Curse And Craving

58

Lochlan considered refusing me the reprieve of a subject change before thinking better of it. He walked to his desk chair and finally sat down. “It’s taken us some time to follow the trail of custody. The last known location, as far as we have been able to track, was in the hands of humans in Scotland. That was centuries ago, and we haven’t found any evidence of its whereabouts after that point.” I nodded, wishing there was more I could do to help. At least I had been able to help pinpoint who the traitor had been, although we still didn’t know if any other Huntsmen were working with him. “Do you think Ronan could be working alone? Maybe he’s the mastermind behind it all, and once we catch him, the portals will no longer be an issue.” “No, he’s not nearly powerful or knowledgeable enough to be circumventing the queen’s wards.” “I figured that was too much to hope for,” I muttered. “Someone powerful is orchestrating this rebellion, and who knows how many others are involved. I can’t imagine that we would have more than one traitor in our ranks, but I would never have believed Ronan would betray us either.” He was quiet for a moment, focusing his eyes far off, before turning back to me and continuing. “He was an asshole who did some terrible things in his past, but I hadn’t thought him capable of treachery. What you’re accusing him of, if true, is unforgivable. The Hunt was formed when Arthur and Guin had a falling out—Arthur was essentially one of Guin’s generals. When he left the Court, his most loyal soldiers went with him, and they formed a brotherhood that became The Wild Hunt. We have no lands to call our own, so our freedom and commitment to one another are what we hold most sacred.” “King Arthur formed the Hunt? As in King Arthur and his knights of the round table?” “He wasn’t a king exactly, but he was the first Erlking, and the men who were loyal to him could be called knights. They were the most elite soldiers in the Seelie kingdom, and that expectation has been upheld through the centuries. New members are only accepted into our ranks with the highest degree of skill and cunning.” “That’s fascinating,” I said earnestly. “I’m still amazed at how Fae history evolved into human legends. Was the falling out between Arthur and Guin over Lancelot like the stories suggest?” “I was never privy to the full details, but I know Lancelot played a part. However, it should be noted that the Fae don’t marry like humans do. Lancelot was Arthur’s right hand, and his relationship with Guin betrayed his leader. The Fae may not have marital relationships the same as humans, but that doesn’t mean we don’t value monogamy and expect fidelity. Arthur not only walked away from Guin but he also walked away from the Seelie Court. To his surprise, his loyal soldiers wouldn’t allow him to go alone. Since then, the brotherhood has existed as an autonomous unit, and not once has there been disloyalty from within, until now.” “What else can you tell me about the sword?” “The Sword of Light is an ancient Fae relic from the Faery city of Findias. It’s had many names. Originally, it was called Caledfwlch, but it was also called Fragarach or The Answerer. Although more commonly, it’s been known as Caliburn or Excalibur.” My jaw dropped. “I’m seriously going to have to do some research into the Arthurian legends. Of course, the great Fae Sword of Light and Excalibur are one and the same. Tell me about it. I can’t remember much about what I read back in school.” “It’s a magnificent weapon, or so the legends say. I’ve never seen it myself, but supposedly, the blade was artfully constructed of iron, and the hilt made of wood so the bearer wouldn’t have to touch the iron. As you know, iron dampens magic. Its construction of iron is, in part, what makes it such a wonder. It’s infused with a form of light magic able to exist despite the presence of iron. It was forged by the earliest Fae, and the knowledge of whatever method was used to create the weapon has been long lost.” “What about the sword’s abilities?” I asked reverently, totally absorbed in Lochlan’s words. “Our best source of information outside of the legends would be Merlin if you can find him. He had access to the sword at one point, although it was created long before even his time.” As he finished, the door to his office opened. I looked up to discover the man who had helped me through the Faery queen’s dinner standing in Lochlan’s doorway. He was no longer wearing the Fae formal attire and was now the spitting image of a GQ model in well-tailored slacks and a pale blue dress shirt perfectly cut to his fit torso. His wavy light-brown hair was sculpted backward, and when his warm coppery eyes landed on me, I could feel my cheeks heat. “Rebecca, I see you made it back home safely.” His lips hinted at a smile. “Yes, and thank you for your help. I was rather out of my element.” “It was my pleasure.” He bowed his head. Lochlan cut in somewhat tersely. “I didn’t realize you two had become acquainted at the palace.” Was he upset that I had met this man? The man in question lifted his chin as his eyes met Lochlan’s. “Not formally. As you know, I happened to be at the palace the night Rebecca joined the queen for dinner, so I tried to guide her through the evening.” Lochlan held eyes with the man for an uncomfortable second before cutting his glance in my direction. “I suppose introductions are in order. Rebecca Peterson, this is the Erlking of The Wild Hunt, but you may call him Alberich.” Pronounced like all-brick, the name sounded vaguely familiar. I smiled and started to give a Faery bow of greeting but froze as bits and pieces of my prior internet research came back to me. “I know that name!” My voice came out almost reverently. “Alberich is another name for Oberon! After we learned about the Fae, I researched Titania and Oberon to see what I could learn, and one of the names for Oberon was Alberich. Am I right?” I asked excitedly. Alberich flashed a dimpled grin and bowed deeply. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”