by E.J. Stevens
I felt my mouth go dry and cleared my throat.
“In Harborsmouth?” I asked.
“Yes, dear,” she said. “Don’t worry about the lad. He’s just around the corner along Myrtle Street where a footpath crosses the old stream bed. He’ll be fine.”
I shrugged, looking away.
“Who said I was worried?” I said.
“Nobody, dear,” she said.
I glanced up to see her eyes twinkling. Caught in her gaze, I shifted from foot to foot wondering where to begin.
“Jinx went shopping today,” I said. I let out a heavy sigh. “Which means I had to go shopping too.”
“Why would you…?” she asked.
“She went shopping on Joysen Hill,” I said.
“Oh, well then,” she said. Kaye harrumphed and shook her head. “I don’t see why you like the foolish, clumsy girl so much anyway. She’s likely to get you into trouble.”
“Is that prescience or just your dislike for her?” I asked.
“It doesn’t take a toss of the bones to know the girl’s trouble,” she said. “But I’m guessing you didn’t come knocking at my door, rousing me from my bed, to talk about roommate troubles.”
Kaye didn’t look like she’d tumbled from her bed, but I grit my teeth and kept the thought to myself. Starting things off with an argument wouldn’t get me answers. In fact, it wouldn’t be good for my health. Whether or not Kaye had been asleep, I was calling on her at an inconsiderate hour. Her wry amusement could easily turn to annoyance if I didn’t pick my words carefully.
“I have questions,” I said.
Kaye sighed and tossed a hand in the air. She waddled over to a wood table and dropped onto a long bench to hunch over her mug.
“Questions, questions, questions,” she muttered. “Go on then, ask away before I change my mind.”
I remained standing and focused on the mug in Kaye’s wrinkled, tattooed hands. It was easier than meeting her eyes.
“I need to find a cat sidhe,” I said. “I’m hoping you can help me find him.”
“The streets are crawling with faerie cats,” she said. “I’ll need more to go on, but why would you want to find a cat sidhe? Start at the beginning, girl.”
I told Kaye about sighting Melusine, the lamia’s apparent anger, my descent into traffic, Melusine’s sudden disappearance, my glowing skin, the crowd of bystanders, the human cop, and the appearance of the cat sidhe.
“I started to glow out on a public street today with a crowd of people, and a cop, watching,” I said. I wet my lips and met Kaye’s eyes. “I didn’t even realize that I was doing it. I need to learn how to control my wisp abilities.”
“And you think this cat sidhe can help you with that?” she asked.
“So far, we’ve had no leads in locating my real father, but the cat was aware of who and what I am,” I said. “He knew I was both fae and a princess. That’s more than I knew up until this year. So I want to know who he is and what else he knows about my past.” I clenched my fists, the leather creaking loudly as I squeezed. “If he has information about my deadbeat father, I need to talk to him. I have to learn how to create a glamour, and control my wisp powers, before one of the faerie courts decides I’m a threat to their secret. They won’t hesitate to kill me or, worse, send me to live in the Green Lady’s realm.”
I shuddered while imagining what it would be like having humans gawk at me all day, a carnival freak for their petty amusement. The Green Lady provided asylum to those fae who could not conjure a glamour to hide their true forms, but the price was eternal servitude. Working forever as an indentured freak in her carnival was not the future I wanted. It didn’t feel like a future at all.
But if the fae courts discovered I was an unglamoured faerie living amongst humans, the alternative was death.
“Yes, this does seem serious,” she said. Kaye stared at me over her mug, the steam giving her face an eerie cast. “Looks like I won’t have to turn you into a frog for interrupting my sleep after all.”
I was pretty sure that Kaye was yanking my chain. There was that twinkle in her eyes again. But the sorry fact was that she could have me eating flies faster than I could run out the door. I swallowed hard.
“So you’ll help me find this cat sidhe?” I asked.
“Yes, but I’ll need a more detailed description,” she said. “As I’ve said, there are many of the cat faeries in Harborsmouth.”
I described the cat sidhe, from his torn ear and scarred face to his shadow-winking tail. Kaye closed her eyes and nodded as I spoke. Would she be able to identify the faerie cat? I felt foolish in hindsight for not asking his name. I stared down at my boots and clenched my fists. Not asking the cat sidhe’s name was a rookie mistake. A good detective relies on information, no matter how small. I should have asked, but I was too distracted by the disappearance of Ceffyl’s ex.
Kaye opened her eyes and smiled.
“Few cat sidhe can speak telepathically to a human,” she said.
Kaye placed a finger alongside her nose and winked, but I had no idea what she was getting at. I crossed my arms and tapped my foot against the kitchen floor. Why did faeries and witches take so long to get to the point?
“But I’m half wisp,” I said.
“Yes, but most cat sidhe cannot speak to any fae outside their own race,” she said. “Only those in the top echelons of the cat sidhe hierarchy have the ability. Even fewer have the ability to shapeshift into human form.”
“But he was in cat form the entire time,” I said. I shook my head. “How would I know if he can shift or not?”
“Yes, I get ahead of myself,” she said, waving a hand. “You said the cat sidhe spoke telepathically, had a scar above his left eye, and his right ear was a lump of scar tissue where it had been torn from his head.”
I nodded.
“That would be Torn,” she said.
“Torn?” I asked.
“Sir Torn, Lord of the Harborsmouth cat sidhe,” she said.
Oh. I’d held a faerie lord in my arms—and insulted him. I swallowed hard, not so sure I wanted to find him now after all. But, of course, I didn’t have much choice. I had to learn if he knew where my father was.
“Where can I find this Sir Torn?” I asked.
“The Lord of Cats can be found holding court at Club Nexus,” she said.
“Club Nexus?” I asked. “In Harborsmouth? Never heard of it.” Which was weird since I knew the city well and I’d never heard Jinx, who had a fondness for nightclubs, mention a club by that name either.
“Yes, Club Nexus is in Harborsmouth, but it’s not surprising that you haven’t heard of it,” she said. “It is a very secretive club. It is glamoured against prying eyes and only allows entry to a small number of humans. And until recently, you were more human than fae.”
“So, this Club Nexus is a fae meeting place?” I asked.
“Yes and no,” she said. “Nexus is not exclusive to the fae folk. It is a meeting place for all magical creatures. All of those who wish to see and be seen. Nexus is a place of power and so it draws those with power.”
“Are you saying this place is some kind of black hole for supernaturals?” I asked.
Kaye nodded.
“There are forces in this world which act upon us, pulling and pushing,” she said.
“Like gravity?” I asked.
“Yes, like gravity or your black hole,” she said. “These forces hold sway over all things, but there are some which have more influence over magic than the mundane. Ley lines are such a force. These lines of power run over this world, like a grid, and where these lines intersect great or terrible things may happen. And so there have always been those of us who try to protect these places of power, to maintain a balance.”
“And Club Nexus is a place of power?” I asked.
“All of Harborsmouth is such a place, a rare convergence of great power, where three ley lines intersect,” she said. “Club Nexus is a crossroads, sitting on
the very point at which the lines meet.”
“Drawing every magical race to it, like pixies to salt,” I said.
Details clicked into place. Things I’d never been able to understand, until now. Like why Harborsmouth attracted so many fae, both Seelie and Unseelie, and why the vamps had made this a settlement so many years ago.
“Yes,” she said, lips lifting in a grin. “Like pixies to salt.”
I had a lot to think about, and questions raced through my head, but now was not the time. I had to focus on the problems at hand.
“How do I get inside?” I asked. “Will I even be able to find this place?”
“Your second sight should cut through the glamour the fae folk use to keep curious humans away, and I can give you a map of its location,” she said. “For most humans and lesser fae entry to Nexus is by invitation only, but if you are truly the daughter of Will-o’-the-Wisp, king of the wisps, then you may enter at will. But make certain that entering Club Nexus is worth risking your anonymity. Until now, your true identity has been known to very few. Entering Nexus will change everything. By using your birthright to gain entrance, you formally announce your existence to the fae community.”
Crap. I rubbed the back of my neck, leather gloves cool against hot skin.
“Like a coming out party?” I asked. I tried to make the comment sound light and humorous, but it came out in a choked squeak.
“Precisely,” she said. “You will lose what remaining anonymity you have. Your royal status will be known to all local fae. With that status comes grave danger and responsibility.”
“Peachy,” I said.
I let out a long sigh. The storybooks had it wrong. Being a faerie princess was not what it was cracked up to be.
“Think it over before making a decision,” she said. “You have gone this long without the knowledge of your father’s whereabouts. A few more days will not hurt.”
Yeah, a few more days wouldn’t hurt, so long as I didn’t start glowing around humans. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about finding my father, or the perils of becoming a princess. I’d be dead.
“Right, thanks,” I said. “I’ll sleep on it.”
I took a step toward the door and swayed. I put a hand to my forehead and took a shaky breath. I was burning up, the heat evident even through my glove. The joys of keeping covered up, even while inside a warm kitchen. I pulled back my sleeve to examine my skin, but, thank Oberon, it wasn’t glowing. Nothing a cold shower and good night’s sleep wouldn’t fix.
“Oh, and Ivy,” she said. I sighed. I’d nearly made it out of the kitchen. “Be wary of Melusine. The former kelpie queen is dangerous. But if you must face her, keep in mind that her serpent half is capable of regeneration.”
Regeneration? Good to know.
“Cut off her tail and it grows back again?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said.
If anyone knew how to take down a lamia, it was Kaye. Not only did she have the largest library on magical creatures, she’d also been an accomplished Hunter. I filed the information away for later.
“Thanks for the tip,” I said.
“Safe travels, dear,” she said.
“Safe travels,” I said.
Chapter 7
I decided to take the long way home, organizing my thoughts as I walked. I was a girl in need of a shower and a bed, but I’d never get any sleep with my mind racing. It was best to sort through the storm of facts and questions.
I’d learned a lot from Kaye, but I still had unanswered questions. Other than my guess that she sought revenge, I had no idea what Melusine was doing in Harborsmouth. That was something I needed to find out, preferably before she made her next move. I also needed to warn her ex-husband that she was in town.
Ceff wasn’t going to be happy. Melusine had murdered his infant child and tricked him into the execution of his eldest son, leaving Ceff, and his kingdom, with no heir to the throne. Those were his most painful memories and by warning Ceff of Melusine’s return, I’d be casting him into the darkness of those times. Melusine was hurting Ceff with her very presence here.
My hands rubbed at the knives hidden beneath my jacket. I wanted to make her pay for what she’d done to Ceff. I’d lived through those memories myself when I’d touched his bridle. I knew how the death of his sons had nearly destroyed him.
I shook my head and pulled my hands from my knives. I wouldn’t lose myself to revenge, not like Melusine. Melusine was selfish and evil. I was nothing like her. But if she tried to harm the ones I cared about, I’d be happy to try out some of the moves Jenna had been drilling into me.
I continued to walk, boots nearly silent on bricks and cobbles. My fae heritage may be a liability, especially if I didn’t learn to create a glamour, but I was beginning to discover a few beneficial talents. My second sight and psychometry had emerged during childhood, but my improved night vision, increased agility, and ability to move silently were new. What other changes did my fae blood have in store?
My thoughts turned to my father. I had few memories of my him, due to a spell he’d cast over my mind before he left us. According to Kaye, it was a powerful spell. It had caused me to forget my own father, but now memories were breaking through—and so were my powers. Had he meant to keep my wisp abilities safely hidden away until I was an adult? What had he thought would happen when the spell broke? Who would teach me to use and control my new abilities?
Would he come for me? That thought scared me most of all. Since my memories emerged, I’d held onto the hate I felt for my father. He’d abandoned me and my mother and left me ignorant and defenseless. Now I had to find him because he had the information I needed to survive, but I didn’t expect a happy family reunion. A piece of me wished for my father to rush in to save the day with a story of how his leaving was to protect my mother and me from some form of evil, but that was a child’s wish, foolish and naïve. It was more likely that the wisp king had grown tired of his mortal wife and child. He’d probably ditched us for someone shiny and new. It was best not to get my hopes up.
But no matter my abandonment issues, I did need to find the wisp king. And my best chance for that was talking to the cat sidhe, Sir Torn. Too bad that meant entering Club Nexus—and being outed as a faerie princess.
Becoming a fae leader? Not on my bucket list.
If I accepted my role as wisp princess, I would also have to acknowledge my alignment in the world of faerie politics. Wisps, like kelpies, were members of the Unseelie court. Ceff had insisted that one’s court did not dictate all of one’s actions. He believed in free will, but I was less optimistic. Unlike Ceff, I did not have loyal guards and a royal entourage to back me up should I ruffle some feathers.
Walking through the doors of Club Nexus could change everything. It would mean acknowledging my royal responsibilities and my allegiance to the dark.
It was too much to think about, but, thank Mab, at least I didn’t have to act tonight. Tomorrow or the next day, but not tonight. Maybe I could find another way to locate my father before then. I drew in a steadying breath and let the tension melt from my neck and shoulders.
While inside The Emporium I’d begun to worry that I was coming down with something. My body had flashed hot and feverish, as if my skin were too tight and about to burst into flame. But now, with the cool air from the harbor on my face, the heat bled from my skin. I took a deep breath and looked up at the night sky. Ceff was right. It was soothing for Unseelie fae to walk beneath the stars.
Ceff. My feet had carried me to the harbor. The fog which had shrouded the city had dissipated, crawling back into the dark places from which it had sprung. Stars danced on the water and the moon left a sparkling trail leading out into the ocean. Too bad I couldn’t place my feet upon the moonlit path and simply walk to Ceff’s domain.
I let out a sigh. I wasn’t used to having someone to care about other than Jinx, but Ceffyl Dŵr, king of the local kelpies, had strode into my life and stolen my heart. I sometimes w
onder how Ceff snuck past the walls I’d spent a lifetime constructing. It may have been how unguarded he was at the time. I never saw him as a viable threat.
It was strange, but I’d known Ceff’s most personal secrets before I’d even met the man himself. And when we did meet, it was during a battle when he was at his most vulnerable. I’d held Ceff’s fate when a pooka dropped the kelpie’s bridle into my hand. Ceff pled for his release and I had returned his bridle, and tended his wounds while he sat dressed only in a tablecloth. After the battle, Ceff had asked me out on a date. Against my better judgment, the handsome thief had slipped past my defenses and stolen my heart.
I raised a gloved hand to my lips, powerless against the goofy grin spreading across my face. Even tonight when it seemed like my entire world was crashing down, the thought of Ceff could make me smile. Silly heart.
I bit my lip, pulled the tie from my ponytail, letting my hair fall across my shoulders, and smoothed my clothes with my hands. I could still feel the goofy grin on my face, but it would have to do.
Ceff and I didn’t have a date scheduled for tonight, but he had posted sentinels along the waterfront. The system was in place to keep Harborsmouth safe and to rebuild peace between the land and water fae, but Ceff’s kelpie soldiers and selkie allies would relay any message directly to his ears. If I called out for him, he would come.
I strode to the railing, cupped my hands around my mouth, and called out Ceff’s full name. There’s power in a name, especially for those with fae blood. I heard an answering splash near a pylon to my right and knew my message had been received. Now there was nothing to do but wait.
A flutter in my belly made my stomach churn. Should I have come to the harbor? It was selfish to take Ceff away from his duties just because I’d had a bad day. And telling him about Melusine would only cause him pain. I pressed my lips together, wishing I hadn’t called out for Ceff. Wishing I could take it back.
My eyes scanned the calm waters of the harbor and the ocean waves beyond. After what seemed an eternity, a dark form emerged. I gasped. I was always startled to see Ceff in his horse form. Kelpies are Unseelie fae who can shift into human form, but their natural shape is that of a water horse.
