Chapter Twenty-One

AN: So I noticed that I made an Irish pronunciation error waaaay back in Chapter Nine. When Bo calls Trick "sheanathair" it's actually pronounced "hanahar" - the "s" is silent. Sorry about that. I wrote this chapter to my go-to final battle song: "Heart of Courage," by Two Steps From Hell.

Bo and Tamsin stopped back at Tamsin's place before heading to the Dal, though the Valkyrie wouldn't say why. The blonde burst through the door and took the stairs two at a time, Bo hot on her heels, scrambling to keep up. The succubus stood back and observed as Tamsin hurried to her nightstand and opened the drawer. Pressing down in the back to reveal the false bottom, she pulled out an old-fashioned key and moved to the cabinet in the corner. When she unlocked and threw open the doors, Bo gasped at the sight of what was inside.

In the cabinet sat a suit of armor, well-worn but well-kept. The body was a sleeveless scale tunic with plate pauldrons. To the left of the tunic lay a pair of plate bracers while a calf-length pair of plate boots sat to the right. Folded atop the boots was what appeared to be studded leather pants, flexible but sturdy. Bo watched as Tamsin stripped down to her underwear and tank top before sliding into the pants, boots, and tunic with practiced ease. The armor, ending midway down her thighs, was perfectly molded to Tamsin's form, as if it had been made for her. It probably had been, Bo realized – forged millennia ago in Tamsin's first life and worn through thousands of battles.

The Valkyrie snapped on and tightened the bracers before picking her sword belt up from the floor and replacing it around her waist, checking to make sure her sword was loose in its scabbard. "Do you have everything you need?" she asked, looking up at Bo. The succubus said nothing, continuing to gape at Tamsin. "Bo?"

"Has anyone told you that you look really sexy in armor?"

Tamsin smirked. "Maybe once or twice." Her smile faded. "Seriously, Bo, make sure you have everything you need." She sighed. "I wish I had armor for you, too."

Having been prepared for combat training, Bo was decked out in her usual black, wearing flexible jeans and a tight tank covered by a leather jacket. Her boots were the most practical pair she owned and the lack of heels meant she stood nearly a head shorter than her Valkyrie. The succubus's dagger was secure in its sheath, strapped to the outside of her thigh. "I'll be fine, Tamsin. I can handle myself. And we'll be together, remember?"

"Yeah, I know." Tamsin pulled Bo into a rough embrace, holding her as tightly as she could with her armor in the way. "Tá grá agam duit, mo laoch," she murmured in her ear.

"I love you, too, Tamsin," Bo returned, kissing her soundly. "Now, let's go close the veil."

…

There were too many Fae gathered at the Dal for everyone to fit inside, so the Light and Dark sídhe – over two hundred in all – were gathered outside the building, both in the back alley and around the front. The Morrigan was addressing the Dark sídhe while Trick spoke to the Light, each outlining what was happening and what needed to be done. Various sídhe from both sides would glance at each other every so often with expressions of slight mistrust but grudging acceptance. But when Fíonn handed Trick the Spear, the sight of the Treasure seemed to create a sort of astounded solidarity among the Fae, the true gravity of the situation slowly sinking in.

"Will this be enough?" Bo asked Tamsin as the two surveyed the crowd.

"It'll have to be," Tamsin replied grimly. She was thankful to see that the assemblage was armed – some with swords and shields, others with bows or crossbows. Even Lauren carried a crossbow while Kenzi held Geraldine in a white-knuckled grip. Both humans looked like they were about to be sick.

"Darling! You're here!"

Bo gave a start, spinning to find Aífe smiling brightly at her. "Mom? But…your leg…"

"When I felt the change and heard that we were taking the battle to him, I fed off one of one of the orderlies to finish healing up." Bo and Tamsin knew by the way she said "him" that the older succubus was referring to Dagda. "I wouldn't miss this for the world, baby girl. I have to help you kill him, after all." She patted the wicked looking sword at her side and her grin became slightly feral. "He is going to pay for what he did to us." Bo gulped at the vehemence behind her words, but Aífe's driven anger made Tamsin feel a little better. She wouldn't be the only person fighting tooth and nail to keep Bo safe.

"I'm glad you're here, Mom," Bo admitted. "I mean, I'm not…I don't like that we're going into battle, but…I'm glad you're here." Aífe wrapped her daughter in a fierce but tender embrace and Tamsin smiled despite herself.

"Good, you're here," Fíonn said, jogging up to the group. He had a long knife strapped to each side of his waist.

"What's the plan?" Tamsin asked.

"The main group is going to take on the inevitable army while a smaller contingent hunts down the Treasures, starting with the Cauldron, we hope." The gancanangh explained. "Trick will be leading our forces with the Spear, which we hope will draw attention away from the group going after the Cauldron." Aífe bristled at the mention of Trick's name, but said nothing.

"Let me guess – we're in the group going after the Cauldron," Tamsin sighed.

Fíonn nodded. "Since I have the medal and I've memorized the incantation I'll be in the lead but I'm definitely gonna need your firepower at my back."

"In that case, I'm going, too," Bo interjected.

"I figured you would," Fíonn nodded. "There's going to be a secondary group trailing behind us in case we need a diversion. That'll be made up of Dyson, Hale, Lauren, Aislinn, and Kayleigh."

"Lauren?" Bo asked, surprised.

"Turns out she's deadly with a crossbow," Fíonn explained. "She and Aislinn will be providing cover fire should we end up in combat."

"And Kenzi is willingly staying behind?"

"Not willingly, no, but she'll be safer with Trick." The gancanagh shrugged. "That's about it so far. We haven't figured out how to deal with the Sword and Dagda yet."

"If you don't mind, I think I'll join your little infiltration group," Aífe purred. "I'm loathe to leave Bo's side and I have a score to settle with Dagda."

"So I hear," Fíonn noted with an arched eyebrow.

"How are we even getting to the Otherworld in the first place?" Bo inquired.

"Same way we found the Spear," Fíonn replied. "Trick's going to recite the incantation while holding the Treasure, which should call forth the nearest tear in the veil. We hope."

There was a sudden flurry of movement, every sídhe tensing as they drew their weapons in preparation. "Here we go," Fíonn muttered, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a rush.

Bo tried to stay steady, but her hands had begun to shake. She had known it would come down to this, but knowing something and actually facing it were two different things entirely. Her breathing became shallow as she fought back panic, but then slim fingers entwined with hers and the succubus immediately calmed. She looked up into the gaze of her Valkyrie, crystalline blue-green eyes meeting deep brown. She gave Bo's hand a squeeze of encouragement, and Bo returned one of thanks before both turned back to watch events unfold.

Trick, standing on a platform above the rest of the gathered Fae, held Lugh's Spear aloft and recited the words of the invocation with ringing clarity. There was a moment of withdrawn breath after he finished, then a cracking, tearing sound rent the air and everyone took a step back as the space in the back alley split before them. Even from a distance Bo could see that the edges of the portal fluttered like tatters of fabric around the entrance to the Otherworld, dark and beckoning.

There were no battle cries. There were no words of encouragement. There was only solemnity as the sídhe stepped through the veil to make their last stand.