Magic in the Key of Joy (A Wylde & Cray Adventure) UIC2022

Chapter 16: Wylde and Cray Zieh

I was spell-napped the instant I set foot into Sidhe space. These elves don't need drones, or spy technology or even GPS-chipped sneakers for wayward kids. They've got hellhounds, for Christ's sake – evil Dobermans on steroids! And my throat was encircled by a rope. And then, to add injury to insult (hey, my voice is star quality...well, close enough) I got conked on the head.

Have you ever had a bucket of ice-cold water thrown on you? You'd remember it – not fondly, I assure you. You probably screamed. I try to, but with a rope around my neck all I manage is a miserable "ack!" as memory returns. I'm in a cage. A great big golden birdcage. It seems witless Windar has a sarcastic sense of humor, which I unfortunately can't exploit at the moment, seeing as I have a noose around my neck. And I'm standing on a goddamned perch.

"Hello, you wretched, warbling, worthless piece of Sapien dung." It was Selrach's voice. I'd turn my head – which is most likely the sarcastic reasoning behind his taunting, because I might hang myself if I lost my balance.

"Don't bother turning your head..."

Well, duh!

"...because I'm elsewhere keeping your false friend Cray busy. He's using you, you know. You're just a tool. A very powerful tool. I could use a tool like you as well. How about you and I join forces? Between you and I, we have enough power to reshape all the planes to our liking. You'd be the sensation of New Broadway, and I could rule Sapiens, Sidhe and Sluagh!"

I try to spit, but I can't work anything into my mouth with the rope blocking access.

He laughs. And honestly, as most evil laughter goes, it's pretty sad. Pitiful, even. "Just kidding! I'll take that as a 'no.' You're going to die very soon, so I'll tell you why I want the Fae race to die. I want to spare them the pain, the insanity that we must live with if our counterpart dies. I'm not Sidhe, I'm Sluagh. I am not Selrach, I am Huon. But I can pass for Sidhe. My other self is dead, but alive. And to him, I am dead. I will save them this pain I've endured for thousands of centuries, by wiping them all out of existence."

I have no clue as to whatever he's babbling about. Next thing I know, I'm in the Council Chamber, still caged, still noosed. The banshees start to wail, and then I see Cray. Selrach speaks, and I know what's coming. I just wish we'd had at least one fucking kiss that Fate hadn't interrupted. Hey Fates – that's right, you three Greek bitches – Eff you! Then, of course, the bar disappears.

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Suddenly the cage vanishes, and along with Sunny and Luna, I dive after Wylde, managing to catch him just before he hits the ground. I dispel the rope, and stare at Wylde's beautiful throat, now bruised. He's not breathing. I look at Bae, who shakes her head. Someone shrieks, and it isn't the banshees, it's Mab. She buffets her wings against Selrach's unseen wall of pressure, and it begins to break apart. Selrach lets forth a string of curses, and starts to reinforce it with further castings, but he's interrupted by Sunny and Luna, who are doing aerial acrobatics while sending lightning bolts at him...and the ceiling above him! That gives Mab all the time she needs to break Selrach's pressure wall completely, as the combined forces of Sidhe and Sluagh begin ascending the stairs to confront their now mutual enemy.

I'm stroking his beautiful raven-black hair. Thankfully, this is not my nightmare. In a way, it's worse. Elves can't bring Sapiens back to life – that kind of magic belongs to them, and them alone. I wrap him in my arms and hold him. He fits, perfectly.

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I expected light. You know, the tunnel of light, blah blah blah. And angels. What I got was stars, and planets. And The Golden Girls.