“Then where is my statue?” The man asked in a doubtful tone.
“Someone stole it. Someone else. Along with our asset,” Change answered, hopeful that Bain would understand that the situation being out of his hands.
The lean, high cheeks, under flawless pale skin, the color one acquired when they never spent time in the sun, clenched and worked as his fingers tightened, knuckles whitening. “Who?” He ground out. “Who stole from me?”
“We aren’t sure,” Chang stammered, nearly choking on his own tongue when the man unclasped his hands and motioned as if he would take a step towards him. “We don’t know who took them. Just that there were three of them, and they attacked the asset and took them both in their vehicle. My men followed them, though. We know their location.”
This seemed to placate the other man from the infinitesimal tension that seemed to leak out from his shoulders, even just the minuscule amount.
For a long silent minute, Bain was quiet, just staring at Chang, pinning him with his Champaign gold gaze. Finally, he asked, “Where?”
Chapter Five
"What do you mean she's been taken? By who?" Jess demanded, trying to propel her voice over the dozen others in the crowd all talking at once. Though it was all chaos to her, they seemed to understand one another just fine. Only two women, dressed for a fight like the men, stood among the throng.
"Where is Illian?" Called Fallon, as a collective pause seemed to quiet the group.
"He's coming, Mo rí," answered the petite blonde to her left.
Mo rí?
"Here, Mo rí. I'm here," came a man's voice a path was made for him as the people shifted to either side to let him by.
When a male appeared, one wing held high and tight to his back while the other drooped a little, Jess cringed when she spotted his face next. Angry purple bruising swelled the tissue around his eyes and puffed his lip out. As he stepped in front of her to face Fallon, she saw that a bandage was taped to his right wing and a gash was freshly sewn on the back of his arm, the black shirt's sleeves torn.
He bowed on bended knee before he spoke.
"I'm sorry, Mo rí. I have failed you." He kept his head down, eyes trained on Fallon's black boots.
"Rise, Illian. Tell us what happened," Fallon said.
Standing, his injured wing drooped a little.
"I was unprepared. There were three. One had already been waiting inside. They knocked me unconscious and by the time I came to, they had already disappeared with her." His eyes swept a quick glance in Jess' direction.
"Who, Illian?" Fallon asked, brows furrowed.
"NicCambers and his men." Fury made his square jaw clench and muscles pop on his sharp cheeks.
It seemed the feeling was shared among the rest of the crowd as words of distaste whispered throughout.
"Thank you, Illian." Fallon said, turning to speak with another male to his side, Illian stopped him.
"Mo rí, there's something else." His eyes were downcast again.
"What is it, brother?"
"Somehow she had the Daeghtus." Gasps and whispers immediately followed. "They took it with them."
Fallon's nostrils flared with every breath in. "How did it come in her possession?"
"I don’t know, Mo rí."
Nodding, Fallon clasped him on the shoulder as he turned to speak to the others.
"Finn, you and Keegan are with me. We pay a visit to the Dark Lady's court. See what they want."
"Wait, no one's going anywhere without first explaining to me what's going on. What's happened to Alyss."
Pushing her way to stand between him and Illian, the wounded male stepped back.
"Fallon, tell me,” she said.
Though he looked at her sternly, he didn't brush her off, instead met her gaze and answered, "Your sister has been taken."
"Taken? By who? Who is this Cambers guy?"
"Cormac NicCambers, son of the Unseelie Queen." When a new woman entered the circle, he leaned down to hear her whispered words. Nodding to her, he stepped forward, crowding close to Jess.
Space was already sparse with everyone crammed together so Jess had no space to move. When his wings spread out slightly, one close to touching her shoulder, she felt a familiar rush of heat under her skin.
"The Dark Queen has requested our audience at the midnight hour. Roshea will accompany me." The brunette female beside Jess nodded. "Don’t worry, my brothers and sisters, this only changes the plan of execution. Nothing else has changed."
Jess watched as the rest of those outside their small circle seemed to calm a little with his words.
"Come," his voice was quiet, meant for her ears only. With a nod directed behind her, she turned to let him squeeze ahead of her, heading away from the whispers and back to her room. She stayed close, his wings, slightly spread away from his body, made a path through the masses. At her room, he turned to allow her to proceed him inside before closing the door behind him.
Sitting on the full bed she couldn't help but bombard him with questions flooding to the surface.
"What's going on? Why would they take Alyss? Who is this Cormac NicCambers guy?" He let her finish before he turned the seat he sat on earlier to face her.
"Cormac NicCambers is the son and royal heir of the Unseelie queen, Brianna Cambers." Sitting down, he rested his hands on his black jeans covered thighs. "I'm not sure what he wants with your sister, Jessandra, but there's something else they've taken as well, the Daeghtus, a small obsidian statue of the god you know as Ares." he watched her face for her reaction. "Have you ever heard of it before?"
"No, never. I don't even like art. I—" Clamping her mouth shut, she looked down at her hands and fidgeted with the simple sapphire birthstone on her right ring finger.
She watched the ring twist round and round, the gemstone disappearing and reappearing with each turn. When his hands covered her own, she jumped at the contact. His skin was much cooler than her own, even though hers had gone cold and clammy the moment someone had rushed up telling Fallon that Alyss had been taken.
Looking up, she forced herself not to jerk back from how close his face was to hers now. Meeting his eyes, she only saw sympathy and patience.
"Jessandra, you and your sister are under our protection. Whatever you know may help us to find her. Have no fear, we don't mean either of you any harm." His thumb began a soothing brush over the back of her hand.
"Well, I don't like art, but Alyss does." Biting her lip, she vaguely noted that his hands had started to warm over hers, soothing her need to fidget. "She, um, I think she steals it. The expensive kind. She's never told me so, and I've never asked, but one day I saw a text message on her phone about bringing 'the Jade' on time. The next day it was all over the news about a thousand-year-old jade dragon going missing from some rich guy's private collection. The next day she pays the rent a year in advance." I know I should have asked but I was afraid she'd tell me I was right."
Fallon only frowned a little before sitting back in the chair, his hands slipping from hers, one going to rest on his thigh, the other to rub at his jaw. Jess' own hands missed the warmth, so she tucked them between her knees, waiting for him to say something.
It seemed like forever before he did. Dropping both hands between his now spread knees and let them hang as he spoke.
"The Daeghtus is thousands of years old. Believed to give godlike powers to those born human or lesser gods. The Greek god of war, Ares, had it forged to build his army when he contemplated starting a war with his father and his father’s brothers, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. His sister, Eris, talked him out of it and she took the Daeghtus to keep the temptation from trying again away from him. It was lost when raiders pillaged and burned the temple she’d kept it locked away in.
"Why would Alyss have it?" She started to rub at the chill that had started to plague her arms.
"I don’t really know. But I do know what Cormac NicCambers would want with it." He heaved a sigh. "It's believed that
Ares' obsidian statue could also resurface magic, or powers lost or not yet discovered. For ones, such as yourself, Jessandra."
Her hands dropped down in momentary shock.
"Powers?!" She spat incredulously, throwing numb hands in front of her as if to hold his words back. "No, no. I don't think-"
Her words caught in her throat when he grabbed one of those hands and pushed himself forward, invading her space again, this time getting much closer. His hand felt nearly scorching, completely engulfing her own. Jessandra wasn’t an idiot and could no longer deny the rush his touch caused inside her.
That feeling must have reflected on her face because he took a second to study her before saying, "Yes, powers." When she looked down, holding her other free hand to her erratic heart, he stopped her, bringing her gaze back up to meet his own, holding her chin between his thumb and finger.
"You've been lost for so long; your mother must have bound your natural born gifts when you were very young. The only way to protect you, keep you from ever being found by her father's people. And others."
"Like you?" She asked, not sure if he'd even answer. Would she have been one of the “tasks” he spoke of? To be hunted and brought to her crazy grandfather. Or assassinated. He may not have been the male to execute the act, as it didn’t appear that he was currently under servitude but it would still feel as if it were him. The idea of it made her heart ache.
"Yes,” he said, causing that ache to ease slightly. “And no,” he finished. His half smile broke the tension a little. The weight in her chest seemed to like that smile, as it started to ease slightly.
At her questioning frown, he went on.
"My people, the Fomorians, have a secret we have never shared with our enemies, even when they were believed to be our allies."
Her chin burned where he held it, but she kept still, riveted by his voice. Eyes locked on his lips as he spoke.
"You must swear, on your sister's soul, that you never tell anyone this. And remember, our world runs on promises and you won’t ever want to find out what happens when you do not uphold them.”
Throat dry, she swallowed before wetting her lips and whispering, "I promise. On my sister's soul."
Nodding, he let go of her chin, but held her hand firmly as he sat up a little.
"The males are immune to magic. They suspect we have ways of deflecting the magic, but truly, it has no effect on us. Earthen elements, like the chains and cages they made to enslave and hold our families, yes, but not their magic."
He paused, taking a deep breath and blowing it out.
"We can also see powers in people. It's like an aura of sorts that surrounds you. We can find anyone, specifically, with magic. Each family has an imprint. So, when we went looking for you we searched for an aura like your grandfather's. And we found you and your sister."
"Why don't you want the fae to know?" She asked.
The hand holding hers, chilled slightly at her question.
"We are forced to do unthinkable deeds now, imagine if they knew we would be able to seek out and hunt down their enemies, without injury. Blood feuds. Innocents on the run, to live normal, safe, lives. People like your mother. And people like yourself. Heir to a throne that many would kill to be next in line of.
Processing all that he'd said, Jess looked down at their hands, liking the sight of his much larger one that made hers look like a child's. The rough, deeply tanned skin contrasted her light, cream tone. Making her feel fragile and protected. Everything about this male oozed protector and she was more than willing to soak that feeling in right then.
Her palm began to itch, as if something on his hand was tickling her. Before she could pull it away to rub it, she saw a soft blue hue start to spread out from the crack where their hands met. Soon, another bluish light began under the surface of his skin on the back of his hand, just under his thumb. After a couple seconds, a ruin-like design appeared to be tattooed there, the ink a deep bluish color.
"What—"
A knock at the door interrupted her.
Sliding his hand from hers, he stood and strode to the door, opening it to one of his men that had been beside him during Ilian's debriefing.
"Mo rí, Dorana's requested to speak with you,” the newcomer said politely, seeming to keep his eyes locked on Fallon, never wavering in her direction.
"Ah, I was expecting that. Thank you, Kaer." Looking back to Jess, he gestured to her and then to the other male. "Jessandra NicManahan, this is Kaer."
Jess stood and walked over to greet him, hand extended to shake, but Kaer just bowed slightly and said, "My lady."
Surprised, Jess nearly bent to grab his shoulders to help him straighten. She caught herself before she did though. Unsure of what be faux pas. Instead, she straightened her shoulders and said stammered, "Um, really, that's not necessary."
She held her hand out again, thrusting it out a little farther, invitingly.
"My lady, I am honored to make your acquaintance." Kaer smiled charmingly before turning away to walk a couple steps from the doorway, then waited.
Fallon finally placed his hand on her outstretched arm, gently pushing it down. "It is, uh...taboo, as you'd put it, to touch an unattached female that is not your mate or betrothed, at least as much as possible.
Before she could ask about his little taboo actions in her bedroom a few moments ago, he stepped over the threshold and turned to nod towards Kaer, who nodded back.
“Try to get some rest. Kaer is going to give you the grand tour of our Nead, home, later this evening,” he said.
“Rest? I don’t think that’s possible right now,” she argued. No way could she sleep knowing that her sister was being held somewhere by some guy that Fallon wasn’t exactly dishing about. He may seem to be cool as a cucumber but that was not the case with her. Jessandra. Rest was the farthest thing from her mind at the moment. Her body was probably too high strung from all that’s already happened, all that she’d seen and learned, for her body to relax enough for any of that rest that he spoke of.
“Try,” he suggested. He started to step away but cautioned her to “Stay close to Kaer. Our tunnels are easy to get turned around in if you aren't familiar.”
"Where are you going?" She asked, stepping out to stand beside him.
"I have something to attend to before I meet with Cambers." He waved to a young girl with pigtails walking beside her mother.
"I'm going with you." He knew she meant the meeting with Cambers. She was ready for a fight, her blood already pumping faster.
"No, you're not." He said slowly.
"If you want me to go along with all that you have planned for me then I'm going with you." Her chin notched up in challenge. "She's my sister. I have a right to be there."
Nostrils flared as he shifted his weight from one foot to another and then back again.
"Fine. But you don't leave my side. Is that understood?"
Nodding her head, she agreed. "Yes. Fine. Whatever." Seeing her eyes mist a little from pent up adrenaline and worry, he lowered his head and put his hand on her cheek, fingers brushing her neck underneath her hair. "He won't hurt her, Jessandra. He's a tricky, self-absorbed pain in the ass but he is not heartless. They could have killed Illian, but they didn't."
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, opened them and jerked her head in understanding.
He let her go but not before she caught another glimpse of blue.
"Kaer," he called before he left her where she stood outside her room.
After a quick word from Fallon, Kaer walked back over to her.
“My lady, I will return to collect you for the tour in a few hours, if that sounds alright” He asked her, his expression soft.
She just nodded and made her way back to her door, giving him a silent and small wave before closing the door. For the first time since the moment she exited the bar, she was alone with time to think. The quiet seemed to press in on her at first, before she talked herself down and worked one t
hing out at a time. Almost like items on a checklist. Settling down on the bed, atop the covers, she thought with the first item. 1. Fallon. Who was not human. Fomorian. Wings, fangs, eyes that glowed. Hands that glowed. What was that about? It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. She wondered if he could do it at will or if its just something that happened, like the change of color on a chameleon, no control of the change in colors to match it’s environment. She’d have to make a note to ask him. 2. They lived underground. The caves looked to be both natural and man, or Fomorian, made. A who different species entirely. She couldn’t very well call them man. Not since they sprouted wings below the shoulder blades. 3. She was Seelie. Holy shit, Jess thought. I’m not human either. Jesus Christ, what the hell can I say to that?
That was the last thought she could remember before she dozed off. There were still items on her list, but her exhausted body told her mind to shut up and she ended up in a deep slumber.
Later on, after those few hours he spoke of had passed, Kaer was outside her door waiting for her after knocking briskly, waking her up. Only slightly groggy, she combed her fingers through her hair and made it out to meet him.
"Shall we, my lady?" He held an inviting arm out for her to take.
She eyed him warily. "I thought you weren't allowed to touch me."
"Skin, Princess. We don't touch skin to skin."
Still giving him an inspecting look, she linked her hand in the crook of his elbow.
He held his wings high and tight, keeping them clear from dragging and possibly being stepped on too, she imagined. Contrary to Fallon, his muscles were lean, his features lighter and softer looking. Dark blonde hair, hung just past his shoulders in gorgeous waves. She'd bet he actually brushed it regularly if not religiously. With dimples that he undoubtedly used to get his way on a daily basis, added by his full lips with a naughty sort of quirk to them sometimes, he was probably a killer with the ladies. A classically renowned lady’s man, Jess thought. Wait, could you be a lady’s man with the no skin contact rule?
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