by Smith, HD
“Are you working with X? Or do you think he’s a third of the being that rules time?” Her eyes widened. “He forgets again soon, doesn’t he?”
Isla’s brows dropped. “Will you save him if I ask you to?”
I laughed. “X or Tarik or Callum?”
“All three. Time must be restored or the world will fall—I’ve seen it.”
Was Isla a seer? I raised one of my eyebrows. “World killer? You believe it will come true?”
She smiled. “You are on that path, but I know how to stop it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Right, let Sydney win? Or Faith? Or take Ronin to Kane? Or toss X into the frozen party? Which path do you think is correct?”
“You must merge the three parts of their soul back together for the spell to be broken. Return what was lost by the Ancients. Or the world will die.”
“Isn’t there something you’re forgetting?”
She looked at me puzzled.
“Don’t I need to kill the other two girls first?” I asked.
“Yes, of course, but that’s why you want the girl, isn’t it?”
I stared at her, dumbfounded. “No, that isn’t why I want Sydney.”
“They both have to die if you’re to hold the crown. You must hold the crown to reunite time.”
“Why? Shouldn’t I be able to merge them without killing anyone else?”
Isla laughed. “You are not the true ruler of Fallen yet. You need their blood on your hands to win.”
“I’m not killing Sydney and I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure Faith doesn’t, either. X’s family issues are low on my priority list.”
“You don’t have the luxury of being nice, my queen. It is your duty to Fallen to win.” She looked a little angry now. “One of you will win. If you don’t start trying, it won’t be you and I won’t be able to stop it. The other two are not strong enough to complete the final trials. They will fail. It must be you.”
“Just go.”
“You must not let X kill the girl. If she is to die, it must be by your hand or her sister’s. The prophecy—”
I threw my will toward her and thought of Fallen. “I. Said. Go.” I felt a mental line snap to the realm I’d had trouble seeing for weeks. Isla disappeared, sent back to the fourth realm. I wasn’t sure how I knew exactly, but I was sure I’d just sent her there, which maybe wasn’t the best plan. At the moment, however, I didn’t need her complicating things.
I enabled the wards, changing them to allow Sage and Cinnamon to enter. I leaned my head against the back of my chair to rest for a minute. I was tired. It had been a long couple of days. Tomorrow would be longer. Without meaning to, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
Chapter 34
I woke up with a start. Cinnamon and Sage were standing in my office staring at me. They were both dressed in their usual style, Cinnamon in her signature little black dress—not even the vicious mark left by Gizelle affected her beauty—and Sage in a dark suit that screamed money.
They looked as fresh as daisies. I looked rumpled, my head hurt, and my neck was stiff. You know, the usual sleep-in-a-chair-all-night style. I bumped the mouse and glanced at the clock on my computer. It was 10 AM Sunday morning. They were early.
Cinnamon stood tall and had an extremely pleased look on her face. I didn’t really want to know what she’d been doing with all the new power, but I couldn’t just ignore the possibilities either.
“Please tell me that you were careful,” I said.
She smiled. “Oh, yes, my queen. I was very careful. All. Night. Long.”
“Great,” I said under my breath. “And you, Sage? How much trouble did you cause?”
“I didn’t kill anyone,” he said with complete seriousness.
“Good. I’m glad you both made it back safely.” My body almost creaked as I left the chair.
“Sarcasm so early in the morning, Claire?” Cinnamon asked.
I studied her for a long second. Was she serious?
I didn’t say anything. It wasn’t worth it and her I’m-a-morning-person vibe was pissing me off. I needed a shower.
“I’ll be ready in half an hour. Don’t leave.”
I was refreshed and feeling more like myself when I emerged from my room, washed and fully dressed for our day’s activities. I opted for cargo pants and a fitted tee with rugged boots and minimal products. I didn’t want to look like a pampered poodle. Cinnamon and Sage were waiting for me in the living room. One of them had made a cup of coffee, which I desperately needed. I grabbed a protein bar from the cupboard and ate while we talked.
“What’s our plan?” Cinnamon asked.
I answered between bites. “X requested Mab’s presence at the meeting.”
Cinnamon stiffened. “I will not pretend to be her again.”
“Oh, it get’s better,” I continued. “He wants Mab, you, me, Sage, and Faith.”
“How is that going to work?” Cinnamon asked.
“I don’t know.”
“I do,” Sage spoke up.
Cinnamon and I both looked at him. “How?”
“You’ll request a quorum. Bring charges against Faith. Require Mab to present her,” he said. “Simple.”
“We’ve been trying to figure out how to get Faith for a while. If it’s so simple, why didn’t you mention it before? Or have our goals been completely lost on you?”
Sage gave me an incredulous look. “X wasn’t requesting Mab’s attendance before. It’s dangerous to include her, but if he’s making it a requirement, then we should use it to our advantage.”
“Okay. What charges?” I asked.
“Accuse Faith of threatening your life,” Sage said. “It’s true and punishable by death.”
“I can’t let Mab kill her.”
“She can’t kill her until the verdict, which is after the hearing,” he said. “Then, of course, there are appeals to the lower courts, which could take weeks, so Faith wouldn’t be killed right away in any case.”
I just stared. Who was this guy and what had he done with Sage?
“He’s in his element, Claire,” Cinnamon said. “The law and all it’s little idiosyncrasies have always been his thing. Make note.”
“Fine, I concede I know little about you. Do Harry and The Boss need to be there to call a quorum?”
“No,” Cinnamon said. “Not required, but it is their right to be present if they so choose.”
“How do I do it? How do I call the meeting? I’m sure there’s some ritual that must be done.”
“A letter must be hand-delivered to Mab,” Sage said. “However, you forfeit the life of the messenger. You can, however, pick anyone you like.”
My mouth dropped open. I forfeited the life of the messenger? “Who exactly would I chose to be slaughtered?”
“Someone she wouldn’t want to kill,” he said as if it were obvious.
“Thanos,” Cinnamon offered.
“How do I get him to deliver the message?”
“Ask him,” Sage suggested.
This was a bad plan and I knew it, but I couldn’t send someone that Mab might actually kill. No matter what, I knew she wouldn’t kill Thanos.
“What does the letter need to say?”
“It should be formal,” Sage said.
I rolled my eyes. “No shit. I assumed as much, but does it need to have any special phrases?”
“Oh, yes,” he said. “It should clearly state that you are holding Faith accountable for the threat against your person and that you seek justice in the form of death to the inferior subject, etc., etc.” Sage was waving his hand about as if he were dictating a speech.
“Okay, I’ll wing it.”
“You must maintain decorum and it is preferred it be written in Ancient,” he stated. “And it must be in your hand.”
“My blood too, I assume?”
“Yes, of course,” Sage said.
“I was joking.”
“This is no joking matter, my queen
. It must be done properly or she will not take it seriously,” Sage said.
“Special paper?”
“Traditionally, it is written on the flayed skin of a slave, but that is no longer required in modern times.” Sage snapped his fingers and produced a blood pen and parchment paper.
I eyed the paper with caution.
“It is just paper,” Sage said, pushing them forward.
I took the paper and sat down to write the letter. I kept it short and sweet. Anything more elaborate could lead to problems. I clicked the pen open, drawing a small amount of blood into the chamber.
“Wait,” Cinnamon said. “You should bless the paper first, which will make it virtually indestructible and prevent anyone from removing the blood from the paper.” She mentally sent me a spell.
I said a small incantation over the parchment and then wrote the letter.
To: Winter Queen
RE: Faith Dragon
Faith has threatened my person. I seek justice in the form of death to the inferior subject. I wish to discuss the matter at the Lux hotel in Underworld today at 2:30 PM. Please bring Faith Dragon with you.
Yours truly,
Claire, the Fall Queen
“I would have left off the please,” Cinnamon said.
I folded the letter in an old-world style Sage flashed to me and penned Mab’s name on the outside. Sage took it and sealed it with wax, using a tulip and rose design I’d not seen before.
At my questioning look, Sage said, “You need a symbol. I chose this based on your markings.”
The letter finished, I was ready to summon Thanos—okay, not really, but I had to get this over with.
I closed my eyes and thought of him. A line immediately snapped to his location and I had to stop myself from jumping there. I was surprised and a little ticked off to find him downtown in a hotel room with Faith. She ran a hand down his cheek. He turned away, pulling his chin from her fingers.
“Brother, please don’t be angry. I told you I’d come back later after I’ve had some fun. Mother never lets me have any fun,” she whined. “Just tell her you didn’t find me. Now, shoo. Run back to her like a good boy.”
Faith flounced into the bathroom, carrying her sorority girl act a little to far. I materialized in the room and sealed it with a silencing spell.
Thanos’s eyes widened a fraction, but I didn’t give him a chance to dismiss me again.
Holding out the letter for him to take, I held my head high and pinned him with my stare. “I need you to deliver this to your mother.” I wouldn’t show emotion. I would be strong. Let him believe his betrayal didn’t cut me to the quick.
“Claire,” he said just as the bathroom door creaked. Faith was coming.
“You promised never to forget,” I whispered, then snapped a line to my apartment. I tossed Cinnamon and Sage from the office, activating the wards. I wanted a minute alone. Sliding down the wall, I felt like crying. There was no time for that, but my body didn’t see it that way. Blinking my second sight on, I saw and felt tiny slivers of magic seeping into me. It was a slow trickle at first, but the stream increased the longer I pulled on the magic.
“Claire,” Cinnamon called, beating on the door to the office. I pushed her away—I needed a minute to wallow.
After a few more seconds, someone tugged hard on my core and I was flung into the in-between. Cinnamon and Sage were both there, breathless. The jolt stopped the magic flow and they both relaxed.
“Warn us next time,” Cinnamon wheezed. “That kind of pull can’t be good.”
“The big three will notice if you black out your street again,” Sage said.
I looked around the office from the in-between. Everything was dead again. The power had been drained. I rose above the apartment and looked down. I hadn’t wiped out the entire block this time, only my building.
I had to get this under control and make sure Mab got the letter. I snapped a line to Thanos, but stayed in the in-between.
“I’m not sure this is wise,” Cinnamon said as she surveyed Mab’s castle from within the void.
I didn’t care if it was wise. I wanted to know what he’d do.
Thanos was waiting in the outer chamber. Mab’s voice came from within, calling for him to enter. The guards opened the heavy doors to the throne room as he approached. I slid us into the room after him. Mab was perched on her throne, scrolling through something on her tablet. The scowl on her face made it clear she was in a foul mood, but her demeanor changed when she noticed Thanos.
“Ah, son, to what do I owe this pleasure?”
Thanos went down on one knee and extended the hand with my letter.
“Is that necessary?” I asked.
Sage answered. “Yes, you instructed him to deliver the letter. As the Fall Queen, your command is sort of like a writ and formal is always better than not in these situations.”
Mab’s posture stiffened. She hesitated for a moment before taking the parchment from his outstretched hand. Thanos stood, turning to leave, but Mab flicked her wrists to turn him back to her.
She wasn’t letting him leave.
“She won’t kill him,” Cinnamon said.
The crease between Mab’s eyebrows deepened as she read the letter. She wasn’t pleased.
“Who gave you this letter?” she demanded.
“I believe it was Claire, Mother.”
She lashed out and threw him against the wall. Thanos grunted from the impact. Picking him up with her will, she held him pinned. “Did I not tell you to stay away from her?”
“She came to—”
“Silence!” Mab bellowed. “You have wanted your freedom, but now I see you have been lying to me. You still care for her.”
My heart skipped a beat. How?
“Mother, I swear. She means nothing. I have obeyed your rules. I deserve the freedom we agreed to. It’s my life.”
Mab roared with laughter. “Your lies are weak. You have not forgotten her.” Mab paced the room. “By rights, I could kill you for bringing this to me. Did you know that?”
He shook his head.
“She must not care for you or she is counting on me being unwilling to kill you.” Mab turned her cold eyes to Thanos. “Have you ever known me to be weak, son?”
His expression fell. He swallowed visibly. “Mother, please. My feelings for her do not negate my feelings for you.”
Mab turned her back on Thanos. With a flick of her hand, he disappeared.
“Where did she send him?” I asked. I tried to snap a line to his location, but nothing happened. “No, no, no. She wouldn’t—you said she wouldn’t kill him,” I yelled at Cinnamon.
I fell to the floor sobbing. Cinnamon hurried to my side, snapping a line back to my apartment.
She pulled us out of the in-between. The magic at my core roiled as the energy within me increased. I pulled power so hard it hurt.
“Claire,” Cinnamon pleaded, “you have to stop.”
Sage left the room. With my second sight, I saw tendrils of magic following him. I wanted to curl up in a ball and die. Thanos hadn’t forgotten—he’d lied to get freedom from Mab’s constant attention. Instead of letting him love me, she threw him away as if he were nothing.
“Claire,” Cinnamon tried again, but I wasn’t listening.
“Someone’s here,” Sage said, leaving the room.
“What are you doing?” a familiar voice yelled. “Unhand me, you rogue.”
“Thanos?” I said, releasing my pull on the magic.
Sage hauled a reluctant Thanos into the office. He looked bewildered, lost, and angry. He held up his hands in a fisticuffs stance.
“I’ll defend myself, hooligan,” Thanos said, pumping his fists up and down in an exaggerated manner.
“Thanos,” I said, jumping to my feet and throwing myself at him. The power I’d been pulling ebbed and the tension in the room lifted.
His stance changed. He relaxed his fists, holding his hands out to stop me. “Now, now, m
iss. I implore you to stop this tomfoolery.”
Tomfoolery? What decade was he channeling?
“Thanos?” I asked.
“No, ma’am. My name is Thaddeus Wainwright Wallaby the third. My friends call me Trey, which is French for three.” He paused, dusting off his old-style suit and looking around as if he’d lost his bowler hat. “Now if you’d kindly tell me where I am and what you’ve done with my horse, I’ll be on my way.”
“He’s not right in the head,” Sage said.
“Now look here, whippersnapper, I’ll have you know—”
“Sleep,” I said, tapping him on the head. Sage caught him as he fell. “What did she do to him?”
“I don’t—” Cinnamon started, but I cut her off.
“Don’t lie.”
Cinnamon straightened to her full height. “It appears she’s replaced his memories with that of an old man, possibly one from another time.”
“Is there a way to fix him?” I asked.
“You’d need the original Trey—alive—and it’s possible both men would have to want to change back for it to reverse. That’s if you could find the spell, which was lost to time over a thousand years ago.”
“She did this to him, not knowing if he could be brought back?”
“She called your bluff. Clearly, you’re not high on her list of acceptable mates for her son. She’d rather see him lost than let him be with you.”
“There’s no chance that they’d switch back automatically?” Mab couldn’t have wanted him to just disappear.
Cinnamon shook her head. “Not if one of them dies before they reunite, and from the sound of it, Trey is pushing a hundred.”
“That bitch.”
Everyone was silent. The grandfather clock in the living room chimed twice: it was 2 PM.
Sage cleared his throat. “It’s time.”
Chapter 35
I snapped a line to the Lux. In a flash, we all disappeared and reappeared on the stage at the hotel, the same place I’d seen Mab, Harry, and The Boss meeting to discuss Mab’s attempt to claim me last spring.
Sage looked down at Thanos’s prone form. “Why didn’t you leave him at the apartment?”
Before I could answer, a door at the front of the theater clanged opened. A clearly agitated and disheveled Connie bustled in. She muscled through the door with a grunt, blowing her hair out of her eyes and heaving what looked like a heavy banker’s box toward the stage.
