Chapter Eighteen
I rolled over in bed, the morning sunlight peeking through my bedroom’s rounded portal window. The orb next to my bed glowed purple, the coin within barely visible in the royal haze. I failed to set the orb to wake me up in the morning with its normal flashes of light, but I was so tired from the evening’s activities that it slipped my mind. Besides, I knew that I didn’t have training sessions to get to that morning. Onora escorted me back home the night before, leaving Hector’s Kelpie form in the river to regroup on his own.
As I covered my eyes with a pillow, attempting to black out the reminders of a new day, I thought back to the image of his long neck breaking the surface of the serene river and then going back under with one final snort.
Onora had touched me delicately on the arm and sighed. “I know how you must feel. But remember, Morgan, he is not just a man, and he is not a Sidhe, either. He is part Otherworld and part monster – that can only be denied at the risk of your own life.”
“But isn’t he the one who said that we control our own destiny?” I stood at the river’s edge, shoulders shuddering at night’s icy breath and the nearness of my shortened mortality.
“Destiny… self-control… animalistic instinct… all very different things.” Onora sighed and put her arm around me.
I nodded, staring at the waters’ depths, wondering where Hector swam and if he would come back to try and finish what he started. I actually wondered why I didn’t see his intentions, but I read nothing coming from him until it was almost too late.
“All of us can hold back what is inside or work with it until we feel in sync with the forces at hand. But no, we cannot purge ourselves of the beast. We can only hope to tame it and become its master.”
She guided me away from the river, slowly stepping back the way we came to the rural hills.
“You cannot blame Hector for what has transpired. Blame me? Yes. But Hector? He has instincts far stronger than many of the powers that you feel plague your life.”
I knew Onora was partly right, but this was my life that Onora and Hector were risking! If I had not transformed when I did, my body could be floating lifeless in that river and I would be stuck in the Otherworld for eternity. I was taught like every other young Sidhe is from birth. Sidhe are of what some call the faery realm, but we are not immortal or mere spirits. Our lifecycles are longer and our antibodies are stronger than those of humans. The medicine we made from earthly materials blended with magic also helps heal and prolong our lives. But Ban Sidhe still bleed. Ban Sidhe still feel pain, loss, and death.
I knew all of this as I slipped out from under my covers and faced the day. Without my parents – wherever they were. I quickly showered and dressed in my grey cloak – requisite for the upcoming meeting with the Inner Ring. When Onora dropped me off the previous night, she promised that she would meet with the other High Sidhe and call an emergency session to address the complications of protecting the Northern Gateway.
For all I cared, I wished all of the drama would fly away from my life. I was so used to blending in the background, distant from all of the other Sidhe my age because of my personal tragedies. I wanted to go back to being “Just Morgan.” But as I walked out of my room and into the great room, I knew that the life I once knew was gone forever – a reality I ignored ever since Mother disappeared.
“Ready for some breakfast?” Bridget chirped from over a low-glowing orange sphere near the kitchen table.
I trudged across the floor, my brain aching from the mental strength that the connection with Hector required. “Sure.”
I plopped into my normal seat and stared at the plate in front of me. Our mother’s wedding china with the miniature apricot blooms dancing along the edges. Mother always insisted that we use the china every day so we could really enjoy it and not just see it in a cupboard like so many others were prone to do.
Bridget bustled over with a tray of cranberry-orange scones and cheese-topped scrambled eggs. My sister always loved to be the homemaker—impressing us with her culinary skills—skills usually unused by Sidhe. It was so much easier to use magic to throw together a simple meal. But Father loved all things humans as well, which led him to believe that the Sidhe could and should exist in closer proximity to the human world.
I thought of his coin, the one he left for me as a token of a promise. But while his memory lingered, my father’s promise seemed to be fading by the day.
Yet, it was comforting to see Bridget back to her normal self and not negatively impacted by her reaction to Hector. I remembered our conversation in the pasture before Bridget passed out. I remembered the fear that took over when I saw her lifeless form on the ground. If Onora had not shown up, I don’t know what would have happened. Did my anger bring that storm or was that Hector?
I poked at the eggs with my fork, watching as Bridget went back to wash dishes. Bridget loved attempting tasks usually reserved for mortals, and once she mastered them, she would infuse magic with what she learned to make it better.
But what bothered me, as I shoved a forkful of egg into my mouth, was that my sister was heartless when it came to mortals’ deaths. She was calloused and cold beneath her motherly exterior. How could she love doing things the human way, but not feel the need to protect them?
“You better hurry up so you don’t keep them waiting!” Bridget encouraged in her cheery-morning voice.
I nodded, shoveled one last bite of egg in my mouth, grabbed a scone, and scurried out the door.
I walked up the stone pathway toward the enormous mound that rose from the surrounding forests. The Innocents, who wore the white, knee-length cloaks of childhood, chased each other in the grounds surrounding the Chapel where they were not allowed to enter. A few Underlings, wearing grey cloaks like me, whispered beneath the boughs of a nearby pine, pointing and laughing at those who passed. Elders in black stood observing the children’s play while more members of the Inner Circle filtered into the Chapel, their burgundy cloaks twirling in the summer air. It was a kaleidoscope of forms, bustling about the Chapel whose doors remained closed.
I carefully stepped up to the Chapel and opened the door, unsure of how the rest of my clan would react to an unworthy entering the sacred halls. But none of them seemed to notice me, so caught up were they in their own business. Quietly I closed the door behind me, the light of the outdoors dimming to the interior walls.
The inside of the Chapel was entirely different from the exterior. From the outside, it appeared to be a mound of earth, much like those that our kind live within, but five times as large. However, once inside, the interior shed its concealing magic and revealed that the Chapel was a massive clearing in a grove of tightly knit trees.
It must be more spells, I supposed as I walked into the brightly lit meeting hall, the trees which created the walls impossibly close to one another.
Above, the ceiling was a complex layering of green mosaics, the mid-morning light shining through the leaves’ thin layers. Orbs which lit the room on my previous visit glowed dimly in the corners, waiting to serve their purpose in the darkening evening hours. But now it was day, and the Chapel had a cheeriness it previously lacked. Now the various flags of tradition which adorned the walls were visible, their rainbow of colors circling the room.
A silver Ellylon buzzed by my head as I walked past the foyer and into the circle of cushions, my eyes searching for Onora or another friendly face. A group of three Sidhe men in black robes sat in their places, chuckling over jokes I couldn’t pick up on. One of them was Burke, and he looked up and smiled warmly at me as I shuffled by. I tried to remain unnoticed.
Even though he was not around much anymore, every once in a while when I went into the village center to pick up any necessary goods, Burke would appear out of nowhere and steal a quick conversation with me. The truth was that I always liked Burke and his carefree demeanor. He was the closest thing I could get to having Father back. When I was younger, Burke would come
to the mound to visit Father, and he would bring some kind of amazingly enchanted object as a gift for me. Humming acorns that would sing when held up to my ears. Fizzy raspberries that deliciously popped once they hit your tongue. My favorite, dancing leaves that unceasingly spun up, through, and over in the air for hours until the enchantment ended.
I missed Burke and his visits, the stories he would tell about Father growing up, and the happiness that came with his presence.
I gave him a quick smile in return and continued walking through the Chapel. I glanced around, searching for Onora. I needed someone I knew near me in this sea of adults. It wasn’t that those who walked by me or stood conversing in corners were foreign to me – in fact, I had grown up around all of the Sidhe in the Chapel. It was the reason I was there that was getting to me. Besides, these were the same Sidhe who whispered about my inadequacies every chance they could. No matter how much I tried, I could never get past the whispering giggles whenever I went into the village. Not even now.
Around the central orb, I saw the three High Sidhe – Muirna, Grania, and Tallulah – but a fourth burgundy-hooded Sidhe completed the circle, its back toward me.
Better just go ask Muirna where Onora is. I lightly stepped across the stone floor, dodging cushions as I made my way toward the center of the room.
“I knew it was a bad idea from the beginning,” Muirna’s pursed mouth let fly, the wrinkles accentuated with each word formed, and her eyes squinting at the other three.
The hooded figure whispered, but I couldn’t make out what was said.
Suddenly, Tallulah caught sight of me and gave the rest of the group a concerned glance. I knew they were talking about me when they suddenly hushed themselves.
The hooded figure abruptly turned around, the face beneath the cloak glaring from its depths.
“Seems there was a little excitement last night,” Branna’s crisp voice accused.
I cast my eyes down out of respect and reverence to my older sister and the higher position she held. “Sorry if I embarrassed you,” I mumbled, staring down at my clasped hands, waiting for her to respond.
“A Kelpie?” Branna laughed. “No one told me that was involved in the plan. Good thing you made it out alive. I suppose.”
I still did not look up at her. I would let Branna have her fun for now. The rest of the High Sidhe stood there just watching. Decorum required that I simply listen and nod. No matter how much I wanted to tell her exactly what I thought about her.
“Hello? Morgan?” My sister’s hands waved to get my attention. “Are we having a conversation or are you just going to continue to ignore me?”
I slowly lifted my gaze to stare my sister in the face. Normally there was protocol for such interactions, and my submissive demeanor would be expected of any underling who had not finished her first keen. But now that my sister was chastising me for doing as was expected, I didn’t know how to react.
Branna glared down at me, shaking her head in disapproval. “Are you speechless or just brainless?” More laughing from Branna who was obviously enjoying herself. “How is it possible we come from the same—”
Suddenly her voice caught in her throat. I looked up to see Branna’s face red with anger, her mouth opening but no words escaping her lips.
“I think you’ve had enough fun at your sister’s expense, Branna.” Muirna held her index finger in the air, continuing to silence her junior with the swish of her hand. “Reverence to superiors is one thing; disrespect to the inexperienced is another. Mind your manners.”
Branna stepped back, no longer needing Muirna’s spell to keep her silence. She bowed her head, pulling the burgundy cloak up over her head.
“Now, Morgan,” Muirna said. “What your sister was getting at is that when you come to Chapel, you respect the High Sidhe by listening and speaking. You are part of our circle now— no matter how much your sister thought you should have been forced to wait until after your keen.”
“Yes, Mistress Muirna,” I muttered, suddenly aware of the numerous gazes fixed on our tight circle.
“Well, I suppose we need to start the meeting,” Muirna addressed the other High Sidhe. She nodded her sharp jaw and suddenly the central orb swirled alive in contorting yellow mists. The meeting room was filled with the shuffling and scurrying of feet – conversations hushed and saved for later – as the rest of the Sidhe found their places in the concentric circles surrounding the orb.
I turned to find my own place when I felt a firm grip on my bicep.
“No. You stay with us for now.” Branna turned me around to face one section of the crowd.
I smiled nervously as those who I had known my whole life sat around me, awaiting the Sidhe in the center to begin the meeting. Still, I could not see Onora in the crowd. I searched the walls, the familiar faces, but could not find my mentor anywhere. Then I found it. Onora’s empty cushion was two rows back between a silver-haired man and a young red-headed woman.
The empty pit in my stomach grew larger. If only Onora were here to let me know everything would be okay.
“We are here,” Muirna began, “as a matter of emergency. We apologize for disrupting your morning, but as many of you know, Baltane quickly approaches. It is a time of reunion, but also a time of responsibility that we undertake. As our distant relations emerge from the Otherworld for their semi-annual foray into the human realm, we must remember that it is our duty to maintain order while allowing some frivolity. Traditions must be kept, but precautions must be in our minds.”
Branna and I stood close to one another – the closest contact we had with each other in years.
“As many of you know,” Muirna continued, “a Kelpie is in our midst, but he is a welcome visitor. Onora is with him outside, awaiting our decision as to what role he will play in the problems at hand.”
Relief swept over me. At least Onora was nearby.
“Which brings me to the next issue on this morning’s agenda: The Northern Gateway has been compromised.”
A few Sidhe whispered in confusion – apparently the problem with the Gateway was news to them.
Others shouted in accusation, “The Chain of Constance!”
“Yes! The Chain must be afoot!”
Tallulah, the hump-backed Transfigurine, held up her hand to silence the clan. Her calloused voice resounded through the hall, “Enough! No more talk of archaic groups which have long-since ceased their activities. The Chain of Constance has been broken for over a century! Upsetting yourselves will do nothing to remedy the situation!”
Muirna bowed her head in thanks to her old friend. “Onora had a vision two nights ago, and we have confirmed her suspicions. A Leanan is in the area, and the egg is missing from the Lake of Green Ice.”
More murmurs from the crowd erupted that could not be silenced by simple swishes of a hand.
Nathan, a middle-aged Sidhe, rose from his cushion in the third row. He shouted to the High Sidhe and the crowd. “How did a Leanan make it through the Gateway? In over three-thousand years there has never been a breach in any of the gateways!” His face was red with fury, but Burke, who sat next to him, tugged at the hem of his robe, urging him to sit back down.
Reluctantly, Nathan sat down once more, but still waited for a response, his face visibly upset.
Branna spoke up, releasing her tight grip on me. “A good question. One which we have been trying to answer. We have also been looking for a way to fix the problem.”
“Onora came up with our solution only one day ago and called upon the services of Hector, a Kelpie with whom most of you are familiar.” As Muirna spoke, the rustling of fabric and plodding of hooves could be heard coming through the open doors.
The crowd turned to gaze as Onora led Hector through the foyer and to the edge of the outermost circle, stopping him with the slight lift of her liver-spotted hand. A few older Sidhe even audibly gasped at the sight. This was no ordinary visit. I never heard of a Kelpie visiting the Chapel. Usually only Sidhe are al
lowed inside its sacred walls.
Muirna explained, “Hector will be working with one of us to try and seal the Northern Gateway.” Whispers and glances circulated around the room, as the rest of the Sidhe searched for who it could possibly be. My stomach went icy again. I swallowed hard, waiting for what I knew was coming. “That someone is Morgan.” Muirna swished her hand, showing me off like a prize animal. All eyes were now trained on me, and my cheeks burned. I tried to keep my head held high, but my body stiffened and shook slightly as I tried to control my embarrassment.
Burke was the one who stood this time to speak, shifting attention away from me and toward him. “If I may comment?” he asked.
Muirna raised her head in answer, staring down her nose at my former foster-father who stood in his piecemealed robe.
Burke bowed his head out of respect. “Thank you, Muirna.” He looked about the room. “Thank you, members of the Inner Ring who are in attendance at this meeting. Most of you know how Delvin is like a brother to me. Not was – is.
“We grew up together, worked side-by-side, and raised our children as if we were family. When he left, I made a vow to watch over his daughters as if they were my own.” He turned his eyes toward Branna and me at the center of the room. “I have not done such a good job with that as of late, and I should not have let that happen, even if it meant upsetting you, Branna. You are old enough to watch out for yourself, but Morgan?” He looked at Branna with a silent plea in his tearing eyes. “Please let me have a say in this business that Morgan is being forced into.”
Branna’s body visibly stiffened, and I knew that beneath her serene demeanor she was overflowing with rage. I imagined all the words Branna probably wanted to spew at Burke.
Instead of Branna speaking up, a quiet voice in the shadows at the back of the Chapel responded, “I give our consent.” Bridget stepped forward and took her seat in the back row.
Branna’s eyes went wide, but her mouth stayed shut.
“Thank you,” he replied. He turned back to Hector, his eyes narrowing. “What I want to know, before we discuss any type of plan, is how do we know we can trust this beast?”
The crowd erupted in more frantic whisperings. Some were appalled, others in agreement with Burke’s question.
Suddenly there was a deafening rumble which filled the Chapel, and the crowd’s faces went aghast as frothing water formed at the top of the horse’s head.
Of course, I had seen this before. I could enjoy the beauty of the swirling streams that poured from Hector’s mane. But the rest of the crowd shrunk back in horror.
Now the waves covered his entire body and just as quickly began to recede, revealing Hector’s human form.
Everyone was silent except for Onora who broke out in enthusiastic applause and shouted, “Magnificent! Simply wonderful!”
Hector gave a sly smile and tucked a strand of his shiny black hair behind his ear. Black-suited and strikingly handsome, Hector casually greeted the crowd. “Thank you for allowing me to enter your sacred halls. Their splendor is a thing of legends and truly this Chapel lives up to its praises.” His red eyes glanced about the crowd as he flashed his brilliant smile.
What a charmer. No wonder Kelpie can lure anyone in. I even felt the pull myself despite my fear from the night before. I shook myself out of the daze. I recalled the seconds of my ride when I felt complete fear and barely escaped Hector’s innate urge to kill me.
Hector stood with his hands in his pockets, his shiny European shoes shuffling on the stone floor. “I’m afraid that my… outburst?” he delicately spoke the word. “My… shifting last night. Well, it has simply been misunderstood, and I meant no harm to her Highness.” He slowly bowed at me, and the Sidhe turned to gaze, whispering.
I shifted uncomfortably, twisting and twirling the strand of hair I held between my fingertips and waited for Hector to move on with his thoughts. But, unfortunately, no one said a word. They all continued staring at me, and Hector looked up at me while he continued to bow.
Branna nudged me with her elbow.
What am I supposed to say? I panicked.
Everyone stared, waiting for me to respond.
I swallowed hard and let go of the hair I played with out of habit. “I. . . well... I’m not anyone’s Highness.”
More murmurs of confusion in the crowd.
I looked around, puzzled. What do they want me to say? I’m not some queen. I’m not the one from the prophecy. I’m just Morgan. Just Morgan. That’s all I want to be.
Branna suddenly coughed to divert the group’s attention and spoke with authority, “What Morgan means to say is that she is flattered by the Kelpie’s assumptions, but that the Inner Ring has not determined if the prophecy has been fulfilled.” Branna stiffly smiled at the group, apparently done with her explanation.
Hector stepped through the outer circle and stopped. “I don not need anyone to tell me when She has made Her appearance known. I can see Her with my own eyes, no matter how blind with blood the rest of you assume I am.”
Burke held up his hand. “Wait a second. This is too much. I don’t doubt that Morgan is talented – far more gifted for her age than many of us in this room. But the Inner Ring is the voice of the Sidhe, Kelpie.”
“My name is Hector!” His red eyes went so wide that a thin rim of white could be seen on the outermost edges. “I would appreciate if you called me such. You speak of my race as though it were a bitter taste on your tongue! Consider yourself fortunate that I am more peace-loving than my brothers and sisters. If one of them were in my place, your body would already be floating face down in the nearest puddle.”
“I will not be threatened!” Burke reached into his robe, but Onora spoke her sibilant words before he even had a chance.
Burke’s arms hung stiffly at his sides, unable to move them a hair. He sat down, dejected and defeated by Onora’s spell-weaving.
“Go on, Hector,” Onora whispered.
Hector smoothed his suit jacket and composed himself. “As I was saying, I have simply been misunderstood. Morgan is a magnificent rider and our link was smooth and strong. We were practicing our connection, hoping to be ready to seek out the egg’s location within a day. And then I saw the water, sparkling in the moonlight.” His eyes were misty and stared off in gentle wonder.
He sighed and smiled. “Have you ever seen how it sings when it glistens?” He looked about at the Sidhe. “It’s entrancing. When I saw the river and Morgan was on my back, I thought that we should give it a try, but I knew that if I gave her the choice she would flatly decline. After all, I told her my story. I told her of my kind and our… history.” Hector winked at the crowd—still charming them.
“So,” he stepped forward, his shoes clicking on the flagstones, “I took control and carried her toward the river, wanting to see if she could ride when I was in my more serpentine form.” He stopped walking and stood outside of the innermost circle, right in front of me and Branna. “I suppose I chose poorly, and I am sorry, your Highness.”
Now he took a knee and bowed his head like a man waiting to be knighted.
I stared, my mouth agape. Despite knowing Hector’s ability to draw in victims more easily than other predators, I knew in my heart that he was sincere in his apology. I could see past his charm and into his heart, and what I saw made me step forward and touch him delicately on his head.
Hector raised his head, a smile breaking on his face, which was streaked with bloody tears.
Now I knew what I needed to say. It didn’t matter what the High Sidhe or the rest of the clan thought of me or whether or not they believed in me. What I saw in front of me was someone who only knew me for a single day and he believed in me more than those who were supposed to love me unconditionally.
“All is forgiven,” I replied.
I helped Hector to his feet and brought him to the center of the room, placing him on my left side while Branna stood on the other.
“Ver
y well!” Onora shouted from the back of the Chapel. “So it is done! The girl will ride again, keen the Tanner boy, and seal the gate! Shall she do it?”
The entire congregation shifted and knelt on their cushions. They shouted as one voice, “Carrion Crow, ride on!”