Light in Torment: An Annora Park Novel: Book Three

Chapter Ten: Night Without Dawn

"Please wear my ring." Terrenel says for the millionth time.
I shake my head. "I'm not there yet."
"We need to present a united front. You are my Queen. If only for this meeting with the Shasharra please wear my ring, my love."
He did have a point. I sigh. I guess I could make this concession. "Fine, give me the damn ring." I take it from Terrenel and place it on my finger, it molds to it perfectly as if it were always meant to be there. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Just as I've placed the ring on my finger there is a ripple in the throne room and a figure emerges. It is a Fairy unlike any Fairy I've ever seen. Bathed in a bright light it glows like a lightning bug.
"Riordan Ddel May, welcome to my court." Terrenel says, he places a hand on my arm. "Have you met my Queen?"
"Your Serene Highness." Riordan says bowing. "May I ask why you have called me out of the dark forest?"
"My Queen has some questions for you regarding some very unsettling matters."
I'm an excellent reader of "tells" and I can tell that this Fairy is nervous. His wings flutter, ever so slightly and his eyes shift from Terrenel to me quickly.
"Hello Riordan Ddel May." I say respectively. "I'm investigating some very disturbing matters on Earth and I needed to know if there is anything you know about them."
"Nothing, I know nothing." He says all too quickly, and I narrow my eyes.
He's lying. I get out of the chair and bring my hand to my dagger belt. "Riordan Ddel May, neither my King nor I appreciate liars." I'm surprised that Terrenel is letting me take the lead in this, but appreciative nonetheless. "Do you know what happens to liars?" I narrow my eyes even further and get closer and closer to him. He takes a step back. "Liars don't live long. I have a way with liars, did you know that?"
Riordan swallows. "We have heard tales of your prowess you Serene Highness."
"Then you know I'm not joking when I tell you that I need you tell me the truth and tell me the truth now. What do you know about what's happening on Earth?"
"I am only an ambassador..."
"Don't give me that shit." I say and remove my dagger. I see he eyes it nervously.
"I...I..."
"Yes?"
"I know only that...that I have had members of my Flock go missing."
"Missing?"
"The Shasharra prefer the Dark Forest, we prefer the half light, half night, and we thrive there. But there are some that had voiced their concerns because they are..."
"Continue..."
"Considered...deformed."
I frown. "Deformed?" I am really beginning to hate that word.
"Some of the Shasharra do not have wings. They have the Goddess glow, and brilliant light, but they lack wings. It has caused some issues."
Now this was getting good. "Enough issues that they would flee to Earth?"
"Perhaps. But we do not thrive on Earth. We would need to make frequent returns to the Dark Forest to replenish our light."
"Listen here Riordan," and I drop his surname. "We have had murders occur on the Earth plane. Light Fae are getting skinned." And I can tell by his pallor and shock he really was surprised by this news. "There is no blood, and the Fairies backs have been skinned completely, paying special attention to their wing buds."
"NO!" Riordan shouts. "None of mine would ever do such a thing. It would be an affront to the Goddess."
Well I'd seen plenty of times Fairies had affronted their Goddess. "Well, it's happening. I need you to check your Flock for me, and tell me which of yours have gone missing for any length of time."
Riordan nods. "I will, I will my Queen. I cannot believe this of any of mine. But if it is happening I will tell you all I know." He looks to Terrenel then. "May I go, I must...I must..."
"Look into these matters immediately, yes, you must. And yes you are dismissed." We watch as the light shimmers and then Rioardan is gone. I turn to Terrenel then and blink.
"I've never seen a Fairy such as he before."
"The Shasharra are different. They were conceived in the Goddess grove from her light. They are usually a peaceful race of Fae and they cause me and mine no harm. I, too, have difficulty believing it could be one of them, my love."
"But the light. Terrenel I saw bright light hovering over those girls and the murders were definitely magical in nature. There wasn't any blood and they were skinned. It was terrible."
Terrenel comes to stand in front of me and wraps me in his arms. "I can only imagine, my love. I can only imagine what horrors you see."
"We need to get back to Walkers, I don't like leaving them alone for too long."
"Darling, can you not stay a little longer. We still have so much to speak about."
I shake my head. "I can't. I have to get back."
"Then I shall go with you."
I nod. "If the court can spare you, then yes, I'd like you to come. You might be of some help."
"Oh I see, you only want me for my help on these murders." But he says it playfully so I know he's joking.
"Among other things," I say cheekily.
"Oh and what other things would that be?"
I laugh. "If you're really lucky you might find out."

When I materialize in Waker's parlor it's to the clashing of swords and I groan.  Walker and Chamuel are full fledge going at it.  Chairs have been turned over and furniture pushed aside.
   "Oh for fucks sake!" I yell.
   Walker steps back first, but doesn't drop his sword.  "Dearheart, I didn't expect you back so soon."
   "Obviously." I eye them angrily.
   "You promised you wouldn't start anything.
   "I didn't.  Birdie made some insulting comments about my lack of wings and well...I couldn't let it slide."
   Chamuel, who has also not dropped his sword shrugs.  "To my defense, he doesn't have wings, he's merely a War Lak."
   "You two are ridiculous."
   "Can we not finish our sparring please?" Walker gives me a puppy dog look and bats his long lashes at me.
   "No, you can't finish you sparring.  Look at the mess you made." I sweep my hands out.  "You've destroyed your living room." Suddenly I'm enraged.  "And if you damaged he Heavenly Chair I'll kill you myself."
   Walker sighs.  "No worries, dearheart." He chants and suddenly everything is put back in order again.  Must be handy.  Oh wait, I could make a wish and make it happen to.  Then again, my wishes were sorta wonky.
   "Put away the swords."
   "Birdie got in a good hit" Walker says proudly showing off the slash on his chest.
   "War Lak didn't even make a dent," Chamuel says even more proudly.
   "Not exactly fair, you're wearing Heavenly armor," Walker says snidely.
   "PUT AWAY THE DAMN SWORDS!"  I shriek.  Both guys dematerialize their swords and look at me abashedly.
   'Are you really that put out with us, beloved?" Chamuel asks.
   "Yes!" I say.  "I trusted you to behave yourself."
   "But we did, most admirably.  No missing limbs, so severed arteries, no one is bleeding out...too bad," Walker says.  "More blood would have been fun."
   "God Walker, you're totally crazy."
   "The best ones are, dearheart, the best ones are."
   I look at Terrenel who is eyeing them both with glimmering eyes.  "Oh no, don't you even think about it."
   "But I haven't sparred in a while.  It would be good for me."
   "You are all lunatics."  I throw up my hands in disgust.  "We are not going to try and kill each other for sport."
   "Oh no, not kill, just a little maiming."
   "No, no maiming." My cell phone rings and I groan.  I pick it up.  "Parks here, yes, okay, on it." I look at the three of them with a grim expression and Walker is the first to say.
   "Another one."
   I nod.  "Another one."