by Grant, Donna
“I’ve mastered the art.”
She grinned at his words. “I understand. I won’t ask any more questions.”
“Ask. Please.”
His request shocked her to the point that her mind went blank. Then the questions jumbled in her head like one huge ball.
She walked past him to the sofa and sat. He turned to watch before sinking into the chair nearest her. She wished he had sat beside her, but at least he was close.
“You asked who we are,” Eoghan said before she could repeat the question. “As a Halfling, you know nothing about Fae culture. The Light and Dark have been at war for as long as I can remember.”
“And how long is that?” she interjected.
His chest expanded as he inhaled. “I’m nearing nine thousand years.”
Her mouth fell open. “You’re immortal.”
“No. We just live a really long time, but we can be killed.”
She looked at Eoghan with new eyes.
“There is a legend among the Fae about Reapers. It’s nothing like what mortals consider. Reapers to a Fae are like your fairytales. Both the Dark and Light use the Reapers to ensure that their children do what they are told.”
“Okay,” she said, waiting for him to continue.
“Reapers are real. I know this because I’m one of them. So are the six under my command.”
Thea blinked and nodded. What else was she supposed to say?
Eoghan continued, either not noticing her reaction, or preferring not to mention it. “Death finds us after we die. Each of us went through a betrayal that led to our deaths, but more than that, we were—are—each warriors in our own right.”
“You died?” she asked in confusion.
He issued a single nod. “Death is judge and jury to the Fae. The Reapers are the executioners. No Fae can know who we are. If they find out, they’re killed.”
Thea sat up straighter, not at all liking the idea of her life being snuffed out for such knowledge. “And me?”
“Death doesn’t hold Halflings to the same standards. At least not any who don’t have a connection to the Fae.”
“Oh.” That made her feel marginally better. “A Reaper, huh?”
His mercurial eyes slid away to look at the distant wall. “Once we accept the offer to join the Reapers, we belong to Death. Our magic is increased, and we become stronger and faster than any other Fae.”
“How long are you in service to Death?”
“For eternity,” he replied, returning his gaze to her. “Or until we’re killed again.”
She frowned. “Death brings you back but allows you to be killed again? That doesn’t seem fair.”
“There are limits to all magic. Even for someone like Death.”
“And you lead them.”
“I lead this group, yes.”
Her eyes widened. “There are more?”
“Yes.”
She was about to ask how many groups when Eoghan surprised her with a question.
“Did you ever look for your birth parents?”
Thea shook her head. “There was a time when it was all I thought about, but I was only a teenager and didn’t have the funds. I did ask those at the children’s home where I lived, but they said they didn’t have anything to point me in the right direction.”
“Did you believe them?”
She cocked her head at him. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“I sent Aisling and Cathal to dig into the records of the place you grew up.”
When Eoghan didn’t continue, she raised her brows. “And? You can’t just leave me hanging like that. What did they find?”
“The building burned last night.”
Thea felt as if she’d been punched, the shock was so great. “What?”
“Aisling and Cathal got there in time to see the last part of the building collapse. They remained veiled and walked among the mortals to see if there was a Fae among them, but they found nothing.”
“Veiled?” she asked, grasping at something that she would get an answer to.
Eoghan rested his limbs on the arms of the chair. “All Fae can veil themselves to keep hidden from humans as well as other Fae. As Reapers, we can see any Fae who tries to veil themselves, but they can’t see us.”
She put her hand on her stomach and realized that she was breathing heavily. “I never liked the children’s home. They were decent to me, but it wasn’t where I belonged. Yet, I never wanted it destroyed. Was anyone hurt?”
“All the children were evacuated. One woman, a Ms. Fylan, died from smoke inhalation.”
Thea got to her feet and began to pace. She realized she was wringing her hands, and she immediately went into her room to get her violin. She carried the instrument back out to Eoghan.
“It was Ms. Fylan who thought music might help me. She put this violin into my hands and taught me to play. She was a sweet woman who adored children. Of all the people to have been killed, why did it have to be her?”
Eoghan nodded at the instrument. “Play, Thea.”
“What?” she asked in confusion.
“Look at your fingers.”
She looked down to find the first two fingers of her left hand moving just above the strings without touching them. Her gaze skated back to Eoghan, who merely waited.
As soon as she’d brought the violin to her shoulder and placed the bow on the strings, she was able to breathe easier. The music that flowed from her was rapid and brisk. The bow moved at such speed that it became a blur.
All the chaos, all the uncertainty that she’d been burying poured from her as if a dam had been broken. The emotions cascaded from her like an endless faucet. The more she played, the more she thought about her kidnapping and her parents. And the more agitated she became.
Until suddenly, there was no more music.
Her bow halted on the strings, the last note fading away. She lifted the bow, but she couldn’t move more than that. Then a large hand wrapped around hers. She felt Eoghan come up behind her and loop his arm around her waist as he held her.
She leaned her head back against him and drew in a shuddering breath. How many years of emotions had she finally released? She felt . . . not exactly free, but lighter. As if her worries had been cut in half.
“It’s going to be all right,” he whispered.
“Is it? I don’t even know what’s going on.”
His arm tightened around her. “I’ll be right here beside you. We’ll do this together.”
She lowered the arm holding the violin. “Can you do that? Will Death let you?”
“The Reapers have saved hundreds of Halflings recently. I can—and will—save you.”
“Thank you.”
She closed her eyes and savored the feeling of his arms around her, of his strength holding her. Her stomach fluttered in excitement when he rested his head against hers.
“Someone set the fire, didn’t they?” she asked.
Eoghan released a breath. “It could be a coincidence.”
“But you don’t believe so.”
“No, I don’t. The fact that it happened right after you were taken raises concerns.”
She lifted her head as fear began to grow within her. “Do you think the ones who wanted me kidnapped know I’m gone?”
“I’ve sent Rordan to find the man he believes took you. If we can locate him and get some answers, I believe we’ll discover why he let us find you.”
Thea spun around and searched Eoghan’s face, still encircled in his arms. “Why would he do that after going to so much trouble to take me?”
“That’s something I intend to find out.”
“I know what he looks like. I want to help search for him.”
Eoghan began shaking his head before she’d finished speaking. “Absolutely not.”
“You’ll be by my side the entire time.”
His lips parted before he closed his mouth and stared at her. After a moment, he said, “We’ll be at the Dark Pala
ce. Surrounded by them.”
“Aisling is Dark. And so are Cathal and Dubhan.”
“When a Fae becomes a Reaper, we retain the appearance of who we were, but we’re no longer the same. While Aisling, Dubhan, and Cathal have the coloring of a Dark, they no longer have those tendencies. You won’t be prepared for what you’ll see at the palace.”
She lifted her chin. “Does Rordan know what the Fae looks like?”
“No,” Eoghan said after a small hesitation.
“We want answers. I’m your quickest way to gaining them.”
“He could’ve used glamour to hide his face.”
She smiled, her confidence growing. “Maybe. But no one can pick out voices like I can.”
“So be it.”
Chapter Fourteen
“This is so cool,” Thea said as she looked at her reflection.
Eoghan stood in the doorway to her room, watching her. He couldn’t stop the worry that continued to spread after he’d agreed to bring Thea into the Dark Palace to hunt for the Seeker.
She tossed her black and silver hair back and forth with a shake of her head. She leaned close to the mirror and looked at her red eyes. Eoghan didn’t alter anything else about her except for hiding her nose ring.
“How long will this last?” Thea asked as she turned to him.
Eoghan shrugged. “As long as I want it to.”
“Do I need to change?”
“Oh, you’ll fit right in with the all black,” Aisling said as she walked to stand beside Eoghan. She turned her head and gave him a look filled with concern. “Tell me this is just you passing the time. Tell me you aren’t seriously going to put her in the palace?”
Eoghan turned to Aisling before he glanced at Thea inside her chamber. “She’s the only one who knows what the Seeker looks like. And, in case he used glamour, she can pick out his voice.”
“If you’re going in, then we all go,” Aisling stated firmly.
He had worried about having a female Reaper since he hadn’t exactly been around a lot of women over the years, but out of all of his Reapers, Aisling was the one most willing to work as a team. She was spirited and wore her anger over her betrayal like a shield.
But she was as loyal as they came. Out of all of his Reapers, what happened to Aisling was the most heinous. Eoghan would have wanted Aisling as a Reaper even if Death hadn’t chosen her.
He gave her a nod.
“We’re all going where?” Torin asked as he and the others strode in.
Thea smiled as she came to stand beside Eoghan. “We’re going to the Dark Palace.”
Eoghan watched the faces of his Reapers, emotions that ranged from surprise to eagerness to admiration to incredulity. He knew that it would only take a few minutes in the Dark Palace for Thea’s excitement to dim. She wanted to help, but if there were another way to find the Seeker without her, Eoghan would do it.
“I’ve spoken to Rordan. In the day that he’s been gone, he’s found nothing of the Seeker. No one has seen the Fae in months,” Eoghan said.
Bradach asked, “Could he be at the Light Castle?”
“We’ll have to search there, as well.” Eoghan blew out a breath. “Whether I like it or not, Thea may be able to help us. She knows the Seeker’s face. And his voice. Unless we want to devote weeks or months to this, we have to use her.”
Dubhan shook his head. “It’s a mistake bringing her to the Dark.”
“It’s why we’re all going,” Aisling said.
Cathal gave a nod of agreement. “Good.”
Eoghan looked at Thea, wondering if she were the very thing helping to bring his Reapers together. She looked at him with her red eyes and smiled in encouragement.
“I’ve already alerted Rordan that we’re coming,” Eoghan continued. “We need to split up. Just as I ordered Rordan, alter everything about your appearance. Cathal, even your height.”
One after another, the Reapers changed their faces, clothes, hair, eyes, and bodies. Eoghan gave Thea time to get used to their new looks before he sent them off.
“Why aren’t we leaving?” she asked.
He faced her and took her hand. “Listen to me closely. You’re likely to see one of them doing something that is hard to accept. In order to fit in, my Reapers will become Dark.”
“I understand.”
“I’m not sure you do.” He ran a hand down his face. “Remember when I said the Dark consume human souls through sex?”
Thea nodded, a frown furrowing her brows as she listened.
“There will be humans there. Some will be dead and dying—all with smiles on their faces. The others will be enthralled with the Fae, reaching out to them for the pleasure they’ll receive. But occasionally, there will be one who resists, one who screams for help.”
Thea’s features tightened with alarm. “And you want me to know that we can’t help any of those people.”
“Yes. You can’t even take notice of them. If you do, it’ll draw attention.”
She squared her shoulders. “I can do this. I won’t let you down.”
He was taken aback by her words. “It takes a lot of courage to do what you’re about to do. I tell you all of this not because I don’t want you to fail, but because I’m concerned about how this will affect you.”
“I need to do this.”
Eoghan held out his hand. “If you’re sure.”
She put her hand in his and held his gaze. “Let’s go find this jerk.”
There was a smile on his face when he teleported them outside of the Dark Palace. Dusk was upon them, with night fast approaching.
“There’s nothing here,” Thea whispered.
Eoghan faced the palace. “Close your eyes. Your human side is preventing you from seeing what is right before you.” He looked over to see if she was doing as he asked. “Good. Now, open your other senses. The magic is there, waiting for you to feel it.”
Her head tilted to the side as her brow creased in concentration. “I feel . . . something. It’s like it’s pushing back against me. It doesn’t hurt. In fact, it feels good.”
“Magic,” he said.
Her brow smoothed as she smiled. “I want to feel more of it.”
“First, see it,” he urged.
He watched as her lids opened, and her eyes widened. Then she looked at him with a huge smile. There was no need to ask if she saw the palace. The evidence was there for him to witness.
She was easily the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. When he thought about what might have become of her if he hadn’t gone to see her at the pub that night, his stomach knotted painfully.
And if he hadn’t wanted to talk to her after Egypt, he might never have known she was missing. It didn’t matter who’d kidnapped her or why. He was going to make sure she was never harmed again.
While he was gazing at her like a love-struck fool, Thea was studying the Dark Palace.
“I expected more,” she replied with a frown. “It’s just so . . . dark and gloomy. It’s a magnificent structure, I suppose.”
He looked down at their still clasped hands. “If you want grandeur, then you need to see the Light Castle.”
“I’d love to.”
Eoghan chuckled. “Shall we go inside?”
“As soon as I drop the veil, everyone will be able to see us.”
“I’m ready.”
She might be, but he wasn’t. And never would be. Going into the palace was akin to walking into a viper’s nest. There was a guarantee that you would get bitten. It was just a matter of anticipating the strike and averting as much as possible.
“Here we go,” he said and dropped the veil.
He pulled her after him as he walked to the entrance. The tall, wide double doors were arched and decorated with iron similar to most castle entrances.
“There are no guards,” Thea murmured.
Eoghan pushed open the doors and stepped inside. “Why would there be? The Dark don’t care if you come in. No Light would
willingly come here. Most mortals will sense the veil around it and leave, but there are those who venture inside. The Dark eagerly welcome them. And as for other Dark, this is a gathering place.”
“I see,” she said.
He paused inside the doors. “Still sure you want to go on?”
“Definitely,” she stated with a nod.
Eoghan looked over his shoulder out the door. Then he faced forward again and began walking through the crowd of Dark. For her part, Thea kept her gaze straight ahead. Her breathing had quickened, however. And she gripped his hand as if it were her life support.
“Doing good,” he told her.
She shot him a grateful look. “Where are we going? This place is huge, and there are Fae everywhere.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m taking you near any groups so you can listen to voices.”
“Oh. I hadn’t.”
He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and walked them into one of the vast halls where some Dark gathered. Pillows of all colors and sizes littered the floor where the Fae reclined. There were enclosures throughout the hall that resembled giant birdcages, and within were mortals.
Eoghan halted when they were relatively alone. He pushed Thea against a wall and caught her gaze as he moved in front of her. “Look at me. That’s it, get your bearings again.”
“You warned me,” she whispered.
He flattened his lips. “No descriptions could prepare anyone for this.”
“Doesn’t anyone realize how many humans go missing?”
“There are several billion people on this planet. Few notice when someone disappears.”
“I know.”
“Forget the mortals. You need to look around the room, listen to voices.”
She shot him a look of outrage. “In case you missed it, this room is massive. And dark. The lighting sucks. It would take me hours to look at each face.”
“Forget the women. Concentrate on the men.”
“Sometimes, it’s hard to tell from behind. Some of the men have longer hair than the women.”
Whatever Eoghan had been about to say flew from his mind when her hands slid into his hair. He put a hand on the wall next to her head in an attempt to hold himself away.
But her fingers felt so good combing through his length. He’d left it down and loose of any braids, which allowed her free rein. She took it, too, as she lightly scraped his scalp from his temples down to his neck.