by Holly Evans
“We’re heading out in forty-eight hours. I need to research, I have to tell Logan.”
“Your boyfriend?” she called back out.
“Wait, you think I screw around on my boyfriend?”
She appeared out the kitchen and shrugged.
“Logan’s my best friend… I do have some morals, you know.”
She smiled. “If I can help, let me know.”
I was hurt that she’d assumed such a thing about me. I had no interest in a monogamous relationship at that point in time, but I’d never cheat on someone. Wispy nuzzled against my cheek to try and comfort me. His purring did ease me some, but that didn’t change the dent her words had put in my mood.
I took the folder Fein had given me to my bedroom along with Wispy and my laptop. I put Elle Kyne on the TV and read through everything Fein had managed to gather to date.
The Seers Stone is an old artifact and the thing of myths. Many hunters and collectors would state that it simply doesn’t exist and was just a story. No one quite knows how it came into existence, but people suspect the fae. They did quite enjoy dropping magical artifacts into the world and sitting back to see what happened, particularly in the early days of the planes having been joined. The Seers Stone got its name from the first recorded story about it. A trio of hedgewitches picked up a mysterious stone, said to be the size of a clenched fist. They soon found that touching the stone unlocked latent abilities - in the case of the hedgewitches, the seer ability. It was well known that some lines of hedgewitches had a minor seer ability, so that part at least rang true.
What happened from there is a jumbled mess. Some non-magical people were said to have touched it, only to die horrific deaths. Stories appeared in the Nordic countries that could relate to the stone; word of a mysterious object that the wolves guarded fiercely fit the concept. According to the notes Fein had given me, the wolves in Iceland were the strongest tie we had to the stone. They didn’t call it the Seers Stone, but there was a pack of witches and wolf familiars that had stated they used to protect such an artifact. Fein had booked air transport to Reykjavik for three people. I chewed on my bottom lip and wondered who the third person was.
A knock came from the door, which caused Wispy to puff up and chitter.
“Oh hush, you know it’s Erin,” I chided.
He returned to his spot on my shoulder, where he purred and tried to pull some of my curls around himself.
“Come in,” I called as I began to read through Fein’s notes again.
“I’m really sorry about what I said. It was uncalled for,” Erin said sheepishly.
She walked into my room carrying a plate loaded with delicate little cookies and a pitcher of lavender lemonade in her other hand.
“Are they from that selkie bakery on the corner?” I asked.
That bakery was the best thing about Prague. They could do no wrong.
Erin grinned. “They are. Anything I can do to prepare for this adventure?”
“How good are you at research?”
She frowned.
“I haven’t really tried,” she said quietly.
I smiled. She didn’t have my background.
“Why don’t you read through this half, and I’ll read the other half? We can compare notes when we’re done,” I said, handing her the bottom half of papers from Fein’s folder.
She took the papers without a word and left the plate and pitcher within reach. I hated being on poor terms with her. We’d have to talk before we left for Reykjavik. Treasure hunting was potentially very dangerous. I couldn’t afford to have her giving me the cold shoulder in a bad situation.
I went and found her in the living room.
“Come and sit with me. I have Elle Kyne on the TV. We’re going to have to trust each other on this adventure,” I said.
She looked at me for a long moment before she smiled and walked over to me. Her smile didn’t waver when she brushed past me and walked into my room. We were making progress.
19
We got up earlier than I’d have liked the next day. I needed to take Erin shopping, ready for our trip to Reykjavik.
“We’ll need to get you a complete wardrobe, a bag to carry it in, some good boots, and an emergency alchemical kit,” I told her as we headed into the city.
She guided me deep into the magical part of the city, past deep brilliant-white Veesha trees with awful bulbous Veesha watching us from the twisted branches. Their whispering song called people close to them so they could drain their life, leaving nothing but a leathery husk behind. The magical section of Prague was a particularly vicious example of the phenomenon. I wondered what had caused that. We passed blood roses, and I paused to break a pair of thick, sharp thorns from one of the vines that protruded between the wrought iron fence. It was on the public path, so I claimed them as mine and tucked them safely in a pocket to put in my lab later. I caught Erin smirking at me as she watched, but she didn’t say anything.
Erin tried to take me to the first outdoor shop we came to, but it was full of poorly constructed items with weak magic that would crumble after a few wears. I insisted that she take me to Harlequins as the first stop, a wood-elf-run shop with the finest adventure wear money could buy. It wasn’t cheap, but it was worth every penny.
A trio of young wood elves (they wouldn’t allow anyone or anything else to work in their shops) turned to face us when I strode into the immaculately ordered shop. I grinned at them.
“We need to fit my friend here out for a trip to Reykjavik,” I said.
I felt Erin tense behind me. I ignored that and waited for one of the elves to reply.
“We’ll start with the bottom layers and work out,” the female said.
“Perfect!” I said and gestured for Erin to step around in front of me.
“You’ll need to be fitted,” I said quietly.
She frowned.
“They want me to strip down…?” she whispered back.
“No, they can do it in your jeans and shirt,” I reassured her.
She relaxed and approached the elf cautiously. They whisked her away to the fitting rooms, and I looked around the shop to see what I might want for myself.
The magic woven into their jackets was beautifully done. Some people had a talent for such weaving; I was not one of them. I had moments where I envied the alchemist that possessed such skill and dexterity. The jacket had good sturdy drake essence woven around earth elemental magic to make it resistant to extreme weather and hardy against sharp objects. The air elemental breath made it lightweight and helped make sure it never made the wearer too hot or cold. It was made in a flattering cut and elegant enough to wear to mid-range restaurants, should the need strike. It cost close to two thousand pounds, but that was hardly unexpected, and I had the money.
Erin looked entirely lost while the elves brought her good jeans, trousers, and boots. She tried on everything she was told to and visibly paled when the total was given. I added a jacket, some alchemical vials, and a leather pouch that a weaver had imbued with magic to make sure no one could steal the bag or the contents from me. I wasn’t going to risk that stone going missing. I paid the total with a polite smile, and hoped Erin didn’t think I was flaunting my bank account. That certainly hadn’t been my intention. I simply wanted her to be comfortable on the trip.
We continued on to a nymph-run shop, where I bought a large collection of leaves and twigs for Wispy. They were traditionally sold for hedgewitch supplies and other more traditional animals, but Wispy didn’t care about any of that. Erin came out of herself a little bit as she guided me around the city and pointed out shops that were more to her tastes. She took me into a brightly coloured shop that was bursting with scented candles. It had everything from vanilla to the desert, Garou wine, and more.
“I’m half fire elemental, I can’t help being at least a little drawn to fire,” she said with a smile as she picked up a raspberry and rose scented candle.
I resisted the urge to buy it for her. My uncle
had made it very clear at a young age that I absolutely could not buy someone’s affections. That, and it seemed unkind to continue throwing money around when she clearly didn’t have the same means I did.
We retired to a quiet café run by a pair of bear shifters once we’d purchased everything we needed. Erin insisted on ordering for me, which resulted in three plates bursting with decadent cakes and a wonderful drink that I was later told was the bears’ own invention. It was the perfect end to a successful shopping trip.
20
Fein had summoned us to his office late in the afternoon the day before we were due to fly to Reykjavik. Erin partially hid behind me as we stood before Fein and his desk. Tyn was in his human form leaning against Fein’s desk with a friendly smile. It didn’t put me at ease.
Fein pushed two contracts towards Erin and me. “Kindly sign these.”
I skimmed the contract and found it to be pretty standard. The object must be handed to Fein directly, failure to do so would result in the second payment not happening. If it was found that I tried to sell said object I was obligated to give him a percentage of the profit. I signed it with a flourish. I’d done this many times.
“Tyn will be joining you on this trip,” Fein said as he stood.
I gave Tyn a friendly smile. I was looking forward to getting to know the fae cat.
“Do not try and screw my Cait Sidhe,” Fein whispered in my ear.
My blood ran cold and I froze. I hadn’t seen or heard him approach.
I nodded numbly and he stepped away with that predatory smile on his face.
“Good girl,” he said softly.
I’d have punched anyone else who dared say that to me, but I was still trying to compose myself.
“Tyn will be staying with you tonight. The flight leaves at 6am. Do not miss it,” Fein said before he returned back behind his desk.
Tyn picked up his bag and led the way out of the office.
“Well, that was scary,” Erin whispered to me.
“You’re telling me,” I whispered back.
I was dying to ask Tyn hundreds of questions about Cait Sidhe and why he had a white paw. He had led the way back to the apartment with a swift efficient gait that was so elegantly feline. Erin nudged me when she caught me watching the way his ass looked as he walked. I gave her a big smile.
“It’s not my fault he looks good in those pants!” I whispered.
She shook her head, but I didn’t miss the smile on her face as she did so. Fein said ‘don’t screw him’ - that didn’t mean that I couldn’t look. None of us said a word on the way up to the apartment. The questions were practically burning my tongue by the time we stepped into the living room.
“What’s it like being a Cait Sidhe?” I asked casually.
Tyn turned to face me with a small smirk and one eyebrow quirked.
“What’s it like being an alchemist?” he asked calmly.
I gave a small shrug and a smile.
“There are worse things. It’s hardly uncommon, though.”
Tyn sat down in the armchair and threw his legs over one arm while watching me.
“Ask the question you really want to ask,” he said with a long feline blink.
“Why do you have a white paw? Cait Sidhe are supposed to be pitch black with a single small white patch on their chest.”
Erin’s mouth dropped open as I asked the question.
She blushed furiously and said, “I’m sorry, she doesn’t mean to push.”
“Yes I do,” I said with a devilish smile.
Tyn snorted.
“I fucked up. The white paw shows that I no longer have the connection… the ability to escort people to the other side.”
There was a story there. The playful smile on his mouth didn’t match with the way his eyes had hardened.
Wispy finally woke up and hurtled towards Tyn at full speed. The Cait Sidhe raised an eyebrow and held his hand up in front of his face at the last second, late enough that Wispy bounced off it and sprayed furious sparks over Tyn.
“Wispy, this is Tyn. He’s a guest,” I said calmly, “and you’re a hopeless guard wisp,” I added.
The wisp puffed up as big as he could go and chittered loudly while throwing out red sparks around himself. I crossed my arms.
“If you keep that up, I’m cutting your evening ration in half,” I said.
He immediately shrank back down to his usual size and flew over to me, where he proceeded to brush himself against my cheek and make purring noises. I didn’t know if all wisps were as food obsessed as Wispy was, but it was useful at times.
“The wisp stays here,” Tyn said.
“He always comes with me,” I said, levelling a glare at him.
“Not this time. He’s too conspicuous. He’ll be looked after.”
Tyn looked away and turned the television on. The conversation was over. Or at least that’s what the Cait Sidhe thought.
“No. I am one of the best treasure hunters in the world. He’s coming with me,” I said as I stood in front of Tyn and stared him down.
Tyn raised an eyebrow and returned the stare. We remained that way for a few minutes before he finally relented.
“Fine. He’s entirely your responsibility.”
I gave a nod of acknowledgement and returned to feeding Wispy, feeling triumphant.
“What happens once we’re in Reykjavik?” Erin asked with a smile on her face.
“I’ve made contact with one of the wolf familiars. We’ll speak to him and hopefully get an audience with the leaders.”
“I haven’t met a familiar before, are they very different from shifters?” Erin asked.
Tyn muttered something.
“What was that, Tyn?” I asked sweetly.
“I said they’re pompous dickheads who could all benefit from being knocked down a few dozen pegs,” Tyn said equally as sweetly.
Erin and I looked at each other.
“Surely they’re not that bad…” Erin said.
Tyn levelled a dark look at her before he returned to watching the TV.
“Well, this ought to be fun, then,” she said with a shake of her head.
“I do hope you’re not going to cause trouble,” I said to Tyn.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said drily.
I believed him. He was clearly very attached to Fein, and the elf wouldn’t react well to any type of trouble.
21
Fein has booked the first flight of the day to Reykjavik. I was not a morning person. Judging by the way Tyn was giving the coffee a stern glaring while he waited for it to brew, I didn’t think he was either. Erin, on the other hand, was positively bouncy. She was beaming as she made pancakes for breakfast, but she had the good sense not to try and engage Tyn or me in conversation. She’d learnt pretty quickly that the best she’d get out of me before my coffee was hand gestures and possibly a single word response if she was lucky. Wispy hadn’t bothered to crawl out of bed; he wasn’t a fan of the precise crack of dawn. Luckily, he wouldn’t take much preparation. I’d just have to usher him into his cage.
“Have either of you been to Reykjavik before? I haven’t really been anywhere,” Erin asked.
I couldn’t help but smile. She was so vibrant. Her whole face lit up at the prospect of this adventure. I hoped she never lost that.
“Once, a few years back,” Tyn said.
“No, this is my first time. It’s been on my ‘to visit’ list, but I hadn’t really gotten around to it. Other things kept popping up,” I said.
Erin chewed on her bottom lip as she heaped the pancakes onto a plate. I fought against the urge to mirror her and sighed. Tyn smirked at me.
“They say forbidden fruit is the sweetest,” he said while holding my gaze.
I leaned over the table towards him and said, “Then I’d love to take a bite out of you…”
His nostrils flared before he leaned back and looked as though I’d actually bitten him. I held back the delighted laughter a
nd heaped pancakes on my plate. Erin looked between us with a raised eyebrow but said nothing. Surely, she was used to my antics by now?
Tyn refused to look at me for the rest of breakfast. He curled into himself and didn’t say another word. Guilt gnawed at me. I’d only meant it as a little fun. He picked up his bag and headed to the door the moment we’d finished breakfast.
“We can’t miss the flight.”
“I can’t leave dirty dishes lying around, and Wispy needs to be cared for,” I said.
He exhaled slowly and set his shoulders back, apparently having some internal fight.
“Five minutes,” he said softly when he turned to face us.
I couldn’t bear it, I walked over to him and placed my hand on his upper arm. He jumped like I’d scalded him.
“I wouldn’t hurt you…” I said, offended at the thought and worried that I’d missed something.
He squeezed his eyes shut and breathed out through his nose.
“You’ve done nothing wrong. This is my first trip without Fein,” he said in barely more than a whisper.
“We’ll look after you. Just… tell me if I do something wrong, ‘kay?” I said gently.
He smiled and gave a sharp nod.
“I don’t much like being touched,” he said as he looked between my hand and the window behind me.
I stepped back to give him room and held up my hands.
“No more touching unless absolutely necessary,” I said with a smile.
He returned the smile and began to relax. He’d clearly had a shitty time of it in his past. I wondered if that was connected to his white paw. My curiosity was certainly piqued, but I wasn’t going to re-open those wounds. I wasn’t cruel.
I’d had to bundle a selection of leaves and twigs into Wispy’s cage to wake him up enough to get him into it. He’d shot in there like his life depended on it the moment he saw the food. Erin was positively glowing with excitement. She couldn’t keep the smile off her face as we walked down the quiet roads to the air transport dock. We were travelling by mainline air transport. It was too much of a risk to take the knowledge merchants. We weren’t going to be the only ones chasing the Seers Stone. We had to keep what little advantage we might have to ourselves.