Kaitlyn
“You took your time, Olaf,” Tam Lin growls at the Redcap.
“The female wasn’t particularly compliant, boss,” the Redcap leader, Olaf, says. “What exactly are you to do with her?”
“She will be the conduit by which I can access the heart of the Night Lands,” Tam Lin says. “Once I have claimed her.”
“And then what?” Olaf asks, inspecting the hilt of his golden sword.
My blood is already pumping around my body at lightning speed at the word claimed. If Tam Lin means what I think he means by such a phrase…
If my experience of the Faerie is anything to go by, and I know it is, then it sends a shudder through my entire body. The Redcaps holding me tighten their grip, but they don’t need to. I’m half frozen in fear.
This can’t be happening again. How could I have escaped the intentions of Lord Guyzance only to end up here with yet another Faerie who thinks by doing the unspeakable to my body, he will gain more power?
“And then we get our reward,” Tam Lin announces imperiously. “Some of which will need to be shared with the other Lords. And I will become the ruler of not only the Yeavering, but the Night Lands and beyond the veil as well.” He fixes Olaf with a glare. “And you will share in my glory.”
Olaf takes hold of me and pulls me in front of him, removing the gag from my mouth. I spit to one side the accumulated saliva, and in an attempt to get rid of the taste.
“Then take her and do what you need to do.” As he shoves me towards Tam Lin, I feel him place something in my hand.
Something cold and metal.
Iron.
Why the Redcaps would even be carrying iron is a mystery. Most Faerie forbid it anywhere near their person, given what it can do.
“Come to me, little female,” Tam Lin croons.
My words must have got through to Olaf, but typical Redcap, he doesn’t want to be the one at risk if things go awry, which is why I have the iron spike and they are all hanging back.
I might want to run as far and as fast from Tam Lin as I can, as far from this place which reeks of evil as I can.
But he killed Linton.
And I can never unsee the face of my beloved as he shouted at me to run.
I’m done running. Tam Lin has to die, and I have to be the one to do it.
I slide the iron spike into my sleeve and walk towards him. He flexes his wings and smiles a nasty smile at me.
“The moon is nearly at her peak, the perfect timing,” he says. “But I need to make you ready.”
He waves his hand with a ridiculous flourish, and out of thin air he conjures a white dress.
Or rather a bunch of holes somehow held together to make a garment.
“You will wear this.”
“That’s going to be difficult with my hands tied.”
The Faerie wrinkles his nose, or what would be his nose had his face not changed once more behind his glamour.
“Fine.” He waves his hand again and I feel the bonds loosen.
It can’t be this easy, surely?
I hold out one hand for the dress, but instead of walking closer to me, Tam Lin floats the thing over the altar and into my grip.
He can’t possibly know, can he?
There are too many questions. This is as difficult and as dangerous as the Yeavering has ever been for me, right at this moment.
And I still have to find out from him where Hazel is.
“You want me to change here?” I shout over, before looking in the direction of the Redcaps. “I don’t think I can.”
“You can and you will,” Tam Lin snarls. I’m clearly getting on his nerves which is amusing because I know he needs me.
And I know I have a weapon.
However, without asking, the Redcaps turn and troop out of the circle, much to the annoyance of Tam Lin. I turn my back on him and slowly start to peel off my dress. Dusk has turned to darkness, and around the circle, flaming torches gutter in a gentle breeze.
With a brief glance at Tam Lin, who is, of course, watching me, I pull the other dress over my head as the first descends to the floor, and with some luck and wriggling, I manage not to expose anything of myself to the Yeavering.
Not that the new dress leaves much to the imagination. It is lacy, if lace was made by a spider on LSD, and while it covers the main areas, most of the rest is being chilled by the elements.
“Perfection,” a voice whispers out of the dark, immediately behind one of the wavering torches.
It doesn’t sound like any of the Redcaps. In fact, it sounds like…
“Linton?” I whisper.
Is it his ghost? Does the Yeavering play such terrible tricks on those who have loved and been loved?
A pair of glowing red eyes blink into the darkness.
“I like your new outfit,” he says.
“Linton! You’re alive?” I hiss.
“I promised you I would protect you,” he rasps. “I would never leave you, my Kaitlyn. You are the light, the flame, the moon, and the darkness. You have all of me, wings, scales, antennae.”
My heart soars to the stars. Linton is alive! He is here!
“And you have my spicket.”
Warmth blooms through my chilled muscles. Linton is truly here. I doubt a ghost would mention his spicket.
Or this is the Yeavering and anything could happen.
The glowing eyes move to my left, and a hand curls around one of the standing stones. Linton, it would appear, is very much alive. How will remain a mystery until we can get away from Tam Lin.