Fairy War

Chapter 25

My feelings weren't too improved when I opened my eyes to discover I was being held against the high wall of an immense chamber by what appeared to be spider's silk, but which was so strong I struggled to even fidget against it. Turning my head I saw Selina to one side of me, a cut across her left cheek, while on the other side there were Niana and Crystal. None of them were moving. A quick glance below showed Feth'rael evidently mid-ritual, his hands glowing green, Mickey's motionless body lying in front of him.

Suddenly I heard a groan from nearby, and I turned to see Selina slowly opening her eyes.

"I've had three day hangovers more pleasant than this," she said, letting out an aggravated grunt as she realised she couldn't move her arm to touch the cut. A look of horror slowly spread across her face as she took in the scene below us. "Oh, this isn't good."

"Can't you just magic us out of these?" Crystal asked groggily, also having just come round. "I feel like they're draining the energy out of me."

"It's not that simple," Selina replied. "Whatever this is made out of, it's dampening my magic." She looked at the substance again. "With time and patience I could maybe break through, but we don't have much of either. Plus, all our weapons are down there," she added, nodding towards a pile in one corner of the cavern that was giving off a familiar blue glow. She winced as she tried to shift her position.

"Clint, we need to talk," she seemed to say within my head. "I'm speaking telepathically in the vain hope Feth'rael can't hear us like this. Have you noticed someone's missing here?"

"What do you..." I trailed off, suddenly realising what she meant. I thought for a moment. "Marek? I saw him, after he cast the spell, but after that it's pretty much a blank until I woke up here."

"There's two possibilities," she said, grimacing. "Marek is dead, or he somehow escaped, in which case we can only hope he's somewhere nearby and can actually help us get the hell out of here."

"What are we doing here?" Niana shouted at Feth'rael, suddenly cutting through our telepathic conversation. "I assumed that if you wanted us dead you would've finished us off while we were unconscious?"

"How... perceptive... of you," Feth'rael said with a chuckle, turning towards us but leaving the green glow behind him. "My children can possess dead bodies, but it is far more... effective... to gift them living ones. Besides, this way you'll live long enough to see everything your bodies do, while being absolutely powerless to stop it from happening."

"If I'm your child, why give me to them?" Crystal spat. "I'd have thought you'd want me alive to manipulate to your heart's content."

"That was my plan," Feth'rael replied. "Sadly, your mother's human blood appears to have corrupted you, and you cannot be turned to my side willingly. So, I will simply give you no choice in the matter. I should have acted sooner; you pitiful creatures have been corrupted by humanity for so long you would rather protect them than save yourselves, even one whose kin suffered against the British."

"Oh no," Selina said louder than she intended. "Clint, he knows about Marek's parentage."

"You genuinely believe someone could hide that from me?" Feth'rael asked with a laugh. "I always knew who he was; I planned to corrupt him – he and your mother would be the advance guard of my invasion – however, I hadn't realised you would find my hiding place quite so expertly. But, no fear, Marek will turn. I've turned stronger creatures than him to my side; he's only delaying the inevitable."

"If you believe that then it's not humans or fairies who are the fools," a loud voice echoed around the chamber, it taking us all a second to realise it was Marek's. He stepped into the light, his whole body seemingly surrounded by flames that appeared to leave not one visible scratch on his body. "If you think you can win a fight against me, here I am – let us fight a magical duel like fairies used to."