by AJ Nuest
Rhys chuckled… then groaned. Undoubtedly, his shoulders were all but dislocated from bearing his weight for so long. She hopped toward Gaelleod’s altar and scanned the accoutrements of his necromancy for any tool she might employ to sever the thin white band cutting into the skin of her wrists. Black candles stood perched at intervals inside their silver holders. Several leather tomes branded with inverted pentagrams or hands centered with the all-seeing eye awaited the blasphemy of the dark lord’s pitiless touch. Two silver chalices cast with writhing, goat-headed forms sat empty upon the ebony cloth…but no blade.
The squeak of rusty hinges made her spin for the windows. A gloved hand gently lowered the center pane to the wall, and Faedrah’s jaw firmed in aggravation. Sweet goddesses wept. Could she not get one moment’s respite to make good their escape?
A shoulder emerged from the darkness, a tawny head covered in shorn black hair, and a breath of thanksgiving parted her lips. Rhys’ loyal companion Nate had come to their rescue.
Placing his hand against the wall, he slithered through the narrow opening and dropped his feet to the ground. Disgust pleated his face into a scowl as he swiped his hands down the front of his suit. He glanced at Rhys and then snapped his head up, alarm bulging his eyes so wide Faedrah feared they may pop.
“What the fuck is going on?” Flinging a hand toward the door, he advanced. “I heard an explosion and I show up here to find cops crawling all—” His eyes darted toward Faedrah and his shoulders wrenched. “Oh, sweet Jesus.” Running a palm down the front of his face, he shook his head. “Please don’t be telling me I just climbed through a goddamned window into some kinky episode of Bondage Gone Bad.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. What meaning did he infer? She and Rhys were about the frippery of some titillating sexual game?
“Do I look like I’m having a good time, asshole?” Chains rattled and swayed as Rhys shoved forward on his toes, trying and failing to lunge at his friend. “Not to mention, the one person who’s supposed to be torturing me with pleasure has her hands fastened with a plastic rip-tie behind her back!”
Faedrah aimed a withering eyebrow at Rhys. Perchance this issue warranted further discussion during a later, more clandestine, engagement.
“I tell you what.” Nate strode toward her, slipped a small red object from his trouser pocket and pried a tiny blade from the center. “I’ve hauled you out of some fucked up shit, but this… damn, man, this takes the cake.”
A jerk of his hand and the pressure about her wrists gave. He knelt and cut the bindings around her ankles as she massaged her upper arms with numb fingers, rotating her shoulders to increase the blood flow to her tingling hands.
“Just hurry up and get me down from here.” Rhys rolled his head back and the muscles in his neck corded from the strain. “Christ, my arms are killing me.”
Stumbling forward, Faedrah scooped up Rhys’ jacket from where it had been discarded near his feet and ransacked the pockets for his lock-foiling device. She offered it to Nate and, once given, propped her shoulder beneath her beloved’s arm, holding tight to Rhys about his waist. “My hands are too dulled to be of much use, I’m afraid.”
Nate nodded and set straight to work on the first shackle, the tip of his tongue peeking through the corner of his full lips.
The noise above had gone eerily silent, and unease prickled the hair along the nape of Faedrah’s neck. For all the safety the protectors of this realm could offer them, if discovered locked in this foul chamber, she and Rhys were bound to be presented a list of queries they would be wise to avoid. May the goddesses grant the gens d’armes of this realm had chosen to explore the topmost floors of the manor first.
“Shit, Faedrah, I’m so sorry.” Rhys leaned down and bestowed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. “I was a fucking idiot to not believe everything you told me. I should have insisted you wait outside. I wish to God—”
“Shhh…” Her knees wavered unsteadily as his left arm fell and landed across her shoulders like a heavy sack of grain. “I would have never allowed you to confront Gaelleod alone and you know it as well as I.” She turned her head and rewarded his concerns by meeting his lips for another kiss. “Be still now, love, and let Nate finish.”
His second arm dropped, and the groan of relief issuing from Rhys’ chest incited a swell of grateful tears which blurred her vision. She blinked as he found his feet, his balance and legs steady despite the way he swiveled and shrugged the sore muscles in his shoulders and arms. “Damn, it’s good to be back on solid ground.”
“Great, now let’s get the hell outta here.” Nate tipped his head toward the window.
“You read my mind.” Cramming his arms into his leather jacket, Rhys approached the wall and, with a nod toward his friend, Nate lowered his linked hands and glanced at Faedrah.
“You’re first, Princess. Let’s go.”
Faedrah smirked at their attempt of chivalrous aid, retreating a few measured steps to size up the distance. “While your offer is kind, ʼtis not the slightest bit necessary.” She launched toward the wall at a dead sprint. The floor cooled her palms, her hair flying as she flipped head over heels and slipped through the high opening, easy as a secret missive slid under a lover’s chamber door.
Cool grass skimmed her cheek, chest and the front of her legs, and she turned her nose to the ground to breathe in the scent of fertile soil and freedom. A moment later, Rhys’ warm hand met her back and she pressed into a low squat. The ebony sky glittered with starlight. The pulsing red lights beyond the front of the house had transformed Helios’ white diamonds into a canopy of rich rubies.
Rhys pointed to the window and she nodded, scurried to the side opposite him and dangled her arm through the opening. Nate clasped her hand and, amid some huffing and puffing, she and Rhys eased him up and out onto the ground.
A beam of white light scoured the bushes to their right. Nearby voices exchanged information, accented by an undercurrent of crackling distortion. Nate scrambled to his feet and the three of them remained crouched as he led them around the far side of a high hedge, down the property line and past three gated courtyards to his horseless carriage.
ʼTwas not until he’d awoken the beast, however, steered them out of the vicinity and onto the road leading away from further danger, Faedrah was able to fully fill her lungs and give thought to their next course.
“We must immediately make for my uncles’ home.” She sat forward from the center of the rear bench and placed her hand on Nate’s shoulder. A peek to the side, and she grasped Rhys’ shoulder as well, squeezing her fingers to emphasize her next words. “I fear there is only one place in which we shall be safe.”
Rhys tugged his cellular device from his coat pocket then froze. He twisted in the seat and pinned her with a hard stare. A weighted moment of silence hung between them, the wheels of deduction spinning in his gaze. His brow twitched and the tension in his jaw went slack as her veiled message slammed home.
They could not remain in this realm. Not if they wished to evade Gaelleod’s evil clutches. Furthermore, those they had relied upon to aid their cause must be warned.
Faedrah subtly tipped her head toward Nate. Once she and Rhys crossed into the Austiere Kingdom, Gaelleod may very well detain or even torture their friends in his ambition to gain possession of the veil.
A curt nod toward her, and Rhys cleared his throat. “Nate, when’s the last time you took the wife and kids on vacation?”
“Vacation?” Nate slammed his hand against the steering aperture and Faedrah flinched, withdrawing her hands. “The last thing I’m discussing with you is the trip I took to Disney with Tasha and the kids last year. You owe me an explanation, man. What the hell happened back there?”
She eased away to settle in the seat, sending up a prayer to The Nine. May the goddesses grant Gaelleod never learned of Nate’s children and wife.
“I can’t tell you that.” Rhys propped his elbow on the door, running a hand along the bri
stle on his cheek. “All I can do is ask that you trust me. Drop us at Forbes’ condo, head straight home and pack up your family for parts unknown. Don’t tell anyone where you’re going. Close up shop and leave tonight.”
“Have you lost your damn mind?” The carriage swerved precariously as Nate glanced at Rhys, and Faedrah sent up a second prayer this high-speed exodus would see them reach their destination alive. “People are practically killing themselves to get at your work. We’re in the middle of the most successful show in the gallery’s history and you want me to leave?”
A weary sigh lifted Rhys’ chest and he dropped his hand to his knee. “All right, what if you think of it this way. If you leave without notice, everyone who’s been itching to get their hands on a piece will go crazy. They’ll be like a bunch of junkyard dogs, snarling and trying to outbid each other for even the tiniest scraps.” He shifted against the seat to better face his dark-skinned friend. “Once you get back, you’ll be able to name any price and they’ll gladly pay it.”
Nate mumbled something non-committal and veered toward a divided lane on their right.
Rhys grinned and satisfaction lowered Faedrah’s shoulders to a more natural position. If she was reading this tête-à-tête correctly, her beloved had just won their verbal joust with a well-aimed thrust. He nodded firmly and faced forward. “Especially once they learn the artist and his beautiful muse have mysteriously vanished.”
Tires squealed and she slid to her knees on the floor. A glance toward the front window, how Nate had brought them to a dead stop before the red light stationed near the intersection, and a breath lodged in Faedrah’s throat.
He slowly turned and glared at Rhys as if he’d lost every last bit of his reasoning. “Man, what kind of shit mess are you in?”
Rhys’ jaw firmed. “I already told you. You’re just gonna have to trust me. Besides, it’s all around better you not know.”
Faedrah slowly exhaled.
“So let me get this straight.” Nate lifted his hand and ticked off his points on each blunt finger. “I’m supposed to close up shop, pack Tasha and the kids and indefinitely leave town, only so I can come back some time later and tell everyone you and Miss Marvel Comic here have disappeared off the face of the earth?”
Squeezing one eye closed, Rhys hissed a breath between his teeth. “Yep. I would say that about sums it up.” He swiveled to face her. “Unless you’ve got anything to add?”
Faedrah shook her head, climbing back onto the seat. Her love had assessed the situation perfectly, and done so in a way that ensured the utmost secrecy.
“Well…” Nate tossed his hands in the air and they dropped to his thighs with a slap. “Can you at least tell me where you’re going?”
“Oh. Well, yeah.” Rhys waved off the question as if it contained no value. As if accompanying her through time and space to another dimension warranted not the slightest consideration. “Faedrah’s taking me home to meet her parents.” He met her gaze a second time, eyebrows raised. “Isn’t that right, sweetie?”
Sweetie? She glanced between the two men. At this point, ʼtwould seem diplomacy was the most prudent course. “Quite.”
“You…” Nate blinked and pointed at Rhys as if this latest bit of news stunned him more than the request he vacate his home. “Are going to meet Faedrah’s parents.”
“If they’ll have me.” Swiping his thumb across the front of his cellular device, Rhys shrugged. “They’re bound to be sketchy, all things considered.” He tapped a small picture and Faedrah gasped as a replica of the map from Gaelleod’s study appeared on the screen.
“Well… all right then.” Nate chuckled, the light flashed to green, and he turned the wheel, starting them down the street. “That’s the first thing you’ve said that makes a lick of sense.” Another soft laugh jiggled his belly and he shook his head. “All righty. Yes, sir, it’s about damn time. Ten years, I’ve known you, man. Ten long years and never once since the day we met have you agreed to meet some girl’s family.”
Faedrah’s pulse stuttered over such a fascinating confession, and she crossed her arms, a secret smile gracing her lips.
“Watch your mouth. Faedrah’s not some girl, she’s the girl.” Rhys spread his thumb and index finger over the map and the picture enlarged, almost as if he’d magically brought it closer to the device. “Now shut up and let me study this thing.”
“Hmmm…going to meet his lady’s parents. Now isn’t that a fine how d’ya do? Yes, indeed-y, the man’s officially been snagged, tagged and bagged.” Nate grinned at her in the reflection of the small mirror attached to the forward facing window. “Just so you know, Rhys isn’t the only one who’s been waiting to meet you, lovely lady. You take him off my hands and I may just have to book two vacations.”
Take him off Nate’s hands, indeed. Faedrah returned his cheery smile, her cheeks warm with happiness and a flutter of excitement tickling her belly. She was only too pleased to have any part of Rhys firmly clutched in her fingers.
They turned onto a wide boulevard and, beyond the span of the windows, the city’s vast structures grew closer together. Bastions of industry topped with iron needles pointed straight toward Selene’s diamond-littered kingdom.
Faedrah twirled in her seat to check the path behind them. Though a few denizens roamed the streets, the pre-dawn hour ensured minimum foot traffic. No motorized carriages followed their course.
For now, ʼtwould seem Gaelleod’s minions had either scattered to the four winds or been detained, but this did not staunch the urgency bearing down upon her shoulders. Only a matter of time remained before the dark lord would gather another horde to seek out his most coveted prize.
Nate pulled alongside the front of her uncles’ building and set the brake. She and Rhys must act quickly, inform her uncles of the impending dangers and make straight for the realm of Austiere.
“My kingdom owes you an immense debt of gratitude.” She sat forward, pecked Nate’s cheek and swung the door wide. “A knighthood, I should think, with a parcel of lands and a heavy purse.”
“I’m a knight?” Nate wrenched his head around as she debarked to the raised walkway. “Well, hell’s bells. Fancy that.”
“Don’t get cocky.” Rhys climbed from the carriage, rounded the front and, as the window slowly disappeared inside the door, shared a hearty handshake with his friend. “I’m supposedly a seer.” He tossed a set of keys through the opening and they landed on Nate’s lap with a metal chink. “For the rest of Faedrah’s pictures. That should make us square.”
He stepped away, but was pulled up short when Nate refused to release his hold on Rhys’ hand. “When you comin’ back?”
Rhys turned toward her, his brows lifted, and a wave of sorrow capsized Faedrah’s heart. Dropping her focus to the ground, she shook her head. “I know not.”
Indeed, whether or not they would ever return was only one of many unknowns… unknowns which teetered solely on their next decisions, and could easily bring the fate of both worlds to its knees.
The golden chain hung heavy around her neck and she tugged the key from between her breasts to study its mellow hue in the dim light. Perchance she’d been too hasty in her decisions. Whilst, certainly, Rhys faced a treacherous peril in this realm, to insist he renounce the entirety of his life in exchange for her kingdom’s survival was not their only choice. Mayhap for him to remain was the better alternative. At least then, he would be facing a foe he fully understood, instead of leaping headlong into the one place in which his name alone would condemn him.
“I guess I’ll see you when I see you, then.” Nate withdrew his hand, glancing between them. “Watch out for each other, okay?” He disengaged the wheel brake and then paused, his lips parting as if he meant to continue. A shake of his head and he smiled, speeding off into the night… and perchance that was best.
Perchance his belief they would certainly meet again was the most generous parting gift she could give him.
Rhys turned to
her and his gentle smile increased the pressure in her chest. Yet, as he offered his hand, she clasped it in hers and placed the rough texture of his knuckles to her cheek.
To be parted from him would surely destroy her heart. It would destroy both their hearts. “You do not need to accompany me. The likelihood you will be accused of crimes against the crown still remains.” Though she would rage against them until every last breath left her being.
“Hey.” Flipping his hand, he cupped her jaw and tipped her head back until she met his gaze. “There’s something you need to get through that beautiful blonde head of yours. Whatever else happens, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
She smiled, though tears threatened, her throat constricted to an aching knot. He did not understand. How could she ask him to reject all the comforts of this world only to risk a trip to the gallows? “Nothing from this world shall pass through the veil. We emerge on the other side stripped of all possessions save the key.”
“Stripped, huh?” The straight edge of his teeth appeared as he pulled his full lower lip into his mouth and bit down. One arm snaked about her waist and he yanked her to his hips. “That sounds promising.”
Compressing her mouth in a firm line, she placed her hands against the hard planes of his chest to reinstate some distance. He was not taking her seriously and, before advancing, must fully comprehend the stakes at hand. “The king and queen shall undoubtedly be present, as will several members of the court. Our first steps in earning their good graces… in securing you an equal place among them, are paramount.”
“They’ve already met me, Faedrah.” Her elbows gave as he drew her close to nibble the edge of her jaw. “They know keeping you safe is more important to me than anything.” His supple lips dotted a moist trail along her throat to her ear and her knees trembled. “You really think they’ll toss me in jail the second I get there?”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close. A long internment in the dungeons could be the least of his punishments. “I cannot state for certain, but I fear the worst once they learn the true nature of your lineage.”
