Breandan, eyes flashing blue fire stepped forward.
Devlin's laughter made my skin scrawl. 'Breandan, you always were overprotective of your toys.' He eased into a comfortable stance. He moved closer then I could see his face better. The sparkle in his eye seemed devilish now and the curve of his lips sinister.
'It is not overprotective to defend what is yours,' Breandan replied and glanced over his shoulder.
I tried to do him proud and look less terrified. Yeah right. I was shaking like a leaf. Devlin had worked magic on me a few hours ago, and it had worked. I remembered the mumbling, quivering mess I had been and felt sick. If Breandan and Conall hadn't come along, I would have probably given him my amulet and agreed to go wherever it was he was trying to lure me to.
Losing his patience, Breandan shifted, easing his feet apart and asked, 'What do you want?'
Devlin pointed to me. 'She has spoken to the most powerful Seer of our time, the white witch. She is a fairy born of this region and by rights part of my Tribe unless she swears fealty to a usurper. I have a right to know what her future holds.'
'Touch her and I kill you.'
'By doing this, denying me the right to see her, you are naming her a prisoner or of your faction. If she swears fealty to Lochlann she will be named a rebel. She already has had a hard life at the hands of her mother. Will you truly subject her to a lifetime of being shunned by the majority of her true kind too?'
Breandan's face was ashen. He swallowed hard and looked at me over his shoulder, expression torn. I understood what Devlin was saying. Because I hadn't chosen a side I was automatically a Tribal fairy, but since Breandan had claimed me as his own he'd sentenced me to a life filled with death and destruction. I would have to always be cautious, always have to hide the amulet and myself. I was beginning to think even if I lost my piece I would still be tied to it. It would explain why Devlin did not grab the thing a month ago and take off.
Like Breandan said, there were rules to this thing. I just had to learn them.
In that moment I also realized it didn't matter what Breandan wanted or what Devlin wanted, but what I wanted. My moral compass was crooked at best, but I would never choose to be evil. But nor was I so saint like, that I wanted to be part of a fairy revolution. I cared deeply for Breandan, maybe it was impossible for me not too, and so I stepped closer to him. If he let his nature rule him, Devlin could over power him easily. He needed to keep a level head, for what I had planned. I placed a hand on his shoulder and looked up into his face, my eyes pleading for him to calm down.
'Know you have forced my hand, cousin.' Devlin's voice twanged with power and I turned in time to see his glamour drop.
His hair ignited, blazing with white light. His ears were elongated and had the point of fairy I found fascinating, but his face was so sharp, pristine in its formation my eyes found it hard to settle on one feature. His eyes were aflame, cold green flames. His hands and feet were clawed, wickedly spiky. I saw clearly now the difference between him and Breandan in their true forms. Devlin was a leader, powerful in his righteous hate for the rebels who threatened his authority. Breandan had his own power, but it was not born of dominance.
I caught the glint at Devlin's chest as he shifted to set his feet apart, and my suspicion was confirmed. The colour and shape of it was too distinctive to be anything else other than an amulet piece.
Blinded by the urge to take it from him, I lurched forward. Breandan, confused by my behavior, pulled me back and tucked me under his arm.
Emerging from the shadows behind Devlin, fairies unsheathed their weapons. His eyes narrowed and skipped around the trees.
'Tron and Loki are dead,' said the willowy male to his immediate left. Lanky, his grey hair flowed on and on until it hit his knees. With pinched eyes and scraggly grey beard, his wrinkled face reminded me of the crushed velvet I had once seen decorating a Temple Priests robes. Clutched in his hand was a halberd. He jabbed it toward Breandan. 'He caught their scent.'
That explained why Breandan had been delayed in racing me. I felt a surge of pride.
'No matter,' Devlin grated, a trace of irritation flickering across his expression. 'Lochlann was always the better fighter. Four against two is more than enough. Wasp, my love?'
The wraithlike fairy-girls face blazed adoration and lunacy as she turned to him. Her long hair was a tangle of claret dreadlocks that seemed alive, like snakes writhing around her face. Wide eyes glassy, her pouty green lips parted, waiting.
'Would you do the honor of taking Rae? Be careful not to break her, she can be quite temperamental.'
Mouth curling sadistically, she licked the edge of her blade. A flash of memory showed Ana pulling up her top to expose the scars carved into her flesh by this very demon. My stomach heaved and my lungs sucked air in heaving gulps.
Another male fairy slid closer, eager. An acre of green chest bared his copper Mohawk stood high from his head in stiff spikes. His almond eyes focused on Breandan, and his pierced tongue flicked out in anticipation.
Chapter Seven
They feinted around us in a loose circle and tightened inch by inch. I twisted my head round to watch Breandan's back, and wished I had a weapon. Anything, a big stick, would do. Failing sunlight highlighted the last leaves of autumn. They twisted into grotesque and beautiful shapes in the air as they twirled down. And then I was frightened. Knee trembling and suffocating on my own air, petrified that Breandan would die here, defending me and I would end up with these psychopaths for the rest of my life. Trapped, forever.
'What do we do?' I kept my hands clamped around his waist. My neck ached from trying to see in every direction at once.
Slowly, the Tribe fairies drew closer with their leader closest. The prospect of wining so alive in his eye, Devlin seemed a lunatic.
Breandan searched my face for something then said, 'Run.'
'No.' My voice only wobbled a little. I would not leave him here, no matter how afraid I was.
'Hear me, Rae.' There was deep persuasion in his words as he tried to compel me. 'You must run.'
I snorted at the stupid idea of him giving his life for mine. As if I could live without him after he'd gone and made me all devoted and loyal. We would leave together or not at all. I was ready to die here, with him. They would have to kill me for I would never stop trying to kill them if Breandan died.
He shook his head in a movement so infinitesimal I could barely see it. 'I can't defend against their spells and conjure a portal to take us. I don't have enough focus. Please, Rae.'
'No,' I repeated, firmer this time.
Hissing, I bared my teeth at the copper haired fairy as he took a large, crouched step toward us. His hand twitched on the hilt of his knife. The lack of light made his titled eyes sinister in what would be a handsome face.
'What about Conall?' I asked in a burst of smarts.
For a second time he shook his head.
We needed to escape, and an idea tickled the back of my mind. I knew magic was the only way to survive this, but if what I was planning didn't work we would die, painfully. The alternative, Breandan fighting three fairies singlehanded, was not an option. I would not die like this, trapped and afraid because I was worth much more. I was strong and smart. Less than a day ago when I had believed I was human, I'd been the best at everything I did, and I was not set on changing that now. I was strong and I had magic.
'I'm a demon,' I murmured, locking my sights on the amulet.
I shifted away so I had room to move. Breandan's gaze flashed to my face, puzzled by my change of tone. He clasped my hand as if to keep me anchored to him.
The fairies launched their attack. Teeth and blades glinting, they lunged for us. Lurching forward to meet their charge, I smashed my fist into Devlin's chest and scrunched my fingers together until I felt the cold, hard press of the amulet and simplymoved. We were shunted sideways. Pushing through a thick, unyielding wall of rubbery substance. It stretched against me, refusing entry, but I forced the pressure to abide my will and felt us slip through the hole that opened. Our surroundings shifted from vibrant green to faded grey stone.
