by Brey Willows
He flushed, clearly too concerned to be swayed by her charms. “The main area is for the humans, and it opens at noon. This area is just for the fae folk who are getting ready to start their day. No harm in that.”
His fear was palpable, and Maggie noticed it rising in the others in the room. The edict that humans and fairy folk couldn’t be near each other seemed to have been taken seriously. It had slipped to the back of her mind since they hadn’t seen any of the guard patrols they’d heard about. Obviously, it wasn’t the case for these people. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Her hand twitched in her sleeve as she imagined the paintbrush in it. When she opened her eyes, she knew what to do.
“Kody, was my family name McShay?” Maggie asked softly.
Kody’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “No. It was Dubshlaine. They left a note with McShay with you to hide you better.”
Maggie nodded and tapped Brenda on the shoulder, who looked up at her and then moved aside when Maggie knelt down in front of the man. “Hello, Gus. My name is Maggie Dubshlaine. I’ve been gone for a long time—”
His eyes widened and he looked around the room. With his voice raised, he yelled, “The spinner has returned!”
The room erupted into shouts and chatter. Maggie smiled at him when he turned back to her and held out his hand. “You’re mighty welcome here, miss.” He looked over her shoulder. “I thought I recognized you. But you’ve gotten old. You were just a pup the last time you came here. In fact, I seem to remember you with a lass who had the most enormous—”
“Eyes. She had big eyes.” Kody grinned at him. “Nice to see you again, Gus.” She looked around the room and then back at him. “Do you think we could sit somewhere and eat? Mal from over on the crag sent us, said you might have a horse and cart we could use.”
He nodded so quickly Maggie was worried he might hurt himself.
“Of course, of course. Come through and I’ll bring some plates back to you.”
They followed him through the throng of people who were pushing closer to the group, and more than one touched Maggie’s hand or clothing as she passed by. Their unguarded hope, their naked fear, and their deep desperation was clear in their expressions, and seeing it made the situation more real than it had been to this point. All the wonderful things she’d seen, the magic, the storm…it all paled in comparison to the people in front of her who needed help, and who truly believed she was the one to do it.
The main section of the pub was dark and heavy. Thick curtains kept out the light and the floors were scarred. The walls were mostly empty except for an occasional small painting. It had the feel of being abandoned, or at the very least, little loved.
He looked apologetic as he lit candles and ushered them to a table. “Sorry about this. Not very homey, but the people who come in here don’t seem to care all that much.”
“The humans still around treat you badly?” Maggie asked.
He scoffed as he set out tableware. “If you can call them human. The nice ones, our friends and even some family, were relocated. The only ones who come in here now are the guards or people working for…well, you know.” His hand trembled as he set down a pitcher of red juice. “I’ll be right back.”
Kody pulled up another chair and then turned to Brenda. “Have you heard who the guard reports to in this sector? The Puca didn’t say, and Mal didn’t either. I can’t believe I didn’t think to ask.”
Brenda poured herself a juice and then passed the jug to Shamus, who did the same. She took a sip and then a deep breath. “I was hoping Mal had told you, but it seems even she doesn’t want to say it out loud.”
They waited, but she didn’t say anything and kept sipping at her juice.
“Brenda?” Maggie put her hand over Brenda’s. “We’re in this together, remember? And knowledge is power.”
Brenda’s smile was tight. “Sorry, Maggie. For the fairy folk, these creatures are our boogey men.” She looked at Kody. “The Kenmorach are running things from Lough Gur.”
Shamus hissed. His fur raised and his eyes flashed. “How dare they.”
Kody stiffened and stared at the table, her hands white on the edges.
Maggie gathered it was particularly bad news. “Okay. So, what can you tell me about them?”
Kody held up her finger to keep Maggie from saying anything more when Gus came back in, laden down with plates of food and followed by two more people similarly weighed down. There was hardly room for it all on the table, and of the three of them, Brenda was the only one who dug in right away.
Kody motioned at the empty chair she’d pulled up. “Gus, will you join us?”
He flushed, his cheeks deepening to a darker shade of green. “I’d be honored, shepherd.” He climbed onto the chair and waved at the food. “Eat! It’s right shite if it’s cold.”
They filled their plates, and in between bites, Kody gently asked Gus questions. Without naming them, she asked when the people in charge had come to be so, and how often they sent patrols. He answered everything eagerly, his sharp eyes watching as they ate, and often focusing on Maggie.
They learned that patrols weren’t nearly as regular as they used to be, but there were humans working for the Kenmorach who were sometimes even more brutal and cruel than the guards. For the most part, everyone left living in the area managed to avoid both guards and humans, but there was a requirement that meant they had to provide magical items every month.
“Like what?” Brenda asked, eating a patty of something nearly black on the outside, but strangely pink on the inside.
Maggie pointed her fork at it to ask what it was, but Kody pulled her hand down. “Don’t ask. Trust me when I say you don’t want to know.”
Maggie lowered her fork and returned to her eggs. She’d stick with what she could identify for now.
Gus pulled a gold coin from his pocket and held it up. “These, specifically. But only the ones from the pots touched by rainbows, not the everyday stuff. They like gems and such too, but they know we’ve not got a whole lot of those lying about.”
“This probably sounds stupid, but what are they using them for?” Maggie asked.
He shrugged. “No one knows, love.” His expression turned sad and he wiped a tear from his eye. “But we know what happens when we don’t send them.”
Maggie leaned over to hold his hand. “I’m going to help. I swear it.”
He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. “You’re just the shot of hope we’ve needed, and if you need anything from us, you just holler.” He looked at the door to the other room when someone shouted for him. “If you don’t mind, I’ll go see to my other customers. Give me a shout when you’re done and I’ll take you to the cart.”
Maggie turned to Kody once he was gone. “So, what are they?”
“An ancient race of vile warrior types. They’re stupid, but violent. We’ve always managed to keep them in line, between spinning and beheading, but without a spinner they must have managed enough brain cells to get together.” She took a bite of her toast, her expression thoughtful. “They’ve got the body of a man but the head of a goat.”
“Usually.” Shamus pushed his plate away. “Some look almost human, but they’ll be missing a limb or two, and they’ll have huge teeth or tusks.”
“Charming.” Maggie didn’t think she’d want to meet one. “So, do we do anything about them now? Or do we stick with the plan?” She looked at the door to the other room and thought of the expressions on the faces of the people they’d passed. “I hate to think of leaving here without helping.”
Kody nodded. “I know. But I think our best bet is to follow our plan unless another one presents itself as better.”
They finished their breakfast in silence, and then gathered their things. Brenda went to the door and called to Gus. He came hurrying and waved them toward a back door. Outside was a sturdy looking cart pulled by two beautiful horses.
Maggie hadn’t been around a lot of horses, but she’d always loved them. O
ne of them had a glossy, warm chocolate coat and short, thick mane. The other was white with black haunches and legs, and a black diamond on its forehead. She caressed both and received snorts and head bumps in return.
“Take them as far as you need them,” Gus said. “And when you’re done, just tell them to go home and they’ll come right back here. I’ve taken the liberty of packing some food into the boxes there, along with a few blankets. I don’t know where you’re headed, and I don’t want to know, but I hope you get there.”
Maggie glanced around the horses and saw him looking back at her. She smiled and left the horses. “Thank you, Gus, for everything. We’ll do everything in our power to bring things the right way around again, but you may have to be patient.”
He laughed. “Knowing you’re back will give people hope, and we can wait as long as we need to.”
Maggie and Brenda climbed into the back of the cart, and Kody and Shamus got up front. Shamus shimmered into his cat self and curled up on the seat. As they pulled away from the pub and onto the road, Gus was joined by a growing number of other people who flooded out of the pub and began waving.
Maggie waved back, her heart breaking at the beauty of the creatures whose hope rested on an orphan from New York who had no idea what she was doing.
Chapter Nineteen
The day grew warm as they left the coast, traveling at a moderate pace so they didn’t wear out the horses. The jostling of the cart wasn’t hugely comfortable for Maggie’s shoulder, and when Kody stopped the cart, jumped down, and bunched up a blanket to put behind Maggie’s back, she was grateful, but not entirely surprised.
She took the time to wonder just how their emotional connection worked. She concentrated, trying to feel what Kody was feeling now, but nothing came to her. Was it only strong emotions like fear that she’d feel? Or was it necessary that the emotions had to do with her? A sudden thought made her flush. In her moments of private lust, had Kody known? The thought was mortifying. She’d have to ask for clarification when they were alone at some point.
Brenda slept most of the time, coming alive to eat when they stopped for lunch and dinner. After they’d eaten some cold sandwiches that included some kind of meat and cucumber, Maggie traded places with Shamus, who curled up next to Brenda and went to sleep. Maggie was careful to avoid stepping on the sword, which lay with the handle closest to Kody’s feet. Moonlight glinted off the steel and Maggie could swear there were colors twisting through the metal. But when she looked closer, they disappeared. She sat back, too tired to get into a conversation about the metaphysics of magical weapons.
“How much farther do we have to go?” Maggie asked, hoping it wasn’t far. Walking was hard on her feet, but the cart was jarring every bone in her body.
“Well, we have two options. We can stop now and camp for the night, or we can continue on for another three hours and not have to get back in the cart in the morning.”
Maggie smiled. “I think you know what option I’ll choose.”
Kody nodded, the reins loose in her hands. “Me too.”
They rode along quietly, and Maggie noticed the change in the temperature. It was warmer, almost humid. The night sky ahead was lit from below, and it brought home a sense of nostalgia for the city life she’d left behind. “Have you spent much time here?”
Kody stretched her back and looked at the sky. “When I was young, it was the place to go. It draws people looking for excitement, for trouble. Hell, anyone who wants a taste of life that isn’t from their sector. A lot of young people come, but not many stay. The pace and the…” She tilted her head, as though searching for the right words. “The jaded sourness of it all eventually gets under your skin and you want to get out. If you don’t, then you probably never leave at all. I outgrew it, but I’ve been back plenty of times in my life on a professional level.”
Maggie had been picturing a marketplace alive with sights and sounds, something exciting and vibrant. But what Kody was describing wasn’t that at all. “How disappointing.”
Kody looked surprised. “It’s a balance, a lot like New York. Like any big city, right? There’s the glamour and the good stuff, and there’s the other, dingy side of it. When you visit, you’re a tourist and you see the good stuff. When you live somewhere, well, you see the underbelly. It’s not wrong or bad. It just…is.”
In that context, Maggie understood perfectly, and once again she was looking forward to it. “Anything I need to know?”
Kody blew out a breath. “Probably a million things I can’t think of right now. Stay close to me, and if you can avoid making eye contact until you know it’s welcome, that would probably be a good thing. But don’t be obvious about it, or you’ll look shady.”
“You know, your advice is rarely helpful.” Maggie punched Kody lightly in the leg. “Tell me about the place we’re staying.”
“The Key Keepers was one of the first inns in the marketplace so long ago no one can remember when it was built. It’s one of those places where they don’t ask for names, accept cash, and everyone is welcome. But they won’t tolerate trouble, and if you get thrown out, you’re out for good.” Kody’s smile was wistful, like she was remembering the place fondly.
Maggie thought of the first time it had been mentioned, along with a woman. “And what about the staff?”
Kody grinned. “Very welcoming. Very discreet.”
Maggie wasn’t ready for a follow-up question to that and had a feeling she’d have firsthand knowledge soon enough. That brought her back to the question she’d thought of earlier. “You know our connection?”
“Yeah?” Kody’s eyebrow raised.
“How does it work? I mean, will you know everything I’m feeling? Or just some things?” She wasn’t about to spell it out, but from Kody’s devilish smile it was clear she knew anyway.
“Why, Mags? You got some kippers up your sleeve you doan wan’ me to know about?”
Maggie looked at her blankly. She wasn’t holding fish.
Kody laughed again, and it rang out in the night, whole and pure. “If there are things you specifically don’t want me to feel, I won’t. Your subconscious will block them, so you don’t need to worry.” She let go of the reins with one hand and stroked the top of Maggie’s hand. “I’ll have no idea how you lust after every inch of my tattooed body and would eat me whole if you could.”
Maggie jerked her hand away. “I do no such thing. You had plenty of that kind of attention back in New York, and I’m not about to be a notch on your bedpost.”
Kody chuckled. “I ran out of bedpost before you were born.”
Owls called in the darkness, filling the silence between them. Visions of the several bodies in Kody’s bed the day Maggie had gone to get her because of the ad in the newspaper filled her mind.
The road in front of them opened up, and a huge archway built into what must have been a forty-foot wall was lit from beyond. When Maggie looked to the left and right of them, she could see other paths in the distance leading to other archways in a circular pattern, reminding her of Brenda’s description of the sectors like a child’s pinwheel toy. Seeing it in person was breathtaking, as it made the sectors beyond that of the one she’d been traveling in, more real.
Kody stopped the wagon and turned to Maggie. “I need to say something.” She swallowed and her jaw bunched. “I haven’t been the relationship kind lately, that’s true. But it doesn’t mean I won’t always be there for you. I swear it.”
The intensity of Kody’s gaze gave Maggie chills. “Damn right you’ll be there.” She smiled and was relieved when Kody’s shoulders dropped and she smiled back.
Kody reached back and knocked on the cart’s wood back. “Time to rise and shine, my wee magical friends. We’re about to go into the dragon’s mouth.”
Blech stretched and yawned before shimmering and turning into Shamus, something Maggie never grew tired of watching. Brenda grumbled something and tried to snuggle back down, but Shamus pawed at her face until sh
e pushed him away and sat up, her platinum blond hair at all angles and most of one breast falling out of her top.
Maggie motioned. “You might want to…”
Brenda looked down and huffed as she straightened her top. “I need to do some shopping while we’re here.”
“We’ll head into the main marketplace tomorrow, so you’ll have your chance.” Kody lightly cracked the reins, and the horses moved forward once again.
Maggie couldn’t take everything in fast enough. Kody drove the cart slowly, watching for the creatures who weren’t watching for something that would run them over. Tall creatures with horns and bark-like skin walked in a group, one of them smoking a pipe. A gaggle of tiny fairies flew past, laughing like a group of schoolgirls looking to bully another girl. Small people who looked like Brenda and Gus but rougher, ranged everywhere. There even appeared to be some humans, but their eyes were guarded, and when Maggie looked their way, they were quick to fade into the shadows. Signs advertised everything from spells to books to mermaid shows. It was as though a book of fairy tales had been shaken and the characters had dropped into the walled city.
Kody turned down a side street, and the cacophony of noise abated a little. When they turned down yet another side street they could hardly hear the main area at all, and she pulled the cart around to the back of a building that had a bulbous end, was long in the middle, and forked at the other end. A key. How fantastic. Maggie couldn’t wait to see the inside.
Kody came around to Maggie’s side and helped her down, and then lifted Shamus and Brenda down as well. They turned as a group when a woman’s voice called out.
“Well, now. If it isn’t the deadliest sex toy to walk the sectors. It’s been way too long, shepherd.”
Something was sitting on Maggie’s chest. It was entirely possible it was a weighty combination of instant hatred mixed with envy and despair as she took in the woman leaning in the doorway looking like something created for the most sensual movie ever made. Her hair was brown silk tied into some kind of elaborate braid around her head. Her eyes were the color of shallow water in the Caribbean, and the red stones that made a vee from her forehead to between her eyebrows only served to make her more enticing. The black, spaghetti strap dress dipped almost to her navel, showing an impressive amount of boob on both sides of the black material. Maggie wanted to throw a sweatshirt over her.
