Pawn (Fae Games Book 1)

by Karen Lynch

Arrogant asses. “I appreciate you coming over, but you don’t need to worry about us. This isn’t our first storm.” I walked past them into the kitchen. The least I could do was offer them something to drink. “I was making coffee when you got here. Would either of you like some?”

  “No, thank you,” they said together.

  Okay then. Abandoning the percolator, I turned to face them. “I want to thank you for taking care of me when I was sick. I don’t remember much of that night, but Finch told me what you did. How did you guys know I had the flu?”

  They exchanged a look before Lukas said, “You didn’t have the flu, Jesse. You were sick from kolosh poisoning.”

  I stared at him. “What are you talking about?” Kolosh was the sap of a faerie tree that was toxic to humans. I was pretty sure I’d remember if I had touched one.

  “You fought a troll, and he cut you,” Faolin said. “Trolls in this realm sometimes coat their blades in kolosh.”

  “How did I not know this?” I said more to myself than to them. I couldn’t remember ever reading about trolls using poison on their weapons.... I stared at Lukas. “Wait. How do you know about the troll?”

  “You told us when we asked how you got the cut on your leg,” Lukas said.

  “That still doesn’t explain why you were here in the first place.”

  Faolin’s mouth turned down. “You called Lukas and told him you were dying.”

  I let out a startled laugh. “I…I did what?”

  Lukas smiled wryly. “And considering some of the misfortunes that have befallen you since we met, it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility.”

  “I can’t believe I did that.” I put a hand to my cheek. “God, why would I do that?”

  “It was the kolosh,” Lukas explained. “It causes fever and delirium.”

  “And memory loss, apparently.” I winced. “Did I say or do anything else crazy that night?”

  An odd expression passed over Lukas’s face, but it was gone so fast I was sure I’d imagined it. I was about to ask him about it when he chuckled and said, “Aside from telling Faolin he’s cute?”

  I glanced at Faolin, whose sour look told me all I needed to know. Heat crept up my neck. “I don’t think I want to hear anything else.”

  “Good. Go pack enough for two nights,” Lukas said.

  “I’m not –”

  I broke off when the lights went out again. The lantern was still lit, and it gave off enough light to see Lukas’s I-told-you-so expression.

  “Smug is not a flattering look on you.” I picked up my flashlight and went to tell Finch we were going to be spending Christmas with Lukas.

  * * *

  I stuffed the last present in Finch’s bulging stocking and laid it in front of the fireplace in Lukas’s living room. I’d had to wait hours for Finch to settle down and go to sleep in our room before I could slip away to fill his stocking. I was determined at least one of us was going to find some joy this Christmas.

  Straightening, I looked around the empty room. The building was quiet except for the rain against the windows. It felt strange and a little spooky being all alone here, and I hugged myself even though the room was warm.

  Not long after we’d gotten here, Kerr and Iian had shown up with food from a Mediterranean restaurant I hadn’t heard of. All six of us had sat or stood around the island eating our meal, while Finch played with Kaia out in the garden.

  It had surprised me how comfortable I was with them, including Faolin. He barely acknowledged me, but when he did, he was courteous. And I had to admit this was a lot better than eating canned ravioli by candlelight at home.

  Our meal had been cut short when Lukas received a phone call and stepped away to take it. When he returned, there was no trace of the warmth I’d seen earlier. He was once again the cold and commanding faerie I’d met at Teg’s. He’d barked something in Faerie, and the others had jumped into action as if he’d cracked a whip.

  In less than thirty seconds, they were out the door, leaving me wondering what the hell had just happened. Other than the knowledge that they worked for the Unseelie crown, I really had no idea what Lukas and his men did. Part of me didn’t want to know.

  That had been hours ago, and there was still no sign of them. I wandered around the first floor, looking for something to occupy me. I was curious about what the rest of the building looked like, but I wouldn’t invade their privacy.

  I ended up at the large window overlooking the garden that appeared strangely dry despite the heavy rain. Curious, I opened the door and stepped outside onto the pleasantly warm patio. On the other side of the high fence I could hear rain falling, but in here it was dry. I walked to the edge of the stone patio and looked up at the dark sky. It was dizzying to stand there watching the rain fall and evaporate ten feet above me.

  Curling up on one of the patio chairs, I pulled my phone from my pocket and checked for messages. There was a recent text from Violet, and I grinned when I read her complaints about her grandmother dragging her from bed at the ungodly hour of 7:00 a.m. to go to the market. China was twelve hours ahead of us, which meant it was almost ten in the morning there now.

  I texted her back and picked up where I’d left off in the book I was reading. A few minutes later, I was startled when the door opened and Kerr stuck his head out.

  “She’s out here,” he called over his shoulder.

  He went back inside, and Lukas came out, looking almost as surly as when he’d left. “Why aren’t you in bed?”

  I raised my eyebrows at his curt tone. “I wasn’t aware I had a bedtime.”

  He continued to scowl at me for a few more seconds before he looked away and raked a hand through his hair. “We came back, and you weren’t in my room when I went to check on you. My first thought was that you were out in the storm.”

  I tried to understand what had brought this on. “Why would I be out in this weather? The only thing that would get me to leave Finch and go out in the storm is my parents.”

  He didn’t answer, and I sucked in a breath. “That call you got during dinner, was that about my parents?”

  “No. I hoped it might lead us to them, but it was a dead end.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked accusingly. “I had a right to know.”

  Lukas shook his head impassively. “The caller didn’t mention your parents. They said they had information about something we’ve been searching for. I had no idea if the information was real or if it was connected to your parents.”

  Realizing I was clenching my poor phone, I stopped. “I take it you didn’t find what you’re looking for either.” Based on his current mood, I was guessing he hadn’t.

  “No.” His anger and frustration were almost palpable as he took the chair next to me. Whatever he was looking for, it was very important to him. Or maybe it was important to the Unseelie crown.

  “Is it something I can help you with? I’ve been told I’m pretty smart on most days.”

  The planes of his face softened, and he gave me a small smile that made my heart flutter. “I know. I read Faolin’s background check on you.”

  “And what did it tell you?” I knew Faolin had dug up what he could on me and my family the night he’d brought me here. I had never asked Lukas what he’d found.

  “It said you recently finished school with top academic honors, were aggressively recruited by the Agency but you turned them down, and you have been accepted into several top colleges.” His eyes searched mine. “What it didn’t tell me was why you’re not in college, with an academic record like that. Did you want to follow in your parents’ footsteps?”

  I smiled wistfully. “No. My dream is to go to college, but it’s expensive and my parents can’t afford to pay for it. I’m hoping to earn the money by bounty hunting, but I can’t go anywhere until I find my parents. And I can’t leave Finch.”

  “You’ve taken on a lot of responsibility for someone your age.”

  I shrugged. “It’s my family. I�
�d do anything for them.”

  His eyes warmed. “I can see that, and I respect it. I’d do anything for my family and friends as well.”

  “You’ve never mentioned your family. Do you have brothers and sisters?” I asked casually, trying not to show how curious I was about him. He and his men didn’t talk about their personal lives, and I suspected they didn’t share those details with many people.

  He stared out at the garden. “I have one brother and one sister. They’re younger than I am and live at Court with our parents.”

  “Do they ever leave Faerie?”

  “No, they prefer to stay in our realm.”

  I studied his handsome profile. “Do you get to see them often?”

  “Only when I am summoned home on Court business.” He smiled. “My work here keeps me very busy.”

  “What will you do when you find what you’re looking for? Will you go back to Faerie?” The thought of him leaving this realm for good made my heart constrict.

  For a few seconds, it looked like he carried the weight of the world on his broad shoulders. “I have many responsibilities in Faerie, so I will have to spend more time there. But I have little patience for all the pomp and politics of court, which means I’ll spend time here as well.”

  I looked up at the rain. “I don’t know how you do it.”

  “Do what?”

  “Court, the celebrities and galas, all of it. Do you ever wish you could just be a normal person and get away from it all?”

  “Court life is normal to me. As for the rest, I attend as few celebrity events as possible.” I could feel his eyes on me when he said, “Do you ever wish for a different life?”

  “No,” I answered without hesitation. “I love my life, and when my parents come home, I’ll have everything I want.”

  “Except for college.”

  I turned my head to look at him. “College isn’t going anywhere. I’ll get there eventually.” I’d already earned over fifteen thousand dollars from bounty hunting in less than a month. At this rate, I could make enough money in a year to cover my expenses. It sure beat saving up tips from my old barista job.

  “I have no doubt you will.” Lukas smiled, drawing my gaze to his mouth.

  I was suddenly hit with the odd feeling that I knew how those firm lips felt against mine. The remembered taste of his mouth made mine water and sent warmth unfurling in my stomach. I swallowed and lifted my eyes to meet his. For a heartbeat, I thought I saw desire smoldering in his midnight blue depths. He blinked, and it was gone.

  Confused and disoriented, I lifted my face toward the stormy sky again. What the hell was wrong with me? There was no possible way I had kissed Lukas and forgotten it.

  “You look like you’re in another world,” Lukas said. “Are you thinking about your parents?”

  “Yes,” I lied, grateful he had no idea what was really going through my mind. I picked up my phone and stood. “I should go to bed. Finch will wake me up early tomorrow.”

  Lukas stood as well. “I’ll walk you up.”

  I nodded, unable to come up with a reason for him not to accompany me to my room. At the bedroom door, he looked like he wanted to say something, but he only smiled and wished me a good night before he walked away.

  I was lost in thought as I got ready for bed. Slipping beneath the soft sheets, I lay on my side and closed my eyes. I was close to drifting off when I dreamed of me reaching out to grab Lukas by the shirt and pulling him toward me until our lips met.

  I jerked awake; my skin flushed from the vivid dream. I’d been attracted to Lukas for weeks, but I couldn’t remember having a single dream about him until now. Where was this coming from?

  Finch whistled softly, and I sat up to see him standing on the chair he was using as his bed. I’d left a lamp on so we could communicate if he needed to.

  “Why are you up?” I asked him.

  I heard a noise, he signed excitedly. Did Santa come?

  “Not yet. You know he only comes when everyone is asleep.”

  Finch dived into his makeshift tent, and I fell back to the bed, grinning. Banishing all thoughts of the dream kiss, I focused instead on picturing my brother’s happy face when he opened his presents tomorrow. I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

  * * *

  The storm blew itself out overnight, leaving the city coated in a thick layer of ice. It took another day for the power to return to my neighborhood, so Finch and I spent Christmas Day at Lukas’s. I didn’t know what was more fun: watching Finch tearing through the presents in his stocking or watching the faces of the five faeries that had never seen a sprite who believed in Santa Claus.

  It was noon when Conlan brought us home the day after Christmas. I slipped several times on the icy front steps, and as soon as I dropped Finch off at the apartment, I went to the basement and got the bag of salt to spread on the steps. It felt strange doing something Dad had always done, and I told myself that next year, this would be his job again.

  After I’d taken care of the steps and looked in on Mrs. Russo, I decided I should check on the Jeep. Two years ago, a truck had skidded on ice and slammed into Mom’s car, causing a lot of damage. It would be just my luck for something like that to happen to my only vehicle.

  Aside from being coated in ice, the Jeep looked okay. I would have started it up to melt the ice, but the doors were frozen shut.

  I started to walk back to the building when something caught my eye on the windshield. Leaning in, I saw what looked like a folded piece of paper tucked under the wiper, which was buried beneath a sheet of ice.

  My heart thudded as I rushed back to the building to find a window scraper. I told myself it was probably a flyer, but no one would have been out delivering flyers in that storm.

  I carefully scraped the ice away from the windshield until I was able to extricate the paper, which had been placed inside a sandwich bag to keep it dry. Pulling off my gloves, I unfolded the paper and stared at the three words written on it in neat handwriting.

  They are alive.

  Chapter 18

  “That’s it for all the cameras except the one over the front exit.” Conlan tapped the mouse to bring up the activity log for the camera that showed us a view of the outside steps. Thank goodness Dad had positioned the camera so it didn’t pick up sidewalk traffic, or we would have been here all day.

  We had been able to narrow the timeline down to a twenty-four-hour period, from when I’d last used the Jeep to when the storm had iced the vehicles. Very few people had come or gone from the building during that time, which meant there wasn’t much to look at.

  “There.” I pointed at the monitor where it showed someone arriving at the bottom of the steps. They were mostly out of the camera range, but we could see their arm as they stood there.

  A minute went by. The person climbed the first two steps, allowing us to see that they were of average height and bundled in a heavy coat with the hood pulled up. It was snowing too hard to make out much more than that. I looked at the time stamp on the video where it said 10:24 a.m. on December twenty-fourth.

  The person stopped on the third step and looked from the door to the street several times, like they were debating whether or not to enter the building. Finally, they turned and walked down the steps and out of sight.

  Conlan replayed the video several times. “It’s either a woman or a small man. Definitely not a Court faerie. You’re sure you don’t recognize them?”

  “No, I don’t.”

  The apartment door opened, and footsteps approached. We looked up as Lukas and Faolin entered the office.

  “Any luck?” Conlan asked them.

  “We could find no outside cameras on the buildings near the vehicle.” Faolin scowled at me as if I’d deliberately chosen a bad spot to park.

  Lukas walked toward us. “Did you find anything in here?”

  We showed him and Faolin the video of the person on the steps, and they agreed with Conlan’s assessment.

 
I picked up the paper that was lying on the desk, and hope swelled in me, as it had every time I’d read the words on it. “My parents are alive.”

  “Jesse, I want you to find your parents, but this note might have been meant to lure you into a trap,” Lukas said.

  I shook my head. “If that were true, wouldn’t they have left an address or a phone number? And no one has bothered me since those men broke in.”

  He crossed his arms. “That doesn’t mean they aren’t watching and waiting for the right opportunity.”

  “Yeah, them and the Agency,” I joked dryly. At their questioning looks, I said, “I’m pretty sure I have at least one agent keeping tabs on me.”

  Faolin eyed me suspiciously. “Why would the Agency be watching one of its bounty hunters?”

  “Because they have nothing better to do.” I told them about my interactions with Agent Curry and his conviction that my parents were working with the goren dealer. “His boss told him to leave me alone, but he’s not the type to give up easily.”

  Lukas was not appeased. “Even so, I don’t like this, and the timing could not be worse.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “We’ve been summoned to Court, and we will be away for at least two days. I want you to stay at my building until we return.” I started to object, but he cut me off. “Conlan is staying behind to manage things in my absence, so you won’t be alone there.”

  I looked at Conlan, who grinned. “A sleepover. Fun.”

  Lukas shot him a dark look, which Conlan ignored, as usual. When Lukas turned away from him, Conlan winked at me. He was incorrigible and, while it would be fun to hang out with him, I had no intention of hiding away if someone was trying to reach out to me about my parents. Not to mention, I did have a job to do.

  “I appreciate the offer, but I’m staying here. I have jobs to finish, or they’ll be assigned to another hunter, and I can’t afford that. You have no idea how impossible it is to find a decent job in this economy.”

  “If you need money –”

  “No.” I shook my head vigorously. “You’ve been more than generous to me, but I’m not a charity case. I don’t want your money.”