The weird part was that the lumps started moving faster. Ugh.
Stan had given me a couple of towels and I was doing my best to clean myself off. The green goop was beginning to irritate my skin.
Isaiah said. "Stan will take you back to your room, meet me in staff office number three after you clean up. Don't touch your eyes or your mouth until you've showered."
I took off my shoes and walked back, grateful for the company. That had to be the strangest meeting I'd ever attended. And this was only the first day.
As we walked, I asked Stan a question in English. "Are Isaiah's meetings always violent like that?"
"Our Lord has many different visitors. It is foolish to suppose that all meetings would result in the same end."
His English was great. He sounded like a cool Aussie professor. "Where did you learn English?"
"My history is my own and I share it only with those whom I choose to trust."
Ouch. Guess he wasn't friendly like most Australians. "I'm sorry. I won't ask any more questions." I was kinda hoping that since he spoke English he'd be a good source of information.
"I've been instructed by our Lord to answer your questions regarding the layout and routines of the house. Also to get you whatever you might require so that you are comfortable here. Nothing else."
He left me at the door to my room and I cleaned up as quickly as I could manage, changed my clothes, then grabbed my map and figured out the best route to staff office number three.
Isaiah was sitting on the desk reading a book when I finally made it to the office. I'd gotten lost twice. "Ask your questions." he said, getting right to the point.
"Why did you kill him?"
He seemed to be expecting this. "I've only killed his shell. He was ready to pop any day. His offspring will be born when he's returned to the water. They'll feed from him and then battle it out until only one is left. Sometimes two."
"That's interesting and all but why did you stab him?"
"He attacked you."
"It was green goop, not a weapon."
"That goop is worth over two hundred gold a cup and I honored him by serving it." I rubbed my arms. For some reason I was feeling cold. "Show me where it touched your skin."
I'd put on a comfortable rust colored tunic, loose fitting black pants and different sandals. I lifted the hem of the pants and we both took in a sharp breath as my red, blistered ankles and shins appeared beneath them.
"It doesn't hurt too badly."
"Don't lie to me. I'll take care of it before dinner." He sighed. "He's quite strong. If he'd hit you in the head with the cup, he might have knocked you unconscious. If you'd swallowed any of the liquid, you'd be dead." He ran a hand through his long hair. "Now I have to figure out if it was a deliberate attack against you or me."
"It seemed to be aimed at you."
"He deliberately changed its direction midway. I saw the magical flux."
"What was he?"
"A Freckstill is a species of unseelie fae. This one was also an agent of the Faerie Queen. She has spies here, as the unseelie have spies at court. Now that he's dead, she won't get her report." He stood and sat in my wheeled office chair, then spun himself around, grinning like a kid. "She'll be pissed."
I ignored his comment. "But what about his offspring? Won't they make a report?"
"They aren't aware until they fight their way out of his body."
"Are there spies in Cascade?"
"I'm sure the queen has people watching her brother and Aedus. If anything happens to her daughter, then Aedus is next to rule, unless Caelen has changed his mind and decides to step up."
"She wanted Aedus to be her daughter's lover."
"Really? I'm sure Caelen wasn't happy." I caught the hint of a smirk before he glanced away and spun in the other direction.
"He convinced her that it would break the blood bargain they'd made when he left court. When she couldn't get her way, she looked to strike out against one of us. It's why she killed William." I shuddered at the memory.
"How did she kill him?"
"She drank his blood and then bit..." I couldn't continue.
"She bit and swallowed?" I nodded. "When Fionna put on the circlet and accepted the rule of Faerie, she chose to perform the ritual to take on the magic of the unseelie fae as well as the seelie. It was an ancient custom, not often invoked, because it requires the royal to feed monthly as the unseelie do, by blood and live flesh." He walked to the window and gestured for me to join him there.
"As the queen of both fae sects, she should rule seelie and unseelie equally, but the brat continues to ignore the unseelie, making them angry and yet unable to choose their own ruler. She announced that her intent was to strengthen the laws of Balance, but her true goal was to grow in power. She's no longer the sister Caelen once knew. Not that she was ever a sweet young flower."
"But..."
"Shh. Look out at the lake and the mountains beyond. It's almost sunset. I designed this office for you so that you could enjoy the view and not feel so shut in. You should thank me. I could have put you in a closet."
The view was truly lovely in its alien way. The sky was a wash of violets and pinks and oranges, yet as far I knew it was way too early for the sun to be setting. The lake glistened with gold, the liquid stroking against the purple shoreline like butterfly wings might beat against your cheek. At first the mountains beyond the lake seemed barren, yet when I concentrated, I noticed shadows creeping across them, some of them shaped like dragons. In shock, I looked above the mountains, but nothing flew in the sky.
"Few can catch even a glimpse of them."
"Have you?"
"Yes. They keep themselves apart because they are coveted by most creatures in my realm. They'd prefer not to become someone's pet."
"Sounds smart to me." I took another few moments to soak in the wonders of this landscape. "Faerie looks like the loveliest parts of my world, painted with a richer palate. The scent of their magic permeates everything." Isaiah winced at the thought. "Your world is beautiful too, but alien. Unsettling."
To prove my point, thunder rumbled beyond the mountains, then lightning shot across the sky, a forked weapon trying to spear one of the elusive dragons, perhaps. I gasped and clutched at Isaiah's arm.
He laughed."Mother loves drama in all things."
I wasn't quite sure what she had to do with the lightning, unless it was created magically. That thought was terrifying. I changed the subject. "Can you swim in the golden lake?"
"Yes. I'll take you. When you come out of the water, your skin will sparkle as if you've covered yourself with glitter. When you dry off, it's gone."
I took in a long breath. "Why don't I smell your magic?"
"I've blocked you. It would be too intense. Maybe in a few years." He grinned and held out his hand. "Show me your notes."
I handed them over and he took a long look. "This is better than I imagined, although it's still a hot mess." I couldn't stop the burst of laughter. "What? Did I use the expression inappropriately?"
"No. It was just unexpected."
He handed back my papers. "I've said that very same thing about you, little demon. Make yourself comfortable and copy your scribbles over in English and Fae. The words were 'fen' and 'expand' by the way. Then describe in English everything that occurred during the attack. Write only what you witnessed yourself. You can report to me at dinner, which is at eight thirty."
"That only gives me an hour and a half," I whined. He glared. I glared back. He raised an eyebrow, his eyes flashing orange, so I shrugged and nodded in defeat.
My ankles were starting to burn where the green goop had hit them. I lifted my pants again and winced at the ugly sight. The blisters were larger, some of them leaking a green pus, and the skin around them was an angry red. Isaiah crouched by my chair. "Here..." He placed his hands on my ankles and sent me some icy cool magic, healing my skin with ease.
"Thank you." I breathed a huge sigh of relie
f as the burning pain disappeared. "I couldn't get my healing magic to work."
"Your usual magic won't work here." The last time I had to survive without magic, I was Kennet's prisoner. The memory brought on a shiver.
He noticed my distress. "You're safe here, although you may not feel that way today. I should have protected you from his attack." He looked at me and winked. "However, I will not accept this incident as an excuse for being late for dinner. We'll eat in the kitchen." With a flick of his hand, a computer and printer appeared along with several books which would help me with translations. He disappeared and I sat down with a resigned sigh.
I wondered if this would be my permanent job, to take notes at his meetings and then write reports. A part of me was disappointed, yearning to do something more important, more magical. But the logical part of my brain scolded her more adventuresome twin. This work was straightforward. I'd be able to handle it fairly easily, even if it was tedious. Boring afternoons spent doing paperwork were much safer than hours of experimenting with demon magic, I reasoned.
My inner demon growled grumpily at my more logical cheetah, who was metaphorically curled up and content at the moment. With Isaiah in charge, she'd be pacing with worry soon enough.
I settled in at the desk and booted up the computer. As I recopied the report, I thought about what my chaos-loving boss might have planned for me tomorrow, and smiled.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
"Sit here." He was already seated at the large wooden table with a goblet of what looked like wine.
"No, please?" I teased.
"You're lucky I don't drag you around by your tail." He indicated my ponytail as I sat across from him and handed over my newly printed notes.
"That would be primitive even for you."
His mouth twitched, but he kept the smile at bay. As he read, the cook brought over two large platters filled with vegetables, fruits, dips, spreads, sliced meats and cheeses. There was also a basket of freshly baked bread. It smelled delicious.
There was a plate in front of Isaiah, but none in front of me. "I eat first. Then the staff." He hadn't even raised his head.
"Oh. Okay." I sat quietly until he reached the end.
"The report of the incident is honest and unemotional. You've simply stated the facts. Well done."
He took a piece of bread, added some meat and sauce and then folded it so it was easier to bite into. He swallowed and nodded at the chef, saying in Fae that he was pleased. Then he waved his hand and five plates appeared. One in front of me and four others scattered around the table.
The two cooks sat, as did the smaller creature who resembled the male who'd fed me earlier. Isaiah told them to eat and they started to help themselves with great enthusiasm. They all wore the same style of breeches and loose fitting tunics, with sleeves rolled up and leather belts around their waists.
"You'd better grab some food before the goblins eat all of it. Their stomachs are bottomless."
"Yes, Lord," I said in Fae, trying to suppress my smile.
The food was delicious although the sauce was so hot I had to drink an entire glass of water before I could take another bite of anything. Good thing I'd tasted it before slathering it on everything on my plate. Isaiah probably would have made me eat it anyway.
"Let me introduce you. This is our head chef, Gillix, our baker, Rylee, and this is their son, Dilt. Nil, who fed you earlier has already eaten. There's another chef around somewhere." He shrugged, then in Seelie Fae said, "This is my new assistant, Salina." He looked me over. "She needs all the help she can get, so please answer her questions to the best of your abilities. As long as she asks them in Seelie Fae."
I smiled at them, at the same time flipping off Isaiah behind my back. They nodded back unenthusiastically, their mouths full of food. "Are they really goblins?" I asked.
He was chuckling. "Yes, unseelie goblins. They have a king who hires them out. Gillix and Rylee have served me for centuries. Those aren't their real names by the way.
"I figured. The food is very good. I hope you pay them well."
"I don't."
"You don't pay them or you don't pay them well?"
"I don't pay them for working in the kitchen. I pay the Goblin King and he pays them. However, they have other duties for which I pay them very well."
The two larger ones coughed, or maybe laughed. "They speak English?"
"Yes, along with a dozen other languages."
"Do they spy for you?" They laughed again. Yep it was definitely a laugh. I could tell by the way they shoved each other off the chairs while they made that sound. The wine would spill or the food would dump onto the table, but they'd just do it again anyway. Kind of like a high five or a punch to the shoulder in our world.
Isaiah answered, "Everyone spies on everyone in the DR. and we wouldn't have it any other way." The three goblins spoke all at once, one of them pointing at me, the words jumbled and hard to understand. As Isaiah translated, they drank their wine, spilling some on their plates and licking it up.
"Dilt said you are beautiful, Rylee thinks you don't eat fast enough and Gillix said I should keep you far away from his king." Isaiah shoved a goblet in front of me.
"I shouldn't."
"It's your second dose. You're useless to me until you can access the lines."
"But I can see your world perfectly. There's no more mist."
"What you see and feel still isn't accurate. With each dose your magic will open to you like a flower." He shook his head. "Ech. That was bad even for me." He and his kitchen buddies downed another goblet and then laughed again, one of them sprawling over the back of his chair.
"Are you drunk?"
"I can't get drunk. My metabolism breaks down the alcohol too efficiently. It's one of the great hardships I bear."
"Jeez." I rolled my eyes. "Where's the violinist?"
The three goblins looked at me in shock then broke out in riotous laughter, one of them falling off his chair...again...and spilling what was left of his food on the floor. He still ate it. Now they were drunk.
"It doesn't take much." Isaiah answered my unspoken question.
"So why does the lord of the manor have dinner with his servants? Shouldn't we be eating our gruel in unheated cells wearing fingerless gloves and wrapped in tattered blankets?"
"That can be arranged, Ms. Smart Mouth."
"Sorry. I'll behave. I like my room."
"Drink."
I looked at the Goblins. Rylee and Gillix were crawling on hands and knees picking up the crumbs of what had fallen to the floor, while their son, Dilt, had to step over them to clear off the table.
Isaiah nudged the goblet closer. "I'll drink it in my room." He waited. "May I drink it in my room, sir?" He took hold of my elbow and we were there. I inhaled a long deep breath, closed my eyes and then tried to drink the whole thing straight down.
He snatched it away after four or five gulps. "Really, Jackie, sometimes I think you've lost your damn mind."
"Wha...?" My body shuddered violently and I started to sway, then gasped as the entire room began to tremble, walls caving in and the floor buckling under my feet. I cried out in fear while Isaiah grabbed hold of me and led me to my lone chair, forcing me to sit.
"Stay there and don't move."
"There's an earthquake!" I stood again and tried to run to the door, but he forced me back into the chair, where I clutched at the seat. Why wasn't he getting us out of here?
"Sit. There's no earthquake, but if you try to walk you'll fall. Garrett won't want you coming back sporting a lump on your head or a broken arm." He huffed out an exasperated breath as I whimpered in fear." You are such a frustrating female. You should've sipped it. A little bit at a time."
"Did you tell me that?" I closed my eyes, but it didn't help.
He grabbed my chin and met my wide-eyed gaze, sending me some magic to calm me. Happily the room settled down and I was able to breathe normally again. "Any child knows that powerful magic should be
taken in small doses," he growled softly.
"I was a human child. At least I thought I was. I didn't learn any of the shit that magical children learn. You know all this."
He dropped his hand and stepped back, ignoring my tirade. "Tell me what you feel."
I glanced around. "The room's stopped moving."
"What do you feel, not what do you see," he snapped. "Close your eyes." I scowled and did what he asked.
His hand rested on my forehead, soothing my nerves but also allowing him easier access to my mind. I didn't pull away because I trusted that he wanted to help me, but I still wished that he'd asked first. "Stop blocking. Your anger is clogging up your receptors. Focus the way I taught you, not the fae way."
I almost growled a reply, but decided that pissing him off wouldn't help me learn whatever he was trying to teach me. Instead, I took in a long deep breath and released it slowly, consciously relaxing the muscles in my body, section by section, the way he'd shown me. At the same time I focused on the sound of our breathing, the beating of our hearts, and the rhythmic tapping of footsteps as another servant traveled down the hallway outside my room.
"Better. Again." Unlike with my shifter magic, where I let go of the physical and concentrated on the magic itself, Isaiah's method required me to sharpen my senses to take in everything I was experiencing as I sat and breathed and lived this moment: The warmth of the soft fabric of my slacks against the palms of my hands as I rested them on my thighs. The spicy scent of Isaiah's breath. The cushion of the chair pressing against my rear. The ticking of the clock.
"Again."
One more breath and suddenly magic was pumping through my veins like oxygen-loaded blood without me making any conscious effort to pull it in. It came alive inside me, quickening my heartbeat like a shot of adrenaline, sharpening my senses into painfully acute points, heating my skin. I opened my eyes, terrified of being overwhelmed, burned to ash by magic.
"No." Isaiah's large hand was suddenly covering my eyes. "Close them and feel the magic. You're safe, I promise."
"I'm gonna be sick." I tried to stand, afraid that my heart was beating too quickly, that my shallow breaths were coming too fast. Isaiah grasped my shoulders and held me steady.
rogue shifter 06 - torn apart Page 11