by Kyra Quinn
“I’m certain Remiel would prefer it after the hospitality he’s shown you.” Viktor gave her shoulder a gentle shove. “Go back in the house, wild child. We need to ask the boss what the plan is.”
Lilianna’s hand locked onto her hip. “Why? I’m an adult. I can escort myself to the train station.”
Viktor smirked once more. “Yeah? Not the story I heard.”
“Shut up.”
Viktor gave her another push. “Inside. We can ask Remiel why he’s so determined to help you when he returns. For now, you’re already here. We’d might as well do what we can to keep you safe.”
Lilianna’s eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms. “I don’t need his help. Or yours.”
“Then why’d you come here? Why ask around town about Remi at all? It isn’t as if we have nothing better to do than drop everything and see you off to safety.”
“I made a mistake. Won’t happen again, cross my heart. Now let. Me. Go.”
Viktor sighed, but the smirk on his face contradicted the annoyance in his tone. “Very well. We do this the hard way.”
He threw his arms around Lilianna’s waist before she responded. He tossed her over his shoulder in one fluid motion, her weight no more than a bundle of firewood to him. She kicked and thrashed against his shoulder as he pushed his way into the house. The smirk on his face grew each time her fist pounded against his back. For as often as Viktor complained about his shifter blood, the advantages came in handy.
“Put me down!” Her fists pounded against his back. “Let go of me you gibface ratbag!”
Viktor chuckled as he tightened his grip around her thighs. He marched Lili into the house and slammed the door shut behind him with the heel of his boot. He tossed her onto the settee without breaking a sweat, his body relaxed as he sat next to her feet.
“Gibface ratbag, huh? Quite the mouth on you. I’ll have you know most people find me handsome and charming.”
“We can’t all have good taste.” She rolled her eyes. She glanced at Remiel’s bedchamber door as if expecting it to swing open. “Is he even in there?”
“Remiel? No. The bedchamber is more for appearances. Angels don’t exactly sleep.”
Lili arched a brow. “Never?”
“I wouldn’t say never. I’ve seen his eyes close once or twice over the years. But they don’t need a nightly eight-hour commitment like humans. Rest for them is more of a leisure activity than a necessity.”
“Hmm.” She chewed over the new information, her eyes still locked on Remiel’s door.
“Where were you headed, anyway? Back home?”
“What does it matter?” she snapped. “Remiel told me I had to leave in the morning. Morning came, so I left. Or tried to, if you hadn’t gotten in the way.”
“You’re welcome,” Viktor said with a wink. “No offense, pet, but you won’t survive long on your own.”
Lili clenched her fists. “No offense, pet, but no one asked for your opinion.”
Viktor shrugged, unbothered. “Doesn’t mean you need not hear it. Take a seat, I’ll fix us something to eat. You like eggs?”
Viktor rose from the couch and sauntered into the kitchen, the heat of her glare on his back. The more annoyed she became, the more amused Viktor found himself. Her haughty attitude suggested no other man had dared handle her so sternly in the past. What sort of Fey kingdom had the little princess tumbled out of?
“Where are my clothes?” she asked as she rose to her feet. “I need to change.”
“Gone.”
“What do you mean gone? Gone where?”
“Up in flames. That outfit was too recognizable. The demons would’ve seen you coming a mile away. That’s where Remiel is: grabbing something in your size from town.”
“No one is open yet,” Lili scoffed and gestured to the dusk outside the window.
“Exactly.”
“Since when do angels steal?”
Viktor gave a grunt. “We do what we must to survive. You ask a lot of questions, you know. Hypocritical when you offer so little in return.”
Lili bristled. “What do you mean? I’ve shared everything I know with Remiel.”
“So you say.” Viktor reached into a cabinet and retrieved a shallow cast iron pan. “Seems convenient you show up with a target on your back and no clue how it got there. Eggs?”
“No, I don’t want any blasted eggs!” She slammed her fist against the wall. Viktor turned to find her face flushed with rage. “I’ve told you, I’m leaving.”
“And I’ve told you that will not happen.” Viktor twirled the skillet in his hand, his eyes glued to the girl. “Don’t make me do this the hard way.”
Lili folded her arms over her chest and fixed him with an icy glare. “You’re no better than he is.”
Viktor shrugged as he placed the pan on the small stove-top. “Never claimed to be. Eat something, it’ll make you feel better.”
Lili snorted. “Right. How silly of me. Why didn’t I think of that? All I need to heal my broken soul is breakfast.”
“Are you always like this?”
“Are you?”
Viktor didn’t respond. As far as he could tell, the girl wasn’t worth the wasted breathe. He reached into a bowl on the counter and retrieved two large eggs, one beige and one a pale green. He cracked them against the counter and prepared the meal with no further attention to Lili, their argument over.
“It’s in your best interest to let me leave. In case your master hasn’t told you, savage monsters want me dead. They killed my father and his servant. If they find me here, I’m certain you’ll meet the same fate.”
Viktor swallowed back a laugh. Though her scent had convinced Viktor the girl was anything but human, her assumptions sounded every bit as naive. Leave it to a woman to decide his strength and value based on nothing but her own assumptions.
Viktor opened his mouth to speak as a deafening bang echoed through the house. He jumped as his body tensed. Three demons rushed into the bungalow. Sharp talons reached for Lilianna’s face as a bloodcurdling scream escaped her lips. The beasts growled as they lunged at her with hungry mouths, their sharp horns aimed at her waist.
“No!” Viktor snarled as he sprang into the air and landed between Lili and the trio of beasts. His body temperature rose as adrenaline rushed through him. He locked his legs and grabbed hold of the closest demon’s horns. He hurled him into the wall and growled, ready for the next one.
Behind him, all traces of Lilianna’s previous tough girl attitude had vanished. She whimpered and pulled her knees into her chest as she cowered behind Viktor. Stupid, defenseless girl.
Viktor clenched his teeth and swung. Whether or not he liked Lili, he couldn’t let her death fall on his hands. His skin crawled as his body quivered. Shit. The beast inside of him thrashed and kicked, eager to escape and rip the demon apart limb by limb.
But Viktor never attacked. Seconds after the demons blew through the front door, a blaze of fire sliced through their midsection and severed their spines with a single swoop. Thick black liquid oozed from their cores.
Their bodies toppled to the floor to reveal an exhausted Remiel. One hand clutched a bundle of clothes, the other his sword. He offered a weak smile and said, “At least it appears you two had fun in my absence. Viktor, ready the carriage while Miss Lili changes clothes. It’s time we take our leave.”
CHAPTER TEN
Fall from Grace
“Why am I still here?” I locked my hands on my hips and ignored the heap of stolen fabric on the floor. “Tell your lackey to let me leave.”
Remiel arched a brow. “Why the sudden hurry to be on your own? From what I have witnessed, you could use all the help you can find.”
“I’m not a child. I can take care of myself. For gods’ sake, it’s like you two rehearsed this.”
Remiel’s eyes shifted towards Viktor, his expression unreadable. “We spoke on the matter last night. We agreed it would not sit well on our consciences to toss yo
u back out into the streets and pray for the best.”
“So you hold me prisoner instead? How chivalrous of you.”
“Your father sent you for a reason.” Remiel pursed his lips. “He knew this would be more than you could manage alone. And, though it may be the last thing I want to do, and the last thing you wish to hear, I made a vow to him I would be an ass not to honor.”
His logic was sound enough, but something about the lack of sincerity in his tone gave cause for alarm. I chewed my lip as I pondered my options, the fire inside me less manageable after time alone with Viktor. How much did I trust Remiel’s offer of assistance? And how long could I survive without it?
“In all the stories I listened to at Temple, none of them included an angel who drank and swore.”
Viktor snorted from his position near the door. “A clear sign those stories were penned by men with no knowledge of angels.”
“Why should I trust either of you to help me?” My follow-up question died in my throat. Only a fool would believe Remiel’s paper-thin excuse about honoring my father’s memory. If they’d changed their minds about helping me, they must have found something in it for them.
“You have no better options. And, truth be told, we cannot protect you alone, either. Powerful forces are after your head, Lili. Forces who will not cower to me or Viktor the way those cowards did. It is only a matter of time before they send their heavy hitters to bring you in. If you want to survive this, we need to move.”
My chest grew tight as if an elephant sat in the center of my sternum. My shoulders slumped as I exhaled. “Fine. What do we need to do?”
“We travel to Carramar in search of a spirit mage. Many will perform complicated spell-work for a price. We can buy you a few protections wards and a cloaking enchantment. The harder you are to locate or track, the harder you are to kill.”
“What in damnation is a spirit mage? Can you please speak straight?”
“Your father did you no favors by sheltering you so much.” Remiel’s nose wrinkled as he watched me grapple with the information. “There is much about the world you should know by your age.”
“Enlighten me.”
“That would take the better part of a day, and we don’t have time to spare. The demons know you were here now. More will arrive at any moment. Viktor and I must take our leave, with or without you.”
“Or angels,” I pointed out, indifferent to how petty it sounded. “Don’t forget, it was your people who murdered my father.”
“So it was.” His face sobered. “What is your decision, Miss Lilianna? Are you coming?”
I had no desire to go anywhere with them. What Viktor and Remiel offered could not be described as altruistic kindness, and I couldn’t think of two less agreeable gentlemen. Their sour dispositions aside, Remiel and Viktor didn’t deserve to die to save me. Every corner of Mulgrave made my skin crawl, and Thalia and her goons proved I was no safer in this strange city than back in Faomere. My existence posed a threat to anyone close.
But Father sent me to the angel for a reason. I gritted my teeth as resignation swept over me. If Remiel provided any hope of escaping the growing darkness around me, I’d be a fool to reject his help.
I lowered my head as my resistance melted. “Do we have to go to the Cursed City to find this mage?”
“So you’re familiar with it.”
A cold sweat covered my hands. “We can’t go there. Why would we go there?”
“Carramar is where we find the mage,” Remiel said, pausing between each word as if speaking to a young child. “If we want the spell-work — which we do — we need her help.”
“I can think of a thousand reasons this is your worst solution to date.” Viktor folded his hairy arms over his chest. “We have a complicated enough time with her already.”
“Hey!” I slapped Viktor’s arm. “You’re not such a gentleman yourself.”
“Enough.” Remiel rubbed his forehead. “Viktor, ready the carriage. Carramar is no short trip. If we leave within the hour, we may make it by sunrise tomorrow.”
“Remi, are you positive this is what you wish to do?” Viktor asked, his voice low.
“Ready the carriage.”
Viktor’s eyes narrowed as he gave a short nod. He rose from the table and wandered out the front door with his head tucked to his chin. He slammed the door behind him, the force shaking the windows of the tiny cottage.
“I suggest you change.” Remiel gestured to the bundle of garbs. “Dress in something comfortable. We have a lengthy ride ahead of us.”
I didn’t move from the table. “Does what I want not matter?”
“Hmm?” Remiel arched an eyebrow. “I assumed you wanted me to keep you safe.”
“But Carramar—”
“Is the only way I can do that,” Remiel finished. “Now come. Unless you want to fight more monsters off, that is. Viktor will have the carriage ready by the time you dress yourself.”
That alone tempted me to slow my pace. “I don’t like him.”
“I expect the opinion is reciprocal,” Remiel chuckled, the first real laugh since our introduction. “Give him a chance to warm up to you. Viktor is protective. It has been just me and him for a long time now.”
“I’m not here to come in the middle of your romance.” I scoffed as I sifted through the pile of clothes. “These clothes look so old and wrinkled. And there isn’t a single dress.”
“Think about the people you’ve seen around Mulgrave. Did you spot any formal gowns? Pretentious fashion trends may consume Faomere, but the style in Mulgrave favors a woman’s movement and ability to work.”
I cringed as I pinched a thick cotton shirt between my fingers and lifted it up. “Why do I have to wear this?”
“The less easy you are to spot between here and Carramar the better,” Remiel said. “We aren’t going to the royal ball. Pick something.”
I huffed as I grabbed a pair of slacks from the pile and stomped off to the washroom. The trousers hung from my hip bones, the shirt large enough for someone twice my size. I didn’t risk a peek at the mirror above the sink. I didn’t want to sit with the awareness of how foolish I looked.
When I emerged from the washroom, Remiel stood by the door with an impatient scowl. “Ready? Need a little more time to primp your hair or something?”
“Hold your tongue.” I gritted my teeth. “Let’s be on our way before I change my mind.”
* * *
Remiel’s carriage looked nothing like the quaint stagecoach I’d imagined. When he led me down the hill to the stables, my jaw fell to my chest. Viktor sat on the front bench of a massive wooden buggy, leather reigns clutched in his gloved hands. The timber was stained black, a crimson trim around the edges of the windows and frame. A black top hat topped his mane, his features disguised by shadows. They harnessed two midnight mares to the front of the device, their nostrils flared as their red eyes glowed in the darkness.
Remiel pulled the door open and gestured for me to climb inside the large black coach. “After you, Miss Lili.”
I placed my foot on the running board and pulled myself up into the coach. A soft velvet cloth covered the seats, two pillows on each bench. I slid into the seat furthest from Viktor and crossed my legs as Remiel climbed in behind me.
“Magnificent,” I said with an appreciative nod. “Did you swipe it from a King?”
Remiel chuckled. “No, nothing that exciting. Viktor and I assembled it a few years ago.”
“You built this?” My eyes widened. “How?”
“It wasn’t difficult. Just took time and patience.”
The crack of a whip split through the night. The horses whined and trampled; the carriage lurching to life. I dug my nails into the sides of the bench. Thick trunks covered in pink and white blossoms rolled by outside. Nausea gripped my stomach as the carriage bumped along down the road. I would have given my right lung for the movement to stop.
Remiel read my discomfort within minutes. “Firs
t time?”
I wrapped my arms around my midsection. “Is there no way we could walk? Or perhaps take the train?”
“Not if you want to reach Carramar in one piece. Besides, this is far more pleasant than a steam locomotive. Faster, too. Do you trust me?”
“What?”
“I need you to trust me if you want this to work. Can you do that?”
My tongue became heavy in my mouth. My eyes darted between Remiel and the window as I tried to work the answer out in my head. Did I trust him? No further than I could spit. Could I try to? My stomach cramped.
“In my experience, nothing good comes from a man who asks you to trust him. I trusted my father. Look at all the secrets he kept from me.”
“Fortunately for both of us, I am not a man. And did he keep them from you, or for you?” Remiel leaned in closer. “I knew your father, Lili. He was a good man. Any secrets he kept were likely to protect you from things you were not ready to handle yet. He might have sheltered you, but he didn’t have a malicious bone in his body.”
Guilt crashed over me in a wave. I wanted to believe Remiel. But considering everything I’d learned in the last few days, taking his word didn’t seem so simple. My mouth burned.
“He lied. Father knew angels and magic and demons existed, yet he told me they were fantasies. He kept the truth hidden my entire life. Would you do that to your child?”
Remiel’s eyes flickered towards the driver’s bench where Viktor sat. His face sobered. “I cannot say. I know not what reasons your father had to lie to you, so I cannot speak on his intentions. However, I will add if I thought a little white lie might save my child’s life? I am certain I would be dishonest, too.”
“I thought angels didn’t condone dishonesty.”
“Did it occur to you there might be a reason I cannot save you alone?” Remiel fixed his gaze outside of the window. “I am not much of an angel these days.”
“I don’t understand—”
“You claim you encountered angels the night they killed your father, correct? Do you see any wings on me?”
