Ascent

by Bethany Adams

  “Yeah. I’ll just…”

  Maddy had to fight hard not to let her amusement show as Fen backed toward the kitchen, a flush spreading up his neck. She’d seen him make his fair share of suggestive jokes to others when it didn’t matter, but now that it did, he was adorably flustered at the slightest provocation. Would he blush when they were all in bed together?

  She suddenly—desperately—wanted to see. Anna had better hurry herself home after work. Then they could all find out.

  Maddy was half-finished with the sandwich Fen brought her when she remembered his comment about her phone. She hadn’t set an alarm, so it must have been a text. Still chewing, she grabbed the device from the side table and swiped it open. But the text that she found from Anna almost made her choke.

  Met a man who might be one of my people. I’m going to chat with him in the park near the restaurant. He said not to speak about it, but texting isn’t exactly speech, right? You and Fen should come down here. But just watch unless I’m in danger. I need to know about my magic.

  “Fuck,” Maddy blurted, almost dropping her sandwich. “Hope you don’t have any more deliveries scheduled, because we need to go. Now.”

  Fen, who had just started toward the kitchen, paused to frown over his shoulder. “What? Why?”

  “Anna texted and said she’s meeting some guy who offered her info about her heritage.” Maddy slapped her plate down on the side table and stood. “That was half an hour ago.”

  In moments, they were in the car, speeding toward the park Anna had mentioned. If something happened, it would be Maddy’s fault for not checking her phone sooner, but she’d been distracted by her dream. And Fen, of course. The hard set of his jaw and glaring eyes told her he was probably blaming himself as thoroughly as she was.

  Fen’s thumbs tapped out an anxious beat on the steering wheel, and Maddy squeezed his thigh in comfort. Really, they were both wrong. Blame might seem inevitable, but it was also disabling. How could they have known that Anna would make such a rash decision? Missing texts happened—at least that was what Maddy told herself.

  Now to get her heart to listen.

  Anna had no clue if pepper spray would affect one of the fae, but she couldn’t bring herself to enter the park completely defenseless. She kept her right finger against the trigger, the canister chill against her inner wrist where it wouldn’t be obvious. In her left hand, she held her phone so she could mash the emergency call button on the lock screen if necessary. Her mind insisted she was silly and paranoid, but her instincts screamed that she shouldn’t take any chances. She’d even dared to send a text.

  On the farthest bench along the trail—and the one closest to the water—the stranger sat. Anna swallowed her nerves and marched resolutely toward him. They wouldn’t be alone in the park. A father watched his two young children play on the small playground situated in the field behind the benches, and a lady stood on the riverbank, throwing breadcrumbs out for the ducks.

  The man didn’t mean her any harm, her inner voice insisted.

  But for some reason, she had to prevent her steps from slowing of their own accord.

  The afternoon sunshine gleamed against the fae man’s hair as he glanced her way, and the smile that crossed his face had Anna tightening her hold on the pepper spray canister. The smile should have been pleasant—in fact, she was fairly confident the man intended it to be. But there was a hardness to the edges of his lips and a dark glint in his eyes that revealed more to the seemingly happy curve.

  No. There’s nothing there but friendliness.

  Even as that thought rang in her head, Anna was careful to sit as far away from him on the bench as she could without being completely rude, and she settled her hand with the pepper spray against the large hobo-style bag she wore crossways over her chest so that the canister was hidden in the opening above the zipper. If he noticed, his closed—and decidedly regal—expression gave nothing away.

  “I see you made the smart choice,” the stranger said softly.

  “Maybe.” Anna lifted her chin. “But I probably shouldn’t have come in the first place. I don’t even know your name.”

  The man’s smile widening. “Easily solved. I am Lord Rianehd a Orsed, and although I am not of the Gwragedd Annwn, I am a Sidhe water mage. I sensed your uncontrolled power when I was passing through, and such a thing is a danger to all. I thought it best to offer aid.”

  Not one of her people.

  Sidhe.

  Meren was Sidhe.

  The shrieking alarm of that reminder blared through her mind and cut through the muddy mess of her thoughts. Holy shit. Had he messed with her head somehow? Enchanted her? Anna’s pulse leaped, but she did her best not to let her reaction show. For a moment, she considered pepper spraying him in case he sensed that whatever spell he might have placed on her had been broken, but that could make the situation worse.

  This man called himself Rianehd, not Meren. But Meren had found allies before. This could be a trap to lure her away. That was how she would have written it in one of her stories, and Anna had fallen right in like the poor girl with the ballet flat.

  “Are you overcome with my generosity?” Rianehd asked sharply.

  Crap. How could she play along without getting herself in more trouble? She had to answer. “I’m guessing you want something in return.”

  His eyebrows rose. “I have asked for nothing.”

  Hah. Because there were so many fairy tales where the fae offered help out of pure altruism. Anna barely resisted rolling her eyes. “Yet. But you might as well get it over with. I’ve heard enough stories of the fae to know it’s coming.”

  Lord Rianehd studied her for a moment before nodding. “Very well, then. If you must know, there are secrets of the water magic I have yet to unlock, and it is my hope that I might help you become proficient enough to find your own people, the true masters of water. Then you can return the favor by teaching me a few new tricks.”

  There was a certain logic to that, but something about his assertion didn’t ring true. Really, if he was a powerful lord, why couldn’t he seek out some of the full-blooded Gwragedd Annwn himself? Had he tried and been refused? Or maybe he was bullshitting her to try to get close to her.

  She would bet on the last one.

  “I need time to consider your offer,” Anna said.

  Surprise flashed across his face before his expression returned to neutral, a change so quick she almost missed it. Oh, no. He had to realize she wasn’t under his influence anymore. “I suppose I can grant that boon, although I must tell you that I will not remain in this area long.”

  A limited time offer. Fen’s comment about infomercials sprang into her head. She’d been amused by it then, but the reality was far from funny. Rianehd definitely had intentions far more sinister than selling her a cheap gadget—and she didn’t want to know what those intentions were.

  Anna forced a shrug. “Then I’ll find someone else.”

  He couldn’t hide his surprise this time. “You would give up this opportunity for the sake of hoarding the knowledge you gain? I ask for little enough.”

  “Do you?” The guy obviously thought humans were total fools. “I don’t know enough to say whether or not you’re asking for something small, and I’m not making promises based on information I don’t have. I might be nice, but I’m not gullible.”

  If she’d been fast enough, Anna would have snapped a picture of the Sidhe lord as a mixture of shock, anger, and affront passed across his face, stronger than before. Then she would’ve titled the image His Highness Denied and hung the thing on her wall to laugh at. Alas, the moment was gone too soon, his expression smooth and confident once more.

  “Would you like a sample of what I could teach you?” he asked, a sly lilt to his voice.

  Had there been the slightest spark of sexual interest in his eyes, Anna would have left at once, but there was no indication the statement was laced with the innuendo some men would have intended. “I’m not a
greeing to anything.”

  Lord Rianehd lifted a hand almost casually, and the river sloshed with more force against the bank. “I will grant you this bit of knowledge freely and without condition. Water is a force of emotion, and both have the power to sustain or destroy. Water connects all living beings, but it also carves through solid rock. If you cannot gain control of your emotions, you will never succeed at using your magic. Think on that next time you are in the water. Otherwise, the element will rule you absolutely.”

  From the way the river slapped against the shore, Anna had to assume that the Sidhe lord was less calm than he appeared. “Somewhat useful, but more inspirational poster than practical advice. I doubt I can do much with that.”

  “More than you think.” Lord Rianehd stood, brushing the wrinkles from his slacks with a regal flick. “I will give you the time you so obviously require, but I warn you I have little patience. Tomorrow evening, I will return to this spot. If you wish to negotiate a deal, meet me here after sunset. Alone.”

  “Again, you insist on me being alone. Is there a reason? Maybe you have something to hide.”

  He smirked. “Don’t we Sidhe always have something to hide? Be here or not. It makes no difference to me.”

  But as Lord Rianehd walked away, his shoulders appeared knotted with tension, and his stride was not as easy as his casual smirk suggested it should be. For whatever reason, this future meeting made a huge difference to him, and Anna had the uncomfortable feeling she needed to discover why.

  This was absolutely going to be dangerous. Darn it. Anna didn’t mind tagging along on adventures, but she didn’t want to be the star of one. Though it would be nice if she could figure out how to get revenge for that bit of mind control the asshole had used. After all, she wouldn’t be in this situation without it.

  As soon as the helpers from Lyr’s estate finished affixing the large mirror to the cave wall of the new receiving room, Dria stepped forward to attune herself to the enchantment. Behind her, mage globes illuminated the rich furnishings she’d opted to install—a large rug enchanted against dirt and water with a grouping of nice but not-too-comfortable chairs arranged carefully in a loose circle. On the wall opposite, she’d had Vek raise a small dais out of stone, but she hadn’t yet decided if she wanted to place anything resembling a throne there.

  The room was a work in progress, but it would do.

  Dria activated the link she sought as soon as she was alone. She’d dressed carefully in formal clothing, despite the awkwardness of wearing the long, trailing overrobe in a cave, and had even donned her tiara for good measure. Lera had a few centuries on her, but she would not be intimidated.

  Almost at once, the link completed, and Queen Lera’s image appeared on the other side. Just as frosty and perfect as Dria remembered from their few meetings. Why did Lera echo her pale blonde hair and fair complexion with the lightest colors possible? The other woman’s personality wasn’t nearly as cold, or at least it hadn’t been the one time she had spoken freely with Dria after a long day at the Moranaian court.

  “Forgive my abrupt contact, Queen Regent Lera,” Dria said, trying to hide her annoyance. She didn’t dislike the lady, but she had too much work already to deal with her. “I understand from Lord Lyr that you wished to speak to me regarding the outpost?”

  Lera’s eyes widened, probably at the directness of the question. Maybe Vek was rubbing off on Dria, because she couldn’t find the patience for pleasantries. She expected some amount of affront, but Lera surprised her by inclining her head without comment about the lapse.

  “It has always been understood that your people would not establish a permanent residence on Earth after your departure.”

  Dria smiled. “And it has also been understood that your people would make no move of aggression against ours, yet one of your nobles launched an attack against us. He also attempted to murder my mate, an Unseelie prince.”

  At least embarrassment brought color to Lera’s features. “Meren is a criminal, wanted by the crown for multiple crimes. We are not to blame.”

  “Nor did we plan the circumstances that led to this outpost.” Dria lifted a brow. “Is there an actual request you wish to make of me?”

  Lera’s nostrils flared, but her tone remained calm. “I would like to send an emissary to your outpost in case Meren attempts to attack once more. His retrieval is of utmost importance to the crown, especially considering his former rank in our court.”

  Now that was interesting. For Lera to reveal so much, she had to want his return badly. “Is there some incentive you can offer? It is a great imposition to host a dignitary in these rough accommodations.”

  “Rough?” Lera’s gaze flicked briefly to the furnishings behind Dria. “It seems no hardship.”

  “This is the first room at the beginning of the cave system,” Dria said smoothly, though she had no intention of mentioning the many levels down to the portal. “I cannot promise a comfortable place to sleep.”

  Queen Lera considered her for a moment before drawing herself up straighter. “As Queen Regent, I am prepared to offer the Moranaians a future boon, so long as it is in no way taxing or dangerous to my people. Two such favors if you actively help my emissary bring Meren back to my court alive.”

  Miaran. Dria had already expected this request, but she’d never thought Lera would make such a rich offer. It would be foolish not to accept. “I agree.”

  Now to keep Vek from killing Meren before the Seelie had to fulfill their end of the deal.

  Chapter 22

  Fen wasn’t certain he believed in any particular divine being, but he prayed anyway as he sped through afternoon traffic. Why in the hell would she have gone to meet a stranger knowing that Meren was out there looking for revenge? She’d been with Fen when his mother had delivered her warning, and that had been less than an hour after Anna had watched someone—likely Meren—attempt to drown Fen in the river.

  Why did people connected to Fen always have to suffer? His fingers tightened on the steering wheel. This time, it wouldn’t be directly related to something he had done, at least as far as he knew. Kien and Meren had worked together grudgingly and rarely, neither trusting the other. Fen had never even met the haughty Sidhe lord, and if he had, the man wouldn’t have known Fen by anything other than his alias, Tom. But that didn’t stop Fen from being sucked into the shitstorm anyway.

  “I’m worried, too,” Maddy said. “But you look like you’re about to have a panic attack. Is there something I don’t know?”

  Dammit, they hadn’t even had a chance to talk about everything that had happened while they were apart. “Yeah. While you were gone, Anna got a bit carried away and jumped into the river. I went in after her, but she turned out to be fine. Then someone tried to pull me under. We think it was Meren, but he got away before that could be confirmed.”

  “There was an attack, and no one called to tell me?” Maddy’s glare arrowed through him, though he only caught a glimpse of it before he returned his attention to the road. “You’ve got to be kidding me. That’s not the kind of thing you leave out.”

  Fen grimaced. “It wasn’t on purpose. I had to tell Vek and Ara to fuck off, and then I met your parents for the first time. Not to mention searching for a house and furniture with no notice and trying heal Sparrow. It got lost in the shuffle.”

  “You just…forgot that someone tried to kill you?”

  “The whole thing was over in a matter of moments, and I wasn’t hurt.” Fen dared another glance her way and was heartened to see that she no longer appeared capable of murder. “With no more sign of Meren, it didn’t seem like there was anything to do except stay on guard. Even if I had remembered when we spoke, there wouldn’t have been a point in you coming back. Still, I’m sorry.”

  “Fine. I won’t yell at you about it. Just don’t let it happen again.” Maddy fell silent for a moment. “Do you think Anna would really meet with Meren after that?”

  “I hope not,” Fen answered. �
�I really hope it’s a coincidence.”

  It took all of Fen’s willpower to slow down as he swung the car into the parking lot, when what he wanted to do was tear ass through the turn and speed over all the empty parking spaces. But kids played on the playground, and people jogged the nearby paths. He couldn’t risk hurting anyone. So he took a deep breath and directed the car as calmly as possible into a spot near the sidewalk.

  “Do you see her?” Maddy asked as he scanned the area.

  Fen almost answered no, but before he could get the word out, Anna came into view on the trail near the water. “There.”

  He pointed, and Maddy followed the line of his finger. “Thank goodness.”

  Maddy leapt from the car, slamming the door behind her. Fen turned off the ignition, grabbed the keys, and followed suit, but despite his haste on the road, he didn’t run toward Anna as well. Instead, he glanced around the park, hoping to see the mysterious stranger his girlfriend had come to meet.

  Despite what he’d told Maddy, Fen was almost certain this was no coincidence. Meren was out there somewhere, waiting to pounce, and although the threat the Sidhe man had sent Fen’s mother hadn’t mentioned Maddy or Anna, that didn’t mean they were safe. No one connected with Fen was safe if that bastard was out to get him, so a stranger luring Anna into a meeting was more than suspect.

  Fen cursed beneath his breath. Really, he should leave Maddy and Anna alone for their own good. Make some excuse and bolt. Then they wouldn’t have to stress about his shit catching up with any of them like this. His chest squeezed, and his steps slowed as he watched Maddy pull Anna close for a kiss. Foregoing the mate bond would be the wisest choice.

  But he never had been wise—maybe that was why he wouldn’t walk away.

  He’d done his best so far to atone for his mistakes, and he always would. But it was past time for him to climb out of that gutter where he thought he belonged. He might never deserve to have two amazing mates, but they deserved someone who would spend his life trying to be worthy. If someone like Meren tried to jerk Fen back into the darkness, they wouldn’t find the task an easy one. He didn’t have to stay where he’d fallen.