Fragile Eternity
Page 53
A lamb? The High Queens gaze passed over him with the attentiveness of a hummingbird, pausing and darting away. She returned her eyes to the board in front of her. The game looked to be something akin to chess but several times larger and with six sets of gemstone pieces.
All of his wet parts are still inside. Bananach reached over and stroked Seths head. Do you remember when they brought us sacrifices?
Sorcha picked up a translucent green figure with a sickle-looking weapon in its hand. You shouldnt have brought him here. You shouldnt even be here.
Bananach tilted her head in that disturbing birdlike gesture. Her voice was singsongy as she asked, Shall I keep him then? Shall I carry him back through the veil, take him from the field of play? Shall I leave him on the right regents threshold; tell them I brought him to the door from insideyour demesne? Shall I, sister mine, take the lamb?
Seth paused as something unreadable flickered in Sorchas eyes. Hed only just arrived here, so he couldnt imagine where Bananach could leave him or what she could say that would cause trouble.The only regents who know me are Ash, Don, or Niall, and I could explain the thought stopped as clarity hit: she wouldnt be leaving him alive at anyones door. If Sorcha didnt allow him to stay, he was about to die.
He looked around, as if a weapon would suddenly be lying in reach. There wasnt anything. Sentences from the lore hed read rushed to mind in a jumble.Hawthorn and Rue, thistle and rose He knew there were herbs and plants that offered protection. He kept a number of them in his train and often with him. He began rummaging in his pockets.Wordsvows What could he offer not to die? Bananach had promised to deliver him safelyto Sorcha, but nothing beyond that.
Sorcha held the figure aloft before setting it in a square adjacent to the one it had been in when she lifted it. Fine. He can stay.
The raven-faery pressed one taloned hand over his chest, her fingers curling in ever so slightly, as if shed pierce him with her fingertips. Be a good boy now. Make me proud. Make our dreams come true.
Then she turned and left.
For a few heartbeats, Seth stood and waited for Sorcha to speak. Hed heard enough about hernot in direct revelations but passing comments that painted her as impeccably proper and uptightthat he thought he should wait for her to speak.
She didnt utter a word.
Boomer shifted, sliding down Seths arm and lower until the boa was resting at Seths feet.
Still the High Queen sat silently.
Now what?
Waiting her out was unlikely. He glanced at the doorway through which Bananach had just left and then back at the High Queen. She wasnt looking at her puzzle board now; she gazed into the distance, as if she saw things in the empty air.
Perhaps she does.
After several still moments, he figured hed try to speak. So, youre Sorcha, right?
The look she gave him was not cruel, but it wasnt inviting at all. Yes, and you are?
Seth.
The new queens mortal consort. She lifted another game piece absently. Of course you are. Not many mortals would know my name, but your queen is
Shes not my queen, he interrupted. Somehow that particular clarification felt important just then. Shes my girlfriend. Im not anyones subject.
I see. She lowered the violet carving and straightened the voluminous skirts she wore. Well then, Seth who is not a subject, what brings you to my presence?
I want to be a faery. He looked at her without flinching.
Sorcha moved the game board away. A flicker of what might be interest flashed over her face. Thats a bold requestand not one to answer without contemplation.
She could fix everything. She has the power to do it.
An elaborate tapestry was pushed aside, and another beautiful, seemingly emotionless faery appeared from behind it. He couldve been one of her game pieces: perfectly still and inhuman. As Seth looked at him, he realized that this was the same faery whod watched Niall fight with Bananach in the Crows Nest.
Devlin, she murmured. I believe my new mortal needs a resting space for the time, and a reminder of the dangers of impertinence. Would you tend to that while I ponder things?
It is my honor. The faery bowed slightly, and then he calmly reached out and gripped Seths neck.
Devlin lifted Seth by the throat and squeezed, applying pressure to his windpipe.
Seth couldnt breathe. He struggled, kicking out at Devlin, but everything went dark and he fell into unconsciousness.
Chapter 21
You all right? Carla asked Aislinn softly as they waited for Rianne to come out of the restroom. She took a while to apply the makeup her mother forbade her to wear to school. Sick?
No.
Do you want to talk? You lookoff. The words were hesitant, but they were still there. Carla had become mothering with both Aislinn and Rianne.
Seth and I Aislinn started, but a sob threatened at the thought of finishing that sentence. She stopped the words before the tears at the end of that admission could fall. Saying it aloud in this world made it too real. Hes nothere. We had a sort of fight.
Carla hugged her. Itll be okay. He loves you. Hes been waiting around for you forever.
I dont know. Aislinn tried not to look at the faeries who stood invisibly in the hall. He took off or something.
Seth?
Aislinn nodded. It was all she could do. A part of her wished she could talk to Carla, to Rianne, to someone, but the person she talked to was missingand telling Carla all about it would mean skirting the truth or admitting truths that Aislinn couldnt quite handle. Mortals really didnt belong in the world of faeries.
All of his wet parts are still inside. Bananach reached over and stroked Seths head. Do you remember when they brought us sacrifices?
Sorcha picked up a translucent green figure with a sickle-looking weapon in its hand. You shouldnt have brought him here. You shouldnt even be here.
Bananach tilted her head in that disturbing birdlike gesture. Her voice was singsongy as she asked, Shall I keep him then? Shall I carry him back through the veil, take him from the field of play? Shall I leave him on the right regents threshold; tell them I brought him to the door from insideyour demesne? Shall I, sister mine, take the lamb?
Seth paused as something unreadable flickered in Sorchas eyes. Hed only just arrived here, so he couldnt imagine where Bananach could leave him or what she could say that would cause trouble.The only regents who know me are Ash, Don, or Niall, and I could explain the thought stopped as clarity hit: she wouldnt be leaving him alive at anyones door. If Sorcha didnt allow him to stay, he was about to die.
He looked around, as if a weapon would suddenly be lying in reach. There wasnt anything. Sentences from the lore hed read rushed to mind in a jumble.Hawthorn and Rue, thistle and rose He knew there were herbs and plants that offered protection. He kept a number of them in his train and often with him. He began rummaging in his pockets.Wordsvows What could he offer not to die? Bananach had promised to deliver him safelyto Sorcha, but nothing beyond that.
Sorcha held the figure aloft before setting it in a square adjacent to the one it had been in when she lifted it. Fine. He can stay.
The raven-faery pressed one taloned hand over his chest, her fingers curling in ever so slightly, as if shed pierce him with her fingertips. Be a good boy now. Make me proud. Make our dreams come true.
Then she turned and left.
For a few heartbeats, Seth stood and waited for Sorcha to speak. Hed heard enough about hernot in direct revelations but passing comments that painted her as impeccably proper and uptightthat he thought he should wait for her to speak.
She didnt utter a word.
Boomer shifted, sliding down Seths arm and lower until the boa was resting at Seths feet.
Still the High Queen sat silently.
Now what?
Waiting her out was unlikely. He glanced at the doorway through which Bananach had just left and then back at the High Queen. She wasnt looking at her puzzle board now; she gazed into the distance, as if she saw things in the empty air.
Perhaps she does.
After several still moments, he figured hed try to speak. So, youre Sorcha, right?
The look she gave him was not cruel, but it wasnt inviting at all. Yes, and you are?
Seth.
The new queens mortal consort. She lifted another game piece absently. Of course you are. Not many mortals would know my name, but your queen is
Shes not my queen, he interrupted. Somehow that particular clarification felt important just then. Shes my girlfriend. Im not anyones subject.
I see. She lowered the violet carving and straightened the voluminous skirts she wore. Well then, Seth who is not a subject, what brings you to my presence?
I want to be a faery. He looked at her without flinching.
Sorcha moved the game board away. A flicker of what might be interest flashed over her face. Thats a bold requestand not one to answer without contemplation.
She could fix everything. She has the power to do it.
An elaborate tapestry was pushed aside, and another beautiful, seemingly emotionless faery appeared from behind it. He couldve been one of her game pieces: perfectly still and inhuman. As Seth looked at him, he realized that this was the same faery whod watched Niall fight with Bananach in the Crows Nest.
Devlin, she murmured. I believe my new mortal needs a resting space for the time, and a reminder of the dangers of impertinence. Would you tend to that while I ponder things?
It is my honor. The faery bowed slightly, and then he calmly reached out and gripped Seths neck.
Devlin lifted Seth by the throat and squeezed, applying pressure to his windpipe.
Seth couldnt breathe. He struggled, kicking out at Devlin, but everything went dark and he fell into unconsciousness.
Chapter 21
You all right? Carla asked Aislinn softly as they waited for Rianne to come out of the restroom. She took a while to apply the makeup her mother forbade her to wear to school. Sick?
No.
Do you want to talk? You lookoff. The words were hesitant, but they were still there. Carla had become mothering with both Aislinn and Rianne.
Seth and I Aislinn started, but a sob threatened at the thought of finishing that sentence. She stopped the words before the tears at the end of that admission could fall. Saying it aloud in this world made it too real. Hes nothere. We had a sort of fight.
Carla hugged her. Itll be okay. He loves you. Hes been waiting around for you forever.
I dont know. Aislinn tried not to look at the faeries who stood invisibly in the hall. He took off or something.
Seth?
Aislinn nodded. It was all she could do. A part of her wished she could talk to Carla, to Rianne, to someone, but the person she talked to was missingand telling Carla all about it would mean skirting the truth or admitting truths that Aislinn couldnt quite handle. Mortals really didnt belong in the world of faeries.
