to kill you.”
“If he was going to, he would have done so already.” He almost believed that. He touched her cheek and let the strands of her blond hair trail through his fingers. “I’ll be back. I want to be back. I want to come back to you. So if this hasn’t freaked you out totally, kiss me good-bye and keep me in your prayers. I understand if you’d rather walk away.”
Lydia looked at him—was he serious? “I’m not walking away, and you’re coming back to me.”
“I will come back, I swear.”
For a moment she felt the force of his words. She had to believe that was true. But when she glanced at the fairy on the doorstep she wasn’t sure. At first glance Verden looked melt-at-the-knees hot. The face, the casual disheveled look like he was too cool to care, and those pale gray eyes. Women could get whiplash if they passed him on the street. But after that first glance, when she looked a little closer, that was when warning raked icy fingernails down her back. He smiled and she saw the restrained power, and the hunger as if he could never be satisfied. His eyes weren’t cold and empty, but whatever he wanted out of life had eluded him. The Hunter of Annwyn, but what was he really hunting?
She stepped back as he leveled his gaze at her.
Caspian stepped between them. “Leave her out of it.”
Verden inclined his head and tapped the sword at his side. “My patience is wearing thin.”
Caspian turned as if to go, but she wasn’t ready for him to leave with Verden. What if she never saw him again?
“Wait, you need your shoes and wallet.”
“I won’t need them. Look after them for me.” He glanced up at the ceiling and drew in a breath. He was trying to remain calm. “Why don’t you get those quotes while I’m away so we can make plans to save the house when I return.”
He was thinking about quotes now? No, he was trying to keep things normal. He was trying to think of the mundane and not the fairies. He was giving her something to do and something else to think about instead of where he had gone.
She stepped forward and gave him another hug. “Be safe.”
“You too.” He returned her embrace and held onto her. “I will do everything I can to come back.”
“You will get him back. Debts must be settled. Reparation made. You don’t want to be late, so come along.” Verden smiled, but there was nothing friendly in it.
She swallowed and released Caspian. She didn’t want him to be in any more trouble with the fairies. Especially this fairy.
Caspian took a step back, gave her a single nod, and then turned away. He closed the door. For a moment Lydia stood in the entrance, not sure what to do. Was there anything she could do? Praying that she hadn’t seen the last of Caspian seemed like the only option.
Chapter 16
Caspian closed the door behind him and stood on the step with the Hunter of Annwyn. “Is this where you get the dogs to tear me to pieces?”
“Mortals are so melodramatic. Do you have any idea how complicated arranging this meeting has been?” Verden walked down the steps. When Caspian didn’t immediately follow, he turned. “If you want to be dragged into Court by the dogs, I can do that, but I thought you’d like to walk in with a bit of pride. Do you really think the Prince would send
Caspian didn’t answer. Keeping his mouth shut around fairies had always worked in the past, and he was still trying to work out what Verden meant about engineering a meeting with his father. He walked through the garden and out on to the road.
“You’re here to take me to Court, nothing more?” The asphalt was cold and rough against his bare feet. He knew they were walking toward the old graveyard and church that had once been part of the estate.
“Your safe transit to Court. What happens to you there is not my business, although I will ensure you don’t come to harm since you know nothing of the ways of Court. I wouldn’t want the Queen getting her claws on you. Your return…” He shrugged. “I’m sure your most recent deal will bear weight.”
Bear weight, but not necessarily be enforced. “I had to make the deal with Shea.”
“Plead your case with the one who cares.” Verden crossed the road and stopped at the gate of the graveyard. The gap between hallowed ground and regular dirt could be used to cross between the worlds. “Know your actions have had far-reaching effects that you don’t understand. Shea ap Greely has tentacles everywhere. While I realize you have loyalty to the Prince, if you move against the King, I will release the hounds.” Verden moved his hands as if opening a door. The gap where the gate was shimmered like a heat wave, and the heavy scent of blossoms filled the air. “And I don’t care who your father is. After you, changeling.” Verden stood aside and indicated for Caspian to go through.
Caspian took a final glance up the road to Callaway House, then crossed his fingers and hoped he wouldn’t get trapped in Annwyn forever.
Behind him the gate closed with a snap like a breaking twig. He turned to look behind him but there was no gate, just two trees that looked no different from any other two trees around him.
He appeared to be in a forest of some kind. But the trees were taller and bigger than was possible and the color was wrong, not brighter, but more vibrant. The magic he’d felt of the silver tea set was nothing compared to the power in the air here. He could taste it, almost metallic on his tongue.
“Am I dead?” It sounded like a stupid question, but it was always good to check the technicalities and read the fine print on the ticket.
“Not yet.”
“So I’m physically here.” Caspian flexed his fingers. He felt real.
“Yes.”
On one hand that was good, on the other it meant he’d vanished from the mortal world and given that time moved differently he’d have no idea how long he’d been gone for.
“Three mortal days.”
“While I said she’d get you back, I didn’t specify in what condition.” Verden looked at him, his pale eyes almost amused. “And neither did you.”
Caspian gave himself a mental kick. “Why did he send you?” He couldn’t bring himself to say the Prince, and Father sounded too personal.
“Security. The hunt is more than a game. The Prince might be able to summon the army, but without me it has no teeth.”
That was the fairy way, spread the power so no one could rule alone. The King needed the Queen to keep the magic of Court alive. Duties were divided amongst the loyal. If Verden was loyal to the King, he’d be pretty pissed about Shea and the Queen. But that didn’t put him on the Prince’s side either. The Prince was a threat, the one person who could overthrow the King and take power.
Annwyn was balancing on a knife waiting to see who’d flinch first.
Verden began walking, crossing the lush green lawn. Caspian followed. He tried not to glance wildly around him, but part of him couldn’t contain the glee at being at Court. Part of him, the fairy part obviously, was reveling in the sensation of power. The mortal part, the part he usually listened to, was far more cautious. So he reined in all emotion and tried to ignore the magnificence as the forest began to change and thicken.
Overhead the branches arched to form a roof and the forest became a living building. The walls were the trunks, but embedded in the bark were what looked like gems. From the roof vines and flowers tumbled, the colored petals danced in the breeze. Shadows flickered along the edges, but they didn’t belong to Verden or Caspian. Shadow servants. They looked human, but they didn’t speak and kept their gaze on the grass at their feet.
The doubt and fear rose to the surface, smothering any wonder he felt about being in Annwyn. This place was unnatural. He shouldn’t be here. He didn’t want to end up like the shadow servants, bound to serve to pay a
