by Brenda Trim
“It’s okay. I want you to know I never meant to cause problems when I decided to stay here. I don’t exactly know what I’m doing. Hell, I didn’t even know I had magic until a few months ago. But I promise I am doing everything I can to make our town safer. Speaking of, I need to do my job. If you ever need anything you can come to the door and ask. I’m always happy to help you.”
Her eyes flared and she stared at me for several seconds before she scooped up her nuts. “Thank you.” I nodded and stood up then waved before she scurried under the foliage and was out of sight.
This town was on edge. The temperature warmed slightly when I reached the mausoleum. It was odd, but I hardly noticed the cold while talking to Tunsall. Once inside, I pushed the brownie aside and focused on the matter at hand.
Like I had encountered last time, there was nothing there. When Kairi was asking to pass before there were winds that blew my hair blew around my head like a tornado. There were also lights spinning in the center of the room. They were bright enough to temporarily blind me.
There was nothing for me to calm this time. I had no idea if I could call up the fifteen-foot high oval that the lights had transformed into before. I calmed my mind and tried to connect with the Fae reaching out to me.
For a second energy whipped around me., but it was different. Like the wind outside, it had an edge to it that hadn’t been there before. I waited for a response for several seconds, but none came.
The pinging hadn’t stopped. “Dammit.” I felt like I was doing something wrong. I had no idea if it was supposed to work like it had with Kairi. I’d never done it before, and I haven’t discovered any information in the grimoire on this part of my job.
My shoulders slumped and I started for the exit, more than ready to climb back into bed when I doubled over. It felt like someone had taken a knife and sliced through my abdomen.
I crumpled to the floor while trying to catch my breath. I had no idea what was happening. Something seemed to push at me while the pain increased. Sweat broke out on my brow and my heart was once again racing in my chest. Although for a very different reason this time.
Push this asshole away. He can’t force his way through. Where the hell had that thought come from? I had no idea, but I was positive someone evil wanted to come through the portal.
Getting to my hands and knees, I shoved energy out of my chest with a refusal to accept the intrusion. I added some force of my own. You’re not getting through this portal on my watch.
I was locked in a battle of wills for several long seconds. I refused to give up or give in. Something snapped in the air and the pain was gone. I was able to suck in a full breath and climb to my feet.
Glancing down, I was relieved when I saw no blood. Battling something that wasn’t visible with no idea how to combat the unseen force left me more than shaken. I had some learning to do and fast. I made my way back to my house. I needed to find out if there was a way to set some kind of protection inside my mind. That asshole had made his way inside my head and toyed with me. That would never happen again.
I was completely surprised when Sebastian showed up on my porch with a pizza in hand. “You eat pizza?”
That eyebrow of his quirked and one corner of his mouth twitched. “No, I eat children. This is for you and your friends.”
I laughed at his version of a joke. He would never be a comedian, but I’d take this as a good sign. “Aislinn and Violet will thank you. There’s no food delivery service out here and I haven’t gone shopping. Did you text Sebastian to bring food?” I called out as we headed into the living room where I’d been curled up next to the fireplace.
Ever since earlier that morning in the mausoleum I hadn’t been able to banish the chills. Aislinn’s forehead wrinkled as she glanced at Violet whose lips were pursed.
“They didn’t call me. The energy coming off your property has been off since this morning. I gave you hours to correct the situation, but I couldn’t wait anymore. And, I was hungry.” Bas’s explanation was as surprising as his arrival.
When I sat down in the armchair and picked up my glass of wine, I scanned his face again. There were dark circles under his eyes. “Did I keep you up?”
He ignored my question entirely. “Tell me what happened. I’m certain the fix will be easy once I understand what changed.”
“You want some wine or whiskey?” I wanted him to have a drink, so he didn’t get frustrated with me.
I’d been trying all day to figure out what had happened but got nowhere. I called my girls a couple hours ago but none of us could figure it out. The grimoire had so much information than my brain was now mush.
I’d discovered that if I carry iron a trickster won’t single me out as someone to toy with, but there was nothing on actually guarding the portal. No mention of auras or anything. I wondered why my ancestors wouldn’t have documented colors and feelings to be wary of.
“Since it sounds like it’s going to be a long one, whiskey would be great. I’ll get it. I know where it is.” He waved me down as I was halfway out of my chair.
I plopped back down, and my girls gave me knowing looks. I rolled my eyes at them. “Stop. There’s nothing going on.”
“Uh huh,” Aislinn murmured as she tapped the arm of the couch. “That’s why he knows where your alcohol is.”
“And why you’re turning ten shades of red,” Violet added with a giggle.
I was shushing them when Sebastian returned to the room. “Tell me.”
I ignored the heat in my cheeks and gave him a rundown of what happened last night. He sipped his drink and grabbed a piece of pizza while I spoke. “There was nothing in the grimoire on how to deal with the portal. Every reference said the Fae could not force their way through the portal that they needed our permission because it was tied to our blood. Nothing else.”
The frustration was starting to build again and to add to that my stomach rumbled at that moment. Loudly. Bas pushed the pizza box toward us and gestured to the food.
“You haven’t eaten today. Eat.” The way Bas said that brokered no argument, so I shrugged my shoulders and grabbed a slice. I appreciated the extra garlic and fresh basil. I always added those to whatever pizza I ate.
I took a bite and spoke around a mouthful. Not exactly ladylike, but suddenly I was ravenous. “Do you know why this happened?”
Aislinn and Violet both grabbed a slice and dug in, as well. Sebastian picked up his second piece and took a bite. I didn’t think he was going to answer when he finally broke the silence. “And, you said there was an icy chill in the air?”
“Yeah,” I confirmed and took another bite. “It felt like it was going to snow. At first, I thought the ryme was close, but I never saw anything. And, Tunsall didn’t mention coming across anyone, either.”
Bas finished his pizza and set his drink on the coffee table next to the open box. “The key was in your grimoire after all. It said the portal is connected to your blood line, right? I suspect someone in Eidothea is trying to damage the portal on that end.”
“So, they’re trying to take it from her and destroy it? That doesn’t make any sense,” Aislinn added. She grabbed the bottle of wine and poured herself another glass.
I flinched when Bas glared at her. “That isn’t what I said. Listen carefully this time. I think someone is trying to damage the portal on the Fae side.”
Violet gasped. “They’re hoping to disrupt her bond. She’s how many generations removed. I’d bet they assume her Fae blood is weak.”
Bas nodded. “And hurting her in the process is an added bonus.”
“Okay, so whoever was knocking last night is hoping to leave me vulnerable to attack. I’m safe at Pymm’s Pondside. They can’t reach me if I stay here. Although, I don’t see that as a solution. We need to find out who is killing Fae in our town.” I grabbed another slice, but never got it to my mouth. The pinging started up again and it fell from my hands.
“Fiona. Are you okay?” I heard Violet
’s voice through a tunnel. It was muffled and sounded far away.
Standing up, I stumbled to the door. I needed to find out who was fucking with me. The sensation was so much worse than when Kairi knocked. For the past day it practically put me on my ass.
When a warm hand landed at the small of my back, I lifted my head and noticed Sebastian was there helping me make my way to the cemetery. His touch gave me strength and I found my back straightening and my hearing coming back online enough that I heard Aislinn and Violet’s footsteps behind us.
The night had turned frigid once again. I was pushing the door to the mausoleum open when I heard snarling. I turned in a circle scanning the area. “Do you see anything?”
Sebastian had wicked blades in his each of his hands. They looked kinda like hunting knives only bigger and with a dark blue glow to them. “There’s nothing close. Go inside and deal with the portal. It might be a Fae in immediate danger.”
“I’ll be right back,” I promised before I shoved the stone door open.
When I entered the crypt this time, I scanned the area with a wary eye. My gut told me Bas was right. There was no way I would allow this bastard to get to me. My heart hammered against my ribs and my breath sped up to the point I worried I might start hyperventilating.
There was a flicker of dark light in the corner of the room where skulls tapered down from the ceiling to meet some long bones. It gave me the heebie jeebies. There was evil behind that light.
I kept my focus on that area. “Conmostro!” My spell was directed at making the portal known. Whoever was on the other side was trying to harm me. When I paid attention, I felt blows to my chest.
The wind picked up and the air shimmered then lights started flashing. They didn’t blind me this time, but they were there unlike last night. Instead of being colorful like the first time it was dark grey, almost black.
When the light cleared, I saw a tall elf standing in the middle of the oval. His green eyes widened when they landed on me. The snarl he flashed toward me only served to enhance his crooked nose.
“I don’t know who you are, but this isn’t going to work. You’re done hurting me through this portal.”
“You aren’t strong enough to best me, halfling.” The way his lips curled when he called me a halfling told me how much he hated what I am.
I had no desire to debate with this guy, and I didn’t want him trying to get through to my side. “Excilium!” The spell flew from my mouth and I directed it at the greasy haired Fae. He screamed right before vanishing from the window I opened to Eidothea. I saw the bright green grass for a split second before it vanished.
My gut told me I had just royally pissed off the King of Faery. That was going to come back to bite me at some point. I’d deal with it when it came, but there was no way I was going to allow him to continue trying to hurt me through the portal. I followed that instinct that had been guiding me all along. Banishing him from the portal was going to help and hurt me eventually. That was a worry for another day.
Chapter 17
“What did you do?” Aislinn was rushing up to me the second I opened the door to the mausoleum.
I pulled the stone door shut and joined her and Violet. “I’m not sure exactly.” Whatever happened affected the weather. It was warmer now than it had been earlier. And, I was no longer chilled to the bone. Not that it was warm, but it wasn’t icy.
Bas scanned the area across the dirt driveway leading to my house. “Let’s talk about this inside.”
My feet were carrying me in his direction before I gave them the command to move. “What is it? Is there something out there?” My heart had just started to calm, but it was racing at light speed again.
Bas paused and waited for me and Aislinn and Violet to catch up with him. “There are Dark Fae lurking nearby. I didn’t expect them to be so close, but they’re out there. The aggression is heightened. I can feel their excitement.”
“What the hell are they excited about?” Violet bounced on her feet as if she was ready to attack.
Sebastian glared at her, giving her a pointed look before he continued into the house. I went to the kitchen and put a kettle on to boil then grabbed four mugs and two boxes of tea bags.
I opened the pantry searching for cookies or any snack I could add to the tray. One of the first things Grams and my mom taught me was that I always had to offer a snack with tea. There was nothing in there, so I grabbed the apples from the fridge and put them on one side of the tray and carried it into the living room.
Violet cocked her head with a smile. “Apples? That’s a new one.”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the heat that crept up. Good manners had been important growing up. My mom and Grams would be upset if they saw what I was trying to pass off with tea.
“In my defense, I haven’t gone shopping all week and I’m out of everything. I can’t put out a tray without something.” I waved my hand through the air.
Aislinn chuckled. “If I’d known I would have brought something. Not that I care. I’m going to have more pizza with my tea.”
The kettle whistled and I went to get it. I snatched a trivet on my way back, so I didn’t ruin the tray or the coffee table. “Does anyone want wine or whiskey or vodka?”
“Whiskey, please,” Sebastian replied as he held out his glass.
Violet handed me her wine glass. “I’ll have tea.”
I grabbed the other two empties and put them in the sink with the exception of Sebastian’s cup. I tossed in some ice and returned with the bottle and handed them both to him.
“What did you see out there?”
Bas held my gaze for several seconds. The look in his eyes was intense and not precisely sexual, but there was something there that had my libido doing jumping jacks and trying to grab his attention. It was almost as if he was laying a claim to me which was ridiculous. As nice as this was, we had more important things to discuss. He broke eye contact when I arched an eyebrow at him.
The tension was building to an inevitable conclusion. Not now. You’re being hunted! I wasn’t sure I agreed, but I put that aside for now. I’ve been through enough in my life to know I couldn’t ignore the situation, or it would cost me greatly.
“There were at least four powerful Dark Fae far closer to your property line than I anticipated. It seemed as if the spell we cast the other day was strong enough to withstand just about anything, but I was wrong. It should have kept these creatures further away than that. They’re taking a huge risk with us standing right there with you.”
Aislinn snorted and shook her head. “You mean you. I don’t frighten flies. No one thinks I’m powerful enough to boil water, let alone do some real damage.”
“I am getting sick and tired of things stalking me. Maybe I need to banish them too.” I poured hot water into a mug and added a tea bag.
Sebastian popped the cork and poured amber liquid over his ice then sat back with the tumbler cradled in his hand. “I think you’d better tell us what happened in the crypt.”
“At first it was like it had been last night,” I explained then told them how I opened the portal and encountered the guy on the other side. I don’t know what I would do without these three to help me through this right now. Grams had to be looking out for me and pulling strings behind the scenes. Otherwise I’d still be working through the fact that I made flowers bloom on lily pads two months ago.
“What was it like when Kairi came through?” Aislinn asked the second I stopped talking.
“The winds weren’t cold, and they were untamed. And the lights swirled in a cyclone like a tornado. It wasn’t just those factors that were different. The first time I didn’t feel threatened. But it was more than that. I felt hits to my gut like I was being stabbed over and over again with a toothpick.”
Bas’s eyebrow went up at that. I growled and narrowed my eyes. “It’s worse than it sounds. At first it felt like one of those knives you had earlier, but when I refused to allow the portal to
be sullied by evil and it became a toothpick. But imagine a small stick being jabbed into you a hundred times or more in less than a minute. It doesn’t feel good.”
Bas nodded once. “Did this elf have straight black hair and a crooked nose?”
My gut roiled. Please don’t be that bastard of a king. “Yes, he did. He had green eyes and a pitch-black aura. I’ve never seen malevolence is such a pretty package.”
“And you banished him?” Bas sat forward with his elbows on his knees and his hands between his legs while he held his glass between them.
My throat was suddenly dry as paper and clicked when I swallowed. I took a sip of tea to cover the coughing fit I experienced. “Yeah. All I could think of was forcing him away from the portal. Honestly, I was just tired of the way he kept chipping away at me through the damn thing. It was more annoying than anything, but I’ll be damned if I’m the one that ruins my family legacy.”
Sebastian chuckled at that. Aislinn lower jaw dropped to her chest. Violet’s eyes flew wide and her hand went to her mouth.
“You do realize you managed to force the King of the Fae from what he should have had dominion over. That’s not something even I can claim, “ Sebastian informed me.
“Not likely. I’m not powerful enough.” The words were out of my mouth before they even registered in my mind.
“Whoa,” Aislinn blurted.
Violet leaned forward and fixed herself some tea. “I’ll say. You’re badass, Fiona. I’m glad you’re one of the good guys. We’d be screwed if you sided with the king.”
Bas ran his hand along his chin and scrubbed the five o’clock shadow growing there. “How? You shouldn’t be able to make him take a step, let alone force him away from the portal altogether.”
That seems unlikely. I understood his doubt. I knew next to nothing about my magic and barely had enough power to make a pencil float. I bit my thumbnail. “Did my Grams or anyone else in my family ever mention facing him through the portal? I mean maybe it is possible, but they were never faced with the need or opportunity.”
