“I understand.” Jason tried to smile, but it was tight.
The other two nodded their understanding and we settled into our seats. I exerted some magic to lessen the attention we gained. The weaker fae would look away. Those stronger wouldn’t. I could probably push my magic to force them all to lose attention, but too much magic wasn’t something I wanted to risk in the middle of a fae bar.
Judah was behind the counter talking with his bartenders.
“When are we starting?” Foster asked. He sat next to me, his hand on my knee. I held his hand, fingers interlocked, loving that he was touching me. It helped ease some of the tension. Since sleeping with him on Saturday, it had become impossible to not touch him.
“Soon.” I scanned the crowd, fidgeting with my bracelet. I had hoped this would rope Laikynn in, but my charm wasn’t going off. All I could hope was that he had a snitch here so that he’d be on top of what was going on. It’d make everything so much easier. That’d be too easy though.
“Think he’s here?” Foster leaned over and whispered.
“It’d be nice.”
“A plant then?”
“Someone here has to plan to report to him.”
“You coming out will complicate things,” Foster said.
“It will also simplify things.”
He sighed, hating that I was setting myself up. This meeting acted as an announcement to Laikynn. We had argued and talked in circles about that one fact all day.
A zing of magic traveled through the air. Everyone went silent; all mutterings ended. There was the sound of a glass being put down, but that was it. Judah smoothly hopped up onto the bar, his hands shoved into the front pockets of his black jeans. He put on an air of being relaxed, but there was a tension that stiffened his muscles, saying otherwise.
If anyone dared to do anything, he was ready to eviscerate them. Judah in action as a leading member of the fae community was amazing to watch. His badassery came out, and he wasn’t going to let anyone push him around.
“Shit,” Foster whispered.
I smirked as the reality of who Foster had been ordering all these years really hit home for him. “Exactly. Frankly, I’m surprised Judah has allowed himself to be bossed around.”
“We are the top investigation firm in the city.”
“And you don’t think he is capable of becoming a competitor?” I asked.
That left Foster quiet as he considered it. Judah could have easily become Foster’s competitor. I wasn’t sure if saying competitor was even worth it. Judah’s business would decimate Foster’s. That was why I thought Judah was even scarier. There was a high level of control needed for someone Judah’s caliber to remain only an employee working under a human.
That also left one answer too. Judah could be working toward taking over Foster’s business. That I would expect from a fae. Now, Foster was considering it as he reexamined his employee.
“If all your attention is not on me right now, expect to be leaving here missing an appendage.” Judah’s hard voice was enough to make sure everyone was focused on him and not my small group of humans. “Good. As you can see, our city has a problem. A new drug is circling around our fae community.” He tilted his head toward the group of already affected fae. “If you continue to take that shit, I will personally hunt you down. I and my cohorts have already dealt with a situation that has nearly revealed our world. We already know that the humans cannot deal with us, and in a world full of iron and metals, we are not strong enough to fight back against them. The rule still applies. Put our community at risk of exposure and you will be eradicated. I have already talked with the enforcers. We are tightening the rule while this drug is going around. If a fae is found causing a disturbance during these times, it is an instant death. We will not relent on this. This new rule will be in effect until we resolve it.”
Judah paused and let the fae have a moment to take in the new information. Mutterings rose until Judah cleared his throat and everyone went quiet.
“I hear your grievances. I do not care. A rogue fae has come over from Faerie. He hopes to destroy this world and all of its peace. It may sound like a good idea for him to succeed, but I can guarantee that if he does so, we will all perish. We will not live through it. We have been bred in the human realm. We only know the magic of this world. If Faerie magic makes it into our world, it will kill us.” Judah waved his hands toward those already addicted. “If you need a reminder, look to them. What will happen to us will make that look like nothing. Those of us who are older know exactly what I am talking about.”
“You talk of the Blood Wars?” an older man said, standing near the front of the room.
“I do. Three hundred years ago, a large amount of fae came over from Faerie. They were powerful, full of Faerie magic. They were hunted for that. You saw what their magic did to fae who had never tasted that kind of magic before. They did not last twenty-four hours. That was only a taste of the magic too. The rogue fae wishes to tear the walls down and flood our world with all that magic. It’s too potent, and it will kill us.”
More mutterings went around.
“What is he talking about?” Foster whispered.
“I only read about it,” I replied. “There was a powerful family that had been exiled to this world after committing treason. The fae here went after them for the magic that they held. I don’t know much about it. Only that if fae born here tried to utilize that new magic, it killed them. Think about all those mutterings about self-combustion. That was why those rumors began spreading among the humans. Because of fae falling victim to that magic.”
“Shit,” Jason muttered.
I agreed with him.
“I would like to introduce all of you to someone. Joslyn, if you will.” He motioned to me.
I painted on my queen-like smile and stood up. I did my best, putting on a show for all the fae to see. I practically floated to the bar, and then instead of jumping up like Judah did, I did a little trick that made it look like I blinked up there. I was walking to the bar, still far enough away, and then I was standing by Judah’s side the next breath.
Fae gasped as I dropped some of my glamour to show them who I really was. I knew what they saw, the golden swirls on my translucent skin, my pointed ears, smaller nose, rounder eyes, the long length of my hair.
“I am Queen Joslyn Naevana. I have come to find the rogue fae who has caused unrest with my people and has now decided to do the same here. If you know anything about Laikynn, I suggest you come forward. If you are found to be colluding with him in any way, you will forfeit your life. No mercy will be shown. Do not mistake what he is doing as anything but an attack on our kind.”
“Our kind?” Someone snorted. “Aye, we know who ya are. The human queen. Faerie must have gone retarded for putting you on the throne.”
The man was short and stocky, belly protruding out. Rolls of fat gathered around his neck and arms, his shirt stained with sweat. I didn’t know how much was glamour and how much of it was himself, and didn’t want to waste effort in finding out. He was still distasteful.
I would volunteer to bite him but he smells as bad as he looks. If one smells bad and looks bad, then he will taste bad too, correct? Berry jumped up onto the bar, gathering attention. Those closest to the bar stumbled away, taking in the way Berry’s fur stood up. He was doing his wolfish smile, displaying all his pretty teeth for everyone to admire. It dared them to get closer to get a better look, making it easier for him to bite them. Oddly enough, people had fallen for it in the past. Hands were apparently a delicacy that Berry’s kind enjoyed.
“Would you like to challenge me?” I asked in an overly sweet tone. “Should I show you what happens when all that useless magic inside of you is stripped away and you are left as nothing but a pathetic sniveling shell of a fae? I don’t mind.”
The fae muttered as he backed off.
“If you know anything at all about the man who has created the weak spots around the city or supply
ing the drugs to the fae, speak. Otherwise, stay the fuck out of my way and stay clean. If there is a disturbance again by the fae, then they and their loved ones will not live.”
Knowing I needed to make a show, I touched my charm bracelet, activating one of my storage units. A whirlwind of magic exploded out of me and slammed into everyone in the room. Cries echoed around as they fell to their knees. The only people safe in the room were the humans. They looked around mystified by what was going on. Even Judah was on his knees, though he was one of the few not fighting it. The more they fought against my compulsion, the more it pained them. I gently touched the top of his head briefly to show that I respected him.
“I am only expecting you to kneel once,” I said, my voice sounding like it was coming from all directions. “But it does not mean you are not expected to show me respect. I am the Faerie Queen. I have been chosen as our leader and I will act as so. I will not tolerate disrespect.” I released the magic. “You may rise.”
No one moved, their instincts telling them to stay put.
“Well, look at that. You can be taught.”
I motioned for my humans to join me and then jumped down. They were at my side by the time I made it to the door. Only when I was going through it did the mutterings pick up.
The moment I stepped out into the alley, my bracelet went off. A current of magic shot through my arm and I grunted.
What is it? Berry asked, pressing against my leg.
“Josie?” Jason was at my side, holding on to my arm as it spasmed. The others tried to surround me, but I pushed away from them and took off, the magic running through my veins, whispering its directions into my limbs.
The others called out, but all of me was too focused on narrowing in on Laikynn. He was close, so close. Was he at the bar? Did the bar’s protection magic block me from sensing him? The distance between us narrowed as I used magic to increase my speed, desperate to get him.
So close.
You sense him? Berry was at my side. He was always at my side so I shouldn’t have been surprised he’d be there with me now too.
“Yes,” I managed to force out, the compulsion of hunting him down too strong. The tracking spell was made a little too strongly.
I was going to get him. Finally.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Miles went by as I weaved through the streets, trying to close the distance between my prey and me. I had wrapped magic tightly around my body to force pedestrians to look away and not see me. It wasn’t so much invisibility but more of a spell that forced people to look away and forget they saw me.
At one point, he had to know that I was closing in because he sped up.
We are going into dangerous territory, Berry reminded me.
I glanced around, realizing we were in a little pocket park, mainly walking paths along a river with trees and bushes to give it a sense of privacy. It was a lesser known one, so there weren’t many people around. Nature was strong there, spreading out all around me. Definitely more dangerous.
“Don’t care.” I shoved through some bushes, feeling them trying to scrape along my skin, but my magic protected me.
Laikynn came to a halting stop, not far away. I didn’t slow down, needing to finally take him down.
Using more magic, I softened my steps, hiding my presence.
“I already know you’re there.” His familiar voice was warm and smooth, almost enticing. “Never thought the bitch would send you. Surprised she’d let you out.”
I stepped out. Laikynn stood, facing the river, giving me his back. It was obvious that he didn’t fear me or care about the danger he was in. His long black hair was pulled back in a French braid, his glamour completely gone. His ears were long and pointed, skin ivory white.
“She didn’t let me do anything.”
“Hmm, left on your own. Finally strong enough?”
“You know her. If she didn’t want me here, I wouldn’t be.”
He chuckled. “A deal. Aren’t you sick of it? Strings keeping you back, forcing you to be what you don’t want to be?”
Cautiously, I moved slowly until I stood next him. He spared me a glance, his bottle-green eyes sparkling, his power slipping through.
“That’s the kind of situation we are in.”
He snorted. “She makes all these choices, not giving a damn how they affect any of us.” He waved at me. “A human turned into Faerie Queen.” He waved to himself. “A fae practically turned into a human. Her whims destroy people.”
“So you want to end that?”
“I want to even the playing ground. An entity like her should not have all the power. I’ll weaken her, force her to have to step back.”
“And by doing so, you’ll kill thousands.”
“If it means no one will suffer under her, it will even itself out.”
“You seriously believe that?” I asked, my anger flashing. “Was that all Lavi was to you?” Saying her name was near impossible. There were only a handful of fae who I trusted deeply. Jahandi was one, Laikynn used to be, and Lavi was the other until her untimely death.
He grimaced. “She was never supposed to be there.”
“She loved you.”
“Enough!” He whirled around, his face twisted in pure rage. “Lavi would have been fine if it weren’t for Faerie. She was not supposed to be there.”
“But she was, and you slaughtered her along with dozens more. And now you are about to take other fae away from their loved ones. All because you cannot accept your lot in life.”
Pain briefly crossed his face. He had truly loved that spunky fae. We both had.
“What about you?” He sneered. “Have you accepted your lot in life? I have been paying attention, Joslyn. You and those three men. Your lovers. I remember the stories you told me about them. Seems to me you never got over them. I do this, and they will be yours. You will never have to worry about losing them again.”
I stepped closer, knowing exactly where he was going with this. If I didn’t fall in line with him, he’d hurt them. Or try to. “I’ll be dead. I won’t have any time with them.”
His eyes turned into cold slits. I knew the signs and was ready by the time he tried to blast me with magic. His attack was still more powerful than I was prepared for and I went flying, smashing into a tree, branches stabbing at my skin. I barely landed on my feet and tried to recover.
Laikynn wasn’t giving me a chance, already following up on his attack. His magic slammed into me. Pain filled every pore in my body, ran through my veins and attacked my organs.
I screamed, trying to stop it.
Berry roared and the next moment, the pain was cut off, giving me a moment to breathe. Berry had dropped his glamour and was in his battle form, almost as tall as I was at that point. He was trying to attack Laikynn, but our opponent kept doing something that kept him back.
How was he so powerful? He had been nothing like this when he left Faerie.
I gathered magic from my charm bracelet and sent it whirling at him. He swatted it away like I wasn’t one of the most powerful fae around. Then he grabbed Berry by the neck and tossed him hard.
Berry yelped as he landed on his side.
Running, I threw myself to Berry, skidding across the grass to check over his body. Blood glistened on his coat, and the pain in his eyes sent me into a small panic.
“What have you done?” I cried out, running my hand down Berry’s body to get a feel for his injuries.
“Do you really think I haven’t thought this through?” Laikynn asked, stalking toward me. “I should thank you, Joslyn. If you hadn’t come into my life, I would never have figured this out.”
I forced myself to my feet. “What are you talking about?”
“You were human and incapable of taking in magic. Faerie found a way around that to make you a queen. An unnaturally powerful one at that. That made me realize that all I had to do was find a way around the loss of my magic. If Faerie took mine away, I only needed a new resource.
” He lifted his hand, fire forming into a swirling ball. “You are not the only powerful fae around. Not anymore.”
He threw the ball at me. I tossed out my arm, expelling a wave of magic to form a brief protective shield. The ball smashed into it before dispersing into sizzling steam.
“You’re slow,” Laikynn whispered at my back.
I jerked my elbow back, hitting only air.
His chuckle echoed all around, the steam lingering in the air, making it impossible to see him. The back of my neck grew impossibly cold before it zapped through my body. My legs caved and I crumbled to the ground, my neck so cold it felt like it was burning.
Joslyn! A whine came from Berry.
“My dear Joslyn.” Laikynn hovered over me with a sad expression. “I’m just as powerful if not more than you are now. I won’t let you hurt me until I get what I want.” Yelling came from the distance, and he sighed, as if the weight of the world were burying him. He leaned forward and pressed a painfully tender, brotherly kiss to my forehead. The same kind he used to give me all those years ago as we fought side by side.
He spared Berry a glance. “Later, old friend,” he said before disappearing. The yelling got louder as I stumbled to my feet, the blood in my veins so cold, my teeth chattered. He did something to me, but what? And how?
I didn’t understand. He shouldn’t have that kind of power, especially not on Earth.
“Josie!” The men came bursting through the bushes with wide, panicked faces. Judah was right behind them.
“I’m alive,” I said, managing to not collapse. That was as close to the truth as I could get because no, I was not okay. I hurt. I was freezing cold. And the haggard breathing from Berry was freaking me out.
“Berry,” I cried out, turning to him. He was still crumpled on the ground, now in a smaller form to show how weak he was.
I will live.
I blinked back tears of relief as the guys reached me. Foster was the first to pull me into a tight hug that drew a groan from me.
“Fuck, why are you so cold?” he asked.
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