Chapter 11 #3
'I don’t mind. Do it,' I interrupt, deciding that I’m not bothered that Locke has been keeping such a close eye. 'I'd rather you be able to find me than be lost in the Dark Realms, a pet slave to some horrible fae bitch.'
He nods, looking relieved that I’m not upset.
'This one will be stronger. It will last longer.’
His fingers move at his side. ‘It's done. No matter what Circle you're taken to, we will be able to find you. I promise.'
I shiver a little at the thought of being hauled off the street and back into the Dark.
'Thank you,' I say. 'Shall we?'
Jak takes me into a tight hug, kissing my lips hard.
'This will be over soon,' he promises. 'And then we'll go back to Halsford, and all will be well, and we can do whatever you wish.'
I'm drawn out of Jak's arms and into Morgan's. He picks me up, and I squeal as he wraps me into a great bear hug and kisses me just as soundly.
When I'm put down, Locke simply stands there, and I frown at him. After yesterday, I didn't think he'd be so shy, so I go to him and wrap my arms around his middle. He looks stunned, and then belatedly embraces me in return.
'We will be near the entire time,' he whispers. 'And as soon as they have you, I will be searching for you. You will not be at Fiana's court for long.'
I nod and look into his eyes.
'I trust you,' I say, and I hope to the Gods it’s not misplaced.
MORGAN
'Fucking Underhill,' I mutter to Jak as we sit outside the tap house in the middle of the square. The festival is in full swing. They've been at it all day, and their revelries will go well into the night.
'I hate this,' Jak snarls low, not looking at me as he scans the crowds. 'No one was even at the safe house when Locke knocked early this morning. There’s always someone stationed there, but it was empty. Whatever’s happening is big if they’ve been called back.'
I let out a noise of discontent. ‘A coup seems likely, doesn’t it? When we get back to the village, we should find Dane. If Lia isn't there, perhaps he knows what's going on.'
‘I think we need to accept the possibility that we won’t be welcomed back in Halsford, Morgan.'
I meet his eyes. ‘I thought the same. We need another plan, a place we can go.’
Jak nods. ‘I asked Vie this morning. She said she’d look into it, a way for us to remain in the Light and be hidden. I also hunted the Library’s books for references to the Kismet.’
‘And?’
‘It was a quick search. The Library has a conjure so that you can find subjects quickly, but there was only a small section and there was less about the Fate Touched there than in Locke’s tomes.’
I snort at the mention of our friend.
We're trying to get along with him for Bryn, but we're still angry.
When will he get it through his thick skull that we are his friends, that he needs to trust us, that we also know what's best, that we aren't foolish boys who don't know what's what?
But I don't say any of that in case Bryn, who's dancing close by, seemingly without a care in the world, a great smile on her face and flowers in her hair, overhears.
I smile in spite of myself as I watch her because I know that, while it's supposed to be an act, she is actually enjoying herself despite her fears of going back to the Dark Realms.
'Gods, I just want this to be over,' I mutter. ‘Get Bryn out from under this ridiculous deal. Make all the villagers like her. Punish those little fae cunts from the Underhill, and those men for daring to lay a hand on what's mine.’
I glance at Jak.
‘Ours,’ I amend.
Jak’s eyes narrow. ‘I was thinking of giving a spot of dysentery to Voss’ students as a preliminary punishment.’
I let out a laugh into my cup. 'A little suffering would do those jumped up little fae youngsters good, even if they had no idea what they were leading our female to.'
‘Aye.’
I look up at him in all seriousness. ‘The men who beat her are dead, though. Don't try and stop me.'
'I won’t, though we need to find out who they are first.'
He nods. ‘We will and I want that cunt, Voss, as well.'
Jak raises a brow. 'Do you think you'll get away with taking out an enforcer?'
'I'll get away with it,' I snarl. 'I'll find a way to get that fuck if it's the last thing I do and if I can get Calder while I'm at it, I kill him as well.'
‘Voss, Calder, Bryn’s attackers. Anyone else?' Jak asks in amusement.
'Anyone else who crosses our female,’ I answer adamantly.
Jak looks over at Bryn. 'I’m with you, but Bryn isn’t the same as she was before. She's no longer a slave, you know. She's intelligent and strong, has some fighting skill now. She can use those knives you gave her. I don't think she needs us to kill for her, Morgan.'
'Why should she have more blood on her hands?' I ask. 'Unless she wants it. No. I already have so much on mine. A few more for the right reasons makes no difference to me, and I would see her avenged.'
We stay where we are, having a drink for a while longer. Locke is at another table, pretending to be alone. He's scanning the area with his magick to feel if the Breach opens close by, so we'll at least know when they get here. Every once in a while, I catch his eye, and he shakes his head.
'Surely they would have arrived by now,' I say, as the hour grows late and Bryn is beginning to flag. She goes and sits at the table with Locke and gets a drink. 'Surely, if this was the right festival, at the right time, they’d already be in the city.'
'We'll give it a bit longer. They could be waiting for the humans to imbibe too much before they try to take them,' Jak says, eyeing some of the Library guards who are standing in the shadows nearby looking bored and annoyed that they can’t partake in the festivities.
I drink some more of my heavily watered ale and keep my eyes sharp, but other than a few drunken, half-hearted brawls, there's nothing that would suggest that anyone is being stolen tonight.
‘They must have got the city wrong,' I state, as the square begins to clear in the early hours of the morning. ‘Or the festival.’
Bryn is half asleep at a table alone now, and we're keeping an eye on her to make sure she isn't approached by any drunken merry makers.
I idly watch a human male who I don't think is as drunk as he's pretending, sidle up to her table.
Sure enough, he sits next to her and leans into her, murmuring something that sounds like a sordid invitation.
She startles, and then her eyes narrow, and I see her dress moving up slowly as she goes for the knives that I put on her thigh this morning. She takes one out and has it pressed against the cunt's right kidney before he realizes what's happening. She hisses something at him.
His eyes widen, and he staggers back, mumbling an apology. Her eyes return to her drink, and the knife disappears.
I let out a loud guffaw that makes her jerk in surprise. She gives me a smile, and then a wink.
We wait a while longer and still nothing happens.
'There's naught occurring tonight,' I growl as I get to my feet. 'Let's get back to the Library, and get some sleep. Perhaps that’s why reinforcements never arrived. Perhaps the reason they didn't come was because they knew it wasn’t happening today, and couldn’t tell us because we’d already left.’
Jak looks dubious, but says nothing. He stands as well.
Locke joins us a moment later. 'It doesn't make sense,' he mutters. 'Kitore is the city. It had to have been. No other has—' He shakes his head. 'Something doesn't feel right.'
‘How is that any different than the past weeks?’ I mutter.
Locke snorts. ‘Aye, that’s true enough.’
‘What are we going to do?’ Jak asks.
Locke lets out a long breath. ‘Go back to Halsford on the morrow, I suppose. We need to find out what’s happening. Why they never came.’
‘What if it’s not safe?’ I ask.
‘Then, we return to Kitore directly, and have Vie hide us,’ Jak answers readily.
I raise my brows at him. ‘You’re sure she can?’
‘If anyone has the knowledge, it is she,’ he says, beginning to walk away. ‘I’m done with the Underhill. No more deals, no more putting our human in harm’s way.’
Bryn’s eyes dart between us. ‘You think Vie knows a place where they wouldn’t be able to find us?’
Jak nods.
‘That’s assuming you want to stay with us,’ he says quietly. ‘If you wished to break the bond, make a new life away from all this, from us, you need only say. Dane can do such a thing.’
She looks taken aback.
‘Is that…what you want?’ she asks carefully.
I surge forward, taking both her arms in a sure grip.
‘No,’ I say forcefully. ‘It’s not what we want.’
The others shake their heads.
‘But the binding can be broken,’ Locke murmurs. ‘You have the right to choose, Bryn. We want you with us, but we understand if you want something else, a new life in the Light. We could ensure it.’
But she’s already shaking her head. ‘No, I don’t want that. I want to be with you. All of you.’
My relief is palpable and, as I look at Jak and Locke, I see the same in their faces.
Our little human wants to stay with us. Thank the Gods.
When we head back to the Library to get a little sleep before the sun rises, my heart is lighter than it has been in a long time.
I take Bryn to my room. Jak and Locke both look like they want to join us as I close my door in their faces, but I want some time alone with my female.
I want her close. I don't want her in some room alone, unable to get to her if I need to.
I’m tempted to play with her, but as I slip into my bed beside her, my exhausted little human is already asleep so I content myself with simply holding her close instead.
The morning comes too soon, and I wake with a yawn. I breakfast with my female, and then I make her my breakfast, letting her whimper and writhe on my tongue for a good long while before I allow her to find her pleasure.
When she's sated, only then do I slake my own lust in her tight little cunt, letting the golden piercings of my cock rub her to ecstasy again. I hold her by her tiny throat and am surprised that she seems to like it when I squeeze it just a little.