“No, not that one,” Queen Mae said, and I relaxed. “Merely a hunt. There’s a creature that’s been preying upon the animals in the forest. One of you must be responsible for ridding us of this foul beast.”
“And if we deem that Aislinn has broken our laws, we’ll be free to take her with us to answer for her crimes?” Rafe asked.
The queen folded her hands primly. “Should you succeed in your task, then you’re welcome to do as you wish.”
“And if we fail?” he asked.
Her smile didn’t extend to her eyes. “Then I’m welcome to do as I wish.”
Liesel downed her drink. “You would really agree to hand over your niece and let us try her by our laws instead of yours?”
“We have a treaty to uphold, halfling, or have you forgotten?”
Liesel narrowed her eyes, appearing to assess the queen. “She’s your rival, isn’t she? Aislinn. I assume she’s young and beautiful and the next choice for the throne.”
The queen’s smile faded and she stared intently at Liesel. “Like I said, we have a treaty between our kinds and the fae of the Seelie Court honor their agreements. I have a reputation to uphold.”
“Fair enough,” Liesel said, but it was very clear from the queen’s response that Liesel had guessed correctly.
“So, will you hunt this creature for me?” the queen asked.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I’d never hunted before. The idea of pursuing a living creature with the intent of killing it didn’t sit well with me. On the other hand, letting Mariska’s killer go free didn’t sit well with me either. The choice was no choice at all.
“We’ll do it,” I said.
“Excellent, I’ll have my servants equip you with appropriate weapons. You won’t be hunting this creature with iron swords.” She clucked her tongue. “A bow and arrow will be much more effective.”
“You’ll ride at dawn,” Neil said.
“Will the creature be active during the day?” Rafe asked.
“Dusk and dawn are its most active periods,” Neil said. “Dusk is no longer an option today, so dawn it is.”
“We’ll provide you with sleeping quarters tonight,” Queen Mae said. “You are our honored guests, after all.”
“Thank you for your gracious hospitality, Your Majesty,” I said.
The queen angled her head as she raised her goblet. “A toast to friendship between our kinds. The realms may divide us in body but not in spirit.”
“To the queen,” Neil said.
We raised our goblets in unison. “To the queen,” everyone said.
Chapter Sixteen
The morning of the hunt was clear and bright. I wasn’t sure how much that mattered since we’d be under the canopy of the forest most of the time anyway. The fae gave us all the necessary provisions, including three beautiful horses. I stroked the sleek neck of my ebony mare. I thought she might be skittish when she saw my wings, but she seemed perfectly at ease with me.
“I don’t think I’ve ever used a bow and arrow,” Liesel said. “I’m glad they let me bring this nifty hatchet.”
“I’m a pretty good shot,” I said. I had to be after all the years of practice with Elder Sam. He wanted me to excel with every weapon I’d likely encounter outside of the academy. I knew he had to be worried sick about me, especially after my fight with the Whistler. Knowing Elder Sam, he blamed himself for my current predicament.
“I can track the creature, though an accurate description would’ve been helpful,” Rafe said. “Everyone seemed to have a different opinion. They couldn’t even agree on the number of legs.”
Liesel snorted. “Just follow the trail of carcasses. According to the stable hand, this creature leaves no feather unplucked.”
As we steered the horses into the depths of the forest, I shifted uncomfortably. My bottom decided that horseback riding wasn’t the pleasant experience I thought it would be.
Rafe brought his horse to a stop and leaped to the forest floor.
“What is it?” Liesel asked.
He peered at a small, dark patch on the ground. “Blood.”
“That’s it? One little drop of blood? That could be anything.” Liesel surveyed the area. “I’m starting to think this whole thing is a wild goose chase for their own merriment.”
Rafe took a few careful steps forward. “There’s a trail. Something was killed here and then carried away.”
“Why not kill it and eat it here?” I asked.
“Maybe it’s a Yorkshire terrier,” Liesel said. “My neighbor has one and she says that it carries a few pieces of kibble at a time out of the bowl and eats them somewhere else.”
“Yes, that seems likely,” Rafe said, his tone laced with sarcasm. “A Yorkshire terrier wandered through the portal and is terrorizing the realm of Faerie.”
“Just the Seelie Court side,” Liesel reminded him.
Rafe continued to track the traces of blood. As he approached a large oak tree, he turned toward us and put a finger to his lips. He reached for his weapon and I strung the bow just in case. My gaze remained riveted to the tree.
A single acorn fell to the ground and I instinctively glanced upward to the branch. A glimpse of teeth and claws startled me. Unfortunately, it surprised the horses as well. My mare reared up, so I released my hold on her and went airborne. Flying in a forest wasn’t easy—something I would’ve known if Elder Sam had ever taken me elsewhere for training exercises.
The creature jumped to the safety of a neighboring oak. The trees were close together and bursting with life, which made it difficult to see our target other than a flash of brown fur.
I took a shot. The creature howled and scrambled higher. That must’ve been how it managed to evade the fae. They couldn’t fly and the creature took advantage of that fact. Then again, the woodland fae seemed to be skilled climbers.
I flew level with the creature and drew the bow. It leaped to the next tree and I realized that it had flaps under its arms. Either the creature was too injured to fly or the flaps only allowed it to glide. My money was on the latter.
I let the arrow fly and a soft grunt followed. The creature fell to the ground with a thud. The arrow had pierced its side and remained stuck there.
“Finish it off,” Liesel called.
I watched as the creature clawed at the earth to get away. The pain had to be overwhelming, yet it refused to give up. Something stirred inside me. It had no chance of survival now, except—
“I can’t kill it,” I said.
The creature seemed to understand because it stopped moving.
“Well, I’ll do it then.” Liesel leaped down from the horse.
“No!” I blocked her path to the wounded creature. “Please don’t.”
She eyed me closely. “What’s going on?”
I turned back to see that the wound was bright pink and bleeding. I crouched beside the creature. “No one is killing it.”
“Then the queen won’t hold up her end of the bargain,” Rafe said.
“She only said we had to rid them of the beast,” I said, recalling the queen’s words. “She didn’t specifically say we had to kill it.”
The creature’s breathing was slow and labored now. Hesitantly, I leaned closer. “How do I remove the arrow without killing it?”
Rafe and Liesel loomed over us. “What is it?” Rafe asked. “I can’t say I’ve seen a beast like this before.” The creature turned its mournful eyes to us.
“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “It’s just trying to survive like the rest of us. It doesn’t deserve to be hunted.”
“Then what do you plan to do with it?” Liesel asked. “If you let it go, it’ll just continue to steal from the fae.”
Rafe rubbed his hands together, emitting a white light. “Remove the arrow, Cassia. The wound is small enough that I should be able to heal it.”
Liesel’s head swiveled. “Are you two serious?”
I removed the arrow as carefully as I could and R
afe placed his hands over the wound. The creature’s fur began to recede and I scrambled backward. “Rafe, what are you doing?”
He removed his hands, his expression puzzled. “It isn’t me.”
The teeth and claws retracted and the flaps dissolved. The body stretched and smoothed forming an entirely new shape. I gasped.
The creature looked like us.
“He’s a greater demon,” Liesel said.
The greater demon moved to a seated position. “Thank you. I am in your debt.”
“Don’t thank us yet,” Rafe said. It was impossible miss the note of suspicion in his voice. “Are you a shapeshifter?”
“No,” he said. “My name is Damasca. My home is in the Nether, or was.” His eyes took on the same sorrowful expression as when he’d dropped to the ground.
“How did you end up here?” I asked.
“We fled our home in the Nether because of hostilities there and arranged transport to a different part of the realm until we decided on next steps.”
Rafe’s expression hardened. “Let me guess. You weren’t taken to the agreed-upon place.”
He shook his head. “We paid our handlers and were brought here instead and left in the mountains. We didn’t even realize it was Faerie until we encountered a group of fae.”
“How long ago was this?” Rafe asked.
The demon lowered his head. “Too long, my friend.”
“How did you get turned into…whatever you were?” Rafe asked.
“One of the fae,” he said. “We come down from the mountain to source food. If we’re unlucky, we’re captured and used by the fae for their own purposes. It seems they like to hunt but consider it more sporting if we don’t look like greater demons.”
Anger rushed through me. “They turned you into a beast and then wanted us to hunt you?”
“And you broke the spell,” the demon said, managing a smile.
“I think it might’ve been Rafe’s healing powers.” I looked at the nephilim.
“So there are more of you?” Liesel asked, stepping closer.
He nodded. “We live in the mountains. When we need provisions, we send two volunteers. Sometimes we don’t come back. It took a few disappearances to discover why.”
“Why can’t you all leave through the main portal?” I asked.
“The only portal in this realm between here and the Nether is on the lands of the Unseelie Court and we don’t dare trespass there,” he said. “We’d be killed before we all made it through.”
“So that’s why you only come to this side to find food?” Rafe asked.
“It’s not safe, as you can see,” he said, “but our chances of survival are better. I’ve been fortunate in evading the fae and have been able to leave game at the base of the mountain, hoping that one of my brethren would find it. I’d just caught another rabbit when you happened upon me.”
“Why would they treat us like honored guests and hunt you like an animal?” I asked.
“I told you, Cassia.” Rafe extended a hand to help Damasca to his feet and handed the demon a spare tunic from the pack. “The fae have a hierarchy.”
“Let’s not pretend it’s just the fae,” I said. I shifted my focus to the demon, who was now partially clothed. “We need to bring you to the queen, but I swear on my life I won’t let them hurt you. You’ll have your freedom.”
Damasca seemed hesitant, which I understood. It was a lot to ask given what they’d done to him.
“Please. Trust me,” I said.
“As I said, I am in your debt.”
He rode with Liesel back to the castle. We were met at the stables by the queen and her entourage.
“I see you brought a trophy,” the queen said.
“Not a trophy,” I said, not bothering to hide my scorn. “His name is Damasca.”
Queen Mae’s icy gaze flicked to the greater demon and back to me. “How wonderful that you managed to break the spell. Well done. You passed the test.”
I blanched. “The test?”
“Your compassion for this unfortunate creature broke the cruel spell that had been cast upon him,” the queen said.
She was lying to save face, though I wasn’t sure why. She was the queen. Why not assert her authority over us? Then I remembered Liesel’s remark about Aislinn at the feast. The queen wanted us to prevail, regardless of the outcome because she wanted us to take care of Aislinn for her. She clearly believed her niece was guilty of the charge against her.
“If you’re so invested in compassion, then why not help those demons trapped on the mountain?” I asked.
“Those mountains are between our lands,” she said. “I am not risking the wrath of the Unseelie Court to help wayward demons.”
“What if I do it?” I asked.
“No one in the Seelie Court will stop you,” she said, “but I cannot speak for our Unseelie sisters and brothers.”
We had to try. These demons were trapped in Faerie. They’d be picked off one by one if we didn’t help them get to safety.
“Are you sure you want to waste time on this?” Liesel whispered. “We don’t even know what kind of demons are there. What if they’re depraved lesser demons?”
“Does Damasca look depraved to you?” I asked.
She dropped her gaze. “No, he looks frightened.”
“They don’t deserve to be hunted like animals.” Like I’d been. Like all the cambions at Domus Academy would have been had the Elders not rescued them.
Rafe covered my hand with his. “Then we’ll speak to Aislinn and then we’ll go to the mountain.”
I gave him a grateful smile. “Thank you.”
After the return of our weapons, we were brought to a courtyard where a young faerie in a flowing white dress awaited us. Her golden hair was tied in a thick braid and she wore a crown of oak leaves on her head. She looked every bit a queen in waiting.
“You’re Aislinn?” I asked. She didn’t appear much older than me, though I knew looks could be deceiving when it came to faeries and age.
She bowed her head. “My beloved aunt says you wish to ask me questions about my special skill.”
“We understand you can create portals with faerie magic,” Rafe said.
“That’s right. It’s an enviable skill. I was rather a hellion as a young girl, forever escaping whatever punishment had been laid upon me.” She clasped her hands in front of her, seemingly pleased with this confession.
“We understand you were recently in the mortal realm,” Rafe said. “Philadelphia.”
“What of it? I like it there. The humans are so eager to know me.” She touched a dreamy finger to her lips. “I never pass an opportunity for a visit.”
“And what opportunity presented itself this time?” Liesel asked.
“Someone wanted information, much like you,” she said. “He’d heard of my skill from a mutual friend and wanted to know my method for creating portals.”
“And did you share it?” Rafe asked.
“I told him it’s instinctual for me and nothing I could teach.”
“Did he ask you to create one for him?” I asked.
She plucked a bright piece of fruit from a low-hanging branch. “No, curiously he didn’t. I suppose he wanted the freedom to make portals whenever and wherever he wanted. He certainly couldn’t call upon me for that. I’m not a servant.”
“What happened?” Liesel asked. “You had your fun in the city and returned to Faerie?”
“Not quite,” she said. “He asked for a vial of my blood first. He offered to pay me handsomely in coins, or some other manner.” She smiled demurely. “My tastes are quite variable.”
Her blood. “You gave it to him, didn’t you?” I asked.
“It seemed a fair deal,” she said. “I enjoyed my payment for two whole nights afterward.”
I turned to my companions. “That’s why the portal glowed green. Whoever made the portal used Aislinn’s blood in the spell to leave a trace of faerie instead of whatever
he is.”
“A wizard,” Aislinn said. “That’s what he is. A very clever one too. His name is Mephisto.”
I glanced at Rafe and Liesel, who wore matching blank expressions. “You don’t know the name?”
“No,” Liesel said, “which is strange because we tend to keep a running list of ones to watch in the mortal realm.”
“He must make an effort to stay off our radar,” Rafe said.
“Well, he has invisibility skills,” I said, remembering Harlan’s story. “So it’s entirely possible.”
“Where did you meet him?” I asked.
Aislinn bit into the fruit and chewed while she considered the question. “A human watering hole called Hole in the Wall. He didn’t want to meet anywhere there would be non-mortals.” She scrunched her nose. “I wasn’t keen on the clientele, but we didn’t stay. Once we agreed to terms, we went to the Ritz Carlton where he made payment.” She smiled. “Much better.”
“Can you describe him?” Rafe asked.
“Taller than you with a bushy beard,” Aislinn said, looking at Rafe. “Thinner than you. That is, less muscle.” She gave him a flirtatious wink. “Brown hair the color of a badger’s fur. Deep lines across his brow, like he frowns a lot more than he should.”
“Thank you,” I said. “That’s very helpful.”
Aislinn beamed. “I do what I can.”
And now we’d do what we could.
Rafe shot a quick look at Damasca, who waited patiently by the hedge. He looked back at me and lowered his voice. “Are you still sure about the mountains? We could leave Faerie right now and track down Mephisto.”
I felt torn. As much as I wanted to rush back to the city and follow our new lead, I couldn’t leave without at least trying to help the trapped demons. If Elder Sam hadn’t risked himself to help me out of the goodness of his heart, I wouldn’t be here now. I owed the universe that much.
“You want to go to the mountains?” Aislinn asked. “Why would you want to do that? The only creatures there are depraved and cast out of their own realm.”
“Damasca says his kind are prisoners of the mountain, trapped between the Seelie and Unseelie Courts,” I said.
Demonspawn Academy: Trial One Page 16