By Fairy Means or Foul: A Starfig Investigations Novel

by Meghan Maslow

  “Let’s strike a deal, wizard.” Burningwood lowered her staff, staying well out of my immediate reach.

  A deal? I waited to see what Burningwood had in mind. Mostly, I wanted to understand why Quinn spared her. He was right. I’d have barbequed her in another moment. He should let me. She’d already killed hundreds of creatures. We’d be doing the world a favor. Quinn patted my leg as he kept his eyes on Burningwood.

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “You want the horn. I can get it for you.”

  “And the price?”

  “You.” She swung her staff in his direction, shot her destructive magic.

  Quinn had obviously been expecting something because at almost the same moment he vibrated, his hand still on me. A jolt went through my body, though it didn’t hurt, and when her spell hit it bounced off us and ricocheted back on her.

  This time, she screeched, a dried up husk of a scream and fell to her knees. Her staff burst into flame. She dropped it, clutching her sides.

  Huh, hadn’t expected that.

  Skin that only moments ago could kindly be described as well-preserved now turned a deep brown and rippled in ever increasing pulses. Burningwood continued to scream, her back bowing at an unnatural angle, her fingers tearing at her skin. Flowers began to sprout along her hair, and branches shot through her body, spreading and growing at an astronomical rate. Then vines twined around her, and roots grew from her knees into the ground. I gaped. What in blazes did Quinn do?

  “I reversed her magic through you. Pie gave me the idea when he said that dark magic turns on its user. You already have immunity to most black magic, so I turned that around and instead of draining your essence, it shot life into hers. It’s weird to see a spell in action that I’d practiced all these years, but could never actually do.”

  We watched as she writhed, rooted to the spot, more tree limbs bursting forth from her body. A forked branch shot from her mouth, her face crumpling inward, bits falling away like old bark.

  “I wasn’t honestly sure what would happen.” Quinn’s fingers dug into my skin, his attention riveted on the grotesque scene. “I figured life wouldn’t react well with all her powers of death.”

  Um, an understatement to be sure. As he finished his explanation, her final scream cut off abruptly. An enormous tree grew in what had been Sahara Burningwood, branches still unfurling, and flowers the size of Quinn’s hand dotted the newly emerging foliage.

  Wow, she must be pretty old to have such a thick trunk, I thought.

  “Ancient,” Quinn agreed. Even the ground around us was affected. The withered trees began to crack and healthy shoots pushed through the husks. Then the swamp grass turned from a shriveled brown to a vibrant and lush green.

  That’s some magic you got there, Quinn.

  “Y-Yeah. I guess so.”

  We traced our way back through the swamp, Quinn slumped against my neck.

  Tired?

  “That spell took a lot out of me. Do you mind if I rest and we can talk more once we reach the Outpost?”

  I rumbled my assent and sped my steps, making sure Quinn was nestled snug in his place. With my new size and stamina, we made it back to the Outpost in short order. I lowered my head gently to the ground so he could dismount. He scrambled off me, stumbling a bit as he cradled his arm once again.

  I nosed at him, almost knocking him over.

  “Careful, big guy. You don’t know your own strength yet.” Quinn patted my snout. “We need to get you to change back. I don’t suppose you know how to do it?”

  I shook my head. I didn’t have a clue.

  “Maybe you just need to think about it.”

  I did the equivalent of a shrug. Worth a try. Willing myself to change back to my human-like form, I waited. Nothing happened.

  “Close your eyes and picture yourself as Twig,” he suggested.

  I did as he asked. It wasn’t as easy as it sounded because I just really wanted to stomp around and test out my new body some more. I’d lived my whole life thinking I’d never have a dragon form, so this was incredibly exhilarating.

  “Focus, Twig. I really need to get my arm seen to.”

  I flinched. What was I thinking? I should be taking care of my mate. I couldn’t do it in this form now, so I needed to shift. Thinking of Quinn’s arm did the trick. My bones cracked and I grunted from the pain as my body shrank and reformed into human form. Still excruciating, yet not nearly as bad or as slow as the first shift. Hopefully, in time, it would be effortless.

  I lay on the ground gasping for breath, my bones feeling achy and my muscles wobbly. Quinn rushed to my side, crouching.

  “Are you okay?” His eyes were huge, his cheeks flushed. “Uh, I don’t suppose you packed a change of clothes in your knapsack?”

  I cleared my throat a few times before I could speak, and even then my voice came out raspy and harsh as though I hadn’t talked for a long time. “You know I didn’t.”

  He grinned sheepishly. “Let me see if I can get you something from the outpost. Do you have any gold?”

  I nodded.

  “You want to sit up?”

  “Nope. Going to lay here until I can move without barfing.”

  He patted my shoulder.

  “Fair enough. You stay here and I’ll get you something to wear. Uh, just so you know, your markings are amazing.” He rose and vanished through one set of gates.

  My markings? I looked down at myself. My body was covered in the tattoo-like scales that full-blooded dragons sported. I’d have smiled if I didn’t hurt so much.

  While Quinn shopped, I let my stomach settle and tried to keep as still as possible. Shifting was a queasy business.

  But even an unsettled stomach couldn’t diminish my wonder. If Quinn hadn’t figured it out . . . if I hadn’t trusted him . . . so many things to be grateful for and yet all I could do was lay on the ground and moan. Not exactly the triumphant moment I’d pictured hundreds of times before, though the zombies had been fun.

  Shifting changed everything. Would I still be welcome in the Elder? What would my father do? What did it mean that Quinn and I were wizard and familiar? Would he always be able to read my thoughts? So many questions. My mind, however, was tired. Almost as much as my body. I closed my eyes and just drifted.

  By the time Quinn returned, I felt almost ready to stand on my own. I groaned and sat up, my muscles screaming. Fucking basilisk boners! Shifting hurt. Considering all the zombies I killed in both forms, I shouldn’t be surprised either. This was the part bards left out of all those ballads about heroes that humans seemed to favor. I didn’t think I’d move comfortably for at least a couple days.

  Quinn held up a thick leather belt and a long white tunic that didn’t seem too many sizes bigger than me.

  “Where did you find this?” I asked.

  “It’s for a small child,” he said, keeping his eyes averted.

  Of course. Slipping it over my head, I shimmied into it, then pushed myself to my feet. Ugh. I needed food and a bed pronto. I stumbled when I tried to walk. Quinn slipped under my arm and braced me.

  “I think we both need some rest,” he said.

  We weaved our way back to the Watering Hole. As soon as we entered, the patrons burst into loud applause. Quinn and I must have looked like morons standing there with our mouths agape. Chairs scraped as the giants stood and gave us a standing ovation. Quinn recovered first and performed a shaky bow. I considered it, except I would be more likely to tip over than straighten back up.

  Before I could force my body to bend, a key flew toward us. My reflexes were slow so it bounced off my chest and hit the floor. Unfortunately, so did Quinn and I.

  We both lay there, stunned, trying to struggle back to our feet. Once upright, I watched as Krofom picked up Quinn under his arms and hefted him like he weighed less than nothing.

  “Sorry,” Krofom said, blushing. “I forgot you’d both be exhausted.”

  “You knew we’d come back.�
�� Quinn smiled.

  “Yes, little wizard, I had another vision. Your room is ready and I placed a tray of food for you both up there. There’s also a bowl of warm water to wash with and some bone-setting powder.” He eyed my outfit. “Nice onesie, dragon.”

  “It’s a tunic,” I grumbled.

  “Of course.” Krofom kept a straight face. Barely. He handed me the key and wished us a good evening.

  Retreating to the room, we took turns washing up, then I applied the bone-setting powder. A breath hissed between Quinn’s lips as the powder did its work. I cringed when I heard a distinct crack of bones resetting and mending. Quinn groaned, his teeth gritted as the healing continued. It didn’t take long, but I could see it cost Quinn to act like it wasn’t extremely painful.

  Once the healing completed, we sank down on a huge sofa and ate every last bite on the tray, even though the portion was definitely giant-sized. Having shifted, I was ravenous, and I guess when Quinn’s powers activated it took a lot out of him too, because he ate more than I ever imagined a human eating.

  I must have been more tired than I realized, because it was only after we’d eaten and were settling down for the night that I noticed his ring was smashed, the ruby gone.

  “Your ring . . .”

  He shrugged. “It happens.”

  I could tell he wasn’t as unaffected as he pretended. I’d seen his knapsack with his pitiful belongings, after all. That ring meant more than he was saying.

  “Did I do that?” My voice sounded dejected even to my own ears.

  “Don’t worry about it, Twig. It was an accident. It didn’t really help me when I needed it anyway. Kind of like my family. Without you I would have been zombie fodder.”

  “I’d never let that happen.” I leaned against him, needing his touch. “I’ll replace the ring. I’m sure my dragon can find a similar acting stone. It might take a little while—”

  A finger over my lips silenced me.

  “I don’t care about the ring.” Quinn’s eyes shone glassy in the low torch light. He leaned in.

  “You don’t?” I swallowed, the air feeling suddenly charged.

  “No,” he said, a bare inch from my lips, his warm, sweet breath a reminder that we’d both come out of the swamp very much alive. “I ended up with something a lot better.”

  I closed the final distance and felt his lips give under my own. An unfamiliar sound spilled from my throat, a kind of purr, as he opened for me. His taste filled my senses making me want more, want to devour him. I kept the kiss gentle. Neither of us were in any shape for something more and my bones still ached from my recent shift.

  We kissed for what seemed like hours, but was probably only a minute or two. He went slack in my arms and when I drew back, his eyes were closed and his breathing had leveled out. He’d fallen asleep.

  While we were kissing.

  Talk about giving a guy’s ego a kick in the balls. Yet my dragon all but crowed watching him sleep. Scooping him into my arms, I put him to bed. I even tucked him in and brushed a kiss across his brow.

  Ah, fuck me. When I wasn’t looking trouble came and kicked my ass. So, why wasn’t I more upset about it?

  18

  Krofom turned out to be a good guy. The next morning he sent up another tray of food, and he didn’t wake us until the sun shone high in the sky.

  “Did you sleep okay?” I asked Quinn.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever slept that heavy in my life.” He yawned, his eyelids still at half mast, the imprint of a pillow across one cheek. “Did you?”

  “Same.”

  We fell quiet as we ate, so many things to discuss, yet so hard to figure out where to start.

  “You’ll have to get your last tattoo,” I finally said to start the conversation rolling.

  Quinn’s hand went to his collar.

  “I hadn’t considered that.” He didn’t meet my eyes.

  “You don’t want it?”

  “I didn’t say that.” Quinn kept his eyes focused on his plate, his hands fidgeting.

  “So what gives, then?”

  Quinn finally looked up, his gaze tortured.

  “I don’t think you understand what it means to be my familiar. What it entails, I mean.”

  “It means I’m a channel for your magic, right? And we can communicate with our thoughts. Wait, can we do that when I’m in this form?”

  “Yes, but I’m purposely shutting down the connection right now for privacy’s sake.”

  “Oh. Well, good.” I wouldn’t want Quinn rummaging around in my head any time he pleased. “So, can I shut you out too, or is that only on your side?”

  “I honestly don’t know. I’ve never heard of a dragon familiar, much less a shifter. Most familiars are just simple animals. You shouldn’t even be able to be my familiar.”

  Huh. I scratched my chin, thinking over what he’d said.

  “But I am.”

  “Yeah.”

  Annoyance flared in my chest at his glum expression.

  “Don’t sound so thrilled about it. I mean, I only saved your life.”

  His expression only looked more bleak if possible.

  “I know. That just makes it worse.”

  “I don’t understand.” I huffed. What was wrong with a dragon familiar?

  “You’re linked to me now. Permanently.”

  “Like mated?” I asked. And why did my dragon practically chuckle with glee at the idea? As if I didn’t know.

  “Not exactly.”

  “Okaaay. Care to explain it?”

  “Familiars are more like . . . pets. They channel a witch’s power, but they also are under that witch’s control.”

  “Uh-huh. Well, like you said, I’m not your average familiar, so I’m sure things will be different between us.”

  Quinn sighed. “I don’t know if they can be.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “A familiar is basically compelled to do a witch’s bidding. They don’t leave their witch’s side. At least not for very long. I’ve been told it makes them uncomfortable.”

  I let that sink in. Under Quinn’s control? What exactly did that mean? I wasn’t about to be under anyone’s command. I’d fought against it my whole life. Even a mate wouldn’t have that kind of control over me. Quite the opposite. I’d control him.

  “Give me a command.”

  “What?” Quinn couldn’t have looked more surprised if I slapped him.

  “You said you can compel me. So compel me.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea—”

  “Come on. Don’t back out now. Compel me.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

  “Stand up.”

  I felt a strong desire to stand up. I remained sitting.

  Quinn said it again. I continued to sit, though the urge to stand was strong. But not impossible to resist. Okay, I could work with this. Quinn looked equal measures relieved and chagrined.

  “See, I’m different from other familiars. I’m not just a dragon. My fairy-side must weigh in too.”

  “So you didn’t feel anything?” Quinn asked.

  “I wanted to stand. But I wasn’t forced. More like a strong desire. I don’t really like it, but I can live with it.”

  Suddenly a rush of sadness filled my chest. It didn’t come from me. Quinn groaned.

  “I can’t even have a proper familiar. What kind of second-rate wizard am I? I say ‘stand up’ and you ignore me completely.”

  My feet pushed off before I even thought and I stood before him. What the fuck? We both blinked at each other, then I gingerly sat back down.

  “What in hydra’s hell fire was that?” I said.

  “I-I don’t know.” He peered at me closely, then reached out and put his hand on my knee. My body instantly heated and I felt a connection between us grow. My cock hardened and my dragon wanted desperately to come out and play. Give him the mating bite. I wasn’t about to do it.

  Whatever was happening between us, Quinn fel
t it too. His pupils blew wide and he licked his bottom lip slowly, drawing my gaze.

  “If you don’t want to end up riding my cock, Quinn, I suggest you take your hand off me. Now.”

  He yanked his hand away like he’d been burned. And maybe he had.

  “Sorry,” he stammered. “I didn’t realize our connection would do that.”

  “Oh?”

  “As far as I know, most witches don’t want to have sex with their familiars.”

  I grinned, feeling way too smug. “As I said, I’m not just any familiar.”

  “No, you’re definitely not.” He shook his head. “It’s weird. It’s like there’s this connection, where I can tap into the dragon part of your nature. Would you let me try something?”

  “Like what?”

  “I want to try giving you another command.”

  “Sexual?” I waggled my eyebrows. “You really don’t have to order me, I’d be more than happy to oblige.”

  He smiled, a blush of color tingeing his cheeks.

  “No, nothing like that. I want to see if my theory is correct.”

  “Knock yourself out.”

  “Kiss me.”

  I felt an almost overwhelming desire to kiss him. This time the desire didn’t just radiate from him. I resisted. My dragon grumbled, denied a treat.

  When I didn’t move, sadness descended in my chest again. I began to lean toward him, realized what I was doing and stopped. It took everything I had. Was it a delayed reaction? He’d give an order and the longer I went without fulfilling it, the harder it became? I didn’t know, but I really, really, really wanted to kiss him. And this urge wasn’t solely coming from me, even though I was eager to taste him.

  “Kiss me,” he said softly, a tremor of hurt in his voice.

  Before I could think to resist, I wrapped him in my embrace and locked our lips together. He opened for me and soon our tongues were battling, each slide of his skin against mine stroking the heat between us.

  When we finally came up for air, we were both breathing hard, and I was having to focus on keeping my fangs retracted. Damn, I wished I understood all this. Was it possible it wasn’t Brandsome’s magic at all? Was it possible he truly was my mate? It didn’t make sense, but then, according to Quinn, neither did a half-dragon-half-fairy familiar. And yet . . .