Chapter Thirty-Five
Ailith
Ailith stood a short distance from where the faery hill had once sat, though it was currently invisible. She and John were about to enter for the second time. This time, she vowed, she would find Heilyn and get her away before tomorrow’s full moon.
She waited nearby while Lia finished a final chat with Dyna and Sylvi.
Uncle Connor spoke with her father, Magni, Morgan, Sandor, and John.
Her uncle would remain outside with Edan, Sylvi, and Ailith’s mother while she and Dyna went inside.
Maitland and Grant were also present, waiting for John’s signal that Grant was needed.
Edan had brought two parents from Finlaggan, hoping to see their missing sons freed.
Derric, Tora, and Aunt Maeve stayed behind with Daran. He hadn’t been happy about it until Cormac promised them all a boat ride. Ailith’s group wouldn’t be gone long, as darkness was nearly upon them.
Lia had suggested a later entry simply because the earlier one had failed.
Edan joined Ailith, his sword on his back. He reached for her hand, and that familiar flutter deep in her belly stirred again, a feeling she could always count on when he touched her. It reminded her of Erena’s butterflies, though the literal thought of insects inside her did not thrill her.
“Ailith, say the word and I’ll go with you.”
“I know, but given what we know about your iron blood, I fear it could go badly. Let me try again, with Dyna’s help.” With the warriors ready to hold off the fortified soldiers and the sapphire sword at their disposal, she was confident they would have enough time to find Heilyn.
“Promise me one thing, please.”
“I will if I can.”
His hands enveloped hers, warming them in the cool evening air. She could tell he struggled with their impending task, but her visions had returned last eve as well.
“Promise me that if you cannot find her, you’ll come and get me. Everyone else can stay outside if you’re afraid of it collapsing, but please, give me the chance to save my daughter.”
“I can’t do that, Edan.”
“By all saints that are holy, Ailith. Give me the chance to save my daughter. She doesn’t know you. You must allow me in. Please.”
She knew how much this angered him, and while she feared he would not forgive her for this, she had to protect the bairns and do what was right. “Edan, nay. You could do more harm than good.”
“How would you know if I have not tried?” His expression was harsh and unforgiving, but she would not be intimidated by Edan or anyone else.
She knew what she had to do and she would not be distracted from her purpose. She stared at her hands, struggling with the truth she held inside before finally deciding to tell him. “I dreamed of you and the hill again.”
His brow arched and he said only one word, “And?”
“And it went as poorly as the last time I had it. You fell to your knees, bleeding from your ears and your eyes, screaming Heilyn’s name.
I have to believe we’ll find her, Edan. I’m more confident than on our previous trip.
We know where we’re going, and besides, I believe Sandor.
My great-grandfather, Aunt Gwyneth, and Uncle Jake will all be there to help us. I’ll ask Gwyneth to find her.”
“Who is this Aunt Gwyneth?”
“She was the greatest archer in all the land, teaching Dyna and countless others how to shoot. Men feared her. She and her husband were spies for the Scottish Crown, and she had killed men in many brutal ways. The mere mention of her name sent many fleeing in the opposite direction. But I tell you, she will help us.”
“Was she there the previous time?”
“She was, but John and I didn’t truly understand our task then.
If I am right, and I only need to discover the bairn’s favorite memory, we will succeed.
I can do it. I just need to find my way into their minds, as I did with Milo.
I’m convinced I simply ran out of time to reach Heilyn’s cage before. I won’t this time.”
A golden light appeared out of nowhere. Ailith gasped, and Edan turned to watch as Erena approached the group.
Lia approached Erena. “How do we get him out here?” she asked. “I thought Gruin would appear once we arrived.”
“I will summon him in a moment. I’m here to speak to those going in.
” Erena gestured for the group to gather around her before continuing.
“Do not be afraid of what you see inside. The Unseelie will send you frightening images to drive you away. Do not let them succeed. You are strong fighters, and you two lasses possess powers they envy. They will not be able to hurt either of you.”
“They won’t?” Dyna asked. “Can you not bestow the same protection on our men?”
“Nay, as seers, you are inherently protected. Ignore any men you see in cages, you will not be able to free them. Focus on the bairns. Free as many as you can, count those you cannot help, and then get out as quickly as possible.”
Edan, bolder than Ailith expected, declared, “I’d like to help.”
“The only way you can help is to wait out here. Your iron blood would destroy every part of the inside, starting with the very roots. If you were to enter, those inside would be lost to us. You must remain strong and wait here.”
She turned away but then stopped. “And if the one with the iron blood insists, you must hold onto him, Ailith. Holding him will slow the destruction of that section of the underworld.”
Erena then stepped back, closed her eyes, and lifted her arms. Butterflies streamed toward the hill, and once they settled on the grass, the hill began to grow, and a door appeared.
“Let them in, Gruin. You had a deal for a wee lass.” Erena stood with her arms crossed.
“I was busy!” Gruin appeared, cursing, clad this time in a completely black outfit with a mouse nestled in each pocket.
Ailith nearly recoiled, but Erena shot her a look, and she contained her distaste.
This had to be what Erena meant about trying to drive them away.
“What do you want, Queenie? And be quick about it.”
“Let them in. You’ve taken bairns who don’t belong to you. You had no right to bother those in Finlaggan and Dunyvaig either. This is my area. Send them out.”
Gruin snorted. “We’ll give them back, but not yet. We’re having such fun with them.”
A thousand butterflies swarmed Gruin’s face, and the bogle spit and swung wildly, mice squeaking and squealing as he windmilled his arms.
When they finally left, he strode over to Erena. “After all the trouble you’ve caused us, you think you can force me to open that door?” He reached for Ailith and pulled her forward.
“You’ll treat me better or she’ll pay with a piece of her soul.” Ailith did her best not to react, but she didn’t have to wait long.
Edan was at her side in a moment and reached for him. “Let. Her. Go.”
Gruin dropped his hand and stepped back. “Get away from me, MacRuari. You’ve caused enough trouble too.”
“Open the door.”
“No.”
Edan walked over to the door and pulled his sword out, driving it into the lock. The door opened, the hill shaking, tossing some of the warriors about, clumps of dead grass flying overhead.
Gruin clenched his fists. “Get back and I’ll let them in. Stop before you…” He apparently thought better of confessing exactly what would happen, but Edan now had a clearer picture of why he had to stay back. Ailith glanced at him to see if he’d understood.
Edan took three steps back until the ground stopped shuddering. “Let them in.”
Gruin stalked to the door and disappeared, leaving the door open.
Lia said, “Nicely done, Edan, but you still need to stay back.”
“I understand.”
Alasdair strode up to him and clasped his shoulder. “I see you for who you are now.”
Edan nodded to Ailith’s father, catching her small smile behind him.
“Go. All of you,” Edan said. “Find my daughter.”
“Godspeed, my good friends.” Erena vanished.
Her father instructed, “John, lead the way; I’ll follow directly behind you. Magni, you’ll bring up the rear, behind Ailith and Dyna. The others, position yourselves between me and Ailith.”
Edan leaned in and gave Ailith a quick kiss on her cheek. “Godspeed, Ailith. Find my lassie.”
Ailith noticed the tears that began to fall from Edan’s eyes as John stepped onto the staircase. Her mother ran over to give her a swift hug, and then they were off.
Dyna chattered as they descended. “Was it this dark before?”
“Aye, John’s sword illuminated the area. And once we’re near the cages, they reflect its light, making them glow.”
As soon as John’s foot stepped from the staircase to the ground, the first warrior cage opened, then the next. Two warriors immediately stepped out and began to attack, but Ailith tugged Dyna past them, heading for the bairn cages. “Follow me. They’re over here.”
Dyna said, “You start with the first one. See how fast you can unlock each one, and I’ll search for Heilyn.”
Ailith moved to the first cage, which held a lass of around four summers.
She had golden hair and bright blue eyes, but she was frozen in fear.
Her chest rose and fell rhythmically, a stark contrast to her terrified stillness.
Ailith placed her hand near the girl’s heart, closing her eyes to focus and still her own body.
“Come to me, lass. Tell me your favorite memory. Tell me of your mother and father.”
Ailith closed her eyes and stilled, allowing a moment to gather the forces around her, to focus on the beautiful child in front of her.
A scene unfolded in her mind: a mother holding a new bairn in her arms, with a golden-haired lass next to her, crying.
“I have a sister?” the lass in the cage whispered.
Ailith opened her eyes just before the cage dissolved away, and the lass fell into her arms.
She looked around her, but finally locked onto Ailith, her hands gripping her forearms. “Can I go now? Take me home, please. I want my mama.”
Ailith held her close and whispered in her ear, “I’m going to free the others, then I’ll take you home. Stay with me.” The girl gripped her tunic so tightly, Ailith knew she’d never lose her.
Ailith moved to the next cage. She performed the same ritual, connecting with a lad whose mind revealed a memory of riding a horse to the beach with his father.
The cage dissolved, and she gathered him up, repeating her comforting words before setting him next to the first girl. “What’s your name?” she asked him.
“Hector. Can we leave? I want to go home.”
“In a few moments, hold her hand.”
“My name is Lizzie.”
Dyna raced over. “You’ve got two out already? I think Heilyn might be the last one. Do the next one here. Two more warriors are being freed from the cages, but our men are handling them.”
A flying creature came at them, trying to peck at Ailith’s head. The bairns screamed, but she remembered what Erena had said: “They are not real. Ignore this image.”
Dyna grabbed it and tried to choke it, but it disappeared. “Go, Ailith. Free the next one while I observe the others. There are at least four more, and then Heilyn.”
She freed two more, and Dyna gathered them a step away just before a flock of seagulls attacked, the bairns squealing.
“Have you found Heilyn?” John yelled.
“She’s here at the end.”
“Get her. I don’t know how much longer we can hold them off. Three more are dissolving. Every time you release one, another warrior pops out.”
Ailith settled and freed two more, leaving Heilyn next and three more beyond her.
When she was finally there, she peered up at the beautiful child with the red curls, whispering, “You look like your da, Heilyn.” The bairn carried the innocence of the young, one who shouldn’t be subjected to the evil forces of the world.
Ailith vowed to get her out, no matter what it took, and that vow had naught to do with her sire.
It was deep in Ailith’s heart. She stepped over to the lassie’s cage, leaned in, and repeated the process, but she couldn’t pick up anything.
Her father yelled, “Go get those bairns up the stairs, Ailith. Then bring Grant! We can’t hold them off much longer. Magni was injured. Take him up with you.”
The wind whipped through, the bairns screaming as miniature hills popped up in front of them, trying to stop their movement. Clumps of leaves fell from the trees, scaring the wee ones.
“Ailith, we have to get them up.” Dyna pulled her back as a clump nearly hit them, and the group huddled together. Ailith glanced over Dyna’s shoulder and pointed. “Dyna, look.”
The two peered at a cage a distance away, where a golden-haired man was locked inside. He was not dressed as a warrior but in royal clothing.
“Taranis,” Dyna mumbled. Beyond Taranis, deeper in the dark, she thought there was something else, but the shadows didn’t move, and they had no time. But the voice froze Dyna, and she reached for Ailith, who turned her head toward the dark shadows.
Aunt Gwyneth. “Bring him down here and finish these bastards.”
“Hurry, Ailith!” Her father’s voice echoed in the strange land.
Ailith picked up one of the smallest bairns while Dyna did the same, and the group tore up the stairs where the creatures couldn’t follow. She threw the door open and fell out, the bairns running out crying, searching for open arms. Magni limped out behind them, and Sylvi rushed to his side.
“Grant, John needs you!” Magni shouted.
Grant ran through the door without hesitation, Maitland following. Ailith’s mother greeted her, taking the wee bairn from her, Edan was right behind her. “Heilyn? Where is she?”
Weakened, Ailith panted, “I couldn’t get her out. I found her, but I couldn’t break the cage.”
“Take me to her, Ailith.”
“Nay, you’ll kill the others,” her mother whispered.
Edan argued, determined to go in. “If it starts to collapse, I’ll send the warriors out, but I have to try. I’m not staying back. The other ones are safe. I’m going with you, Ailith.”
Ailith looked at Dyna. “I don’t know what to do. Lia said don’t allow him in, yet another voice said bring him down. Who is him?”
“Me. I’m the one who should be down there. You’ll not hold me back, Ailith. Please come with me.”
Dyna fussed outside with the bairns, trying to calm them with bread Emmalin had brought. Two men came forward, grabbing their bairns with relief. Just before Ailith was to go in, Dyna reached for her arm. “That was Aunt Gwyneth I saw. Surely you saw her image too. She said take him in.”
Ailith’s gaze locked on his, knowing he would probably hate her after this awful situation, but she would do what she could to save Heilyn. Sensing something, she reached for Edan. “Then hold my hand. It’s the only way.” She looked at Lia, who nodded in agreement.
“Don’t let go of him, Ailith.”
Ailith hugged Dyna and said, “Come with us.” Then she took Edan’s hand, and a power shot through her.
“Did you feel that?” she whispered to Edan.
“Aye. Lead me to my daughter. I want you to meet her.”