Imperative: A Quinn Larson Quest

by P. A. Wilson

  Clarence took a slip of paper from his pocket, scratched a few words on it and held it to the candle, when if burned away, he licked the ash off his fingers. “Okay. That’s done. Now what?”

  “Can you guarantee Reardon?”

  “I’ll let you know later tonight.”

  I’d figured out what to give Lionel to do. Something he couldn’t screw up too badly. “Lionel, do you have any fairy friends.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  The next morning my kitchen was full. Seven will-o’-wisps bobbed around the ceiling, Reardon and his new flautist sat drinking coffee, Lionel had two thistle fairies sitting at the other side of the table and Clarence and his mate, Edrinda, were leaning against the counter.

  “Is anyone else coming?” I asked as I put another pot of coffee on.

  Clarence looked around and then said, “Unless there are any wisps still to come, I don’t expect anyone.”

  The wisps swirled around and flashed their glows on and off before landing in a line on the back of the couch.

  “These are the only fairies I could get to agree to come.” Lionel pointed to his right. “This is Stinger and the other is Burr.”

  Both fairies looked at me suspiciously. I hoped they were not going to start demanding why I had an unconscious fairy in my workroom.

  “Okay, well. I guess we can start working out the details.” I had worried this to death overnight. The only way I could imagine getting the amulet and keeping everyone safe was to talk it through with the whole team; a team that had grown larger than I liked.

  Reardon looked up from his coffee; I noticed his eyes were bloodshot. “Perhaps you can confirm a few things for me before you start with your plan.”

  The wisps executed a wave and the two fairies nodded.

  I started to wonder where the hell Olan had gotten to. He dragged me back into this and now he’s disappeared.

  “Okay, well the short version is that Fionuir is facing an election and to keep her court happy she’s stealing power from humans. She doesn’t kill the humans directly she has fairies doing her dirty work. They have to do this to get the ability to breed. She stole the Gur amulet to power her spell.”

  “I understand you’ve already tried to stop her.” Reardon’s voice was a delight to hear, even with the rasp of a hangover.

  “Yes, and I don’t know why she moved the amulet but she did and Cate died. I don’t know if Fionuir had anything to do with that.” I swallowed a tightness in my throat.

  “Now you are sure that the amulet is in the basement of Bank’s?” Reardon continued his questioning.

  “In the basement of Fionuir’s court, I’ll get there through Bank’s. Maeve found it and has guaranteed it will be there until tomorrow. I want to take it tonight just to be safe.”

  Clarence raised an eyebrow, or more accurately a ridge of spines above his eyes. “And you trust Maeve?”

  “I don’t have a choice.” It didn’t sound helpful when I said it, but it was the truth.

  “Now tell us your plan.” Reardon gestured as though asking me to take the stage.

  “The wisps start hanging around Bank’s.” I looked at the four lights. One floated over to me and settled on my head.

  “My brothers are there now.” A gentle voice filled my head.

  “So that part of the plan is already in place,” I thanked the wisp and started again. “The plan is pretty simple. Reardon, you will start an impromptu concert in Bank’s, and we will open the door to the basement.”

  Reardon held up his hand. “I will work with my flautist, Meredith.” The girl looked up at us and flashed a smile. “I will sing and she will accompany me on the flute.”

  “Good.” I started to wonder if this guy would be able to carry off his part. He was a bit of a ham. “Now, as soon as the Sidhe come out of the corridor between the two basements, the wisps will float down and come back to let us know it’s clear.”

  “How will you know they are saying it’s clear?” Lionel asked.

  I looked at the line of lights. They rose and formed a circle then started spinning. “Okay, so they will do that if the coast is clear.”

  Burr raised her hand and when I nodded she stood on the chair. “What is our role in this?”

  “I’m coming to that. So if the corridor is safe, the wisps will follow me down the corridor and when I have the amulet, they’ll make sure that I can slip out without being seen.”

  “One change there, wizard,” Edrinda said. “I will come with you. There is no point in taking chances. If a Sidhe should come through from their basement while you are locating the amulet, someone will need to deal with them.”

  “What do you mean by deal with them?”

  She smiled and I felt my flight response overwhelm my admittedly weak fight response. “Well, I suppose there are alternatives but I was planning to kill them.”

  “No killing.” I couldn’t take the chance that the obligation would stop us from taking the amulet if a Sidhe was hurt. After all, if that happened it would be because I brought the trouble to them. “We don’t know who is on Fionuir’s’ side and who might be on ours.”

  She grunted. “Very well, I will stun them; there will be no permanent harm. Do not argue with me, Quinn, I will not allow you to go into danger and not be protected.”

  “Fine, then the wisps will lead both of us out.” I would find a way to stop her coming with me but it didn’t make sense to argue the point right now.

  “I will be guarding the entrance to the basement,” Clarence said, patting her arm. “Do not fret my dear. I can create a distraction if need be. I will watch for the wisps and if you are not able to get out easily, I will make it so.”

  She kissed him on the cheek and he grinned.

  I cleared my throat. I came to the realization that my sleepless night was wasted. They had been putting together their own plan.

  “Fine. You create a distraction I slip out with the amulet and bring it here. Then we remove the spell and the fairies don’t have to kill humans.”

  Sting stood on his chair. “I do not understand our role in this, wizard. You said you would get to it, and yet this plan has come to a successful conclusion without our help.”

  “No, you are important to the end.” I poured another cup of coffee. “Fionuir set the spell with a mixture of fairy and Sidhe blood. She painted the spell to control breeding in fairy blood, and then overlaid it with another spell in Sidhe blood. To remove the spell we will paint the control spell in fairy blood which will give you back control.”

  “You wish to take our blood? Why not just wash the spell away?” Sting wrapped his arms around himself as though we were about to drain him right then.

  “I don’t know what washing the spell away will do to the druid souls. And, no, I don’t want to take your blood, I am hoping you will give it.”

  “I will consider it,” Sting said.

  Lionel looked away but I could tell he wasn’t happy with his role stay at home and out of trouble.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  I arrived at Bank’s just as the sun was going down, and headed to the bar where Mark was pulling my pint. I thanked him as I casually looked around the room.

  There were six or ten will-o’-wisps floating around. I couldn’t really count them because they were moving fast, every once in a while one would dip into an unguarded glass and come back up wobbling. I hoped it was an act, because wisps weren’t all that reliable when they were sober, I didn’t want to think about what would happen if they were drunk.

  I saw Clarence leaning against the back wall, a bit too casually for my comfort. As I watched Edrinda join him. I didn’t see Lionel or the two thistle fairies, but I did see a number of other fairies. What I didn’t see is Reardon, or Meredith. If he didn’t come, we needed a new plan to bring the Sidhe out.

  I turned to talk to Mark. “Don’t you have a basement here?”

  He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. “Yes, why?”

&nbs
p; “Do you trust me?”

  “I don’t like that question. I would normally say yes, but the question makes me think I should say no.”

  “I promise that nothing will happen to make you close your doors.”

  He pulled another pint as he thought it over. “Interesting way to put it. I guess I don’t want to know the details?”

  “I’ll tell you about it afterward over a glass of whiskey.” I nodded to the top shelf where Mark kept the old stuff. “I’ll even pay for the drinks.”

  “I guess I trust you.” Mark replaced my empty glass with a full one. “The basement door is beside the dartboard. You need a spell to open it from this side. You don’t from the other side, just in case that information is useful.”

  “It is.”

  He flicked a gaze at the door, like he was waiting for someone. “You know it connects to the Sidhe court, right?”

  “Yep, can you give me the spell?”

  He laughed. “No, I don’t trust you that far. When do you need it open?”

  I thought about that, if we wanted the Sidhe to come in, they would open the door. I just needed to make sure it stayed open enough for the will-o’-wisps to get in and out. “I guess the door has to be pushed open from the inside? There’s no proximity spell?”

  “No, someone has to push it. Are you getting lazy in your old age?”

  “I’ve always prided myself on being lazy. The Sidhe are going to come through the door at some point, I just need you to make sure it doesn’t get closed again until I come out.”

  “Okay. I can do that. Just don’t mess with my reputation. I need customers.”

  “I promise.” I couldn’t speak for anyone else, but I knew I wouldn’t be causing any damage.

  “It seems we are going to be honored tonight.” Mark pointed to the door with his chin.

  Reardon was making his entrance. A swirl of colored cloak and with three giggling Sidhe girls made sure everyone paid attention.

  I walked away from the bar and approached Reardon. I could smell the whiskey on his breath. “Is this how you usually come to a performance?” I tried to make sure my voice only carried a questioning tone, no judgment, after all, who was I to say that the best way to sing wasn’t blind drunk.

  He turned to Meredith who answered for him. “Reardon does not speak before a performance; he saves his voice for the song. Yes, the alcohol does help bring his emotions to the surface for the song. Unfortunately, it also means he can’t play the harp.”

  “It is fortunate for you that he needs an accompanying musician.” I figure being Reardon’s back up must be easier than anything she could do on her own.

  “No, it is not fortunate. I am repaying a debt and when that is done I can get back to my own career.” She took Reardon’s arm and led him to the opposite wall from the basement door.

  I felt put in my place and wandered over to Clarence and casually leaned beside him., tipping my glass in a toast. “It looks like we are about ready. I guess we can go in a few minutes. Meredith is warming up.”

  “I noticed the groupies,” Clarence growled “I guess that means the Sidhe know about the show.”

  “Yes, the publicity started right after our meeting. I saw him chatting to a group of Sidhe when I followed him home,” Edrinda said.

  That was news to me. “You followed him home? Why?”

  “He’s a drunk. I wanted to make sure he wouldn’t blab our plans to anyone.” She started at me as if challenging me to say she hadn’t done the right thing.

  “Thanks, I hadn’t thought of that. I guess I was caught up in the glamor of having him on our side. So, what did you see?”

  Clarence laughed. “Well spoken, wizard. It took me much longer to learn not to argue with my wife.”

  “It turns out I was wrong to suspect him. He was talking about possibly coming to Bank’s tonight to test out a few new songs.”

  “I guess he’s practiced at filling a room. But you were right to suspect him. I’m not happy that he’s arrived three sheets to the wind, but Meredith says it’s part of the performance.”

  I glanced about the room again and saw Sidhe slipping through the basement door. I realized why I hadn’t noticed it before. It was covered completely in a Guinness poster. “The audience is arriving. When there are only a few Sidhe coming through, move into position.” I watched as they slid daggers from sheaths on their backs. “I said no one dies.”

  “It’s a precaution. If something goes wrong we may have no time to draw weapons. Do not fear we will not use them by mistake.” Clarence wasn’t going to be talked out of the weapons. I could tell by the way he turned away from me before I had a chance to speak. He jerked his head to indicate a figure approaching us. “It looks like your young apprentice didn’t agree with your orders either.”

  Lionel was crossing the room, Sting and Burr on either side.

  “Crap. I trust you with your weapons, but he’s not seasoned enough to be here.” I wondered if I was really leading this expedition.

  Edrinda said, “Too late.”

  Lionel stood in front of me and I motioned him to move to the side. I needed to keep my eye on the flow of Sidhe.

  “You are supposed to be at home.” I clenched my fist, trying to work out some of my tension.

  “I know but I promise to stay out of the way. I won’t do anything and I won’t cause any problems.” He sounded so earnest I couldn’t really fight him. “I’ve been talking to the fairies.”

  “And?”

  “They will provide blood. They remember giving blood to Fionuir as part of a promise to make them more powerful. It was a week after that when they got the first call to kill a human.”

  Fairies were the definition of sucker. “You would think that they would learn that lesson eventually. How many more times are they going to trust someone who promises power?”

  Lionel shrugged. “It’s their nature to try and get something for as little as possible. Anyway, all the clans had to send a representative. Fionuir took only a few drops from each. So, the casting spell was tribe specific. If we don’t have a drop from all tribes, we won’t free all of them.”

  “Who will gather the blood?” I hated blood rituals, they were always more complicated than other spells, of course they were also more effective and powerful if done right.

  Burr stepped forward. “We will. And we will bring it to Lionel. The fairies that are here now have brought some and we will travel the tribes tonight.”

  “It’s a good plan. Thank you.” Maybe things were going to go right after all. “When you talk to the Rose fairies will you ask a question for me?”

  Sting shrugged. “Yes, but they may not answer.”

  “Ask if they will forgive Princess Elizabeth when this is over.”

  “Is that all?”

  I nodded and Sting shrugged. “Very well, I’ll give Lionel the answer.”

  Sting and Burr left us and headed toward a table of peony fairies.

  Lionel coughed and when I turned to him said, “I have the spell Cate found.”

  “Good, did you write it out?”

  “Yes, the book is safe, but I have the spell here.” He patted his pocket. “Just in case we want to cast it tonight.”

  I hadn’t thought that far in advance, but if we could release the fairies tonight, that would let me get on with the search for Cate’s killer. “Will the fairies be ready?”

  “Yes. I got Sting and Burr to collect the blood by midnight. And it will be viable for a week.”

  I realized I may have misjudged him; he did have a head on his shoulders, for this at least. “If we can, tonight would be best. Now get to a table as far away as you can from that door, It looks like the Sidhe are here, and Reardon is getting ready to start.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The will-o’-wisps drifted across the room to the door. I was sure that no one would notice because it looked random to me even though I knew where they were going.

  “Let’s get cl
oser to the door,” Clarence said. “Edrinda go first.”

  She made her way to the dartboard as Reardon started his show.

  “Real Folk gathered tonight,” Reardon’s rich voice carried across the room, silencing individual conversations. All eyes were on him.

  I followed Edrinda and felt Clarence step in behind me.

  Reardon continued, “I thank you for your indulgence in listening to my poor creations.”

  A laugh and a smattering of applause was the response. Will-o’-wisps disappeared through the door. The three of us were casually leaning against the wall beside the door; no one paid any attention to us. I listened as the bard started his song, a deep resonance building between the clear notes of Meredith’s flute and Reardon’s tenor.

  The wisps reappeared and gave the signal. Then Edrinda slipped through the opening. I followed and move away to give Clarence room.

  Through the door was a staircase that dropped into the dark. A wisp floated in front of Edrinda. She nodded at it and I watched as the stairwell illuminated. We ran down the twenty or so steps to find ourselves facing a long corridor. The walls were brick and it was damp. I could only see about five feet in front of me until a second wisp zoomed past my ear and lighted the way.

  Edrinda held a finger up to her lips then leaned in to whisper. “Try to be quiet. There are no Sidhe in sight, but there may be guards on the other side of their door.”

  I nodded and gestured her forward.

  The three of us made our way down the corridor and I realized we were passing under streets and buildings for two, maybe three blocks. Eventually, a second door came into focus. It was plain oak but it looked solid. There was a heavy latch on the door and I when I looked at it from the corner of my eye, I could see a shimmer of a spell.

  I couldn’t help wonder why Fionuir would keep the amulet outside the court. I hoped Maeve was right and the loose brick was on this side of that spell. It looked powerful and complex and unlikely to let us in without send out an alarm.