AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He flew as near to the square as he dared, not wanting anyone to see them, then hung in the shadows for Hannah to get a good look. He wouldn’t disrupt the ceremony for anything.
Switching to telepathy, he pathed, Can you see their arms?
I can. It’s so beautiful and look, she’s very pregnant.
It’s a tradition among many of the elven, the fae as well, and a sign of prosperity, for the woman to be with child on the day of her nuptials.
Well, I think it’s lovely. Even magical.
But she stiffened once more in his arms. At first he didn’t know why until she said, Jude, I’m frightened. I can sense that Margetta is nearby. She’s very close.
You’re sure? He rose steadily into the air, higher and higher and got Longeness on the com. Just as he was about to talk to him, Jude saw a line of mist on the nearby canal that sent a chill through his heart. “Longeness, I have mist-sign. I need as many Guardsmen as possible surrounding the elven town of Chelana. Tell them to avoid the town center. There’s a wedding in progress.”
“Got it. I have four within a five minute arrival time and another … let’s see, seven, no eight at the ten minute mark.”
“Thanks, just send them to me.”
To Hannah, he said quietly, “Back-up’s on the way.”
“Okay.” Her arm tightened around his neck.
He felt her distress and slowed his flight, moving steadily in the direction of the mist. “Hannah, how did you know she was there?”
“It’s weird, but I felt her presence. I can still feel it.”
“Has to be your fire-gift.”
The next moment, mist appeared at the railing of the nearby canal. It began pouring over the pavers of the road and moving swiftly toward the square.
“Jude, what are we going to do?”
“I don’t know. If I approach the mist, I’ll pass out.”
The moment the mist reached ten feet from the nearest realm-folk, no matter the species, each simply slumped to the ground. The process looked like dominos falling.
Jude had never felt so helpless to intervene, and he really hated that feeling.
~ ~ ~
Hannah knew that she could make a difference, because she’d already confronted Margetta once. But she didn’t see the woman anywhere, and she was afraid to start working her fire-gift without at least knowing the woman’s location. “Rise higher in the air, Jude. I need to look down on the crowd. My God, how fast the mist takes them over. It’s like watching a flood and being unable to help anyone.”
The moment Jude had lifted them another fifty yards in the air so that she had a bird’s eye view of the square, she groaned. “I can see Margetta now. She’s right next to the bride.” The mist reached the lovely red-haired woman in white lace, and she dropped along with her attached groom onto the pavers at Margetta’s feet. The bride fell on her side, her free arm surrounding her swollen belly protectively.
The crowd had grown very quiet as more and more people fell unconscious. Those opposite the fallen, stared in mute confusion as the mist rolled toward them and a slight murmur of concern went up until the mist reached them.
By the time another minute had passed, the entire square had fallen silent, at least two-hundred vulnerable realm-folk awaiting slaughter.
Margetta lifted her gaze upward and called out, “Come to me, Hannah. We need to reach an understanding.”
Jude spoke into his com. “Longeness, let the incoming Guardsmen know that Margetta is in the Chelana town square. Make sure they remain at two-hundred-yards distant. Looks like we’ll be negotiating. But keep them flying. I’ll want the troops here in case the Invictus show up ready to do Margetta’s bidding. So far, no one else is here to support the ancient fae.”
“Understood, Mastyr.”
Something flashed in Margetta’s hand as she knelt beside the bride. “Fly me closer, Jude. Oh, God, Margetta is holding a dagger to the bride’s throat. Do you see it?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Why is Margetta doing this?”
