Wings of Shadow (The Underground Trilogy) Page 5

  Wish looked grave. “It isn’t my place to tell Kiernan’s tale, and he is so private, I wouldn’t even know where to begin. But be careful about assuming that Kiernan was the one responsible for your ordeal.”

  “He lured me to the Underground! Not responsible?” Disgusted, Meghan shook her head.

  “I have never seen Kiernan defy his father before,” Wish said quietly.

  She felt more confused than ever. She had just grown accustomed to the idea that Kiernan had horrific plans to hurt her. She couldn’t wrap her mind around the new information. He had secretly planned her rescue. What did it mean?

  Turning toward the window, Meghan watched as the train sped past grassy knolls and sheep-dotted pastures. Feeling overwhelmed, she closed her eyes and wished away her worries.

  *

  The squeal of the train brakes jolted Meghan from her nap. Rubbing her eyes, she noticed only a few passengers rising from their seats.

  “Perfect timing, sleepy-head!” Wish teased. “We depart here.”

  Running her fingers through her mussed locks, Meghan made her way toward the open door. As she stepped onto the platform, she read the weathered wooden sign hanging outside the desolate station: “Moreton-in-Marsh.”

  Slinging the backpack over his shoulder, Wish headed for the little town, and Meghan followed. She could see why many tourists came to this picture-perfect village, the kind she imagined from the England of long ago.

  They made their way over the uneven cobblestones. Houses rose on either side of the street, all constructed of honey-colored stones, and the road narrowed, barely wide enough for a single car. Their footsteps echoed as they walked; her stomach grumbled, echoing loudly, too.

  Wish spun around. “When is the last time you ate?”

  She thought. “Um, yesterday’s breakfast, I guess. Lord Killian offered me a meal when I… fell into his room, but it was hard to get much down.”

  “No wonder your stomach is growling. Wait here. I will find some food.” Wish ducked under a nearby doorway into a small pub.

  Meghan sat on a stone bench, trying to make sense of all that had happened. She couldn’t have predicted she would be held captive. She could forgive herself for that. But she couldn’t forget about her strong intuition to avoid entering the Underground in the first place. She had caved to Kiernan’s will, surrendering to his smile, blue eyes, and whispered encouragements. She couldn’t forgive herself for her weakness.

  She noticed miniature sand grains in the material of the bench, nestled against rounded pebbles and bundled together with larger chunks of stone. Prying at the bench with her thumbnail, Meghan could not free even one stone. The sedimentary rock was cemented together by the glue of time. Sort of like her feelings—betrayal, confusion, disappointment, and fear all melted together in a messy and emotional glob.

  She pried her attention away from her recent memories and observed her surroundings. The entire town was a snapshot of the past come to life. Yellowed stone houses and storefronts dotted the street. Late summer flowers bloomed in wooden boxes outside each window. Limestone tiles, which looked hand-cut, covered the roofs of the cottages. A single car crawled along the cobblestone street. Aside from the vehicle, she felt she had stepped one hundred years into the past.

  Wish reappeared with a steaming pastry in each hand. “Mushroom pasties,” he explained, passing one to Meghan.

  Biting into it, she was overwhelmed by the jumble of tastes: savory wild mushrooms, sweet onions, and the hint of herbs. “Yum! Good choice.”

  She devoured her food as they walked through the town in silence. As they reached the outskirts of the village, Wish guided her onto a narrow earthen path. The trail wound up and down grassy hills as far as she could see. Lines of squat stone fences intersected the land and crisscrossed with the path.

  “I hope you’re up for a little stroll.” He pointed to something in the distance, too far away to see. “We have to make our way to the next village.”

  “It feels like we’ve stepped back in time one hundred years.”

  “The English are fanatics about preserving old villages like this. If a stone falls out of your fence, it needs to be replaced with an identical stone from the same area.”

  “It’s beautiful, though.” And far from London. She watched a pair of sheep lounging near the path. “Where are we headed?”

  Wish hesitated. “A friend of mine lives in the area. He has agreed to give you a safe place to stay.”

  She stopped and turned to him. “What about you? Where are you going?”

  “I must return to London.” He paused when Meghan glared at him. “I need to be where the parties are. Little village towns are too quiet for me.”

  “Or maybe you need to hurry home to report to Kiernan,” she muttered.

  “Well, he has asked me to do just that.”

  Her stomach clenched again. Was she safe if Kiernan knew where she was staying? The need for answers tore at her, ripping away the little bit of peace the far-away countryside had provided.

  “Will Kiernan hurt me?”

  “I think you’re worrying about the wrong person.” Wish took her hands. “You’re safe now.” He tried to spin her around, but she broke away.

  “How can you know that? Why would I be safer here than in London?”

  He sighed. “The villages are beyond Lord Killian’s territory.”

  “Territory?”

  Wish didn’t answer. He seemed bored with serious conversation and took off, running and spinning down the hill. He waited for her at the bottom, picking daisies from the grassy slope and weaving them into a chain.

  While Meghan wanted to trust Wish, she was having difficulty trusting anyone. Approaching him, she wondered what he meant by that territory comment. She had wanted to go as far from London as possible, and this was far away. She felt safer and had stopped checking over her shoulder to see if anyone was following, but she was still uneasy.

  After walking up hillsides and down through countless sheep pastures, the path finally approached another town. The next village was even quainter than the last.

  “Stow-on-the-Wold,” Wish pointed. “And the villages off in the distance are the Slaughters.” Taking the lead, he turned away from the village and the path and headed toward a series of grassy knolls to the right.

  “More walking? I thought we were there.” She suppressed a groan.

  “We’re close. We can take a little rest at that first hillside.”

  “So, what do you do when you’re not rescuing girls from Underground dungeons?” She wiped off beads of sweat from her forehead. It was hot for September.

  Looking bashful, he whispered, “I secretly dream of becoming a famous designer.”

  Meghan shook her head at the idea of Wish, who seemed to wear as little clothing as possible, designing clothing for others.

  “What about you? Shouldn’t you be in school?” Wish was the first person who had asked her why she had come abroad.

  She kicked a rock, sending it skipping in front of her. “I’m procrastinating.” There, she had finally admitted it. “Really, I don’t have any idea what I want to do with my life. I’m supposed to start college next semester, but I don’t even know what I want to study.”

  “Ah, you are on a soul-searching quest!”

  Meghan couldn’t help but smile.

  They reached the hillside, and she flopped on the ground, exhausted. Throwing the backpack onto the grass, Wish pulled off the heavy black cape and sat next to her. Sweat droplets ran down his body, but his wings did not appear crushed. She again wondered why he continued to wear them so far from the nightclub.

  Whistling, Wish attracted a small yellow songbird. It hopped along the ground, closer and closer, then perched on his knee. After tying a small scroll to the bird’s leg, he held the tiny creature aloft and murmured to it. The bird took off, heading over the grassy knolls.

  Sitting up, Megan stared at Wish. “What was that? I have never seen a bird j
ust land on somebody like that. And what was with the note?”

  “Animals like me.” He seemed to minimize the odd incident. “I was letting my friend know we have arrived. There is no phone in his village.”

  “No phone? What kind of place are you taking me to?”

  Wish studied the grass. “Listen, Meghan, there are some things that you should know before Avery arrives. I heard you making comments about my wings, and you should know… they’re real.”

  Meghan laughed. “I’ve heard about people doing body modifications, implanting horns and wings. I never thought I’d meet somebody who actually had them.”

  “What I’m trying to say is that the wings are real, not implants. Remember when I said that you would be going to live amongst the faeries? Well, I am a—”

  “Faerie?” Uh-oh, she had thought the effects of the tea had fully disappeared. But here he was, spouting nonsense about faeries and dragons again.

  Someone appeared from behind the knoll. The boy was rather cute, with curly brown hair, on the longish side, and one of those faces that always seemed to be smiling. He wore simple clothing in earthen colors. The boy’s most striking feature, though, was a large pair of wings, which protruded through slits in the back of his tunic and rose high above his shoulders. The tangerine-colored wings had hints of brown woven into an elaborate pattern.

  “Did someone say faerie?” He grinned. “I am at your service. The name is Avery.”

  I Don’t Believe in Faeries!

  ~ 6 ~

  Avery grabbed Meghan’s hand, squeezed it, and enthusiastically moved it up and down, over and over again.

  He smiled. “How was that? Did I squeeze too hard or move too fast? I have always wanted to try the handshake.”

  Meghan sighed. Life was getting odder and odder: first being held captive by Kiernan and his father in their weird underground world, and then, guys her age pretending to be faeries. She had always thought of England as such a normal and conservative place.

  Wish moved toward Meghan as if he could tell what she was thinking. “I know it may be hard to believe, but—”

  “I don’t! I don’t believe in faeries!”

  Wish looked shocked and clasped his hand to his mouth. He whispered, “Somewhere out there, a faerie just died.” But a few seconds later, he dissolved into giggles. “I’m a huge movie fan.”

  Avery watched, looking terribly confused. He turned to Wish. “I thought she spent time with Kiernan. How does she not know?”

  “He didn’t share that little detail. It isn’t as noticeable with him because of, well, the wings.” Wish shrugged.

  Shaking his head, Avery continued, “But she went to my father’s city? She did not notice the differences amongst the Dark Fae?”

  “With that level of integration, it just isn’t that obvious. I mean, everyone was wearing their artificials, but…”

  They kept talking as though she weren’t there. Meghan finally interrupted. “Are you trying to tell me those blood-drinking freaks are really faeries?”

  “Blood drinking?” Avery stared at her. She had certainly grabbed his attention.

  Meghan nodded.

  “They are drinking blood? The blood of humans?” he asked in disbelief.

  Avery’s eyes fell on the still-healing cut that crossed her neck. “My father did this to you?” he whispered.

  She shook her head. “Kiernan cut and drank from me.” And with that raw memory, she began to sob.

  The ordeal and the betrayal she had experienced became too much. She sank to the grass, crying and gasping for breath. She had been able to contain her emotions, just barely, while escaping. But as soon as her feelings began to trickle out, the dam broke, flooding her with fear, anxiety, and confusion.

  Through her tears, she could see the winged boys whispering to each other. They both seemed fidgety and restless.

  Avery approached her. He put his hand on her back and awkwardly patted it. “In my entire life, I have never touched a human, but today, I have experienced this twice.” He continued to thump her back. “Am I patting hard enough?”

  With that, the sobs dissipated into giggles. The sheer ridiculousness of her situation made her laugh even harder. Meghan sniffled and hiccupped, wishing she had a tissue.

  Wish pulled a handkerchief from a slit in his hat, and passed it to her. The cloth was colorfully embroidered with words: purple Dreams, pink Loves, blue Hopes, and of course, green Wishes. She took it gratefully, giggling at its absurdity.

  After drying her face, Meghan looked up, embarrassed by her outburst.

  Avery crouched, and meeting her gaze, confided, “Meghan, I am going to do everything I can to ensure you are safe and protected. You will not be harmed where we are going.”

  “Where are we heading? Can’t you tell me?”

  Avery paused. After a moment, he leaned close and whispered, “Our village is known as Solas na Cruinne—Light of the Universe.”

  “Is it far from London?”

  “Even better—far from London and very hard to find.”

  Avery’s sincerity was evident. Meghan allowed the boys to help her stand, and the trio continued walking, heading away from the other villages.

  An hour passed, and they had traveled deep into the countryside. She hadn’t seen signs of inhabitation for a long time and felt certain they were traveling in the wrong direction. The need to turn around became overwhelming.

  “Guys, we’re lost. We need to turn around now, before the sun sets. I can’t believe that we’ve walked in the wrong direction this entire time.”

  Turning to Wish, Avery said, “It is good to see that it actually works. I had always wondered.”

  Meghan planted her feet firmly, refusing to take another step. “What works? We’re lost! This isn’t the right way!”

  Wish grinned. “There’s some faerie magic happening right now. Just keep walking.”

  “No! I want to go back!”

  Avery explained, “The Light Fae have created a powerful glamour around the village. It protects Solas from outsiders, so ramblers and tourists do not breach the boundaries.”

  Wish broke in to add, “It projects a powerful confusion spell, making all who come close certain they are lost and filling them with the need to move in a different direction.”

  Meghan believed them, but she couldn’t make herself take another step.

  Wish crouched in front of her. “I think it’s time for a piggy-back ride. I have always wanted to try this. Climb on!”

  Avery appeared intrigued by the idea. “Piggy-back? What an interesting title. Why would anyone want to ride upon the back of a pig?”

  Tired of battling the need to retreat, Meghan climbed onto Wish’s back. Before she knew what to expect, he began running toward a village barely visible in the distance. His feathery wings tickled her face, and she struggled to find a way to hold on while not crushing them.

  As they grew closer to the village, Wish allowed her to slide from his back. She was surprised to find she could move forward again.

  “That was magic?” she asked.

  Avery nodded. “It was interesting to see it in action. Inside the village, we have to trust the glamour holds, but we never witness its magic.”

  “And will it keep out Lord Killian as well?” Her sudden burst of hope died as Avery shook his head.

  “My father grew up in the village. He knows exactly where Solas is; however, he is unlikely to return, as that would breach the treaty.” Avery thought for a moment. “No, he will not break the treaty.”

  Meghan hesitated, but she needed to ask. “Kiernan is your brother?”

  “He is my brother, but we were separated at a very young age. I really know nothing about him.”

  The grass ended, and narrow cobblestone streets began. The tiny stone cottages of Solas had thatched roofs and appeared to have been hand-constructed in a past era. Not a person could be seen.

  Avery whispered, “The village’s second defense is to a
ppear uninhabited if someone does stumble into it. Hopefully, an intruder will think it is just another preserved village, like so many others in the Cotswolds.”

  He whistled sharply, and people began to emerge from the cottages. Meghan stared in astonishment. Each person was eye-catchingly beautiful. Most striking were the unique wings, each set with its own color, size, and shape. Together, they created a rainbow hue over the muted village shades.

  An older man approached. His white hair was long, flowing to his lower back. His tall wings were as white as freshly fallen snow. “Avery. What have you done? What have you done?”

  Mr. Darwin

  ~ 7 ~

  The white-haired elder’s jaw clenched, his frost-hued wings trembling.

  Avery patted the older Fae’s shoulder. “All will be right, Orin. There are reasons she is here.”

  “But… a human? What will your mother say?”

  Meghan groaned. She had to meet another parent?

  Before she had time to worry, a slender woman approached, her delicate features offset by her stern expression. “Indeed, what will I say?”

  “Mother.” Avery bowed. “I would like to introduce you to—”

  “Do you fully realize the gravity of your error? Bringing a human into our village? What were you thinking?” The woman glared at Avery.

  He lowered his head. “You will understand when you hear the circumstances.”

  “There are no circumstances that would allow for breaching our protection and allowing a human into Solas. Your misjudgment may have cost your throne, your people, and your home.”

  Avery flinched. “You would cast me out without even listening to my tale?”

  “The collective good of the people always comes before one’s personal feelings. Your training has covered this! There is no justification for placing the village at risk!” The woman’s voice rose as she spoke. The color of her face soon matched the crimson of her wings.

  A silver-haired Fae approached. She placed a weathered hand on the shoulder of Avery’s mother. “Alannah, I understand your concern. Perhaps this is a matter for the Council to decide?” While phrased as a question, the firmness of her tone clarified that no true question had been asked.