Kissed by Eternity by Shéa MacLeod Read Free Book Online Page A

now?
    Last time I was in the Otherworld, I'd been able to control one of the lesser fae. A tiny winged creature. It hadn't been happy, but it had done what I told it. Maybe I could call one of those things, whatever they were, and make it show us the way. Maybe it could even tell us where Alister was for certain.
    "All right, stay back," I said. "I'm going to call a Sidhe."
    The two men exchanged glances but otherwise said nothing. I guessed they were used to my powers by now. Good for them. I sure wasn't.
    Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and mentally reached into the center of my being where my powers slept fitfully. Eager at my approach, they roiled around each other, trying to get out. I forced them back, allowing only Earth to answer my call. It slid slowly out of its hiding spot, unfurling through my body like a living thing. Twining down my arms in shimmering vines of verdant green, it wrapped itself around me like a lover.
    I visualized it forcing its way into the ground beneath our feet. The earth began to shake. Haakon and Inigo staggered a little as the ground gave a solid heave. My feet remained rooted, held in place by my power. I willed it out into the Otherworld, searching, seeking, until it found what I needed: a tiny speck of sentient life in all the wild green.
    Not that the plants of the Otherworld weren't sentient. They were, after a fashion, but this spot of color was different. Come to me, I ordered. The tiny being resisted, but not for long. With reluctance it began to move my way.
    "It's coming," I said.
    "What is?" Haakon asked suspiciously.
    I didn't answer. It was already here. A tiny winged creature flitted into the clearing. It was about the size of a tiger swallowtail butterfly, only its wings were pale lavender spotted with lemon yellow. It sparkled beneath the green sun like it had been attacked by glitter.
    "What do you want?" it snapped sharply in its small, squeaky voice. I heard the unsaid "bitch" in its tone.
    "Alister Jones," I said. "You know who he is?"
    The tiny creature sighed and crossed its arms, beating its wings furiously to keep aloft. "Who's asking?"
    I sent out a tendril of my power and wrapped it tight around the little bug. "You know who I am."
    It snarled, flashing wickedly sharp teeth at me. "I know. Hunter."
    "Then tell me what I wish to know."
    "Fine," it snapped. "Yeah, Jones is here. Whining pain in the ass. Thinks he's king of the damn universe."
    "The Queen is hiding him?"
    "Shhhh." It looked like it might rupture a spleen. "Don't say her name. Do you want her to hear us?" The creature glanced around, terrified, as if the bushes were full of the Queen's men. Which they might be, though I doubted it. My Earth power would have sensed them.
    "Is she? Hiding Alister Jones?"
    "Of course she is."
    "Why?"
    "How the Titania should I know?" Apparently using the names of dead Sidhe queens was acceptable. "She doesn't answer to the likes of me."
    "But you know where Alister Jones is."
    It shrugged. "Of course. All of Fairy knows where she stashed him. In that damn castle of hers."
    "Show me."
    It sighed. "Fine. Whatever. If I do, will you leave me alone?"
    "Once you show me the way, I will let you go."
    "This way." It flitted off into the trees, and I followed. Haakon seemed doubtful, but Inigo didn't hesitate, tromping along behind me. Eventually Haakon came along, grumbling. For a Viking, he could sure be whiny.
    I followed the winged fae for what seemed like hours but it was probably only about fifteen minutes until we burst out of the overgrown woodland into what passed for sun in the Otherworld. We were in a small clearing at the edge of a cliff. Far below that cliff rushed the black, ominous waters of a raging river.
    "That path leads to the castle," the little creature said, pointing to a narrow track barely visible between two enormous trees. "I think you can make it on your own from here. Unless you're too stupid." It sneered at me. "Now let me go."
    "Fine. Go." I