by C. S. Wilde
No surprise there.
Karthana inhaled sharply and tried to pull her hands away, but the mad seer held them tightly. “Not yet, child.”
Bast gaped at Raes’ daughter. “Is this true, Karthy?”
The frantic thu-thump, thu-thump, thu-thump of Mera’s heart thundered in her ears, as molten fire rushed up her head.
“Bast…” Karthana’s lips quivered. “It’s not that simple.”
“It never is,” he croaked.
A cold, merciless void swallowed Mera from inside. Did Bast still have feelings for Karthana?
Did he love her back?
“There’s another male.” Madam Zukova rubbed Karthana’s palms with her thumbs. “You are conflicted, and that’s blocking my view of the vision. Choose the answer you already know. I must see beyond your fears and worries, yes?”
Karthana glared at the seer, but even in her anger she seemed too poised. Too... perfectly mild. Like a princess from a fairytale.
Eventually, she nodded and closed her eyes.
Deep breaths, Mera told herself. Inhale. Exhale…
She had no right over Bast’s heart. Sure, they’d kissed before, and the simple memory of it turned her knees to jelly. They’d also shared a dream in which they’d had mind-blowing sex, but Bast was her partner, and that was all he would ever be. He could date whoever he wanted, and Mera had to be fine with that. If his choices left a bitter taste on her tongue, so be it.
Raes watched her with a hint of worry, or maybe curiosity—hard to tell which. Clearing her throat, Mera recomposed as much as she could, the fire in her dimming, yet still burning.
With a curt nod, Bast’s former mentor returned his focus to his daughter and the mad seer.
Another moment of silence ensued, until Madam Zukova raised her head. “The vision was faked,” she declared.
Raes’ dagger dropped to the floor, and he took Bast in his arms, patting his back joyfully. “I knew it, youngling!”
“Yeah, you did.” He hugged back his master. “Otherwise I’d be dead.”
“I see faerie who sent vision,” Madam Zukova added, still deep in concentration. “I can reach him if you want.”
Bast let go of Raes and stepped forward, his teeth grinding. “Absolutely.”
Raging bloodthirst coated his tone, and Mera feared for whoever was on the receiving end of his wrath.
The mad seer’s forehead crumpled as she hummed a tune deep within her throat. Slowly, a fog formed in the middle of the room, floating in the air. At first, it showed a blurred form against a lighter background.
“Oh, jalls,” the figure grumbled from inside the cloud, its voice muffled.
The mist swirled and cleared quickly, revealing none other than Benedict Dhay.
Poseidon in the trenches, Bast had been so right about the asshole. Any pity Mera had felt for him vanished instantly.
“Rae-henai!” Bast snapped at the faerie, motioning to attack, but it was useless since his brother wasn’t really there. He was just a projection.
“I can explain!” Benedict yelped.
“I don’t believe that’s necessary.” Raes crossed his arms. “We’ll be coming for you soon.”
“Wait! Please!”
“Why, Ben?” Bast pushed, a string of hurt weaved into his tone. “Why would you manipulate Master Raes and Karthana to send assassins after me? Do you hate me that much?”
“No, brother! We knew you could take them easily, and that Raes would never kill you⸺or at least, he would never try hard enough. To end Yattusei, one would have to try hard, wouldn’t they?”
“Stop lying!” Bast barked.
“I’m not! We wanted you back in the island, and we almost succeeded! Then mom visited you, and our efforts proved pointless.” He scratched the back of his neck. “In hindsight, the plan should’ve been a lot simpler.”
“Our efforts?” Bast asked through gritted teeth, his fangs sharpening. His magic pulsed in invisible waves from his body; waves that banged against Mera’s core. “He’s behind this, isn’t he?”
Ben swallowed.
He didn’t confirm it. He didn’t have to.
Karthana jumped to her feet, and for the first time, Mera glimpsed a dim fire burning inside her meek façade.
“Lies!” she argued. “Corvus would never⸺”
“He knew you wouldn’t agree to it,” Benedict told her. “That’s why he asked me to do it. He couldn’t bring himself to send you the vision.”
“Of course I wouldn’t agree!” she snapped. “You put Bast’s life in danger!”
Stepping forward, Mera dared to join the conversation. “Ben, if you wanted your brother here, there were better ways to do it. Smarter ways.”
“He knows,” Bast gnarled. “But as you’ve said it yourself, kitten, my kind enjoys playing games.”
Benedict shrugged slightly. “You can’t blame us for having a bit of fun. If anything, we should earn points for creativity.”
His definition of fun was twisted as hell, but Mera shouldn’t be surprised. Faeries would always be faeries.
“You’re aware this counts as attempted murder, right?” she asked, casually pulling a small notepad and pen from her jacket’s pocket. “You’re in trouble, buddy.”
“What? For a silly prank? Detective, it was all in good, harmless fun! We just wanted our brother back.”
“Fuchst ach!” Raes gnarled. “Fun? I lost one of my assassins because of your stunt, malachai!”
“I say good riddance,” Benedict countered. “He clearly wasn’t good at his job. Besides, assassins’ leagues aren’t legal, are they?” He shot a smug look at Mera. “I don’t see you having a problem with that, Detective.”
Bastard was right.
Rubbing the bridge of her nose, Mera sighed in exasperation. She was there to solve a potential murder, not waste time on Sidhe behaving like children.
“What do you want to do?” she asked Bast.
He glared at the cloud for a while, his fists tight and nostrils flared. “We’ll deal with them tomorrow.”
Benedict let out a relieved breath as his image slowly faded, and then he was gone.
“All good that ends good,” Madam Zukova said as she tapped her legs and stood. Approaching Bast, she showed him her palm.
With a nod, he pulled a small pouch filled with coins from his pocket, and gave it to her. “As always, you delivered. Thank you.”
Madam Zukova wiggled the pouch, then put it inside a pocket in her dress. “You must tell your partner eventually, Night Prince.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Tell me what?” Mera asked, stepping closer to them.
“The vow he made. It may not be today or tomorrow, but he’ll tell you when it’s time.” Madam Zukova raised one finger at her. “Not before and not after. So do not push him, Queen of Waves and Dust.”
Mera blinked. Queen of Waves and Dust?
The mad seer didn’t bother sticking around to elaborate. With a wink, she left as swiftly as she’d arrived.
Turning to Bast, Mera crossed her arms. “Care to explain?”
Bast’s lips pursed, and he shoved his hands in his pockets. “Not particularly.”
“The mad seer’s revelation changes things.” Raes’s scowl marred his azure complexion, his focus on her partner. “Do you reckon your brothers might be involved in your father’s murder?”
“Those two idiots? Maybe. I certainly wouldn’t put it past Corvus. Wait.” Bast gaped at him. “You agree with Mom? You suspect Father didn’t die of natural causes?”
He blew air through his lips. “I’m an assassin, youngling. I recognize unnatural death from a mile away. Your mother sensed this too, but she didn’t want to worry your brothers. Besides, they’re not detectives.”
That’s why she’d come to Bast. The Night Queen knew he found guilty people for a living, though Mera doubted Seraphina Dhay had suspected one of her sons might be the culprit.
Raes’s attention turned to Karthana. “My dear, won’t you show Detective Maurea our beautiful gardens? Sebastian and I have certain matters to discuss.”
His daughter gave him a polite bow. “Certainly, Father.”
Oh, hell no.
Stepping forward, Mera slammed both hands on her waist. “Excuse me. Detective Dhay and I are partners. Whatever you discuss with him—”
“I’ll tell you later, I promise,” Bast assured.
“Seriously?” Mera glared at him, then at Raes.
Seeing they were adamant, she threw her arms in the air and stormed out of the room. She was almost half-way through the corridor when she sensed a soundless presence following her.
“No offense, but back off,” she snapped at Karthana without looking back at her.
“Father said—”
Reaching the stairs, Mera pivoted on her heels, nearly slamming face first into Bast’s precious girlfriend. “Let me be straight, Karthy. I don’t like you, and I don’t trust you. Your vision put us in a lot of trouble. Bast doesn’t mind because he’s clearly thinking with his dick, but I know better.”
A furious blush rose to Karthana’s cheeks. Fumbling with her fingers, the faerie avoided eye contact. “I-I’m truly sorry, but if you had a vision where a loved one was killed, wouldn’t you tell them?”
Mera swallowed dry. If she’d seen someone killing Ruth in a vision, she’d make sure the bastard was six feet under before he had a chance to come close, or even explain himself.
Suddenly, what Raes and Karthana had done, their trust in Bast despite the vision, it seemed awfully… grand.
“It has all has been sorted now, Miss Maurea,” she added. “We found the offenders, and I’m sure everything will be cleared once they speak to Bast.”
“Don’t call me ‘miss’. It’s Detective.” Mera went down the stairs, her soles clanking against the marbled surface, but Karthana kept following her.
The damn faerie couldn’t take a hint, could she?
“I do have feelings for Sebastian,” the perfect princess blurted after a moment, “but I would never—”
“Not my problem. Don’t care.”
Karthana stopped and took her hand as they reached the base of the stairs, and at first, Mera wanted to jerk away, but something in Karthana’s pleading violet eyes stopped her.
She hated how pretty Karthy was, though she fully understood why Bast liked her.
Pretty, kind, meek.
All things that Mera wasn’t.
“Detective, Sebastian and I were practically raised together,” she explained quietly. “We were promised to each other upon our birth. It was an auspicious union, and we remained together even after the Night King disowned him.” She expelled a heavy sigh. “Indeed, I loved Sebastian, very much so. Once we reached a mature age, we became…” Her cheeks reddened to the color of a tomato. “… intimate several times.”
A rush of annoyance took over Mera. “That’s too much information.”
“I apologize.” She shook her head. “What I’m trying to say is that eventually, Bast left. My love wasn’t enough for him.”
“He had no choice,” Mera said quietly.
Her partner had left his home, and the League, to follow his sister, Stella. If Karthana was bitter because of that, well, then she was an asshole.
Mera still remembered the day she and Bast left for Lunor Insul perfectly…
The wind tousled Stella’s black hair into a thousand different directions as she hugged her brother, burying her face on his chest. After a long while, Stella stepped away, her lips forming a line.
“Be careful,” she’d said. “They’re your family, but they’re cruel.”
Bast kissed her forehead. “I know, Baby Sis.”
When Captain Asherath called him to discuss some arrangements, Bast hugged Stella one last time before stepping away.
As he left, Stella stepped closer to Mera, taking her hands. A certain desperation thrashed behind her clear blue eyes; eyes similar to Bast’s, but at the same time, so incredibly different.
“Promise me you’ll look after him,” she begged.
“Stella, I—” Mera’s voice failed. Bast was the last fae on earth who needed protection.
“You’re angry at him, I get that.” Stella glanced back to make sure Bast couldn’t overhear them. “He probably deserves it, but he needs you, Mera. More than he knows.” Seeing the hesitation on her face, Bast’s sister gripped her hands tighter. “If not for him, then for me. Promise me.”
Shaking her head, Mera brushed a stray lock of hair from Stella’s face. “I get why he never says no to you.”
Why he’d left the protection of the League once he became an adult to follow her to the mainland; to try a new life for them both, even if it meant risking everything.
It was the eyes. Big, puppy eyes filled with innocence and kindness.
Boy, would she regret this…
“Fine. I’ll keep your ass of a brother safe, even if it’s the last thing I do. Happy?”
Giving her a beaming grin that warmed her chest, Stella pulled her into a hug. “Thank you, my friend.”
Mera blinked, breaking away from her memories.
“I understand why Bast left,” Karthana added from beside her. “I respect that, Detective, though I do not understand why he would abandon his entire life here to watch over a bastard sister.”
Mera scowled, opening her lips to send Karthana to a nasty place, but the fae calmly raised her palm.
“Our ways and beliefs may seem odd to you, but they are what they are. Again, I do not understand why Bast did it, but I respect it. Letting go of him was immensely hard, and yet, not impossible.”
A thought sprang to Mera’s mind, and she narrowed her eyes at the fae. “Madam Zukova mentioned there was another male involved. That you were conflicted.”
Karthana nodded. “When Bast left, it freed the way for another auspicious union. The Night King and his advisors were most pleased, but I wasn’t ready. I don’t think I am, even after all this time…” she drifted off briefly. “However, as the years passed, I learned to care for my new betrothed.”
No freaking way.
“You’re getting married to one of Bast’s brothers?”
“Yes.” Karthana swallowed, her eyes glistening. “Not everyone understands my betrothed like I do, Detective. I don’t approve of his methods, but I believe that deep down, he did what he did because he wished Bast would attend our wedding.”
Mera stepped back. “Oh, shit.”
As if on cue, the second floor rumbled so hard, that dust and marbled pebbles rained around them.
“I will fucking kill him!” Bast roared from the study room.
Chapter 6
Raes sat before the study’s closed door in a meditative position, his eyes shut. Crossing her arms, Mera stared down at him.
“You’re in my way,” she grunted.
“I know.”
“I need to talk to Bast.”
“I know that, too, but first, Sebastian must control his emotions,” he said without opening his eyes. “If an assassin loses his temper he loses the battle, and make no mistake, Detective. This is a battle.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She raised one finger at him, which was pointless since he couldn’t see her. “Except Bast is a Hollowcliff detective, not your precious Yattusei.”
“No, my dear.” He smiled peacefully at her. “He’s both.”
From a few steps behind, Karthana paced left to right, fumbling with her hands and mumbling under her breath. The faerie’s anxiety weighed on Mera’s shoulders like a giant boulder.
“Will you stop?” Mera snapped at her. “There’s no point in doing that. You’ve already spilled the milk.”
Karthana froze, her pouty lips quivering. Mera could swear she was about to cry.
Ugh!
Truth be told, Mera didn’t dislike Karthana. She should, of course. Bast had feelings for her, and Raes’ daughter alone had put
them in a world of trouble. Also, she was marrying Corvus Dhay, the dickwart who’d put a bounty on Bast’s head alongside Benedict. And still, if Mera felt anything for the faerie, it was pity.
“I warned her that the Night Princes would only bring her grief,” Raes admitted quietly, as if he needed to explain Karthana to Mera. “Sebastian is hard as stone, Corvus sharp as a blade, whereas my daughter is soft and gentle. Yet, she’s also her own fae, and does as she wills.” He lifted his chin, eyes still closed as he chuckled. “I sense, however, that you might just be harder and sharper than them both, Detective.”
Was that a compliment?
“Thanks. I guess.” Pulling her badge from her jeans’ pocket, Mera showed it to him⸻again, pointless, since his eyes were closed—but she figured she should try either way. “Keep stalling, and I might shut down the League of Darkness indefinitely.”
He smirked. “The wind may howl, but the mountain does not move.”
Before Mera could tell him to fuck off, the double door clicked open, revealing Bast. He stood on the threshold, watching them with a curious frown.
Jumping to his feet with the agility of an acrobat, Raes greeted him. “Have you conquered your wrath, youngling?”
“I have it under control. For now.” He bowed slightly at Raes, then placed a hand on the old fae’s chest. “Thank you. We’ll keep in touch.” With that, he took Mera’s hand and went down the stairs, not bothering to look at Karthana or say goodbye as they passed her.
Against Mera’s better judgement, she shot the faerie a sympathizing glance. That was all she could do before they turned on the corridor, and went down the stairs, leaving a grievous Karthana and her stoic father behind.
“That was rude,” Mera said as they crossed the vast halls of the League, heading toward the green fields around the property. “It’s not completely Karthana’s fault.”
“That fool is engaged to Corvus,” he grumbled. “Being stupid is definitely her fault.”
“You’re angry.” Halting at once, Mera jerked her arm away. “It’s because you have feelings for her, isn’t it?”
His chest rose and fell with an exasperated sigh. “I do, but not in the way you think.”