Chapter 8

I open my eyes to the rising sun.

Golden light reflects off the sage walls, causing the room to become bright and warm. I can hear the sound of fluttering wings and soft voices nearby.

It had not been a dream, none of it.

I prepare for shock to consume me, to become a prisoner in my own mind once again. My breath flows evenly, the edges

of my vision stay clear and vivid. Moments pass. I remain awake, calm. The voices floating in from the arched doorway of the bathroom grow louder, distracting me.

I slowly maneuver out of the bed, every muscle in my body aches.

In the bathroom water flows from the ceiling into the clawfoot tub. Faeries lounge on the marbled edge of the bathtub, laughing and gossiping among each other. They wear their hair down and wild, just as Aria had the first time I met her.

"Katherine, you're awake!" Aria chimes, her voluminous lavender hair released from its tight bun.

"I am." I smile at her, trying to fight the feeling of guilt arising inside of me. "Thank you for everything, all of you."

All of the faeries look up to me, each one beaming. How had I been so terrified of a world where such lovely things exist?

"My sisters and I will leave you to your own devices this morning, princess." Aria chimes, side eyeing the other faeries as they begin to argue.

"Take all of the time you need." Aria ushers the reluctant faeries out of the bathroom, giving me a reassuring glance as she leaves.

The hot water soothes every sore muscle as I bathe, bringing me back to life. Overwhelming thoughts threaten to surface, so I focus on Tomas instead. The thought of his disheveled hair, his wild eyes, his bare chest…

I pull myself out of the tub abruptly, embarrassed by my own thoughts. Back in the room I dress in a simple blue gown, the fabric fitting snugly. I stuff my feet into a pair of leather boots I find on the floor of the wardrobe. I reach the door of the bedroom, pausing with my hand on the doorknob.

What waited for me outside of this room? Inside of this new world I found myself in? I swallow all of my fear and open the door.

The hallway is empty. I had been in such a daze when I first arrived to the manor that I had not noticed the elegant paintings that covered the burgundy walls. Though the paintings in the foyer were beautiful, the ones before me are devastating. Vast mountain ranges, expansive forest…a life-size portrait of a man and woman hand in hand, looking down at me with bright smiles. The man's sapphire eyes are the same exact color as Tomas's. The woman's emerald eyes shine bright, reminding me of eyes I had seen once before…

The sound of shuffling feet and soft voices draw my attention down the grand staircase.

The foyer is filled with faeries and…

I stare at the green skinned creatures that scurry throughout the space. They are no taller than a toddler yet their limbs are elongated, their arms and legs are no thicker than the branches of a small tree. Their ears are pointed and their teeth sharp. Deep lines are etched into the creatures faces, making them look menacing.

They pay me no attention as they work. Some help the faeries bring in baskets upon baskets of freshly plucked flowers. The others are placing the bouquet strategically throughout the manor, decorating. A door bursts open and the smell of cinnamon and fresh bread fills the air. More unusual creatures rush out of the opened door, covered in flour.

The familiar feeling of panic begins to surface, I distract myself by looking for Aria. Instead I see Lennox, her arms crossed and eyes fixed on the beings that surround her.

"Lennox!" I wave towards her, craving familiarity.

"Katherine." Lennox bows. "It is good to see you bathed and presentable."

"What are they doing?" I ignore her comment, wanting my questions answered.

"Preparing for luna plena, of course." Lennox snaps, annoyed at my lack of knowledge.

For as young and beautiful as she looks on the outside, she reminds me of my stern grandmother that took me in as a child. Serious and demanding, but always with the best interest at heart.

"Please make yourself useful or remove yourself, we've got much to do princess."

"How can I help?"

"Go tend to the gardens, fresh air will do you some good." Lennox motions towards a pair of open doors, ending our conversation.

Outside of the manor the air is cool, the flora scent of the garden thrives. The heavy sensation of the gravity around me is still present but manageable. My lungs fill easily, panic does not find me.

The gardens are expansive and vibrant, each blooming flower more beautiful than the next. I can make out Finley's white tail as he meanders through the thick foliage. More faeries and green creatures fill the gardens, pulling weeds and collecting flowers. I have no idea how to make myself useful…

Male voices begin to filter out to the garden from the manor, hushed at first but slowly becoming more and more vehement.

I slowly walk to the open window of the manor on steady feet, attempting to blend in with the garden around me. Tomas and Killian face away from me, both rigid as they speak to someone I cannot see.

"How much longer do we hide, Tomas?" The unfamiliar voice is clipped. "They have shown themself, the one the prophecy speaks of."

"I will only speak these words one more time, Erwan. They are not ready." Tomas says each word slowly, anger coating his tone.

The prophecy. Was Erwan speaking about me? Though I feel sick to my stomach, I listen more closely, desperate to hear every word.

"Our people are dying, every sunrise and sunset. The Demigods, their demons…the bodies, Tomas. They are closer to the Thallo with each day that passes."

"I am more than aware, Erwan. I am doing everything in my power to protect us."

"You are not doing enough." Erwan snaps.

My body flinches at his tone, Tomas and Killian go as still as stone. The tension within the air is palpable.

"My apologies, Tomas-" Erwan begins, stopping abruptly when Tomas holds up his hand.

"We are protected here, the waters will not let anyone pass that wants to bring harm upon our people."

"What if the waters fails-"

"Let me speak." Tomas says calmly, an edge to his voice. "You have the right to be terrified, for yourself and your family. Trust that I am doing everything within my power to keep us safe, Erwan. You are dismissed."

"Lord Falconer." A short pause. "Killian." The sound of Erwan's footsteps grow distant as he walks away.

"His disrespect was unwarranted, yet he is right about one thing. The girl, Tomas. How long do you expect that we can keep her hidden?" Killian's voice grows cold. "She was attacked before arriving to the Thallo, someone saw her."

"I am aware of that, Killian. She is…" Tomas lets out a deep sigh. "She is not what I expected. She is terrified of us, of her own people. I cannot…I will not send her to the Demigods to be slaughtered like the rest of the Baird's. She is not ready, and we cannot lose her."

Tomas's words make me sway. The Demigods had slaughtered the Baird's, my family…what did the people of Skye expect from me, if the ones before me were not able to protect themselves?

"If she truly is the one the prophecy speaks of, we must make her ready. We have no other choice." Killian's sharp words slice right through me.

"She is a Baird, I can feel the fire that runs through her veins. I will remind her of who she is, Killian. Give her a bit of grace, I beg you."

"I trust you with my life Falconer. Do what you must, but try not to waste any more time."

I sink to the ground, not wanting to hear the rest of their conversation. The Baird's were slaughtered, murdered. Every last one of them. I had always known that I was alone, but to hear the words spoken out loud shook me to my core. What did Tomas and the rest of the people of Skye expect from me? What did the prophecy foretell?

My chest tightens, the garden around me begins to darken. I try to stand on shaking legs.

"Breathe." I whisper, fighting against my own mind.

I take a step and begin to stumble before warm hands grasp my shoulders gently. I look up into a pair of blue eyes, my vision suddenly clearing.

"You're safe, princess." Tomas's says, his voice gentle. "Breathe."

Tomas's grip tightens as he stares into my eyes. He inhales deeply, implying for me to do the same. I take a deep breath, inhaling the smell of earth and peppermint.

"Now let it out." He says softly, a smile dancing across his lips as he holds me steady.

I listen. Again and again, breathing in his scent, grounding myself.

"Thank you." I whisper.

"I am a Falconer, you are a Baird. My purpose is to keep you safe."

"Why is that?" I ask, desperate to keep him talking, to keep him close to me. His presence seemed to keep me grounded, awake.

Tomas's eyebrows knitted together as he shook his head softly. "Katherine, where have you been hiding?"

"I…I don't know if you'll believe me."

"I will believe anything that you say."

Our noses are nearly touching, the air between us feels electrified. I take a step back, overwhelmed by the sensation of our bodies being so close together.

Tomas's does the same, inhaling deeply.

"This world, Skye…I came from somewhere else. I know nothing, Tomas…" My own thoughts confuse me, I am unable to get the words out right.

Tomas contemplates for a moment, his smoldering stare distant.

"There was talk that your father was sent away to another world at the beginning of the war. It seemed impossible, yet my father believed it to be true. He never gave up the hope that the Baird's would return and save us all. My older brother believed the same, until…" He laughs softly, his smile not reaching his eyes. "I thought my father and brother to be fools, it turns out they may have been right."

"Where are your brother and father now?"

"My father, he was killed by Kronos, one of the Demigods. As for my brother…he has been dead to me for a very long time. It is not something I am fond to speak about."

"The Demigods, I keep hearing that word. What are they Tomas? Why did they slaughter the Baird's?" Desperation coats my tone.

"Come with me." He reaches out his hand.

I stare at the glowing swirls carved into Tomas's palm. They are the same shape as mine, yet they glow a brilliant emerald. I take his hand, letting him lead me back inside of the manor.

Tomas leads me through multiple doors until we reach our destination. Inside of the room, ivy climbs up the walls, nearly covering the oversized paintings that fill up each wall. A circular window adorns the ceiling, allowing sunlight to leak in and brighten the marble statue in the middle of the room.

The life-like woman holds one arm up, her palm facing towards the sky. Upon her palm is a golden sun, made of pure gold.

"She's beautiful." I stare at the statue in awe, unable to look away.

"Her name was Scáthach. She was able to control all of the elements, the only human to ever do so. She had mastered earth, water, air…yet fire lived inside of her, inside of her soul." Tomas stopped before the statue, bowing deeply. "There was a prophecy long ago that Scáthach Baird and her bloodline would protect Skye for generations. That prophecy proved to be true. The Baird's fought fiercely, yet they ruled with kindness. They became our kings and queens, we cherished them and they rewarded us. Our world was peaceful…"

Tomas's eyes darken, his fist clenched together tightly.

"We do not know where they came from. The depths of hell is my only guess. They called themselves the Demigods. Their true names are Apollo, Deimos, and Kronos." He said the last name with disgust, his eyes growing darker. "They claimed they wanted peace, to live among us. King Alexander and Queen Margaret, your fathers parents, did not trust the Demigods. However they had witnessed the power each of the brothers bore, they knew blood would be shed if they did not comply. Gododdin, the Black Cillian mountains, was given to the demigods to prolong the peace."

Gododdin, the territory on the map I had found in my father's cottage. An image of a golden star upon a mountain range flashed into my mind.

"Years passed, our people started to go missing. Dark and terrible creatures not from our world, demons, began to roam our land. They all had escaped from the land that now belonged to the demigods. Our king and queen were beginning to prepare for war, to stop the evil before it got worse, but then…the very same prophet that had gifted Skye with the Baird's had seen another prophecy."

Tomas stared into my soul, his eyes no longer dark but now a brilliant blue.

"The one with the crown and fire, the eyes of iron, will bring death upon those who threaten our world." His eyes flicker to my hair for just a moment. "A Baird…the prophecy claimed that a Baird would destroy the Demigods. Someone had been waiting for this news, undenounced to the king and queen. The prophecy had reached Gododdin, and the three brothers and their beast infiltrated Caledoni that very night…we were not prepared. They slaughtered every Baird in their sleep. Our kingdom was burned to the ground. We fought back, we lost…"

"My father…how did he escape?" My voice comes out in strained whisper.

"I do not know, none of us knew that he had. My father was just a boy at the time, he was training to become a warrior just like the rest of the Falconers. He and your father were friends, there were no whispers that the Baird's knew of a portal to another world."

I look into my hands, the delicate golden swirls dance like flames. "How am I expected to destroy the Demigods when an entire kingdom could not?"

"I do not have the answers for you now, but I promise I will help you find them. I will keep you safe, Katherine."

I stared at Tomas for a long moment, taking in his tall muscular body. His strength was evident, there was no denying that. I believed his words, that he would protect me. But could I protect him? Could I protect all of them?

"We will find-"

The sound of a blow horn interrupts Tomas. His blue eyes widen in terror before he wraps his arm around me, dragging me out of the room and into the hallway. Killian is at our side in an instant, guarding the area behind us.

"The men were not due back for a fortnight." Killian says calmly, though his expression is disquieting.

"Something is wrong." Tomas declares, his grip tightening around me.

The foyer is empty, flowers lay scattered on the ground. I see the foot of one of the green creatures disappear behind a door. The horn was a warning for the beings of Skye, they knew how to hide quickly.

The blood curdling scream of a woman came from outside the manor. Tomas pulled me close to his chest as Killian unleashed his sword from its sheath.

"Liam!" The woman screamed. "Please, please save him!"

We reached the doorway leading outside of the manor. Six men stood around a shaking woman, she held the body of a child in her hands. Tomas's body bucked as he let out a sharp breath before releasing me. His hands began to shake violently, uncontrollably. I reach for his shaking hand, wrapping my fingers around his.

"Breathe." I remind him, returning the kindness he gave me earlier.

Hand in hand, we walk towards the woman. In her arms lay a boy, a child. His sunken eyes are closed. His chest moves irregularly, rapid but weak. The boy's skin is gray and…a shudder ripples through my body at the sight of it. Though the features of a young boy were evident, his skin looked like that of an old man ravaged by the sun. Leathered and void of all fluid, sunken into itself.

"He followed us out of the Thallo…" One of the men said, his voice filled with anguish. "We did not know until it was too late."

"Which one did this, Owen." Tomas asked, his voice just above a whisper.

"Apollo, sir. We tracked him and his demons just past Caledoni's border."

The woman latched herself to the dying boy, her screams echoing throughout my mind. A new sensation danced across my palms, cool and delicate. I faced my palms towards me, the light within shone a brilliant gold.

"Lennox." Tomas called, his voice desperate. "Help us."

As if the fairies had been waiting, they appeared instantly. They surrounded the boy, placing their small hands on every exposed part of his weathered skin. Each one closed their eyes, their palms glowing brightly. The boy's erratic breathing did not ease, his eyes remained closed.

A blue haired fairy gasped, her light beginning to falter.

"Tomas." Lennox's eyes fill with tears. "It's too late."

The woman's scream lights my palms on fire. The golden light thrashes, begging to be released. I was at the boys side in an instant, unsure of how I got there. Without saying a word I place my hands on the boy's chest. The light leaves my body, flowing into his.

The edges of my vision blur. Every muscle in my body weakens as the boy's leathered skin begins to smooth, his breathing slowing.

The last image I see before darkness overcomes me is the boy opening his brilliant brown eyes.

I feel a thick blanket being placed over me, yet the smell of earth and peppermint is what brings me back to consciousness.

I open my eyes, not surprised to see sapphire eyes staring back into mine.

"The boy?" I see his frail body in my mind, his brown eyes.

"You saved his life." Tomas whispers, as if he is afraid to speak the words aloud.

I sink into myself for a moment. The fire within me had saved a life, instead of taking one away. The relief is overwhelming yet I am too exhausted to enjoy my relief.

I notice then that I am in the foyer, laid upon a large sofa that had not been there before. I see Finley and Aria curled up in one of the arm chairs, both fast asleep.

"You need rest, I will leave you-"

"No!" I stammer, sitting up abruptly. "Please, stay…just for tonight."

Tomas stares at me for a long moment, fighting the smile that threatens to expose him.

"As you wish, princess."

He sits on the sofa across from me, picking up a leather bound book from a side table. I watch his devastatingly beautiful face as he reads. He had called himself human, yet I had never seen another human as striking as he was.

Not a human that looked like Killian or Elijah, or any of the other beings of Skye. This was a special place, a place filled with people and creatures that deserved to be saved.

As I stared at Tomas, my eyelids becoming heavy, I prayed to Scáthach herself that I would be able to help save them.