Dreams of the Forgotten Dead

by Eric Asher

  Calbach smiled and waved as if he was dismissing me. I took the opportunity to head downstairs, where his prediction about things staying interesting was already proving itself accurate.

  A tall man stood beside Alexandra as she gestured to Nixie. And when I say tall, he was taller than me. Short of seven feet, but not by much, if I had to guess. His slight build could have been mistaken for weakness if you didn’t notice the whipcord muscles that moved beneath his skin.

  “Hi,” I said as I stepped through the saloon-style doors.

  All conversation stopped and Nixie pinched the bridge of her nose.

  “Damian, this is Shamus. Shamus, Damian.”

  “He’s an undine,” Frank said. “Can you believe it? I mean, to keep a beard like that from getting tangled, I assumed he wasn’t a commoner, but can you believe it?”

  The male undine offered a tiny bow. “Our mortal prince.”

  I glanced at Alexandra and Nixie in turn. “Wait, what?”

  CHAPTER SIX

  I held my hand up, begging Alexandra to stop. “Okay, let me see if I have this right. Shamus is from a long-lost line of kings, but he supports Nixie being the queen, but we can’t tell anyone he’s alive because he’s in hiding, except for the fact he’s in our store right now.”

  “Pretty much,” Nixie said.

  “Is this where you dump me for a spritely old undine?”

  “Definitely.”

  From the look of horror on Shamus’s face, I suspected he wasn’t well schooled in the art of modern sarcasm.

  “They’re joking,” Alexandra whispered to Shamus.

  Shamus relaxed a hair, but he still looked remarkably uncomfortable. “You left out perhaps the most important fact and what brings me to your establishment. I’ve heard tales there was a journeyman among the commoners, and that was a sight I had to see with my own eyes.”

  I squinted at Shamus. “You came here to see Frank?”

  “Of course. If we are to restart the forges of Atlantis, there is no one better than a journeyman to supply our materials. I do not know if you have experience negotiating with the iron-touched, but they are as skilled as the Unseelie of Murias.”

  “Frank can cut a deal like nobody’s business, but why do you need him?”

  “I do not understand this phrase. But I can tell you my own people are not qualified to treat with those who were once our enemies.”

  “I can’t leave the shop behind,” Frank said. “If I can do it from here, I’ll help you, but I’m not abandoning Damian.”

  “And from what Nixie tells me, you would not need to. You have new technologies I am unfamiliar with that will allow communication over great distances. I am sure, in time, even speaking across realms will be possible.”

  “Like the Wasser-Münzen?” I asked.

  “Of a sort. But more robust, and perhaps harder to intercept. Our magicks have evolved, much as your technology has, and things that were once infallible can now be compromised like the Wasser-Münzen.”

  I shook my head. “You want to sit down and talk about this?”

  “It is Frank’s decision, in the end,” Shamus said.

  “Agreed.”

  “Shamus, tell him about the journeymen,” Frank said. “Go on. I’ll watch the store.”

  “Frank, go with them,” Aideen said as she swooped into the front of the shop before landing on the counter. “I can watch the store for a while.”

  Frank nodded and laid the tablet flat on the counter so Aideen could easily access the screen with her feet.

  “I can help,” Alexandra said. “If you’d like to show me how your register works.”

  Aideen looked up at the water witch. “It’s a bit more complicated than gold and silver coins, but perhaps somewhat less complicated than the Orichalcum trade.”

  Nixie led the way into the back room, and we settled in at the Formica table. I opened a bag of Oreos and started munching on them before offering the bag to Shamus.

  When he turned to Nixie, she said, “Chocolate.”

  Shamus pursed his lips and tried one of the cookies before frowning in disgust and running his tongue over his teeth. “That is not chocolate.”

  “Welcome to America.”

  Shamus crossed his arms. “I would never insult the refined chocolate of Latin America by lumping it in with … this.”

  I shrugged and popped another Oreo into my mouth. “That’s your loss. Although there is a fudge shop nearby you might enjoy. Maybe we can go if you’ll be around later?” I glanced at Frank. “So, tell me what you want with my journeyman.”

  “You would lay claim to this man?” Shamus asked, his brow furrowing. “I was here with the understanding he labored under no contract.”

  “I don’t,” Frank said. “But Damian’s done a lot for me. I owe him. I know the Fae understand that.”

  “Indeed.” Shamus looked at Nixie, who gave him a small nod. The undine ran his fingers through his beard before leaning forward and resting his arms on the table like us heathens. “The journeymen of Atlantis came from an old line. They bartered with some of the most cunning Fae and rarely came out on the worse end of an accord. It was their skills in trade and barter that supplied the long-cold forges of Atlantis. Frank’s ancestors were blessed by the undines of Atlantis, and I believe that blessing has remained intact over the centuries.”

  “Blessing?” Frank said with a laugh. “You didn’t say it like that earlier. My dad died in a deal gone bad. Trust me. I can make mistakes.”

  “When was the last time you failed to strike a deal?” Shamus asked.

  I wasn’t sure where the undine was going with that line of thought, but it had been a long time since Frank had made a mistake running the shop. And Robert had cut him some particularly good deals on amber over the years.

  None of us answered, and Shamus smiled. “You are not immune to error, but fortune will smile on you more than it will not. And what changed? What woke the blessing?”

  “Sam,” Nixie said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

  “His love?” Shamus asked. “The vampire?”

  Frank frowned at that. “What about it? I’d do anything to keep Sam safe. You wouldn’t believe some of the crazy things we’ve seen.”

  “I might,” Shamus said.

  A honk like a bullhorn drew our attention to the cu siths’ lair. The peacock spread its feathers, iridescent in the dim light of the room before they became something more, something that emitted their own luminescence.

  I turned to ask Nixie what the hell was happening, but she was staring at Frank, and Frank was staring at the bird.

  “Stay back,” Shamus said. “Do not interrupt this bonding.”

  The eyes of the feathers lit up like the stars of the Abyss, a brilliant gold that reflected in Frank’s eyes as he stiffened until he was nearly as still as the old vampires. And then he spoke. The voice was his, but the east coast accent was gone, as if something else was speaking through him.

  “Darkness comes to those least suspecting. Guard them well if Ra cannot.”

  “What?” I asked.

  “Always watching,” Frank said. He repeated it, and then his accent returned, as if nothing else had come out of his mouth before. “What was that?”

  The peacock’s feathers slowly drew together and relaxed. The bird honked again and then hopped onto the table to attack the bag of Oreos. Nixie snatched them away.

  I glanced between Frank and Nugget. “What the hell just happened?”

  Foster took that opportunity to glide down from his perch on the grandfather clock. I hadn’t noticed him before he moved, and he landed in silence in front of the peacock. The bird cocked his head from side to side while Foster stood there with his hands on his hips.

  Foster looked back at Nixie. “I think your bird may have been a more generous gift than you knew.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “Sri Lanka isn’t the only place these birds were honored, w
as it?”

  Nixie laced her fingers together. “No. We had our share in Atlantis, too. They kept the basilisk populations under control.”

  “I’m sorry, what?” I leaned forward and gestured helplessly at Nixie. “Did you say basilisk populations?”

  Foster nodded. “I wouldn’t have thought of it if it wasn’t for some of Leviticus’s war stories. Not so deadly when they’re young.”

  Shamus leaned back in his chair, his forehead crinkling. “What does the presence of those animals have to do with this peacock’s bond to the journeyman?”

  “I think it’s a warning,” Foster said. “Something Nagma couldn’t say to Nixie directly. She knew we have a journeyman at Death’s Door. Knew the peacock could bond with him. When did she offer you the peacock as a gift?”

  Nixie frowned. “Only after she knew I would be staying in Saint Charles for a time.”

  Shamus studied the bird. “So you believe this could be a warning from Nagma? Of a basilisk?” He almost looked as though he was going to laugh at the idea of a basilisk.

  “Maybe not a basilisk, but something. You know what basilisk fangs helped forge.”

  Shamus’s expression sobered. “You believe there could be a threat from the stone weapons.”

  “As long as the water witches are at odds, there will be a threat from the stone weapons. But it may be more immediate.”

  “Perhaps it is best if you remain here for now,” Shamus said. “The protections in this place are not insubstantial. I could feel them when I entered with Alexandra.”

  “I should be in Atlantis,” Nixie said. “A threat to me is a threat to them. As more of our kind learn of your survival and my intention to return the city to power, many will come to Atlantis.”

  Shamus shook his head. “This is not the time. You stand on the battleground where your rival was slain. It is a message of its own sort.”

  A grimace flashed across Nixie’s face.

  “I’m not like her, Shamus. I won’t rule with the threat of death over all who disobey. Until we understand why this bird is with us, I will remain in Saint Charles.”

  “A fair resolution. I can help prepare Atlantis for a return to power. You will have my support, Nixie. For the first time in many years, you have offered the hope of a new age.”

  “You honor me.” Nixie inclined her head. “When next I visit, I will bring Damian. I know many do not believe a necromancer can be an ally, but a meeting with the guardian should prove much.”

  A groan escaped me. “I’m going to end up like a Florida Man headline, aren’t I?’ Necromancer eaten by giant alligator. News at eleven.’”

  Frank chuckled at that.

  I raised an eyebrow. “Feeling better?”

  He gave a shaky nod of his head. “Yeah, yeah, I am. That was … weird. I knew what I was saying, but it was like it wasn’t me?”

  “It was still you,” Shamus said. “There are magicks in this world that can speak to fragments of who you are. Magicks that would call to the darkest parts of a power, like Nudd did with Damian, while others are far less terrible.”

  “But the bird is good?” Frank asked.

  “Good? I suppose that is relative. The bird is the bird, and what he chooses to do with his powers will be his own choice. The mage solis may have more insight for you.”

  Shamus talked about the peacock like it was making the same kind of decisions as the rest of us, and that was an odd prospect. Of course, I knew an undead parrot that fancied rum, so maybe it wasn’t all that strange.

  A small smile crossed Shamus’s face. “Nixie, do you recall the old rituals that involved the Mosasaurus?”

  Nixie cringed. “Yes, unfortunately.”

  “What?” Frank asked. “That look. You look like you have a story.”

  “It was a time of great feasting and celebration,” Shamus said. “We would welcome mages and sorcerers alike to be tested by the Mosasaurus. The worthiest of them were fed to the beast.”

  I blinked at Shamus. “I … what?”

  “Stop it,” Nixie whispered, and Shamus broke out a brilliant smile that lifted his beard. She turned to face me. “We only said that to scare people off. The guardian only feasted on threats to the kingdom.” Her voice trailed off a bit. “But there may have been feasting and drinking like Shamus said.”

  “Man, you had the good parties in Atlantis,” Frank said.

  Shamus released a loud laugh that was a stark reminder of just how different the undine cultures were when it came to killing people. But all in all, spending some time in the Caribbean didn’t sound like a bad idea to me.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  The bell out front rang before I heard Aideen greet the new arrival.

  “Hi, Samir!”

  My phone buzzed at the same time. The movers were at the apartment, and the landlord had let them in without an issue. And no, I wasn’t getting my security deposit back. “We should have a bunch of boxes over here soon.”

  “Movers are coming?” Frank asked.

  I nodded and stood up. “Come on, let’s talk to Samir. I want to find out what’s going on with him. Shamus, you’re welcome to stay.”

  “I appreciate your hospitality. I will be here for a brief time. It is critical that I return to Atlantis. Pace and the others can be a bit more brash when it comes to governance.”

  It took a moment for my brain to remind me who Pace was. He was one of the blue men of the Minch. He’d helped Nixie, and I’d always be grateful for that.

  I offered my hand to Shamus.

  He eyed it with some amusement before taking it and giving a single deliberate pump. “It is an honor to meet you, prince of the undines. I look forward to seeing the empire your queen raises.”

  “Nice to meet you too,” I said with a sideways smile.

  With that, Nixie and I followed Frank to the front of the shop while Foster stayed with Shamus.

  The clatter of claws on hardwood echoed behind us, and I looked to find Nugget riding on Bubbles’s back, apparently quite satisfied with his new perch.

  “Why on earth are we supposed to talk to Edgar about you?”

  I turned around and almost laughed at the wide-eyed expression on Samir’s face.

  “Vesik, you have a great peacock! Noble beasts they are.”

  The peacock honked in approval.

  “Well, they’re certainly loud,” I said.

  “Did I hear you mention Edgar? You mean the Watcher?”

  Sometimes I forgot how clued in to the magical community Samir was. The Pit had taken to using his shop for all their SUV maintenance, and between the vampires and some of the more interesting damage my own car had shown up with, the Watchers had indoctrinated him.

  “Yeah, that Edgar.” Although truthfully, I was far less annoyed with the Watcher these days. He’d risked a lot to help us and put more trust in me than I’d ever expected or thought possible, for that matter.

  Samir rubbed his hands together. “Yes! Edgar has encountered the great peacocks.”

  “I don’t know how great the peacock is,” I muttered.

  Alexandra snorted in laughter from behind the counter.

  “Just because something is annoying doesn’t mean it’s not great. My friend, you are a great customer!”

  Nixie nearly doubled over holding back a laugh while I slowly picked apart what Samir had said, trying to figure out just how offended I should actually be by that.

  I walked up front and locked the door, flipping the open sign to closed. I didn’t want anything to interrupt us, and I wanted Samir to feel comfortable enough to tell us what he’d seen.

  “So what’s been happening?” I asked.

  “I don’t know, Damian. Strange things. Whispers that shouldn’t be there. I can’t explain it. But more than once, I’ve seen a face in the mirror.”

  A chill ran down my spine, tingling as it crashed into my legs. “What did it look like?”

  Nixie focused on me as soon as the words left my mouth.
I hadn’t been subtle about the change in my demeanor, and she’d caught onto it in a flash. Judging by Aideen’s raised eyebrow, she had too.

  “Just lights. Like it might have been an old gas bulb? Like the gaslights on Main Street? But sometimes there’s more, like a silhouette. The head is wide, and without hair, though sometimes I think it wears a cloak. But I’ve seen a skull too, nothing but bone.”

  “It didn’t look like a rainbow, did it?” I asked, remembering that terrible vision in the veil mirror.

  Samir shook his head. “No, no color but gold. Do you know what it is?”

  “I don’t. I think I need to visit your shop.”

  Samir nodded, and I could have sworn his shadow moved before he did. I blinked and shook my head, but everything looked normal. Probably a trick of the light. And like Shamus had said, the shop was well protected, so if anything had followed Samir in, it couldn’t have been looking to do harm.

  My brain took that moment to remind me that Gwynn Ap Nudd had once stood inside the shop too, and my confidence in Shamus’s proclamation soured somewhat.

  “There’s something else,” Samir said. “I haven’t shown the crew, but it is … like a tunnel. It is a tunnel. In the far back of the storage room. Gives me chills, so I stay away, but I swear it has not always been there.”

  “So you have a ghost that carves tunnels?” I asked. “That seems unlikely. We’d better take a closer look.”

  * * *

  I had a few things to get ready before we left, and one of them was making sure Shamus felt comfortable enough at the shop without us. The other was finding a new backpack, but I figured I could use one of the old canvas bags we’d stashed in the bottom of the closet. First things first, I took Shamus upstairs to introduce him to Calbach.

  I knocked on the doorframe to my new apartment when I heard something ratcheting in the bathroom beyond.

  “What do you need?” Calbach called back.

  “You have a second? I’d like to introduce you to someone.”

  Calbach grunted and slid into the bedroom. He frowned when he saw who was standing next to me. “Well, you’re a tall one, aren’t you?”