Page 51

But why did she have to be so cute about it?

“You’re working for the Fae,” I stated, rolling her to the side and standing up. I zipped my pants and refastened my belt, watching her face.

Brittney sat up on her knees; her legs spread just enough for me to stare. “They think you have something to do with some missing diamond of theirs. But I don’t know how you’d get it if nobody but them can go to their Realm.”

She shrugged and hopped off the cot, gathering a blanket to wrap around her torso.

“I have ways of acquiring what I want.”

Brittney followed me as I walked out of the room. I should have locked her in the cage, but my mind was working too fast, focused on other things.

“Oh.” She swiveled, her eyes dragging across the room. “I didn’t get to look much when they brought me here.”

Before I could tell her not to touch, she was already dragging thick volumes from the shelf. “What’s wrong?” she asked, spinning around. Her hand clutched the sheet, holding it over her breasts while the rest of the blanket sagged low over her rear.

“As you were,” I said, waving a hand at her. She arched a brow and opened the book.

When I came back here to the Second, I’d brought reading material with me, including the historical diary I’d recently gotten my hands on. Settling in an armchair, I opened it.

The pages felt different, and I skipped where I’d left off and moved ahead. As I turned the page, ebony ink swirled, scrolling across the page, adding entry after entry, much to my delight. I knew I’d snagged a treasure the moment I’d laid my hand on its leather binding.

I would never tell a soul how I managed to get it into my possession, and I knew that was the correct decision while I absorbed the words.

There were hand-drawn pictures, information about the sentient tunnels, complaints about missing legal papers associated with the Fourth Realm, a report about witch trials, and brief entries concerning a traumatic family saga.

All of that was useful and interesting, but the freshest ink was the most compelling. A member of the Fae’s royal family had been cursed in a very specific way. Everything else I had read about the species indicated they took vows and curses very seriously. They were superstitious and worshipped various gods—while simultaneously considering the royal family as gods themselves.

A plan slowly formulated in my mind. One that would benefit me greatly.

Brittney strolled up to me and pushed the book to the side before dropping herself on my lap. I was too stunned to do anything but glance down at the top of her head. “Excuse me? I was in the middle of something.”

“I know. But look at this,” she held up a slim volume, an ancient grimoire, “we can summon a sea monster. Can we do that? I’ve never seen one. From a safe distance, of course.”

“Uh. There’s no water here.”

“I saw a swamp.”

“Brittney, dear. Did you stop to consider the size of a sea monster?” I squeezed my eyes shut. I called her “dear.”

She planted her hands on the armrests, blocking me from standing. “Just hear me out, wait. You have magic, can’t you make the swamp bigger?”

The thought to expand a body of water had never occurred to me, and I grabbed her waist, lifting her and setting her to stand as I got up. “No. Maybe? Why would I?”

She pouted and started rifling through the pages again. “Fine.” She glanced up at me. “You’re boring.”

Okay, now she was mad. She’d get over it. Sea monsters. Really? “Don’t try to conjure one; I don’t have time to deal with one. What you are going to do is help me with the Fae.”

That got her attention. “How’s that? If I had a gun, I’d have two bullets with their names on them. They magically molested me, somehow recreated the way you touched me. Like, they touched me, but didn’t? It was gross. I’m all in on whatever you want to do to them.”

My vision went red. I’d suspected as much, due to the strange, esoteric scraps of sorcery I’d felt on her, and to have her confirm enraged me.

“Your eyes are kinda crazy right now.” Brittney’s gaze was wide, but she held her ground. “It’s kinda hot, but yeah, I’m glad I’m not Fae.”

Stepping closer to her, I said, “You’re going to play games with them.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” she said quietly. “Can’t you just zap them or something?”

“I’m not here to start a visible war.”