The two of them stood and moved toward the door.
Reg’s chair screeched against the tiles as he got to his feet to join them. Clasping one of their gloved hands in each of his, he whispered, “Be careful.”
“Always,” Querry said.
“I still wish you wouldn’t go. I have a very bad feeling about this.”
“It’ll be fine, Reggie. It’s always fine. Trust me. I’ve been doing this for a long time.”
Reg pinned Querry’s dark curls behind his ear before kissing his cheek and dragging his sweet, swollen lips down Querry’s face. His breath smelled of the rich wine they’d shared. “Don’t make me sorry.”
“Never.” Querry twined his arms around Reg’s small waist and pulled him close enough to bury his face in Reg’s blond hair and breathe in his clean scent. It made Querry want to stay in. He closed his eyes and rested his face against his oldest friend’s soft hair. “I love you, Reggie.”
“Come back to me, Querry, or I won’t forgive you.”
“Nothing in this world can keep me from coming back to you,” Querry breathed, his lips pressed against Reg’s forehead where he could taste a hint of Reg’s salty perspiration.
“And take care of Frolic.”
Frolic giggled and broke away from Querry to embrace Reg and kiss him hard, standing on his tiptoes to reach Reg’s lips. Querry grinned as he watched Reg and Frolic’s mouths and hands roaming and exploring, as if they hadn’t touched each other hundreds of times. He stood to the side and put his arms around both of them, drawing them tight against his chest. He nuzzled his face into their hair and held their different but complementary fragrances in along with his breath. As much as he needed to test his skills, he wished the three of them need never separate. Reluctantly, he let them go and moved toward the simple, wooden door.
“We’ll be back soon, Reggie.”
“I hope so.”
“Everything will be fine, Reggie,” Frolic said, turning back to hold Reg close a little longer. He nibbled Reg’s bee-stung lips with obvious bliss, his eyelids fluttering shut as their tongues joined. Frolic scraped his nails down the back of Reggie’s white, linen shirt until he could cup his ass over his worn, gray trousers. Reg pulled Frolic hard against his chest as he plunged his tongue deep into Frolic’s mouth.
As much as Querry enjoyed watching them together, as much as he felt his body react to the sight of his two beautiful lovers enjoying each other’s charms and becoming aroused, he cleared his throat theatrically. Reg and Frolic grudgingly pulled away from one another, their chests and bellies separating, then their faces, until finally just their hands remained joined. They gazed at each other with obvious longing, shared a final, quick kiss, and disengaged. While Frolic looked as he always did, Reg’s cheeks burned a deep red. Querry couldn’t resist pressing his mouth to that heated flesh before he caught Frolic’s hand and led him out into the night, toward the danger and uncertainty he and Frolic somehow needed.
Chapter 2
QUERRY STOOD staring at the simple, wooden door of their rented home as it closed. He couldn’t banish the visions of his beloved Reg waiting within, worrying the night away, until he and Frolic returned. Suddenly, his need to indulge in his skills felt utterly selfish. The compulsion to test his talents didn’t diminish, though. He needed this. Querry took a deep breath and tasted the saltwater beneath the toxic, industrial fumes. It felt familiar, though this wasn’t Halcyon. If anything, the people here lacked the silly pretenses Querry had always despised. Most of them fished or farmed for a living. Few of them possessed anything like wealth, but those who did occupied exorbitant villas on the hillside. Querry and Frolic headed in that direction.
They passed simple, whitewashed homes similar to their own. Windows were dark; almost everyone slept within. Few people wandered the streets, so Querry and Frolic didn’t worry over their attire. Even so, they kept to the shadows as much as possible as they traveled the ancient, winding dirt paths which grew steeper as they ascended. Sweating beneath his leather and a little out of breath, Querry envied Frolic, walking beside him without even a bead of perspiration on his pale face. Querry smiled at his beauty and the graceful way he moved. Though constructed from a combination of complex clockwork and powerful enchantments, only Frolic’s utter perfection and unusual coloring betrayed his origins. Querry had learned shortly after meeting his companion that Frolic’s heritage made him no less human. He was inquisitive, kind, loyal, and passionate.
“What is it?” Frolic asked, stopping beneath a cypress tree to watch Querry with his huge, golden eyes darting back and forth. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
No one was around, so Querry reached out to stroke Frolic’s cheek and run the pad of his thumb over Frolic’s pastel, rosebud lips. “I was just thinking. Remembering everything we’ve been through this year. I’m glad to have you with me.”
“It’s strange,” Frolic said, leaning his head into Querry’s palm. “It all feels so far away, and yet it feels like it only happened yesterday. Am I different, Querry?”
Querry hesitated. “We all are. After everything that happened, how could we not be?”
Frolic nodded and looked out toward the sea, his expression distant and melancholy. Nothing but the sound of the waves and the calls of the birds broke the silence. Frolic was different, after the faerie magic had been used to repair him, and he’d seen the only other creatures of his kind destroyed. He’d become much more contemplative, given to long spells of silence. He’d also become rather rash, as if he didn’t value his own safety sometimes. Watching him, Querry wondered for the hundredth time if he’d done the right thing. He tried to reassure himself he’d done the best he could at the time.
“Right, then,” Querry said to end the oppressive silence and drive out his doubts. Nothing could distract him like a job, when he needed to focus all his attention on his surroundings. “Come on. We’re almost there.”
“Do you have a place in mind?” Frolic fell into step beside Querry.
Querry nodded. “I’ve been watching it for weeks now. There’s never anyone about, not even servants. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s a holiday house, and it’s not being used at the moment. Listen, when we get inside, don’t take anything obvious. It’ll be better if the owners don’t realize we’ve been here for a bit.”
“I’d like to find something for Reggie, to make him feel better. I think he feels left out, not being able to come with us.”
“He just worries too much. He’s never been any different, not even when we were boys. Always worrying if I was eating properly and getting enough sleep.” He shook his head, grinning at the reminiscence. “I think he was born an old woman.”
After an arduous climb that left Querry’s thighs aching, they reached a wooden door in a stucco wall. Ivy grew in thick sheets across the whitewashed surface. Querry and Frolic glanced at each other and each nodded once. There would be no more small talk now. They both spared a moment to take in the majestic view of the quaint village below them and the rocky coast beyond. The sea foam stood in stark contrast to the dark water and sky. Here, away from the streetlights and clouds of pollution from the factories, the stars shined brightly and looked as large as penny coins. They hesitantly turned their attention back to the task at hand. After drawing a pick from a hidden pocket in his waistcoat, Querry made short work of the simple, rusty lock and pushed the door open with a soft creak, just wide enough for him and Frolic to enter the courtyard.
Once inside, they pressed their backs flat against the wall. The light of the moon allowed Querry to scan around without the need for the ensorcelled goggles that allowed him to see in the dark. He detected no movement among the groves of fragrant lemon trees lining the long, gravel drive leading to the single-story, sand-colored villa with the red, tiled roof. Not even a lantern burned along the exterior, and all of the windows stood completely dark. A fountain tinkled softly to the left of the arched doors of the main entrance. Querry’s pulse inc
reased as he canted his head to indicate a path leading around the side of the house. Exhilaration sang in his veins as his senses grew acute. He could see almost perfectly, and his hearing sharpened until he felt he could isolate the rustle of every leaf and blade of grass.
Frolic nodded his understanding, and the two of them crouched low as they made their way around the side of the villa, mindful of the crunch of gravel beneath their boots, just in case someone was about. The idea didn’t worry Querry. He’d looted plenty of houses in Halcyon while their owners slept, had dinner, or sipped their expensive cognac in their studies. Once, he’d cleaned out an attic while hundreds of people, the Grand Chancellor included, attended a party just beneath. Tonight, he almost wished for a little more of a challenge. Maybe, after Reg realized he had nothing to worry about, Querry would seek a more lucrative, higher-stakes job. For now, it just felt good to be out in the shadows, with the cool, night breeze ruffling his hair and Frolic at his side.
They reached a side door, probably a tradesmen’s entrance to the kitchen or cellars. A clockwork mechanism more complex than the lock on the gate secured it, but with his innate understanding of such machinery, Frolic had it open in moments. He shot Querry a proud little smile, looking for a second as he had before the events in Halcyon: innocent, eager to please, and in awe of everything.
Querry smiled back. To him, every locked door was like a wrapped package topped with a ribbon, just waiting to be ripped open. At least he assumed so; he’d never had gifts to open on holidays as an orphaned child.
Once inside, Querry slipped his heavy goggles over his eyes and turned the levers near his temple until the enchanted glass that let him see in the dark clicked into place. Everything instantly sprung alight in grainy, grayish greens. Querry blinked a few times to adjust to it. They stood in a small storeroom or pantry, surrounded by sacks of flour, crates of turnips and potatoes, and some dusty barrels probably containing the heavy, Thalacean wine native to the area. Beyond it lay a tidy kitchen with neat rows of dishes and pots and pans hanging from the ceiling. The hearth was completely clean of ashes, as if it hadn’t been used for quite some time. It even smelled deserted; no aromas of recently prepared meals lingered in the stale air. Querry felt even more confident the house was empty, and even stood upright and walked through the dining room and into the hall, instead of creeping quietly and hugging the wall.
Querry found the villa sparsely furnished, even by the standards of Thalacean aesthetic. Back in Anglica, the wealthy covered every inch of their brocade walls with artwork in gaudy, gilded frames and crammed every inch of every room with upholstered furniture, foreign rugs, vases, statuary, bookstands, and fringed cushions. Here, open space seemed more coveted. The villa displayed beautiful and intricately tiled floors, and a few lovely landscapes adorned the walls, but many of the rooms stood empty. Others held only a few odd bits of furniture: mismatched chairs or reclining benches covered in sheets. So far, Querry and Frolic had found only an antique-looking dagger with an ivory handle, a silver candle snuffer cast to look like an owl, an enameled box, and a handful of coins in a desk drawer. Frolic was delighted when he discovered a fancy writing kit with colored inks, a few sheets of vellum, quills, and blotters. Better yet, he found a small, green, leather book with a faerie embossed in gold on the cover. Though the edges of the pages crumbled, gorgeous woodcut prints illustrated the stories. Frolic slipped the treasures inside his coat with a wide grin.
They entered the expansive courtyard at the center of the villa and passed the potted shrubs and large, marble statue of the sea god, Neptus, with his nymphs at the center. A thick layer of algae covered the ring of water around the sculpture. They’d check a few more rooms before going home, Querry decided. It didn’t seem the owners of the house stored any valuables here. He doubted they’d get the equivalent of a few pounds for the trinkets they’d acquired. At least Frolic had found his gifts for Reg. It might not be so bad to get home early after all, Querry thought as he imagined Reg showing Frolic his gratitude.
We live together, Querry thought. Once, not long ago, living with Reg and Frolic, always having them close and being able to show them his affection whenever he liked, had seemed like an impossible dream. He’d thought he wanted nothing else. Why wasn’t it enough?
Querry pushed it to the back of his mind to ponder later. It wasn’t like him to get sidetracked while working, but he and Frolic weren’t in any danger here. A set of double doors with brass handles caught Querry’s attention, and he jutted his chin in its direction. He didn’t wait for Frolic to acknowledge him. They’d worked together enough Querry felt confident Frolic understood. He grasped the handles and prepared to throw the doors open.
“Wait,” Frolic hissed so close to Querry’s ear his breath brushed across Querry’s cheek.
“What?” Querry mouthed the word and shrugged.
Frolic raised his shoulders, mirroring Querry’s motion. He pointed toward the doors and turned his palms toward the ceiling, his eyes wide and confused.
“What?” Querry mouthed again, more theatrically.
Frolic shook his head. “Nothing. I, I don’t know what I was thinking. I had a funny feeling, but—nothing. Go ahead.”
Querry gripped him by the shoulders and looked into his eyes, not at all comforted when Frolic wouldn’t meet his gaze. “Are you sure?”
Frolic clamped his eyes shut. “It was the faerie influence again. I get… confused. I thought—I’m sure it’s nothing.”
“Should we go?” Querry whispered. “We can go. There’s nothing here, anyway.”
“Let’s check this one last room. It would be nice to bring something worthwhile back to Reggie. He works so hard, keeping the books for that disagreeable harbormaster. He makes far more than I do selling toys, but I know he isn’t happy.”
“All right, then.” Querry sighed. Frolic hadn’t said it, but Querry contributed nothing beyond the few coins he could pinch from the drunken sailors in the dockside taverns. What if this last room contained a chest full of gold and priceless jewels? One never knew until one tore the bow off the package….
Querry couldn’t resist. He flung the double doors open and strode into the room, noticing instantly the clutter the rest of the house lacked. He almost laughed out loud. Shelves of books lined the walls, and sat in stacks all over the floor. Glass cabinets held all manner of curiosities, and several sturdy-looking chests stood along the edge of the room. An assortment of papers covered the Anglican-style, rolltop desk, and even the candelabra looked expensive. Querry couldn’t wait to spend a good few hours picking through the chaos and finding the choice pieces, almost like a treasure hunt. He hurried toward the center of the room, where some mahogany boxes full of glittering things stood open on a table between two leather armchairs. Even through the imperfect vision his goggles offered, he recognized a few strings of pearls as big as grapes and some faceted jewels the size of his fingernails.
Compelled by greed, Querry approached the enticing stash with his hands already reaching for the riches. Then he stopped, not out of doubt or fear, but because he suddenly couldn’t move. His feet felt nailed to the floor, and his limbs seemed made of cement. He couldn’t even turn his head when he heard a little whimper from Frolic.
“Querry?”
“What the hell? What’s happening?”
“It’s a spell. I knew I sensed magic.”
“Well, do something about it,” Querry said. Panic twisted his guts into knots.
“I can perceive magic, and understand magic, but I can’t perform magic, Querry.”
Querry tried to reach for his sword or pistol, but couldn’t move his arms. He swore, desperately trying to formulate some sort of escape strategy. Though he’d dealt with faeries back in Halcyon, he’d never paid enough attention to magic to know what sort of a spell could have such an effect. He’d seen wards drawn on the ground that immobilized anyone who crossed them. Had he and Frolic stumbled over such a thing? If they had, how would they
get free of it? He’d been careful to make sure no one would know they were here, which meant no one would ever come looking for them. If his guess proved right, the owners of this house didn’t use it for months at a time. Frolic would survive the wait, but Querry would starve to death. What would watching that do to Frolic? Querry couldn’t bear the thought of damaging him any further than he already had.
He’d figure something out. He was too good to let it end like this. He searched for the tiny vestige of fey perception he’d acquired from his gentleman. Before he could trigger his fey sense, the dozens of stubby candles around the room sprung alight, searing Querry’s vision underneath his goggles. He squeezed his eyes shut and groaned, the brightness burning through his eyelids.
Querry felt his goggles gently brushed up onto his hairline. He sensed the presence of someone standing in front of him, smelled brandy, tobacco, and expensive cologne. As a hand caressed the back of his head, he slowly opened his eyes.
The dark, blurry shape before him came into focus: an attractive, older man with dark hair, wearing an Auriental robe and holding a curved pipe. He tilted his head a few inches to the side as he regarded Querry. Black hair, as dark as Querry’s own but streaked with silver at the temples, grazed the man’s shoulders. His skin, while tanned, didn’t appear of Thalacean complexion, and he had deep blue eyes like the sky at twilight. His lips trembled and twitched as he suppressed his smirk.
A Grimoire for the Baron Page 2