Seducer Fey

by Cullyn Royson

  “You’re just going to have a little food poisoning,” Taban whispered in her ear. “You’ll be okay by morning, dad won’t be. I love you, Telyn. Goodbye.”

  “Where are you going?” She caught his sleeves in her fists.

  “Away.” He put her hand on his cheek and slipped a scrap of paper into her palm. “Here keep this secret and safe. It’s the name of someone, who will be there for you whenever you need hir.”

  In the dim light, she squinted at the paper. “Who’s Ea—?”

  “An old flame,” Taban interrupted her. He heard his father shuffling out of the restroom, so he kissed his beloved sister on the forehead, and left her.

  “I have a gig out of town, so I need to go catch my flight. I hope you feel better,” Taban informed his father. “Don’t worry. The last time I got a stomach bug, it only lasted a day.”

  Grumbling something unintelligible, his father doubled over holding his abdomen. Taban shut the door to the apartment decisively—he’d made his choice. People would investigate his father’s murder. They might not be able to charge him, but they’d certainly track him down.

  Using the cold June evening as an excuse to don a cashmere scarf, Taban passed a different security guard as he left the apartment building. He bowed his head under his cap and scarf, doing his best impression of a non-descript, depressed teen. Once outside, he looked up at the fourteenth floor. “Go west to hell, father,” he said, and pulled his jacket’s hood over his head.

  Large drops of rain dripped down his collar, soaking him before he had walked two blocks. The icy water, and a breeze that tasted of salt rejuvenated him as he hurried to distance himself from the scene. Twenty minutes later, near the ferry dock downtown, he passed a brightly lit café. The late hours of a place that smelled of freshly brewed coffee caught his attention. The rain caused tiny waterfalls on the uncovered sidewalk tables in front of the café. The few patrons enjoyed their coffees indoors on fluffy red sofas, except one who sat hunched under a hooded raincoat sipping a tiny espresso at one of the outdoor tables. Taban lingered. Something drew him toward the café.

  “Good evening, Taban,” a familiar melodious voice said. The outdoor patron pulled off his hood and shook out his bangs. “That’s the worst hair cut you’ve ever had,” Eadowen remarked as Taban self-consciously ran his hand over his bare scalp. “And you’ve never looked better.”

  “Ea?” Taban approached the table in disbelief. “Did you track me with a chip or something?”

  “No. Aydan told me about what happened in Scotland,” Eadowen explained. Taban felt his heart sink to his stomach—Eadowen already knew what he had done. “Your sister is the one person you had left. I knew you’d go to her as soon as possible. So, I booked a flight to Seattle. I also knew you’d return to the sea. This road leads directly from your sister’s apartment. You were always one for taking the fastest route.” While he spoke, Eadowen wove the ends of Taban’s scarf around his hand. He let the cashmere slide through his fingers, drawing Taban closer. “I waited for you, yesterday and today.”

  “Here.” Taban set his Ogham to transfer money. “This is enough to send Donovan and Aydan to university and for you to live on for at least four years.”

  Eadowen waved his hand in refusal. The bloodstone ring on his ring finger flickered in the dim street light.

  “Take it!” Taban almost shouted, then realized he didn’t want to draw attention to himself, and switched to a harsh whisper. “Please, Ea, just accept it.”

  “No.”

  “Where’re you headed?”

  “Australia.”

  Addressing the sidewalk, Taban muttered a phrase he thought he’d only say honestly to his sister, “I love you.”

  With intent hazel eyes, Eadowen regarded him silently.

  “Take it, because I love you—like family—you bastard.” Taban snapped up and addressed his friend through gritted teeth.

  “If I do, will it relieve you of a burden?”

  “Yes.”

  Swiping his arm over Taban’s, Eadowen allowed the monetary exchange to occur.

  “Why aren’t you answering me?” Taban tasted the salt of his own tears washed by the rain into his mouth. “Tell me you love me too,” he commanded. “Even my own sister doesn’t care for me.”

  “It seems I was the one who kept our deal,” Eadowen replied with tenderness, in both his voice and expression.

  “What deal?” Taban asked as they embraced. He consciously tried to capture the memory with all five of his senses. He nuzzled Eadowen’s warm neck, heard Eadowen’s breath against his cheek, and inhaled the scent of thistle mixed with hawthorn. “You’d better hurry. You’re too valuable to get thrown in jail,” Eadowen said. His lips brushed Taban’s jaw as he spoke.

  The ferry horn sounded in a long, low drone as Taban hailed a taxi to the airport. Locked in the cab, Taban stole one last look at the table where Eadowen had been sitting. His friend was gone. His ring felt like ice, as he touched it to his lips. This time of year, it will be winter where I’m going, he thought, as the taxi took him far away from everyone he held dear.

  CHAPTER 22

  THE MOON PRINCESS

  WAS WISER

  THE ICY WATER RUSHED from the showerhead over Danny’s body, soothing her pain. Completely drained of energy, Danny sat on the tiled floor of the last shower stall in the hostel. Wrapped in a towel, Cassidy scrubbed her much-abused feet in the stall across from Danny’s. Neither pulled the curtain completely closed—neither wanted to be far from the other.

  “I can’t believe what I did.” The water turned red from Danny’s battered knuckles. “We aren’t any closer to getting that darn journal.”

  “You’re powerful, Danny. And there’s nothing wrong with that.” Cassidy winced as she cleaned dirt out of a cut. “I know you’ll find your control. Maybe we should go back to that martial arts summer camp.”

  “We’re a bit old.”

  “We could be summer camp counselors.”

  “I’d like that.” Danny dragged herself out of the shower to help Cassidy with her injuries. As she washed her friend’s feet, she saw her reflection in a dusty mirror at the far end of the restroom. Under harsh neon lights and framed by a thick mop of long, dark hair, her cold gaze reflected back at her. She touched her chest and contemplated whether she’d rather be male. Just then a knock echoed down the corridor of empty shower stalls.

  “It’s me,” Aydan called. “May I come in?”

  “Yes,” Danny confirmed.

  “Marja is a medical student,” Aydan said. “She knows about our situation. She says that she has to make sure that the drugs in your system will wear off with no adverse effects. Do you mind if she comes in too?”

  “No, not at all.”

  A lanky woman entered, carrying an emergency kit, and a wrinkle of concern between her brows. With a colorful clip, she fastened her sunny blond hair in a loose bun. “Hello, Cassidy.” Marja shook her hand. “It’s nice to meet you. After I check your vital signs, I’d like to call a medic.”

  “Is that really necessary?” Cassidy asked.

  “Yes, I understand this is meant to be secret, but I can’t compromise your health. I’ll help you figure out a way to get an examination without having to answer too many questions. There’s a room upstairs that I’ve had prepared for you to stay here the rest of the night.”

  Cassidy noticed Danny inspecting her body in the mirror.

  “Do you know anything about being gender queer?” Danny said to Aydan.

  “I know I’m a platypus of gender expression, but I don’t know what it’s like to feel like you’re not the gender you were assigned at birth,” Aydan replied.

  “You’re welcome to talk to me,” Marja remarked as she checked Cassidy’s blood pressure.

  “Why?”

  “I always knew I was a woman, but I wasn’t born that way,” Marja explained. An amused half-smile graced her mouth as the friends glanced at her in surprise.

 
“Oh.” A flicker of warmth bloomed in Danny’s heart. “Thank you so much.”

  “You’re welcome. I’ll give you my contact information, okay?” Marja finished her quick check-up and started to bandage Cassidy’s injured feet. “You seem to be recovering just fine, but let’s get you to your room and call a medic.”

  Marja then attended to Danny’s knuckles and the nail scratches on her arms. Danny yelped when she carefully applied the anesthetic. Cassidy and Marja chatted cheerfully about the significance of law in public health as they headed to Cassidy’s room. Lagging behind, Aydan remained in the restroom with Danny.

  “You like Cassidy don’t you,” Danny commented as soon as she knew Cassidy was out of earshot. While waiting for him to reply, she slipped into a tank top and sweats.

  “I don’t know her that well, but I like what I do know,” Aydan admitted, shoving his hands in his coat pockets. “I know you like her too.”

  “We’re just friends because that’s the relationship we can both share. It’s just tough to see her like you so much.”

  “I wish I could help you feel better. I’m sure you’ll run into lots of people who think you’re pretty special … I mean all of us appreciate you.” He touched her shoulder. “Is there anything I can do?”

  Tapping her lip, Danny considered his offer. “You know what.” She gave him her best mischievous leer. “There is something you can do for me.”

  “Anything.”

  Enjoying his conditioner’s hazel and lilac scent, she whispered directions into Aydan’s slightly damp hair.

  When she finished, he drew back. “You sneaky little …!” With a twinkle in his eyes, he clasped her hand, and kissed the back of her fingers. “You’re the only person for whom I would honor that request. Consider it done.”

  Danny chuckled gleefully and then changed the subject. “What does Donovan like to drink?”

  “Hot chocolate with lots of whipped cream.”

  “Is there some around?”

  “Check the kitchenette.”

  As Aydan had suggested, Danny found a supply of coffee, hot chocolate, tea, and all the associated amenities in the kitchenette. After scanning her Ogham to pay for access, she poured cream into a silver thermos and added the cocoa mix. Deciding the mix lacked the rich smell she associated with chocolate, Danny melted in a seventy-percent cocoa bar that she’d retrieved from her suitcase. She stirred the ingredients together and sprayed whip cream across the table as well as in its target location. A few minutes later, she found Donovan sitting on a moonlit windowsill—his expression distant as he looked out into the forest. She presented the hot chocolate and hopped up on the sill beside him. He took a long drink.

  Wiping off a whipped cream mustache, he held up the thermos. “This is good.” His solemn expression returned. “I hurt him.”

  “We all did,” Danny replied. “He hurt us too.” Curling up on the windowsill, she attempted to imitate the empathetic face Eadowen had made when she’d told him about her interest in Cassidy. The moon sank closer to the treeline while they remained in a meditative silence, with much fidgeting on Danny’s part.

  “Squirrel,” he said with a gentle tug on her bushy ponytail to get her attention. Pouring the hot chocolate into the cup-lid of the thermos, Donovan offered it to her. They tapped lid and thermos together and finished their hot chocolate.

  ***

  The medic departed, leaving Cassidy alone on the queen-sized bed. Marja had provided her with one of the rooms reserved for people running the hostel, but due to short staffing, the room was available. I hope I did the right thing, she thought as she adjusted her loose tank top. Since Danny’s clothes were too small for her, Marja had let Cassidy choose from her wardrobe, which conversely was too big everywhere except her chest. Cassidy opened her journal.

  I wonder if I did the right thing … I wonder if we’re all doing the right thing? The researchers don’t seem like bad people. They’re just doing their job. Did I jump to conclusions by siding with the Tolymies to protect Danny? Eadowen is very good at selling an idea. I was certainly quick to believe him …

  “Mind if I join you?” Aydan tapped on her closed door.

  “Sure.”

  Cinching the waistband of a large peasant skirt around his hips, Aydan strode across the room to the window. The closed curtains blocked most of the light, so Cassidy could only discern a faint outline of his figure in a baggy tunic. “Do you mind if I open the blinds?”

  “Of course not …” Cassidy replied hesitantly.

  Theatrically, he pulled back one of the curtains and secured it on the window frame. As he casually patted the frizz on his slowly drying hair, he turned his torso perpendicular to the window. Leaning back slightly, he positioned himself so the moon highlighted every muscle on his chest and abdomen as he pulled the embroidered tunic over his head. “I’m just giving you the clothes I printed for you. It turns out the hostel has a three dimensional printer for emergencies,” he said. “If you don’t like them I promise not to be insulted if you recycle them tomorrow.” Aydan threw her the shirt with a grin. Combing his fingers through his locks, he tilted his head back letting the light illuminate his profile. The bed creaked as Cassidy shifted nervously, trying to decide whether she was supposed to look or not. The ethical dilemma she had been recording in her journal was a distant memory.

  “Hey, Cassidy, this show’s for you. It’d be kind of a shame if you didn’t watch.” Aydan regarded her out of the corner of his eye. “If this makes you uncomfortable, I’ll stop. Fairy-princess-juggernaut decided this was my punishment for receiving your attention on this trip.”

  Her face heating up, Cassidy clapped her hand to her forehead. Danny convinced Aydan to do this. I guess Danny’s more mischievous than I thought. “Exactly, what did my lovely friend tell you to do?”

  “Show off the result of years of work. And before you think it … yes, I was compensating for my height and having to live with Taban.” Aydan ran his hand down his torso. Letting his thumb slide into the skirt, he pulled it down just below his hip bone.

  “I hope you didn’t feel like you were pushed to do this.”

  “This? As in have my body admired by someone, who also seems to care about fitness, at the polite request of a friend? Nah.”

  “My body isn’t as good as you—” Cassidy stopped herself. “I guess that’s not qualifiable since everyone has different phenotypes.”

  “Keep in mind I know how to use lighting and body makeup.” He grabbed a chair from the desk in the corner of the room and moved it next to Cassidy’s bed.

  “You used makeup?”

  “Yeah, a little dark foundation along my muscles and under my cheekbones. Couldn’t tell could you?” Aydan replied. “By the way, I heard you used the card to signal Donovan. Nice magic trick.”

  “Thanks,” she said sadly and took out the beat-up card. “I really liked it.”

  “Do you want my deck?”

  “Um … well … err.” She noticed a stack of cards in Aydan’s hand. “Oh, deck. Are you sure? I don’t know what I’d do with a whole … pile of cards.”

  It took Aydan a half-second to understand what gave her pause. “No, I really want you to have my deck.” With a slasher grin, he did a waterfall shuffle. “You’re welcome to play with it as much as you want.” He stroked her arm as he placed the stack in her hand. “I can teach you some mind-blowing techniques.”

  Cassidy pretended to glare, but she knew the quiver of suppressed laughter on her lips betrayed her. Did he have that in his skirt the whole time? Cassidy thought. “Speaking of gifts,” she said. “I think some jewelry Taban gave me had a tracking chip in it. I need to destroy it.”

  “He gave you jewelry and you dragged around a ratty card?”

  “Well, now I have your deck under my control.” She cut the deck and let the cards flow together cupped in her hands. “It’s a very nice one.”

  “Touché. How’d you manage to turn him down?”

 
; “I reread things about him that I documented in my journal. ‘Field notes,’ as you so aptly called them.”

  “So, you beat a monster of oral tradition using the written language? Impressive.”

  “Can we pretend I planned that?” Cassidy tugged on the foreign tank top in contemplation. Aydan’s eyes briefly flickered down. “Taban offered me a lot of things I desire, but not what I really want.”

  “Mm?” Subtly adjusting the skirt, Aydan rested his forearms on his legs. “And what do you want? And ‘world peace’ isn’t allowed.”

  Cassidy considered the question carefully. “Community. I don’t need approval from everyone, but I do need my friends.” She paused. “What about you?”

  “Me? I just want to bring a little magic into the world.”

  “You bring magic into my world,” she replied. “I’m sure you have a great reason for not magic-ing up some clothes for yourself instead of wearing mine, but you don’t have to tell me.”

  “The powers that be won’t let me do anything that decreases my audience’s pleasure.”

  Danny tapped on the door. “May we come in, or do you two need some more time?”

  “Come on in,” Cassidy called.

  Draped in duffle bags, Donovan carried in two fluffy pillows. Danny set her suitcase on the ground and did a summersault onto Cassidy’s bed. “What a pretty deck,” she commented. Cassidy blew on the top card and showed Aydan’s stage name to Danny. “Hey, that crescent moon-ish symbol looks like one of the symbols on the book Chay gave me.”

  “What’s the book about?” Cassidy asked.

  “It’s one of those jaded conqueror-meets-sexy-native stories. Here let me get it.” Danny rifled through her suitcase. “Hey, Aydan. Where did you come up with your stage name?” Danny asked.

  “It’s just my middle name and my dad’s bachelor name.”

  “What’s your dad’s name?”

  “Daray. Why?”

  “The book is dedicated to someone named ‘Lug Eldin.’”