Page 76 of Faerie Hunted

On the lips of people on the street, in the eyes of animals and birds overhead—I had no idea how far his influence spread but I felt him here.

He was in league with Selene and with Cosmo Foxfall. With Claribel and probably an untold number of agents at the Bureau. Was there any place where his toxicity hadn’t reached?

Mike and Queen Laina stood out amongst the people of Yelaine as they were meant to stand out.

I pointed that out and a quick burst of the queen’s magic had their features subtly shifting in the shade of the alley.

The gleaming sunlit color of their hair slowly shifted into a more innocuous dirty-blonde. Their eyes were less vibrant, their features normal. Average.

A wave of the queen’s hand and I felt my own face shift as well, but nothing like when I changed form on my own. A little nip, a little tweak, and I wondered what I would look like to someone who knew me.

“There,” Laina murmured. “That will help us. I’ve hidden our scents for now but I’ll need herbs to work a more complete spell.”

“Can you do anything about our clothing?” Bronwen asked.

“Together, yes.” Laina held out a palm for her son and Mike slapped his against hers.

A burst of power spread out from the two of them and I wondered if adding my own would help or hinder them.

Within seconds the fabric of our clothing wove itself into different styles and designs. I flinched where the fabric brushed against my skin.

Shit, if I don’t eat soon, and sleep…

“Where do we go now?” Onyx leaned heavily on Noren, and even the direwolf appeared changed to a creature similar to a large German Shepherd.

Onyx and Mike eyed each other for the longest time and surprise straightened the curve of my spine. Oh, shit. The last time they’d seen each other had been at the execution and now both of them hovered around me protectively, the stare-down unbreakable over my head.

The pissing contest couldn’t last much longer.

I hoped.

Laina lifted her face to the sky. “We regroup for the night somewhere safe. There are several boarding houses in the area. Surely there are a few who cater to people who would prefer to travel with no questions asked. Those, I’m sure, will lie a little farther afield than the financial district. I have money.”

“Is that where we are?” I asked.

“Nearest the courthouse, yes. Several members of the Elder Council are in residence here. Farther from the sea, we’ll find what we seek. I’m sure of it, although it’s been many years since I’ve been to Yelaine. The city has grown much.”

She led the way down the street, navigating easily as the rest of us trailed after her.

I jumped, swallowing over a grimace when something touched my hand. Mike stared straight ahead, his eyes hard and flinty. He said nothing, only squeezed my hand once in acknowledgement as I fell into step beside him, firmly linked.

If we got out of this, I was telling him everything.

Every secret feeling I kept to myself, I wanted out there in the open. Even something as small as how I hate the taste of mustard on a burger.

I’d have nothing left to lose.

Then again, it wasn’t like we were getting out of this situation anytime soon.

We finally found a boarding house in the city and Queen Laina paid. One night, she assured the girl behind the counter, who decided it was better to have the cash in hand than to ask us about our travel plans, or the dog we insisted on bringing inside.

We climbed the stairs toward a large room on the third floor outfitted with enough bunk beds for five of us, including Noren, to safely tuck ourselves away. Mike lifted a silencing spell around the room the moment we were inside and his mom bolstered it with a few spells of her own.

The damping hush of their magic cast a safety net around us.

He’d gotten better with his powers somewhere along the line. And at least we were all together.

It counted.

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