Gabbi twirled around and let out a hefty laugh, more akin to her normal ones. “Little Ella, Little Ella… That poor girl has been through so much.” Finally her eyes fell to the prince as she patted at the circlet on her head. “I wouldn’t worry. I’m keeping her quite safe for now. And if Gnidori attempts to magically track her, let’s just say it won’t do her much good. That is a safety precaution, of course. That redhead knows far too many witches, especially in this area.”
My body released from tensing up so tightly at the mention of Ashe, or Ella as they called her. Gabbi was really keeping her contained magically somehow, but that would mean she was getting help. Could a faerie be involved in this too? It seemed unlikely, what were the chances I’d come across two corrupted faeries in the same span of time.
Then again, there was someone tying all of this together: Charming.
“As long as she is safe, the rest doesn’t-“
A deep purring yip muffled through my fabric echoed across the chamber. Another one came quickly after that.
I’d been so distracted by faeries and kisses and so much other non-sense I completely forgot about the fox in my pocket. He had been so quiet, until now.
Charming and Gabbi were both glancing around the chamber, tensing up. If I hadn’t felt the sudden squirming in my pocket I would have thought there was some kind of Indian attack about to happen. I could only guess what was going through their minds.
Gabbi had lowered to a crouch while Charming twirled around in his expensive cape and asked, “What was that?”
A growl grew from the dark-haired girl as her face almost seemed to assume a more feral look. She didn’t even respond to Charming, which meant there was no way I was getting out of this one.
I sighed as I fetched the fox out from my pocket and handed him over to Goldie. I settled for just giving her a look that she better keep him safe. She was more worried about Reynard getting hair on her or something since she held him out awkwardly in front of her.
Once that was settled, I hurled myself over the beam I had been crouched on and dropped straight to the floor. I had to put a little energy into my legs just to make sure they wouldn’t break on the drop down.
I hardly had the chance to stand at full stature before Gabbi was charging at me with claws already meshing to her human hands. Her face was more terrifying though, somewhere between demon and animal with just enough human features mixed in to send a chill through my skin.
She was completely ruining the great quip I had ready for when I landed. That’s just like her too.
I forced as much magical strength into my arms as I could when her claws peeled into my flesh. I pushed her arms out to the side then thrust my palms into her chest to send her skidding back nearly where she had started her rush.
Clearly the energy I picked up from Nera the faerie was giving me a little more strength boost than I had expected.
Gabbi turned her head to the side. “Gnidori? That was quite the strength you have.”
She had no idea that my body had been amplified in power when my magic was sealed. So of course she was still going to think I was using magic.
I almost used one of those ridiculous legendary lines like ‘the better to kick your ass with.’ But realized just how stupid it sounded in my head I settled for, “Gabbi? Would you like to take back that statement about me not being good enough?”
She laughed. I smiled, even though they couldn’t see it.
“You usually make such better entrances.” She replied, stepping gently forward, which was at least better than running at me.
“I used my good one the last time I was here. But you got to see that one up close; didn’t you?”
“Ah, you caught that? That’s what you get for offing your magical nose though. No more Gabbi tracker.” Her grin was still full of sharp teeth, despite the rest of her body settling back into a more human shape like before.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling the wild magic that made up Gabbi’s particular magical gift. One part me, and two parts her. It wasn’t strong, always subtle yet just enough.
“You still smell the same though Gabbi. The color red and honeysuckle.”
She stopped in her tracks, her eyes trying to judge whether or not I could actually smell her magical scent.
“You have immense strength still. And you can smell me enough to track me when close?” She glanced to Charming then made a sour expression toward me. “Did you spread the rumor of your loss of magic just so people would only think it and expect you to be an easier target then?”
“You know it couldn’t have worked like that, Gabbi. The faeries would be on me with every small spell I cast. And they would have spread my possession of magic faster than any magical fire.”
“Then how?” She growled.
I grinned and raised my eyebrows. “Magic.”
Her growl grew to the point that her whole spine seemed to shiver like the stiff hairs on a wolf’s back before she charged right at me again.
Her claws grew once more as she swiped at me with a large horizontal arc. I ducked under it, but she had been ready and caught my chin with her knee, smashing me upwards before swiping her other paw at my side.
I shook the jolt of pain that was rattling my head to bring my arm up to catch her paw and push it away. From there I spun my whole body in mid-air to land a kick across her cheek. She spat a splat of blood to the side as I landed back down on the ground, mere feet from her.
Her feral smile grew on her lips once more before she dropped low then pounced right for me. I pulled an arm back and slung it right into her chest as she landed on me. That released the energy contained in the muscles of my arm, which rippled through the skin of her stomach before she was launched into a tapestry on the far end of the throne room.
Crunching sounds were made as Gabbi landed with the decoration falling over her like a curtain.
I stood stiff with the magical energy still crackling around my fist from the discharge. Blood from the initial tearing into my skin Gabbi had caused, dripped all around my gloved fingers and plopped to the floor next to where her blood was.
She ripped through the tapestry with ease and stared across the room at me. Her eyes were raging in the kind of fury I had come to know she had reserved for those who betrayed her. “You liar!”
My voice boomed with an echo through the chambers. “I just got it back. What does it matter to you? Oh right, with my magic back I could technically take away the very power I gave you in the first place!”
Her features softened, but not by much.
It was then the clapping from Charming came in, as he stood somewhere in the middle of us.
“Well isn’t this an interesting turn of events? Two women fighting for me; I love it.”
Both Gabbi and I looked at the prince. We might have had our issues with each other. But in that moment I knew what we were both thinking.
That bastard of a Tsar.
Everything was always about him.
Nineteen
Girls Can Be Wolves Too
“I came for Ashe.” My voice bellowed, after Gabbi and I both decided to ignore Charming. “Just give me the circlet, Gabbi. And I won’t resort to taking your powers away.”
The wolf-woman smiled, way too wickedly for my tastes. “Ah, you overheard that?”
“Not just overheard.” I reached my hand out. “Hand it over, Gabbi. I just want Ashe safe.”
“If that were true you would be taking her with you, not keeping her locked away like she is that long-haired tower twat.”
How did Gabbi always know where to wound me most? I coiled my blood-ridden fingers into a fist. “I know that! Just give me the fey-damned circlet, Gabbi! I don’t have time to deal with your non-sense!”
“You want this?” She pulled the crown from her head and held it out. “What do I get in return?”
“You get to live…” I ground my teeth, “…again.”
“Not good enough. Yo
u threaten me and I’ll just break it. Then she is gone forever, right?” Gabbi shrugged and put the metal circlet between both her hands and pulled on it.
She wouldn’t dare…
What am I saying? She beheads people as she pleases and she’s never been fond of Ashe. Of course she would break it.
Midnight Magic…
I sighed, “What do you want, Gabbi?”
“Now things are moving where I like.” The despicable wolf laughed as she stepped from the tapestry at her feet and twirled the crown around her arm. “What do I want…”
“You could at least push things along. I told you I have things to do.”
“Like?”
Was she really going to play this game? I could just feel my eyes roll naturally. “Like… killing Charming for being too much of a coward to kill me himself.”
That had been the whole reason I came here. It wasn’t like I had been expecting Gabbi to be here. But that is my rotten luck.
“You’re doing what?” Came Goldie’s shriek. She plopped down, from the sky, next to me with such simple grace then threw Reynard at me.
I caught the poor fox and he just looked up at me and yawned like he was bored. I almost forgot that he was hardly a day old right now. He was probably going to sleep the whole day. So I tucked him into my pocket quickly for safety.
“Gertrude? What are you doing here?” Charming asked and my eyebrows raised.
“You tossed me to the harlot woman to escort me around, you jerk!” She glared at him and didn’t move from next to me. I turned to look at her.
“Harlot?”
Gabbi was snickering and twirling the circlet on her finger.
I got ignored.
“I did not. I left you with Prince Blue. Gnidori was sent to pick up some special charms and deliver them to a cottage near your uncle’s tower. That way you would be guarded from the faeries.”
“Uh… what?” I shook my head and looked to charming in disbelief. How could he lie like that with me in the room? The guile he had!
“You really thought I would leave you with the woman who separated us originally after that Cinderella disaster?” Charming continued while dashing up to Goldie to put his hands gently on her and look into her eyes. He smiled… genuinely. “I would never leave you with her, especially without your permission.”
I stared blankly between the two lovers. What was I? The boy who cried wolf?
Goldie softened, but pulled from his grasp. “But then why did Hue leave me with her?”
Charming closed his hand upon her arm and rubbed it. “Maybe he had been confused. Thinking I wanted you and not the charms to be moved to the hut?”
My mouth was hanging open. How could Goldie actually let herself be bewitched by that? I swear that smile has captured more young women than any witch ever has.
“But…” Goldie began before Charming put a finger to her lips.
“I have proof.” He declared, then turned to me. “Gnidori, the paper I gave you when you left?”
I blinked. He couldn’t be serious? I read that paper, all it had said was: Pick up at Blue’s. Destination will be given then.
The Tsar held his hand out and waved it a few times like he wanted it though. His eyes didn’t even waver once from Goldie. He really wished to seal his fate?
I shrugged and pulled the roll of parchment out before laying it in his hands. Gabbi butted in, with amusement twinkling in her eyes. “It looks like Gnidori can be trained. Incredible.”
I ground my teeth and glared over at her. She just stuck her tongue out and grinned wildly. Charming ignored both of us and unrolled the parchment. “This is special paper my court magician devised. It only reveals the steps as they are completed.”
My eyes fell back to the former prince. “What?”
Of course I wouldn’t have known the paper was magic. I only ever saw the parchment when my magic was sealed.
The moment Charming started the incantation though I had to step back from them due to the putrid stink of the magic leaking off the sheet.
He turned the paper to Goldie and I leaned over to look as well. On the parchment was written: Deliver the charms to Bluebeard, at his tower.
My mouth dropped wide open.
“You see?”
See? I was in shock from seeing.
“Sorry I doubted you.” Goldie squeaked before pulling the tsar into a kiss. When they were finished, Charming slapped the rolled-up sheet into my hands.
“That’s okay. Considering my past, it is perfectly understandable and acceptable that you had your doubts.”
I was still speechless. Was this some kind of new Charming? Had he actually become… a human being?
There was still Hue to explain. I know Hue, there is no way he would have made a mistake like that. It could cost him a war with Charming. Unless… he wanted that?
“Wonderful. Now can the two true loves move aside so I can finish my business?” Gabbi stepped forward and half glanced to Goldie and Charming before her eyes settled on me.
“Wait.” Goldie interrupted. “Now that I’m out of Hue’s territory the faeries already tried attacking me. I’m not safe here and neither is the cabin.”
“You were attacked already? Where?” Charming searched over Goldie worriedly, looking for wounds that weren’t there.
I was with Gabbi. They needed a separate room.
This was the stuff I had to put up with.
I shook my head. “We were attacked. We’re both fine. I scared them off for now, but it won’t be long before a whole horde of them will descend.”
“Well, if you want, now that Gnidori has her magic she can set the charms to hide you.” Charming worriedly glanced to me, which absolutely was freaking me out. I’d never seen him like this.
“Uh… no, Gnidori won’t.” I stepped back and gave him a raised eyebrow.
“You agreed.”
“I agreed to a favor to retrieve something from Hue and bring it to the destination. Even ignoring that the favor was on false pretenses of information or that I would be transporting a convict or that the favor is for a Tsar who hired someone to kill me… then the most I would ever do is take her to Bluebeard’s tower. Not without something worth it though.”
“You’d just leave me unprotected for the faeries to take me, Gnidori?” Goldie asked, turning on me. I was starting to feel a little out-numbered.
My shoulders slumped, “If only my stupid conscience would let me.”
She jumped me immediately. “I knew it! I take back the harlot comment.”
“Uh… thanks?” I added as I pushed her from me. “I still need some kind of payment.”
“Anything. I just want to make sure she is safe.” Charming turned to me. “Anything.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Anything?”
“Yes, yes. Please.”
“Then you are paying for my weapons from now on. Paying for them, not getting them made, I’ll take care of that. Also I need a rather expensive spell done on my house so I can start taking it with me everywhere.” I explained, then eyed him.
“You want feet on your house?” Goldie asked.
“No. It’s an enchantment that I can use on any door to enter my house. I can do the enchantment on the door, but the house would take months of magical energy to properly layer it. Which means it’ll be expensive.”
“That’s all?” Charming concluded.
“It’s worth it. But you also have to decree that all practitioners of magic are welcome in your kingdom and will have citizen rights.” I continued, a smile falling on my lips.
“You can’t be serious. That is not a decreed that would be possible! The faeries would come down with brimstone!” He gasped, his eyes were wide.
I just waved him off. “Charming, you leave the faeries to me. If I don’t do something about them, I’d be dead quickly anyway. I’ll let you know when you can make the declaration. Got it?”
A frown overtook his face, but he nod
ded. “Is that all?”
“Do I need to start breaking things here?” Gabbi stepped up, holding the circlet between her fingers and pressing it against her thigh.
“Yes, that’s it.” I sighed before turning a hidden eyebrow to Gabbi. “Well?”
“Oh, yes. Hmmm…” Gabbi tapped a finger to her chin in thought.
“Seriously?” My face grew placid as I groaned. “You had twenty heart-gushing minutes to think.”
“I want immunity to your magic.”
“No such thing.”
“Of course there is. I’ve seen it before.” Gabbi growled and took up the circlet with both hands again before pulling on it lightly.
I started grinding my teeth again. “I can ward you against my magic but it will only buy you maybe two or three bypasses on magical spells only from me. And other magic could erode it slightly.”
“What about those entire cities protected by barriers!”
“They use amplifying artifacts, and constantly at least one mage is in contact and concentrating all the time. And that is for a stationary area, you can’t imagine the work involved in a moving object, let alone a living person!”
“Fine…” She gave in. “A ward will have to do then.”
“Give me the circlet then.” I held my hand out again.
“Not until I am warded.” She tossed a completely fake innocent smile.
“Give it to Goldie, then I’ll ward you.” I sighed. I had done enough of these give and take negotiations over the years as a Bounty Hunter.
Gabbi pondered for a moment, before tossing the circlet to Goldie. I cringed as the golden-haired thief stumbled with catching it.
“Now, ward me.”
“Say please.” I smiled, my teeth filled with sarcasm while I opened my hand toward Gabbi. My fingers snapped before I pointed to her in the same manner I had done when changing Goldie’s outfit.
A spark of rainbow shot from my finger and swirled around her, tightening closer around her until it was practically a second outfit. It shimmered once it had settled then faded entirely from sight.
“That’s it?” Gabbi asked, sounding surprised. She hadn’t really ever been on the receiving end of my beneficial spells. Well except for the one before she became the wolf.
The Real Folktale Blues (Beyond Ever After #1) Page 18