Page 59 of The Enemy to the Living
When I arrive at the base, the Huntsman is already there.
Everyone is, in fact, and no one looks to be at ease. Great. The Huntsman’s ears twitch when I slip into the room, and he waves his hand at an empty chair.
“Nice of you to join us.”
“I said I’d be here at sundown.”
He scowls but doesn’t answer. He’s not wearing a glamour, of course, but even still, his magic feels surprisingly volatile. He’s holding himself still but unnaturally so, like he wants to be on his feet and moving but has deemed that unprofessional.
“I explained to the Guardians everything we have uncovered regarding the twins,” the Huntsman says. “And I have had some luck in discovering their identities, though I do not know how much of a help that will be. They are not doing much to hide it.”
“Who are they, then?” Maurice asks. One booted foot rests on the coffee table, and he doesn’t move it, even when Vlad scowls. Grant is wedged between the two of them on the sofa, looking for all the world like he doesn’t want to be here. I’m not certain why he is.
Paxton is sitting over the other side of the room, at a small table next to one of the bookcases, and Jeremiah leans against his side.
“Their names are Celyn and Sorrel,” the Huntsman says. “They truly are twins, and both are high fae. Both are Unseelie.”
“Are they here for political reasons?” Vlad asks. “As Meilyr was?”
“I believe not, but I cannot be certain,” the Huntsman replies. He drums his fingers against his thigh, then stills them. “They have never been part of the court. Everything I have heard of them points to their love for chaos. That they are hosting fights between the fae is hardly out of the ordinary.”
“And the wolf?” I ask. “Why would they take a wolf?”
The Huntsman studies me for a moment, then lets out a heavy sigh. “I could not come up with a reason myself, so I asked the Guardians if there might be something in wolf magic that these fae might want. Cassian said what I already know—wolf magic is earth magic designed to withstand fae magic. Witch magic, only stronger.”
Maurice frowns, and even Grant is leaning in, fascinated. “I don’t understand,” Maurice says. “Designed…?”
“Wolves can withstand the fae,” the Huntsman says, each word passing through his lips as though it pains him to say them. It’s not something I’ve brought up with everyone else in the Hunt before because none of ushavewolf magic, not even me. “They initially emerged to withstand the fae. To be protectors of humanity.”
Were we? I grew up on the old stories, but I never spent any time among humans until after my pack was killed and the Huntsman gave me his blessing. We scared humans. They drove us out and then forgot about us.
Much like they did with the fae, I think. I eye the Huntsman now. They like to pretend they’re more powerful and superior, but there are alotof humans, and they have a lot of fight in them.
“Shit,” Maurice mutters, sitting back. “And the Hunt isn’t full of wolves because…”
“The magics are not compatible,” the Huntsman says. He does not look at me at all. “If I were to bless a wolf, they would lose that side of themselves.”
Grant pales. “And die?”
“No. Fae magic would sustain them. Their wolf would be gone, but the person would remain.”
Paxton’s gaze burns into me across the room. He’s the only one, despite the looks I’ve recently been getting from Maurice and Grant. I’m not surprised by that at all.
“Anyway,” Jeremiah says, and he’s always only half a step behind Paxton, so he’ll work it out soon, too, “is there some reason the twins might want this magic, then? Can they even wield it?”
“Uncertain,” the Huntsman replies. “In theory, no, but in practice, it depends on what they want to do. They may be able to ask someone else to.”
“And they want it to, what, fight the fae?” Maurice grimaces. “They’re high fae and there are two of them. If they were careful, we wouldn’t have even found them.”
“They clearly care little for being careful,” Vlad replies, and the Huntsman graces him with a nod.
“We cannot assume their reasoning will make sense,” the Huntsman says. “They have caused the Unseelie Court much trouble before. More dangerous than stealing wolves is the dissent they might spread among the Seelie fae here.”
“Fuck,” Maurice mutters, and the Huntsman gives him an arch look.
“If you are so interested inhelpingthem, then you might warn them that to associate with the twins is dangerous.”
Maurice doesn’t pull a face, but it’s a close thing. Yeah, the Huntsman is not over that one. I wasn’t there when Maurice told him he hadconditionsprior to rejoining the Hunt, but I’ve heard about it since.
