Rebirth and Second Chances

Chapter 238: Scouting

One of the main differences between how the Cait Sith dimension differed from the Summerlands was structure. Although there was some overlap, both could be accessed from any point in time and space, Cait Sith had none of the expansiveness of the Summerlands. Cait Sith was more Sithern in that aspect, a narrowly focused dimension that served as a focal point and safe harbor.

The Summerlands was a function of the multiverse that touched every aspect of reality, past, present, and future, and could be entered by any member of the Sidhe. The Cait Sith dimension was grounded in the present, could only be entered in that timeframe. The dimension was anchored by Time itself to serve as a fulcrum. It had been created as a means to combat Paradox and was bound by certain rules.

The Cait Sith dimension required the Cait Sith people to serve as locus, using their innate skills and unique relationship with Fairy and Time, as the impetus for power required to open and close the dimensional gate between reality and Cait Sith.

Summerlands had opened a portal into my past, not bound by the strictures of Time, and by doing so created Paradox. Paradox that allowed me to make a difference in my daughter's future and do so while redressing the mystery of her disappearance.

I couldn't stay in this timeline, I would have to return to the Summerlands and make another attempt at returning to Talahm, hoping that I would be returned to my time, or shortly in the future. As long as two of me didn't exist contiguously, in the same time and space, the wrinkle in time would be resolved.

I would take this opportunity, this chance that Summerlands had given me to orchestrate events and decide the fate of my daughter. Lord Aesin had been correct when he had ferreted out the secret that Sieph had never been captured or killed. How she had gone missing had been a mystery until now. I would take this second chance to be the author of this narrative, the force that saved her life, and in the process restore her to me in my future.

For now, I needed to find a way to spirit her away without anyone realizing she was missing. I had already come to an understanding with Tybalt. I would cast my strongest magic, creating a glamour that would place her in Sleep. A Sleep that would last for ten years and was powered by our shared blood. Tybalt would guard her body, keeping her safe in Cait Sith while she slept, keeping her hidden and protected.

Once she woke, Tybalt would return her to Talahm, making certain she was discovered. The Oracle had given her word that my daughter would be adopted, trained, and made ready to face her future.

I had no idea if this plan worked; I had never met Sieph in the future, never even heard a rumor that she lived. So where and how they returned would remain a mystery. Tybalt and the Oracle both had stressed the importance of not allowing the timeline to diverge, but it was hard not to worry, not to kidnap her and escape through the Summerlands.

Tybalt had been helpful. With the advice of the Oracle, he had already moved a few of his subjects into the caravan that my past self was leading. The Summerlands had been exact in the gift of time that I had received. I had this one night to act. I had been returned only a few hours before my people were attacked, killed, and forced into a Faustian bargain where we exchanged our freedom, trapping ourselves in CERN in exchange for my daughter's life.

Tybalt created a rift that allowed me to leave his domain. The passage nothing like walking through a portal. There was no sense of movement when using Portals. For this, my body was aware of the currents of magic, the void that existed between dimensions. I held my breath, straining against the instinct to breathe, as I felt the passage of time while traveling through that emptiness of the void.

Tybalt had warned me not to breathe, that the chances of my lungs being filled with the nothingness of the void would be dangerous. I had been protected by a bubble of will when entering his domain, my guide acting as a buffer between me and the void. But I would have no guide as I returned to Talahm. The point between the Cait Sith and Talahm was mine to travel alone. I would be met by the Cait Sith that had been ordered into position, to act as a beacon, and to serve as a guide, but the journey itself was mine to make.

My arrival was not the most graceful as I made the transition from there to here by stumbling from the void. I began shivering uncontrollably, my body's heat drained by void, goosebumps, and blue skin my response to the cold. Even worse was the embarrassment of puking at the fear of facing the nothingness the void had shown me.

I was not Cait Sith, and I hoped to never use their method of travel again.

I had thought to be greeted by a single person, but a pride of Cat Sith welcomed me, each laughing at my condition as only a cat can. Tybalt's subjects were waiting to lead me to a place of vantage where I could scope out and consider how best to approach the camp and my daughter.

The most obvious course of action was to just walk in, wake my sleeping daughter, and have her follow, and if I didn't need to maintain secrecy that was the option I would have chosen.

Instead, I needed to think of a way to spirit her away out from under the watchful eyes of the guards that were protecting her. At the same time, I needed to devise a way to leave something, a simulacrum or illusion in her place.

I was much stronger as a Ranked: Princess than I had been when these events took place. Powerful enough to fool even my past self with glamour. I could create an illusion strong enough to hold, but it needed to be moored to something in order to last. I needed to attach the illusion I could weave with a life force that would continue to power the magic involved.

The Cait Sith grew impatient as I tried to plan the best course forward. Cait Sith like all cats were fickle creatures. They had the patience to stalk prey and play with it for hours, but they could also be easily distracted. That distraction often resulted in impatience. For those Cait Sith waiting with me, that impatience became manifest as I watched and brooded about how to forge a lasting link between glamour and a life source.

The camp that we were watching had long past settled in for the night, even the guards that had been posted had been patrolling perfunctorily. The stillness of the night and a faux semblance of peace. A fatal belief for those patrolling and sleeping that they were safe, that the night was as alike as any other.

Time was running out, I knew come the dawn, the camp would be attacked. That a contingent of Seelie and Kelpie forces would swarm in those early moments between wake and sleep when we were most vulnerable.

"What is the problem?" Seeba, the Cait Sith that had been waiting with me said, finally unable to remain silent. Her patience had run out and she would see this night's events finished so she could return to the protections of Cait Sith.

She was one of the large hunting cats. A Predator in truth, not like those house cats that delighted in killing the occasional bird or mouse. Her cat form was a jaguar, perhaps with something more prehistoric mixed in. Like her namesake, she was most adept at night. Her species was nocturnal. That adaption was probably why Tybalt had selected her to lead the contingent of Cait Sith he had sent.

Jaguars were skilled hunters, and they were decisive in the method of attack, using their powerful legs and jaws to catch and kill. My inaction when the prey was clearly in sight and defenseless was more than she could stand. I need to act soon, or she would. Her instincts were telling her that prey awaited, and if she didn't act now, it would escape.

My understanding of illusion and glamour was telling me that without a life source to tie the illusion too, that plan would fail. I needed to figure something else out, and quickly because even as I concluded, Seeba began slinking forward, her movement timed so the patrolling guards would never discover her.