The Dark Throne (32 page)

“But my counsel of cooperation is not the only reason I wished to speak with you,” Ramel said. “We have felt the veil thinning, the fissures opening. Such tears in the fabric between the mortal world and our world….they unbalance the forces that be.”

I raised one eyebrow. “The forces that be? What are those?”

“Frankly, I don’t have time to go into the details. Suffice to say, there’s a delicate balance holding all of existence together. The Great Gate was carefully constructed, wards placed upon it, layers of power to ensure that the Gate did not disrupt the forces between the worlds. The same with the Lesser Gates.” He paused. “Mab closed the last of the Lesser Gates in her domain before we left Darkhill.”

A chill traveled down my spine unbidden. “The one I came through.”

“Yes.”

I swallowed. “So there’s no way to travel between the two worlds anymore.”

“No.”

“Not an official way, anyway.” I looked over at Ramel. “Finnead traveled through one of the tears in the veil, to escape a dragon.”

Ramel nodded to himself. “That was what we felt, then.”

“You can’t still feel Finnead like when he was Vaelanbrigh, can you?” I asked suspiciously.

“No. His link with Mab is broken. She did indeed think that he was lost, for a while. Until the High Queen’s message. But the Queens can feel the passage of every being through the fissures in the veil.”

“What do you mean,
feel
?” I narrowed my eyes.

“Tess, the tears in the veil are like wounds to the land. The Queens’ power is through the land itself.” Ramel spread his hands. “A fantastic amount of energy vibrates through the tear in the veil when people pass through it.”

“How painful is it?” I asked as I slowly realized Ramel’s meaning.

Ramel shook his head. “I don’t want to see it again, I’ll say that much. Or feel it, for that matter. But I know it wasn’t just Finnead.”

“There were a few more with him,” I allowed reticently.

“Ah, Tess, things will not be the same between us, eh?” Ramel smiled a bit, though his eyes were wounded.

I sighed. “I’m sorry, Ramel. I’ll do my best.”

“Then that’s all I can ask.” He reached over and touched the lacy scars at my wrist gently. “That was one hell of a power surge, when you crowned the High Queen.”

“I was just the conduit,” I said.

Ramel chuckled. “I never would have guessed that you, the mortal girl that Finn dragged through the Gate, would end up crowning that Northern mercenary as High Queen.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Northern mercenary? I’d speak with a bit more respect.”

“What she is now doesn’t change what she’s been before,” Ramel replied unrepentantly.

“I’d prefer if we continued our conversation civilly, or I’d like to go get some real sleep.” I leaned back on the bench and watched the green leaves flutter overhead.

“Civility is always an option,” Ramel said, his eyes glimmering. “And perhaps I wanted to make sure you still remembered how to Walk, as I’ve said before.”

“It’s a hard skill to forget,” I muttered, “especially when people summon you for no good reason at all.”

“You’re rather grumpy,” Ramel remarked, stretching. “I assume it’s been a long day and you’d rather be sleeping.”

“That’s part of it,” I admitted.

Ramel sobered and leaned toward me, resting his elbows on his knees. “And, Tess, I also wanted to tell you…I’m very proud of you. We all are.” He glanced at his arm, and I saw that he still wore the black armband I’d seen during my brief incorporeal visit to Darkhill.

I shook my head. “Thanks. But you can tell me that again after we’ve put the big bad to bed.”

“What you still have to do doesn’t change what you’ve done,” Ramel replied with a little smile.

“You and your cleverness.” An answering smile formed on my lips, almost against my will.

“It’s been said…if you can’t be the most handsome man in the room, you had better be the most clever.” Ramel arched an eyebrow. “Never had much use for that quote, anyway.”

“I’m guessing you fancy yourself both the most handsome
and
the most clever, now that Finnead is gone.” I smiled lazily as he narrowed his eyes.

“I
knew
it was going to happen eventually,” Ramel said. “And yes, I’m definitely the prettiest at Court now.”

“Wait, you knew
what
was going to happen?” I asked in suspicion.

Ramel grinned. “You and Finn.”

“You’re the only one who ever calls him that, you know.”

“It makes him sound much less stuffy.”

I chuckled. “Do you have a nickname to make
you
seem less stuffy?”

“First of all, I’m not stuffy in the least, which you already know. And don’t try to change the subject.”

“Why would I try to change the subject?” I gazed up innocently into the quivering, tender green leaves of the birch tree, watching its slender limbs sway gently in that same invisible wind. Somehow, my irritation at Ramel’s call to this little pocket of the ether subsided beneath a swell of contentment and familiarity. I
had
spent some of the happiest moments of my childhood here with the Lady in White and Ramel.

“Because you don’t want to tell me all the details of your dalliance with the tall, dark and handsome Sidhe man with whom you’ve fallen desperately in love.”

I looked at Ramel sharply. “There’s nothing
desperate
about it.”

He gave a crow of delight. “Oh, this is simply
lovely
.”

“Simply
lovely
?” I repeated, mimicking his excited inflection. “Did Mab castrate you when she made you Vaelanbrigh?”

“Hardly.” Ramel smiled a very male smile. “Even with a touch of mortal blood, being the Vaelanbrigh has its privileges.”

I shook my head. “Unlike you, I don’t need to pry into my friends’ personal business.”

“So we
are
friends!”

“You’re ridiculous,” I said with a laugh.

“I’ve been called worse.” Ramel laced his fingers together behind his head and leaned back against the trunk of the birch. “But just remember,
ma saell doendhine
, that I kissed you first.”

“Be sure to keep that memory preserved well, because it’s never going to happen again.”

“If Finn has, ah, staked his claim, then I shall stay well clear.” Ramel grinned. “Don’t want to test the new High Queen.”

“There’s no staking of claims necessary,” I replied. “I’m a grown woman, and the Bearer of the Iron Sword. So I’m pretty sure I can make my own decisions.” Even, I thought, a decision that might not end with Finnead and I riding into the sunset together. The thought didn’t startle me; it floated through my mind with the prescient clarity of a truth recognized in a dream.

“Duly noted, Lady Bearer,” he said gravely.

“Ridiculous,” I repeated with a smile. We sat in companionable silence for a few moments. “Why did you choose this particular place?” I murmured. A bright blue sky shone between the lattice of the birch’s branches and its tender green leaves; but there was a sense of frailty, as though at any moment the sky might dissipate, revealing the whirling colors of the ether.

“Safety,” he replied. “I know this particular place very well, and some of the old wards are still left on it.” He motioned with his elbow in response to my questioning glance. “We placed some enchantments on the place when we built it.” He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “You weren’t the first child that we thought had power. But we didn’t know how right we were at the time.” A faint smile touched his lips. “And then you proved it yourself when you escaped on the day I was charged to bring you to Court.”

“I thought you were looking for Molly, all this time,” I said.

He shrugged with one shoulder. “Some of us knew that there are many paths to the same truth. We needed a Bearer. The Queen believed the half-Fae child was destined to bear the Sword. Some of us thought differently.” He looked at me and tilted his head. “You think you’re the only child of Gwyneth?”

“Of course not,” I replied automatically, “I have a brother.” Ramel chuckled. I wondered if I’d ever truly understand the entire tangled web of fate and chance and happenstance that had led me here, to this precise moment; I could barely understand my own choices, much less decipher the decisions on the other side of the veil that had taken place in my childhood. “I don’t have the time or the energy to play investigator,” I said. “I’m not going to dig through the layers to try to figure out who knew what and when.” I echoed his shrug. “I’m here, and I’m the Bearer.”

“You’re here, and you’re the Bearer,” Ramel agreed. He slid a glance at me. “So what exactly made yesterday so long and taxing? It must have been rather significant, to put you in such a bad mood in
my
company.”

“We killed a dragon,” I said matter-of-factly. “Or rather…Finnead and Luca and the Valkyrie and all the rest of the warriors who wish to be part of the
vyldgard
killed the dragon. I kind of watched.”

“I’m sure it was quite a sight.” Ramel tried to conceal his surprise, only partly succeeding. I didn’t bother to hide my smile. Then I sobered.

“We lost some warriors.” I paused. “Murtagh died. In Brightvale.”

Ramel drew in a breath. “I suspected.” He unlaced his fingers and ran one hand through his hair, a gesture that reminded me of Finnead. In the back of my mind, I wondered if Ramel had picked up the habit during his time as Finnead’s squire.

“He Walked with me to free Titania from Malravenar’s prison. We had to break her manacles. It took everything I had, and some of his power as well.” I sighed. “I took what I needed from him. He gave it freely. And I told him to bring us back, no matter the cost.” I swallowed.

“He wanted to be a part of this great fight,” Ramel told me. “When I returned to Darkhill, he sought me out. He wanted to be of service somehow.” A long moment passed. “Even if he would have known at the beginning that it would cost him his life, he would have chosen the same path regardless.”

“He was truly courageous,” I agreed quietly. A little smile touched my lips. “The look on his face, when I saw him in the Royal Wood….I’ll remember that for as long as I live, I think. He was just so…
surprised
.”

“He was good at what he did,” Ramel said. “Mab does not place her favor lightly.”

“He was
favored
?” I said sharply. “You know why he found me, right? I was talking with Liam in the ether and he appeared. He was dying.”

“We could not help him,” Ramel said, his face suddenly grave. He looked at me soberly. “So he found one who could.”

I sighed. “I just…I don’t
understand
Mab, Ramel. A queen is entrusted with the safety of her subjects. From what I saw, she didn’t really take that part seriously.”

“If you’re referring to the fact that she took power from a few to protect the whole of her kingdom from the encroaching shadows, I would caution you before you judge her,” Ramel replied in an uncharacteristically quiet voice.

“You’re honor-bound to defend her.” I crossed my arms. “So I suppose we’ll just have to agree to disagree.”

“Agree to disagree,” Ramel repeated, bemused.

I arched an eyebrow. “I’d be happy to keep arguing, if you’d like.”

Ramel shook his head. “I’d rather you tell me the story of this dragon killing.”

“I’m sure you’ll hear it soon enough. How long until you arrive?”

“Geography is a tricky thing right now,” Ramel replied, “and you took one of our best navigators when Merrick joined you. Our head navigator, he’s a bit….ancient.” Ramel searched for another, gentler word, but then gave up and shrugged.

“I’m sure it’s interesting, pulling all the Scholars and Librarians from their bookstacks into the field again.”

“That doesn’t cover the half of it.” Ramel ran one hand through his hair with a grimace. “There was a bit of talk of leaving a rearguard with those who are years removed from fighting, but the queen declared that this war shall be our last if we do not prevail…and so all will travel, and fight if they can.”

I blinked. “So you’re telling me the
entire Unseelie Court
is on the move? Traveling here?”

“Yes.”

“How many is that?”

Ramel shook his head. “Thousands. I couldn’t rightly say.”

“Holy hell.” Even in the ether, detached from the waking world, I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. The whole host of Unseelie, armed for war, headed in this direction…combined with the splendor of Titania’s Court...the thought filled me with both an amazed hope and an unnamed dismay. I took a deep breath. “How is…everyone, then? Emery and Donovan, and Brenn? Guinna?” After a slight pause, I added, “Molly?”

Ramel spent a moment in thought before he answered. “Emery is still a bit withdrawn, but it’s no more different than those of us who have seen the depths of the war against the darkness. Donovan has been made squire to the new Vaelanbrigh—” Ramel twirled one of his hands lazily in mimicry of a bow—“and that is working out quite well. The Queen tasked Bren with selecting the most vital volumes from Darkhill’s collection to bring on the journey, so most think that she will be named Chief Scholar soon, though that’s ruffled the feathers of a few of the older Scholars.” He chuckled as though he enjoyed the thought of their discomfort. “Guinna is well, though I do not see much of her these days. And Molly…”

I didn’t miss the shift in his tone of voice. “I said I wouldn’t pry into your personal business, but there’s no need for prying with the look on your face.” I smiled and raised one eyebrow.

“Before the Queen named me Vaelanbrigh, after we returned from the Royal Wood, I helped her,” Ramel explained. “She was very…lost. Without her memories, she had no sense of who she was. So I helped in what ways I could.” He smiled slightly. “She will never be the girl you knew in the mortal world, but she remembers a few things here and there, and she is more herself than she was right after they released the binding on her Fae half.”

“Well, I’ll never be the girl
she
knew in the mortal world, either,” I pointed out, “so I suppose that makes it a bit easier. Everyone changes. I’m just glad to hear that she had someone to take care of her.”