Chapter 6 #6
'At the moment, there's no way of leaving Halsford,’ Dane says quietly. ‘Calder had the Council lock the wards down as of last night. No one from here is being granted permission to leave. Only Tavish’s caravans are allowed in or out.'
'But what about Gwen?’ I exclaim. ‘What about Drakar and Grim? They'll be stuck outside.'
Lia frowns. 'Yes, that's what I said, but the consensus was that they decided to leave the confines of the village, so they shouldn't be able to come in and out as they will.'
I shake my head a little. 'But Gwen is the apothecary. She’s the healer when Jak isn't here?—'
'She isn't anymore, Locke,' Dane mutters. 'No one who isn't from the Light Realm is allowed to hold any offices at all unless they're fae.'
'Fuck,' I say quietly. 'What is happening here? This isn't what this place stood for.'
Lia stands, pacing the room with angry steps.
‘I told you. Since Calder and Tavish have taken their places on Halsford’s Council, we've been divided. No initiatives that would benefit all of us can ever get through because, for them, the Underhill is more important. They've decided that the threat posed by Fiana is too severe. No one is allowed in and out of the Village except with special approval. They won’t be rescinding it, Locke. Maybe not even after Fiana is caught. The power they hold over the village is absolute. They aren’t likely to give it up without a fight. '
'So Tavish and his men can come and go as they please,' I snarl, 'and the rest of us are stuck here unless we have an amulet? Gods, Lia, you’re the Harbinger, aren’t you? You’re meant to protect the Underhill and Halsford, even from within! Why aren’t you?'
Lia’s sudden snarl, her eyes changing to black pits, has me standing abruptly and taking a step back. I open my mouth to apologize, but she speaks first.
‘Our child is in the Underhill!’ she hisses. ‘Unable to leave until he’s of age. He is safe there for now, but we’re under no illusions, Locke. That could change very quickly if we put a foot wrong.’
I blanch. ‘Gods, Lia. Dane. Your faeling is a hostage? But surely Isbeth?—’
Dane puts a hand on Lia’s shoulder. ‘Isbeth is…no longer as strong as she was,’ he says quietly. ‘She can barely walk and rarely leaves her rooms. She doesn’t even attend sessions of the Council Five anymore. She has Brakil vote for her by proxy.’
Lia covers Dane’s hand with her own interlacing their fingers.
‘No one has said aloud that Ath is a hostage,’ she says quietly.
‘But the implication has been made clear to Dane and me, as well as Grey and Kal. If the Harbinger is seen to be used against the Underhill in any way, Ath’s life is forfeit. ’
She looks up at me and chuckles mirthlessly. ‘They’ve hobbled the powerful sentinel well, haven’t they?’
I sit down hard. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘You’ve been a spy for the Underhill for a long time. We weren’t sure if we could trust you, Locke.’
I regard them both with some measure of surprise, it not escaping my notice that as my trustworthiness in Jak and Morgan’s eyes has waned, it has increased with Lia and Dane.
‘But why now?’
‘The human girl,’ Lia finally says. ‘You seem to care for her. You’d never have brought her here if you were truly theirs. You’d never have chosen a human mate, either.’
My mouth opens and closes.
‘She’s not,’ I mutter after a moment too long.
Neither of them even dignify my words with an answer and I give myself a shake.
‘What are we going to do?’ I ask.
‘Work from the shadows until we can ensure our son’s safety,’ Dane answers without hesitation. ‘We do what we can, but our hands are more tied than they appear, my friend.’
‘I understand.’ I get to my feet. ‘I need to speak to the others.’
Lia lets out a long sigh and then takes a long gulp from her cup. After these revelations, I wonder if it isn’t something stronger than tea, irrespective of the early hour.
‘How much more of this can we endure?’ I ask. ‘How could Halsford’s wards be changed without a village council vote at least?’
‘Calder and Voss seem able to get the Council Five to agree to almost anything under the guise of saving the Underhill from Fiana,’ Dane answers. ‘Until the threat is gone, it will continue thus, and we have no hope of stripping their power back.’
‘One wonders if Fiana being captured is even in Calder’s best interests,’ I mutter.
‘Indeed, but I would advise you not utter such accusations aloud outside this room,’ Dane advises.
‘Gods, what a mess.’ I rub my temples.
'When will Voss come for Bryn?' I ask, my eyes alighting on Dane as I get angry all over again. ‘And why Voss? It should have been Avendel. You told me it would be Avendel. Bryn didn't look right after she came out of that room with him yesterday.'
Lia's eyes find me sharply. 'Did she say something?'
I shake my head. 'No, but she seemed… I don't know. Something wasn't quite right.’
‘You could always just ask her, Locke,’ she says gently.
I scoff in her general direction. As if Bryn would talk to me.
'Let me know when the bird returns,’ I say instead. ‘And if you can give me any warning of when Voss is going to come for Bryn, I'd appreciate it. I think she would as well.'
Lia nods, and Dane escorts me out. As I leave, he puts a hand on my shoulder.
'How are things with Jak and Morgan?' He raises a brow. 'And Bryn?'
'We haven't done the ritual, if that's what you mean,' I say stiffly.
‘It’s not. Although, I don't need to tell you that it will need to be done, at least partly, before Voss’ training begins.'
'I know,' I say. 'It's just… I tricked her, Dane. And I used my conjures for ill. I don't know how to fix what I’ve done. Jak and Morgan hate me. So does she. With good reason.’
He gives me a commiserating look. 'They'll come around,' he says unhelpfully, giving me a pat on the shoulder. 'Just try not to work anymore conjures on them, eh?'
I give him a weary look. ‘Indeed.'
I turn away with a shake of my head and hear him chuckle as I go back down the thoroughfare.
Most of the village is still quiet, though there’s smoke coming from the baker’s chimney and I can hear voices in the adjacent warehouse.