Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Mason had heard stories about the Fae, but he’d never imagined he would come face-to-face with one.
Nothing about Balladyn would make anyone think him a mortal man.
It wasn’t just his unusual coloring or the commanding way his very presence filled the room.
It was what Mason saw in the Fae’s eyes: war, death, betrayal, love, and everything in between.
Balladyn had lived through it all and stood before them now, taciturn and vigilant. It was obvious as the Fae looked first at Rowen before his eerie gaze landed on Mason, that Balladyn was seeing if they were worthy of his help.
Mason slowly got to his feet. “I realize I ask a great deal by requesting to check on my home. While the house and lands hold sentimental value because it’s where Ferne and I grew up,” he said, motioning to his sister, “my main concern is the staff. The majority have been with us for over a decade.”
“Billings is like a second father,” Ferne chimed in.
Mason didn’t look away from Balladyn. He knew the Fae were split into Light and Dark, but that was the extent of it—vague rumors, whispered warnings, and half-remembered stories from his youth.
Balladyn was obviously trusted by those in the room.
“I don’t expect you to put your life on the line alone.
I will share that burden. If I could get there on my own without notice, I wouldn’t ask for help. ”
“What do you hope to gain by returning?” Balladyn asked. “Is it just to see that they’re alive?”
The Irish accent took Mason aback. He had half-expected the Fae to sound Scottish. “I’d like that confirmation, yes, but if I had the means, then I would secure them somehow so that no harm could come to them.”
That was an impossible task. The only way Mason could do that is if he took all the staff members out of England. And most had families they wouldn’t leave.
“Do you think any of them is working for London?” Elias questioned.
Mason ran a hand down his face. “I don’t think so, but anything is possible. The only one I’m sure of is Billings.”
“He’s alive,” Balladyn stated. “They all are.”
The proclamation came out of nowhere. Mason blinked as his gaze swung back to the Fae. “When did you go?”
“A few moments ago.”
Rowen held up a hand, a look of confusion creasing her face. “I, ah, hate to interrupt, but can someone please tell me how he was able to go to England a few minutes ago when it took me twelve hours to drive?”
“Have you never heard of the Fae?” Balladyn asked.
She shrugged and cut a glance to Mason. “Sure. They’re in many Druid stories handed down through my people. But they’re gone.”
“They’re far from gone,” Rhona replied and cut a look at Balladyn.
The Fae widened his stance, his body relaxing slightly. “The Fae are everywhere. You’ve probably passed us on the street and never knew. We can use glamour to change our appearance.”
“You’re Fae?” Rowen asked, shock causing her voice to dip into barely a whisper.
Balladyn dipped his chin. “Aye. We’ve been here a very long time. The Fae chose Ireland as our home long ago when our world was destroyed during a civil war. The Light took the top half of the island, and the Dark the bottom.”
“Which are you?” Mason asked.
At this, the Fae’s lips curled slightly. “Both. And neither.”
Rhona touched Balladyn’s arm. “He was a general in the Light army before being betrayed. Then he became King of the Dark.”
“Before being betrayed by the same bitch a second time.” Balladyn’s voice was even, but there was a depth of emotion in every syllable. “I’m now a Reaper, working for Death. She is the judge and jury, we’re the executioners. Neither Dark nor Light. Something in between—and much more powerful.”
Bloody hell. Mason stood in awe of the Fae, er, Reaper before him. He had known Balladyn had seen a lot, but he couldn’t have imagined to what extent.
“Wow. Okay, then.” Rowen drew in a shaky breath.
Balladyn’s intense gaze slid to Rhona. Something silent passed between them before she gave a barely perceptible nod. The Fae turned back to Mason. “I’ll take you, if you still wish to go.”
“I’ll tag along,” Kurt said. “I have some cameras we can put up so Mason and Ferne can check in at any time. They’re small. No one will notice them. I also have something for the phone lines.”
Carlyle caught Mason’s eye. “Count me in.”
“The four of you, then,” Rhona said as both Elias and Finn started to speak up. “We don’t all need to go.”
Finn let out a loud snort. “Maybe we should if London’s there. They’ve been wanting a fight.”
“That’ll come soon enough,” Sabryn said.
Finn nodded and slid down in his chair.
“I can keep us veiled, but we must remain silent. People won’t be able to see us, but they will be able to hear,” Balladyn informed.
Mason nodded once in understanding. “I’d like to talk to Billings, but I’d rather the rest of the staff not know we’re there.”
“Is there anything we can do to keep London off the estate and out of the house for good?” Ferne asked.
Rhona shook her head. “Nothing that won’t draw attention. The best thing we can do now is have eyes and ears to keep watch on what they’re doing.”
“Are you ready now?” Balladyn asked.
Mason found himself looking down at Rowen. Apprehension lined her face. “I won’t be long,” he told her.
“They could be waiting for you,” she said.
Ferne shook her head. “Balladyn will get them there and back safely.”
Still, Mason hesitated as Rowen stood up. “Will you be all right?”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine,” she said.
“She’ll be with us,” Ferne told him.
Mason glanced over when Carlyle called his name. He knew Rowen could handle herself, and she would be with Ferne and the others, yet he found he didn’t want to leave her.
“Go,” Rowen urged. “And be careful.”
He lingered for a moment longer before crossing to Carlyle and Balladyn.
Kurt hurried over, a rucksack slung over one shoulder.
With a nod from Balladyn, Carlyle and Kurt each placed a hand on Mason.
Balladyn reached out and touched them both.
Mason barely had time to register what was happening before the world blinked.
His knees went weak when he found himself standing in his room.
A rush of dizziness hit him hard, the floor seeming to sway beneath his feet as his mind tried to catch up to his body.
“It’ll pass,” Carlyle whispered beside him.
As the spinning slowed and the room settled around him, Mason realized they were alone.
Balladyn released them. “I’m going to have a look around. Don’t leave this room.”
Carlyle lifted a hand in acknowledgment while Kurt strode to the phone line and pulled out a laptop. Mason looked around the bedroom, exactly as he had left it. The space hadn’t changed. Same walls, same furniture, same muted colors. But the shadows seemed longer, the space somehow smaller.
No, the room hadn’t changed. He was the one who had transformed.
“Do you want to grab some clothes? I can help you pack,” Carlyle offered.
Mason walked to his closet and opened it. “Good idea.”
Within moments, two suitcases sat next to the bed. He eyed the door and fought the urge to go out and shout for Billings. It was wrong to hide in his own bloody house.
“Damn,” Kurt mumbled.
Carlyle walked to him. “What is it?”
“Someone is already listening in.”
Mason crossed his arms over his chest. “I told you they were.”
“Can you remove it?” Carlyle asked.
Kurt threw him a flat look. “Of course, but I don’t want to. It would alert them that I was here.” His fingers flew over the keyboard. “Just give me a moment. I’m going to piggyback on them.”
Mason paced the room as the seconds ticked endlessly by, and the quiet became as heavy as death. Finally, Balladyn returned.
“What did you find?” Carlyle asked before Mason could.
The Fae’s lips were pinched. “I think someone from London has been here. They may still be here. I’ve not looked in every room.”
“Can you get me to Billings? He’ll know,” Mason said.
Balladyn walked to the door and leaned against the wall. “I slipped a note into his pocket. He should be on his way up soon.”
“Done,” Kurt said. He smiled as he turned to them. “I need to set up the cameras now.”
Mason glanced at the door, hoping Billings would walk in. “Where are you thinking?”
“I brought a dozen. If we can put them all up, that would be great. I don’t know if we’ll have time, so I’d like to start with the important areas. The doorways and anyplace you think London would be interested in.”
Carlyle sank onto the corner of the mattress. “Better put one in Mason’s office.”
“Because Thomas sent Song to search it?” Mason asked.
Carlyle’s lips twisted. “Exactly.”
“There’s nothing there. I made a great show of putting papers inside, but they’re either blank or have nothing to do with my investigation. I did it in case someone was watching.”
“Someone was,” Balladyn said.
Mason’s smile vanished. “So, they were.”
“Are you sure you can trust Billings?” Kurt asked.
“Yes,” Mason and Carlyle replied in unison.
Kurt tossed something to Mason. “Then this is for him.”
Mason looked down at the mobile phone and nodded a thanks to Kurt.
Balladyn held up a hand as he turned his ear toward the door.
The next second, he strode to them and motioned them together.
Once they each had a hand on the other, Balladyn touched them.
Mason didn’t feel any different. He wasn’t sure what the Fae had done, but he got his answer when the door opened, and Billings slipped inside, shutting the door behind him.
A frown marred the butler’s face as he scanned the room.
Mason dropped his hand from Carlyle’s shoulder. Billings’ eyes went wide when he saw him. The happiness in the older man’s dark features brought tears to Mason’s.
“My lord,” Billings said, his smile bright. “It’s good to see you.”
Mason walked to his butler and shook his hand, clapping him on the shoulder with the other. “It’s good to see you, too.”
The butler’s expression turned worried as he looked back at the door. “You shouldn’t be here. It’s too dangerous.”
“I had to know you were all right.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’m keeping things in order.”
Mason looked toward the others, but he didn’t see them. He cleared his throat. “I think someone on the staff is working for London.”
“I’ve come to that same conclusion myself, my lord. Unfortunately, I don’t have any names to give you.”
“Names?” Mason asked. “You think there’s more than one?”
Billings’ thin lips flattened. “I’m afraid so.”
“Has anyone been here?”
“A few visitors stopped by, wanting to see you, but none left their names. One dared to shoulder his way in.”
Fury filled Mason. “Were you or anyone else hurt?”
“I handled him. And no, sir, no one was harmed.”
Mason rubbed the back of his neck. “There may be more of them, Billings.”
“Then it’s as I suspected. You found something out about your parents’ deaths.”
It was on the tip of Mason’s tongue to tell him everything. He had often shared things with Billings that he hadn’t told his father. Yet the less Billings knew, the better. For the time being, at least. “Let’s just say that London would prefer I wasn’t breathing.”
The butler’s nostrils flared as he straightened his spine another degree. “Not if I have anything to say about it. No one will know you’re here.”
“I can’t stay. I just needed to know you were okay, and to tell you to be careful.”
“I have things firmly in hand, my lord. Don’t worry about us,” Billings stated confidently.
Mason gave him the mobile. “This is secure. Call me on this.”
“Splendid. I’ll make sure no one finds it.” Then he looked Mason over with an approving nod. “Until next time, Lord Brannelly.”
Mason’s throat clogged with emotion as Billings left the room. He hoped it wasn’t the last time he saw his friend.