by T. F. Walsh
“I’m not an idiot.” Axel shifted in his seat, staring outside the car at the enormous cement walls that resembled a prison. “The militia only focus on protecting their own kind. But shit is going down in the Outlands. You ought to put more resources out there, and leave regular folk like me alone.”
Santasha stared at me through the rearview mirror with a cocked brow. Axel’s words echoed her own. Hell, I couldn’t agree more. Trying to convince our boss was something else.
“So those faes tonight… Who were they?” I asked.
Axel shrugged. “You’re PPD. You tell me.” That time, his Russian accent strengthened. English was common in Kutia Hollow, especially amongst faes. But in some areas, humans had their own language.
Nine times out of ten, getting information out of suspects came down to asking the right question. “Okay, Axel, let’s start with something simple. Have you seen those fae before?”
“Nope.”
Santasha asked, “Have there been more faes in the Outlands than usual?” She wasn’t normally chatty with criminals… seemed she was making an exception for Axel. Of course, it shouldn’t bother me, yet for some reason, I had the urge to interrupt and ask my own question. What was wrong with me?
“Not that I’m aware of. There are dozens of small towns. No idea who comes and goes.”
I slouched in my seat. Tires crunched over gravel. Santasha slowed the car as we approached the gates, now manned. We drove inside after the booth guy waved us in. I’d be back to grill his ass about his whereabouts once I finished with Axel.
We followed a road lined with apartment buildings. In the distance, open land spread out, fresh lawn, and parks. The city was layered in circles, each divided by fae-made rivers. The whole place spanned twenty-one miles in either direction and homed two million residents, yet the location had been built for more than ten million. So I never understood why people preferred to live outside the perimeter where not much grew.
Street lights flanked our path, blinking as if threatening to go out. Everything in the area ran on solar power so reserving it at night was normal practice.
“Have you visited the city before?” Santasha glanced over her shoulder at Axel before refocusing on driving straight. Luckily, at that time of the night, no one else was on the road.
“Once or twice.” Axel studied the apartments nearby. We passed the parks and approached the second layer of the city.
Axel turned away. “Are the cuffs necessary? I’m cooperating.”
“Yep,” I said.
The moment we cleared the steel arched bridge, voices echoed in the distance. I scanned the streets ahead—blocks of flats. Most of the populace lived in this area, and once we crossed the next overpass, bright lights shone from windows. Powerful, important fae, such as the PPD chief, called the first sector home. Townhouses and single-story buildings littered the area where sidewalks were lined with blossoming trees. The perfect place to forget a wasteland lay just outside the city walls.
We swung onto a road filled with three-story houses to our left near the river. On the right, an energy wind-turbine.
A cacophony of shouting escalated.
“Santasha, what is that?” I asked.
“Riots in Red Square. All available PPD have been dispatched.”
Was that why no one managed the gate earlier?
Axel snorted a laugh. “Even the faes in their guarded castle aren’t happy.”
I bit my tongue, refusing to fuel a debate. I needed him to open up once we reached the precinct.
Twenty minutes later, a chorus of words escalated. We sped past Renaissance architecture, dotted with statues of cherubs. Other buildings sported wild animals in attack postures along their driveways. The center still had several structures intact from decades ago. Each carried a legend, like the cathedral at Red Square. Shaped as a flame of a bonfire, the building appeared to rise into the sky, consisting of multiple cylindrical, tent-styled sections. They all had a bubble-cone on top. Legends said a violent man who had driven the attacks against faes ordered its architects to be blinded so they would not construct anything else so beautiful. No one knew if the tale was true, but if so, I’d rather they destroyed something that stood for cruelty than turn it into a museum.
We rounded the corner of an ancient chapel with a green tinted roof and red brick walls. A marble statue of a woman with wings spanned outward stood on the sidewalk front. Supposedly it was Princess Kutia.
Santasha stomped the brakes, and Axel and I lurched in our seats. Faes filled Red Square ahead—the center of Moscow.
There had to be at least two hundred protesters standing across the cobblestoned area. Each fae had their wrists tied behind their backs, and a red ribbon covered their eyes. They chanted, “The council is killing us.” Others held signs saying, “Save humans.”
My stomach churned with uneasiness. Yeah, we all appeared terrified. Each time someone died, so did their binding partner. But during the past two weeks, twenty to thirty faes a day had dropped dead.
Fear overcame conscious thought. This could be my last breath. We lived in a death lottery. But if I let dread consume me, I’d be a walking zombie, incapable of doing my job. That wasn’t living, no matter how long I had left.
“The binding needs to end,” Axel grumbled, his attention on the protesters. “But let’s be honest, the only reason these faes want to save people is to protect their own rear ends. If we weren’t connected, they wouldn’t give a shit if we starved to death in the Outlands.” Bitterness underscored his words.
“Not true,” I blurted. “I’m so sick of you guys making up excuses and blaming everyone for your situation. The gates are open, and anyone is welcome. Don’t tell me your sob story.”
Santasha shook her head.
“Really,” he said and scooted in his seat to face me, the bridge of his nose pinched. “I met a man who tried settling here and got treated the same as a second-class citizen, received no food or job opportunities.”
“Change always takes time,” Santasha piped in. “But we’ve got food trucks serving hot meals near the walls for those in need. We want to help.”
Axel didn’t respond and turned to stare out the window as several PPD officers cleared the street for us to pass. I spotted a fae female, slender and tall, with the same high cheekbones common in most faes. She rushed into the crowd, holding hands with a human brunette. Axel also watched them, and I couldn’t stop myself.
“Some have made a life for themselves here. It’s possible.”
“Лжец.” Axel huffed.
“I don’t lie,” I replied.
“Rich, desperate faes,” he began, “are paying criminals to find their binding partner. Except they are being tricked. Majority of offenders kidnap people, threaten to kill their families if they don’t pretend to be a fae’s match. The human victim stays in the city for a few weeks, then sneaks home. Gangs get paid and who is the fae going to complain to? When Kutia Hollow is ending. There will always be someone who profits out of misery.”
I’d heard of the practice and loathed the notion.
The silence falling over us was a blanket, smothering me. We passed Red Square. Other cities and countries experienced similar issues, so this wasn’t isolated to Moscow.
The PPD building came into view, and I said, “Time’s up, Axel.”
He didn’t respond. Fine by me. I wasn’t there to make friends. I intended to do what it took to stop anyone from destroying our future.
Chapter 4
I stood at the front of Peace Protection Division headquarters. A red building, flanked by jagged towers and white cornices; it reminded me of a crown dripping with blood. I turned to Axel, still handcuffed to me. His hooded gaze darkened. Whenever the police chief discovered we had a wanted criminal at the precinct, he would insist on injecting a detector into his neck. That would alert us the moment the criminal left the city. He’d be forced to spend years within the walls, checking in with a PPD officer several t
imes a week. Except, I’d promised Axel his freedom for information, and that meant I didn’t want him tagged. Problem was my boss changed regulations as often as it snowed during summer in Moscow. Never!
“Axel, let’s make this quick. Answer all our questions, and don’t play hard to get.”
He cocked an eyebrow and half smirked. His gaze dipped to the name badge on my chest. “Listen, Luna Vale. I’ve already played your game, and you’ve given me nothing back. I don’t trust you or the PPD to keep your word.”
“I’ll convince my boss to overlook your records,” I continued, certain that if I explained we had a clue as to who was killing everyone, he’d have to pay attention.
Axel said nothing more, his stoic expression locked in place. Spotlights cast shadows beneath his eyes. If we were standing outside a local club instead of PPD headquarters, I’d consider letting him buy me a drink. His stubbled, square jawline added to the allure, along with his strong cheekbones. Axel’s rugged appearance spiked my pulse. Coupled with his dark hair blowing in the breeze, I could stare for hours. And for those few seconds, I lost myself.
“Don’t do me any favors.” Loathing coated his words, slicing through my fantasy and reminding me what had happened the last time I went there. The shit with my ex still tightened my gut. No one ought to walk in on their partner fucking his work colleague. We’d been together a full year. Prick. Whatever. My focus was now on protecting the community and stopping the killings.
“Well, either cooperate, or you’ll end up with a tracking device. Your choice.”
Inside, fluorescent lights lit up the waiting room and its faded linoleum flooring, easy for mopping up blood. The number of fights that broke out between officers and criminals was now an expectation rather than an if. Detectives upstairs even placed bets once a week. I shivered but didn’t know if it was from the chill in the air or from our situation.
The latest recruit listened to an elderly fae at the front counter. The only word I caught was cockroaches. Yep, Moscow had an infestation problem. The little bastards got into every pipe, sewer, roof… everywhere. After the Outlands had been burned down, the creatures were drawn to our food.
“This way.” I guided Axel forward, his boots thumping on the floor. We passed two faes slumped on metal chairs who appeared to be studying us.
I tapped my comm and placed it on the door scanner. A click resonated, and the door slid open, so I pushed into the detention area, about twenty feet square with no windows. Only one human stood against the wall, locked to the railing. Quiet night.
“I’ve been here for hours. What the fuck? I done nothing wrong,” the guy yelled. “Это пиздец.”
“Luna,” Axel said, running a hand across his jawline. “We chat here, now, or I won’t cooperate.”
With a swipe on the comm, my cuffs clicked open, and in haste, I fastened Axel to the railing. “I’ll be back in a sec.”
His incredulous stare locked onto me, but I ignored him. Axel’s presence had a strange way of closing in around me. Once I left, I emerged into the long corridor that led to the rest of the building, meeting rooms, offices, and the kitchen. The next floor up was where the detectives worked. Those guys handled mostly council jobs.
I hurried as much as possible since the carpet stuck to my boots, and I entered the main office filled with three rows of tables. Tonight, the place was deserted. I wove my way around to the center, crashed in the seat, and activated my comm. A virtual screen popped up in front of me, along with a projected keyboard. In no time, I found Axel in the database.
His mugshot showed him as bald with a fresh scar dotting his chin. Must have been an old photo because the guy I picked up had more ruggedness to him with layers of muscles, plus a lot more hair.
Below the image, it stated: Axel Kozlov. Human. Twenty-seven years old. Last seen in Sofrino in the Outlands, twenty-four months ago. Address: unknown.
I scrolled down to the infringements and crimes I’d read earlier. Most people in the area had criminal records, maybe not quite as long as Axel’s, but it had become the norm. I kept reading but found nothing new. Damn, I’d hoped to find a clue as to why the faes wanted him. Had he been pretending to be a rich playboy to an aristocrat, or maybe murdered a fae and had a gang chasing him? I typed the night’s incident, adding that Axel was now under temporary arrest in our detention room. I included every small detail I remembered from the attack of the faes, and then I uploaded their photos. Records identified them and showed both were upstanding citizens without a blemish on their record. So why the hell were they trying to kill Axel?
“Are you sure about this?” My boss’s voice rose as he crossed the threshold to the main office where I sat. Vassily held onto Axel’s elbow, who had both hands cuffed behind his back. And Eduard, the council representative, was farther down the corridor. His round belly taking the lead.
What were they doing with Axel?
The last time Eduard had turned up unannounced, he’d insisted the city send food supplies to neighboring countries. News of the orders had created massive riots as faes panicked that local resources would diminish. So what new requests was Eduard springing on us?
I shot to my feet, curiosity burning in my chest. Standard practice affirmed the officer who brought the suspect in got to interrogate them.
“Of course,” Eduard said, all three oblivious that I stood several feet away, watching. “Put him in the back interview room.”
“I did nothing wrong. Ask the peacekeeper who brought me in,” Axel growled, but beneath his tone, his words trembled. Then he twisted in place, released a long exhale, his eyes smiling to see me. “There she is!”
I approached them. “Chief, what’s going on?”
They all turned to face me, and at once, Axel’s shoulders eased and his gaze implored I extract him.
“Axel’s with me,” I continued. “He might be a lead for us in the Moscow v Binding Murders case. But I haven’t interviewed him yet.”
Vassily glanced at Eduard, his eyes fixed as if waiting for a response. Obviously, I wasn’t the only one perplexed. He blinked and refocused on me. “It’s okay, Luna, you’ll get your chance. We’re—”
“Come on. I don’t have all night.” Eduard waved for Vassily to follow with Axel.
A buzz trilled in my head—my deception radar reacting to Eduard’s voice.
“Eduard,” I called out. “Nice to have you back in Moscow.” I stepped closer, half blocking Axel’s passage. But when the council fae looked at me, the bridge of his nose pinched. He stared for those few silent seconds as if trying to decipher who I was.
“How’s the wife?” I asked.
“Good.” He offered a fast and clipped response.
My insides tingled with a barbed wire sensation. He was lying! On our last encounter, Eduard wasn’t married. I exchanged a glance with Vassily, who simply glared my way.
Wonderful. My boss was too busy playing office politics to say anything, but I had to know what was going on. “Do you mind if I sit in on your questioning?”
Axel studied me, his brow cocking upward. What did the council want with an ordinary human from the Outlands? What was Eduard hiding? Was this a secret initiative from the council leaders?
“No, that won’t be necessary,” Eduard blurted. “This criminal is on the wanted list, and I’m taking over the case.”
Fire shot to my cheeks. “Since when?” I curbed my tongue at once because my response flew out too fast. No one had a right to question a council rep. Plus, Vassily was giving me a death glare capable of defeating an entire army of gang members.
“This no longer concerns the PPD.” Eduard spun around.
“Eduard,” I called out, remembering our conversation from his last visit. “What about those matryoshaks?” I studied him as he twisted his head my way, eyes blank.
He said nothing at first, and his lips warped into a grimace. “Nesting dolls? Not really my thing.” He entered the farthest room to the right. My boss d
ragged Axel after him.
Eduard loved babushkas and had them all over his car. Even his keyring was one. My brain turned into a spinning top, filled with questions but no answers. This wasn’t the Eduard I knew… so what was going on? And Vassily went along with this charade. The pressure of being shoved aside closed tight around my chest. I wasn’t going to just sit back, so I marched closer just as Vassily reappeared, shutting the door behind him. He stood rigid and tall with a wary expression. “Luna, with me!”
Perfect. I’d tell him exactly what I thought as soon as I entered his office. A wooden desk was the main focal point of the room with no cabinets or filing drawers. The cement floor added to the prison appearance. Fluorescent lights flickered overhead, and the Kutia Hollow flag hung on the back wall. Twelve black rings and a red one, intertwined as a remembrance that Kutia Hollow had once been part of the Fae Realm.
Centuries ago, Rasha, the good fae queen, battled Acura, an evil fae who attacked and started a war. But to save her thirteen daughters and stop faes and humans from killing each other to extinction, Rasha made a grand sacrifice. She buried her girls in different hollow lands around the world. Using her innate magic, she gave up her own life to create thirteen planets from one. A princess slept in each, fueling her own world with enchantment. On our flag, Princess Kutia represented the red ring and was the hollow where I lived. While a lot of the animosity between races stemmed from ancient times, I believed once Kutia awakened, all would be right. Next year marked a century since her entombment. At that time, she was destined to rise from the ground to bring peace to us once again.
“Luna.” Vassily’s voice ripped me from my thoughts. “There’s enough shit without you insulting the council. What’s gotten into you?” He huffed, and his belly pulled against the two lines of buttons on his gray uniform jacket. He ran a hand through his peppered hair, yet all I pictured at that moment was him and Eduard having high-five sex. My stomach churned. Thanks, Santasha.
“But something’s wrong here,” I said. “You’ve always told me to follow my instinct, and right now it’s off the chart. Why didn’t Eduard recognize me? Why did he say his wife is good when he isn’t married? Since when doesn’t he like Babushkas?” I didn’t remember moving, but I’d worn a path from the door to the window.
