Knight

by Karen Lynch

  After what felt like forever, Lukas turned away and walked to the office with the others. I didn’t wait for them to go inside. As soon as their backs were to me, I ran across the gap and behind the trees on the other side. From there, I only had to move another ten feet or so behind the trees before the office door was out of sight. Then I sprinted for the glass door of the greenhouse.

  “Thank God,” I said through numb lips when the door opened under my hand. I stepped inside and sighed at the heat that enveloped me. It was like walking out of a freezer and into a sauna.

  I was so relieved to be out of the cold that it took me a moment to focus on my surroundings. When I did, I gasped at the room I’d mistaken for a greenhouse. It was more like something out of a dream.

  In the center of the large room was a natural pool surrounded on three sides by rock and vegetation with an actual waterfall at one end. The floor of the pool appeared to be made of sand, and I could see water plants and some brightly colored fish at the bottom.

  Pulling off my mask, I strolled around the room, taking in the Fae trees and flowers that filled the room with a heady perfume. Colorful birds flitted between the trees as I passed them, and in one corner, there was a small grove of trees inhabited by pixies. The tiny green faeries flew into a tizzy, unhappy about my presence, but they left me alone. Wild pixies would have tried to bite me for invading their turf, but these had most likely been raised here in captivity.

  Davian had created his own little Faerie paradise in his home. Looking up at the domed glass ceiling, I imagined floating in the pool, gazing at the blue sky on a clear day. I wondered if this room was a true representation of Faerie or just his vision of it. Either way, it was breathtaking.

  I walked to the interior wall facing the dining area and peeked through the vines covering most of the glass. From here, I could make out a dark head inside the office above. It could be Lukas or Conlan, but it was impossible to tell. I’d have to wait in here until they went downstairs, but this room was a vast improvement over the terrace.

  Tennin had to be wondering where I’d gone, and I cursed myself for leaving my phone in my coat. He knew I was here to snoop and find out if Davian knew anything about the ke’tain, and I hoped he didn’t come looking for me. He was sophisticated enough to not do anything that would give me away, but I didn’t want to risk him getting more involved than he was.

  I wandered over to sit on a rock beside the pool and replayed Davian’s one-sided conversation on the terrace. He hadn’t mentioned Lewis Tate by name, but I was convinced that was who he’d ordered his caller to find. And the thing he was looking for had to be the ke’tain. I wished he’d said more because I had no idea where to go from here.

  All I had succeeded in doing tonight was confirming my suspicions about Davian’s connection to Tate. I’d also seen the billionaire’s dark side, which he kept hidden from the rest of the world. I shivered despite the warmth of the room. Davian Woods was not someone I would ever want as an enemy, which was why he could never find out what I’d done tonight.

  Fluttering beside me had me turning my head in time to see a pair of pixies flying away with the mask I’d laid on the floor with my shoes. They could barely support the mask between them, and they dipped and swayed in the air.

  “Hey. Come back here.” I jumped up and ran after them into their grove. Davian had seen me in that mask. If he found it in this room, he would know I had been up here.

  I managed to get hold of the mask before they could escape to the upper branches of the trees that had to be at least fifteen feet tall. They squeaked angrily and retaliated by darting at me and yanking at strands of my hair.

  “Ouch. Quit it.” I swatted the little beasts away, trying not to hurt them.

  Two more pixies joined the attack, and one of them managed to get tangled in my hair. I struggled to free him without damaging his fragile wings or getting bitten in the process. Unable to see where I was going, I tripped over a rock and went down. Luckily, the floor here was covered in grass and thick moss that cushioned my fall.

  The sound of a door opening made me go still. I couldn’t let Lukas or Davian find me in here, so I did the only thing I could. I scrambled behind a leafy bush that was barely big enough to hide me and prayed whomever it was didn’t look too closely at the grove.

  Footsteps, muffled by the grassy floor, came closer and stopped. I dared a peek through the leaves, expecting to see Davian or Lukas, and I was surprised to find a blond faerie standing beside the pool. He reached up to remove a mask that covered most of his face, and I felt a spark of recognition. Where had I seen him before? Something unpleasant coiled in my gut, and the longer I stared at him, the stronger it got.

  He set his mask on the floor and straightened, facing me full-on. My breath hitched when it hit me where I knew him from. The day after my parents disappeared, I’d visited Levi at the Plaza, and I’d seen this faerie at the station when I was getting the train home. I remembered how his constant staring had unnerved me and the cold look he’d given as my train had pulled away.

  I’d never seen him again until now, and his presence here chilled me more than Davian’s anger. I had a sick suspicion that this was a member of the Seelie royal guard. I had no idea what he was doing at Davian’s party or how he had escaped Lukas’s notice, but I knew it would not end well for me if he found me here.

  Something caught my eye, and my blood chilled. I’d left my shoes beside the pool. If he took a few steps in that direction, he’d see them and know someone was here.

  The faerie raised his hands and murmured under his breath. My fear turned to excitement when pale green magic flowed from his hands, and the air began to shimmer in front of him. He was creating a portal. Faeries didn’t like to create them in front of humans, so I’d never seen one. Few people had.

  I gasped at a sharp pain in my scalp. I’d forgotten about the pixie caught in my hair, the one that was suddenly determined to rip my hair out to get free. Gritting my teeth, I reached up to help him, and he rewarded me with a stinging bite on my finger.

  I jumped and barely stopped my cry of pain. The bush rustled, and I froze as the faerie’s head swung in my direction.

  Chapter 8

  MY HEART THREATENED to explode from my chest as I imagined what he would do if he caught me. Even if I had come armed, I had no chance against a royal guard.

  He dropped his hands and took a step toward the grove. At that exact moment, the pixie pulled free from my hair and flew out of the bush, taking a few strands of my hair with it. The faerie stopped his advance and watched the pixie disappear into the branches. All I could do was pray he hadn’t seen the red hairs trailing behind the pixie and come to investigate.

  He took another step, shaving a year off my life, and abruptly spun back toward the pool. Raising his hands, he started again to create the portal. I watched in awe as the air shimmered and rippled, and a faerie-sized hole formed. Beyond the portal, I could make out a white stone wall and an arched window, but nothing else.

  Someone spoke on the other side. I strained to hear them, but it was impossible to make out the words over the gurgle of the waterfall.

  “No, Your Majesty,” the faerie said. “Davian does not have it yet.”

  The other voice rose enough to know it was female, which could only mean one thing. He was talking to Queen Anwyn. I had just heard the voice of the Seelie queen.

  The faerie bowed his head. “I am sorry, Your Majesty. I have failed you.”

  There was movement on the other side of the portal, allowing me a glimpse of blonde hair, fair skin, and the twinkle of a jeweled diadem. She said something else, and he nodded.

  “If anyone can find him, it is Aibel. Should I join him?”

  The queen spoke again, and this time I could make out the words. “No. I have another job for you.”

  “As you wish.” He stepped through the portal, and it closed with a soft swoosh.

  I didn’t move for a full five minutes. Wh
en I finally stood on trembling legs, my mind reeled from what I had seen and heard. No human had ever laid eyes upon the faerie monarchs, and I had no doubt I would be dead if the queen learned what I had witnessed.

  I brushed off my dress, pulled on my shoes, and patted down my hair. I was going to need a mirror to fix it before I went downstairs. There was no way I could return to the party and act like everything was normal after this. I especially didn’t want to run into Lukas and Conlan. I didn’t owe them any explanations, but they knew me well enough to tell when something was wrong. They would also draw unwanted attention to me, and that was the last thing I needed.

  There was no sign of anyone in the gallery or office when I peeked out, so I cracked the door to listen. Silence greeted me. I left the room and found a half bath on the other side of the stairs where I fixed my hair and donned my mask.

  My legs were steadier by the time I descended the stairs, and I hoped I looked more composed than I felt. A waiter hurried by as I reached the main floor, but he barely glanced at me. As long as Davian wasn’t one of those paranoid people who questioned the staff about everything, my secret should be safe.

  I headed directly for the exit. I felt bad about leaving Tennin after he’d brought me here, but I couldn’t go back to the party with Lukas there. I’d text Tennin to explain, and he would understand. He was well aware of my reason for not wanting to see Lukas.

  In the foyer, one attendant went to retrieve my coat, and I handed my mask to the other attendant. He refused it, telling me it was a keepsake to help me remember the party. I wouldn’t need any help remembering tonight, but I smiled and thanked him.

  The other attendant helped me into my coat and summoned the elevator for me. I waited anxiously for it to arrive and nearly ran to it when the doors opened. I stepped inside and hit the button for the lobby. The doors began to close, and I sagged against the wall.

  I jumped when an arm appeared in the gap between the doors, a second before they closed. The doors slid open again, and my stomach twisted when I met Lukas’s hard blue eyes. Behind him stood Conlan and Kerr. Where the hell had Kerr come from? The lack of surprise on all three faces said this was not an accidental encounter.

  They stepped into the elevator, which suddenly seemed a lot smaller. Conlan and Kerr stood on either side of the car with Lukas facing me. I hadn’t been this close to him since the last time he was at my apartment. My chest squeezed at the memory, but the pain was quickly eclipsed by the anger that always followed.

  “When Conlan said he thought he saw you at Davian’s, I told him he was mistaken,” Lukas said. “What are you doing here, Jesse?”

  “Attending a party, obviously,” I replied stiffly.

  “How did you get in?”

  I lifted my chin. “I walked in just like you did.”

  “You know that’s not what I meant. Davian is selective about his guest list, and no one gets into his parties without an invitation.”

  “And it’s impossible for someone like me to be invited to one of your society parties?”

  His sigh was barely perceptible. “If by someone like you, you mean a bounty hunter, then yes. Davian is a snob, and he considers most people beneath him, unless they are celebrities or well-connected.”

  “Or Fae royalty. I assume he knows who you really are,” I retorted, letting my anger get the best of me. I was trapped in here with him and his men, and it made me want to lash out at him. Something flickered in his eyes, telling me my barb had hit home, but it gave me little satisfaction. “I didn’t crash your friend’s party. I came as the date of one of his invited guests.”

  Lukas’s jaw flexed. “Who?”

  “Not to be rude, but that’s none of your business.” Tennin had done me a huge favor by bringing me tonight, and I would not repay him by getting him in trouble with Lukas, who had made it clear he didn’t want me here. To the best of my knowledge, Lukas had no idea I even knew Tennin, and I planned to keep it that way.

  “Was it the faerie who gave you that dress?” His eyes dipped to my dress, and warmth suffused me.

  “Also none of your business.” I yanked the edges of my coat together and darted a glance at the floor indicator above the doors. Were we even moving? This was the longest elevator ride I’d ever taken, and I was beginning to feel claustrophobic.

  His gaze met mine again. “Your date is not seeing you home?”

  “I can see myself home. Women do all kinds of crazy, independent stuff like that these days.”

  A muted chuckle came from Conlan, and my scowl deepened. “Is there a point to this interrogation?”

  “I want to know the real reason you are here. You don’t care about celebrities or parties.”

  My fingers tightened on my coat. “You don’t know anything about me.”

  “We both know that’s not true.” A smile touched his lips, and it fanned my simmering anger.

  “Not so long ago, you thought me capable of treachery and torture,” I said, my words laced with the pain and bitterness that had been eating at me for weeks. I wanted to yell at him – to yell at all of them – for their betrayal, but my throat tightened, and angry tears pricked my eyes.

  The air in the elevator became thick with tension. Conlan and Kerr shifted uncomfortably, and Lukas’s eyes darkened with remorse. “I was wrong.”

  “Yes. You were.”

  The elevator stopped with a slight bump, and the doors slid open. Lukas stepped aside to let me out first, and I headed straight for the exit. I’d come here with Tennin, which meant I’d have to get a taxi home. I’d rather wait for one outside than in here with them.

  I’d barely made it three steps when Lukas’s hand caught my arm. “Jesse.”

  Steeling myself, I turned to look at him.

  “A man like Davian Woods doesn’t get where he is without being ruthless,” Lukas said quietly.

  A chill went through me.

  He looked like he was going to say something else and changed his mind. “Be careful.”

  “I will.”

  This time when I walked away, he didn’t stop me. I exited the building as a taxi was dropping off a couple dressed for a party. I wondered if they were headed to the penthouse, although they didn’t look like anyone famous, so maybe not.

  I sank into the back seat of the taxi and gave the driver my address. Cab fare was expensive, but I wasn’t getting the bus or the subway in this dress. I pulled out my phone to text Tennin to let him know I’d gone home and that I’d run into Lukas in the elevator. I didn’t tell him what I’d witnessed upstairs because I didn’t want to drag him into it.

  During the drive home, I replayed everything I’d seen and heard. I needed to figure out what to do with this information before I decided on a course of action. One thing I knew for certain. If Davian Woods and the Seelie queen were looking for the ke’tain, I was in way over my head.

  * * *

  “I was so mad that I wanted to tell them all where to go,” I vented to Violet as we walked down a busy Soho street the next day. “But instead, I nearly cried in front of them. It was awful.”

  She nodded sympathetically. “I wish I’d been there with you. I would have given him a piece of my mind.”

  I smiled because I knew my best friend better than she did sometimes. Violet was passionate and outspoken, but she had a tendency to get starstruck around Fae royals. The most she would have managed was a mild glare, if that.

  “You stood up to him, though, so you should be proud about that,” she said.

  “I just hate feeling like this, but I don’t know how to stop it.” I exhaled deeply, wishing I could expel all the ugly emotions bottled up inside me.

  Violet stopped in front of a store window. “It’s only been three weeks. Give yourself time.”

  “I don’t have time. I have to –” I broke off before I accidentally let it slip about the ke’tain. The Agency had been emphatic about us keeping it from the public, including family and friends.

  She
gave me a confused look. “You have to do what?”

  “I have to work. You know I’m handling everything until Mom and Dad come home. And now I have Aisla and Gus to take care of.”

  Violet snorted. “I still can’t believe you have a drakkan in the apartment. And of all the names you could choose, you went with Gus.”

  “He won’t leave, and that was the name he liked the most.”

  “He also likes lipstick. You owe me a new one,” she said with a pout. “It was my favorite.”

  I tilted my head. “I warned you not to leave your bag on the floor. But I will buy you a new one since you helped me get ready for the party.”

  She sighed dreamily. “That dress. Tell your faerie friend he can bring me clothes any day.”

  “I think you’re fine in the clothes department.” I held up one of the shopping bags I was carrying for her. “Did you really need five new outfits?”

  She rolled her eyes at me. “I need something perfect for my second audition. Image is everything.”

  “You could show up in a potato sack, and they’d still pick you for that role.”

  Violet let out a tiny squeal. “Gah! Can you believe it? My first callback. I know it’s only a small part, but this movie is going to be huge.”

  “Remember what they say. ‘There are no small parts, only small actors.’ You show them why you’re the best damn space shuttle pilot they’ll ever see.”

  She nodded. “I’ve watched Star Wars so many times I’m going to be speaking in Wookie soon.”

  I laughed, and we started walking again. One thing no one could ever say about Violet was that she didn’t put one hundred and ten percent into a role.

  Violet stopped abruptly in front of a store. “Oooh. Let’s go in.”

  I looked up at the sign on the window that read New, Pre-owned, and Vintage Guitars, and shook my head. “I don’t need –”

  “Yes, you do.” She grabbed my arm and tugged me toward the door. “All you do is take care of everyone else. The world won’t end if you treat yourself once in a while, and I know you miss your guitar.”