Part 43 (1/2)
Gossamyr de Winters.h.i.+nn of- Wait.
No urge to prostrate herself before the woman befell. Not a single muscle flinched. Breath held, Gossamyr sucked in deeper. Was that a prinkle racing up her spine? No.
Named, yet- Her Faery name.
You are mortal complete!
Not her true mortal birth name.
The smile of adventure, of dangers yet mastered, crooked Gossamyr 's mouth. ”Think you?”
The Red Lady's jaw dropped. Clearly she had expected Gossamyr 's submission. ”Gossamyr de Winters.h.i.+nn,” she repeated thrice quickly.
”Not the right name, b.i.t.c.h!”
Fire blazed in the red pupils fixed in the Red Lady's alabaster mask. Lifting the alicorn high, she incited its power with a few words. ”Faery forged with glamour bright and magic bold. Tell me your mortal name!”
Gossamyr dodged the stream of power that shot from the alicorn's tip and rolled beneath Ulrich's dangling figure to the far wall. There, she gripped her staff and jumped to defense just as another wicked bolt of forbidden magic crossed the room.
She spun the half staff up to protect her face and caught the mixture of glamour and magic within the ribbons of carved apple-wood. Gossamyr could feel the wood bend and change, briefly, and then the strange mix shot out from the carved ribbons at each end. To master the alicorn-so much power the succubus drained from the essences!
”You do not want me dead,” Gossamyr called. Moving deftly, she sidestepped another blast. ”I am your only connection to s.h.i.+nn!”
The room silenced. Gossamyr had played the one weapon she could guess would harm the woman. Love.
Drawing back her stolen weapon, the Red Lady gained in height and volume almost as if puffing herself up with air. An illusion, Gossamyr knew, but still impressive. Her pale flesh shone. And now, peeking through the decorative cuts of white fabric, the blazon that girdled her waist glittered brightly. The air tickled with sharp bites-Enchantment bound by a darker force. What wicked magic comes this day?
”s.h.i.+nn is in Paris,” the succubus announced. ”I don't need you, silly mortal.”
Could he yet linger in Paris? Gossamyr prayed not, for her father risked far too much. He had aged; a stay in the Otherside would weaken and further age him.
”I know as much because I control him at this moment,” the Red Lady announced. ”Turiau de Winters.h.i.+nn of Glamoursiege-”
”No!”
Too late, her father's name had been invoked, mayhap many a time previous to this moment.
Please stay away, s.h.i.+nn. Fight the allure.
Easing to the left, Gossamyr worked slowly toward Ulrich. A keen eye to the alicorn ensured it hung at her enemy's side, for the moment forgotten. She could feel the subtle wind of Ulrich's feet swaying overhead.
The urge to strike stirred in Gossamyr's breast. If she rushed forth right now, she could pin the woman to the floor and be done with her. But the unknown held her at bay.
If the Red Lady died would her glamour then die? All those pinned essences...would they be obliterated? And Ulrich, he may perish, as well. What of s.h.i.+nn? He would be released from the succubus's erie. But- possibly Disenchanted-could he then return to Faery?
And where was Avenall? The pin man must lurk close by. Had her confession to their past stirred his memory?
”Call s.h.i.+nn to you,” the Red Lady commanded in her cool growl, ”and I will release the mortal man.”
”Promise?” Gossamyr knew it would not be so easy. Nor would-or could-she summon s.h.i.+nn into this dangerous nest of tainted Enchantment.
”You have my word.” The succubus bowed her head and looked up through dark-shadowed eyes. ”The Faery lord for your mortal lover.”
”Your word?” Gossamyr laughed. ”Nay, that I should trust thee! You be the one who doomed me to Faery through your spurned heart.”
”Doomed? You did not favor your home?”
”Well...”
”Should not I bear the right to exact punishment against my heart? Come, child-” the succubus tilted her head, eyeing her with curious malevolence ”-you know the sharp pulse of a wounded heart.” She drew a blood-red nail along the curve of her pale breast.
Speared expertly through her bruised heart, Gossamyr flinched. The succubus knew of her and Avenall's relations.h.i.+p. She knew of her birth and origin. The enemy grew more powerful with every bit of history she claimed from Gossamyr's soul. Yet, she did not wield her mortal name, and that promised hope.
”Are you not willing to do anything to make your mortal heart whole?”
”It is...” Gossamyr s.h.i.+vered at the quake moving through her body. It is whole!
Have you no feelings? Your truth...you are lost to Faery.
”My heart...”She stepped twice to the side, swayed, but righted herself. ”No,” she gasped to herself.
A beautiful song, rich in volume and melody, filled the room. Come to me, it uttered in lyrical tones.
Gossamyr blinked and yawned. Falling, she. So pretty, the surrender.
Her muscles stretched and loosened. The staff stabbed her foot.
The blurry figure of another, a man, bounced in behind the Red Lady. Wings spreading, he fluttered them, his position gifting the succubus with false wings. Flash of silver glinted in Gossamyr's peripheral vision.
”Surrender your heart, pitiful one,” the pin man hissed in glee. Tapping a pin aside his jaw, his wings, lucid and tattered, flapped once. ”She wants you.”
Pulled into the song, Gossamyr again swayed. ”No, Avenall...” she managed to say. ”Av...enall...”
”Surrender,” danced the delicious tones tickling into her ear.
Yes, to the Dance. Merry be and merry will, dance away your life you shall!
No! Gossamyr gathered a breath and shouted, ”Avenall Eloi Papilion of Rougethorn!” She fell to her knees as the whinny of a horse startled her.
Awaken.
Gossamyr shook her head. It felt as though she were shaking away a hard sh.e.l.l of opaque gla.s.s, seeing again, coming back into her soul. Your mortal soul.
In the doorway appeared Dominique, and behind him Tor raced past, his glossy white hooves clacking against the marble. Had the-yes-the unicorn had spoken beyond the erie and wakened her from it.
The Red Lady spun and pointed her Enchanted scepter. ”The unicorn!” she announced, and then scurried from the room in a flight of flowing white skirts.
At the touch of the alicorn, Dominique flew into the air. Connecting to the wall with a sickening crunch, he slid down to land in a tangle of legs and wings.
Gossamyr ran to the doorway. The duo-pin man and Red Lady-were on to the room filled with essences. Scampering back to the center of the room, she retrieved her staff and glanced to Ulrich.