by C. T. Adams
“Sidhe?”
“The ones that look most human, except taller, thinner, with pointy ears. They can use illusion and can use magic like a weapon. They also have this innate ability called the shining or shine and it’s dangerous as hell. They use it deliberately to cloud people’s minds and overpower their will, so that they do whatever they’re told. Your amulet should help you see through it, but you’ll still need to be really careful.”
“Right. Go on.”
“They hate Brianna because of it and they want her dead. They think her mom anchored the spell to her bloodline and that if Brianna dies they’ll go back to the good old days.”
“They won’t?”
“Pug says no, and I believe him. I knew Helena, remember, and she was way sneakier than that.”
“So Brianna can take us back.”
“Yes. Or we can go back through the portal painting—if the king or Brianna operates it. It’s keyed to them.”
“Then how’d the doxies hijack it?”
“That’s what the king wants to know. I’m guessing here, but I think somebody stole some hair, blood, something with either Brianna or the king’s DNA in it and used it to open the portal. But that’s just a guess.”
“So, Brianna can send us back, the king can send us through the portal, or we can find somebody with human magic and they can send us back. Is that it?”
“Yes and no.”
Nick growled in frustration.
David ran his hands through his hair. “I’m sorry. It’s just nothing here is that simple. Magic is complicated, and Faerie is complicated, and when you combine the two it gets even worse.” He glared at his brother. “And if you keep interrupting me I’m not going to be able to finish this before somebody comes back to check on you again.”
“Fine. Talk. I’ll shut up.”
David gave him a skeptical look. “All right, the king could send us back with the portal painting. Brianna can either use the painting to send us back, or she could take us outside of the city to send us back. But it has to be outside of the city, because there are prohibitions built around the city as a precaution to prevent someone just bringing over an army, or a bomb, or something and leveling the place.”
“Makes sense.”
“Now the king has gathered most of the Fae with human magic into his service and he uses them to move things back and forth. None of them are going to help us without his express permission. I’m pretty sure the dragons—”
“Dragons?”
“Yeah, dragons. Three of them. Last of their kind. Can look perfectly human and are total badasses in any form. Anyway, I’m guessing here, but I’m pretty sure that they go back and forth. But I’ve never actually seen it.”
“Dragons.” Nick blinked repeatedly.
“Look, it’s probably going to be easiest if you just assume that every mythical creature you’ve ever heard of really does exist—on this side of the veil. And everything and everyone here is dangerous as hell and not to be trusted.”
“Not so different from home after all then,” Nick joked.
They were interrupted by a light tap on the door.
“Yes?” Nick answered.
“It’s Brianna, may I come in?”
“Please do.”
When she walked in the door it was all he could do not to goggle at her. Wow, just … wow. She’d changed out of her jeans and into the kind of dress that wouldn’t be out of place on the red carpet at the Oscars. It was a shade of blue so dark it was nearly black. Sheer as a cobweb it had a halter neckline that left a long swatch of her back bare, while the front of the gown was decorated with a pattern of sparkling crystal beads in a pattern that mimicked the constellations of a night sky. The cloth clung to her in a way that accented every delicious curve.
The front portion of her hair had been pulled back in a complicated basket weave pattern of braids held in place with diamond-headed pins. Her pale skin glowed white against the dark fabric, and there was a lot of skin showing. The gown plunged low in the front, displaying ample cleavage and a faint, faded scar to the skin just above her heart. The dress also had slits that ran from the floor high up on her thighs on both sides. Through those slits he caught a glimpse of other narrow scars, and a matching pair of midnight garters adorned with a pair of very businesslike daggers.
Diamond and sapphire studs decorated each ear, a matching cuff adorned her left wrist. She looked both exquisitely beautiful, and utterly deadly.
David let out a low whistle. “Wow boss, you look … amazing.”
He was right. Nick had found her attractive in jeans and boots. Dressed like this, it was all he could do to keep from drooling. He didn’t want to stare, but he simply couldn’t help it.
“Thanks.” She smiled, and the ice princess vision melted in the warmth of that expression, a tiny dimple appearing at one corner of her mouth. “I’m to dine with my father, the lesser kings, and selected courtiers in a little while, but I wanted to check in on the two of you, make sure you were okay.”
“I’m good,” David said.
“I’m hanging in there,” Nick said.
“Good. So long as you stay in this building you should be safe. The guards won’t let you out—but they won’t let enemies in, either. Saturnino will take care of getting your dinner, and while you should still check everything with your amulets, he won’t risk doing anything that would harm you, or keep you here against your will.”
“Why not?” David asked.
Her smile became cold, hard, her eyes darkening. “Because he knows what I’ll do to him if he does.”
Looking into those eyes Nick realized she meant it, and while it made them safer here, it did make him wonder if perhaps the feds weren’t onto something back home. Because while she was beautiful enough to take his breath away, she was one tough customer; and, if anything, that made her even more attractive to him. Damn it.
A doorbell chimed, the tone clear and perfect, yet somehow ominous. Brianna turned toward the door. “I have to go. I’ll try to get back early. I know we need to talk. But I can’t promise anything.”
“It’s all right,” David assured her. “We’ll be fine.”
“Here’s hoping I will be,” Brianna said before pulling the door closed behind her.
16
BRIANNA HAI
“Is your grace ready?” Kenneth stood at the door at the front of a group of six guards. Male and female, they were dressed identically. All were in their full dress uniforms of black, white, and silver, leather and metal polished to a high gloss. Their long hair was pulled back in the single, tight regulation braid. They were armed to the teeth, although whether it was to guard her or to protect her was anyone’s guess. He, too, wore the traditional uniform, complete with the medals and rank insignia sewn onto the tunic. His cloak was of ebon velvet, its clasp a silver dragon with ruby eyes.
The dark colors were in high contrast to his blond good looks. He looked quite amazing. Even so, she found herself wishing that it would be Nick attending this evening’s events with her. Kenneth was her friend, and she trusted him with her life. But he was also gay, and thus a much better romantic prospect for David than for Brianna.
“I am.”
Kenneth took the midnight-blue cloak Saturnino had brought for her from the older man, discreetly checking it for spells and weapons before holding it out for her.
“I am permitted to be armed tonight.” Brianna made it a statement, although truthfully, she wasn’t nearly as sure as she was trying to sound. Her status in Faerie at this moment was more than a little tenuous.
“You are,” Kenneth agreed.
“Good, because I am … heavily.”
He gave her a winning smile as he slid the cloak onto her shoulders. “Good. So are we.” He held open the door for her and the guards fell into position around them, moving in perfect unison, their footfalls falling in perfect rhythm against the paving stones.
“You’re looking quite lovely this eve
ning,” Kenneth observed.
“Thank you. You’re looking pretty spiffy yourself.”
He laughed. “I did my best. I was rather hoping that your young human friend might come to the door to see us off.” He gave her a saucy wink before gesturing to the guards on gate duty to open it up for them.
“If he’d known you’d show up looking like that he would’ve,” Brianna retorted. “And speaking of my human friends, what are my father’s orders regarding them?”
“They are to be kept here and kept safe.”
“Good.”
The gates swung open, and Brianna’s escort led her out into the large courtyard that served the palace complex. There was no dog cart for her, and while she hadn’t really expected one the absence drove home again her tenuous status. Still, it was a lovely night for a walk. Her father could have arranged for it to be sleeting, or worse.
“The humans matter to you then?”
“They do.”
Kenneth gave her a carefully neutral look. “You realize that could be a problem.”
“I know. The nobles will use them against me if they get the chance.”
“Which is why I am your escort tonight and not one of them?”
“Among other reasons.”
He raised an eyebrow in inquiry.
“You are also quite devastatingly handsome, an excellent dancer—and a man I always want on my side in a fight.”
“As long as you’ve got your priorities in order.”
“Of course. I had an excellent tactics teacher.”
“Yes, you did.”
Several of the guards around them fought to hide their smiles. Kenneth had been teaching tactics at the academy for years—including during Brianna’s brief tenure as a guard trainee. He’d built and expanded on the knowledge she’d been given by the private tutors in charge of her education as one of Leu’s children. She’d proven an apt pupil. And while he’d never said a word, Brianna had gotten the distinct impression Kenneth had been disappointed when the king had cut her potential career in the guards short.
They had reached the center of the courtyard, and were forced to stop to let a dog cart with Rodan and his date for the evening drive past. Both her brother and Leelee pretended not to see her. To ease the awkwardness of the moment Brianna turned to Kenneth and, sotto voce, said, “That’s my brother, excellent breeding, lousy manners.” Kenneth, didn’t laugh, didn’t even smile. He was staring after the dog cart, his expression pensive.
“She’s an odd choice for him for a date, don’t you think?”
Brianna hadn’t thought about it, but he was right. Leelee was half Sidhe and half pixie. She was absolutely lovely, with skin the yellow of a butterfly’s wing, and short white hair with faint pink highlights that framed a face with perfect, delicate features dominated by slanted eyes the green of new grass that matched the sparkling crystals of her dragonfly wings. Brianna knew she was quite popular, with a number of powerful suitors, but Rodan had an evil reputation among the lesser Fae, and Brianna knew for a fact that he was prejudiced enough to believe in the superiority of all things Sidhe.
So why would he choose her?
“What are you thinking?” Brianna asked him.
“Your brother is up to something.”
“Always. Absolutely always.”
They resumed walking, taking their time so that they arrived naturally after the last of the dog carts. Brianna’s father waited beneath the portico, and he greeted them both with a smile before drawing Brianna close in a hug. “I see the clothes you left still fit you.”
“Barely.”
He laughed. “You look marvelous. Everyone else has arrived except Eammon, but he had quite a drive to pick up Ruala. They should be here shortly. There’s dancing in the mural room until dinner.”
Sliding his arm around Brianna’s waist he led them down the hall, his bodyguards falling seamlessly in with hers. At a gesture from the king everyone stopped at the double doors. “I think”—Leu turned to the guards—“that two guards apiece will do tonight—and that does include you Kenneth. This is, after all, supposed to be an intimate welcome-home celebration.”
No one argued. He was king. With minimal discussion it was determined that Brianna’s party would consist of Kenneth and Gwynneth, while the king would be attended by Petros and Warrach.
Petros and Gwynneth each opened one of the double doors. The music stopped, and everyone seated stood, turning with those standing toward the door to acknowledge the arrival of the king.
Standing as she was, just slightly behind and to the left of him Brianna was able to take a good long look at the room and its occupants.
The mural room was well named. It was a large room, but small compared to the other ballrooms in the palace. Each wall was decorated with a mural by a different artist, exquisitely depicting a nature scene from an area of Faerie during one of the four seasons. Wall sconces and chandeliers held old-fashioned candles, with additional light provided by floating globes of magical light that looked a bit like soap bubbles floating through the air. Occasionally as they moved the light would be just right, and rainbows would appear, the effect both fleeting and lovely.
Rodan was obviously there, dressed in a human-style white-tie tux, with Leelee on his left arm. He stood next to his mother. Asara was radiant in white satin, pearls, and diamonds, her long blonde hair in a complicated arrangement that ended in a narrow tail of loose curls that flowed down her back to her knees. Next to her understated beauty Leelee looked a little overdone in her flapper style little black dress.
Brianna’s half sister Rihannon stood in the corner beside a Sidhe noble whom Brianna was sure she should recognize, but couldn’t quite place. Rihannon was lovely in an ice-blue beaded sheath that flowed like water to the floor. She wore her pale blonde hair loose, with a delicate platinum headband as her only jewelry. She would have been stunning were it not for the vacant look in her eyes—they were glossy, and empty as her smile.
In the far corner the band wore traditional tuxedos.
The band struck up the royal anthem, and the king entered the room to the sound of its refrain. Brianna waited until her father had finished making his entrance before coming through the door on Kenneth’s arm. She was greeted immediately by Lucienne, who was stunning in a gown the deep green of pine needles, with emerald and diamond jewels. Her escort for the evening was Nama’an the Moor, a gorgeous human man who’d lived in Faerie for centuries. The band began playing a waltz. Kenneth turned to Brianna. “Shall we show them how it’s done?”
“I’d love to.”
Lucienne laughed. “Nama’an?”
“As you wish.”
They were soon joined by the other couples, everyone moving gracefully from one dance to another as the band continued playing. They were on their fourth song when King Leu appeared at Brianna’s elbow and asked to cut in.
“Of course, your majesty.” Kenneth bowed and stepped aside.
Leu was an excellent dancer. The two of them glided across the floor as gracefully as leaves blown across the autumn ground. Brianna relaxed, enjoying just being close to her father. She’d missed him.
“What are you thinking?”
“I’ve missed you,” she answered honestly. “I haven’t missed the politics, and the backbiting, or any of the rest of it, but I’ve missed you.”
“Then you don’t plan to stay.” His voice was calm, but there was a hint of sorrow at the edges, and his beautiful silver eyes had darkened to a smoky gray.
“No. I’m sorry.”
“So am I.” He gave her a rueful grin. “But I can’t say I blame you. You have too many powerful enemies.”
“Yes, I do. Did Lucie tell you my offer?”
“She did. I’ve contacted the Diamond King.”
Brianna nodded. As he swept her past the front doors she caught a glimpse of Eammon arriving. He looked dashing, but he was, surprisingly, alone. She might have commented on it, but her father spoke before she
could.
“The investigators found out how your enemies used the painting. Somehow they had gotten three of my hairs.”
Brianna very deliberately didn’t look over to where Asara was dancing with Rodan. “That would explain it.”
“I told you that if my carelessness had caused your difficulties I would owe you a debt.”
Brianna didn’t know what to say to that, so she remained silent.
“I thought I would repay that debt by doing something you hadn’t asked for, but which I believe will be quite helpful to you and your guests.”
“Oh?”
“For now, time in Faerie is running considerably faster than in your human world. You can spend days here, and only hours will have passed in your absence.”
Brianna felt a tension that she hadn’t consciously acknowledged ease within her. They could go back to their old lives. She’d been afraid … she knew the tales as well as anyone, tales of humans who spent a night in Faerie and returned to find that decades had passed in the human world in their absence.
“Thank you, Father. I appreciate that more than you know.” She smiled up at him.
“Good. I wanted to make you smile, and now I have. You don’t smile nearly often enough, Brianna. Life is meant to be enjoyed.”
“I’ll work on that.” She kept her face serious, but spoiled the effect by winking at him. It made him laugh. He was laughing when Rodan glided up with Leelee.
“I am surprised you didn’t come here with one of your human friends,” Rodan observed. “I know that Eammon expected it. He asked Lucie to bring Nama’an so that he could tell them all the advantages to living in Faerie.”
“They don’t plan on staying.” Brianna said it with a smile on her face that she hoped didn’t look as forced and fake as it felt.
“But they must.” Leelee’s eyes went wide. “Truly, we need new humans, new blood. If you, of all people, take them away after bringing them here to us—”
The music had stopped, causing her words to ring throughout the room from where they stood in the center of the dance floor.
