Imperative qlq-1

by P. A. Wilson

  I looked at the line of lights. They rose and formed a circle then started spinning. “Okay, so they will do that if the coast is clear.”

  Burr raised her hand and when I nodded she stood on the chair. “What is our role in this?”

  “I’m coming to that. So if the corridor is safe, the wisps will follow me down the corridor and when I have the amulet, they’ll make sure that I can slip out without being seen.”

  “One change there, wizard,” Edrinda said. “I will come with you. There is no point in taking chances. If a Sidhe should come through from their basement while you are locating the amulet, someone will need to deal with them.”

  “What do you mean by deal with them?”

  She smiled and I felt my flight response overwhelm my admittedly weak fight response. “Well, I suppose there are alternatives but I was planning to kill them.”

  “No killing.” I couldn’t take the chance that the obligation would stop us from taking the amulet if a Sidhe was hurt. After all, if that happened it would be because I brought the trouble to them. “We don’t know who is on Fionuir’s’ side and who might be on ours.”

  She grunted. “Very well, I will stun them; there will be no permanent harm. Do not argue with me, Quinn, I will not allow you to go into danger and not be protected.”

  “Fine, then the wisps will lead both of us out.” I would find a way to stop her coming with me but it didn’t make sense to argue the point right now.

  “I will be guarding the entrance to the basement,” Clarence said, patting her arm. “Do not fret my dear. I can create a distraction if need be. I will watch for the wisps and if you are not able to get out easily, I will make it so.”

  She kissed him on the cheek and he grinned.

  I cleared my throat. I came to the realization that my sleepless night was wasted. They had been putting together their own plan.

  “Fine. You create a distraction I slip out with the amulet and bring it here. Then we remove the spell and the fairies don’t have to kill humans.”

  Sting stood on his chair. “I do not understand our role in this, wizard. You said you would get to it, and yet this plan has come to a successful conclusion without our help.”

  “No, you are important to the end.” I poured another cup of coffee. “Fionuir set the spell with a mixture of fairy and Sidhe blood. She painted the spell to control breeding in fairy blood, and then overlaid it with another spell in Sidhe blood. To remove the spell we will paint the control spell in fairy blood which will give you back control.”

  “You wish to take our blood? Why not just wash the spell away?” Sting wrapped his arms around himself as though we were about to drain him right then.

  “I don’t know what washing the spell away will do to the druid souls. And, no, I don’t want to take your blood, I am hoping you will give it.”

  “I will consider it,” Sting said.

  Lionel looked away but I could tell he wasn’t happy with his role stay at home and out of trouble.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  I arrived at Bank’s just as the sun was going down, and headed to the bar where Mark was pulling my pint. I thanked him as I casually looked around the room.

  There were six or ten will-o’-wisps floating around. I couldn’t really count them because they were moving fast, every once in a while one would dip into an unguarded glass and come back up wobbling. I hoped it was an act, because wisps weren’t all that reliable when they were sober, I didn’t want to think about what would happen if they were drunk.

  I saw Clarence leaning against the back wall, a bit too casually for my comfort. As I watched Edrinda join him. I didn’t see Lionel or the two thistle fairies, but I did see a number of other fairies. What I didn’t see is Reardon, or Meredith. If he didn’t come, we needed a new plan to bring the Sidhe out.

  I turned to talk to Mark. “Don’t you have a basement here?”

  He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. “Yes, why?”

  “Do you trust me?”

  “I don’t like that question. I would normally say yes, but the question makes me think I should say no.”

  “I promise that nothing will happen to make you close your doors.”

  He pulled another pint as he thought it over. “Interesting way to put it. I guess I don’t want to know the details?”

  “I’ll tell you about it afterward over a glass of whiskey.” I nodded to the top shelf where Mark kept the old stuff. “I’ll even pay for the drinks.”

  “I guess I trust you.” Mark replaced my empty glass with a full one. “The basement door is beside the dartboard. You need a spell to open it from this side. You don’t from the other side, just in case that information is useful.”

  “It is.”

  He flicked a gaze at the door, like he was waiting for someone. “You know it connects to the Sidhe court, right?”

  “Yep, can you give me the spell?”

  He laughed. “No, I don’t trust you that far. When do you need it open?”

  I thought about that, if we wanted the Sidhe to come in, they would open the door. I just needed to make sure it stayed open enough for the will-o’-wisps to get in and out. “I guess the door has to be pushed open from the inside? There’s no proximity spell?”

  “No, someone has to push it. Are you getting lazy in your old age?”

  “I’ve always prided myself on being lazy. The Sidhe are going to come through the door at some point, I just need you to make sure it doesn’t get closed again until I come out.”

  “Okay. I can do that. Just don’t mess with my reputation. I need customers.”

  “I promise.” I couldn’t speak for anyone else, but I knew I wouldn’t be causing any damage.

  “It seems we are going to be honored tonight.” Mark pointed to the door with his chin.

  Reardon was making his entrance. A swirl of colored cloak and with three giggling Sidhe girls made sure everyone paid attention.

  I walked away from the bar and approached Reardon. I could smell the whiskey on his breath. “Is this how you usually come to a performance?” I tried to make sure my voice only carried a questioning tone, no judgment, after all, who was I to say that the best way to sing wasn’t blind drunk.

  He turned to Meredith who answered for him. “Reardon does not speak before a performance; he saves his voice for the song. Yes, the alcohol does help bring his emotions to the surface for the song. Unfortunately, it also means he can’t play the harp.”

  “It is fortunate for you that he needs an accompanying musician.” I figure being Reardon’s back up must be easier than anything she could do on her own.

  “No, it is not fortunate. I am repaying a debt and when that is done I can get back to my own career.” She took Reardon’s arm and led him to the opposite wall from the basement door.

  I felt put in my place and wandered over to Clarence and casually leaned beside him., tipping my glass in a toast. “It looks like we are about ready. I guess we can go in a few minutes. Meredith is warming up.”

  “I noticed the groupies,” Clarence growled “I guess that means the Sidhe know about the show.”

  “Yes, the publicity started right after our meeting. I saw him chatting to a group of Sidhe when I followed him home,” Edrinda said.

  That was news to me. “You followed him home? Why?”

  “He’s a drunk. I wanted to make sure he wouldn’t blab our plans to anyone.” She started at me as if challenging me to say she hadn’t done the right thing.

  “Thanks, I hadn’t thought of that. I guess I was caught up in the glamor of having him on our side. So, what did you see?”

  Clarence laughed. “Well spoken, wizard. It took me much longer to learn not to argue with my wife.”

  “It turns out I was wrong to suspect him. He was talking about possibly coming to Bank’s tonight to test out a few new songs.”

  “I guess he’s practiced at filling a room. But you were right to suspect him. I’m not happy that he’
s arrived three sheets to the wind, but Meredith says it’s part of the performance.”

  I glanced about the room again and saw Sidhe slipping through the basement door. I realized why I hadn’t noticed it before. It was covered completely in a Guinness poster. “The audience is arriving. When there are only a few Sidhe coming through, move into position.” I watched as they slid daggers from sheaths on their backs. “I said no one dies.”

  “It’s a precaution. If something goes wrong we may have no time to draw weapons. Do not fear we will not use them by mistake.” Clarence wasn’t going to be talked out of the weapons. I could tell by the way he turned away from me before I had a chance to speak. He jerked his head to indicate a figure approaching us. “It looks like your young apprentice didn’t agree with your orders either.”

  Lionel was crossing the room, Sting and Burr on either side.

  “Crap. I trust you with your weapons, but he’s not seasoned enough to be here.” I wondered if I was really leading this expedition.

  Edrinda said, “Too late.”

  Lionel stood in front of me and I motioned him to move to the side. I needed to keep my eye on the flow of Sidhe.

  “You are supposed to be at home.” I clenched my fist, trying to work out some of my tension.

  “I know but I promise to stay out of the way. I won’t do anything and I won’t cause any problems.” He sounded so earnest I couldn’t really fight him. “I’ve been talking to the fairies.”

  “And?”

  “They will provide blood. They remember giving blood to Fionuir as part of a promise to make them more powerful. It was a week after that when they got the first call to kill a human.”

  Fairies were the definition of sucker. “You would think that they would learn that lesson eventually. How many more times are they going to trust someone who promises power?”

  Lionel shrugged. “It’s their nature to try and get something for as little as possible. Anyway, all the clans had to send a representative. Fionuir took only a few drops from each. So, the casting spell was tribe specific. If we don’t have a drop from all tribes, we won’t free all of them.”

  “Who will gather the blood?” I hated blood rituals, they were always more complicated than other spells, of course they were also more effective and powerful if done right.

  Burr stepped forward. “We will. And we will bring it to Lionel. The fairies that are here now have brought some and we will travel the tribes tonight.”

  “It’s a good plan. Thank you.” Maybe things were going to go right after all. “When you talk to the Rose fairies will you ask a question for me?”

  Sting shrugged. “Yes, but they may not answer.”

  “Ask if they will forgive Princess Elizabeth when this is over.”

  “Is that all?”

  I nodded and Sting shrugged. “Very well, I’ll give Lionel the answer.”

  Sting and Burr left us and headed toward a table of peony fairies.

  Lionel coughed and when I turned to him said, “I have the spell Cate found.”

  “Good, did you write it out?”

  “Yes, the book is safe, but I have the spell here.” He patted his pocket. “Just in case we want to cast it tonight.”

  I hadn’t thought that far in advance, but if we could release the fairies tonight, that would let me get on with the search for Cate’s killer. “Will the fairies be ready?”

  “Yes. I got Sting and Burr to collect the blood by midnight. And it will be viable for a week.”

  I realized I may have misjudged him; he did have a head on his shoulders, for this at least. “If we can, tonight would be best. Now get to a table as far away as you can from that door, It looks like the Sidhe are here, and Reardon is getting ready to start.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The will-o’-wisps drifted across the room to the door. I was sure that no one would notice because it looked random to me even though I knew where they were going.

  “Let’s get closer to the door,” Clarence said. “Edrinda go first.”

  She made her way to the dartboard as Reardon started his show.

  “Real Folk gathered tonight,” Reardon’s rich voice carried across the room, silencing individual conversations. All eyes were on him.

  I followed Edrinda and felt Clarence step in behind me.

  Reardon continued, “I thank you for your indulgence in listening to my poor creations.”

  A laugh and a smattering of applause was the response. Will-o’-wisps disappeared through the door. The three of us were casually leaning against the wall beside the door; no one paid any attention to us. I listened as the bard started his song, a deep resonance building between the clear notes of Meredith’s flute and Reardon’s tenor.

  The wisps reappeared and gave the signal. Then Edrinda slipped through the opening. I followed and move away to give Clarence room.

  Through the door was a staircase that dropped into the dark. A wisp floated in front of Edrinda. She nodded at it and I watched as the stairwell illuminated. We ran down the twenty or so steps to find ourselves facing a long corridor. The walls were brick and it was damp. I could only see about five feet in front of me until a second wisp zoomed past my ear and lighted the way.

  Edrinda held a finger up to her lips then leaned in to whisper. “Try to be quiet. There are no Sidhe in sight, but there may be guards on the other side of their door.”

  I nodded and gestured her forward.

  The three of us made our way down the corridor and I realized we were passing under streets and buildings for two, maybe three blocks. Eventually, a second door came into focus. It was plain oak but it looked solid. There was a heavy latch on the door and I when I looked at it from the corner of my eye, I could see a shimmer of a spell.

  I couldn’t help wonder why Fionuir would keep the amulet outside the court. I hoped Maeve was right and the loose brick was on this side of that spell. It looked powerful and complex and unlikely to let us in without send out an alarm.

  I tapped Edrinda on the shoulder and pointed behind me. I needed room to test the bricks. She didn’t look happy about moving but did take a step to join Clarence. Both Kobolds stood well into my personal space. It wasn’t worth arguing with them. I just started searching.

  Maeve had told Olan that I would be able to find the brick easily. Unfortunately, we had two different definitions of easily. I didn’t see a brick with a label that read “look here” or one painted in white. I would have to work it out.

  If it was obvious to Maeve, maybe it was about my point of view. I was currently facing the Sidhe door. If Fionuir wanted to access the amulet, she would be facing away. I turned around and stood as close as I could to the door without touching it. From this angle I could see two bricks slightly out of line, one on each side of the door.

  I didn’t put much faith in my ability to open both without a problem. And as I waited three other bricks seemed to shift out of place. Okay, clearly this was a trap, unless the Sidhe kept lockers like a bus station. I had a flash of Sidhe lined up opening their lockers and trying to hide their treasures from each other. That was clearly wrong.

  It was probably an illusion spell. I pulled a chestnut seed out of my pocket and breathed on it before tossing it into the air. As it spun back to earth, the illusion broke and the bricks all faded back into alignment.

  A wisp slid onto my head. “I can penetrate the brick if that will help.” It had a clear voice like a child of six or seven.

  Just what I needed, a will-o’-wisp exploding behind the brickwork. I thought back at it, “No, not yet. I am not sure that is safe.”

  It floated off my head.

  I touched the wall to my right and ran my fingers up and down pressing on each brick in turn, the bricks were cool and none yielded. I tried again on the left hand wall. Nothing.

  I closed my eyes to concentrate better. This should be easy. What had Olan told me? Yes, Maeve said it was close to the door. If I was Fionuir would I want to step ou
t into this dampness? Only if I had to. She would want to open the door and reach her hiding place without coming into the corridor.

  I turned my back to the door and pretended to open it. Left hand on the door, right hand to the wall. I hadn’t tested the bricks right next to the door. Now I ran my fingers up and found a loose brick about two thirds of the way up. My fingers tingled as a sealing spell warned me off. That wasn’t going to stop me. I had a little book that gave spells used by thieves in the middle ages. In anticipation of tonight I had memorized it. I whispered the spell into the space where the mortar would have been and waited. The tingle subsided and I stuck my fingers into a hole that appeared in the side of the brick.

  Something pricked my finger but the brick came loose. The wisp must have moved away because the light faded, but I saw the amulet and pulled it out of the hole, put the brick back in and slipped the small rock into a pocket.

  The wisps had now fled the length of the corridor and we were in pitch dark. I reached out and touched a spiky shoulder. “Go,” I whispered and held onto a spike as the Kobold led me back to the stairs. I knew we couldn’t rely on the wisps.

  We made it to the top of the stairs with no major injuries. I had stubbed the same toes three times on the way up. I could hear Reardon, but someone had closed the door because there was no light coming through. I gave a quick pat to the shoulder in front of me before I spoke. “I don’t know why the wisps left, but someone should have a quick peek before we step into the room.”

  I assumed the shoulder belonged to Edrinda, because she spoke. “Quinn, what are you talking about? The wisps have already given the all clear.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Clarence left me with Edrinda while he brought Lionel. Between the three of them they got me back to Cate’s place.

  “I’ll make some tea,” Lionel said.

  “You have blindness curing tea?” I heard Clarence ask.

  “No, but tea is always a good idea.”

  Someone touched my arm and led me a few steps into what I thought was the living room. “Sit,” Clarence said, giving me a gentle push.