by Linsey Hall
“It will be.” I touched my comms charm and felt the magic flare to life. “Connor?”
“Claire? What’s up?”
“We need a tracking potion.” I laid out the specifics in as much detail as I could.
“Hmmmm. That’s going to be tough.”
“But you can do it, right?”
“Of course I can do it. But we’re going to need help.”
“From who?”
“I’ll work on that right now. When do you need it?”
“Ten minutes ago.”
He chuckled, but it was slightly dark. “Of course you do. I’ll get back to you soon with specifics.”
“Thanks.” I cut the connection and looked at Iain. “That settles that. We should probably head toward Magic’s Bend. We’ll need to pick up the potion.”
He nodded. “I can transport us once we’ve left your realm.”
I turned to look at Puka, who lay curled up on the bed, her eyes keen on Iain, as if she were assessing him. Did he pass her test?
“You coming, Puka?”
No.
“Have a good sleep.”
Oh, I will. Don’t get killed.
4
I left Puka snoozing on the bed and followed Iain to the door, ready to find this damned SoulStone and get my life back on track.
If only it were so easy.
Together, we headed down through the silent, empty castle. I gave him an appraising look. “No guards?”
“I made a good impression on the king and queen.”
Weird. I never made a good impression on them, and I was an actual Fire Fae, destined to save our people. He was the king of a rival Court.
I stored the info away for later. Something was up there, but it was hard to say what.
The castle was quiet as we walked through, and it was a weird feeling to be home again, in a place I’d never been allowed before.
“The castle is impressive,” Iain said.
“Very different from yours.”
“It’s no longer frozen, at least.” He inclined his head toward me. “Thanks to you.”
The acknowledgment warmed me slightly, but I quickly shoved away the pleasure. Now was not the time. Never was the time, actually.
We turned a corner and I bumped into small figure. The woman was no taller than I was, and far older. Her lined skin was semi-transparent, and I frowned.
“Are you a ghost?” I asked.
Ghosts weren’t normally corporeal, and I had definitely touched her. But she didn’t look fully alive, either.
“You must save us,” she hissed, gripping my arms.
“What?”
“Save us.”
Panic and worry flared. “I’m trying. I’m going to find the SoulStone.”
“You and the stone are one and the same. Save us.”
“What does that mean?”
“Save us. From it.” She disappeared into thin air.
I stumbled backward, mind racing.
“Who was she?” Iain asked.
“No idea.” I spun in a circle, as if I’d be able to see her that way. I couldn’t, of course. “Where did she go?”
“She had to be some sort of seer. Or spirit.”
I didn’t know enough Fire Fae lore to know who she might be. Of course I’d learned the basics as a child and teenager, but I hadn’t lived here long enough to absorb it all.
Only now was I grasping how weird my life had been, thrust from my homeland at such an important time.
I pressed my fingertips to my comms charm. “Connor?”
“Claire? Are you all right?”
“The weirdest thing just happened.” I described the entire thing in detail.
“That’s strange.” I could hear the frown in his voice. “You may have seen The Oracle. Sister of the Rowan Seer. She almost never appears, and she cannot be sought for answers like the Rowan Seer because nothing ties her to this plane like the Rowan tree ties the Rowan Seer.”
“How the hell didn’t I know about this?”
“I didn’t either, but I’ve been doing more research lately. There’s no reason we would have known as kids—no one would have told us about her, not when there was the Rowan Seer. The Oracle is largely legend, appearing rarely and only when she wants to.”
“Well, see if you can do more research. I want to know what she meant about me and the SoulStone.”
“I’m on it. Haven’t had any leads on how to get your magic back yet, but maybe this will help.”
“Thanks. I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
I cut the connection, and looked at Iain. There was something strange in his gaze, almost a wistfulness. But that emotion really didn’t suit the strong and silent king. I frowned at him. “What? Don’t you have siblings?”
“None.”
I got the strongest sense that love of any kind wasn’t really part of his life. It made my heart ache, but I didn’t have time for that. And I didn’t want to feel anything for him. It would only complicate things.
“Come on. We need to get moving.” I hurried down the corridor, my gaze alert for any sign of The Oracle. My skin still prickled where she’d touched me. Her magic had felt ancient and powerful.
Iain and I strode out of the castle, passing the silent guards who watched us with keen eyes. I turned back to see the king and queen standing at a massive second-floor window, watching us leave.
“They knew we’d be going now, didn’t they?” I asked.
“I spoke to them before I came to you.”
I didn’t like the idea of Iain making arrangements with my Court instead of me.
Something was definitely weird.
Do they know I’m the one who burned the moor the first time?
A cold shiver raced over me at the thought.
This was all so much more complicated than I’d realized.
But I’d deal with it later. It was indisputable that we needed the SoulStone back, so I’d focus on that first.
We strode through the early morning light, passing the houses that now gleamed a very pale orange in the light. The glass sparkled under the sunlight, and it was a type of beauty I hadn’t seen in so long that my eyes pricked with tears. People stared out the windows at us, and this time, the confusion was even more palpable.
Finally, we reached the ancient oaks that marked the boundary between our realm and the human one. I stepped toward them, my soul growing calmer as I stood in their presence.
The tiny, twisted trees with gnarled bark reached out their limbs to stroke my arms. Comfort flowed through me, followed by a prickle of magic. The ether sucked me in and spun me through space.
Moments later, I arrived on Dartmoor, at the edge of the clapper bridge that crossed the river. Iain appeared next to me just as my comms charm buzzed.
“Claire?” Connor said.
“Yeah, I’m here bro.”
“Meet us at Mordaca and Aerdeca’s. We need their help for this one.”
“I’m on it.” I cut the connection and turned to Iain. “Can you take us to Darklane?”
“Your brother doesn’t call you by your real name.”
“Claire is real enough now. I’ve used it for years.”
“Why?”
“You’re kidding, right? To hide from you.”
“Right.” His jaw tightened, as if he didn't like the reminder that he’d hunted me for most of my adult life.
How the hell had fate thought that we were a good pair? It was inane.
“Darklane?” I said.
“Let’s go.” He held out his hand, and I took it.
Icy warmth shivered up from where our skin touched.
“You’re still cold,” I said. “Even though the ice has thawed.”
“I think I’ll always be that way.” His voice turned slightly rougher. “Unless I’m touching you.”
I swallowed hard. How would he ever give me up?
He didn’t love me—that was clear enough.
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But he wanted me. And I drove away the cold.
I shoved away the worrisome thought as Iain transported us to Darklane. The ether spun me through space, clearing my mind. A moment later, we arrived in Darklane in the wee hours of the morning. The time change was extreme, but I was used to hopping back and forth via the ether.
Despite the late hour, it was one of the busier times in Darklane. Things really got going at night, basically a magical rush hour after businesses closed. The streets were full of supernaturals, all rushing along the sidewalks that bordered the cobbled street. The scent of dark magic filled the air—slightly rotten, but not terrible. It only got really bad when it was explicitly evil, and most supernaturals in Darklane weren’t that.
Antique streetlamps cast a golden glow on the sooty facades of the Victorian buildings. If it weren’t for the occasional car, it could be a scene from an old movie.
“Where exactly are we going?” Iain asked.
“To see two blood sorceresses about a tracking potion. Connor sometimes works with them.” I didn’t mention that Mordaca was also Fae, and royalty at that. He’d figure it out if he was meant to.
I strode down the street toward the Apothecary’s Jungle. Mordaca and Aerdeca had started running it on reduced hours lately—they were busy with other things—but they always opened it for friends. The shingle sign over their door swung in the soft breeze, and spots of purple paint gleamed through the soot that covered the building. It coated their house, but I’d never label them evil.
Dark magic was a tricky thing—though it was generally bad, it wasn’t always. For example, blood magic like the sorceresses preformed generally fell under the umbrella of dark magic, but it was only truly evil and wrong if the blood was used without consent. Mordaca and Aerdeca never did that, and truth was, they didn’t need to live in Darklane. But they preferred it. Said it suited their dark souls.
I strode up the stairs to their door and knocked, using the brass lion knocker that glared at me.
A few seconds later, it creaked open. Mordaca stood within, propping her hip against the door jamb. Her sleek black dress plunged deeply between her pale breasts and her dark hair was done up in a bouffant that gleamed like midnight. Her eye makeup was so dark and heavy that she looked like a sexy raccoon, and her voice had the rasp of a smoker’s, even though she’d long ago quit. She was scary sexy in the best way, and wickedly good in a fight, even with the stiletto heels.
She arched a brow. “You have the worst timing, you know.”
“I love you too, pal.” I smiled at her. “Thanks for the help.”
“Anytime.” She stepped back, waving us in with black tipped nails that had been filed into points. “Come on in. Aerdeca is annoyed to be up so early, so you’d better keep your voices low.”
Aerdeca was more of a daytime person than Mordaca, so I wasn’t surprised she was pissed to be up so early. She didn’t keep to the usual Darklane schedule, but Mordaca did and was likely on her way toward ending the day.
I followed her into the small foyer that was done up with ornate black velvet wallpaper. The floral pattern contained skulls if one looked closely enough, and I imagined that this house contained all kinds of secret doors and hidey holes. A black crystal chandelier gleamed overhead, giving the place a haunted house feel as she led us back to their workshop.
The Apothecary’s Jungle workshop was a bit different than the rest of the house—homier, due to the fireplace and herbs hanging from the ceiling. It was similar to Connor’s potions lab, but less cluttered. The blood sorceresses weren’t all that different from Connor, except they used blood in all of their work—often their own, since it had so much powerful magic.
Aerdeca was already within, wearing a long silk robe in a nearly blinding shade of ivory. Her long blond hair fell over her back in silky waves, and she turned to look at us.
“You really have the worst timing, you know.” Her voice was sweeter than Mordaca’s, and she didn’t look half as scary, but a person would be an idiot to think she was the nice one in the bunch.
“Your sister said the same thing.”
“What can I say, we’re both clever.” She smiled coolly, then turned back to the shelves to continue gathering ingredients.
“Your brother should be here any moment.” Mordaca eyed Iain. “And who is your friend?”
“Iain of the Iceni, King of the Sea Fae.”
“Ah.” She raised her brows and nodded. “I thought something about you felt familiar.”
“You as well, but I cannot place it.” Confusion glinted in Iain’s eyes.
It wasn’t exactly a secret that Mordaca was queen of the Unseelie Fae, though she held the title in name only. She wasn't one for bureaucracy, and at the end of the day, that’s what being queen entailed.
Even so, I wasn’t going to tell Iain who she was. She liked to keep a low profile in Magic’s Bend, where she now spent half of her time. The other half was spent with Tarron, her Fae mate. He was king of the Seelie Fae, and their union was something to be envied.
I shot Iain a glance.
Yeah, not the same for us.
A knock sounded at the door, and Mordaca moved toward it. “Speak of the devil.”
She was back in seconds with Connor, Cass following close behind. The FireSoul looked like she could use a cup of coffee, but she was dressed in her usual uniform of jeans, boots, and a brown leather jacket. Her red hair was pulled back in a messy bun, and her eyes looked tired.
I raised a brow. “What brings you here?”
“Connor said you needed help.”
“For the tracking potion,” he said. “You’re sure you can’t just bring Cass?”
“No can do. Only Fae allowed past the borders.” I looked at Cass. “But thanks for offering.”
“No problem. Apparently my blood can make a potion to help you track whatever it is you’re looking for.” She yawned. “Which suits me, because then I can go back to bed.”
“Right, let’s get this show on the road.” Mordaca pointed to the hearth. “Non-participants can wait over there. That’ll be… Claire and Iain. Stay out of the way.”
I saluted her, and stepped around the table, going toward the hearth that gleamed warm and bright. Two creatures slept in front of it, though I hadn’t spotted them from my vantage point earlier. A massive wolf was curled up on the rug, his fur actually formed of black thorns. A tiny black cat slept on his back. The cat had fur that wafted with smoke.
Burnthistle the thorn wolf and Wally the hellcat. Wally was Aerdeca’s familiar and Burn was Mordaca’s. Both animals completely ignored us, but I had a feeling that was because they knew we weren’t threats. They could give Puka a run for her money on killing day.
As Iain and I watched, Aerdeca, Mordaca, and Connor all got to work, bustling around as they prepped the cauldron and other ingredients. Cass hung back, ready to donate her blood.
The hearth flickered warmly at my back and Iain stood so close that I could feel the warmth of his arm through my jacket. It was both cold and hot, his signature feeling that made my heart race and my breath catch. A tingle of heat shot through me, catching my breath, and I almost moved away.
But that would show that I noticed.
I didn’t want to be affected by him.
I was, though. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t pretend.
So I just stood there. And if I enjoyed the icy heat of him? Well, no one needed to know.
Within minutes, the cauldron was smoking and Aerdeca gestured for Cass to come forward.
“Hold out your hand, palm up,” Mordaca said. “Right over the cauldron.”
Cass did as instructed, and Mordaca sliced her palm with a silver blade, dripping the crimson blood into the potion. The smoke flamed red, then died down.
“Thanks, you’re good.” She waved her hand over Cass’s palm, healing the wound. “Now go join them by the fire.”
Cass did as she was told.
Mordaca sliced her own fing
ertip with her sharp thumbnail, adding a drop of her own blood. I caught sight of an ebony droplet as it fell into the potion, which sizzled and smoked black as soon as it hit. Aerdeca repeated the gesture, contributing an ivory droplet to the mix. The smoke turned white briefly, then the blood sorceress stirred it with the same dagger.
A moment later, she withdrew the dagger and stepped back. “We’ve done our bit. You’re up, Connor.”
Once the smoke had died, Connor stepped forward and added precisely measured amounts of colorful powders. I had no idea what they did, but he knew. He made most potions by instinct, creating magic that had never existed before. It wasn’t like reading a recipe book to make a cake, and it was why he was so good.
It took him a few minutes to get it to his standards, his brow heavily creased as he tweaked it.
Cass leaned over to me. “He told me on the way over that if he gets it wrong, it blows up.”
Eek. “Like, how big?”
“This room, at least.”
“Which means us.” I sighed. “At least he’s good at this.”
Finally, he appeared satisfied. His brow smoothed out and he stepped back. “That’s it. We can bottle it.”
Aerdeca and Mordaca leaned over.
“Very nice,” Aerdeca murmured.
I joined them, peering into the cauldron. The liquid within swirled with every shade of blue, impossibly beautiful.
“Wow, nice work, bro.”
“Thanks. Developed it today, but I’m certain it will work. It’s got all the hallmarks of a powerful tracking charm. I can feel it.”
Mordaca bottled it up into three small vials, then handed them to me. “Take this right before you start your search. It should allow you to find this SoulStone, since you’re connected to it. Cass’s FireSoul blood will allow you to track it more easily.”
“Thank you.” I took them and shoved them in my pocket.
“Go,” Connor said. “I’ll settle up here.”
“No charge,” Mordaca said.
I raised my brows at her. It was rare for Mordaca not to charge, even her friends, but now that I thought of it, she hadn’t charged me the last few times either. “Thanks.”
“Any luck with getting your magic back?” she asked.