by Amy Sumida
“I don't need-”
“You're a princess of Fairy,” he cut me off, “and you're the first ambassador between the realms, the kingdoms, and these damn witches. Did you consider for one second, how important you are to all of us?” Raza lowered his voice and his eyes heated. “To me?”
“I know, I-”
“You don't know anything,” he cut me off again, grabbing one of my arms. “I searched those mountains for hours. The feeling in my chest...” Raza's jaw clenched and he swallowed hard. “Tight, so constricting. Like I couldn't breathe. I didn't know where you were or what had happened to you. I've never... I was...” he shook his head and looked utterly baffled.
“Scared?” I asked gently.
“I believe I was terrified,” Raza admitted in a whisper. “The thought of you coming to harm, alone, somewhere I can't reach you, it makes my hands shake. It makes my heart tremble. I love you, Seren. Don't you understand what that means to a man like me? When I say those words to you, it's not romantic drivel. I mean them with every ounce of my being. You matter to me. Dearly. Please don't endanger yourself like that again.”
“Now you sound like Tiernan,” I muttered, trying to hide the fact that his words were affecting me deeply. I had to clench my hands to keep them from shaking.
“I know you're powerful,” Raza amended. “I also know that power has been augmented by Danu, and I have faith in you. I think you're glorious, and I would never try to restrict that glory. I would never hold you back from using your magic. In fact, I support your decision to rescue Extinguisher Ewan Sloane. But you are too important to go out on your own. You needed your Guard with you at the very least.”
So maybe not so much like Tiernan, after all.
“Ma'am, is everything okay here?” a security guard asked, giving Raza a wary look.
“Yes, I'm sorry for the disturbance,” I assured the human. “We're fine now and we're leaving soon. Just a lover's spat. Again, I apologize.”
The man nodded, casting one last look at Raza before edging away.
“Are we?” Raza asked.
“What? Lovers?” I smirked. “I just said that to get the guy to go away.”
“No,” Raza's eyes hadn't lost a single spark of intensity. “Are we fine now?”
“Raza, I can't do this with you now,” I sighed. “How did you even know to be here? Tell me you haven't been waiting in Alaska this entire time.”
“You called the Councils before you left Montana,” he reminded me. “They scried me.”
“Oh.”
“Seren,” Raza's hands were warm on my back. When had he pulled me into an embrace?
“Raza, no,” I pushed gently away from him. “I just had a horrible fight with Tiernan. I can't do this right now.”
“You fought with Lord Tiernan?” Raza arched a brow.
“The asshole hit her,” Killian was back, and he had impeccable timing.
Raza barely spared Killian a glance, his eyes were too busy burning into my soul. At least, that's what it felt like. His voice, when he spoke, was no less fiery.
“He what?!”
“Shh,” I hissed, shooting Killian an angry look, “we're going to get kicked out of the airport.”
“Fine, then get into the car, Seren,” Raza waved his hand towards a limo parked at the curb.
“We're going with Seren,” Killian waved a hand to include his mother and Julie.
“Now who are these people?” Raza looked from the ladies to me.
“This is Elara Blair, Killian's mother,” I waved a hand towards her, and she smiled gently at Raza. Raza bowed gallantly to the women. Some things were just ingrained in fairy men. “And this is Julie McNeil. They're caster witches, an alternative community where tribes can intermarry.”
“The witches couldn't intermarry?” Raza frowned. “No, never mind. I don't even care. Get into the damn car. All of you.”
“Sure thing, dude,” Killian gave Raza's bicep a pat as he passed by. “Don't get your fairy panties in a twist.”
Killian threw his duffel into the limo's trunk, and then ducked inside.
“What did he just say to me?” Raza snarled at me.
“Killian,” Elara snapped as she followed her son into the limo. “You have better manners than that.”
“No, Mom,” Killian's voice wafted out of the car, “I really don't.”
“What are you about to subject me to, Seren?” Raza sighed.
“They're good people,” I nudged him towards the limo. “Try and be nice.”
“I'm a dragon,” Raza drug the word out as he waved a hand down his body.
“I know, honey,” I laughed as I ducked inside the limo. “Please don't eat my new friends.”
Julie blanched.
“It was a joke,” I reassured her as Raza got in, tapped the glass behind us (he sat beside me of course), and the limo started to move.
“Nothing about me is a joke,” Raza said with all seriousness.
Julie whimpered.
“Really?” I asked Raza. “You're going to take out your frustrations on a innocent woman?”
“No,” Raza sighed. “You're right. My apologies, Ms. McNeil. You are perfectly safe with me.”
“Thank you,” I nodded to him.
“I've already eaten,” Raza went on smoothly.
“Raza!” I hissed.
“I'm jesting,” Raza shot me a smirk. “Your friends will not be harmed, but Lord Tiernan's safety is yet to be determined.”
“I'm with you, dude,” Killian pushed his fist towards Raza for a bump.
The Dragon King stared that fist down.
“Not much into our pesky human ways, eh?” Killian laughed, completely unruffled.
“You could say that,” Raza said smoothly. “The next time you bring your fist towards my face, Mr. Blair, I will remove it from your arm.”
“So that's what the 'human soldier' comment was about,” Killian smiled at me. Thankfully, he'd chosen to sit between his mother and Julie, across from me and Raza. “They just don't get us, huh?”
“Human soldier?” Raza lifted a brow.
“Never mind,” I shot Killian another I'm-going-to-murder-you-if-you-don't-shut-up look.
“Then let's get back to Lord Tiernan,” Raza insisted.
“First, let's decide where we're headed,” I nodded to Elara. “Can we give you a ride home?”
She looked to her son.
“The witch's cat is out of the bag, Mom,” Killian shrugged. “Might as well let them see the Hallow.”
“Non-casters have never been allowed into the Hallow,” Julie whispered. “The elders will be horrified.”
“We don't have to actually go in,” I offered. “I get the secret society thing. I was raised in one. We'll drop you outside.”
“Oh,” Elara frowned, “I guess that's okay.”
Julie gave us directions and Raza relayed them to our driver... Davy. The Lord of the Rath gave me a jaunty wave before the dark glass partition went back up. The Hallow was somewhere between Juneau and St. Terese, so we had a bit of a drive ahead of us.
“Now back to Lord Tiernan,” Raza was like a dog with a bone. Or a dragon with a bone, I suppose.
“He hit her,” Killian growled.
“Killian, shut your fucking mouth,” I growled back, and then looked to the shocked women. “Sorry, ladies.”
“When did you start speaking like this?” Raza narrowed his eyes on me.
“I'm a bad influence,” Killian said proudly and smiled big.
“Evidently,” Raza agreed, and then looked back to me. “How did Tiernan hit you? Fist? Open palm? Knee? And where did he hit you? I want specifics.”
“It was a slap to my face, and it was provoked. Also, I had hit him earlier. And this is really none of your damn business, Raza,” I huffed.
“It is my business, as you well know,” Raza took my hand presumptuously. “As my future queen, any strike against you is a strike against me.”
“
I'm not your future queen,” I snarled and pulled my hand away from him. “And in case it hasn't already been done, I want you to know that I'm sending that crown back, you arrogant ass. Don't give me any more gifts. Especially not gifts with strings attached. Or whole kingdoms attached, for that matter.”
“Seren, Danu herself-”
“Shush!” I pointed a finger into Raza's face. “Not ever again, Raza. Do you hear me? I don't want you to mention Danu's wishes to me ever again. My life. My decision.”
“You sound like a child,” Raza rolled his eyes.
“And you sound like a jackass,” Killian grimaced.
“Who exactly do you think you are to Seren,” Raza leaned across the limo towards Killian, “that you believe you have the right to speak in such a manner?”
“I speak as I wish,” Killian shrugged, “and I call 'em as I see 'em. You're a jackass.”
“And you're a dead witch,” Raza lunged for Killian, and the women screamed, including me.
I slipped between them, by some miracle, and with a boot to Killian's chest and my back to Raza's, I forcefully separated them. The women were pressed against the windows.
“That's enough!” I shouted as I fell into Raza's lap. “I should never have got in this car with you,” I glared at the dragon as I slipped back onto my seat.
“Me?” Raza growled. “He just insulted me. Blatantly. With his women in close proximity. He's either an idiot or he doesn't care one whit for his family's safety.”
“Since we just went through hell to rescue his mother, I think we can rule that last part out,” I rolled my eyes. “But the idiot thing is open to debate.”
“Hey,” Killian huffed at me.
“You did get the fact that he's a dragon, right?” I snapped at Killian. “You're literally playing with fire right now. And let me tell you something, Skeletor, you're burning rain ain't going to do a damn thing against Raza. He'll probably love it, roll around in it, and ask you to make it rain harder.”
“He can make the rain burn?” Raza sounded fascinated. “How lovely.”
“See what I mean?” I said to Killian as I pointed to Raza. “I'm sure this is a new situation for you, but you're not the baddest bad-ass in the car. So suck it up and behave yourself!”
“What she said,” Elara nodded as she settled back into her seat. “Besides, King Raza is being nice enough to give us a ride home. You're just being rude, Killian, and I won't have it.”
“Sorry, Mom,” Killian deflated.
“And?” Elara looked pointedly at Raza.
“I'm sorry about the jackass comment,” Killian said grudgingly to Raza. “I was only defending Seren.”
Raza nodded crisply, but the corners of his mouth were twitching.
“Great, now you've had your fun,” I accused Raza. “Can we get back to the real issue of the day? Have the Councils decided on a course of action?”
“Not as of the last time we spoke,” Raza instantly went grim. “I offered to lend my support, and they said they would consider it.”
“Raza, Rue's doing something strange with the club,” a shiver went over my arms.
“Dagda's club?” Raza looked shocked. “What would she want with the club now? She's already been returned to life.”
“The Council's told you of her new talent?” I asked first. “The undead thing?”
“Yes, I've heard,” Raza nodded. “She can kill with the frost and then bring the dead back to life.”
“A type of life,” I grimaced. “Killian and I saw her surrounded-”
“How did you get involved in this?” Raza cut me off and focused back on Killian.
“Some fairy-struck men abducted my mother and Julie,” Killian motioned to the women. “I went after them. I ran into Seren in Alaska, and then used my psychometry to discover where her relatives had taken my mother. Seren and I teamed up. They had her dad too, but...” he trailed off and gave me a sympathetic look.
“What an insensitive beast I am,” Raza turned horrified eyes to me. “I was so angry, I didn't think to ask about Extinguisher Ewan. I'm sincerely sorry, my love,” he lifted a hand to my face and urged, “Tell me what happened.”
“Rue turned him into one of those things,” I whispered. “I have to go back, Raza. I need to give Ewan some peace. I owe him that much at least.”
“Of course,” Raza said gently. “I will return with you, and we will kill your undead father. Then we will have our revenge upon Uisdean and Rue.”
“That sounded fucked up,” Killian muttered. “But it's cool, dude. I already told her I'd go back with her.”
“You are no longer needed,” Raza said coldly. “We will leave you at your mother's residence and you can see to your own family henceforth.”
“Shut up,” I snapped before it started again. “You can both go, okay?”
The men settled back, eyeing each other up, as I rubbed at my temples.
“I can't deal with this right now,” I ended up covering my face with both of my hands. I was on the urge of having a meltdown.
“Mo shíorghrá,” Raza whispered as he pulled me into his side. He started stroking my hair, “Shh now. I will hunt them for you. Do not concern yourself. I'll kill them both. And they will suffer for what they've done. Just stop crying. Please. It pains me.”
“I'm not crying,” I lied as I rubbed away the evidence of my tears. I angled my head to the side, to look up at Raza, “What did you just call me?”
“His eternal love,” Elara translated wistfully. “So beautiful. It's been a long time since I've heard Gaelic spoken, and never with that inflection.”
“Because it's Fey, not Gaelic,” Raza spared a glance for Elara before kissing my forehead. “But the meaning is the same.”
I stared at Raza, my heart beating rapidly, unsure if I wanted to mourn or swoon. So I went with option C. I muttered a curse and pulled away.
“See? This is what I mean,” I huffed. “You can't be doing this to me. It's not fair, Raza. You've had thousands of years to practice your seduction routine. There's just no defense against that. Eternal love,” I huffed, and then muttered under my breath, “What the fuck?”
“I simply spoke an endearment,” Raza waved his hands to the sides, as if he were harmless. “I was trying to give you comfort. That's all.”
Killian snorted and his mother smacked him.
“We're dropping off the ladies, and then we're heading back to the airport,” I said to Raza. “We need to fly to Ireland.”
“Ridiculous,” Raza shook his head. “We can go into Unseelie and travel to the High Council House through the raths.”
“I can't take him into Fairy,” I waved a hand at Killian.
“Why not?” Raza huffed.
“He's part Storm and part Flame,” I explained. “I have no idea what will happen to him.”
“Something happens to witches in Fairy?” Elara asked.
“I'll explain it later, Mom,” Killian gave her a pat.
“A mixture. How interesting. Sylph and...” Raza peered at Killian in consideration, “possibly kobold.”
“The shifters?” I blinked in surprise.
“Shifters who can take the form of a flame,” Raza sent me a duh look.
“Huh,” I nodded. “Okay, I can see that.”
“What are they talking about?” Julie asked.
“Witches are descended from fairies,” I hastily explained. “We're debating which type of fairy might have produced Flame witches. We already know the source of every tribe except for Flame and Tide.”
“We're descended from fairies?” Elara's eyes went round.
“That's where our magic comes from,” Killian nodded. “The Coven found out awhile back, but it's not like we keep in touch.”
“And you know the fairies whom Beckoning and Bite are descended from?” Julie asked excitedly. “Those are my tribes.”
“Yes, and you don't want to know,” Killian warned her.
“I think I do,” Julie pul
led herself upright. “Good or bad, I'd like to know.”
“Baobhan-siths for Bite and dullahans for Beckoning,” I told her immediately. Because if I were her, I'd want to know as well. She deserved to know. Julie's eyes went wide as I returned to my conversation with Raza. “Aren't there other fire related fairies?”
“Of course,” Raza waved his hand towards himself. “The djinn are fire fey, but it's doubtful they reproduced with humans.”
“Why not?” I shrugged. “The dullahans did. Though I hate to think about it.”
“Fair point,” Raza frowned, looking at Killian with renewed distaste. “But surely not.”
“He has your build,” I chuckled.
“He does not,” Raza huffed.
“Close to it,” I amended. “You're a little larger.”
“A little larger?” Raza scoffed. “I am significantly bigger than he.”
“Hold on,” Killian smirked at Raza. “We could be related? Can I call you, Cuz?”
“Not if you enjoy breathing,” Raza said simply.
“Whatever Killian is descended from,” I got back on subject. “It will alter him if he steps one foot into Fairy. It could even be a mutation of the two races. Best not to find out.”
“Fine,” Raza rolled his eyes. “We'll return to the airport. But I'm going to need to stop for some sustenance on the way back.”
“Food,” Killian nodded happily. “Now you're talking, dude.”
“Do not call me 'dude' either.”
Chapter Eighteen
When we reached a pair of imposing metal gates, the witches had us pull up alongside them. Iron again. Well done on the witches' part. The casters all got out of the limo, Killian included. He wanted to see the women safely inside the Hallow.
“Don't leave without me, Twilight,” Killian gave me a level look and I nodded. He nodded back and shut the limo's door.
“He calls you 'Twilight'?” Raza lifted a disapproving brow.
“I know, it's annoying, but he won't stop.”
“You attract the strangest sort,” Raza peered out the window as the gate opened and the trio of witches were met by rifle-wielding warriors. “As if a gun would do them any good,” he scoffed.
“Against humans and other witches, it would,” I found myself defending them. Hadn't I said much the same thing as Raza, when I'd first met Killian?