by Amy Pennza
“So you kept her prisoner?”
“I like to think of it as an opportunity for extended reflection.”
A warm breeze drifted across the balcony, bringing a fresh wave of blood-soaked air. Crom turned and gazed at the field. As he did, he seemed to . . . not grow, really. It was more like he became more. Stronger. More solid.
This was probably as close to his true form as I’d ever see.
He looked at me. A little smile played around his mouth. “Not quite, Elin,” he murmured. Then he dropped his glamour.
His blond hair lightened and grew curlier—as glorious as a woman’s. A circle of flowers and vines perched on his head like a crown, and his skin glowed. Pointed ears peeked from his curls, which fell loose around his shoulders and cascaded nearly to his waist.
But the hair didn’t make him feminine. On the contrary, he was fierce. Beautiful and deadly. His features were sharper, like clay that had been chiseled with a knife. Impossibly blue eyes—haughty and cruel—stared back at me.
Predator.
That’s what he was. A dangerous, alien predator. I knew instinctively that if he parted those full, sensual lips, pointed teeth would greet me. The being behind those eyes didn’t have the same kinds of emotions as other people—even other Mythicals. It chose to play along in society. And it could choose to stop playing whenever it wished.
In a blink, he switched back to the Hauk-but-not-Hauk form. Relief had me releasing a tense breath.
He brushed the back of his hand across my cheek.
When did he get so close?
“Why so frightened?” he asked. “We’re not all that different, Elin.” He tipped my chin up and made a throaty sound of appreciation. “Daughter of rage and beauty. You might be surprised what you see if you ever bother to really look in that mirror.”
“I . . .” Warmth curled in my belly. When I spoke next, it seemed as if my voice came from far away. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Of course not,” he whispered. “Stay with me, and I’ll show you.”
“Wh-What?”
He turned my head so I faced the study. But now it was filled with people. Couples in Georgian costume whirled in a waltz, the ladies’ gowns billowing like colorful flowers. The gentlemen wore powdered wigs tied back with satin ribbons, and several sported makeup as dramatic as the women’s. In the corner, a group of musicians bent over violins, the music mingling with the dancers’ laughter.
It all took place in a dreamy haze—almost but not quite like slow motion. Something like snow drifted through the air. I followed the descent of one flake, which disappeared before it touched the floor.
Crom turned my face the other way. Now I looked upon the terrace. The balcony and battle were long gone, replaced with a bright green lawn and a huge multi-tiered fountain. Women in white shifts frolicked in the lower basin, screeching and splashing each other. The water soaked them to the skin, molding the shifts to their thighs and breasts. One scooped water into her hands and let it cascade down her neck and torso, her head tipped back on a contented sigh.
Naiads. Asher called them “water humpers.”
Asher. My uncle . . . A memory tugged at me. Wasn’t there something I was supposed to be doing?
Warm fingers caressed my cheek. Crom drew my attention back to him.
Beautiful. He was so beautiful. Was this what I was supposed to be doing?
“It could be,” he said, smiling. “Stay with me. I’ll make you a queen. It’s all here, Elin. Yours for the taking. No more fighting, no need to chase after immortality.”
Immortality . . .
That word was important.
There was something I was supposed to do—some task I needed to complete.
I struggled against the lassitude that threatened to swamp me.
A task . . . There was a task.
No. Not a task. A quest.
Hauk.
My head cleared.
Crom narrowed his eyes.
“Hauk,” I said. I pulled my chin from his grasp. “I’m here for Hauk.”
The music stopped. The dancers froze. Outside, the naiads paused their play and gasped.
I didn’t dare turn my head toward the fountain. That meant taking my eyes off Crom, whose face had darkened with anger.
His armor had disappeared, and he wore the simple pants and open shirt from before. He lifted a hand. I braced myself for a blow, but he ran a fingertip down my jaw.
Or maybe it was a claw. My heart raced, and little tremors started in my stomach and worked their way down my legs.
In my peripheral vision, the naiads scrambled from the fountain and scurried away, their bare feet soundless on the grass.
“So you’re determined to help my son, are you?” Crom’s voice was light, but there was a current of tension underneath it. Like he was restraining his temper.
“Yes.” And myself. If I could bring my mother ba—
I shoved the thought aside.
But it was too late. Crom clicked his tongue. “Ahh, quite the plot you’ve devised, fair Elin. Whatever will Hauk think when he finds out you deceived him?”
I licked my lips, which had gone dry. “I’ll make it up to him. I’ll help him find another way.”
“What way is that?”
“I don’t know. I’ll figure it out.” Even to my own ears, my response sounded lame.
Apparently, Crom thought so, too, because he rolled his eyes. “You’ll ‘figure it out.’ Spoken like a twenty-one-year-old.”
My own temper rose, but I kept silent. Hauk was already living. My mother’s life had been cut short. I had a chance to right that wrong. Hauk would understand. He had to.
Crom tilted his head. “How did she die?”
“A car crash. Shortly after I was born.”
“An immortal nymph? Struck down in a motor car accident?”
“It plunged off the side of a mountain. In California.” According to Asher, who’d raced to the scene before the human authorities could discover her body, fire had consumed everything. Not even a Mythical could survive that. It was one of the reasons humans had burned so many witches in the past.
Crom studied me a moment, and I fought the urge to squirm. If I shifted my eyes just a little, I could see the dancers suspended mid-movement.
Not creepy at all.
At last, he spoke. “Do you care for my son?”
“I . . . he's a friend.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Lying was pointless. But did I care for Hauk? I was attracted to him. I couldn’t deny that. But he’d also led me on so he could assess my ability to seduce Radegast. Sure, he claimed he’d changed his mind once he got to know me, but that could be a lie, too.
“It’s complicated,” Crom said, clearly reading my thoughts again. He sighed. “Love always is.”
“I never said I love him.”
Crom continued like I hadn’t spoken. “I’m giving you this against my better judgment. Remember that.”
Giving me what? Panic leapt in my chest. It was never good to accept gifts from the Fae, especially the high Fae. They could use it as an excuse to claim you owed them something.
He took my face in both hands. “You can pass it on to Hauk if you wish.” The side of his mouth quirked up. “I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”
“What do you—”
He pressed his lips to mine.
I gasped, unwittingly giving him more access.
He took it, plunging his tongue deep.
My hands flew to his wrists, protests crowding my throat. Before I could push away, knowledge landed on my tongue.
It was like words yet nothing like words at all. One second, I had no idea where Radegast lived. The next second, I did. In a blink, I knew the exact coordinates for his castle. I couldn’t have written them down. I couldn’t picture them in my mind.
But if I opened my mouth, I knew I could speak them. Because Crom Cruach had just put them on my tongue.
He held my head still, plundering my mouth. And his voice spoke in my mind.
“Don’t forget to think outside the box, Elin. Also, if you tire of chasing after naughty Mythicals, my offer still stands . . .”
I pushed at his hands—
—and stood on the grass outside the mansion.
My vision was blurry. Crom’s parting words rang in my head.
Think outside the box? That’s the best advice a millennia-old god could come up with?
Strong hands gripped my shoulders, and Hauk shouted in my face. “Elin! Where the hell have you been?”
My head spun. I slapped at his arms. He released me, then put a hand on my shoulder and steadied me.
Slowly, my vision returned. He hovered over me, his face pale and worried.
I touched my tingling lips. The dizziness cleared, but my body felt weak—like my legs wouldn’t hold me up much longer. “What? How long was I gone?” I stepped back, throwing off his hand. “Where were you?”
His brows pulled together. “I told you not to leave my side.”
“I didn’t! You and Crom were arguing, and then I was alone with him.”
Hauk looked at the mansion. “Sounds like a stunt he’d pull.” He turned his gaze back to me. “Did he hurt you?”
“No,” I said quickly. He’d kissed me without permission, but if that was the worst that happened, I considered myself fortunate. Plus, the kiss hadn’t been in vain. “He told me where Radegast is. That’s why we came here, right?”
Hauk’s eyes widened. “You’re certain?”
“Definitely.”
He looked like he had more questions, but he motioned me to his side. “Come on. The sooner we get out of here, the better I’ll feel.”
“Me too.”
He picked up my duffel and handed it to me. “Hold this. I’ll open a portal.”
“You still have it!” I took the duffel and hugged it to my middle.
He gave me a look. “It’s just been me and your bag in this field for two hours.”
Two hours? “Do you think time passed differently in the real world?” What if we got back and it was a hundred years in the future?
Hauk raised his palms, then slowly pulled them apart. A white rectangle filled the air between them. “Only one way to find out.”
Clutching the duffel, I gripped his arm.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yes.” I glanced at the mansion. “Let’s go.”
He widened the rectangle, and we stepped through it.
11
We emerged in a wide hallway lined with gray doors.
I stepped away from Hauk. “That wasn’t nearly as bad as the first portal.” For example, my skin still felt attached to my body.
“It’s always like that. Entering Faerie is a lot harder than leaving it.”
I gazed around. Each door had a small brass plaque with a number on it. The walls were painted a pleasant taupe and lit by elegant sconces. “Is this a hotel?”
“Apartment building.” He dug in his back pocket and produced a key. “This one’s mine.”
Surprise flitted through me. “You have an apartment?”
“Several.” He unlocked the door and held it open, motioning for me to precede him.
As I walked inside, lights sprang to life, illuminating a small but stylish living room with an attached kitchen.
Hauk entered behind me, closed the door, and flipped the deadbolt. “Make yourself at home.”
I was already moving toward a bank of floor-to-ceiling windows. Sheer curtains covered them, but the fabric couldn’t hide the dazzling lights outside. I dropped my duffel on a nearby sofa, then swept the curtains aside and caught my breath. The Eiffel Tower stood proud in the near distance, its framework sparkling with thousands of warm, glowing lights.
Hauk spoke beside me. “There’s a balcony, but it’s probably too cold to sit outside.”
“You have the Eiffel Tower outside your apartment,” I said, still gazing at it.
“Have you seen it? During the day, I mean.”
I shook my head. “I’ve never been to Paris.” I looked at him. “Well, until now, I guess.”
He smiled. “I’ll take you around to all the sites.” His smile faded a little, and he added, “Once we complete the quest.”
Radegast. My excitement withered, and I let the curtains drop back into place. “He’s not in Paris.”
“I figured as much.” Hauk turned from the window and looked at a TV stand decked out with several video game consoles and digital displays. “It’s still the same day,” he said, relief in his voice. “We didn’t lose any time.”
I breathed out my own relief. In my enthusiasm to see the Eiffel Tower, I’d forgotten about the possibility of a Faerie time shift. “That’s good.”
“Hungry?” Without waiting for an answer, he went to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and stuck his head in.
My stomach rumbled. I clapped a hand over it. “Starving.”
Glass clinked, and he backed out of the fridge holding two longneck beers. He set them on the counter, then popped open the freezer and rummaged inside. He withdrew a handful of plastic-wrapped bundles and used his elbow to shut the door.
Awkwardness descended over me. “Need any help?”
“Nah, I got it.” He grabbed a pair of scissors from a knife block and began snipping one end of each bundle. “I’m afraid frozen burritos are the best I can do right now.”
That was just fine with me. I’d lost track of the last time I ate.
“Have a seat,” he said. “These will take a few minutes.”
I moved my duffel from the sofa to the floor and sat down. Not wanting to stare at Hauk as he worked, I let my gaze wander. Besides the amazing view, the apartment seemed to consist of just the living room, kitchen, and a single bedroom. A door near the TV stand stood slightly open, and the edge of a bed was just visible in the light that spilled over the threshold.
In the corner between the bedroom door and the balcony leaned my bo staff.
My heart skipped a beat. “Hauk?”
“Mmmm?”
“Did you bring my staff from Bjørneskalle? The one from your study?”
He came from the kitchen, a towel in his hands. His gaze went to the corner. “No.”
I looked at him. “Then how did it get here?”
A heartbeat passed. He stared at the staff a moment, then met my gaze. “Magic can be weird. The staff seems to have taken a liking to you. That could be a good thing.”
Or a bad thing. After all, it had seemed to revel in the nettles’ attack on Maja. What if it was evil?
I lowered my voice, as if the staff might take offense at our conversation. “I’m not sure I like it following me around.”
“It’s never tried to harm you, has it?”
“No, but . . .” I looked toward the corner again, my lower lip between my teeth.
He made an odd sound. I swung my gaze back to him just as he jerked his up.
Because he’d been staring at my mouth.
My cheeks heated.
“I’ll just . . .” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “Burritos.”
“Okay.”
He went back to the kitchen without another word. I sat quietly while he shoved burritos into the microwave and punched the buttons.
Although we’d spent hours together on top of the Dragon Tower, there was something different about being in his apartment. It was his private space—a place where he slept. The intimacy of it was undeniable. As much as I told myself this was a partnership—that we were on a mission—it felt more like a date.
“Don’t tell the Parisians I fed you frozen burritos,” he said, approaching me with a plate in his hand. He set it on the low table in front of me, along with several paper towels. Three burritos were arranged on the plate next to a generous dollop of guacamole.
“Thank you. I’d eat just about anything right now.”
He returned to the kitche
n. A second later, he came back with his own plate in one hand and the beers in the other. He handed me a beer, then settled on the sofa next to me.
“Let’s eat,” he said. “Then we’ll talk Radegast and the rest.”
Over the next few minutes, the only sounds in the room were quiet chewing and the occasional traffic noise from the street below. I polished off two and a half burritos, then downed my beer. Blond eyebrows raised in amusement, Hauk fetched me another.
“Thanks,” I said, accepting it and wrapping my hands around the frosty bottle. “I guess I didn’t realize how much being in Faerie drained me.”
He pushed his empty plate away and turned toward me, his arm along the back of the sofa. “Speaking of Faerie. How much do you know about Radegast?”
I thought over the stories I’d heard. “Slavic god of hospitality. Loves a party. Generally merry?”
Hauk grimaced. “Maybe in the past. For the last couple of decades, rumor has it he’s been holed up in a castle in a remote part of Russia. He mostly keeps to himself.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.”
“No, but I said mostly. On the occasions he makes a foray into the real world, humans have a way of mysteriously dying. Have you ever heard of the Dyatlov Pass incident?”
For a second, I was speechless. “Nine hikers who died in the Ural Mountains in the late fifties? No one ever figured out who killed them?”
“Yes, and two of them had chest trauma caused by a force no human could have produced. Some were missing their eyes and parts of their face.”
The burritos made a threatening gurgle in my stomach. I swallowed. “You, ah, think Radegast did that?”
“There have been other incidents. The Rage Lords kept them quiet. Made it look like an avalanche or animal attacks. But magic leaves a signature, and Fae magic is very distinguishable.”
I knew all about that. My visit with Crom would be stuck in my mind forever. After seeing his real form, it was easy to imagine a being like that killing innocent humans for sport—or for no reason at all. The alien creature that had peeked out from behind those vivid blue eyes was capable of anything.
“Are you all right?” Hauk’s face was worried.
I waved a hand. “Oh. Yes. Just thinking about how weird today was.”