by Amy Sumida
“Sweet Goddess,” I murmured as I kept my eyes fastened on the back of our waitress.
Finally, after what seemed like the longest walk I'd ever made, she opened an office door and took us inside. The seductive music faded as the waitress closed the door behind us, and I took a deep, relieved breath.
“What is it?” A man looked up from his desk and settled his stare on our group. “What's going on here?”
“Tim, this is Ambassador Seren Firethorn,” the woman introduced us with some heavy inflections on my name.
“Oh, dear dryads,” he whispered and blinked at me in shock. “The Queen is in my strip club.”
I couldn't tell what kind of sidhe he was, he didn't have any of the obvious traits, but Tim was definitely fey. He wore his hair short, but it was a deep, emerald green, and his eyes were a startling turquoise.
“An ironic choice of words,” I said as I strode forward. “A dryad is exactly who led me here.”
“Thank you, Carla,” Tim said to the waitress as he stood.
Carla bowed her head to me and hurried out.
“Your Majesty, please have a seat.” Tim gestured to a chair before his desk.
I sat, Killian took the seat beside me, and my Guard ranged out behind us.
“Now, how can I help you?” Tim asked as he resumed his seat. “You said something about a dryad?”
“I'm here to ask after a possible employee of yours,” I said. “A redcap named Talie. Do you know her?”
“Talie?” Tim's eyes went wide. “Yes; of course. Has she done something wrong? Is that why she hasn't shown up for work?”
My stomach dropped, and Killian went still.
“She hasn't come in to work?” I asked. “For how long?”
“It's been a few weeks now,” Tim said. “We were worried about her; I even reported it to King Daxon, but he hasn't been able to locate Talie. Her brother came to see her and was a bit distraught over her disappearance, but I assumed Fell went to the King because I haven't seen him since then.”
Tim's voice started to fade for me as the possibility of Daxon's guilt grew. I had to mentally shake myself and refocus on what he was saying. I nodded through the conversation and somehow found the ability to stand, thank Tim for his help, and walk out of his office without screaming. I didn't even notice the naked fairies on my way out. I didn't notice anything until I was sitting in the van again.
“Seren?” Killian asked.
I looked over at my fiance and took a cleansing breath. I wasn't sure if I was ready to give up on Daxon yet, but it was looking like a possible future for me. I had to steel myself against the pain of his betrayal, in case it was true, and remind myself that I had three other men who were absolutely loyal and who loved me completely. I could deal with Daxon's loss. I could; couldn't I?
“Seren?” Killian asked again. “Are you all right?”
“Yes.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Take us to Enchantments, Killian.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Enchantments had a line of hopeful patrons going around the block, but we went straight to the front, and the bouncer bowed us in. The entrance room was busier than usual, with three tables occupied and two couples on the dance floor. I know that sounds like a dead night, but the real attractions were in the back areas of the club. The front was only a place to get your bearings and decide where you truly wanted to be. I wasn't interested in entertainment, though. I needed to speak to the owner... and do my job despite my connection to him.
“Search everywhere,” I said to my Guard as I strode to a door at the back left of the room.
The waitstaff and bartender gaped at my Guard as they broke into two groups; one heading to the door on the right side of the room, and the other going with me to the left. I opened the heavy door and entered a dark corridor that led to several private rooms as well as Daxon's office. The Guard split up to search the entire area while I continued forward.
Daxon met us in the hallway.
“Seren, what's going on?” Daxon's smile faded when he got a good look at my face. “Let's take this conversation into my office.”
Daxon led Killian and me to his office without another word, not even glancing at me until he had the door shut behind us. I went to the center of the room, near the masculine desk and chairs that dominated the front room, but I remained standing. Killian crossed his arms and stood behind me.
“Why are you two staring at me like that?” Daxon asked.
“I've just come from Taboo,” I said.
“What the hell were you doing there?” Daxon huffed.
“Investigating the claims of one of your employees.” My hands were clenched into fists, and my breath was coming rapidly. “Fell.”
“Fell?” Daxon looked surprised. “He's missing. Fell's had the last few days off, but he was supposed to come in today—he hasn't shown yet.”
“That's because he's in my custody,” I said.
“Custody?” Daxon scowled. “What the fuck is going on, Seren? Did Fell do something criminal at Taboo?”
“Fell says that you have his sister,” Killian jumped in. “Says you took her as leverage against him, to force him to abduct Aideen, so you could then have leverage against Seren.”
“That's a lot of leverage,” Daxon muttered. He blinked a few times as he processed everything and then scowled deeper. “I honestly don't know what you're talking about. Fell's sister came over from Fairy, and I gave her a job at Taboo...” Daxon's expression cleared. “That's why you were there? To talk to my employees about Talie?”
I nodded.
“Well, then they've told you exactly what I'm about to; that Talie has gone missing. When Fell didn't show up tonight, I figured he was taking matters into his own hands and had gone searching for her. But now you're saying that he thinks that I have her?”
“He claims that you've said as much to him and that you've threatened to hurt Talie if Fell didn't kidnap Aideen,” Killian laid it all out again.
“Aideen? The dryad woman?” Daxon asked with more confusion.
“The Night Queen,” I corrected. “She's a twilight dryad.”
Daxon shook his head. “I'm baffled, Seren. Why would I want to kidnap a twilight dryad?”
“Because she's one of my best friends, and you know I would do anything I could to save her,” I said. “Don't act as if you don't know Aideen; I've introduced you.”
“Once,” Daxon growled. “I met her once, and that was in passing; that time we went to Gentry. I'm sorry, but I didn't know you were that close.” He narrowed his gaze at me. “You believe that I would kidnap your friend and threaten her life?”
“I don't want to believe it,” I said softly. “This is all finger-pointing right now, Dax. But first Sileas escaped your custody, and now there's this. It looks really bad.”
“A bit of circumstantial evidence and you're ready to convict me, Extinguisher?” Daxon snarled.
“No; I'm not,” I said firmly. “I'm here talking to you about it. But you have yet to deny anything.”
“Seren, I didn't do this!” Daxon shouted. “Why would I? What would I gain from taking your friend?”
“Influence over me.” I shrugged. “Fell also said that you're in league with King Barra of Idaho, and the two of you want to take over all of the American Undergrounds—split them in half between you.”
“He what?!” Daxon raged. “I don't know why Fell would say those things to you, Seren, but I assure you that they are lies. I do not have Talie, I did not try to kidnap your dryad friend, and I am not in league with Barra. That man is reprehensible!” Daxon took a breath and calmed. “You know me better than this. I love our people; I would never align myself with someone like Barra. At least believe that.”
“Okay, Dax,” I whispered.
“Okay?” Killian growled. “That guy Tim validated Fell's story.”
“How the fuck did Tim validate it?” Daxon asked.
“He said that Talie had
worked at Taboo and that she disappeared. He said he reported it to you, and then Fell came looking for his sister and was upset when he discovered that she was missing,” Killian said. “That ties in with what Fell said.”
“Yeah, and it also ties in with what I said,” Daxon growled. “I don't know where Talie is, but I don't have her.”
“Enough!” I placed myself between the two men. “Killian, I don't think he did this.”
“Thank you.” Daxon let out a relieved sigh.
“I don't know, Seren.” Killian shook his head. “He could be playing us. How well do we really know this guy?”
A knock came at the door.
“Enter!” Daxon called out.
It was Torquil. He came in, looking back and forth between the three of us, and stood at my elbow.
“She's not here, Your Highness,” Torquil reported.
“You searched my club?” Daxon gaped at me.
“We've been through this before, Dax.” I shook my head. “I may believe in you, but I have to answer to others who don't. I wouldn't be doing my due diligence if I didn't search for Talie here. But I will also look elsewhere for her, okay?”
“Is one of those elsewheres going to be my home?” Daxon asked.
“I'm sorry,” I said softly. “It has to be.”
“This is bullshit, Seren!” Daxon snapped. “I'm helping you on this black-market magic thing, and now I'm being investigated?”
“I can't ignore Fell's claims,” I said evenly. “He was very convincing, Dax. Not to mention; you're still on probation with Raza. We have to prove you to be a worthy consort, and I cannot do that with this accusation tarnishing your honor.”
Torquil was still standing beside me, and the rest of my Guard was in the hallway, just outside the open door. They all watched and waited anxiously for Daxon's answer.
“So be it,” Daxon finally gave in. “But when this is over, and I am proven innocent—as I shall be—I want an apology from you, Seren. I've trusted in you and done everything you needed me to do, yet you come at me with this? This is unfair, and you know it. I want your apology.”
“You'll have it,” I promised.
“And not just words,” he growled. “I want something tangible. I want you to make this up to me.”
“Fine, Daxon.” I sighed deeply. “You want a tangible apology. When you're proven innocent, I will give you one. Are you satisfied?”
“Not yet.” Daxon smiled wickedly. “But I will be.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
We went to Daxon's home—it was more of a mansion, really—and searched it from attic to basement. Daxon even opened secret passages for us. His employees watched it all with narrowed-gazed irritation, but they kept out of our way. We even searched their rooms. Talie wasn't there. I sent the Star's Guard with Desmond to search Daxon's other businesses, just to show that I had covered all of my bases. While they were gone, Killian and I brainstormed with Daxon on where Talie could be.
“I'd like to question Fell, but I suppose that's not allowed,” Daxon said.
“I have him, not the Councils, so their rules don't apply. However, if I let you question him, and they were to discover it later, it would look bad,” I said. “It may even count against you.”
“I just can't understand why Fell would say that I'm working with Barra,” Daxon huffed. “I hate that man.”
“Maybe Barra is the one who has Talie, and he's forcing Fell to say those things,” Killian tossed out that gem casually, as he leaned back on Daxon's leather couch.
Daxon and I gaped at each other in revelation.
“What?” Killian asked. “You think so?”
“Killian”—I shook my head—“I swear; you spend so much time being a goofball that you can't recognize brilliance, even when it comes out of your own mouth.”
“I'm not a goofball.” Killian smirked, making a lie of his words. “And I can recognize my own brilliance just fine.”
“What do you see in him?” Daxon asked me.
“He's hot.” I shrugged.
“And I make her laugh,” Killian added as he sat forward. “But enough with the jokes. How do you want to handle Barra? Because all roads seem to lead back to him.”
“We're waiting on a warrant,” I said it more to Daxon than Killian, since Kill already knew about the hold-up. “When we get it, we can go into the Idaho Underground and get Barra.”
“You and what army?” Daxon asked.
“The Extinguishers and the Wild Hunt,” I said. “That's what army. Armies, actually.”
“No offense, but a few groups of hunters and extinguishers won't be enough to maneuver that underground safely.” Daxon shook his head.
“Excuse me?” I huffed. “If I take a few hundred extinguishers and hunters down there with me, I'm pretty sure it will be enough to obliterate whatever Barra sends our way. Killian and I went in with just my Guard, a hunter, and a team of five extinguishers, and we wiped the floor with the group Barra sent to stop us.”
“If you did, it's because he let you,” Daxon said with a frown. “Which is even more worrisome.”
“You're saying they let us run them off?” I huffed.
“They ran?” Daxon lifted a brow. “Underground thugs ran away from a fight?”
“They sure as shit did.” Killian laughed. “A whole troop of trolls and a bean-sidhe.”
“That's all he sent?” Daxon scowled.
“Well, and a spriggan,” Killian added. “But Seren put him to sleep first.”
“Barra most definitely let you win that round,” Daxon said grimly.
“What?” I scowled at him. “Why send a group at all, if he's just going to let us win?”
“To give you a false sense of superiority? Make you feel safe enough to return?” Daxon shrugged. “I don't know yet, but there's bound to be a reason.”
“I don't like this,” Killian muttered.
“You should never have gone into the Idaho Underground with such a small force,” Daxon went on. “You're only advantage would have been an ability to sneak in undetected, but you weren't undetected, so it's a miracle that you're even alive.”
“A miracle?” I huffed. “I have a few tricks up my sleeve, Dax. I'm not that easy to kill.”
“I know you do,” he said. “But what good are they against thousands of fairies intent on killing you so that they can survive?”
“Thousands?” I whispered.
“There are that many down there?” Killian asked.
Daxon nodded. “There are that many just in the Boise portion.”
“But you're talking about the citizens, not Barra's soldiers,” I protested. “Those scared fairies wouldn't attack us; we're on their side.”
“Those fairies would attack you precisely because they're scared,” Daxon corrected me. “They are desperate and have been controlled by Barra for far too long to stand up to him now. They will do whatever he orders them to.”
“Even when I can offer them freedom?” I asked in surprise.
“They don't know that for sure,” Daxon said gently. “They've been promised things before, and no one has ever delivered on their promises. You will be just another lying face to them, and they will have no problem swarming over you and your army if it means saving their own skin. That's what Barra's underground does to our people, Seren. And that's why I try so hard to make things different here. But I am only one man. Yes; I control one of the biggest states, but if Barra can unite the other undergrounds against me, I won't stand a chance.”
“That's it,” I whispered. “Barra must be trying to take you down. He's setting you up so that he can swoop in and claim California. Maybe he intends to take all of the undergrounds alone.”
“And he's someone who could use Aideen against you,” Killian noted. “Because you can be damn sure that the Councils would support Daxon against Barra.”
“But with Ambassador Seren in Barra's pocket, the Councils would back down,” Daxon muttered. “That son of
a bitch!”
“Killian, can you scry the Councils, the Coven, and the Casters and let them know what we suspect?” I asked.
“No problem,” Kill pulled out his scry phone.
“Daxon, I think you should tighten security on your businesses and warn your employees to be on their guard,” I suggested while Killian wandered off somewhere quiet to make the calls.
“Yeah, I think you're right,” Dax agreed. “Fell won't be Barra's only target.”
“Or Aideen,” I murmured as I pulled out my phone... my regular cell phone.
“You think he'll go after another friend of yours?” Daxon asked.
“Why wouldn't he?” I countered.
“Valid.” Daxon pulled out his own cell phone and started dialing.
“Twilight Princess!” Councilman Karmen Dinelo answered on the second ring.
Previously known as “Councilman Karmen Simmel,” my friend had changed his name back to his father's surname. He had broken ties with his mother—citing permanent insanity as his reason; her insanity, not his—and had cemented the move with a name change. Having witnessed the alleged insanity firsthand, I supported his decision and kind of envied the ease with which he was able to deal with his crazy relatives.
“How's life as a fairy treating you?” Karmen asked.
“It's a little fucked up at the moment,” I said honestly. “I'm actually calling to warn you. Be careful; a fairy named Barra is targeting my friends.”
“Targeting?” He asked. “Explain that... pronunciate.”
“Pronunciate is not a word, Karmen,” I said dryly.
“It's my word, thank you very much! Pronunciation and enunciation all in one. Now, get to it! What do you mean; 'targeting?' Is someone shooting at us?”
“He's attempted to abduct Aideen already,” I pronunciated. “We think Barra wants leverage over me so he can take over the California Underground.”
“The California Underground?” Karmen's voice went low and gossipy. “Are you talking about raves? Because I've never been to one, but I'd love to check it out. Except for the drugs. I can't do drugs; I'm too pretty—I'll get raped.”