“Leave my brother alone.” Noli looked around for something she could control.
Holding out her hand she
“Do you dare use magic against me?” Brogan roared, holding out his hand and sending her flying backward into the wall. The air whooshed out of her body as she smacked against the wood.
“Noli!” Jeff stumbled up off the floor.
“Wait,” Vix hissed, holding out her arm.
One of the guards peered at Noli. “Your majesty, do you know who this is?”
“Who?” Brogan looked down his nose at her as she lay crumpled against the wall, ribs smarting, though nothing felt broken.
“She’s Stiofan’s. I remember her from the House of Oak.” The guard looked familiar.
Noli sucked in a breath, which hurt, as she remembered where she’d seen him. “You worked at the big house. You’re a spy.”
Brogan’s hands clapped under his chin. “Stiofan’s little mortal—well, not so mortal anymore. Tiana’s work, I’m sure. What should we do with her? Bait? Or perhaps we should just kill her. After all, she’s not wearing his sigil anymore which could only mean—”
“Leave. Me. Alone.” From her spot on the floor, Noli sent out another blast, this one aimed directly at King Brogan.
He sidestepped, strode over, and grabbed her by the throat. “You are very much out of your element, little sprite, and lacking a protector. You best watch your step. Also, are you sure you’re well? Your color looks off.”
Her throat grew warm and tingly and for the briefest second his hand shimmered as she struggled for breath. Wait, she had her knife. Kicking up her foot, she fumbled for it.
“Now, give me that piece,” he demanded.
“No.” The word barely escaped her lips as he choked the air out of her. Grasping the knife, she jabbed it in his hand, praying it would force him to release her.
His face contorted in pain. “Why you little—”
“Leave my sister alone,” Jeff roared. Boom. Boom. Boom. Jeff fired his pistol several times into King Brogan leg.
Again, she jabbed him. Take that. His grip lessened and Noli dropped to the floor with a jarring thud, knife falling to the ground. The knife went back into her boot, then her hand found the piece in her pocket. She must keep it safe.
Several other pistol clicks echoed through the room. Brogan didn’t look up, a hand over his bleeding leg.
“No one messes with little sister.” Thad aimed his pistol at Brogan, uncovered eye narrowing. Asa and two women wearing trousers also held pistols.
“Brogan, you need to get off my ship, you’re bleeding everywhere.” Vix’s voice remained calm, pistol still focused on the earth court king.
“I only want what is mine.” The hand not staunching his wounds extended as if he expected Noli to hand the artifact over.
“You didn’t pay for it, it’s not yours,” Vix retorted. “Asa, Thad, escort these men off my ship.”
“I think we should go,” the guard who’d spied on her and V said, guiding Brogan toward the exit. “I’ll send men after Kevighn Silver for the other pieces.”
“You’ll pay for this,” Brogan yelled as he limped off the ship leaving a trail of blood, guns still focused on him. “Stiofan, too. Oh yes, you will all pay.”
A heavy silence filled the air. Noli grasped for breath, crouched on the floor, feeling lightheaded. The piece cut into her hand. She’d done it—she’d even used her knife to help protect herself. At least Brogan hadn’t hurt Jeff.
She’d never forgive herself if he had.
The voice stayed silent. That was for probably better, her head was crowded enough without adding a goddess. “Are you all right, Captain? Who was that?” Thad tucked his pistol away and took a drink from his flask.
“Business gone bad. Thank you for that.” Vix put her pistol away as well.
“Noli, Noli, are you well?” Jeff crouched next to her.
“I can’t catch my breath.” Clammy heat spread across her skin as she rasped for breath.
Jeff pulled her into a sitting position so she could lean against him. “Asa, could you please get Noli some water. It’s all right. They’re gone.”
“Who’s Stiofan?” Vix joined them, concern in her eyes.
“V. Steven.” She took the cup of water from Asa but didn’t feel like drinking. It was difficult to breathe and her neck ached where Brogan had grabbed her.
“We’ll talk about this later, the three of us, while we’re en route to Boston,” Jeff soothed. “Vix and I are engaged, we’re going to Boston for Thanksgiving to tell my family,” he added to the others.
Various congratulations came from those in the room. Noli had no idea who the women were. She closed her eyes and leaned on Jeff.
“If we’re going to Boston, we best be leaving,” Asa finally boomed.
“Noli, you don’t look good.” Jeff smoothed her hair. “Vix, she’s warm.”
“Go put her downstairs, have Winky ready the engines. Hittie, Hattie, thank you so much, until next time?” Vix called.
Jeff scooped Noli up in arms. She should protest. But the words just didn’t come out.
“Will little sister be all right?” Thad asked.
“She’ll be fine.” Jeff carried her down to her little room.
Noli clutched the piece. “I didn’t give it to him.”
“I still don’t understand why it’s so important.”
“It is,” she insisted.
Jeff put her in her hammock and covered her with the blanket. “We need to talk, you, Vix, and I. I’m not sure what precisely I saw and heard back there.”
Noli closed her eyes. “Brogan is V’s uncle.”
“V’s one of them, too? Don’t they have their own realm?” Exasperation colored his voice as he tucked her in.
“V and his family are exiles, forced to live in our realm because of Brogan and Queen Tiana.” She ached all over and just felt … wrong. “V broke it off with me because his mother is the high queen and she ordered him to. May I have my roses?”
“Um, sure.” Jeff retrieved her pot of roses from the worktable. Noli wrapped her arms around the tiny pot as if it was a doll. Much better.
“I don’t feel good,” she murmured, trying to get comfortable in her hammock.
“You sleep, we’ll figure this all out later.” Jeff’s fingers traced her cheek. “We’ll figure this all out later. I promise.”
Kevighn entered through the swinging wooden doors into The Thirsty Pooka, deep within the blackwoods of the Otherworld. Once, it had been his favorite watering hole. Despite the shady characters frequenting it, the tavern was actually quite safe. Safe enough to bring Creideamh. So he’d thought.
People stopped drinking and throwing knives to stare at him.
“What are you doing here, huntsman?” a large ogre sneered, cleaning his teeth with his dagger as he sat at a table filled with other ugly, smelly, large ogres.
“Yeah, you’re kind isn’t welcome here,” a goblin added. They were smaller than ogres, but just as strong
