12.
Moth
W e have reached the Dragonfly Court, the scent of her honeycomb soap lingers in the air, promising she will be just around the corner. I ache to feel the softness of her skin against my own…
Heather.
Oh, love of mine: too trusting. Too loving—too sweet. Yet, one taste of her decadence would never be enough. When I find this vampire, it will not do to simply snap his neck. I am going to—
“Moth?” Rosie’s voice is quiet.
“ What? ”
Rosie squeaks in response, and I realize I’ve half-shifted in flight. My eyes cast a red glow across her face, and I breathe in deeply, trying to collect myself. I cannot.
“You just look like you were about to murder someone.”
“I might still,” I groan, scanning our surroundings. We have been following the sweet scent of honey and … blood. A chill runs through me knowing it is hers.
Holly’s nose wrinkles as her and Pepper speed behind us, confirming I am not the only one who is worried. Heather said this vampire would not hurt her, but what if she was wrong?
My talons scrape against the wood of the dock as we land. Carefully, I deposit Rosie onto the ground. The redhead lets out a shaky breath and a frown pulls at my face. I should not have brought her. But with the way she insisted, I did not have the resolve to refuse.
“I am sorry if I did not put enough care into my flight…” I begin. If my movements have been as frenzied as my thoughts, I fear the human might need time to adjust.
“No, no … I’m fine, it’s just that I’ve never flown before.” She lets out a laugh. “I feel like I’m in a fantasy novel.”
“Let us hope it is one where the princess is rescued by the end,” Holly says. The old wood creaks as she lands on the old wooden dock. “The server who reported seeing Heather fly off said she had come in this direction. Do you suppose she took refuge in that building?”
“The scent of her is everywhere,” I answer. There is no doubt my flame lingered here—whether she remains is another story. As we approach, Pepper remains searching the perimeter in hopes to find a lead.
But for now, this house in the middle of the water seems our best lead. We walk forward on the old dock until we reach a small cottage. It is whimsical in the sense it looks like it has been carved from sea glass and shell. Even more striking is the scent of her as it grows stronger. Will she be just beyond the door? My heart tightens as I wrestle with the phantom feeling of her rushing into my arms.
I rap at the door with my fist, the doorframe shaking beneath my fury.
“Alright, alright.” A muffled voice, deep with a southern drawl, comes from inside the house. It is certainly not Heather’s.
The door swings open, and there’s a man with green scales covering his skin, holding an ice pack to his head with webbed hands. The man squints as if hungover, blinking at the lot of us. “Howdy.”
“Did the giant fish man just … howdy at us?” Rosie whispers, taking a half-step behind me. I shield her; it is good enough for our mortal friends to offer their help. It is the least I can do to make sure they feel safe.
“You will get used to such things,” Holly assures her in a quiet voice. Pepper flutters back to our sides. The crestfallen expression on their face tells me everything I need to know; with the way her scent has faded, I do not believe Heather is here either.
Though, this man might know something.
“Oh, Gil, it is you.” Holly greets the fish man with unexpected familiarity and a small bow of her head. I do not think this man is of a noble court, but from the change in tone, I must assume he is a friend. Still, that revelation does little to calm the nerves inside me.
She was here.
“Where is my wife?” The title slips out before I realize it, but I do not take it back. We may not have gotten to our ceremony, but our love is true—rings and words are purely a gesture to the rest of the world. She is mine, and she was here.
“Come inside, y’all—I’ll explain everything I know.” Gil opens the door the rest of the way, allowing us entry to his home. I look to the group, who shrug in unison.
“We can trust him, brother,” Holly assures me. I sigh, accepting that I must endure yet another conversation before finding my flame.
Entering Gil’s home, there is a softness that takes me off guard. In a way, it reminds me of the cabin Heather and I reside in. While it has a splattering of unique decorations, it lacks the small personal details of a couple in love.
“A real firecracker, if you don’t mind me saying so,” Gil comments, the ice pack still resting on his head. I wonder if she’s the one who gave him the blow—and what he might have done to deserve it.
“I do.” I take a step closer. I cannot glean the meaning behind his tone, but I do not like it.
The rest of the group rests on a light blue sofa, but I cannot find it in me to relax, not when we were so close.
“Relax, my feathered friend.” He chuckles. Gil moves through the house, getting a set of glasses, a pitcher of what appears to be lemonade, and a tin of cookies. May no one say that the Gill People are without hospitality; however, I am not looking for a host. I am looking for answers. “Your betrothed is safe, no doubt plotting a way out of her bargain…” He sets the items down on the coffee table.
“Her what ?” Holly jumps in, rising from her place on the couch. “Gil, tell me you did not say the word ‘bargain.’”
“Would hate to lie to you, darlin.’”
Darlin’ … I bristle.
“How exactly do you two know each other?” Pepper asks the question before I have a chance.
“I shared a dance with a few of his kin some seasons ago.” She shrugs but cannot hide the blush that covers her face.
“Both Finn and Goldie still speak of you.” Gil smiles at her. “My siblings will be mighty jealous of this encounter, though I must admit, my affections lay elsewhere.”
“Ah, yes, I remember you spent much of the ball pining for a lost love,” Holly says, a smile cracking through her tough exterior. “We did manage to drag you out for a few songs.”
“I didn’t stand a chance against the peer pressure of you three.” Gil laughs, and I relax if only slightly. Though I will not let my guard down, Holly’s friendship with him seems genuine enough.
“Perhaps you’ve taken more after your brother than we realized,” Pepper teases before raising their cup to their lips.
“Let us not get distracted!” Holly clears her throat, her face flushed. “Heather has a bargain with the vampire king—what are the terms?”
A bargain… I do not know much about them, but it does not bode well for us.
“They are bound until he finds another love or releases her,” Gil says. My body tenses. How dare he bind them together in such a frivolous promise. I wish I did not doubt Heather’s abilities to carry out this nonsensical matchmaking plan.
“I take it that means we cannot cause him harm?” I groan. Oh, how I crave the simplicity of the mortal realm, where claws can cut and bones can snap, without worrying about curses and bargains.
“Well, you could—but it won’t break the deal unless you flat out kill ’m.” He shrugs. “Wouldn’t blame you.”
“Is it an enchantment?” I ask. “Will it affect her safety or free will?”
“A bargain can’t change a heart. Just make a mess of an already bad situation.” He shakes his head, gills flaring at his sides. He points to the ice pack with webbed fingers. “I tried to reason with him, didn’t go so well. We’ve always fought like brothers, but I’ve never seen him like this.”
“Well, it’s all very inconvenient,” Holly huffs. “Why would Heather do something so foolish?”
“She didn’t seem to know the words would mean anything,” Gil says. Holly’s brow rises as he looks at us expectedly. “Said she’s new here…”
As trustworthy as he may be, an explanation is not offered.
“I am sure that, in our time together, someone must have warned her to be careful…” Holly shakes her head. “I know I have expressed the dangers of such things, haven’t I?” She turns to me, and I can do nothing but shake my head.
Holly and Mother have not offered much help when it comes to navigating this world. Heather adapts too well for them to baby her, and they assume, because of my history here, I will remember customs and rules.
“I’ve heard you offer no more than vague threats,” Pepper says under their breath, earning a glare from Holly before she softens.
“Perhaps you are right, I should have focused less on swordplay and more on … practical advice.” Holly groans.
“Okay, just so I’m keeping up, you shouldn’t make deals with faeries?” Rosie pipes up. The four of us nod. That much I know now.
“Have you any idea where they are?” I ask. The conversation has shifted, and I cannot allow us to lose any more time.
“Somewhere in that big spooky castle of his—but it’s warded,” Gil huffs. “That’s Magnus for you: private, paranoid, and persistent.” He looks me in the eyes. “He won’t hurt her though; she’s not in any danger of being more than annoyed by his prattling.”
“He will still get what he deserves,” I seethe, struggling to keep my composure. It sounds like this man—Gil—has done what he could to sway the vampire king. I just wish we had arrived sooner.
“Fair is fair.” Gil shrugs “But remember, keeping him alive and sufferin’ alone is crueler than a clean death.”
“You want me to spare your friend. That is honorable.” I nod. Gil seems to have sense about him, why he would be friends with the vampire king I do not know.
Still, the fate of this vampire will depend on Heather’s wishes. If she wants me to cut him down I will gladly do it—either way, he will not come out of this unscathed. The thought of maiming the man who took her from me does not give me as much pleasure as the thought of her lips on mine. Getting her back is all that matters. Everything else will come second. Closing my eyes tightly, I let out a short exhale; in this moment, we are closer than we have been in days and still…
Gil takes a seat next to Rosie as if noticing her for the first time. He looks her over, his eyes widening and fins flaring as he clears his throat. “You’re a human.”
“And under our protection,” I say, taking a spot behind her. I lay my clawed hands on her shoulder.
“Yes, yes, good but…” His face softens. “I don’t presume y’all all know each other, but do you—have you ever been to Florida?”
“Just on my honeymoon,” she squeaks. “Is there a reason? Or … I’m sorry, I’ve never met a fish person before.”
“But a blonde—know any of them?”
“Um…” She looks at me and Holly as if asking for permission to give him information. We nod. I don’t see how this is relevant; therefore, it cannot hurt.
“A name would be helpful.” She laughs nervously running her fingers through her red hair.
“Marina.” He says it like it’s music, mournful and sweet, and in that moment, I know the two of us have something in common. A desperation to get back to the women we love.
Rosie shakes her head. “I’m sorry…”
“It was a long shot.” He smiles, shaking his head. His gaze returns to mine. “I’ll help you get back to Heather as best as I can. What do y’all need?”
“Can you get us through the wards?” I ask. If Gil is as close to the vampire king as he says, it stands to reason he would know how to reach him.
He pauses thoughtfully.
“I’ve been invited into his domain before. I should have access, though I can’t guarantee it. Once I got this pounding to stop, I was going to take a trip to the springs and see if I can get anywhere. I suppose I can pull myself together earlier.” He moves toward the door, picking up a small token that looks oddly familiar.
A gasp leaves my lips. It’s a piece of that silly little Mothman keychain my flame picked up at the festival of my likeness. A smile rises on my lips. Has she truly been carrying around the token this whole time?
“This has gotta be hers, right?” Gil asks with a grin. “It’s broken, but it might help us get directly to her. A personal item, recently carried, can break down wards to track someone—but I can’t guarantee anything.” He swings the keychain between his fingers.
And my heart leaps at the idea.
Without any further convincing, Gil dives into the water. We follow from the air, Rosie secure in my arms and holding on for dear life.
We glide past the crystal-clear water until we reach an area that is steeped in reeds and muck. He leads us to an alcove that appears to be some sort of lagoon.
It’s being guarded by two gill people who wave our new friend in easily—it seems he has enough standing in this community to not be questioned. I would have thought it would be difficult to gain access to a place of magic and power.
Behind a curtain of Spanish moss, a glowing portal sits. Gil untangles something—a small key that looks like it has a thread of red hair wrapped around it. It’s a gift, I assume—like giving a trusted friend a house key to water your plants when you leave town. He holds it tight, stepping into the rippling water—and nothing.
The surface remains as firm as glass.
“Bastard locked me out,” Gil groans, knocking on the surface. It seems that, in the short time Magnus has been back in his castle, he has changed the locks.
“Let’s try Heather’s charm,” he suggests, moving out of the way. “I’ll stay back and keep an eye out—see if there’s anything I can do to get through to Magnus, literally or figuratively.”
“And if Heather and the vampire return here, do not let them leave,” I add, regretting how sharp the command sounds when he has shown us nothing but generosity.
I am not good at this.
“I didn’t intend to last time, and I won’t let ’em get away again—” He offers a solemn nod, still nursing the wound on his head with ice. “If it comes to it, y’all rally the land; I’ll rally the water—we don’t take to getting involved with the drama of the fae folk, but… well, if I get to him first, I’ll try to talk sense into him again before you beat it out of him.”
“Thank you.” I nod, the curt gesture a sharp contrast to his familiar way of speaking.
Holly and Gil quickly strategize: missives will be sent to the palace detailing our progress. Mother is most adept in portal travel, and while it seems old-fashioned in a world of cellphones, it will have to do.
I clutch the broken keychain in my hand, gulping as I test the waters of the portals—it gives, with the ripples and shine of magic, and hope swells in my chest.
“It appears to be working,” I say, forcing myself to wait for my friends to gather at my side before jumping in alone. It is torturous, but only lasts seconds before they ready themselves and we join hands.
“She loves you something fierce,” Gil says, laying a hand on my shoulder. “Magnus can’t change that.”
“No.” I nod, sparing a glance behind me. “But it will not stop him from trying, will it?”
“I wish you luck, my friend,” Gil says. “Your little firecracker will burn that whole place down if he doesn’t come to his senses.”
“Wouldn’t that be something?” I say, thinking of the way she flickers. Watching her turn him to ash might be even more satisfying than if I were to do it myself…
Gil steps back as Rosie, Pepper, Holly and I take another step toward the portal.
“Ready?” Pepper asks.
I draw in a deep breath letting thoughts of Heather guide me. I am coming, my flame.