Faefever Part 9

He flinched again. "Stop the car, MacKayla. I do not enjoy this. Their wards are many."

I pulled over, and killed the engine. When we got out, I looked at him across the roof of the car. "So, wards are uncomfortable to you, but that's all? They don't actually keep you out?" Could he enter the bookstore anytime he wanted? Were Barrons' wards keeping me safe from any any of the Fae? of the Fae?

"That is correct."

"But I thought you couldn't get into the bookstore. Were you just pretending the night the Shades got in?"

"We have been discussing sidhe sidhe-seer wards. The magic your people know and the magic Barrons knows are not the same." His gaze glinted like sharp steel at the mention of my employer. "Come. Give me your hand so I may sift you in. And mind your intent. If you Null me inside those walls, you will regret it. Again, MacKayla, see the trust I grant you? I permit you to take me inside your sidhe sidhe-seer world, where I am feared and hated, and I go at your mercy. There is no other among my kind who would consider it."

"No Nulling. I promise." Barrons had yet another edge over the rest of us. Why didn't that surprise me? Was that how he'd managed to conceal the Unseelie mirror from me? With deeper, darker magic than sidhe sidhe-seers knew? I couldn't get too bent out of shape over it, however, because it meant I really was was safe in the bookstore. How complex I was becoming: grateful for power wherever it could be found, provided it worked for me. "Are we clear on what I'm going to do, and what you're safe in the bookstore. How complex I was becoming: grateful for power wherever it could be found, provided it worked for me. "Are we clear on what I'm going to do, and what you're not not going to do?" going to do?"

"As clear as your transparent desires, sidhe sidhe-seer."

Rolling my eyes, I skirted the car and took his hand.

At home in Ashford, I have a great group of friends.

I don't have a single one in Dublin.

The one place I thought I might make friends was at the abbey, among my own kind. Now, thanks to Rowena, that opportunity was closed to me. She'd been messing up my life since the first night I'd arrived in Ireland, when I'd nearly betrayed myself in a pub to the first Fae I'd ever seen and, instead of taking me in and teaching me what I was, she'd told me to go die somewhere else.

Then she'd stood pa.s.sively by while V'lane had nearly raped me in a museum.

Then she'd sent her sidhe sidhe-seers to spy on me (like I wasn't one, too!) and finally, she'd added insult to injury-sending them to attack me and take my weapon, forcing me to harm one of my own. Not once had Rowena welcomed me. Not once had she shown me anything but disdain and distrust-for no good reason!

These women were never going to forgive me for killing one of them. I knew that, and I wasn't here to ask them to. It's not the hand you're dealt that matters. It's how you play the cards.

I was here to set the record straight.

Rowena had made a statement this afternoon. By sending her sidhe sidhe-seers after me in force, with orders to subdue me and steal my weapon, she'd said: You are not one of us and the only way you can become one of us is complete subjugation to my will. Give me your weapon, obey me in all things, and I'll consider letting you into the fold. You are not one of us and the only way you can become one of us is complete subjugation to my will. Give me your weapon, obey me in all things, and I'll consider letting you into the fold.

I was here to make my own statement back: Screw you, old woman. Screw you, old woman. To drive my point home I'd brought as my protector a Fae Prince capable of destroying them all (not that I would ever let him). If she was a wise woman, she wouldn't mess with me again, and she'd call off her attack dogs. I already had enough people and monsters messing with me. To drive my point home I'd brought as my protector a Fae Prince capable of destroying them all (not that I would ever let him). If she was a wise woman, she wouldn't mess with me again, and she'd call off her attack dogs. I already had enough people and monsters messing with me.

Darn it all, I'd wanted friends and I'd wanted them among my own kind!

I'd wanted girls like Dani, only older, to confide in, to talk to, to share secrets of our heritage with. I'd wanted to belong belong here. I'd wanted to learn about the O'Connors, the bloodline I was supposedly descended from, and the last living member of. here. I'd wanted to learn about the O'Connors, the bloodline I was supposedly descended from, and the last living member of.

"Take me in," I told V'lane, bracing myself to be "sifted."

I asked V'lane why the Fae call it sifting, and he said it was the only human word that encapsulated the basics of what they do. The Fae sift the limitless dimensions, like grains of sand through their fingers, letting a little spill here, a little spill there, sorting them until they have hold of the ones they want. When they have chosen, things change.

I asked if that meant he chose the "grain" of place where he wanted to be, and moved there by the power of thought. He didn't get the idea of moving there. According to him, neither we, nor the dimensions moved. We simply . . . changed. And there it was again, the two prevalent Fae concepts: stasis or change.

Sifting felt like dying. I simply stopped existing completely, then was there again. It was painless, but deeply disturbing. One moment I was outside, standing next to the Viper, in near darkness; the next, my night-enlarged pupils gorged on a blaze of lights, momentarily blinding me, and when I could see again, I was inside the brilliantly lit walls of Arlington Abbey.

Women were screaming. Many and loudly. It was deafening.

For a moment, I was afraid they were under attack. Then I understood: I I was the attack. I was hearing the sound of hundreds of was the attack. I was hearing the sound of hundreds of sidhe sidhe-seers sensing an immensely powerful Fae inside their warded walls. I'd forgotten about that tiny detail; of course they would sense V'lane, and they'd raise the hue and cry.

"Shall I shut them up?" V'lane said.

"No. Leave them alone. They'll stop in a minute." I hoped.

They did.

At my direction, he'd sifted us into the rear of the abbey, where I'd hoped to find the dormitories. My guess, based on the sketches I'd seen online, had been accurate. One by one, doors opened, heads popped out, mouths closed, gaped, and closed again.

A familiar head of curly red hair emerged from a nearby room. "Oh, you are so so f.e.c.king dead!" Dani exclaimed. "You were in serious trouble before, but now she's going to kill you." f.e.c.king dead!" Dani exclaimed. "You were in serious trouble before, but now she's going to kill you."

"Watch your language, Dani," chastised the woman who appeared in the doorway behind her.

Dani rolled her eyes.

"I'd like to see her try," I said.

The outer corners of the gamine redhead's mouth twitched.

"How dare you come here? How dare you bring that thing thing in here?" demanded a pajama-clad in here?" demanded a pajama-clad sidhe sidhe-seer, stabbing a finger at V'lane. Another head popped into view behind her, nose heavily bandaged. I knew that woman. My fist had met her face earlier today. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying, and narrowed on me with hostility.

When he stiffened, I placed a hand on his arm, careful to harbor no Nulling intent, in a show of solidarity I hoped would defuse his aggression.

The corridor was now filled with sidhe sidhe-seers in various stages of undress. Not because of V'lane, but because it was after midnight and I'd woken them. Apparently, he was proving true to his word. Not a single sidhe sidhe-seer was undressing. I didn't feel the ghost of a s.e.xual tingle. Nonetheless, they were all staring fixedly at him.

"I didn't dare come here without Prince V'lane." The use of his t.i.tle pleased him; I felt muscle slide smoother beneath his skin. "Rowena sent six of you after me today."

"I saw the ones that returned," the pajama-clad woman snapped. She glanced over her shoulder at her bandaged roommate, then back at me, her gaze frigid. "Those that lived lived were badly beaten. There's not a scratch on you. Not a single bruise." She paused, then spat, were badly beaten. There's not a scratch on you. Not a single bruise." She paused, then spat, "Pri-ya." "Pri-ya."

"I am not not Pri-ya!" Pri-ya!"

"You travel with a Fae Prince. You touch him freely, of your own accord. What else could you be?"

"Try a sidhe sidhe-seer who's working with a Fae Prince in order to help Queen Aoibheal find the Sinsar Dubh Sinsar Dubh so she can fix the mess we're all in," I said coolly. "V'lane approached me on the Seelie queen's behalf, because I can sense the Book when it's near. I've been-" so she can fix the mess we're all in," I said coolly. "V'lane approached me on the Seelie queen's behalf, because I can sense the Book when it's near. I've been-"

She gasped. "You can sense the Sinsar Dubh Sinsar Dubh? Is it near? Have you seen it?"

Sidhe-seers up and down the corridor turned to each other, exclaiming.

"Can't any of you you sense it?" I glanced around. The faces turned toward me reflected astonishment. It mirrored my own. I'd thought surely there would be others like me. One or two, at least. sense it?" I glanced around. The faces turned toward me reflected astonishment. It mirrored my own. I'd thought surely there would be others like me. One or two, at least.

Dani shook her head. "The ability to sense Fae objects is extremely rare, Mac."

Her roommate said stiffly, "The last sidhe sidhe-seer with that ability died a long time ago. We've not been successful at breeding those bloodlines."

Breeding those bloodlines? The soft Irish lilt didn't soften the words a bit. They were cold. Made me think of white coats and labs and petri dishes. It was no wonder I was so highly sought after. No wonder Barrons was so determined to keep me alive, and I had a Fae prince playing lapdog, and the Lord Master hadn't yet launched a full-scale attack against me. They all needed needed me alive. I was Tigger. I was the only one. me alive. I was Tigger. I was the only one.

"You killed Moira!" the woman in the door across the hall accused.

V'lane regarded me with acute interest. "You killed one of your own?"

"No, I didn't kill Moira." I addressed the sidhe sidhe-seers, who were all regarding me with open hostility, with the exception of Dani. "Rowena killed Moira when she sent her after me to beat me up and take my spear." The woman had a name: Moira. Did she have a sister, too, who was now mourning her like I grieved for Alina? "I'm just as horrified by what happened today as you are." killed Moira when she sent her after me to beat me up and take my spear." The woman had a name: Moira. Did she have a sister, too, who was now mourning her like I grieved for Alina? "I'm just as horrified by what happened today as you are."

"Sure you are," someone scoffed.

"She doesn't even say she's sorry," another spat. "Just comes in here with her fancy Fae guard and blames our leader. I'm surprised she didn't bring a Hunter along, too."

I'd give them an apology if they wanted one. "I'm sorry I unsheathed my spear and was holding it. I'm even sorrier she decided to lunge for me right then. If she hadn't, she'd be alive."

"If you hadn't refused to give us the spear, she would, too," someone called.

"The spear isn't yours," another woman cried. "Why should you you have it? There are only two weapons that kill Fae. More than seven hundred of us share the sword. You have the other. Do what's right. Give it to those who were born and bred to have it!" have it? There are only two weapons that kill Fae. More than seven hundred of us share the sword. You have the other. Do what's right. Give it to those who were born and bred to have it!"

Others concurred.

Born and bred, my petunia. As if I were something less! "I'm the only one who can sense the Book, and I have to be out there every night, hunting for it. Do you have any idea what Dublin's like right now? I wouldn't survive a night without it. Besides, I'm the one who risked my life to steal it." the only one who can sense the Book, and I have to be out there every night, hunting for it. Do you have any idea what Dublin's like right now? I wouldn't survive a night without it. Besides, I'm the one who risked my life to steal it."

My accuser sniffed and turned away, folding her arms. "Stealing. Working with a Fae Prince. Killing one of our sisters. You are not one of us."

"I say she is, and she just got off to a bad start." Dani said. "She didn't have anyone to help her figure things out. How would you guys have done in the same situation? She's just trying to survive, like we all are."

I smiled. I'd once asked her the same thing and she'd acted all snotty and perfect, but apparently she'd gotten my point. I admired her courage, defending me like that. Barely thirteen or fourteen, and she had the b.a.l.l.s of a bull. It was also the longest run of sentences I could recall hearing her string together, unplugged by a single cussword.

"Go back to bed, kid," someone called.

"I am not not a f.e.c.king kid," Dani bristled. "I've killed more of them than any of you." a f.e.c.king kid," Dani bristled. "I've killed more of them than any of you."

"What's your kill count now, Dani?" Last time we talked, she'd had forty-seven Unseelie kills to her credit. With her sidhe sidhe-gift of heightened speed, armed with the Seelie Hallow, the Sword of Light, she had to be a formidable fighter. I'd like the chance to find out one day, to battle at her side. The two of us could seriously watch each other's backs.

"Ninety-two," she said proudly. "And I just got this big, nasty f.e.c.ker with dozens of mouths and a huge, disgusting d.i.c.k-"

"All right, Dani, that's it, it," her roommate said sharply, forcibly turning her from the door. "Back to bed,"

"You got the Many-Mouthed Thing?" I exclaimed. "Way to go, Dani!"

"Thanks," she said proudly. "He was tough to kill. You wouldn't believe-"

"Bed. Now." Her roommate shoved Dani into the room and pulled the door shut behind her, remaining in the hall.

"You know she's just standing on the other side of the door, listening," I said. "What's the point?"

"Stay out of our business, and get that thing thing out of here." out of here."

"Well said," came the voice of steel I'd been waiting for.

Sidhe-seers fell back, allowing a silver-haired woman through. I'd wondered how long it would take her to get here. I'd wagered two or three minutes. It had taken her five. I'd wanted a few minutes alone with the sidhe sidhe-seers, unimpeded by Rowena, to clear my name. I'd said what I had to say to her followers. Now I had a few things to say to their leader.

I glanced up at V'lane. He returned the look, face impa.s.sive, but his eyes were blades, hundreds of sharp shiny edges that could spill blood in the blink of a lethal eye.

With a rustle of her long white robes, the old woman stopped in front of me. Her age was impossible to pinpoint; she might be sixty, she might be eighty. Her long silvery hair was intricately plaited in a crown above a finely wrinkled face. Gla.s.ses rested on a small pointed nose, magnifying the fierce intensity and intelligence in her piercing blue eyes.

"Rowena," I said. She was wearing what I guessed must be Grand Mistress garb: a white hooded robe, with emerald trim, and a misshapen shamrock-the symbol of our Order's pledge to See, Serve, and Protect-emblazoned on the breast.

"How dare you?" Her voice was low, controlled, and furious.

"Oh, you should talk," I said, in the same tight voice.

"I invited you to a.s.sume your place among us and waited for you to accept my offer. You didn't. I could only conclude you had turned your back on us."

"I told you I would come and I was planning to, but a few things came up." Things like being hunted down, abducted, locked up, and tortured to death. "It was only a few days."

"It was a week and a half! Days matter now, even hours."

Had it really been a week and a half? Time flew when you were dying. "Did you give them orders to kill me if it was the only way they could get my spear?"

"Och, it was not I who spilled sidhe sidhe-seer blood today!"

"Oh, yes, it was. You sent them after me. You sent six of your women to attack me. I would never have killed any of them, and they know it. They saw it happen. Moira collided with my spear. It was a terrible accident. But it was just that-an accident."

She slipped her gla.s.ses from her nose, and let them rest on her chest, suspended by a chain of delicate seed pearls behind her neck. Without taking her gaze from my face, Rowena addressed her enclave. "She's calling murder an accident, she is. Betraying us to our enemies and guiding them past our wards. This woman is our enemy, too."

"I have known where your kind hide for millennia," V'lane purred. "Your wards are laughable. They could not prevent a nightmare of me from getting in. You stink of old age and death, human. Shall I weave you dreams of it, haunt you with them?"

Rowena stared past him. "I do not hear it speaking." To me, she said, "Give me the spear and I will permit the two of you to live. You will remain here with us. It It will leave and never return." will leave and never return."

Snow dusted my cheeks. Soft gasps filled the corridor. Some of the sidhe sidhe-seers held out their hands, palms upward, to catch the whirling, icy flakes. I guessed none of them had seen a Fae prince before.

V'lane's voice was even colder than the unnatural snow caused by his displeasure. "Do you think to kill me with the sword you have hidden in your robes, old woman?"

I groaned inwardly. Great. Now he had both both weapons. Should I Null him and try to take them back? weapons. Should I Null him and try to take them back?

Rowena reached for the blade. I could have told her not to bother. V'lane raised the sword she sought in a flash of silver, and rested the razor-sharp tip in the wrinkled hollow of her throat.

The Grand Mistress of the sidhe sidhe-seers went very, very still.

"I know your kind, old woman. And you know mine. I could make you kneel before me. Would you like that? Would you like your lovely little sidhe sidhe-seers to watch you writhe naked in ecstasy before me? Shall I make them all writhe?"

"Stop it, V'lane," I said sharply.

"She did not save you from me," he said, reminding me of the time he'd nearly raped me in the museum. "She stood by and watched you suffer. I merely mean to-how do you say it?-return the favor. I will punish her for you. Perhaps then you will forgive me a little."

"I don't want her punished, and it wouldn't be a favor. Stop it."

"She interferes and offends you. I will eliminate her."

"You will not. We have a deal, remember?"

Sword poised at her throat, hilt balanced on his palm, he glanced at me. "Indeed, I remember. You are helping me aid your race. For the first time in seven thousand years, Fae and Man are working together for a common cause. It is a rare thing, and necessary if we both wish to survive with our worlds intact." He looked back at Rowena. "Our combined efforts will accomplish what all your sidhe sidhe-seers put together cannot. Do not make me angry, old woman, or I will abandon you to the h.e.l.l that is coming if MacKayla fails to find the Sinsar Dubh Sinsar Dubh. Cease trying to steal her weapon from her, and start protecting her. She is the best hope for your race. Kneel."

I didn't care for that "best hope for your race" stuff. I test poorly. I've never functioned well under pressure.