by Amy Sumida
He kissed me tenderly, then whispered against my lips, “I love you, little star.”
“I love you too, T-Rex.”
Tiernan chuckled softly.
And that's when my other husbands came back for more.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The animals were gone by morning. I took that as a blessing because I knew that riding away from them would have been difficult. They'd had a night with us to adjust to their new home and now they were making their own way in Twilight. The climate was a match to their old home even if the flora wasn't so they should be fine. Plus, they had a goddess watching over them.
We made our way back through the planetary rath to the other side of the kingdom, going from midday to after midnight. It wasn't the best time for a homecoming but the children would have a nice surprise when they woke up. The horses didn't need to be brushed down since they were Pukas but their harnesses needed to be put away along with the carriages. The knights did that instead of waking the stable boys, then we went inside—Pukas included—to have some lunch, or a late-night meal, depending on how you looked at it. After eating—again, we foraged for ourselves instead of bothering the castle staff—we split up. I went upstairs with my husbands to try and get some sleep and readjust myself to the new time zone. Killian slept in his room and the other men took the guest rooms they use when they visit, one floor down from the Royal Residence. I needed a night to myself.
In the morning, after a fitful sleep full of strange dreams in which I drowned in pearls as if I'd been cast into a giant, priceless, ball pit, I woke to four of my favorite people. People I'd given birth to.
“Good morning, Mommy!” My children exclaimed in unison.
“Good morning, my babies!” I opened my arms for a group hug.
Cat bounded onto the bed to get her share of affection, and we brought her into the circle. The cacophony attracted the attention of my husbands and soon, my bed was full of my family. The children spoke over each other in their excitement to tell us about what they'd been doing while we were gone. I let their fathers handle the verbal barrage, slipping away to go to my dressing room and yank on a Fey dress. I'd get back into my jeans when we returned to HR but in Twilight, I tried to at least look the part of Princess. Not that I was about to put on my crown and go full-royal—that was for special occasions or kingdom business only. When I came out of the dressing room, Killian had Rowan over at the sitting area in front of the fireplace, speaking quietly to her.
I joined them instead of heading back to the bed. “What's going on?”
“I'm just asking Row if she's had any other visions,” Killian said as he looked up at me. “Or if she remembers anything about the man she saw in her first vision.”
“I don't remember, Mommy,” Rowan said as if she might be in trouble.
“It's okay, honey.” I scooped her up and swung her around until she started giggling. “Daddy is just curious.” I gave Killian a heavy look as I set her back on her feet. “Now, who's hungry?” I asked the room in general.
All of the children cried out for food like a bunch of baby birds. Their fathers picked them up and we headed to the family dining room in the center of the Royal Residence. We met my father and Eibhleann on the way and had a lovely breakfast with the whole family. My husbands and I filled in my father as we ate, using tones and words that would keep the children from worrying. We were almost finished eating when the sound of chimes interrupted us.
I got up and left the room, trying my best not to look rushed, but once I reached the corridor, I started running for my office. I tapped the chiming crystal ball like a relay runner passing a baton, and Councilman Murdock's face appeared out of the mist.
“Your Majesty,” he said in greeting.
“High Councilman.” I nodded to him as I took a seat and caught my breath.
My husbands came into the room at a more distinguished pace and gathered behind me.
“Good, you're all there,” Murdock noted. “We've had another surge.”
“Where?” I demanded.
“Harare, Africa,” he said. “It's in—”
“Zimbabwe,” I murmured as I glanced back at my men. “He could have hopped a plane.”
“He probably hired a private jet,” Daxon muttered. “Or wished one into existence.”
“Which is what we should do—hopping a jet, not wishing for one,” Killian clarified, then cursed under his breath. “Why did we leave the rath? We should have waited there. Now we have to double back.”
“Hindsight.” I waved off Killian's irritation. “Do any of you know of raths that lead to Zimbabwe?”
“I don't know of any,” Tiernan said. “But I wouldn't advise using one anyway. We'd have to take the same rath we used earlier to get to the other side of the kingdom first and then travel to the Zimbabwe rath by carriage. The distance is significant. It would take far less time to use the Delhi rath, then take a plane from Delhi to Zimbabwe.”
I turned back to Murdock. “Are there any Council planes in Delhi?”
“Yes, how long will it take you to get back?”
“A few hours at the most.”
“I'll have the plane readied.”
“The thief will likely be gone by the time we get to Zimbabwe,” I warned everyone.
“I don't think so,” Murdock protested. “He seems to be moving around the Harare region; there have been multiple surges noted.”
“What's he doing? Do you know?” I asked warily.
Murdock grimaced. “More good.” He cursed. “I'd be applauding the guy if I didn't know that he was risking our world every time he makes a wish.”
I nodded. “Yeah, I'm hoping I can make him see reason.”
“Before he becomes unreasonable,” Murdock grumbled.
“What does that mean?” Killian asked.
“How much power and magic can one man take before he loses his mind?” Murdock lifted a gray, caterpillar eyebrow at us.
“Let's hope it's a lot,” I said grimly. “But, you're right. We were warned by the Naga that the thief might pay for his wishes with his sanity.”
Murdock grunted, then said, “Speaking of prices, we know what that stunt he pulled in Delhi cost us.”
“It wasn't just the exodus of the animals?” I asked dryly, already knowing the answer.
“Hardly. A couple of the biggest companies in Delhi have suddenly gone bankrupt. DuPont and Genpact provided jobs to hundreds of thousands of people who are now out of work.”
“Oh, fuck,” Killian whispered.
“Yes, they're fucked,” Murdock concluded. “Thanks to this modern-day Robin Hood.”
“Steal from the rich to feed the poor,” I murmured.
“Yes, except in this case, he's merely transferred wealth. He's turned the rich into the poor,” Daxon noted. “Another slum will doubtless pop up to house them.”
“The Cintamani has restored the balance, just as Ladli said it would,” I concluded. “An eye for an eye.”
“He'll make the whole damn world blind,” Killian snarled.
“At least Timberstride has pulled that stick out of his ass and is now grateful for our help,” Murdock huffed. Then he leaned in to ask, “It was you five, wasn't it? You forced him to tell us. Did you blackmail him? Has he got an Unseelie mistress or something?” His eyes widened with intrigue. “Or a human mistress?”
“Thank you for your help, Councilman. I'll report back to you when I have any information,” I avoided answering and just barely avoided laughing.
Murdock snorted, then said, “All right, keep his secrets. I'm just glad you had the sense to force the issue. And good luck, Extinguisher Sloane.” He wiped away the scry while I gaped at him.
Extinguisher. The title meant a lot coming from Murdock—a man who had once told me that I wasn't an extinguisher anymore. Murdock thought my life in Fairy would change me into someone else or at least force me into another life. His use of that title spoke volumes to the contrary and made a thr
ill of pride fill my chest. He'd always been good at that—inspiring without appearing too.
I stood up and turned around to three of my husbands staring at me soberly. That word may have encouraged me but it made them nervous. All but Killian, who winked at me and grinned.
Chapter Thirty
We needed to get to the Delhi rath as soon as possible so we decided to fly Air Raza. In his dragon form, Raza could carry all of my other husbands and me. He might have managed a few more but I think he was getting tired of our guards because he refused to try. So, we decided that the Royal Guards would wait at Castle Twilight for us to scry them. We didn't know how long we'd be staying in Zimbabwe but once we were there, we'd be better able to judge. Then we could direct our knights to either stay put or meet us somewhere else. A few of them did protest, pointing out that nearly all the Royals of Fairy would be going to HR alone, but Killian reassured them that there would already be hunters, extinguishers, and maybe even some vexes in Zimbabwe who we'd be joining. We wouldn't be alone and that was enough to mollify our knights. Not that we had to mollify them; when it came down to it, they worked for us so the decision was ours. Well, all except for the Star's Guard who technically worked for my father first and me second.
I was back in a comfortable pair of jeans but this time, I paired them with a cotton T-shirt—with the image of a meditating llama on it under the words “Dalai Llama”—and a leather jacket. I'd need the warmth for the flight—windchill can be a bitch—but I'd also need something cooler for Zimbabwe. Weather conditions were reported as being hot and dry—they'd been experiencing a drought. Thus, the layers.
There are two options for riding a dragon. Either you could be carried or you could attempt to hold onto its back. We went with the carry method. Raza shifted into a magnificent, crimson, dragon, then sat back on his haunches so that he could take Daxon, Killian, Tiernan, and me within the claws of his front feet—two of us to a foot. Daxon, who had never traveled this way before, got to ride with me. I held his hand as Raza launched us into the air.
My Dragon-Djinn husband can't help but let out a few roars when he flies. He did so as we reached a good flying altitude and startled Dax, but then Daxon got a look at the aerial view of Twilight and started to grin. He leaned his face out between Raza's claws like a puppy through a car window. His bangs blew back like floppy ears and made the comparison complete.
“Nothing like it, eh?” I asked as I snuggled closer to him.
Dax put an arm around me and lounged back against the pad of Raza's foot. “It's amazing.” He looked at me. “It must be nice to have wings.”
“We're Fey; we can fly without them,” I reminded him.
“Not like this,” he protested. “Not for this long or this high. Our magic would fail us eventually and no one dares a height like this with only Air magic to support them.”
“Yeah, I know,” I whispered. “But at least we can experience it. Humans have to use machines.”
The limitations of Air beags was the reason our guards weren't flying beside us. They wouldn't be able to match Raza's speed—which was the main purpose of flying—and the journey was too long for them to sustain flight. Then there was the fact that only a few of them were adept enough at Air magic to fly—most Fey can only manage to hover or drift. They could save themselves from a fall but they couldn't take to the sky like Superman.
Tiernan could. He was damn good at it actually. He even used Air magic to save my life when we first met. That and his Shadowcall. But even Tiernan couldn't fly for more than fifteen minutes at most. He may have made it to the first rath but he wouldn't have made it to the second, and he definitely wouldn't have been able to keep up with Raza. So, it was fortunate that we had a dragon who could make the journey while carrying us and not even break a sweat. Of course, that's a figure of speech; dragons don't sweat.
We had to land to use the first rath that took us back to the other side of the planet. Raza shifted to get through it; the raths of Fairy were wide enough for carriages to pass through but not dragons. Once we reached the other side, he shifted back and we took to the air again. With Raza's powerful wings, we made it to the Delhi rath in less than half an hour.
This time when Raza shifted back, he took his human guise—the tawny-skinned, topaz-eyed, wingless, and claw-less body he'd worn in India—and got dressed in human clothing. I may have spent a few moments admiring him. Not his naked body, though that was always nice to look at, but his body in human clothing. It wasn't a look Raza rocked often so I had to enjoy it when I could. Plus, this body was an alternate version of my husband that was just as rare to behold. I made sure to walk behind him through the rath since Raza's ass in jeans is a work of art.
Avi hurried out of his backdoor to intercept us as we came out of the rath. “Did you hear about the—”
“Businesses going bankrupt?” I cut him off.
Avi's expression turned grim. “Humans are panicking here. I've set a stronger ward around the property, one that conceals it as well as protects it. I think there may be rioting soon.”
“If you need to abandon the rath, do it,” I advised. “Ward this end of it, then guard the other side.”
“Thank you, Your Highness, but I don't think that will be necessary. The illusion should do the trick. I'm only worried about Delhi and its people. Also, you have cars waiting to take you to the airport.”
“We only require one,” Tiernan said.
Avi nodded. “I'll send the others away. They're extinguisher drivers, not cabs, so they won't mind.”
“Murdock must have sent them,” I said half in acknowledgment and half in gratitude.
“Thank you, Avi.” Raza laid a hand on the Rath Lord's shoulder. “You're handling this well.”
“King Raza?” Avi asked in surprise. Then he looked closer. “Ah, yes, I see you now. Your features are less... dragon but still very much yours.”
“I don't like him changing too much,” I said as we reached the line of extinguisher SUVs. All of them were glossy black with tinted windows.
Raza grinned at me as he opened the door of the first SUV and helped me in. Avi ran off to let the other drivers know they weren't needed. The five of us fit comfortably in the SUV, especially with Raza taking the front passenger seat. After a quick greeting for our driver, we sped off to the Indira Gandhi International Airport. On the Delhi streets, tense crowds gathered, gesticulating wildly and occasionally shouting. Avi was right, it would escalate to violence soon. The Cintamani's attempt at restoring balance had backfired and was tipping the scales in the opposite direction.
And that was the relic's true threat. Not the fulfilled wishes or even its attempts to restore balance, but the reactions those things inspired. In the Buddha's hands, it had been a tool for enlightenment and growth. He made wishes that inspired people to advance the human race as a whole and lead individuals to nirvana. But in the hands of this thief, the Cintamani became a tool of destruction. A weapon used wrongly. Like a gun in the hands of a child. He was inspiring the human race to self-destruct.
It didn't take long to reach the airport or to get past security. We'd been cleared ahead of time and even without the passports none of us had thought to bring, we were still let into the private area of the airport where our jet was fueled and waiting. And yes, all of us have passports, IDs, and all of the other things people need to navigate human society. I'm not sure where exactly Raza got his, or how much magic its attainment had involved, but the rest of us had acquired ours through the normal channels. Well, Tiernan's had probably been helped along by the Fey Council but it was legit. Unlike Daxon's, it even bore his real name, which I thought was funny since Daxon's real name would have been far less suspicious than Tiernan's. But then Daxon hadn't taken an alias merely to appear more human. He'd taken it with the intention of ditching it one day to assume a new one. We'd all have to do that eventually; it's one of the costs of immortality.
Our driver took us directly to the plane, stopping ri
ght before the boarding stairs, then took off as soon as we got out. He probably had other things to deal with, what with the current state of Delhi. We boarded the plane just as rapidly as we'd arrived and were in the air in mere minutes. Our biggest hold up was waiting for the clearance to take off.
“Another fourteen hours to go,” I said to Killian as I sat back in my leather seat with an anxious huff.
“Welcome to my life.” Killian grinned. “Or should I say: welcome back to yours?”