by J. L. Weil
My memory went back to the vision, to the urgency in Belle’s voice and the plea in her expression. “I don’t think so, and I owe her, Kai. It’s the least I can do. Plus, I trust her. Maybe this is how I get my last tail. Did you ever think of that?”
“No. Why would I?” he replied without infliction.
I fought the urge to roll my eyes again. “Do you have any suggestions on where to start? Did Belle have a home here? Where would she have stayed?”
His expression turned thoughtful. “Believe it or not, I didn’t spend a lot of time in Katsura. I know she spent plenty of time with the king, but I don’t know more than that.”
I groaned. “This is going to be impossible.” Also, possibly a waste of time, but still… I had to try. If it didn’t help me with my powers, then maybe it would aid me in finding Devyn.
“I said I don’t know where Belle stayed, not that I couldn’t find out.”
“Kai, we don’t have time to pussyfoot around with your mind games,” I gritted, taking another bite. I had no idea what kind of meat this was, but I was too hungry to care.
The Unseelie lifted a brow, the corners of his lips unsuccessfully trying not to curve. “Look around, little queen. This castle is filled with people who might have information and are eager to help their future sovereign.”
“Why didn’t you just say that to begin with?” I groused.
“I was getting to it.” Kai handed me his untouched skewer. We still loitered in front of the food vendor, since I’d been too busy eating to move.
A thought just occurred to me. “Damn, I should have asked Niklaus.”
“We’ll start with the fae who see and hear everything.” Kai angled his body back to the woman who had returned to tending her meats. She skewered another batch to put on the open fire. “What do you know of the pixie called Belle? I’m told she spent time with the king when he lived.”
The lady hardly acknowledged Kai’s question. She continued to work. “And why should I answer your questions?” The sultriness of her voice dripped sex. She had a natural sensuality about her that made me feel like a little girl.
Kai turned up the charm, those impish dimples appearing on his cheeks as he leaned in closer to the beautiful woman. “Because I can make it worth your while if you have any information that is of use to me.”
“I have no need for your coin, Unseelie,” she brushed off his offer, her lips pressed into a straight line of indifference.
“I’m not offering you coin, but something much more... personal.” The huskiness that descended in Kai’s voice brought a flush over my body, and it had nothing to do with the heat sweltering off the flames.
She jerked her chin in my direction. “And what does your companion have to say about that?”
Kai ran a hand over the back of her hand. “She is taken, but sadly, not by me.”
“Are you sure about that?” she countered, lifting a derisive dark brow.
I rarely saw Kai falter. He oozed confidence and cockiness, and yet, his expression lost a bit of charisma at the woman’s words. “Can you help me or not?”
Beads of sweat gathered on her brow, but she didn’t seem to mind the heat or the work. “Ask Viola. She was close to Belle.”
“And where would I find this Viola, lovely?” Kai pressed.
“I have a name, and it’s not lovely. It’s Wren. And Viola is often found by the fountain these days, staring into the water for hours, lost in her visions, I imagine.”
Kai's eyes glowed brightly. “You have been most helpful, Wren. Find me when you are ready to collect payment.” He turned around to face me, his cloak swishing with the movement.
A cool breeze licked over my neck, and I closed my eyes for a brief moment. “What just happened?”
“I got us our first lead.”
I tossed my empty stick of meat into the fire as we moved past it, still clutching Kai’s in my hand. He waved me off when I tried to return it. “That’s not what I meant. Kai, did you just agree to sleep with her?”
His eyes danced with humor. “Small price.”
I took that as affirmation. “If you think that shocked me, you’re wrong.”
Kai lifted his face as another gust of wind whipped past us. “Am I?”
“It doesn’t matter. Thank you,” I replied, shaking my head.
Reilly strode across the market with purposefully, and when he reached us, he matched his footsteps to ours. “What are you two doing?”
“Chasing a ghost,” the Unseelie grumbled.
A single brow arched as Reilly glanced between Kai and me. “What happened? The two of you are acting weird? Did the meeting with Niklaus not go as planned?”
I offered Reilly the uneaten skewer, which the shifter took appreciatively. “No. It was fine. I’ll fill you in on our way to find Viola.”
“Who?” he asked, teeth tearing into a hunk of meat.
“A pixie who might be able to help us find the vial,” I explained as we reached the edge of the market, turning the corner to a long, bridged corridor.
Reilly blinked. “Okay, I definitely missed something.”
“I’ll fill you in on our way to the fountain, but first, tell me what happened with Fyson,” I asked, eager to hear what the master of arms had to say.
Reilly finished off the skewer and tossed the stick into a pile of wood in a corner. “He is going to take a look at Katsura’s defenses and gather what soldiers the castle has left. It’s not the full army. Many of them fled with their families. He is also sending word for aid to the surrounding kingdoms. We know that Ashland will fight with us, but if we are to stand a chance against Talin, then we will need more forces. Just what we have here, and Ashland, won’t be enough.”
Katsura once had a glorious army, or so I was told, but the blight scattered or destroyed what my grandfather had built. Going up against Talin and his troops was nothing to underestimate. One of his highly trained warriors was worth a dozen or more of the soldiers here or in Ashland. No other kingdom had the forces that Talin did. It was what my uncle did, trained fae to fight brutally. He didn’t just train warriors, he shaped them, mind, body, and soul.
Having two of his warriors, I could attest to their lethality. Well, I had two. Now I just had one.
Where the hell are you Devyn? I need you. Now more than ever.
My knowledge of war and battle strategy was shit. I knew nothing. Reilly and Kai were sufficient, but they weren’t Devyn. He should be leading this war I found myself in the middle of, and with only days left to strategize, it wasn’t looking good.
Boots clattered over the cobblestone as the three of us walked in almost unison together. “Can we hold out the fight until Ashland arrives?” I asked.
Reilly scratched the stubble starting to grow on his chin, the piercing over his brow winking at me. “It will be close. Too close. The problem lies in not having enough time to prepare. Even if Ashland managed to get here ahead of Talin, there would be no time to put together a well-executable plan. With a man like Talin, it isn’t enough to just swing a sword. He is cunning, which means we need to be a step ahead of him.”
Time! Time! Time!
It was always a problem. A common factor that kept coming back to get in my way—to slap me in the ass.
Shit.
The sound of trickles of water drifted into the alleyway from somewhere not far away. The fountain was nearby. It wasn’t just the sounds of water my fae ears picked up, but the scent of damp freshness that clung to the air. A rumble of magic stirred inside me. Like called to like, and my ability to manipulate water grew excitedly. My steps quickened, my eagerness joining the Kitsune’s.
A long, hissing curse suddenly left Kai’s mouth, drawing my attention. I paused in my tracks, my gaze swinging to his face just as he winced, and his hand flew to the back of his neck. A look of pain crossed his features, inciting instant concern.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” I asked, threads of unease weaving inside me.
Reilly’s gaze narrowed at Kai, and something passed between them. “Talin,” the shifter stated ominously.
Confused, I didn’t understand what was happening, or why Reilly suddenly thought of my uncle. “What about him?” I inquired, glancing between the two of them.
“He is summoning me,” Kai rasped, his brows pinched together while dark flames jumped into his eyes. I could see his struggle, the tightening of the muscles in his neck as he fought against an invisible force—magic.
“What?” I shrieked, eyes going wide as a tornado of wild panic swirled within me. “How?” I demanded. This couldn’t be happening.
Kai’s jaw feathered. “I bear his mark, an oath I took when I joined his elite guild.”
Talin’s guild was made of select fae with exceptional skills. “What does that mean?”
Reilly rested a hand on Kai’s shoulder. “It means that if we don’t find a way to stop the summoning, or break the oath, Kai will be pulled from here. Not even the wards infused with gods’ magic protecting this place can stop an oath. The magic is older than even the gods.”
How the hell? I didn’t want to know what Talin had done to access such powerful magic. That wasn’t what was important. A million thoughts ran like a stampede through my head. “What do I do?”
Kai shook his head. “I can suppress the summoning… for now,” he informed, despite the effort it cost him to grit the words. Shadows assembled around him while his fists clenched.
Reilly looked over his shoulder, scoping the hallway. “Eventually, you won’t have the power to ignore him,” he reminded Kai, turning back to face the Unseelie.
“No. I won’t,” Kai admitted grimly.
“Devyn,” I muttered under my breath. “He also had the mark, took the oath,” I acknowledged, my voice growing stronger as my mind rapidly connected the missing dots.
Kai nodded.
“Do you think…?”
“I do, little queen.” Kai straightened. Some of the tension in his shoulders relaxed, the lines furrowing over his brows softened, but the black flames in the center of his eyes still flickered.
“Are you okay? Do I need to worry about you?” Of course, I had to worry. At any second Kai could go poof, just like Devyn. I didn’t want to think about what Talin was doing to Devyn if he had him, but now that the idea marinated in my head, I knew it to be true deep in my bones. Devyn was in the clutches of my enemy against his will.
Oh, Devyn. I’m sorry.
The one time he needed me to save him and I had done nothing—had not known how to save him. Still didn’t, but I’d find a way, just as I would find a way to keep Kai from the same grisly fate.
Kai donned a smirk, the one he used to cover up his true feelings from showing—a defense mechanism. “Talin isn’t the only one with an ace up his sleeve.”
Pressing my soul star against my chest, I met Kai’s gaze. “I don’t know what that means, and I’m not sure I want to know, but we need to break this oath.”
Kai rubbed at the back of his neck again, as if to scrub away any last lingering tingles of Talin’s summons. “And we will. I trust you, little queen.”
“I can’t let Talin take you too. I won’t.” How many more problems would drop in my lap? Just when I thought I had tackled one hurdle, two more sprung in its place. FML.
So many people depended on me, and the list kept growing. I thought the weight of their trust might crush me.
Doing my best to refocus my mind on why I was wandering the halls of the castle, I forced my feet to move again, letting the call of the water guide me.
When we came to a frosted glass door with swirls that resembled waves of water etched into it, Reilly pulled on a golden handle in the shape of a fox tail. With a sweeping gesture of his arm, he indicated for me to go in first. A gentleman, even at the brink of war.
Kai snorted, moving past Reilly as he followed behind me. Once I entered the circular domed room, my focal point became the fountain that graced the center of the white tiled floor. Crafted from crystals, the tiers climbed up to the ceiling, making it appear as if water spilled from the sky. I craned back my head, taking in the view through the glass dome. Dark gray clouds coated the sky, moving in ominous patterns around the castle, like a creature poking and prodding the wards, searching for a tiny crack or fissure to slip through it.
The idea caused a shudder to ripple down my spine.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
My gaze drew away from the ceiling to the direction of the high, girly voice that reminded me of Belle. Different, yet there was an undeniable familiar quality. She sat on the edge of the third tier, tiny legs dangling over the side while a stream of light lavender water washed over them. Her pink-tinted skin shimmered as if she had been dipped or dusted with glitter. Lilac hair cascaded over her small shoulders, the ends bobbing into the pool behind her, nearly blending seamlessly with the water—the colors so similar.
I sensed Kai and Reilly behind me, but they stayed just far enough, giving me space to speak with the pixie. “The fountain?” I asked softly, my eyes flickering to the rippling water. “Yes, it is stunning.”
A half-grin pulled at her lips. “I meant the sky,” she corrected, her cotton candy-colored eyes lifting when she leaned back on her arms. “The way it moves, like an ominous dance.”
“I guess,” I admitted, following her gaze. If I didn’t know what those somber clouds stood for, perhaps I would find them unique and intriguing. I could appreciate all kinds of beauty, as long as it wasn’t trying to kill me.
“Power like that demands respect.” Admiration shone in her eyes.
“I agree. Are you Viola?” I asked, taking a step closer.
Her attention returned to my face, her head angled to the side. “I am. And Belle sent you.”
“Yes.” Relief gushed into me.
“I’ve been waiting for you. She told me you would be coming. I’ve waited every day by this fountain.”
“Belle must have been a dear friend for you to have such dedication.” I didn’t advise Viola of Belle’s death, for I was sure the pixie already knew. To have such an ability as the pixies... it seemed like a monumental responsibility and burden, one I did not wish to possess.
A flutter of sadness appeared in her eyes, but it was gone all in the same second. I couldn’t be sure I saw it all. “She was, but that was not why I chose to wait. I wish to survive this corruption that threatens our world. And only you, Karina, Queen of Katsura can accomplish such a vast undertaking. So, for the world, I waited.”
“Thank you. I wouldn’t have come this far without help from fae such as Belle and yourself.”
The iridescent wings stretched at her back. “Very true. Belle loved you very much. She loved you before you met.”
“I loved her too. I would not be here without her.” The heartache, grief, and remorse of her death bulldozed through me, the wounds still so fresh. What had just been two days ago felt like years, yet at the same time, merely minutes.
Viola’s wings lifted her in the air and she drifted over to me, landing on my shoulder—her feet as soft as a butterfly’s touch. “What you seek is within reach, left in the protection of Persephone.”
Her eyes went to the fountain, to the carved, crystal goddess who wrapped around the first three tiers. She looked as if she was riding a wave, her open hand extended to the sky in offering.
My eyes roamed over the crystal depiction of Persephone, searching for the vial Belle spoke of, but at first glance, I saw nothing. It was just a beautiful statue of a goddess.
“Look closer. Not with your human eyes,” the pixie whispered.
Walking to the very edge of the fountain, I let my fox edge forward, and using my fae eyes, I did another sweep over the statue. A glint of something sparkled in Persephone’s outstretched hand. No sun streamed through the glass ceiling, and yet, the tiny thing appeared to be reflecting light. Perhaps it was magic. Or the water.
A small glass vial
was nestled in the goddess’s palm. A gift. Belle’s gift.
Tears clouded my eyes and I blinked them away, brushing at any stray ones that escaped down my cheeks. Extending a hand into the fountain, without touching the surface, I watched as little beads of water leaped up to gather along my fingers. Some aspects of magic never got old.
Taking off my shoes, I climbed onto the first level. I lifted on the tips of my toes, my fingers reaching and reaching. Her hand was so close, the ends of my fingers brushing against cool crystal as water streamed off Persephone’s hand and down my arm. Just a little bit more... My balance wavered, legs and back teetering back and forth while I tried to regain my composure—or fall face first into the pool below. Since I’d already taken a bath this morning, I was in no mood to get soaking wet again.
I squealed as my arms flailed, searching for something to hold onto to no avail. It all happened so fast.
At the last crucial second, a pair of firm hands gripped the sides of my hips, steadying me. A cool body pressed against my back, drawing me against it, solid and stable. “If you’re thinking about taking another swim, I’d advise against it,” Kai murmured into my ear. “Not that I’d mind seeing you wet.”
My heart lurched at the insinuation in his words, and the huskiness of his voice. Yet, it felt like a betrayal to have any kind of reaction to Kai. It was something I couldn’t explain, the way he made me feel. It was different than Devyn—darker. Despite my relationship with Devyn being forbidden, it never felt wrong or sordid. Just the opposite. Everything about Devyn felt so right, like finding the right key in a stack of millions to unlock our bond. With a deep sigh, I took control of my deceitful emotions.
“I have no intention of swimming.” The last time I jumped into a fae spring, I ended up in another world—the realm of dragons, and as interesting as the trip had been, I had every intention of staying right here.
“I can’t tell if I’m disappointed or not.”
I rolled my eyes. “Kai,” I groaned, tilting my head to the side, which might have been a mistake. He was far too close. “Will you just help me?”
“What is it you want?” he crooned.
