Edge of Magic (Tara Knightley Series Book 1)

by Jayne Faith

  For a second or two, all I could do was stare.

  Then, coming to my senses, I bolted forward to the window, quickly shuffling the items in my hands. Two shurikens zipped through the air, one sticking into Rob’s thigh and the other sinking into Tim’s bicep. Both men let out high-pitched bellows. The throwing stars weren’t meant to wound mortally, but having a quarter inch of metal suddenly jabbing into you was more than enough to get your attention.

  Killian and Judah whirled around, spotting me at the same time. Judah grinned, his eyes sparkling even though one was already swelling into a nice shiner. Killian scowled.

  I held up a throwing knife and then extended my arm, pointing the blade at Killian.

  “This one’s got your name on it if you don’t back off,” I said.

  Rob and Tim had managed to pull out their shurikens, and both had blood dribbling from their wounds. They wore similar red-faced expressions of anger mixed with pain.

  Judah took the moment of distraction as an opportunity to drive a roundhouse kick that landed on Killian’s hip and sent the smaller man flying toward the pool table. He sprawled over it. Before he could get up, Judah sprang for the window and jumped out.

  Together, we took off down the alley.

  “You okay to run?” I asked.

  He grinned again. “If I knew where we were going, I’d challenge you to a race.”

  I let out a little laugh, suddenly reenergized, and sped up a bit, taking us back toward the doorway where he’d been snatched earlier. It wasn’t a sprint—I doubted Killian and his buddies would bother following us—but it was a swift pace. Even with injuries, Judah had no trouble keeping up with me.

  “Did Laine and Blake make it out okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah. When I left them, they were hiring a ride back to your parents’ place.”

  “Thank you, Tara.”

  I nodded.

  “You’ve been studying martial arts,” I said after a while, panting a little.

  “Taekwondo, capoeira, and karate,” he said.

  “Wow. Styles from three different parts of the world.”

  “I’ve been meaning to add more but haven’t been able to get to it.”

  “Why’d you get into them?” I asked, suddenly curious about what had prompted him to begin studying martial arts so diligently at an age that was well past when most probably started.

  He gave a tiny shrug. “Felt like I had something to prove.”

  My brows lifted. “What?”

  “Just stuff with my father’s family,” he said. “No big deal now.”

  I slid a look at him out of the corners of my eyes. I wasn’t buying the statement about it not mattering. In my experience, family stuff didn’t magically resolve itself. His comment only made me more curious. When Judah and I had fought and parted ways ten years ago, he’d told me he was leaving for Portland because his father’s family had invited him. He’d said they’d never accepted him, and he had to go and prove himself. That had all been news to me, and I’d been deeply hurt that he’d never confided it before.

  “Honestly, I was afraid I would find you in worse shape,” I said. “Not because I thought you were incapable of defending yourself, but I figured they’d knocked you out, and with you not being able to shift here . . .” I trailed off, catching my breath for a couple of steps. “Well, I didn’t expect you’d be on your feet and fighting.”

  He let out a low rumbling laugh. “That’s why I don’t rely only on my ability to shift. They tried to beat me up while I was out, but it only woke me up faster. I’m glad I got the opportunity to show them what I thought of their attempt to take out their frustrations on my face.”

  In spite of Judah’s confident words, there was a hitch in his stride, and he had one elbow clamped against his ribs by the time we reached the town square and its doorway. I peered at him by the light of the streetlamps.

  “You’re hurting,” I said.

  He shook his head but winced at the same time. “I’ll be fine after we get back on the Earthly side. Shifters heal very quickly, but not in Faerie. The faster I get back home, the better.”

  I nodded and then turned to the doorway. He placed his hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze that sent a hot ripple through me. I quickly performed the ritual, and together we stepped into the shimmering space under the arch.

  When we emerged, the pre-sunrise light of dawn was just beginning to turn the sky pale morning blue.

  “Hope you still have the key,” I said.

  “Huh?”

  I tipped my head toward the Lexus.

  “Oh, right.” He dug in one pants pocket and came up with a fob on a ring, holding it up. “Can I give you a lift home?”

  I gave him a weary smile. “That would be awesome.”

  We got into the Lexus, and I settled back in the luxurious leather seat, letting out a relieved sigh. A glance at Judah’s face showed the cut where he’d gotten the knockout blow was already nearly healed. What would have become a nasty black eye was fading, too.

  “Feeling better?” I asked, marveling at how quickly his wounds were disappearing.

  “Much,” he said. “Though it might take a few hours for the cracked ribs to heal.”

  I bolted straight and leaned forward, my head swiveled fully so I could face him. “You ran all that way with broken ribs?”

  He waved a hand. “Eh, only a couple. It’s fine.”

  I just stared at him for a second before sinking back. This Judah was tough. Way tougher than the kid I’d known a decade ago.

  He drove in silence for a few blocks, but I sensed there was something on his mind.

  “Tara, it’ll take me a day or so to make some arrangements, but then I’ll be free to help you.”

  I frowned, not following. “What?”

  He glanced at me. “You’ve forgotten already? Or do you just not think I’ll be true to my word? I wouldn’t entirely blame you if you did.”

  “Oh, you mean that thing you said about going with me on the hunt for Shaw’s bounty,” I said. “No, it’s fine. You’ve got a business to run. And besides, I’m not going to be able to drop everything to look for the prize. I’ve got a regular job I need to get back to.”

  Which reminded me, I hadn’t checked my phone in quite some time. If Volkov Retrieval had tried to contact me with a job in that time and I hadn’t responded within the requisite three hours, I’d have a major problem. No assignments had come in earlier in the day, so I was probably okay, but sometimes jobs came in at odd hours.

  “It’s not up for debate,” Judah said, turning onto my block. “I owe you. And I’m not a flighty, dumb teenager anymore.”

  I switched on my phone. There were two voicemails from Katerina. My stomach dropped. Shit.

  “I never thought you were a flighty, dumb teenager,” I said distractedly.

  “In any case, you’re stuck with me.”

  He pulled up to the front of my house. The windows were all dark.

  I reached for the door handle, my stomach tightening at the prospect of the messages that awaited me.

  “I appreciate what you’re trying to do,” I said. “But it’s not necessary. I’ve got my life and you’ve got yours, and that’s fine. I hope you and Blake don’t run into any more trouble.”

  I started to get out.

  “Wait, don’t go yet,” he said.

  I turned to him.

  “I’m not losing you again, Rainbow,” he said.

  I blinked, not quite sure how to take what he said.

  My mouth went inexplicably dry. “Sleep on it, and I’m sure you’ll come to your senses.”

  I got out, ran lightly up to the front porch, and let myself in with my key. Once inside, I shut the door and sagged against it, letting out a long breath. My heart was still racing. I shook my head and a sound of disapproval growled at the back of my throat.

  I wasn’t a silly teenage girl. My crush on Judah was a thing of the past. I didn’t need him. I didn’t
want him. It was better if we went our separate ways. I had too much to deal with already.

  Speaking of which, I put my phone to my ear as I trudged upstairs, listening to the messages. The first one from Volkov Retrieval was a familiar automated message telling me to check in within three hours for a job assignment. My heart sank like a stone. The second one was left by Katerina’s night shift administrative assistant, informing me my deadline to check in was past, and that Katerina requested an in-person meeting with me the next day—correction: later that day—at ten in the morning.

  My insides twisted hard. Damnit. How could I be so irresponsible? I’d gotten so caught up in Judah’s situation and in my own desire to get any info I could about Shaw’s bounty, I’d taken too big a risk with my other responsibility—the job that actually paid the bills.

  If my judgment was going to be that poor when Judah was around, all the more reason for him go to back to Portland and stay there. If he tried to press the issue, I’d tell him so. I couldn’t afford distractions. And worse . . . I honestly wasn’t sure I trusted myself to keep my head around him.

  Taking off my shoes in the upstairs hallway and carrying them in my hand, I silently let myself into the bedroom I shared with Felicity. She was sound asleep.

  After plugging in my phone and setting my alarm, I stripped down to my underwear and got under the covers.

  I’d have to face Katerina the next day, but I desperately needed sleep. I was out in a matter of seconds.

  But when I awoke, it wasn’t to the sound of my phone’s alarm. The pendant around my neck was hot and tingling.

  Shaw was summoning me.

  Chapter 17

  MY HEART JOLTED on the jet of adrenaline that shocked me awake. Stumbling out of bed, I groped around for my clothes. I found my shirt and jammed it over my head.

  “Tara?” Felicity said sleepily, rolling over to peer at me. “Did you just get home?”

  “Nah, I got in late.”

  She watched me quickly pulling on my pants and sat up. “Did you get summoned?”

  “Yeah,” I answered, not looking at her.

  A little sigh escaped her lips.

  “Go back to sleep if you don’t have to be up yet,” I said. I strained to remember what day it was. Sunday. No early morning activities, and that was why the house was still quiet. “I’ll come home as soon as I can.”

  Fully dressed, I pulled on clean socks and shoved my feet into my black Nikes. I grabbed my utility belt, strapping it on as I walked down the hall to the bathroom. No time to refill the supplies I’d lost, but it probably wouldn’t matter. I didn’t expect this trip into Faerie would be one where I needed weapons.

  My reflection over the sink made me wince with displeasure—lopsided saggy bun with wild tendrils sticking every which way, mascara smudged, and faint bruise-colored circles under my eyes. I brushed my teeth, washed my face, redid my bun, reapplied my tinted moisturizer, and swept on a fresh coat of mascara. It all took about four minutes. I’d done this enough I knew exactly how much time I could afford to get ready, drive to the doorway, and make it to Shaw’s estate. He’d always demanded that I arrive within thirty minutes of a summons, and out of habit, I busted ass to make it within that window of time.

  I had to duck back into my room to grab my keys. Felicity was making her bed. She paused and straightened when I came in.

  “Be careful, Tara,” she whispered. Her blue eyes shone with a more subdued version of the worry Mom’s always reflected when she knew I was going into Faerie.

  I cast my sister a quick smile. “Always.”

  As I drove to the Faerie doorway under the freeway overpass, déjà vu tickled my brain. It seemed like only a few minutes ago when Judah and I had come back to the Earthly side together. In some ways, the entire past twenty-four hours felt like a strange dream.

  But Shaw’s summons was no figment of my imagination, and I couldn’t presume it meant anything good for me. I’d gleefully believed I’d gotten off easy when he’d spoken to me before. But with the summons so soon after he’d seen me, I was pretty sure I was in for a big, ugly reversal. He’d probably discovered I’d been poking around for info. Maybe he knew I’d found out what the target of the bounty was.

  Paranoia curled darkly through me.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket with an automated text message reminding me I also still had to deal with Katerina. I checked the time. Almost eight in the morning. I’d barely been asleep four hours. All I could do was hope that Shaw released me in time to get chewed out by my other boss at Volkov Retrieval Services.

  A dazed nausea began to settle over me. Only a few short hours ago, Judah’s problem had gotten resolved favorably, I’d discovered what the big prize was with Shaw none the wiser, and Homer had all but confirmed that Stephanie was the one to keep an eye on in the hunt for the Dullahan skull.

  Things had been going damn well there for a while. I shouldn’t have assumed my luck would last.

  It wasn’t that I didn’t value what I had. I understood I was fortunate in many ways. Mom and Felicity were healthy. The kids were all doing great. We had a solid roof over our heads and never lacked the basic necessities. I had a well-paying job I was good at. And I had my amazing, awesome best friend.

  I wasn’t ungrateful. I was just exhausted. Because for as far back as I could remember, staying afloat had always meant madly treading water day in and day out.

  Pulling into the small lot next to the skate park under the freeway overpass, I puffed my cheeks and blew out a long breath, hoping I’d return to make the appointment with Katerina on time. I killed the engine and went over to the arch that was etched in the support column. Using the sigils that only worked for Shaw’s private doorway when he’d summoned me, I performed the ritual and let the void of the netherwhere claim me.

  I soaked up the numbing effect of the void between doorways, wishing I could float there for a while. All too soon, the netherwhere spit me out beside Shaw’s mansion. One of his guards was there to meet me. Without a word, he turned and escorted me down a gravel path that led to the house. We went past the glittering pool in the back, entering through a lounging room. Later in the day, the doors leading out to the pool and patio would be thrown open, but there was still the slightest chill in the air on this early summer morning in Faerie.

  The guard took me down a short flight of stairs to the door of the room where I’d first met Shaw a decade prior. It was lined with little doors like safety deposit boxes. This was where Shaw secured many of the valuable things he’d collected. It was not his usual place for a meeting, and my stomach tightened as I realized he’d likely chosen the location to make a point.

  Inside, Shaw stood at a high table in the center of the windowless room, a steaming cup on a saucer at his fingertips. He flicked his eyes to the guard who’d come inside. Secret agent man left, closing the door behind him and leaving me alone with my boss.

  “Tara,” Shaw said and then picked up the cup and blew across the surface of his coffee, sending delicate tendrils of steam curling away from him.

  He drank from an almost comically delicate cup for a man of his size. It was probably a rare and expensive tea set, for there was nothing Grant Shaw loved more than possessing valuable things.

  “Hello, boss,” I said evenly, even as my heart pumped uncomfortably fast. My hands were already clammy.

  Cradling the cup in both hands, he regarded me for a long moment. I stood across the table from him and kept still, fighting the urge to fidget under his gaze.

  “You are aware there’s a certain bounty hunt many of my people are participating in at the moment, one that they were strictly forbidden to speak to you about,” he said.

  “Yes, I’m aware of that,” I said.

  “Who informed you it was happening?”

  “Ray Artois.”

  My lungs wanted to work faster to keep up with my tapping pulse, but I forced my breaths to stay even.

  “You and Mr. Artois seemed t
o have become rather intertwined as of late,” Shaw said in a musing tone.

  “Not due to any wish for that on my part,” I said wryly.

  He cracked a small smile. “Wise. He seems like trouble.”

  Shaw sipped again. I waited.

  “I’m confident my people have not betrayed my request to deny you information about the bounty,” he said, his face hardening. “How could they? They swore oaths to me.”

  I chewed on the inside of my cheek. He wasn’t showing anger, but I could sense it brewing. He set the cup down on the saucer, and then he propped his elbows on the table and touched the tips of his fingers together, tenting his hands at his chest.

  “I would have thought that knowing such oaths had been sworn would dissuade you from seeking information that I clearly did not want you to seek,” he said. The pace of his words had picked up, and each one snapped out like a little verbal whip from his lips. “As you well know, I often want only selected people on certain jobs.”

  While that was true, he’d never gone to the length of using an oath in the way he had with this bounty. It had always been more of an informal arrangement, assigning some people to specific tasks and others to different tasks. I already knew he wanted to keep me from a large payout that would get me close to paying off my debt, but I’d started to wonder if there wasn’t something else behind his actions, too.

  I swallowed, not sure if in the pause he expected a response. But he saved me the trouble.

  “Apparently, that was not the case,” he continued. “So, you’ve left me no choice but to take more specific action with you.”

  I still didn’t know what he knew. Had he found out Ray had told me the prize was the Dullahan skull?

  “I do not want you working on this bounty,” he said.

  “But what if I’m the only one who can find the thing you’re seeking?” I blurted before my brain had the chance to think better of it.

  “Tara. You shouldn’t second-guess me.” He shook his head as if I were a very foolish child.

  My hands clenched at my sides. “But why, boss? Why are you doing this to me?”