Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Luke arched a brow as the portal closed behind him, cutting off Sorcha, Helly and the hellhounds.
“Get him!” the tiny prince shrieked.
The fey guard rushed him.
Luke set fire to the entire group, then turned toward their prince. “Anyone else you want to be extra crispy?”
“Variance, stop!”
Luke knew the sound of that sharp tone. Tanith. Queen of all fey, regardless of court. They might name others king or queen, but she was the one who ruled them all with an iron fist to compete against his father’s.
Prince Variance stepped aside at her approach and actually bowed before her. “Sorry, Mother. I was trying—”
“Doesn’t matter.” She offered Luke a warm smile that chilled him more than a cold Savannah night. With dark skin and black eyes that contrasted sharply with her white hair, she would be beautiful if he didn’t know her personally. She might appear to be beauty incarnate, but inside…
There were demons in Hell he’d much rather cuddle. In fact, he had a closet full of them.
And if she was waiting for him to bow to her, his father would be herding icebergs first.
Steeling his features, he cleared his throat. “Queen Tanith.”
She tsked at him. “No need in such formalities, Luke. Welcome to my kingdom. I believe this is your first visit to it, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
He assumed she gestured with her arm to indicate the cold white walls around them, but what it really emphasized was the glittering gems in her gauzy white gown that hugged a perfect body.
“What do you think of Mag Mell?”
“Nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to build a summer home here.”
She tsked playfully as she stepped forward and took his arm. “It grows on you.”
“That’s what they say about Spanish moss, but I don’t intend to stay long enough for that to happen.”
Clearing her throat, she gave him a sympathetic pout. “I heard about your father. Wouldn’t you prefer a place where you really fit in? I offer you shelter here.”
That set off every alarm in his body. “Pardon?”
“Mag Mell is a beautiful realm. You should rest here awhile and see what you think.”
“No, thank you. I’m just stopping by to collect an Ankou who murdered three humans. Would you be so kind as to direct me to Elizar?”
She tsked at him. “You don’t want that, love.”
Those words…they infuriated him. This was a game his father had invented, and it was one that triggered him in the worst way. “Don’t gaslight me, Tanith. Not a fan.”
“Sorry, love. But I’m so glad you’re here.”
What did that mean? There was a peculiar note in her voice. One he didn’t quite understand and as she led him toward a door, he realized that his head held total silence. He had no idea what anyone here was thinking.
How was that possible?
That silence was deafening.
Tanith smiled up at him. “So very glad.”
Those whispered words went through his head like a hypnotic dream. The next thing he knew, the room was spinning.
Then everything went black.
“Sorcha!”
Helly bared her fangs at the sound of Rory’s call. “Can I bite him?”
“Please don’t. Keep working on the portal while I get rid of him.” That sounded a lot worse than she meant for it to.
Trying not to appear worried, she headed back toward Rory. “I’m right here.”
“Why are you in the woods?”
“Luke thought he saw something.”
“Did he?”
She shook her head. “Why don’t you go back to the grave and body, and we’ll be with you shortly.”
That did the opposite of what she wanted. Instead of reassuring him, it made him instantly paranoid. “What’s going on?”
Damn detectives and their inquisitiveness. And yes, she included herself with that. No wonder her parents lost patience with her so often.
“It’s all right. Really.” Even though it wasn’t.
Trying not to show impatience, she went with him until they were with the group. She excused herself to go to Jedi who was processing the poor victim.
He looked up at her and smiled. “Hi, Detective. What can I do for you?”
“Can you monopolize Rory for a few minutes?”
“May I ask why?”
“So that I’ll owe you a favor.”
He laughed. “Okay. I’ll respect your privacy. Send him over and I’ll do my best.”
“Thank you!” After patting him on the shoulder, she went back to Rory. “Hey, I was just speaking with Jedi, and he needs you for a second. I think he has something to show you.”
Rory nodded. “I’ll be there as soon as I finish here.”
That was just what she wanted.
Keeping her gaze locked on him until he was out of sight, she slowly returned to where Helly waited in the woods.
The imp let out a frustrated breath at her approach. “I’ve tried everything to get inside. I don’t know how to open it.”
“What about his mom? Could she get in?”
“Maybe. But I’m scared to let her know. She might get mad at me for not protecting him.”
“Aren’t you more scared not to and to risk him needing help and not having it? Wouldn’t she be more upset if he is in danger and we left him to it?”
Helly made a face at her. “You’re mean!” Then she sobered. “But correct. I’ll be right back. Keep my space warm.”
Unsure what to make of that, Sorcha waited next to the portal. Alone.
This wasn’t the best plan she’d ever made. And as the sound of cicadas grew louder, she felt more and more unsure about it. What had she been thinking?
What would his mom do?
I don’t like this.
Every shadow appeared worse than the one before. Her heart pounded furiously, especially as she remembered that she was out here, alone, without a single weapon.
Crap…
Reyes really needed to issue her a weapon. While she might not need it around Luke, she definitely needed it when she wasn’t with him.
Like now.
Now would be good.
Something grumbled in the woods. Not in the direction of the police, but deeper in. Was it hungry or angry?
Hangry would probably be the worst of all.
Just as she was ready to run back to Rory, a flash temporarily blinded her. She put her hand up to protect her eyes and only lowered it once the light was gone.
Senka stood in her human form with half a dozen silent hellhounds standing at her side. That was a terrifying sight. “Where’s my son?”
Wishing she was invisible, Sorcha pointed to the small mound where Luke had captured Oliver. “They opened a portal and I think they took him there.”
Senka glared at it with a fierce snarl. “Mag Mell? That bitch has some nerve.”
Sorcha would ask who that was, but this didn’t seem like the best moment to say anything. His mother’s anger was too tangible for that.
With a flick of her hand, Senka opened the portal and stepped through.
Helly appeared at Sorcha’s side, then ran forward, pulling her. “Let’s not get left behind again.”
Tightening her grip, she ran with Helly until they were safely on the other side.
But as soon as she stepped through the portal, Sorcha let go. Stunned by the beauty, she couldn’t believe this came from a group of mushrooms.
Unless someone ate the mushrooms.
I’ve become Alice. That was how it felt. Everything felt larger around her, even though it wasn’t. Harsh white was everywhere. The ceiling, the marble floor, the walls. It was almost as if someone was afraid of color.
She would have thought the fey lived in a green, forest-like settings. This was a contemporary and harsh environment. One that seemed at odds with the…
Cartoons she’d seen?
Yeah, okay. She’d never known anything about the fey other than what she’d seen in anime and Disney movies. And this proved to her just how little she knew.
“Have you been here before?” she asked Helly.
“No. But it looks like what I’d expect from Queen Tanith.” Helly gestured toward the queen who was the tall, slender fey, wearing a crown. One whose hair matched the walls and her shimmery dress.
The same queen who was currently cornered by Senka while her fellow hellhounds were being held at bay by a group of fey guards.
“Where’s my son?”
Tanith lifted her chin defiantly after she finished sweeping a disdainful sneer over his mother. “You don’t question me, beast. Ever.”
“And you don’t want to ruin your dress…with blood. Show me my child. Now!”
Still, Tanith refused. “I’m the queen here. You don’t command me!”
Senka’s eyes flared. “And I stand at the side of the leader of the most powerful Order to ever exist. Would you like me to summon my lord?”
The threat made the queen smirk at Senka. “From what I hear, Luke no longer holds any favor with his father. In fact, I’ve been told that the High One wants nothing to do with our boy. So why would you interfere with a brand-new existence where he’ll be treated like the prince he is?”
“If he’s to be a prince here as you say, let me see him and he’ll tell me what he prefers.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that. He’s rather tied up at the moment.”
The fury in Senka’s amber eyes was terrifying. She took a step toward the queen, only to have the fey guards cut off her access with the tips of their spears.
Before anyone could move, Senka let out a howl that belied her graceful form. One so piercing that Sorcha had to plug her ears, as did Tanith.
It caused the guards to drop their spears while the other hellhounds ran down the hallway to the left.
Falling to the floor, Tanith cringed, still pressing her fingers deep into her ears. Not the most dignifying pose for a queen.
Helly cupped her hands over Sorcha’s. “Now you’ll be fine.” She reluctantly let the imp pull her hands away. Even though she could still hear the howl, it was no longer piercing or debilitating.
Beyond grateful for the relief, she gave Helly a hug. “Let’s find Luke.”
They went down the hallway, after the hellhounds. On their way to find him, they passed a number of fey who were on the ground, also holding their ears.
“What is the noise his mother’s making?” she asked Helly.
“The Bale-cry. It’s how hellhounds locate each other when they’re hurt.”
Made sense.
And it left a nasty after-ring.
They followed the rest of the hounds to a huge bedroom that was every bit as stark and white as the room they’d first entered and the hallway they’d run down.