“Good guess,” I ground out.
Reun stepped up beside me and knelt. “I can remove the enchantment,” he said. “But I’ll not be able to heal it completely. And it will hurt.”
I managed a weak laugh. “Can’t hurt more than it already does.”
“Actually, it can.”
“Great,” I sighed. “Well, go for it anyway.”
“Hold on.” Denei made her way over, working something free from the pocket of her tight leather pants. I half expected one of her voodoo pouches. But what she produced was a block of wood about the size of a small candy bar, wrapped with flat strips of leather. “Bite down on this, handsome,” she said. “It’ll help.”
I wasn’t even going to ask why she carried something like that around with her. Or why it already had teeth marks in it.
Without asking whether I agreed, she shoved it in my mouth. So I bit down, closed my eyes, and waited.
It did hurt more. A lot more.
Just as I was sure I’d bite the damned wood block in half and pass out choking on the splinters, the blinding pain eased to a sharp ache. I opened my eyes in time to see Reun sag back, panting. “I’ve done all I can,” he said. “But now the rest will heal on its own.”
I used my non-stabbed arm to take the block out of my mouth and wiped it awkwardly on my shirt. “Uh, thanks,” I said, handing it back to Denei. “Both of you, I mean.”
Reun nodded and stood slowly. “I’ve failed to protect Lord Daoin,” he said, his voice still hoarse with pain. “I must redeem myself. The Unseelie Court may be willing to exchange his life for mine.”
“Whoa. Hold on,” I said, finally managing to stand. “No one’s exchanging anyone’s life. We’ll find another way, and we will get them back.” My gut twisted as the words left my mouth. I had no idea how to do that, and I didn’t actually think we had a chance in hell of succeeding.
But if I had to, I’d die trying.
“We cannot defeat the Unseelie Guard.” Reun broke away and moved toward the busted television, staring at the still-smoldering heap of plastic and metal. “Negotiation is the only way.”
Denei bared her teeth at him. “Don’t you even think like that,” she said. “You ain’t dying for him. All of us together, we can take on a bunch of Fae cochon.”
“No. We can’t.” He gave her a sad smile. “It was an honor to know you, a’stohr. And…I am sorry I could not protect you all.”
“Reun!”
In the space it took Denei to call his name, he gestured a gleaming rip into existence and stepped through.
It vanished along with him.
CHAPTER 9
“Goddamn it!” Denei glared at the space where Reun was, her amber eyes burning. After a few seconds, she shook herself and spun on a heel. “We gon’ find a way to follow that stubborn son of a whore, like it or not. Come, Zoba,” she spat as she marched across the room.
For once, Zoba didn’t make a sound. He just shook his head and followed his sister.
Sadie clapped a hand to her mouth, staggered to the nearest couch and sat down hard. “We can’t save them,” she whispered through her fingers. “Can we? They’re really…gone.”
“No, they’re not.” I settled beside her carefully, mindful of my still-throbbing shoulder. “I wasn’t kidding. We’ll get them back.” Somehow.
She lowered her hand and stared at me with glittering eyes. “How?” There was a shrill edge to her voice that was very close to panic. “They’re in Arcadia. We can’t exactly take the goddamned train there! And the only person who could’ve brought us across the Veil just basically committed suicide.” Her chest heaved once. “Even if we could get there, how the hell are we going to find them, let alone fight a bunch of Fae warriors? I mean, I don’t know about you, but I have no idea where the Unseelie Court is.”
“I don’t either,” I admitted. “But I know how we can get to Arcadia.”
She shuddered. “You can’t guess at this one, Gideon,” she said. “Who knows what’ll happen if you get it wrong? You could end up transporting us to Mars or something. Or just flat-out kill us both.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’m not guessing.” This morning already seemed so long ago, but I remembered thinking I’d never take the offer because Taeral would kill me for it. Now it might be the only way to save him—though I doubted he’d find the irony amusing. “We’re going to ask Cobalt for help.”
Sadie caught a breath. “Do you really think he will?”
“He said if we needed a resource, he’d do what he could. I think this qualifies,” I said.
“Let’s go, then.” She took my hand, and I could feel her trembling. “Right now. Will said they’re night people, didn’t he? So maybe they’re still awake.”
The hope in her eyes nearly killed me. Even if we did make it to Arcadia, she was right about the rest of it. We’d never find the Unseelie Court—I didn’t even know what it was, let alone where to start looking for it. And what chance did one lone werewolf and one halfling Fae, who barely knew how to cast a sleep spell, have against a bunch of full-powered, trained Unseelie fighters?
I almost wished we’d saved some of that bio-drug Milus Dei created to use against us. The one that suppressed the human part and left only the Other. I’d hated what I became when I used it—a cold, calculating killer with no regard, no hesitation, and no remorse.
But I had to admit, a bloodthirsty Fae would’ve been a lot more helpful than me in this particular case.
“All right,” I finally said. “Let’s go.”
This time I knew where the place was, so I drove my van.
I’d taken care of a few things before we left the Castle. Not that I wanted to think this way, but I had to act like I was never coming back. So I’d half-ass bandaged my arm, swapped my bloody shirt for a fresh one, and rearranged a few things in my room. And while Sadie packed a bag, I’d had a talk with Grygg—assuring him that it wasn’t his fault, and asking him to keep protecting the place. I didn’t tell him exactly where we were going, in case Denei tried to follow.
But I did tell him that if a certain police captain showed up at the hotel, he should let him in and show him to my room. Because there was an uncomfortable conversation I needed to have with Abe before we left.
I parked in a garage about a block away from The Grotto and paid for a full week in advance. Figured if we weren’t back by then, I’d probably be dead and I wouldn’t care what happened to my van. It wasn’t exactly a comforting thought, but I seemed to be fresh out of optimism.
Hell, maybe Abe could use the van. After the modifications Chester Rigby made while we were in the mountains, it’d make a great SWAT vehicle.
He wasn’t going to like that suggestion, either.
It was going on midnight when Sadie and I walked up to the plain metal door in the plain brick wall. At least the building hadn’t disappeared again since this morning. I kind of felt bad coming here so late, even if they were still awake. But I figured this qualified as an emergency. Hopefully, Cobalt would understand.
“Well,” I said, resting a hand on the push bar. “Guess I’ll knock?” Almost absently, I leaned on the bar and pushed the door a little.
And just about fell through it when it opened.
“What the…” Frowning, I glanced at Sadie. “He can’t still be open for business. Who gets tattoos at midnight?”
“Who cares,” she said. “It’s not locked. Let’s just go in.”
“Right.” I opened the door the rest of the way and stepped into the entry room, with Sadie right behind me.
This time, there was someone sitting at the wooden table.
I didn’t recognize the guy. East Indian, maybe twenty years old, and watching us with veiled caution. His gaze kept flicking to the wall—and I realized I’d set the alarm system glowing again.
“Um. Hi,” I said. The kid seemed human, but I couldn’t make assumptions one way or the other. “Didn’t know you were still open…are you?”
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“Yes. But we don’t have any more appointments scheduled tonight,” he said with another glance at the glowing runes. “Are you expected?”
“Not exactly. But I really need to see Cobalt.”
“I don’t think—”
Just then, the right-hand door across the small room opened. The man who stepped out was blond-haired, green-eyed, and wore a sweater and pressed slacks. He grinned at me like a long-lost friend. “Hey there,” he said in a rich brogue. “Just the two of you, then?”
“Uh…”
The kid glanced at the blond. “Were you expecting them?”
“Not so much, but they’re a welcome surprise,” the man said. “They’re all right, Malik. Cobalt knows them.”
“Okay, I guess. But we’re not going to have any…er, fun like last time, are we?”
“Nah. I think we’re good.” The blond walked toward me, extending a hand. “I’m Nix,” he said. “Pleasure to meet you, mate.”
Despite my extreme confusion, I shook automatically. “Do I know you?” I blurted.
“Not yet.” He turned the grin on Sadie. “Welcome,” he said. “I can see you’ve something important on your mind. Come in, please. We’ll make sure you get sorted.”
Sadie blinked a few times. “Who’s we?” she said. “Are you—”
“Ah, best come inside first. Then we’ll chat,” Nix said, raising a hand to Malik as he opened the door he’d come through. “No worries, mate,” he said. “Job well done. I’ll take full responsibility for them.”
Malik frowned. “If you say so.”
“You know I’m good for it,” he said, and then smiled at me. “Coming?”
Sadie and I exchanged a look, and followed him through the door—into something that had about as much in common with a tattoo studio as my van did with a Lamborghini.
The place looked like a nightclub. Round tables with three or four chairs apiece filled most of the floor space in the vast, low-lit room, and about half of them were occupied by people. Each table had a velvet-bound book fastened to the center with a slender chain. One lay open on a nearby table, revealing pages of photographed body art. Music played from somewhere overhead and mingled with the hum of conversation. Instead of a bar, there was a row of high-end vending machines to the left, offering coffee and cappuchino, water and health drinks, cold and hot food, and restaurant-style desserts.
Three lit glass booths stood at the far end of the room. Inside them were tattoo benches, tattoo equipment—and people currently getting tattoos, while everyone else in the room watched.
I found myself glad Cobalt didn’t have this place when I went to him the first time. I never would’ve been able to do that in front of an audience.
Nix led us to a table ahead and off to the right, in a kind of nook that was more or less separate from the rest of the place. Someone was already seated there—not Cobalt, since I was pretty sure he was in the center booth. When we got close enough, I made out an incredibly striking woman with pale skin, dark eyes, jet-black hair and delicate features.
And whoever she was, she didn’t look happy to see us.
“You were right, love. As usual.” Nix stopped and gestured at the woman. “My wife, Shade,” he said.
Wife? I managed to stop myself from blurting aloud. They seemed a little mismatched.
The woman looked hard at me. “Appearances can be deceiving.”
I actually felt my jaw drop.
Nix burst out laughing. “I do love watching you work, my heart,” he said. “It’s just priceless, every time. Shall we see it again?”
Sadie elbowed me. “What’s going on?” she hissed.
“Um.” I had to make a conscious effort not to step back. “I think…Shade…is psychic.”
“Aye, she is,” Nix said.
Sadie’s eyes narrowed. “Hey. I don’t want anyone poking around in my head,” she said, that shrill, almost-panic edge back in her tone. “Don’t even think about…thinking at me, or whatever you do.”
“You’ve nothing to worry about. I can only hear what wants to be heard.” Shade stared calmly at her for a moment, and then turned to Nix. “Are you going to introduce them?”
“Well. Haven’t exactly caught their names yet, myself.”
Shade rolled her eyes. “You are a hopeless knob.”
“Aye, but I’m your knob,” he said with a grin. “Besides, I can guess. You’d be Sadie. And since you’re not attempting to kill me, you must be Gideon.”
“Yeah, that’s us,” I said weakly. Jesus Christ. How many Fae hung around this place anyway? Cobalt, his terrifying brother, and now these two. “Are you psychic too?”
“Not a bit. Cobalt mentioned the visit this morning,” Nix said. “He thought you might be back sometime, so he asked that we keep an eye out for you. Then Shade sensed your presence, and here we all are. Cozy as peas.”
Sadie blew out a breath. “That’s great. But we need to talk to Cobalt,” she said. “It’s important.”
“Yes, he’s noticed.” Shade cast a glance toward the glass booths. “And he’ll join us directly.”
“But—”
“Sadie.” I took her hand gently, and a lump formed in my throat. She was still shaking. “Please, try to relax. A little,” I said. “We’ll get through this. But we can’t do anything….crazy right now. Understand?”
For a minute I thought she would anyway. Like start screaming, or punch me and then start screaming. But she closed her eyes and swallowed once, and her spine stiffened. “You’re right,” she said. “I just…”
I squeezed her hand. “I know.”
With a sobered expression, Nix pulled the chair closest to Sadie away from the table. “All right. Sit down,” he said. “Please. Before you fall.”
She looked at him blankly, then shivered and lowered herself into the seat.
Shade watched me as I sat in the chair between her and Sadie. Her eyes widened a touch. “You’re bleeding,” she said in a surprisingly soft tone.
“Huh?” At first I thought she was doing the psychic thing again, until I glanced down and saw the dark, wet spot seeping into my shirt. Probably should’ve taken a bit more time with the bandage. “Er, yeah,” I said. “A little.”
“That’s not a little.”
Nix made a low, distressed sound. “I’m sorry, mate,” he said. “Hadn’t realized you were that bad off. I can go fetch Cobalt—”
“No need,” a new voice said.
I breathed an inward sigh of relief. Finally, someone I knew. Sort of.
Cobalt came up beside Nix, looking from Sadie to me with concern. “I’d ask if everything was all right, but I can see it’s not,” he said. “Your brother hasn’t joined you tonight?”
A wrenching sob escaped Sadie before she could cover her mouth.
“Ah, so that’s it.” Cobalt turned a calm expression to Nix. “Tell Malik we’re closing early,” he said. “Can you help him clear the place and lock up, and then meet us upstairs?”
“On it, mate.” Nix immediately headed back the way we’d come in.
“Don’t worry,” Cobalt said to me. “We can talk in private. And I’ll heal that arm of yours, too—it looks bad.”
I frowned. “We weren’t trying to mess up your business,” I said. “I mean, you don’t have to do all this.”
“Of course I do. You need help.” He gave an encouraging smile. “It’s no trouble,” he said. “I meant what I said earlier. If I can help you, I will.”
I almost started crying myself. “Thank you,” I managed.
One step down. And countless, impossible steps to go.
CHAPTER 10
The reactions I got after I explained what happened didn’t exactly inspire me with hope.
We were in Cobalt’s apartment. Sadie and I on one couch; Cobalt, Nix and Shade on the other. Will was at work. Cobalt had mentioned he usually didn’t get home until one or two, depending on how much post-show stuff he had. I’d just given them the short versio
n—basically, the Unseelie Guard teleporting through The Godfather and dragging Taeral and Daoin back to Arcadia with them.
All three of them looked horrified.
Cobalt was the first to speak. “I must call Uriskel,” he said, dragging a hand down his face as he stood.
“Er. Must you?”
His disappointed look made me regret the words. But I couldn’t help it—his brother scared the shit out of me. “Yes, I must,” he said. “Uriskel knows more of the Unseelie Court than all of us together. “Believe me when I say that you’ll need his counsel, at the least. If he’ll consent to offer it.”
I let out a sigh. “I believe you. And I’m sorry,” I said. “Look, I’ve only known about all this Other stuff for a couple of months, including that I’m Fae. I mean, half Fae. And your brother is…really badass. That’s all.”
“Months?” Cobalt’s expression softened. “I assumed you’d known for years,” he said. “I’m sorry for that. And I’ll only ask that you be patient with Uriskel.” He closed his eyes briefly. “He’s a good heart, but my brother has been through…difficulties, which are not my place to discuss.”
Without knowing it, he’d just told me a whole lot about his brother. I recognized abuse when people were trying to hide it. So maybe I could give him the benefit of the doubt—for now, at least. “I can do that,” I said.
“Thank you. Please, excuse me for a moment.”
Cobalt walked away, and I glanced at Sadie with concern. She hadn’t said a word since we came up here. At the moment, she was staring toward the big window and the glittering sprawl of Manhattan beyond—but I doubted she was seeing any of it.
I patted her leg, and she stirred and gave me a slight smile. At least she was still in there somewhere.
“So,” I said to the odd couple. “You guys are Fae, right?”
Nix smiled crookedly. “Nah, we’re bloody unicorns,” he said. “Course we are.”
“Oh.” I wondered if there was a tactful way to ask if they were Seelie or Unseelie. Taeral always seemed to know, but I was still having trouble figuring out whether someone was human or not.
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