by S. A. Price
“You got your death on, too, minx. Watching you kill that first scorpion...” He grinned at her, wiggling his brows.
Khalid cleared his throat. “Does that map look like anything you recognize?”
“Hendrix, scroll back. Yeah, stop there,” Nihar said then was quiet for several seconds. “I’m going to have to do some research on this. But the scrolls, did you take them?”
“We put them all in a bag,” Eli said. “But they were all blank.”
“As I expected,” Nihar said. “There’s a way to figure out what’s on them. Some of them will require blood, some water from certain sources. When it comes to magic, it really could be anything.”
“Great. We’ll have to make a Walmart run after this,” Alyx said dryly. “Now what’s this about being only seven miles from Terjit?”
“I have no idea but sat says you are seven miles south of the oasis.”
“Faerie magic,” Abaxley said. “And we are literally in open desert. What time is it?
“Almost ten-thirty local time.”
“So, fifteen hours missing, spit out seven miles from the oasis. What’s close for shelter?” Bax asked.
“Hold, please.”
He was going to punch Hendrix next time he saw him. Fucking always with the hold, please.
“Alyx, pretty sure Walmart isn’t going to have water from an enchanted spring in the middle of the Rata Forest,” Nihar said. “These items were hidden for a reason and whoever put them there doesn’t want them easily read. Of course, we could end up getting one of them to show up and it will be a manifesto of how Boris Langford wanted to save the rain forest.”
“Or old Aunt Winifred’s recipe for kanzu pie,” she retorted.
“One mile, southwest. There’s an outcropping, small rocky terrain that largely runs next to the Oasis. Though, you need to go through another canyon about a click right from where you are headed, Hendrix came back saying, clicking on his keyboard.
“What side will the moon be on?” Khalid asked.
“If you’re at the site I’m sending coordinates to, the south, behind you. And I know that doesn’t make sense but...”
“As long as it‘s on the left, I don’t care.” Khalid looked at Alyx. “What do you think?”
“Let’s go,” she said. “We need to relax and regroup.”
“And eat,” Bax said. “And to feed the animals, too.”
“Thanks, Hendy. Nihar, if you figure anything else out...”
“You’ll be the first to know, sugar,” Nihar said.
“Okay, boys and girls, let’s get somewhere relatively safe before another sand storm decides to breeze back through,” Scur said and they started heading for their next rest stop on the road to the unknown.
9
Alyx smiled as they approached the coordinates that Hendrix had given them. For what it was, it was perfect. Not a cave, but there was an outcropping and it was easily defendable, if need be, and with a little rigging they could have a closed shelter for all of them to bed down if another sandstorm kicked up.
Smaller rocks created a perimeter of sorts, and it seemed the sand was largely packed, which meant that there was water close by, probably running underneath them.
Once on site, her companions went to work. She watched as Khalid started with creating a fire pit, Abaxley tending to the camel and the coyote, setting out water for them both. Scur pinched her ass, and they walked past her with the tent and bedrolls.
She looked to Eli. “Let’s get some food, yeah?” All she wanted was to have something to eat, something to drink, and be with her lovers. She didn’t know what was coming next, but she felt the need to rest and recharge with them.
“Damn, I was hoping we could talk Khalid into cooking again,” Eli said with a grin.
“I only do breakfast,” he said. “Plus, shouldn’t you know how to cook, considering your brother is a bloody chef?”
“He must have gotten that talent from his biological family, because Dad and I burn toast.” Eli turned her attention back to Alyx. “We stow away anything good?”
She grinned and crooked her finger. Rounding the camel, she pulled a box off the side of the saddle. “Venison, apricots, a crusty bread, and hard cheese. I had Azrael pack it special. And this.” She pulled a bottle of red wine out of the pouch. “Best I can do. Enough for all of us.”
“And somehow it managed to stay sand free,” Eli said with a grin, taking the wine to look at the label. “Impressive. So, who here knows how to cook venison over an open flame?”
“I would think you would be able to cook meat on a fire,” Scur said, plucking the venison out of the box. “I mean, isn’t that part of your underworldly torture? I’ve got the cooking tonight, minx.” He kissed her cheek and gave her a lopsided grin before walking over toward the now blazing fire pit.
“Yeah,” Eli said, “but I cook to char. Probably wouldn’t taste all that good.”
“Good venison is rare.” She winked and they walked over to the fire where Abaxley was sitting, the coyote stalking around the camp. She leaned into Khalid and kissed him, then sat with Abaxley, his arm around her as she opened the wine.
Looking up to the stars, she smiled. Even with the ambient light of the fire, the Milky Way was alive with pinpricks of light, so many more than she had ever seen. “This is...magical.”
Scur barked out a laugh. “Considering what we saw today, yeah, I would definitely call this place magical.”
Eli, who was standing next to the berserker, snorted. “A real romantic I see.”
Scur looked down at her, brow raised. “I was raised alongside five older brothers and spent most of my life on a battlefield. Romance to me is buying my female a sharp blade and then stripping her naked.”
“Eh, could be worse,” Eli said with a laugh.
Alyx shuddered. “Can we not mention the moron brothers?”
Abaxley chuckled. “Don’t listen to the asshole, Princess. This is magical. Seeing the world the way few humans get to. Knowing what lurks just past what the eye can see, I agree.”
She smiled. “Thank you, love.”
“Only one around here that is allowed to call me asshole is Alyx,” Scur said to Bax. “Plus, I wasn’t wrong.”
“Children,” Khalid said and started to laugh, then he looked around the camp. “Where did the coyote go?”
“Maybe he needed to piss?” Alyx offered. She wasn’t worried. Animal could handle himself. “Or he might have skipped off to find dinner?”
“Maybe he found himself a new home in the desert,” Scur said, pulling the meat off the fire and putting it on a plate. “All right, everyone get a plate, let’s eat. Gods know I’m starving after beasting out.”
“If it’s not fucking, it’s food,” Alyx said. “Aren’t you glad I had Azrael squirrel this away?” She took a swig from the wine and then ripped a piece of the bread off, sending it down as Khalid gave her a small plate with smoking venison on it. She took a bite and closed her eyes. “Mmm... Scur, you’re dinner cook from now on.”
He sat down on her other side with his own plate. “Darling, if you promise you’re going to be dessert, I’ll cook anytime you want.” He looked at her, a lazy seductive look in his eyes. “But fucking and food aren’t the only things. You forget another F...fighting.” He grinned before taking a bite of his venison.
“Oh, I didn’t forget. You fought, now you need one or the other, or rather both, but since you can’t have both...” She leaned her head on his shoulder. Gods, she loved the lunatic.
“Don’t think I’m giving up on getting both,” he told her and kissed the top of her head.
“Any theories on what’s on those scrolls?” Khalid asked. “I don’t think they’re just anything since we were led to them. Well, Alyx was led to them,” he added with a smile. “I can’t help but wonder if they don’t have to do with the missing cities.”
“Think it could be information on the nomarts?” Eli asked. “I mean, from what you’ve tol
d me, they trust you and if they have secrets out there, then I can see Faerie wanting you to protect them.”
“Possible,” Bax said. “But they are on the journey to find the first stone, right? So, odds are they have to do with Hybrasil and Dewan. Hell, it could be shit we can only read when we are there.”
“And you think we will make it?” Alyx asked as Khalid gave her the booze again.
Bax nodded. “I do. If anyone can do it, you can, Princess. With our help of course.”
“Agreed,” she said with a smile.
“You’re the only one who could,” Khalid said. “Each princess has their strengths, but I don’t see any of them being able, or wanting to be on this kind of adventure.”
Scur started laughing. “The idea of Ria doing anything like this... The girl would probably forget what her mission was and go sightseeing.”
“Mea wouldn’t go crazy being away from her business,” Eli chimed in.
Khalid nodded his head. “It was made for you, Alyx. And I think I speak for all of us here when I say we’d walk off a damn cliff if you told us it would lead to where you needed to go.”
“Well, I don’t want you to do that.” She laughed and finished her plate. Full belly, she sighed. “As much fun as this is, I kinda wish it was a Netflix and chill night.”
“Actual Netflix or the other version?” Eli asked with a grin.
“Let’s clean up and lie down. We all need to get some rest,” Khalid said and pulled her to her feet. “Who knows what we’ll be facing next.”
The coyote chose that moment to stroll back into camp, straight to her. He bumped his nose against her leg and let out a low snarl.
“What’s wrong?” she said and went to her knees. His behavior was completely out of character.
“That’s new,” Bax said and stood up and raised his head. “Smell that?”
“Timmy’s fallen into a well,” Scur said and Khalid pushed him.
The coyote ignored them all, except Alyx. He clamped his teeth on the material of her pants and pulled, taking a few steps backwards.
“If coyotes are anything like hellhounds, I think he wants you to go with him,” Eli said.
Nodding, she looked to them. “Okay. Quiet. We follow.” She looked down to him. “Lead the way.”
He released his hold and turned around, leading them out of their camp. They only walked about a hundred yards when the light from another fire could be seen. Khalid held up his hand, stopping them, the coyote stopping as well, before veering off to the right.
Khalid nodded and they followed again, the path taking them to a cropping of rocks that would keep them hidden from those who were sitting around a fire. “Hobs,” Khalid mouthed.
Alyx nodded as they all leaned down, listening to the interlopers.
“Lost Winsy, lost Friz, lost Harda. Tell me again why we are fucking doing this?” a brawny hob said as he tossed branches into the fire.
“Because she wants to win,” another said.
“Then she should be here. Why are we risking our lives? First the wendigo in the canyon. Then the literal quicksand that gobbled up Friz, and then the fucking room of ice. We are fucking hobs; we shouldn’t die by having our blood freeze while we live.”
“She said the race would claim blood, claim lives. And still you came,” the second said.
“That’s because that bitch keeps promising glory and power,” the third one said. “It’s worth a couple dying if we finally get what we deserve. Now that Poseidon is gone, we could have it all. Control both sides.”
“Not if her best keep dying for side quests,” the first said. “Why aren’t we just attacking them head on? Bitches are playing the ‘peace on Faerie’ bullshit. Their main warriors all focused on baby making.”
Alyx arched a brow. Who the hell was giving them any sort of info?
“We need to strike.”
“Why strike when she could control the mother continent?”
“We need to get to the prize before the Mayhem bitch and her lackeys,” the third said. “If we get it first, they’ve lost. We’ll be on to the next while they’re licking their wounds. Plus, we don’t even know where the hell they are.”
“They can’t be far,” the second said. “They got the same information we did.”
“So sure of that?” the first said. “Harda wasn’t the best diplomat with getting the info...or the scroll.”
She looked to Khalid. Shit. The nomarts. They needed to make sure they were okay.
Her captain reached out and grazed his knuckles against her cheek. “They’re fine,” he mouthed.
“Then I say if we find them, we attack, no questions asked,” the third one said. “But let’s not go looking for trouble. We’ve got enough as it is. We’re close to the stone. Let’s get there before they do.”
“Deal. No prisoners,” the second said.
The first leaned back. “Figured Winsy had to fucking get eaten by the wendigo. I could use some attention about now.”
“She wasn’t here to be your fucking play thing. She was here to match with the Mayhem bitch.”
“And look how well that worked. Woman was only good for getting bent over. That’s why she’s dead,” the first offered.
“And that attitude is why you haven’t been laid in a decade,” the third said. “Come on, let’s sleep, we’re the only ones left which means we need to double-time it in the morning.”
Khalid started to back away, not making a sound. He gestured with his head and they all followed suit, except for the coyote. It seemed he decided he was going to stay and watch. When they moved far enough away so they were all sure the hobs couldn’t hear them, Khalid spoke, voice barely above a whisper.
“They’ve lost three. We have the element of surprise. We can take them out now, or...”
Alyx considered. “And possibly lose one of us?” she shook her head. “We aren’t at one hundred percent, and I’m not saying we can’t take those chuckleheads, I’m saying we don’t know what’s waiting for us at Terjit...what we have to face. That dinner was the last of our rations, I mean aside from some jerky and water. We run a big risk.”
Khalid nodded. “Anyone have a problem with that?”
“We have an advantage now,” Scur said. “We know where they are, who they lost, who’s left, and we know they have been taking a different path than us. I saw we let them continue to get in their own way.”
“I’m all for continuing the way we’ve been,” Eli agreed.
Bax nodded. “Though I’m a bit concerned how they got a scroll...and how they got it work.”
“Incanta,” Alyx said. “She is an abomination, but she is royalty. While Faerie is helping us thrive, I don’t think it cares that she and her people are the product of something more horrible than the faeblins,” she looked to Abaxley, “and that they have embraced it.”
“It’s also possible and highly likely that she has goblins in her court,” Khalid said. “Come on, let’s go back to the camp before we’re spotted.”
Goblins. Shit, Alyx didn’t even think of that. “Shit.”
They walked back to their camp, Alyx’s brain going a mile a minute. “We need to tell the queen. Once we get out of this insanity, we need to handle some shit.”
Scur pulled her down to sit between his legs and started to rub her shoulders. “There is always shit to handle. Right now, we can’t worry about anything but getting that stone. We always knew the possibility was great that we wouldn’t be the only one looking for it.”
Eli sat down across from them. “So, this Incanta chick, is she actually a part of either side or just ride the line?”
“Hobgoblins are...” She looked to Khalid, and then to Abaxley. “Abominations. Back when there was the war with the femorians, they took prisoners, fae prisoners. So far as we are aware, and what Nihar has found out, we assumed they weren’t taken prisoner, they were killed. They weren’t. The fae they had ensured horrible things at the claws of those fucking bastards
. The hobgoblins were born from the rapes, and the apparently they were twisted, and they came to embrace their heritage. We didn’t even know they were still around ‘til Poppy, the old queen, took the throne. We thought they were myth. Thought they were a byproduct of a war. And they were, but...” She shook her head. “Incanta Roue wants the Faerie throne. She wants to be part of the Nightmare Courts but she sided with old pee pants before Cetus trounced his ass with the hydra.”
“Damn, I seriously should have visited Faerie more growing up. Humans are boring compared to you guys,” Eli said. “So basically, this Incanta chick probably thinks she’s owed ‘cause her great-great grandmother was the product of sick and twisted individuals. Can’t say I don’t understand the concept, but she’s going about it the wrong way.”
“The hobs had the choice of two paths,” Khalid said, leaning back against one of the stones, arms crossed. “They could have been a real part of Faerie. The Nightmare Courts would have accepted them at one point, but they chose to be alone, to be their own entity. They’re too late and too much has happened for the offer to ever be presented again. They need to be eliminated. All of them.”
“They should have been when we found out they had been living at Icere Nor, and breeding.” Alyx shuddered. “Incanta is proud of her heritage, she’s more femorian than fae, her heart black, bent on ruling everything, like those fuckers.”
“The Hunt was ready to take them all out. We always have been,” Khalid said. “But since the order was never given, all we could do was keep watch as much as we could.”
“And now the chickens have come home to roost. This shouldn’t be a fucking competition. This is a chance for Faerie to come back to itself. And while our sexy princess is right, Faerie might not know this contender is more of the same, we do, and we need to decide ultimately what’s going to happen.”
She looked at Abaxley, considering him. “You’re right, of course. But right now Khalid is right. We need to focus on the task. We deal with the extermination of an entire race later.” She looked to her captain. “I think we should get moving at first light, what do you think?”