Finn screamed as another arrow cut through the air, narrowly missing her chest as Iseult spun her aside. Had An Fiach found them so soon? She caught brief glimpses of figures surrounding them, bows and weapons raised. She clung to Iseult’s arm around her waist, half wanting to fight against him to aid Bedelia, and half wanting to remain near him where she felt safe.
She whipped her head from side to side, trying to keep all of their attackers within sight. Their foe slowly closed in around them, revealing themselves to be not An Fiach, but the oddly armored riders they’d seen near the valley.
Their helmets were made of dull silver metal, curving upward artfully like symmetrical ocean waves away from delicate-boned faces. Their body armor was composed of plates of the same type of metal, with overlapping points like the scales of a spined lizard. One stepped forward from the rest, his narrow eyes intent on Finn. He lifted his odd helmet from his head, revealing large, pointed ears, and black hair like spider silk. His skin was as pale and smooth as a freshly made snowbank.
He knelt and bowed his head, obscuring his face with his silken hair. “Forgive me. I did not realize we were attacking one of the Dair until it was too late.”
Finn pulled away from Iseult, her hand raised to her mouth in surprise. Bedelia hobbled to Finn’s other side, arrow still protruding from her shoulder.
“Who are you?” Finn asked, hoping her ignorance would not incite further attack. They’d only fired a few arrows so far, but had ceased as soon as they’d gotten close.
The man before her stood, bracing his helmet beneath one armored arm. His eyes were a deep blue, reminding Finn of the sea right before a storm hit. “I am Eywen, and we are the Aos Sí,” he explained. “You have trespassed on our lands, a penalty punishable by death, but we did not realize one of the Dair would travel with,” he hesitated, glancing around at the rest of her party, “humans.”
“Who is your leader?” Iseult asked, but the Aos Sí simply glanced at him, then turned his gaze back to Finn.
“The Faie Queen demands that any Dair who cross our lands be brought before her,” he continued. “Forgive me, the Aos Sí know better than to anger your people, but we must insist.”
She did her best not to balk at him. Just like the Merrow girl in Ainfean, this man had known she was one of the Dair on sight. And now he wanted to bring her to the Faie Queen? Was she one of the Dair as well, as the Merrow girl had suggested?
She shook her thoughts away. “And what of my companions?” she asked, glancing warily around at the rest of the Aos Sí surrounding them. She supposed they were some sort of Faie, though they looked far more human than most, except perhaps the Merrows. Though she wanted to know more about them, firstly she had to keep her companions safe. Bedelia was barely standing and would need treatment soon.
Eywen’s deep blue eyes flicked to Iseult, looking him up and down as if assessing the threat he might pose. “They may accompany you, of course,” he agreed with a small bow. “We have made a grave mistake in injuring one of your companions. Please, allow us to tend her wounds.”
Bedelia gave Finn a terrified look, but when two more of the Aos Sí stepped forward, she allowed them to examine the arrow.
Finn was startled as she glanced behind her. At some point, without drawing her notice, Kai, Anna, and Sativola had stepped up close behind her and Iseult.
“Call me mad,” Kai whispered, “but perhaps we shouldn’t so willingly visit the Faie Queen.”
Eywen shifted his gaze past Finn to Kai. His nostrils flared, then his eyes widened in surprise. “Two of the Dair,” he observed, “our offense is even greater.”
Finn glanced back at Kai in confusion, then realization dawned on her. She didn’t look any different from a human, so it had to be her blood or magic that made her stand apart, and she’d given a bit of both to Kai.
“Can you sense the Dair?” she asked Eywen hesitantly.
He shook his head. “I can,” he cleared his throat nervously, “smell you, my lady. The blood of the Dair is unique indeed.”
She pursed her lips in thought. So it was the blood she gave Kai that made the Aos Sí think him Dair, though perhaps the Faie Queen would see the truth.
“While I appreciate you making amends,” she said politely, “we really must continue on our journey. I fear we do not have much time.”
Eywen frowned. “My lady, attending the Queen is not a choice, it is a necessity, and before you inflict your wrath upon us, please be aware the Aos Sí are great in number. Kill us all, and there will simply be more to replace us.”
Finn opened her mouth to argue, but no words came to her.
“We should probably just go with them,” Kai whispered, glancing around at the armed soldiers.
Bedelia made a grunt of pain as one of the Aos Sí broke the arrow, then another worked it out of her flesh, pushing the point forward until the broken end came free. Her clothing and armor had been pulled away to reveal her bare skin, which the two Aos Sí began to bandage.
Eywen glanced at Bedelia, then turned his gaze back to Finn. The other Aos Sí had taken possession of their frightened horses, and now led them forward.
“The Queen is not far,” he explained, offering Finn his arm. “I will escort you. Your horses will be well tended.”
Finn nodded nervously, then slipped her hand through his arm. His armor was cold beneath her touch. He began to lead her away, with her friends following close behind.
As they walked the air grew increasingly cold, and eventually, snowflakes began to fall. Her arm still resting in Eywen’s, Finn looked up at the soft, fuzzy flakes drifting down. She had a feeling they would soon learn of their source. Perhaps she was not the only one who could control the natural aspects of her environment.
Faie Queen, indeed.
Kai tried to avoid the gazes of the Aos Sí surrounding them. One of the strange warriors supported Bedelia’s weight with an arm beneath her shoulders, but the rest of them were allowed to walk unhindered . . . unless you counted Finn’s arm intertwined with Eywen’s.
It had started snowing not long into their walk. Though the flurries had died down, they now walked through slush made by the many sets of footprints that had gone before them. It seemed the snow in this area was not recent, and more of a permanent draping.
The icy landscape ahead was dotted with wooden barricades and more Aos Sí warriors standing at attention.
Anna had pulled her cloak over her head, and now peered at Kai from within its deep shadows. “Where could they all have come from?” she whispered softly.
His gaze flicked to their escort, quickly catching her meaning. After the Faie War, most of the creatures of myth had disappeared. All except the Ceàrdaman, who debatably weren’t even of Faie blood. They were obviously back now, but where had they all been hiding? Trow he could understand, blending in with the forests, and the smaller Faie who had a tendency to fade from sight at their leisure, but the Aos Sí? They seemed close to human, just like the Ceàrdaman. Surely they could not have simply faded away like the other Faie.
Finally, Kai shook his head. “Perhaps we’ll soon find out.”
Anna turned her gaze down to the mucky snow beneath her boots. Sativola had remained silent at her other side, though he appeared to be seriously questioning his continued association with any of them.
They reached the first of the barricades, but did not slow. Instead, Eywen gave an elaborate hand gesture to one of his men, then continued onward down the main path. After passing several more barricades, the Aos Sí’s lodgings came into view. Dotting the landscape in large clusters were small, circular wooden huts, the snow covered rooftops emitting woodsmoke through vents. Upon closer view, the entrances were draped with animal hides to keep out the cold, though some had been pulled back, revealing modest sleeping spaces and not much else.