…more than a lover,
a consort, a friend…
That’s, uh… that’s a pretty big difference. Forget the rest of it. This one line changes everything. According to Lina’s original version, the Dark Fae I was fated to partner up with was supposed to be a helper. An adviser.
If the prophecy said all along that I was fated to mate the Dark Fae, why didn’t anyone tell me? It happened anyway, which only makes my stomach drop.
If that part of the prophecy came true without me knowing, what about the rest?
My fingers tighten around the edges of the crumpled paper, the sheet snug between my gloves. I’ve been carrying this paper around with me since I came back to the Wilkes House and found Lina. It was next to her body, almost as if she was holding it when she died. I never looked at it then—couldn’t, not when I was running to save my own life—and forgot all about it until just now.
Hell, I never even noticed it when it fell from the pocket of my jeans.
Where did it come from? How did Lina get it? Why? Was she trying to warn me that the prophecy I knew was wrong? Or was it just one more lie?
I’ll never know and, as I marvel at the page, I try not to obsess over it too much. It doesn’t really matter, does it? How can it? My friend is gone and, based on the added scrawl near the top and bottom of the page, even her updated version is not even close to being complete.
That man…
How did he know this? Who is he?
How did he know to give me this?
Something’s wrong. When I first thought he might be the same guy who warned me against Dr. Gillespie, I was worried that he was following me. It’s not him. At least, I don’t think it is—or didn’t.
But how does he know?
A couple of minutes ago, I had to ask myself whether or not the homeless man hanging out outside of my parents’ building could be part of Faerie all because he didn’t say ‘thank you’. I thought I was overreacting. Now I’m sure I’m onto something.
What the—
Who is he? Why did he give me this? How the hell does he know the rest of the Shadow Prophecy?
Can I even be sure that it’s right? Ash admitted that there are way too many versions of it out there, despite it ruining my life, the only thing I can be sure of is that a halfling is prophesied to finish the Fae Queen’s terrible reign as ruler over Faerie.
Except, in the few lines Carolina gave me, it never once mentioned a halfling.
…a child with powers,
part human, part fae…
This one does.
I mean, part human, part fae? Can’t get any clearer than that.
And he added it to Lina’s note.
The question echoes in my brain.
Why?
Only one way to find out.
Clenching the paper tightly, I spin on my heel and dash for the busted door. I quickly duck under the yellow caution tape, heading back toward where I left him before stopping short when I realize that the space is empty again.
He’s gone.
I clench my fist.
Why am I not surprised?
5
My parents are up in the apartment, waiting for me. As much as I wanted to spread out, go looking for the stranger and demand he explain this to me, I don’t. I’ve already been gone for a bit and I don’t want Callie and Ash to worry about me.
Not any more than they already have, I’m sure.
I swear, it’s so weird, having people who are looking out for me. I haven’t had that in a long, long time. Not since the Everetts, and considering I was a bratty and troublesome teen, I didn’t really care about their feelings or their rules.
Back then, I kept expecting them to ship me off to the group home again anyway. Six years later, I know that my last set of foster parents were just trying their best and, while I might not be able to make it up to them, I’m trying my best not to disappoint my bio parents too much.
They don’t know what to do with me just like I have no clue what to do with them. After our breakthrough the other day, I’m trying my best to keep our newfound relationship from getting too awkward. It’s easy for me to treat them as long lost friends or something, but mom and dad? How? Especially when they’re basically the same age as me.
Well, Callie is. Ash is… hey, he looks like he’s my age and that’s weird enough. Not to mention, he’s got the same coloring as Rys; even more now that he’s recovering. While their features are different—no way would I mistake one for the other—my dad is a reminder of the other Light Fae and I can’t stop wondering about him.
It’s been a couple of days since we escaped the Fae Queen’s throne room and I haven’t seen him at all. Not during the daylight or even in my dreams. It’s like he’s missing.
Missing or something even worse.
I hope he’s okay. Despite all the crap he put me through, I almost wish he’d pop into the apartment, just so I could be sure that I didn’t leave him to pay the price for helping me, my parents, and Nine get away.
I know it’s unlikely. Even if he managed to escape Melisandre’s soldiers, Rys wouldn’t find it easy to track me down—and not just because I’m wearing Nine’s brand instead of his.
The apartment I shade-walked to is on the second to last floor of a fifteen-story building. Apart from us, the whole place is eerily empty. It made me curious and leery at first, but now I’m just grateful for the privacy. It might be condemned, too dangerous for even the homeless to squat inside. Whatever. For now, it’s the perfect hide-out for us fugitives.
Especially since it’s warded up the wazoo. Between the iron frame and the magic protecting this place, Ash chose the building purposely to hide his family back when I was a baby. I’m still not so sure I understand how we got here, but until I can figure out how to break the spell on Nine, it works.
At least, it did. I think of the stranger with the green eyes as I press the elevator button with my thumb. As the doors ding open and I step inside, I decide to keep him and his paper to myself until I can figure out what to do about him.
Between getting to know my parents, saving Nine, and getting the Fae Queen off my back, worrying about a weirdo in the human world who knows all about the Shadow Prophecy is the last thing on my mind.
I press number fourteen and, as the elevator rises, I leave any thoughts of that guy and his “corrections” back on the ground floor. He’ll be back. I’m sure of it. And when I see him again, I’ll offer him the rest of Carolina’s cash if he’ll explain just how he’s involved in all of this.
It didn’t occur to me not to take the elevator until the doors closed behind me the first time I used it. I hadn’t known the building was empty then and I was so frazzled, I wouldn’t have cared if anyone saw me and wondered what was up with the chick in the gloves. As soon as I stepped outside and learned the truth about this place, I was shocked that the elevator worked. Since I’m way too out of shape to take fourteen flights every time I want some fresh air, I continue to chance the elevator.
A short ride later, the elevator dings again and I step out onto our floor. Within a couple of days, I can already pick out our door without even realizing it; it’s that natural. The second on the left, marked by a stain of who-knows-what.
I let myself in.
“You’re back.” Callie lets out a sigh of relief. “Ash, she’s back.”
My dad was in the bedroom. The door swings inward as soon as Callie calls for him. He strides down the hall, meeting us in the living room. His golden eyes are bright, almost glowing as he looks from my mom to me and back, purposely avoiding Nine.
He waves for us to take a seat.
Callie does. I haven’t quite shaken the last of my wariness from my encounter downstairs and I decline with a quick shake of my head.
It’s obvious they’ve been waiting for me. Just like I thought.
Great.
“I trust you enjoyed your walk this morning.”
“Yeah. I guess.” I he
ft up my arm. There’s a plastic bag hanging off the crook of my elbow. “I got you guys some bagels. I didn’t know if you liked cream cheese or butter so I got both.”
“Thanks, sweetie,” murmurs Callie. “That was very thoughtful of you.”
Thoughtful, nothing. So long as I have the money to get us food, I’m going to use it. We have to eat.
Ash doesn’t say ‘thanks’. I doubt I would’ve noticed normally, but it’s just another reminder of that guy outside.
I shimmy the bag down my arm, setting it on the coffee table. It’s right-side-up now. Glancing around, I see that the room is looking a lot neater than it has been. I guess, since Ash is doing better, my parents have started to straighten up the mess.
I would have, except the first morning I tried, I caught Callie sniffling again and I immediately stopped.
I made a conscious decision not to point that out then, just like I do now.
“You guys ready to eat?” I ask. “Or should we wait?”
“Let’s wait a moment,” Ash says. He cocks his head slightly. “Will it keep?”
I shrug. “Don’t see why not.”
“That’s fine, then. My mate and I have something we would like to discuss with you.”
The last time he wanted to have a serious conversation, Ash tried to tell me that I wasn’t allowed to be Nine’s mate. I can’t wait to see where this one goes.
“Sure. What’s up?”
He looks over at Callie. She nods encouragingly back.
“I’ve accepted that you have some kind of bond with the Dark Fae. There’s nothing I can do about that now, no way I can change what’s happened. You say you love him. Do you love him enough to do whatever it takes to break Melisandre’s spell?”
My heart nearly stops. I was halfway to arguing with Ash when he first mentioned reversing my claim to Nine—or his claim to me—and I’m glad I kept my mouth shut.
I swallow roughly and tell him honestly, “I would do anything.”
“Then there’s a way—”
That’s all I need to hear.
“Okay. Let’s do it. What do I have to do?”
“It won’t be easy,” hedges Ash. “And I wouldn’t be able to help you.”
And?
I didn’t expect him to, anyway.
“That’s fine. Whatever it is, I’ll do it.”
For Nine, I’ll do anything.
“It’s possible, but only if we have a stone from Brinkburn. That makes the quest nearly impossible, but it might be our only chance to reverse the curse without returning to Faerie and bargaining with Melisandre to do so.”
Since going back to Faerie is out of the question, going with the nearly impossible plan is my only chance.
Not that I have any idea what Brinkburn is. It sounds… like something I’ve heard before. I could be making that up, I want to save Nine so bad, but it’s such a strange word. I’m almost sure that I’ve heard of it.
“Okay. What’s this Brinkburn thing? Is it a place? Here?”
In the human world?
I don’t say it, but it’s obvious what I mean.
“Yes,” confirms Ash. “It’s in the Iron. England?” He turns to look at Callie again. “Is that right?”
She nods.
Ugh. England. That’s more than an ocean away from where we are. Shade-walking is a no-go, too. What if I aim for England and end up in Faerie? Considering my track record, it’s more likely than I want to think about. A plane? Yeah, with what I.D.? And that’s if we could even afford a plane ticket in the first place.
I huff. “You weren’t kidding when you said impossible.”
“Chin up, sweetie,” says Callie. “We don’t have to go there if we can find a stone. That’s what’s important.”
“I wouldn’t let you go there even if you could,” adds Ash. “It’s a place no fae can go and I would never send my daughter where I could not follow to keep her safe.”
The way he says my daughter has me hunching in obvious discomfort. I can’t help it. This is all so new.
If he notices, he pretends not to.
Callie pats the cushion of the couch next to her.
I pretend not to notice that.
“Okay. So we’re not taking a trip to England. Works for me. But how do we find one of these stones?”
“And that’s the tough part. There aren’t too many of them in this world. Any Ironbound fae will destroy them since the relics of Brinkburn are nothing but dangerous in the wrong hands. Even if there were easily found, a regular human would never know. They look like regular, everyday pieces of glass. Some are white. Some are blue.”
“Brown,” adds Callie. “I saw one once that pretended to be a shattered beer bottle. Oh, and there was that pale pink crystal one I saw in a museum gift shop once.”
Pride mixed with adoration flashes across Ash’s face as he smiles over at Callie. “My mate has the sight. Without Callie, we would never stand a chance.”
But we have Callie.
“You’ll help me,” I say, looking over at her.
If she looks a little crushed that I’d even have to ask her that, you’d never tell from the warmth in her voice. “Of course, I will.”
“I can’t handle it,” cuts in Ash. “I can’t touch it. I can tell you if it’s strong enough to bring Nine back, but the rest is up to you and Callie.”
“That’s fine. And if Callie doesn’t feel comfortable leaving the apartment yet, I’ll go searching on my own, then bring it back for you guys to check it out. Whatever we have to do to find this crystal thing, I’ll do it.”
As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I freeze.
Crystal.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute—
It couldn’t be that easy, could it?
“Do you have a pen?” I ask. I think of the scrap of paper in my pocket, then decide against pulling it out in front of them. Until I can make some sense of it myself, I don’t want to give them anything else to fret over. “And something to draw on?”
Callie nods. “We had a junk drawer. All odds and ends. If it’s still in there, try the one next to the stove.”
I head into the kitchen, pulling open the drawer she mentioned. I rummage through it, trying not to let it bother me that everything inside of the drawer is as old as I am. Just like the rest of the apartment—well, the part that doesn’t look like it’s been through a tornado—it’s all been frozen in time.
There’s a notepad stowed near the back. At least five pens scattered among the old menus, the dried rubber bands, the containers of thumbtacks. I grab one at random, pray the ink’s still good, and return to the living room.
I take a seat on the far edge of the couch, placing the open pad on top of my knee. I’m no Picasso or anything, but I guess I learned enough in art therapy to draw a passable picture of something that’s just popped in my head.
Please, please, please.
My brow furrows. I can feel the lines forming as I struggle to remember the details. I only saw it once and, since I was kind of running for my life there when I did see it, there’s no guarantee that it’s perfect, but after a few minutes, I hold out the notepad to my parents.
Sketched in the center, I’ve drawn Dr. Gillespie’s weird necklace, the one he kept tucked under his shirt. There’s the string. The nail that’s an exact duplicate to the one Carolina gave me and that I lost in Faerie. The rock with the hole in the center that he used to find me hidden in the shadows. And, as close as I can get, the strange crystal that stood out to me.
Ash draws in a sharp breath. “Where did you see this, Zella? Tell me.”
“On my doctor,” I immediately answer. A second later, I frown. “And don’t do that, okay? Don’t use my name to make me answer you. It’s not fair.”
He blinks, stunned. I know he’s supposed to be my dad, but he’s also a Light Fae. From the look on his face, I’m beginning to think no one’s ever spoken to him like that.
Then my m
other rises from her place on the couch, crossing over to Ash, then lays her hand on his clenched fist, and I’m sure of it.
“Ash—” she says softly.
He shakes his head. “No, my love. Our daughter… she’s not wrong. I shouldn’t have commanded her. My apologies,” he says, turning to me with such earnestness in his gaze, I can’t help but accept them. “When you were small, using your true name was habit to keep you safe. But you’re not small anymore.”
My lips quirk in a sad, almost smile. “Nope.”
“In Faerie, we guard our true names ruthlessly. We take a second name that we answer to, but that holds no power over us. Like how I’m Ash, and your…” He shakes his head again. “How Ninetroir answers to Nine. Calling you by your true name might not be fair, but the fae don’t care about fairness. We care about power. There’s too much power in Zella. You need a second name.”
This is so strange. Go back a couple of weeks and I didn’t have any idea that I was part fae. Now I’m sitting in an abandoned apartment with my parents and the father I’ve never known is teaching me about my fae side as if we haven’t just met.
He’s right—well, about one thing, at least. Only a handful of people know my true name and, if it’s possible, I want to keep it that way. Bad enough that Rys knows it and has shown he has no problem using it to suit him, but what if the Fae Queen convinces him to share it with her? He might not have when we were all in her throne room, but what about now? I grabbed my parents and Nine, leaving him to deal with Melisandre and her guards all by himself. If I was Rys, I’d sell me out the first chance I got.
So, yeah. Being controlled whenever someone calls me Zella isn’t going to fly with me any longer. When it comes to me having a second name, though?
“I don’t need a second name. I already have one. Remember?”
“Riley?” His perfect nose wrinkles. “The humans gave you that name.”
I shrug. “So? I am half-human.”
Ash’s golden gaze slides over to his right. It softens when he looks at Callie.
On an exhale, he admits, “You are. And that might be the part that saves you.”
Touch (Touched by the Fae Book 3) Page 5
