His hand smoothly brushed the hair off my shoulders and gripped the back of my neck. The other hand pulled me closer. He tilted my head, and his lips moved over mine.
I had to admit, he was a damn fine kisser. Any female with a pulse would find him attractive and sexually magnetic. The kiss distracted me enough that I didn’t notice his free hand until it slipped inside the neckline of my tunic and fondled my breast.
The device vibrated under my hand, and I jerked back with a small gasp. “You said something about dinner?”
His expression was amused and slightly irritated. “Am I making you uncomfortable?”
“No. It’s just that you did promise me dinner on this date, and I’m hoping you’re a man of your word.”
“So I did.” To my utter relief, Elias pulled back and held out his hand.
No doubt he was confident in his ability to get me into his bed after feeding me, but I would deal with that problem when we got there. I discreetly adjusted my clothing, using the motion to slip the device back inside my bra as he led me to the dining room.
We ate a meal full of foreign, although high-quality and not altogether unpleasant, food while Elias lobbed insinuations at me. I did my best to gracefully dodge them without being rude. He also had a fair number of questions about my background, my family, and my knowledge of magic. I answered those questions honestly. There was nothing to hide about my true background or identity. If I could get Elias to believe that I was just a nobody Mundane before all of this had happened, I would have a powerful ally on my side. And I needed one because I was quickly racking up enemies. I hadn’t forgotten the Council would be perfectly willing to sacrifice my life in order to get at Marcel’s magic.
After the meal ended and servants had cleared the table, Elias offered me another glass of bubbly till and a seat on a comfortable settee in the adjacent sitting room. A roaring fireplace dominated one wall of the cozy room. I wasn’t sure if it was real fire or magic, but the crackling warmth created quite the romantic setting.
He sat on the small couch, his thigh touching mine from knee to hip, and gathered my free hand in his. “I’ve quite enjoyed getting to know you, Lady Maeve. Your company is so refreshing.”
“Really? I’ve never had anyone say that before.”
His eyes crinkled with humor. “You say what is on your mind without intrigue or insinuation. It’s been ages since I had a conversation without at least two subtexts to work through simultaneously.”
“I’m glad you feel that way,” I said, truly relieved. “I’m not very good at all your politics.”
“I’ve noticed.” He laughed, and his fingers skimmed deliberately along the outside of my thigh. “You are truly a pleasure.” He took the glass from my hand and set it on the table nearest us. “Speaking of pleasure...” He lowered his head to my neck and ran his lips lightly over the skin just below my ear.
For a hot minute, I was tempted to just go with it. Sex with Elias would—no doubt—be enjoyable. He was skilled at this game of seduction, and if his kissing were any indication, he would be great in bed. My pent-up sexual tension could definitely use a release. It would be a great distraction from everything.
And that was the problem. I was emotionally aware enough to know that sex with Elias wouldn’t be just a pleasurable distraction. It would be about politics and the possibility of gaining a powerful ally. But more importantly, it would be about getting over my hurt feelings about Silas.
I leaned back with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Elias, but I’m not going to have sex with you tonight.”
“Are you not pleased with my attentions?” He shifted, hovering over me. I had to lean back into the sofa to keep some space between us. “I believe I’ve been pretty transparent about my desires, but yours—I must admit—are a mystery.”
A shiver of fear ran down my spine. He was bigger and stronger than me, and we were alone in his private quarters. Even if I screamed, I suspected the servants I’d seen throughout the evening wouldn’t come running. I might be out of options if he didn’t back down.
“Your, uh, attention is tempting. But it’s all a little fast. For an Earthen, I mean. Sex on the first date is considered... trashy.”
“Really?” His head tilted to the side. “Trashy. What an interesting word. It has such a depth of meaning. Well, my lady, I would not want you to be construed as trashy when you are so clearly anything but.” He stood and offered me his hand.
I almost sighed in relief as I rose to my feet with as much grace as the Queen of England. “Thank you for a lovely dinner.”
After an exchange of pleasantries that included lots of hints about future liaisons, Elias had a servant escort me back to my suite, accompanied of course by my personal gaggle of Guardians.
When I was safely deposited back into my suite, I wasn’t surprised to find Silas waiting for me.
He looked me up and down, and I didn’t like the way his gaze lingered on my hair and neck. I patted both self-consciously, wondering if it looked as though I’d made out with Elias. I dropped my hands and decided it didn’t matter what Silas thought. He didn’t get a vote.
And the new set of tingles his presence caused needed to shut the hell up.
“Here.” I held out the transfer device, but he didn’t move to take it.
“Did you—”
I glared at him. If he asked if I had sex with Elias, there was no force in either of our realms that would stop me from slapping him.
He cleared his throat. “Did he harm you?”
“No.” I tossed the device at Silas, and he caught it with one hand. “I had a perfectly enjoyable evening, and now I want to go to bed.”
One of his damn eyebrows rose.
“Alone.” I walked past Silas and into the bedroom. I didn’t stop until I’d reached the bathroom door and sealed it shut behind me.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The next morning, Tessa showed up unexpectedly at my suite. Her previously short hair fell past her shoulders in a soft brown wave that covered her pointed Fae ears.
I stared at it in confusion. “What happened to your hair?”
“Silas asked me to track down the missing people on your list, so I’m blending in. Short hair is for Guardians.” She brushed a hand through it. “Combat and all that.”
I examined her new locks. “Is it a wig?”
She laughed. “No, I did a simple conjuring to lengthen hair. And I’ve changed my eye color as well.” She blinked at me with baby-blue irises.
“Oh,” I said like an idiot.
Dressed in a basic green tunic and leggings, she looked like any other person in Lower Aeterna. Without her lavender eyes and short hair, no one would recognize her as the Fae Guardian who’d won the tournament just yesterday.
I invited her in, and she clasped forearms with Atticus before the three of us sat in the front room together.
“Silas told me about the compulsion,” Tessa said to Atticus. “I’m pleased to learn of your redemption. I hated seeing you as a Traiten, even when I believed you were guilty.”
“Congratulations on your promotion, Commander. Your win was well fought.”
“Wait, did you guys know each other before?” I asked.
“We trained to become Guardians together.”
I toyed with the long necklace attacked to Marcel’s charm as I remembered my earlier suspicions about Silas and Titus knowing each other. “Did you know Titus too? I don’t know his family name. He’s the leader of the Brotherhood.”
They both shifted on their feet and had lots of places they needed to look all of a sudden.
“Look, I know Silas knows him, and it seemed personal.”
Atticus finally looked at me. “He was a Guardian.”
“Atticus!” Tessa said with a hiss.
“She’s just going to go around asking questions if we don’t tell her what she wants to know.”
“That’s right. I won’t ask questions if I already have the answers.” I put on m
y best Girl Scout smile and tried to appear trustworthy and innocent. I would’ve offered them cookies if I thought it would help.
“Titus Trivalent,” Tessa said finally. “House Trivalent was solidly lower class before gaining enough power to demand entrance into the Upper City, roles within the Sects, all of it. Social standing here is multi-generational. That kind of change in a single generation is notable. It made them famous all over Lower Aeterna. Then came Titus with a strong flare and a cruel streak. He joined the Guardian training program the same year as us.”
Atticus picked up her story. “He got a reputation for fighting dirty. He hurt people unnecessarily. Killed another trainee during a practice exercise. They tried to kick him out, but his House claimed discrimination.”
“It went all the way to the Council,” Tessa said. “Silas was the ranking witness at the incident, and he testified against him. Titus was lucky he wasn’t required to offer a penance.”
“What’s a penance?” I asked.
Atticus whistled between his teeth. “It’s something you offer when—What’s the Earthen saying? When the shit hits the fan?”
I laughed and held out my fist. “Five points for correct use of Earthen swearing.”
He bumped my fist.
“Owing a blood debt to another House can be manky shite.” His lip curled. “Too bad in hindsight, actually.”
“They definitely didn’t run him to the post with nothing more than an expulsion from the training program,” Tessa agreed.
“So, Titus is leading the Brotherhood, but the Council is trying to keep it quiet,” I summarized. “And from what I saw yesterday, half of Aeterna is probably tripping over themselves for a chance to join them.”
Tessa and Atticus gave me matching looks of surprise.
“What? They have no other options. They can serve the Upper Houses for the rest of their lives without any hope of improving their situation or take option B—join the Brotherhood for a better life.”
“We’re not supposed to talk about any of that,” Tessa said slowly.
“It’s an open secret, though,” Atticus said to her. “Titus, the Brotherhood, the unrest in the Lower City—it’s a pot about to boil over.”
“Why not just reveal what Titus is up to?” I asked. “He’s killing people and absorbing their powers. No one would follow that monster.”
“It’s tricky,” Tessa said. “In the Lower City, Titus is a hero, a true rags-to-riches story. The Council is afraid if the citizens discover his role in the rebellion, people might follow him, regardless of his actions.”
We all chewed that over until Tessa said, “I almost forgot! I come bearing gifts.” Her blue-gray magic flared, and she produced Ripper along with some kind of intricate new sheath with two long straps. “It’s a thigh holster,” she explained. “Your knife is a bit large for concealment, but Silas said you’re attached to it.” She frowned as though she couldn’t figure out why.
A small thrill of excitement coursed through me. Getting Ripper back was like having a little piece of me returned. I threaded the leather straps through the custom-modified holster and secured it around my upper thigh. I rose and went through a few experimental movements. The holster seemed to work well, despite holding a larger-than-normal knife.
Tessa’s face sobered. “Also, I came with a message from Lord Stephan.” Her eyes swept over me. I had the feeling she was about to deliver bad news, and my own eyes narrowed in response. “He apologizes that he couldn’t deliver it in person.”
My whole body went stiff, and I dropped back into my chair.
“Your friend Michael Smithson never made it to Aeterna,” she revealed. “We can’t find him.”
My heart thudded with growing fear. There was only one reason Father Mike wouldn’t have returned to Aeterna to find me like he’d promised—he’d been captured by the Brotherhood. He might already be dead.
Tessa leaned forward and put her hand on my knee. “Silas already sent Guardians to search for him back in Boston.”
“I led the Brotherhood right to him!” Until now, I’d been doing a good job of holding it together, but this was too much. “They’ll torture him and kill him, just like they did to Marcel! What if Titus already killed him?” I dropped my head into my hands as tears flooded my eyes.
“We don’t know that your friend is dead,” Atticus said softly, placing his palm on my shoulder.
“The Brotherhood has him. That’s why there’s no sign of him. If he’s still alive, it’s so they can torture him for information.” Guilt twisted in my stomach. I had no doubt what Titus would do to him—I’d lived through Marcel’s memories. “I should have killed Titus when I had the chance.” Conviction washed over me. “I’m going to kill him.”
My anguish compressed into something solid. Titus would pay for taking Father Mike. He would pay for Marcel. And he would pay for ruining my perfectly normal life. I would do whatever it took to take down the Brotherhood, starting with him.
Tessa gave me an unexpected hug. “I’m sorry I must leave you with this news. I must return to the Lower City during the changing of the next shift if I’m to blend in.”
“Before you go, is there anyone on your list named Marcel?” I asked.
She pursed her lips. “Who is Marcel?”
“He’s the man who transferred the power from the Brotherhood to me.” The man whose memories are always on the verge of taking control of my mind. “Other than that, I have no idea who he was.”
“We’ll find something,” she said with an encouraging grin. “This is a good lead, Maeve. We’re doing all the right things. It just takes time.”
The knot in my stomach twisted. “Let me know what you find out about Father Mike.”
She agreed and left. Atticus wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me into his side. I stiffened at the unfamiliar affection, but he patted my shoulder until I relaxed. The moment of comfort brought on a fresh round of tears. I was so exhausted and emotionally wrung-out. It was nice to have a minute to acknowledge how hard everything was.
After a minute of my tears soaking his shoulder, he said, “Silas will find your friend.”
I sat up, wiping my eyes on my sleeve. Even if Father Mike were alive, I had no idea how Silas would be able to find him. Silas and the Council had been trying to track down Titus for so long. My hopes plummeted.
Atticus lowered his head until we were eye level. “If you give up on hope, what do you have left? Be strong, Maeve.”
That was almost exactly what Father Mike had said to me when we parted in Boston. I managed a watery smile. I would be strong for Father Mike.
Atticus and I ate breakfast together, and he talked me through a few more basic exercises with my magic. I wasn’t making much progress, but I was still determined to learn how to defend myself. The magic was so far away, and it was hard to access it on demand. Just as we finished our lesson and our meal, the door chimed again. I’d ceased being surprised by all my visitors until I saw who walked through.
Lady Aria paused inside the open doorway. Dressed in a golden top with fluttering sleeves, the expertly draped fabric hid any sign of her pregnancy. A delicately pleated skirt skimmed the floor, and her blond hair fell in elaborate braids down her back. She looked just like a freaking fairy princess. It wasn’t fair for any one person to be that beautiful. Even knowing she was in love with Stephan, I felt a twinge of insecurity.
“Lady Maeve?” Her voice rose, uncertain.
Atticus moved discreetly to the side, out of her line of sight. I tried to act casual as I rose to greet her, but I had no idea what she wanted or how she felt about me. When it came down to it, I was a threat to her secret life. She had just as many reasons to hate me as her father.
“Lady Aria.” I tried to keep the nerves out of my voice.
Her eyes raked from my head to my feet.
I braced myself.
“I am pleased to see you,” she said sweetly. “I’d like to show you around the Cit
y Centre on market day. Perhaps some shopping?”
“What? Why?” I cringed at my own harsh tone and softened my voice. “I mean, I’m not allowed to leave. I’m a prisoner of the Council.”
“Nonsense. I received express permission from my father. If we’re properly escorted”—she glanced over her shoulder to a knot of Guardians waiting in the hall—“we may travel within the Upper City freely.”
My brain churned with anxiety. For all I knew, she was planning to stab me as soon as she got me alone. I stared at her, unable to get past her shocking presence. She locked gazes with me and pushed her shoulders back a fraction, lifting her chin as though steeling herself. She was nervous too.
“Would you please join me?” she asked.
It was the first time anyone from this realm had ever said please. I’d seriously thought it was a word that didn’t exist in Aeterna.
I nodded despite myself. “Okay.”
“Lady Maeve,” Atticus interjected, “you should check with the Lord Commander first.”
Aria’s shoulders straightened. “I have my personal guard with me. She will be safe.”
“Lord Valeron wishes her to remain here,” Atticus said with a frown.
Aria’s unexpected backbone impressed me. But I also wasn’t going to be foolish and run off without letting anyone know where I was going. “Traiten, please inform the Lord Commander of where we’ve gone and that he doesn’t need to be worried about us.”
Aria nodded in approval, and Atticus bowed his head, not quite concealing his grimace of disapproval.
Two sleek silver pods hovered outside, ready to transport us. Three large men in fitted Guardian uniforms stood at attention until we were safely seated inside.
As soon as our butts touched down, she said, “I want to talk to you about what Silas said at the Exposition.”
I tried not to grimace. She sure didn’t waste any time.
“Silas made it clear that your family is none of my business,” I said.
Fate Forged Page 24