“I did. I’m glad it’s you knocking about the house and not some very polite burglars. Tea and cake for supper?” Jeff grinned, goggles still on his forehead.
“Why not?” She grinned back. “It’s not as if Mama’s here to tell us we can’t. Oh.” The smile slid off her face. “Did Grandfather really sell the house?”
“He did—to us. You were ill when we discussed it, so we didn’t have the chance to tell you.” Vix joined them in the hallway. “We … ” Her cheeks pinked. “We thought it might be nice to have a place to call home besides the ship.”
“Hello, Vix.” Noli gave her sister-in-law-to-be a hug, her heart lightening at the idea that strange children wouldn’t be playing in her tree house. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. I’m glad he sold it to you. Now when Papa returns, you can tell him where Mama is.”
A sad look flitted through Jeff’s blue eyes as he patted her on the shoulder. “Of course, Noli. We won’t be home most of the time, but we’ll leave him a note.”
“You’re the best. You’re staying in there?” Noli glanced at their mother’s bedroom.
“Is that all right?” Vix shifted from foot to foot. Tall, thin, and built like a boy, she often wore men’s clothes, which clashed slightly with her Southern drawl. Today she wore the same sort of trousers and loose shirt Jeff did, only he also wore his usual vest, filled with pockets and loops, while hers resembled a waistcoat. Her black hair was boyishly short and a blue lock hung in her slightly angled dark eyes.
“That’s fine. It’s just that … well,” Noli tried not to fidget, since their presence actually presented a different dilemma. “I told James and V they could stay here too. They weren’t fond of the idea of sleeping at their house.”
Jeff’s brow furrowed in dismay. “They live there.”
Noli took a deep breath, chest shuddering slightly. “Someone murdered Mr. Darrow. We’re pretty sure Brogan did it … he said he’d get V and me for not giving him the artifacts.”
“Someone did what ?” Horror streaked Jeff’s face and Vix let out a gasp, probably remembering how Brogan had attacked them on the ship back in San Francisco.
“Did you summon the police? What did they say? Mr. Darrow was such a quiet chap.” Jeff’s look went solemn.
“Why would we contact the police? This is Otherworld business,” Noli replied, trying to understand what the police had to do with any of this. “We already took care of the body. We’ll take care of Brogan later. But that’s not why we’re here.”
“Why are you here?” Jeff pulled her to him, concern dancing in his eyes. “Though you’re welcome here anytime ; we’ll even keep your room for you.”
Vix nodded in agreement. “If you’re … coming and going … you might need a base, too.”
“I appreciate that.” That might have its uses. Also, Vix and Jeff were far more understanding than her mother, not to mention they knew about the Otherworld. “Do you remember the artifact? We’re doing some research on it.” Well, trying.
“If you need help, I might be able to put you in touch with some people.” Vix’s voice went soft. “People I trust with my life. We did a little asking around, and Kyran has hired more people than us to steal strange things.”
Noli’s eyes opened and she nodded. “I appreciate that. I’ll let you know.”
Kyran was the alias Brogan had used when hiring Jeff, Vix, and their crew to steal the artifact pieces. It was also the name of someone else in the Otherworld, but she wasn’t sure who.
“How are you feeling?” Jeff ushered her down the back stairs. “You weren’t in good sorts when you left us.”
“I’m fine,” she replied, though that wasn’t the entire truth. She didn’t want him fussing over her—or sending her back to their mother. They entered the kitchen and her eyes fell on the pot. “Oh, I forgot about the water.” Noli rushed over and saw that someone had already put the tea to steep. Two hoverboards, one brown, one blue, sat propped up by the back door. A pair of goggles hung from the blue board.
Jeff flipped a switch on the wall near the door and the gaslights flickered on. She blinked. It had been a long time since they’d used the gaslights in the kitchen, since they were so expensive. Would they fire up the boiler next?
Noli retrieved some cups from the cupboard. They didn’t match, but it would do. “I suppose Mama had her things sent over?”
“Yes. Grandfather hired someone to take away what she wanted; she told me while we were in Boston. She wasn’t sure whether or not to bring your things, so she’d left them here for now. Since we own the place, it doesn’t matter.” He took a seat at the wooden kitchen table, clean and clear of its usual clutter but the surface still marred with wax. Jeff didn’t remove his goggles from his forehead; he’d probably forgotten they were there.
Noli brought over cups of tea, fixed the way everyone liked, and set them on the table.
“Thank you.” Vix took a seat next to Jeff. “We’ll be staying here a few days then taking off again. Will you come with us?”
Noli took down some plates and sliced the cake. She was glad she’d gotten chocolate since it was Vix’s favorite. “You want me to come aboard?” She and Vix hadn’t been the best of friends in the brief time she’d been the ship’s engineer, but she respected Vix immensely.
“You’re an ace engineer,” Vix replied, sipping her tea. “Odd, but an ace engineer. If you’d like your place back aboard the Vixen’s Revenge, it’s yours.”
“I … I can’t tell you how good that makes me feel.” It was high praise, coming from the likes of Vix. Noli set slices of cake in front of Jeff and Vix. She returned to the counter to get her own tea and cake, then took a seat on Jeff’s other side. “I appreciate it. However, right now I’m going to help V and James.”
“And then what?” Jeff took a bite of chocolate cake.
“We’ll take back the earth court and live happily ever after.” Her mouth snapped shut as words she hadn’t meant to say slipped out. She’d be so relieved when V finally found a way to get rid of the sprite so she’d have full control of her body again.
Don’t you like me? Hurt dripped through the sprite’s mental voice.
I do. It’s just very difficult sharing the body, Noli assured her.
Oh. It is hard, especially since you never let me have a turn. I think I’d like my own body. Then I can pick what we wear every day and have the body whenever I want. The sprite preened.
Noli had no idea what would happen to the sprite when they finally found a way to make her normal again. In fact, she hadn’t thought of anything but simply getting rid of her, so she could have full control of her being again. Now that the sprite, of all people, had brought it up, it made sense.
Yes, if it was possible, the sprite deserved a body of her very own.
Vix’s eyebrows rose. “I thought you wanted to go university and study botany?”
“It will be a while before V can take back the earth court,” she replied. That was partly because V wasn’t of age yet, but also he genuinely disliked the idea of having to kill his uncle and was hoping to find another way. “Perhaps we’ll apply to university for next fall, like we’d planned.”
Jeff gave her arm a squeeze. “Let me know and I’ll help get you set up.” His eyes twinkled in the way that meant he had an idea. “How much do you bet I can discover where Mother hid the money I sent her?”
Noli paused, fork of cake halfway to her mouth. “Really?”
If anyone could locate it, he could. When Jeff had left to seek his fortune as an air pirate, he’d sent money home to support them. However, her mother disapproved of air piracy, and even though they’d desperately needed the money, she’d hidden most of it away. Noli had never discovered it.
“I haven’t found it yet. But I will.” Those eyes continued to sparkle. “It should be enough to set you up at a university for a lit
tle while—especially if you wish to go off on your own, without Darrow.” He glowered as he said that.
“V and I have worked everything out,” she assured him, not wanting them to be at odds.
“If he ever hurts you again … ” Vix stabbed her cake with her fork for emphasis.
It wasn’t V’s fault. He’d just been obeying the high queen’s orders—not that she expected them to understand.
The back door flew open. “Flying figs, you’re actually having cake for dinner?” James strode in, bringing the cold air with him. “Vix, Jeff, what are you doing here?”
Noli shut the door behind him and got James cake and tea. “They bought the house.”
“You’re not retiring from being air pirates, are you?” James plopped down in the wooden chair next to Vix.
“Never.” Vix squared her shoulders. “But we could use a base, and Jeff didn’t wish for his home to be sold to strangers.”
Noli carried the cake and tea back to the table and set it before James, along with a fork.
“Noli, please aethergraph your mother if you don’t plan on returning to Boston or staying with us. She’s nothing but a giant ball of worry and the last thing I need is her blaming me because you ran off to fairyland without telling anyone,” Vix told her.
Noli sat and took a sip of tea. “What exactly did you tell Mama so she’d permit me to return to the Otherworld with V and James?”
It wasn’t as if they could tell her the truth. Her mother knew nothing about the Otherworld, faeries, or that the Darrows weren’t mortal.
“Um … ” A flush rose on Jeff’s cheeks. “We told her that V and James took you to a special hospital.”
“I see.” Noli glanced out the window at the Darrow house, where a single light was burning. “V’s still at it. Should I bring him some supper?” Not that she wanted to venture into that house, especially after dark.
“I should get everyone some supper.” Jeff stood. “Cake isn’t supper.”
Vix’s dark eyebrows rose as she speared the last bite of cake on her plate. “Why not?”
Jeff shook his head and held out his hand to Vix. “Let’s find some takeaway.”
Noli finished her cake as Jeff and Vix grabbed their hoverboards and left.
“That was interesting.” James shot the back door a long look.
She cleared away the plates. “I fixed Jeff’s room for you.” Noli started up the stairs.
“Where are you going?” James shoved more cake in his mouth.
“I’m going to freshen up the guest room for V.” Since Jeff and Vix were staying at the house, V couldn’t sleep in her room. They might be more liberal than her mother, but Jeff was still, first and foremost, her elder brother.
After she finished, Noli returned to her room. The light was still on at V’s house. Had he found out anything?
With a sigh, she took the piece of the artifact out of her valise—the fragment she’d hidden from Kevighn and refused to give to Brogan. It was one of the pieces Jeff had stolen from the museum in Denver. Sitting on her bed, she traced the partial design on it: five interlocking rings, the high queen’s symbol.
Noli. A voice brushed her ears, soft as feathers.
She looked around. There was no one in here but her, and it wasn’t the sprite. The same thing had happened when they’d gone to the earth court palace that morning to find Brogan.
Perhaps she was going mad. Also, what was she supposed to remember?
I think it’s the shinies, the sprite said. They’re talking to you. There were lots of shinies in the palace today. Next time we go there, we should take them. They’re not for him.
Shinies? Noli looked at the piece in her hand. These are the shinies? It made sense that Brogan would have some in the earth palace, since he’d been collecting them. How many pieces did he have? How close was he to assembling the artifact? You’re right. Brogan shouldn’t have them. We have to keep them safe.
The last thing she wanted was for Brogan to assemble it … whatever it was.
It came back to whatever it was she needed to remember.
Squinting in the lamplight, she held the piece tight. What are you, little piece?
The force of the images playing across her mind knocked her backward onto the bed. Magic and memories pulsed under her skin—including a glimpse of what the legendary artifact looked like. Fully assembled, it was a staff.
Noli’s chest shook as she exhaled. “James, James!” She pulled herself into a sitting position, urgency coursing through her.
Footsteps echoed down the hall and James appeared in her doorway, a concerned look on his face. “What’s wrong, Noli?”
She held up the piece of the artifact. “Will you come with me to find V? I think I know what Brogan is trying to do.”
Two
Into the Otherworld
Elise opened her eyes. An ominous wood straight out of a scary story surrounded her, and she was leaning against a dead-looking tree. Her stomach lurched. This wasn’t Noli’s tree house—or any place she recognized.
“Where are we?” she asked the green wood faery, who still perched on her shoulder. “You said this would take me to the tree with the tree house.”
The wood faery left her shoulder and flew ahead, urging her on.
She didn’t have any choice other than to follow. Carefully, she picked her way through the gloomy wood, branches grabbing at her dress and stockings. Suddenly, the air sizzled. When it stopped, they came to a grove of magnificent trees. A tantalizing scent made her nose twitch and she could make out a dusky pink and purple sky through the treetops as they entered a grove.
“Now that’s a tree house,” she breathed. In the center of the grove stood a tree and in its branches sat a house formed
of the tree itself. Pink and blue star-shaped flowers surrounded the base of the tree. Little balls of light flitted around her.
A purple wood faery flew over and sat on her other shoulder, pulling her hair.
Elise giggled. “Hey.”
Another, this one blue, landed on her nose, and she went cross-eyed. The faery flew off and hovered near the green one.
“I’m very lost,” Elise told them. “I was trying to get to a different tree house. The one in my friend Noli’s backyard.” She sent them a mental picture of the tree and Noli. “This one’s quite nice, but it’s not next to my home, like hers. The other tree must have misunderstood me.”
They spoke all at once. Wood faeries weren’t very patient.
“Wait.” Elise held up a hand. “What do you mean? This isn’t Noli’s tree house.” Concentrating, she tried to understand what they were telling her. “Oh, Noli comes here?” She gave the tree house an appreciative glance. “I can see why.” It was so grand.
The faeries showed her a mental picture of Noli, along with a dark-haired man she’d never seen before.
“Will Noli return soon?” she asked them, hope bubbling inside her. Perhaps things would work out after all.
The faeries nodded, tiny heads bobbing furiously as they assured her that Noli, or the man with her, would return soon.
“I’ll wait in the tree house until someone comes.” If not Noli, then the man with the dark hair. He could take her to Noli—and she’d bring her to Steven or James.
Her stomach rumbled. Would it be too much to hope for something to eat?
Several faeries led her into the grand tree house. It was much larger than Noli’s. Noli could probably stand up in it. This one even had a table and chairs. Elise sat her valise on the table and poked about the one-room house. A few moments later, several faeries flew through the open window, each with a small piece of fruit in their hands.
“Oh, I appreciate that so much.” Elise devoured the sweet-as-sugar fruit as the faeries darted in and out the window carrying grass. If only there were more fru
it—and something to drink. She yawned, fatigue pressing down on her.
The purple faery pulled her over to the corner opposite the window.
“You made me a bed?” Grass didn’t sound very comfortable, but exhaustion consumed her. “Please wake me when Noli comes.” Elise curled up in the little bed and went to sleep.
Kevighn couldn’t shake the feeling that killing Quinn should have been less … anticlimactic.
But it had to be done. For his sister. For himself.
Now, to find the girl.
The place the portal left him reminded him vaguely of the wildwood by the palace. It wasn’t, but it still seemed familiar. His eyes cast about the eerie wood as he tried to discern his whereabouts. He’d tracked the little girl to a garden with a portal. Odd that she’d headed there. It was
a dark court portal and most would fear to use it. The faery tree took him to wherever she’d gone. Considering who Ailís was, he’d expected to end up near the House of Oak, the earth court palace, or the high palace.
He peered at the half-dead tree. His skin prickled. It resembled the old portal at his parents’ home. But then the house should be …
No, the house was gone, taken by the high queen when he was exiled. The grounds remained, yet they looked wilder, fiercer, waiting for someone to tame them with their magic.
Why had the girl come here? Where did she go?
He made his way through the rift in the magic that brought him to Creideamh’s grove. Darkness surrounded him and he made a small light in the palm of his hand.
Wood faeries accosted him, pulling his hair and tugging at his clothing.
“She’s waiting for me ?” Kevighn blinked in surprise at their words. The Bright Lady seemed to enjoy toying with him. He climbed into the tree house. There, in a bed of grass, lay a sleeping blond girl in a pink dress and a white pinafore, both streaked with dirt.
“Ailís?” he whispered.
She sat up with a start, a frown on her pink lips. “Who are you?”
“Shhh, it’s all right. I’m Kevighn Silver. Why are you in my tree house?” He kept his voice gentle, not wishing to spook the tiny thing.
Fragile Destiny (The Aether Chronicles) Page 3