The Stolen: An American Faerie Tale (15 page)

 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

C
aitlin showered quickly. As she put on her dirty clothes, she pushed every thought and emotion down deep, until the only thing left was numbness and a focus on the task before her. This was how it had to be. She wondered if this was how soldiers felt before a battle. A “violent and bloody event” is what Brendan had said. She worried that Fiona might get hurt, or see some terrible things. But Caitlin also felt a twinge of excitement at visiting some of the pain back on those who'd taken her little girl. Violence and blood sounded about right.

All the doors in the hallway were open, and she heard faint voices from downstairs. She descended to the large eat-­in kitchen, where the three men were sitting at a table, picking at food.

“You should eat.” Dante offered her a plate.

She hesitated.

“You can eat quickly, but you need to eat,” he said.

She accepted the plate of red grapes, neatly cut chunks of cantaloupe, slices of apple, and perfect squares of cheese, even though she wasn't sure she'd be able to keep anything down.

“Hope you like fruit and the like.” Brendan drank from a mug. “Damn fae are all vegetarians.”

“There's the stove.” Dante popped a grape into his mouth. “There's nothing stopping you from cooking up some kind of dead animal.”

“I'm enjoying my tea, thank you very much.” Brendan glowered and sipped from his mug.

After a few bites, Caitlin realized how hungry she'd been. Like sleep though, eating didn't seem right under the circumstances. The sense of dread hung so thick in the air she could almost taste it; it was a bitterness that spoiled the taste of the food, but she ate anyway.

Brendan and Edward were as dour as she was, and it seemed that they somehow comforted each other in that silence.

Dante, on the other hand, acted as if it was just another day. He always seemed to be smiling when Caitlin looked at him. She did a double take when she saw him pop a handful of small, colorful candies into his mouth and chew with an almost euphoric smile.

“Are you eating M&M'S?”

Dante's smile vanished as he stopped chewing. “Maybe,” he said with his mouth full.

“For some reason, he and his fellows got a weakness for the damn things,” Brendan said without looking up.

“It's not a weakness,” Dante said.

“Aye, whatever you say, then,” Brendan said.

“Well, maybe, but just the peanut butter ones.” Dante held a handful out to Caitlin. “Would you like some?”

“No, thanks.” She turned to Brendan. “So what's the plan? What do we do first?”

“First, you get some food in you,” Brendan said. “Then we get you some fresh clothes and proper shoes.”

“Okay.” Caitlin quickly ate the last of her food, then stood. She reached for her plate, but Dante grabbed it from her.

“I'll get this.”

“All right, then.” Brendan slid his mug away and stood as well. “Let's get moving, then.”

Caitlin glanced at Eddy, who was staring at Brendan with a hard, almost resentful look she'd never seen before. After a moment, Eddy turned to her and smiled, but she could tell it was forced. She fought back the sense of doom that hung over her like the sword of Damocles, dismissing the feeling as nerves.

Brendan picked up his bag and the four of them walked together towards the door. When they reached it, Edward muttered and began to pass his hand over the knob. Everything slowed down as Edward's hand finished its pass.

Brendan and Dante traded a glance before Brendan leapt at Caitlin and pinned her to the wall.

The door exploded inward.

The concussive force of the blast shook her entire body, all the way to her insides, even through Brendan's body.

A wave of intense heat rolled over her face as everything went white. For what felt like an eternity, the only sound Caitlin could hear was her own pounding heart and a faint ringing in her ears. As the droning faded, another sound took its place. Growing in volume, she could hear splinters raining to the floor.

“Bloody hell.” Brendan winced. “Dante, you and Edward still whole?”

“Look to be,” Dante said from the floor, where he'd tackled Edward. “You know what this means, right?”

“Aye,” Brendan said. “Not much room for misunderstanding in that message, is there?”

“What's it mean?” Caitlin asked.

“It's a bleeding civil war.” Brendan lowered his voice. “You're all right, love? Everything still attached as it should be?”

Caitlin nodded and swallowed. “If it's okay, I'm just going to start banking my thank-­yous. I get the feeling it could delay things if I stop to keep saying them.”

“Sense of humor intact as well, aye?” Brendan said. “Don't move. I'm going to check it out and make sure there's no one waiting to take another shot.” He angled his head to look out the open space previously occupied by the door.

“No! Brendan, wait!” Edward shouted from the floor.

“Wha—­”

A boom shook the room and knocked Brendan to the floor, even sliding him back a dozen feet. A bolt of red lightning jumped from a small ball of crimson light floating just outside the doorway. It struck the floor between Brendan's legs and left a black mark in the wood.

Brendan lifted his head. He looked at the scorch mark, and his eyes went wide. “
Dar fia,
that was a bit close.” He scooted back some more and took a moment before getting to his feet. “Right, never mind, then.”

Dante helped Edward to his feet. “It's the wizard,” Edward said.

“How do you know?” Dante asked.

“I've read about those, but I've never actually seen one before now. I think it was a thread bomb. They're traps tied to wards and set to go off when the wards drop.” He looked at Brendan, then Caitlin. “You two okay?”

“Aye,” Brendan said. “Knocked me arse over teakettle and nearly changed me religion, but I'm none the worse for it.”

Caitlin saw the subtle wince of pain as Brendan moved.

“Caitlin?” Edward asked.

“I'm okay,” she said. “Brendan got me out of the way for the first hit, and I think he blocked the second one with his body.”

“No offense, but it weren't intentional,” Brendan said. “Dante, you still with us?”

“I am.” Dante rubbed his head. “All fingers and toes accounted for.”

“So,” Brendan said, turning to Edward, “any more surprises I should know about before I go looking about outside?”

“Maybe,” Edward said and shrugged. “But I'm pretty sure that last shot was the spell exhausting itself.”

“You two wait here, then,” Brendan said to Caitlin and Edward. “Dante, keep an eye on them.”

“No,” Edward said. “I'll go with you. I can watch your back. If someone's out there and takes a shot at you, I might be able to get them first.”

Brendan looked at Dante, who shrugged. “All right,” Brendan said, “but keep your wits about you.”

After they disappeared through the doorway, Caitlin looked at Dante. He leaned against the wall. His smile was gone now.

Once again, an oppressive silence fell on the room.

After a long while, Caitlin felt a surge of relief as Brendan and Edward came back inside. Their faces were grim.

“Well?” Dante asked.

“Got good news and bad news,” Brendan said. “Good news is, whoever set the trap is long gone. Bad news is, so are the marshals.”

“Is the car still here?” Dante asked. The look on his face said he knew the answer, so he didn't react much when Brendan nodded.

Edward winced and shook his head. “This is my fault.”

“What?” Caitlin asked.

“The wizard must've tracked me down when I summoned Justin.”

“It ain't your fault,” Brendan said. “The oíche are making a play for the leadership of the Rogue Court.”

“And they're using a wizard to help them do it,” Dante said, then cursed under his breath.

“Wait, what are you talking about?” Caitlin asked.

“You might as well tell her,” Brendan said.

“Tell me what?” Caitlin's hands tightened into fists.

“We don't know anything for sure,” Dante said.

“Really?” Brendan pointed to the gaping hole. “You see some ambiguity in this, then, do you?”

“Tell me what?” Caitlin repeated, but her voice had gone flat and even.

“We think the oíche might have taken Fiona,” Dante said, “as payment to a wizard for his help in their attempt to grab control of the Rogue Court.”

Caitlin swallowed a mouthful of fire and rage. After a moment she asked the most obvious question. “Why would a wizard want Fiona?”

“That's not something to be thinking about just now,” Brendan said. “Thoughts like that won't do no good. We're still going after her, and we're still bringing her home.”

“Why would they bring her to Tír na nÓg then?” Edward asked.

“They probably figured it was a way to keep her out of reach until they made the exchange,” Dante said.

Caitlin shook with the anger that roiled inside her as she fought the nightmarish images of what the wizard might have in mind for a little girl.

“Caitlin?” Brendan took her by the shoulder. “I'm sorry we didn't tell you, but nothing's changed. You can't let yourself be getting carried away with thoughts like you're thinking. If you're still coming with me, then you need to keep focused on that. If your mind is wandering, you'll be no use to me.”

“But—­”

“But nothing. We're going to get her back before anything happens, yeah?”

Caitlin nodded and fought hard to push the images from her mind.

“What's to keep them from crossing back here with her once they find out you've gone after them?” Edward asked.

“He's got a point,” Dante said. “I should see if I can find the wizard. Block the back door, so to speak.”

“Whoever this wizard is,” Edward said, swallowing, “he's tracking me. I might be able to lure him away. Maybe even help Dante find him and take him out.”

“That's a good plan.” Dante nodded. “If we can remove him from the equation, the oíche will lose their advantage. Moreover, if they do cross back, they'll be headed to the wizard's location themselves. Not only will this make sure they don't slip away, it might even help by distracting them.”

“It's settled then, yeah?” Brendan turned to Caitlin. “We'll get to her. Nothing is going to happen to her, all right?”

Caitlin stared hard at Brendan. After a brief moment, she managed a single nod.

“I mean it. I need you here and now. I know what I'm asking of you, but you have to put all that aside. She needs you to.” He leaned in close and looked into her eyes. “You understand?”

Caitlin sucked in a breath. “You should've told me sooner.”

“Aye, we should've at that.”

“That was my fault,” Dante said. “I'm sorry. We had only suspicions, and I didn't want to scare you unnecessarily. We'll get her back before anything happens. I'll bring in every resource at my disposal.”

“Are you with me, then?” Brendan asked her. “Are you here?”

She steeled her resolve. “I'm here. Nothing's going to happen to her.”

Brendan turned to Dante, and they spoke to each other in what sounded like Irish.

Caitlin threw her arms around Edward, hugging him tight. The earlier drama was shattered with the door and lay lost in the debris.

“I'm sorry,” he said into her ear. “I know the last thing you need—­”

“Shut up,” she said and squeezed him tighter. “You better be careful. If you get yourself killed, I'll never forgive you.”

“What could go wrong?” he asked. “You're going into the faerie world to get your daughter back. I'm going to take on a wizard and prevent the overthrowing of a fae court. It's just another Saturday.”

Caitlin's laugh was mixed with a sob. “Did you just make a joke? A good one?”

“Don't tell anyone. It'll ruin my image.” Edward kissed her forehead, softly, then pulled back and looked at her. “Listen, you be careful, too. I look forward to seeing you come walking through the front hole of my house with Fiona in your arms.”

She chuckled, then squeezed him again. He returned the embrace.

“T
ake this,” Brendan whispered in Irish and held the leather box out to Dante.

Dante's eyes went wide. “Is that—­?”

“Aye, it is.” Brendan looked at Edward and Caitlin as they hugged, then back to Dante. “When the time is right, offer it to them. If they want it, it's theirs. If not, it's yours.”

Dante didn't speak; he just took the box.

“You've done right by me over the years,” Brendan said. “More than I for you, that's for sure. I'm sorry for that, but I need this one last thing.”

Dante nodded and slid the box into his pocket.

A
fter too short a time, Caitlin stepped back from Eddy, took a breath, and wiped some tears away. As she turned to the doorway, Brendan and Dante traded smiles, though they weren't joyful ones. Brendan took Dante's hand and drew him into a hug. Then he picked up his bag and turned to Caitlin and Edward.

“Godspeed,” Edward said and held out his hand to Brendan.

“Aye, and to you as well.” Brendan shook the offered hand and motioned to Dante with a nod. “Listen to him, he knows his business.” He let go of Edward's hand, then turned to Dante and said, “
Ádh mór, mo dheartháir
.”

Dante drew in a sharp breath.

“S
lán agat,
” Brendan said.

“
Slán go fóill,
” Dante said.

Brendan smiled, then walked out of the house.

Caitlin looked at Dante, but he motioned with his head for her to follow Brendan. She gave a last look to Edward. Fear was eating at her insides, but she just kept pushing it back as she turned away.