by Gwen Rivers
“I wanted to see the werewolf get his ass handed to him up close and personal.” She made a tsking sound as though I had disappointed her.
I raised a brow. “You could have done better?”
“Girl, I would have him drinking water from the gutter if I wished.”
My lips parted. “You’re that powerful?”
“And not a fraction as powerful as you could be, Emma Slade.”
“Powerful? I can’t even hold a wind shield for five minutes. My brother could do it for an hour.”
She waved that away. “Males have brute strength in magic the same way they have brute strength in the flesh. A female’s gifts are deeper, harder to reach. But if you hone them to the killing edge, you’ll be far deadlier than he’d ever be.”
Hope surged inside me. “Do you mean it?”
“If you listen to me and train hard?” Those sapphire eyes turned shrewd. “You’ll shake the world tree to its roots.”
My lips parted. How deep did my magical arsenal go?
“What changed your mind?” Liam asked the old spellcaster.
Magda looked me over for a moment. “It’s not changed so much as resigned. At least with my help, she stands a fighting chance.”
The ability to make a difference. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me, girl. I’ll show you what I know. We’ll begin tomorrow at first light.”
“Why not today?” Liam asked.
“Because I said we’d begin tomorrow.” Magda snapped. “And next time, girl? Leave the dog at home.”
“Are you okay?” Emma asked him as they walked back to his building.
Liam realized that he’d been rubbing his shoulder. “I’ve had worse.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
He stopped and scented the air. She smelled of remorse.
“Emma, you were just defending yourself. It was instinct.”
She looked away. “I know.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
She let out a shaky breath. “Honestly? I keep feeling like I’m the wrong person for the job. My brother—”
He cut her off before she could go on about how wonderful her brother had been and how weak she was by comparison. “Emma, everything happens for a reason. I believe that. You lived and your brother didn’t.”
She shook her head.
“You go on and on about accepting what you can’t change but you haven’t accepted this?”
Her gray eyes flashed. “What is it you want with me, Liam?”
His throat went dry. “What do you mean?”
She got in his face, standing on her toes so she could look him in the eye. “I know you want something from me. You’re the Alpha werewolf, you have better things to do than escort a halfling around the PR. Things changed when I told you about the sword. What does it mean?”
He pinched his brow. “I’m not sure I’m the right person to tell you this.”
She held out her hands to both sides. “Do you see anyone else lining up to do it?”
“Okay. There’s a prophecy. The savior will vanquish the twisted ones. The goddess of the hunt, Skathi, has had us hunting for this prophesized savior for months.”
Emma’s gaze turned inward. “And how do you know I’m this savior?”
“You’re a spellcaster.”
“So is Magda.”
He grimaced. “And the sword presented itself to you.”
“You mean the sword that tasted your blood?”
When he nodded, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Okay.”
Liam frowned. “Okay?”
“I came to New York to take out as many of the dark fae as I could. Now you’re telling me that someone prophesized I would do exactly that.”
“She also prophesized that you would die in the attempt.”
Emma shrugged. “So?”
“So? Did you not understand me? You are going to die, Emma Slade.”
She looked away. “I’ve been dead for a long time, Liam. I’m just too stubborn to lie down.”
His mate had a death wish. No, not a wish. She accepted that she was going to die, it was one of the things she could not change.
Emma had but he never would.
“What else aren’t you telling me, Liam? I know there’s something. I can feel it.”
He looked at her. His charge. His mate. She’d easily accepted the first role. He had no doubt that she would run from the second. Run from him.
“Emma,” he began. Then shook his head. “Listen, there are things I don’t fully understand. I promise I won’t lie to you. But I need to keep some information to myself. You asked me not to ask you questions. Now I’m asking for the same. I promise, if and when you need to know something, I will tell you.”
Those gray eyes searched his face. She released her hold on his arm and then nodded. “Fair enough.”
If she suspected what he was to her, what she meant to him and ran, he knew he’d lose her forever.
You’re going to lose her anyway. His wolf had been on edge since he found out about the sword. It demanded that he protect her.
They walked in silence the rest of the way back to her apartment.
Liam slipped his hands into his pockets. “If there’s anything else you require, just summon North.”
“Summon?” she asked. “Is there some sort of chant involved?”
“Nothing so complicated. He has an app.”
“A sylph app?”
“It’s called Do North. And yes, I’m fairly sure that’s a thinly-veiled suggestion.”
She laughed.
He could listen to that sound forever. But she didn’t invite him in, so he turned to head home.
“Liam?” she gripped his arm, her gray gaze searching his face.
“What?”
“I can’t remember if I said this yet, but thank you.”
“I haven’t done anything much.” Because she wouldn’t allow him to lavish her with gifts. Wouldn’t let him protect her.
“You always say exactly what I need to hear.” Her eyes searched his face. “How do you do that?”
“Instinct.” He smiled up at where she stood on the stoop. His hands itched to touch her. To cradle her face. But she wasn’t ready. Might never be ready.
“Must come with being the wolf.” She reached for the door. He caught a whiff of magic as she unlocked it.
“Emma? I’m sorry I followed you. That I brought you here.”
She looked down at him and then shook her head. “I’m not.”
“Call me if you need anything.”
She smiled and then disappeared into her apartment.
Liam waited a few minutes and then began the slow walk home. He tried to convince himself that he’d done the right thing in not telling her about the fated connection. Emma was fiercely independent. Focused. She was a spellcaster, and the destined savior of the fae.
She shouldn’t have to handle everything all at once.
Still, a part of him wished he’d told her. He lost himself in the fantasy of how it would have played out. She would have smiled and reached for him and….
“Cat got your tongue?”
North greeted him at his front door, in the guise of the gargoyle door knocker.
Effectively snapped out of his daydream, Liam snarled, “What are you doing out here? You’re supposed to be watching out for Kiesha.”
“She’s at school. Having herself a marvelous time learning how to fight.”
“Who’s teaching?”
“Nahini and Jasmine.”
Liam grunted in satisfaction. Nahini was third in command of the wild Hunt and Jasmine was a sprite not much older than Kiesha. The two of them could handle any trouble that came along.
Liam entered the building and ignored the mountain of paperwork on his desk. He didn’t want to sit still. Too full of restless energy. He headed down to the basement workout space. He’d try and burn some of his agitation as a mortal, but the l
ack of running and hunting was taking its toll. He wanted to go after the dark fae. But Emma needed training and it would do him no good to try and find them without her.
He didn’t bother to change his clothes. Instead, he wrapped his hands in tape and set in working over a massive sandbag.
“You didn’t tell her.” North inhabited the sandbag, making every hit infinitely more satisfying.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Liam did a roundhouse with his left leg, sending the bag swinging. North steadied it and Liam switched to jabs.
“You may have fooled others but I have seen a werewolf riddled with stupid over his mate before.”
Liam huffed out a breath. “It doesn’t matter. I can’t tell her.”
“Emma deserves to have all the facts, wolf. Otherwise how can she make an informed decision?”
Liam didn’t speak, just focused on a steady one-two rhythm.
“Da. I can see you’re going to be stubborn and pig-headed about this,” North said. “Fine. But think of it this way. The female is barely two decades old and has no family. No one to turn to when she’s in need.”
“She doesn’t want anyone. Doesn’t want that kind of connection.” Liam hit the bag with even more force than he’d intended. Sand spilled out onto the concrete floor.
“If that is true, why has she bonded with the pup?” The air shimmered and the sylph vanished.
Liam wiped his forehead and then stared down at the pile of sand. He really hated North sometimes.
Especially when he knew the sylph was right.
9
Kiesha’s school was another warehouse not too far from the one where the fae holed up. I sat on a bench across the street and waited for her familiar form to appear among the throng of fae children that emerged.
It was a surreal sight. The fae children didn’t laugh or talk. They remained utterly silent as they filed out in a straight line and headed back to the center.
“Emma!” Kiesha, still dressed in her too tight clothes, ran down the brick steps, pink backpack bouncing. She threw herself at me with easy exuberance and squeezed so hard I almost puked.
It was second nature to hug her back with equal fervor. “Hey kid. How was your first day?”
“Okay, I guess.” We fell into step together, making our way away from the school. “Everyone is really quiet. But the fighting classes were fun.”
“They’re having a rough time. This world is totally new to them.” I wanted to suck the words back in as soon as I spoke them. Kiesha had lost her parents. If anyone knew about tough transitions, she would.
She opened her mouth to say something when cold wetness splashed over our heads.
“Spellcaster filth,” A nasal voice called from above.
I wiped my eyes and glared up at the green girl with translucent purple wings hovering directly overhead. “Seriously?”
The creature hissed at me. “Your mother mounted a mortal.”
“Yo momma shit talk, really?” I glared at her. “That’s so 1992.”
“No one wants you here. Leave the pocket realm.”
More fae appeared, pointing and jeering about the half-human trash. Kiesha’s hands were clenched into fists and I saw a flash of temper. I had to get her out of there before she lost it.
Unfortunately, the route back to my apartment went past the center and unless we got rid of our entourage, more would join them.
“Emma,” Kiesha growled, trying to use her small body to block me. I saw her eyes flash and, in that moment, I understood what Liam meant about her being dominant. Her instinct was to protect, no matter how misplaced it might be.
“It’s okay,” I soothed.
“It’s not.” Her green eye glowed brighter. Shit, was she going to change?
Someone tossed a shoe. It hit me in the back of the head.
“Maybe you should try wearing the clothes instead of throwing them.” Another voice called out.
I turned and caught sight of the same fae female I had rescued from the hate group. She stood in her fae form, hands-on-hips and glared at the beings who’d been trailing us.
“Awe, come off it, Fiona.” The winged fae landed in front of her. “Spellcasters are the first to turn. We don’t want her hanging around our young when they go.”
“Don’t be so ignorant,” Fiona snapped. She spoke in a high pitched Irish voice and the bitchy words sounded odd. “She saved me out there when I was in trouble. Would she have done that if she were twisted? Now, I suggest you remove your head from your armpit and leave her be.”
The winged fae cast me a final dark look and then took off.
“Remove your head from your armpit?” I asked Fiona.
“Did I get that wrong?” The fae’s smooth forehead wrinkled in concern. “I had a terrible time with colloquialisms class.”
I wasn’t about to correct her in front of Kiesha. “Thanks for the save.”
Fiona extended a hand to Kiesha and then to me. “Fiona of the Unseelie.”
“Nice to meet you, Fiona. This is Rage.”
The fae’s eyes lit up. “The werewolf girl. I was hoping I would meet you.”
“You were?” Kiesha tilted her head to the side.
“Absolutely. Everyone in the PR is talking about your arrival. You’re a…” She frowned and then snapped. “A debutant.”
“What?” Kiesha looked up at me.
I didn’t bother to hide my smile. “I think you mean a celebrity. Someone famous.”
The werewolf girl grinned, pleased. I didn’t want to tell her that hanging out with me would probably be a black mark against her in the faes book.
“I’d stay away from the school if I were you.” As though she’d plucked the thought directly from my gray matter, Fiona gestured toward the building. “Most of the forever young are harmless but there are a few who will cause trouble when they see a spellcaster.”
“Why?” Kiesha obviously didn’t like the idea of me being barred from school grounds.
Fiona shifted her gaze to the werewolf. “Because they are scared and don’t bother to attend classes like we do. Knowledge is the death of ignorance. I’m fairly sure I got that one right.”
“I better get you back to Liam’s. Care to walk with us, Fiona?”
The fae fell into step with us. “I was headed in that direction anyway. My apartment is a few blocks over from yours.”
“You actually live in the apartments?” Other than Magda, I hadn’t seen anyone inhabiting the larger expanse of the city.
“It’s a waste, isn’t it?” Fiona shook her head. “More than half of the fae in this PR lived in stumps or caves. These apartments are a luxury they’ve never experienced before yet they are too cow-headed to leave the center.”
Kiesha giggled. “I think you mean pig-headed.”
Fiona snapped. “Right. Thanks. I will get better eventually. I just need to keep at it.”
“How many of the fae ventured out of the PR?” I asked her.
“A handful. Fewer since word of my attack got around.” She shook her head. “Cursed fae haters. At this rate, the queen will have to order them to go mingle with the mortals.”
“Would she do that?” I had no notion of fae politics.
“She might. If only to prove to the humans that we aren’t holing up here in an effort to take them over. The magic of the PR won’t last forever. We will have to deal with them eventually.”
We turned the corner to Liam’s street just as a lithe redhead moved down the steps in greeting. She had two green eyes, though the left one glowed brighter than the right. Another werewolf.
“Autumn,” Kiesha waved to her.
“Why are you all wet?” Autumn’s left eye shimmered with emerald fire. “Was there trouble?”
“A fae with wings dumped water on us then Fiona chased her off. Where’s Liam?”
“He had some errands to run. Hey Fiona, how are you?” Autumn gave Fiona a hug before offering her hand to me. “Autumn Jasper.
It’s a pleasure to meet you, spellcaster.”
I took her hand in mine. “Call me Emma.”
“Come on, Emma.” Kiesha waved me inside. I could see the light over her head swinging back and forth.
“Emma has things to do,” Autumn called back. Then lower so the girl couldn’t hear said, “The pack is coming tonight. I’m supposed to keep Kiesha upstairs until Liam prepares the rest of them to meet her.”
It was odd, being surrounded by beings I couldn’t read emotionally. I had no way to tell if Autumn was as anxious about Kiesha’s wolven debut as I was. “Will she be safe?”
Autumn nodded. “Werewolves are as stubborn as the fae, but her scent is already in the house and with Liam heading the meeting, she will be accepted.”
“Just don’t let any of them sniff your butt,” Fiona said to Kiesha. “Remember personal space!”
The girl saluted her.
I ran up the steps and gave Kiesha a hug. “You have school tomorrow?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No. Can we hang out?”
“You bet, kid.” Maybe it was wrong to spend so much time with the werewolf girl. But she reminded me of myself at the same age. Alone, afraid, not sure which way to turn.
My compass had shifted toward vengeance. Hopefully Kiesha’s would head in a more productive direction.
Fiona and I moved back toward my place.
“They said to that other fae that spellcasters are more likely to become twisted. Is that true?”
Fiona nodded. “A spellcaster living on this side of the Veil was the very first. He approached a few of the disgruntled nobles who had lost all their wealth when we had to evacuate Underhill. Myself included.”
I stopped dead. “You’ve seen him? You know what he looks like?”
“Not really. He wore a dark cloak and kept his face in shadow.”
My heart pounded in my ribcage. So close. I was so close I could taste it. “Do you think you could describe him for me?” I had a fair hand at drawing.
Fiona stared at me. “You’re not thinking of going after him, are you? Emma, he’s a killer.”
“Which is why I need to stop him.”
Fiona shifted from foot to foot. “If you’re sure?”
I practically dragged her into my apartment. “I’m sure. And as a half fae, I can’t lie so you can take that to the bank.”