Chapter 10 #4
"Re-stitching a continental ley line without a divine battery will melt your nervous system, Wren," Hash chimes in cheerily, though his rakish eyes are dead serious as he breaks off another piece of meat pie.
"But... if we are discussing highly dangerous alternatives, we could always infiltrate the Seelie Court.
If we steal the golden bough from the king's personal vault, we could, theoretically, use Fae magic to force their own doors closed from the outside.
It is a suicide mission, of course, but it completely leaves the Shadow King and your bonds out of the equation. "
My coven has been my official family for less than two hours, and they are already casually planning to burglarize a celestial Fae palace just so I can avoid an eternity of marital bliss.
I am deeply touched, and also mildly concerned for our collective lifespans.
Malakai’s gaze is still hot on my face, and it’s getting harder to ignore him.
"What about a containment spell?" Piper suggests, leaning forward as Ga’Rek keeps his massive green arm anchored protectively around her shoulders. "I could bake something, a sausage roll, maybe, and we could use it to drug the Seelie and Unseelie Fae.”
“Ah, I don’t think that’s going to work, dear Piper,” Caelan says. “The Fae aren’t going to just easily pick up a simple sausage roll and be tricked into forgetting they want this plane.”
"Then I'll fight them myself," Ga’Rek rumbles, a low, terrifying vibration that sets the silverware rattling on our plates. The massive orc grins, his sharp tusks gleaming in the lamplight. "An army of elite Fae warriors still bleeds when an axe meets their ribs."
Malakai doesn't move a single muscle in his corner, but the temperature in the room instantly plummets by ten degrees.
The velvet shadows clustered around his boots begin to lash out like agitated serpents, a dangerous, freezing aura of primordial dark magic suffocating the coven's frantic brainstorming.
"You are planning a multi-level plan that is sure to end your destruction" Malakai rasps, his deep, guttural tone cutting cleanly through their overlapping arguments.
He doesn't look at them; his eyes, once again burning embers, remain locked entirely on me.
"None of those plans ensure her survival.
The planes, and their gates, are tethered to her untrained light and my shadows. You cannot out plan fate."
"I'm tired," I finally announce. It's true. With my stomach full and the danger past, I find myself half asleep on top of my arms. "I can sleep here on the table while you all talk, or I can sleep somewhere else."
"Oh. How rude of me," Caelan says. "Let me, of course, offer you a room at my inn."
"We could go home," Malakai interrupts, glaring at Caelan with something that might be jealously.
I shift on my seat, uncomfortable and out of tea and food to eat to hide it. I pick at my fingernails instead.
"Absolutely not," Wren declares, slamming her palms on the table.
"Not until she's decided what she wants.
" She stands, putting herself between me and the Shadow King.
If I didn't already like the witch, this would have sealed the deal, because he's quite a daunting figure, even in his ridiculous ceremonial shadow-wyrm armor.
"What do you want, Aveline?" Malakai finally asks, gritting the words out. It takes me a moment to realize he's asking me, not telling me what I want, but asking. The bar may be in hell, but at least he's walked over it.
"I think I'd like to stay here tonight.” I stifle a yawn. "I'm too tired to go anywhere."
"You need rest." Wren smiles at me, standing immediately. "You can meet the rest of the coven, as many as we can scrounge up, at least, in the morning."
"We'll be going home in the morning," Malakai says. "She must be trained in her magic before she is to be of any use in facing the Fae threat."
Wren turns slowly and gives him a long, disgusted look. "You need to get over yourself."
I blink at her rudeness then burst into laughter. "I do like you," I tell her, surprised at how heavy my limbs already feel.
"They must stay in the same room," Ter squawks, so close I forgot he was even in the room. And then his talons pierce through what's left of the fabric of my dress as I stand wearily to follow Wren.
"What if I don't want to?" I ask Ter.
"Then you won't be safe.” Ter’s wings fan out as he stretches.
I look at Hash, who nods gravely. "The bond is between you and the Elder God," Hash finally says. "You're safest at his side, because you are the weakest link until you learn to control your magic."
"Well, that's settled." Malakai doesn’t seem pleased, though. No, he looks annoyed by the fact everyone agreed that I should stay with him, even though that’s what he wanted in the first place.
Men. Ugh. Disgust curls my lip, and I stand too.
"We'll put out a rug for you to sleep on," Wren tells him sweetly.
Malakai stares at her, clearly disgusted. "I don't need sleep," he says. "I'm not human."
"And you're so delightful in spite of it," Wren says, giving me a sympathetic look.
I snort, surprising myself with the unladylike sound before it turns into real laughter. It feels good after so long—being afraid for so long—to really let that laugh out.