Sabine fell silent and continued drinking her tea. She could feel the magic holding the crew asleep beginning to falter. Their sleep was changing, and they’d begin rousing in the next hour even without her interference. It was just as well. The timing worked out, especially since they’d need to head to Karga soon.
After several minutes, Bane asked, “Why didn’t you tell me about the pixie?”
Sabine frowned. “What?”
“Dammit, Sabine,” he said and tossed the stick onto the sand. “I know you keep secrets from me. I expect it. But you should have told me the gods could still speak through pixies. If your pixie is accompanying us, I have a right to know she could be a threat. I can’t protect you if I don’t know what I need to protect you from.”
Ah. So that’s what had been bothering him. Sabine sighed and put her tea aside. “Bane, you do protect me. Even if I had told you, you couldn’t have stopped what occurred last night. This was Blossom’s secret to share, not mine.”
Bane frowned and sat on the blanket beside her. “You can’t be sure the pixie won’t betray you.”
Sabine smiled. After scooting closer to him, she placed her hand on his arm. “I’m not worried. Blossom’s as loyal as you, just in a different way. I tell you things I don’t always share with her. You each have different perspectives, and I’ve come to depend upon both of you.”
Bane put his hand over hers, holding her to him. He stared at the fire for a long time as though considering her words. “How long have you known they have this ability?”
“Since I was a child,” she admitted, studying Bane’s body language. Sometimes he was difficult to read. The tension in his shoulders had eased, but she’d obviously hurt Bane by not confiding in him. She softened her tone. “It’s not common knowledge about the pixies, not even among the Fae. Many people believe them to be nothing more than noisy butterflies, a misconception that’s served them well.”
Bane arched his brow. “How did you find out?”
“My mother shared the truth with me after she named me her heir.”
Sabine picked up her tea again and stared into the cup, remembering her mother’s words. They’d gone walking through the Silver Forest that day, and her mother had taught her a great deal about her family line. In time, her mother would have shared more, but that opportunity had been forever denied thanks to her father’s treachery.
Sabine took another sip of the tea, grateful for the fortifying effects of the complementary herbs. The extreme emotions over the past day and her lack of magic had been taking its toll. Bane had likely decided to brew it for her to help alleviate the worst of the effects. Normally, it would be Esme who would push her teas on Sabine. Feeling another pang of loss at the absence of her friend, Sabine cradled the cup in her hands.
Bane picked up the stick again. “Can they communicate with all of them? Even the ones who created the demons?”
Sabine frowned. “I don’t know. Blossom doesn’t think of the gods in terms of their alignment or past acts. The pixies assign them nicknames to keep them straight. From what I’ve gathered, they have more of an affinity for those gods who possess the lighter magics. They’ve mentioned Sparkles, Shiny, Golden, and other similar names. I think it’s why so many of the Fae disregarded the pixies as being full of nonsense.”
Bane twirled the stick absently. “We don’t have pixies in the underworld, but there are lesser Fae down there from the time your people still resided with us. What are the chances they could speak with them?”
“It’s possible,” she admitted, breathing in the comforting herbal scent of her tea. “Among the lesser Fae are those who can still hear the whispers of the gods. They can’t all speak to them with the portal closed, but they’ve been able to glean some information from these whispers. Most of the things they overhear are related to the war between the gods and dragons that’s still being waged in worlds beyond the portal.”
She took another sip, considering some of the conversations she’d shared with Blossom over the years. “I believe their ability to listen is how some of the lesser Fae have retained their magic or gained new abilities. It’s certainly not from my people in our tiny pocket of Faerie. Other than the pixies, few of the lesser Fae are able to penetrate our forests. We never opened our home to them after the portal closed.”
“How can Blossom speak to this goddess then? Is it because she wasn’t on the other side of the portal when it closed?”
Sabine frowned. “I don’t think Lachlina is trapped on the other side of the portal like some of the others, but she’s not part of this world either. Blossom says she’s in a dark place that’s part of the in-between.”
Bane put down the stick, leaned forward, and removed the meat off the spit. It appeared to be meat from a karpin, a burrowing animal with leathery skin and large ears. It was considered a pest by many farmers, and most people avoided eating them. Their meat could be toxic if not properly prepared.
He placed it on a flat piece of driftwood and pulled out his knife. “When we were back in Akros, you used to move through the in-between to get to the crypt. You said the magic of the gods created that space. Is that where she’s trapped?”
“I believe it’s similar, possibly interconnected,” Sabine admitted, watching as he cut into the meat to check to make sure it had turned from green to orange, a sign the poison had been completely cooked out of it. Her stomach rumbled in appreciation.
Bane handed her the dish and said, “Try this.”
She took the plate and looked up at Bane in surprise. “You’re not eating?”
“The dragon and I already ate,” he said, waving off her concerns. “Malek should be back soon. He wanted to check on the damage to the ship and collect some supplies to trade in Karga.”
Sabine pulled apart the food, thankful it was something other than fish. She took a bite, and the slightly sweet flavor of the karpin meat was better than she’d expected, especially with the smoke flavors from the fire. Digging in, she satisfied the worst of her hunger. “This is very good.”
Bane nodded and leaned back, stretching out his legs in front of him. “I think it would be best if I remained here while you and Malek head to Karga.”
Sabine swallowed the bite she’d been chewing and frowned. “Why?”
“I’ve been thinking about it ever since we encountered the hunters. From what I overheard while we traveled, these desert tribes are a suspicious and distrustful lot. I’d likely attract the wrong sort of attention, and it would be counterproductive to our efforts in acquiring information.”
“I could glamour you,” she offered, putting the half-eaten food aside. “If you appear more human, they won’t know you’re a demon.”
“You don’t eat enough,” Bane stated, frowning at her abandoned plate. She huffed at his observation but picked it back up. As soon as she resumed eating, Bane continued, “Your power isn’t limitless, little one. It would be better to conserve your strength for when you truly need it.”
She couldn’t fault Bane’s logic, but she’d come to depend on the demon for more than his protection. “Bane, you have a way of looking at the world that forces me into seeing things differently. Now, more than ever, I need you with me. I’m out of my element in this place.” She lifted her head. “What if your presence is the difference between us learning about this Pearl and saving Esme?”
He arched his brow. “And what if a demon’s presence dissuades those who might normally be willing to speak with a beautiful woman? I think not. You can change your own appearance with ease, but two of us? We do not have a forest nearby for you to restore your magic.”
Sabine wrinkled her nose at him. “It could be done. You’re minimizing your value to me.”
Bane chuckled and said, “Let us speak frankly, little one. You are a shrewd judge of character, and my help will be limited unless you want someone tortured. You have also now marked the dragon, which will allow you to access his magic without a blood offering. I still do not
care much for him, but he has proven himself in his desire to protect you.” Bane paused, his expression becoming calculating. “I think it’s far more likely you want me there to avoid being alone with him. You don’t trust yourself around the dragon.”
Sabine frowned and put her plate aside again. “You’ve been cautioning me against trusting him. Now you’re saying I should? What game are you playing, Bane?”
Bane shrugged and picked up the stick again. He moved the embers around absently and said, “That was before you marked him. This new connection will give you immunity from his dragonfire, right?”
“Yes, in theory,” Sabine replied, wondering where Bane was going with this.
“Then I think you should go alone with him.”
Sabine narrowed her eyes. “Stop dancing around and start explaining. Why this sudden change?”
“You marked him as an equal, little one. He has not sworn fealty to you, nor have you retained full control over the bond. In a way, you have weakened your position with the dragon.”
Sabine glared at him. “We had limited magic available, and combining our strength was our best option for freeing you. I don’t know him well enough to propose any other sort of arrangement. I judged it a suitable risk, and I stand by my decision.”
Bane nodded. “I agree, but now you must bind him to you in another way. Malek has already displayed protective instincts when it comes to you. These need to be fostered and allowed to grow.”
Sabine stood, trying to rein in her temper. “I will not manipulate his affection for me, nor will I whore myself for an alliance.” She narrowed her eyes as a thought struck her. “Was this Balkin’s suggestion or yours?”
Bane smirked, a gleam of approval in his amber eyes. “The Beastman’s, but I don’t disagree with your other protector. This would happen eventually, little one. The dragon’s half in love with you already. I’m simply trying to speed it along by making myself absent.”
Sabine looked in the direction of the ship, knowing Bane was right. She’d seen it in Malek’s eyes every time he looked at her. Esmelle had pointed out Sabine’d been looking at him in the same way. The witch had been right too.
“I’m falling for him too,” she admitted and lowered her gaze. “My feelings for him scare me, Bane. This was never supposed to happen. You know I can’t afford any emotional entanglements, and there’s so much we don’t know about him.”
“I know,” Bane said quietly. “I’d advise you to harden your heart, but you’ve never been good at that. In some ways, I think he’s good for you. Far better than Dax, anyway. I worry he’ll hurt you before the end though.”
Sabine knelt beside Bane. Taking his clawed hand in hers, she said, “Sometimes I think you know me better than I know myself. You’ve always told me the hard truths, even when I didn’t want to hear them. I’d like to know what you think I should do, not what Balkin instructed you to tell me.”
Bane was quiet for a long time and then he sighed. “If you’ve already grown to care that much for the dragon, the only thing you can do is bind him to you. We’ll have to hope he doesn’t betray us when he learns you’ll never belong to him. I’ll do what I can to protect you, but I cannot safeguard your heart, little one.”
Sabine swallowed and nodded. From everything she knew about dragons, they could be extremely possessive. They hoarded treasures, secreting them away from the world. Many Fae had been taken captive by them during the Dragon War, and no one knew what had become of her stolen people. She knew Malek was different from those creatures of legend, but there was always some truth to the stories. She’d had to suppress some of her instincts while living among the humans. It stood to reason he’d done the same, but no one could deny their true nature forever.
She lifted Bane’s hand, pressed it against her cheek, and said, “I’ll consider your words carefully before I decide. Will you be all right if I leave you here?”
“For a time. My magic is weaker than normal, but I should be fine aboveground for several days without your presence. If I begin to feel the call of my ancestors, I’ll set out in search of you.”
Sabine nodded and curled up beside him. Skin contact helped strengthen their connection and made it easier for him to fuse her magic with his. “Take what you need, Bane. I’ll regain more of my magic soon enough now that we’re on land. I’m already feeling stronger.”
Bane wrapped his arm around her shoulders and said, “You worry too much, little one.”
“Don’t make me forswear my promise to you,” she teased lightly, not worrying for a second he’d accuse her of such. “I’ll always worry about you, just as you do with me.”
He chuckled and siphoned off some of her magic. She sighed and settled against him. The sleep had helped considerably, but she’d feel much better after she found a forest. Unfortunately, their brief journey with the hunters had revealed little but a lot of sand and dirt. It was difficult to imagine this area had once been covered with lush foliage and trees.
Blossom came flying toward them carrying two unusual desert flowers. “Sabine, you have to see what I found!”
Sabine smiled as Blossom landed on her lap and offered her the flowers. She picked up the pink one with petals that appeared more like hair or fur. It was unlike anything she’d ever seen before. Sabine inhaled deeply, evaluating the nuances of the flower’s energy and memorizing her impressions. “This is beautiful. Poisonous, but beautiful.”
Blossom nodded, her eyes dancing with excitement. “Can you use it to make a new poison for your weapons?”
The flower was unfamiliar to her, but the memories of her bloodline would always be hers to access. One of her ancestors could have come across this flower or a similar variation. Sabine closed her eyes and inhaled again, tapping into her locked memories. It only took her a handful of minutes to recognize it as a variation of another plant.
Opening her eyes, Sabine shook her head and said, “Sadly, no. This needs to be ingested for it to be effective.”
“Drat,” Blossom muttered and picked up the blue flower, which more closely resembled some species found near Akros. “What about this one?”
Sabine picked it up. She repeated the same procedure, and her eyes widened as memories rushed through her. “Where did you get this?”
Blossom pointed toward the south. “It was along the road that way. There’s a whole field of them. You recognize it?”
Sabine nodded, studying the flower closer. “I’ve never seen it before, but this is a Fae creation. At some point, probably before the Dragon Portal was sealed, my people lived here.” She stared in the direction Blossom had indicated. “Karga lies in that direction, right?”
Bane nodded and studied the flower. “Yes. You’re hoping to find some trace of the Fae?”
“This flower is trace enough,” Sabine said quietly, cradling the flower in her hands. “If my people were here, there may be other signs too. I know it won’t be the same as returning to Faerie, but…”
“You miss your home,” Bane murmured.
Sabine sighed. “Yes.”
Blossom’s wings drooped. “It wasn’t supposed to make you sad.”
Sabine smiled at Blossom. “Such a wonderful gift could never make me sad. I love it, Blossom. Truly. Not only that, but I may be able to recharge my magic more easily than I expected.”
Blossom beamed at her. “When we leave, I’ll show you where I found them. I bet we can find lots more! Can I put it in your hair?”
Sabine nodded and handed the flower back to the pixie. Blossom flew up to her shoulder and hummed as she started to braid. Sabine had unbound her hair the night before while they traveled back to the beach, and Blossom had been itching to play with it again. The pixie siphoned off tiny amounts of her magic through touch, but it was so slight, Sabine rarely noticed.
“The dragon comes,” Bane said, nodding toward the ocean.
Sabine turned to see Malek trudging through the waves carrying two large bags. He dropped them on the beach
near the fire and said, “The damage to the ship was worse than I thought, but I should be able to salvage some items stored in the hold. I brought a few things with me to sell in Karga so we can at least retain the services of the shipmaster and begin the repairs. We may need to trade for additional resources though. The crew can pitch in to help with the work. That should offset some of the expense.”
Bane nodded and stood. “I’ll oversee the repairs and the crew while you’re gone.”
“They should begin waking up soon,” Sabine said, glancing toward the ship. “You may be able to convince them it was the Merfolk who sent them to sleep as part of our negotiation.”
“That could work,” Malek mused, glancing toward the ship. “The Merfolk’s interference could also explain how the ship made it to shore with that much damage.”
Bane held out his hand to her, and she accepted it. He helped her to her feet, and she brushed off the sand from her clothing. It seemed to get everywhere. “I really hope they have a place to get a bath in Karga.”
Malek chuckled. “Aye, they do. Karga’s about a day’s travel on foot. With the mounts, we should be able to get there before nightfall. You’ll be able to sleep in a bed tonight.”
“I can’t tell you how wonderful that sounds,” she said before turning back to Bane. “Promise me you won’t wait until the last minute if you need me.”
Bane inclined his head. “You have my word. If you’re not back within a week, I’ll set out in search of you.”
Sabine nodded and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. “Be safe, my protector.”
“You as well,” Bane murmured. He turned toward Malek and ordered, “You will guard her with your life.”
Malek gave Bane a curt nod. “I swear it.”
“This is going to be fun. Maybe we’ll find more flowers on the way,” Blossom said, tugging lightly on her hair.
Bane gave Sabine a meaningful look, and she returned it with a weak smile. For better or worse, she was going to spend the next several days alone with a dragon with only a pixie to help run interference. She couldn’t decide if she was more uneasy at the prospect or looking forward to it.
By Blood and Magic Page 9
