by K. M. Shea
“I kept falling down, and she would try to help me up. Fran is beautiful when she laughs, and she couldn’t stop giggling at me,” Ethan said, his eyes softening. “I didn’t bring a scarf, so when we skated side by side Fran wrapped the end of her scarf around me.”
I rolled my eyes and looked off to the side to avoid gagging. I was prepared to have to listen to him yawn on about how special Fran is, but I didn’t want a romantic blow by blow of their dates.
“She was so different than what I knew—what I thought I knew about humans. She smiled more, and she wasn’t stupid but dangerously clever. She sees the world in such a unique way, and she’s happy. Her love and devotion are strong and powerful,” Ethan said before looking at me. “She would give the world for you—and I hated that,” he admitted.
“She would have done the same for you,” I said. “But you betrayed her.”
Ethan looked down and didn’t answer.
“You realize that if we punish you, as you have said, you will never see her again,” I said. “Fran doesn’t know about magical beings. She can’t come here to see you.”
Ethan snorted. “She never would anyway. The moment she realized I kidnapped you, it was over,” he said, his voice twisted with pain.
“Maybe,” I shrugged. “But maybe not. Thing is, if you sit here and rot you’ll never know.”
Ethan snapped his neck so hard to look at me, I heard the bones crack. “You said if.”
I smiled. “I did. If you work with the MBRC and renounce your ties to Fidem, you can see her again. We will rehabilitate you into human society.”
There was a painful sounding smack as an elf—one of Administrator Moonspell or Aysel’s cronies I bet—plastered himself to the observational window and shook his head.
I gave the elf a friendly wave and returned my attention to Ethan. “It’s your choice. Don’t talk and rot, or explore your options.”
“It wouldn’t work,” Ethan said.
I was a little disappointed, but maybe I could push him harder. “Why not?”
“She hates me now,” Ethan said.
I blinked, surprised at what his objection was. “Right now, yeah. But I think you underestimate the feelings Fran has for you. She’ll forgive you—especially if I let her know I forgive you.”
Ethan tilted his head. “You would do that?”
“Yes. I would also tell her I think you’re a big stinking turd, but she’s done worse. Heck, if you reform yourself, kidnapping me is a lesser offense than what Brett Patterson did to her,” I snorted.
“Who?” Ethan frowned.
“Her ex. Anyway, the point is I’m not going to help you win her back. But I won’t stand in your way, and I’m willing to give you another chance,” I said.
“Why?” Ethan said. “I said I would kill you—I’m part of an organization that is actively seeking you.”
“You were a part of Fidem. As to why…,” I leaned back in my chair, trying to organize my thoughts. “When we were in the warehouse and the blast of magic hit, you jumped in front of Fran.”
“So?”
“It wasn’t something you did as part of your mission or fake character. You were terrified she was going to be hurt. That’s why,” I said.
Ethan stared at the table for a few moments before he nodded.
“Although,” I added. “If you ever put her in jeopardy or make her cry, I will put you in agonies worse than anything the MBRC could muster,” I said, my voice dark as I glared at the dark elf. I murderously held his gaze for a few moments before smiling. “That’s all I have to say. Start spilling your guts, and I’ll get to work on your release.”
“Do you think you can really get me freed and rehabilitated?” Ethan asked.
“Yes,” I said, sliding out of my chair. “It might take a while, but it will happen.”
“Then I’ll do it,” Ethan said.
Our audience erupted in chaos. Different beings scrambled every which way as they tried to prepare themselves for the tsunami of information they could get off Ethan.
“I can give you headquarter locations and layouts, member names, and operation plans,” Ethan said. “But we’ll need some paper, writing utensils, and a cream colored pony.”
“That’s a bizarre request, but whatever. They’ll get on it right away. I’ll be in touch,” I said, opening the door and stepping into the hallway.
“Morgan.”
I stopped to turn back to the dark elf. “Hm?”
The dark elf looked like he was warring with himself before he finally spat out, “Thank you.”
I smiled. “You’re welcome,” I said before Harrison closed the door.
“That was good of you, Miss Fae,” Baobab said.
“You’re giving me too much credit. I wouldn’t have bothered if I didn’t see how happy that pointy eared rat made Fran these past few weeks. Thank you for pretending to deliver the truth spell, by the way.”
“It worked,” Harrison said, sounding surprised as he passed a glowing ball of magic—it was both the reason why Harrison had to stand behind me, and why Harrison knew if Ethan was lying or not. It was a Pixie-tell, a magical glass globe that glowed different colors depending on whether or not the person speaking was telling the truth or lying.
“After all we’ve been through, we deserve an easy win,” I groaned. “Where’s my stuff?”
“I had it sent to your room,” Baobab said.
“My office?”
“No, your room.”
I frowned. “What room?”
“The room you will be staying in for the foreseeable future,” said a cold, snobby voice I unfortunately recognized.
“Aysel,” I said. “What do you want?”
“It is not a matter of what I want so much as you have unnecessarily inflicted yourself on the defense department and have, once again, managed to muddy the waters,” Aysel said as he continued down the hallway, two hobgoblins tagging along with him, carrying blocks of paper.
“Are you referring to how I just turned one of Fidem’s agents into an MBRC hopeful?” I asked when he stopped next to me.
Aysel frowned. “You do not have the clearance required to make such bargains, Morgan.”
“You’re just jealous because I was able to make him crack without your precious necklace,” I said.
Aysel narrowed his silver eyes at me. “I do not experience an emotion as low as jealousy.”
“Do too.”
“I do not.”
“Totally do.”
“I DO NOT, WOMAN!” Aysel thundered. He took a moment to get himself under control. “While you dealt…admirably with the captive, such bargaining and promises of rehabilitation can only be made by professionals.”
“Come on! I’m sure one of the teachers or guys I know would be glad to take him on,” I said.
“Perhaps, if he was released under your name and your protection, but he can’t be.”
“What do you mean?”
“You made it perfectly clear to my father that you will not further pursue employment with the MBRC when your contract is up.”
I hesitated.
“And you do not deny it,” Aysel said, cocking an eyebrow at me.
“I still don’t know what I want to do, and after this mess with Fidem…,” I trailed off.
“I am not attempting to beguile you into staying, Morgan,” Aysel said, some of the fight leaving him. “You must do what you need to do. However, you cannot keep your superstar status if you leave. We cannot release the dark elf for rehabilitation without serious collaboration between the defense and teaching department.”
“Will you at least try?” I asked.
Aysel pinched the bridge of his nose, as if my presence gave him a headache. “I will attempt it—although I am not optimistic of my success.”
“Thanks, Aysel,” I said.
Feeling that the conversation was done, I turned to ask Harrison a question, but Aysel interrupted me.
“Here is the key to your room.”
“Did you change the locks to my office or something?” I asked.
“No, it’s for your new living quarters.”
“My what?”
“It is too dangerous for you to live off the MBRC’s grounds. You have been attacked once a week for the past three weeks. That is unacceptable. Until Krad Temero is stopped or caught, arrangements have been made for you to live in the MBRC.”
“But, you can’t just, what will my parents say?” I said.
“They are under the impression you are staying with a friend for a week.”
“In the middle of the school year?!”
Aysel was mute.
“You used magic on them to make them agree, didn’t you? Gosh! It’s going to be a pain in the butt to get to school in the morning. Do you have any idea how cramped the train cars will be?”
“You will not attend school, either.”
“Aysel, it’s my senior year in high school. I can’t just stop going. I need to graduate!”
“Hunter Weller is taking care of your absence. Dave Smith and Frey Christenson will gather your schoolwork for you and deliver it to you every evening.”
“Aysel!” I whined.
“This is not negotiable, Morgan,” Aysel said. “Since you were held in the warehouse you are perhaps not aware just how difficult the fight was to retrieve you. If Madeline had not used your human friend to distract the leader, we might not have completed the retrieval. The MBRC cannot allow your life to be put in further danger. That is final,” Aysel said, his voice just as icy and bossy as his father’s.
I bit my lip. “Couldn’t I stay at Hunter’s place?” I asked.
Hunter had all the newest gaming systems, memberships to a ton of streaming movie services, and HD TV. At the MBRC the most I could do is try to surf the internet on my iPod.
Aysel glared at me.
“What?” I said. “It was worth a try.”
“If you attempt to leave, Harrison the Undaunted will notify the defense department, who will forcibly bring you back,” Aysel said. “If you do decide to leave, please inform me. It would warm my heart to watch the minotaurs drag you back, kicking and screaming.”
“Where’s my room?” I asked, glaring at Aysel.
“Harrison and Miss Baobab have been informed of its location,” Aysel said.
Harrison bowed in acknowledgement when I gave him an accusing look.
“Fine,” I said, my upper lip curling with distaste. “Good luck questioning the other captives.”
“Hmph,” Aysel said.
“Miss Fae,” Baobab said, placing a gentle hand on my elbow. “Perhaps you would feel better after washing and changing?”
My shoulders slumped in defeat. “I would,” I admitted.
“This way,” Baobab said, leading me away from Aysel.
I glared at the high elf one last time before I followed my secretary, Harrison trailing behind me.
13
Elf Proposals
I almost died on the way to my room because it was on the TOP floor of the MBRC, and the center never bothered to install elevators for public use. We actually had to take a break halfway up I was so out of breath.
The top floor was decorated in a marine theme. There were wall paintings of mermaids sitting on rock formations that overlooked a frothy ocean. Even though the decoration was a painting, the picture moved. Mermaids flipped their tails and braided their thick, beautiful hair, and waves crested and rolled in the ocean expanse. On the far side of the floor were water nymphs, playing in mountain streams.
Baobab led me down a small hallway that was perhaps the most detailed in decoration I had ever seen. Every scrap of the wall was painted. The left wall was a solid forest, and the ceiling was an expanse of the sky, which was colored purple with the hint of night. The right wall depicted a glassy lake. A hand was stretched out of the lake, clutching a shining sword.
“Is that…?” I gawked.
“This is your room,” Baobab said, stopping at a door.
I jolted out of my reverie. “Right. Um, thanks, Baobab,” I said, unlocking the door with the key Aysel gave me.
Harrison very nicely cut in front of me to get into the room first, to my bemusement. He disappeared inside, but I remained slack jawed at the entrance.
“Whoa,” I said, feeling the first prickles of guilt for my irritation with Aysel.
In spite of his sneering, he had hooked me up with a seriously sweet place.
The room was decorated in shades of blue and gray. The door opened up directly into a small library filled with a lot of books that I probably couldn’t read based on the scripts emblazed on the spines. Past the library was a bedroom.
A circular bed—no joke, the mattress was circular—hung in the air, fastened to the ceiling and the trunks of two huge trees that grew all the way to the ceiling. The branches were spread across the ceiling like vines, spreading their silver blue leaves through the room.
There was a beautiful dressing table and armoire that were stained a deep brown color and had trees carved into the sides. The library shelves and chairs in the library and the dressing table and the armoire were beautifully polished, but when I touched them my fingertips buzzed with the feeling of magic. They were probably as old as Chicago itself, if not older than America.
Still full of wonder, I popped into the bathroom—where Harrison was doing his final checks for…booby traps and stuff I guess.
The bathroom was worthy of a mermaid. It was a sea of marble with two sinks, and a giant mirror ornately framed by wood carved and colored to resemble seaweed. The bathtub was twice the size of my family’s dining room table, and it was practically deep enough to swim in.
“Does the MBRC run a hotel up here?” I asked.
“The MBRC houses many visiting dignitaries and leaders who visit Chicago,” Baobab said. “This room is typically used by water nymphs or naiads in positions of high leadership in the seelie court, or the Fairy Council.
“Wow,” I said, again feeling a little guilty for my complaints. I was still going to be bored out of my skull, but at least they weren’t shoving me into an empty office with a cot. (Which I would not put past Aysel as his first choice for me.)
“The room is clean,” Harrison announced.
“Thanks,” I said, taking inventory of the bath salts and oils lined up next to the enormous tub.
“If you will excuse me, Miss Fae. I must set about obtaining additional clothing for you,” Baobab said.
“Thanks, Baobab. You’re the best,” I said.
Baobab left after bowing her head, leaving Harrison and I in the bathroom.
Harrison did his best to stand in his usual stiff stance, but with his arm in a sling it was pretty tough. As curious as I was about the various bottles—there was essence of sea pearl in there—standing in the bathroom with my bodyguard was more than a little awkward. So I made a retreat to the bedroom under the pretext of wanting my stuff.
“Do you know where they put my stuff, Krusher?”
“It’s Harrison, Miss Fae.”
“You’re right. The armoire is the likeliest place,” I said, heading for the beautiful furniture piece. I paused when I heard a knock on the door.
When I turned towards the library Harrison ghosted out in front of me. I followed him to the door, which he opened a crack and blocked my view of it with his body.
After a moment he stepped aside and swung the door open, making way for Madeline and Frank.
“Madeline, Frank, hey,” I said, smiling at my friends and students.
Madeline didn’t say anything, she just threw herself at me. I caught her, my ribs protesting as she squeezed me tight. I pushed her blonde hair out of my face before looking to Frank for an explanation. The sweet werewolf had his head hunched into his shoulders. His eyes were soulful and upturned as he looked at me like a puppy longing to be petted.
I reached out with my free arm and patted the werewolf on the head.
“What ha
s you two looking so downcast?” I asked.
“You have no idea how terrifying it was when we realized you were taken,” Madeline said into my shoulder.
“Really? I thought it was a lot scarier when Krad used his magic on me,” I said.
“That’s because you have no sense of urgency,” Madeline said. She gave me one last squeeze before releasing me.
“I wasn’t hurt at all,” I pointed out.
Madeline gave me a sour look. “Only because we got lucky when we sent Fran in.”
“Yeah, that reminds me. I don’t appreciate you using Fran as bait. You should have wiped her memory and sent her home. Oh, come on in,” I said, backing up.
I plopped down on this overstuffed settee that forced me to sit up in perfect posture. Madeline plopped down next to me, and Frank sat in a wooden chair that was probably a lot more comfortable.
“But we had to use tact,” Frank said. “Fidem picked their hideout in the middle of your town. We had to get past the warehouse gates—which were spelled—before we could start using our actual magic.”
“Could we start from the beginning? Like, how did you find me? Last I saw my tracker necklace, a dark elf was carrying it off.”
“As soon as you set off the charm, the MBRC pinpointed your location. A team used magic gates to get to your location instantly. Using magic, they were able to confirm your presence in the warehouse and the absence of your guards,” Madeline said. “When they realized they couldn’t get through the gates without potent magic, they called for specialized backup. That’s when Fran stumbled on them—apparently she recognized her boyfriend’s car on the street.”
“She’s smart,” Frank chirped. “Most of the MBRC soldiers were hidden. There was just one who was out in the open a street up from the warehouse. She approached him and asked about you.”
“Being that MBRC soldiers are fighters and not rehabilitated, he panicked and called for additional help. Since Frank and I were available, and it is well known that I have been introduced to some of your friends and family, we were asked to come and speak with Fran,” Madeline said.
“Ahhh. Didn’t they know about your hemophobia? No offense, but you aren’t the first person I would choose to take on a mission that might involve fighting and bloodshed,” I said.
