Hail the conquering bunny hero? “You’re in this for the glory?”
“Well, I might have gotten overexcited at a bonfire last month and kicked embers into the Druthers’ den. They had all these lovely paper decorations up, and they caught fire. The whole den was burnt to a husk, all their stores and belongings charred beyond salvation. My clan, the Nodbottoms, have been charged with replacing the lost items. Except we have very little ourselves and can’t afford to lose what we do have. Poor Elizaveta. She’s one of my sisters, you understand. The thirty-seventh. My favorite number. She’ll likely never be invited to another harvest festival again, and she does have her heart pinned on a Druthers boy.”
“Your clan kicked you to the curb,” Isaac guessed. “Do you think they’ll take you back if you bring them the ring?”
“I’m not sure,” Leon wailed. “I must try. A lone púca can’t survive the wilds of Faerie, and no den will have me while I am disgraced.”
“Where is the ring?” The furball had no pockets. Where was he keeping…? Oh, snap. “You swallowed it.”
Small miracle he hadn’t lost it during the confrontation.
“It seemed like the best idea at the time.”
“Can you still get us to the Halls?” I pressed. “Do you know where we are now?”
“I can, and I do.” He spun a tight circle. “We’re very near the pinnacle.”
Isaac’s head snapped up at that. “What?”
“What am I missing here?” I glanced between them. “I don’t remember a pinnacle being mentioned.”
“It’s the point where all the seasons meet.” Isaac wet his lips, failing to conceal his excitement at the prospect of beholding it with his own eyes. “We crossed from Winter into Summer. For us to be close to the pinnacle means we’re almost back where we started.”
“How could we have lost so much ground? We didn’t run that far.”
“I was very scared.” Leon whimpered. “I might have been wishing with great effort to be as far away from the trolls as possible.”
I slapped my forehead with my palm. “Why is it the distance trick works for him and not for us?”
Isaac’s forehead crinkled. “Maybe because he was born here?”
“Traveling in pairs is difficult for this very reason,” Leon chimed in. “Both must wish to cover the same distance at the same speed or the conflict hampers you. One of you must have wanted a bit of a meander.”
My head swung toward Isaac. “Tell me the bunny is wrong.”
“It’s not like I’m doing it on purpose.” He glared at Leon. “I can’t help but be curious. Enzo wouldn’t do any better. He’d want to stop and sniff every flower.”
“We’ll never know, will we?” I snarled. “We left him behind.”
“We had no choice,” he countered.
“All I have is your word he was gone.” The wolf regretted the accusation as soon as it left my mouth, and writhed in my middle, pleading with me to apologize, but I was mad at him. For so many things. And this made an easy target for all my frustration. The wolf would just have to deal. It’s not like he would hold her accountable for my outburst anyway. “For all I know, you let him get captured so we would be stuck here that much longer. Did you pack a pith helmet in with all those gadgets of yours?”
“You’re not pushing me away that easily.” Isaac rose in a fluid motion. “You’ll have to try harder next time.”
“I’m not—” But he had turned his back and left me to simmer alone.
“This is the offer.” He gestured Leon closer. “You get us to the Halls of Summer, and we’ll play bodyguards so the trolls don’t eat you before you make it home. Deal?”
“Deal.” He stuck out his paw, and Isaac bent to shake. “Only we might want to find shelter first.”
I got to my feet and dusted off the seat of my pants. “Why’s that?”
“Can’t you smell it?” His nose wriggled. “A storm’s coming.”
Now that he mentioned it, I could detect a difference in the weight of the air. Nice going, Dell. I had locked the wolf down hard after she sprang to Isaac’s defense, and she had withdrawn to lick her wounds, leaving me head-blind.
Wading into the grass, I tilted up my nose and flared my nostrils. I walked until I smelled fragrant lilacs, a splash of sea foam…and petrichor. That exact combination had branded itself onto my brain the day I’d discovered Zed’s limp body sprawled in a rolling green pasture, elemental residue heavy in his fur and the stone house where Tiberius and Leandra had sought shelter in the distance.
“What’s in that direction?” I nodded toward the darkening patch of sky.
“The pinnacle.” Leon joined me. “The Seelie and Unseelie magics clash there. It gets stormy as a result. Nothing to fret over. Perfectly normal.”
Isaac and I exchanged a loaded glance, but he didn’t say a word. I didn’t blame him. I had said plenty for us both. “If Leon is right about the storms, it would provide a good cover.”
I didn’t name names since little bunnies had big ears.
“Makes sense,” Isaac agreed a moment later, deciding not to punish me for my outburst.
“Should we check to be sure?” I put the question to him. “We’re right here.”
His voice came out flat, disinterested. I had earned that. “I’ll leave the decision up to you.”
“How far?” Knowing there was no way to be sure, I tacked on, “What’s your best estimate?”
“We can be there by sundown if we all put a great deal of thought into the effort,” Leon decided.
“Do you mind the side trip?” I didn’t want to spook our guide, questionable as his morals may be.
“It’s not as though I have anyone waiting up for me at home, do I?” His slender ears drooped. “I can spare the time so long as you vow you’ll keep me safe.”
“I so swear.” Isaac didn’t miss a beat.
Trusting he knew what we were getting into, I echoed him, “I so swear too.”
“Then hold on to your fur.” Leon sprang forward. “It’s bound to get worse before it gets better.”
Ain’t that always the way?
Chapter 6
Harsh winds swirled my hair around my head, tearing it free of the braid I used to secure it. My eyes stung from the dirt kicked up and tossed in my face. The air dipped from frigid Winter to humid Summer to crisp Autumn and then temperate Spring. Each of the seasons took their turn lashing out at us, and I regretted my life choices long before the thick bolt of lightning struck a tree to my right. Fire erupted, and sparks glittered hot on the carpet of leaves. Rain hit next and then hailstones the size of golf balls.
“We have to take cover,” Isaac yelled near my ear.
The storm raged around us, and I admitted defeat after a second tree burst into flames. “We need to get out from under all these trees.”
Electrocution was a bad way to die, and I didn’t want to go out smelling like burnt hair and wet dog.
“Look there.” Leon, who resembled a drowned rat without his fluffy coat, gave a little jump in the direction of Autumn. There were more trees there, more tinder for the fire and more rods to attract electricity. I got ready to urge him back into Summer, when I spotted an enormous redwood towering over the rest of the tree line. “What is that?”
“An old den,” he hollered. “It’s been abandoned for positively ages.”
“Dell?” Isaac left the choice up to me.
“It’s close enough we can backtrack once the storm dies.” This near to the pinnacle, we could switch seasons on a whim if conditions worsened. “Lead the way, Leon.”
Several yards into Autumn, I changed my mind. Walking through this place set my teeth on edge. The hairs on my arms stood at attention, and the faint yet pungent stink of urine claimed the area as belonging to another predator. I let my inner wolf rise and make her own determination. She agreed with Leon that the predator was long gone from this range and decided it was safe for us to claim it as our own.
Once we reached the base of the redwood, I let my head fall back on my shoulders. Isaac and I would have needed at least four more people to join hands with us to stretch around the trunk. I circled it twice but saw no means of entering the supposed den. I examined the roots for tunnels, afraid I might step in one and break my ankle.
“How do we get in?” I asked the shivering bunny. “I don’t see a door.”
“I told you it was a den.” He blinked thick, soggy lashes. “Not that I knew how to get inside it.”
“Isaac?” I turned to my final option. “I don’t suppose you have a dryad aspect?”
Hair slicked to his scalp, he shook his head. “I’ve got one left, and I promised to only use it in an emergency.”
“In that case, we need to get away from these roots.” The lightning appeared confined to the pinnacle, but I didn’t want to be the exception that proved the rule. “We can head deeper into the woods then cut across and weather the storm in Summer.”
“Let me try something.” Isaac removed a small flashlight from his backpack and shined it up and down in a slow grid pattern. The resulting luminescence where it hit the bark reminded me of the luminol you see on crime shows. “Gotcha.” He placed the handle between his teeth and started tracing a seam invisible to my eyes. He grinned over his shoulder at me as he pressed in, and a massive section of trunk swung open. “What do you think?” He held it ajar and peered into the dark. “Does it smell like anyone’s home?”
I sidled up to him, popped my head inside and inhaled deeply. Dust tickled my nose, and mold made my throat scratchy. I coughed against my shoulder. “There are no fresh scents here. Leon was right. This place, whatever it is, has been abandoned for months.”
Since the flashlight didn’t actually emit light, which would have come in handy, what with it being a flashlight and all, I gingerly picked my way down a set of stairs that led into a spacious living room. “Wow. This place is huge.” Much larger than the tree trunk. “I could fit my entire pop-up RV in here.”
Isaac kicked the handle of a broken mug skittering across the floor then flipped over a book gnawed to bits with the toe of his shoe. “Looks like the previous occupant didn’t leave by choice.”
“There’s a bed in here,” Leon called from deeper in the house. “There are stores in the kitchen too.”
Bland as our MREs were, I much preferred them to magically preserved foodstuffs of dubious origins.
“Knock yourself out.” I gave him permission to gorge, all the while wondering how he planned on getting the cans or jars or whatevers open. Clearly being thumbless didn’t slow down púcas. “Let’s finish clearing the house, Isaac.”
We turned up nothing of interest. Tattered furniture, broken knickknacks, shredded books. If I focused on the lowest scent level, the one nearest the ground, I swear I scented more urine and the faintest traces of old blood. It was more acrid than the territorial markers. The previous owner must have kept dogs. Large, destructive dogs if the gouges in the wood and teeth marks on the doorframes were any indication.
“I’ll take first watch.” Isaac was thumbing through a book. “You went first last time.”
“Isaac.” I scuffed my feet on the way to him. “What I said earlier…”
“My ego doesn’t bruise that easy.” He blew me off and went back to the passage he had been reading.
“I’m trying to apologize here. I snapped at you, and I shouldn’t have. Of course you wouldn’t leave Enzo behind. That’s not the kind of man you are.” Playboy he might be, but he was a good man as long as you kept your heart out of his reach. “This whole fiasco is my fault. I should be thanking you for volunteering to help clean up my mess, not taking my aggression out on you.”
“You’ve had a rough few weeks. Well, rougher than usual. Having this rescue mission dumped in your lap didn’t help matters. Neither did me and Enzo picking ourselves for your team.” He raked the damp hair from his forehead. “Zed’s been your friend for a long time. You guys work well together. I shouldn’t have taken a spot you would have given him. If he was here, he wouldn’t be fighting wanderlust the way I am.”
“The pack needs Zed.” I rolled the dice and offered him a slice of truth. “I’m glad you’re here. Who else would have figured out how to make magic and technology play well together? You’ve made this trip easier than it might have been.”
“You must know I did this for you,” he said quietly.
Pulse tripping in my veins, I backed away from him into the living area. “I’ll go dust off that bed Leon mentioned. Wake me when it’s my turn.” I waggled a playful finger at him. “Don’t let me off the hook, you hear?”
“Dell.” The word hung in the musty air between us, as raw and aching as my soul. “We should talk.”
“Okay.” I escaped before he set a time or place by poking my head into the room Leon had indicated. Pipe tobacco permeated the sheets and gave the room a sweetly smoky fragrance. I muffled a sneeze against my shoulder, from the dust or the previous occupant’s habits, I couldn’t say. Pinning my shirt over my nose, I flicked the covers until the quilt coated the pillow and hung off the end of the bed.
Feeling very Goldilocksish, I climbed into the long bed, which felt too hard, and slept.
The mattress dipped, and I rolled against a warm body smelling of soldering irons and burnt metal. The temptation to burrow against Isaac and fake sleep was strong, but I resisted. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He wound a long, red curl around his finger and gave a playful tug. “I have something to show you.”
I snorted and batted away his hand. “I bet you do.”
“Come on.” He gripped me by the wrist. “You need to see this.”
Soft from napping, I let him haul me out of bed and into his arms while I pretended to steady myself and he pretended to have good intentions. “Okay.” I cut short a yawn. “What is it?”
He kept our hands linked as he led me into the living room where a small child sat on the battered sofa. The grayish tint of her skin told me she was Unseelie, and the oil-slick hair and midnight eyes only confirmed her lineage. A simple dress hung off her petite frame, and her cheeks were sunken in until the delicate bones cut against her skin.
“It’s more of a who,” he said at my startled gasp.
“You found her here?” I rushed forward, the pack instinct urging me to care for the child. “Hi there.” I sat beside her when she didn’t shy away, but the wolf rebelled almost as fast. She smelled of warm pennies, feathers and an undefinable element that set my scalp prickling. “I’m Dell. What’s your name?”
“Morgana.” Bright, liquid eyes met mine, and she curled her arms around her middle. “I’m so hungry.”
“Isaac?” I made his name a plea.
“Already on it,” he assured me. “There were jarred goods in the pantry. Leon helped me decipher the dates. I’m heating water for tea and have some fruits and vegetables ready.”
Feeding her the stores we found was less dangerous than sharing what little food we had ourselves. There was no telling how our bodies would react to local produce, mine in particular. For now it was safest if we saved foraging as a last resort.
The urge to brush the long, silky strands off her cheeks made my palms itch but instinct warned me away from contact. “Where did you come from?”
“I don’t know.” Fat tears welled in her eyes. “I can’t remember.”
“Where did you find her?” I looked to Isaac.
“That’s the strangest part.” He jerked his head toward the kitchen. “Help me fix her a plate?”
“Will you be okay by yourself, sweetheart?” It hit me then we had a third member in our party. “Leon, can you come here, please?”
The púca bounded into the room. “Yes, Sharpy?”
“Can you keep an eye on our new friend?” I patted her knee. “Her name is Morgana.”
“I would be honored.” He executed a perfect bow then leapt onto my lap before taking the spot between us. “My name is Leon Aloysius Nodbottom. I am a faithful servant of the crown.”
Isaac, who stood in the doorway behind them, cocked his head at that. I joined him before my face gave away my curiosity. Once in the kitchen, he corralled me in the far corner, pressing me back until my spine hit the wall and bending his head to mine. He took advantage of the situation, as was his nature, but I humored him. We needed privacy, and this was as private as it got.
“I found her stashed in an aer póca in the pantry,” he murmured.
“An aer póca?” I was picturing a room under the stairs when he spelled it out for me.
“They’re magical storage bubbles that follow the creator around. All you have to do is reach inside, think of what you want, and it appears in your hand. I don’t have enough magic to make them work, no one in the family does, but I’ve seen them in action.”
Gemini had inborn magic in spades, but they could perform very little actual magic. For a guy who thrived on pushing himself physically to discover the full extent of his mimicry capabilities, the end of his magic was all too easy to reach. I suspected this lack was what had fueled his love of gadgetry, where the only limits were those imposed by his own imagination.
“Mom had this renter at one of her investment properties. A brownie.” His breath puffed warm on my throat. “He got a reduction in lot rent for cleaning the office and laundry facilities. He used an aer póca for storing his cleaning supplies.”
“I would have noticed a young girl trapped in a bubble when we cleared the place.” I might have been tired, but I wasn’t that wiped. “That means it wasn’t only a magical bubble but also an invisible one.”
Another nifty trick Geminis were born with was the ability to see past glamour. Cam believed it was a means of ensuring their donors were who and what they claimed to be before blood was exchanged.
“They’re thrice charmed.” He nuzzled closer, a shameless opportunist. “First, they’re formed.” His lips brushed against my skin. “Then they’re bespelled with a buffer that causes the bubble to float while preventing the sphere from bumping into the caster or nearby people or objects. And lastly, an invisibility charm is cast over them to obscure the objects they hold.”
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