To Kill a Fae

by Jamie A. Waters

  “Yeah? I thought it came out pretty good, but I need to fix a few more things on it,” he said, looking away as though he were embarrassed by the compliment. “I plan to give that to her when it’s finished.”

  “I’m sure it will be a treasured gift.” Sabine put the picture back and caught sight of another one. She arched her brow at him, and Edvar winced.

  “Sorry. I know you don’t want me to draw you, but…” He gave her a sheepish smile and shrugged. “I couldn’t resist. I-I can get rid of it, if you want.”

  The last was said almost with regret. Sabine didn’t answer right way. Instead, she picked up the drawing and studied it. It was very good—a little too good. She was laughing in the image, and Edvar had enhanced her features as though he’d seen through most of her glamour. Artists possessed their own special brand of magic.

  The thought of destroying something belonging to Edvar filled her with regret. He’d already lost so much, including his family. She couldn’t bring herself to take this from him too. With a sigh, she said, “I won’t ask you to do that, but I can’t risk allowing this to fall into the wrong hands. If someone looking for me were to find it…” Her voice trailed off, and she shook her head.

  “I would never do anything to put you in harm’s way, Sabine,” Edvar said quietly and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s only a picture. You can tear it up. I… I needed to draw you. I can’t seem to get it quite right though. I’ve been working on it for weeks.”

  She gave him a small smile. Edvar didn’t give himself enough credit. Instead, he’d attempted to reconcile the truth of her appearance with what she presented to the world. “I can’t bear to see your creations destroyed. I trust you, Edvar. Just don’t allow it to leave the crypt.”

  “Of course. Whatever you want.” Edvar paused and frowned. “Do you mind if I show Talia when I’m finished? I won’t show anyone else.”

  “That’s fine.” She returned the picture to the desk.

  In another place, Edvar might have an opportunity to do something great with his artistic talent. She’d once suggested he consider going to one of the northern cities to study art, but Akros was his home. She hadn’t pushed. One thing she’d learned over the years was everyone had their own destiny to follow.

  Turning back to Edvar, she focused on the reason Dax had asked her to come. “Do you know Baxter Rasten?”

  “The councilman?”

  Sabine nodded. “I need a drawing of his house. I’ve been inside a few times, but I don’t have your artistic talent.”

  “Sure.” Edvar picked up his sketchpad and sat on the edge of his bed. “Do you want the exterior or interior?”

  “Both. We’re running a job there tonight, and I need to have a detailed floorplan for Dax and his crew.”

  Edvar frowned and started to sketch. “I can do that. I remember the outside of the house well enough. I used to pickpocket not far from there when I was a kid. Festin was working that area until a few days ago. He said there’s been some commotion lately, and they’ve increased security. They’re using mercenaries, though, not city guards. Do you think it’s tied into the stuff they found in the catacombs?”

  Sabine walked over and sat beside Edvar, watching as the image of the house came to life in front of her. His recollection of the building was better than she expected, but Edvar had always had an eye for this sort of thing.

  “Perhaps. It would explain why Dax wants to break in tonight. There’s something going on with the city council. They’ve been making a lot of changes. I’m not sure what it means for everyone living in Akros, but I’ve been trying to get more information. You may want to give the kids a warning and ask them to lie low for a while.”

  Edvar snorted. “No one pays attention to street kids, Sabine. You know that.”

  She nodded. “You’re right, but it may be worth it to issue a warning. I have another request too.”

  “Anything,” he murmured, continuing to draw the outside of the house.

  “You should never make such an offer in a place of magic without hearing the terms first,” she reminded him gently. When he rolled his eyes at her, Sabine laughed. They both knew she wouldn’t take advantage of him, but others might if he gave them the opportunity. “There’s a ship in the harbor right now called Obsidian’s Storm. Do you know it?”

  Edvar’s brow furrowed. “Yeah. Smuggler ship. It got here a few days ago. Dax approved the docking and made the arrangements with the dockmaster.”

  Sabine smiled. Edvar had always been well-informed. “Yes. Can you have one of the children work the dock area for a few days? I’d like to get more information about the crew, especially the captain.”

  He frowned. “Sure, but I can handle that for you.”

  “You’re a little too recognizable now, Edvar,” she teased lightly. “That’s why Dax doesn’t go out on jobs much anymore. It’s hard to stay in the shadows when everyone knows who you are.”

  Edvar shrugged and ran his finger over the paper, shading the drawing to give the image some depth. “He still goes on some jobs. Like tonight. If he’s asked you for information about the councilman’s home and it’s surrounded by mercenaries, he won’t let you go in alone.”

  Sabine was quiet for a long time. Dax was protective of her, and Edvar tried to emulate the demon’s behavior. The biggest difference was, Edvar was protective of all the children living and working for him, while Dax primarily looked out for himself. She was the only exception.

  When Edvar completed the rough sketch of the exterior, he turned the page and waited for her instructions on the inside. Sabine started to describe what she remembered, but there would be some estimations. Dax hadn’t given her enough time for much more than that, and it had been several months since she’d last been inside the councilman’s home.

  “There are two floors, plus a cellar. I’ve been in most of the rooms, and it’s unlikely they would have changed much since then.”

  Edvar began drawing. “I thought you avoided places like this.”

  “I usually do,” she admitted, pointing out an area that needed to be enlarged. “Baxter has one of the largest libraries in the city. He doesn’t notice when I borrow a book or two. It’s fairly easy to sneak in and out to replace them and grab more.”

  He grinned, his hair dropping down into his eyes. He absently brushed it away and resumed sketching. “You’re the only person I know who steals books and then returns them.”

  “Borrow,” she reminded him with a laugh. “Although, he has some excellent wines in his cellar. Those, I don’t borrow. But tonight, we won’t be shopping for books or wine. Dax is hoping for a big score. We’ll see if he actually manages to pull this off.”

  Chapter Nine

  Malek rested his hands on the edge of the table while he studied the sketches scattered on top of it. Dax had managed to steal drawings of some of the artifacts discovered in a recently excavated catacomb underneath Akros. One of them was particularly promising. Most of these items appeared to be from the time before the Great War, but he wasn’t certain if they were the magical objects he sought. Even if they weren’t, a seer might be able to use them to locate other items that had been created around the same time. It was imperative he locate the artifacts used to seal the portal more than a millennium ago.

  Dax stood on the opposite side of the table, along with Javyn and a few others from Dax’s crew. The demon still believed Malek was simply seeking valuable items for some unknown client, and Malek had no intention of correcting his assumption.

  Malek straightened and gestured to the drawings. “I’m willing to offer you one chest of gold for each item you’re able to acquire, provided they’re authentic, of course.”

  Dax crossed his arms over his chest. “Two chests of gold, and another one filled with gems from the dwarven mines.” He leaned forward, his eyes flashing silver before he gave Malek a sly smile. “Or I’m willing to accept one chest of gold and Sabine’s mark.”

  Javyn frowned a
t Dax but remained silent. No one else had any reaction, which led Malek to believe Javyn knew why Dax wanted the mark transferred to him.

  Malek’s jaw clenched. The price Dax demanded was more than he was willing to pay. He wasn’t about to turn over Sabine’s mark to the demon.

  “One chest of gold and one chest of precious gems for each artifact you acquire. Sabine’s mark is mine.” He pushed away the sketches. “There’s no guarantee these items are the ones I’m seeking.”

  Dax leaned back and studied the mark on Malek’s wrist, his expression calculating. Malek narrowed his eyes. If Dax attempted to use Sabine as further leverage in these negotiations, he might be inclined to pin the demon to the ground and rip out his throat. The warding medallion around his neck warmed against his skin.

  “Do we have a deal?” Malek prompted.

  “You may keep Sabine’s mark for now,” Dax replied with a trace of amusement in his tone. “The deal is set at one chest of gold and one chest of gems for each artifact we recover.”

  Forcing himself to relax his shoulders, Malek asked, “When can I expect delivery?”

  “The first of these items will be collected tonight. Delivery will be made to you upon receipt of payment. We’re still locating the other artifacts. They’ve been moved to other locations within the city, although we have reports some may have been transported farther south.”

  Malek paused, wondering if the message Dax had sent to Sabine was related to acquiring the artifact. If she was instrumental in Dax’s efforts to locate the items, perhaps he might be able to convince her to help him without the demon’s involvement. Keeping his expression neutral, he spoke over his shoulder, “Levin, make the arrangements. I want the chests for the first artifact delivered by morning.”

  “I’ll make sure it’s done,” Levin replied.

  Dax’s lips curved upward, his expression a little too smug. The demon was up to something, but as long as Malek got what he’d come for, he didn’t give a damn what games Dax played.

  Dax called over to Javyn, “Tell everyone to gear up. We’re leaving in less than an hour.”

  Javyn nodded and started issuing orders to the people who had been standing around watching the negotiations. It appeared to be a rather large undertaking, including at least a half-dozen people. More than a few of them had some trace of magical abilities, but Malek couldn’t tell how much or what kind of powers they possessed. The warding necklace he wore caused too much interference, but at least it still worked to mask his secret.

  Dax walked around the table toward him, his eyes trained on Malek’s wrist. “How many times has Sabine refreshed the mark?”

  Malek glanced down at his wrist and didn’t respond. Sabine had made it a point to touch the mark every time he’d seen her, infusing more magic into the design. Now that he studied it closer, he could see some slight changes to it, almost as if it were fading.

  “It burns her every time she has to reapply it, like liquid fire trapped under her skin,” Dax said with a malicious smile on his face. “Sabine would never allow someone to accept the pain on her behalf, taking it upon herself instead. If you want to play human and ward yourself against external magic, don’t play with powers you don’t understand.”

  The last part was said with a sneer. Malek’s body went rigid as Dax’s words registered. The mark must not have settled on his skin properly due to the warding necklace he wore. He resisted the urge to curse. Sabine had been refreshing it to try to protect him, but she’d never said a word about it. Dax had known it was fading when he started negotiating the price for acquiring the artifacts, and Malek had foolishly fallen into the demon’s trap.

  It was a minor marker, but he’d just made his interest in Sabine abundantly clear—even to the point of endangering his purpose here. If Dax believed his protection of Sabine extended to eliminating the pain she felt at reapplying the mark, the demon might try to force a confrontation. Malek needed to tread carefully, but he wasn’t willing to back down either.

  Dax chuckled. “You may hold her temporary mark, but Sabine is mine. The moment it fades and our business is done, I’ll enjoy peeling your skin from your body. Perhaps I’ll wear it as a cloak.”

  “Good luck with that,” Malek retorted, allowing his power to rise and beat against the warding. He wouldn’t unleash it yet, but it was a very near thing. Levin moved into a defensive position beside him.

  An unfamiliar woman entered the room, sweeping her gaze over everyone before settling on Dax. She hesitated for a moment before Dax demanded, “What is it, Leia?”

  She winced and hastened over to him, offering a rolled parchment. “An urgent message just arrived. It has Balkin’s seal.”

  Dax took it, breaking the seal with his magic and sending a waft of sulfur into the air. He read it quickly, his scowl deepening, and then crumbled it. His eyes flashed silver as flames erupted from his hand, engulfing the message until it was nothing more than ash.

  “Javyn, when did you last see Sabine?” Dax snapped.

  Javyn jerked to attention. “A few hours ago. I believe she intended to come here after acquiring the information you requested. Is there a problem?”

  “I want her found. Now.”

  Javyn gave Dax a curt nod. “Shall I contact Bane?”

  “Do it. Tell him to run a tracking spell on her immediately,” he ordered, turning and pacing the length of the room. “Leia, go to Esmelle’s shop and see if she’s there. Verin, I want you to locate one of the street kids lurking in the market. Have them get a message to Edvar and find out if he’s seen her.”

  Malek frowned and took a step toward the demon. “Is Sabine in danger?”

  Dax scowled at him, but before he could respond, the door opened again and Sabine entered, carrying some rolled-up parchment. Malek scanned her up and down, but she appeared much the same as when he’d left her. Although, the flowers were now missing from her hair. She otherwise appeared unharmed.

  She paused, arching her brow at the serious faces in the room. Her mouth twitched in a small smile. “Problem?”

  Dax crossed the room toward her in a handful of steps. His hand whipped out blindingly fast and hooked around the back of her neck. Pulling her tightly against him, he whispered something into her ear.

  Sabine’s face paled as she listened to the demon. She wrapped her hand around Dax’s wrist. “No. Did he say why?”

  Dax’s voice was little more than a growl as he said, “Why the fuck do you think, Sabine? Tell me about this knife. Where is it?”

  “I gave it to Bane after I left here last night. You would have known about it sooner if you hadn’t drugged me,” she said, shoving the rolled parchment in his direction. “Here. Either back off or find someone else to help you tonight.”

  Dax’s jaw clenched, but he grabbed the parchment and walked back over to the table. “I’m not letting you out of my sight until I get to the bottom of this, Sabine. We’ll discuss the rest after we finish the job.”

  Sabine’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she headed over to the table where Dax was unrolling the parchment. Javyn and the other members of Dax’s crew hesitantly approached.

  Levin frowned and gave him a questioning look. Malek shook his head, indicating he didn’t know. It was unlikely this was related to the dagger Dax had given Sabine as a gift earlier. The timeframe didn’t match, and Dax was furious he hadn’t known about this mysterious knife.

  Malek studied Sabine as she listened to Dax detail the plan for the tonight. Bane could have been the man he’d seen waiting for her last night. Malek had recognized the energy signature as belonging to a demon, which made sense if Bane and Dax were brothers. It was possible the knife in question was the same one he’d picked up after killing one of Sabine’s attackers. He’d been surprised to see an iron weapon here, but now he was almost positive Sabine’s Fae heritage was even stronger than he’d originally believed.

  “—you’ll coordinate with them to take out the men located al
ong the perimeter if an alarm is raised,” Dax said to Javyn. “Tasha, while he’s distracting them, you’ll need to open the door on the north side of the building to give us entry. Eliminate any guards you find on the way.”

  “That may not be necessary,” Sabine said, pulling the sketch over to her. She pointed to an area on the parchment. “This second-floor entrance is rarely locked, but even if it is, it’s only a simple lock and easy to bypass. The guards only go up here when they’re patrolling. Otherwise, just the family and a few servants go upstairs. We can access the balcony through the gardens.” She tapped on another location on the map. “The rest of the interior crew can gain entry to the lower level through the servants’ quarters entrance here. That should keep loss of life to a minimum.”

  Dax arched his brow. “Do you know the location of the safe?”

  She nodded. “Safes. There are at least two. One is in the library, which is right off the second-floor entrance I showed you. The other is in the councilman’s bedroom, which is here.” She pointed to another location on the floorplan. “There’s also a downstairs wine cellar where he has a hidey hole. Larger objects may be stashed there. If there are more safes or hidden locations, I don’t know where they are. I wasn’t searching for them.”

  “How many times have you been in there?” Tasha smirked.

  Sabine lifted her head and winked at her. “Enough to know one he’s got one of your favorite ales in his cellar.”

  Tasha laughed. “Looks like I’ll be checking out this hidey hole then.”

  Dax nodded, studying the diagram. “Fine. Sabine, you’re with me. After the distraction to lure the guards away, we’ll enter on the second floor. Everyone else, keep to your positions and the original plan. I want us to be in and out of there fast.”

  Malek looked down at the elaborate floorplan and then at Sabine. If she was the key to locating this artifact, he needed to see how it was done. “I’m going with you.”