The Blood Forest (The Tree of Ages Series Book 3) Read online

  “Who is your leader?” Iseult asked, but the Aos Sí simply glanced at him, then turned his gaze back to Finn.

  “The Faie Queen demands that any Dair who cross our lands be brought before her,” he continued. “Forgive me, the Aos Sí know better than to anger your people, but we must insist.”

  She did her best not to balk at him. Just like the Merrow girl in Ainfean, this man had known she was one of the Dair on sight. And now he wanted to bring her to the Faie Queen? Was she one of the Dair as well, as the Merrow girl had suggested?

  She shook her thoughts away. “And what of my companions?” she asked, glancing warily around at the rest of the Aos Sí surrounding them. She supposed they were some sort of Faie, though they looked far more human than most, except perhaps the Merrows. Though she wanted to know more about them, firstly she had to keep her companions safe. Bedelia was barely standing and would need treatment soon.

  Eywen’s deep blue eyes flicked to Iseult, looking him up and down as if assessing the threat he might pose. “They may accompany you, of course,” he agreed with a small bow. “We have made a grave mistake in injuring one of your companions. Please, allow us to tend her wounds.”

  Bedelia gave Finn a terrified look, but when two more of the Aos Sí stepped forward, she allowed them to examine the arrow.

  Finn was startled as she glanced behind her. At some point, without drawing her notice, Kai, Anna, and Sativola had stepped up close behind her and Iseult.

  “Call me mad,” Kai whispered, “but perhaps we shouldn’t so willingly visit the Faie Queen.”

  Eywen shifted his gaze past Finn to Kai. His nostrils flared, then his eyes widened in surprise. “Two of the Dair,” he observed, “our offense is even greater.”

  Finn glanced back at Kai in confusion, then realization dawned on her. She didn’t look any different from a human, so it had to be her blood or magic that made her stand apart, and she’d given a bit of both to Kai.

  “Can you sense the Dair?” she asked Eywen hesitantly.

  He shook his head. “I can,” he cleared his throat nervously, “smell you, my lady. The blood of the Dair is unique indeed.”

  She pursed her lips in thought. So it was the blood she gave Kai that made the Aos Sí think him Dair, though perhaps the Faie Queen would see the truth.

  “While I appreciate you making amends,” she said politely, “we really must continue on our journey. I fear we do not have much time.”

  Eywen frowned. “My lady, attending the Queen is not a choice, it is a necessity, and before you inflict your wrath upon us, please be aware the Aos Sí are great in number. Kill us all, and there will simply be more to replace us.”

  Finn opened her mouth to argue, but no words came to her.

  “We should probably just go with them,” Kai whispered, glancing around at the armed soldiers.

  Bedelia made a grunt of pain as one of the Aos Sí broke the arrow, then another worked it out of her flesh, pushing the point forward until the broken end came free. Her clothing and armor had been pulled away to reveal her bare skin, which the two Aos Sí began to bandage.

  Eywen glanced at Bedelia, then turned his gaze back to Finn. The other Aos Sí had taken possession of their frightened horses, and now led them forward.

  “The Queen is not far,” he explained, offering Finn his arm. “I will escort you. Your horses will be well tended.”

  Finn nodded nervously, then slipped her hand through his arm. His armor was cold beneath her touch. He began to lead her away, with her friends following close behind.

  As they walked the air grew increasingly cold, and eventually, snowflakes began to fall. Her arm still resting in Eywen’s, Finn looked up at the soft, fuzzy flakes drifting down. She had a feeling they would soon learn of their source. Perhaps she was not the only one who could control the natural aspects of her environment.

  Faie Queen, indeed.

  KAI TRIED to avoid the gazes of the Aos Sí surrounding them. One of the strange warriors supported Bedelia’s weight with an arm beneath her shoulders, but the rest of them were allowed to walk unhindered . . . unless you counted Finn’s arm intertwined with Eywen’s.

  It had started snowing not long into their walk. Though the flurries had died down, they now walked through slush made by the many sets of footprints that had gone before them. It seemed the snow in this area was not recent, and more of a permanent draping.

  The icy landscape ahead was dotted with wooden barricades and more Aos Sí warriors standing at attention.

  Anna had pulled her cloak over her head, and now peered at Kai from within its deep shadows. “Where could they all have come from?” she whispered softly.

  His gaze flicked to their escort, quickly catching her meaning. After the Faie War, most of the creatures of myth had disappeared. All except the Ceàrdaman, who debatably weren’t even of Faie blood. They were obviously back now, but where had they all been hiding? Trow he could understand, blending in with the forests, and the smaller Faie who had a tendency to fade from sight at their leisure, but the Aos Sí? They seemed close to human, just like the Ceàrdaman. Surely they could not have simply faded away like the other Faie.

  Finally, Kai shook his head. “Perhaps we’ll soon find out.”

  Anna turned her gaze down to the mucky snow beneath her boots. Sativola had remained silent at her other side, though he appeared to be seriously questioning his continued association with any of them.

  They reached the first of the barricades, but did not slow. Instead, Eywen gave an elaborate hand gesture to one of his men, then continued onward down the main path. After passing several more barricades, the Aos Sí’s lodgings came into view. Dotting the landscape in large clusters were small, circular wooden huts, the snow covered rooftops emitting woodsmoke through vents. Upon closer view, the entrances were draped with animal hides to keep out the cold, though some had been pulled back, revealing modest sleeping spaces and not much else.

  Continuing on, some buildings were larger, but similar in structure, until at last they reached the settlement’s hub. Looming there was a massive oval stone edifice with a heavy wooden door mounted in the center, and multiple guards posted on either side.

  Standing before the entrance, Eywen made another hand gesture, and one of the guards turned to open the door, revealing a wide arched entrance. Eywen led Finn inside, closely followed by Iseult, then everyone else. Two more of the armored Aos Sí followed them inside, then shut the door.

  Remaining alert to any signs of danger, Kai peered around their surroundings in awe. The interior of the building was deceivingly spacious, with several closed doors leading to other unknown areas. Narrow slits in the stone wall served as windows, their sparse light accompanied by countless white candles, burning in sconces on the walls and on the surface of large shelves and a massive central table.

  At the table sat a woman with pure white skin and hair. Her lustrous tresses blended in with her white gown which shimmered as if encrusted with tiny clear jewels. Her features resembled those of the male and female Aos Sí at her sides, though they both had more color to them, with long, black hair like Eywen’s. In fact, most of the Aos Sí they’d seen so far had dark hair, though not always pure black.

  The woman blinked lilac colored eyes at them, then gestured with one white-clad arm for them to sit. “I did not expect to find any of the Dair so easily, though I see there are humans among you as well.”

  Kai watched as Eywen led Finn forward, then pulled out a seat for her, opposite the woman he could only assume was the Faie Queen. Then Eywen surprised him by pulling out another seat, gesturing for him to take it.

  After Kai was seated, those without Dair blood were allowed to sit. Bedelia, pale and sickly looking from her wound, was assisted by one of the Aos Sí.

  Moving to stand behind his seated queen, Eywen cleared his throat. “Allow me to present Oighear the White, Queen of the Faie.”

  Oighear smiled graciously with lips almost as white as her sk
in, save the barest hint of pink to distinguish them from the white teeth she subtly revealed. “I will jump straight to the heart of the matter,” she explained. “Since our return, I have besought my people to search out the Dair so that we might negotiate. You are the first I have found.” She gestured to both Kai and Finn.

  Kai wanted to argue that he wasn’t one of the Dair, but decided against it. The Aos Sí seemed to respect the Dair, while showing mild distaste for the humans, and he preferred to remain arrow-free.

  “Negotiate?” Finn asked, eyeing Oighear intently.

  Oighear inclined her head. Her pure white hair slithered forward like water over her shoulders. “I would like my shroud returned to me. I am the rightful ruler of the Faie, not the Dair.”

  Kai watched as Finn’s mouth formed an oh of understanding. “I fear I know little of the Dair’s politics,” she replied smoothly, surprising him with her tact. “As you can see, I do not travel with my clan.” She gestured at her companions seated on either side of her.

  Oighear frowned. “Then I must ask you to point me in the direction of your clan.”

  “I do not know them,” Finn answered simply.

  Oighear’s pleasant mask fell away as if it had never existed. Underneath her calm exterior, waited a wrathful queen. “You will facilitate negotiations, or you will die,” she growled. “To what clan do you belong?”

  Finn seemed to think about it, then answered honestly. “The Cavari.”

  Oighear’s eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed. “The Cavari?” she intoned. “The very clan who stole the shroud from my sleeping form?”

  “Sleeping?” Finn asked. “The legend says the Faie Queen died, and the shroud was stolen from her corpse.”

  A chill wind swept through the room. At first Kai thought perhaps the door behind them had opened, then he realized the cold was coming from the other direction. It was coming from Oighear.

  “You know very well that we fell into a long slumber when magic fled from the land,” Oighear growled. “The Dair survived it longer than most and took my shroud, but just because we were resting, does not mean we were unaware.”

  Finn seemed to be deep in thought, not outwardly showing any of the worry Kai was acutely experiencing in that moment. “I remember something of this . . . ” she muttered, her words gently trailing off.

  Oighear eyed her suspiciously. “What is your name?”

  Finn didn’t seem to hear her.

  “Her name is not important,” Iseult answered.

  “Do not speak to the Queen, human,” Eywen warned.

  Finn gasped, then refocused on the situation at hand. “I remember you,” she marveled. “Oighear the Snow Queen. Had you not been laid to rest, you would have brought eternal winter to the land.”

  Oighear slammed a bare, white palm against the table. “I would have brought greatness to my people,” she snapped. “Unlike the Dair, who sullied themselves with the silly affairs of humans. The Dair are not fit to lead the Faie.”

  Finn’s chair screeched across the wooden floor as she stood abruptly. “You were not a kind queen,” she accused. “I would sooner burn the shroud then give it to you!”

  Kai looked back and forth between the two women, completely lost as to where the conversation was going. Finn had obviously remembered something of her previous life, and now she was going to get them all killed because of it. The Aos Sí in the room flexed their hands near their weapons, ready to defend their ruler. Kai stood and moved near Finn, ready to protect her, though Iseult had already reached her opposite site. Even Bedelia had staggered to her feet, though she seemed to be having trouble keeping them.

  “Lock them away,” the Queen ordered, and the Aos Sí surrounding her stepped forward. “Perhaps we’ll find use for them later.”

  Finn raised her arms, as if to summon her magic, then her face crumbled into confused lines.

  Oighear smiled wickedly. “This dwelling is warded against outside magic, my dear. I have no intention of falling prey to the Dair a second time.”

  The doors behind them opened, and armored Aos Sí spilled into the room, surrounding them.

  “Do we fight?” Sativola whispered, standing with his back toward the queen, facing the door.

  Kai felt a blast of ice against his back, and turned to see snowflakes streaming in through the doorway. He began to shiver, overwhelmed with cold. He tried to reach for his blade, but seemed unable to move his limbs. The Aos Sí circled them, somehow impervious to the cold. They aimed swords and spears inward, ready to skewer any with the power to run.

  Oighear moved around the table and stood next to her Aos Sí warriors. Laughter sparkled in her lilac eyes as they fell on Sativola’s massive, shivering form.

  “My dear,” she purred, “no one fights a queen.”

  “WHAT A DISASTER,” Maarav muttered, leaning against the wooden wall of the inn. He and Ealasaid had made it to Badenmar, hoping to perhaps plead their case to Iseult, or at the very least, to start following their party in secret, but what they’d found instead was An Fiach.

  Fortunately, they’d seen signs of the large group well before they reached the small burgh, and so, had been cautious in their approach. They’d made it just in time to see the last few men depart, leaving sorrow in their wake.

  Not sorrow at their passing, but sorrow at what they took. Badenmar had been robbed of its few horses, and most of its supplies. With the odd weather stunting the crops, they’d have a poor harvest as it was, and now they had few stores to last them through hard times.

  While Maarav didn’t make a habit out of caring about small burghs, Ealasaid was another matter.

  “Sheep licking, soft bellied fiends,” she hissed, kicking the dirt in front of her.

  They’d just finished speaking with the innkeep to find there were no supplies left to purchase. Many of the villagers would be moving on toward Garenoch within the day in hopes of salvation, but Maarav knew their chances were grim.

  Ealasaid obviously knew it too, but was not nearly as accepting of the fact.

  “We have to do something,” she grumbled, gazing across the square at the morose villagers adding up what they had left, and debating their chances of surviving through winter.

  “Like what?” he asked, hoping she would soon realize how silly it was to worry. The villagers fates were all but sealed.

  A grim look of determination took over her delicate face. “Like track down An Fiach and reclaim the horses and supplies.”

  Maarav burst out laughing, and that grim look was suddenly directed at him. Unfortunately for her, he was not one to quaver at the wrong end of any threatening look, especially not one from a lovely young lady.

  “Forgive me,” he continued to laugh. “While your lightning is highly impressive, I do not believe you are a match for fifty soldiers.”

  She lifted her freckled nose in the air. “So we’re to just turn a blind eye to injustice?”

  He smirked, but his expression slowly fell as he realized the source of her venom. “You know,” he began soberly, “the men who raided this village are likely not the ones who destroyed yours.”

  She scowled at him. “You’re right, since the villagers here were left alive. It still doesn’t mean that these men should not pay for their crimes.”

  Maarav patted her shoulder. “Justice is best left to the gods, lass. Let us focus on staying alive, for now.”

  Her ire-filled expression faltered. “Do you truly believe Slàine will come after us?”

  He chuckled and leaned his back against the inn’s exterior wall. “Oh I have little doubt. We will need to stay one step ahead for quite some time, and getting back into Finn’s good graces couldn’t hurt. I’d be a fool to believe that Slàine won’t try for her again, but Finn has at least proven she can best an entire flock of assassins.”

  Ealasaid sighed. “You’re an assassin too, aren’t you,” she muttered without the inclination of a question. Before he could answer, she turned and walked tow
ard the stable where they’d left their horse tied outside of the pens.

  He pushed away from the wall to catch up with her. “I was,” he answered honestly. “And perhaps some day I will be again, if my coin purse grows light.”

  She stopped walking and narrowed her eyes at him. “How could you do something like that? Kill an innocent person?”

  He laughed and continued walking, reaching their horse to untie its reins. “No one is innocent, lass. Not even you.”

  Ealasaid was silent for a long time after that, even as they mounted their horse and left the burgh. While Maarav had only spoken the truth, he sincerely hoped he hadn’t gone too far. He’d do well to not alienate the last living person willing to stand by his side . . . though he didn’t quite understand why she still did so at all.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  L eaning her back against the cold stone wall, Finn reached out and stroked her fingers across the iron bars of her prison. Her magic, had she the ability to control it, would do her no good here. She remembered Oighear now, though she wished she could forget.

  In the memory, she felt small, merely a child new to the world of man. She could recall a meeting.

  MANY GATHERED around a long wooden table, darkened with age. It glistened in the candlelight, casting an eerie glow on the faces of those seated. At the table’s head sat Oighear in a glittering white gown, with two of the Aos Sí standing at her back. On her spider silk tresses rested a delicate crown, bedecked with jewels as clear as rain.

  Oighear, terrifying and beautiful, huddled in the corner, while several members of Finn’s tribe looked over a treaty being passed around the table. All of the Cavari wore hoods to cover their features, as did some others around the table that were strangers to Finn.