Prologue
Ellen shelled peas with her son and daughter in their modest kitchen and absent-mindedly scrubbed her hands against the well-used apron protecting her skirts. She attempted to keep her mind focused on menial tasks to quell the anxiety that grew in her middle with each passing day. A few days prior, her husband informed her he would be gone a few weeks without further explanation, but he did not take any of their wares, which was most unnerving. She held no worries over her husband’s fidelity, however she preferred to believe his behavior indicated something trivial versus sinister. Surely her husband would tell her if their family were in danger. A small hand brushed up against her own, which pulled her from her mind’s idle wanderings. She glanced down and smiled at her daughter.
“Mama,” her daughter’s tiny voice piped, “why are Tuaths bad?”
Instantly, Ellen’s skin pebbled and the telltale sensation of foreboding bloomed in her gut. Why would she ask such a question just now? While she’d rather avoid the topic, she decided to indulge her daughter.
She maintained a placid demeanor for her children’s sake and answered, “Truly, it’s not their fault. They have been much abused and forced to act in ways unnatural to them. It is the House of Laven that has corrupted them so, and we must continue to pray they will free themselves from bondage.”
Her daughter wrinkled her little nose and nodded thoughtfully. She snuck a few peas into her mouth.
“But how do they do that?” she asked and gazed up with her cerulean eyes.
“Do what, dear?”
“Keep them in bondage?” She continued to munch peas.
Ellen stifled a smile and took a deep breath. “Not many more, now, or you’ll spoil your appetite for supper,” she warned before answering, “the Tuaths south of the Markwood Mountains were enslaved by the House of Laven of Behl nearly six centuries ago by an evil man named Wallack Laven. He travelled to see the Lord of the Underworld and bartered his soul for the means to control the Tuaths.”
“Why?”
Ellen sighed. Of course her daughter’s inquisitiveness would not allow her to release the topic. She placed another heap of peas in front of her children to keep them busy. “He wanted to do this to expand his rule and gain territory. The Lord of the Underworld provided him with Slatan-draoidheachd and collars. It was Wallack who discovered humans needed protection from the Slatan to use them against the Tuaths.”
“What happened to them?”
“To the humans? They would die. Wallack could not have this, so he employed several wizards and sorcerers to complete the task of creating protective gloves. Once he had his finished product, he issued a decree that all highly gifted individuals be killed and magic no longer taught. Anyone caught teaching the use of magic was sentenced to death. He even sent assassins to other nations to quash the use of magic elsewhere.”
“Why would he do that?” her daughter asked. She squeezed an unruly lock of blonde hair behind her ear with her dirty hand.
“It is believed he received a prophecy that told him his line would be thwarted by someone highly gifted.”
Her daughter nodded again then abruptly turned and scolded her brother for eating peas. “You’ll spoil your appetite!”
“Helen,” Ellen chided lightly, “that is no way to speak to your brother. Now, kindly will you —”
The door behind her burst open with an ear cracking bang and she found herself surrounded by a group of vicious-looking men. She swiftly tucked her children behind her, against the cupboards and faced her presumed attackers. The men ransacked her home, overturning furniture and tossing items everywhere.
One remained unmoved, and she locked eyes with him. She felt emboldened and adrenaline surged in her body as she held his stare. He had the deepest green eyes she had ever seen. She didn’t even have the sense to attempt to get away from him when he moved toward her; she was so mesmerized by those eyes.
His left hand grasped her throat to hold her in place. It was not a death grip, but it was tight enough to convey the message that a struggle would be a fatal decision. “Where is your husband?” he asked in an accent she immediately recognized.
Her tongue clove to the roof of her mouth as the realization that her home was now filled with Tuath males in addition to Behl soldiers settled into her brain. “I… I do not know.”
He tilted his head and regarded her thoughtfully.
“He… he said he’d be away for weeks,” she offered hastily.
The grip around her neck did not alter by a hair, but his gaze flashed from her face to her skirt and back again, a common Tuath intimidation tactic. He nodded to indicate his belief in her statement.
“He is in possession of an amulet,” he revealed, “a very unique amulet, and our Master is most anxious to have it returned to him.”
Her composure started to crumble. “I never saw an amulet,” her voice quivered.
Again, he nodded.
One of the human soldiers snatched at Ellen’s daughter. He bodily drug Helen by the arm out from behind Ellen’s skirt. Ellen reflexively attempted to retrieve her daughter but was thwarted.
“Maybe I can get her to talk,” he threatened suggestively.
“No, please,” Ellen implored. “She’s not yet six.”
The green eyed Tuath appeared unperturbed by the change of events. He watched impassively as the soldier greedily squeezed Helen to his body.
“That will not be necessary,” the Tuath stated irenically.
The soldier smirked and Helen wriggled in an attempt to release herself from his determined grip.
“Might make her change her tune,” he suggested.
The Tuath looked into Ellen’s eyes. “She is telling the truth,” he stated calmly.
The soldier appeared crestfallen for a moment before his countenance perked up once again. “Master says we can use whatever means necessary to get information,” he stated confidently.
“The law says we can use any means necessary against enemies or persons purposefully withholding information,” the Tuath countered smoothly, “and these are neither.”
“She feels good though,” the soldier said with meaning.
“You will unhand her,” the Tuath commanded.
“And you will call me by my proper title, Tuath.”
The hand released Ellen’s neck and she watched in amazement as the Tuath rapidly spun away from her and behind the soldier where he unceremoniously placed his hands in opposition to one another about his head and twisted. The soldier instantly fell dead to the floor. The sleeve of his right arm pressed up to reveal the damning “T” tattoo on the forearm. The Tuath spat at the fresh corpse.
“And you will use mine, Trainer.” He stood erect and cocked his head to the side once again, but he looked at no one. “Check the floorboards in the back.”
The floorboards snapped as the Tuaths pried them up. One of them called out triumphantly, “Got it!” He brought it out to show the commanding Tuath who gave the merest of nods and tilted his head back toward the door. The entire squad filed out swiftly. Ellen and her children were left in desecrated silence.
“I suggest you leave this place immediately,” the Tuath said quietly. “Take only what is necessary and start your lives over elsewhere. Out of Behl. Your kind will be hunted down soon.”
“Why are you telling me this?” Ellen asked with more tranquility than she felt.
He looked at her a moment before he answered, “It is the right thing to do. You will not find rest in Behl. If you intend your children to live to be grown, you need to leave.”
Helen whimpered and Ellen turned to soothe her. When she turned back to say something to the Tuath, he was gone. She looked Helen over, and aside from a few bruises, she was unharmed. Ellen praised the Four for their good fortune not to have been raped or killed.
Her son helped her hurriedly pack their belongings. Anything nonessential would have to be left behind. She knew her husband would never come back. She fought tears as she strapped their few packs to one of the mules and placed her children upon it.
“Where are we going, Mama?” her son asked.
“Someplace safe, baby,” she answered.
“Because of the bad Tuaths?” Helen sulked.
“Because of the bad ruler who makes them do bad things,” she replied, but she knew her daughter already had a seed of distrust planted within her.