by Sarah Noffke
He shook his head. “Nothing, my queen. I’ve been trying to get back into the game. Maybe I’m a bit out of practice, and I didn’t know at first that she was a magician.”
The queen studied him for a moment, softening slightly. “My poor, dear Rudolphus. You’re still broken from her death, aren’t you?”
Liv’s eyes cut to the ground. She tried to not look interested.
“Yes, my queen, but I’m on the mend. Which is why I’m here,” he answered.
“I sure hope so,” Queen Visa answered. “It’s been well over a century. Move on, already.”
He nodded, not at all looking like the fae Liv knew. “You’re right. Of course, you’re right.”
She reached out, brushing her hand across his cheek, cold affection in her eyes. “We did have fun together, didn’t we, my darling Rudolphus? Which was why I had to kill her. You’ll always be mine. Always.”
He pressed his hand to the one holding his face and forced a smile. “I realize that now, and I’m extremely honored.”
Queen Visa’s hand dropped at once, and she spun to face Liv. “Now, the question is, what do I do with you, magician?”
Not kill me, Liv thought. Instead of saying that, she hitched up one hip and smacked her lips like she was chewing gum. “You can start by telling me how you got that ass. Do you do Pilates?”
The collective gasps of the fae around the room made Liv stiffen.
Queen Visa traced her pink fingernail over her perfect lips, regarding Liv with an unreadable look. “You look familiar. Where do I know you from?”
“I work at a repair shop in WeHo. Did you bring a blender in last week?” Liv said casually, although her heart was racing.
Queen Visa cracked a smile that nearly made Liv faint. It somehow made the impossibly beautiful woman even prettier. “I like you, magician. What’s your name?”
“Aren’t you going to punish her?” Rudolf complained. “She gave me a black eye.”
Queen Visa shook her head at him. “You know as well as I do that a few bruises and scars make you more attractive. You maybe should be thanking Ms…” She gave Liv an expectant look.
“Liv,” she answered.
“Now, Liv, why are you in my casino? Magicians don’t like gambling or drinking or anything fun, really. Just libraries and other boring things,” Queen Visa said.
Liv swayed her shoulders to the music playing overhead. “I’m not like other magicians.”
“I see that. But what brings you to the Cosmo?” Queen Visa asked.
“A simple request,” Liv said, her throat starting to constrict. The moment was nearly upon her. She didn’t think she could go through with it.
Queen Visa raised an arched eyebrow at her. “For me, I gather.”
“Or whoever is in charge here,” Liv dared to say.
Again the crowd at Liv’s back gasped, many exchanging whispers.
To her surprise, Queen Visa didn’t kill her on the spot. Instead, she laughed. “I haven’t been spoken to like this in…well, never. You amuse me, magician. Not only are you not like your kind, you’re not like the fae.” She waved a hand at the people behind Liv. “You all are a bunch of boring dimwits who only tell me what I like to hear and rarely say anything of interest.”
“That’s because they have free rein and not enough respect for mortals,” Liv said.
“I’m not following your reasoning, Liv.”
“Well, a bit of humbling goes a long way. Your fae gallivant, making mortals do everything they desire and seducing them without concern.”
“And you think that if they didn’t do this that they’d have better personalities?” Queen Visa asked.
“I think that if they weren’t obsessed with love and sex, they’d find other hobbies, which would make them more interesting to you.”
Queen Visa considered this for a moment. “It makes sense. You all have become even more lustful lately, and then you have nothing to talk about. You’re so scared I’m going to remove your privileges that you suck up to me, never telling me what you really think. After a few hundred years, it’s quite tedious reigning over you all.”
From around the room came several protests. Queen Visa shook her head. “No. I’ve made up my mind, thanks to my new friend, Liv. I want you all doing other things besides seducing mortals all the time. Get hobbies. Go on adventures. Leave the mortals alone for a while.”
“But, Queen,” many around the room said.
Liv couldn’t believe it was working, but the hardest part was almost upon her.
The floor rumbled under their feet as Queen Visa’s beautiful eyes flared red. Her gaze narrowed, and steam seemed to rise from behind her. “I have decreed. Who dares to defy me?”
“Not I,” many of the fae said, their protests immediate.
“That’s what I thought,” Queen Visa said confidently, her demeanor returning to normal. “Now, Liv, why don’t you join me in the spa? It’s time for my afternoon massage.”
Liv gulped. Her eyes darting briefly to Rudolf. He was pale, and seemed to understand the severity of the moment. “Can’t do a massage. I’ve got to return to the House of Seven in a sec.” She opened her purse as Queen Visa’s face transformed back into one of pure vengeance.
“You! You’re a Warrior for the House of Seven!” Queen Visa boomed, her voice making the chandeliers overhead shake. “How dare you come into my kingdom and assault one of my own?”
Although she was trembling inside, Liv remained outwardly steady, withdrawing a vial of her blood from her purse as well as an ancient scroll, the one where the first agreement with the Fae had been written. “Oh, you didn’t know I was a Warrior? Shucks, I totally forgot to mention that part. Anyway, here’s a vial of my blood. Thought I’d offer it to you in exchange for an update to that little contract you signed ages ago with the House.”
Queen Visa was momentarily thrown off, her eyes focused on the vial in Liv’s hand. “Why would I want that? And what update to the contract?”
“Well, you just stated that you weren’t going to allow your Fae to openly seduce mortals anymore, so that should probably go in the contract, just so we cover all our bases.” She dared to wink at the queen. “Keep them accountable, you know. Make it legit.”
“You came here to get me to update the contract?” The queen’s voice was filled with so much hostility that it felt sharp enough to saw Liv in half.
“I came here to give you this.” She waved the vial in the air. “And then there’s the boring contract business. Just wanted to get that out of the way so I can catch a show. I have tickets to see O, and don’t want to be late.”
Liv knew from dealing with Rudolf that the fae were bound by exchanges. They couldn’t give anything without taking, and vice versa. This was how she was getting the contract signed, which would be binding…if she survived.
“Again, what do I want with a Warrior’s blood? I could simply kill you here and now and have as much of it as I like.”
“You could,” Liv said tentatively. “However, blood that is freely given is more powerful. Not only that, but when the giver of the blood is still alive, the magical properties are tenfold. Did you know that?”
The queen looked to the side, uncertainty on her face. “I didn’t, actually.”
Liv shrugged. “It’s true. But you know how useful a Warrior’s blood is, right?”
Queen Visa regarded Liv with a thoughtful stare. “I know that it grants access to certain things. Opens portals otherwise closed to other magical creatures, and in essence, acts as an extension of you.”
Liv nodded. “It would allow you to read the ancient language or enter the House of Seven or attend one of our boring-as-hell meetings.”
The queen released the smallest of smiles, which made her look even more wicked. “You are a clever Warrior. What are they doing with you?”
“Mostly killing me slowly with their dumb bureaucracy,” Liv imparted.
The queen reached out and took the vial,
watching its contents spill back and forth as she tilted it. “What is your last name, Liv?”
“Beaufont.”
Queen Visa’s eyes widened slightly. “Yes, now I recognize you. You look just like your mother. She wasn’t a horrible magician. A bit of a rebel, too.”
She closed her eyes, still holding the vial in her hands. Liv watched breathlessly. When Queen Visa opened her eyes, she wore a victorious smile. “You’re smart not to have deceived me. This is in fact Beaufont blood.”
“I had no plans to deceive. Just for doing a job. You get it.” Liv held out the scroll and checked her wrist, although she wasn’t wearing a watch. “So can you sign this with the amendments? My show starts soon.”
Queen Visa considered her. “So the House of Seven wants my fae to stop seducing mortals, is it?”
“I think it’s a frequency issue, honestly. They are probably just jealous because they can’t get dates,” Liv said.
To her surprise, the queen laughed. “If they dressed more like you, they would.”
“Yeah, but that’s not helping them.”
The queen hesitated for a moment before directing her finger at the scroll. “I don’t know why, but I like you more than any magician I’ve met, and I’ve met many of them. Killed many of them, too.”
“It’s probably the hair extensions. People always love that I have long hair,” Liv lied, holding up a piece of her hair, which was real.
“You’re not boring. That’s the reason I like you. I’m tired of boring fae and magicians.”
Liv tapped her foot. “Show starting. Can I get the scroll signed? Then I’ll be on my way, but I’ll come back for a massage and general debauchery later.”
“If anyone else had attempted what you just did with this amendment business, they’d be dead right now. You realize that, don’t you?”
“I’m actually new to this business, so I don’t know much,” Liv stated, acting bored.
“Well, Liv Beaufont, I look forward to seeing what you do for the House of Seven,” the queen stated, circling her finger in the air. The scroll glowed for a moment, and then faded to its original color. “I’ll honor your request in exchange for the blood. The contract has been amended.”
Liv kept her relief hidden and nodded. She could hardly believe she’d done the impossible and survived. She couldn’t wait to see the councilors’ faces when she shoved this at them.
Chapter Eighteen
“I told you the right eye,” Rudolf said, still nursing his swelling left eye. He and Liv had split up and met a bit off the Strip, taking a portal to Roya Lane from there.
“I don’t take direction well. Just ask the Council,” Liv answered.
“I can’t believe you gave her your blood,” Rudolf said.
“Oh, hell no,” Liv said, realizing she should have changed before coming to Roya Lane. They already gawked at her there, but now they had even more reason, with her wearing a neon-green dress that was full of holes and hooker heels. “You don’t think I’m insane? I gave her Sophia’s blood, which is why she knew it was a Beaufont’s. It doesn’t have the same magical potency as mine. She won’t be able to find out that it’s Sophia’s though. I’d never put my little sister in danger.”
“No, she won’t figure that out, but she’s going to be livid when she realizes you fooled her.”
“If I gave her my blood then she could enter the House of Seven and go in to the Chamber of the Tree or a whole other hosts of places,” Liv said, thinking of the ancient chamber.
Rudolf gave her a sideways look. “You realize that if she figures that out, you’re dead that very minute.”
“Oh, I’ve already bought my coffin.”
A group of gnomes dared to point at Liv and heckle her. She held up her fists, narrowing her eyes at them. “Keep it up, and I’ll show you how I can shove these heels up your—”
Rudolf hooked his arm through Liv’s, steering her away. “Keep that up, and they’ll never teach you fireball magic.”
“I’m pretty sure I’ve sullied my reputation with the gnomes for a long time.”
He shook his head. “Still, it would be good to preserve things as much as possible. They can hold a grudge longer than any other race, but they also hold a unique advantage over some. You never know when you’re going to need to make nice with them.”
Liv untangled her arm from Rudolf’s noticing in the dim light of Roya Lane how badly his eye was swelling. She gazed at her hand, which to her surprise didn’t feel injured from the assault—not like his darkening eye. “Hey, I’m sort of sorry for punching you. I realize in hindsight why you kissed me.”
He beamed, his blue eyes still lighting up despite the swelling. Bowing low, he said, “You’re welcome, my lady. I figured that if you made the right kind of entrance, Queen Visa would find you interesting. She loves rebels and a bit of drama.”
Liv smiled, thinking she was glad she enlisted Rudolf’s help. Without it, she would have been doomed, strolling into Queen Visa’s casino wearing magician clothes and being all business. The Council had told her that she needed to enlist more diplomacy on her cases when she had upset some dumb goblin tribe. She could safely say that she’d used a great deal of diplomacy on this case.
Liv patted the handbag she was tired of carrying around. She changed her clothes in a darkened alley off Roya Lane, feeling instantly better with her body fully covered and the scroll safely hidden in her cape.
Rudolf grimaced. “I had hoped that you’d changed your evil ways and were going to start dressing more appealingly.”
“Never have such disillusions about me,” Liv replied as something occurred to her. “When we were in Queen Visa’s chamber, she mentioned something about you not getting over something. What was that about the woman she killed?”
A shadow moved behind Rudolf’s eyes. “I don’t think you heard her correctly.”
“I think I did,” Liv fired back. “And you don’t hang out with the fae, do you? Why is that?”
He sighed. “After several hundred years, they bore me. Maybe in a century or so I’ll be lonesome for my kind.”
Liv looked around at the always-bustling Roya Lane. Various races were hurrying in different directions, talking in languages she didn’t recognize. “Is that why you hang around here?”
Rudolf followed her gaze and shrugged slightly. “Yeah, I guess.”
“Well, maybe you will like the fae better now that they have to diversify and get hobbies,” Liv said.
“Yeah, maybe,” Rudolf stated, but there was no enthusiasm in his voice. He seemed suddenly lost, like a shell of his former self.
“Are you okay?” Liv asked, surprised to find herself worried about Rudolf.
He closed his eyes for half a beat and let out a breath. “Yeah. I’m just thinking about what an awful kisser you were. It was a real disappointment.”
Liv slapped him on the arm. “Hey, that was an uninvited and disgusting attempt on your part. Of course, it wasn’t any good.”
Rudolf leaned away, gripping his arm. “No more abuse. Keep your brutish fist away from me, Warrior. All you know is violence.”
Liv couldn’t keep herself from laughing. Rudolf joined in, letting go of the stress that had built while they were in the queen’s chamber.
“I can’t believe it worked,” Liv said with elation.
“Honestly, I can’t believe it did either. Not in a million years did I think you could pull it off, but you, Liv Beaufont, Warrior for the House of Seven, have this weird charm. It’s almost like an anti-charm that somehow endears you to people.”
Liv shook her head. “Take that back, or I’ll blacken your other eye.”
He shook his head. “No, go ahead and make your threats. I’ll take your abuse. But you should know that despite your attempts to be atrocious, I still like you.”
Liv shook her head, pulling her hood up. “Well, I like you like one does a garbage truck. You’re glad they exist, but you don’t want them to stick aroun
d.”
He puffed out his chest and bowed low. “Thank you, my lady. I’ll take that as a grand compliment.”
“I wouldn’t,” Liv said dryly.
He offered his hand, probably hoping she’d give him hers. When she didn’t, Rudolf pursed his lips. “I’ll work on finding the lost memory. You try to keep yourself out of trouble.”
“No promises,” Liv said, creating a portal to the West Coast entrance of the House of Seven. “And don’t lose my ring, or I’ll make Queen Visa look like a docile puppy.”
Rudolf nodded. “I have no doubt, Liv Beaufont.”
Chapter Nineteen
Again the image of John lying helpless in a hospital bed assaulted Liv’s vision when she stepped through the Door of Reflection. She hadn’t figured out how to get out of these visions. They seemed to release her when they were done, spitting her out into the Chamber of the Tree.
If she could squeeze her eyes shut and not see the man before her suffering, she would, but that wasn’t an option.
The nurse entered the scene, just like before, talking to someone unseen. “Such a strange attack this one endured. Like something out of a movie.”
The Door released her. Liv shook off the strangeness of returning to the real world, blinking at the chamber and trying to clear her vision. Her mother’s words rang in her head, making her throat prickle with guilt: “Our magic doesn’t fit into their world.”
That was what Guinevere Beaufont had said on more than one occasion about mortals, having her own heartbreak over the matter. Liv had thought she’d done the right thing by telling John about magic, but what if she hadn’t? She reasoned that he already knew about magic since he was married to a magician. But what if the truth she shared with him was going to put him in more danger? He accepted magic better than most, but did that mean he needed to know? She wasn’t sure, and now he was about to lose his shop and the life he’d built. Maybe things would be better when he retired to Mexico. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about him, although she’d miss him painfully.