Page 10 of Chorus of Ashes
This was her fault, and she winced as she struggled against the cuffs that burned into the delicate skin at her wrists.
“Lovely of you all to join me,” Rian said. He rocked back on his heels and clapped his hands together. “I’ve been waiting for you. Best to hurry on. I can’t be sure how many more of you are along for your trip.”
With that, Rian hooked his arms around all three of them, and though Seamus tried to head butt him, Rian easily avoided harm. When a sucking sensation pulled at Terra’s legs she understood what Rian was doing.
They were being transported somewhere, and it wasn’t likely she was going to be happy about it. Anger simmered low in her stomach, and she raised her head to meet Rian’s gaze. His face was inches from hers, and she was tempted to bite his nose, she was so angry with him. Didn’t he have any clue that he was fighting for the wrong side? Amusement danced in his moody green eyes, and he shifted his head back as though he understood her thoughts.
“Shame,” Terra whispered.
“It’s a good thing that I stopped feeling emotions a long time ago, isn’t it?” Rian said. “Now, let me be the first to welcome you to your new home.”
6
“Sir,”Callahan, Rian’s butler, bowed his head as though Rian was a king arriving with esteemed guests. “Welcome to Inis na Bró. I hope our guests will be comfortable here.”
Rian had found Callahan on one of his nightly walks through the dark streets of Dublin. The two had instantly recognized each other as Elemental Fae, though Callahan was of the Fire Fae, and Rian had given the older man a job. While Callahan wasn’t exiled from the Fae realm, he’d left long ago, never feeling like he much fit in the Fae world, and now he happily saw to managing Rian’s life. If Rian decided to thaw any of the ice around his heart, he might even say that Callahan had taken to filling a father’s role in his life, but he preferred not to think too deeply about that. For his part, Callahan acted as moral compass of sorts for Rian, doing his best to not let him fall too deeply into the darkness, and he’d had more than a few choice words for Rian when he’d learned of his agreement with the Domnua. Rian suspected loyalty was one of the only reasons Callahan had even agreed to come here today. That, and likely his desire to protect Rian’s captives. It was a fine line Rian was walking, and Callahan reminded him of that when worry slipped into his eyes at the cuffs on Terra’s wrists.
“Have accommodations been sorted out?” Rian asked, ignoring the disapproval in Callahan’s eyes.
“Yes, sir. It’s astonishing what an obscene amount of money, coupled with a touch of Fae magick can accomplish in a short amount of time.” Callahan tugged on the newsboy cap that he wore over his thatch of white hair. A tweed waistcoat with a watch chain added to the impression that he could be anyone’s kindly grandfather. Rian understood more than anyone how looks could be an illusion.
“That’s grand. Thank you for that,” Rian said. Turning, he addressed his three captives who stared mutinously at him. The brain fog from traveling through the portal had worn off quickly, and now angry energy crackled around the three of them. Rian knew the instant he removed their bindings that they would make a move on him. “Let’s just get this out of the way, shall we? I’m not interested in harming any of you. The island has been set with protective wards, and you will be unable to transport from its borders. I would like to take your bindings off, particularly Terra’s, because while I did my best to magick the cuffs so they wouldn’t burn her skin too much, they’ll still be hurting her. Will you give me your word that you won’t try to attack me or, more importantly, Callahan?”
“What would our word mean to someone like you?” Seamus spit at Rian’s feet.
Rian took a moment, looking from the ground and then back to Seamus as he schooled his impatience.
“I don’t lie. I don’t cheat. And I always keep my word.” Rian held Seamus’s eyes.
“And your word is that we won’t come to harm here?” Terra asked, drawing his attention away from Seamus. Rian didn’t like where his thoughts went when he looked at her. It was as though she could see into what was left of his soul, as though she still had hope for him. Her careful assessment made him want to squirm, a reaction that he decidedly did not like.
“My word is that I won’t bring you harm. Nor will Callahan. I can’t promise beyond that. I don’t like to speak for anyone else.” Rian tore his gaze away from the curvy beauty, his hands itching to touch her, and looked across the island. Rolling green hills led to jagged cliffs, a stark contrast to the soft meadow behind him, and Rian recalled those cliffs being referred to as a cathedral of sorts. Sharp rocks jutted in pillars from the ocean, forming almost an arch, and acted as a deterrent for anyone wishing to access the island from the sea.
“So why bring us here?” The blonde spoke, drawing his attention back. He hadn’t caught her name yet. “Are you wanting to form an alliance? Make friends? Keep us out of harm’s way? What’s your goal?”
Her questions annoyed him, largely because he didn’t have an answer for them. What he should have done was deliver Terra quickly to the Domnua and satisfy his end of the agreement. He turned away.
“Callahan will see to you.” Rian strode away, but not before he heard Callahan murmuring an apology to Terra for the marks on her wrists, and it took everything in his power not to return to her and see for himself the damage he’d wrought on her delicate skin. The thought of hurting her didn’t sit well with him, which was a thought he’d have to examine more deeply at another time. Rian wasn’t prone to fits of introspection, and he didn’t like where his thoughts were going now that he had launched this haphazard plan of his. What he needed to keep his focus on was his end goal — retribution for the wrongs against him.
Rian was only keeping Terra because he wanted to know if she’d really tried to find out more about the man responsible for his exile. If so, maybe, just maybe, she’d be an ally in his cause to overturn his judgement. She was the key to answers for him — not Domnu. It wasn’t likely the Dark Goddess would actually deliver the man responsible for his exile.Thatwas his reason for keeping Terra close. Having resolved the issue in his mind, he continued his trek toward the cliffs. It wasn’t like he had any idea where he was going, he just needed to put distance between himself and the others.
For years now, Rian’s single-minded focus had directed every thought and action that he made. But seeing the way Terra looked at him had thrown his usually swift decision-making process into turmoil. Rian didn’t like being out of control, and he needed to center himself before he returned to deal with his captives.
Rian paused at the edge of the cliffs, staring down at the cathedral rocks. An angry sea crashed into the base of the rocks, the waves splintering and turning over on themselves, and Rian caught a glimpse of a Water Fae flitting through the water. He wasn’t surprised they’d found him already, though there wasn’t much they could do. The other benefit of no longer being in service to the royal court? He’d had a lot of time to study and strengthen his magick. It would take an exceptionally powerful Fae to break the spells he’d placed around this island. He went back to studying the pillars of rocks, his eyes caught on how proudly they jutted into the sky, ignoring the ocean that threatened to drag them down.
Humans may see a cathedral, a place of worship, but all Rian saw was a reminder that stubbornness equaled perseverance.
“I’ve locked their rooms, as requested.”
Rian didn’t turn at Callahan’s disapproving tone, instead watching several gulls swoop and dive between the narrow pillars of rock. It looked like great fun, to be able to dip and turn in such a precarious manner, gliding through the air.
Rian couldn’t remember the last time he’d had fun.
“Thank you,” Rian said, and paused before adding, “Is … Terra unharmed?”
“Her wrists have burns, and she could scar. I was under the impression you’d protected the cuffs?” Callahan sniffed, and Rian glanced over to see the man regarding him with a disapproving look.
“I did. You know as well as I do that iron is a difficult metal for us.”