Caledonia Fae 04- Druid Lords (29 page)

“I understand,” Douglas said. “I won’t damage the Stone.” He crouched beside the artefact’s resting place and ran a hand over the top. “Now…wake it up.”

“No,” Oszlár said. “Not until you explain what you intend to do.”

“I can feel the Stone’s magic calling me,” Douglas said. “Can’t you?” he asked Rory, hoping the other druid would play along. He couldn’t feel anything unusual, but he believed that once the keepers activated the Stone, he’d know what to do. The truth teased at his mind.

Rory looked puzzled, but nodded. “It’s distant, but there’s something about the mist.”

Douglas stood and faced the elder faerie. “I can wake the artefact, but I don’t know the Stone as well as you do. We risk less if you do your part.”

“What are you planning?” Oszlár demanded.

“I’m going to give Konstanze what she wants,” Douglas replied. “A demonstration of why you shouldn’t fuck with a Druid Lord.” He turned away and returned to the centre of the room, to wait for the Stone to rise from its resting place. “Now, call the other keepers if you need to, but wake it up.”

Silence hung in the room. Douglas could hear both of the other two breathe, and his own steady heartbeat. He kept as still as possible. Rare confidence coursed through his veins. He would slap that bitch Konstanze and save Demi at the same time. But only if Oszlár believed him.

The old keeper exhaled tiredly. “Very well.”

Demi had grown accustomed to the schedule of the various guards, but not the conditions. She was cold, despite the blanket Leocort had provided, her back ached, and her stomach growled. They fed her, but her diet was meagre, consisting mostly of fruit and bread. At least the food was wholesome. They could have given her rancid slop, she reminded herself, or worse: nothing at all.

The other Watcher who guarded her cell ignored her completely. His aloof manner didn’t disturb her. She’d come to associate remoteness with the fae. Even in his scant expressions, he seemed to loathe Demi. Somehow, without saying a word, he made her understand she would find no sympathy from him.

Leocort, on the other hand, treated Demi as a guest. His polite behaviour struck her as strange, considering he didn’t seem inclined to stop the queen from having her killed. After that first day, they never spoke of Ulrich or the murder again. Instead, he would talk to her as she ate. Although she would have preferred something more directly helpful, his company prevented her from going insane with dread. When she brought up certain subjects, he would grow agitated and leave, so she avoided them. Unfortunately, the one topic she most wanted to discuss, Jago, topped that list. Leocort asked her about her life, her family’s magical heritage, the Druid Lords, although the information she had of them admittedly wasn’t much. Still, she told him what she could. He always thanked her as though he regarded her storytelling as a precious gift.

Although she had no view of the outside, Demi suspected night had fallen again. The hour of her execution approached, marching towards her like a dreadful spectre. Leocort must have arrived to begin the final night’s watch. She could tell because a glowing haze appeared in the centre of her cell. She waited, expecting him to walk in momentarily. Perhaps, since this was her last night on earth, he’d bring her something solid to eat, even though she hadn’t asked. Sighing, she pushed the thought aside. She wasn’t
on
earth anymore, technically speaking. As she had every night before, she closed her eyes and prayed for Jago, that he might be healthy and happy, and that he wouldn’t be afraid. Whispering in the dark, she begged her maker to forgive the boy for what he had done. The blame was hers alone.

Time ticked by, but Leocort didn’t come. She worried for him, despite the concern seeming irrational. He’d been good company. She wanted to ask him to attend her execution so his would be the last face she saw. The request seemed selfish. Who would want to witness a death? But something told her he would agree. If she was going to die, she deserved one self-centred wish.

Minutes stretched into hours. Her stomach complained loudly. Sighing, she gathered the blanket and lumped one end into a pillow. She’d wasted her time thinking about her final meal. There wouldn’t be one. Maybe he couldn’t face speaking to her, since the conversation would be her last. Feeling alone and abandoned, imagining someone cared comforted her. How long, she wondered, before they’d come for her?

A muffled noise sounded in the corridor. Demi sat bolt upright. Had she fallen asleep? A heavy thud followed several louder crashes. The light in the centre of the room dimmed, then winked out, plunging her into complete darkness. She crawled to the back wall, drew her legs up, and hugged her knees.

A hiss came from the doorway. “Demi?”

She leapt to her feet, but stayed against the wall. For the first time in days, hope surged in her chest.

“It’s me. Huck.” He stepped closer. His eyes shone in the darkness, just like the fae’s. “It’s okay,” he said. “I’ve come to get you out.”

“Where’s Leocort?” she said.

“Who?” Huck moved towards her in the darkness.

“The guard,” she said.

“Don’t worry. I’ve taken care of him.”

A remote part of her brain told her she shouldn’t care, but Demi couldn’t help worrying. “You’ve killed him?” A groan escaped her lips.

Huck hesitated. “I’m not sure.”

“Where is he?” she asked, stumbling towards the doorway.

“I dragged him to another cell,” Huck said. “Look, we have to go. I brought ward stones for you, but they don’t make us invisible. We should leave before someone sees us.”

“You have a stone imbued with my blood?” Demi asked. “Give it to me.” She didn’t know how to make Huck understand. Leocort had been kind to her. She wouldn’t let him suffer, not because of her.

Holding out her hand in the darkness, she felt the small weight of two stones drop into her palm.

“I’m not sure which is which,” Huck said.

“Take me to him,” she said, then added, “Please.”

To his credit, the druid only gave a small grumble before following her instructions and leading her past the empty watch station. His hand was meaty and rough, but she relished his touch. Only then did she realise how long it had been since she’d touched another person.

They ducked into another cell on the opposite side. “He’s in here,” Huck said. “Can you see?”

“No,” she told him.

“On the floor. About three feet in front of you towards the left wall.”

“Guide me,” she said. The last thing she wanted was to kick Leocort in the head.

Huck did as she asked and took her into the room. “Right in front of you,” he said.

Demi crouched and extended her hand, reaching for the faerie’s still form. She found his chest first, and she groped around until she followed his arm up to his face. His skin was still warm. He was alive.

“Leocort,” she whispered. “Leocort, please.” She took one of the stones, the one that resonated with her magic, and she pressed the rock against the side of his neck. The process was more difficult with someone who didn’t share her blood, but she had to try. “What did you do to him?” she asked Huck.

“Goddammit, Demi,” Huck said. “With the crowds and the guards, it’s taken me more than a day to get here. I’m trying to save your life. Can we leave, please?”

“He knows where Jago is.”

“So do I,” Huck told her. “I was allowed to visit him the day I came to see you, remember?”

Demi still couldn’t leave until she knew Leocort wasn’t dead on her account. “What did you do to the Watcher?” she repeated.

Huck didn’t answer at first, but then said, “I hit him on the head.” A pause. “A couple of times. He’s tougher than you’d think.”

Demi had never healed more than one of Jago’s occasional scraped knees. Even though Lisle had insisted the magic was safe, Demi had feared using the flows would alert the faerie who had hunted her for so many years. She understood the fear to be unreasonable, but she refused to take risks with Jago’s safety.

Allowing the stone to guide the flows, she stopped the small amount of bleeding, but she had no idea what to do about the probable concussion. Anything she might try could make his injury worse. “Oh, Leocort. I’m so sorry,” she said. “I never wanted you to get hurt.”

His eyes fluttered open, shining green in the darkened cell. “I hear you,” he croaked. “But I cannot look at you. Why do I not see you? Is this druid magic?”

“Yes,” she said. “Is Jago still at the nursery where Huck and Munro first saw him?”

“No,” he replied.

“Where is he?”

“I cannot betray my queen. I’m sorry.”

Huck stepped forward. “I’ll get him to tell us,” he said, his voice terrifyingly flat and grim.

“No!” she shouted, then winced at how the sound echoed. Lowering her voice to a whisper, she hissed, “We’re not going to hurt anyone.”

“I know what happened in Amsterdam,” Huck said. “How long before another
accident
? How long will Jago be safe? If this guy knows where your son is, don’t you think we should use whatever means necessary to find out?”

Demi pressed her eyes closed and breathed. “No,” she said. “Leocort was kind to me. I won’t repay him by beating information out of him.”

“Even if it saves your son?” Huck asked.

“Wait outside, please,” Demi said.

Huck grumbled and strode towards the entry, but he didn’t go through.

“You healed me,” Leocort said weakly.

“I tried. My gifts are undeveloped. There are stories of great healers in my family, but I don’t know their methods. I was always too afraid to explore the flows more. They reminded me too much of Ulrich. I learned what I believed would protect us and nothing more.”

“It would be easier on me if you let your companion torture the information out of me. I could tell you what you want to know without betraying my queen. I want to help you,” he said. “I have from the beginning.”

“I know.” Demi sighed. “You’re a good person. You brought me flowers and told me stories. You gave me blankets and kept me company. You didn’t have to do any of that. I’m sorry for your injury.”

Huck interrupted. “We have to hurry, Demi. This isn’t a game.”

Anger surged within her. “You think I don’t understand the stakes?” she hissed. Thoughts buzzed in her head. How could she convince Leocort to help her? “Leave with us,” she said. “Come be a part of the Druid Hall. There must be lots of faeries there, right, Huck?”

“Yeah, there are. Stewards, scholars, teachers, scribes, cleaners, builders, gardeners, cooks…I’ve lost track of everyone that lives there,” Huck said.

“No Watchers though,” Leocort said.

Demi put her hand on his face. “You’ll be the first. You can work for me if you want. Do whatever you please. Be my Watcher or become something new.” She paused and bowed her head. “Even if you won’t tell me where Jago is. I owe you this much. You were kind to me. I’ll protect you from Konstanze.”

He laughed weakly. “You amaze me, my lady druid,” he said, then after a pause added, “Your boy was moved to the castle.”

“Why?” Panic almost choked her. “Did something happen?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “It is unusual for an infant under ten years to live outside the nursery compound.”

Tears stung at her eyes, but Demi blinked them back. Now wasn’t the time.

“Where exactly in the castle?” Huck asked.

Leocort hesitated. “I could find out. Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” Demi said.

“No,” Huck said at the exact same moment.

“Can you stand?” Demi asked, extending her hand to help him up.

“Yes, my lady druid,” he said. “I think so.” He clasped her forearm and she lifted him to his feet. A dim light appeared in the room. Leocort stepped back a few paces. “If I may say so, your aura is most disturbing. How have you altered it?”

“Come to the Druid Hall, and I will show you anything you want about my magic. For now, I need to reach my son.”

“Of course,” he said. He gave a wary glance towards Huck, but quickly lowered his eyes. “At least now I don’t feel so foolish that you managed to sneak up on me. I thought I heard something, but I felt a strong compulsion to resist turning around.”

Huck peered into the corridor. “Is there anyone else nearby?”

“Not immediately, but as we go deeper in, we’ll encounter others. Stay in the shadows and follow. I suspect your magic will shield you well, at least for now.”

“Deeper in?” Huck said. Suspicion rang in his voice. “Why would you want us to go farther into the holding area? Isn’t going out and around closer?”

“If we go through the cells and past the Watcher’s keep, the distance upward to the royal living quarters isn’t far. I suspect the boy is somewhere in there, either in the queen’s wing or possibly in the guest area. I’ll stop at the Watcher’s keep to learn what I can.”

“Are there any other Watchers we can trust?” Demi asked.

“No, my lady druid. Konstanze inspires great loyalty.”

“But not in you?” Huck said, a challenge in the question.

Leocort gingerly touched the back of his head where Huck’s heavy blows had landed. “My daughter is a scholar. She aspires to become a keeper someday. The keepers support the druids’ claim, and she trusts her mentors’ judgement.”