Shards and Ashes

“But if they were in those cages all that time,” Dana said, “wouldn’t they grow up?”

“They only age in their own realm. On this plane, they stayed babies. Miserable. Lonely. Unloved. For centuries.”

“Scheiss,” Alex murmured.

“Alex didn’t know,” Dana said quickly, and she knew that to be true. She knew he was good. And that she was safe with him. “About any of it.”

Meg nodded. “I believe you. I was recruited by the Ritters to guard the place where we’re standing. The Pale. The border between magic and nonmagic worlds. They said it was flimsy. Things were getting across that shouldn’t.”

She looked over at the figure beside her. “What they were worried about was the Erl King. They were afraid that he’d find out about the goblins in the castle dungeon.”

“The Erl King? Holy shit, Alex,” Dana blurted.

“Ja,” he said, and uttered a string of German.

Meg looked a little confused, but she continued. “The Ritter elders never told anyone the truth. But I found out. I saw the cages. And I busted their lie wide open.”

“It was revenge?” Alex’s voice shook. “The goblins destroyed the whole world because of something my family did hundreds of years ago?”

“It was a rescue mission. Fair folk and goblin. Your people fought back,” she said to Alex. “During the battle, some of them found out and joined our side. But by then, the Pale had fallen. Magic poured into this world and overwhelmed it.”

For a moment no one spoke. Dana found Alex’s hand and held it.

Meg’s features softened. “Magic made our world sick. The fair folk baby that was stolen was the first domino. The goblins toppled next. What happened would have happened eventually. But not for a long time.”

“And the fair folk baby survived,” Alex said.

“And had children. And they had children. And that means . . .” Meg’s voice trailed off.

“There is still magic in the world.” Dana looked at her trembling hands. “As long as we’re here.”

Alex twined his fingers with hers. “But even if we leave, how many will be left?”

Meg sighed. “We don’t know. We don’t even know how to find them.”

Dana raised her head. The flames on the Erl King’s helmet flickered in the night wind. A flake of ash fluttered away, and as she thought about all that he must have lost, too, it began to glow.

She whispered so quietly it seemed as if the wind took her words away, “I find lost things.”

Corpse Eaters by Melissa Marr

HARMONY STOOD OUTSIDE the immense vat of viscous liquid. It looked remarkably like a cross between an aquarium and one of the coffee dispensers at every church dinner she remembered. Inside it, corpses floated. The water was thick with things she didn’t want to identify.

“Get out.” Chris grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the tank.

She looked past him to where the PBX was attached. The explosives were precious, used only when essential, but this was one of the essentials. The body of a girl about her age floated on the other side of the wall where the hole would be.

“Now, Harm!” He shoved her toward the door. “You were to be gone by now.”

Silently, she apologized to the dead girl for the imminent explosion—and the damage it would do to her body. On the other hand, it wasn’t as if her body would be treated with respect if they didn’t do this. She was food now, meat and skin consumed by the creatures that Harmony’s group opposed.

The explosions farther into the warehouse began. Hopefully, they’d draw enough attention that she and Chris could escape. Hopefully, only a few of the Nidos would be between them and the door. Hopefully, the monsters wouldn’t win today.

“Come on,” Chris whispered.

They moved closer to the exit and ducked behind a stack of boxes. His hold on her arm hadn’t loosened; she suspected it wouldn’t unless he had to fight. It wasn’t that she was reckless, not really. It was just that the only time she felt like life mattered was when she was taking something from the Nidos. They’d taken everything from her, from everyone who lived in North America. She liked taking something from them.

The sounds of slithering and harsh words echoed through the warehouse. The Nidos were heading toward the explosions. Those explosions were distractions, larger charges causing destruction, but as soon as the vat blew, the Nidos would come.

She felt it as it blew, a smallish explosion in comparison to the others they’d set. The crack in the glass was almost as loud. The fluid began to pour from the hole, and as it did, the crack widened.

They were at the door as the gush of water and human remains flowed into the warehouse.

“Faster!” she urged Chris. A fight she could enjoy, but being doused with a soup of decaying bodies was the stuff of nightmares.

It was foolishness, but she closed the door behind them.

As if sealing away the sight of it will change anything.

There were two Nidos outside the door, but Chris wasn’t willing to waste time on them. He lifted the sawed-off shotgun he had slung across his back and emptied both barrels into the Nido on his side.

“Got you,” she said as she threw herself on the back of the second one. The satisfying sensation of slicing his throat wide open wasn’t enough, but it helped her feel like all would be right in the world.

He bucked as he died, and she smiled.

When she released him, Chris was frowning at her.

“What?”

“Nothing, Harm.” He gestured at the street. “Move before more come.”

“I’m gone.” She took off in a jog.

When Chris caught up with Harmony, he was exhausted, not from the run or from their work at the warehouse but from the fear that came from watching her take stupid chances. She could’ve shot the Nido. They both had emergency guns. She didn’t even consider drawing hers.

“You’re on streetside.” He saw her sheepish look, but it only lasted for a blink. Then she shrugged and gestured for him to take the left side, closer to the dark alleyways and shadowed alcoves.

He didn’t look at her as they walked, but he couldn’t ignore the conversation they needed to have. “Do you try to get injured?”

“Nope.”

“You know they have a few openings for transfer to the Midwest.” Chris steered her farther from an open trunk on a relatively new sedan.

Harmony circled the car, peering in the windows. “And do what?”

They continued down the street. “You could work in one of the research centers, help with the trainees. It’s safer there.”

“I’m not qualified. I don’t get why . . .”

Chris stopped and held a finger to his lips. She grinned in anticipation of trouble.

He stepped into the mouth of the alley and moved toward the rustling coming from a pile of boxes.

Harmony eased closer.

An old man with rheumy eyes crouched in a nest of cardboard; he remained motionless as they approached.

Chris stepped up to the man, but not within his reach. “It’s not safe here.”

“Should I go to a nursing home?” The old man rose on his spindly legs and gazed in the general direction of Chris’ face. “The caretakers’ll send me to the creatures soon as I get sick.”