“Do I know you boy? You look familiar to me.”
“We’ve never met to my knowledge. My name is Jake Underwood.” I was surprised to hear myself give my name. I had planned on telling him something innocuous, but out slipped the truth. I realized with a cold chill that I had little choice. Jervalas must have seen the look of surprise on my face.
“Now never mind about that. It’s just a slight side effect of the restorative that your drinkin’. It won’t make you do anything foolish. It just puts you at ease and makes it easier for you to trust good ol’ Jervalas. It doesn’t last long.” He smiled and I agreed with him. Inside a small part of me was seething, I was angry at him, but even more at me for being so stupid as to trust any Fey I met at the Court of Dawn.
‘Jake Underwood? That don’t ring any bells. Is that your Fey name?” He looked at me intently. “Com’n now! How are you known at court?”
“I don’t spend much time at court, but when I am there I go by my mortal name.” I tried to stop my traitorous tongue from talking but it had a mind of it’s own. “But you might know of me by my father’s name, Lord Stavros Melliscant, I’m his son.”
“You’re his son?!? Well, well, we haven’t seen much of you around these parts. Now that you name him, I can see a certain cast about the eyes that reminds me a little of him. Hmm, I seem to recall some bad blood between you.”
“Yes”, I smiled cheerfully, “I am his bastard son and he despises me. I hate him for abandoning me and my mother. He has never had a kind word to say about me, I’ve been told.”
He frowned. “Stavro’s boy. Well, that explains a lot. I think you might be doing your father a disservice, but that ain’t my problem. What are you doin’ comin’ through the Nassoni Temple gate?”
“My Naming Day Ceremony is tomorrow and I have to be present for it.” I told him the truth as far as it went, I had to after all. But I realized that I didn’t have to tell him all the truth, just what he asked.
“Hunh. What about her?” He pointed at Dalia who looked slightly astonished by what was going on.
“She’s my cousin. She ran into a spot of trouble in the mortal world so I’m helping her out.” Spot of trouble? That was a slight underestimation. It was like considering World War I a bit of a dust up. I could feel the power of the compulsion fading and I knew that I few minutes it would pass. I waited for more probing questions from Jervalas but none came. He sat there, cheerfully humming and rocked back in his chair, his hands behind his head as if he were watching clouds drift by. I started to say something, but he shook his head.
“No, just wait a minute or two and the effect will pass. I think this is something I am better off not knowing.”
In about ten minutes I felt the truth compulsion fade away. “You bastard.”
“Now, now. That ain’t no way to be. I got my duties and I’m all by myself out here. I had to know if you were a danger to me.”
“Why should I be a danger to you? I don’t even know you!”
“You think I’m out here in the middle of nowhere because I felt like a little vacation in the woods? I’m here for my health.” He paused and considered, his face wrinkling as he gazed at me. Some internal decision reached he continued. “His lordship, Lord Belsoumnde, decided that perhaps, if I wanted to be around for a while, I should get out of court for a spell. It seems that my …blunt ways… may have offended a few of my fellows enough so that they thought it might be a idea to push a lot of sharp, pointed objects directly into my body, so he assigned me here. I just wanted to be sure that you wasn’t any of those humorless fellows.” He smiled.
“Umm. You look like you can take care of yourself.” I said dubiously. While he had done nothing that could be constituted as threat, he had the sure, deadly moves of a predator.
“Maybe so. But there are certain risks to killing members of Lord Belsoumnde’s court willy-nilly. Besides, if his lordship wants me to keep a low profile, who I am to argue? But enough of my issues. What can I, as a proxy to his lordship, provide for a member of his court?”
I said nothing. I didn’t trust the guy and I wasn’t sure about exactly his game was. The thing you have to remember about the Fey is that everyone of them is tripled faced and six hearted. The most charming of them could be waiting to slide the blade in. Still, there was something likeable about the man. Maybe I was lulled by his folksy speech or maybe his drugged tea.
“The thing is, I could have used the compulsion to get a lot more out of you if I had chosen to, but I didn’t. I know as well as you that you were a bit dodgy in the answers you gave me, mind you, I don’t blame you for that. I woulda done the same meself in your position. But I can be more helpful if you’ll tell me a little about what your’ doing here.” He casually reached behind him and put a jug of apple cider on the table and produced clean mugs to go with it. He poured and waited for use to drink and wash the taste of the restorative out of our mouths.
I realized that he was probably right. I didn’t know much about what was happening in the Bright Kingdom or either court. Kevin had been killed before he could have told me anything. I just didn’t know who to trust and what games were being played at court. Such ignorance could get me or worse Dalia killed. So I decided to tell him the least dangerous part of my story.
“Basically, my whole world turned to shit about a week ago and hasn’t gotten remarkably better. I’ve lost two friends in the past week and all because they were trying to help me out. I discovered a cousin that I didn’t know I had and she’s been forced to flee her home because of some crap about her relationship to me. I am forced to come here because everything seems to be leading me here and on top of all that I let myself be drugged by you. I have been shot, exploded and insulted and I am getting really pissed off.” I paused to take another swig of cider.
“I have a bunch of hard cases after me for reasons that I don’t understand and on top of all that someone from the court is reaching out to bring me here. Well, they succeeded. Here am I am and that is why I came crashing through your gate and making such a racket that every sensitive from here to Lord Belsoumnde’s privy heard it.
He considered for a moment. “Well, that didn’t tell me much except that you are in trouble, which I knew already.”
“Okay. How about this? Sergeant Bermuda is looking for me, but probably isn’t trying to kill me. He’s investigating the death of one of my friends and I’m pretty sure that he tried to protect me when I came through the gate.”
Stormcrow looked confused. “Sergeant Bermuda? Do you mean Angel Bermuda?” When I nodded yes he actually smiled a grim little smile. “ He and I are old comrades. I knew him long before he became “Sergeant” Bermuda. He ain’t no “Sergeant” and he ain’t no cop.”
“He sure sounded like a cop when he spoke to me. He had all the police moves and talk down and the other cops listened to him. Well, except for Crosswich, but he never listens to anyone.”
“I don’t know that name, But Bermuda is a very tough customer and a good bastard to have on your side.” He looked thoughtful for a minute. “I could see Bermuda as a cop. He’s got the brains and a motivating passion for doing what he thinks is right. If you’ve got a break coming he’ll make sure you get it. More than I can say for most cops I have met.”
“Amen to that.” I smiled. “I could use a break, let’s hope he thinks so as well.”
“What are yer plans then? You got to have a plan. You can’t just show up at court and hope that everything will just turn out peachy.” His intent look told me that he was trying to reach a decision about what to do with us so I chose my words carefully.
“I don’t see much choice. I have to get to court and attend my Naming Day Ceremony or risk being declared Unclean. I can’t have that. I still don’t have a clear idea of exactly what is going on, but it involves the Court of Twilight and some kind of domestic mess involving the Lady Klaris here.” I thought about how much to say about Kevin and the identities of his killers. Nope. That
had high level stink all over it and until I found out if it was a rouge squad or a sanctioned hit it would be best to keep it under that table. ”One thing is certain, there have been violations of the Compact and somebody high up in court needs to know about it and deal with it. Hell, I’ve had some friends killed and a house burned down around me. That certainly is not in line with the way the Compact is supposed to be executed.”
“No, you’re right about that. Too showy and it doesn’t seemed to have worked.” He smiled.
“Yes, that certainly seems to be the kind of thinking that is going on here. Break the rules, but make sure you succeed.” I looked at Dalia and despite the pickup from the drugged tea she seemed miserable. She had been very quiet and I wondered what was going on in her mind. I needed to get moving. If I remembered correctly, I could still make it to the court in time if I hustled. I couldn’t miss that ceremony. My trouble meter told me that things were escalating and that perhaps they would come to head in the next day.
“Frankly”, I said, “My plan is pretty simple. Get to the Court. I can just make if I leave now. Once there I find my father and scream for a Noble’s privilege and hope that he cares enough for the family name to exert enough influence so I won’t be killed on sight. He may not give two shits about me, but he seems to care bout the name at least. Honestly, I’m not sure if I am wanted by the authorities at Court of Dawn or not, but I know that someone from the Court of Twilight is trying to kill me and I hope somebody at the Court of Dawn will care enough to offer sanctuary until the dust settles.”
“Huh. They should at that.” He again looked thoughtful. “Well, I can help you with gettin’ to the court. I have mirror portal and can pass you through. That should save you hours of traveling time. Also, if anyone is looking for you on the roads from here to the Court, they will certainly miss you. But you will have to trust me that the mirror is safe.” His eyes asked the question and I before I could answer Deila shook her head yes.
“Lord Stormcrow, that would be an excellent plan! It would give me time to meet my mother’s family, whom I know by name only.” I saw the naked need in her eyes.
I shook my head. I doubted she would get any answers about her mother that would satisfy her, but she surely had earned the right to them if she could get them. I looked at Jervalas Stormcrow who had followed this exchange with studied ignorance.
“I don’t want to offend you, Jervalas, but would you be willing to be swear by the Compact?” It was always risking asking something like this. The Fae are ticklish about honor and asking him to swear by the Compact could be interpreted as saying that I thought he might be a liar.
He smiled. “You’re a cautious one, I’ll grant you that. Well, I reckon I can swear that it just goes to my private quarters at the Court. They’ve been closed since I got sent out to the boonies. No reason anybody should be waiting for me. How formal do you need it be?”
“Never mind. If you are willing to swear, then there is no need for an oath. I’ll take your word as spoken.”
“Well, In that case, I reckon you better be off. Soonest done is soonest mended as my mam used to say!” Jervalas walked across the room and uncovered a six foot tall mirror with ornate scrollwork and little goblins laughing and cavorting in gilded wood. He must have noticed the expression on my face. “Horrible, isn’t it?”
I nodded.
“Well, it’s ugly but useful. Its lack of beauty is probably what got it sent here. In that, it and I have somethin’ in common!” He laughed. His expression turned more serious as he started a low mumble that I recognized as a short ritual designed to activate the mirror. The mirror was tuned to him and he was the only one who could operate it without having to realign it to a new owner. We would literally be putting our lives in his hands.
As he finished the surface of the mirror lost its reflective nature and clouded over. The mist in the glass cleared and a dark, still room appear on the other side of the now clear glass.
Jervalas Stormcrow made a lavish sweep of his arm and a mocking half bow. “Right this way sir and madame!”
I stepped into the mirror and felt the familiar feeling of being squeezed through the glass and I stepped into the darkness and the unknown territory of the Court.
Chapter Twenty Five
I arrived and waited for my eyes to adjust to the dim light that was filtering into the room from the heavy drapes that covered the windows. Before I could see much of anything Dalia came through. Her eyes adjusted more quickly than mine, another benefit I supposed, of being a full blood as opposed to a half blood.
Despite the fact that it was dark and a little musty, I could feel that almost indefinable quality that I always associated with the Court of Dawn. I always put it down to the magical feeling the in air making one feel better and more energetic. Some boffin that I met at the Silvertree told me that the realm of the Court of Dawn was “suffused with a high energy state” and “excited quantum and ether particles”. Whatever. All I knew was that I always felt a little on edge, like something was about to happen all the time. Some people like it I suppose. I always found it hard to relax and it made me wish I had my gun, even if it was mostly ineffective here.
As advertised, the place was a little dusty and it was obvious that whoever lived here was a little off. There was clutter, but it was organized efficiently, perhaps by relative bizarreness. A saw bits and pieces of things that looked like they came from the mortal realm. It was a collection that ranged from a 1946 Viewmaster to what looked like a lump of iron in the shape of a pug dog. It was an odd thing for a Fae to possess, about as weird as a mortal keeping a jar of concentrated sulfuric acid on the shelf above the door.
I crossed the room and opened the drape just enough to allow a crack of light to creep about the room and plopped myself on the dusty lounge which responded with an exhalation of dust. Evidently, Jervalas Stormcrow really didn’t use the place much.
Dalia was anxious, as she gracefully seated herself on a divan and looked regal despite her tattered clothing and bandages. Her entire posture screamed “What now?”
I thought about that unasked question for a moment and considered it. I would need clothes that didn’t stand out quite so much. Dalia could get by with a glamour. In general it was considered to polite for a fae lord or lady to make the glamour match what they were actually dressed in, but it wasn’t uncommon for someone to be different under the spell.
It would be more of a problem for me. Like I said before, glamours don’t always work on me or for me. I suppose a highly trained and powerful will worker could probably settle one on me with a lot of ritual work, but who knows how long it would it stick? Besides, I would need to do some legwork to get in touch with the kind of Fae that could not only do the work but would be willing to do it for pay. There isn’t a huge market or calling for that matter, for black market glamours at the Court of Dawn.
I went upstairs to his private chambers and let my sight unfocus a little and saw that there was nothing but a little alarm ward. I carefully wedged it aside and stepped under the ward and into the dark room. Apparently, internal security here was pretty light. I bet the outside was far more warded. Luckily, we were already in.
I opened the wardrobe and found an assortment of clothes that seemed to go with the décor. There were bits and pieces of clothing that were probably in fashion at the court a few years ago as well as World War II Army air corps flight jacket. I fingered the jacket and thought about my own experiences in the Europe.
With regret I let the jacket go and dug deeper in the oak wardrobe and pulled out various non-descript outfits that I thought I could wear. Non-descript for a Fae generally mean that it doesn’t have gold thread woven through it or isn’t gilded with emeralds.
Like most Fae he was a little taller than me, but I could work around that by tucking the pants cuffs into a pair of boots that I pulled out of the wardrobe. The shirt and jacket were more of a problem. The jacket I could carry and the shirt I could gather at
the wrist. I changed into the clothes and glanced down. It wasn’t a perfect fit but it might do.
A quick search of the room revealed a jewelry box that contained a small selection of perfunctory adornments, really just the bare essentials for a member of the court. Jervalas Stormcrow was a Fae after my own heart. There was a hidden drawer in the jewelry case that contained something more interesting.
“Son of a bitch.” I murmured. Inside was a good size collection of service awards. I saw a couple of Service to the Crown stars in various metals and a couple of Majesty’s Thanks as well. The most notable was that he also had a few awards from the mortal realm as well including two bronze stars and a silver one and Distinguished Service Cross. Paradoxically, there was an Iron Cross as well as a Croix de Guerre. The real surprise was a Hero of the Soviet Union medal. I wasn’t sure if I hoped that this was just a collection of souvenirs or if he had actually earned all this metal.
Dalia came up behind me looked at me with a critical eye. “This will not do at all Jake. These clothes are no longer in style and will surely garner unwanted attention, if not for the style than the ill fit.” She went to the wardrobe and searched through it. Dissatisfied with her efforts Dalia went to a second wardrobe and begin digging through assorted pieces of cloth. A happy murmur told me that she had found whatever she was looking for as a blue cape designed to be worn the shoulder came arcing through the air at me.
“Capes”, she began, “Are back in fashion. It will also help hide the ill fit of your clothes.” She continued to dig through the large wardrobe and pulled out a rapier in a fancy sheath. It was polished, black wooden sheath with a piano finish and gems inlaid in filigree silver near the hilt and tip.
Naming Day (Jake Underwood Book 1) Page 23