Jean-Andre laughed. “You seem to be the only one who thinks so, mon ami.”
“I’ve long thought I was the only one among us with any sense,” Reg stated dryly. That earned another hearty laugh from Jean-Andre. Before they could continue their conversation, their host stood at his table and called for the attention of the guests, clinking his salad fork against his flute. “I’d better join them,” Reg said as the rest of his friends returned to the head table.
Jean-Andre nodded. “A pity, but I understand.”
Reg, feeling heat crawl up the sides of his neck at Jean-Andre’s suggestive smile, walked after the others.
“I’m glad that you’ve all decided to join us for this birthday.” The gentleman paused, throwing a dark look in Reg’s direction. “That’s right, birthday celebration. As the evening draws to a close, I’d like you to join me in wishing my dear son a happy birthday!”
The gathered guests all cried out in unison, “Happy Birthday, Frolic!” and toasted the birthday boy.
“Excellent,” the gentleman announced. “And now, my guests, please stay and enjoy the food and the music as long as you wish. It’s time for Kristof, Frolic, and I to bid you farewell.” The faerie guests applauded, but the humans gasped as one. There were scattered mutterings of disbelief.
“What do you mean by that, sir?” Starling demanded.
“Oh. Didn’t I mention we were taking Frolic along?” The gentleman studied his nails, disinterested in the baron’s protests.
“You can’t take Frolic,” Reg shouted.
“I can do what I like.”
“Darling,” Kristof said, standing. “We discussed this. You can’t just take Frolic away from his friends if he doesn’t wish to go.”
“Why not?” the faerie asked with a pout.
“Frolic has a right to choose his own destiny,” Kristof answered. It was obvious in his tone that this wasn’t a new argument.
“He isn’t yours to take,” Querry argued, standing as well. Reg was glad his lover challenged the faerie for once. “He isn’t anyone’s. He belongs to himself.”
“Not to mention, he’s under contract to me at the moment,” Starling stated angrily. Reg found himself oddly grateful for the cursed bargain for once.
“Is he now?” the gentleman asked, clearly unconvinced. “We do not break our contracts, as I’m sure you know, but I’m sure we can reach some sort of an arrangement, Viscount.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Reg joined the argument. “You’re not taking him.”
“And what makes you think you can tell me what to do, Reginald?” The gentleman spat the words like venom, his eyes flashing dangerously.
“Don’t I get a say in all this?” Frolic interrupted in a small voice.
Reg pressed his balled fist to his lips. Damn. “Of course you do, beauty.”
“We’re sorry, Frolic,” Querry added. “You tell him what you want to do.”
Frolic stood and faced the gentleman. “I appreciate everything that you’ve done. No one’s ever thrown me a birthday party before. It’s been lovely. Really, it has. Where would you take me, anyway?”
The gentleman beamed at Frolic’s praise and the possibilities in his question. “I’ll take you anywhere you want to go, in this world or any other. I can show you things unlike you’ve ever imagined. Marvels and miracles. Doesn’t that sound like a lovely time?”
“I don’t know….”
“You belong with me and Kristof,” the gentleman persisted. “We should raise you as fathers. I have always desired a son above anything. You need us to teach you who you are and what you can do. Like all good parents, we’ll help you understand and grow into your potential.”
“I am very confused about many things,” Frolic admitted.
Reg froze. He’d never contemplated Frolic wanting to go with Kristof and the gentleman. If Frolic wanted to go, Reg knew he had no more right to force him to stay than the gentleman had to take him. Querry had spoken truly: Frolic was free to choose for himself. Reg couldn’t breathe as he waited for the conversation to continue.
“Can you tell me why I am the way I am?” Frolic asked.
“Of course,” the gentleman said. “Come with me, and I can tell you everything you need to know.”
“I am very intrigued. And grateful. But I can’t go with you. I have a job to finish first. And I have people who are counting on me.” A cloud passed behind the faerie gentleman’s eyes, and thunder rumbled in the distant sky. Frolic sensed the dangerous turn in the faerie’s mood. “I’m sure it would be quite enjoyable to join you. And I certainly hope to see you again.”
Frolic’s attempts to appease the gentleman were only making him angrier. “Sir, um. Father, it’s been a pleasure, but we have to be on our way.”
That got him, Reg thought. Well done, Frolic. The gentleman thrust his lip out once again, pouting, and Reg was confident Frolic managed to change the creature’s mind.
“That’s unacceptable!” The gentleman stamped his foot, and Reg felt the ground beneath him tremble. Everything in the jungle seemed to grow still and quiet in the wake of the faerie’s rage.
“Love,” Kristof said softly, stroking the gentleman’s elbow. “You promised we wouldn’t force him. We have to let them go for now.”
“Well, at least have some cake first,” the gentleman offered peevishly.
“I wish I could,” Frolic answered. “But I don’t eat, Father.”
“Impossible!” The gentleman threw up his hands. He turned on his heel and disappeared.
“Happy birthday, Frolic,” Kristof said, approaching Frolic with open arms. “Be well and watch out for each other,” he said as they embraced. “Here. I’d like you to have this. It’s just a little something I made, a locket that will show you whatever you most want to see when you open it.” He draped the delicate chain around Frolic’s neck and bid the others a polite farewell, just before his faerie companion reappeared to collect him. Before departing, he thrust a small box wrapped in shimmering, leaf-like, green paper and topped with a gold bow at a perplexed Frolic. When they disappeared, the rest of the party disappeared with them. Starling’s group was once again alone in the jungle.
Frolic opened his gift, handed the gilded ribbon to Tom, and held up what looked like a pair of golden pruning shears. After staring at them for many moments, Frolic shook his head and slipped them into a pocket.
“Damn it!” Reg barked and stomped his foot. “We didn’t ask your grandstanding associate to help us get away from this wretched place.”
“Um, Reg—” Querry tugged on Reg’s sleeve. “I think he did.”
Reg looked at Querry. His blue eyes were wide with shock, and it took a fair bit to shock Querry. Reg followed his deep blue gaze, sure he wore an identical expression of astonishment. What he saw just through the trees was unlike anything he’d ever seen before.
A great stone structure stretched toward the sky above the jungle. “I’ll be damned,” Reg breathed.
Chapter 26
QUERRY DIDN’T know much about architecture or antiquities, but the structure in front of them looked more than ancient. Giant stones worn with weather and age formed the sloping outer walls. It was obvious that men didn’t come to this place; the jungle had descended, and moss and vines covered the structure with patches where small trees and bushes had found purchase. Atop it all, like a crown of nature, grew an enormous tree, with a trunk that filled the entire roof of the structure. Temple, Querry thought. Damn. He could feel it, the reverence that had gone into building this monolith. It was a monument to something he couldn’t even fathom.
As the party approached the ancient structure, Querry shaded his eyes as his gaze traveled up the stepped walls. It occurred to Querry that the tree wasn’t indigenous to the jungle. It looked more like something one would find in an Anglican hunting forest. It wasn’t quite a willow tree. Trees weren’t really Querry’s area of expertise. Reg would probably be able to name it. The branches reached out over the sanctuary
, and they moved into the shade of its leaves.
People spoke. Starling. Jean-Andre. They discussed how to get in. Querry barely registered it as he finally realized the true scope of this sacred place. They approached it almost at one of the corners. He looked along the wall, searching for the opposite corner and couldn’t see it. If he couldn’t see it, how long would it take to reach? A day? More? For a reason he wouldn’t have been able to explain to anyone else, he walked up and placed his hand on the stone. A thrill ran up his arm. Power. He could feel it. He leaned in, pressing his sun-stung skin to the stone. Despite sitting in the middle of a tropical jungle, the stone was cool. Because of magic or the shade from the tree above, Querry didn’t know.
“Amazing.” Frolic’s voice startled Querry. He hadn’t realized he’d closed his eyes. “Isn’t it?”
“I can feel the magic in it,” Querry whispered. He wasn’t sure why he whispered, but he didn’t want the others to hear him.
“It’s impossible not to,” Frolic agreed. “Can you hear its voice?”
Querry listened as hard as he could. He tried to translate the feeling of his eyes slipping into faerie sight to his hearing. For a brief moment, he heard something. It was almost like weeping, but then it was gone. “Not really,” he told Frolic.
“That’s all right. It’s upset. Lonely. It feels the way I did while I waited in that cellar. No one comes here anymore. They’re too afraid. Even the faeries. That’s why we haven’t seen any.” Frolic whispered too. “The gentleman found us.”
Why hadn’t Querry realized it? “Our potions have worn off.” It wasn’t a guess.
“Your bodies probably processed and excreted it.”
“That makes sense.” Their faces still pressed against the stone, Querry looked deep into Frolic’s beautiful golden eyes. He wanted nothing more than to lavish his lover’s mouth in kisses, but now wasn’t the time. He forced his mind to turn to more practical matters. “Can you tell if there’s a way in?” Querry asked.
“No. Nothing so specific.” Frolic reached over and grasped Querry’s hand.
“Are you two quite finished huggin’ the ruins?” Jack Owens’s gruff voice called from around the corner. Querry pushed back from the stone, suddenly feeling very silly. Frolic followed. “Good. We’ve got to find a way into this thing.”
Around the corner, Starling, Reg, and Jean-Andre discussed their plan of attack. Jack Owens stepped to the center, ready to instruct the others. Deftly Querry slipped around the bigger man and scratched a square in the ground at their feet. “The best way to do this is for half of us to go this way and half of us to go that way.”
“Do you really think we should split up?” Cornelia asked apprehensively. “What about strength in numbers?”
“Each of these walls may be a day’s walk or more. If we don’t want to wander around for a week, we need to split up,” Querry told her firmly. She nodded in response.
“How will the group that finds the entrance signal to the other?” Jack Owens asked gruffly.
“Look at the size of this temple. There’s no way to get word between the groups,” Querry answered and snorted. Tom Teezle appeared as though he wanted to say something, thought better of it, and remained silent. “The team that finds the entrance will just have to wait for the other group to reach them.”
“That’s our plan?” Owens sneered.
“You have a better one?” Querry challenged. Owens opened his mouth to argue but apparently didn’t have a better plan and just remained silent. “Good.”
“Can’t Tom move between teams?” Reg asked.
“Yes,” the baron answered.
“I’m not sure I can,” Tom contradicted. “This place is strange. If I travel, it may not have the results I intend. Best if I don’t test it.”
“Fine. What are the teams?” Starling asked.
“Reg and Frolic are with me. The rest you can settle on your own,” Querry responded.
“I will go with them,” the baron said. “Owens, you take Tom Teezle and the rest. Is that acceptable to everyone?”
“Suits me,” Owens grumbled. Cornelia seemed torn between wanting to stick with Owens and not wanting to let Frolic out of her sight. Ultimately she begged her clockwork friend to promise to stay safe, and she remained with the mercenaries.
“I would like to join you as well, Monsieur Baron,” Jean-Andre stated. “If you don’t mind.”
“Not at all,” Starling answered. “Let’s not dawdle.” With his declaration, Starling stalked away, presumably to make preparations while instructing Tom Teezle how to behave in his absence. Owens gathered his men and their group and disappeared around the corner of the temple.
“How do we get in once we find the entrance?” Reg asked. “I presume we won’t be permitted to just walk in.”
“No, I shouldn’t think so,” Jean-Andre agreed.
“Let me handle that,” Starling interrupted. “Come, let’s be on our way.” Without looking back, the baron marched off along the wall of the temple. Jean-Andre followed.
“Are we ready, my loves?” Frolic asked. He didn’t wait for their answer, just walked off, dragging the crate containing his wings.
“Why didn’t we get Frolic to fly around and look for the entrance?” Reg asked.
“The rest of us would need to walk to the entrance still,” Querry explained. “And what would happen if there’s some sort of trap and he crashed? He’d have no way to contact us. Plus there’s the magic that Tom mentioned. We don’t know what effect it will have.”
“That’s a fair point.” They walked side by side as they joined the rest of their party.
After a few hours, the conversation tapered off, and the trip became increasingly tedious. There was nothing of note anywhere on the face of the temple, no windows, no architectural accents, and definitely no entrances. Frolic took the lead quickly, not tiring like his human companions.
Evening arrived early in the shade of the canopy of the giant tree, but Starling pushed them until all the light was sapped from the jungle, and it was impossible for them to see anything. “Can we stop for a rest at least?” Querry finally asked. “We can’t see anything in this light anyway. It would really be a kick in the ass if we passed the entrance because we couldn’t see it in the dark.”
“I can conjure a light for us to see by,” Starling answered. When the wizard cast the spell and the light erupted in the palm of his hand, the glow it cast on his face revealed the manic obsession driving him. “Press on.”
“Starling.” Querry’s tone took on a smooth, calming tone. “You’re exhausted. We all are. We’ll rest for a few hours and continue on. We want to find the entrance as much as you do.”
Starling closed his eyes and took a deep, steadying breath. “Of course you’re right, Querry. We’re so close now. I can almost taste it.” He released the light, and it floated near his shoulder. Then he walked up to the wall and laid his hands flat against the stone. “I can feel it throbbing with magic.”
Querry hid a smirk as he and Reg shared an amused glance at the baron’s choice of words. Exhaustion had left them both as giddy as boys. “It’s been here for who knows how long. I’m sure it will wait for us to have a bit of a lie down,” Querry said, offering the baron a canteen. Starling surrendered and accepted the canteen, taking a long drink.
They all rested with their backs against the stone of the temple. The spongy moss actually made for a comfortable seat, and it wasn’t long before Querry’s eyelids grew heavy. His head snapped up just before he dozed off. Next to him, Starling dropped his head to Querry’s shoulder and snored lightly, his flask in his hand. No sound came from Jean-Andre. Querry reached out for Reg’s hand, and his old, dear friend shifted, but his breathing remained rhythmic and relaxed. Querry fought another wave of sleep washing over him, successfully resisting it once more.
“Go ahead, Querry,” Frolic whispered.
“I’m fine, beauty,” he said, a sleepy smile lounging on his lips
.
“You’re exhausted. Rest. I’ll watch over you.”
Querry wanted to. Desperately. “Thanks, Frolic.” He heard Frolic respond, but the next time his eyes closed, he fell fast asleep.
Frolic roused them when the first light of dawn penetrated the jungle, and with little delay, they resumed their search for a way into the temple. They had little gear or provisions to worry over, after all. It proved to be as fruitless as the previous day’s search. They trudged on and on with no end in sight until midday when they finally found the corner at the other end of the temple wall, having traversed one full side of the structure.
They rested for only a few moments. It seemed more and more like they weren’t going to find the entrance. But Querry knew there had to be some way in. He always found the way in. No one would build a temple that was impossible to enter. Would they? He groaned inwardly. Faeries might. If that was who built this place. Faeries didn’t usually build things, though.
“I hope the others are having better luck,” Reg groused. “This is beginning to seem hopeless.”
“On the bright side, if we pass another corner, we know they’ve stopped because they’ve found the entrance,” Jean-Andre offered.
“Or they’re dead,” Starling said. While it might be the truth, Querry didn’t think it was particularly helpful given their situation. The rest of the day passed in relative silence as they continued to trace the perimeter of the temple.
There seemed to be some silent understanding that they would press on until they reached the next corner because no one suggested they stop, and even though Querry knew they all had to be as exhausted as himself, no one complained.
It wasn’t until Lord Starling collapsed that they finally paused. Starling was fine, but when Querry sat down he knew he wouldn’t be getting back up. Looking around at his fellow travelers, he knew they felt the same. Jean-Andre was already lying sprawled on his back. Reg leaned against the stone wall with his head lolling. Only Frolic remained standing. They had rested just long enough that Querry began to doze. He was disturbed when Starling, bracing himself against the temple, got to his feet.
A Grimoire for the Baron Page 33
