by Alicia Wolfe
Panting, I turned to Federico. He looked admiring.
“Nice goin’, doll.”
“Thanks. And don’t call me doll.”
“Sure, toots.”
I sighed. “Come on, let’s go.”
I started up the side street, and in a few moments the spell disbursed. It didn’t last very long. The pedestrians around us gasped, but they only looked mildly surprised. We were probably the least interesting things they’d seen in the last half hour.
I raised an eyebrow at Federico. “Did you have to cause all this chaos?”
He raised his hand defensively. “Hey, it was your idea!”
“It was not.”
“I thought you’d be pleased.” He grinned. “It was pretty funny, you’ve got to admit.”
“Well, I did like the break—” I cleared my throat. “No, it wasn’t funny at all. And you should be ashamed of yourself.”
His lips twitched. “Sure, doll. I mean, toots.”
I growled. “Let’s go faster. I don’t like being—”
Before us, the crowd parted, and my blood ran cold at seeing the figure there. Riding his giant antlered stag, Prince Jereth stared down at us, sword shining at his side. His troops weren’t in evidence. They must have split up to hunt Federico better, just like Davril and I had.
Jereth’s green eyes burned as they beheld the imp. “Federico. Good. You will come with me.”
I placed myself between the prince and the imp. “He’s not going anywhere.”
“You defy me? We had a deal.”
“You what?” Federico said from behind me.
“Never mind,” I told him. Then, to Jereth: “Get the hell away from us. I don’t want any trouble with you, but Federico’s going back to the Queen.” As if to emphasize my point, I placed my hand on the butt of my crossbow.
In answer, Jereth dismounted from the stag, moving in one swift, fluid gesture. People gasped and ran from him. He held his sword out to his side, not pointing it at me, but making its meaning crystal clear just the same. It looked as sharp as death.
“You will hand him over, Jade McClaren. That was the bargain you made, and I will hold you to it … whether alive or dead is your choice.”
I swallowed. Very deliberately, I drew my crossbow and pointed it at his chest. “Come and get some.”
His eyes narrowed. He took a step forward, and Federico swore behind me. I could almost feel his fear. Of course, I had to feel it over my fear, which was considerable.
Suddenly, a shining sword appeared at Jereth’s throat. Jereth sucked in a breath and stopped. All our heads snapped to the side to see Davril, an expression of wrath on his handsome face. He looked fierce.
“You will not touch her,” he said.
My heart skipped a beat.
“Y-yeah,” I said. Then: “Davril!”
“Jade.” His voice was curt. “We will talk about this later.”
I staggered backward. He’d heard everything. My limbs seemed to lose their strength, and my mouth turned to ash. Shit shit shit.
Federico hovered consolingly at my side. “Sorry, toots. You’re busted. But don’t worry, I’ll back you up.”
Just as Davril was about to disarm the prince, dark shapes swept in from the north, and I spun to see the eleven stag riders return. They came in from the east. Davril and I noticed them at the same time, and we both turned to face them. After a second, so did Federico.
“So you see,” Prince Jereth said. “You cannot win.”
The stag-riders swept in, swords flashing by the light of the sun. Each were Fae Knights, I knew, but sworn to protect the false leader of the Fae Court, not the true. The would-be usurper.
“Screw you guys,” I said, and lifted my crossbow to fire at them. I shot one bolt, then another, almost striking a Fae rider in his chest. He jerked the reins and veered to the side, almost hitting a building, and so did the rider behind him.
The one behind him, however, shoved his sword away and drew his bow. His hands moved like lightning, and power crackled along the shaft of the arrow. It flew straight toward me, quick as death.
I started to move, but even as I did I knew I wasn’t quick enough. The arrow was going to pierce my heart, and there was nothing I could do about it.
Davril tackled me bodily, slamming me to the ground. The arrow sailed above our heads.
Gasping, I stared up into his face. He gazed down into mine. His body pressed against me, and I could feel every bulge of his muscles. He cleared his throat and rolled off, raising his sword as he did, and good thing, too. Another arrow whistled in. He deflected the shaft with his blade, sending the missile into the tire of a parked car. The sedan deflated and the riders wheeled by overhead.
Federico flew back to hide behind Davril.
I stood and joined them, and we all turned to track the enemy. Prince Jereth climbed back on his own mount and joined the others in the sky, then led them in turning around and charging back at us.
Davril placed two fingers of his left hand in his mouth and whistled. My heart leapt.
Behind us, Lady Kay flew in, gleaming of silver, brilliant white wings outstretched to either side, the breeze rustling their feathers. She rushed in, then braked to a halt in mid-air three feet off the ground. Her wings went stiff as she braked, then pumped rapidly to maintain the hover. Davril and I jumped over the sides and into the interior (Lady Kay was in her convertible mode), me in the passenger seat and Davril in the driver’s. Someday I’d get to drive this thing. Federico flew in immediately after, and clutched hold of the neck rest.
“Go go go!” he said.
Davril stomped the gas. Lady Kay shot off, gaining altitude with every second. I whipped my head around.
Prince Jereth, leading the traitorous cavalry on their splendid steeds, raced toward us, and I was close enough to see the hard look on his face. I didn’t know what he wanted Federico for, but whatever it was, Jereth wasn’t kidding around. He needed the imp. And since he was against the Queen, that meant it was of vital importance that we keep Federico away from him.
The riders closed in.
I readied my crossbow, aiming it square at Jereth’s breastplate.
“Do I need to get out and push?” Federico said.
Davril’s jaws tightened. So did his hands on the wheel. I had only a moment’s warning, then he ripped the steering wheel to the right. The car slewed violently, almost throwing me out of it. Federico squealed and held on for dear life to the neck rest. His little black wings pumped furiously.
Lady Kay cornered hard and shot down a narrower street. Breathless, I turned back to see Prince Jereth and his riders stream past the avenue, still going down the same road we’d been on. Davril had turned too fast for them.
Jereth turned his head toward us before he vanished, and I could see the fury on his face.
“That’ll only hold him for a moment,” I told Davril.
He mashed gears, then twisted the wheel again. We took one turn, then another. My stomach sloshed with each abrupt corner.
“Whoa, brother,” Federico said. “Good thing I had a light breakfast. Come to think of it, I didn’t have any breakfast. Never thought I’d be grateful for that witch’s hospitality.”
His face had turned gray again, and he suddenly seemed much older than he had been just ten minutes ago. He’d been putting on a show, I realized, as much for himself as for us, but his torment and exhaustion had caught up to him, and there was no hiding that now. If he’d been at peak mojo, he probably would be helping us against Prince Jereth instead of just going along for the ride.
Either that or he’d be halfway to Albuquerque by now.
Davril faced me. His eyes gleamed like quicksilver. “Jade,” he said, his voice unnaturally level.
I cleared my throat. “I think you should be facing forward.”
Buildings rushed past. Davril didn’t turn his head.
“Just why did Jereth say you had a deal to hand Federico over?” he said.
I swallowed. A building loomed in front of us, growing huger and more solid-looking with every heartbeat. We were flying right toward us.
“Watch out!” I said.
Davril didn’t budge. “Why?”
He was going to get us killed.
Panicked, I said, “Because I did make a deal! Now turn, you fool!”
Davril wrenched the steering wheel to the left, barely glancing at the building he’d nearly dashed us against. Bile shot into the back of my throat as the building façade scrolled past.
I breathed out a sigh of relief. “Maniac.”
“Why did you make a deal with Prince Jereth?” Davril asked.
I scanned for some sign of our enemy. Nothing. Had we lost them? I hoped so. Damn, but Jereth was an asshole. Then again, we did have a deal, and was he correct in trying to make good on it, even if I didn’t think his motives for making the deal in the first place were something I would agree with.
“Well?” pressed Davril. When I didn’t reply, he added, “Do I need to aim us at another building?”
“Because he knew where Angela was keeping Federico prisoner,” I said, trying not to grind my teeth.
Slowly, Davril nodded. “So Jereth was your source. And you came across him … how?” There was a distinct edge to his voice, and it was obvious he was already leaping to the worst possible conclusion.
That is, the correct conclusion.
I opened my mouth to deny it, but sagged. I just didn’t have the energy for deceit anymore, at least not at the moment.
Federico caught my eye and shook his head as if to say, Don’t do it, toots. Mum’s the golden word. Evidently he could see from the expression on my face that whatever I had to say, it wasn’t good. Maybe he was right.
“I found out burglaring.”
I held my breath. I shouldn’t have told him, I thought. But I was tired of the lies. After all of this, I wanted to be honest with Davril. He deserved that from me, and I was sick of deception getting in the way of … well, whatever. Whatever could be, between a knight and a thief.
Davril’s jaw tightened. His hands squeezed the wheel. I glanced back at Federico to see him wearing a now-you’ve-done-it expression.
When Davril finally spoke, it wasn’t anger in his voice. It was sadness. My heart pounded and anguish tore at me as I realized I’d hurt him. I’d betrayed him once, and now I’d done it again. I could hear it all in his voice. At that moment, I would’ve given anything to undo the pain I was causing him. Well, almost anything. Because what I’d done had been the right thing to do. I’d stopped an evil company from making evil homunculi and I’d rescued Federico. On second thought, I wouldn’t take back a minute.
Davril said, “I can’t believe you, Jade. Again.”
I deflated. He just looked too hurt. And whether I’d done it with good intentions or not didn’t matter at that second. All that mattered was that I’d done it.
“You two,” Federico muttered. “I’d hope that sexy mushroom patch would loosen you guys up. Guess I was wrong.”
“You shouldn’t have done that,” I said. On the other hand, maybe Davril and I needed to go back there. To, uh, work some things out.
“Well, it’s probably best you two didn’t get it on back there,” Federico said. “Otherwise Jereth would’ve gotten his mitts on me. Wonder what he thinks I can do for him?” Before I could say anything, the imp squawked and pointed. “Speak of the devil!”
Sure enough, sunlight glinted on golden helms and shining armor to the east. Prince Jereth led his wedge of death straight toward us.
Was it of death? Just how far would Jereth go to claim Federico? Would he really be willing to kill? I didn’t want to believe it. After all, he was the son of Queen Calista. On the other hand, I couldn’t count on his good graces, either.
I knelt facing backward and took aim at Jereth.
When he drew close enough, I fired, aiming my bolt at his shoulder. I didn’t want to kill him, just take him out of the fight. I missed, though. Reloaded. While I did, the Fae archers took aim at Lady Kay.
“This is going to suck,” I said.
The archers loosed their arrows, and the volley shot right toward us, fast as lightning.
“I’ve got this,” Federico said.
He snapped his fingers. Half the arrows burst into fire and fell from the sky. The other half sailed on, and chagrin passed across Federico’s face. He’d wanted to burn them all, obviously, only he was too weak.
“Duck!” I said.
We crouched low. The arrows thudded into the car. One smashed through the rear windshield and embedded in the back of my chair. It jutted out two inches from my face.
“Hang on,” Davril said. Awkwardly driving while hunched over, he shot Lady Kay out into a large open area. The crystal towers of the Palace loomed ahead. My heart soared. We’d made it.
Even as I thought this, the gates burst open and a flood of Fae Knights glinting of steel and riding gleaming-white pegasi streamed out toward us. I cheered and pumped my fists. Federico laughed. Even Davril looked pleased.
The pegasi reached us and streamed by, back toward Prince Jereth. I turned to watch him lead his vanguard in retreat. They disappeared between buildings, the Queen’s troops right after them. The prince’s men had a good lead on them, though, and the prince knew how to vanish in the city. There was a chance he would escape, damn it.
“We did it!” I said when we passed through the gates, and Davril landed in the courtyard. I felt tears sting my eyes, but they were from relief. Smiling, I faced Davril. “You did it. You fought off Jereth and brought us safely away.”
Warring emotions flickered across his face. I felt it, too. The need for him burned in me, made even worse by all the action. My blood sang, and I had a fierce itch in my core. Hell, it hadn’t been that long ago we’d been making out. I could still taste his lips on mine.
But there was something else in Davril’s eyes, too, and I had a dreadful feeling that that was the feeling that was winning out.
As usual, I was right.
“The question,” he said quietly, “is whether I tell the Queen.”
Chapter 16
Knights surrounded us, clamoring and cheering. Several were men and women I’d come to know, at least a little bit. But I had eyes only for Davril. My belly flipflopped, and sweat beaded my skin. Now that we were safe, the adrenaline was starting to sour in my system.
Don’t throw up, I told myself.
“W-what do you mean?” I said.
Davril hadn’t unlocked the doors yet, and knights were jiggling the handle. Many watched at us curiously. Davril had put the top up as soon as the arrows had started to fly, and we were closed in.
“You know what I mean,” he said. “You broke your oath to her. She should know. It’s my sacred duty to tell her.”
“Davril, I’m so sorry. I … I didn’t mean for you to have to make this choice.”
“What did you mean for, Jade?”
Federico’s eyes were huge, and they were going back and forth from me to Davril as if watching a tennis match.
“I just meant to help,” I said. I added a note of pique to voice. “And I did, damn it.” I softened. “But I’m still sorry.”
He said nothing. Slowly, very slowly, his gaze turned to Federico. “And what about you? Have you gotten the hellraising out of your system yet?”
Federico grinned. He snapped his fingers.
And disappeared.
I gasped. “That little stinker!”
Davril growled out a Fae-ish swear and climbed from the car. So did I. The knights had drawn back and were staring at something over the car…
It was Federico, grinning and pumping his wings. Speaking around his cigar, he said, “Just proving a point. I’m my own agent, no one else’s. Now take me to the Compendium!” In a lower, more vulnerable voice, he said, “I need to heal.”
“In just a moment,” Davril said, and there was relief on his face. Even as
knights clamored all around us, he moved to the rear of Lady Kay and ran his hands along her gleaming chrome, stopping when they encountered the wooden shafts of Prince Jereth’s archers. I thought I even saw Lady Kay shudder a little when he started to pull at one. “Steady, girl,” Davril said. “This will only hurt for a moment.”
Light glowed from his palm, suffusing the wounds. He reached out with rapid movements and pulled the arrows out of his steed, who was apparently even more alive than I’d known, then said some words under his breath. The wounds began to heal. I felt my eyes go wide in astonishment.
Turning to the Master of Horse, one of the Fae, he said, “Take good care of her.”
“I will, sir.”
With that, Davril, Federico and I left the courtyard and passed into the interior of the Palace.
“We’ll make our report to the Queen first,” Davril told Federico. “Then install you back in the Compendium so you can rest and heal.”
“That’ll be a load off.”
“Just what will you tell the Queen?” I said.
Davril frowned. He didn’t answer. I opened my mouth to press him, then clamped my lips shut.
Is it all about to end? I asked myself. Is my time with the Fae ending? This might be the last time I would ever walk through these halls, see these people. Be one of them. And if that came to pass, so would my opportunities to use their resources to find Vincent Walsh. Maybe I could still find him someday, who knew, but I’d spent years looking for him on my own with no result and there was no particular reason to think I’d find him that way. Maybe I’d get lucky, but that’s what it would come down to—luck. With the Fae’s resources, I wouldn’t need luck. I just needed time.
And then there was Davril.
I felt sick at the thought of never seeing him again. I glanced at him as we walked, trying to memorize every angle of his cheekbones, every curve of his lips and gleam of his eyes. Realizing I was staring, I faced forward again. My cheeks burned.
It was never meant to be, I told myself. I’m a thief, not a knight. I never belonged here. I certainly never belonged with Lord Davril Stormguard.
