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"Are the Seelie really that powerful?" Amber asked, turning around so she faced the mouse. And, for the first time since raising to her feet, she stood still. Even her tail wasn't moving anymore.
"Not anymore, no," Luch admitted. "Their powers are constantly weakening. I think a part of them is tied to the Staran, and it's dying off along with it." She sounded sad. Not that Macey knew what she was going to do about that.
"Or is it the other way around?" Macey asked. "Are the Seelie weakening because the Staran are?"
Luch considered her words for a moment. "Possible. Or it could be as simple as an imbalance between the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. No one, even they, aren't sure how the balance actually works."
"One question," Flint interrupted. "What's this got to do with us?"
Everyone turned to face him, and Macey added a questioning look. She had no idea what he was trying to get at.
Flint shrugged. "We're not Seelie or Unseelie. In fact, we're hardly anything but a bunch of misfits. What do we have do with their Courts and the battle between good and bad?"
"It's not a battle," Luch corrected. "It's a balance. Just like the elements you all represent are all about balance. The world couldn't survive without fire. Nor without water, or air, or any of the others. To think that the two things aren't connected is a failure on your parts. This world is nothing but connections."
Flint nodded. "Okay then, that does make a little bit of sense."
"It makes a lot of sense," Macey added. "Except that there's seven of us."
"Balance can be had between any number," Luch pointed out. "For example, are you not balanced within the Wardens as two relationships? Everyone has someone else they can rely on. No one is left on their own."
"So, it's normal for relationships to occur within the Wardens?" Macey asked softly, wondering what that could mean for them all. Did it take away from their relationship if they were predestined to be?
"It happens," Luch shrugged. "But it's not a given. Sometimes the Wardens hate each other and only come together if they absolutely must. It's very rare for all six of the Wardens to be in a relationship."
"If the Seelie know what's going on with the Staran, why didn't they want us to come and help? They could have told us about their origin, about where to find them. Why didn't they?"
"The woman who helped us said something about evil reaching their queendom," Cam mentioned. "Maybe they're no l
onger all on the same side. Maybe the Unseelie have more influence in their court than the balance should allow."
"It seems we have to do it on our own," Flint said with a huff. "Yet again, it's all down to us. Why can't people just be nice and give us some more information?"
Luch chuckled. "It's not in people's nature to be helpful. Nor is it in that of mice." She grinned cheekily. "But I'm an exception. I'm nice, so I'm going to tell you where to go. It's a pretty place, actually, I haven't been in years. I'm going to think of this as a holiday. You can do the work and I'll enjoy the scenery."
Macey grimaced. Luch was proving once again that the mouse knew far more than she let on.
"Where is it?" she asked.
"St Kilda. The last islands before there's nothing until you reach America. An archipelago with the highest sea cliffs in all of Britain. It's a beautiful set of islands, you'll like it."
"Is anyone still living there?" Jared asked and Luch tsked.
"Don't you know your history, incubus? The last humans left in 1930. Until then, the islands had been inhabited for over two thousand years. Long enough for the people there to grow used to guarding the Staran. But over time, their tasks became legends and the younger generations no longer knew what to do. So, the Staran became weaker, missing the monthly rituals that kept it pure and alive. Missionaries arrived in the middle ages, and while spreading their religious message, they also destroyed some of the knowledge that had been collected about the Staran and the island’s mythological origins."
"How do you know all that?" Macey was impressed by the mouse's knowledge, but at the same time, she was wondering why she hadn't told them before.
"I know a lot more, but it's not time yet to divulge all my secrets. Once our story comes closer to its end, I will. I promise."
"Does that mean we have to go to St Kilda now?" Amber asked. Tiredness had left dark shadows below her eyes, but she was smiling in excitement.
"I think I'd like to have a chat with Nessie first. She's got a lot to explain," Macey growled, failing to hide the anger once again bubbling up in her. The talk of the Staran and St Kilda had almost distracted her from the big revelation about her family, but she was not getting it quite out of her mind, and she was sure she wouldn't until she'd confronted her aunt... or whatever Nessie was to her.
"I'm not sure we'll have time," Izban began but Amber elbowed him again.
"Put yourself in Macey's shoes," the beithir scoffed. "Wouldn't you want to know as well? I don't think she'll be able to focus on anything until she finds out if Nessie is her mother."
There was no accusation in Amber's voice, just sympathy. Macey gave her a thankful smile.
