by K. M. Shea
“This is true,” Ranulf said, tilting his head as he considered the matter.
“He seems to follow her movements closely,” Gywndyn said.
“Morgan has already encountered Krad and his men more than she should. She has gotten information for you and turned a black hearted Dökkàlfar who has given us more intelligence than any of your scouts. She has done more than enough,” Devin said, coming to stand behind me. He planted his hands on the back of my chair and leaned over my head. I couldn’t see his face, but based on the various guilty expressions the board members were showing, he probably looked scary.
“Additionally, you cannot make her,” Hunter said.
“She is an MBRC employee,” Administrator Moonspell said.
“Perhaps, but there is a clause in her contract that makes provisions for her safety. Telling her to face Krad Temero is most certainly a breach of that clause,” Hunter said.
“And how do you know the contents of her contract, Hunter Weller?” Administrator Moonspell asked.
Hunter narrowed his eyes and said nothing.
I shrugged, not surprised. Harrison had probably gotten a good look at it. Naturally he would report back to his leader.
“Hunter Weller is correct,” Aysel said after a few moments of silence. “Morgan Fae cannot be forced to face Krad Temero according to her MBRC contract.”
“Plus there’s the matter of her humanity,” the dryad said.
“What does her race have anything to do with this beyond the fact that it has earned her Krad’s eternal hatred?” Luka asked, rolling his eyes.
The dryad flushed angrily. “If Krad doesn’t get upset and he uses his magic on her, she’ll be used to charge him beyond what we can handle. We would essentially be sending him a tool to use against us.”
Everyone turned to stare at the dryad.
“What?” she said. “I am not completely vapid!”
“I never thought I would utter this, but Privet is right,” Elros said, looking deeply perplexed.
“I forgot about Krad’s magic,” Dante admitted
“So what do we do?” the fairy representative asked.
Devin finally stood upright. “We could always call the Beer—,”
“NO!” everyone shouted.
“We just got rid of them a year ago,” Administrator Moonspell said. “I will not invite those ruffians back.”
“They ruined the skytop gardens the month before they left,” the fairy representative said.
“Then what do we do? We have limited options,” Devin said.
The board fell silent again. Each board member’s face was twisted in their particular thinking pose.
I spoke for the first time since the meeting started. “I’ll go.”
“You’ll what?” Luka asked.
“I’ll confront Krad. Privet is right. I can power him, but I’m confident I can get him into a good screaming temper tantrum before he thinks to use his powers. You’ll have a short time to snatch him,” I said.
“Don’t be stupid, Morgan,” Hunter ruthlessly said. “It’s too dangerous.”
“I can’t spend the rest of my life cooped up in the MBRC,” I said. “It’s been a week and I’m about ready to lose it. Plus, spelled or not, pretty soon my parents are going to realize I haven’t been going to school.”
“If you gave our fighters even a minute, I’m certain it would be enough to take out Krad,” Dante said, a smile splitting his face.
“We would send the Shadow Shifters to be sure—it’s about time they earn their paycheck—but whom else?” Elros asked.
“Weller Goblin Enterprises will lend some security personnel,” Hunter said.
“At what cost?” Blood Binder dryly asked.
“A reduced price, I promise,” Hunter purred.
“Morgan,” Devin said, pulling on my chair so I faced him. “Are you sure about this?”
“Yeah,” I said.
“Last time you saw him you were terrified,” Devin said, his voice quiet. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I know,” I said. “And I still might be terrified when I see him…but I can’t keep cowering in safety.”
Devin slowly nodded. “I will go with Morgan,” he announced, circling the table to take his place in an empty chair near Administrator Moonspell.
“You’re just as stupid as she is,” Hunter said without hesitation.
“We can’t send her in alone,” Devin said. “Krad will see straight through that. We need to make him think it is his idea to attack us, or he will not show.”
“You are a councilmember and the Pooka! It’s too dangerous,” the fairy argued.
“It is my choice to accompany Morgan. None of you have the rank needed to stop me,” Devin said.
“You have no heir—you cannot risk it,” Blood Binder said.
“Then you’ll just have to be careful to actually get Krad, which I would hope you do anyway as Morgan is risking her neck for you,” Devin said with a frosty smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Morgan, I need to speak to you,” Aysel said, ghosting up to me.
I almost jumped out of my skin in fright. “Okay,” I said, when my heart recovered.
“Outside,” he said, tipping his head to the door.
“Is that okay?” I whispered, glancing at the board. Most of the members were still trying to convince Devin to stay out of it.
“It will take the Pooka some time to win them over. We will not miss anything. Come,” Aysel said.
I followed him, slipping out of the meeting room and past the two minotaurs and four elf guards posted by the door.
We strolled down the empty, undecorated hallway. Aysel led us all the way to a small inlet that was just one intersection from the main MBRC chamber. It was part of the hallway, but there were chairs, a fish tank, and two coffee shop tables.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” I asked as we sat down at one of the tables.
“Are you positive you want to face Krad?” Aysel asked. He was not concerned like Devin was, but he was very serious.
“Yes. No one is forcing me. I just see how tough it will be to bait him properly without me. Besides, I already have such great practice,” I wryly said.
“You are certain?”
“Yes.”
Aysel nodded. “Very well. I am sure you will be informed in how you should handle yourself should Krad use his magic on you again, but I want to remind you that it is your emotions Krad’s magic depend on.”
“Yeah, my fear charges him. I got that.”
“It is not just your fear. If you express love, Krad will be flooded and powered by that emotion. It will swamp him the same way your fear does.”
“I think you told me that when I first talked to you about his magic.”
“I did, however, even I had not realized how easily his powers can be turned against him,” Aysel said.
“What do you mean?”
“The dark elf defector—Ethan. His opinion of humans changed because of the affection one human girl had for him—and he doesn’t have a scrap of the dark magic Krad has.”
“So you’re thinking if Fran had such a profound effect on Ethan without magic, if I radiate love I should have an even bigger impact on Krad?” I asked.
“Exactly,” Aysel said, his eyes glowing with excitement.
“Why tell me this separately? This is great news,” I said.
“My father does not believe Ethan is truly changed.”
“He thinks Ethan is lying?”
“No. We know he is not thanks to our spells and charms. He believes Ethan never hated humans as much as Krad, and was already weakened by the time he went undercover.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. Those dark elves sound like a bunch of bigots. There’s no way Ethan would be less prejudiced.”
“I agree,” Aysel said.
“Well, thanks for the tip,” I said. “I hadn’t made the connection. Maybe you’re right. Maybe dark elves ha
te humans just because they haven’t ever been loved by us.”
Aysel shrugged. “It is certainly worth knowing—although I hope such knowledge proves to be unnecessary during the attack.”
“Yeah, but still. Thanks, Aysel,” I said, surprised that we were able to have a half decent conversation together.
Before Aysel could respond, Asahi popped into the hall. “Oh, hello!” he said with his usual sunny grin. “Is the meeting over?”
“No,” Aysel said, standing. “I was discussing the mechanics of Krad’s magic with Morgan. We will return shortly.”
“Already?” Asahi said. “I think it’s good you two share some guardian-ward time.”
“Shut up,” Aysel hissed at the exact same moment I said,
“What?”
“Bonding time. I thought that was a common practice with humans,” Asahi said.
“It is. But what was the guardian-ward thing?” I asked.
Aysel actually groaned and shielded his eyes. “Asahi,” he said.
Asahi glanced back and forth between Aysel and me. “It is you two?” he said carefully.
“What are you talking about?” I said.
“You never told her?” Asahi asked his twin.
“I was trying to avoid it lest she take advantage of it, as I would not put it past her to do,” Aysel sourly said. “But since you’ve already spilled the secret you may as well explain it.”
“Sorry,” Asahi said before turning to me. “Don’t you remember? Aysel claimed you the weekend you were held ransom by the Chicago Goblin King.”
I remembered Aysel shouting that he would claim me if his father didn’t. “Yeah, so?” I said.
“That was when he officially claimed you as his ward,” Asahi said.
“Wait. I’m, like, Aysel’s kid?”
“NO!” Aysel said.
Asahi shook his head. “Not at all. More like he accepted you as his responsibility to watch and guide until you marry and align yourself with another family. His name offers you protection that Devin’s name cannot give you when he is gone to the Fairy Council. It’s a great honor. The ward title hasn’t been used by the Moonspell family on a human for at least four or five centuries. Aysel really cares about you to bestow it upon you.”
“Were you ever going to tell me this?” I asked Aysel.
“No,” Aysel said, still glaring at his twin.
“Sorry,” Asahi guiltily said.
“Wait, does this mean you’re my uncle even though I’m your fiancée’s marriage trustee?” I asked, feeling a headache coming on.
“It is a little confusing,” Asahi admitted. “That’s why it’s such fun to have a human in the family.”
“She’s not in the family!” Aysel thundered.
“Of course she is! She’s your ward. And even when she gets married she’ll still be Kadri’s marriage trustee,” Asahi said before smiling at me. “You will get to come to our family feasts. It is such fun—Great Aunt Florawyn speaks freely after a few glasses of moon wine.”
“My head hurts,” I said.
“Good,” Aysel bluntly said.
“Aysel, that is no way to treat your ward,” Asahi scolded.
“You said I fall under the protection of Aysel’s name?” I said after a few moments.
“Yes,” Asahi chirped.
“You don’t have to confirm it,” Aysel hissed.
“Why not?” Asahi asked.
An evil smile crawled across my lips.
“Because of that,” Aysel said, brandishing a finger at my smile.
“Sorry,” Asahi said.
Aysel pushed his dark colored hair over his shoulder. “If you’ll excuse me, I must return to the meeting.”
“Oh Aysel,” I said in a sing song voice. “I didn’t know you cared so deeply for me.”
“I don’t,” Aysel said, gliding back in the direction we had come from.
“Then why did you take me on as your ward? Bye, Asahi,” I called over my shoulder as I hurried after Aysel.
“It was merely that your permanent captivity would have been a hassle for the MBRC. We would have had to wipe the memories of all your family and friends and classmates—it was safer to accept you as my ward.”
“Uh-huh, sure.”
“It is true,” Aysel said.
“So does this mean I get to call you dad?”
Aysel actually shivered in horror. I’m not even kidding! He looked totally offended. “If you call me by that title, I shall rip your wagging tongue out of your mouth,” he said.
“Child abuse, wow. You’re a stellar guardian, did you know that?”
Aysel ignored me and marched on.
“Is this why you always pick fights with me? You’re attempting to—how did Asahi put it—guide me?”
“I will not respond to foolish questions,” Aysel said, his voice taut like a violin string.
“This opens up so many possibilities,” I said, practically skipping next to Aysel.
“I suggest you put those possibilities behind you and focus on your future: Krad Temero.”
“Killjoy.”
“Yes.”
15
Fear and Love
My heart thumped as though it was going to break out of my chest and run down the street. If it did it was obviously smarter than I was, but no. I was the one stupid enough to offer to be bait.
“Morgan? Did you decide where we should eat?” Devin asked, encircling my waist with an arm so he could pull me closer. “If you are frightened already, Krad will know something is off,” he whispered in my ear, his breath warming my neck.
“I know,” I said.
“Interference!” Madeline said chopping down on Devin’s arm with her hand.
Devin sighed. “Was it really necessary to bring the…pink knight?” Devin said, sparing Madeline in her pink winter jacket a look of disgust.
“I didn’t invite her,” I said, slipping from his grip.
“But you should have. I’ve missed you,” Madeline said, throwing her arms around me in a bear hug as she gave Devin the evil eye.
“So this is what a small town looks like?” Frank asked, staring at the streets of Oakdale like the stores were made of gold.
“Selfie!” Athena said, holding her cell phone out in front of her to take a picture of herself and the female-disguise-wearing Perseus.
“Speaking of invites, did you really have to bring your entire class?” Devin asked. “It was supposed to be a date.”
“There is strength in numbers. Besides, I trust these guys. Oak, DO NOT stick that in your mouth,” I called to the downtrodden elf who had just liberated an icicle from a storefront.
“Drink your tomato juice, Dave, or I’ll make you order tomato soup for lunch,” Frey said.
“Considering you have never partaken in the foul drink, you are awfully bossy in administering it,” Dave complained as he unscrewed a thermos.
“I will admit your students keep the mood from being too somber,” Devin said.
What he meant was instead of being scared off when I explained what I was doing, all of my students insisted on coming with. They were behaving beautifully, as if we were really on a field trip instead of attempting to lure Krad into a trap involving the fifty or so soldiers and a dozen wizards that were following us.
“Sacmis, are you warm enough?” I asked the disguised sphinx, who was wrapped in about five coats and ten scarves.
“Yes, thank you,” Sacmis said, barely audible through her scarves.
I stopped to look over my shoulder for reassurance. Harrison was there—wearing a trench coat over his suit, and his sunglasses. He nodded at me in reassurance. I gave my goblin guard a shaky smile.
“How long do you think it will take?” I asked.
“Long enough for him to figure out we’re going to the park. He’ll have to get time ghosts into place, or some kind of magic to mask the confrontation from the general public,” Devin said, covering his words with a wide smile.
“Left,” I said. “Follow the signs for Independence Park.”
“We’re going to a park?” Corn asked, clapping her gloved hands.
“It won’t be that exciting,” I said. “But there is a steep hill. If we ask nicely we could borrow some sleds from the kids already there and go sledding.”
“We’re going to see kids?” Sage said, brightening a little too much so I saw her wings briefly flicker into existence behind her.
“Yeah. It’s a Saturday and we’ve got snow, so it’s pretty much expected that there will be sledding at Independence Park,” I said.
“I have not had the chance to go sledding before,” Kadri said, all smiles and cheer as she walked, hand in hand, with Asahi. (I was 99% sure Administrator Moonspell didn’t know they were with us, and I was 99% sure Aysel would kill me when he found out.)
“I went once with a few elves on glaciers in Canada,” Asahi said. “I’m not certain we did it right.”
“It’s easy. You just sit in the sled and have someone push you down. The hard part is walking back up the hill,” I said. “But you’ll have to be careful. The sledding hill ends at the tennis courts, which are surrounded by chain link fence to keep the balls in. It’s pretty easy to get enough momentum going so you’ll fly into the fence. You need to bail out if it looks like you’re going to hit it.”
“Bail out?” Frank asked, fascinated.
“Jump out,” Frey said.
“That sounds much less exciting,” Zinnia said.
“Believe me, when you jump out of a zooming sled it’s plenty exciting,” Frey said.
“Will we eat after that?” Devin asked.
“What is up with you and eating?” I asked.
“It is an event I greatly enjoy.”
“Uh-huh. There’s a few small restaurants near the park we could eat at,” I said.
Devin again curled an arm around my shoulders. “What are the chances of you sending your students home after sledding?” he asked, briefly nuzzling the top of my head.
“Not happening,” I said, trying to squirm away from him.
“Krad’s been sighted,” Devin whispered. “He hasn’t noticed our following friends.”
