Wicked Games

by S. A. Price

  “You were chosen for a female who can handle anything. She’s a Mayhem, more a warrior than a princess. She needs you, not your father or whatever baggage you think you have. None of that shit matters to her. You have the trust and respect of the Dank Court, trust me, that goes a long way in shaping her opinion. I’ll give you one piece of advice. Talk to her. Tell her what’s going on. You might think staying away from her is your best option, and I’ll respect whatever decision you make, but not talking to her, not telling her? All that makes you is a coward.”

  “Fair enough,” Abaxley said and sighed. “She really is everything, like seriously everything. And you’re not the only one that has said this to me. Faust, Laslo, fuck, even Vesta, after she tried to get me into her bed and I told her, all agree with you.” He gripped his knee. “They see her as redemption for all of us. That I was called to a princess of Faerie means we belong in Faerie. I agree but I wish I could be more for her.”

  “If you seriously think that’s what Alyx thinks when she’s looking at you, I’m not sure there is any help for you.” He moved over to the chair opposite the prince and sat. “It’s true, Faerie chooses guards for each princess for a reason, but do you really think the only reason you were chosen was to redeem your people?

  “Look at Scur and me. We’re part of Faerie, but never really belonged to Faerie until Alyx. There are still those that don’t believe a berserker is fae. That Scur and his entire species come from humans. Then there is me. I’m a huntsman, part of the one court that has been cast aside until recently. We’re monsters and bloodthirsty Neanderthals who are only good for population control. But when Alyx looks at us, do you think she sees that? No, she sees who we are, not who others, or even ourselves, think we are.”

  Abaxley nodded. “You are right, of course. I mean...” He leaned back and closed his eyes. “I know this is bigger than us. How do you deal with the possibility of disappointing someone? You, Scur? You bring something to the table. All the princesses, their guard, mesh. They all bring something to their princess. I’m bringing a fucked-up lineage, and yes, I know it sounds like an excuse. It’s not, it’s a worry. I have no power, I come with more baggage than I should. Hell, I can’t exist in the human realm because I can’t pass...not like you guys. Alyx lives her life in the human realm, you can’t say that’s not going to be a hurdle. I don’t want to give her more problems.”

  “Again, that’s not your decision. It’s hers. You’re taking it out of her hands and choosing for her. If you’re looking for a way to piss her off...” He started laughing. “Seriously, man, you picked the exact thing that steams the woman.”

  “So what...I take her to bed and bond to her and everything else falls into place?” he sighed. “I have no idea what to do for my people either, especially if I take that coveted spot in her bed.”

  “How did me telling you to talk to her end up as me telling you to take her to bed? Now I feel like I’m talking to Scur.” He laughed again, settling back against his chair. “As far as your people, there really is a simple thing to do about that. You make them a part of Arcane.”

  Abaxley stared at him. “Pardon?”

  A grin spread across his face. “Your people are currently connected to Faerie, but are still on the outside looking in. It’s simple enough to petition the crown for the faeblins to fall under the Arcane Court. Queen Verity’s relationship with Alyx is stronger than with any of the other princesses. If this is something Alyx agrees to and wants, it would be easy enough to make happen. But again, you’ll actually need to talk to Alyx.”

  Abaxley was quiet for long moments. “You do realize that scares the shit outta me most, right?”

  “Nothing wrong with fear. Without it, we would all be idiots. Dead idiots.”

  “Truer words.” He nodded to Khalid.

  A knock sounded at the door and Abaxley got up and answered it. A young Nomart female walked in. “Prince Abaxley,” she said and bowed. “Clothing for you, your princess and her men. High Priestess Osia and Kenno hope you will come for the evening meal at the citadel.”

  “When is the evening meal?”

  “An hour, Highness.”

  “Thank you.” He prompted her to give her name and she didn’t so he inclined his head. “We will be there. “

  “Hamblin will be up to escort you when you are ready.” She walked out and he carried the sets of clothing in, looking at Khalid. “Apparently we have dinner reservations.”

  “I’ll make sure Scur is on his best behavior.” He walked over to the door that led to the bath and knocked. “We have been invited to dinner, one hour.”

  “You hear that, you shit!” they heard. “Goddamn, I get it you can hold your breath for a long time, now come up here! Contrary to popular belief, you are not immortal!”

  Abaxley arched a brow. “What is he doing? She sounds pissed.”

  “Being pissed at each other is their foreplay, during-play, and after-play. I try to ignore it as much as possible.” Khalid stepped away from the door, not wanting to hear whatever it was that Scur was about to say. “Abaxley, trust me when I say you will regret not knowing how she really feels about you. Talk to her. Tonight.”

  He nodded. “You got it, Captain.” He winked. “Now I guess we should get dressed, yeah?” He lifted up what looked like wide-leg linen pants, a long tunic and a sleeveless vest in jewel tones.

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake,” he said with a sigh and hung his head. “But I guess when in Rome...”

  9

  “So, tell us...what brought you here?”

  They had met Kenno and Osia, along with several others for a meal in what they called the citadel, which they found out was their main religious rites building. Alyx had enjoyed the meal, the Nomart being strict vegetarians, a far cry from the goblins she knew. Three courses, the food was hearty and even Scur had nothing to complain about. They were now on dessert, drinking a cordial that tasted like cherries with a hint of mint. The atmosphere was relaxed, and through everything there was no sense of malice, menace or foreboding. The Nomart were peace itself, and she couldn’t help but think that this could be what Faerie would become again.

  “Well, we found a temple in Cambodia,” she started, “and a scroll. It gave us coordinates to this island.”

  “Then it has begun,” Kenno said. “The stars shall align once more.”

  Osia nodded. “We have been wondering when it would begin. While we might not be part of your world, we do have those of us who follow the politics of Faerie. It has become a worry to us to see what has happened. But maybe there is hope yet.”

  “Are you talking about a prophecy?” Khalid asked.

  Kenno shook his head. “Not so much. It’s more that Faerie deems its denizens worthy once more to go home, back to our beginnings, to start anew.”

  “Would you want that?” Khalid looked between Kenno and Osia. “To leave what you have built here and rejoin Faerie?”

  “We’ve heard rumors our creature is no longer.” Osia’s attention turned to Abaxley. “Is it true that Poseidon has been destroyed?”

  He nodded. “Cetus has been released by the Queen of the Wild Hunt, and he’s become her consort and king. Poseidon is dead, along with the goblin horde. Me, my people, are all that’s left. Fae with goblin blood.”

  Alyx smiled at him. She was sure it was hard to recount what had happened, even if it was cursory.

  “Then Faerie has definitely begun her purge.” Osia inclined her head to the prince.

  “Sorry, but doesn’t it piss you off that Faerie decided to stick you in the middle of this?” Scur asked, never one to hold his tongue for long. “You seem to be peaceful people who wouldn’t want to be caught up in a possible war, yet here you are inviting in and feeding us. Seems like you’d be better off keeping it all shut out.”

  “Lord Scur, you misunderstand,” Kenno said. “This is wonderful news, for all denizens of Faerie. We all have the opportunity to return home.”

  “Hybrasil,”
Alyx said. “That’s what the scroll said. Something about Hybrasil and Dew...”

  “Dewan. The fountainhead. Both lands have been lost for a long time, because Faerie was protecting itself. It felt the rot, the deceptions. It hid our beginnings, all of our beginnings, to safeguard it.”

  “But what exactly is Hybrasil?” she asked.

  “The mother country. Where all fae life, even ours, even though Poseidon manipulated the natural order to bring us into being, stems from. A wellspring, the original kingdoms.” He looked at them. “As royals, both of you are destined to bring it back. Being together...”

  Alyx arched a brow. “Oh, we...”

  Abaxley cut her off. “We have just had a changing of management with our high queen. As soon as she took the throne, Faerie started waking. “

  “That means the purity and spirit of Faerie resides in her,” Osia said. “Though, the rot will not be fully stopped until Faerie can be put back together. Two sides, while always separate, to be made whole again.”

  Scur furrowed his brows, opened his mouth to say something, but smartly shut it again.

  “You mean the Light Court,” Khalid said. “I’m not even sure who their king is anymore, now that Poseidon is gone.”

  “Poseidon was never king. He assumed that position with the rift,” Kenno said. “And with the high royals gone, executed, and scattered to another house, he had no opposition.”

  Alyx looked to Khalid. That sounded familiar.

  Khalid looked back at her, as if he was thinking the same thing she was. “I’m not too familiar with the Light’s history. I don’t think any of us are. Princess Gobeth was only recently able to access the history of the Sluagh, thanks to Cetus’s return, and even that of the Nightmare Courts only goes back so far. I honestly don’t think we will be able to heal Faerie the way she needs to be without knowing our true origins. According to Cetus, it stems much further than the creation of Faerie as a separate existence.”

  “Much further,” Osia agreed. “Though our species,” she made eye contact with Abaxley, “was created not long after Faerie created us our own realm.”

  “Goblins, in general, have our own realm?”

  “Well here, and there is one more place, on the mother island. While Poseidon created us for his own purposes, life does not always follow a plan. When we defected, Faerie sheltered us, hid us from him and the others. “

  “Aside from you, there are no pure goblins left,” he said.

  “Which is just as well. The reason for our creation was tainted, and those that followed Poseidon were tainted by greed and ego. But now we are all in a wonder of time. A time to go home.”

  Alyx nodded. “As a show of peace, we have brought you something.” She pulled the small box out from the pocket of her vest. “Faerie is waking, and we wanted to bring you...” She handed the box to Osia. “Seeds from a long dead section of Faerie. It grows wild now.”

  Kenno grinned. “The offering has been given, Osia. We need to give them the task.” He looked to Alyx and then Abaxley. “All the tenants but this had been observed. One of goblin blood, royals, and even better hearing of Poseidon’s demise. You, Princess, accept a prince of mixed blood, which is why Faerie sent you. You are worthy to quest the task.”

  She watched as Khalid looked at Abaxley, his dark eyes slightly narrowing. The look only lasted a second, though, so she couldn’t tell what the look was about.

  “We do hope you’ll accept what Faerie has gifted to you with taking it on,” Osia said.

  “What is the task?” she said, smiling.

  “Three stones,” Kenno said. “Hidden in the human world. Your task is to find them, take them to the Oahria Temple and receive the way.”

  Scur grinned and rubbed his hands together. “Sweet, another treasure hunt.” He looked over at Alyx. “Like Tomb Raider meets National Treasure.”

  “Another?” Osia asked, curiosity clear in her gaze.

  “Yes,” Khalid replied, “we’ve been on another hunt for the Nightmare Court queen as well.”

  “Oh yes, of course.” Osia nodded. “The hoard stolen by the Light and Poseidon.”

  “You know of that, too?” Khalid said with interest.

  Kenno nodded. “Vetra, please bring the scrolls.”

  A younger girl at the further end of the table stood and walked out, coming back in moments to set the scrolls at Kenno’s shoulder.

  “These are the last known coordinates of the hoards. Unless they were moved.” He handed to scroll to Khalid. “And this, this is your task.” He handed it to Alyx.

  She opened it, and frowned. “There isn’t anything written on it.”

  “It’s spelled. Three tasks, now that you have found us, to complete, receive a stone, and then find the way. Each task has a time limit, and it begins at the next moon.”

  Alyx looked to Abaxley. “Ten days?”

  “I think so,” he said. “What’s this time limit?”

  Kenno inclined his head. “Each task must be completed in the space of seven nights, once they have been activated. Once a task is completed, the scroll will go dark until the next moon.”

  “So three months, a week inside each month for the moon,” Alyx said. “Doable.”

  Abaxley looked to Khalid, and then Alyx. “We need to mention, we might not be the only one with the information for where this place is.”

  Kenno waved it away. “Whoever it is, if they do not observe the rites, they cannot quest for the task.”

  “Do you have a way to protect yourselves and your home?” Khalid asked. “Those who will be coming, because I have no doubt that they will find a way, will not take no for an answer. I cannot in good conscious leave here without knowing you have protection.” Her captain paused, seeming to be thinking something over. “I can have men brought here who will help keep you safe. It’s the least we can do for your hospitality.”

  “It is not necessary,” Kenno said. “Without the blood of a goblin bond, they cannot enter once the doors are closed.”

  Goblin bond. Alyx looked at Khalid. Was that what she had with Abaxley?

  “So that’s why the door wouldn’t open at first,” Scur said with a smirk. “Well, isn’t that interesting.”

  Osia smiled at the berserker. “Bonds are what keeps us together. As family, as lovers, as friends. There is nothing more sacred than a bond, especially one that Faerie has gifted us.” Her attention turned to Khalid. “We do appreciate your offer of assistance. While we are not the warriors your people are, we do have those who will fight to keep us safe.”

  “The offer is always open. While I might not be commander of the Hunt anymore, I know they will have no issues coming to assist if called.”

  “Finishing this task ensures Faerie heals, and becomes one once more. You do this, you succeed, we can all go home.”

  “Are you not going to quest?” Abaxley said. “It seems as many teams as possible are needed to get this done.”

  Kenno shook his head. “We don’t know the world outside, not well enough to do this. And we are not bonded, as our exile has kept our blood pure and our magics from evolving. Only those that have intermingled, allowed the blood lines to go as Faerie intended, can do this. Because they are suited for the tasks.”

  “You don’t believe that purity is the way?” Khalid said, once again his eyes shifting over to Abaxley before returning his attention to Kenno.

  Kenno shook his head. “Faerie never meant for us to be apart. We are all creatures of magic, and while some bloodlines stay largely pure, Faerie is wild, and it wants magic to reign, it wants all possibilities. When the rift happened, Faerie didn’t agree and started to pull back from its children.”

  Khalid nodded. “I happen to agree with you and luckily for all of us, so do our queens. Queen Verity has opened up guardship to those who are called, no matter their species or the court. Queen Gobeth is opening the Hunt for those who want to serve. We will no longer be hindered by where we were born or who we were born to
.”

  “As it was meant to be,” Kenno said. “Now, if you have any more questions?”

  Khalid looked to Alyx. “I believe I’ve heard everything I needed to, how about you, Princess?”

  Alyx nodded. She had. “Thank you for your hospitality, I hope when we complete this task that we can welcome you into this new Faerie.” She bowed. “Queen Verity would very much like to know not all goblins are land-grabbing lunatics bent on the destruction of Faerie.”

  Scur coughed to cover his laugh. “I believe she has already met one who isn’t,” Osia said with a smile, nodding toward Abaxley. “We will welcome both her and all of Faerie with open arms when she becomes the place we always knew she should be. Faerie has chosen wisely for who she set this task upon. We wish all the luck and prosperity of your mission, Princess Alyx.”

  “Go, enjoy your night with your males,” Kenno said. “You are free to walk our land, speak with all you wish, enjoy our oasis. We wish you joy, all of you.” He stood. “If you will excuse is, Osia and I have to lead the evening prayer.”

  Alyx nodded. “Thank you, for everything.”

  They all stood as Kenno and Osia left and Khalid turned to her. “Scur and I are going to go speak to some of the Nomarts. Will you be okay to be left with Abaxley?”

  “She will be fine,” Abaxley said. “We have a few things to discuss.”

  Arching a brow, she nodded. “Escort me to our rooms then, Prince.” She looked to Khalid and Scur. “Be good. You especially.” She pointed at Scur.

  “Me?” Scur looked affronted. “I’m a boy scout.”

  Khalid snorted. “I’ll keep him in line.” A smile spread across his face. “Enjoy your night, Princess, Abaxley.” Scur just grinned at the two of them before he and Khalid left them.

  “Come on, Princess,” her faeblin said with a small smile. “We have a few things to work out.”

  10

  Being alone with Abaxley, Alyx was close to pinching herself. The man had fought every step of the way since they had both realized he belonged with her, and yet here they were, in a strange land, and a future so possible she could reach out and grab it.