And if something went wrong, his grandfather wouldn’t be there to bail him out this time. Highlighting that point was the grey bundle on the porch, Arrogan’s body, wrapped and waiting for burial.
Will squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them again as he took a deep breath. Then he began walking. No one has experience dealing with the fae in the beginning, he told himself. This is how you learn. Despite his internal encouragement, he couldn’t help but wonder if he was about to learn more than he bargained for.
It was a fifteen-minute walk through dense forest and undergrowth, but despite the relative lack of light, Will didn’t worry about losing his way. The place she was waiting for him was a beacon, invisible yet impossible to miss. When he finally drew close, he saw streamers of turyn in the air, and a moment later he heard her voice, purring to him from the shadows, “You came.”
The forest cover was too dense there; he still couldn’t see her, just the traces of her magic as it lingered. Will’s mouth went dry as he realized how close she must be. “I was curious,” he answered finally. “What did you call me for?”
“Can you see in the dark?”
“Is that what you wanted?” he returned. “We haven’t discussed terms.”
Another voice found his ears, smooth, feminine, and mature. The hairs on the back of Will’s neck stood up as a fresh surge of adrenaline shot through him. “You’ve learned well. You do your teacher credit.” A light blue glow filled the air, illuminating the area where he stood within the trees. Two figures became visible, Tailtiu, wild and naked as he remembered, and another woman with white, flowing hair.
Although neither of them showed any signs of aging, the white-haired woman emanated a feeling of age and maturity. Like Tailtiu she was bare-chested, but her hair draped artfully over her shoulders, obscuring the places his eyes went to first. Unlike Arrogan’s daughter, she also wore a light ephemeral gown that seemed to be held up by little more than hopes and dreams. It draped from her shoulders, detoured away from her breasts, and then circled her waist.
For a fae, she was practically modest.
Fear helped him keep his thoughts in line. After his previous adventure in the fae realm, his grandfather had insisted he read a book detailing the fae and their customs, and while he hadn’t finished it, he had learned quite a bit. He ignored the stranger, returning his eyes to Tailtiu’s face. “I’ll ask again. What did you call me for, Tailtiu?”
The red-haired fae girl pouted. “I thought we were friends.”
“We are,” said Will. “But we have to make the rules of our exchange clear before we can speak freely.”
The stranger laughed, and Tailtiu’s lips curled into a smirk, then she answered, “Mother wanted to speak with you.”
Mother? If she’s her mother, then that would make her… Will’s mind stopped dead in its tracks, refusing to go further. His mouth opened and he heard himself say, “Grandmother?”
“Ware your words, William,” said the fae lady. “Don’t let surprise be your undoing.”
Her warning was enough to snap his thoughts back into focus. Addressing Tailtiu, he asked, “What will you give if I speak with your mother?”
Tailtiu drew closer, a hungry look on her features. “What would you like?”
She’s hundreds of years old, and she’s my aunt, Will repeated to himself, not that his body seemed to care. “One hour,” he said firmly. “For one hour you’ll answer any questions without deception. In return I’ll do the same.”
The fae girl smiled. “Done.”
“And what of me?” asked Tailtiu’s mother.
“I can offer you the same terms,” said Will.
The older fae seemed to think for a moment, then replied. “Not quite good enough. What if you decide to answer my questions and then kill me afterward to prevent me from using the knowledge I gain?”
It was a ridiculous suggestion on the face of it. Either of the two women could easily overpower or kill him, but it reminded him of something he had forgotten. “For one hour I’ll freely and honestly answer your questions while you do the same. At the end of that time we end our discussion under an oath of peace. I will offer you no harm and you will do none to me.” As he finished, a new thought occurred to him. She’s helping me. That didn’t fit with anything he had learned about the fae.
His chain of thought was broken when Tailtiu eased forward and brought her lips to his. The rush of pleasure shocked him into stillness. Her hands went up to brace his head as she leaned into him, and Will could feel his turyn draining away by the second. Somewhere deep down, a rational voice commented, I’m dying. But even as it warned him, his arms circled her waist.
“Stop,” ordered Tailtiu’s mother, and somewhat reluctantly, the fae girl pulled herself away.
Feeling faint, Will’s legs gave out and he collapsed into a sitting position. “That wasn’t part of our bargain,” he gasped when he could finally speak again. Unlike the first time he had met Tailtiu, his turyn was recovering rapidly.
“I owe you another favor,” said Tailtiu, without an ounce of repentance in her voice.
“An unbounded favor,” clarified Will. “That makes three now. Two from last time, and this one.” He had learned the term from his studies. An unbounded favor was rare, as it meant he could ask for anything. Such favors were almost never given in a negotiation, but were a penalty for a debt that accrued through accident or foul play. Such things were the main reason one had to be careful to set terms before asking questions of the fae.
Yet she indebted herself, thought Will. That wasn’t an accident. She knows the rules better than I do. They’re part of her blood. First her mother had helped him set his terms, now this. It couldn’t be coincidence.
“What did you want to know?” he asked.
Since the hour had started, Tailtiu jumped into the conversation. “Can you see in the dark? You came without a light.”
“No,” admitted Will.
“Why didn’t you make a light? You’re a wizard after all,” she continued.
Her mother interrupted. “He hasn’t learned to use his magic yet. Have you, William?”
He shook his head. “I’m not really a wizard. Grandfather was just beginning to teach me.”
Something passed across their faces, but whatever emotion it represented was too subtle for Will to guess. “Arrogan was the reason I had my daughter call you, William. I felt his death. Would you tell me what happened?”
The shift in the conversation caused Will’s throat to tighten. Unsure what to say, he took a moment to collect his thoughts.
Taking his hesitation for reluctance, she added, “Do you know who I am?”
“I’m not sure,” he answered, “but if you’re Tailtiu’s mother—doesn’t that mean you’re my grandmother, Aislinn?”
The elder fae studied him. Her face was inscrutable as she responded, “He was my husband once, but the woman who loved him died long ago. Don’t make the mistake of ascribing human traits to the fae, William. There is no relation between us. Humans have souls; the fae do not. We are creatures of pure magic, without morals or true emotion. The closest thing we have is hunger and passion, bound by the rules of the power that sustains us. The only thing I share with the woman who was your grandmother is her memories and her name, Aislinn.”