by Mary Karlik
Ian moved close to Theo. “Can you get around the corner?”
“You can’t adjust it off the market.” Hamish entered the lounge buttoning the cuff of his long sleeve white shirt. “But that’s where we’re going. It’s the way to the fairy sale.”
Buzzard glanced at the troll. “That was fast.”
Hamish wore dark tweed trousers and a white starched shirt with a plaid bow tie. A tweed jacket was folded over his forearm.
Ian turned to Hamish. “In case our headsets don’t work in that space, can Theo contact us from your magical telly?”
“No. It’s just for viewing.” The troll shrugged into his jacket.
“Then let’s hope they work. Everyone ready to spin to the Magic Market?”
All but Theo gathered in a circle.
Ian held the coin up. “Grab hands and hang on.”
They landed just outside the pubs of the Grass Market. But just as Layla had described it, it was all backward. Like they were standing on the wrong side of a mirror. Ian adjusted his earpiece and spoke to Theo. “Can you hear me?”
“Loud and clear. Can you hear me?”
“Same. At least we’re not going in totally blind.” Ian turned to Layla. “Where did you go in?”
She pointed to a small pub. “Just there. The White Hart Inn. The elves I played cards with were in the corner by the window.”
The troll looked up at Layla. “Are you sure the elf paid your debt to the White Hart? You won’t be able to enter the market until it’s settled.”
“Aye. I’m sure.” She turned to the ogres and the elf. “Are you ready?”
“We’ll follow just behind you,” Buzzard said.
Ian nodded. “Be careful.”
Layla looked at Buzzard and Jack. “Remember, everything slow.”
Ian held his dragon arm out for her, and she hooked her hand onto it. The sensation of her touching his scales was odd, even through his clothes. As they made their way toward the pub, he tried to come up with a word to describe the sensation. It wasn’t a tingle or a chill. It was more of a pulsing sensation. He felt energy in her touch, and it seemed to absorb into his scales. As if her magic was somehow reinforcing them. It was an odd, uncomfortable reaction—one he was sure he hadn’t felt before.
If the dragon-spirit felt the sensation, it wasn’t letting Ian know. Thankfully, it was quiet.
He stopped before the door of the pub and stepped away from Layla. All at once, he understood the dragon’s desire for fairies.
Layla’s eyes widened. “Ian, what is it?”
“You can’t touch my scales. They absorb your magic. Dragons crave fairies because their magic strengthens them.” As if to validate his statement, the dragon-spirit inside him swelled, and for a second, kaleidoscope versions of Layla swirled before him.
She backed away. “Ian?”
He pushed the dragon away. “I’m in control. But I think you’d better stay away from my right side.”
She nodded, and he saw in her eyes what he felt–understanding that the dragon-spirit would never allow the human to be with her.
Layla drew in a deep breath and moved in front of the group. Then, with her head high and her wings wide and crisp, she walked through the door and led them to the bartender. “I’d like to enter the market please.”
The bartender eyed her suspiciously. “And you’re paying me this time?”
“Aye.” She handed him twice as much money as Hamish had suggested. “It’s for the four of us with a little extra for the trouble I caused last time.”
The bartender grunted thanks and nodded for them to pass into the market.
They stepped onto a cobbled lane with wooden booths lining both sides. It could’ve been a scene from a medieval village except for the golden glow and the magical creatures everywhere. Elves, trolls, centaurs, and ogres to name a few.
Ian heard grunts and turned to see the two ogres step onto the path behind him. “How about a grunt if I’m coming through your earpiece.”
Both ogres responded with a low guttural sound.
Theo added, “Some whispering leaves would be nice from the elf.”
Finn complied.
“Looks like we have communication.” Theo’s voice had an excited air. “And you’re looking good on this magic screen.”
Hamish rubbed his mouth and looked up at Ian. “Come on.” He took them to the passage and stopped. “This is called Fairy’s Close.”
Ian spoke into his earpiece. “And where you lose visual.”
Theo responded, “Aye. Be careful. I’ll keep a watch for anything more unusual than the usual unusual stuff.”
They turned the corner, and the troll said, “There will be a door on the left. It leads to the showroom.”
Uneasiness placed Ian’s senses on high alert. They were in a narrow passage in a world they didn’t know with a troll he didn’t trust. He cut his eyes to Layla. The tips of her wings fluttered. A sure sign she was nervous too. Finn stood behind them with his hand resting on his sword hilt looking every bit the bodyguard.
Ian leaned close to Layla and whispered, “Remember, we’re a couple.”
She smiled and took his hand in hers.
Hamish stopped in front of a door that was so nondescript it almost looked like a part of the close. A hole appeared in the door at his eye level. He centered his right eye over the hole, and the door swung open revealing a blue-lit room. Hamish turned to Ian, Layla, and Finn. “I’ll make the introduction. If they accept it, the door will open again.”
Ian squeezed Layla’s hand and looked her in the eyes. “It won’t be long now, you’ll get your wishes.”
Those pale green eyes of hers sparked as they met his, and she leaned her head against his shoulder. “Thank you.”
Ian’s soul warmed with that look, and his pulse kicked up a notch when she leaned against him. His thoughts drifted to possibilities that could never be.
They didn’t wait long for the door to open. Hamish stood in the center of the doorway. “You may join me.”
Ian laced Layla’s fingers with his and led her through the door. Finn followed close behind.
The room was bathed in a soft blue light. Spotlights highlighted the two-dozen black, velvet-covered display pedestals that were positioned around the room. Each pedestal held a single fairy suspended inside a glass globe, and beneath each fairy was a round mirror that reflected glitter-like particles floating in the glass.
As soon as Layla saw the fairies, she gasped.
Ian squeezed her hand to reassure her. “Alright?”
“They’re so beautiful, that’s all.” She gazed around the room.
A slender female elf with long, straight, black hair and pointed ears walked toward them. She wore a floor-length red dress that seemed to float behind her as she moved. “Welcome. Can I show you a particular model?”
Chapter Eighteen
Layla’s breaths came sharp and fast. Her heart dropped to her stomach and her blood to her feet.
So many fairies.
Her knees dipped. She held her breath.
Killing Fauth. Saving all those fairies hadn’t made a dent in the fairy trafficking scheme.
Ian tightened his hold and peered at the woman in red. “She’s been waiting for this moment for so long.” He turned to Layla and looked directly in her eyes. She got the message loud and clear—get a hold of yourself before you blow our cover. He spoke to her in a soft coaxing voice. “Take your time, love. We don’t have to make a decision right away.”
Layla’s hands trembled so hard she was afraid the woman would get suspicious. She wrapped her arm around Ian’s waist and drew in a sharp breath. “Full fey.” She said the words with wonder in her voice as if she’d never seen them before. “Can you tell me about the one in orange?”
The woman glided to the fairy. “Isn’t she lovely? She’s from the Paeonia flower clan. Their magic is specifically known for creativity. Our aspiring writers and artists have great success
with them.”
The woman swept her arm toward a blue poppy fairy. “Aren’t her wings beautiful? The darker the blue, the stronger the magic. She is a premium model. Her magic is a powerful broad spectrum. Money, fame, intelligence. This fey can deliver your greatest desires.”
Layla’s stomach knotted, and her throat was so dry she wasn’t sure she could speak. She swallowed and tried to look awestruck and not sickened by what she saw. “What do you think? I can’t decide between the two.”
Ian smiled. “Why not both?”
The elf-woman’s eyes glowed, and she flashed a broad smile. “If you’re interested in our male fairies, we have a special on the Thistle variety.”
Layla’s heart went to her chest, and she took a step back. She couldn’t help it. Thistle was her clan.
The woman led them to the opposite side of the room. “Don’t let the name put you off. The lads have good strong magic.”
Layla stared at the lads who’d been placed side by side. She knew them. Robbie and Fergus. They were schoolmates of Esme—and they’d bullied Layla for being half-human.
Those boys had been part of her cousin Kenna’s gang. They’d pelted her with mud and gravel until she was covered. The temptation to feel a sense of satisfaction crept into her thoughts. But as she studied the fairies trapped in the globe, she pushed it away. They didn’t deserve this. She turned to Ian and smiled into his eyes. “Two boys and two girls. Wouldn’t it be adorable?”
Ian kissed her on the cheek, and she flushed. “Whatever you wish.” He looked at the woman. “We’ll take all four.”
Layla fluttered her wings. “Remember you promised me as many as I wanted.”
A slow, wicked smile crossed the woman’s lips. “Lovely. But I’m afraid since this is your first purchase, we must limit the transaction. Four is our maximum.”
Ian slipped her a credit card. “Can’t you make an exception?”
She took the card and continued. “It will take some time to process the purchase.” She looked at the troll. “Hamish has spoken for you, but there is a certain … protocol for a large purchase. You understand. That’s a lot of magic going to one person.”
Layla pulled a disappointed face. “Oh, I was hoping to take them now.”
Hamish looked up at her. “If I may, I know a lovely place for tea not far from here.”
“Let’s get some tea. The time will pass quickly. I promise.” Ian played his fingers along her shoulder, smoothing the ripples in her wings.
Despite the danger of the situation, the feel of his fingertips gliding over her wings sent shudders down her back. She leaned into his side and huffed a spoiled-schoolgirl-sigh. “I suppose.” She rolled her eyes to Finn. “Come on, elf.”
The woman looked at them with false sympathy and a tight smile. “I’m sorry. It can’t be helped. You understand the discretion a purchase such as this requires. I can send a messenger to the teashop when we’re ready. Will that do?”
Ian guided Layla toward the door. “That would be lovely.”
The woman waggled her fingers at them. “I’ll have everything ready.”
Layla’s wings fluttered with the anxiety that was rattling through her system. She clung to Ian as they exited the shop. She managed to keep it together until they reached the main market street. Then she bent over and heaved deep breaths. She reached up and grabbed Finn’s shirtsleeve. “I knew those lads.”
Finn covered her hand with his. “I saw. Esme’s schoolmates.”
“And we’re one step from having them, from freeing them.” Ian rubbed her lower back. “Slow breaths.”
Her breathing calmed, but anger coursed through her. She straightened and shook her wings. “That elf-woman was making it all up. The orange fairy wasn’t from the Paeonia clan. I’m not sure she was even a flower fairy. And the blue poppy. The poor thing. The color of her wings should have been a light blue, not cobalt.” She pressed her palms against her cheeks. “Then to see Esme’s schoolmates.” She looked at Ian. “I almost lost it in there.”
Hamish scowled at her. “Actually, you did lose it.”
“And Ian covered,” Finn shot back.
The troll huffed. “Maybe. But if the woman is suspicious, you could get us all killed.”
They followed Hamish to the café. Layla and Ian slid into a high back booth. Hamish and Finn sat opposite them.
Ian looked at the menu but spoke to the troll. “What did she mean by she had something to check?”
“Probably just re-checking your credentials.”
“And if we don’t pass?” Layla asked.
Hamish sighed. “It could get messy.”
Layla focused on relaxing her wings and looked around. It was a tiny shop. There were only six tables. The golden light from the main road of the market shone through grimy windows, casting an eerie glow over everything. She felt the magic of the place, but it wasn’t strong, and it had sort of a hollow feeling mixed in. Or was it sadness?
An Elvin girl wearing a bright floral apron approached their table. “May I help yous?”
She had long, ginger hair and a thin, straight nose and equally thin lips. She was young, probably just barely a teenager. Too young to be alive when the portals were closed.
Hamish ordered for the table. “We’ll have a pot of Breakfast tea and scones.”
The girl smiled. “Alright. It’ll be right out.”
She dashed off to another table, and Layla looked at the troll. “That girl isn’t old enough to have ever been to the magic world.”
“No. There are many who haven’t. When the portals closed, people didn’t just stop living. They found a new life. They started families.” He stared at the tabletop. “I wanted to stay here. But many were trapped.” Hamish’s voice hitched as he spoke, and Layla saw pain in his eyes.
Layla’s heart sank deep in her chest at the thought of the magicals who couldn’t get home. “So sad. She’ll never know the land her parents came from. Are there other places like this? Places with magic?”
Hamish nodded. “There are pockets around the world. But the magic is fading.”
“Fading how?” Ian asked.
“With no way to replenish, what they have is running out. Some magical creatures are born without magic. And worse, many don’t remember they came from magic.”
Layla’s stomach squeezed, and Ian said what she was thinking. “And the more the magic fades, the more valuable the fairies become.”
The girl brought a tray with their tea and scones. As she passed the cups and saucers around, Layla felt her gaze studying her—or rather her wings.
When she left, Ian turned to the group. “We need a plan B in case we walk into a trap.”
Layla sliced her scone in half and slathered a thick layer of jam over one side. “The elf-woman had to have sensed my magic.”
“Aye.” Finn poured out the tea. “But the way you two were cozied up I doubt she knew which of you it came from.” His comment was casual, without emotion. But Layla didn’t miss the way Finn curled his hand into a fist before slowly releasing it.
Her cheeks heated, and she wished she could hide the blush. Instead, she tore off a piece of the scone and spoke without looking at the men. “I’ve never seen another half-fairy, but I was taught that fairies with human blood don’t develop magic. Is that true?”
Hamish nodded. “There are a number of half-fairy humans here. I’ve never met any with more than very rudimentary magic.”
Finn sipped from his cup. “It could be to our advantage to let the woman know of Ian’s dragon side. It might be good for her to think the magic came from him.”
“Aye.” Ian leaned back against the booth. “Let her think Layla is in desperate need of magic.”
Hamish eyed Ian and Layla. “A half-caste fairy with her human companion buying up fairies. They’re likely to think you’re greedy for power. It could just get us the admittance into the auction.”
“Would they? Wouldn’t it make more sense that she�
�s freeing the fairies?” Ian crossed his arms.
Layla knew why they wouldn’t question it. She’d lived with the prejudice her entire life. “They won’t because I’m only half fairy.” She looked at Ian. “It’s not just my clan who couldn’t accept my heritage. Fumans aren’t accepted by any clan.”
Hamish nodded. “Aye. And remember fairies caused this no-magic mess. They aren’t liked by anybody around here.”
“Senseless.” Ian’s gaze went to the windows, and his attention was grabbed by the activity outside. Layla saw it, too. Buzzard and Jack stood in front of the shop talking to a couple of elves.
Ian spoke to her in a low voice. “Are those the elves you played cards with?”
Layla squinted as if it would give her a better view. “I don’t think so.”
“Boss.”
Theo spoke into Ian’s ear causing him to jump. “Christ. You’ve been so quiet I forgot you were there.”
“Sorry. The elves approached the ogres. I did a close-up, and I’m worried that the disguise is fading.”
Ian sat his cup down. “We need to get them out of here.” He tipped his chin at the elf girl and mouthed bill please. To the table, he said, “We can get them out and come back before the fairies are ready.”
Hamish glanced out of the window and back. “This could turn into a situation. If you miss the chance to get the fairies, I can’t guarantee you’ll get another shot.”
Finn slid from the booth. “I’ll take care of the ogres.”
Ian pulled a couple of twenty-pound notes from his wallet. “Can you cast another glamour?”
Finn answered. “Yes. But it would be obvious if I’m talking to the elves.”
The elf girl made her way back to the table. A two-headed toad hopped along beside her. When she reached them, she placed the bill on the table and said, “Excuse me. There’s a message for yous.”
The toad leaped onto the tabletop. As it landed, the right head belched, emitting a putrid green gas. The left head croaked, “Your order is ready.”
The toad pushed off its back legs and bounded off the table and across the café.
The girl picked up the empty scone plate. “Is there anything else for yourselves?”
