Through the Fairy Ring

Chapter Forty-Two

Amena's face twisted into an angry purple mask, her features transformed into a wrathful caricature of herself. I expected the blood vessels in her face to burst in a high-blood pressure eruption.

"This battle isn't over until I say it is," she screamed, her body hunched with rage. "I won't let you deny me my rightful place in the Realm."

"You belong in Adven, and you must go there now. There has been too much bloodshed." Arden's voice was hard, his body tense.

"Never! The blood shed today lies on your head, Arden, for denying us your protection. And on Edlark's, for refusing us the opportunity to survive."

At times I'd doubted Edlark that the Queen was insane, but now, the truth stood before me. She was one psychopathic Pixie. How could she blame Arden and Edlark for her march on the Realm? She alone led her people into a needless battle.

Edlark stepped toward Amena. "What lies did you tell your people to get them to fight?"

"I told them the truth!" She stomped her little foot, looking very much like a spoiled, wrinkled blue-tattooed preteen.

"Did you tell them the truth about the little boy you'd hidden in the Pixie den?" I yelled.

The three Pixies nearest us threw surprised glances at the Queen.

I guessed not. "Why'd you do it, Amena? How could you traumatize a child for your own gain?"

"I don't answer to you, you nasty little harlot!" Amena shrieked.

"Enough, Amena," Edlark sneered. "Your plot to get into the Realm has failed."

"You... I..." She huffed, and while I didn't think it possible, her face turned an even deeper shade of purple.

Before anyone could say more, she thrust her arms up above her head and turned her face toward the clouds. Those directly above her thickened and darkened. The air around her sparked and crackled, and began to glow with an eerie purple light. It congealed into a swirling column an arms-length in front of her. She dropped her arms and blasted the light toward us. Toward Edlark.

I leapt in front of him, using the last of my magical energy to form a barrier, and pushed back the power of the attack. I was so tired I couldn't modulate the effort. The purple light appeared to bounce off a piece of glass in front of us, and bulleted back to the Pixie Queen. The energy struck her in the chest and threw her backward.

A collective gasp echoed in the silence that followed. The general ran to her side and patted her face, then leaned over to listen for breath. After several moments, he righted. "She's dead!"

I took a step toward them. "She can't be dead!"

Arden put his arm out, barring my way.

"Stay here," he said. "I'll go. Maybe I can heal her." He started across the meadow, a grim frown sharpening his features.

Or maybe Edlark could. I turned to him. "How do we help her? There has to be a way. I didn't mean to strike her down."

Edlark shook his head. "Dead is dead. Like humans, if the body we live in is too damaged, we cannot stay and are released back to the land of magic and spirit. Even if I could help her, I wouldn't. This is a blessing for the Fairies. And, quite honestly, for the Pixies as well."

I drew back from him. How could he say that? The Pixies had lost their leader, crazy though she might be. And Drostan. I'd killed his mother. How could he forgive me?

That made me remember I hadn't told Edlark about Breeju.

"Edlark, there are two deaths on my hands today."