Protector of the Light (Champion of the Sidhe urban fantasy series) Read Online Free Page B
Author: S. A. Archer, S. Ravynheart
the human that disturbed it. Even still, Lugh approached no closer. Speaking in the blended Gaelic and elfin dialects the sluagh used, Lugh spoke Rhiannon's name as the sluagh knew her. " Shadow on the moon. Sidhe magic. Becomes the night. Loves her. " Thus was the manner of sluagh naming conventions, which was to categorize individuals. 'Shadow on the moon' identified Rhiannon specifically, as her aspect of magic was the moon. All Sidhe acquired the label 'Sidhe magic,' but only the Unseelie with particularly dark magic were tagged with 'becomes the night.' 'Loves her' meant that the dark Unseelie was claimed by the sluagh as a member of the Wild Hunt, and could command the sluagh with her will.
Breathlessly, Lugh waited as the sluagh considered him. Even with the indirect way he watched the beast, he could see how it tilted its head and considered his inquiry. At last it hissed its reply, " Pretty darkling. Sidhe magic. Becomes the night. Loves her. "
Not Rhiannon then, but a 'darkling.' A young Sidhe, perhaps. One of the earthborns London had spoken of. If the child commanded sluagh, then they were not so unprotected as he initially feared. Lugh glanced back at London.
She'd stepped out of the auto, but remained beside it with the door open, as if prepared to dive inside at the least provocation. As if steel and glass could shield her from the sluagh when the rage took them.
"You mentioned not the sluagh." He said this without accusation, though he might have conjured that if she withheld such from him knowingly.
"This didn't happen last time." She covered her heart with her hand. "Maybe we should just get away from here. Fast."
Such was the effect of sluagh song, and why they served as powerful deterrents to invasion. Even more so when they attacked, as few could survive long against those teeth and claws. Although the sluagh rarely did so without direction from one of the Wild Hunt, unless the nest were in peril.
Lugh risked another step forward. If needs be, he would wrestle through the enchantments and fight off the sluagh beast barehanded, but he could not turn back now. Not when he hadn’t seen a single living Sidhe since the Collapse.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Seelie."
Lugh jerked around, searching for the speaker whom he'd not seen so near him just the moment before. A Glamour shimmered in the shadow of a doorway. It vanished like mist torn upon a breeze, leaving behind a single, unarmed wood elf. The man was lean and several inches shorter than Lugh. Although Lugh knew the elf not, London gasped, "Kev?"
The wood elf ignored her, approaching Lugh with something akin to disbelief burning in his eyes. "You are Seelie Sidhe, are you not?"
"I am most assuredly," Lugh informed him.
A brilliant smile lit upon the elf's face and he launched himself at Lugh, embracing him like a lost brother. "Thank the All-Mother! We feared not even one Seelie made it out of the Mounds! Blessed Danu be praised!" The elf clapped his hands against Lugh's back with joy as he could not contain.
Lugh returned the embrace, laughing with the same joy as that which bubbled over within the wood elf. "So it is true then? There are Sidhe here? Children, even? To imagine such a thing, Sidhe youths. I feared it was nothing but a ploy. Take me to them."
"Before you go charging in to see the Unseelie, there are some things you should know about them." The wood elf cast a distrusting glare at London. "And about your companion, if you'll have it."
"Lugh," The plea in London's whimper was unmistakable.
The wood elf blocked her from Lugh, intentionally positioning himself to exclude her. The grip of his hand upon Lugh's arm was a desperate cry for attention in its own right. "We should speak in private and away from here. By your leave, my lord."
He would have his answers about the Sidhe before any other concern. Forestalling the elf, Lugh fetched the axe from the auto.
Even as he returned to London, a shine of tears glazed her
Breathlessly, Lugh waited as the sluagh considered him. Even with the indirect way he watched the beast, he could see how it tilted its head and considered his inquiry. At last it hissed its reply, " Pretty darkling. Sidhe magic. Becomes the night. Loves her. "
Not Rhiannon then, but a 'darkling.' A young Sidhe, perhaps. One of the earthborns London had spoken of. If the child commanded sluagh, then they were not so unprotected as he initially feared. Lugh glanced back at London.
She'd stepped out of the auto, but remained beside it with the door open, as if prepared to dive inside at the least provocation. As if steel and glass could shield her from the sluagh when the rage took them.
"You mentioned not the sluagh." He said this without accusation, though he might have conjured that if she withheld such from him knowingly.
"This didn't happen last time." She covered her heart with her hand. "Maybe we should just get away from here. Fast."
Such was the effect of sluagh song, and why they served as powerful deterrents to invasion. Even more so when they attacked, as few could survive long against those teeth and claws. Although the sluagh rarely did so without direction from one of the Wild Hunt, unless the nest were in peril.
Lugh risked another step forward. If needs be, he would wrestle through the enchantments and fight off the sluagh beast barehanded, but he could not turn back now. Not when he hadn’t seen a single living Sidhe since the Collapse.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Seelie."
Lugh jerked around, searching for the speaker whom he'd not seen so near him just the moment before. A Glamour shimmered in the shadow of a doorway. It vanished like mist torn upon a breeze, leaving behind a single, unarmed wood elf. The man was lean and several inches shorter than Lugh. Although Lugh knew the elf not, London gasped, "Kev?"
The wood elf ignored her, approaching Lugh with something akin to disbelief burning in his eyes. "You are Seelie Sidhe, are you not?"
"I am most assuredly," Lugh informed him.
A brilliant smile lit upon the elf's face and he launched himself at Lugh, embracing him like a lost brother. "Thank the All-Mother! We feared not even one Seelie made it out of the Mounds! Blessed Danu be praised!" The elf clapped his hands against Lugh's back with joy as he could not contain.
Lugh returned the embrace, laughing with the same joy as that which bubbled over within the wood elf. "So it is true then? There are Sidhe here? Children, even? To imagine such a thing, Sidhe youths. I feared it was nothing but a ploy. Take me to them."
"Before you go charging in to see the Unseelie, there are some things you should know about them." The wood elf cast a distrusting glare at London. "And about your companion, if you'll have it."
"Lugh," The plea in London's whimper was unmistakable.
The wood elf blocked her from Lugh, intentionally positioning himself to exclude her. The grip of his hand upon Lugh's arm was a desperate cry for attention in its own right. "We should speak in private and away from here. By your leave, my lord."
He would have his answers about the Sidhe before any other concern. Forestalling the elf, Lugh fetched the axe from the auto.
Even as he returned to London, a shine of tears glazed her
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