Behind the Veil: 3 (Temptation Unveiled) (19 page)

She hesitated. “Speaking of Aunt Lily, why are we talking to
her if you actually want to go through with this? Because you know if she
knows, she’ll find a way to stop you. She’s worried enough as it is.”

Sheridan bit her lip. “We aren’t going to tell her about me
fighting. Directly. I need to ask her a question I’ve been waiting my whole
life to ask.”

Meru’s eyebrows rose impossibly high, curiosity filling her
expression. “What?”

“I need to find out if she knows who my father was. And more
importantly,
what
he was.”

In the long, stunned silence that followed Raj returned with
a laptop, a strange Fae-like crystal attached to the side. “A magical modem,”
she laughed. “Of course.”

When he left, she made the connection and sent out the call
to her mother, holding her breath. The instant the warm, familiar face appeared
on the monitor, Sheridan’s eyes misted. It had been too long.

Her mother began to weep openly, letting her know the
feeling was mutual, if less repressed. “Baby, is that you? Sheridan, I’m so
glad to see you! Are you safe? Do you need me? How are you doing this? Myrddin
said we couldn’t communicate until this was over. That we didn’t know who might
be listening.”

She’d thought about that. In fact, she was counting on it. “It’s
okay, Mom. We’re okay. I just needed to talk to you.” Sheridan caressed the
keyboard gently, as if she were stroking her mother’s cheek. “You look
wonderful. We’ll catch up when I see you and I want to hear everything you’ve
been up to.”

Her mother grew still and stared into the camera. “But?”

“But I talked to Danu. Wow, that feels weird to say to you.”
Sheridan shook her head mockingly. “A goddess dialed a Dweller hotline to talk
to me yesterday, and she told me I needed to ask you a question about the past.”

“About your father.” It wasn’t a question. It was Lily’s
eerie psychic mother thing. She’d been doing it all her life. It always made Sheridan
nervous.

“Yes.” She looked around to make sure no one was nearby. “About
my father. Let’s start simple. You once mentioned that his name was Louis.”

“Louis. Yes.” Lily sighed. “I should have talked about him
more, right? I’m sorry, Sheridan. I just thought, well, he left long before you
were born. I never thought of you as his. You were mine. Do you understand? I
suppose Danu thinks I’m a bad mother.”

“
No
, Mom, of course not! I’m not—” Sheridan shifted
in her seat. “I never felt like I was missing anything. You made sure of it.
This isn’t about that, trust me. Where did the two of you meet?”

“Actually, we met at a
Lughnasadh
celebration. Before
I moved to Houston and bought The Willow’s Knot. Looking back, I think that
shop was actually
his
dream. Or he put the seed of it in my head.” Lily
looked uncomfortable, glancing off to the side apologetically.

Myrddin? Was that who she was looking at? He must be nearby.
He had been since he’d revealed himself to her family. Sheridan knew he was in
love with her mother, but she didn’t like to think about it. She didn’t want
her mother to be alone, but she’d always imagined that Lily needed someone
stable and steady. Someone more like her. Someone who wouldn’t leave.

She thought about who Myrddin really was. A bossy
know-it-all who was constantly trying to control things and spending his life
protecting the innocent. Stable and steady and immortal. Hell. She still didn’t
have to like it.

“There’s no easy way to say this, Mom, so I’m just going to
spit it out. Was he…Other?”

Lily’s mouth dropped open. “What? I—I don’t—
No
.
Wouldn’t I have
known
? I mean, he seemed perfectly— He did have unusual
eyes, silvery green. But honestly, I only knew him for a few months. He didn’t
go odd at the full moon or anything. And I was young. I just saw a beautiful
man who loved the same things I did. Someone who had the best smile I’d ever
seen. Your smile.”

The lump in her throat made it hard for Sheridan to talk. “Silvery,
you said? And you met at a gathering to celebrate Lugh? Can I talk to the
professor for a minute, Mom?”

She ignored Meru’s gasp as she seemed to follow Sheridan’s
line of questioning at last. Myrddin ducked down beside Lily to frown into the
camera, one step ahead of her. “I don’t know if what you’re asking is even
possible.”

“Oh it’s possible,” she insisted. “And it would make a few
puzzle pieces fit. In my first vision, Lugh said I had an inheritance. Danu
said the
inheritor
will be given the spear. I am more than Druid, if you
believe what Badger’s been saying. And I take true knowing to a whole new level
of weird. Is there any way you can retrace my mother’s steps and find Louis?
His family line?”

Myrddin sighed. “You know what you’ve done by broadcasting
this, I can see that you do. This call was too dangerous. Yes. Yes, I will find
out and bring you the information. I should be there anyway. This is too
important for me to miss.”

Sheridan tried not to roll her eyes. “Just keep my mother
safe and get us the information, Myrddin. Damon has everything under control
here in Faery town.”

She paused. “But before you go, can you use your powers for
good and speed it up a little? Like before tonight’s festivities? I’m on a
timetable, and no, I can’t explain why.”

“He’ll do it, honey,” Lily interjected. “If he knows what’s
good for him, he’ll get my daughter anything she needs.”

Sheridan grinned, knowing the Archon didn’t stand a chance. “Thanks,
Mom.”

She hoped he found answers soon, because she had a fight to
enter.

And a Fae to prove something to.

Finn was going to kill someone tonight.

All the rage and sexual frustration, all the disbelief and
worry, had combined to turn him into one raw, powerful wound—and he was looking
for a fight.

“The rules existed when Danu was still among our people,” he
barked at Damon, glaring at each member of the
Fianna
in the room they’d
gathered in to discuss the situation, wishing one of them would dare to
disagree. “They are not children’s games, they are blood sport. Rough and
tumble. She may be stronger than a human, but she wouldn’t last five minutes
alone.”

“None of us like this, Finn.” Damon meant his tone to be
soothing, Finn knew, but it grated on his skin like sandpaper. “But we all know
how this story goes. Twice now the prophecy steered us in the right direction.
Twice now we’ve been given Danu’s aid. Maybe we should listen to her counsel.”

Finn whirled on his Lycan leader and snarled, “She never
told
me
. I am a prince of Aisling, one of the lines most closely
connected with our beloved goddess.” He spat the words. “The prophecy told
Sheridan to trust a
child
of Danu, not every bloody thing Danu said.”

“Finn. Think about what you’re saying, man. You’re on
dangerous ground.” Val reached out as if to pat Finn on the shoulder, but he
brushed the hand away as if it were an insect.

He was feeling bitter. Danu hadn’t listened when he’d begged
her to help him save his sister from becoming Horde. She hadn’t listened when
he’d offered his life to spare hers. She hadn’t offered him any consolation
when, after the bright, happy Fae he’d grown up with snuck away to go on a
human killing spree, he’d been forced to fight her. When it was done, he’d had
to end her suffering himself.

Now, after all these years of penance—he unconsciously
touched the brand on his side—Danu was putting the only woman created who was
meant for him in danger. What had he done to be so unworthy in her eyes? Why
was he being punished?

“She also told Sheridan how we could find the spear.” He
knew he sounded a bit unhinged. He felt the mania creeping in. The desperation.
“Why don’t we focus on that instead of allowing my ma—allowing a woman under
our care to voluntarily place herself in danger?”

He couldn’t stand the idea. Not once or twice, but three
times now, she’d been in a situation that put her in danger and left him on the
sidelines. He was older and more experienced. He was Fae. And she was his. He
should rethink the tying-her-up option. Especially after she’d led him to the
edge of heaven last night, only to turn him away and question
his
ability
to trust.

He was mad at Sheridan, mad as hell at Danu and furious that
these men he’d fought side by side with for hundreds of years didn’t have his
back when he needed them most.

“I agree.” Hawk patted his brother’s back, moving to stand
between him and Finn. “Let’s discuss the spear. She said the inheritor would
receive it when there is accord on all sides and the circle is complete. Does
that mean anything to anyone?”

“It means something to
me
.”

Finn knew Nyctimus had been listening at the door, waiting
for the right opportunity to make his entrance. Damon sighed and crossed his
arms across his wide chest. “Now is not the time for games, Nyc.”

Nyctimus glared. “I’m not playing games,
Damon
. I
just wasn’t sure I’d be welcome in the
Fianna
huddle. Kyle wanted to
come over and play too, but he was sidelined on account of his humanity. Bad
luck for him. Especially considering the topic.”

He knew something. Finn could smell it. “Damon Arkadios, if
you do not let your little godlet of a brother in our fun boys’ club I will
challenge you for leadership.” His smile was menacing. “And the way I feel
tonight? I’d win. Say the damn words and he’ll tell us what he knows.”

Damon’s lip curled, a glint of fang appearing before he
regained control and ran his hands through his hair. “Fuck.
Jesus
, Finn.
Fine. Fine, you’re in. Welcome to the
Fianna,
Nyc.” He sent an
aggravated look in Finn’s direction. “Happy now?”

“That’s it?” Nyc’s expression would have been comical if
Finn weren’t holding onto his control by a thread. “I thought there was a
secret handshake. A blood oath or something.” He sighed. “That’s disappointing
as hell.”

“I can give you a blood oath if you’d like.” Finn’s voice
was soft. Deceptively so. “Or you can tell us what you know about Danu’s words.”

Val shook his head. “I would tell him, Nyc. I feel like we’re
watching a horror movie. Any minute now he’ll turn Horde and we’ll have to kill
him. Then none of our wives will ever speak to us or bed us again.”

Nyc studied Finn for a moment before nodding. “Right. Big
bad Fae is scaring the Vikings. The accord. I’ve done a little reading about
the time period Lugh ruled in. The
Dark
weren’t the main enemy, right?
Enlil had just recently been imprisoned and his followers were in disarray, but
so was everybody else. There were factions fighting factions. Archon against
Archon. Archon against Human and Druid. Archon against Fae.”

He chuckled. “I’m sure other people were fighting other
people…and
somebody
had to be fighting the shifters, but I am seeing a
pattern. Archons are the jackasses of the universe. You know who my father is…I
speak from experience.” He shrugged. “Anyway, if Lugh had placed the spear
somewhere instead of physically taking it with him, as this vague bit of trivia
from Danu seems to imply, and an accord must be reached, I’m thinking we should
think like
him
. We already have all the pieces.”

When the other men in the room stared at him in silence, he
frowned. “Come on, did nobody follow that? Human, Archon, Druid, Fae…. we could
complete the circle with our party alone, I think. Luckily, we like variety in
our crowd.”

He was right. They had all the pieces, all gathered together
here and now. In fact, Sheridan had insisted on the presence of most of them.
Finn should have seen it earlier. “But how? And where? We’ve all been together,
and nothing has appeared.”

He slammed his fist into the palm of his hand as it came to
him. “We need a focal point. If Lugh placed it out of sync with us, and that
is
something he would do, the exact location doesn’t matter as much as the intent.
We could use the replica.”

“Good luck.” Val chuckled morosely, holding up his hands
when Finn looked his way. “Don’t kill the messenger, guy, but we’ve gotten to
know the queen. That chick has a dark side, no offense or double entendre
meant. She really doesn’t like it when you touch her stuff. And don’t even get
me started on her court of creepy ladies. Those Fae are everywhere and we don’t
like little Crystal hanging out with them.”

It was true. Queen Morrigan was kind and wise in all things
but, Finn acknowledged with a sigh, she had a tendency to be possessive. Of
things and the people around her. There was a time when Finn had been her favorite.
She hadn’t thanked him when he left her side. “She would give it to me.”

“No,” a serene voice interrupted from the doorway. Dian. “She
won’t. But she offers a boon to her champion if they win in staff or steel
competitions. She would allow Sheridan to have it for the day to celebrate her
victory.”

Finn clenched his teeth. “Dian, you are definitely not
Fianna
.
What you are is someone who knows I am not willing to bend on this. Who knows what
I’m capable of.”

Dian smiled placidly, but there was understanding in his
eyes. “You will have to be capable of
more
today, Prince of Aisling. And
I am not here for the meeting, I’m sent to deliver a message to Damon Arkadios.”
He caught the Lycan’s attention. “One of your number is most qualified to be
the queen’s champion, having the blood of Fae, as well as Archon
and
Druid running through her veins. Royal blood. One of the last descendants of
Lugh, who ruled as king. Royal blood for the royal champion. Sheridan Kelly has
stepped forward and been accepted on those grounds.”

“No.” This was a nightmare. “No, she would have told me. If
she knew—”

“She suspected,” Dian interrupted him, compassion in his
eyes. “Only recently she suspected. It was confirmed moments ago by Myrddin
himself, I’m told. The entire Realm is already buzzing with the news.

He bet they were. “She’ll be in more danger now. If she had
been merely a Druid, they would have hurt her a little out of pride. Now? She’ll
be—”

“Bait,” Dian cut him off again. “Her words, not mine. She’s
using herself as bait. Something about it being the only way to provoke them
out of hiding. She’s very clever, isn’t she? I suggest your protectors of the
North Portal remain vigilant tonight. Remain calm. That is how you can help
her. And being of Lugh and Áine’s lines? I believe she will be able to hold her
own in the games.”

Finn felt his world tilt. A child of Lugh? Sheridan? He’d
searched for traces of Fae inside her and found nothing. Could he have been so
wrong? “If she had any Fae blood in her, why didn’t I sense it?”

Nyc leaned over so he could look up into Finn’s eyes. “None
of us did, buddy. I didn’t sense any Archon in her either. Maybe the Druid
genes covered the other bits up. Good thing too. Not knowing probably saved her
life. Especially when you think about the Horde situation. Don’t beat yourself
up about it.”

Damon pinched the bridge of his nose. “Nyc? Stop helping.
Now, before I rethink your status in the fun boys’ club.”

He did blame himself. And Sheridan—his Sheridan—was in
danger. Not just from the sect, but possibly even from those loyal to Queen
Morrigan, who would now see her as a threat. A child of Lugh’s line could claim
the throne.

She was using herself as bait. Lighting herself up like a
beacon to attract those who would wish to harm her. Was that why she’d stopped
him from finally joining with her? So he wouldn’t guess her plans and stop her
before something or someone she couldn’t handle went after her?

He didn’t have to like that she was right. He
would
have
tried to stop her.

Maybe he would get to kill someone tonight after all.

* * * * *

Kyle whistled. “Look out, warrior woman coming through.”

He nudged the smirking Nyctimus as Sheridan entered the
preparation area, where she could watch the fighting and get last-minute
instructions from her gaggle of overprotective coaches.

And teasing from Kyle.

An arena. There was an actual arena for these games. Like
that gladiator movie. This realm might not have much in the way of roads and
shopping malls, but it more than made up for it with extravagant old-world
movie sets and clichés.

She stuck out her tongue in her partner’s general direction.
“You’re just jealous that you couldn’t pull this off.” She struck a pose with
her staff, all bravado as she allowed everyone to see the fighting uniform they’d
put her in.

It kind of looked like the leather dominatrix bikini from
her Finn dream. Only this one had a skirt. And though it felt buttery smooth,
she’d been told it was the finest in Fae armor. Nothing could pierce it. So at
least the small sections of her body that were covered would be safe, she
thought with a grimace.

“I’m jealous.” Meru pulled herself up from her chair with
difficulty, her smile worried but real. “I couldn’t pull that off
before
I was pregnant.” Her nose wrinkled with her playful grin. “But then, I’m not a
genetic milkshake of awesome like my cousin.”

“Nice visual, Meru.” Nyc shuddered. “I may never drink a
milkshake again, but I like the colorful choice of words.” He studied Sheridan.
“You should take a look at what you’ll be doing, Sheridan. The Fae style of
fighting may be different than what you’re used to.”

She nodded. Badger and Ceri had been explaining it to her
for the last few hours. She now knew that in the games, Fae were forbidden from
using their magical abilities on each other. Instead, to honor the Druids and
humans whose space they shared, they used weapons and physical strength.
Staffs, swords and maces, as well as a style of fighting akin to Raj’s martial
arts, but more flamboyant. More…Fae.

She noticed Finn leaning against the far corner wall with
his arms crossed. He looked tired. Haggard. Beautiful. He wasn’t happy and she
wasn’t surprised.

She lifted her chin. “Any advice?”

He stared at her for long moments before he spoke. “Show the
queen special deference when you are announced.
Bow to her
. Don’t be
proud. Some will see you as a threat to the throne. Show them you’re not.”

Sheridan laughed. “And with that moment of hilarity, we’ll
be moving on. As if I’d want to rule over the land-of-the-perpetually-horny. No
thanks.”

He strode across the floor, eating up the space between
them, and cupped her shoulders in a firm grip. “I trust you, Sheridan Kelly. Do
you hear me? I don’t trust them. I don’t trust much of anything. But I do trust
you. So do as I say.”

“Okay.” She was breathless, knowing he was trying to tell
her more than he could in front of the others. “I’ll bow. I promise.”

“When you win, you’ll receive your boon and we can retrieve
the true spear. And if your ploy works and you provoke them with your presence,”
he shuddered, his grip tightening on her flesh, “we’ll be here.”

She knew how hard it would be for her to let go. To let
someone she cared about take chances she felt she should be taking instead. And
some part of her knew it was harder for him. Because he believed they were…
What was that word? She couldn’t remember, but it didn’t matter. All that
mattered was this. His trust. He was stepping back. Allowing her to fight. “Thank
you, Finn.”

Her squeak of surprise was loud to her own ears as he slid
his hands into her hair and pulled her close, lowering his mouth to hers. Now?
In front of everyone? Kyle and Meru? Now he was kissing her? So much for not
telling anyone. Then again, that ship had long since sailed.