by Erin R Flynn
I couldn’t even imagine what look he got from White because I hadn’t even acknowledged his question. “So he came to confess his council wants him to rat on me?”
“Yes, to use his position to get them information on you, to which he wisely reminded them, he doesn’t have any access to you,” she explained.
Collins actually looked contrite. “In doing as good of a job as I did, I inadvertently put way more pressure on Richardson, as he does have access to you as your teacher, and sees your magic first hand.” He cleared his throat and crossed his arms over his chest. “Honestly, I was so busy trying to act as if I couldn’t care less about you while praying they didn’t think to ask if I was at that first meeting—”
“Because that was when I busted that species crystal, and everyone there knew I was a fairy,” I grumbled. “And you couldn’t hide you knew that.”
“Exactly.” He glanced at the professor. “I am sorry, Richardson.”
“Not needed,” the other vampire forgave. “I know you well enough to know when you’re cornered and reacting. The whole matter was disturbing, and I worried any norms were completely off the table, and we could end up buried somewhere if we didn’t play our cards right.”
“Tell us exactly what happened and who was all involved,” White instructed, pulling out a pen and notepad before gesturing for all of us to sit.
I let the men take the chairs and actually plopped on the corner of White’s desk by her so I was close to the door and far away from Collins… Something that didn’t go unnoticed, but no one commented on.
The short story was council guards were sent to their private residences after hours with the “request” of a private meeting, and a few councilmen were waiting to grill them. They wanted to know everything about me, and for the two vampires to become spies for the council, so the honorable councilmen could take me down and pick me clean for all I had.
Fuckers.
Collins had been smart, playing up the normal vampire ego and giving his opinion that too many were giving me power and fame by paying more attention to me than I was worth. Also assuming my assets were vast, as they all knew supes who talked up their wealth, and it was going to dry up any day.
He stated he found me crass and boring, and thought talking with Blake Ward was a much better investment of their time, as she had spent more time with me in her short tenure at Artemis than he had. He also had no reason to, and changing that would make his goal obvious at a time the vampires’ image was already hurting after what Holly did.
He suggested a smarter move if the council wanted to waste their time on me. Personally, he thought my new car smell would wear off as fast as my inheritance would run out, but he thought if we could focus my ire on other councils, it would make those groups look bad and keep focus on their corruption, where it should be.
So he was a masterful deflector and really, really lucky there wasn’t a falcon shifter in the room, as he was full of shit.
But it had fucked Professor Richardson. The man sighed heavily.
“I told them as little as I could while seeming to tell them much, but only what I was certain on, and willing to stake my reputation on. I did make that clear, and that I wouldn’t speak on speculations or rumors, only to be held to them later and punished when brought in for such an unorthodox and disconcerting off-the-record meeting.”
“That was smart,” Collins praised. “They flinched and realized how we were old enough to know it was severely over the line instead of being young pups they could brush off as something causal.”
Richardson nodded as if saying that had been the goal. “I told them I had not a doubt Vale wasn’t a vampire. I outlined how leery she was of them and used Blake Ward, as Collins had, but to throw her under the bus, as her grandfather wasn’t part of this meeting. He would never be party to something so corrupt.”
I swallowed a snort. I had once thought so as well, but now I wouldn’t put anything past any of the council members.
“I blamed my lack of knowledge on how the elite vampires have harassed and bullied Vale. I also confirm that I didn’t think you knew your full heritage, but I had heard whispers from Edelman that you did have at least one fairy grandparent for sure, possibly more. They asked my professional assessment, and so it wasn’t a lie when I said I thought you had fairy blood recently on both sides, but were a witch.”
“Yes, you were more careful than I,” Collins grumbled. “You never outright lied, whereas I might have.”
“I don’t think they had anything checking us,” Richardson admitted after a few moments. “I think they were too confident we wouldn’t dare or—”
“Or would have reason to,” I muttered. “Why would they ever suspect either of you would ever side with me over them? In their eyes, that would be insanity.”
“It is in my eyes most days,” Collins said at a level he probably thought I wouldn’t hear.
I let it go. I knew how big of trouble they both could be in if they got caught hiding this from their councils. Collins didn’t have any faith I would help him after what he’d done, but I would. I wouldn’t let anyone go down for keeping my secrets, even if they’d been required to keep them.
I was a better person than that.
“I said your magic was powerful, and because of the erratic nature of it since you were an unknown, you could skip steps. I’d only seen that from witches that I could think of, and that’s true, because I can’t think of the fairies who had done that. I also alluded to White’s interest in you being an indicator you’re a witch.”
“Why push that?” White asked, giving him a hard glance.
“Because the only councils who can truly go against the vampire council are yours, or the wolves,” Richardson answered. “The dragon royals can, which I also said I thought that was why they protected Vale, as they wanted her help and worried what your council would do if they could confirm she was a witch. Basically, I laid the groundwork for the next rumor that the dragons were going to fight your council.”
“As the vampire council would have to be stupid to try and step in between that,” White muttered, sitting back in her chair and staring at him. “However, that makes it smart to push the rumor the vampire council is doing the same, so maybe my council takes pause for the moment.”
“Right, so then the wolves might abscond off with me,” I drawled.
“Actually, the wolves are currently big fans of yours,” she corrected, smiling when I couldn’t hide my shock. “You saved not only Alpha Geoff’s two nephews, but a councilman’s cousin, and those artifacts they kept out of the Underground’s hands were a big deal.”
“I’m going to fucking peel the skin off the fuckers who did that to those wolves after they lost their prize, just to be vindictive and evil,” I seethed. “I could almost see fighting to keep powerful stuff out of the corrupt councils hands, and shit happens, and people died, but killing after is just—that’s just murder and pain they knew they would die from.”
“Be that as it may, you are still in the good graces of the wolves right now, and that could help, as the shifters all know you’re not theirs, but they’re leery to confirm it to each other. Basically, everyone is saying you’re not theirs, but no one is believing each other.”
“I know. I’m enjoying it,” I chuckled. We all were. It was like sitting back and watching the idiots stumble around drunk and blindfolded, falling into shit of their own making as all the corruption and distrust sowed over the years made none of them believe anyone else.
It really helped me.
“How do you want to handle this then?” White asked after a few minutes of all of us lost in our thoughts.
“I assume my vote of sending the fae dogs to burn the council estate to the ground and handle all the bad ones will still be vetoed?”
“Yes, very much so,” she drawled, the two men staring at me in horror.
I shrugged. “Then handle it however. That’s really the only answer you have.”
I shrugged again, swallowing my true answer and theory. “I wasn’t raised with them and their influence, but instead, some of the darkest parts of humans. I would bet they won’t think me much like them either.”
“I did not mean it like that, Ms. Vale,” he muttered, sounding truly apologetic.
“I am who I am, and I’m proud of the woman I am. It took a lot to get here. If they don’t accept me, they won’t be the first, or the last, and I’ll survive.” I thanked White and left the room as if nothing we had said bothered me and I simply didn’t want to get involved in the boring adult details if I couldn’t have my way.
But that wasn’t the truth at all. I didn’t want to risk White busting me on my lie, as the fairies not accepting me would destroy me, and she was powerful enough to see through my aura-dulling rune. Plus, the light fairy side of me screamed to dole out justice and handle the rampant corruption we never could seem to focus on because we had to protect me.
Because protecting me meant protecting all the fairies I was trying to save. There was no finding them, or answers, without me, so justice had to wait a bit longer.
And that killed me. It ate at me. I put what was right on the backburner over my safety. It was hard to remember it was to save my people and the big picture. It was hard to remember that a lot as people I cared for were going to be the first hurt in the crossfire, and if I’d handled that corruption and justice, they wouldn’t be.
Gods, just give me more time to get the answers before it all blows up in my face. All I need is more time.
16
“If you are reconciling with these two, then there are somethings you learned this summer you need to inform them of,” Irma lectured me, moments after I arrived home with Darby and Lucca. She started to turn red when I stared at her, opening her mouth as if to blast me.
“I don’t disagree,” I hurried to say as I held up my hands in surrender. “I just don’t know what you’re specifically referring to in the vast everything I learned. Irma. There was a lot. There’s always a lot.”
“She’s right, Irma,” Ryfon chastised gently. “Tamsin is kind and warns people when she knows she should. It is not her fault she doesn’t always know what to share and what is secret.”
Irma sighed, reached out and squeezing my hand. “I wasn’t angry with you. I hate how—your life should not have been this hard, child. You are such a good soul, and you have suffered too much. You are so closed off for a fairy because of all the pain and betrayal you have suffered. I hate it. It makes me so angry that this has been your life, but I am never angry with you.”
That wasn’t completely true as there had been a few times she’d been rather miffed with me. Mostly when I’d been difficult, but once Mel had explained to her a bit more about my childhood and how I’d been abused, Irma had realized it wasn’t my being a brat, but true issues. Now she got upset for me.
It was still hard for me as a fairy to be around the hobgoblins when they were upset.
“I’m speaking of the demons,” Irma elaborated.
Darby snorted.
“Do we believe in demons?” Lucca muttered.
“No, they’re nothing but myth and legends, like vampires not being able to go out in the sun and my not having a soul,” Darby stated with complete certainty.
“I’ll make sure there’s some of Melody’s beer with dinner,” Irma said, her tone amused.
Darby raised an eyebrow at that and glanced at me.
I sighed and sat at the table, my stomach happy at least when I saw there were appetizers for us to start in on. “She’s saying you’re going to need a drink or six because I’m about to burst your bubble.”
He smiled at me as he took the seat next to me at the head of the table so we were also at an angle. “Agra, there’s lots you don’t know about our world yet and can easily be explained—”
“Darby, there’s lots you don’t know and the fairies didn’t tell anyone. Ever. Not ever, except other fairies or fair folk,” I said firmly. I nodded when he pressed his lips together. “They’re real, and they sent a group to warn me to stop trying to open Faerie and to leave things alone the night of my summer soiree.” I gave them the quick version of what had happened, leaving out my upset and fleeing from Craftsman.
“It’s a lot to swallow, Tamsin,” Lucca admitted.
I snorted. “Really? I had to wrap my head around all of this, and supes in general, and you guys are completely certain I’m off my rocker, or totally missing something, to believe this.” I gave Darby a look that I dared him to deny it since I had my telepathy turned on and could hear him.
“I’m sorry,” he sighed. “It’s simply one of those things that we know to be true. Demons don’t exist.” He flinched when all the hobgoblins in the kitchen burst out laughing. “You all know? You saw the ones Tamsin spoke of? Or you simply trust her that much?”
Half the hobgoblins turned red, but Irma knew him pretty well and didn’t get angry at his prickly side. “I wasn’t there to see them that night, but we’re fair folk, and fairies don’t hide much from us. We’ve always known there were demons in this world, young man. It’s why we mostly stayed in Faerie until this last war. The demons liked to use fair folk to deter dark fairies from hunting them.”
“Shit, this is real,” Lucca whispered. “Demons are real. Angels?”
“Not that we know of,” Irma told them.
I already knew this answer from them and a few fairy journals. Of course I’d already asked as well.
Ryfon cleared his throat. “As the human bible or religious teachings write of angels with wings, messengers of good coming from another world or plane, most believe that fairies are the embodiment of that. Also, that humans have caught glimpses of fairies over the centuries, and that is who they have spoken or written of. Now the demons—we are not educated enough to know their origins.”
“But there are dark fairies who are scholars on all things demons that can tell you enough to make your heads pop,” Irma added. “And none of this can be shared. Ever. We tell you this as it’s dangerous for you since they threatened Tamsin. It cannot become common knowledge.”
“Why? Why would you not warn people of this threat?” Darby demanded.
And implied “if real” in his questions.
“We don’t know,” I answered honestly. “There’s more to this than I’ve learned and the fae dogs know. There was some line the demons couldn’t cross as well. They wanted to attack me, but they couldn’t start it. They couldn’t just run up and attack. It was… Something else is going on. I think there’s some sort of deal or—I just don’t know.”
“What’s your theory?” Lucca pushed when I went quiet. “You’ve always got at least a theory.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Some sort of balance. Fairies are all about balance and being fair. I think there’s some sort of rule that demons can possess dead humans and do their evil deeds, but cannot attack fairies or supes who don’t know about them. That’s not fair and upsets the balance. It’s the only answer I can see as they were itching for me to make a move. Why did they need me to?”
“Did you just say dead humans?” Darby whispered.
“Did I leave out that part?” I sighed, wincing when they both nodded. “Yeah, so they possess dead human bodies. Their eyes glow, and not like how your eyes change color, or I can see your bear in your eyes. Not even like magic flashing. I mean fucking glowing as if there was a flashlight behind each eye. No, like LED contacts kinda glow. There was no trick or lights or mistaking it.”
“Okay, putting aside the hours it will take me to mull this over and let this sink in,” Darby muttered, sitting back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. “It makes sense why they would want to keep Faerie closed. They must have a lot more fun without the dark fairies to keep them in check or kill them? Do you think they were dead-dead for good, or simply sent back to Hades again?
I doubt even if they were sent back it’s an easy trip back up.”
I held up my hand to hold him off when he looked about to ramp back up. “I have no idea. I’ve found very little, and there’s a lot I’m trying to handle all at the same time. As much as yes, I want to dive into the whole demons are real thing, I’ve got piles of shit all over to handle. Hobgoblins are being abused all over and trapped. Fae dogs are being chased and abused by dust collectors, always on the run. I’ve got—”
“I know. I know. I’m sorry, agra,” he whispered, reaching over and moving his hand onto mine. “Sorry. My mind spun out on the everything this opens up.”
I snorted. “Darby, that happens to me all the fucking time.”
The hobgoblins brought over tons of food, and we had a brief pause in the conversation as we dug into dinner. Lucca started us back up again.
“I’m glad you told us, especially considering they’re clearly a threat to you, but how the hell are we supposed to fight against them?”
“You don’t.” I shook my head as they both went to object. “They couldn’t seem to make the first move. You do not do a damn thing. I’m going to assign fae dogs to keep watch on you guys off campus, but otherwise, you do nothing but play stupid. Watch what you say because I don’t know if they can sense lies. You won’t try and get me to keep Faerie closed.
“You won’t, and lying that you will is just stupid. What you need to say—and this is what Mel came up with, and I agree—is hurting you is the best way for me to go demon hunting. Right now, I don’t care about them and what they do to humans. There’s a chance I won’t ever be able to get Faerie open or answers. I might not ever be strong enough to manage it.
“But if they fuck with me, or people I care about, I am strong enough to send all the fae dogs and hunt every demon on this planet and do it ever second of every day. And I will, if they touch one hair on anyone’s head. If they know anything about fairies, they know I will and believe that promise. That’s what you tell them, and then to back away from you slowly.”
