by H. L. Burke
“Makes sense.” Jericho rubbed the back of his neck. “We’ll start where the search party lost the scent, then.”
“Be careful.” Iris stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “My grandchildren need their father.”
Auric stepped towards the door, but Lotta grabbed his wrist. Her eyes pleaded with him, making him long to snatch her up in his arms and never let go.
“Why don’t you two take a minute?” Jericho said. “I’ll be outside.”
Iris and Jericho left Auric and Lotta alone. He slipped his arms around her.
“Don’t make me a widow before we’re even married,” she whispered, her breath tickling his ear.
“I’ll do my best.” He kissed her. “Trust me. I’m more motivated to live than I can ever remember being.”
“I’ll try to help your mom find a way to save your sister. I don’t know much about magic, but I am good at making and fixing things.” She ran her fingers through his hair. “I love you, Auric.”
“I love you, too.” He rested his forehead against hers, trying to memorize the way she felt in his embrace. After a long moment, he let her go and forced a brave smile. “Don’t wait up for me.”
“I probably will.” She blushed.
He left the kitchen and found Iris waiting in the hall. She rested her head against his shoulder. “God be with you, Auric.” She withdrew and cast her gaze over his face. “You are so much like your father.”
“I hope so,” he whispered hoarsely.
Out in the yard, Jericho leaned against a stack of boards. Jaspyr lay at his feet.
“Are we taking him?” Auric nodded towards the fox.
“He’s sensitive to Fey energy and knows Rill better than even me.” Jericho straightened and adjusted his pack straps. “He’s good to have around.”
Jaspyr sat up on his hind legs and yipped. Jericho patted the fox’s metallic ears.
“Yeah, and I guess he knew something was up with Rill before any of us did.” Auric shook his head. Thinking back the change of dynamic between Rill and her pet should’ve keyed him into something being terribly wrong. It shouldn’t have taken finding the poor thing locked in a closet to figure out.
“You can do the tracking spell on your tablet once we reach the woods.” Jericho strode towards the dirt road that led from his uncle’s shop to the old lumber road. “No point in wasting my paper quires just yet.”
“You could invest in your own wax tablet, you know.” Auric snorted.
Jericho clapped him on the shoulder. “Why bother when I’ve got you around?”
They passed the last house and faced the dappled sunlight beneath the trees of the great wood. The smell of sun-baked pine needles rose about them, and a bird called somewhere in the distance. Auric drew a deep breath, took out his tablet, and scratched through the symbols of a tracking spell. Dozens of footprints lit up the ground before him.
“This set.” Jericho pointed to a single line surrounded by many other footprints. “We determined this to be Wallis’s path, based on the size and where he was last seen by his brother. It’s joined by another set just a stone’s throw into the trees, presumably the Fey, then disappears altogether after a few miles.”
“Let’s get started.”
The two men walked in silence. The footprints of the earlier search party had muddled the trail, but Jericho kept his eyes to the ground, seeming to know the way. Jaspyr, also, bounced along with them with some degree of certainty.
“I wanted to thank you,” Jericho said after a bit. “I know I’ve been useless of late, leaving you to take care of the shop and the Manor and even Rill.” He met Auric’s gaze. “It won’t happen again, I promise.”
Auric laughed uncomfortably. “Yes, well, I admit I’ve been a little lost lately. Usually you’re the stable, put-together one.”
“Usually I have Rill.” Jericho sighed. “But I also have you. You didn’t give up on me, even when I’d given up on myself. Honestly, with that and what happened in the Capital tunnels, I now owe you my life twice over.”
Both men fell silent. Auric tried to tally up all the times Jericho had been there for him, from saving his life from rampaging unicorns and Spirens in the Fey Lands to acting as a calming presence during times of emotional crisis, such as when his father had first fallen ill. In spite of Jericho’s claim to be in Auric’s debt, Auric had to think all that carried far more weight. Of course, maybe it was utter nonsense to try to keep accounts between friends.
The shadows grew longer. Auric wished he’d thought to bring a pocket watch. “How long do you think we have until it gets dark?”
Jericho glanced at the sky. “Two, three hours maybe? It doesn’t matter.” He pointed at the shining foot prints. “These glow in the dark. Also, we’re almost to where we lost the trail the first time.”
Jaspyr paused up ahead, tail twitching, ears flat against his head. His bronze plating glinted in the sunlight filtering through the pine boughs.
“Sense something, boy?” Jericho hurried to catch up with the fox. They pushed through the low branches of two fir trees. Sure enough, the golden footprints came to a sudden halt. The prints of the various searchers circled the end of the trail, none going far before doubling back, however. Jaspyr put his nose to the ground. He growled under his breath then sprang through the underbrush.
Auric and Jericho caught up to him in a clearing. A circle of ivory-capped mushrooms grew on a patch of grass, so even and fine as to resemble a manicured yard. Jaspyr stopped in the middle of this and scraped at the ground with his front paws.
Jericho frowned. “My mom always called those fairy rings, but I considered that folk superstition.”
“Yeah, I thought so, too. It’s not something that I was taught at the Academy, anyway.” Auric stepped closer. “Jaspyr seems to think there’s something there, though. Do we risk stepping into it?” He edged forward.
Jericho grabbed his arm. “Let me check for any magical signatures.” He took out a paper quire and dashed through a spell. With a whiff of cedar scent, a burst of energy consumed the paper then spread as a flash of light across the ground. A network of golden threads appeared across the circle. “Yep, magical tripwires.”
“They look basic enough.” Auric took out his wax tablet and worked out a counterspell. His own signature of lavender filled the glade before the tripwires snapped like spiderwebs. “Interesting Jaspyr didn’t trigger it.”
“Well, Jaspyr is a combination of Fey energy and clockwork.” Jericho stooped to pet the fox’s ears. “My guess is the Soulsnatcher only made the threads sensitive to humans, otherwise any squirrel or deer could set off the trap.”
“Makes sense.”
A mischievous grin quirked the corner of Jericho’s mouth. “You could learn a thing or two from that.”
Auric scowled at him, then chuckled. It was good to see Jericho in a teasing mood again, even if, as usual, Auric was the target. “I wonder why she booby-trapped this particular circle. Does it teleport us somewhere if we step into it?”
“Your mom said Soulsnatchers can’t teleport, and I’ve never heard of Fairy Rings having that power, even in my mom’s tales.” Jericho shrugged. “In those stories, they were places where fairies dance.”
“I don’t think dancing is what this particular ‘fairy’ has in mind.” Auric snorted.
“Well, let’s take a closer look.” The two of them stepped forward.
The ground gave out under their feet, the grass collapsing like a blanket laid over a pit. Auric yelped. Jaspyr yipped and sprang out of the way of the falling earth. Jericho cursed, and they crashed down into darkness.
Chapter Sixteen
Jericho groaned and sat up, blinking. Weak light filtered in from about ten feet above him through a ragged hole, but the space around him was dark.
“Auric?” he called.
“Here.” Auric moaned. There was a rustling, and Auric touched his arm. “You all right?”
“Yeah. You?”
> “Landed hard on my backside, but I think it’ll just be an ugly bruise.” A whiff of lavender rose and a ball of light grew out of the darkness, revealing Auric holding his tablet. The orb swelled. A golden glow flooded the space, a small cave, perhaps ten feet across with no obvious tunnels leading out, only rock walls, two small children, sleeping on a pile of blankets, and a ledge holding several bottles. One of the bottles was green glass and filled with glowing particles.
Jericho’s heart leaped to his throat, and he darted towards the containers. He collided against an invisible barrier. A shock went through him, jolting him backward.
“Steady!” Auric grabbed him by the shoulders.
Jericho scooped a handful of dirt from the floor and tossed it into the air. It caught on a shimmering wall before falling to the ground. “Looks like a basic barrier. Easy enough to break … uh-oh.” He had been holding his stylus when the ground collapsed. Where did it get to? He scanned the ground, only to see the metal rod on the wrong side of the barrier. “Dammit!”
“I got it.” Auric rolled his stylus across the wax in his tablet to erase the previous spell. His stylus flew from his hand, penetrating the invisible wall like an arrow through paper, and clattered to the ground beside the sleeping children. Auric’s eyes widened.
“Nuh-uh-uh,” a chillingly familiar voice whispered.
Jericho’s whole body stiffened. It was a voice he’d savored so many times, but now it was off-key, as if the warmth had been sucked from it and replaced with cold contempt. The air before them shimmered and a figure formed. Rill, but not Rill, a haughty smile on her perfect lips, a cold glint in her pristine blue eyes.
“Welcome to my parlor, boys.” She picked up Auric’s stylus. “Silly human magic with its reliance on metal sticks.” She turned it in her fingers until it glowed red. With a twist, she bent it like a rod of wax before dropping it once more to the ground.
Auric swallowed audibly.
“What do you want?” Jericho frowned.
“Isn’t it obvious?” She tilted her head. “Just to be. To live my life and enjoy it. Is that a crime now?”
“You can live your own damn life all you want.” Jericho’s fingers clenched. “But you’re not entitled to my wife.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I won’t be using her much longer.” She swept her hand towards the sleeping children. “I have selected my next vessel already. Of course, your wife is a very pleasant visage to inhabit.” She smoothed her skirts and brushed her hair away from her face. “Pretty, and her memories … like a picture book—an extremely adult picture book. My, you two put some wear and tear into your mattress.” The Fey winked.
Jericho’s jaw tightened until his teeth ached.
“Also, I find it easier to do magic in this body than in the others I’ve inhabited in this realm. Due to her Fey heritage, I imagine. Too bad I couldn’t get a hold of her mother instead. A full-blooded High Fey would make this process so much easier.”
“If you want to get back to the Fey Lands we can help you,” Auric said. “You don’t have to be trapped here any longer. We can get you home.”
“Home?” The Fey sniffed. “You think I want to go back there? In the Fey Lands my people exist as disembodied spirits, no bodies means very little pleasure. Humans can experience so much more … so many sensual delights. I didn’t even realize how much until recently. You can thank your High Fey mother for that.”
“Mother?” Auric frowned.
“Yes. I’ve always snatched children. They last longer. It’s just generally known among my people that you don’t take an adult if you intend to stay in the mortal realms for any period of time.” She sidled closer to Jericho, eyeing him through half-lidded eyes. “But first the magical shortage in the city and then being chased by your mother forced me into areas with fewer children, and finally, out of desperation, I snatched an adult.” She closed her eyes. “Her memories of her marriage made me realized what I’d been missing … I want that. A few days in this body with her reminiscences to thumb through has only solidified that in me.”
Jericho raised his eyebrows. “You’re saying you are stealing people’s bodies because you want sex?”
“Oh, don’t be crass.” She waved dismissively at him. “You of all people should know there’s so much more to companionship than that. I’ve seen your wife’s memories, after all. No, I want the whole package. Of course, I’m not going to get that from a human. That would be like you settling down with a dog or a donkey. No, I need someone on my intellectual and spiritual level: another Fey.”
Auric’s shoulders slumped. “That’s why you took two children this time? You’re planning to bring another one of your kind into our world?”
“Of course. It’s the only way I will possibly find a suitable mate.” She picked up the glass bottle filled with golden light.
Jericho stiffened.
The Fey carelessly tossed the vessel from hand to hand. “I should kill you both, but I might need a change of raiment. I don’t prefer males, but you both have the advantage of getting me access to the Manor, which could come in handy. Yes, I’ll keep you for now. You won’t be able to get out of there without your magic sticks anyway.” She waved her hand towards the rock wall and a doorway appeared. Behind it lay a tunnel with a small cart.
A bronze streak dove from the hole above them and knocked the Fey to the ground.
Jaspyr sank his teeth into the Fey’s arm. She shrieked. Golden energy flew from her fingertips, knocking the fox back against the wall with a clang. Jaspyr whimpered and lay still.
“Jaspyr!” Jericho stepped towards the fox but stopped at the barrier. The fox’s eyes glowed softly.
“You humans and your pets are so annoying.” The Fey ripped a strip of cloth from her apron and bound her upper-arm. “Well, that ruins this one. Looks like I’ll have to change sooner than intended.” Her eyes narrowed at Jericho. She smiled. “I won’t be needing to keep this around anymore.” She held forth the glass bottle. “Say good-bye to your lovely wife, Mr. Carver. I’d thank her for the use of her body, but I’m afraid once her soul hits the air, she’ll have a few seconds at best to say you’re welcome.”
“Don’t!” Jericho shouted.
The Fey dropped the bottle. It shattered against the ground.
Chapter Seventeen
Golden particles whirled out of the broken soul vessel like dust caught in a breeze. A scream escaped Jericho, and his knees hit the floor.
“Rill!” Auric yelped.
The light faded from the air.
The Fey waved at the sleeping children who floated into the waiting cart. “Well, this body won’t last long with the soul departed. I’d better hurry. I have a date with my future soulmate.” The Fey licked her lips. She guided the cart down the tunnel, the rock wall reforming behind her as she departed.
Jericho felt dizzy, numb. This had to be a nightmare. He stared at the glass fragments. It couldn’t have been Rill’s soul in there. It was some cruel trick. She couldn’t be gone.
Auric collapsed, knees to chest, head to knees, body shaking. He sobbed.
Jericho’s shoulders slumped. He leaned against the dirt and stone wall. A chill crept through him as his mind repeatedly ignored his pleas to wake up, to think of a reason why what had just happened hadn’t really happened … it had happened.
Rill is gone.
Pain washed over him in waves. His throat tightened, the world blurring. When was the last time he’d spoken to her? The true her? It had to be the day the nanny died. Yes, they’d spoken … but what had he said? What had she said? He’d kissed her, hadn’t he? Why hadn’t he paid more attention? He hadn’t known it would be the last time. The last time should be sacred, a memory ingrained forever, but he couldn’t remember it. He hadn’t known, and he’d never have a chance to go back, to tell her one more time that he loved her, that she was beautiful, that she gave him so much more than he could ever return …
Rill is gone.
He rest
ed his head in his hands, tugging at his hair until it hurt, trying to concentrate on that pain rather than the feelings churning within his chest and gut. It didn’t work. His jaw clenched.
A yip and a whimper made him look up. Jaspyr stood and shook himself off. He blinked at Jericho. The fox lunged forward, collided with the magical barrier, and sat down hard on his own tail. His ears twitched, and he barked frantically.
“Do you think he knows what happened?” Auric rasped.
Jericho avoided looking at his friend. “I don’t know.”
Jaspyr scratched at the floor of the cavern, trying to dig under the barrier between them.
“What are we going to do?” Auric asked.
“I … I don’t …” Jericho swallowed. “I’m so sorry, Auric. I should’ve protected her. I should’ve known the Fey wasn’t her, and I should’ve done something sooner. I failed her. I failed her—” His voice cracked. The dull ache within him grew like the roar of an approaching steam engine until it was all he could focus on.
“It’s as much my fault as yours.”
“You weren’t the one who vowed to … I promised her to be there!” His fingers tightened into his legs. “I should’ve … I should’ve …” He drew deep breaths, trying to find some calm to hold onto, something to stop himself from sinking into madness. It welled up again, the loss of those last memories that should’ve been so precious. What was the last thing she’d said to him? It hadn’t been anything important, nothing deep, a casual exchange, but he needed the words. What were the damn words?
“We have to get out of here.” Jericho stumbled towards the barrier. “We can’t just stop. The Fey is going to possess those two kids.”
“Take a minute to breathe!” Auric stood and grabbed Jericho’s arm. “Jericho, you just lost … Look at me!”