“Indeed she did.”
Then my heart grabbed something inside me, and I found myself blurting the words out. “Brann, did you… mean everything you said? In the note you left in my room?”
“Yes.” We came to a halt, on the outer edge of the dance floor. He looked deeply into my eyes. “I’m a man of few words, so I am careful when I use them. I care for you, more than you know. And I will never let anything happen to you. You make everything in my life, every moment, infinitely brighter.”
On that last syllable, I felt Brann gently graze my lips with his. Everything around me seemed to fade away. The black flame inside me flared up, and heat rushed through me like wildfire. As he pulled away, his eyes sparkled with mischief, and I couldn’t help but smile back.
Then Brann’s gaze left mine as his focus shifted behind me, and I quickly turned my head. LeAna stood behind me, with her arms crossed, her expression an unpleasant mix of displeasure and mild revulsion. How festive, I thought, not for the first time.
“Let’s go, I don’t have all day,” she said, looking as enthusiastic about our project as being trapped in an elevator with a flatulent beagle. “I would like to enjoy the Solstice at some point.”
As we followed LeAna, Brann asked “Where are we going?”
“I’m afraid you aren’t privy to that information,” LeAna said. “All you need to do is guard a door and make sure no one else comes through. If you think you can handle it.”
“And what? We just let her go off with you, with no protection?”
LeAna stopped. She turned slowly on Brann, and tilted her head to the side, as if considering a new angle. “Hmmm. And why should that be your concern? Can the little bird not protect herself? Or is there something else Katie has failed to mention?” Brann and I looked at each other, and she continued forward.
“I do not understand the urgency and secrecy of all this,” I asserted, but still following her lead. “That makes me question your motives here.”
LeAna let out a sigh and resumed her quick pace to the other end of the Chateau. She lead us through several endless corridors, until finally we stopped at a massive wooden door with a metal handle that looked like polished brass, but was probably solid 24 carat gold. A few moments later, Katie arrived with the rest of the guys, and the tension grew even thicker.
“What exactly are you looking for?” LeAna demanded from Katie now. “I would like to know what it is I’m risking my neck for.”
“I need to find the answer to a problem.” I said, and looked her directly in the eye. “One that affects our world. And yours.”
“Why do I feel as if that is only half the truth?”
We continued to stare at each other, neither of us willing to look away. Until the large wooden door behind us began to creak open, and we all turned around.
Enter The McGuffin
- Keira -
As the door opened, a tall blonde elf stepped out, nodding to LeAna, as she eyeballed the rest of us with suspicion. She was a towering form, just a couple inches shorter than Orin. But instead of hulking muscles, her build was lithe and supple, like a tiger. The body of an athlete. Her hair was shaved on the sides, with a tight bun on the top of her head. Her eyes were a striking violet. She wore a fitted bodysuit, all black, with patches of thick leather thrown across the vital areas. Knives were strategically strapped across her body, including a dagger in one of her black combat boots. I could swear she was a genuine Amazon, only she had two very fine, and completely intact tits. Which my guards obviously noticed.
“We don’t have a lot of time,” she said, motioning us toward her.
“Keira, Nichole,” LeAna said by way of introduction. “She’s the most feared huntress in all of Seelie Court,” LeAna turned to me “…and my best mate.” To Brann, she added “You need not worry. Nichole will not let anything happen to your precious queen. You have my word.” Brann flicked a look at Nichole, and got a short nod from the huntress.
“Keep watch, we’ll be back soon,” I told Brann, and motioned for Katie. We followed LeAna, closing the door behind us.
Nichole was agile as a ninja. “Stay close. I’ve disabled all the traps.” Though her job required her to be cruel and coldhearted, there was something very comforting about her. She gave LeAna a sweet kiss on the head, as we started down a dark corridor.
“We need some light,” LeAna said. With a few low mutterings, Katie summoned four floating white spheres, illuminating the darkness before us.
“Right, let’s go,” Nichole said, as we descended a stairway. “Keep together if you want to make it out alive.”
“I’d prefer that, yes. Where are we going?” I asked.
“To my father’s private vault.” LeAna said. “He has an extensive collection of books about the Tuatha Dé Danann. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to sneak you into the royal archives, so this is the next best thing.”
“But if it’s yours, then why are there traps?” Katie asked.
“Because these are priceless artifacts. When you live as long as we do, money is something that you acquire a lot of. Eventually it becomes worthless. But to have something that is one of a kind, something no one else has, is invaluable. That is how you gain status in Seelie court. Luckily, my father is quite the historian. He’s dedicated to tracking objects of value across the realms.”
“And that’s why Little Miss Ninja is here?”
“Nichole has been with us for many years. She guards, but she also gets. She’s the one who retrieved a Book of Origins a few years ago. It was written by Dagda, original leader of the Danu. He gave a detailed account of
