Wings of Shadow (The Underground Trilogy) (8 page)

“Grandmother, how did you know about their long journey?” Avery asked.

She winked at him. “Ah, the flowers whispered the news to me. ‘Tis amazing what they can tell if one takes the time to listen. Come along then. ‘Tis time for tea.” Selena ambled down the cobblestone lane.

They crossed a stone bridge over a babbling brook. Wildflowers grew throughout the village, and grass the color of emeralds covered each tidy yard. Faeries peeked out of the cottages, and Meghan caught glimpses of all shapes and colors of wings.

The air seemed to crackle with impossibilities—faeries, whispering flowers, magic. She had left the Underground this morning, wanting nothing more than normalcy, but had been gifted with a garden of enchantments.

Selena’s cottage lay on the outskirts of the village and was surrounded by gardens. Patches of herbs were interwoven with brightly colored flowers, fruits, and vegetables.

“Lovely, is it not? We will explore later, but for now, come inside.” Selena opened the cottage door.

Meghan had to duck her head to walk through the doorway. Inside the homey cottage, bunches of sweet-smelling herbs hung from the wooden rafters, while lavender and other fragrant flowers were woven into the thatch of the ceiling.

Gesturing to a round table, Selena indicated the trio should sit. The wooden tabletop was carved with intricate designs and symbols. The knots and swirls seemed familiar, and Meghan struggled to recall where she had seen them. Selena crouched over a small hearth, kindling the fire and preparing the tea. She returned to the table with a steaming clay teakettle and a plate of scones.

Wish snatched one. “Lavender scones, my favorite!” After biting into one, he sighed. “Selena, I wish you were my faerie grandmother.”

Meghan nibbled on the edge of her scone, then took a bigger bite. The flaky pastry, speckled with purple flecks, tasted of mint and rosemary with a flowery overtone. Sipping the fragrant tea, she began to relax. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to be a bother to any of you.”

“Nonsense, child! Alannah has strong beliefs, but she has yet to learn the willow that sways in the wind is less likely to crack.”

Avery frowned. “What do you think will happen at the Council meeting, Grandmother?”

“I do not know. Every story deserves its chance to be told, though.” Looking at Meghan, she continued, “And if the Council deems that you may remain within Solas, you are welcome to stay with me, if you can tolerate my humble abode.”

“I think your home is wonderful.” Besides, she had absolutely nowhere else to go.

*

After a short rest, Meghan gazed out the small window of the cottage. As the sun lowered to the horizon, the village was lit with various shades of pink. Somewhere in the distance, she heard the gentle tinkling of chimes.

Selena stood. “The Council meeting is beginning. Hurry, dears!”

“Should I come?” Meghan asked.

Avery nodded. “It is your story, after all. Who else will be able to tell it?”

He moved to help Meghan from her seat, but paused before his hand reached her arm. After a moment of awkward silence, he gestured for her to stand. She could see that touching humans made him very uncomfortable.

She held out her hand to Wish, but he shook his head. “I wouldn’t be welcome. I feel rather lucky they allow me in the village at all, since I spend so much time with the crowd from the Underground.”

She forced herself to leave the cozy cottage. Selena had departed, and Meghan was left in Avery’s company. He seemed quiet and distracted.

“You’re worried.”

Avery nodded. “I am usually obedient. This is the first time that I have defied one of the village laws. I have no idea what the consequence will be.”

Meghan began to worry, too. If she were asked to leave, what protection would she have from Lord Killian?

They approached a building larger than the other cottages. With the steeple, it almost resembled an old church. Avery pulled on the heavy wooden door, and it creaked open. Taking a deep breath, Meghan followed him over the threshold.

She observed a round table in the middle of a large stone room. Candles flickered from candelabras mounted on the walls. Additional pillar candles cast shadows on the Fae seated around the table.

Avery’s mother, in a high-backed wooden chair, addressed him. “Are you going to bow to your queen, my son?”

His mother was the queen? The queen of what? This village, or something larger?

Avery bowed deeply, facing his mother. She gestured for them to be seated.

Meghan sat in the chair Avery offered. Once settled, she tried to meet the curious gazes of the Fae.

Turning to the others, Alannah proclaimed, “As head of Solas, I announce the beginning of this emergency meeting of the Council. Let the welcoming begin.”

Selena spoke first. Before her lay tiny clay pots filled with herbs. Violets the same shade as her wings grew in a larger pot. “Welcome, Council. I am Selena, and I speak for the flowers, the trees, and all else that grows.”

The old man with long white hair spoke next. “Welcome, Council. I am Orin, and I speak for the Earth: the soil, the rocks, and the gems. A single gemstone glittered on a small bed of soil in front of him. Was it a diamond?

Meghan turned to the next speaker, but realized she had missed the first part. Focusing her attention, she heard, “… speak for the waters and the streams.” Turquoise wings glittering, the woman picked up a glass vase and swirled the liquid within.

A wild-looking man growled, his head and torso covered with furs. “I am Sirus. I speak for the animals of our land.” He tapped his chest, and a small mouse scampered out of his furs and nestled on the table in front of him.

Finally, Avery spoke. “Welcome, kind Fae. I am Avery, and I speak for our people.”

Meghan looked at him in surprise. She hadn’t realized he was actually a member of the Council. He had, indeed, taken a great risk in helping her.

Breaking the silence, Alannah’s voice was cold and controlled. “You were not thinking of your people when you broke the most important of the village laws! We are gathered to decide the consequences of my son’s treachery and the fate of his human.”

Chills ran through Meghan’s body. Wish had promised her the village was a safe place.

“What are your thoughts on this treasonous act?” Alannah made eye contact with each of the Council members.

“Bringing a human into Solas is a most serious charge. Maintaining the Divide is the most important of our laws.” Orin scowled at Avery. Whispers spread amongst the other Fae.

Selena stood and addressed the Council. “Before we decide consequences, I believe we need to hear the story of how Meghan entered our village boundaries. Please share your story, dear.”

Meghan forced herself to stand. Squeezing her hands together, she met the stares of the Council members. She began with the easy part, spending time abroad, as she wasn’t ready to talk about Kiernan.

The Fae stopped her and conversed amongst themselves. Meghan could hear them trying to define some of the more unusual words from her story: major, college, graduation. She hadn’t thought about how such ordinary words from her life could be so exotic in this fairyland.

When they gestured for her to continue, Meghan spoke more cautiously, as she was getting to the hard-to-talk-about part. “I met him on the airplane. He offered to show me around the city. I didn’t know he was a faerie; he just seemed like a normal guy. I… I trusted him, and he… he…” Meghan stopped, sniffling.

Avery took over the explanation. “It was Kiernan. The dark Fae that she spent time with was Kiernan.”

The room erupted with discussion. Even Queen Alannah seemed surprised by the revelation. The faeries talked too rapidly for Meghan to fully understand, but key phrases popped out.

“…tolerating an aeroplane with all that metal… how?”

“…first information we have obtained…”

Gradually, the voices quieted.

Avery continued, “Apparently the dark Fae have adapted to life in the city by completing a perplexing ritual. They are drinking the blood of humans.” He lifted Meghan’s hair to show the scab running across her neck.

Selena gasped, and tears filled her eyes. “Is this true?”

Meghan nodded. She then told the Fae about her excursion to the Underground, how Lord Killian had held her captive, and the manner in which she had escaped. She skirted around Wish’s impairment, not sure how the Fae would react.

Avery looked at her with compassion. “Meghan is in significant danger. Wish reports that Lord Killian will stop at nothing to find her.”

Alannah nodded. “That certainly does sound like your father. He never knew when to surrender.”

“Wish was told to bring her to the village. This may be the only place where she can remain safe.”

“The treaty,” Sirus said. “Killian shan’t break his own treaty.”

Selena’s brow wrinkled. “Avery, you have implied that Wish acted on the instructions of someone. Who?”

“Kiernan requested that she be brought here.”

“Thank the stars that light up the night. The boy is not yet lost to the Dark.” Selena sighed, her eyes glittering.

*

An hour later, the Council continued to debate the issue.

Queen Alannah stood. “Despite the girl’s sad story, allowing her to stay would be breaking the foundational rule of this village: complete and total isolation. There can be no exceptions!”

The blue-winged woman rose. “It is hard to maintain such a steadfast rule. Water often escapes the boundaries set for it. This is also true for the boundaries set for our people. Look at this Wish. He has crossed between boundaries without our knowledge.”

Glaring at her son, Alannah said, “Which is something we will discuss later, Avery!” She turned back to the Council. “Do you not remember the last time a human crossed the boundaries? Do you not remember the repercussions that we have seen, that we are still seeing, even within this very discussion? The policy must remain.”

Orin nodded. “Very true, my queen. That last encounter had dire consequences.”

“Actually, Mr. Darwin was quite the polite and respectful guest,” Selena disagreed. “We cannot blame him because of what happened with Killian.”

“If the encounter had never happened, our people may never have divided,” Queen Alannah argued.

“Alannah, you have to admit our people were already divided. The encounter just provided both sides with kindling for their fires to grow,” Sirus chimed in.

Meghan struggled to stay alert. She rested her head on her hand, blinking to keep her eyes open.

Selena must have noticed. “Avery, please take Meghan back to my cottage. We will inform you when a decision has been made.”

“But I should have a vote,” he protested.

Queen Alannah shook her head. “Due to your role in this debacle, you have no say in how it is resolved. Your Council position is in jeopardy just as much as your home in this village.”

He sighed and stood. Before he could leave, Sirus’s voice rang out, “One thing I forgot to ask, lad. Why did you get involved in this mess?”

“It was the right thing to do.” With that, Avery left the Council chambers.

Meghan followed him. Laying her hand on his shoulder, she whispered, “I’m so sorry I caused all this trouble.”

“I would make the same decision all over again. Protecting you was the right choice.”

As they grew closer to Selena’s cottage, Meghan walked slower and slower. She dreaded sitting around and waiting for the Council’s verdict.

Avery appeared to have read her thoughts. Stopping in his tracks, he turned to her. “Come with me. I want to show you one of my favorite places.”

~ 8 ~

Avery led the way out of the village. The sky had darkened during the Council meeting. While the windows of the stone cottages flickered with the warm glow of candlelight, no beaming streetlights, luminous signs, or shining car headlights lit the streets. When they reached the edge of town, a looming blackness surrounded them on all sides.

Meghan trailed behind Avery. She couldn’t see a finger’s reach in front of her. The possibility of becoming lost made her stomach clench. What was she doing out there, in the dark, alone with a strange boy she just met? The last time she had put herself in such a situation, things had not ended well.

“I think we should head back,” she said.

“Why?”

Meghan hesitated, unsure of how much to tell him. “I don’t even know you. The last time I went into a dark place with somebody I didn’t know….” She flinched as the memory of Kiernan telling her to trust him came rushing back. Meghan tried to quiet her doubts and worries.

“Oh. I am so sorry. I was not thinking. We can return to Selena’s, but I want you to know, I will
never
hurt you.”

She believed him. Something inside her knew that he was sincere. And he had placed himself at risk by bringing her to the village. She had been hesitant about visiting the Underground, but being in the village with Avery felt right.