End of the World (Champion of the Sidhe urban fantasy series) (2 page)

Chapter Three

At Kaitlin’s insistence, they detoured to a shop in the fey town that thrived just beyond the castle walls. Lugh gallantly refrained from any comment about the importance of clothes shopping when she had, mere moments earlier, expressed the significance of her quest. Kaitlin found for Lugh clothing very similar to what she herself wore. In short order Lugh was clad in a black cotton undershirt and a hooded sweat shirt with a zipper up the front. The denim jeans hung a tad looser from his narrow hips than he was comfortable with, but Kaitlin insisted that this was the proper manner for contemporary fashions. The running shoes were actual imports from the surface and not created in the Mounds to mimic human clothing, as was the rest of what he wore.

Once he was properly attired, Kaitlin rose up on her toes to pull the hood over his head and cover his ears. He inquired, “Would not Glamour be sufficient?”

“You can’t always be certain about Glamour,” she avoided eye contact after that statement. It didn’t bode well that she’d have that insight.

In the next moment she teleported them away from the Mounds to the surface world above. The early morning glow of first light broke through the clouds in the east, and Lugh paused to experience the moment. The sun. His sun. Standing before the sunrise now, he inhaled the air deeply, and almost immediately suppressed a cough. Even in this field where she’d brought them he caught the scent of industry and autos. The illusion of the sun in the Mounds was by his magic, and though he cherished the rare times he came to commune with the true sun, the very aspect of his personal magic, the prevalence of toxins marred the perfection. One of the many reasons the fey of the Mounds were content staying home.

Kaitlin tugged at his elbow, turning him around to face the small gathering of vehicles situated in lines on a yard of crushed stones. Ah, the source of the stench. Lugh maneuvered about the autos, drawn by Kaitlin, until they crossed to the street side of the yard. It struck him as odd to have a large and random collection of autos in the midst of nothing but fields. The people milling about all appeared human. As various groups finished fussing with their gear, they hiked along a paved walkway toward a structure of some kind.

Not a structure, actually…

Lugh’s body stilled utterly, until even his magic seemed to paused for a beat.

With too many people close enough to eavesdrop; Lugh curled an arm around Kaitlin. He drew her against him and then hugged her in an iron embrace from which she could not easily squirm. His gaze never ceased to scan about them for the slightest hint of danger. With his lips against her ear he hissed, “Stonehenge? You brought us to Stonehenge? Are you determined to perish in the most spectacular fashion conceivable? Or are you just completely oblivious to the dangers of the wizard kind?”

“They don’t watch it like they used to. And besides, we’re in disguise.” She twisted to free herself but he didn’t allow it. “It’s not like it’s Samhain or even Lughnasadh.” She mentioned the High Holiday named after, and in celebration of, Lugh himself. “These are just tourists. Just regular people.”

“We’re leaving now,” he growled.

“This might be the last chance, Lugh. If Manannan gets his way, the courts will unify today.” She leaned back in his embrace, eyes pleading. “This is the last chance to find Aoife, and maybe stop this. Please? We’ll be here for no more than an hour. I swear it.”

“If I spot one wizard, just one…”

“You’ll drag my arse kicking and screaming back to the Mounds, I know, I know.” This time he permitted her to wriggle away and straighten her clothing as she regained her dignity.

By the standing stones in the distance tents were being raised and music began to filter across the field. “Is there to be a celebration?”

A woman close by heard his question and cheerfully announced, “Riley is here!” The energy in the group around her spiked as they all started speaking at once, praising the wide and varied merits of this ‘Riley’ person. Someone spouted the word ‘druid’ and Lugh’s eyes locked with Kaitlin.

A few of the lads expounded upon the ‘cool magic’ that the druid could perform. How he commanded real power. How he was showing his followers the ‘old paths.’

All the while Lugh’s expression remained faultless, nothing but pleasant to those that did not know him. No one but Kaitlin would see the faintest notion of what he was thinking, and under the pressure of his even stare the younger Sidhe finally broke. “It’s not what you think,” she whispered to him, then cast a smile over her shoulder at the human, so they would not suspect the seriousness of this conversation. “Just trust me.”

“As you said before,” his voice soft and for her sharp ears only, “It is not about trusting you, but in whom you trust.”

“Just…” She shifted from one foot to the other, and then back again. “Just hang back. Ok? Just trust me,” she repeated, and then finally begged, “Please? You promised to behave.”

She was taking his promise in the broadest possible interpretation. Or perhaps, in Seelie fashion, she was attempting to persuade him into believing he’d made such a promise, but he knew the words he’d spoken. ‘Behaving’ wasn’t among them. “I always keep my promises.”

Much against his desires, he allowed her to venture ahead of him. Lugh trailed her, giving enough distance as to not clearly be associated with her at a casual glance, certainly not among the throng of people gathering in a wide circle around the stones and the stage with the tent roof raised above it. Lugh was tall, even for the Sidhe, which made keeping an eye on Kaitlin easier as she wandered not toward the stage but toward a spot closer to the stones.

Lugh watched for subtle clues, to determine if any of the assembled were of fey linage. For a span between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five, fine-boned and fair-faced humans could nearly be mistaken for one of the races of lesser fey. It was how the fey were able to move so easily among the humans, because of this resemblance. The Sidhe usually had to dull their appearance to pass for an attractive human, otherwise their beauty garnered an excess of attention. Had Kaitlin not advised against the Glamour, Lugh would have used it now.

Spotting a wizard among other humans was more difficult. Some wore clothing with embroidered magical symbols, or oddly loose suits that harkened back to the robes of their forebears. But many selected clothing to blend into the crowd.

So far all appeared innocent enough, save the choice of locations in wizard country. Kaitlin should have restricted her voyages to the surface to Ireland. Or even America. Anywhere but England.

As the noon sun peaked overhead, the crowd began chanting for Riley, and soon was rewarded with the presence of a man upon the stage who greeted them with upraised hands and the bright smile of one who adored attention. He wore a tunic and loose breeches fashioned from homespun wool and belted with a bright red sash. To Lugh’s memories he resembled a farmer in freshly made clothes more than the druids he’d known. At least there were no overt wizard markings on the clothing. Lugh only partially noted what Riley proclaimed to his followers about the magical energies of the earth and of sacred places such as Stonehenge where the ley lines of power were said to cross. Most of what Riley spoke was rhetoric and what truth he might have brushed upon was uttered without understanding. At last, he was going to demonstrate his command of the magic of Stonehenge by making the stones ‘sing.’

With grave disappointment, Lugh watched Kaitlin. From the stage Riley started babbling nonsense in Gaelic, his hand rising slowly over his head. And seemingly true to his word, music began to emanate from the stones. It was, of course, both intensely beautiful and haunting. The music of the fey, most especially the Sidhe, carried a melody that moved the soul and a harmony that transcended the ages. They had inspired the traditional music of the Celts, who mimicked but could never capture the purity nor the essence of the magic.

And magic this was, for just as the sun was Lugh’s aspect of magic, music was Kaitlin’s. To witness her, a Sidhe princess, lowering herself to the status of accessory to a charlatan’s deception disheartened him. That Kaitlin would even allow him to witness this shame, knowing what he would say, baffled Lugh. Nothing he’d seen so far had even slightly approached the issues she’d claimed concerned her, and spurred her to risk life and magic to venture to this place.

After the demonstration, and an indeterminable amount of time of waiting for Riley to fawn over the attentions of his followers, at last the man turned toward Kaitlin. From across the crowd, Lugh had watched her waiting for the summoning. She joined Riley and the pair of them strolled toward the center of the circle of stones. Lugh made his way silently around the other side of the circle. The stones gave him ample cover to move within earshot of their conversation.

“Have you given any more thought to what we talked about?” Riley asked.

“I helped you as you asked,” Kaitlin replied. “You said you knew where she was being kept. It’s vitally important that you tell me now. Things are… things are going to get bad, if I don’t bring Aoife home.”

Riley slipped a hand around her shoulder. “You’ve been amazing. Your talent is unparalleled, but we can’t free her with your music, Baby. I can tap into the ley lines and bring forth a little power, but not like you can. Not like the Sidhe. Not unless you bless me.”

Lugh forced himself not to growl at the mention of it. He knew what the ‘druid’ was asking for, even if the man didn’t know the consequences of his request. Or did he? Had he been ‘blessed’ before?

“Riley, you said you’d lead me to Aoife if I came here and I helped you. If I don’t bring her home now, there may not be a home to go back to.” Kaitlin pulled a folded map from her pocket and spread it open on one of the fallen stones. “Look, you said it was close to Stonehenge. A place where the ley lines would disguise her magic. Now, I read your books and I don’t see any place other than Stonehenge that meets the criteria you mentioned.”

Riley covered her hand with his. “First the blessing.”

She twisted free of his grasp. “You don’t need the blessing. I have someone else who can help me with the rescue. All I need from you is the location.”

Emotion strained his plea, “If I tell you, then what becomes of me? Of us? Have I not done all this to serve you? Look at the worshippers I have inspired. Think of what that could mean. How you could be a goddess to them. I can make them do anything! Lead them anywhere. Have them kneel before you. That’s what a druid does. Brings the faithful to the Sidhe deities. All you have to do is bless me and I will serve you willingly in all ways. Please, Kaitlin.”

“He lied to you, Kaitlin,” Lugh finally revealed himself from behind the stone. “He told you what you wanted to hear, to make you do what he wanted.”

“We’re having a private conversation.” The anger in Riley’s voice rose, laced with righteous indignation. Lugh swept back his hood and leveled a glare at the man until realization dawned upon him. “Sidhe.”

“And not a youngling easily swayed by vain promises.” Lugh swept his gaze over the man, considering his appearance and mannerisms. “You ask for a blessing, but you have been blessed before, haven’t you?”

Riley stumbled a step back. The truth, so bluntly revealed, unnerved him, proving Lugh’s guess.

“What Sidhe Touched you, Riley? Who was it that captivated you?” Lugh circled the man, intent on having his answers and willing to do more than intimidate to have them. As he moved behind Riley, Lugh cut a glance at Kaitlin. Her expression was uncertain, fearful. She’d no idea. Too innocent to fully comprehend the magnitude of the lies she’d been told. Too innocent to probably understand what Lugh was about to do now. They would have to discuss the matter at great length later, for what she was to witness she’d never experienced before. It was a trauma he had hoped to spare her.

“You are a druid then, in truth.” Lugh lied as easily as he flattered. “None but a true druid could conceive of the wisdom with which you spoke.” He towered over Riley, very close to him, so he could see little else but Lugh. If the human ventured to glance at Kaitlin, her expression might give away the ruse. “The one who blessed you has neglected you. I can see it. You deserve so much more than abandonment. ‘Tis a cruel thing, the longing for the Touch. The absence of the magic that once filled you with life and power, dwindling. Unreplenished.”

“Please…” Riley’s eyes glistened with the rise of tears.

“Kneel before me, Druid.”

Riley dropped to his knees, face upturned in reverence and despair.

Lugh cupped Riley’s cheeks between his gentle hands. As the magic of the Touch began to slowly course from him into the human, he asked, “Who was it, Riley?” The magic of the Touch was a mere trickle. The barest taste. The warmth from a narrow shaft of sunlight.

“The god of magic,” Riley whispered, the first fleeting hints of elation beginning to shatter the pain of his longing. “Manannan.”

Even as Lugh lightly stroked Riley’s cheeks with false affection, he cast a glimpse over at Kaitlin. She truly needed to concentrate more effort in schooling her expression, for her utter shock and confusion was undisguised. Although Lugh could not yet conceive of the reasoning, nor fully was prepared to take this human at his word, he revealed no outward sign. To do so was to give power to one’s enemies.