Dragon Noir (Pixie for Hire Book 3)

by Cedar Sanderson

  Trytion stroked his beard and heard her out patiently while she paced and tried to formulate her argument for ridding themselves of the troublesome Duchess. It’s a bad idea, he told her later, to try and manipulate friends into power and those we don’t like out. Doing that led to having a cadre of yes-men, and greater men than me, he’d pointed out gently, have been led astray doing that.

  Bella had felt like crying, but let it go. How could he endure having a traitor sitting there calmly learning all the inner plans every time they met?

  Trytion, leaning one elbow on my kitchen table listening to her talk, his eyes dark with sorrow, reached across it to take her hand.

  “I can endure it because I know it will not last long. As soon as we have enough evidence.”

  “You couldn’t have told me this before?” Bella glared at him.

  “You have been distracted. I’m sorry, Bella. But…” He looked at me. “I needed your mind on him, to be honest, not on her. I could take care of her and the Council. I’ve been doing it for more than a century. But you’re the only one who could find him. I know Lom well enough to know he wouldn’t just vanish with a pregnant wife, and his sister’s death unsolved.”

  I nodded and Bella took a deep, shaky breath. “The pregnancy hormones aren’t helping. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come close to bursting into tears at the worst possible time.”

  “That explains a lot.” I commented. She hit me. Gently. Then she started talking again.

  “I knew something was wrong when I tried to send a message to you the next night. I’d been waiting to hear, and then the body turned up…”

  “What?” She hadn’t said anything about that. “Where?”

  “At Court, not your home, which is why we thought they might be unconnected.” Corwin broke in.

  “Well, that, and this one had not been brutalized.” Alger spoke for the first time. “We initially thought the man had starved to death.”

  “At Court?” I was perplexed, but had an inkling…

  “His stomach was full. Of… everything. Dirt, rocks, plants… he was found in the garden, emaciated, but he’d been eating literally everything in sight.”

  “While I was making inquiries… before the kelpie, sorry, Bella.”

  She squeezed my hand. “I know that wasn’t your fault.”

  I kept going, reassured. “The general consensus seems to have been that the thing Dion is using as her enforcer causes hunger. One told me it kills, but the victim isn’t really dead, it’s just hunger, until it dies again. He wasn’t real clear on how long this would take, or if it could happen more than once. And then I learned that it came from Above. Bella…” I looked at her. “I know you grew up not really knowing about magic, but could there be other spirits like Raven, remnants of legends lingering on?”

  Alger stroked his beard, looking at the ceiling. “I think there’s something…”

  Bella got that far away look. “I’m looking.”

  I glanced back and forth between the two of them. “I take it the library situation hasn’t been cleared up?”

  Alger shook his head. “I haven’t wanted to add to her burden. I can only access a little, on the fringes…”

  “Aha.” Bella spoke, her eyes still dreamy. “Native American spirits causing hunger and… ugh. Self-cannibalism? Um. Could this be a Wendigo?”

  “She had no trouble getting in.” I looked at Alger, who was a trifle peaked around the edges. “You ok?”

  “I think I’m losing my mind.” His shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry, boy, but I’m of no use to you any longer.”

  He had all our attention, and for once, I didn’t see the old familiar drama on his face. The puckish sense of humor was gone, and what was left was a shell.

  Alger reached for his staff to lever himself to his feet. I’d never seen him do this before. “I held out until you were home, but I’m going. Better I not…” He waved his free hand dismissively. “It’s not a pretty way to go. I’d rather die in combat, but that’s a way to take others with me.”

  I remembered Martin, and how he’d fought to the end. The old man had died with dignity. Alger was right, but…

  Bella went around the table and caught his hand in both of hers. “Uncle. Why didn’t you speak to me before?”

  He looked down at her and his eyes went gentle. “I never meant to give you the library, only the outer shell, and in my haste I didn’t try to unwrap it. That you would have the power you do… It’s been a joy to see that bloom.”

  “Lom told me when you had given the library you asked no price. He said you would ask later, and that I might not want to pay it. At the time, I had no idea the gravity of the possible prices. But Alger, I would pay that now.”

  He drew back a little, startled. “M’dear girl. Any debts owed were waived when you came into the family.”

  I couldn’t help myself. “And all the fees I’ve paid over the years?”

  He broke into a smile. “It was the only way I could continue teaching you, those tasks.”

  I laughed. “You old fool, you benefited from all of that.”

  “Well, yes, or you would have caught on.” He looked back down at Bella. “I am old. It is my time.”

  “No. No, there is something else that is going on, and we are going to get to the bottom of this. I need you. Your damn library is so out of order I can’t possibly learn all of it on my own.” She poked him in the chest.

  “Bella…” He sounded oddly helpless.

  “Better give in, Alger.” Corwin offered. “I’m learning not to oppose her already. Woman is going to rule with an iron fist.”

  “We are going to the library, right after the coronation. End of that argument.”

  “But your condition!” He protested. She looked at me. I raised both hands.

  “Alger, is the library dangerous?” I asked.

  He snorted. “The library itself? Only if a stack of books falls on her.”

  “Which it might.” Bella came back to her seat, smiling. “Now, I want to talk to my husband. Shoo.”

  They went, not without a little leering. We still had things to talk about, but all of us were going to cater to her. In the light of day and with clear eyes, I could see that despite the swollen belly, her face was thin and there were blue shadows under her eyes.

  “Only one body?” I asked her, and she nodded. “That’s good. I was wondering if there would be a daily body until we…”

  “Did what? She hasn’t contacted us directly. There have been no overt threats, or demands, or…” she fluttered her hands. “Anything.”

  “Which is more nerve-wracking than something.”

  “Yes…” She picked up her tea and frowned into her mug. “I don’t like just waiting for something to happen. And I don’t like the idea of a spirit as powerful as Raven running around acting as the Low Court’s hitman.”

  “I wonder what they are up to. Oh, shit.”

  “What?” She looked up, confused, as I jumped up.

  “When you couldn’t reach me, what happened?”

  “I’d form a message spell, and then when I tried to send it it would spiral up into the air slowly, then settle back into my hand, glow for a second, and…” her lower lip trembled. “Go out.”

  “Damn. I have to go do something.” I leaned forward to kiss her. “I promise I will be right back.”

  “No. Oh, no, you don’t.” She got to her feet. The pregnancy had not yet slowed her down. I remembered Margot, with a lump in my throat, waddling around carrying Devon. It didn’t seem possible she was gone. Bella whisked a bubble around us. “Where are we going? If you think I’m letting you out of my sight for one second, Learoyd Otheris….”

  I stopped her with a kiss, and gave the spell a nudge in the right direction. We’d find out what Terrence thought about a woman in jeans and a sweater wanting to waltz into Joe’s.

  The Crowning Day

  As it turned out, we never found out what the ogre would say
about casual dress. Sean was waiting for us in the alley. He’d gotten my message while we were on our way, and wanted to jump right back out.

  “Where to?”

  “I don’t care, man, just fast.” He was looking everywhere at once, the whites of his eyes showing all the way around. The big wolf was scared half out of his mind. I took us to the sunny meadow, which wasn’t that sunny today, but it was the first place I could think of. He took a deep breath, and let it out slow, turning to see in all directions.

  “We’re alone.” Bella spoke for the first time, and Sean really looked at her.

  “You’re real.” He swiveled his head back to me. “You’re alive.”

  “Yes, and yes. What did you think, that was my ghost back there?”

  “You were gone a long time, and my messages…”

  “I know, they didn’t go through. Long story. What has you ready to bolt?” I looked around the meadow, hoping it wouldn’t start to rain. I figured it was time I created a place to take people and talk that wasn’t my house. I needed a bolthole.

  Sean took a minute to get his equilibrium. Bella helped. She stuck her hand out. “Hi, I’m Bella. Mr. Rudepants here forgot to mention that.”

  I raised an eyebrow. Sean got a look on his furry face I’ll never forget. He held out a paw to Bella, all misshapen fingers and a thumb with long nails and short brown fur. I didn’t think I’d ever touched him. Sean considered himself a freak, and was touchy about his appearance. Bella took his hand and smiled widely at him.

  “I’m Sean. Er… Sean the wolf.” He gave me a wild-eyed look that wasn’t fear, or at least not fear like it had been before.

  “I really like that suit. I must get the name of your tailor.”

  Now she had both our attention. Sean looked like he might fall to his knees in front of her, and I had a sheer moment of horror that she meant to outfit me like the wolf, who was sporting a shade of crimson that just escaped being pink by a dark hair.

  “Sh… Sure thing, Lady Bella.” He told her with a little stammer.

  “Just Bella. Now, talk to me. What’s wrong, and how can we help you?”

  He slumped, and I wondered if we could bottle her essence. She had a gift for leveling with people, and they opened up to her like a cork coming out of a champagne bottle.

  “I’m in big trouble. That thing… the enforcer, they’re sending it after me.”

  “What?” I had told him not to open his mouth. He shrugged, palms up in apology.

  “I wasn’t getting nowhere. Joe’s was drying up. Everyone was antsy, but nobody blabbed. If they did come in, they was like a clam, drinking the ocean but never a word.”

  “And you thought you’d ask questions.” I would have, had I been in his shoes. Not that I’d be caught dead in today’s puce and maroon two-tones.

  “Seemed like the right thing to do. Buy a drink or three, I felt guilty not using that money you gave me for results, real info. I thought I’d get the straight dope and instead…” He shivered.

  “What happened?” Bella prompted.

  “My guy, the one I’d been leading on. Third night I’d intercepted him in this real dive bar, not Joe’s, and he came in with a funny look on his face. Like he wasn’t all there, you know? I stood up and he went for me. Growling, and gnashing his teeth, like, and I jumped back so fast I tripped over a chair and went down, wound up under the next table which I figure saved my life.”

  He pulled a maroon silk handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his eyes, which were welling up. “The bouncer, he was just a dwarf, he tried to bounce the guy, and got bitten. The next thing I know, they are tryin’ to eat each other. The guy, he even got to gnawing on his own arm. They were so wrapped up in each other, I got out of there. But, Lom that was meant for me.”

  I nodded, feeling grim. “I know. That’s the Blood Queen’s ticket to power, a thing that creates an insatiable hunger in a person, it eats and eats and starves to death.”

  He nodded, his eyes haunted. “I heard they were both dead in two days, looking like they’d been without food for weeks, but chewing on anything in reach. I went into hiding. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I’d used my last favor and the money up, and then I got your message.”

  “We’ll get you someplace safe.” Bella reached out and took his paw again. He gave her puppy dog eyes in return. It was faintly revolting.

  “I’ve got some ideas. Did you get anything at all?”

  He nodded. “She’s raising an army. Rumor has it they mean to hit High Court at the coronation.”

  “When they figure we’ll all be so distracted we won’t be ready.”

  We wouldn’t be, either. That wasn’t very much time. We had no proof to sway the Wild Hunt in our direction, just lots of supposition and innuendos. Bella put a hand to her belly. Sean followed her motion.

  “When are the pups coming?”

  Bella choked back a little laugh. “The babies are due in about four months.”

  He wiggled his ears. “Hope they take after you and not that ugly sonofa…”

  Now she did laugh as he bit of the end of what he’d been saying. I didn’t care. Teasing meant he was back on track, and I did not need an insanely worried werewolf on my hands.

  “Bella, we have to get back and tell the King what’s coming. Sean, you’re coming with us.”

  His ears laid back. “I’d rather not.”

  “I need you to tell him. I’m in his black books right now,” I fibbed a little. Truth was, I wanted him at Court. We needed every set of hands and paws on deck for this one. I’d dealt with a goblin incursion with only a dozen men, it was going to be a little trickier this time.

  He sighed deeply. “If you need me.”

  “Please come.” Bella laid a hand on his arm and looked up into his furry face. She may have batted her lashes, I couldn’t see from where I was standing.

  “Yeah. I’ll come.”

  I bubbled the three of us before he could change his mind, and we were on our way.

  “Where to, m’lady?” I asked Bella. We were going to Court, but where?

  She pursed her lips in thought. “I think the small receiving room. It ought to be empty at this time.”

  I saw her flick message spells as quickly as she could. I had a feeling that room wouldn’t be empty long. I was right, it was pretty crowded when we got in there, and it took a while to clear it out again until there were only three of us standing in it, looking at each other, and thinking.

  Not for the first time, I thought about why this room had no windows. So you couldn’t tell what time of day it was outside Court, and you couldn’t tell how long you’d been waiting – there wasn’t a clock in it, either. There were books, and usually refreshments, and a necessary room. But you could be left in here for an undetermined time and never know how long you’d been waiting, unless you had a watch, and that wasn’t common among the Fae.

  I had a watch. And I wasn’t waiting, the king was standing here looking at me, like I was the man with the answers.

  “We haven’t got time,” I told him. In this room, all warm and mellow, my voice sounded flat and cold to my own ears. “We might have had time before Peg pulled her trick on me, but now?” I shrugged. “Raising an army takes time we just don’t have.”

  “I know it.” He ran a hand over his beard and looked back and forth between the two of us.

  “Leave her out of it. Bad enough you’re putting that crown around her neck, without dragging her into a battle in her condition.” I let a little of my fear for her – for them – trickle into my growl.

  “I’m not sick, I’m pregnant.” She kept her voice low, and then turned away to go sit down.

  “Can you find out the size of this army? Or even if there is one?”

  I nodded. “And then what?”

  “Joe is already summoning men.”

  “Beaker.” Bella spoke again and the look on Trytion’s face told me he thought the pregnancy had gone straight to his brain. />
  “I take it you haven’t met Beaker yet.” I said to him. He shook his head.

  “Another like your wolf friend?”

  “Not exactly. He’s a little more intimidating to look at. Bella, can you get him to play door dragon?”

  She chuckled. “He’d rather be in the throne room with me, but I think I can show him he won’t fit, and he’ll do what I ask.”

  I walked over to her and put a hand on her hair. She twisted around and took it, kissing my fingers. “You will be here?”

  “I promised.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I’m going to see how far I can push a bubble, and how fast.” I nodded at Trytion and walked out of the room. Court was under an interdiction, and although I knew I could break it, it took more effort and I was saving myself, now.

  I wasn’t going to Low Court, she didn’t have room to gather any kind of force there, and it was too far. Underhill, an army had to travel more or less like one above, on their feet, or paws, or scaled bellies… Transport by bubbles worked for a small group, but it took a lot of power, and when you got where you were going, you might need that power in a fight.

  Which helped me, as there were few places you could approach High Court, and fewer that would allow an army passage. All I needed to do was figure how far they could travel in the time before the coronation, and look there.

  I was going to try a trick Alger had taught me, taking a bubble in, thinning it enough to see, and then going again. Hopefully without being seen myself. The first few hops were nothing, all quiet. I stopped to think and take a breath. Just travel wasn’t as wearing as this stop and go, and the strain of expecting something to shoot at me wasn’t helping.

  “What if I don’t find them?” I asked the air. I didn’t think the wolf had been lying, but I didn’t trust whoever had told him near that much. It was possible this was all a ruse to get us up in arms. And then what?

  It was the old story of the boy and the wolf again. Keep getting ready, then nothing… when the real threat came, you were too worn out to care any longer. Dionaea might have the patience for that. Her ally did, from what we’d been learning, and I wasn’t sure who was really in charge over there.