Hidden Worlds

by Kristie Cook

  “Sounds awesome.”

  Sary fell silent, and I figured she’d returned to blocking me out, so I just followed along behind her and kept a watchful eye toward the crowd of tourists, gamblers and screaming kids as we left the pool area and headed down a long hall toward one of the many tower elevators of the hotel.

  I couldn’t wait to find out what would be in this tower. It seemed faeries liked to live up high in the human world. Maybe it aided them to distance themselves from the human populace in the higher parts of the city, a bit farther from the noxious fumes of the city below. Maybe they just liked to be hermits in tall buildings. How would I know? I just needed to find this Oran guy already and get a move on.

  We piled into the elevator, and it would have been fine without the massive figure of Larry to hog up a whole half of the tiny box. I could even smell the taint of his Unseelie blood this close to him. I tried not to gag on the stench and shifted as close to the wall as I could without letting him out of my sight. I didn’t trust this guy. His sweating and constant tugging at the collar of his shirt made me suspicious of him and Lorell. Maybe it was this bad feeling I was getting in the center of my gut that was making me paranoid. No matter what, I had to heed his warning and not draw my weapon or risk certain death.

  “So why the security detail to see Lorell? You could’ve just told us what room he’s in,” I said.

  Larry shifted again, ignoring me until the 10th floor came and went. Then he tilted his head toward me and smirked.

  “Others have tried to kill him before. Can never be too careful.”

  “So why do you want Lorell’s crystal? Were you even going to give it to him?” This made Larry move his weight back and forth on his legs as he continued sweating even more profusely. “You weren’t, were you? You would’ve kept it for yourself if we let you.”

  I heard Sary curse at me to shut up, but I couldn’t. I was having too much fun probing at Larry.

  “I don’t answer to your kind … human.” He spat the last word out like dirt in his mouth. It only made me chuckle.

  “My kind? Yeah, okay. Haven’t heard that one before,” I snickered. “I’m sure it doesn’t matter what kind come by here. You don’t like Lorell, but you work for him. Maybe he’s in more danger from his employees than anyone else.”

  At this, Larry swung around and grabbed my hoodie, shoving me back against the elevator wall. The whole carriage shook while Braelynn screamed threats at Larry, who obviously wasn’t listening. His glowing amber eyes burned through his glamour, and I could see his boar-like appearance breaking through.

  “Whoa there, Fido. Your ugly is showing.” I kept on smiling, trying hard to not crack up laughing. He couldn’t hurt me. Even this manhandling didn’t do any damage, and he realized it too late. Larry shot spears at me before abruptly letting me go. I struggled to catch my balance before I hit the floor. Finding my footing, I watched the creature as he growled and muttered to himself. He couldn’t hurt me, and he knew that. It seemed the Unseelie were truly helpless if they stayed too long in the human world. Losing control of one’s glamour was a dangerous mistake. It could mean certain death from either humans, who’d want to take him down for scaring the bejeezus out of them, or from hunters like me.

  I smirked as I watched his shoulders slump. I was getting quite cynical in my young age.

  A bell rung as we reached the fortieth floor. I rubbed my hands together, flexing them to keep from drawing my sword. The tingle of ward barriers hit me as we stepped off the elevator. They stung and caused me to sneeze while the power poked at us as we walked forward.

  “Your wards are flawed,” Braelynn stated dryly. I wondered what she meant by that. Maybe they were unstable, but I couldn’t feel the same imperfections she did. Whatever it was, if I was going to be killed for going for my weapon, I wanted to know what kind of flaws she was talking about.

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  She turned back to me and winked. “I mean the wards placed here have too many loopholes. I suggest Lorell get them replaced by a worthy caster.”

  “Our safeguards work just fine,” Larry snorted as we reached the last doorway in the hall. He glowered at us before he knocked three times.

  “Who is it?”

  “Larry. I have visitors for you.”

  “I do not wish to see anyone.”

  Larry craned his neck at us as he continued. “I told them that, but they won’t listen. They even put a chink in my armor.”

  We all cocked our heads toward him. I assumed he meant the glitch in his glamour.

  Silence came from the other side of the door, as if Lorell was contemplating whether to open it or not after what Larry had told him.

  “Who are they?”

  “They claim they were sent here from the Southern Seelie Court by the new queen called Shade. They have a crystal of yours.”

  “It’s from Ferdinand,” Braelynn called out. “He said you would know to trust us if we gave you this crystal.” This got her another death glare from Larry.

  The locks on the doors jiggled, making me almost laugh out loud to think that besides the faulty wards on this place, he depended on regular old bolts and chains on the doors. How quaint. Any thief or decent burglar could get in there, even with wards in place. Not very smart of this Lorell guy.

  The man who swung the door open wasn’t what I expected. In fact, I wasn’t sure what he was now that he was in plain sight. He stood there quietly observing us. Two short twisting horns stuck out of his forehead like a goat’s, and long, soft white hair covered most of his face. A goat man? I was intrigued as we filed in, heading to the sofas he pointed us to. Were those hooves attached to goat legs sticking out of the bottom of his short pants?

  “Larry seems quite flustered from the trouble you three have caused him.” Lorell leaned over and whispered into Larry’s ear as the giant boar-like man bent down and nodded. Soon after, he spun around and headed out into the hallway, clicking the door shut behind him.

  “He was less than hospitable,” Braelynn replied before sitting down with her back straight, looking authoritative. I was starting to wonder what this chick was really made of. First she was quiet, and then she was all-knowing and taking control of the situation, like an expert leader. What next?

  “Well, his manners are frequently lacking. I do apologize.” Lorell motioned to a jug of water and several glasses. “Can I offer you refreshments?”

  All three of us shook our heads.

  “Very well.” He slipped down onto an overstuffed, well-used chair and let his eyes roam over each one of us, studying our clothes and already judging. I could feel it. Oh, well. I’d done just the same a moment before.

  “We seek information,” Braelynn said.

  “Do you have the crystal Larry told me about?”

  I could tell he was trying to hide the fact that he was desperate to see the crystal. It sparked my curiosity, and I leaned forward as Braelynn brought it out of her purse and held it out in the palm of her hand.

  Lorell’s hands twitched, like he wanted to snatch the crystal away from her. Braelynn knew the deal and held it closer to her body.

  “Where can we find Oran and his tribe?”

  Lorell paled and slumped back onto his chair. His fingers intertwined, nervously rubbing his skin right off as he contemplated her question. “I can’t tell you. Ask me something else.”

  “I can’t give you the crystal, then. It’s the only thing we want to know.” Braelynn moved to return the crystal to her purse, making Lorell’s eyes bug out in a panic.

  “N—no! I mean. Please, I need that crystal back! Ferdinand wouldn’t return it to me when I asked. You don’t want to find Oran. He’s not a reasonable man. He … he’s offended quite easily, I’m afraid.” Lorell was almost in tears. I could feel his panic sweating out of his pores. The guy was losing his grip fast.

  I shifted in my seat. I almost felt sorry for him. It was obvious Lorell wasn’t the enemy here, anyone
could see that. It made me wonder just how bad it would be to meet Oran. Something told me it wouldn’t be pleasant at all and that we should heed Lorell’s warnings. Still, this was exactly what I needed to find more Unseelie to complete my mission.

  “We need something on Oran. That’s how this trading thing goes. You can’t expect something for nothing.” I mumbled. My patience was running low. Enough of this run around. “So just tell us where he is already.”

  Lorell let out a long, lingering breath, looking helpless. I could see the fear carved in his face as he thought about how much this would cost him. I wanted to shake him and tell him that it didn’t matter what he told us. We were the ones going to face the danger. We were the ones on this mission, not him, not anyone but us. Oran would never guess who gave us the Intel, it only mattered that we find him. Some things just need to be dealt with.

  After what seemed like an eternity, Lorell straightened, and a calm, resolved expression fixed his features into a confident mask once more.

  “Very well. Frankly, I’m surprised you don’t already know. He’s been lingering near the western border of Faerie,” he said, staring right at me. “He’s practically your neighbor, right in your back yard, young man.”

  “What?” My eyes widened, horrified at the implication. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Since you’ve been gone, he’s moved his forces right next to your house in Portland, since it’s quite secluded. Ideal to hide an army of Unseelie and banished.”

  I shook my head. “You’re kidding, right?”

  Lorell frowned, obviously upset that I didn’t believe him. I didn’t give a flying crap if I’d offended him. “I’m afraid it’s quite true.”

  “Have they been on our land? In my house …?”

  Lorell shook his head. “I don’t believe so. Your mother placed several wards before her death to protect the land, correct?”

  I nodded.

  “Then you mustn’t worry. They will remain intact as long as your family’s core magic is still there.” He paused, tilting his head curiously. “It’s there, right?”

  The Pyren. I hesitated, wondering if I should even disclose its location. What the hell.

  “Yes. Our Pyren is still there, protected with the strongest of wards. My mother made sure of it.”

  “Then I highly doubt Oran has been able to penetrate the wards. He probably settled just beyond them. Since you’re not there, he has nothing to worry about.”

  I stood up, heading for the door.

  “Where are you going?” Sary was at my side, hand on the door before I could yank it open.

  “Where do you think? I have to get home. Shade has to know our family’s magic is in danger. There is no way Oran is going to get near the Pyren.”

  “You can’t go alone. It’s too dangerous.”

  I laughed bitterly, letting out a long, frustrated breath. “Then what do you think I should do about it, since you think you know everything?”

  Sary narrowed her eyes at me, angry at my snarky works and lack of respect. I didn’t really care what she thought anymore. If Oran got through the wards and into our Pyren, our family would take a major magical hit, one we’d never recover from. He could steal our powers, use them against us. It was too dangerous to leave exposed with him nearby.

  “Get your sister. You’ll need help.”

  “I can deal with Oran.”

  “No, you can’t. He has an army now. You’ll never survive it.” Sary’s eyes filled with fear. Fear for me? I didn’t think so.

  “I can handle an army.” Okay, so I was being delusional. Still, I needed out of this hotel.

  “Be reasonable.”

  “I’ve told you what you wanted. Can I get the crystal now?” Lorell’s voice broke through our argument, and we turned to find him on his feet, holding his hand out to Braelynn.

  “Certainly. Thank you for the information.” She dropped the crystal into his palm. Once in his possession, he clutched it like a precious cargo, tightly to his chest.

  “I never thought I’d see it again.”

  “What the hell does it do, anyway?” I muttered. My mood was soured, but that didn’t mean my curiosity wasn’t piqued.

  He turned toward me, eyes burning with hatred. “It keeps the iron sickness at bay by creating illusions for its holder. It strengthens my glamour. That, and it can give the owner of it a wish. Any wish.”

  “Choose wisely.” Braelynn’s voice broke his insane rant, making him jerk his stunned glare back toward her. “It won’t give you what you want. It never does exactly what you wish for, so do be careful.” She walked toward us and nodded. “It’s time to go.”

  Chapter Fourteen Night of Elves

  Night of Elves

  September 18th, 1702

  Today I witnessed a horrendous act. A child from the nearby village was murdered in cold blood. When I went to investigate, for I was in town trading for items we needed, I discovered the true reason for the attack.

  I was told the girl was but in her fourth year and a vibrant, happy child. Her family had just come to the town after a long trip from an isolated area in the northern woods. They were accustomed to being alone for months in the wilderness. Since moving to this populated area, their daughter complained frequently of seeing monsters walking among the humans of the village.

  The day of the murder, the girl had been agitated and was then grabbed by a stranger, who then proceed to twist the poor girl’s neck violently. A nearby villager overheard the culprit screeching at the girl, saying she was forbidden to have “the sight” while spitting angry profanities before throwing her tiny body to the ground. The murderer vanished before anyone could give chase. The family is devastated, and my heart weeps for them.

  My fear these two worlds cannot coexist, that of human and that of faery, without such incidents occurring, is not unfounded and frightens us so.

  ~Brendan

  I was ready to get back to Faerie and tell Shade what we had discovered. In fact, the press and noise of the evening crowd on Fremont Street was over-stimulating my senses and making my head hurt as I shoved through the thick of it. I could sense Sary and Braelynn behind me, so I didn’t bother to check to see if they were following. My panicked rage blinded me as I zigzagged through the crowd, my temper near bursting. Nothing could relieve it, not until I made it back to Portland and made sure my family’s Pyren was safe.

  I came to a sudden stop as an eerie calm rushed over me, like a bubble had formed around my body. It was soothing, and it muffled the harsh noise of the crowd as it wove around me, not quite touching me. I sighed, closing my eyes and enjoying the silence in my head, my rage all but gone. I was being tampered with, I knew it. I’d have to give my thanks to Braelynn later. But at the moment, it was what I needed, so I pushed down the anger as the stillness filled me up.

  A hand on my shoulder pulled me back to the moment. I turned to find Sary peering at me with a sad concern in her eyes. “Ready to go?” she asked.

  I nodded. She slipped her hand through mine and tugged me along until I followed behind her. Braelynn stayed close behind us, and we wove easily through the crowd.

  A blast of audio from the Fremont Street Experience cracked through the magic, and Sary’s hand slipped past mine and let go as the crowd thickened. I lost sight of her as the mass of people swallowed her up. Swinging around, I found Braelynn had disappeared into a swaying cluster.

  The people were all looking up, watching the show now flashing across the massive arched screen above our heads. The crowd was tightly knit together, and I couldn’t find either of my companions. I made my way through the throng but still couldn’t find either one of the girls. Had they disappeared? How could they have left without me? The knot in my stomach told me this wasn’t right. Something was going on, and we had been separated on purpose. I kept my eyes open as I slipped through the crowd, scanning the sea of unfamiliar faces. Families on vacation laughed and ahhed while others leaned against the wa
lls of the casino entrances, puffing on cigarettes. Vendors appeared to quit their usual bustle while everyone was distracted. Scantily-dressed working girls shimmied their way through the crowd, pickpocketing unsuspecting tourists and stuffing their spoils down their shirts.

  There was so much going on, I couldn’t focus. It was like having a hundred TVs blaring in my face and ears all at once.

  A movement of black caught my eye to the right. Was that Cornelius? I stopped and studied the crowd, searching for Braelynn’s ex. It was impossible to find anyone there, and I decided to keep on going. There would be no finding Sary or Braelynn while sitting still.

  Besides, it seemed he wanted me to follow him. If he wanted to confront me again, alone, he was doing a damn good job. I felt for my Empyrean blade. It was secure and waiting for some action.

  Another flash of black passed in my peripheral vision, and I turned to find an alleyway between buildings. It was narrow and led back to a secluded parking lot for an Italian restaurant on my left. Quietly, I stepped into it, keeping my eyes peeled as I pulled out my sword. The crowd behind me paid no attention as it lit up and flickered with soft, orange-yellow flames. It felt good to hold its warm and familiar grip.

  Something waited for me in the darkness. I watched the shadows as the last of the sunlight disappeared above me, over the rooftops and beyond the mountains. The stars were invisible due to the glare of the city’s artificial light, and peering up at the unfamiliar, blank sky, I felt a sudden longing for the view of the stars from home. There, they shone brightly above the woods. The city was a completely different monster.

  A noise brought me back to the darkened alleyway, and I concentrated on it. Nothing moved again, which made me believe it’d been just an alley cat or a rat. Still, I had a feeling I was being watched. The cold that emanated from the anonymous stare made the hair on my neck stand on end. I gripped the hilt of my sword in both hands, waiting for whatever would come my way. My knuckles turned white from the tension, and my heart began to race.