"We have a visitor!" Colleen called back to Sunny. "It's someone you know, too!"
Sunny lifted her head and looked ahead of the escort. Fury! She could see the ribbons of shadows like tendrils of smoke swirling around him. He was using the Da'ark! She could not believe it! He stood before them with the same black ribbons swirling around him that bound her to her chair.
Even blood-bound she could not reach him. Then the ribbons keeping her snug in the chair shifted around her arms and legs and for a brief moment –slipped and grew loose! The only acknowledgment that Fury sent to Sunny.
"I was beginning to wonder if you would show up!" Colleen called out to Nicodemus.
Fury sketched a mocking bow. "I could hardly miss your return to Arwyn. You have even denied me of bringing your granddaughter to you!"
Colleen looked over her shoulder at Sunny to see her reaction. Sunny scowled at Fury, unsure of what he was doing. She could not for a second believe he would betray her or Nu'Ada! She searched his face but saw nothing to convince her to trust him. She glared at him, "I should've never trusted you! How could you do this!" she flung at him angrily.
Fury shrugged his shoulders lightly. "A scoundrel to the last my sweet!" he said flicking his hand dismissively.
Sunny's restraints eased more, and she looked at Colleen who seemed to enjoy Fury's betrayal. Sunny waited until Colleen's attention moved back to Fury. She slipped her hands out from the restraints and then slipped them back in place. The shadow ribbons were now under Fury's control! "Let's get this over with! I said I'd get the dagger if you'd leave my friends and family alone!"
Nicodemus moved closer so he could make eye contact with Sunny. He glanced over his shoulder at Colleen, "Is that the deal you have made with the girl?"
"Once I have the dagger," Colleen said icily as she urged her mount between Fury and where Sunny sat in the open wagon, "No one will dare try to stop me! What happens to her or her doer nemed friends is no concern to me!"
Fury moved away and glanced skyward briefly. He wondered if any support would come. He had to assume Moon Bear had not reached the palace. He was on his own! "If you intend to wait for nightfall you do not have long to wait. It has been a while since you have been in Arwyn, you will find the trails are difficult in the dark"
"I can make my light," Colleen replied. She indicated to her escort she wished to dismount. Immediately two soldiers came, and they helped her to the ground. She smoothed down her riding skirts, moved to the arch, and stopped to look up at it.
"It might bring the curious out to investigate," Fury commented.
"Those backward louts will think it's the will of the whisps coming out to play!" Colleen scoffed. "They were always scared of the forests near the arch!"
Fury glanced skyward and watched the sky deepen into twilight, the last rays of the sun touching the spires of the mountains with a fiery bronze glow. "Best divest yourself of whatever weapons you carry," Fury told Colleen, "The girl can move metal, but you cannot."
Colleen unbuckled her belt knife and handed it to one of her men. She pulled the hairpins from her coiled braid, it fell in a white rope down her back. She turned to Fury, "Do the honors and bring my granddaughter to me, I'm sure she will appreciate the gentle touch of an older man to that of my escort." She laughed and went to the arch to lay her hand on the stones.
Fury climbed into the wagon where Sunny sat bound in a wooden chair. He bent over and touched the shadow ribbons at her wrists, and they fell away. She felt the ribbons at her ankles and her waist also fall away. Sunny glared up at him and then was struck with a sudden realization! Colleen saw him as a man her age! Was keeping all the soldiers and O'Rourke in her thrall and under her control making her weak? Fury held his hand out to help Sunny from the chair. When she refused, he took her wrist in his hand, and she felt the cold brush of steel slide up her sleeve. "Come dearie, you must not keep your grandmother waiting."
With physical contact, Fury chanced to communicate with Sunny quickly. "When you get to Arwyn make sure Tully and Fiona know what is about to happen!"
The arch opened to Colleen, and she turned to see what was keeping Sunny. She smiled as Sunny struggled against Fury's hold on her wrist. "Make sure you don't injure my granddaughter! Elsewise I might not give you the keys to the Shadowlands!"
Sunny continued to struggle, and Fury held firmly to her wrist as they climbed down from the back of the wagon. "Safe and sound!" Nicodemus said with a mocking salute to Sunny, "Give my regards to my old friend Tully when you see him!"
Sunny jerked free of his grip. "Let's get this over with!"
"On second thought, why don't you wait here with your mentor," Colleen told Sunny and glanced at Fury, "When I return, you'll come and bring the dagger through."
"Oh, you should take her with you," Fury said, "Less fuss from your sister and Tully -- if you have a precious hostage."
Colleen smiled but the emotion did not reach her dark green eyes. "I think not," she said, and pointed an accusing finger at Fury, "If you thought I had not thought of everything – you'd be sadly mistaken. A particular Watcher will be waiting on the other side of this arch and is allied to me. If Siobhan steps over into Arwyn after me, I'll know!"
"Bracken?" Sunny said, "You've turned Bracken into one of your spies?"
"I have done nothing of the sort!" Colleen snapped back irritably, "Bracken has been with me from the beginning! He's been my eyes and ears for many years."
"But he didn't tell you I was coming!" Sunny flung back. "Did he!"
"Threats of burning the home grove, took care of that," Colleen replied she signaled to her escort, and they came to put Sunny back in restraints.
Taylor O'Rourke sprang to action he waved two guards to protect Colleen and two more to take Sunny back to the wagon. This time with rope to bind her to her chair.
Fury jumped behind O'Rourke and pressed his belt knife to Taylor's throat. Colleen began to chuckle. "Oh, how courageous and noble the son of Starfire has turned out to be! Even while yielding the Da'ark like a proper brother of the Crimson Palace!"
Taylor stiffened and slid to the ground, his neck twisted at an impossible angle. Colleen sniffed and dusted her hands together. "He'd outlived his usefulness. So, I expect you both to be right here when I return. But you won't be here alone."
Sunny and Fury both were frozen to their spots. It was not because they were shocked by Colleen's brutal attack on her consort, but because the black shadows rose from the ground and anchored them both where they stood.
Colleen looked at them both one last time, laughed at them, and stepped through the arch. It dimpled and the portal closed.
The moment the arch sealed, the shadows sank into the ground and the escort and guards fell unconscious to the ground. Sunny ran to the arch and pressed her hand to the stones. Nothing happened! "Why won't it open!"
Fury reached out, sending dark tendrils of shadows out to probe the area around the arch, "She has sealed it!"
Sunny turned to Nicodemus, "Aunt Fiona and Tully don't know she's coming!"
"The witch has placed a seal upon the arch!"
Both Fury and Sunny spun around, there in human form was Li'Bann. Behind her was a full contingent of shadow guards. Fury stepped in front of Sunny, "Li'Bann, what brings you out?"
Li'Bann smiled, her teeth were similar to Bracken's toothy grin. "It is a special evening, the dark of the moon when all the people of the Shadowlands come out to play!"
"Did you put these men down?" Fury asked. "They're dead – all of them!"
"I had nothing to do with this," Li'Bann said, and she stepped past Fury and came to look at Sunny. "So, this is the Daj?"
"I need to get to Arwyn!" Sunny said and she turned away to gaze at the arch. "I can't let her get to Aunt Fiona and Tully! She'll kill them!"
"And what will you do, girl?" Li'Bann taunted, "You cannot kill one of your own!"
"That woman is not my people!" Sunny flung back, the copper fire lit in Sunny's eyes and even Li'Bann stepped back a pace.
"Kaderyn will not be happy to find out his father is dead," Fury replied, then he angled a look at Li'Bann, "What have you done with Gaddis?"
"He is safe and under my protection," Li'Bann replied. "I have come only because my guard spoke so highly of your Daj."
Sunny looked at the shadowy figures massed around the area. "You're still under Colleen's control aren't you?" She looked to Li'Bann, "Are you only able to come out because she's in Arwyn?"
"Yes," Li'Bann replied. "My guards say you will free us. The Ne'Median emperor says this and even the wicked Fury defends you even while trying to make everyone believe he is a traitor! I am here to see for myself what you plan to do!"
Sunny turned to the arch. Colleen had sealed it, but she could travel the spirit path. She turned to Li'Bann, "I need your permission to travel the path. I can't get to Arwyn through the arch, but I can get there through the spirit trails."
"You ask?" Li'Bann asked in surprise. "The Daj asks?"
"You are the Shadow Queen," Sunny said, "Do I have your permission and protection?"
"It is given," Li'Bann said. "But the witch still controls the Shadowlands, I will give you what protection I can for you to travel the path." She looked at Fury and nodded, "Take the son of Starfire with you. Perhaps he can offer protection."
Sunny nodded and looked to Nicodemus, "Leave your metal here, you might need it when we come back."
Fury dropped his belt that held his dagger and short blade to the ground. He removed his coat and laid it on top of his other weapons. "It carries too many blades to worry with."
Sunny grinned at him, and he smiled back. She turned to the arch and focused her energy on the space between the stone arch. What began was as dark as ink, then the swirling vortex of mist forced the darkness back, revealing nothingness that made a traveler's blood run cold. They stepped in and both were swallowed up. Sunny moved forward and reached out to open a portal, but nothing yielded to her. Then Nicodemus took her by the hand and a small spark of firefly light winked into being. She moved toward it. It was her way to Arwyn!
Sunny pushed her way to the glow, and she made sure Fury was right beside her. Then they both stood in the middle of a grassy field. "Where are we?" Nicodemus asked.
"We're not far from Laurel Cottage," Sunny said. "This is Thornfield, close to the ruins."
They hurried along, there was no moon to illuminate their way, but Nicodemus fished in his pockets and found a lump of moss he had stashed. "I need a bit of water," he muttered. He stuck the moss in his mouth and chewed it. Then he spit the moss out in his hand. As soon as the air hit it, it began to glow. "It should be enough to light our way."
"And alert Bracken," Sunny said. "I pray he decides not to tell."
"I not tell. But all in big troubles!"
Sunny looked down and saw the Watcher peering up at her from the tall grass. "Brat, where is Colleen now?"
"She in house," Bracken said, "Not finding big knife!" He giggled in wicked delight, "She makes big messes at the top room of the house!"
"Someone must have found it and moved it," Sunny said to Fury, "She'll try to hurt them if they don't tell her!"