Chapter Fourteen
A few minutes later, we were back in the royal apartments. Specifically, we sat at Tiernan's desk in our shared office. I say shared, but it was really his. I was an absent queen. But hey, at least I showed up when the kingdom needed me.
Before us was Tiernan's crystal ball, my father's face within the orb like a projected video. I told him about the blight, Lady Mariya, King Solas, and, at last, Danu.
“Danu didn't answer you?” Keir leaned toward the crystal, his face filling the ball. “This is bad, Seren. Very bad.”
“I know. We're worried that the blight has . . . I don't know.”
“Infected her.” My father shook his head. “Our goddess is tied to her world. And you say that this garden is located in an area where Anu's garden was supposed to be?”
“Yes. I mean, no one knows for sure where Eden was, but it's a hell of a coincidence.”
“Hell,” Killian muttered somewhere off to the side.
“Kill?” I leaned as if I could change the view.
“Yeah, I'm here,” Killian said, remaining out of sight.
“Kill, Tiernan set a shadow ward around us last night. It kept Astaroth out of my dreams.”
“What?” Kill leaned into view.
My father graciously moved aside for Killian to sit before his crystal ball.
“I warded us with the Shadowcall,” Tiernan said, pride coloring his tone. “It kept him out of her dreams.”
“Son of a bitch!” Kill grinned. “Well done, Brother.”
“Thank you.”
“He scried me this morning and retracted his ultimatum,” I added.
“He did?” Killian's grin widened.
“Only because he thinks she will go to him without coercion,” Tiernan added.
Kill went still. “Babe, Rowan's warning.”
“Killian, nothing can make me leave you. Nothing beyond you, that is.”
His face twitched. “Yeah. About that. I . . . fuck, babe. Sever is still royally pissed.”
“Seren tried to protect herself with Light,” Tiernan said. “She did what she could, Killian. Even Astaroth tried to lay a hakhil upon himself to protect him from the dreams.”
“He did? And neither of those worked, but your shadows did?”
“We think it's because it's fairy magic,” I said.
“Huh. All right. Then maybe it's for the best if you stay in Seelie for now, babe. I don't have a mór that can protect you. Not like that.” He looked to his left.
“I could lay a ward upon her,” my father said.
Killian sighed. “I don't know. Stay there for now. I think it's better for you to give Sever some space. He's not dealing well. I think it's cause he's the only non-fairy husband you have. He feels like he's part of the problem.”
“He's not!” I said.
“Yeah, but that's how he feels. Like he was a gateway drug.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine. I need to help Tiernan with this blight anyway. With Danu missing, it's even more worrisome.”
“Raza is upset with us,” Tiernan added. “Could you scry him, Killian? Tell him what happened and how Seren tried to defend herself. But tell him about the blight first. And Danu. He needs to know. I don't want him ending the scry before he hears about that.”
“Copy that,” Kill said. “Dad, do you want to talk to them before we sign off?”
“Yes,” my father said.
“Okay, babe. Hang in there.” Kill paused. “I love you. You know that, right? No matter how angry I am, I always love you.”
“I love you too, Blair. Even when you're being an idiot.”
He grinned. “I'll talk to you later.”
“Bye.”
Killian moved aside, and my father took his place.
“I'm going to the Grove today.” Dad had his ombré purple-to-lavender hair pulled back in a braid, but he ran a hand nervously over his head anyway. “If I can't reach Danu there, I'll go to her temple. The Council needs to be notified.”
“Thanks, Dad. I didn't think of that.”
“That's only if we can't contact her in any other way. I'll scry you after I get back.”
“All right. And we'll scry when we know more about the blight.”
He nodded. “Be safe, Seren. It worries me that Fairy may not be a sanctuary for you at the moment.”
“It is. It's just wounded. We'll heal it, Dad.”
He smiled. “I know you will.”
As we ended the scry, my words sank in. There was another world I was supposed to heal. Was Fairy's injury cosmic retribution for my abandoning Hell?