Fragile Eternity
Page 55

Where is he?
What? Aislinn felt her knees go weak.
Where. Is. Seth. Niall glared at her. Hes not been home; hes not answering my calls. No one at the Crows Nest has seen him.
Hes All the calm shed been struggling to feel slipped away.
Hes under my protection, Aislinn. Nialls shadowy figures appeared and perched behind him in postures of judgment. One male and one female sat on either side of Niall; their insubstantial bodies leaned forward attentively. You cannot keep him away from me just because you dont like
I dont know where he is, she interrupted. Hes gone.
The shadowy figures shifted in agitation as Niall asked, Since when?
Eighteen days ago, she admitted.
The look on his face was censorious. He stared at her for several moments, not speaking or moving. Then, Niall stood and walked out of the room.
She ran after him. Niall! Wait! What do you know? Niall!
The Dark King spared a hostile glare for Keenan, but he didnt stop. He opened the door and left.
Aislinn attempted to follow, but Keenan restrained her as she tried to pass him, before she could reach out to take hold of Niall.
He knows something. Let go She pulled free of Keenan. Heknows something.
Keenan didnt try to touch her again or close the door. Ive known Niall for nine centuries, Ash. If he walks away, its not wise to follow. And hes not our court now. Hes not to be trusted.
She stared into the empty hallway beyond their loft. He knows something.
Maybe. Maybe he is simply angry. Maybe hes off to pursue a suspicion.
I want Seth home.
I know.
Aislinn closed the door and leaned on it. Niall didnt know he was leaving. Its not just me he left.
Niall will seek him out too.
What if hes hurt? she asked, giving voice to the fear she tried to hide even from herself. It was easier to believe hed left her than that he was injured and unfindable.
He took the serpent. His door was locked behind him.
They stood there in silence until Keenan gestured toward the study. Would you like to go over the notes Tavish had collected for us? Or do you want to hit something?
Hit something first.
Keenan smiled, and they went to one of the exercise rooms to hit the heavy bags and speedballs that hung there.
Later, after she had hit the bag until her stomach muscles ached to the point that she felt like shed be sick if she pushed further, Aislinn grabbed a quick shower in the bathroom attached to her bedroom. Until recently, she hadnt felt like it was hers. It was a place to sleep and store a few things, nothing more, nothing less. That had changed after Seth left. Shed withdrawn into the room several times just to hide away from the worldonly to retreat from there to roam the whole of the loft, where her faeries were. She needed them, needed to be around them.
That didnt mean she wasnt startled to find Siobhan sitting cross-legged in the middle of the massive canopy bed. The spiderweb drapes that hung like walls around the bed were fastened back, pinned by rose thorns that jutted from the posts of the bed. Surrounded by the fairy-tale setting, Siobhan looked like a princess from one of those animated movies Grams had never approved of watching. The Summer Girls hair was long enough that tendrils of it brushed the duvet that covered the bed. The vines that twisted like living tattoos around her body rustled as the leaves shifted toward Aislinn.
Shes too pretty to be human.Unnatural Aislinn pushed away the old prejudices, but not before the rest of that thought was therejust like I am now.Not human.
We are sad that hes gone. Siobhans voice was whispery. We tried to make him stay.
Aislinn stopped. You what?
We danced, and we even took away his charm stone. Siobhan pouted, seeming falsely young as she did so. But Niall came and took him from us. We tried, though. We tried to keep him with us.
Yelling at Siobhan wasnt going to help. Despite the posturing of vapidity, Siobhan was clever. Some days, she was unnerving for it. Mostly, Aislinn thought the Summer Girl was loyal to their courtjust not so loyal that trusting her was a safe bet.
Aislinn tightened her robe belt and sat down, not on her bed but on the stool in front of the dressing table. Niall took Seth from the park. Did he take the charm stone?
Siobhan smiled slowly. It was he who gave it to Seth, so hed not leave it with me, would he?
Because the charm made Seth Aislinn lifted a beautiful olive-wood brush, but she didnt do anything with it.
Impervious to our glamour, my Queen. Siobhan came over, took the brush, and began brushing Aislinns hair. It kept him safe from any illusions a faery might press onto him.
Right. And Niall gave it to him, but you took it. Aislinn closed her eyes as Siobhan methodically pulled the knots from her hair.
We did, Siobhan confirmed.
Didyou ? Aislinn opened her eyes again and held Siobhans reflection in the mirror.
The faery paused in her brushstrokes and admitted, No. I wouldnt upset Niall that way. If you asked it of me, Id cross him, but unless I mustWeve been dancing together for centuries. He was the one who taught me what it meant to be not-mortal. When my king turned his attention to the next mortal She shook her head. No, I wouldnt upset Niall unless my regents required it.
I didnt know he had a charm stone, Aislinn whispered. Did he mistrust me that much?
I dont know, but I am sorry that you are sad. Siobhan resumed brushing.
Aislinns eyes filled with tears. I miss him.