Usurper

  “It seems like a lot of people to help take care of one baby,” Mam said, toying with her food.

  “I work. They help. It’s no big deal.”

  “What I meant was…” She dropped her fork and gave me an earnest look. “What if I took Scarlet in the mornings? I mean, it would be—”

  “She’s not going near that house,” I said firmly. “She’s never going near that man.” I couldn’t risk it.

  “He’s her grandfather, Cara. And with no—”

  “He’s not her grandfather.” Too late, I realised what I had said. “He’s nothing to me.”

  She gazed at me for a long time as she worked through what I had said. My heated cheeks probably said a lot more. She slammed her palm on the table and glared at her own father. “You told her? After everything we said?”

  Granddad’s face darkened as he pushed away from the table and stood. “I should have told her. I should have told her a long time ago. You can’t keep secrets like that. She hasn’t told me much, but I know he punished her for it.”

  “You weren’t around to know anything!” Mam’s cheeks reddened. “It wasn’t your business to talk about things I didn’t want to discuss.”

  “But it was your business to protect her from the secrets!” he bellowed. “I sat back and watched you marry that animal, and I let you cut me out of my granddaughter’s life because I thought you would see sense when the grief over Darragh’s death eased, but I won’t allow you to continue under the illusion that you did the right thing. I won’t go on pretending that nothing happened! Not now. Not anymore!”

  Scarlet whimpered. I stood and lifted her out of the high chair before Anya could get the chance. “Granddad didn’t tell me,” I said wearily. “I’m the only one in the family with black hair, and your husband hated me. It was kind of obvious.” I just hadn’t wanted to believe it until the fae told me the truth.

  “I… I can’t…” Mam’s face crumpled, and she got to her feet. “I need to go.”

  “No,” Gran stated. “You can’t keep running from everything that scares you. This is your chance. Do you not see that? Darragh is gone, Elaine. Cara is all you have left, and she could leave any day now because she doesn’t want Scarlet to have the kind of childhood she had. She’s ready to run in case the man she married comes for her. So take the opportunity and get to know your grandchild.” She reached out and took my mother’s hand. “Trust me, my love. You’ll regret every second you miss of her life.”

  Mam swallowed a couple of times as her eyes filled with tears. Granddad sat down, looking like a broken man. Bekind was gazing at her clenched fists, appearing more uncomfortable than I had ever seen her. Anya was soaking up the atmosphere, listening intently to every word as if trying to learn how to be part of a dysfunctional human family.

  Mam finally looked at me. “I’m sorry.” Her voice cracked. She took her seat again. “I’ll stay.”

  I tried to let her emotion reach me, but I was too full to the brim with hate. I wanted to be her daughter again, and I wanted Scarlet to have a mother who wasn’t eaten up with resentment. I just didn’t know how to make any of that happen.

  Chapter Two

  By the time my mother put on her coat to leave, I was exhausted. With Scarlet in my arms, I walked her to the door.

  “Thank you,” she said. “For letting me see her, I mean. She’s so beautiful. She reminds me of you as a baby. I wish… I wish everything could be different, Cara.” She surprised me with a hug. “I love you. Never forget that.”

  I couldn’t speak. The last time a person told me he loved me and to never forget it, he had married somebody else and given up any claim to his daughter. The word “love” didn’t sit well with me anymore, if it ever had.

  Zoe came up behind us. “We’ll talk tomorrow,” she murmured to me. “Hold up, all right?”

  I nodded, smiling when she bent her head to kiss Scarlet. My daughter clung to my only human friend’s freshly dyed chestnut hair as if she didn’t want her to leave. Laughing, I helped free Zoe from Scarlet’s clutches.

  Zoe walked down the garden path after my mother. “I love that kid!” she called over her shoulder.

  I looked down at Scarlet. She was beaming up at me. “Yeah,” I whispered. “Me, too.”

  I started to brush my nose against hers, but a movement in the garden caught my eye, making my heart momentarily stop. I casually stepped inside and locked the door.

  In the kitchen, I handed Scarlet to Anya. “Bekind, get the bag. Anya, be ready to run.”

  Bekind ran upstairs while Anya gathered Scarlet to her.

  “Nobody panic,” I said, “but there’s somebody in the garden. Came closer than usual. And they could be looking in the window, so no acting nervous.” I moved to the fridge, grabbed a drink, and took a sip. “I’m going to check it out.”

  “You have the dagger?” Granddad asked.

  “Always.”

  “Do you need me?”

  I knew by his reaction that my smile had turned dark. “I can handle this,” I said, and a part of me was excited to see what would happen next.

  I took one more look at my daughter in case I never saw her again. Whoever was outside might not be an enemy, but I wasn’t taking any chances. As long as Bekind and Anya had any say in the matter, Scarlet would be safe. If somebody really had come for her, I could at least give my friends time to get a head start. We had been preparing for this day since we’d arrived.

  Still smiling, I headed out of the kitchen and into the living room. I peered through the patio doors. Nothing. I took the dagger out of my boot and gripped it with one hand. The design that had been burned into the metal from the blood of a fenris gave me confidence. I thought of it as my lucky charm. I quietly slid the door open and slipped outside. I hadn’t sat around feeling like a victim since my return. I would never be a victim again; I was ready to fight back.

  I took a deep breath and concentrated. I heard a light footstep, and the wind picked up, sending shivers through me. My thin shirt couldn’t protect me from a faery wind. The summer evening sky darkened. A lilac glow appeared then disappeared in an instant. Somebody had crossed over. Somebody knew where to find me.

  The wind died, and I moved slowly around the house, trying to find any signs of entry. The windows and doors were all untouched. At the kitchen window, I heard a breath behind me. Furious, I whirled around and kicked. A grunt sounded as a figure in the shadows doubled over. A second set of footsteps came running, and I turned to strike, but a strong hand gripped my wrist right before I connected.

  I looked up at a king with giant’s blood in his veins. I used my free hand to punch him in the groin.

  For a half-second, Brendan spluttered, then he managed to say in an amused tone, “Good reflexes.”

  “Why are you here?” I asked.

  “Cara.” He pulled me closer to him. “Now is this the way to say hello to old friends?”

  “I’ll let you know when I see one,” I whispered.

  He looked over my shoulder. “Leave,” he told someone I couldn’t see.

  “What do you want, Brendan?” I backed out of his grasp. “And make it quick.”

  “You,” he said with a grin, brushing my fringe away from my forehead.

  “Oh, quit messing around,” I snapped.

  His presence unsettled me. I had forgotten how tall and imposing he was, how overly familiar he behaved. He acted as though no time at all had passed since we’d last seen each other. And a part of me, one that I kept hoping would die, ached to lean into his faery touch and ease the emptiness, just for a little while.

  He studied me for a moment. “You’ve changed.”

  “I changed the day you left me behind with a psycho faery.”

  “I did the best I could. Did you expect me to start a war for you? Was that what you wanted? To die in the midst of a rescue mission? We sent you Dubh. We gave you Anya. We waited for you to come to us, but strangers came instead. You gave your escape to a D
arksider lady and her child.”

  “I had to help them, Brendan. And I was pregnant! You try riding a big-arse faery horse when you’re in labour! I gave birth in a scruffy forest because of you.”

  His smile returned. “That’s said to be lucky. And you survived. The child survived. Why are you so angry?”

  I took a step back. I would always be angry. Anger protected me. “I’ll try this again,” I said flatly. “Why are you here?”

  “We need you, preferably back in the faery realm where we can protect you without dividing our strength. Sadler’s put a price on your head. There have been incidents. Faeries are looking for you, and we won’t always be there to stop them. He wants the child.” He glanced at the house. “And he doesn’t care who brings her to him. She’s in danger from anyone seeking Sadler’s reward or his favour.”

  “He’s always wanted my child. What’s new? He’s not going to risk his kingdom for a baby.”

  “He doesn’t have to. Plenty of faeries want what he will pay. You should have killed him when you had the chance.”

  “I have enough blood on my hands to last me a lifetime.”

  “I’m serious, Cara. Things are changing on our side. You’re not safe here anymore.”

  I looked into Brendan’s eyes and saw that he was genuinely worried. That gave me the upper hand. “I’ll take my chances,” I said and headed back into the house. He didn’t follow.

  Inside, the others were waiting, still on edge, even though I was certain Bekind had told them there was no intruder.

  “Brendan’s here.” I took Scarlet from Anya and held her on my lap as I sat at the table. “He wants us to go back.”

  Anya bit on her thumbnail. “When do we leave?”

  “I said no.”

  They stood around, looking at each other. Scarlet struggled to pick up a pea from my plate, oblivious to the atmosphere.

  “Cara, they won’t leave you alone,” Bekind said.

  “I know,” I said. “Apparently, Sadler’s after Scarlet. He’s hiring out this time. It’ll take them a while, but they’ll find us eventually.”

  “Then what do you plan to do?” Granddad asked.

  “I plan on waiting for the truth.”

  “What are you talking about?” Anya demanded. “Scarlet is at risk.”

  “Something else is going on,” I said. “They’re just pretending it’s to keep me safe.”

  “She’s right,” Brendan said from the doorway, making everyone jump. “It’s true that Sadler wants the child, that he wants Cara dead, but there’s a bigger story. And I have a plan.” He looked at me. “This time, I promise you I have a plan.”

  ***

  Gran scurried from the stove back to the table, serving food to Brendan.

  “Gran, stop it,” I said.

  “It’s not often we have a faery king at our table. I don’t want him going back home thinking we don’t know how to look after guests.”

  I rolled my eyes. My night had turned into something ridiculous. “He’s not a guest. He’s uninvited.”

  “I thank you for your hospitality,” Brendan told Gran. She pretty much simpered.

  Granddad glared at him. “Are you the one?”

  Brendan smothered a laugh. “I’ve been called the one many a time, but in this case, I’m not so sure to what you’re referring.”

  “Are you the father?” Granddad ground out.

  Brendan leaned back in his chair. “That, I am not.”

  “Good. He isn’t welcome in my house.”

  Bekind sat next to me. “Speak, Brendan. Tell her what you want.”

  His lips quirked upward. “I’ll tell her why I am here.” He glanced at Scarlet. “Her eyes are… unusual.”

  I scowled. “That’s what happens when kings leave pregnant humans stranded in the Darkside. Twice.”

  For a moment, Brendan looked as though he were at a loss for words.

  “Is Arlen here?” Anya asked hesitantly.

  “No,” Brendan said. “I need him at court. I need you all to return. We can’t be divided, or Sadler will win it all.”

  “Just spit it out.” I set Scarlet on the floor. She made an immediate beeline for Brendan. “And hurry up. It’s way past her bedtime.”

  “The Darkside is growing, and with it, Sadler’s armies.”

  “It’s always grown,” Bekind said.

  “This is different.” He bowed his head. “I believe we must have widened the rift when you came to the Fade for me. It’s the only way to explain the blight. It stretches past the Darkside and across other borders. Tribes have vanished. Some believe they’ve been murdered, others that they’ve been lost to some kind of plague.”

  “Sadler likes his subjects to stay close to home,” I said. “And once a Darksider, always a Darksider, right? I mean, your people just left the Darksiders to rot.”

  “That’s not my plan,” Brendan said. “But we need to act soon. Sadler’s armies are guarding his castle, but he has a group of raiders causing havoc throughout the realm. The fear of the Darksiders has grown exponentially, and I’m afraid that war is imminent.”

  “You never wanted war,” I said.

  “No, but there’s a second king who isn’t in agreement. We are currently at a standoff. Your appearance might give my stance some weight.” He held my gaze. “My people are already panicking. And if Sadler dies, the mayhem will worsen. Your child is seen by the Darksiders as their heir. If she makes an appearance, they might be convinced to stop attacking the rest of the realm. They might agree to peace. This blight will cause a famine, Cara, and it will affect all of us, no matter who is in power. It’s our biggest problem, but Sadler is our most pressing one. You need to return before the raiders come looking for you.”

  “You want me to bring Scarlet back to the very place we ran from? Are you crazy?”

  “We need her.” A slow smile spread across his face as she tugged at his trouser leg. He lifted her onto his knee, apparently not noticing when she gripped his hair and tugged. “The Darksiders might negotiate, and our people would stop panicking. She’s still my heir, remember. She could save the realm.”

  “She’s a baby.” I glanced at Bekind and shook my head. “This is ridiculous. Sadler has a piss-poor army. He doesn’t stand a chance against you and Drake.”

  “His army will grow with the Darkside. A war will ruin us. And Drake is… unpredictable.” Brendan frowned. “Do you know how many faeries will die if a true war comes?”

  “Do I care?” I couldn’t hold his gaze. I did care, and I hated that I did. “They’ll all get what they deserve in the end.”

  “Cara,” Anya said in a soft voice, “they’ll all die in the castle. The refugees outside, the tribes scattered across the Darkside, they’ll be the first to die.”

  I stared at her. “What are you saying? Do you think I should take Scarlet to Sadler? Use her as a freaking sacrifice to stop his bloody war?”

  “No. I’m saying you need to be prepared for the deaths that will come. Deaths no one can stop. And death will bring danger our way.”

  I squeezed my eyes shut as flashes of the mirror came to me—my skin darkened with the taint and my hands dripping with blood. The mirror knew all. Not only the Darksiders would die. I looked at Brendan. “Kill Sadler. He has to die.”

  “Then the Darkside will be consumed with chaos. His court is unruly, and the people are—”

  “Unruly?” I scoffed. “His court is terrified of the madman in charge. Half of the people in that building are Deorad’s offspring. They’re related to my daughter, to Drake. They’re suffering, too.”

  “And they will die in the event of war,” Brendan said. “I never wanted war, but my court is being dragged into it anyway. I have asked for your help too many times, I know, but there are three kings with different views on the realm. This one little girl who has connections to all three could help us.” He held my gaze. “And I already know you could.”

  “I’ll think about it.” I got
up and plucked Scarlet from the king’s arms. “Now can you please leave?”

  He rose to his feet, towering over me. “When may I return?”

  I avoided his eyes, suddenly nervous. “Now you’re asking permission to visit?”

  “I wouldn’t have come if I wasn’t desperate,” he said in a low voice. “Drake wants us to expand into the Darkside, but his methods will result in many deaths. We plan on dividing the Darkside between us eventually, but not through war. I didn’t lie when I told you I wished for peace. I’ve seen what a lust for power can do. I’ve learned my lessons, Cara.” He brushed his thumb across my cheek. “Almost all of them.” He cleared his throat and stepped back. “I’ll return in three days. Be ready to leave with us or be ready to flee. Sadler’s people won’t be long in following. You’re no longer safe here.” He gave a half-bow and strode out of the room.

  I looked at my grandfather. He had been listening closely. His frown deepened when he caught my eye.

  “I’ll make sure he leaves,” Bekind said then transformed and ran out on four legs.

  I sank into my chair, holding my daughter close to my chest. I couldn’t let her go, couldn’t let the fae take her, but they would keep coming, and they wouldn’t have any qualms about taking her over my dead body. I blew out a shaky breath. Being around Brendan had unsettled me. He had power I couldn’t dream of; his requesting permission was a gift. He could take without asking.

  When Bekind returned and assured us that Brendan had actually left, Gran made a fresh pot of tea. I shook my head at the cup she offered me. My hands refused to stop shaking, but Scarlet had still dozed off in my arms.

  “Well,” I said, “what does everyone think?”

  “They won’t harm Scarlet,” Bekind said. “If the Darksiders truly see her as their heir, they won’t stand by and allow Sadler to harm her. Perhaps if the people put enough pressure on him, he will step down peacefully.”

  “We’re talking about Sadler. He’s obsessed.” I glanced at my daughter’s sleeping face. “He could have other children. Why hasn’t he fathered more? He would lose whatever leverage he thinks Scarlet has over the other courts, but why not have a real heir of his own?”