The Star Child (The Star Child Series) (28 page)

“She has a point.” Lugh shrugged his shoulders. I didn’t know whether I liked him or not now. I thought I might have changed my mind.

“Getting back to the matter at hand, if immortality is not what you desire, there must be something that I could do for you?” Síl asked with curiosity.

I already knew what I wanted to ask for. The question was hanging there and I didn’t hesitate.

“If Clare could come back for a moment, then can everyone?”

Síl smiled and stepped aside. I looked around frantically, but didn’t have much of a search. There was a blinding flash of light and my mother stood right there in front of me.

She was even more beautiful than I remembered in a stunning dress of jade green. Her dark hair fell loosely at her shoulders, ending in curly tendrils that framed her pale face. Most important, though, she was beaming, for she was now really and truly at peace.

“You performed admirably, Kellen. I’m so proud of you, of the man that you’ve become. I’ll always love you.”

Much like Cabhan had done earlier, I reached out to touch her, expecting some resistance. Yet I was able to clasp her hand in mine. “Mother.” When I realized that I could touch her, I hugged her gently. I was afraid that she’d break, like a soap bubble. She smelled of vanilla and raspberries, and I took a moment to inhale her scent, hoping that I’d never forget.

Then Gran was there, her strong arms embracing the pair of us. “Kellen, you did well. Now that you’ve made your choice, it is time for you to live you own life. I think, if I am not mistaken, that you’ve found someone to live it with.” Gran nodded at Calienta as she spoke this last. Calienta’s encouraging smile added more conviction to Gran’s words.

“We have to go now, Kellen. But you must know that we will always be here for you and are always ready to help, even though you might not know it.” My mother smiled deeply at me as she and Gran silently pulled away from my grasp and faded away.

Stephen had influenced me, but he didn’t define me. He was a man driven by anger but I didn’t have to become him. My choices made me the man I was. The pain that I’d suffered would never again drive me. I blew my mother a kiss and looked away to face the woman who’d changed my life forever. And I’d only just started living.

Remembering something, I broke the silence. “I hope Arawn doesn’t come back, because otherwise he’s going to be seriously ticked off about his dogs.”

Calienta giggled as we walked to rejoin her family.
My new family.

CHAPTER TWENTY

VOWS

Lugh and Brigid brought us back to Gran’s cottage—my new home with Calienta. I could see it all now. I’d write in the room that looked out over the cliffs, and we’d walk together along the sea.

Lugh clasped my hands. “We owe you a large debt of gratitude, Kellen.”

Brigid reached over to hug me. “If it weren’t for your bravery, for your willingness to risk your own life, we would not be here together now. Our worlds would never be the same,” she added.

“I’m the one who has a debt to repay. You’re giving me a wife and a family. It’s more than I could have hoped for.” I truly meant it.

“That leaves one question. What exactly are your intentions with my daughter?” Lugh smirked, always the character.

When I met Calienta’s eyes, an enchanting smile spread slowly across her lips. This was right. I was whole now. “I don’t know exactly. She didn’t actually say
yes
yet.”

Although our union was foreseen by many and encouraged by few, I still waited with my heart in her hands. I’d have to put my love out there and pray that she’d return it. I dropped to my knees, assuming that I’d be spending most of our marriage in this position, groveling, and waited.

Her eyes opened wide as she realized the truth. “Yes, of course I’ll marry you, Kellen St. James. I will.” Sliding to the grass in front of me, she took my face in her hands and pressed her lips to mine.

There was power in her kiss. This was a woman who could bring men to their deaths if she chose, but she didn’t; she was as merciful as she was ruthless.

The laughter reminded me that we had an audience. Scrambling up from the ground, I assisted Calienta up before facing Brigid and Lugh.

“Do you have a ring for her?” There was slight accusation in Brigid’s tone.

I blushed. I was just so cool I couldn’t stand it. “Yes. I have a ring, but it’s with my grandfather for safekeeping. I’ll ask him to bring it here for the wedding.”

Brigid and Lugh smiled, seeming to find this answer acceptable, but it was Calienta who spoke up next.

“How soon can he get here?”

***

Alistair didn’t seem at all shaken when I called to tell him I’d be getting married and to ask for the rings. He was more upset about where I’d been for the last five months. The Faerie time-travel experience hadn’t worked as seamlessly as I’d hoped on the mortal side.

“I just needed some time, Alistair.” I’d let him think I’d been bumming around Europe for a few months. “You’re really not surprised that I’m getting, well, you know, married?”

“Not at all, my boy. Your grandmother never ceases to amaze me, even from the grave.”

“Alistair, I don’t understand.”

“I received a letter with the paperwork in her will.”

“Another letter?”
Who writes letters anymore, anyway? E-mail would have been faster.

“I know. I’m getting tired of the damnable things myself. Let me get it out.”

I waited as Calienta and Brigid argued on the back lawn about what kind of dress she should wear. Though she hadn’t yet become mortal, she insisted on buying her dress from a shop in Kerry. Brigid wanted to create it from magick, I guessed.

There was the sound of papers shuffling on the other end of the line as Alistair searched for the letter. “It says, ‘Alistair, enclosed are my rings. Kellen is going to call you one day and tell you he needs them because he’s getting married. Don’t ask any questions. Just be supportive. You may have to obtain permission for him because of his age, but be creative.’”

“Huh.” I was completely taken aback. “She’s good.”

“Yes. I miss her so much.”

“Me too. How quickly can you get here, Alistair?” I continued to watch the epic battle continue on the back lawn. Lugh was nowhere in sight, and I needed all the reinforcements that I could get.

There was again more shuffling as he checked his schedule. “I can be there on Friday.”

***

Just three days later, I found myself standing on my lawn. My good buddy Gabe was at my side. When I’d called him and asked how soon he could get to Ireland, he was incredulous to say the least.

Although his feelings seemed hurt, he was easily forgiving when we got to the reason for my call. “Dude, I’m still royally pissed about you going on a European vacation without me, but look at this babe you found to marry! Maybe I should go to France…”

Of course he was there the next day, loyal Gabe as always. I’d been having quite a time explaining some of the odd behaviors that Brigid and Lugh demonstrated, but Gabe wouldn’t be in town long.

“I guess I have that kind of effect on the women here.” I put my tongue in my cheek. Gabe shook his head and fussed with his suit and tie as we waited at the end of the lawn with the local vicar.

“Maybe I should, like, get a job here or something?” Gabe said aloud, and I smiled as I imagined him chasing countless Irish women. He’d probably extend his stay now.

Alistair walked out of the house and came to stand beside me. “Here are the rings.” He patted me on the back. “I want you to take these and be happy now, you hear me?”

I nodded and accepted a brief hug from him as I turned toward the house. We were all on the lookout for the bride that I hadn’t seen all day. Although I had objected to this delay, many things that I hadn’t believed in before, faeries and fairytales, did exist. It made sense that I should start giving some credence to old wives’ tales. Why tempt fate any further?

I wore a navy jacket and pants with a crisp white shirt that was open at the neck. There was little point in trying for a more tailored look; any look would have seemed contrived when I considered the beauty that I was marrying.

That’s when I saw her. I could tell from my peripheral vision that she walked with her mother. Yet I never once looked at Brigid.

Dressed in a simple sheath of ivory satin that came from a shop in Kerry, Calienta was the embodiment of everything lovely. Her hair was pulled up into a simple knot at the nape of her neck. At her throat my pendant sat at the base of her neck, glistening in the light of the slowly setting sun. She wore no other adornments, save for Gran’s engagement ring that I’d given her only yesterday.

She was a queen, walking calmly and proudly to meet me at the end of our makeshift aisle. And when I met her eyes, her smile could have lit up the sky. I was struck with the realization that she loved me. She really and truly loved me.

Here she was, leaving her family, risking everything for me. I promised her I’d never doubt her love, for she gave me the world.

As we began to say our vows in the lingering dusk overlooking the cove where we’d met, I took both of her hands in mine. And all of the missing pieces of my heart, the ones I’d been searching for my entire life, returned home.

EPILOGUE

A NEW ORDER

Dillion was absolutely certain that Arawn was either destroyed or at least weakened. He did not feel the bindings that tied him to Dei any more. He tentatively mounted a small pony and began to travel into the forest, searching for others.

It did not take him long to find that many of his folk had gathered together, having sensed the same sort of thing. Arawn and the Hounds of Hell were nowhere to be seen, their great hulking forms no longer hovering in the distance.

“Can it be true?” squeaked a grotesque looking faerie called Cana.

Dillion didn’t want to look at her. Some of the original Children of Danu had been punished for certain weaknesses with physical impairments. Cana, who was always so vain, now had one large eye in the center of her face. Others suffered similar transformations.

“We must consult the water to find out.” Dillion raised his small hands, slowly waving them over a tiny pond. In seconds, the pond’s surface turned to glass and a scene appeared before them. Dillion had brought the image to life, but he didn’t need to do any more.

Immediately the story of Arawn’s alignment with Cabhan played out before them, which included Lugh and his initial destruction. Some among them cheered at this, still furious at Lugh’s failure to save them. Dillion looked on, trying to hide his excitement as Kellen and Calienta successfully crossed the Upside-Down Ocean. They watched as Arawn was vanquished, many jumping up and down with elation. Finally, the mortal transformation of Cabhan took place before the scene ended.

The Trooping Faeries who’d tried to take down Kellen St. James shouted in their eagerness. “We are freed from this place. We can leave!”

Dillion started to protest. “The mortals. We cannot just go busting out of this place, and we cannot return to the heavens until my brother calls us back.”

“Who cares about the mortals anyway?” Far Darrig said with characteristic coldness. “The more mortals we come across, the more we can terrify.”

The situation was out of control and Dillion could do nothing to squelch the excitement of the crowd. “But he
could
come back,” he threatened.

“Hah. Let him,” replied Far Darrig as if issuing a challenge. “By then we will be gone.” And with that, the group began dispersing through mounds left and right to the mortal world above.

Dillion was left behind with a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. The second half of the prophecy was about to come true, and he didn’t know how to warn his brother.

***

Several thousand miles away, in upstate New York, Sarah Kelly was exhausted. The master was so particular about his meals, so precise. Everything was of the finest quality and the service had to appear as though it was from a gourmet restaurant. It was outrageous, especially with the master coming in at all hours and wanting a five-course meal for supper.
Better he eat out than do that to me.

Yet for fifteen years she’d been the St. James family cook and Master Stephen paid her well, so she kept his secrets. Where money left off, threats took over—enough so that Sarah would never leave.

Yawning, she snuggled down into her bed, thinking that she never wanted to wake up. Sleep had nearly claimed her when a crash shook the whole house. Instantly she was sitting up in her bed, heart pounding. Quietly, she snuck out of her room and knocked on the door to Beatrice’s room to the right.

“Did you hear that, Bea?” Sarah stood in the hall, speaking to the closed door. Bea hadn’t had a chance yet to answer it.

A moment later the door opened and Bea pulled her inside. “God, yes, but I’m not about to go see what it is, now am I?”

“What if someone’s been hurt?”

“And what if they have? What can we do about it? Now, back to bed before Master Stephen hears you and
you’re
the one who gets hurt.”

Sarah blanched but didn’t argue. In her bare feet, she silently padded back down the hall to her room and her bed, but couldn’t sleep. She had this intense feeling that something evil was in the house. Clutching her aged rosary beads to her chest, she said her prayers and held her eyes tightly closed.

Two floors above, after putting up a fight, Stephen St. James’s soul had been sent to the abyss. His body stood motionless as it accommodated the soul of a new master. Anyone running into him now would see him exactly as he’d always been…except for the blood-red eyes. He blinked once and then they turned dark brown. There, that was better.

Now he had only to take revenge on the one who had weakened him, his “son”, Kellen St. James.