“Tea?” I blinked. What was with watchers offering us tea?
“He means food,” Sarah explained before she said to Bambam. “No thank you, we ate on the plane.”
“Ace!” Bambam smiled. “I'll leave you to it, then. Watch out for the bities,” with that, he disappeared into the house.
“Please tell mebitiesis not another word for crocodiles,” Frederick begged Sarah.
“No,” she laughed. “He means insects, like mosquitoes.” She started heading for the rath excitedly. “Come on, Fairy awaits.”
“I think I'd rather deal with crocodiles,” Conri grumbled as he slapped a bitie on his arm.
“How can I be descended from such a wuss,” Aidan teased Conri. They had bonded on the plane and Conri had confessed that bargests were most likely the ancestors of the Pack witches.
“Maybe I'm wrong,” Conri shrugged. “You could be descended from pukas.”
“Hey,” Aidan growled.
“Yeah,” I added my scowl. “Don't insult Cat.”
“Hey!” Aidan transferred his angry look to me but I was already off, chasing down Sarah so I could catch her before she walked into the rath all by herself.
“Cease your shenanigans,” Raza growled. “Walking the rath is sacred and should be done with respect.”
“Yes, Lord Raza,” Aidan and Conri said together like a couple of chastised children.
The fairy mound was similar to every other fairy mound I'd seen; a small hill with a door set into its side. This door was gold, embellished with a scene of a silver moon hanging over a carved onyx castle and forest. It was symbolic, a way for us to know where we were headed. In this instance, to the Unseelie Kingdom.
Cat came running over and then settled into place beside me, showing a reverence for the rath that the other hounds had failed to. Raza smiled down at her approvingly, then stepped forward and slid in front of Sarah, who had been first in line for the door.
“You need to be warned of what lies through this door,” Raza announced.
“Shall I abandon all hope?” She teased him.
“Not yet. But soon perhaps,” he smiled maliciously but instead of intimidating her, it only encouraged her.
“Bring it on, Bonfire-breath,” Sarah stuck her hands on her hips.
“The path is narrow,” Raza went on, ignoring her nickname for him, and looked up at the rest of the witches. “Do not step from it or you shall be lost to the Between forever.”
“The Between?” Sarah finally lost her smile.
“The In-Between to be exact,” I took over. “Don't worry, as long as you stay on the path, you'll be fine.”
“Oh, okay then,” Sarah didn't look reassured.
“Respect the rath and it will respect you,” Raza said ominously and then opened the door.
Nothing could be seen beyond the door, just inky darkness, and Sarah hesitated to enter it after Raza forged ahead. So I slid in front of her and offered her my hand. She shook her head at holding hands like schoolgirls but smiled at me gratefully and stepped in behind me. I glanced back and saw that my knights were interspersing themselves between the witches and I nodded to them in approval. Eadan and his hunters were bringing up the rear.
I walked the path Between. Cat ran ahead of me and burst out into the sunlight of an idyllic meadow, to chase the jewel toned fairy butterflies through the berry laden bushes. I called to her as I stepped out of the door but when she stopped and looked back, it was to stare at something behind me. Her ears laid back as she focused intently and something about her stance made my blood run cold. I turned just as the screaming began.
Sarah was on the ground, along with Aidan and Frederick. Then Albert came through the door, followed by Tristan, and finally Jennifer Wasutke. All of them dropped as soon as their feet touched Fairy, shrieking as if they'd been set on fire.
“Oh, sweet Goddess,” I breathed as I rushed over to them. I knew exactly what was happening to them because it had happened to me. “Why didn't I think of this?”
“Because it was virtually impossible,” Tiernan shook his head, his eyes gone wide. “They have no traceable fey blood in them. How could they awaken something they don't have?”
“They obviously have it,” Raza growled as he held Sarah's head in his lap. “They wouldn't have magic if they didn't.”
