief warning into her ear.
“Try to stay close to your anam, what you call your mate, Síofra, or the Queen at all times. She will be the most heavily guarded.” He let go of her arm then, but Teagan could hear the worry in his voice and took heed of his warning.
“Do you expect trouble?” She whispered back at him.
“The court is uneasy this day. It is good to be wary.” He left her to Aidan then, and entered the throne room, in order to announce them.
Aidan’s eyes sparkled with pride as he held out his arm for Teagan to take.
“Tir na nÓg, suits you, mo grá, my love. You are more beautiful than words can describe. You look positively radiant.” Aidan kissed her hand and bowed deeply to her as he spoke.
“I’m told that a girl in love tends to look radiant.” Teagan beamed up at his face, absolutely glowing from his praise.
“You, my dear Teagan, are no mere girl.” He said almost reverently, and she smiled with joy. She could feel it welling up and overflowing out of her heart.
They heard Árdghal announce her from inside the chamber.
“Her Majesty, Dearbháil; Granddaughter of the Queen, most honorable of the Fae. Granddaughter of Nuala, High Priestess and First Council Royal. Her mate Aidan McInnis, Guardian of the Fae.” She heard Árdghal’s voice ring out loud and clear over the din of anticipating onlookers.
Well that was her queue, she thought swallowing hard. Teagan took a deep breath trying to settle her rattled nerves and let Aidan lead her through the doors into the waiting crowd of Fae. She heard gasps and oohs and ahs from the crowded room of onlookers. They didn’t seem to be hostile, but she inched slightly closer to Aidan anyway remembering her uncle’s words of warning. Aidan placed his other hand over her arm in encouragement. The two of them walked proudly through the parting crowd, proceeded by Árdghal, towards the waiting Queen.
She was exactly how Teagan remembered her from childhood. Except here, on her seat of power, she looked pristine and regal. During Teagan’s childhood, she had looked sad and tired. Teagan was so excited to see the queen again that she couldn’t help herself and beamed at her brightly. Teagan noticed as a faint smile turned up one corner of the queen’s mouth, but the smile vanished as quickly as it had come. Teagan understood. Here at court they must be formal with each other. Teagan closed her eyes briefly and tried to hide any emotions. The need to learn how to mask her face now at the forefront of her thoughts.
The walk through the crowded room seemed to take forever. Teagan was completely aware of the speculative looks she was getting. When they finally reached the queen, Aidan dropped to one knee crossing his arm over his chest and Teagan bowed deeply. The queen stood regally, her shimmering golden gown flowing out around her. Her luminous white hair danced around her as she moved with assurance. While they remained bowed, heads bent in respect, the queen spoke loudly. Using a steady voice to ensure the entire room could hear her, she introduced Teagan again.
“Dearbháil, my granddaughter, daughter of Aisling, my lost heart and soul, my beloved,” and her hand swept toward Teagan gracefully.
The crowd murmured, “Dearbháil,” as a sign of respect and acceptance.
The queen inclined her head benevolently towards Aidan and Teagan and they rose.
“Sit here, mo síofra.” The queen said pointing to a seat at the left of her throne.
Teagan waited until the queen sat down upon her bowered throne and then she sat in the chair appointed to her. Aidan took his place standing at Teagan’s side. She could feel his tension and saw him eyeing the crowded room. That was her warrior, she thought proudly, and she straightened her back and sat a little taller. Teagan was delighted that she had such a fine man. Suddenly, the queen’s words snapped her back to attention.
“I must say, I am a little disappointed that you arrived in Tir na nÓg already bonded, my dear.” The queen said, wasting no time with pleasantries and getting directly to her point.
“Whoa, tread lightly Teagan,” she told herself.
“You’re Majesty, I was under the impression that the ancients themselves have a hand in choosing a female for the Guardians.” Teagan said as politely as she could.
“Yes, well, you were connected to another guardian were you not?” The queen asked rigidly.
“Yes, You’re Majesty.” Teagan answered slowly, unsure of what to say next because she didn’t want to anger the queen.
“Regrettably, the guardian Colin and I were not a love connection as we believed we would be, though we tried. As of now, he will remain my protector and my best friend.” Teagan said still feeling confused by the situation. She leaned forward ever so slightly and whispered only for the queen’s ears. “I thought you knew that?”
The queen lowered her voice, so only Teagan could hear her.
“You were not to be bonded to a mortal, or a half-mort, Teagan. I had higher aspirations for you. Colin was a means to an end for your father. He was meant to guide you to Ireland, which is closer to Tir na nÓg and therefore closer to me, and keep you safe, not to another mate. It’s the only reason I allowed your father’s little play with the blood contract to continue. Your current bond is not of my doing.” She sounded perturbed, so Teagan decided to drop the subject before she angered her further. She was, after all, the Queen.
She looked at Aidan out of the corner of her eye and noticed he was watching her and the queen intently. Teagan concentrated and sent him a telepathic message through bond-link.
“Did you hear that? What the heck is going on? She knew about the blood contract the whole time.” He answered her instantly through their link.
“I’m not sure. I never knew the queen had the power to influence a bond. I thought it was just the ancients.”
Suddenly the doors to the chamber burst open and Teagan jumped nervously. Just then, a group of huge Fae warriors, led by the biggest Fae she had ever seen, trampled their way through the room pushing the crowds out of their way rudely as they approached the throne. The big one parted the sea of Fae for his master. The leader’s dark hooded cloak trailed menacingly behind him, and an odd but familiar sensation hit Teagan. Although she couldn’t see the Fae’s face, She had the distinct feeling she’d met him before. When the queen grasped her hand, and Teagan instantly felt her desperation and fear, she knew something was seriously wrong.
“Aidan,” Teagan used the telepathic link again, “The queen is afraid of this Fae. This isn’t good. I can feel her desperation. Perhaps he’s the traitor. The one we’ve been searching for?” Teagan felt Aidan tense beside her and saw his hand travel slowly to his sword in preparation of imminent battle.
Turning back to the commotion, Teagan gasped as the hooded Fae unveiled his face from behind the dark cloak. He looked like Cian with his long brown hair and lean muscled body, but where his face had once been handsome it was now putrid, and his eyes stared back at her as soulless black pits instead of the warm honey color of Cian’s. It couldn’t be him, and yet, they shared so many similarities.
Although his body seemed to be decomposing, there was no doubt in Teagan’s mind he was the man from her vision of just a few short days ago. The man who had used dark magic on her. She shivered in disgust. Teagan noticed many of the Fae in the crowd turn away from him and refuse to look at him, but the Fae that did look at him regarded him in an awed manner as if nothing was wrong with him.
He raised one arm, his black cloak swinging menacingly, and pointed accusingly at Teagan.
“She is an abomination, a half-mort.” He spit on the floor as he yelled to the crowd.
“The queen seeks to place her in a position of power and prestige. She plans to make her the heiress of Tir na nÓg and the ruler of Breena. Yet, this girl with her tainted human blood is not worthy to rule us.” His voice was loud and dominating, and it echoed throughout the chamber.
The queen let go of Teagan’s hand and stood regally facing the intruder.
“She is purer and more Fae than your soulless filthy corpse. Leave my court at once Lunn.” The queen demanded.
“Yes, defend the bastard of your faithless daughter, that’s perfect. Yet, here I stand a true Fae, by blood, and by birth, a son descended from ancients, next in line for the crown, and you have the nerve to call me impure and soulless?” Lunn ranted maliciously.
“Lunn, you no longer bring pride to your family line, with your draíocht dhubh, dark magic,” the queen spat the words, “and your angry ways, you dishonor the Faean people. The Fae are a peaceful race, we have lived this way for thousands of years. Yet, you and your son seek to use your powers to enslave those weaker then you, to take whatever you want. You are no longer welcome in this chamber. I command you and your followers to leave.” The queen shot back at him, clearly out of patience, and authority vibrated soundly in her resonant voice.
Beside her, Teagan noticed that Árdghal and the Royal Guard had unsheathed their blades and they were poised for battle. Teagan watched in horror as Lunn’s warriors responded instantly to the threat by pulling their own blades free.
“Our meager existence is a disgrace to all Fae. We are creatures of power,” Lunn hissed as he raised his arms ominously, “Yet we hide behind a veil afraid to leave our own Realm, afraid to make a race, that’s inferior to us, angry. Your reign putrefies Queen.” He pointed at the queen and spoke with abhorrence. “I say,” he roared over the now angry crowd, “I say that you are no longer welcome as our Queen. You... are no longer fit to rule.” He continued to point his finger ominously at her as he spoke.
A hush settled over the crowd of Fae. They were looking at each other in stunned disbelief. Teagan saw Nuala creeping slowly towards her, staying to the back of the crowd in effort to remain somewhat hidden. Teagan glanced at the queen and saw her tremble slightly. Was she nervous or was she angry? Teagan couldn’t tell. Aidan’s hand grasped Teagan’s arm tightly. “This is seriously bad,” Teagan thought, starting to panic as Árdghal stepped forward.
“You already tried to invoke the impeachment of the Queen, Lunn. You lost the vote. You have no power in this room to bring the matter forth again. It is the way things are done here. If you wish to bear witness against her Majesty, we will be forced to remove you at once. Know now that when you fail, you will be banished from the Fae Realm and forced to live out the rest of your days in the human Realm. What say you Tynan?” Árdghal asked in a loud commanding voice in order for everyone in the room to hear.
Instead, Lunn laughed.
He whipped off his hooded cape, and moved across the room, coming closer to them. Árdghal placed himself in front of the queen along with several more of her guards. Yet Lunn continued to laugh as he approached. In a great sweeping motion, he flung his hand at them. Magic exploded in a black ring and knocked the warriors down, some of them flying several feet into the air. Gasps were heard throughout the room, but no one else tried to stop him.
Teagan broke free of Aidan’s grasp and moved in his way, putting herself directly in his path but blocking the queen.
He doubled over with laughter. “You think to stop me?” he asked, his voice incredulous.
Teagan moved forward, unafraid.
“I can see the evil in you, the darkness, even if they can’t. I see you.”
“Oh,” he bounced around like a madman. “You’re so scary little human. Is it your auntie that makes you brave?” He goaded her.
“What are you doing?” Aoife asked her.
“Shh, just let me handle this. I have a plan.”
“Don’t you shush me, niece. I’m ordering you to stop right now. He’s too strong for you.”
“Yeah, but he’s not too strong for us.”
“Teagan.” It was a warning, but she didn’t care. Teagan could feel Lunn’s weakness. They’d been connected once, through his black magic, and because of that she could tap into his mind and his powers.
Teagan didn’t have to move closer before he felt the effects. It was her turn to laugh now as she messed with his mind, goading him back.
The sound that came out of him was what she would liken to a dragon’s roar. The sound blasted through the huge, gilded chamber and rattled the abundance of windows. The black magic she felt in him burst out of him like the tentacles of a giant Kraken. Teagan watched in horror as several of the tentacles speared the Fae closest to them and seemed to suck their essence from them.
“Teagan, behind you!” Aidan yelled in her mind, but it was too late. One of them had her. It wrapped around her and squeezed her like a constrictor squeezed its prey.
She zapped it with her magic, and it dropped her. As she was getting up, she watched Aidan run directly into the path of one of them. The sticky black snake-like mass stabbed in through the stomach, and he hunched over.
“No.” Teagan screamed, she turned and hurled her power at Lunn. Lightening cracked overhead, in the clear blue sky above the dome, and wind whipped furiously at the castle. Teagan seemed to be surrounded by the magic she was drawing from outside, and her hair and skirt moved in the wind she created. Her eyes glittered with power as she became consumed with an ocean of emotions and raced forward, her dagger already unsheathed. Lunn staggered backward, dropping the sword he’d unsheathed. A jolt of electrifying power hit him, and he turned to face Teagan, looking amused but not hurt. He laughed wickedly.
“What are you going to do, little girl? Stop me?” He taunted her again.
“Teagan, no, don’t.” Aidan wheezed from behind, but Teagan barely heard him, as she raced to put herself in front of Lunn like an avenging warrior.
“Anything I have to,” Teagan yelled fiercely.
“Teagan look out!” Árdghal yelled.
She turned her head in the nick of time and saw two of the forgotten soldiers barreling towards her. Then, twisting the top half of her body, Teagan threw her arm back and over as if she were throwing a baseball and flung her powers at them. The ball of power split, mere inches from them, and hit each one in their chest, causing them to fly back from the force. Teagan saw Árdghal grasp his sword, ready to fight them.
“Let him go.” Teagan yelled again, worry for Aidan pushing her forward. She chanced a glance at him.
She turned back to Lunn just in time to see him throw an orange ball of energy at her. She dogged it just in time to see him throw another one. Teagan braced herself, raising both hands, and threw up a shield. The dim, blue light of the shield flicked in front of her just as the orange ball of energy would have hit her, and blue sparks flew as the energy ball dissolved into tiny fragments.
Lunn raised his brows.
“Intriguing my dear, I had no idea you were so gifted.” Lunn said to Teagan and hurled a black, swirling mass at her. Teagan concentrated on forcing the ancient’s white light out through her fingertips to counteract his black magic. As their two powers collided, good versus evil, light verses dark, Teagan staggered and fell to the ground from the force it. When she stood back up, her nose was bleeding and she wiped it off with an arm, glaring at Lunn defiantly. It would take more than that to beat her, and she raised her head in defiance.
“Very impressive,” He said. Then, suddenly he vanished.
“What the hell?”
“Teagan, he’s behind you.” She heard the queen yell. She whirled around, but it was too late.
Teagan screamed as Lunn, appearing out of nowhere, landed directly in front of her, grabbed her, and held on tightly. She struggled against him, but it was useless. He was too strong.
“Don’t let him sift with you.” Teagan heard Aidan scream.
Lunn laughed and said, “I love a woman with fire. It will be quite fun trying to tame you.” Then Teagan felt a tearing, burning sensation through her entire body as Lunn started to sift with her and she worked determinedly, willing her body to stay put. She’d messed with Colin’s sift before, maybe she could mess with his. She was using every drop of her power’s reserves, and it seemed to be holding them there.
Fortunately, Lunn had forgotten one small thing. Teagan thrust the dagger, she still held in her hand, into his stomach with as much force as she could muster. As Lunn yelled and staggered back a few steps, Teagan wasted no time and hurled her power at him again. The energy ball hit him dead center and he flew back this time, with her dagger still protruding from his stomach. With eyes blazing, he his face reddened with fury. She fell to her knees. She had nothing left. She could feel both her and Aoife’s had been depleted. This was it, Aidan would die and he’d win.
With a final sneer, Lunn pointed both hands at her and loosed his power like an archer looses his bow.
“No,” Teagan heard the Fae Queen yell, just before she jumped in front of Lunn’s dark blast of magic.
A black shield swirled around her, and his magic hit her square in the chest. A massive black hole opened behind Lunn. A sucking vortex of terror. Then suddenly they both vanished from sight, taking the Kraken-like tentacles with them.
––––––––
IT WAS ONLY A FEW SECONDS before she felt someone lifting her from the ground and urging her to run. Árdghal?
“Nuala will lead you to her garden to perform the ritual. Cian has the princesses’s body. Hurry. I’ll hold them off.” He pointed to the mass of Fae running after her, and she didn’t look back as she took Nuala’s hand and ran like hell.