Chapter Seventeen
We held each other for a while, perhaps it was the fact that we hadn't seen each for a long time, that we had lost each other and became lost. The unwanted smell of dirt water and sewage wafted up my nostrils and I took it as a sign to pull away. I still didn't understand what had just happened. How did I get into my apartment? But then again, Faerie magic is complicated.
"How did you know I was here?" I murmured above the stench. I back away slightly for our own benefits.
"I was given a tip off. I tracked down one of the Sluagh and managed to get what little information he had about your whereabouts. He told me the prince had tried to get you across the river Dial but failed. That was the easy bit. If the river manages to take you down to its depths, then it will spit you out at the same area you came into Faerie."
"So, it's a portal." I asked.
"Yes. But a portal to only get you out of Faerie, to get you home."
Images of the young marrow dragging me quickly through the waters unnerved me. My hand subconsciously came to rest at the base of my neck.
"What now? Surely The Unseelie Prince and his entourage will be looking for me." I said as I thought about Kieran. At one point I had compared the two boys. Kieran looked dark and terrifying but was kind and respectable and respected me. Where Mac, now standing in front of me, had been cold and awkward towards me. Macs jaw tightened at the mention of Kieran and wondered why they disliked each other.
"We must get back in to Faerie as soon as possible. Time is running out." Mac replied and moved to grab my hand.
I flinched away. "First I need to freshen up." I said. "And so do you."
***
The dark night was starting to pale and on the horizon it was lilac. Dawn was fast approaching as we dashed towards the round church. We just passed a pastry shop with fancy cakes displayed in the window, my tummy rumbled but I chose to ignore it.
The church was a little further up and the smell of cinnamon made me feel good. I had showered in my favourite gel and put clean clothes on, my own clothes. A pair of boyfriend jeans that cuddled my waist, a white top that had a line drawing of a blank Polaroid picture, that read 'selfie' on it and a thick woolly purple cardigan, thrown on over the top and I wore my leather ankle boots. I also had the inkling to braid my long hair into a fish tail. This time I knew what I was getting myself into, so I dressed, prepared. I couldn't say the same for Mac who had showered but didn't have a change of clothes. Never mind.
I could see the path leading to the church and as we came to stand in front of it, my stomach dropped. Circling the old building was scaffolding and it was covered in white, plastic sheeting to protect the exposed from the weather.
Thick corrugated metal surrounded the whole area and was locked with a large, chunky chain and padlock.
"You can still open it, right?" I asked Mac, who was eyeing the metal fence with narrowed eyes.
"It's not that easy with metal." He replied.
"What do you mean?"
"Our magic is weak on metal. I could do it, but it would take a lot of energy and time. Something we don't have much of."
I sighed with deflation and looked at the fence with complete denial. We will get in there. I quickly checked my shoulders to make sure no one was coming and began to scale it.
"What are you doing?" Mac protested.
"We'll climb over." I shouted down as I hooked my left leg around and jumped down on the other side, not giving Mac a chance to retaliate. He soon joined me.
Bricks, timber, tools and ladders lay scattered around the building. We had to move fast, no doubt the sensor would have triggered and the police will be here in no time. We came to the closed doors. It didn't take long to enter the church and when we did, what we saw made us stop dead in our tracks.
"Kieran." Mac growled, his hand coming to rest on the hilt of the word at his side.
My breath caught in my throat, finding it difficult to release I gulped it down. A part of me was glad to see him. Talk about Stockholm syndrome. But, the tension in the air indicated to me to not say anything.
Kieran's eyes flickered between me and Mac. He was standing in the centre of the church, inside the circle. It looked as if he had just, this minute came through the portal.
"Mac Fabian." Kieran said, the corners of his mouth turning up into a smirk. His light blue eyes darkened. "I see you beat me to it." He finished.
Macs hand held tight on my bicep, preventing me from straying. I felt his whole body tense at Kieran's words.
"What do you want with her?" Mac growled, which caused Kieran to laugh.
"To make sure she doesn't stray into the wrong hands." Kieran replied. "However, it seems I was too late." He added blankly, taking a step forward.
Mac too stepped forward, unsheathing his sword. His right up came across me, ushering me to stand behind him. I didn't
"There's nothing for you here, go now or I won't be responsible for my actions" Mac threatened.
"Fighting talk." Kieran sneered. Still, he didn't take his sword from his sheath.
At this point I had become fidgety. Nervous at the possible outcome. I didn't want the two to fight. However, they had issues with each other.
"Why don't you go back to the summer land, and take care of your own business?" Kieran added.
"I am." Mac growled, stepping forward, he raised his sword so that the point was toward Kieran.
I grabbed hold of his arm, stopping him in his tracks.
"Now, get out of my way."
Kieran's eyes narrowed, a smirk forming on his lips. He knew he was winding Mac up. It only caused further friction and you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. Pushing Macs arm away, I stood between the two, glaring from one to the other.
"I don't know what both your problems are. But, we need to get back to Faerie." They both looked at me wide, eyed. "The world is dying and standing here arguing isn't going to save it." I puffed out a sharp breath and looked to Kieran. "Join us, if you like." I finished, stalking past the boys and standing in the centre of the circle.
Mac and Kieran were both staring at me. I had forgotten they were both Princes, they probably had never been given orders to do something. I felt my cheeks warm at my unpredicted outburst, it was unlike me. I stared back at them.
"What are you waiting for?" I asked.
They both looked at each other then back at me. Mac sheathed his sword, joining me in the middle, followed my Kieran. No one said anything and before we knew it, everything turned hazy and white and we were back in Faerie. The only problem was I no longer had the crystal.