Page 15

Arianna

Conall filled their small group in on the details he’d already revealed and Rion made introductions to the others. Saoirse didn’t like the fact that Rion had runes on his arms, Raevina clearly doubted their sincerity if her tone was anything to go by, but Talon seemed to be soaking in the details, filing them away to consider later.

Thankfully, Rion had moved closer, though his gaze remained downturned, as if he were waiting for her to chastise him. She’d reached out her hand, and he’d taken it, seating himself in a chair at her side.

Raevina’s gaze traveled over the village. “So you plan to infiltrate Ashling with … this?” Her tone was condescending, dismissive, but Conall chuckled, not offended in the slightest.

“I’m certain it pales in comparison to the armies beneath Fiadh’s great mountain.” Raevina eyed him. “The bulk of our warriors will be arriving back any day now. They’re finishing an assignment.”

“What sort of assignment?”

“They’re liberating prisoners from another set of Niall’s prisons. With his return to Ashling, we worried for their neglect.”

“You free those imprisoned,” Saoirse said, leaning forward. “You claim our mother worked with you, you want to free the continent of the High Lord’s control, and yet somehow, despite claiming him as your king, you still managed to let my brother go decades without interference.”

Conall’s gaze softened. “We tried.”

“Tried,” she repeated as if tasting the word. Her anger burned through the air, hot as Raevina’s fire.

“When I told you the High Lord, Vairik, has a personal vendetta against him, I meant it.” Conall turned to Rion. “He’s been manipulating your mind for a very long time. Whenever we tried to interfere, he’d glamour us to look like an enemy or someone out to kill you.”

“Lies,” Saoirse hissed. “He’d have to be everywhere. He can’t have followed Rion around his entire life.”

“This entire continent is under a glamour that’s beyond comprehension. He’s employed thousands to his cause and has a special team that works with the councils and High Lords.”

Conall paused for a breath. “We almost got through to Caol, but he was being watched too closely. It was … strange that Vairik seemed inclined to watch you suffer rather than eliminating you like the others. We can only speculate it’s because you resemble the previous King he had altercations with.”

Rion squeezed her hand. “If you’re about to tell me I’m some kind of reincarnation—”

Conall waved a hand. “No, no, nothing like that, but the spirit of your predecessors, at least, the magic they wielded, does live in your veins.”

“Is that why it’s been acting so strangely?” Arianna asked.

“How do you mean?”

“My magic has been … abnormal. We thought it was just my animal shift trying to take form, but—”

Conall’s brows furrowed. “Animal shift? The Divine doesn’t have an animal shift.”

“She doesn’t?” Saoirse asked.

“No, neither does the King. I thought you knew this.”

“We knew about Rion, but …”

“Then why has it been so volatile?” Rion asked.

“It could have been due to Niall’s presence. Or maybe with your mating bond in place, it can better sense the unnatural glamour in the land, changing things that shouldn’t be changed.”

“Her magic doesn’t react to Gavin,” Saoirse said.

“Because he isn’t a threat,” Talon added. Gavin didn’t respond.

“He’s also not working with the High Lord, so you’ve told me.” Conall still eyed Gavin as if he still weren’t sure if he believed it.

“You claim this Vairik is over ten thousand years old?” Raevina asked.

Conall nodded. “It’s the reason he’s so powerful?”

“I understand anger,” Saoirse said. “But ten thousand years seems like a very long time to hold onto a grudge.”

“A few of you have mates, yes?” None seemed inclined to answer. Talon didn’t even look at Raevina and Arianna wondered if the image of her with a knife to her throat still haunted him. “Imagine the one you love was taken from you and suddenly loved another. I’m not rationalizing his decisions, but he firmly believes his lover was taken against her will.”

“So it’s a breakup gone bad,” Saoirse said, rubbing her temples. “And we’re dealing with an overgrown teenager.”

“If one believes the stories, Vairik and Laoise loved one another fiercely. That type of love isn’t something one lets go of easily.” Conall’s hand moved to rest on the female’s knee and she smiled at him.

“So why doesn’t the Divine get an animal shift?” Arianna asked.

“From what we’ve deciphered of the ancient texts, the original Divine and her mate opted to trade their animals shifts for the power to protect their people.”

“You know the original story?”

“Most of it.”

“Haven’t you had centuries to figure it out?” Saoirse said.

Conall nodded. “We have, but just when we think we’ve broken the code and things start to make sense, another passage proves us wrong. Entire pages are also missing and I fear we’ll never recover them.”

Arianna shifted in her chair. “Eimear mentioned something about the statues holding secrets.”

“We’ve been looking there too. If we find anything, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Let’s take a step back,” Saoirse said. “I don’t care how old he is, how has a male managed to erase the truth from an entire continent of people who are immortal?”

“If we live forever, why are we so young?” Conall asked. “Who’s the oldest Fae you know?” He glanced around and Arianna’s heart beat just a little faster as she thought of her father. A male who was only a thousand yet considered a leader. One of the oldest …

“There were many Fae over the centuries that couldn’t be swayed. Sadly, Vairik saw to their deaths. He took advantage of grief, war, and personal vendettas. It’s true, there are a few fanatics, as they’re called, who preach the truth, but they’ve been labeled fanatics for a reason too. They’re outcasts. And if one gets too much attention, Vairik puts an end to them.”

No one spoke so Conall continued. “It started with the small villages. He experimented manipulating their minds until he perfected his technique and let it spread to larger towns, then cities until everyone was questioning the truth and their leaders.

“Wars broke out over their beliefs until the ones who knew the truth were either converted or eliminated. It was chaos.”

“Isn’t The Divine supposed to be born to stop that sort of thing?” Saoirse asked.

“She is, but The Divine couldn’t come about because Vairik kept killing the one meant to protect her.”

“You’d think the gods would bend their own rules for the sake of peace,” Saoirse said.

“If a god makes a rule, are they capable of breaking or bending it? Their laws are absolute.”

“What’s the point of being a god then?”

“Perhaps you can take it up with them in the afterlife.” Conall paused, waiting for more questions before continuing. “Line by line, Vairik rewrote history until we had what you know today.”

Conall’s gaze traveled to Raevina. “The only place you might still find the truth is in the deepest parts of Fiadh.” The female looked up, her braids falling around her shoulders. “They’ve always been the most difficult people to persuade, which is why we believe Vairik allied with their nation in the first place. It’s also the reason so many are here. But you already know all that.”

Raevina didn’t speak.

“Anyone going to clarify?” Saoirse said, her tone impatient.

“Shadow Weavers are meant to be guardians to The Divine. Their ancestors devoted their entire lives to ensure her will was enacted upon the continent.”

Raevina’s willingness to kneel at Arianna’s feet suddenly made sense. It was a higher purpose. A calling. Her honor was on the line. And unlike humans, honor was something the Fae craved to uphold.

“Okay,” Arianna said, holding up her hands. “Just start from the beginning. Tell us everything.”

Conall settled back in his chair. “It’s true that we all came from the northern continent after being persecuted by the humans. Those stories have remained unaltered. The original Divine, before she became such, craved freedom for her people. Thus, she and her partner crossed the sea and arrived on the northern shores of what we currently know as Brónach.”

“How did they get past the Siren’s territory?” Saoirse asked.

“Repeated crossings are what drew the Siren’s in. They didn’t occupy that portion of the ocean initially.” He reached for a glass and drank deeply before continuing. “As you know, the humans pursued us and our ancestors were forced to flee into the mountains. They remained hidden and built a small sanctuary, but what they thought was their salvation quickly turned into a nightmare.

“The Dark Fae emerged attacking both humans and Fae alike. As you can imagine, the Fae had an easier time diving them off, but the cost was still steep. They were desperate and moved further south, hiding in the mountain forest that separates what you currently know as Brónach and Móirín.

“They did their best, struggling to live off the land while fighting the wicked creatures. They were already small in number. The original Divine and her mate wondered if they’d led their people to a worse fate.

“They built alters and every day, the pair visited the highest mountain peak where they prayed and begged the gods for mercy.” Raevina snorted, but Conall ignored her and continued. “The gods answered and granted the male and female powers beyond their current ones. Afterward, the people collectively proclaimed them as their monarchs.

“The gods also brought forth what the male and female eventually named The Guardians. Fae that seemed dark yet weren’t. Small creatures accompanied them and they formed a pact with the male and The Divine. They agreed to protect them from the Dark Fae if they used their newfound powers to help drive evil creatures from the land.”

Arianna glanced at Rion. The Fairy Folk. The Fae in the mountains that hadn’t attacked them. Suddenly the statue in the royal city made sense. She was surprised Vairik hadn’t destroyed it. Maybe he enjoyed waving a piece of history in their faces.

“The gods also granted them a bond that would hold the pair together and let the other know if their partner were ever in danger.”

“The mating bond,” Arianna clarified.

Conall nodded. “It also helped Fae find those who would be better apt at producing offspring with one another. It wasn’t a guaranteed thing and it wasn’t the sole purpose of the bond, but after losing so many younglings, the Fae were glad for it.

“The world moved on as peacefully as it could. What you now call Nàdair was formed first as a stronghold while they beat back the Dark Fae. I’m sure if you looked in your underground libraries, you’d find pictures that detail the entire story.”

“Nàdair doesn’t have an underground library,” Rion said.

Conall gave him a look that told them otherwise.

“Overtime, the Dark Fae were driven back and the world expanded. Levea was built, then Purog, and finally Ashling. But the Fae weren’t separated by magic back then. The world worked in harmony with The Divine and her mate as the reigning monarchs. They lived for many, many centuries in peace before fading from the land hand in hand. Or so the legend state.”

Conall shook his head. “But even the Fae can be petty, sometimes worse than the humans they fled from. Without their monarchs to guide them, ridiculous skirmishes broke out and the four strongholds formed into their own countries. The Dark Fae began to reemerge and another Divine was needed to bring about peace again.

“As I’ve already mentioned, the male is always born first. It was a joyous occasion. Once he reached adulthood, the entire continent began searching for his mate.”

“How did they know this?” Arianna asked.

“The ancient texts. They were written by the gods through the original Divine as our instructions in case the world ever needed help again. The male was a benevolent king and used his powers to correct as many wrongs as he could before The Divine arrived. He was even the creator of Ruadhan.”

“And this is the same Divine that Vairik is so bent out of shape about?” Saoirse asked.

Conall nodded. “The King found her in a market buying something from one of the stalls. Their eyes met and the bond clicked into place instantly.”

“Again,” Saoirse said. “I understand being disgruntled, but what he’s done is—it’s like he thinks himself a god.”

“I think he does,” Gavin said, startling them all. Gavin looked up, seeming to shrink into himself for saying anything at all. “He’s … terrifying to say the least.”

Conall continued. “Vairik eventually killed the King. He did the same with The Divine once he realized she couldn’t be freed from the bond. It left the world in disarray and allowed the Dark Fae to breed across the land.”

“What then?” Arianna pressed. “If the Dark Fae were free, how come we haven’t seen them before now?”

“Because he’s been storing them away. Niall controlled some of the runes that kept them locked away.”

“Ellie mentioned something about cages,” Rion said.

“We fear he might be breeding them as well and using the strait along Fiadh’s western coast as a transport.”

“Hold up, what do you mean controlled the runes,” Saoirse said. “You haven’t even properly told us what those are.” Her eyes drifted to Rion’s arm again.

Sive took the chance to answer. “Weavers, or witches on this continent, are able to manipulate the land’s life force with written symbols we call runes. They’re an ancient language of sorts.”

“And anyone can use them?”

“Weavers are able to use them freely, but there are limits for everyone else. For Fae, the runes are directly tied to their magic. If that magic is cut off, the runes will cease to function.”

“What if their magic returns?”

“It wouldn’t matter, the tie has been severed. For humans, runes can only be used with their own blood. It’s that way with most half-breeds as well. The magic pulls from their life force instead of the land’s, which is why many human witches come across as sickly. Their runes cease to function when either the marks are erased or when their lives end.”

Raevina rubbed her temples. “I feel like I’m in history class.”

“I know it’s a lot,” Conall said, “but allow me to give you one more piece that’s been twisted.” Raevina waved her hand for him to continue. “The mating bond,” he started. Arianna’s heart jolted. She’d already been lied to once about the bond. “It’s not a rare occurrence.”

Saoirse eyed him. “You’re going to have to explain that one.”

“I already mentioned that the bond was a gift from the gods. Their intention was for every Fae to find their mated partner, but those bonds are more likely to form between those with different magical abilities.

“Since Vairik despised the bond, he separated us into four distinct nations, thus alienating many pairs from ever meeting. It solidifies the notion that we’re stronger when we’re together, which was the reason Ruadhan stood as long as it did. The easiest way to bring down a people is to divide them first.”

“Can—magic mix?” Arianna asked, wondering if there were Fae out there capable of using more than one element.

“No, not that we’ve ever seen.”

“But how did the separation start?” Talon asked. “If children had already been born to parents with different magical abilities, how did—” Talon trailed off, clearly unable to voice the horrible acts it would take to achieve such things.

“I’m sure you can use your imagination. He’s rewritten entire family lines just to get what he wants. He’s started wars and strife among the Fae. He’s separated brothers and neighbors. He’s certainly not above taking children or eliminating them altogether.”

So many things had never made sense. Wars. Separation. Conflicts with no explanation.

“If you’ve been together this long,” Rion said, “Why haven’t you done something about it? Why didn’t you eliminate him a long time ago?”

“We’ve tried.” Conall looked away. “We’ve raged countless wars and we’ve been beaten every single time. The number of casualties is astronomical.”

“You said he always seems to know where you are.” Saoirse whispered. “Is it possible he has a seer?”

There couldn’t possibly be a third. They were so rare. Seeing Whelan in the same room as Eimear was something they’d write about for centuries to come.

“No,” Conall said. “If that were the case, I’m confident he would have found and eliminated us a long time ago. The unfortunate truth is that we simply haven’t been strong enough. We also deal with issues from the public as Vairik has turned the entire continent against us.”

“You’re the ones he labeled as rebels,” Talon said.

Conall nodded. “There are factions out there who are against the idea of the Divine, but most are slavers, and quite frankly, Pádraigín’s allies. If any of us are captured we’re put to death without a trial.”

“Because a trial would bring out the truth,” Talon said.

“And could jar the memories of those they’re barely holding onto.” Conall’s gaze drifted to hers. “Like your father.”

Arianna swallowed hard. “So when Niall mentioned that my father was asking questions …”

“Móirín’s High Lord discovered one of our books. He began digging after that and Vairik needed a way to keep him subdued without killing him. Once he learned your father had a mate, he wanted to … liberate him from his affliction.”

All eyes turned to Arianna. Her mother had been killed because of this monster. Because this Vairik believed the mating bond was some sort of cage.

“So what are you actually doing that’s remotely helpful?” Raevina asked.

“We’re freeing those imprisoned around the continent and rehabilitating them in preparation for the coming war. Now that you’re here, I believe we have a chance of winning.”

Talon furrowed his brow. “Why?”

“Because the gods will be on our side.”

“Are you about to tell us Vairik manipulated everything regarding them too?” Saoirse asked.

“Do any of you know the names of the gods?”

None spoke and Arianna realized she’d never even had a mind to question it. She remembered visiting the temples on occasion with her mother, but the details were … blank, as if she’d forgotten everything. She pressed her palm to her head. They needed to relearn everything. The entire continent had to relearn it.

“So what’s his endgame?” Arianna asked.

“I told you, to break the bond. He’s conducted experiments for years.” She paled. “It’s why we’re so adamant about rescuing the Fae in his grasp. One doesn’t come back easily from a severed mating bond. And when you add torture to the mix, sometimes they don’t come back at all.”

“What if he can’t break the bond?” Raevina asked. “What’s his plan then?”

Conall sighed. “We believe that’s what the Dark Fae are for. He’s never let them roam free like this. We fear he might be giving up on his initial quest which would lead to the next unfortunate stage of his plans.”

“Which is?” Raevina pressed.

“Genocide,” Gavin whispered. They all turned to him again, but he still didn’t look up. “It’s why I left to get help. I overheard him speaking with Niall and—” Gavin clenched his fists. “I’ve stood by long enough. I can’t keep blindly following him.”

Saoirse cleared her throat. “Well, clearly he’s not taken that route yet so what’s the alternative?”

“Capturing them,” Conall said, nodding toward Arianna and Rion. “And seeing if he can break the bond from its source. We believe it’s the reason he took your sister, to lure you in.”

“Does he plan to kill himself too?” Saoirse asked. “Just rid Fae from the world entirely?”

“No,” Gavin said again. “He’ll kill everyone outside the Pádraigín bloodline. The Divine only comes from the Móirín bloodline, right? And,” his gaze drifted to Rion, “his only comes from Brónach’s. If those two are wiped out—”

“Even with the Dark Fae, he can’t possibly take on three countries at once,” Raevina declared. “None of them would stand for it.”

“No?” Conall questioned. “You’re telling me if Levea fell then Fiadh’s High Lord would rush to their aid? And what if Fiadh fell, would either Móirín or Brónach come together to avenge them? He’s already divided us, all that’s left is to conquer.”

“He’ll target Levea first,” Talon said. “Levea and Nàdair are allies. They’d rally to stand against him, but if one is wiped out first, then the other wouldn’t be as strong.”

“And Levea doesn’t have an entire mountain range to protect it,” Raevina said.

“If he releases all the Dark Fae, how does he plan to control them?” Saoirse asked.

“He doesn’t. He’ll move to the western continent and start over as its ruler.”

“You’d think after all these years, he’d just fade already.”

“Maybe he will, but by then, it’ll be too late.”

Silence fell over them. There was still so much to learn, so many questions to be had. Arianna’s destiny claimed she was to bring peace, but she’d been envisioning it all wrong. It wasn’t just about peace between nations, it was peace from this monster and the abominations he’d created.

“We have to get her out,” Arianna said. “I won’t leave my sister in the hands of that monster.”

“We can help,” Conall offered again. “We’ve been inside before.”

“Ashling isn’t a port city, isn’t it?” Talon asked.

“It is, but the maps of its location are wrong.”

“Surprise, surprise,” Saoirse said, leaning back in her chair.

“So where is it, exactly?” Talon asked.

“Just a little north of here on a small peninsula.”

“So we infiltrate, kill him, and end this once and for all,” Raevina said, flipping a knife in her hand.

“No,” Conall said. “If we go through with this, we don’t engage with Vairik whatsoever.”

They all exchanged uncertain glances. “If we’re already there, why wouldn’t we bring him down?” Arianna asked.

“Because we’re not capable. We’ve tried.”

“You haven’t tried with me,” Rion said.

“We can’t risk you.” Conall’s gaze moved to Arianna. “Either of you.”

“Let me guess, you’re going to ask us to stay behind.” Arianna’s temper flared. She was so sick of everyone attempting to protect her.

Conall balked. “Never. Your strength might be the key to getting everything we need.”

“Which is what?”

“Our comrades, information, and destroying that city.”

Raevina’s frustration was nearly palpable. “You want to destroy the city but not him, you’re not making any sense.”

“We can’t destroy him. Not there. It’s a city fortified with iron. It weakens our magic.”

“Wouldn’t it also weaken theirs?” Raevina challenged.

“It does but the Fae there have iron weapons. Their magic is irrelevant. He has relations with the human kings and they wield weapons far superior to the ones that subdued our ancestors.”

“But I thought he had human slaves?” Zylah questioned.

“And who do you think he buys them from?”

“Gods, there’s nothing that race of barbarians won’t do, is there?” Saoirse said.

Conall shrugged. “A profitable business is a profitable business, no matter how grotesque.”

Arianna glanced at her hands and felt her magic spark beneath her skin. To infiltrate his stronghold and leave him alive … Could she or Rion put an end to him? Were they strong enough together? “He really won’t stop until he gets what he wants, will he?”

“I’m afraid not,” Conall said.

Arianna stared between each of them. This wasn’t just about conflicting countries anymore. This was a fight for their race and their right to the truth.

“Make the arrangements. Take us to Ashling.”

“To war, My Lady?”

Arianna straightened. “A rescue, then we expose the truth.” She met each of their gazes one at a time. “Then yes, to war.”