by Quinn Loftis
Lilly was breathless when they pulled apart and she knew that she was blushing furiously as the heat danced on her face. “You aren’t supposed to be wooing me Casanova; you’re supposed to be telling me the kick ass plan to take out the big, bad dragon.”
“Sometimes a man just needs to kiss his woman, little one. And, right then there was nothing more that I needed than to feel your lips on mine.”
His words made her heart beat faster and she felt the truth behind them clear to her toes. Good grief Lilly, you’re a grown woman, not some love sick teenager, she told herself, but then added, that means I get to do grown woman things right? She smiled at the pun that she totally intended. Then she wanted to mentally slap herself for letting her mind even step a toe in that direction of thinking. Cypher must have noticed.
“What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?” He asked, with a wicked grin.
Lilly frowned. “Nothing you need to worry about. Now, what’s the plan?”
Cypher’s face changed in the blink of an eye from playful to utterly serious as if a light switched had been flicked inside his head. He knew the only way to kill the beast was with the arrow or sword forged by an elf. The problem? It had been a very, very, long time since he had seen an elf in the human realm.
“Before we were attacked, a second time I might add, you mentioned elves,” Lilly prompted, then looked over at Cyn for confirmation. Cyn nodded.
Cypher let out a resigned sigh, stood up, and set Lilly back down in his spot. He thought better if he was standing and able to move. His brain just seemed to clear when he could move about freely.
“The elves are a very secretive race. They hold all of their knowledge close to their hearts, and for good reason. They may not be as powerful as the Fae, but they come close. They are also able to produce many things with their magic that no other race can. One such thing is the magical properties in the metal of their weapons. An elf blade, or arrow, or weapon of any metal for that matter, can kill anything.”
Lilly’s eyes widened. “Anything?”
Cypher nodded. “And some of us are very hard to kill.”
“Which is why they hold their secrets close,” Lilly’s voice softened as she spoke her thoughts aloud. “If the wrong person, or supernatural, got their hands on the knowledge to make a weapon that could kill any and all of you, it could be disastrous.”
Cyn finally spoke for the first time since they had stopped running. “It is imperative that Mona never gain this knowledge.”
Lilly nodded and said in a wry tone. “That’s sort of a given.” She looked up at Cypher with raised eye brows.
“So how do we find the elves?”
“We don’t,” Cypher answered, ominously. “They find us.”
“Well, that may not be entirely true,” said Cyn. “I can find a veil to their land,” she offered.
Cypher turned to look at the Fae. “How?”
Cyn shrugged nonchalantly. “I have a friend that is an elf.”
“Can you contact this friend somehow?” Lilly asked.
Cyn shook her head. “Once we enter their realm we still could only find them if they wanted to be found.”
Lilly stood and brushed the dirt off the rear of her pants, straitened her shirt and tightened her pony tail. “Alright then, we don’t have time to sit around and watch the leaves blow.”
Cypher looked over at his mate and his lips tilted up slightly. “Does anybody just sit and watch leaves blow?”
Lilly snorted. “People in little bitty towns in Texas will sit and watch paint dry as long as there is food to eat and company to eat it with, which really if you have company there is always food involved, oh and sweet tea. Never forget the sweet tea, that’s like forgetting to put your pants on in the south.”
Cyn frowned. “And you think we are strange?”
“No, I think you are strange—er, I never said, humans didn’t have our fair share of strangeness.”
Cypher took Lilly’s hand in his and nodded for Cyn to lead the way. “I like your weirdness,” Cypher whispered.
Lilly grinned up at him. “Are you trying to get brownie points?”
Cypher chuckled. “Little one, I don’t need brownie points to get what I want from you.”
Lilly’s heart stopped in her chest at the insinuation in his voice. She didn’t dare look up at him because then he would see the desire in her eyes, and know that he was indeed correct. The man was too yummy for his own good and the only thing he would need with brownies would be to, STOP that thought right there Lilly Pierce she admonished herself, then grinned because in spite of her age, and no matter what she said, she was completely smitten…and with a warlock King no less.
Cyn walked at a brisk pace through the Balkan Mountains. The closest veil into Othea, the realm of the elves, was deep in the Carpathian Mountains along the _______________ _ river.
She didn’t have a clue as to how Thalion would react to them entering his realm, but at this point, there was too much going on to really worry about offending him. Although, she supposed you should always worry about offending people who made weapons that could kill anything. They were going to have to get some modern transportation if they wanted to get there quickly.
“We’re going to have to go into Ruse to get something to drive,” Cyn called over her shoulder.
“Wait,” Lilly said, holding her hand up as she stopped. “You know how to drive?” She looked up at Cypher.
He rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Why, do you think we’ve been living in caves, grunting, and using animal bladders for water containers? We change with the times Lilly, we adapt. If we did not we would never make it in this world.”
Lilly realized that she was making them feel like they weren’t smart enough to learn new things and she felt like an ass. She looked at Cyn and then Cypher. “I’m sorry. I guess I thought that since you live in the mountains away from civilization that you couldn’t possibly know about technology.”
“We stay hidden, because it would become very suspicious to humans when they began to notice that we do not age.”
“Good point,” Lilly agreed. “Okay Cyn, lead on. Let’s go get some wheels.”
Cyn continued on at a more brisk pace.
Cypher didn’t have any trouble keeping up, whereas Lilly was pumping her legs as quickly as she could without actually running.
“Why do you talk like that?” Cypher asked.
“Like what?” Lilly asked, her words sounding airy from her heavy breathing.
“Wheels?” Cypher’s brow rose.
Lilly laughed and it too sounded winded. “I have a teenage daughter,” she frowned, “well had a teenage daughter. It’s hard, not to pick up on her lingo.”
Cypher thought about that for a moment. “So she talks very differently from you then?”
“It’s like a whole other language,” Lilly told him, shaking her head. After that Lilly fell silent, not because she didn’t have anything to say, but because she barely had enough air in her lungs to keep her feet moving, much less joke around with Cypher.
After what seemed like days of walking at a brutal pace, the trio walked out of the forest and onto a street in a place Lilly assumed must be Ruse. They jogged across an empty street, unnecessarily, as appeared that the road was used very seldom, and then passed behind a cluster of buildings. Cyn led them through an alley in between the buildings and when they stepped out of the alley Lilly’s breath caught at the dichotomy spread before her. Directly in front of her lay, the quaintest village Lilly had ever seen. But, instead of horse drawn carriages, which would have appeared much more natural, there were a smattering of late model vehicles parked here and there along the sides of the street. The earth tone colored buildings were constructed very close together and sported high, pointed roofs. Most were adorned with inviting front porches containing flickering lanterns, which hung on the walls next to the doors. It appeared to be a very old town, and Lilly felt as if she had been thrown bac
k in time. People meandered along the street, stopping to talk to one another or frequent one of the many adorable shops lining the street. Lilly soon realized that each of the shops served an important function; a butcher, a seamstress, a general store. No Old Navy’s here, she thought.
Cypher took her hand and they turned left on the street and began walking. Lilly noticed Cyn peering into each vehicle they passed. They stopped in front of a brown sedan that was pulling up to the curb. Lilly watched as Cyn approached the car as the driver stepped out. Cyn began speaking animatedly to the man and though Lilly could not hear the words, she guessed that Cyn was attempting to talk the man into allowing them to borrow his car.
Lilly looked up at Cypher and saw that he wasn’t watching Cyn, but the street around them. He scanned the area disguising his actions as if he was just admiring the buildings. He managed to keep from looking like he was searching for a crazy witch so evil that curling up next to a starved lion sounded more appealing than being in the same room with her.
She squeezed his hand to get his attention and he paused his pursuit. “What’s Cyn telling that man?” Lilly nodded in the direction of the Fae in question.
Cypher’s lips quirked. “She’s just convincing the man of why it is such a good idea to let us borrow his car.”
“Convincing?” Lilly’s eyes narrowed.
“Cyn’s just using a little Fae magic to influence the man. We will get his car back to him Lilly. We aren’t thieves.”
Lilly’s brow rose. “So says the warlock king who made a deal with the devil.”
Cypher glowered at her. “You know, I’m not going to help her?”
“Yes, I know,” Lilly, told him as she squeezed his hand in reassurance.
Finally, Cyn looked back and waved them over.
Twenty minutes later they had put some miles between themselves and Ruse, and some poor man that was sitting at home thinking his car was getting repaired and would be returned as soon as it was in a safely operable condition.
Cypher drove in silence as he tried to contemplate the ramifications of what they were getting ready to do. He had never considered that he would one day have a human mate. And, now that he did, he was beginning to realize just how dangerous the match would be for her. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye as she sat in the passenger seat. Instead of eagerly watching the sights and sounds of a country she had never seen, her eyes were focused on the road ahead and he would bet his life that her mind was focused on the coming trial. Pride swelled in his chest as he thanked the Fates that they had given him such a strong mate, a mate who was willing to do what was necessary.
Lilly felt Cypher’s eyes on her. She looked over at him and met his yellow eyed stare. Her breath caught briefly as she took in his inhuman beauty. She had to admit that if she was going to be married to someone, she could do much, much, much worse. She smiled at him and then went back to staring at the road ahead and trying not worry about Jacque, trusting that Fane and his pack would take care of her. She missed her daughter with an ache only a mother would understand. She knew if she wanted to see Jacque again, then they had to do the things necessary to keep the world, as they know it, safe. If they didn’t succeed in stopping Desdemona, the repercussions would be devastating.
Lilly didn’t know how long it had been since they had last stopped for a bathroom break, which under her current circumstances she did not want to discuss, when Cypher pulled over on the side of the road. He parked the car as far off the road as he could without driving into the forest. He climbed out of the car without ceremony and Lilly scrambled to join him. Cyn moved so quietly that Lilly hadn’t noticed the Fae exiting the car. Cyn pointed up into the forest. “We are going to have to hike up there. We need to move quickly, but we must be wary as we get closer to their veil.”
Cypher nodded and looked down at Lilly. “Are you ready?”
Lilly took a deep breath and let it out with puffed cheeks, the air blowing the wisps of hair around her face. “Cypher, sweetie, no one is ever ready for this kind of thing.” She patted him on the back and walked passed him, following Cyn as she started off.
Q
“What brings you to me Perizada, high Fae, friend of the pack, teacher to the healers?” The troll’s voice was deep and gravely, as if he’s spent a millennia smoking Pall Malls.
“Thurlok, bridge master, gate keeper,” Peri gave the troll a slight nod; not because he deserved her respect, but because it never hurt to flatter the one you needed to bargain with. She stepped around so that he and the bushes, which the others hid behind, were in sight.
“I’ve come to make an exchange,” said Peri with deliberate slowness. Trolls were not the smartest of creatures on a good day, and Thurlok had been stationed at the bridge for a very long time. She imagined his brain might be a bit sluggish from lack of use.
“A bargain?” He asked eagerly as his hands rubbed together and his eyes widened like a greedy child in a candy store. Peri nodded and he grew impatient. “Come now, female, what is it?”
Peri was purposefully peaking his interest, leveraging the troll’s natural appetite to possess things of great power or value.
“First, I will tell you what it is that I want in exchange for what I will offer.”
Thurlok motioned with his gnarled hand to get on with it.
“I, and eight companions, would like passage into and out of the In-Between. Upon our exit, we will be bringing back prisoners who were unjustly captured. Nine will go in and seventeen will come out. We will be unharmed as we enter; I fully understand you are powerless to protect us once we enter. Upon our exit, we will remain unharmed. You will not share the knowledge of us ever being here or of the identity of the individuals being rescued.” Peri went over the request in her mind to ensure that she did not leave any loopholes that the troll might use to his advantage.
Thurlok’s stared at Peri, his overlarge eyes growing even bigger. In his time as the guard of this waypoint, few beings ever requested to go in voluntarily and he certainly hadn’t had anyone be rescued on his watch. He knew of the ones she spoke of, the males that Desdemona had cast into the In-Between. He also knew that if they got out somehow, she would be out for blood, and it would probably be his blood she would seek first.
“That is a very dangerous request,” he responded calmly, trying not to show her just how curious he was. “What do you have that is of such great worth that I would give up the witch’s prisoners?”
“Something one such as you could never imagine, ever even laying eyes on.” She paused dramatically before she spoke. “A stone of the Fae,” she finally said.
If Thurlok’s eyes were wide before, now Peri was certain they were going to pop out of his head. She was right to say that he would only ever dream of laying eyes on the stones, very few ever did, no matter the length of their lives.
Peri watched the troll closely. His thoughts flickered on his face. She could tell he was examining the situation from every angle, trying his best to determine if she was trying to trick him somehow. Her plan hinged on his lack of knowledge of the stones; very few understood how they actually worked, or the purpose behind them. She waited patiently, not wanting to appear too eager and stir Thurlok’s suspicion.
“Do you think he’s going to hurt himself thinking that hard?” Jen whispered, as she and the other females watched from the cover of foliage.
“It’s quite possible his head might explode,” Sally answered.
“That would suck, seeing as how we need him to let us into that hell,” Jacque added.
“Okay, can I just ask; is that what you thought a troll would look like?” Jen asked no one in particular as she watched Peri talk to the short male with dark skin, a tuft of white hair on his head and small pointed ears. His eyes were large and black, but his face was otherwise unremarkable. His nose was not large or small; his lips were neither plump nor thin. His body was bulky and he seemed to stand a little crooked. He wore brown pants with suspenders and n
o shirt. His chest was bare and his belly round and plump. He didn’t wear any shoes and didn’t seem bothered by the rough ground.
“What did you expect them to look like?” Crina asked.
Jen shrugged. “I don’t know. More troll-ish maybe.”
“Troll-ish?” Cynthia snorted, with her brow raised.
“Yeah, you know, less human,” Sally agreed.
“You guys watch too many movies,” Cynthia told them.
“You can only have so much sex you know,” remarked Jen, nonchalantly.
Jacque looked over at Jen and wiped a hand across her forehead, “Whew, so glad you said that. I was beginning to think that being pregnant might have curbed your pension for mentioning sex at the most inappropriate times.”
“I’m a little out of practice. Dec is my inspiration for inappropriate sexual comments. When we get him back I’m going to have to make sure to make up for lost time.”
“Well, we eagerly await all the witty comments that you are storing in that wicked mind of yours,” said Alina.
And, though Jen couldn’t quite decide if the Alpha was being sarcastic or not, she added, “Never fear, I will not disappoint.”
“Of that we have no doubt,” Crina muttered with a sly smile.
As they continued to watch the stalled exchange between Peri and the troll, they all muttered a collective about time when the troll finally spoke up.
“You have a deal Perizada of the Fae.” Thurlok made a motion with his hand and suddenly a dagger appeared. He held out his left hand and sliced open his palm. A thick line of bright red blood oozed from the cut as he held out the dagger to Peri. She took the dagger and, without hesitation, sliced her own palm. She held out her hand to his and he took it in a firm handshake. As their hands clasped, Peri spoke clearly into the quiet forest.