White Witch (Haven Book 1)

by Lil Hamilton

  I paused at the gates. I should have demanded Bianca come to me, in my nice and secure office. Or maybe not, since Bianca would have time to prepare. Looking at the thick wooded area with a thin path through it I had a flashback to many fables that didn’t end so well for people who went into the woods. A dryad couldn’t be separated from their forest environment because they were one. What looked like many trees were all connected in the roots, in fact, one tree. One tree the dryad shared a consciousness with. Maybe I should have brought an axe and threaten to chop one of her babies down if she made a fuss. A good idea really. Dryads loathed humans as much as they loathed demons. The reason being humans massacred trees, decimated forests and dryads historically would brutally kill a human for harming a tree… so generally they hated all humans for the massive amount of damage their society inflicted on the world. Demons on the other hand were partly personal and partly the fact high demons could control the elements and made them a formidable enemy. I, not so much on the threatening side, which is why I made a fine ambassador since the humans didn’t feel threatened by me.

  I felt like calling out a greeting when I crossed through the gate because in this case the trees literally could hear me. That was creepy. Worse, I remembered a story involving Bianca that was really disturbing. She had been one of the fae to live in Britain when Britain had forests. According to the tale some human woodsmen had been disinclined to follow the agreement with Bianca regarding her domain. That was not entirely the humans fault either since, as with most of these tales, it was a contract made by the human’s great-grandparents or something. Humans were not well known for recording and following these things through the generations. Nevertheless, the damage to Bianca’s precious trees had been done and in retaliation she had turned them all into trees. She had not stopped there though. She had influenced the minds of other woodsmen to come along and chop down those trees with human souls, which had bled like humans as well, according to the story. Gruesome. Maybe it was poetic justice looking at it through the dryads’ eyes but, honestly, was it realistic to believe humans would have such devotion to trees?

  As soon as I stepped onto the property I felt the alien earth energy around me. The forest became eerily silent and oppressive. It was like the forest felt invaded and responded by spilling out this ’get out’ vibe. A very common fae-like defensive ward, but more alive than the sort of thing a Seelie would spell. Usually one purpose of the Seelie segmenting their consciousness was to absorb the projected emotional manipulations and filter them away from areas where they wouldn’t effect judgement or physical reactions. Although I hated to admit it the forest was making me feel uncomfortable anyway. I sensed unseen eyes staring at me. The hairs on my arms and neck stood up and my heart rate began to speed up.

  The trail, by design likely, took a very twisty path. It made me feel disorientated unable to sense my direction or how far I was to the exit. I managed to get slapped by every low hanging branch and trip over roots I swore moved intentionally into my path. Annoyances I was used to. Some Faerie Realms had trees that would eat you, roots would snag your feet and suck you into the ground. Vines would strangle you. This? Just ticked me off. Bianca was definitely getting an ego on her if she thought she could taunt a Seelie fae, even if I was a half-breed.

  After getting whapped in the face for the fifteenth time I slapped the branch away and snapped, “Seriously? Come on now. Is this how you treat your guest?”

  Of course the path had a fork in it, what sort of fae retreat would it be if it was not confusing? I looked down both. One appeared friendlier just because some light was making it past the trees and filtering down. The other looked dark and hostile in comparison. “Are you seriously going to play this game with me?”

  Obviously there was no answer. If she could make her trees talk now that would impress me.

  “I hope you realize by the time I get to your place I’m going to be in a right foul mood when we are on the damn same side and want to find our missing nymph.”

  When I got no answer to that remark, knowing the dryad was listening, was really getting to me.

  “Fine. Be that way,” I said going down the creepy path. This sort of situation was giving people the lure that the path which looked far friendlier must be free of danger. The trick was old school and I couldn’t even see a human getting fooled by it.

  The second path was more than creepy it had a really strong vibe to it, along with voices that couldn’t be seen, movement that couldn’t be explained and a strong wind out of nowhere. “How bloody big is your land?” I asked after a bit, wincing as another tree slapped me with a branch. “It is like a damn optical illusion? Are you sure the girl didn’t just get lost in here? Forever circling around trying to figure out how to get out of the damned place?

  “You know the woods do not play with my people,” an amused voice said.

  I looked sharply in the direction of it and saw Bianca walking towards me, but the difference was the trees were literally moving out of her way. Of course.

  “They shouldn’t play with me at all,” I replied. With my hands in my pockets I located a stone for circling, a sort of shield spell used to spell a Seelie from one place to another, this one had a bonus of being in fire. I nicked my finger on a pin and ignited the stone. I didn’t want to cast because I was sure Bianca had protections, so a stone embedded with a pre-work spell trigger to cast with my blood would show I had skills to work under the radar. With a bright flare a circle surrounded me. The dryad had a horrified look and took an inadvertent step backwards. “Unless you would like to see how your tress would look up in flames?”

  Always intimidate first.

  Bianca smirked and with a wave of her hand doused the fire as soil rose up and smothered it. “You didn’t come down here to make idle threats. Follow me.”

  Mutual show of power done and out of the way.

  Bianca was a few centuries over my age which meant by fae standards she was a young adult, but I outranked her on a few levels. I had half Seelie blood that, aside from a few youthful indiscretions by some relatives, my family tree was close to as pure as the Queen could want for her lower court. Lower court was still court. No matter how perfect a pedigree Bianca had she would never sit anywhere near the Queens court. Racist? Definitely. But that was the way it was with the Queen. My other advantage was my unpredictable demon bloodline; considering I had decent skills in the fae spell works, add in that unknown factor and people tended to not tempt my nature. Plus that demon side was royal and that meant a little something to some people. She simply didn’t care about protocol or rank. Neither did I. Which would make us fast friends if she didn’t hate me for my race.

  It was a little unsettling walking with the woman since the trees leaned towards her and the leaves caressed her face. Obviously I wasn’t getting the love from the forest. Abruptly the trees began to separate as smoothly as a curtain, although with more noise, but even the grass and foliage opened a path for the trees. It was almost like this woman’s forest was like a Seelie patch of Faerie, like it responded to her will with ease and was a part of her. Not like. The trees were Bianca.

  I choked back a snicker when I saw the wicker looking throne she had in the flower covered clearing. As well as a posse of nymphs, sprites and satyrs. I doubted the woman was sponsoring them all but just like in Faerie people gravitated to those who could protect them or were threatened to do so. This lot had on practiced bored expressions as they lounged in flower beds, some braiding each other’s hair and one playing the flute. A few of the sprites locked eyes with me and gave small half bows. Sprites respected me because I permitted a posse of them, a whole damn clan really, to reside on my plot without demanding a damn thing from them. They had done so because no Unseelie liked being dominated and controlled by a Lord of a Realm but to get away from that servitude they had to hide in the smaller plots, sometimes by Seelie who one day hoped to have the power of a Lord. I had no such impossible dreams so my land was a safe hav
en to them. Still the scene was straight out of a fairy tale. Hell, I think maybe I saw a painting that looked just like it, scantily clad nymphs and all. In fact I had a feeling an orgy could break out in a moments notice with this crowd.

  Bianca sat on the throne with more entitlement than a queen. “What can I do for our ambassador today?”

  So formal and yet no tea and cookies offered.

  “I am here to discuss the disappearance of one of your sponsored nymphs.”

  “How is my management of my people a concern for the ambassador?”

  “Normally I wouldn’t interfere, however it wasn’t brought to my attention by you was it? I got notification of her disappearance and as such have to deal with it. After all, I am here to ensure our people have land rights and they can be taken away with any indiscretion.”

  “Our people?” she mocked, raising a brow. I was surprised she could. Dryads all had long green hair, usually to the floor long, but their walnut skin was rough and indented with lines like wrinkles or like bark. She didn’t have the real thick bark like look yet but she should grow into it.

  “Perhaps you would prefer I call them my people? They are under my jurisdiction, not yours, and my protection, not yours. Why is it I was not notified on the incident as per protocols?”

  She shrugged and I thought I heard a creak from the movement. “I was doing my own investigation into the matter and did not want to give an accounting until I had answers.”

  “I will be notified immediately in the future. I will not interfere until there is a problem, but I need to be informed. In this case, clearly there is a problem. What can you tell me of Nemnae’s movements around the time she went missing and who she associates with?”

  The gleam in her eyes and her smile was damn rights sly. “I do not tag immigrants with a GPS and I do not control who they associate with.”

  I resisted the urge to sigh loudly. Fae and their damned answer without answering. “Obviously your investigative skills are a little lacking if you have not nailed down her whereabouts and who she was with at the time of her disappearance or even the time of her disappearance,” I said mockingly. “Let’s get a little specific, shall we? Makes things so much easier. According to your information when was the time of her disappearance?”

  Her face pinched slightly in irritation. Nothing the fae hated more than having their word games mucked up with straight questions. Lying was bad form for all fae and impossible for true bred Seelie do to the rather responsiveness of magic to their statements. Tended to make the lies the truth. Still, most elderly fae, including Unseelie breeds, tended to resist telling outright lies just in case wild magic messed with them in retribution. “A week and a half ago Monday around seven pm.”

  “Where was she last seen?”

  “I am not certain,” she said flatly.

  I grinned. “Of course not, because she was last seen by whoever took her, right? So, then, who was the last person to see her, that you, personally are aware of?”

  “Of the people I have interviewed she was last seen at Tribute with a witch and a faeling by her neighbor Rose May.”

  “Is Rose May one of yours?”

  “As you say, none of them are mine.”

  “Now you’re just getting testy. Is she one of the Unseelie you are mentoring?”

  “She is.”

  I looked around. “Is she present and accounted for?”

  “She is present.”

  “Rose May?” I asked until one slim nymph was pale green skin and almond eyes slid forward.

  “You are the one called Rose May who saw Nemnae at Tribute the night in question?”

  “I am,” she said in a breathy whisper. The girl looked like if I said ‘boo’ she would bolt.

  “Tell me what went down,” I demanded.

  “I was only there for a little bit. I was looking for someone else. Just passing through. I remember seeing her because it stuck me odd she was there because she didn’t seem the sort to sell her blood. Being new to town, like she is, means we don’t tend to leave the District without company.” She paused to glance at Bianca who was imitating the tree she could turn into. I wondered if the girl was just making it sound like her and Nemnae never left the area. Technically they didn’t have authorization to linger out of the District, but no one paid much mind to that regulation as long as the immigrants stayed within Haven. If so, were they going to that club to sell their blood? It was illegal but I wouldn’t put it past her to make a little extra profit off being a sponsor. It was illegal for a good reason. Fae blood was close to a narcotic to vampires and one they could get addicted to. That was for another day. When I had time to peal apart the vagueness and get to the actual truth without playing twenty questions. “I didn’t want to get involved and left shortly after. I haven’t seen her since and I know she didn’t return to the housing.”

  “Tell me about the faeling,” I asked.

  Now her eyes widened and she stuttered, “I do not know her. But she was… different.”

  “Different how?”

  “She had the feel of human shape shifter about her. I could not see through her glamour to tell what she looked like, but her vibration was chaotic.”

  “And the witch?”

  “It was dark in there. With just blue lights. He was scrawny, like a weed growing on fouled land. Sharp, beak nose and small eyes.”

  “Motherfucker,” I cursed vehemently causing the girl to jump and flush.

  “You know something,” the Dryad said. The trees around her blew back violently in an unseen or unfelt wind.

  “Yeah I know something.”

  “Tell me,” she demanded.

  I cocked my head. “Why should I? You have been less than forthright with me as to why she was so far from the District.”

  “Leave us,” Bianca ordered. She didn’t look at anyone else but they all knew she was speaking to them and within moments the glade was empty.

  “I know that I do not like you and I know that you do not like me as well, but when it comes to our people we can set these differences aside.”

  I stepped closer. “Not true. I know you don’t like me because I have demon blood. I’m completely indifferent to you unless I learn you have been making extra money by sending your charges out to sell their blood in the Gutters. Then you and I will have a disagreement.”

  “It was not like that. I protect my own. As for your blood line remember my kind do not just hold our own memories but all the memories of our ancestors. I hate the war, the death and the waste of life. As for you specifically, as a half-breed between a High Demon and a Seelie fae, I fear you. You have been twisted by the Queen. Often what she twists can never bear the weight of a true storm and will break. As did her last half-breed toy before you. Did you know his core essence broke within a Realm in Faerie? One that is no more. One where a race is no more. I have never seen such devastation in my life. Such horror. His energy cracked open and he could not control it, even had he been sane enough to try. It created a vortex around him that consumed everything. Ate away at the very fabric of Faerie.”

  I knew of him, of course, but I didn’t know what had happened. It wasn’t spoken of and certainly not around me.

  The trees around us stilled and I could find nothing to fill the silence. Her hating me because of my blood had been irrational but fearing me because I might go insane, that was not. Historically, that was accurate.

  “I respect how you have taken your role,” she said finally. “I understand you afford as much protection to the faelings as you can, even though our Queen does not dictate it. I too, would not deny, our earth bound children. My people, we do not stay within our race when we breed.”

  Yeah, that was an understatement. Nymphs were either extremely shy and reclusive or extremely promiscuous. And it was not even an either or situation, it was a life stage situation. In the first half of their life while they found and tended to a piece of nature that called to them they were elusive and reserved,
but as they matured they entered the stage of life where they were essentially called to procreate. And procreate they did, with almost anything. Although they seemed to have a preference for satyrs, humans, witches and Seelie.

  “The humans do not understand our children. They mock them. They think they are mentally insane,” the Dyad said, her eyes cold and the trees moving in agitation again. I sighed and knew where this was going. “They call them whores, ambassador. And toss them into the Warrens as though they are garbage. Making them sell their bodies as though there is dishonour in them. You know how many of my peoples’ earth children go into the sex trade and how the humans do not care about them. I care about them. Their nymph parent cares about them. When they go missing we weep for them.”

  “Wait. How many of the missing faelings were nymph born?”

  “Twenty.”

  “Twenty,” I breathed out. “You went to Inter?”

  “I sent the nymph parents to Inter. They did nothing. It is common for sex trade workers to move to other cities they said. Or to disappear. They would look into it. They did nothing.”

  Her rage shook the trees, but mine threatened to unravel my demon essence. It wasn’t just that someone was plucking people off the street but that they were doing so with no consequences with blatant indifference of the very people there to protect them.

  “You didn’t come to me.”

  “I could not. It was shortly after your… presence was requested by the Queen.”

  My jaw clenched. Everyone knew the Queen played with me like a chew toy.

  “I waited for your return. More went missing. There is no one else to go to. I should not have considered going to you as it was. Not for faelings, as the Queen dictates you cannot interfere. Not for our pure children, for we are to take care of our own unless it is a diplomatic incident. But I would have come to you because you know people out of the District and you know how to bypass the Queens edicts where I cannot. I sent my people into the Warrens to question all we could. We discovered the witch and the faeling who were seen with Nemnae had been seen throughout the Warrens, around our missing faelings.”