Chapter 5: Gone
I looked up at the sound of someone knocking on my door. I reached under my skirt and grasped the dagger’s handle while waiting to see who it was.
“Come in.” I said.
The door slid open silently, just wide enough for a form to slip through it. It was hard to make out who it was. The sun had long since set, and I hadn’t bothered turning up the lamps around the room.
“Be at ease Aria.” A familiar voice said. “I mean you no harm, child.”
Once she stepped into the light, I relaxed my grip on the dagger and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Lady Sèadna!” I said, standing in a rush, the book on my lap clattering to the floor. “Thank you for coming!”
I waited till she took a seat before picking the book up off the floor and sitting back down.
“Of course. Are you alright?” Sèadna asked, as she settled her hands in her lap.
“No, not even remotely. Do you know what’s going on?” I asked, the fear that I’d been trying to ignore all day finally washing over me.
“I am afraid the news is not good. The attack was a trap. We are not sure what has become of Lysandra.” She said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Who did this?” I asked.
“Elara.” She said simply.
“Who is Elara?” I asked, trying to think if I had ever heard that name before.
“Another High Sidhe. She and Lysandra have a long tumultuous history together. This wouldn’t be the first time she has moved against Lysandra.” She said.
“Why would she attach Lysandra? Why now?” I asked.
“I could only speculate. She is not one I am overly familiar with. She mostly keeps to herself. Her holdings are much smaller than Lysandra’s. She mostly controls lands in southern Spain. It is no secret that Elara envies Lysandra.” She said.
“Why? I don’t really understand Fae politics.” I said.
“Oh, this is only partially a matter of Fae politics. Part of it is the size of their respective holdings. Much like human kingdoms, and even human gangs, fights over territory are common among the Fae. Though usually it’s much more subtle.” She said. “I do not think that is the case here.”
“What do you think it is?” I asked, dread filling me.
“You must swear to keep what I’m about to tell you a secret. Do not repeat it to anyone, do you understand?” She said, the intensity behind her words palpable.
“I swear.” I said after swallowing.
“Lysandra and Elara grew up together. They were as close of friends as any, and closer than most. Though no one will come out and say it, I believe they were lovers for many years.” Sèadna said. “They had a falling out about a thousand years ago. Do not ask what over. I have my thoughts on it, but they are not ones I will share.”
“That is a lot to take in. Why now?” I asked.
“Why did she attack now? You mean?” She asked, waiting for my nod before continuing. “It is only speculation, but I would imagine because of you.”
“Me? I caused this?” I said with a gasp.
“No, you did not cause this. You are not responsible for any of this. You were just the catalyst that Elara used. This is entirely her doing,” She said, trying to comfort me. “Elara has attacked Lysandra many times over the years, and each time has coincided with Lysandra taking a new lover.”
“How would she know? I barely knew until we returned here last night.” I asked.
“From what I am told, during your trip to the dancehall last night, it was obvious to anyone that was watching that there was something between you and Lysandra. Though we tend not to take up with a lot of mortal technology, the cellphone is one device that most fae use. It would not have taken long for one of Elaras’ watchers to get word back to her of your burgeoning relationship.” She said.
“How much danger is she in?” I asked.
“It is hard to tell. Elara is unstable. I know she is alive. Beyond that, I am just as unsure about her condition as you are.” She said.
“How do you know she is alive?” I demanded. “Have you seen her?”
“No, dear child, if I had seen her, I would know more. I know because much like that pendant around your neck, the silver one, objects she has enchanted and given to me still keep their power. Were she to die, they would die with her.” She said. “As long as these things continue to have magic, we know she is alive.”
“How can I tell my pendant has magic?” I asked, conscious of its weight resting on my throat.
“I am not sure you can. It takes magic of your own to tell.” She said.
“Please? I would like to try.” I pleaded.
“Very well. Do not be disheartened if it doesn’t work for you. I am still unsure of your Fae ancestry. It is possible your blood is strong enough for this.” She said before reaching across and taking my hand. “Close your eyes and try to clear your mind.”
I did as she said. Or tried to. I closed my eyes and tried to clear my mind. Images flashed into my mind, a cascade of them. Lysandra hurt, bleeding out. Lysandra as we danced in Berlin. The thing that attacked me back in Phoenix. The memory of Lysandra with her head between my legs. Each time I pushed one image away, three more replaced it.
“I can’t.” I said, frustrated.
“Do not force your mind to clear. As each image forms, let it glide over you, acknowledge it, and let it go.” She said.
I felt her voice in my mind as much as I heard it with my ears. I tried doing as she instructed. The image of the Fomorian came back, and when I didn’t fight it, it soon left. Then the memory of me bucking against her mouth. I sensed an amused chuckle from Sèadna at that one, but soon it passed over me. More images came, but slower and more spaced out, until one by one they faded away and finally, my mind was blank.
“Excellent.” Sèadna’s voice said inside my mind. “Now, with your other hand, grasp the pendant and try to reach out to it with your mind.”
I took the silver pendant in my hand. I could feel its weight in my hand, the edges as they poked into my palm. Its warmth.
“Like this.”
An image came into my mind. Not a visual image, but a sense of what to do, like a memory of having done it before, but it wasn’t my memory.
I focused my mind and sent a tendril of my attention down my arm into my hand, and from my hand into the pendant.
I couldn’t feel anything at first, but after a moment, I felt a slight vibration. The magic inside the pendant, it had to be.
“There, that is her power. As long as that remains, we know she lives.” Sèadna’s thought voice said in my mind.
I continued focusing on it, examining it from all sides. My mind went further into the pendant. I don’t know I was sensing. The vibration coalesced into a spark. A mote of energy, spinning and dancing, flashing and dimming.
“What are you doing?” Sèadna asked, concern clear in her thought voice.
I didn’t answer her. The spark grew in my mind, from a mote to a grain of sand, then till it filled my palm. Bigger, the size of a basketball. Bigger, until it was bigger than me.
I felt Sèadna trying to pull me back. I ignored her.
Now that the magic was this big, I saw a strand of light coming off it, disappearing in the distance.
Again I focused my mind, latching on to that strand, moving down it. I felt Sèadna being dragged along behind me. As I flew down that tendril of power, faster, faster, as quick as it began, the journey ended.
There was something at the other end of the strand. Something familiar. A barrier, something solid, yet soft.
“I need to see.” I thought to myself.
Suddenly, as soon as I thought it, my mind latched on to the idea, and I was no longer a thought in a void. My body was there, in a dark room. The only source of light being whatever the barrier is protecting.
“Aria!” Sèadna said from beside me. “How are you doing this? This should not be possible!”
Doing what? I wondered. Lysandra was there, I was sure of it.
I placed my hands against the barrier, running them along it, looking for an opening.
Aria?
A voice said from inside the barrier. A voice in pain. Suddenly the barrier parted, like curtains being drawn back, exposing a window.
I couldn’t go past the barrier, but I could see Lysandra, naked and battered, an iron collar around her neck, with a short length of chain attached to it, the other end locked to the floor.
“Lysandra!” I shouted into the void, pain making my voice crack. “I’m coming!”
I relaxed and felt myself being pulled back into my body. I opened my eyes a few seconds later, choking back a sob.
Sèadna was looking at me, her eyes wide.
“How did you do that? Such a thing should not be possible for you!” She demanded.
“I dont know.” I said, shaking my head. “It just felt right. Did you see her? We have to help her!”
“I saw her. Aria, what you did, it could be dangerous.” She warned. “You sent too much of yourself out. If you got lost, or if something happened, you would never wake up. Do not do such a thing lightly. I’d tell you not to do that at all if I thought you would listen to me.”
“You saw her, though! They tortured her! We have to rescue her!” I demanded.
“It’s not that simple, child. I can not help her. I am outside of the courts. To maintain my neutrality, I can not interfere directly with any of them. If I do, others would seize the opportunity to attack me, to attack the wild Fae.” She said, sadness strong in her voice.
“What about Lysandras’ court?” I demanded.
“You do not understand. They can not attack another Sidhe’s territory without a direct order from Lysandra. That's even assuming any of them believe you. Most are loyal to Lysandra, but there are some that would seize the chance to gain more power for themselves.” Sèadna said. “We must keep what we know to ourselves. It would only create more danger for Lysandra if the wrong people found out.”
“You’re right, I do not understand. None of this makes any sense to me.” I admitted. “But just because I do not understand the ways of the Sidhe, does not mean I am going to sit here and do nothing! We started something last night that I intend to finish!”
“I can’t tell you what to do. I can only advise you. If you as insistent on this, please be aware, there is a chance you will die in the attempt.” Sèadna said.
“I’m aware. I have to do something. She saved my life in Phoenix. I owe it to her to do the same.” I said.
“Spoken like one of the Sidhe. Is obligation the only reason that you are insisting on this course of action?” Sèadna said.
“No. I, I think I love her.” I said after a minute.
“Even if she may not have the same feelings for you?” She asked. “Lysandra is thousands of your years old. A human lifetime would be like a summer vacation to you. Are you sure you want to risk everything for her?”
“Yes. No matter if her feelings differ. Even if we part in a year never seeing each other again. Even if I die in the attempt. I have to make it.” I said, my voice as strong as iron.
“Very well. I can not come with you, but I will do what I can.” She said.
I watched as she held her hand against the space between her breasts. After a moment, the vines that made up her dress moved, weaving together in her palm. When they pulled back, there was a wooden ring sitting in her palm, the color of birch wood, but it looked to be carved to resemble vines.
Sèadna held her hand out to me, offering me the ring. I reached out and took it, slipping it onto the index finger of my left hand.
“This will act much like Lysandra’s pendant. Through it, I will know where you are, and will let you communicate with me. It will also provide some measure of protection from being noticed. It will work better in nature than in a man made building, but even there it will help you some.” She said.
“Thank you Sèadna.” I said. “Now I just need to figure out how to get there.”
“Do you know where there is?” She asked.
“I got a glimpse. I know it’s somewhere to the south. It was in the hills, a large city nearby, and maybe the ocean or an enormous lake. I was hoping you would have an idea?” I said.
“That can be a lot of places.” She said, shaking her head. “Close your eyes. Think back. Where was the city in relation to the hills?”
I did as she said and tried to remember the image I saw as I was returning.
“To the east and the south, both, but mostly to the east.” I said, picturing it in my mind.
“Good, very good. Now the water, where is it?” She asked.
I moved around the image in my mind, like looking through a crystal ball. As I moved around it, the view shifted with me until I was looking the opposite direction of the city.
“Mostly to the west, but there is water to the north, too. But I can see land on the other side of it to the north. There is nothing as far as I can see to the east.” I said.
“Very good. From what I know of Elara’s holdings, she mostly controls lands in Spain. That doesn’t sound like anywhere in Spain, unless you have your directions mixed up?” She asked.
“No, I am certain of the directions. The sun was over the water, and its evening, so that would make the water to the west.” I said.
“I will need to look into this. I will try to have a location for you in the morning.” She said as she stood.
“Thank you. Please hurry if you can. What I saw there scares me.” I said, standing with her.
She reached out and pulled me into a hug. I froze at her touch for a minute before leaning into her embrace, tears forming in my eyes.
“It will be alright.” She said, squeezing me. “I’ll find the information you need, and you will get her back.”
She held me there, rubbing my back and making soothing sounds until I composed myself and stood up.
“Thank you Sèadna.” I said, stumbling over her actual name.
She nodded and smiled before turning and leaving the room.