by Jocelyn Fox
“What does it mean for the Vyldgard?” Gray pressed. “That should be our focus.”
“For too many years, we have all been focused on the well-being of our own people, isolated in our own parts of the world,” Vell said after a moment. “I watched my own people annihilated by evil because the Sidhe Queens did not act. They thought that an evil that threatened the North was an evil to be fought by the North. And when the North fell, they drew back into their strongholds and thought that the evil would not come for them as well.”
“All it takes for evil to succeed is for good men to stand by and do nothing,” said Liam.
“We have fought for our world once,” said Vell, looking at each of her Three in turn. “But there will always be another battle.”
“So what will we do?” asked Gray in a more subdued voice. “We could capture the girl Molly.”
Liam shook his head, wincing slightly at the headache building behind his eyes. “Someone else will lead the rebellion, I think. And we can’t start imprisoning people for the things I See.” He met Vell’s eyes. “I don’t want my Sight to be used as a tool for preemptive punishment.”
“Preemptive punishment,” repeated Vell with a little smile. “So educated, my Seer.” She thought for a long moment. “For now, we will go to the council. We will listen more than we speak, and we will see what path Mab chooses. Ramel and Molly are still in the mortal world, and I would like to understand where Mab’s order to assassinate the Bearer fits into this plot.”
“That in itself makes me want to leave Mab to the wolves,” said Gray in a low voice.
Liam chuckled. “I didn’t know you were so fond of my sister.”
“Well, it’s more my opinion of Mab as a cold-hearted bitch that influences my viewpoint,” replied Gray with a brilliant, predatory smile.
Finnead glanced at the golden-haired woman with ill-concealed irritation. “Must you be so rude? Even if you do not like her, she is still a Queen.”
“You two bicker like brother and sister,” Vell commented mildly. She shifted her attention to Liam. “Steady enough to walk?”
Liam nodded. “Yes.”
“Good,” Vell replied as she turned and strode down the passageway. “For all her faults, Mab is punctual, and it wouldn’t do to be late to the council.”
Chapter 33
Ross wasn’t entirely sure why everyone felt the need to run outside at the two strident peals of thunder. If something supernatural was wreaking havoc in the back yard, why did everyone want to rush headlong into it? Niall and Merrick shot up from the table quicker than thought and disappeared through the front door. It was akin to soldiers or policemen running toward the sound of gunfire, she decided. Jess calmly turned the stove down to a simmer before following them, and Duke emerged from the bedroom with the Beretta and Glock.
“Wanna check on V before we go?” he asked her.
“Of course.” Ross was already halfway down the hallway to Vivian’s room. Though the two cracks of thunder had shaken the house, Vivian still slept peacefully, her red curls splayed haphazardly across the pillow. Ross glanced around the room and found nothing out of place. She shut the door quietly behind her and accepted the Glock from Duke.
“Maybe I should start wearing my holster again,” she said, only half joking.
“Wouldn’t be a bad idea,” said Duke. They passed the door to the study and he nodded to Molly, who sat cross-legged by Ramel’s side. Molly seemed to be the only one uninterested in investigating the unnatural thunder. Ross wondered if Merrick’s runes on the front door were still enforcing his wards around the house. Either way, she thought that spending time in the Fae world probably meant that Molly could defend herself quite well on her own.
The late afternoon sky arched cerulean over their heads, a few woolly clouds breaking the blue expanse. The thunder had definitely been unnatural, thought Ross, adjusting her grip on the Glock as they rounded the side of the house. But what came into sight wasn’t a scene of devastation or chaos – instead, it looked more like…celebration. Niall, Merrick, Calliea and Luca all gathered around Tess, who held a smooth blue stone in her cupped palms. She spoke animatedly to the Sidhe, her eyes bright with excitement. Jess stood a small distance away, surveying the glowing dome with his arms crossed over his chest. Corsica turned cartwheels around the bone sorcerer’s cage, and Tyr knelt by one of the rune stones, staring at the still figure in the runetrap.
Ross looked at Duke. “Did they kill the bad guy? Is that what that was?”
He shook his head slowly. “No. He’s still alive. Something else…I think it’s that stone that Tess is holdin’. It’s probably somethin’ magic.”
Ross snorted. “What do you mean, magic?”
Duke chuckled. “Don’t tell me you’re still holdin’ out that this is all a fever dream or a hallucination or somethin’.”
“Well, no,” admitted Ross as they walked across the yard toward the knot of otherworldly travelers. “But that doesn’t mean that I’m going to think that every little rock is magic.”
He shrugged. “I’m just tellin’ ya what I think. I mean, they had flying horses. Valkyrie, Ross. What’s a measly magic stone compared to that?”
She smiled at his grin and shook her head. “Please don’t tell Vivian about the flying horses. She already wants to go to their world, and that would seal the deal.”
“Good luck tryin’ to cure her of that bug,” Duke said under his breath. He clapped Jess on the shoulder as they passed. “Hey, brother. Trying to decide if you’re gonna get some red face tattoos like the fugly guy in there? I think you’d wear ‘em better.”
Jess chuckled dryly, the scar on his cheek creasing as he smiled. “And give up any chance of gainful employment after they retire my ass?”
“Hey, as far as they think, we’re dead,” pointed out Duke with entirely too much cheer. “And tattoos seem to be way more acceptable in Faeortalam, right?”
Ross left the two men to talk. She walked toward Tess, the long grass tickling her ankles. She really needed to mow the lawn, she thought distractedly as she approached. The others had arranged themselves in a loose half-circle about Tess, and they were listening to her intently.
“We could leave…well, now,” she said as Ross approached. “I told Mab that I’d bring her the Lethe Stone in exchange for opening the portal.”
“We also said that we would destroy the bone sorcerer,” said Niall. “But that is not yet done.”
“That’s a good point,” allowed Tess, “but he is trapped. Contained.” She glanced over her shoulder at the dome.
“I know that you aren’t constrained by the bargain I struck before you arrived,” said Merrick, his luminous gray eyes serious. “But I would like to keep my word. Tyr assisted in the capture of the bone sorcerer in exchange for…well, really Corsica was the one who made the deal. She drank my blood and wanted to talk to him. She said that he could perhaps help them to undo some of the damage that’s been caused by their time in this world.”
Tess looked over at Tyr. “He helped me retrieve the Lethe Stone just now. Without any promises.” She pressed her lips together. “I don’t think they’re evil.”
Luca crossed his arms over his massive chest. “I do not think they are evil either, but I do not think they can be completely trusted.”
Ross listened to the conversation silently. She didn’t have anything to contribute, after all…although she supposed she was allowed to have an opinion on keeping an otherworldly villain caged in a glowing dome in her back yard. Then she realized she did have something else to bring up. “Corsica blew up my truck,” she pointed out. “I agree on the not to be trusted part.”
Tess ran a finger lightly over the smooth surface of the Lethe Stone. “Something just tells me that I should return sooner rather than later to Faeortalam.”
“You have the makings of three Gates, do you not?” said Niall slowly.
Ross didn’t quite understand what he meant, but she continue
d to listen.
“Yes,” said Tess slowly. A small crease appeared between her brows. “Those will work in Faeortalam too?”
Niall smiled slightly. “I believe so.”
Tess grinned. “That’s brilliant, Niall! I hadn’t even thought of that.” She looked at each of the members of her little circle. “One portal to take us back to Faeortalam. It doesn’t have to be everyone. Ramel isn’t strong enough yet anyway. So I go back with whomever wants to join me, to give Mab the Lethe Stone.” She nodded to herself as she continued. “And then I can explain about the Exiled and the bone sorcerer.”
“You will tell the Queens that you bargained with the Exiled?” Niall asked with a hint of gentle skepticism. “I do not think either of them would take it well.”
Tess held Niall’s gaze searchingly. “Won’t you tell Titania?”
He shrugged. “Not if she does not ask. I cannot deny my Queen the truth, but I will not volunteer it. She charged me to help you fulfill your task in the mortal world, and I have done that to the best of my ability. And as far as I am concerned, my fealty to you extends still, since our tasks are not yet complete.”
Tess nodded and paused, thinking over her next words. She used the time to wrap the Lethe Stone in a square of white fabric and slip it into her belt pouch. Ross suspected that Tess had realized the prudence of keeping some parts of her plans to herself now. Finally Tess said, “All right. I’ve made a decision. I’m going to return to Faeortalam tonight.”
“I am coming with you,” Luca said.
Tess nodded as though she’d expected it, but Ross thought she saw a bit of relief in her eyes. Tess then turned to Merrick and Calliea, addressing them both at once. “What are your thoughts?”
Merrick and Calliea looked at each other, and then Calliea said with a little smile, “This world is fascinating, but I think we will return to the Vyldgard. We’ll bring Vell some ideas on establishing a base in this world,” Calliea said. Ross got the sneaking feeling that Vivian’s house was currently the prime candidate for this base in the mortal world.
Tess nodded in approval.
“I’m staying,” said Jess. He and Duke had drifted over, caught by the gravity of the serious discussion. “I have to figure some things out.”
Ross stiffened in surprise and then relaxed as she realized it was Duke who had slipped an arm about her waist. She rolled her eyes at him as he squeezed her hip.
“I think it goes without sayin’ that I’ll be holdin’ down the fort here,” Duke said.
Something loosened within Ross at his words, a knot of anxiety that she hadn’t recognized. She hadn’t known until then that she feared he would want to return to this fantastic world of magic. She leaned into him slightly.
“You didn’t think I was gonna leave again, did you?” he murmured just loud enough for her to hear.
“I hoped not,” she said softly.
He pressed a kiss to her temple. “I’ll always come back to you.”
Ross smiled a little. “Or I’ll just come with you.”
“That’s my girl,” he chuckled. “But I think V would be pissed at you if you were the first one to score a ticket into the world of magic and mayhem.”
Mayhem bounded over to them, pressing happily against Ross’s legs, hearing her name even though Duke had spoken in a quiet voice. Ross scratched the Malinois behind her ears and turned her attention back to the conversation.
“I will oversee the guard on the bone sorcerer and the healing of the Unseelie Vaelanbrigh,” said Niall with a graceful bow. “If the Bearer so wishes.”
“That works out quite well, actually. So it will be Calliea, Merrick, Luca, Kianryk and I traveling back into Faeortalam,” Tess said.
“Looks like it,” Duke replied.
Tess looked at Ross. “Are you and Vivian all right with this? Us using your house as a sort of base, I mean.”
“Does it matter if we’re not?” Ross softened her words slightly with a smile.
“Of course it does,” Tess replied with a frown. “You’ve already done so much for us. I wouldn’t consider intruding on your hospitality any further if you objected.”
“If Vivian spent time in the Fae world, would she come back talking all formal like you do?” Ross returned, trying to backtrack, but Tess merely waited for her response. She smiled slightly. “Well, it’s technically Vivian’s house, so you’ll need to ask her the next time she wakes up. But I’m pretty sure she’s been having the time of her life the last couple of days.”
“I’ll take that as a yes for now,” Tess replied. She nodded and one hand brushed her belt pouch. “I have to set up the Summoning…preferably not too close to this cage.” She tapped her lips with one finger. “Niall, if you’d discuss this with me?”
The circle dispersed into smaller groups as Tess walked away with Niall, already deep in discussion about the proper placement of the elements to Summon the portal to the Fae world. Kianryk appeared out of a shadow and leapt onto Mayhem, who gleefully wrestled the huge wolf. Luca said something to the wolf in a Nordic sounding language. Kianryk paused, grinning at the ulfdrengr and enduring Mayhem’s attempts to flip him onto his back. Then he sprang away and led Mayhem in dizzying circles around the yard. Ross snorted when the two rebellious canines almost collided with the cartwheeling Corsica.
“I wonder if she’s ever going to get dizzy,” Ross muttered, watching the silver haired woman spin in circles around the glowing dome.
“Probably not. I mean, she’s like a mutant elf, right? So…” Duke shrugged and grinned when she smacked his arm lightly. “What? You were totally thinking it.”
“Yeah, well, that doesn’t mean that you should say it out loud,” said Ross with a laugh.
Duke squinted and tilted his head. “Don’t tell me my girl grew a set of manners while I was away.” He held up his hand, miming drinking from a teacup with his pinky out. “Are we gonna start using salad forks and shit?”
“Only when we’re dining with mutant elves,” she deadpanned.
“I think Corsica would rather stab someone with a salad fork than eat from it,” replied Duke, raising an eyebrow. The Exile had stopped cartwheeling and had reassumed her cat watching the canary posture. “Are we sure they just wanna talk to the bone sorcerer? Because from here it looks like she wants to eat him.”
Calliea glanced at Duke, a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. “And why would that be such a tragedy?”
Merrick smiled. The two of them looked entirely capable of fighting an entire battalion on their own, Ross thought. There was something in their relaxed yet watchful posture that reminded her of predators. Panthers and wolves, teeth and claws flashing in the night. After a moment, Merrick and Calliea walked away, both still looking to Ross’s eyes like carnivores prowling through their habitat.
“Remind me never to get on their bad sides,” murmured Ross.
“Honey, I learned that on day one,” replied Duke.
“May I interrupt briefly?” Niall asked courteously, his almost-colorless gaze shifting from Duke to Ross, who gestured for him to continue. He offered her a little velvet pouch. “I hope this will cover your…truck.” He said the word hesitantly but smiled when Duke gave him a thumb’s up. Ross took the pouch, loosening its strings and frowning slightly as Niall glided away.
“What in the…” she breathed as a handful of coins slid into her palm. Some were gold and some silver, but they felt heavy. “I…what…these look antique!”
“From the way I heard it, last time that Niall was in the mortal world was maybe Elizabethan times,” Duke replied.
“I guess we’ll have to find an antiques dealer,” Ross replied, stunned.
“For some of ‘em,” agreed Duke, pushing them about in her palm with his finger. “But look, some of ‘em look to be just gold coins. No inscription or anything, just…gold.”
“Just…gold,” repeated Ross weakly.
“But hey, you must have some of my life insurance money left,” D
uke said with a grin.
“Don’t even joke about that,” admonished Ross, dropping the coins back into the purse. She weighed the purse surreptitiously in her hand. It felt like she’d only held maybe half of the coins in her palm. “Wait until V sees these.”
Duke chuckled, following her back toward the front door. “Not like V needs the money.”
“Well, you’re just on a roll right now,” Ross said, arching an eyebrow.
“It was your truck that got blown up,” he replied sensibly, just as they were passing the charred wreck.
Ross sighed. “Can’t argue with you there.” She unloaded the Glock and left it on the kitchen counter, slipping the magazine into her pocket as she padded down the hallway to Vivian’s room. After a light knock, she pushed the door open. Vivian sat in bed with a book on her lap, chewing absently on a strand of her hair. A sling held her left arm. She looked up only when Ross cleared her throat.
“Hey, V. How are you feeling?” Ross made sure there was still water in the pitcher on the nightstand.
Vivian blew the strand of hair away from her face. “Well, other than the fact that I didn’t realize I was rereading The Hobbit for the millionth time because I was so high on those painkillers you brought me…” She giggled. “Other than that, fantabulous.”
“Fantabulous, huh?” Ross raised her eyebrows. “You sure that’s not the pain meds still talking?”
Vivian giggled again and then sighed. “I have no idea. Probably.”
Ross chuckled. “All right. Well…I do have a serious question for you.”
Vivian gasped and looked at Ross with wide eyes. Ross paused expectantly and Vivian lunged out of bed, throwing her arms around her roommate.
“Of course I’ll be your maid of honor!” she howled gleefully. “It’s about time you two tied the knot, all googly-eyed and cute…”
“I…well, we were already engaged,” Ross protested, carefully disentangling herself from Vivian’s embrace.
“I knoooow that,” said Vivian. “But, you know, you need an awesome maid of honor. I mean, all the planning!” She grinned happily.