Nova: Daughters of Darkness (5 page)

All three girls got into a fighting stance, preparing to meet these beasts head on. The first dog beast ran straight at them while the other started to come around to their backs. Kyna and Branna quickly spun so they were all back to back. Nova called her Earth element and started splitting the ground around them, bringing up spikes of rock, to prevent the beasts from getting closer. Branna called fire and lit up a ring around the split ground. Kyna called spirit to lend strength to their powers and protect them. The first beast easily jumped the split and fire, and came at them with dripping fangs, claws extended. Calling water, Nova commanded it to become a frozen spear and threw it. Branna called air to make sure it flew true and found its mark. The spear hit the beast directly in the heart, but it kept coming. Kyna jumped and spun through the air, driving her knife straight into the beast's throat. Branna lit him up; they all watched him burst into flames and become nothing but ash. Quickly reforming their triangle, they waited for the other beast to make his move. They didn't have to wait long, the beast transformed from a dog into a big black bull and charged at them, head down. As it leapt at them and they prepared to attack, a mighty roar came from behind them. They saw a flash of auburn hair as Seamus soared over them and took the beast's head off quickly and efficiently at the shoulders with the biggest axe they had ever seen. Immediately, the beast burst into ash, and they were left standing there wondering what the hell had just happened.

"What were those things?" Nova asked, her chest heaving with exertion.

"Phooka," replied Seamus. "They are goblins and usually present themselves in the dog form that you saw initially, but they can show as a bull or a horse, too. Not all of them are sided with the Underworld though; some choose to go against their very nature and fight for the light."

"Wait, you said you saw their dog form? But you weren't here until the second one was in bull form. Unless... you stood there and watched us fight for our lives? But why would you do that? Not to mention, where the hell did your accent go?" Branna, who had yet to put her fire away, questioned with little flames licking her fingers.

"I am terribly sorry, but we had to be sure you were the daughters of the prophecy and worthy of our assistance. Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Rían, the prince of the Tuatha De Danann." As he was speaking, a shimmery haze formed around him. The girls watched him elongate to almost six and a half feet tall; his auburn hair turned a burnished gold color and grew out to his shoulders, and the aged face and body became those of a well-muscled, gloriously handsome man. All that remained from his previous guise were the emerald eyes that seemed to look into your soul.

The girls all took a step back, and when Branna realized she had been sorely mistaken, her fire went out in a puff of smoke.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but we faeries prefer to be ourselves rather than, what was it? Oh yes, little winged freaks throwing our magic dust everywhere." Rían said, reading the expression on her face.

Branna's face flamed with embarrassment and she dropped her eyes before he could see. Nova looked at her with a smirk and said. "See little sister, sometimes silence is a virtue." Branna narrowed her eyes. In a very adult move, she stuck her tongue out at Nova, spun around and stalked off toward their Granda's cottage. Nova turned to Rían and apologized for her sister's behavior, both earlier and now. "Branna seems to say what she is thinking regardless of the consequences."

"Please, do not apologize for her rude behavior that is for her alone. Let us go to the cottage and confer on our situation." As they walked away, Nova looked up and thought she saw a man standing on top of the building watching them, but when she blinked, he was gone.

Chapter 10

Back at the cottage, Branna had secluded herself in her room to avoid being in Rían's presence. Nova decided to leave her there for the moment; they had to deal with her dream issues first and foremost.

"Rían, it's been a long time; how've ye been lad?" Decklin asked, grasping Rían's hand firmly.

"Decklin, I am older than you by more than two hundred years, which hardly makes me a lad." Rían grimaced.

"Ye're right, but damned if it don't feel like me bones are ancient beyond yer years."

The men embraced as men do, with a hand shake, followed by a quick hug and back to the handshake. Apparently, even powerful druids and fae acted like typical males. They all took a seat around the fire. Kyna excused herself to go make tea and see what Branna was up to. Nova and Decklin waited for Rían to address them.

"My father, King Magnus, sent me here at your behest Decklin, but also for me to verify that your granddaughters are the ones prophesied to bring down Drake. I see that they are indeed the ones we seek and so, would like to help you with whatever you need."

"It's Nova, the lass seems to have an issue with her spirit wandering around while she sleeps."

Turning to face Nova, Rían reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Nova, I can lend assistance to help keep your spirit here, however it will not be pretty or easy."

"What has to happen for it to work?" Nova asked nervously.

"We have to bind your spirit within you. That means you will not be able to travel to the dream world while you sleep. It will be a very uncomfortable experience; your spirit is meant to roam free when you sleep."

Everyone turned when they heard footsteps on the stairs, it was Kyna and Branna descending. Kyna quickly made her excuses and went to finish making the tea. Branna stepped into the room and had manners enough to look embarrassed by her earlier outburst. Walking toward the couch, she said "I would like to apologize for my behavior earlier. Obviously we were in a tense situation and I reacted poorly. But I still think you should have stepped up sooner." The last part was said very softly under her breath. Everyone chose to ignore it. Turning to Nova, Branna said, "Are you sure you want to do this binding your spirit thing? I just feel that it's wrong, and I know I'm not Kyna, but my gut says this will lead to something worse."

"Bran," Nova said, using her childhood nickname, "I am not sure about anything right now. All I know is that I have to protect us. If that means keeping my spirit bound, then so be it." Addressing Rían, Nova said "So how do we do this?"

"There is a full moon tonight that will lend power to our magic, so we will commence in this room when the moon reaches its peak."

Kyna walked in with a tea tray and some Irish biscuits. "Anyone want tea or a cookie?" Walking to the table, she suddenly stopped and stared off into space, the tea tray gripped tightly in her hands. Nova got up and ran to her side, knowing from experience that Kyna was having a vision. Branna stepped in front of her and gently eased the tray from her hands, placing it on the coffee table. After a few minutes, Kyna's eyes began to focus on the here and now, and she slumped sideways into Nova's waiting arms. Rían rushed over and scooped Kyna up, and carried her to the couch. Nova sat beside her and brushed her white-blonde hair from her brow. "Kyna, what did you see?"

Kyna looked at her with tears welling in her eyes. "It won't work," she whispered. "We try, but it won't work."

"What won't?" asked Branna.

"Binding Nova's spirit, it isn't that black and white. We cannot simply bind her spirit to keep her from Drake. Remember when Granda said that part of us is part of him? Well, that part cannot be bound because it is not of this world. It is of his world, and none of us, not even you Rían, have the magic to be able to hold it."

Kyna's eyes were so full of sorrow. Nova hugged her for all she was worth and told her everything was going to be okay. She thought she heard her say "I wish" but she couldn't be sure.

Branna stood there with her hands on her hips staring at Rían. "Well?" she exclaimed, advancing on him. "Aren't you going to do something about this? You are supposed to be a great and powerful faerie, so be great and get powerful," she emphasized by poking him in the chest. "Because if anything happens to my sister, I am holding you personally responsible."

Decklin stood from his chair and said very calmly to them all, "We will find a way," Before walking out the front door. Rían shot Branna an angry look and followed Decklin out, to discuss what to do now.

"Nova, Granda's right. Even if we have to never sleep again, we will find a way." Branna said determinedly.

Kyna stood up and walked to where Branna was standing with clenched fists. Grasping her hands, she told her, "Look at me Branna." When Branna turned her attention fully on Kyna, she continued. "This is the only way." Then the thunder began to roll across the sky.

Drake stood on a rocky ledge, looking down at the cottage that held the woman he couldn't seem to get out of his head. Hearing a swishing noise behind him, he turned to find his brother, Larkin, there in full regalia. "It's been a long time, brother. What brings you here? Not interference, I hope."

"Drake, it has not been long enough, my brother. I am here to issue a warning; bring any harm to those I am bound by honor to protect and you will have the full force of Valkala coming down on you."

"Really, and have you thought about what happened last time your precious Valkala tried to stand against me?" Drake spat bitterly. "I decimated them in droves, brother. Is that what you want for your people? For them to die for this silly thing you call honor? Where is the honor in dying for strangers? Humans?"

Larkin stood to his full height and widened his stance as he crossed his arms over his chest. He was angry, and this made Drake smile evilly.

"They were your people once, too. Have you no mercy, no humanity left within your blackened soul? Is there no saving you?"

Drake gave a sour bark of laughter. "Humanity? We are not human, they are weak, self-absorbed, and spineless. What mercy do they afford to the world around them? They take and take, without ever giving back. Every day they watch those around them starve, others rape and pillage, and they leave their fellow man without shelter from the elements; where is their humanity?"

"That is not for us to concern ourselves with. The Valkala laws are in place to allow humans to live as they will with no interference from us."

"They are destroying this world!" Drake yelled, his anger fueling the magic within him. The ground began to shake and the skies opened up to let loose an icy, pelting rain. "They no longer deserve to have it." His eyes flashed red, the look within them promising destruction.

"So be it, brother, you shall have your war, but I promise you, this time you may not be so lucky as to escape with your life." Then Larkin flew straight up into the sky until he was swallowed by a brilliant light.

Drake shot off the ledge and toward the cottage, intending to destroy those within it. His hate and anger were now in full force.

Staring out the window, Nova saw a huge shadow coming toward the cottage. It looked like a bird, but it was all wrong. As it got closer, she realized what she was seeing. Yelling for her sisters, Nova told them to prepare, the underlord was coming for them. Crashing through the window, Drake shot a bolt of lightning toward Branna and Kyna. They dove for cover behind the sofa. Crouched behind the couch, Branna tried desperately to call fire to her but it wouldn't come. "Shit, shit...what's happening? Kyna, I have no fire. What's going on?" Panicking, Branna tried air, but still nothing happened. Meanwhile, Nova was shooting water bolts as fast as she could draw them, but Drake was advancing on her with electricity crackling across his body, ready at any moment to shoot from his hands. Kyna sat there holding Branna's arm with tears running down her face.

"Kyna, what the fuck? Let go and help me! Help Nova!" Branna was in full crisis mode trying desperately to save her sister. Shaking off Kyna's hands, she jumped for the battle axe on the wall. Grabbing it, she turned, intending to chop off the first piece of him that she could connect with, even better if it was his privates. Suddenly fire was there and ready. Confused and relieved, Branna dropped the axe and swirled her hands, gathering a giant fireball to shoot at Drake.

Nova saw him gaining on her and tried to call water to throw a wall between them, but it was too late. He wrapped his arms around her, and with a single jolt, he transported them to the ledge he had descended from.

"Nova!" Branna screamed. "No, son of a bitch!" Turning on Kyna she lost it. "What the fuck did you do, how did you...why?" She turned in confused circles, barely able to comprehend what had just happened. "She's gone," she said incredulously, looking at Kyna. "She's gone, and somehow it's your fault." Falling to her knees in the middle of the destroyed living room, Branna sobbed into her hands.

Kyna cried silent tears and her heart broke for the pain she knew Branna was feeling. For the pain she herself was feeling. Although she knew that someday they would all understand, it had to be this way. She just hoped she hadn't interpreted her vision wrong and just placed Nova in grave danger.

Decklin and Rían burst through the door. "Kyna! Branna!" Decklin yelled, noticing Branna on the floor sobbing. The room was in a shambles. "What happened, lass?" he asked, kneeling down and gathering Branna in his arms. "We couldna get in; there was some sort of magical shield around the cottage, and we couldna get to ye to help."

Rían dropped down beside Kyna and helped her to her feet, but he spoke solely to Branna. "I am sorry. I was unable to protect you in this fight; please know that we tried everything to get to you." he finished, still holding onto Kyna.