Page 24 of Vicious Fates and Vast Futures
She smiles gently, knowing my touches are my attempt to help center her.
“I think he had morals. Of his own sort,” I tell her as I continue braiding her long hair.
She sighs. “I need to speak to him. I don’t want to align with him, but it’s that or kill him. And I’m feeling oddly guilty for his...situation.”
“I’m not sure how that will go over....” I trail off, recalling how Ossy and I are more or less responsible for the death of his son and wife, regardless of whether or not they had it coming.
“I asked my father to clear up the ‘I’m his kid’ thing. And Barclay didn’t care for his wife much. That really only leaves his son to apologize for.”
“Fuckall that. That prick and his mother were responsible for abducting you.” I pull a spare hair tie off my wrist and use it to secure her braid. My lips quirk upwards. Her hair looks enchanting when it’s braided.
I take a deep breath. “Why do you think we need to align with him? I don’t know your reasoning, birdie, but my knee-jerk reaction is to just kill him instead.”
Her lips tighten and my stomach drops. Shit, I didn’t mean to question her, to make her think I didn’t trust her. But she bursts out laughing.
“Of course it is. I’m sure the boys would agree with you,” she gets out between giggles.
I purse my lips.
She takes a deep breath and continues. “I need him to align—or die—because of how we intend to break with the Upper Council of the EA if they won’t hold off on the bigger revolution. We need to show them that we can make it work in our FEC. If we can get our FEC in line, that will give us a lot of leverage in pushing back the timeline for overthrowing the US government restrictions upon the Fae.”
I nod slowly. It makes sense. Kind of. “What will you tell the Upper Council if you have to kill all the monarchs of our FEC? Seems a bit high-handed to suggest they not go around lopping people’s heads off when we have done that very thing.”
“Yes, well....” She trails off and shrugs. “Nothing to be done for it, really, if they insist on being ignorant jackasses.”
I take a deep drink of my beer as I think things over. Finally, I nod. “All right, then. Sounds good to me. Now, about that public groping?”
I grin as Adi bursts into laughter again.
AFTER A SECOND BEEReach, we head out. I catch a glimpse of Ossy’s ravens overhead, following us like two winged guards. It makes me smile. Adi steers us to a community mirror. My feet slow.
“I thought we were going back to the castle, birdie?” She’s going to do something stupid. I can feel it in my bones.
She grabs my hand, pulling out her necklace.
“Adelaide,” I warn, dragging my feet.
“Don’t Bryn me, En.” She grins suddenly. “I guess I can go without you...,” and she lurches for the mirror.
“No!” I yell and let her pull me through the mirror just as I get my free hand on my blade.
The magic of the mirror covers my skin, warm and almost oily, but the necklace that Bryn gave Adi gives it a “taste” of him. I smile despite myself.
I am scanning for threats before my feet hit the ground.
“We’re in Glario?” I ask, shocked.
“Yes,” she hisses, grabbing my arm and tugging me down an alley. “And I don’t want to run into Bryn and Ossy. Bryn’ll be pissed.”
“You think?”
I follow her, nervous not so much of Bryn but of actual danger, peering over my shoulder for anything suspicious. A few turns later and we emerge between two buildings built right up against the Murimont. The water laps at our feet quietly.
Adi grins. “Can you swim?”
I grimace. “Dog paddle.”
“Was that a joke?” she squeals before turning to the water and shimmering with magic as a fur coat covers her skin and her body bends and shifts.
