Page 136 of The Shadow Path
Have the imps found you?Cadell’s voice was elevated.
No, but these fae are… not human. Not even close.
“That one reminds me of Auld Mags a bit,” Duncan muttered.
Carys looked to the side, and her eyes went wide. “The one that’s staring at me like she’s hungry?” she murmured.
“Eh, not the beetle bits.” Duncan nodded at the beetle fae, whose eyes were darting between Duncan and Carys with interest. “Ma’am. How’re ya gettin’ on this morning?”
She hissed something at a shadow in the trees, then unfolded two wings from her back and fluttered away with a clicking sound that sent shivers down Carys’s spine.
It was instinctual. Elemental. And Carys suddenly realized why beetles had always freaked her out. There was somethingferal, predatory, and distinctly insectile about the dark fae in Yuten Woods.
Dru and Ogmi were still talking.
“You said Aine’s sons have trespassed.” Dru ate another grub. “Has my brother already been here, Ogmi Intibus?”
“You’re enough.” Ogmi wrinkled his nose. “You’re enough, son of Lir. You come to this place and threaten our trees?”
The dark fae punctuated the accusation with a sharp yip, and the glen came alive with the sound of clicking and clacking, chattering, and snapping teeth.
“Elatha’s son may not bother you now, but what will happen if he takes over this place?” Dru reached for a grub from the ground and tossed it in his mouth as he and Ogmi chatted. Then he looked around the dark forest glen. “Do you think Cian will be happy to let the Yuten Woods remain independent? You know what he’s done to the fae gates in Éire.”
More clicking and a few hisses as the dark fae considered what Dru was saying.
“My power is rising.” Dru sat up and pulled his legs in, sitting cross-legged in the middle of the glen. He lifted his face and looked into the trees around him. “I have returned to Briton with allies. The dragons.” He glanced at Carys. “The human kings and queens.” He nodded at Duncan. “Even allies from the Brightlands.”
A low humming that reminded Carys of cicadas started echoing through the trees.
“You may ignore me,” Dru said. “You may even lend your magic to my brother who comes to rule you.”
More hissing and clicking.
“But know that whatever Cian Elathason may say with his mouth, in his heart, his father’s Fomorian blood is strong.”
The clicking and the humming calmed as the dark fae pressed closer to hear Dru’s words.
“I am Diarmuid mac Lir,” he said firmly, “son of the sea and prince of the light fae.” He looked around the dark woods. “Aine’sson. I have no desire to rule you or change your ways.” He nodded toward Ogmi. “I honor the Yuten folk. I will not dig under your forests or cut down your trees to construct my barrows. This is the Yuten Woods, not the high court of Temris.”
Did the clicking and the snapping sound… happier? Was that possible?
Carys kept her lips shut and listened.
“In two days, my brother will pass by these woods, coming from the sea to fight me on the Saris Plain.”
A hush fell over the forest.
Ogmi narrowed his eyes. “And you want us to leave our wood to fight with you, fae prince?”
“No.”
Dru’s simple word made Ogmi blink and the forest come alive again.
“This battle is not yours,” Dru continued. “This battle is between Cian and me. All I ask of the Yuten folk is that you do not lend your thanes to my brother.”
Ogmi pressed his lips together and began to rock back and forth in the tree roots. The humming and the clicking started again.
“Leave this battle for the light fae,” Dru said. “He will make promises to you, permissions that the Yuten folk have long sought.”
