Page 7

CHAPTER SIX

D ressed in woolen clothing to keep away the evening chill, Carys, Duncan, Laura, and Cadell went riding through Hyde Forest on horses borrowed from Dafydd’s stables.

“So” —Carys nudged her mount toward Laura’s— “what do you think so far?”

“Of this place?” Laura looked around as the fog drifted between the trees, wafting in long feathers that curled and wrapped around them before moving on. “The fog is familiar but not much else.”

“The magic feels different than back at home, right?”

Laura glanced at her, a heavy wool cloak masking much of her face. “I’ve spent a lot of my life going between the two worlds. I have to say, this place? It feels… unsettled.”

“What does that mean?”

“I mean the magic here” —Laura dropped her voice— “there’s something restless about it. It feels off to me, but maybe that’s just because it’s not what I’m used to. But it makes me uneasy. I feel like everything is on edge.”

“Do you think it’s the coronation? Because the human government is changing?”

“Maybe.” Laura shrugged. “Like I said, I don’t know this place well enough to say, but if I were feeling this back in the Pauwau Aki that I know, I would think there was conflict brewing.” She glanced over her shoulder at Cadell. “Not among humans but among the magical creatures. It’s not the people who are restless; it’s the magic.”

Carys fell silent and nodded.

“Like I said, I don’t know this place well, so I could be wrong.” Laura glanced back at the dragon behind them. “I hope I’m wrong.”

Laura let her horse fall back to ride beside Cadell, and Carys continued forward.

“Are we headed back to the troll market?” Carys asked. “I thought that wasn’t a good idea at night.”

“We’re not.” Duncan rode a little ahead as the horses walked through Hyde Forest. “We’re going to a spot a little downriver from the Night Bridge. I want you to see the Tamis at night.”

“Ah,” Cadell spoke from behind them. “I know what the blacksmith is thinking. A pleasant outing then.”

“What is it?” Laura asked. “Don’t keep us in suspense.”

Cadell said, “But suspense will heighten your pleasure.”

Carys barely managed to muffle her snort.

Laura cleared her throat. “Want to try that again?”

“Prolonged suspense will heighten the pleasure of what you are about to experience.”

“Right.” Laura was hard to embarrass, but Carys heard it in her voice. “So you’re saying you enjoy anticipation.”

Cadell said, “I believe you will enjoy anticipation. It’s a common trait in humans.”

Laura kept her voice deliberately mild. “Not in dragons?”

Duncan fell back to walk his horse beside Carys and lowered his voice. “Are they always like this?”

“Yes.”

Duncan glanced over his shoulder. “Poor dragon.” He kept his voice low. “Does he have any idea how transparent he’s being?”

Carys shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“I suppose I know how he feels. It’s hard having something you want right in front of you and feeling like you’re not allowed to touch.”

“Not allowed ?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Someone told me that she needed time.”

Carys felt the zing of attraction between them. It would be as easy as breathing to take what Duncan was offering.

She could move to Scotland.

He could move to California.

Carys knew it would be good. Maybe it would be better than anything she’d ever had. Better than the fumbling boys in college. Better than Lachlan even.

After all, destiny was on their side.

“Carys Morgan.” Duncan made his brogue thick. “Slide yer leg over and ride in front of me.” He spread his legs and scooted back. “I’ve got just the spot for ye, lass.”

Her cheeks flushed. “That’s a lot of weight for your horse.”

“Ye’re nothin’ but a feather. It’s been too long since I’ve had my arms around you.”

“You’re shameless.” Her cheeks were on fire.

“Not yet, but if ye’re looking for shameless, I have some ideas.”

“Duncan!” She had to laugh or she would explode. “Maybe you need to take Cadell’s advice.”

“What’s that?”

Carys nudged her mount forward. “Enjoy the anticipation.”

Cadell’s voice rose behind them. “Dragons are practical and appreciate planning ahead so we can act in accordance with desired expectations.”

Laura said, “So you’re saying that if I want something from you, I should state my desired expectations clearly?”

Cadell’s voice dropped to a low rumble. “Do you want something from me?”

“Not right now.” Laura kicked her mount a little and sped up to pass Carys. “Duncan, you’re slow. Let’s speed this parade up; I’m freezing.”

Duncan smirked and nudged his horse to ride faster. “Follow me.”

It was a good thing Carys had been practicing her horseback riding in California, because once Duncan sped up his mount, he didn’t stop until the horses let out a high whinny of joy and the trees sped past them in a blur.

They kept to the clear cobblestone path, but Carys could see lights in the forest around them as they rode, and the bright golden glow of eyes peeked from the shadows.

Wolves.

“Watch the horizon,” Cadell shouted, “when we turn this corner.”

Duncan led them to the left when the path forked, and in the distance, Carys saw a blue-green glow emanating from the darkness. Drifting through the forest, hundreds of singing voices carried on the wind.

Duncan began to slow their pace.

Carys caught her breath, her eyes fixed on the growing glow in the night sky. “What is it?”

Cadell smiled. “The river fae.”

The blue-and-green glow grew brighter and brighter, and as Carys watched, lights flew into the sky overhead. A pure, golden voice sang from the far side of the river, and from the darkness voices sang back in a language Carys had never heard.

“Who are they?” she whispered.

“Well, there’s the high fae court of Temris—that’s in Ireland,” Duncan clarified. “éire. But all over Briton, all over the land, there are wild fae. Powerful creatures attached to rivers or forests or… anything really. They’re not part of the political life like Prince Cian is, but they’re still very powerful.”

“What is that?” Carys kept her voice low. “What are they singing?”

Duncan slowed his horse to a walk, keeping to the edge of the tree line. He shook his head. “I don’t know. They sing every night, but I’ve never heard them like this. Some boys in the stables were talking about it after dinner, and they said we should ride out and see.” He smiled, his eyes fixed on the light show before them. “I’m so glad I listened.”

Cadell drew up beside them with Laura on his right side. “They’re singing a kingsong. It’s a welcome chorus.” The dragon shook his head. “I have not heard this song in many years.”

Carys saw others in along the edge of the river, other riders and people on foot, all peering through the trees as the dark and slow-moving span of river that stretched before them came alive in the darkness.

There were adults and children of every color and type of clothing. Children walked down to the banks and set shining candles along the shore. Adults lit lanterns that floated up and over the river, reflecting light below.

“It’s so beautiful,” Laura whispered. She blinked shining tears from her eyes.

Shadowlands London might be different than Brightlands London, but what Carys saw on the dim bank of the river was a tapestry of human and magical creatures.

Stout trolls conferred with human neighbors, pointing at the bright lights dancing among the reeds. A long-haired fae woman helped the human children light the candles, whispering something that made them laugh.

Carys had never seen a scene like it. The fae lights over the river appeared like a luminous display that might happen for a holiday or a celebration, and the echo of their singing drifted across the water and filled the night sky with an ethereal beauty.

“Is it for the Anglian king?” Carys asked. “Is this to celebrate the coronation?”

“The fae do not recognize human rulers,” Cadell whispered. “Neither the high fae or the wild. This is for something else. Something far more powerful.”

Below the water, golden ribbons undulated in time with the music, and some vast and terrifying creature rose from the deep, breaching the surface of the water before it slid into darkness again, taking its golden glow with it.

“Is that a sea monster?” Carys whispered.

“It’s the Great Serpent.” Cadell’s voice was reverent. “He lives in the depths and is the guardian of the Tamis River and all her creatures. The kingsong has called him to the surface.” The dragon whispered something under his breath that sounded like an incantation or a prayer.

Carys wanted to go closer. She wanted to wade into the long grass along the riverbank, hang on to the willow branches, and dip her fingers into the gold-brushed water. A tug in her chest told her that nothing dangerous lurked there.

Of course, it was entirely possible that’s exactly what the river wanted her to think.

The song continued, as did the light show. Dancing blue and green lights appeared overhead, swirling in patterns that weaved like intricate knots in the black sky.

There were no stars because the fog was too thick to see the sky, leaving the fae lights to illuminate the darkness in magical whorls and golden threads.

Laura was staring at the edge of the water. “Carys, look.”

She tore her eyes away from the dancing lights to see dark silhouettes perched on stones upstream and away from the crowds. They were sitting along the edge of the muddy riverbank. The pert heads of otters mingling with otherworldly creatures left her blinking in disbelief.

“Cadell,” Laura whispered, “are those mermaids? Selkies?”

The dragon glanced at the edge of the water where Laura was pointing. “Don’t point.” He grabbed her hand. “The mermin have traveled upriver.” He frowned. “Very unusual. They rarely leave the deep water. They’re very shy.”

One of the mermin must have caught their scent or their sound, because the creature with long, weedy hair and pale grey skin turned, bright blue eyes glowing in the darkness. They hunched their bare shoulders, whispered to the otter, and both creatures dove into the black depths of the river and disappeared.

“I want to go closer.” Carys nudged her horse to the right, making for a dark, shadowed copse of trees a little closer to the river. “If we go over here, we can see more and we’ll be away from the candles.”

She nudged her horse—a sweet-faced dappled grey mare—closer to the darkened bunch of trees, aiming for a fold of blackness that would hide her from the view of the river fae. “No one will see us over here.”

“Nêrys, wait for me,” Cadell whispered. “Laura, where did you go?”

“Carys, don’t go that way.” Duncan kept his voice low. “Wait for…”

Before she could turn back for Duncan, the fog closed behind her, blanketing Carys in gentle silence.

“Oh, fantastic.” There was something going on, and Carys didn’t feel like facing it on horseback when she wasn’t an expert rider. “Hello?”

The darkness and the fog were immense. There was something supernatural happening, but nothing was telling her instincts to run.

She slid off her horse, keeping one hand on the reins as she led the creature under the low-hanging branch of a hawthorn tree. “Hello?”

Just as she passed under the tree, a black crow landed on her shoulder, letting out a rude “Caw!” before it flew away.

Carys felt her before she heard her.

“Hello, Carys Morgan.”

She spun around to see the Crow Mother sitting on a tree stump, stirring a pot that hung over a cooking fire.

“You.” Carys looked over her shoulder, listening for Cadell, for the river fae. For anything other than the drifting silence of the fog that enveloped her. “Why am I not surprised?”

“I’ve been waiting for you.” The woman looked up at Carys, her black eyes shining from a face surrounded by dark, curly hair. “We have unfinished business, you and I.”

Carys’s horse nudged her shoulder, but she stood frozen in front of the powerful fae woman who had lured her into some fold of shadow that not even Cadell had detected.

Usually fae ground had some wards or warnings that her dragon could detect. This hollow in the Shadowlands had given him no notice at all.

“Who are you?” Carys asked. “Are you really fae? Or are you something else?”

The Crow Mother tsked. “It’s not the time for questions, Carys Morgan. You made me a promise.”

“I know.” Carys spoke carefully. “Have you decided to collect on that promise tonight?”

Carys had traded a single passage to the Brightlands to this powerful fae in return for Seren’s lost journal. It was the journal that had revealed her killer, so it had been worth it. But then Carys had left for the Brightlands without fulfilling her debt.

So seeing the Crow Mother wasn’t exactly a surprise. Carys had fully expected to run into her again, but a little warning would have been nice.

The mare at her side whinnied, and the Crow Mother, who sometimes called herself Branwen, looked at the creature. “I see you, Epona’s kin. This child is not one of your daughters, and she and I have struck a bargain of our own free will. This is not your concern.”

The grey mare neighed, stamping her foot a little bit.

“Nevertheless,” Branwen said, “she will uphold the old laws or I will take payment in the way that I see fit. If your mistress objects to this, she can fulfill the debt herself.” Branwen’s eyes lit up. “Oh wait. No, she can’t. She’s as stuck here as I am.” She turned her gaze back to Carys. “You have a debt to repay.”

Carys was tired of the double-talk. “So what do you want to do? We’re not that far from the Night Bridge. I’ll take you right now if you want.”

Was she dreaming, or did her horse’s neigh sound a little bit like a laugh?

“So eager to be rid of your obligation?” Branwen asked.

“You seem eager to collect,” Carys said, “so come on.” She waved in a hurry-up gesture. “It’s morning in the Brightlands. I can’t guarantee you’ll see the sun because it’s England—it was pouring rain when we left—but if you want to go, I’ll take you.”

Branwen smiled, her eyes lit with amusement. “You’ve grown in confidence. I enjoy this, Brightkin.”

“Okay, cool.” She took her horse’s reins again and started to turn her around under the hawthorn branches that encircled them. “Follow me and I’ll take you right there.”

“What’s the rush?”

Carys turned when she heard an unexpected male voice. She frowned at the last person she’d expected to see. “Dru?”

The tall fae had a brown wool cloak wrapped around his shoulders and pulled up over his head. The blue sigils that marked his forehead and cheekbones sparkled in the light from the cooking fire that Branwen tended, and his eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, reminding Carys of the fairy lights dancing over the river.

The Crow Mother rose when she saw the fae enter her clearing. A sly smile took over her face. “Is it Diarmuid himself before me? The wandering Oberon returned at last? What, has the stubborn Mab finally returned your affections, dear boy?”

Dru pulled his cloak closer around his body, but he didn’t take his eyes from the Crow Mother, nor did his face register the slightest hint of worry. “You’re speaking nonsense, Badb. Why do you trouble my friend tonight? We all know your plans are still in the nest.”

“Are you the reason the river folk are singing a kingsong and the serpent has risen from the deep?” Branwen chuckled. “Oh, won’t Cian be pleased?”

They were speaking in riddles that Carys couldn’t decipher, so she leaned into her horse’s side and watched carefully, filing every word away to write down later.

“You let me worry about Cian and don’t bother yourself with mortal matters, old one.” Dru glanced at Carys. “Let the girl leave us and we may speak freely.”

“Speak as you will, for she knows nothing.”

“She’s a creature of two worlds, and she’s her own part to play. Speak at your peril, for the Night Queen hears our dreams.”

“Rhiannon is gone from the Shadows and shelters in her own world.”

“And yet her daughters live, as do yours.” Dru leaned closer and seemed to grow taller before her eyes. “Depart from this place and cease your meddling, old one. Your time has passed.”

“My time is reborn as I am.” The Crow Mother leaned forward, her face in shadows from the cooking fire. “As I always will be.”

In the flickering lights, Carys saw Branwen’s face shift from a mature woman with dark hair to a young maiden. In a blink, she was a weathered crone. Then before her face changed again, the cooking fire went out and the hollow of the tree was cloaked in darkness.

What was she?

Mother, maiden, crone. A triple fae? Carys needed her books. She needed a library!

She gasped when a warm hand grasped her arm. “Who?—”

“It’s me.” Dru let her arm go, opened his palm, and a soft blue light illuminated the black. “Relax.”

Carys let out a breath. “What are you doing here?”

Dru ignored the question. “Such odd companions you’ve collected, Carys Morgan.”

“Does that include you?”

“Naturally.” The corner of Dru’s mouth turned up, and he pulled his cloak farther over his face.

“How did you find us?”

“The ward she placed around this tree was weak—I sensed your presence as soon as I entered the forest.”

Carys stared at the empty ground where the Crow Mother had been sitting. “Where did she go?”

“Oh…” Dru sighed. “Where all of them go when they’re finished causing trouble.” He threw his cloak over his shoulder and patted the side of her horse. “This mare is a fine animal. You should stay close to her while you’re here. She carries her mother’s spirit.”

“Her mother?”

Dru took the mare’s reins from Carys. “Most horses in Briton carry a bit of the goddess Epona in them. She’s one of the oldest gods on the islands.” He smiled brightly at the horse as he led her under the hawthorn branches. “Some creatures are closer to the goddess than others.” He patted her neck. “You lovely darling.” Dru glanced at Carys over his shoulder. “Her name is Leuca. It means bright one.”

“Leuca.” Carys put her hand on the mare’s side. “You’re lovely, Leuca.” Her hand remained on the horse’s neck as they walked back into the forest. “I don’t know how, but she was very reassuring when the Crow Mother trapped me in here.”

“You weren’t actually trapped.” Dru leaned down. “That’s important to remember, Carys Morgan. You’re never trapped with them unless you believe you are.”

She heard loud whispers in the forest, and Cadell was yelling in her mind as soon as she emerged from the fog.

Nêrys!

“I’m here.” She waved into the darkness as Dru tossed the glowing fire into the sky. The fog caught it, turning the night into something more like dawn.

“Carys?” Clopping hoofbeats sounded in the night a moment before Duncan and Laura appeared from between the trees. Duncan slid off his mount and walked over. “Good God, you disappeared into thin air. What the hell happened?”

“Where did you go?” Laura’s eyes were the size of saucers. “I swear, I was right behind you, and then just… Poof. Gone.”

Carys shook her head. “I’m honestly not sure what happened.”

Where did you go? Her dragon was shouting in her mind.

“Calm down,” she hissed, looking at the sky. “You can land now. I was never in any danger, Cadell.”

“It was just a little mischief from the Crow Mother.” Dru handed Leuca’s reins back to Carys. “She couldn’t have kept them for long. It was a temporary ward, and Auld Tamis’s magic is strong this close to the water.”

Carys looked toward the river, but the glowing blue lights were gone. “Oh shoot. I missed it.”

Dru smiled. “It was a lovely show though, wasn’t it?”

Cadell walked through the forest, glaring at Dru and at Carys. “You need to discharge your debt to that fae woman and be done with this bargain.”

“I tried, but according to Dru, she’s not ready yet.” Carys shrugged. “Whatever that means.”

“Dragon, don’t be too eager for your mistress to settle her debt.” Dru pulled his cloak closer around his body. “And all of you should ride back to Dafydd’s. I can feel the wolves stirring in the forest.”

Carys looked at Dru, watching how the tall fae seemed to shrink into himself, his power growing less and less obvious by the moment, and she remembered Cadell’s words: The fae do not recognize human rulers. This is for something else. Something far more powerful.

“Any idea what that singing was about?” Carys asked Dru. “It sure was beautiful.”

Dru smiled and melted into the shadows of the forest. “Good night, Carys Morgan. And don’t forget to give Leuca an apple when you get back to your uncle’s stables. They’re her favorite.”

Duncan frowned as Carys mounted her horse. “Who’s Leuca?”