by Alicia Wolfe
Eyes hard, Nevos took one hand off the reins of his taron and held it out behind him. A great orange energy exploded out from it, becoming a half-sphere of brilliant light. The dragonfire struck it. Some of the fire rebounded, some was absorbed and the rest deflected off of it.
“Wow!” I said, genuinely impressed. “That’s some shield!”
He lifted a cocky eyebrow. “Like I said.”
I drifted closer to him—unconsciously, I swear. Sheesh! I’m no slut. Not that I’m slut shaming. Okay, the truth is I’m totally a slut. Live it, learn it, love it. But I wasn’t going to start a thing with Nevos, of all people. Davril would never let me hear the end of it.
“Okay, what next?” I said. “Can you protect us from every blast?”
He grimaced. “No. We’ve got to get to cover.”
I flew down toward the city. We put a skyscraper between us and Walsh, then another. And another. He hunted us from above, smoke wreathing his scaly head, but he couldn’t get at us, at least for a moment, and he knew it. Worse for him, the cops of the city had taken notice. They swarmed him in greater numbers than those of the Hamptons, and with better magic, too. Nevos and I had a chance to think.
“Well?” I said.
“Do you have any ideas?”
“Well, flying is his element, unless you think we can beat him … wherever we’re going?” I was all too aware of where that must be. When Nevos shook his head, I said, “Then I guess we hit the streets.”
With obvious reluctance, Nevos nodded.
We descended from the skies and alit on the sidewalk. Passersby stared at us, then hastily found other places to be when Nevos’s dinosaur snapped its long sharp beak in their direction.
“You can’t ride that thing down the street,” I said.
“I don’t intend to.”
Nevos whispered in the ear hole of the taron. It pumped its wings and lifted off, vanishing around a tall building.
“He’ll meet us at our destination, along with my compatriots,” Nevos said. “Walsh won’t follow him. He’ll follow us. This.” Again he patted the velvet bag.
We’d landed on the street, and the drivers behind us were overcoming their fear to start honking. I indicated the seat behind me and said, “Get on.”
Nevos did, and I could feel his hard eight-pack against the small of my back and his powerful arms wrapping around me.
“Er, invasion of privacy?” I said, but I didn’t fight it too hard. I gunned the motor and shot Chromecat forward. She tucked in her black wings, becoming a street vehicle once more, and in seconds we were virtually indistinguishable from the rest of the traffic.
Glancing overhead from time to time, I could still see Walsh hunting us through the skies, shooting flame at the cops who harassed him and sending them scurrying. He might not be able to see us anymore, but I was sure he could still sense the item in the bag. I only prayed that it wasn’t as important to him as the golden antler had been. Hopefully he’d just absorbed too much dragon over the years and had become a … wait for it … hoarder. Har har.
Because if the item in the bag were important to him … Well, last time he’d kidnapped my sister. I wasn’t looking forward to what he might do in the next go round.
“Where are we going?” I said, darting between two cars. Horns honked, but I didn’t care. I didn’t have time to sit and wait to get roasted. And it was better for them, too, even if they didn’t know it.
“Turn right,” Nevos said. Then, a few blocks later: “Left.”
He continued giving directions, never telling me where our ultimate destination was, but the looming shadow of Central Park continued to get larger in my field of vision with every heartbeat, and a sense of dread certainty settled over me.
“Just spit it out,” I said finally. “We’re going there, aren’t we?” I pointed at the shadow that was the mystical veil surrounding what had once been a bright green spot in a sea of steel and concrete.
“That’s right,” Nevos said, sounding pleased. “So you see, we must part ways when we get to the barrier. You wouldn’t want to go across the Veil, would you?”
“Ha! You’re not getting rid of me that easily, buster. I’m going across with you, like it or not.”
“What about your bike? It can’t go in. Or at least I don’t think it would get very far.”
“I can have her wait or circle. You let me worry about Chromecat.”
“Chromecat?” He tasted the word. “Nice.”
A thrill ran through me. See, I KNEW it was a good name! Then again, was Nevos really the arbiter of taste? I thought of him playing his violin half-naked and had to concede that he might just be.
I slowed as we reached the area around Central Park. There were the usual half-broken walls and barricades, and a police zeppelin was sweeping the skies overhead—too far away to see us, but it was coming in our direction. It wasn’t illegal to go into the park, but I didn’t want to draw attention, either.
Beyond the barricades rose the misty gray Veil itself, what looked like a weird cloud permanently camped out over Central Park, completely sealing it off. It rose into an irregular dome a few hundred feet high. No one could see into the park from outside, at least no one I knew, and what went on in there was largely a mystery. I’d been in there, of course, and knew that it was much bigger on the inside than the out, and that it was populated by monsters, outlaws and monster outlaws. Along with other, stranger things.
Nevos and I hopped off Chromecat. I whispered to her, and she took off, gorgeous black wings flapping. I knew she would be ready when I needed her again, but it pained me to be apart from her. I really did love my ride.
Nevos watched me watching Chromecat, but when I turned to him he didn’t comment on it. Wearing a small smile, he bowed and gestured to the Veil.
“After you,” he said.
Amazing, I thought. He was so much smoother and less rigid than Davril. He had just arrived in this world and he acted as if he’d been here for years. With Davril it was the opposite. It occurred to me that I could learn more about Davril hanging out with Nevos than I could with Davril himself.
I started to reply, but just then a titanic roar made my head snap up.
Walsh had just emerged from around a skyscraper. Fire flicking in the back of his maw, he barreled down at us.
“Shit!” I said. “He’s seen us!”
“Hurry,” Nevos said.
He moved toward the barricade, and I went with him. We found a crack in the half-ruined structure and passed through it, then approached the Veil itself. Misty currents stirred in the unnatural cloud, completely independent from the wind.
“Here goes nothing,” I muttered.
Walsh roared again. Flame leapt from his mouth, streaking right at us. As one, Nevos and I ran forward, into the mist. Instantly Walsh’s roars faded from hearing, and I was pretty sure his fire would simply bounce off the Veil. It was impenetrable to most magic. Just to be sure, though, I kept running.
We threaded our way through dense trees and dangled undergrowth. The park had once been stately and orderly, but now it was a vast, sprawling forest. No more roars came, and the trees didn’t burst into flames behind us. My heart thumped wildly, and sweat stuck my clothes to the small of my back.
Gasping, I drew to a stop.
Nevos stopped, too, and turned to me. Sweat gleamed on his bare chest. Inside the Veil we could see sky, but it was nighttime. It was always nighttime here. Fortunately the full moon shone down, giving us some illumination, and my shifter senses could see well in the dark. I was sure Nevos could, too. After all, his brother was able to.
“That was close,” Nevos said, his muscular chest rising and falling.
“Yeah.” I doubled over and clutched my knees. “Think Walsh will come after us?”
“I doubt it. We’re in Shadowpark, now. That’s what they call it in here.”
“Oh?”
“There’s a reason people don’t come in here,” Nevos said. “Ho
pefully that deterrent extends to dragons. But if it doesn’t, that’s fine, too. I have allies here.”
“Allies that can ward off Vincent Walsh?”
“Even him. Come. Let’s—”
He broke off as new sounds reached us. The small hairs along my arms lifted. What was this? The sounds were soft but clear, as of a number of people or beings moving in a coordinated way through the forest. And there was an odor, a strange acrid odor … strangely familiar …
Nevos realized it first.
“Goblins!” he whispered, careful to keep his voice low. “It’s a band of goblins.”
Chapter 10
I tasted bile in the back of my throat.
“Goblins?” I said. “Are you sure?”
Taking my hand, he guided me through the undergrowth, then crouched down. I followed suit, and together we peered through the brush as a war-like band of humanoid figures with green skin, claws and tusks moved through the forest. They went with stealth and speed, making very little noise. If Nevos and I hadn’t been supernaturally gifted, we probably wouldn’t have been able to hear them. I guessed there were about twenty or twenty-five of them.
And they were coming our way.
“Damn it all,” I said.
Nevos peered upward, as if looking for something, then nodded, as if to confirm his suspicions, and pointed. I looked and saw a shape hunched on a branch overhead. Tusks gleamed faintly on the figure’s head.
“Goblin bands always send out scouts,” Nevos said.
You would know. “Maybe they’re friendly?”
The goblin scout in the trees cupped his hands to his mouth and hooted like an owl. An answering howl came from the band even then moving toward us. There must have been a code hidden in the hoot because the scout, upon hearing it, pulled something that had been hanging from his belt and shook it out. As he did, it expanded—a weighted net.
He threw it down at us.
Nevos and I jumped in opposite directions. The net spread, catching on the bushes where we’d just been, and when I glanced up the goblin scout had vanished. I heard a hoot, I wasn’t sure from where, but I knew it was probably informing the goblin band that we were still free.
As in answer, the members of the goblin band picked up speed.
Nevos and I looked at each other. I knew my face must be pale and tight. Every muscle in my body had tensed.
“Run,” he said.
He picked himself up and darted through the forest. Breathless, I followed. A whistling sound reached my ears, and I dodged to the side just as a spear hurtled through the space where my head had just been. It struck a tree and imbedded itself six inches in the wood. That could’ve been me!
“Why are they hunting us?” I said between breaths. I wanted to add Aren’t they your allies? but held myself back.
“Who knows,” he said over his shoulder. “They’re goblins!”
“That’s racist!”
Another whistling sound reached me. I flinched to the left, and the spear flashed by, aimed straight for the small of Nevos’s back. He spun, amazingly fast, and knocked it aside with his hand.
“Wow,” I said, genuinely impressed.
He didn’t acknowledge the compliment but ran on. Evidently he didn’t trust in his skill to keep doing that.
Breathless, branches and undergrowth whipping at us, we fled through the dark forest as the goblins chased us. Spears flew, but we dodged them with gasps and swears. I was beginning to run out of breath when Nevos pointed and said, “There!”
I saw a dark opening in a low rise. Nevos threw himself into it. I followed him into the cave, wishing there was some alternative. But it was either that or get caught by the goblins, and they didn’t seem like they were in the mood to make friends. Side by side in the tight space, Nevos and I waited, watching and listening for the approach of the goblin band.
“They’re going to see us,” I whispered.
He frowned. His eyes fell on a boulder not far away. Lifting his palm toward it, he made the boulder levitate and float through the air toward us.
“Oh my God,” I breathed. “You’re using the Force!”
“Pardon?”
I didn’t explain, and it didn’t matter. He brought the boulder before the entrance to the cave, then set it down, sealing us in darkness with each other. I could feel his breaths against my skin and the heat of his skin. Distantly through the stone filtered the sounds of the goblins approaching. They grunted and hooted, seeming to mill about, but they couldn’t find us.
They didn’t go away, though.
“Damn, they can track us,” I said. “They’ll know we didn’t go any further. Unless you have some magic for that, too.”
“Unfortunately, no. We’d better see where this cave goes.”
I did have a spell for magical illumination. Ruby had taught it to me. I said the words, and a blob of blue light leapt from my palm. I could see well in places where there was little light, but I couldn’t see jack without some light. Leading the way, I left the entrance of the cave behind and followed the corridor as it sloped subtly downward. I’d expected it to end shortly, but it kept going. I hit a branch and took the right-hand path. Everything stank of mud and stone and minerals. Somewhere water dripped.
“Can you hear the goblins anymore?” I said.
“No, can you?”
“No.”
“That’s something, at least.”
“Yeah,” I said. “And I don’t think Walsh followed us past the Veil.”
“Let’s hope not. We’ve got enough problems, don’t we?”
I let myself smile, just a little. “I guess you could say that. Hey, it’s all a day’s work for a thief in modern New York City. I admit the goblins were a surprise, though. I knew there were a few of them around, here and there, but in these numbers?”
“I didn’t know of it, either.” The idea seemed to bother him, and I wondered what it meant. He and the goblins both served the Shadow, right? Maybe this was an example of the right hand and the left working separately.
“This stupid cave better go somewhere,” I said, trying and failing to peer ahead.
“It does. I can smell fresh air coming from ahead. It’s faint, though.”
“You have a good nose. I don’t smell anything.”
“You’re part shifter, aren’t you?” he said.
“How did you know?”
“You’re too fast, for one. And I’m sure your sense of smell is stronger than a human’s, too.”
“My strong is also stronger,” I quipped.
“Cute.”
“I try.”
Shit, was I flirting with him? He was the enemy! I concentrated on remembering why that was. He had betrayed Davril. He had sided with the Shadow and opened the very gates of Stormguard Castle, allowing a wave of goblins to pour in. That had begun the final war between the Fae and the agents of the Shadow, and ultimately the Shadow had prevailed and the Fae Lords had fled their homeworld entirely. All because of Nevos. Remember that, Jadeslut.
But it was hard, especially when I turned to catch him watching my ass. His eyes flicked up, but too late. I’d seen the direction of his gaze. And my gaze lingered, just a little too long, on his taut, lithe, muscular chest. I forgot what I was about to say. Cheeks burning, I turned back around.
Well, that had been awkward.
He cleared his throat. “Um …”
“Yes?” I said hopefully, eager to have something else to focus on.
Then: “Never mind.”
I sighed. Yep. Pretty awkward.
Finally, lamely, he said, “So you’re a thief, then?”
It was a pathetic stab at conversation, but I seized on it. “That’s right,” I said. “And a half-shifter. And I can make a mean martini, too.” Stop flirting, Jadeslut!
“What do you shift into? Or half-shift?”
“Well, nothing now. Long story. But I used to be able to partially shift into a dragon.”
He made a sound
of appreciation. “A dragon! That’s interesting. But how do you half shift into a dragon?”
“Basically, just the wings. Oh, and being able to breathe fire.”
“So you could fly?”
I nodded sadly, watching my blue light flicker along the wet stone hall. “That’s right. It was awesome. But I can’t do it anymore.” Thanks to Walsh, the bastard. “I don’t want to talk about that. Enough about me. Since we’re stuck together for the moment, maybe you can tell me about yourself.” Please please please. And don’t skimp on the Davril dishing, either.
“I don’t want to talk about that,” he said. “If you’ll forgive me. Employer-employee privilege, I hope you understand.”
“Top secret stuff, huh?”
“If you like.”
He didn’t add anything to that, and I wondered how far I could press him before he caught on to my ulterior motives.
“But it must be some big thing to steal from a dragon mage,” I said.
“Evidently.” At first that was all he would say about it, and I slumped, but then he added, “It’s only the first stage, though. There’s something more I need.”
My ears perked up. “Oh?”
“Something that will help me complete my goals.”
“What are your goals?”
There was a smile in his voice as he said, “That would be telling.”
Indeed it would. But would that be so wrong? I could use a little telling, right about now. But I guessed I would have to wait. Part of me wanted to spin around, grab a rock and hit him over the head. Then I could tie him up and steal the velvet bag. That was my mission, right? But I knew he was too fast, too strong and too powerful. I couldn’t defeat him on my own, and trying would only give the game away and probably get me killed.
A smell hit me. I sniffed.
“I sense it, too,” I said. “Fresh air.”
I quickened my pace. We rounded one bend, then another. The light grew stronger, at last growing bright enough for me to douse my magical fire, which was good because it was about out of mojo anyway. Finally we emerged under the moonlight once more, still under the canopy of the endless trees of Shadowpark. Some of the trees looked sinister, with weird boles and roots grasping like tentacles, but others were stately and handsome specimens that made me long for primordial times. I was beginning to feel like I was stuck in a Tarzan and Jade novel, only with a Tarzan that had gone bad.