“Who is the wife?” I asked.
“She is the Hindu Goddess, Dhumorna, also known as Kalaratri,” Scotaidh said.
“I've never heard either of those names,” I murmured.
“Avenging a husband or father is quite a motive,” Lugh noted.
“My Queen, you mentioned demons?” Scotaidh asked.
“Yes.” I looked back at him with interest. “Why? Does that make a difference?”
“Dhumorna is the Goddess of Auspiciousness and Courage,” Scotaidh said. “But she is known as the Destroyer of all Demons, Ghosts, Spirits, and Negative Energies.”
“She's the Destroyer of Demons?” I nearly shrieked.
“All Demons, my Queen,” Scotaidh said smugly. “That's what I would call damning evidence.”
Scotaidh giggled.
I blinked and then laughed with him “Yes; well done, Scotaidh; on both the information and the joke.”
“Thank you, Queen Vervain.” He bowed again. “Will you be slaughtering the Demon Destroyer?”
“Most likely,” I said and then sighed. “Tell me more about her son.”
“Not much on him to find,” Scotaidh said. “Katila seems to have been born without magic, although he is technically a god.”
“A god born without magic,” I murmured.
“Not to say that he has no magic at all,” Scotaidh hurried to correct. “I'm sure he can do the normal god things, but he has no personal power of note; no talent.”
“That's gotta rankle,” I noted.
“Indeed,” Arach said. “Would this talentless son have inherited Yama's cord?”
“I'd say it's likely, my King,” Scotaidh said.
Arach and I shared a grimace.
“A god without personal power now in possession of his father's soul-harvesting weapon,” I said.
“I know what I would do with it,” Arach said.
“And I know what I would help my son to do with it,” I added, “if I happened to be the Destroyer of All Demons.”
“It appears that you've found your killer, Wife,” Arach said proudly.
“I believe I had some significant help.” I looked to Scotaidh pointedly.
I couldn't tell with all that fur—Imps look like miniature Wookies—but I was pretty sure that Scotaidh blushed. He also did another bow; a series of them actually.
“I am honored to have been of service,” Scotaidh murmured.
“How are you and your fellow imps doing, Scotaidh?” I asked. “Are you all happy here?”
“Oh! Of course, we are, Queen Vervain,” Scotaidh stammered in surprise. “How could we not be? We are finally home.”
“But the Human Realm also became home for you,” I pointed out. “Do you ever go back to visit?”
“We can visit it through the Inter Realm,” he said serenely. “Here, we have the best of both realms.”
“Wonderful,” I said. “I'm glad to hear it.”
Scotaidh bowed one last time and rejoined his fellow imps at a table on the left side of the hall. They cheered his return like a hero and high-fived him with their little, clawed paws. I smiled to see such human behavior among my people. The Imps made me feel less awkward and more at home in Faerie, and for that, they were very special to me.
Then there was a commotion at the entrance to the hall.
My sons had returned with Hunter, but they weren't alone. Fearghal, the Red Cap Captain of the Goblin Guard, came lumbering in behind them. Rian was still in his dragon form; small enough to maneuver the hall easily but large enough to cause serious damage if he wasn't careful. Thankfully, he was careful. Rian came to a landing on the back of his chair; perching perfectly as he settled his wings and curled his tail around the front of the chair. Brevyn and Hunter clambered up to the high table after him, but I was only half paying attention to the boys. Fearghal had escorted in some guests.
“My King and Queen,” Fearghal intoned dramatically. “I present the King and Queen of Darkness, the Royal Dark Prince and Princess, and their entourage.”
King Rowan and Queen Liatris strode into the room, followed by their twin children; Prince Baidhen and Princess Sinnea. Behind the twins came the Royal Guard; a unit of ellingran—dark fey hounds who were currently in their human forms. They all looked elegant and dangerous; dressed in several shades of purple and black.
“Welcome!” Arach stood and held his hand out to help me up. “May blood flow and fire burn for you.”
“Thank you, King Arach,” King Rowan said. “May darkness conceal you. And greetings to you, High Prince Lugh, and you, Duchess Isleen.”
“Well met,” Lugh declared as Isleen nodded.
Arach and I went down to greet our friends, but as soon as she was within reach, I hugged Liatris. I felt a special bond with the Dark Queen; mainly because she had a part of me inside her. And outside her, for that matter. Liatris and I could have been twins if it wasn't for her coloring. Like all the dark-sidhe, Lia had pure black skin and hair, and eyes that were a shade of blue. Her blue had a tinge of lavender to it, and Rowan's was a deep cerulean—a shade similar to Kirill's.
Rowan had been attracted to me once, but it was only because of my connection to him and his wife. You see, Faerie and I made them. Faerie used me as her avatar to take the element of Darkness and transform it into living beings; the Dark Fey. But when we formed Rowan and Liatris, a little piece of me had gone into them. She had been formed in my image, and both Lia and Rowan had later transformed into dark dragon-sidhe. Which was why Arach was so excited to have them visit; especially their children. Especially their daughter.
When I first met Arach, he had believed that he was the last of his kind. He had no hope for heirs or the continuation of his race. Only pure dragon-sidhe could shift into a dragon, and shifting
