Celyn lifted the necklace with care as she said, “None crossed the paths of myself or my predecessors, and more's the pity. The heirlooms are imbued with Claudia’s own magic. This pendant will offer you protection.”
Well, as I was facing the gallows, who was I to turn down a bit of protection, even if it was only a quarter of what Claudia had intended? Would her daggers, once more strapped to my hip, protect me too?
I barely had to duck my head to allow Celyn to place the chain around my neck, tall as she was. The cool metal settled against my skin, below my initial necklace. I lifted the ancient pendant as though it was made of glass, examining it closely. With the weak dawn sunlight shining through the stone, it looked slightly less hideous. I tucked it under my shirt with a smile. It was a nice gesture if nothing else.
“Thank you. It’s an honour.”
Lady Celyn sank into a curtsey. “The honour is mine.”
My chilled ears heated at the attention. It might have been a welcome relief if I wasn’t aware that they were also glowing beetroot.
“And now I bid you farewell. I hope we meet again, Aliza.”
I pressed my lips into a thin smile, knowing I would never lay eyes on Celyn again. Before long, I’d either be dead or back in my own world. If I survived my quest, I’d leave the necklace with Sage. She could return it to its rightful place. It was the least she could do after dragging me into this mess.
The blond male slid the box into his pocket and spread his arms. His eyes shifted to me. “Take my hand. It’s necessary for teleportation.”
That wasn’t right. I hadn’t had to hold Sage’s hand when she’d used her warp crystal. Maybe it was some ancient fae custom; they seemed the type to get their knickers in a twist over rules and etiquette. I wrapped my cold fingers around his. I glanced sideways to find Pansy beside me, her eyes glittering with excitement as she grasped her own escort’s outstretched palm. One by one, the witches linked hands with the fae.
I opened my mouth to ask about the crystal, but before the words could form, darkness rushed in, obliterating Tir o Gaeaf in an icy crush.
My body became light, weightless, expanding and separating, until I was sure I was nothing but a cloud of atoms whizzing through a lightless wormhole. I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, I had no control over any part of myself. I wasn’t even sure myself was a thing anymore. All I knew was panic as I unravelled on the dark, magical wind.
All at once, everything came crashing back together with immense weight. I was being squeezed, flattened. I was going to die.
Something slammed against my chest, forcing me to heave a great, sucking breath into my lungs. Warm air. Something cool tickled my cheek. I opened my eyes to find myself face down in the grass. My scrambled brain understood that I must have arrived in Tir o Haf, but that was all it was capable of. It certainly couldn’t make sense of the muffled voices all around me. And my body? I couldn’t so much as twitch my fingers.
Slowly, feeling came back, as did my wits. I blinked and pushed myself onto my trembling hands and knees.
“Easy now,” somebody said, laying a hand on my back. “The first time can be something of a shock.”
That was an understatement.
“That was not…” I broke off, panting. “That wasn’t the same.”
“What are you talking about now, girl?”
I shook my head, its contents swirling grotesquely. “The warp crystal.”
Somebody tutted. Even in my state of disarray, I had no trouble guessing who. “Of course it’s not the same. Warping and teleporting are entirely different. The crystals open a portal that we simply step through. Teleporting is fae magic. It is much more complex.”
Why had nobody warned me just how horrible teleporting would be? If I’d been prepared… Honestly? Nothing could have prepared me for that. I much preferred the crystal method.
Nausea swirled in my belly, filling my mouth with saliva. No. No, I refused to part with my breakfast. I screwed my eyes shut and breathed through my nose, waiting for the sensation to pass.
Eventually, I composed myself enough to kneel upright, only to find all the witches and our fae escorts gathered around, watching me with trepidation.
Pansy sprang forward. “Water?” She thrust her skein at me, but my stomach churned. I waved her away.
“She looks clammy,” somebody observed.
I felt clammy. I felt like I’d woken up with the world’s worst hangover. I wanted nothing more than to crawl into my own bed, back home, and wait for the suffering to pass. But everyone was watching me, judging and waiting. We were in true enemy territory now, and sitting around feeling sorry for myself was practically inviting something to come and eat me. I summoned whatever strength still lingered in my poor body and rose carefully to my feet. The world swayed, but I kept my balance, and a few seconds later, everything levelled out.
“Are you well?” Sage asked. I couldn’t say it was concern for me that tinged her voice, but there was definitely something there. Concern for her precious quest, probably.
“Never better.” My voice came out dry and hoarse. Nearby, Pansy hesitated, still clutching her water, and I held out my hand with a small smile.
The water still carried the cold of Tir o Gaeaf, and as it tracked its icy path down my gullet, it dawned on me that the sweat coating my skin wasn’t only a result of teleporting. It was hot here. Heatwave hot. The sun baked down on my head, making my scalp prickle. I swept my fingers through my hair in an attempt to rid myself of the part and protect myself from sunburn.
For the first time since my arrival in Tir o Haf, I took in my surroundings. There were plenty of leafy trees offering shade, but they were spaced too far apart to be considered a wood. Tall wildflowers blanketed the gently rolling ground, their colourful heads swaying and whispering in the balmy breeze. Bees and butterflies hovered, and wisps of fluffy white clouds dotted a blue sky blazing overhead. In the distance, mountains lined the horizon, their snowy caps glittering in the sunlight. It certainly didn’t give off imminent death vibes. In fact, it was beautiful. Vivid.
My hand drifted to my pocket, itching to snap a picture, but then I remembered that my phone was dead, and that I might soon be joining it.
“I bid you farewell.” The blond fae shifted his gaze to me. “Good luck.”
He and his companions disappeared with a series of faint pops, leaving me to gulp away the lump in my throat. I only hoped his lucky tidings would be enough.
“Let’s move on.” Sage wasted no time in setting off through the flowers. They reached her chest, buffeting and swaying around her tiny form.
I took a deep breath and followed the witches deeper into Tir o Haf.
Just when I was beginning to consider digging out the sunscreen I’d packed for my ill-fated trek to the Fairy Glen, Sage veered away from the meadow, leading us into denser shade. I breathed a sigh of relief. I enjoyed the sun, but judging by its intensity, we were nearing midday, and I had no interest in burning to a crisp. It was cooler amongst the trees, but just as pretty. Large, creamy white mushrooms grew at the mossy bases of the trunks, and clumps of yet more flowers grew in the sun-speckled shade. A tinkling stream rushed over a rocky bed, and we took the opportunity to refill our skeins before following the spongy bank as it wove between the trees.
My stomach began to grumble, and I eyed the mushrooms with increasing interest. They were enormous, certainly enough to make a hearty lunch, but like everything else here, they probably wanted to kill me.
