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Aaibhe turned to her two princes and said, “Do you both know what we must do next? Yes?”
“Aye,” Prince Breslyn replied. “Danté and Z are guarding the portal we just closed, my Queen. Chance and Royce were on their way to the village of Swords when Ete and I saw them only moments ago, to guard over Daremont and BJ. We were concerned because they are not immortal, and if Pestale tries to open the monoliths on their land, they could be harmed attempting to stop him. Ete and I are headed for Trinity, as Ete believes he will strike in a public place in Dublin.”
“Has she seen this with her sight?” the queen asked, one brow raised.
“She isn’t sure. She only received bits and pieces, but she felt the scene was in Dublin, and there were so many young people … students, that she surmised it would be Trinity.”
“Pestale means to send each brother to a different location, thus spreading our power off and away from his direct and first hit. We have no way of knowing which one he will hit and with how many of his monsters at his back,” the queen said as she pyramided her fingers.
“Does he have the power to open a portal that large?” Trevor asked, his face drawn.
“I think so,” said the queen. “I have tried to contact the Dark King, but he is off with his Crystal … and is unaware of time. I know that he was determined to convince her to shed the last remnants of her human essence and evolve as he has. While he is centered in that, he will be of no help in this.”
“Where do you want me to go, and when do I leave?” Trevor asked.
“Now,” said the queen. “Trevor, my young prince, I am asking you to enter the Dark Realm to contain the Dark Royals. I know that I am asking a great deal, and I also know you are up to the task.”
He put his arm across his chest and made a fist of loyalty as he bowed his head. “It is an honor to serve.”
She had taken the Orb from him while they spoke and said, “This will get you to the Dark Realm and back.”
Although part of her had listened to the discussion, Jazz had also been deep in thought. How long had she been away? She knew her travel agency would have immediately enlisted a tour guide to help her poor seniors, who had been left stranded, but just how long had she been gone? She sighed; she had to set this aside, for she could do nothing about that situation. She could, however, do something else—she could help rid the world of the damned Unseelie!
She stepped up and found the courage to say, “I am going with him.”
Trevor rounded on her. “No—you are not.”
“I can help you, Trev. I am coming.”
“So am I,” Frankie said in a small voice.
“Jazmine Decker,” Trevor said, his voice was a mixture of admiration and authority, “you must remain behind with Frankie. You can help by being with her and giving me peace of mind that you are both safe.”
“I can’t do that this time. Frankie will be safe here with the queen. You know that, so I am coming with you.” She turned to Frankie. “You trust me, Frankie, don’t you?”
“Yes, but … I be wanting to stay with you … and Prince Trevor.”
Aaibhe bent to her knees and looked at the child directly. “You are the last of the Fios McCutchems on your mother’s side. And you will grow to be strong and sure. I need you to remain with me and train. Can you do that? When Trevor returns, he will be so very proud of all that you will learn while with me.” The queen rose and took Frankie’s hand.
“You see, you will need to stay here with Frankie,” Trevor said to Jazz and turned to the queen. “Remind Jazmine Decker, my Queen, that she is mortal. She will not survive the Dark Realm.”
“I cannot tell her that because she is more than mortal,” said the queen softly. She took a step to Jazz, picked up the pendant that was around her neck with her free hand, and began to chant. When she was done, she murmured, “While this won’t make you completely invulnerable, it will help keep you safe, because though you are more than what you appear, you are also mortal, and I will need you in the future.”
Frankie tugged on the queen’s hand. “I have a fireball. I can help them. Send me, please send me with them. I can help.”
The queen smiled warmly and shook her head. “No, my little one. You will stay with me and meet Nuad, our Chief Tracker, and his team, and one of them—you may pick which one—will take you to the training center and teach you how to use all your Fios skills, for you have more than the fireball. You have ways it can be used that you are still not aware of.”
“But …” Frankie said on a worried note.
Jazz hugged Frankie fiercely. “None of this is normal, but you and I, we are not normal. However, we have found our place—finally, both of us know really what we are and why.” Jazz then whispered in Frankie’s mind, another skill she had learned from her mother, how to ‘mind-speak’ from Fios to Fios. I am going with him, no matter what he says … so you be ready to show us everything you learn when we get back. Jazz didn’t know if the mind-speaking would work on a Fae—though she wished she could use it with Trevor. She smiled to herself at the thought.
Frankie’s eyes filled with tears, but she staunchly nodded her head and said, “Right, then.”
Breslyn, who had been standing back from this scene, folded his strong arms across his chest and said to his queen, “You do know what is going on here?”
She eyed him with one brow up. “Do you question me, Breslyn?”
“Well, not exactly, but …”
