GAISCE (Call to Arms, Book 3, Part 1 in Baile Series)

Chapter 25 The Wild Hunt

Isla

'Stand down Cursed Child.' A clear yet resonant voice entered my mind.

I suddenly felt the power within me subsiding, my flaming wolf size shrinking. The flames dissipated and I reverted back to my Faerie form.

I felt as if a weight had been lifted from inside my chest as I looked out over the blood stained battlefield. Realisation dawned on me as tears formed in my eyes. I had caused all this chaos. I had killed so many people.

I looked around and my heart broke at Alick's still form. I crawled my way over to him, not trusting myself to stand without falling over.

"Oh Alick." I couldn't believe that he had come to save me and I had tried to kill him. "I'm so sorry." I touched his charred skin tentatively.

I lifted my head at the sound of a rumbling in the distance, a rumbling I had only heard in my dreams.

Alick's chest lifted lightly beneath my hand and joy filled me at him still being alive.

The rumbling grew louder and the rain fell heavier as dark figures filled the roiling clouded sky. I suddenly got a feeling that something deeply bad was about to happen as the figures broke forth from the sky to reveal an armada of knights riding flying horses heading my way.

I left Alick's body, giving us some distance as I waited for what felt like my imminent death.

The knight's rode their deathly steeds over the body littered clearing as if they commanded the very earth and time itself in the Faerie lands. I felt small and insignificant in comparison as the knights formed a long line before me.

The sea of knights parted and their leader moved forward on a horse that was a deep shade of blue and sparkled like the stars. The knight riding the horse wore bulked gold armor and wore a helmet that shielded everything but his eyes and mouth. His left iris was gold and his right was silver and he also had a set of horns that I couldn't tell whether they were attached to the helmet or his actual head beneath it.

His black cape bellowed in the breeze despite the heavy rain as he gazed down upon me.

"The stars have called your name Cursed one." I recognised his deep gravelly voice as the one in my head while I was in wolf form. "As leader, Gwyn ap Nudd I have come to collect you for your service."

I took a moment to try and understand what he meant, but I simply couldn't. "I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you want with me."

"Your time has come to join us on The Wild Hunt, it is the debt you must repay for the century of service your father failed to complete with us." Gwyn clarified.

My jaw went slack. "You want me to join you?" I did not fancy the idea of riding horseback in the stars for an eternity.

"It is your obligation, as Duncan's child."

I took a step back and anger flashed Gwyn's mixed irises. "I am not my father." I said pointedly. "I don't have to join you."

"It wasn't a question."

"No." I took another step back as two white Dobermans with red tipped ears shot forward from the ranks, tugging against their chains and snapping at me viciously.

"Isla Dunn, Cursed Child of Rian and Duncan by order of The Wild Hunt and the old laws of Fae you will join my ranks in your father's place as second in command." A black horse with an empty saddle was presented beside Gwyn and I shook my head in protest before drawing my sword.

"I will not join you. I will be returning to my family."

"We are your family." He still tried to convince me.