Wings of Shadow (The Underground Trilogy) Read online

  He pulled away.

  “Kiernan, what happened? There seemed to be more Fae in the Underground than in the entire village.”

  “One of the Fae, who was sicker than the rest, did something desperate. And it increased his tolerance to the toxins. He wasn’t sick any longer.” Kiernan looked away.

  “The desperate act was drinking blood, wasn’t it?”

  He paused for a long time before answering. “By drinking from a human, this Fae gained the human’s tolerance to metals and chemicals. You can imagine my father’s reaction. It transformed his experiment and soon became the norm amongst all in the Underground.”

  “How often do you need to...” She couldn’t bring herself to finish the question.

  “I grew up drinking a nightly glass of blood with my dinner. Any less, and the toxins began to affect me.”

  She put her hand to her mouth. “Even as a boy?” Her stomach turned as she thought about Kiernan as a child with a sippy cup full of blood.

  He nodded, not meeting her eyes. “Nightly drinks were not convenient as the number of Fae increased. Father began to experiment. He found that when a human was drained—when one Fae took in all of a person’s blood—daily drinks were no longer needed.”

  “Kiernan, when you say drained…?” Meghan hesitated. “They are killing for the immunity?”

  Continuing to avoid her gaze, he nodded. “Just once,” he whispered. “Once gives lifelong immunity. It has become our coming-of-age ritual. Father says it is our evolutionary adaptation. We must sacrifice others so we do not lose an entire species.”

  The bitter taste of bile rose in her mouth. Meghan had allowed herself to hope, to dream, of things with Kiernan that could never be. She shuddered as she remembered how close she had come to being drained. Tears filled her eyes, and she felt the desperate need to flee the wretched clearing. She scrambled off the ancient stump. “I’m sorry. I just can’t. I need to go.” She fled into the forest, toward the village.

  She heard Kiernan’s voice echo through the forest as she ran, pleading with her to wait.

  *

  Meghan tended the large patch of herbs and flowers, trying to forget last night’s rendezvous. During the weeks she had lived in the village, she had learned much about the plants growing around her. She was surprised how many plants’ names and purposes she already knew. The smell of peppermint and lavender wafted on a gentle breeze. The aroma became more pungent as she harvested some of each, peppermint for clarity and lavender for calming.

  What would her mother say if she knew how Meghan had spent the last month? She had been allowed to take the trip abroad in preparation for college, but by the time she returned to the States, she would be prepared to be… a gardener? Meghan sobered at the thought of returning to her previous life. Now that she knew so much magic was in the world, how could she exist without it?

  Selena approached. “I would give a seedling for your thoughts, my dear. You have worn more expressions today than there are flowers in this garden.”

  Meghan jumped, her daydreams disappearing. “I’m so sorry. I am distracted today. I’ll try harder to focus on my work.”

  Selena shook her head. “The quality of your work has been admirable, my dear. I would think you were half-Fae for how quickly you have learned. No, I was worried about you.”

  Not knowing how to respond, Meghan continued weeding a small area of chamomile. Strands of spearmint spread their tendrils into the chamomile patch, warrior plants fighting to take over as much space as they could. She thought about her dilemma. She needed to talk, and Selena was so empathic.

  “If I shared something in confidence, would you be able to keep it private, without… without…” Meghan faltered.

  “Without sharing your bouquet of knowledge with the queen?” Selena inquired.

  Meghan nodded.

  Selena bent down and murmured, “If anyone could imagine the secrets these flowers hold. Look around, dear. These old ears have heard more secrets than all of the colors found within my gardens. And the wonderful thing about flowers is they can listen endlessly, but have no mouths to share. If you need to talk, I am here.”

  “I… I saw Kiernan last night. And it has left me so confused.” She glanced at Selena, feeling her cheeks pinken with the admission of her deception.

  “You needed answers.” The old herbalist observed.

  Meghan was surprised. Selena was more astute than she had realized. “I’ve spent the last month wondering why Kiernan deceived and hurt me. I needed the truth. It was worth the risk of seeing him.”

  “And, did you get the answers you sought?”

  “No! I’m more confused than ever. It’s clear that Lord Killian is dangerous. But Kiernan…” She pulled out weeds with vigor, and the loamy earth sprinkled around her. “After seeing him again, I don’t know what to believe.”

  Selena dusted soil from Meghan’s cheek. “You have not yet spent enough time in nature to have learned some of the simple truths.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Why, even the feared black widow, with its venomous bite, spends the majority of its time eating the mosquitoes and flies that bother us and spread disease. Poison ivy tortures many by spreading its unrelenting itch, but also provides food and shelter for our bird friends.”

  Meghan thought about the wise woman’s words. “You’re saying that nothing is purely good, and nothing is completely bad.”

  “Yes, yes,” the elder agreed. “Kiernan’s story, like most, is complicated.” Walking to the end of the garden, Selena pointed to a large bush. “Look at this hydrangea. Do you see how its flowers are shades of blue? And on the far side of the garden, can you spot the hydrangea that flowers pink? Both grew from the same plant. Why are the flowers different colors?”

  Meghan faltered. She had increased her botanical knowledge, but that was an Advanced Placement question. “I have no idea. The flowers should look the same.”

  “That is what one would think. The answer is simpler than it seems. The soil across this garden varies, with this blue plant obtaining very different nutrients than the pink one. They are the same, but the soil in which they grow has altered each of them.”

  “Cailleach feasa.” Meghan used the honorary expression meaning “wise woman.” “Are you saying that Kiernan was influenced by his father?”

  “Do you know what the name Kiernan means?” Without waiting for an answer, Selena explained, “Kiernan has two meanings: ‘Little Dark One’ and ‘Son of a Lord.’ As Killian’s firstborn, Kiernan was groomed from birth to rule the empire of the Dark Fae.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “In your world, I believe it is quite common to have babies. But among the Fae, it is unusual. We live much longer lives than humans and strive to live in harmony with the land. In the past, we were cautious about overpopulation.”

  Meghan remembered what Kiernan had told her. “And now, pollution and toxins have decreased the birthrate?”

  “You are correct. In the span of one hundred years, only one to two Fae are typically born. A birthing is a time of great joy and much celebration. The Fae parents are honored, and they dedicate themselves to the task of parenting during the early years of the babe’s life. Alannah and Killian were doubly blessed with twins.”

  “Is that unusual?” Meghan put down her gardening tools, captivated by Selena’s tale.

  “Very much so, but it made no difference. They both put their ambitions and ideologies before parenting. Rather than reveling in the wonder of the birthing, they were staking claims and creating sides before the twins were even out of the womb.”

  Looking disgusted, Selena walked to the exit of the garden. Pausing, she muttered, “Be careful about being too harsh toward Kiernan. The poor babe ne’er even had a chance to be exposed to the Light.”

  The Sky Tree

  ~ 11 ~

  Meghan finished her weeding and gathered her tools. Two weeks had passed since her conversation with Selena, but
her questions remained unanswered. Lost in her thoughts, she nearly collided with Avery.

  “Just the pretty human I was hoping to bump into!” He held a large woven basket and carried a woolen blanket. “Come with me. I have a surprise planned.”

  His enthusiasm convinced her. She deposited her gardening tools in the potting shed and decided to leave her questions about Kiernan behind, as well. An evening of fun was exactly what she needed tonight, and time with Avery was always enjoyable. She was amazed at how often he seemed to anticipate what she needed.

  “Do I have time to change? I’ve been gardening all day. Not only am I covered with soil, but there’s probably an earthworm or two hiding in my hair.”

  “If you would like. I must forewarn you, though, that you may get dirty again.”

  Meghan rushed inside to pull off her soiled clothing. While washing, she thought about how simple and uncomplicated her time with Avery had been. With no conflict or demands, she was able to fully relax and enjoy herself. She pulled on a light summer dress and leggings, then ran out the door.

  Avery gave her a long, appreciative glance, and tossed the blanket to her. “You are hereby dubbed Keeper of the Blanket, a most important task on our current quest.”

  Meghan tucked the blanket under her arm. “And what, kind sir, is our quest?” she quipped, playing along with Avery’s light-hearted bantering.

  “Ahh,” Avery said. “You know what they say about curiosity!”

  Meghan thought for a moment. “It killed the cat?”

  Avery stopped in his tracks, appearing completely befuddled. “Did you hit your head on that branch back there? Who killed the cat, and why are we talking about such macabre topics on this beautiful trek through the forest?”

  “Curiosity killed the cat, and we’re talking about it because you asked me.” Meghan shook her head. The Fae could sometimes be difficult to understand.

  Avery thought for a moment. “Is this the human saying about curiosity? Interesting! It is almost as though they are discouraging curiosity.”

  “Human saying?”

  “We have a very different saying. ‘Curiosity is found on the wings of a faerie.’” Avery went on to explain. “Curiosity is thought to be a natural trait among the Fae, leading to knowledge of the world around us.”

  Meghan grinned. “Does that mean you will finally answer my question? Seeing as how the Fae have such an appreciation for curiosity?”

  Avery smiled, his dimple showing. “Should I give clues as we go along?”

  “I love guessing games!”

  The beauty of the forest astounded Meghan. Old-growth trees loomed high, and beams of sunlight streamed down through the canopy.

  As they approached a small stream, Avery took her hand to help her across the old log which served as a bridge for the tiny waterway. When they reached the opposite bank, he glanced at her, blushed, and continued to hold her hand. She did not mind. The feeling of his warm hand was nice. She was amazed how soft Avery’s hand felt, given that he spent each day completing a multitude of physical tasks in the village. And she was quite intrigued with the realization that faeries can actually blush.

  “First clue,” he announced. “A tisket, a tasket, I have a…”

  “Basket? Your basket is the first clue?” Suddenly, their excursion made sense. “Wait, is that a picnic basket? Are we going on a picnic?” She bounced up and down in anticipation. “I love picnics, but I haven’t been on one since I was a little girl.”

  “No fair! You are much too good at guessing. I had four more clues that were supposed to last the rest of the hike.” Avery pretended to pout.

  They completed the hike, laughing and talking the entire way, and arrived at one of the most unusual trees she had ever seen. Even with her increasing botanical knowledge, she was not able to identify the species. The towering tree was majestic, but also had odd limbs jutting out in the most unexpected places. It almost resembled a living, growing staircase into the sky.

  “The Speir Crann.” His voice grew solemn. “This is a very special tree amongst the Fae.”

  Meghan could feel the power of the tree. She wondered if picnicking amongst the gigantic roots of the tree would be considered irreverent.

  Avery seemed to understand her thoughts before she even found the words to express them. She liked that about him. “We will not be the first to spend an evening dining at the Sky Tree. As I said before, this a special place for the Fae, a place to seek privacy and convene with nature and… one another.” Avery’s voice dropped as he murmured the last few words.

  Reassured, Meghan spread the blanket on the mossy forest floor, and reached for the basket. Avery teased her by moving it out of her way.

  “Eager?” he inquired, with a playful look.

  “I am! This is my first real faerie picnic. When I was a little girl, I would have elaborate tea parties and picnics with all of the imaginary faeries living in my backyard.”

  Avery appeared intrigued. “Really? I would invite a handful of imaginary human friends to my picnics when I was a faeling. Humans fascinated me as much as faeries must intrigue human children.”

  Avery began to unpack the basket. He had put together an elaborate picnic, and Meghan was surprised to see many of her favorites were present. She realized that underneath Avery’s front of mirth and jokes, he was very observant and thoughtful.

  “For you, my lady,” he said gallantly, handing her a wooden plate and a goblet of elderberry juice. Meghan glanced at the many choices and filled her plate with fresh berries, cashew loaf, and quinoa salad. She nibbled at her food while gazing at Avery.

  “Humans? Was that a real story?” Meghan was never sure when the joking Avery ended and his more serious counterpart appeared.

  He grinned. “It is true! You have to remember that the Fae do not, uh…, procreate very often, which means there is often only a sole faeling in the village. The stories of groups of human children playing together and attending school together were very captivating.”

  “How old were you when your father removed Kiernan from the village?”

  Avery’s face fell. “It was the day of our third birthday. I was too young to even remember him. Sometimes, I imagine… never mind, it could never happen.” His frown disappeared as he jumped to his feet. “Are you done?” he asked. “I would like to show you something.”

  Meghan took his waiting hand, and he pulled her toward the majestic tree.

  “Why do they call this the Sky Tree?” she asked.

  Avery grinned, brown curls bouncing in response to his quick movements. “You are soon going to find out. The picnic was only the first surprise of the evening.” He pulled himself up to the first branch of the tree. Taking her hand, he helped her onto the branch.

  “Ready?” He skipped from limb to limb, climbing higher and higher. Like a little boy, he merrily made his way toward the top of the tree.

  Meghan carefully stepped from one branch to another. Each was a leg span away from the next, and the limbs wove their way up the tree, taking her higher and higher. The tree appeared to be perfectly constructed, as though it were designed by the finest architect, yet nature had created this autonomously. Selena was right, she mused. Nature had a way of continuously amazing, when people bothered to pay attention to it. Meghan recalled growing up in the suburbs of Portland and how oblivious she had been to nature. In some ways, she had learned more about the world in the month she had been in England than in the four years she had spent completing high school. That thought was reaffirming for Meghan, and for the first time, she felt confident about her decision to travel before beginning college.

  “Need help?” Avery’s head emerged from a cluster of leaves. “Sorry, I forgot to be a proper host. The strong magic here always fills me with exuberance.” He held out his hand.

  She ignored his hand and continued to climb. “I’m perfectly capable of climbing this tree myself.”

  He looked down bashfully. “I know you are. I was jus
t hoping to have a reason to hold your hand again.”

  With those words, he bounded into the leaves, disappearing from view. She felt relieved that Avery had taken off, for she wasn’t sure how she would have responded to his disclosure. And, she was happy he was too far up the tree to see how flushed she had become.

  As Meghan climbed through the higher branches, she was surprised to see they remained as sturdy and accessible as the lower limbs. It truly was a staircase into the sky. She stepped onto the final curving branches, and pulled a curtain of lichen aside to pass into the highest part of the tree. She gasped. The scene before her was like nothing she had experienced before. The trunk of the tree flattened into a smooth wide floor with branches surrounding it, like spokes on a bicycle wheel. Atop the floor, large hand-woven cushions were spread about. Avery sat upon one of the cushions, watching her reaction.

  “Oh, Avery,” she exclaimed. “It’s a giant living tree house! How is this even possible?”

  A smile spread across Avery’s face. “I knew you would love it! Much of our magic comes from having a symbiotic relationship with nature. By tending to the plants and animals around us, and adding a bit of our magic, we help living things thrive. In return, they share some of their magic with us. On very rare occasions, the pool of magic overflows. Wondrous things can happen when it does. The Sky Tree is an example of this intense magic.”

  As Meghan looked over the forest, she realized she was at an excellent vantage point. The forest spanned as far as she could see in one direction. Turning around, she could spot Solas in the distance. Behind the village, the rolling, grassy hills and knolls of the English countryside could be seen.

  “What a fantastic view,” Meghan said appreciatively.

  The sun was beginning to set, filling the forest with shades of gold, amber, and coral. Avery’s long wings blended with the sunset, wispy feathers the same hues as the sinking sun. They were beautiful in that light.

  Without thinking, Meghan reached out and stroked one wing. The downy soft feathers caressed her fingers. Avery stared intently at her, and a soft humming noise seemed to rise from his throat.