by Holly Evans
The door became one with the concrete around it and vanished from view after the third attempt. The fae all shouted in their own native tongue as they gestured at the building. I leant back against the SUV and waited. There was nothing I could do, so I saw no reason in wasting my energy.
They devolved into a standoff. The elves stood glaring daggers at the Sidhe. Quin balled his hands into tight fists and looked slowly between each of them.
“I’m sure you heard what I did to Kadrix’s workshop last night,” he said slowly.
The fae passed a look between them and each took a step back. Maybe having magic wasn’t such a bad thing, after all.
My phone buzzed while the fae argued about what to do next. I caught the gist that they still had the other half of the recipe, but I wasn’t invited into the conversation. Felix was ringing me. I stepped away from the squabbling fae to take the call. Felix didn’t say much; it was half snarls and growls. Apparently, an adolescent lycan from his pack had been killed, and it looked like a hellhound. I told him I’d be there as soon as possible.
It couldn’t have been Lysander; he wouldn’t do that.
I walked up to the fae, who were shouting at each other in their own tongues again. I slapped the silver-haired elf around the back of the head and waited. They all turned to glare at me. I smiled sweetly.
“Driver, I need to get over to Felix,” I said.
If Azfin were capable of shooting laser beams with his eyes, I would have fried. Luckily for me, the most he could do was spit a few curses. The elf went to reach for my throat; I grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm behind his back, pushing his joints to their limits. I used my free hand to pull my blade and run the tip along his throat.
“Try that again, and I won’t think twice about slitting your throat. I’m a hunter, I exist to put little shits in their place,” I growled in his ear.
He exhaled slowly and said, “Fine.”
I pulled the blade away and released him.
“Now that we’ve re-established how this works,” I gestured to the group, “take me to Felix. Then you can continue your squabbling,” I said.
Kadrix glared daggers at me; Azfin looked as though he was going to break his jaw if it got any tighter. No one dared say a thing. We all piled back into the car.
Azfin drove like a possessed maniac with a death wish. I was pretty sure the vehicle spent more time on two wheels than four. I got out of the vehicle with wobbly legs and lots of new bruises where I’d been thrown around the back. I’d barely shut the door when he squealed off down the road and cut off a tram. Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself and prepared for a deeply unpleasant conversation. I hadn’t told Lysander. I didn’t want to worry him. I knew he was innocent.
Felix opened the door to Cafe Silhouette as I approached. His face was stony, and two other big males were crowding around behind him. Once I was inside, they surrounded me. His mate stood at his side, his second on the other side. The rest of them I didn’t recognise, but they were all a least twice my size and bristling. I raised an eyebrow and looked at Felix, waiting for him to explain the little display.
“The body stinks of hellhound,” he ground out.
“And where is it now?” I said.
He nodded in the direction of the back room. I narrowed my eyes.
“And you moved it because…?” I said.
“It will be given appropriate death rites,” Felix’s mate said.
“You didn’t think I should see the scene of the death? To see the evidence for myself?” I asked.
They all growled at me.
“Don’t push me,” I snarled back.
“You are biased, as you fuck it,” the second in command spat.
I had one blade at his groin and another at his throat before he had a chance to do much about it.
“Do not speak to me like that,” I said.
His eyes had widened a little. He froze as the blade began to sink into the delicate skin on his throat. I saw Felix make a hand gesture out the corner of my eye. His pack stepped back as far as they could, given the small room. I removed the blades from his second.
“What evidence do you have to suggest that a hellhound did this?” I asked Felix.
“The claw marks are not lycan. It stinks of hellhound. There are burn marks from its fire,” he ground out.
“Show me,” I said.
His eyes darkened but he led me through into the back room. I pulled out a small vial as I approached the body.
“Hand me a clean knife,” I told him as I crouched down next to the remains.
The young man must have been a couple of years older than me. His face had deep claw marks down one cheek. His chest was cracked open, displaying charred ribs. I used the knife one of the lycans handed me to scrape off some of the charring into the vial. I didn’t know what Kadrix could do, but I hoped he could prove it wasn’t hellfire that had caused those wounds. I stood and faced the pack.
“I am sorry for your loss. This,” I held up the vial, “will be going to Kadrix to analyse,” I said.
“Thank you, Evelyn,” Felix said quietly.
I considered smiling, but the tension was too much. The pack left me alone as I left the bar and pulled out my phone to tell Lysander the news. He was very quiet and answered in as few words as possible. We’d meet outside Kadrix’s workshop. On the walk there, I called Bryn and told him, as well. Elise wasn’t well enough to handle the news herself, which concerned me. I missed my best friend; I wanted to see her. I wanted her wisdom and support.
She had nothing for me.
Lysander was waiting for me when I arrived. He leant back against the wall of the lékárna, one leg bent to put a foot on the wall behind him. His hands were pushed into the pockets of his jeans, but he kept his chin up and his shoulders back. I smiled when I saw him and ran my hand over his cheek before I kissed him tenderly.
“I know you didn’t do it,” I said.
He wrapped his arms around my waist.
“I’m glad someone does, Evelyn,” he said with a sigh.
“They can’t really believe you did it.”
He growled quietly. “I’m the only hellhound in the city.”
I dragged my fingers through my hair. “Then they have something wrong. We know you didn’t do this.”
He kissed me softly.
“Thank you, Evelyn,” he said with a smile.
I ran my thumb over his collar. “You’re mine. I will protect you.”
We walked into the workshop, or what remained of it, with our heads held high. Lysander had done nothing wrong. Two pockmarked wooden tables stood in the middle of the empty room. The shelves that had covered nearly every wall were gone; it was bare. I stood and took it all in. It looked twice the size without stuff crammed in every tiny space. Kadrix emerged from somewhere.
“Evelyn. You’re too late to help tidy up,” he said.
“So I see.” I held up the vial. “I’m hoping you can tell me what caused this charring,” I said.
“Fire causes charring, Evelyn, even you know that,” he said.
I bristled at the even part. Quin came up behind me and took the vial.
“This came from the lycan?” he asked.
I nodded. Kadrix’s mouth tightened. The silver-haired elf came from the outside area.
“Ah, I see your hound killed a lycan,” he said.
Lysander growled.
“Lysander has killed no one,” I snapped.
“We still have the basic equipment we need to check this out back, Evie, it’ll take us ten minutes,” Quin said as he headed over to Kadrix.
His feet echoed around the empty space.
“Where will you go now?” I asked Kadrix.
He brushed imaginary dirt off his heather grey trousers.
“I am well-connected. I have secured somewhere just off Old Town Square,” he said.
I raised an eyebrow. The rent in Malá Strana was impressive; it must have been considerably more in O
ld Town Square. The elf sniffed before he turned to join Quin out where they’d put the equipment.
“Wait there, Evelyn, I have no desire to clean up whatever mess you may cause,” Kadrix called.
I gave his back a dark look.
I resisted the urge to pace around the empty space. It looked and felt wrong; it was adding to the anxiety of waiting for Quin to come back and clear Lysander’s name. The silver-haired elf watched from the other side of the room. He reminded me of a hawk watching a mouse. Lysander pulled me close to him and rested his chin on the top of my head.
“Relax, Evelyn,” he whispered.
I relaxed into him and stretched up to nuzzle his neck.
“I don’t like them suspecting you,” I said.
He ran his thumb over my lips with a smile. “Your protectiveness means a lot to me, Evelyn.”
I kissed across his knuckles.
“The charring was caused by artificial hellfire,” Kadrix said.
I turned to see him with a dark expression on his face and his arms crossed. I raised an eyebrow.
“You’re telling me someone made hellfire?” I asked.
“That is what artificial means, yes,” Kadrix replied.
I exhaled slowly and tried to calm myself.
“How?” I asked.
“And why?” Quin asked.
“Someone wishes to frame me,” Lysander growled. “There seems to be quite the plot to turn the city against us.”
“What is the witches’ end game?” I asked.
“Power,” Kadrix said.
“Freedom,” the silver-haired elf said.
All focus turned to him. “Excuse me?” I asked.
“They want freedom from oppression. They are tired of being hidden away, of being tied and unable to fully express themselves,” he said.
“You mean they’re pissed that they can’t treat humans as pets and prey,” I snarled.
The elf shrugged. “Semantics.”
“What’s happening with the recipe? The one that you, as a species, brought into creation and allowed the witches to get their hands on,” I asked.
Kadrix turned an interesting shade of pink. The silver-haired elf’s ears pinned back against his head.
“We have spoken with other fae and are considering a plan. We cannot get at the half that they stole, but we do still have the other half,” Kadrix said.
“What can they do with that half?” I asked.
“They have already begun experimenting with abominations. The half that they have could encourage further experimentation,” Kadrix said.
I ground my teeth together. “So your incompetence could destroy more innocent lives?”
“Much like you and your precious hunters have done?” the other elf snapped.
“We protect innocent lives,” I snarled.
Quin stepped between us.
“Evie, shouting about this won’t get us anywhere. There is clearly a disagreement about the role of hunters. Why you don’t you go and visit Bryn? I will continue to help form a plan to get the recipe back. It was, after all, me who broke down the protections,” Quin said.
It hurt to consider that I was having to visit Elise’s lover rather than my best friend. I needed her more than ever. We turned and walked out without another word.
Lysander wrapped his arm around my waist and guided me towards the park.
“The run will do us good,” he said with a grin.
“Is there anything a run won’t fix?” I asked teasingly.
He chewed on his bottom lip for a moment before he grinned and ran his hand down my hip. “Maybe one thing.”
I laughed and took off at a run up the hill.
Raif was sitting under the tree with a delicate little woman. Her pitch-black hair tumbled over her shoulders, her cheekbones were razor-sharp, and her eyes looked to be a striking golden hazel. I grinned to myself and went to walk over to them. Lysander took my hand.
“Let them have their moment, Evelyn. You can interrogate her later.”
I huffed and entwined my fingers in his. We did have bigger problems to deal with. Elise and Bryn stepped out of the church to greet us. Elise gave us a light hug, which Bryn echoed.
“Evie, it’s good to see you,” Elise said.
I grinned at her, “I’m so glad to see you up and out of bed!”
She smiled. “Bryn wanted me to have another day of bed rest, but I wasn’t having any of it. He’s told me the witches have been stirring up trouble.”
“They’ve been riling up the fae, and we believe they killed a young lycan. Someone created artificial hellfire and killed one of them, likely to try and frame Lysander and I,” I said.
“Come in and have some tea,” Bryn said.
I smiled. We couldn’t visit Elise without some tea. It wouldn’t have been right.
Raif remained outside with the young woman. Lysander gently pulled me inside when I glanced back at him. She looked to be at least part fae, and with the fae acting as oddly as they were, Lysander couldn’t blame me for being at least a little cautious. Still, he kept his arm around me and led me through into Elise’s living area, where Bryn was preparing tea.
Elise looked so small and fragile curled up on her sofa, I wanted to give her some of my strength and vitality while also making the witches that did that to her suffer.
“I wasn’t the only one, Evie,” Elise said quietly.
I frowned and waited for her to explain.
“Three other priestesses were attacked at the same time. Two were killed, one survived thanks to her other half,” Elise said. Her hands balled into tight fists. “The witches have gone too far. As soon as I’m well enough, I’m going to kick their asses. How dare they throw my city into such turmoil!?” she shouted.
Bryn reappeared with a tray full of teacups.
“You’ll be healed soon,” he said gently.
Elise sighed and slumped back against the sofa. “Kadrix said I have two more days of this. My lady has been whispering to me once more. She is understandably upset with the happenings in the city.”
“I assume she doesn’t have any names for us,” Lysander said.
Elise looked away and sipped at her tea.
“It would appear that someone is working very hard to block my connection to her. From what I have heard, they’re trying to weaken all of the priests and priestesses in the city,” she said.
“So they can weaken the veils?” I asked.
Elise nodded. “Yes. I had thought they wanted access to the infernal plane, but given they stole the recipe from Kadrix, I’m beginning to think it’s the fae plane they’re trying to get to.”
“What would they gain from that?” Lysander asked.
“A great deal of power, and more artifacts,” Bryn said.
I curled my lip.
“Why do those artifacts still exist?” I asked.
Bryn shrugged.
“The fae are proud of what they have done and created. They see no reason not to keep them,” he said.
We all drank our tea in an uncomfortable silence. Bryn gave Lysander and me a rather pointed look once we’d finished our tea.
I hugged Elise and said, “You’ll be well soon, then we’ll return this city to its rightful state. Together.”
She smiled and squeezed me tight.
“Two more days, then those witches will regret ever being born,” Elise said.
A weight lifted from me at hearing her words and the passion behind them; I’d missed her. The city would never have recovered if she’d have been killed. I didn’t think I’d have recovered either.
Lysander and I stepped back out into the courtyard area, where Raif and the woman were stood under the tree.
“Evie!” Raif called.
I greeted him with a smile. He was grinning from ear to ear, his hand was wrapped around the woman’s.
“Hey, this is Iona,” he gestured to the woman.
I smiled at her.
“It’s a pleasure
to meet you. Raif has spoken highly of you,” I said.
Raif’s eyes flicked to Lysander. “Sorry, this is my other half, Lysander.”
“You’re the hellhound they whisper about?” she asked.
I tensed. Her wide eyes and the awe written on her face suggested she meant no harm, but I wasn’t in the mood for that line of questioning. The witches were clearly causing more harm than I’d originally realised. I gave a sharp nod.
“Can Iona come for dinner?” Raif called out as we walked away.
“Sure,” I shrugged.
I wasn’t going to be the one cooking, and maybe she’d have something for us.
“We’ll destroy them. One by one,” I said to Lysander.
We’d just received a call from another hunter; redcaps had broken in and killed his young family that morning while he was out dealing with a nymph trying to savage a jogger.
He kissed my forehead. “That’s a little extreme, Evelyn.”
I stroked down his stomach.
“I’d take on the world for you,” I said softly.
He searched my face, his eyes drinking in every detail. The bond flared with warmth; I couldn’t help but smile at his happiness. He ran his thumb over my bottom lip.
“You really would,” he said with wonder.
I laughed. “I can’t lie, remember.”
His eyes danced with merriment before he pulled me a little closer to him. “We’ll resolve this problem, Evelyn. For now, we have to deal with each incident as it occurs.”
I muttered under my breath; waiting had never been my forté. We needed to find out who the head witch was and sever her head from her shoulders.
I’d told Quin that we were having a group meal at our place; we had to discuss everything that had gone on. That, and it was a way to introduce Iona to the chaos she’d been pulled into. Kadrix had shouted over the phone that he’d be cooking; he wasn’t willing to risk my cooking. Rather than being offended, I relaxed. It saved me from worrying about putting together a meal of that size. The elf was a good cook, and I liked a nice easy life.
