Caledonia Fae 04- Druid Lords (34 page)

“You cannot have it both ways, Konstanze. First you challenge us as toothless pretenders, but now you claim we are powerful tyrants. All we ask is your unbreaking guarantee of the lives of Demi Hartmann and the leth-draoidh child Jago.”

“And all I ask is that first you show evidence that you are not performing your usual parlour tricks. Until I see proof, I have no reason to believe my people are in danger. If I’m right and this is some harmless deceit, then all my capitulation would do would perpetuate your dangerous mythology and elevate your false claims even further.”

Munro and Queen Konstanze stared at each other intently. Munro had no desire to see her people suffer, and he was shocked she would let it go that far. What could he do to prove to her the Stone had severed her people from the Source?

The blue glow of the portal darkened, and crackling energy shimmered along its surface.

Munro turned to Oszlár. “How long can Ashkyne survive disconnected from the Source Stone?” he asked.

Oszlár shook his head. “Not long, my lord druid. I’ve seen many fae severed. It is a maddening state.”

Munro ran his hand through his hair and paused a long time, lost in thought. He couldn’t let all those people die. Finally he said, “Douglas, ask the Stone to open the portal to Ashkyne and restore her people to the Source.”

“If you do that,” Aaron said, “she’ll kill Demi and Jago as soon as she arrives safely in her own kingdom.”

“I know.” Munro looked at the other queens and their worried faces. “But I can’t let hundreds of thousands of faeries die to save two druids.”

“If Demi doesn’t return,” Aaron said, “then we’ll just cut off her kingdom again, this time with her trapped inside, and we won’t let go.”

“No,” Munro said with a sigh in his voice. “Doing so might break the Stone. As she rightly said, the Stone protects her race. Besides, we have no desire to become oppressors. If Demi and Jago die at her hands, we will seek justice, but not vengeance. We must save Ashkyne, even if its queen will not.”

The portal darkened further, and once more electric bolts shot out all around it. Everyone in the courtyard scurried away from it. A loud crack sounded and an arm of lightning whipped through the blue light. Several figures emerged, bathed in a blazing coil of light.

The burning glow faded, revealing Huck supporting a sickly faerie, and a frightened Demi clutching her child to her chest. The portal calmed, and a hush fell over the courtyard.

“What is this?” Konstanze demanded.

“Your proof, Your Majesty” Keeper Oszlár said.

Demi looked around wildly, until finally her gaze settled on Munro. He beckoned her towards him. “It’s okay,” he said. “You’re safe here.” With a glance at Huck, she hurried over to Munro, clearly wanting to get as far away from the portal as possible.

“She is my prisoner!” Konstanze shouted.

“Not anymore, she isn’t. You wanted proof your people are in danger? There it is.” He gestured to Huck and the faerie with him.

“It’s true, Your Majesty,” the blue-skinned faerie said, gulping in the magical air of the Halls of Mist like a drowning man. “In our journey from the cells, through the castle, and to the portal dais, all faeries I have seen are weak and possibly dying.”

“You were the agent of their escape?” she said. “One of my own Watchers betrayed Ashkyne?”

He breathed deeply and stood a little straighter. “You betrayed Ashkyne when you defied the draoidh, Your Majesty. This woman is innocent of murder. Of that I have little doubt. She killed Ulrich in self-defence, and you ordered her execution out of a reckless desire for political gain. Even now, our people are dying because of you.” He tilted his head. “I have pledged my life to Lady Druid Demi Hartmann and the Druid Hall. I will not serve Ashkyne, even in its death throes, with a traitorous queen as its head."

Huck still stood beside the faerie. He looked like hell. “Munro,” he said. “If there’s anything you can do, you have to help them. It’s bad in there.”

Munro nodded. “To the library,” he said. “We must open the portal to Ashkyne and save whomever we can.”

He, Douglas, and Aaron started to leave, but they paused with a start when the portal grew suddenly even darker. The light disappeared completely, and the dark rune-covered disk appeared, the same disk they’d seen the day Eilidh took control of Queen Vinye’s kingdom. The queens in the crowded courtyard murmured loudly.

“The gates are shifting,” Oszlár said. “Keepers, we must go below.”

“No!” Konstanze shouted. She glanced around quickly. “No,” she repeated, more calmly. She approached Munro, then looked down, her lips pressed together so hard they whitened. With a bitter sigh, she knelt in front of him. After a long silence, she said, “I pledge loyalty to the Druid Hall, and beg forgiveness for my trespasses. As long as I am queen of Ashkyne, the crown will remain loyal to the draoidh. This I swear on my bloodline.”

Munro watched the glowing disk. It didn’t waver. He knew she was only doing this to preserve her crown, but she was swearing an oath he actually believed she would be forced to keep. This was more than he’d dared hope for. He met the eyes of each of the other druids before he answered. One by one, the men each gave a nod. “Demi?” Munro asked. “You are one of us now. You have a voice in this.”

“Do you believe her?” she asked, holding her son and staring at the kneeling queen.

“I do,” he replied. “She will be bound to her vow by the magic of the Source stone. If she breaks it, her bloodline will lose the Ashkyne crown forever.”

Finally, Demi nodded. “If it saves all those people’s lives, do it.”

Munro turned back to Konstanze. “We of the Druid Hall accept your oath, Queen Konstanze.”

She extended her hand beside her and one of her attendants helped the queen to rise. As she did, the disk vanished with a loud groan, and once again, a shimmering blue light replaced it. “Is the path to Ashkyne restored, my lord druid?” she asked.

Huck spoke up. “I’ll test it.” He stepped into the light and disappeared. Within seconds, he came back into view. “It’s safe,” he said. “The connection is restored, and it seems the Watchers around the portal are beginning to rouse.”

Konstanze bowed her head once more. “With your permission, my lord druid, I wish to return to Ashkyne and see to my people.”

“Of course,” Munro replied. “If the Druid Hall can offer assistance, please send word.” He looked around the courtyard. “I’m sure any queen would also offer the same.”

“Thank you,” she said, a trace of bitterness in her tone. With a gesture to her entourage, Konstanze led them through the blue portal, and one by one, they transported away.

Munro turned to the faerie who’d arrived with Huck and Demi. “And you, Watcher? I’m sure it’s safe for you to return to Ashkyne. Konstanze would not dare punish you for aiding one of our hall.”

“My name is Leocort, my lord druid,” the faerie said with a respectful bow. “No longer a Watcher. If the Lady Druid will allow me, I will hold to my pledge and serve her at your Hall.”

“Of course,” Demi said with a smile. “You will always have a place with us, if you want it.”

Munro nodded. “Huck, can you show them around and get them settled, then?”

“Sure, boss,” he said with a grin. “You look like you’re wanting to take off.”

Munro chuckled. “If nobody else needs me today, I think I’ll go visit my wife. Let her know everything is all right.”

“Sorry we missed the wedding,” Aaron said, and the others were quick to agree.

“Not as sorry as you’ll be when Eilidh gets hold of you,” Munro said with a small laugh. “Demi, welcome to the Halls of Mist. I’m glad you’re safe and well.”

“Thank you,” she said.

“Thank you,” Jago echoed in a small voice.

Munro tousled the boy’s hair. Then waved to the other druids and gave a polite nod to the queens and keepers. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Not too soon though,” Huck said. “Go. Have some fun. Get some rest. You deserve it.”

“You too,” Munro said. With that, he stepped through the portal, on his way back to Caledonia where he belonged.

∞

Three months after Demi and Jago’s arrival at the Halls of Mist, Munro brought Eilidh to the Druid Hall. They travelled together more often of late. Eilidh’s essence had grown stronger as their daughter grew in her womb, and Munro hated being away from them. Eilidh held his arm as they approached the Hall’s main courtyard.

Demi and Huck sat together in the garden, watching Jago play with some blocks one of the druids had crafted out of a smooth, dark wood. The child seemed normal and happy. Some weeks after the wedding, when Munro returned for a brief visit to check on the new arrivals, Huck had told him what had really happened in Amsterdam and how Ulrich died. Fortunately, the boy seemed to have no memory of that night or of his father.

Jago put down his blocks and beamed up at Munro and Eilidh when they arrived. Skipping over to her, the boy took her hand.

She smiled with delight. “Hello,” she said. She cupped his face in her palm. “Aren’t you a beautiful child.” Looking over his head, she spoke to Demi. “Are you sure you will not allow him to join the infants in the Caledonian nursery?”

Demi chuckled and shook her head. “No, but thank you, Your Majesty. Perhaps we will visit soon, though, if that’s permitted. I think he’d like to be around other children.”

Munro understood her reluctance to send Jago away to school. He’d explained to Eilidh many times that humans raised their own children, but she didn’t understand why. She insisted any child would be better off with those whose life’s work was bringing up fae offspring. At least she’d compromised some, agreeing that he should educate his daughter in human and druidic lore himself. He didn’t want his kid brought up by strangers, but he planned to take each day as it came, rather than arguing over the theoretical.

Eilidh sat and chattered with Demi. While they were all distracted, Jago reached over and put his small hand on Eilidh’s belly. Munro felt the jolt in Eilidh’s essence as something surprised her suddenly.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his protective instinct kicking into high gear.

She stared at Jago.

The boy leaned over and whispered to her belly. “Hello,” he said. With a smile at Eilidh, he said, “When will Princess Maiya come out to play with me?”

Eilidh and Munro exchanged a glance. She frowned at Jago. “Why do you call her that?”

He furrowed his eyebrows. “Because that’s her name. She told me,” he said.

“I see,” Eilidh said slowly.

Demi came and gently tugged Jago away. “Come sit with Mama,” she said, then to Eilidh added, “I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right,” Eilidh told her, making an effort to relax. “I was just surprised. Maiya was my grandmother’s name.”

Jago shrugged. “She will be a queen someday, and I’m going to be her prince. She wanted me to know her name.” He went back to his blocks without another word and continued with the towering structure he was building one inch at a time.

“Oh,” Eilidh said. She met Munro’s eyes. “Oh,” she repeated.

Demi looked embarrassed and whispered, “He doesn’t know what he’s saying sometimes. I’m sorry.”

“That’s quite all right,” Eilidh replied. “Children are remarkable.” Her voice sounded distant.

“Come on,” Munro said. “Let’s say hello to the others.” He stood and held out his hand. Eilidh took it and rose to her feet, gently rubbing her swollen tummy as she watched the lethfae boy playing in the grass.

Thank you so much for reading Druid Lords. If you enjoyed it, please take a moment to leave a review at your favourite online retailer.

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—India Drummond

Book 1: Blood Faerie

Unjustly sentenced to death, Eilidh ran—away from faerie lands, to the streets of Perth, Scotland. Just as she has grown accustomed to exile, local police discover a mutilated body outside the abandoned church where she lives. Recognising the murder as the work of one of her own kind, Eilidh must choose: flee, or learn to tap into the forbidden magic that cost her everything.

Book 2: Azuri Fae

A faerie prince disappears in the borderlands, and his father enlists the help of outcast Eilidh and her bonded druid, Quinton Munro. Tantalised with hints of a lost and ancient magic, they learn that time is working against them every step of the way. Is the prince’s disappearance related to the vanishing of an entire Scottish village?

Faced with deception, assassination attempts, and a mad queen who would sacrifice her own child to keep a dreaded secret, Eilidh struggles with an impossible situation. Her people demand she commit treason and betray the man she loves. Will she do what duty requires, or throw away the chance to reunite the kingdom in exchange for the life she hadn’t dared hope for?

Book 3: Enemy of the Fae

With a young, inexperienced monarch on the Caledonian throne and traitorous plots implicating those nearest Queen Eilidh, unrest is rife in the kingdom. She must sift through the intrigues and lies to survive, all while trying to discover which of her trusted companions hates her enough to commit mass murder.