Chapter 1 #3
He rolls his eyes. ‘You saved us all from Varrik’s mad plans as well as the revenge of the Dark Realms itself. You will never be some deadly, faceless sentinel to me regardless of what some in the Underhill would have us all believe.’
‘Thank you, Jak.’ Her smile dims a little.
‘Isbeth assures me that as soon as Fiana is brought to justice, the propaganda won’t need to be so…
pervasive. It would be nice for not everyone to be so terrified of me that they avoid even looking in my general direction.
Little Ath is getting older now. He’s beginning to notice more, and I’d rather not have to tell him about… certain things yet.’
‘Is he still in the Underhill?’ I ask.
Thalia nods. ‘Until he’s of age and passes the trials, he can only leave with special permission. So, at least ten summers to go. I suppose it’s for the best. He’s always with Dane, Grey, Kal, or I. He wants for nothing and Grey’s cousins are teaching him to fish at the moment.’
The woman in front of me lets out a sigh and then gives herself a little shake. ‘Anyway, I’m only back for a day or two. They don’t like me to be gone for too long. I doubt they’d allow me to leave at all either if the Harbinger wasn’t adamant that Halsford is under its protection as well.’
Jak nods. ‘We’re all thankful for that, Lia.’
She snorts and I recall that I heard that she’s not permitted on the village council nor the fae one because some in the Underhill didn’t want a human in a decision-making position, especially not one as powerful as the Harbinger.
Some seem to see her as merely a glorified fae guard, others as a novelty, but few of those in positions of authority want her in any role of real influence.
More’s the pity. She’d make a fine councilor in both places.
‘We wondered if Dane was about,’ I say.
‘Aye, he’s up. Come in,’ Lia says. ‘He’s in the council chamber, I believe, going over petitions for tree clearages for more cottages to be built this summer.’
She surveys me. ‘You’d be of great help, Morgan, if you’re willing.’
‘Of course,’ I acquiesce.
‘What do we need Dane for?’ Jak asks.
‘And our thanks,’ I continue, ignoring Jak with a bow of my head as we enter the home of the Harbinger and her three mates when they’re in the Light Realm, and not with their little faeling in the Underhill.
We follow Lia down the corridor and through a small door that separates the rooms of their home from the more official center of Halsford, and we find Dane at the long table at the front of the room where the village council, modelled after its fae counterpart in the fae realm, sit when the meetings are in session.
‘Dane,’ Lia calls, and I glance away from them, my cheeks heating a little at the unbridled lust in Dane’s expression when he looks at his mate.
He rises as she nears him, taking her hand and pulling her close. He says something quietly to her that I ensure my ears do not pick up by turning in the opposite direction and clearing my throat, though I hear Jak cough to cover a chuckle.
‘What can I do for you, Morgan? Jak?’ Dane asks.
Lia gives Dane a light kiss on the cheek. ‘I’ll leave you to it.’
I wait until she walks from the room, closing the door behind her, before turning back to Dane.
‘You told me a story once,’ I begin, glancing at Jak and hesitating.
‘About a love conjure that was cast and how the…uh…recipient was able to be rid of it?'
Dane’s lips turn upwards a little.
‘Jak was in Varrik’s fold with us,’ he says a little dryly. ‘He knows that story well, and he’s aware that I was the recipient of that fateful conjure. What is it you need? My skill with magick, I assume?’
I let out a long breath. ‘I wouldn’t ask unless it was necessary.’
Dane stands. ‘Morgan. My friend. I know that you would not make such a request of me lightly. Ask. If I can help you, I will.’
I nod, relieved because I know there’s something not right in our minds and his magick is the only way I can think of to find out for sure.
‘You said there was a conjure, one you used to see other conjures,’ I say carefully, trying to remember the story he told me once when we were deep in our cups.
My friend cants his head, looking intrigued. ‘Yes, there is. Why?’
‘I need you to use it. On me, and on Jak.’
‘You believe you’ve had magick worked upon you? Where?’ Dane’s brow furrows as he looks between us.
‘We aren’t sure, but we both?—’
‘There are things we can’t remember,’ Jak interjects, stepping forward. ‘Since we were in the Dark Realms.’
Dane brow furrows as he ponders a moment. ‘It requires me to cast a conjuring circle, usually, but the moon is in wax, so it might work without. I can try now, if you like.’
We glance at each other and nod.
Dane closes his eyes, and then I see his lips move as he speaks the words of power. He then looks at us both intently, as if he’s searching inside us, or through us.
‘Well?’ Jak asks impatiently after a few moments.
‘Patience.’ Dane’s eyes narrow as he stares and then gives Jak an annoyed look.
‘It’s small,’ he says at last.
‘Is it on both of us?’
He nods. ‘Yes, and it’s the same. A tiny thing. Quick. Advanced magick. I wouldn’t have seen it, nor noticed it if I wasn’t looking for it, even with the conjure to make it visible.’
His gaze refocuses on my face. ‘Do you know who could have done it?’
Jak and I share a look that I know doesn’t escape our magick-wielding friend. We both know a mage with advanced conjuring abilities, though neither of us want such a suspicion to be true, nor would we like to voice it here.
‘Until we understand its purpose, we can’t know for sure,’ I say, not ready to accuse Locke until I’m certain.
I hear Jak scoff next to me, but he says nothing.
‘Can you see what it was meant to do?’ I ask.
Dane shakes his head. ‘Not without a circle cast, not without preparation.’
‘Can you remove it from us?’
Dane squints at us and then nods after a moment. ‘I can, and it’s a quick process, but it isn’t without some risk. If you can wait for it to wear off on its own, that would be safer.’
‘Will it?’ Jak asks sharply now, clearly more than a little bothered about Dane’s confirmation that we’ve had magick worked on us without our knowledge.
‘Yes,’ Dane says. ‘It’s not a long-term conjure. It’s not dangerous. It’s meant to last only a few wee?—’
‘I want it gone,’ Jak interrupts, stepping forward, his jaw tight with anger. ‘Gone. As soon as possible. I had my fucking fill of being manipulated by magick when I was under Varrik’s conjures for years.’
‘Of course I understand,’ Dane acquiesces quietly. ‘You know I do, Jak.’
‘I know. Now, do it.’
Dane closes his eyes, raising a hand in our direction. His fingers turn in a circle as he mutters.
I feel a tingle and my mind clouds for a moment. I shake my head a little to clear it and glance at Jak, who’s blinking hard.
‘Anything?’ I ask.
He shakes his head. ‘Nothing.’
I turn to find Dane squinting at us.
‘It’s definitely gone,’ he says. ‘How do you feel?’
‘The same,’ I say. ‘A little dizzy, perhaps. But there’s been no shattering realization of what it was doing.’
‘Sometimes there isn’t.’ Dane shrugs. ‘But the conjure is no longer there to fulfill its purpose, so whatever its task was will become apparent in time.’
Jak lets out a long sigh. ‘But there’s no way to tell what it was for, or who did it?’
Dane shakes his head. ‘In two weeks. In a cast circle. Perhaps. But not now, not today.’
I clasp Dane’s shoulder. ‘Thank you.’
‘Of course, my friend. Do you want me to speak with anyone on the Council about this?’
‘Not at the moment,’ Jak says quietly. ‘Why worry anyone prematurely? As you say, the conjure is gone and we’ve been back for…days. Nothing has happened, so it’s unlikely it was meant to harm the village.’
Dane looks unconvinced, but he nods. ‘Perhaps you’re right. Calder has been on edge recently and Tavish follows wherever his fae friend leads.’
He glances down at the papers in front of him. ‘You didn’t hear that from me, but perhaps it’s best to keep this from the rest. Until we know that there is some threat to report.’
‘For the best,’ Jak echoes, ‘or we’ll be under military rule with the Underhill’s soldiers crawling all over us.’
Dane snorts but doesn’t gainsay Jak’s half-jest.
I raise a brow at him. ‘Are they continuing to push for Halsford to be fully under fae control?’
‘Well, they put one of the Council Five on the Village Council. They left me on it on the assumption that as a fae, I wouldn’t give a fuck about this place.
Then they put Tavish on it, who we know only cares about the money he gets from trade with the Underhill.
They refused to give a seat to Lia despite her practically begging.
And, finally, they selected a human woman who’s been here all of five minutes, and a man who’s always drunk and can barely speak after his ordeals in the Dark. What the fuck do you think, Morgan?’
Dane lets out an annoyed grunt. ‘Forget I said that. Ignore me. Apologies. It’s…been a long day.’
‘It’s barely breakfast, Dane,’ I murmur with a chuckle.
‘A long week, then.’
‘Heavy is the crown?’ I quip and his lips upturn slightly.
‘Aye, you could say that.’
‘Well,’ I say, looking out the nearest window, ‘those cottages won’t build themselves and I told Tom I’d be there this morning to help.’
‘Aye,’ Jak murmurs, ‘and I have to go through the healing supplies and make a list of what we need before the next caravan leaves for Midway tomorrow.’
Dane lets out a sigh. ‘Lucky you. I’m meeting with Isbeth and the rest of the Council Five in a few minutes anyway.’ He rolls his eyes. ‘I’m in for a diverting day of bureaucracy, I’m sure.’
‘A day of listening to Brackil and Isbeth bicker with Calder?’ Jak gives a faux yawn and then snickers. ‘Better you than us, Dane.’
He snorts and unlocks the main door so that we don’t disturb Lia by traipsing back through her corridors.
‘Are they still treating you as an oddity?’ Dane asks me quietly as I step outside.