Page 42 of Tasteful Anarchy and Tangled Auras
We walk through the streets towards the wide, curving river. It burbles faintly and I see many creatures swimming in it. We have a meeting at a tavern called the Water’s Edge. We pass stalls of vendors lining the street, various inns and brew houses, and several large banks. Water Fae of many species wander about, most rarely seen back in Wilsden, being landlocked as it is.
A kelpie emerges from the Murimont. It’s not in human form, and Ossy looks hard at it. “You have nykur in your lands?”
“I’ve heard speculation that they are the same species, but my understanding is that they disagree,” I explain.
Adi looks between us and sighs. “How do I know the least about Fae, when I’m supposed to rule part of one of our realms?”
Ossy puts an arm around her waist and pulls her to him. “The Goddess gave you us. Besides, you know lots. Don’t sell yourself short.” But Adi still looks dejected, so Ossy adds, “Have we told you how spectacular you look in your Priestess garb?”
Adi laughs and Ossy smiles. She presses into him, looking less down. I’m feeling so odd, pleased that Ossy raised our mate’s spirits and happy that they are happy. I shake my head. This morning when Ossy was pleasuring her, I would have thought I might feel jealous but I didn’t. It was hot. I didn’t mind at all even though Adi is my mate. Ossy had called us a family. Maybe there was something to that.
I don’t have time to mull it further as we arrive at the tavern. I pull open the door and hold it for them. I wink at Adi and she grins, knowing I’m teasing about dropping it on her. It bringsa smile to my face. If we can survive this, I’m starting to see a future for the three of us.
Ossy leads us to the lower level. I take the rear, Adi safe between us. The tavern’s lower level opens onto the river. The roof extends out but there are no walls. A stone patio slopes at a gentle angle into the river. Special low weighted metal tables sit half in the river. The lower level of the tavern is packed, many Fae inside, and the water tables are full as well.
I spy Jack, towering above most of the other patrons and sitting cross-legged on the stone patio on the land end of a water table. Sciemle sits on the table, with a tiny table and chair just for her. Her colors are rich, which means she’s fed recently. In the river is Filib. He’s in his water form, which looks kind of like a large shaggy brown horse. A carnivorous one, with teeth more akin to a shark and eyes that glow. He paws the stone patio, causing large ripples to fan out. Honestly, kelpies creep me out less in this form than their human ones. In this form, you know what you’re dealing with. When they’re in human form, they could pass for a dozen different Fae easily.
I sigh inwardly in relief that the Leprechaun isn’t attending this meeting. That means Sciemle doesn’t know that I know. And also gives me more leeway for swaying the males. I take a deep breath to ready myself. I don’t know when I started having to turn up my charm and glamour when dealing with Sciemle, but I find it distasteful. I resent that I have to charm and flirt with her. It reminds me of the court nonsense I tried so hard to escape.
At least I feel that I’ve properly prepared Adi and Ossy this time around. Or, at least I thought so, until I see Ossy lean over near Sciemle to get a good look at her.
Adi squeaks at the same time I grab his shoulder. I pull him up to me. “Don’t put your mouth by that thing!” I hiss.
Sciemle beams. “It’s heartwarming that you consider me such a concern, my dear Bryn.”
I feel Adi stiffen at her tone. Shit, this is going to hell in a handbasket real quick. But Adi says nothing, simply sweeps her robes under her and sits.
She’s impressive looking in her robes, I’ll say that. Her white skirts are both voluminous and flowy and have some gold work in a Celtic pattern up one edge. The top is a white corset, covered in white embroidery. Over the corset is a soft, fuzzy, also-white top that covers her hands and arms and wraps around her middle to tie on one side. It has a wide, deep hood, but she has it thrown back, her curls loose. She wears a leather belt, hammered with images I can't decipher and holding several pouches. A ceremonial athame is also sheathed on it. Whoever designed their ceremonial outfits must have been a bit vain, because it’s unquestionably gorgeous. Or maybe it’s just my mate that’s unquestionably gorgeous. My heart thumps at the thought.
Tattooed on Adi’s forehead, right below her hairline in the center, is a blue woad horned moon, pointed up. The mark of a Priestess. I hadn’t seen it before. I think it makes her look wild and I love it. She had explained that she usually uses a tiny bit of glamour to cover it as it tends to make people nervous.
She’s also shown me the slit she’s had put in her skirts to accommodate unsheathing the dagger on her thigh.
Filib smiles. Or leers. It’s hard to tell with him. When he speaks, it’s in the perfectly human voice he has in either form, which is more unnerving than if it was distorted by his muzzle. “Priestess, I’m glad to finally meet you in the flesh.”
“Thank you, Filib. The feeling is mutual. Bryn has told me of how you were one of the first of our FEC to join the EA, when Bryn returned to recruit.” Adi gives Filib her wide grin, the one that if I didn’t know her so well, I’d swear was a real smile. “Do you remember me?”
Filib shakes his horsey head and snorts.
“I lived in Glario twenty years ago for several years,” Adi continues. “I remember you from my time with one of the Selkie rafts here.”
Filib seems surprised. “I feel I would remember one as beautiful as you. Did we play together in the river?”
I see Ossy straighten. My eyes meet his, and I give the tiniest shake of my head.
“No, I stayed up river with some of the selkies.” A diplomatic answer, given that Filib was asking if the two of them had sex or, alternatively, had tortured humans together.
“Well, perhaps we can find time to swim together while you are in the city.”
Adi smiles. “That sounds wonderful.”
Jack interrupts. “Filib, stop trying to get your dick wet.”
Filib has the grace to look insulted. “My dick is usually wet, Jack. I’m merely trying to get to know our new member.”
Jack ignores him and turns to Adi. “I’m not sure I trust you yet, you little human-looking thing. How powerful are you?”
I open my mouth to speak, but Adi’s rage hits me and I stop. Shit. She has dropped her shields to let Jack have the full force. Jack groans, and I’m sure his cock is hard. Damn, he might have even come. I grimace.
