by Bonnie Lamer
I do not bother to knock. Instead, I blow the door off its hinges with magic. It splinters into a thousand little pieces. The housekeeper comes hurrying into the foyer, but she stops short when she sees me. She starts walking backwards, not wanting to get in my way.
I follow the hallway that leads to Quinn’s office and yet another door crumbles to pieces. Quinn looks up from his desk, his eyes raging infernos of ire. Rising, he watches me stalk towards him. “What is the meaning of this, Fairy?” he demands.
Magic flies from me and everything on his desk is caught in a tornado-like wind, scattering things here and there and ripping them to shreds. “You know why I am here,” I growl. My magic grows and the book lined shelves around the room crash to the floor. “Where is she? What have you done to her?”
Confusion washes over his face, momentarily covering his rage. “Who?” he asks. I am almost impressed by his feigned ignorance.
“What have you done with Xandra?”
Quinn shakes his head as if he did not hear me correctly. “Xandra? She left with you.”
“Yes, she did. Then she disappeared without a trace. Did you honestly believe you could get away with this?” I catch him in a snare of my magic and begin to choke the life out of him. “You will tell me where she is or I will kill you.” This is not an empty threat. I may have thought about it before, but this time, I am more than willing to follow through. The only thing keeping him alive is his knowledge of Xandra’s whereabouts.
“I…do…not…know,” he gasps, struggling for air as my magic tightens around his neck.
“Like hell you do not know. Enough with your political games. Tell me where she is!”
Quinn’s eyes burn like branding irons. “Let…go…of…me,” he says, but there is more pleading than ferocity in his voice. He knows he is facing his own mortality.
There are footsteps in the hall as Quinn’s men come to help him. Before they are upon me, I put Quinn and myself in a circle out of their reach. “There is no one who can help you. You will tell me where she is or you will die.”
His face is turning purple and I cannot help thinking it resembles a ripe plum now. With a little more magic, I could make his head explode. But, then I may never find Xandra. Easing my grip on him, I let him gasp some oxygen into his deprived lungs.
Once he has enough to form words, he squanders it on a string of profanities and threats that leave me unscathed. “Your threats are empty,” I snarl. “There is nothing you can do to harm me, but there are plenty of ways I can harm you.”
Quinn’s chest is heaving but his mouth has quieted. He spends a long moment sizing me up, figuring out his best course of action. He should be aware that anything less than the information regarding Xandra’s whereabouts will most likely get him killed.
He must realize this because his body tenses, preparing for attack, as he finally says in an even voice, “I do not know where she is.”
My magic strangles him again, bringing him to the edge of consciousness before letting him go. Quinn slumps down on one knee and gasps for air. Red faced, he looks me in the eye, “You can do this all day, it will not change the fact that I had nothing to do with Xandra’s disappearance.”
I am about to use my magic again when he raises a hand. “Please,” he says gruffly. I am sure that is a word that does not enter into many of his conversations. “I understand why you believe I have had a hand in this.”
I cock my head to the side. “I appreciate your understanding,” I snipe. “But that does not get my wife back.” I know that technically she is not my wife, but in my heart she is no matter what anyone else thinks.
“Neither will killing me,” Quinn huffs. “If you truly want her back, you should be asking for my help, not starting war between our kinds. What do you think my Giants will do if you kill me? There will be a bloody war against your kind with many more lives lost than just mine. Do you want that on your head?”
His logic is seeping into my brain, easing out some of the irrational anger. Can he be telling the truth? Is he truly ignorant of Xandra’s whereabouts? “If not you, who else would be behind this?”
There is a small amount of relief in his eyes that I may finally believe him, but his body is still tensed, waiting for an attack. “I believe we may have the same enemy,” he says coarsely, his voice like a rasp. “Ellu has attacked my men without provocation, I can see his hand in this as well.”
I shake my head. “He could not do this on his own. Xandra is too powerful.”
Quinn lifts a brow. “Then I should be honored that you believe I have such capabilities,” he says sardonically.
“You do not want to further anger me, Giant,” I growl.
His eyes narrow but he holds his tongue. Rising to his feet, he says, “Ellu has done many things lately that surpass the capabilities of his weaker Giants. I have long considered the possibility of him having outside help. This occurrence proves my suspicions.”
He is making sense. “Xandra is one of the strongest magical beings in the universe. Who could be helping him?”
Quinn shrugs. “I have heard rumors, but nothing that I could prove.”
“Rumors regarding what?” I ask, my voice returning to a normal timbre.
“Rumors that he has been isolated from his tribe, holed up in his chambers. Voices are heard within, but no other Giants have entered. I believe he is being controlled by outsiders. Very powerful outsiders if they were able to arrange the abduction of such a powerful magical creature as Xandra.”
Just hearing her name on his lips makes me want to choke him again. “She will never be yours.”
Quinn sizes me up again then inclines his head. “I see there is a love match here. Who am I to interfere?”
His words grate against me. He does not mean what he says. “You will help me get her back.” That is not a question.
Quinn is no fool. He nods once. “Of course.” After a heartbeat, he adds, “Perhaps your uncle, the King, should accompany you to Ellu. A level head can achieve more than grief fueled rage.”
I snort. “A Giant lecturing me about violence. The history of your race proves the hypocrisy in that.”
His eyes flash in anger. “I may understand your state of mind, but do not push me any further.”
I want to tell him exactly what I think of his threat, but I hold my tongue. If he really had nothing to do with Xandra’s disappearance, then I may need his help. “Where will I find Ellu?” I ask.
Quinn gives me a hard look. “It is foolhardy to go alone. You caught me unawares, which will never happen again, but Ellu has been heavily guarded for the last month. Even you do not have enough magic to go against so many Giants. Even if they are Daityas.” I want to argue with him, tell him I do not care who I have to face, but the sane part of my mind knows he speaks the truth. “Return to the King’s manse and await his arrival,” he continues. “Ellu must welcome the King and his guards will be hard pressed to commit treason. There is unrest in their village and Ellu is losing favor with the Daityas.”
After several long heartbeats and with bile in my mouth, I say, “I apologize for my behavior.” Those are the most difficult words I have ever choked out of my mouth. If I was not the King’s nephew and felt that I owed it to my uncle to make peace, I would have left without uttering a single word.
Quinn crosses his arms over his chest. “You are young and cocky and that may get you killed someday soon.” He shakes his head. “If I did not understand the value of what you have lost, I would insist the King try you under the laws of the treaty.”
I narrow my eyes in his direction. “You will not do that,” I say. I know he will not. If he did, he would have to admit that I practically killed him and that he was powerless against me.
Quinn leans his butt against his desk that made it into the circle with us. “You are correct. But hear me, Fairy. If you set another hostile foot inside my village, I will find a way to kill you. Whether delivered by justice under the law or by my sw
ord, I will kill you.” Walking around his desk, he sits down as if dismissing me. “You will have safe passage out of the village, but do not return any time soon.”
Our conversation at an end, I let the circle go. The Giants who have circled us are still pointing crossbows towards me. A safe passage seems doubtful.
“Lower your weapons,” Quinn says. When his Giants hesitate, he growls, “Lower them.” His men comply. “Orwick, escort this Fairy to the village limits,” with a quick glance in my direction, he adds, “If he returns without invitation, your men are to open fire.”
I would expect no less. Turning on my heel with not so much as a glance in Quinn’s direction, I walk out of his office and out of his house, leaving Orwick behind. Though I am less murderous than I was when I entered the village, I find the Giants still give me a wide berth. Smart on their part.
Chapter 19
The walk back to Dagda’s house helps to clear my head. It was brash to go to Quinn as I had. I should have waited for Dagda, but I cannot make myself regret it. I am in hell and I am willing to do whatever it takes to get Xandra back. Granted, I could be overreacting. Xandra is quite good at getting out of whatever situation she finds herself in, and the anxiety and fear I feel waiting for her usually comes to naught. But this time is different. This time feels like it could be…permanent. As soon as I think that word, I erase it from my mind. No. I will not believe that.
When I get to Dagda’s house, I half hope to find Xandra already there. Why, I do not know. If she was safe, she would have come to find me. So, it is not surprising that the only ones in the house are Breena and her father. Not the best company for my black mood. I immediately retreat to the library and ask not to be disturbed.
The first thing I do is send a message to Dagda. ‘Xandra is missing. She did not teleport away, she was taken. Do not know who is responsible or why. Have been to see Quinn and he believes Ellu is behind this. Will wait for you to question him.’
I do not explain the circumstances under which I interrogated Quinn. I will talk to my uncle about that face to face. It seems cowardly to do it any other way.
The only thing I have left to do now is wait. I spend the next two hours pacing back and forth in front of the library windows. Every second that ticks away on the clock finds me increasingly panicked. I go over what I saw again and again, and I always reach the same conclusion. Xandra was taken. She did not have a magic malfunction. This absence is not of her doing.
I glance at the door over and over, tempted to go to it, turn the handle and then follow the quickest path to the Daityas village to interrogate Ellu. As the day grows longer, I care less and less about Ellu’s guards and what could happen if I approached him the same way I did Quinn. I would gladly risk my life to save Xandra’s.
I have finally reached the breaking point and am ready to go when I hear footsteps in the hall. The library door slams open and my uncle’s body fills the space. “Has there been any word?” he asks, slightly out of breath.
My brow furrows. “How are you here so soon?” I ask. It should have taken several more hours for the carriage to arrive.
“I ran,” he says, implying he had changed into his animal form – a black stallion. I am taken aback. That is something he does rarely, and certainly not on a royal visit. Finding me speechless, he says, “After receiving your message, I was concerned that your ability to be rational in this situation may be challenged to its limits.” I do not respond. My uncle knows me far too well for me to argue.
Dagda comes farther into the room. He flops down in a brown leather, wingback chair and his breaths slowly become more even. “Can I get you a drink?” I ask him.
He grimaces. “I still have a headache from all the drinks I had yesterday. I will pass for now. Breena is bringing some tea. Tell me what you know.”
I wonder just how many drinks he had yesterday. I have never heard him complain of a hangover before. “Xandra and I had just met with Quinn and were walking back here. There were strange voices coming from the bushes and we were investigating. Xandra was several yards ahead of me when it appeared the ground opened and she disappeared down into it. I raced to the spot, saw nothing, so I began to dig,” I explain, looking at my scabbed hands. “There was no hole and all I found under the grass was dirt. There was no trace of magic either.”
Dagda stares at me, keeping his face a blank page. “So, she could have simply teleported somewhere.”
I shake my head. “No. She screamed when she was taken.”
His eyes open a bit wider. “She screamed?”
I nod. “She was taken completely by surprise. She did not disappear under her own volition.”
Dagda is silent for several minutes while I continue to pace. Finally, he says, “Tell me what you left out.”
I stop and look at him. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, tell me what else happened that you have conveniently left out of your story.”
I resist for a moment, hating to say the words out loud. But, I relent. “Xandra was propositioned by Quinn.”
If Dagda’s eyes open any farther, they will fall out of their sockets. “He propositioned her?”
I nod grimly, my mouth pressed into a tight line. “He wants her to marry him to improve Fairy/Giant relations.”
I can see the ire beginning to fester on his face. “He wants me to marry my daughter off to a Giant? That is ridiculous. Xandra would be miserable living amongst them.”
I try not to focus on the fact that his first reaction was not ‘but she is already left hand-fasted with you’. “Her discomfort amongst the Giants was not my first concern with the idea,” I say dryly.
Slightly chagrined, Dagda asks, “You went to see Quinn after Xandra disappeared?”
I turn to stare out the windows, not wanting him to see my cheeks redden. “I discussed the matter with him, yes.”
He is not a fool. “In what manner did this ‘discussion’ take place?”
“I thought that he was behind her disappearance.”
“I gathered as much. Kallen, tell me what happened.” His voice has become steely.
“I threatened him with magic.”
Dagda sighs. “I assume you took it farther than that. Is he still living?”
I turn around slowly. “Yes,” I say, meeting his eyes now. “When I left, Quinn was very much alive. I do not believe he was part of Xandra’s disappearance. He seems to believe that Ellu is responsible.”
Dagda closes his eyes for a moment, exhaustion seeping out his pores. “This trip has become a nightmare in regards to good will and peacekeeping.” I cannot argue with him so I remain silent.
Opening his eyes again, he asks, “What was Quinn’s frame of mind when you left? Have relations broken down completely?”
I shake my head. “No, when I left he was still willing to remain within the laws of your Kingdom.” I leave out that he may try to use one of those laws to insist that I be tried for treason.
Dagda stares at me as if he does not really believe me. Still, he moves on. “You have not spoken with Ellu?”
I shake my head again. “No. I wanted to wait for you.”
I get a raised eyebrow. “Suddenly it is important to wait for me?”
I shrug. “Quinn claims that Ellu is heavily guarded.”
“And you cannot simply barge in and threaten his life,” Dagda fills in, all too aware of my earlier behavior. “My visit, he cannot refuse.”
I nod, turning back to the window. “You are correct,” I admit.
“Kallen,” he says, his voice softer but it still has a steely edge, “we will find her. She is my daughter and I will not let anyone harm her.”
I bite my tongue instead of pointing out that not so long ago, he was the one who wanted to do her harm. Lashing out at him is not going to help Xandra. Besides, his words are an empty promise. He knows no better than I about her whereabouts or the danger she is in. For all we know, she could already be harmed. So, I keep my mouth clo
sed and simply continue to stare out the window.
The library door opens and Breena comes in with a tray of tea. Her manners are the model of perfection as she pours the tea into a cup that is tinier than her palm. She places the cup and saucer on a cloth napkin on a small table next to Dagda. “Will there be anything else, Sire?” she asks.
“That is all for now,” he says, his manner brusque. But Breena does not take offense. She leaves the room quietly.
“When can we leave,” I ask, still looking out the window but seeing nothing except Xandra disappearing into the earth. I turn back towards my uncle. “I am going insane waiting.”