Page 49 of Shadow Dreaming

“Right.” With that, she hurried back to her desk as we filed into the breakroom.

I grabbed the tissues and handed them to Penn, then washed my hands and face. Dante, Carson, and Orik washed up, and—as Sophia returned—we settled down at the breakroom table.

“I have an appointment for you at two,” Sophia said.

“Thanks,” I said, still shaky.

My inner demon seldom ever came out, but each time, she felt stronger. With my demonic powers emerging, that side of myself was growing more dangerous and it was imperative that I learn how to control her and direct the energy.

I turned to Penn. “So tell us what happened.”

“I’m still in shock. I don’t know why they kidnapped me,” she said. “At first, I thought it was because of the portal I watch over, but they didn’t ask me a single thing about it. They didn’t ask me anything. Several times during the past couple days, someone came in and…”

“And?” I asked, spooning a big scoop of fried rice onto my plate. I added some potstickers and an eggroll.

Penn stared at the food. “I’m so hungry,” she said. “They gave me food but not a lot of it.” After she filled her plate, she added, “And…I don’t remember. There’s more, but I seem to have either blocked it out or…I just don’t know. I think I faded in and out throughout the time I was there. I do remember asking them what they wanted, over and over, and the man who seemed to be in charge kept telling me to shut up. I tried to use my magic, but something prevented it.”

“There was an anti-magic spell cast in the basement,” Orik said.

I held out a picture of Jiles Smithson. “Is this the man you’re talking about?”

Penn nodded. “That’s him. He’s not the one who broke in, but he’s the man who kept checking on me.”

“Would you recognize the kidnappers?”

She frowned. “Maybe. I didn’t get a good look at them, but I think it was two men. They had masks on, though.”

Something felt off. I didn’t think Penn was lying, but I had there was something she wasn’t telling us. Or that she couldn’t tell us. “Why don’t we eat? We can discuss everything after lunch, after you’ve had a chance to clean up. But there are other things we have to tell you and I’m not sure what you’re going to think,” I added.

Penn stopped mid-potsticker. “What’s going on? Tell me now, please.”

I didn’t want to tell her this, but she had to know, and the sooner, the better. “I went to see the Crystal Court, to ask for their help. Duran got me an audience.”

Penn froze. “And…?”

“And they’ve kicked both you and Duran out of the Crystal Court. They refused to help me rescue you, and they said you’re…”

“Just say it.” She stared at her plate, pursing her lips.

“They consider you a liability because of your half-Fae nature, and because of your connection with me.” I sighed, feeling like I’d kicked her when she was down.

After a moment, she took another bite of food.

Then she said, “Fuck them. Fuck them and the horse they rode in on. No matter where I go, my bloodline seems to be the only thing that matters. I’m done.”

“Well, there’s something they should know,” I said. “The man who kidnapped you and kept you in his restaurant is a member of both Brim Fire and of the Crystal Court. His name is Jiles Smithson.”

Penn pensively stared at her food. Then, she exploded jumping out of her chair.

“They’ve put me in an untenable position. They cut me loose, kick me out of the Crystal Court! They say I’m a liability. And now I find out there’s an informant on the inside? Part of me wants to let them burn—let them find out on their own. I’m not loyal enough to be part of the court, and yet they allow a member of Brim Fire to walk right in without checking on his background?”

She marched over to the counter, leaning against it, her head down as she rocked back and forth. She turned around, white faced.

“I’m so conflicted. I know I should tell them, but why? Why bother? They can’t keep order in the ranks, they become more adversarial every day, and then they blame me for problems they created! They can go fuck themselves.”

“You don’t mean that—” Carson started to say, but she turned on him.

“Oh yes I do mean that! Why should I bother helping them out when they’ve tossed me out of my ass? And left me to the whim of a bunch of lunatic kidnappers?”

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