Wings of Shadow (The Underground Trilogy) (18 page)

Meghan realized the vibrant orange coloring had faded, and his wings looked a bit wilted.

“I really need to learn to bite my tongue,” she muttered.

Avery looked at her curiously. “Humans do say the strangest things.”

“I need to find Kiernan.” And she disappeared into the night.

*

Kiernan sat atop a large log, along the shore of a small creek. The moon’s reflection appeared distorted upon the water’s surface.

Meghan sat next to him, rubbing her hand along the rough bark. After a long pause, she turned to him. “I’m sorry. I was so ready to assume you were giving me a sarcastic answer, I couldn’t even hear the truth of your words.”

He nodded, seeming to acknowledge her apology.

“I always assumed the alternative wings were a choice, like the tattoos and piercings. Avery just explained.”

“Our wings die. Even the blood-sharing cannot preserve the wings. They are the true indicators of a toxic environment. But Father does not like reminders that the Underground lifestyle has flaws.” His jaw clenched and his face strained. “Part of our initiation ceremony is to sacrifice our wings, to have them cut off. All Fae go through this ceremony when they make the choice to live in the Underground.”

Meghan remembered how sensitive Avery’s wings had been to her touch. “Your wings were cut?”

“As soon as I was brought to the Underground. I cannot remember the village. I cannot remember my own mother. My first memory is of the pain of my wings being seared off.” He pulled his shirt over his head and threw it to the ground, revealing his back.

Meghan recoiled, trying not to gasp. Kiernan’s upper back was covered with two long, deep scars. The raised tissue was red and twisted angrily.

“Many of the Underground Fae wear artificials,” Kiernan explained. “They try to forget, and the other amenities—the parties, the alcohol, the blood drinking—help them to block it out. But I have never accepted substitutes.”

She realized he really had been honest when he shared his heart’s desire. Without thinking, Meghan ran her finger down the scar tissue, tracing to where the two jagged lines met. Kiernan turned until she was in his embrace.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

He stared at her, his vulnerability showing in the light blue of his eyes. “You don’t have to keep apologizing.”

“I meant that I’m sorry you suffered so much. No three-year-old should go through that.”

They remained still for a moment, Meghan within his embrace.

Kiernan’s eyes began to smolder. “I just remembered you owe me something.”

Meghan knew what her debt was, and she was suddenly eager to fulfill it. Despite her anticipation, she found herself hesitating. How was she always finding herself in the position of initiating the kiss?

Summoning her bravery, she brushed her lips against his. He grasped the back of her head and pulled her in for a deeper kiss, his warm lips dancing with hers. For a few moments, she was lost in Kiernan’s arms, consumed with his kisses and oblivious to all else in the world.

They lay on their backs in the lush grass. “So, if you could have anything in the world, you would choose wings?” she asked.

“I know it sounds frivolous, maybe even vain, but I want—”

“The choice?” Meghan guessed. “You want the ability to choose the lifestyle which is best for you.”

Kiernan studied the individual blades of grass. “It seems pointless to waste my wish on something that could never be.”

She shook her head. “It seems unlikely, but who knows what limits or what possibilities are out there? If somebody had mentioned I would be kissing faeries on my trip abroad, I would have said faeries don’t exist. Now, I imagine anything could be possible.”

Kiernan raised himself from the grass. “Kissing
faeries
? As in more than one faerie?”

Meghan blushed, hoping he wouldn’t notice her rosy face in the darkness of the night. “Wish and Avery are going to be wondering where we disappeared to. Are you ready to head back?”

Without waiting for an answer, she sprinted toward the light of the cottage.

~ 16 ~

Inside the cottage, Avery and Wish appeared to be in the middle of a serious discussion. As Meghan entered with Kiernan following, the two Fae paused their conversation.

“Perfect timing,” Avery said. “We were just discussing the best plan to bring Kiernan into the village undetected.”

Meghan was puzzled. “Why undetected? Can’t he just say—”

“That I ran away from home?” Kiernan scowled. “My
mother
apparently does not miss me and would not care that I returned.” He stomped to the far end of the room and stood before the fire.

“Kiernan, you must understand. Mother has survived by being careful to isolate her people. She is cautious, perhaps too cautious, but that is how the Fae of Light have remained undetected for so long.”

He spun around. “You defend her? I was three years old when I was taken! I was taken from everyone important to me—my mother, my brother. And I gave up everything to leave the Underground!”

Meghan had never seen Kiernan so furious. She took his hand. “Selena loves you. She’ll help you.”

“Who is Selena? Why would she help me when I don’t even know her?”

Avery approached. “Selena is our grandmother. I should have thought about seeking her support.” He mouthed thanks to Meghan.

“How are you so certain that she would side with me?” Kiernan asked.

Meghan grinned. “When I expressed my frustration with you, she defended you fiercely. I received an entire lecture on hydrangeas, types of soil, and why I should be more patient and understanding.”

All three Fae boys looked confused. Kiernan turned to his brother. “So, you will talk to Selena?”

“It will not be that simple. The village operates by consensus. The Council will need to meet and offer you sanctuary. All decisions need to be made by a majority. Six sit on the Council, and Meghan’s sanctuary resolution only had a one vote lead, but she...” Avery looked away.

“She was not a Dark Fae. I understand.” Kiernan sank onto the bench, lowering his head.

Meghan wanted to comfort him. He had left his home and his people to save her. “There has to be something we can do. When the Council hears how he protected me, well, wouldn’t that help?”

“It could,” answered Avery. “We need to sneak into Solas so we are all there to testify to the Council. The Samhain festival will occur in five nights. That will be the perfect opportunity to gain entrance to the village and access to Selena. After the bonfire ceremony, there is a masquerade ball. Everyone will be in costume, and it would be the perfect time to slip Kiernan over the boundary.”

Wish, who had been silent, smiled in agreement. “The Samhain festival is one of the few times in the year that outside faeries come into the village. The boundaries are more open on that night. And it means we will get to wear some fabulous costumes. I love masquerades!” He winked at Meghan.

Kiernan and Avery seemed satisfied with the plan. The night had grown long, and Meghan was ready to sleep again. She crawled into the bed, while Wish, Kiernan, and Avery arranged the bundles of moss bedding in front of the hearth. She fell asleep to the crackle of the fire, exhausted from the physical and emotional challenges the last few days had presented.

*

The days passed quickly. Avery spent hours helping Kiernan grow familiar with Solas and its inhabitants. He drew maps of the village layout, described the individual Fae who resided there, and detailed the bonfire ceremony. Meghan spent much of the time watching the two brothers, who appeared to grow closer during their strategizing.

“They seem to almost like each other,” Wish observed.

Meghan nodded. “I hope it continues. They need each other, though neither of them realizes that yet.”

Wish did not spend much time inside the cottage. He fluttered in and out throughout the days, consumed with his part of the plan which involved making the costumes for the masquerade. The cottage table had been converted into a crafting surface, filled with all sorts of wonders of nature. He had disappeared for one entire day, and returned carrying bolts of glossy silken fabric and rough plant-based fibers. The kettle simmered each afternoon with different berry and root concoctions until each piece of fabric had been dyed. Meghan attempted to help, but Wish was in his element and did not want to be disturbed. She was curious how the piles of feathers, leaves, and other treasures from nature would be transformed.

Everyone had an important role or task, except her. She had difficulty thinking of a way in which she could contribute to the plan. She tried to cook and keep the cottage tidy, but housekeeping wasn’t her favorite duty.

She began taking long strolls through the grassy hills and along the winding creeks. The countryside was amazingly beautiful. She walked along stretches of grass-covered knolls, and occasionally she would find herself meandering through old pasturelands. While she could spot small villages in the distance, she never encountered another person. Wish had ensured they would be safe, expanding his spell far into the countryside.

“Do you know what this reminds me of?”

Meghan jumped, startled out of her daydreams. She spotted Avery behind her. “You scared me! Next time, give me some warning.”

“I am sorry. I forget that you have endured so many scares at my people’s hands.”

“Not your people,” Meghan began.

“They are all my people,” said Avery, shaking his head. “We should have never divided.”

“So, what does this remind you of?” she asked, remembering Avery’s original question.

“Our first picnic, of course.”

Meghan smiled at the memory. She couldn’t believe that only a week ago, she had been so carefree. She realized how little time she had spent alone with Avery since then. “I’ve missed you.”

“Oh, Meg, I have missed you, too.”

They reached an old wooden gate at the far end of the pasture. The lock mechanism appeared rusted and wouldn’t open, so Avery nimbly jumped over the gate. He assisted Meghan with the climb, holding her hand. As they continued walking, she noticed he hadn’t released his grip.

After a few quiet minutes, Avery turned to her. “I was not sure about your feelings for Kiernan, so I thought to give you some time.”

Meghan wasn’t sure of her own feelings for Kiernan, either. At times, she was drawn to him, especially when he revealed his vulnerable side. She definitely felt the passion between them, but that wasn’t enough on which to base a relationship. At times, she could see the obnoxious Kiernan who was so skilled at pushing away people.

“Avery, I don’t—”

“Meg, you don’t need to give me an answer right now. I am not even sure what I want your answer to be. Kiernan had everything taken from him: his mother, grandmother, Fae family—even me, his twin. It was wrong. We should have grown up together. I always wanted a brother, and that was taken from me.” He stepped closer to Meghan, eyes filling with tears. “They cut off his wings. I cannot imagine maiming a three-year old. He has had a rotten life. And I, due to the privilege of being born seven minutes later than him, have had everything.”

She wiped a tear from his cheek. “Avery, you were both victims.”

He shook his head. “I love him, Meg. I wish I could give back to Kiernan some of what he has lost. But his wings are gone forever. Gaining the trust of our people is going to be nearly impossible, and I cannot make up for any of these losses. But, I also cannot try to take the one thing he looks at with light in his eyes, and that is you.”

“So what you’re saying is—”

“What I am trying to say is that I want to put my personal feelings for you aside, so you have the opportunity to see if anything can develop with my brother.”

Meghan looked out over the rolling hills. That was what she loved about Avery. Kindness and love were such integral parts of his faerie spirit that he thought of everyone else first and never hesitated to sacrifice for them.

“Do not be sad, Meg. It is not as though we are saying goodbye.”

But Meghan wondered, feeling a worry deep inside her, that their goodbye might be happening. She opened up her arms to Avery, and as he moved into her embrace, she was surprised by how sorrowful she felt.

“Avery, I…” She couldn’t find the right words, so she just whispered, “You are a really, really good brother.”

They walked back to the cottage, hand in hand, neither wanting to spoil the moment with words. While her thoughts had been mainly on Kiernan the past week, she couldn’t help admire the goodness shining from Avery. She was even more confused about what she truly wanted.

*

When they entered the cottage, Wish bounced with excitement. “They are done! You must see them! Have a seat.” He gestured to the line of chairs in front of the fire.

Kiernan was already sitting, waiting for them. Meghan settled in the chair next to him.

“Did you lovebirds have a nice walk?”

Meghan blushed. “I had a very pleasant walk. And that’s all it was—a walk.”