by Jamie Davis
Taylor nudged Clark. “Come on. Let’s go see if we can help Paddy with the food.”
Clark nodded, and the pair of them left Quinn and Avery alone in the passage. The hallway wasn’t silent, but they were by themselves for the moment. The background murmur of children’s voices filled the space with a joyful sound Quinn had never heard down here.
Quinn tugged at Avery’s hand. “I’ll show you to your room.”
They walked down the hall to the room prepared for them. A few minutes later, as Avery admired the quilt Quinn had chosen for her bed, Naomi came to the door.
“What is it, Mom?”
“Is Kami in here?”
Avery said, “No, why?” Her brows furrowed with concern.
“She was in the room with Brea and me. I turned around, and she was gone.”
Brea came to the door beside Naomi. “She’s not in the rooms with the other girls. I should have kept an eye on her. She’s always wandering off.”
Avery stood. “It’s easy to get lost down here, especially if she wanders into the labyrinth maze.”
Quinn said, “Come on. She can’t have gone far in just a few minutes.”
They all headed into the hallway and froze as they heard a loud shriek at the far end of the hall where the armory and training room were located.
“Oh, no. Tadpole’s there.”
“The orc warrior?” Avery asked. “Is he safe?”
Quinn started running. “He’s safe, but I was afraid he might scare the girls if we didn’t introduce him to them the right way. He lives down here too.”
Avery ran after Quinn as another loud shriek sounded.
Quinn reached the training room first and skidded to a halt. Kami sat in the middle of the room, giggling. At the other end of the training mats sat Tadpole. He had his enormous green hands over his face.
He dropped his hands, revealing his tusked visage. He’d screwed up his face so his tongue lolled out the side of his mouth, and he crossed his eyes.
Kami shrieked again and rolled on the floor, clutching her belly as she laughed.
Across the room, Tadpole spotted the newcomers and said, “Hey, Quinn. I stayed here just like you told me. Kami found me, though. I hope it’s okay that I played a game with her.”
“It’s perfectly fine, buddy. I’m glad you made friends.”
“She’s great. You should see the funny faces she can make.”
Kami turned around on cue. She pulled up on her nose with one finger and down on her cheeks with the other, contorting her face while she made pig noises.
Tadpole burst out laughing. “See what I mean? She’s awesome.”
Quinn glanced at Avery and shrugged. “I guess meeting Tadpole won’t be a problem after all.”
Behind them, the other girls surged into the room to see what was up. They all began laughing and sharing their own silly faces until everyone was giggling along with them.
Quinn smiled. She, Taylor, and the others had pulled it off. They’d made this place a home for these girls. In the process, it had become a little more of a home for them all.
She pulled a smiling Avery over and the two stood arm in arm, watching the girls and the giant orc play games.
Chapter Twenty-One
Quinn woke staring up at the stone ceiling, confused until she remembered she was down in the tunnels. A smile crossed her face, and she turned to her right. She studied Avery’s face, relaxed in peaceful sleep.
Their reunion the night before had been awkward, partly because they’d been apart for months, partly because they both had bruises from the fight the day before. Avery had taken the worst of it. Even with Quinn’s healing efforts at the shack, there were signs of her injuries in the fading bruises and residual swelling on her face.
Avery’s eyes opened, catching Quinn staring her way. “Hey, you. Have you been awake long?”
“No, I just woke up a few seconds ago. I didn’t wake you, did I?”
“No, I’ve been rising early out of habit since I’ve been on the road.”
“Do you think there are any more girls out there she hasn’t turned into demon-kinder?”
“No, these six were at the last location on the list I uncovered. All the others were vacant. Sometimes, it looked like the occupants had left, or been taken, just before I got to them.”
“At least you saved these six. That’s something.”
“It is, but they’re not safe yet. Gemma still wants them for something—probably the ritual we were told about. I’m sure it has to do with their collective sight and senses. Until we defeat her, they’ll be at risk.”
Quinn knew Avery was right. It irked her that they wouldn’t have more of a break before the two of them dove back into the fray. The quest to stop Gemma and the Dark Fae plot came first, though.
A tiny head popped up on the other side of Avery, beside her shoulder. The long scaly neck curled over until the little dragon’s chin rested on Avery’s chest. A sensation of gentle love flooded Quinn’s mind as she gazed into the little emerald eyes.
“She likes you,” Quinn said.
“Well, she’s been curled up against my back all night. Maybe she just likes a warm body.”
“She is a hedonist.”
“Eeeep?”
Quinn laughed. “Sorry, kiddo. I’m just telling the truth.”
A distant flurry of giggles outside their room brought an eye roll and a sigh from Avery. “They have so much energy in the mornings. I need to get out there and see what they’re up to.”
“Stay,” Quinn urged. “I’m sure they’re fine.”
“You don’t know the trouble they can get into. I’ve spent the last two weeks with them, and it feels like I’ve known them my entire life. Believe me when I say it’s better if we get up.”
The giggling girls ran past their door, heading down the hallway toward the training room.
Quinn groaned. “We’d better make sure they don’t get into the weapons in the armory.”
She and Avery dressed and opened the door. Laughter echoed down the hall. Avery pushed past Quinn and started in that direction.
When they arrived in the training room, they found all six girls tugging on Tadpole, trying to pull him down to the mats. He walked slowly around with a girl wrapped around each leg, one tugging at each arm, and Kami perched on his shoulders with her hands wrapped around his head from behind so she could cover his eyes.
Brea stood to the side, pointing at the center of the mats. She shouted, “Pull him down. We must defeat the invader.”
The giant orc warrior dropped to his knees and then rolled slowly over onto his back, laughing as the giggling mass of children climbed onto his chest.
Quinn glanced at Avery. “If we’d known Tadpole was watching them, we could have slept in.”
“I’m still not sure about him, Quinn. Are you positive he’s safe?”
“To those he considers friends, he’s as gentle as a butterfly.”
Avery looked back at the pile of giggling bodies on the floor. “They seem to have taken to him.”
“And he to them. I was afraid he’d scare them and I’d have to find another place for him to stay. This is a much better outcome, don’t you think?”
“I do,” Avery said. She clapped her hands together. “Ladies, ladies, who wants breakfast?”
A chorus of cheers sounded.
Quinn laughed. “I guess that’s a yes.” She nodded at the six girls, now lined up in front of her. “You all get cleaned up, and I’ll bring you food from the kitchen upstairs.”
They all scampered toward the small bathroom beside the training area.
Avery said, “I’ll stay down here and make sure they don’t make a mess. You okay getting the food by yourself?”
“I can go with Quinn,” Tadpole offered.
Quinn nodded. “Come on, big guy. Let’s get everyone fed, including you.”
She left with Tadpole lumbering behind her. In the halls and tunnels leading to the pub
, he had to bend a little to avoid bumping his head. Quinn slowed down so he could keep up.
“Tadpole, the girls aren’t bothering you, are they? You’ve been very nice about playing with them.”
“Oh, no. It’s lots of fun having friends around. I enjoy having someone to play with. It’s been a little lonely down here, especially on the days when you and the others don’t come down to train.”
Quinn hadn’t considered that, and she realized she had to pay more attention to him. She didn’t want him to feel like he didn’t belong in the clan as much as the others. She wanted him to know he belonged as much as any of them did.
“I’m glad you told me that. I’ll come and hang out more often.”
“You don’t have to, at least not now that they’re all here. I never had friends to play with growing up. My brothers always worked, training me to fight. There wasn’t any time to play.”
“I’m glad you have someone to play with now. Promise me that if you tire of playing with them, you’ll come tell Avery and me right away. Got it?”
“Yes.” His face split in an enormous grin. “I won’t have to, though. They’re my friends now.”
Quinn smiled. It made her happy that he’d found a place to be his normal, gentle self. The clan’s newest member seemed to have settled in just fine.
The regular busy breakfast crowd buzzed with conversation in the dining room when they arrived. Most stopped when Quinn entered, accompanied by the giant orc. Tadpole smiled and waved at everyone. Eyes turned back to their meals and companions, and the conversations started up again.
“I think you should come up here more often, Tadpole. It’s important for people to see you as a normal guy and not a threat.”
“I’m used to it. It’s okay. Besides, the cook doesn’t like me coming into the kitchen for food. I’m supposed to wait for someone to bring it down to me.”
“They should trust you. You know the rules now. I want you to come up here and order from Juni or one of the people who works here. You don’t have to bother the cook. Let Juni do it. She’ll fetch your food and bring it out here, then you can eat up here with everyone else. I’ll tell Paddy we’ve changed things so you can order like a normal person.”
Tadpole’s grin broadened. He wrapped Quinn in a tight bearhug.
“Easy does it.” Quinn groaned. “I’m still sore from the fighting yesterday.”
The orc released her, and his face took on a serious expression as he stared down at her. “You should take me with you when you know you have to fight. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“I’m fine. Just a little bruised, that’s all. Avery and Clark were there to help me. Besides, I need you here now. Watch over the little ones. There are awful people like the two Fae princesses who want to hurt them. We can’t let that happen.”
His face grew deadly serious. “No one will hurt them, Quinn. I’ll die before I let that happen.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, but I’m glad to hear it. Come on, let’s order breakfast. I’m as hungry as you are, and those young ladies need to eat, too.”
A half-hour later, back in the training room, Quinn and Avery watched as the six girls and Tadpole ate. They all sat in a circle atop the central training mat.
Clark tapped Quinn’s shoulder. “I brought the others down to the ceremonial chamber. I think we need to plan our next steps. Can Tadpole watch them for a bit?”
Avery nodded, and he headed back toward the ceremonial chamber.
Quinn and Avery followed Clark into the open circular chamber. The rectangular panels around the walls marked the tombs of past Hunter clan leaders. Naomi, Taylor, and Miranda were already there.
Taylor said, “From the sound of it, they’re settling in well.”
Avery nodded. “They are. You and Quinn went above and beyond. You all did.”
“We did what we would have done for anyone who is part of our clan, Ave,” Quinn said.
“Well, I’m glad I’m part of it, then.” Avery looked at Clark. “What now?”
Clark shook his head. “I’m not sure. We know that Gemma, along with Filippa and Aurora, will assume we have the girls. They have to make a play to attack here and try to retrieve them. Avery, are you sure you have no idea what their purpose is in Gemma’s master plan?”
Avery shook her head. “I wish I did. Then maybe we’d have a way to leverage it for our own use.”
“They’re coming to Baltimore,” Quinn said. “We know that much. Besides trying to get the girls back, they’ll also head to the Crystal Well. That has to be their ultimate destination. It would be the logical choice as the magical center of power for an opening to the netherworld.”
Miranda asked, “How do you know? There are other centers of magic energy around the city or just outside it. Heck, this chamber is a power center of sorts.”
“Think back to all the times we’ve been there,” Quinn said. “I first met Filippa above the hidden entrance to those tunnels. Gemma worked to dig a passage to get down there. They even brought the Fae court to hold their trial there. It has to be the location.”
Taylor stared into the air, lost in thought.
“What’re you thinking, T?”
“Well, I don’t know how good an idea this is, but what if we used their own methods against them?”
Clark asked. “What methods?”
“I’m talking about the Fae Court. Quinn, you said before when you were on trial that the magistrates seemed to be impartial. They didn’t side with Filippa and Aurora, even when the princesses tried to pressure them.”
“That’s true. Why?”
“What if we go to the court and ask for an injunction against them coming here?”
Miranda looked at Naomi and Clark. “Would that work?”
Naomi shrugged.
Clark thought for a second and said, “I don’t think any human has ever used the Fae court against the royals. At least, I’ve never heard of it.”
Quinn smiled. “There’s always a first time. It might buy us some time to discover why they want the girls.”
Naomi said, “It’s worth a try. Quinn, you might even have an advantage, given that they tried to have you killed. I think that makes you the logical choice to present the case.”
Clark nodded. “You and Avery should go together. She’s a witness to the attacks on the girls while she had them. You make the case with her as your evidence.”
Quinn wondered if it was just far-fetched enough to help them. “I suppose I could do that. Where do we find the magistrates? Do they have a website or something?”
Naomi and Miranda laughed.
Clark smiled. “Petition them in person. There’s a Fae legal hangout on the south side of the city near Camden. I’ll give you directions. Go there and plead your case.”
Quinn nodded. As strange as the idea sounded, it felt right somehow. The court had been fair to her. They hadn’t forced her and Tadpole to fight to the death. After hearing all she and Avery had to present, maybe they’d side with her again.
“Give us the address. We’ll go there this afternoon.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Quinn checked the address on her phone again. Avery leaned forward in the passenger seat to look at the line of boarded-up row homes along the street.
“Are you sure this is where Clark told us to come?”
Quinn nodded. “See, this is the right address. It’s that house with the blue door right there.”
“But the windows are boarded up. There are boards across the front door, too. There’s no way in.”
Turning off the car, Quinn said, “Let’s get out and look around. Maybe there’s another way in. Remember, not everything is as it seems..”
The pair left Clark’s old sedan. Quinn pointed to a gate blocking the narrow gap between two of the homes. “We can get around back through there.”
Quinn led the way. She had to yank hard twice to get the stubborn wooden gate to open. She held it for Aver
y, and they walked through the gap between buildings. It emerged into an overgrown yard full of knee-high grass. Broken furniture and old tires littered the small rectangular patch of ground.
“This doesn’t look much like the home of the Fae court,” Avery said. “Maybe there’s another place with a similar address.”
“You could be right. Let’s just check the back of the house with the blue door before we go.”
Quinn walked through a gap in the broken fence between the two yards and over to the back steps of their building. The paint flaked and peeled from the door in front of her. She reached for the knob. To her surprise, it was unlocked and opened easily. She waved Avery over, and the two of them walked into the home together.
The transition between what the outside appeared to be and what they encountered inside took them to another time and place. The room had the feel of an old Victorian pub with complex custom ironwork around the room, coupled with fine woodwork and carving. Lamps with colorful stained-glass shades provided muted illumination for the small round tables spread along the wall opposite the bar.
A tall Fae woman stood behind the bar. She dried a glass mug with a white linen cloth and set it on the shelf before turning to greet the newcomers.
“Don’t get many humans in here anymore. The neighborhood discourages sightseers. Are you lost?”
“No,” Quinn answered. “I came looking for the chief magistrate of the Fae court. Is she here?”
A gruff male voice interrupted the bartender before she could answer. “What would someone such as you have to say to a person from the high court?” Darkness shrouded the area where the voice came from. Quinn hadn’t noticed anyone sitting there when she came in. Now that she stared at the area, she could make out a tall form in the shadows.
Quinn turned to the shadows. “That’s between the magistrate and me. I ask again, is she here?”
“I don’t think we want to bother her with the trivial concerns of a human girl who hasn’t yet seen, what, twenty years?”
“I’m going to have to insist.” Quinn moved her right hand, pulling back the front of her leather jacket. The move revealed the inverted Bowie slung in the shoulder holster.