by Ellie Margot
“Savoring the moments until we saw you again,” said Guy.
“Charmer,” said Mark. He looked at Mekhi. “Shame you’re not my type.”
Corin grabbed Mekhi’s arm and yanked him closer.
“Don’t worry, kitten. I don’t play with people who turn me down. Their mental stability can’t be trusted at that point.” He looked at Mekhi again. “Their loss, obviously.”
Riette got closer, and Mark grabbed her into a big hug, lifting her off the ground and whispering in her ear. “Still single, beautiful?”
He put her on the ground, and Riette rolled her eyes. “Trying to save the world here. No time for boyfriends.”
“Honey, if you do it right, there’s always time for that,” said Mark. “You need to be around me more. You’re confused.” He looked at her again before blinking in an exaggerated fashion. “And just what have you gotten yourself into now?”
Riette blinked back at him pointedly. “Whatever are you referring to?”
“You’re glowing like a light in the desert, sugar. What happened?” Mark touched her chin.
Cassian stepped forward. “Let’s not have you touch again until we’ve talked.”
“Oh, cuteness,” Mark said, releasing Riette’s face but staying close to her. “That’s not how transference works, especially not with me.” He looked back at Riette. “If I tasted her new power, it wouldn’t be on accident. I promise.”
“You make it sound dirty,” said Riette, smirking.
“Aren’t all the best things that way?”
“This is serious,” said Cassian.
Trinity touched his arm. “He doesn’t seem all that bad.”
“We don’t know what she’s losing by paying him,” said Cassian. His voice was at a schooled flatness as he spoke.
“I wouldn’t hurt her,” said Mark. “And frankly, I’m insulted by what you’re implying.”
“I didn’t mean—”
“I’m fucking with you,” said Mark. “Caring about that would require me caring about you all at all. With Riette as the notable exception, I find myself fresh out of fucks to give.”
“Mark!” hissed Riette. She was warmed by his compliment, but she wasn’t going to let him talk like that, not to the people who mattered to her the most.
“What? I don’t get points for honesty?”
“No, you don’t,” said Mekhi.
“Should I have included you too?” Mark asked Mekhi. “There’s still time for me to change my mind.”
“No need,” said Corin. She stepped forward. “I wanted to go by sea, so if you’re not willing...”
Mark looked back at Riette. “Oh no, I didn’t travel to bum-fuck Vitan to not take you all somewhere. I’m not a taxi, bitches.”
“See?” asked Guy. “He came because he does like us.”
Mark smirked. “Fine. You’re all moderately entertaining.” He turned toward Riette. “I don’t know how you deal.”
“You love us,” Riette said. “You just play hard to get.”
“Darling, I’m the hardest to get, and you’re my exception.”
“I think you do like me.”
Mark leaned forward. The green of his eyes shone brightly. “You may be my new favorite.”
Mark leaned back up before Riette had a chance to respond. “Where are we transporting to?”
“To a dark mage named Samantha,” said Trinity, stepping forward.
“You all mess with mages now?” asked Mark. “Am I just completely out of the loop, or are you all the craziest group of Elves I’ve ever been around?”
“How many Elves have you been around?” asked Guy.
“Good point.”
“No, we’re not going straight to Samantha,” said Riette.
“What do you mean?” asked Cassian.
“I’m not saying we’re not going to see her, but we should go nearby where she is. I don’t want her to feel ambushed. If she works with us, she’s going to choose to do so willingly. We’re not tricking her.”
“Riette,” said Cassian.
“I don’t want it to be a power struggle. It’s a business decision.”
“And if she doesn’t come willingly?”
“Then we have to find another way.”
“And we don’t think Sam hates us?” asked Mekhi. “Because with how things ended...”
“I’m making an inverse fan club,” said Riette. Cassian didn’t laugh. “She doesn’t hate us. She wanted me to work with her before and wasn’t happy when I didn’t.”
“Corin, how do you feel?” asked Guy.
“She didn’t want me,” Corin said, her voice clear. “I was a byproduct of her wanting Riette. I know that much.”
“And I would never let anything happen to you,” said Mekhi. “Never again.”
Chapter 7
Mark gave them a hard time about calling him before they worked out their family drama, but he took them to the other side of the sea.
Just beyond the sea was another port, but this one hosted more than just Elves. It was a hub for all manner of creatures.
When the world stopped spinning and they landed on the other side, the first thing that Riette did was put her hands on her knees and breathe through her nose. The process was made harder by Trinity’s reaction, vomiting next to her.
“Hit some turbulence?” asked Mekhi.
“Maybe I channeled some of my rejection into the ride?” Mark raised his eyebrow. “Or it’s not a barrel of laughs carrying all of your asses here either. Pardon the shit out of me.”
“We appreciate you and your help,” said Riette. “Really.”
“Not like he’s doing it for free,” said Mekhi.
“Don’t piss off an Angel, number one,” said Mark. “Second point, I always ask for payment up front. I’m not an idiot. Did I ask for payment?”
“Mark,” Riette started.
“No, no, darling. He asked. Let me answer him. Did I zap your pretty princess before we embarked on this magical journey, Mekhi?”
“No.”
“I swear, if you weren’t so good looking…” said Mark.
Corin started laughing. “Ignore him. He’s naturally grumpy.”
“If he were grumpy, at least it would match up and be less confusing for me. I don’t know how you deal with it, honey.”
Mark turned toward Riette and gave her a hug. He whispered in her ear. “Pretty, but almost not worth the trouble.”
Riette laughed.
“I heard that,” said Mekhi.
“And here I was, thinking your ears were just for show.”
“Thank you for helping us,” said Riette.
“I can’t—sorry won’t—make a habit of it, but it’s good to stretch my wings for free every once in a while.”
“We owe you,” said Riette.
“Riette,” Cassian warned.
“Oh, honey,” Mark started. “These are things we already knew.” He vanished into the very air they’d traveled through.
Chapter 8
“If we don’t know where Sam is, how are we going to tell her we’re here?” asked Corin.
A groan left Mekhi’s mouth from deep in his throat. “I think she already knows.”
“How could she possibly know that?” asked Riette.
Cassian nudged her arm, and she turned to see a small crowd forming around them. Mark had decided to drop them off in the middle of a square.
They had garnered the attention of everyone in close proximity to them. Mark didn’t know how to fly in under the radar. Riette should have guessed that would have translated into their drop-off location.
The group backed up to each other, forming a circle of them all outwardly facing.
“It doesn’t mean she sees us,” said Riette. “Just because everyone else does.”
Guy took her by the shoulders and shifted her focus to the far edge of the clearing. She could see a short blonde in brown leather walking toward her with a man at her back that made the crowd
part to give him room.
It had to be Sam, and the shadow that followed her had to be Damian.
“Shit,” said Riette.
“She doesn’t look happy,” said Cassian.
Riette saw Corin grab onto Mekhi from the corner of her eye. Riette adjusted the bag on her shoulders and squared off to face what could be her ally or enemy.
“At least it’s just the two of them this time,” said Riette.
“Yeah, the ambush could be running late,” said Guy. “Or maybe she drained enough of us to tide her over.”
“Not helpful,” said Trinity.
Riette felt the power surge in her body bubbling toward the surface. Flames flicked softly against her hands.
Cassian grabbed them, flinching, and without looking at her shook his head. “Not yet. We need to lead her to a different area before she’s not the only one after us.”
Trinity grabbed Cassian’s arm, and they turned to lead the others to what looked like an alleyway off to the side of the clearing that looked like a central square.
Riette was the last one to turn. She didn’t want to lose sight of her in the crowd, but most of the others, with some lingering exceptions, had already moved on with their lives.
They slipped into the narrow opening that had another opening on the opposite side. Corin and Mekhi were the farthest away from the opening where Samantha would be, Trinity and Guy were in front of them, and Cassian and Riette were at the head of the group.
“Let me talk to her,” said Riette.
“Don’t let her pull anything,” said Cassian.
Riette nodded, but her attention needed to be focused on the control she needed to harness the power brewing within her.
A warmth rushed over her, starting from her hands but working its way inward. Her breath came quicker, and Trinity touched her shoulder from behind, causing an involuntary jerking of energy to be released between her body and Riette’s.
Cassian pulled Trinity’s arm off of Riette, shorting the transference.
“Are you okay?” Cassian asked in a rushed whisper.
“I was going to ask the same thing,” said Samantha.
Riette tried to focus, but her vision wouldn’t steady in front of her. The power trickled into her body, seeming to concentrate behind her eyes.
She could only imagine what they looked like.
Riette shook her head and let the power glow in her palms to give it an exit, though she wouldn’t let it shoot out from her fingertips.
When she could see, she saw Samantha, with Damian flanked at her back, watching her with eyes that were too wide and a smile that would have brought Riette fear if fear hadn’t found a home in her already.
“Samantha,” Riette said. “We hoped that we would find you.”
“I knew the minute you stepped foot onto this side of the port.”
“No shit,” said Mekhi. “You didn’t want to give us a second?”
“And let me lose you again? I’ve traveled long distances to find you when it occurred to me how simple the answer was.” She looked at Riette and took a step closer.
Cassian tensed, and Samantha smiled at the reaction. She stilled her movements and let her focus go to Trinity.
“And you collected someone else?” Samantha looked at Trinity. “Another broken toy?”
“I resent that,” said Guy.
“We both know you were broken long before she found you, Guy, or do we need to explain that too?” Guy said nothing. “Name?”
“You don’t have to tell her anything,” said Cassian.
“Now, that’s no way to start a new friendship,” said Samantha. “Distrust kills.”
“No, you kill, you stupid—”
“Mekhi!” Riette yelled, cutting through all of it. The banter had bought her time to regain her faculties. Things still felt shaky. There was a tremor in her hands, but she didn’t need to expel the energy to feel like she had regained some control.
Samantha moved closer. “I just want to see.”
Damian made a noise behind her. It was guttural and pained, low and deep, agony vocalized, as a gap grew between them. He reached out his hand toward her, but she was already moving to close the distance between herself and Riette.
Riette reared back, and Cassian moved closer, but then Samantha was there, cupping her face. She looked into her eyes, and the feel of her skin on Riette’s was like a weight, a searing pain.
Samantha wasn’t taking anything. There wasn’t a power transference, but there was a wrongness in the inquiry that made Riette quiet. Then she found herself and stepped back.
“What have you done?” Samantha asked.
“Nothing,” said Riette, shaking off the feeling of the contact and moving back another foot. Trinity and Cassian flanked her on either side.
“Bullshit.”
Riette shoved her back, not enough to knock her off balance but enough for her to remember herself.
Damian moved closer, and Mekhi made a grunting growl in response. Samantha stopped Damian. She moved back to stand beside him, still closer than she was before.
“We need to talk,” said Riette. She wanted to return the freak show back to business. Their purpose seemed lost in the politics of what had happened before and Samantha’s obsession.
“Fine, but we need to talk alone,” the dark mage said.
“No fucking way,” said Cassian. His uncharacteristic swearing jarred Riette and Trinity.
Damian seemed to concur with Cassian in the low, barking manner he seemed to use instead of words.
“Cassian, let me do this,” said Riette.
Samantha moved closer in the breath between the passing of two seconds, and Riette said, “I can take care of myself,” right before the world went black.
Chapter 9
It took a beat to regain consciousness. When Riette opened her eyes, Samantha wasn’t touching her. She wasn’t alone, but although she could see her friends, there seemed to be a veil of energy between herself and them.
She could see Cassian cursing, pushing the air in front of Riette’s face, but he didn’t touch her. He couldn’t.
There was something between them that prevented her from feeling him or hearing his voice, though she saw his feelings clearly in the lines forming on his face.
Mekhi grabbed him from behind, keeping him from rushing forward. Riette read his lips. He was trying to tell him to think for a second.
Corin had her hand over her mouth, and Trinity looked sick.
Riette turned and saw Samantha watching her. Damian was still by her side.
“What did you do?” Riette asked. Her words echoed the ones Samantha had just asked her.
“It’s a fourth wall. Neat, huh?”
“What did you do?” Riette repeated.
“It’s harmless.” Samantha shrugged.
“Harmless? Cassian is losing his shit out there.”
“Well, he does tend to be a bit overdramatic.”
“No, he doesn’t.”
“Well, I don’t know what to call your dynamic, but normal isn’t it, darling.”
“You’re talking about who’s normal?” Riette asked, gesturing with her hand to Damian standing behind Samantha.
“Oh, I’m altogether a different breed, but I own my shit. You just play in it.”
“This isn’t helpful. None of the shit that’s happened has been remotely helpful.”
“Exactly.”
“Let me go.”
“I will.”
“Samantha. Now.”
“You’re free to leave whenever.”
“But?”
“But,” Samantha said with a smile. “I was just trying to save us some time. You said you were willing to talk to me. Your lackey wasn’t going to allow it to happen. You would have pulled rank—”
“There isn’t a rank.”
“Denial isn’t cute on you.”
Riette took a step forward, and Damian moved closer to Samantha, gritting his teeth at R
iette over her shoulder.
Samantha didn’t turn around, but she patted the hand that he placed on her shoulder. She sighed. “We would have spent a dumb, inordinate amount of time getting this meeting to happen without the sidekicks.”
“They’re my family.”
“Potato fucking tomato, okay? I don’t give a shit. But it would have taken time I don’t fucking want to waste on bullshit. Not unlike this conversation. This was faster. I went with this.”
Riette grunted, and the flames appeared again on her hands. Her eyes widened, and she felt heat gather at her temples and between them, like things were brewing and energy was gathering in her mind.
She bit the inside of her cheek and closed her eyes. Letting out a breath, she opened them to see Samantha staring at her again, with Damian doing the same.
“I knew there was something special in you,” said Samantha. Her voice was almost not her own. It was lower, darker even.
“I’m me.”
“Stop. Stop doing that. Own it. You have more power surging through you than any Elf ever should. No offense.”
“How could I not take offense to that?”
“Stop fighting the power, choking it down, and pretending like you don’t have it.” Samantha took a step closer with her hand reached out. “Let it come out.”
Riette stepped back out of reach. She turned to watch Cassian raging against a wall. Trinity tried to calm him, and Corin was crying.
“Let me go, or there’s no deal. I’m not going to watch them suffer.”
“They’re fine,” said Samantha. “Maybe he needs to let it out too.”
Riette turned, and she unleashed the furious power that clicked and popped its way to the surface.
“Let me out to them, or I will lose my shit,” said Riette.
“There’s my girl,” said Samantha, her eyes unblinking as Riette felt the power slipping into her own.
Damian bristled behind her, watching Riette come into herself.
Samantha touched his arm and nodded.
“I want to work with you,” said Samantha. “This needs to happen. It’s kismet.”
“I’ll work with you,” Riette started and Samantha smiled, “but I need you in return.”