I turned in place, mesmerized by the enormous room. Bookshelves crammed with volumes and scrolls rose from the floor to tower three stories above us. Two large tables took up most of the floor space, both protected with strong spells that vibrated down to my bones. Alcoves with golden doors and tiled platforms led to hidden rooms, but all were also spelled.
The large fireplace was empty of wood, but three comfortable chairs, each with its own ottoman, held spots in front of it.
“Where are we?” I asked.
“My new sanctum sanctorum. Mother’s library.”
“Gonna curl up on the couch with a cool mystery?”
“Oh, there’s a mystery all right.”
“Yeah, what is it?”
“Look in the corner by the window.”
“Hello, Charles. How was the war?” King Finvarra sat on a large chair that looked a lot like a throne.
“As horrible as most wars I guess, Grandfather. How’s Faerie?” I moved closer, my hands sprouting claws.
“As good as a realm can be after it’s been attacked by demons.”
“Did you know I was almost burned alive by a dragon?”
“Yes. Indigo mentioned it.”
Another step. Fin glanced down at my claws, then back at my face. He didn’t move from the chair.
“Someone you might know saved my life.”
“Do you mean Winter?”
And that was the lie that broke my back. I pulled Finvarra out of the chair by his tunic and slammed him against the wall. “How the fuck could you allow that male in the same room with my mother for all this time? How could you allow him anywhere near any of us? We let him stay at the Carmel villa! Why didn’t you kill him? He should have died years ago.”
Fin’s tunic grew red with his blood as my claws sank deeper. He didn’t defend himself. “If I had killed him, you’d also be dead. Burned by Malek. A pile of ash and bone borne away in the wind.”
“But you didn’t know that would happen.” My eyes burned, my throat tightened.
Fin didn’t say anything.
“You knew? How could you know?”
“I have visions that come to pass. They’re rare but this one was vivid. My son, whom I barely knew, would save my grandson, a young male I loved most dearly.” He touched my face, wiping away a tear. I blinked and turned away. “I ignored the vision at first. I did not know you. How could I love you? But when Fionna saved Kennet from his horrible fate the vision returned. I came to your realm and met your mother on the beach. She was pregnant and wise beyond her years. I saw the devastation Fionna and Kennet wrought, but I could not kill him. He was born to save you.” He grasped my shoulders. “You must live. You have just begun your journey.”
I backed away and lowered my body into Fin’s chair. “I… I thanked him. Called him Father. How could I have called him that? I betrayed Dad. And Mom. I…can’t ever tell them.”
I buried my face in my hands. If I thought there was somewhere I could hide from these two, I might have tried to disappear, but it was hopeless. One of them would always find me.
Fin crouched beside me. “You showed compassion and that is not something one must ask forgiveness for. Your parents feel joy that you survived and will not judge you for offering comfort at the end of a life, no matter whose it was.”
He pulled me close. When the worst was over Fin moved away and Isaiah handed me his handkerchief. I blew my nose and stood, walking to the window to pretend to look at the papers on the large table. Releasing the spell that protected them was no big deal.
“I frowned. “What’s… What’s this?”
“Plans.”
“Maps.”
“But this is a map of the United States.” I lifted it. “And the UK.”
“Interesting, is it not?” Finvarra asked as he took his seat once more.
“This is DR business and not Fae business. Go home and roll up your sleeves. Those gardens don’t tend themselves,” Isaiah snapped.
“Not a wise idea,” Fin said, staring out the window. “The Demon Realm has its own beauty.”
“The snow-capped mountain where Wyn and his clan lived was worthy of a postcard. I studied the map. “This is more Mortal Realm business. But, aren’t you bound to Faerie, Grandsire? I mean…you have to stay there, right? Help with repairs and stuff? Like we did after Fionna destroyed the realm.”
“I’ve been released from that particular responsibility.”
“Aine kicked him out,” Isaiah said.
“Anyway, I need a break. You too, right?” Fin asked me.
We nodded at each other and I turned back to the table. “This should be the last place The King of Faerie would want to hang out.”
“I would have chosen somewhere like Tahiti,” Isaiah said.
“Naberia’s gone. I thought my son and I could discuss a few things. Important matters.”
“Isn’t this just my luck? I get rid of Mom and Dad decides to move in and lecture me.” Isaiah conjured a slightly larger chair than Fin’s and jumped into it, curling his legs pretzel style.
They stared at each other.
“I can leave,” I said
“No.”
“No.”
More silence.
“I’m supposed to be here to help you repair the DR, right Unc?”
“That was my original plan, only look who’s staying for lunch.”
“Excellent idea.” Fin turned to me. “Hungry?”
“Starving, as long as they’re not serving corvo.”
“Show me the way to the kitchen.” Fin stood and smiled.
“Are we in the palace?” I asked.
“Of course.” Isaiah puffed out his chest. “I am the Archdemon. This is my territory. I now live in the ridiculously gaudy palace. Really, it looks like something Louie XIV might have designed.”
Isaiah sent me a mind to mind. “How about a nice steak?”
Beef?”
“Yep.”
“I’m in.”
We left through the main door and Isaiah led the way. The wide staircase we traveled down had several landings leading off to different floors. I’d never seen so much gold in one place. Doors, window frames, picture frames, even walls were decorated with delicate golden designs. The floor was a beautifully polished white marble with threads of gold and bronze and copper.
“I also enjoy a good beefsteak.” We glared at Fin. “Your shields are paper thin. And it wasn’t anything personal.”
I stopped in my tracks and turned to face the King of Faerie. “Never again.”
His long sigh spoke of unfair persecution. “I agree as long as you let me teach you the trick of how to get past even the strongest shields.”
“Why would I ever want to do that?”
“Wouldn’t it have been handy to get into Naberia’s mind when she’d come up with the idea to use mind control devices?”
“Yeah, that would have been great if I’d had the nerve to get close enough to the crazy female.”
“A minor point.”
I stopped at the door to the massive kitchen. Crowds of creatures, mostly demons, were spooning soup into their mouths as quickly as they could manage. As bread was placed in front of them, it disappeared into tunics or up sleeves. One guy shoved half a loaf into his boot.
They were all wounded in one way or another. Underweight and pale.
Group by group they noticed Isaiah and threw themselves to the floor, begging for mercy.
“Everyone up. That’s it. Go back to your food.” When they were settled, Isaiah spoke again. “Good work,” he told his staff. “Are there more prisoners?”
“Another group this size.”
“Mother’s proclivity for violence was legendary.” Isaiah shook his head.
“These were the archdemon’s prisoners?” Fin asked.
“Yes. After they eat they’ll bathe and get their wounds tended. We’ll find them something to wear and they can go home to their families with enough coin to purchase a plot of land or perhaps a shop in town.”
Isaiah clapped his hands and several of the former prisoners flung themselves back on the ground. “No, no. Get up. Would you be kind enough to help me, your highness?”
“Certainly.”
“The King of Faerie will now demonstrate how to bow to their sovereign in the proper way. Go ahead.”
Silence.
“I’m afraid, Isaiah, that my sovereign passed on over five thousand years ago.” Finvarra pushed past Isaiah and sat at the table between two demons. He greeted everyone at the table with a nod. “Hello. I’m the king. Do you know if there’s any more soup? I’m a bit peckish.”
“You’re speaking in Fae.” I pointed out.
He covered his mouth in surprise then switched to perfect Rux. “Oh, I apologize.” By the time he repeated what he’d said before, everyone in his vicinity was grinning. The staff immediately dished out a bowl of soup and gave him an entire loaf of fresh bread. “Thank you, so much. Your staff is top notch archdemon. Top notch.”
Isaiah groaned. “Tahiti is sounding really good right now.”
“Keep the steak. I’m good with coconuts. Let’s go.”
Isaiah glanced back at Finvarra. “I’m afraid my people and my realm come first.”
“You can kick him out?”
“But can I? If Jackie kicked Garrett out of the house and he turned up at your apartment, would you send him away?”
“No. But Garrett raised me.”
“To be fair, Finvarra didn’t know I was his son.”
“True.”
“You two should join me and my delightful companions. The soup and the bread are delicious.” Fin waved a piece in the air.
I pushed my uncle toward the bench. “Quick, take a bite out of the same loaf Fin is eating from, then give him the Xenia lecture. That might help.”
Isaiah grinned and did as I asked. Fin seemed pleased with the idea and suddenly they were getting along a lot better than before. I took a seat as thoughts of the war and all that had happened faded in the presence of a simple shared meal, easy chatter and the sense that maybe hanging with these two zany family members was exactly what I needed.
Time would tell. For now, this was almost perfect.
I hope you enjoyed Jackie, Garrett and Charlie’s story.
Book 10, In Demand, will release in 2021 in ebook and audiobook format. If you’d like to know more about Gayle’s books or to sign up for her newsletter please go to gayleparness.com
And now for an excerpt from A Stubborn Heart. Book 1 in the Rogues Inc. Series, to be released on audio in 2021.