by R. R. Virdi
A chorus of cheers greeted her. There were a few disgruntled murmurs that silenced themselves when they’d realized what they were doing and to whom. Even I shut my trap and joined in with the thunderous applause.
Who says I can’t learn?
The applause lost most of its roar but kept on. The queen stood in place, waiting for the lingering sounds to die.
Ortiz tugged on my sleeve. “Vincent, who is that?”
I exhaled. “The White Queen. As fair as snow...and just as cold and harsh.”
A rogue beam of light arced over nearby tables as Kelly fumbled with her phone. She muted the light and clutched the device to her chest.
Good move. We didn’t want to draw any more attention to ourselves now that the queen was at the center. She could keep it. I’d stirred the pot enough and wanted to get us out alive.
“Sounds like an important person. A powerful person.” Ortiz glared at me. “Someone we don’t want to start trouble with.” The look deepened.
“That’s an understatement. She’s a freaking queen of winter—a force of nature. She’s one of the few beings that can bring the season on...and all of its good or ill.”
“Winter has a good side?”
I nodded. “Yeah, think about it. It’s when things die; old leaves and animals fall dead and return to the earth. They nourish the ground and sometimes other creatures. The cycle starts back up for growth in spring. It’s necessary and dangerous.”
“And I’m guessing so is she?” Ortiz flicked a quick look towards the queen before turning back to me.
“Ortiz”—I turned to Kelly—“Kelly, the White Queen is on par with some gods in terms of power. I’m talking old-world stuff, like the ability to start the next ice age if something pisses her off.”
Kelly angled her phone up just enough for the camera to catch the queen’s figure. She kept the light off however. The young hacker leaned close, keeping her voice to a whisper. “What’s keeping her in check and from doing exactly that?”
“A handful of other beings equally as powerful either working in concert to bring on winter or usher in summer. It’s sort of taboo to bring about the frosty end of the world without consulting your peers. Plus, the gods and other creatures behind summer wouldn’t take too kindly to it.”
Kelly let out a dark laugh. “Oh, well, as long as she has permission and it’s not a terrible inconvenience to anyone.”
I snorted and threw my hands over my nose and mouth to bury the sound.
“You know”—Card leaned forwards—“if I can hear you, a great many others can as well.” He pinched his thumb and forefinger together, dragging them across his lips.
I looked to Kelly. “Yeah, kid, shut up.”
She glared at me and shook her head.
Curiosity gnawed at me and kept me from keeping my trap closed. Big surprise. I leaned towards Card. “So, what’s this about—the ball?”
He shook his head and let his head fall to the side like he didn’t care much. “I don’t know. I don’t care. I was invited, and I wasn’t going to decline.”
I raised a brow. “Oh? You here for the food then?”
His teeth gleamed, and his canines seemed a little longer than the average person’s. “I’m abstaining. Last time we met you gave me a rather pointed ultimatum.”
My fingers drummed against the table, and I inclined my head towards the knife. “I can make it pointier.”
“I’m here for the company and the gifts—the receiving and the giving of them,” he said.
The queen waved a hand, and a beam of silver light illuminated the area around her. It was like a concentrated cone of moonlight had decided to focus on her. “I have called the many of you and your guests in attendance to bear witness to, and welcome, a new lady of the Neravene.”
If the White Queen didn’t have everyone’s attention before, she did now.
A new lord or lady in the Neravene was a big deal no matter how small in power or domain they were. Everyone takes note when there’s a new player in town. You never know what and when an up-and-coming lord or lady might decide to off you for a bigger slice of power. Being someone of power here meant always having a target on your back. Keeping your friends close and your enemies closer wasn’t just a handy proverb; it was a way of life for the lords and ladies. And in the Neravene, it’s safer to assume everyone is an enemy.
All guests in attendance watched the queen in an almost hypnotic trance. The air had a static charge quality to it. I had a feeling everyone was going to lengths to either persuade the new member to become friends, or plotting how to dispose of them. Easier said than done. Lyshae was a clever fox.
The White Queen waved a hand to an unlit portion of the hall to her right. “Welcome, Lyshae, new lady of the Neravene.”
The Kitsune stepped into the light, her face a neutral mask—respectful. I knew better. Fireworks were going off in the trickster’s head. One step closer to climbing the ranks of the unbalanced ladder of power. Part of me wished she’d fall. It was a long way down and a hell of an impact.
There was a moment of silence like after a performer first strums their guitar. A silence of quivering strings waiting to be played again—anticipation.
Card leaned on his elbow, coming closer to me while keeping his gaze on the scene with Lyshae. “When did the Kitsune get her own domain? Last I heard she was working for others.” He passed it off as an idle question but there was an undertone in his voice suggesting more. Card really wanted to know how Lyshae had moved up the ranks.
I didn’t see why. His place was secure. Hard to want more when you’re practically an immortal king. I tried matching his bored tone. “I heard she’d recently came into some land.” Very recently. It clicked as soon as I had said it.
Oh, you clever bitch. Lyshae’s invitation was contingent on having us clear the Bakeneko out. She’d passed herself off as a lady with no domain and hoped she’d have one by the time we’d gotten to the front door. My fists balled, and the tissue in my wrists felt like steel wire about to snap. We were nothing more than convenient numbers to make it an easier job of eliminating the cat demons.
“Mhmm.” Card’s fingers tapped a rhythmic beat atop the table. “You wouldn’t happen to know the size of her domain?”
I shrugged. “No clue. Could be nothing. Could be ginormous.”
He didn’t look at me, but I could almost feel his bemused grin. “You’re a terrible liar, Graves.”
Ortiz nudged me. “He’s right. You are.”
“Alright, zip it, you two.”
“Thank you, lords and ladies.” Lyshae’s voice boomed through the hall like it was amplified by the same magic the White Queen had used. She pinched the ends of her Skimperella dress and managed to curtsy. That was an impressive feat that demanded applause in and of itself. She spoke again, but I tuned her out.
There was a lot more going on here than just the introduction of Lyshae. This was a ball—a ceremony sure, but it was a networking event. Card had said there was going to be a gift giving party. Time to pucker up and kiss the asses of the powerful and forge new alliances...or enemies. Lyshae would make another power grab now.
Holy crap. From information broker to small freestanding lady to something more all in one day.
She’d have to have one hell of a gift to make that happen.
My stomach rolled and felt like a towel being wrung dry.
“And for my gift to you, oh gracious host,” said Lyshae, “I offer you a debt of service I procured.”
Ortiz’s fingers dug into my arm. “She can’t be serious.”
I took a deep breath and tried to keep my heart rate from mimicking a drum solo. “I have a feeling she is.”
“I offer you the infamous Vincent Graves.”
I hate being right.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The hall erupted into raucous noise, but it was church-quiet as far as I was concerned. The hollering and clamor fell into a distant part of my brain. I bur
ied it. It was like a million electric tendrils arced through my mind, and I could see them all. If only each one didn’t numb a part of my noggin as they zipped by.
Card turned to look at me, wearing a stupid, lazy feline-like grin. “Well, that certainly kicked off the party.”
“Bite me, Card.”
His grin grew wider. “Don’t tempt me.”
I scowled.
The silver moonbeam died. The blue flames vanished, and the room plunged into absolute darkness.
Card chuckled. It sounded deeper than in reality. “Still want that bite, Graves?”
My eyes hadn’t adjusted to the dark, but I held up a certain finger. I was sure Card had no trouble seeing it. Golden light flooded the room and conversations died. Lyshae had vanished from the stage, leaving her highness of all things chilly up there.
“We will continue with the exchange of gifts before beginning the festivities.” The queen waved a hand and a wight attendant scrambled towards her, bearing a black box.
The ceremony of paranormal ass kissing wasn’t something I was interested in. I turned away and checked on my friends.
Ortiz’s hand rested on her thigh, and it wasn’t empty. Her revolver sat flush against her leg; the barrel pointed at Card’s abdomen. Ortiz’s gaze was fixed on the scene by the queen.
Good thinking, Ortiz. I wagered her hand had gone to her gun the second the lights went out. Without making any eye contact in Card’s direction, there’d be little way for him to know she was aiming a weapon at him just in case he tried something. The gun wouldn’t stop him, but it’d slow him down. It took me longer than it should have to notice the skin of her knuckles. They were near white from her grip.
Being plunged into darkness in a hall filled with apex paranormal predators was not a comforting notion. Couple that with the fact that, not so long ago, Ortiz had done a stint in an institution where living shadows roamed the halls, and you get the idea. A little bit of darkness is just enough for a whole lot of imagination to come into play. And imagination can conjure up some terrible scenarios, especially when you’re sitting across from a monster.
I reached out, my fingers brushing over the top of her hand. She tore her gaze away and looked at me when I squeezed her fingers. “You good?”
She licked her lips. “Yeah.”
“Good.” I turned to Kelly whose face was a furrowed mask, glaring at her phone in uncertainty. “What’s up?”
Kelly’s lips folded and the tip of her tongue protruded between them. She held her phone towards me. “This.”
I scanned the screen and blinked, shrugging.
“Look at the time. It hasn’t changed since we left the bar.” She pulled the phone back, staring at it. “I don’t get it. The camera works fine. But anything that requires internet or GPS is dead.” She sounded like it was the worst thing to happen to her.
“Yeah, time moves wonky here. Don’t trust your phone.”
Kelly’s eyes widened as she looked from her phone to me in horror. She didn’t seem like the idea of being unable to rely on her technology.
Card’s thumbs tapped against the table in a low, rhythmic pace to a beat only he could hear. He stared at me as he drummed. “What did you bring our gracious host?”
Eh? Crap. It’s poor form to show up to a shindig in the Neravene without something to offer the host. My mouth moved, but nothing came out. I hooked a thumb to my face. “Apparently, I am the gift.” A goofy smile spread across my face.
Card rolled his eyes. “I hope for your sake you brought something that has some measure of value.”
Ouch. I reached over and grabbed a gilded goblet, holding it up for Card to see. “Think she’d notice if I gave her this?”
Card ignored me, placing his hands on the table and pushing off. “Well, enjoy stewing over what to give our host, Graves. I have a gift to give.” He turned to Ortiz, flashing her a smile. “And I’ll look for you during the dance.”
Ortiz blinked and her cheeks flushed. “Dance?”
“It is a ball.” Card turned and snapped his fingers. A pair of men came to his side from a nearby table. They were dressed in tailored suits of navy blue.
“Your retainers?” I said.
“As many as I was permitted to bring.” Card motioned with his hand and the two men followed behind him as he moved towards the White Queen. The trio disappeared from view.
The attendants—other lords and ladies—followed Card’s example. They rose from their seats, summoning their respective posses to gather around. A jumbled line formed, all heading towards the queen. Somehow every being managed to move without jostling another. It was like watching ants moving, strung along by telepathy. Only, any one of those ants could have killed me with little effort.
Ortiz’s eyes moved from figure to figure, tracking and absorbing every detail she could. It was a cold, calculating process that made the hairs on the back of my neck stir. Her fingers tapped against her gun as she scanned the room.
Kelly processed it in her own way. She moved her phone in horizontal arcs through the air.
I reached over and tapped her wrist.
“Hm?”
“Kelly, do me a favor. I get this is all exciting blog-worthy material, but don’t share it.”
“Why not?”
I leaned in close. “These people—things—really like their privacy. Monsters like the dark, remember? Not just in the metaphorical sense. Some of them might take it personally if someone were to out them to the mortal world.”
She licked her lips and paused. “Um, how personal?”
I gave her a knowing look. “Like show up at your door personal.”
Kelly stopped recording.
A hand wrapped itself around my gut and squeezed. I tried to ignore the pang of guilt, but it wasn’t easy. Worrying Kelly wasn’t what I wanted to do, but dealing with the paranormal world is like lying on a bed of nails. Sure, if you’re careful and slow, most of the pointy things won’t prick you. But it takes only one misstep for a nail to pierce you. That’s only taking into consideration the one and not the rest. It can get messy. I wanted Kelly as far away from any trouble as possible. Easier said than done.
“So, what do I do with it?”
That was a good question. For once, I had a good answer. “Keep it for yourself. You’re a smart kid. Keep a digital journal of everything you’ve seen. Take notes. Trust me: in this world, the more you know, the better. Just...go slow with how much you try to learn, okay? Diving headfirst into things is a good way to have that head”—I touched my index finger to one side of my throat and dragged it across—“glurck.”
“Got it. Thanks for the visual.” She shuddered and gripped her phone tight. Her posture loosened a second later. “What now?”
My fingers interlocked and I twiddled my thumbs. “Now, we sit quietly and wait. It doesn’t seem like we’re actually needed for anything at the moment.”
“Except for bait.” Kelly stared past me and into the crowd of countless beings.
“Caught that, did you?”
“It took me a while to figure it out, but yeah. I’ve watched enough television to put it together.”
My throat and chest shook as I tried not to laugh. The air buried itself somewhere between the back of my throat and upper portions of my sinuses as a muffled snort.
Kelly’s tone turned somber. “You think she’s playing you?”
“I know she is.” I followed Ortiz’s example and turned my gaze on the crowd, scanning for the Kitsune. “I just don’t know how yet.”
“She’s keeping you off your game so you stay out of hers.” Ortiz didn’t look at me, instead keeping her eyes on the crowd of guests. “It’s smart. It lets her use you how she wants and keeps you too preoccupied with your own problems to be one for her.” Her face was a neutral mask as she relayed that to me.
I had no idea how Ortiz came to that conclusion, and part of me didn’t want to know. I chalked it up to her experience working as a Fed, but st
ill, that was some insight into the cold and calculating mind of a paranormal creature. My lips folded as I thought about it. Ortiz dealt with humans, and at times, we’re not much better than actual monsters. Heck, there are plenty of instances when we’re worse. I pushed the thought away. She was right though. Lyshae was keeping me unbalanced and doing a damn good job of it.
The hairs on the back of my neck felt like someone brushed a statically charged balloon against them. I turned. Lyshae walked towards us from the right side of the hall, her face a work of almost emotionless stone, save for the upturned edges of her mouth and the glimmer in her eyes. She was pleased with herself for selling me off to the highest bidder.
Bitch.
Question was: What did the White Queen give her besides a title and fancy introduction? More trouble for you, likely. I’m ever the optimist.
The Kitsune wriggled her way past a handful of beings and sat at the edge of the table. She scooped up a goblet and brought the cup to her mouth, pausing to watch me over its rim. “Vincent, aren’t you going to introduce yourself to our host? I’m under the impression you owe her a favor.”
Smiling made my mouth feel like trying to stretch a rubber band past its limit. “Yeah, funny. I heard that too.”
The Kitsune smirked and traced her finger around the goblet’s lip. “Well?”
It was like being a feather in the wind. I was either being pulled along by something’s slipstream ahead of me or being pushed by a gust from behind. This whole case, everything with Lyshae, all of it was putting my mind in a tailspin. It was like having a dozen directions to go down without a clue which to take. All I had was Lyshae’s suggestion.
Those always went so well.
My hands brushed against my pants as I mulled it over. I could feel Kelly and Ortiz’s eyes on me. “Yeah, okay-sure-why-not.” I exhaled before drawing a long breath. “I’ll go say hi to the queen.” Of all things cold and scary. No pressure. I rose from my seat, patting myself in reassurance more than anything else.
Lyshae reached over to a platter, plucking a piece of peeled, yellow fruit—at least I hoped it was fruit—to plop into her mouth. A bead of juice formed at the end of her lip, trickling down before she lapped it up.
