Charmed Vengeance

Vix helped herself to one of the tiny cookies Ellen had brought with the tea. “He took a position on the ship. I don’t trust him. Noli does. However, he did bring us the money.”

Jeff and Vix explained the business transaction. “Brogan was very angry we didn’t sell the pieces to him,” Jeff told them. “He stormed onto the ship and that’s when he and Noli had their … encounter. She’s been ill ever since.”

“Who’d you sell the pieces to?” James asked. “Kevighn?”

“Kevighn was supposed to re-scatter the pieces. They’re apparently in the mortal realm for a reason,” Jeff replied. “I believe the money came from someone named Kyran.”

“Kyran?” Steven looked to James, not ever having heard the name.

James shrugged. “I have no idea who that is. I’m not sure I believe Kevighn, though.”

“Me neither.” Vix took another cookie. “But it’s not our problem.”

That brusque attitude rankled. They shouldn’t be stealing for the Fae to begin with—and some article banished from the Otherworld? His uncle wanting something like that didn’t bode well. But the business dealings of air pirates weren’t the reason for his presence.

“Could we see Noli? Please?” The idea of anything happening to her made his stomach churn. Their kind didn’t usually fall ill.

“She thinks you broke up with her because your mother, the queen, made you. Noli’s very trusting—too trusting.” Vix gave him a menacing stare, as if Noli’s innocent nature was somehow his fault.

The idea of Noli’s family knowing about his kind was just … surreal.

“Yes, yes, her assumption is correct.” He focused on his cup, not them, part of him glad she’d held on to that belief and not abandoned him—especially with Kevighn lurking around. “I can’t disobey an order from the high queen. I wasn’t allowed to tell her. I can’t tell you how much it hurt to do that.” Steven continued to stare into the depths of the amber liquid. “I will find some way for us to be together, I promise you that.”

“Why?” Jeff asked.

That simple word caused Steven to look up and meet his eyes. “Because I have loved your sister for a very long time. There’s no one else in any realm like her.”

Vix took a sip of tea, giving him a nod of approval.

“She loves you, too,” Jeff replied. “I still don’t understand everything. Noli told us what happened to her between the school and going home. I don’t actually comprehend the part about her not being mortal and a sprite living in her head.” He made a face of confused disbelief. “But I do know that something’s not right about her.”

“It’s odd,” James agreed, shoving a cookie in his mouth.

“I take full responsibility and I’ll find a way to remedy that as well.” Steven bowed his head, he’d made so many mistakes—ones Noli had paid for. He looked at Vix, still not truly understanding what was happening here. “I appreciate you sending for me. There’s a good possibility one of your doctors won’t be able to help her, all things considered.”

Not that he was an expert on Otherworldly illnesses.

“Well, if she’s out of her element, they won’t.” James leaned back in his chair as casual as could be.

“What?” they all said at once.

“You said Uncle Brogan kept telling her she was out of her element, right?” James asked. “You’re air pirates. Noli’s an earth sprite. It’s obvious.”

They all stared at James.

James made an exasperated noise. “We need to spend time in our elements, especially the lower court folk. Too much time away can make you sick.”

That sounded vaguely familiar. “But we’re earth court, and we’re fine,” Steven tried to work all this out in his head.

“But we’re not sprites. They’re tied closer to their elements than us—and I think she’s been spending more time in the air than we have.”

Jeff’s eyes went alight with recognition. “Noli kept telling me how she wanted to be among trees and dirt— and she loved her little potted plants. She keeps asking for plants to hold when she sleeps, the way a little girl does a doll—and they keep dying.”

“Because she’s absorbing their life force.” Steven began to make sense of what was happening to Noli. “But it shouldn’t happen so fast.”

“Your uncle did something to her, I know he did,” Vix returned, eyes flashing in annoyance. “Why aren’t you listening to me?”

“I’m listening. He’s king of the earth court, he could have done something.” James drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair.

“He could. The idea that he would is appalling.” Steven made a noise of distain. “Will you allow us to see her?”

Hope danced in Jeff’s eyes, eyes so much like Noli’s. “Can you help her?”

Steven stood. “I’m no healer, but certainly, I’ll try.”

Anything for Noli.

Jeff and Vix led them up a sweeping staircase and down several hallways. Finally, he pushed open a door.

Steven brushed past them and rushed to her side. “Noli.”

Darling Noli lay in bed in a ruffled nightdress, quilt up to her chin, looking so small and pale, and a withered plant in her arms. It was as if all the life, everything that made her his Noli, had been drained right out of her, leaving her as lifeless as the poor bedraggled plant.

She didn’t stir when he took her hand. Her breath rasped and her face looked drawn, cheekbones protruding.

“I’m not even sure how she’s lasted this long,” Vix whispered from the background as she leaned into Jeff. “We can barely get her to eat or drink anything.”

Steven brushed her cool forehead with his fingertips. “Noli, it’s me, will you open your eyes for me, please?”

What he wanted to do was climb into the bed with her, hold her in his arms, and kiss her—but he wasn’t about to do that with Jeff watching.

All Noli did was sigh. Hope flicked within him. Perhaps it was a happy sigh because she knew he’d arrived.

James joined him at her bedside and looked at the plant, brow furrowing. He put his hand on her cheek and it shimmered slightly.

“James,” he hissed at his brother’s blatant use of magic in public.

James sniffed, his hand continuing to glow green. “Do you want to help her or not?”

“You have magic as well?” Jeff whispered, coming up behind them.

“Yes, but ours is different from Noli’s,” Steven replied. The room looked like a child’s room, with books on a shelf and a box of toys. A few jolly pictures hung on the wall.

Biting his lower lip, James turned to Steven. “She’s very sick, V.”

“Really, James?” Steven didn’t hide his sarcasm as he continued to hold her lifeless hand.

Jeff joined them at Noli’s increasingly crowded bedside, brow creased with worry. “Can you do something about it?”

“I … I don’t know.” James bowed his head. “I’m not good at this sort of magic.”

The best healers came from the water court.

Steven tried to remember everything he knew about someone becoming ill from being out of their element. “If she’s out of her element, we need to get her back into it … in the Otherworld.”

“We can’t bring her on the quest.” James’ shoulders rounded. “If we go back, give Tiana the automaton, then return … what if it’s too late? I already lost Lottie, I don’t want to lose Noli.”

“We’re not losing Noli. I won’t allow it.” Steven wished there was some way to give her some of himself. “We can’t bring her on the quest, but that doesn’t mean we can’t bring her back into the Otherworld. We’ll take