Cruel Enchantment

by Bast, Anya

  Dread clutched his chest. His Kiya . . . didn’t exist.

  I know the real thing when I feel it. He was so blind.

  Rage gripped him. He brought his fist forward fast, only to have the woman duck out of the way faster than his eyesight could track.

  She backed away from him cautiously, though she still wore that irritating smirk. She clucked her tongue and said, “No, no, lover boy. Now, you wouldn’t want to be hurtin’ your lady, would you?” She spoke with a thick Irish accent.

  “Who are you?” He seethed with anger, making his voice come out low and hard.

  “Oh, I’ll never be telling you my name, boyo. There’s power in names. In the right magicked hands, a true name can cause a lot of damage. It’s not Kiya, though, that’s for bleeding certain.”

  “Did she ever actually exist?” Maybe his Kiya was still alive somewhere. The hope of it nearly made him dizzy.

  “Sorry, lover. I killed her off and took her place the day you showed interest in her at the coffee shop.” The fae looked thoughtful for a moment. “In a way, it’s like you killed her.”

  David made a sound of complete rage and lunged toward the woman. She sidestepped away from him and smashed her fist into his back with surprising strength. He wobbled, off balance, and she pivoted on her right foot, bringing her other foot straight into his face. For a moment, the whole world became pain.

  He grunted, staggering to the side, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.

  The woman bounced on the balls of her feet, like a boxer in the ring, full of energy and strength. “I have the same magick your Emmaline has, boyo. Very rare in the world of the fae. ’Cept I’m better than your precious because I have extra killing ability.” She cocked her head to the side. “Sort of poetic, isn’t it? The reason your buddy Calum couldn’t tell I was fae is because of that, the nature of my glamour. Nice try, though.”

  He spit out a glob of blood. “You’re with the Phaendir? A fucking fae?”

  “The Phaendir?” She laughed. “No, I’m not with those amateurs.”

  “Then who?”

  “Oh, lover, do you think I’m going to stand here and tell you my whole agenda? Like some villain in a cartoon?” She moved almost too fast for him to track and he had a foot in his face again. He fell backward, sprawling onto the couch, and the world went black.

  He woke briefly to the bite of a needle in his arm. His vision grew blurry and his limbs became warm and heavy. The last thing he saw was the fae woman’s fuzzy, smiling face. Triumphant.

  TWENTY-ONE

  MEGHANN stood from her work with the syringe in her hand. Her task here was done and she’d accomplished it admirably, in her opinion. Once David had revealed that the key had been made and was being delivered, she didn’t need him anymore. She had more than enough information about the man to impersonate him properly. Emmaline wouldn’t suspect a thing.

  She studied David. It was a pity she’d have to kill him. He was good-looking, for a human.

  Calum needed to go, too. By morning she needed to set that man’s fae spirit to restlessly roaming the earth. The Netherworld, of course, would not be an option for him since the Wild Hunt was trapped in Piefferburg.

  That was the nice thing about having escaped the Great Sweep and living beyond the walls of Piefferburg. She could kill as many fae as she liked and there were no consequences. The Wild Hunt’s reach didn’t extend this far.

  She could get away with murder. And she did, quite often.

  It was one of the many reasons she couldn’t allow the warding around Piefferburg to come down. She’d be swept up by the Wild Hunt faster than she could say bloody hell.

  She’d murder again once she had the piece. Little Miss Perfect, Emmaline Siobhan Keara Gallagher, would end up with a knife in her throat as soon as Meghann had her hands on the object of her desire.

  It would be a pleasure.

  Masquerading as Kiya, she’d had to plumb the depths of David and those depths were filled to the brim with Emmaline. She’d been working to find out as much about David as possible and in the meantime had learned more than she’d ever wanted to know about the Seelie Queen’s former assassin.

  Meghann really didn’t give a shite that Emmaline had offed so many of her Unseelie brothers and sisters during the fae wars, but she was so fecking sick of just hearing about her so much from David that killing her would be a gift.

  She dealt with David and then went into the bathroom to wash her hands. Concentrating on her reflected image in the mirror above the sink, she engulfed herself in magick, changing her visage to David’s. She smiled as his face and body appeared without flaw in the reflection.

  In just a few hours, she could return to David’s hotel suite and have some real fun with Calum.

  EMMALINE yanked her suitcase from the baggage carousel at the airport in Haifa and a strong hand gripped the handle and hauled it up for her. She looked up into the face of an old friend and smiled.

  “Hey, nib.”

  “David! It’s so good to see you.” As soon as he set her suitcase down, she hugged him. “How have you been?”

  He smiled ruefully, twisting his lips in that expression she knew so well. A pang of wistfulness went through her for the way she’d hurt him when she left. “I’ve been bored, nib. I bet you haven’t, though.”

  She gave a laugh. “Yeah. Boredom really hasn’t been a problem.”

  He hefted her suitcase. “Come on. I’ve got a rental car. You can fill me in on the way to my hotel.” He paused. “Where is it?”

  “Somewhere safe.”

  He nodded, started to say something, but then shut his mouth and started walking toward the exit.

  She already missed the weight of her crossbow. Not even her glamour could have gotten it past airport security, so she’d been forced to leave it back in the States.

  They drove through the heart of Haifa to his hotel, where she checked in at the front desk. By the time he’d played bellman for her and got her suitcase up to the room, she’d filled him in on everything relevant.

  Everything that wouldn’t wound him even further.

  She knew that he still had feelings for her. She was happy to see he’d taken off his wedding ring, though there was a thin white mark on his ring finger that told her that removal had been recent.

  “I never would have pegged Gideon for a pervert,” said David, walking into the foyer of her lovely, expensive hotel suite. “I mean, he’s a lot of scary things, but I can’t picture him breaking into your apartment to sniff your panties.”

  She shuddered as she unzipped her suitcase. “I don’t know. When I got to my place the first thing I checked was the jewelry box. Everything seemed to be exactly where I left it. Nothing messed with, nothing missing.”

  “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean anything.”

  She shrugged. “Maybe I’m just paranoid. I guess I have reason to be.”

  “No doubt.”

  “So, diving?” She turned to him. “When?” The key was burning a hole in her pocket—or bra, actually. She wanted to get the piece and get back to Aeric.

  “Tomorrow. I have a boat and all the gear secured. Be ready to go early in the morning, okay?”

  “Okay, great. I’m more than ready to do this, David. Where’s Calum?”

  He pushed a hand through his hair and sighed. “You know Calum.”

  “Ah. Right.” Sleeping one off. She leaned up against the wall of the foyer and crossed her arms over her chest. “He never changes.”

  “He’d never admit it, but being away from the fae makes him suffer. Drinking is his way of coping.”

  She nodded. “I’ve often thought the same.”

  “So, can I see it?”

  She frowned, then realized he meant the key. “Um, well, actually not right now.” The last thing she wanted to do was dig around in her bra in front of David. “But I’ll have it with me tomorrow, for sure. You can see it then.”

  They looked at each other for several
long moments. She yawned. Pointedly.

  “I’ll let you get some sleep,” he said. “You must be exhausted.”

  “I am. Thanks, David.”

  She followed him to the door of the suite. Right when she thought he was leaving, he turned and crowded her against the wall of the foyer. “Emmaline,” he breathed. “I’ve missed you.”

  Oh, shit.

  His mouth came so close to hers she could feel the heat of his breath on her lips.

  “David?” She pushed him away. “Please.”

  “I can’t get you out of my mind, Emmaline. Every woman I’m with I measure against you.”

  She closed her eyes. “David, we’re divorced.”

  “I know that. I’m just saying that I still—”

  “David. You need to know.” She swallowed and chose her words carefully. “I’m in love with someone else.”

  His eyes instantly showed the emotional injury. His pain was like a blow to her stomach, but she needed to be up-front about this situation. She knew that David still had feelings for her, but this blatant display wasn’t like him.

  She swallowed hard and continued. “I’m sorry. I am. I wish things could be different. I wish . . . for many things, David. Not the least of which is your happiness.”

  His eyes went cold and he turned toward the doorway. “I’ll see you in the morning, bright and early.”

  “David?”

  He half turned toward her. “It’s okay, Emmaline. I knew that already, all right? I knew through our whole marriage that you were really stuck on someone else.”

  He left and she sagged against the wall. Guilt over emotions she had no control over weighed in her chest. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him, but it seemed she couldn’t avoid it.

  It wasn’t really David’s style to be aggressive that way. Maybe something had happened to throw him off his feet.

  It had definitely thrown her off her feet.

  THE boat was small, sleek, and very white on the warm and blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The key was in a box and hung around her neck on a heavy chain. She wore a bikini and sat in the back while David navigated the boat out to the site.

  This was far better than a manure farm in Wales.

  All morning David had been quiet and efficient in his dealings with the boat and the diving equipment. Things between them had smoothed since their uncomfortable moment the night before. Mostly they were pretending it had never happened. She didn’t know what to say. She just wished that he could move on and find someone worthy of him.

  She wanted his happiness with all her heart. He would make a woman very happy, but she was not that woman. The sooner David could move on from that fantasy, the happier he’d be.

  The boat’s engine throttled down and came to a gentle stop. Together she and David threw the anchor over the side and started to don their wet suits.

  She watched him as he silently worked himself into his suit. He was a good-looking man and always had been—with glossy hair that had a charming habit of falling across his forehead; deep, expressive brown eyes; and a lean, muscled body. Right now his beautiful brown eyes were clouded with pain.

  “David? Are you okay?”

  He flashed a fake smile at her. “I’m fine.”

  She stopped what she was doing. “Bullshit. I know you better than that. I was married to you, remember?”

  He sat down on the bench with his wet suit half on and sighed. “I was here for almost a month all alone and it gave me a lot of time to assess my life.” He looked up at her. “My feelings for you still run deep and they’re interfering with my ability to have other relationships.”

  “Oh, David.” She sank down on the bench.

  He held up a hand. “It’s okay. I know you don’t feel that way about me anymore. This is mine to deal with.” He gazed into the distance for a long moment while she struggled for something to say. “Come on, let’s go get the piece.” He stood and finished getting ready.

  She studied him as he dressed, chewing her bottom lip. There was something he wasn’t telling her. Something had happened. He just wasn’t acting like himself. Something was off.

  Her hands were steady as she finished suiting up, putting the box with the key just under the collar of her wet suit for easy access. Once done, her gaze scanned the horizon. So far, so good. No Phaendir in sight. Looked like they’d slipped past them from all angles. But she’d still be holding her breath until she got the piece out of that stupid magick box and back to Piefferburg.

  “You ready?” asked David. He sat on the bench, watching her finish up.

  She took a deep breath, staring at the surface of the water, where the gentle waves lapped at the side of the boat. The suit squeezed her body, making her feel awkward on land. As soon as she slid into the water, she’d feel as graceful as a selkie. “I’m ready.”

  Danu, she hoped that box wasn’t booby-trapped in some way.

  They turned their air on, put their mouthpieces in, and plunged into the water.

  Falling in silence.

  Above her the white bottom of the boat was visible amid the blue of the sun-drenched morning sky. It grew dimmer and dimmer the farther they went down.

  She looked over at David and made the okay symbol with her hand. He grinned back at her and gave a thumbs-up.

  What?

  Under the water the thumbs-up signal unequivocally meant you wanted to return to the surface. It never meant okay.

  She frowned at him, giving him a thumbs-up sign in return and pointing up toward the surface of the water with the index finger of her other hand. Was there a problem? Did he need to ascend? Yet he didn’t seem to be in distress.

  He waved his arms at her—no—and pointed downward, toward the box. Giving the thumbs-up again, he headed down, leading the way. After hesitating a moment, she followed. David was a master diver and he’d just made a rookie mistake. Worse, he’d done it twice and acted like he didn’t even know he’d done something wrong.

  There was definitely something going on with David. Something bad.

  Frowning and on edge, she headed down farther and farther into the darkness, the white bottom of the boat growing smaller. The box was half buried in the sand, wedged between two rocks. Magick had kept it from being completely buried after thousands of years, as if whoever had hidden it had wished to conceal it enough to be very difficult to find, but not impossible.

  As if they’d meant for only those who really needed the piece to have a shot at recovering it.

  David hovered near her as she extracted the box and removed the key. Beside her, David looked tense. She took a deep breath and said a prayer to Danu that this would work. Then she slid the key into the lock. . . .

  It turned.

  No magickical explosions. No booby traps.

  She closed her eyes for a moment in relief. Aeric had done his part of this well.

  Slowly, still half anticipating magick blowing up in her face, she opened the lid. Inside, on material that looked like red velvet—velvet that had been produced the day before instead of thousands of years ago—lay the piece they were looking for. Odd, sharp angles; shining metal. Innocuous. Mesmerized, she lifted it, turning it in her hand to examine all the sides in awe. It was such a simple object, yet it meant so much to the fae.

  Something yanked her by the air hose, ripping her mouthpiece away. Bubbles rose in her face, blinding her.

  Then, ominously, the bubbles stopped.

  She scrabbled at her air hose for a panicked moment. Bubbles still rose in the vicinity of her back. Her air hose had been cut. What the hell?

  Confused beyond belief, she whirled, coming face-to-face with David, who held a sharp diving knife and a less than reassuring expression on his face. Malice danced in eyes she barely recognized.

  Oh, sweet lady, have mercy. He’d done it. He’d cut her breathing tube.

  He reached for the piece and she darted away from him, pushing upward toward the surface as hard as she could. But
, Danu, she couldn’t hold her breath for as long as it would take to get to the top.

  He grabbed her ankle and pulled her down. She came eye to eye with him, her heart breaking and her mind whirling over possible reasons he would do this and coming up blank. All she knew was that it had something to do with the piece, so she dropped it. He dove after it, but she grabbed at him, trying to get his air hose from behind.

  His knife flashed, swooping up toward her. She gripped his wrist and thrust with all her strength away from her. They struggled, rolling in the water. Her lungs were starting to burn. Time was not on her side. Pain ripped through her upper arm and she looked down to see her blood coloring the water. Her suit was cut and her skin neatly laid open.

  She scrabbled at his face, yanking his mask and mouthpiece off. Bubbles rose from the freed mouthpiece, obscuring his vision. His eyes went wide with surprise and panic and his face flickered . . . shifted. . . .

  Another fae. A fae with the same glamour magick she had.

  Danu. She’d thought she was the only one.

  The fae looked at her, eyes wide, realizing the slip—then the glamour dropped. It was a woman with pasty white skin, dark red hair, and a pockmarked face.

  With that click of realization, “David’s” strange behavior all made sense.

  The strange fae’s knife arched toward her again.

  She grabbed her wrist and they battled, the edge of the blade coming closer and closer to Emmaline’s throat. Gods, but the woman was strong, stronger than she should have been. Her injured arm screamed with pain and her chest burned from holding her breath. Time was quickly running out. If she couldn’t get the upper hand quick, she was dead and the piece would be lost.

  Giving it everything she had, her adrenaline surging, Emmaline gained control and forced the blade in the other direction. With one last burst of strength, she forced the tip to the fae’s throat.

  And pushed.

  Blood floated out in a cloud. The light green eyes of the pockmarked fae woman showed only fear now. She knew death had her. The fae thrashed in the water, floating away and gurgling incoherently.