The Seelie Curse

Chapter 86

The world is getting clearer and so are the sounds, the shrieks hammering into her skull once again. It's almost as bad as it was before the damper was put over her now, so how bad must these sounds be for her father? She looks up at his face to see nothing when the next wave hits . . . but no. There is something there, the slightest flicker of a wince. It's hurting him too. She reaches out towards him.

"Don't hurt yourself, we can go."

"No, not until your kelpie is here. I'm not letting you go to this summoning alone."

"But I'm not alone. You're here."

Coillen pauses to look down at Rowan, his facial expression softening. "I'm not enough, not for this. I don't have enough experience with this. I don't think it has ever happened before, the summoning of a human before the courts."

"So this is going to be something really, really bad."

Her father doesn't respond, or if he does, the sound of hoofbeats pound over it. A black horse gallops into the clearing, coming to a halt beside Rowan and dipping his head to nuzzle at Rowan's cheek. She tries to smile, but it doesn't come off very well. Instead of shifting to speak, Andrian stays in horse form and relays the words through the connection forged by her bracelet.

Who is he? Is he the reason why you called for me? Is he trying to hurt you?

Rowan strokes Andrian's neck, shaking her head. No, no. He's my father, An. There's a- She cuts off at the shriek piercing into her head. There's a summoning.

Startled, Andrian shifts, almost falling to the ground. "A what?!"

Coillen raises an eyebrow. "I wasn't aware that kelpies could use telepathy . . . or that you could, Rae."

Rowan lifts her bracelet into the air as Andrian frowns. "That isn't her name."

Rowan laughs. "He wanted something unique to call me, don't worry."

Andrian gives her a dirty look, reminding her that his nickname for her has become widely used by the rest of the magical world that knows her. She winces. "Sorry?" Through the bond, she tries to give him some kind of reassurance. I have a new name to tell you later, alright?

With a slight nod towards Rowan, Andrian looks to Coillen. "So what does this summoning mean?"

"It means we go where we're told before the summoning itself grows to dangerous for her."

"You can't resist?"

Coillen glares at Andrian. "I am leader of my people, youngling that I am. I cannot refuse their summons, no matter how much I may wish it so. If I resist, she will come to harm, if I had followed sooner, she would be in too much danger."

"You waited? But she's hurting!"

Flinching at the next shriek, Rowan touches her cridhe's arm. "An, stop. He did the best he could."

Andrian doesn't back down. "It wasn't good enough."

Rowan sighs. "Stop! Instead of fighting about this, can we just go? It hurts."

Andrian instantly looks apologetic. "Of course. I'm sorry, Ro."

Rowan touches his cheek. "It's alright." She shudders at the next wave. Coillen jumps forward, touching Rowan's arm.

"The damper is fading. Get her on your back. We need to go, now. If it wears off before we get there, it might be too much for her."

Pulling Rowan into his arms, Andrian shifts. He looks back at her and she smiles weakly, wrapping her arms around his neck. With a toss of his head and a snort, Andrian moves forward to stare at the Forest King intently. Coillen takes the hint and nods, moving into the trees. Andrian follows as quickly as he can without dislodging Rowan, not reacting in the slightest to the painful clenching of his mane when the next shriek hits. Coillen stops before a dense ring of trees, holding his hand up to stop Andrian.

"Give her to me for a moment."

Andrian shifts and carefully passes Rowan to her father's arms. He frowns at her pale, drawn face. "How are you feeling?"

"Not good."

"Could a healing rune work?"

Rowan shakes her head, revealing a rune lying in her hand. "Tried. Not working."

He sighs and touches her forehead. Rowan shivers as a chill runs down her back. "What did you do?"

"Glamour. I can't put a whole one on you, not with your protections. And no, don't take them off. What I can do is dull the similarities between us. Make your hair less bright to contrast with my eyes, even darken the shade. Your eyes themselves are dark enough to avoid suspicion, if anyone finds them interesting they will accredit them to the Seelie Lord. But your hair is a dead giveaway."

Rowan lifts a lock to see that her hair is now a dark auburn, closer to the colour of her mother's hair than her father's. Coillen looks to Andrian. "We need to go inside. Will you take her again? She'll be safer, many of the Aos Sí fear your kind."

Andrian nods and takes Rowan before shifting back. She's glad he didn't shift first, she's not sure she has the energy right now that would be required to mount him.
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What will they find at the source of the summoning? Will the glamour hold? What do you think will happen next? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out