Breaking Out

by Gayle Parness

  The girl smiled, picking up the tray and nodding. “Yes lady, thank you.” She left quickly to follow Brina’s orders.

  “Animal, huh?” I laughed.

  “You usually eat enough to feed a dragon, although, you only picked at the meal Jay prepared,” she teased. She had her back to me, running her long fingers over a nicely carved chair. She knew her arrival had thrown me for a loop, and she was enjoying every minute of my discomfort.

  I could tease her back. “You sounded like a real lady of faerie when you gave those orders to the servant.”

  “The tone of command is something I learned at a very early age, but not often practiced. My mother is a lady in our family home but Kaera and I live simply, separately, without servants.”

  “You cook?”

  She turned at the surprise in my voice. “Why do you look aghast? I am an excellent cook, as is Kaera. But to be honest, I rarely bother. The lines provide us with all we require.”

  Brina returned to her curious inspection of the room while my gaze was drawn to her elegant movements. Grace was natural to seelie fae and demons alike, their bodies flowing through time like honey off a spoon, languid and thick with sweet promise. Brina’s training on the field only made her more so.

  Should I include her in our team, or was that asking for all kinds of messed up trouble? Maybe a trial period would be the answer.

  For fun, I decided to keep a running score of positives and negatives, see how she tallied up. Obvious negatives: stubborn, not a rule follower. Positives: amazing fighter, reliable, loyal, cool under pressure, beautiful. I mentally crossed off the last item, wondering whether I should list that one under negatives. She’d be distracting for me to have around. Mucho distracting. Worrying about her safety might cause me to lose focus.

  She smiled, probably feeling my gaze on her, but still continuing to scrutinize every article in the room. Her arms were bare, the muscles well defined but not bulky. Who was I kidding? She could fight her way out of a walled-in stadium full of orcs. She needed my protection about as much as a bear needs protection from a raccoon. The only reason having her around during a fight would be distracting was because of the way I liked watching her.

  Her hair was undone in places, shining like golden fire even in the dim light of the grotto. Oh yeah, she was distracting, but if I was a true leader I’d put aside my personal misgivings and think about the team. Garrett had pulled her in whenever a task the Rogues team was facing was particularly dangerous and my mom had asked for Brina’s help to rescue Dad from Fionna. I’d trained with her and faced danger beside her. It would be ridiculous for me to turn my back on her incredible offer, and if I did, she’d lose face. And that would make me feel like the lowest slime ball on the planet.

  I shook my head in disgust. And here I was making fun of Jay and Ivy’s friendship. My dad would probably look me in the eye and tell me not to stress out, that it was normal and Brina was a terrific female. And she was, and would be a tremendous asset to our team. He’d say everyone had first loves—crushes—experiences you looked back on and laughed about.

  Somehow I thought I’d never laugh about my time with Brina.

  “Charles.” Her tone was demanding.

  “What?”

  “I asked you a question.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Did the journey distress you? You look flushed.”

  “No, I’m good.”

  Brina and I turned at the sound of many hooves in the corridors surrounding the central grotto. A group of six steeds marched in first, followed by Rylen and Tellek, then Chieftain Marea. Others in human form followed behind the chieftain then a few more steeds brought up the rear. Brina had moved to my side, her hand on the hilt of her sword.

  The chieftain spoke first. “Young Prince, I greet you. You honor us by appearing in your true form. May we be introduced to your mate?” I almost choked on my own saliva. The only thing that stopped me from laughing was the look of horror on Brina’s face.

  “Chieftain Marea, may I present Brina of the Cascade Sidhe, daughter of Lord Argon and Lady Tereza and granddaughter of Finvarra, the king of Faerie.”

  “We are not mates,” she clarified. “We are soldiers who protect the innocent.” Jeez, I would have at least said we were friends.

  A steed nickered in the second row, its hide the shade of soft sand, with a mane of rich auburn. Brina stepped toward it, entranced.

  “What’s happening?” I asked Rylen.

  “We choose our own riders as I have chosen you, a fitting match between royal houses. This female steed, a cousin of mine, has reached out instinctively to your fae warrior, and now they will be matched. It is as it always has been between our races. We serve the people of Faerie and they allow us to share in their glory and their magic.”

  Tellek grunted. “We cannot allow our female steeds to run off to battle. They are needed to bear offspring.”

  “Is this female pregnant?’ Rylen asked.

  “No, but she is scheduled for mating in a few days.”

  Brina walked back, leading the steed with a hand in her mane, her smile warming my insides. “This is Somma. She and I are now joined in mind and spirit.” She hopped up without a trace of effort, leaning over the steed’s neck and stroking her. “You are magnificent, my Somma, and we will bathe together in the blood of our enemies.”

  That was some crazy visual.

  Brina hopped down again, turning toward Tellek. “She has had two offspring. That is her limit.”

  “We’ve had to make adjustments.” The chieftain began to explain, looking guilty.

  “I have read the histories, the agreements. My people struggle with conception, yet the females of Faerie are not locked away until they are impregnated.” Brina’s eyes sparkled with the gold dots of her anger.

  Time to rein in my favorite faerie feminist and change the subject. As much as I might agree with her, now was not the time. I took Brina’s hand and squeezed hard. “Remember why we’re here.” After locking gazes for a moment, her anger cooled and she allowed me the slightest of nods. Miracles do happen.

  Pasting on a friendly smile I spoke to Chieftain Marea. “Thank you for your continued hospitality. My uncle Aaron Green and my friend Jay will be arriving soon.

  “We are expecting them.” Aaron Green is known to us as a werewolf with honor.”

  “He is that, and he has sworn to be respectful of your court.” The chieftain nodded. “We are here because Ivy’s missing. Do you know anything about her disappearance?” I focused on Tellek.

  “Why do you assume she came here?” Tellek asked.

  “I know nothing of this.” The chieftain looked concerned. “Tellek, why did you not inform me?”

  Tellek moved toward his sire, placing a hand on his shoulder. “She’s an irresponsible girl, probably off wandering around.” Marea nodded.

  He was using glamour on the chieftain. “She went into the sea and didn’t return.” I wasn’t falling for Tellek’s BS.

  The fat liar shrugged. “Were there witnesses to her disappearance?”

  “No.” We’d asked around, but because it was a gloomy day, the beach had been almost deserted.

  “In kelpie form, she can swim for hours before returning,” Tellek added. “She’s probably enjoying the fact that she has everyone searching for her.”

  “This fat one is lying, but the chieftain is telling the truth,” Brina sent.

  “You’re sure? The flux is subtle.” I thought she might get pissed off that I was questioning her opinion, but Brina only nodded.

  “We believe she’s here. Possibly kidnapped,” I stated this fact as calmly as I could, hoping Marea wouldn’t take it as an insult.

  “No one here would detain her,” Tellek replied.

  “That was a lie.” I said, straightening my back and making sure my gaze was focused only on him.

  “I beg your pardon.”

  “Are you keeping her prisoner, Lord Tellek?”

  “W
hy would I do that?” He took two steps back. He knew we had him.

  “You want your females here, where you have access to them, correct?” I stepped closer.

  “It is their duty to service the males.” He looked around the room, hoping for support. None of the kelpie in human form would meet his gaze.

  “Where is she?”

  “Long gone, I’m sure.” His smug smile had my fists clenching.

  He drew his sword, a curved, wicked looking blade. Brina drew hers, shining and strong like she was. She preferred a battle fought with traditional weapons, leaving magic out of the equation. But if Tellek pulled anything magical out of his hat, I’d be ready.

  Jay and Aaron arrived at that very minute, transported by a kelpie introduced to me on my last visit as Flint.

  “What’s going on?” Aaron asked

  “Have you found Ivy?” Seeing the drawn swords, Jay’s expression grew panicked.

  “I believe Tellek has Ivy somewhere. He keeps lying about it.”

  “Tellek!” The chieftain’s voice echoed around the tall ceiling, bouncing off the pillars. “You must tell us where the female is. She has pledged to serve the young prince.” He’d moved closer to Tellek, too close. I pulled in line magic.

  “An old fool obsessed with past glories—you will destroy our race if more females are not forced to bear young.”

  “Then that is the will of our gods. Your cruel plan will not work.”

  “You are weak.” The curved blade sliced through the air with incredible speed, Chieftain Marea’s head fell to the ground at Tellek’s feet. His body collapsed immediately after, blood spraying across the floor.

  “No, Brina.” She’d stepped forward and begun her swing, the motion of the blade seeming to drift into slo-mo. I dove for her, grabbing her arm to stop the sword’s progression, loosening her grip with a surge of hot magic.

  “Charlie!” Jay called out. The sword hit the floor and skidded away. I twisted my body to cushion Brina’s fall and hit the ground hard.

  Aaron and Jay had Tellek pinned to the floor, Aaron’s clawed paw at Tellek’s throat. Rylen was crouched over his father’s corpse, moaning and clutching at his father’s blood soaked tunic. The rest of the court had moved away from the scene, all them shocked.

  And me? I was sprawled on my back with a furious fae female straddling my stomach and holding a dagger to my throat.

  “You burned me with magic.” She pushed the dagger in, breaking the skin.

  “I couldn’t let you kill him. I’m sorry. We need him to find Ivy.”

  “My sword hand is burned.” She held her palm in front of my face, her anger and pain making her hand tremble. It was red and blistered, charred in some places. Brina had been burned badly when a house she was sleeping in exploded. The experience had left scars that weren’t only physical.

  What I’d done was unforgivable. I covered her wrist with my hand. “Let me heal…”

  She yanked her hand away and stood, surveying the chaos around us and picking up her sword. I sat up, meaning to go to her, but the sudden motion made my head pound and my stomach do a corkscrew roll.

  Aaron steadied me, grasping my shoulder. “Don’t move. You head’s bleeding and you might have a concussion.”

  “From a fall?”

  “You’re a tall guy, Charlie, when you fall, you fall. Someone should teach you how to tackle a fae without hitting your head.

  “I burned her hand, I have to...”

  “I know, but you need to heal yourself first.”

  “No…”

  “It’s a damn deep cut. These floors are stone. Heal yourself, that’s an order.” Aaron the alpha had emerged, so I didn’t argue. It took a few minutes.

  Aaron helped me stand, my legs still shaky, but I was able to walk to Brina. She wouldn’t look at me. “Please. Let me help. I’m so sorry.”

  “You used your demon magic,” she hissed, more angry than I’d ever seen her. “It is more difficult to heal a wound caused by this magic.”

  “I used what came to mind first. I didn’t mean to hurt you. You know that.”

  “You dishonored me by disarming me in that way.”

  “You can beat the crap out of me when this is all over. I won’t even fight back. Just let me heal you.”

  “That is a dangerous promise, but the fight would not be satisfying if you did not at least try to win.” She offered me her hand, wincing from pain as I took it gently in mine. “I accept your apology, although I reserve the right to ask for a boon at a later date.”

  “As long as it doesn’t put anyone in danger.” I led her to a nearby chair, encouraging her to sit, then kneeling beside her. Her hand was blistered and red, oozing pus. “I was an idiot to use that magic on you.”

  As the green waves of my energy began to relieve her she lifted my chin with her other hand. “A leader must be willing to sacrifice his soldiers.”

  “Not through his own carelessness.” I didn’t want to talk about me leading people into a situation where they’d be killed. My small band helping people out, that was enough for now.

  My healing magic wrapped around her arm, her hand, her fingers, soothing the bone deep pain, drying the oozing blisters and repairing the skin. Skin smooth and pale once more, I released her hand and stood. There was much more to be dealt with tonight.

  “Can I grovel more later?”

  “I look forward to it.”

  Jay was pacing around Tellek. “You okay?”

  “I can smell her on this disgusting slime ball.” He looked at me, pleading. “Use your magic, find out where he’s taken her.”

  I looked at Brina. “I will see to Rylen and the Chieftain,” she offered.

  I crouched beside the arrogant asshole who’d killed Marea, a peaceful ruler who’d wanted the best for his people. “I’ll give you one chance to tell us where she is.”

  “She is lost to you.” Tellek hissed.

  “She’s not.” I wasn’t gentle, my mind unwilling to accept the worst, yet fearing it. He screamed but I ignored him and went deeper, rooting through memories of past crimes, past abuses. Finally I saw her. “Is there a dungeon or a deep cave without a door? Without any obvious access?”

  Rylen rose, still soaked in his father’s blood, yet already stepping into his role as leader. “Yes. This way.”

  Jay and I followed him, leaving Aaron and Brina to deal with the frightened kelpies and the chieftain’s body. We walked down long, damp corridors until we came to a particularly grim alcove. There was a door, hidden from unknowing eyes. It opened with a key carved from coral that we’d taken from Tellek’s pocket. The room was without furniture, icy cold and windowless.

  Ivy was naked and huddled in the corner, her skin too cold, her pulse weak. After checking for injuries, Jay picked Ivy up and Rylen guided us to the infirmary.

  The doctor examined her briefly. “She’s dehydrated and weak. You must leave, so I can treat her.”

  “We need to stay. She’s one of our team.” Jay said, crouched by her side and clutching her hand.

  “I’m sorry. It will take a day or so, but she will recover.”

  “At least allow Jay to stay with her. He’s her closest friend.” I sent a little glamour his way to convince him.

  “All right, but he must not interfere. I need to set her in a pool of seawater and force her back to her kelpie form. It will be a painful process.”

  “I’ll help, if I can—whatever she needs.” I’d never seen Jay look so worried. My stomach burned with anger.

  The doctor seemed to understand. He placed a hand on Jay’s shoulder. “Speak to her. Reassure her. She will hear you.”

  We left Jay with the doctor and returned to find that the chieftain’s body had been removed. Tellek was still on the floor, only he’d been chained to a couple of rings on the far wall. Two kelpie in human form stood guard along with Aaron.

  The prisoner started to shake as I drew close. Smart male. “You left her there to starve.” The
fury inside me altered my magic and I felt the shift.

  “I would have fed and watered her.” He was frightened of me, and I was eating it up. I would make him pay for what he did to one of mine.

  “Tell me about the chela.” I placed my hand on his neck. Such a vulnerable spot—so easy to break, but that would be too fast a death.

  “Wh…what chela?”

  “Do you want me to force it out of you? I can hurt you. Badly. For days and days.”

  His eyes were brown saucers. “I see the demon blood in you, boy.”

  I laughed, the sound shocking the small part of me that cared about such things. “It’s not the demon you’re seeing now.”

  “Charles…” Aaron moved forward, but my gaze stopped him in his tracks. When I looked back at Tellek, I smiled. I would enjoy every minute of his agony.

  I felt Brina’s hand on my shoulder. “Walk with me.” I shook her off, not wanting any distractions. Her hand returned, only this time the grip was firmer, as was her tone. “Walk with me.”

  I almost growled as I turned to face her, but Brina’s intense gaze startled me, a mirror into my soul. My eyes had changed, gone orange with anger, each muscle in my face pulled tense, almost snarling, my body a coiled spring ready to erupt. Written on her features there was fear for what I might become and understanding, because she’d also felt such rage.

  Brina sent words to my troubled mind, her message somehow penetrating. “Allow Rylen to question him. This is his court now. You are in too much turmoil to think clearly.”

  “He needs...”

  “Tellek will be executed for the death of his chieftain.”

  “Ivy almost died. She was so weak.”

  “Will she live?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. You saved a life with your questioning. Now walk away. The rage of battle weighs heavily upon your shoulders. This is not who you are.”

  I’d ripped through Tellek’s thoughts, ignoring his private barriers, seeing things in his mind that would probably have me feeling sick for days. But that had saved Ivy’s life. No, what was bad was that I’d enjoyed his terror and his pain. I’d wanted it to last longer, to go on and on. I’d wanted to soak it up and use it against him.