Broken (20 page)

The remainder of the day was quiet. We didn’t speak again
about our past, about what we felt for each other or about whether
we would pursue this. That didn’t really stop me from
thinking about it, but I thought it best left quiet for now.

To top it all off, this thing with Chris was wrenching at my
heart. He had been captured because of me, and here I was walking
hand-in-hand with someone else. Given, it wasn’t just anyone.
Still, the guilt was there.

As if reading my thoughts, Jonathan let go of my hand.

There was a cool afternoon breeze, and I let my hair loose. The
wind caressed my face and brought with it the scent of wildflowers.
It was refreshing, if not almost magical.

At one point Brokk returned to us. He’d found nothing. I decided
to keep him with me rather than send him off again. He rode upon my
shoulder, and I was glad for his company.

As the day drew to a close, we descended into a valley where we
came upon a forest with trees of huge trunks. With their drooping
branches, like thick cumbersome pythons, I wasn’t sure how to
feel about them. Creepy was the only word that came to mind.

Jonathan’s footsteps got lighter. He had a spring in his
step. “We’re almost there. This is the Kingley
Vale.”

The yew trees were eerie yet graceful. Among the branches I
caught a few faces — Faeries from what I could tell. They
didn’t have the carefree attitude I’d been accustomed to
seeing though. They looked downtrodden and afraid. A part of me
could relate. Was this how I was going to have to spend the
remainder of my days, hiding among yew trees and stuck in some
house? I wasn’t sure my life was worth living without my
freedom. I might just as well let Morgana take me, or die trying to take
her out.

That last thought resonated with me for a moment.

Could I accept dying in return for revenge? Was my life no
longer worth enough that I could sacrifice it in order to avenge my
family? It’s not like I would be saving anyone else. I had no
child to protect.

Jonathan took my hand. That elfish grin was on his face, with
those dimples I adored. He pointed to Brokk who was hopping along
the branches of the yew trees. The two of them seemed content here,
safe. Of course, they had the option to leave if they wanted. I
wasn’t feeling any safer — the notion hadn’t sunk
in yet. If anything, I was starting to feel a little trapped.

The valley was quiet. We passed a couple of human tourists and
said hello. I strolled as if simply admiring the view.

After another couple of hours, we came across a little dirt road
that didn’t look very well used. I looked about to see if
anyone was following before we turned. We were alone.

At the end of that road we found a derelict old cottage, surrounded by an iron fence. I
sucked in my breath. It wasn’t even livable. I questioned if
it was even safe enough to enter.

I stopped in my tracks. “Is this it?”

Jonathan nodded.

“Oh my god, what am I going to do?” I said. “I
can’t live here.”

The roof sagged, the windows were long broken, the porch looked
like it was about to collapse, and a small tree was now growing out
of part of the wall.

My stomach churned.

I closed my eyes trying to think. What was I going to do?

Jonathan put his arms around my waist and whispered in my ear.
“It’s all right, Katherine. We’ll figure this
out.”

I put my hands over his and leaned back against him.

I was really tired of having to put on my big girl pants. How
much more of this was I going to have to take?

I took a deep, steadying breath.

You’ve made it this far, Katherine.

I patted his hands and walked towards the cottage.
“Let’s do this,” I said. “We’ve got
to rescue Chris, and there’s no point in waiting around
here.”

I waded past overgrown weeds trying to find some kind of path to
the door. I tried not to step on the wildflowers if I could help
it, but there were so many of them I gave up pretty quickly and
started trampling over anything in my way.

I stepped on the porch with care, cautious of the roof. The door
seemed to open without much effort and I turned back towards
Jonathan. He remained back at the iron gates.

“Are you coming?” I asked.

“You have to invite me in. I can’t get in otherwise.
There’s a protection on the house. Its owner must invite me
in.”

Brokk was standing on his shoulder.

It would explain why Morgana couldn’t let herself in.

“Come on guys,” I said. “Just be
careful.”

They followed me in, eager to see what this place was about.

The cottage was small, unkempt, and filthy. I don’t know
what I’d been expecting — perhaps something magical,
something awe inspiring, but all we found was a dump. There was an
old sofa with a couple of legs broken, a rickety kitchen table and
chairs, along with some wall hangings that were about to fall. I
took a look in the kitchen. The counter was littered with some
silverware and glasses.

The only other rooms were a washroom with a clawfoot tub, and a
bedroom with an old four poster. I was afraid to sit on anything.
In fact, as I had a glance at the ceiling, I wasn’t sure even
standing in here was safe.

I said nothing as I opened a few cupboards. They were empty, as
were the drawers.

What was I supposed to find in here?

An old Brown Betty sat on top of a faded towel on the table. I
removed the lid to have a look. There were dried leaves in the
bottom. I don’t know what I was expecting to find, but then a
thought struck me.

I looked at Jonathan. “Oh my god!”

Jonathan blinked. “Huh?”

“The tea,” I said. “I drank the
tea!”

His eyebrows furrowed. “What are you talking
about?”

Then I remembered he hadn’t been in Aunt Marigold’s
cottage prior to her death. Chris had been with me.

“She died from drinking foxglove.”

“Who?”

“Aunt Marigold!” I could see he was as perplexed as
I was. “Morgana said that foxglove wasn’t meant for
humans. She switched it with Aunt Marigold’s tea.”

Jonathan walked towards me, comprehension starting to settle in
his eyes. “And you drank it?”

I nodded.

A whirlwind of thoughts tore through my head. If I was able to
drink the tea that meant—

I gripped the chair. It managed to hold.

“Holy shit,” I muttered. “Who the hell am
I?”

I took a risk in sitting. I put my head in my hands. I needed to
think.

What
the hell was I?

Learning I was adopted was one thing, and that was enough of a
blow, but now what? I wasn’t even human? Had Aunt Marigold
known? I fingered the towel. It was soft, delicate.

Then some pieces started to come together — various
thoughts that wouldn’t have otherwise congealed like
this.

I pulled out the earrings. I’m not sure why, but my
instincts told me there was more.

I hooked one in.

“What are you doing?” Jonathan asked.

“I’m going back. There’s something I need to
find out.”

He didn’t have anything to say. There was nothing
for
him
to say. He knew I had to do this, and it seemed by the look in his
eyes he agreed.

He knelt beside me and kissed me. “For luck,” he
said.

I removed the brooch and pushed him back. “You need to
wait outside,” I said. “I want her to see
me.”

“Then take this,” he said, offering me his
blade.

I shook my head. “I’m not going to need it. I think
I know how to stop her. Or at least how to get some answers. What
will it take to get to the Queen of the Winter Court. We may need
to move fast once I get back. Chris could be in trouble.”

“A toadstool ring,” he said. “I’ll grow
one now.”

“Then get started,” I said. “And be ready. I
think she’s insane and who knows what she might resort
to.”

Jonathan studied me for a moment. “Be careful,” he
said, and slipped out the door.

I closed my eyes, getting myself mentally prepared. I still
feared this woman, but I think I knew what was going on. I needed
to go back to find out.

“I’m coming for you,” I said.

Then everything went black.

Chapter 25

The first thing I noticed was I was outdoors. A summer breeze
caressed the back of my neck. I was barefoot, but the grass was
soft beneath my feet. I could smell the flowers as well as some
kind of baked goods. There was a sweetness to the air and I quickly
discovered it was because of a feast. A wedding feast, if what I
was seeing was correct.

A little ways from where I stood was a small group of formally
dressed folk. I had no idea what time period this was, but the
green puffy thing I was draped in fit right in with what the ladies
were wearing. If I had to guess based on my previous trips back,
this had to be the late eighteen hundreds — twenty-four years
before the last death I witnessed.

I wondered if I was going to be perceived by any of the people
here.

I continued forward, but no one seemed to take notice of me. I
figured I was safe.

That was until I bumped into one of the men. He wasn’t
stumbling drunk, but it was obvious he was inebriated. The grin on
his face was definitely due to the wine that was in his glass. The
moment I saw him, I knew what family he was with. There was no
doubt about his Gregory heritage with a chin like that. If I
remembered from what Mother had written down, this one’s name
would be Thomas.

In fact, in looking at him, I realized I recognized him from
somewhere.

I actually sucked in my breath.

I had seen him with Morgana in the woods.

He paused before speaking, a flirtatious smile on his face.
“Have we met?”

“No, Thomas,” I said, “not formally.” I
fingered a red brooch on his lapel. Although this setting was
different, the stone was identical to Aunt Marigold’s. I
looked for Jonathan, wondering if he, or one of his kind, might be
here. The brooch couldn’t work without them close by.

He almost burst out laughing. “I seem to be at a
disadvantage in not knowing your name.” He looked at my feet.
Something about my lack of shoes seemed to shut him up quick.
“Perhaps a little stroll in the woods?” he
muttered.

None of the others seemed to notice him leave the company and
make for the forest. Perhaps they were assuming he was going to
relieve himself.

We walked past a quaint house, and I realized this was the shack
from which I’d just come. Its slate roof was in pristine
condition. The ivy on its walls was lush and flowering. A part of
me wanted to have a look inside and see what it was like in its
prime, but there wasn’t time.

I walked beside him through the forest until we came to another
place I recognized, the clearing where I’d seen him making
love to Morgana.

He finally stopped close to the stream, just before the
waterfall’s edge.

“Who are you?” he asked. “You shouldn’t
be able to see me.” His fingers played with the brooch.

“Is Jonathan trying to protect you?”

“Who?”

“The Nymph who gave you the brooch.”

He looked perplexed. “No Nymph gave this to me.”

“Then who did?” I asked.

He fidgeted. “A woman named Marigold.” He touched my
hair and then smelled it. “You’re beautiful like
her.”

He leaned in, and I coyly played with the brooch. Then I removed
it and pushed him back before he tried to advance any further.

No way, buddy
. If this was who I thought he was, there was no
way I was going to let him near me.

He laughed. It seemed fairly pompous. He looked a little nervous
about the brooch being removed though. He put his hand out for
it.

“Now, now, let’s not take things that don’t
belong to us,” he said.

“You’re hiding from her, aren’t you?” I
asked.

“From whom?” he said, taking another step
forward.

“Morgana.”

He neither denied it, nor admitted it, but the look on his face
was clear.

Guilty.

“I saw you with her,” I said. “Here in this
clearing.”

He swallowed and took another step forward. “And what do
you think you saw? It was nothing. I’m a married man, a good
Protestant man. I don’t consort with fey folk. It’s
unnatural.”

His face still held an air of superiority, but there was
something in his eyes that said he was lying.

“Today was your wedding day, wasn’t it?” I
said.

He looked a little surprised and tried to keep that chin of his
up. He inched closer.

I inched back. “And is she with child? Your
wife?”

I waited for the response I thought I would get, and not a
breath of a moment later it came.

An awful wail pierced the air. We both turned and Morgana
stepped out from behind a tree, a look of horror on her face. Yet,
she didn’t look like she had before. She looked softer, and
her belly was a little rounder than I would have expected.