by Kimbra Swain
Seamus handed the man a golden coin. He bowed, then ducked out of the curtain. I thought about what Seamus had said about my power. I controlled it mostly. I hadn’t lost control for several months. Of course, thankfully, I’d been with Kyrie who had a way to calm me in the tensest moments. I didn’t have that comfort now. I had to be able to do it on my own. I didn’t believe for a second that Seamus feared me, but he used it only to make a point.
My thoughts drifted to the recurring dream. I thought I’d orchestrated it perfectly for that moment to be when I confronted Reyna to save my friends, but then they moved and that plan got shot to hell. Now the only thing I knew was that they seemed to be fine with the Sanhedrin who were waiting for us to vacate the city. I wanted to call home and ask for advice, but I knew I needed to figure this out on my own.
The house lights blinked warning us that the show would start soon. Seamus refilled my glass. I hadn’t realized I’d drunk it all.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“What troubles you?”
“Everything.” I don’t know why I had always found it so easy to talk to Seamus. Perhaps that is what he meant by being able to seduce women. He gave off a sense of honor which contradicted his profession. However, he wasn’t an active pirate. Not in the same sense of the word. I wished that he was. He might know the traffickers if he were more in touch with the sea.
“Surely not everything. You seem to be quite satisfied with Mr. Kyrie Babineau.”
“What do you know about that?”
“I’ve seen you many times in your life. I’ve never seen you-how can I put this delicately-so satisfied.”
No way. Seamus couldn’t have known that Kyrie and I had been together.
“I am very fond of Kyrie.”
“He is devoted to you.”
“Yes.”
“And the wolf?”
“Mark has his own life in Shady Grove. Mine is here.”
“Indeed, but in a world where fairies can skip place to place and open portals with swords, is distance really a factor?”
He had a point, and it was that my excuse was just that, an excuse.
“I didn’t like the idea of being the dutiful mate. I am my own person.”
“He never treated you like that.”
“No, he didn’t. Mark was always kind. He always stood by me as long as I was at home. But I didn’t want to be the Alpha’s wife. I want to be…”
“The Alpha.”
The lights dimmed, and his description sank into me. He was right. I was the Phoenix. The only Phoenix. For all purposes, I was the Alpha. The only problem was I didn’t have a pack. Gaining one didn’t seem to be on the horizon. But I thought about Kyrie, Rory, Soraya, and the others. Mark’s pack wasn’t just wolves. My pack didn’t have to be phoenixes. They just had to be loyal.
That’s what had changed in me when I received my father’s powers. The little human girl died, and the Phoenix rose. Humans weren’t lesser beings, but they certainly had less magical powers. Mark would always be my best friend. I could always count on him, but I could never submit to him. He needed a mate that would for the strength of his pack. I hoped that one day he would find her and fall in love with her. I wished it with every fiber of my being. He deserved it.
But I knew one thing, it wasn’t me.
The same announcer as before stepped out onto the stage. The crowd clapped, but Seamus and I sat very still watching the show unfold before and below us from our perfect perch. The far side of the stage was so dark, that I couldn’t see anything. Not even with my sight.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, for the first time in Steelshore history, two melodic voices will join together in song. All funds collected at the door tonight will go to the refurbishing of Ely House after the brutal attack there a few nights ago. That loss allows us to have these mavens on the same stage for a one-time performance that will never be repeated. I present to you, Eartha Hamlet and Scarlett O’Lear!”
The crowd stood, clapping and cheering as the two women entered from opposite sides of the stage. Miss Hamlet stood closer to us. The two smiled at each other, which seemed forced, then bowed to the cheering crowd. Eventually, the patrons took their seats, and silence filled the room. Both women wore liquid silver gowns with flashing sequins. Miss O’Lear’s gown showed more skin, but not as much as her burlesque costume had. I waited for one of them to speak. Instead the music started with a lone piano, then the tish-tish of a quiet cymbal. A saxophone joined the others. A trumpet filled in the intro just before Miss Hamlet began to sing Stars Fell on Alabama.
The crowd clapped in appreciation for the song choice. She sang through several lines, then Miss O’Lear took over. Before the end of the song, their voices joined together. The crowd seemed mesmerized by their song. A true seduction by sound. I’d seen it before with Uncle Levi and Killian.
My eyes cut to Seamus whose cane stood between his legs. His hands sat atop it as the runes glowed with power. He was blocking their trance.
“I figured you could resist it on your own,” he explained quietly.
“I don’t feel anything, but the crowd looks lost in it,” I said.
“It’s because they are. Never in my life have I seen these two on a stage. Something is changing in Steelshore. Enemies are now friends.”
“Do they know you can resist them?” I asked.
“I’m counting on them not knowing. I believe they are doing this on purpose. Try to remain calm and focus on them as if you were enthralled. We need to get to the bottom of this,” he said.
I looked over the crowd once more though my sight. There were humans in attendance, but the glow of fairies filled most of the room. Focusing back on the singers, I watched them sway as the brass played an interlude between the lines of the song. I knew the song itself was fairly short, and it didn’t have real stanzas. But the women were making it last longer than normal. I felt their magic slithering around me like a cold snake. I shivered, then focused my power to keep me still.
The song ended, but the audience didn’t move. The women looked at each other, and Scarlett nodded to Eartha.
“Thank you all for coming out to hear me sing. I appreciate your generous donations to help rebuild Ely House. The servers will now come to you. I ask you to donate whatever you have in your pockets. I would also be grateful for any jewelry or other valuable donations.”
The Mr. Abs and Mr. Pecs entered the crowd carrying empty champagne buckets. Every person in the place emptied their pockets. Seamus laid his hand over mine, and I felt his consciousness digging toward my mind. I let him in.
“Do not move. When the servers come into the box, I will take out my wallet and empty it. You pretend that you do not have anything of value.”
I barely nodded my head to acknowledge him, but my rage grew as these women tricked the entire crowd into donating to their cause. Mr. Pecs came into the box. Seamus mindlessly removed his wallet, emptied it into the champagne bucket. The gold coins poured out of the wallet. I counted the clinks as they fell. There had to be at least seven of them.
“Is that all, Sir?” the server asked.
“I travelled light this evening,” Seamus said in a monotone voice.
“Thank you for your donation,” the man said. He offered the container to me, but I shook my head. He smiled, then slipped out of the curtain.
Seamus kept his hand resting over mine, and I left my mind open to him. He’d lived on this earth for a very long time, and I was sure that if he truly wanted in my mind, I couldn’t stop him. I’d prefer it to be voluntary.
“Thank you again for your generosity. Now, I relinquish the stage to Miss O’Lear. This is what you all came here for tonight,” Eartha said with a smile. She exited the stage, and Scarlett moved to the middle.
To my surprise, the music wasn’t a typical jazzy burlesque song. It was Mercy by Duffy. And despite my earlier assumptions, Miss O’Lear definitely wore a burlesque dress. The long tease lasted about four minutes. Th
e crowd slowly awoke from the trance and cheered for the dancer as she removed her clothing piece by piece. With a final flourish of swinging tassels, Miss O’Lear dashed off the stage and the curtain fell.
“I feel the justice welling up inside of you, but you have to let it go. Every person and fairy here came on their own accord. Is it right? Probably not, but we are here for a specific purpose. When we meet Miss O’Lear do not mention the first song. We aren’t supposed to remember it.”
“I understand,” I said quietly. He stood, offering his hand to me. Mr. Pecs arrived to escort us to Miss O’Lear’s chambers.
When the door opened, she looked exhausted.
“Seamus, I’m not in the mood tonight,” she said, but her eyes widened when she saw me on his arm. “It is good to see you again, Miss Riggs.”
“You, as well,” I responded.
“How did you enjoy the performance?” she asked with her back turned to me. She sat at a large lighted vanity and looked at me via the mirror.
“I was surprised with the song choice, considering it was so modern, but it fit perfectly with your performance,” I said.
“Songs just have to have a sexy soul to them. Do you have any desire to dance?” she asked.
“Like you?” I coughed. “No, no, I don’t think so.”
“You would make a ton of money doing it,” she said, standing to face me.
“Money isn’t everything,” Seamus said.
She walked to him and kissed him on the cheek despite the fact I was on his arm. “Seamus, you are adorable, but not nearly as fun as you used to be. Miss Riggs, if you ever change your mind, you are welcome to dance on my stage. I’ll teach you everything I know.”
“Wow! That is a generous offer, but I have to decline,” I said, trying to puff her up.
She shrugged as she wrapped a transparent robe lined with feathers around her body. She took a seat on a pink velvet couch and gestured to another across from her. Seamus sat down next to me.
“What’s the purpose of the visit, Seamus?” she asked.
He looked at me and nodded, urging me to ask what I’d come there to ask.
I cleared my throat and gathered my courage. “My friends, Rory and Soraya, were taken by the Sanhedrin. They were with me here the other night, if you remember.”
“The Summer Prince?” she asked, as if she didn’t know.
“Yes. You were seen leaving the Sanhedrin safe house yesterday. I was wondering if you knew anything that could help me find my friends,” I said.
“The Sanhedrin have been a plague on upper world fairies. We had thought with their latest split that they would cause us less trouble, but they are actually more trouble than I care to deal with on a daily basis. I was there, but I didn’t see your friends. I pay them to keep them out of my club and off my back,” she said, reaching into her very thin thong, she produced a gold coin like the ones Seamus had. She twirled it around her fingers. “The depths of the sea hold many treasures. Right, Seamus?”
“They do indeed,” he replied.
“I have many stashed away, but the Sanhedrin are bleeding me,” she said.
“They are running a mafia-style protection ring?” I asked. Seamus nodded. “I know a few things about the organization. Miss O’Lear, it is my intention to see the safe return of my friends, and I won’t stand for their extortion of fairies.” I stood up and approached her. “I also won’t stand for you extorting humans and fairies in this club. If you think for a second that I won’t call down the wrath of the royal family, then you are wrong. The Tree forbid I call my own wrath down on you.”
She didn’t flinch, but I saw the look in her eyes. I felt Seamus move behind me. He grabbed my arm gently. “That’s enough, Miss Riggs.”
We walked to the door, and she said, “It was a pleasure to see you again, Miss Riggs. Your father was a wonderful man.” I wanted to turn and lash out at her for trying to smear my father’s name, but Seamus shoved me out the door.
“What does she know about my dad?” I huffed.
“Your father wasn’t devoted to anyone until he met Grace. Scarlett O’Lear won’t be the last fairy you come across that has had relations with him. I suggest you let it go,” he said, guiding me down the steps to the lobby.
A wave of dizziness hit me, and I saw Seamus’ cane begin to glow. “What the hell?” I said, as he braced me from falling. He forced the cane into my hand while still holding it himself. I regained my balance and saw the culprit across the lobby.
Reyna Havlin stood with her hands down at her side, palms out. Each palm glowed with the arcane circle the Sanhedrin used for casting. There were multiple people in the lobby including some humans. I saw Elias and Gamma near the doors to the main seating area.
“Not here,” Seamus growled in my ear. I looked down at my hands which glowed with fiery power.
“I want to end it,” I said.
“You won’t make friends in the fairy community running around throwing fireballs with innocents in the way,” Seamus advised.
“What do you suggest we do, old wise one?” I mocked him.
“I am old, but you don’t have to rub it in. Besides, I look damn good for my age, Love,” he smirked.
“Seamus!”
He guided me back up the stairs. We passed Scarlett’s changing room. I reached out with some of my fairy powers and didn’t feel her there. I looked over my shoulder to see Judith and Simeon running behind us. I continued to hold Seamus’ cane because it still glowed as we ran down the hallway toward the red exit sign.
The door opened before we got to it. Nick and his sidekicks walked into the hallway. Malphas and Echo shifted into bird form and raced toward the two following us. I spun around ready to attack. The birds ran interference, giving us an opening to escape.
“No fire!” Nick said.
“Fine!” I pulled on the Winter abilities that I knew I had. I stretched my hand out and bright blue tattoos appeared down my arm matching the ones that my mother had in the height of her power. I thrust my hand forward and a puff of snow flew out of my hand and quickly dissipated. “Not now!” I screamed.
“They are just holding them off. We knew they would come after you. They will have to go back to their new base, and we will follow them,” Nick said. He’d made this side of the plan without telling me. Maybe the whole making me the leader was a joke to get us to this point. I felt like a fool. The one time I needed the Winter power it fizzled out on me.
I ran out the door to the metal steps leading to the ground. I saw Kyrie waiting in his car for me. Without looking back, I ran to the car and climbed in.
“Go!” I said.
“What about the rest of them?” he asked.
“They planned this. They can figure it out,” I barked.
“Wynonna,” he said.
“Drive or I’m getting out,” I said. Kyrie obeyed, but reluctantly. He looked back to Nick who didn’t try to stop us. He knew I’d be mad. I wasn’t as mad as I was hurt that he didn’t feel the need to tell me what was going on. There was no reason to keep me out of the loop. I seethed when what I really wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry.
“I didn’t know,” Kyrie said.
“Of course, you didn’t. They couldn’t tell you, because you would have told me. Where is Colton?” I asked.
“Ruby is entertaining him,” he said. My eyes widened. “Not like that.”
“Wait! Did she know the plan?” I asked. Kyrie grimaced, and I knew the answer. That did it. A tear rolled down my cheek. “Why didn’t they trust me?”
“I don’t know,” he said softly, reaching out for my hand. I let him take it and vowed not to shed another tear. If I didn’t belong in Steelshore, then I’d find somewhere else to do good. Kyrie would go with me.
“If I leave…”
“I’ll go with you.” At least I had one loyal friend. Well, I had two, but the other one wasn’t here.
My phone rang. Glancing at the caller I.D., I sent it to voi
ce mail. Kyrie’s phone rang. He looked to me. I shrugged. It didn’t matter if he answered it or not.
“Hello.” To my surprise, he answered it. “She doesn’t want to talk to you. I don’t want to talk to you, Nick. You kept information from both of us. You put her at an unnecessary risk. That’s not okay.” He paused. I started to pull power to enhance my hearing, but Kyrie hit the speaker phone.
“Tell her that I have an explanation. We didn’t think about it until after she left. I failed to see the danger. It’s my fault, and I knew we had to be there to back her up. I didn’t tell you because you had to cover Colton. We will meet you back at her apartment. Winnie, I know you can hear me. Please don’t leave,” Nick pleaded.
“I don’t want to talk to you,” I said.
“Tough shit. You will hear me out,” he replied.
I shook my head, and Kyrie disconnected the call. “What do you think?”
“I don’t think he would do something on purpose to put you in danger. He’d never break that bond with your uncle. They are like brothers, and well, your uncle is like a father to you,” Kyrie said. I heard the hesitation in his voice.
“Are you afraid of me?” I asked.
“I’m afraid of losing you,” he replied.
I didn’t feel like giving him any reassurances. I felt like being a bitch, even though I told myself that it wasn’t necessary. I told myself it was immature, but did I listen? Not to myself, but in that moment of silence, I heard the skipping beats of Kyrie’s heart. It would skip, then speed up. He took several deep breaths. He’d told me that he was afraid I’d hurt him. Nothing could describe the sound of his heart other than pain.
“I’m sorry,” I muttered. The heart thumped loudly, speeding up. “You aren’t losing me. I’m just being stupid. I need you to do something for me.”
“Anything.”
“When I’m being stupid or mean, please tell me to stop.”
“I do not have a death wish,” he said with a light chuckle. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it in mine.
“Do not placate me when I’m wrong. You can be against me and still support me, because you aren’t really against me. You would be doing me a favor by checking my ego.”