Wings of Shadow (The Underground Trilogy) (15 page)

The next day, Chaos and Shade appeared at her door. Shade gestured for Meghan to come, barely waiting for her to slip on shoes before gripping her arm and pulling her into the hallway.

“Where are you taking me?” She yanked away her arm, but then Chaos was by her side, grasping her other arm.

She inhaled deeply, focused, and tried to calm herself. They turned to the left, the opposite direction from Lord Killian’s chambers. Her breath released in an enormous sigh.

“We’re going to Kiernan’s cell, right?” Meghan looked first at Shade, then Chaos.

The silent walk down the hallway continued.

“Do you two ever talk?” she muttered under her breath.

They were heading to Kiernan —she recognized this corridor. Approaching his doorway, she felt sparks of excitement, little fireworks zooming through every nerve. She tried to quiet her growing anticipation. She was eager to make a plan for their escape, but she couldn’t deny that she was also eager to see Kiernan again.

Chaos unlocked the rusted cell door and swung it open.

Kiernan lay on the thin scrap of blanket. He leaped up as she stepped into his cell. “You came back.”

Meghan’s heart did a flip. Her blood had worked. “Of course I did. How could I… leave you like that?”

“How touching.” The cold voice resonated from behind her. She winced to see Lord Killian in the doorway. “You are willing to sacrifice yourself to save my son. That will work nicely with tonight’s plans.”

Kiernan’s face dropped. “Father, how nice of you to finally stop by. I thought you had forgotten me.”

“Forget about my dear son? No, I have been busy planning. I had a special present to procure for your transition into adulthood—see how I reacquired your human?”

Kiernan’s composure faltered. He fell to his knees at his father’s feet. “Father, I have asked for very little all these years. But, I beg you to please release Meghan.”

Lord Killian did not even bother to look down. “Ridiculous! Everything is in place. The coming-of-age ceremony is scheduled for tonight.”

“If you l-love me, if you have ever loved me—”

“Prepare yourself for what you will have to do, and know that if you fail in your duties, the consequences could be fatal.”

She couldn’t help the shiver that raced through her body at his unfeeling words. Lord Killian grabbed Meghan by her elbow and escorted her out the door. She had just enough time to see an expression of despair wash over Kiernan’s face.

*

The grungy dance chamber had been converted into a formal ballroom. Candlelight twinkled from elaborate candelabras hanging on thick chains from the ceiling. At the far end, two thrones, forged from iron and gilded in silver, provided a focal point. The larger throne stood in the center of a raised platform, while the smaller one had been placed to the side. Meghan was led to the smaller chair, and Shade silently pushed her down onto a purple velvet ottoman next to the throne. She forced herself to breathe, rubbing the goose bumps on her arms.

The ballroom filled with Fae, each one wearing wings. She didn’t see anyone remotely resembling a human. She wondered if only Fae would be permitted to attend tonight’s ceremony; they probably didn’t want to scare off future sacrifices.

At the thought of sacrifice, she tensed. She had been successfully ignoring all that could go wrong this evening and found it was easier to deny what was happening than to think of all the worst-case scenarios. So many things could go wrong. Kiernan was still weak. He had only drunk from her once. Would he be able to control himself throughout the ceremony, and if he did, would either of them live to celebrate their small victory? They hadn’t had enough time to devise a better plan.

Lord Killian had organized quite a celebration. A Fae band played in one quarter of the chamber, with a growing group of faeries joining the dancing and revelry. In another quadrant, long tables were piled high with food, both the unusual favorites of the Fae, as well as other extravagant novelties. Another highly-visited table contained wines and liquors. The Underground Fae didn’t appear to demonstrate the restraint and tolerance the village Fae had regarding alcohol, she noted, watching certain Fae visit that particular table again and again. Even Meghan had been dressed for the evening’s festivities. She recalled the hours that had passed since she had left Kiernan’s chamber…

*

Rather than being taken to her chambers, Meghan was brought to a bathing area. A claw-foot bathtub stood in the middle of the chamber, not connected to any running water. Did the Fae have water pipes and taps that far underground? Two women tended a fire and took turns pouring boiling water from a large kettle into the half-filled tub. Soon the tub steamed with hot water. The two women approached Meghan, apparently to help her undress.

“No way! I’m not sure how things are done in the Underground, but in my country, you only bathe in private.” She backed away from the water.

The shorter woman approached. Meghan could see a healing cut along her throat; she was human. “Miss, we have orders to make sure you are properly bathed. If you do not comply, we have been asked to summon Shade and Chaos to aid you in bathing.”

Meghan stayed in the corner, shaking her head. Lord Killian might be planning a big ceremony, but she didn’t have to obey his orders.

The other woman nodded. Her long brown hair parted, displaying a thin scar along her neckline. “They are just outside the door, Miss. But we would rather help you ourselves.” The woman positioned a translucent screen around the tub and gestured for her to enter.

The thought of either Shade or Chaos involved in her bath was enough to snap her into compliance. “Could you please stay on the other side of the screen, at least?”

With their nods of agreement, she sighed and disappeared behind the screen. She hurried to disrobe and disappear below the surface of the water. She hurriedly washed herself and shampooed her hair. The women seemed to have orders not to leave her alone, as she could see their shadows through the screen.

Meghan had missed very few things about the human world, but regular access to running water was definitely high on the list. The hot water, which had been infused with fragrant smelling oils, eased the tension from her body, relaxing the physical parts of her, despite her resistance. Even the warmth of the water and the lavender-infused oils were not enough to quiet her mind.

Meghan realized she had not been left alone for a minute since her return to the Underground. Guards remained outside her chamber through the night. Even now, Shade and Chaos stood watch in the hallway. And Wish was nowhere to be found. Meghan thought through her options for the hundredth time. She was not strong enough to break past the guards. And Lord Killian had implied Kiernan would be hurt if she weren’t compliant. She had to be strong and trust that Kiernan would find a way for them to escape.

One of the women rapped the screen, pointing to the shadow of her wrist. She thought about how people were so reluctant to talk to her and wondered if they had been ordered not to. Peering through the screen, she saw only the two women. Quickly, she jumped from the tub and wrapped her body in a fluffy towel, draped over the end of the tub. She reached for her soiled dress, but it was gone.

“Where is my dress?” Meghan pressed her lips together before she said more.

The shorter woman pointed to a beautiful emerald gown, straight from another century, which hung on an antique dressing rack. Her hawthorn amulet sat on a shelf next to the rack, and her heart leapt to see it. She reluctantly slipped on the dress. There was no use in resisting until Kiernan was by her side. The silk gown was cut much lower than anything Meghan had ever worn. It showed a little too much skin for her taste, but she had to admit the style was flattering on her. The dress narrowed at her waistline before billowing out into yards of flowing skirt. She wondered how it fit so exactly and complemented her coloring so well. The gown was the exact shade of green as her eyes, and it brought out the natural copper highlights of her hair. One of the bathing assistants brought her a matching pair of slippers, while the other wove her hair into a long-forgotten style, held in place with emerald jeweled pins.

Finally, Meghan was led to a silver-framed, floor-length mirror. She could barely believe what she saw. The reflection showed a glimpse of the past—a young woman, of a different era, looking as though she had stepped out of a ballroom. She held out her arms and twirled, the wide sleeves of the gown adding to the spinning effect. Meghan had never felt so beautiful. For a few moments, she allowed herself to imagine Kiernan’s reaction when he first viewed her, escaping from tonight’s nightmare, and dreaming of all of the possibilities for the future.

*

The sound of drums and hundreds of Fae dancing returned Meghan to the present. She looked down at her green gown and grimaced at her initial reaction to it. She prided herself on being an intelligent and independent young woman, but she felt as naïve as the giggling girls in horror films who had no idea what was about to befall them. She was in danger of being sacrificed, her blood drained completely from her body, and all she could think about was whether she looked pretty for Kiernan? What if looking prettier made it even more difficult for Kiernan to resist? This thought sobered her.

The pounding music transformed into an entrance march. Lord Killian sauntered into the chamber, while Kiernan kept pace behind him. Kiernan had been transformed since Meghan last saw him. He was dressed as formally as she was, in a fine black tuxedo with coattails. A silken waistcoat lay over an onyx dress shirt, and an emerald green cravat completed his outfit. Kiernan’s long blond hair hung loose, falling to his shoulders. She caught herself watching him, unable to look away. Kiernan always looked handsome, but the Victorian wear really suited him.

She should have felt awkward for staring, but Kiernan matched her gaze. His sky-blue eyes swept up and down her dress. Rational thoughts intruded, reminding her they were not at a ball, and her face fell. As Kiernan passed her, his smile was forced, and he appeared troubled. He stood waiting until Lord Killian sat upon the larger throne, then gracefully lowered himself into the throne closest to Meghan’s ottoman. The Underground Fae had gathered around the thrones, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

Lord Killian rose, which silenced the Fae. “My dear Fae,” he began, in a deep voice that resonated throughout the chamber. “Tonight, we are gathered together for our most important ceremony, the coming-of-age. This is the ritual that binds us together, that allows us to live. This is the ritual that will save all of the Fae who are brave enough to partake in it. Tonight, my son and your future leader will gain full immunity to the outer world. Let us begin this ceremony with a prayer.”

Lord Killian opened a tattered hand-bound book with an ancient leather cover. “In the struggle for survival,” he began.

The Fae repeated, “In the struggle for survival...”

“The fittest win out at the expense of their rivals,” he continued.

“The fittest win out at the expense of their rivals,” the Fae repeated.

“Because they succeed in adapting themselves to their environment,” he concluded.

“Because they succeed in adapting themselves to their environment.”

“And now, let the ceremony begin!” commanded Lord Killian.

Meghan’s stomach turned and her breathing quickened at the dire words. How was she going to survive the night? She reached into the pocket of the gown and touched the amulet she had slipped within. Breathing slowly, she focused and listened to her intuition. Her innermost guide directed her to go along with the ceremony.

The band began to play a melodic tune, and Kiernan rose. “It is traditional for the ceremonial couple to share a dance. Would you do me the honor of this dance, milady?”

She swallowed her fear and nervously quipped, “A last dance?”

Kiernan didn’t respond. He took her hand and led her to the front of the dance floor where he whispered, “I hope not. It would be a tragedy if we only had one dance together.”

The Fae were standing at the edges of the dance floor, watching and waiting. “Nobody is dancing,” she said, glancing around.

“This is our dance. They must wait until the ceremonial dance is over and the festivities have begun.”

Meghan panicked. “I… I can’t dance, not with everybody watching.” Her fear of the ceremony combined with the anxiety of dancing. For a moment, she couldn’t move.

He placed one hand on the small of her back, and joined their free hands. “Follow my lead.” He was soon dancing and spinning across the floor, Meghan securely in his arms.

She discovered she was gliding and turning in pace with Kiernan; he made the dance seem effortless. She squeezed his hand, taking solace in his touch. The feeling of his hand on her back distracted her from the ceremony.

Holding her even closer, he whispered, “You look beautiful tonight.” His light blue eyes gazed into hers, watching her reaction. “I only wish we were here under different circumstances.”

“Do you have a plan? How are we going to escape?”

Kiernan’s face fell, and his cool façade disappeared. “It is curious that you were worried about your inability to dance, when the real question is how we can make it through tonight’s ceremony so this will not be our final one.”