Otherworld
The still air seemed to almost suffocate her as she walked through the dark tunnel again. Yet, things were different. Bile rose in her throat and she felt as if she couldn’t breathe.
Fear.
Deep, penetrating fear.
Senses on fire, she continued to move through the tunnel, holding her wand up to make her way through the dark passageway. Again the darkness seemed to swallow up most of the wand light.
She dropped.
Screamed.
Wind rushed past her face.
She landed on her ass and cried out as a sharp pain shot up her spine. She gripped her wand tightly in her hand and it illuminated the dank space. She was underground in another passageway, and she had the feeling it must lead to a larger cave.
Were those voices she heard? What about those dark shapes?
She blinked. Nothing was there.
The tunnel felt claustrophobic, as if it were closing in on her while she sat, the passageway becoming smaller and smaller.
She rushed to her feet and started making her way through the cramped tunnel, slightly bent over. She felt the scrape of rock and dirt against her skin and the smell of rotten fish nearly overwhelmed her.
Cobwebs caught in her hair and she brushed them away, and wiped the sticky remnants on her jeans. Her earrings dangled against her neck. Holding the lit wand in front of her, she moved through the tunnel, pieces of rock crunching under her running shoes.
In the distance she saw something red. The glow of her wand illuminated shimmering liquid.
She came to a complete stop.
Blood—so much blood.
It rushed down the passageway, roaring through the passage way. Coming straight at her.
Copper came awake with a start, heart thudding, throat dry.
She tried to sit up, but Tiernan had draped his arm over her waist, his leg casually flung over her thigh, pinning her down to the floor of the shelter.
She struggled against his hold. With a sleepy mumble he pushed to a sitting position and moved his leg from hers, freeing her.
Copper barely missed hitting her head on the rock ceiling. Zeph immediately buzzed to her from his nook of the shelter and she felt his concern.
“What is wrong?” Tiernan rubbed his hand down his face, as if trying to wipe the remnants of sleep from his mind.
For a moment Copper couldn’t talk. She trembled as she looked past him into the meadow that was now the misty gray of predawn. Not long and the sun would be rising.
Sounds of crickets met her ears, and she thought she heard the clink of Drow pickaxes deep below the earth, although that was probably her imagination. The arrogant Dark Elves had a tendency to work at night and late into the morning.
They still had her wand, damn them. No doubt Garran was keeping it, just waiting for her to come to him.
Tiernan caught her chin and brought her attention back to him. “Nightmare?”
She took a deep breath and rubbed her arms to drive away some of the cold. “I don’t know. It could have been a dream-vision. It was so clear, so vivid, like I was there.”
He released her chin and dropped his hand to her shoulder and squeezed. “Tell me.”
The dreams had been so strange, so intense, so real. But were they just that? Dreams?
Or were they all about something terrible to come?
Copper cleared her throat and told Tiernan everything. She could remember every last detail from all the dreams—the scent of damp earth, the sound of crunching rock beneath her shoes, the feel of cobwebs on her face and hands and the rough texture of her jeans when she’d tried to wipe the cobwebs off.
She’d been wearing a sweater and running shoes, and could recall how they hugged her, keeping at bay only part of the chill.
When she finished, Tiernan was studying her intently, his hand still resting on her shoulder. “What do you make of this dream?”
She slowly shook her head. “I think it means we do make it home, because the clothes I was wearing were some of my things left in my apartment. But it also would mean that something bad is going to happen. Something really terrible will be set free—unless it can be stopped.”
Copper frowned before she continued. “The dream keeps changing. I think that could mean it’s not set, it’s something that could be kept from happening. Maybe it’s a warning.”
She ground her teeth and clenched her hand before adding, “I’ve got to get us back home. I think it’s more important than ever that we return. Especially with the threat of Balor.”
His gaze remained fixed on her and for a moment the morning silence weighed them down. “Do you wish to sleep any longer?”
“I can’t.” Copper pinched the bridge of her nose. “Not after that.”
He ducked out of their little shelter, and she moved to stand beside him, Zephyr riding on her ear. It was the day following Tiernan’s and Copper’s ‘talk,’ about his situation with his fiancée.
Since she’d agreed to still be friends with him, she’d allowed him to sleep in the shelter with her—but no sex. When they’d first gone to bed, he hadn’t been touching her.
A light smile came to her lips. She couldn’t help it. She rather liked waking up with him engulfing her in his embrace.
Over the horizon, through the shimmering shield of their prison, faint pink tendrils of dawn crept through the trees. Mist swirled around her ankles, making her homesick once again. She missed the San Francisco fog.
She sighed. She missed everything.
At the same time, tension had taken hold of her and she almost shook with the power of it. She had to get them home, and soon.
While Tiernan left to relieve himself, she walked to the apple tree and reached up on her tiptoes to snag one of the juicy fruits. It felt smooth and cool in her hand and made a small snapping sound as she pulled it from its branch.
Yesterday, after her talk with Tiernan, Copper had tried another spell to get them out of the meadow. Without her wand she felt off balance and insecure. She’d never been good at hand-magic. She had to get her wand back from the damned Drow.
Problem was, not a single one had come out of their underground home—at least not while she’d been awake—and she hadn’t really wanted to make her way down there.
Of course, the mischievous Brownies or Pixies could’ve taken it, but she didn’t think Riona would lead her astray by mentioning the Drow. The queen was a tease, but she wasn’t mean-spirited.
When Tiernan had learned her wand had probably been taken by the Drow, he’d been furious. Copper had simply said she intended to retrieve it and Tiernan went ballistic. He’d ordered her to stay away from the Drow, which had pissed her off.
No one, no man, told her what to do. She intended to retrieve it one way or another. She’d been to Garran’s realm before. What was the big deal?
Tiernan had been damn lucky she let him sleep in the shelter with her last night.
Still thinking about their conversation, Copper wandered back to the rock outcropping holding the apple. Tiernan had left his dagger in its leather sheath in the shelter. After she retrieved it she used the sharp blade to cut the apple horizontally.
When he came back, she was looking at one half of the apple intently, the other half sitting on one of the rock shelves, the dagger resting next to it.
“Did you know,” she said when she looked up at him, “the seeds of an apple are in the shape of a pentagram?” She showed him the fruit. “The apple is blessed by the goddess. I have no doubt she put the tree here along with everything else for me.”
She gestured around them as she continued, “Why would I have the conveniences of water, food, and Fae friendship for so long if it didn’t mean something? I could just as well have been trapped with nothing at all.”
He studied the apple half before looking up to meet her gaze. “You believe Anu planned all this?”
Copper sighed. “I’ve always believed that everything happens for a reason. But for the life of me, I can’t figure this one out. Why would I have been placed here when I could have been home fighting beside my family? When I could be home now, trying to stop Balor from being freed. What’s the purpose of all of this?”
He didn’t answer. They leaned against the rock outcropping, ate their apple halves, and watched the sunrise without talking for a long time.
After a while, Copper said, “Are you afraid of anything, Tiernan?” She glanced up at him. “Or are you just the big macho warrior?”
He frowned as he looked down at her. Finally he said, “I have no fear of dying, of performing my duties, living up to my responsibilities, maintaining my honor. That is a part of my life.”
Tiernan looked away from her and continued, “However, I do fear for the lives of my comrades, my people, and yours. We are doing so little when so much more needs to be done.” He sighed. “My brethren and my family need me. I fear you and I will never get out of this place.”
Copper tossed her half of the core onto a rock for the Brownies. She looked to the sunrise. “I fear a lot of the same things you do. Not getting out of here, not being there to help, and I especially fear for the lives of my family and friends.”
She glanced at Tiernan as she said, “I know Silver struggles with using gray magic more than I do, and that worries me. I’m confident with mine. I have no problem using it, and I know I will never fall over that line into the dark. I just know it.”
Copper frowned as she thought about her sister. “But gray magic—it wears Silver out. I’m afraid for her when she uses it. I know she would never turn to dark sorcery, but it’s so hard on her.”
Her heart crept into her throat. “I always fear losing someone important to me, again. If I had used gray magic when I was young, I would have been able to save my friend Trista’s life.”
Her thoughts traveled far away as she remembered that dark night when her friend had been raped and murdered in a park near their Salem, Massachusetts, home.
Copper had fought off the attackers using white magic, but by the time she had succeeded, it had been too late for Trista, who was human and unable to protect herself.
She balled her fists at her sides, seeing Trista’s lifeless body in her mind. “If only I had used gray magic, Trista would still be alive.”
“There was nothing you could do.” Tiernan’s calming voice broke into the memories of that horrid night. “And you will see her again in Summerland.”
“I know we’re supposed to believe that we go on to Summerland when we pass,” Copper whispered. “But what if there is no Summerland? What if my loved ones aren’t there waiting for me?” Her voice caught. “What if Mother isn’t there now? And Trista?”
Tiernan caught her by the chin, forcing her to look up at him, and smiled. “That is one fear you can safely set aside. Summerland awaits us all, and those we love will be waiting.”
“If you say so.” Copper offered him a half-smile as his fingers slid away from her chin. “So what about your dreams?” She swallowed back the feelings of pain and loss. “Even though you’ve lived so long, are there still things you dream about doing, having, experiencing?”
He was quiet again. She could practically see the wheels spinning in his head as he contemplated her question. “There is not much I have not done, but one thing I have never had is a wife and children. Yes, I have dreamed of having a family, especially children of my own.”
A lead weight settled in Copper’s belly. “And now the woman you’re supposed to marry is pregnant with another man’s child.”
Tiernan gave a great sigh. “Adopting a child is a special thing, but knowing that your wife is in love with another man, and knowing who the father is…”
Copper took his hand and squeezed it. When he met her gaze she gave him a little smile. “You’ll think of something. It’ll all work out.”
His blue eyes were intense, focused. “I hope you are right, little fire.”
The use of the nickname warmed Copper’s insides and she had to force herself to drop his hand. “What if you don’t figure something out?” she asked softly.
Tiernan’s chest ached. “Then I will raise the child as if he were my own and will treat him no different than any of my other children.” He stared off into the distance. “Airell will bear my babes, and she will be forbidden to see Urien.”
He looked down at her. “Do you wish for children?”
Copper shifted against the rock. “I’ve never been in any hurry to have kids, but I guess one day I will, and I know I will love them as much as my parents have loved me and my sister.”
She tilted her head back and the stone felt rough behind her head. “As far as other dreams, I want to teach kids. I like kids a lot. I’ll probably teach high school kids because I also want to coach the girls’ softball team.”
Copper pursed her lips before saying, “Like you, duty and honor are important to me. My duty is to serve the goddess Anu and my Coven.”
She went on. “The hard part is that I believe strongly in using gray magic to fight evil, and my Coven and father don’t. It’s a really tough thing. I don’t like doing something they don’t feel is right, but I need to stay true to myself, you know?”
“Sometimes we have no choice but doing what is expected of us,” Tiernan said quietly.
She looked up at him. “I think we do have a choice. We can’t live our lives for others all the time. We have to do what we feel is right.”
Copper gave a heavy sigh. “As far as dreams—I dream of home. Being back with my family, back where I belong.”
He caught her hand in his and squeezed. It felt warm and reassuring and for some reason gave her hope they would be able to return home soon.
Tiernan was a grouchy ass as he again tried to find a way through the barrier. He snarled at any being that came near him, and he even snapped at Copper more than once.
Due to said grumpiness and being snapped at, Copper took great satisfaction in the frizziness of his hair and the number of Pixie designs springing from it. The green-skinned imps did something different with his hair every time he worked his way around the barrier, and always topped their creations with pretty blooms.
While Tiernan stomped around, Copper knew she had to take action to get her wand back. There was no way around it. She’d have to go below ground.
Her familiar was off playing somewhere with the Faerie children again. She thought about bringing the honeybee with her to see the Drow. His temper and his stinger could come in very handy.
“Zephyr!” she called as she headed for the Drow door, but the bee didn’t come to her, even after a few calls. “Must be in the Faerie mound with the kids,” Copper murmured. For some reason their connection didn’t work so well when Zeph was with the Fae.
Riona fluttered down to land on Copper’s shoulder when she reached the door. “Maybe you should take the D’Danann oaf.” The Faerie nodded her dainty little head in the direction Tiernan was now cursing.
“I don’t need him.” Copper took a deep breath and stomped on the stone door. “I’ve been there and back before, so what’s the big deal? I can handle this myself.”
“If you think it is wise.” Riona flapped her little wings and hovered above Copper. “But I am not the one Garran wants.”
Copper gritted her teeth at the scraping sound of the door slowly easing open from Drow magic. “Are you trying to warn me or something?”
“Never.” Riona gave a soft laugh and zipped away.
Torches sprang to life as she made her way down the staircase and the door closed above her. Once again when she reached the bottom of the stairs she was met by Naal, but this time a different warrior accompanied him.
Copper tipped her head up to look at Naal as they walked across the great hall. She liked his mischievous grin and his sanguine personality.
When they reached the throne room, Naal and the other Drow stood to either side of the doorway while Copper walked through the beautiful sparkling room toward Garran.
He sat at an angle in his throne, his long legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles, with one elbow resting on the throne’s arm while he rubbed his chin with his fingers. He was as handsome as ever with his silver-blue hair and powerful build.
“Copper, my love,” he said with his rogue’s grin, “Surely this time you have come to serve as my queen.”
“Get real.” Copper stared at him in exasperation, then glanced to the seat beside him where her wand rested. “You know exactly what I want.”
Garran raised an eyebrow. “So direct, Copper. I should be insulted by your lack of decorum.”
She almost rolled her eyes. “I need my wand back. It’s important to me.”
The Drow king pushed himself out of his seat and was in front of her in a single step. Shock rocked her at the speed of his movement.
She had to look way up to meet his eyes. His expression was fierce as he reached out, caught a lock of her hair, and wrapped it around his finger.
His voice came out low and gruff and his liquid silver eyes swirled with passion. “What price are you willing to pay, witch?”
Tiernan shouted and growled as he made attempt after attempt to breach the barrier surrounding the meadow. He did not like this helpless feeling, not at all.
When he’d had enough of testing the barrier, he kicked off the six or so Brownies nipping at his knees, and batted the Pixies away from his hair. He slipped the leather lace from his neck opening.
He drew back his hair along with whatever creations the Pixies had managed to make in it. When his hair was tied, he plucked out pink and yellow flowers, hoping he got them all.
This time he hadn’t heard any laughter coming from the Faeries or Copper. No doubt the Fae had had their fun the last time and were just waiting to pull some other trick on him.
He frowned. Where was Copper?
Riona, the Faerie queen, zipped up to flutter before him. She had a small perfect body with full breasts and rounded curves. Her black hair tumbled down her back and her amethyst eyes held laughter, as usual.
He scowled at her. “What do you want?”
“What do you want, great D’Danann warrior?” Riona flapped her wings, lavender dust glittering in the afternoon light.
Tiernan resisted swiping his hand in her direction to get her out of his way. “I am not interested in your games, Faerie.”
She hovered in the air, tapping her tiny chin with her finger. “Perhaps you are interested in Copper?”
He frowned. She laughed.
“I don’t think the Drow will give her up so easily.” She zipped away, and then she was gone from sight.
“What?” Tiernan bellowed. When the Faerie didn’t respond, he searched the meadow with his gaze.
There were perhaps three places Copper could be. Behind the bushes of the Fae mound, behind the side of the rock outcropping they used when needing to relieve themselves, and the shelter itself.
No, there was a fourth—the side of the rocks that she avoided, where the Drow door was located.
To his increasing concern, she was nowhere to be found in the usual places. He stormed to the side of the rock outcropping he had only seen in passing when he was searching the barrier.
He stared at the flat gray rock on the ground, shadowed by a pine tree. It was, of course, a door leading to the Drow realm. Similar doors were all over Otherworld. No doubt the Faerie Riona hadn’t been lying when she said something about the Drow not giving up Copper.
Damnation. What in the name of the Underworld was she doing with the Drow? His chest burned. It was usually not an easy task to return from the realm of the Dark Elves.
He knelt beside the door that lay flat on the ground. He rubbed his fingers around the edges, trying to find a catch. Nothing but smooth rock. The door was sealed tightly within its stone frame, which was as he expected.
The more he searched, the more the knot in his gut grew. With all his strength, he tried tugging and pulling at the door. It didn’t budge. He sat heavily on the ground and wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
“Perhaps you need my assistance now, D’Danann?” came Riona’s tinkling voice as she fluttered before him. “Or are you too much the arrogant warrior to need help? You certainly have not asked the Fae or even Copper to assist you in any way.”
Tiernan ground his teeth as he glared at the Faerie queen. “How do I get to Copper?”
She placed her hands on her thighs and leaned forward. “Pretty please?”
A low growl rose in his chest. “Riona—”
She shrugged. “If not, then I have things to do.”
“Pretty please,” he shouted, and Fae giggles rose up from the other side of the rock outcropping.
Riona gave an amused grin. “Stomp on the door five times. Do not expect a warm welcome.”
Tiernan pushed himself to his feet and ignored the Faerie as he raised his boot and banged on the door as she had instructed.
The Faerie queen zipped in front of him as he backed away, and she gave him a small pout. “Not even a thank you?”
“Thank you, Queen Riona,” he snapped, then riveted his attention on the now moving door.
Stone rumbled as it opened and a hollow sound rose from below. When the door was fully open, Tiernan stepped down into the darkness.
Copper resisted the urge to push Garran away as he tugged her lock of hair. It wasn’t that she found him distasteful. Actually, she found him quite sexy. But she wanted to put distance between them.
She straightened her spine and tilted her chin, stretching to her full height, but she was still a good eight inches shorter than him. “What do you want, Garran?”
He drew her closer by pulling the lock of hair, and caught her off guard. She stumbled forward and barely remained upright by bracing her hands against his bare tattooed chest.
Muscles rippled beneath her palms. The lug drew her close and wrapped his arms around her waist so that her body was flush with his. Heat rose to her cheeks when she felt his obscenely large erection pressing against her belly.
“You are the light to my dark,” he murmured. “You have something magical in your spirit, a purity in your heart. I would give you everything.”
Copper swallowed. “Just tell me what I have to do to get my wand back.”
“A kiss.” He lowered his head until she could feel his warm breath upon her skin. “I want a kiss and you shall have your toy.”
Copper pushed harder at his chest and leaned back as far as she could. Not a Drow kiss! A kiss from one of the Dark Elves could make another being wish to stay below ground with the Drow.
But it was only a kiss and she was a witch, immune to much Fae magic. Yet she didn’t know if she’d be able to resist the power. What if she fell under his spell?
His lips neared hers and she caught his earthy scent. “Just a kiss, my fair one,” he murmured, a breath away from her lips.
Only a kiss. Only a kiss.
“You promise that I can have my wand?”
His mouth quirked into a grin. “Of course.”
Copper’s hands gripped his leather and gem-encrusted chest straps. “You promise you’ll let me go?”
His gaze grew heavy-lidded, almost obscuring the liquid silver of his eyes. “If you still wish to leave.”
She couldn’t help but tremble in Garran’s arms. “No magic,” she managed to whisper.
He lowered his head. “Mmmm.” The sound rumbled in his chest just before he pressed his mouth to hers.
When Tiernan reached the bottom of the staircase, Drow guards stood to either side of the doorway that led into an enormous hall. One of the Elves had black hair, the other’s was silver.
Tiernan glared at each Drow warrior. “Where is Copper?”
The silver-haired Drow’s expression didn’t waver. “Rudeness will not get you an audience with the king, if that is what you wish.”
Tiernan blew out a long breath and tried to calm himself. If the Drow used any magic on Copper, it would be hell trying to get her out of here. “Please take me to your king.”
“Come.” The Drow gestured to one of the archways across the hallway and then the two males began walking to either side of Tiernan.
Surprise filtered through him that they so easily granted him an audience with their king. Drow tended to be far more disagreeable and did not like Fae in their realm. They hadn’t even requested he remove the weapons belt that secured his sword and dagger.
They had to be up to something.
When they reached the crystal chamber, Tiernan strode into the throne room and came up short.
Copper was kissing the Drow king. Her arms were around his neck, her body snug against his, her eyes closed.
Rage rose up within Tiernan. That anyone, any being, would kiss Copper was enough to send molten fury rushing through his veins.
He drew his sword. When the two guards grabbed his arms, he struggled against the power of their hold on him.
“Copper!” he shouted as he fought to get away from the damnable Drow.
Her eyelids fluttered open and she jerked back from the Drow she had been kissing. Her face flushed crimson, and the Faerie kisses sprinkled across her nose stood out against the red of her cheeks. The pentagrams at her ears swung wildly with her movement.
The Drow king glanced up at Tiernan who still struggled to reach him. Amusement crossed the king’s expression. “Copper may choose to leave or she may stay. You will not have a say in it, D’Danann.”
Copper took one look at the fury etched across Tiernan’s face and almost laughed. It was so obvious he was jealous, even though he might have to marry some other woman.
The arrogant ass deserved a little taunting. As did Garran, who was just as arrogant and just as much of an ass, so assured that his magic would bind her.
She turned back to Garran and ran her finger from his collarbone, over the crisscross leather straps to his belly and to the waistband of his breeches. Her tongue darted out to touch her lower lip.
His arrogant expression turned utterly erotic.
“What would you do with me if you had me?” she said in a husky purr.
A rumble rose in Garran’s chest. “I would have you until you could not take any more, and then I would take you again.”
Tiernan nearly roared. “And I will kill you where you stand, Drow!”
Copper tossed a look over her shoulder at the D’Danann and managed to hold back a grin.
Her lashes fluttered again as she brought her gaze back to Garran’s. His earth-and-moss scent was even stronger as she raised herself up on her tiptoes, nuzzled the line of his jaw, and moved her lips to his ear. She actually felt him shiver.
“Sorry, baby,” she murmured before she drew back. “You got your kiss, and you promised me my wand and my way out of here.”
Garran looked taken aback, but then smiled. “I didn’t promise that the D’Danann could leave.”
Copper frowned and tried to push him away. “No fair, Garran.”
His silver eyes glittered with amusement. “Who said I was fair, love?”
“Damn you.” She pushed at his chest and this time he released her. He didn’t stop her when she snatched her wand up from the chair beside him.
“What will you give me to set him free?” he said with a look to Tiernan and then back to her again.
Copper pointed her wand at his chest. “Release him or—or I’ll spell your lips shut.”
Garran pushed the wand away. “Do you think a human witch’s inferior magic could harm me?”
The tips of Copper’s ears burned. She backed up and pointed her wand again at Garran. “Let him go.”
Power rose up within her just as the ground began to rock.
A tremendous rumbling noise came from beneath their feet, like a massive hammer against stone.
The room shuddered. Copper lost her footing.
She stumbled backward and found herself in Tiernan’s arms. Tiernan shielded her with his body as great chunks of crystal rained down from the ceiling. Despite his protection, one icicle-sized shard just missed grazing Copper’s cheek.
Garran and the other Drow shouted and barely kept to their feet as they bolted from the room. Tiernan grabbed Copper’s hand and they followed.
It was no better outside the royal chamber. Rocks, some the size of boulders, loosened from above and slammed into the floor of the great hall. From below came one thundering pounding noise after another.
Other Drow shouted and joined Garran and his guards. They disappeared through a far doorway, brandishing their swords.
Tiernan and Copper dodged the massive rocks as the boulders fell. They headed for the stairway that would lead them out of the Drow realm and back to the meadow.
It was blocked by a wall of dirt and rocks.
The room continued to shake and shudder with the tremendous pounding noise. Tiernan retained his tight grip on Copper’s hand as they ran toward the doorway the Drow had disappeared through.
Dirt filled her mouth and her nose, and her body ached from the small stones that hit her.
When they made their way across the hall and through the Drow doorway, a great bellow came from below, and again another sound, like a massive hammer against stone.
The passageway they were in must have been reinforced because only smaller rocks fell from above. They tumbled down the walls and dust filled the tunnel.
Even so, Copper didn’t want to be in the tunnel. She wanted out, wanted to be able to breathe without choking on dust. It felt as if the walls were closing in on her. And it reminded her too much of her dreams.
When they finally made it out of the passageway, Copper and Tiernan came up short, and she gasped.
Down in the mine pit Garran had taken her to, perhaps two stories below, was the biggest creature Copper could ever imagine seeing. Its skin was bark-brown, it had long stringy brown hair, its eyes were brilliant green, and drool gushed from its mouth. It was hunchbacked with great jagged, mossy green teeth.
In one hand the giant beast held a shield as big as a garage door. In his other, he wielded a club the size of a two-seater airplane and smashed it into the side walls. The arrowheads from Drow arrows were exploding on contact. The arrows stuck out of the giant’s huge head like tiny toothpicks and blood poured from the wounds.
Heart pounding, she saw Garran in the midst of the battle, shouting commands. Naal, his brother and first in command, directed another troop of warriors.
Her heart leaped in her throat when she saw a Drow bashed up against the wall hard enough to sever his head. As his body dropped, it vanished in sparkles of obsidian.
Copper observed all this in just a fraction of time before looking back at Tiernan.
He was gone.
She whipped around to the other side of her and saw Tiernan holding his sword as he rushed down the cavern path to where the Drow fought the giant.
“No!” she shouted, her heart pounding so hard now she could hear it in her ears. He couldn’t take on such a beast with a sword.
In the next moment Tiernan’s wings unfolded from his back and he launched himself into the air.
Despite the pounding of her heart, Copper couldn’t help but think how magnificent Tiernan looked, his great wings spread as he soared around the cavern like a great eagle. He held his sword at the ready, looking for the best angle to attack the giant.
The huge animal-like beast spotted Tiernan and swung its club at the warrior. Tiernan deftly dodged it and flew even closer to the giant’s face. The creature roared and swiped at him with his shield. Copper screamed Tiernan’s name as the giant came inches from hitting him.
At the same time, Tiernan distracted the giant, the Drow continued their attack, more wounds bloodying its body as Elvin arrows exploded in its flesh. The giant stumbled as great rocks that were flung from catapults slammed into him.
Copper tried to think of a spell that would help. A thought came to her in a flash. She forced magic into the wand, magnifying the glow, and pointed it so that the glare momentarily blinded the giant.
She barely saw Tiernan through the brilliance of the light as he dove toward the giant’s head. Her heart stuttered as he swooped down and drove his sword into one of the beast’s brilliant green eyes.
The giant screamed and flailed. More rock rained from the ceiling.
Tiernan’s blood boiled as he buried his sword in the beast’s eye. No doubt this was one of the great giants of Underworld, of the kind Owain and his giant lion had fought to the death centuries ago.
The giants were beasts, truly no more than animals, used as guards at crossing points to Otherworlds. What was such a creature doing this close to the surface of this Otherworld?
The beast started swinging its club toward Copper where she wielded such powerful light with her wand. Tiernan’s blood pounded in his ears as he drew his dagger and flipped it through the air, end over end. The dagger buried itself into its target, the beast’s other pupil.
The giant screamed and screamed, blindly spinning around with the dagger and sword jutting out from its huge eyes. It swung its club again and nipped Tiernan on his chest, the power of the momentum slamming Tiernan against a cavern wall.
Tiernan caught himself before he tumbled to the cavern floor. He soared into the air, his chest aching and his breathing coming in harsh gasps.
With a great bellow, the beast dropped its shield and club to reach for its eyes to pull out the sword and dagger.
The Drow attacked in full force, taking advantage of the giant’s blindness and the fact that its hands were now empty of shield and club.
Copper’s wand light dimmed, surely to keep from blinding the warriors.
Tiernan spread his wings and soared to the center of the mine to join the rest of the Drow. He flew over a huge pit from which the beast must have emerged.
He circled until he landed in a crouch. He drew his wings back in and watched the beast at the same time his gaze searched the room for a loose sword.
The giant had ripped both of Tiernan’s weapons from its eyes and flung them to the rock floor. They hit with a clatter that was nearly lost in the roars of the Drow as they attacked.
The beast tried to reach for its shield and club again, but was blinded from Tiernan’s weapons having pierced its pupils.
Tiernan spotted his sword gleaming in the rubble. He dove for it and barely avoided a swinging fist as he snatched up the weapon.
When his feet touched the soil, as one he and Garran bolted for the giant’s feet. With a broadsword, Garran slashed one of the tendons above the giant’s heel at the same time Tiernan sliced the other.
The giant bellowed again, the sound so loud the walls shuddered and more rock rained from the ceiling.
Both Tiernan and Garran rushed to get away from the flailing giant. Tiernan took to the air and Garran bolted with legendary Elvin speed.
The beast wavered, its body swinging forward. Then back. Forward again.
With a bellow that rang through the chamber and caused more rock to fall, the giant slammed to its side on the rock floor.
The blind giant tried to push itself up but the Drow slit its massive throat. It took several warriors to hack at it neck. Deep brown blood spurted and gushed from the wounds.
Copper’s stomach churned and she held her hand over her mouth. She could barely hold back the bile rising in her throat.
All the while the giant struggled, knocking Drow from their feet with its huge arms and sending them flying. One of its fingers nearly hooked Tiernan, but he swung his sword down in a huge arc and cut off the giant’s finger.
Finally, the giant gave one last shudder and stilled.
For a moment the Drow, Tiernan, and Copper were silent, watching blood flow from the giant’s throat like a river gushing over a waterfall. Eventually the bleeding lessened until it was but a trickle.
Garran and Naal climbed over the rubble and approached Tiernan. The Drow king had a stoic expression on his face. When he reached Tiernan, Garran held out his arm, and they clasped one another’s forearms at the elbow in the handshake of old.
“Thank you, brother,” Garran said with a deep nod. “You are free to go.”
“You better believe he is,” Copper grumbled from above. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
The Drow helped free the passageway so that Tiernan and Copper could leave.
Tiernan was so angry with Copper he did not speak to her until they were through the Drow door and out into the sunlight.
Sweat and blood covered him. Dirt streaked both his and Copper’s clothing and faces. His breathing was harsh and his blood pumped in his veins like fire from the rush of adrenaline that continued to flood him.
The moment the door closed behind them, Tiernan took Copper by the shoulders. “What in the gods’ names were you thinking? First of all, you could have been killed by that giant, and secondly, you could have been bespelled by the Drow king.”
Copper pushed his hands away and glared back at him. “I was doing just fine till you arrived. I would have been out of there before that giant attacked if you hadn’t come down and caused a freaking scene and delayed us.”
Heat blazed through him. “You were kissing a godsdamn Drow.”
He swore he saw the corner of Copper’s mouth quirk, as if she were amused. “Jealous?”
Tiernan scowled. Jealous? Of course not, not with this maddening woman. Yet the sight of her kissing the Drow had sent fury through him, fury that he could not explain. Even the thought of it made him want to punch the bastard.
“Do you have any idea what could have happened to you?” he shouted instead of voicing the thoughts raging in his mind. “You could have been spelled. Then you could have been kept by the Dark Elves forevermore.”
“I was.” Copper placed her hands on her hips. “Spelled, that is. At least some. But I’m a witch and it had little effect on me. Not that it’s any concern of yours.”
Tiernan growled. He found himself wanting to shake her again.
That or kiss her.
The thought of kissing her again, the image of his lips on hers, chased every other word out of his mind. He was almost relieved when she whirled and strode back around the stone outcropping until he couldn’t see her anymore.
He sucked in a deep breath between his teeth. Testing the barriers while trying to find a way out of this prison must have roasted his brains.