by Amy Sumida
Well that explained Killian's pout.
“They were gone by the time our team arrived,” Timberstride went on. “It's inconceivable how fast they moved.”
“I do not think that word means what you think that word means,” Killian muttered in a Spanish accent, and I nearly lost it.
“What was that?” the councilman asked.
“Never mind him, Councilman,” I shot Killian a smirk. “He's a bit odd.”
“Indeed,” Timberstride gave Killian a wary glance, the type one might give to the criminally insane, before returning his gaze to me. “We believe Uisdean is using the humans to help aid his escapes.”
“Yes, he absolutely is,” I confirmed and then looked to Killian. “Do you think if we went back to Montana, you could do that psychometry thing again?”
“I can try,” Killian shrugged. “But honestly, we got lucky last time. Someone has to be touching an item specifically as they think about where they're going next. At least for such a precise reading.”
“We'd appreciate it if you made the attempt,” Councilman Timberstride nodded. “But the Human Council also has a pair of psychics they'll be sending.”
“The twins?” I asked hopefully. “Alex and Alexis?”
“Yes,” Timberstride looked surprised. “You know them, Ambassador?”
“I've worked with them before,” I shot Raza a grin. “We both have, actually.”
Raza groaned and rolled his eyes. He'd acted poorly around Alexis, giving her a glimpse into some traumatic moments of his past. Alex and Alexis Kavanaugh were some of the most powerful psychics the Extinguishers had. Alexis had picked up, right away, on Raza's interest in me. She'd been fascinated by him, and may have provoked him a bit by teasing him with her knowledge of his affection for me. Raza had taken Alexis by the hand, knowing that even such a simple touch would force someone like her to see things about him. But he'd only allowed her to only see the bad.
“King Raza?” Timberstride looked concerned. “Do you have a problem with the Kavanaughs?”
“No,” Raza said simply.
“Don't you have to head home anyway?” I asked Raza. “Your kingdom is in a rather unsettled state right now. You shouldn't have left it.”
“Rayetayah is overseeing the changes and acting as ruler in my stead,” Raza waved away my concern. “I am secure in my standing, unlike my predecessor. The unseelie are happy under my rule and Danu herself blessed me on the battlefield. Only an imbecile would attack Unseelie now.”
“My grandmother may not be an imbecile, but she's insane,” I made a face at Raza. “The behavior can be similar.”
“Are you saying you think I should return to Unseelie on the off chance that Queen Iseabal decides to storm across Fairy with the Seelie army, and try to take my kingdom while I'm away?”
“You never know,” I huffed, and then muttered, “I think I'll start calling her Insane Iseabal. It has a nice ring to it.”
“Your grandmother is the Queen of Seelie?” Killian asked with raised brows.
“Seren is the Twilight Princess,” Raza informed Killian stiffly. “Her line descends from both seelie and unseelie royalty.”
“Okay, got it,” Killian rolled his eyes, settling them on me. “So she's crazy huh? Didn't you say your uncle, on the unseelie side of your family, is crazy too?”
“No, I said he was evil,” I sighed. “But actually, they're both evil and crazy. Evil Uisdean and Insane Iseabal.”
“Nice genes you're sportin' there, Twilight,” Killian chuckled.
“Her genes are impeccable,” Raza narrowed his gaze on Killian.
“He's teasing me, Raza,” I shifted my expression into a grin. “Like I do with you.”
“Affectionately?” Raza's eyes began to glow as they narrowed on Killian. “That's even worse. You take a lot of liberties with the Princess, witch.”
“We're comrades in arms,” Killian shrugged. “It's different.”
“What's going on between those two?” Councilman Timberstride asked me in a low voice.
“Just your average dog fight over a girl, High Councilman,” Conri answered for me. “They're feeling each other out right now, just baring their teeth sort of thing. In a little while, it'll probably get physical. And then the witch is going to find out why even bargests don't mess with dragon-djinns.”
Killian shot Conri an affronted look.
“Hey, it's the truth,” Conri shrugged. “You gotta know what battles you can win. This one, you might as well show your belly now, my friend. She's worth it, definitely, but you're not going to win. No way. I don't care what kind of witchy magic you got up your sleeve, it ain't going to do much against a dragon-djinn. He's practically made of magic.”
“Wise words, Sir Conri,” Raza nodded in satisfaction and took a seat beside me. “You'd do well to heed them, witch.”
“Raza,” I shook my head, knowing soldiers well enough to know that Killian couldn't back down from that taunt. He'd have to be pounded into the floor before he yielded, and it had nothing to do with me. It was all about ego now.
“Let's go, dragon,” Killian said, right on cue. “I'm past the teeth baring stage.”
“Pardon me?” Raza looked over to Killian in shock, pleased shock.
“The courtyard,” Killian started walking towards the door. “Now. Let's get this over with.”
“I'm happy to oblige,” Raza rose with a delighted grin.
“Sit down,” I hissed at him and then pointed a finger to Killian. “If you can't behave like a mature adult, you're getting a ticket straight back to Alaska, Blair. My team doesn't fight amongst itself.”
Killian scowled, his shoulders rising and falling in a deep sigh, “Fine.” He slumped back to the sitting area, and flopped dejectedly onto a couch.
“Don't pout either,” I warned him. “It's not pretty on you.”
“Which means that you normally think I'm pretty?” Killian smiled immediately, and I groaned.
“I think I'll take my leave of this madness,” Councilman Timberstride stood, casting a confused look from Killian to me and then to Raza. “I'll have someone prepare to take you and your... team, to the airport, Ambassador Seren. You can meet them in the courtyard when you're ready. The Kavanaugh twins are already on their way to Montana.”
“Another plane ride,” I sighed, missing the much faster and more comfortable method of traveling I usually did, that of the raths or the In-Between.
“I could always fly you there myself,” Raza smirked.
“I think I'll stick with the Council's jet,” I chuckled. “Flying from Ireland to Montana wrapped in a dragon's claw doesn't sound too comfortable.”
“Who said you'd be riding within my claws?”
Chapter Twenty-Four
I slept on the plane. It seemed like one endless day for me, but it had been nearly two days since I'd left Twilight. It was a long plane ride, nearly nine hours, so I got a full night's sleep, even though it wasn't night. In fact, it had been bright daylight when we left. Ireland was seven hours ahead of Montana, so even though it took nine hours to travel, we were gaining time as we went. When we arrived in Montana, it was mid-afternoon and the Kavanaugh twins already on location.
“Princess Seren!” Alexis Kavanaugh ran over and hugged me like we were in the middle of a party. Instead of in the middle of the street, right in front of the gates to Uisdean and Rue's abandoned Montana complex.
“Is!” I hugged her back.
“Oh!” she pulled away. “I'm so sorry about your father, and... oh my... Tiernan. What a horrible thing to say,” she hissed and then brightened, “He'll come around. Men can be such assholes when their pride is wounded.”
I gaped at Alexis. Even knowing how she was didn't prepare me to have my thoughts invaded.
“Yes, we can,” Alex nudged his sister aside to shake my hand. “But we also know when not to stick our nose in things that aren't our business. How are you, Ambassador?”
“As well as can be, given the circums
tances,” I nodded. “Thank you for coming, Extinguisher Kavanaugh.”
“See what you did?” Alexis shook her head at her brother. “You should have hugged her. Now she's being all formal with you.”
“Well I didn't want to be overly familiar and have the dragon take my head off,” Alex gave Raza a wary look, “literally.”
“Please,” Alexis rolled her eyes. “He'll kill the witch before he comes after you.”
“And now I've forgotten why I was excited to see you two,” I sighed and walked past them, heading to the gate.
“Ambassador, if you'd please allow us to go in first?” One of the numerous extinguishers who had joined us for the plane ride over (I think he was a Murdock), held his gloved hand out to me in a warding gesture. His other hand was firmly around the hilt of his iron sword, and he was talking into his intercom before I answered. “Yes, sir, we're here. Yes, sir, the hunter team is with us, and we've rendezvoused with the Twins. We're going in now. Yes, sir.”
The extinguisher started moving forward, waving the rest of his team along with him. The fairy hunters moved independently, each one readying their mór magics in case they were needed. I gave Killian an eye roll and he chuckled.
“They know it's clear,” I said to him. “I don't understand the fuss.”
“Actually, I don't think it is entirely clear,” Alex's gaze was focused intently on the main building.
“What do you mean?” Raza's golden stare narrowed on the extinguisher.
Then shouting filtered out to us, and we all started running for the house, Alex taking lead. The room we entered was packed full of bodies, both living and partly dead. The partly dead were becoming completely dead, but not without a hell of a fight. I quickly scanned the zombie welcoming committee Rue had left us, looking for Ewan. He wasn't there.
I pulled my sword free of its sheath and started slicing at the dead who were there, all fairies. I had a feeling it was Uisdean who had insisted they leave the fairies behind for us to kill, as opposed to the extinguisher zombies. I couldn't see him approving of making fairies suffer longer than humans. If for no other reason than pure racism.
I continued to battle the zombies as Raza beheaded them with his bare hands. But then, Raza's hands were topped with talons. I knew those things were sharp, but I guess I'd never realized exactly how sharp. Raza had touched me numerous times and never once left even a scratch. He was doing much more than scratching now.
A head knocked into Killian's back.
“Watch where you're throwing those things,” Killian growled at Raza.
Raza growled back. As in an actual growl, no words involved. Killian decided that Raza was right, words weren't necessary, and moved on to his next opponent without further complaint.
It took us less time than I would have expected to kill twelve zombies. I guess they weren't exactly zombies. They weren't trying to eat our flesh or brains or anything gross like that. They were simply dead, but still moving around... under someone else's command. They didn't have their magic, but they also didn't have any pain or fear. It made them into ruthless soldiers with endless endurance.
Still, we had two groups of warriors as well as myself, my Star's Guard, Raza, the twins, and Killian (Daniel Claybourn had remained in Ireland to do some diplomatic stuff). So the undead hunters were no match for us. In the end, I was actually grateful they'd been left behind and we'd been able to give them a true death. But why were they there? Why leave behind men who could have been used as guards? Were Uisdean and Rue just trying to delay us as long as possible?
“Princess Seren,” Gradh said gently. “You need to see this.”
I walked over to her and looked down at the body she stood above. There was a note pinned to the fairy's tunic. It was covered in blood and gore, but I was still able to make out the flowery script. I bent and pulled it off the body.
“My dearest Niece,” I read aloud. “Ewan Sloane sends his love. I wanted you to know, the last thing he said before I killed him was your name. See you soon. Your beloved Aunt Rue.”
I crumpled up the paper and my jaw clenched so tight it creaked.
“Hold on, Twilight,” Killian took the ball of paper from me. “That may be just what I need.”
Killian held the paper and closed his eyes. Alex and Alexis moved up to watch.
“It appears we may have competition, Brother,” Alexis noted with a smile.
“Hardly,” Alex scoffed. Then he asked Killian, “Got anything, Witcher?”
“Oh I love that game,” Alexis clapped her hands. “Witcher is all scarred up though. And blonde. He doesn't look anything like Killian.”
“You're taking it too far, Is,” Alex shook his head. “Just like Portlandia. Too far.”
“I got nothing,” Killian ignored them both and handed me back the paper. “Sorry, Twilight.”
“It's okay,” I sighed, then flinched as Alex snatched the paper out of my hands.
“Let the grown-ups handle this,” Alex closed his eyes. Then frowned. Frowned deeper. Flat out scowled.
“Alex?” Alexis lifted her brow.
“He's right,” Alex muttered. “There's nothing on this. It's as if it were a fresh piece of paper. But even then, I would have got a sense of where it came from. The paper mill, the tree, something. This...” he shook his head. “It's been erased.”
“That bitch,” Alexis huffed. “They know our tricks and are covering their tracks.”
“They couldn't have erased the whole place,” Killian was already heading out to search the rest of the building, “not in the amount of time they had.”
I shot a questioning look to Raza, but he just shook his head. No one knew what Rue was capable of. If it had just been Uisdean, we could have been more certain. But Rue? She was a wild card.
“This is going to take awhile,” Raza watched the twins follow Killian out of the room. “Why don't we get some lunch?”
“You wanna take me to lunch?” I lifted a brow.
“Yes,” Raza frowned. “Why did you ask it with that inflection?”
“Is it a date?”
“A date?” Raza blinked at me.
“You know, where two people go-”
“Yes, Seren,” Raza rolled his eyes, “I'm familiar with the concept.”
“Hey, I never know with fairies,” I nodded to one of the extinguishers who was chuckling over our exchange. “Am I right?”
“Yes, ma'am,” the extinguisher grinned. “I once asked a fey hunter if he had a light. I had a cigarette in my hand. You'd think it would be an obvious question.”
“He took it literally?” I grimaced.
“Lit up a space about twenty yards across,” he snorted. “Then looked at me like I was insane, when I started laughing.”
“See?” I said to Raza.
“Are you joining me or not?” Raza had a bored expression on his face.
“He's right, Ambassador,” one of the fairy hunters noted. “We need to see to the remains,” he waved a hand towards the bodies, “and I have no idea how long the psychic investigation will take.”
“We'll call you if we finish before you return,” the extinguisher I'd been speaking to, offered.
“Thank you, all of you, for handling this,” I said as I folded Rue's crumpled note and determinedly stuck it in my pocket. I had fantasies or shoving it down her throat, and I wanted to hold onto it just in case I was presented with the opportunity. “Can we bring food back for anyone?”
“We'll grab something on the way to the plane,” the extinguisher said. Blake, I think his name was. Blake Teagan. “Don't worry about us, Ambassador.”
“Alright, dragon,” I said to Raza, “let's go.”
“Ambassador Sloane,” another of the extinguishers called out to me as I headed for the door. I turned and he tossed me a set of keys. “I'm assuming you don't want to walk.”
“You assumed right,” I gave him a grateful smile and left the room of corpses with Raza. I felt like I should have been h
elping to bag bodies, but honestly, I was relieved to be given an escape.
“I will drive,” Raza held his hand out to me expectantly.
“Do you even know how?” I asked skeptically.
“Of course I do,” he rolled his eyes as his human glamour settled over him. “This isn't my first trip to the Human Realm.”
“Alright,” I handed the keys over with obvious reluctance.
We got into the standard issue, extinguisher, black SUV, and I immediately hit the GPS for a list of nearby restaurants. Raza frowned at the little box, giving me a jolt of childish pleasure. I smirked at him as I showed him the list.
“Anything look good?” I asked, as if he knew what he was looking at.
“You're taunting me now?” Raza lifted a brow. “You realize it's dangerous to taunt a dragon.”
“Why? You gonna change your mind about the restaurant and have me for lunch?” My mistake became obvious to me as soon as the words left my mouth.
Raza's golden eyes gleamed as his head swiftly angled towards me, like a hawk spotting prey. He smiled slowly, sensuously, and then licked his lips. I swallowed hard.
“Was that an offer?” he finally purred.
“Danu damn it, Raza,” I growled. “Stop looking at me like that or we'll never make it to a restaurant.”
“That was my intent,” Raza said blandly.
“I thought you wanted to wait?”
“You wanted to wait,” he corrected. “I was honoring your wishes, since you were under the sway of your lusts, and I knew you'd blame me later for taking advantage of your wanton state. But now, you are fully in control. So if you'd like to satisfy a different hunger before lunch, I'd be happy to help.”
I swallowed again. Goddess, he was tempting, even when he was calling me wanton. And I was so mad at Tiernan that I wanted to jump Raza right there in the middle of that residential area. But I knew I'd regret it. If there was any hope for a reunion with Tiernan, I had to stay away from Raza. Sleeping with the dragon now, so soon after my fight with Tiernan, would end things for good. And I wasn't ready to give up on that dream quite yet.
Funny how you can tell yourself something's over, even know it to be true, but when it comes down to it, you still have hope. Hope is such a dirty whore.
